ObjectiveTo investigate the role and mechanism of action of paeoniflorin （PF） in protecting HepG2 cells induced by palmitic acid （PA）. MethodsHepG2 cells were stimulated with PA at a concentration of 250 μmol/L to establish a NAFLD model. Compound C at a concentration of 10 μmol/L was used as an inhibitor， and PF at a concentration of 25 μmol/L was used for intervention. The experiment was divided into normal group （CON group） treated with complete culture medium， model group （MOD group） treated with PA， PF treatment group （MOD+PF group） treated with PA and PF， model+inhibitor group （MOD+COM group） treated with PA and Compound C， and model+inhibitor+PF group （MOD+COM+PF group） treated with PA， Compound C， and PF. Kits were used to measure lipid deposition indicators， liver function parameters， oxidative stress indicators， and inflammation indicators； oil red O staining was used to observe lipid deposition； Western Blot was used to measure the protein expression levels of AMPK， SIRT1， PGC-1α， mTOR， Beclin-1， LC3， and P62 in cells. The one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of quantitative data between groups， while the Tukey’s test was used for comparison between two groups. ResultsCompared with the MOD group， PF improved the levels of TC and TG （P<0.05）， reduced the levels of ALT， AST， CRP， TNF-α， IL-1β， and IL-6 （P<0.05）， increased the activity of SOD and CAT and the level of GSH， and reduced the level of MDA in cells （all P<0.05）. Oil red O staining showed that PF alleviated lipid deposition in cells. Western blot results showed that compared with the MOD group， PF increased the protein expression levels of p-AMPK， SIRT1， PGC-1α， LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ， and Beclin-1 and reduced the protein expression levels of p-mTOR and P62 （all P<0.05）. ConclusionPF can inhibit PA-induced oxidative stress and inflammatory response in HepG2 cells， improve lipid deposition， and promote autophagy via the AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α/mTOR signaling pathway.

ObjectiveTo develop a scale for evaluating the syndrome of internal retention of dampness and turbidity in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） that combines disease and syndrome and has the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. MethodsAn item pool was established for evaluating the syndrome of internal retention of dampness and turbidity in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） with reference to the guideline for developing international scales. A clinical survey was conducted among the outpatients and inpatients who were diagnosed with NAFLD and had the syndrome of internal retention of dampness and turbidity in Department of Hepatology and Spleen-Stomach， The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine， from June to August， 2023， and the items were screened based on the classical test theory and the item response theory. An expert questionnaire was developed， and expert discussions were conducted using the Delphi method to identify the items for evaluating the syndrome of internal retention of dampness and turbidity in NAFLD. Finally， the scale was given scientific scores. ResultsA preliminary item pool was established， with 16 primary items and 22 secondary items， and it was divided into the two dimensions of disease and syndrome type. Clinical pre-survey suggested to retain 9 primary items and 14 secondary items， while the Delphi expert questionnaire recommended to retain 11 primary items and 15 secondary items， and tongue manifestation and pulse manifestation were no longer used for assessing the severity of syndrome. After hierarchical analysis and scientific assignment of scores， the scale for evaluating the syndrome of internal retention of dampness and turbidity in NAFLD had a total score of 123 points and 9 important items， i.e.， discomfort in the hypochondrium， abdominal fullness and distension， obesity， heaviness of the head and body， loose stool， anorexia， coughing up phlegm， nausea with a tendency to vomit， and lethargy. ConclusionA preliminary scale is established for evaluating the syndrome of internal retention of dampness and turbidity in NAFLD， which fills the gap in this research field and provides a basis for further clinical application.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2021.07.004.].

Apical microsurgery is accurate and minimally invasive, produces few complications, and has a success rate of more than 90%. However, due to the lack of awareness and understanding of apical microsurgery by dental general practitioners and even endodontists, many clinical problems remain to be overcome. The consensus has gathered well-known domestic experts to hold a series of special discussions and reached the consensus. This document specifies the indications, contraindications, preoperative preparations, operational procedures, complication prevention measures, and efficacy evaluation of apical microsurgery and is applicable to dentists who perform apical microsurgery after systematic training.
Microsurgery/standards* ; Humans ; Apicoectomy ; Contraindications, Procedure ; Tooth Apex/diagnostic imaging* ; Postoperative Complications/prevention & control* ; Consensus ; Treatment Outcome

Pulpotomy, which belongs to vital pulp therapy, has become a strategy for managing pulpitis in recent decades. This minimally invasive treatment reflects the recognition of preserving healthy dental pulp and optimizing long-term patient-centered outcomes. Pulpotomy is categorized into partial pulpotomy (PP), the removal of a partial segment of the coronal pulp tissue, and full pulpotomy (FP), the removal of whole coronal pulp, which is followed by applying the biomaterials onto the remaining pulp tissue and ultimately restoring the tooth. Procedural decisions for the amount of pulp tissue removal or retention depend on the diagnostic of pulp vitality, the overall treatment plan, the patient's general health status, and pulp inflammation reassessment during operation. This statement represents the consensus of an expert committee convened by the Society of Cariology and Endodontics, Chinese Stomatological Association. It addresses the current evidence to support the application of pulpotomy as a potential alternative to root canal treatment (RCT) on mature permanent teeth with pulpitis from a biological basis, the development of capping biomaterial, and the diagnostic considerations to evidence-based medicine. This expert statement intends to provide a clinical protocol of pulpotomy, which facilitates practitioners in choosing the optimal procedure and increasing their confidence in this rapidly evolving field.
Humans ; Calcium Compounds/therapeutic use* ; Consensus ; Dental Pulp ; Dentition, Permanent ; Oxides/therapeutic use* ; Pulpitis/therapy* ; Pulpotomy/standards*

Intentional tooth replantation (ITR) is an advanced treatment modality and the procedure of last resort for preserving teeth with inaccessible endodontic or resorptive lesions. ITR is defined as the deliberate extraction of a tooth; evaluation of the root surface, endodontic manipulation, and repair; and placement of the tooth back into its original socket. Case reports, case series, cohort studies, and randomized controlled trials have demonstrated the efficacy of ITR in the retention of natural teeth that are untreatable or difficult to manage with root canal treatment or endodontic microsurgery. However, variations in clinical protocols for ITR exist due to the empirical nature of the original protocols and rapid advancements in the field of oral biology and dental materials. This heterogeneity in protocols may cause confusion among dental practitioners; therefore, guidelines and considerations for ITR should be explicated. This expert consensus discusses the biological foundation of ITR, the available clinical protocols and current status of ITR in treating teeth with refractory apical periodontitis or anatomical aberration, and the main complications of this treatment, aiming to refine the clinical management of ITR in accordance with the progress of basic research and clinical studies; the findings suggest that ITR may become a more consistent evidence-based option in dental treatment.
Humans ; Tooth Replantation/methods* ; Consensus ; Periapical Periodontitis/surgery*

Instrument separation is a critical complication during root canal therapy, impacting treatment success and long-term tooth preservation. The etiology of instrument separation is multifactorial, involving the intricate anatomy of the root canal system, instrument-related factors, and instrumentation techniques. Instrument separation can hinder thorough cleaning, shaping, and obturation of the root canal, posing challenges to successful treatment outcomes. Although retrieval of separated instrument is often feasible, it carries risks including perforation, excessive removal of tooth structure and root fractures. Effective management of separated instruments requires a comprehensive understanding of the contributing factors, meticulous preoperative assessment, and precise evaluation of the retrieval difficulty. The application of appropriate retrieval techniques is essential to minimize complications and optimize clinical outcomes. The current manuscript provides a framework for understanding the causes, risk factors, and clinical management principles of instrument separation. By integrating effective strategies, endodontists can enhance decision-making, improve endodontic treatment success and ensure the preservation of natural dentition.
Humans ; Root Canal Therapy/adverse effects* ; Consensus ; Root Canal Preparation/adverse effects*

Objective To investigate the risk factors for the development of advanced liver fibrosis by analyzing the clinical features of patients with in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)and advanced liver fibrosis,and to establish a nomogram model for predicting the risk of advanced liver fibrosis.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 406 NAFLD patients who attended The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine from January 2022 to October 2023,and according to whether liver stiffness measurement(LSM)measured by FibroScan was≥11.0 kPa,the patients were divided into advanced liver fibrosis group with 65 patients and non-advanced liver fibrosis group with 341 patients.Related data were collected,including general information,laboratory markers,and medical history.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 chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups.A multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors,and a nomogram model was established based on these factors.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to evaluate the discriminatory ability of the nomogram model,and the calibration curve was used to evaluate its effectiveness.Results The univariate analysis showed that there were significant differences between the advanced liver fibrosis group and the non-advanced liver fibrosis group in age,controlled attenuation parameter(CAP),total bilirubin,direct bilirubin(DBil),indirect bilirubin,globin,alanine aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase,alkaline phosphatase(ALP),gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase(GGT),glucose,body mass index(BMI),and history of diabetes(all P<0.05).The multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that CAP(odds ratio[OR]=1.015,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.006-1.024,P=0.010),DBil(OR=1.345,95%CI:1.139-1.590,P=0.001),ALP(OR=1.019,95%CI:1.008-1.029,P=0.001),GGT(OR=1.004,95%CI:1.000-1.008,P=0.035)and BMI(OR=1.240,95%CI:1.137-1.353,P=0.001)were independent risk factors for the development of advanced liver fibrosis in NAFLD.A nomogram model was established based on the results of the multivariate Logistic regression analysis.The ROC curve analysis showed that this nomogram model had an area under the ROC curve of 0.841(95%CI:0.791-0.891)in predicting the development of advanced liver fibrosis in the NAFLD population,and the calibration curve showed a good degree of fitting between the observed and predicted values for the development of advanced liver fibrosis.Conclusion Elevated levels of CAP,BMI,DBil,ALP,and GGT are independent risk factors for advanced liver fibrosis in NAFLD.The nomogram model established based on these factors has good predictive performance and a certain value in predicting advanced liver fibrosis.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the damage effect and potential toxic mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein(S protein)on human neuroblastomacells(SH-SY5Y).METHODS SH-SY5Y were treated with S protein at concentrations of 25,50,75,and 100 mg·L-1 for 24 h.Cell viability of SH-SY5Y was detected using the CCK-8 assay.The cytotoxic lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)detection kit was used to measure the release rate of LDH,and the 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine(EdU)-488 cell prolifera-tion kit was used to assess cell proliferation.The ATP detection kit was used to measure intracellular ATP content.The JC-1 fluorescent probe method was employed to detect the mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP)of cells.Seahorse XF was used to measure mitochondrial respiratory and glycolytic capacity.RESULTS Compared with the cell control group,cell viability was significantly reduced in S protein 25,50,75 and 100 mg·L-1 groups(P<0.01),and the half-inhibition concentration(IC50)was 65.05 mg·L-1.The LDH release rate wassignificantly increased(P<0.01)and the proportion of EdU positive cellswas significantly reduced(P<0.01)in S protein 25,50,75 and 100 mg·L-1 groups.S protein signifi-cantly reduced intracellular ATP content(P<0.01)at the concentrations of 75 and 100 mg·L-1,while significantly reduced intracellular MMP(P<0.05,P<0.01)at the concentrations of 50 and 75 mg·L-1.S protein 50 mg·L-1 increased the maximum value of basal glycolysis levels and glycolytic capacity(P<0.05,P<0.01),and S protein 25 and 50 mg·L-1 increased the maximum value of respiration capacity(P<0.05,P<0.01).SH-SY5Y cell viability was positively correlated with the intracellular ATP content and the MMP level(r2=0.9209,P=0.001;r2=0.6170,P=0.0025),and negatively correlated with the maximum level of basal glycolysis and glycolytic capacity(r2=0.5194,P=0.0285;r2=0.6664,P=0.0073),and nega-tively correlated with ATP production capacity(r2=0.8204,P=0.0008).CONCLUSIONS protein decreases the viability of SH-SY5Y cells and inhibited cell proliferation.The mechanism may be closely related to the disorder of energy metabolism.

OBJECTIVE To establish a mouse model of diabetes mellitus(DM)combined with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)infection to investigate the important pathophysiological changes in the development of DM combined with SARS-CoV-2 infection.METHODS Wild-type(WT)mice and transgenic mice expressing the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor driven by the cytokeratin-18 gene promoter(K18-hACE2)were randomly divided into the control group,DM group,SARS-CoV-2 spike protein(S)infection group and DM combined with S protein infection group,with 10 to 12 mice in each group.All the mice were induced by 10 weeks of high-fat diet combined with 40 mg·kg-1 streptozotocin(STZ)for 3 days by ip,except those in the control group or S protein infection group.The control group was given the same volume of 0.1 mol·L-1 sodium citrate buffer.Mice in the S protein infection group and DM+S protein infection group were additionally given 50 μL mixture of 15 μg SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and 1 g·L-1 polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid(poly[I:C])via intranasal drops,while the control group was given an equal volume of sterile water.The glucose tolerance level and pancreatic islet β cell function of mice were evaluated via oral glucose tolerance test at the 6th week of high-fat feeding and 1 week after the administration of STZ by ip.From the 6th week of high-fat feeding to 2 weeks after the administration of STZ,the random blood glucose and fasting blood glucose of mice were measured by a blood glucose meter.Blood samples were taken from subman-dibular veins of 3 mice in each group at 24,48 and 120 h after S protein infection,and lung tissues were taken after euthanization.The pathological changes of lungs of DM mice before and after S protein infection were observed by HE staining.Except for the DM group,blood samples were collected before S protein infection and at 6,24,48,72 and 120 h after infection.The levels of plasma interleukin 1β(IL-1β),IL-2,IL-6,IL-10,IL-17,interferon gamma-induced protein 10(IP-10),interferon γ(IFN-γ),tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α),monocyte chemotactic protein-1(MCP-1)and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor(G-CSF)were detected by Luminex.The plasma levels of heparan sulfate(HS)were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The levels of cytokines and HS were correlated with the degree of pathological damage by Spearman correlation analysis.RESULTS STZ and high-fat diet could induce DM-like expression in mice,and the random blood glucose(P<0.01)and fasting blood glucose(P<0.05)after 1 week in the hACE2-DM group were significantly higher than in the WT-DM group,and the degree of islet function damage in hACE2-DM mice was significantly higher than that of WT-DM mice(P<0.05).Compared with the DM group,the DM+S group showed more severe pulmonary pathological changes after S protein infection,accompanied by a large number of inflammatory infiltrations and thickening of lung interstitial.Compared with the control group,the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines G-CSF,IL-6 and IP-10 in the plasma of the WT-S group were significantly increased at 6 h after S pro-tein infection(P<0.01),and those of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-17 and anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 were significantly increased at 24 h after S protein infection(P<0.05).Compared with the control group,the plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β,IL-6,TNF-α,MCP-1,G-CSF and IP-10 in the hACE2-S group were significantly increased at 6 h after S protein infection(P<0.05,P<0.01).IL-17 was significantly increased at 24 h and 6 h after S protein infection in the WT-DM+S group and hACE2-DM+S group,respectively(P<0.01,P<0.05).In the hACE2-DM+S group,IFN-γ and IL-1β were signifi-cantly increased in delay to 48 h(P<0.05,P<0.01),and MCP-1 was significantly increased in delay to 72h(P<0.05).Compared with the control group,the level of HS in the plasma of the WT-S group increased significantly(P<0.05,P<0.01)at 6 h and 24 h after S protein infection,but began to decrease at 48 h.At the same time,compared with the WT-S group,the HS level in the WT-DM+S group was slightly increased at 6 h after infection and decreased at 24 h.Compared with the control group,the HS level in the hACE2-S group was significantly increased at 24 h(P<0.01),as was the case with the WT-S group 24 h,48 h and 120 h after S protein infection.At 6 h,24 h and 48 h after S protein infection,the plasma HS level of the hACE2-DM+S group was significantly increased(P<0.01,P<0.05),and the duration of the increase was longer than in the hACE2-S group.Moreover,the levels of IL-1β,IL-10,MCP-1,IP-10,G-CSF and HS in plasma were positively correlated with the degree of lung dam-age in the DM+S group.CONCLUSION In this study,the mouse model of diabetes combined with SARS-CoV-2 spike protein infection has mimicked part of the pathophysiological features of clinical patients,mainly manifested as blunted immune response and elevated HS levels with longer duration to infection alone.IL-1β,IL-10,MCP-1,IP-10,G-CSF and HS may keep track of the course of disease in patients with diabetes combined with SARS-CoV-2 infection.