Objective To investigate the radon activity concentrations in subways of Nanning City and assess the average annual effective doses for subway staff and passengers due to radon exposure. Methods Sixty-three stations across the subway lines 2, 3, and 5 were selected as study sites. Radon activity concentrations were measured using the scintillation counting method with scintillation vials. Results The radon activity concentrations in subway lines 2, 3, and 5 were 7.9-24.4, 12.0-26.2, and 12.6-18.2 Bq/m³, respectively. The average radon activity concentrations for these three lines were (17.4 ± 4.6), (19.1 ± 4.1), and (14.6 ± 1.7) Bq/m³, respectively. Statistical analysis using SPSS 26.0 software revealed a significant difference in radon activity concentrations among these stations (P<0.01). Considering the data in previous research, the average radon activity concentration across all stations in the subway lines of Nanning City was determined to be 17.4 Bq/m³. The estimated average annual effective dose due to radon exposure was 0.131 mSv for subway staff and 0.033 mSv for passengers. Conclusion The radon activity concentrations in the subway lines of Nanning City were significantly lower than the national standard limit (400 Bq/m³). The annual effective doses from radon exposure for both subway staff and passengers were below the limits specified in the Basic Standards for Protection Against Ionizing Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources (GB18871—2002). The health impact of radon and its progeny on subway staff and passengers in the subway lines of Nanning City was extremely low and can be considered negligible.

AIM: To investigate the features of retinal peripheral defocus and its associated variables in unilateral myopia. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included consecutive anisometropic myopic patients who visited Center for Optometry and Visual Science from August 2023 to March 2025 in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Eyes were classified based on spherical equivalent(SE)and uncorrected visual acuity(UCVA): myopic eyes(SE ≤-0.50 D, UCVA <0.2 LogMAR)and contralateral normal eyes(SE ≥-0.25, UCVA ≥0 LogMAR). Total relative defocus value(TRDV)across the visual field, RDV at 15°, 30°, and 45°(RDV-15, RDV-30, RDV-45), and quadrant-specific RDV(superior/RDV-S, inferior/RDV-I, temporal/RDV-T, nasal/RDV-N)were compared between groups.RESULTS: This study enrolled 81 anisometropic patients(81 myopic eyes, 81 contralateral normal eyes). The cohort comprised 42 males and 39 females, 47 patients aged 8-12 y and 34 patients aged 13-17 y(mean age: 11.8±2.4 y). Myopic eyes demonstrated significantly higher values in TRDV, RDV-30, RDV-45, RDV-I, RDV-S, RDV-N, and RDV-T versus contralateral normal eyes(all P<0.001). RDV-15 showed no significant difference between groups in either 8-12-year-olds or 13-17-year-olds(both P>0.05). Among 13-17-year-olds, RDV-S also exhibited no intergroup difference(P>0.05). All other parameters differed significantly across both age strata(all P<0.05). In myopic eyes, age positively correlated with TRDV(r=0.31, P=0.005), RDV-30(r=0.33, P=0.002), RDV-45(r=0.32, P=0.004), and RDV-N(r=0.37, P<0.001). In contralateral eyes, scotopic pupil diameter negatively correlated with TRDV(r=-0.25, P=0.03), RDV-45(r=-0.25, P=0.02), RDV-S(r=-0.29, P=0.008), and RDV-N(r=-0.27, P=0.014). And age positively correlated with RDV-N(r=0.30, P= 0.006), axial length positively correlated with RDV-T(r=0.30, P=0.006). CONCLUSION: The peripheral defocus of unilateral myopic eyes varies from that of their contralateral normal counterparts. The former presents hyperopic defocus, which augments with age, while the latter displays myopic defocus, which accentuates with the increase of the scotopic pupil size.

In this paper， the name， origin， producing area， harvesting， processing and functional indications of Arcae Concha were systematically combed and verified by consulting the ancient and modern literature， in order to provide a basis for the development of famous classical formulas containing Arcae Concha. Arcae Concha was first recorded in the name of Han in Bencao Shiyi， but later， due to the influence of LI Shizhen's error of combining Han item with Kuiha in the Ming dynasty， there were aliases such as Kuilu and Fulao， and Yizong Bidu began to include Walengzi as its correct name and has been used ever since. The textual descriptions and illustrations of the medicinal materials of Arcae Concha contained in the materia medica of the past generations were consistent with the modern Arca inflata， A. subcrenata and A. granosa. In ancient times， there were medicinal records of two parts of shell and meat， but now the shell is used as medicine， and the meat is mostly edible. In ancient times， Zhejiang， Shandong， Guangdong and Guangxi were the main producing areas， and Zhejiang was the best. It is now believed that A. inflata is mostly distributed in the northern part of the Huanghai Sea， A. granosa is mostly distributed in the coastal areas south of Shandong Peninsula in China， and A. subcrenata is widely distributed in the coastal areas of China. Its quality is better in a complete， white， no residual meat and sand. In ancient times， there was no clear harvesting period， and the processing was mainly based on vinegar quenching after calcination or powdering of calcined shell， but now the harvesting period is autumn and winter. After harvesting， it is directly washed and crushed for raw use or processed by calcined method. The records of the medicinal materials in the past dynasties on the properties of Arcae Concha were mainly warm， sweet， salty and mild， and it is now believed that Arcae Concha is salty in taste and mild in nature. In ancient times， it was believed that Arcae Concha were mainly used for coldness in the heart and abdomen， coldness in the waist and spine， benefiting the five internal organs， strengthening the stomach. Nowadays， it is believed that Arcae Concha can eliminate phlegm and remove blood stasis， soften the hardness and dissipate the lumps， produce acid and relieve pain. It can be used in the treatment of stubborn phlegm， gall tumor， scrofula and other symptoms. In conclusion， it is suggested that for the famous classical formulas containing Arcae Concha， the corresponding methods should be selected according to the processing requirements of the drug in the formulas， while those without processing requirements can be determined according to the functional position of the products.

Cardiovascular diseases(CVD)remain a leading cause of mortality worldwide,with complex pathogenic mechanisms.Mitochondrial dysfunction,a key hallmark in CVD pathology,disrupts cellular homeostasis through oxidative stress,calcium imbalance,and reduced ATP production,ultimately damaging cardiomyocytes.Mitopha-gy,a selective autophagy process,plays a crucial protective role by degrading dysfunctional mitochondria,thus maintain-ing mitochondrial quality and quantity balance in cells.Recent studies have highlighted the significant regulatory role of mitophagy in various CVD pathological processes,including heart failure,myocardial infarction,ischemia/reperfusion in-jury,hypertension,and atherosclerosis.Notably,a variety of drugs have been shown good potential in the targeted regula-tion of mitophagy activity,which provides a new idea for the treatment of CVD.This review systematically elucidates the latest advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms,pathophysiological functions,and potential therapeutic appli-cations of mitophagy in CVD.It provides a theoretical foundation for deepening our comprehension of CVD pathogenesis and developing innovative treatment strategies,offering new insights into cardiovascular disease management.

Objective To investigate the impact of various health education intervention strategies on the proper use of personal respiratory protective equipment (RPE) among workers exposed to dust. Methods Dust-exposed workers were recruited from 60 selected enterprises in Guangdong Province using cluster random sampling method. They were randomly allocated to the control, low-intensity intervention, and high-intensity intervention groups, with 358, 346, and 371 workers in each group, respectively. Workers in the control group received no designed intervention. Workers in the low-intensity intervention group received traditional plus mobile health education on the proper use of RPE. Workers in the high-intensity intervention group received all components of the low-intensity intervention, supplemented with peer education. The intervention lasted for six months. RPE usage was compared among the three groups of workers before and after the intervention. Results Workers in the control, low-intensity intervention, and high-intensity intervention groups showed higher rates of both RPE wearing and correct RPE wearing after the intervention than before it within their respective groups (RPE wearing rate: 94.1% vs 99.2%, 95.7% vs 100.0%, 94.6% vs 100.0%, all P<0.01; correct RPE wearing rate: 66.8% vs 91.1%, 67.3% vs 95.7%, 66.6% vs 96.5%, all P<0.01). Post-intervention correct RPE wearing rates were highest in the high-intensity intervention group, followed by the low-intensity intervention group, and the control group, with the percentage of 96.50%, 95.66% and 91.06%, respectively (P<0.01). Binary logistic regression analysis result showed that different intervention strategies affected the correct use of personal RPE among dust-exposed workers after adjusting for gender, age, and other confounding factors (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the rates of correct RPE use increased in the low-intensity intervention group and the high-intensity intervention group (odd ratio was 2.14 and 3.01; 95% confidence interval was 1.12 - 4.10 and 1.53 - 5.91, respectively). Conclusion The implementation of traditional plus mobile health education interventions on the proper use of RPE can promote correct RPE utilization among dust-exposed workers, and integrating peer education further enhances the intervention effectiveness.

Objective To explore the efficacy of DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy for management of cancer pain and provide reference for its standardized clinical application.Methods and Results Recommendations were formulated based on literature review and expert group discussion,and consensus was reached following expert consultation.The consensus recommendations are comprehensive,covering the entire treatment procedures from preoperative assessment and preparation,surgical operation process,postoperative management and traditional Chinese medicine treatment to individualized treatment planning.The study results showed that the treatment plans combining traditional Chinese with Western medicine effectively alleviated cancer pain,reduced the use of opioid drugs,and significantly improved the quality of life and enhanced immune function of the patients.Postoperative follow-up suggested good treatment tolerance among the patients without serious complications.Conclusion The formulated consensus is comprehensive and can provide reference for clinicians to use DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy.The combined treatment has a high clinical value with a good safety profile for management of cancer pain.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of GJB2 gene c.109G>A (p.V37I) variant among infants with congenital hearing loss and analyze the initial audiological characteristics of children harboring the variant, compare the audiometric difference among individuals with various genotypes, and explore genetic and audiological manifestations of the affected families. METHODS: One hundred twenty six infants diagnosed with congenital hearing loss at the Neonate Screening Center of Ningbo City from June 2021 to December 2024 were selected as the study subjects. The neonates, in addition with members from 16 of their families, had undergone genetic screening for variants of 208 hotspot sites within 24 deafness-associated genes. For cases identified with monoallelic variants and concurrent hearing loss, the full GJB2 gene was sequenced. Meanwhile, a retrospective analysis was carried out on 23 children whom were confirmed to have hearing loss and the c.109G>A variant by whole exome sequencing from March 2022 to December 2024. And 102 children who were excluded to have hearing loss and pathogenic variants by whole exome sequencing were selected as normal controls. Audiological features of individuals harboring the c.109G>A variant were compared. This study has been approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of The Affiliated Women and Children's Hospital of Ningbo University (Ethics No.: EC2023-009). RESULTS: For the 126 infants with congenital hearing loss, prospective screening has identified 58 (46.03%) to harbor the c.109G>A variant. These included 38 homozygotes and 16 compound heterozygotes. Retrospective review of the 23 c.109G>A positive children has identified 15 as homozygotes and 8 as compound heterozygotes. Genetic testing of the 16 pedigrees has identified 7 homozygotes and 1 compound heterozygote. For the homozygotes combined (n = 53), 96.2% exhibited bilateral symmetric hearing loss, with 78.3% showing high-frequency sloping patterns, and 98.1% having a hearing threshold ranging from 20 to 65 dB. For the compound heterozygotes combined (n = 24), 95.8% showed symmetric loss, with 59.4% having high-frequency sloping, and 97.9% had a hearing threshold ranging from 20 to 65 dB. Both groups showed significantly elevated ABR/PTA thresholds compared with the normal controls (P = 0.000). The compound heterozygous group had higher ABR thresholds (43.3 ± 15.0 dB nHL) compared with the homozygous group (39.1 ± 12.0 dB nHL, P = 0.005). CONCLUSION Infants harboring the GJB2 c.109G>A variant primarily manifest as mild-to-moderate, symmetric, high-frequency sloping hearing loss. Nearly one-third of affected children have thresholds between 20 to 35 dB nHL, suggesting that ABR > 35 dB nHL alone may underestimate the hearing impairment in this population. Compared with homozygotes, compound heterozygotes with the the GJB2 c.109G>A variant can confer a more severe hearing loss.
Humans ; Connexin 26/genetics* ; Female ; Male ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant ; Hearing Loss/genetics* ; Retrospective Studies ; Child, Preschool ; Child ; Genotype ; Connexins/genetics* ; Mutation

Background: Metals and their ions have been used to reduce bacterial infection risks. Among them, minerals containing rubidium (MCR), natural minerals containing metal ions, show potential as novel and tunable materials. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the antibacterial activity and mechanism of MCR. Methods: The inhibitory effect of MCR on bacteria was clarified using the growth curve method, turbidimetric method, and minimum inhibitory concentration method. Physiological and biochemical indices were employed to investigate the inhibitory mechanism of MCR. Results: The results revealed that MCR inhibited Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Escherichia coli with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 11.95, 2.60, and 2.60 mg/mL, respectively. The inhibitory activity of MCR was insignificant against Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella typhimurium, and Helicobacter pylori at 3.25 mg/mL. Mechanistic assessments showed that MCR affected bacterial conductivity, protein and nucleic acid levels, reducing sugar content, respiratory chain dehydrogenase activity, bacterial lipid peroxidation, intracellular adenosine triphosphate, and extracellular alkaline phosphatase. Conclusion: MCR has bacteriostatic activity and the mechanism primarily involves adhesion to bacteria, disrupting the integrity of their cell walls and membranes, and altering their permeability. This disruption leads to the release of intracellular molecules of various sizes, inhibiting cellular respiration and metabolism, and causing oxidative damage. These combined effects impair cellular functions, affecting cell growth and metabolism, or leading to cell death. These findings provide a theoretical reference for the development of MCR as a bacteriostatic agent.

Pathological cardiac hypertrophy is an early and significant cardiac structural charac-teristic that contributes to the onset and progression of heart failure(HF).Its mainly structural feature is the abnormally enlarged cardiomyocyte.Effective intervention targets for abnormally en-larged cardiomyocyte remain to be identified.Previous studies have shown that the cellular shape and size can be regulated by the actin related protein 2/3(Arp2/3)complex,which is an actin-binding protein complex involved in the actin nucleation and assembly.However,the roles of the Arp2/3 complex in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy remain unknown.Here our study identifies its no-vel roles in the occurrence and development of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.We found that mRNA levels of all subunits from the Arp2/3 complex are significantly upregulated(P<0.05)in the an-giotensin II(Ang Ⅱ)-induced neonatal rat primary and H9c2 cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.Fur-ther studies showed that siRNA-directed ARPC2 silencing inhibits the reactivation of fetal genes and enlargement of cardiomyocyte area induced by Ang Ⅱ in neonatal rat primary cardiomyocytes(NRCMs)and H9c2 cells(P<0.05).In addition,the upstream activators of the Arp2/3 com-plex including SH3 protein interacting with Nck,90 kD(SPIN90)and Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1(Rac1)/WASp family Verprolin-homologous protein-2(WAVE-2)are upregu-lated(P<0.05)in Ang Ⅱ-induced neonatal rat primary and H9c2 cardiomyocyte hypertrophy,indicating the excessive activation of the Arp2/3 complex.We further show that CK666,a specif-ic Arp2/3 complex inhibitor,prevents the reactivation of fetal genes and the enlargement of car-diomyocyte area induced by Ang Ⅱ in NRCMs and H9c2 cells(P<0.05).Our results reveal that the Arp2/3 complex plays a crucial role in Ang Ⅱ-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy,which is beneficial to further studies about the molecular mechanisms by which the Arp2/3 complex regu-lates pathological cardiac hypertrophy.

Objective To analyze the research literature on fire needling therapy published on China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform(Wanfang),and China Science and Technology Journal Database(VIP)in the last 20 years,and to explore the current status and the hotspots of the research,thus to summarize and analyze the spectrum of the dominant diseases and technological transformations of fire needling therapy.Methods CiteSpace and VOSviewer were applied to analyze the keywords,authors and institutions,to draw the scientific knowledge map,and to summarize the disease spectrum.Results A total of 4 226 literature were included,from 2000 to 2023,the number of publications on fire needling therapy research showed an increasing trend,with each of the four periods showing its own characteristics of the times.The"filiform fire needling"and"pricking of fire needling"were widely used as acupuncture tools and acupuncture techniques in the studies,the emergence of high-frequency disease keywords such as"shingles""vitiligo"and"acne"indicates that research on the treatment of skin diseases with fire needling has attracted much attention.The disease spectrum of fire needling therapy was enlarged,involving a total of 356 diseases distributed in 20 disease systems.Conclusion Skin diseases and arthralgia became the dominant diseases of fire needling therapy,the rise of research hot words such as"acne vulgaris""vitiligo""stroke""chronic eczema""filiform fire needling"and"Lingnan fire needling"indicates that fire needling therapy is developing towards research standardization,theoretical diversification and disease diversification.