OBJECTIVE: Observational studies have shown inconsistent associations of loneliness or social isolation (SI) with ischemic heart disease (IHD), with unknown mediators. METHODS: Using data from genome-wide association studies of predominantly European ancestry, we performed a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) study to estimate causal effects of loneliness ( N = 487,647) and SI traits on IHD ( N = 184,305). SI traits included whether individuals lived alone, participated in various types of social activities, and how often they had contact with friends or family ( N = 459,830 to 461,369). A network MR study was conducted to evaluate the mediating roles of 20 candidate mediators, including metabolic, behavioral and psychological factors. RESULTS: Loneliness increased IHD risk ( OR= 2.129; 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.380 to 3.285), mediated by body fat percentage, waist-hip ratio, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. For SI traits, only fewer social activities increased IHD risk ( OR= 1.815; 95% CI: 1.189 to 2.772), mediated by hypertension, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting insulin, and smoking cessation. No reverse causality of IHD with loneliness and SI was found. CONCLUSION These findings suggested more attention should be paid to individuals who feel lonely and have fewer social activities to prevent IHD, with several mediators as prioritized targets for intervention.
Loneliness/psychology* ; Humans ; Mendelian Randomization Analysis ; Social Isolation ; Myocardial Ischemia/etiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; Risk Factors ; Aged

Osteoporotic proximal humeral fracture (OPHF) is one of the common osteoporotic fractures in the aged, with an incidence only lower than vertebral compression fracture, hip fracture, and distal radius fracture. OPHF, secondary to osteoporosis and characterized by poor bone quality, comminuted fracture pattern, slow healing, and severely impaired shoulder joint function, poses a big challenge to the current clinical diagnosis and treatment. In the field of diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of OPHF, traditional Chinese and Western medicine have accumulated rich experience and evidence from evidence-based medicine and achieved favorable outcomes. However, there is still a lack of guidance from a relevant consensus as to how to integrate the advantages of the two medical systems and achieve the integrated diagnosis and treatment. To promote the diagnosis and treatment of OPHF with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine, relevant experts from Orthopedic Expert Committee of Geriatric Branch of Chinese Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Youth Osteoporosis Group of Orthopedic Branch of Chinese Medical Association, Osteoporosis Group of Orthopedic Surgeon Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association, and Osteoporosis Committee of Shanghai Association of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine have been organized to formulate Expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporotic proximal humeral fracture with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine ( version 2024) by searching related literatures and based on the evidences from evidence-based medicine. This consensus consists of 13 recommendations about the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of OPHF with integrated traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine, aimed at standardizing, systematizing, and personalizing the diagnosis and treatment of OPHF with integrated traditional Chinse and Western medicine to improve the patients ′ function.

Objective:To study the correlation between the number of hemophagocytes and peripheral blood cells in bone marrow of patients with fever of unknown origin.Methods:A total of 465 patients with fever of unknown origin in our hospital from January 2019 to December 2021 were selected as the research objects,which was to reviewed retrospectively the correlation between the number of hemophagocytes and peripheral blood cells in bone marrow.Results:The positive rates of hemophagocytes detected in the three lines decreased group,the two lines decreased group,the one line decreased group,normal group of the three lines and at least one of the three lines increased group were 86.4％,62.1％,38.3％,34.6％and 33.3％,respectively.The number of hemophagocytes per unit area in the three lines decreased group was significantly higher than that in the other four groups(P＜0.001).The number of hemophagocytes per unit area in the two lines decreased group was higher than that in the one line decreased group,normal group of three lines and at least one of the three lines increased group(P＜0.01).There was no significant difference in the number of hemophagocytes per unit area between the group with a decreased number of one line and the other two groups with a normal number of three lines and the group with at least one increased number of three lines(P＞0.05).The missed rates of hemophagocytes in the five groups were 15.78％,22.03％,62.22％,77.78％and 53.84％,respectively.Conclusion:For patients with fever of unknown origin,especially those with obvious decrease in the number of three lines and two lines in peripheral blood cells,which should pay attention to the detection of hemophagocytes in bone marrow.Meanwhile,if the number of three lines was normal even at least one of the three lines increased,the presence of hemophagocytes in the bone marrow slice should be also carefully observed.

Objective:To analyze the current situation of myopia and its related factors among primary school students in a certain district of Beijing City in 2022, and provide a basis for the risk assessment of myopia among primary school students.Method:In June 2022, a cluster sampling method was used to include 376 third-grade students from a primary school in a certain district of Beijing. A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect basic information about students, including eye usage habits, reading and writing postures, and parents′ myopia conditions. The examination of students′ distant visual acuity and refractive status was performed. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the related factors of myopia occurrence.Results:The age of 376 primary school students was (8.87±0.417) years old, with 48.40% (182) being male. A total of 196 myopia cases were identified, with a myopia rate of 52.13%. The results of the multivariate logistic regression model analysis showed that students who sometimes read while lying down ( OR=2.003, 95% CI: 1.128-3.555), often read while lying down ( OR=18.853, 95% CI: 4.512-78.778), had outdoor activity time less than 120 minutes per day ( OR=4.937, 95% CI: 2.4464-9.892), were engaged in indoor break activities ( OR=4.995, 95% CI: 2.773-8.996), performed eye exercises less than once per day ( OR=8.710, 95% CI: 4.464-16.995), had a reading distance from the book less than 30 cm ( OR=5.098, 95% CI: 2.410-10.787), occasionally maintained a fist distance from the edge of the desk ( OR=1.918, 95% CI: 1.086-3.385), and had high school desks and tables ( OR=5.325, 95% CI: 1.465-19.359) could have a higher risk of myopia occurrence, compared with those who never read while lying down, had outdoor activity time more than 120 minutes per day, maintained outdoor break activities, performed eye exercises more than once per day, had a reading distance from the book more than 30 cm, always maintained a fist distance from the edge of the desk, and had short school desks and tables. Conclusion:The incidence rate of myopia among primary school students in a certain district of Beijing City. in 2022 is relatively high. The occurrence of myopia is related to insufficient outdoor activity time and poor eye usage habits.

By using thioflavin T(ThT)as displacement-based fluorescent probes,three kinds of aptasensors were constructed for rapid detection of three kinds of small molecules such as ochratoxin A(OTA),aflatoxin B1(AFB1)and adenosine.In the absence of target molecule,ThT bound with the aptamer to form an aptamer-ThT complex and exhibited a significant fluorescence response.Upon the addition of target molecule,because of the higher affinity between target and aptamer than that between ThT and the aptamer,ThT was displaced by the target molecule from the aptamer-ThT complex,resulting in weakened fluorescence signal.Based on this principle,the target molecule could be detected quantitatively.Further study through circular dichroism spectra showed that there was no significant change in the conformation of the aptamer after addition of ThT or target molecules.The stoichiometric ratios of ThT to OTAapt,AFB1apt and Adeapt measured through the method of equimolar continuous variation was 1∶1,1∶1 and 2∶1,respectively,and their dissociation constants were all larger than those between the target molecule and its aptamer.Therefore,the principle of this detection method was the displacement of fluorescent probe(ThT)in aptamer-ThT complex by target molecule,resulting in decrease of fluorescence intensity.Under optimal experimental conditions,the limits of detection(LODs)were 0.8 nmol/L for OTA,1.3 nmol/L for AFB1,and 0.10 μmol/L for adenosine,respectively.This method was label-free,simple to operate,with low cost,good selectivity and high sensitivity.The developed assay kit based on this method could be used for actual sample detection.

Objective To evaluate the process risk of the implementation of prevention and control measures for surgical site infection(SSI)after colorectal surgery,and explore the application effect of failure mode and effects analysis(FMEA)based on action priority.Methods FMEA based on action priority was adopted to evaluate the whole process of the implementation of prevention and control measures for SSI after colorectal surgery.Prioritiza-tion ranking was conducted according to whether optimized measures were taken.Standard-reaching rate of comp-liance to SSI prevention and control measures as well as SSI incidence before and after the implementation of FMEA were compared.Results After evaluation,there were 7 high-priority and 22 medium-priority prevention and control measures for SSI.The control of medium-priority measures was strengthened,with a focus on developing further preventive and detectable measures for high-priority measures.The re-evaluation results after improvement showed that 7 high-priority measures have been downgraded to medium priority,and 16 medium-priority measures have been downgraded to low priority.Standard-reaching rate of compliance to SSI prevention and control measures in-creased from 77.15％(2 566/3 326)to 92.47％(3 096/3 348),and SSI incidence decreased from 6.04％(58/960)to 2.54％(60/2 364).Conclusion Application of FMEA based on action priority can effectively evaluate the risk of prevention and control process of SSI after colorectal surgery,and adopting preventive risk control measures accord-ing to the current situation can reduce the incidence of SSI after colorectal surgery.

Objective To observe and compare the changes of vertebral bone mineral density(BMD)in the early stages of spinal Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.Methods Patients who underwent spinal surgery at Xiangya Hospital,Central South University from January 1 to December 31,2023 were continuously enrolled(spinal tuber-culosis group),based on gender matching,non-spinal tuberculosis surgical patients treated for spinal stenosis were selected as the control group.Dual-energy X-ray scans were performed on the enrolled patients,difference in verte-bral BMD between two groups of patients was compared.An animal model of spinal Mycobacterium tuberculosis in-fection(referred to as the animal model)was constructed,differences in microstructure of trabecular bone between spinal tuberculosis group and control group was compared,and the bone volume/tissue volume(BV/TV),the thickness of trabecular bone(Tb.Th),the number of trabecular bone(Tb.N),and sparse density of trabecular(Tb.Sp)were used as evaluation indexes to further analyze the bone quality differences between the diseased verte-brae and the neighboring vertebrae.Results 69 patients were included in the spinal tuberculosis group and the con-trol group,respectively.The BMD of patients in the spinal tuberculosis group(0.793[0.712,0.869]g/cm2)was lower than that of the control group(0.907[0.800,1.020]g/cm2),difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).Microstructure of trabecular bone BV/TV([18.4±5.4]％),Tb.Th([0.124±0.010]mm)in the spinal tuberculosis group of animal model were significantly altered compared with BV/TV([22.6±3.2]％),Tb.Th([0.160±0.017]mm)in the control group(both P＜0.05).In the spinal tuberculosis group,microstructure of diseased vetebral trabecular bone BV/TV([25.5±6.7]％)and Tb.N([1.871±0.443]/mm)were significantly lower than BV/TV([26.6±6.8]％)and Tb.N([1.969±0.454]/mm)in the neighboring vertebrae,both with statistically difference(both P＜0.05).Conclusion In the early stages of spinal Mycobacterium tuberculosis infec-tion,microstructure of vertebral trabecular bone can be altered,leading to a decrease in BMD.

Objective:To analyze the current situation of myopia and its related factors among primary school students in a certain district of Beijing City in 2022, and provide a basis for the risk assessment of myopia among primary school students.Method:In June 2022, a cluster sampling method was used to include 376 third-grade students from a primary school in a certain district of Beijing. A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect basic information about students, including eye usage habits, reading and writing postures, and parents′ myopia conditions. The examination of students′ distant visual acuity and refractive status was performed. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the related factors of myopia occurrence.Results:The age of 376 primary school students was (8.87±0.417) years old, with 48.40% (182) being male. A total of 196 myopia cases were identified, with a myopia rate of 52.13%. The results of the multivariate logistic regression model analysis showed that students who sometimes read while lying down ( OR=2.003, 95% CI: 1.128-3.555), often read while lying down ( OR=18.853, 95% CI: 4.512-78.778), had outdoor activity time less than 120 minutes per day ( OR=4.937, 95% CI: 2.4464-9.892), were engaged in indoor break activities ( OR=4.995, 95% CI: 2.773-8.996), performed eye exercises less than once per day ( OR=8.710, 95% CI: 4.464-16.995), had a reading distance from the book less than 30 cm ( OR=5.098, 95% CI: 2.410-10.787), occasionally maintained a fist distance from the edge of the desk ( OR=1.918, 95% CI: 1.086-3.385), and had high school desks and tables ( OR=5.325, 95% CI: 1.465-19.359) could have a higher risk of myopia occurrence, compared with those who never read while lying down, had outdoor activity time more than 120 minutes per day, maintained outdoor break activities, performed eye exercises more than once per day, had a reading distance from the book more than 30 cm, always maintained a fist distance from the edge of the desk, and had short school desks and tables. Conclusion:The incidence rate of myopia among primary school students in a certain district of Beijing City. in 2022 is relatively high. The occurrence of myopia is related to insufficient outdoor activity time and poor eye usage habits.

Background/Aims: Despite the high efficacy of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), approximately 1–3% of hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients fail to achieve a sustained virological response. We conducted a nationwide study to investigate risk factors associated with DAA treatment failure. Machine-learning algorithms have been applied to discriminate subjects who may fail to respond to DAA therapy. Methods: We analyzed the Taiwan HCV Registry Program database to explore predictors of DAA failure in HCV patients. Fifty-five host and virological features were assessed using multivariate logistic regression, decision tree, random forest, eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and artificial neural network. The primary outcome was undetectable HCV RNA at 12 weeks after the end of treatment. Results: The training (n=23,955) and validation (n=10,346) datasets had similar baseline demographics, with an overall DAA failure rate of 1.6% (n=538). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, poor DAA adherence, and higher hemoglobin A1c were significantly associated with virological failure. XGBoost outperformed the other algorithms and logistic regression models, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 1.000 in the training dataset and 0.803 in the validation dataset. The top five predictors of treatment failure were HCV RNA, body mass index, α-fetoprotein, platelets, and FIB-4 index. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the XGBoost model (cutoff value=0.5) were 99.5%, 69.7%, 99.9%, 97.4%, and 99.5%, respectively, for the entire dataset. Conclusions Machine learning algorithms effectively provide risk stratification for DAA failure and additional information on the factors associated with DAA failure.

Background/Aims: Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients who failed antiviral therapy are at increased risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study assessed the potential role of metformin and statins, medications for diabetes mellitus (DM) and hyperlipidemia (HLP), in reducing HCC risk among these patients. Methods: We included CHC patients from the T-COACH study who failed antiviral therapy. We tracked the onset of HCC 1.5 years post-therapy by linking to Taiwan’s cancer registry data from 2003 to 2019. We accounted for death and liver transplantation as competing risks and employed Gray’s cumulative incidence and Cox subdistribution hazards models to analyze HCC development. Results: Out of 2,779 patients, 480 (17.3%) developed HCC post-therapy. DM patients not using metformin had a 51% increased risk of HCC compared to non-DM patients, while HLP patients on statins had a 50% reduced risk compared to those without HLP. The 5-year HCC incidence was significantly higher for metformin non-users (16.5%) versus non-DM patients (11.3%; adjusted sub-distribution hazard ratio [aSHR]=1.51; P=0.007) and metformin users (3.1%; aSHR=1.59; P=0.022). Statin use in HLP patients correlated with a lower HCC risk (3.8%) compared to non-HLP patients (12.5%; aSHR=0.50; P<0.001). Notably, the increased HCC risk associated with non-use of metformin was primarily seen in non-cirrhotic patients, whereas statins decreased HCC risk in both cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic patients. Conclusions Metformin and statins may have a chemopreventive effect against HCC in CHC patients who failed antiviral therapy. These results support the need for personalized preventive strategies in managing HCC risk.