Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an increasingly widespread sleep-breathing disordered disease, and is an independent risk factor for many high-risk chronic diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, arrhythmias and diabetes, which is potentially fatal. The key to the prevention and treatment of OSA is early diagnosis and treatment, so the assessment and diagnostic technologies of OSA have become a research hotspot. This paper reviews the research progresses of severity assessment parameters and diagnostic technologies of OSA, and discusses their future development trends. In terms of severity assessment parameters of OSA, apnea hypopnea index (AHI), as the gold standard, together with the percentage of duration of apnea hypopnea (AH%), lowest oxygen saturation (LSpO₂), heart rate variability (HRV), oxygen desaturation index (ODI) and the emerging biomarkers, constitute a multi-dimensional evaluation system. Specifically, the AHI, which measures the frequency of sleep respiratory events per hour, does not fully reflect the patients’ overall sleep quality or the extent of their daytime functional impairments. To address this limitation, the AH%, which measures the proportion of the entire sleep cycle affected by apneas and hypopneas, deepens our understanding of the impact on sleep quality. The LSpO₂ plays a critical role in highlighting the potential severe hypoxic episodes during sleep, while the HRV offers a different perspective by analyzing the fluctuations in heart rate thereby revealing the activity of the autonomic nervous system. The ODI provides a direct and objective measure of patients’ nocturnal oxygenation stability by calculating the number of desaturation events per hour, and the biomarkers offers novel insights into the diagnosis and management of OSA, and fosters the development of more precise and tailored OSA therapeutic strategies. In terms of diagnostic techniques of OSA, the standardized questionnaire and Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) is a simple and effective method for preliminary screening of OSA, and the polysomnography (PSG) which is based on recording multiple physiological signals stands for gold standard, but it has limitations of complex operations, high costs and inconvenience. As a convenient alternative, the home sleep apnea testing (HSAT) allows patients to monitor their sleep with simplified equipment in the comfort of their own homes, and the cardiopulmonary coupling (CPC) offers a minimal version that simply analyzes the electrocardiogram (ECG) signals. As an emerging diagnostic technology of OSA, machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) adeptly pinpoint respiratory incidents and expose delicate physiological changes, thus casting new light on the diagnostic approach to OSA. In addition, imaging examination utilizes detailed visual representations of the airway’s structure and assists in recognizing structural abnormalities that may result in obstructed airways, while sound monitoring technology records and analyzes snoring and breathing sounds to detect the condition subtly, and thus further expands our medical diagnostic toolkit. As for the future development directions, it can be predicted that interdisciplinary integrated researches, the construction of personalized diagnosis and treatment models, and the popularization of high-tech in clinical applications will become the development trends in the field of OSA evaluation and diagnosis.

Objective To compare the benefits and drawbacks of primary patch expansion versus pericardial tube right ventricular-pulmonary artery connection in patients diagnosed with pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect (PA/VSD). Methods A retrospective study was conducted on patients diagnosed with PA/VSD who underwent primary right ventricular-pulmonary artery connection surgery at our center between 2010 and 2020. Patients were categorized into two groups based on the type of right ventricular-pulmonary artery connection: a pericardial tube group and a patch expansion group. Clinical data and imaging findings were compared between the two groups. Results A total of 51 patients were included in the study, comprising 31 males and 20 females, with a median age of 12.57 (4.57, 49.67) months. The pericardial tube group included 19 patients with a median age of 17.17 (7.33, 49.67) months, while the patch expansion group consisted of 32 patients with a median age of 8.58 (3.57, 52.72) months. In both groups, the diameter of pulmonary artery, McGoon index, and Nakata index significantly increased after treatment (P<0.001). However, the pericardial tube group exhibited a longer extracorporeal circulation time (P<0.001). The reoperation rate was notably high, with 74.51% of patients requiring further surgical intervention, including 26 (81.25%) patients in the patch expansion group and 12 (63.16%) patients in the pericardial tube group. No statistical differences were observed in long-term cure rates or mortality between the two groups (P＞0.005). Conclusion In patients with PA/VSD, both patch expansion and pericardial tube right ventricular-pulmonary artery connection serve as effective initial palliative treatment strategies that promote pulmonary vessel development and provide a favorable foundation for subsequent radical operations. However, compared to the pericardial tube approach, the patch expansion technique is simpler to perform and preserves some intrinsic potential for pulmonary artery development, making it the preferred procedure.

Background Manganese is an essential trace element for the human body and maintains normal development of many organs including the brain. However, long-term exposure to a high manganese environment or excessive manganese intake will lead to manganese poisoning and result in neurological diseases, and currently no effective treatment plan is available. Objective To develop an animal model for subchronic manganese exposure and assess the impact of Dendrobium nobile Lindl. alkaloids (DNLA) on manganese associated behavioral and hippocampal effects in rats. Methods Fifty male SPF SD rats were randomly allocated into a control group (0.9% normal saline by intraperitoneal injection), two experimental groups [7.5 mg·kg⁻¹ (low) or 15 mg·kg⁻¹ (high) of MnCl₂·4H₂O by intraperitoneal injection], and two DNLA antagonistic groups [15 mg·kg⁻¹ MnCl₂·4H₂O by intraperitoneal injection then either 20 mg·kg⁻¹ (low) or 40 mg·kg⁻¹ (high) DNLA by oral administration]. All groups of rats were adminaistered 5 d per wek, once a day, for consecutive 13 weeks. Following modeling, neurobehavioral assessments were conducted using open field, Morris water maze, and Y maze. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was utilized to measure manganese levels in the blood and brain tissues of the rats, and hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was employed to examine neuronal morphological changes in the hippocampal tissues of the rats. Results The neurobehavioral tests revealed that the manganese-exposed rats exhibited decreased total movement distance, prolonged central zone dwelling time, and reduced motor activity in the open field test, indicating tendencies toward depression and anxiety (P<0.05). In the Y-maze test, the mean exploration distance in the novel arm, the number of entries into the novel arm, and the time spent in the novel arm of the managanses-exposed rats were all reduced, while the latency period increased, suggesting impaired spatial exploration and learning-memory functions (P<0.05). In the Morris water maze navigation test, the escape latency was significantly longer in the manganese-exposed rats compared to the control group, and the number of platform crossings decreased in the spatial probe test, indicating a significant decline in spatial learning and memory (P<0.05). The ICP-MS analysis showed elevated manganese concentrations in the blood and hippocampus of the exposed rats (P<0.05), and the histopathological observation revealed hippocampal damage. Following the DNLA intervention, the manganese-exposed rats showed increased total movement distance and reduced central zone dwelling time in the open field test (P<0.05). In the Y-maze test, the mean exploration distance in the novel arm, the number of entries into the novel arm, and the time spent in the novel arm increased, while the latency period decreased, suggesting alleviation of anxiety and improved exploratory behavior (P<0.05). In the Morris water maze test, the escape latency gradually shortened, and both the number of platform crossings and the percentage of time spent in the target quadrant increased, indicating improved spatial learning and memory (P<0.05). Additionally, the manganese levels in the blood and hippocampus decreased (P<0.05), and the hippocampal pathological changes were partially restored. Conclusion DNLA demonstrates the ability to counteract multiple neurotoxic effects following the elevation of manganese levels in the blood and hippocampal tissues of rats induced by subchronic manganese exposure. Specifically, DNLA is shown to ameliorate the behavioral alterations observed in rats after manganese exposure, and mitigate the hippocampal damage in manganese-exposed rats.

Objective:To examines the social health status and influencing factors affecting the elderly population in urban communities of Beijing, based on the "the Standard for Healthy Chinese Older Adults(2022)" .Methods:Using the stratified sampling method, a total of 159 elderly individuals aged 60 and above from the Lanyuan community in the Malianwa street jurisdiction of Haidian district, Beijing, were selected as research subjects.The average age of the participants was(70.7±7.9)years, comprising 74 males and 85 females.Household face-to-face interviews were conducted, utilizing self-compiled questionnaires to perform a comprehensive assessment and analysis of the social health status of the elderly.Results:In the study involving community-based elderly participants, 32.1%(51 cases)were classified as healthy.The analysis revealed statistically significant differences in the social health status among various age groups of the elderly( χ2=11.802, P=0.019), with a notable downward trend in social health status as age increases( χ2=9.626, P=0.002).Furthermore, the results of multivariate Logistic regression analysis indicated that educational level( OR=2.119, 95% CI: 1.044-4.031, P=0.038)and chronic disease status( OR=5.007, 95% CI: 1.083-23.140, P=0.039)are significant influencing factors on the social health status of older adults. Conclusions:The social health status of the elderly in urban communities in Beijing is generally low and deteriorates progressively with age.Both educational attainment and chronic disease prevalence significantly influence the social health of this demographic.For elderly individuals with lower educational levels and poor chronic disease management, it is essential to conduct social health assessments and implement targeted intervention strategies to enhance their overall social health.

Objective:To investigate the effects of sperm DNA fragmentation index(DFI)on embryonic development and live birth outcomes of in vitro fertilization-fresh embryo transfer(IVF-ET).Methods:We selected 947 cases of IVF-ET due to female factors from June 2015 to December 2020 and,according to the DFI,divided them into a low-(DFI＜15％),a medium-(15≤DFI≤30％)and a high-DFI(30％＜DFI)group.We obtained the female factors(including age,body mass index[BMI],and base-line levels of sexual hormones and anti-Müllerian hormone[AMH]),male factors(including age,BMI,and semen parameters),pa-rameters of superovulation induction,semen parameters before and after IVF treatment,outcome of ovulation induction,embryo quality and pregnancy outcome,and compared them among the three groups.Results:The patients in the medium-and high-DFI groups had a significantly older age than those in the low-DFI group.There were statistically significant differences among the three groups in the baseline percentages of progressively motile sperm,non-progressively motile sperm and immotile sperm,and total sperm motility and progressive sperm motility before IVF(P＜0.01).The baseline percentage of morphologically normal sperm,sperm concentration and total sperm count before IVF treatment,and sperm concentration after IVF treatment were significantly lower in the medium-and high-DFI groups than in the low-DFI group,and so was the total sperm count in the high-DFI than in the low-and medium-DFI groups either before or after semen treatment(P＜0.01).The fertilization rate was also markedly lower in the medium-and high-DFI than in the low-DFI group,but no statistically significant differences were observed in ovulation induction parameters,embryo quality and pregnan-cy outcome among the three groups.Conclusion:High DFI significantly affects sperm motility.The DFI level after semen treatment is negatively correlated with sperm concentration,total sperm count and fertilization rate,but does not affect embryo quality and preg-nancy outcome.

Objective To investigate the current status of mini-CEX scores among students in the Elderly Service Man-agement program after completing the"Fundamentals of Nursing"course and analyze the influencing factors.Methods A total of 99 students from the Elderly Service Management program at the Wuming campus of Guangxi Medical University were selected as the study subjects.Assessment tools included a general information questionnaire,the Chinese version of the Mini Clinical E-valuation Exercise(mini-CEX),the Self-Rating Scale of Self-Directed Learning(SRSSDL),and a self-learning ability assess-ment scale.Stepwise linear regression analysis was employed to explore the factors affecting mini-CEX scores.Results The total mini-CEX score for the 99 students was 49.00(44.00,55.00).Stepwise linear regression analysis revealed that being a student leader,SRSSDL scores,self-learning ability,and teaching model were significant factors(P＜0.05),explaining 56.8％of the total variance.Conclusion The clinical comprehensive ability of students in the Elderly Service Management program requires enhancement,influenced by multiple factors including teaching model,self-learning ability,and self-directed learning capacity.

Objective To observe the level of serum peptidyl arginine deiminase 4(PAD4)in patients with polymyositis/dermato-myositis(PM/DM)and its correlation with serum neutrophil extracellular traps(NET)markers and other clinical indicators.Methods The peripheral blood of 60 patients with PM/DM(36 cases of DM,24 cases of PM)and 20healthy controls were collected.The levels of PAD4 and NET markers[citrullinated histone H3(CitH3)and cell free DNA(cfDNA)]in serum were detected,the correlation between them was analyzed,and their correlation with clinical data were also analyzed.Results Compared with healthy controls,the level of ser-um PAD4 in PM/DM patients was significantly increased(t=13.21,P＜0.001).The level of serum NET markers in PM/DM patients was significantly higher than that in healthy controls(CitH3:t=9.518,P＜0.001;cfDNA:t=2.984,P=0.0038).The correlation a-nalysis between serum PAD4 and NET marker levels in PM/DM patients showed that there was a positive correlation(PAD4 and CitH3:r=0.835,P＜0.001;PAD4 and cfDNA:r=0.322,P=0.012).The correlation analysis of serum PAD4,CitH3 and cfDNA levels with clinical data showed that PAD4 levels were positively correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR)and procalcitonin(PCT),and negatively correlated with albumin(ALB)levels.There was a positive correlation between serum CitH3 level and alanine aminotrans-ferase(ALT).Serum cfDNA level was positively correlated with white blood cell(WBC),neutrophil(NE#),neutrophil ratio(NE％),C-reactive protein(CRP),interleukin-6(IL-6),ALT,aspartate aminotransferase(AST),creatine kinase(CK),lactate dehydro-genase(LDH)and UREA,and negatively correlated with ALB level.Conclusion Serum PAD4 levels in PM/DM patients were signifi-cantly increased and correlated with abnormal increase of NET.Meanwhile,PAD4 and NET marker levels in serum were positively corre-lated with inflammatory markers of PM/DM patients,suggesting that abnormal increase of PAD4mediated excessive formation of NET may be involved in the pathogenesis of PM/DM.

Objective To explore the severity of loneliness among the elderly in communities in Shanghai,and to identify factors associated with social and emotional loneliness respectively.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in older adults aged 65 years or above in Pudong New Area,Jing'an District and Huangpu District in Shanghai from Mar to Jun 2021.In Pudong New Area,multi-stage stratified random sampling was conducted based on the age and gender distribution of Shanghai,while in Huangpu District and Jing'an District convenience sampling was conducted.A total of 635 samples were included in the study.Loneliness was assessed using the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale with social and emotional loneliness subscales.Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with social and emotional loneliness.Results Among the 635 participants,only 53 older adults(8.4%)were not lonely.Female(OR=0.46,95%CI:0.31-0.70),higher self-efficacy(OR=0.97,95%CI:0.94-1.00),more objective social support(OR=0.96,95%CI:0.93-0.99)were associated with less severe social loneliness.Meanwhile,higher level of education(secondary education,OR=0.56,95%CI:0.34-0.95;college or above,OR=0.30,95%CI:0.11-0.83)and higher self-efficacy(OR=0.96,95%CI:0.93-0.99)were associated with less severe emotional loneliness,while depression(OR=3.41,95%CI:1.76-6.60)and worse social capital(OR=2.02,95%CI:1.29-3.16)were associated with more severe emotional loneliness.Conclusion Up to 91.6%of the elderly in our study sample were moderately lonely or above.The factors associated with social loneliness include self-efficacy,gender and social support.The factors associated with emotional loneliness are self-efficacy,education level,depression,and social capital.

Objective This study aims to explore the research hotspots and trends of Polygoni Multiflori Radix(processed)and provide a reference for follow-up research by bibliometric visualization analysis.Methods Relevant Polygoni Multiflori Radix literatures were collected through databases such as PubMed,Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure.Use CiteSpace 6.1.R6 software to do bibliometric analysis on the number and years of articles,research fields,countries/regions,institutions,authors,keywords,co-citation references,and build visual maps.Results A total of 1 517 literatures(1 131 Chinese literatures and 386 English literatures)were searched through databases in this review.We therefore conducted a quantitative analysis of accessible literature published over the last 30 years found that a very modest upward trend in publication volume from Chinese and a notable increase in publication over the world.Among the author teams,there was some cooperation,and the author team with the most published papers cooperated more closely,such as XIAO Xiao-he and WANG Jia-bo's team.In particular reducing toxicity and increasing efficiency by processing,and the toxicity and the rationalusage of Polygoni Multiflori Radix were a main research direction for nearly ten years.Meanwhile,through the co-occurrence analysis of keywords,we constructed and visualized a keyword network to explore the hotspots and future directions of Polygoni Multiflori Radix.We clearly found that effective and toxic homologous components,molecular mechanisms and early warning surveillance of hepatotoxicity might be the next topics for Polygoni Multiflori Radix.Conclusion The research on the homologous chemical components of Polygoni Multiflori Radix(processed)has been very active.The research on the conversion relationship and mechanism of homologous components of Polygoni Multiflori Radix(processed)and the mechanism of hepatotoxicity will be the research focus and development trend in this field.

The treatment of bi （痹） disease in The Inner Canon of Yellow Emperor （《黄帝内经》） is mainly based on acupuncture therapy. There are differences in needling depth， angle， needling techniques， number of needles and the selection of needle instruments. By reviewing literature， it is found that in The Inner Canon of Yellow Emperor， five body constituents （skin， vessel， flesh， sinew， bone） disease location differentiation is taken as the principle for the diagnosis and treatment of bi disease， guiding the needle to the lesion level where the disease is located， and according to the severity of the disease， the characteristics of pathological qi and other factors， the choice of specific acupuncture method and needles are made. This paper summarized and grouped the 17 kinds of acupuncture methods for the treatment of bi disease according to the different five body consitutuents disease location. For needle instruments， filiform needles which can softly unblock and regulate qi are often used in the treatment of bi disease. Lance needles are good at treating vessel bi with the function of clearing blood and moving qi. Round-sharp needles and fire needles are applicable for sinew bi， among which fire needles are especially good at that induced by cold. Long needles have advantages for deep-seated bi disease due to their long needle body. The puncturing method should be in accordance with the needle instruments. The five body instituents disease location differentiation and treatment is a unique system of acupuncture in the treatment of bi disease， which is worthy of more inheritance and application.