BACKGROUND: Without timely and effective rehabilitation, hearing loss may profoundly affect human life quality. China has a large population of hearing-impaired individuals, which imposes a heavy health burden on society. Moreover, this population is projected to increase rapidly owing to China's aging society. METHODS: We used data from a population-representative epidemiological investigation of hearing loss and ear diseases in four Chinese provinces. We estimated the national prevalence using multiple linear regression of the age-group proportions and prevalence in 31 provinces with clustering analysis. We used years lived with disability (YLDs) to analyze the disease burden and forecasted the prevalence of hearing loss by 2060 in China. RESULTS: An estimated 115 million people had moderate-to-complete hearing loss in 2015 across the 31 provinces of China (8.4% of 1.37 billion people). Of these, 85.7% were older than age 50 years (99 million people) and 2.4% were younger than 20 years old (2.8 million people). Of all YLDs attributable to hearing loss, 68.9% were attributable to moderate-to-complete cases. By 2060, a projected 242 million people in China will have moderate-to-complete hearing loss, a 110.0% increase from 2015. CONCLUSIONS The hearing loss prevalence in China is high. Population aging and socioeconomic factors substantially affect the prevalence and severity of hearing loss and the disease burden. The prevalence and severity of hearing loss are unevenly distributed across different provinces. Future public health policies should take these trends and regional variations into account.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Hearing Loss/epidemiology* ; Prevalence ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Aged ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Infant ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cost of Illness

This study applied the grading of recommendations assessment, development and evaluation(GRADE) system and the integrated evidence chain-based effectiveness evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine(Eff-iEC) to evaluate the evidence for 12 commonly used Chinese patent medicines for the treatment of osteoporosis, which are frequently recommended in guidelines or expert consensuses. The results showed that Xianling Gubao Capsules/Tablets were rated as C(low-level evidence) according to the GRADE system, and as BA~+B~+(intermediate evidence) according to the Eff-iEC system. Jintiange Capsules were rated as C(low-level evidence) by the GRADE system, and as AA~+B(high-level evidence) by the Eff-iEC system. Gushukang Granules/Capsules were rated as C(low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as BA~+B~+(intermediate evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Zuogui Pills were rated as C(low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as AA~(++)B~+(high-level evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Qianggu Capsules were rated as D(extremely low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as AA~+B~+(high-level evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Zhuanggu Zhitong Capsules were rated as D(extremely low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as BA~+B(intermediate evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Jingui Shenqi Pills were rated as D(extremely low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as AA~+B(high-level evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Quanduzhong Capsules were rated as D(extremely low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as AD~+B~+(low-level evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Epimedium Total Flavones Capsules were rated as D(extremely low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as AAB~+(high-level evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Yougui Pills were rated as D(extremely low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as AA~(++)B~(+ )(high-level evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Qigu Capsules were rated as D(extremely low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as BB~+B(intermediate evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Liuwei Dihuang Pills were rated as C(low-level evidence) by GRADE system, and as AA~(++)B~+(high-level evidence) by Eff-iEC system. Overall, the Eff-iEC system provides a more comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness evidence for traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) than the GRADE system. However, it still has certain limitations that hinder its wider promotion and application. In terms of clinical evidence evaluation, both the Eff-iEC and GRADE systems reflect that the current clinical research quality on Chinese patent medicines for the treatment of osteoporosis is generally low. High-quality clinical trials are still needed in the future to further validate clinical efficacy.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Osteoporosis/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Nonprescription Drugs/therapeutic use* ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Objective To preliminarily evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a novel non-implantable atrial shunt device based on radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of chronic heart failure(CHF).Methods This was a prospective single-arm study.From January 2023 to December 2023,five eligible CHF patients were consecutively enrolled at Beijing Anzhen Hospital,Capital Medical University,and underwent inter-atrial shunt using Shenzhen Betterway atrial shunt device.Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure(PCWP),right atrial pressure(RAP),pulmonary artery pressure(PAP),total pulmonary resistance(TPR),pulmonary vascular resistance(PVR),and pulmonary/systemic blood flow ratio(Qp/Qs)were measured using right heart catheterization before and immediately after procedure.Patients were followed up for 90 days,and echocardiography,right heart catheterization,and cardiac functional indicators were evaluated.The primary endpoint was procedural success.Secondary endpoints included clinical success,echocardiographic changes,6-minute walk distance(6MWD)changes,New York Heart Association(NYHA)class changes,Kansas city cardiomyopathy questionnaire(KCCQ)score changes,and amino-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP)level changes at 90 days.The safety endpoint was major cardiovascular and cerebrovascular adverse events and device-related adverse events.Results All five patients successfully achieved left-to-right atrial shunt.Compared with baseline,PCWP decreased significantly immediately after procedure in all five patients,with a procedural success rate of 100％.There were no significant changes in RAP,PAP,TPR,and PVR before and immediately after procedure.After 90 days follow-up,four patients had persistent left-to-right atrial shunt,and PCWP was significantly lower than baseline,with a clinical success rate of 80％.Compared with baseline,LVEF increased,left ventricular end-diastolic diameter decreased,and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion and right ventricular fractional area change were not impaired in all five patients at 90 days.KCCQ scores and 6MWT improved,NT-proBNP decreased,and NYHA class did not change significantly.There were no deaths,rehospitalizations for heart failure,stroke-related adverse events,or device-related adverse events during the follow-up.Conclusions The novel non-implantable atrial shunt catheter can safely and effectively improve hemodynamic,echocardiographic,and cardiac functional indicators in patients with heart failure.However,larger-scale clinical studies are still needed to validate its long-term clinical effectiveness.

Objectives:To explore the effects of interatrial shunt on cardiac function and clinical prognosis of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction(HFrEF). Methods:This study was a prospective single-arm study.From December 2021 to December 2022,15 consecutive patients with HFrEF from Beijing Anzhen Hospital were enrolled in this study.Interatrial shunt was performed with a D-Shant atrial shunt device.Right heart catheterization was performed before and immediately after device implantation,pulmonary capillary wedge pressure(PCWP),mean right atrial pressure(RAP),interatrial gradient pressure,mean pulmonary artery pressure,total pulmonary resistance(TPR),pulmonary vascular resistance(PVR),cardiac index(CI),and pulmonary/systemic blood flow ratio(Qp/Qs)were measured.Patients were followed-up for 12 months after procedure,changes in cardiac structure and function were evaluated by echocardiography.NYHA classification,6-minute walking distance(6MWD),and Kansas City cardiomyopathy questionnaire(KCCQ)were observed.All-cause mortality and rehospitalization for heart failure served as clinical endpoints. Results:Interatrial shunt procedure was successful in all patients.Compared with preoperative value,PCWP,interatrial gradient pressure,mean pulmonary artery pressure,and TPR were significantly decreased,while Qp/Qs was significantly increased immediately after procedure(all P<0.01).There were no significant changes in RAP,PVR,and CI post procedure(all P>0.05).There were no significant differences in shunt size,shunt velocity,and shunt pressure difference between postoperative immediately and at 12-months follow-up(all P>0.05).At 12 months,left ventricular ejection fraction was significantly higher than baseline level(P<0.05),and there were no significant changes in right atrial diameter and right ventricular fractional area change(both P>0.05).Compared with preoperative status,NYHA classification was improved,KCCQ score was increased,and the number of patients with 6MWD>450 m was increased at 12 months(all P<0.05).N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide value was significantly decreased at 12 months(P<0.05).No patient died during the 12-months follow-up period,and there were no device-related adverse events.Two patients experienced hospital readmission for heart failure. Conclusions:Implantation of interatrial shunt device could effectively improve hemodynamic parameters in patients with HFrEF and is related to significantly improved cardiac function at 12-months follow-up.

Aim To explore the effect and mechanism of the artesunate(ART)on hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods The cell lines MHCC-97H and HCC-LM3 were used to be detected.MTT and clone formation were used to determine the cell proliferation;Wound healing was used to detect the cell migration;Transwell was used to test the cell invasion.Flow-cy-tometry was used to detect cell apoptosis and cell cy-cle.RNA-seq and qRT-PCR was used to detect the genes expression.Results The proliferation,migra-tion and invasion of treated cells were obviously inhibi-ted(P＜0.01).Moreover,the apoptosis rate in-creased significantly,so did the proportion of G2/M cells.Transcriptomic analysis identified GADD45A as a potential target of ART through RNA-sequencing da-ta,and suggested that ART might induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest through regulating the expression of GADD45A.In addition,the results of mechanism studies and signaling analysis suggested that GADD45A had interaction with its upstream gene NACC1(nucle-us accumbens associated 1).Moreover,after ART treatment,the expressions of GADD45A and NACC1 were changed significantly.Conclusion ART may be a potential drug to resist HCC by affecting the expres-sion of GADD45A and its upstream gene NACC1,which provides a new drug,a new direction and a new method for the clinical treatment of HCC.

Multiple sclerosis(MS) shows the pathological characteristics of "inflammatory injury of white matter" and "myelin repair disability" in the central nervous system(CNS). It is very essential for MS treatment and reduction of disease burden to strengthen repair, improve function, and reduce disability. Accordingly, different from the simple immunosuppression, we believe that key to strengthening remyelination and maintaining the "damage-repair" homeostasis of tissue is to change the current one-way immunosuppression strategy and achieve the "moderate pro-inflammation-effective inflammation removal" homeostasis. Traditional Chinese medicine shows huge potential in this strategy. Through literature research, this study summarized the research on remyelination, discussed the "mode-rate pro-inflammation-effective inflammation removal" homeostasis and the "damage-repair" homeostasis based on microglia, and summed up the key links in remyelination in MS. This review is expected to lay a theoretical basis for improving the function of MS patients and guide the application of traditional Chinese medicine.
Humans ; Multiple Sclerosis/pathology* ; Remyelination/physiology* ; Myelin Sheath/pathology* ; Inflammation/drug therapy* ; Homeostasis

Objective:To explore the prognostic risk factors of thymoma patients after resection, and establish a novel nomogram to predict progression free survival(PFS) of patients with thymoma.Methods:A retrospectively analysis was performed on clinicopathological datas of 267 cases of thymoma patients underwent thymoma resection in Beijing Tongren Hospital from January 2010 to December 2019. The univariate and multivariate Cox risk ratio models were used to analyze the related factors that might affect PFS, and the prediction nomogram of PFS after thymoma resection was established using the screened independent risk factors. Then the predictive ability of the model was evaluated. Results:The univariate analysis showed that age, type of surgery, completeness of resection, WHO histologic classification, TNM stage and postoperative adjuvant therapy were significantly correlated with PFS after thymoma resection( P<0.05). The multivariate analysis showed that only age and TNM stage were independent prognostic factors affecting PFS after thymoma resection( P<0.05). The concordance index( C- index) of the prediction model for the prognosis of thymoma patients established by this method was 0.866(95% CI: 0.809-0.923), which had remarkable predictive efficiency. Conclusion:The nomogram model is constructed and verified based on age and TNM stage, excluding the interference of other clinicopathological factors on prognosis assessment, and which is convenient for clinicians to quickly and individually evaluate the prognosis of patients after thymoma resection.

PURPOSE: This study aims to elucidate the electrotaxis response of alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) in direct-current electric fields (EFs), explore the impact of EFs on the cell fate of AECs, and lay the foundation for future exploitation of EFs for the treatment of acute lung injury. METHODS: AECs were extracted from rat lung tissues using magnetic-activated cell sorting. To elucidate the electrotaxis responses of AECs, different voltages of EFs (0, 50, 100, and 200 mV/mm) were applied to two types of AECs, respectively. Cell migrations were recorded and trajectories were pooled to better demonstrate cellular activities through graphs. Cell directionality was calculated as the cosine value of the angle formed by the EF vector and cell migration. To further demonstrate the impact of EFs on the pulmonary tissue, the human bronchial epithelial cells transformed with Ad12-SV40 2B (BEAS-2B cells) were obtained and experimented under the same conditions as AECs. To determine the influence on cell fate, cells underwent electric stimulation were collected to perform Western blot analysis. RESULTS: The successful separation and culturing of AECs were confirmed through immunofluorescence staining. Compared with the control, AECs in EFs demonstrated a significant directionality in a voltage-dependent way. In general, type Ⅰ alveolar epithelial cells migrated faster than type Ⅱ alveolar epithelial cells, and under EFs, these two types of cells exhibited different response threshold. For type Ⅱ alveolar epithelial cells, only EFs at 200 mV/mm resulted a significant difference to the velocity, whereas for, EFs at both 100 mV/mm and 200 mV/mm gave rise to a significant difference. Western blotting suggested that EFs led to an increased expression of a AKT and myeloid leukemia 1 and a decreased expression of Bcl-2-associated X protein and Bcl-2-like protein 11. CONCLUSION EFs could guide and accelerate the directional migration of AECs and exert antiapoptotic effects, which indicated that EFs are important biophysical signals in the re-epithelialization of alveolar epithelium in lung injury.
Humans ; Rats ; Animals ; Alveolar Epithelial Cells ; Lung ; Lung Injury ; Cell Movement/physiology*

Diabetic macular edema(DME)and age-related macular degeneration(ARMD)are the leading causes of visual impairment and blindness worldwide, and their common pathological features are increased vascular permeability and abnormal neovascularization, in which cytokines such as vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)and angiopoietin-2(Ang-2)play an important role. Intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF agents significantly changed the clinical management of DME and ARMD, but limitations such as the non-responsive cases, the treatment burden and risks caused by frequent injections need to be overcome. Faricimab, a novel bispecific monoclonal antibody that simultaneously targets VEGF-A and Ang-2, can effectively reduce vascular permeability, decrease the number of neovascularization and alleviate retinal edema. Registered clinical studies have shown that Faricimab is effective in improving vision and reducing retinal edema, which is non-inferior to Aflibercept and Ranibizumab, maintains a long dosing interval, and has a high safety profile. This article reviews the latest advances in the treatment of DME and ARMD with Faricimab.

Objective:To investigate the risk factors of postoperative recurrence of parastomal hernia repair.Methods:The clinical and follow-up data of 128 patients undergoing parastomal hernia repair at the the Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology from Jan 1, 2013 to Dec 31, 2022 was analyzed retrospectively.Results:Postoperative recurrence was confirmed in 32 patients during follow-up, and the recurrence rates were 13.8% , 24.8% and 25.0% at 1',3' and 5 years .Univariate analysis showed that body mass index (BMI) , chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), type of stoma, prophylactic stoma displacement, and surgical options were the risk factors for recurrence after parastomal hernia repair. Multiple Logistic regression analysis showed that BMI, COPD, prophylactic stoma displacement, and surgical options were independent risk factors for the recurrence after parastomal hernia ( P< 0.05). Conclusion:The occurrence of hernia recurrence after parastomal hernia repair is closely related to patients' BMI, COPD, prophylactic stoma displacement and the surgical options.