Objective: To investigate the effect of neurite outgrowth inhibitor extracellular peptide residues 1-40 (NEP1-40) combined with poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and gelatin electrospun fiber membrane on facial nerve repair in rats. Methods: According to the principle of random grouping, 108 male SD rats were divided into four groups (n = 27 in each group, approved by the ethics committee), namely, the sham group, control group, PLGA group, and NEP1-40 + PLGA group. A facial nerve fracture model was established for all of the groups except for the sham group. The control group received no further treatment, the PLGA group and the NEP1-40+PLGA group were supported by PLGA membrane, and the NEP1-40+PLGA group received one immediate local injection of NEP1-40 (5 μg/μL) at a dose of 10 μL. Facial nerve function analysis, electrophysiological examination, transmission electron microscope observation, HE staining, and immunohistochemical staining of myelin marker S100β and axonal marker β3-tubulin were used to evaluate the recovery of injured facial nerves of rats at 2, 4 and 8 weeks. Results : At 8 weeks, the facial nerve function score of the NEP1-40+PLGA group was better than that of the control group and PLGA group (P < 0.001), and facial nerve function was significantly restored. Electrophysiological examination of nerve action potentials at the injured facial nerve showed that the amplitude in the NEP1-40+PLGA group was higher than that of the control group and PLGA group (P < 0.001), but there was no significant difference in latency and conduction velocity results between the groups (P > 0.05). At 2, 4, and 8 weeks, transmission electron microscopy showed that the number of myelinated nerve fibers and myelin sheath thickness in the cross-section of the injured facial nerve in the NEP1-40+PLGA group were greater than those in the other groups (P < 0.05). At 8 weeks, HE staining showed that the facial nerves in the control group had partially recovered, but the overall cell distribution was uneven and the boundary with surrounding tissues was slightly blurred. In contrast, the NEP1-40+PLGA group had a relatively uniform cell distribution and a clearer boundary with surrounding tissues. At 2, 4, and 8 weeks, the immunohistochemical results showed that in the cross-section of the injuried facial nerve, NEP1-40 increased the expression of neural markers S100 β and β3-tubulin, especially β3-tubulin, which was close to normal levels (P > 0.05) Conclusion NEP1-40 is beneficial for the generation of new myelin sheaths and axons at the site of injury, and it can promote the repair and regeneration of injured facial nerves to a certain extent, thus accelerating the recovery of injured nerve function.

Enamel demineralization, the formation of white spot lesions, is a common issue in clinical orthodontic treatment. The appearance of white spot lesions not only affects the texture and health of dental hard tissues but also impacts the health and aesthetics of teeth after orthodontic treatment. The prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of white spot lesions that occur throughout the orthodontic treatment process involve multiple dental specialties. This expert consensus will focus on providing guiding opinions on the management and prevention of white spot lesions during orthodontic treatment, advocating for proactive prevention, early detection, timely treatment, scientific follow-up, and multidisciplinary management of white spot lesions throughout the orthodontic process, thereby maintaining the dental health of patients during orthodontic treatment.
Humans ; Consensus ; Dental Caries/etiology* ; Dental Enamel/pathology* ; Tooth Demineralization/etiology* ; Tooth Remineralization

The prevalence of Class III malocclusion varies among different countries and regions. The populations from Southeast Asian countries (Chinese and Malaysian) showed the highest prevalence rate of 15.8%, which can seriously affect oral function, facial appearance, and mental health. As anterior crossbite tends to worsen with growth, early orthodontic treatment can harness growth potential to normalize maxillofacial development or reduce skeletal malformation severity, thereby reducing the difficulty and shortening the treatment cycle of later-stage treatment. This is beneficial for the physical and mental growth of children. Therefore, early orthodontic treatment for Class III malocclusion is particularly important. Determining the optimal timing for early orthodontic treatment requires a comprehensive assessment of clinical manifestations, dental age, and skeletal age, and can lead to better results with less effort. Currently, standardized treatment guidelines for early orthodontic treatment of Class III malocclusion are lacking. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the etiology, clinical manifestations, classification, and early orthodontic techniques for Class III malocclusion, along with systematic discussions on selecting early treatment plans. The purpose of this expert consensus is to standardize clinical practices and improve the treatment outcomes of Class III malocclusion through early orthodontic treatment.
Humans ; Malocclusion, Angle Class III/classification* ; Orthodontics, Corrective/methods* ; Consensus ; Child

Patients with periodontal disease often require combined periodontal-orthodontic interventions to restore periodontal health, function, and aesthetics, ensuring both patient satisfaction and long-term stability. Managing these patients involving orthodontic tooth movement can be particularly challenging due to compromised periodontal soft and hard tissues, especially in severe cases. Therefore, close collaboration between orthodontists and periodontists for comprehensive diagnosis and sequential treatment, along with diligent patient compliance throughout the entire process, is crucial for achieving favorable treatment outcomes. Moreover, long-term orthodontic retention and periodontal follow-up are essential to sustain treatment success. This expert consensus, informed by the latest clinical research and practical experience, addresses clinical considerations for orthodontic treatment of periodontal patients, delineating indications, objectives, procedures, and principles with the aim of providing clear and practical guidance for clinical practitioners.
Humans ; Consensus ; Orthodontics, Corrective/standards* ; Periodontal Diseases/complications* ; Tooth Movement Techniques/methods* ; Practice Guidelines as Topic

Acupuncture is an ancient treatment method used in traditional Chinese medicine and has been popularized worldwide. Over the past decade, there has been an increase in the amount of acupuncture research, mostly comprised of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that aimed to answer the question on the efficacy of acupuncture. However, poor methodology and low replicability in these acupuncture RCTs have resulted in uncertainty about the efficacy of acupuncture. In this review, current advancements and challenges in acupuncture RCTs, regarding the methodological aspects of randomization, blinding, sham acupuncture and quality of reporting, were discussed. While there have been advancements in various aspects, current acupuncture RCTs still face pressing issues such as inadequate randomization and blinding, unviable sham acupuncture controls, and poor reporting quality. Given these limitations, this review seeks to identify the methodological problems that are responsible for these problems and to suggest solutions that could help to overcome them so as to improve the quality of future studies evaluating the efficacy of acupuncture. Please cite this article as: Seetoh WS, Lim RQR, Xu RB, Sun MX, Zhang P, Wang MN. Advancements and challenges of acupuncture randomized controlled trials. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(4): 333-343.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Humans ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic/methods* ; Research Design

Objective:To analyze the efficacies of unilateral biportal endoscopy(UBE)and percutaneous endoscopic transforaminal discectomy(PETD)in treatment of lumbar disc herniation(LDH),and to explore the optimal selection of minimally invasive surgical approaches for the The LDH patients.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 64 LDH patients who underwent surgery at Liwan Central Hospital of Guangzhou City in Guangdong Province,between January 2020 and June 2024.The surgical approaches were determined through physician-patient communication,and the patients were divided into UBE group(n=30)and PETD group(n=34).The materials of patients were recorded including gender,age,body mass index(BMI),percentages of affected segments,course of disease,duration of hospitalization,operation duration,intraoperative blood loss,numbers of intraoperative fluoroscopy,total incision length,and time to full weight-bearing(WB).The therapeutic outcomes were evaluated using Oswestry disability index(ODI),Visual Analog Scale(VAS)scores for low back pain and leg pain,MacNab criteria,and spinal canal areas at the affected segment.the postoperative complications of the patients in two groups were analyzed.Results:There were no statistically significant differences in age,gender composition ratio,BMI,course of disease,and percentages of affected segments of the patients between UBE group and PETD group(P＞0.05).Compared with PETD group,the intraoperative blood loss,total incision length,and time to full WB of the patients in UBE group were significantly increase(P＜0.01),while the number of intraoperative fluoroscopy time was decreased(P＜0.01).Compared with pre-operation,the ODI scores and VAS scores for low back and leg pain of the patients at final follow-up in both groups were decreased(P＜0.01),and the spinal canal areas at the affected segments of the patients were increased(P＜0.01).At final follow-up,compared with PETD group,the ODI score and VAS scores for low back and leg pain of patients in UBE group were decreased(P＜0.01),while the spinal canal areas at the affected segments of the patients was increased(P＜0.01).According to MacNab criteria,the percentages of excellent and good had no significant difference between two groups(P＞0.05).The incidence of complication showed no statistical difference between two groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion:Both UBE and PETD yield satisfactory outcomes in the treatment of single-segment LDH.PETD is less invasive and permits earlier time to full WB,whereas UBE provides more extensive decompression and superior long-term efficacy.The surgical approach selection should be individualized based on specific factors in the clinic.

Objective To investigate the disparities in the activities of daily living(ADL)among older adults living in urban and rural areas of Sichuan Province,China and the influencing factors,and to provide a basis for promoting the health of older adults and formulating relevant policies.Methods Using data from the Seventh Health Services Survey of Sichuan Province,we enrolled 7 369 older adults from urban and rural areas and analyzed their ability to perform ADL and the relevant influencing factors.All participants were aged 60 years or older.Chi-square tests and logistic regression were performed to identify the influencing factors.Results The ADL impairment rate among older adults living in urban areas of Sichuan Province was 17.7％,which was higher than the rate of 13.8％among older adults living in rural areas.According to the results of logistic regression analysis,age≥80 years(odds ratio[OR]=3.725;95％CI,2.460-5.639),accidental injuries(OR=2.375;95％CI,1.597-3.532),and good sleep quality(OR=0.420,95％CI:0.289-0.612)were factors influencing ADL among older adults living in urban areas,while age ≥ 80 years(OR=1.867;95％CI,1.459-2.390),being married(OR=0.805;95％CI,0.664-0.976),accidental injuries(OR=1.936;95％CI,1.564-2.397),and participation in social activities(OR=0.417;95％CI,0.352-0.495)were factors influencing ADL among older adults living in rural areas.Conclusion There are differences in ADL impairment rates and the relevant influencing factors between urban and rural older adults in Sichuan Province.These findings underscore the need to consider urban-rural differences when adopting relevant policies and measures.

ObjectiveTo investigate the efficacy and safety of N-acetylcysteine （NAC） in the treatment of severe alcoholic hepatitis （SAH）， and to provide a basis for clinical medication for SAH. MethodsA prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted among 172 SAH patients with a Maddrey discriminant function score of >32 points who were recruited by The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from June 2015 to June 2018， and these patients were divided into NAC group with 84 patients and control group with 86 patients. NAC （8 g/day， 28 days） was assessed in terms of its safety in SAH patients， its impact on 28-day biochemical parameters， and its role in improving 28- and 180-day survival rates. A further analysis was performed to investigate the effect of NAC on the 28- and 180-day survival rates of SAH patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure （ACLF-SAH patients） and those without acute-on-chronic liver failure （non-ACLF-SAH patients）. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups， and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot survival curves， and the Log-rank test was used for comparison of survival curves. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression model analyses were used to investigate independent influencing factors. ResultsNo serious adverse events were observed during NAC treatment， suggesting that NAC had a good safety profile. Compared with the control group， NAC did not significantly improve the 28-day biochemical parameters （all P>0.05） and survival rate of SAH patients （P=0.081）， but it could improve the 180-day survival rate of SAH patients （67.4% vs 81.0%， χ²=4.280， P=0.039）. NAC did not improve the 28- and 180-day survival rates of ACLF-SAH patients （both P>0.05）； NAC did not improve the 28-day survival rate of non-ACLF-SAH patients （P>0.05）， but it could improve the 180-day survival rate of these patients （68.4% vs 88.9%， χ²=4.883， P=0.027）. The multivariate Cox regression survival analysis showed that NAC treatment （hazard ratio ［HR］=2.530， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 1.334‍ ‍— 4.796， P=0.004，）， Maddrey discriminant function score （HR=3.852， 95%CI： 2.032 — 7.304， P<0.001）， and serum sodium level （HR=1.948， 95%CI： 1.079‍ ‍—‍ ‍3.517， P=0.027） were independent influencing factors for 180-day survival rate in SAH patients. ConclusionNAC has a good safety profile in the treatment of SAH and can improve the 180-day survival rate of SAH patients， and in particular， non-ACLF-SAH patients can benefit from NAC treatment in terms of middle- and long-term survival rates.

Objective:To investigate the current status of endoscopic treatment for gastroesophageal varices in portal hypertension in China, and to provide supporting data and reference for the development of endoscopic treatment.Methods:In this study, initiated by the Liver Health Consortium in China (CHESS), a questionnaire was designed and distributed online to investigate the basic condition of endoscopic treatment for gastroesophageal varices in portal hypertension in 2022 in China. Questions included annual number and indication of endoscopic procedures, adherence to guideline for preventing esophagogastric variceal bleeding (EGVB), management and timing of emergent EGVB, management of gastric and isolated varices, and improvement of endoscopic treatment. Proportions of hospitals concerning therapeutic choices to all participant hospitals were calculated. Guideline adherence between secondary and tertiary hospitals were compared by using Chi-square test.Results:A total of 836 hospitals from 31 provinces (anotomous regions and municipalities) participated in the survey. According to the survey, the control of acute EGVB (49.3%, 412/836) and the prevention of recurrent bleeding (38.3%, 320/836) were major indications of endoscopic treatment. For primary [non-selective β-blocker (NSBB) or endoscopic therapies] and secondary prophylaxis (NSBB and endoscopic therapies) of EGVB, adherence to domestic guideline was 72.5% (606/836) and 39.2% (328/836), respectively. There were significant differences in the adherence between secondary and tertiary hospitals in primary prophylaxis of EGVB [71.0% (495/697) VS 79.9% (111/139), χ2=4.11, P=0.033] and secondary prophylaxis of EGVB [41.6% (290/697) VS 27.3% (38/139), χ2=9.31, P=0.002]. A total of 78.2% (654/836) hospitals preferred endoscopic therapies treating acute EGVB, and endoscopic therapy was more likely to be the first choice for treating acute EGVB in tertiary hospitals (82.6%, 576/697) than secondary hospitals [56.1% (78/139), χ2=46.33, P<0.001]. The optimal timing was usually within 12 hours (48.5%, 317/654) and 12-24 hours (36.9%, 241/654) after the bleeding. Regarding the management of gastroesophageal varices type 2 and isolated gastric varices type 1, most hospitals used cyanoacrylate injection in combination with sclerotherapy [48.2% (403/836) and 29.9% (250/836), respectively], but substantial proportions of hospitals preferred clip-assisted therapies [12.4% (104/836) and 26.4% (221/836), respectively]. Improving the skills of endoscopic doctors (84.2%, 704/836), and enhancing the precision of pre-procedure evaluation and quality of multidisciplinary team (78.9%, 660/836) were considered urgent needs in the development of endoscopic treatment. Conclusion:A variety of endoscopic treatments for gastroesophageal varices in portal hypertension are implemented nationwide. Participant hospitals are active to perform emergent endoscopy for acute EGVB, but are inadequate in following recommendations regarding primary and secondary prophylaxis of EGVB. Moreover, the selection of endoscopic procedures for gastric varices differs greatly among hospitals.