BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac arrhythmia in the elderly. This study aimed to evaluate urban-rural disparities in its prevalence and management in elderly Chinese. METHODS: Consecutive participants aged ≥ 65 years attending outpatient clinics were enrolled for AF screening using handheld single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) from April 2017 to December 2022. Each ECG rhythm strip was reviewed from the research team. AF or uninterpretable single-lead ECGs were referred for 12-lead ECG. Primary study outcome comparison was between rural and urban areas for the prevalence of AF. The Student's t-test was used to compare mean values of clinical characteristics between rural and urban participants, while the Pearson's chi-square test was used to compare between-group proportions. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the association between AF and various patient characteristics. RESULTS: The 29,166 study participants included 13,253 men (45.4%) and had a mean age of 72.2 years. The 7073 rural participants differed significantly (P ≤ 0.02) from the 22,093 urban participants in several major characteristics, such as older age, greater body mass index, and so on. The overall prevalence of AF was 4.6% (n = 1347). AF was more prevalent in 7073 rural participants than 22,093 urban participants (5.6% vs. 4.3%, P < 0.01), before and after adjustment for age, body mass index, blood pressure, pulse rate, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and prior medical history. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified overweight/obesity (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.17-1.54) in urban areas and cigarette smoking (OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.20-2.17) and alcohol consumption (OR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.04-1.93) in rural areas as specific risk factors for prevalent AF. In patients with known AF in urban areas (n = 781) and rural areas (n = 338), 60.6% and 45.9%, respectively, received AF treatment (P < 0.01), and only 22.4% and 17.2%, respectively, received anticoagulation therapy (P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS In China, there are urban-rural disparities in AF in the elderly, with a higher prevalence and worse management in rural areas than urban areas. Our study findings provide insight for health policymakers to consider urban-rural disparity in the prevention and treatment of AF.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), the most prevalent chronic liver condition globally, lacks adequate and effective therapeutic remedies in clinical practice. Recent studies have increasingly highlighted the close connection between the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and the progression of MASLD. This relationship is crucial for understanding the disease's underlying mechanism. As a sophisticated process, the UPS govern protein stability and function, maintaining protein homeostasis, thus influencing a multitude of elements and biological events of eukaryotic cells. It comprises four enzyme families, namely, ubiquitin-activating enzymes (E1), ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (E2), ubiquitin-protein ligases (E3), and deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs). This review aims to delve into the array of pathways and therapeutic targets implicated in the ubiquitination within the pathogenesis of MASLD. Therefore, this review unveils the role of ubiquitination in MASLD while spotlighting potential therapeutic targets within the context of this disease.

Apical microsurgery is accurate and minimally invasive, produces few complications, and has a success rate of more than 90%. However, due to the lack of awareness and understanding of apical microsurgery by dental general practitioners and even endodontists, many clinical problems remain to be overcome. The consensus has gathered well-known domestic experts to hold a series of special discussions and reached the consensus. This document specifies the indications, contraindications, preoperative preparations, operational procedures, complication prevention measures, and efficacy evaluation of apical microsurgery and is applicable to dentists who perform apical microsurgery after systematic training.
Microsurgery/standards* ; Humans ; Apicoectomy ; Contraindications, Procedure ; Tooth Apex/diagnostic imaging* ; Postoperative Complications/prevention & control* ; Consensus ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the susceptibility of venetoclax-resistant acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines to ferroptosis and to uncover the underlying molecular mechanisms using transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis methods. METHODS: Venetoclax-resistant AML cell lines were constructed using a low-dose concentration escalation method. The sensitivity of cells to chemotherapeutic drugs was detected by CCK-8 assay. The susceptibility of drug-resistant cell lines to ferroptosis was assessed using transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis methods. The expression of cellular GPX4 and SLC7A11 protein was detected by Western blot, and cell death and lipid peroxidation levels were measured by flow cytometry. Depmap database and TCGA cohort were applied to explore the effect of ferroptosis-related genes expression on prognosis. RESULTS: Venetoclax-resistant cell lines exhibited sensitivity to ferroptosis inducers RSL3, APR246, and sorafenib. The ferroptosis inhibitor Fer-1 partially inhibited cell death induced by these inducers. Compared with the parental cells, significant changes in metabolites and gene expression levels related to ferroptosis were observed in the resistant cell lines. In particular, deregulated expression of SLC7A11 and GPX4 may play critical role in ferroptosis susceptibility. Besides, GPX4 was identified as more important for AML cell survival and higher GPX4 expression may predict shortened overall survival, NPM1 mutant and IDH1 R132 mutation positive patients may prone to possess higher GPX4 expression. CONCLUSION Venetoclax-resistant AML cell lines remain susceptible to ferroptosis, higher GPX4 expression maybe a critical marker for poor prognosis. Regulating the expression of ferroptosis-related genes and metabolites may enhance the efficacy of venetoclax and provide new treatment options for AML patients.
Humans ; Ferroptosis ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/metabolism* ; Sulfonamides/pharmacology* ; Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic/pharmacology* ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Metabolomics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase ; Amino Acid Transport System y+/metabolism* ; Transcriptome

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the predictive role of the modified Endothelial Activation and Stress Index (mEASIX) in the efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy and cytokine release syndrome (CRS). METHODS: The clinical data of 70 relapsed and refractory (R/R) B-cell tumor patients who were treated with CAR-T therapy from September 1, 2018 to February 28, 2023 in the Department of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, were retrospectively analyzed. The value of log-2 mEASIX before conditioning (-7 d) was calculated, and the patients were divided into a low-mEASIX group (42 patients) and a high-mEASIX group (28 patients) based on the cut-off value of 5.443 determined by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Eventually, the predictive role of mEASIX before conditioning on the efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy and CRS was analyzed. RESULTS: The high-mEASIX group exhibited significantly worse median overall survival (OS) and median progression-free survival (PFS) in comparison to the low mEASIX group (OS: 3.2 months vs not reached, P < 0.01; PFS: 1.3 months vs 6.0 months, P =0.009). The incidence of grade ≥2 CRS in the high-mEASIX group was substantially higher than that in the low-mEASIX group (57.1% vs 19.0%, P =0.007). The degree of remission after CAR-T therapy (P =0.001), whether CRS occurs or not (P =0.041), the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level before conditioning (P =0.046), and the mEASIX score before conditioning (P =0.047) were independent influencing factors for the OS of patients receiving CAR-T cell therapy. CONCLUSION The mEASIX score before conditioning can predict OS and the incidence of grade ≥2 CRS in patients with relapsed and refractory B-cell tumors who receive CAR-T cell therapy.
Cytokine Release Syndrome/therapy* ; Immunotherapy, Adoptive/methods* ; Humans ; Lymphoma, B-Cell/therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Hematology ; China ; Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/blood* ; Predictive Value of Tests

OBJECTIVE: The relationship between fish consumption and stroke is inconsistent, and it is uncertain whether this association varies across predicted stroke risks. METHODS: A cohort study comprising 95,800 participants from the Prediction for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk in China project was conducted. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect data on fish consumption. Participants were stratified into low- and moderate-to-high-risk categories based on their 10-year stroke risk prediction scores. Hazard ratios ( HRs) and 95% confidence intervals ( CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazard models and additive interaction by relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI), attributable proportion (AP), and synergy index (SI). RESULTS: During 703,869 person-years of follow-up, 2,773 incident stroke events were identified. Higher fish consumption was associated with a lower risk of stroke, particularly among moderate-to-high-risk individuals ( HR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.47-0.60) than among low-risk individuals ( HR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.49-0.85). A significant additive interaction between fish consumption and predicted stroke risk was observed (RERI = 4.08, 95% CI: 2.80-5.36; SI = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.42-1.89; AP = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.28-0.43). CONCLUSION Higher fish consumption was associated with a lower risk of stroke, and this beneficial association was more pronounced in individuals with moderate-to-high stroke risk.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Stroke/etiology* ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Incidence ; Aged ; Animals ; Fishes ; Risk Factors ; Diet ; Seafood ; Adult ; Cohort Studies

Hypochlorous acid/hypochlorite(HClO/ClO-)plays a key role in biological processes and is commonly used as a disinfectant in drinking water.However,excessive intake of HClO/ClO-can oxidize biomolecules like DNA,RNA,and proteins,causing organ damage.Diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer's disease can also lead to overproduction of HClO/ClO-.Therefore,accurately detecting HClO/ClO-levels is crucial.In this study,an HClO/ClO-fluorescent probe,NC-TPA-PPh3,was designed and synthesized,with a triphenylamine core as the fluorescent unit,carbon-carbon double bonds as recognition sites,and a quaternary ammonium salt for mitochondria targeting,forming a D-π-A structure.This probe had a fluorescence lifetime of 3.71 ns and a fluorescence quantum yield of 0.51.Upon exposure to HClO/ClO-,the maximum fluorescence emission wavelength of the probe in DMSO/H2O(9∶1,V/V,pH=7.4)solution(20 μmol/L)shifted from 550 nm to 430 nm,with a fluorescence intensity increase of 35.7 times compared to blank probe solution,allowing for selective recognition of HClO/ClO-.The probe also exhibited a large Stokes shift(130 nm)and a low limit of detection(LOD)of 9.16×10-8 mol/L.Based on characterization by proton nuclear magnetic resonance(1H NMR),electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry(ESI-MS),scanning electron microscopy(SEM)and theoretical calculations,it was speculated that NC-TPA-PPh3 recognized HClO/ClO-through oxidative cleavage of the C=C bond in the probe,generating TPA-CHO with lower water solubility and a smaller conjugated structure.This disrupted the D-π-A structure,blocking intramolecular charge transfer(ICT),causing the fluorescence emission peak to blue-shift from 550 nm to 430 nm.Additionally,this process induced an aggregation-induced fluorescence effect,significantly enhancing the fluorescence intensity at 430 nm.

OBJECTIVES: To report the development, validation, and findings of the Multi-dimensional Attention Rating Scale (MARS), a self-report tool crafted to evaluate six-dimension attention levels. METHODS: The MARS was developed based on Classical Test Theory (CTT). Totally 202 highly educated healthy adult participants were recruited for reliability and validity tests. Reliability was measured using Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reliability. Structural validity was explored using principal component analysis. Criterion validity was analyzed by correlating MARS scores with the Toronto Hospital Alertness Test (THAT), the Attentional Control Scale (ACS), and the Attention Network Test (ANT). RESULTS: The MARS comprises 12 items spanning six distinct dimensions of attention: focused attention, sustained attention, shifting attention, selective attention, divided attention, and response inhibition.As assessed by six experts, the content validation index (CVI) was 0.95, the Cronbach's alpha for the MARS was 0.78, and the test-retest reliability was 0.81. Four factors were identified (cumulative variance contribution rate 68.79%). The total score of MARS was correlated positively with THAT (r = 0.60, P < 0.01) and ACS (r = 0.78, P < 0.01) and negatively with ANT's reaction time for alerting (r = -0.31, P = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS The MARS can reliably and validly assess six-dimension attention levels in real-world settings and is expected to be a new tool for assessing multi-dimensional attention impairments in different mental disorders.
Humans ; Adult ; Male ; Attention/physiology* ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Reproducibility of Results ; Young Adult ; Psychometrics

Objective To analyze the characteristics of TCM symptoms of aging in female insomnia patients;To provide syndrome differentiation evidence for clinical prevention and treatment of female aging.Methods A cross-sectional study method was used to include female insomnia patients who attended outpatient clinics at Dongzhimen Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine,Beijing Changping District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine,and the Third Affiliated Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine from August 2021 to July 2024.The patients'clinical information was collected,and frequency analysis,factor analysis,and clustering analysis of the relevant clinical information of the 107 female insomnia patients were conducted,which,together with the experts'opinions,resulted in characteristics of TCM syndrome elements and syndrome distribution of aging in female insomnia patients.Results Totally 20 core items were screened and 7 common factors were obtained from the factor analysis.There were 5 types of syndrome elements of disease location associated with aging symptoms in female patients with insomnia,including heart,liver,spleen,kidney and lung;and there were 7 types of syndrome elements of disease property,including qi deficiency,yin deficiency,qi stagnation,blood deficiency,heat,phlegm,and dampness.There were 4 types of syndromes were obtained from the systematic clustering,including heart-kidney disharmony syndrome,heart-liver stagnation syndrome,spleen deficiency and qi stagnation syndrome,lung-spleen qi deficiency syndrome.Conclusion By analyzing the TCM syndrome characteristics of aging symptoms in female patients with insomnia,four types of syndromes are obtained.The heart-kidney disharmony syndrome is the common syndrome.The internal relationship between insomnia and aging process in female patients with insomnia is revealed from the perspective of pathogenesis,which can provide a research basis for the clinical practice of TCM anti-aging guided by syndrome differentiation and treatment in the future.

The Occupational Classification Dictionary of the People's Republic of China (2015 Edition) has added a new occupation type, Medical Nursing Assistants, aiming to meet the strong demand for medical care in the context of the aging population in China.In order to standardize the services of medical nursing assistants for the elderly in home and community settings and contribute to healthy aging, the National Health Commission issued the " Service Standards for Medical Nursing Assistants of Older Adults in Home and Community" ( WS/ T 803—2022) on September 28, 2022.The standards regulate the service processes, service items and requirements, as well as service evaluation and improvement for elderly medical nursing assistants.The interpretation of the standard's formulation background, the compilation process, and the standard's content are as follows.