Dental caries is a major disease that seriously endangers human oral health. Dental plaque biofilm composed of many microorganisms is the primary factor of dental caries. Inhibiting biofilm formation has become the focus of research on the prevention and treatment of dental caries. Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans, as common pathogenic bacteria in the oral cavity, are closely related to the occurrence of dental caries. The interaction between the two can lead to the rapid onset of dental caries. In recent years, many studies have found that Candida albicans promotes the occurrence of caries by interacting with Streptococcus mutans, including physical adhesion, promoting the production of exopolysaccharides (EPS), reducing the pH of the microecological environment, forming a highly cariogenic acidic environment, and secreting quorum sensing molecules to trigger quorum sensing. As a communication mechanism between microorganisms, the quorum sensing system mainly includes three main types: autoinducing peptide (AIP) system, autoinducer-2 (AI-2) system, and Acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) system. At present, quorum sensing has been shown to promote the occurrence of diseases by activating the expression of microbial pathogenicity-related genes, promoting EPS synthesis and biofilm formation. The CSP-ComDE and ComRS quorum sensing systems of Streptococcus mutans allow the bacteria to survive and cause disease in extreme environments that are unfavorable for survival, while the quorum sensing system of Candida albicans is mainly mediated by farnesol, which has a negative regulatory effect on the yeast-hyphae transformation of Candida albicans. Studying the quorum sensing phenomenon of the two bacteria is helpful to understand the etiology of caries. In recent years, many studies have reported the use of quorum sensing inhibitors in anti-microbial applications. The study of microbial quorum sensing systems and inhibitors will help the prevention and treatment of caries. With the increasing interest in biofilm-related research, and a new method for in-depth study of the biofilm formation process and quorum sensing behavior using microfluidic and chip laboratory technology is proposed. The author summarizes the cariogenic effects, the quorum sensing system and quorum sensing inhibitors of Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans.

Objective:To evaluate the immunogenicity, safety, and immune persistence of the sequential booster with the recombinant protein-based COVID-19 vaccine (CHO cell) in healthy people aged 18-84 years.Methods:An open-label, multi-center trial was conducted in October 2021. The eligible healthy individuals, aged 18-84 years who had completed primary immunization with the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine 3 to 9 months before, were recruited from Shangyu district of Shaoxing and Kaihua county of Quzhou, Zhejiang province. All participants were divided into three groups based on the differences in prime-boost intervals: Group A (3-4 months), Group B (5-6 months) and Group C (7-9 months), with 320 persons per group. All participants received the recombinant COVID-19 vaccine (CHO cell). Blood samples were collected before the vaccination and after receiving the booster at 14 days, 30 days, and 180 days for analysis of GMTs, antibody positivity rates, and seroconversion rates. All adverse events were collected within one month and serious adverse events were collected within six months. The incidences of adverse reactions were analyzed after the booster.Results:The age of 960 participants was (52.3±11.5) years old, and 47.4% were males (455). The GMTs of Groups B and C were 65.26 (54.51-78.12) and 60.97 (50.61-73.45) at 14 days after the booster, both higher than Group A′s 44.79 (36.94-54.30) ( P value<0.05). The GMTs of Groups B and C were 23.95 (20.18-28.42) and 27.98 (23.45-33.39) at 30 days after the booster, both higher than Group A′s 15.71 (13.24-18.63) ( P value <0.05). At 14 days after the booster, the antibody positivity rates in Groups A, B, and C were 91.69% (276/301), 94.38% (302/320), and 93.95% (295/314), respectively. The seroconversion rates in the three groups were 90.37% (272/301), 93.75% (300/320), and 93.31% (293/314), respectively. There was no significant difference among these rates in the three groups (all P values >0.05). At 30 days after the booster, antibody positivity rates in Groups A, B, and C were 79.60% (238/299), 87.74% (279/318), and 90.48% (285/315), respectively. The seroconversion rates in the three groups were 76.92% (230/299), 85.85% (273/318), and 88.25% (278/315), respectively. There was a significant difference among these rates in the three groups (all P values <0.001). During the sequential booster immunization, the incidence of adverse events in 960 participants was 15.31% (147/960), with rates of about 14.38% (46/320), 17.50% (56/320), and 14.06% (45/320) in Groups A, B, and C, respectively. The incidence of adverse reactions was 8.02% (77/960), with rates of about 7.50% (24/320), 6.88% (22/320), and 9.69% (31/320) in Groups A, B, and C, respectively. No serious adverse events related to the booster were reported. Conclusion:Healthy individuals aged 18-84 years, who had completed primary immunization with the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine 3 to 9 months before, have good immunogenicity and safety profiles following the sequential booster with the recombinant COVID-19 vaccine (CHO cell).

Objective To investigate the ameliorative effects and potential mechanism of Lithocarpus litseifoliu on renal function and inflammation in mice with hyperuricemic nephropathy(HN).Methods The HN model was established by the combined administration of adenine and potassium oxyzate.The mice were randomly divided into normal control group,model control group,benzbromarone group,and high,medium and low dose groups of Lithocarpus litseifoliu.Different drugs were given to the mice,and their body mass was recorded once a week.The levels of uric acid(UA),creatinine(Cr),urine protein(UP),blood urea nitrogen(BUN)and urine urea nitrogen(UUN)as well as the levels of tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α)and interleukin 6(IL-6)in serum or urine of each group were collected and measured on the 21st day.Hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining was performed to observe kidney tissue injury in mice;real-time PCR(RT-PCR)was performed to determine ATP-binding cassette subfamily G member 2(ABCG2),urate transporter protein(URAT1),glucose transporter protein 9(GLUT9),and cytosolic factor NF-κB p50(κB p50)in kidney tissues.Results Compared with the normal control group,the body mass of mice in the model control group was significantly lower after the second weeks of modeling(P＜0.05),and the levels of UA,Cr,UP,BUN,UUN,TNF-α,IL-6 contents and GLUT9 mRNA and κB p50 mRNA expression contents of kidney tissues were significantly higher(P＜0.01,P＜0.05).Compared with the model control group,the levels of Cr,UP,BUN and UUN contents and renal tissue nuclear cytokine κB p50 mRNA expression were significantly lower in the high,medium and low dose groups of Lithocarpus litseifoliu(P＜0.01,P＜0.05).The UA levels were significantly lower in the high dose group of Lithocarpus litseifoliu(P＜0.05),and renal ABCG2 mRNA expression was significantly higher in the medium dose group(P＜0.01).The renal URAT1 mRNA expression was significantly decreased in the low dose group(P＜0.01).Conclusion Lithocarpus litseifoliu has shown ameliorative effects on HN mice,and the mechanism may be related to the modulation of renal uric acid transporters,improvement of renal function and anti-inflammation effects.

Objective: Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) was investigated as the key protein which might promote the specific metastasis progress of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods: Sixteen specimens of pulmonary metastasis carcinoma and counterparts in primary nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissue were collected from patients. The expression of VEGFA through immunohistochemistry was investigated.VEGFA was knocked down by siRNA in two cell lines of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (CNE-1 and 5-8F), MTT and Transwell test were used to explore the role of VEGFA in praxiology. Then shRNA was used to cultivate the stable CNE-1 cell line with down-regulated-expression of VEGFA. The nude mice models were built through tail vein injection of specific nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells, and lungs were collected to perform further metastasis analysis. Results: Previous genetic studies showed that VEGFA had higher expression in metastasis tissue, and the result was validated in the present study using immunohistochemistry. The percentage of positive cells was 84.8% in pulmonary metastasis group, 51.5% in primary tissue group (t=8.639, P<0.05), average optical density was 0.154 in pulmonary metastasis group, 0.061 in primary tissue group (t=18.791, P<0.05). Low expression of VEGFA inhibited cell viability of optical density value of CNE-1 in siRNA gourp was 0.715, 0.902 in control group (t=7.274, P<0.05); 5-8F in siRNA group was 0.715, 0.935 in control group (t=7.751, P<0.05). Number counting suppressed migration of CNE-1 in siRNA group was 52 per high-power lens, 124 per high-power lens in control group (t=29.380, P<0.05), 5-8F in siRNA group was 65 per high-power lens, 155 per high-power lens in control group (t=18.181, P<0.05). Number counting invasion of CNE-1 in siRNA gourp was 38 per high-power lens, 86 per high-power lens in control group (t=27.665, P<0.05), 5-8F in siRNA group was 52 per high-power lens, 116 per high-power lens in control group (t=40.972, P<0.05) in vitro. Furthermore, knock-down of VEGFA in nasopharyngeal carcinoma reduced the pulmonary metastasis in vivo. Number counting of tumor volumes in shRNA group was 2.4, and 11.0 in control group (t=6.143, P<0.05); average optical density of immunohistochemistry in shRNA group was 0.033, and 0.176 in control group (t=15.734, P<0.05). Conclusions Results above reveal the overexpression of VEGFA in nasopharyngeal carcinoma can facilitate the pulmonary metastasis. Targeting VEGFA may provide a new biomarker of clinical study.

Objective To compare the effect of various manipulation of Tuina on surface electromyogram (sEMG) in hemiplegics after stroke. Methods From January to May, 2016, 20 inpatients with hemiplegia after stroke accepted Tuina on bilateral rectus femoris by the same therapist, with the techniques of rolling, patting, rubbing, shaking, kneading and pressing, one minute a manipulation and interval one minute. Integrated electromyography (iEMG), root mean square (RMS) and median frequency (MF) of sEMG were compared, both in rest and during Tuina. Results There was no significant difference of iEMG, RMS and MF between affected and unaffected sides in rest (t<1.147, P>0.05). iEMG and RMS were the most under patting (F>21.376, P<0.001), and MF was the highest under pressing (F>11.772, P<0.001). iEMG, RMS and MF were not very different under other manipulation (P>0.05). iEMG and RMS were less in the affected side than in the unaffected side under patting (P<0.05). Conclusion Various manipulation of Tuina may be different in neuromuscular stimulation, that patting may stimulate more muscles and motor units.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of triple needling plus warm needling in treating chronic pelvic inflammation due to cold and damp stagnation.Method Sixty patients with chronic pelvic inflammation due to cold and damp stagnation were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 30 in each group. The control group was intervened by ordinary acupuncture, while the treatment group was by triple needling and warm needling in addition to the ordinary acupuncture method. The symptom and sign scores were evaluated before and after intervention, and the clinical efficacies were compared. Result The symptom and sign scores were changed significantly after intervention in both groups (P<0.01,P<0.05). After intervention, the symptom and sign score in the treatment group was significantly different from that in the control group (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 93.3% in the treatment group versus 80.0% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).Conclusion Triple needling plus warm needling is an effective method in treating chronic pelvic inflammation.

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of acupuncture combined with umbilical ring point ginger-partition moxibustion for ulcerative colitis of spleen-kidney yang deficiency type, and to observe its influence on the related inflammatory factors. Methods Sixty qualified cases were randomly divided into treatment group and control group, 30 in each group. Both groups were given oral use of live combined bifidobacterium, lactobacillus and enterococcus capsules, and the treatment group received acupuncture and umbilical ring point ginger-partition moxibustion together. After one treatment course ( four weeks) , the therapeutic effect was evaluated, and the changes of serum levels of related inflammatory factors of tumor necrosis alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 8 (IL-8) were observed. Moreover, the safety was monitored. Results(1) The total effective rate was 86.67% in the treatment group and 66.67% in the control group, the difference being significant between the two groups (P<0.05). (2) The serum TNF-α and IL-8 levels were decreased in both groups after treatment (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the decrease in the treatment group was superior to that in the control group ( P<0.05). ( 3) No obvious reverse action was found in the two groups. Conclusion Acupuncture combined with umbilical ring point ginger-partition moxibustion is effective and safe for the treatment of ulcerative colitis of spleen-kidney yang deficiency type.

Objective To investigate the changes of indications, degree of difficulty in procedure, complication and its severity in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in Changhai hospital from 2001 to 2007. Methods The clinical data, including demographic data, indications, degree of difficulty in procedure, success rate, complication rate and severity of complication, of 2374 patients who underwent ERCP in 2001 and 2007 (966 in 2001 and 1408 in 2007), were retrospectively reviewed. Results Indications of ERCP changed at an interval of 5 years. Operations due to bile duct stone decreased (59.0% vs. 49.3%, P=0.000), while operations due to pancreas disease, especially chronic pancreatitis (6.6% vs. 18.5%, P=0.000) and recurrent pancreatitis (0.2% vs.1.6%, P=0.001), increased. Patients with biliary duct problems after liver transplantation appeared in 2007. The procedures of ERCP performed in 2007 were more difficult (P=0.000), with an increased percentage of Degree 5 procedure (7.3% vs. 33.3%, P=0.000). The number of diagnostic ERCP significantly decreased (Degree 1 + Degree 3, 30.5% +2.8% vs. 5.9% +3.1%, P=0.000). There was no significant difference in the success rate between the two years (P=0.084). The complication rate of ERCP in 2007 was significantly higher than that in 2001 (3.73% vs. 7.88%, P=0.000), but the severity of complication showed no significant difference (P=0.820). Conclusion Cases of diagnostic ERCP decreased in 2007. Indications of ERCP have changed, with a decrease in bile duct diseases and an increase in pancreatic diseases. The procedures are more complicated, but it does not lead to lower success rate. The increase in complication rate is possibly due to increase of therapeutic ERCP.