The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) is crucial for regulating blood pressure and maintaining fluid balance, while clock genes are essential for sustaining biological rhythms and regulating metabolism. There exists a complex interplay between RAAS and clock genes that may significantly contribute to the development of various cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Although current literature has identified correlations between these two systems, the specific mechanisms of their interaction remain unclear. Moreover, the interaction patterns under different physiological and pathological conditions need further investigation. This review summarizes the synergistic roles of the RAAS and clock genes in cardiovascular diseases, explores their molecular mechanisms and pathophysiological connections, discusses the application of chronotherapy, and highlights potential future research directions, aiming to provide novel insights for the prevention and treatment of related diseases.
Humans ; Renin-Angiotensin System/genetics* ; Cardiovascular Diseases/genetics* ; CLOCK Proteins/physiology* ; Animals

Nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA), one of the most severe types of male infertility, etiology often remains unclear in most cases. Therefore, this study aimed to detect four biallelic detrimental variants (0.5%) in the minichromosome maintenance domain containing 2 ( MCMDC2 ) genes in 768 NOA patients by whole-exome sequencing (WES). Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) demonstrated that MCMDC2 deleterious variants caused meiotic arrest in three patients (c.1360G>T, c.1956G>T, and c.685C>T) and hypospermatogenesis in one patient (c.94G>T), as further confirmed through immunofluorescence (IF) staining. The single-cell RNA sequencing data indicated that MCMDC2 was substantially expressed during spermatogenesis. The variants were confirmed as deleterious and responsible for patient infertility through bioinformatics and in vitro experimental analyses. The results revealed four MCMDC2 variants related to NOA, which contributes to the current perception of the function of MCMDC2 in male fertility and presents new perspectives on the genetic etiology of NOA.
Humans ; Male ; Azoospermia/genetics* ; Meiosis/genetics* ; Spermatogenesis/genetics* ; Adult ; Exome Sequencing ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins/genetics* ; Alleles ; Infertility, Male/genetics*

Thyroid diseases are clinically prevalent endocrine and metabolic disorders, including various types such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis and thyroid nodules. Their pathogenesis is complex and influenced by numerous factors, potentially involving genetic factors, environmental factors, and immune dysfunction. With the continuous advancement of modern traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), TCM has established a unique theoretical system in the prevention and treatment of thyroid diseases, with increasingly rich clinical practical experience. This article reviews the recent application of TCM health status analysis, monitoring, early warning, and prevention in the field of thyroid diseases, aiming to provide useful references for in-depth study in this field.

Spine fracture and dislocation are common traumatic spinal conditions that often require surgical intervention due to compromised spinal stability. Surgical approaches include anterior, posterior, and combined anterior-posterior spinal procedures. According to the specific surgical requirements, patients may be placed in the prone position or repositioned between prone and supine positions during surgery. Intraoperative repositioning has become an essential step in patient positioning. However, during repositioning, patients with spinal fracture and dislocation are at increased risk for complications such as hemodynamic instability, nerve injury, and pressure injuries to the skin and soft tissue. Notably, due to the instability of the spinal cord, even minor manipulations can further exacerbate the damage, potentially leading to severe outcomes like paraplegia. Although the current clinical guidelines provide instructive recommendations for standard position, there remains no specific protocols for intraoperative repositioning in patients with spine fracture and dislocation. With a concern for the lack of clinical studies on positioning techniques, risk prevention, and operational norms for special patients, no applicable guidelines or standards are available. A consensus was required to provide clinical reference, meet the requirements of surgical treatment, and minimize the safety risks of patients caused by improper placement of positions. Professional Committee of Operating Room Nursing of Shaanxi Nursing Association organized experts in nursing management and operating room nursing from major hospitals across China to formulate Expert consensus on intraoperative repositioning for patients with spinal fracture and dislocation ( version 2025). The consensus provides 11 recommendations covering pre-repositioning preparation, intraoperative maneuvers, and post-repositioning observation, aiming to provide references for clinical standardization of the intraoperative repositioning process and protection of patients′ safety.

Objective:To explore the clinicopathologic features differences between tall cell variant of papillary thyroid cancer (TCV-PTC) and PTC with tall cell features (PTC-TCF) and the factors influencing efficacy of 131I therapy in patients with TCV-PTC and PTC-TCF. Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 84 patients (28 males, 56 females, age 43.5(35.0, 55.0) years) with pathologically confirmed TCV-PTC or PTC-TCF and who were treated with 131I therapy from January 2018 to June 2023 in the Department of Nuclear Medicine, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University. The patients were divided into structural incomplete response (SIR) group and non-SIR group according to 131I treatment response. Data differences were analyzed by Wilcoxon rank sum test, Fisher exact test, or Mann-Whitney U test. Variables with P<0.1 were enrolled in logistic multivariate regression analysis. The ROC curve was used to obtain the cut-off value of stimulated thyroglobulin (sTg). Results:A total of 37 patients with non-SIR and 6 patients with SIR were found in TCV-PTC group ( n=43), and 33 non-SIR and 8 SIR cases were found in PTC-TCF group ( n=41). Univariate analysis revealed that sTg differed significantly between non-SIR patients and SIR patients in TCV-PTC group ( Z=-2.81, P=0.003), while no significant differences observed for sex, age, multifocality, capsular invasion, T stage, N stage, B-Raf proto-oncogene, serine/threonine-protein kinase (BRAF) V600E mutation, initial recurrence risk, number of metastatic lymph nodes, maximum tumor diameter ( Z values: from -0.74 to -0.11, all P>0.05). In TCV-PTC group, sTg also differed significantly between non-SIR patients and SIR patients ( Z=-4.40, P<0.001), while the other clinical factors above and the proportion of tall cells showed no significant difference ( Z values: from -1.90 to -0.22, all P>0.05). The logistic regression analysis confirmed sTg as an independent risk factor of SIR in both TCV-PTC group (odds ratio ( OR) = 25.156, 95% CI: 2.245-281.812, P=0.009) and PTC-TCF group ( OR=19.214, 95% CI: 2.537-145.502, P=0.004). The ROC curve indicated that the cut-off value of sTg for predicting SIR was 20.75μg/L in TCV-PTC group and 18.55μg/L in PTC-TCF group. Conclusions:sTg is the independent risk factor for predicting the poor prognosis of patients with TCV-PTC (sTg≥20.75μg/L) and PTC-TCF (sTg≥18.55μg/L). However, other clinical characteristics show no statistical difference between TCV-PTC group and PTC-TCF group, suggesting that the invasiveness of PTC-TCF may not be lower than that of TCV-PTC, which close attention should be paid to in clinical practice.

To promote the standardization and normalization of perioperative care for follicular unit extraction(FUE) hair transplantation, ensure treatment efficacy, and align with advancements in the specialty, the Nursing Branch of the Chinese Association of Plastic and Aesthetics organized a panel of domestic experts. By integrating evidence-based medicine with clinical practice experience, and following thorough discussions, these experts developed the Clinical Practice Expert Consensus on Perioperative Nursing Care for Follicular Unit Extraction (2025). This consensus provides a comprehensive overview of hair transplantation, covering preoperative preparation, surgical procedures, intraoperative coordination, postoperative management, and complication prevention and treatment. It serves as a key reference and guide for implementing standardized perioperative nursing care in FUE hair transplantation.

ObjectiveTo investigate the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and their influencing factors in community-based schizophrenia patients in Shanghai, and to provide a scientific basis for the early identification and prevention of cardiovascular disease in this population. MethodsBased on the Shanghai community cohort with severe mental disorders in 2022, a total of 3 954 community-based schizophrenia patients were identified and included in this study through a stratified cluster sampling method. Basic information and relevant clinical data (including metabolic index data) were collected through questionnaire survey, physical examination and laboratory testing. Univariate analyses were performed using the chi-square tests, and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed to identify influencing factors of comorbid cardiovascular diseases. ResultsA total of 3 954 community-based schizophrenia patients were included, of which a total of 1 237 (31.28%) patients had comorbid cardiovascular diseases. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that age 60 years old or above (OR=5.524, 95%CI: 3.716‒8.214), smoking behavior (OR=1.328, 95%CI: 1.042‒1.692), overweight (OR=1.900, 95%CI: 1.046‒3.451) or obesity (OR=2.678, 95%CI: 1.439‒4.985), elevated blood pressure (OR=1.546, 95%CI: 1.294‒1.846), abnormal fasting blood glucose (OR=1.552, 95%CI: 1.322‒1.823) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol abnormalities (OR=1.283, 95%CI: 1.025‒1.606) were positively associated with the risk of comorbid cardiovascular diseases in patients with schizophrenia, while educational attainment of college/bachelor’s degree or above (OR=0.640, 95%CI: 0.450‒0.910) and being unmarried (OR=0.552, 95%CI: 0.457‒0.667) were negatively associated with the risk of cardiovascular diseases comorbidity. ConclusionAdvanced age, unhealthy behaviors and lifestyles, as well as abnormalities in blood pressure, blood glucose, and blood lipids, could all increase the risk of comorbid cardiovascular diseases in community schizophrenia patients. It is suggested to strengthen the monitoring and management of these risk factors in this population in the future, so as to achieve early detection, early diagnosis and early intervention of cardiovascular diseases.

Objective To explore the expression of serum lipocalin-2(LCN2)and latent transforming growth factor-β binding protein 2(LTBP2)in ovarian cancer patients and their relationship with clinicopathological features and prognosis.Methods A total of 108 ovarian cancer patients treated in Baoji Hospital Affiliated to Xi'an Medical College from February 2020 to December 2021 were included in the ovarian cancer group.Another 108 patients with benign ovarian lesions during the same period were included and labeled as the lesion group,and 108 healthy female volunteers undergoing physical examination were assigned to the control group.ELISA method was used to detect serum LCN2 and LTBP2 levels.The relationship between serum LCN2 and LTBP2 levels and prognosis survival rate in ovarian cancer patients was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method.Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to identify the risk factors affecting the prognosis of ovarian cancer patients.Results Serum LCN2 and LTBP2 levels increased in the control group,lesion group,and ovarian cancer group in sequence(P<0.05).Among patients with high expression of serum LCN2 and LTBP2,the proportions of FIGO stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ,tumor maximum diameter>3 cm,and postoperative lymph node metastasis were higher than those of FIGO stages Ⅰ-Ⅱ,tumor maximum diameter≤3 cm,and non lymph node metastasis(P<0.05).The median survival time of ovarian cancer patients with high serum LCN2 and LTBP2 expression was lower than that of patients with low expression(Log-rank χ2=5.367、6.305,P<0.05).The survival rate of patients with FIGO stage Ⅲ～Ⅳ,maximum tumor diameter>3 cm,postoperative lymph node metastasis,LCN2 and LTBP2 high expression was lower than that of patients with FIGO stage Ⅰ～Ⅱ,tumor maximum diameter≤3 cm,no postoperative lymph node metastasis,and low LCN2 and LTBP2 expression(P<0.05).FIGO stages Ⅲ-Ⅳ,maximum tumor diameter>3 cm,postoperative lymph node metastasis,high LCN2,and high LTBP2 were independent risk factors affecting the 3-year survival rate of ovarian cancer patients(P<0.05).Conclusion Serum LCN2 and LTBP2 are upregulated in ovarian cancer patients,and are closely related to FIGO staging,tumor maximum diameter,and postoperative lymph node metastasis.They are important factors affecting prognosis and may serve as biomarkers for evaluating prognosis.

ObjectiveFor prepubertal and urgently treated malignant tumor patients, ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation represent more appropriate fertility preservation methods. Current clinical practices often involve freezing ovarian tissue with high concentrations of cryoprotectants (CPAs) and thawing with water baths. These processes lead to varying degrees of toxicity and devitrification damage to ovarian tissue. Therefore, this paper proposes optimized methods for vitrification of ovarian tissues based on sodium alginate hydrogel encapsulation and magnetic induction nanowarming technology. MethodsFirstly, the study investigated the effects of sodium alginate concentration, the sequence of hydrogel encapsulation and CPAs loading on vitrification efficiency of encapsulated ovarian tissue. Additionally, the capability of sodium alginate hydrogel encapsulation to reduce the required concentration of CPAs was validated. Secondly, a platform combining water bath and magnetic induction nanowarming was established to rewarm ovarian tissue under various concentrations of magnetic nanoparticles and magnetic field strengths. The post-warming follicle survival rate, antioxidant capacity, and ovarian tissue integrity were evaluated to assess the efficacy of the method. ResultsThe study found that ovarian tissue encapsulated with 2% sodium alginate hydrogel exhibited the highest follicle survival rate after vitrification. The method of loading CPAs prior to encapsulation proved more suitable for ovarian tissue cryopreservation, effectively reducing the required concentration of CPAs by 50%. A combination of 8 g/L Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles and an alternating magnetic field of 300 Gs showed optimal warming effectiveness for ovarian tissue. Combining water bath rewarming with magnetic induction nanowarming yielded the highest follicle survival rate, enhanced antioxidant capacity, and preserved tissue morphology. ConclusionSodium alginate hydrogel encapsulation of ovarian tissue reduces the concentration of CPAs required during the freezing process. The combination of magnetic induction nanowarming with water bath provides an efficient method ovarian tissue rewarming. This study offers novel approaches to optimize ovarian tissues vitrification.

[Objective] To analyze the effects of different factors and red blood cell transfusion thresholds on the efficacy of neonatal red blood cell (RBC) transfusion, in order to provide more references for neonatal transfusions to better achieve rational and effective blood use. [Methods] A retrospective collection of data from 282 neonates who received RBC transfusions at our hospital from 2022 to 2023 was conducted, including birth weight, gestational age, number of blood transfusions, length of hospital stay, assisted ventilation during RBC transfusion, and laboratory test results before and after transfusion. SPSS software was used for statistical analysis to comprehensively analyze the impact of different factors on the efficacy of RBC transfusion in neonates. [Results] The results showed that the gestational age and weight of newborns at birth were negatively correlated with their length of hospital stay and the number of RBC transfusions during hospitalization. Newborns with younger gestational age and lower weight had longer hospital stays and more RBC transfusions during hospitalization. After administering RBCs according to the standard of 15 mL/kg, there was a statistically significant difference in the efficacy of RBC transfusion at different transfusion thresholds. In non-critical situations, RBC transfusions were ineffective when the pre-transfusion hemoglobin (Hb) level was >120 g/L. When the pre-transfusion Hb level was ≤70 g/L, RBC transfusions achieved higher efficacy in both critical and non-critical situations. [Conclusion] In critical situations, the group with pre-transfusion Hb values ≤ 70 g/L has the best RBC transfusion effect, while in non-critical situations, the group with pre-transfusion Hb levels between 81 and 90 g/L has the best RBC transfusion effect. Overall, the efficacy of RBC transfusion in non-critical situations is higher than that in critical situations.