Circadian rhythms are core regulatory mechanisms that evolved to align biological functions with the Earth's rotation. These rhythms are conserved across organisms from unicellular life to multicellular species and play essential roles in metabolism, immune responses, and sleep-wake cycle. Circadian disruptions are strongly associated with various diseases. Over the past decades, genetic studies in Drosophila and mice have identified key conserved clock genes and uncovered transcription-translation feedback loops governing circadian regulation. Additionally, rhythmic neurons in the brain integrate complex neural circuits to precisely regulate physiological and behavioral rhythms. This review highlights recent advances in understanding the neuronal circuit mechanisms of rhythmic neurons in the Drosophila brain and discusses future directions for translating circadian rhythm research into chronomedicine and precision therapies.
Animals ; Circadian Rhythm/genetics* ; Neurons/physiology* ; Drosophila/physiology* ; Brain/physiology* ; Nerve Net/physiology*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of varicocele ligation with mobile phone microscope. METHODS: The high-performance mobile phone and mobile phone stand were combined to act as a mobile phone microscope. And the varicocele ligation was performed under the mobile phone microscope. RESULTS: All five patients successfully underwent varicocelectomy under the guidance of a mobile phone microscope. The average operation time was （112.8 ± 52.2）with ranged from 74.0 to 195.0 minutes. Three patients completed the follow-up after the operation with the proportion of improved sperm quality reaching 100.0% (3/3). CONCLUSION High- performance mobile phone microscope can be used for varicocele ligation.
Humans ; Male ; Ligation/methods* ; Cell Phone ; Adult ; Varicocele/surgery* ; Microscopy ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: The results of limited studies on the relationship between environmental pollution and dementia have been contradictory. We analyzed the combined effects of PM _2.5 and smoking on the prevalence of dementia and cognitive impairment in an elderly community-dwelling Chinese population. METHODS: We assessed 24,117 individuals along with the annual average PM _2.5 concentrations from 2012 to 2016. Dementia was confirmed in the baseline survey at a qualified clinical facility, and newly suspected dementia was assessed in 2017, after excluding cases of suspected dementia in 2015. National census data were used to weight the sample data to reflect the entire population in China, with multiple logistic regression performed to analyze the combined effects of PM _2.5 and smoking frequency on dementia and cognitive impairment. RESULTS: Individuals exposed to the highest PM _2.5 concentration and smoked daily were at higher risk of dementia than those in the lowest PM _2.5 concentration group ( OR, 1.603; 95% CI [1.626-1.635], P < 0.0001) and in the nonsmoking group ( OR, 1.248; 95% CI [1.244-1.252]; P < 0.0001). Moderate PM _2.5 exposure and occasional smoking together increased the short-term risk of cognitive impairment. High-level PM _2.5 exposure and smoking were associated with an increased risk of dementia, so more efforts are needed to reduce this risk through environmental protection and antismoking campaigns. CONCLUSION High-level PM _2.5 exposure and smoking were associated with an increased risk of dementia. Lowering the ambient PM _2.5, and smoking cessation are recommended to promote health.
Humans ; Dementia/etiology* ; Male ; Aged ; Female ; Cognitive Dysfunction/etiology* ; China/epidemiology* ; Particulate Matter/analysis* ; Smoking/epidemiology* ; Air Pollutants/analysis* ; Aged, 80 and over ; Environmental Exposure/adverse effects* ; Prevalence ; Middle Aged

Objective To explore the effect of auto-segmentation based on deep learning(DL)and Atlas during online adaptive MRI-guided radiotherapy.Methods Totally 15 prostate cancer patients undergoing MRI-guided online adaptive radiotherapy at some hospital from January 2020 to September 2021 were selected and divided into a training set(12 cases)and a test set(3 cases)by random sampling method.With the training set data the models of clinical target volume(CTV)and organs at risk(OAR)by DL and Atlas segmentation were established,and with the test set data the two segmentation models were modified and the modification lengths were recorded.DL and Atlas segmentation methods were compared on segmentation efficiency and accuracy in terms of Dice similarity coefficient(DSC),Hausdorff distance(HD)and mean distance to agreement(MDA).A joint auto-segmentation scheme based on combined DL and Atlas was constructed with considerations on the advantages and characteristics of the two methods,which was compared with the schemes respectively based on DL or Atlas from the aspect of the time consumed for segmentation.Results Accuracy comparison showed Atlas segmentation model behaved better significantly than DL model for CTV(P＜0.05),while obviously worse than the latter for DSC and MDA in bladder and rectum(P＜0.05).The doctor took 9.4 min in average for CTV and OAR modification based on DL model and 12 min in average for Atlas-model-based modification.The joint auto-segmentation scheme only needed 8 min in average for CTV and OAR modification,which gained advantages over the schemes based on DL or Atlas.Conclusion The auto-segmentation based on combined DL and Atlas during online adaptive MRI-guided radiotherapy behaves well in low time consumption,high accuracy and efficiency.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2024,45(6):59-64]

Objective To carry out a proficiency testing of content determination of geniposide in Gardeniae fructus,evaluate the content determination ability of index components in traditional Chinese medicine in the laboratory of inspection and detection in drug-related fields,and improve the quality control ability of content determination of related laboratories.Methods The laboratory's capability-verification activities were conducted based on the CNAS-RL02 Rules for Proficiency Testing and ISO/IEC 17043 Conformity Assessment-General Requirements for Proficiency Testing.After preparing the sample,the results of homogeneity and stability tests were analyzed according to CNAS-GL003 Guidance on Evaluating the Homogeneity and Stability of Samples Used for Proficiency Testing.After the test results were qualified,they were used as proficiency testing samples and randomly distributed to participants.The results were collected,and the robust statistical method and the Z scores were used to analyze the results of these laboratories'reports.Results 403 laboratories in this proficiency testing program reported the results,of which 367 results were acceptable,accounting for 91.07％,17(4.22％)laboratories obtained suspicious results,and 19 laboratories gave unsatisfactory results,with the dissatisfaction rate of 4.71％.Conclusion The majority of the 403 participant laboratories have the ability to determine the content of geniposide in Gardeniae fructus by HPLC and the laboratory testing ability and quality management level of the drug monitoring system are high.This proficiency testing provides a basis for understanding the technical reserve capacity and management level of China's pharmaceutical inspection and testing laboratories,and provides technical support for future government supervision.

Objective:To construct an indicator system for the development of nursing disciplines in ClassⅢ Grade A general hospitals.Methods:An initial draft of the indicator system was established through literature research and expert meetings. The Delphi method and purposive sampling were used from January to April 2023 to conduct two rounds of expert consultations with 17 nursing experts from four medical units nationwide and three nursing colleges. The indicators were revised and refined, resulting in the establishment of a nursing discipline construction indicator system for ClassⅢ Grade A general hospitals. The level of expert engagement was represented by the questionnaire recovery rate, expert authority by the expert authority coefficient ( Cr), and the degree of expert opinion coordination by Kendall 's harmony coefficient (Kendall 's W) . Results:The recovery rates for both rounds of expert consultation questionnaires were 100.00% (17/17), with expert Cr of 0.87. The CV values ranged from 0.049 to 0.260 and 0 to 0.140, respectively, while Kendall 's W were 0.221 and 0.257 ( P< 0.01). The final indicator system for the construction of nursing disciplines in ClassⅢ Grade A general hospitals included six primary indicators, 18 secondary indicators, and 63 tertiary indicators. Conclusions:The nursing discipline construction indicator system developed for ClassⅢ Grade A general hospitals in this study is scientific, reliable, and comprehensive. It can provide a reference for the construction of nursing disciplines in Class Ⅲ Grade A general hospitals.

This study was aimed at examining the influence of meteorological factors on scrub typhus in Xiamen.Scrub ty-phus monitoring data and meteorological factors were collected in Xiamen from 2005 to 2023.Spearman correlation analysis and nonlinear regression were used to analyze the correlation between scrub typhus incidence and meteorological factors.The inci-dence of scrub typhus first increased and subsequently decreased in Xiamen from 2005 to 2023.The highest incidence was be-tween 2014 and 2016,and the peak incidence was from June to October.The monthly incidence of scrub typhus positively cor-related with daily minimum temperature(r=0.637,P＜0.001,daily average temperature(r=0.627,P＜0.001),daily maxi-mum temperature(r=0.612,P＜0.001),sunshine duration(r=0.405,P＜0.001),average relative humidity(r=0.346,P＜0.001),and daily rainfall(r=0.207,P=0.002),and negatively correlated with average atmospheric pressure(r=-0.549,P＜0.001),whereas no correlation was observed with the average wind speed in Xiamen.The regression equation of scrub ty-phus monthly incidence and meteorological parameters was y=-433.869-11.503x1+0.381x1 2+9.150x2-0.197x2 2+3.936 x3-0.132x3 2+0.881x4+0.035x4 2-1.048x5+0.009x5 2+0.186x6-0.023x6 2+0.421x7+6.210×10-5x8-1.051 × 10-10x8 2 in Xiamen,and the R2 was 0.473,thus indicating good model fit.Scrub typhus incidence correlated with the daily minimum av-erage temperature,average temperature,daily maximum tem-perature,sunshine duration,daily rainfall,relative humidity,and average atmospheric pressure in Xiamen.Various meteoro-logical factors had differing effects on scrub typhus.

Objective To explore the therapeutic effect and mechanism of pressing and rubbing method on myofascial pain syndrome(MPS)rats.Methods A total of 12 rats were randomly selected from 60 rats as the normal group,and the remaining rats were used to construct the MPS model by blunt strike combined with centrifugal exercise.Then 48 successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into model group,pressing and rubbing method group,pressing and rubbing method + Dantrolene[ryanodine receptor(RyR)inhibitor]group,pressing and rubbing method + normal saline group,with 12 rats in each group.The mechanical pain threshold was measured by von-Frey method.Detection of soft tissue tension,electromyography was performed;the ultrastructure of the pain point tissue was observed by transmission electron microscopy.The content of calcium ion(Ca2+)in the tissue of trigger point was detected by colorimetry.The protein expressions of dihydropyridine receptor(DHPR)α1,RyR and acetylcholinesterase(AChE)in the pain points of rats were detected by Western Blot.Results Compared with the normal group,the mechanical pain threshold,soft tissue tension in trigger point and the protein expressions of DHPRα1,RyR and AChE in the model group were decreased and the Ca2+ + content was increased(all P＜0.05),and the peak potential with higher amplitude was observed in the electromyogram.The ultrastructure of the trigger point tissue was damaged.Compared with the model group,the mechanical pain threshold,soft tissue tension of trigger point and the protein expressions of DHPRα1,RyR and AChE in the trigger point tissue of the rats in the pressing and rubbing method group and the pressing and rubbing method + normal saline group were increased,and the Ca2+ content was decreased(all P＜0.05),the electromyography was restored to be stable,the ultrastructural damage of the trigger point tissue was alleviated.Compared with the pressing and rubbing method group,the mechanical pain threshold,soft tissue tension of trigger point and protein the expressions of DHPRα1,RyR and AChE in the trigger point tissue of the rats in the pressing and rubbing method + Dantrolene group were decreased,and the Ca2+ content was increased(all P＜0.05),the electromyogram showed electrical activity changes,the ultrastructure of the trigger point tissue was damaged.Conclusion The pressing and rubbing method may improve MPS in rats by activating the DHPR/RyR signaling pathway.