Background Metals and metalloids in fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) may cause damage to the respiratory and circulatory systems of the human body, and long-term exposure is prone to causing chronic poisoning, cancer, and other adverse effects. Objective To assess the distribution characteristics of metals and metalloids in outdoor PM_2.5 in a southern city of China, conduct source apportionment, and evaluate the associated health risks, thereby providing theoretical support for further pollution control measures. Methods PM_2.5 samples were collected in districts A, B, and C of a southern China city, and the concentrations of 17 metals and metalloids were detected by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Pollution sources were assessed through enrichment factor and principal components analysis, and the main pollution sources were quantified using absolute principal component scores-multivariate linear regression (APCS-MLR). Health risks were evaluated based on the Technical guide for environmental health risk assessment of chemical exposure (WS/T777—2021). Results The ambient air PM_2.5 concentrations in the city were higher in winter and spring, and lower in summer and autumn. The annual average concentrations of ambient PM_2.5 in districts A, B, and C were 36.7, 31.9, and 24.4 μg·m⁻³, respectively. The ambient PM_2.5 levels in districts B and C were below the second-grade limit set by the Ambient air quality standards (GB 3095—2012). The enrichment factors of cadmium (Cd), aluminum (Al), and antimony (Sb) were greater than 10, those of copper (Cu), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), nickel (Ni), mercury (Hg), and molybdenum (Mo) fell between 1 and 10, and those of manganese (Mn), vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), barium (Ba), beryllium (Be), and uranium (U) were below or equal to 1. The comprehensive evaluation of source analysis showed that the main pollution sources in districts A and C and the whole city were coal-burning. In district B, the main pollution source was also coal combustion, followed by industrial process sources and dust sources. The carcinogenic risks of As and Cr were between 1×10⁻⁶ and 1×10⁻⁴. However, the hazard quotients for 15 metals and metalloids in terms of non-carcinogenic risk were below 1. Conclusion Cr and As in the atmospheric PM_2.5 of the city present a certain risk of cancer and should be paid attention to. In addition, preventive control measures should be taken against relevant pollution sources such as industrial emission, dust, and coal burning.

BACKGROUND:Rev-erbα is involved in the regulation of inflammation,but pharmacological activation of Rev-erbα increases the risk for cardiovascular diseases.To reduce the relevant risk,an exploration on SR9009,a Rev-erbα agonist,combined with other drugs to relieve inflammation in skeletal myoblasts was conducted,laying the theoretical foundation for the treatment of inflammation-associated skeletal muscle atrophy. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the relationship of SR9009,indolepropionic acid and nuclear factor-κB signaling pathways in lipopolysaccharide-induced C2C12 myoblasts. METHODS:(1)C2C12 myoblasts were induced to differentiate in the presence of lipopolysaccharide(1 μg/mL).RNA-seq and KEGG pathway analysis were used to study signaling pathways.(2)C2C12 myoblast viability was assessed using the cell counting kit-8 assay to determine optimal concentrations of indolepropionic acid.Subsequently,cells were categorized into control group,lipopolysaccharide(1 μg/mL)group,SR9009(10 μmol/L)+lipopolysaccharide group,indolepropionic acid(80μmol/L)+lipopolysaccharide group,and SR9009+indolepropionic acid+lipopolysaccharide group.ELISA was employed to measure protein expression levels of interleukin-6 in the cultured supernatant.Real-time quantitative PCR were employed to measure mRNA expression levels of interleukin-6,tumor necrosis factor α,TLR4 and CD14.Western blot assay were employed to measure protein expression levels of NF-κB p65 and p-NF-κB p65.(3)After Rev-erbα was knocked down by siRNA,knockdown efficiency was assessed by RT-qPCR.And mRNA levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor α were also measured. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the blank control group,lipopolysaccharide time-dependently inhibited myofibroblast fusion to form myotubes,the mRNA expression levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor α were elevated,and the level of interleukin-6 in the cell supernatant was significantly increased.The results of KEGG pathway showed that the nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway was activated by lipopolysaccharide.Indolepropionic acid exhibited significant suppression of C2C12 myoblasts viability when its concentration exceeded 80 μmol/L.Indolepropionic acid and SR9009 inhibited the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway,thereby played an anti-inflammatory role,and suppressed the mRNA expression levels of interleukin-6,tumor necrosis factor α,TLR4 and CD14.Compared with the lipopolysaccharide group,the ratio of p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 protein expression were downregulated.SR9009 combined with indolepropionic acid notably reduced lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation,further downregulated the mRNA expression levels of interleukin-6,tumor necrosis factor α,TLR4 and CD14.The ratio of p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 protein expression was significantly lower than that in the SR9009+lipopolysaccharide group or indolepropionic acid+lipopolysaccharide group.Rev-erbα increases time-dependently with lipopolysaccharide induction.The knockdown efficiency of Rev-erbα by siRNA reached over 58%,and lipopolysaccharide was added after Rev-erbα was successfully knocked down.Compared with the lipopolysaccharide group,the mRNA expression levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor α were significantly up-regulated.These results conclude that Rev-erbα may act as a promising pharmacological target to reduce inflammation.SR9009 targeted activation of Rev-erbα combined with indolepropionic acid significantly inhibits the nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway and attenuates the inflammatory response of C2C12 myofibroblasts.Moreover,the combined anti-inflammatory effect is superior to that of the intervention alone.

Objective To construct a predictive model for cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) MRI burden based on β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) and lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], analyze its predictive value, and validate the model. Methods A total of 138 CSVD patients admitted to Anhui No.2 Provincial People’s Hospital from February 2023 to August 2024 were enrolled. Patients were divided into a low-burden group (n=63) and a moderate/severe burden group (n=75) according to the CSVD MRI burden scoring criteria. The related clinical data were compared between the two groups. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent factors for CSVD moderate/severe MRI burden. A nomogram predictive model was constructed based on these factors and its performance was evaluated. Results The proportions of male patients, as well as those with a history of diabetes or hypertension, were significantly higher in the moderate/severe burden group than those in the low burden group. Additionally, the age of patients in the moderate/severe burden group was significantly older, and the levels of β2-MG, Lp(a), and homocysteine (Hcy) were higher than those in the low burden group (P＜0.01). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that hypertension, diabetes, β2-MG, and Lp(a) were independent factors for CSVD moderate/severe MRI burden (P＜0.05). The nomogram predictive model based on these four factors had a cut-off value of 0.467 0, with an area under curve (AUC) of 0.838 7 (95%CI 0.760 8-0.916 6) in the training set (n＝97) and 0.854 1 (95%CI 0.742 1-0.966 1) in the internal validation set (n＝41) . The calibration curve demonstrated good agreement between predicted and observed values. Decision curve analysis (DCA) indicated that the nomogram model had good clinical utility. Conclusions The nomogram model based on β2-MG and Lp(a) has high predictive performance in assessing the risk of CSVD moderate/severe MRI burden, with good discrimination and calibration.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a fatal malignancy with steadily increasing incidence and poor prognosis. Since most CCA cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage, systemic therapies, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy, play a crucial role in the management of unresectable CCA. The recent advances in targeted therapies and immunotherapies brought more options in the clinical management of unresectable CCA. This review depicts the advances of targeted therapies and immunotherapies for unresectable CCA, summarizes crucial clinical trials, and describes the efficacy and safety of different drugs, which may help further develop precision and individualization in the clinical treatment of unresectable CCA.
Humans ; Cholangiocarcinoma/drug therapy* ; Immunotherapy/methods* ; Bile Duct Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Molecular Targeted Therapy/methods*

Cold has been a long-term survival challenge in the evolutionary process of mammals. In response to cold stress, in addition to brown adipose tissue (BAT) dissipating energy as heat through glucose and lipid oxidation to maintain body temperature, cold stimulation can strongly activate thermogenesis and energy expenditure in beige fat cells, which are widely distributed in the subcutaneous layer. However, the effects of cold stimulation on other tissues and systemic lipid metabolism remain unclear. Our previous research indicated that, under cold stress, BAT not only produces heat but also secretes numerous exosomes to mediate BAT-liver crosstalk. Whether subcutaneous fat has a similar mechanism is still unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the alterations in lipid metabolism across various tissues under cold exposure and to explore whether subcutaneous fat regulates systemic glucose and lipid metabolism via exosomes, thereby elucidating the regulatory mechanisms of lipid metabolism homeostasis under physiological stress. RT-qPCR, Western blot, and H&E staining methods were used to investigate the physiological changes in lipid metabolism in the serum, liver, epididymal white adipose tissue, and subcutaneous fat of mice under cold stimulation. The results revealed that cold exposure significantly enhanced the thermogenic activity of subcutaneous adipose tissue and markedly increased exosome secretion. These exosomes were efficiently taken up by hepatocytes, where they profoundly influenced hepatic lipid metabolism, as evidenced by alterations in the expression levels of key genes involved in lipid synthesis and catabolism pathways. This study has unveiled a novel mechanism by which subcutaneous fat regulates lipid metabolism through exosome secretion under cold stimulation, providing new insights into the systemic regulatory role of beige adipocytes under cold stress and offering a theoretical basis for the development of new therapeutic strategies for obesity and metabolic diseases.
Animals ; Lipid Metabolism/physiology* ; Mice ; Exosomes/metabolism* ; Cold Temperature ; Subcutaneous Fat/physiology* ; Thermogenesis/physiology* ; Adipose Tissue, Brown/metabolism* ; Male

A previous study showed that the length of the foreskin plays a role in the risk of sexually transmitted infections and chronic prostatitis, which can lead to poor quality of sexual life. Here, the association between foreskin length and sexual dysfunction was evaluated. A total of 5700 participants were recruited from the andrology clinic at The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (Hefei, China). Clinical characteristics, including foreskin length, were collected, and sexual function was assessed by the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) and Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT) questionnaires. Men with sexual dysfunction were more likely to have redundant foreskin than men without sexual dysfunction. Among the 2721 erectile dysfunction (ED) patients and 1064 premature ejaculation (PE) patients, 301 (11.1%) ED patients and 135 (12.7%) PE patients had redundant foreskin, respectively. Men in the PE group were more likely to have redundant foreskin than men in the non-PE group ( P = 0.004). Logistic regression analyses revealed that the presence of redundant foreskin was associated with increased odds of moderate/severe ED (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.31, adjusted P = 0.04), moderate PE (aOR = 1.38, adjusted P = 0.02), and probable PE (aOR = 1.37, adjusted P = 0.03) after adjusting for confounding variables. Our study revealed a positive correlation between the presence of redundant foreskin and the risk of sexual dysfunction, especially in PE patients. Assessment of the length of the foreskin during routine clinical diagnosis may provide information for patients with sexual dysfunction.
Humans ; Male ; Foreskin ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Adult ; Erectile Dysfunction/epidemiology* ; Premature Ejaculation/epidemiology* ; Middle Aged ; China/epidemiology* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological/epidemiology* ; Young Adult

Objective: To evaluate the application value of a digital technology-based multiparameter vital signs monitoring system in perioperative comprehensive full-cycle surveillance. Methods: A comprehensive multidimensional vital signs monitoring system was developed through the integration of medical-grade wireless wearable devices, incorporating patch-type ambulatory electrocardiographic monitor, continuous glucose monitoring sensor, pulse oximeter, wireless digital thermometer, smart wristband, and bioelectrical impedance analyzer. This system facilitates continuous real-time acquisition of multiple physiological parameters including electrocardiogram, blood glucose, oxygen saturation, body temperature, physical activity, and body composition indices. The acquired data were systematically integrated and analyzed through a four-level digital architecture consisting of nurse mobile interfaces, bedside patient terminals, centralized ward monitoring displays, and hospital management information systems. One patient with gastric cancer complicated by diabetes mellitus was selected for full-cycle digital monitoring from preoperative evaluation to hospital discharge. The technical performance of the monitoring system was assessed in terms of data acquisition continuity and timeliness of abnormal event alerts. Results: The monitoring system effectively identified early postoperative abnormalities, such as decreased oxygen saturation and blood glucose fluctuations, providing timely guidance for clinical intervention. The built-in algorithm enabled visualization of perioperative stress levels through heart rate variability indices and continuous glucose monitoring data. The patient demonstrated good compliance with early postoperative mobilization, and the satisfaction score for monitoring management was 4 points based on the Likert 5-point scale. Conclusions: The multiparameter vital signs monitoring system enhanced the precision of perioperative management through continuous and dynamic physiological status assessment. Its modular design aligns with the principles of enhanced recovery after surgery, offering a novel technological solution for intelligent perioperative management.
Humans ; Stomach Neoplasms/physiopathology* ; Vital Signs ; Monitoring, Physiologic/instrumentation* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Wearable Electronic Devices ; Perioperative Period

Objective:To explore the application value of P1 response threshold of cortical auditory evoked potential（CAEP） in evaluating the rehabilitation effect of cochlear implant in young children. Methods:Thirty-three young children after cochlear implantation were divided into groups according to hearing age: Group A（hearing age 1-<2 years old） 10 people; Group B（hearing age 2-<3 years old） 13 people; Group C（hearing age 3-<4 years old） 10 people. The subjective assessment was carried out using the assessment tool for hearing-impaired children- "Criteria and Methods for assessing Auditory and language ability of hearing-impaired children" and objective electrophysiological examination was carried out using CAEP to evaluate the rehabilitation effect. SPSS 25.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results:The results of subjective assessment of auditory ability and language ability in each group showed an increasing trend with the increase of auditory age. In this study, the P1 response threshold of CAEP in CI implanted children had a significant positive correlation with the 2 kHz hearing threshold after intervention, and the P1 response threshold of CAEP was negatively correlated with many items in subjective auditory ability and language ability assessment. Conclusion:The P1 response threshold of CAEP has a stable correlation with the results of speech audiometry, which can effectively and objectively evaluate the postoperative rehabilitation effect of young children with cochlear implantation.
Humans ; Child, Preschool ; Infant ; Male ; Female ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory ; Cochlear Implantation/rehabilitation* ; Cochlear Implants ; Auditory Threshold

HDAC7, a member of class IIa HDACs, plays a pivotal regulatory role in tumor, immune, fibrosis, and angiogenesis, rendering it a potential therapeutic target. Nevertheless, due to the high similarity in the enzyme active sites of class IIa HDACs, inhibitors encounter challenges in discerning differences among them. Furthermore, the substitution of key residue in the active pocket of class IIa HDACs renders them pseudo-enzymes, leading to a limited impact of enzymatic inhibitors on their function. In this study, proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology was employed to develop HDAC7 drugs. We developed an exceedingly selective HDAC7 PROTAC degrader B14 which showcased superior inhibitory effects on cell proliferation compared to TMP269 in various diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. Subsequent investigations unveiled that B14 disrupts BCL6 forming a transcriptional inhibition complex by degrading HDAC7, thereby exerting proliferative inhibition in DLBCL. Our study broadened the understanding of the non-enzymatic functions of HDAC7 and underscored the importance of HDAC7 in the treatment of hematologic malignancies, particularly in DLBCL and AML.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of membrane proteins in eukaryotes, with nearly 800 genes coding for these proteins. They are involved in many physiological processes, such as light perception, taste and smell, neurotransmitter, metabolism, endocrine and exocrine, cell growth and migration. Importantly, GPCRs and their ligands are the targets of approximately one third of all marketed drugs. GPCRs are traditionally known for their role in transmitting signals from the extracellular environment to the cell's interior via the plasma membrane. However, emerging evidence suggests that GPCRs are also localized on mitochondria, where they play critical roles in modulating mitochondrial functions. These mitochondrial GPCRs (mGPCRs) can influence processes such as mitochondrial respiration, apoptosis, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. By interacting with mitochondrial signaling pathways, mGPCRs contribute to the regulation of energy metabolism and cell survival. Their presence on mitochondria adds a new layer of complexity to the understanding of cellular signaling, highlighting the organelle's role as not just an energy powerhouse but also a crucial hub for signal transduction. This expanding understanding of mGPCR function on mitochondria opens new avenues for research, particularly in the context of diseases where mitochondrial dysfunction plays a key role. Abnormalities in the phase conductance pathway of GPCRs located on mitochondria are closely associated with the development of systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and Alzheimer's disease. In this review, we examined the various types of GPCRs identified on mitochondrial membranes and analyzed the complex relationships between mGPCRs and the pathogenesis of various diseases. We aim to provide a clearer understanding of the emerging significance of mGPCRs in health and disease, and to underscore their potential as therapeutic targets in the treatment of these conditions.