ObjectiveTo establish consensus on Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) among 21 Singaporean experts, this study addressed the lack of CHM clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) in Singapore. Despite advancements in RA therapies, the disease's progressive nature and high costs of novel treatments worsen disparities in management and outcomes. The initiative aimed to bridge this gap by developing expert-backed recommendations for CHM use in RA care.MethodsThe group of experts conducted two rounds of Delphi surveys containing 29 items identified from a literature review. Consensus was defined as ≥75% of votes in dichotomized ratings on a five-point ordinal scale for recognition. Items that did not reach consensus were discussed in a focus group with four selected experts.ResultsNineteen experts completed both rounds of Delphi surveys. A consensus was reached for 27 items, which encompassed Chinese medicine rationale, pattern differentiation, management, CHM prescription, and co-effectiveness with pharmacological therapy. Collective expert opinions were formed for the two remaining items. All items received a recognition score 3.5.ConclusionsThe consensus derived from this study provides a foundation for CHM CPGs for RA in Singapore. However, the findings are limited by the demographic composition of the experts and the representativeness of the patient pool.

Objective To investigate the feasibility and safety of bedside transesophageal echocardiography(TEE)-guided atrial septostomy in patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO)support.Methods Eight patients(2 females and 6 males)who developed pulmonary edema during VA-ECMO treatment between January 2020 and October 2024 were enrolled.All patients underwent bedside TEE-guided atrial septal puncture,followed by gradual balloon dilation using an Inoue balloon(diameter:18-24 mm).The endpoint for dilation was defined as mean left atrial pressure＜15 mmHg.Post-procedure evaluation included assessment of the septal defect size,mean left atrial pressure,and improvement in bilateral pulmonary edema.Results The mean age of all 8 patients was(43.50±16.84)years old.Atrial septostomy was successfully performed in all patients.The mean balloon dilation diameter was(22.75±2.68)mm,resulting in a mean septal defect size of(6.31±0.37)mm.The mean left atrial pressure significantly decreased from(26.63±1.77)mmHg pre-procedure to(12.75±1.28)mmHg post-procedure(P＜0.001).All patients demonstrated marked improvement in bilateral pulmonary edema,and six patients also showed a significant reduction in the severity of mitral regurgitation following the procedure.No procedure-related complications were observed.Conclusions Bedside TEE-guided atrial septostomy is safe and effective for reducing left heart loading during ECMO support and improving pulmonary edema.

Objective To evaluate the safety and feasibility of percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty with the assistance of arterio-venous circuit.Methods From January 2015 to October 2022,a total 25 patients[19 females,6 males;age(61.60±9.00)years]were included,who were diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease and severe mitral stenosis.A transseptal puncture was performed to establish a femoral arterio-venous circuit,followed by graded dilation with Inoue balloon(diameters:22.00 mm to 28.00 mm).The target was a mitral valve area≥1.50 cm2 with mild or less regurgitation.Results The arterio-venous circuit was established,and mitral balloon valvuloplasty was successfully completed in all 25 patients.Among them,20 patients experienced difficulty with transvalvular crossing using the balloon catheter with conventional methods,16 patients had valvular severe calcification,and 3 patients presented with a left atrial appendage thrombus despite of more than 6-month anticoagulation therapy with warfarin.The mean balloon diameter was(25.00±1.40)mm.The mitral valve area increased from(0.91±0.15)cm2 preoperatively to(1.70±0.14)cm2 postoperatively(P＜0.001).Mean left atrial pressure decreased from(27.00±7.50)mmHg to(16.36±4.07)mmHg(P＜0.001),and mean pulmonary artery pressure decreased from(40.84±13.81)mmHg to(25.00±7.12)mmHg(P＜0.001).All patients showed significant symptom improvement with no complications.Conclusions Arterio-venous circuit for percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty is safe and feasible.This technique can serve as an alternative to standard technique for patients with complex mitral stenosis.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the differences in chemical composition of mussels from Shengsi,Zhoushan in different har-vest months,and to compare the differences in the composition of mussels from different origins,so as to provide ideas for the compre-hensive utilization of its resources.METHODS Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry(UHPLC-QqQ-MS)and spectrophotometry were used to analyze and evaluate the contents of nucleosides,amino acids,water-soluble proteins,total sugars and polysaccharides in mussels from Shengsi,Zhoushan in 12 months of the year and from 5 different origins;principal component analysis(PCA),partial least squares discriminant method(PLS-DA)and TOPSIS method were used to compre-hensively evaluate mussels.RESULTS A total of 16 amino acids and 11 nucleosides were detected in mussels.The average content of total amino acids in Shengsi mussels throughout the year was 4 851.74 μg·g-1,the average content of total nucleosides was 921.40 μg·g-1,and the average contents of water-soluble protein,polysaccharides,and total sugars were 51.32 mg·g-1,74.39 μg·g-1,and 417.22 mg·g-1,respectively.The nucleosides of Shengsi mussels were the highest in March and April,the ami-no acids and water-soluble proteins were the highest in April and May,and the polysaccharides and total sugars were the highest in Oc-tober and November.The PCA and PLS-DA results of the chemical components of different resources showed that there were great differences in Shengsi mussel samples harvested in different seasons.The entropy weight TOPSIS analysis showed that the comprehen-sive scores of Shengsi mussels in March and April(S7 and S8)were better than those in other areas,and the comprehensive score of Shengsi mussels in April(S8)was the highest,which was determined to be the best harvesting month.CONCLUSION The comparison results of multi-type resource chemistry show that there are great differences in the chemical compo-sition of Shengsi mussels in different harvesting seasons;the quality of Shengsi mussels is better than that of other areas;April is the best harvesting season,providing a reference for the quality evaluation and comprehensive development and utilization of mussels.

Patients with periodontal disease often require combined periodontal-orthodontic interventions to restore periodontal health, function, and aesthetics, ensuring both patient satisfaction and long-term stability. Managing these patients involving orthodontic tooth movement can be particularly challenging due to compromised periodontal soft and hard tissues, especially in severe cases. Therefore, close collaboration between orthodontists and periodontists for comprehensive diagnosis and sequential treatment, along with diligent patient compliance throughout the entire process, is crucial for achieving favorable treatment outcomes. Moreover, long-term orthodontic retention and periodontal follow-up are essential to sustain treatment success. This expert consensus, informed by the latest clinical research and practical experience, addresses clinical considerations for orthodontic treatment of periodontal patients, delineating indications, objectives, procedures, and principles with the aim of providing clear and practical guidance for clinical practitioners.
Humans ; Consensus ; Orthodontics, Corrective/standards* ; Periodontal Diseases/complications* ; Tooth Movement Techniques/methods* ; Practice Guidelines as Topic

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*

Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the consistency of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2)status between primary breast cancer lesions and lung metastatic lesions and to establish a prognostic model for predicting the survival rate of HER2 low expression(HER2-low)breast cancer patients with lung metastasis.Methods Clinicopathological data from a cohort of 252 patients with breast cancer and lung metastasis were retrospec-tively analyzed.Results 50.00％of the patients had HER2-low expression in metastatic lesions,and HER2-low ex-pression was the most prevalent subgroup in both primary and metastatic lesions.A discordance in HER2 status be-tween primary and metastatic sites was observed in 28.07％of cases.The most frequent shift was from HER2-zero in the primary tumor to HER2-low expression in the metastasis(12.28％of all cases).Estrogen receptor(ER)status,menopausal status,and histological type were identified as independent prognostic factors for overall survival(OS)by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses.A prognostic model incorporating these factors was constructed to predict 3-year and 5-year survival.The model demonstrated area under the curve(AUC)values of 0.765 and 0.780 for 3-year and 5-year OS in the training cohort,and 0.667 and 0.706 in the validation cohort,respectively.Conclu-sion HER2-low expression is the most common subtype among breast cancer patients with lung metastasis.The ob-served shift from HER2-zero in primary lesions to HER2-low in metastases underscores the clinical necessity of re-biop-sy at metastatic sites.The developed prognostic model effectively predicts OS in this patient population.

Purpose: Diagnosing sarcopenia necessitates the measurement of skeletal muscle mass. However, guidelines lack a standardized imaging modality with thresholds validated among Asians. This systematic review compared ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)/body composition monitoring in the detection of sarcopenia within Asian populations. Methods: PubMed and Embase were systematically searched for studies analyzing ultrasonography, CT, MRI, and BIA in diagnosing sarcopenia among Asians. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Results: Pooled findings from 21,598 patients across 25 studies were examined. In receiver operating characteristic analysis, ultrasound displayed a pooled mean area under the curve (AUC) of 0.767 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.709–0.806), with mean sensitivity of 81.1% (95% CI, 0.744–0.846) and specificity of 73.1% (95% CI, 0.648–0.774), for detecting sarcopenia in Asian populations. CT exhibited an AUC of 0.720 (sensitivity, 54.0%; specificity, 92.0%). MRI demonstrated an AUC of 0.839 (sensitivity, 67.0%; specificity, 66.0%). BIA displayed an AUC of 0.905 (95% CI, 0.842–0.968), 80.7% sensitivity (95% CI, 0.129–0.679), and 82.4% specificity (95% CI, 0.191–0.633). Conclusion Various modalities aid in diagnosing sarcopenia, and selection should be individualized. Although only BIA and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry are recommended by the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia and the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People, ultrasound imaging may hold diagnostic value for sarcopenia in the Asian population. In certain groups, diagnostic use of CT and MRI is warranted. Future research can standardize and validate modality-specific thresholds and protocols within Asian populations.

Purpose: Diagnosing sarcopenia necessitates the measurement of skeletal muscle mass. However, guidelines lack a standardized imaging modality with thresholds validated among Asians. This systematic review compared ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)/body composition monitoring in the detection of sarcopenia within Asian populations. Methods: PubMed and Embase were systematically searched for studies analyzing ultrasonography, CT, MRI, and BIA in diagnosing sarcopenia among Asians. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Results: Pooled findings from 21,598 patients across 25 studies were examined. In receiver operating characteristic analysis, ultrasound displayed a pooled mean area under the curve (AUC) of 0.767 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.709–0.806), with mean sensitivity of 81.1% (95% CI, 0.744–0.846) and specificity of 73.1% (95% CI, 0.648–0.774), for detecting sarcopenia in Asian populations. CT exhibited an AUC of 0.720 (sensitivity, 54.0%; specificity, 92.0%). MRI demonstrated an AUC of 0.839 (sensitivity, 67.0%; specificity, 66.0%). BIA displayed an AUC of 0.905 (95% CI, 0.842–0.968), 80.7% sensitivity (95% CI, 0.129–0.679), and 82.4% specificity (95% CI, 0.191–0.633). Conclusion Various modalities aid in diagnosing sarcopenia, and selection should be individualized. Although only BIA and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry are recommended by the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia and the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People, ultrasound imaging may hold diagnostic value for sarcopenia in the Asian population. In certain groups, diagnostic use of CT and MRI is warranted. Future research can standardize and validate modality-specific thresholds and protocols within Asian populations.

Purpose: Diagnosing sarcopenia necessitates the measurement of skeletal muscle mass. However, guidelines lack a standardized imaging modality with thresholds validated among Asians. This systematic review compared ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)/body composition monitoring in the detection of sarcopenia within Asian populations. Methods: PubMed and Embase were systematically searched for studies analyzing ultrasonography, CT, MRI, and BIA in diagnosing sarcopenia among Asians. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Results: Pooled findings from 21,598 patients across 25 studies were examined. In receiver operating characteristic analysis, ultrasound displayed a pooled mean area under the curve (AUC) of 0.767 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.709–0.806), with mean sensitivity of 81.1% (95% CI, 0.744–0.846) and specificity of 73.1% (95% CI, 0.648–0.774), for detecting sarcopenia in Asian populations. CT exhibited an AUC of 0.720 (sensitivity, 54.0%; specificity, 92.0%). MRI demonstrated an AUC of 0.839 (sensitivity, 67.0%; specificity, 66.0%). BIA displayed an AUC of 0.905 (95% CI, 0.842–0.968), 80.7% sensitivity (95% CI, 0.129–0.679), and 82.4% specificity (95% CI, 0.191–0.633). Conclusion Various modalities aid in diagnosing sarcopenia, and selection should be individualized. Although only BIA and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry are recommended by the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia and the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People, ultrasound imaging may hold diagnostic value for sarcopenia in the Asian population. In certain groups, diagnostic use of CT and MRI is warranted. Future research can standardize and validate modality-specific thresholds and protocols within Asian populations.