Hearing loss has become increasingly prevalent and causes considerable disability, thus gravely burdening the global economy. Irreversible loss of hair cells is a main cause of sensorineural hearing loss, and currently, the only relatively effective clinical treatments are limited to digital hearing equipment like cochlear implants and hearing aids, but these are of limited benefit in patients. It is therefore urgent to understand the mechanisms of damage repair in order to develop new neuroprotective strategies. At present, how to promote the regeneration of functional hair cells is a key scientific question in the field of hearing research. Multiple signaling pathways and transcriptional factors trigger the activation of hair cell progenitors and ensure the maturation of newborn hair cells, and in this article, we first review the principal mechanisms underlying hair cell reproduction. We then further discuss therapeutic strategies involving the co-regulation of multiple signaling pathways in order to induce effective functional hair cell regeneration after degeneration, and we summarize current achievements in hair cell regeneration. Lastly, we discuss potential future approaches, such as small molecule drugs and gene therapy, which might be applied for regenerating functional hair cells in the clinic.
Infant, Newborn ; Humans ; Hair Cells, Auditory, Inner/physiology* ; Ear, Inner/physiology* ; Hair Cells, Auditory/physiology* ; Regeneration/genetics* ; Stem Cells

Objectives:The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of the cumulative workload of HUTT testing physicians on diagnostic outcomes. Methods:This study retrospectively and consecutively included the data of testing physicians and patients who underwent HUTT at Fuwai Hospital,Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences,from January 2016 to December 2022.Based on the cumulative workload of physicians during the period from the initiation of tilt tests at the hospital to the end of the study,the physicians were categorized into low (50-100 sases),moderate (100-350 sases),and high (1000-4000 sases) cumulative workload groups,the cumulatie workload of no physician is 351-999 sases.Additionally,physicians were grouped by sex,educational background,and professional title to analyze differences in diagnostic rates of tilt table test reports within and between these groups. Results:The study included 22 testing physicians and 6122 patients.There were statistically significant differences in the rates of positive,suspicious positive,and negative reports among the 22 physicians (P<0.001).The average suspicious positive report rate in the moderate cumulative workload group was significantly higher than in the low and high cumulative workload groups (3.21％ vs.1.09％ vs.1.62％,P=0.001).The suspicious positive report rate was higher in the female physician group compared to the male physician group (2.25％ vs.1.07％,P=0.017),in the undergraduate physician group compared to the postgraduate physician group (2.46％ vs.1.52％,P=0.013),and in the junior title group compared to the intermediate and senior title groups (3.40％ vs.1.75％ vs.2.53％,P=0.024).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that a moderate cumulative workload was an influencing factor for suspicious positive reports,regardless of whether negative or positive was used as the reference (all P<0.05). Conclusions:There are certain differences in the diagnostic report rates of HUTT among different individual physicians.Physicians with a moderate cumulative workload are more likely to issue suspicious positive HUTT diagnostic reports.

With the rapid development of industry and economy,the emergence of a large number of chemicals has made of risk management more difficult.Traditional risk assessment relies on animal experiments for toxicity testing.However,animal experiments are time-consuming,costly,and unable to meet the practical needs of risk assessment.The increasing maturity of toxicity testing alternative technologies signifies the possibility of rapid,sensitive,and accurate identification of chemical toxicity.This article focuses on the research and applications of alternative toxicity testing by reviewing the background,developments,and current research at home and abroad.It also discusses the progress in alternative testing methods in such areas as cosmetics and food safety risk assessment and explores the problems with the development of alternative testing technologies and risk assessment in China.This review aims to provide a reference for the system construction of cosmetics health risk assess-ment in China.

Polygoni multiflori radix praeparata is a processed product of Polygoni multiflori radix(Polygonum multiflorum Thunb.),and its main components include stilbene glycosides,anthraquinones,flavonoids,alkaloids,phenolic acids,etc.It has antioxidant,antianemic,anti-tumor,hypoglycemic,anti-inflammatory effects,etc,and is widely used in clinical practice.The processing technology is mainly stewinging with black bean juice,steaming,processing for 9 times and braising and simmering.After processing,the color deepens and the content of composition changes.By consulting domestic and foreign literature,the research on Polygoni multiflori radix praeparata is not comprehensive enough compared with Polygoni multiflori radix.Therefore,this paper mainly summarizes the processing technology,chemical composition and pharmacological activity of Polygoni multiflori radix preparata reported in the past 20 years,and provides a reference for further development of Polygoni multiflori radix preparata.

Objective:To assess the performance of machine learning(ML),and integrate the clinical parameters with coronary artery calcium(CAC)score of computed tomography(CT)and quantification of automated epicardial adipose tissue(EAT),so as to predict the long-term risk of myocardial infarction(MI)and cardiogenic death in asymptomatic patients.Methods:A total of 1 058 subjects with cardiovascular risk factors and without symptoms of coronary heart disease who underwent physical examination at the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2013 to October 2015 were selected as this study subjects.A long-term follow-up was conducted on them after CAC score.EAT volume and density were quantified using a fully automated deep learning method.ML extreme gradient boosting was trained by using clinical data,risk score of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease,CAC score and automated EAT measure,and the repeated 10-fold cross validation was used to verify the model.Results:During the 8-year follow-up period,61 cases of 1 058 subjects occurred events of MI and(or)cardiac death.The area under curve(AUC)value of ML was significantly higher than that of the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease(ASCVD)risk and the predicting events of CAC score(ML:0.82,ASCVD:0.77,CAC:0.77).Compared with ML with only clinical variable,machine learning based on ASCVD,CAC and EAT had more predictive ability for MI and cardiac death[AUC 0.82(95%CI:77-87)vs.0.78(95%CI:0.72-0.84),P=0.02].The survival rate of subjects with high ML scores had a greater decline degree with the increasing of time,therefore,the subjects with higher ML scores were more likely to experience events.Conclusion:ML,which integrated clinical and quantitative imaging variables,can provide long-term risk prediction for patients with cardiovascular risk factors.

Objective To analyze the latent profiles of active aging among community older adults and its influencing factors,and explore relationship of different categories and nursing care needs.Methods Multistage stratified random sampling was used to select 341 community older people in Qingdao from June 2023 to August 2023 as the survey population.The study instruments included the General Information Questionnaire,the Active Ageing Scale,the Care Needs of the Elderly Scale.Latent profile analysis was used to explore the latent profiles of active aging on the community older adults.The influencing factors of latent profiles were identified by multivariate Logistic regression.Results The active aging of the community older people was identified as a model with 3 latent categories,defined as low active aging type(38.l％),medium active aging-high spiritual intelligence type type(51.6％),and high active aging-comprehensive type(10.3％).The influencing factors include age,education,monthly income level,nursing needs(all P＜0.05).Community older adults with low self-development and contribution needs are more likely to be low active aging type.Community older adults with high needs for life care and living environment(OR=3.268,P=0.0l 1),physical and psychological support(OR=1.972,P=0.025),and interpersonal communication and health knowledge(OR=3.433,P＜0.001)were more likely to be medium active aging-high spiritual intelligence type.Those with low protection and security needs(OR=0.446,P=0.012)were more likely to be medium active aging-high spiritual intelligence type type.Community older adults with low health monitoring needs(OR=0.297,P=0.029)and high specialty care needs(OR=3.019,P=0.033)were more likely to be high active aging-comprehensive type.Conclusion The level of active aging of older adults in the community is medium,which is characterized by 3 categories.Community nursing staffs should focus on the elderly with low active aging type and medium active aging-high spiritual intelligence type,and targeted intervention should be adopted according to different category characteristics,so as to accurately meet their nursing needs,finally improve the level of active aging of community older adults.

Testicular adrenal rest tumor (TART) is frequently complicated by congenital adrenal hyperplasia, which is a benign tumor of the testes frequently found in adolescents and adults.Palpation and scrotal ultrasound are the main diagnostic methods for TART.Poorly managed TART often results in testicular dysfunction or even infertility due to tumor compression.This article reviews the pathogenesis, epidemiology, clinical features, diagnosis, differential diagnosis and treatment of TART, thus improving the understanding of the disease to achieve early diagnosis, early treatment, and improved prognosis.

Objective:To investigate the impact of excessive fluoride exposure on the expression profile of microRNA (miRNA) in mouse testes, and elucidate the reproductive toxicity mechanism of fluoride.Methods:A total of 24 8-week-old C57BL/6J male mice weighing (23 ± 1) g were randomly divided into a control group [0 mg/L sodium fluoride (NaF)] and a fluoride exposure group (50 mg/L NaF) using a random number table method, with 12 mice in each group. After 90 days of treatment, the mice were anesthetized and euthanized. Sperm samples were collected to assess their quantity, viability, and deformity rate. Additionally, testicular tissue was stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE). RNA was extracted from testicular tissue, and high-throughput sequencing technology was employed to analyze the effect of fluoride on the expression profile of mouse testicular miRNA. Deferentially expressed miRNA was screened and its target genes were predicted, and functional annotation and pathway enrichment analysis were performed. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to verify the expression level of deferentially expressed miRNA.Results:Compared with the control group [number of sperm: (11.30 ± 2.52) × 10 6/ml; viability rate: (90.07 ± 4.34)%; deformity rate: (15.49 ± 3.25)%], the number of sperm of mice exposed to fluoride [(9.01 ± 2.25) × 10 6/ml] and the viability rate [(84.34 ± 4.21)%] decreased ( P = 0.041, 0.003), while deformity rate [(22.36 ± 6.51)%] increased ( P = 0.003). Furthermore, in the fluoride exposure group, the interstitial distance of testis increased, the number of sperm in the spermatogenic tubule decreased, and the cell arrangement was disordered. Through sequencing, 34 deferentially expressed miRNAs were identified in the testes of mice exposed to fluoride. According to qRT-PCR verification, compared with the control group, the expression levels of mmu-miR-29b-1-5p ( P < 0.001), mmu-miR-196a-5p ( P = 0.002), and mmu-miR-196b-5p ( P = 0.031) in the testes of mice exposed to fluoride were significantly increased, and the expression levels of mmu-let-7a-2-3p ( P < 0.001) and mmu-miR-466n-3p ( P = 0.018) were significantly decreased, consistent with the sequencing results. By KEGG enrichment of deferentially expressed miRNA target genes, it was found that fluoride exposure could change the axon guidance signal pathway, olfactory transduction pathway, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway, and lysosome signal pathway, etc., in mouse testes. Conclusions:Fluoride exposure may induce testicular injury by altering the expression profile of miRNA in the testes and by mediating the post-transcriptional regulatory signal pathway. Testicular miRNA may be a potential biomarker of fluoride reproductive toxicity, which may provide a new idea and perspective for exploring the mechanism of fluoride poisoning.

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans ( DFSP ) is very rare in clinic, and its diagnosis is not specific. According to the literature domestic and abroad, only 18 cases of patients during gestation period suffered from DFSP have been reported. This paper reported a case from the Department of Plastic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College in April 2022 diagnosed with DFSP during pregnancy.The DFSP showed rapid growth and pain during pregnancy, and stopped rapid growth after delivery. Extensive local resection was performed and the incision margin exceeded 3 cm diameter of the tumor. One-stage skin graft was used to repair the defect. HE staining showed a single spindle cell, arranged in a vortex, with large and dark nuclei. Some nuclei were heteromorphic, and few mitotic figures were observed. Postoperative pathology showed negative margins and basement. Immunohistochemistry showed CD34 (+ + ), Ki-67 (+, 10% ), bcl-2 (-), s-100 (-), SMA (-), CD163 (-), CD68 (-), which were consistent with the diagnosis of DFSP. The pathogenesis of DFSP is not yet clear. As a special population, patients during gestation period need special treatment and diagnosis. Through literature review, this paper summarizes the reports domestic and abroad, and discusses the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of patients with DFSP during pregnancy.

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans ( DFSP ) is very rare in clinic, and its diagnosis is not specific. According to the literature domestic and abroad, only 18 cases of patients during gestation period suffered from DFSP have been reported. This paper reported a case from the Department of Plastic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College in April 2022 diagnosed with DFSP during pregnancy.The DFSP showed rapid growth and pain during pregnancy, and stopped rapid growth after delivery. Extensive local resection was performed and the incision margin exceeded 3 cm diameter of the tumor. One-stage skin graft was used to repair the defect. HE staining showed a single spindle cell, arranged in a vortex, with large and dark nuclei. Some nuclei were heteromorphic, and few mitotic figures were observed. Postoperative pathology showed negative margins and basement. Immunohistochemistry showed CD34 (+ + ), Ki-67 (+, 10% ), bcl-2 (-), s-100 (-), SMA (-), CD163 (-), CD68 (-), which were consistent with the diagnosis of DFSP. The pathogenesis of DFSP is not yet clear. As a special population, patients during gestation period need special treatment and diagnosis. Through literature review, this paper summarizes the reports domestic and abroad, and discusses the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of patients with DFSP during pregnancy.