Objectives:QT interval prolongation during treadmill test exercise is one of the clinical feature of patients with long QT syndrome(LQTS).This study aimed to explore the feasibility and efficacy of treadmill exercise testing as an auxiliary diagnosis tool for LQTS in clinical practice.Methods:We enrolled normal healthy individuals,common cardiovascular disease patients,and clinically diagnosed or suspected LQTS patients,who underwent treadmill exercise test from July 2023 to July 2024 at Fuwai Hospital.A special treadmill exercise testing procedure was designed to record the QT interval correction(QTc)intervals of the twelve lead electrocardiogram at 6 time points when performing the exercise tablet,including supine,sitting,standing,peak exercise,and recovery at 1-minute and 4-minute.The differences in QTc intervals among healthy group,cardiovascular diseases group,and suspected LQTS group were compared.Results:A total of 80 cases were consecutively enrolled,including 37 normal healthy controls,25 patients with common cardiovascular disease,and 18 patients with suspected LQTS.The QTc intervals at 6 points did not differ significantly between normal healthy controls and patients with cardiovascular disease,with QTc intervals less than 480 ms at all measurement.For patients with suspected LQTS,67.7%(12/18)of these patients presented a QTc interval≥480 ms at the 4-minute during recovery period.Among them,5 cases were confirmed to have pathogenic gene mutations of LQTS by genetic testing(including 1 case with a lying electrocardiogram QTc interval of 489 ms diagnosed with LQTS 1 type and a QTc interval of 636 ms during the 4-minute recovery period after exercise);5 clinically diagnosed patients(negative or undetectable in genetic testing)with a Schwartz score≥4,and the remaining 2 patients had a Schwartz score of 3.The remaining 5/18 patients,include 2 patients with clinical Schwartz scores≥4 and 3 patients with clinical suspicion(Schwartz scores 2-3)had a 4 min QTc interval of 445-480 ms during exercise recovery.Another patient with clinical suspicion(Schwartz score 3)had a 4 min QTc interval of<445 ms during exercise recovery and a negative genetic test at a later stage.Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed a sensitivity of 83.3%and specificity of 98.4%for QTc interval≥482 ms during the 4-minute recovery period of exercise as the LQTS diagnostic cutoff.Conclusions:This study results suggest that this special treadmill exercise testing protocol is effective in identifying LQTS and has strong feasibility and generalizability for clinical practice.

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF), characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) that causes oral mucosal tissue sclerosis, and even cancer transformation, is a chronic, progressive fibrosis disease. However, despite some advancements in recent years, no targeted antifibrotic strategies for OSF have been approved; likely because the complicated mechanisms that initiate and drive fibrosis remain to be determined. In this review, we briefly introduce the epidemiology and etiology of OSF. Then, we highlight how cell-intrinsic changes in significant structural cells can drive fibrotic response by regulating biological behaviors, secretion function, and activation of ECM-producing myofibroblasts. In addition, we also discuss the role of innate and adaptive immune cells and how they contribute to the pathogenesis of OSF. Finally, we summarize strategies to interrupt key mechanisms that cause OSF, including modulation of the ECM, inhibition of inflammation, improvement of vascular disturbance. This review will provide potential routes for developing novel anti-OSF therapeutics.
Humans ; Oral Submucous Fibrosis/immunology* ; Extracellular Matrix/metabolism* ; Myofibroblasts

Objective:To understand the status and influencing factors of social isolation in elderly individuals with chronic diseases.Methods:A multi-stage sampling method was used to select elderly individuals from eight communities or villages in Hefei from July to September 2022. The study employed a general information survey, the Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-6) , the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) , the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) , and the Personal Social Capital Scale 16 (PSCS-16) . Binary Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the factors influencing social isolation in elderly individuals with chronic diseases.Results:A total of 1 133 elderly individuals were surveyed, among which 538 had chronic diseases. Among the 538 elderly individuals with chronic diseases, 209 were socially isolated, resulting in a social isolation rate of 38.8%. Binary Logistic regression analysis revealed that living area, fear of falling, depression, social capital, and social support were significant factors influencing social isolation ( P<0.05) . Conclusions:The social isolation rate among elderly individuals with chronic diseases is high. Special attention should be given to elderly individuals living in rural areas, those who fear falling, and those experiencing depression. Additionally, improving social capital and social support can help alleviate social isolation in these elderly individuals.

Objective:To explore the potential categories and influencing factors of attitudes to aging among the elderly in nursing homes.Methods:Convenience sampling was used to select elderly from 15 nursing homes in Anhui Province from March to July 2024 for the study. The survey was conducted using the General Information Questionnaire, Attitudes to Ageing Questionnaire, Belongingness Scale for Older Adults in Nursing Facilities, and the Lubben Social Network Scale. Mplus 8.3 was used to conduct a latent profile analysis, and multivariate Logistic regression was employed to explore the factors influencing the latent categories of attitudes toward aging among the elderly in nursing facilities.Results:A total of 370 questionnaires were distributed, and 366 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective recovery rate of 98.9%. The attitudes to aging of 366 elderly of nursing facilities were expressed in three potential categories, namely, negative-perceived type (48.6%), moderate-low psychosocial loss type (35.0%), and positive and optimistic-comprehensive type (16.4%). Multicategorical Logistic regression analysis showed that the number of children, location of the nursing home, educational level, self-rating health, belongingness to the nursing home, and social network were the influencing factors of the potential categories of attitudes to aging among the elderly in the nursing home, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05) . Conclusions:There is group heterogeneity in the attitudes to aging among the elderly in nursing homes. Healthcare professionals should focus on negative-perceived elderly and provide targeted interventions based on the potential categories of factors influencing their attitudes to aging.

Objectives:QT interval prolongation during treadmill test exercise is one of the clinical feature of patients with long QT syndrome(LQTS).This study aimed to explore the feasibility and efficacy of treadmill exercise testing as an auxiliary diagnosis tool for LQTS in clinical practice.Methods:We enrolled normal healthy individuals,common cardiovascular disease patients,and clinically diagnosed or suspected LQTS patients,who underwent treadmill exercise test from July 2023 to July 2024 at Fuwai Hospital.A special treadmill exercise testing procedure was designed to record the QT interval correction(QTc)intervals of the twelve lead electrocardiogram at 6 time points when performing the exercise tablet,including supine,sitting,standing,peak exercise,and recovery at 1-minute and 4-minute.The differences in QTc intervals among healthy group,cardiovascular diseases group,and suspected LQTS group were compared.Results:A total of 80 cases were consecutively enrolled,including 37 normal healthy controls,25 patients with common cardiovascular disease,and 18 patients with suspected LQTS.The QTc intervals at 6 points did not differ significantly between normal healthy controls and patients with cardiovascular disease,with QTc intervals less than 480 ms at all measurement.For patients with suspected LQTS,67.7%(12/18)of these patients presented a QTc interval≥480 ms at the 4-minute during recovery period.Among them,5 cases were confirmed to have pathogenic gene mutations of LQTS by genetic testing(including 1 case with a lying electrocardiogram QTc interval of 489 ms diagnosed with LQTS 1 type and a QTc interval of 636 ms during the 4-minute recovery period after exercise);5 clinically diagnosed patients(negative or undetectable in genetic testing)with a Schwartz score≥4,and the remaining 2 patients had a Schwartz score of 3.The remaining 5/18 patients,include 2 patients with clinical Schwartz scores≥4 and 3 patients with clinical suspicion(Schwartz scores 2-3)had a 4 min QTc interval of 445-480 ms during exercise recovery.Another patient with clinical suspicion(Schwartz score 3)had a 4 min QTc interval of<445 ms during exercise recovery and a negative genetic test at a later stage.Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed a sensitivity of 83.3%and specificity of 98.4%for QTc interval≥482 ms during the 4-minute recovery period of exercise as the LQTS diagnostic cutoff.Conclusions:This study results suggest that this special treadmill exercise testing protocol is effective in identifying LQTS and has strong feasibility and generalizability for clinical practice.

Objective:To understand the status and influencing factors of social isolation in elderly individuals with chronic diseases.Methods:A multi-stage sampling method was used to select elderly individuals from eight communities or villages in Hefei from July to September 2022. The study employed a general information survey, the Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-6) , the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) , the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) , and the Personal Social Capital Scale 16 (PSCS-16) . Binary Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the factors influencing social isolation in elderly individuals with chronic diseases.Results:A total of 1 133 elderly individuals were surveyed, among which 538 had chronic diseases. Among the 538 elderly individuals with chronic diseases, 209 were socially isolated, resulting in a social isolation rate of 38.8%. Binary Logistic regression analysis revealed that living area, fear of falling, depression, social capital, and social support were significant factors influencing social isolation ( P<0.05) . Conclusions:The social isolation rate among elderly individuals with chronic diseases is high. Special attention should be given to elderly individuals living in rural areas, those who fear falling, and those experiencing depression. Additionally, improving social capital and social support can help alleviate social isolation in these elderly individuals.

Objective:To explore the potential categories and influencing factors of attitudes to aging among the elderly in nursing homes.Methods:Convenience sampling was used to select elderly from 15 nursing homes in Anhui Province from March to July 2024 for the study. The survey was conducted using the General Information Questionnaire, Attitudes to Ageing Questionnaire, Belongingness Scale for Older Adults in Nursing Facilities, and the Lubben Social Network Scale. Mplus 8.3 was used to conduct a latent profile analysis, and multivariate Logistic regression was employed to explore the factors influencing the latent categories of attitudes toward aging among the elderly in nursing facilities.Results:A total of 370 questionnaires were distributed, and 366 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective recovery rate of 98.9%. The attitudes to aging of 366 elderly of nursing facilities were expressed in three potential categories, namely, negative-perceived type (48.6%), moderate-low psychosocial loss type (35.0%), and positive and optimistic-comprehensive type (16.4%). Multicategorical Logistic regression analysis showed that the number of children, location of the nursing home, educational level, self-rating health, belongingness to the nursing home, and social network were the influencing factors of the potential categories of attitudes to aging among the elderly in the nursing home, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05) . Conclusions:There is group heterogeneity in the attitudes to aging among the elderly in nursing homes. Healthcare professionals should focus on negative-perceived elderly and provide targeted interventions based on the potential categories of factors influencing their attitudes to aging.

Hearing loss has become increasingly prevalent and causes considerable disability, thus gravely burdening the global economy. Irreversible loss of hair cells is a main cause of sensorineural hearing loss, and currently, the only relatively effective clinical treatments are limited to digital hearing equipment like cochlear implants and hearing aids, but these are of limited benefit in patients. It is therefore urgent to understand the mechanisms of damage repair in order to develop new neuroprotective strategies. At present, how to promote the regeneration of functional hair cells is a key scientific question in the field of hearing research. Multiple signaling pathways and transcriptional factors trigger the activation of hair cell progenitors and ensure the maturation of newborn hair cells, and in this article, we first review the principal mechanisms underlying hair cell reproduction. We then further discuss therapeutic strategies involving the co-regulation of multiple signaling pathways in order to induce effective functional hair cell regeneration after degeneration, and we summarize current achievements in hair cell regeneration. Lastly, we discuss potential future approaches, such as small molecule drugs and gene therapy, which might be applied for regenerating functional hair cells in the clinic.
Infant, Newborn ; Humans ; Hair Cells, Auditory, Inner/physiology* ; Ear, Inner/physiology* ; Hair Cells, Auditory/physiology* ; Regeneration/genetics* ; Stem Cells

Objective:To study the correlation between myopia growth and physical development of primary school student in Shihezi area of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region by measuring the ocular biometry and physical parameters of the eye, and to provide an objective basis for the development of myopia prevention and control.Methods:A cross-sectional study design was used. The Grade 1-6 students from 33 schools in Shihezi area were randomly selected in October 2023. The children were classified according to age into the low age group (6-9 years) and the high age group (10-13 years).The children′s height, weight, axial length (AL), maximum keratometry (steepest keratometry, K1), and minimum keratometry (flattest keratometry, K1) were measured. The body mass index (BMI), keratometric astigmatism (ΔK), mean keratometry (K), corneal radius (CR) and AL/CR were calculated. Correlation analyses were performed between ocular biometry and physical parameters. LASSO regression analysis was used to screen the best variables, and linear regression models were constructed after adjusting for confounding factors of age and sex.Results:A total of 3 986 children aged 6-13 years were included in this study, including 2 094 boys (52.53%) and 1 892 girls (47.47%); 2 162 in the lower age group and 1 824 in the upper age group. Girls had higher K, ΔK and AL/CR values than boys (43.38 D vs 42.7 D, t=-7.84, P<0.01; 1.1 D vs 1.01 D, t=-2.14, P=0.03; 2.97 vs 2.96, t=3.32, P=0.02). Boys had higher AL, height, weight and BMI than girls (23.47 mm vs 23.02 mm, t=13.77, P<0.01; 1.34 m vs 1.33 m, t=3.02, P=0.03; 32 kg vs 29.5 kg, t=7.82, P<0.01; 17.4 vs 16.52, t=10.36, P<0.01). LASSO regression was used to screen the 3 physical parameter variables (height, weight, and BMI) to determine that height was the best physical parameter variable for AL/CR. After adjusting for confounders, it was shown that in the low age group (6-9 years), there was a significant positive correlation between children′s height and AL/CR ( b=0.174, 95% CI: 0.106 to 0.241, P<0.001), whereas in the high age group (10-13 years), there was no correlation between children′s height and AL/CR ( b=0.086, 95% CI:-0.038 to 0.21, P=0.174). Conclusion:There was a positive correlation between height and myopia growth in the lower age group of children in Shihezi area, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region; there was no correlation between height and myopia growth in the higher age group.

Objectives:The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of the cumulative workload of HUTT testing physicians on diagnostic outcomes. Methods:This study retrospectively and consecutively included the data of testing physicians and patients who underwent HUTT at Fuwai Hospital,Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences,from January 2016 to December 2022.Based on the cumulative workload of physicians during the period from the initiation of tilt tests at the hospital to the end of the study,the physicians were categorized into low (50-100 sases),moderate (100-350 sases),and high (1000-4000 sases) cumulative workload groups,the cumulatie workload of no physician is 351-999 sases.Additionally,physicians were grouped by sex,educational background,and professional title to analyze differences in diagnostic rates of tilt table test reports within and between these groups. Results:The study included 22 testing physicians and 6122 patients.There were statistically significant differences in the rates of positive,suspicious positive,and negative reports among the 22 physicians (P<0.001).The average suspicious positive report rate in the moderate cumulative workload group was significantly higher than in the low and high cumulative workload groups (3.21％ vs.1.09％ vs.1.62％,P=0.001).The suspicious positive report rate was higher in the female physician group compared to the male physician group (2.25％ vs.1.07％,P=0.017),in the undergraduate physician group compared to the postgraduate physician group (2.46％ vs.1.52％,P=0.013),and in the junior title group compared to the intermediate and senior title groups (3.40％ vs.1.75％ vs.2.53％,P=0.024).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that a moderate cumulative workload was an influencing factor for suspicious positive reports,regardless of whether negative or positive was used as the reference (all P<0.05). Conclusions:There are certain differences in the diagnostic report rates of HUTT among different individual physicians.Physicians with a moderate cumulative workload are more likely to issue suspicious positive HUTT diagnostic reports.