Scalable Fabrication of Polymeric Composite Microspheres to Inhibit Oral Pathogens and Promote Osteogenic Differentiation of Periodontal Membrane Stem Cells

Periodontitis is a worldwide bacterial infectious disease, resulting in the resorption of tooth-supporting structures. Biodegradable polymeric microspheres are emerging as an appealing local therapy candidate for periodontal defect regeneration but suffer from tedious procedures and low yields. Herein, we developed a facile yet scalable approach to prepare polylactide composite microspheres with outstanding drug-loading capability. It was realized by blending equimolar polylactide enantiomers at the temperature between the melting point of homocrystallites and stereocomplex (sc) crystallites, enabling the precipitation of sc crystallites in the form of microspheres. Meanwhile, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and nano-hydroxyapatite were encapsulated in the microspheres in the designated amount. Such an assembly allowed the fast and sustained release of EGCG and Ca2+ ions. The resultant hybrid composite microspheres not only exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against typical oral pathogens (Porphyromonas gingivalis and Enterococcus faecalis), but also directly promoted osteogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cells with good cytocompatibility. These dual-functional composite microspheres offer a desired drug delivery platform to address the practical needs for periodontitis treatment.

[Comparison of QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus and QuantiFERON-TB Gold In Tube in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis]

Objective: To compare the screening value of QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus) and QuantiFERON®-TB Gold in tube (QFT-GIT) in the auxiliary diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Methods: A screening test was performed. Patients who were hospitalized in Guangzhou Chest Hospital and underwent QFT-GIT testing from October to December 2020 were prospectively included as research subjects, QFT-Plus testing was added. And the basic information, clinical manifestations, laboratory test results, imaging examinations and other data of these patients were collected. A total of 207 patients were included and divided into tuberculosis group and non-tuberculosis group according to these data. There were 124 cases in the tuberculosis group (94 confirmed patients and 30 clinically diagnosed patients), including 90 males and 34 females, aged 18-93 years, with a median age of 57 (38, 67) years. The non-tuberculosis group included 83 patients (16 patients with non-tuberculous Mycobacteria and 67 patients with other lung diseases), including 49 males and 34 females, with a median age of 60 (51, 68) years. The confirmed patients were subdivided into three grades of low, medium and high Mycobacteriam tuberculosis (MTB) bacterial load, and three grades of mild, moderate and severe pulmonary tuberculosis. The results of QFT-Plus and QFT-GIT were compared, and the levels of IFN-γ in different antigen tubes were compared. Differences between different groups were compared using Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis H test. Results: The QFT-Plus showed a high degree of agreement with the QFT-GIT (κ=0.786, 95%CI: 0.740-0.832), while the main discordant result was QFT-GIT negative/QFT-Plus positive, accounting for 15/17. The sensitivity of QFT-GIT was 80.7%(95%CI: 0.706-0.880), the specificity was 76.3%(95%CI: 0.649-0.850), the positive predictive value was 79.8%(95%CI: 0.697-0.873), and the negative predictive value was 77.3%(95%CI: 0.659-0.859), repectively. QFT-Plus showed a sensitivity of 84.3%(95%CI: 0.743-0.910), a specificity of 78.8% (95%CI: 0.679-0.868), and a positive predictive value of 80.5%(95%CI: 0.703-0.879), the negative predictive value being 82.9%(95%CI: 0.721-0.902), slightly improved to that of the QFT-GIT. Also, this study found that there were significant differences in IFN-γ values between different MTB load or disease severity (P<0.05). Conclusions: There is a good consistency between the QFT-Plus test and the QFT-GIT test, both of which show good application value in the auxiliary diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. Moreover, because of the addition of tuberculosis-specific CD8 cell antigen, the QFT-Plus test has higher sensitivity, lower uncertainty and more application value. This study also found that the bacterial load and disease severity of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis may have a certain correlation with the measured value of IFN-γ.

Pulse rate estimation using hydraulic bed sensor

We propose in this paper an effective method to obtain the pulse rate from a hydraulic sensor that is placed under the mattress. The sensor captures the superposition of the ballistocardiogram (BCG) and the respiration signals. The BCG is modeled as the j-peak with a frequency modulation component. The proposed method utilizes the Hilbert transform to effectively capture the j-peak, which allows the pulse rate information to come out distinctively in the frequency domain. Among the five subjects tested, the error in pulse rate estimation is less than 1%.

The expression of ccn3 (nov) RNA and protein in the rat central nervous system is developmentally regulated

AIMS

To establish the expression pattern of ccn3 (nov) in the central nervous system (CNS) of adult rats and to determine whether spatiotemporal variations in the expression of ccn3 (nov) are related to specific developmental stages and/or specific CNS functions.

METHODS

The sites of ccn3 (nov) expression have been identified by in situ hybridisation using didoxigenin labelled cRNA and by the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The rat CCN3 (NOV) protein was characterised by western blotting performed on brain extracts. The localisation of the CCN3 (NOV) protein in the brain was established by immunocytochemistry.

RESULTS

Increased expression of ccn3 (nov) was detected in the developing brain of rats after birth, as shown by RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry analysis performed on a series of samples taken between day 5 (P5) and day 300 (P300), with a pronounced peak between P15 and P150, suggesting that CCN3 (NOV) might play a role in the maintenance or establishment of specific brain functions. The relatively high amounts of an N-terminal truncated CCN3 (NOV) related protein detected both in the brain tissues and cerebrospinal fluid suggested that post translational processing of CCN3 (NOV) might be particularly prevalent in the brain. Such processing might be of biological importance in the light of the previously reported growth stimulatory effects of N-terminal truncated CCN3 (NOV) isoforms.

CONCLUSIONS

The postnatal differential expression of ccn3 (nov) in the brain of developing rats suggests that CCN3 (NOV) might be involved in the acquisition of specific functions. The rat species provides an as yet unequalled system for these studies. Because the CCN3 (NOV) protein is detected in restricted areas of the brain, it will be interesting to establish whether variations of ccn3 (nov) expression are associated with normal cognitive processes and whether ccn3 (nov) expression is affected by aging. In addition, because CCN3 (NOV) is found in the spinal cord and along the axonal processes, it will be of interest to determine the expression of the normal and truncated isoforms of CCN3 (NOV) in various pathological conditions, such as neurodegenerative diseases.

[Relationships between learning and memory and expression of nov gene of rats]

During the establishment of learning and memory of adult rats with active avoidance reaction expression of nov gene, nov mRNA positive neurons and NOV protein immunoreactive neurons were found in hippocampus, cingulate cortex, globus pallidus, caudate putamen and hypothalamus. The strongest positive reaction of NOV protein was observed in high ability group of learning and memory (HALM). Basic expression was found in pseudoconditioning (PC) group. The expression of NOV protein was higher in low ability group of learning and memory (LALM) than in PC group. No significant difference was detected in nov mRNA positive reaction between the three groups. The results indicate that nov gene may play an important role in learning and memory of adult rats. This regulation occurs at the level of NOV protein translation.

A developmental study of novH gene expression in human central nervous system

The expression pattern of the human nephroblastoma overexpressed (novH) gene in the fetal human central nervous system was examined by in situ hybridization using digoxigenin-labeled novH-specific riboprobes. In the spinal cord, the nov-expressing neurons were first detected both in the ventral region at 16 weeks of gestation (G16W) and in the dorsal region at G38W. In the medulla, nov-expressing neurons were detected in the principal nucleus of the inferior olive, the hypoglossal nucleus and the dorsal motor nucleus of vagus at G16W. Nov-positive neurons were detected at G28W in the nucleus of the spinal tract of the trigeminal and cuneate nucleus, and at G38W in the abducens nucleus of pons, the red nucleus and the substantia nigra of the midbrain, the ventral posterolateral and the mediodorsal thalamic nucleus. A strong labeling was also detected in the striatum of the cerebrum and the cerebral cortex of the parietal lobe. These data established that novH is mainly expressed in somato-motor neurons in the lower central nervous system at early developmental stages and in the higher central nervous system at later stages, suggesting that nov may play an important role in neuronal differentiation.