Background/Aims: Acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) is one of the most essential metabolites in cell metabolism but its function and concentration in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain elusive and controversial. Methods: A comprehensive analysis of acetyl-CoA levels and acetyl-CoA synthetase 2 (ACSS2) expression across a range of samples, including patient specimens from both hepatitis B virus (HBV) positive and HBV negative HCC individuals, HBV-transgenic mouse HCC models, and multiple cell lines. Furthermore, to evaluate the functional significance of ACSS2 in HBV-related HCC, we implemented both genetic and pharmacological inhibition strategies targeting ACSS2. Molecular mechanism and mitophagy assessment were revealed by cleavage under target and tagmentation sequencing, RNA sequencing, bioinformatic analyses, transmission electron microscopy and JC-1 staining. Results: Our study revealed a distinct metabolic signature of HBV-related HCC, marked by elevated acetyl-CoA, which was driven by ACSS2. ACSS2 was upregulated by the carbohydrate response element-binding protein in HBV-related HCC. Furthermore, ACSS2 improved tumor cell proliferation, an effect that was dependent on its enzymatic activity. Mechanistically, ACSS2-induced acetyl-CoA accumulation activated voltage-dependent anion channels 1 transcription through increased H3K27ac occupancy, which subsequently promoted mitophagy and HBV-related HCC tumorigenesis. Notably, targeting ACSS2 by depletion or inhibition with a catalytic inhibitor significantly suppressed tumor growth. Conclusions These findings not only illustrate the interplay between metabolic reprogramming, epigenetic modification, and tumorigenesis in the context of HBV infection, but also highlight ACSS2 as a novel metabolic vulnerability in HBV-related HCC. Therefore, targeting ACSS2 could be a novel strategy against HBV-related HCC.

Objective To analyze the acupoint selection law in acupuncture treatment for sinusitis using data mining techniques.Methods Relevant literature on acupuncture treatment for sinusitis was retrieved from CNKI,Wanfang Data,VIP and CBM from January 1,2000 to December 20,2024.Descriptive statistics were performed on the frequency of acupoint usage,meridian tropism,and regional distribution.SPSS Modeler 18.0,Cytoscape 3.10.3 and Origin Pro were employed to conduct association rule mining,co-occurrence network analysis,and systematic cluster analysis on the acupoints.Results A total of 69 articles were included,yielding 114 acupoint prescriptions involving 65 distinct acupoints.The most frequently used acupoints were Yingxiang,Yintang and Hegu,etc.;the most commonly used meridians were large intestine meridian,Governor Vessel,gallbladder meridian and bladder meridian.Acupoint selection was predominantly concentrated in the head/neck region,lower limbs and upper limbs.Among the specific acupoint categories,Jiaohui acupoint,Wushu acupoint and Yuan acupoint were used most frequently.The acupoint combinations with the strongest associations were Hegu-Yingxiang,Hegu-Yintang-Yingxiang and Fengchi-Yingxiang.The top 22 high-frequency acupoints could be grouped into 5 clusters.Conclusion Acupuncture treatment for sinusitis can exert the functions to disperse wind and unblock the orifices,drain heat and resolve turbidity,expel pathogens and alleviate pain,tonify deficiency and dissipate cold,as well as harmonize qi and blood.The characteristics of acupoint combination include a primary focus on local points supplemented by distal points,pattern differentiation-based selection,and a propensity for unblocking yang qi.The core acupuncture formula is Yingxiang-Yintang-Hegu-Fengchi.

Objective To explore the diagnostic value of the radiomic model based on panoramic radiographs in differentiating single or multiple root canals in mandibular first premolars.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 68 patients with CBCT and panoramic radiographs from the affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between July 2022 and November 2023.One hundred and thirty one mandibular first premolars(105 single-root and 26 multiple-root canals)were included in this study.Using stratified random sampling,the mandibular first premolars were divided into a training cohort(104 teeth)and a test cohort(27 teeth)at a ratio of 8∶2.CBCT was used to confirm the root canal configuration,and radiomic features were extracted from panoramic radio-graphs.After feature screening,radiomic models were constructed using extratrees,LightGBM,logistic regression(LR),multi-layer perceptron(MLP),random forest,support vector machine(SVM),and XGBoost.The optimal radiomic model was selected based on receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve,accuracy,sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value(PPV),negative predictive value(NPV),and decision curve analysis(DCA).Results A total of 107 radiomicfeatures were extracted from panoramic radiographs.After feature filtering,4 radiomic features were ultimately selected using the Lasso model.The XGBoost model showed higher predictive efficiency and stability,with an AUC of 0.962 in the training cohort and 0.770 in the test cohort.DCA curves also in-dicated that the XGBoost model was optimal.Conclusion The radiomic model based on panoramic radiographs demonstrates good per-formance in differentiating single or multiple root canals in mandibular first premolars.

Objective:Papillary thyroid carcinoma with a maximum tumor diameter of ≤1 cm was defined as papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). To explore the clinical risk factors of central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) in PTC at different locations.Methods:The clinical and pathological data of 1383 cases with solitary PTC in Hangzhou First People’s Hospital were retrospectively analyzed, and they were divided into isthmus group (175 cases), near-isthmus group (95 cases) and lateral lobe group (1113 cases) according to their tumor location. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to analyze the relationship between gender, age, tumor maximum diameter, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) and CLNM, and the threshold for the occurrence of CLNM in each group of age and tumor maximum diameter was determined by the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) .Results:The proportion of CLNM in the isthmus group, near-isthmus group and the lateral lobe group were 39.4% (69/175), 35.8% (34/95) and 29.6% (329/1113), respectively ( χ2=7.84, P=0.020). The intra-group comparison showed that there were statistical differences between the isthmus group and the lateral lobe group ( χ2=6.90, P=0.011), and there were no statistical differences between the isthmus group and near-isthmus group ( χ2=0.35, P=0.601), and near-isthmus group and the lateral leaf group ( χ2=1.62, P=0.313). Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that male ( OR: 3.697) and age < 38.5 years ( OR: 4.727) were independent risk factors for CLNM in PTC in the Isthmus Group, while male ( OR: 2.193), without HT ( OR: 1.702), tumor maximum diameter > 6.5 mm ( OR: 2.535) and age < 45.5 years ( OR: 3.030) were independent risk factors for CLNM in PTC in the lateral lobe group. Conclusions:Male sex and age are independent risk factors for CLNM in isthmus and lateral lobe PTC, and uncomplicated HT and tumor maximum diameter are also independent risk factors for CLNM in lateral lobe PTC. The incidence of CLNM in PTC in the isthmus, near-isthmus and lateral lobes decreased sequentially, and PTC in the near isthmus can not be simply regarded as the isthmus or lateral lobe PTC, and the lymph nodes in the central area should be fully evaluated before surgery to provide individualized treatment.

Objective To explore the diagnostic value of the radiomic model based on panoramic radiographs in differentiating single or multiple root canals in mandibular first premolars.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 68 patients with CBCT and panoramic radiographs from the affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between July 2022 and November 2023.One hundred and thirty one mandibular first premolars(105 single-root and 26 multiple-root canals)were included in this study.Using stratified random sampling,the mandibular first premolars were divided into a training cohort(104 teeth)and a test cohort(27 teeth)at a ratio of 8∶2.CBCT was used to confirm the root canal configuration,and radiomic features were extracted from panoramic radio-graphs.After feature screening,radiomic models were constructed using extratrees,LightGBM,logistic regression(LR),multi-layer perceptron(MLP),random forest,support vector machine(SVM),and XGBoost.The optimal radiomic model was selected based on receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve,accuracy,sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value(PPV),negative predictive value(NPV),and decision curve analysis(DCA).Results A total of 107 radiomicfeatures were extracted from panoramic radiographs.After feature filtering,4 radiomic features were ultimately selected using the Lasso model.The XGBoost model showed higher predictive efficiency and stability,with an AUC of 0.962 in the training cohort and 0.770 in the test cohort.DCA curves also in-dicated that the XGBoost model was optimal.Conclusion The radiomic model based on panoramic radiographs demonstrates good per-formance in differentiating single or multiple root canals in mandibular first premolars.

Objective To analyze the acupoint selection law in acupuncture treatment for sinusitis using data mining techniques.Methods Relevant literature on acupuncture treatment for sinusitis was retrieved from CNKI,Wanfang Data,VIP and CBM from January 1,2000 to December 20,2024.Descriptive statistics were performed on the frequency of acupoint usage,meridian tropism,and regional distribution.SPSS Modeler 18.0,Cytoscape 3.10.3 and Origin Pro were employed to conduct association rule mining,co-occurrence network analysis,and systematic cluster analysis on the acupoints.Results A total of 69 articles were included,yielding 114 acupoint prescriptions involving 65 distinct acupoints.The most frequently used acupoints were Yingxiang,Yintang and Hegu,etc.;the most commonly used meridians were large intestine meridian,Governor Vessel,gallbladder meridian and bladder meridian.Acupoint selection was predominantly concentrated in the head/neck region,lower limbs and upper limbs.Among the specific acupoint categories,Jiaohui acupoint,Wushu acupoint and Yuan acupoint were used most frequently.The acupoint combinations with the strongest associations were Hegu-Yingxiang,Hegu-Yintang-Yingxiang and Fengchi-Yingxiang.The top 22 high-frequency acupoints could be grouped into 5 clusters.Conclusion Acupuncture treatment for sinusitis can exert the functions to disperse wind and unblock the orifices,drain heat and resolve turbidity,expel pathogens and alleviate pain,tonify deficiency and dissipate cold,as well as harmonize qi and blood.The characteristics of acupoint combination include a primary focus on local points supplemented by distal points,pattern differentiation-based selection,and a propensity for unblocking yang qi.The core acupuncture formula is Yingxiang-Yintang-Hegu-Fengchi.

Objective:Papillary thyroid carcinoma with a maximum tumor diameter of ≤1 cm was defined as papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). To explore the clinical risk factors of central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) in PTC at different locations.Methods:The clinical and pathological data of 1383 cases with solitary PTC in Hangzhou First People’s Hospital were retrospectively analyzed, and they were divided into isthmus group (175 cases), near-isthmus group (95 cases) and lateral lobe group (1113 cases) according to their tumor location. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to analyze the relationship between gender, age, tumor maximum diameter, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) and CLNM, and the threshold for the occurrence of CLNM in each group of age and tumor maximum diameter was determined by the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) .Results:The proportion of CLNM in the isthmus group, near-isthmus group and the lateral lobe group were 39.4% (69/175), 35.8% (34/95) and 29.6% (329/1113), respectively ( χ2=7.84, P=0.020). The intra-group comparison showed that there were statistical differences between the isthmus group and the lateral lobe group ( χ2=6.90, P=0.011), and there were no statistical differences between the isthmus group and near-isthmus group ( χ2=0.35, P=0.601), and near-isthmus group and the lateral leaf group ( χ2=1.62, P=0.313). Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that male ( OR: 3.697) and age < 38.5 years ( OR: 4.727) were independent risk factors for CLNM in PTC in the Isthmus Group, while male ( OR: 2.193), without HT ( OR: 1.702), tumor maximum diameter > 6.5 mm ( OR: 2.535) and age < 45.5 years ( OR: 3.030) were independent risk factors for CLNM in PTC in the lateral lobe group. Conclusions:Male sex and age are independent risk factors for CLNM in isthmus and lateral lobe PTC, and uncomplicated HT and tumor maximum diameter are also independent risk factors for CLNM in lateral lobe PTC. The incidence of CLNM in PTC in the isthmus, near-isthmus and lateral lobes decreased sequentially, and PTC in the near isthmus can not be simply regarded as the isthmus or lateral lobe PTC, and the lymph nodes in the central area should be fully evaluated before surgery to provide individualized treatment.

Objective To evaluate the effect of remimazolam combined with desflurane and flumazenil antagonism for anesthesia during ophthalmic day surgery.Methods This is a prospective randomized controlled trial.A total of 64 patients undergoing elective general anesthesia with laryngeal mask during ophthalmic day surgery were selected and randomly assigned to propofol group(n = 32)and remimazolam group(n = 32).The propofol group was given propofol anesthesia induction and propofol combined with diflurane anesthesia maintenance;the remazolam group was given remazolam anesthesia induction and remazolam combined with diflurane anesthesia maintenance,and flumazenil antagonism was given intravenously at the end of the operation.Continuous intravenous infusion of remifentanil was administered during surgery in both groups.The primary outcome was emergence time.The secondary outcome included changes in intraoperative hemodynamic parameters,extubation time,time to leaving the operating room,duration of postoperative recovery room(PACU)stay,and the occurrence of other perioperative adverse reactions.Results Emergence time,extubation time,and time to leaving the operating room in remimazolam group were significantly shorter than those in group propofol(P<0.05)[(4.11±1.17)vs.(8.64±2.77)min,(4.61±1.11)vs.(9.90±2.81)min and(6.60±2.01)vs.(11.74±3.11)min,respectively].The incidences of intraopera-tive hypotension and bradycardia in the remimazolam group were significantly lower than that in the propofol group(P<0.05);There was no statistically difference in the duration of PACU stay and the incidence of postoperative complications between the two groups(P>0.05).Conclusion Remimazolam combined with desflurane general anesthesia and flumazenil antagonism for anesthesia management in ophthalmic day surgery could significantly shorten the time of emergence and extubation,help to maintain hemodynamic stability with fewer adverse reactions,and improve the safety of ophthalmic daytime surgery,which is worthy of clinical promotion and application.

Objective To explore the correlation between polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS)and periodontitis in light of cytokines levels,sex hormone levels and metabolism-related indicators and their changes during progression of the two diseases.Methods Twenty healthy subjects and 40 patients diagnosed with PCOS underwent full-mouth periodontal examinations to obtain full-mouth plaque score(FMPS),gingival bleeding index of probing(BOP),probing depth(PD),and clinical attachment level(CAL).The participants were divided into Group A without periodontitis or PCOS(n=15),Group B with PCOS but without periodontitis(n=28),Group C with periodontitis but without PCOS(n=5),and Group D with both diseases(n=12).Serum levels of luteinizing hormone/follicle stimulating hormone(LH/FSH),testosterone,prolactin,progesterone and estradiol,and the levels of interleukin 6(IL-6),IL-17A,tumor necrosis factor α and matrix metalloproteinase 8(MMP-8)in both serum and saliva samples were measured at the time of enrolment and at 3 and 6 months after enrolment and compared among the 4 groups.Results Serum MMP-8 level was significantly higher in Group B than in Group A(P<0.05).Salivary MMP-8 level was significantly higher in Group D than in Group B(P<0.05).Salivary MMP-8,LH,and LH/FSH levels and serum and salivary IL-6 and progesterone levels all tended to increase in the 6 months after enrollment(OR>1,P<0.05).During the follow-up period,serum IL-6 levels differed significantly between the non-PCOS groups(A and C)and PCOS groups(B and D)(P<0.05);serum IL-6 and salivary MMP-8 levels differed significantly between the non-periodontitis groups(A and B)and periodontitis groups(C and D)(P<0.05).Spearman correlation analysis indicated positive correlations of LH and LH/FSH with PD(P<0.05);testosterone and LH/FSH were positively correlated with serum MMP-8 levels(P<0.05),and PD,BOP and FMPS were positively correlated with salivary MMP-8 levels(P<0.01).Conclusion There is a correlation between PCOS and periodontitis,and their progression is accompanied by changes in serum and salivary levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and serum sex hormones.

Objective To explore the correlation between polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS)and periodontitis in light of cytokines levels,sex hormone levels and metabolism-related indicators and their changes during progression of the two diseases.Methods Twenty healthy subjects and 40 patients diagnosed with PCOS underwent full-mouth periodontal examinations to obtain full-mouth plaque score(FMPS),gingival bleeding index of probing(BOP),probing depth(PD),and clinical attachment level(CAL).The participants were divided into Group A without periodontitis or PCOS(n=15),Group B with PCOS but without periodontitis(n=28),Group C with periodontitis but without PCOS(n=5),and Group D with both diseases(n=12).Serum levels of luteinizing hormone/follicle stimulating hormone(LH/FSH),testosterone,prolactin,progesterone and estradiol,and the levels of interleukin 6(IL-6),IL-17A,tumor necrosis factor α and matrix metalloproteinase 8(MMP-8)in both serum and saliva samples were measured at the time of enrolment and at 3 and 6 months after enrolment and compared among the 4 groups.Results Serum MMP-8 level was significantly higher in Group B than in Group A(P<0.05).Salivary MMP-8 level was significantly higher in Group D than in Group B(P<0.05).Salivary MMP-8,LH,and LH/FSH levels and serum and salivary IL-6 and progesterone levels all tended to increase in the 6 months after enrollment(OR>1,P<0.05).During the follow-up period,serum IL-6 levels differed significantly between the non-PCOS groups(A and C)and PCOS groups(B and D)(P<0.05);serum IL-6 and salivary MMP-8 levels differed significantly between the non-periodontitis groups(A and B)and periodontitis groups(C and D)(P<0.05).Spearman correlation analysis indicated positive correlations of LH and LH/FSH with PD(P<0.05);testosterone and LH/FSH were positively correlated with serum MMP-8 levels(P<0.05),and PD,BOP and FMPS were positively correlated with salivary MMP-8 levels(P<0.01).Conclusion There is a correlation between PCOS and periodontitis,and their progression is accompanied by changes in serum and salivary levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and serum sex hormones.