Identification of potential therapeutic targets for plaque vulnerability based on an integrated analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: This study aimed to explore potential hub genes and pathways of plaque vulnerability and to investigate possible therapeutic targets for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). METHODS AND RESULTS: Four microarray datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs), weighted gene coexpression networks (WGCNA) and immune cell infiltration analysis (IIA) were used to identify the genes for plaque vulnerability. Then, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment, Disease Ontology, Gene Ontology annotation and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analyses were performed to explore the hub genes. Random forest and artificial neural networks were constructed for validation. Furthermore, the CMap and Herb databases were employed to explore possible therapeutic targets. A total of 168 DEGs with an adjusted P < 0.05 and approximately 1974 IIA genes were identified in GSE62646. Three modules were detected and associated with CAD-Class, including 891 genes that can be found in GSE90074. After removing duplicates, 114 hub genes were used for functional analysis. GO functions identified 157 items, and 6 pathways were enriched for the KEGG pathway at adjusted P < 0.05 (false discovery rate, FDR set at < 0.05). Random forest and artificial neural network models were built based on the GSE48060 and GSE34822 datasets, respectively, to validate the previous hub genes. Five genes (GZMA, GZMB, KLRB1, KLRD1 and TRPM6) were selected, and only two of them (GZMA and GZMB) were screened as therapeutic targets in the CMap and Herb databases. CONCLUSION: We performed a comprehensive analysis and validated GZMA and GZMB as a target for plaque vulnerability, which provides a therapeutic strategy for the prevention of ACS. However, whether it can be used as a predictor in blood samples requires further experimental verification.

Research Advances in Targeted Therapy for Heart Failure.

Cardiovascular disease is one of the major diseases threatening the health of Chinese residents, and the death rate has long been the highest on the disease spectrum in China. With the progress of population aging, the prevalence and mortality of cardiovascular diseases remain on the rise, and the current treatment effect on and prognosis of heart failure (HF) are not satisfactory. It is particularly important to explore the potential pathogenic mechanisms of HF and identify new therapeutic targets.

Osteoarthritis and hypertension: observational and Mendelian randomization analyses.

BACKGROUND: The association between osteoarthritis (OA) and hypertension is a subject of ongoing debate in observational research, and the underlying causal relationship between them remains elusive. METHODS: This study retrospectively included 24,871 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2013 to 2020. Weighted logistic regression was performed to investigate the connection between OA and hypertension. Additionally, Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was conducted to explore the potential causal relationship between OA and hypertension. RESULTS: In the NHANES data, after adjusting for multiple confounding factors, there was no significant relationship between OA and hypertension (OR 1.30, 95% CI, 0.97-1.73, P = 0.089). However, among males, OA appeared to be associated with a higher risk of hypertension (OR 2.25, 95% CI, 1.17-4.32, P = 0.019). Furthermore, MR results indicate no relationship between multiple OA phenotypes and hypertension: knee OA (IVW, OR 1.024, 95% CI: 0.931-1.126, P = 0.626), hip OA (IVW, OR 0.990, 95% CI: 0.941-1.042, P = 0.704), knee or hip OA (IVW, OR 1.005, 95% CI: 0.915-1.105, P = 0.911), and OA from UK Biobank (IVW, OR 0.796, 95% CI: 0.233-2.714, P = 0.715). Importantly, these findings remained consistent across different genders and in reverse MR. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found that OA patients had a higher risk of hypertension only among males in the observational study. However, MR analysis did not uncover any causal relationship between OA and hypertension.

Mechanism of Osteosarcopenia and Its Control by Exercise / 生物化学与生物物理进展

Osteosarcopenia (OS) is a multifactorial, multiaetiologic degenerative metabolic syndrome in which sarcopenia coexists with osteoporosis, and its influences are related to aging-induced mechanics, genetics, inflammatory factors, endocrine disorders, and irregular lifestyles. With the accelerated aging process in our country, osteosarcopenia has become a public health problem that cannot be ignored, with a higher risk of falls, fractures, impaired mobility and death. In recent years, scholars at home and abroad have conducted a lot of research on osteosarcopenia, but their pathogenesis is still unclear. Understanding the signaling pathways associated with osteosarcopenia is of great significance for further research on the pathogenesis of these disorders and for finding new targets for treatment. Studies have shown that activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway promotes osteoblast differentiation as well as skeletal muscle regeneration, indicating that inhibition of thePI3K/Akt signaling pathway is closely related to the development of osteosarcopenia. Muscle factor-mechanical stress interactions can maintain osteoblast viability by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, suggesting that Wnt signaling is important in muscle and bone crosstalk. The Notch signaling pathway also plays an important role in improving bone and muscle mass and function, but different researchers hold different views, which need to be further validated and refined in subsequent studies. Exercise, as an existing non-pharmacological treatment with strong and sustained effects on physical function and muscle strength, also significantly increases bone density in osteoporosis patients, which may be mainly due to the fact that exercise induces changes in the form and function of bones, in the form of muscular pulling and indirectly improves the bone mass, and changes in the bone strength can also change the number, shape as well as the function of the muscles. At the same time, the mechanism of different exercise modalities focuses on different aspects, and there are differences in exercise time, exercise intensity, and therapeutic effects in the implementation of interventions. Aerobic exercise can improve the quality of skeletal muscle and increase the expression of osteogenesis-related genes by stimulating mitochondrial biosynthesis, as well as improve the quality and strength of bones and muscles through the Wnt/β- catenin and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways, effectively preventing and controlling the occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders. High-intensity resistance exercise has a significant effect on improving the quality of muscles and bone mineral density, but older people with osteosarcopenia suffer from a decline in muscle quality and strength, and a decline in bone mineral density, which makes them very susceptible to fracture, so they should select the intensity of the training in a gradual and orderly manner, from small to large. What kind of exercise intensity and exercise modalities are most effective in improving the occurrence and development of osteosarcopenia needs to be further investigated. Therefore, this paper mainly reviews the epidemiology of osteosarcopenia, diagnostic criteria, the related signaling pathways (PI3K/Akt pathway, Wnt/β-catenin pathway, Notch pathway, NF-κB pathway) that jointly regulate the metabolic process of myocytes and skeletal cells, as well as the interventional effects of different exercise modes on osteosarcopenia, with the aim of providing theoretical bases for the clinical treatment of osteosarcopenia, as well as enhancing the preventive capacity of the disease in old age.

Study on the cognition, learning habit and learning effect of Clinical Epidemiology among different types of postgraduates / 中华医学教育探索杂志

Objective:To investigate the cognition and learning habits of different types of postgraduates and evaluate learning effect and its potential risk factors on clinical epidemiology in a medical college, so as to provide relevant data for improving the teaching method and learning effect of clinical research methods for postgraduates.Methods:A cross-sectional study design was conducted to enroll all the postgraduates of Grade 2020 in a military medical school. A self-filled questionnaire was adopted to collect data. The discrepancy of cognition and learning habits between different types of postgraduates was evaluated by univariate analysis. Discussion was conducted to clarify the potential risk factors of learning effect. t tests or Mann-Whitney U tests were conducted to test the differences between groups for continuous variables. Chi-squared tests or McNemar tests were applied to evaluate the difference between groups for categorical variables. Results:A total of 652 postgraduate students were enrolled for analysis, including 409 master students (62.7) and 243 doctoral students (37.3). The proportion of doctoral students who have heard of clinical epidemiology ( χ2=19.99, P<0.001), who have learned clinical epidemiology ( χ2=9.20, P=0.002), who are interested in ( χ2=11.41, P=0.001) and think the course is important ( χ2=10.71, P=0.001), who previewed before class( χ2=11.21, P=0.001), reviewed after class ( χ2=3.29, P=0.001) and actively discuss in class ( χ2=11.64, P=0.001) is significantly higher than that of master students, the difference was statistically significance. The average score of all the postgraduates was (5.50±1.62) points before teaching and (7.47±1.90) points after teaching, the difference was statistically significant ( t=-23.49, P<0.001). After teaching, the grades of full-time students improved more than that of part-time graduate students, there was statistical significance in the master group ( t=4.41, P<0.001), while not in the doctor group ( t=0.94, P=0.351). Conclusions:The mastery of key points on clinical epidemiology have significantly improved after teaching among the postgraduates of different types. Different teaching methods and processes should be adopted to the variety of postgraduates according to their knowledge foundations and shortcomings. Besides, standardizing their learning habits are of certain significance to improve the learning effect.

Effect and Mechanism of Atorvastatin on Reversing Drug Resistance in Leukemia by Regulating Glycolysis through PTEN/mTOR Pathway / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the influence and mechanism of atorvastatin on glycolysis of adriamycin resistant acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cell line HL-60/ADM.@*METHODS@#HL-60/ADM cells in logarithmic growth phase were treated with different concentrations of atorvastatin, then the cell proliferation activity was measured by CCK-8 assay, the apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry, the glycolytic activity was checked by glucose consumption test, and the protein expressions of PTEN, p-mTOR, PKM2, HK2, P-gp and MRP1 were detected by Western blot. After transfection of PTEN-siRNA into HL-60/ADM cells, the effects of low expression of PTEN on atorvastatin regulating the behaviors of apoptosis and glycolytic metabolism in HL-60/ADM cells were further detected.@*RESULTS@#CCK-8 results showed that atorvastatin could inhibit the proliferation of HL-60/ADM cells in a concentration-dependent and time-dependent manner (r=0.872, r=0.936), and the proliferation activity was inhibited most significantly when treated with 10 μmol/L atorvastatin for 24 h, which was decreased to (32.3±2.18)%. Flow cytometry results showed that atorvastatin induced the apoptosis of HL-60/ADM cells in a concentration-dependent manner (r=0.796), and the apoptosis was induced most notably when treated with 10 μmol/L atorvastatin for 24 h, which reached to (48.78±2.95)%. The results of glucose consumption test showed that atorvastatin significantly inhibited the glycolytic activity of HL-60/ADM cells in a concentration-dependent and time-dependent manner (r=0.915, r=0.748), and this inhibition was most strikingly when treated with 10 μmol/L atorvastatin for 24 h, reducing the relative glucose consumption to (46.53±1.71)%. Western blot indicated that the expressions of p-mTOR, PKM2, HK2, P-gp and MRP1 protein were decreased in a concentration-dependent manner (r=0.737, r=0.695, r=0.829, r=0.781, r=0.632), while the expression of PTEN protein was increased in a concentration-dependent manner (r=0.531), when treated with different concentrations of atorvastatin for 24 h. After PTEN-siRNA transfected into HL-60/ADM cells, it showed that low expression of PTEN had weakened the promoting effect of atorvastatin on apoptosis and inhibitory effect on glycolysis and multidrug resistance.@*CONCLUSION@#Atorvastatin can inhibit the proliferation, glycolysis, and induce apoptosis of HL-60/ADM cells. It may be related to the mechanism of increasing the expression of PTEN, inhibiting mTOR activation, and decreasing the expressions of PKM2 and HK2, thus reverse drug resistance.

Risk ractors for the occurrence of preeclampsia and the predictive value of serum VEGFR-1 and PLGF for preeclampsia / 中国医师杂志

Objective:To explore the risk factors for the occurrence of preeclampsia (PE) and the predictive value of serum vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (VEGFR-1) and placental growth factor (PLGF) for PE.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to select 148 pregnant women who underwent prenatal examinations at the First People′s Hospital of Chenzhou from January 2020 to January 2022 and were ultimately diagnosed with PE as the PE group, and 148 healthy pregnant women who underwent prenatal examinations during the same period as the PE group were selected as the control group. The levels of VEGFR-1, PLGF, and VEGFR-1/PLGF were compared between two groups of pregnant women. Logistic regression analysis was performed on the risk factors for PE, and the correlation between VEGFR-1, PLGF, VEGFR-1/PLGF and risk factors was analyzed. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the predictive value of VEGFR-1, PLGF, and VEGFR-1/PLGF for PE and obtain cutoff values. The survival curve of pregnant women with PE was plotted based on the cutoff values.Results:The levels of VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-1/PLGF in the PE group were higher than those in the control group (all P<0.05), while the levels of PLGF were lower than those in the control group ( P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that age, body mass index (BMI), pregnancy induced hypertension, pregnancy induced diabetes, family history of hypertension, preeclampsia, VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-1/PLGF were risk factors for PE (all P<0.05), and PLGF was a protective factor for PE ( P<0.05). VEGFR-1, VEGFR-1/PLGF were positively correlated with age, BMI, pregnancy induced hypertension, pregnancy induced diabetes, hypertension family history, and PE (all P<0.001), while PLGF was negatively correlated with age, BMI, pregnancy induced hypertension, pregnancy induced diabetes, hypertension family history, and preeclampsia (all P<0.001). VEGFR-1, PLGF, and VEGFR-1/PLGF had higher predictive value for PE (AUC=0.773, 0.791, 0.825), with cutoff values of 9190.83 ng/L, 508.17 ng/L, and 21.64, respectively. According to the cutoff value, 296 pregnant women were divided into three groups: low, medium, and high risk. The survival analysis results showed that the probabilities of PE occurrence in the three groups were 1.36%, 18.97%, and 66.67%, respectively. Conclusions:VEGFR-1 and PLGF have high predictive value for PE, and clinical monitoring of VEGFR-1/PLGF levels combined with other examination methods can improve the accuracy of PE diagnosis and prediction, and improve pregnancy outcomes.

Analysis of control status and related influencing factors of plaque in patients with periodontal disease / 新乡医学院学报

Objective To investigate the status of plaque control in patients with periodontal disease and its related in-fluencing factors.Methods A total of 350 periodontal disease patients admitted to the Hospital of Stomatological Xi'an Jiao-tong University from May 2018 to May 2022 were selected as the research subjects by the random sampling method.All patients underwent total supragingival oral prophylaxis.The total oral plaque assessment and detection,general oral examination,and a questionnaire survey on oral hygiene behavior will be conducted when patients came back for return visit at 7-10 days after operation.Single factor and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the factors affecting the effectiveness of plaque control.Results A total of 350 questionnaires were distributed in this study,and 340 valid questionnaires(97.14％)were collected.The total plaque index of the patient was(68.42±16.93)％;the plaque index in maxillary was significantly lower than that in mandibular(P＜0.05);the plaque index in anterior tooth area was significantly lower than that in the poste-rior tooth area(P＜0.05);there was no significant difference in plaque index between the left and right halves of the mouth(P＞0.05);there was no significant difference in plaque index between zone 1 and zone 2(P＞0.05);there was no signifi-cant difference in plaque index between zone 3 and zone 4(P＞0.05);the plaque index in zone 3 and zone 4 was significantly higher than that in zone 1 and zone 2,respectively(P＜0.05).There was no significance difference in the plaque index be-tween distal and lingual surfaces(P＞0.05),while there was significance difference in the plaque index between the other dental surfaces(P＜0.05).The results of univariate analysis showed that there were significant difference in plaque index among patients with different genders,educational levels,disease severity,brushing duration,and brushing method(P＜0.05);the results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the severity of the disease and brushing method were the factors affecting the plaque index(P＜0.05).Conclusion The overall control situation of plaque control in patients with periodontal disease is not ideal.The severity of the disease and the method of brushing teeth are factors affecting the effectiveness of plaque index control.Oral health education should be strengthened to promote plaque control in patients with periodontal disease.

LOXL1 dynamic expression of the liver in mice infected with Schistosomajaponicum / 安徽医科大学学报

Objective @#To observe the dynamic expression of recombinant lysyl oxidase like protein 1 ( LOXL1) in the lysine oxidase family in the liver of C57BL/6 mice infected with Schistosomajaponicum and explore its role in hepatic fibrosis．@*Methods@#Mice were infected subcutaneously with cercariae of S．japonicum，and sacrificed with euthanasia in 6，9 and 12 weeks after infection．The sera and liver tissues were collected．The levels of liver fibrosis in mice was dynamically evaluated by HE and Sirius red staining，and the serum transaminases were detected．The dynamic expression levels of collagen type Ⅰ ( Col1) ，LOXL1 and α-smooth muscle actin( α-SMA) in liver tissues were determined respectively by Western blot and qPCR. Finally，the dynamic levels of soluble and insoluble collagens were detected. @*Results@#The result of HE and Sirius red staining showed that hepatic fibrosis levels increased at 6 weeks，peaked at 9 week，and decreased at 12 week in response to S．japonicum infection．Western blot and q-PCR showed that the expression levels of LOXL1，Col1 α1，Col3 α1 and α-SMA was significantly up regulated and reached maximum at the 9th week in response to S．japonicum infection．Soluble collagen protein levels reached maximum at the 9th week．and decreased at 12 week，however insoluble collagen protein levels continued to increase．@*Conclusion@#There may be a correlation between LOXL1 and fiber cross-linking in the process of hepatic fibrosis in S．japonicum，and it plays a role in promoting hepatic fibrosis.

Prevalence of HEV infection markers in Chinese blood donors: a meta-analysis / 中国输血杂志

【Objective】 To analyze the serological markers and RNA prevalence of HEV infection in Chinese voluntary blood donors in different regions of China, so as to provide basis for the necessity of HEV screening and the formulation of screening strategies for voluntary blood donors. 【Methods】 Databases such as CNKI, Wanfang medicine and PubMed were searched for eligible literature, and the literature data meeting the inclusion criteria were extracted for meta-analysis using R4.1.3 software. 【Results】 A total of 26 studies were included, involving 97 928, 117 831 and 82 673 cases, respectively, for anti-HEV IgG, anti-HEV IgM and HEV RNA. The pooled estimated prevalence of anti-HEV IgG, anti-HEV IgM and HEV RNA among Chinese voluntary blood donors was 23.0% [95% CI (18%, 29%)] vs 1.13% [95% CI (0.94%, 1.36%)] vs 0.028%[95%CI(0.006%, 0.059%)], and there were significant differences among different cities and regions. 【Conclusion】 The past infection rate of HEV among voluntary blood donors in China was somewhat high and with significant regional differences. The current infection rate was relatively low and had decreased compared with that in the past decade, but there was still residual risk of blood transfusion. It is necessary to pay more attention to blood HEV screening of voluntary blood donors.

Detection rates of adenomas, advanced adenomas, and colorectal cancers among the opportunistic colonoscopy screening population: a single-center, retrospective study / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is effective in reducing CRC incidence and mortality. The aim of this study was to retrospectively determine and compare the detection rate of adenomas, advanced adenomas (AAs) and CRCs, and the number needed to screen (NNS) of individuals in an average-risk Chinese population of different ages and genders.@*METHODS@#This was a retrospective study performed at the Institute of Health Management, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital. Colonoscopy results were analyzed for 53,152 individuals finally enrolled from January 2013 to December 2019. The detection rate of adenomas, AAs, or CRCs was computed and the characteristics between men and women were compared using chi-squared test.@*RESULTS@#The average age was 48.8 years (standard deviation [SD], 8.5 years) for men and 50.0 years (SD, 9.0 years) for women, and the gender rate was 66.27% (35,226) vs . 33.73% (17,926). The detection rates of adenomas, AAs, serrated adenomas, and CRCs were 14.58% (7750), 3.09% (1641), 1.23% (653), and 0.59% (313), respectively. Men were statistically significantly associated with higher detection rates than women in adenomas (17.20% [6058/35,226], 95% confidence interval [CI] 16.74-17.53% vs . 9.44% [1692/17,926], 95% CI 8.94-9.79%, P  < 0.001), AAs (3.72% [1309], 95% CI 3.47-3.87% vs . 1.85% [332], 95% CI 1.61-2.00%, P  < 0.001), and serrated adenomas (1.56% [548], 95% CI 1.43-1.69% vs . 0.59% [105], 95% CI 0.47-0.70%, P  < 0.001). The detection rate of AAs in individuals aged 45 to 49 years was 3.17% (270/8510, 95% CI 2.80-3.55%) in men and 1.69% (69/4091, 95% CI 1.12-1.86%) in women, and their NNS was 31.55 (95% CI 28.17-35.71) in men and 67.11 (95% CI 53.76-89.29) in women. The NNS for AAs in men aged 45 to 49 years was close to that in women aged 65 to 69 years (29.07 [95% CI 21.05-46.73]).@*CONCLUSIONS@#The detection rates of adenomas, AAs, and serrated adenomas are high in the asymptomatic population undergoing a physical examination and are associated with gender and age. Our findings will provide important references for effective population-based CRC screening strategies in the future.

Effect of Modified Gegen Qinliantang on FXR/SHP/PPARα Signaling Pathway in Type 2 Diabetic db/db Mice / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of modified Gegen Qinliantang on the expression levels of proteins related to the farnesoid X receptor/small heterodimer partner/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α （FXR/SHP/PPARα） signaling pathway in the liver tissue of db/db model mice with type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） and explore the underlying mechanism of action of modified Gegen Qinliantang. MethodThirty db/db mice were randomly divided into model group， metformin group （0.2 g·kg-1）， and high-， medium-， and low-dose modified Gegen Qinliantang groups （31.9， 19.1， 6.4 g·kg-1）， with 6 mice in each group. An additional six m/m mice were assigned to the blank group. Respective drugs were administered via oral gavage for 12 weeks. Mouse body weight， fasting blood glucose （FBG）， total cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TG）， high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C）， and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C） levels were measured. Oil red O staining was used to observe hepatic lipid accumulation and periodic acid-schiff （PAS） staining was used to assess hepatic glycogen deposition. Ammonium ferric sulfate staining was used to observe cholesterol deposition in intestinal tissues. Western blot was employed to detect the expression of FXR， cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase （CYP7A1）， SHP， and PPARα proteins in liver tissues， and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to measure serum free fatty acid （FFA） levels. ResultAt the end of the treatment， compared with the blank group， the model group exhibited significant increases in mouse body weight， FBG， FFA， TC， TG， and LDL-C levels （P<0.01）， along with significant hepatic lipid droplets， reduced hepatic glycogen， noticeable cholesterol accumulation in intestinal tissues， significantly decreased expression of FXR， SHP， PPARα proteins， and significantly increased expression of CYP7A1 protein in liver tissues （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the metformin group and the high- and medium-dose modified Gegen Qinliantang groups demonstrated significant reductions in mouse body weight， FBG， FFA， TC， TG， LDL-C levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）， significant increases in HDL-C levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）， decreased hepatic lipid accumulation， increased hepatic glycogen， reduced intestinal cholesterol accumulation， significantly increased expression of FXR， SHP， PPARα proteins， and significantly decreased expression of CYP7A1 protein in liver tissues （P<0.01）. ConclusionModified Gegen Qinliantang may regulate the FXR/SHP/PPARα signaling pathway to suppress FFA levels and improve lipid metabolism in T2DM mice.

Glutathione S-transferase genetic polymorphisms and fluoride-induced reproductive toxicity in men with idiopathic infertility / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

Male infertility caused by idiopathic oligoasthenospermia (OAT) is known as idiopathic male infertility. Glutathione S-transferase (GST) and fluoride may play important roles in idiopathic male infertility, but their effects are still unknown. Our study examined the relationship between GST polymorphisms and fluoride-induced toxicity in idiopathic male infertility and determined the underlying mechanism. Sperm, blood, and urine samples were collected from 560 males. Fluoride levels were measured by a highly selective electrode method, and GST genotypes were identified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Semen parameters, DNA fragmentation index (DFI), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and oxidative stress (OS) biomarkers were statistically assessed at the P < 0.05 level. Compared with healthy fertile group, semen parameters, fluoride levels, OS biomarkers, sex hormone levels, and MMP and DFI levels were lower in the idiopathic male infertility group. For glutathione S-transferase M1 (GSTM1[-]) and glutathione S-transferase T1 (GSTT1[-]) or glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) mutant genotypes, levels of semen fluoride, OS, MMP, and DFI were considerably higher, and the mean levels of sperm parameters and testosterone were statistically significant in GSTM1(+), GSTT1(+), and GSTP1 wild-type genotypes. Both semen and blood fluoride levels were associated with oxidative stress in idiopathic male infertility patients. Elevated fluoride in semen with the genotypes listed above was linked to reproductive quality in idiopathic male infertility patients. In conclusion, GST polymorphisms and fluorine may have an indicative relationship between reproductive quality and sex hormone levels, and OS participates in the development of idiopathic male infertility.

Effect of advanced paternal age on reproductive outcomes in IVF cycles of non-male-factor infertility: a retrospective cohort study / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

Advanced paternal age has been overlooked, and its effect on fertility remains controversial. Previous studies have focused mainly on intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles in men with oligozoospermia. However, few studies have reported on men with semen parameters within reference ranges. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective cohort study analyzing the reproductive outcomes of couples with non-male-factor infertility undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. In total, 381 cycles included were subgrouped according to paternal age (<35-year-old, 35-39-year-old, or ≥40-year-old), and maternal age was limited to under 35 years. Data on embryo quality and clinical outcomes were analyzed. The results showed that fertilization and high-quality embryo rates were not significantly different (all P > 0.05). The pregnancy rate was not significantly different in the 35-39-year-old group (42.0%; P > 0.05), but was significantly lower in the ≥40-year-old group (26.1%; P < 0.05) than that in the <35-year-old group (40.3%). Similarly, the implantation rate significantly decreased in the ≥40-year-old group (18.8%) compared with that in the <35-year-old group (31.1%) and 35-39-year-old group (30.0%) (both P < 0.05). The live birth rate (30.6%, 21.7%, and 19.6%) was not significantly different across the paternal age subgroups (<35-year-old, 35-39-year-old, and ≥40-year-old, respectively; all P > 0.05), but showed a declining trend. The miscarriage rate significantly increased in the 35-39-year-old group (44.8%) compared with that in the <35-year-old group (21.0%; P < 0.05). No abnormality in newborn birth weight was found. The results indicated that paternal age over 40 years is a key risk factor that influences the assisted reproductive technology success rate even with good semen parameters, although it has no impact on embryo development.

Effects of mild/asymptomatic COVID-19 on semen parameters and sex-related hormone levels in men: a systematic review and meta-analysis / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has yet to be proven to alter male reproductive function, particularly in the majority of mild/asymptomatic patients. The purpose of this study was to explore whether mild/asymptomatic COVID-19 affects semen quality and sex-related hormone levels. To find suitable comparative studies, a systematic review and meta-analysis was done up to January 22, 2022, by using multiple databases (Web of Science, PubMed, and Embase). Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used to identify and choose the studies. Meta-analysis was used to examine the semen parameters and sex-related hormones of mild/asymptomatic COVID-19 patients before and after infection. The effects of semen collection time, fever, and intensity of verification on semen following infection were also investigated. A total of 13 studies (n = 770) were included in the analysis, including three case-control studies, six pre-post studies, and four single-arm studies. A meta-analysis of five pre-post studies showed that after infection with COVID-19, sperm concentration (I2 = 0; P = 0.003), total sperm count (I2 = 46.3%; P = 0.043), progressive motility (I2 = 50.0%; P < 0.001), total sperm motility (I2 = 76.1%; P = 0.047), and normal sperm morphology (I2 = 0; P = 0.001) decreased. Simultaneously, a systematic review of 13 studies found a significant relationship between semen collection time after infection, inflammation severity, and semen parameter values, with fever having only bearing on semen concentration. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in sex-related hormone levels before and after infection in mild/asymptomatic patients. Mild/asymptomatic COVID-19 infection had a significant effect on semen quality in the short term. It is recommended to avoid initiating a pregnancy during this period of time.

Association between smoking status and mortality risk among elderly people aged 60 and above in Beijing City / 中华预防医学杂志

Objective: To examine the association between smoking status and related mortality among elderly people aged 60 and above in urban and rural areas of Beijing City. Methods: Based on Beijing City Elderly Comprehensive Health Cohort Study from 2009 to 2014, a total of 4 499 eligible older adults included in the baseline survey were followed up and investigated to collect information on survival and death. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and the dose-response relationship was estimated between the smoking index, the years of quitting and mortality. Results: The median (IQR) age of 4 499 subjects was 70.00 (10.00) years old, including 1 814 (40.32%) males. The proportion of non-smokers, former smokers and current smokers was 69.50% (3 127/4 499), 13.20% (594/4 499) and 17.30% (778/4 499), respectively. After adjusting for confounding factors such as demographic and sociological characteristics, lifestyle, etc., the results of multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that, compared to non-smokers, former smokers had a 30.6% increased risk of all-cause mortality [HR (95%CI): 1.306 (1.043-1.636)] and the HR (95%CI) of all-cause, malignant tumor and lung cancer mortality among current smokers has increased by 50.0% [HR (95%CI): 1.500 (1.199-1.877)], 80.3% [HR (95%CI): 1.803 (1.226-2.652)] and 212.6% [HR (95%CI): 3.126 (1.626-6.012)], respectively. The smoking index was positively associated with the increased risk of all-cause, malignant tumor and lung cancer mortality, while the years of smoking cessation were negatively associated with that risk (P<0.05). Conclusion: Smoking is associated with tobacco-related mortality among elderly people in Beijing City.

Association between smoking status and mortality risk among elderly people aged 60 and above in Beijing City / 中华预防医学杂志

Objective: To examine the association between smoking status and related mortality among elderly people aged 60 and above in urban and rural areas of Beijing City. Methods: Based on Beijing City Elderly Comprehensive Health Cohort Study from 2009 to 2014, a total of 4 499 eligible older adults included in the baseline survey were followed up and investigated to collect information on survival and death. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and the dose-response relationship was estimated between the smoking index, the years of quitting and mortality. Results: The median (IQR) age of 4 499 subjects was 70.00 (10.00) years old, including 1 814 (40.32%) males. The proportion of non-smokers, former smokers and current smokers was 69.50% (3 127/4 499), 13.20% (594/4 499) and 17.30% (778/4 499), respectively. After adjusting for confounding factors such as demographic and sociological characteristics, lifestyle, etc., the results of multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that, compared to non-smokers, former smokers had a 30.6% increased risk of all-cause mortality [HR (95%CI): 1.306 (1.043-1.636)] and the HR (95%CI) of all-cause, malignant tumor and lung cancer mortality among current smokers has increased by 50.0% [HR (95%CI): 1.500 (1.199-1.877)], 80.3% [HR (95%CI): 1.803 (1.226-2.652)] and 212.6% [HR (95%CI): 3.126 (1.626-6.012)], respectively. The smoking index was positively associated with the increased risk of all-cause, malignant tumor and lung cancer mortality, while the years of smoking cessation were negatively associated with that risk (P<0.05). Conclusion: Smoking is associated with tobacco-related mortality among elderly people in Beijing City.

Cholesterol paradox in the community-living old adults: is higher better? / 老年心脏病学杂志（英文版）

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the associations of lipid indicators and mortality in Beijing Elderly Comprehensive Health Cohort Study.@*METHODS@#A prospective cohort was conducted based on Beijing Elderly Comprehensive Health Cohort Study with 4499 community older adults. After the baseline survey, the last follow-up was March 31, 2021 with an average 8.13 years of follow-up. Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the hazard ratios (HR) with 95% CI for cardiovascular disease (CVD) death and all-cause death in associations with baseline lipid indicators.@*RESULTS@#A total of 4499 participants were recruited, and the mean levels of uric acid, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) showed an upward trend with the increasing remnant cholesterol (RC) quarters (Ptrend < 0.05), while the downward trend was found in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). During the total 36,596 person-years follow-up, the CVD mortality and all-cause mortality during an average 8.13 years of follow-up was 3.87% (95% CI: 3.30%-4.43%) and 14.83% (95% CI: 13.79%-15.86%) with 174 CVD death participants and 667 all-cause death participants. After adjusting for confounders, the higher level of TC (HR = 0.854, 95% CI: 0.730-0.997), LDL-C (HR = 0.817, 95% CI: 0.680-0.982) and HDL-C (HR = 0.443, 95% CI: 0.271-0.724) were associated with lower risk of CVD death, and the higher level of HDL-C (HR = 0.637, 95% CI: 0.501-0.810) were associated with lower risk of all-cause death. The higher level of RC (HR = 1.276, 95% CI: 1.010-1.613) increase the risk of CVD death. Compared with the normal lipid group, TC ≥ 6.20 mmol/L group and LDL-C ≥ 4.10 mmol/L group were no longer associated with lower risk of CVD death, while RC ≥ 0.80 mmol/L group was still associated with higher risk of CVD death. In normal lipid group, the higher levels of TC, LDL-C and HDL-C were related with lower CVD death.@*CONCLUSIONS@#In community older adults, higher levels of TC and HDL-C were associated with lower CVD mortality in normal lipid reference range. Higher RC was associated with higher CVD mortality, which may be a better lipid indicator for estimating the CVD death risk in older adults.

Diagnosis, treatment and prevention of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in children: experts′ consensus statement (Fifth Edition)updated for the Omicron variant / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

China has classified the Corona Virus Disease 2019(COVID-19) as a statutory category B infectious disease and managed it according to Category B since January 8, 2023.In view that Omicron variant is currently the main epidemic strain in China, in order to guide the treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2) infection in children with the times, refer to the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Novel Coronavirus Infection (Trial 10 th Edition), Expert Consensus on Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention of Novel Coronavirus Infection in Children (Fourth Edition) and the Diagnosis and Treatment Strategy for Pediatric Related Viral Infections.The Expert Consensus on the Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention of Novel Coronavirus Infection in Children (Fifth Edition) has been formulated and updated accordingly on related etiology, epidemiology, pathogenic mechanism, clinical manifestations, auxiliary examination, diagnosis and treatment, and added key points for the treatment of COVID-19 related encephalopathy, fulminating myocarditis and other serious complications for clinical reference.

Research progress on the health effects of occupational noise exposure on cardiovascular system of workers / 中国职业医学

@#Noise is a common occupational hazardous factor in the workplace. In addition to the specific damage to the auditory ， system of workers it can also harm the cardiovascular system and cause a serious disease burden. The mechanism of ， occupational noise on the cardiovascular system of workers is mainly oxidative stress inflammation and vascular endothelial ， - - - damage. As a stressor noise mainly leads to the changes of sympathoadrenal medullary system and hypothalamic pituitary ， ， ， - ， adrenal axis. The substances that play an important role include catecholamines cortisol angiotensin Ⅱ endothelin 1 - endothelial nitric oxide synthase and interleukin 6. The population epidemiological studies have shown that occupational noise ， exposure can lead to elevated blood pressure abnormal electrocardiogram and elevated blood lipids in workers. The influencing （ ， ， ） factors include noise characteristics intensity cumulative noise exposure and frequency and noise combined with other （ ， ， ， - ， occupational hazards such as high temperature welding fumes organic solvents hand transmitted vibration and work ） ， ， ， shifts . However due to the influence of research conditions experimental design and other factors some research conclusions still have limitations. More prospective and comprehensive studies are needed to verify the relevant conclusions in the future.