Objective: To explore the value of contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) radiomics combined with machine learning algorithms in the preoperative prediction of perineural invasion (PNI) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), aiming to provide evidence for assisting clinical treatment decision-making. Methods​: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. A total of 250 OSCC patients confirmed by postoperative pathology were included, comprising 128 PNI-positive and 122 PNI-negative cases. The dataset was randomly divided into training (n=175), validation (n=38), and independent testing (n=37) sets in a ratio of 7:1.5:1.5. Regions of interest were delineated on preoperative images, and radiomic features were extracted. After dimensionality reduction and feature selection using methods like Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression, multiple machine learning models, including support vector machine (SVM), random forest, Light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM), and a Stacking ensemble model, were constructed. Model performance was evaluated using metrics such as the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA). Model interpretability was analyzed using Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) and grouped permutation feature importance analysis. Results ​: ​ Among the 250 samples analyzed, the LightGBM model based on radiomics demonstrated the best performance on the independent test set, with an AUC of 0.781, outperforming models like SVM (AUC = 0.730) and Random Forest (AUC = 0.691), as well as clinical models (AUCs ranging 0.549-0.711). The LightGBM model showed good calibration (Brier score 0.198), and DCA indicated high clinical net benefit over a wide threshold probability range. Paired DeLong tests revealed no statistically significant differences in AUC between the ensemble (Stacking) model and the corresponding best-performing radiomics-based model. SHAP analysis and grouped permutation feature importance analysis further indicated that the primary discriminative information for the model came from radiomic texture features. Conclusion ​ The LightGBM model based on contrast-enhanced CT radiomics demonstrated good discriminative ability for preoperative prediction of PNI in OSCC. In the independent test set, it achieved the highest AUC. This model holds promise as a non-invasive auxiliary tool for preoperative risk assessment. Given the limited sample size of the independent test set, these results require further validation in larger cohorts and external datasets.

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*

Objective To explore the diagnostic value of non-contrast chest CT in acute pulmonary thromboembolism(APTE).Methods A total of 187 patients with suspected APTE who underwent non-contrast chest CT and computed tomography pulmonary angiography(CTPA)within 2 h were included.Among 187 patients,there were 89 patients with APTE(APTE group)and 98 patients without APTE(control group).The clinical characteristics and chest CT features between the APTE group and the control group were compared.The sensitivity and specificity of non-contrast chest CT findings in the diagnosis of central APTE and peripheral APTE were analyzed.Results Chest CT showed pulmonary artery hyperdensity sign in 35 cases in the APTE group and none in the control group,with the difference was statistically significant(χ2=47.414,P<0.001);Subpleural shadow appeared in 33 cases in the APTE group and 11 cases in the control group,with the difference was statistically significant(χ2=17.327,P<0.001).The sensitivity and specificity of pulmonary artery hyperdensity sign in the diagnosis of central APTE and peripheral APTE were 72.92%,100%and 0%,100%,respectively.The sensitivity and specificity of sub-pleural shadow in the diagnosis of central APTE and peripheral APTE were 39.58%,88.78%and 34.15%,88.78%,respectively.The difference was not statistically significant in pleural effusion,pulmonary artery diameter,or pulmonary artery diameter to aorta diameter ratio between the two groups.Conclusion The pulmonary artery hyperdensity sign on non-contrast chest CT is a useful sign of APTE,which can avoid CTPA examination.

OBJECTIVE: Acupuncture therapies are known for their effectiveness in treating a variety of gastric diseases, although the mechanisms underlying these effects are not fully understood. This study tested the effectiveness of electroacupuncture (EA) at acupoints Zhongwan (RN12) and Weishu (BL21) for managing gastric motility disorder (GMD) and investigated the underlying mechanisms involved. METHODS: A GMD model was used to evaluate the impact of EA on various aspects of gastric function including the amplitude of gastric motility, electrogastrogram, food intake, and the rate of gastric emptying. Immunofluorescence techniques were used to explore the activation of spinal neurons by EA, specifically examining the presence of cholera toxin B subunit (CTB)-positive neurons and fibers emanating from acupoints RN12 and BL21. The stimulation of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic neurons in the spinal dorsal horn, the inhibition of sympathetic preganglionic neurons in the spinal lateral horn, and their collective effects on the activity of sympathetic nerves were examined. RESULTS: EA at RN12 and BL21 significantly improved gastric motility compromised by GMD. Notably, EA activated spinal neurons, with CTB-positive neurons and fibers from RN12 and BL21 being detectable in both the dorsal root ganglia and the spinal dorsal horn. Further analysis revealed that EA at these acupoints not only stimulated GABAergic neurons in the spinal dorsal horn but also suppressed sympathetic preganglionic neurons in the spinal lateral horn, effectively reducing excessive activity of sympathetic nerves triggered by GMD. CONCLUSION EA treatment at RN12 and BL21 effectively enhances gastric motility in a GMD model. The therapeutic efficacy of this approach is attributed to the activation of spinal neurons and the modulation of the spinal GABAergic-sympathetic pathway, providing a neurobiological foundation for the role of acupuncture in treating gastric disorders. Please cite this article as: Zhang MT, Liang YF, Dai Q, Gao HR, Wang H, Chen L, Huang S, Wang XY, Shen GM. A spinal neural circuit for electroacupuncture that regulates gastric functional disorders. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(1): 56-65.
Electroacupuncture ; Animals ; Male ; Acupuncture Points ; Stomach Diseases/physiopathology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Gastrointestinal Motility ; Rats ; Gastric Emptying ; Neurons ; Spinal Cord ; Stomach/physiopathology*

Objective:To analyze the association between inflammation-related dietary patterns and the risk for cognitive impairment in older adults aged ≥65 years in longevity areas in China by using reduced rank regression (RRR) analysis.Methods:This study used cross-sectional data from the 2021 Healthy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study, including the information about study participants' demographic characteristics, lifestyles, daily life activities, and disease histories. Dietary intake was obtained by using a simplified food frequency questionnaire. Cognitive impairment was evaluated based on the Mini-Mental State Examination Scale combined with years of education. Fasting venous blood samples were collected to detect inflammatory markers, especially high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR). RRR analysis was used to obtain inflammation-related dietary patterns using hs-CRP and PLR as response variables. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between dietary pattern score and the risk for cognitive impairment. Restricted cubic spline was used to explore the dose response relationship, and mediation analysis was used to quantify the mediating effects of hs-CRP and PLR.Results:Two dietary patterns were identified with RRR. The primary pattern was characterized by higher intakes of flour, red meat, and dairy products, and lower intake of fresh vegetables, explaining 6.84% of the variance in food intake and 0.50% of the variance in inflammatory markers. Compared with the T1 group, the T3 group had significantly higher risk for cognitive impairment ( OR=1.242, 95% CI: 1.034-1.491). Each one standard deviation increase in the dietary pattern score was associated with an 8.7% increase in the risk for cognitive impairment ( OR=1.087, 95% CI: 1.008-1.172), with a significant linear trend (overall-model P<0.001, non-linear P=0.295). Mediation analysis indicated that hs-CRP mediated 6.2% of the association between the dietary pattern and the risk for cognitive impairment. Conclusion:The inflammation- related dietary pattern characterized by higher consumption of flour, red meat, and dairy products and lower consumption of fresh vegetables is associated with an increased risk for cognitive impairment in older adults, and hs-CRP partially mediates this association.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between dietary behavior and sarcopenia in older adults aged ≥65 years in longevity areas of China based on latent class analysis.Methods:A total of 4 358 older adults aged ≥65 years were selected from the 2021 Healthy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study. The information about their demographic characteristics, lifestyles, and chronic disease histories were collected. A simplified food frequency questionnaire was used to collect information about their dietary intake in the last month. The food intake frequency and food category score were calculated, and the higher the food category score, the richer the dietary intake. Latent class analysis was used to identify the latent classes of the dietary behavior. Sarcopenia was diagnosed using the SARC-CalF. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the association of food category scores and different latent classes of the dietary behavior with the risk for sarcopenia.Results:In 4 358 older adults, 1 841 (42.24%) had sarcopenia. The frequencies of intakes of cereals and potatoes, vegetable and fruit, meat and bean products were lower in the sarcopenia group than in the non-sarcopenia group. The risk for sarcopenia decreased with the increase of food category score in older adults ( OR=0.850, 95% CI: 0.796-0.907). Latent class analysis identified 4 latent classes of the dietary behavior. Compared with those with class 1 (frequency of intake of all 5 food species was higher probability in T3 group), those with class 2 (frequency of intake of vegetables and fruits and energy-only foods were less likely to be in the T3 group) and class 3 (frequency of intake of all 5 food species was lower probability in T3 group) had significantly increased risk for sarcopenia ( OR=1.377, 95% CI: 1.131-1.676) and ( OR=1.354, 95% CI: 1.091-1.680), 37.7% and 35.4% increased risk for sarcopenia, respectively. Conclusion:Increasing dietary intake category and sufficient intake of various foods for a balanced dietary pattern can reduce the risk of sarcopenia in older adults.

Objective:To explore the relationships between physical activity and cognitive impairment in older adults aged ≥65 years in longevity areas in China.Methods:A total of 6 081 older adults aged ≥65 years from the Healthy Ageing and Biomarkers Cohort Study in China in 2021 were included in this study. Information about their demographic characteristics, lifestyles, and chronic disease histories were collected, the intensity of physical activity was evaluated by using Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly, and the cognitive function was evaluated by using Mini-Mental State Examination Scale (Chinese version). Multifactorial logistic regression model was used to analyze the associations between different levels and types of physical activity and cognitive impairment in older adults.Results:In the 6 081 older adults, 1 829 (30.1%) had cognitive impairment. After adjusting for confounders, older adults with T2 and T3 levels of physical activity had lower risks for cognitive impairment compared with those with T1 levels of physical activity, with ORs of 0.47 (95% CI: 0.40-0.55) and 0.22 (95% CI: 0.18-0.28). The results of different types of physical activities showed that the ORs in leisure activity T2 and T3 groups were 0.52 (95% CI: 0.44-0.63) and 0.49 (95% CI: 0.41-0.58), and the ORs in housework activity T2 and T3 groups were 0.36 (95% CI: 0.30-0.42) and 0.19 (95% CI: 0.16-0.24). There was no significant association between work-related activity and cognitive impairment. Conclusion:There is a negative association between the intensity level of physical activity and cognitive impairment, and active leisure and household activities might reduce the risk for cognitive impairment.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of transurethral incision for the treatment of ureterocele in infants.Methods:A retrospective analysis of 28 cases of ureterocele admitted from March 2012 to May 2023 were reviewed, all of which were less than 1 year old, 16 male and 12 female, with an average age of(5.7±3.5)months. The ureterocele was located on the left side in 8 cases, on the right side in 15 cases, and bilaterally in 5 cases. There were 12 cases of single system ureterocele, of which 7 cases were unilateral and 5 cases were bilateral. Duplex system ureterocele was observed in 16 cases, all of which were unilateral. Clinical manifestations: urinary tract infection in 13 cases, 11 cases of ureterocele or hydronephrosis and ureteral dilation were found during antenatal examination, and 4 cases of ureterocele were found after birth. Urological ultrasound, intravenous pyelography(IVP) and voiding cystourethrography(VCUG) were performed in all children, and 17 cases underwent magnetic resonance urolography (MRU), and confirm the diagnosis of ureterocele preoperatively. All of the cases were performed the transurethral incision.The ureterocele was punctured and incised 1-2 mm at the base of the bulge, and 2-4 points were punctured according to the bulge atrophy. Bilateral ureteroceles were punctured and incised simultaneously. Postoperative urine routine test, urinary tract color ultrasound and VCUG were performed to determine if there is urinary tract infection, hydronephrosis, ureteral dilation and bulging, and whether a second surgery is needed.Results:All operations were conducted successfully. The intraoperative bleeding was less than 3 ml and no intraoperative complications. The operative time was (28.4±10.3) min. The median postoperative follow-up was 34 (32, 36) months. Six cases underwent postoperative VCUG examination. Eleven children were recovered well with single systemic ureterocele. One child developed grade Ⅳ vesicoureteral reflux(VUR)and combined with bladder diverticulum, and ureterocele underwent open diverticulotomy and ureteral reimplantation six months after surgery. Nine children were recovered well with duplex systemic ureterocele. Six cases of children developed infection, of which 2 cases had an infection once within one month after TUI, and the other four cases still had intermittent infections after six months and VCUG was performed, and one case showed grade Ⅲ VUR of the lower ureter, which was observed conservatively, while the other three cases had enlarged cysts but no VUR, and upper heminephrectomy was performed, and the patients recovered well after surgery. Except for these 6 exceptions, in another case, after ten years of follow-up, the ureterocele became larger but no VUR, and the results were good after a second transurethral incision. There was no significant difference in the postoperative infections, new VUR cases, and secondary surgeries between the two groups.Conclusions:Transurethral incision has good surgical effect on children with single system ureterocele and duplex system ureterocele, and has advantages of easy operation, less trauma, safety and effectiveness, and few complications. It deserves to be recommended as the treatment of choice, especially for infants and young children.