Objective To evaluate the predictive value of gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) 3.0T enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for microvascular invasion (MVI) in young and middle-aged patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma (SHCC). Methods Seventy young and middle-aged patients with SHCC were divided into MVI (n=21) and non-MVI (n=49) groups. All patients underwent preoperative univariate analysis of qualitative and quantitative parameters of Gd-EOB-DTPA MRI enhancement, and multivariate logistic regression was performed using the parameters that differed between groups as independent variables. Receiver operating characteristic and Kaplan–Meier survival curves were drawn to determine the predictive parameters and predict postoperative recurrence and metastasis. Results Significant differences in the qualitative parameters of tumor shape, tumor margin, pseudocapsule completeness, peritumoral hypointensity in the hepatobiliary phase, and peritumoral enhancement in the artery phase were found between the MVI and non-MVI groups (P<0.05); with regard to the quantitative parameters, the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of tumors between two groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that small ADC, peritumoral hypointensity in the hepatobiliary phase, and peritumoral enhancement were independent risk factors of MVI in young and middle-aged patients with SHCC (P<0.05). Survival analysis revealed that the recurrence rate of the MVI group was higher than that of the non-MVI group in the first two years. Conclusion Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI is valuable in predicting the presence of MVI and postoperative recurrence and metastasis in young and middle-aged patients with SHCC.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical value of MRI modified water-lipid separation technique (mDIXON-Quant) in terms of T2* values and fat fraction (FF) values for evaluating the degree of cervical intervertebral disc degeneration. METHODS: A total of 118 patients who underwent routine MRI of the cervical vertebra and the mDIXON-Quant examination in Fuyang People's Hospital from March 2019 to January 2024 were collected. The T2* values of C2/3 to C6/7 intervertebral discs and FF values of the upper and lower vertebral bodies were measured. Cervical intervertebral disc degeneration was graded according to the Pfirrmann criteria. The T2* values and FF values of different patients were compared with the Pfirrmann grades, and the correlation between T2* values, FF values, and Pfirrmann grades was analyzed by Spearman correlation. RESULTS: The T2* values of cervical intervertebral discs in grades I, II, III, IV, and V all showed a decreasing trend ( P＜0.05). The decreasing order of FF values in the upper cervical vertebra was IV, V, III, II, and I ( F=93.28, P＜0.05), and the decreasing order of FF values in the lower cervical vertebra was IV, III, V, II, and I ( F=112.037, P＜0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that the T2* values of cervical intervertebral discs were negatively correlated with the Pfirrmann grades ( P＜0.05), and the FF values of the upper and lower vertebrae were positively correlated with the Pfirrmann grades ( P＜0.05). CONCLUSION The mDIXON-Quant technique can be used to quantify the T2* values and FF values of cervical intervertebral disc degeneration and plays an important role in accurate clinical diagnosis and evaluation of treatment effects.
Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration/diagnostic imaging* ; Cervical Vertebrae/diagnostic imaging* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Intervertebral Disc/diagnostic imaging* ; Lipids

Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ-OA) is a common disease often accompanied by pain, seriously affecting physical and mental health of patients. Abnormal innervation at the osteochondral junction has been considered as a predominant origin of arthralgia, while the specific mechanism mediating pain remains unclear. To investigate the underlying mechanism of TMJ-OA pain, an abnormal joint loading model was used to induce TMJ-OA pain. We found that during the development of TMJ-OA, the increased innervation of sympathetic nerve of subchondral bone precedes that of sensory nerves. Furthermore, these two types of nerves are spatially closely associated. Additionally, it was discovered that activation of sympathetic neural signals promotes osteoarthritic pain in mice, whereas blocking these signals effectively alleviates pain. In vitro experiments also confirmed that norepinephrine released by sympathetic neurons promotes the activation and axonal growth of sensory neurons. Moreover, we also discovered that through releasing norepinephrine, regional sympathetic nerves of subchondral bone were found to regulate growth and activation of local sensory nerves synergistically with other pain regulators. This study identified the role of regional sympathetic nerves in mediating pain in TMJ-OA. It sheds light on a new mechanism of abnormal innervation at the osteochondral junction and the regional crosstalk between peripheral nerves, providing a potential target for treating TMJ-OA pain.
Animals ; Osteoarthritis/physiopathology* ; Mice ; Sympathetic Nervous System/physiopathology* ; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders/physiopathology* ; Arthralgia ; Sensory Receptor Cells ; Disease Models, Animal ; Norepinephrine ; Male ; Temporomandibular Joint/physiopathology* ; Pain Measurement

Hypoxemia is a common pathological state characterized by low oxygen saturation in the blood. This condition compromises mucosal barrier integrity particularly in the gut and oral cavity. However, the mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. This study used periodontitis as a model to investigate the role of platelet activation in oral mucosal immunopathology under hypoxic conditions. Hypoxia upregulated methyltransferase-like protein 4 (METTL4) expression in platelets, resulting in N⁶-methyladenine modification of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). This modification impaired mitochondrial transcriptional factor A-dependent cytosolic mtDNA degradation, leading to cytosolic mtDNA accumulation. Excess cytosolic mt-DNA aberrantly activated the cGAS-STING pathway in platelets. This resulted in excessive platelet activation and neutrophil extracellular trap formation that ultimately exacerbated periodontitis. Targeting platelet METTL4 and its downstream pathways offers a potential strategy for managing oral mucosa immunopathology. Further research is needed to examine its broader implications for mucosal inflammation under hypoxic conditions.
DNA, Mitochondrial/metabolism* ; Mouth Mucosa/pathology* ; Hypoxia/immunology* ; Methyltransferases/metabolism* ; Blood Platelets/metabolism* ; Animals ; Periodontitis/immunology* ; Humans ; Platelet Activation ; Mice

The colonization of microorganisms planted on the surface of teeth and restoration materials is the main cause of oral disease and treatment failure. How to improve the antibacterial properties of dental materials is a hot topic in dentistry. Nano-sized antibacterial materials have attracted much attention. Among them, metal and metal oxide nanoparticles are prominent due to their strong and broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. Thus, in recent years, many studies have used metal and metal oxide nanoparticles to develop antimicrobial dental materials for resin restoration, root canal therapy, orthodontic treatment, and implant surface and removable denture repair and have found that the antibacterial properties of nano-sized materials are significantly enhanced. However, the mechanical properties and esthetic properties of the modified materials are affected, so it is still necessary to explore appropriate modification methods. In addition, most of the experiments are carried out in vitro, which cannot accurately simulate the oral environment. Therefore, the antibacterial effect, cytotoxicity and immune response of these materials in vivo still need further research and exploration. This paper reviewed the potential antibacterial mechanisms and the safety of those nanoparticles and their applications in dentistry.