The aim of this study was to investigate the trend in testicular volume changes after orchiopexy in children with cryptorchidism. The clinical data of 854 children with cryptorchidism who underwent orchiopexy between January 2013 and December 2016 in Shenzhen Children's Hospital (Shenzhen, China) were retrospectively analyzed. The mean (standard deviation) age of the patients was 2.8 (2.5) years, and the duration of follow-up ranged from 1 year to 5 years. Ultrasonography was conducted preoperatively and postoperatively. The variables analyzed included age at the time of surgery, type of surgical procedure, laterality, preoperative testicular position, preoperative and postoperative testicular volumes, and the testicular volume ratio of them. The average testicular volumes preoperatively and at 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, and 5 years postoperatively were 0.27 ml, 0.38 ml, 0.53 ml, 0.87 ml, and 1.00 ml, respectively ( P < 0.001). The corresponding testicular volume ratios were 0.67, 0.76, 0.80, 0.83, and 0.84 ( P < 0.001). The mean volume of the undescended testes was significantly smaller than the mean normative value ( P < 0.001, lower than the 10 th percentile). The postoperative testicular volumes in children with cryptorchidism were generally lower than those in healthy boys but were still greater than the 10 th percentile and exhibited an increasing trend. The older the child is at the time of surgery, the larger the gap in volume between the affected and normal testes. Although testicular volume tends to gradually increase after orchiopexy for cryptorchidism, it could not normalizes. Earlier surgery results in affected testicular volumes closer to those of healthy boys.
Humans ; Male ; Cryptorchidism/diagnostic imaging* ; Orchiopexy ; Child, Preschool ; Testis/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Organ Size ; Ultrasonography ; Infant ; Child ; Postoperative Period ; Follow-Up Studies

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between the polygenic risks for various psychiatric disorders and clinical and neuropsychological characteristics in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHODS: Using a cross-sectional design, 285 children with ADHD and 107 healthy controls were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist, the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function for parents, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition, and the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery. Blood samples were collected for genetic data. Polygenic risk scores (PRSs) for various psychiatric disorders were calculated using the PRSice-2 software. RESULTS: Compared with the healthy controls, the children with ADHD displayed significantly higher PRSs for ADHD, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (P<0.05). In terms of daily-life executive function, ADHD-related PRS was significantly correlated with the working memory factor; panic disorder-related PRS was significantly correlated with the initiation factor; bipolar disorder-related PRS was significantly correlated with the shift factor; schizophrenia-related PRS was significantly correlated with the inhibition, emotional control, initiation, working memory, planning, organization, and monitoring factors (P<0.05). The PRS related to anxiety disorders was negatively correlated with total IQ and processing speed index (P<0.05). The PRS related to obsessive-compulsive disorder was negatively correlated with the processing speed index and positively correlated with the stop-signal reaction time index of the stop-signal task (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS PRSs for various psychiatric disorders are closely correlated with the behavioral and cognitive characteristics in children with ADHD, which provides more insights into the heterogeneity of ADHD.
Humans ; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/genetics* ; Child ; Male ; Female ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Multifactorial Inheritance ; Adolescent ; Mental Disorders/etiology* ; Executive Function ; Genetic Risk Score

A precursor ion selection (PIS) based ultra high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS) analytical method was used to screen the chemical components in Jiawei Dingzhi pills (JWDZP) comprehensively and rapidly. To compile the components of the compound medicine, a total of 1 921 components were found utilizing online databases and literature. After verifying the sources, unifying the component names, merging the multi-flavor attributed components, and removing the weak polar molecules, 450 components were successfully retained. The Acquity UPLC HSS T3 column (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.8 μm) was used, with a 0.1% formic acid water (A)-acetonitrile (B) as the mobile phase. The flow rate was 0.35 mL·min^-1, the column temperature was 35 ℃, and an electrospray ion source was used. Data was collected with the PIS strategy in both positive and negative ion modes. Compounds were screened through matching accurate molecular weight of the database, and identified according to MS/MS data (characteristic fragment ions and neutral loss), with comparison of reference. Some compounds were confirmed using standard products. A total of 176 compounds were screened out in the extract of JWDZP, among which 26 compounds were confirmed by standard products. These compounds include 96 components from the sovereign drug, and 34 coefflux components with low ion intensity. The PIS-UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS method established in this study can quickly and comprehensively screen the chemical components of JWDZP, which enhanced the screening rate of components with co-elution compounds of low ion intensities and provided a basis for the study of the material foundation of JWDZP.

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are major outer membrane components of Gram-negative bacteria. Unlike most Gram-negative bacteria, Acinetobacter baumannii can still survive and acquire polymyxin resistance after complete loss of LPS. Previous studies of LPS-deficient Acinetobacter baumannii mostly focused on LPS-deficient strains induced by polymyxin, whose background was complex and unstable. To investigate LPS loss-mediated polymyxin resistant-Acinetobacter baumannii, this study constructed a stable and clear background LPS-deficient strain by knocking out lpxC gene in Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC 19606 with CIRSPR/Cas9, and then studied the phenotypic changes of the lpxC-deficient strain including morphology, growth rate, antibiotic susceptibility, virulence, membrane permeability, and membrane potential. Animal experiments were approved by the Animal Care and Welfare Committee Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, CAMS and PUMC (approval number: IMB-20240119D₉). The results indicated that the lpxC gene of Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC 19606 was successfully knocked out. After losing the lpxC, the strain underwent the morphological change from rod-shaped to spherical. Furthermore, it leads to reduced growth rate, enhanced membrane permeability, decreased membrane potential, lower virulence, and increased antibiotic susceptibility to β-lactams, quinolones, aminoglycosides, macrolides, glycopeptides. The lpxC deletion results in significant changes in membrane homeostasis and adaptability of Acinetobacter baumannii. Understanding the phenotypic changes of colistin-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii mediated by LPS loss is useful for exploring the resistance mechanism of Acinetobacter baumannii and developing new therapeutic strategies.

Objective To investigate the safety of using a self-made new type non-inflatable retractor for transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy via submental and vestibular approach(TOETSMVA).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the surgical records of 119 cases of unilateral thyroid lobe tumor from January 2021 to June 2022.Among them,37 cases underwent non-inflatable TOETSMVA by using a new type non-inflatable retractor(non-inflatable group),37 cases underwent traditional inflatable TOETSMVA(inflatable group),and 45 cases underwent traditional open anterior cervical thyroid surgery(open group).The differences in surgical indicators,postoperative complications,and patient satisfaction with incision were compared among the three groups.Results Compared with the open group,the non-inflatable group had longer operation time[(131.0±20.1)min vs.(81.1±15.7)min,P=0.000],but less intraoperative blood loss[19(15,27)ml vs.30(25,37)ml,P=0.000],lower pain score on the first day after surgery[(4.8±2.1)points vs.(6.4±1.9)points,P=0.000],and higher patient's satisfaction with the incision(the number of cases of very dissatisfied,dissatisfied,satisfied,comparatively satisfied,and very satisfied were 0,0,6,16,15 vs.4,3,19,17,2,P=0.000).Compared with the inflatable group,the non-inflatable group had shorter surgical time[(131.0±20.1)min vs.(141.8±22.9)min,P=0.019],and there were no statistically significant differences in intraoperative bleeding volume,pain score on the first day after surgery,and patient satisfaction with the incision(P＞0.05).There were no statistically significant differences in the number of lymph node dissection,total postoperative drainage volume,and parathyroid hormone(PTH)levels on the first day after surgery among the three groups(P＞0.05).Postoperative bleeding occurred in 1 case in the open group,and 1 case of hoarseness and 1 case of subcutaneous ecchymosis of the neck were noted in the non-inflatable group.No tracheoesophageal injury,severe subcutaneous emphysema,hypercapnia,or gas embolism happened among the three groups.Conclusions The new type non-inflatable retractor can effectively maintain space during TOETSMVA surgery.Compared with traditional open anterior cervical thyroid surgery and conventional inflatable TOETSMVA,it has better surgical safety.

Background/Aims: Ubiquitination is widely involved in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by regulating various cellular processes. However, systematic strategies for screening core ubiquitin-related genes, clarifying their functions and mechanisms, and ultimately developing potential therapeutics for patients with HCC are still lacking. Methods: Cox and LASSO regression analyses were performed to construct a ubiquitin-related gene prediction model for HCC. Loss- and gain-of-function studies, transcriptomic and metabolomics analysis were used to explore the function and mechanism of UBE2S on HCC cell glycolysis and growth. Results: Based on 1,423 ubiquitin-related genes, a four-gene signature was successfully constructed to evaluate the prognosis of patients with HCC. UBE2S was identified in this signature with the potential to predict the survival of patients with HCC. E2F2 transcriptionally upregulated UBE2S expression by directly binding to its promoter. UBE2S positively regulated glycolysis in a HIF-1α-dependent manner, thus promoting the proliferation of HCC cells. Mechanistically, UBE2S enhanced K11-linkage polyubiquitination at lysine residues 171 and 196 of VHL independent of E3 ligase, thereby indirectly stabilizing HIF-1α protein levels by mediating the degradation of VHL by the proteasome. In particular, the combination of cephalomannine, a small molecule compound that inhibits the expression of UBE2S, and PX-478, an inhibitor of HIF-1α, significantly improved the anti-tumor efficacy. Conclusions UBE2S is identified as a key biomarker in HCC among the thousands of ubiquitin-related genes and promotes glycolysis by E3 enzyme-independent ubiquitination, thus serving as a therapeutic target for the treatment of HCC.

As artificial intelligence technology rapidly advances, its deployment within the medical sector presents substantial ethical challenges. Consequently, it becomes crucial to create a standardized, transparent, and secure framework for processing medical data. This includes setting the ethical boundaries for medical artificial intelligence and safeguarding both patient rights and data integrity. This consensus governs every facet of medical data handling through artificial intelligence, encompassing data gathering, processing, storage, transmission, utilization, and sharing. Its purpose is to ensure the management of medical data adheres to ethical standards and legal requirements, while safeguarding patient privacy and data security. Concurrently, the principles of compliance with the law, patient privacy respect, patient interest protection, and safety and reliability are underscored. Key issues such as informed consent, data usage, intellectual property protection, conflict of interest, and benefit sharing are examined in depth. The enactment of this expert consensus is intended to foster the profound integration and sustainable advancement of artificial intelligence within the medical domain, while simultaneously ensuring that artificial intelligence adheres strictly to the relevant ethical norms and legal frameworks during the processing of medical data.
Artificial Intelligence/legislation & jurisprudence* ; Humans ; Consensus ; Computer Security/standards* ; Confidentiality/ethics* ; Informed Consent/ethics*

In the research on cancer theranostics, most environment-sensitive drug delivery systems can only achieve unidirectional and irreversible responsive changes under pathological conditions, thereby improving the targeting effect and drug release performance of the delivery system. However, such irreversible changes pose potential safety hazards when the dynamically distributed delivery system returns to the blood circulation or transports to the normal physiological environment. Intelligent reversible drug delivery systems can respond to normal physiological and pathological microenvironments to achieve bidirectional and reversible structural changes. This feature will help to precisely control the drug release of the delivery system, prolong the blood circulation time, improve the targeting efficiency, and avoid the potential safety hazards of the irreversible drug delivery system. In this review, we describe the research progress of intelligent reversible drug delivery system from two main aspects: controlled drug release and prolonged blood circulation time/enhanced cellular internalization of drug.

Recent years, China has released a series of policies to encourage drug research and development in pediatric populations, aiming to meet pediatric populations' medical needs. Because of the physical and psychological developmental characteristics, tolerance of aversive feelings when taking medications are different between pediatric population and adults. So pediatric populations are at a relatively higher risk of not taking medications as prescribed when the medication tasted unpleasant. Therefore, sound design and evaluation of oral sensory features have important clinical significance and value in developing pediatric medications. "Technical guidance for the design and evaluation of the oral sensory features of pediatric drugs (trial version) " was released in November 2022, by Centre for Drug Evaluation, National Medical Products Administration of China. Based on the guidance, this article will introduce the drafting background and review considerations, hoping to provide reference for the design and evaluation of oral sensory features, and promote drug developing in pediatric population.

Objective:To explore the application value of non-invasive myocardial work imaging in evaluating the cardiac function of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with left ventricular remodeling (LVR) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Methods:One hundred and twenty-six patients with STEMI undergoing PCI in General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University from December 2021 to September 2022 were prospectively collected and divided into left ventricular remodeling group (LVR group, 34 cases) and non left ventricular remodeling group (NLVR group, 92 cases) according to whether there was left ventricular remodeling 3 months after surgery. General data were collected. Routine echocardiography and noninvasive myocardial work imaging were performed before, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after surgery, the differences in the above parameters between the two groups were compared. Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between the indicators.Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent risk factors of left ventricular remodeling after STEMI, and a predictive model was obtained. The diagnostic value of the model was judged by ROC curve.Results:①General information comparison: There were statistically significant differences between the two groups in BMI, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, average number of stents implanted, and history of hyperlipidemia (all P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in other data (all P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (2D-TTE) parameters and non-invasive myocardial work (MW) parameters between the two groups before and 1 week after operation (both P>0.05). ②2D-TTE parameter comparison: LVESV and LVEDV at 3 months after PCI in the LVR group were significantly higher than those in the NLVR group, and LVEF and E/A were significantly lower than those in the NLVR group (all P<0.05); There were no significant differences in other indexes between the two groups by conventional echocardiography at 3 months after PCI(all P>0.05). ③Comparisons of noninvasive myocardial work parameters: GLS, GWE, GWI, GCW at 1 month and 3 months after PCI in the LVR group were significantly lower than those in the NLVR group, and GWW were significantly higher than those in the NLVR group ( P<0.001). ④Correlation analysis: GLS, GWE, GCW, GWI and LVEDV were negatively correlated at 1 month after operation ( r=-0.42, -0.38, -0.50, -0.53, all P<0.001), GWW was positively correlated with LVEDV ( r=0.45, P<0.001). ⑤Logistic regression analysis: GLS<17%, GCW<1 900 mmHg%, GWW>105 mmHg%, and GWE<90 mmHg% at 1 month after PCI were independent predictors for LVR in STEMI patients after PCI (all P<0.05). The predictive model was Logit (P)=0.692GLS+ 0.804GCW+ 0.972GWW+ 0.880GWE. The AUC of this model was 0.886, 95% CI=0.845-0.926, which was significantly higher than single index, the sensitivity was 0.86, and the specificity was 0.79. Conclusions:GLS, GWE, GWI, GCW are positively correlated with LVR, while GWW is negatively correlated with left ventricular remodeling. Noninvasive myocardial work parameters are independent risk factors for left ventricular remodeling in patients with STEMI after PCI surgery. This technique can be used to evaluate LVR and has great clinical application value.