ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanisms by which the combination of berberine （BBR） and baicalin （BAI） ameliorates type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） due to internal accumulation of dampness-heat from the perspectives of gut microbiota and metabolomics. MethodsAntibiotics were used to induce pseudo-sterile mice. Thirty pseudo-sterile mice were randomized into a normal fecal microbiota transplantation group （n=10） and a T2DM （syndrome of internal accumulation of dampness-heat） fecal microbiota transplantation group （n=20）. The mice were then administrated with suspensions of fecal microbiota from healthy volunteers and a patient with T2DM due to internal accumulation of dampness-heat by gavage， respectively. Each mouse received 200 µL suspension every other day for a total of 15 times to reshape the gut microbiota. The T2DM model mice were then assigned into a model group （n=8） and a BBR-BAI group （n=11）. BBR was administrated at a dose of 200 mg·kg^-1， and BAI was administrated in a ratio of BBR-BAI 10∶1 based on preliminary research findings. The administration lasted for 8 consecutive weeks. Fasting blood glucose （FBG）， glycated hemoglobin （HbA1c）， insulin （INS）， triglycerides （TG）， total cholesterol （CHOL）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）， high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， and alanine aminotransferase （ALT） levels were measured to evaluate the effects of the BBR-BAI combination on glucose and lipid metabolism and liver function in T2DM mice. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was employed to observe pathological changes in the colon tissue. The expression of claudin-1， zonula occludens-1 （ZO-1）， and occludin in the colon tissue was determined by Western blot. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） was employed to assess the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and interleukin-6 （IL-6） in the colon tissue. The fecal microbiota composition and differential metabolites were analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight tandem mass spectrometry （UPLC-Q-TOF-MS）， respectively. ResultsThe BBR-BAI combination lowered the FBG， HbA1c， and INS levels （P<0.05， P<0.01） and alleviated insulin resistance （P<0.01） in T2DM mice. Additionally， BBR-BAI elevated the levels of ZO-1， occludin， and claudin-1 （P<0.05， P<0.01） and down-regulated the expression levels of TNF-α， IL-1β， and IL-6 in the colon （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The results of 16S rRNA sequencing showed that BBR-BAI increased the relative abundance of Ligilactobacillus， Phascolarctobacterium， and Akkermansia （P<0.05）， while significantly decreasing the relative abundance of Alistipes， Odoribacter， and Colidextribacter （P<0.05）. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS identified 28 differential metabolites， which were primarily involved in arachidonic acid metabolism and α-linolenic acid metabolism. ConclusionBBR-BAI can ameliorate T2DM due to internal accumulation of dampness-heat by modulating the relative abundance of various bacterial genera in the gut microbiota and the expression of fecal metabolites.

Geriatric oral health care encounters significant challenges with the increase in the proportion of older individuals. Age-related changes in the dentition, muscles, and joints result in a decline in objective masticatory function, subjective restoration requirements, and acceptability among the elderly population, with individual variations influenced by systemic health. Considering functional requirements, the adaptability of stomatognathic and systemic health conditions, health economics and other factors, the authors believe that it should not be limited to the conventional "one-to-one" strategy for replacing missing teeth in geriatric prosthodontics. There is an urgent need for a precise and adaptable restoration strategy that is more suitable for older individuals. The proposal of a new concept of functional tooth loss updates the minimal restoration standards for elderly patients and establishes the theory of age-friendly functional restoration. Based on the restoration strategy of functional tooth loss, this paper proposes a new concept termed "age-friendly functional restoration of the stomatognathic system", which integrates treatment considerations including endodontics, periodontology, mucosa, muscles, temporomandibular joint, and systemic health. Efforts should be made in four areas as follows. Firstly, the "assessment of accessible function" should be enhanced by considering the interrelationship between stomatognathic and systemic health. Secondly, the "evaluation of appropriate function" is supposed to be optimised in view of subjective needs and objective evaluation of the stomatognathic system. Moreover, the "formulation of treatment plans" needs to be accomplished with the aid of assistive technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to accurately exert appropriate functional restoration. Lastly, the "management and maintenance of health" is likely to be strengthened through follow-ups, propaganda and education, and preventive healthcare, so as to improve quality of life and ultimately achieve healthy ageing among older individuals.
Humans ; Tooth Loss/therapy* ; Aged ; Stomatognathic System ; Oral Health ; Dental Care for Aged ; Dental Restoration, Permanent/methods*

Dry eye disease (DED) is a prevalent and intractable ocular disease induced by a variety of causes. Elevated sphingomyelin (SM) levels and pro-inflammatory cytokines were detected on the ocular surface of DED patients, particularly in the meibomian glands. Sphingomyelin synthase 2 (SMS2), one of the proteins involved in SM synthesis, would light a novel way of developing a DED therapy strategy. Herein, we report the design and optimization of a series of novel thiophene carboxamide derivatives to afford 14l with an improved highly potent inhibitory activity on SM synthesis (IC_{50, SMS2} = 28 nmol/L). Moreover, 14l exhibited a notable protective effect of anti-inflammation and anti-apoptosis on human corneal epithelial cells (HCEC) under TNF-α-hyperosmotic stress conditions in vitro, with an acceptable ocular specific distribution (corneas and meibomian glands) and pharmacokinetics (PK) profiles (t _{1/2, cornea} = 1.11 h; t _{1/2, meibomian glands} = 4.32 h) in rats. Furthermore, 14l alleviated the dry eye symptoms including corneal fluorescein staining scores and tear secretion in a dose-dependent manner in mice. Mechanically, 14l reduced the mRNA expression of Tnf-α, Il-1β and Mmp-9 in corneas, as well as the proportion of very long chain SM in meibomian glands. Our findings provide a new strategy for DED therapy based on selective SMS2 inhibitors.

This study innovatively incorporates on-site teaching with the International Museum of Stomatology into the curriculum to establish an immersive and intuitive teaching mode,promoting education from both theoretical and practical dimensions.The teaching effect is comprehensively evaluated to explore the pathway to optimization.Multi-dimensional questionnaires are designed to collect feedback data from students on teaching satisfaction,knowledge mastery,professional identity,and humanistic literacy perception,fol-lowed by in-depth quantitative and qualitative analyses.The results demonstrate that this teaching mode significantly enhances literacy,playing a critical role in helping stomatological students fully understand professional knowledge and humanistic connotations while sub-stantially improving their professional identity.This teaching mode gives a direction for innovative stomatological education,holds sig-nificant importance for cultivating stomatological professionals with both clinical skills and humanistic literacy,possessing substantial potential for promotion,application,and further refinement.

OBJECTIVE To explore the mechanism of Qingwen Baidu Drink in treating sepsis-induced lung injury.METHODS One hundred C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into blank group,model group,Qingwen Baidu Drink low-dose group,Qingwen Baidu Drink medium-dose group,and Qingwen Baidu Drink high-dose group,with 20 mice in each group.HE staining was used to examine the pathological changes of lung tissues.ELISA was used to detect the expression levels of serum interleukin-1β(IL-1β),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),chemokine ligand 10(CXCL10)and plasma coagulation factor Ⅲ(F3).qPCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1(MCP-1),cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2)and interferon-γ(IFN-γ)in lung tissues.The number of platelets(PLT)in plasma was analyzed by routine blood analysis instrument.Immunofluorescence a-nalysis was used to detect vascular endothelial cadherin(VE-cadherin),endothelial adhesion junction marker occludin 5(CLDN5)and pericyte marker neuronal collagen antigen 2(NG2)in alveolar capillary endothelial cells.Western blot was used to detect the pro-tein expression levels of cysteine-containing aspartate proteinase 11(Caspase11),GSDMD and GSDMD-N in mouse lung tissues.RESULTS Compared with the blank group,the lung tissue of the mice in the model group showed obvious pathological dam-age.The levels of serum IL-1β,TNF-α,and CXCL10 and the mRNA expression levels of MCP-1,COX-2,and IFN-γ in lung tis-sue were significantly increased(P<0.01),and the number of PLT and the content of F3 in plasma were significantly decreased(P<0.01).The fluorescence expression of VE-cadherin,CLDN5,and NG2 proteins in lung tissue was significantly enhanced(P<0.01),while the expression of Caspase11 and GSDMD-N proteins was increased(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the pathological damage of the lung tissue of the mice in all doses of Qingwen Baidu Drink groups was alleviated,the levels of serum IL-1β,TNF-α,and CXCL10 and the mRNA expression levels of MCP-1,COX-2,and IFN-γ in lung tissue were significantly decreased(P<0.05,P<0.01),and the number of PLT and the content of F3 in plasma were increased(P<0.05,P<0.01);the fluorescence expression of VE-cadherin,CLDN5,and NG2 proteins in lung tissues was weakened(P<0.05,P<0.01),and the expression of Caspase11 and GSDMD-N/GSDMD proteins was reduced(P<0.05,P<0.01).CONCLUSION Qingwen Baidu Drink can inhibit the activation of GSDMD-N and Caspase11,reduce the release of inflammatory factors,decrease blood loss and damage to vascular barrier function,and thus improve the lung injury caused by sepsis.

Objective:To investigate the clinical value of the Nomogram model based on two-dimensional shear wave elastography(2D-SWE)combined with biochemical indicators in the diagnosis of moderate and severe metabolic-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD).Methods:A total of 170 patients with MAFLD diagnosed by ultrosound image in the health management center of the Second People's Hospital of Wuhu from Jan 2023 to Dec 2023 were divided into mild,moderate and severe groups according to two-dimensional ultrasound images,and 111 healthy volunteers were recruited as control group in the same period.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to screen independent risk factors for moderate and severe MAFLD and construct a predictive model.The diagnostic efficacy of the ROC model was plotted,and the Nomogram model was used to conduct internal verification.Results:Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that liver stiffness measurement(LSM),platelet count(PLT)and hepatic steatosis index(HSI)were the independent risk factors for the diagnosis of moderate and severe MAFLD.The area under the curve(AUC)of LSM,PLT and HSI was 0.940(95%CI:0.911-0.969),with a sensitivity was 87.5%and a specificity was 88.1%.The internal validation showed that the model had high accuracy and stability.Conclusion:The Nomogram model based on LSM combined with PLT and HSI can effectively diagnose moderate and severe MAFLD,providing a reliable evidence for early clinical intervention and adjustment of therapeutic measures.

This study innovatively incorporates on-site teaching with the International Museum of Stomatology into the curriculum to establish an immersive and intuitive teaching mode,promoting education from both theoretical and practical dimensions.The teaching effect is comprehensively evaluated to explore the pathway to optimization.Multi-dimensional questionnaires are designed to collect feedback data from students on teaching satisfaction,knowledge mastery,professional identity,and humanistic literacy perception,fol-lowed by in-depth quantitative and qualitative analyses.The results demonstrate that this teaching mode significantly enhances literacy,playing a critical role in helping stomatological students fully understand professional knowledge and humanistic connotations while sub-stantially improving their professional identity.This teaching mode gives a direction for innovative stomatological education,holds sig-nificant importance for cultivating stomatological professionals with both clinical skills and humanistic literacy,possessing substantial potential for promotion,application,and further refinement.

OBJECTIVE To explore the mechanism of Qingwen Baidu Drink in treating sepsis-induced lung injury.METHODS One hundred C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into blank group,model group,Qingwen Baidu Drink low-dose group,Qingwen Baidu Drink medium-dose group,and Qingwen Baidu Drink high-dose group,with 20 mice in each group.HE staining was used to examine the pathological changes of lung tissues.ELISA was used to detect the expression levels of serum interleukin-1β(IL-1β),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),chemokine ligand 10(CXCL10)and plasma coagulation factor Ⅲ(F3).qPCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1(MCP-1),cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2)and interferon-γ(IFN-γ)in lung tissues.The number of platelets(PLT)in plasma was analyzed by routine blood analysis instrument.Immunofluorescence a-nalysis was used to detect vascular endothelial cadherin(VE-cadherin),endothelial adhesion junction marker occludin 5(CLDN5)and pericyte marker neuronal collagen antigen 2(NG2)in alveolar capillary endothelial cells.Western blot was used to detect the pro-tein expression levels of cysteine-containing aspartate proteinase 11(Caspase11),GSDMD and GSDMD-N in mouse lung tissues.RESULTS Compared with the blank group,the lung tissue of the mice in the model group showed obvious pathological dam-age.The levels of serum IL-1β,TNF-α,and CXCL10 and the mRNA expression levels of MCP-1,COX-2,and IFN-γ in lung tis-sue were significantly increased(P<0.01),and the number of PLT and the content of F3 in plasma were significantly decreased(P<0.01).The fluorescence expression of VE-cadherin,CLDN5,and NG2 proteins in lung tissue was significantly enhanced(P<0.01),while the expression of Caspase11 and GSDMD-N proteins was increased(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the pathological damage of the lung tissue of the mice in all doses of Qingwen Baidu Drink groups was alleviated,the levels of serum IL-1β,TNF-α,and CXCL10 and the mRNA expression levels of MCP-1,COX-2,and IFN-γ in lung tissue were significantly decreased(P<0.05,P<0.01),and the number of PLT and the content of F3 in plasma were increased(P<0.05,P<0.01);the fluorescence expression of VE-cadherin,CLDN5,and NG2 proteins in lung tissues was weakened(P<0.05,P<0.01),and the expression of Caspase11 and GSDMD-N/GSDMD proteins was reduced(P<0.05,P<0.01).CONCLUSION Qingwen Baidu Drink can inhibit the activation of GSDMD-N and Caspase11,reduce the release of inflammatory factors,decrease blood loss and damage to vascular barrier function,and thus improve the lung injury caused by sepsis.