1.Accuracy assessment of cone beam CT-reconstructed three-dimensional anatomical models of primary teeth using micro-CT
Kefan LI ; Jie BAI ; Yijiao ZHAO ; Aonan WEN ; Runkai WANG ; Yuchen YIN ; Ruidi LI ; Bin XIA
Chinese Journal of Stomatology 2025;60(10):1120-1127
Objective:To validate the accuracy of three-dimensional anatomical models reconstructed from cone beam CT (CBCT) using micro-CT as the gold standard, and to evaluate the feasibility of performing anatomical analyses on such models.Methods:A total of 13 isolated deciduous teeth with intact roots were collected, including 5 anterior teeth and 8 molars, with a total of 34 root canals. The teeth were extracted from children aged 3-9 years who visited Peking University Hospital of Stomatology from January 2019 to April 2022 due to trauma or periapical disease, and were then scanned by micro-CT (with a voxel size of 0.018 mm) and CBCT (with a voxel size of 0.125 mm), respectively. Using a threshold-based semi-automated region segmentation method, anatomical models of these isolated teeth were reconstructed from the two CTs. Subsequently, the two CT reconstructed models were registered based on the iterative closest point algorithm, followed by deviation analysis. The key anatomical parameters were measured on the micro-CT and CBCT models, respectively, and the differences were calculated.Results:The CBCT reconstruction models were relatively accurate in the hard tissue morphology, and 97.1% (33/34) of the root canals were identified accurately. When it comes to the deviation analysis, the average distance between the matched points on the CBCT reconstruction models and the micro-CT models was (0.01±0.03) mm for the hard tissue, and (0.00±0.03) mm for the pulp chambers and canals, which did not affect clinical observation. The hard tissue and root canal length of CBCT models were both smaller than those of micro-CT models ( P<0.05), with a 95% limits of agreement of (-0.70, 0.14) mm for the hard tissue, and a 95% limits of agreement of (-1.93, 1.00) mm for the pulp chambers and canals. The impact of these differences on clinical operations was all within the acceptable range. Conclusions:Using micro-CT as a validate standard, CBCT with a voxel size of 0.125 mm was proved to be an effective tool for the reconstruction of deciduous teeth. Therefore, the reconstructed models were appropriate for studying deciduous teeth anatomy.
2.Seizing the opportunities of the times, moving towards a new era of digital intelligence of acupuncture and moxibustion.
Kefan LI ; Tiancheng XU ; Youbing XIA
Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion 2025;45(9):1195-1200
This paper summarizes the historical background of the combination of acupuncture and moxibustion and digital intelligence technology, and its relevant studies in recent years. From three aspects, i.e. meridian points, acupuncture and moxibustion techniques and clinical research, the research status and landing scenarios of such combination, as well as its application value and development prospects were explored. It was found that in the development of digital intelligence of acupuncture and moxibustion, the acupuncture and moxibustion practitioners encountered the insufficient preparation in the coming career situation, the high-level research platforms were few, the cross-interdisciplinary talents were of the shortage, the quantity and quality of data were out of perfection and the study depth and breadth was limited. Focusing on these problems, and associating with the development and research status of the industry, it was attempt to give the analysis and suggestion. In the future, supported by digital intelligence technology to empower acupuncture research, the effect mechanism of acupuncture and moxibustion can be explored in view of more dimensions and deeper levels, and more objective and higher-quality medical evidence can be generated. Eventually, the development of acupuncture and moxibustion industry can be boosted, the modernization of acupuncture and moxibustion and the internationalization of TCM be accelerated.
Moxibustion/history*
;
Humans
;
Acupuncture Therapy/instrumentation*
3.Interpretation and Examples:Key Updates in CONSORT 2025
Zelei DAI ; Renjie ZHAO ; Kefan LI ; Yonggang ZHANG ; Nian LI ; Wenjie YANG ; Lei LIU ; Lingmin CHEN
Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Sciences) 2025;56(3):678-685
Standardized clinical trial reporting is crucial for ensuring the scientific validity,reproducibility,and clinical translational value of reported results.The Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials(CONSORT)statement,an internationally recognized guideline for randomized controlled trials(RCTs),has become an important reference standard for writing research papers in medicine since the 2010 version of CONSORT was published.With advancements in scientific research methodologies and the emergence of new forms of clinical trials,the CONSORT working group released an updated version in April 2025,published in journals such as The BMJ.Herein,we provide a systematic interpretation of the core revisions of CONSORT 2025,as well as a comparison with CONSORT 2010 to highlight the key differences.By providing practical,example-based recommendations,we aim to help domestic researchers apply the new guidelines efficiently,thereby improving the quality of clinical trial reports authored by domestic researchers.
4.Interpretation and Examples:Key Updates in SPIRIT 2025 Statement
Zelei DAI ; Renjie ZHAO ; Kefan LI ; Yonggang ZHANG ; Nian LI ; Wenjie YANG ; Lei LIU ; Lingmin CHEN
Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Sciences) 2025;56(3):686-696
A high-quality clinical trial protocol is the cornerstone for ensuring the scientific integrity and ethical compliance of a study.The Standard Protocol Items:Recommendations for Interventional Trials(SPIRIT)has become the international benchmark for developing clinical trial protocols since its release in 2013.To adapt to the developing trends of open science and patient-centered principles,the SPIRIT group completed a comprehensive update in 2025.While retaining its core structure,this updated guideline introduces a new open science module and incorporates several new elements,including patient and public involvement,trial monitoring,and data sharing,alongside substantial revisions of five pre-existing items.In this article,we critically examine the core revisions in SPIRIT 2025 and,through analysis of representative case studies,illustrate the practical application of the new reporting guideline in drafting trial protocols.Our goal is to to provide Chinese researchers with a valuable reference for understanding and implementing this new reporting guideline,thereby enhancing the quality and rigor of clinical trial protocols developed in the country.
5.Platelet-rich plasma intervenes in chondrocyte autophagy and apoptosis for treatment of osteoarthritis
Yaomin WANG ; Kefan ZHANG ; Dening WANG ; Qiang REN ; Jian LI ; Hui SHI
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(13):2802-2811
BACKGROUND:In the process of intervening in the development of osteoarthritis,platelet-rich plasma plays an important role by intervening in autophagy,apoptotic cytokines and signal transduction pathways.OBJECTIVE:To summarize the structure of cytokines and signaling pathways involved in the diagnosis of osteoarthritis by platelet-rich plasma in recent years,as well as its correlation with chondrocyte apoptosis and autophagy,in order to provide effective targets for the future treatment of osteoarthritis.METHODS:Literature search was conducted in CNKI,WanFang Data,VIP,PubMed,Web of Science,and Medline databases using "platelet-rich plasma,chondrocyte,apoptosis,autophagy,osteoarthritis,cytokines,signaling pathway" as Chinese and English search terms.A systematic summary and induction were made for the 66 included articles.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Current research has shown that platelet-rich plasma can promote cartilage repair and assist bone tissue healing through various pathways,mainly divided into three aspects:(1) Platelet-rich plasma regulates the extension,closure,and maturation of microautophagosomes,promotes chondrocyte megaautophagy and molecular chaperone-mediated cell autophagy under specific conditions,enhances the expression of autophagy-related factors such as LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ and Beclin1,inhibits the expression of P62/SQSTM1.Currently,there is no clear research directly exploring the specific effect of platelet-rich plasma on heat shock proteins,and further research is needed in this field in the future.(2) The various growth factors released by platelet-rich plasma inhibit the expression of pro-apoptotic factors Caspase,interleukin-1β,and tumor necrosis factor alpha,promote the expression of anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-2,and prevent chondrocyte apoptosis and degeneration.(3) By activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway,NF-κB signal transduction pathway,death receptor pathway,mitochondrial stress pathway and other pathways,platelet-rich plasma inhibits the expression of Bax and Caspase,and prevents the release of cytochrome c,thereby inhibiting the death and necrotic apoptosis of chondrocytes.In general,platelet-rich plasma promotes cartilage repair,supports cartilage regeneration,and plays an anti-inflammatory role,and its biological effect in chondrocytes usually depends on the regulation of autophagy and apoptosis-related cytokines and signaling pathways.
6.Platelet-rich plasma intervenes in chondrocyte autophagy and apoptosis for treatment of osteoarthritis
Yaomin WANG ; Kefan ZHANG ; Dening WANG ; Qiang REN ; Jian LI ; Hui SHI
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(13):2802-2811
BACKGROUND:In the process of intervening in the development of osteoarthritis,platelet-rich plasma plays an important role by intervening in autophagy,apoptotic cytokines and signal transduction pathways.OBJECTIVE:To summarize the structure of cytokines and signaling pathways involved in the diagnosis of osteoarthritis by platelet-rich plasma in recent years,as well as its correlation with chondrocyte apoptosis and autophagy,in order to provide effective targets for the future treatment of osteoarthritis.METHODS:Literature search was conducted in CNKI,WanFang Data,VIP,PubMed,Web of Science,and Medline databases using "platelet-rich plasma,chondrocyte,apoptosis,autophagy,osteoarthritis,cytokines,signaling pathway" as Chinese and English search terms.A systematic summary and induction were made for the 66 included articles.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Current research has shown that platelet-rich plasma can promote cartilage repair and assist bone tissue healing through various pathways,mainly divided into three aspects:(1) Platelet-rich plasma regulates the extension,closure,and maturation of microautophagosomes,promotes chondrocyte megaautophagy and molecular chaperone-mediated cell autophagy under specific conditions,enhances the expression of autophagy-related factors such as LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ and Beclin1,inhibits the expression of P62/SQSTM1.Currently,there is no clear research directly exploring the specific effect of platelet-rich plasma on heat shock proteins,and further research is needed in this field in the future.(2) The various growth factors released by platelet-rich plasma inhibit the expression of pro-apoptotic factors Caspase,interleukin-1β,and tumor necrosis factor alpha,promote the expression of anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-2,and prevent chondrocyte apoptosis and degeneration.(3) By activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway,NF-κB signal transduction pathway,death receptor pathway,mitochondrial stress pathway and other pathways,platelet-rich plasma inhibits the expression of Bax and Caspase,and prevents the release of cytochrome c,thereby inhibiting the death and necrotic apoptosis of chondrocytes.In general,platelet-rich plasma promotes cartilage repair,supports cartilage regeneration,and plays an anti-inflammatory role,and its biological effect in chondrocytes usually depends on the regulation of autophagy and apoptosis-related cytokines and signaling pathways.
7.Accuracy assessment of cone beam CT-reconstructed three-dimensional anatomical models of primary teeth using micro-CT
Kefan LI ; Jie BAI ; Yijiao ZHAO ; Aonan WEN ; Runkai WANG ; Yuchen YIN ; Ruidi LI ; Bin XIA
Chinese Journal of Stomatology 2025;60(10):1120-1127
Objective:To validate the accuracy of three-dimensional anatomical models reconstructed from cone beam CT (CBCT) using micro-CT as the gold standard, and to evaluate the feasibility of performing anatomical analyses on such models.Methods:A total of 13 isolated deciduous teeth with intact roots were collected, including 5 anterior teeth and 8 molars, with a total of 34 root canals. The teeth were extracted from children aged 3-9 years who visited Peking University Hospital of Stomatology from January 2019 to April 2022 due to trauma or periapical disease, and were then scanned by micro-CT (with a voxel size of 0.018 mm) and CBCT (with a voxel size of 0.125 mm), respectively. Using a threshold-based semi-automated region segmentation method, anatomical models of these isolated teeth were reconstructed from the two CTs. Subsequently, the two CT reconstructed models were registered based on the iterative closest point algorithm, followed by deviation analysis. The key anatomical parameters were measured on the micro-CT and CBCT models, respectively, and the differences were calculated.Results:The CBCT reconstruction models were relatively accurate in the hard tissue morphology, and 97.1% (33/34) of the root canals were identified accurately. When it comes to the deviation analysis, the average distance between the matched points on the CBCT reconstruction models and the micro-CT models was (0.01±0.03) mm for the hard tissue, and (0.00±0.03) mm for the pulp chambers and canals, which did not affect clinical observation. The hard tissue and root canal length of CBCT models were both smaller than those of micro-CT models ( P<0.05), with a 95% limits of agreement of (-0.70, 0.14) mm for the hard tissue, and a 95% limits of agreement of (-1.93, 1.00) mm for the pulp chambers and canals. The impact of these differences on clinical operations was all within the acceptable range. Conclusions:Using micro-CT as a validate standard, CBCT with a voxel size of 0.125 mm was proved to be an effective tool for the reconstruction of deciduous teeth. Therefore, the reconstructed models were appropriate for studying deciduous teeth anatomy.
8.Advancements and prospects of minimally invasive surgery in the era of intelligent medicine
Minhua ZHENG ; Junjun MA ; Kefan DAI ; Shuchun LI
Chinese Journal of Digestive Surgery 2024;23(4):543-547
After nearly 40 years of development, minimally invasive techniques have been widely applied in curative surgeries for various types of tumors. The safety and efficacy of minimally invasive surgery has being fully validated. With the continuous iteration and updating of medical equipments, the convenience and precision of surgeries have been significantly enhanced, marking the advancement of minimally invasive surgery into a phase of high-level platform. With the rapid development of information technology, we have gradually entered the era of intelligent medicine, where the integration of technologies such as artificial intelligence will inject new vitality into the development of minimally invasive surgery. Combined with the latest research trends, the authors provide an in-depth analysis of how artificial intelligence plays a unique role in key aspects of minimally invasive surgery, including preoperative assessment and planning, intraoperative moni-toring and alerting, and comprehensive postoperative management. Additionally, the authors discuss how to utilize these innovative technologies to further promote reforms in medical education and prospects for the development of telemedicine service. In the era of intelligent medicine, the develop-ment of minimally invasive surgery should adhere to the principle of "bold innovation, cautious practice", guided by the concept of "patient-centeredness". By promoting interdisciplinary collabora-tion between medicine and engineering, accelerating the translation of scientific and technological achievements into clinical practice, we can ensure that minimally invasive surgical techniques better serve the health and well-being of the people.
9.The past, present and future of tuberculosis treatment.
Kefan BI ; Dan CAO ; Cheng DING ; Shuihua LU ; Hongzhou LU ; Guangyu ZHANG ; Wenhong ZHANG ; Liang LI ; Kaijin XU ; Lanjuan LI ; Ying ZHANG
Journal of Zhejiang University. Medical sciences 2023;51(6):657-668
Tuberculosis (TB) is an ancient infectious disease. Before the availability of effective drug therapy, it had high morbidity and mortality. In the past 100 years, the discovery of revolutionary anti-TB drugs such as streptomycin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, ethambutol and rifampicin, along with drug combination treatment, has greatly improved TB control globally. As anti-TB drugs were widely used, multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis emerged due to acquired genetic mutations, and this now presents a major problem for effective treatment. Genes associated with drug resistance have been identified, including katG mutations in isoniazid resistance, rpoB mutations in rifampin resistance, pncA mutations in pyrazinamide resistance, and gyrA mutations in quinolone resistance. The major mechanisms of drug resistance include loss of enzyme activity in prodrug activation, drug target alteration, overexpression of drug target, and overexpression of the efflux pump. During the disease process, Mycobacterium tuberculosis may reside in different microenvironments where it is expose to acidic pH, low oxygen, reactive oxygen species and anti-TB drugs, which can facilitate the development of non-replicating persisters and promote bacterial survival. The mechanisms of persister formation may include toxin-antitoxin (TA) modules, DNA protection and repair, protein degradation such as trans-translation, efflux, and altered metabolism. In recent years, the use of new anti-TB drugs, repurposed drugs, and their drug combinations has greatly improved treatment outcomes in patients with both drug-susceptible TB and MDR/XDR-TB. The importance of developing more effective drugs targeting persisters of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is emphasized. In addition, host-directed therapeutics using both conventional drugs and herbal medicines for more effective TB treatment should also be explored. In this article, we review historical aspects of the research on anti-TB drugs and discuss the current understanding and treatments of drug resistant and persistent tuberculosis to inform future therapeutic development.
Humans
;
Pyrazinamide/therapeutic use*
;
Isoniazid/therapeutic use*
;
Antitubercular Agents/therapeutic use*
;
Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant/microbiology*
;
Mycobacterium tuberculosis/genetics*
;
Tuberculosis/drug therapy*
;
Rifampin/therapeutic use*
;
Mutation
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Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial/genetics*
10.Simultaneous Identification of Ziziphi Spinosae Semen and Its Adulterants by Multiplex Allele-specific PCR
Kefan LI ; Xiaoxiong SUO ; Xiaolan LI ; Chenhui DU ; Yan YAN ; Xiangping PEI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2023;29(2):141-148
ObjectiveTo optimize and establish a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system to simultaneously identify Ziziphi Spinosae Semen (ZSS),Hovenia acerba semen (HAS),and Ziziphi Mauritianae Semen (ZMS), etermine their content to solve the problem of adulteration of ZSS pieces and its preparations. MethodAfter the analysis and comparison of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence differences of ZSS and its adulterants,specific single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sites were found,and specific primers for identification were designed. The samples of ZSS,HAS, and ZMS from different sources were specifically amplified under the conditions of optimized annealing temperature,the number of cycles, and concentration of primers,as well as different polymerases and PCR systems after evaluation. Identification was carried out according to the size of specific amplification bands,and the lower limit of detection (LOD) and adulteration LOD were studied. ResultWhen the annealing temperature was 63 ℃ and the number of cycles was 23,549,169,389 bp specific bands were amplified from ZSS,HAS, and ZMS. The lower LOD of this method was 0.24 ng and 1.2 ng for ZSS and HAS, respectively. The adulteration LOD for ZSS,HAS, and ZMS was 0.5%,2%, and 2% respectively. ConclusionThe established multiplex allele-specific PCR identification method can accurately identify ZSS,HAS, and ZMS at the same time,which can provide a basis for solving the problem of adulteration of ZSS and references for controlling the quality,security, and clinical application of ZSS.

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