Varicocele (VC) is a common cause of male infertility, yet there is a lack of molecular information for VC-associated male infertility. This study investigated alterations in the seminal plasma metabolomic and lipidomic profiles of infertile male VC patients. Twenty infertile males with VC and twenty-three age-matched healthy controls (HCs) were recruited from Peking Union Medical College Hospital (Beijing, China) between October 2019 and April 2021. Untargeted metabolite and lipid profiles from seminal plasma were analyzed using mass spectrometry. Four hundred and seventy-six metabolites and seventeen lipids were significantly different in infertile male VC patients compared to HCs. The top enriched pathways among these significantly different metabolites are protein digestion and absorption, aminoacyl-transfer RNA (tRNA) biosynthesis, and biosynthesis of amino acids. Different key lipid species, including triglyceride (TG), diacylglycerol (DG), ceramides (Cer), and phosphatidylserine (PS), varied between VC and HC groups. The distinct metabolites and lipids were moderately correlated. DL-3-phenyllactic acid is a potential diagnostic biomarker for VC-related male infertility (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.893), positively correlating with sperm count, concentration, and motility. Furthermore, DL-3-phenyllactic acid is the only metabolite shared by all four comparisons (VC vs HC, VC-induced oligoasthenospermia [OAS] vs VC-induced asthenospermia [AS], OAS vs HC, and AS vs HC). DL-3-phenyllactic acid significantly decreased in OAS than AS. Metabolite-targeting gene analysis revealed carbonic anhydrase 9 (CA9) might be the strongest candidate associated with the onset and severity of VC. The seminal plasma metabolite and lipid profiles of infertile males with VC differ significantly from those of HCs. DL-3-phenyllactic acid could be a promising biomarker.
Humans ; Male ; Varicocele/complications* ; Infertility, Male/etiology* ; Semen/metabolism* ; Lipidomics ; Adult ; Metabolomics ; Case-Control Studies ; Biomarkers/metabolism*

BACKGROUND: Based on the China-VHD database, this study sought to develop and validate a Valvular Heart Disease- specific Age-adjusted Comorbidity Index (VHD-ACI) for predicting mortality risk in patients with VHD. METHODS & RESULTS: The China-VHD study was a nationwide, multi-centre multi-centre cohort study enrolling 13,917 patients with moderate or severe VHD across 46 medical centres in China between April-June 2018. After excluding cases with missing key variables, 11,459 patients were retained for final analysis. The primary endpoint was 2-year all-cause mortality, with 941 deaths (10.0%) observed during follow-up. The VHD-ACI was derived after identifying 13 independent mortality predictors: cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary artery hypertension, low body weight, anaemia, hypoalbuminaemia, renal insufficiency, moderate/severe hepatic dysfunction, heart failure, cancer, NYHA functional class and age. The index exhibited good discrimination (AUC, 0.79) and calibration (Brier score, 0.062) in the total cohort, outperforming both EuroSCORE II and ACCI (P < 0.001 for comparison). Internal validation through 100 bootstrap iterations yielded a C statistic of 0.694 (95% CI: 0.665-0.723) for 2-year mortality prediction. VHD-ACI scores, as a continuous variable (VHD-ACI score: adjusted HR (95% CI): 1.263 (1.245-1.282), P < 0.001) or categorized using thresholds determined by the Yoden index (VHD-ACI ≥ 9 vs. < 9, adjusted HR (95% CI): 6.216 (5.378-7.184), P < 0.001), were independently associated with mortality. The prognostic performance remained consistent across all VHD subtypes (aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation, mitral stenosis, mitral regurgitation, tricuspid valve disease, mixed aortic/mitral valve disease and multiple VHD), and clinical subgroups stratified by therapeutic strategy, LVEF status (preserved vs. reduced), disease severity and etiology. CONCLUSION The VHD-ACI is a simple 13-comorbidity algorithm for the prediction of mortality in VHD patients and providing a simple and rapid tool for risk stratification.

Objective:To summarize the clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes of endolymphatic sac tumor（ELST）, and improve the experience of diagnosis and treatment of this disease. Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of patients with ELST who underwent surgical treatment by the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2015 to December 2024.The clinical and image features, perioperative management, surgical methods and follow-up results of the disease were summarized. Results:Of the 6 cases, 4 were male and 2 were female. The primary clinical characteristics were hearing loss（6 cases）, tinnitus（5 cases）, dizziness（2 cases）, facial paralysis（1 case）, and headache（1 case）. CT and MRI of temporal bone were performed in all cases. The manifestation of CT was a space occupying lesion centered on the region of endolymphatic sac, accompanied by bone destruction and intertumoral calcification. MRI showed tumor center isosignal and peripheral hypersignal in T1 and T2 sequences in 3 cases, and mixed hypersignal in T1 and T2 sequences in 3 cases. Enhancement was observed in all cases on the enhanced scan. 5 cases underwent DSA examination and showed the tumors were supplied by the occipital artery（2 cases）, posterior auricular artery（4 cases）, and the bunch of internal carotid artery（1 case）. Embolization of the feeding artery was performed in 3 patients. Five patients underwent tumor resection. Translabyrinthine approach were performed in 4 cases, and middle cranial fossa approach was performed in 1 case. All cases followed up for 24 to 70 months with no distant metastases or death. Two patients experienced twice recurrences and were treated with surgical operation. The tumors were found to be closely related to the internal auditory canal or dura during the surgery. Conclusion:The clinical manifestations of ELST are not typical, and hearing loss is the most common clinical symptom. CT and MRI exhibit typical imaging characteristics. ELST has a risk of recurrence, and the tumor should be carefully managed when invade to the internal auditory canal and dura to reduce postoperative recurrence.
Humans ; Endolymphatic Sac/surgery* ; Male ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Ear Neoplasms/diagnosis* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome

The aging microenvironment, as a key driver of tumorigenesis and progression, plays a critical role in tumor immune regulation through one of its core features-the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). SASP consists of a variety of interleukins, chemokines, proteases, and growth factors. It initially induces surrounding cells to enter a state of senescence through paracrine mechanisms, thereby creating a sustained inflammatory stimulus and signal amplification effect within the tissue microenvironment. Furthermore, these secreted factors activate key signaling pathways such as NF-κB, cGAS-STING, and mTOR, which regulate the expression of immune-related molecules (such as PD-L1) and promote the recruitment of immunosuppressive cells, including regulatory T cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells. This process ultimately contributes to the formation of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, the article explores potential anti-tumor immunotherapy strategies targeting SASP and its associated molecular mechanisms, including approaches to inhibit SASP secretion or eliminate senescent cells. Although these strategies have shown promise in certain tumor models, the high heterogeneity among tumor types may result in varied responses to SASP-targeted therapies. This highlights the need for further research into adaptive stratification and personalized treatment approaches. Targeting immune regulatory mechanisms in the aging microenvironment-particularly SASP-holds great potential for advancing future anti-tumor therapies.

Anxiety disorder is a major symptom of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with a comorbidity rate of ~40%. However, the neural mechanisms of the emergence of anxiety in ASD remain unclear. In our study, we found that hyperactivity of basolateral amygdala (BLA) pyramidal neurons (PNs) in Shank3 InsG3680 knock-in (InsG3680^+/+) mice is involved in the development of anxiety. Electrophysiological results also showed increased excitatory input and decreased inhibitory input in BLA PNs. Chemogenetic inhibition of the excitability of PNs in the BLA rescued the anxiety phenotype of InsG3680^+/+ mice. Further study found that the diminished control of the BLA by medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and optogenetic activation of the mPFC-BLA pathway also had a rescue effect, which increased the feedforward inhibition of the BLA. Taken together, our results suggest that hyperactivity of the BLA and alteration of the mPFC-BLA circuitry are involved in anxiety in InsG3680^+/+ mice.
Animals ; Prefrontal Cortex/metabolism* ; Basolateral Nuclear Complex/metabolism* ; Mice ; Anxiety/metabolism* ; Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics* ; Male ; Gene Knock-In Techniques ; Pyramidal Cells/physiology* ; Mice, Transgenic ; Neural Pathways/physiopathology* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Microfilament Proteins

Digital technologies have become an integral part of complete denture restoration. With advancement in computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM), tools such as intraoral scanning, facial scanning, 3D printing, and numerical control machining are reshaping the workflow of complete denture restoration. Unlike conventional methods that rely heavily on clinical experience and manual techniques, digital technologies offer greater precision, predictability, and efficacy. They also streamline the process by reducing the number of patient visits and improving overall comfort. Despite these improvements, the clinical application of digital complete denture restoration still faces challenges that require further standardization. The major issues include appropriate case selection, establishing consistent digital workflows, and evaluating long-term outcomes. To address these challenges and provide clinical guidance for practitioners, this expert consensus outlines the principles, advantages, and limitations of digital complete denture technology. The aim of this review was to offer practical recommendations on indications, clinical procedures and precautions, evaluation metrics, and outcome assessment to support digital restoration of complete denture in clinical practice.
Humans ; Denture, Complete ; Computer-Aided Design ; Denture Design/methods* ; Consensus ; Printing, Three-Dimensional

Purpose This study aimed to investigate the expression and clinical significance of TLDC2 in colorec-tal adenocarcinoma.Methods Data from the human protein atlas(HPA)and the cancer genome atlas(TCGA)indi-cated that TLDC2 was highly expressed in colorectal adenocarcinoma.We further analyzed the expression of TLDC2 in 400 colorectal adenocarcinomas and 447 other solid tumors using tissue microarrays and immunohistochemical(IHC)staining.Result The positive expression rate of TLDC2 was significantly higher than that of SATB2 in colorectal ade-nocarcinomas(96.5％vs 87.0％,P＜0.000 1).TLDC2 positivity exceeded that of SATB2 in both low-or high-grade colorectal adenocarcinoma(99.4％vs 88.7％,P＜0.000 1;83.3％vs 79.2％,P=0.669 9).In addition,the expression of TLDC2 and SATB2 was evaluated in 447 cases of other types of solid tumors.TLDC2 was expressed in neuroendocrine tumors as well as in gastric and appendiceal adenocarcinomas,whereas SATB2 was detected in a small number of melanomas,ovarian cancers,breast cancers and gallbladder cancers.The positive and specificity of TLDC2 for colorectal adenocarcinoma were 97％(95％CI=0.94-0.98)and 85％(95％CI=0.81-0.88),respectively.Combined detection of TLDC2 and SATB2 yielded a sensitivity of 96％(95％CI=0.93-0.97)and a specificity of 93％(95％CI=0.90-0.95).Conclusion Analysis of large-scale datasets and IHC staining demonstrated that TLDC2 is a highly sensitive and specific biomarker for colorectal adenocarcinoma.

AIM To study the chemical constituents from the sticks and leaves of Croton cascarilloides Raeusch.and their biological activities.METHODS The 95％ethanol extract from the sticks and leaves of C.cascarilloides was isolated and purified by MCI,silica gel,Sephadex LH-20 and semi-preparative HPLC,then the structures of obtained compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectral data.LPS-induced NO RAW264.7 cell model induced by LPS was used to evaluate its anti-inflammatory activity in vitro.GES-1 injury model induced by taurocholic acid was used to screen the gastric mucosal protection activity.RESULTS Fourteen compounds were isolated and identified as bullatantriol(1),(-)-boscialin(2),(+)-dehydrovomifoliol(3),3-(hydroxylacetyl)-indole(4),pinoresinol(5),3,7-dimethyl-octa-1,7-diene-3,6-ol(6),(+)-syringaresinol(7),curcasinlignan B(8),cleomiscosin C(9),cleomiscosinD(10),2,6-dimethyl-octa-1,7-dien-3,6-diol(11),vanillin(12),vanillic acid(13),methyl vanillate(14).Compound 4 had certain anti-inflammatory activity,with IC50 values of 73.62 μmol/L.The protective rates of 25 μmol/L compounds 1-4,6,9-12 and 14 on gastric mucosal epithelial cells were 30.07％,34.18％,23.91％,30.92％,17.51％,19.69％,31.76％,22.46％,30.56％and 14.49％,respectively.CONCLUSION Compounds 1-14 are isolated from this plant for the first time.Compound 4 shows anti-inflammatory activity,1-4,6,9-12 and 14 show different degrees of gastric mucosal epithelial cell protective activity.

Freeze-drying technique,also known as lyophilization,is a process of removing moisture from a solution or suspension through freezing and vacuum dehydration to maintain the stability of the samples and prolong their shelf life.Freeze-drying technology has been widely used in food,pharmaceutical,clinical testing,chemical and other fields but its application in the field of forensic medicine has just started.Polymerase chain reaction(PCR)and its derivative detection technologies are widely used in forensic DNA detection,but PCR reagents need to be stored and transported at low temperature.In recent years,forensic scientists have begun applying freeze-drying technology to PCR amplification reagents to solve the transportation and storage problems of PCR reagents.In order to promote the application of PCR freeze-drying technology in forensic genetics,this paper mainly expounds the research course,system and process of PCR freeze-drying technology,compares the advantages and disadvantages of PCR reagents with traditional PCR reagents,and introduces the advantages and challenges of PCR freeze-drying reagents in forensic medicine.

Objective To explore the association between psychological resilience and internet addiction among senior primary school students,so as to provide a scientific basis for formulating strategies for preventing internet addiction and enhancing psychological resilience in this group.Methods A stratified cluster sampling method was employed.In May 2021,a total of 1 618 fourth-and fifth-grade students from 5 primary schools in Jiading District,Shanghai were surveyed on psychological resilience and internet addiction through questionnaires.Independent sample t-tests,chi-square tests,and Logistic regression models were used for data analysis.Results Among the 1 618 students,the prevalence rate of internet addiction was 8.8%(142 students).The total score of psychological resilience(t=6.215,P<0.001)and the scores of three dimensions,namely family support(t=3.509,P<0.001),goal focus(t=6.965,P<0.001),and positive perception(t=5.887,P<0.001),of those reported with internet addiction were all significantly lower than those without internet addiction.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that compared with individuals with low psychological resilience,those with moderate(aOR=0.395,95%CI:0.267-0.584,P<0.001)and high psychological resilience(aOR=0.167,95%CI:0.077-0.365,P<0.001)had a lower probability of internet addiction.The three sub-dimensions of psychological resilience,namely goal focus,positive perception and family support,also showed a statistically significant negative association with internet addiction in these students.Conclusion Nearly one-tenth senior primary school students in Jiading District self-reported internet addiction.Higher levels of psychological resilience were associated with a lower probability of internet addiction among senior primary school students.Focusing on enhancing the goal focus,positive perception and family support dimensions in psychological resilience may be of great significance for preventing internet addiction among senior primary school students.