Background Climate change poses a significant threat to public health. In China, relevant health intervention research is still in its early stages, and evidence for evaluating the effectiveness of regional climate change health adaptation strategies and measures is scarce. Objective To investigate the level of climate change-related health literacy among residents in Shenzhen, implement targeted health interventions, and assess the intervention effects as well as their influencing factors. Methods From July 2023 to January 2024, 4 communities were randomly selected in Shenzhen, and a total of 896 community residents were enrolled and divided into an intervention group (444 participants) and a control group (452 participants). Baseline and follow-up surveys on climate change-related health literacy were conducted among residents for both groups. During the period between the two surveys, the intervention group received targeted health interventions. Health literacy—comprising 3 dimensions: basic health knowledge and concepts, basic health skills, and healthy lifestyles—was defined as achieving ≥80% of the total score. A differences-in-differences model was adopted to analyze the impact of the intervention, and multiple linear regression was used to explore the factors influencing the intervention effect. Results The baseline survey showed that 240 out of the 896 surveyed residents (26.79%) possessed climate change health literacy. For the 3 dimensions, the number of residents and the proportions with corresponding literacy in descending order were: basic health skills (521, 58.15%), healthy lifestyles (345, 38.50%), and basic health knowledge and concepts (44, 4.91%). After the intervention, the intervention group showed a 3.19% increase in the total health literacy score, a 3.55% increase in basic health knowledge and concepts, and a 4.24% increase in basic health skills (t=2.79, 2.77, and 2.47 respectively) (P<0.05). No significant change was observed in healthy lifestyle scores (t=0.70, P>0.05). Further analysis showed that awareness of the “dual carbon goals” and occupation were significantly associated with the intervention effect on overall health literacy (P<0.05). For basic health knowledge and concepts, occupation, history of chronic diseases, and awareness of the “dual carbon goals” had statistically significant effects on the intervention outcomes (P<0.05). Regarding basic health skills, awareness of the “dual carbon goals” significantly influenced the intervention effect (P<0.001). In terms of healthy lifestyles, gender, educational level, occupation, and awareness of climate change were significantly associated with the intervention effect (P<0.05). Conclusion The climate change-related health literacy among community residents in Shenzhen is in urgent need of improvement. Health interventions can effectively enhance residents' basic health knowledge and concepts, basic health skills, and overall literacy level. In the future, it is necessary to strengthen the popularization of climate change health knowledge based on different population characteristics and further optimize intervention strategies, to comprehensively improve residents' health adaptation capacity to climate change.

Objective To explore an artificial intelligence (AI)-based method for automated hand hygiene monitoring and to compare the effectiveness of three algorithms (UniFormerV2, TDN, C3D) in recognizing hand hygiene steps in surgical settings, thereby aiding hospital infection control. Methods From April to October 2024, we non-invasively collected 641 video recordings of healthcare staff performing hand hygiene at four-bay scrub sinks in two tertiary hospitals using overhead HD cameras. The dataset was annotated by five trained experts for model training and validation. Results Following training on 385 samples, internal validation (n=119) showed the C3D model achieved 81% accuracy, 87% recall, and an 83% F1-score. The TDN model achieved 93%, 91%, and 92% for the same metrics. The UniFormerV2 model outperformed both, with an accuracy, recall, and F1-score of 93%—an improvement of over 10 percentage points compared to traditional CNNs (TDN, C3D). It also achieved an 84% accuracy in external validation, demonstrating strong generalization. Conclusion The UniFormerV2 model is more accurate than CNN-based models for hand hygiene step recognition and shows robust performance in external validation. It presents a viable tool for healthcare facilities to enhance hand hygiene management, ultimately improving medical quality and patient safety.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Huayu Jiedu prescription on brain microvascular endothelial cells （BMECs） after oxygen-glucose deprivation （OGD） injury and to explore its intervention mechanisms. MethodsThe cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay was used to determine the optimal OGD duration and the effective concentration of Huayu Jiedu prescription-containing serum. Cells were randomly divided into the blank serum medium group （KBXQ）， model group （OGD）， HYXQ group （OGD + Huayu Jiedu prescription-containing serum）， and 3-methyladenine （3-MA） group （OGD + 3-MA）. Cell morphology was observed under an inverted microscope. The numbers of autophagosomes and autolysosomes in cells were observed by transmission electron microscopy. Cell viability was determined using the CCK-8 assay. Cell apoptosis rate was detected using the TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling （TUNEL） assay. The expression levels of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 （LC3） and Occludin were detected by immunofluorescence. The permeability of the cell monolayer was also measured. Cells were further randomly divided into the KBXQ group， model group （OGD）， HYXQ group， phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase （PI3K） inhibitor （LY294002） group （OGD + LY294002）， and HYXQ + LY294002 group （OGD + Huayu Jiedu prescription-containing serum + LY294002）. Western blot analysis was used to detect the expression levels of the autophagy-related key molecule yeast Atg6 homolog 1 （Beclin1）， LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ， selective autophagy adaptor protein （p62）， Occludin， phosphorylated （p）-PI3K， PI3K， phosphorylated protein kinase B （p-Akt）， Akt， phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin （p-mTOR）， and mTOR. ResultsOGD for 6 h was selected as the optimal modeling condition， and 5% was determined as the optimal volume fraction of Huayu Jiedu prescription-containing serum. Compared with the KBXQ group， the model group showed obvious cell damage under the inverted microscope， and transmission electron microscopy revealed markedly increased numbers of autophagosomes and autolysosomes. Cell viability was significantly decreased （P<0.01）， apoptosis rate was significantly increased （P<0.01）， LC3 fluorescence intensity was significantly increased （P<0.01）， Occludin fluorescence intensity was significantly decreased （P<0.01）， and monolayer permeability was significantly increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， cell damage in the HYXQ group and the 3-MA group was significantly improved， the numbers of autophagosomes and autolysosomes were markedly reduced， cell viability was significantly increased （P<0.01）， apoptosis rate was significantly decreased （P<0.01）， LC3 fluorescence intensity was significantly decreased （P<0.01）， Occludin fluorescence intensity was significantly increased （P<0.01）， and monolayer permeability was reduced （P<0.05）. Western blot results showed that， compared with the KBXQ group， the model group exhibited significantly increased expression of Beclin1 and LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ （P<0.01）， while the expression levels of p62， Occludin， p-PI3K/PI3K， p-Akt/Akt， and p-mTOR/mTOR were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the HYXQ group showed significantly decreased expression of Beclin1 and LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ （P<0.01） and significantly increased expression of p62， Occludin， p-PI3K/PI3K， p-Akt/Akt， and p-mTOR/mTOR （P<0.01）. In the LY294002 group， Beclin1 and LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ expression were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， whereas the expression levels of p62， Occludin， p-PI3K/PI3K， p-Akt/Akt， and p-mTOR/mTOR were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. Compared with the LY294002 group， the HYXQ + LY294002 group showed significantly decreased expression of Beclin1 and LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ （P<0.01） and significantly increased expression of p62， Occludin， p-PI3K/PI3K， p-Akt/Akt， and p-mTOR/mTOR （P<0.01）. ConclusionHuayu Jiedu prescription has a protective effect on BMECs after OGD injury， which may be achieved by activating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR autophagy-related signaling pathway and inhibiting excessive autophagy， thereby protecting Occludin protein expression and endothelial barrier function.

The combination of radiotherapy and immunotherapy is not merely a superposition of therapeutic effects but rather a dynamic competition involving radiation-induced damage, tissue repair programs, and antitumor immune amplification. Accumulating evidence indicates that heme metabolism does more than supply prosthetic groups. It acts as a critical interface connecting radiation stress, mitochondrial homeostasis, redox imbalance, iron metabolism, and tumor immune remodeling. Focusing on the "radiation-heme-immunotherapy" axis, this review systematically examines how radiation reshapes the heme synthesis-degradation network via reactive oxygen species (ROS) bursts, Nrf2/BACH1 responses, mitochondrial damage, and disruption of iron homeostasis. In turn, these changes reprogram the cGAS-STING-type I interferon axis, myeloid cell polarization, T-cell function, and the hypoxic/stromal state of the tumor microenvironment. We pay special attention to the functional paradox of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1): it protects normal tissues from radiation injury yet promotes tumor tolerance. We propose that HO-1 outcomes are not determined solely by its expression level but are collectively shaped by the expressing cell type, the intensity and duration of induction, subcellular localization, and the microenvironmental context. Accordingly, HMOX1/HO-1 and related heme metabolic features may serve as novel biomarkers for patient stratification and sensitization of radioimmunotherapy combinations. The key to its clinical translation lies in establishing detection systems with spatial and temporal resolution and developing localized, temporally sequenced, and population-selective targeted therapeutic strategies.

BACKGROUND: The association of systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI) with prognosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) patients has never been investigated in a large sample with long-term follow-up. This study aimed to explore the association of SIRI with all-cause and cause-specific mortality in a nationally representative sample of CAD patients from United States. METHODS: A total of 3386 participants with CAD from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2018 were included in this study. Cox proportional hazards model, restricted cubic spline (RCS), and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) were performed to investigate the association of SIRI with all-cause and cause-specific mortality. Piece-wise linear regression and sensitivity analyses were also performed. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 7.7 years, 1454 all-cause mortality occurred. After adjusting for confounding factors, higher lnSIRI was significantly associated with higher risk of all-cause (HR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.09-1.23) and CVD mortality (HR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.05-1.30) but not cancer mortality (HR = 1.17, 95% CI: 0.99-1.38). The associations of SIRI with all-cause and CVD mortality were detected as J-shaped with threshold values of 1.05935 and 1.122946 for SIRI, respectively. ROC curves showed that lnSIRI had robust predictive effect both in short and long terms. CONCLUSIONS SIRI was independently associated with all-cause and CVD mortality, and the dose-response relationship was J-shaped. SIRI might serve as a valid predictor for all-cause and CVD mortality both in the short and long terms.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

Although clinical evidence suggests that nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is an established major risk factor for heart failure, it remains unexplored whether sleep disorder-caused hepatic damage contributes to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Here, our findings revealed that sleep fragmentation (SF) displayed notable hepatic detrimental phenotypes, including steatosis and oxidative damage, along with significant abnormalities in cardiac structure and function. All these pathological changes persisted even after sleep recovery for 2 consecutive weeks or more, displaying memory properties. Mechanistically, persistent higher expression of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 4 (NOX4) in the liver was the key initiator of SF-accelerated damage phenotypes. SF epigenetically controlled the acetylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27ac) enrichment at the Nox4 promoter and markedly increased Nox4 expression in liver even after sleep recovery. Moreover, fine coordination of the circadian clock and hepatic damage was strictly controlled by BMAL1-dependent Sirtuin 1 (Sirt1) transcription after circadian misalignment. Accordingly, genetic manipulation of liver-specific Nox4 or Sirt1, along with pharmacological intervention targeting NOX4 (GLX351322) or SIRT1 (Resveratrol), could effectively erase the epigenetic modification of Nox4 by reducing the H3K27ac level and ameliorate the progression of liver pathology, thereby counteracting SF-evoked sustained CVD. Collectively, our findings may pave the way for strategies to mitigate myocardial injury from persistent hepatic detrimental memory in diabetic patients.

In this comprehensive review, we delve into the evolution of drug delivery systems in reproductive medicine with a focus on the emerging role of exosomes, a class of extracellular vesicles. Exosomes offer unique advantages in overcoming these challenges due to their inherent biocompatibility, stability, and ability to facilitate targeted delivery. This review provides a detailed examination of exosome biogenesis and their function in cellular communication, setting the stage for understanding their potential as drug delivery vehicles. We explore the mechanisms through which exosomes can be loaded with small molecule drugs and the benefits they offer over synthetic nanoparticles. The review highlights groundbreaking case studies that illustrate the successful application of exosome-mediated drug delivery in reproductive health, including enhancing fertility treatments, supporting gamete and embryo development, and facilitating maternal-fetal communication. This study aims to provide a precise understanding of how exosomal drug delivery can revolutionize treatments for reproductive health disorders, paving the way for future therapeutic applications. Lastly, we touch upon the promising therapeutic implications of exosomal delivery for proteins and genes, offering a window into future treatments for reproductive health disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of bone acupuncture in improving pain and function in degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS) and compare it with Jiaji acupuncture. METHODS: From January to December 2023, 80 DLSS patients were treated with acupuncture and divided into bone acupuncture and Jiaji acupuncture groups. Among them, 40 patients in the bone acupuncture group included 15 males and 25 females, with a mean age of (60.60±6.98) years old;anthor 40 patients in the Jiaji acupuncture group included 16 males and 24 females, with a mean age of (61.48±9.55) years old. The Roland Morris disability questionnaire(RMDQ), walking distance, visual analogue scale(VAS), and the MOS item short from health survey(SF-36) of two groups at baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 12 weeks post-treatment were compared. RESULTS: Eighty patients were followed up for 3 to 5 months with an average of (3.62±0.59) months. There was no significant differences in general data and the scores before treatment between two groups(P>0.05). The RMDQ scores in both groups decreased significantly at 2, 4 and 12 weeks after treatment compared with before treatment(P<0.05), at each time point after treatment, the decrease was more significant in the bone acupuncture group than in the Jiaji acupuncture group(P<0.05). The VAS of waist and leg in both groups was significantly lower at 2, 4 and 12 weeks after treatment that before treatment(P<0.05). At all time points after treatment, the waist VAS in the bone acupuncture group was reduced more significant than in the Jiaji acupuncture group(P<0.05);there was no significant difference in leg VAS at 2 and 12 weeks after treatment between two groups(P>0.05), the improvement was more significant in the bone acupuncture group in the 4 weeks after treatment than in the Jiaji acupuncture group. The SF-36 scores in both groups were significantly higher at 2, 4, and 12 weeks after treatment than before treatment(P<0.05);the SF-36 score raised more significant in the bone acupuncture group than in the Jiaji acupunture group(P<0.05). No significant difference in the walking distance between two groups at 2 weeks after treatment(P>0.05);the walking distance in the bone acupuncture group was significantly higher than that in the Jiaji acupuncture group at 4 and 12 weeks after treatment(P<0.05). CONCLUSION Bone-penetrating acupuncture moderately improves functional impairment, pain, and quality of life in patients with DLSS, showing better efficacy than Jiaji acupuncture.
Humans ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Spinal Stenosis/physiopathology* ; Aged ; Lumbar Vertebrae/physiopathology* ; Pain Management

OBJECTIVE: To explore the potential causal relationship between intervertebral disc degeneration and certain autoimmune diseases. METHODS: Genome-wide association study (GWAS) data of 5 autoimmune diseases were obtained from large-scale GWAS databases. Data on internal vertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) were derived from the FinnGen consortium, which included 294, 770 controls and 41, 669 cases. A two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed to investigate the potential causal relationship between the 5 autoimmune diseases and IVDD. Multiple analytical methods were adopted, including MR methods such as inverse variance weighting(IVW), MR-Egger, weighted median, weighted mode, and simple mode. Cochran's Q test, leave-one-out analysis, and MR-Egger intercept test were conducted to assess heterogeneity, robustness, and pleiotropy. For the robustness of the results, MR-PRESSO was used to detect outliers, and MR analysis was re-conducted after removing the outliers. RESULTS: The MR analysis results showed that there might be a bidirectional causal relationship between ankylosing spondylitis(AS) and IVDD:AS on IVDD, OR=1.038, 95%CI (1.024, 1.053), P=0.000;and IVDD on AS, OR=2.117, 95%CI(1.065, 4.207), P=0.032. There might be a positive correlation between IVDD and rheumatoid arthritis(RA) as well as systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE):IVDD on RA, OR=1.184, 95%CI(1.071, 1.309), P=0.001;and IVDD on SLE, OR=1.678, 95%CI(1.187, 2.372), P=0.003. There was no significant correlation between ulcerative colitis(UC), autoimmune thyroiditis(ATD) and IVDD. After removing outliers by MR-PRESSO and re-conducting MR analysis, the results did not change qualitatively. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the results were robust to potential sources of bias. CONCLUSION AS and IVDD may be risk factors for each other, and IVDD may be a potential risk factor for RA and SLE. These findings provide a basis for guiding the prevention and combined diagnosis and treatment of IVDD, AS, RA, and SLE, while the specific underlying mechanisms still require further experimental basic research.
Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration/etiology* ; Mendelian Randomization Analysis ; Autoimmune Diseases/complications* ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing/genetics* ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/genetics*