Objective To establish a forensic age inference method based on age-related changes in maxillofacial CBCT imaging of Han population in North China.Methods CBCT imaging data of Han people aged 7～50 years were collected from September 2021 to September 2023.Mimics 17.0 software was used to perform 3D reconstruction on 480 cases that met the inclusion criteria(420 cases in the experimental group,60 cases in the blind test group,with a 50%male-to-female ratio)and obtain measured values for 16 indicators.The data were then statistically analyzed using SPSS 27.0 to identify age-related significant indicators and establish regression equations.Results Regression equations based on age-related significant indicators were established for different genders and age intervals.The accuracy of the equations decreased as the age interval increased.The blind test accuracy rates of regression equations for males across different age groups ranged between 62.6%and 80.6%,while for females,they ranged between 55.3%and 76.6%.Conclusion This study enriches maxillofacial skeletal data for Chinese population and establishes multivariate age inference regression equations based on significant indicators of age-related changes in maxillofacial CBCT,providing a new reference basis and inference method for forensic age assessment.

Objective To establish a forensic age inference method based on age-related changes in maxillofacial CBCT imaging of Han population in North China.Methods CBCT imaging data of Han people aged 7～50 years were collected from September 2021 to September 2023.Mimics 17.0 software was used to perform 3D reconstruction on 480 cases that met the inclusion criteria(420 cases in the experimental group,60 cases in the blind test group,with a 50%male-to-female ratio)and obtain measured values for 16 indicators.The data were then statistically analyzed using SPSS 27.0 to identify age-related significant indicators and establish regression equations.Results Regression equations based on age-related significant indicators were established for different genders and age intervals.The accuracy of the equations decreased as the age interval increased.The blind test accuracy rates of regression equations for males across different age groups ranged between 62.6%and 80.6%,while for females,they ranged between 55.3%and 76.6%.Conclusion This study enriches maxillofacial skeletal data for Chinese population and establishes multivariate age inference regression equations based on significant indicators of age-related changes in maxillofacial CBCT,providing a new reference basis and inference method for forensic age assessment.

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of liquid nitrogen cryopreservation and reimplantation versus allograft reconstruction in patients underwent resection of primary malignant bone tumors of the long bones of the extremities.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 144 patients who underwent resection of primary malignant bone tumors of the long bones of the extremities followed by either liquid nitrogen cryopreservation and reimplantation or massive allografts reconstruction at the Beijing Jishuitan Hospital affiliated with Capital Medical University from January 2012 to July 2023. The study included 82 males and 62 females, with an average age of 23.8±12.3 years (range, 6-64 years). Patients were divided into two groups based on the reconstruction method: the cryopreservation and reimplantation group (72 cases) and the allograft group (72 cases). The following outcomes were recorded during follow-up: local tumor recurrence, bone union, union time, graft survival, and reasons for graft removal. Graft-related complications were recorded using the modified Henderson classification system of the International Limb Salvage Association. Limb function was assessed at the last follow-up using the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society score (MSTS-93).Results:All patients completed surgery and were followed up for a mean of 60.2±32.1 months (range, 12-149 months). At the last follow-up, 24 patients were dead from the tumor, 16 patients survived with the tumor (2 cases of local recurrence and 14 cases of distant metastasis), and 104 patients survived without the tumor. The bone union rate and union time in cryopreservation and reimplantation group were 90% (65/72) and 9.6±4.8 months, respectively, which was significantly superior to those in allograft group [68% (49/72) and 15.9±6.7 months, P<0.05]. The 5-year overall graft survival rate was 86.8% [95% CI (80.1%, 95.7%)] in cryopreservation and reimplantation group, higher than 73.2% [95% CI(68.4%, 84.5%)] in allograft group significantly (χ 2=7.122, P=0.017). The rates of graft removal due to non-union and infection in the cryopreservation and reimplantation group were 0% (0/72) and 1.4% (1/72), respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the allograft group [5.6% (4/72) and 9.7% (7/72), P<0.05]. Overall, 48.6% (70/144) of patients experienced at least one graft-related complication, with a complication rate of 33.3% in cryopreservation and reimplantation group, lower than the 61.1% in allograft group significantly (χ 2=11.146, P<0.001). The complications with the highest incidence rate were nonunion (20.8%, 30/144), followed by structural failure (17.4%, 25/144), tumor progression (10.4%, 15/144), infection (10.4%, 15/144), and soft tissue failure (5.6%, 8/144). The incidence rates of the atrophic non-union and the structural failure of grafts were 9.7% (7/72) and 1.4% (1/72) respectively in the cryopreservation and reimplantation group, which were significantly lower compared to the allograft group [29.2% (21/72) and 13.9% (10/72), P<0.05]. At the last follow-up, the MSTS-93 score was 89.7%±8.3% in the cryopreservation and reimplantation group, and 87.6%±7.5% in the allograft group, with no statistically significant difference ( t=0.326, P=0.542). Conclusion:Compared with allograft reconstruction, autologous inactivated bone grafting demonstrated superior bone union efficiency and fewer complications, it may be considered for reconstruction in cases whose tumor bone is not severely osteolytic or pathologically fractured.

Objective:To investigate the expression of Artemin (ARTN) in malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST), its effect on the malignant behavior of MPNST cells, and its signaling pathway.Methods:Fifty-one MPNST paraffin embedded tissues through surgical resection at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital from January 1995 to November 2011 were collected, the expression of the ARTN protein was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the relationship between the ARTN protein expression and the clinical pathological characteristics and prognosis were analyzed. In human MPNST cell lines ST-8814 (NF-1) and STS26T(sporadic), ARTN overexpression and low expression cell lines were constructed by transfecting ARTN overexpression plasmids and ARTN small interfering RNA (siRNA), respectively. The expression of ARTN mRNA was detected by real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), the expression of the ARTN protein and Phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway related proteins were detected by Western blot. CCK-8 assay was used to detect cell proliferation ability, and cell invasion assay was used to detect cell invasion ability. The pathway proteins that interacted with ARTN were searched in the STRING database, and the functional pathways were clarified by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. The PI3K/Akt pathway specific inhibitor LY294002 was used to block the PI3K/Akt pathway of ST-8814 and STS26T cells to observe the changes in cell proliferation and invasion.Results:Among the 51 MPNST tissue specimens, 22 cases showed a high expression of the ARTN protein and 29 cases showed a low expression of the protein. Higher expressions of the ARTN protein was associated with larger tumor diameters and disease progression (recurrence or metastasis) (both P＜0.05). The median disease-free survival (DFS) of patients with a low expression of the ARTN protein was 26.2 months, and the median overall survival (OS) was 66.9 months. The median DFS and median OS of patients with a high expression of the ARTN protein were 10.7 months and 53.8 months, respectively. The log rank test results showed that the progression free survival rate of patients with a high expression of the ARTN protein was worse than that of patients with a low expression ( P=0.027), but the difference in overall survival rate between the two groups was not statistically significant ( P=0.790), which was also confirmed by Cox regression analysis. The CCK-8 assay results showed that after 48 hours of transfection, the absorbance ( A) values of ST-8814 and STS26T cells in the ARTN overexpression group were 1.35±0.01 and 1.10±0.02, respectively, which were higher than those in the empty plasmid control group (1.05±0.01 and 0.78±0.01, both P＜0.01), while the A values of ST-8814 and STS26T cells in the ARTN siRNA group were 0.35±0.01 and 0.61±0.01, respectively, which were lower than those in the control siRNA group (0.74±0.01 and 1.10±0.04, both P＜0.01). The results of cell invasion assay showed that the number of transmembrane cells in ST-8814 and STS26T cells overexpressing ARTN was (29.67±2.08) and (31.67±2.08), respectively, which were higher than those in the empty plasmid control group [(20.00±1.00) and (24.33±1.15), both P＜0.01]. The number of transmembrane cells in ST-8814 and STS26T cells in the ARTN siRNA group were (14.00±2.00) and (19.33±1.53), respectively, which were lower than those in the control siRNA group [(19.33±2.52) and (23.33±0.58), both P＜0.05].The KEGG results showed that ARTN is associated with multiple tumor signaling pathways, especially the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Western blot results showed that overexpression of ARTN upregulated the expression of p-PI3K and p-Akt proteins in ST-8814 and STS26T cells (both P＜0.01).After knocking down ARTN expression, the expression of p-PI3K and p-Akt proteins was significantly down regulated (both P＜0.01). LY294002 could significantly inhibit the effect of ARTN overexpression on ST-8814 and STS26T cells after blocking the PI3K/Akt pathway. The A values of ST-8814 and STS26T cells in the ARTN overexpression+LY294002 group were 1.09±0.06 and 0.82±0.01, respectively, which were lower than those in the ARTN overexpression group (1.50±0.01 and 1.29±0.01, respectively, both P＜0.01). The numbers of transmembrane cells in the cell invasion assay were 16.67±3.21 and 19.67±2.31, respectively, which were also lower than those in the ARTN overexpression group (29.67±2.08 and 31.67±2.08, respectively, both P＜0.01). Conclusions:In MPNST, a high expression of the ARTN protein was associated with larger tumor size, disease progression, and worse DFS. ARTN promotes the proliferation and invasion of MPNST cells through the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

The deficiency in immunogenicity and the presence of immunosuppression within the tumor microenvironment significantly hindered the efficacy of immunotherapy. Consequently, a nanoformulation containing metal sulfide of FeS and GSDMD plasmid (NP_FeS/GD) had been developed to effectively augment antitumor immune responses through dual activation of immunogenic PANoptosis and ferroptosis, as well as reprogramming immunosuppressive effects via H₂S amplification. The bioactive NP_FeS/GD exhibited controlled release of GSDMD plasmid, H₂S, and Fe²⁺ in response to the tumor microenvironment. Fe²⁺, H₂S, and the expression of GSDMD protein could effectively elicit highly immunogenic PANoptosis and ferroptosis. Furthermore, releasing H₂S could mitigate the overexpression of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase1 (IDO1) induced by immunogenic PANoptotic and ferroptotic cell death and disrupt the activity of IDO1. Consequently, NP_FeS/GD effectively triggered the antitumor innate and adaptive immune responses through induction of PANoptotic and ferroptotic cell death and reshaped the tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment to enhance antitumor immunotherapy for metastasis inhibition. This study unveiled the significant potential of immunogenic PANoptosis and ferroptosis in H₂S gas therapy for enhancing tumor immunotherapy, offering novel insights and ideas for the rational design of nanomedicine to enhance tumor immunogenicity while reprogramming the tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment.

OBJECTIVE To compare the emergency specialist clinical pharmacist training programs between China and the United States， providing valuable insight for the development of specialized clinical pharmacist training in emergency departments within China. METHODS By reviewing the official website of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists （ASHP）， the websites of some training institutions offering PGY2 emergency medicine （EM） residency programs in the United States， the official website of China’s National Health Commission， and the website of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Committee of the Chinese Hospital Association， relevant materials and data on the training of emergency medicine clinical pharmacists were collected. Microsoft Excel and NVivo software were utilized to analyze the implementation status of these training programs. Literature searches were conducted via Chinese （CNKI） and English （PubMed） databases， followed by screening， categorization， and thematic analysis aligned with research objectives. RESULTS As of now， there are 115 accredited PGY2 EM residency programs in the United States， which provide 120 specialized pharmacist training positions. These programs are distributed across 35 states and are hosted by a variety of institutions， including hospitals， medical centers， and universities. The predominant training model follows a hospital+acute care framework. Eligibility requirements for PGY2 EM residency programs include possession of a doctor of pharmacy （Pharm.D.） degree， pharmacist licensure， and completion of a PGY1 residency. The training standards are structured into three tiers： competency areas， competency goals， and learning objectives. The curriculum typically includes core rotations， elective rotations， and longitudinal training components. Assessment is conducted through a combination of formative and summative evaluations， with results categorized into four proficiency levels. In China， there is only one training base currently for emergency clinical pharmacist specialty training with an annual enrollment of three trainees. Applicant eligibility primarily involves requirements regarding academic degree， professional background， years of experience， and professional title. The training content covers four domains： general competency， clinical theoretical knowledge and skills， pharmacological knowledge and application， and clinical medication practice skills. The training process centers on rotations within emergency departments. Assessment methods include theoretical examinations， daily performance evaluations， and final completion assessments. CONCLUSIONS PGY2 EM residency programs in the United States emphasize inclusivity and professionalism in their implementation. Program admission involves a rigorous selection process， and they offer attractive incentive structures for trainees. The training content focuses on competency-based approaches and pragmatic applicability， while assessment methods are closely aligned with defined competence objectives. In contrast， specialist clinical pharmacist training in emergency medicine in China is currently in the exploratory and nascent stages. Admission criteria tend to be less stringent， and incentives for trainees are often insufficient. The training content appears relatively stereotyped and superficial， with assessment methods still primarily reliant on quantifiable metrics. In expanding and popularizing China’s emergency specialist clinical pharmacist training programs， it is essential to draw on advanced experiences from developed countries like the United States， particularly in areas such as training base distribution， application requirements， training content， and assessment methods. Aligned with the realities of emergency clinical practice in China， efforts should focus on enhancing program accessibility and training efficacy.

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of liquid nitrogen cryopreservation and reimplantation versus allograft reconstruction in patients underwent resection of primary malignant bone tumors of the long bones of the extremities.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 144 patients who underwent resection of primary malignant bone tumors of the long bones of the extremities followed by either liquid nitrogen cryopreservation and reimplantation or massive allografts reconstruction at the Beijing Jishuitan Hospital affiliated with Capital Medical University from January 2012 to July 2023. The study included 82 males and 62 females, with an average age of 23.8±12.3 years (range, 6-64 years). Patients were divided into two groups based on the reconstruction method: the cryopreservation and reimplantation group (72 cases) and the allograft group (72 cases). The following outcomes were recorded during follow-up: local tumor recurrence, bone union, union time, graft survival, and reasons for graft removal. Graft-related complications were recorded using the modified Henderson classification system of the International Limb Salvage Association. Limb function was assessed at the last follow-up using the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society score (MSTS-93).Results:All patients completed surgery and were followed up for a mean of 60.2±32.1 months (range, 12-149 months). At the last follow-up, 24 patients were dead from the tumor, 16 patients survived with the tumor (2 cases of local recurrence and 14 cases of distant metastasis), and 104 patients survived without the tumor. The bone union rate and union time in cryopreservation and reimplantation group were 90% (65/72) and 9.6±4.8 months, respectively, which was significantly superior to those in allograft group [68% (49/72) and 15.9±6.7 months, P<0.05]. The 5-year overall graft survival rate was 86.8% [95% CI (80.1%, 95.7%)] in cryopreservation and reimplantation group, higher than 73.2% [95% CI(68.4%, 84.5%)] in allograft group significantly (χ 2=7.122, P=0.017). The rates of graft removal due to non-union and infection in the cryopreservation and reimplantation group were 0% (0/72) and 1.4% (1/72), respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the allograft group [5.6% (4/72) and 9.7% (7/72), P<0.05]. Overall, 48.6% (70/144) of patients experienced at least one graft-related complication, with a complication rate of 33.3% in cryopreservation and reimplantation group, lower than the 61.1% in allograft group significantly (χ 2=11.146, P<0.001). The complications with the highest incidence rate were nonunion (20.8%, 30/144), followed by structural failure (17.4%, 25/144), tumor progression (10.4%, 15/144), infection (10.4%, 15/144), and soft tissue failure (5.6%, 8/144). The incidence rates of the atrophic non-union and the structural failure of grafts were 9.7% (7/72) and 1.4% (1/72) respectively in the cryopreservation and reimplantation group, which were significantly lower compared to the allograft group [29.2% (21/72) and 13.9% (10/72), P<0.05]. At the last follow-up, the MSTS-93 score was 89.7%±8.3% in the cryopreservation and reimplantation group, and 87.6%±7.5% in the allograft group, with no statistically significant difference ( t=0.326, P=0.542). Conclusion:Compared with allograft reconstruction, autologous inactivated bone grafting demonstrated superior bone union efficiency and fewer complications, it may be considered for reconstruction in cases whose tumor bone is not severely osteolytic or pathologically fractured.

Objective:To investigate the expression of Artemin (ARTN) in malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST), its effect on the malignant behavior of MPNST cells, and its signaling pathway.Methods:Fifty-one MPNST paraffin embedded tissues through surgical resection at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital from January 1995 to November 2011 were collected, the expression of the ARTN protein was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the relationship between the ARTN protein expression and the clinical pathological characteristics and prognosis were analyzed. In human MPNST cell lines ST-8814 (NF-1) and STS26T(sporadic), ARTN overexpression and low expression cell lines were constructed by transfecting ARTN overexpression plasmids and ARTN small interfering RNA (siRNA), respectively. The expression of ARTN mRNA was detected by real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), the expression of the ARTN protein and Phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway related proteins were detected by Western blot. CCK-8 assay was used to detect cell proliferation ability, and cell invasion assay was used to detect cell invasion ability. The pathway proteins that interacted with ARTN were searched in the STRING database, and the functional pathways were clarified by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. The PI3K/Akt pathway specific inhibitor LY294002 was used to block the PI3K/Akt pathway of ST-8814 and STS26T cells to observe the changes in cell proliferation and invasion.Results:Among the 51 MPNST tissue specimens, 22 cases showed a high expression of the ARTN protein and 29 cases showed a low expression of the protein. Higher expressions of the ARTN protein was associated with larger tumor diameters and disease progression (recurrence or metastasis) (both P＜0.05). The median disease-free survival (DFS) of patients with a low expression of the ARTN protein was 26.2 months, and the median overall survival (OS) was 66.9 months. The median DFS and median OS of patients with a high expression of the ARTN protein were 10.7 months and 53.8 months, respectively. The log rank test results showed that the progression free survival rate of patients with a high expression of the ARTN protein was worse than that of patients with a low expression ( P=0.027), but the difference in overall survival rate between the two groups was not statistically significant ( P=0.790), which was also confirmed by Cox regression analysis. The CCK-8 assay results showed that after 48 hours of transfection, the absorbance ( A) values of ST-8814 and STS26T cells in the ARTN overexpression group were 1.35±0.01 and 1.10±0.02, respectively, which were higher than those in the empty plasmid control group (1.05±0.01 and 0.78±0.01, both P＜0.01), while the A values of ST-8814 and STS26T cells in the ARTN siRNA group were 0.35±0.01 and 0.61±0.01, respectively, which were lower than those in the control siRNA group (0.74±0.01 and 1.10±0.04, both P＜0.01). The results of cell invasion assay showed that the number of transmembrane cells in ST-8814 and STS26T cells overexpressing ARTN was (29.67±2.08) and (31.67±2.08), respectively, which were higher than those in the empty plasmid control group [(20.00±1.00) and (24.33±1.15), both P＜0.01]. The number of transmembrane cells in ST-8814 and STS26T cells in the ARTN siRNA group were (14.00±2.00) and (19.33±1.53), respectively, which were lower than those in the control siRNA group [(19.33±2.52) and (23.33±0.58), both P＜0.05].The KEGG results showed that ARTN is associated with multiple tumor signaling pathways, especially the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Western blot results showed that overexpression of ARTN upregulated the expression of p-PI3K and p-Akt proteins in ST-8814 and STS26T cells (both P＜0.01).After knocking down ARTN expression, the expression of p-PI3K and p-Akt proteins was significantly down regulated (both P＜0.01). LY294002 could significantly inhibit the effect of ARTN overexpression on ST-8814 and STS26T cells after blocking the PI3K/Akt pathway. The A values of ST-8814 and STS26T cells in the ARTN overexpression+LY294002 group were 1.09±0.06 and 0.82±0.01, respectively, which were lower than those in the ARTN overexpression group (1.50±0.01 and 1.29±0.01, respectively, both P＜0.01). The numbers of transmembrane cells in the cell invasion assay were 16.67±3.21 and 19.67±2.31, respectively, which were also lower than those in the ARTN overexpression group (29.67±2.08 and 31.67±2.08, respectively, both P＜0.01). Conclusions:In MPNST, a high expression of the ARTN protein was associated with larger tumor size, disease progression, and worse DFS. ARTN promotes the proliferation and invasion of MPNST cells through the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Objective To explore the correlation between polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS)and periodontitis in light of cytokines levels,sex hormone levels and metabolism-related indicators and their changes during progression of the two diseases.Methods Twenty healthy subjects and 40 patients diagnosed with PCOS underwent full-mouth periodontal examinations to obtain full-mouth plaque score(FMPS),gingival bleeding index of probing(BOP),probing depth(PD),and clinical attachment level(CAL).The participants were divided into Group A without periodontitis or PCOS(n=15),Group B with PCOS but without periodontitis(n=28),Group C with periodontitis but without PCOS(n=5),and Group D with both diseases(n=12).Serum levels of luteinizing hormone/follicle stimulating hormone(LH/FSH),testosterone,prolactin,progesterone and estradiol,and the levels of interleukin 6(IL-6),IL-17A,tumor necrosis factor α and matrix metalloproteinase 8(MMP-8)in both serum and saliva samples were measured at the time of enrolment and at 3 and 6 months after enrolment and compared among the 4 groups.Results Serum MMP-8 level was significantly higher in Group B than in Group A(P<0.05).Salivary MMP-8 level was significantly higher in Group D than in Group B(P<0.05).Salivary MMP-8,LH,and LH/FSH levels and serum and salivary IL-6 and progesterone levels all tended to increase in the 6 months after enrollment(OR>1,P<0.05).During the follow-up period,serum IL-6 levels differed significantly between the non-PCOS groups(A and C)and PCOS groups(B and D)(P<0.05);serum IL-6 and salivary MMP-8 levels differed significantly between the non-periodontitis groups(A and B)and periodontitis groups(C and D)(P<0.05).Spearman correlation analysis indicated positive correlations of LH and LH/FSH with PD(P<0.05);testosterone and LH/FSH were positively correlated with serum MMP-8 levels(P<0.05),and PD,BOP and FMPS were positively correlated with salivary MMP-8 levels(P<0.01).Conclusion There is a correlation between PCOS and periodontitis,and their progression is accompanied by changes in serum and salivary levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and serum sex hormones.