Objective: To analyze the relationship between vitamin D and ferritin nutritional status with physical indicators in primary and secondary school students in the key nutrition monitoring counties of Xinjiang, so as to provide reference for early prevention and intervention of students nutrition issues. Methods: From November to December 2023, 1 071 students aged 6-18 from key nutrition monitoring counties in the Xinjiang Nutrition Improvement Plan area were selected via stratified random sampling for physical and biochemical tests. The U test and Kruskal-Wallis H-test were used to compare the differences in physical indicators and the distribution of vitamin D and ferritin levels. Chi-square test was used to compare the prevalence of vitamin D and ferritin deficiencies among different groups of primary and secondary school students. Pearson correlation was used to analyze the relationship between the nutritional levels of vitamin D and ferritin and physical indicators. Results: The median vitamin D level was 14.7 (10.7, 19.0)ng/mL, with deficiency and insufficiency rates of 30.8% and 37.4% among primary and secondary school students in the key nutrition monitoring counties of Xinjiang Nutrition Improvement Plan area. Ferritin levels were 57.4 (37.7, 83.9)μg/L, with a deficiency rate of 5.7%. Males, primary school students, and rural residents had higher vitamin D and ferritin levels than females, secondary school students, and urban residents ( U =-11.35, -6.88, -4.52; -3.94, -9.17, -5.23, P <0.05). Vitamin D deficiency was more prevalent in females, secondary school students, and urban students ( χ 2=97.52, 49.01, 21.89, P <0.05), while ferritin deficiency was higher in primary school students and urban areas ( χ 2=34.11, 5.63, P <0.05). Significant differences in body mass index (BMI) and waist circumstance (WC) were observed across vitamin D/ferritin statuses ( U/H =35.47, 22.82; -4.19 , -5.36, P <0.05). Vitamin D and ferritin levels negatively correlated with age, BMI, and WC but positively with waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) ( r = -0.31, -0.19, -0.19, 0.20; -0.32, -0.13, -0.21, 0.08, P <0.05). Conclusions Vitamin D and ferritin levels in primary and secondary school students in key nutritional monitoring counties in Xinjiang are correlated with age, BMI, WC and WHtR, and there are nutrient deficiencies. Targeted measures are recommended to improve nutritional status and physical health.

Objective To access the current situation of the service capacity of radiation health technical service institutions in Jiangxi Province, analyze the existing problems of these institutions, and provide a scientific basis for standardizing the management of such institutions and improving their service capability. Methods A total of 11 radiation health technical service institutions in Jiangxi Province in the National Occupational Health Technical Service Organization Management Information System were selected as the monitoring objects. During the period from 2022 to 2024, 5-6 technical service institutions were selected each year and comprehensively evaluated and inspected using a checklist formulated by the state. Results Among the 16 quality monitoring results of 11 institutions, 2 (12.5%) were rated as excellent, 12 (75%) as qualified, and 2 (12.5%) as unqualified. The risk level assessment identified 7 (43.75%) high-risk institutions, 9 (56.25%) medium-risk institutions, and 0 (0%) low-risk institutions. Conclusion The overall service capacity of radiation health technical service institutions in Jiangxi Province needs to be improved. Notably, institutions within the health system, such as centers for disease control and prevention, show significant shortcomings in both on-site and laboratory testing capabilities.

Objective To study a method for determining the cumulative dose of low-energy neutrons ( < 100 keV) independently based on a CR-39 detector. Methods According to the theory of track etching kinetics, the differences in the tracks formed by low-energy neutrons or fast neutrons in a BN + CR-39 detector under broad-spectrum neutron irradiation were analyzed. A method was proposed to identify the tracks produced by low-energy neutrons under specific etching conditions while avoiding interference from fast neutron tracks. Results Experimental results demonstrated that the BN + CR-39 detector using TASTRAK PADC CR-39 track-detecting plastic could independently detect the tracks of low-energy neutrons when etched in a 6.25 mol/L NaOH solution for 1 h. The track density showed a good linear relationship with the ambient dose equivalent of low-energy neutrons, and the calibration coefficient was 0.0366 μSv·tr⁻¹·cm². Conclusion The BN + CR-39 detector proposed in this study demonstrated high sensitivity to low-energy neutrons. The track identification method can be used for effective and independent determination of the cumulative dose equivalent of low-energy neutrons.

Objective To analyze the scanning parameters and radiation dose characteristics of pediatric CT examinations in Jiangxi Province, China, and to provide a basis for optimizing radiation protection in children. Methods The data of 1021 CT scans in children aged 0-15 years were collected from seven hospitals in Jiangxi Province, including one provincial hospital, four municipal hospitals, and two county-level hospitals. The data consisted of 405 head scans, 352 chest scans, and 264 abdominal scans. The scanning parameters kV, mAs, and scan length as well as the dose metrics weighted CT dose index and dose length product (DLP) were analyzed. Differences across age groups, anatomical regions, and hospitals were compared using one-way analysis of variance, and the results were compared with domestic and foreign studies. Results There were significant differences in scanning parameters and radiation doses among children of different age groups in CT examinations, and the differences between hospitals were also significant. The chest mAs and DLP in Hospital E were significantly higher than those in Hospital A, and the abdominal DLP in Hospital D was 4.3 times that of Hospital A. Compared with domestic and foreign studies, the DLP values of various anatomical regions in the < 1 year group were generally higher in the present study. The abdominal DLP in the < 1 year group (232.4 mGy·cm) was 3.3 times that in Tianjin. The head DLP in the 1-5 year group was higher than those in Germany and the United States. The chest DLP of the 11-15 year group was higher than that in Germany but lower than that in Henan Province. Conclusion There are significant differences in radiation doses received by children during CT examination in Jiangxi Province by age, anatomical region, and hospital, with some metrics exceeding domestic and international levels. Recommendations include optimizing scanning parameters (e.g., reducing mA/kV and adopting automatic exposure control technology), standardizing scan ranges, and establishing local diagnostic reference levels to mitigate radiation risks.

Testicular histology based on testicular biopsy is an important factor for determining appropriate testicular sperm extraction surgery and predicting sperm retrieval outcomes in patients with azoospermia. Therefore, we developed a deep learning (DL) model to establish the associations between testicular grayscale ultrasound images and testicular histology. We retrospectively included two-dimensional testicular grayscale ultrasound from patients with azoospermia (353 men with 4357 images between July 2017 and December 2021 in The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China) to develop a DL model. We obtained testicular histology during conventional testicular sperm extraction. Our DL model was trained based on ultrasound images or fusion data (ultrasound images fused with the corresponding testicular volume) to distinguish spermatozoa presence in pathology (SPP) and spermatozoa absence in pathology (SAP) and to classify maturation arrest (MA) and Sertoli cell-only syndrome (SCOS) in patients with SAP. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs), accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were used to analyze model performance. DL based on images achieved an AUC of 0.922 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.908-0.935), a sensitivity of 80.9%, a specificity of 84.6%, and an accuracy of 83.5% in predicting SPP (including normal spermatogenesis and hypospermatogenesis) and SAP (including MA and SCOS). In the identification of SCOS and MA, DL on fusion data yielded better diagnostic performance with an AUC of 0.979 (95% CI: 0.969-0.989), a sensitivity of 89.7%, a specificity of 97.1%, and an accuracy of 92.1%. Our study provides a noninvasive method to predict testicular histology for patients with azoospermia, which would avoid unnecessary testicular biopsy.
Humans ; Male ; Azoospermia/diagnostic imaging* ; Deep Learning ; Testis/pathology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Adult ; Ultrasonography/methods* ; Sperm Retrieval ; Sertoli Cell-Only Syndrome/diagnostic imaging*

OBJECTIVES: To explore the underlying pharmacological mechanisms and its potential effects of Chinese medicine herbal formula Sini Powder (SNP) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: The active components of SNP and their in vivo distribution were identified using ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Construction of component-target-disease networks, protein-protein interaction network, Gene Ontology function and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis, and molecular docking were employed to analyze the active components and anti-HCC mechanisms of SNP. Cell viability assay and wound healing assay were utilized to confirm the effect of SNP-containing serum (2.5%, 5.0%, 10%, 20%, and 40%), isoprenaline or propranolol (both 10, 100, and 1,000 µ mol/L) on proliferation and migration of HepG 2 or Huh7 cells. Meanwhile, the effect of isoprenaline or propranolol on the β 2 adrenergic receptor (ADRB2) mRNA expression on HepG2 cells were measured by real-time quantitative reverse transcription (RT-qPCR). Mice with subcutaneous tumors were either subjected to chronic restraint stress (CRS) followed by SNP administration (364 mg/mL) or directly treated with SNP (364 mg/mL). These two parallel experiments were performed to validate the effects of SNP on stress responses. Stress-related proteins and hormones were quantified using RT-qPCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and immunohistochemistry. Metagenomic sequencing was performed to confirm the influence of SNP on the gut microbiota in the tumor-bearing CRS mice. RESULTS: The distribution of the 12 active components of SNP was confirmed in various tissues and feces. Network pharmacology analysis confirmed the anti-HCC effects of the 5 active components. The potential anti-HCC mechanisms of SNP may involve the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase Src (SRC) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathways. SNP-containing serum inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 and Huh7 cells at concentrations of 2.5% and 5.0%, respectively, after 24 h of treatment. Furthermore, SNP suppressed tumor progression in tumor-bearing mice exposed to CRS. SNP treatment also downregulated the expressions of stress-related proteins and pro-inflammatory cytokines, primarily by modulating the gut microbiota. Specifically, the abundance of Alistipes and Prevotella, which belong to the phylum Bacteroidetes, increased in the SNP-treated group, whereas Lachnospira, in the phylum Firmicutes, decreased. CONCLUSION SNP can combat HCC by alleviating stress responses through the regulation of gut microbiota.
Animals ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Liver Neoplasms/microbiology* ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/microbiology* ; Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Powders ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Mice ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Hep G2 Cells ; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2/genetics* ; Stress, Physiological/drug effects* ; Cell Movement/drug effects* ; Male ; Protein Interaction Maps/drug effects* ; Cell Survival/drug effects* ; Proto-Oncogene Mas

Ovarian tumor (OT) is the most lethal form of gynecologic malignancy, with minimal improvements in patient outcomes over the past several decades. Metastasis is the leading cause of ovarian cancer-related deaths, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Psychological stress is known to activate the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1), a factor associated with poor prognosis in OT patients. However, the precise mechanisms linking NR3C1 signaling and metastasis have yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we demonstrate that chronic restraint stress accelerates epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis in OT through an NR3C1-dependent mechanism involving nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1). Mechanistically, NR3C1 directly regulates the transcription of NUPR1, which in turn increases the expression of snail family transcriptional repressor 2 (SNAI2), a key driver of EMT. Clinically, elevated NR3C1 positively correlates with NUPR1 expression in OT patients, and both are positively associated with poorer prognosis. Overall, our study identified the NR3C1/NUPR1 axis as a critical regulatory pathway in psychological stress-induced OT metastasis, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for intervention in OT metastasis.

Intentional tooth replantation (ITR) is an advanced treatment modality and the procedure of last resort for preserving teeth with inaccessible endodontic or resorptive lesions. ITR is defined as the deliberate extraction of a tooth; evaluation of the root surface, endodontic manipulation, and repair; and placement of the tooth back into its original socket. Case reports, case series, cohort studies, and randomized controlled trials have demonstrated the efficacy of ITR in the retention of natural teeth that are untreatable or difficult to manage with root canal treatment or endodontic microsurgery. However, variations in clinical protocols for ITR exist due to the empirical nature of the original protocols and rapid advancements in the field of oral biology and dental materials. This heterogeneity in protocols may cause confusion among dental practitioners; therefore, guidelines and considerations for ITR should be explicated. This expert consensus discusses the biological foundation of ITR, the available clinical protocols and current status of ITR in treating teeth with refractory apical periodontitis or anatomical aberration, and the main complications of this treatment, aiming to refine the clinical management of ITR in accordance with the progress of basic research and clinical studies; the findings suggest that ITR may become a more consistent evidence-based option in dental treatment.
Humans ; Tooth Replantation/methods* ; Consensus ; Periapical Periodontitis/surgery*

Objective: To analyze and assess the current status of high blood pressure and associated factors among primary and secondary school students in Xinjiang in 2023, so as to provide a scientific basis for prevention and control decision making of high blood pressure among students. Methods: From September to November 2023, a total of 94 205 primary and secondary school students aged 8-17 from 14 prefectures and cities in Xinjiang, were selected for physical measurement and questionnaire survey using a stratified clustering random sampling method. The χ 2 test was employed to compare differences in high blood pressure rates among students with varying characteristics. Additionally, a Logistic regression model was developed to analyze associated factors with high blood pressure among primary and secondary school students. Results: The overall high blood pressure rate among primary and secondary school students in Xinjiang was 8.18%, with simple systolic hypertension being the main type at 52.16%. By educational stages, high blood pressure rates for elementary school (grades 4-6), middle school, high school and vocational high school were 8.04%, 8.59%, 7.65%, and 9.72% respectively ( χ 2=29.16, P <0.01). The high blood pressure rates among obese and overweight students were 9.93% and 17.88% respectively, significantly higher than 5.32% among normal weight students ( χ 2=1 643.14, P < 0.01 ). The high blood pressure rate among urban students (8.73%) was higher than that of rural students (7.15%) ( χ 2=71.58, P <0.01). Logistic regression model analysis showed increased high blood pressure risk for girls than boys ( OR = 1.06 ); middle school, high school, and vocational high school students had increased high blood pressure risk compared to elementary school students ( OR =1.22, 1.16, 1.70); rural students had lower high blood pressure risk than urban students ( OR =0.90); the risk of high blood pressure in overweight and obese groups was higher than that in the normal group ( OR =1.54, 3.00), and the risk of high blood pressure in boarding students was lower than that in non boarding students ( OR =0.71)( P <0.01). Conclusions In Xinjiang in 2023, primary and secondary school students have a certain rate of high blood pressure, mainly characterized by elevated systblood pressure lower. The main prevention and control targets are females, urban residents, those in higher academic stages, non boarding students, as well as overweight and obese primary and secondary school students.