OBJECTIVES: To analyze the distribution of Y chromosome azoospermia factor (AZF) microdeletions and their association with testicular development in male pediatric patients with congenital reproductive system disorders, including hypospadias, cryptorchidism, and disorders of sex development (DSD). METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted on pediatric patients admitted to the Department of Urology of Shanghai Children's Hospital from November 2021 to December 2023. The observation group included boys with hypospadias, cryptorchidism, or DSD, while the control group comprised boys with phimosis, indirect inguinal hernia, or hydrocele. Blood samples were collected for AZF microdeletion analysis using multiplex PCR to detect 15 sequence-tagged sites. Testicular ultrasound was performed to record testicular position and volume. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance the groups. After matching, testicular volume differences were assessed. Stratified analyses compared testicular volume among children with AZF microdeletions, the control group, and children without micro-deletions in observation group. RESULTS: A total of 493 children were enrolled (observation group: 463; control group: 30). No Y chromosome microdeletions were detected in the control group. Four boys in the observation group had AZF microdeletions: one with cryptorchidism (AZFc+AZFd), one with isolated hypospadias (AZFc), and two with DSD (one with AZFb+AZFc+AZFd and one with AZFa). Ultrasonography measured 888 testicles. After PSM, testicular volume was significantly smaller in the observation group than in the control group (P<0.01). Stratified analysis revealed that among children under 9 years, those with AZF microdeletions tended to be older but had smaller testicular volumes compared to the control group and those without microdeletions in the observation group, although differences were not statistically significant (all P>0.05). Among children over 9 years, ages were comparable, but children with AZF microdeletions had smaller testicular volumes than the other two groups (statistical analysis was not performed due to small sample size). CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of Y chromosome microdeletions is higher in male children with congenital reproductive system disorders compared to the general population, particularly in those with DSD. Hypospadias, cryptorchidism, DSD, and AZF microdeletions may be associated with delayed testicular development in these children.

BACKGROUND: Prolonged occupational noise exposure poses potential health risks, but its impact on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage and methylation patterns remains unclear. METHOD: We recruited 306 factory workers, using average binaural high-frequency hearing thresholds from pure-tone audiometry to assess noise exposure. MtDNA damage was evaluated through mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) and lesion rate, and mtDNA methylation changes were identified via pyrophosphate sequencing. RESULTS: There was a reduction in MT-RNR1 methylation of 4.52% (95% CI: -7.43% to -1.62%) among workers with abnormal hearing, whereas changes in the D-loop region were not statistically significant (β = -2.06%, 95% CI: -4.44% to 0.31%). MtDNAcn showed a negative association with MT-RNR1 methylation (β = -0.95, 95% CI: -1.23 to -0.66), while no significant link was found with D-loop methylation (β = -0.05, 95% CI: -0.58 to 0.48). Mediation analysis indicated a significant increase in mtDNAcn by 10.75 units (95% CI: 3.00 to 21.26) in those with abnormal hearing, with MT-RNR1 methylation mediating 35.9% of this effect. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that occupational noise exposure may influence compensatory increases in mtDNA content through altered MT-RNR1 methylation.
Humans ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; DNA Methylation ; Male ; Adult ; Noise, Occupational/adverse effects* ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure/adverse effects* ; Biomarkers/blood* ; Female

Palmitoylation, an essential covalent attachment of a fatty acid (usually C16 palmitate) to cysteine residues within proteins, is crucial for regulating protein functionality and enzymatic activities. This lipid modification facilitates the anchoring of proteins to cellular membranes, dictating their subcellular distribution and influencing protein transport dynamics and intracellular positioning. Additionally, it plays a role in regulating protein degradation through the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Palmitoylation is implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of cardiovascular diseases by modulating substrates and prompting additional post-translational modifications, as well as by interacting with other molecular alterations. Moreover, an intervention strategy focusing on palmitoylation processes is anticipated to offer novel therapeutic avenues for cardiovascular pathologies and address extant challenges in clinical settings. This review consolidates current research on the role and importance of palmitoylation in cardiovascular diseases by exploring its regulatory functions, the catalyzing enzymes, and the involved substrates. It highlights recent discoveries connecting palmitoylation-targeted therapies to cardiovascular health and examines potential approaches and future challenges in cardiovascular treatment.

Objective To identify the reasons why the monitored personal doses of radiation worker A in an institution exceeded the investigation level in 2023 and 2024, and remind workers to wear personal dosimeters in a standardized manner in scenarios such as work and business trips to ensure the authenticity and reliability of the monitoring data. Methods A thermoluminescence measurement system was used to read the personal dosimeters worn by radiation workers. Investigations were carried out on personnel whose doses exceeded the investigation level described in the “Specifications for individual monitoring of occupational external exposure” (GBZ 128—2019). The reasons for doses exceeding the investigation level were analyzed using additional dosimeters and conducting on-site experiments. Results In 2023 and 2024, radiation worker A recorded a total of 5 personal dose equivalents exceeding the investigation level (1.23 mSv) over a total of 8 monitoring cycles (each lasting 90 days). Following one cycle where the dose exceeded the investigation level, two additional dosimeters (each for a 30-day cycle) were issued to worker A, revealing readings below the investigation level for the 30-day monitoring cycle (0.41 mSv). The reading for the dosimeter was 2-3 μSv per time when passing through an X-ray security scanner, and approximately 2.10 mSv per time when passing through a computed tomography security scanner. Conclusion Within a 90-day monitoring cycle, a single exposure of a personal dosimeter to a computed tomography security scanner can result in a dose exceeding the investigation level. Radiation workers should avoid placing dosimeters in backpacks or suitcases that pass through computed tomography security scanners during business trips, so as to reduce the impact of security scanner irradiation on personal dose monitoring.

Objective:s To investigate the risk factors for delayed encephalopathy after acute carbon monoxide poisoning (DEACMP) in patients with acute carbon monoxide poisoning (ACOP) and to develop predictive models based on machine learning algorithms.Methods:Patients with ACOP hospitalized at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from August 2019 to October 2024 were included, with the occurrence of DEACMP as the outcome measure. The dataset was randomly divided into training and validation sets at a ratio of 7:3. Lasso regression was used to select features influencing the outcome in training sets. Nine machine learning models—including Random Forest (RF), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and Support Vector Machine (SVM)—were constructed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted and the area under the curve (AUC) calculated for each model. Calibration curves were used to assess accuracy, and decision curve analysis (DCA) was applied to evaluate clinical utility. The SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method was employed to visualize and interpret the best-performing model.Results:A total of 264 ACOP patients were included, of whom 54 (20.5%) developed DEACMP. Lasso regression identified eight key feature variables. Based on these factors, predictive models were constructed, showing good AUC stability across the nine machine learning models in both training (0.92–0.99) and validation sets (0.85–0.91). The RF model performed best, with an AUC of 0.99 in the training set and 0.90 in the validation set; its calibration curve and DCA curve also demonstrated excellent performance. SHAP analysis of the RF model revealed the importance ranking of factors from highest to lowest as follows: Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, duration of coma, age, history of coronary heart disease, CK-MB level, monocyte count, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and drinking history.Conclusions:The RF model exhibited the highest predictive performance for DEACMP occurrence in ACOP patients. The influencing factors, ranked in order of importance from highest to lowest, are as follows: GCS score, duration of coma, age, history of coronary heart disease, CK-MB level, monocyte count, DBP, and drinking history.

Objective To observe the effect of remifentanil-based fast-track anesthesia on the quality of anesthesia recovery in children with congenital heart disease underwent transcatheter closure.Methods Children with congenital heart disease who underwent transcatheter closure were divided into treatment group and control group according to the anesthesia plan.The anesthesia plan of the control group was as follows:anesthesia induction(intramuscular injection of ketamine at 4 mg·kg-1,intravenous injection of propofol at 2.5 mg·kg-1,fentanyl at 10 μg·kg-1and cisatracurium at 0.1 mg·kg-1)and anesthesia maintenance(fentanyl at0.4μg·kg-1·min-1 and propofol at 8 μg·kg-1·min-1).The anesthesia plan of the treatment group was as follows:anesthesia induction(intramuscular injection of ketamine at 5 mg·kg-,intravenous injection of midazolam at 0.1 mg·kg-1,sufentanil at 1.0 μg·kg-1 and cisatracurium at 0.1 mg·kg-1)and anesthesia maintenance(remifentanil at 0.5 μg·kg-1·min-1 and propofol at 8 μg·kg-1·min-1).Anesthesia recovery,facial expression,leg posture,activity,crying and comfortability(FLACC)of 5 pain scores,Ramsay score,hemodynamics,myocardial injury indexes,and adverse drug reactions were compared between the two groups.Results There were 64 cases in treatment group and 56 cases in control group.The spontaneous respiration recovery time,call time and extubation time of the treatment group were(4.87±1.22),(10.16±2.58)and(12.55±3.19)min,shorter than those in control group,which were(5.49±1.35),(13.34±3.27)and(15.67±3.62)min(all P＜0.05).At 1 h and 2 h after operation,Ramsay scores of treatment group were 2.58±0.35 and 3.69±0.42,were lower than 3.02±0.47 and 4.24±0.39 in control group(all P＜0.05).At 1 h and 2 h after operation,the FLACC scores of the treatment group were 3.03±0.81 and 3.75±0.84,lower than 3.78±0.62 and 4.36±0.51 in control group(all P＜0.05).Mean arterial pressure(MAP)of treatment group at the insertion of laryngeal mask,the insertion of occluder and the end of the operation were(102.45±10.26),(94.18±8.37)and(91.46±10.15)mmHg,lower than those in control group,which were(107.84±10.11),(100.57±9.84)and(97.33±8.53)mmHg(all P＜0.05).On day 1 and day 3 after operation,serum creatine kinase isoenzyme(CK-MB)levels in the treatment group were(10.03±2.58)and(8.65±2.16)U·L-1,lower than those in control group,which were(12.44±3.07)and(10.16±2.35)U·L-1(all P＜0.05).On day 1 and day 3 after operation,serum cardiac troponin Ⅰ(cTn Ⅰ)levels in treatment group[(0.07±0.02)and(0.04±0.01)μg·L-1]were lower than those in control group[(0.09±0.03)and(0.06±0.02)μg·L-1](all P＜0.05).The incidence of adverse anesthesia reactions in treatment group was 6.25％(4 cases/64 cases),lower than 17.86％(10 cases/56 cases)in control group(P＜0.05).Conclusion Remifentanil-based fast-track anesthesia can improve the quality of anesthesia recovery in children with congenital heart disease undergoing transcatheter closure,with good sedative and analgesic effects,stable hemodynamics during operation,and low incidence of adverse drug reactions.

Objective:To identify diagnostic markers related to oxidative stress in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) by analyzing transcriptome sequencing data, and to investigate their roles in CRSwNP.Methods:Utilizing four CRSwNP sequencing datasets, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) analysis, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), and three machine learning methods for Hub gene selection were performed in this study. Subsequent validation was carried out using external datasets, as well as real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time qPCR), and immunofluorescence staining of clinical samples. Moreover, the diagnostic efficacy of the genes was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, followed by functional and pathway enrichment analysis, immune-related analysis, and cell population localization. Additionally, a competing endogenous RNA (CeRNA) network was constructed to predict potential drug targets. Statistical analysis and plotting were conducted using SPSS 26.0 and Graphpad Prism9 software.Results:Through data analysis and clinical validation, CP, SERPINF1 and GSTO2 were identified among 4 138 DEGs as oxidative stress markers related to CRSwNP. Specifically, the expression of CP and SERPINF1 increased in CRSwNP, whereas that of GSTO2 decreased, with statistically significant differences ( P<0.05). Additionally, an area under the curve (AUC)>0.7 indicated their effectiveness as diagnostic indicators. Importantly, functional analysis indicated that these genes were mainly related to lipid metabolism, cell adhesion migration, and immunity. Single-cell data analysis revealed that SERPINF1 was mainly distributed in epithelial cells, stromal cells, and fibroblasts, while CP was primarily located in epithelial cells, and GSTO2 was minimally present in the epithelial cells and fibroblasts of nasal polyps. Consequently, a CeRNA regulatory network was constructed for the genes CP and GSTO2. This construction allowed for the prediction of potential drugs that could target CP. Conclusion:This study successfully identifies CP, SERPINF1 and GSTO2 as diagnostic and therapeutic markers related to oxidative stress in CRSwNP.

Humans ; Obesity/epidemiology*

Humans ; Obesity/epidemiology*