Recently, male reproductive health has attracted extensive attention, with the adverse effects of circadian disruption on male fertility gradually gaining recognition. However, the mechanism by which circadian disruption leads to damage to male reproductive system remains unclear. In this review, we first summarized the dual regulatory roles of circadian clock genes on the male reproductive system: (1) circadian regulation of testosterone synthesis via the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular (HPT) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axes; (2) non-circadian regulation of spermatogenesis. Next, we further listed the possible mechanisms by which circadian disruption impairs male fertility, including interference with the oscillatory function of the reproductive system, i.e., synchronization of the HPT axis, crosstalk between the HPT axis and the HPA axis, as well as direct damage to germ cells by disturbing the non-oscillatory function of the reproductive system. Future research using spatiotemporal omics, epigenomic assays, and neural circuit mapping in studying the male reproductive system may provide new clues to systematically unravel the mechanisms by which circadian disruption affects male reproductive system through circadian clock genes.
Male ; Humans ; Animals ; Circadian Clocks/physiology* ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System/physiology* ; Circadian Rhythm/genetics* ; Spermatogenesis/physiology* ; Pituitary-Adrenal System/physiology* ; Testis/physiology* ; Testosterone/biosynthesis* ; CLOCK Proteins ; Infertility, Male/physiopathology*

Cardiac fibrosis(CF) is a cardiac pathological process characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix(ECM). When the heart is damaged by adverse stimuli, cardiac fibroblasts are activated and secrete a large amount of ECM, leading to changes in cardiac fibrosis, myocardial stiffness, and cardiac function declines and accelerating the development of heart failure. There is a close relationship between heart yin deficiency and cardiac fibrosis, which have similar pathogenic mechanisms. Heart Yin deficiency, characterized by insufficient Yin fluids, causes the heart to lose its nourishing function, which acts as the initiating factor for myocardial dystrophy. The deficiency of body fluids leads to stagnation of blood flow, resulting in blood stasis and water retention. Blood stasis and water retention accumulate in the heart, which aligns with the pathological manifestation of excessive deposition of ECM, as a tangible pathogenic factor. This is an inevitable stage of the disease process. The lingering of blood stasis combined with water retention eventually leads to the generation of heat and toxins, triggering inflammatory responses similar to heat toxins, which continuously stimulate the heart and cause the ultimate outcome of CF. Considering the syndrome of heart Yin deficiency, traditional Chinese medicine capable of nourishing Yin, activating blood, and promoting urination can reduce myocardial cell apoptosis, inhibit fibroblast activation, and lower the inflammation level, showing significant advantages in combating CF.
Humans ; Fibrosis/drug therapy* ; Animals ; Yin Deficiency/metabolism* ; Myocardium/metabolism* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*

Dendrobium officinale(DO) is a traditional Chinese medicinal and edible plant, while it is critically endangered worldwide. This article, primarily based on the original research findings of the author's team and available articles, provides a comprehensive overview of the factors contributing to the endangerment of DO and the key technologies for the conservation, efficient cultivation, and value-added utilization of this plant. The scarcity of wild populations, low seed-setting rates, lack of endosperm in seeds, and the need for symbiosis with endophytic fungi for seed germination under natural conditions are identified as the primary causes for the rarity and endangerment of DO. Artificial seed production and tissue culture are highlighted as key technologies for alleviating the endangered status. The physiological and ecological mechanisms underlying the adaptation of DO to epiphytic growth are explored, and it is proposed that breaking the coupling of high temperature and high humidity is essential for preventing southern blight, a devastating affliction of DO. The roles of endophytic fungi in promoting the growth, improving the quality, and enhancing the stress resistance of DO are discussed. Furthermore, the integration of variety breeding, environment selection, and co-culture with endophytic fungi is emphasized as a crucial approach for efficient cultivation. The value-added applications of DO in pharmaceuticals, health foods, food products, and daily chemicals-particularly in the food and daily chemical industries-are presented as key drivers for a 10-billion-RMB-level industry. This systematic review offers valuable insights for the further development, utilization, and industrialization of DO resources, as well as for the broader application of conservation strategies for other rare and endangered plant species.
Dendrobium/microbiology* ; Endangered Species ; Seeds/microbiology* ; Fungi/physiology*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical significance of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in response evaluation and relapse monitoring for patients with primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL). METHODS: The clinical characteristics, efficacy and survival of 38 PMBCL patients in our hospital from January 2010 to April 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The ctDNA monitoring was conducted by targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS). RESULTS: Among the 38 patients, 26 cases were female, and 32 cases were diagnosed with Ann Arbor stage I-II. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate and progression-free survival (PFS) rate were 74.7% and 61.7%, respectively. Males and those with high aaIPI scores (3 points) had a relatively poor prognosis. The NGS results of 23 patients showed that STAT6 (65.2%), SOCS1 (56.5%), and TNFAIP3 (56.5%) were the most common mutated genes. Patients with stable disease (SD)/progressive disease (PD) exhibited enrichment in cell cycle, FoxO, and TNF signaling pathways. A total of 29 patients underwent end-of-treatment PET/CT (EOT PET/CT), and 16 of them received ctDNA monitoring with 12 negative. Among 6 patients with EOT PET/CT positive (Deauville 4), 4 underwent ctDNA monitoring, and 3 of them were negative, being still in continuous remission without any subsequent anti-tumor therapy. CONCLUSION CtDNA may be combined with PET/CT to assess efficacy, monitor relapse, and guide treatment of PMBCL.
Humans ; Circulating Tumor DNA/blood* ; Female ; Mediastinal Neoplasms ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Prognosis ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse/genetics* ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Mutation

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has recently been proposed as a key player in the representation of itch stimuli. However, to date, little is known about the contribution of specific ACC interneuron populations to itch processing. Using c-Fos immunolabeling and in vivo Ca²⁺ imaging, we reported that both histamine and chloroquine stimuli-induced acute itch caused a marked enhancement of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-expressing interneuron activity in the ACC. Behavioral data indicated that optogenetic and chemogenetic activation of these neurons reduced scratching responses related to histaminergic and non-histaminergic acute itch. Similar neural activity and modulatory role of these neurons were seen in mice with chronic itch induced by contact dermatitis. Together, this study highlights the importance of ACC VIP⁺ neurons in modulating itch-related affect and behavior, which may help us to develop novel mechanism-based strategies to treat refractory chronic itch in the clinic.
Animals ; Pruritus/physiopathology* ; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide/metabolism* ; Interneurons/metabolism* ; Gyrus Cinguli/metabolism* ; Mice ; Male ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Histamine ; Chloroquine ; Optogenetics ; Mice, Transgenic

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of compound Wufengcao liquid combined with negative pressure wound therapy with instillation(NPWTi)for the treatment of stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ pressure injury(PI),and to preliminarily explore its action mechanism.Methods(1)Clinical research:from January 2019 to October 2022,60 PI patients who were admitted to the Scrofula Department and Wound Care Clinic at Nanjing Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine were randomly divided into normal saline NPWTi group and compound Wufengcao liquid NPWTi group,with 30 cases in each group.Both groups underwent NPWTi under the premise of systemic basic treatment,before treatment,after removing the negative pressure device in the 1st,2nd and 3rd weeks of treatment,the pressure ulcer scale for healing(PUSH)score,the wound bacterial culture detection rate and the wound healing time were counted,and the vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)content of wound tissue was detected by ELISA method.(2)Animal experiments:24 SD rats were randomly divided into blank group,model group,normal saline NPWTi group and compound Wufengcao liquid NPWTi group,6 rats in each group.PI rat model was established by local tissue ischemia/reperfusion injury method,and the negative pressure device was removed at the end of each day of treatment.Before treatment and 3,7 and 10 days after treatment,the wound morphology of each group of rats was observed,the wound histopathology was observed by HE staining,the CD34 positive cells rate of wound tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry,and the expressions of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(p38 MAPK),nuclear factor-κB p65(NF-κB p65),inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),arginase-1(Arg-1)and transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β)in rat blood and wound tissue were detected by ELISA and RT-qPCR.Results(1)Clinical research:Both groups could effectively reduce the PUSH score and the wound bacterial culture detection rate,shorten the wound healing time,and promote the expression of VEGF in wound tissue,the compound Wufengcao liquid NPWTi group was better than the normal saline NPWTi group(P<0.05).(2)Animal experiments:Compared with blank group,the rats in the model group showed obvious wound inflammatory response and tissue damage,and the CD34 positive cells rate,blood and wound tissue p38 MAPK,NF-κB p65,iNOS and TNF-α levels were significantly increased,Arg-1 and TGF-β level was significantly reduced(P<0.05);Compared with model group,after 7 days of treatment,the normal saline NPWTi group and the compound Wufengcao liquid NPWTi group significantly decreased the wound morphology score,the histopathological morphology was significantly improved,the CD34 positive cells rate was significantly increased(P<0.05),the levels of blood and wound tissue p38 MAPK,NF-κB p65,iNOS,and TNF-α were significantly reduced,and the levels of Arg-1 and TGF-β were significantly increased(P<0.05),and the compound Wufengcao liquid NPWTi group was better than that of the normal saline NPWTi group(P<0.05).Conclusion Compound Wufengcao liquid combined with NPWTi can effectively promote the healing of PI wounds,and its mechanism of action may be by inhibiting the activation and expression of p38 MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway,thereby regulating the polarization balance of M1/M2 macrophages.

Objective To explore the property of projection neurons in the pathway from the medial prefrontal cortex(mPFC)to the thalamic paraventricular nucleus(PVT)and to investigate the effect of modulation of the pathway on physiological pain and acute pain in mice.Methods Three knock-in mice with glutamate decarboxylase 67-green fluorescent protein(GAD67-GFP)were used in morphological tracing experiments,and twenty-seven C57 mice were used for behavioral observation experiments.Cholera toxin subunit B(CTB)was injected into the PVT of GAD67-GFP transgenic mice,and the properties of mPFC neurons projected to PVT were observed.The mPFC-PVT pathway was activated or inhibited by chemogenetics to observe the effects on physiological pain,such as mechanical pain,thermal pain,cold pain,and on acute inflammatory pain induced by capsaicin in mice.Results CTB-labeled neurons in the mPFC were mainly distributed in layer Ⅴ and layer Ⅵ and not double-labeled with GAD67-GFP.Chemogenetic activation of the mPFC-PVT pathway decreased the mechanical pain threshold significantly(P＜0.0001)and shortened the thermal pain latency(P＜0.001),but had no obvious effects on cold pain.Inhibition of this pathway increased the mechanical pain threshold significantly(P＜0.05).Activation of the pathway increased the paw licking time(P＜0.05)in acute inflammatory pain induced by capsaicin.Conclusion mPFC-PVT pathway is a non GABAergic projection and its activation can promote mechanical pain,thermal pain,and acute inflammatory pain induced by capsaicin in mice.

Objective:To establish an environmental management strategy for the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia from the perspective of etiological characteristics and to verify its application effect.Methods:Based on a sampling survey, this study constructed preventive management strategies for ventilator-associated pneumonia by blocking pathogen characteristics from the perspective of both colonization and infection management in patients. From July 2021 to June 2023, a non-synchronous randomized controlled study was conducted, including a control group of 59 cases and an experimental group of 57 cases from ICU of Tianjin Teda Hospital, all of them were mechanically ventilated patients. The effectiveness of the strategy was confirmed.Results:In the control group, there were 35 males and 24 females, with an average age of (46.97 ± 18.84) years. In the experimental group, there were 39 males and 18 females, with an average age of (47.49 ± 13.85) years. During the study period, there were 9 cases of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in the control group and 2 cases in the experimental group, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (exact odds ratio=0.031). The duration of mechanical ventilation in the experimental group (122.41 ± 18.36) h, which was shorter than that in the control group (187.62 ± 18.05) h, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=19.28, P<0.05). The length of ICU stay in the experimental group was (8.38 ± 0.79) d, in the control group was (10.99 ± 1.10) d, the difference between them was statistically significant ( t=14.66, P<0.05). On the 7th day, there were 7 cases of positive pathogenic bacteria in sputum culture in the experimental group, which was significantly different from the 29 cases in the control group ( χ2=16.73, P<0.05). Conclusions:The vector management strategy for preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia by blocking etiological characteristics can reduce the incidence of VAP, shorten the duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay, and reduce the pathogen load in the sputum of mechanically ventilated patients on the 7th day.

Objective To analyze the characteristics of adult anomalous aortic origin of coronary artery(AAOCA)and the causes of missed diagnosis by transthoracic echocardiography(TTE)so as to facilitate TTE in diagnosing adult AAOCA.Methods A total of 37 adult patients with AAOCA diagnosed by non-invasive coronary CT angiography(CCTA)and/or invasive coronary angiography(ICA)were selected as research samples at some hospital from January 2019 to December 2022,and their clinical symptoms and the findings of 12-lead electrocardiogram,cardiac enzymes and TTE were summarized;the patients were typed according to the site of origin of coronary artery anomalies,and the causes for the missed diagnosis of TTE were eplored.Chi-square test was used to compare the differences in TTE missed diagnoses.Results Of the 37 patients,31 ones had no or only mild symptoms;most ones had negative results in terms of 12-lead electrocardiography,cardiac enzymes,changes in the size of the cardiac chambers,segmental ventricular wall motion abnormalities and left ventricular systolic function.The patients with anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from left sinus(ARCA-L)gained the largest proportion of 59.45％(22/37);21 patients were diagnosed with anomalous origin of coronary artery arising from the opposite sinus(ACAOS)in the two examinations of TTE,of whom there were 19 cases of ARCA-L,and the detection rate of ACAOS by TTE was 87.5％;all the 13 patients origins in branches and high-grade openings were missed by TTE.The detection rate of ACAOS by TTE was significantly higher than that of coronary artery anomalies originating in branches and in high openings,and the difference was statistically significant(21/24 vs 0/13,P＜0.001).Conclusion Most adult AAOCA patients lack specificity in symptoms and related examination results.TTE has a high detection rate of ACAOS,while it is easy to miss the diagnosis of coronary artery anomalies originating from branches and high openings.Ultrasonographers have to identify false negative AAOCA by multi-section and multi-angle scanning and color Doppler flow imaging in order to reduce the rate of missed diagnosis.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2024,45(1):71-75]