Storage media and not extraction method has the biggest impact on recovery of bacteria from the oral microbiome.

Next Generation sequencing has greatly progressed the exploration of the oral microbiome's role in dental diseases, however, there has been little focus on the effect of sample storage conditions and their interaction with DNA extraction method. Dental plaque samples collected from 20 healthy participants were pooled and stored in either 75% ethanol or Bead solution for up to 6-months at -80 °C, prior to DNA extraction with either QIAamp (non-bead beating) or PowerSoil (bead-beating) kit, followed by Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA gene. We found that storage media and not extraction method had the biggest influence on the diversity and abundance of the oral microbiota recovered.

A novel function of artesunate on inhibiting migration and invasion of fibroblast-like synoviocytes from rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Introduction: Anti-malarial drug artesunate can suppress inflammation and prevent cartilage and bone destruction in collagen-induced arthritis model in rats-suggesting it may be a potent drug for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) therapy. We aimed to investigate its effect on the invasive property of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) from patients with RA.

Methods: Synovial tissues were obtained by closed needle biopsy from active RA patients, and FLS were isolated and cultured in vitro.

The red bayberry genome and genetic basis of sex determination.

Morella rubra, red bayberry, is an economically important fruit tree in south China. Here, we assembled the first high-quality genome for both a female and a male individual of red bayberry. The genome size was 313-Mb, and 90% sequences were assembled into eight pseudo chromosome molecules, with 32 493 predicted genes.

fat-1 mice prevent high-fat plus high-sugar diet-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

High-fat and high-sugar (HFS) diets have been suggested to play a causal role in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study aimed to investigate whether fat-1 transgenic mice with a higher tissue content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) could prevent HFS diet-induced NAFLD, compared with wild-type mice. The fat-1 and wild-type littermates had free access to a 15% fructose solution plus high-fat diet, a 15% glucose solution plus high-fat diet, or a 15% sucrose solution plus high-fat diet, respectively.

Mineralising and antibacterial effects of modified calcium phosphate treatment on human root cementum.

Background: Aging population will lead to the increase of incidence of root caries globally. The clinical management of root caries is challenging due to the difficulty in moisture isolation. The root caries is caused by the release of organic acids from cariogenic bacteria which results in the dissolution of cementum and dentin of the root.

An-jun-ning, a traditional herbal formula, attenuates spontaneous withdrawal symptoms via modulation of the dopamine system in morphine-dependent rats.

Background: The dopamine system, which is involved in drug dependence, can be damaged by opioid abuse. However, current clinical medicines cannot reverse these damages in the brain, which are believed to be a key reason for the high relapse rate after abstinence treatment. This study aimed to investigate the effects of An-jun-ning (AJN), a commercial traditional Chinese medicine formula used for the treatment of opioid addiction, on the dopamine system in morphine-dependent rats and to explore the possible mechanism underlying its therapeutic effects.

Ratio of n-3/n-6 PUFAs and risk of breast cancer: a meta-analysis of 274135 adult females from 11 independent prospective studies.

Background: Increased ratio of n-3/n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in diet or serum may have a protective effect on the risk of breast cancer (BC); however, the conclusions from prospective studies are still controversial. The purpose of this study is to ascertain the relationship between intake ratio of n-3/n-6 PUFAs and the risk of BC, and estimate the potential summarized dose-response trend.

Methods: Relevant English-language studies were identified through Cochrane Library, PubMed and EMBASE database till April 2013.

Sequence-independent processing site of the C-terminal domain (CTD) influences maturation of the RgpB protease from Porphyromonas gingivalis.

The Gram-negative periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis produces a family of outer membrane-anchored proteases, the gingipains, shown to play an essential role in virulence of the organism. The C-terminal domain (CTD) of gingipains and other secreted proteins is known to be the targeting signal for maturation and translocation of the protein through the outer membrane. The CTD is subsequently cleaved during the secretion process.

The role of heme binding by DNA-protective protein from starved cells (Dps) in the Tolerance of Porphyromonas gingivalis to heme toxicity.

The widely expressed DNA-protective protein from starved-cells (Dps) family proteins are considered major contributors to prokaryotic resistance to stress. We show here that Porphyromonas gingivalis Dps (PgDps), previously described as an iron-storage and DNA-binding protein, also mediates heme sequestration. We determined that heme binds strongly to PgDps with an apparent K(d) of 3.

Characterization of a hemophore-like protein from Porphyromonas gingivalis.

The porphyrin auxotrophic pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis obtains the majority of essential iron and porphyrin from host hemoproteins. To achieve this, the organism expresses outer membrane gingipains containing cysteine proteinase domains linked to hemagglutinin domains. Heme mobilized in this way is taken up by P.