ObjectiveTo construct a standardized diagnostic scale for Qi-Yin deficiency with blood stasis syndrome in diabetic macrovascular disease. MethodsLiterature related to Qi-Yin deficiency with blood stasis syndrome in diabetic macrovascular disease was retrieved from CNKI， VIP， and Wanfang databases. Diagnostic information from four diagnostic methods was extracted and standardized， with items having a frequency of ≥15 included in the item pool. A three-round Delphi expert consultation was conducted， screening items using support degree， mean score， rank sum， and coefficient of variation. Item weights were determined using analytic hierarchy process （AHP）， gactor analysis （FA）， and combined weighting method （CWM）. The optimal weighting method was selected by comparing the area under the receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve （AUC）. The Youden index was calculated to establish the diagnostic cutoff value， which was proportionally scaled. ResultsA total of 102 studies were included. Thirty-five items were incorporated into the item pool. The authority coefficients for the three Delphi rounds were 0.82， 0.85， and 0.86， with coordination coefficients of 0.648， 0.538， and 0.506， respectively. Fifteen items were retained after screening. ROC curve analysis showed the AUC ranking as FA > CWM > AHP. The maximum Youden index was 0.814， corresponding to a diagnostic cutoff of 8.361 （scaled to 40 points）. The final scale adopted a structured diagnostic framework： the symptom dimension requires at least 2 items， and the tongue or pulse dimension requires at least 1 category. ConclusionThis study developed a standardized diagnostic scale for Qi-Yin deficiency with blood stasis syndrome in diabetic macrovascular disease. Core items were screened via the Delphi method， with factor analysis identified as the optimal weighting method through AUC comparison. The diagnostic threshold （40 points） and structured diagnostic framework provide a quantitatively clear， clinically practical tool.

ObjectiveTo explore the establishment of a rat model of diabetic macrovascular atherosclerosis （DMA） with Qi and Yin deficiency syndrome induced by high-fat diet， streptozotocin （STZ）， and Yin-depleting herbs， and to evaluate its biological characteristics. MethodsForty SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group （n=10） and a modeling group （n=30）. Except for the blank group， rats in the model group were fed a high-fat diet for 4 weeks， followed by intraperitoneal injection of STZ （30 mg·kg^-1） to establish a diabetic model. Twenty-four successfully modeled diabetic rats were randomly divided into a model group （n=7）， a Qi and Yin deficiency syndrome group （n=8）， and a counter-syndrome group （n=9）. Except for the model group， rats received intragastric administration of Yin-depleting herbs （1.2 g·kg^-1） for 8 weeks. The counter-syndrome group was further treated with Shenqi compound formula （1.69 g·kg^-1） for an additional 8 weeks. General condition and body weight were recorded， and syndrome-related indicators were assessed， including precordial temperature， skin moisture content， grip strength， open-field test performance， and tongue appearance. Serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）， endothelin-1 （ET-1）， vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 （VCAM-1）， insulin-like growth factor-1 （IGF-1）， and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 （MCP-1） were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Fasting blood glucose， blood lipids， hemorheological parameters， and coagulation function were analyzed using an automatic biochemical analyzer. Vascular ultrasound and hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining were used to evaluate vascular lesions. ResultsIn terms of syndrome manifestations， compared with the blank group， body weight increased rapidly during the first 5 weeks in the model， Qi and Yin deficiency， and counter-syndrome groups. After STZ injection combined with Yin-depleting herbal administration at week 5， body weight decreased significantly （P<0.01） and continued to decline until the end of the experiment. Rats exhibited decreased activity， irritability， coarse and yellowish fur with obvious shedding， polydipsia， polyphagia， frequent urination， and dry stools， which were most pronounced in the Qi and Yin deficiency group. Grip strength decreased， peak activity time occurred earlier， total distance in the open-field test was reduced， and residence time was prolonged. Precordial temperature decreased （P<0.01）， while paw temperature increased （P<0.05）， and skin moisture and oil content were reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）. In terms of disease-related indicators， compared with the blank group， fasting blood glucose was significantly increased （>16.7 mmol·L^-1） in the model and Qi and Yin deficiency groups， and blood lipid levels were significantly elevated （P<0.05）. Vascular-related factors ET-1， MCP-1， VCAM-1， and VEGF were significantly increased （P<0.05，P<0.01）， while IGF-1 was significantly decreased （P<0.01）. Pathological examination of the aortic valve showed valvular thickening and structural disorganization. Carotid artery examination revealed discontinuity of the intima， foam cell accumulation beneath the intima， disordered smooth muscle arrangement， and widened intercellular spaces. Compared with the model group， ET-1， MCP-1， and VEGF levels were significantly decreased in both the Qi and Yin deficiency group and the counter-syndrome group. The reductions in ET-1 and MCP-1 were more pronounced in the Qi and Yin deficiency group （P<0.01）， while the decrease in VCAM-1 was more significant in the counter-syndrome group （P<0.05）. Compared with the blank group， the Qi and Yin deficiency group showed significantly prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time （APTT）， thrombin time （TT）， and prothrombin time （PT） （P<0.01）. The erythrocyte deformability index （TK）， erythrocyte sedimentation rate， erythrocyte electrophoresis index， and whole blood low-shear viscosity all showed increasing trends. Vascular ultrasound revealed reduced arterial blood flow velocity， increased vascular resistance， and intimal thickening without plaque formation. The aortic intima showed no obvious overall thickening， with only occasional localized thickening and foam cell presence， and carotid artery injury was observed. ConclusionA rat model of DMA with Qi and Yin deficiency syndrome was successfully established using high-fat diet feeding combined with STZ injection and Yin-depleting herbal administration. Shenqi compound formula effectively alleviated Qi and Yin deficiency syndrome， regulated glucose and lipid metabolism， improved hemorheological and coagulation function， reduced vascular lesion severity， and demonstrated potential for early prevention and treatment of DMA.

Objective:To analyze the epidemiological characteristics and influencing factors of single-cigarette use and dual cigarette-cigar use in China.Methods:This study was a cross-sectional study that selected 85 638 urban and rural residents who met the inclusion criteria from the 2018 China Health Literacy Survey as research subjects. An analysis was conducted on 21 849 users of cigarettes and cigars among them. Due to the small number of individuals who exclusively used cigars (247 cases), the research subjects were divided into two categories: exclusive cigarette users and dual users of cigarettes and cigars. The groups were categorized by age (18-34 years, 35-54 years, ≥55 years), gender (male, female), education level (primary school and below, junior high school and high school, university and above) and annual household income (<20 000 yuan, 20 000-<80 000 yuan, ≥80 000 yuan) to compare the tobacco usage rate and conduct subgroup analyses for each subgroup. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed, incorporating general demographic characteristic information to explore the influencing factors of exclusive cigarette use and dual use of cigarettes and cigars, respectively.Results:The rate of exclusive cigarette use in our country was 24.3%, while the dual use rate of cigarettes and cigars was 0.9%. The exclusive cigarette use rate and the dual use rate of cigarettes and cigars among males were significantly higher than those among females (48.25% vs 2.48%, and 1.84% vs 0.06%) (both P<0.001). For males, the high-risk factors for exclusive cigarette use included living in urban areas ( OR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.23-1.54), being Han ethnicity ( OR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.51-1.98), and having an annual household income ≥20 000 yuan ( OR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.38-1.82) while having a junior high school education or higher was a protective factor ( OR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.52-0.90). Age≥35 years ( OR: 3.36, 95% CI: 2.62-4.32) and having a junior high school education or higher ( OR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.02-1.67) were risk factors for dual use of cigarettes and cigars in males. Among females, living in urban areas ( OR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.19-1.97) and being Han ethnicity ( OR: 5.96, 95% CI: 4.47-7.96) were risk factors for exclusive cigarette use, while having a university education or higher was a protective factor ( OR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.18-0.42). However, for female dual use of cigarettes and cigars, no significant effects were observed for any demographic characteristics. Conclusions:The use rate of cigarettes alone in China is significantly higher than that of cigarette-cigar dual use, and the rates of cigarette use alone and cigarette-cigar dual use in men are significantly higher than those in women. Tobacco use is being affected by sociodemographic factors, among which place of residence, ethnicity and education level are the main influencing factors of cigarette use alone, and gender, age and education level are the main influencing factors of cigarette-cigar dual use.

Objective:To summarize the clinical characteristics of elderly patients with stage Ⅰ diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and analyze the factors associated with prognosis.Methods:A case series study was conducted by retrospectively collecting clinical data from patients aged over 60 years with newly diagnosed stage Ⅰ DLBCL across 20 medical centers in Jiangsu Province, China, between June 2010 and April 2023. The involved site, classification and treatment plan were summarized. The primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Statistical analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression model.Results:The study included 255 patients with a median age of 69 years, of whom 130 (51.0%) were male, 66 (25.9%) were aged ≥75 years and 26 (10.1%) had a high Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score of ≥2. Extranodal involvement was observed in 163 (63.9%) patients, with the stomach (37.4%, 61/163), intestine (19.0%, 31/163), testes (11.0%, 18/163), and breast (7.4%, 12/163) being the most frequently affected sites. The non-germinal center B-cell (non-GCB) subtype was prevalent in 63.7% of patients (142/223), with no significant difference between the nodal and extranodal groups ( P=0.681). Furthermore, 73.9% (184/249) and 11.7% (29/249) of patients received the R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) and R-miniCHOP regimen, respectively. The overall 3-year PFS rate was 81.5%, and the 3-year OS rate was 85.6%. Patients aged ≥75 years ( HR=2.910, 95% CI 1.565-5.408, P=0.001) and/or with a CCI score ≥2 ( HR=2.324, 95% CI 1.141-4.732, P=0.020) had a significantly poorer PFS. Incorporating age ≥75 years and CCI score ≥2 into the stage-modified international prognostic index (sm-IPI) can better stratify the prognosis of elderly patients with stage Ⅰ DLBCL. The 3-year PFS rate was 48.7% in the high-risk group versus 85.7% in the low-risk group ( P<0.001). Conclusions:Our findings show that the elderly patients with stage Ⅰ DLBCL were predominantly characterized by extranodal involvement (particularly in the stomach and intestinal tract) and non-GCB subtype. Age ≥75 years and CCI ≥2 were identified as independent prognostic factors. The newly established sm-IPI-75-CCI incorporating these factors demonstrated superior prognostic discrimination compared to conventional risk assessment systems.

Perineural invasion (PNI) by tumor cells is a key phenotype of highly-invasive oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Since Schwann cells (SCs) and fibroblasts maintain the physiological homeostasis of the peripheral nervous system, and we have focused on cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) for decades, it's imperative to elucidate the impact of CAFs on SCs in PNI⁺ OSCCs. We describe a disease progression-driven shift of PNI^- towards PNI⁺ during the progression of early-stage OSCC (31%, n = 125) to late-stage OSCC (53%, n = 97), characterized by abundant CAFs and nerve demyelination. CAFs inhibited SC proliferation/migration and reduced neurotrophic factors and myelin in vitro, and this involved up-regulated ER stress and decreased MAPK signals. Moreover, CAFs also aggravated the paralysis of the hind limb and PNI in vivo. Unexpectedly, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) was exclusively expressed on CAFs and up-regulated in metastatic OSCC. The LIF inhibitor EC330 restored CAF-induced SC inactivation. Thus, OSCC-derived CAFs inactivate SCs to aggravate nerve injury and PNI development.
Schwann Cells/metabolism* ; Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism* ; Humans ; Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts/metabolism* ; Animals ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/metabolism* ; Neoplasm Invasiveness/pathology* ; Male ; Female ; Mice ; Cell Movement/physiology* ; Cell Proliferation/physiology* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Leukemia Inhibitory Factor/metabolism* ; Middle Aged

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

Cemental tear is a rare and indetectable condition unless obvious clinical signs present with the involvement of surrounding periodontal and periapical tissues. Due to its clinical manifestations similar to common dental issues, such as vertical root fracture, primary endodontic diseases, and periodontal diseases, as well as the low awareness of cemental tear for clinicians, misdiagnosis often occurs. The critical principle for cemental tear treatment is to remove torn fragments, and overlooking fragments leads to futile therapy, which could deteriorate the conditions of the affected teeth. Therefore, accurate diagnosis and subsequent appropriate interventions are vital for managing cemental tear. Novel diagnostic tools, including cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), microscopes, and enamel matrix derivatives, have improved early detection and management, enhancing tooth retention. The implementation of standardized diagnostic criteria and treatment protocols, combined with improved clinical awareness among dental professionals, serves to mitigate risks of diagnostic errors and suboptimal therapeutic interventions. This expert consensus reviewed the epidemiology, pathogenesis, potential predisposing factors, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of cemental tear, aiming to provide a clinical guideline and facilitate clinicians to have a better understanding of cemental tear.
Humans ; Dental Cementum/injuries* ; Consensus ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Tooth Fractures/therapy*

Objective To establish and validate a multimodal MRI radiomics model based on intratumoral and peritumoral heterogeneity for prediction of spatial pattern of locally recurrent high-grade gliomas(HGGs).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical and imaging data of all HGGs patients who underwent maximum safe resection followed by postoperative radiotherapy combined with temozolomide treatment and experienced in local recurrence in Army Medical Center of PLA from 2012 to 2021.Two radiologists independently assessed the spatial patterns of locally recurrence HGGs through continuous follow-up MRI data,and primarily categorized the pattern into intra-resection cavity recurrence and extra-resection cavity recurrence.The subjected patients were randomly divided into a training set and a validation set in a 7∶3 ratio.In the training set,Pearson or Spearman correlation analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)analysis were employed to screen radiomic features within the intratumoral and peritumoral regions,as well as to calculate radiomic scores.A radiomics model was established using logistic regression analysis.The performance of the model was assessed using calibration curves,Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test,and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC).Validation of the model was performed in the validation set.Results A total of 121 patients with locally recurrent HGGs were enrolled in this study,including 54 in intra-resection cavity recurrence group and 67 in extra-resection cavity recurrence group.Among them,84 were assigned into the training set and 37 into the validation set.In the training set,the radiomics score for the extra-resection cavity recurrence group was 0.424(0.278,0.573),which was higher than that for the intra-resection cavity recurrence group[-0.030(-0.226,0.248),P<0.001].In the validation set,the radiomics score for the extra-resection cavity recurrence group was 0.369(0.258,0.487),which was higher than that for the intra-resection cavity recurrence group[0.277(0.103,0.322),P=0.033].The established radiomics model exhibited good calibration and performed well in predicting spatial recurrence patterns,with an AUC value of 0.844(95%CI:0.749～0.914)in the training set and 0.706(95%CI:0.534～0.844)in the validation set.Conclusion Our multimodal radiomics model combined with intratumoral and peritumoral heterogeneity can predict the spatial pattern of locally recurrent HGGs,providing a basis for individualized treatment of HGGs.

Objective To explore the relationship between dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging(DCE-MRI)and clinical pathological features of invasive breast cancer and lymphovascular invasion(LVI).Methods Imaging and clinical pathological data were retrospectively collected from 508 patients with invasive breast cancer who underwent breast DCE-MRI at the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2019 to August 2021.Patients were divided into the LVI-positive(LVI+)group(n=79)and LVI-negative(LVI-)group(n=429)based on postoperative pathological results.Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors for LVI.Results Compared with LVI-group,LVI+group had a higher proportion of patients aged<45 years(44.3%vs.27.0%,P=0.002),non-mass-like enhancement(NME)(31.7%vs.17.7%,P=0.004),Ki-67 expression rate(40.0%vs.30.0%,P<0.001),high Ki-67 expression(94.9%vs.78.1%,P=0.001),Luminal B subtype(76.0%vs.60.1%,P=0.008),and positive axillary lymph nodes rate(72.2%vs.31.5%,P<0.001),while the proportion of Luminal A subtype was lower(2.5%vs.21.5%,P<0.001).Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that age≥45 years(OR=0.468,95%CI 0.280-0.783,P=0.004)was an independent protective factor for LVI,while NME(OR=1.987,95%CI 1.126-3.444,P=0.016)was an independent risk factor.Compared with Luminal A subtype,patients with Luminal B subtype(OR=10.482,95%CI 3.164-64.923,P=0.001),HER-2 overexpression subtype(OR=11.571,95%CI 2.755-79.341,P=0.003)and triple-negative subtypes(OR=8.433,95%CI 1.985-57.908,P=0.009)had a higher risk of LVI.Conclusions Age≥45 years is an independent protective factor for LVI,while NME is an independent risk factor.Among molecular subtypes,patients with Luminal B,HER-2 overexpression and triple-negative subtypes have a higher risk of LVI compared with the Luminal A subtype.