Abstract In China, the onset of puberty in children has been occurring increasingly earlier, coinciding with a rising prevalence of hypertension among adolescents. The association between early pubertal timing and hypertension has become a focal point of research. The study systematically examines the relationship between earlier pubertal timing of children and hypertension during both childhood and adulthood. It explores the underlying mechanisms from multiple perspectives, including sex hormone regulation, metabolic disorders, and psychological and behavioral factors. Furthermore, based on the principles of three level prevention, relevant intervention measures have been proposed to provide new evidence for advancing the prevention and control of hypertension starting in childhood.

BACKGROUND:The correlation between sacroiliac joint degeneration and lumbar degenerative disease has been analyzed in the literature in the past,but the clinical efficacy and imaging changes after interbody fusion with sacroiliac joint ankylosis in patients with lumbar degenerative disease have not been reported in the literature.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of sacroiliac joint ankylosis on the clinical efficacy and lumbar sagittal regression after L5/S1 single-segment transforminal lumbar interbody fusion in patients with lumbar degenerative disease.METHODS:Thirty-seven patients who underwent L5/S1 segmental transforminal lumbar interbody fusion for lumbar degenerative disease with sacroiliac joint ankylosis between June 2020 and September 2023 in Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University were retrospectively analyzed as group A.Thirty-seven patients with lumbar degenerative disease without sacroiliac joint ankylosis who were matched for general information during the same period were selected as controls in group B.Clinical efficacy was assessed using the Oswestry disability index and visual analog scale for lumbar and lower limb pain.The lumbar sagittal parameters included lumbar anterior convexity angle,lumbar partial anterior convexity angle,and lower lumbar anterior convexity angle.Pfirrmann grading was used to assess the degree of preoperative disc degeneration,postoperative endplate damage and screw loosening,and to record the fusion of the operated segments at the final postoperative follow-up visit.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)There was no statistically significant difference in age,body mass index,bone mineral density,operation time,intraoperative bleeding,preoperative primary diagnosis and postoperative follow-up time between the two groups(P＞0.05).(2)The preoperative Pfirrmann grading of lumbar disc degeneration in group A patients(3.4±0.9)was significantly higher than that of group B(3.1±0.6),and the difference was statistically significant(t=2.059,P=0.044).(3)All patients showed significant improvement in postoperative lumbar sagittal parameters compared with preoperative ones(all P＜0.05).During the follow-up period,there was a loss of correction in patients in group A.There was no statistical difference in the lumbar anterior convexity angle,lower lumbar anterior convexity angle,and local anterior convexity angle at the last follow-up compared with the preoperative period(P＞0.05).The lumbar anterior convexity angle,lower lumbar anterior convexity angle,and local anterior convexity angle in group A were significantly lower than those of group B patients at both preoperative and final follow-up,and the differences were statistically significant(all P＜0.05).(4)There was no statistically significant difference in postoperative endplate injury between the two groups(x2=0.181,P=0.670),and screw loosening was significantly higher in group A than in group B,with a statistically significant difference(x2=4.163,P=0.041).(5)At the last follow-up,the incidence of grade 3 fusion and grade 4 fusion was significantly higher in group A than in group B.The difference in the distribution of fusion grades between the two groups was statistically significant(x2=7.848,P=0.031).(6)The Oswestry disability index and lower limb visual analog scale scores at the last follow-up of both groups were significantly improved compared with the preoperative period(P＜0.05).The visual analog scale scores for low back pain at 3 months after surgery and at the last follow-up of group A were significantly higher than those of group B(t=2.010,P=0.048;t=2.133,P=0.036).(7)It is concluded that regardless of whether it is accompanied by sacroiliac joint ankylosis or not,lumbar degenerative disease patients who undergo interbody fusion with foramen magnum can achieve good therapeutic effects,but lumbar degenerative disease patients with sacroiliac joint ankylosis who undergo interbody fusion with foramen magnum at the L5/S1 segments have a poorer improvement of low back pain than patients without sacroiliac joint ankylosis after the operation.Furthermore,patients with preoperative sacroiliac ankylosis who underwent L5/S1 segmental transforminal lumbar interbody fusion had a low fusion rate and were prone to loss of correction of the lumbar sagittal position.

BACKGROUND:The quadriceps strength of patients with osteoporosis and sarcopenia is significantly reduced,which can further reduce the function of the knee joint,affect the function of the lower limbs and even lead to a decrease in whole-body coordination.It is speculated that a reasonable quadriceps training program and personalized guidance are beneficial to the recovery of knee joint function in patients with osteoporosis and sarcopenia.OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of short-term moderate-intensity resistance rehabilitation training on the mass and function of the quadriceps and knee joint function in patients with osteoporosis and sarcopenia.METHODS:Using the integrated physical examination and rehabilitation model,375 patients with osteoporosis and sarcopenia were screened at the Health Management Center of Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center.They underwent 12 weeks of combined/comprehensive exercise rehabilitation based on resistance exercise,including quadriceps resistance isotonic and isometric contraction training twice a week(3-5 sets each time,10-15 minutes per set)and aerobic exercise/balance exercise two or three times a week(30 minutes each time).Assessments and data collection were performed before rehabilitation training,12 weeks after rehabilitation training,and at follow-up 12 weeks after stopping rehabilitation training,mainly including knee joint range of motion and proprioception,quadriceps muscle strength,and cross-sectional area(magnetic resonance imaging results),pain,knee joint function(Hospital for Special Surgery score)and walking function("up-and-go"time and 6 m pace test results)as well as the patient's psychological status assessment.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:All 375 patients completed 12 weeks of rehabilitation training and 12 weeks of follow-up without any adverse events.(1)Compared with before training,the patients' gait speed and knee range of motion increased significantly after 12 weeks of rehabilitation training(P＜0.01),the time of"stand-to-walk"decreased(P＜0.01),and the proprioception of the knee joint and the strength of the quadriceps femoris were significantly improved(P＜0.01);and at the follow-up visit 12 weeks after stopping training,the above indicators and functions of the patients were well maintained(P＞0.05).(2)Magnetic resonance imaging results showed that the effective cross-sectional area of the quadriceps femoris did not improve significantly after 12 weeks of rehabilitation training(P＞0.05);but the Hospital for Special Surgery score of knee joint function increased significantly(P＜0.01),and the visual analog pain scale score decreased significantly(P＜0.01),suggesting that this may be related to the improvement of quadriceps femoris quality by resistance rehabilitation training.(3)The results of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale score showed that the anxiety and depression scores of the patients continued to decrease,both at 12 weeks of rehabilitation training and at 12 weeks after stopping training(P＜0.01).It is suggested that resistance rehabilitation training of the quadriceps can help patients with osteoporosis and sarcopenia to restore quadriceps muscle strength,increase range of motion,improve proprioception and joint stability,thereby enhancing knee joint function,reducing pain,improving depression and anxiety,and to a certain extent promoting the coordinated recovery of the musculoskeletal system.

To thoroughly implement the strategic deployment outlined in the Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Promoting the Inheritance and Innovative Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine regarding research on dominant diseases of traditional Chinese medicine and to uphold the development philosophy of equal emphasis on traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine，the China Association of Chinese Medicine has fully played a leading academic role by systematically organizing and conducting a series of academic youth salons on clinical dominant diseases of traditional Chinese medicine. On September 13，2024，the 36^th Youth Salon on Clinical Dominant Diseases was successfully held in Nanjing，focusing on the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine and the integrative traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine in the diagnosis and treatment of erectile dysfunction （ED）. The conference brought together leading experts from traditional Chinese medicine，western medicine，and interdisciplinary fields，facilitating in-depth multidisciplinary discussions that led to key consensus on optimizing traditional Chinese medicine treatment protocols for ED，researching and developing new drugs of traditional Chinese medicine，and advancing interdisciplinary development in traditional Chinese medicine. This salon systematically sorted out the clinical strengths and distinctive features of traditional Chinese medicine in the diagnosis and treatment of ED. Based on current research foundations and clinical needs，it identified key directions for future scientific layout and scientific research tackling： （1） Standardization of syndrome differentiation system of traditional Chinese medicine for ED. （2） Optimization and standardization of intervention methods of integrated traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine. （3） High-quality clinical research guided by evidence-based medicine. （4） In-depth analysis of the pharmacological mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of ED. （5） Clinical translation and application promotion of new drugs of traditional Chinese medicine. （6） Interdisciplinary integration and innovation in traditional Chinese medicine. For each research direction，key focus areas，expected objectives，and clinical value were further refined，along with the establishment of a scientifically sound priority funding level evaluation system. Therefore，building on the series of salons on the ED-focused dominant diseases of traditional Chinese medicine，this paper provides standardized guidance for clinical practice of traditional Chinese medicine in ED management，effectively contributing to the high-quality development of traditional Chinese medicine. It serves as a valuable reference for national scientific and technological strategic layout， research and development decision-making in new drugs of traditional Chinese medicine，research topic planning，and clinical guideline formulation.

ObjectiveGastrodia elata has evolved ecological types with shortened rhizome internodes and diversified flower and fruit coloration in response to different altitudes. Studying the genetic mechanisms of different ecotype germplasm is significant for guiding variety breeding in different cultivation areas. MethodsThe bHLH gene family was identified based on the whole-genome datasets of G. elata f. elata and G. elata f. glauca. Subsequently， the gene family members were subject to analysis， including gene structure， chromosomal localization， cis-acting elements， gene synteny， and phylogeny. Combined with transcriptome data and quantitative Real-time PCR， the expression patterns of bHLH genes in the stems of the different G. elata ecotype germplasm were analyzed. Finally， correlation analysis was conducted between gene expression patterns and color to obtain the key bHLH genes regulating the color formation of stem. ResultsA total of 63 bHLH genes were identified in both G elata f. elata and G. elata f. glauca， unevenly distributed across 17 chromosomes and clustered into 16 subfamilies， with significant expansion in some family members. Obvious inversions of bHLH genes on the same chromosome and interchromosomal translocations were detected in the two ecotype germplasm. Among these genes， 12 bHLH genes （such as bHLH62-3 and bHLH74） were associated with the bright yellow color of G elata f. elata stem， while 9 bHLH genes （such as PIL13， UNE12， and bHLH130） were correlated with the red color of G. elata f. glauca stem. Compared to G. elata f. glauca， the bHLH48 expression level was significantly higher in flowers and scale leaves of G elata f. elata， and the bHLH62-3 expression level was significantly higher in all organs of G elata f. elata. ConclusionsFunctional pathway divergence of the bHLH family members has occurred across different chromosomes in G elata f. elata and G. elata f. glauca. Through synergism or antagonism with other genes， 21 bHLH genes participate in the coloration metabolic pathway regulation of stems， flowers， and fruits. Specifically， bHLH62-3 is involved in regulating stem color differentiation in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway of G. elata， thus relevant to the color formation of stem. Additionally， GebHLH48 positively regulates flowering-related pathways to promote the early-flowering phenotype of G. elata f. elata. These findings have laid the foundation for analyzing the genetic regulatory mechanisms underlying the color formation of the G. elata stem.

ObjectiveGastrodia elata has evolved ecological types with shortened rhizome internodes and diversified flower and fruit coloration in response to different altitudes. Studying the genetic mechanisms of different ecotype germplasm is significant for guiding variety breeding in different cultivation areas. MethodsThe bHLH gene family was identified based on the whole-genome datasets of G. elata f. elata and G. elata f. glauca. Subsequently， the gene family members were subject to analysis， including gene structure， chromosomal localization， cis-acting elements， gene synteny， and phylogeny. Combined with transcriptome data and quantitative Real-time PCR， the expression patterns of bHLH genes in the stems of the different G. elata ecotype germplasm were analyzed. Finally， correlation analysis was conducted between gene expression patterns and color to obtain the key bHLH genes regulating the color formation of stem. ResultsA total of 63 bHLH genes were identified in both G elata f. elata and G. elata f. glauca， unevenly distributed across 17 chromosomes and clustered into 16 subfamilies， with significant expansion in some family members. Obvious inversions of bHLH genes on the same chromosome and interchromosomal translocations were detected in the two ecotype germplasm. Among these genes， 12 bHLH genes （such as bHLH62-3 and bHLH74） were associated with the bright yellow color of G elata f. elata stem， while 9 bHLH genes （such as PIL13， UNE12， and bHLH130） were correlated with the red color of G. elata f. glauca stem. Compared to G. elata f. glauca， the bHLH48 expression level was significantly higher in flowers and scale leaves of G elata f. elata， and the bHLH62-3 expression level was significantly higher in all organs of G elata f. elata. ConclusionsFunctional pathway divergence of the bHLH family members has occurred across different chromosomes in G elata f. elata and G. elata f. glauca. Through synergism or antagonism with other genes， 21 bHLH genes participate in the coloration metabolic pathway regulation of stems， flowers， and fruits. Specifically， bHLH62-3 is involved in regulating stem color differentiation in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway of G. elata， thus relevant to the color formation of stem. Additionally， GebHLH48 positively regulates flowering-related pathways to promote the early-flowering phenotype of G. elata f. elata. These findings have laid the foundation for analyzing the genetic regulatory mechanisms underlying the color formation of the G. elata stem.

Objective To investigate the impact of intraoperative red blood cell (RBC) transfusion volume on the postoperative oxygenation index in lung transplant recipients. Methods This retrospective study analyzed the clinical data of patients who underwent lung transplantation at Wuxi People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University from 2021 to 2023. Patients were divided into a non-severe primary graft dysfunction (PGD) group and a severe PGD group based on whether their postoperative oxygenation index was>200 mm Hg at 0, 24, and 48 h. General patient data and intraoperative RBC transfusion volumes were compared between the two groups. A binary logistic regression model was constructed to explore the effect size (OR and its 95%CI) of RBC transfusion volume on postoperative oxygenation status at different time points (0, 24, and 48 h). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was calculated to evaluate the model's diagnostic performance. Results A total of 351 patients were included (260 males, 91 females), with ages ranging from 20 to 77 years. The OR for the effect of intraoperative RBC transfusion on poor oxygenation was 1.486 (95%CI 0.982 to 2.248, P=0.061) at 0 h postoperatively, 3.111 (95%CI 1.793 to 5.399, P<0.001) at 24 h, and 1.583 (95%CI 1.026 to 2.442, P=0.038) at 48 h. This indicated that as time progressed, the postoperative oxygenation status of lung transplant recipients was affected by the intraoperative transfusion volume. Furthermore, an RBC transfusion volume>975 mLhad a significant impact on patient oxygenation at 24 and 48 h postoperatively. Conclusion The volume of intraoperative RBC transfusion has a significant impact on the oxygenation status at 24 and 48 h postoperatively. Intraoperative RBC transfusion volume is associated with the occurrence of severe PGD after lung transplantation. Controlling the volume of RBC transfusion during lung transplantation may help reduce the incidence of severe PGD.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the most common chronic respiratory disease around the world, and pharmacotherapy is the foremost treatment method currently. In recent decades, with the rapid development of bronchoscopic interventional therapy, endoscopic physical ablation technology presents a therapeutic effect in treating COPD, with few treatment-related side effects, showing excellent application prospects in treating COPD. Since ablation techniques in this field are emerging technologies with low patient acceptance, they are not widely used in the clinical treatment of COPD. This article reviews the development process of physical ablation techniques. Moreover, their current application status and the prospects in the field of COPD treatment are also summarized and analyzed. We hope to promote the application of physical ablation in the clinical treatment of COPD and provide practical references and a theoretical basis for the clinical treatment of COPD.

ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the effectiveness and mechanisms of Polygonati Rhizoma polysaccharides （PRP） on improving cognitive and emotional functions in the ovariectomy （OVX）-Alzheimer's disease （AD） model rats. MethodsAfter being randomly divided into blank group， model group， estradiol group （0.18 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）， low-PRP group （200 mg·kg^-1）， medium-PRP group （400 mg·kg^-1）， and high-PRP group （800 mg·kg^-1）， 60 SPF female Sprague-Dawley （SD） rats were subjected to OVX. One week later， vaginal smear examination as well as D-galactose intraperitoneal injection （150 mg·kg^-1·d^-1， once daily， for eight weeks） were adopted to establish the OVX-AD model， and drug intervention was initiated nine weeks after surgery. Upon completion of the treatment course， cognitive and emotional functions， as well as hippocampal CA3 region damage were assessed in all rats by open-field test， new object recognition test， Morris water maze test， and transmission electron microscopy. Indicators of inflammation ［interleukin-6 （IL-6）， tumor-necrosis-factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β））， oxidative-stress （superoxide-dismutase （SOD）， glutathione-peroxidase （GSH-Px）］ were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） and biochemical methods. The mRNA and protein expression levels of estrogen-receptor α （ERα）/phosphoinositide 3kinase （PI3K）/protein-kinase-B （Akt） signaling pathway， apoptosis ［Bcl-2 associated X protein （Bax）， B-cell lymphoma/leukemia-2 （Bcl-2）］ and the indicators of pathological sedimentary proteins ［amyloid β-protein_1-42 （Aβ_1-42）， microtubule-associated protein Tau， phosphorylated site 404 of microtubule-associated protein Tau ［p-Tau （Ser404）］ were detected by using real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and western blot analysis. ResultsCompared with those in blank group， the rats in model group exhibited marked ultra-structural damage to hippocampal CA3 neurons， along with the reduction of activity time and shuttle frequency in central area， the index and exploration frequency of new object recognition， and the platform crossings and time spent in target quadrant， as well as the prolonged latency （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Furthermore， the contents and expression levels of IL-6， TNF-α， IL-1β， Bax， Aβ_1-42， Tau， and p-Tau （Ser404） were significantly increased， and the activity and expression of SOD， GSH-Px， ERα， PI3K， Akt， and Bcl-2 were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared to those in model group， the rats in estradiol group and groups with different doses of PRP noticeably presented with amelioration of neuronal damage， along with increased activity time and shuttle frequency in the central zone， elevated new object recognition index and exploration frequency， shortened latency， prolonged activity time， and increased platform crossings in the target quadrant （P<0.05， P<0.01）. What is more， the contents and expression levels of IL-6， TNF-α， IL-1β， Bax， Aβ_1-42， Tau， and p-Tau （Ser404） were significantly reduced， whereas the activity and expression levels of SOD， GSH-Px， ERα， PI3K， Akt， and Bcl-2 were markedly elevated （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionPRP can improve the cognitive and emotional functions of AD model rats， and its mechanisms are probably related to modulating the ERα/PI3K/Akt pathway as well as inhibiting Aβ， Tau， neuro-inflammation， oxidative stress， and apoptosis， resulting in alleviation of neuronal damage.

ObjectiveThe biosynthesis of heterophyllin B （HB）， a cyclopeptide from Pseudostellaria heterophylla， is regulated by various abiotic stresses. Elucidating the transcriptional regulatory mechanism underlying HB biosynthesis is of great guiding significance for the directional improvement of P. heterophylla varieties and the enhancement of HB content. MethodsBased on transcriptome data from different tissues of P. heterophylla， transcription factors （TFs） specifically upregulated and highly expressed in the phloem of tuberous roots were screened through a combination of Mfuzz time-series clustering， transcription factor family prediction， and correlation analysis. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was employed to analyze expression patterns of candidate TFs under abscisic acid （ABA） induction， and the dual-luciferase reporter assay was applied to verify their regulatory effects on HB precursor genes. ResultsContent determination showed that HB accumulated at the highest in the phloem of P. heterophylla tuberous roots （34 μg·g^-1 fresh weight）. Transcriptome analysis identified 15 868 up-regulated differentially expressed genes （DEGs）， among which 4 375 were specifically up-regulated in the phloem. From these， 25 TFs highly expressed in the phloem were screened. Correlation analysis revealed that the expression level of WRKY70 was significantly positively correlated with HB content， the expression of precursor genes prePhHB， and PhPOP1. Additionally， WRKY70 expression was significantly upregulated under ABA induction. Dual-luciferase reporter assay confirmed that WRKY70 specifically activated the transcriptional activity of the prePhHB promoter （Pro-prePhHB）. ConclusionHB is mainly accumulated in the phloem of P. heterophylla tuberous roots. WRKY70 positively regulates HB biosynthesis by directly activating the promoter activity of prePhHB. This study clarifies the key role of WRKY70 in the regulation of HB biosynthesis and provides an important theoretical basis for the in-depth analysis of the molecular regulatory mechanism underlying HB biosynthesis.