Objective: To investigate the effects of a Twin-Block appliance combined with slow maxillary expansion (SME) on transverse dental and skeletal parameters in adolescent patients with Angle Class Ⅱ division 1 malocclusion, and to provide a reference for clinical orthodontic practice. Methods: This retrospective study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee. A total of 21 adolescents with Class Ⅱ division 1 malocclusion who underwent two-phase treatment with a Twin-Block appliance combined with SME at the Department of Orthodontics, College & Hospital of Stomatology, Guangxi Medical University, in 2021 to 2023 were consecutively enrolled. In the first phase, a functional appliance was used to coordinate the skeletal relationship between the maxilla and mandible by leveraging growth potential. In the second phase, a fixed appliance was employed for fine adjustments of the dental arches based on the specific condition. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans were obtained before treatment (T0) and after the first phase of functional correction (T1). Transverse measurements at the first molar region, including molar buccolingual inclination, dental arch width, and basal bone width, were performed using Dolphin 3D Imaging software. Changes between T0 and T1 were statistically analyzed. Results: After the first phase of treatment, the left and right maxillary first molars showed a significant increase in buccal inclination by 5.47° ± 1.38° and 5.35° ± 1.61°, respectively (P<0.001). The arch width in the maxillary first molar region also increased by (2.68 ± 1.14) mm, and the basal bone width increased by (1.14 ± 1.24) mm (all P<0.001). The proportion of skeletal expansion accounted for an average of 42.86%, while dental expansion accounted for 57.14%. No statistically significant changes were observed in any mandibular transverse measurements (all P>0.05). Conclusion In adolescent patients with Angle Class Ⅱ division 1 malocclusion accompanied by maxillary transverse deficiency, Twin-Block appliance combined with SME can effectively expand maxillary dental arch and basal bone width while improving sagittal relationship, thereby correcting transverse discrepancy. The maxillary width changes were predominantly dental.

ObjectiveTo construct a risk prediction model for carotid artery plaques in high-risk populations of stroke based on five machine learning methods. MethodsThe clinical information of the high-risk population of stroke was collected. Factor analysis and statistical analysis of syndrome elements were conducted on their traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） symptoms and tongue and pulse manifestations. On the basis of the results of factor analysis and variable screening， five machine learning methods-classification and regression tree （CART） decision tree， support vector machine （SVM）， back propagation（BP） neural network， logistic regression， and random forest-were used to construct the risk prediction model for carotid artery plaques. ResultsThe most common TCM syndrome elements in the high-risk population of stroke was Qi deficiency. The scores of Qi deficiency， Yin deficiency， and Yang deficiency in the population with carotid artery plaques were higher than those without carotid artery plaques （P<0.05）. The CART decision tree， SVM， logistic regression， BP neural network， and random forest models showed the areas under the receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curves of 0.71， 0.75， 0.76， 0.76， and 0.75， the accuracy rates of 68.94%， 69.27%， 69.44%， 70.10%， and 69.60%， the precision rates of 68.56%， 68.53%， 68.75%， 69.74%， and 69.42%， the recall rates of 68.91%， 67.93%， 67.92%， 68.10%， and 67.31%， and the F₁ values of 0.69， 0.68， 0.68， 0.68， and 0.68， respectively. ConclusionAmong the high-risk population of stroke， the most frequently distributed TCM syndrome element is Qi deficiency， with the rest mainly being fire heat， Yin deficiency， Yang deficiency， phlegm dampness， blood stasis， and Qi stagnation. Deficiency syndrome may be a major factor leading to carotid artery plaques in the high-risk population of stroke. The BP neural network model demonstrates better performance in predicting the risk of carotid artery plaques in the high-risk population of stroke. People with carotid artery plaques are more likely to present with symptoms such as a heavy head， dizziness， headache， and thready pulse. The primary community benefits more widely when the BP neural network model is adopted to predict the risk of carotid artery plaques in the high-risk population of stroke over 40 years old.

ObjectiveTo construct a risk prediction model for carotid artery plaques in high-risk populations of stroke based on five machine learning methods. MethodsThe clinical information of the high-risk population of stroke was collected. Factor analysis and statistical analysis of syndrome elements were conducted on their traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） symptoms and tongue and pulse manifestations. On the basis of the results of factor analysis and variable screening， five machine learning methods-classification and regression tree （CART） decision tree， support vector machine （SVM）， back propagation（BP） neural network， logistic regression， and random forest-were used to construct the risk prediction model for carotid artery plaques. ResultsThe most common TCM syndrome elements in the high-risk population of stroke was Qi deficiency. The scores of Qi deficiency， Yin deficiency， and Yang deficiency in the population with carotid artery plaques were higher than those without carotid artery plaques （P<0.05）. The CART decision tree， SVM， logistic regression， BP neural network， and random forest models showed the areas under the receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curves of 0.71， 0.75， 0.76， 0.76， and 0.75， the accuracy rates of 68.94%， 69.27%， 69.44%， 70.10%， and 69.60%， the precision rates of 68.56%， 68.53%， 68.75%， 69.74%， and 69.42%， the recall rates of 68.91%， 67.93%， 67.92%， 68.10%， and 67.31%， and the F₁ values of 0.69， 0.68， 0.68， 0.68， and 0.68， respectively. ConclusionAmong the high-risk population of stroke， the most frequently distributed TCM syndrome element is Qi deficiency， with the rest mainly being fire heat， Yin deficiency， Yang deficiency， phlegm dampness， blood stasis， and Qi stagnation. Deficiency syndrome may be a major factor leading to carotid artery plaques in the high-risk population of stroke. The BP neural network model demonstrates better performance in predicting the risk of carotid artery plaques in the high-risk population of stroke. People with carotid artery plaques are more likely to present with symptoms such as a heavy head， dizziness， headache， and thready pulse. The primary community benefits more widely when the BP neural network model is adopted to predict the risk of carotid artery plaques in the high-risk population of stroke over 40 years old.

Objective: To explore the metabolic molecular mechanism of regulatory T cells (Tregs) resisting ferroptosis under a hypoxic stress microenvironment, and to provide scientific support for finding intervention targets to improve the immune microenvironment of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Methods: This study was approved by the Institutional Medical Ethics Committee. Multiplex immunofluorescence was used to detect the distribution of Tregs and the localization of hypoxic regions in clinical pathological specimens from patients with OSCC tissues. Animal experiments were approved by the Laboratory Animal Ethics Committee. A tumor-bearing model was established in C57BL/6 mice. The submandibular, subscapular, inguinal, and popliteal lymph nodes were collected along with the spleen, and were homogenized to prepare single cell suspensions. C57BL/6 mouse naive CD4⁺ T cells were induced to differentiate into Tregs in vitro, and a 1% hypoxic culture model was established. Normoxia and hypoxia groups were established, and Treg viability under hypoxic conditions was assessed by flow cytometry. Transcriptomics and metabolomics were applied to analyze differentially expressed genes, metabolic pathways, and changes in cholesterol metabolites. Western blot was performed to detect the expression of emopamil-binding protein (EBP), glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), ferroptosis suppressor protein 1 (FSP1), and acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4). The safe concentration of the EBP inhibitor TASIN-30 was determined by the CCK-8 assay. On this basis, four groups were established: normoxia control, hypoxia, hypoxia+TASIN-30, and hypoxia+TASIN-30+7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC). Treg viability in each group was measured by flow cytometry; intracellular Fe2+ content, lipid peroxidation level, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation were detected by cellular immunofluorescence and flow cytometry; the reduced/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) ratio was measured using a microplate reader; and mitochondrial morphology was observed by transmission electron microscopy. In vivo tumor-inhibition experiments in C3H/HeJ mice were performed to validate the in vivo effects of EBP inhibition, and clinical prognostic survival analysis based on the TCGA-HNSC cohort was performed to evaluate the clinical prognostic value of ferroptosis resistance in Tregs. Results: Tregs were highly enriched in OSCC tissue, preferentially accumulated in hypoxic areas, and could maintain cell survival under hypoxia. The cholesterol metabolism pathway was upregulated in the hypoxic group, with increased EBP mRNA expression (P < 0.001) and 7-DHC accumulation. Compared with the hypoxic group alone, the hypoxic + TASIN-30 group showed decreased GPX4 and FSP1 expression (P < 0.001, P = 0.003); increased ACSL4 expression (P < 0.001); a decreased viable cell ratio (P < 0.001); increased Fe2+, lipid peroxidation, and ROS levels (P < 0.001); a decreased GSH/GSSG ratio (P < 0.001); and mitochondrial shrinkage. Exogenous supplementation of 7-DHC reversed the effects of EBP inhibition. In vivo inhibition of EBP significantly inhibited tumor growth (P < 0.001). Conclusion Tregs upregulate EBP and promote 7-DHC accumulation in hypoxic microenvironments, thereby inhibiting Treg ferroptosis and maintaining their survival and immunosuppressive function. Inhibition of EBP can weaken the resistance of Tregs to ferroptosis under hypoxia.

Objective This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of intelligent bed management model in integrating bed resources in a large comprehensive hospital.Methods Inpatient data from a tertiary hospital between January 2021 and De-cember 2024 were collected.An intelligent hospital-wide bed management platform was constructed to implement bed resource sharing mechanisms and establish a standardized bed reservation grading system.The implementation effect of the system was e-valuated from the perspective of bed occupancy rate,average length of stay,and patient satisfaction.Results After implementa-tion,bed occupancy rates in key monitored departments moved into a reasonable range:Rehabilitation Medicine Department fell from 113.18％to 101.48％(t=4.26,P＜0.01),while Neurology Department increased from 88.18％to 96.20％(t=3.85,P＜0.01).Annual inpatient admissions increased from 83,931 to 103,852(x2=156.82,P＜0.001),and average length of stay shortened from 7.15 days to 6.21 days(t=4.73,P＜0.01).The admission waiting time was cut by 72.7 hours(-43.1％),and satisfaction with bed allocation rationality improved by 11.2 points(t=5.94,P＜0.001).Staff time spent on bed-assignment fell by 42 minutes per shift(t=8.92,P＜0.001),and cross-department transfers increased by 378 episodes per month(x2=145.26,P＜0.001).Conclusion The intelligent bed management model can effectively improve hospital bed utili-zation efficiency,enhance healthcare service quality,reduce staff workload,and merits wider application in similar hospitals.

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effect of hyaluronic acid(HA)scaffold combined with adipose-derived stem cells(ADSCs)in chronic wound healing of lower limbs and explore its applica-tion potential in promoting chronic wound healing.Methods A total of 50 patients were included in this study.They were divided into study and control groups according to the random number table method.There were 25 cases in each of the two groups of patients.HA and ADSCs were mixed in a 1:1 ratio and evenly injected into the wound base and the subcutaneous tissue around the wound at a rate of 0.1 ml/cm3.In the control group,ADSCs were only injected into the wound base and subcutaneous tissue around the wound.The infection rate,treatment satisfaction,wound healing rate,visual analogue score(VAS),and wound quantitative score were compared between the two groups at 7 days,14 days,and 28 days.Results The infection rate in the study group was lower than that in the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).Moreover,at 14 days and 28 days after treatment,the wound healing rate in the study group was higher than that in the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).On the 7th,14th,and 28th days after treatment,the VAS scores and the wound quantitative scores were lower than those in the control group,and the difference was statisti-cally significant(P<0.05).Furthermore,the treatment satisfaction rate in the research group(92％)was higher than that in the control group(80％).Conclusion HA scaffold combined with ADSCs could promote the healing of chronic wounds in lower limbs,reduce infection rate,and relieve wound pain,which provides a new idea for the treatment of chronic wounds.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of intestinal ultrasound (IUS) for organic lesions in the intestines of patients with chronic abdominal pain or diarrhea. Methods The IUS signs in 263 patients with chronic abdominal pain or diarrhea were retrospectively analyzed.With the endoscopic examination results as the gold standard,comparison was performed for the IUS signs between the groups with positive and negative endoscopic results,as well as between the inflammatory bowel disease group and the non-specific intestinal inflammation group of positive cases.Furthermore,the detection rates of IUS in different intestinal segments were analyzed to evaluate the accuracy of IUS in the diagnosis and localization of intestinal lesions. Results Among the 263 patients,194 (73.8%) and 69 (26.2%) patients were in the groups with positive and negative endoscopic results,respectively.The diagnosis sensitivity,specificity,and accuracy of IUS were 82.0%,71.0%,and 79.1%,respectively.The proportions of positive IUS signs in the group with positive endoscopic results were higher than that in the group with negative endoscopic results (all P<0.001).The proportions of positive IUS signs in the inflammatory bowel disease group were higher than those in the non-specific bowel inflammation group (all P<0.001).When the lesion was located in the ileum,ileocecal region,and colon,IUS demonstrated good consistency with endoscopic results in locating the lesion (kappa=0.642,0.686,and 0.601,respectively),with sensitivity and specificity of 82.7% (95%CI=75.4%-88.6%) and 81.5% (95%CI=73.5%-87.9%),73.7% (95%CI=62.3%-83.1%) and 93.0% (95%CI=88.4%-96.2%),and 68.9% (95%CI=58.3%-78.2%) and 89.6% (95%CI=84.1%-93.7%),respectively. Conclusions IUS can be used for screening the patients with chronic abdominal pain or diarrhea to detect organic lesions in the intestines. Moreover,it can effectively locate the affected intestinal segment,which is helpful for the monitoring and follow-up of intestinal diseases.
Humans ; Diarrhea/diagnostic imaging* ; Female ; Male ; Abdominal Pain/diagnostic imaging* ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Ultrasonography ; Retrospective Studies ; Aged ; Young Adult ; Intestines/diagnostic imaging* ; Adolescent ; Chronic Disease ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Aged, 80 and over

Inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)is a chronic and recurrent intestinal disease,and has become a major global health issue.Individuals with IBD face an elevated risk of developing colorectal cancer(CRC),and recent studies have indicated that mitochondrial dysfunction plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of both IBD and CRC.This review covers the pathogenesis of IBD and CRC,focusing on mitochondrial dysfunction,and explores pharmacological targets and strategies for addressing both conditions by modulating mitochondrial function.Additionally,recent advancements in the phar-macological modulation of mitochondrial dysfunction for treating IBD and CRC,encompassing mitochondrial damage,release of mitochondrial DNA(mtDNA),and impairment of mitophagy,are thoroughly summarized.The review also provides a systematic overview of natural compounds(such as flavonoids,alkaloids,and diterpenoids),Chinese medicines,and intestinal microbiota,which can alleviate IBD and attenuate the progression of CRC by modulating mitochondrial function.In the future,it will be imperative to develop more practical methodologies for real-time monitoring and accurate detection of mitochondrial function,which will greatly aid scientists in identifying more effective agents for treating IBD and CRC through modulation of mitochondrial function.

Sacroiliac complex injuries are commonly seen in high-energy pelvic fractures. The injuries make a big difference in treatment patterns due to the diverse injury types, posing considerable challenges in formulating optimal treatment strategies, and hence are persistent clinical difficulties in orthopedic trauma. The clinical management of sacroiliac complex injuries presents several key challenges such as a non-negligible rate of missed diagnoses in associated vascular and visceral injuries, absence of standardized protocols for surgical approaches and reduction-fixation strategies across different injury patterns, and ongoing controversies regarding surgical indications and optimal timing for patients combined with concomitant lumbosacral plexus injuries. Currently, no systematic clinical guidelines are available for the diagnosis and treatment of sacroiliac complex injuries both domestically and internationally. To this end, the Pelvic and Acetabular Surgery Group, Orthopedic Branch, China International Exchange and Promotive Association for Medical and Health Care and Orthopedic Physician Branch, Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized a panel of domestic experts in the field to develop the Clinical guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of sacroiliac complex injuries ( version 2025), based on evidence-based medicine and adhering to the principles of scientific rigor, clinical applicability, and innovation. These guidelines provided 11 recommendations covering diagnosis, therapeutic principles and techniques, management protocols for lumbosacral plexus injuries, outcome evaluation, and postoperative rehabilitation pathways, etc., aiming to standardize the clinical management of sacroiliac complex injuries.

Objective To investigate the changes in eosinophil counts and the activation of microglial cells in the brain tissues of mice at different stages of Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection, and to examine the role of microglia in regulating the progression of angiostrongyliasis and unravel the possible molecular mechanisms. Methods Fifty BALB/c mice were randomly divided into the control group and the 7-d, 14-d, 21-day and 25-d infection groups, of 10 mice in each group. All mice in infection groups were infected with 30 stage III A. cantonensis larvae by gavage, and animals in the control group was given an equal amount of physiological saline. Five mice were collected from each of infection groups on days 7, 14, 21 d and 25 d post-infection, and 5 mice were collected from the control group on the day of oral gavage. The general and focal functional impairment was scored using the Clark scoring method to assess the degree of mouse neurological impairment. Five mice from each of infection groups were sacrificed on days 7, 14, 21 d and 25 d post-infection, and 5 mice from the control group were sacrificed on the day of oral gavage. Mouse brain tissues were sampled, and the pathological changes of brain tissues were dynamically observed using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Immunofluorescence staining with eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1) was used to assess the degree of eosinophil infiltration and the counts of microglial cells in mouse brain tissues in each group, and the morphological parameters of microglial cells (skeleton analysis and fractal analysis) were quantified by using Image J software to determine the morphological changes of microglial cells. In addition, the expression of M1 microglia markers Fcγ receptor III (Fcgr3), Fcγ receptor IIb (Fcgr2b) and CD86 antigen (Cd86), M2 microglia markers Arginase 1 (Arg1), macrophage mannose receptor C-type 1 (Mrc1), chitinase-like 3 (Chil3), and phagocytosis genes myeloid cell triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (Trem2), CD68 antigen (Cd68), and apolipoprotein E (Apoe) was quantified using real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) assay in the mouse cerebral cortex of mice post-infection. Results A large number of A. cantonensis larvae were seen on the mouse meninges surface post-infection, and many neuronal nuclei were crumpled and deeply stained, with a large number of bleeding points in the meninges. The median Clark scores of mouse general functional impairment were 0 (interquartile range, 0), 0 (interquartile range, 0.5), 6 (interquartile range, 1.0), 14 (interquartile range, 8.5) points and 20 (interquartile range, 9.0) points in the control group and the 7-d, 14-d, 21-d and 25-d groups, respectively (H = 22.45, P < 0.01), and the median Clark scores of mouse focal functional impairment were 0 (interquartile range, 0), 2 (interquartile range, 2.5), 7 (interquartile range, 3.0), 18 (interquartile range, 5.0) points and 25 (interquartile range, 6.5) points in the control group and the 7-d, 14-d, 21-d and 25-d groups, respectively (H = 22.72, P < 0.01). The mean scores of mice general and focal functional impairment were all higher in the infection groups than in the control group (all P values < 0.05). Immunofluorescence staining showed a significant difference in the eosinophil counts in mouse brain tissues among the five groups (F = 40.05, P < 0.000 1), and the eosinophil counts were significantly higher in mouse brain tissues in the 14-d (3.08 ± 0.78) and 21-d infection groups (5.97 ± 1.37) than in the control group (1.00 ± 0.28) (both P values < 0.05). Semi-quantitative analysis of microglia immunofluorescence showed a significant difference in the counts of microglial cells among the five groups (F = 17.66, P < 0.000 1), and higher Iba1 levels were detected in mouse brain tissues in 14-d (5.75 ± 1.28), 21-d (6.23 ± 1.89) and 25-d infection groups (3.70 ± 1.30) than in the control group (1.00 ± 0.30) (all P values < 0.05). Skeleton and fractal analyses showed that the branch length [(162.04 ± 34.10) μm vs. (395.37 ± 64.11) μm; t = 5.566, P < 0.05] and fractal dimension of microglial cells (1.30 ± 0.01 vs. 1.41 ± 0.03; t = 5.266, P < 0.05) were reduced in mouse brain tissues in the 21-d infection group relative to the control group. In addition, there were significant differences among the 5 groups in terms of M1 and M2 microglia markers Fcgr3 (F = 48.34, P < 0.05), Fcgr2b (F = 55.46, P < 0.05), Cd86 (F = 24.44, P < 0.05), Arg1 (F = 31.18, P < 0.05), Mrc1 (F = 15.42, P < 0.05) and Chil3 (F = 24.41, P < 0.05), as well as phagocytosis markers Trem2 (F = 21.19, P < 0.05), Cd68 (F = 43.95, P < 0.05) and Apoe (F = 7.12, P < 0.05) in mice brain tissues. Conclusions A. cantonensis infections may induce severe pathological injuries in mouse brain tissues that are characterized by massive eosinophil infiltration and persistent activation of microglia cells, thereby resulting in progressive deterioration of neurological functions.