BACKGROUND: Prolonged occupational noise exposure poses potential health risks, but its impact on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage and methylation patterns remains unclear. METHOD: We recruited 306 factory workers, using average binaural high-frequency hearing thresholds from pure-tone audiometry to assess noise exposure. MtDNA damage was evaluated through mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) and lesion rate, and mtDNA methylation changes were identified via pyrophosphate sequencing. RESULTS: There was a reduction in MT-RNR1 methylation of 4.52% (95% CI: -7.43% to -1.62%) among workers with abnormal hearing, whereas changes in the D-loop region were not statistically significant (β = -2.06%, 95% CI: -4.44% to 0.31%). MtDNAcn showed a negative association with MT-RNR1 methylation (β = -0.95, 95% CI: -1.23 to -0.66), while no significant link was found with D-loop methylation (β = -0.05, 95% CI: -0.58 to 0.48). Mediation analysis indicated a significant increase in mtDNAcn by 10.75 units (95% CI: 3.00 to 21.26) in those with abnormal hearing, with MT-RNR1 methylation mediating 35.9% of this effect. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that occupational noise exposure may influence compensatory increases in mtDNA content through altered MT-RNR1 methylation.
Humans ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; DNA Methylation ; Male ; Adult ; Noise, Occupational/adverse effects* ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure/adverse effects* ; Biomarkers/blood* ; Female

Progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) is a progressive and lethal condition with few effective treatment options. Improvements in quality of life for patients with PPF remain limited even while receiving treatment with approved antifibrotic drugs. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has the potential to improve cough, dyspnea and fatigue symptoms of patients with PPF. TCM treatments are typically diverse and individualized, requiring urgent development of efficient and precise design strategies to identify effective treatment options. We designed an innovative Bayesian adaptive two-stage trial, hoping to provide new ideas for the rapid evaluation of the effectiveness of TCM in PPF. An open-label, two-stage, adaptive Bayesian randomized controlled trial will be conducted in China. Based on Bayesian methods, the trial will employ response-adaptive randomization to allocate patients to study groups based on data collected over the course of the trial. The adaptive Bayesian trial design will employ a Bayesian hierarchical model with "stopping" and "continuation" criteria once a predetermined posterior probability of superiority or futility and a decision threshold are reached. The trial can be implemented more efficiently by sharing the master protocol and organizational management mechanisms of the sub-trial we have implemented. The primary patient-reported outcome is a change in the Leicester Cough Questionnaire score, reflecting an improvement in cough-specific quality of life. The adaptive Bayesian trial design may be a promising method to facilitate the rapid clinical evaluation of TCM effectiveness for PPF, and will provide an example for how to evaluate TCM effectiveness in rare and refractory diseases. However, due to the complexity of the trial implementation, sufficient simulation analysis by professional statistical analysts is required to construct a Bayesian response-adaptive randomization procedure for timely response. Moreover, detailed standard operating procedures need to be developed to ensure the feasibility of the trial implementation. Please cite this article as: Zhang C, Nie YS, Zhang CT, Yang HJ, Zhang HR, Xiao W, Cui GF, Li J, Li SJ, Huang QS, Yan SY. An adaptive Bayesian randomized controlled trial of traditional Chinese medicine in progressive pulmonary fibrosis: Rationale and study design. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(2): 138-145.
Female ; Humans ; Male ; Bayes Theorem ; Disease Progression ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Pulmonary Fibrosis/therapy* ; Quality of Life ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Research Design ; Adaptive Clinical Trials as Topic

Objective: To investigate the trend in incidence and change in age at onset of malignant tumor in cancer registration areas of Jiangsu Province from 2009 to 2021, so as to provide the evidence for formulating cancer prevention and control strategies and optimizing the allocation of healthcare resources. Methods: Incidence data of malignant tumor cases from 2009 to 2021 were collected from the aggregated database of 16 qualified cancer registries of Jiangsu Province. The crude incidence, age-specific incidence, average age at onset, proportion of age-specific incidence, and proportion of incidence in cases aged ≥60 years were calculated by genders and urban/rural areas, and age-standardized using the Segi's world standard population. The trend in incidence of malignant tumor from 2009 to 2021 was evaluated using average annual percent change (AAPC). The trend in average age at onset of malignant tumor from 2009 to 2021 was evaluated using the linear regression model. Results: From 2009 to 2021, a total of 703 185 cases of malignant tumor were reported in Jiangsu Province, comprising 400 970 males and 302 215 females. The crude incidence of malignant tumor increased from 268.26/100 000 in 2009 to 380.97/100 000 in 2021 (AAPC=2.880%, P<0.05). From 2009 to 2021, the world population-standardized incidence of malignant tumor showed upward trends in the total population, females, and urban and rural areas (AAPC=0.635%, 2.332%, 0.795%, and 0.385%, all P<0.05), while a downward trend was observed in males (AAPC=-0.608%, P<0.05). From 2009 to 2021, the crude incidence of malignant tumor in the groups aged 0-<30 years, 30-<40 years, 40-<50 years, 60-<70 years, and ≥80 years showed upward trends (AAPC=3.160%, 4.462%, 1.295%, 0.569%, and 1.496%, all P<0.05), a downward trend was found in the group aged 50-<60 years (AAPC=-0.860%, P<0.05), while no statistically significant trend was observed in the group aged 70-<80 years (P>0.05). The world population-standardized average age at onset showed downward trends in the total population, females, and urban areas, with average annual decreases of 0.085, 0.223, and 0.136 years, respectively (all P<0.05). Conversely, an upward trend was observed in males, with an average annual increase of 0.081 years (P<0.05). No statistically significant trend was found in rural areas (P>0.05). Compared with 2009, the proportion of malignant tumor incidence cases increased in all age groups between 20-<50 years in 2021. Additionally, the proportion of malignant tumor cases aged over 60 years showed a downward trend from 2009 to 2021 (AAPC=-0.322%, P<0.05). Conclusions From 2009 to 2021, the overall incidence of malignant tumor in registration areas of Jiangsu Province showed an upward trend, with the age at onset tending to become younger. There were differences in the incidence trends across genders and urban/rural areas.

Objective:To investigate the association of the interaction and combined effect of renal function and body mass index (BMI) with the risk for all-cause death in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in communities of Jiangsu Province.Methods:The study subjects were from the Comprehensive Research Project of Diabetes Prevention and Control conducted in Jiangsu from December 2013 to January 2014, and follow up was conducted for them until September 30, 2023. A total of 20 025 subjects were included in the study. Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze the association of renal function with risk for death in T2DM patients, and the association of interaction between renal function and BMI and their combined effect with all-cause death risk in T2DM patients.Results:In the follow up for 198 370 person-years, a total of 4 459 deaths were recorded. Cox proportional hazards regression model analysis showed that renal dysfunction was associated with 71% risk of all-cause mortality in all T2DM patients [hazard ratio ( HR) =1.71, 95% CI: 1.59-1.84], as well as in all BMI subgroups. Likelihood ratio test indicated an interaction between renal function and BMI (interaction for P=0.030). Compared with patients with normal renal function and normal BMI, those with normal renal function and over weight or obesity had a lower risk of all-cause mortality, and those with renal dysfunction and low weight had the highest risk for death ( HR=2.78, 95% CI: 1.87-4.14). Conclusions:There is association of interaction between renal function and BMI with all-cause mortality in T2DM patients. T2DM patients with renal dysfunction and low body weight had significant higher risk for death.

Objective To investigate the awareness of female patients with pelvic floor dysfunction regarding minimally invasive laser treatment of the reproductive tract and analyze the factors influencing their decision-making intentions,this study aims to provide a foundation for early treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction and further development in reproductive health management.Methods A convenience sampling method was employed to select 164 female patients with pelvic floor dysfunction who sought treatment at the Pelvic Rehabilitation Center of Dongguan Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital between June 2023 and August 2024.The study utilized the Female Sexual Function Index,Incontinence Quality of Life Questionnaire,and Family Support Self-Assessment Scale to conduct a survey.Binary logistic stepwise regression analysis was conducted to investigate the factors influ-encing patients'inclination towards undergoing genital laser minimally invasive treatment.Results Among the 164 female patients,143(87.2%)expressed an intention to receive treatment,with 22.6%demonstrating a rela-tively clear understanding of genital laser minimally invasive treatment.Logistic regression analysis revealed that occupation significantly influenced treatment intention(P<0.05).Compared to healthcare professionals,individuals in the teaching profession(OR=10.81,95%CI:1.04～112.21),self-employed individuals(OR=20.34,95%CI:3.46～119.43),and those in other professions(OR=16.26,95%CI:4.05～65.29)were more inclined to express willingness for undergoing treatment.Furthermore,a lower score on the Incontinence Quality of Life scale was found to positively correlate with treatment intention(OR=0.96,95%CI:0.93～0.99).Conclusion Although patients express a high intention to undergo minimally invasive genital laser treatment,their overall awareness of the procedure remains insufficient.

Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy of the splenic vessel-oriented anatomical plane priority strategy in Da Vinci robotic Kimura distal pancreatectomy.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 26 patients who underwent robotic-assisted distal pancreatectomy at Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital from January 2019 to September 2024. The cohort included 7 male and 19 female patients, aged (49.3±16.7) years. Surgical outcomes, including operative time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative complications, and hospital stay, were analyzed, and surgical techniques were summarized.Results:All 26 patients successfully completed the surgery. Pathological diagnoses included 5 cases of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm, 5 serous cystadenomas, 1 pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, 6 solid pseudopapillary neoplasms, 4 mucinous cystic neoplasms, and 5 neuroendocrine tumors. The maximum tumor diameter was (2.3±1.1) cm, and the operative time was (183.2±77.4) min. The spleen preservation rate was 100% (26/26). Intraoperative blood loss was 50.0 (17.5, 125) ml, and postoperative hospital stay was (10.1±3.7) d. No Clavien-Dindo grade III or higher complications occurred. The post-operative pancreatic fistula (POPF) rate was 53.8% (14/26), including 38.5% (10/26) biochemical leak and 15.3% (4/26) grade B POPF, with no grade C POPF.Conclusion:The splenic vessel-oriented anatomical plane priority strategy in robotic-assisted spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy (Kimura technique) is safe and feasible, significantly improving the spleen preservation rate.

Objective:To investigate the association of the interaction and combined effect of renal function and body mass index (BMI) with the risk for all-cause death in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in communities of Jiangsu Province.Methods:The study subjects were from the Comprehensive Research Project of Diabetes Prevention and Control conducted in Jiangsu from December 2013 to January 2014, and follow up was conducted for them until September 30, 2023. A total of 20 025 subjects were included in the study. Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze the association of renal function with risk for death in T2DM patients, and the association of interaction between renal function and BMI and their combined effect with all-cause death risk in T2DM patients.Results:In the follow up for 198 370 person-years, a total of 4 459 deaths were recorded. Cox proportional hazards regression model analysis showed that renal dysfunction was associated with 71% risk of all-cause mortality in all T2DM patients [hazard ratio ( HR) =1.71, 95% CI: 1.59-1.84], as well as in all BMI subgroups. Likelihood ratio test indicated an interaction between renal function and BMI (interaction for P=0.030). Compared with patients with normal renal function and normal BMI, those with normal renal function and over weight or obesity had a lower risk of all-cause mortality, and those with renal dysfunction and low weight had the highest risk for death ( HR=2.78, 95% CI: 1.87-4.14). Conclusions:There is association of interaction between renal function and BMI with all-cause mortality in T2DM patients. T2DM patients with renal dysfunction and low body weight had significant higher risk for death.

Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy of the splenic vessel-oriented anatomical plane priority strategy in Da Vinci robotic Kimura distal pancreatectomy.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 26 patients who underwent robotic-assisted distal pancreatectomy at Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital from January 2019 to September 2024. The cohort included 7 male and 19 female patients, aged (49.3±16.7) years. Surgical outcomes, including operative time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative complications, and hospital stay, were analyzed, and surgical techniques were summarized.Results:All 26 patients successfully completed the surgery. Pathological diagnoses included 5 cases of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm, 5 serous cystadenomas, 1 pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, 6 solid pseudopapillary neoplasms, 4 mucinous cystic neoplasms, and 5 neuroendocrine tumors. The maximum tumor diameter was (2.3±1.1) cm, and the operative time was (183.2±77.4) min. The spleen preservation rate was 100% (26/26). Intraoperative blood loss was 50.0 (17.5, 125) ml, and postoperative hospital stay was (10.1±3.7) d. No Clavien-Dindo grade III or higher complications occurred. The post-operative pancreatic fistula (POPF) rate was 53.8% (14/26), including 38.5% (10/26) biochemical leak and 15.3% (4/26) grade B POPF, with no grade C POPF.Conclusion:The splenic vessel-oriented anatomical plane priority strategy in robotic-assisted spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy (Kimura technique) is safe and feasible, significantly improving the spleen preservation rate.

Objective To investigate the awareness of female patients with pelvic floor dysfunction regarding minimally invasive laser treatment of the reproductive tract and analyze the factors influencing their decision-making intentions,this study aims to provide a foundation for early treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction and further development in reproductive health management.Methods A convenience sampling method was employed to select 164 female patients with pelvic floor dysfunction who sought treatment at the Pelvic Rehabilitation Center of Dongguan Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital between June 2023 and August 2024.The study utilized the Female Sexual Function Index,Incontinence Quality of Life Questionnaire,and Family Support Self-Assessment Scale to conduct a survey.Binary logistic stepwise regression analysis was conducted to investigate the factors influ-encing patients'inclination towards undergoing genital laser minimally invasive treatment.Results Among the 164 female patients,143(87.2%)expressed an intention to receive treatment,with 22.6%demonstrating a rela-tively clear understanding of genital laser minimally invasive treatment.Logistic regression analysis revealed that occupation significantly influenced treatment intention(P<0.05).Compared to healthcare professionals,individuals in the teaching profession(OR=10.81,95%CI:1.04～112.21),self-employed individuals(OR=20.34,95%CI:3.46～119.43),and those in other professions(OR=16.26,95%CI:4.05～65.29)were more inclined to express willingness for undergoing treatment.Furthermore,a lower score on the Incontinence Quality of Life scale was found to positively correlate with treatment intention(OR=0.96,95%CI:0.93～0.99).Conclusion Although patients express a high intention to undergo minimally invasive genital laser treatment,their overall awareness of the procedure remains insufficient.

Objectives:To explore the risk factors for death from ruptured acute aortic dissection during emergency treatment,construct and validate a risk prediction model for death from ruptured acute aortic dissection during emergency treatment. Methods:A total of 301 cases of acute aortic dissection patients who were admitted to Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Fuwai Hospital from January 2018 to August 2021 were included in this study.Patients were divided into survival subgroup(n=239)and death subgroup(n=62)according to whether dissection rupture occurred in the acute stage of the disease.Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed.Logistic regression analysis was used to establish the risk prediction model.The Hosmer-Lemeshow test was conducted to assess the model's goodness of fit,and the receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC curve)was used to evaluate the model's predictive performance.A prospective validation was performed on 129 cases of acute aortic dissection patients admitted to our hospital's emergency department from September 2021 to September 2022. Results:Among the 301 cases of acute aortic dissection patients,there were 62 cases of rupture and death,with an incidence rate of 20.6%.The results of multivariate analysis showed that age(OR=1.066,95%CI:1.034-1.099),type A dissection(OR=0.045,95%CI:0.006-0.364),history of hypertension(OR=0.377,95%CI:0.167-0.850),and concomitant hypotension(OR=4.424,95%CI:1.467-13.340)were determinants of deaths.The model formula was Z=-5.624+0.064×age-0.976×history of hypertension(yes=1,no=0)-3.104×type(Type A=0,Type B=1)+1.487×concomitant hypotension(yes=1,no=0).The Hosmer-Lemeshow test result showed χ2=9.328,df=8,P=0.315,the area under the ROC curve was 0.874,sensitivity was 79.0%,specificity was 81.6%,and the maximum Youden index was 0.606.The model validation result showed that the area under the ROC curve was 0.722,sensitivity was 73.7%,specificity was 69.1%,and accuracy was 89.9%. Conclusions:Age,history of hypertension,dissection type,and combined hypotension are predictors of the risk prediction model for death from dissection rupture in patients with acute aortic dissection during emergency treatment.The model constructed in this study has good predictive performance,which can provide reference for medical staffto quickly identify high-risk patients for death from ruptured acute aortic dissection and timely predictive measures could be highlighted in indicated cases.