Physical activity and the risk of developing 8 age-related diseases: epidemiological and Mendelian randomization studies.

Background: We aimed to characterize the associations between physical activity levels and the risk of developing age-related diseases in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study and used Mendelian randomization (MR) to assess whether there are causal relationships between physical activity levels and the risk of developing 8 age-related diseases (coronary atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, angina, Alzheimer's disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and venous thromboembolism).

Methods: Based on the data available in the CARDIA, we obtained data related to five disease states: coronary heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and venous thromboembolism. Binary logistic regression analysis estimated the multivariable-adjusted associations between different physical activity statuses and diseases.

Enhanced Cardiomyocyte NLRP3 Inflammasome-Mediated Pyroptosis Promotes d-Galactose-Induced Cardiac Aging.

Background: Cardiac aging represents an independent risk factor for aging-associated cardiovascular diseases. Although evidence suggests an association between NOD-, LRR-, and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome formation and numerous cardiovascular diseases, its role in cardiac aging remains largely unclear.

Methods And Results: The longevity of mice with wild-type and NLRP3 knockout (NLRP3) genotypes was assessed, with or without d-galactose treatment.

[Interaction between depression and insomnia under acupuncture treatment: a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial].

Objective: To explore the interaction between emotional and insomnia symptom improvement in comorbid depression and insomnia patients treated with optimized acupuncture.

Methods: A secondary analysis was conducted on a multicenter randomized controlled trial of acupuncture treatment for comorbid depression and insomnia. One hundred and forty patients with comorbid depression and insomnia were randomly assigned to an optimized acupuncture group (70 cases, 8 cases dropped out) and a conventional acupuncture group (70 cases, 8 cases dropped out).

Protocol for a randomized controlled trial exploring the brain mechanism and therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture on cognitive function and sleep quality in chronic insomnia.

Background: Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder that affects up to 15% of the population worldwide and is the second most common mental health issue. There is increasing interest in the effects of long-term insomnia on cognitive function. Electroacupuncture can effectively improve cognitive function and sleep quality, yet the underlying brain network mechanisms remain unclear.

D-galactose-induced cardiac ageing: A review of model establishment and potential interventions.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is highly prevalent in an ageing society. The increased incidence and mortality rates of CVD are global issues endangering human health. There is an urgent requirement for understanding the aetiology and pathogenesis of CVD and developing possible interventions for preventing CVD in ageing hearts.

Network Mendelian randomization study: exploring the causal pathway from insomnia to type 2 diabetes.

Introduction: Insomnia is a novel pathogen for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, mechanisms linking insomnia and T2DM are poorly understood. In this study, we apply a network Mendelian randomization (MR) framework to determine the causal association between insomnia and T2DM and identify the potential mediators, including overweight (body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio, and body fat percentage) and glycometabolism (HbA1c, fasting blood glucose, and fasting blood insulin).

Hypertension and Atrial Fibrillation: A Study on Epidemiology and Mendelian Randomization Causality.

Hypertension (HT) and atrial fibrillation (AF) often coexist. However, the causality between these two conditions remains to be determined. We used individual participant data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) prospective cohort with 9,474 participants.

Education and stroke: evidence from epidemiology and Mendelian randomization study.

We aim to characterize the association between education and incident stroke (including total stroke, ischemic stroke, and hemorrhagic stroke) and assess whether there is a causal relationship between them. The final sample size was 11,509 in this study from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Cox hazard regression models were used to explore the association between education level and incident stroke.

Neuroimaging mechanisms of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for treatment of amnestic mild cognitive impairment: a double-blind randomized sham-controlled trial.

Individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) have a high risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Although repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is considered a potentially effective treatment for cognitive impairment in patients with aMCI, the neuroimaging mechanisms are poorly understood. Therefore, we performed a double-blind randomized sham-controlled trial in which rTMS was applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of aMCI patients recruited from a community near the Third Hospital Affiliated to Sun Yat-sen University, China.

Randomized single-blind multicenter trial comparing the effects of standard and augmented acupuncture protocols on sleep quality and depressive symptoms in patients with depression.

The study was aimed to compare the effects of standard and augmented acupuncture on depressive symptoms and sleep disturbances in patients with depression. This is a randomized, single-blind, multicenter trial. 140 subjects with clinical insomnia (score of ≥ 7 on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)) were randomized to the standard (LI4, LIV3, EX-HN3, and GV20) or augmented (LI4, LIV3, EX-HN3, GV20, LU7, and KID6, including intradermal needles for sustained treatment) acupuncture groups.

Clinical study of acupuncture treatment on motor aphasia after stroke.

Objective: To study the safety and effectiveness of the Heart-Gallbladder acupuncture treatment for motor aphasia after stroke via clinical studies.

Methods: Sixty valid patients were divided into two groups randomly with a ratio of 1:1. The treatment group was the Heart-Gallbladder acupuncture group and the control group was the conventional acupuncture group.

Validity of the "streitberger" needle in a chinese population with acupuncture: a randomized, single-blinded, and crossover pilot study.

We studied the validity of a "Streitberger" needle as a valid approach in a Chinese population with experience of acupuncture. Volunteers were recruited from students of the School of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine. Sixty students receiving education in acupuncture theory and experience in practical acupuncture were tested in study determining whether needling with the placebo needle felt any different from conventional acupuncture.