Objective To analyze changes and trends of the mortality and causes of death in the residents of Minhang District of Shanghai from 1996 to 2015.Methods Crude death rates (CDR) and age-standardized death rates (ADR) were calculated,respectively.Joinpoint regression was used to analyze the trends in the leading causes of death.Permutation test was used to find whether the joinpoints were statistically significant based on P value＜0.05.Results The elderly population in Minhang District accounted for 18.07％ of the total population in 2015,which increased by 73.89％ than it in 1996.The CDRs of all causes for resent 20 years gradually increased with the annual percentage change (APC) of 0.62％ (P＜0.05),but decreased significantly after standardization (APC =-3.73％,P＜0.05).In 2015,the top five causes of death were circulatory disease;neoplasms;respiratory disease;endocrine,nutritional and metabolic diseases;injury and poisoning in the total population,males and females registered in Minhang District.ADRs of circulatory disease,neoplasms,respiratory disease and injury and poisoning decreased to-3.16％,-1.86％,-8.03％ and -4.96 ％,respectively (P＜0.05).ADRs of endocrine,nutritional and metabolic diseases significantly increased during 1996 to 2001 (APC=16.58％,P＜0.05) and thereafter remained stable.Conclusions The issue of population aging in Minhang District is getting worse,and chronic non-communicable diseases and injury and poisoning can be identified as major public health concerns at present.

Objective Metformin (MET) can reduce blood glucose, act against inflammation, lessen oxidative stress and prevent fibrosis. This study was to investigate the protective effect of MET against acute lung injury (ALI) induced by paraquat poisoning (PQP) in rats. Methods Totally 78 healthy adult SPF male SD rats were randomly divided into five groups, normal control, PQP model control, and low-, medium- and high-dose MET. The PQP model was established in the latter four groups of rats by intraperitoneal injection of paraquat solution at 30 mg/kg and, at 2 hours after modeling, the rats in the three MET intervention groups were treated intragastrically with MET at 100, 400 and 800 mg/kg/d respectively, while those in the normal and PQP model control groups with the same amount of normal saline, all for 7 successive days. Six of the animals from each group were sacrificed at 1, 3 and 7 days and their lung tissues harvested for measurement of the wet/dry weight ratio of the pulmonary tissue and contents of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the plasma, determination of the levels of serum interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) by ELISA, and observation of the pathological changes in the pulmonary tissue by HE staining. Results In the normal control, PQP model control and low-, medium- and high-dose MET groups, the contents of MDA were (2.53±0.36), (3.68±0.26), (3.57±0.52), (3.56±0.83) and (3.68±0.60) nmol/mL respectively on the 1st day of intervention and (2.53±0.36), (5.18±0.56), (5.09±0.88), (3.80±0.91) and (3.96±0.78) nmol/mL at 7 days; those of SOD were (256.18±18.18), (229.24±18.26), (224.65±19.27), (223.20±19.37) and (226.45±11.62) U/mL on the 1st day and (256.18±18.18), (152.06±17.03), (150.76±18.18), (205.95±13.16) and (208.37±12.23) U/mL at 7 days; those of IL-1β were (10.57±2.24), (21.97±5.03), (22.33±4.88), (21.78±5.21) and (22.11±4.19) pg/mL on the 1st day and (10.57±2.24), (91.86±8.40), (91.36±10.65), (63.52±7.06) and (60.35±6.70) pg/mL at 7 days; those of IL-6 were (21.35±2.62), (45.61±3.71), (44.83±5.97), (46.17±7.33) and (45.78±6.55) pg/mL on the 1st day and (21.35±2.62), (84.38±10.21), (85.88±6.70), (49.08±7.70) and (50.26±7.65) pg/mL at 7 days; and those of TNF-α were (32.37±3.74), (71.89±6.98), (72.52±8.23), (71.13±4.50) and (70.15±6.47) pg/mL on the 1st day and (32.37±3.74), (197.04±14.80), (201.59±13.61), (140.17±14.84) and (139.86±11.12) pg/mL at 7 days. Compared with the normal controls, the rats in the PQP model control and the MET intervention groups showed significant increases in the wet/dry weight ratio of the pulmonary tissue and contents of MDA, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α (all P < 0.05), but a decrease in the SOD level in the plasma at 1, 3 and 7 days (P < 0.05). In comparison with the PQP model controls, the animals in the medium- and high-dose MET groups exhibited remarkable decreases in the wet/dry weight ratio of the lungs and contents of MDA, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α (all P < 0.05), but an increase in the SOD level at 7 days (P < 0.05). Massive inflammatory cell infiltration, diffuse pulmonary hemorrhage, alveolar collapse and extensive alveolar septal thickening were observed in the PQP model control and low-dose MET groups but significantly alleviated in the medium- and high-dose MET groups at 7 days. Conclusion Metformin can protect paraquat-poisoned rats against acute lung injury by reducing pulmonary edema and the expressions of inflammation- and oxidation-related factors in the pulmonary tissue.

Objective To explore the severity of loneliness among the elderly in communities in Shanghai,and to identify factors associated with social and emotional loneliness respectively.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in older adults aged 65 years or above in Pudong New Area,Jing'an District and Huangpu District in Shanghai from Mar to Jun 2021.In Pudong New Area,multi-stage stratified random sampling was conducted based on the age and gender distribution of Shanghai,while in Huangpu District and Jing'an District convenience sampling was conducted.A total of 635 samples were included in the study.Loneliness was assessed using the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale with social and emotional loneliness subscales.Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with social and emotional loneliness.Results Among the 635 participants,only 53 older adults(8.4%)were not lonely.Female(OR=0.46,95%CI:0.31-0.70),higher self-efficacy(OR=0.97,95%CI:0.94-1.00),more objective social support(OR=0.96,95%CI:0.93-0.99)were associated with less severe social loneliness.Meanwhile,higher level of education(secondary education,OR=0.56,95%CI:0.34-0.95;college or above,OR=0.30,95%CI:0.11-0.83)and higher self-efficacy(OR=0.96,95%CI:0.93-0.99)were associated with less severe emotional loneliness,while depression(OR=3.41,95%CI:1.76-6.60)and worse social capital(OR=2.02,95%CI:1.29-3.16)were associated with more severe emotional loneliness.Conclusion Up to 91.6%of the elderly in our study sample were moderately lonely or above.The factors associated with social loneliness include self-efficacy,gender and social support.The factors associated with emotional loneliness are self-efficacy,education level,depression,and social capital.

The interaction between Mycobacterium tuberculosis and host, as well as the regulation of some signaling pathways in the host, were involved in pathogen latency in macrophages. microRNAs (miRNAs) regulate the gene expression and biological functions, indicating that miRNAs played a regulatory role in bacterial infections. However, whether the host's miRNAs were also involved in the process of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection had not been thoroughly studied. This study infected macrophages with pathogenic Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain H37Rv and low virulence strain H37Ra to explore the functional miRNAs. By identifying the expression profile of miRNAs in host cells after infection, the expression of 17 miRNAs significantly changed (P < 0.05) in the human macrophage THP-1 infected with highly pathogenic H37Rv strain (Rv), H37Rv inactivated strain (Rv-), and non-pathogenic H37Ra (Ra) strains respectively, indicating that host miRNAs may be involved in the interaction of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and host. Meanwhile, 10 types of miRNAs showed significant differences in cells infected with pathogenic and non-pathogenic Mycobacterium tuberculosis, suggesting that host miRNAs may play an important role in the pathogenicity and intracellular survival of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Further study had found that miR-449a, miR-502-5p, and miR-708 were downregulated in cells infected with Mycobacterium marinum. Overexpression of these three miRNAs displayed the significant inhibitory effect on the growth of Mycobacterium marinum, indicating that miRNAs played a pivotal role in the interaction between the host and Mycobacterium marinum. This study provided the new insights into the pathogenesis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the treatment of tuberculosis.

Severe cases infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), named by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Feb. 11, 2020, tend to present a hypercatabolic state because of severe systemic consumption, and are susceptible to stress ulcers and even life-threatening gastrointestinal bleeding. Endoscopic diagnosis and treatment constitute an irreplaceable part in the handling of severe COVID-19 cases. Endoscopes, as reusable precision instruments with complicated structures, require more techniques than other medical devices in cleaning, disinfection, sterilization, and other reprocessing procedures. From 2016 to 2019, health care-acquired infection caused by improper endoscope reprocessing has always been among the top 5 on the list of top 10 health technology hazards issued by the Emergency Care Research Institute. Considering the highly infective nature of COVID-19 and the potential aerosol contamination therefrom, it is of pivotal significance to ensure that endoscopes are strictly reprocessed between uses. In accordance with the national standard "Regulation for Cleaning and Disinfection Technique of Flexible Endoscope (WS507-2016)," we improved the workflow of endoscope reprocessing including the selection of chemicals in an effort to ensure quality control throughout the clinical management towards COVID-19 patients. Based on the experience we attained from the 12 severe COVID-19 cases in our hospital who underwent endoscopy 23 times in total, the article provides an improved version of endoscopic reprocessing guidelines for bedside endoscopic diagnosis and treatment on COVID-19 patients for reference.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Betacoronavirus ; China ; Coronavirus Infections ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Cross Infection ; prevention & control ; Disinfection ; methods ; Endoscopes ; virology ; Equipment Contamination ; prevention & control ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pandemics ; Peracetic Acid ; Personal Protective Equipment ; Pneumonia, Viral ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Sterilization ; methods ; Workflow

Acupoint is the initial response site of acupuncture stimulus and also the source link of the effect onset of acupuncture. Acupuncture is a mechanical physical stimulus. How is the mechanical force of acupuncture transduced into neuroelectrical and biochemical signals at acupoint? How does the physiochemical information of acupoint launch acupuncture effect? All of these remain the common and crucial questions in the study of acupuncture effect mechanism. Physical changes are induced in the local tissue of acupoint by needling techniques, such as the deformation and displacement of muscle fibers, which may act on the nerve ending receptors and produce electroneurographic signals. Besides, these changes may activate the mechanosensitive ion channels of the cytomembrane in acupoint site. Through cellular signal transduction, the physical signals may be transformed into chemical ones to trigger the physiochemical coupling response of acupoint microenvironment. Eventually, acupuncture effect is generated via nerves and body fluids. "The mechanical force of acupuncture", through "the physiochemical transduction", promotes the body's perception and transmits acupuncture signals. It suggests that acupoint is the "transducer" in the physiochemical information coupling response of acupuncture.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Acupuncture Points

Chemical constituents were isolated and purified from fruiting bodies of Ganoderma calidophilum by various column chromatographic techniques, and their chemical structures were identified through combined analysis of physicochemical properties and spectral data. As a result, 11 compounds were isolated and identified as(24E)-lanosta-8,24-dien-3,11-dione-26-al(1), ganoderone A(2), 3-oxo-15α-acetoxy-lanosta-7,9(11), 24-trien-26-oleic acid(3),(23E)-27-nor-lanosta-8,23-diene-3,7,25-trione(4), ganodecanone B(5), ganoderic aldehyde A(6), 11β-hydroxy-lucidadiol(7), 3,4-dihydroxyacetophenone(8), methyl gentiate(9), ganoleucin C(10), ganotheaecolumol H(11). Among them, compound 1 is a new triterpenoid. The cytotoxic activities of all of the compounds against tumor cell lines were evaluated. The results showed that compounds 1, 3, 4 and 6 showed cytotoxic activity against BEL-7402, with IC_(50) values of 26.55, 11.35, 23.23, 18.66 μmol·L~(-1); compounds 1 and 3-6 showed cytotoxic activity against K562, with IC_(50) values of 5.79, 22.16, 12.16, 35.32, and 5.59 μmol·L~(-1), and compound 4 showed cytotoxic activity against A549, with IC_(50) value of 42.50 μmol·L~(-1).
Cell Line, Tumor ; Fruiting Bodies, Fungal ; Ganoderma ; Molecular Structure ; Triterpenes/pharmacology*