Objective To investigate the characteristics and differences of congenital endowment in senile dementia population based on the theory of five circuits and six qi.Methods Based on the cross-sectional data of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey(CHARLS)in 2018,the dementia status of the population aged 60 and above in China was evaluated by using the Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE),and the five-circuit and six-qi features at birth in the senile dementia population were analyzed by descriptive statistics and Chi-square goodness-of-fit test.Results A total of 854 patients with senile dementia were included.The five-circuit and six-qi features at birth in the senile dementia population were as follows:most of them were born at the heavenly stem of Bing while the least at the heavenly stem of Ji and Geng(P＜0.001),most of them were born at the earthly branch of Wei while the least at the earthly branch of Zi(P＜0.001),most of them were born at the yearly circuit of excessive water circuit while the least at the yearly circuit of excessive gold circuit and deficient earth circuit(P＜0.001),and most of the patients were born at sitan of taiyin damp-earth and zaiquan of taiyang cold-water while the least at sitan of jueyin wind-wood and zaiquan of shaoyang ministerial fire;no statistically significant differences were found in the dominant qi and guest qi(P＞0.05);most of the patients were born in the year of combination of circuit and qi being Shunhua while the least in the year of combination of circuit and qi being same celestial correspondence(P＜0.001),and the patients born in the year of Shunhua usually were frequently distributed in heavenly-stem and earthly-branch year of Jiawu(P＜0.001).Conclusion There is a certain relationship between the congenital endowment at birth and the incidence of senile dementia in the population of senile dementia.The circuit-qi features at birth for the prevalence of senile dementia are the yearly circuit of excessive water circuit,sitan of taiyin damp-earth and zaiquan of taiyang cold-water,and the year of the combination of circuit and qi being Shunhua.The population born at the time with the above circuit-qi features are prone to suffer the injury of the kidneys,the heart,and the spleen,and then result into illness.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of intravenous colistin sulfate combined with nebulized inhalation versus intravenous monotherapy for pulmonary infections caused by carbapenem-resistant organism (CRO). METHODS: A multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted. Clinical data were collected from patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of 10 tertiary class-A hospitals in Henan Province between July 2021 and May 2023, who received colistin sulfate for CRO pulmonary infections. Data included baseline characteristics, inflammatory markers [white blood cell count (WBC), neutrophil count (NEU), procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP)], renal function indicators [serum creatinine (SCr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN)], life support measures, anti-infection regimens, clinical efficacy, microbiological clearance rate, and prognostic outcomes. Patients were divided into two groups: intravenous group (colistin sulfate monotherapy via intravenous infusion) and combination group ((intravenous infusion combined with nebulized inhalation of colistin sulfate). Changes in parameters before and after treatment were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 137 patients with CRO pulmonary infections were enrolled, including 89 in the intravenous group and 48 in the combination group. Baseline characteristics, life support measures, daily colistin dose, and combination regimens (most commonly colistin sulfate plus carbapenems in both groups) showed no significant differences between two groups. The combination group exhibited higher clinical efficacy [77.1% (37/48) vs. 59.6% (52/89)] and microbiological clearance rate [60.4% (29/48) vs. 39.3% (35/89)], both P < 0.05. Pre-treatment inflammatory and renal parameters showed no significant differences between two groups. Post-treatment, the combination group showed significantly lower WBC and CRP [WBC (×10⁹/L): 8.2±0.5 vs. 10.9±0.6, CRP (mg/L): 14.0 (5.7, 26.6) vs. 52.1 (24.4, 109.6), both P < 0.05], whereas NEU, PCT, SCr, and BUN levels showed no significant between two groups. ICU length of stay was shorter in the combination group [days: 16 (10, 25) vs. 21 (14, 29), P < 0.05], although mechanical ventilation duration and total hospitalization showed no significant differences between two groups. CONCLUSIONS Intravenous colistin sulfate combined with nebulized inhalation improved clinical efficacy and microbiological clearance in CRO pulmonary infections with an acceptable safety profile.
Humans ; Colistin/therapeutic use* ; Retrospective Studies ; Administration, Inhalation ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use* ; Carbapenems/pharmacology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Gram-Negative Bacteria/drug effects* ; Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Respiratory Tract Infections/drug therapy*

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive disease lacking effective therapy. Metformin, an antidiabetic medication, has shown promising therapeutic properties in preclinical fibrosis models; however, its precise cellular targets and associated mechanisms in fibrosis resolution remain incompletely defined. Most research on metformin's effects has focused on mesenchymal and inflammatory responses with limited attention to epithelial cells. In this study, we utilized Sftpc lineage-traced and Fgfr2b conditional knockout mice, along with BMP2/PPARγ and AMPK inhibitors, to explore metformin's impact on alveolar epithelial cells in a bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis model and cell culture. We found that metformin increased the proliferation and differentiation of alveolar type 2 (AT2) cells, particularly the recently identified injury-activated alveolar progenitors (IAAPs)-a subpopulation characterized by low SFTPC expression but enriched for PD-L1. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed a reduction in apoptosis among mature AT2 cells. Interestingly, metformin's therapeutic effects were not significantly affected by BMP2 or PPARγ inhibition, which blocked the lipogenic differentiation of myofibroblasts. However, Fgfr2b deletion in Sftpc lineage cells significantly impaired metformin's ability to promote fibrosis resolution, a process linked to AMPK signaling. In conclusion, metformin alleviates fibrosis by directly activating AT2 cells, especially the IAAPs, through a mechanism that involves AMPK and FGFR2b signaling, but is largely independent of BMP2/PPARγ pathways.

Objective:To understand the spatiotemporal distribution of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in Shaanxi Province from 2015 to 2023, and provide reference for the prevention and control of pulmonary TB in Shaanxi.Methods:The registration data of etiologically positive pulmonary TB cases in Shaanxi from 2015 to 2023 were collected from the tuberculosis subsystem of Chinese Disease Control and Prevention Information System. Descriptive method was used to analyze the basic characteristics of the etiologically positive pulmonary TB cases. Linear trend χ2 test was used to analyze trends in registration rate and pathogen positive rate. Software SPSS 25.0 was used for statistical analysis. Software ArcGIS 10.8 was used for global spatial autocorrelation and hotspot analysis to explore spatial clustering of the etiologically positive pulmonary TB cases. Software SaTScan 10.0 was used for spatiotemporal scan statistics, and software ArcGIS 10.8 was used to visualize the spatiotemporal clustering. Results:A total of 64 148 cases of etiologically positive pulmonary TB were registered in Shaanxi from 2015 to 2023, with an average annual registration rate of 18.33/100 000. The registration rate and pathgen positive rate all showed upward trends from 2015 to 2023, and the differences were significant (the trend χ2=4 555.18 and 19 330.43, both P<0.001). Global spatial autocorrelation and hotspot analysis showed that the registration rate of etiologically positive pulmonary TB in Shaanxi from 2017 to 2023 showed a spatial clustering. The hotspots were mainly in Zhenba and Xixiang counties of Hanzhong, six counties (districts) of Ankang, and Yanchuan and Yanchang counties of Yan'an. The coldspots were mainly in parts of the Guanzhong area, including Baoji, Xi'an, and Xianyang. A total of 4 spatiotemporal clustering areas were explored by spatiotemporal scanning analysis (all P<0.001), in which the first-level clustering areas covered 17 counties (districts), mainly Zhenping, Ziyang, Zhenba, in southern Shaanxi from 2019 to 2022, the second-level clustering areas covered 6 counties (districts), mainly Yanchuan, Yanchang, Qingjian, in northern Shaanxi from 2018 to 2021, the third-level clustering areas covered 14 counties (districts), mainly Yanta, Chang'an, Jingyang, in Guanzhong area from 2018 to 2019, and the fourth-level clustering areas covered 10 counties (districts) from 2019 to 2021. Conclusions:The registration rate of labortory confirmed pulmonary TB cases in Shaanxi showed an upward trend, with obvious differences in spatiotemporal clustering distribution. The clustering areas were mainly in southern Shaanxi, such as Zhenba, Zhenping, Hanbin, Langao, Pingli, Xunyang, Ziyang counties, and northern Shaanxi, such as Yanchuan and Yanchang counties, as well as in capital city, Xi'an and the adjacent Guanzhong area. It is necessary to develope targeted measures according to local conditions for the improvement of pulmonary TB prevention and control strategies in Shaanxi.

Influenza is a major public health problem worldwide,resulting in millions of hospitalizations each year.In addi-tion to vaccination and antiviral drugs against influenza,monoclonal antibody therapy is a promising treatment method because of its cross-reactivity and targeting.Widely reactive monoclonal antibodies can bind and neutralize multiple subtypes of influenza A virus,and also show good protective effect on infected mice,showing high potential in the prevention and treatment of influenza.In this review,we briefly review the recent research progress of broad-spectrum monoclonal antibodies targeting HA and NA,two important surface glycoproteins of influenza A virus.

Nature killer(NK)cells are lymphocytes of the innate immune that play a significant role in aging through direct cell killing and secretion of cytokines.NK cells can delay the occurrence of age-related diseases and prolong lifespan by eliminating senescencent cells.Significant progress has been achieved in the research utilizing NK cells to improve aging.This review aims to summarize that the recent research on the mechanism of NK cells in the context of senescence, as well as the progress made in anti-senescence interventions through animal and clinical studies.Nevertheless, substantial challenges remain for the clinical application of NK cell-based anti-senescence therapies.

Influenza is a major public health problem worldwide,resulting in millions of hospitalizations each year.In addi-tion to vaccination and antiviral drugs against influenza,monoclonal antibody therapy is a promising treatment method because of its cross-reactivity and targeting.Widely reactive monoclonal antibodies can bind and neutralize multiple subtypes of influenza A virus,and also show good protective effect on infected mice,showing high potential in the prevention and treatment of influenza.In this review,we briefly review the recent research progress of broad-spectrum monoclonal antibodies targeting HA and NA,two important surface glycoproteins of influenza A virus.

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture at the front-Mu points and the lower He-sea points combined with Western medication in the treatment of diarrhea induced by anti-tuberculosis drugs,as well as the effects on clinical symptoms and serum albumin.Methods:Seventy patients with diarrhea caused by anti-tuberculosis drugs were divided into an observation group and a control group according to the different treatment methods,with 35 cases in each group.Both groups were treated with the same Western medication,and the observation group was additionally treated with acupuncture at the front-Mu points and the lower He-sea points.After treatment,changes in the Hart score,traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)symptom score,and serum albumin were observed in both groups.Results:There was no statistically significant difference in the Hart score,TCM symptom score,and serum albumin level between the two groups before treatment(P>0.05).No adverse reactions occurred during treatment in either group.After 3 d of treatment,the total effective rate of the observation group was 68.6%,which was higher than 25.7%of the control group(P<0.01);after 7 d of treatment,the total effective rate of both the observation group and the control group was 100.0%,but the cured rate of the observation group was 80.0%,which was significantly higher than 2.9%of the control group(P<0.01).The Hart score and TCM symptom score of both groups after 3 d and 7 d of treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment(P<0.05),and the scores of the observation group were lower than those of the control group(P<0.05).After 7 d of treatment,the albumin level of the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:The addition of acupuncture at the front-Mu points combined with lower He-sea points to routine Western mediation treatment for diarrhea induced by anti-tuberculosis drugs is more effective than Western medication alone and can improve the clinical symptoms and nutritional status of the patients at an early stage.

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture at the front-Mu points and the lower He-sea points combined with Western medication in the treatment of diarrhea induced by anti-tuberculosis drugs,as well as the effects on clinical symptoms and serum albumin.Methods:Seventy patients with diarrhea caused by anti-tuberculosis drugs were divided into an observation group and a control group according to the different treatment methods,with 35 cases in each group.Both groups were treated with the same Western medication,and the observation group was additionally treated with acupuncture at the front-Mu points and the lower He-sea points.After treatment,changes in the Hart score,traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)symptom score,and serum albumin were observed in both groups.Results:There was no statistically significant difference in the Hart score,TCM symptom score,and serum albumin level between the two groups before treatment(P>0.05).No adverse reactions occurred during treatment in either group.After 3 d of treatment,the total effective rate of the observation group was 68.6%,which was higher than 25.7%of the control group(P<0.01);after 7 d of treatment,the total effective rate of both the observation group and the control group was 100.0%,but the cured rate of the observation group was 80.0%,which was significantly higher than 2.9%of the control group(P<0.01).The Hart score and TCM symptom score of both groups after 3 d and 7 d of treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment(P<0.05),and the scores of the observation group were lower than those of the control group(P<0.05).After 7 d of treatment,the albumin level of the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:The addition of acupuncture at the front-Mu points combined with lower He-sea points to routine Western mediation treatment for diarrhea induced by anti-tuberculosis drugs is more effective than Western medication alone and can improve the clinical symptoms and nutritional status of the patients at an early stage.

Nature killer(NK)cells are lymphocytes of the innate immune that play a significant role in aging through direct cell killing and secretion of cytokines.NK cells can delay the occurrence of age-related diseases and prolong lifespan by eliminating senescencent cells.Significant progress has been achieved in the research utilizing NK cells to improve aging.This review aims to summarize that the recent research on the mechanism of NK cells in the context of senescence, as well as the progress made in anti-senescence interventions through animal and clinical studies.Nevertheless, substantial challenges remain for the clinical application of NK cell-based anti-senescence therapies.