Background Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are a major occupational health concern, particularly among workers exposed to adverse ergonomic conditions. Manganese production involves heavy physical demands, yet research on WMSDs among manganese workers remains limited. Objective To investigate the prevalence and influencing factors of WMSDs among manganese workers in a manganese enterprise in Guangxi. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted from May to June 2024 on workers at a manganese factory in Guangxi. The Chinese Musculoskeletal Disorders Questionnaire was used to collect information on demographic characteristics, distribution of musculoskeletal symptoms, and work-related exposures. χ² test was applied to compare differences in positive WMSDs rates across groups, and logistic regression analysis was performed to identify associated factors. Results A total of 1476 workers were enrolled in the study after pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The overall prevalence of WMSDs was 34.15%. The most commonly affected body regions were the lower back (17.28%), neck (16.67%), and shoulders (13.82%). The results of logistic regression analysis indicated that female, older age, and education level of college or above were associated with a higher risk of WMSDs (P<0.05). Awkward working postures were significantly associated with WMSDs in corresponding body regions; in particular, awkward postures of the neck, upper limbs, trunk, and lower limbs were related to an increased risk of WMSDs in multiple body sites (P<0.05). In addition, poor lighting conditions, high workplace temperature, frequent or sustained arm support during work, and high job demands were associated with an increased risk of overall or site-specific WMSDs (P<0.05). Conclusion The high prevalence of WMSDs among manganese workers is closely associated with demographic characteristics, working postures, and work environment and organizational factors. Targeted ergonomic interventions focusing on high-risk body regions and key ergonomic exposures are warranted to reduce the risk of WMSDs among manganese workers.

Objective To explore the application effect of five kinds of sarcopenia assessment scales in the sarcopenia screening in the patients with bone tumors.Methods The convenience sampling method was a-dopted to select 198 patients with bone tumor in this hospital from August 2023 to February 2024 were select-ed as the study subjects.The Simplified Five-Item Scoring Questionnaire(SARC-F),the Modified Simplified Five-Item Scoring Questionnaire(SARC-Calf),the Simplified Five-Item Scoring Questionnaire Combined with Age and BMI(SARC-F+EBM),the Mini Sarcopenia Risk Assessment 7-Item Questionnaire(MSRA-7)and the Mini Sarcopenia Risk Assessment 5-Item Questionnaire(MSRA-5)were used for conducting the screen-ing.The Asian Sarcopenia Working Group-2019(AWGS-2019)screening criteria for sarcopenia were used as diagnostic criteria.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve and area under the curve(AUC)were used to analyze the predictive efficiency.The sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value(PPV),negative predictive value(NPV)and Kappa value were compared among various screening tools.Results According to the AWGS-2019 screening criteria for sarcopenia,there were 144 cases in the non-sarcopenia group and 54 ca-ses in the sarcopenia group,and the incidence rate of sarcopenia was 27.27％.SARC-Calf and MSRA-5 had the highest sensitivity(81.48％).SARC-F+EBM had the highest specificity(91.67％).SARC-F+EBM had the highest PPV(70.00％).SARC-Calf had the highest NPV(91.49％);SARC-F+EBM had the highest AUC(0.890),the corresponding cut-off value was 8.5 points,the sensitivity was 83.30％and specificity was 80.60％.The Kappa values of SARC-F,MSRA-5 and MSRA-7 were 0.206,0.336 and 0.324 respectively,pos-sessing the ordinary consistency,while the Kappa values of SARC-Calf and SARC-F+EBM were 0.544 and 0.474 respectively,possessing the medium consistency.Conclusion SARC-F+EBM could be used as the best screening tool of clinical medical staff for sarcopenia in the patients with bone tumor.

The innate immune system detects cellular stressors and microbial infections, activating programmed cell death (PCD) pathways to eliminate intracellular pathogens and maintain homeostasis. Among these pathways, pyroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis represent the most characteristic forms of PCD. Although initially regarded as mechanistically distinct, emerging research has revealed significant crosstalk among their signaling cascades. Consequently, the concept of PANoptosis has been proposed—an inflammatory cell death pathway driven by caspases and receptor-interacting protein kinases (RIPKs), and regulated by the PANoptosome, which integrates key features of pyroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis. The core mechanism of PANoptosis involves the assembly and activation of the PANoptosome, a macromolecular complex composed of three structural components: sensor proteins, adaptor proteins, and effector proteins. Sensors detect upstream stimuli and transmit signals downstream, recruiting critical molecules via adaptors to form a molecular scaffold. This scaffold activates effectors, triggering intracellular signaling cascades that culminate in PANoptosis. The PANoptosome is regulated by upstream molecules such as interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1), transforming growth factor beta-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), and adenosine deaminase acting on RNA 1 (ADAR1), which function as molecular switches to control PANoptosis. Targeting these switches represents a promising therapeutic strategy. Furthermore, PANoptosis is influenced by organelle functions, including those of the mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and lysosomes, highlighting organelle-targeted interventions as effective regulatory approaches. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), the leading global cause of morbidity and mortality, are profoundly impacted by PCD. Extensive crosstalk among multiple cell death pathways in CVDs suggests a complex regulatory network. As a novel cell death modality bridging pyroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis, PANoptosis offers fresh insights into the complexity of cell death and provides innovative strategies for CVD treatment. This review summarizes current evidence linking PANoptosis to various CVDs, including myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury, myocardial infarction, heart failure, arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy, cardiotoxic injury, atherosclerosis, abdominal aortic aneurysm, thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection, and vascular toxic injury, thereby providing critical clinical insights into CVD pathophysiology. However, the current understanding of PANoptosis in CVDs remains incomplete. First, while PANoptosis in cardiomyocytes and vascular smooth muscle cells has been implicated in CVD pathogenesis, its role in other cell types—such as vascular endothelial cells and immune cells (e.g., macrophages)—warrants further investigation. Second, although pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) are known to activate the PANoptosome in infectious diseases, the stimuli driving PANoptosis in CVDs remain poorly defined. Additionally, methodological challenges persist in identifying PANoptosome assembly in CVDs and in establishing reliable PANoptosis models. Beyond the diseases discussed, PANoptosis may also play a role in viral myocarditis and diabetic cardiomyopathy, necessitating further exploration. In conclusion, elucidating the role of PANoptosis in CVDs opens new avenues for drug development. Targeting this pathway could yield transformative therapies, addressing unmet clinical needs in cardiovascular medicine.

Rice is the world's largest food crop, and its yield and quality are directly related to food security and human health. Grain size, as one of the important factors determining the rice yield, has been widely concerned by breeders and researchers for a long time. To decipher the regulatory mechanism of rice grain size, we obtained a multi-tiller, dwarf, and small-grain mutant htd1 by ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) mutation from the Japonica rice cultivar 'Zhonghua 11' ('ZH11'). Genetic analysis indicated that the phenotype of htd1 was controlled by a single recessive gene. Using the mutation site map (Mutmap) method, we identified the candidate gene OsHTD1, which encoded a carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase involved in the biosynthesis of strigolactone (SL). The SL content in htd1 was significantly lower than that in 'ZH11'. Cytological analysis showed that the grain size of the mutant decreased due to the reductions in the length and width of glume cells. The function of htd1 was further verified by the CRISPR/cas9 gene editing technology. The plants with the gene knockout exhibited similar grain size to the mutant. In addition, gene expression analysis showed that the expression levels of multiple grain size-related genes in the mutant changed significantly, suggesting that HTD1 may interact with other genes regulating grain size. This study provides a new theoretical basis for research on the regulatory mechanism of rice grain size and potential genetic resources for breeding the rice cultivars with high yields.
Oryza/growth & development* ; Mutation ; Edible Grain/growth & development* ; Alleles ; Plant Proteins/genetics* ; Dioxygenases/genetics* ; Lactones/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Genes, Plant ; Gene Editing ; CRISPR-Cas Systems ; Phenotype

Aim To verify the mechanism of action of Carthami Flos-Lycopodii Herba in treating KOA carti-lage inflammation based on network pharmacology and in vitro and in vivo experiments.Methods The effec-tive ingredients of Carthami Flos-Lycopodii Herba were screened through the database,the core targets of"drug disease"were analyzed,and pathway enrichment analy-sis and molecular docking verification were conducted.Experimental verification:Primary chondrocytes were extracted from mice and divided into the control group,IL-1β group,treatment group,and treatment+TLR4 agonist group.CCK-8 method was used to screen the optimal intervention concentration of Carthami Flos-Ly-copodii Herba.ELISA was used to detect the content of inflammatory factors in chondrocytes.Western blot was employed to detect the protein expression related to cellular pathways.Subsequently,a KOA mouse model was constructed using the DMM method.After admin-istration,the knee joint injury of mice was evaluated u-sing safranin O-green staining.ELISA was used to de-tect the levels of inflammatory factors in serum.West-ern blot was employed to detect collagen Ⅱ,MMP13,Aggrecan,and apoptosis related protein expression in cartilage tissue.TUNEL staining was used to detect the apoptosis rate of cells.Results A total of 26 active ingredients of Carthami Flos-Lycopodii Herba were screened,as well as 123 potential targets for treating KOA.The enrichment analysis results indicated that it mainly involved mechanisms such as Toll like receptors and cell apoptosis.The experimental results showed that Carthami Flos-Lycopodii Herba alleviated the in-flammatory response of chondrocytes and affected the expression of pathway related proteins.Compared with KOA mice,safflower stretched muscle grass could im-prove cartilage damage and reduce the concentration of serum inflammatory factors,regulate the expression of collagen Ⅱ,MMP13,Aggrecan,and apoptosis related proteins in cartilage tissue,and reduce the fluorescence intensity of TUNEL staining in the tissue.Conclusions Carthami Flos-Lycopodii Herba can improve KOA cartilage inflammation,and its mechanism may be relat-ed to the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Objective:To investigate the prognostic effect of femoral resection on patients with soft tissue sarcoma of the thigh with cortical bone involvement.Methods:This retrospective study included patients with soft tissue sarcoma of the thigh diagnosed and treated in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January 2014 to December 2021. Patients were divided into two groups based on whether femoral resection and reconstruction were performed with 20 in the resection group and 86 in the non-resection group. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to control confounding variables. Overall Survival, recurrence free survival, metastasis free survival, and postoperative functional outcomes were compared between groups before and after PSM. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to identify risk factors for death, recurrence, and metastasis.Results:Before PSM, the 5-year overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates were 46.7% and 36.7% in the resection group, compared to 69.7% and 60.3% in the non-resection group without significant differences ( P>0.05). However, the 5-year metastasis-free survival (MFS) rate was significantly lower in the resection group (40.0%) compared to the non-resection group (73.1%) ( P=0.021). After PSM, the 5-year OS, RFS, and MFS in the resection group were 46.7%, 36.7%, and 35.9%, respectively, compared to 45.0%, 39.4%, and 67.7% in the non-resection group, with no significant differences ( P>0.05). The median postoperative MSTS functional score after PSM was significantly lower in the resection group 23(18, 25) points than in the non-resection group 26.5(24.3, 27.8) points ( U=43.000, P=0.007). Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified grade III histology ( HR=3.794, P=0.002) and tumor involvement angle around the femur greater than 180° ( HR=2.729, P=0.030) as independent risk factors for death. Age over 55 years ( HR=4.185, P=0.015), tumor diameter greater than 8 cm ( HR=4.290, P=0.014), and involvement of the intermuscular compartment ( HR=3.794, P=0.017) were associated with increased risk of local recurrence. Grade III histology ( HR=3.848, P=0.006) and involvement of the intermuscular compartment ( HR=2.500, P=0.045) were associated with distant metastasis. Conclusion:For patients with thigh soft tissue sarcoma involving femoral cortex involvement but no medullary cavity invasion, bone resection did not improve survival, recurrence or metastasis compared with patients in non-resection group. A relatively more conservative surgical approach may be advisable to preserve limb function without compromising oncological prognosis.

Objective:To investigate the clinical value of a fully autonomous ultrasound robot in splenic ultrasound imaging.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted by enrolling 56 adult volunteers from the Third Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital between February 1-8，2024 as research subjects.A senior physician sequentially performed splenic ultrasound examinations using both the fully autonomous ultrasound robot and a matched portable ultrasound device. The acquired images were randomly coded and scored via a double-blind method by 3 physicians. The differences of the image quality scores and high-quality image proportions between the two groups were compared. Examination durations were recorded and compared between the two groups.Results:Both modalities successfully acquired splenic images in all 56 volunteers. No statistically significant differences were observed in image quality scores among the 3 physicians：（3.52 ± 1.31）points vs.（3.83 ± 1.23）points，（2.77 ± 1.23）points vs.（3.17 ± 1.17）points，and（3.48 ± 0.97）points vs.（3.79 ± 0.94）points（all P>0.05）. The numbers of images scoring ≥ 3 points showed no significant differences：45（80.36%） vs. 50（89.29%），30（53.57%） vs. 38（67.86%），and 48（85.71%） vs. 52（92.86%）（all P>0.05）. The fully autonomous ultrasound robot required significantly longer examination time［（60.86 ± 50.55）s vs.（7.95 ± 4.35）s， t=6.88， P＜0.01］. Conclusions:The fully autonomous ultrasound robot demonstrates comparable image quality and clinically acceptable image proportions to conventional portable ultrasound in splenic examinations. These findings suggest its potential equivalence to operator-dependent ultrasound for splenic imaging，supporting its feasibility as an alternative ultrasound modality despite longer procedural duration.

Objective To explore the feasibility of applying artificial intelligence (AI) technology in chromosomal aberration (CA) analysis for occupational health surveillance of radiation workers and in biological dose estimation during nuclear emergency responses. Methods Peripheral blood samples from healthy volunteers were irradiated in vitro with X-rays and cobalt-60 (⁶⁰Co) γ rays. Chromosome slides were prepared using an automated harvesting and dropping device. The data training and outcome evaluation of CA analysis was performed on the AI software using chromosome images from occupational medical examination of radiation workers from the current lab or chromosome slides from blood samples irradiated with X-rays. The trained AI software was then used to assist in CA analysis and biological dose estimation among occupational medical examination of radiation workers, with results compared with manual reading and actual exposure doses. Results The trained AI software achieved a CA recognition accuracy of 95.11%. In the occupational health examination of radiation workers, the positive CA detection rate using AI + manual review was 2.25% higher than that in manual reviewing alone. The errors in biological dose estimation for ⁶⁰Co γ rays and X-rays using AI + manual review analysis were 11.86% and 7.33%, respectively, both within the acceptable 20.00% error margin. Conclusion AI + manual review can be effectively applied in CA analysis for occupational health examination and biological dose estimation during nuclear emergencies, significantly improving analysis efficiency.

ObjectiveThe nucleolar protein PES1 (Pescadillo homolog 1) plays critical roles in ribosome biogenesis and cell cycle regulation, yet its involvement in cellular senescence remains poorly understood. This study aimed to comprehensively investigate the functional consequences of PES1 suppression in cellular senescence and elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying its regulatory role. MethodsInitially, we assessed PES1 expression patterns in two distinct senescence models: replicative senescent mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and doxorubicin-induced senescent human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. Subsequently, PES1 expression was specifically downregulated using siRNA-mediated knockdown in these cell lines as well as additional relevant cell types. Cellular proliferation and senescence were assessed by EdU incorporation and SA-β-gal staining assays, respectively. The expression of senescence-associated proteins (p53, p21, and Rb) and SASP factors (IL-6, IL-1β, and IL-8) were analyzed by Western blot or qPCR. Furthermore, Northern blot and immunofluorescence were employed to evaluate pre-rRNA processing and nucleolar morphology. ResultsPES1 expression was significantly downregulated in senescent MEFs and HepG2 cells. PES1 knockdown resulted in decreased EdU-positive cells and increased SA‑β‑gal-positive cells, indicating proliferation inhibition and senescence induction. Mechanistically, PES1 suppression activated the p53-p21 pathway without affecting Rb expression, while upregulating IL-6, IL-1β, and IL-8 production. Notably, PES1 depletion impaired pre-rRNA maturation and induced nucleolar stress, as evidenced by aberrant nucleolar morphology. ConclusionOur findings demonstrate that PES1 deficiency triggers nucleolar stress and promotes p53-dependent (but Rb-independent) cellular senescence, highlighting its crucial role in maintaining nucleolar homeostasis and regulating senescence-associated pathways.