ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Xijiao Dihuangtang （XJDHT） on mice with sepsis and cellular models of sepsis and explore its molecular mechanism in alleviating sepsis-induced inflammatory responses via regulating pyruvate kinase M2 （PKM2）-mediated one-carbon metabolism pathway. MethodsForty C57BL/6N mice were randomly divided into four groups： normal group， model group， low-dose XJDHT group （7.7 g·kg^-1）， and high-dose XJDHT group （15.4 g·kg^-1）. After one week of continuous gavage， sepsis was induced using cecal ligation and puncture （CLP） in groups except the normal group. 24 h after the surgery， mortality rates in all groups were recorded， and serum cytokines were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Lung histopathology was examined by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. During the in vitro experiment， the human monocytic leukemia cell line （THP-1） was exposed to various concentrations of XJDHT and treated with lipopolysaccharide （LPS） at a final concentration of 2 mg·L^-1 for 24 h. Cell apoptosis was detected using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling （TUNEL） assay. Protein levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， B-cell lymphoma 2 （Bcl-2）， and Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax） were measured by Western blot. Transcriptome sequencing was performed to analyze differentially expressed genes in all groups and conduct gene ontology （GO） enrichment. Key genes in the one-carbon metabolism pathway， including pyruvate kinase M2 （PKM2）， 5-methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine methyltransferase （MTR）， and phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase （PHGDH）， were verified by Western blot. A PKM2 inhibition model was established using shikonin for further protein expression analysis. ResultsAnimal experiments showed that compared with the normal group， the model group exhibited significantly elevated body temperature and lung pathology （P<0.01） and increased serum TNF-α and IL-1β levels （P<0.01）. High-dose XJDHT reduced body temperature and lung tissue damage （P<0.01） and significantly decreased serum TNF-α and IL-1β levels （P<0.01）. Low-dose XJDHT treatment showed no significant temperature change （P<0.01） but reduced serum TNF-α and IL-1β levels （P<0.01）. Transcriptome sequencing and Western blot revealed significant differences in the expression of TNF-α， IL-1β， and one-carbon metabolism genes （PKM2， MTR， and PHGDH） （P<0.01）. Cell experiments demonstrated that compared to the normal group， the model group showed elevated protein expressions of TNF-α and IL-1β in THP-1 cells （P<0.01）， decreased Bcl-2/Bax ratio， and increased apoptosis （P<0.01）. Transcriptome sequencing and Western blot revealed significant differences in the expression of TNF-α， IL-1β， and one-carbon metabolism genes （PKM2， MTR， and PHGDH） （P<0.01）. Compared to the model group， high-dose XJDHT significantly increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and PHGDH protein expression （P<0.01） and effectively reduced cell apoptosis （P<0.01） while down-regulating protein expressions of TNF-α， IL-1β， PKM2， and MTR （P<0.01）. Low-dose XJDHT moderately increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and PHGDH protein expression （P<0.05）， reduced apoptosis （P<0.05）， and decreased IL-1β and MTR protein levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）， but there were no significant changes in TNF-α and PKM2 expression. After PKM2 inhibition by shikonin in THP-1 cells， the expression of protein related to one-carbon metabolism was detected. Compared with the blank group， the LPS-induced model group showed significantly upregulated PKM2 and MTR protein expression （P<0.01） and downregulated PHGDH expression （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， shikonin treatment significantly reduced PKM2 expression （P<0.05）， increased PHGDH expression （P<0.01）， and decreased MTR expression （P<0.05）. ConclusionXJDHT can inhibit the release of inflammatory factors in sepsis， and its mechanism is related to the intervention of the PKM2-regulated one-carbon metabolism pathway in macrophages.

The emergence of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated proteins (Cas) system represents a revolutionary paradigm shift in molecular diagnostics, offering transformative potential for RNA analysis within the rigorous demands of forensic science. Conventional forensic RNA detection methodologies, such as reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) or microarray analysis, are significantly hampered by inherent limitations including complex, multi-step protocols requiring sophisticated laboratory infrastructure, pronounced susceptibility to inhibitors prevalent in complex forensic matrices (e.g., humic acids, heme, indigo dyes), and often inadequate sensitivity for trace or degraded samples typical of crime scenes, thereby failing to meet the critical operational imperatives of forensic practice: rapidity, high specificity, sensitivity, portability, and robustness against interference. This review posits that CRISPR-Cas-based RNA detection technology provides a groundbreaking solution by leveraging the programmable, sequence-specific recognition conferred by the synergistic interaction between a designed guide RNA (gRNA) and Cas effector proteins (e.g., Cas12a, Cas13a, Cas14). Upon target RNA binding, specific Cas enzymes undergo conformational activation, exhibiting collateral cleavage activity―a unique catalytic amplification mechanism where the enzyme non-specifically cleaves surrounding reporter molecules, enabling ultra-high sensitivity. To further enhance detection limits, CRISPR-Cas systems are strategically integrated with isothermal pre-amplification techniques like recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) or loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), which efficiently amplify target RNA at constant temperatures, eliminating the need for thermal cyclers. This powerful cascade―isothermal pre-amplification followed by CRISPR-mediated sequence-specific recognition and collateral signal amplification―achieves exceptional sensitivity, often down to the single-molecule (attomolar) level, while drastically reducing analysis time to potentially 30-60 min. Crucially, the compatibility of CRISPR-Cas detection with simple, equipment-free readout systems, such as lateral flow strips (LFS) for visual colorimetric results or portable fluorescence/electrochemical sensors, facilitates true point-of-need (PON) forensic analysis directly at crime scenes, morgues, or field labs. This enables rapid applications like specific body fluid identification (e.g., distinguishing menstrual blood via miRNA, identifying saliva via mRNA), post-mortem interval (PMI) estimation through RNA degradation/expression patterns, donor age inference via age-related RNA markers, tissue identification, and microbial forensics, thereby accelerating investigative leads, minimizing sample degradation risks, and optimizing resource allocation. However, significant challenges impede widespread adoption, including persistent environmental interference inhibiting enzymes, fluctuations in Cas/amplification enzyme activity affecting reproducibility, a critical lack of standardized protocols and validated quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) frameworks essential for forensic reliability and court admissibility, and current limitations in multiplex detection capability. Consequently, future research must prioritize overcoming multiplexing bottlenecks for comprehensive analysis, enhancing system robustness through Cas protein engineering and optimized reagents, developing fully integrated, sample-to-answer microfluidic or lateral flow devices for user-friendly field deployment, and collaboratively establishing universally accepted validation guidelines, performance standards, and stringent QA/QC procedures. Furthermore, the urgent development of clear ethical guidelines governing the use of this highly sensitive technology, particularly concerning RNA data privacy and potential misuse, is imperative. This review systematically outlines the principles, forensic applications, current limitations, and future trajectories of CRISPR-RNA detection, with the authors’ conviction that focused efforts addressing these challenges will translate this technology into a cornerstone of next-generation forensic practice, driving unprecedented efficiency and innovation in field investigations and laboratory analysis to enhance justice delivery.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a clinical automated diagnostic system for temporomandibular disorders (TMD) based on the diagnostic criteria for TMD (DC/TMD) to assist dentists in making rapid and accurate clinical diagnosis of TMD. METHODS: Clinical and imaging data of 354 patients, who visited the Center for TMD & Orofacial Pain at Peking University Hospital of Stomatology from September 2023 to January 2024, were retrospectively collected. The study developed a clinical automated diagnostic system for TMD using the DC/TMD, built on the. NET Framework platform with branching statements as its internal structure. Further validation of the system on consistency and diagnostic efficacy compared with DC/TMD were also explored. Diagnostic efficacy of the TMD clinical automated diagnostic system for degenerative joint diseases, disc displacement with reduction, disc displacements without reduction with limited mouth opening and disc displacement without reduction without limited mouth opening was evaluated and compared with a specialist in the field of TMD. Accuracy, precision, specificity and the Kappa value were assessed between the TMD clinical automated diagnostic system and the specialist. RESULTS: Diagnoses for various TMD subtypes, including pain-related TMD (arthralgia, myalgia, headache attributed to TMD) and intra-articular TMD (disc displacement with reduction, disc displacement with reduction with intermittent locking, disc displacement without reduction with limited opening, disc displacement without reduction without limited opening, degenerative joint disease and subluxation), using the TMD clinical automated diagnostic system were completely identical to those obtained by the TMD specialist based on DC/TMD. Both the system and the expert showed low sensitivity for diagnosing degenerative joint disease (0.24 and 0.37, respectively), but high specificity (0.96). Both methods achieved high accuracy (> 0.9) for diagnosing disc displacements with reduction and disc displacements without reduction with limited mouth opening. The sensitivity for diagnosing disc displacement without reduction without limited mouth opening was only 0.59 using the automated system, lower than the expert (0.87), while both had high specificity (0.92). The Kappa values for most TMD subtypes were close to 1, except the disc displacement without reduction without limited mouth opening, which had a Kappa value of 0.68. CONCLUSION This study developed and validated a reliable clinical automated diagnostic system for TMD based on DC/TMD. The system is designed to facilitate the rapid and accurate diagnosis and classification of TMD, and is expected to be an important tool in clinical scenarios.
Humans ; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders/diagnosis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Facial Pain/diagnosis* ; Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted/methods* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the most common complication of herpes zoster infection and affects patients' quality of life. Acupuncture therapy is regarded as a competitive method of treatment for analgesia. OBJECTIVE: To summarize evidence from systematic reviews (SRs) and evaluate the effectiveness and safety of different acupuncture therapies for treating PHN. METHODS: Eight electronic databases were searched from their inception to August 5, 2022, including 4 international electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science) and 4 Chinese databases (Chinese Biomedical Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Database and Wanfang Database). Methodological quality was assessed by A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR 2). The Risk of Bias in Systematic Review (ROBIS) tool was used to assess the risk of bias in SRs. Evidence level was assessed by the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. RESULTS: Totally, 7 SRs were included, including 128 studies and 9,792 patients. In AMSTAR 2, most of the SRs were of low or critically low levels since they had more than 1 critical deficiency. In ROBIS, 1 SR (14.29%) was rated as high risk, and the other 6 (85.71%) were rated as low risk. In the GRADE system, 9 outcomes (28.13%) were valued as high level, 5 (15.63%) as moderate level, 1 (3.13%) as low, and 17 (53.13%) as very low. In the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy, the group "moxibustion vs. original medical treatment" [mean difference (MD)=-1.44, 95% confidence interval (CI): -1.80 to -1.08, I²=99%, P<0.00001] was of the highest heterogeneity and the group "bloodletting vs. original medical treatment" (MD=-2.80, 95% CI: -3.14 to -2.46, I²=0, P<0.00001) was of the lowest heterogeneity. Six SRs have reported the safety of their studies and no serious events were shown in the treatment and control groups. CONCLUSIONS Acupuncture therapy seems to be effective in treating PHN. Despite the evidence that suggested the advantages of acupuncture therapy in relieving pain and promoting efficacy and safety, the methodological quality was quite low. Further studies should pay more attention to the quality of original studies and evidence for SRs to confirm these findings. (PROSPERO registration No. CRD42022344790).
Humans ; Neuralgia, Postherpetic/therapy* ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Systematic Reviews as Topic

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of colon dialysis with Yishen Decoction (YS) in improving the autophagy disorder of intestinal epithelial cells in chronic renal failure (CRF) in vivo and in vitro. METHODS: Thirty male SD rats were randomly divided into normal, CRF, and colonic dialysis with YS groups by a random number table method (n=10). The CRF model was established by orally gavage of adenine 200 mg/(kg•d) for 4 weeks. CRF rats in the YS group were treated with colonic dialysis using YS 20 g/(kg•d) for 14 consecutive days. The serum creatinine (SCr) and urea nitrogen (BUN) levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Pathological changes of kidney and colon tissues were observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Autophagosome changes in colonic epithelial cells was observed with electron microscopy. In vitro experiments, human colon cancer epithelial cells (T84) were cultured and divided into normal, urea model (74U), YS colon dialysis, autophagy activator rapamycin (Ra), autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA), and SIRT1 activator resveratrol (Re) groups. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expressions of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), Claudin-1, silent information regulator sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), LC3, and Beclin-1 both in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: Colonic dialysis with YS decreased SCr and BUN levels in CRF rats (P<0.05), and alleviated the pathological changes of renal and colon tissues. Expressions of SIRT1, ZO-1, Claudin-1, Beclin-1, and LC3II/I were increased in the YS group compared with the CRF group in vivo (P<0.05). In in vitro study, compared with normal group, the expressions of SIRT1, ZO-1, and Claudin-1 were decreased, and expressions of Beclin-1, and LC3II/I were increased in the 74U group (P<0.05). Compared with the 74U group, expressions of SIRT1, ZO-1, and Claudin-1 were increased, whereas Beclin-1, and LC3II/I were decreased in the YS group (P<0.05). The treatment of 3-MA and rapamycin regulated autophagy and the expression of SIRT1. SIRT1 activator intervention up-regulated autophagy as well as the expressions of ZO-1 and Claudin-1 compared with the 74U group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Colonic dialysis with YS could improve autophagy disorder and repair CRF intestinal mucosal barrier injury by regulating SIRT1 expression in intestinal epithelial cells.
Animals ; Sirtuin 1/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Autophagy/drug effects* ; Male ; Intestinal Mucosa/drug effects* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Epithelial Cells/metabolism* ; Colon/drug effects* ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic/drug therapy* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Renal Dialysis ; Rats ; Kidney/drug effects*

Peri-implant keratinized mucosa (PIKM) augmentation refers to surgical procedures aimed at increasing the width of PIKM. Consensus reports emphasize the necessity of maintaining a minimum width of PIKM to ensure long-term peri-implant health. Currently, several surgical techniques have been validated for their effectiveness in increasing PIKM. However, the selection and application of PIKM augmentation methods may present challenges for dental practitioners due to heterogeneity in surgical techniques, variations in clinical scenarios, and anatomical differences. Therefore, clear guidelines and considerations for PIKM augmentation are needed. This expert consensus focuses on the commonly employed surgical techniques for PIKM augmentation and the factors influencing their selection at second-stage surgery. It aims to establish a standardized framework for assessing, planning, and executing PIKM augmentation procedures, with the goal of offering evidence-based guidance to enhance the predictability and success of PIKM augmentation.
Humans ; Consensus ; Dental Implants ; Mouth Mucosa/surgery* ; Keratins

Crossmodal transfer is the ability to apply the knowledge acquired in one sensory modality to another. Researches on crossmodal transfer investigate how the brain represents information from different sensory modalities, and provide new insights to improve cognitive processing efficiency and reduce repeated learning. To clarify the characteristics and mechanism of crossmodal transfer, this article first introduced the crossmodal transfer effect in different field of research, such as object recognition, category learning, and time perception. After that, the theoretical researches on the representation type of crossmodal transfer were reviewed, mainly including multisensory theory and multisensory mental imagery theory as well as the supportive and opposite findings. The research progresses on the neural mechanism of crossmodal transfer using ERP and fMRI techniques were introduced, mainly including metamodal theory, and multisensory reverse hierarchy theory as well as the supportive and opposite findings. The objective and subjective factors which influenced crossmodal transfer effect were sorted out, in which we suggested that the modality dominance phenomenon supports the metamodal theory, while other factors such as sensory experience, age, setting of learning tasks and stimulus features support theories such as the multisensory hypothesis. Finally, we described the potential applications of the current research findings on crossmodal transfer and pointed out future research questions in this field.

OBJECTIVE:There are many kinds of biological agents for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in clinic,but the differences in therapeutic efficacy and safety are still unclear.The purpose of this study is to compare the differences in effectiveness and safety of different biological agents for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS:CNKI,VIP,WanFang,China Biomedical Literature System,PubMed,Cochrane Library,Web of Science,and Embase databases were searched to collect the randomized controlled trials on biological agents for rheumatoid arthritis that meet the requirements from inception to October 1,2022.The literature was selected by EndNote software,and the quality of the included literature was evaluated by RevMan 5.3 software.The software Stata 14.2 was used for direct meta-analysis and network meta-analysis of ACR20(American College of Rheumatology 20%response),ACR50(American College of Rheumatology 50%response),ACR70(American College of Rheumatology 70%response),erythrocyte sedimentation rate,and adverse reactions. RESULTS:Totally 39 articles were included,including 5 low-risk articles,4 high-risk articles,and the remaining 30 articles contained unknown risk bias,with a total of 13 treatment measures.The results of network meta-analysis:(1)In ACR20,infliximab combined with methotrexate(OR=5.54,95%CI:1.33-23.01,P<0.05),abatacept+methotrexate tablets(OR=3.21,95%CI:1.13-9.10,P<0.05),and tocilizumab(OR=2.95,95%CI:1.61-5.44,P<0.05)were better than methotrexate tablets.The probabilistic ranking of ACR20 was:infliximab+methotrexate tablets>abatacept+methotrexate tablets>tocilizumab>certlizumab>etanercept+methotrexate tablets.(2)In the aspect of ACR50,etanercept combined with methotrexate tablets(OR=4.04,95%CI:2.13-7.66,P<0.05),infliximab combined with methotrexate tablets(OR=4.79,95%CI:1.19-19.26,P<0.05),and tocilizumab combined with methotrexate tablets(OR=3.54,95%CI:1.36-9.22,P<0.05)had better therapeutic effects than methotrexate tablets.The probabilistic ranking of ACR50 was:etanercept+methotrexate tablets>infliximab+methotrexate tablets>tocilizumab+methotrexate tablets>tocilizumab>certlizumab+methotrexate tablets.(3)In terms of ACR70,the therapeutic effects of infliximab combined with methotrexate tablets(OR=8.00,95%CI:2.31-27.69,P<0.05),etanercept combined with methotrexate tablets(OR=4.26,95%CI:2.51-7.21,P<0.05),and tocilizumab combined with methotrexate tablets(OR=3.51,95%CI:1.82-6.80,P<0.05)were better than methotrexate tablets.The probabilistic ranking of ACR70 was infliximab+methotrexate tablets>etanercept+methotrexate tablets>tocilizumab+methotrexate tablets>certlizumab>adalimumab+methotrexate tablets.(4)In erythrocyte sedimentation rate,etanercept combined with methotrexate tablets(SMD=-9.23,95%CI:-16.55 to-1.92,P<0.05)was better than etanercept and methotrexate tablets(SMD=14.59,95%CI:7.28-21.91,P<0.05).The probabilistic ranking of erythrocyte sedimentation rate was etanercept+methotrexate tablets>infliximab+methotrexate tablets>etanercept>adalimumab+methotrexate tablets>methotrexate tablets.(5)In terms of adverse reactions,placebo(OR=0.62,95%CI:0.39-0.99,P<0.05)was better than infliximab and certlizumab(OR=0.44,95%CI:0.25-0.78,P<0.05).The probabilistic ranking of adverse reactions was placebo>infliximab>etanercept+methotrexate tablets>certlizumab>etanercept. CONCLUSION:Based on evidence from 39 randomized controlled trials,infliximab combined with methotrexate tablets(highly recommended)can be the first choice in clinic,and etanercept combined with methotrexate tablets(highly recommended)can be the second choice in terms of good effectiveness and safety.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) combined with lower cervical fracture is often categorized into unstable fracture, with a high incidence of neurological injury and a high rate of disability and morbidity. As factors such as shoulder occlusion may affect the accuracy of X-ray imaging diagnosis, it is often easily misdiagnosed at the primary diagnosis. Non-operative treatment has complications such as bone nonunion and the possibility of secondary neurological damage, while the timing, access and choice of surgical treatment are still controversial. Currently, there are no clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of AS combined with lower cervical fracture with or without dislocation. To this end, the Spinal Trauma Group of Orthopedics Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized experts to formulate Clinical guidelines for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis combined with lower cervical fracture in adults ( version 2024) in accordance with the principles of evidence-based medicine, scientificity and practicality, in which 11 recommendations were put forward in terms of the diagnosis, imaging evaluation, typing and treatment, etc, to provide guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of AS combined with lower cervical fracture.

Objective:io investigate the expression level and clinical correlation of microRNA-144/451 gene cluster(miR-144/451)in different types of anemia.Methods:The peripheral blood of patients with aplastic anemia(AA),myelodysplastic syndrome(MDS)and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma(DLBCL)who had been diagnosed with anemia for the first time and after chemotherapy were collected.The expression levels of miR-144 and miR-451 were measured by RT-qPCR,and the correlation between the expression levels of miR-144 and miR-451 and routine laboratory indexes was analyzed by Spearman correlation analysis.Results:The expression levels of miR-144 and miR-451 in the peripheral blood of AA and MDS patients were significantly lower than those in normal controls(all P＜0.0 1).No statistical differences were observed in the expression level of miR-144 in three subgroups of DLBCL patients(P＞0.05),while the expression level of miR-451 in peripheral blood of three subgroups of DLBCL patients were significantly higher than those in normal controls(all P＜0.05).Correlation analysis showed that the expression levels of miR-144 and miR-451 in AA patients were positively correlated with red blood cell distribution width-coefficient of variation(RDW-CV)(r=0.629,0.574).There were no significant correlations between the expression levels of miR-144 and miR-451 and laboratory parameters in MDS and DLBCL patients.Conclusion:Different types of anemia disorders have varying levels of miR-144 and miR-451 expression,which is anticipated to develop into a secondary diagnostic and differential diagnostic indicator for clinical anemia diseases.