BACKGROUND: Lung cancer has the highest mortality rate among all malignant tumors, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for about 80%-85% of all lung cancers. Lobectomy and lymph node dissection are one of the most important treatment methods, and lymph node dissection, as an important part, has attracted much attention. And its mode and scope of dissection may affect postoperative complications, particularly the occurrence of chronic cough. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of lymph node dissection on postoperative chronic cough in patients with NSCLC undergoing lobectomy, and to provide clinical evidence for optimizing surgical strategy and reducing postoperative chronic cough. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 365 NSCLC patients who underwent lobectomy at the First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China from December 2020 to December 2023. The relationship between clinical characteristics and postoperative chronic cough was analyzed. The Chinese version of the Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ-MC) scores were collected from the patients at 2 time points: 1 day before surgery and 8 weeks after surgery. Patients were divided according to lymph node dissection methods, to explore the relationship between lymph node dissection and chronic cough after lobectomy. Additionally, patients were divided into chronic cough and non-chronic cough groups based on the presence of postoperative chronic cough, to investigate whether perioperative data, lymph node dissection methods, and lymph node dissection regions were influencing factors. RESULTS: Patients undergoing lobectomy were more likely to have chronic cough after surgery in the systematic lymph node dissection group than in the lymph node sampling group (P<0.05). LCQ-MC scale evaluation showed that the psychological, physiological, social and total score of the patients in systematic lymph node dissection group were significantly lower than those in lymph node sampling group (P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that anesthesia time, operation site, lymph node dissection method, whether to perform upper mediastinal lymph node dissection, number of upper mediastinal lymph node dissection, whether to perform lower mediastinal lymph node dissection and total number of lymph node dissection were independent risk factors for postoperative chronic cough in NSCLC patients (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS When NSCLC patients underwent lobectomy, lymph node sampling was associated with a significantly lower risk of chronic cough than systematic lymph node dissection. Dissecting lymph nodes in the upper and lower mediastinal regions and the number of lymph nodes dissected may increase the risk of postoperative cough and reduce the quality of life of patients after surgery.
Humans ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/surgery* ; Male ; Female ; Lung Neoplasms/surgery* ; Middle Aged ; Cough/etiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Lymph Node Excision/methods* ; Aged ; Chronic Disease ; Postoperative Complications/etiology* ; Adult ; Lymph Nodes/surgery* ; Pneumonectomy/adverse effects* ; Chronic Cough

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*

Intentional tooth replantation (ITR) is an advanced treatment modality and the procedure of last resort for preserving teeth with inaccessible endodontic or resorptive lesions. ITR is defined as the deliberate extraction of a tooth; evaluation of the root surface, endodontic manipulation, and repair; and placement of the tooth back into its original socket. Case reports, case series, cohort studies, and randomized controlled trials have demonstrated the efficacy of ITR in the retention of natural teeth that are untreatable or difficult to manage with root canal treatment or endodontic microsurgery. However, variations in clinical protocols for ITR exist due to the empirical nature of the original protocols and rapid advancements in the field of oral biology and dental materials. This heterogeneity in protocols may cause confusion among dental practitioners; therefore, guidelines and considerations for ITR should be explicated. This expert consensus discusses the biological foundation of ITR, the available clinical protocols and current status of ITR in treating teeth with refractory apical periodontitis or anatomical aberration, and the main complications of this treatment, aiming to refine the clinical management of ITR in accordance with the progress of basic research and clinical studies; the findings suggest that ITR may become a more consistent evidence-based option in dental treatment.
Humans ; Tooth Replantation/methods* ; Consensus ; Periapical Periodontitis/surgery*

Pulpitis is a common infective oral disease in clinical situations. The regulatory mechanisms of immune defense in pulpitis are still being investigated. Osteomodulin (OMD) is a small leucine-rich proteoglycan family member distributed in bones and teeth. It is a bioactive protein that promotes osteogenesis and suppresses the apoptosis of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs). In this study, the role of OMD in pulpitis and the OMD-induced regulatory mechanism were investigated. The OMD expression in normal and inflamed human pulp tissues was detected via immunofluorescence staining. Intriguingly, the OMD expression decreased in the inflammatory infiltration area of pulpitis specimens. The cellular experiments demonstrated that recombined human OMD could resist the detrimental effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation. A conditional Omd knockout mouse model with pulpal inflammation was established. LPS-induced inflammatory impairment significantly increased in conditional Omd knockout mice, whereas OMD administration exhibited a protective effect against pulpitis. Mechanistically, the transcriptome alterations of OMD overexpression showed significant enrichment in the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway. Interleukin-1 receptor 1 (IL1R1), a vital membrane receptor activating the NF-κB pathway, was significantly downregulated in OMD-overexpressing hDPSCs. Additionally, the interaction between OMD and IL1R1 was verified using co-immunoprecipitation and molecular docking. In vivo, excessive pulpal inflammation in Omd-deficient mice was rescued using an IL1R antagonist. Overall, OMD played a protective role in the inflammatory response via the IL1R1/NF-κB signaling pathway. OMD may optimize the immunomodulatory functions of hDPSCs and can be used for regenerative endodontics.
Pulpitis/metabolism* ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Animals ; Signal Transduction ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout ; Dental Pulp/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Lipopolysaccharides

Instrument separation is a critical complication during root canal therapy, impacting treatment success and long-term tooth preservation. The etiology of instrument separation is multifactorial, involving the intricate anatomy of the root canal system, instrument-related factors, and instrumentation techniques. Instrument separation can hinder thorough cleaning, shaping, and obturation of the root canal, posing challenges to successful treatment outcomes. Although retrieval of separated instrument is often feasible, it carries risks including perforation, excessive removal of tooth structure and root fractures. Effective management of separated instruments requires a comprehensive understanding of the contributing factors, meticulous preoperative assessment, and precise evaluation of the retrieval difficulty. The application of appropriate retrieval techniques is essential to minimize complications and optimize clinical outcomes. The current manuscript provides a framework for understanding the causes, risk factors, and clinical management principles of instrument separation. By integrating effective strategies, endodontists can enhance decision-making, improve endodontic treatment success and ensure the preservation of natural dentition.
Humans ; Root Canal Therapy/adverse effects* ; Consensus ; Root Canal Preparation/adverse effects*

With the growing emphasis on maternal and child oral health, the significance of managing oral health across preconception, pregnancy, and infancy stages has become increasingly apparent. Oral health challenges extend beyond affecting maternal well-being, exerting profound influences on fetal and neonatal oral development as well as immune system maturation. This expert consensus paper, developed using a modified Delphi method, reviews current research and provides recommendations on maternal and child oral health management. It underscores the critical role of comprehensive oral assessments prior to conception, diligent oral health management throughout pregnancy, and meticulous oral hygiene practices during infancy. Effective strategies should be seamlessly integrated across the life course, encompassing preconception oral assessments, systematic dental care during pregnancy, and routine infant oral hygiene. Collaborative efforts among pediatric dentists, maternal and child health workers, and obstetricians are crucial to improving outcomes and fostering clinical research, contributing to evidence-based health management strategies.
Humans ; Pregnancy ; Female ; Infant ; Consensus ; Mouth Diseases/therapy* ; Pregnancy Complications/therapy* ; Oral Health ; Infant, Newborn ; Delphi Technique ; Oral Hygiene

Background and objective Chronic cough after pulmonary resection is one of the most common complications,which seriously affects the quality of life of patients after surgery.Therefore,the aim of this study is to explore the risk factors of chronic cough after pulmonary resection and construct a prediction model.Methods The clinical data and postoperative cough of 499 patients who underwent pneumonectomy or pulmonary resection in The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China from January 2021 to June 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were randomly divided into training set(n=348)and validation set(n=151)according to the principle of 7:3 randomization.According to whether the patients in the training set had chronic cough after surgery,they were divided into cough group and non-cough group.The Mandarin Chinese version of Leicester cough questionnare(LCQ-MC)was used to assess the severity of cough and its impact on patients'quality of life before and after surgery.The visual analog scale(VAS)and the self-designed numerical rating scale(NRS)were used to evaluate the postoperative chronic cough.Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the independent risk factors and construct a model.Receiver operator characteristic(ROC)curve was used to evaluate the discrimination of the model,and calibration curve was used to evaluate the consistency of the model.The clinical application value of the model was evaluated by decision curve analysis(DCA).Results Multivariate Logistic analysis screened out that preoperative forced expiratory volume in the first second/forced vital capacity(FEV1/FVC),surgical procedure,upper mediastinal lymph node dissection,subcarinal lymph node dissection,and postoperative closed tho-racic drainage time were independent risk factors for postoperative chronic cough.Based on the results of multivariate analysis,a Nomogram prediction model was constructed.The area under the ROC curve was 0.954(95％CI:0.930-0.978),and the cut-off value corresponding to the maximum Youden index was 0.171,with a sensitivity of 94.7％and a specificity of 86.6％.With a Bootstrap sample of 1000 times,the predicted risk of chronic cough after pulmonary resection by the calibration curve was highly consistent with the actual risk.DCA showed that when the preprobability of the prediction model probability was be-tween 0.1 and 0.9,patients showed a positive net benefit.Conclusion Chronic cough after pulmonary resection seriously af-fects the quality of life of patients.The visual presentation form of the Nomogram is helpful to accurately predict chronic cough after pulmonary resection and provide support for clinical decision-making.

Background and objective Cough is one of the main complications after pulmonary surgery,which seriously affects the postoperative quality of life.Preserving the pulmonary branch of vagus nerve may reduce the incidence of postoperative cough.Therefore,the aim of this study was to investigate whether preserving the pulmonary branch of the vagus nerve could reduce the incidence of postoperative chronic cough in patients with stage I peripheral lung adenocarcinoma.Methods A total of 125 patients who underwent single-port thoracoscopic radical resection for lung cancer in the Depart-ment of Thoracic Surgery,The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China from June 2022 to June 2023 were retrospectively selected,and divided into two groups according to whether the vagopulmonary branch was preserved during the operation,namely,the vagopulmonary branch group(n=61)and the traditional group(n=64).The general clinical data,perioperative conditions,lymph node dissection,Mandarin Chinese version of The Leicester Cough Questionnaire(LCQ-MC)scores before and 8 weeks after operation were recorded in the two groups.Both the two groups were divided into tamponade group and non-tamponade group according to whether autologous fat or gelatin sponge was tamponade after lymph node dissection.LCQ-MC scores and postoperative chronic cough of both groups were calculated.Results The LCQ-MC score of the traditional group was significantly lower than that of the vagopulmonary branch group in physiological,psychological,social and total scores at 8 weeks after surgery,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).There were more cough patients in the traditional group than the vagopulmonary branch group at 8 weeks after surgery,with significant difference(P=0.006).Subgroup analysis was conducted separately for the vagopulmonary branch group and the traditional group.Among the patients in the vagopulmonary branch group and the traditional group,the LCQ-MC scores of the non-tamponade group 8 weeks after surgery were lower than those of the tamponade group(P<0.05).There were more patients with cough in the group 8 weeks after surgery than in the tamponade group(P=0.001,P=0.024).Conclusion For patients with stage I peripheral lung adenocarcinoma,the preservation of the pulmonary branch of vagus nerve is safe and effective,which can reduce the incidence of postoperative chronic cough and improve the postoperative quality of life of the patients.

Objective:To investigate the differences in resting-state functional connectivity (FC) between patients with vestibular migraine (VM) and migraine without aura (MwoA) in order to infer the possible neuroimaging mechanisms of VM.Methods:Thirty VM patients admitted to the Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from December 2019 to December 2022 were selected as the experimental group (EG) (6 males and 24 females, with mean age of 38.3 years) and 26 MwoA patients as the control group (7 males and 19 females, mean age 35.5 years). General demographic and clinical data such as gender, age, year of education, course of disease and frequency of attacks were collected for all the patients, as well as data of Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), headache Visual Arialogue Scale (VAS), Headache Impact Test 6 (HIT-6) and Migraine Disability Assessment Questionnaire (MIDAS). VM patients were also assessed by Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), dizziness VAS and Vestibular Disorders Activities of Daily Living (VADL) scales. All patients underwent resting-sate functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) scans. Bilateral parietal opercular cortex 2 (OP2) and primary visual cortex (V1) were used as regions of interests (ROIs). Differences in FC between ROIs and other brain regions were calculated between the two groups. In view of the brain regions with significant differences, z-values of FC were extracted for each subject in the EG, and Pearson partial correlation analysis was conducted between z-values of FC and clinical characteristics of patients, P<0.05 was considered to have significant correlation. SPSS 22.0 was used for statistical analysis. Results:There was no significant difference in gender, age, years of education, course of disease, frequency of attack and scores of MoCA, HAMA and HAMD between the two groups ( P>0.05). Headache VAS, HIT-6 and MIDAS scores in VM patients were significantly lower than those in MwoA patients ( P<0.05). Compared with MwoA patients, the FC between left OP2 and bilateral precuneus and left thalamus was significantly increased in VM patients, and the FC between right OP2 and left thalamus and right anterior cingulate gyrus were significantly increased ( P<0.05, False Discovery Rate correction). Correlation analysis showed that the FC between left OP2 and left precuneus was positively correlated with DHI score in VM patients ( P=0.007, r=0.480), and the FC between right OP2 and left thalamus was positively correlated with the disease course in VM patients ( P=0.015, r=0.439). Conclusions:The pathogenesis of VM may be related to the altered FC of vestibular, pain and visual-motor networks, abnormalities of these neural pathways may be important imaging biomarkers of VM pathogenesis.