Apical microsurgery is accurate and minimally invasive, produces few complications, and has a success rate of more than 90%. However, due to the lack of awareness and understanding of apical microsurgery by dental general practitioners and even endodontists, many clinical problems remain to be overcome. The consensus has gathered well-known domestic experts to hold a series of special discussions and reached the consensus. This document specifies the indications, contraindications, preoperative preparations, operational procedures, complication prevention measures, and efficacy evaluation of apical microsurgery and is applicable to dentists who perform apical microsurgery after systematic training.
Microsurgery/standards* ; Humans ; Apicoectomy ; Contraindications, Procedure ; Tooth Apex/diagnostic imaging* ; Postoperative Complications/prevention & control* ; Consensus ; Treatment Outcome

Pulpotomy, which belongs to vital pulp therapy, has become a strategy for managing pulpitis in recent decades. This minimally invasive treatment reflects the recognition of preserving healthy dental pulp and optimizing long-term patient-centered outcomes. Pulpotomy is categorized into partial pulpotomy (PP), the removal of a partial segment of the coronal pulp tissue, and full pulpotomy (FP), the removal of whole coronal pulp, which is followed by applying the biomaterials onto the remaining pulp tissue and ultimately restoring the tooth. Procedural decisions for the amount of pulp tissue removal or retention depend on the diagnostic of pulp vitality, the overall treatment plan, the patient's general health status, and pulp inflammation reassessment during operation. This statement represents the consensus of an expert committee convened by the Society of Cariology and Endodontics, Chinese Stomatological Association. It addresses the current evidence to support the application of pulpotomy as a potential alternative to root canal treatment (RCT) on mature permanent teeth with pulpitis from a biological basis, the development of capping biomaterial, and the diagnostic considerations to evidence-based medicine. This expert statement intends to provide a clinical protocol of pulpotomy, which facilitates practitioners in choosing the optimal procedure and increasing their confidence in this rapidly evolving field.
Humans ; Calcium Compounds/therapeutic use* ; Consensus ; Dental Pulp ; Dentition, Permanent ; Oxides/therapeutic use* ; Pulpitis/therapy* ; Pulpotomy/standards*

Intentional tooth replantation (ITR) is an advanced treatment modality and the procedure of last resort for preserving teeth with inaccessible endodontic or resorptive lesions. ITR is defined as the deliberate extraction of a tooth; evaluation of the root surface, endodontic manipulation, and repair; and placement of the tooth back into its original socket. Case reports, case series, cohort studies, and randomized controlled trials have demonstrated the efficacy of ITR in the retention of natural teeth that are untreatable or difficult to manage with root canal treatment or endodontic microsurgery. However, variations in clinical protocols for ITR exist due to the empirical nature of the original protocols and rapid advancements in the field of oral biology and dental materials. This heterogeneity in protocols may cause confusion among dental practitioners; therefore, guidelines and considerations for ITR should be explicated. This expert consensus discusses the biological foundation of ITR, the available clinical protocols and current status of ITR in treating teeth with refractory apical periodontitis or anatomical aberration, and the main complications of this treatment, aiming to refine the clinical management of ITR in accordance with the progress of basic research and clinical studies; the findings suggest that ITR may become a more consistent evidence-based option in dental treatment.
Humans ; Tooth Replantation/methods* ; Consensus ; Periapical Periodontitis/surgery*

Cemental tear is a rare and indetectable condition unless obvious clinical signs present with the involvement of surrounding periodontal and periapical tissues. Due to its clinical manifestations similar to common dental issues, such as vertical root fracture, primary endodontic diseases, and periodontal diseases, as well as the low awareness of cemental tear for clinicians, misdiagnosis often occurs. The critical principle for cemental tear treatment is to remove torn fragments, and overlooking fragments leads to futile therapy, which could deteriorate the conditions of the affected teeth. Therefore, accurate diagnosis and subsequent appropriate interventions are vital for managing cemental tear. Novel diagnostic tools, including cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), microscopes, and enamel matrix derivatives, have improved early detection and management, enhancing tooth retention. The implementation of standardized diagnostic criteria and treatment protocols, combined with improved clinical awareness among dental professionals, serves to mitigate risks of diagnostic errors and suboptimal therapeutic interventions. This expert consensus reviewed the epidemiology, pathogenesis, potential predisposing factors, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of cemental tear, aiming to provide a clinical guideline and facilitate clinicians to have a better understanding of cemental tear.
Humans ; Dental Cementum/injuries* ; Consensus ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Tooth Fractures/therapy*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether auraptene (AUR) exerts a protective effect on acute diquat (DQ)-induced liver injury in mice and explore its underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Forty SPF-grade healthy male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into normal control group (Control group), DQ poisoning model group (DQ group), AUR treatment group (DQ+AUR group), and AUR control group (AUR group), with 10 mice in each group. The DQ poisoning model was established via a single intraperitoneal injection of 40 mg/kg DQ aqueous solution (0.5 mL); Control group and AUR group received an equal volume of pure water intraperitoneally. Four hours post-modeling, DQ+AUR group and AUR group were administered 0.5 mg/kg AUR aqueous solution (0.2 mL) by gavage once daily for 7 consecutive days, while Control group and DQ group received pure water. Blood and liver tissues were collected after anesthesia on day 7. Liver ultrastructure was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were measured via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Hepatic glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were detected using WST-1, thiobarbituric acid (TBA), and enzymatic reaction methods, respectively. Protein expression of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), and activated caspase-9 in liver tissues was analyzed by Western blotting. RESULTS: Transmission electron microscopy revealed that mitochondria in the Control group exhibited mild swelling, uneven distribution of matrix, and a small number of cristae fractures. In the AUR group, mitochondria showed mild swelling, with no obvious disruption of cristae structure. In the DQ group, mitochondria demonstrated marked swelling and increased volume, matrix dissolution, loss and fragmentation of cristae, and extensive vacuolization. In contrast, the DQ+AUR group showed significantly reduced mitochondrial swelling, volume increase, matrix dissolution, cristae loss and fragmentation, and vacuolization compared to the DQ group. Compared with the DQ group, the DQ+AUR group exhibited significantly lower serum AST levels (U/L: 173.45±23.60 vs. 255.33±41.51), ALT levels (U/L: 51.77±21.63 vs. 100.70±32.35), and hepatic MDA levels (μmol/g: 12.40±2.76 vs. 19.74±4.10), along with higher hepatic GSH levels (mmol/g: 37.65±14.95 vs. 20.58±8.52) and SOD levels (kU/g: 124.10±33.77 vs. 82.81±22.00), the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). Western blotting showed upregulated Nrf2 expression (Nrf2/β-actin: 0.87±0.37 vs. 0.53±0.22) and HO-1 expression (HO-1/β-actin: 1.06±0.22 vs. 0.49±0.08), and downregulated Keap1 expression (Keap1/β-actin: 0.82±0.12 vs. 1.52±0.76) and activated caspase-9 expression (activated caspase-9/β-actin: 1.16±0.28 vs. 1.71±0.30) in the DQ+AUR group compared to the DQ group (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION AUR attenuates DQ-induced acute liver injury in mice by activating the Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway.
Animals ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Liver/pathology* ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/drug therapy* ; Diquat/poisoning* ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/metabolism* ; Oxidative Stress ; Apoptosis ; Coumarins

Clinical trial is the gold standard for evaluating the efficacy and safety of interventions; however, it is limited by high costs and long time. Real-world data (RWD) can provide a robust data basis for comparative research, but the quality is uneven. This review introduces the target trial emulation, in which researchers, using RWD and following the design of clinical trials, define exposure and outcome in advance, set eligibility criteria, determine the time zero, estimate sample size, and plan statistical analysis, to enhance the quality of evidence for observational studies. This review preliminarily discusses the standard of evidence quality evaluation in target trial emulation. Then, the target trial emulation is shown through case interpretation.

Objective:To develop a prediction tool for 6-year incident risk of frailty among Chinese older adults aged 65 years or above.Methods:Data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey from 2002 to 2018 was used, including 13 676 older adults aged 65 years or above who were free of frailty at baseline. Key predictors of frailty were identified via the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method, and were thereafter used to predict the incident frailty based on the Cox proportional hazards regression model. The model was internally validated by 2 000 Bootstrap resamples and evaluated for the performance of discrimination and calibration using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and calibration curve, respectively. The net benefit of the developed prediction tool was evaluated by decision-curve analysis.Results:The M( Q1, Q3) age and follow-up time of the participants were 81.0 (71.0, 90.0) years and 6.0 (4.1, 9.2) years, respectively. A total of 4 126 older persons (30.2%) were recorded with frailty incidents during the follow-up, with the corresponding incidence density of 41.8/1 000 person-years. A total of 15 key predictors of frailty were selected by LASSO, namely, age, sex, race, education years, meat consumption, tea drinking, performing housework, raising domestic animals, playing cards or mahjong, and baseline status of visual function, activities of the daily living score, instrumental activities of the daily living score, hypertension, heart disease, and self-rated health. The prediction model was internally validated with an AUC of 0.802, with the max Youden's index of 0.467 at a risk threshold of 19.0%. The calibration curve showed high consistency between predicted probabilities and observed proportions of frailty events. The decision curve indicated that higher net benefits could be obtained via the prediction model than did strategies based on intervention in all or none participants for any risk threshold less than 59%, and the model-based net benefit was estimated to be 0.10 at a risk threshold of 19.0%. Conclusions:The herein developed 6-year incident risk prediction model of frailty, based on easily accessible questionnaires and physical examination variables, has good predictive performance. It has application potential in identifying populations at high risk of incident frailty.

Objective:To explore a definition of healthy longevity in the Chinese population based on the Delphi method.Methods:Through a comprehensive literature review and expert consultation, the dimensions in the definition of healthy longevity were identified, and a preliminary list of questions was created. Experts in clinical medicine, public health, basic research, and the elderly care service industry, who had been working in the field of geriatric health for at least 5 years, were invited to participate in the Delphi survey from August to December 2022. The survey questionnaires were administered via email in two rounds, and experts were asked to select the optimal options from the provided questions. The active coefficients were expressed by the response rate, and a consensus was reached when the largest number of experts agreed for single-choice questions and more than 70% agreed for multiple-choice questions.Results:In the two rounds, the active coefficients were 96.00% (24/25) and 79.17% (19/24), respectively, and a consensus was finally reached on nine items, including age, physical health, common metabolic indicators, mental health, cognitive function, functional ability, social activity, self-rated health, and subjective well-being. Following discussions among the research team and experts, a final definition of healthy longevity was determined. Healthy longevity could refer to a state of good physical, psychological, cognitive function and social adaptation, as well as subjective well-being, in individuals aged 90 and above. Specifically, individuals with healthy longevity should be free from diseases associated with high disability rates and mortality, such as stroke, cancer, and Parkinson′s disease. They should also maintain reasonable levels of common non-communicable disease indicators, such as blood pressure and blood glucose, and exhibit favorable mental health and cognitive function using validated measurement tools. In addition, individuals with healthy longevity should engage in social interactions with friends and relatives, care for family members, and go out to do things. Meanwhile, with the ability to complete the visual and hearing functions of daily life and communication, and the ability to complete basic activities such as walking, eating, bathing, toileting, dressing, continence of urination, and bowel movement independently, they could rate themselves to be in good health and experience a relatively high level of life satisfaction.Conclusion:A definition of healthy longevity in the Chinese population is established through the two-round Delphi consultation.

Objective:To explore a definition of healthy longevity in the Chinese population based on the Delphi method.Methods:Through a comprehensive literature review and expert consultation, the dimensions in the definition of healthy longevity were identified, and a preliminary list of questions was created. Experts in clinical medicine, public health, basic research, and the elderly care service industry, who had been working in the field of geriatric health for at least 5 years, were invited to participate in the Delphi survey from August to December 2022. The survey questionnaires were administered via email in two rounds, and experts were asked to select the optimal options from the provided questions. The active coefficients were expressed by the response rate, and a consensus was reached when the largest number of experts agreed for single-choice questions and more than 70% agreed for multiple-choice questions.Results:In the two rounds, the active coefficients were 96.00% (24/25) and 79.17% (19/24), respectively, and a consensus was finally reached on nine items, including age, physical health, common metabolic indicators, mental health, cognitive function, functional ability, social activity, self-rated health, and subjective well-being. Following discussions among the research team and experts, a final definition of healthy longevity was determined. Healthy longevity could refer to a state of good physical, psychological, cognitive function and social adaptation, as well as subjective well-being, in individuals aged 90 and above. Specifically, individuals with healthy longevity should be free from diseases associated with high disability rates and mortality, such as stroke, cancer, and Parkinson′s disease. They should also maintain reasonable levels of common non-communicable disease indicators, such as blood pressure and blood glucose, and exhibit favorable mental health and cognitive function using validated measurement tools. In addition, individuals with healthy longevity should engage in social interactions with friends and relatives, care for family members, and go out to do things. Meanwhile, with the ability to complete the visual and hearing functions of daily life and communication, and the ability to complete basic activities such as walking, eating, bathing, toileting, dressing, continence of urination, and bowel movement independently, they could rate themselves to be in good health and experience a relatively high level of life satisfaction.Conclusion:A definition of healthy longevity in the Chinese population is established through the two-round Delphi consultation.

This paper discussed how to set the limit of impurities in the quality standard when the impurities in small-molecular innovative drugs were metabolites.Firstly,through the analysis and interpretation of each relevant guideline,in combination with the review cases of FDA and EMA,found out the conditions for qualification of im-purity,and then establ ish the acceptable limit of impurities based on the test results of multiple batches,the incre-ments of production process and storage process.