ObjectiveTo investigate the changing trends of the incidence rate， prevalence rate， mortality rate， and disability-adjusted life years （DALYs） of benign hepatobiliary and pancreatic diseases among people aged 15 — 39 years in China in 1990 — 2021. MethodsThe data of 2021 Global Burden of Disease Study were downloaded to obtain the epidemiological data of liver fibrosis/chronic liver disease， benign gallbladder/biliary tract diseases， and pancreatitis among people aged 15 — 39 years in China， and estimated annual percentage change （EAPC） was calculated to assess the changing trends of incidence， prevalence， mortality， and DALY rates. The Bayesian age-period-cohort model was used to predict the incidence and mortality rates from 2022 to 2030. ResultsIn 2021， there were 10 448 778 new cases of benign hepatobiliary and pancreatic diseases among the individuals aged 15 — 39 years in China， which was increased by 3.8% compared with the data in 1990， while the numbers of prevalent cases， deaths， and DALYs were reduced by 20.4%， 59.6%， and 50.2%， respectively. In 2021， the age-standardized incidence rates of liver fibrosis/chronic liver disease， benign gallbladder/biliary tract diseases， and pancreatitis were 1 104.40/100 000， 1 045.05/100 000， and 16.64/100 000， respectively； the age-standardized prevalence rates were 20 592.37/100 000， 2 364.85/100 000， and 9.43/100 000， respectively； the age-standardized mortality rates were 1.61/100 000， 0.04/100 000， and 0.18/100 000， respectively. From 1990 to 2021， there was a tendency of increase in the age-standardized incidence rate of liver fibrosis/chronic liver disease （EAPC=0.43， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 0.23 — 0.63）， and there was also a tendency of increase in the age-standardized incidence and prevalence rates of benign gallbladder/biliary tract diseases （incidence rate： EAPC=1.07， 95%CI： 0.91 — 1.24； prevalence rate： EAPC=0.75， 95%CI： 0.59 — 0.89）， while there was a tendency of reduction in the age-standardized mortality rate of all three disease categories. Predictions for 2022 — 2030 indicated a potential reduction in the incidence rate of benign gallbladder/biliary tract diseases and an increase in the incidence rate of pancreatitis. ConclusionThere has been an overall upward trend in the incidence rate of liver fibrosis/chronic liver disease and gallbladder/biliary tract diseases over the past three decades， and it is needed to pay attention to the disease burden of benign hepatobiliary diseases among the people aged 15 — 39 years in China.

Tooth pulpitis is a prevalent oral disorder. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of pulpitis and developing effective treatment strategies hold great significance. Ferroptosis has recently emerged as a new form of cell death, but the role of ferroptosis in pulpitis remains largely unknown. In our study, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was used to identify cellular heterogeneity between 3 pulpitis tissue and 3 healthy pulp tissue, and explored ferroptosis occurrence in pulpitis tissue and inflamed dental pulp cells (DPCs). In scRNA-seq, 40 231 cells (Pulpitis: 17 814; Healthy pulp: 22 417) were captured, and visualized into 12 distinct cell clusters. Differentially expressed ferroptosis-related genes (DE-FRGs) were almost presented in each cluster in pulpitis vs healthy pulp. ROS and Fe²⁺ levels significantly rose, and immunohistochemistry showed low expression of GPX4 and high expression of PTGS2 in pulpitis. In LPS-stimulated DPCs, thymosin α1 increased the expression of GPX4 and FTL, and decreased expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and Fe²⁺ levels. In rat pulpitis models, both prothymosin α (PTMA, precursor of thymosin α1) gelatin sponge placed at the hole of pulp (LPS-P(gs)) and PTMA injection in pulp (LPS-P(i)) significantly reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells and expression of PTGS2, and increased the expression of GPX4. In RNA sequencing, the expression of DE-FRGs were reversed when thymosin α1 were added in LPS-stimulated DPCs. Collectively, single-cell atlas reveals cellular heterogeneity between pulpitis and healthy pulp, and ferroptosis occurrence in pulpitis. Thymosin α1 may reduce ferroptosis in DPCs to alleviate pulpitis and thus potentially has the ability to treat pulpitis.
Ferroptosis/drug effects* ; Dental Pulp/drug effects* ; Animals ; Pulpitis/pathology* ; Rats ; Thymalfasin/pharmacology* ; Humans ; Male ; Thymosin/pharmacology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To investigate the biological behavior of EMP1 in pancreatic cancer cells and the molecular mechanism of EMP1 in promoting tumor progression.Methods A stable EMP1 knockdown cell line was obtained by lentivirus transfection.The effect of EMP1 on the proliferation of cancer cells was determined by CCK-8 and clonal formation assay.The effect of EMP1 on the migration and invasion of cancer cells was detected by scratch test and Transwell test.The influence of EMP1 on downstream signaling pathways was investigated by Western blot.Results The results of qRT-PCR and Western blot showed that EMP1 was highly expressed in pancreatic cancer cells.The results of CCK-8,colony formation,scratch,and Transwell assays indicated that EMP1 promoted the proliferation,migration,and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells.Western blot results revealed that EMP1 might promote tumor progression through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.Conclusion This study suggested that EMP1 may activate the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway to promote the proliferation,migration,and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells,thereby positively regulating tumor progression.

Oral and maxillofacial CBCT(cone beam computed tomography)as a kind of oral imaging techniques,can accurately show the tooth pulp in an all-round way.Especially for showingthe morphologyof special root canals,it has incomparable advantages over two-dimensional X ray film.With the development of digital technology and artificial intelligence technology,CBCT has been widely used in stomatology.In this paper,we will systematically review the applicationprogress of CBCT combined with oral digital technology and arti-ficial intelligence technology,with a view to providing references for clinical diagnosis and treatmentand technical development of the discipline.

Background and Aims:Postoperative pancreatic fistula(POPF)is one of the most severe and common complications following pancreaticoduodenectomy(PD)and is a major cause of mortality after PD.Given the multiple risk factors associated with PD-POPF,developing an effective predictive model is of significant clinical importance.This study was conducted to explore the predictive performance of the triglyceride-glucose(TyG)index combined with serological indicators for POPF following PD.Methods:The preoperative general data,laboratory indicators within one week before surgery,and postoperative complication data of 291 patients who underwent PD at the Department of General Surgery,Second Hospital of Lanzhou University,from January 2019 to June 2024,were retrospectively collected.Patients were randomly divided into a modeling group(203 cases)and a validation group(88 cases)using a computer-generated random number method at a 7∶3 ratio.Univariate Logistic regression and multivariate binary Logistic regression(Back-Wald method)were performed on the modeling group data.Based on regression analysis results,a predictive model was constructed and visualized using a nomogram.The discriminative ability of the nomogram model was evaluated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve(AUC).A calibration curve was used to assess the agreement between predicted and actual probabilities,and a decision curve analysis was conducted to evaluate the clinical application value of the model.Subgroup analysis was performed on potential factors influencing the outcome variables.Results:Among the 291 patients,70 developed POPF,with 49 cases in the modeling group and 21 in the validation group.There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups(all P>0.05).Univariate analysis in the modeling group identified body mass index(BMI),triglycerides,TyG index,albumin(ALB),platelet count(PLT),absolute lymphocyte count(LYM),and absolute neutrophil count(NEUT)as significant factors associated with POPF(all P<0.05).Multivariate analysis revealed that BMI,TyG index,ALB,PLT,LYM,and NEUT were independent influencing factors for POPF(all P<0.05).A PD-POPF risk prediction model and nomogram were constructed based on these results.The model achieved an AUC of 0.80(0.73-0.86),and when applied to the validation group,the ROC analysis yielded an AUC of 0.80(0.70-0.90).The calibration curves of both the modeling and validation groups closely aligned with the standard curve.Subgroup analysis indicated that tumor nature and tumor stage had minimal impact on PD-POPF risk factors,demonstrating good model stability.Conclusion:The TyG index,along with BMI,PLT,NEUT,ALB,and LYM,is closely associated with PD-POPF occurrence.The risk prediction model based on the TyG index and these influencing factors exhibits good predictive performance and holds significant clinical value for guiding early intervention.

Background and Aims:Postoperative pancreatic fistula(POPF)is one of the most severe and common complications following pancreaticoduodenectomy(PD)and is a major cause of mortality after PD.Given the multiple risk factors associated with PD-POPF,developing an effective predictive model is of significant clinical importance.This study was conducted to explore the predictive performance of the triglyceride-glucose(TyG)index combined with serological indicators for POPF following PD.Methods:The preoperative general data,laboratory indicators within one week before surgery,and postoperative complication data of 291 patients who underwent PD at the Department of General Surgery,Second Hospital of Lanzhou University,from January 2019 to June 2024,were retrospectively collected.Patients were randomly divided into a modeling group(203 cases)and a validation group(88 cases)using a computer-generated random number method at a 7∶3 ratio.Univariate Logistic regression and multivariate binary Logistic regression(Back-Wald method)were performed on the modeling group data.Based on regression analysis results,a predictive model was constructed and visualized using a nomogram.The discriminative ability of the nomogram model was evaluated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve(AUC).A calibration curve was used to assess the agreement between predicted and actual probabilities,and a decision curve analysis was conducted to evaluate the clinical application value of the model.Subgroup analysis was performed on potential factors influencing the outcome variables.Results:Among the 291 patients,70 developed POPF,with 49 cases in the modeling group and 21 in the validation group.There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups(all P>0.05).Univariate analysis in the modeling group identified body mass index(BMI),triglycerides,TyG index,albumin(ALB),platelet count(PLT),absolute lymphocyte count(LYM),and absolute neutrophil count(NEUT)as significant factors associated with POPF(all P<0.05).Multivariate analysis revealed that BMI,TyG index,ALB,PLT,LYM,and NEUT were independent influencing factors for POPF(all P<0.05).A PD-POPF risk prediction model and nomogram were constructed based on these results.The model achieved an AUC of 0.80(0.73-0.86),and when applied to the validation group,the ROC analysis yielded an AUC of 0.80(0.70-0.90).The calibration curves of both the modeling and validation groups closely aligned with the standard curve.Subgroup analysis indicated that tumor nature and tumor stage had minimal impact on PD-POPF risk factors,demonstrating good model stability.Conclusion:The TyG index,along with BMI,PLT,NEUT,ALB,and LYM,is closely associated with PD-POPF occurrence.The risk prediction model based on the TyG index and these influencing factors exhibits good predictive performance and holds significant clinical value for guiding early intervention.

Objective To investigate the biological behavior of EMP1 in pancreatic cancer cells and the molecular mechanism of EMP1 in promoting tumor progression.Methods A stable EMP1 knockdown cell line was obtained by lentivirus transfection.The effect of EMP1 on the proliferation of cancer cells was determined by CCK-8 and clonal formation assay.The effect of EMP1 on the migration and invasion of cancer cells was detected by scratch test and Transwell test.The influence of EMP1 on downstream signaling pathways was investigated by Western blot.Results The results of qRT-PCR and Western blot showed that EMP1 was highly expressed in pancreatic cancer cells.The results of CCK-8,colony formation,scratch,and Transwell assays indicated that EMP1 promoted the proliferation,migration,and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells.Western blot results revealed that EMP1 might promote tumor progression through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.Conclusion This study suggested that EMP1 may activate the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway to promote the proliferation,migration,and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells,thereby positively regulating tumor progression.

Oral and maxillofacial CBCT(cone beam computed tomography)as a kind of oral imaging techniques,can accurately show the tooth pulp in an all-round way.Especially for showingthe morphologyof special root canals,it has incomparable advantages over two-dimensional X ray film.With the development of digital technology and artificial intelligence technology,CBCT has been widely used in stomatology.In this paper,we will systematically review the applicationprogress of CBCT combined with oral digital technology and arti-ficial intelligence technology,with a view to providing references for clinical diagnosis and treatmentand technical development of the discipline.

Objective To explore the mechanism of acute liver injury induced by Cortex dictamni through network pharmacology and in vivo experiment in animal.Methods The chemical constituents and targets of Cortex dictamni were retrieved from TCMSP,TCMIP and SwissTargetPrediction databases,and the related targets of liver injury diseases were identified through GeneCards and CTD databases.The protein interaction network of the intersection targets was analyzed by STRING database and the core targets were selected.The GO function and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were completed by DAVID database,and the multi-level association network diagram of"drug-component-target"was constructed by Cytoscape software.In the animal study,Cortex dictamni was administered to mice at a dosage of 92.7 g/(kg·d)via intragastric administration,and the biological samples were collected after 7 days.The pathological changes of liver were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE),Masson and Oil Red O staining.The expression levels of alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),alkaline phosphatase(ALP),and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)in serum,as well as malondialdehyde(MDA),superoxide dismutase(SOD),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),and interleukin(IL)-1β in liver tissues,were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).The expressions of protein kinase B1(AKT1),IL-6,TNF-α,tumor protein p53(TP53),cystatin 3(CASP3),and IL-1β mRNA in liver tissues were determined using real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR(qRT-PCR).Molecular docking was employed to verify the binding affinity of potentially toxic components to their respective targets.Results A total of 14 chemical constituents,244 predicted targets and 202 intersection targets with liver injury were obtained.The GO biological process analysis mainly involved positive regulation of gene expression,negative regulation of apoptosis process.KEGG pathway enrichment analysis mainly included cancer pathway and PI3K-Akt,TNF,IL-17 signaling pathways.The pathological sections revealed severe hemorrhage,a considerable amount of hepatocyte necrosis,nuclear fragmentation or dissolution in the liver tissues of mouse with HE staining after the administration of Cortex dictamni.Masson staining showed evident fibrosis in the liver tissues,while Oil Red O staining indicated a substantial production of lipid droplets.Compared with the control group,the ELISA results demonstrated a significant increase in serum AST,ALT,ALP,LDH levels,as well as hepatic MDA,TNF-α,and IL-1β levels(P<0.05),and a decrease in hepatic SOD levels(P<0.05)in the treated group.The qRT-PCR results indicated a significant elevation in the expression levels of relevant mRNAs in the liver tissues of the treated mice(P<0.05).Molecular docking showed that the potentially toxic components of obacunone,dictamnine and fraxinellon had good binding affinity to AKT1,IL-6,TNF-α,TP53,CASP3 and IL-1β.Conclusion Obacunone,dictamnine,fraxinellon,and limonin might be the potential toxic components of acute liver injury induced by Cortex dictamni in mice.Cortex dictamni could act on the liver by changing the expressions of AKT1,IL-6,TNF-α,TP53,CASP3,IL-1β and other proteins,affecting energy metabolism,cell differentiation,inflammation,oxidative stress and immunity,leading to liver injury.

Dictamni cortex is the root bark of Rutaceae plants.It is the main medicinal part and the key drug of 'Zhuhuang Fengbi'.It has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying,dispelling wind and drying dampness,and relieving itching.Dictamni cortex mainly contains 228 chemical components such as alkaloids,sesquiterpenes,limonoids,fatty acids,volatile oils,flavonoids,steroids,etw.Its pharmacological activities in vivo and in vitro include antibacterial activity,anti-inflammatory activity,hepatoprotective activity,cardiovascular protection activity,insecticidal activity,anticancer activity,anti-allergic activity,and improvement of gastrointestinal activity.It has been reported that Dictamni cortex also has potential hepatotoxicity,among which dictamnine,fraxinellone and limonin compounds are potential hepatotoxic components.In this paper,the chemical constituents,pharmacological effects and toxicity of Dictamni cortex are reviewed by consulting domestic and foreign literature,to provide theoretical support for the clinical rational application and related product development of Dictamni cortex.