Association between Nine Types of TCM Constitution and Five Chronic Diseases: A Correspondence Analysis Based on a Sample of 2,660 Participants

Objective. The purpose of this study was to explore the association of nine types of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) constitution with the five chronic diseases: hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, and obesity. Methods. Chi-squared test was performed to investigate the distribution characteristics of TCM constitutions in the participants with the five chronic diseases in questionnaire. Correspondence analysis was used to explore the correlation between them. Results. A total of 2,660 participants (1,400 males; 1,260 females) were included in this study. The mean age was 52.54 ± 13.92. Of them, 600 were of gentleness type accounting for 22.56%. Proportions of gentleness type in the chronic diseases (16.00%~23.70%) were less than that in general population (32.14%). The gentleness type and yin-deficiency type were significantly correlated with hypertension and diabetes mellitus, qi-deficiency type was correlated with heart disease, phlegm-dampness type was associated with obesity, and dampness-heat type was correlated with hyperlipidemia. Conclusions. The correlations between TCM constitution types and the five chronic diseases were different. This may have a significant implication for TCM practice, and even the people with gentleness type should not be ignored in health management

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p<0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p<0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised

Record‐High Ultrasound‐Sensitive NO Nanogenerators for Cascade Tumor Pyroptosis and Immunotherapy

Abstract Pyroptosis is a pro‐inflammatory cell death that is associated with innate immunity promotion against tumors. Excess nitric oxide (NO)‐triggered nitric stress has potential to induce pyroptosis, but the precise delivery of NO is challenging. Ultrasound (US)‐responsive NO production has dominant priority due to its deep penetration, low side effects, noninvasion, and local activation manner. In this work, US‐sensitive NO donor N‐methyl‐N‐nitrosoaniline (NMA) with thermodynamically favorable structure is selected and loaded into hyaluronic acid (HA)‐modified hollow manganese dioxide nanoparticles (hMnO2 NPs) to fabricate hMnO2@HA@NMA (MHN) nanogenerators (NGs). The obtained NGs have a record‐high NO generation efficiency under US irradiation and can release Mn2+ after targeting the tumor sites. Later on, cascade tumor pyroptosis and cyclic GMP‐AMP synthase‐stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS‐STING)‐based immunotherapy is achieved and tumor growth is effectively inhibited

Association between Nine Types of TCM Constitution and Five Chronic Diseases: A Correspondence Analysis Based on a Sample of 2,660 Participants

Objective. The purpose of this study was to explore the association of nine types of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) constitution with the five chronic diseases: hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, and obesity. Methods. Chi-squared test was performed to investigate the distribution characteristics of TCM constitutions in the participants with the five chronic diseases in questionnaire. Correspondence analysis was used to explore the correlation between them. Results. A total of 2,660 participants (1,400 males; 1,260 females) were included in this study. The mean age was 52.54 ± 13.92. Of them, 600 were of gentleness type accounting for 22.56%. Proportions of gentleness type in the chronic diseases (16.00%∼23.70%) were less than that in general population (32.14%). The gentleness type and yin-deficiency type were significantly correlated with hypertension and diabetes mellitus, qi-deficiency type was correlated with heart disease, phlegm-dampness type was associated with obesity, and dampnessheat type was correlated with hyperlipidemia. Conclusions. The correlations between TCM constitution types and the five chronic diseases were different. This may have a significant implication for TCM practice, and even the people with gentleness type should not be ignored in health management

Blood donation and health status based on SF-36: The mediating effect of cognition in blood donation.

OBJECTIVE:The relationship among blood donation, cognition in blood donation and health condition of blood donors remains unclear. Based on our hypothesis, this study aimed to explore the mediating effect of cognition in blood donation on the relationship between blood donation and blood donors' health status. METHODS:A total of 837 participants who had prior experience in donating whole blood were recruited into a cross-sectional survey. The Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Questionnaire on Cognition in Non-remunerated Blood Donation were used to evaluate the health status and the level of cognition in blood donation, respectively. Blood donation referred to the cumulative times of blood donation. The mediating effect of cognition in blood donation was analyzed by applying a path model. RESULTS:The results revealed that blood donation was positively related to the physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) of SF-36, and cognition in blood donation was shown to have a partial mediating effect on the relationship between blood donation and both PCS and MCS. The effect size of cognition in blood donation was 24.63% in PCS and 26.72% in MCS. CONCLUSIONS:Blood donation is positively correlated with SF-36 outcomes (PCS and MCS) of blood donors, and cognition in blood donation plays a partial mediating effect in the relationship between blood donation and PCS and MCS

Adoptive Infusion of Tolerogenic Dendritic Cells Prolongs the Survival of Pancreatic Islet Allografts: A Systematic Review of 13 Mouse and Rat Studies

<div><h3>Objective</h3><p>The first Phase I study of autologous tolerogenic dendritic cells (Tol-DCs) in Type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients was recently completed. Pancreatic islet transplantation is an effective therapy for T1D, and infusion of Tol-DCs can control diabetes development while promoting graft survival. In this study, we aim to systematically review islet allograft survival following infusion of Tol-DCs induced by different methods, to better understand the mechanisms that mediate this process.</p> <h3>Methods</h3><p>We searched PubMed and Embase (from inception to February 29^th, 2012) for relevant publications. Data were extracted and quality was assessed by two independent reviewers. We semiquantitatively analyzed the effects of Tol-DCs on islet allograft survival using mixed leukocyte reaction, Th1/Th2 differentiation, Treg induction, and cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity as mechanisms related-outcomes. We discussed the results with respect to possible mechanisms that promote survival.</p> <h3>Results</h3><p>Thirteen articles were included. The effects of Tol-DCs induced by five methods on allograft survival were different. Survival by each method was prolonged as follows: allopeptide-pulsed Tol-DCs (42.14±44 days), drug intervention (39 days), mesenchymal stem cell induction (23 days), genetic modification (8.99±4.75 days), and other derivation (2.61±6.98 days). The results indicate that Tol-DC dose and injection influenced graft survival. Single-dose injections of 10⁴ Tol-DCs were the most effective for allograft survival, and multiple injections were not superior. Tol-DCs were also synergistic with immunosuppressive drugs or costimulation inhibitors. Possible mechanisms include donor specific T cell hyporesponsiveness, Th2 differentiation, Treg induction, cytotoxicity against allograft reduction, and chimerism induction.</p> <h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Tol-DCs induced by five methods prolong MHC mismatched islet allograft survival to different degrees, but allopeptide-pulsed host DCs perform the best. Immunosuppressive or costimulatory blockade are synergistic with Tol-DC on graft survival. Multiple injections are not superior to single injection. Yet more rigorously designed studies with larger sample sizes are still needed in future.</p> </div

Flow diagram for selection of studies.

<p>Flow diagram for selection of studies.</p

Summary table of findings.

<p>S: Single injection. M: Multiple injections.</p><p>“*” Sample size of one study is a range, not exact number. “-*” Article did not report sample size.</p