Endodontic diseases are a kind of chronic infectious oral disease.Common endodontic treatment concepts are based on the removal of inflamed or necrotic pulp tissue and the replacement by gutta-percha.However,it is very essential for endodontic treatment to debride the root canal system and prevent the root canal system from bacterial reinfection after root canal therapy(RCT).Recent research,encompassing bacterial etiology and advanced imaging techniques,contributes to our understanding of the root canal system's anatomy intricacies and the technique sensitivity of RCT.Success in RCT hinges on factors like patients,infection severity,root canal anatomy,and treatment techniques.Therefore,improving disease management is a key issue to combat endodontic diseases and cure periapical lesions.The clinical difficulty assessment system of RCT is established based on patient conditions,tooth conditions,root canal configuration,and root canal needing retreatment,and emphasizes pre-treatment risk assessment for optimal outcomes.The findings suggest that the presence of risk factors may correlate with the challenge of achieving the high standard required for RCT.These insights contribute not only to improve education but also aid practitioners in treatment planning and referral decision-making within the field of endodontics.

Objective:To investigate personal exposures to nitrogen oxides(NOX)and nitrogen di-oxide(NO2)and the influence of baseline personal characteristics,living environment and daily activity patterns of the participants on the exposures among adults over 35 in Tianjin and Shanghai.Methods:In this panel study,91 healthy nonsmoking adults aged over 35 from Tianjin and Shanghai participated in our study.The study was conducted in summer and winter.The participants were followed for three times with an interval of at least two weeks.Only participants in Shanghai were followed once in winter because of the COVID-19 pandemic.Twenty-seven participants completed follow-up visits in both seasons.We measured their 24 h personal exposures to NOX and NO2and collected their baseline and time-activity in-formation through questionnaire/diary.The linear mixed model was used to analyze the associations be-tween potential influencing factors and personal NOX and NO2 exposure levels.Results:There were 349 follow-up visits with valid 24 h personal NO2 and NOX exposure measurements in the two cities.The ave-rage 24 h personal exposures to NO2 and NOX(volume fraction)in Tianjin participants were 18.0 x 10-9 and 26.2 × 10-9 in summer,and 31.0 x 10-9 and 54.9 x 10-9in winter,respectively;and the average 24 h personal exposures to NO2 and NOX in Shanghai participants were 38.7 x 10-9and 100.0x10-9in summer,and 45.5 x10-9 and 139.2 x 10-9 in winter,respectively.The results of univariate regression analysis showed that their personal NOX exposure levels were significantly associated with city,season,gender,average daily cooking times,and ambient NO2 concentrations measured at fixed-site monitoring stations.In addition to the above factors,the personal NOX exposure levels were also significantly associ-ated with educational level and the personal NO2 exposure levels were also significantly associated with passive smoking,average daily home time,cooking energy type,residential distance from main traffic road,and use of kitchen ventilators.Multivariate regression analysis showed that the personal exposure levels of NO2 and NOX were significantly lower in Tianjin than that in Shanghai,were significantly lower in summer than that in winter,and were significantly and positively associated with ambient NO2 concen-trations measured at fixed-site monitoring stations.In addition,personal NOX exposure levels were signifi-cantly lower in females than in males,and personal NO2 exposure levels were significantly positively asso-ciated with average daily cooking times and significantly inversely associated with average daily home time.For every interquartile range(IQR)increase(12.7 × 10-9)in ambient NO2,the personal NO2 exposure levels increased by 27.5％(95％CI:17.0％-38.9％),and personal NOX exposure levels in-creased by 16.1％(95％CI:7.1％-25.8％).Conclusion:Season,city and ambient NO2 concentra-tions are significant influencing factors of personal exposure levels of NO2and NOX At the same time,the personal exposures levels of NO2 are also affected by lifestyle factors.Our study provides scientific evi-dence for making precise air pollution control decisions and reducing the exposure levels of NOX in the population.

BACKGROUND:Reducing the rate of abnormal fertilization is an effective approach to improving the efficacy of in vitro fertilization and reducing patients'financial strain.However,the current research on abnormal fertilization has focused on exploring the types of prokaryotic nuclei and their generation mechanisms,as well as analyzing embryos formed by abnormal fertilization,chromosomal ploidy and utilization value.There is a lack of clinical prediction models for abnormal fertilization based on retrospective studies. OBJECTIVE:To construct a nomogram model to predict abnormal female factors in in vitro fertilization. METHODS:A total of 5 075 patients undergoing treatment for conventional in vitro fertilization at Nanxishan Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from March 2017 to March 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.The male confounders were calibrated on a 1:1 propensity score with a match tolerance of 0.02,and 1 672 cases were successfully matched.According to the Vienna Consensus,patients with≥60%normal fertilization capacity were included in the normal fertilization group(n=836)and those with<60%normal fertilization capacity were included in the abnormal fertilization group(n=836).The model and validation groups were obtained by random sampling at a ratio of 7:3.Factors related to the occurrence of abnormal fertilization following conventional in vitro fertilization in the model group were screened using univariate analysis and the best matching factors were selected using the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator(LASSO)and included in a multifactorial forward stepwise Logistic regression to identify their independent influencing factors and plot a nomogram.Finally,the prediction model was validated for discrimination,accuracy and clinical application efficacy using receiver operating characteristic curves,calibration curves,clinical decision curves and clinical impact curves. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The univariate analysis indicated the factors influencing the occurrence of abnormal fertilization were age,controlled ovarian hyperstimulation protocol,number of assisted pregnancies,years of infertility,infertility factors,anti-mullerian hormone,sinus follicle count,basal luteinizing hormone,luteinizing hormone concentration on the human chorionic gonadotropin day,and estradiol level on human chorionic gonadotropin injection day(P<0.05).LASSO regression further identified the best matching factors,including age,microstimulation protocol,number of assisted pregnancies,years of infertility,anti-mullerian hormone,luteinizing hormone level on human chorionic gonadotropin injection day,and estradiol level on human chorionic gonadotropin injection day(P<0.05).Multifactorial forward stepwise Logistic regression results showed that age,microstimulation protocol,number of assisted conceptions,years of infertility,anti-mullerian hormone,and estradiol level on human chorionic gonadotropin injection day were independent influencing factors for the occurrence of abnormal fertilization following conventional in vitro fertilization.The receiver operating characteristic curves showed an area under the curve of 0.761(0.746,0.777)for the model group and 0.767(0.733,0.801)for the validation group,indicating that the model has good discrimination.The mean absolute error of the calibration curve was 0.044,and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test indicated that there was no significant difference between the predicted probability of abnormal fertilization and the actual probability of abnormal fertilization(P>0.05),indicating the prediction model has good consistency and accuracy.The clinical decision curves and clinical impact curves showed that the model and validation groups had the maximum net clinical benefit at valve probability values of 0.00-0.52 and 0.00-0.48,respectively,and there was a good clinical application efficacy in this valve probability range.To conclude,the nomogram model has good discrimination and accuracy as well as clinical application efficacy for predicting the occurrence of abnormal fertilization in women undergoing conventional in vitro fertilization based on age,microstimulation protocol,number of assisted conceptions,years of infertility,anti-mullerian hormone,and estradiol level on human chorionic gonadotropin injection day.

Objective To explore whether adiponectin receptor 1/2(AdipoR1/R2)mediates berberine to alleviate renal lipid toxicity in mice with diabetic kidney disease.Methods C57BLKS/J db/db mice and db/m mice were selected and divided into 4 groups,with 8 in each group.db/db mice and db/m mice were given berberine(150 mg·kg-1·d-)or placebo by gavage for 12 weeks,respectively.After intervention,blood glucose,blood lipids,urinary microalbumin/creatinine ratio and urinary albumin excretion rate were determined.Kidney tissues were taken for pathological examination,and oil red O staining,immunohistochemistry,ELISA and Western blotting were used to examine lipid deposition,AdipoRl/R2 expression and fibrosis markers expressions,etc.,respectively.The human glomerular endothelial cell line(HGEC)was used to verify the role of AdipoR1/R2 in berberine alleviating renal lipid toxicity.Results After berberine intervention,the body weight,blood glucose,lipids,proteinuria,renal lipid deposition,and renal pathological changes decreased in db/db mice(P＜0.05);the expressions of AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 increased,expressions of TGF-β1 and Col-Ⅳ decreased,and the expressions of PPAR-α and p-AMPK increased in kidney tissue of db/db mice(P＜0.05).In high-fat cultured HGEC cells treated with berberine-treated db/db mouse serum,the expressions of TGF-β1 and Col-Ⅳ decreased,while the expressions of PPAR-α and p-AMPK increased(P＜0.05);after AdipoR1/R2 on HGEC cells were silenced,the expressions of TGF-β1 and Col-Ⅳ increased,while the expressions of PPAR-α and p-AMPK decreased(P＜0.05).Conclusions Berberine can reduce renal lipid toxicity in diabetic nephropathy mice,and adiponectin receptor may mediate this effect of berberine.

Assisted reproductive technologies(ARTs)are core components of the field of reproductive medicine,encompassing multiple pivotal stages of early development from gamete maturation and fertilization to embryo development.Against the backdrop of a deteriorating trend of global decline in fertility rates,patients with infertility problems increasingly turn to ARTs to realize their dreams of parenthood.However,concomitant with this trend is a growing apprehension regarding the potential adverse effects of ARTs.Herein,we endeavor to discuss several common ARTs procedures utilized in clinical settings and the relevant cutting-edge advancements.The ARTs discussed in the article include in vitro fertilization(IVF),intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI),biphasic in vitro maturation(biphasic IVM),frozen embryo transfer(FET),preimplantation genetic testing(PGT),non-invasive PGT(niPGT),etc.In addition,we reevaluated their roles within the broader context of assisted reproduction aimed at promoting reproductive health.Additionally,we will delve into the impact of ARTs on the reproductive health of the offspring.By prioritizing the reproductive well-being of both patients and their offspring,the ongoing development and improvement of ARTs to enhance their efficacy and safety will contribute significantly to the advancement of human reproductive health.

Objective:To investigate the effects of persistent isolated hypothyroxinemia in the first and second trimester of pregnancy on complications and adverse outcomes of pregnancy.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted in 784 pregnant women including 111 cases of persistent isolated hypothyroxinemia in the first and second trimester of pregnancy and 673 pregnant women with normal thyroid function as control group. All women were registered and delivered in the Department of Obstetrics of our hospital from April 2016 to April 2017. The complications and adverse outcomes of pregnancy in the two groups were analyzed.Results:Age, body weight before pregnancy, body mass index(BMI), 1 h plasma glucose and 2 h plasma glucose during oral glucose tolerance test in persistent isolated hypothyroxinemia group were higher than those in control group( P<0.05), with increased incidence of anemia during pregnancy( P<0.05). However, there were no significant differences in the incidences of gestational diabetes mellitus and gestational hypertension between the two groups( P>0.05). No significant statistical differences were found in macrosomia, stillbirth, neonatal malformation, postpartum hemorrhage, acute delivery, premature delivery, fetal intrauterine development delay, and small full-term infants between the two groups( P>0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that age( OR=1.1, 95% CI 1.0-1.1, P=0.002) and pre-pregnancy body weight( OR=1.0, 95% CI 1.0-1.1, P=0.046) were risk factors for the occurrence of persistent isolated hypothyroxinemia in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy. Persistent isolated hypothyroxinemia in the first and second trimesters was associated with anemia during pregnancy( OR=1.9, 95% CI 1.1-3.2, P=0.024). Conclusions:Pregnant women who are older and heavier before pregnancy should pay more attention to their thyroid function. Pregnant women with persistent isolated hypothyroxinemia in the first and second trimesters should be concerned for anemia.

Objective:To investigate the effect of somatostatin receptor ligands (SRLs) on bone metabolism in patients with acromegaly.Methods:Retrospective analysis of clinical data of acromegaly patients( n=100) received surgery or SRLs alone for 3 months. The changes of growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), osteocalcin (OC), N-mid fragment of osteocalcin (N-MID), amino-terminal peptide of type I procollagen (P1NP) and C-terminal peptide degradation product of type I collagen(CTX) were compared before and after treatment. Patients were divided into drug treatment group and surgical group according to treatment methods. According to the decline of GH after medication, patients in the drug treatment group were further divided into drug sensitive group and drug insensitive group. Results:The average dynamic GH and IGF-1 indexes in the drug treatment group were significantly decreased after treatment compared with before treatment (both P<0.05), and CTX was also significantly decreased after treatment [1.25 (0.67, 1.40) ng/mL vs 1.34 (0.57, 1.68) ng/mL, P<0.05]. The mean dynamic GH, IGF-1 index, OC, N-MID, P1NP, and CTX in surgical group were significantly decreased after treatment compared with before treatment (all P<0.01). In the surgical group, there was a positive correlation between GH difference (ΔGH) and N-mid difference (ΔN-MID; r=0.454, P=0.026), and there was a positive correlation between IGF-1 index difference (ΔIGF-1 index) and CTX difference (ΔCTX; r=0.339, P=0.036). After treatment, the mean dynamic GH, IGF-1 index, CTX, P1NP, and N-MID in drug treatment group were significantly higher than those in surgical group (all P<0.001). CTX and N-MID decreased significantly after treatment in drug sensitive group compared with drug insensitive group (35.3% vs 7.2%, P<0.001; 24.1% vs 11.8%, P<0.05), and ΔGH was positively correlated with ΔCTX ( r=0.328, P=0.004). Conclusion:SRLs treatment can reduce bone formation marker N-MID and bone resorption marker CTX, improving the high turnover state of bone metabolism in patients with acromegaly, which may attribute to the reduction of GH and IGF-1 levels.

Objective:To establish a disease risk prediction model for the newborn screening system of inherited metabolic diseases by artificial intelligence technology.Methods:This was a retrospectively study. Newborn screening data ( n=5 907 547) from February 2010 to May 2019 from 31 hospitals in China and verified data ( n=3 028) from 34 hospitals of the same period were collected to establish the artificial intelligence model for the prediction of inherited metabolic diseases in neonates. The validity of the artificial intelligence disease risk prediction model was verified by 360 814 newborns ' screening data from January 2018 to September 2018 through a single-blind experiment. The effectiveness of the artificial intelligence disease risk prediction model was verified by comparing the detection rate of clinically confirmed cases, the positive rate of initial screening and the positive predictive value between the clinicians and the artificial intelligence prediction model of inherited metabolic diseases. Results:A total of 3 665 697 newborns ' screening data were collected including 3 019 cases ' positive data to establish the 16 artificial intelligence models for 32 inherited metabolic diseases. The single-blind experiment ( n=360 814) showed that 45 clinically diagnosed infants were detected by both artificial intelligence model and clinicians. A total of 2 684 cases were positive in tandem mass spectrometry screening and 1 694 cases were with high risk in artificial intelligence prediction model of inherited metabolic diseases, with the positive rates of tandem 0.74% (2 684/360 814)and 0.46% (1 694/360 814), respectively. Compared to clinicians, the positive rate of newborns was reduced by 36.89% (990/2 684) after the application of the artificial intelligence model, and the positive predictive values of clinicians and artificial intelligence prediction model of inherited metabolic diseases were 1.68% (45/2 684) and 2.66% (45/1 694) respectively. Conclusion:An accurate, fast, and the lower false positive rate auxiliary diagnosis system for neonatal inherited metabolic diseases by artificial intelligence technology has been established, which may have an important clinical value.

Objective:To determine whether amoxicillin had an effect on the enamel mineralization of SD rats.Methods:Eighteen SD rats were randomly divided into three groups. The rats in the control group were given distilled water. The rats in two experimental groups were administered 50 or 100 mg/kg amoxicillin by intragastric administration from day 3 to day 17 after birth. The general condition, the structure of liver and kidney, the enamel surface changes of mandibular first molars and incisors were observed. The changes of Ca/P ratio on enamel surface were analyzed by X-ray energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). The surface morphology after phosphoric acid treatment was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Histological changes in the ameloblasts of mandibular incisors were analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining.Results:Compared with the control group, the general conditions as well as liver and kidney structures of SD rats in 50 and 100 mg amoxicillin groups had no significant differences. There was no obvious chalky changes on the first mandibular molars of SD rats in each group. All the incisors in 50 and 100 mg groups showed different degrees of chalkiness in the labial incisal 1/3 enamel. X-ray EDS analysis showed that the Ca/P ratios of occlusal and incisal 1/3 enamel in 50 and 100 mg groups (occlusal 1/3 of mandibular first molars: 1.51±0.03 and 1.52±0.02, incisal 1/3 of mandibular incisors: 1.46±0.01 and 1.43±0.01) was significantly lower than that in the control group (occlusal 1/3 of mandibular first molars: 1.67±0.41, incisal1/3 of mandibular incisors: 1.73±0.07) ( P<0.05). However, there was no significant differences in the cervical 1/3 Ca/P ratio of mandibular first molars and incisors among the three groups (mandibular first molars: 1.56±0.04 for control group, 1.59±0.05 for 50 mg group and 1.57±0.04 for 100 mg group; incisors: 1.52±0.02 for control group, 1.47±0.01 for 50 mg group and 1.51±0.03 for 100 mg group) ( P>0.05). SEM observation showed that the enamel rods of the first molars and incisors in the 50 and 100 mg group varied in size and arranged disorderly. The spaces between the enamel rods were larger than that in the control group and some areas even appeared large pits. HE staining showed that the gaps between ameloblasts in 50 and 100 mg groups were significantly wider than that in the control group. Conclusions:Intake of amoxicillin during the period of enamel development of SD rats might affect enamel mineralization.

Objective:To Investigate comprehensive predictive ability of first-trimester complete blood count combined with maternal characteristics for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).Methods:From May 2015 to July 2018, 1 412 pregnant women were retrospectively screened at the Fifth People′s Hospital of Shanghai, Fudan University. We recruited 258 women who developed GDM and 1 154 women who had normal glucose level during pregnancy. At the first visit, clinical data and complete blood count result were obtained. GDM prediction models were established through logistic regression analysis of GDM related risk factors and the prediction abilities of each model were compared.Results:Logistic regression analyses identified age, pre-pregnancy body mass index, previous GDM history, family history of diabetes mellitus, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, leukocyte, neutrophil, and monocyte counts were significantly independent predictors of GDM. In the entire cohort, the predictive ability of neutrophil and monocyte counts together with maternal basal characteristics model for the development of GDM [areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC)=0.809, integrated discrimination improvement (IDI)=0.056, P=0.001] was the best among various models (basal characteristics model, AUC-ROC=0.753; Monocyte count+ basal characteristics model, AUC-ROC=0.764; neutrophil count + basal characteristics model, AUC-ROC=0.775). Similar results obtained by the same way in all pregnant women without previous GDM history. Conclusion:It could improve the prediction of GDM with model incorporated maternal characteristics and first-trimester neutrophil and monocyte counts.