Cleft lip and palate (CLP) are common congenital craniofacial developmental disorders with a high incidence rate among newborns. Due to the influence of the cleft, an increased frequency of anomalies occurs in cleft-adjacent teeth. This review summarizes the abnormality of tooth development and malposition characteristics of the central incisors, lateral incisors, and canines adjacent to the alveolar cleft in CLP patients and treatment progress in order to provide information for related clinical treatment and research. The literature reveals that central incisors, lateral incisors, and canines adjacent to the alveolar cleft exhibit various types and degrees of abnormalities. The alveolar cleft-adjacent central incisors show significantly smaller mesiodistal diameters, root lengths, and root volumes compared to the non-alveolar cleft side, while the crown-to-root ratio is larger. Further, they are inclined distally and lingually compared to the non-alveolar cleft side. The alveolar cleft-adjacent lateral incisor is the most common missing or impacted tooth and is often affected by microdontia. The total length and root length of the alveolar cleft-adjacent canines are significantly smaller, while the crown-to-root ratio is larger on the alveolar cleft side. In addition, they are inclined mesially and buccally compared to the non-alveolar cleft side. Further, they are higher positioned and located closer to the midline. For developmental anomalies, impacted central incisors can be addressed by orthodontic space preparation to facilitate eruption or surgical crown exposure and orthodontic traction. Treatment of missing lateral incisors can involve orthodontic closure of the gap or preservation of the space for subsequent prosthetic restoration. When lateral incisors present with developmental defects, such as microdontia, peg-shaped teeth, or invaginated teeth, a comprehensive decision is necessary to determine whether to retain and restore or extract the malformed lateral incisors. Treatment of impacted canines after bone grafting involves either extraction or traction to facilitate the eruption of the impacted tooth. For malposition, presurgical orthodontic treatment can correct teeth with excessive inclination or rotation on the cleft side to improve the effectiveness of bone grafting surgery. Postsurgical orthodontic treatment can enhance the stability of bone grafting surgery. Although numerous studies have explored the dental characteristics of patients with CLP, the lack of applicability and specificity still need to be elucidated, thus indicating the need for further research.

OBJECTIVE To construct an evaluation index system for the core competencies of ethics committee members of drug clinical trial institution， providing a basis for optimizing the training system for committee members， improving the quality of ethical review， and fully safeguarding the safety and rights of subjects. METHODS Using methods such as literature research and expert consultation， a preliminary core competency evaluation index system was constructed. The Delphi method was employed to revise and validate it， ultimately forming an evaluation index system for the core competencies of ethics committee members. Based on this system， a questionnaire survey was conducted among 90 ethics committee members from 29 drug clinical trial institutions nationwide， comparing their importance rating and self-assessment scores of the core competency indexes. RESULTS The evaluation system constructed included 4 primary indicators （ethics and professional knowledge， ethics review ability， communication and expression ability， moral integrity and work style） and 39 secondary indicators （familiarity with the content of clinical trial-related laws and regulations， ability to complete project ethics review and identify ethical defects in research protocols within a short period of time， ability to judge the scientific value of clinical research， etc.）. The results of questionnaire survey showed that the interviewed ethics committee members had significant capability gaps in dimensions such as regulatory knowledge， ethical norms， review efficiency， risk judgment， and problem analysis. The differences between the importance rating scores of corresponding secondary indicators and the self-assessment scores were all no less than 0.38. CONCLUSIONS This study has developed a quantifiable and stratified core competency assessment tool for ethics committee members. It can provide a scientific framework for committee member training， qualification certification， and standardized management of ethics committees.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)is a chronic metabolic disease that can lead to the damage of multiple tissues and organs throughout the body.Stimulator of interferon genes(STING)is an endoplasmic reticulum membrane protein that acts as an indirect cytoplasmic DNA sensor.The activation of the STING signaling pathway may be involved in T2DM and its microvascular complications through various mechanisms.This article reviews the research progress in the mechanism of STING in T2DM and its microvascular complications.

Background::Understanding willingness to undergo pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and the factors associated with poor uptake of PFTs is crucial for improving early detection and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study aimed to understand willingness to undergo PFTs among high-risk populations and identify any barriers that may contribute to low uptake of PFTs.Methods::We collected data from participants in the "Happy Breathing Program" in China. Participants who did not follow physicians’ recommendations to undergo PFTs were invited to complete a survey regarding their willingness to undergo PFTs and their reasons for not undergoing PFTs. We estimated the proportion of participants who were willing to undergo PFTs and examined the various reasons for participants to not undergo PFTs. We conducted univariable and multivariable logistic regressions to analyze the impact of individual-level factors on willingness to undergo PFTs.Results::A total of 8475 participants who had completed the survey on willingness to undergo PFTs were included in this study. Out of these participants, 7660 (90.4%) were willing to undergo PFTs. Among those who were willing to undergo PFTs but actually did not, the main reasons for not doing so were geographical inaccessibility ( n = 3304, 43.1%) and a lack of trust in primary healthcare institutions ( n = 2809, 36.7%). Among the 815 participants who were unwilling to undergo PFTs, over half ( n = 447, 54.8%) believed that they did not have health problems and would only consider PFTs when they felt unwell. In the multivariable regression, individuals who were ≤54 years old, residing in rural townships, with a secondary educational level, with medical reimbursement, still working, with occupational exposure to dust, and aware of the abbreviation "COPD" were more willing to undergo PFTs. Conclusions::Willingness to undergo PFTs was high among high-risk populations. Policymakers may consider implementing strategies such as providing financial incentives, promoting education, and establishing community-based programs to enhance the utilization of PFTs.

Objective To explore the expression and clinical significance of 25-hydroxyvitamin D[25(OH)D]in children patients with inflammatory bowel disease(IBD).Methods The relevant articles on ser-um 25(OH)D in children patients with IBD as the study subjects in the databases of CNKI,Wanfang,PubMed,Embase and Cochrane Library were retrieved from the database establishment to April 22,2024.The RevMan5.4 software was used to conduct the meta analysis on the literatures meeting the conditions.The differences in serum 25(OH)D levels between children with IBD and control group,children patients with ac-tive/remission stage and control group,children patients with active stage and remission stage were analyzed.Results Ten studies were included with a total of 902 children patients with IBD and 893 healthy children.The meta analysis results showed that compared with the age-matched healthy children,the deficiency rate of serum 25(OH)D in children patients with IBD had no significant difference(RR=1.28,95％CI:0.71-2.33,P=0.41),but serum 25(OH)D level was significantly lower(MD=-2.88,95％CI:-5.69 to-0.07,P=0.04),both in the active stage and remission stage(active stage:MD=-7.40,95％CI:-11.25 to-3.55,P＜0.001;remission stage:MD=-2.59,95％CI:-3.17 to-2.01,P＜0.001).Moreover,compared with the IBD remission stage,the serum 25(OH)D level in active stage of the children patients with IBD was signif-icantly decreased(MD=-4.11,95％CI:-5.56 to-2.67,P＜0.001).Conclusion Clinic should pay high attention to the comprehensive prevention and treatment of vitamin D deficiency in children patients with IBD.

Compared with teenage patients,adult patients generally show a slower rate of tooth movement and more pronounced alveolar bone loss during orthodontic treatment,indicating the maladaptation of alveolar bone homeostasis under orthodontic force.However,this phenomenon is not well-elucidated to date,leading to increased treatment difficulties and unsatisfactory treatment outcomes in adult orthodontics.Aiming to provide a comprehensive knowledge and further inspire insightful understanding towards this issue,this review summarizes the current evidence and underlying mechanisms.The age-related abatements in mechanosensing and mechanotransduction in adult cells and periodontal tissue may contribute to retarded and unbalanced bone metabolism,thus hindering alveolar bone reconstruction during orthodontic treatment.To this end,periodontal surgery,physical and chemical cues are being developed to reactivate or rejuvenate the aging periodontium and restore the dynamic equilibrium of orthodontic-mediated alveolar bone metabolism.We anticipate that this review will present a general overview of the role that aging plays in orthodontic alveolar bone metabolism and shed new light on the prospective ways out of the impasse.

Objective:To construct a prognostic risk model for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),and elucidate the immune characteristics and immunotherapy response in patients with different prognostic stratification.Methods:RNA-seq data of TCGA-LIHC and ICGC(LIRI-JP),and gene microarray data of GSE14520 and GSE54236 in hepatocellular carcinoma,as well as clinical informa-tion of the corresponding samples were downloaded.First,screening of differentially expressed genes in tumor and non-tumor tissue samples from TCGA-LIHC,GSE14520 and GSE54236.For the common differential genes,univariate cox regression analysis was per-formed using TCGA-LIHC data to obtain HCC prognosis-related genes.Five genes were randomly selected as a panel,and the optimal prognostic marker panel was screened among 10 000 panels using Lasso-cox regression analysis combined with a five-fold cross-valida-tion method.TCGA-LIHC data were used as training set to construct the prognostic risk model,and ICGC data were used as validation set to test the model performance.Tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion(TIDE)algorithm and Immunophenotypic score(IPS)were used to predict immunotherapy efficacy in patients in different prognostic groups.Results:Overall survival was significantly lon-ger in low-risk group of HCC patients compared with high-risk group.Tumor proliferation rate,Treg and Th2 cell chemotaxis,stromal remodeling,and pro-tumor cytokines were significantly increased in high-risk patients,while NK cells,Th1 cells,effector cells and endothelial cells were significantly increased in low-risk patients.Immune checkpoint analysis showed that PDCD1,CTLA4 and CD276 were up-regulated in high-risk patients,while PDCD1LG2 was upregulated in low-risk patients.TIDE score and IPS results predicted that patients in low-risk group had better efficacy to immunotherapy.Conclusion:This study constructed a prognostic risk model containing three genes,DNASE1L3,RDH16 and DLGAP5,which can effectively predict the prognosis of HCC patients and assist in clinical decision making for individualized immunotherapy.

Objective: To develop a method for generating three-dimensional (3D) digital models of the periodontal ligament (PDL) using 3D cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) reconstruction and to evaluate the accuracy and agreement of the 3D PDL models in the measurement of periodontal bone loss. Methods: CBCT data collected from four patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion prior to periodontal surgery were reconstructed at three voxel sizes (0.2 mm, 0.25 mm, and 0.3 mm), and 3D tooth and alveolar bone models were generated to obtain digital PDL models for the maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth. Linear measurements of the alveolar bone crest obtained during periodontal surgery were compared with the digital measurements for assessment of the accuracy of the digital models. The agreement and reliability of the digital PDL models were analyzed using intra- and interexaminer correlation coefficients and Bland–Altman plots. Results: Digital models of the maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth, PDL, and alveolar bone of the four patients were successfully established. Relative to the intraoperative measurements, linear measurements obtained from the 3D digital models were accurate, and there were no significant differences among different voxel sizes at different sites. High diagnostic coincidence rates were found for the maxillary anterior teeth. The digital models showed high intra- and interexaminer agreement. Conclusions Digital PDL models generated by 3D CBCT reconstruction can provide accurate and useful information regarding the alveolar crest morphology and facilitate reproducible measurements. This could assist clinicians in the evaluation of periodontal prognosis and establishment of an appropriate orthodontic treatment plan.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of Chinese medicine combined with indirect moxibustion plaster on corona virus disease 2019 （COVID-19） patients during recovery period. MethodNinety patients of COVID-19 during the recovery period were randomly divided into a Chinese medicine group， an indirect moxibustion plaster group， and a combination group，with 30 cases in each group. According to the 10th edition of COVID-19 Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol，patients in the Chinese medicine group received oral Chinese medicine based on syndrome differentiation，one dose per day， twice a day. Patients in the indirect moxibustion plaster group were treated with indirect moxibustion plaster at Zusanli （ST 36）， Pishu （BL 20）， Dazhui （GV 14）， Feishu （BL 13）， Kongzui （LU 6）， and Tiantu （CV 22），once a day，40 min each time. Patients in the combination group were treated with Chinese medicine combined with indirect moxibustion plaster. Treatment lasted two weeks. Before and after treatment，the traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） symptom score，pulmonary computed tomography （CT） score，St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire （SGRQ） score，blood routine indexes ［white blood cell count （WBC），neutrophil count （NEUT），and lymphocyte count （LYM）］， and inflammatory indexes ［C-reactive protein （CRP），serum ferritin， and interleukin-6 （IL-6）］ were observed in the three groups. The clinical efficacy was evaluated. ResultAfter treatment，the scores of TCM symptoms，pulmonary CT， and SGRQ，CRP，IL-6，and ferritin in the three groups decreased（P<0.05），while WBC and LYM increased（P<0.05）， but there was no significant difference in NEUT. The above indexes in the combination group were better than those in the other two groups（P<0.05）. After treatment， the cured and markedly effective rate was 76.7% （23/30） in the combination group， 50.0% （15/30） in the Chinese medicine group， and 46.7% （14/30） in the indirect moxibustion plaster group. The cured and markedly effective rate of the combination group was significantly higher than that of the Chinese medicine group （χ²=4.593， P<0.05） and the indirect moxibustion plaster group （χ²=5.711， P<0.05）. The total effective rate was 96.7 % （29/30） in the combination group， 93.3% （28/30） in the Chinese medicine group， and 86.7% （26/30） in the indirect moxibustion plaster group. The total effective rate of the combination group was higher than that of the Chinese medicine group and the indirect moxibustion plaster group， but the differences were not statistically significant. ConclusionChinese medicine combined with indirect moxibustion plaster can effectively improve the clinical symptoms，promote pulmonary inflammation，blood routine indexes， and inflammatory indexes， and improve the quality of life of COVID-19 patients during the recovery period，which is more advantageous than Chinese medicine alone or indirect moxibustion plaster.

With the widespread use of electrical equipment, cognitive functions such as working memory (WM) could be severely affected when people are exposed to 50 Hz electromagnetic fields (EMF) for long term. However, the effects of EMF exposure on WM and its neural mechanism remain unclear. In the present paper, 15 rats were randomly assigned to three groups, and exposed to an EMF environment at 50 Hz and 2 mT for a different duration: 0 days (control group), 24 days (experimental group I), and 48 days (experimental group II). Then, their WM function was assessed by the T-maze task. Besides, their local field potential (LFP) in the media prefrontal cortex (mPFC) was recorded by the in vivo multichannel electrophysiological recording system to study the power spectral density (PSD) of θ and γ oscillations and the phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) intensity of θ-γ oscillations during the T-maze task. The results showed that the PSD of θ and γ oscillations decreased in experimental groups I and II, and the PAC intensity between θ and high-frequency γ (hγ) decreased significantly compared to the control group. The number of days needed to meet the task criterion was more in experimental groups I and II than that of control group. The results indicate that long-term exposure to EMF could impair WM function. The possible reason may be the impaired communication between different rhythmic oscillations caused by a decrease in θ-hγ PAC intensity. This paper demonstrates the negative effects of EMF on WM and reveals the potential neural mechanisms from the changes of PAC intensity, which provides important support for further investigation of the biological effects of EMF and its mechanisms.
Humans ; Rats ; Animals ; Memory, Short-Term/physiology* ; Electromagnetic Fields/adverse effects* ; Prefrontal Cortex ; Cognition