Meditation aims to guide individuals into a state of deep calm and focused attention, and in recent years, it has shown promising potential in the field of medical treatment. Numerous studies have demonstrated that electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns change during meditation, suggesting the feasibility of using deep learning techniques to monitor meditation states. However, significant inter-subject differences in EEG signals poses challenges to the performance of such monitoring systems. To address this issue, this study proposed a novel model-calibrated multi-source adversarial adaptation network (CMAAN). The model first trained multiple domain-adversarial neural networks in a pairwise manner between various source-domain individuals and the target-domain individual. These networks were then integrated through a calibration process using a small amount of labeled data from the target domain to enhance performance. We evaluated the proposed model on an EEG dataset collected from 18 subjects undergoing methamphetamine rehabilitation. The model achieved a classification accuracy of 73.09%. Additionally, based on the learned model, we analyzed the key EEG frequency bands and brain regions involved in the meditation process. The proposed multi-source domain adaptation framework improves both the performance and robustness of EEG-based meditation monitoring and holds great promise for applications in biomedical informatics and clinical practice.
Humans ; Electroencephalography/methods* ; Meditation ; Calibration ; Neural Networks, Computer ; Brain/physiology* ; Rest/physiology* ; Deep Learning ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted

OBJECTIVES: To explore the application of the colloidal gold method and chemiluminescence method in detecting gonadotropin (Gn) in morning urine for assessing pubertal development status in children. METHODS: A total of 132 children diagnosed with central precocious puberty (CPP), early and fast puberty (EFP), and premature thelarche (PT) at Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from November 2021 to December 2022 were included, along with 685 healthy children who underwent routine health examinations at the hospital's pediatric health care department during the same period. All 132 patients underwent a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test. Both patients and healthy children had their urinary Gn levels measured using the colloidal gold method and chemiluminescence method, including levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). The correlation between serum Gn and urinary Gn detected by the two methods, as well as the correlation between Tanner stages of healthy children and urinary Gn, was analyzed. RESULTS: Urine Gn levels detected by both the colloidal gold method and chemiluminescence method showed a positive correlation with serum LH baseline values, LH peak values, baseline LH/FSH ratios, and peak LH/FSH ratios (P<0.05). In healthy children, urinary LH levels detected by the chemiluminescence method gradually increased from Tanner stage Ⅰ to Ⅳ (P<0.05), while urinary FSH levels were lower in Tanner stage I than in stages Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and IV (P<0.05). Urinary LH levels detected by the colloidal gold method were lower in Tanner stage I compared to stages Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and IV, with the highest levels observed in Tanner stage Ⅳ (P<0.05). Additionally, urinary FSH levels in Tanner stage Ⅲ were higher than in stages Ⅰ and Ⅱ (P<0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for evaluating Tanner stages I and II in healthy children using urinary LH and FSH levels by the chemiluminescence method and urinary LH levels by the colloidal gold method were 0.730, 0.699, and 0.783, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The colloidal gold method and chemiluminescence method for detecting Gn in morning urine show good correlation with serum Gn levels. As a non-invasive and convenient detection method, the colloidal gold method can serve as a useful tool for screening the onset of pubertal development in children.
Humans ; Child ; Male ; Female ; Gold Colloid ; Luminescent Measurements/methods* ; Gonadotropins/urine* ; Puberty ; Luteinizing Hormone/urine* ; Child, Preschool ; Adolescent ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone/urine*

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study. METHODS: A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m ²) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m ²) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m ²) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m ² ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Adult ; Mortality ; Cause of Death ; Obesity/mortality* ; Overweight/mortality*

This paper explores the intersection and integration of narrative medicine and clinical spiritual care,especially the importance and value of spiritual narrative in medical services.Spiritual narrative is based on the three elements of narrative medicine,combined with the professional competence of clinical spiritual care,to achieve multi-angle attention to patients'physiology,psychology,society,and spirit.The connections and situations between individuals in the disease story are reproduced in the spiritual narrative,allowing the narrator to deeply understand the relationship between themselves,others,and natural events from a more diverse perspective,thereby enhancing the role identity and professional happiness of doctors,and ultimately promoting the narrator's exploration of their own inner selves and understanding of life philosophy.Integrating narrative medicine into undergraduate teaching,research,and clinical practice of the clinical spiritual care program at Hunan Cancer Hospital,conducting spiritual narrative,is of great significance for improving the empathy and communication skills of medical students and clinical medical staff,promoting their thinking and understanding of the meaning of life,and enhancing their patient-centered clinical critical thinking ability.

Objective:To investigate whether hydrogen sulfide (H 2S) protects against intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats by regulating c-Jun N-terminal kinase/activator protein-1 (JNK/AP-1) signaling pathway. Methods:Thirty male Wistar rats were divided into sham operated group (Sham group), I/R group, and H 2S donor sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) intervention group (I/R+NaHS group), with 10 rats in each group. The I/R injury model was established by blocking the superior mesenteric artery with a non-traumatic vascular clip, with 60 minutes of ischemia followed by 120 minutes of reperfusion. In the I/R+NaHS group, 100 μmol/kg of NaHS was injected through the tail vein 10 minutes before reperfusion, followed by continuous infusion of 1.07 mmol·kg -1·h -1 until the end of the 120-minute reperfusion period. Plasma H 2S concentration was measured using a sensitive sulfur electrode. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in the small intestine tissue were assayed spectrophotometrically. Histological sections of the small intestine were stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and scored using the Chiu scoring system to assess the degree of intestinal mucosal injury. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expressions of phosphated-JNK (p-JNK), JNK, AP-1, and BCL-2 in the small intestine tissue. Results:Compared with the Sham group, the I/R group exhibited damage to the lamina propria, hemorrhage, and ulceration, with a significantly higher Chiu score (4.80±0.63 vs. 0.70±0.09, P < 0.01); plasma H 2S concentration and SOD activity in the ileum tissue were significantly reduced [H 2S (μmol/L): 17.29±1.40 vs. 34.62±1.48, SOD (kU/g): 5.38±0.93 vs. 20.56±1.85, both P < 0.01], while MDA level was significantly elevated (μmol/g: 16.06±1.71 vs. 4.80±0.92, P < 0.01); expression of BCL-2 protein in the ileum tissue was significantly down-regulated (BCL-2/β-actin: 0.32±0.06 vs. 0.79±0.05, P < 0.01), while expressions of p-JNK and AP-1 proteins were significantly up-regulated (p-JNK/β-actin: 0.69±0.03 vs. 0.10±0.03, AP-1/β-actin: 0.82±0.02 vs. 0.22±0.02, both P < 0.01). Compared with the I/R group, the I/R+NaHS group showed moderate separation between the epithelial and lamina propria layers, with partial damage to the tips of the villi; the Chiu score was significantly lower (2.90±0.56 vs. 4.80±0.63, P < 0.01); plasma H 2S concentration and SOD activity in the ileum tissue were significantly increased [H 2S (μmol/L): 24.48±1.84 vs. 17.29±1.40, SOD (kU/g): 10.29±1.26 vs. 5.38±0.93, both P < 0.01], while MDA level was significantly reduced (μmol/g: 7.88±1.01 vs. 16.06±1.71, P < 0.01); expression of BCL-2 protein in the ileum tissue was significantly up-regulated (BCL-2/β-actin: 0.44±0.06 vs. 0.32±0.06, P < 0.01), while expressions of p-JNK and AP-1 proteins were significantly down-regulated (p-JNK/β-actin: 0.54±0.05 vs. 0.69±0.03, AP-1/β-actin: 0.66±0.04 vs. 0.82±0.02, both P < 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference in the expression of JNK in the ileum tissue among the Sham group, I/R group, and I/R+NaHS group (JNK/β-actin: 0.63±0.02, 0.66±0.02, 0.64±0.02, respectively, P > 0.05). Conclusion:H 2S exerts a protective effect on intestinal I/R injury in rats by down-regulate the expression of the JNK/AP-1 signaling pathway, as well as reducing oxidative stress levels.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Humans ; China ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Dyssomnias ; Child Behavior

This study aims to characterize the cell atlas of the epididymis derived from a 46,XY disorders of sex development (DSD) patient with a novel heterozygous mutation of the nuclear receptor subfamily 5 group A member 1 (NR5A1) gene. Next-generation sequencing found a heterozygous c.124C>G mutation in NR5A1 that resulted in a p.Q42E missense mutation in the conserved DNA-binding domain of NR5A1. The patient demonstrated feminization of external genitalia and Tanner stage 1 breast development. The surgical procedure revealed a morphologically normal epididymis and vas deferens but a dysplastic testis. Microfluidic-based single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis found that the fibroblast cells were significantly increased (approximately 46.5%), whereas the number of main epididymal epithelial cells (approximately 9.2%), such as principal cells and basal cells, was dramatically decreased. Bioinformatics analysis of cell-cell communications and gene regulatory networks at the single-cell level inferred that epididymal epithelial cell loss and fibroblast occupation are associated with the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. The present study provides a cell atlas of the epididymis of a patient with 46,XY DSD and serves as an important resource for understanding the pathophysiology of DSD.
Male ; Humans ; Epididymis ; Disorder of Sex Development, 46,XY/genetics* ; Disorders of Sex Development ; Mutation ; Mutation, Missense ; Steroidogenic Factor 1/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of Tiaoshen (regulating the spirit) acupuncture on cognitive function and sleep quality in patients with primary insomnia (PI). METHODS: Sixty patients with PI were randomly divided into an observation group (30 cases, 2 cases dropped off) and a control group (30 cases, 2 cases dropped off, 1 case was excluded). The patients in the observation group were treated with acupuncture at Baihui (GV 20), Shenting (GV 24), Sishencong (EX-HN 1), and bilateral Benshen (GB 13), Shenmen (HT 7), Neiguan (PC 6), Sanyinjiao (SP 6). The patients in the control group were treated with shallow needling at non-effective points. Each treatment was provided for 30 min, once every other day, 3 treatments per week for 4 weeks. The Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA), digit span test (DST), trail making test (TMT)-A, Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), and fatigue scale-14 (FS-14) were used to assess cognitive function and sleep quality before and after treatment, as well as in follow-up of 4-week after treatment completion. Correlation analysis was conducted between the differences in PSQI scores and differences in MoCA scores before and after treatment in the observation group. RESULTS: Compared with before treatment, the total score, visuospatial and executive function score and delayed memory score of MoCA as well as DST backward score were increased (P<0.01), while TMT-A time, PSQI and FS-14 scores were significantly reduced (P<0.01) after treatment and in follow-up in the observation group. Compared with before treatment, the PSQI score in the control group was reduced (P<0.01, P<0.05). After treatment and in follow-up, the observation group had significantly higher total score, visuospatial and executive function score, delayed memory score of MoCA, and DST backward score compared to the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01). In the observation group, the TMT-A time was significantly shorter than that in the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the PSQI and FS-14 scores were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.01). In the observation group, there was a negative correlation between the difference in PSQI scores (post-treatment minus pre-treatment) and the difference in MoCA scores (post-treatment minus pre-treatment) (r=-0.481, P<0.01). A similar negative correlation was found between the difference in PSQI scores (follow-up minus pre-treatment) and the difference in MoCA scores (follow-up minus pre-treatment) (r=-0.282, P<0.05). CONCLUSION Tiaoshen acupuncture could improve cognitive function, enhance sleep quality, and alleviate daytime fatigue in patients with PI. The improvement in cognitive function in patients with PI is correlated with the improvement in sleep quality.
Humans ; Pilot Projects ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/therapy* ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Cognition ; Fatigue

Objective:To compare the differences in the prevalence of mild micro-hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) among patients with cirrhosis by using the psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES) and the Stroop smartphone application (Encephal App) test.Methods:This prospective, multi-center, real-world study was initiated by the National Clinical Medical Research Center for Infectious Diseases and the Portal Hypertension Alliance and registered with International ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05140837). 354 cases of cirrhosis were enrolled in 19 hospitals across the country. PHES (including digital connection tests A and B, digital symbol tests, trajectory drawing tests, and serial management tests) and the Stroop test were conducted in all of them. PHES was differentiated using standard diagnostic criteria established by the two studies in China and South Korea. The Stroop test was evaluated based on the criteria of the research and development team. The impact of different diagnostic standards or methods on the incidence of MHE in patients with cirrhosis was analyzed. Data between groups were differentiated using the t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and χ2 test. A kappa test was used to compare the consistency between groups. Results:After PHES, the prevalence of MHE among 354 cases of cirrhosis was 78.53% and 15.25%, respectively, based on Chinese research standards and Korean research normal value standards. However, the prevalence of MHE was 56.78% based on the Stroop test, and the differences in pairwise comparisons among the three groups were statistically significant (kappa = -0.064, P < 0.001). Stratified analysis revealed that the MHE prevalence in three groups of patients with Child-Pugh classes A, B, and C was 74.14%, 83.33%, and 88.24%, respectively, according to the normal value standards of Chinese researchers, while the MHE prevalence rates in three groups of patients with Child-Pugh classes A, B, and C were 8.29%, 23.53%, and 38.24%, respectively, according to the normal value standards of Korean researchers. Furthermore, the prevalence rates of MHE in the three groups of patients with Child-Pugh grades A, B, and C were 52.68%, 58.82%, and 73.53%, respectively, according to the Stroop test standard. However, among the results of each diagnostic standard, the prevalence of MHE showed an increasing trend with an increasing Child-Pugh grade. Further comparison demonstrated that the scores obtained by the number connection test A and the number symbol test were consistent according to the normal value standards of the two studies in China and South Korea ( Z = -0.982, -1.702; P = 0.326, 0.089), while the other three sub-tests had significant differences ( P < 0.001). Conclusion:The prevalence rate of MHE in the cirrhotic population is high, but the prevalence of MHE obtained by using different diagnostic criteria or methods varies greatly. Therefore, in line with the current changes in demographics and disease spectrum, it is necessary to enroll a larger sample size of a healthy population as a control. Moreover, the establishment of more reliable diagnostic scoring criteria will serve as a basis for obtaining accurate MHE incidence and formulating diagnosis and treatment strategies in cirrhotic populations.