Search

As a diverse group of conserved cysteine-containing aspartic protein hydrolases in cytoplasm, caspases are associated with apoptosis and inflammation. After an activation of macromolecular signaling complexes, they ultimately lead to programmed cell deaths of apoptosis and pyroptosis, depending on specific types of activated caspases. This review summarized the mechanisms of caspase-mediated apoptosis and pyroptosis in different types of acute kidney injuries (AKI) induced by sepsis, ischemia/reperfusion, drugs and rhabdomyolysis. The goal was to understand the importance of those regulators in AKI development and facilitate the discovery of precise targets for treating and preventing AKI.

ObjectiveTo explore the status and influencing factors of public health safety literacy (PHSL) among residents in four provinces of China for providing references to the development of appropriate intervention strategies. MethodsWe recruited 2 809 urban and rural residents aged 15 – 69 years in three provinces (Hubei, Guangdong and Sichuan) and Beijing municipality using stratified multistage cluster sampling and conducted an on-site self-administered electronic questionnaire survey among the residents during April – June, 2021. A scale with three domains (each with a maximum score of 40) was designed to assess the PHSL of the residents. T-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and χ2 test were adopted in univariate analysis and logistic regression in multivariate analysis. Results For all the participants, the mean overall PHSL score was 81.61 ± 13.71 and the mean domain scores were 29.21 ± 5.89 for PHS perception, 25.10 ± 5.10 for PHS knowledge, and 27.30 ± 4.87 for PHS skills. There were 80.85% of the participants being assessed with basic PHSL (with the overall scale score of ≥ 72) and there were 86.69%, 61.05%, and 78.96% of the participants being assessed with basic PHS perception, knowledge, and skills (with the domain scores of ≥ 24); also based on the scale of overall score of ≥ 96 and domain scores of ≥ 32, the proportion of the participants with good PHSL was 15.70% and the proportions of participants with good PHS perception, knowledge and skills were 35.32%, 14.03% and 20.15%, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that PHSL was associated with residential region, sex, education and household income. The participants residing in Hubei, Sichuan, and Guangdong province were less likely to have basic/good PHSL, with the odds ratios (OR) of 0.485/0.422, 0.488/0.699, and 0.389/0.566 in contrast to those residing in Beijing municipality. The participants being female (versus male: OR = 1.336/1.283), with the education of higher than primary school education or below (junior high school: OR = 1.786/1.205; senior high or vocational or technical secondary school: OR = 2.204/2.013; college and above: OR = 2.932/3.710), with the annual household income of more than 30 000 RMB yuan (30 000 – 60 000: OR = 1.660/1.648; ≥ 120 000: OR = 1.865/2.145) were more likely to have basic/good PHSL. ConclusionFor 15 – 69 years old residents in four provincial administrative regions of China, the PHSL still needs to be improved and the residents′ PHSL is influenced mainly by gender, education, annual household income and residential region.

Objective To investigate the diagnosis and treatment of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) caused by immune checkpoint inhibitor(ICI). Methods A case of ICI pembrolizumab leading to CRS was analyzed in Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine of Peking Union Medical College Hospital. ResultsA 52-year-old woman with advanced adenosquamous lung cancer developed fever and hypotension after receiving pembrolizumab. Results of laboratory test showed an obviously increased serum ferritin, C response protein, interleukin-6 and abnormal liver function. Without positive infectious results, she was ultimately diagnosed as CRS. The patient was treated with steroids and tocilizumab with good clinical response. Conclusions CRS caused by ICIs develops rapidly and lead to severe results. It is important to consider CRS in patient who developed systemic inflammatory response syndrome after ICIs. Steroids combined tocilizumab is a potential choice of treatment.

Objective To explore whether cognitive frailty increases the risk of falls 5 years later in elderly Chinese population. Methods The data were collected from the Rugao Aging Cohort. Fried frailty phenotype was used to evaluate frailty. Those who met ≥3 of the five criteria were defined as frailty, those who met 1-2 criteria were defined as pre-frailty, and those who did not meet any criteria were considered to be robust. The revised Hasegawa Dementia Scale(HDS-R) was used to evaluate cognitive function. Excluding severe cognitive impairment (HDS-R≤10), the lowest quartile of scores was cognitive impairment. Those with both frailty and cognitive impairment were defined as cognitive frailty. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze frailty and falls risk at 5-year follow-up, and explore the effect of cognitive frailty (frailty plus cognitive function assessment) on falls risk. Results This study included 962 subjects with a mean age of 74.7±3.7 years at baseline, including 526 females. After 5 years of follow-up, 134 people experienced falls in the last year of following up . The incidence of falls was higher in female, illiterate and unmarried subgroups. Logistic regression analysis showed that the frail subjects at baseline were more likely to fall(OR=4.360,95% CI=1.955-9.722), and those with cognitive frailty had a higher risk of fall than those robust without cognitive impairment (OR=6.000,95% CI=1.935-18.603). After adjusting for covariates, the higher five-year falls risk for cognitive frailty remained statistically significant (OR=6.736,95% CI=1.897-23.922, P＜0.05). Conclusions Cognitive frailty is significantly correlated with a higher risk of falls after 5 years. The assessment of cognitive frailty is important for assessing the risk of falls in older adults.

Objective To explore the epidemiological characteristics of motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR) in Chinese elderly and its relationship with hospitalization. Methods Data were collected from a subcohort of the rugao longevity and aging study. Subjective memory complaints were assessed by the geriatric depression scale (GDS-15), and slow gait was assessed by the time up and go test (TUGT). MCR was determined by the presence of both. The incidence of hospitalization was recorded from the baseline survey in 2014 to the second 3-year follow-up in 2017, and the incidence of MCR in the hospitalized and non-hospitalized groups was compared to analyze the association between MCR and hospitalization. Results In this study, 1 076 subjects were enrolled, with an average age of 75.0±3.8 years old; The prevalence of MCR was 3.3%. During the 3-year follow-up period, 61.1% of the MCR group had records of hospitalization, while only 41.9% of the non-MCR group had the record of hospitalization (P＜0.05). The hospitalized group had a higher average age, and a higher proportion of men, non-illiterates, and those with hypertension, diabetes, and cerebrovascular disease. Hospital combination and the proportion of MCR is 4.8%, the hospital group was 2.3% (P＜0.05). After adjusting for age, sex, occupation, level of education, marital status, smoking status, BMI, blood pressure, diabetes and coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and other confounding factors, MCR is associated with increased risk of hospitalization in the elderly (P＜0.05). Conclusions The incidence of hospitalization was higher in the population of male especiall those with hypertension, diabetes and cerebrovascular history, MCR is significantly associated with hospitalization.