Objective: To investigate the trends in mortality and life loss due to falls among the elderly in Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, so as to provide the basis for formulating prevention and control measures for falls among the elderly. Methods: The data on fall-related deaths among the elderly aged 60 and above in Wenzhou City were collected through the Wenzhou Chronic Disease Monitoring and Management Information System from 2015 to 2023. The crude mortality was calculated and standardized using the data from the Sixth National Population Census in 2010. The life loss were measured using potential years of life lost (PYLL), average years of life lost (AYLL), and potential years of life lost rate (PYLLR). The trends in mortality and life loss among the elderly were analyzed using the annual percent change (APC) and average annual percent change (AAPC). Results: There were 11 378 deaths due to falls among the elderly in Wenzhou City from 2015 to 2023, with a crude mortality of 82.67/100 000 and a standardized mortality of 65.32/105, which appeared no significant changing trend (AAPC=3.401%、2.995%,both P>0.05). There was a tendency towards a rise from 2019 to 2023 (APC=12.592%、11.507%, both P<0.05). The majority of falls occurred at home, with 6 312 cases accounting for 55.48%. The primary types of fall-related deaths were slips, trips, and falls on the same level, with 8 541 cases representing 75.07%. The crude mortality and standardized mortality of falls in males were 76.63/105 and 60.86/105, which were lower than that in females at 88.72/100 000 and 70.33/100 000 (both P<0.05), and the trends were consistent with the overall population. The crude mortality of falls among the elderly increased with age (P<0.05). From 2015 to 2023, the crude mortality of falls among the elderly aged 60 to <65 years showed an upward trend (AAPC=4.860%, P<0.05), while no significant trend was observed in other age groups (all P>0.05). The PYLL was 5 123 person-years, the AYLL was 0.45 years per person, and the PYLLR was 0.37‰. From 2015 to 2023, PYLL showed an upward trend (AAPC=5.477%, P<0.05). The PYLL, AYLL, and PYLLR for males were 3.08 times, 3.48 times, and 2.67 times those of females, respectively. Conclusions From 2015 to 2023, the mortality of falls among the elderly in Wenzhou City had remained relatively stable. However, PYLL showed an upward trend. Males and older seniors were key groups for falls prevention. It is recommended to enhance health education and promote age-friendly home modifications to prevent falls among the elderly.

Objective:To summarize clinical characteristics of and treatment experience with patients with critical illnesses in a dermatological ward.Methods:All patients with serious or life-threatening conditions, who were hospitalized at the dermatological ward of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from July 9, 2011 to December 31, 2020, were collected, and their clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic characteristics, disease types and proportions, main complications, causes of serious or life-threatening conditions, important treatment measures and outcomes were summarized, and causes of death were also analyzed and discussed.Results:A total of 1 057 patients with critical illnesses were collected, with a male-to-female ratio of 1∶1.11, and 64.81% of them aged 18 to 65 years. The types of diseases mainly included drug eruptions (332 cases) , connective tissue diseases (226 cases) , bullous skin diseases (104 cases) , psoriasis (57 cases) , erythroderma (45 cases) , infectious skin diseases (67 cases) , etc. Among them, psoriasis (39 cases) and erythroderma (32 cases) mostly occurred in males, and connective tissue diseases (168 cases) mostly occurred in females. Common complications mainly involved infections, important organ damage or dysfunction, hypoalbuminemia, and fluid, electrolyte and acid-base imbalances. A total of 94 patients were diagnosed with life-threatening conditions, which were found to be mainly caused by primary skin diseases, hematologic abnormalities, respiratory failure, nervous system abnormalities, renal failure, sepsis, fluid, electrolyte and acid-base imbalances, etc. During the management of critical illnesses, 43 patients were treated with high-dose glucocorticoid pulse therapy, 264 were treated with gamma-globulin pulse therapy, 355 were transfused with other blood products, and 34 received special therapies such as hemoperfusion/immunoadsorption therapy, plasma exchange, dialysis, artificial liver support therapy; 42 patients were transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) , 12 were transferred to the department of surgery for operations, and 12 were transferred to the department of obstetrics and gynecology for delivery or induction of labor. After treatment, 989 patients (93.57%) achieved improvement and were discharged. A total of 14 patients (1.32%) died, of whom 7 died of secondary sepsis, 2 died of severe pulmonary infections, 2 died of asphyxia caused by respiratory mucosa shedding-induced airway obstruction, the other 3 died of gastrointestinal hemorrhage, cerebral hemorrhage and neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus, respectively.Conclusions:Critical cases in the dermatological ward mainly suffered from serious skin diseases such as severe drug eruptions, connective tissue diseases and bullous skin diseases, as well as complications such as severe underlying diseases, severe organ dysfunction, sepsis or severe fluid, electrolyte and acid-base imbalances. In terms of treatment, it is of critical significance to make a clear diagnosis and assess the severity of disease as early as possible, monitor and prevent possible complications, and to consult with specialists in relevant disciplines in time.

OBJECTIVE: To study the anti- fibrotic effect of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (hUCMSC-EXOs) and explore the mechanism. METHODS: Twenty-four C57 BL/6 mice were divided into 4 groups (=6), including the control group treated with intratracheal injection of saline (3 mg/kg); lung fibrosis model group with intratracheal injection of 1.5 mg/mL bleomycin solution (prepared with saline, 3 mg/kg); EXOs1 group with intratracheal injection of 1.5 mg/mL bleomycin solution (3 mg/kg) and hUCMSC-EXOs (100 μg/250 μL, given by tail vein injection on the next day after modeling); and EXOs2 group with intratracheal injection of 1.5 mg/mL bleomycin solution (3 mg/kg) and hUCMSC-EXOs (100 μg/250 μL, given by tail vein injection on the 10th day after modeling). At 21 days after modeling, pulmonary index, lung tissue pathology and collagen deposition in the mice were assessed using HE staining and Masson staining. The expression level of TGF-β1 was detected using ELISA, and vimentin, E-cadherin and phosphorylated Smad2/3 (p-Smad2/3) were detected using immunohistochemical staining. CCK8 assay was used to evaluate the effect of hUCMSCEXOs on the viability of A549 cells, and Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of p-Smad2/3, vimentin, and E-cadherin in the cells. RESULTS: Compared with those in the model group, the mice treated with hUCMSC-EXOs showed significantly reduced the pulmonary index ( < 0.05), collagen deposition, lung tissue pathologies, lowered expressions of TGF-β1 ( < 0.05), vimentin, and p-Smad2/3 and increased expression of E-cadherin. hUCMSC-EXOs given on the second day produced more pronounced effect than that given on the 11th day ( < 0.05). CCK8 assay results showed that hUCMSC-EXOs had no toxic effects on A549 cells ( > 0.05). Western blotting results showed that hUCMSC-EXOs treatment significantly increased the expression of E-cadherin and decreased the expressions of p-Smad2/3 and vimentin in the cells. CONCLUSIONS hUCMSC-EXOs can alleviate pulmonary fibrosis in mice by inhibiting epithelialmesenchymal transition activated by the TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling pathway, and the inhibitory effect is more obvious when it is administered on the second day after modeling.
Animals ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; Exosomes ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells ; cytology ; Mice ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; therapy ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; genetics ; Umbilical Cord ; cytology

OBJECTIVE: To study the anti- fibrotic effect of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (hUCMSC-EXOs) and explore the mechanism. METHODS: Twenty-four C57 BL/6 mice were divided into 4 groups (=6), including the control group treated with intratracheal injection of saline (3 mg/kg); lung fibrosis model group with intratracheal injection of 1.5 mg/mL bleomycin solution (prepared with saline, 3 mg/kg); EXOs1 group with intratracheal injection of 1.5 mg/mL bleomycin solution (3 mg/kg) and hUCMSC-EXOs (100 μg/250 μL, given by tail vein injection on the next day after modeling); and EXOs2 group with intratracheal injection of 1.5 mg/mL bleomycin solution (3 mg/kg) and hUCMSC-EXOs (100 μg/250 μL, given by tail vein injection on the 10th day after modeling). At 21 days after modeling, pulmonary index, lung tissue pathology and collagen deposition in the mice were assessed using HE staining and Masson staining. The expression level of TGF-β1 was detected using ELISA, and vimentin, E-cadherin and phosphorylated Smad2/3 (p-Smad2/3) were detected using immunohistochemical staining. CCK8 assay was used to evaluate the effect of hUCMSCEXOs on the viability of A549 cells, and Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of p-Smad2/3, vimentin, and E-cadherin in the cells. RESULTS: Compared with those in the model group, the mice treated with hUCMSC-EXOs showed significantly reduced the pulmonary index ( < 0.05), collagen deposition, lung tissue pathologies, lowered expressions of TGF-β1 ( < 0.05), vimentin, and p-Smad2/3 and increased expression of E-cadherin. hUCMSC-EXOs given on the second day produced more pronounced effect than that given on the 11th day ( < 0.05). CCK8 assay results showed that hUCMSC-EXOs had no toxic effects on A549 cells ( > 0.05). Western blotting results showed that hUCMSC-EXOs treatment significantly increased the expression of E-cadherin and decreased the expressions of p-Smad2/3 and vimentin in the cells. CONCLUSIONS hUCMSC-EXOs can alleviate pulmonary fibrosis in mice by inhibiting epithelialmesenchymal transition activated by the TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling pathway, and the inhibitory effect is more obvious when it is administered on the second day after modeling.
Animals ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; Exosomes ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells ; Mice ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; Umbilical Cord

Objective To study the clinical efficacy and prognosis of implantation of 125I seeds under CT direction com-bined with percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP)in the treatment of vertebral metastatic tumors. Methods All 48 patients with vertebral metastatic tumors who were treated in our hospital from January 2012 to December 2013 were selected. They were assigned to observation group and control group according to random number table,with 24 patients in each group. Patients in the control group were given conventional surgical incision, and patients in the observation group were given the treatment of 125I seeds under CT direction combined with PVP. General data such as age, gender, pri-mary type, and pain degree in both groups were collected, efficacy and complications after the treatment in both groups were statistically collected, and statistical analysis was carried out for the collected data. Results Effective rate of treatment was 79.2% in the observation group, and effective rate of treatment was 50.0% in the control group. The difference of both groups was statistically significant(P<0.05). Incidence of postoperative complications was 16.7%in the observation group, significantly lower than 79.1% in the control group. The difference of both groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). A total of 34 centrums in 24 patients in the observation group all successfully completed the treatment of 125I seeds combined with PVP,and the successful rate of surgery was 100%. 1,2 and 3 seed needles were used to be implanted into 12,14 and 8 centrums respectively. Sleeping quality of patients in the observation group was generally better than that in the control group, and their depression degree was also lower. The comparison between both groups was significant (P<0.01); NIHSS scores of 24 hours and 14 days after the treatment were measured,and the scores between both groups were compared. Results showed that the scores in the observation group were lower(P<0.05). Conclusion Implantation of 125I seeds under CT direction combined with percutaneous vertebroplasty in the treatment of vertebral metastatic tumors has a favorable efficacy, and is able to effectively alleviate patients' pain; the treatment has a low incidence of complications and is able to control the development of tumors, which is worthy of clinical promotion.