Objective: To characterize longitudinal trajectories of testicular development in boys and breast development in girls, so as to provide reference data for understanding patterns of pubertal sexual maturation. Methods: Based on the Shanghai Pudong New Area Cohort Study on Growth, Development and Health in Children and Adolescents, a baseline survey was conducted in 2020 using a mult stage cluster random sampling method. A total of 2 184 children who completed all follow ups during the primary school period from 13 elementary schools in Pudong New Area,Shanghai,with annual follow ups during 2021-2025. Testicular volume and Tanner stage of breast development were assessed by professional physicians using standardized visual inspection and palpation. The age distribution of testicular volume and breast development was fitted by using cumulative link mixed models and Turnbull s nonparametric maximum likelihood estimation method. Results: Median ages for testicular volumes of 2, 3, 4 and 5 mL in boys were 7.07, 9.24, 10.29, and 11.57 years old, respectively. Median ages for Tanner breast stages Ⅱ, Ⅲ, Ⅳ, and Ⅴ in girls were 8.55 , 10.17, 11.18, and 13.78 years old, respectively. Based on overweight and obesity, stratified analysis showed that earlier pubertal onset among overweight/obesity children, and the key milestones for pubertal initiation were testicular volume reaching 4 mL in boys and breast Tanner II in girls for 10.29, 10.83; 8.18, 9.00 years. Conclusion Overweight and obesity are associated with earlier pubertal initiation,but there are certain gender and developmental stage specific patterns.

Background Silicosis is a fatal form of pulmonary fibrosis caused by the inhalation of silica dust. Although the underlying pathogenesis remains unclear, and the macrophage-mediated immune response plays a central role in its development. Objective To investigate the expression, functional role, and upstream regulatory mechanism of C-C motif chemokine ligand 22 (CCL22) in silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Methods Through bioinformatics analysis, we identified CCL22 as a potential key factor in pulmonary fibrosis. We established in vitro models by stimulating human monocytic leukemia cells (THP-1) and peripheral blood mononuclear cell-derived macrophages (PBMC-m) with crystalline silica (CS). The regulation of CCL22 expression by CS was validated using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Subsequently, a conditioned co-culture system comprising macrophages and lung epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) was developed to evaluate the effects of CCL22 on lung epithelial cell function. Furthermore, the molecular mechanisms underlying CS-induced CCL22 secretion by macrophages were investigated using bioinformatics analysis, Western blot, specific inhibitors, qRT-PCR, and ELISA. Results Bioinformatics analysis identified CCL22 as a key upregulated molecule in pulmonary fibrosis. In vitro experiments confirmed that CS treatment significantly enhanced CCL22 mRNA transcription and protein secretion in THP-1 and PBMC-m cells (P<0. 0001). In the co-culture system, supernatant from CS-stimulated macrophages with stable CCL22 knockdown significantly inhibited the scratch-healing ability and fibrotic process of BEAS-2B cells, and reversed the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype compared to the control group. Mechanism studies found that, compared to other transcription factors such as signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), the inhibition of of specific protein 1 (SP1) most significantly attenuated the CS-induced upregulation of CCL22. Furthermore, pathway inhibition experiments demonstrated that inhibiting extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) reduced both CCL22 expression and p-SP1. Conversely, SP1 intervention did not affect ERK activation. Conclusion CS promotes CCL22 secretion by macrophages through the Raf/ERK-Sp1 signaling pathway, thereby driving fibrotic changes in pulmonary epithelial cells.

Objective: To determine the potential genetic causal relationship between sleep related phenotypes and female pubertal onset using the two sample Mendelian randomization approach. Methods: Genetic instrumental variables for sleep and age at menarche were sourced from FinnGen, IEU Open GWAS and GWAS Catalog three publicly available Genome Wide Association Study databases. Causal effects were estimated using the inverse variance weighted method, supplemented by sensitivity analyses and tests for heterogeneity, pleiotropy, and direction. Results: Genetically predicted sleep duration was positively associated with age at menarche ( β =0.61, 95% CI =0.30-0.91, P <0.01). Conversely, overall sleep problems ( β =-0.13, 95% CI =-0.20 to -0.07 ), two specific types of sleep disorders (sleep apnea: β =-0.10, 95% CI =-0.16 to -0.03; insomnia: β =-0.40, 95% CI = -0.69 to -0.11) were causally associated with earlier age at menarche (all P <0.01). Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these findings with consistent effect directions and no evidence of significant directional pleiotropy. Conclusions The study reveales a genetic causal relationship between sleep and pubertal onset. Adequate sleep duration appears to have a protective effect. These findings suggest that sleep may have a critical regulatory role in the initiation of pubertal development.

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]

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]

Objective To explore the changes in neural activity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)and their corre-lation with executive function,and to analyze the neural mechanisms underlying the decline in executive function in T2DM patients.Methods Thirty-one T2DM patients(T2DM group)and thirty-two healthy controls(HC)(HC group)matched for body mass index(BMI)underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging(rs-fMRI)scans and N-back task tests were included.Differ-ences in the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation(ALFF),regional homogeneity(ReHo),and seed-based functional connectivity(FC)between the two groups were compared,and partial correlation analyses were performed between the difference results and N-back task performance.Results The T2DM group showed prolonged reaction time(RT)in the 1-back and 2-back tasks.T2DM patients exhibited increased ALFF in the bilateral caudate nucleus,left medial superior frontal gyrus,and right postcentral gyrus,as well as elevated ReHo in the right putamen.FC analysis revealed significant alterations in FC between the caudate nucleus,putamen,and multiple brain regions in T2DM patients,with some of these FC changes significantly correlated with RT and accuracy(ACC)in the N-back task.Conclusion The decline in executive function in T2DM patients may be associated with abnormal neural activity in brain regions such as the striatum,salience network,and frontoparietal control network.FC further decreases under increased cognitive load.These findings provide evidence for the study of the neural mechanisms of executive function impairment in T2DM patients.

With the development of science and technology worldwide, the blooming of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data has brought new opportunities and challenges to the promotion of the research capacity of professional master's students in oncology. The construction of the new medical education in China aims to cultivate high-level medical talents with comprehensive multidisciplinary skills and innovative abilities to flexibly solve complex problems at the frontier of medicine. In this context, professional master's students in oncology, who are facing problems such as low scientific research output and uneven quality and needing improving scientific research literacy, have been required to develop into compound talents with both clinical and research prowess. To cultivate and promote the research capacity of professional master's students in oncology, the key steps include accelerating the construction of AI education and databases, highlighting the cultivation of their scientific research capacity, implementing and fostering the cultivation of innovative ability and scientific research thinking, piloting joint cultivation models by engineering universities and medical universities, emphasizing the construction of the curriculum and teacher team for oncology, piloting the multidisciplinary mode and COME mode, and establishing a multidisciplinary cooperation network.

Objective To explore the changes in neural activity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)and their corre-lation with executive function,and to analyze the neural mechanisms underlying the decline in executive function in T2DM patients.Methods Thirty-one T2DM patients(T2DM group)and thirty-two healthy controls(HC)(HC group)matched for body mass index(BMI)underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging(rs-fMRI)scans and N-back task tests were included.Differ-ences in the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation(ALFF),regional homogeneity(ReHo),and seed-based functional connectivity(FC)between the two groups were compared,and partial correlation analyses were performed between the difference results and N-back task performance.Results The T2DM group showed prolonged reaction time(RT)in the 1-back and 2-back tasks.T2DM patients exhibited increased ALFF in the bilateral caudate nucleus,left medial superior frontal gyrus,and right postcentral gyrus,as well as elevated ReHo in the right putamen.FC analysis revealed significant alterations in FC between the caudate nucleus,putamen,and multiple brain regions in T2DM patients,with some of these FC changes significantly correlated with RT and accuracy(ACC)in the N-back task.Conclusion The decline in executive function in T2DM patients may be associated with abnormal neural activity in brain regions such as the striatum,salience network,and frontoparietal control network.FC further decreases under increased cognitive load.These findings provide evidence for the study of the neural mechanisms of executive function impairment in T2DM patients.

With the development of science and technology worldwide, the blooming of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data has brought new opportunities and challenges to the promotion of the research capacity of professional master's students in oncology. The construction of the new medical education in China aims to cultivate high-level medical talents with comprehensive multidisciplinary skills and innovative abilities to flexibly solve complex problems at the frontier of medicine. In this context, professional master's students in oncology, who are facing problems such as low scientific research output and uneven quality and needing improving scientific research literacy, have been required to develop into compound talents with both clinical and research prowess. To cultivate and promote the research capacity of professional master's students in oncology, the key steps include accelerating the construction of AI education and databases, highlighting the cultivation of their scientific research capacity, implementing and fostering the cultivation of innovative ability and scientific research thinking, piloting joint cultivation models by engineering universities and medical universities, emphasizing the construction of the curriculum and teacher team for oncology, piloting the multidisciplinary mode and COME mode, and establishing a multidisciplinary cooperation network.

Objective To measure the distance between the lateral compression Ⅱ(LC-Ⅱ)screw guide needle and the surrounding important structures around the anterior inferior iliac spine in pelvic fractures and to locate the needle point,so as to provide anatomical reference for clinical nail placement.Methods Totally 40 adult gross specimens of embalming were implanted with LC-Ⅱ screw guide needle under the surveillance of C-arm machine,and the specimens were dissected.The shortest distance between the insertion point and the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve,femoral nerve,femoral artery,femoral vein,anterior superior iliac spine and inguinal ligament was measured.The triangle was constructed between the insertion point,anterior superior iliac spine and inguinal ligament,and the exact location of the entry point was calculated.Results The average distance between the insertion point of the male needle and the femoral vein was(50.67±7.29)mm＞the anterior superior iliac spine(43.83±7.58)mm＞the femoral artery(38.35±6.63)mm＞the femoral nerve(31.17±1.67)mm=the inguinal ligament(28.69±6.59)mm＞the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve(7.98±3.81)mm.The mean distance between the insertion point of the female needle and the anterior superior iliac spine was(45.28±7.07)mm=femoral vein(43.72±6.89)mm＞femoral artery(33.76±6.33)mm＞femoral nerve(25.66±6.46)mm=inguinal ligament(23.22±5.00)mm＞lateral femoral cutaneous nerve(8.97±4.76)mm.The projection distance of the entry point was 31.77 mm for men and 38.41 mm for women.The Angle b was 42.81°for men and 31.71° for women.Conclusion The lateral femoral cutaneous nerve is most vulnerable to injury when LC-Ⅱ screw is inserted,and the risk of injury has nothing to do with sex.The insertion point positioning method a and b made LC-Ⅱ screw placement quickly,safely and accurately,and reduced fluoroscopy time and frequency.