AIM: To investigate the expression levels and clinical significance of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α)and interleukin-17(IL-17)in conjunctival epithelial cells and tear fluid of patients with dry eyes.METHODS: Retrospective study. A total of 183 dry eye patients admitted to our hospital from February 2021 to March 2023 were selected, and 181 people who were physically healthy in our hospital during the same period were chosen as the control group. HIF-1α and IL-17 expression levels in conjunctival epithelial cells and tear fluid of the two groups of subjects were tested, and the diagnostic value of HIF-1α and IL-17 in conjunctival epithelial cells and tear fluid of the subjects in testing dry eyes was analyzed through receiver operating characteristics(ROC)curves.RESULTS: Compared with the control group, patients in the dry eye group had elevated levels of HIF-1α and IL-17 expression in conjunctival epithelial cells(all P<0.01); and HIF-1α and IL-17 expression increased in tear fluid(all P<0.01). Pearson correlation analysis showed that HIF-1α and IL-17 in the conjunctival epithelium and tear fluid of dry eye patients were negatively correlated with BUT and Schirmer I test(SⅠt), and positively correlated with corneal fluorescein staining scores(all P<0.05); expression levels of HIF-1α and IL-17 in conjunctival epithelial cells and tear fluid of dry eye patients showed positive correlation(all P<0.001). The area under the ROC curve showed that the AUC for the combined diagnosis of HIF-1α and IL-17 in conjunctival epithelium was significantly greater than the AUC for HIF-1α alone in conjunctival epithelium(Z=5.574, P<0.001). The AUC of IL-17 alone in conjunctival epithelial cells(Z=4.351, P<0.001)and the AUC of the combined HIF-1α, IL-17 in tear fluid were significantly greater than the AUC of HIF-1α alone(Z=3.583, P<0.001)and the AUC of IL-17 alone(Z=4.303, P<0.001).CONCLUSION: Conjunctival epithelial cells and tear fluid of dry eye patients have elevated expression levels of HIF-1α and IL-17, and joint detection of HIF-1α and IL-17 expression levels is of great value in the diagnosis of dry eye.

OBJECTIVETo investigate evidence supporting whether ultrasonic irrigation as a supplement is more effective than syringe irrigation in root canal cleaning.

METHODSAn electronic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, ProQuest Dissertation and Theses, Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database. Studies were retrieved from January 1, 1985 to March 1, 2014. The Chinese journals on stomatology and the bibliography of all relevant articles were manually searched. Relevant clinical randomized controlled trial (RCT) and clinical controlled trial (CCT) were selected. Two investigators evaluated the risk of bias of the included trials in accordance with Cochrane risk of bias assessment tools and collected data of included studies. Meta-analysis was then performed in RevMan 5.2.

RESULTSNine articles that satisfied the eligibility criteria were included in this Meta-analysis. Seven studies showed low bias risk, and the remaining studies exhibited moderate bias risk. Histological results showed that ultrasonic irrigation supplement could significantly improve canal and isthmus debridement at the apical area (P < 0.01). Antibacterial efficacy was evaluated by bacterial culture (P = 0.26) and polymerase chain reaction (P = 0.99) methods, no significant differences in antibacterial efficacy were observed.

CONCLUSIONUltrasonic irrigation supplement is more effective than syringe irrigation in root canal debridement at the apical area. However, antibacterial efficacy is not statistically significant.

Dental Pulp Cavity ; Humans ; Root Canal Preparation ; Syringes ; Therapeutic Irrigation ; Ultrasonics

Objective?To?investigate?evidence?supporting?whether?ultrasonic?irrigation?as?a?supplement?is?more?effective?than?syringe?irrigation?in?root?canal?cleaning.?Methods???An?electronic?search?was?conducted?in?PubMed,?Embase,?Web?of?Science,?Cochrane?Library,?ProQuest?Dissertation?and?Theses,?Database?for?Chinese?Technical?Periodicals,?China?National?Knowledge?Infrastructure,?Wanfang?Database,?and?Chinese?Biomedical?Literature?Database.?Studies?were?retrieved?from?January?1,?1985?to?March?1,?2014.?The?Chinese?journals?on?stomatology?and?the?bibliography?of?all?relevant?articles?were?manually?searched.?Relevant?clinical?randomized?controlled?trial?(RCT)?and?clinical?controlled?trial?(CCT)?were?selected.?Two?investigators?evaluated?the?risk?of?bias?of?the?included?trials?in?accordance?with?Cochrane?risk?of?bias?assessment?tools?and?collected?data?of?included?studies.?Meta-analysis?was?then?performed?in?RevMan?5.2.?Results???Nine?articles?that?satis-fied?the?eligibility?criteria?were?included?in?this?Meta-analysis.?Seven?studies?showed?low?bias?risk,?and?the?remaining?studies?exhibited?moderate?bias?risk.?Histological?results?showed?that?ultrasonic?irrigation?supplement?could?significantly?improve?canal?and?isthmus?debridement?at?the?apical?area?(P<0.01).?Antibacterial?efficacy?was?evaluated?by?bacterial?culture?(P=0.26)?and?polymerase?chain?reaction?(P=0.99)?methods,??no?sig-nificant?differences?in?antibacterial?efficacy?were?observed.?Conclusion???Ultrasonic?irrigation?supplement?is?more?effec-tive?than?syringe?irrigation?in?root?canal?debridement?at?the?apical?area.?However,?antibacterial?efficacy?is?not?statisti-cally?significant.