AIM:To investigate the mechanism by which muscle segment homeobox 2(Msx2)regulates the differentiation of outer enamel epithelial cells in the enamel organ.METHODS:Tissue paraffin sections were prepared and subjected to hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining to analyze the effect of Msx2 deficiency on the differentiation status of epithelial cells in the enamel organ at the morphological level.At the ultrastructural level,alterations in cell structure were analyzed.The intermediate steps mediating cell differentiation were identified.Transcriptome sequencing analysis was performed to validate the molecular mechanisms underlying the observed phenomena.RESULTS:Msx2 deficiency was innovatively found to induce severe squamous epithelial hyperplasia in outer enamel epithelial cells of enamel organ,accompanied by dynamic restructuring of the cell cytoskeleton and alterations in cell adhesion at the ultrastructure level.As a transcriptional repressor,the loss of Msx2 expression results in significant increases(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01)in the mRNA expression levels of integrin β2(Itgβ2),ItgαM,Itgα4,Rac family small GTPase 2(Rac2),Rac/Cdc42 guanine nucleo-tide exchange factor 6(Arhgef6)and protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type C(Ptprc).CONCLUSION:Msx2 regu-lates cytoskeleton structure and cell-cell interaction through the Rho GTPases signaling pathway,thereby influencing the differentiation state of outer enamel epithelial cells.This study reveals the mechanism through which Msx2 regulates the differentiation of outer enamel epithelial cells,providing a theoretical foundation for the prevention and treatment of enam-el-related clinical dental diseases.

Objective:To test the difficulty, discrimination, and reliability of the ICU Nurse Pressure Injury Prevention and Care Knowledge Questionnaire.Methods:Two researchers independently translated the ICU Nurse Pressure Injury Prevention and Care Knowledge Questionnaire and cross-checked it to form a Chinese version of the questionnaire. The Chinese version of the ICU Nurse Pressure Injury Prevention and Care Knowledge Questionnaire consists of 24 items, with correct answers scoring one point and incorrect answers scoring zero points, with a total score of 24 points. Convenience sampling was used to select ICU nurses from 14 GradeⅢ Class A hospitals in five provinces/autonomous regions and two municipalities in China for the survey between April and July 2023. The difficulty index, discrimination index, and Cronbach's α coefficient of the questionnaire were analyzed.Results:A total of 1 121 questionnaires were distributed, with 1 020 valid responses, yielding a valid response rate of 90.99%. The mean score of the 1 020 ICU nurses on the Chinese version of the ICU Nurse Pressure Injury Prevention and Care Knowledge Questionnaire was (16.10±5.58) , with a minimum score of 4.00 and a maximum score of 24.00. The Cronbach's α coefficient of the Chinese version of the ICU Nurse Pressure Injury Prevention and Care Knowledge Questionnaire was 0.91. The questionnaire's overall difficulty and discrimination indexes were 0.67 and 0.59, respectively.Conclusions:The Chinese version of the ICU Nurse Pressure Injury Prevention and Care Knowledge Questionnaire has appropriate difficulty, moderate discrimination, and strong reliability, making it a valuable tool for assessing ICU nurses' knowledge of pressure injury-related topics.

Objective To develop a hypoxia endurance testing system for aviation physiological training of pilots.Methods The hypoxia endurance testing system comprised a low-oxygen mixed gas generator,a pressurization system for low-oxygen mixed gas and a personal breathing apparatus.The low-oxygen mixed gas generator consisted of a main unit composed of an air compressor,a filter,a buffer tank,polymer membrane,a control module,sensors and regulators,wire cables,supporting hoses,etc.;the pressurization system for low-oxygen mixed gas was made up of a protective box,a cooling fan,a motor and a driver,a control module,a solenoid valve,a convergence block,a pressure gauge,etc.;the personal breating apparatus was composed of a gas cylinder,a pressure reducer,an oxygen supply regulator,etc.Forty-eight subjects were selected for hypoxia exposure tests to verify the effectiveness of the system.Results The system developed had the functions of low-oxygen gas preparation,pressurized filling and hypoxia experiment,and the experimental results indicated the acute hypoxia exposure by the system significantly caused signs and symptoms of hypoxia and weakened physiological functions.Conclusion The system developed gains advantages in high accuracy of gas volume fraction control,safety and remarkable effect of simulated hypoxia,and can be an effective tool for acute high-altitude hypoxia testing and training of pilots.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(10):23-28]

Patent foramen ovale(PFO)demonstrates significant comorbidity with migraine,but its causal relationship and the efficacy of transcatheter closure remain controversial.This systematic review examines potential biomarkers and relevant imaging assessments for PFO-associated migraine,aiming to provide a theoretical foundation for clinical diagnosis and treatment.Key biomarkers include platelet activation markers,calcitonin gene-related peptide,homocysteine,and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio.Imaging evaluations encompass right-to-left shunt grading(transthoracic echocardiography,transcranial Doppler ultrasound),cerebrovascular breath-holding index,characteristics of white matter hyperintensities,alterations in resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging(rs-f-MRI)brain networks,in-situ thrombi detected by optical coherence tomography,and electroencephalogram(EEG)power spectral features.Research indicates that integrating biomarkers with imaging technologies enhances diagnostic discrimination and treatment outcome prediction.Current challenges include unclear causal relationships and insufficient standardization of detection methods.Future efforts require multidisciplinary collaboration to establish personalized diagnostic and therapeutic frameworks through multimodal indicators,thereby advancing precise prevention and treatment strategies for PFO-related migraine.

A previous study showed that the length of the foreskin plays a role in the risk of sexually transmitted infections and chronic prostatitis, which can lead to poor quality of sexual life. Here, the association between foreskin length and sexual dysfunction was evaluated. A total of 5700 participants were recruited from the andrology clinic at The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (Hefei, China). Clinical characteristics, including foreskin length, were collected, and sexual function was assessed by the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) and Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT) questionnaires. Men with sexual dysfunction were more likely to have redundant foreskin than men without sexual dysfunction. Among the 2721 erectile dysfunction (ED) patients and 1064 premature ejaculation (PE) patients, 301 (11.1%) ED patients and 135 (12.7%) PE patients had redundant foreskin, respectively. Men in the PE group were more likely to have redundant foreskin than men in the non-PE group ( P = 0.004). Logistic regression analyses revealed that the presence of redundant foreskin was associated with increased odds of moderate/severe ED (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.31, adjusted P = 0.04), moderate PE (aOR = 1.38, adjusted P = 0.02), and probable PE (aOR = 1.37, adjusted P = 0.03) after adjusting for confounding variables. Our study revealed a positive correlation between the presence of redundant foreskin and the risk of sexual dysfunction, especially in PE patients. Assessment of the length of the foreskin during routine clinical diagnosis may provide information for patients with sexual dysfunction.
Humans ; Male ; Foreskin ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Adult ; Erectile Dysfunction/epidemiology* ; Premature Ejaculation/epidemiology* ; Middle Aged ; China/epidemiology* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological/epidemiology* ; Young Adult

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is prevalent among men, but its relationship with dietary habits is uncertain. The aim of our study was to assess whether dietary patterns enhance erectile function by reviewing the literature published before August 1, 2022, via PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases. The data compiled included author details; publication dates, countries, treatments, patient numbers, ages, follow-ups, and clinical trial outcomes, such as ED cases, odds ratios (ORs), confidence intervals (CIs), and International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) scores with means and standard deviations. An analysis of 14 studies with 27 389 participants revealed that plant-based diets (OR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.66-0.75; P < 0.00001), low-fat diets (OR = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.13-0.53; P = 0.0002), and alternative diets such as intermittent fasting and organic diets (OR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.36-0.80; P = 0.002) significantly reduced ED risk. High-protein low-fat diets (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.12-1.64; P < 0.00001) and high-carb low-fat diets (HR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.55-1.04; P < 0.00001) improved IIEF-5 scores. Combined diet and exercise interventions decreased the likelihood of ED (OR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.28-0.85; P = 0.01) and increased the IIEF-5 score (OR = 3.40, 95% CI: 1.69-5.11; P < 0.0001). Diets abundant in fruits and vegetables (OR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.96-0.98; P < 0.00001) and nuts (OR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.37-0.80; P = 0.002) were also correlated with lower ED risk. Our meta-analysis underscores a strong dietary-ED association, suggesting that low-fat/Mediterranean diets rich in produce and nuts could benefit ED management.
Humans ; Male ; Erectile Dysfunction/epidemiology* ; Diet ; Diet, Fat-Restricted ; Feeding Behavior ; Penile Erection/physiology* ; Diet, Vegetarian

Objective:To explore the relationship between serum osteopontin (OPN), annexin A2 (ANXA2) and recurrence after partial laryngectomy in patients with early-stage glottic laryngeal cancer (EGC).Methods:A retrospective study was conducted by collecting clinical data from EGC patients who underwent partial laryngectomy at Beijing Shijitan Hospital from June 2020 to May 2022. Serum levels of OPN and ANXA2 were measured at the time of admission. Clinical data during the perioperative period were also collected. The recurrence within 2 years after surgery was used as the endpoint event. Patients were divided into a recurrence group and a non-recurrence group based on the occurrence of recurrence. The data were compared between the groups, and Cox regression was used to analyze the correlation between recurrence after partial laryngectomy and key factors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and decision curve were used to evaluate the predictive value of serum OPN and ANXA2 for recurrence within 2 years after surgery.Results:Among 167 EGC patients, 42 patients experienced recurrence within 2 years after surgery (recurrence group), with a median recurrence time of 16.00 (13.75, 19.25) months, and a recurrence rate of 25.15%; 125 patients did experience recurrence within 2 years after surgery (non-recurrence group). Compared to the non-recurrence group, the proportions of poorly differentiated tumors and anterior commissure invasion in the recurrence group were higher, the serum levels of OPN, ANXA2 and testosterone were higher: 52.38% (22/42) vs. 20.80% (26/125), 52.38% (22/42) vs. 20.00% (25/125), (24.26 ± 4.64) μg/L vs. (18.83 ± 4.17) μg/L, (37.62 ± 6.15) μg/L vs. (31.24 ± 5.56) μg/L, (27.26 ± 5.31) nmol/L vs. (22.85 ± 4.62) nmol/L, with significant differences ( P<0.05). Cox regression analysis result showed that recurrence after partial laryngectomy in EGC patients was potentially related to tumor differentiation, anterior commissure invasion, and abnormal serum expression of OPN, ANXA2 and testosterone ( P<0.05). ROC curve analysis revealed that serum OPN and ANXA2 had an area under the curve of 0.80 and 0.79, respectively, showing predictive value, with optimal cutoff values of 21.40 and 34.72 μg/L. Decision curve analysis indicated that serum OPN and ANXA2 had predictive significance for recurrence after partial laryngectomy in EGC patients, and the combined use of pathological grade, anterior commissure invasion, and testosterone improved the net benefit. Conclusions:Recurrence after partial laryngectomy in EGC patients may be associated with elevated serum OPN and ANXA2 levels, which could increase the risk of postoperative recurrence. Early detection of serum OPN and ANXA2 could be valuable for predicting recurrence after surgery in EGC patients.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical utility of an intelligent endoscope transportation system in the digestive endoscopy center.Methods:A parallel-group controlled trial was conducted at Digestive Endoscopy Center of Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from June 1st to December 31st 2024, comparing robotic intelligent endoscope transport (experimental group) versus manual transport (control group). Performance metrics, including response time, transportation speed, labor efficiency, contamination prevention, closed-loop traceability, and nursing staff satisfaction, were statistically analyzed. Full-time equivalent (FTE) was introduced to quantify the operational efficiency of the experimental group.Results:The study included a total of 60 206 instances of intelligent endoscope transportation and 60 485 instances of manual transportation data. The robotic group demonstrated significantly shorter response times versus manual group for initial dispatch (51.08±14.97 seconds VS 54.44±13.61 seconds, t=35.8, P<0.001) and recovery response time (32.52±11.26 seconds VS 40.20±11.40 seconds, t=103.93, P<0.001). During the 148 days operational period, the success rate was 99.83% (60 104/60 206) and the failure rate was 0.17% (102/60 206) for robotic transports. Primary failure causes were wireless disconnection, pathfinding errors, and mechanical faults, averaging 1.05 malfunctions/month with no adverse events. The success and failure rate was 99.26% (60 043/60 485) and 0.74% (442/60 485) respectively for manual transports. Staff satisfaction was significantly higher for robotic transport in endoscopic transportation (4.65±0.55 scores VS 3.97±0.98 scores, t=96.5, P<0.001) and delivery process (4.71±0.59 scores VS 3.90±1.04 scores, t=210.3, P<0.001). and workload intensity was significantly lower (4.06±0.77 scores VS 4.48±0.63 scores, t=59.9, P=0.025). The system reduced labor requirements by 3.68 FTE, yielding annual savings of ￥657 000. Conclusion:The robotic intelligent endoscope transport system improves work efficiency, reduces nursing labor costs and physical workload, enhances job experience and satisfaction, and enables full-process smart traceability, providing a validated solution for endoscopy center logistics.

Objective:To compare bowel preparation quality between 2.0 L and 1.5 L polyethylene glycol (PEG) regimens with optimized dietary restrictions.Methods:This study was a randomized controlled trial conducted in three hospitals: the First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University ( n=57), Huadong Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University ( n=30), and General Hospital of Northern Theater Command ( n=30) from May 5th to 30th, 2024. Participants consumed food for special medical purpose one day before examination or therapeutic colonoscopy and were randomized to receive either 2.0 L PEG (group A) or 1.5 L PEG (group B). Outcomes included the completion rate of bowel preparation, the adequate/excellent bowel preparation rate, Boston bowel preparation scale scores, the subject/endoscopist satisfaction, the willingness to repeat the preparation regimen, and incidence of adverse events. Results:A total of 60 subjects in group A and 57 in group B were included. There was no significant difference in baseline characteristics between the two groups ( P>0.05). The adequate bowel preparation rate [81.7% (49/60) VS 64.9% (37/57), χ2=4.21, P=0.040] and endoscopist satisfaction [88.3% (53/60) VS 70.2% (40/57), χ2=5.91, P=0.015] in group A were significantly higher than those in group B. There were no significant differences in bowel preparation completion rates, the excellent bowel preparation rate, the bowel preparation score, subject satisfaction, willingness to repeat the preparation regimen, or incidence of adverse events ( P>0.05). Conclusion:When combined with optimized dietary restrictions, 2.0 L PEG provides superior bowel preparation quality compared with 1.5 L PEG.

This study was aimed at determining the molecular characteristics of Yersinia pestis in the natural plague foci around Qinghai Lake through single nucleotide polymorphism technology,to lay a foundation for molecular epidemiological and source-tracing analysis of Y.pestis in this area.Using the whole genome sequencing technology,we obtained the whole genome sequences of 84 representative Y.pestis strains.Using the sequences of Y.pestis and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis IP32953 from the NCBI database as references,we compared and analyzed the 2 298 SNP loci of these strains.From 1957 to 2020,84 representative strains of Y.pestis from the natural plague foci around Qinghai Lake were divided into two clades:1.IN2 and 3.ANT1.The 1.IN2 clade was the characteristic population of Y.pestis throughout all epidemic years in this area.Additionally,analysis of the SNP distribution and hosts in the region indicated that the 1.IN2 clade was located in five counties except Wulan,whereas the 3.ANT1 clade was isolated from Himalayan marmot and dog in two counties.In conclusion,the population structure of SNP of Y.pestis in the natural plague foci around Qinghai Lake is relatively simple,and SNP analysis of Y.pestis provided a scientific basis for tracing plague epidemic sources and formulating plague prevention and control measures in this area.