Association between ambient temperature and increased total length of hospital stay of patients with cardiopulmonary disease in Hong Kong.

Background: While temperature extremes have been shown to be associated with an increased risk of hospital admissions, evidence of their impact on the length of hospital stay, which may capture the lingering effects of temperature extremes, is scarce.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the association between daily variation in ambient temperature and daily variation in daily total length of stay (daily TLOS), a composite measure encompassing the daily count of hospital admissions and their corresponding length of hospital stay among cardiopulmonary patients. Additionally, we quantified the burden of TLOS attributable to non-optimal temperatures among Hong Kong's older adult population.

Evaluation of the clinical efficacy of CCFM6432 in alleviating depression.

Accumulating evidence highlights the crucial role of the "gut-brain axis" and emphasizes the potential of dietary interventions to improve brain health through this pathway. This study assesses the effects of the probiotic CCFM6432 on mood, sleep, and gastrointestinal function in patients with depressive disorder. This clinical trial is a randomized, placebo-controlled study (Registration: ChiCTR2300071025).

Influence of TNF-α Inhibitors on Gut Microbiota and Immune Modulation in Treating Ankylosing Spondylitis: Insights into Therapeutic Mechanisms and Clinical Implications.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the impact of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors on the gut microbiota in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and investigate the potential therapeutic benefits of microbial modulation. Given the role of gut microbiota in immune regulation and its association with autoimmune conditions like AS, this research seeks to identify microbial targets that could enhance treatment outcomes.

Methods: Patients with AS undergoing TNF inhibitor therapy and healthy controls were recruited for this study.

Interfacial Confinement Effect of Self-Adsorbed Monolayer Enables Highly Reversible Zn Metal Anodes.

The practical applications of aqueous Zn metal batteries are promising, yet still impeded by the corrosion reactions and dendrite growth on the Zn metal anode. Here, a self-adsorbed monolayer (SAM) is designed to stabilize the Zn metal anode. Theory and experiment results show that the interfacial confinement effect of the SAM, for one thing, greatly suppresses the corrosion reactions through the HO-poor inner Helmholtz plane because of the steric-hindrance effect, and for another, alleviates the Zn concentration gradient on the anode surface through the Zn enrichment behavior and eventually inhibits the dendrite growth.

Analysis of risk factors for surgical site infection in spinal surgery patients and study of direct economic losses.

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is a serious complication of spine surgery, leading to prolonged hospital stays, re-operations, and economic losses. The aim of the study was to explore the types and quantities of pathogenic bacteria involved, the incidence of SSI, and to identify the independent risk factors and direct economic impact on patients with postoperative SSI in spine surgery.

Methods: The medical records of spine surgery patients from January 2023 to April 2024 at two hospitals in Xinjiang were retrospectively reviewed.