Higher prevalence of thyroid-specific autoantibodies (TPOAb and TgAb) is related to a higher prevalence of fractures in females: results from NHANES 2007-2010.

A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from the NHANES. Bone mineral density (BMD) was compared in different thyroid-specific autoantibodies groups. Strengths of associations were calculated by using binary logistic regression models. Higher titers of thyroid-specific autoantibodies (TgAb and/or TPOAb) may lead to decreased BMD. Higher prevalence of TgAb and TPOAb significantly associated with fractures in females but not in males. PURPOSE: Hashimoto's thyroiditis is characterized by elevated thyroid-specific autoantibodies. It is currently believed that osteoporosis is not only a disease with abnormal mineral metabolism but also with immune abnormalities. This study investigated the relationship between thyroid-specific autoantibodies and osteoporosis, including the bone mineral density (BMD) values and fractures. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007-2010). BMD was compared in different thyroid-specific autoantibodies groups. The associations between thyroid-specific autoantibodies and fractures were explored. Strengths of associations were calculated by binary logistic regression models. Candidate variables for binary logistic regression model were selected after screened in univariate analysis (variables with P < 0.05). RESULTS: A total of 3865 study participants were included in this analysis; 224 participants were TgAb positive and 356 were TPOAb positive. A total of 392 participants reported hip, spine or wrist fractures. Participants with higher prevalence of TgAb or TPOAb had lower BMD. In females, significant cigarettes use, higher prevalence of TgAb and TPOAb, and the BMD of the total femur and femoral neck were significantly associated with fractures. Higher prevalence of TPOAb was particularly associated with a higher possibility of hip or spine fractures. In males, significant cigarettes use, 25OHD3, the BMD values of the total femur, femoral neck and total spine were significantly associated with fractures. CONCLUSION: Higher prevalence of thyroid-specific autoantibodies may lead to decreased BMD. In females, higher prevalence of TgAb and TPOAb significantly associated with fractures and TPOAb especially relating to the fractures of hip and spine. Males patients with vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency associated a higher possibility of fractures.

Association of tumor budding with clinicopathological features and prognostic value in stage III-IV colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Tumor budding (TB) has emerged as a promising independent prognostic biomarker in colorectal cancer (CRC). The prognostic role of TB has been extensively studied and currently affects clinical decision making in patients with stage I and II CRC. However, existing prognostic studies on TB in stage III CRC have been confined to small retrospective cohort studies. Consequently, this study investigated the correlation among TB categories, clinicopathological features, and prognosis in stage III-IV CRC to further enhance the precision and individualization of treatment through refined prognostic risk stratification. AIM: To analyze the relationship between TB categories and clinicopathological characteristics and assess their prognostic value in stage III-IV CRC to further refine the prognostic risk stratification of stage III-IV CRC. METHODS: The clinical data of 547 CRC patients were collected for this retrospective study. Infiltration at the front edge of the tumor buds was counted according to the 2016 International Tumor Budding Consensus Conference guidelines. RESULTS: Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis demonstrated that chemotherapy (P = 0.004), clinical stage IV (P < 0.001), ≥ 4 regional lymph node metastases (P = 0.004), left-sided colonic cancer (P = 0.040), and Bd 2-3 (P = 0.002) were independent prognostic factors in patients with stage III-IV CRC. Moreover, the density of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes was higher in Bd 1 than in Bd 2-3, both in the tumor stroma and its invasive margin. CONCLUSION: TB has an independent predictive prognostic value in patients with stage III-IV CRC. It is recommended to complete the TB report of stage III-IV CRC cases in the standardized pathological report to further refine risk stratification.

Metabolomic and physiological analysis of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) in response to saline and alkaline stress.

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a leguminous forage widely grown worldwide. Saline and alkaline stress can affect its development and yield. To elucidate the physiological mechanisms of alfalfa in response to saline and alkaline stress, we investigated the growth and physiological and metabolomic changes in alfalfa under saline (100 mM NaCl) and alkaline (100 mM Na2CO3, NaHCO3) stress. At the same Na+ concentration, alkaline stress caused more damage than that caused by saline stress. A total of 65 and 124 metabolites were identified in response to saline and alkaline stress, respectively. Determination of gene expression, enzyme activity, substance content, and KEGG enrichment analysis in key pathways revealed that alfalfa responded to saline stress primarily by osmoregulation and TCA cycle enhancement. Flavonoid synthesis, TCA cycle, glutamate anabolism, jasmonate synthesis, and cell wall component synthesis increased as responses to alkaline stress. This study provides important resources for breeding saline-alkaline-resistant alfalfa.

Research on the variation law of floor stress information entropy in upper protective layer mining based on Brillouin optical fiber sensing.

The characteristics of floor failure and stress changes during the mining process of protective layers are crucial for determining the effectiveness of pressure relief. Three boreholes were designed in the 21104 fully mechanized mining face of Hulusu Coal Mine to implant optical fibers into the floor of the working face. A fiber optic monitoring system was established to monitor the dynamic evolution of stress in the floor rock mass at different mining distances. Based on the information entropy in information theory, the monitoring results in the fiber optic monitoring system are calculated to obtain the stress information entropy at different mining distances. A quantitative dynamic analysis is conducted on the stress change process of the mining floor rock layer, and the stress change law of the protective layer after mining is verified through numerical calculation and similar simulation experiments. The results indicate that the evolution of stress information entropy can be divided into four stages, namely the original rock stress stage, stress concentration stage, stress release stage, and stress recovery stage. The stress information entropy shows a fluctuating upward trend, indicating that coal seam mining leads to a decrease in the orderliness of the overlying rock system and an increase in disorder. In different spatial evolution processes, there are also significant differences in stress information entropy. In the vertical direction, the entropy value of shallow rock layers changes greatly, while the entropy value of deep rock layers changes slightly. Mining leads to a decrease in the orderliness of the entire overlying rock system, an increase in stress information entropy, and a fluctuating upward trend in stress information entropy. The information entropy of overlying rock deformation and re compaction increases, but the degree of change of the former is greater than that of the latter. The Brillouin fiber optic sensing technology provides a new method for monitoring the stress changes in the protective layer mining floor, achieving quantitative analysis of floor rock failure.

Bibliometric analysis of mucosal immunity in IgA nephropathy from 1990 to 2022.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to conduct a bibliometric analysis of mucosal immunity in IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and indicate its current status, hot sopts, and direction of future studies. METHODS: The literature data was collected from the Web of Science Core Collection. CiteSpace 6.1.R3 was employed to conduct a visualization bibliometric analysis of mucosal immunity in IgA nephropathy, including authors, countries, journals, keywords, organizations, references, the bursts of keywords and references, and the timeline of keyword clusters and reference clusters. RESULTS: A total of 315 publications from 1990 to 2022 were included. The number of articles in this field has increased in recent years. Suzuki H, Coppo R, and Feehally J took the first place parallelly with 18 articles. Japan contributes the most articles, accounting for 27.3% of all the publications. The institutions with the most publications were Juntendo University and University of Alabama Birmingham. 453 keywords were concluded in the analysis, which mainly focus on the mucosal pathogenesis and therapy of the IgAN. The top five co-cited reference cluster are "aberrantly glycosylated IgA," "corticosteroids," "animal models," "o-glycosylationm" and "microRNA-630." The most recently burst of keyword is "tonsillectomy" and "gut." CONCLUSION: This was the first bibliometric analysis to systematically analyze the mucosal immunity in IgAN, which obtained the current status and indicated the future research hotspots and development trends. The gut microbiota and the related therapy-targeted mucosal immunity might be the future research hotspot.

Recent Advances in Flexible Wearable Supercapacitors: Properties, Fabrication, and Applications.

A supercapacitor is a potential electrochemical energy storage device with high-power density (PD) for driving flexible, smart, electronic devices. In particular, flexible supercapacitors (FSCs) have reliable mechanical and electrochemical properties and have become an important part of wearable, smart, electronic devices. It is noteworthy that the flexible electrode, electrolyte, separator and current collector all play key roles in overall FSCs. In this review, the unique mechanical properties, structural designs and fabrication methods of each flexible component are systematically classified, summarized and discussed based on the recent progress of FSCs. Further, the practical applications of FSCs are delineated, and the opportunities and challenges of FSCs in wearable technologies are proposed. The development of high-performance FSCs will greatly promote electricity storage toward more practical and widely varying fields. However, with the development of portable equipment, simple FSCs cannot satisfy the needs of integrated and intelligent flexible wearable devices for long durations. It is anticipated that the combining an FSC and a flexible power source such as flexible solar cells is an effective strategy to solve this problem. This review also includes some discussions of flexible self-powered devices.

Schisandrin B Alleviates Renal Tubular Cell Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Mitochondrial Dysfunction by Kielin/Chordin-like Protein Upregulation via Akt Pathway Inactivation and Adenosine 5'-Monophosphate (AMP)-Activated Protein Kinase Pathway Activation in Diabetic Kidney Disease.

Diabetic kidney disease is a common complication of diabetes and remains the primary cause of end-stage kidney disease in the general population. Schisandrin B (Sch B) is an active ingredient in Schisandra chinensis. Our study illustrates that Sch B can mitigate renal tubular cell (RTC) epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and mitochondrial dysfunction in db/db mice, accompanied by the downregulation of TGF-ß1 and the upregulation of PGC-1α. Similarly, Sch B demonstrated a protective effect by reducing the expression of TGF-ß1, α-SMA, fibronectin, and Col I, meanwhile enhancing the expression of E-cadherin in human RTCs (HK2 cells) stimulated with high glucose. Moreover, under high glucose conditions, Sch B effectively increased mitochondrial membrane potential, lowered ROS production, and increased the ATP content in HK2 cells, accompanied by the upregulation of PGC-1α, TFAM, MFN1, and MFN2. Mechanistically, the RNA-seq results showed a significant increase in KCP mRNA levels in HK2 cells treated with Sch B in a high glucose culture. The influence of Sch B on KCP mRNA levels was confirmed by real-time PCR in high glucose-treated HK2 cells. Depletion of the KCP gene reversed the impact of Sch B on TGF-ß1 and PGC-1α in HK2 cells with high glucose level exposure, whereas overexpression of the KCP gene blocked EMT and mitochondrial dysfunction. Furthermore, the PI3K/Akt pathway was inhibited and the AMPK pathway was activated in HK2 cells exposed to a high concentration of glucose after the Sch B treatment. Treatment with the PI3K/Akt pathway agonist insulin and the AMPK pathway antagonist compound C attenuated the Sch B-induced KCP expression in HK2 cells exposed to a high level of glucose. Finally, molecular autodock experiments illustrated that Sch B could bind to Akt and AMPK. In summary, our findings suggested that Sch B could alleviate RTC EMT and mitochondrial dysfunction by upregulating KCP via inhibiting the Akt pathway and activating the AMPK pathway in DKD.

Design of a Self-Aligning Four-Finger Exoskeleton for Finger Abduction/Adduction and Flexion/Extension Motion.

For wearable four-finger exoskeletons, it is still a challenge to design the metacarpophalangeal (MCP)joint abduction/adduction (a/a) kinematic chain and achieve axes self-aligning. This paper proposes a novel exoskeleton for four fingers that features a high degree of dexterity enabling MCP joint flexion/extension (f/e) and a/a motion. Other features of the exoskeleton include a self-aligning mechanism that absorbs misalignment between the exoskeleton and human joints, the ability to accommodate fingers of different sizes, and a compact design that allows simultaneous a/a motion without interference. This paper presents the exoskeleton's kinematic model, optimizes the range of motion (ROM), and length of the exoskeleton linkage using the Genetic Algorithm. We compare the four-finger MCP joint's ROM and fingertip workspace with and without the exoskeleton. Our experiments show that the proposed exoskeleton has no significant impact on the natural ROM of the four-finger MCP joint, enables the fingers to cover an average of 82.96% of the original workspace, and can reach a significant portion of the fingertip workspace.

Pituitary Apoplexy-associated Cerebral Salt Wasting Syndrome: A Case Report and Literature Review.

PURPOSE: This is a case report of a patient experiencing hyponatremia who was ultimately diagnosed with pituitary apoplexy-associated cerebral salt wasting syndrome (CSWS). METHODS: Laboratory tests, clinical evaluations, and magnetic resonance imaging were performed by specialists. FINDINGS: The patient presented with severe headache, thirst, and polyuria. Results of laboratory tests indicated hyponatremia, decreased plasma osmolality, and elevated urine osmolality. Fluid restriction worsened the situation, and normal saline treatment helped return serum sodium and chloride levels to normal. Pituitary apoplexy-associated CSWS was finally considered. IMPLICATIONS: Pituitary apoplexy is a rare but reasonable etiology for CSWS with hyponatremia. Saline therapy is usually effective.

Combination of Rituximab and Low-dose Tacrolimus in the Treatment of Refractory Membranous Nephropathy: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background: Conventional regimens for refractory idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) still have limitations. Rituximab (RTX) has a good effect in the treatment of refractory IMN. However, whether RTX single or combined with immunosuppressive therapy is more effective and whether adverse events will increase are still inconclusive. Aims: To investigate the efficacy and safety of RTX combined with low-dose tacrolimus (TAC) versus RTX alone in the treatment of refractory IMN. Study Design: A retrospective cohort study. Methods: We retrospectively studied 91 cases of refractory IMN diagnosed between January 2018 and June 2021, all of which immunosuppressive regimens had failed. Thirty-four patients received RTX combined with TAC (RTX + TAC group), and 57 patients were treated with RTX alone (RTX group). The RTX + TAC group was given RTX 1 g once every 2 weeks, two times, and TAC 0.03 mg/kg/day orally. In the RTX group, RTX was given at the same dosage as the RTX + TAC group. Clinical data were collected at 12 months of follow-up to compare the complete and partial remission rates and the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups. Results: The overall effectiveness rate of RTX + TAC in the treatment of refractory IMN was 87.14%, of which the partial and complete remission rates were 50.01% and 37.13%, respectively, and the median time to complete remission was 9 (interquartile range [IQR] 6.0, 12.0) months. The overall effectiveness rate of RTX was 65.87%, of which the partial and complete remission rates were 39.48% and 26.39%, respectively, and the median time to complete remission was 10.5 (IQR 6.0, 12.0) months. Adverse events occurred in 6 (17.65%) patients in the RTX + TAC group and in 11 (19.30%) in the RTX group (P = 0.473). Proteinuria and high titer of PLA2R are risk factors for non-remission. Conclusion: The complete and partial remission rates of RTX combined with low-dose TAC in the treatment of refractory IMN are higher than those of RTX alone, and no significant increase in adverse events was noted.

Corrigendum to "Fluoxetine combined with risperidone in treatment of online gambling disorder-case report" [Heliyon 9 (3) (March 2023) Article e13772].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13772.].

Extracellular vesicle-mediated intercellular and interorgan crosstalk of pancreatic islet in health and diabetes.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a systemic metabolic disease with high mortality and morbidity. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as a novel class of signaling molecules, biomarkers and therapeutic agents. EVs-mediated intercellular and interorgan crosstalk of pancreatic islets plays a crucial role in the regulation of insulin secretion of ß-cells and insulin action in peripheral insulin target tissues, maintaining glucose homeostasis under physiological conditions, and it's also involved in pathological changes including autoimmune response, insulin resistance and ß-cell failure associated with DM. In addition, EVs may serve as biomarkers and therapeutic agents that respectively reflect the status and improve function and viability of pancreatic islets. In this review, we provide an overview of EVs, discuss EVs-mediated intercellular and interorgan crosstalk of pancreatic islet under physiological and diabetic conditions, and summarize the emerging applications of EVs in the diagnosis and treatment of DM. A better understanding of EVs-mediated intercellular and interorgan communication of pancreatic islets will broaden and enrich our knowledge of physiological homeostasis maintenance as well as the development, diagnosis and treatment of DM.

Regulatory considerations for paediatric drug evaluation in China.

The regulatory guidelines for the research and development of paediatric drugs are still evolving in China. The formulation of the guidelines started from learning and borrowing existing experience, and gradually changed to the exploration and improvement of local guidelines, which was not only in line with international standards but also had breakthroughs, innovations and Chinese characteristics. In this paper, the current setting of paediatric drug research and development in China and corresponding technical guidelines have been introduced from regulatory perspectives, and the accessibility of further improvement in regulatory strategies has also been discussed.

Integrated single-nucleus and spatial transcriptomics captures transitional states in soybean nodule maturation.

Legumes form symbiosis with rhizobium leading to the development of nitrogen-fixing nodules. By integrating single-nucleus and spatial transcriptomics, we established a cell atlas of soybean nodules and roots. In central infected zones of nodules, we found that uninfected cells specialize into functionally distinct subgroups during nodule development, and revealed a transitional subtype of infected cells with enriched nodulation-related genes. Overall, our results provide a single-cell perspective for understanding rhizobium-legume symbiosis.

Pharmacokinetics of Voriconazole in Peritoneal Fluid of Critically Ill Patients.

Data on the distribution of voriconazole (VRC) in the human peritoneal cavity are sparse. This prospective study aimed to describe the pharmacokinetics of intravenous VRC in the peritoneal fluid of critically ill patients. A total of 19 patients were included. Individual pharmacokinetic curves, drawn after single (first dose on day 1) and multiple (steady-state) doses, displayed a slower rise and lower fluctuation of VRC concentrations in peritoneal fluid than in plasma. Good but variable penetration of VRC into the peritoneal cavity was observed, and the median (range) peritoneal fluid/plasma ratios of the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) were 0.54 (0.34 to 0.73) and 0.67 (0.63 to 0.94) for single and multiple doses, respectively. Approximately 81% (13/16) of the VRC steady-state trough concentrations (Cmin,ss) in plasma were within the therapeutic range (1 to 5.5 µg/mL), and the corresponding Cmin,ss (median [range]) in peritoneal fluid was 2.12 (1.39 to 3.72) µg/mL. Based on the recent 3-year (2019 to 2021) surveillance of the antifungal susceptibilities for Candida species isolated from peritoneal fluid in our center, the aforementioned 13 Cmin,ss in peritoneal fluid exceeded the MIC90 of C. albicans, C. glabrata, and C. parapsilosis (0.06, 1.00, and 0.25 µg/mL, respectively), which supported VRC as a reasonable choice for initial empirical therapies against intraabdominal candidiasis caused by these three Candida species, prior to the receipt of susceptibility testing results.

Fluoxetine combined with risperidone in treatment of online gambling disorder-case report.

Pathological gambling leaves seriously negative impacts on individuals, families, and society. With the universal use of internet, online gambling disorder is also increasing worldwide. However, there is currently a lack of effective treatments, especially medical treatments, for online gambling disorder. This study shared 3 cases of online gambling disorder that was treated with combined fluoxetine and risperidone to provide an option for the treatment of online gambling.

Study of visual SLAM methods in minimally invasive surgery.

In recent years, minimally invasive surgery has developed rapidly in the clinical practice of surgery and has gradually become one of the critical surgical techniques. Compared with traditional surgery, the advantages of minimally invasive surgery include small incisions and less pain during the operation, and the patients recover faster after surgery. With the expansion of minimally invasive surgery in several medical fields, traditional minimally invasive techniques have bottlenecks in clinical practice, such as the inability of the endoscope to determine the depth information of the lesion area from the two-dimensional images obtained, the difficulty in locating the endoscopic position information and the inability to get a complete view of the overall situation in the cavity. This paper uses a visual simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) approach to achieve endoscope localization and reconstruction of the surgical region in a minimally invasive surgical environment. Firstly, the K-Means algorithm combined with the Super point algorithm is used to extract the feature information of the image in the lumen environment. Compared with Super points, the logarithm of successful matching points increased by 32.69%, the proportion of effective points increased by 25.28%, the error matching rate decreased by 0.64%, and the extraction time decreased by 1.98%. Then the iterative closest point method is used to estimate the position and attitude information of the endoscope. Finally, the disparity map is obtained by the stereo matching method, and the point cloud image of the surgical area is finally recovered.

The effects of first-line pharmacological treatments for reproductive outcomes in infertile women with PCOS: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common causes of infertility in reproductive-age women. However, the efficacy and optimal therapeutic strategy for reproductive outcomes are still under debate. We conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis to compare the efficacy of different first-line pharmacological therapies in terms of reproductive outcomes for women with PCOS and infertility. METHODS: A systematic retrieval of databases was conducted, and randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of pharmacological interventions for infertile PCOS women were included. The primary outcomes were clinical pregnancy and live birth, and the secondary outcomes were miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy and multiple pregnancy. A network meta-analysis based on a Bayesian model was performed to compare the effects of the pharmacological strategies. RESULTS: A total of 27 RCTs with 12 interventions were included, and all therapies tended to increase clinical pregnancy, especially pioglitazone (PIO) (log OR 3.14, 95% CI 1.56 ~ 4.70, moderate confidence), clomiphene citrate (CC) + exenatide (EXE) (2.96, 1.07 ~ 4.82, moderate confidence) and CC + metformin (MET) + PIO (2.82, 0.99 ~ 4.60, moderate confidence). Moreover, CC + MET + PIO (2.8, -0.25 ~ 6.06, very low confidence) could increase live birth most when compared to placebo, even without a significant difference. For secondary outcomes, PIO showed a tendency to increase miscarriage (1.44, -1.69 ~ 5.28, very low confidence). MET (-11.25, -33.7 ~ 0.57, low confidence) and LZ + MET (-10.44, -59.56 ~ 42.11, very low confidence) were beneficial for decreasing ectopic pregnancy. MET (0.07, -4.26 ~ 4.34, low confidence) showed a neutral effect in multiple pregnancy. Subgroup analysis demonstrated no significant difference between these medications and placebo in obese participants. CONCLUSIONS: Most first-line pharmacological treatments were effective in improving clinical pregnancy. CC + MET + PIO should be recommended as the optimal therapeutic strategy to improve pregnancy outcomes. However, none of the above treatments had a beneficial effect on clinical pregnancy in obese PCOS. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CRD42020183541; 05 July 2020.

"It's your Liangxin that tells you what to do": Interpreting workplace-induced emotions in a Chinese nursing home.

How Direct Care Workers (DCWs) interpret their work and perform care activities undeniably impacts the well-being of institutionalized older adults. Despite the emotionally charged nature of paid care work, little is known about how Chinese DCWs talk about their work and construct meaning within China's unique social context of a burgeoning institutional care market and changing cultural expectations for long-term care. This study qualitatively explored Chinese DCWs' emotion work as they navigate among institutional pressures and low social recognition in an urban government-sponsored nursing home in central China. Results revealed that DCWs used Liangxin (the good heart/mind) - a ubiquitous Chinese moral notion emphasizing the unity of feeling, thought, and action - as an interpretive framework, including its four dimensions (ceyin, xiue, cirang, and shifei), to inform care practice, manage emotions, and find dignity within what can be personally demeaning and socially devalued work. Our study delineated the processes through which DCWs sympathized with the pain and struggles of the older adults in their care (ceyin xin), shamed unjust attitudes and behaviors embedded in institutional care (xiue xin), delivered family-like relational care (cirang xin), and formed and reinforced principles of good (versus bad) care (shifei xin). We also revealed the nuanced role that the cultural value of xiao (filial piety), working in tandem with liangxin, both shaped the emotional terrain of the institutional care setting and impacted how DCWs engaged in emotion work. While recognizing the effect of liangxin for incentivizing DCWs to provide relational care and renegotiate their role status, we were also alerted to the risks of overburdening and exploiting DCWs who relied solely on their liangxin to meet complex care needs.

Do Temporomandibular Disorder Patients with Joint Pain Exhibit Forward Head Posture? A Cephalometric Study.

Purpose: To evaluate head and cervical posture in individuals with or without temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) and to assess the correlations between pain, severity of symptoms, and posture. Methods: A total of 384 patients (129 males and 255 females) was included. The Fonseca Anamnestic Index (FAI) was used to assess the severity and prevalence of TMD and the presence of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain. Patients were divided into three groups: the TMD-free group, TMD without TMJ pain group, and TMD with TMJ pain group. Subsequently, the patients with TMJ pain were further divided into mild TMD and moderate/severe TMD groups. Nine parameters were traced on cephalograms to characterize the head and cervical posture. Results: TMD patients with TMJ pain showed increased forward head posture (FHP) than patients without TMJ pain and TMD-free subjects. No significant difference was observed between the TMD patients without TMJ pain and TMD-free subjects. In the TMD patients with the TMJ pain group, the moderate/severe TMD patients demonstrated increased FHP compared to mild TMD patients. TMD patients with joint pain had greater CVT/RL (B = 3.099), OPT/RL (B = 2.117), and NSL/C2' (B = 4.646) than the patients without joint pain after adjusting for confounding variables (P < 0.05). Conclusion: TMD patients with TMJ pain showed increased FHP compared to other groups, and FHP became more significant as TMD severity increased in male patients, indicating the FHP might play an important role in the development of TMJ pain. In the clinical assessment of TMD, the patients' abnormal head and cervical posture might be considered.