Stiff extracellular matrix drives the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells toward osteogenesis by the multiscale 3D genome reorganization.

Extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness is a major driver of stem cell fate. However, the involvement of the three-dimensional (3D) genomic reorganization in response to ECM stiffness remains unclear. Here, we generated comprehensive 3D chromatin landscapes of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exposed to various ECM stiffness. We found that there were more long-range chromatin interactions, but less compartment A in MSCs cultured on stiff ECM than those cultured on soft ECM. However, the switch from compartment B in MSCs cultured on soft ECM to compartment A in MSCs cultured on stiff ECM included genes encoding proteins primarily enriched in cytoskeleton organization. At the topologically associating domains (TADs) level, stiff ECM tends to have merged TADs on soft ECM. These merged TADs on stiff ECM include upregulated genes encoding proteins enriched in osteogenesis, such as SP1, ETS1, and DCHS1, which were validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and found to be consistent with the increase of alkaline phosphatase staining. Knockdown of SP1 or ETS1 led to the downregulation of osteogenic marker genes, including COL1A1, RUNX2, ALP, and OCN in MSCs cultured on stiff ECM. Our study provides an important insight into the stiff ECM-mediated promotion of MSC differentiation towards osteogenesis, emphasizing the influence of mechanical cues on the reorganization of 3D genome architecture and stem cell fate.

How sediment dredging alters phosphorus dynamics in a lowland rural river?

China's lowland rural rivers are facing severe eutrophication problems due to excessive phosphorus (P) from anthropogenic activities. However, quantifying P dynamics in a lowland rural river is challenging due to its complex interaction with surrounding areas. A P dynamic model (River-P) was specifically designed for lowland rural rivers to address this challenge. This model was coupled with the Environmental Fluid Dynamics Code (EFDC) and the Phosphorus Dynamic Model for lowland Polder systems (PDP) to characterize P dynamics under the impact of dredging in a lowland rural river. Based on a two-year (2020-2021) dataset from a representative lowland rural river in the Lake Taihu Basin, China, the coupled model was calibrated and achieved a model performance (R2>0.59, RMSE<0.04 mg/L) for total P (TP) concentrations. Our research in the study river revealed that (1) the time scale for the effectiveness of sediment dredging for P control was ∼300 days, with an increase in P retention capacity by 74.8 kg/year and a decrease in TP concentrations of 23% after dredging. (2) Dredging significantly reduced P release from sediment by 98%, while increased P resuspension and settling capacities by 16% and 46%, respectively. (3) The sediment-water interface (SWI) plays a critical role in P transfer within the river, as resuspension accounts for 16% of TP imports, and settling accounts for 47% of TP exports. Given the large P retention capacity of lowland rural rivers, drainage ditches and ponds with macrophytes are promising approaches to enhance P retention capacity. Our study provides valuable insights for local environmental departments, allowing a comprehensive understanding of P dynamics in lowland rural rivers. This enable the evaluation of the efficacy of sediment dredging in P control and the implementation of corresponding P control measures.

The interaction between KIF21A and KANK1 regulates dendritic morphology and synapse plasticity in neurons.

JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202501000-00029/figure1/v/2024-05-14T021156Z/r/image-tiff Morphological alterations in dendritic spines have been linked to changes in functional communication between neurons that affect learning and memory. Kinesin-4 KIF21A helps organize the microtubule-actin network at the cell cortex by interacting with KANK1; however, whether KIF21A modulates dendritic structure and function in neurons remains unknown. In this study, we found that KIF21A was distributed in a subset of dendritic spines, and that these KIF21A-positive spines were larger and more structurally plastic than KIF21A-negative spines. Furthermore, the interaction between KIF21A and KANK1 was found to be critical for dendritic spine morphogenesis and synaptic plasticity. Knockdown of either KIF21A or KANK1 inhibited dendritic spine morphogenesis and dendritic branching, and these deficits were fully rescued by coexpressing full-length KIF21A or KANK1, but not by proteins with mutations disrupting direct binding between KIF21A and KANK1 or binding between KANK1 and talin1. Knocking down KIF21A in the hippocampus of rats inhibited the amplitudes of long-term potentiation induced by high-frequency stimulation and negatively impacted the animals' cognitive abilities. Taken together, our findings demonstrate the function of KIF21A in modulating spine morphology and provide insight into its role in synaptic function.

[Biomechanical study of three-dimensional printed filler block design in open wedge high tibial osteotomy].

The use of a filling block can improve the initial stability of the fixation plate in the open wedge high tibial osteotomy (OWHTO), and promote bone healing. However, the biomechanical effects of filling block structures and materials on OWHTO remain unclear. OWHTO anatomical filling block model was designed and built. The finite element analysis method was adopted to study the influence of six filling block structure designs and four different materials on the stress of the fixed plate, tibia, screw, and filling block, and the micro-displacement at the wedge gap of the OWHTO fixation system. After the filling block was introduced in the OWHTO, the maximum von Mises stress of the fixation plate was reduced by more than 30%, the maximum von Mises stress of the tibia decreased by more than 15%, and the lateral hinge decreased by 81%. When the filling block was designed to be filled in the posterior position of the wedge gap, the maximum von Mises stress of the fixation system was 97.8 MPa, which was smaller than other filling methods. The minimum micro-displacement of osteotomy space was -2.9 µm, which was larger than that of other filling methods. Compared with titanium alloy and tantalum metal materials, porous hydroxyapatite material could obtain larger micro-displacement in the osteotomy cavity, which is conducive to stimulating bone healing. The results demonstrate that OWHTO with a filling block can better balance the stress distribution of the fixation system, and a better fixation effect can be obtained by using a filling block filled in the posterior position. Porous HA used as the material of the filling block can obtain a better bone healing effect.

Clinicopathological characteristics, prognostic factors, and outcomes of elderly patients with lymphoma-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis: A multicenter analysis.

BACKGROUND: Lymphoma is the most common secondary cause of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) in adults. Lymphoma-associated HLH (LA-HLH) in the elderly population is not rare, however, little has been reported regarding clinicopathological characteristics, prognostic factors, and outcomes of LA-HLH in the elderly population. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed a multicenter cohort of elderly patients with LA-HLH. Clinicopathological features and treatment information were collected. The impacts of baseline characteristics and treatments on survival outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 173 elderly patients with LA-HLH were included. Compared with young patients, elderly patients showed different clinical and laboratory features. Regarding lymphoma subtypes, B-cell lymphoma was more common in elderly patients (elderly 61.3% vs. young 32.3%, p < 0.001) while T/NK-cell lymphoma was more common in young patients (65.3% vs. 35.3%, p < 0.001). The median survival of elderly patients with LA-HLH was only 92 days. The prior use of HLH therapy or etoposide-containing HLH therapy was not associated with improved overall survival. T/NK-cell subtype, a lower platelet count (≤53 × 109/L), a lower albumin level (≤32.1 g/L), a higher LDH level (>1407 U/L), and a higher creatinine level (>96.8 µmol/L) were independent predictors of decreased overall survival and 60-day survival. A prognostic index was established and demonstrated to be robust in predicting the overall survival and 60-day survival of elderly patients with LA-HLH. CONCLUSIONS: LA-HLH in elderly patients displayed heterogeneous clinicopathological features and survival outcomes. Treatments need to be optimized to improve the outcomes of elderly patients with LA-HLH.

Targeted gene sequencing and transcriptome sequencing reveal characteristics of NUP98 rearrangement in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia.

BACKGROUND: NUP98 rearrangements (NUP98-r) are rare but overrepresented mutations in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. NUP98-r is often associated with chemotherapy resistance and a particularly poor prognosis. Therefore, characterizing pediatric AML with NUP98-r to identify aberrations is critically important. METHODS: Here, we retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological features, genomic and transcriptomic landscapes, treatments, and outcomes of pediatric patients with AML. RESULTS: Nine patients with NUP98-r mutations were identified in our cohort of 142 patients. Ten mutated genes were detected in patients with NUP98-r. The frequency of FLT3-ITD mutations differed significantly between the groups harboring NUP98-r and those without NUP98-r (P = 0.035). Unsupervised hierarchical clustering via RNA sequencing data from 21 AML patients revealed that NUP98-r samples clustered together, strongly suggesting a distinct subtype. Compared with that in the non-NUP98-r fusion and no fusion groups, CMAHP expression was significantly upregulated in the NUP98-r samples (P < 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively). Multivariate Cox regression analyses demonstrated that patients harboring NUP98-r (P < 0.001) and WT1 mutations (P = 0.030) had worse relapse-free survival, and patients harboring NUP98-r (P < 0.008) presented lower overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: These investigations contribute to the understanding of the molecular characteristics, risk stratification, and prognostic evaluation of pediatric AML patients.

NLRC5 exerts anti-endometriosis effects through inhibiting ERß-mediated inflammatory response.

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is well known as a chronic inflammatory disease. The development of endometriosis is heavily influenced by the estrogen receptor ß (ERß), while NOD-like receptors (NLRs) family CARD domain-containing 5 (NLRC5) exhibits anti-inflammatory properties during endometriosis. However, whether NLRC5-mediated anti-inflammation is involved in the ERß-mediated endometriosis is still uncertain. This study aimed to assess that relation. METHODS: Nine cases of eutopic endometrial tissue and ten cases of ectopic endometrial tissue were collected from patients with endometriosis, and endometrial samples from ten healthy fertile women were analyzed, and the expression levels of ERß were quantified using immunohistochemistry (IHC). Subsequently, we constructed mouse model of endometriosis by intraperitoneal injection. We detected the expression of ERß, NLRC5, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-10 and measured the volume of ectopic lesions in mice with endometriosis. In vitro, human endometrial stromal cells (hESCs) were transfected respectively with ERß-overexpressing and NLRC5-overexpressing plasmids. We then assessed the expression of ERß and NLRC5 using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot analysis. Furthermore, we measured the concentrations of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 in the cell culture supernatant through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Additionally, we evaluated the migration and invasion ability of hESCs using transwell and wound healing assays. RESULTS: Inhibition of NLRC5 expression promotes the development of ectopic lesions in mice with endometriosis, upregulates the expression of pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-6, and downregulates the expression of anti-inflammatory factor IL-10. The high expression of NLRC5 in endometriosis depended on the ERß overexpression. And ERß promoted the migration of hESCs partially depend on inflammatory microenvironment. Lastly, NLRC5 overexpression inhibited ERß-mediated development and inflammatory response of endometriosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the innate immune molecule NLRC5-mediated anti-inflammation participates in ERß-mediated endometriosis development, and partly clarifies the pathological mechanism of endometriosis, expanding our knowledge of the specific molecules related to the inflammatory response involved in endometriosis and potentially providing a new therapeutic target for endometriosis.

Investigating the Research Trajectory and Future Trends of Immune Disorders in Diabetes Cardiovascular Complications: A Bibliometric Analysis Over the Past Decade Based on Big Data.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular complications of diabetes are a top cause of death in diabetics and often involve immune system problems. Despite numerous studies, there's a shortage of extensive data to advance this field. This study aims to systematically analyze the role of immune dysregulation in these complications using bibliometric methods, to outline the research path and predict future directions. METHODS: Published from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2023, 2,826 records from the Web of Science Core Collection were analyzed. Collaboration networks, keyword co-occurrences, references, and research hotspots were visualized and analyzed using Microsoft Office Excel 2019, VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and R software. RESULTS: The number of research papers and citations on this topic has been increasing from 2014 to 2023, with significant contributions from the United States and China. Studies have focused on the effects of oxidative stress, inflammation, metabolism, gut microbiota, and COVID-19 on diabetic heart problems, highlighting the role of immune dysregulation in these diseases. CONCLUSION: This research provides an overview of immune dysregulation in the cardiovascular complications of diabetes, explores potential treatments including immunomodulation, insulin resistance, and the benefits of vitamin D on cardiovascular disease, and helps advance the field.

Interaction and band structure-determined inhibition of negative Cr (VI) and positive Fe (III) for antibiotic photodegradation by nitrogen-doped dissolved black carbon.

The influences of the positive Fe3+ and the negative Cr2O72- on the tetracycline (TC) photodegradation by N-doped dissolved black carbon (NDBC) have been investigated in this work. A series of samples (NDBC300, NDBC400 and NDBC500) have been extracted from the corresponding biochar. NDBC400 has the best photodegradation performance (79%) for TC under visible light irradiation. Adding Cr2O72- and Fe3+ can reduces TC photodegradation efficiency into 37% and 53%, respectively. This maybe from that Cr2O72- has stronger interaction with NDBC400 than Fe3+ since it can quench more fluorescence intensity of NDBC400 than Fe3+. Furthermore, Cr2O72- can reduce the steady-state concentration of 3NDBC400*, 1O2 and •OH, whereas Fe3+can just reduce the steady-state concentration of 3NDBC400* and increase the concentration of •OH. This may explain why Cr2O72- has stronger inhibit performance of TC photodegradation by NDBC400 than Fe3+. The band structures of NDBC400, NDBC400-Fe3+ and NDBC400-Cr2O72- are constructed. And the VB of NDBC400-Fe3+ has a stronger ability to produce •OH than NDBC400. In summary, coupling interaction and band structure characterization of NDBC400, NDBC400-Fe3+ and NDBC400-Cr2O72- can explain well why Cr2O72 has stronger inhibition effect than Fe3+ and Fe3+ can increase the concentration of •OH. This work provides a deep insight for the photochemical behavior of dissolved black carbon and the transformation behavior of the co-existed metal ions and antibiotics.

Acupuncture ameliorates depression-like behavior of poststroke depression model rats through the regulation of gut microbiota and NLRP3 inflammasome in the colon.

This study was conducted to examine the effects of acupuncture on gut microbiota and expression of NLRP3 inflammasome in the colon in poststroke depression (PSD) model rats. Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomized into four groups: sham surgery group, poststroke depression group, acupuncture group, and probiotics group. Acupuncture therapy at Baihui (GV20), Shenting (GV24), bilateral Zusanli (ST36) acupoints in the acupuncture group and probiotic gavage therapy in the probiotics group were performed once per day for 2 weeks. Behaviors of depression were assessed by using weight measurements, sucrose preference test, open field test, and forced swimming test. Histopathological alterations in the colon were determined by hematoxylin-eosin staining, the expression of NLRP3/ASC/caspase-1 pathway-related proteins was analyzed by western blotting. Serum levels of IL-1ß and IL-18 were derived from ELISA. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed to examine and analyze the differences of gut microbiota of rats among all groups. Acupuncture was effective to increase weight and ameliorate depressive-like behaviors in PSD rats. Acupuncture increased the diversity of gut microbiota, upregulated the abundance of Bifidobacteriaceae and Lactobacillaceae, and decreased the relative abundance of Peptostreptococcaceae, Rikenellaceae, Eggerthellaceae, and Streptococcaceae at family level. Acupuncture effectively improved the pathological changes in the colon. Meanwhile, acupuncture reduced NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1 protein expressions in the colon, and serum levels of IL-18 and IL-1ß. Acupuncture may reduce depressive-like behaviors of PSD by regulating the gut microbiota and suppressing hyperactivation of NLRP3 inflammasome in the colon. Microbiota-gut-brain axis may be an effective target pathway for acupuncture treatment of PSD.

Construction and evaluation of a predictive model for the types of sleep respiratory events in patients with OSA based on hypoxic parameters.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the differences and associations of hypoxic parameters among distinct types of respiratory events in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and to construct prediction models for the types of respiratory events based on hypoxic parameters. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on a cohort of 67 patients with polysomnography (PSG). All overnight recorded respiratory events with pulse oxygen saturation (SpO2) desaturation were categorized into four categories: hypopnea (Hyp, 3409 events), obstructive apnea (OA, 5561 events), central apnea (CA, 1110 events) and mixed apnea (MA, 1372 events). All event recordings were exported separately from the PSG software as comma-separated variable (.csv) files, which were imported into custom-built MATLAB software for analysis. Based on 13 hypoxic parameters, artificial neural network (ANN) and binary logistic regression (BLR) were separately used for construction of Hyp, OA, CA and MA models. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were employed to compare the various predictive indicators of the two models for different respiratory event types, respectively. RESULTS: Both ANN and BLR models suggested that 13 hypoxic parameters significantly influenced the classification of respiratory event types; The area under the ROC curves of the ANN models surpassed those of traditional BLR models respiratory event types. CONCLUSION: The ANN models constructed based on the 13 hypoxic parameters exhibited superior predictive capabilities for distinct types of respiratory events, providing a feasible new tool for automatic identification of respiratory event types using sleep SpO2.

Study on OSA screening and influencing factors in community-based elderly hypertensive patients based on single-lead wearable ECG devices.

PURPOSE: Assessing whether single-lead ECG can be effectively and relatively inexpensively used in large-scale OSA screening, and identifying factors influencing moderate-to-severe OSA among elderly hypertensive patients without atypical symptoms in primary care. METHODS: The study gathered data from 15 medical institutions in Ningxia between January and December 2022 using cloud platforms. The dataset included basic information and 72-h ECG monitoring for 2573 hypertensive patients over 65. OSA screening was conducted using the single-lead wearable ECG devices based on the ACAT algorithm. A multivariable logistic regression identified the main factors affecting OSA severity in these patients, and the AUC was used to assess the model's predictive accuracy. RESULTS: The study found an OSA detection rate of 87.10%, with 55.42% being moderate to severe cases. Key risk factors associated with developing moderate-to-severe OSA included cardiac irregularities like supraventricular extrasystole and atrioventricular block, male gender, lifestyle factors like alcohol consumption and smoking, and health indicators such as SDNN ≤ 100 ms, abnormal LF/HF ratio, BMI, and age. The model's accuracy for predicting OSA, indicated by a ROAUC of 0.625, was moderate. Factors like gender, tea consumption, stroke history, and ventricular tachycardia were also independently linked to OSA severity. CONCLUSION: This study combines single-lead wearable ECG devices with the ACAT algorithm for OSA screening in Ningxia, China. Initial screening identified 87.10% of participants as having OSA, with 55.42% being moderate to severe cases. This suggests a convenient, low-cost, and repeatable ECG-based method for OSA screening, potentially improving early detection and management of OSA by identifying potential risk factors.

A novel electrochemical sensor with NiSx@MoS2 composite for efficient NO2- sensing.

Excess nitrites are potentially threatening to human health, so it is urgent to develop accurate and sensitive methods. The development of sensors can provide early warning of possible hazards and alert people to protect public health. This work presents an NiSx@MoS2-composite with excellent electrochemical activity, representing a key finding for highly sensitive NO2- detection and sensor development. With the assistance of NiSx@MoS2, this electrochemical sensor has excellent quantitative detection performance. It has a wide detection range (0.0001-0.0020 mg/mL) and a low detection limit (1.863*10-5 mg/mL) for NO2-. This electrochemical sensor maintains excellent specificity among numerous interferences, and it completes the accurate detection of different real food samples. Pleasingly, the electrochemical sensor has satisfactory repeatability stability, and potential for practical applications. It would demonstrate tremendous potential in scientific dietary guidance, food safety detection and other fields.

Combining radio frequency heating and alkaline treatment for enhancement of sludge disintegration and volatile fatty acids production from anaerobic fermentation.

Sludge pretreatment plays a crucial role in solubilizing particulate matters to release organic matter for subsequent anaerobic fermentation (AF). This study innovatively combines radio frequency (RF) heating and alkaline treatment, and finds that the combined pretreatment achieved a sludge disintegration rate of 35.11 %, which is 15.19 % and 8.48 % higher than single RF or alkaline pretreatment. The dissociated ions from the alkali are conducive to RF action on sludge. Furthermore, the combined pretreatment significantly benefits the subsequent AF experiments, resulting in a 9-fold increase in volatile fatty acids production. Considering cost-effectiveness, the optimal operating condition is a 10-minute RF treatment at pH 10 with a total cost of 4.35 × 10-3 dollars per kg soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) increased. These findings provide a foundational basis for the development of a novel technology for sludge pretreatment.

Role of LECT2 in exacerbating atopic dermatitis: insight from in vivo and in vitro models via NF-κB signaling pathway.

Leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2) is linked to various immune diseases. Previously, we reported that serum LECT2 levels correlate with disease severity in atopic dermatitis (AD) patients. To investigate the role of LECT2 in AD and elucidate its potential mechanisms, we used LECT2 to treat an AD mouse model induced by 1-Chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB) in LECT2 knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice, and an AD cell model using TNF-α/IFN-γ-induced HaCaT cells. Inflammatory factors and barrier proteins were analyzed by histology, immunohistochemistry, RT-qPCR, ELISA, and Western Blot. Activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway was evaluated by Western Blot and immunofluorescence. In the AD mouse model, LECT2 treatment increased epidermal and dermal thickness, mast cell infiltration, and downregulated barrier proteins. Inflammatory factors were increased in skin lesions and serum. In the AD cell model, LECT2 decreased barrier protein levels and increased inflammatory factor levels, enhancing NF-κB P65 nuclear translocation. These results indicate that LECT2 exacerbates AD-like responses by dysregulating the NF-κB signaling pathway, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target for AD management.

Role of gasotransmitters in necroptosis.

Gasotransmitters are endogenous gas signal molecules that can freely pass through cell membranes and transmit signals between cells, playing multiple roles in cell signal transduction. Due to extensive and ongoing research in this field, we have successfully identified many gasotransmitters so far, among which nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen sulfide are best studied. Gasotransmitters are implicated in various diseases related to necroptosis, such as cardiovascular diseases, inflammation, ischemia-reperfusion, infectious diseases, and neurological diseases. However, the mechanisms of their effect on necroptosis signaling are not fully understood. This review focuses on endogenous gasotransmitter synthesis and metabolism and discusses their role in necroptosis, aiming to offer new insights for the therapeutic approaches to diseases associated with necroptosis.

Predictors of discordance between CT-derived fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) and △CT-FFR in deep coronary myocardial bridging.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the performance between CT-derived fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) and ΔCT-FFR measurements in patients with deep myocardial bridging (MB) along the left anterior descending artery, and explore the potential predictors of discordance. METHODS: 175 patients with deep MB who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and CT-FFR assessment were included. Clinical, anatomical and atherosclerotic variables were compared between patients with concordant and discordant CT-FFR and ΔCT-FFR. RESULTS: 30.9 % patients were discordantly classified, in which 94.4 % patients were classified as CT-FFR+/△CT-FFR-. The discordant group showed significantly higher upstream stenosis degree, distance from MB to the aorta, △CT-FFR (P 0.007, 0.009 and 0.002, respectively), and lower CT-FFR (P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, upstream stenosis degree (P 0.023, OR 1.628, 95 % CI: 1.068-2.481) and distance from MB to the aorta (P 0.001, OR 1.04, 95 % CI: 1.016-1.064) were independent predictors for discordance between CT-FFR and ΔCT-FFR. CONCLUSION: The discordance between CT-FFR and ΔCT-FFR measurements underscores the challenges in clinical decision-making, necessitating tailored approaches for MB evaluation.

Clinical profile in relation to age and gender of patients with temporomandibular disorders: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: The present study is to evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). METHODS: A total of 3362 TMD patients were included. Each participant had complete medical records according to the diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (DC/TMD). The clinical characteristics including symptoms and signs in relation to age and gender were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients seeking care was 29.89 ± 13.73Y, and 68.6% of patients were aged 16-35 years. The female-to-male ratio of patients was 2.2: 1, and the average age of males was significantly lower than that of females. The prevalence of clicking symptoms decreased with age, while the prevalence of pain symptoms and limitations in jaw movement increased with age. Females were more likely to have limitations in jaw movement than males. Among the patients with pain, the average visual analogue scale (VAS) was 2.96 ± 1.23. The average VAS score of acute TMD patients (≤ 3 months) was significantly higher than that of chronic TMD patients (> 3 months). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of TMD patients seeking care were young people. The number and average age of female patients was higher than the males. Female patients were more likely to have limitations in jaw movement than males.