Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the tooth-supporting tissues, and it constitutes a major global public health concern. Methylation modifications, including DNA methylation, histone methylation, and RNA m6A modification, represent reversible processes coordinately regulated by methyltransferases, demethylases, and binding proteins. In periodontitis, aberrant methylation modifications suppress Toll-like receptor 2 expression, leading to oral microbial dysbiosis. These modifications further disrupt normal immune regulatory functions through C-C motif chemokine ligands, Fc-γ receptor-mediated phagocytosis, and NF-κB signaling pathways, resulting in localized immune-inflammatory imbalance in periodontal tissues. In addition, various methylation modifications regulate the expression of Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), osteoblast-specific transcription factor Osterix (OSX), and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL), thereby interfering with osteoclast and osteoblast differentiation, disrupting bone homeostasis, and ultimately driving alveolar bone resorption. Methylation-related biomarkers demonstrate promising potential for periodontitis screening and prognostic evaluation. While numerous abnormally methylated sites have been identified in periodontitis, the precise signaling pathways and comprehensive epigenetic regulatory networks remain to be fully elucidated. This review systematically summarizes the functional roles of DNA methylation modifications in the pathogenesis of periodontitis and explores their potential value in etiological studies, diagnostic biomarker discovery, and targeted therapeutic interventions, with the aim of providing novel perspectives for periodontitis prevention and treatment strategies.

Objective To systematically evaluate the self-management behavior transformation experience of cancer patients,providing a basis for the subsequent development of targeted self-management intervention measures.Methods Qualitative studies related to self-management behavior transformation experience of cancer patients from Cochrane Library,CINAHL,Embase,PubMed,Web of science,PsycINFO,and China National Knowledge Infras-tructure,VIP Database,Wanfang Database,and China Biomedical Literature Database were searched by computer,with a search deadline of July 2023.The literature quality evaluation was conducted using the qualitative research quality evaluation standards of the Evidence Based Health Care Center at the Joanna Briggs Institute in Australia,and the results were integrated using a pooled integration method.Results A total of 12 articles were included,and 50 research results were extracted and summarized into 14 new categories.4 integrated results were synthesized,including the forms of self-management behavior transformation,the characteristics of self-management behavior transformation,the driving factors of self-management behavior transformation,and the obstacles to self-management behavior transformation.Conclusion Medical staff should pay attention to the real experience of cancer patients'self-management behavior transformation.Targeted ability cultivation and psychological intervention can be carried out based on the characteristics and influencing factors of cancer patients'self-management behavior transformation,promoting their smooth transformation of self-management behavior.

Objective To explore the correlation between aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index(APRI)and intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy(ICP).Methods A total of 70 pregnant women with ICP who were admitted to the Department of Obstetrics of ChaoHu Hospital of Anhui Medical University from September 2021 to March 2023 were selected as the case group,and 70 healthy pregnant women were selected as the control group.A retrospective study was conducted to collect and analyze the general data and laboratory data of the two groups in the week before delivery.The t-test was used to compare all data between the two groups.Pearson correlation coefficient method were used to analyze the relationship between APRI and total bile acid(TBA),Logistic regression were used to analyze the relationship between APRI and ICP,and the application value of APRI in the diagnosis of ICP was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results The APRI in the ICP group(1.1±1.2),which was significantly higher than that in the control group(0.2±0.1),and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).The APRI in the severe ICP group was(1.9±2.2),which was not significantly different from 0.9±0.7 in the mild ICP group(P＞0.05).In the ICP group,APRI was positively correlated with serum total bile acids(TBA)(r=0.657,P＜0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that APRI was not an independent influencing factor for the occurrence of ICP(P＞0.05).ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve(AUC)of APRI for the diagnosis of ICP was 0.870(P＜0.05).Conclusion APRI has a certain correlation with the occurrence and development of ICP,but the evaluation of ICP has not shown value.

Objective:To investigate the effects and mechanism of metformin on the wound healing of full-thickness skin defects in diabetic rats.Methods:This study was an experimental study. Eighteen 8-week-old male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into control group, diabetes group, and diabetes+metformin group according to complete random grouping method, with 6 rats in each group. The latter two groups of rats were used to create diabetic models, and then four circular full-thickness skin defect wounds with a diameter of 5 mm were made on the back of 18 rats. Metformin F-127 hydrogel was applied only to the wounds of rats in diabetes+metformin group. The wound healing status on post injury day (POD) 7 and 13 was observed and the wound healing rate was calculated. The wound tissue on POD 7 and 13 was collected for hematoxylin-eosin staining to measure the length of re-epithelialized epidermis and calculate the change rates in diameters of epidermal and dermal wounds, for immunohistochemical staining to detect the relative expressions of keratin 10 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and for Western blotting to detect the protein expressions of keratin 10 and PCNA. The sample size in all the above experiments was 8 except that in the last experiment was 3. The correlations between the relative expressions of keratin 10 and PCNA in wound tissue in three groups of rats and their wound healing rates, and the correlation between the relative expressions of keratin 10 and PCNA in wound tissue were analyzed.Results:On POD 7, the wound healing rates of rats in diabetes group and diabetes+metformin group were 81.48% (77.89%, 85.53%) and 93.04% (92.51%, 94.24%), which were significantly lower than 100% (97.17%, 100%) in control group (with Z values of 2.37 and -3.36, respectively, P<0.05); the wound healing rate of rats in diabetes+metformin group was significantly higher than that in diabetes group ( Z=3.45, P<0.05). On POD 13, the wound healing rates of rats in control group and diabetes+metformin group were both 100% (100%, 100%), which were significantly higher than 94.47% (90.68%, 99.82%) in diabetes group (with Z values of 2.90 and -2.90, respectively, P<0.05). On POD 7, the change rates in epidermal wound diameter of rats in control group and diabetes+metformin group were significantly higher than that in diabetes group (with Z values of 3.36 and -2.74, respectively, P<0.05). The change rates in dermal wound diameter of rats in the three groups were similar on POD 7 and 13 ( P>0.05). The lengths of re-epithelialized epidermis of rats in control group and diabetes+metformin group on POD 13 were significantly longer than that in diabetes group (with Z values of 3.34 and -2.64, respectively, P<0.05). The relative expressions of keratin 10 in wound tissue of rats in diabetes group on POD 7 and 13 were significantly higher than those in control group (with Z values of -3.36 and -3.26, respectively, P<0.05) and diabetes+metformin group (with Z values of 3.36 and 3.15, respectively, P<0.05), and the relative expression of keratin 10 in wound tissue of rats in diabetes+metformin group on POD 7 was significantly lower than that in control group ( Z=3.05, P<0.05); the relative expressions of PCNA in wound tissue of rats in diabetes group on POD 7 and 13 were significantly lower than those in control group (with both Z values of 3.36, P<0.05) and diabetes+metformin group (with both Z values of -3.36, P<0.05). The protein expressions of keratin 10 in wound tissue of rats in control group and diabetes+metformin group on POD 7 as well as that in diabetes+metformin group on POD 13 were significantly lower than those in diabetes group ( P<0.05), and the protein expressions of PCNA in wound tissue of rats in control group and diabetes+metformin group on POD 7 were significantly higher than that in diabetes group ( P<0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between the relative expression of keratin 10 in wound tissue and the wound healing rate in control group and diabetes+metformin group of rats (with r values of 0.78 and 0.71, respectively, P<0.05), there was a significant negative correlation between the relative expression of PCNA in wound tissue and the wound healing rate in diabetes+metformin group of rats ( r=-0.60, P<0.05), and there was a significant negative correlation between the relative expressions of PCNA and keratin 10 in wound tissue of rats in diabetes group and diabetes+metformin group (with r values of -0.41 and -0.49, respectively, P<0.05). Conclusions:The diabetic rats with full-thickness skin defect wound exhibit delayed healing, accompanied by up-regulation of keratin 10 and down-regulation of PCNA in keratinocytes in the wound tissue. Metformin can promote wound healing in diabetic rats with full-thickness skin defects by down-regulating keratin 10 expression and up-regulating PCNA expression in keratinocytes in the wound tissue, and the wound healing rate was positively correlated with the expression of keratin 10 and negatively correlated with the expression of PCNA.

Objective To explore the value of dual-phase enhanced CT radiomics in predicting post-acute pancreatitis diabetes mellitus(PPDM-A).Methods A total of 145 patients with acute pancreatitis(AP)were retrospectively collected,including 62 patients in PPDM-A group and 83 patients in non-PPDM-A group.The patients were randomly divided into training set and test set at a ratio of 7︰3,the pancreatic parenchyma in arterial phase and venous phase was delineated and the radiomics features were extracted.Vari-ance threshold method,univariate selection method and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)were used to screen radiomics features.The prediction performance of the model was evaluated by the area under the curve(AUC).The DeLong test was used to compare the prediction efficiency between the models,and the calibration curve and decision curve were used to evaluate the prediction efficiency of the model.Results The AUC of arterial phase model,venous phase model,combined arterial venous phase model,clinical model and radiomics combined clinical model in the training set were 0.845,0.792,0.829,0.656 and 0.862,respec-tively.The DeLong test results showed that only the difference between the radiomics combined clinical model and the clinical model in the training set and the test set was statistically significant(P<0.05).The decision curve showed that the radiomics combined clinical model had high clinical practicability in a certain range,and the calibration curve showed that the radiomics combined clinical model had the best fitting degree with the actual observation value.Conclusion Based on the dual-phase enhanced CT radiomics combined clinical model,PPDM-A can be predicted more accurately,and it can provide a certain reference value for the clinical development of per-sonalized treatment programs.

Objective:To investigate the imaging quality of CBCT under different exposure parameters and the relationship between subjective and objective evaluation.Methods:CBCT scanners of 6 different suppliers[3D Accuitomo(Morita),i-mCAT(Kavo),5G(NewTom),Smart3D(Beijing Langshi),DCT Pro(Vatech),Vgi(NewTom)]were used to scan the spatial resolution models and head simulators under typical exposure conditions(different device with different tube voltage and current for exposure).The visibility of SedentexCT IQ phantom and anatomical structures generated by different CBCT scanners were compared.For objective evaluation,7 professional evaluators scored CBCT imaging qualities.For subjective evaluation,the resolution(LP/mm)of the images were com-pared among the devices.Results:No significant difference was found by 7 evaluators either intra or inter of the teams.By objective e-valuation,the score of NewTom 5G was 2,that of i-CAT was 5 and that of the others was 4.By subjective evaluation,the LP/mm of i-CAT was 1.8,that of Smart3D was 2.0 and that of the others was 1.0-1.7.The subjective evaluation of image quality obtained un-der different tube voltages and tube currents were significantly different.Conclusion:The subjective and objective evaluations of image quality are approximately consistent.The difference of the subjective image quality may be produced by the different tube voltage and current for exposure.

BACKGROUND:Excessive accumulation of uric acid in the body can lead to diseases such as hyperuricemia and gout,which is a risk factor for cardiovascular and renal dysfunction.Many sports medicine organizations at home and abroad advocate the formulation of exercise prescription to prevent and treat chronic diseases,but this method has not been effectively carried out in the prevention and treatment of hyperuricemia. OBJECTIVE:Based on an overview of the formation of hyperuricemia and the regulation of uric acid by exercise and its related mechanisms,to condense a program suitable for popular exercise to prevent and assist in the treatment of hyperuricemia,and to propose precautions to be taken when exercising for patients with different stages of hyperuricemia. METHODS:PubMed and CNKI were searched for relevant literature published before October 2023 using the keywords of"uric acid,gout,aerobic exercise,strength training,high-intensity interval training,obesity"in English and Chinese,respectively.Initial screening was done by reading the titles and abstracts to exclude repetitive studies and literature with irrelevant content,and finally 64 papers were included for review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The formation of hyperuricemia is caused by excessive synthesis of uric acid by the liver,insufficient excretion by the kidneys,or both.Exercise can improve the uric acid level in the body by regulating the activity of antioxidant enzymes,the expression of uric acid excretion protein and lipid metabolism.Aerobic exercise,strength training,high-intensity intermittent exercise can effectively regulate uric acid levels,reduce inflammation,promote the expression of uric acid excretion protein and lipid metabolism,and achieve good results in the prevention and treatment of hyperuricemia.Currently,there is a lack of research on the mechanisms underlying direct regulation of uric acid levels by exercise,and future studies need to explore in greater depth the possible mechanisms of regulation of uric acid levels by exercise and refine the effects of different exercise modalities on patients with different characteristics of hyperuricemia.

In the context of delayed marriage and parenthood, decreased willingness in having children, and population aging in China, maternal and child health has become an important and urgent issue. Being essential platforms for research in maternal and child health, the importance of birth cohorts has been widely recognized. In the past 20 years, tens of birth cohorts have been established in major cities and regions of China, with cohorts ranging from thousands to hundreds of thousands. These cohorts, particularly those large ones launched in recent years, have collected a wide spectrum of data and biological samples from mothers and children. Although they have made considerable preliminary achievements, there remain difficulties and challenges. The significant challenges include small and medium-sized cohorts' lacking of clear research themes; insufficient recognition of and emphasis on behavioral and social determinants of health while emphasizing biological determinants of health; variations in types of variables and quality of data collected, which make it difficult for cohorts to be merged and shared; lack of and difficulties in long-term follow-up; significant uncertainties in resources for long-term sustention of the cohorts, and so on. So, we argue that birth cohorts should focus on essential and urgent issues in maternal and child health in the country and seek recognition and support from the government and the entire society. Last but not least, the overall success of birth cohorts in the country requires scientists to be not only academically capable, but also realistic, persistent, altruistic, and collaborative.

Flubromazolam(Flub)is a novel psychoactive substance of benzodiazepines and the mechanism underlying its addiction still remains elusive.This study investigated the reward effect of Flub using conditioned place preference(CPP)mouse model.The neuronal activity was evaluated by c-Fos expression,and the neural circuit was tracked by virus tracing.This study also investigated the regulatory effect of neural circuits on Flub-induced reward effects through chemogenetic approach.The results showed that,at the dose of 3 mg/kg,Flub significantly increased CPP score and c-Fos expression in dopaminergic(DA)neurons of ventral tegmental area(VTA).Inhibition of VTA dopaminergic neuron activity dramatically decreased Flub-induced CPP score.Virus tracing verified GABAergic neuronal projection of medial rostrum tegmental nucleus(RMTg)to VTA dopaminergic neurons.Activation of RMTgGABA→VTADA circuit or blockade of benzodiazepine receptors(BZR)in RMTg significantly decreased Flub-induced CPP score.These results indicate that Flub produced reward effect via BZR-mediated RMTgGABA→VTADA circuit.

Post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) is a common complication after stroke, which has high disability rate and mortality rate, and can affect the patient′s daily living ability and quality of life. Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) has the advantages of non-invasiveness, safety, and ease of operation, and is easily accepted by patients. NIBS has a good application prospect in the treatment of PSCI, especially the representative treatment repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) such as have good clinical application effects. At present, there is no standardized treatment plan for NIBS, and there are large individual differences in therapeutic effects. This study reviewed the mechanism and clinical application of NIBS in the treatment of PSCI, and discussed the future application direction of NIBS.