Objective:To evaluate the effectiveness of amplification intervention with hearing aids for restoring binaural auditory function in patients with unilateral moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss. Methods:This study selected 30 patients with normal hearing in one ear and moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss in the other ear. They were fitted with hearing aids for the worse ear and underwent more than half a year and one year of adaptation training. The Chinese translation of the Twelve-item version of SSQ（C-SSQ12）, angle identification test, speech recognition score（SRS） at different signal-to-noise ratios（SNR=5 and SNR=10） and audiometric thresholds were used to compare the results before and after hearing aid use to evaluate the effectiveness of the unilateral hearing loss intervention. Results:The results of the audiometric thresholds, C-SSQ12 scores, angle identification test, and SRS at SNR=5 and SNR=10 in the worse ear of the unilateral hearing loss patients after hearing aid use were all statistically significant compared to before hearing aid use（P<0.01）. Conclusion:Amplification intervention with hearing aids has significant effects on restoring binaural auditory function in patients with unilateral moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss.
Humans ; Hearing Aids ; Hearing Loss, Unilateral/therapy* ; Middle Aged ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural/rehabilitation* ; Adult ; Female ; Male ; Auditory Threshold ; Young Adult ; Aged

Frostbite is the most common cold injury and is caused by both immediate cold-induced cell death and the gradual development of localized inflammation and tissue ischemia. Delayed healing of frostbite often leads to scar formation, which not only causes psychological distress but also tends to result in the development of secondary malignant tumors. Therefore, a rapid healing method for frostbite wounds is urgently needed. Herein, we used a mouse skin model of frostbite injury to evaluate the recovery process after frostbite. Moreover, single-cell transcriptomics was used to determine the patterns of changes in monocytes, macrophages, epidermal cells, and fibroblasts during frostbite. Most importantly, human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived skin organoids combined with gelatin-hydrogel were constructed for the treatment of frostbite. The results showed that skin organoid treatment significantly accelerated wound healing by reducing early inflammation after frostbite and increasing the proportions of epidermal stem cells. Moreover, in the later stage of wound healing, skin organoids reduced the overall proportions of fibroblasts, significantly reduced fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition by regulating the integrin α5β1-FAK pathway, and remodeled the extracellular matrix (ECM) through degradation and reassembly mechanisms, facilitating the restoration of physiological ECM and reducing the abundance of ECM associated with abnormal scar formation. These results highlight the potential application of organoids for promoting the reversal of frostbite-related injury and the recovery of skin functions. This study provides a new therapeutic alternative for patients suffering from disfigurement and skin dysfunction caused by frostbite.
Animals ; Organoids/metabolism* ; Mice ; Humans ; Wound Healing ; Frostbite/metabolism* ; Skin/pathology* ; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells/cytology* ; Cicatrix/pathology* ; Fibroblasts/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Extracellular Matrix/metabolism* ; Male

BACKGROUND: Previous evidence showed that ambient air pollution and cardiovascular mortality are related. However, there is a lack of evidence towards the modification effect of long-term lifestyle on the association between short-term ambient air pollution and death from cardiovascular events. METHOD: A total of 14,609 death from major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were identified among the China Kadoorie Biobank participants from 2013 to 2018. Ambient air pollution exposure including particulate matter 2.5 (PM_2.5), SO₂, NO₂, CO, and O₃ from the same period were obtained from space-time model reconstructions based on remote sensing data. Case-crossover design and conditional logistic regression was applied to estimate the effect of short-term exposure to air pollutants on MACE mortality. RESULTS: We found MACE mortality was significantly associated with PM_2.5 (relative percent increase 2.91% per 10 µg/m³ increase, 95% CI 1.32-4.53), NO₂ (5.37% per 10 µg/m³ increase, 95% CI 1.56-9.33), SO₂ (6.82% per 10 µg/m³ increase, 95% CI 2.99-10.80), and CO (2.24% per 0.1 mg/m³ increase, 95% CI 1.02-3.48). Stratified analyses indicated that drinking was associated with elevated risk of MACE mortality with NO₂ and SO₂ exposure; physical inactivity was associated with higher risk of death from MACE when exposed to PM_2.5; and people who had balanced diet had lower risk of MACE mortality when exposed to CO and NO₂. CONCLUSIONS The study results showed that short-term exposure to ambient PM_2.5, NO₂, SO₂, and CO would aggravate the risk of cardiovascular mortality, yet healthy lifestyle conduct might mitigate such negative impact to some extent.
Humans ; Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology* ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Air Pollution/adverse effects* ; Middle Aged ; Air Pollutants/analysis* ; Particulate Matter/analysis* ; Environmental Exposure/adverse effects* ; Life Style ; Aged ; Adult ; Risk Factors ; Cross-Over Studies ; East Asian People

OBJECTIVE To analyze the peak wideband acoustic immittance(WAI)values reflecting the tympanic membrane absorption characteristics during the measurement process in patients with congenital middle ear malformation.METHODS We selected 36 patients diagnosed with congenital middle ear malformation by CT as subjects and evaluated their tympanic membrane absorption characteristics by measuring their acoustic impedance peak pressure.Then,we divided these data into two groups based on the pathological malformation obseved during the surgical process,namely the auditory ossicular chain soft connection group and the auditory ossicular chain fixation group.Calculate the absorption rate values of the tympanic membrane at each frequency corresponding to the peak pressure value of the tympanogram,and the relative area of absorption rate.By conducting independent t-tests,we compared two groups-normal children and patients who had undergone ossicular chain fixation surgery-to analyze the absorption area and peak absorption rate of their tympanic peak pressure values.RESULTS Under peak pressure,there were significant differences(P<0.001)in the full frequency range tympanic membrane absorption rate and peak absorption rate between the group with fixed ossicular chain and the normal group.However,there was no difference in the full frequency range tympanic membrane absorption rate and peak absorption rate between the group with soft ossicular chain and the normal group.Under peak pressure,the absorption area of the ossicular chain fixation group was significantly lower than that of the normal group in the low frequency range of 226-1 000 Hz(P<0.001),while the absorption area of the ossicular chain soft connection group was significantly higher than that of the normal group in the low frequency range of 226-1 000 Hz(P<0.001).CONCLUSION When conducting broadband acoustic impedance test,there is a significant difference in the relative area of tympanic membrane absorption rate of acoustic impedance peak pressure between the auditory ossicular chain soft connection group and the auditory ossicular chain fixation group across 226-1 000 Hz.It has application value as a clinical rapid screening and diagnostic tool for middle ear malformations.

This study aims to analyze the screening results and epidemiological characteristics of prostate cancer (PCa) among elderly males in the rural areas of Songjiang, Shanghai City, through the implementation of a preliminary prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening based on a community-linkage model, and to explore an effective screening approach. A retrospective observational study design was employed to collect data from residents who underwent PSA screening at Songjiang Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, in collaboration with multiple community health service centers in Songjiang District, Shanghai City, between June 2022 and June 2024, through free clinics and annual health examinations. Prostate biopsy was recommended for individuals with total PSA (tPSA) levels >10 ng/ml and those with 4 ng/ml≤tPSA≤10 ng/ml and abnormal free-to-total PSA (f/tPSA) ratios. Clinical characteristics of detected PCa patients were analyzed. Follow-up was conducted through phone calls and home visits by family doctors, coupled with enhanced health education. The results indicated that a total of 17 198 residents participated in the screening, among which 2 234 (12.99%) had tPSA levels between 4 ng/ml and 10 ng/ml, and 257 (1.49%) had tPSA levels >10 ng/ml. Ultimately, 417 residents underwent prostate biopsy, with 171 being diagnosed with PCa, yielding a positive biopsy rate of 41.00% and a PCa detection rate of 0.99%. The predominant pathological subtype among PCa patients was adenocarcinoma (168 cases, 98.24%). Of the 146 PCa patients who received treatment, the majority were classified as intermediate or high-risk (124 cases, 84.93%). Furthermore, with the optimization of the screening model, there was a significant increase in the proportion of subsequent outpatient visits. In conclusion, the community-linkage-based PSA screening model demonstrated high effectiveness in screening for PCa among elderly males in the rural areas of Songjiang, Shanghai City. Epidemiological findings revealed that PCa patients in this region are primarily composed of intermediate and high-risk groups, highlighting the need for intensified early screening and health education.

Objective:To review the literature on improving patients′medical experience, analyze the current research status in this field, and provide references for enhancing patients′medical experience.Methods:A search was conducted for studies related to improving patients′medical experience published from January 2015 to November 2024 in eight databases, including CNKI and Web of Science. Using software CiteSpace 6.4.R1 and VOSviewer 1.6.19 to analyze publication trends, keyword clustering, existing problems in the process of improving patients′medical experience, and the measures taken.Results:6 507 articles were included, of which 4 452 were in English (68.4%) and 2 055 were in Chinese (31.6%). The annual number of publications showed a nearly linear growth trend ( R2 = 0.983 9). The clustering analysis results indicated that domestic and international research mainly focused on patient-centered diagnostic and treatment systems, behaviors, services, and environments. Existing studies revealed that there were still problems such as long waiting times for appointments and consultations (292 articles), uneven distribution of medical resources (198 articles), and poor doctor-patient communication (155 articles). To improve patients′medical experience, the following intervention measures were proposed: accelerating the medical reform process and strengthening government responsibilities (169 articles); enhancing service concepts and innovating service models (363 articles); optimizing the consultation process and simplifying medical procedures (221 articles); improving the consultation environment and optimizing the facilities in the consultation area (181 articles); and integrating technological advantages to cover the entire medical process (346 articles). Conclusions:Research on improving patients' medical experience was increasingly attracting the attention of more and more scholars. Issues such as low service efficiency, unbalanced resource allocation, and poor doctor-patient communication need to be given special attention. In the future, it is recommended to enhance the experience of patients′ medical experience by strengthening policy and institutional guarantees, accelerating the construction of information technology, improving doctor-patient communication skills and humanistic care, and enhancing the capacity of primary medical services.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the current status and characteristics of occupational exposure in a stomato-logical hospital and explore the influencing factors for occupational exposure among dentists so as to propose pre-ventive and control measures for occupational exposure in the stomatological hospital.METHODS A retrospective study was carried out to analyze 180 incidents of occupational exposures in Qingdao Stomatological Hospital Affili-ated to Qingdao University from 2020 to 2024,involving the departments,names,genders,age,average annual workload,average annual outpatient days,exposure links,instruments leading to exposures,exposure sources,occupational type and professional titles.The incidence of occupational exposure was compared among the subjects with different occupations,professional titles and department affiliations.Logistic regression analysis was per-formed for the influencing factors for the occupational exposures among the dentists.RESULTS The incidence of occupational exposures was 7.52％(180/2395)within the 5 years,and the sharp instrument injury(99.40％)was the predominant exposure approach.The department of oral and maxillofacial surgery,department of restorative dentisty and department of prosthodontics were the departments at high risk of occupational exposures.There was significant difference in the incidence of occupational exposures among the staff and the doctors with different pro-fessional titles(P＜0.05).The subjects for whom the exposure source was positive or failed to be tracked accoun-ted for 56.11％.The professional title(OR=0.328)was a protective factor for the occupational exposure among the doctors,and the high-risk department(OR=4.912)was a risk factor for the occupational exposure(P＜0.05).CONCLUSIONS The occupational exposures to the stomatology department staff are characterized by high prevalence,monotonous type,concentrated distribution of populations and uncontrollable occupational exposures.It is necessary to complete the preoperative screening of infectious diseases,strengthen the awareness of prevention,standardize the technical procedures and boost the innovation of auxiliary instruments so as to re-duce the incidence of occupational exposures.

Objective:To analyze the expression of heat shock protein 90α (HSP90α) in pancreatic cancer tissues and its potential diagnostic value for pancreatic cancer.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted on surgical specimens and clinical data from 99 patients with pancreatic cancer who were treated at Qingdao Municipal Hospital from January 2018 to May 2023, including 58 males and 41 females, with the age of (63.5±23.5) years. Among them, 44 patients (44.4%) were used for pathological examination and prognostic analysis, while 55 patients (55.6%) were tested for plasma HSP90α levels to evaluate its diagnostic efficacy for pancreatic cancer. Blood samples from 119 healthy individuals undergoing routine physical examinations at the same hospital during the same period were collected, including 74 males and 45 females, with the age of (50.5±25.5) years, and plasma HSP90α levels were measured. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to detect the expression of HSP90α in cancerous and adjacent non-cancerous tissues. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to assess the diagnostic performance of HSP90α, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), and carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) for pancreatic cancer. Survival analysis was conducted using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the log-rank test was used to compare survival rates. The correlation between HSP90α positive expression in cancer tissues and mutant p53 positive expression was analyzed using Spearman correlation analysis.Results:Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the positive expression rate of HSP90α in pancreatic cancer tissues was 81.8%(36/44), higher than that in adjacent non-cancerous tissues 13.6%(6/44)( χ2=19.82, P<0.01). HSP90α positive expression in pancreatic cancer tissues was positively correlated with mutant p53 positive expression (correlation coefficient was 0.57, P<0.001). The median plasma HSP90α level in the pancreatic cancer group ( n=55) was 83.30 (48.30, 212.00) μg/L, which was significantly higher than that in the normal control group ( n=119), with a median of 37.00 (29.20, 43.50) μg/L, showing a statistically significant difference ( Z=-7.34, P<0.001). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for plasma HSP90α in diagnosing pancreatic cancer was 0.85 (95% CI: 0.77-0.92), with an optimal cutoff value of 53.52 μg/L, yielding a sensitivity of 69.1% (38/55) and a specificity of 98.3% (117/119). The AUC for HSP90α in diagnosing pancreatic cancer was higher than that of CEA, CA19-9, and CA125. In the immunohistochemical analysis of cancer tissues, the one-year cumulative survival rate of the HSP90α-negative group ( n=8) was 87.5%, which was significantly higher than that of the HSP90α-positive group ( n=36), which was 18.8%( χ2=12.74, P<0.001). Conclusions:HSP90α is highly expressed in pancreatic cancer tissues, which is positively correlated with mutant p53 positive expression. Patients with positive HSP90α expression have a poorer prognosis. HSP90α demonstrates good diagnostic performance for pancreatic cancer and holds potential for clinical application.

This study aims to analyze the screening results and epidemiological characteristics of prostate cancer (PCa) among elderly males in the rural areas of Songjiang, Shanghai City, through the implementation of a preliminary prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening based on a community-linkage model, and to explore an effective screening approach. A retrospective observational study design was employed to collect data from residents who underwent PSA screening at Songjiang Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, in collaboration with multiple community health service centers in Songjiang District, Shanghai City, between June 2022 and June 2024, through free clinics and annual health examinations. Prostate biopsy was recommended for individuals with total PSA (tPSA) levels >10 ng/ml and those with 4 ng/ml≤tPSA≤10 ng/ml and abnormal free-to-total PSA (f/tPSA) ratios. Clinical characteristics of detected PCa patients were analyzed. Follow-up was conducted through phone calls and home visits by family doctors, coupled with enhanced health education. The results indicated that a total of 17 198 residents participated in the screening, among which 2 234 (12.99%) had tPSA levels between 4 ng/ml and 10 ng/ml, and 257 (1.49%) had tPSA levels >10 ng/ml. Ultimately, 417 residents underwent prostate biopsy, with 171 being diagnosed with PCa, yielding a positive biopsy rate of 41.00% and a PCa detection rate of 0.99%. The predominant pathological subtype among PCa patients was adenocarcinoma (168 cases, 98.24%). Of the 146 PCa patients who received treatment, the majority were classified as intermediate or high-risk (124 cases, 84.93%). Furthermore, with the optimization of the screening model, there was a significant increase in the proportion of subsequent outpatient visits. In conclusion, the community-linkage-based PSA screening model demonstrated high effectiveness in screening for PCa among elderly males in the rural areas of Songjiang, Shanghai City. Epidemiological findings revealed that PCa patients in this region are primarily composed of intermediate and high-risk groups, highlighting the need for intensified early screening and health education.

Objective:To investigate the impact of circumferential tumor location (anterior wall, nonanterior wall, or circumferential) on circumferential resection margin (CRM) status, local recurrence, and survival in patients with mid-low rectal cancer.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from 696 patients with mid-low rectal adenocarcinoma who underwent surgery in the Department of Colorectal Surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University between December, 2018 and December, 2019. Based on MRI or contrast-enhanced CT findings, the rectal wall was divided into four quadrants: anterior, posterior, left, and right. Tumors were classified into three groups: anterior wall group ( n = 245), nonanterior wall group ( n = 286, tumors predominantly located on the posterior or lateral walls), and circumferential group ( n = 165, tumors involving ≥ 3/4 of the circumference). Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance baseline characteristics. Outcomes included pathological CRM positivity, local recurrence rate (LRR), overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS). Cox regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors for recurrence, and subgroup analysis was conducted in patients who did not receive neoadjuvant therapy. Results:After PSM, both the anterior and circumferential groups had significantly higher pathological CRM positivity rates compared to the nonanterior wall group ( P=0.040 and P=0.039, respectively). The median follow-up time was 64 months (range: 1-71 months). Compared to the nonanterior wall group, the anterior wall group also had a significantly higher 5-year LRR (8.8% vs. 2.3%, P=0.003), and significantly lower 5-year OS (80.7% vs. 91.6%, P=0.001) and DFS (76.6% vs. 84.6%, P=0.029). The circumferential group had a significantly higher 5-year LRR than the nonanterior wall group (11.4% vs. 3.8%, P=0.020), but no significant differences were observed in 5-year OS (81.8% vs. 89.5%, P=0.100) or DFS (70.7% vs. 78.3%, P=0.101). No significant differences were found between the anterior and circumferential groups in 5-year LRR (11.1% vs. 9.7%), OS (76.3% vs. 83.7%), or DFS (69.8% vs. 74.1%) either (all P>0.05). Cox univariate analysis and multivariate analysis identified anterior wall tumors (HR=3.751, 95%CI: 1.373-10.215, P=0.010), circumferential tumors (HR=3.240, 95%CI: 1.109-9.466, P=0.032), pathological CRM positivity (HR=3.071, 95%CI: 1.144-8.245, P=0.026), and lymph node metastasis (HR=2.584, 95%CI: 1.192-5.601, P=0.016) as independent risk factors for LRR. Conversely, a greater distance from tumor to the anal verge (per 1 cm increase, HR=0.831, 95%CI: 0.712-0.970, P=0.019), and neoadjuvant therapy (HR=0.442, 95%CI: 0.204-0.957, P=0.038) were identified as independent protective factors against LRR. In patients who did not receive neoadjuvant therapy, locally advanced nonanterior wall tumors exhibited markedly low LRR (1.3% for pathological stage II-III, 1.6% for pT3-4 stage). Conclusion:Rectal tumors located in the anterior wall or involving the circumference are associated with higher CRM positivity rates, increased local recurrence, and poorer survival. These patients should be prioritized for neoadjuvant therapy. In contrast, nonanterior wall tumors have a low recurrence rate, and selective omission of neoadjuvant therapy may be considered for these cases.