Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an increasingly widespread sleep-breathing disordered disease, and is an independent risk factor for many high-risk chronic diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, arrhythmias and diabetes, which is potentially fatal. The key to the prevention and treatment of OSA is early diagnosis and treatment, so the assessment and diagnostic technologies of OSA have become a research hotspot. This paper reviews the research progresses of severity assessment parameters and diagnostic technologies of OSA, and discusses their future development trends. In terms of severity assessment parameters of OSA, apnea hypopnea index (AHI), as the gold standard, together with the percentage of duration of apnea hypopnea (AH%), lowest oxygen saturation (LSpO₂), heart rate variability (HRV), oxygen desaturation index (ODI) and the emerging biomarkers, constitute a multi-dimensional evaluation system. Specifically, the AHI, which measures the frequency of sleep respiratory events per hour, does not fully reflect the patients’ overall sleep quality or the extent of their daytime functional impairments. To address this limitation, the AH%, which measures the proportion of the entire sleep cycle affected by apneas and hypopneas, deepens our understanding of the impact on sleep quality. The LSpO₂ plays a critical role in highlighting the potential severe hypoxic episodes during sleep, while the HRV offers a different perspective by analyzing the fluctuations in heart rate thereby revealing the activity of the autonomic nervous system. The ODI provides a direct and objective measure of patients’ nocturnal oxygenation stability by calculating the number of desaturation events per hour, and the biomarkers offers novel insights into the diagnosis and management of OSA, and fosters the development of more precise and tailored OSA therapeutic strategies. In terms of diagnostic techniques of OSA, the standardized questionnaire and Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) is a simple and effective method for preliminary screening of OSA, and the polysomnography (PSG) which is based on recording multiple physiological signals stands for gold standard, but it has limitations of complex operations, high costs and inconvenience. As a convenient alternative, the home sleep apnea testing (HSAT) allows patients to monitor their sleep with simplified equipment in the comfort of their own homes, and the cardiopulmonary coupling (CPC) offers a minimal version that simply analyzes the electrocardiogram (ECG) signals. As an emerging diagnostic technology of OSA, machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) adeptly pinpoint respiratory incidents and expose delicate physiological changes, thus casting new light on the diagnostic approach to OSA. In addition, imaging examination utilizes detailed visual representations of the airway’s structure and assists in recognizing structural abnormalities that may result in obstructed airways, while sound monitoring technology records and analyzes snoring and breathing sounds to detect the condition subtly, and thus further expands our medical diagnostic toolkit. As for the future development directions, it can be predicted that interdisciplinary integrated researches, the construction of personalized diagnosis and treatment models, and the popularization of high-tech in clinical applications will become the development trends in the field of OSA evaluation and diagnosis.

Eight amide alkaloids(1-8) were isolated from the 70% ethanol extract of Cannabis Fructus using silica gel column chromatography, MCI column chromatography, and semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). Their structures were identified as hempspiramide A(1), N-[(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl]formamide(2), N-acetyltyramide(3), N-trans-p-coumaroyltyramine(4), N-trans-caffeoyltyramine(5), N-trans-feruloyltyramine(6), N-cis-p-coumaroyltyramine(7), N-cis-feruloyltyramine(8) by using spectroscopic methods such as NMR and MS. Among these compounds, compound 1 was a new amide alkaloid, while compounds 2 and 3 were isolated from Cannabis Fructus for the first time. Some of the isolates were assayed for their α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Compounds 5-7 displayed significant inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase with IC_(50) values ranging from 1.07 to 4.63 μmol·L~(-1).
Cannabis/chemistry* ; Alkaloids/pharmacology* ; Amides/isolation & purification* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/isolation & purification* ; Fruit/chemistry* ; Molecular Structure ; alpha-Glucosidases/chemistry* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid

Mycophenolic acid (MPA), the active moiety of both mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS), serves as a primary immunosuppressant for maintaining solid organ transplants. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) enhances treatment outcomes through tailored approaches. This study aimed to develop an evidence-based guideline for MPA TDM, facilitating its rational application in clinical settings. The guideline plan was drawn from the Institute of Medicine and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Using the Delphi method, clinical questions and outcome indicators were generated. Systematic reviews, Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) evidence quality evaluations, expert opinions, and patient values guided evidence-based suggestions for the guideline. External reviews further refined the recommendations. The guideline for the TDM of MPA (IPGRP-2020CN099) consists of four sections and 16 recommendations encompassing target populations, monitoring strategies, dosage regimens, and influencing factors. High-risk populations, timing of TDM, area under the curve (AUC) versus trough concentration (C₀), target concentration ranges, monitoring frequency, and analytical methods are addressed. Formulation-specific recommendations, initial dosage regimens, populations with unique considerations, pharmacokinetic-informed dosing, body weight factors, pharmacogenetics, and drug‍-‍drug interactions are covered. The evidence-based guideline offers a comprehensive recommendation for solid organ transplant recipients undergoing MPA therapy, promoting standardization of MPA TDM, and enhancing treatment efficacy and safety.
Mycophenolic Acid/administration & dosage* ; Drug Monitoring/methods* ; Humans ; Organ Transplantation ; Immunosuppressive Agents/administration & dosage* ; Delphi Technique

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*

OBJECTIVE: To describe survival trends and global patterns of esophageal cancer (EC) using survival data from population-based cancer registries. METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, SEER, and SinoMed databases for articles published up to 31 December 2023. Eligible EC survival estimates were evaluated according to country or region, period, sex, age group, pathology, and disease stage. RESULTS: After 2010, Jordan exhibited the highest age-standardized 5-year relative survival rates (RSRs)/net survival rates (NSRs) at 41.1% between 2010 and 2014, while India had the lowest, at 4.1%. Survival rates generally improved with diagnostic age across most countries, with significant increases in South Korea and China, of 12.7% and 10.5% between 2000 and 2017, respectively. Survival was higher among women compared to men, ranging from 0.4%-10.9%. Survival rates for adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma were similar, differing by about 4%. In China, the highest age-standardized RSRs/NSRs was 33.4% between 2015 and 2017. Meanwhile, the lowest was 5.3%, in Qidong (Jiangsu province) between 1992-1996. CONCLUSION Global EC survival rates have improved significantly in recent decades, but substantial geographical, sex, and age disparities still exist. In Asia, squamous cell carcinoma demonstrated superior survival rates compared to adenocarcinoma, while the opposite trend was observed in Western countries. Future research should clarify the prognostic factors influencing EC survival and tailor prevention and screening strategies to the changing EC survival patterns.
Humans ; Esophageal Neoplasms/mortality* ; Registries ; Male ; Female ; Survival Analysis ; Middle Aged ; Survival Rate ; Aged ; Global Health

Objective:To explore the application value and surgical experience of neuroendoscopic resection for pediatric patients with cerebellar tumors.Methods:This was a case series study.The clinical data and outcomes of 30 pediatric patients with cerebellar tumors treated through neuroendoscopic surgery in the Department of Neurosurgery, the Guizhou Hospital of Shanghai Children′s Medical Center and Guizhou Provincial People′s Hospital from January 2021 to January 2024 were retrospectively analyzed.Results:Twenty-six patients underwent total resection, 3 patients underwent subtotal resection, and 1 patient underwent biopsy.Postoperative pathological findings showed 9 cases of medulloblastoma, 3 cases of ependymoma, 17 cases of astrocytoma (5 cases of World Health Organization Grade Ⅰ, 3 cases of Grade Ⅱ, and 9 cases of Grade Ⅲ), and 1 case of cerebellar benign lesion.During the perioperative period, malignant arrhythmia occurred and induced death in 1 case, cerebellar mutism occurred in 12 cases, and ataxia occurred in 22 cases.During the 1-36 months of follow-up, 2 cases developed communicating hydrocephalus at the 2 nd and the 6 th month, respectively, and improved after ventriculoperitoneal shunt; cerebellar mutism was relieved to varying degrees after an average postoperative follow-up period of (115±23) days(46-194 days), and ataxia was alleviated after an average postoperative follow-up period of (127±42) days(27-173 days).Tumors relapsed in 5 cases during the last follow-up. Conclusions:Neuroendoscopy provides an alternative to the microscope for experienced operators to achieve the surgical exposure requirements during the resection of pediatric cerebellar vermis tumors.

Fluorescent carbon dots(CDs)were synthesized via a solvothermal method with citric acid and urea as raw materials,and ethylene glycol as reaction solvent.The micromorphology,crystal structure,elemental composition,surface functional group,and optical property of as-synthesized CDs were characterized.The excitation-dependent fluorescence property of CDs was investigated,and the effects of synthesis conditions including reaction temperature,reaction time and raw materials on excitation and emission wavelengths of the CDs were also discussed.Then,a series of CDs-based fluorescent composites were prepared by combining CDs with starch,nano-silica,montmorillonite,kaoline,kieselguhr and magnesium oxide,respectively.Finally,the CDs-starch composites were used for latent fingerprint development on smooth substrates,and the qualitative as well as quantitative evaluation of the contrast,sensitivity and selectivity in fingerprint development were also made.Enhanced development of latent fingerprints was thus achieved by the aid of the excitation-dependent fluorescence property of CDs-starch composite combined with the optical filtering technique,which could decrease the background noise interference to a great extent.Experimental results showed that,the contrast between fingerprint(developing signal)and substrate(background noise)was obvious,exhibiting a strong contrast;the minutiae of papillary ridges were clear,indicating a high sensitivity;the adsorption between CDs-starch composites and fingerprint residues was specific,showing a good selectivity.

A serious of rare earth luminescent micro/nano-materials with various properties were synthesized via chemical method for fluorescent development of latent fingerprints(LFPs).Three evaluation indexes namely contrast,sensitivity and selectivity were introduced to evaluate the effects of LFP development.Quantitative formulas for calculating the contrast,sensitivity and selectivity were further put forward,and a quality evaluation system based on Python was thus established.In addition,the objective evaluation value was finally confirmed to be consistent with the subjective visual judgment.The reproducibility of this evaluation method was finally confirmed.The effects of luminescence intensity and color of developing materials on the contrast,particle size of developing materials on the sensitivity,and micromorphology and surface property of developing materials on the selectivity were discussed in detail.Five effective ways were also proposed to promote the quality of LFP development,such as increasing the luminescence intensity,tuning the luminescence color,decreasing the particle size,adjusting the micromorphology,and modifying the surface property.This quality evaluation system based on Python could evaluate the effects of LFP development objectively,accurately and comprehensively,exhibiting easy operability,high efficiency,sensitive response,accurate and reliable results,and wide applicability,which would provide beneficial references for the reasonable selection of LFP development methods as well as objective evaluation of evidence value.

Objective To detect the expression changes of interleukin-10(IL-10)and transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1)during the development of deep vein thrombosis in mice,and to explore the application value of them in thrombus age estimation.Methods The mice in the experimental group were subjected to ligation of inferior vena cava.The mice were sacrificed by excessive anesthesia at 1 d,3 d,5 d,7 d,10 d,14 d and 21 d after ligation,respectively.The inferior vena cava segment with thrombosis was extracted below the ligation point.The mice in the control group were not ligated,and the inferior vena cava segment at the same position as the experimental group was extracted.The ex-pression changes of IL-10 and TGF-β1 were detected by immunohistochemistry(IHC),Western blot-ting and real-time qPCR.Results IHC results revealed that IL-10 was mainly expressed in monocytes in thrombosis and TGF-β1 was mainly expressed in monocytes and fibroblast-like cells in thrombosis.Western blotting and real-time qPCR showed that the relative expression levels of IL-10 and TGF-β1 in each experimental group were higher than those in the control group.The mRNA and protein levels of IL-10 reached the peak at 7 d and 10 d after ligation,respectively.The mRNA expression level at 7 d after ligation was 4.72±0.15 times that of the control group,and the protein expression level at 10 d after ligation was 7.15±0.28 times that of the control group.The mRNA and protein levels of TGF-β1 reached the peak at 10 d and 14 d after ligation,respectively.The mRNA expression level at 10 d after ligation was 2.58±0.14 times that of the control group,and the protein expression level at 14 d after ligation was 4.34±0.19 times that of the control group.Conclusion The expressions of IL-10 and TGF-β1 during the evolution of deep vein thrombosis present time-dependent sequential changes,and the expression levels of IL-10 and TGF-β1 can provide a reference basis for thrombus age estimation.

Pharmacokinetics of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)is a discipline that adopts pharmacokinetic research methods and techniques under the guidance of TCM theories to elucidate the dynamic changes in the absorption,distribution,metabolism and excretion of active ingredients,active sites,single-flavour Chinese medicinal and compounded formulas of TCM in vivo.However,the sources and components of TCM are complex,and the pharmacodynamic substances and mechanisms of action of the majority of TCM are not yet clear,so the pharmacokinetic study of TCM is later than that of chemical medicines,and is far more complex than that of chemical medicines,and its development also confronts with challenges.The pharmacokinetic study of TCM originated in the 1950s and has experienced more than 70 years of development from the initial in vivo study of a single active ingredient,to the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic study of active ingredients,to the pharmacokinetic study of compound and multi-component of Chinese medicine.In recent years,with the help of advanced extraction,separation and analysis technologies,gene-editing animals and cell models,multi-omics technologies,protein purification and structure analysis technologies,and artificial intelligence,etc.,the pharmacokinetics of TCM has been substantially applied in revealing and elucidating the pharmacodynamic substances and mechanisms of action of Chinese medicines,research and development of new drugs of TCM,scientific and technological upgrading of large varieties of Chinese patent medicines,as well as guiding the rational use of medicines in clinics.Pharmacokinetic studies of TCM have made remarkable breakthroughs and significant development in theory,methodology,technology and application.In this paper,the history of the development of pharmacokinetics of TCM and the progress of cutting-edge research was reviewed,with the aim of providing ideas and references for the pharmacokinetics of TCM and related research.