Lgr5 and Col22a1 mark progenitor cells in the lineage toward juvenile articular chondrocytes

The synovial joint forms from a pool of progenitor cells in the future region of the joint, the interzone. Expression of Gdf5 and Wnt9a has been used to mark the earliest cellular processes in the formation of the interzone and the progenitor cells. However, lineage specification and progression toward the different tissues of the joint are not well understood. Here, by lineage-tracing studies we identify a population of Lgr5+ interzone cells that contribute to the formation of cruciate ligaments, synovial membrane, and articular chondrocytes of the joint. This finding is supported by single-cell transcriptome analyses. We show that Col22a1, a marker of early articular chondrocytes, is co-expressed with Lgr5+ cells prior to cavitation as an important lineage marker specifying the progression toward articular chondrocytes. Lgr5+ cells contribute to the repair of a joint defect with the re-establishment of a Col22a1-expressing superficial layer

Is 'oil pulling' a 'snake oil'? : a clinical trial

The traditional Ayurveda practice of ‘oil pulling’ has become a recent phenomenon and concerns about its efficacy have been raised. Objectives: (1) to determine awareness about the practice of ‘oil pulling’ among a group of young adults, and to determine variations in awareness with respect to socio-demographic factors, oral health behaviours (oral hygiene and dental attendance) and use of natural health products; (2) to determine the effectiveness of ‘oil pulling’ and conventional oral hygiene practice compared to the use of conventional oral hygiene practice alone in terms of oral hygiene and (3) to determine the effectiveness of ‘oil pulling’ and conventional oral hygiene practice compared to the use of conventional oral hygiene practice alone in terms of gingival health. Methods: Group members recruited seventy-four young adults to participate in a clinical trial over a two-month period comparing the effectiveness of (a) ‘oil pulling’ and conventional oral hygiene methods (toothbrush and toothpaste) versus (b) conventional oral hygiene methods alone. Oral hygiene was assessed using the Plaque Index - PI (Silness and Löe, 1964) and the proportion of sites with visible plaque (PVP). Gingival health was assessed using the Gingival Index – GI (Silness and Löe,1963) and the proportion of sites with gingival bleeding (PGB). Participants were block randomized in groups of four to a cross over clinical trial and assessments were conducted at one-month and two-months. Results: Approximately a quarter (28.4%, 21) of participants was aware of the practice of ‘oil pulling’. Awareness of the practice was associated with reported use of natural dental/oral health products (p0.05). There were observed significant differences in gingival health among both the test and control groups from baseline to one-month (p0.05). No significant differences were observed in oral health parameters from one-month to two-month among neither the test nor control groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: Awareness of the practice of ‘oil pulling’ is relatively common and is associated with use of natural dental/oral health products. Findings from the clinical trial failed to support the adjunct use of ‘oil pulling’ in addition to conventional oral hygiene practices.published_or_final_versio

Applications of optical coherence tomography angiography in glaucoma: current status and future directions

Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, with its pathophysiology remaining inadequately understood. Among the various proposed theories, the vascular theory, suggesting a crucial role of retinal vasculature deterioration in glaucoma onset and progression, has gained significant attention. Traditional imaging techniques, such as fundus fluorescein angiography, are limited by their invasive nature, time consumption, and qualitative output, which restrict their efficacy in detailed retinal vessel examination. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) emerges as a revolutionary imaging modality, offering non-invasive, detailed visualization of the retinal and optic nerve head microvasculature, thereby marking a significant advancement in glaucoma diagnostics and management. Since its introduction, OCTA has been extensively utilized for retinal vasculature imaging, underscoring its potential to enhance our understanding of glaucoma’s pathophysiology, improving diagnosis, and monitoring disease progression. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge regarding the role of OCTA in glaucoma, particularly its potential applications in diagnosing, monitoring, and understanding the pathophysiology of the disease. Parameters pertinent to glaucoma will be elucidated to illustrate the utility of OCTA as a tool to guide glaucoma management

Risk factors of pancreatic cancer in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: The Hong Kong Diabetes Study

Context Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with the development of pancreatic cancer (PaC), but few large-scale studies have examined its predictive risk factors. Objective The present study aims to examine the predictors for PaC in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a territory-wide, retrospective cohort study. Methods This was a territory-wide, retrospective cohort study of patients with T2DM mellitus older than 40 years with no prior history of PaC. Baseline demographics, use of antidiabetic medications, comorbidities, and biochemical parameters were extracted. Cox regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) with 95% CI. Subgroup analyses based on chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages were performed. Results This study consisted of 273 738 patients (age = 65.4 ± 12.7 years, male = 48.2%, follow-up duration = 3547 ± 1207 days, disease duration = 4.8 ± 2.3 years), of whom 1148 developed PaC. The number of antidiabetic medications prescribed (HR: 1.20; 95% CI, 1.01-1.42; P = .040), diabetic microvascular complications (HR: 1.91; 95% CI, 1.30-2.81; P < .001), chronic kidney disease (HR: 1.81; 95% CI, 1.25-2.64; P = .002), use of acarbose (HR: 2.24; 95% CI, 1.35-3.74; P = .002), and use of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (HR: 4.00; 95% CI: 1.28-12.53, P = .017) were associated with PaC development on multivariable Cox regression adjusting for the duration of DM, mean glycated hemoglobin A1c, and history of pancreatic diseases. Stage 3A CKD or below was associated with PaC but not stage 3B or beyond. Conclusion Diabetic microvascular complications, especially stage 1, 2, and 3A CKD, were associated with PaCs

Albumin-bilirubin grade predicts the outcomes of liver resection versus radiofrequency ablation for very early/early stage of hepatocellular carcinoma

Background and purposeWhether liver resection or ablation should be the first-line treatment for very early/early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients who are candidates for both remains controversial. The aim of this study was to determine if the newly-developed Albumin-Bilirubin (ALBI) grade might help in treatment selections and to evaluate the survival of patients treated with liver resection and radiofrequency ablation (RFA).MethodsPatients with BCLC stage 0/A HCC who were treated with curative liver resection and RFA from 2003 to 2013 were included. Baseline clinical and laboratory parameters were retrieved and reviewed from the hospital database. Liver function and its impact on survival was assessed by the ALBI score. Overall and disease-free survivals were compared between the two groups.Results488 patients underwent liver resection (n = 318) and RFA (n = 170) for BCLC stage 0/A HCC during the study period. Liver resection offered superior survival to RFA in patients with BCLC stage 0/A HCC in the whole cohort. After propensity score matching, liver resection offered superior overall survival and disease-free survival to RFA in patients with ALBI grade 1 (P = 0.0002 and P ConclusionsLiver resection offered superior survival to RFA in patients with BCLC stage 0/A HCC. The ALBI grade could identify those patients with worse liver function who did not gain any survival advantage from curative liver resection

Wave-Induced Flow in Meridians Demonstrated Using Photoluminescent Bioceramic Material on Acupuncture Points

The mechanisms of acupuncture remain poorly understood, but it is generally assumed that measuring the electrical conductivity at various meridians provides data representing various meridian energies. In the past, noninvasive methods have been used to stimulate the acupuncture points at meridians, such as heat, electricity, magnets, and lasers. Photoluminescent bioceramic (PLB) material has been proven to weaken hydrogen bonds and alter the characteristics of liquid water. In this study, we applied the noninvasive PLB technique to acupuncture point irradiation, attempting to detect its effects by using electrical conductivity measurements. We reviewed relevant literature, searching for information on meridians including their wave-induced flow characteristics

Promotion of knowledge and awareness of parents in HK about infant oral health care

Aim: To promote the knowledge and awareness of infant oral health (OH) care among Hong Kong parents with children aged 0 to 2 years through an interactive workshop and to evaluate its effectiveness. Methods: Parents were recruited from government-registered childcare centers and private playgroups. Interactive workshops consisted of a 30-minute PowerPoint presentation and 20 minutes of small-group activities, which included infant oral hygiene instruction with custom-made infant dentition models, diet analysis and question-and-answer session. Self-completed questionnaires used to evaluate the knowledge and attitude of parents were distributed before and after the workshops. Scores on general OH knowledge (range=0-18), infant OH knowledge (0-10) and parent’s attitude (0-4) were computed. Scores of at least 70% were considered proficient. Results: Among the 111 participants (aged 26 to 54 years, 64% mothers), 96% had a child aged 0 to 30 months. 30% had their children’s mouth cleaned at least twice a day. Only one participant had brought his/her child to see a dentist. Weaker aspects in parents’ OH knowledge and common misconceptions were identified in the pre-survey. Only 35% identified frequent meals as an increased caries risk; only 59% and 79% identified starchy food and formula milk as cariogenic food respectively. 58% did not know water fluoridation can prevent caries, while 33% of parents pointed out calcium supplement can prevent caries. Before the workshop, 41% had proficient general OH knowledge (mean=11.9) and 16% had proficient infant OH knowledge (mean=4.8). Over half of parents showed positive attitude (mean=3.4). Significant improvements in general OH knowledge (mean=15.6, p<0.001), infant OH knowledge (mean=8.8, p<0.001) and attitude (mean=3.9, p<0.001) were observed. Parents reflected the workshops were useful (94%) and they learned new practices to improve their infants’ OH (95%). Conclusion: Several deficiencies in oral health knowledge and behaviour are identified. The interactive workshops can effectively promote the knowledge and awareness of infant oral health care among parents with children aged 0 to 2 years. Large-scale infant oral health survey is needed. Interactive workshops with longer follow-up periods are recommended. More guidelines can be provided to parents and general dentists for prevention of caries.published_or_final_versio

Identification of microbial community in the urban environment: The concordance between conventional culture and nanopore 16S rRNA sequencing

IntroductionMicrobes in the built environment have been implicated as a source of infectious diseases. Bacterial culture is the standard method for assessing the risk of exposure to pathogens in urban environments, but this method only accounts for &lt;1% of the diversity of bacteria. Recently, full-length 16S rRNA gene analysis using nanopore sequencing has been applied for microbial evaluations, resulting in a rise in the development of long-read taxonomic tools for species-level classification. Regarding their comparative performance, there is, however, a lack of information.MethodsHere, we aim to analyze the concordance of the microbial community in the urban environment inferred by multiple taxonomic classifiers, including ARGpore2, Emu, Kraken2/Bracken and NanoCLUST, using our 16S-nanopore dataset generated by MegaBLAST, as well as assess their abilities to identify culturable species based on the conventional culture results.ResultsAccording to our results, NanoCLUST was preferred for 16S microbial profiling because it had a high concordance of dominant species and a similar microbial profile to MegaBLAST, whereas Kraken2/Bracken, which had similar clustering results as NanoCLUST, was also desirable. Second, for culturable species identification, Emu with the highest accuracy (81.2%) and F1 score (29%) for the detection of culturable species was suggested.DiscussionIn addition to generating datasets in complex communities for future benchmarking studies, our comprehensive evaluation of the taxonomic classifiers offers recommendations for ongoing microbial community research, particularly for complex communities using nanopore 16S rRNA sequencing

Risk Factors of Pancreatic Cancer in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: The Hong Kong Diabetes Study

Context: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with the development of pancreatic cancer (PaC), but few large-scale studies have examined its predictive risk factors. Objective: The present study aims to examine the predictors for PaC in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a territory-wide, retrospective cohort study. Methods: This was a territory-wide, retrospective cohort study of patients with T2DM mellitus older than 40 years with no prior history of PaC. Baseline demographics, use of antidiabetic medications, comorbidities, and biochemical parameters were extracted. Cox regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) with 95% CI. Subgroup analyses based on chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages were performed. Results: This study consisted of 273 738 patients (age = 65.4 ± 12.7 years, male = 48.2%, follow-up duration = 3547 ± 1207 days, disease duration = 4.8 ± 2.3 years), of whom 1148 developed PaC. The number of antidiabetic medications prescribed (HR: 1.20; 95% CI, 1.01-1.42; P = .040), diabetic microvascular complications (HR: 1.91; 95% CI, 1.30-2.81; P P = .002), use of acarbose (HR: 2.24; 95% CI, 1.35-3.74; P = .002), and use of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (HR: 4.00; 95% CI: 1.28-12.53, P = .017) were associated with PaC development on multivariable Cox regression adjusting for the duration of DM, mean glycated hemoglobin A1c, and history of pancreatic diseases. Stage 3A CKD or below was associated with PaC but not stage 3B or beyond. Conclusion: Diabetic microvascular complications, especially stage 1, 2, and 3A CKD, were associated with PaCs