Objective To explore the role of neogambogic acid in the characteristics of colorectal cancer stem cells (CRC-CSCs) through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Methods The colorectal cells SW480 and HCT166 were divided into control group and neogambogic acid groups (1.5, 3, 6, and 12 μmol/L). The viability of CRC-CSCs was determined by MTT method, and spheroid and clone formation assays were used to assess the capacity of spheroid formation and self-renewal ability of the cells. The effects of neogambogic acid on the apoptosis and cell cycle of CRC-CSCs were evaluated by flow cytometry assays. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of relative markers (CD133, CD44, ALDH1, Oct4, and Nanog) of CRC-CSCs, and the protein expression levels of the self-renewal marker (PCNA), apoptosis markers (cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-9), and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway markers (p-GSK3β, GSK3β, β-catenin, and Wnt) were analyzed using Western blot. Results Compared with the control group, after neogambogic acid treatment, the viability of SW480 and HCT116 cells decreased (P<0.05), the spheroid forming ability and the clone numbers of CRC-CSCs decreased (P<0.001, P<0.01) but the cell apoptosis rate increased (P<0.01), and cell cycle was arrested in G₀/G₁ phase. Moreover, neogambogic acid downregulated the mRNA and protein expression of relative markers of CRC-CSCs (CD133, CD44, ALDH1, Oct4, and Nanog), PCNA, p-GSK3β, β-catenin, and Wnt (P<0.05) and upregulated the expression of cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-9, and GSK3β (P<0.01). Conclusion Neogambogic can inhibit the stem cell properties of colorectal cells via inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. As a result, neogambogic acid may be an attractive agent against colorectal cancer.

Clear aligner treatment is a novel technique in current orthodontic practice. Distinct from traditional fixed orthodontic appliances, clear aligners have different material features and biomechanical characteristics and treatment efficiencies, presenting new clinical challenges. Therefore, a comprehensive and systematic description of the key clinical aspects of clear aligner treatment is essential to enhance treatment efficacy and facilitate the advancement and wide adoption of this new technique. This expert consensus discusses case selection and grading of treatment difficulty, principle of clear aligner therapy, clinical procedures and potential complications, which are crucial to the clinical success of clear aligner treatment.
Humans ; Consensus ; Orthodontic Appliance Design ; Orthodontic Appliances, Removable ; Tooth Movement Techniques/methods* ; Malocclusion/therapy* ; Orthodontics, Corrective/instrumentation*

Early correction of childhood malocclusion is timely managing morphological, structural, and functional abnormalities at different dentomaxillofacial developmental stages. The selection of appropriate imaging examination and comprehensive radiological diagnosis and analysis play an important role in early correction of childhood malocclusion. This expert consensus is a collaborative effort by multidisciplinary experts in dentistry across the nation based on the current clinical evidence, aiming to provide general guidance on appropriate imaging examination selection, comprehensive and accurate imaging assessment for early orthodontic treatment patients.
Humans ; Malocclusion/diagnostic imaging* ; Child ; Consensus

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: The function of CD69 expressed on T cells in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remains unclear. We aimed to elucidate the roles of CD69 on T cells in the disease process and in antiviral therapy for CHB. Methods: We enrolled 335 treatment-naive patients with CHB and 93 patients with CHB on antiviral therapy. CD69, antiviral cytokine production by T cells, T-helper (Th) cells, and inhibitory molecules of T cells were measured using flow cytometry, and clinical-virological characteristics were examined dynamically during antiviral therapy. Results: CD69 expression on CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells was the lowest in the immune-active phase and was negatively correlated with liver transaminase activity, fibrosis features, inflammatory cytokine production by T cells, and Th-cell frequencies but positively with inhibitory molecules on T cells. CD69 expression on CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells decreased after 48 weeks of antiviral therapy, and patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion in week 48 showed lower CD69 expression on T cells at baseline and week 48. The area under the ROC curve of CD69 expression on T cells at baseline for predicting HBeAg seroconversion in week 48 was 0.870, the sensitivity was 0.909, and the specificity was 0.714 (P = 0.002). Conclusions CD69 negatively regulates T-cell immunity during CHB, and its expression decreases with antiviral therapy. CD69 expression predicts HBeAg seroconversion in week 48. CD69 may play an important negative role in regulating T cells and affect the efficacy of antiviral therapy.

Objective To explore the protective effect and mechanism of modified Buyang Huanwu Decoction and Shenqi Dihuang Decoction on diabetic kidney disease(DKD)mice based on the regulation of VEGF-C/VEGFR3 pathway inhibiting lymphangiogenesis.Methods Twenty-four male db/db mice were randomly divided into model group,Chinese medicine group(modified Buyang Huanwu Decoction combined with Shenqi Dihuang Decoction,crude drug 24.44 g·kg-1)and western medicine group(Irbesartan,13.5 mg·kg-1),with eight mice in each group.Eight db/m mice were selected as control group.Intragastric administration was given once a day for 12 consecutive weeks.Fasting blood glucose(FBG),total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG),urinary albumin/creatinine ratio(ACR)and kidney index were measured.The pathological changes of renal tissue were observed by HE and Masson staining.The expressions of fibronectin(FN),type I collagen(Col I),Vimentin,α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA),transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1),vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3(VEGFR3),vascular endothelial growth factor-C(VEGF-C),lymphatic endothelial hyaluronic acid receptor 1(LYVE-1),podoplanin(PDPN),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and interleukin-1β(IL-1β)in renal tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry.The protein expressions of Col I,Vimentin,α-SMA,TGF-β1,VEGFR3,VEGF-C,LYVE-1,TNF-α and IL-1β in renal tissue were detected by Western Blot.The mRNA expressions of FN,Col I,TGF-β1,VEGF-C,VEGFR3,TNF-α and IL-1β in renal tissue were detected by Real-time PCR.Results Compared with the control group,the levels of serum FBG,TG,TC,ACR and kidney index in the model group were significantly increased(P＜0.05).Glomerular hypertrophy,mesangial matrix increased,basement membrane thickening,cystic cavity narrowing,renal tubular epithelial cell degeneration and necrosis,interstitial infiltration of a large number of inflammatory cells,renal tubular atrophy;the level of renal fibrosis was significantly increased(P＜0.05).The protein expressions of FN,Col I,Vimentin,α-SMA,TGF-β1,VEGFR3,LYVE-1,TNF-α,IL-1β in renal interstitium,the expression of VEGF-C protein in cytoplasm and the expression of VEGFR3 and PDPN protein around renal tubular capillaries were significantly up-regulated(P＜0.05).The protein expressions of Col I,Vimentin,α-SMA,TGF-β1,VEGFR3,VEGF-C,LYVE-1,TNF-α and IL-1β in renal tissue were significantly up-regulated(P＜0.05).The mRNA expression levels of FN,Col I,TGF-β1,VEGF-C,VEGFR3,TNF-α and IL-1β in renal tissue were significantly increased(P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,the levels of serum TG,TC and ACR in the Chinese medicine group were significantly decreased(P＜0.05).Renal tissue injury was improved to varying degrees,renal inflammatory cell infiltration was reduced to a certain extent,and renal tissue fibrosis was significantly reduced(P＜0.05).The protein expressions of FN,Col I,Vimentin,α-SMA,TGF-β1,VEGFR3,LYVE-1,TNF-α,IL-1β in renal interstitium,the protein expression of VEGF-C in cytoplasm and the protein expressions of VEGFR3 and PDPN around renal tubular capillaries were significantly down-regulated(P＜0.05).The protein expressions of Col I,Vimentin,α-SMA,TGF-β1,VEGFR3,VEGF-C,LYVE-1,TNF-α and IL-1β in renal tissue were significantly down-regulated(P＜0.05).The mRNA expression levels of FN,Col I,TGF-β1,VEGF-C,VEGFR3,TNF-α and IL-1β in renal tissue were significantly decreased(P＜0.05).Conclusion Modified Buyang Huanwu Decoction combined with Shenqi Dihuang Decoction can reduce the level of inflammation and fibrosis in renal tissue of DKD mice,and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of VEGF-C/VEGFR3 pathway to inhibit lymphangiogenesis.

Objective To explore the clinical effect of endoscopic sclerosing agent injection combined with ligation in the treatment of third degree internal hemorrhoids.Methods 100 patients with internal hemorrhoids from January 2019 to August 2022 were prospectively selected and divided into control group(50 patients,treated with ligation)and study group(50 patients,treated with endoscopic sclerosing agent injection combined with ligation).Clinical data of patients were collected,and the clinical efficacy,postoperative recovery related indicators,resting anal pressure,anal canal maximum systolic pressure(AMSP),degree of hemorrhoid prolapse and the incidence of postoperative complications were compared between the two groups.Results The total effective rate of the study group was higher than that of the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05);After surgery,the pain score,wound bleeding score,degree of hemorrhoid prolapse score,and anal edema score in the study group were lower than those in the control group,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).After operation,the resting anal pressure and AMSP in both groups were obviously reduced,and the study group was lower than the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion The combination of endoscopic sclerosing agent injection combined with ligation for the treatment of internal hemorrhoids has a significant effect,which can improve the recovery of surgical and postoperative related indicators,improve the anal and intestinal dynamics,reduce the score of hemorrhoid prolapse,and have good safety.

Background and aims:Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),which is prevalent worldwide and has a high mortality rate,needs to be effectively diagnosed.We aimed to evaluate the significance of plasma microRNA-15a/16-1(miR-15a/16)as a biomarker of hepatitis B virus-related HCC(HBV-HCC)using the machine learning model.This study was the first large-scale investigation of these two miRNAs in HCC plasma samples. Methods:Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction,we measured the plasma miR-15a/16 levels in a total of 766 participants,including 74 healthy controls,335 with chronic hepatitis B(CHB),47 with compensated liver cirrhosis,and 310 with HBV-HCC.The diagnostic performance of miR-15a/16 was examined using a machine learning model and compared with that of alpha-fetoprotein(AFP).Lastly,to validate the diagnostic efficiency of miR-15a/16,we performed pseudotemporal sorting of the samples to simulate progression from CHB to HCC. Results:Plasma miR-15a/16 was significantly decreased in HCC than in all control groups(P＜0.05 for all).In the training cohort,the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC),sensitivity,and average precision(AP)for the detection of HCC were higher for miR-15a(AUC=0.80,67.3％,AP=0.80)and miR-16(AUC=0.83,79.0％,AP=0.83)than for AFP(AUC=0.74,61.7％,AP=0.72).Combining miR-15a/16 with AFP increased the AUC to 0.86(sensitivity 85.9％)and the AP to 0.85 and was significantly superior to the other markers in this study(P＜0.05 for all),as further demonstrated by the detection error tradeoff curves.Moreover,miR-15a/16 impressively showed potent diagnostic power in early-stage,small-tumor,and AFP-negative HCC.A validation cohort confirmed these results.Lastly,the simulated follow-up of patients further validated the diagnostic efficiency of miR-15a/16. Conclusions:We developed and validated a plasma miR-15a/16-based machine learning model,which exhibited better diagnostic performance for the early diagnosis of HCC compared to that of AFP.

Malocclusion,identified by the World Health Organization(WHO)as one of three major oral diseases,profoundly impacts the dental-maxillofacial functions,facial esthetics,and long-term development of～260 million children in China.Beyond its physical manifestations,malocclusion also significantly influences the psycho-social well-being of these children.Timely intervention in malocclusion can foster an environment conducive to dental-maxillofacial development and substantially decrease the incidence of malocclusion or reduce the severity and complexity of malocclusion in the permanent dentition,by mitigating the negative impact of abnormal environmental influences on the growth.Early orthodontic treatment encompasses accurate identification and treatment of dental and maxillofacial morphological and functional abnormalities during various stages of dental-maxillofacial development,ranging from fetal stages to the early permanent dentition phase.From an economic and societal standpoint,the urgency for effective early orthodontic treatments for malocclusions in childhood cannot be overstated,underlining its profound practical and social importance.This consensus paper discusses the characteristics and the detrimental effects of malocclusion in children,emphasizing critical need for early treatment.It elaborates on corresponding core principles and fundamental approaches in early orthodontics,proposing comprehensive guidance for preventive and interceptive orthodontic treatment,serving as a reference for clinicians engaged in early orthodontic treatment.

Objective: To investigate the use of e-cigarette and analyze its influencing factors among high school students in Wuhan City, so as to provide insights into developing control measures for adolescents. Methods: From September to November 2019, high school students in Wuhan City were selected by the multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling method, and basic information, e-cigarette use and second-hand smoke exposure were collected through questionnaire surveys. Proportions of e-cigarette current use and attempt to use were analyzed, and factors affecting the current use of e-cigarettes were identified using a multivariable logistic regression model. Results: Totally 5 700 questionnaires were allocated, and 5 602 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective rate of 98.28%. The respondents included 2 925 males (52.21%) and 2 677 females (47.79%); 4 033 high school students (71.99%) and 1 569 vocational high school students (28.01%). The proportion of attempt to use e-cigarettes was 9.23%, and the proportion of current e-cigarette use was 2.03%. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified male (OR=2.112, 95%CI: 1.285-3.471), vocational high school (OR=1.967, 95%CI: 1.214-3.186), private high school (OR=9.684, 95%CI: 5.648-16.605), family second-hand smoke exposure (OR=3.064, 95%CI: 1.741-5.392), second-hand smoke exposure in public places (OR=4.402, 95%CI: 1.687-11.484) and having close friends who were smokers (OR=6.432, 95%CI: 3.219-12.852) as factors affecting current e-cigarette use among high school students. Conclusions The proportion of current e-cigarette use among high school students in Wuhan City was 2.03%. Male, vocational high school, private high school, second-hand smoke exposure and having close friends who were smokers may be promoting factors for e-cigarette use.