With the extensive application of nuclear technology in industry, agriculture, and medicine, the safety issues associated with neutron radiation have become increasingly prominent. Due to their high penetrability and strong ionization effect, neutrons can cause serious health risks by directly damaging DNA or inducing secondary γ radiation. Therefore, the neutron radiation protection has become a core challenge in radiation protection, especially the research and development of neutron shielding materials. To ensure the safe development of nuclear technology, neutron shielding materials are indispensable and constitute a fundamental core technology for radiation protection. This paper reviews the theory of neutron radiation protection and the research progress of neutron shielding materials, with a focus on the current application status and existing problems of neutron shielding materials. This article also discusses the future development trends. This review aims to provide theoretical support and technical references for the safe application and development of nuclear technology.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to analyze the clinical symptoms and imaging manifestations in patients with temporomandibular disorder syndrome (TMD), who are sensitive to sudden temperature drop. METHODS: One hundred and nineteen patients with TMD who attended the Department of Stomatology of the First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital from December 2022 to December 2023 were included, including 44 males and 75 females, with a mean age of 32.4±13.7 years.The questionnaire was used to determine whether they were sensitive to temperature drop, and the TMD patients were divided into a temperature plunge-sensitive group and a temperature drop insensitive group. The clinical symptoms and imaging manifestations of patients in the two groups were observed. SPSS 25.0 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the gender and age of patients in the temperature plunge-sensitive group (50 patients) and the insensitivity group (69 patients) (P>0.05). The percentage of patients with pain was slightly higher in the temperature plunge-sensitive group [86.0% (43/50)] than in the insensitive group [68.1% (47/69)], and the difference was statistically significant (χ²=5.031, P=0.025), while the differences in joint murmur and mouth opening limitation between the two groups were not statistically significant. A total of 238 lateral joints were detected in both groups, the percentage of osteoarthropathic imaging changes was significantly higher in the temperature plunge-sensitive group [82.0% (82/100)] than in the insensitive group [53.6% (74/138)] (χ²=20.675, P<0.001). Magnetic imaging showed that the percentage of joint effusion was higher in patients in the temperature plunge-sensitive group [66.0% (33/50)] than in the insensitive group [42.0% (29/69)], and the difference was statistically significant (χ²=5.602, P=0.018). CONCLUSIONS TMD patients with maxillofacial pain symptoms, joint effusions, and abnormal imaging of osteoarticular structures are more likely to be sensitive to sudden temperature drops.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders/diagnosis* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult ; Temperature ; Adolescent

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the correlation between clinical symptoms and unilateral chewing habits in patients with temporomandibular disorder (TMD) accompanied by tinnitus. METHODS: A total of 285 patients diagnosed with TMD at the Department of Stomatology of the First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital between December 2020 and May 2024 were included and divided into two groups: tinnitus group and non-tinnitus group. Analysis was conducted on the proportion of patients with unilateral chewing habits in both groups, the correlation between the side of tinnitus and the side of unilateral chewing, and the correlation of tinnitus with TMD clinical symptoms (joint clicking, joint pain, and limited mouth opening) and unilateral chewing habits. The correlation of the type of disc displacement with unilateral chewing and tinnitus was also examined. RESULTS: In the tinnitus group, the proportions of patients with and without unilateral chewing habits were 90.70% (39/43) and 9.30% (4/43), respectively. In the non-tinnitus group, the proportions of patients with and without unilateral chewing habits were 76.03% (184/242) and 23.97% (58/242), respectively. The proportion of patients with unilateral chewing habits in the tinnitus group was significantly higher than in the non-tinnitus group (χ²=4.613, P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between tinnitus and unilateral chewing habits (P<0.05). In the left-sided tinnitus group, the proportion of left-sided unilateral chewers [54.55% (12/22)] was higher than that of right-sided unilateral chewers [45.45% (10/22)]. In the right-sided tinnitus group, the proportion of right-sided unilateral chewers [81.82% (9/11)] was higher than that of left-sided unilateral chewers [18.18% (2/11)]. The difference was statistically significant (χ²=7.282, P<0.05). A positive correlation was also found between the side of tinnitus and the side of unilateral chewing habits (P<0.05). The proportion of patients with pain was significantly higher in the tinnitus group than in the non-tinnitus group (P<0.05). No significant difference in the proportion of joint clicking or limited mouth opening and disc displacement (no disc displacement, unilateral disc displacement, bilateral disc displacement, reducible disc displacement, or irreducible disc displacement) was found between the tinnitus and non-tinnitus groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS TMD with unilateral chewing habits may be a contributing factor to unexplained tinnitus. Unexplained tinnitus is correlated with joint pain in patients with TMD.
Humans ; Tinnitus/physiopathology* ; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders/physiopathology* ; Mastication ; Male ; Adult ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Habits

Objective:To construct a quality indicator system for pain nursing process in adult inpatients and to provide a scientific, objective and practical basis for the evaluation and management of pain nursing quality in clinical nursing.Methods:Based on the guidance framework of nursing procedures, a quality index system for pain nursing process in adult inpatients was preliminarily developed. Two rounds of expert questionnaires were conducted using the Delphi method, the analytic hierarchy process was used to analyze the weight of the indicators, and the semantic analysis of the indicator system was carried out with the nurses, and finally the quality indicator system for the pain nursing process in adult inpatients was constructed.Results:Both Delphi rounds attained 100% response rates, and the expert authority coefficients were 0.96 and 0.98 respectively, the familiarity coefficients were 0.95 and 0.98 respectively, both judgment basis coefficients were 0.98, and the Kendall′s coefficient of concordance were 0.187 and 0.451 respectively. The mean values of each indicator in semantic analysis ranged from 4.30 to 5.00, and the standard deviation was 0-1.06. The final constructed quality indicator system for the pain nursing process in adult inpatients included 5 primary-level indicators (pain assessment, pain nursing diagnosis, pain nursing plan, pain nursing measures, and pain nursing evaluation) and 28 secondary-level indicators.Conclusions:The quality indicator system for the pain nursing process is successfully constructed in adult inpatients, the method is scientific and reasonable, and the content is practical and reliable. It has guiding significance for evaluating the quality of pain nursing process for inpatients.

Objective:To construct a quality indicator system for pain nursing process in adult inpatients and to provide a scientific, objective and practical basis for the evaluation and management of pain nursing quality in clinical nursing.Methods:Based on the guidance framework of nursing procedures, a quality index system for pain nursing process in adult inpatients was preliminarily developed. Two rounds of expert questionnaires were conducted using the Delphi method, the analytic hierarchy process was used to analyze the weight of the indicators, and the semantic analysis of the indicator system was carried out with the nurses, and finally the quality indicator system for the pain nursing process in adult inpatients was constructed.Results:Both Delphi rounds attained 100% response rates, and the expert authority coefficients were 0.96 and 0.98 respectively, the familiarity coefficients were 0.95 and 0.98 respectively, both judgment basis coefficients were 0.98, and the Kendall′s coefficient of concordance were 0.187 and 0.451 respectively. The mean values of each indicator in semantic analysis ranged from 4.30 to 5.00, and the standard deviation was 0-1.06. The final constructed quality indicator system for the pain nursing process in adult inpatients included 5 primary-level indicators (pain assessment, pain nursing diagnosis, pain nursing plan, pain nursing measures, and pain nursing evaluation) and 28 secondary-level indicators.Conclusions:The quality indicator system for the pain nursing process is successfully constructed in adult inpatients, the method is scientific and reasonable, and the content is practical and reliable. It has guiding significance for evaluating the quality of pain nursing process for inpatients.

As the main means of mastication, teeth can withstand countless functional contacts. The mechanical properties of teeth are closely related to their tissue structure. Enamel and dentin have a high hardness and modulus of elasticity, and their graded structure allows them to withstand bite forces without being susceptible to fracture. When tooth tissue is defective, full crown restoration is often needed to restore the normal shape and function of the tooth. Metal materials, ceramic materials, and polyetheretherketone (PEEK) materials are commonly used for crown restoration. Metal materials have certain disadvantages in terms of aesthetics and are relatively rarely used in clinical practice. Ceramic materials with different compositions exhibit differences in performance and aesthetics, but their elastic modulus and hardness are much higher than those of dental tissue, resulting in mismatching mechanical properties. In contrast, the elastic modulus of PEEK is lower than that of tooth tissue and similar to that of bone tissue, but its properties can be improved by fiber reinforcement. Notably, when the mechanical properties of a restoration material and tooth tissue are not fully matched, the interface between them often forms a potential weak link, which ultimately affects the stability and long-term effect of the restoration. This article introduces the mechanical properties and corresponding structural characteristics of enamel and dentin. On this basis, the advantages and limitations of existing restoration materials are analyzed, and the possibility of biomimetic design of full crowns is further explored.

Background::Clinical opportunistic screening is a cost-effective cancer screening modality. This study aimed to establish an easy-to-use diagnostic model serving as a risk stratification tool for identification of individuals with malignant gastric lesions for opportunistic screening.Methods::We developed a questionnaire-based diagnostic model using a joint dataset including two clinical cohorts from northern and southern China. The cohorts consisted of 17,360 outpatients who had undergone upper gastrointestinal endoscopic examination in endoscopic clinics. The final model was derived based on unconditional logistic regression, and predictors were selected according to the Akaike information criterion. External validation was carried out with 32,614 participants from a community-based randomized controlled trial.Results::This questionnaire-based diagnostic model for malignant gastric lesions had eight predictors, including advanced age, male gender, family history of gastric cancer, low body mass index, unexplained weight loss, consumption of leftover food, consumption of preserved food, and epigastric pain. This model showed high discriminative power in the development set with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.791 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.750–0.831). External validation of the model in the general population generated an AUC of 0.696 (95% CI: 0.570–0.822). This model showed an ideal ability for enriching prevalent malignant gastric lesions when applied to various scenarios.Conclusion::This easy-to-use questionnaire-based model for diagnosis of prevalent malignant gastric lesions may serve as an effective prescreening tool in clinical opportunistic screening for gastric cancer.

The problems caused by proximal contact loss(PCL)of dental implants have been a mainstream research topic in recent years,and scholars are unanimously committed to analyzing their causes and related factors,aiming to identify solutions to the problems related to PCL.The effects of the anterior component of force(ACF),the lifelong re-molding of the adult craniofacial jaw and alveolar socket,and the osseointegration characteristics of dental implants are the main causes of PCL.On the one hand,the closing movement of the mandible causes the ACF of the tooth to move through the posterior molar cusp.Moreover,drifting between the upper and lower posterior teeth and mandibular anteri-or teeth can cause the anterior teeth of the upper and lower jaws to be displaced labially.On the other hand,reconstruc-tion of the jaw,alveolar socket and tooth root,the forward horizontal force of the masticatory muscles,the dynamic com-ponent of the jaw and the forward force generated by the oblique plane of the tooth cusp can cause the natural tooth to experience near-middle drift.Additionally,natural teeth can shift horizontally and vertically and rotate to accommodate remodeling of the stomatognathic system and maintain oral function.Nevertheless,the lack of a natural periodontal mem-brane during implant osseointegration,the lack of a physiological basis for near-medium drift,the small average degree of vertical motion and the integrated silence of dental implants without the overall drift characteristics of natural teeth increases the probability of PCL.The high incidence of PCL is clearly associated with the duration of prosthesis delivery and the mesial position;but it is also affected by the magnitude of the bite force,occlusion,the adjacent teeth,restora-tion design,implant location,jaw,and patient age and sex.PCL has shown a significant correlation with food impaction,but not a one-to-one correspondence,and did not meet the necessary and sufficient conditions.PCL is also associated with peri-implant lesions as well as dental caries.PCL prevention included informed consent,regular examinations,se-lection of retention options,point of contact enhancement,occlusal splints,and the application of multipurpose digital crowns.Management of the PCL includes adjacent contact point additions,orthodontic traction,and occlusal adjust-ment.Existing methods can solve the problem of food impaction in the short term with comprehensive intervention to seek stable,long-term effects.Symmetric and balanced considerations will expand the treatment of issues caused by PCL.

Bladder cancer is one of the most common malignancy in the urinary system over the world. Urine cytology and cystoscopy are important tools for bladder cancer diagnosis and recurrence monitoring. However, due to the limited sensitivity and invasive procedure, there is an urgent need to develop new non-invasive and highly sensitive liquid biopsy approaches. Urine biopsy is a research focus in the field and has great potential. This review focused on protein-based urine markers (including NMP22, BTA and UroVysion etc.) and DNA or RNA-based urine markers (including cfDNA, AssureMDx and Xpert BC Monitor etc.), which were used for bladder cancer diagnosis and recurrence monitoring, and summarized the sensitivity and specificity of each biomarker as well as their characteristics in the diagnosis and recurrence surveillance of bladder cancer. This study provides theoretical and empirical support for further optimization and application of these biomarkers in clinical practice.

Objective : To investigate the effects of angiopoietin 4 (ANGPT4) on the odontogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells. Methods : This study has been reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee, and informed consent has been obtained from patients. Human premolars were fixed, decalcified, dehydrated, embedded, and sectioned. Immunofluorescence staining was used to observe the expression and localization of ANGPT4. Human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) were isolated and cultured in vitro. The growth state and morphology of hDPSCs were observed under an inverted phase contrast microscope. The expression of cell surface-related molecular markers was detected by flow cytometry. Alkaline phosphatase and alizarin red S staining were used to detect the odontogenic differentiation potential of hDPSCs. Oil-red O staining was used to detect the adipogenic differentiation potential of hDPSCs. RNA was extracted from hDPSCs at different time points after odontogenic induction, and RT-qPCR was used to analyze the mRNA expression of ANGPT4 and odontogenic-related genes during the odontogenic differentiation of hDPSCs in vitro. siRNA gene silencing technology was used to silence the expression of ANGPT4 in hDPSCs, and the silencing efficiency was detected by RT-qPCR and Western Blot. After silencing ANGPT4 in hDPSCs for 24 h, odontogenic induction was performed. Alkaline phosphatase and alizarin red S staining were performed on the 7th and 14th of induction to detect the odontogenic differentiation ability of hDPSCs after silencing ANGPT4 Results : Immunofluorescence staining of human premolars showed that ANGPT4 was expressed in odontoblasts and sub-odontoblastic cell-rich zone. hDPSCs were in good condition after 14 days of isolation and culture. Under the microscope, multiple cell colonies were observed, and the cell morphology was uniform and long spindle-shaped. The results of flow cytometry showed that hDPSCs expressed mesenchymal stem cell markers CD105 (90.42%) and CD90 (97.15%), but did not express hematopoietic cell markers CD45 (0.01%) and CD34 (0.08%). After odontogenic and adipogenic induction of hDPSCs, alkaline phosphatase staining, alizarin red S staining and oil red O staining were positive. The results of RT-qPCR after the odontogenic induction of hDPSCs showed that ANGPT4 was highly expressed on the 5th, 7th, 11th and 14th days of differentiation of hDPSCs (P<0.05), with the highest expression level on the 5th day. After hDPSCs were transfected with si-ANGPT4, the expression of ANGPT4 mRNA and protein was significantly down-regulated (P<0.05). The results of alkaline phosphatase staining showed that ALP staining intensity and area in the si-ANGPT4 group were significantly lower than those in the negative control. Alizarin red S staining showed that the formation of calcium nodules in the si-ANGPT4 group was significantly lower than that in the negative control. Conclusion ANGPT4 was expressed in odontoblasts and sub-odontoblastic cell-rich zone of human premolars. ANGPT4 may be a factor to promote the odontogenic differentiation of hDPSCs.