Recent progress in the applications of presynaptic dopaminergic positron emission tomography imaging in parkinsonism.

Nowadays, presynaptic dopaminergic positron emission tomography, which assesses deficiencies in dopamine synthesis, storage, and transport, is widely utilized for early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of parkinsonism. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the latest developments in the application of presynaptic dopaminergic positron emission tomography imaging in disorders that manifest parkinsonism. We conducted a thorough literature search using reputable databases such as PubMed and Web of Science. Selection criteria involved identifying peer-reviewed articles published within the last 5 years, with emphasis on their relevance to clinical applications. The findings from these studies highlight that presynaptic dopaminergic positron emission tomography has demonstrated potential not only in diagnosing and differentiating various Parkinsonian conditions but also in assessing disease severity and predicting prognosis. Moreover, when employed in conjunction with other imaging modalities and advanced analytical methods, presynaptic dopaminergic positron emission tomography has been validated as a reliable in vivo biomarker. This validation extends to screening and exploring potential neuropathological mechanisms associated with dopaminergic depletion. In summary, the insights gained from interpreting these studies are crucial for enhancing the effectiveness of preclinical investigations and clinical trials, ultimately advancing toward the goals of neuroregeneration in parkinsonian disorders.

Tailored extracellular matrix-mimetic coating facilitates reendothelialization and tissue healing of cardiac occluders.

Minimally invasive transcatheter interventional therapy utilizing cardiac occluders represents the primary approach for addressing congenital heart defects and left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombosis. However, incomplete endothelialization and delayed tissue healing after occluder implantation collectively compromise clinical efficacy. In this study, we have customized a recombinant humanized collagen type I (rhCol I) and developed an rhCol I-based extracellular matrix (ECM)-mimetic coating. The innovative coating integrates metal-phenolic networks with anticoagulation and anti-inflammatory functions as a weak cross-linker, combining them with specifically engineered rhCol I that exhibits high cell adhesion activity and elicits a low inflammatory response. The amalgamation, driven by multiple forces, effectively serves to functionalize implantable materials, thereby responding positively to the microenvironment following occluder implantation. Experimental findings substantiate the coating's ability to sustain a prolonged anticoagulant effect, enhance the functionality of endothelial cells and cardiomyocyte, and modulate inflammatory responses by polarizing inflammatory cells into an anti-inflammatory phenotype. Notably, occluder implantation in a canine model confirms that the coating expedites reendothelialization process and promotes tissue healing. Collectively, this tailored ECM-mimetic coating presents a promising surface modification strategy for improving the clinical efficacy of cardiac occluders.

Immunogenicity and safety of different combinations involving a third booster dose of SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccine, inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine, and 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine in adults aged ≥60 years: a phase 4, randomized, open-label study.

Background: Concomitant administration of COVID-19, influenza, and pneumococcal vaccines could reduce the burden on healthcare systems. However, the immunogenicity and safety of various combinations of a third booster dose of SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccine (CoronaVac), inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine (IIV4), and 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23), particularly in different age groups, is still unknown. Methods: A phase 4, randomized, open-label, controlled trial was conducted in Beijing, China. 636 healthy adults were divided into two age groups (18-59 and ≥60 years) and randomized equally into three groups: CoronaVac and IIV4 followed by PPV23; CoronaVac and PPV23 followed by IIV4; or CoronaVac followed by IIV4 and PPV23, with a 28-day interval between vaccinations. Immunogenicity was evaluated by measuring antibody titers, and safety was monitored. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05298800. Results: Co-administration of a third dose of CoronaVac, IIV4, and PPV23 in any combination was safe. Among adults aged 18-59, co-administration with PPV23 maintained non-inferiority of antibody levels for CoronaVac and IIV4, despite a slight reduction in antibody responses. This reduction was not observed in participants ≥60 years. Furthermore, co-administration of IIV4 and PPV23 affected seroconversion rates for both vaccines. Conclusions: Co-administration of the third dose of SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccine with the influenza vaccine, followed by PPV23, may be optimal for adults aged 18-59. In adults ≥60, all vaccine combinations were immunogenic, suggesting a flexible vaccination approach. Since antibody measurements were taken 28 days post-vaccination, ongoing surveillance is essential to assess the longevity of the immune responses.

Investigation of the efficacy of graphite-sulfur iron tailing composite catalysts for activation of peroxydisulfate for rhodamine B degradation.

Herein, a novel graphite/sulfur iron tailing composite was applied as a peroxydisulfate (PDS) activator for rhodamine B (RhB) degradation in the water. The superior catalytic efficiency of graphite/sulfur iron tailing was achieved through radical (SO4•- and •OH) and non-radical (1O2) processes according to the radical quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance analysis. The carbonyl group and Fe species were the main active sites on the surface of graphite/sulfur iron tailing, which was demonstrated by combining Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and reaction kinetic experiments, and a possible degradation mechanism was also proposed. Overall, activated with 0.30 g/L of C-1, PDS achieved a 94.8% removal rate for RhB and maintained a removal rate of over 85% even after five consecutive operation cycles, and this study will benefit the application of iron/carbon composite materials in practical water treatment.

Injectable Mechanophore Nanoparticles for Deep-Tissue Mechanochemical Dynamic Therapy.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) and sonodynamic therapy (SDT), using nonionizing light and ultrasound to generate reactive oxygen species, offer promising localized treatments for cancers. However, the effectiveness of PDT is hampered by inadequate tissue penetration, and SDT largely relies on pyrolysis and sonoluminescence, which may cause tissue injury and imprecise targeting. To address these issues, we have proposed a mechanochemical dynamic therapy (MDT) that uses free radicals generated from mechanophore-embedded polymers under mechanical stress to produce reactive oxygen species for cancer treatment. Yet, their application in vivo is constrained by the bulk form of the polymer and the need for high ultrasound intensities for activation. In this study, we developed injectable, nanoscale mechanophore particles with enhanced ultrasound sensitivity by leveraging a core-shell structure comprising silica nanoparticles (NPs) whose interfaces are linked to polymer brushes by an azo mechanophore moiety. Upon focused ultrasound (FUS) treatment, this injectable NP generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), demonstrating promising results in both an in vitro 4T1 cell model and an in vivo mouse model of orthotopic breast cancers. This research offers an alternative therapy technique, integrating force-responsive azo mechanophores and FUS under biocompatible conditions.

Primary care quality and provider disparities in China: a standardized-patient-based study.

Background: Primary health care is the foundation of high-performing health systems. Achieving an improved primary care system requires a thorough understanding of the current quality of care among various providers within the system. As the world's largest developing country, China has made significant investments in primary care over the past decade. This study evaluates the quality of primary care across different provider types in China, offering in-sights for enhancing China's primary care system. Methods: We merged data from four standardized patient (SP) research projects to compare the quality of five major primary care providers in China: rural clinics, county hospitals, migrant clinics, urban community health cen-ters (CHCs), and online platforms. We evaluated quality of care across process quality (e.g., checklist completion), diagnosis quality (e.g., diagnostic accuracy), and case management (e.g., correct medication), employing multiple regression analyses to explore quality differences by provider type, and their associations with physician characteristics. Findings: We document a poor quality of primary care in China, with no-table disparities across different providers. CHCs emerge as relatively reliable primary care providers in terms of process quality, diagnostic accuracy, and cor-rect medication prescriptions. Online platforms outpace rural clinics, county hospitals, and migrant clinics in many areas, showcasing their potential to en-hance access to quality healthcare resources in under-resourced rural regions. We observe a positive association between the qualifications of physicians and the quality of primary care, underscoring the necessity for a greater presence of more highly qualified practitioners. Interpretation: Primary care quality in China varies greatly among providers, reflecting inequalities in healthcare access. While online platforms indicate po-tential for improving care in under-resourced areas, their high referral rates suggest they cannot completely substitute traditional care. The findings em-phasize the need for more qualified practitioners and stringent regulation to enhance care quality and reduce unnecessary treatments. Funding: No founders had a role in the study design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, or writing of the report. We have acknowledged this in the revised manuscript.

MNSFß promotes LPS-induced TNFα expression by increasing the localization of RC3H1 to stress granules, and the interfering peptide HEPN2 reduces TNFα production by disrupting the MNSFß-RC3H1 interaction in macrophages.

Abnormally elevated tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) levels at the maternal-fetal interface can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes, including recurrent miscarriage (RM), but the mechanism underlying upregulated TNFα expression is not fully understood. We previously reported that the interaction between monoclonal nonspecific suppressor factor-ß (MNSFß) and RC3H1 upregulates TNFα expression, but the precise mechanisms are unknown. In this study, we found that MNSFß stimulated the LPS-induced TNFα expression by inactivating the promoting effect of RC3H1 on TNFα mRNA degradation rather than directly inhibiting the expression of RC3H1 in THP1-Mϕs. Mechanistically, the 81-326 aa region of the RC3H1 protein binds to the 101-133 aa region of the MNSFß protein, and MNSFß facilitated stress granules (SGs) formation and the translocation of RC3H1 to SGs by interacting with RC3H1 and fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) in response to LPS-induced stress. The SGs-localization of RC3H1 reduced its inhibitory effect on TNFα expression in LPS-treated THP1-Mϕs. The designed HEPN2 peptide effectively reduced the LPS-induced expression of TNFα in THP1-Mϕs by interfering with the MNSFß-RC3H1 interaction. Treatment with the HEPN2 peptide significantly improved adverse pregnancy outcomes, including early pregnancy loss (EPL) and lower fetal weight (LFW), which are induced by LPS in mice. These data indicated that MNSFß promoted TNFα expression at least partially by increasing the localization of RC3H1 to SGs under inflammatory stimulation and that the HEPN2 peptide improved the adverse pregnancy outcomes induced by LPS in mice, suggesting that MNSFß is a potential pharmacological target for adverse pregnancy outcomes caused by abnormally increased inflammation at early pregnancy.

A symptom-level perspective on irritability, PTSD, and depression in children and adults.

BACKGROUND: Although irritability is a prominent clinical manifestation among traumatized populations, its relationships with other psychopathologies are rarely studied. Adopting a symptom-level perspective, this study aimed to explore how symptoms of irritability, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression are associated. METHOD: The Brief Irritability Test, the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 were used to measure irritability, PTSD, and depression, respectively, in a large sample of trauma-exposed children and adolescents (n = 5454), trauma-exposed adults (n = 4718), and children and adolescents with probable PTSD (n = 556). Exploratory graph analysis (EGA) and network analysis were conducted to examine potential communities and significant relations. RESULTS: Although irritability, PTSD, and depression were highly correlated at the disorder level, EGA results indicated that, at the symptom level, they formed highly stable and dense communities, respectively. Relations across disorders mainly emerged at symptoms related to negative cognition, dysphoria, and suicidal thoughts. Especially, strong transdiagnostic relations across all samples were "negative beliefs" and "suicidal thoughts", "numbing" and "suicidal thoughts", "startle" and "moving slowly or restless", "bothering" and "moving slowly or restless". Furthermore, irritability symptoms seem more central than PTSD and depression symptoms, with "snap" being the most central node across all networks, especially in the child and adolescent sample. CONCLUSION: Irritability, PTSD, and depression are relatively independent constructs when analyzed at the symptom level. Irritability symptoms emerged as core symptoms in trauma-exposed populations. Our findings highlight the importance of independent assessment of irritability in the diagnosis and treatment of PTSD.

Estrogen Oppositely Regulates Pulmonary Hypertension via METTL3/PFKFB3 Under Normoxia and Hypoxia.

Despite extensive investigation into estrogen's role in pulmonary hypertension (PH) development, its effects-whether beneficial or detrimental-remains contentious. This study aimed to elucidate estrogen's potential role in PH under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Utilizing norfenfluramine- and hypoxia-induced rat models of PH, the study evaluated the impact of 17ß-estradiol (E2) on PH progression. E2 promoted PH development under normoxia while providing protection under hypoxia. Mechanistically, under normoxia, E2 upregulated methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) gene transcription and protein via an estrogen response element-dependent pathway, which in turn elevated the m6A methylation and translational efficiency of 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase isoform 3 (PFKFB3) mRNA, leading to increased PFKFB3 protein levels and enhanced proliferation and migration of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). Conversely, under hypoxia, E2 downregulated METTL3 transcription through a hypoxia response element-dependent mechanism, driven by elevated hypoxia-induced factor 1α (HIF-1α) levels, resulting in reduced PFKFB3 protein expression and diminished PASMCs proliferation and migration. Both METTL3 and PFKFB3 proteins are upregulated in the pulmonary arteries of patients with PAH. Collectively, these findings suggest that E2 exerts differential effects on PH progression via dual regulation of the METTL3/PFKFB3 protein under normoxic and hypoxic conditions, positioning the METTL3/PFKFB3 protein as a potential therapeutic target for PH treatment.

MgO anchored N-doping biochar enhances the bensulfuron-methyl biodegradation by Acinetobacter YH0317: Higher reactive oxygen species level and bacterial viability.

Bensulfuron-methyl (BSM) is a typical broad-spectrum sulfonylurea herbicide and the runoff of BSM residues from agricultural regions poses a significant threat to the ecosystem. Here we develop a bacteria-material hybrid system constructed by Acinetobacter YH0317 and Mg(NO3)2 modified biochar (MBC) for efficiently degrading BSM under various conditions including pH and temperature. Results showed that BSM biodegradation efficiency by YH0317&MBC (96.7 %) was significantly higher than YH0317&BC (79.5 %) and YH0317 (43.9 %) at 15 °C after 7 d of incubation. The addition of MBC significantly increased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, which was significantly higher than group YH0317. Moreover, the bacterial viability, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) production, and membrane permeability of YH0317 were also enhanced with the addition of MBC. The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and quenching experiments revealed that singlet oxygen (1O2) was the dominant active substance produced by MBC. The YH0317&MBC could effectively remove the BSM, and reduce the oxidative stress to soybean, which was beneficial to the growth of soybean through hydroponic experiment. This study establishes a microorganism-material system that efficiently removes BSM in aquatic environments and emphasizes the importance of ROS in pollution removal by the hybrid system.

The clinical symptoms and psychological status of biofeedback electrical stimulation combined with pelvic floor muscle training during the treatment of mild stress urinary incontinence after holmium laser enucleation of the prostate.

Introduction：To study the clinical symptoms and psychological status of biofeedback electrical stimulation combined with pelvic floor muscle training during the treatment of mild stress urinary incontinence (SUI) after holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP). Methods：Group A was treated by biofeedback and electrical stimulation; Group B was treated by pelvic floor muscle training; and Group C was treated by biofeedback and electrical stimulation combined with pelvic floor muscle training. Patients in the 3 groups had follow-up evaluations every 8, 16, and 24 weeks. Clinical symptoms of urinary incontinence were assessed using the 24-hour urinary pad test, the Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI-SF); and psychological status was evaluated using the modified Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS). Results：The results of ICIQ-UI-SF showed that there were differences within and between the three groups at 8 weeks, 16 weeks, and 24 weeks (P<0.05). The results of the 24-hour pad tests were similar (P<0.05), except for no difference between Group B and Group C at 8 weeks(P＞0.05). In the study with the score of HADS > 35, the differences among the three groups were statistically significant(P<0.05). There was no significant difference among the three groups at 0 and 8 weeks (P>0.05). There were differences in the results between Group C and the other two groups at 16 and 24 weeks of treatment (P<0.05) .For patients with HADS < 35 at week 0, the results were basically the same except for the difference between groups at week 8. HADS of all patients were no statistical difference (P > 0.05). Conclusions：Biofeedback electrical stimulation combined with pelvic floor muscle training is an efficient non-surgical combination therapy for the symptoms of SUI after HoLEP for BPH. In addition, the recovery of the patient's psychological state does not coincide with the recovery of urinary incontinence; therefore, we propose that patients still need additional psychological treatment after SUI disappears.

Chemoproteomic profiling unveils binding and functional diversity of endogenous proteins that interact with endogenous triplex DNA.

Triplex DNA structures, formed when a third DNA strand wraps around the major groove of DNA, are key molecular regulators and genomic threats. However, the regulatory network governing triplex DNA dynamics remains poorly understood. Here we reveal the binding and functional repertoire of proteins that interact with triplex DNA through chemoproteomic profiling in living cells. We develop a chemical probe that exhibits exceptional specificity towards triplex DNA. By employing a co-binding-mediated proximity capture strategy, we enrich triplex DNA interactome for quantitative proteomics analysis. This enables the identification of a comprehensive list of proteins that interact with triplex DNA, characterized by diverse binding properties and regulatory mechanisms in their native chromatin context. As a demonstration, we validate DDX3X as an ATP-independent triplex DNA helicase to unwind substrates with a 5' overhang to prevent DNA damage. Overall, our study provides a valuable resource for exploring the biology and translational potential of triplex DNA.

PAFE: A lightweight visualization-based fast malware classification method.

With the development of automated malware toolkits, cybersecurity faces evolving threats. Although visualization-based malware analysis has proven to be an effective method, existing approaches struggle with challenging malware samples due to alterations in the texture features of binary images during the visualization preprocessing stage, resulting in poor performance. Furthermore, to enhance classification accuracy, existing methods sacrifice prediction time by designing deeper neural network architectures. This paper proposes PAFE, a lightweight and visualization-based rapid malware classification method. It addresses the issue of texture feature variations in preprocessing through pixel-filling techniques and applies data augmentation to overcome the challenges of class imbalance in small sample datasets. PAFE combines multi-scale feature fusion and a channel attention mechanism, enhancing feature expression through modular design. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that PAFE outperforms the current state-of-the-art methods in both efficiency and effectiveness for malware variant classification, achieving an accuracy rate of 99.25 % with a prediction time of 10.04 ms.

Cl--templated coordination polymers constructed from dragonfly-like Ln4 clusters exhibiting excellent magnetothermal properties.

Lanthanide clusters with high magnetic entropy and an exquisite structure have always been a hot research direction. Herein, two delicately structured lanthanide clusters were synthesized using isonicotinic acid (HIN) as a ligand by the solvothermal method, namely {[Gd4(IN)4(µ3-OH)4(OAc)2(H2O)6]·Cl2·7H2O}n (1) and {[Dy4(IN)4(µ3-OH)4(OAc)2(H2O)6]·Cl2·8H2O}n (2). Structural analysis indicates that the two compounds exhibit comparable structures, and both have the same cubane-like Ln4 metal skeleton and form an interesting dragonfly molecular configuration by connecting to HIN. Moreover, {Ln4} serves as the fundamental structural unit for the construction of a 1D channel of 1, with a diameter of approximately 10.08 Å, which is connected to each other by extra {Ln4} units to form an exquisite porous 3D structure of 1. Cl- exists as an anion-template in its 3D structure, balancing the charge and maintaining its structural stability. Magnetic measurements indicate that 1 exhibits a rather satisfactory magnetic entropy change, reaching a maximum value of -ΔSmaxm = 31.59 J kg-1 K-1 at 2 K for ΔH = 7 T.

3D chitosan scaffolds loaded with ZnO nanoparticles for bone tissue engineering.

Bone defect has always been a difficult problem in clinical work. According to the current research results, tissue engineered scaffolds with a single function, structure, and composition are not sufficient to repair complex bone defects. In this work, a three-dimensional (3D) chitosan degradable composite scaffold loaded with zinc oxide (ZnO) was constructed, and the effect of ZnO content on scaffold performance and osteogenesis was explored. The 3D composite scaffold was prepared by freeze-drying technology. The microstructure, porosity, degradation performance, release performance, swelling performance, cytotoxicity, cell adhesion and osteogenic ability of ZnO nanoparticles and chitosan (ZnONPs/CS) composite scaffolds were measured. The results show that an appropriate amount of ZnO may be helpful to regulate the stability and degradation characteristics of the scaffold to a certain extent. Moreover, the composite scaffold could release ZnO into the simulated body fluid environment. The appropriate amount of ZnO helps to promote the proliferation, adhesion, and osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells. At a ZnO content of 3 wt%, both in vitro and vivo results showed relatively optimal biocompatibility and bioactivity of the scaffolds. This work could at least provide some positive insights for the selection of ZnO dosage, construction of chitosan-based 3D scaffolds, tissue engineering applications, and clinical treatment.

Identification of the nitrate pollution in surface water of Dongshan Bay based on stable isotope technology.

Identifying and quantifying water nitrate pollution is crucial for managing aquatic environment of a bay. Dongshan Bay, a significant semi-enclosed bay in the southeastern coastal area of Fujian Province, features mangrove and coral reef ecosystems at its estuary and bay mouth, respectively. Dongshan Bay is impacted by human activities such as mariculture. We quantified and analyzed nitrate pollution status in the surface waters of Dongshan Bay by measuring physicochemical parameters, stable isotopes (δ15N-NO3-, δ18O-NO3- and δ15N-NH4+) of the surface waters, and using statistical methods including the MixSIAR isotope mixing model. The results showed that the concentrations of chlorophyll a and dissolved inorganic nitrogen in the surface waters exhibited a noticeable gradient change, decreasing from the estuary of the Zhangjiang River to the mouth of Dongshan Bay. The maximum concentrations of chlorophyll a, NH4+, NO3- and NO2- were 45.2 µg·L-1, 52.67 µmol·L-1, 379.2 µmol·L-1 and 3.93 µmol·L-1, respectively. The nitrogen and oxygen isotope values of NH4+ and NO3- in the surface waters showed significant spatial variations. According to the MixSIAR model results, nitrogen sources in the surface waters of Dongshan Bay were mainly freshwater inputs of the Zhangjiang River estuary, aquaculture wastewater, and groundwater. The freshwater input from the Zhangjiang River estuary contributed the most (25.2%), while aquaculture wastewater, groundwater and urban sewage accounted for 24.6%, 19.0%, and 15.1%, respectively. It is evident that freshwater input from the Zhangjiang River estuary is the primary source of nitrate in the surface waters of Dongshan Bay.

The Difference in Ir-Catalyzed C(sp2)-H and C(sp3)-H Bond Activation Assisted by a Directing Group: Cyclometalation via Cis- or Trans-Chelation?

Iridium-catalyzed C-H borylation of aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons assisted by a directing group was theoretically investigated. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed both Ir-catalyzed C(sp2)-H and C(sp3)-H borylations via an IrIII/IrV catalytic cycle, where the tetra-coordinated (C, N)IrIII(Bpin)2 complex with two vacant sites is an active species. Dramatically, the orientation of cyclometalation for C(sp2)-H bond activation assisted by a directing group is different from the C(sp3)-H one. The activation energy (ΔG°‡ = 28.5 kcal mol-1) of the C(sp2)-H bond via trans-chelation to form cyclometalation is lower than that (41.4 kcal mol-1) via cis-chelation. In contrast, the ΔG°‡ (26.6 kcal mol-1) of the C(sp3)-H bond via cis-chelation to form cyclometalation is lower than that (34.3 kcal mol-1) via trans-chelation. In addition, the rate-determining step of Ir-catalyzed C(sp2)-H borylation is oxidative addition of the C(sp2)-H bond, while that of C(sp3)-H analogues is hydride migration. Such differences arise from not only the differences in the steric hindrance of the C(sp2) and secondary C(sp3) atoms but also the differences in the trans effect and steric effect of the two vacant sites of active species. These findings were expected to facilitate further studies on the design and synthesis of innovative ligands for Ir-catalyzed C-H borylation.

Family cleaning behaviors and air treatment equipment significantly affect associations of indoor damp indicators with childhood pneumonia among preschoolers.

In this study, based on a cross-sectional study among 9597 preschoolers in Shandong of China, we quantitatively evaluated influences of lifestyle behaviors and air treatment equipment on indoor damp exposures and thus on risks of childhood pneumonia. In the two-level multivariate logistic regression analyses, childhood pneumonia was significantly associated with parent-reported damp clothing/bedding and visible mold spots or damp stains. These associations were weaker among preschoolers from families who frequently opened the child's bedroom windows, frequently cleaned the child's bedroom, and frequently exposed beddings to sunshine (references: not frequently), as well as among preschoolers without usage of air humidifier and air conditioner and with usage of air purifier. Our results indicate that frequently keeping household ventilation and cleanness, and exposing beddings to sunshine, as well using air purifier could decrease the effects of household damp-related exposures on childhood pneumonia, but using air humidifier and air conditioner could increase the effects.