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.

Objective To externally validate a prediction model based on clinical and CT imaging features for the preoperative identification of high-grade patterns (HGP), such as micropapillary and solid subtypes, in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma, in order to guide clinical treatment decisions. Methods This study conducted an external validation of a previously developed prediction model using a cohort of patients with clinical stage ⅠA lung adenocarcinoma from the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University. The model, which incorporated factors including tumor size, density, and lobulation, was assessed for its discrimination, calibration performance, and clinical impact. Results A total of 650 patients (293 males, 357 females; age range: 30-82 years) were included. The validation showed that the model demonstrated good performance in discriminating HGP (area under the curve>0.7). After recalibration, the model's calibration performance was improved. Decision curve analysis (DCA) indicated that at a threshold probability>0.6, the number of HGP patients predicted by the model closely approximated the actual number of cases. Conclusion This study confirms the effectiveness of a clinical and imaging feature-based prediction model for identifying HGP in stage ⅠA lung adenocarcinoma in a clinical setting. Successful application of this model may be significant for determining surgical strategies and improving patients' prognosis. Despite certain limitations, these findings provide new directions for future research.

Protrusive facial deformities, characterized by the forward displacement of the teeth and/or jaws beyond the normal range, affect a considerable portion of the population. The manifestations and morphological mechanisms of protrusive facial deformities are complex and diverse, requiring orthodontists to possess a high level of theoretical knowledge and practical experience in the relevant orthodontic field. To further optimize the correction of protrusive facial deformities, this consensus proposes that the morphological mechanisms and diagnosis of protrusive facial deformities should be analyzed and judged from multiple dimensions and factors to accurately formulate treatment plans. It emphasizes the use of orthodontic strategies, including jaw growth modification, tooth extraction or non-extraction for anterior teeth retraction, and maxillofacial vertical control. These strategies aim to reduce anterior teeth and lip protrusion, increase chin prominence, harmonize nasolabial and chin-lip relationships, and improve the facial profile of patients with protrusive facial deformities. For severe skeletal protrusive facial deformities, orthodontic-orthognathic combined treatment may be suggested. This consensus summarizes the theoretical knowledge and clinical experience of numerous renowned oral experts nationwide, offering reference strategies for the correction of protrusive facial deformities.
Humans ; Orthodontics, Corrective/methods* ; Consensus ; Malocclusion/therapy* ; Patient Care Planning ; Cephalometry

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

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

OBJECTIVE: Humans are exposed to complex mixtures of environmental chemicals and other factors that can affect their health. Analysis of these mixture exposures presents several key challenges for environmental epidemiology and risk assessment, including high dimensionality, correlated exposure, and subtle individual effects. METHODS: We proposed a novel statistical approach, the generalized functional linear model (GFLM), to analyze the health effects of exposure mixtures. GFLM treats the effect of mixture exposures as a smooth function by reordering exposures based on specific mechanisms and capturing internal correlations to provide a meaningful estimation and interpretation. The robustness and efficiency was evaluated under various scenarios through extensive simulation studies. RESULTS: We applied the GFLM to two datasets from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). In the first application, we examined the effects of 37 nutrients on BMI (2011-2016 cycles). The GFLM identified a significant mixture effect, with fiber and fat emerging as the nutrients with the greatest negative and positive effects on BMI, respectively. For the second application, we investigated the association between four pre- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and gout risk (2007-2018 cycles). Unlike traditional methods, the GFLM indicated no significant association, demonstrating its robustness to multicollinearity. CONCLUSION GFLM framework is a powerful tool for mixture exposure analysis, offering improved handling of correlated exposures and interpretable results. It demonstrates robust performance across various scenarios and real-world applications, advancing our understanding of complex environmental exposures and their health impacts on environmental epidemiology and toxicology.
Humans ; Environmental Exposure/analysis* ; Linear Models ; Nutrition Surveys ; Environmental Pollutants ; Body Mass Index

Objective The occurrence of chickenpox in rapidly developing areas poses substantial seasonal risk to children.However,certain factors influencing local chickenpox outbreaks have not been studied.Here,we examined the relationship between spatial clustering,heterogeneity of chickenpox outbreaks,and socioeconomic factors in Southern China. Methods We assessed chickenpox outbreak data from Southern China between 2006 and 2021,comprising both relatively fast-growing parts and slower sub-regions,and provides a representative sample of many developing regions.We analyzed the spatial clustering attributes associated with chickenpox outbreaks using Moran's I and local indicators of spatial association and quantified their socioeconomic determinants using Geodetector q statistics. Results There were significant spatial heterogeneity in the risk of chickenpox outbreaks,with strong correlations between chickenpox risk and various factors,particularly demographics and living environment.Furthermore,interactive effects among specific are factors,such as population density and per capita residential building area,percentage of households with toilets,percentage of rental housing,exhibited q statistics of 0.28,0.25,and 0.24,respectively. Conclusion This study provides valuable insights into the spatial dynamics of chickenpox outbreaks in rapidly developing regions,revealing the socioeconomic factors affecting disease transmission.These implications extend the formulation of effective public health strategies and interventions to prevent and control chickenpox outbreaks in similar global contexts.

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.