Background While A few studies have suggested associations between ambient temperature and cardiac autonomic function, the relationship between hourly temperature variations and heart rate variability (HRV) remains unclear. Objective To examine the acute effects and lag patterns of short-term ambient temperature exposure on HRV at an hourly temporal resolution during cold and warm seasons, and to further characterize the exposure-response relationships. Methods We conducted a longitudinal panel study involving 1047 eligible participants who ordered repeated 24 h ambulatory electrocardiogram monitoring at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China, between March 2020 and March 2022. Twelve HRV parameters were extracted, including standard deviation of all NN intervals (SDNN), standard deviation of the 5 min averages of NN intervals (SDANN), standard deviation of NN intervals index (SDNNIDX), root mean square of successive differences of adjacent NN intervals (rMSSD), triangle index (TI), percent of NN50 in the total number of NN intervals (pNN50), total power (TP), ultralow frequency (ULF), very low frequency (VLF), low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF), and ratio of low frequency to high frequency (LF/HF). Hourly meteorological data (mean temperature and relative humidity) were obtained from the nearest monitoring stations to participants' residences. Linear mixed effects models (LME) and generalized additive mixed effects models (GAMM) were employed to assess temperature-HRV associations and lag patterns during cold (from October to March next year) and warm (from April to September) seasons, with stratification by sex and age. Results A total of 1047 Urumqi residents who had repeated 24 h ambulatory electrocardiograms were included in this study. In both cold and warm seasons, the exposure-response relationship between ambient temperature and HRV showed an approximately linear negative correlation with no threshold effect; HRV parameters decreased as ambient temperature increased. The correlation between ambient temperature and HRV usually began at a lag of 6 h and disappeared around 24 h lag. The cold season induced a stronger effect on HRV decline, and for every 1 °C increase in ambient temperature during the cold season from lag 0 to 6 h, SDNN decreased by 0.72%, SDNNIDX decreased by 1.46%, TI decreased by 0.07%, SDANN decreased by 1.23%, rMSSD decreased by 1.00%, pNN50 decreased by 2.74%, TP decreased by 3.30%, ULF decreased by 3.74%, VLF decreased by 3.76%, LF decreased by 2.75%, HF decreased by 2.49%, and LF/HF decreased by 0.74%; for every 1 °C increase in ambient temperature during the warm season, SDNN decreased by 0.56%, SDNNIDX decreased by 1.08%, TI decreased by 0.29%, SDANN decreased by 0.56%, rMSSD decreased by 0.68%, pNN50 decreased by 2.11%, TP decreased by 2.64%, ULF decreased by 3.14%, VLF decreased by 2.74%, LF decreased by 1.85%, HF decreased by 1.68%, and LF/HF decreased by 0.47%. Conclusion Elevated ambient temperatures in Urumqi are significantly associated with decreased HRV in the residents, affecting cardiac autonomic function.

BACKGROUND: The use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) is a major concern for medication safety as it may entail more harm than potential benefits for older adults. This study aimed to explore the prescribing rate, healthcare utilization, and expenditure of older adults using PIMs in China. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using a national representative database of all medical insurance beneficiaries across China, extracting ambulatory visit records of adults aged 65 years and above between 2015 and 2017. Descriptive analysis was conducted to measure the rate of patients exposed to PIM, prescribing rate of each PIM, average annual outpatient visits per patient, average total medication costs for each visit, average annual cost of PIMs for each patient, and average annual medication costs for each patient. Generalized linear model with logit link function and binomial distribution was used to examine the adjusted associations between PIMs and independent variables. RESULTS: In total, 845,278 (33.2%) participants were identified to be exposed to at least one PIM. Patients aged 75-84 years (38.1%, 969,809/2,545,430) and ≥85 years (37.9%, 964,718/2,545,430) were more likely to be prescribed with PIMs. Beneficiaries of the Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance (UEBMI) and living in eastern and southern regions were more frequently prescribed with PIMs. Compared with patients without PIM exposure (7.5 visits, drug cost of RMB 1545.0 Yuan), patients with PIM exposure showed higher adjusted average annual number of outpatient visits (10.7 visits, β = 3.228, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.196-3.261) and higher annual drug costs (RMB 2461.8 Yuan, Coef. = 916.864, 95% CI = RMB 906.292-927.436 Yuan). CONCLUSIONS The results showed that the use of PIM among older adults was common in China. This study suggests that the use of PIM could be considered as a clear target, pending multidimensional efforts, to promote rational prescribing for older adults.
Humans ; Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Aged, 80 and over ; Male ; Female ; China ; Inappropriate Prescribing/economics* ; Patient Acceptance of Health Care/statistics & numerical data* ; Potentially Inappropriate Medication List/statistics & numerical data* ; Health Expenditures/statistics & numerical data*

Pristimerin, which is one of the compounds present in Celastraceae and Hippocrateaceae, has antitumor effects. However, its mechanism of action in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the efficacy and mechanism of pristimerin on ESCC in vitro and in vivo. The inhibitory effect of pristimerin on cell growth was assessed using trypan blue exclusion and colony formation assays. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry. Gene and protein expressions were analyzed through quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) was employed to identify significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Cell transfection and RNA interference assays were utilized to examine the role of key proteins in pristimerin?s effect. Xenograft models were established to evaluate the antitumor efficiency of pristimerin in vivo. Pristimerin inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis in ESCC cells. Upregulation of Noxa was crucial for pristimerin-induced apoptosis. Pristimerin activated the Forkhead box O3a (FoxO3a) signaling pathway and triggered FoxO3a recruitment to the Noxa promoter, leading to Noxa transcription. Blocking FoxO3a reversed pristimerin-induced Noxa upregulation and cell apoptosis. Pristimerin treatment suppressed xenograft tumors in nude mice, but these effects were largely negated in Noxa-KO tumors. Furthermore, the chemosensitization effects of pristimerin in vitro and in vivo were mediated by Noxa. This study demonstrates that pristimerin exerts an antitumor effect on ESCC by inducing AKT/FoxO3a-mediated Noxa upregulation. These findings suggest that pristimerin may serve as a potent anticancer agent for ESCC treatment.
Forkhead Box Protein O3/genetics* ; Humans ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma/physiopathology* ; Esophageal Neoplasms/physiopathology* ; Pentacyclic Triterpenes ; Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/genetics* ; Mice ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Mice, Nude ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Triterpenes/pharmacology* ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Male ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects*

Objective:To investigate the correlation between serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE) levels and poor neurological outcomes in cardiac arrest (CA) patients supported by veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO).Methods:This retrospective analysis was conducted on adult CA patients treated with VA-ECMO at Hangzhou First People's Hospital Affiliated to Westlake University School of Medicine, and Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine, from December 2018 to February 2024. General clinical data and serial serum NSE levels at 24, 48, and 72 h after ECMO initiation were collected. Based on the Glasgow-Pittsburgh Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) at discharge, patients were divided into poor neurological outcome group (CPC 3-5) and good neurological outcome group (CPC 1-2). Differences in serum NSE levels between the two groups were compared. The accuracy of serum NSE levels at three time points in predicting poor neurological outcomes in CA patients was assessed via receiver operating characteristic curves, and the optimal cut-off values were determined by the Youden index. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the relationship between serum NSE levels and poor neurological outcomes. Subgroup analysis was based on age, sex, location of CA, and extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR).Results:A total of 120 eligible CA patients were included, with 88 patients (73.3%) having poor neurological outcomes at discharge. Serum NSE levels at 24, 48, and 72 h after ECMO initiation were higher in the poor outcome group compared to the good outcome group (all P<0.05). The serum NSE level at 72 h had the highest accuracy in predicting poor outcomes, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.91 (95% CI: 0.85-0.96), and a cut-off value of 42.0 μg/L. The AUCs for 24 and 48 h were 0.78 (95% CI: 0.69-0.86) and 0.87 (95% CI: 0.80-0.94), with cut-off values of 70.6 μg/L and 64.5 μg/L, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that the serum NSE level at 72 h was associated with poor outcomes ( P<0.05), and an NSE level >42.0 μg/L was an independent risk factor for poor outcomes ( OR=20.29, 95% CI: 2.90-92.15). Subgroup analysis showed that serum NSE level at 72 h was an independent risk factor for poor neurological outcomes in CA patients aged<60 years old, male or female, out-of-hospital or in-hospital CA, and whether to perform ECPR (all P<0.05). Conclusion:Elevated serum NSE levels at 72 h after VA-ECMO initiation are associated with poor neurological outcomes in CA patients, with the cut-off value of 42.0 μg/L.

Objective To investigate the expression of Nanog and its regulatory relationship with MMP-2/MMP-9 proteins in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC).Methods We detected Nanog and MMP-2/MMP-9 protein expressions in 127 ESCC tissues and 82 adjacent normal tissues using immunohistochemistry and explored their correlations with the clinicopathological parameters and prognosis of the patients.GEO database was utilized to analyze the pathways enriched with the stemness-related molecules including Nanog,and TIMER online tool was used to analyze the correlations among TβR1,MMP-2,and MMP-9 in esophageal cancer.Results Nanog and MMP-2/MMP-9 proteins were significantly upregulated in ESCC tissues and positively intercorrelated.Their expression levels were closely correlated with infiltration depth and lymph node metastasis of ESCC but not with age,gender,or tumor differentiation.The patients with high expressions of Nanog and MMP-2/MMP-9 had significantly shorter survival time.Bioinformatics analysis showed enrichment of stemness-associated molecules in the TGF-β signaling pathway,and the expressions of MMP-2/MMP-9 and TβR1 were positively correlated.In cultured ESCC cells,Nanog knockdown significantly decreased the expression of TβR1,p-Smad2/3,MMP-2,and MMP-9 and strongly inhibited cell migration.Conclusion The high expressions of Nanog,MMP-2,and MMP-9,which are positively correlated,are closely related with invasion depth,lymph node metastasis,and prognosis of ESCC.Nanog regulates the expressions of MMP-2/MMP-9 proteins through the TGF-β signaling pathway,and its high expression promotes migration of ESCC cells.

Objective:To explore the clinical phenotype and genetic characteristics of a Chinese pedigree affected with Spastic paraplegia type 5A (SPG5A).Methods:A pedigree suspected for Hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) at Henan Children′s Hospital on August 15 2022 was selected as the study subject. Clinical data of the pedigree was collected. Peripheral blood samples were collected from members of the pedigree. Following extraction of genomic DNA, trio-WGS was carried out, and candidate variant was verified by Sanger sequencing.Results:The child, a 1-year-old boy, had presented with microcephaly, hairy face and dorsal side of distal extremities and trunk, intellectual and motor development delay, increased muscle tone of lower limbs, hyperreflexes of bilateral knee tendons, and positive pathological signs. His parents and sister both had normal phenotypes. Trio-WGS revealed that the child has harbored a homozygous c. 1250G>A (p.Arg417His) variant of the CYP7B1 gene, for which his mother was heterozygous, the father and sister were of the wild type. The variant was determined to have originated from maternal uniparental disomy (UPD). The result of Sanger sequencing was in keeping with the that of trio-WGS. SPG5A due to maternal UPD of chromosome 8 was unreported previously. Conclusion:The child was diagnosed with SPG5A, a complex type of HSP, for which the homozygous c. 1250G>A variant of the CYP7B1 gene derived from maternal UPD may be accountable.

Objective:To observe the effects of Huatan Quyu Decoction on the protein expressions of β-catenin and GSK-3 β and the expression of anticardiolipin antibody and β-amyloid protein related to cognitive function in rats with vascular dementia based on Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway.Methods:A total of 96 male SD rats were divided into blank group, model group, Donepezil hydrochloride group and Huatan Quyu Decoction low-, midium-, high-dosage group according to random number table method, with 16 rats in each group. Except for the blank group, the rat model of vascular dementia was prepared by modified 2-VO method. Huatan Quyu Decoction low-, medium- and high-dosage groups were administrated with Huatan Quyu Decoction 6.1, 12.1 and 24.2 g/kg, respectively; the Western medicine group was administrated with Donepezil hydrochloride 0.5 mg/kg; the blank group and the model group were administrated with the same amount of normal saline for 28 consecutive days. On the 1st, 7th, 14th and 28th day after administration, the learning and memory ability of rats was evaluated by Morris water maze test, the levels of ACA and Aβ in serum were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the expressions of β-catenin and GSK-3β proteins related to Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway in hippocampus were measured by Western blot.Results:Compared with model group, the escape latency was shortened in the Huatan Quyu Decoction high-dosage group and Donepezil group on 7 and 14 days of administration ( P<0.05), and the times of crossing the platform increased in Huatan Quyu Decoction high-dosage group on 1 and 28 days of administration ( P<0.05). Compared with model group, the serum ACA level in Donepezil group, Huatan Quyu Decoction medium- and high-dosage groups decreased at day 1, 7, 14 and 28 after administration ( P<0.05). The serum Aβ level in Donepezil group, Huatan Quyu Decoction medium- and high-dosage groups decreased at 7, 14 and 28 days after administration ( P<0.05); On the 14th and 28th days after administration, the levels of ACA and Aβ in TCM low-dosage group decreased ( P<0.05). Compared with model group, the expression of β-catenin protein in hippocampus of Donepezil group and Huatan Quyu Decoction medium- and high-dosage groups increased ( P<0.05), while the expression of GSK-3β in hippocampus of Donepezil group and Huatan Quyu Decoction low-, medium- and high-dosage groups decreased ( P<0.01). Conclusion:Huatan Quyu Decoction can activate the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, up-regulate the expression of β-catenin protein in hippocampal tissue of rats, inhibit the expression of GSK-3β, reduce the levels of ACA and Aβ in serum of rats, and improve the cognitive function of rats with vascular dementia.

Objective To investigate the expression of Nanog and its regulatory relationship with MMP-2/MMP-9 proteins in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC).Methods We detected Nanog and MMP-2/MMP-9 protein expressions in 127 ESCC tissues and 82 adjacent normal tissues using immunohistochemistry and explored their correlations with the clinicopathological parameters and prognosis of the patients.GEO database was utilized to analyze the pathways enriched with the stemness-related molecules including Nanog,and TIMER online tool was used to analyze the correlations among TβR1,MMP-2,and MMP-9 in esophageal cancer.Results Nanog and MMP-2/MMP-9 proteins were significantly upregulated in ESCC tissues and positively intercorrelated.Their expression levels were closely correlated with infiltration depth and lymph node metastasis of ESCC but not with age,gender,or tumor differentiation.The patients with high expressions of Nanog and MMP-2/MMP-9 had significantly shorter survival time.Bioinformatics analysis showed enrichment of stemness-associated molecules in the TGF-β signaling pathway,and the expressions of MMP-2/MMP-9 and TβR1 were positively correlated.In cultured ESCC cells,Nanog knockdown significantly decreased the expression of TβR1,p-Smad2/3,MMP-2,and MMP-9 and strongly inhibited cell migration.Conclusion The high expressions of Nanog,MMP-2,and MMP-9,which are positively correlated,are closely related with invasion depth,lymph node metastasis,and prognosis of ESCC.Nanog regulates the expressions of MMP-2/MMP-9 proteins through the TGF-β signaling pathway,and its high expression promotes migration of ESCC cells.

In-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) is a critical medical issue threatening the survival and prognosis of hospitalized patients, characterized by high incidence, high mortality and poor prognosis. Early warning and intervention for IHCA are urgently needed. The early warning score (EWS) is developed as a point-of-care warning tool for early identification and intervention of hospitalized patients with deteriorating condition. In recent years, EWS has become one of the important methods for early warning of IHCA, especially EWS based on machine learning (ML) has shown great potential. This review mainly focuses on the traditional EWS and ML-based EWS, discusses the research status of EWS worldwide, and focuses on the research progress of EWS in early warning of IHCA.
Humans ; Heart Arrest/therapy* ; Early Warning Score ; Prognosis ; Machine Learning ; Hospitalization

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of modified Xiaoyao powder for postpartum depression (PPD) by conducting a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods: The Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Databases (CNKI), the Chinese Scientific Journals Database (VIP), Wanfang, Google Scholar, the SinoMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and PubMed databases were searched from their inception to April 25, 2023. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool was used to assess the quality of the trials. We applied the risk ratio to present dichotomous data and the mean difference to present continuous data. Data with similar characteristics were pooled for meta-analysis and heterogeneity was assessed using I2. Results: This review included 35 trials involving 2848 participants. The quality of the included studies was low (unclear randomization processes and insufficient reporting of blinding). Participants treated with modified Xiaoyao powder plus Western medicine showed lower Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) depression score than those who used Western medicine alone (mean difference = −2.15; 95% confidence interval:−2.52 to 1.78; P < .00001), and higher effective rate (relative risk = 1.19; 95% confidence interval: 1.15 to 1.24; P < .00001), When comparing modified Xiaoyao alone with Western medicine, the HAMD depression score remained low, however, the efficacy rate was higher in the modified Xiaoyao group. Regarding adverse events, the modified Xiaoyao group reported weight gain, nausea, and diarrhea, but no severe adverse events were reported. Conclusion Modified Xiaoyao may help relieve depression in PPD when used alone or in combination with Western medicine, with minor side effects. Therefore, future high-quality, large-sample size RCTs are warranted.