Search

BackgroundFangcang shelter hospitals are quarantine facilities offering primary medical treatment for mild and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 cases. Little is known about the age-specific prevalence of insomnia among patients in Fangcang shelter hospitals, particularly in older age groups.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted in the three largest Fangcang shelter hospitals during the lockdown period, from March to May 2022, in Shanghai. The patients’ demographic and medical information was recorded. Insomnia was defined according to the prescriptions for zolpidem and estazolam. The overall and age-specific prevalence and the risk factors of insomnia were investigated through regression models.ResultsA total of 2,39,448 patients were included in this study (59.09% of the patients were male, the median age was 42, and 73.41% of the patients were asymptomatic), with the prevalence of insomnia being 3.1%. The prevalence of insomnia varied across different age groups (

This study aimed to investigate the disparities between metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) and conventional culture results in patients with bronchiectasis. Additionally, we sought to investigate the correlation between the clinical characteristics of patients and their microbiome profiles. The overarching goal was to enhance the effective management and treatment of bronchiectasis patients, providing a theoretical foundation for healthcare professionals. A retrospective survey was conducted on 67 bronchiectasis patients admitted to The First Hospital of Jiaxing from October 2019 to March 2023. Clinical baseline information, inflammatory indicators, and pathogen detection reports, including mNGS, conventional blood culture, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) culture, and sputum culture results, were collected. By comparing the results of mNGS and conventional culture, the differences in pathogen detection rate and pathogen types were explored, and the diagnostic performance of mNGS compared to conventional culture was evaluated. Based on the various pathogens detected by mNGS, the association between clinical characteristics of bronchiectasis patients and mNGS microbiota results was analyzed. The number and types of pathogens detected by mNGS were significantly larger than those detected by conventional culture. The diagnostic efficacy of mNGS was significantly superior to conventional culture for all types of pathogens, particularly in viral detection (p < 0.01). Regarding pathogen detection rate, the bacteria with the highest detection rate were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (17/58) and Haemophilus influenzae (11/58); the fungus with the highest detection rate was Aspergillus fumigatus (10/21), and the virus with the highest detection rate was human herpes virus 4 (4/11). Differences were observed between the positive and negative groups for P. aeruginosa in terms of common scoring systems for bronchiectasis and whether the main symptom of bronchiectasis manifested as thick sputum (p < 0.05). Significant distinctions were also noted between the positive and negative groups for A. fumigatus regarding Reiff score, neutrophil percentage, bronchiectasis etiology, and alterations in treatment plans following mNGS results reporting (p < 0.05). Notably, 70% of patients with positive A. fumigatus infection opted to change their treatment plans. The correlation study between clinical characteristics of bronchiectasis patients and mNGS microbiological results revealed that bacteria, such as P. aeruginosa, and fungi, such as A. fumigatus, were associated with specific clinical features of patients. This underscored the significance of mNGS in guiding personalized treatment approaches. mNGS could identify multiple pathogens in different types of bronchiectasis samples and was a rapid and effective diagnostic tool for pathogen identification. Its use was recommended for diagnosing the causes of infections in bronchiectasis patients.

Abstract. Background:. Cerebrovascular disease (CVD) ranks among the foremost factors responsible for mortality on a global scale. The mortality patterns of CVDs and temporal trends in China need to be well-illustrated and updated. Methods:. We collected mortality data on patients with CVD from Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Disease Surveillance Points (CDC-DSP) system. The mortality of CVD in 2020 was described by age, sex, residence, and region. The temporal trend from 2013 to 2019 was evaluated using joinpoint regression, and estimated rates of decline were extrapolated until 2030 using time series models. Results:. In 2019, the age-standardized mortality in China (ASMRC) per 100,000 individuals was 113.2. The ASMRC for males (137.7/105) and rural areas (123.0/105) were both higher when stratified by gender and urban/rural residence. The central region had the highest mortality (126.5/105), the western region had a slightly lower mortality (123.5/105), and the eastern region had the lowest mortality (97.3/105). The age-specific mortality showed an accelerated upward trend from aged 55–59 years, with maximum mortality observed in individuals over 85 years of age. The age-standardized mortality of CVD decreased by 2.43% (95% confidence interval, 1.02–3.81%) annually from 2013 to 2019. Notably, the age-specific mortality of CVD increased from 2013 to 2019 for the age group of over 85 years. In 2020, both the absolute number of CVD cases and the crude mortality of CVD have increased compared to their values in 2019. The estimated total deaths due to CVD were estimated to reach 2.3 million in 2025 and 2.4 million in 2030. Conclusion:. The heightened focus on the burden of CVD among males, rural areas, the central and western of China, and individuals aged 75 years and above has emerged as a pivotal determinant in further decreasing mortalities, consequently presenting novel challenges to strategies for disease prevention and control.

Granite, a principal component of continental crust, emerges at the Earth's surface through crustal movements, creating diverse landforms. The Queshi region, comparable to Huangshan in its granite hilly landscape, stands as a representative granite landform in China, yet its origin remains incompletely studied. This investigation utilizes surface landscape and cave analyses to elucidate the characteristics and determining factors of granite landforms in the Queshi region, to comprehend the formation mechanisms of these unique landforms. In the surface investigation, field surveys and aerial photography, employing a DJI Phantom 4 RTK drone, were utilized to measure the morphology and dimensions of exposed rock egg sizes on cliff faces and joint spacing. The survey results facilitated an overall classification of surficial landscapes, encompassing the proportion of rock egg sizes on the mountain and the spacing between the vertical and horizontal joints. To assess mountain development concerning stone eggs, cave orientation and elevation were determined using a rangefinder and GPS measurements, while different contact relationships between stone eggs were investigated. By amalgamating domestic and international granite development theories with field investigation results, this study delves into the geological structure of the surrounding areas, the characteristics of granite landforms, and the factors governing the landform formation of granite geomorphology in the Queshi area. The findings indicate that 1) rocks in the Queshi scenic area have evolved into various rock eggs through subsequent weathering processes, manifesting as grotesque formations resembling humans, genies, or animals, and 2) granite mountain bodies in the Queshi region can be categorized into three types: rock egg mountains, peak forest mountains, and steamed bun mountains. Stone egg mountains exhibit a unique form with round, large stone eggs stacked atop each other, peak forest mountains comprise elongated rock eggs or blocks due to narrowly spaced vertical joints, while steamed bun mountains lack obvious joints and fractures, presenting gently rounded mountain shapes. Furthermore, 3) granite caves in the Queshi scenic area are classified into four categories based on different formation processes: core stone caves, collapsed caves/rock egg caves, fissure caves, and niches. Core stone caves form when weathered material in the gaps between stone cores is carried away by flowing water without causing any movement of the core stones. Fissure caves, relatively rare and small in scale in the Queshi scenic area, are formed along large fractures created by bedrock breaks. Niches are concave grooves formed at the base of rock bodies or rock eggs, buried by rock debris or soil, storing more rainwater than bare rock surfaces and enhancing chemical weathering. After external runoff removed the debris, the rock base became exposed and formed concave grooves. Finally, 4) the weathering crusts of the Queshi region formed before the subsidence of the Rongjiang fault, during which the Queshi Mountains experienced relative uplift. Consequently, the weathering crusts continued to weather, forming the present granite landforms. Weathering occurs through the rock joints of the parent rock of the weathered crusts, with the degree of damage to the rock determined by joint density. The greater the joint density, the more extensive the damage; conversely, the smaller the joint density, the less the damage. Therefore, mountain morphological differences in the Queshi region are primarily caused by variations in joint spacing rather than climate or rock-type influences.

When earthquakes occur in high-mountain areas during the winter season, the epicentral region is often covered by a snow layer, which can be either thin or thick. The presence of snow and/or ice layers affects the detection of thermal anomalies associated with seismic signals. Taking into account the penetration capabilities of microwaves, microwave brightness temperature data were analyzed by using the index of microwave radiation anomaly to study the response of the epicentral region associated with two recent strong earthquakes in Central Asia, which occurred in snow-covered mountainous areas. Increased microwave radiation was observed within one week prior to the earthquakes. By conducting a comparative analysis of different frequencies and a comprehensive examination of meteorological parameters, we distinguished anomalies caused by tectonic activity from those induced by atmospheric water vapor. A robustness analysis from the periods of seismic tranquility and seismic disturbance has been conducted to validate our results. Our findings suggest that regions with less snow cover or shallow snow depth may exhibit high sensitivity to seismic microwave radiation anomalies in high-altitude mountainous areas during the cold season, which can be detected through passive microwave remote sensing. Combined with a further analysis from microwave polarization difference index and distribution of regional lithology, we proposed that the theory of positive holes may be the dominant mechanism for enhanced microwave radiation.