To assess the association between sleep patterns and sleep factors (sleep duration, trouble sleeping, sleep disorder) and the risk of depression in older adults. A total of 5636 participants (2754 men and 2882 women) aged 60 years and older from the 2007–2014 waves of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were included. Sleep duration, sleep problems, and sleep disorders were assessed in the home by trained interviewers using the Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) system. The combined sleep behaviours were referred to as ‘sleep patterns (healthy, intermediate and poor)’, with a ‘healthy sleep pattern’ defined as sleeping 7–9 h per night with no self-reported trouble sleeping or sleep disorders. Intermediate and poor sleep patterns indicated 1 and 2–3 sleep problems, respectively. Baseline characteristics of participants analysed using one-way logistic regression. Logistic multiple linear regression was used to assess the association of sleep factors and sleep patterns with the risk of depressive symptoms.Conduct subgroup analyses to ensure robustness of findings. The overall prevalence of depression was 7.7% among the 5636 participants analysed, with the rate of depression in older women being 1.6 times higher than in older men. The prevalence of depression was higher in older adults with intermediate sleep pattern than in older adults with healthy sleep pattern (OR: 2.28, 95% CI: 1.71–3.03, p < 0.001). The prevalence of depression was higher in older adults with poor sleep pattern than in older adults with healthy sleep pattern (OR: 5.60, 95% CI: 4.25–7.39, p < 0.001). The findings were robust after controlling for sleep items in the PHQ-9. This nationally representative survey showed a relationship between sleep patterns and depression in older adults. However, the study population was limited to Americans, and we recommend continued investigation of the causal relationship and mechanisms between the two in the future, and further expansion of data sources in order to assess the applicability of the findings.

Smooth muscle cells within the tumor microenvironment play a crucial role in cancer progression. However, their involvement in the local invasion of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma remains poorly understood. In this research, we aim to investigate the role of smooth muscle cells-mediated cell interactions in facilitating the local invasion of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Single-cell sequencing data from the public databases GSE164690 and GSE181919 were utilized to identify a specific smooth muscle cells cluster. Smooth muscle cells were isolated from tumor microenvironment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. PHLDA1 expression in smooth muscle cells was assessed through immunofluorescence staining. The role of THBS1 was investigated through in vitro studies. PHLDA1-positive smooth muscle cells were significantly enriched in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. PHLDA1 promoted the expression of THBS1 in smooth muscle cells. In vitro, THBS1 facilitated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma migration and invasion through SDC1 receptor. PHLDA1-positive smooth muscle cells play a critical role in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma invasion through THBS1. Targeting PHLDA1-positive smooth muscle cells or THBS1 may offer a promising therapeutic approach for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treatment.

This study describes a protocol for constructing human minor salivary gland (hMSG) organoids to establish a reproducible model for tissue regeneration research. Salivary gland stem/progenitor cells (hMSG-SCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (hMSG-MSCs) were isolated from pediatric minor salivary gland tissues, expanded, and co-seeded in a Matrigel-based three-dimensional (3D) system. Self-organization led to the formation of organoids with ductal-acinar-like structures, recapitulating native cellular heterogeneity more effectively than epithelial-only models. The current protocol emphasizes optimized culture conditions to preserve cell phenotypes and standardized steps for passaging, ratio mixing, and handling Matrigel (a commercial basement matrix), thereby enhancing reproducibility. Importantly, the presence of mesenchymal cells provides a supportive microenvironment that promotes epithelial survival, proliferation, and morphogenesis, overcoming limitations of low efficiency and incomplete structure. This approach enables consistent generation of salivary gland organoids and offers a robust model for studying development, functional restoration, and disease mechanisms, while also supporting potential translational applications in regenerative therapies.