Recently, male reproductive health has attracted extensive attention, with the adverse effects of circadian disruption on male fertility gradually gaining recognition. However, the mechanism by which circadian disruption leads to damage to male reproductive system remains unclear. In this review, we first summarized the dual regulatory roles of circadian clock genes on the male reproductive system: (1) circadian regulation of testosterone synthesis via the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular (HPT) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axes; (2) non-circadian regulation of spermatogenesis. Next, we further listed the possible mechanisms by which circadian disruption impairs male fertility, including interference with the oscillatory function of the reproductive system, i.e., synchronization of the HPT axis, crosstalk between the HPT axis and the HPA axis, as well as direct damage to germ cells by disturbing the non-oscillatory function of the reproductive system. Future research using spatiotemporal omics, epigenomic assays, and neural circuit mapping in studying the male reproductive system may provide new clues to systematically unravel the mechanisms by which circadian disruption affects male reproductive system through circadian clock genes.
Male ; Humans ; Animals ; Circadian Clocks/physiology* ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System/physiology* ; Circadian Rhythm/genetics* ; Spermatogenesis/physiology* ; Pituitary-Adrenal System/physiology* ; Testis/physiology* ; Testosterone/biosynthesis* ; CLOCK Proteins ; Infertility, Male/physiopathology*

Cardiac fibrosis(CF) is a cardiac pathological process characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix(ECM). When the heart is damaged by adverse stimuli, cardiac fibroblasts are activated and secrete a large amount of ECM, leading to changes in cardiac fibrosis, myocardial stiffness, and cardiac function declines and accelerating the development of heart failure. There is a close relationship between heart yin deficiency and cardiac fibrosis, which have similar pathogenic mechanisms. Heart Yin deficiency, characterized by insufficient Yin fluids, causes the heart to lose its nourishing function, which acts as the initiating factor for myocardial dystrophy. The deficiency of body fluids leads to stagnation of blood flow, resulting in blood stasis and water retention. Blood stasis and water retention accumulate in the heart, which aligns with the pathological manifestation of excessive deposition of ECM, as a tangible pathogenic factor. This is an inevitable stage of the disease process. The lingering of blood stasis combined with water retention eventually leads to the generation of heat and toxins, triggering inflammatory responses similar to heat toxins, which continuously stimulate the heart and cause the ultimate outcome of CF. Considering the syndrome of heart Yin deficiency, traditional Chinese medicine capable of nourishing Yin, activating blood, and promoting urination can reduce myocardial cell apoptosis, inhibit fibroblast activation, and lower the inflammation level, showing significant advantages in combating CF.
Humans ; Fibrosis/drug therapy* ; Animals ; Yin Deficiency/metabolism* ; Myocardium/metabolism* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*

Dendrobium officinale(DO) is a traditional Chinese medicinal and edible plant, while it is critically endangered worldwide. This article, primarily based on the original research findings of the author's team and available articles, provides a comprehensive overview of the factors contributing to the endangerment of DO and the key technologies for the conservation, efficient cultivation, and value-added utilization of this plant. The scarcity of wild populations, low seed-setting rates, lack of endosperm in seeds, and the need for symbiosis with endophytic fungi for seed germination under natural conditions are identified as the primary causes for the rarity and endangerment of DO. Artificial seed production and tissue culture are highlighted as key technologies for alleviating the endangered status. The physiological and ecological mechanisms underlying the adaptation of DO to epiphytic growth are explored, and it is proposed that breaking the coupling of high temperature and high humidity is essential for preventing southern blight, a devastating affliction of DO. The roles of endophytic fungi in promoting the growth, improving the quality, and enhancing the stress resistance of DO are discussed. Furthermore, the integration of variety breeding, environment selection, and co-culture with endophytic fungi is emphasized as a crucial approach for efficient cultivation. The value-added applications of DO in pharmaceuticals, health foods, food products, and daily chemicals-particularly in the food and daily chemical industries-are presented as key drivers for a 10-billion-RMB-level industry. This systematic review offers valuable insights for the further development, utilization, and industrialization of DO resources, as well as for the broader application of conservation strategies for other rare and endangered plant species.
Dendrobium/microbiology* ; Endangered Species ; Seeds/microbiology* ; Fungi/physiology*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical significance of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in response evaluation and relapse monitoring for patients with primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL). METHODS: The clinical characteristics, efficacy and survival of 38 PMBCL patients in our hospital from January 2010 to April 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The ctDNA monitoring was conducted by targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS). RESULTS: Among the 38 patients, 26 cases were female, and 32 cases were diagnosed with Ann Arbor stage I-II. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate and progression-free survival (PFS) rate were 74.7% and 61.7%, respectively. Males and those with high aaIPI scores (3 points) had a relatively poor prognosis. The NGS results of 23 patients showed that STAT6 (65.2%), SOCS1 (56.5%), and TNFAIP3 (56.5%) were the most common mutated genes. Patients with stable disease (SD)/progressive disease (PD) exhibited enrichment in cell cycle, FoxO, and TNF signaling pathways. A total of 29 patients underwent end-of-treatment PET/CT (EOT PET/CT), and 16 of them received ctDNA monitoring with 12 negative. Among 6 patients with EOT PET/CT positive (Deauville 4), 4 underwent ctDNA monitoring, and 3 of them were negative, being still in continuous remission without any subsequent anti-tumor therapy. CONCLUSION CtDNA may be combined with PET/CT to assess efficacy, monitor relapse, and guide treatment of PMBCL.
Humans ; Circulating Tumor DNA/blood* ; Female ; Mediastinal Neoplasms ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Prognosis ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse/genetics* ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Mutation

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has recently been proposed as a key player in the representation of itch stimuli. However, to date, little is known about the contribution of specific ACC interneuron populations to itch processing. Using c-Fos immunolabeling and in vivo Ca²⁺ imaging, we reported that both histamine and chloroquine stimuli-induced acute itch caused a marked enhancement of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-expressing interneuron activity in the ACC. Behavioral data indicated that optogenetic and chemogenetic activation of these neurons reduced scratching responses related to histaminergic and non-histaminergic acute itch. Similar neural activity and modulatory role of these neurons were seen in mice with chronic itch induced by contact dermatitis. Together, this study highlights the importance of ACC VIP⁺ neurons in modulating itch-related affect and behavior, which may help us to develop novel mechanism-based strategies to treat refractory chronic itch in the clinic.
Animals ; Pruritus/physiopathology* ; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide/metabolism* ; Interneurons/metabolism* ; Gyrus Cinguli/metabolism* ; Mice ; Male ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Histamine ; Chloroquine ; Optogenetics ; Mice, Transgenic

Fragment with some anti-pancreatic cancer activity was identified by screening our internal chemical library. Eighteen compounds in 4 classes were synthesized by systematic modification and their anti-pancreatic cancer activity were evaluated. Ⅱ-1 (IC₅₀ = 6.40 ± 0.34 μmol·L^-1) and Ⅱ-2 (IC₅₀ = 7.15 ± 0.51 μmol·L^-1) exhibited outstanding activity. Subsequently, the anti-migration ability and invasion ability of Ⅱ-1 was evaluated by wound healing assay and invasion assay, Ⅱ-1 exhibited good anti-migration ability and outstanding anti-invasion ability. Using molecular docking technology and molecular dynamics simulation technology, the potential target was locked on bispecific tyrosine phosphorylation regulates kinase 1A (DYRK1A). By enzyme activity testing, the inhibitory capacity of Ⅱ-1 and Ⅱ-2 was 48% and 32%, respectively.

Objective:To explore the incidence of sudden deafness accompanied with tinnitus, the selection of examination protocols and treatment, and to provide reference for the establishment of new guidelines for sudden deafness.Methods:CiteSpace software was used for analysis and data mining to analyze and summarize the computer-retrieved articles on diagnostic examination and treatment of sudden deafness accompanied with tinnitus collected from CNIC, Wanfang and Web of Science databases from 2011 to 2021.Results:A total of 207 randomized controlled studies were retrieved in this study, including 121 in Chinese and 86 in English. Finally, 74 Chinese literatures and 16 English literatures were included. Among the 74 valid Chinese literatures, 64 (86.5%) were accompanied with tinnitus, 58 (78.4%) with dizziness/vertigo, 25 (33.8%) with aural fullness, 10 (13.5%) with headache, 4 (5.4%) with insomnia, 4 (5.4%) with a mixture of dizziness and tinnitus, and 2 (2.7%) with vomiting. Among the 16 English literatures, 15 (93.8%) were accompanied with tinnitus, 12 (75.0%) with vertigo, 1 (6.3%) with aural fullness, and 1 (6.3%) with a mixture of various symptoms. Among the 64 Chinese articles mentioning tinnitus, only 9 mentioned tinnitus matching tests, and 1 mentioned that the treatment for tinnitus accompanying symptoms was sound therapy and psychological counseling. The incidence rates of tinnitus accompanying four different types of sudden deafness, from low to high, are as follows: low-to-mid frequency, 82.4%; mid-to-high frequency, 90.7%; complete deafness, 92.4%; and flat type, 92.8%.Conclusion:Tinnitus is the most common accompanying symptom of sudden deafness, and tinnitus matching test is an effective evaluation method. When establishing a scientific, comprehensive, and systematic diagnosis and treatment system or guidelines for sudden deafness, attention should be paid to the diagnosis and treatment of tinnitus symptoms and their adverse psychological reactions, in order to reduce the incidence of tinnitus patients in the later stage of recovery from sudden deafness.

Objective:To establish an environmental management strategy for the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia from the perspective of etiological characteristics and to verify its application effect.Methods:Based on a sampling survey, this study constructed preventive management strategies for ventilator-associated pneumonia by blocking pathogen characteristics from the perspective of both colonization and infection management in patients. From July 2021 to June 2023, a non-synchronous randomized controlled study was conducted, including a control group of 59 cases and an experimental group of 57 cases from ICU of Tianjin Teda Hospital, all of them were mechanically ventilated patients. The effectiveness of the strategy was confirmed.Results:In the control group, there were 35 males and 24 females, with an average age of (46.97 ± 18.84) years. In the experimental group, there were 39 males and 18 females, with an average age of (47.49 ± 13.85) years. During the study period, there were 9 cases of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in the control group and 2 cases in the experimental group, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (exact odds ratio=0.031). The duration of mechanical ventilation in the experimental group (122.41 ± 18.36) h, which was shorter than that in the control group (187.62 ± 18.05) h, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=19.28, P<0.05). The length of ICU stay in the experimental group was (8.38 ± 0.79) d, in the control group was (10.99 ± 1.10) d, the difference between them was statistically significant ( t=14.66, P<0.05). On the 7th day, there were 7 cases of positive pathogenic bacteria in sputum culture in the experimental group, which was significantly different from the 29 cases in the control group ( χ2=16.73, P<0.05). Conclusions:The vector management strategy for preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia by blocking etiological characteristics can reduce the incidence of VAP, shorten the duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay, and reduce the pathogen load in the sputum of mechanically ventilated patients on the 7th day.

Objective To investigate the effects of Simo decoction on duodenal microinflammation and NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3(NLRP3)/cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-1(Caspase-1)/gasdermin D(GSDMD)signaling pathway in rats with functional dyspepsia(FD).Methods The FD model was established by multifactorial method.SD rats were randomly divided into normal group,model group(FD model),positive control group(gavage administration of 0.305 mg·kg-1 mosapride injection)and experimental-H,-M,-L groups(gavage administration of 5.62,2.81,1.40 g·kg-1 Simo decoction).Small intestinal advancement rate and gastric emptying rate was determined;the levels of interleukin(IL)-1 β and IL-18 in serum were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA);the protein expression of NLRP3 and GSDMD in duodenal tissue was detected by Western blotting.Results The gastric emptying rates of normal,model,positive control and experimental-H,-M,-Lgroupswere(58.34±5.72)％,(29.16±8.37)％,(48.77±6.10)％,(48.35±6.04)％,(48.20±3.49)％and(39.24±4.20)％;the small intestinal propulsion rates were(82.01±7.55)％,(41.95±9.53)％,(64.61±10.18)％,(75.04±9.76)％,(60.58±7.13)％and(45.89±7.40)％;serum IL-1 β expression were(12.86±0.88),(43.73±4.60),(18.84±0.86),(24.61±1.57),(19.14±0.77)and(29.04±0.72)pg·mL-1;IL-18 expressions were(95.00±3.74),(170.60±8.78),(108.50±3.05),(118.90±3.45),(99.90±8.70)and(141.00±3.71)pg·mL-1;the relative expression levels of NLRP3 proteins were 0.32±0.02,0.84±0.05,0.42±0.03,0.48±0.02,0.61±0.04 and 0.62±0.05;the relative expression levels of GSDMD proteins were 0.34±0.05,0.93±0.06,0.35±0.03,0.52±0.02,0.53±0.06 and 0.55±0.05,respectively.Compared with the normal group,the above indexes in the model group have statistical significance;compared with the model group,the above indexes in the experimental-H group and the positive control group also have statistical significance(P＜0.01 or P＜0.05).Conclusion Simo decoction can effectively improve the general condition and duodenal microinflammation in FD rats,and the mechanism may be related to the inhibition of duodenal NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD signaling pathway.