Healthy dental pulp is essential for preserving teeth and maintaining their normal function. Vital pulp therapy (VPT) is widely used in clinical applications because it aims to preserve vital pulp and enhance the long-term survival of teeth. An accurate diagnosis of pulp vitality is a prerequisite for successful VPT. However, accurately assessing pulp viability remains challenging in clinical practice. Pulp viability is influenced by various factors, including the type of pulp exposure, caries status, periodontitis, trauma, treatment factors, patient age, and individual differences. Assessing pulp viability requires a comprehensive consideration of medical history and clinical manifestations, along with a combination of various auxiliary methods, such as pulp sensibility tests, pulp blood flow tests, imaging techniques and molecular diagnostics. In the future, the technology for assessing pulp vitality should evolve toward chairside, visualization, and precision techniques, to achieve consistency between clinical and histological diagnoses, thereby providing patients with the most effective treatment.

Serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitors （SSRIs）， as widely used antidepressants in clinical practice， exhibit significant individual differences in antidepressant efficacy. Gut microbiota plays an important role in the development and progression of depression， and the use of SSRIs exerts a significant impact on the gut microbiota of patients with depression. Based on this， this article reviews the research progress on the interactions between the antidepressant effects of SSRIs and gut microbiota. It has been found that SSRIs can influence the diversity， abundance， and function of the gut microbiota directly or indirectly. Conversely， the composition of the gut microbiota and differences in its functional metabolic pathways， and other factors， can in turn affect the antidepressant effects of SSRIs. Therefore， in clinical practice， gut microbiota diversity can be utilized as a predictive indicator for the antidepressant effects of SSRIs. Probiotics can be employed as an adjunct therapy alongside SSRIs， and dietary adjustments， as well as fecal microbiota transplantation， can be used to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of SSRIs. In the future， large-scale， multicenter clinical studies should be conducted， enrolling a broadly representative cohort of patients with depression， to uncover the true association between the antidepressant effects of SSRIs and gut microbiota， thereby opening up more effective avenues for the comprehensive treatment of depression.

Objective:To investigate the value of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), pediatric sequential organ failure assessment (pSOFA) and pediatric critical illness score (PCIS) in predicting mortality of pediatric sepsis in pediatric intensive care units (PICU) from Southwest China.Methods:This was a prospective multicenter observational study. A total of 447 children with sepsis admitted to 12 PICU in Southwest China from April 2022 to March 2023 were enrolled. Based on the prognosis, the patients were divided into survival group and non-survival group. The physiological parameters of SIRS, pSOFA and PCIS were recorded and scored within 24 h after PICU admission. The general clinical data and some laboratory results were recorded. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve was used to compare the predictive value of SIRS, pSOFA and PCIS in mortality of pediatric sepsis.Results:Amongst 447 children with sepsis, 260 patients were male and 187 patients were female, aged 2.5 (0.8, 7.0) years, 405 patients were in the survival group and 42 patients were in the non-survival group. 418 patients (93.5%) met the criteria of SIRS, and 440 patients (98.4%) met the criteria of pSOFA≥2. There was no significant difference in the number of items meeting the SIRS criteria between the survival group and the non-survival group (3(2, 4) vs. 3(3, 4) points, Z=1.30, P=0.192). The pSOFA score of the non-survival group was significantly higher than that of the survival group (9(6, 12) vs. 4(3, 7) points, Z=6.56, P<0.001), and the PCIS score was significantly lower than that of the survival group (72(68, 81) vs. 82(76, 88) points, Z=5.90, P<0.001). The predictive value of pSOFA (AUC=0.82) and PCIS (AUC=0.78) for sepsis mortality was significantly higher than that of SIRS (AUC=0.56) ( Z=6.59, 4.23, both P<0.001). There was no significant difference between pSOFA and PCIS ( Z=1.35, P=0.176). Platelet count, procalcitonin, lactic acid, albumin, creatinine, total bilirubin, activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time and international normalized ratio were all able to predict mortality of sepsis to a certain degree (AUC=0.64, 0.68, 0.80, 0.64, 0.68, 0.60, 0.77, 0.75, 0.76, all P<0.05). Conclusion:Compared with SIRS, both pSOFA and PCIS had better predictive value in the mortality of pediatric sepsis in PICU.

Elemene, derived from Curcuma wenyujin, one of the "8 famous genuine medicinal materials of Zhejiang province," exhibits remarkable antitumor activity. It has gained wide recognition in clinical practice for effectiveness on tumors. Dr. XIE Tian, introduced the innovative concept of "molecular compatibility theory" by combining Chinese medicine principles, specifically the "monarch, minister, assistant, and envoy" theory, with modern biomedical technology. This groundbreaking approach, along with a systematic analysis of Chinese medicine and modern biomedical knowledge, led to the development of elemene nanoliposome formulations. These novel formulations offer numerous advantages, including low toxicity, well-defined composition, synergistic effects on multiple targets, and excellent biocompatibility. Following the principles of the "molecular compatibility theory", further exploration of cancer treatment strategies and methods based on elemene was undertaken. This comprehensive review consolidates the current understanding of elemene's potential antitumor mechanisms, recent clinical investigations, advancements in drug delivery systems, and structural modifications. The ultimate goal of this review is to establish a solid theoretical foundation for researchers, empowering them to develop more effective antitumor drugs based on the principles of "molecular compatibility theory".
Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use* ; Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Sesquiterpenes/therapeutic use*

Objective:To compare the efficacy of radial forearm flap and anterolateral thigh flap in repairing soft tissue defects after oral cancer surgery and to explore their indications.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data of patients with oral cancer treated at the Department of Stomatology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, from May 2019 to February 2023. Patients were divided into two groups based on the repair method: the radial forearm flap group and the anterolateral thigh flap group. The groups were compared in the following aspects. (1) Surgical parameters including defect area after oral cancer resection, flap area, flap preparation time, operation time, and length of hospital stay. (2) Inflammatory markers (interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein levels) measured 1 day before surgery and 1 day after surgery. (3) Flap survival rate was calculated. (4) Complication rates was calculated in the flap donor area and infection rates in the oral recipient area within 6 months postoperatively. (5) Six months postoperatively, the patient’s oral function was assessed by a physician using the University of Washington quality of life scale (UW-QOL). The evaluation included assessments of oral opening, speech, and eating functions. Each parameter was scored on a scale of 0 to 10 (higher scores indicated better recovery). (6) Quality of life was assessed using the 36-item short form health survey scale(SF-36) at 2, 4 and 6 months postoperatively, with scores ranging from 0 to 100 (higher scores indicated better quality of life). (7) Patient satisfaction was assessed at 6 months postoperatively, with satisfaction levels categorized as satisfied, basically satisfied, and dissatisfied. The satisfaction rate was calculated as (satisfied + basically satisfied ) cases / total cases in each group × 100%. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 22.0. Measurement data were expressed as Mean±SD, and comparisons between groups were conducted using t-tests. Count data were expressed as cases and (or) percentages, and comparisons were made using chi-square test. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:The radial forearm flap group included 48 cases (32 males, 16 females), aged (49.3±5.0) years, with a body mass index (BMI) of (23.0±1.1) kg/m 2 and a disease course of (6.5±2.1) months. The group had 21 cases of tongue cancer, 12 of floor of mouth cancer, and 15 of buccal cancer, including 40 squamous cell carcinomas and 8 basal cell carcinomas. The anterolateral thigh flap group included 32 cases (20 males, 12 females), aged (50.1±5.0) years, with a BMI of (23.0±1.0) kg/m 2 and a disease course of (7.0±2.2) months. The group had 16 cases of tongue cancer, 7 cases of floor of mouth cancer, and 9 cases of buccal cancer, including 27 squamous cell carcinomas and 5 basal cell carcinomas. There were no significant differences in gender, age, BMI, disease course, tumor location, or pathological type between the two groups ( P>0.05). The defect area after oral cancer resection was smaller in the radial forearm flap group[ (39.0±1.3) cm 2 ] compared to the anterolateral thigh flap group[ (40.3±2.2) cm 2] ( t=3.32, P=0.001). There were no significant differences in flap area, flap preparation time, or length of hospital stay between the two groups ( P>0.05). The operation time was shorter in the radial forearm flap group [(5.1±1.1) h] compared to the anterolateral thigh flap group [(6.8±2.8) h] ( t=0.26, P<0.001). There were no significant differences in interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein levels between the two groups 1 day before surgery and 1 day after surgery ( P>0.05). The flap survival rates were 97.9% (47/48) in the radial forearm flap group and 93.8% (30/32) in the anterolateral thigh flap group, with no significant difference( P>0.05). Postoperative donor site complications mainly included infection, pigmentation, itching, etc. The overall incidence of complications in the donor site of the radial forearm flap [33.3% (16/48)] was higher than that in the anterolateral thigh flap group [12.5% (4/32)], and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=4.44, P=0.035). There was no significant difference in infection rates in the oral recipient area between the two groups ( P>0.05). Six months postoperatively, the average scores for oral opening, speech, and eating functions were above 7 in both groups, with no significant differences ( P>0.05). Quality of life scores improved over time in both groups, with average scores above 90 at 6 months postoperatively, and no significant differences at any time point ( P>0.05). The patient satisfaction rate was 91.7% (44/48) in the radial forearm flap group and 90.6% (29/32) in the anterolateral thigh flap group, with no significant difference ( P>0.05). Conclusion:Both radial forearm flap and anterolateral thigh flap can effectively repair soft tissue defects after oral cancer resection, significantly improving patients’oral function. The anterolateral thigh flap provides sufficient tissue volume and is suitable for patients with larger defect areas. The radial forearm flap is suitable for patients with a smaller defect area after oral cancer resection. Its surgical procedure is relatively less complex and offers an advantage in reducing surgery time. However, the donor site complications are higher with the radial forearm flap compared to the anterolateral thigh flap.

Objective:To compare the efficacy of radial forearm flap and anterolateral thigh flap in repairing soft tissue defects after oral cancer surgery and to explore their indications.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data of patients with oral cancer treated at the Department of Stomatology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, from May 2019 to February 2023. Patients were divided into two groups based on the repair method: the radial forearm flap group and the anterolateral thigh flap group. The groups were compared in the following aspects. (1) Surgical parameters including defect area after oral cancer resection, flap area, flap preparation time, operation time, and length of hospital stay. (2) Inflammatory markers (interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein levels) measured 1 day before surgery and 1 day after surgery. (3) Flap survival rate was calculated. (4) Complication rates was calculated in the flap donor area and infection rates in the oral recipient area within 6 months postoperatively. (5) Six months postoperatively, the patient’s oral function was assessed by a physician using the University of Washington quality of life scale (UW-QOL). The evaluation included assessments of oral opening, speech, and eating functions. Each parameter was scored on a scale of 0 to 10 (higher scores indicated better recovery). (6) Quality of life was assessed using the 36-item short form health survey scale(SF-36) at 2, 4 and 6 months postoperatively, with scores ranging from 0 to 100 (higher scores indicated better quality of life). (7) Patient satisfaction was assessed at 6 months postoperatively, with satisfaction levels categorized as satisfied, basically satisfied, and dissatisfied. The satisfaction rate was calculated as (satisfied + basically satisfied ) cases / total cases in each group × 100%. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 22.0. Measurement data were expressed as Mean±SD, and comparisons between groups were conducted using t-tests. Count data were expressed as cases and (or) percentages, and comparisons were made using chi-square test. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:The radial forearm flap group included 48 cases (32 males, 16 females), aged (49.3±5.0) years, with a body mass index (BMI) of (23.0±1.1) kg/m 2 and a disease course of (6.5±2.1) months. The group had 21 cases of tongue cancer, 12 of floor of mouth cancer, and 15 of buccal cancer, including 40 squamous cell carcinomas and 8 basal cell carcinomas. The anterolateral thigh flap group included 32 cases (20 males, 12 females), aged (50.1±5.0) years, with a BMI of (23.0±1.0) kg/m 2 and a disease course of (7.0±2.2) months. The group had 16 cases of tongue cancer, 7 cases of floor of mouth cancer, and 9 cases of buccal cancer, including 27 squamous cell carcinomas and 5 basal cell carcinomas. There were no significant differences in gender, age, BMI, disease course, tumor location, or pathological type between the two groups ( P>0.05). The defect area after oral cancer resection was smaller in the radial forearm flap group[ (39.0±1.3) cm 2 ] compared to the anterolateral thigh flap group[ (40.3±2.2) cm 2] ( t=3.32, P=0.001). There were no significant differences in flap area, flap preparation time, or length of hospital stay between the two groups ( P>0.05). The operation time was shorter in the radial forearm flap group [(5.1±1.1) h] compared to the anterolateral thigh flap group [(6.8±2.8) h] ( t=0.26, P<0.001). There were no significant differences in interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein levels between the two groups 1 day before surgery and 1 day after surgery ( P>0.05). The flap survival rates were 97.9% (47/48) in the radial forearm flap group and 93.8% (30/32) in the anterolateral thigh flap group, with no significant difference( P>0.05). Postoperative donor site complications mainly included infection, pigmentation, itching, etc. The overall incidence of complications in the donor site of the radial forearm flap [33.3% (16/48)] was higher than that in the anterolateral thigh flap group [12.5% (4/32)], and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=4.44, P=0.035). There was no significant difference in infection rates in the oral recipient area between the two groups ( P>0.05). Six months postoperatively, the average scores for oral opening, speech, and eating functions were above 7 in both groups, with no significant differences ( P>0.05). Quality of life scores improved over time in both groups, with average scores above 90 at 6 months postoperatively, and no significant differences at any time point ( P>0.05). The patient satisfaction rate was 91.7% (44/48) in the radial forearm flap group and 90.6% (29/32) in the anterolateral thigh flap group, with no significant difference ( P>0.05). Conclusion:Both radial forearm flap and anterolateral thigh flap can effectively repair soft tissue defects after oral cancer resection, significantly improving patients’oral function. The anterolateral thigh flap provides sufficient tissue volume and is suitable for patients with larger defect areas. The radial forearm flap is suitable for patients with a smaller defect area after oral cancer resection. Its surgical procedure is relatively less complex and offers an advantage in reducing surgery time. However, the donor site complications are higher with the radial forearm flap compared to the anterolateral thigh flap.

In the context of delayed marriage and parenthood, decreased willingness in having children, and population aging in China, maternal and child health has become an important and urgent issue. Being essential platforms for research in maternal and child health, the importance of birth cohorts has been widely recognized. In the past 20 years, tens of birth cohorts have been established in major cities and regions of China, with cohorts ranging from thousands to hundreds of thousands. These cohorts, particularly those large ones launched in recent years, have collected a wide spectrum of data and biological samples from mothers and children. Although they have made considerable preliminary achievements, there remain difficulties and challenges. The significant challenges include small and medium-sized cohorts' lacking of clear research themes; insufficient recognition of and emphasis on behavioral and social determinants of health while emphasizing biological determinants of health; variations in types of variables and quality of data collected, which make it difficult for cohorts to be merged and shared; lack of and difficulties in long-term follow-up; significant uncertainties in resources for long-term sustention of the cohorts, and so on. So, we argue that birth cohorts should focus on essential and urgent issues in maternal and child health in the country and seek recognition and support from the government and the entire society. Last but not least, the overall success of birth cohorts in the country requires scientists to be not only academically capable, but also realistic, persistent, altruistic, and collaborative.

Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS), a time-saving and cost-effective repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation regime, has been shown to improve cognition in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the specific mechanism underlying iTBS-induced cognitive enhancement remains unknown. Previous studies suggested that mitochondrial functions are modulated by magnetic stimulation. Here, we showed that iTBS upregulates the expression of iron-sulfur cluster assembly 1 (ISCA1, an essential regulatory factor for mitochondrial respiration) in the brain of APP/PS1 mice. In vivo and in vitro studies revealed that iTBS modulates mitochondrial iron-sulfur cluster assembly to facilitate mitochondrial respiration and function, which is required for ISCA1. Moreover, iTBS rescues cognitive decline and attenuates AD-type pathologies in APP/PS1 mice. The present study uncovers a novel mechanism by which iTBS modulates mitochondrial respiration and function via ISCA1-mediated iron-sulfur cluster assembly to alleviate cognitive impairments and pathologies in AD. We provide the mechanistic target of iTBS that warrants its therapeutic potential for AD patients.
Humans ; Mice ; Animals ; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ; Alzheimer Disease/therapy* ; Cognitive Dysfunction/therapy* ; Cognition ; Sulfur ; Iron ; Iron-Sulfur Proteins ; Mitochondrial Proteins

OBJECTIVE To explore the effect of volatile oil of Ligusticum chuanxiong on the transdermal properties and cytotoxicity of triptolide in vitro. METHODS The chemical constituents of the volatile oil of L. chuanxiong were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The lower abdominal skin of KM mice was separated and divided into triptolide group， triptolide in compatibility with volatile oil of L. chuanxiong groups at 1∶10， 1∶50， 1∶100 （hereinafter referred to as “compatibility 1∶10”“compatibility 1∶50”“compatibility 1∶100” groups）. After the skin of mice in each group was fully exposed to 0.2 g of the corresponding cream for 24 h， the cumulative transdermal dose （Qn） of triptolide in the receiving solution of each group was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography， and the transdermal absorption rate （Jss） was calculated. Human immortalized keratinocytes （HaCat） were used as a model， the CCK-8 method was used to detect the cell survival rate of different concentrations of the volatile oil of L. chuanxiong and triptolide before and after compatibility. RESULTS A total of 62 chemical constituents of the volatile oil of L. chuanxiong were identified， including Z-ligustilide， senkyunolide， and β-selinene. The Qn （P＜ 0.01） and Jss of triptolide increased within 24 h in the compatibility 1∶10 and 1∶50 groups， while the Qn （P＜0.05） and Jss decreased in the compatibility 1∶100 group as compared with the triptolide group. Compared with the triptolide group， the cell survival rate of HaCat was significantly increased in the compatibility 1∶10 and 1∶50 groups when the triptolide concentrations were 36， 72 and 144 ng/mL （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）； while the cell survival rate of HaCat was decreased in the compatibility 1∶100 group， but the difference was not statistically significant （P＞0.05）. CONCLUSIONS When the compatibility ratio of triptolide and volatile oil of L. chuanxiong was 1∶10 or 1∶50， it can promote the transdermal absorption of triptolide and reduce the cytotoxicity of triptolide to HaCat.

Objective To observe the value of B1 corrected T1 mapping for distinguishing pathological types and differentiation degrees of lung cancers.Methods A total of 74 lesions in 65 patients with lung cancers were prospectively enrolled,including 49 poorly differentiated lesions and 25 moderately or well differentiated ones,i.e.42 adenocarcinomas,14 squamous cell carcinomas and 18 small cell lung cancers(all poorly differentiated).B1 corrected T1 mapping was performed,ROI(ROI1 and ROI2)were delineated using 2 methods,and T1 values of different pathological types and differentiation degrees lung cancers were compared.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were drawn,and the areas under the curve(AUC)were calculated.Results Significant differences of T1 values were found among different pathological types of lung cancer(all P＜0.05),as well as between small cell lung cancer and the rest 2 types of lung cancer(both P＜0.05).There were significant differences of T1 values between poorly differentiated and moderately well differentiated lung cancer(squamous cell carcinoma+adenocarcinoma)(both P＜0.05).Taken ROI1 T1 value=1 524.21 ms as the cut-off value,the AUC of T1 value for distinguishing poorly differentiated and moderately well differentiated lung cancer(squamous cell carcinoma+adenocarcinoma)was 0.698,with sensitivity of 64.50％and specificity of 76.00％.Taken ROI2 T1 value=1 630.68 ms as the cut-off value,the AUC of T1 value was 0.676,with sensitivity of 54.80％and specificity of 80.00％.Conclusion B1 corrected T1 mapping was helpful for distinguishing pathological types and differentiation degrees of lung cancers.