Learning-associated functional plasticity at hippocampal synapses remains largely unexplored. Here, in a single session of reward-based trace conditioning, we examine learning-induced synaptic plasticity in the dorsal CA1 hippocampus (dCA1). Local field-potential recording combined with selective optogenetic inhibition first revealed an increase of dCA1 synaptic responses to the conditioned stimulus (CS) induced during conditioning at both Schaffer collaterals to the stratum radiatum (Rad) and temporoammonic input to the lacunosum moleculare (LMol). At these dCA1 inputs, synaptic potentiation of CS-responding excitatory synapses was further demonstrated by locally blocking NMDA receptors during conditioning and whole-cell recording sensory-evoked synaptic responses in dCA1 neurons from naive animals. An overall similar time course of the induction of synaptic potentiation was found in the Rad and LMol by multiple-site recording; this emerged later and saturated earlier than conditioned behavioral responses. Our experiments demonstrate a cued memory-associated dCA1 synaptic plasticity induced at both Schaffer collaterals and temporoammonic pathways.
Animals ; CA1 Region, Hippocampal/physiology* ; Male ; Association Learning/physiology* ; Neuronal Plasticity/physiology* ; Cues ; Memory/physiology* ; Synapses/physiology* ; Conditioning, Classical/physiology* ; Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials/physiology* ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate/antagonists & inhibitors* ; Rats ; Optogenetics

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*

Developing and implementing biosafety standards for pathogenic microbiology laboratories is essential to achieving scientific, efficient, and standardized management and operation. This article analyzes the current standardization construction in biosafety in pathogenic microbiology laboratories domestically and internationally. It proposes a framework for the biosafety standard system of pathogenic microbiology laboratories, which mainly includes four parts: basic standards, management standards, technical standards, and industry applications. It provides a reference for the standardization work of pathogenic microbiology laboratories and helps to standardize the biosafety industry in China.

The limitations of antifungal drugs and severe drug resistance make the treatment of invasive fungal infections (IFIs) a great challenge. Itraconazole (ITZ), as a clinical first-line drug, has a wide range of antifungal activity, but it is still limited by adverse reactions such as liver and kidney toxicity, headache and abdominal pain due to its poor water solubility and easy to cause drug accumulation by injection. In this study, the amphiphilic polymer gallic acid-chitosan-cinnamaldehyde (GA-CS-CN) was prepared by amide reaction and Schiff-base reaction. The drug-loaded nanoparticles (GA-CS-CN/ITZ) were prepared by ultrasonic method. The properties of nanoparticles formulations and its in vitro antifungal activity were investigated in the study. Studies have shown that GA-CS-CN/ITZ is spherical, homogeneous and stable, and has good biological safety. The average particle size was 239.57 ± 31.37 nm, ITZ encapsulation efficiency was (93.41 ± 1.12)%, and the cumulative drug release was (62.25 ± 1.88)% at 48 h in vitro. The antifungal activity results of Candida albicans ATCC 10231 (C. albicans) showed that it had the optimal antifungal effect and could significantly enhance the antifungal activity of free drugs. GA-CS-CN/ITZ prepared in this study has excellent biological safety and anti-C. albicans performance, which provides a new choice for the treatment of C. albicans infection and has good application potential in the treatment of this fungal infection.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of Lutongning granules in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia in animal models and study its mechanism of action， so as to provide laboratory data support for the clinical application of Lutongning granules and precise treatment. MethodMale SD rats were randomly divided into normal group， model group， carbamazepine group （0.06 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， high-dose Lutongning group （2.70 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， and low-dose Lutongning group （1.35 g·kg^-1·d^-1） according to the stratified basic mechanical pain thresholds， with 10 rats in each group. A trigeminal neuralgia model of rats was prepared by injecting 30% talc suspension into the infraorbital foramen area of the rat. The drug groups were administered 10 mL·kg^-1 of drugs by gavage after 2 h of modeling. The normal group and the model group were administered distilled water by gavage under the same conditions once a day for 10 consecutive days. Von Frey brushes were used to determine the mechanical pain threshold of rats. A fully automated blood and body fluid analyzer was employed to detect the blood routine of rats. Hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining was utilized to detect the pathological changes in the trigeminal ganglion and medulla oblongata tissue. Transmission electron microscopy was used to scan the ultrastructure of the medulla oblongata tissue. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the levels of inflammatory factors interleukin （IL）-1， IL-6， IL-8， tumor necrosis factor （TNF）-α， neuropeptide substance P， and β-endorphins （β-EP） in the serum of rats， and Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of IL-1β， purinergic receptor P2X7 （P2X7R）， and phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （p-p38 MAPK）. ResultCompared with that in the normal group， the pain threshold of rats in the model group was significantly lower （P<0.01）. The absolute value of neutrophils （NEUT#） and the percentage of neutrophils （NEUT） were significantly improved， and the percentage of lymphocytes （LYMPH） was significantly reduced （P<0.01）. The serum levels of IL-1， IL-6， IL-8， and TNF-α were significantly increased （P<0.01）. SP content in brain tissue was significantly increased， and β-EP content was significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The relative protein expression of IL-1β， P2X7R， and p-p38 MAPK was significantly increased （P<0.05）. HE staining and transmission electron microscopy results of medulla oblongata tissue revealed neuronal degeneration， mild proliferation of microglial cells， reduction in the number of myelinated nerves， and obvious demyelination. The trigeminal nerve fibers of rats were disarranged， and some nerve fibers showed vacuolization. Axons were swollen， and Schwann cells proliferated. Demyelination was observed. Compared with the model group， each administration group significantly increased the pain threshold of rats （P<0.05， P<0.01）， reduced NEUT# and NEUT， and elevated LYMPH （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The administration group significantly decreased the levels of IL-1， IL-6， IL-8， and TNF-α in serum and SP in brain tissue （P<0.01） and increased the level of β-EP （P<0.01）. They significantly down-regulated the protein expression of IL-1β， P2X7R， and p-p38 MAPK（P<0.05， P<0.01） and significantly ameliorated the pathological changes in medulla oblongata tissue and trigeminal nerves of rats. ConclusionLutongning Granules had significant therapeutic effects on trigeminal neuralgia induced by injection of talc into the infraorbital foramen of model rats， and the mechanism may be related to amelioration of P2X7R-mediated neuroinflammation and inhibition of demyelination of myelinated nerves.

Objective To investigate the effects of different sterilization methods on the quality of Astragali Radix decoction pieces by comparing the properties,odor,fingerprint,sterilization effect,extract and active component contents of Astragali Radix decoction pieces,and to further optimize the best sterilization process parameters of Astragali Radix decoction pieces.Methods The effects of moist heat sterilization,irradiation sterilization and dry heat sterilization on the quality of Astragali Radix decoction pieces were compared,and the best sterilization method was selected.Based on this,taking the content of astragaloside IV,the content of isoflavone glucoside,the total content of the two and the sterilization rate as the assessment indicators,taking the sterilization temperature,sterilization time and material thickness as the assessment factors,on the basis of the single-factor test,the response surface method was used to optimize the optimal dry heat sterilization process of Astragali Radix decoction pieces.Results The dry heat sterilization method was selected to sterilize Astragali Radix decoction pieces.The best process for dry heat sterilization was as follows:the sterilization temperature of 113℃,sterilization time of 5.1 h,and the material thickness of 19 mm.Conclusion Considering the sterilization effect,the influence on the content of active ingredients,operability and cost,selecting dry heat sterilization is the best sterilization method for Astragali Radix decoction pieces,and the optimal sterilization process is stable and feasible,with good repeatability,which can provide scientific basis for its industrial production application.

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) diseases are common clinical conditions. The number of patients with TMJ diseases is large, and the etiology, epidemiology, disease spectrum, and treatment of the disease remain controversial and unknown. To understand and master the current situation of the occurrence, development and prevention of TMJ diseases, as well as to identify the patterns in etiology, incidence, drug sensitivity, and prognosis is crucial for alleviating patients′suffering.This will facilitate in-depth medical research, effective disease prevention measures, and the formulation of corresponding health policies. Cohort construction and research has an irreplaceable role in precise disease prevention and significant improvement in diagnosis and treatment levels. Large-scale cohort studies are needed to explore the relationship between potential risk factors and outcomes of TMJ diseases, and to observe disease prognoses through long-term follw-ups. The consensus aims to establish a standard conceptual frame work for a cohort study on patients with TMJ disease while providing ideas for cohort data standards to this condition. TMJ disease cohort data consists of both common data standards applicable to all specific disease cohorts as well as disease-specific data standards. Common data were available for each specific disease cohort. By integrating different cohort research resources, standard problems or study variables can be unified. Long-term follow-up can be performed using consistent definitions and criteria across different projects for better core data collection. It is hoped that this consensus will be facilitate the development cohort studies of TMJ diseases.

Clinical researches including the Mayo Anesthesia Safety in Kids (MASK) study have found that children undergoing multiple anesthesia may have a higher risk of fine motor control difficulties. However, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we report that erythropoietin receptor (EPOR), a microglial receptor associated with phagocytic activity, was significantly downregulated in the medial prefrontal cortex of young mice after multiple sevoflurane anesthesia exposure. Importantly, we found that the inhibited erythropoietin (EPO)/EPOR signaling axis led to microglial polarization, excessive excitatory synaptic pruning, and abnormal fine motor control skills in mice with multiple anesthesia exposure, and those above-mentioned situations were fully reversed by supplementing EPO-derived peptide ARA290 by intraperitoneal injection. Together, the microglial EPOR was identified as a key mediator regulating early synaptic development in this study, which impacted sevoflurane-induced fine motor dysfunction. Moreover, ARA290 might serve as a new treatment against neurotoxicity induced by general anesthesia in clinical practice by targeting the EPO/EPOR signaling pathway.
Animals ; Sevoflurane/toxicity* ; Microglia/drug effects* ; Anesthetics, Inhalation/adverse effects* ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Receptors, Erythropoietin/metabolism* ; Neuronal Plasticity/drug effects* ; Male ; Prefrontal Cortex/drug effects* ; Erythropoietin/pharmacology* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects*

Objective: This cross-sectional investigation aimed to determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, prognosis, and related risk factors of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain in mainland China. Methods: Data of patients with SARS-CoV-2 from December 28, 2022, to February 21, 2023, were collected through online and offline questionnaires from 45 tertiary hospitals and one center for disease control and prevention in mainland China. The questionnaire included demographic information, previous health history, smoking and alcohol drinking, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, olfactory and gustatory function before and after infection, other symptoms after infection, as well as the duration and improvement of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction. The self-reported olfactory and gustatory functions of patients were evaluated using the Olfactory VAS scale and Gustatory VAS scale. Results: A total of 35 566 valid questionnaires were obtained, revealing a high incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain (67.75%). Females(χ2=367.013, P<0.001) and young people(χ2=120.210, P<0.001) were more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Gender(OR=1.564, 95%CI: 1.487-1.645), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), oral health status (OR=0.881, 95%CI: 0.839-0.926), smoking history (OR=1.152, 95%CI=1.080-1.229), and drinking history (OR=0.854, 95%CI: 0.785-0.928) were correlated with the occurrence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2(above P<0.001). 44.62% (4 391/9 840) of the patients who had not recovered their sense of smell and taste also suffered from nasal congestion, runny nose, and 32.62% (3 210/9 840) suffered from dry mouth and sore throat. The improvement of olfactory and taste functions was correlated with the persistence of accompanying symptoms(χ2=10.873, P=0.001). The average score of olfactory and taste VAS scale was 8.41 and 8.51 respectively before SARS-CoV-2 infection, but decreased to3.69 and 4.29 respectively after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and recovered to 5.83and 6.55 respectively at the time of the survey. The median duration of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions was 15 days and 12 days, respectively, with 0.5% (121/24 096) of patients experiencing these dysfunctions for more than 28 days. The overall self-reported improvement rate of smell and taste dysfunctions was 59.16% (14 256/24 096). Gender(OR=0.893, 95%CI: 0.839-0.951), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), history of head and facial trauma(OR=1.180, 95%CI: 1.036-1.344, P=0.013), nose (OR=1.104, 95%CI: 1.042-1.171, P=0.001) and oral (OR=1.162, 95%CI: 1.096-1.233) health status, smoking history(OR=0.765, 95%CI: 0.709-0.825), and the persistence of accompanying symptoms (OR=0.359, 95%CI: 0.332-0.388) were correlated with the recovery of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2 (above P<0.001 except for the indicated values). Conclusion: The incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain is high in mainland China, with females and young people more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Active and effective intervention measures may be required for cases that persist for a long time. The recovery of olfactory and taste functions is influenced by several factors, including gender, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status, history of head and facial trauma, nasal and oral health status, smoking history, and persistence of accompanying symptoms.
Female ; Humans ; Adolescent ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Smell ; COVID-19/complications* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; COVID-19 Vaccines ; Incidence ; Olfaction Disorders/etiology* ; Taste Disorders/etiology* ; Prognosis