Osteoarthritis (OA) causes chronic pain that significantly impairs quality of life, with current treatments often proving insufficient and accompanied by adverse effects. Recent research has identified the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and its resident macrophages as crucial mediators of chronic OA pain through neuroinflammation driven by macrophage polarization. We present a novel injectable thermo-sensitive hydrogel system, KAF@PLEL, designed to deliver an anti-inflammatory peptide (KAF) specifically to the DRG. This biodegradable hydrogel enables sustained KAF release, promoting the reprogramming of DRG macrophages from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory phenotypes. Through comprehensive in vitro and in vivo studies, we evaluated the hydrogel's biocompatibility, effects on macrophage polarization, and therapeutic efficacy in chronic OA pain management. The system demonstrated significant capabilities in preserving macrophage mitochondrial function, suppressing neuroinflammation, alleviating chronic OA pain, reducing cartilage degradation, and improving motor function in OA rat models. The sustained-release properties of KAF@PLEL enabled prolonged therapeutic effects while minimizing systemic exposure and side effects. These findings suggest that KAF@PLEL represents a promising therapeutic approach for improving outcomes in OA patients through targeted, sustained treatment.

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

BACKGROUND:Osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture is a common fracture secondary to osteoporosis.At present,there is no effective prediction index and method for osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the predictive effect of the comprehensive index of lumbar vertebral body bone strength on osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture. METHODS:233 patients with osteoporosis were divided into a fracture group and a non-fracture group according to whether a vertebral fracture occurred.The demography,body mass index,vertebral bone mineral density and other details were collected.Lateral X-ray films of the lumbar spine were photographed.The vertebral body width,vertebral body length,sacral slope,pelvic tilt,pelvic incidence,lumbar compressive strength index and the lumbar impact strength index were measured,calculated,and analyzed by univariate and multivariate,and the receiver operating characteristic curve was analyzed.The survival analysis was conducted according to the cut-off value. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)All patients were followed up for 2-4 years,with an average of 3.1 years.During the follow-up period,99 cases(38 cases of L1 vertebral body,61 cases of L2 vertebral body)had fractures(fracture group),and 134 cases(52 cases of L1 vertebral body,82 cases of L2 vertebral body)had no fractures(non-fracture group).Univariate analysis showed that there was no significant difference in age,sex,height,body mass,body mass index and fracture segment between the two groups(P>0.05).(2)Lumbar compressive strength index and lumbar impact strength index in the fracture group were lower than those in the non-fracture group(P<0.05).Pelvic incidence and pelvic tilt in the fracture group were higher than those in the non-fracture group(P<0.05).(3)Multivariate analysis showed that lumbar compressive strength index,lumbar impact strength index and pelvic tilt were risk factors for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures(P<0.05).(4)Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the cutoff values of vertebral bone mineral density,lumbar compressive strength index,lumbar impact strength index,pelvic tilt and pelvic incidence were 0.913 5 g/cm2,1.932,0.903,21.5° and 55°,respectively;areas under the curve were 0.630,0.800,0.911,0.633 and 0.568,respectively.(5)According to the survival analysis(with osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture as the end point),the average survival time of the patients with lumbar impact strength index≥0.903 was significantly longer than that of the patients with lumbar impact strength index<0.903(P<0.05).(6)These findings conclude that the comprehensive index of lumbar vertebral body bone strength is more accurate than the bone mineral density of the vertebral body and spine-pelvis sagittal parameters in predicting osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures,which is helpful for early prevention and treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures.

BACKGROUND:Osteoporosis vertebral compression fracture is a common fracture secondary to osteoporosis,and there is currently a lack of effective predictive indicators and methods for osteoporosis vertebral compression fracture. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the predictive effects of paravertebral muscle degeneration,functional cross-sectional area,and percentage of fat infiltration on osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures. METHODS:The 224 patients with osteoporosis diagnosed from January 2018 to June 2022 were included.They were followed up for more than 2 years.They were divided into fracture group and non-fracture group according to the presence and absence of vertebral fracture.The detailed information of demographics,body mass index,bone mineral density and so on were collected.The functional cross-sectional area and percentage of fat infiltration of bilateral Psoas major muscle and extensor dorsi(Erector spinae muscles muscle and multifidus muscle)at the level of lower endplate of L2 vertebral body were measured and calculated. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)224 patients were ultimately included,of which 126 had fractures as the fracture group and 98 had no fractures as the non-fracture group.There was no statistically significant difference in age,gender,height,body mass,body mass index,and fracture segment between the two groups(P>0.05).(2)The bone mineral density of the fracture group was significantly lower than that of the non-fracture group(P<0.05).Functional cross-sectional areas of Psoas major muscle and extensor dorsi in the fracture group were significantly lower than those in the non-fracture group(P<0.05).The percentage of fat infiltration of the extensor dorsi in the fracture group was significantly higher than that in the non-fracture group(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in percentage of fat infiltration of Psoas major muscle between the two groups(P>0.05).(3)Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the vertebral bone mineral density,percentage of fat infiltration of extensor dorsi,functional cross-sectional area of extensor dorsi and percentage of fat infiltration of Psoas major muscle were 0.903 g/cm2,35.426%,418.875 mm2,and 6.375%,respectively.The areas under curve were 0.634,0.755,0.876,and 0.585,respectively.(4)These findings indicate that paravertebral muscle degeneration is strongly associated with the occurrence of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures.The functional cross-sectional area of extensor dorsi muscle can effectively predict the occurrence of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures,which is helpful for early prevention and treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures.

Objective To investigate the correlation between lung Point-of-Care ultrasound score and clinical indicators by analyzing the features of Point-of-Care ultrasound in acute COVID-19.Methods 30 COVID-19 patients admitted to the Affili-ated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College were selected,lung Point-of-Care ultrasound sequential scan was conducted in pa-tients with the BLUE-PLUS regimen and the lung Point-of-Care ultrasound semi-quantitative scoring was performed.The clinical indicators of partial pressure of carbon dioxide,anion gap,PH value,standard bicarbonate,oxygen partial pressure,oxygen satu-ration,the lymphocyte percentage(LYM% ),the lymphocytic absolute value(LYM#),the clinical typing,hospital stay,etc were collected.The lung Point-of-Care ultrasound score of acute COVID-19 patients in different clinical typing was compared and the features of Point-of-Care ultrasound in acute COVID-19 were analyzed.The ROC curve was constructed to analyze the effec-tiveness of lung Point-of-Care ultrasound score for the typing of normal type and(critical)severe type.Results In 30 cases of COVID-19 patients during the acute period,there were 29 patients with at least one lung point involvement on both sides(96.7% ),1 case with at least one lung point involvement on one side(3.3% )and 15 cases showed Lung consolidation＞1cm at least one lung point.Comparison of the same lung point between the left and right lung was performed and there was statistical-ly significant difference in the total scores between the left and right lung(P＜0.05).Comparison of total scores of different lung points in patients with different clinical types showed there was statistically significant difference in the total scores of left lung,the total scores of right lung,the total scores of whole lung between normal type and critical type(P＜0.05).The area under the curve(AUC)for the diagnosis of normal and(critical)severe types based on the total lung scores is 0.870.The total scores of the left lung,right lung,and whole lung were not correlated with LYM% ,LYM#,and anion gap(P＞0.05)were positively cor-related with clinical typing and hospital stay,and negatively correlated with standard bicarbonate(P＜0.05).The total scores of the left lung and whole lung were negatively correlated with PH value,oxygen partial pressure,and oxygen saturation,but posi-tively correlated with partial pressure of carbon dioxide(P＜0.05).The total scores of the right lung was not correlated with PH value,partial pressure of carbon dioxide,oxygen partial pressure,and oxygen saturation(P＞0.05).Conclusion There were differences in Point-of-Care ultrasound features among patients with different clinical types of acute COVID-19,Lung Point-of-Care ultrasound semi-quantitative scoring is correlated with pH value,partial pressure of carbon dioxide,standard bicarbonate,ox-ygen partial pressure,oxygen saturation,clinical typing and hospital stay.The patients of critical type have higher scores,lung Point-of-Care ultrasound is expected to be used for clinical typing and condition evaluation of acute COVID-19 patients.

Objective To explore the related factors of lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer and to analyze the clinical efficacy between laparoscopic D2 radical resection and endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD).Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 404 patients with early gastric cancer undergoing surgical treatment in our hospital from June 2018 to June 2022 were recruited in this study.According to their surgical treatment,they were divided into laparoscopy group(n=271)and ESD group(n=133).The lymph node metastases were compared in the patients with different clinical features,and the factors affecting lymph node metastasis were analyzed with multivariate logistic regression analysis.The lymph node metastasis rate of patients with absolute and expanded indications of ESD was calculated.Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to compare the long-term efficacy of ESD and laparoscopic D2 radical resection in these patients.Stratified regression analysis was applied to explore the relationship between surgical methods and long-term outcome in them.Results In the 404 patients with early gastric cancer,the rate of lymph node metastasis was 12.38％(50/404).Univariate analysis showed that 7 clinical features,such as ulcer,tumor pathological features and pathological differentiation,were related to lymph node metastasis.Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that low differentiation and tumor infiltration depth of submucous membrane(SM)were related factors affecting lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer.The overall survival rate was 96.29％(389/404)in the 404 patients,96.31％in the laparoscopic group and 96.24％in the ESD group,and no statistical difference was seen between the 2 groups(P＞0.05).There was no obvious difference in 5-year survival rate between the patients who met the absolute indications for ESD and underwent laparoscopic D2 radical surgery and those receiving ESD treatment(96.00％vs 96.55％),and between those who were in accordance with the expanded indications for ESD and underwent laparoscopic D2 radical surgery and those receiving ESD treatment(94.74％vs 91.67％).After adjusting the clinical features such as lesion size,pathological differentiation and depth of tumor invasion by stratified regression analysis,the mode of operation for early gastric cancer was still correlated with the long-term efficacy(β=1.173,P=0.003).Conclusion The depth of tumor infiltration and differentiation are closely related to lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer patients.The efficacy of laparoscopic D2 radical surgery on the patients with absolute and expanded indications for ESD is comparable to that of ESD treatment.

Objective To explore the value of probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy(pCLE)in the differential diagnosis of fundic gland polyps.Methods A total of 63 patients who underwent conventional white light image(WLI)and suggested with gastric polyps in our gastroenterology endoscopy center during June and December 2023 were enrolled,and their clinical data,WLI,narrow band images(NBI),pCLE images and postoperative histopathological findings were collected.The characteristics of fundic gland polyps under pCLE were statistically verified,and the sensitivity,specificity,accuracy and consistency of different endoscopic diagnoses were calculated respectively.Results Under pCLE,fundic gland polyps were mainly manifested as elongated gastric pit opening,"hand-in-hand"gastric pit opening,well-arranged blood vessels around the pit opening,and no luciferin oozing.The sensitivity,specificity,accuracy of WLI were 72.73％,75.00％,73.13％and 0.343 for fundic gland polyps,and 81.82％,71.43％,71.64％and 0.354 for hyperplastic polyps,respectively.While,the above values of NBI were 87.27％,83.33％,86.57％and 0.673 for fundic gland polyps,and 81.82％,85.71％,85.07％and 0.554 for hyperplastic polyps;and those of pCLE were 92.73％,91.67％,92.53％and 0.769 for fundic gland polyps,and 90.91％,94.64％,94.03％and 0.797 for hyperplastic polyps pCLE had better sensitivity,specificity and accuracy than WLI and NBI,and had the results consistent with histopathological findings.Conclusion pCLE can be used in the differential diagnosis of fundic gland polyps.

Objectives:To explore the factors that may be associated with the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events(MACEs)after posterior lumbar spinal fusion in patients with degenerative lumbar spinal disor-ders.Methods:The clinical data of 96 patients who underwent lumbar spinal fusion for degenerative lumbar spinal disorders at Beijing Anzhen Hospital from January 2018 to July 2023 were retrospectively analyzed,53 males and 44 females were included with the average age of 64.1±10.1 years.The patients were grouped ac-cording to whether MACEs(cardiac arrest,new or worsening arrhythmia,acute myocardial infarction,or angina pectoris and heart failure)occurred within 1 year after lumbar spine fusion surgery.The general conditions[American Society of Anesthesiologists(ASA)classification,Charlson comorbidity index(CCI),revised cardiac risk index(RCRI),etc.],preoperative examinations(hematocrit,serum albumin,left ventricular ejection fraction,etc.),surgical parameters(Mirza invasiveness of the surgery index,operative time,estimated blood loss,etc.),and intraoperative monitoring indexes(baseline mean artery pressure,urine output,autonomous blood transfusion,etc.)were compared between the two groups.Results:The CCI index,RCRI index,echocardiograph E-wave maximal flow rate,estimated intraoperative blood loss,baseline mean arterial pressure,and intraoperative au-tologous blood transfusion in the group without MACEs were significantly lower than those in the group with(0.9±1.0 vs 1.6±1.5;1.5±0.7 vs 2.0±0.8;70.3±18.2 vs 82.6±36.9;705±560.6 vs 1193±1332.9;103.6±15.9 vs 112.1±12.1;399.5±368.3 vs 637.6±470.5),with statistically significant differenccs(P＜0.05).Multifactorial logistic regression analysis suggested that both the CCI index and estimated intraoperative blood loss were correlated with the MACEs statistically(OR=1.968,P=0.007;OR=1.001,P=0.023).Conclusions:The CCI and operative blood loss may be associated with the MACEs after posterior lumbar spinal fusion in patients with degenera-tive lumbar spinal disorders.

Objective Neuromuscular electrical stimulation(NMES)-evoked kinesthetic information in muscle spindle can be purely extracted from the mixed motor and sensory afferents using Ischemic nerve block(INB).This study aims to investigate the somatosensory cortical response evoked by NMES activating muscle spindle afferents in forearm.Methods All subjects performed four experimental tasks designed according to a 2×2 factors,including one factor of the INB state(without INB and within INB)and the other of the stimulation intensity(above and below motor threshold).During the experiment,we recorded EEG data with 64 channels and then beta event-related desynchronization(Beta ERD)were utilized quantize somatosensory cortical excitability evoked by the tasks.The subjective perception about the sensation and movement of the right hand were evaluated by a psychophysical test after the right wrist was performed by INB.Results INB significantly reduced beta ERD on the contralateral somatosensory cortex evoked by NMES above the motor threshold,and there was significant difference of NMES-evoked beta ERD values on the contralateral somatosensory cortex between above and below motor threshold.Meanwhile,contralateral dominance of NMES-evoked beta ERD on the somatosensory cortex was transferred to ipsilateral hemisphere under INB.Conclusion INB can significantly reduce NMES-evoked somatosensory cortical response above motor threshold and decrease cortical perception on the stimulus intensity,which may be due to INB resulting in rapid functional reorganization of somatosensory cortex.