During orthodontic treatment, clinical monitoring of patients is a crucial factor in determining treatment success. It aids in timely problem detection and resolution, ensuring adherence to the intended treatment plan. In recent years, digital technology has increasingly permeated orthodontic clinical diagnosis and treatment, facilitating clinical decision-making, treatment planning, and follow-up monitoring. This review summarizes recent advancements in digital technology for monitoring orthodontic tooth movement, related complications, and appliance-wearing compliance. It aims to provide insights for researchers and clinicians to enhance the application of digital technology in orthodontics, improve treatment outcomes, and optimize patient experience. The digitization of diagnostic data and the visualization of dental models make chair-side follow-up monitoring more convenient, accurate, and efficient. At the same time, the emergence of remote monitoring technology allows orthodontists to promptly identify oral health issues in patients and take corresponding measures. Furthermore, the multimodal data fusion method offers valuable insights into the monitoring of the root-alveolar relationship. Artificial intelligence technology has made initial strides in automating the identification of orthodontic tooth movement, associated complications, and patient compliance evaluation. Sensors are effective tools for monitoring patient adherence and providing data-driven support for clinical decision-making. The application of digital technology in orthodontic monitoring holds great promise. However, challenges like technical bottlenecks, ethical considerations, and patient acceptance remain.

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*

Radiochemotherapy-induced oral mucositis (OM) is a common oral complication in patients with tumors following head and neck radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Erosion and ulcers are the main features of OM that seriously affect the quality of life of patients and even the progress of tumor treatment. To date, differences in clinical prevention and treatment plans for OM have been noted among doctors of various specialties, which has increased the uncertainty of treatment effects. On the basis of current research evidence, this expert consensus outlines risk factors, clinical manifestations, clinical grading, ancillary examinations, diagnostic basis, prevention and treatment strategies and efficacy indicators for OM. In addition to strategies such as basic oral care, anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents, anti-infective agents, pro-healing agents, and photobiotherapy recommended in previous guidelines, we also emphasize the role of traditional Chinese medicine in OM prevention and treatment. This expert consensus aims to provide references and guidance for dental physicians and oncologists in formulating strategies for OM prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, standardizing clinical practice, reducing OM occurrence, promoting healing, and improving the quality of life of patients.
Humans ; Chemoradiotherapy/adverse effects* ; Consensus ; Risk Factors ; Stomatitis/etiology*

OBJECTIVE: This study reports the first imported case of Lassa fever (LF) in China. Laboratory detection and molecular epidemiological analysis of the Lassa virus (LASV) from this case offer valuable insights for the prevention and control of LF. METHODS: Samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood, urine, saliva, and environmental materials were collected from the patient and their close contacts for LASV nucleotide detection. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on positive samples to analyze the genetic characteristics of the virus. RESULTS: LASV was detected in the patient's CSF, blood, and urine, while all samples from close contacts and the environment tested negative. The virus belongs to the lineage IV strain and shares the highest homology with strains from Sierra Leone. The variability in the glycoprotein complex (GPC) among different strains ranged from 3.9% to 15.1%, higher than previously reported for the seven known lineages. Amino acid mutation analysis revealed multiple mutations within the GPC immunogenic epitopes, increasing strain diversity and potentially impacting immune response. CONCLUSION The case was confirmed through nucleotide detection, with no evidence of secondary transmission or viral spread. The LASV strain identified belongs to lineage IV, with broader GPC variability than previously reported. Mutations in the immune-related sites of GPC may affect immune responses, necessitating heightened vigilance regarding the virus.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Genome, Viral ; Lassa Fever/virology* ; Lassa virus/classification* ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Phylogeny

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between long-term glycemic control and cerebral infarction risk in patients with diabetes through a large-scale cohort study. METHODS: This prospective, community-based cohort study included 12,054 patients with diabetes. From 2006 to 2012, 38,272 fasting blood glucose (FBG) measurements were obtained from these participants. FBG trajectory patterns were generated using latent mixture modelling. Cox proportional hazards models were applied to assess the subsequent risk of cerebral infarction associated with different FBG trajectory patterns. RESULTS: At baseline, the mean age of the participants was 55.2 years. Four distinct FBG trajectories were identified based on FBG concentrations and their changes over the 6-year follow-up period. After a median follow-up of 6.9 years, 786 cerebral infarction events were recorded. Different trajectory patterns were associated with significantly varied outcome risks (Log-Rank P < 0.001). Compared with the low-stability group, Hazard Ratio ( HR) adjusted for potential confounders were 1.37 for the moderate-increasing group, 1.23 for the elevated-decreasing group, and 2.08 for the elevated-stable group. CONCLUSION Sustained high FBG levels were found to play a critical role in the development of ischemic stroke among patients with diabetes. Controlling FBG levels may reduce the risk of cerebral infarction.
Humans ; Cerebral Infarction/blood* ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Female ; Blood Glucose/analysis* ; Fasting/blood* ; Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Diabetes Mellitus/blood* ; Adult ; Proportional Hazards Models

This study using maltodextrin as raw material, 1%-5% polyvinylpyrrolidone K30 as template agent, 1%-5% ammonium bicarbonate as pore-forming agent, curcumin and ibuprofen as model drugs. Porous maltodextrin was prepared by template and pore-forming agent methods, respectively. The structure and drug delivery behavior of porous maltodextrin prepared by different technologies were comprehensively characterized. The results showed that the porous maltodextrin prepared by pore-forming agent method had larger specific surface area (6.449 4 m²·g^-1) and pore size (32.804 2 nm), which was significantly better than that by template agent method (3.670 2 m²·g^-1, 15.278 5 nm). The adsorption kinetics between porous maltodextrin prepared by pore-forming agent method and curcumin were suitable for quasi-first order adsorption kinetic model, and that between porous maltodextrin and ibuprofen were suitable for quasi-second order adsorption kinetic model. While the adsorption kinetics between porous maltodextrin prepared by template agent method and two model drugs were both suitable for the quasi-first order adsorption kinetic model. In addition, the dissolution behavior analysis showed that the porous maltodextrin prepared by the two technologies can significantly improve the dissolution behavior of insoluble drugs, and the drug release was both carried out by diffusion mechanism, which suitable for the Peppas kinetic release model, but the porous maltodextrin prepared by template agent method had a faster release rate. The change of nozzle diameter had no significant effect on the adsorption process and drug release behavior of porous maltodextrin. In conclusion, the porous maltodextrins prepared by two different technologies were both beneficial to the delivery of insoluble drugs, and the template agent method was the best for delivery of insoluble drugs. This study can provide theoretical basis for the preparation of porous particles, promote the application of porous particles in insoluble drugs, and improve the bioavailability of insoluble drugs.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the global cancer-associated thromboembolism risk assessment tools based on evidence- based methods， and to provide methodological reference and evidence-based basis for constructing a specific tool in China. METHODS A comprehensive search was conducted on 6 databases， including CNKI， Wanfang data， VIP， CBM， PubMed， and Embase， as well as on the websites of NCCN， ASCO， ESMO and so on with a deadline of June 30， 2022. Furthermore， a supplementary search was conducted in January 2023. The essential characteristics and methodological quality of included risk assessment tools were described and analyzed qualitatively， focusing on comparing each assessment stratification ability. RESULTS Totally 14 risk assessment tools were included in the study， with a sample size of 208-18 956 cases and an average age distribution of 53.1-74.0 years. The applicable population included outpatient cancer student@sina.com patients， lymphoma patients， and multiple myeloma patients，etc. The common predictive factors were body mass index， venous thromboembolism history， and tumor site. All tools had undergone methodological validation， with 9 presented in a weighted scoring format. Only seven tools were used simultaneously for specificity， sensitivity， negative predictive value （NPV）， positive predictive value （PPV） and area under the curve （AUC） or C statistical analysis. CONCLUSIONS The risk of bias in constructing existing tools is high， and the heterogeneity of tool validation results is significant. The overall methodological quality must be improved， and its risk stratification ability must also be investigated. There are still certain limitations in clinical practice in China.

Objective To investigate the effect of propanaxanediol on proliferation and apoptosis of human ovarian cancer cell HO-8910 and analyze the mechanism.Methods Human ovarian cancer cell HO-8910 were randomly divided into blank group(0.9％NaCl)and experimental-L,-M,-H groups(25,50,100 mg·kg-1 propanaxanadiol treated cells,respectively).Cell counting kit-8(CCK-8)was used to detect the proliferation inhibition;the apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry;the migration was detected by cell scratch test;the invasion was detected by Transwell assay;the expression levels of phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase(PI3K),phosphorylated protein kinase B(p-AKT),proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA),B cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2)and Bcl-2 associated X protein(Bax)were detected by Western blot.Results The proliferation inhibition rates of blank group and experimental-L,-M,-H groups were(16.89±4.15)％,(28.43±3.66)％,(37.96±4.98)％and(50.11±5.24)％;the apoptosis rates were(4.23±1.07)％,(12.36±2.79)％,(24.32±2.93)％and(42.40±3.28)％;the expression levels of PCNA protein were 0.85±0.08,0.69±0.06,0.43±0.06 and 0.25±0.03;the expression levels of Bax protein were 0.18±0.03,0.33±0.04,0.50±0.05 and 0.69±0.05;the expression levels of Bcl-2 protein were 0.82±0.07,0.63±0.04,0.47±0.05 and 0.30±0.03;the mobility were(52.33±4.25)％,(40.16±4.03)％,(29.63±3.25)％and(20.15±2.12)％;the invasion rates were(60.26±5.88)％,(49.33±4.28)％,(30.15±3.68)％and(22.15±1.96)％;the expression levels of PI3K protein were 0.48±0.04,0.34±0.04,0.26±0.03 and 0.15±0.01;the expression levels of p-AKT protein were 0.45±0.03,0.35±0.02,0.23±0.03 and 0.13±0.02,respectively.There were statistically significant differences in the above indexes between the experimental-L,-M,-H groups and the blank group(all P＜0.05).Conclusion Protopanaxadiol may inhibit the proliferation,migration and invasion of human ovarian cancer cell HO-8910 by blocking the activation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway,regulating the expression of PCNA,Bax and Bcl-2 proteins and promoting their apoptosis,thus achieving anti-ovarian cancer effects.

Objective:To establish a cell line stably expressing the transient receptor potential melastatin 2(TRPM2)channel for screening TRPM2 inhibitors based on PiggyBac transposition system.Methods:A plasmid PiggyBac-human TRPM2(pPB-hTRPM2)eukaryotic expression vector was constructed using PiggyBac transposition system.The plasmid and a helper plasmid were co-transfected into HEK293T cells to express TRPM2,which was identified by fluorescence and patch-clamp assays.The high throughput screening performance was assessed with the Z'factor.Calcium imaging and patch clamp techniques were employed to assess the initial activity of eleven compound molecules,confirming the inhibitory effects of the primary molecules on TRPM2.The protective effect of the screened compounds on damaged cells was validated using the oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion(OGD/R)injury model and CCK-8 kit.The level of cellular reactive oxygen species(ROS)was detected by flow cytometry.The neuroprotective effects of the compounds were evaluated using a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion(tMCAO)mouse model.Results:The HEK293T cells transfected with pPB-hTRPM2-EGFP showed high TRPM2 expression.Puromycin-resistant cells,selected through screening,exhibited robust fluorescence.Whole-cell patch results revealed that induced cells displayed classical TRPM2 current characteristics comparable to the control group,showing no significant differences(P＞0.05).With a Z'factor of 0.5416 in calcium imaging,the model demonstrated suitability for high-throughput screening of TRPM2 inhibitors.Calcium imaging and electrophysiological experiments indicated that compound 6 significantly inhibited the TRPM2 channel.Further experiments showed that 1.0 μmol/L of compound 6 enhanced cell viability(P＜0.05)and reduced the level of ROS(P＜0.05)of SH-SY5Y under OGD/R injury.0.3 and 1.0 mg/kg of compound 6 reduced the cerebral infarction volume in tMCAO mice(both P＜0.05).Conclusions:A stable TRPM2 gene expressing cell line has been successfully established using PiggyBac gene editing in this study.TRPM2 channel inhibitors were screened through calcium imaging and patch clamp techniques,and an inhibitor compound 6 was identified.This compound can alleviate cell damage after OGD/R by reducing cellular ROS levels and has a protective effect against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice.

ObjectiveBased on fluorescence lifetime imaging technology, a novel method for viscosity detection is proposed and the capability of different weighting of fluorescence lifetimes in distinguishing the viscosity of glycerol-water mixtures is evaluated, aiming to enhance the accuracy and reliability of viscosity differentiation. MethodsThis approach incorporates the principles of electronic weighting, introducing both amplitude-weighted average fluorescence lifetime (τ_m) and intensity-weighted average fluorescence lifetime (τ_i). Viscosity changes in glycerol-water mixtures are detected through τ_m and τ_i. τ_m Reflects the relationship between fluorescence signal amplitude and time, while τ_i focuses on the time-varying characteristics of fluorescence signal intensity. ResultsThe results of both τ_m and τ_i mutually corroborate each other, not only enhancing the reliability in detecting viscosity changes in glycerol-water mixtures but also revealing their unique roles in the detection process. Although τ_m plays a crucial role in capturing changes in fluorescence signal amplitude, τ_i exhibits higher accuracy in viscosity detection when considering the time-varying characteristics of fluorescence signal intensity. It is particularly noteworthy that, due to τ_i’s greater sensitivity, microenvironment viscosity detection can be directly analyzed using τ_i. This provides a more convenient approach for real-time, highly sensitive microfluidic viscosity monitoring. Therefore, through the comprehensive utilization of τ_m and τ_i, a more thorough and accurate understanding of the viscosity information in glycerol-water mixtures can be obtained, and specific parameters can be selected for in-depth analysis based on specific needs. ConclusionThe combination of amplitude weighting and intensity weighting allows for a more sensitive identification of subtle changes in viscosity under different conditions. The innovation of this method lies in its simultaneous consideration of multiple parameters, enhancing sensitivity and distinguishability to variations in viscosity. Therefore, this weighted-dependent fluorescence lifetime imaging technique not only introduces a novel approach for viscosity detection in glycerol-water mixtures but also provides a powerful analytical tool for various fields, including microfluidics, rheology, and research on novel functional materials.