Endodontic microsurgery (EMS) is an oral surgical procedure that utilizes the magnification and illumination provided by a microscope. Fine instruments are used to remove periapical diseased tissues, resect the root apex, and tightly seal the root canal system, aiming to promote the healing of periapical tissues and retain the affected tooth whenever possible. Precise localization and resection of the root apex have always been challenging in EMS. The application of digital technology in EMS can address many issues in traditional endodontic microsurgery. Digital technology offers advantages such as optimizing surgical planning, providing precise positioning guidance, and enhancing operational accuracy. Currently, the commonly used digital technologies in EMS include static and dynamic navigation technologies and oral surgical robots. Static navigation technology enhances surgical predictability through precise preoperative planning and guided fabrication, yet is constrained by its inability to adjust during surgery. Dynamic navigation technology excels in real-time tracking and intraoperative flexibility but demands high hand-eye coordination from surgeons and may be hindered by bulky handheld devices. Oral surgical robots reduce hand tremors and human error in surgery with their high precision, stability, and ability to adjust in real time, but their clinical applicability is limited and their cost is high. In clinical practice, tailored combinations of these technologies can be applied based on case complexity. For simple cases with well-defined anatomy, static navigation alone may suffice. For complex anatomical cases, static navigation can provide initial planning, supplemented by dynamic navigation for real-time guidance or robotic systems for high-precision execution. This paper discusses the workflow, clinical application status and advantages and limitations of these three digital technologies in EMS. The continuous development of digital technology is expected to simplify the operation process, improve the navigation accuracy, and reduce the operation cost. It is believed that with continuous improvement and optimization, these technologies will effectively break through the current bottleneck of the cost of equipment, operation complexity, and accuracy enhancement. These technologies are also expected to further expand the application boundaries, providing more minimally invasive, precise, and time-saving personalized treatment solutions for endodontic diseases.

ObjectiveToll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）， a receptor for pathogen-associated molecular patterns of innate immunity， is associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Interleukin （IL）-6， IL-1β， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） as common pro-inflammatory cytokines and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein （hs-CRP） are related to inflammatory responses. This study evaluated the clinical efficacy and possible mechanisms of therapeutic effects of Fengyintang on early and mid-stage PD with excessive heat generating wind by observing the effects of Fengyintang on the serum levels of TLR4， IL-6， IL-1β， TNF-α， and hs-CRP in the patients with PD. MethodsSixty-eight PD patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned into the control group and the observation group （n=34）. Both groups were treated with anti-PD Western medicine and the observation group was additionally treated with Fengyintang. Both groups were treated for 8 weeks. Before and after 8 weeks of treatment， the patients in the two groups were measured for their TCM symptom scores， International Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale （MDS-UPDRS） score， Parkinson's Disease Non-Motor Symptom Scale （NMSS） score， Patient Assessment of Constipation Symptom （PAC-SYM） score， Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index （PSQI）， Hamilton Anxiety Scale （HAMA） score， Hamilton Depression Scale （HAMD） score， and changes in serum TLR4， IL-6， IL-1β， TNF-α， and hs-CRP levels. ResultsOne case in the control group was removed due to loss of visit， and a total of 67 PD patients （33 in the control group and 34 in the observation group） who met the criteria were included for analysis. After treatment， patients in the observation group showed decreases in scores of TCM symptoms， MDS-UPDRS， NMSS， PAC-SYM， PSQI， HAMA， and HAMD （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， the observation group had lower scores of TCM symptoms， MDS-UPDRS， NMSS， PAC-SYM， PSQI， HAMA， and HAMD than the control group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The observation group showed higher efficacy in terms of TCM symptoms and MDS-UPDRS score than the control group （Z=-0.57， P<0.05）. The overall response rate was higher in the observation group than in the control group （Z=-0.62， P<0.05， P<0.01）. The serum TLR4， TNF-α， IL-1β， IL-6， and hs-CRP levels of the observation group were lower than those of the control group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionFengyintang combined with Western medicine can safely and effectively alleviate the clinical symptoms， reduce the levels of inflammatory factors， improve the quality of life， and delay the disease progression of PD patients by inhibiting peripheral TLR4 expression and thus suppressing the downstream inflammatory response.

Background Against the background of global warming, frequent heatwaves pose a major threat to public health. Objective To investigate the effects of heatwaves on outpatient visits for skin diseases in Urumqi, characterize the exposure–response relationship, identify the critical temperature threshold, and provide scientific evidence for targeted prevention and control of heat-related skin diseases. Methods Data on meteorological conditions, air quality, and dermatological outpatient visits from 10 hospitals in Urumqi were collected from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2024. A time-stratified case-crossover design combined with a distributed lag model was adopted to construct a conditional logistic regression model, with adjustment for potential confounders, including relative humidity, air pollutants, and COVID-19 lockdown measures. With a maximum lag of 14 d, single-lag and cumulative-lag effects of heatwaves were examined, and the exposure–response relationship between temperature and the risk of dermatological outpatient visit was fitted. Results A total of 385 heatwave days were identified in Urumqi from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2024. These days were concentrated between June and September and showed an increasing annual trend. The median daily number of dermatological outpatient visits during heatwave periods (165 cases) was significantly higher than that during control periods (114 cases) (Z=−5.108, P<0.001). After adjusting for confounders, the odds of dermatological outpatient visits during heatwaves were 1.088 times higher than those of the control period (OR=1.088, 95%CI: 1.069, 1.107). Single-lag effects were statistically significant from lag0 to lag11 (P<0.05), peaking at lag0 (OR=1.088, 95%CI: 1.069, 1.107), showing an acute and immediate effect. Cumulative-lag effects were statistically significant from 1 to 14 d (P<0.05), peaking at lag04 (OR=1.117, 95%CI: 1.099, 1.136). The exposure–response relationship indicated that the OR values increased steeply with increasing temperature when the daily mean temperature exceeded 24.2 ℃, peaking at approximately 28.1 ℃ (OR=1.400, 95%CI: 1.189, 1.649). Conclusions Heatwave exposure is significantly associated with an increased risk of dermatological outpatient visits among residents in Urumqi. The impact of high temperature on skin diseases is predominantly acute, with peak risks observed on the day of exposure and within the subsequent 4 d. A daily mean temperature of 24.2 ℃ can serve as the critical threshold for heightened dermatological consultation risk. Strengthened health education and early warning systems are recommended to mitigate heatwave-related adverse dermatological outcomes.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the incidence of hospital-associated infections among the neurosurgery de-partment patients undergoing brain tumor resection and analyze the economic cost so as to provide scientific bases for formulating prevention strategies.METHODS Totally 1027 patients who underwent brain tumor resection in neurosurgery department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University from Jan.1,2020 to Dec.31,2024 were recruited as the research subjects.The 36 patients who had postoperative hos-pital-associated infections were assigned as the infection group,and 991 patients who did not have hospital-associ-ated infection were assigned as the no infection group.The patients of the infection group and the non-infection group were matched in a 1∶1 ratio by using propensity score matching method(caliper value 0.005).The length of hospital stay and costs of medical items were compared between the infection group and the non-infection group,and the economic burden due to the hospital-associated infections was estimated.RESULTS The incidence of hospital-associated infections was 3.51％among the patients undergoing brain tumor resection,and totally 36 pairs were matched successfully with the propensity score.The hospitalization cost of the infection group was 109,103.81(73,370.21,163,628.37)yuan after the matching,which was increased by 50,087.69 yuan as com-pared with the non-infection group(Z=-5.237,P＜0.001);the length of hospital stay was 23.00(17.25,36.00)days,which was prolonged by 8.50 days(Z=-3.764,P＜0.001).Among the costs of medical items,the medial costs of western medicine,treatment materials and clinical laboratory tests increased most.CONCLUSIONS The control of the costs of western medicine,treatment materials and clinical laboratory tests is the key to reduce the costs of brain tumor resection patients with hospital-associated infections.It is necessary to carry out the real-time monitoring of the hospital-associated infections and early warning of suspected cases and reduce the incidence of hospital-associated infections so as to reduce the economic costs.

Fasting plasma glucose(FPG)has been widely used in the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus(DM)for its advantages of rapidity,economy,simplicity and acceptability.Hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c)has the advantages of being simple,stable,accurate and unaffected by related factors,and has been used in the diagnosis of DM since it was standardized.However,the value of FPG and HbA1c in the early diagnosis of diabetes have been controversial.The purpose of this paper is to explore the value of the two in the early diagnosis of diabetes.

OBJECTIVES: This cross-sectional study aims to explore the association between oral health status and cognitive function in Chinese elderly individuals. METHODS: The survey participants were composed of elderly people aged≥60 who were admitted to West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University from August 2022 to March 2024. They were divided into a cognitive impairment (CI) group and a healthy control (HC) group according to the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score. General information and oral health indicators of all elderly people were collected. Independent sample t-test and chi-square test were used for inter-group comparison, and multiple linear regression model was applied for multivariate analysis of MoCA scores. RESULTS: A total of 402 elderly people were included in the study, and the number of remaining teeth in the CI group was significantly lower than that in the HC group. The decayed, missing, filled teeth index, debris index-simplified, gingival index, probing depth (PD), and clinical attachment loss in the CI group were all significantly higher than those in the HC group. There was no difference in denture wearing between the two groups. The results of multiple linear regression showed that there was a correlation between the number of remaining teeth and PD and MoCA scores after correcting for confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS Elderly individuals with CI have more prominent oral health issues compared to those with normal cognitive function. There may be a bidirectional relationship between the number of remaining teeth, PD, and cognitive function in elderly people.
Humans ; Oral Health ; Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Cognitive Dysfunction/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; China/epidemiology* ; Middle Aged ; Linear Models ; Aged, 80 and over ; Periodontal Index ; Cognition

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the perception of dental outpatient care quality from multiple perspectives of administrators, physicians, nurses, and patients and propose nursing care quality evaluation indices that are consistent with the clinical reality to provide reference for the construction of a scientific, systematic, and comprehensive dental outpatient care quality evaluation system. METHODS: A total of 39 interviewees, including 7 administrators, 11 doctors, 11 nurses, and 10 patients, were selected for semi-structured in-depth interviews in five regionally representative tertiary-level A stomatological specialty hospitals nationwide during January-April 2024 by using a multistage sampling method. Colaizzi 7-step analysis was used to analyze and summarize the interview data. Themes were extracted on the basis of the Structure-Process-Outcome (SPO) three-dimensional quality assessment model. RESULTS: Five main themes and 15 secondary themes were extracted from three quality dimensions: structure, process, and result. The related topics of structural quality were as follows: disinfection and isolation norms, equipment and consumable management, nursing manpower ratio and nurse education structure, and emergency capability. The related topics of process quality were as follows: pre-diagnosis risk assessment, patient triage and guidance, communication and attitude, health education, humanistic care, continuous care, specialty operation, and four-hand operation. The related topics of result quality were as follows: satisfaction, adverse event management and analysis, effective complaints and disputes. CONCLUSIONS Structure quality is the foundation, process quality is the core, and result quality is the key in the evaluation of the quality of oral outpatient care. The standardization of disinfection and isolation, equipment and consumable management, allocation of reasonable nursing manpower and post capacity, implementation of high-quality nursing services, and improvement of the quality and satisfaction of medical cooperation are necessary guarantees to ensure the quality of oral outpatient care.
Humans ; Quality of Health Care ; Ambulatory Care/standards* ; Dental Care/standards* ; Outpatients

Objective To explore the MRI findings and clinical features of ovarian endometrioid carcinoma(OEC).Methods The preoperative data from 23 patients with surgical pathologic evidence of OEC were collected.The MRI signs[including shape,size,signal,enhancement mode,height of mural nodule,width,height-to-width ratio(HWR)],and apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)value,as well as clinical features(including age,clinical manifestations,serological markers,pelvic effusion,lymph node metastasis,endometrial cancer,and endometriosis)were retrospectively analyzed.Results Among the 23 cases of OEC,21 exhibited cystic-solid masses with single cyst,and 20 cases displayed well-defined boundaries.The tumor sizes ranged from 4.3 to 17.5 cm.Lymph node metastasis was observed in 4 cases.Thirteen cases were accompanied by pelvic effusion.Additionally,6 cases(26%)with endometrial cancer,and 10 cases(43%)with endometriosis.Elevated CA125 levels were detected in 21 cases(91%),and elevated HE4 levels were found in 18 cases(78%).Regarding the cystic components of the tumors,both T2WI and fat suppression(FS)T2WI showed high signal intensity.In 9 cases,slightly high T1WI signal was detected with no enhancement,and mild enhancement was detected of the cyst wall.The mural nodule of the tumor were predominantly multifocal and wide-based,appearing isointense on T1WI and isoin-tense to slightly hyperintense on T2WI.They was measured with height of 1.8-10.3 cm,widths ranged from 2.7 to 10.6 cm,HWR of 0.68±0.15,high signal on diffusion weighted imaging(DWI),ADC values of(0.937±0.14)×10-3 mm2/s,and mainly showed progressive moderate to significant enhancement.Conclusion OEC typically exhibit a single cyst with multiple mural nodules.The mural nodules are predominantly multifocal and wide-based,with HWR of less than 0.69,limited diffusion,and moderate to signifi-cant enhancement.The enhancement of the parenchymal components is more pronounced than that of the cyst wall.Furthermore,OEC may be accompanied by pelvic effusion,endometrial cancer,endometriosis,and elevated serological markers.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the therapeutic effect of Qingchang Huazhuo Formula(QCHZF)on mice with ulcerative colitis(UC)and the influences of fecal metabolites based on non-targeted metabolomics to investigate the mechanism of action of QCHZF in the treatment of UC.METHODS UC mice were induced by dextran sulfate sodium salt(DSS)and were administered with QCHZF.During the experiment,the body weight,stool characteristics and blood in stool were recorded daily,and the disease activity index(DAI)was calculated.At the end of the experiment,the length of colon was measured,colonic tissue damage in mice were ob-served by hematoxylin-eosin and alcian blue staining,mRNA expression levels of inflammatory factors,IL-6,IL-18 and IL-1β,and intestinal barrier factors,ZO-1 and Muc2,were detected in colon tissues via qPCR method,and protein expression level of intestinal barrier,Muc2,was detected with immunofluorescence.Fecal metabolite changes in mice were detected employing un-targeted metabo-lomics and analyzed by MetaboAnalyst 5.0 for metabolic pathway enrichment.RESULTS QCHZF significantly alleviated colitis symptoms,increased body weight,decreased DAI score,reversed colonic shortening,inhibited inflammatory factors expression,im-proved colonic tissue structure disorders,increased the number of goblet cells,and restored the intestinal barrier in UC mice,regulated 58 metabolites,mainly involving pathways of methionine and cysteine metabolism,purine metabolism,steroid hormone biosynthesis,vitamin B6 metabolism,tryptophan metabolism and primary bile acid pathways.CONCLUSION QCHZF can improve colitis symp-toms,repaire the intestinal barrier and modulate fecal metabolites and related metabolic pathways in UC mice.

Objective:To compare the clinical efficacy and adverse events of different postoperative radiotherapy strategies (adjuvant radiotherapy versus salvage radiotherapy) and different irradiation fields (prostate bed versus prostate bed + pelvic radiation) in patients after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer.Methods:This retrospective analysis included clinical data from 115 patients with localized or locally advanced prostate cancer who received intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) after radical prostatectomy at Beijing Hospital between March 2014 and September 2023. Among them, 40 patients received adjuvant radiotherapy, and 75 received salvage radiotherapy. And 74 patients received irradiation to both the prostate bed and pelvic (prostate bed + pelvic radiation group), while 41 patients received irradiation to the prostate bed alone (prostate bed irradiation group). Comparison was made between the adjuvant radiotherapy group and salvage radiotherapy group, as well as between prostate bed + pelvic radiation group and prostate bed irradiation group, in terms of overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRRFS), and the incidence of adverse events. Clinical characteristics were compared using the chi-square test. Survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Prognostic factors affecting survival were analyzed using Cox multivariate regression.Results:The median follow-up duration was 73.1 months. The 5-year OS, PFS and LRRFS rates for the entire cohort were 96.4%, 86.4%, and 93.2%, respectively. A total of 59 patients (51.3%) experienced grade 1-2 acute radiotherapy-related adverse events, while 43 patients (37.4%) experienced grade 1-2 late radiotherapy-related adverse events. No grade ≥ 3 late adverse events were observed. There were no statistically significant differences in OS, PFS, or LRRFS between the adjuvant and salvage radiotherapy groups ( P = 0.807, 0.996, and 0.976, respectively), or in the incidence of grade 1-2 acute or late adverse events ( P > 0.05). The OS rate in the prostate bed + pelvic radiation group was significantly lower than that in the prostate bed irradiation group ( P = 0.036), while no significant differences were found in PFS or LRRFS ( P = 0.109 and 0.190, respectively), or in the incidence of grade 1-2 acute or late adverse events ( P > 0.05). Multivariable analysis showed no statistically significant differences in OS, PFS, or LRRFS between the adjuvant and salvage radiotherapy groups, or between the prostate bed and prostate bed + pelvic irradiation groups ( P = 0.756, 0.341, 0.605; 0.938, 0.987, 0.605, respectively). Conclusions:In the era of modern IMRT, both adjuvant and salvage radiotherapy, as well as prostate bed and prostate bed + pelvic irradiation, demonstrate similar efficacy and safety profiles after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer. Treatment outcomes were favorable, and adverse events were minimal.