OBJECTIVE To investigate the apoptosis-inducing effect of esculetin （Esc） on acute myeloid leukemia （AML） HL-60 cells by regulating the protein kinase B （AKT）/S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 （SKP2）/MutT homolog 1 （MTH1） pathway. METHODS AML HL-60 cells were randomly divided into control group （routine culture）， Esc low-concentration group （L-Esc group， 25 μmol/L Esc）， Esc medium-concentration group （M-Esc group， 50 μmol/L Esc）， Esc high-concentration group （H-Esc group， 100 μmol/L Esc）， and high-concentration of Esc+ SC79 （AKT agonist） group （100 μmol/L Esc+5 μmol/L SC79）. Cell proliferation in each group was detected by MTT assay and colony formation assay. The level of reactive oxygen species （ROS） in cells was measured by using the CM-H2DCFDA fluorescent probe. Cell apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. Western blot assay was performed to detect the expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins [B-cell lymphoma 2 （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）， cleaved caspase-3]， AKT/SKP2/MTH1 pathway-related proteins （p-AKT， AKT， SKP2， MTH1）， along with the upstream and downstream proteins of AKT phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）， cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1 （P21） and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1B （P27）. RESULTS Compared with control group， the cell viability， colony number， and the phosphorylation levels of AKT and PI3K proteins as well as protein expressions of SKP2， MTH1 and Bcl-2 were significantly decreased （P＜0.05）， while ROS level， apoptosis rate， and the expression levels of Bax， cleaved caspase-3， P21 and P27 proteins were significantly increased （P＜0.05）. Moreover， the effects of Esc exhibited concentration-dependence （P＜0.05）. Compared with H-Esc group， above indexes of high-concentration of Esc+ SC79 group were reversed significantly （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Esc may promote massive ROS production and induce activation of apoptosis in HL-60 cells by inhibiting the AKT/SKP2/MTH1 pathway， thus inhibiting the proliferation of HL-60 cells.

BACKGROUND:In previous studies,glass materials were infiltrated into 5Y-PSZ ultra-translucent zirconia by a double sintering method to prepare 5Y-PSZ-YGI graded glass infiltrated ultra-translucent zirconia materials that can maintain high transparency and high flexural strength.OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the in vitro biocompatibility of 5Y-PSZ-YGI graded glass infiltrated ultra-translucent zirconia materials.METHODS:(1)Glass materials were infiltrated into 5Y-PSZ ultra-translucent zirconia by double sintering to prepare 5Y-PSZ-YGI graded glass infiltrated ultra-translucent zirconia.5Y-PSZ-YGI graded glass infiltrated ultra-translucent zirconia(or 5Y-PSZ ultra-translucent zirconia,3Y-TZP transparent zirconia)was placed in DMEM culture medium containing 10％fetal bovine serum for 12,24 and 72 hours,and the surface area ratio of culture medium to sample was 3 mL/cm2,and the 12-,24-and 72-hour material extracts were obtained.(2)After culturing mouse fibroblast L929 for 24 hours,the original culture medium was discarded and divided into 7 groups for culture:the control group was replaced with DMEM culture medium containing 10％fetal bovine serum by volume,and the other 6 groups were replaced with 24-hour extract of 3Y-TZP transparent zirconia,24-hour extract of 5Y-PSZ ultra-translucent zirconia,24-hour extract of 5Y-PSZ-YGI graded glass infiltrated ultra-translucent zirconia,72-hour extract of 3Y-TZP transparent zirconia,72-hour extract of 5Y-PSZ ultra-translucent zirconia,and 72-hour extract of 5Y-PSZ-YGI graded glass infiltrated ultra-translucent zirconia.After 1,3,and 5 days of culture,cell growth was observed under a microscope,and the cell proliferation rate was obtained by CCK-8 assay to determine cytotoxicity.(3)Human anticoagulated blood was mixed with 5Y-PSZ-YGI graded glass infiltrated ultra-translucent zirconia,5Y-PSZ ultra-translucent zirconia,and 3Y-TZP transparent zirconia,and the hemolysis rate was detected after 0.5 hours.Human anticoagulated blood was mixed with 12-hour extract of 3Y-TZP transparent zirconia,12-hour extract of 5Y-PSZ ultra-translucent zirconia,and 12-hour extract of 5Y-PSZ-YGI graded glass infiltrated ultra-translucent zirconia,and the hemolysis rate was detected after 0.5 hours.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Under the microscope,it could be seen that the number of cells in each group increased with the extension of culture time,and the cell morphology of each experimental group was basically the same as that of the control group.The cytotoxicity grade of the 24-hour extract of 3Y-TZP transparent zirconia group on the first day of culture was grade 0,and the cytotoxicity grade of the other experimental groups at each time period was grade 1.(2)Neither the material nor the material extract caused obvious hemolytic reaction,and the hemolytic rate was less than 5％.(3)The results showed that 5Y-PSZ-YGI graded glass infiltrated ultra-translucent zirconia had no significant effect on the growth and proliferation of mouse fibroblasts L929,and did not cause hemolytic reaction with human blood,and had good in vitro biocompatibility.

BACKGROUND:In previous studies,glass materials were infiltrated into 5Y-PSZ ultra-translucent zirconia by a double sintering method to prepare 5Y-PSZ-YGI graded glass infiltrated ultra-translucent zirconia materials that can maintain high transparency and high flexural strength.OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the in vitro biocompatibility of 5Y-PSZ-YGI graded glass infiltrated ultra-translucent zirconia materials.METHODS:(1)Glass materials were infiltrated into 5Y-PSZ ultra-translucent zirconia by double sintering to prepare 5Y-PSZ-YGI graded glass infiltrated ultra-translucent zirconia.5Y-PSZ-YGI graded glass infiltrated ultra-translucent zirconia(or 5Y-PSZ ultra-translucent zirconia,3Y-TZP transparent zirconia)was placed in DMEM culture medium containing 10％fetal bovine serum for 12,24 and 72 hours,and the surface area ratio of culture medium to sample was 3 mL/cm2,and the 12-,24-and 72-hour material extracts were obtained.(2)After culturing mouse fibroblast L929 for 24 hours,the original culture medium was discarded and divided into 7 groups for culture:the control group was replaced with DMEM culture medium containing 10％fetal bovine serum by volume,and the other 6 groups were replaced with 24-hour extract of 3Y-TZP transparent zirconia,24-hour extract of 5Y-PSZ ultra-translucent zirconia,24-hour extract of 5Y-PSZ-YGI graded glass infiltrated ultra-translucent zirconia,72-hour extract of 3Y-TZP transparent zirconia,72-hour extract of 5Y-PSZ ultra-translucent zirconia,and 72-hour extract of 5Y-PSZ-YGI graded glass infiltrated ultra-translucent zirconia.After 1,3,and 5 days of culture,cell growth was observed under a microscope,and the cell proliferation rate was obtained by CCK-8 assay to determine cytotoxicity.(3)Human anticoagulated blood was mixed with 5Y-PSZ-YGI graded glass infiltrated ultra-translucent zirconia,5Y-PSZ ultra-translucent zirconia,and 3Y-TZP transparent zirconia,and the hemolysis rate was detected after 0.5 hours.Human anticoagulated blood was mixed with 12-hour extract of 3Y-TZP transparent zirconia,12-hour extract of 5Y-PSZ ultra-translucent zirconia,and 12-hour extract of 5Y-PSZ-YGI graded glass infiltrated ultra-translucent zirconia,and the hemolysis rate was detected after 0.5 hours.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Under the microscope,it could be seen that the number of cells in each group increased with the extension of culture time,and the cell morphology of each experimental group was basically the same as that of the control group.The cytotoxicity grade of the 24-hour extract of 3Y-TZP transparent zirconia group on the first day of culture was grade 0,and the cytotoxicity grade of the other experimental groups at each time period was grade 1.(2)Neither the material nor the material extract caused obvious hemolytic reaction,and the hemolytic rate was less than 5％.(3)The results showed that 5Y-PSZ-YGI graded glass infiltrated ultra-translucent zirconia had no significant effect on the growth and proliferation of mouse fibroblasts L929,and did not cause hemolytic reaction with human blood,and had good in vitro biocompatibility.

PURPOSE: The secondary damage of spinal cord injury (SCI) starts from the collapse of the blood spinal cord barrier (BSCB) to chronic and devastating neurological deficits. Thereby, the retention of the integrity and permeability of BSCB is well-recognized as one of the major therapies to promote functional recovery after SCI. Previous studies have demonstrated that activation of hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) provides anti-apoptosis and neuroprotection in SCI. Endogenous HIF-1α, rapidly degraded by prolylhydroxylase, is insufficient for promoting functional recovery. Dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG), a highly selective inhibitor of prolylhydroxylase, has been reported to have a positive effect on axon regeneration. However, the roles and underlying mechanisms of DMOG in BSCB restoration remain unclear. Herein, we aim to investigate pathological changes of BSCB restoration in rats with SCI treated by DOMG and evaluate the therapeutic effects of DMOG. METHODS: The work was performed from 2022 to 2023. In this study, Allen's impact model and human umbilical vein endothelial cells were employed to explore the mechanism of DMOG. In the phenotypic validation experiment, the rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: sham group, SCI group, and SCI + DMOG group (10 rats for each). Histological analysis via Nissl staining, Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan scale, and footprint analysis was used to evaluate the functional recovery after SCI. Western blotting, TUNEL assay, and immunofluorescence staining were employed to exhibit levels of tight junction and adhesion junction of BSCB, HIF-1α, cell apoptosis, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. The one-way ANOVA test was used for statistical analysis. The difference was considered statistically significant at p < 0.05. RESULTS: In this study, we observed the expression of HIF-1α reduced in the SCI model. DMOG treatment remarkably augmented HIF-1α level, alleviated endothelial cells apoptosis and disruption of BSCB, and enhanced functional recovery post-SCI. Besides, the administration of DMOG offset the activation of ER stress induced by SCI, but this phenomenon was blocked by tunicamycin (an ER stress activator). Finally, we disclosed that DMOG maintained the integrity and permeability of BSCB by inhibiting ER stress, and inhibition of HIF-1α erased the protection from DMOG. CONCLUSIONS Our findings illustrate that the administration of DMOG alleviates the devastation of BSCB and HIF-1α-induced inhibition of ER stress.
Spinal Cord Injuries/pathology* ; Animals ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Amino Acids, Dicarboxylic/therapeutic use* ; Recovery of Function/drug effects* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit/metabolism* ; Male ; Spinal Cord/blood supply*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of zedoarondiol on neovascularization of atherosclerotic (AS) plaque by exosomes experiment. METHODS: ApoE^-/- mice were fed with high-fat diet to establish AS model and treated with high- and low-dose (10, 5 mg/kg daily) of zedoarondiol, respectively. After 14 weeks, the expressions of anti-angiogenic protein thrombospondin 1 (THBS-1) and its receptor CD36 in plaques, as well as platelet activation rate and exosome-derived miR-let-7a were detected. Then, zedoarondiol was used to intervene in platelets in vitro, and miR-let-7a was detected in platelet-derived exosomes (Pexo). Finally, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were transfected with miR-let-7a mimics and treated with Pexo to observe the effect of miR-let-7a in Pexo on tube formation. RESULTS: Animal experiments showed that after treating with zedoarondiol, the neovascularization density in plaques of AS mice was significantly reduced, THBS-1 and CD36 increased, the platelet activation rate was markedly reduced, and the miR-let-7a level in Pexo was reduced (P<0.01). In vitro experiments, the platelet activation rate and miR-let-7a levels in Pexo were significantly reduced after zedoarondiol's intervention. Cell experiments showed that after Pexo's intervention, the tube length increased, and the transfection of miR-let-7a minics further increased the tube length of cells, while reducing the expressions of THBS-1 and CD36. CONCLUSION Zedoarondiol has the effect of inhibiting neovascularization within plaque in AS mice, and its mechanism may be potentially related to inhibiting platelet activation and reducing the Pexo-derived miRNA-let-7a level.
Animals ; MicroRNAs/genetics* ; Exosomes/drug effects* ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic/genetics* ; Neovascularization, Pathologic/genetics* ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells/metabolism* ; Humans ; Blood Platelets/drug effects* ; Apolipoproteins E/deficiency* ; Thrombospondin 1/metabolism* ; CD36 Antigens/metabolism* ; Platelet Activation/drug effects* ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

Apical microsurgery is accurate and minimally invasive, produces few complications, and has a success rate of more than 90%. However, due to the lack of awareness and understanding of apical microsurgery by dental general practitioners and even endodontists, many clinical problems remain to be overcome. The consensus has gathered well-known domestic experts to hold a series of special discussions and reached the consensus. This document specifies the indications, contraindications, preoperative preparations, operational procedures, complication prevention measures, and efficacy evaluation of apical microsurgery and is applicable to dentists who perform apical microsurgery after systematic training.
Microsurgery/standards* ; Humans ; Apicoectomy ; Contraindications, Procedure ; Tooth Apex/diagnostic imaging* ; Postoperative Complications/prevention & control* ; Consensus ; Treatment Outcome

Pulpotomy, which belongs to vital pulp therapy, has become a strategy for managing pulpitis in recent decades. This minimally invasive treatment reflects the recognition of preserving healthy dental pulp and optimizing long-term patient-centered outcomes. Pulpotomy is categorized into partial pulpotomy (PP), the removal of a partial segment of the coronal pulp tissue, and full pulpotomy (FP), the removal of whole coronal pulp, which is followed by applying the biomaterials onto the remaining pulp tissue and ultimately restoring the tooth. Procedural decisions for the amount of pulp tissue removal or retention depend on the diagnostic of pulp vitality, the overall treatment plan, the patient's general health status, and pulp inflammation reassessment during operation. This statement represents the consensus of an expert committee convened by the Society of Cariology and Endodontics, Chinese Stomatological Association. It addresses the current evidence to support the application of pulpotomy as a potential alternative to root canal treatment (RCT) on mature permanent teeth with pulpitis from a biological basis, the development of capping biomaterial, and the diagnostic considerations to evidence-based medicine. This expert statement intends to provide a clinical protocol of pulpotomy, which facilitates practitioners in choosing the optimal procedure and increasing their confidence in this rapidly evolving field.
Humans ; Calcium Compounds/therapeutic use* ; Consensus ; Dental Pulp ; Dentition, Permanent ; Oxides/therapeutic use* ; Pulpitis/therapy* ; Pulpotomy/standards*

Objective:To identify the relevant factors for the first-course remission of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and to develop a predictive model as well as assess its predictive capability.Methods:Clinical data of 749 patients newly diagnosed with AML admitted to the Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, School of Medicine from January 1, 2019, to April 30, 2023, were collected and randomly divided into training and validation sets. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine variables associated with complete remission in the first course of induction therapy, and a predictive model was established based on these variables. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of the predictive model was plotted, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated.Results:The indicators predicting the first remission course included peripheral blood white blood cell count during onset, CBF::MYH11 fusion gene, CEBPA bZIP region mutation, myelodysplastic syndrome-related gene mutation, and induction chemotherapy regimen selection as independent factors for the first remission course. The model’s area under the training and validation curves was 0.738 (95% CI: 0.696-0.780) and 0.726 (95% CI: 0.650-0.801), respectively. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test results yielded P-values of 0.993 and 0.335, respectively. Conclusion:In this study, the developed model demonstrates a strong predictive capability for the efficacy of the first course of patients with AML, providing valuable guidance to clinicians in assessing patient prognosis and selecting appropriate treatment strategies.

Aim To evaluate the role of the glucose transporter protein 1(GLUT1)-dependent glycolytic in the attenuation of oxygen-glucose deprivation-reoxygen-ation(OGD/R)injury in HK-2 cells by dexmedetomi-dine(Dex).Methods C57/BL6 mice were random-ly divided into three groups(n=6),namely,sham operation group(Sham group),renal ischemia reper-fusion group(I/R group)and Dex group(I/R+Dex group).Serum creatinine(Cr)and urea nitrogen(BUN)were measured,while the levels of key glyco-lytic enzymes HK2,PFKFB3 and GLUT1 were meas-ured.HK-2 cells were cultured and randomised into seven groups(n=6),which was treated with OGD/R,overexpression or interference with GLUT1,Dex and glycolysis inhibitor 2-DG.CCK-8 and LDH activi-ty were used to detect cellular damage.Glycolysis lev-els were detected by lactate and ECAR.The inflamma-tory level was reflected by qRT-PCR for IL-6 and TNF-α.qRT-PCR and Western blot were performed to de-tect the levels of GLUT1,HK2,and PFKFB3.Results Dex significantly ameliorated kidney injury and HK-2 cell injury(P＜0.05).Dex inhibited the OGD/R-induced rise in lactate and extracellular acidification rate(ECAR),as evidenced by suppression of the ex-pression of GLUT1,HK2 and PFKFB3(P＜0.05).In vitro experiments showed that GLUT1 knockdown sig-nificantly improved OGD/R-induced cellular damage.Lactate,ECAR,glycolysis-related mRNAs and pro-teins were inhibited by GLUT1 knockdown(P＜0.05).Significantly,there were no significant differ-ences in above indexes after Dex treatment based on GLUT1 knockdown.Overexpression of GLUT1 abroga-ted the protective effects of Dex,while reversing the inhibitory effects of Dex on the expression of GLUT1,HK2,and PFKFB3(P＜0.05).Conclusions Dexmedetomidine attenuates OGD/R induced injury in HK-2 cells by inhibiting GLUT1-dependent glycolysis.