BACKGROUND: Whether adherence to a healthy lifestyle is associated with a lower risk of developing pneumonia and a better long-term prognosis remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate associations of individual and combined lifestyle factors (LFs) with the incidence risk and long-term prognosis of pneumonia hospitalization. METHODS: Using data from the China Kadoorie Biobank study, we used the multistate models to investigate the role of five high-risk LFs, including smoking, excessive alcohol drinking, unhealthy dietary habits, physical inactivity, and unhealthy body shape, alone or in combination in the transitions from a generally healthy state at baseline to pneumonia hospitalization or cardiovascular disease (CVD, regarded as a reference outcome), and subsequently to mortality. RESULTS: Most of the five high-risk LFs were associated with increased risks of transitions from baseline to pneumonia and from pneumonia to death, but with different risk estimates. The greater the number of high-risk LFs, the higher the risk of developing pneumonia and long-term mortality risk after pneumonia, with the strength of associations comparable to that of LFs and CVD. Compared to participants with 0-1 high-risk LF, the adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for transitions from baseline to pneumonia and from pneumonia to death in those with five high-risk LFs were 1.43 (1.28-1.60) and 1.98 (1.61-2.42), respectively. Correspondingly, the respective HRs (95% CIs) for transitions from baseline to CVD and from CVD to death were 2.00 (1.89-2.11) and 1.44 (1.30-1.59), respectively. The risk estimates changed slightly when further adjusting for the presence of major chronic diseases. CONCLUSION In this Chinese population, unhealthy LFs were associated with an increased incidence and long-term mortality risk of pneumonia.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Cardiovascular Diseases/etiology* ; China/epidemiology* ; Life Style ; Pneumonia/etiology* ; Prognosis ; Risk Factors ; Smoking

BACKGROUND: Prospective evidence on how offspring number influences morbidity and mortality remains limited. This study investigated the associations between number of offspring and morbidity and mortality risks among 0.5 million Chinese adults. METHODS: By using data from the China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB; n = 512,723, an approximately 12-year follow-up), sex-stratified phenome-wide association study (PheWAS) analyses were conducted to investigate associations between offspring number (without vs . with offspring; more than one vs . one offspring) and risks of ICD10-coded morbidity and mortality. Sex-specific adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by Cox proportional-hazards models. RESULTS: Among 210,129 men and 302,284 women aged 30-79 years, 1,338,837 incident events were recorded. PheWAS results revealed that offspring number was associated with disease risks across multiple systems. Cox models showed that childless men ( vs . one offspring) had higher risks for nine of 36 diseases, while childless women for five of 37. Each additional offspring was associated with reduced risks of mental and behavioral disorders in men (aHR [95% CI] = 0.93 [0.87-0.98]) and both mental and behavioral disorders (aHR [95% CI] = 0.93 [0.89-0.97]) and breast cancer (aHR [95% CI] = 0.82 [0.78-0.86]) in women. However, each additional offspring was associated with a 4% increase in the risk of cholelithiasis and cholecystitis in women (aHR [95% CI] = 1.04 [1.02-1.07]). Among 282,630 patients, 44,533 deaths were documented. Childless patients had higher mortality risk in both men (aHR [95% CI] = 1.37 [1.28-1.47]) and women (aHR [95% CI] = 1.27 [1.15-1.41]). For men, each additional offspring reduced mortality by 4% (aHR [95% CI] = 0.96 [0.95-0.98]), while for women, the lowest risk was observed among those with three to four offspring ( Pnonlinear <0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Offspring number is closely linked to morbidity and mortality risks. Further research is warranted to verify our findings and clarify the underlying mechanisms involved.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; China/epidemiology* ; Morbidity ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Family Characteristics ; Mortality ; East Asian People

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of Yu Melody relaxation training (YMRT) combined with Jianpi Jieyu Decoction (JJD) in treating patients with insomnia disorders (ID). METHODS: In this randomized controlled study, 94 ID patients were included from Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences from September 2022 to January 2024. They were randomly assigned to the YMRT group (47 cases, YMRT plus JJD) and the control group (47 cases, oral JJD) using a random number table. Both treatment administrations lasted for 4 weeks, with a 2-week follow-up. The primary outcome was change in Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) scores from baseline to 4 weeks of intervention. Secondary outcomes included ISI response at week 4, as well as ISI, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scores at baseline and weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6. Additionally, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores were evaluated at baseline and weeks 4 and 6. Adverse events (AEs) were recorded and compared between groups. RESULTS: Five patients in each group did not complete the protocol requirements. The overall dropout rate was 10.64%. The full analysis set included all 47 cases in each group. The ISI score decreased significantly at week 4 from baseline in the YMRT group compared with the control group, with a between-group difference of -3.2 points [95% confidence interval (CI): -5.08 to -1.34; P<0.05]. The ISI response at week 4 in the YMRT group was significantly higher than that in the control group (85.11% vs. 51.06%), with a between-group difference of 34.05% (95% CI: 13.77% to 50.97%; P<0.05). At week 6, the YMRT group demonstrated greater reductions from baseline than the control group, with between-group differences of -2.1 points (-95% CI: -3.49 to -0.64; P<0.05) for PHQ-9 scores, -3.5 points (95% CI: -5.21 to -1.85; P<0.05) for PSQI scores, and -1.9 points (95% CI: -3.47 to -0.28; P<0.05) for GAD-7 scores. Moreover, at weeks 4 and 6, the ISI and PSQI scores in the YMRT group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05); and at week 6, the PHQ-9 score in the YMRT group was significantly lower (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence rates of AEs between the two groups (8.51% vs. 4.26%, P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS YMRT combined with oral JJD could improve sleep quality and alleviate depressive and anxiety symptoms in patients with ID. This combined therapy was effective and safe, and its effect was superior to oral JJD alone. (Registration No. ChiCTR2200063884).
Humans ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/drug therapy* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Male ; Female ; Relaxation Therapy/methods* ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Combined Modality Therapy

Stroke is the second leading cause of disability and mortality worldwide, imposing a substantial socioeconomic burden on individuals and healthcare systems. Annually, approximately 14 million people experience stroke, with ischemic stroke comprising nearly 85% of cases, of which 10% to 20% involve large vessel occlusions. Currently, recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) remains the only approved pharmacological intervention. However, its utility is limited due to a narrow therapeutic window and low recanalization rates, making it applicable to only a minority of patients. Therefore, there is an urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies, including pharmacological advancements and combinatory treatments. Small-molecule natural medicines, particularly those derived from traditional Chinese herbs, have demonstrated significant therapeutic potential in ischemic stroke management. These compounds exert multiple neuroprotective effects, such as antioxidation, anti-inflammatory action, and inhibition of apoptosis, all of which are critical in mitigating stroke-induced cerebral damage. This review comprehensively examines the pathophysiology of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and highlights the recent progress in the development of small-molecule natural medicines as promising therapeutic agents for cerebral ischemic stroke.
Humans ; Ischemic Stroke/physiopathology* ; Animals ; Neuroprotective Agents/therapeutic use* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Biological Products/therapeutic use* ; Stroke/drug therapy*

Objective To investigate the infection status and changing trend of hepatitis C virus(HCV)infection in hospitalized patients in medical institutions,and provide reference for formulating HCV infection prevention and control strategies.Methods HCV infection surveillance results from cross-sectional survey data reported to China Healthcare-associated Infection(HAI)Surveillance System in 2020 were summarized and analyzed,HCV positive was serum anti-HCV positive or HCV RNA positive,survey result was compared with the survey results from 2003.Results In 2020,1 071 368 inpatients in 1 573 hospitals were surveyed,738 535 of whom underwent HCV test,4 014 patients were infected with HCV,with a detection rate of 68.93％and a HCV positive rate of 0.54％.The positive rate of HCV in male and female patients were 0.60％and 0.48％,respectively,with a statistically sig-nificant difference(x2=47.18,P＜0.001).The HCV positive rate in the 50-＜60 age group was the highest(0.76％),followed by the 40-＜50 age group(0.71％).Difference among all age groups was statistically signifi-cant(x2=696.74,P＜0.001).In 2003,91 113 inpatients were surveyed.35 145 of whom underwent HCV test,resulting in a detection rate of 38.57％;775 patients were infected with HCV,with a positive rate of 2.21％.In 2020,HCV positive rates in hospitals of different scales were 0.46％-0.63％,with the highest in hospital with bed numbers ranging 600-899.Patients'HCV positive rates in hospitals of different scales was statistically signifi-cant(X2=35.34,P＜0.001).In 2020,12 provinces/municipalities had over 10 000 patients underwent HCV-rela-ted test,and HCV positive rates ranged 0.19％-0.81％,with the highest rate from Hainan Province.HCV posi-tive rates in different departments were 0.06％-0.82％,with the lowest positive rate in the department of pedia-trics and the highest in the department of internal medicine.In 2003 and 2020,HCV positive rates in the depart-ment of infectious diseases were the highest,being 7.95％and 3.48％,respectively.Followed by departments of orthopedics(7.72％),gastroenterology(3.77％),nephrology(3.57％)and general intensive care unit(ICU,3.10％)in 2003,as well as departments of gastroenterology(1.35％),nephrology(1.18％),endocrinology(0.91％),and general intensive care unit(ICU,0.79％)in 2020.Conclusion Compared with 2003,HCV positive rate decreased significantly in 2020.HCV infected patients were mainly from the department of infectious diseases,followed by departments of gastroenterology,nephrology and general ICU.HCV infection positive rate varies with gender,age,and region.

Objective To investigate the separation efficiency of three physical separation methods for gaseous ¹⁴C, namely membrane separation, adsorption separation, and low-temperature separation, to screen for the optimal separation method, and to provide a reference for the separation and enrichment of ¹⁴CO₂ in online monitoring of ¹⁴C. Methods The experimental plan was designed, and three devices were constructed for separation and purification experiments. The purity, recovery rate, and separation time of CO₂ separated by the three methods were analyzed. Results All the three methods achieved the separation of CO₂. Under certain conditions, 20 mL of sample gas was obtained. The separation time of membrane separation method was 0.5 hour, CO₂ gas with a sample purity of 0.0486%-0.0488%VOL was obtained, and the recovery rate was only 2.5%−12.7%. The separation time of MOF material adsorption separation method was 24−30 hours, CO₂ gas with a sample purity of 20.2%−47.5%VOL was obtained, and the recovery rate was 57.3%−63.2%. The separation time of low-temperature separation method was 3 hours, CO₂ gas with a sample purity of 96.0%−99.8%VOL was obtained, and the recovery rate was 81.5%−92.5%. Conclusion The purity and recovery rate of CO₂ with low-temperature separation method were higher compared to membrane separation method and MOF material adsorption separation method. The separation time of low-temperature separation method was moderate. The low-temperature separation method can provide a reference for the enrichment technology of ¹⁴C in the rapid measurement of gaseous ¹⁴C effluent.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of hydrogen on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and nigericin-induced pyroptosis in macrophages and the role of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) nuclear-enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1).Methods:Human monocyte-derived macrophages THP-1 cells were cultured in vitro and divided into 4 groups ( n=25 each) using a random number table method: control group (group C), LPS and nigericin group (group LN), hydrogen-rich medium+ LPS and nigericin group (group H+ LN), and lentiviral transfection+ hydrogen-rich medium+ LPS-nigericin group (group LV+ H+ LN). THP-1 cells were cultured in the common culture medium for 24 h in group C. LPS at a final concentration of 100 ng/ml and nigericin 10 μmol/L were added to the culture medium, and the cells were incubated for 24 h in group LN. In group H+ LN, the culture medium was replaced with 0.6 mmol/L hydrogen-rich medium, then LPS at a final concentration of 100 ng/ml and nigericin 10 μmol/L were immediately added, and the cells were incubated for 24 h. In group LV+ H+ LN, THP-1 cells over-expressing NEAT1 stably after being transfected with lentivirus were used, then LPS at a final concentration of 100 ng/ml and nigericin 10 μmol/L were immediately added, and the cells were incubated for 24 h. Cell viability was detected by CCK-8 assay. Lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) release was assessed by colorimetric method. The amount of LDH released was measured by colorimetry. The concentrations of interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) and IL-18 in culture medium were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The pyroptotic rate was detected by flow cytometry. The expression of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor-containing pyrin domain 3 (NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC), caspase-1 and gasdermin D (GSDMD) was detected by Western blot. The expression of NEAT1 gene was determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results:Compared with group C, the cell viability was significantly decreased, the amount of LDH released, concentrations of IL-1β and IL-18, and pyroptotic rate were increased, and the expression of NEAT1 gene, NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1 and GSDMD was up-regulated in group LN ( P<0.05). Compared with group LN, the cell viability was significantly increased, the amount of LDH released, concentrations of IL-1β and IL-18, and pyroptotic rate were decreased, and the expression of NEAT1 gene, NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1 and GSDMD was down-regulated in group H+ LN ( P<0.05). Compared with group H+ LN, the cell viability was significantly decreased, the amount of LDH released, concentrations of IL-1β and IL-18, and pyroptotic rate were increased, and the expression of NEAT1 gene, NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1 and GSDMD was up-regulated in group LV+ H+ LN ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Hydrogen can ameliorate LPS and nigericin-induced pyroptosis in macrophages, and the mechanism may be associated with down-regulating the expression of lncRNA NEAT1.

【Objective】 To explore the correlation between body mass index (BMI) and lipid indexes with prostate volume in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) so as to provide reference for the clinical prevention of this disease. 【Methods】 Clinical data of 578 patients admitted to the Department of Urology of Chinese PLA General Hospital during Jan.2014 and Dec.2022 were collected.The patients underwent initial prostate puncture biopsy or prostatectomy and BPH was confirmed pathologically.The patients’ age, time of onset of the disease, BMI, past medical history and biochemical indexes were analyzed.According to the total prostate volume (TPV) grading, the patients were divided into TPV>75 mL and TPV≤75 mL groups.The general data of the two groups were compared, and predictors of TPV were determined with linear regression analysis.The samples were stratified with BMI to observe the differences in the effects of apolipoprotein B (ApoB) on TPV. 【Results】 There were 215 cases in the TPV>75 mL group and 363 cases in the TPV≤75 mL group.The levels of BMI, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) were higher in the TPV>75 mL group (P<0.01).Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that age (β=0.604, P=0.003), BMI (β=2.000, P<0.001), ApoB (β=23.792, P<0.001) and TPV had a significant positive linear correlation; after adjusting for the confounders of age and BMI, ApoB was not linearly correlated with TPV in BPH population with BMI<24 (P>0.05), and ApoB predicted prostate volume growth in overweight and obese BPH population respectively (β=26.411, P=0.011; β=47.602, P=0.017). 【Conclusion】 Age, ApoB and BMI can be used as predictors of volume growth in BPH patients, which can help further research on the pathogenesis and progression of BPH.

Objective To address the radioactive contamination of wounds caused by transuranic nuclides, wound radiation imaging based on coded aperture imaging technology was investigated. Methods By simulating multiple source terms using Monte Carlo method, the differences in imaging performance between two image reconstruction algorithms under near-field conditions were compared. The effects of detector pixels and detection plane pixels on image resolution were investigated. Results The imaging system was simulated based on the designed dimensions. The simulated imaging field of view was 89.4 mm × 89.4 mm and the simulated angular resolution was 1.98°. Based on the comparison of the average width at half height of the reconstructed point sources under different conditions, it was found that increasing the number of pixels in the detector and detection plane optimized the angular resolution but significantly prolonged the Monte Carlo simulation time. Conclusion According to the simulation results, the parameters of the imaging system can be used to effectively image radioactive contamination. Our results provide methodological support for the measurement of wound contamination caused by transuranic nuclides, and lay the foundation for the development of wound contamination imaging detection systems in the future.