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 investigate the effect of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) on the proliferation, apoptosis and colony-forming unit-megakaryocyte (CFU-MK) of Meg-01 cells and its possible mechanisms. METHODS: The uptake and metabolism of 5-HT in Meg-01 cells were analysed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) with electrochemical detection. The expression of 5-HT2B receptor (5-HT2BR) in megakaryocytes was detected by immunofluorescence staining. The cell proliferation and viability were measured by MTT and Trypan blue staining after Meg-01 cells were single-cultured or co-cultured with different concentrations of 5-HT/5-HT2BR inhibitor Ketanserin for 48 h. Meg-01 cells were incubated with 5-HT/ Ketanserin for 72 h, then the flow cytometry was used to detect early apoptosis of the cells and the activity of caspase-3. Using CFU-MK assay to investigate the effect of 5-HT on the differentiation of megakaryocytes. RESULTS: 5-HT could be uptaken by Meg-01 cells, and metabolized into 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA). The expression of 5-HT2BR on megakaryocytes could be detected after immunofluorescence staining. 5-HT could promote the proliferation of Meg-01 cells at a dose-dependent manner (r =0.82), with the most significant effect observed at a concentration of 200 nmol/L (P < 0.001). Trypan blue staining also indicated that 200 nmol/L 5-HT had the most significant effect on the viability of Meg-01 cells (P < 0.05). The proliferation of Meg-01 cells treated with 5-HT was increased compared with the untreated control (P < 0.001), while the combination of 5-HT with ketanserin downregulated this effect. 5-HT significantly reduced the early apoptosis rate (P < 0.001) and caspase-3 activity (P < 0.05) of Meg-01 cells, while addition of ketanserin significantly increased the early apoptosis rate of Meg-01 cells (P < 0.001) and caspase-3 activity also increased to some extent. 5-HT promoted the formation of CFU-MK in bone marrow cells in a dose-dependent manner (r =0.89). The addition of ketanserin reduced the promoting effect of 5-HT on CFU-MK formation (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION There may be monoamine oxidase present in megakaryocytes, which can metabolize and decompose 5-HT into 5-HIAA. 5-HT may promote the proliferation and differentiation of megakaryocytes through 5-HT2BR. Besides, 5-HT can also reduce the apoptosis of megakaryocytes, and its anti-apoptotic effect may be mediated by 5-HT2BR and caspase-3 pathways.
Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Megakaryocytes/metabolism* ; Serotonin/pharmacology* ; Humans ; Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2B/metabolism* ; Caspase 3/metabolism* ; Cell Differentiation

Host-derived small RNAs are emerging as critical regulators in the dynamic interactions between host tissues and the microbiome, with implications for microbial pathogenesis and host defense. Among these, transfer RNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) have garnered attention for their roles in modulating microbial behavior. However, the bacterial factors mediating tsRNA interaction and functionality remain poorly understood. In this study, using RNA affinity pull-down assay in combination with mass spectrometry, we identified a putative membrane-bound protein, annotated as P-type ATPase transporter (PtaT) in Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn), which binds Fn-targeting tsRNAs in a sequence-specific manner. Through targeted mutagenesis and phenotypic characterization, we showed that in both the Fn type strain and a clinical tumor isolate, deletion of ptaT led to reduced tsRNA intake and enhanced resistance to tsRNA-induced growth inhibition. Global RNA sequencing and label-free Raman spectroscopy revealed the phenotypic differences between Fn wild type and PtaT-deficient mutant, highlighting the functional significance of PtaT in purine and pyrimidine metabolism. Furthermore, AlphaFold 3 prediction provides evidence supporting the specific binding between PtaT and Fn-targeting tsRNA. By uncovering the first RNA-binding protein in Fn implicated in growth modulation through interactions with host-derived small RNAs (sRNAs), our study offers new insights into sRNA-mediated host-pathogen interplay within the context of microbiome-host interactions.
Fusobacterium nucleatum/growth & development* ; RNA-Binding Proteins/genetics* ; Bacterial Proteins/genetics* ; RNA, Bacterial/metabolism* ; Humans ; RNA, Transfer/metabolism*

Objective To investigate the effects of active respiratory circulation technique(ACBT)combined with resistance breathing training on pulmonary function and exercise capacity in patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD).Methods A total of 60 hospitalized AECOPD patients from the Geriatrics Department of a tertiary hospital in Kunming were selected as research subjects from January to May 2024.Patients were randomly divided into two groups,with 30 patients in each group.The control group received conventional pulmonary rehabilitation nursing,and the observation group received ACBT combined with resistance breathing training.Pulmonary function indicators,modified British Medical Council(mMRC)dyspnea scores,6-minute walk test(6MWT)distances,and the COPD Assessment Test(CAT)scores were collected 4 weeks after discharge to evaluate the intervention's effectiveness.Results After the intervention,the observation group showed significant improvements in lung function,mMRC scores,6M WT distances,and CAT scores compared to pre-intervention levels,and all were superior to the control group(P＜0.05).Conclusion ACBT combined with resistance breathing training can more effectively promote sputum clearance,reduce respiratory muscle fatigue,increase exercise endurance,and improve dyspnea severity and lung function in AECOPD patients.

Objective To detect the expression of acrosin binding protein(ACRBP)in serum and tumor tissue of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer(EOC),and to investigate the relationship between the expres-sion of acrosin binding protein(ACRBP)in serum and tumor tissue of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer(EOC)and first-line chemotherapy effect and prognosis.Methods The expression and prognostic effects of ACRBP mRNA in OC were analyzed using data obtained from Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis Database.Then,tissue specimens and serum samples were collected from 95 patients with EOC who under-went surgery at the hospital between October 2019 and December 2021.In addition,30 samples of ovarian be-nign tumor tissue were selected as the benign tumor control group and 30 serum samples from healthy volun-teers were selected as the normal control group.The expression of ACRBP was detected by immunohisto-chemical staining.After first-line chemotherapy was completed,solid tumor efficacy evaluation criteria version 1.1 was used to evaluate chemotherapy effects,and the patients were divided into sensitive group and drug-re-sistant group.The sensitive group included complete response(CR)and partial response(PR)patients,and the drug-resistant group included stable disease(SD)and progressive disease(PD)patients.Results In the public database,ACRBP mRNA expression was significantly increased in OC patients(P＜0.05),and its high expression was associated with poor overall survival(OS).In clinical samples,ACRBP was mainly expressed in the cytoplasm of EOC tumor cells,while no ACRBP was detected in the ovarian tissues of benign tumor control group.The expression of ACRBP in first-line chemotherapy resistant group was significantly higher than that in sensitive group,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.001).The area under receiv-er operating characteristic(ROC)curve of ACRBP expression for predicting first-line chemotherapy resistance was 0.830(95％CI:0.743-0.916),the cut off value was 8.65 points,and the sensitivity and the specificity were 80.0％and 77.1％,respectively.High expression of ACRBP was an independent risk factor for the prog-nosis of OS and PFS in patients with EOC(P＜0.05).According to the median expression of ACRBP,pa-tients with EOC were divided into low ACRBP expression group(＜8.27 points)and high ACRBP expression group(≥8.27 points).The OS and progression-free survival(PFS)of patients with high expression of ACRBP were significantly shorter(P＜0.05).Conclusion High expression of ACRBP in EOC patients is closely related to first-line chemotherapy resistance and poor prognosis.ACRBP has the potential to be a new biomarker for the prediction of first-line chemotherapy effect and prognosis.

Objective:To analyze the disease burden of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) in China from 1990 to 2019, forecast the disease burden of NIHL from 2020 to 2030, and provide data support for the prevention and control of NIHL.Methods:In July 2022, the disease burden data of NIHL in different age groups and genders in China during 1990-2019 were selected from the GBD database. The Jointpoint regression model was established to analyze the trend of the disease burden of NIHL in China. An age-period-cohort model was constructed to analyze the changing trend of NIHL in terms of age, period, and cohort, and a Bayesian age-period-cohort model was developed to predict the disease burden of NIHL in China from 2020 to 2030.Results:From 1990 to 2019, the disability adjusted life year (DALY) of China's NIHL increased from 1361600 to 2327700 years. The coarse rate of DALY increased from 115.03/100000 to 163.65/100000 (AAPC=1.23, P<0.001), and the normalization rate of DALY decreased from 127.67/100000 to 119.83/100000 (AAPC=-0.21, P<0.001). It is predicted that from 2020 to 2030, the DALYs of China's NIHL will increase from 2412900 in 2020 to 2655000 in 2030, and the DALY normalization rate will decrease from 241.29/100000 in 2020 to 125.71/100000 in 2030. Conclusion:The burden of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) in China is significant and should not be overlooked. To reduce this burden, we need to focus on strengthening source management, process control, personal protection, and comprehensive prevention and treatment through various methods.

Objective:To explore the risk factors for in-hospital mortality in patients with severe trauma and their predictive predictive value.Methods:A retrospective case-control study was used to analyze the data of 509 patients with severe trauma in the trauma database of the Trauma Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2017 to December 2021, including 377 males and 132 females, aged 18-94 years [53(42, 65)years]. Injury severity score (ISS) was 16-75 points [22(18, 29)points]. Injured parts included the head and neck in 409 patients (80.35%), the chest in 328(64.44%), the abdomen in 193(37.91%), the pelvis in 142(27.90%), the spine in 79(15.52%), and the limb in 247(48.53%). According to the clinical outcome during the hospital stay, the patients were divided into survival group ( n=390) and non-survival group ( n=119). Baseline and clinical data of the two groups were compared, including gender, age, cause of injury (traffic injury, fall from height, sharp instrument injury, etc.), injury site (head and neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, spine, limb), vital signs on admission (temperature, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate), blood tests on admission [hemoglobin, platelets, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), international normalized ratio (INR), fibrinogen (FIB)], Glasgow coma scale (GCS) upon admission to the emergency room, revised trauma score (RTS) upon admission to the emergency room, ISS after whole-body CT examination, quick sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA) score upon admission to the emergency room, and INR combined with qSOFA score. The baseline and clinical data of the survival group and the non-survival group were first compared with univariate analysis. Then, the independent risk factors of in-hospital mortality in patients with severe trauma were determined by multivariate Logistic stepwise regression (forward and backward). Based on the above data, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated with Medcalc statistical software to analyze the efficacy of each risk factor in assessing in-hospital mortality in patients with severe trauma. Results:Univariate analysis showed that there were significant differences in age, injury site, temperature, systolic blood pressure, hemoglobin, platelet, PT, APTT, INR, FIB, GCS, RTS, ISS, qSOFA score, and INR combined with qSOFA score between the two groups ( P<0.05 or 0.01), while there were no significant differences in gender, cause of injury, heart rate, and respiratory rate between the two groups ( P>0.05). Multivariate Logistic stepwise regression analysis showed that age, systolic blood pressure, APTT, ISS, and INR combined with qSOFA score were significantly correlated with in-hospital mortality in patients with severe trauma ( P<0.01). ROC curve analysis results showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of in-hospital mortality in patients with severe trauma predicted by age, systolic blood pressure, APTT, ISS, and INR combined with qSOFA score were 0.63(95% CI 0.59, 0.68) and 0.60(95% CI 0.55, 0.64), 0.66(95% CI 0.62, 0.70), 0.73(95% CI 0.69, 0.77), and 0.75(95% CI 0.72, 0.80), respectively. Conclusions:Age, systolic blood pressure, APTT, ISS, and INR combined with qSOFA score are the independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality in patients with severe trauma. ISS and INR combined qSOFA score can better predict in-hospital mortality of patients with severe trauma than age, systolic blood pressure and APTT.

Objective:To analyze the disease burden of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) in China from 1990 to 2019, forecast the disease burden of NIHL from 2020 to 2030, and provide data support for the prevention and control of NIHL.Methods:In July 2022, the disease burden data of NIHL in different age groups and genders in China during 1990-2019 were selected from the GBD database. The Jointpoint regression model was established to analyze the trend of the disease burden of NIHL in China. An age-period-cohort model was constructed to analyze the changing trend of NIHL in terms of age, period, and cohort, and a Bayesian age-period-cohort model was developed to predict the disease burden of NIHL in China from 2020 to 2030.Results:From 1990 to 2019, the disability adjusted life year (DALY) of China's NIHL increased from 1361600 to 2327700 years. The coarse rate of DALY increased from 115.03/100000 to 163.65/100000 (AAPC=1.23, P<0.001), and the normalization rate of DALY decreased from 127.67/100000 to 119.83/100000 (AAPC=-0.21, P<0.001). It is predicted that from 2020 to 2030, the DALYs of China's NIHL will increase from 2412900 in 2020 to 2655000 in 2030, and the DALY normalization rate will decrease from 241.29/100000 in 2020 to 125.71/100000 in 2030. Conclusion:The burden of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) in China is significant and should not be overlooked. To reduce this burden, we need to focus on strengthening source management, process control, personal protection, and comprehensive prevention and treatment through various methods.

Objective To compare the ultrasound signs of symptomatic joint lesions in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and gouty arthritis (GA), musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) was utilized.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for 85 hospitalized patients with RA and 55 hospitalized patients with GA in the same period, and the differences in general data, diseased joints and ultrasound signs between the two groups were compared.Re-sults The gender, age and diseased joints of the two groups were statistically significant (all P<0.05).The de-tection rate of knee joint lesions was the highest;the RA group had high sensitivity, high specificity of meniscal in-jury, and high diagnostic efficiency of bone erosion, while the diagnostic performance of the three combined ultra-sound signs of punctate strong echo, double track sign and tophi in the GA group was higher than that of any indi-vidual diagnosis, and the sensitivity and specificity were also higher.The course of disease in the RA group was positively correlated with bone erosion (P<0.05) , and the course in the GA group was positively correlated with tophi (P<0.05).Conclusion The ultrasound signs of RA and GA are different, and MSUS has good value in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of the two.