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*

Nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA), one of the most severe types of male infertility, etiology often remains unclear in most cases. Therefore, this study aimed to detect four biallelic detrimental variants (0.5%) in the minichromosome maintenance domain containing 2 ( MCMDC2 ) genes in 768 NOA patients by whole-exome sequencing (WES). Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) demonstrated that MCMDC2 deleterious variants caused meiotic arrest in three patients (c.1360G>T, c.1956G>T, and c.685C>T) and hypospermatogenesis in one patient (c.94G>T), as further confirmed through immunofluorescence (IF) staining. The single-cell RNA sequencing data indicated that MCMDC2 was substantially expressed during spermatogenesis. The variants were confirmed as deleterious and responsible for patient infertility through bioinformatics and in vitro experimental analyses. The results revealed four MCMDC2 variants related to NOA, which contributes to the current perception of the function of MCMDC2 in male fertility and presents new perspectives on the genetic etiology of NOA.
Humans ; Male ; Azoospermia/genetics* ; Meiosis/genetics* ; Spermatogenesis/genetics* ; Adult ; Exome Sequencing ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins/genetics* ; Alleles ; Infertility, Male/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of bear bile powder (BBP) on acute lung injury (ALI) and the underlying mechanism. METHODS: The chemical constituents of BBP were analyzed by ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS). After 7 days of adaptive feeding, 50 mice were randomly divided into 5 groups by a random number table (n=10): normal control (NC), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), dexamethasone (Dex), low-, and high-dose BBP groups. The dosing cycle was 9 days. On the 12th and 14th days, 20 µL of Staphylococcus aureus solution (bacterial concentration of 1 × 10^-7 CFU/mL) was given by nasal drip after 1 h of intragastric administration, and the mice in the NC group was given the same dose of phosphated buffered saline (PBS) solution. On the 16th day, after 1 h intragastric administration, 100 µL of LPS solution (1 mg/mL) was given by tracheal intubation, and the same dose of PBS solution was given to the NC group. Lung tissue was obtained to measure the myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, the lung wet/dry weight ratio and expressions of CD14 and other related proteins. The lower lobe of the right lung was obtained for pathological examination. The concentrations of inflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-6, tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α ) and IL-1β in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, and the number of neutrophils was counted. The colonic contents of the mice were analyzed by 16 sRNA technique and the contents of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were measured by gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). RESULTS: UPLC-MS revealed that the chemical components of BBP samples were mainly tauroursodeoxycholic acid and taurochenodeoxycholic acid sodium salt. BBP reduced the activity of MPO, concentrations of inflammatory cytokines, and inhibited the expression of CD14 protein, thus suppressing the activation of NF-κB pathway (P<0.05). The lung histopathological results indicated that BBP significantly reduced the degree of neutrophil infiltration, cell shedding, necrosis, and alveolar cavity depression. Moreover, BBP effectively regulated the composition of the intestinal microflora and increased the production of SCFAs, which contributed to its treatment effect (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS BBP alleviates lung injury in ALI mouse through inhibiting activation of NF-κB pathway and decreasing expression of CD14 protein. BBP may promote recovery of ALI by improving the structure of intestinal flora and enhancing metabolic function of intestinal flora.
Animals ; Acute Lung Injury/pathology* ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Ursidae ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Bile/chemistry* ; Lipopolysaccharide Receptors/metabolism* ; Powders ; Male ; Lung/drug effects* ; Mice ; Peroxidase/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Cytokines/metabolism*

With the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence(GAI)technologies,their widespread application in academic research and writing is continuously expanding the boundaries of sci-entific inquiry.However,this trend has also raised a series of ethical and regulatory challenges,inclu-ding issues related to authorship,content authenticity,citation accuracy,and accountability.In light of the growing involvement of AI in generating academic content,establishing an open,controllable,and trustworthy ethical governance framework has become a key task for safeguarding research integrity and maintaining trust within the academic community.This expert consensus outlines ethical requirements across key stages of AI-assisted academic writing-including topic selection,data management,citation practices,and authorship attribution.It aims to clarify the boundaries and ethical obligations surrounding AI use in academic writing,ensuring that technological tools enhance efficiency without compromising in-tegrity.The goal is to provide guidance and institutional support for building a responsible and sustainable research ecosystem.

With the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence(GAI)technologies,their widespread application in academic research and writing is continuously expanding the boundaries of sci-entific inquiry.However,this trend has also raised a series of ethical and regulatory challenges,inclu-ding issues related to authorship,content authenticity,citation accuracy,and accountability.In light of the growing involvement of AI in generating academic content,establishing an open,controllable,and trustworthy ethical governance framework has become a key task for safeguarding research integrity and maintaining trust within the academic community.This expert consensus outlines ethical requirements across key stages of AI-assisted academic writing-including topic selection,data management,citation practices,and authorship attribution.It aims to clarify the boundaries and ethical obligations surrounding AI use in academic writing,ensuring that technological tools enhance efficiency without compromising in-tegrity.The goal is to provide guidance and institutional support for building a responsible and sustainable research ecosystem.

Objective To analyze the active components and mechanism of action of Houttuyniae Herba-Leonuri Herba in treating systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE).Methods The main chemical components of Houttuyniae Herba-Leonuri Herba and their targets through Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform(TCMSP)were obtained,and the active components of the Chinese medicine according to ADME were screened;the potential therapeutic targets of SLE through Genecards database were obtained.The protein-protein interactions(PPI)network was constructed by using the STRING 12.0 database,and the potential protein functional modules in the network was mined.The molecular docking technique was used to further validate the action mechanism of components and targets which played a therapeutic role.Results A total of 198 Houttuyniae Herba-Leonuri Herba-SLE intersection targets were obtained.Core active ingredients such as isothermalone,iso-preleoheterin,kaempferol,and quercetin and core targets such as IL6,AKT1,SRC,STAT3 and EGFR were screened out.A total of 1 001 entries were screened by Gene Ontology(GO)functional enrichment analysis,which were mainly related to the reaction of proteins and their kinases,and inflammation,etc..A total of 166 pathways were enriched in Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG),including cancer pathway,PI3K-Akt signaling pathway,neuroactive ligand-receptor pathway,and so on.Molecular docking results showed that the core active components of Houttuyniae Herba-Leonuri Herba had great binding activities with their core targets,which preliminarily verified the above network pharmacology results.Conclusion Houttuyniae Herba-Leonuri Herba may exerts a therapeutic effect on SLE through core ingredients such as isothermalone acting on core targets such as IL6,AKT1,SRC,STAT3 and EGFR,and regulating cancer pathway,PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction.

Endodontic diseases are a kind of chronic infectious oral disease.Common endodontic treatment concepts are based on the removal of inflamed or necrotic pulp tissue and the replacement by gutta-percha.However,it is very essential for endodontic treatment to debride the root canal system and prevent the root canal system from bacterial reinfection after root canal therapy(RCT).Recent research,encompassing bacterial etiology and advanced imaging techniques,contributes to our understanding of the root canal system's anatomy intricacies and the technique sensitivity of RCT.Success in RCT hinges on factors like patients,infection severity,root canal anatomy,and treatment techniques.Therefore,improving disease management is a key issue to combat endodontic diseases and cure periapical lesions.The clinical difficulty assessment system of RCT is established based on patient conditions,tooth conditions,root canal configuration,and root canal needing retreatment,and emphasizes pre-treatment risk assessment for optimal outcomes.The findings suggest that the presence of risk factors may correlate with the challenge of achieving the high standard required for RCT.These insights contribute not only to improve education but also aid practitioners in treatment planning and referral decision-making within the field of endodontics.

Aim To express and purify rhα-Gal A with a 6 X His tag via using a serum-free expression system in high-density suspension culture of Chinese hamster ovary cells ( CHO-S) , and to verify the scavenging effect of rhα-Gal A on globular trisaccharide ceramide (Gb3 or GL3) . Methods The construction of recombinant protein expression vector, pcDNA4-GLA, was achieved by fusing the human α-galactosidase cDNA, gla, with 6 X His tag and artificial DNA synthesis. The expression plasmid was transfected into the suspended CHO-S to express rhα-Gal A and then purified. Following this procedure, we determined rhα-Gal A's expression, the enzymatic activity, and the glycosylation of the recombinant enzyme. Co-incubation with cultured cells was performed to examine whether rhα-Gal A could be taken up into the cells and effectively remove Gb3 substrates. Results rhα-Gal A was successfully expressed and purified after transiently transfecting pcDNA4-GLA into the suspended CHO-S, and the yield was up to (100 ±20. 6) mg • L

Lilii Bulbus is a commonly used Chinese herbal medicine with both medicinal and edible values, while the market products usually has the problem of sulfur fumigation. Therefore, the quality and safety of Lilii Bulbus products deserve attention. In this study, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-time of flight-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) was combined with principal component analysis(PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) to analyze the differential components of Lilii Bulbus before and after sulfur fumigation. We identified ten markers generated after sulfur fumigation, summarized their mass fragmentation and transformation patterns, and verified the structures of phenylacrylic acid markers of sulfur fumigation. At the same time, the cytotoxicity of the aqueous extracts of Lilii Bulbus before and after sulfur fumigation was evaluated. The results showed that in the concentration range of 0-800 mg·L~(-1), the aqueous extract of Lilii Bulbus after sulfur fumigation had no significant effect on the viability of human liver LO2 cells, human renal proximal tubular HK-2 cells, and rat adrenal pheochromocytoma PC-12 cells. Moreover, the viability of the cells exposed to the aqueous extract of Lilii Bulbus before and after sulfur fumigation showed no significant difference. This study identified phenylacrylic acid and furostanol saponins as markers of sulfur-fumigated Lilii Bulbus for the first time, and made clear that proper sulfur fumigation of Lilii Bulbus would not produce cytotoxicity, providing a theoretical basis for the rapid identification and quality and safety control of sulfur-fumigated Lilii Bulbus.
Humans ; Animals ; Rats ; Fumigation ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Epithelial Cells ; Sulfur

Objective: To systematically study the anti-fibrotic effect of N-acetyl-seryl-as partyl-lysyl-proline (Ac-SDKP) on pulmonary fibrosis. Methods: In May 2021, a computer search was performed on CNKI, Wanfang Knowledge Service Platform, VIP.com, China Biomedical Literature Database, Pubmed, OVID and other databases. The retrieval time was from January 2008 to May 2021. Randomized controlled experiments on the inhibition of pulmonary fibrosis by Ac-SDKP were screened. The control group was the pulmonary fibrosis model group and the experimental group was the Ac-SDKP treatment group. The quality of the literature was assessed using the syrcle risk of bias assessment tool, and data were extracted. Data analysis was Performed using revman 5.4 software. Results: 18 papers were included, with a total of 428 animal models. The results of meta analysis showed that the contents of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), type I collagen, type Ⅲ collagen, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and Nodule area in the exPerimental group were lower than those in the control grouP. [SMD=-2.44, 95%CI (-3.71--1.17), P=0.000][SMD=-5.36, 95%CI (-7.13--3.59), P=0.000] [SMD=-3.07, 95%CI (-4.13--2.02), P<0.000][SMD=-2.88, 95%CI (-3.63--2.14), P=0.000] [SMD=-1.80, 95%CI (-2.42--1.18), P=0.000], the content of hydroxy proline in the experimental group was higher than that in the control group [SMD=7.62, 95%CI (4.90-10.33), P=0.000], all indexes included in the literature were statistically significant. Conclusion: Ac-SDKP has obvious inhibitory effect on the process of pulmonary fibrosis, and may become a new clinical drug for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis.
Rats ; Animals ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; Rats, Wistar ; Fibrosis ; Disease Models, Animal ; Proline