BACKGROUND: Without timely and effective rehabilitation, hearing loss may profoundly affect human life quality. China has a large population of hearing-impaired individuals, which imposes a heavy health burden on society. Moreover, this population is projected to increase rapidly owing to China's aging society. METHODS: We used data from a population-representative epidemiological investigation of hearing loss and ear diseases in four Chinese provinces. We estimated the national prevalence using multiple linear regression of the age-group proportions and prevalence in 31 provinces with clustering analysis. We used years lived with disability (YLDs) to analyze the disease burden and forecasted the prevalence of hearing loss by 2060 in China. RESULTS: An estimated 115 million people had moderate-to-complete hearing loss in 2015 across the 31 provinces of China (8.4% of 1.37 billion people). Of these, 85.7% were older than age 50 years (99 million people) and 2.4% were younger than 20 years old (2.8 million people). Of all YLDs attributable to hearing loss, 68.9% were attributable to moderate-to-complete cases. By 2060, a projected 242 million people in China will have moderate-to-complete hearing loss, a 110.0% increase from 2015. CONCLUSIONS The hearing loss prevalence in China is high. Population aging and socioeconomic factors substantially affect the prevalence and severity of hearing loss and the disease burden. The prevalence and severity of hearing loss are unevenly distributed across different provinces. Future public health policies should take these trends and regional variations into account.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Hearing Loss/epidemiology* ; Prevalence ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Aged ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Infant ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cost of Illness

Objective: To investigate the influence of qigong on late positive potential, which was elicited by affective pictures.Methods: College students who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled and randomly allocated to the qigong group, which received a four-week training (n=41) or the control group (n=41). All participants were assessed before and after the training for event-related potential, which was elicited by negative, neutral, and positive pictures. Electrodes at the centerline position of the frontal area (FCz), parietal area (Pz), and occipital area (Oz) were analyzed. Results: Negative, neutral, and positive pictures demonstrated statistically significant differences on FCz (P<.001), Pz (P<.001), and Oz (P<.001). The interaction between the group factor and time factor was statistically significant on Pz (P =.028). The pairwise comparison of Pz on the time factor and group factor showed that the amplitudes of the qigong group after training were smaller than before (P<.001), and the amplitudes of the control group were not statistically significant (P=.355). Conclusion: Our results supported the conclusion that qigong practices could affect the emotional regulation of college students. Qigong exercise weakens the emotional regulation of late positive po-tential, which is sensitive to top-down affective modulation. The findings imply that the regulating effect of qigong on emotions may be part of the reason why it is effective in reducing depression and anxiety symptoms.

ObjectiveTo investigate the individualized treatment for traumatic liver rupture. MethodsClinical data of 58 patients with traumatic liver rupture diagnosed and treated in the CAPF Sichuan Provincial Corps Hospital between April 2011 and December 2013 were retrospectively studied. The informed consents of all patients were obtained and the local ethical committee approval had been received. Among the 58 patients, 31 were males and 27 were females with the age ranging from 2 to 76 years old and the median of 44 years old. According to the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) grading for liver injury, 33 patients were with GradeⅡ liver injury, 16 with GradeⅢ liver injury and 9 with GradeⅣ liver injury. After admission, all patients underwent routine abdominal examination and abdominocentesis for the closed liver rupture. In addition, blood routine, coagulation function, hepatic and renal function, abdominal ultrasound and computer tomography (CT) were also examined emergently to know about the location, size and depth of liver rupture, blood loss, underlying diseases and combined injuries. The individualized treatments, including non-surgical treatment and surgical treatment were performed according to the AAST grading criteria for liver injury and the comprehensive conditions of patients.ResultsNon-surgical treatment was given to 24 patients in which 9 cases were found having obviously increased ascites by ultrasound and CT examination 3-7 d after treatment. Laparoscopic exploration was then performed on the 9 patients. During the operation, 5 were found with mild bleeding and the bleeding was stopped successfully with electrotome, cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator or titanium clip. And the rupture bleeding of the other 4 cases were found stopped. Two patients received CT scan 2-3 weeks after treatment and were found with encapsulated effusion near the right liver lobe and 1 case with effusion in hepatic and renal recesses. All these 3 patients underwent CT-guided puncture drainage and were cured. A total of 34 patients underwent emergency exploratory laparotomy. Among these patients, 25 underwent debridement of devitalized liver tissues and wound suture, 6 underwent regular segmental hepatectomy or hepatic lobectomy, 2 underwent hepatic artery branch ligation and wound suture, and 1 underwent greater omentum iflling and suture. After the treatment, 1 patient developed perihepatic abscess and was cured after puncture drainage. All 58 patients recovered and were discharged. Forty-ifve patients were followed up for 1-6 months. No recurrence of bleeding, bile leakage, infection, hepatic insufifciency and other complications were observed.ConclusionsIndividualized treatment can be applied for traumatic liver rupture. Patients with small and shallow liver rupture may receive non-surgical treatment under a close observation and patient with unstable vital signs and progressive bleeding at the liver rupture may receive surgical treatment. Both treatments can achieve good curative effects.