Objective To analyze the urban drinking water quality and its influencing factors in Anhui Province from 2014 to 2022, and to provide a scientific basis for water quality improvement and protection. Methods The data were collected, saved and monitored according to the Standard Test Method for Drinking Water (GB/T5750-2006) and evaluated according to the Hygienic Standard for Drinking Water (GB 5749-2006). Results A total of 20 941 samples were collected, and the overall qualified rate was 84.26%. The qualified rate of urban drinking water increased from 76.9% in 2014 to 93.3% in 2022, and the qualified rate of water quality was on the rise (χ²=544.43, P＜0.01). From 2014 to 2022, the qualified rate of water quality in dry season was higher than that in wet season (χ²=35.98, P<0.001), the qualified rate of surface water was higher than that of ground water (χ²=4440.8, P<0.001), and the qualified rate of peripheral tap water was higher than that of factory water (χ²=145.1, P<0.001). Among all kinds of disinfection methods, chlorination disinfection had the highest qualified rate (χ²=1483.8, P<0.001). The qualified rate of water quality increased with the increase of the scale of water plant. Among the inspected indicators, the main unqualified indicators were chlorine dioxide (7.72%), fluoride (7.41%), free residual chlorine (3.90%), and total bacterial count (2.13%). Conclusion The passing rate of urban drinking water quality in Anhui Province is on an upward trend, and the quality of urban drinking water has improved. However, it is still important to pay attention to the problem of excessive microorganism and fluoride in water, and the quality of drinking water varies from place to place.

Objective To analyze the disease burden of chronic kidney diseases (CKD) attributed to high body mass index (BMI) in China from 1992 to 2021 and predict the disease burden for the next decade, and to provide evidence for the prevention and treatment of CKD. Methods Using the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database and the Joinpoint model, the average annual percentage rate change (AAPC) of the mortality rate and disability-adjusted life year (DALY) rate was calculated to describe and analyze the CKD disease burden attributed to high BMI in China from 1992 to 2021. The ARIMA model was employed to predict and analyze the change trend of the CKD disease burden. Results From 1992 to 2021, the mortality rate and DALY rate attributed to high BMI-induced chronic kidney disease showed an upward trend. Compared to 1992, the attributed number of deaths increased by 324.38%, and DALYs increased by 268.56%; the mortality rate increased by 64.00%, and the DALY rate grew by 51.62%. From 1992 to 2021, the mortality rate and DALY rate for males were lower than those for females, but the growth rate for males exceeded that of females. From 1992 to 2021, the mortality rate and DALY rate of chronic kidney disease attributed to high BMI in China increased with age. The average annual change rate of chronic kidney disease attributed to high BMI in China from 1992 to 2021 (mortality rate: 1.40 per 100,000 (95% CI: 1.04–1.76), DALY rate: 1.43 per 100 000 (95% CI: 1.17–1.70)) was higher than thHuaiyin Normal University, Huai'anher social demographic index (SDI) regions. The ARIMA model predicted that the age-standardized mortality rate increased from 2.91 per 100 000 in 2022 to 3.05 per 100 000 in 2026, and the age-standardized DALY rate increased from 69.65 per 100 000 in 2022 to 73.58 per 100 000 in 2026. Conclusion Chronic kidney disease attributed to high BMI in China is on the rise, and it will continue to grow in the future. The focus of CKD prevention and control should be on males and the elderly, while active measures should be taken to reduce the occurrence and progression of chronic kidney disease.

Background Swimming is becoming increasingly popular for its combined leisure and fitness benefits. However, polluted swimming pool water may pose various health risks. Previous studies have indicated that health indicators of swimming venues have lower qualification rates compared to other public places, highlighting the urgent need to optimize hygiene management measures. Objective To assess the overall hygiene status and identify the key factors influencing water quality in Shanghai’s swimming venues from 2010 to 2024, and to provide a scientific basis for optimizing water quality management. Methods Water quality was assessed in three stages (2010—2019, 2020—2022, and 2023—2024) based on the monitoring data of Shanghai’s swimming venues (2010—2024). The influences of monitoring stage, region, season, scale, day of week, and per capita attendance on water quality were analyzed using chi-square tests and logistic regression. Results From 2010 to 2024, water quality was monitored in 1478 swimming venues. The compliance rates of turbidity, pH, urea, oxidation-reduction potential, free residual chlorine, combined residual chlorine, total bacteria, coliforms, and heat-resistant coliforms in swimming pool water, and free residual chlorine in the foot disinfection basin water samples were 99.56%, 94.73%, 73.00%, 47.50%, 56.55%, 54.12%, 97.74%, 99.49%, 99.90%, and 69.19%, respectively. The overall water quality compliance rate was 85.28%. The main non-compliant indicators for swimming pool water were urea, ORP, free residual chlorine, and combined residual chlorine, along with free chlorine residual in the foot disinfection basin water samples. Using the period before the implementation of the new national standard as reference, the results of logistic regression revealed that the qualification rates of urea, ORP, and free residual chlorine in the swimming pool water samples, as well as free residual chlorine in foot disinfection basin water samples, were significantly higher during the two phases after launching the new standard (2020–2022 and 2023–2024), and the associated odds ratios (95%CI) were 1.28 (1.00, 1.64) and 1.48 (1.12, 1.95), 13.35 (7.63, 23.37) and 10.78 (7.00, 16.60), 2.54 (1.81, 3.58) and 3.18 (2.41, 4.20), and 3.14 (2.14, 4.60) and 2.83 (1.89, 4.23), respectively. Compared with the reference group, those sampled in urban pools and in non-summer seasons showed higher qualification rates of urea and ORP; in contrast, the pools with high visitor flow showed lower qualification rates of free residual chlorine in both water samples of swimming pools and foot disinfection basins (P<0.05). Conclusion The implementation of the new national standard has effectively enhanced the management standards and significantly improved overall water quality of swimming venues in Shanghai. However, the compliance rates of free residual chlorine and urea in swimming pool water still need further improvement. The compliance of some indicators is influenced by region, season, scale, and average passenger flow, particularly in small suburban swimming venues. Future efforts should focus on refining water quality management strategies and enhancing public health management.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze sex and age distribution of global disease burden of calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) from 1990 to 2021. METHODS: CAVD data during 1990-2021 were obtained from the IHME website for Global Burden of Disease (GBD). The prevalence, mortality, years lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were analyzed by gender and age groups. Joinpoint regression was used to calculate annual percentage change (APC) and average annual percentage change (AAPC). RESULTS: In 2021, there were 13.32 million CAVD patients and 142 000 deaths caused by CAVD globally. Age-standardized prevalence was higher in males (193.2/10⁵) than that in females (128.9/10⁵). Patients in 65-<85 age group accounted for 64.0% of total cases, while those ≥85 years old accounted for 16.1%. From 1990 to 2021, prevalence increased in both sexes with an AAPC of 0.72% for males and 0.57% for females, respectively. Prevalence grew fastest from 2000 to 2010, slowed thereafter, and declined from 2015 to 2021. In <65 years old, the mortality of males was 2.4 times higher than that of females, while in ≥85 years old, mortality of females (117.3/10⁵) exceeded that of males (99.1/10⁵). YLD rates increased with age, and were higher in males for all age groups. DALY rates decreased overall but increased in ≥85 years old, with a greater increase in females. CONCLUSIONS There are significant gender and age disparities in global disease burden of CAVD, with the elderly, especially super-elderly females deserving particular attention. It is recommended to develop personalized intervention strategies for these populations.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Aged ; Calcinosis/mortality* ; Prevalence ; Global Burden of Disease ; Aged, 80 and over ; Middle Aged ; Aortic Valve/pathology* ; Aortic Valve Stenosis/epidemiology* ; Age Distribution ; Adult ; Disability-Adjusted Life Years ; Sex Distribution ; Global Health ; Aortic Valve Disease/epidemiology* ; Sex Factors

Periodontal bone defects, primarily caused by periodontitis, are highly prevalent in clinical settings and manifest as bone fenestration, dehiscence, or attachment loss, presenting a significant challenge to oral health. In regenerative medicine, harnessing developmental principles for tissue repair offers promising therapeutic potential. Of particular interest is the condensation of progenitor cells, an essential event in organogenesis that has inspired clinically effective cell aggregation approaches in dental regeneration. However, the precise cellular coordination mechanisms during condensation and regeneration remain elusive. Here, taking the tooth as a model organ, we employed single-cell RNA sequencing to dissect the cellular composition and heterogeneity of human dental follicle and dental papilla, revealing a distinct Platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (MSC) population with remarkable odontogenic potential. Interestingly, a reciprocal paracrine interaction between PDGFRA⁺ dental follicle stem cells (DFSCs) and CD31⁺ Endomucin⁺ endothelial cells (ECs) was mediated by Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and Platelet-derived growth factor subunit BB (PDGFBB). This crosstalk not only maintains the functionality of PDGFRA⁺ DFSCs but also drives specialized angiogenesis. In vivo periodontal bone regeneration experiments further reveal that communication between PDGFRA⁺ DFSC aggregates and recipient ECs is essential for effective angiogenic-osteogenic coupling and rapid tissue repair. Collectively, our results unravel the importance of MSC-EC crosstalk mediated by the VEGFA and PDGFBB-PDGFRA reciprocal signaling in orchestrating angiogenesis and osteogenesis. These findings not only establish a framework for deciphering and promoting periodontal bone regeneration in potential clinical applications but also offer insights for future therapeutic strategies in dental or broader regenerative medicine.
Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha/metabolism* ; Humans ; Neovascularization, Physiologic/physiology* ; Dental Sac/cytology* ; Single-Cell Analysis ; Transcriptome ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells/metabolism* ; Bone Regeneration ; Animals ; Dental Papilla/cytology* ; Periodontium/physiology* ; Stem Cells/metabolism* ; Regeneration ; Angiogenesis

Objective:To assess the real-world patient satisfaction with the outcomes in Chinese patients who received HYC-24/HYC-24+ for the treatment of moderate to severe nasolabial folds (NLF).Methods:This study was a prospective, observational, multicenter, real-world cohort study in which patients accepted treatment with HYC-24/HYC-24+ in China during a period from August 2018 to August 2020 at Beijing Lidu Medical Beauty Hospital, Hangzhou Yanshu Yuerong Medical Aesthetic Clinic, and Guangzhou Yuexiu Plastic Surgery Hospital and were followed up for up to 1 year. Patients were adults aged 18 to 65 years with moderate to severe NLF who had not received cosmetic treatment for NLF within 6 months prior to study enrollment. Post-treatment study visits were conducted at Months 1, 6, 9, and 12, but only Months 6 and 9 were required visits. The primary patient-reported outcomes endpoints included the FACE-Q satisfaction with outcome total score (a score from 0 to 100: a higher score indicates better outcomes and higher patient satisfaction), FACE-Q appraisal of lines - NLFs total questionnaire score mean change from baseline (a score from 0 to 100: a higher score indicates the patient was less troubled by NLF in the past week), and proportion of patients who reported that they looked younger than the actual age on the FACE-Q patient perceived age visual analog scale (VAS). Investigator-assessed endpoints included the proportion of patients with a global aesthetic improvement scale (GAIS) score of ≥ 1 point and the proportion of patients with an improvement in NLF severity of ≥ 1 point using the nasolabial fold severity scale (NLFSS). Statistical analyses were performed with SAS software, version 9.4. Measurement data were expressed as Mean±SD, and count data were expressed using cases(%). For both measurement and count data, P values were calculated on the difference between score values at different time points versus baseline using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results:A total of 52 subjects were enrolled and treated. Among these subjects, 7 were not included in the 6-month effectiveness analysis data set because the visit time exceeded the visit assessment window, and only 9 patients completed the 12-month visit. All patients were Chinese women, aged 26 to 62 years old, with a mean age of 40.7 years. The FACE-Q satisfaction with outcome total score was (68.76 ± 21.03) points (38-100) at Month 6, and (65.44±18.24) points (24-100) at Month 9, indicating high patient satisfaction with the treatment. The FACE-Q appraisal of lines-NLFs total score was (42.4±15.1) points (10-69) at baseline, (76.9±20.6) points (36-100) at Month 6, and (74.2±16.7) points (36-100) at Month 9, both significantly higher than the baseline scores (both P<0.01). The mean change from baseline in the FACE-Q appraisal of lines-NLFs total scores at Month 6 and Month 9 were 34.9 and 31.8 points, respectively, indicating the disturbance caused by NLF was relatively mild after treatment. The proportion of patients who believed they looked younger than their actual age on the FACE-Q patient perceived age VAS increased from 28.9% (15/52) at baseline to 77.8% (35/45) at Month 6, and 73.1% (38/52 ) at Month 9. The differences were all statistically significant compared to baseline ( P <0.01). At each post-baseline visit, all patients had ≥ 1-point improvement on the GAIS scale, indicating an improvement in patient NLF appearance in the investigators’ opinion. In terms of the NLFSS assessment, 97.8% (44/45) and 82.7% (43/52) of patients achieved a ≥ 1-point improvement on the NLFSS at Months 6 and 9, respectively. No adverse events were reported during the study. Conclusion:In a real-world setting, after the administration of HYC-24/HYC-24+ to Chinese patients, the patients were satisfied with the outcomes based on validated questionnaires. The patients also reported looking younger than their actual age and being less disturbed by NLF. Clinician-reported outcomes were consistent with patient-reported outcomes, indicating improvement in NLF.

Objective:To assess the real-world patient satisfaction with the outcomes in Chinese patients who received HYC-24/HYC-24+ for the treatment of moderate to severe nasolabial folds (NLF).Methods:This study was a prospective, observational, multicenter, real-world cohort study in which patients accepted treatment with HYC-24/HYC-24+ in China during a period from August 2018 to August 2020 at Beijing Lidu Medical Beauty Hospital, Hangzhou Yanshu Yuerong Medical Aesthetic Clinic, and Guangzhou Yuexiu Plastic Surgery Hospital and were followed up for up to 1 year. Patients were adults aged 18 to 65 years with moderate to severe NLF who had not received cosmetic treatment for NLF within 6 months prior to study enrollment. Post-treatment study visits were conducted at Months 1, 6, 9, and 12, but only Months 6 and 9 were required visits. The primary patient-reported outcomes endpoints included the FACE-Q satisfaction with outcome total score (a score from 0 to 100: a higher score indicates better outcomes and higher patient satisfaction), FACE-Q appraisal of lines - NLFs total questionnaire score mean change from baseline (a score from 0 to 100: a higher score indicates the patient was less troubled by NLF in the past week), and proportion of patients who reported that they looked younger than the actual age on the FACE-Q patient perceived age visual analog scale (VAS). Investigator-assessed endpoints included the proportion of patients with a global aesthetic improvement scale (GAIS) score of ≥ 1 point and the proportion of patients with an improvement in NLF severity of ≥ 1 point using the nasolabial fold severity scale (NLFSS). Statistical analyses were performed with SAS software, version 9.4. Measurement data were expressed as Mean±SD, and count data were expressed using cases(%). For both measurement and count data, P values were calculated on the difference between score values at different time points versus baseline using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results:A total of 52 subjects were enrolled and treated. Among these subjects, 7 were not included in the 6-month effectiveness analysis data set because the visit time exceeded the visit assessment window, and only 9 patients completed the 12-month visit. All patients were Chinese women, aged 26 to 62 years old, with a mean age of 40.7 years. The FACE-Q satisfaction with outcome total score was (68.76 ± 21.03) points (38-100) at Month 6, and (65.44±18.24) points (24-100) at Month 9, indicating high patient satisfaction with the treatment. The FACE-Q appraisal of lines-NLFs total score was (42.4±15.1) points (10-69) at baseline, (76.9±20.6) points (36-100) at Month 6, and (74.2±16.7) points (36-100) at Month 9, both significantly higher than the baseline scores (both P<0.01). The mean change from baseline in the FACE-Q appraisal of lines-NLFs total scores at Month 6 and Month 9 were 34.9 and 31.8 points, respectively, indicating the disturbance caused by NLF was relatively mild after treatment. The proportion of patients who believed they looked younger than their actual age on the FACE-Q patient perceived age VAS increased from 28.9% (15/52) at baseline to 77.8% (35/45) at Month 6, and 73.1% (38/52 ) at Month 9. The differences were all statistically significant compared to baseline ( P <0.01). At each post-baseline visit, all patients had ≥ 1-point improvement on the GAIS scale, indicating an improvement in patient NLF appearance in the investigators’ opinion. In terms of the NLFSS assessment, 97.8% (44/45) and 82.7% (43/52) of patients achieved a ≥ 1-point improvement on the NLFSS at Months 6 and 9, respectively. No adverse events were reported during the study. Conclusion:In a real-world setting, after the administration of HYC-24/HYC-24+ to Chinese patients, the patients were satisfied with the outcomes based on validated questionnaires. The patients also reported looking younger than their actual age and being less disturbed by NLF. Clinician-reported outcomes were consistent with patient-reported outcomes, indicating improvement in NLF.

Background Chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (CIHH) can effectively alleviate type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In this process, the underlying mechanism in its association with the epigenetic regulation of DNA methylation in the promoter regions of glucose metabolism key enzyme genes remains unclear yet. Objective To investigate the effects of CIHH on expression and promoter region methylation of key enzyme genes related to glucose metabolism in diabetes mice, and to explore the underlying mechanism by which CIHH regulates glucose metabolism. Methods Forty C57BL/6J male mice were divided randomly into a normobaric normoxic control (NN/CON) group, a chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia intervention control (CIHH/CON) group, a normobaric normoxic diabetic model (NN/DM) group, and a chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia intervention diabetic model (CIHH/DM) group. The mice in the NN/DM and the CIHH/DM groups were fed for 7 weeks with high-fat and high-sugar diet. Subsequently, these mice were intraperitoneally injected consecutively with 50 mmol·L⁻¹ streptozotocin (STZ) for 5 d at a dose of 40 mg·kg⁻¹ (body weight) per day to create T2DM model mice. The mice in the CIHH/DM and the CIHH/CON groups were intervened by simulating hypobaric hypoxia at 5000 m altitude for 6 h per day, while the mice in the NN/DM and the NN/CON groups were always placed in a normobaric normoxic environment. All mice were continuously treated for 4 weeks, and blood glucose were monitored during this period. After the CIHH intervention experiment, the glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity of mice were evaluated. A set of indicators involved in key glycolytic enzymes glucokinase (GK) and pyruvate kinase (PK), as well as key gluconeogenic enzymes phosphoenolpyruvate carboxyl kinase (PEPCK) and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6P) were measured in the liver of mice, including enzyme activity, relative mRNA expression level, and DNA methylation level in the gene promoter regions. Results Compared with the mice in the NN/DM group, the blood glucose levels of the mice in the CIHH/DM group decreased after the 25^th day of the CIHH intervention (P<0.05). Regarding the diabetic glucose tolerance curves, the area under the curve (AUC) of the mice in the CIHH/DM group was lower than that of the NN/DM group (P<0.05). Compared with the mice in the NN/DM group, the mice in the CIHH/DM group showed that the serum insulin content and HOMA of insulin resistance index (HOMA-IRI) decreased (P<0.05), the enzyme activities of GK and PK increased and the relative mRNA expression levels of their genes were up-regulated (P<0.05), while the enzyme activities of PEPCK and G6P decreased and the relative mRNA expression levels of their genes were down-regulated (P<0.05) in liver. The average DNA methylation levels in the promoter regions of GK, PK, PEPCK, and G6P genes in liver of mice in each group were not significantly different (P>0.05), and their correlations with mRNA expression levels were also not statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusion CIHH intervention may reduce blood glucose level, improve glucose tolerance, alleviate insulin resistance, and regulate the key enzyme activities of glucose metabolism and the relative mRNA expression of their corresponding genes in T2DM mice, but the above phenomena are not related to the DNA methylation levels in the promoter regions of these key enzymes.

Objective To explore the possible mechanism of Xiebaisan in protecting against allergic asthma in rats from the perspective of host intestinal flora metabolism.Methods SPF SD rats were divided into normal group(NC group),model group(M group),and Xiebaisan group.The allergic asthma rat model was established by ovalbumin.Changes in lung histopathology were observed by HE staining.Colon contents were harvested for 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing to assess changes in the intestinal flora structure and function.Serum and lung tissue samples were collected for non-targeted metabolomics by Ultra-high performance liquid-time-of-flight mass spectrometer.Results HE staining showed some improvement of lung histomorphology in asthmatic rats in the Xiebaisan group compared with that in the M group.16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing showed that the diversity of intestinal flora was decreased in the M group and increased in the Xiebaisan group compared with the M group,the microecosystem of intestinal was improved.Non-targeted metabolomics of serum showed regulation of amino acid metabolism and the mTOR pathway in the Xiebaisan group,and partially reversed differential metabolite expression in the M group.Non-targeted metabonomics of lung tissue samples showed regulation of carbon metabolism,vascular smooth muscle and cAMP signaling pathways in the Xiebaisan group,and partially reversed differential metabolite expression in the M group.Conclusions The protective effects of Xiebaisan on allergic asthma in rats may be related to improvement of the morphological structure of lung tissue,the diversity of intestinal flora,and regulation of mTOR,vascular smooth muscle contraction,and cAMP pathways,which affect amino acid and carbon metabolism.