[A prospective study on the relationship between exposure to solid fuels for heating and its duration and the risk of morbidity of respiratory diseases among residents aged 30-79 years]

Objective: To research the association between exposure to solid fuels for heating and its duration and the risk of respiratory diseases morbidity. Methods: Data from the China Kadoorie Biobank project sited in Pengzhou City, Sichuan Province. Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to analyze the association between exposure to solid fuels for heating and its duration and the risk of total respiratory diseases and the association between exposure to solid fuels for heating and the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pneumonia among respiratory diseases. Results: A total of 46 082 participants aged 30-79 years were enrolled, with 11 634 (25.25%) heating during the winter, of whom 8 885 (19.28%) used clean fuels and 2 749 (5.97%) used solid fuels, of whom 34 448 (74.75%) did not heat. After controlling for multiple confounding factors, Cox proportional hazard regression model was used, which revealed that compared with clean fuels, unheating could reduce the risk of total respiratory disease (HR=0.81,95%CI:0.77-0.86), COPD (HR=0.86,95%CI:0.78-0.95) and pneumonia (HR=0.80,95%CI:0.74-0.86), respectively. Exposure to solid fuels increased the risk of total respiratory disease (HR=1.10, 95%CI:1.01-1.20) and were not associated with COPD and pneumonia. Compared with no solid fuel exposure, the risk of total respiratory disease (1-19 years:HR=1.23, 95%CI:1.10-1.37; 20-39 years:HR=1.25, 95%CI:1.16-1.35; ≥40 years:HR=1.26, 95%CI:1.15-1.39) and COPD (1-19 years: HR=1.21, 95%CI:1.03-1.42; 20-39 years: HR=1.30, 95%CI:1.16-1.46; ≥40 years:HR=1.35, 95%CI:1.18-1.54) increased with the length of exposure of solid fuels (trend test P<0.001). Solid fuels exposure for 1-19 years and 20-39 years increased the risk of COPD by 23% (HR=1.23,95%CI:1.02-1.49) and 16% (HR=1.16, 95%CI:1.00-1.35). Conclusion: Heating solid fuels exposure increases the risk of total respiratory disease, COPD, and pneumonia.

[A prospective study of association between physical activity and ischemic stroke in adults]

Objective: To explore the prospective associations between physical activity and incident ischemic stroke in adults. Methods: Data of China Kadoorie Biobank study in Tongxiang of Zhejiang were used. After excluding participants with cancers, strokes, heart diseases and diabetes at baseline study, a total of 53 916 participants aged 30-79 years were included in the final analysis. The participants were divided into 5 groups according to the quintiles of their physical activity level. Cox proportional hazard regression models was used to calculate the hazard ratios (HR) for the analysis on the association between baseline physical activity level and risk for ischemic stroke. Results: The total physical activity level in the participants was (30.63±15.25) metabolic equivalent (MET)-h/d, and it was higher in men [(31.04±15.48) MET-h/d] than that in women [(30.33±15.07) MET-h/d] (P<0.001). In 595 526 person-years of the follow-up (average 11.4 years), a total of 1 138 men and 1 082 women were newly diagnosed with ischemic stroke. Compared to participants with the lowest physical activity level (<16.17 MET-h/d), after adjusting for socio-demographic factors, lifestyle, BMI, waist circumference, and SBP, the HRs for the risk for ischemic stroke in those with moderate low physical activity level (16.17-24.94 MET-h/d), moderate physical activity level (24.95-35.63 MET-h/d), moderate high physical activity level (35.64-43.86 MET-h/d) and the highest physical activity level (≥43.87 MET-h/d) were 0.93 (95%CI: 0.83-1.04), 0.87 (95%CI: 0.76-0.98), 0.82 (95%CI: 0.71-0.95) and 0.76 (95%CI: 0.64-0.89), respectively. Conclusion: Improving physical activity level has an effect on reducing the risk for ischemic stroke.

[A prospective study on association between sleep duration and the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in adults in Suzhou]

Objective: To investigate the prospective association of sleep duration with the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in adults in Suzhou. Methods: The study used the data of 53 269 participants aged 30-79 years recruited in the baseline survey from 2004 to 2008 and the follow-up until December 31, 2017 of China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) conducted in Wuzhong District, Suzhou. After excluding participants with airflow limitation, self-reported chronic bronchitis/emphysema/coronary heart disease history at the baseline survey and abnormal or incomplete data, a total of 45 336 participants were included in the final analysis. The association between daily sleep duration and the risk for developing COPD was analyzed by using a Cox proportional hazard regression model, and the hazard ratio (HR) values and their 95%CI were calculated. The analysis was stratified by age, gender and lifestyle factors, and cross-analysis was conducted according to smoking status and daily sleep duration. Results: The median follow-up time was 11.12 years, with a total of 515 COPD diagnoses in the follow-up. After adjusting for potential confounders, multifactorial Cox proportional hazard regression analysis showed that daily sleep duration ≥10 hours was associated with higher risk for developing COPD (HR=1.42, 95%CI: 1.03-1.97). The cross analysis showed that excessive daily sleep duration increased the risk for COPD in smokers (HR=2.49, 95%CI: 1.35-4.59, interaction P<0.001). Conclusion: Longer daily sleep duration (≥10 hours) might increase the risk for COPD in adults in Suzhou, especially in smokers.

[Physical activity and its influencing factors in patients with diabetes mellitus: a comparative study between China and the United Kingdom]

Objective: To compare the differences in low-level physical activity (PA) and related influencing factors in patients with diabetes mellitus in China and the United Kingdom (UK). Methods: Using baseline survey data from the China Kadoorie Biobank and the UK Biobank, we analyzed the association between diabetes mellitus and low-level PA using logistic regression, with the participants' self-reported whether they had diabetes mellitus as the independent variable, and low-level PA as the dependent variable. Results: We included 509 254 Chinese adults and 359 763 British adults in the analysis. After adjusting for multiple factors, we found that both Chinese and British patients with diabetes mellitus were at elevated risk for low-level PA, with corresponding ORs (95%CIs) of 1.15 (1.12-1.19) and 1.37 (1.32-1.41), respectively. Patients with diabetes mellitus with longer disease duration and poorer glycemic control were at greater risk of having low-level of PA. Female, rural-distributed, employed, never-smoking Chinese diabetics, and male, urban-distributed, retired/unemployed, quit-smoking British diabetics were more likely to have low-level PA. Conclusions: Chinese and British patients with diabetes mellitus were more likely to have low-level PA compared with the general population, but the risk of low-level PA for patients in both countries varied by population characteristics. Therefore, PA guidelines and intervention measures should be based on the characteristics of individuals in the target countries and regions, which could improve PA levels among patients with diabetes mellitus.

[Association between waist circumference and ischemic stroke: a prospective study in adults from Qingdao]

Objective: To analyze the association between waist circumference (WC) and ischemic stroke (IS). Methods: The data for the present study were from the prospective cohort study of China Kadoorie Biobank in Qingdao. Using baseline information and IS events of the participants, the Cox proportional hazard regression model and restricted cubic spline (RCS) were used to analyze the association between WC and IS. Results: A total of 33 355 participants were included in the study, with 302 008.88 person-years of follow-up. A total of 1 093 new cases of IS were observed. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression model analysis showed that compared to the respondents with normal WC (male <85.0 cm, female <80.0 cm), respondents with excessive WC (male ≥85.0 cm, female ≥80.0 cm) had a 78% higher risk of IS incidence [hazard ratio(HR)=1.78, 95%CI: 1.51-2.10], and the risk increased by 72% (HR=1.72, 95%CI: 1.40-2.12) and 83% (HR=1.83, 95%CI: 1.40-2.39) in men and women. According to the RCS, the increase in WC and the risk of IS showed an "S" trend of nonlinear dose-response relationship. Conclusions: The risk of IS would increase with the WC. Keeping a normal WC is important for preventing IS.

Sulfated CXCR3 Peptide Trap Use as a Promising Therapeutic Approach for Age-Related Macular Degeneration

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Chemokines have various biological functions and potential roles in the development or progression of neuroinflammatory diseases. However, the specific pathogenic roles of chemokines in the major cause for vision loss among the elderly, the leading cause of blindness in older individuals, remain elusive. Chemokines interact with their receptors expressed in the endothelium and on leukocytes. The sulfation of tyrosine residues in chemokine receptors increases the strength of ligand-receptor interaction and modulates signaling. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to construct a human recombinant sulfated CXCR3 peptide trap (hCXCR3-S2) and mouse recombinant sulfated CXCR3 peptide trap (mCXCR3-S2) to demonstrate in vivo effects in preventing choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and chemotaxis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We generated expression vectors for mCXCR3-S2 and hCXCR3-S2 with GST domains and their respective cDNA sequences. Following overexpression in E. coli BL21 (DE3), we purified the fusion proteins from cell lysates using affinity chromatography. First, the impact of hCXCR3-S2 was validated in vitro. Subsequently, the in vivo efficacy of mCXCR3-S2 was investigated using a laser-induced CNV mouse model, a mouse model of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

RESULTS

hCXCR3-S2 inhibited the migration and invasion of two human cancer cell lines. Intravitreal injection of mCXCR3-S2 attenuated CNV and macrophage recruitment in neovascular lesions of mouse models. These in vitro and in vivo effects were significantly stronger with CXCR3-S2 than with wild-type CXCR3 peptides.

CONCLUSION

These findings demonstrate that the sulfated form of the CXCR3 peptide trap is a valuable tool that could be supplemented with antivascular endothelial growth factors in AMD treatment.

[Prevalence of urinary incontinence in middle-aged and elderly adults in 10 areas in China]

Objective: To describe the population and area distribution differences in the prevalence of urinary incontinence in middle-aged and elderly adults in 10 areas in China. Methods: A total of 24 913 participants aged 45-95 years who completed the third resurvey of China Kadoorie Biobank during 2020-2021 were included. The prevalence of urinary incontinence was assessed by an interviewer-administered questionnaire, and urinary incontinence was classified as only stress urinary incontinence, only urgency urinary incontinence and mixed urinary incontinence. The prevalence of urinary incontinence and its subtypes were reported by sex, age and area, and the severity of urinary incontinence and treatment were described. Results: The average age of the participants was (65.4±9.1) years. According to the seventh national census data in 2020, the age-standardized prevalence rates of urinary incontinence was 25.4% in women and 7.0% in men. The age-standardized prevalence rates of only stress, only urgency and mixed incontinence were 1.7%, 4.2% and 1.2% in men and 13.5%, 5.8% and 6.1% in women, respectively. The prevalence rates of urinary incontinence and all subtypes in men and the prevalence of urinary incontinence and all subtypes except only stress urinary incontinence in women all increased with age (P<0.001). After adjusting for age, the prevalence of urinary incontinence in both men and women were higher in rural area than in urban area (P<0.001). The treatment rates in men and women with urinary incontinence were 15.4% and 8.5%, respectively. Conclusions: The prevalence of urinary incontinence was high in middle-aged and elderly adults in China, and the prevalence rate was higher in women than in men, but the treatment rate of urinary incontinence was low.

[Current major public health challenges]

After COVID-19 pandemic, there are still many public health challenges in the world. The double burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases is still heavy in many countries. Mental health and injury are crucial public health problems which are often neglected. Environmental health and food and drug safety are closely related to human health, to which further management and intervention are needed. These problems have different impacts on people at different life stages, resulting in health problems throughout the life course. The current status of public health is far from the requirements set by the Sustainable Development Goals of United Nations or the initiative of "Healthy China 2030". It is necessary for governments and related departments of all countries to consider public health in all policy development to tackle the major challenge to public health.

[Epidemiological characteristics of preserved vegetable intake in adults in 10 areas of China]

Objective: To describe the epidemiological characteristics of intakes of different types of preserved vegetables in participants from the China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB). Methods: The CKB project conducted baseline survey, the first resurvey, and the second resurvey during 2004-2008, 2008, and 2013-2014, respectively. According to the average intake levels of salted and sour pickled vegetables in the second resurvey, the 10 survey areas were classified as the area where people mainly consumed salted vegetables, the area where people mainly consumed sour pickled vegetables, and the area where people rarely consumed preserved vegetables. For the first two areas, logistic regression model was used to describe the temporal trends and population distribution of preserved vegetable intake and analyze the distribution of other dietary factors. Results: The area where people mainly consumed salted vegetables included Qingdao, Harbin, Suzhou, and Zhejiang (baseline participant number: 204 036), while the area where people mainly consumed sour pickled vegetables included Gansu and Sichuan (baseline participant number: 105 573). In the area where people mainly consumed salted vegetables, the average intake frequencies of preserved vegetables was 3.1, 3.3, and 1.8 days/week in the baseline survey, the first resurvey, and the second resurvey, respectively, showing a declining trend (P<0.001). Similarly, the average intake frequencies of preserved vegetables were 2.8, 2.7, and 1.6 days/week in the baseline survey, the first resurvey and the second resurvey in the area where people mainly consumed sour pickled vegetables (P<0.001). At baseline survey, the married and those had lower education level tended to have more preserved vegetable intakes in both areas (P<0.001). In the area where people mainly consumed salted vegetables, the elderly had higher frequency of preserved vegetable intake (P<0.001), which was converse in the area where people mainly consumed sour pickled vegetables. In the participants with higher frequency of preserved vegetable intake, more people consumed spicy food daily and preferred salty food (P<0.05). Conclusions: The area and population specific differences in the type and frequency of preserved vegetable intake were observed in adults in the CKB project in China. Besides, the average level of preserved vegetable intake showed a declining trend. Preserved vegetable intake might be associated with other dietary habits.

[A prospective cohort study of factors associated with longevity in older adults in 10 areas of China]

Objective: To evaluate the associations of sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle factors with longevity status in older adults in China. Methods: After excluding those born after 31st December 1938, a total of 51 870 older adults from the China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) were included. The attained age was defined according to the survival age or age on 31st December 2018. According to the attained age, the old persons were categorized into non-longevity (died before age 80 years) and longevity (attained age ≥80 years). The longevity group was further divided into two groups: longevity with death occurring before 2019, and longevity and survival to 2019. The information about socio-demographic characteristics and lifestyles was collected at the 2004-2008 baseline survey. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to analyze the associations between exposure factors and outcomes by taking the non-longevity group as the reference group. Results: A total of 51 870 older adults aged 65-79 years in the baseline survey were included for analysis. During a follow-up for (10.2±3.5) years, 38 841 participants were longevity, and 30 354 participants still survived at the end of 2018. Compared to men, rural populations, non-married individuals, those with an annual household income of less than 10 000 yuan, and those with education levels of primary school or below, the adjusted ORs(95%CI) for longevity and survival to 2019 in women, urban residents, married individuals, those with annual household incomes ≥20 000 yuan, and those with education levels of college or university were 1.68 (1.58-1.78), 1.69 (1.61-1.78), 1.15 (1.10-1.21), 1.44 (1.36-1.53), and 1.32 (1.19-1.48), respectively. The OR (95%CI) for longevity and survival to 2019 was 1.09 (1.08-1.10) for those with an increase of 4 MET-hour/day in total physical activity level. With those who never or almost never smoked, had no alcohol drinking every week, had normal weight (BMI: 18.5-23.9 kg/m2), and WC <85 cm (man)/<80 cm (woman) as the reference groups, the ORs(95%CI) of longevity and survival to 2019 were 0.64 (0.60-0.69) for those smoking ≥20 cigarettes per day, 1.29 (1.14-1.46) for those with alcohol drinking every week, 1.13 (1.01-1.26) for those with pure alcohol drinking <30 g per day, 0.56 (0.52-0.61) for those being underweight, 1.27 (1.19-1.36) for those being overweight, 1.23 (1.11-1.36) for those with obesity, and 0.86 (0.79-0.93) for those with central obesity. Further stratified analysis by WC was performed. In the older adults with WC <85 cm (man)/<80 cm (woman), the ORs (95%CI) of longevity and survival was 1.80 (1.69-1.92) for those with each 5 kg/m2 increase in BMI and 1.02 (0.96-1.08) for those with WC ≥85 cm (man)/≥80 cm (woman). There was a statistically significant difference in the association between BMI and longevity between the two WC groups (interaction test P<0.001). Conclusion: This study showed that women, the married, those with higher socioeconomic status and education level, and those with healthy lifestyles were more likely to achieve longevity.

[Epidemiological distribution of mosaic loss of chromosome Y in adult men in 10 areas in China and its prospective association with lung cancer]

Objective: To detect the prevalence of mosaic loss of chromosome Y in adult men in ten study areas in China, describe the epidemiological distribution of mosaic loss of chromosome Y (mLOY) carriers and assess its prospective association with lung cancer. Methods: Based on the data from baseline survey, genetic analysis and follow-up (as of December 31, 2018) from China Kadoorie Biobank, we used Mosaic Chromosomal Alterations pipeline to detect mLOY carriers in 10 areas in China and described the epidemiological characteristics of mLOY carriers in adult men, including age, area distribution, lifestyle and disease history. We used multivariate logistic regression model to identify the potential relevant factor of mLOY. Cox proportional hazard regression model was fitted to assess the prospective association of mLOY with lung cancer. Stratification analysis were conducted to evaluate the potential modification effects of smoking and age. We also conducted mediation analysis to assess the mediating effect of mLOY in the association between smoking and lung cancer. Results: A total of 42 859 adult men were included in our analysis, in whom 2 458 mLOY carriers were detected (5.7%). The detection rate increased with age (P<0.05). The detection rate was higher in urban area (7.3%±0.2%) than that in rural area (4.7%±0.1%). The results of logistic regression analysis indicated that smoking might be a risk factor for the detection of mLOY (OR=1.49, 95%CI:1.36-1.64). After follow-up for average 11.1 years, 1 041 lung cancer cases were observed. The prospective analysis showed that mLOY carriers had an increased risk for lung cancer by 24% compared with non-mLOY carriers (HR=1.24, 95%CI:1.01-1.52) and expanded mLOY carriers (mLOY cell proportion ≥10%) had an increased risk for lung cancer by 50% (HR=1.50, 95%CI:1.13-2.00). Stratification analysis showed no modification effects of smoking and age in the association between mLOY and lung cancer (interaction P>0.05). Mediation analysis showed that mLOY could be a mediating factor in the association between smoking and lung cancer, the estimated effect was 0.09 (0.01-0.17). Conclusions: There were significant differences in the detection rate of mLOY in adult men with different social-economic characteristics and lifestyles in ten areas in China. Besides, mLOY carriers, especially expanded mLOY carriers, had increased risk for lung cancer and mLOY might be a mediating factor in the association between smoking and lung cancer.

[Progress and practice of objective measurement of physical behaviors in large-scale cohort research]

Due to the limited reliability of traditional self-completed questionnaire, the accuracy of measurement of physical behaviors (physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep) is not high. With the development of technology, wearable devices (e.g. accelerometer) can be used for more accurate measurement of physical behaviors and have great application potential in large-scale research. However, the data of objective measurement of physical behaviors from large-scale cohort research in Asian populations is still limited. Between August 2020 and December 2021, the 3rd resurvey of China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) project used Axivity AX3 wrist triaxial accelerometer to collect the data of participants' daily activity and sleep status. A total of 20 370 participants from 10 study areas were included in the study, in whom 65.2% were women, and the age was (65.4±9.1) years. The participants' physical activity level varied greatly in different study areas. The objective measurement of participants' physical behaviors in CKB project has provided valuable resources for the description of 24-hour patterns of physical behaviors and evaluation of the health effect of physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep as well as their association with diseases in the elderly in China.

[A study of the clinical curative effect of nucleos(t)ide analogues treated to pegylated interferon-α add-on therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B]

Objective: To investigate the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) clearance condition and its predictive factors after treatment with nucleos(t)ide analogues to pegylated interferon-α add-on therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Methods: Patients with chronic hepatitis B who visited the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from 2018~2019 were prospectively enrolled. HBsAg≤ 1500 IU/mL, hepatitis B e antigen-negative, HBV DNA undetectable, received antiviral treatment with nucleos(t)ide analogues for at least one year, and pegylated interferon-α add-on therapy for 48 weeks were included. The primary endpoint of study was to determine the proportion of HBsAg clearance at 72 weeks. Concurrently, the predictive factors for HBsAg clearance were analyzed. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed using a t-test or non-parametric test and a Fisher's exact test. Results: A total of 38 cases were included in this study, of which 13 cases obtained HBsAg clearance at 48 weeks of therapy and another six cases obtained HBsAg clearance throughout the extended treatment period of 72 weeks, accounting for 50.00% of all enrolled patients. There was a significant difference in HBsAg dynamics between the HBsAg clearance group and the non-clearance group (P < 0.05). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that patients' age, baseline, 12-and 24-week HBsAg levels, and early HBsAg reduction were predictive factors for HBsAg clearance at 72 weeks of treatment. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR = 1.311; P = 0.016; 95% confidence interval: 1.051~1.635) and HBsAg levels at 24 weeks of treatment (OR = 4.481; P = 0.004; 95% confidence interval: 1.634~12.290) were independent predictors for HBsAg clearance. Conclusion: Hepatitis B e antigen-negative, nucleos(t)ide analogue treated, HBsAg ≤ 1500 IU/mL, and HBV DNA undetectable, peg-IFNα add-on treatment for 48 weeks could promote HBsAg clearance in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Six of the sixteen cases (37.50%) who did not obtain HBsAg clearance at week 48 did so with the course of therapy extended to week 72. Hence, the optimal individualized treatment strategy should be customized according to the predictors rather than the fixed 48-week course. Age (≤ 38), baseline HBsAg level (≤2.86 log(10)IU/ml), HBsAg level at 24 weeks (≤ 0.92 log(10)IU/ml), and 12-week HBsAg decrease from baseline (≥ 0.67 log(10)IU/ml) indicate that patients are highly likely to obtain HBsAg clearance at the 72 weeks of combination therapy, in which the combined indicator based on HBsAg level ≤0.92 log(10)IU/ml at 24 weeks will identify 85.0% to 100.0% of patients with HBsAg clearance.

[Comparative study on physical activity and its influencing factors in patients with chronic pulmonary obstructive disease between China and the United Kingdom]

Objective: To compare physical activity and its influencing factors in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) between China and the United Kingdom. Methods: We analyzed baseline data from China Kadoorie Biobank and the United Kingdom Biobank among COPD patients who were diagnosed with a one-second rate (FEV1/FVC) less than 70%. Physical activity level was calculated as metabolic equivalent (MET) and divided into three levels: low, medium, and high, according to tertiles stratified by gender and age. Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate ORs and 95%CIs for COPD and Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) grade about physical activity level, and subgroup analysis was conducted. Results: A total of 506 073 Chinese adults and 231 884 British adults were included. After adjusting for potential confounders, COPD was associated with lower physical activity levels in both Chinese and British COPD patients, with OR (95%CI) of 1.07(1.03-1.10) and 1.03(1.01-1.06) compared with non COPD patients, respectively. The GOLD grade was inversely correlated with physical activity level, particularly in a dose-response manner in the CKB population (trend test P<0.001). The negative relationship was stronger among the elderly, people with less education and lower economic status, and those with a smoking or chronic disease history. Chinese rural COPD patients were at high risk of decline of physical activity. Conclusions: Physical activity is inversely related to COPD, with a dose-response connection to GOLD grade. Therefore, physical activity maintenance and improvement should be encouraged and promoted in COPD patients, especially in high-risk groups.

Methylsulfonylmethane ameliorates metabolic-associated fatty liver disease by restoring autophagy flux via AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 signaling pathway

Introduction: Metabolism-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a global health concern because of its association with obesity, insulin resistance, and other metabolic abnormalities. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), an organic sulfur compound found in various plants and animals, exerts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Here, we aimed to assess the anti-obesity activity and autophagy-related mechanisms of Methylsulfonylmethane. Method: Human hepatoma (HepG2) cells treated with palmitic acid (PA) were used to examine the effects of MSM on autophagic clearance. To evaluate the anti-obesity effect of MSM, male C57/BL6 mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD; 60% calories) and administered an oral dose of MSM (200 or 400 mg/kg/day). Moreover, we investigated the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1)/UNC-51-like autophagy-activating kinase 1 (ULK1) signaling pathway to further determine the underlying action mechanism of MSM. Results: Methylsulfonylmethane treatment significantly mitigated PA-induced protein aggregation in human hepatoma HepG2 cells. Additionally, Methylsulfonylmethane treatment reversed the PA-induced impairment of autophagic flux. Methylsulfonylmethane also enhanced the insulin sensitivity and significantly suppressed the HFD-induced obesity and hepatic steatosis in mice. Western blotting revealed that Methylsulfonylmethane improved ubiquitinated protein clearance in HFD-induced fatty liver. Remarkably, Methylsulfonylmethane promoted the activation of AMPK and ULK1 and inhibited mTOR activity. Conclusion: Our study suggests that MSM ameliorates hepatic steatosis by enhancing the autophagic flux via an AMPK/mTOR/ULK1-dependent signaling pathway. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of MSM for obesity-related MAFLD treatment.

A comprehensive prognostic analysis of cause-specific mortality in patients with ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma using a competing-risks model: a case study of the SEER database

OBJECTIVE

This retrospective study employed a competing-risks analysis utilizing the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to identify precise prognostic factors associated with ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma (OSCC) in patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with OSCC during 2004-2015 were identified in the SEER database, and their clinicopathological, demographic, and survival data were examined. Univariate analysis using Gray's test and the cumulative incidence function was used to evaluate the prognoses of events of interest. The multivariate analysis involved several models, including the Cox proportional hazards, Fine-Gray, and cause-specific (CS) hazard function models, to estimate the hazard functions of competing risks. Hazard ratios were analyzed to identify the reliability of the prognostic factors.

RESULTS

Among the 10,400 individuals diagnosed with OSCC, 5,713 died from the illness, and 1,125 died from other causes. The cumulative incidence rate of events of interest was found to be significant for ethnicity, age at diagnosis, histological grade, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage, chemotherapy and surgery status, tumor size, marital status, and local lymph node metastases (p<0.05). The multivariate analysis revealed that ethnicity, histological grade, surgery and chemotherapy status, age at diagnosis, AJCC stage, marital status, and distant metastases were independent prognostic factors in the Cox model (p<0.05). Finally, the Fine-Gray and CS models demonstrated that ethnicity, histological grade, surgery and chemotherapy status, age at diagnosis, AJCC stage, tumor size, marital status, and combination summary stage were all identified as independent prognostic factors (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This study determined the risk factors for OSCC using a competing risk analysis model established by the SEER database. The findings can help clinicians understand OSCC better and provide more accurate medical support to affected patients.

Patient-Family Caregiver Concordance in Assessment of Psychological Distress of Chinese Patients with Head and Neck Cancer during Chemoradiotherapy

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

To examine patient-caregiver concordance in assessment of psychological distress of Chinese patients with head and neck cancer undergoing chemoradiotherapy and to identify factors related to concordance between patients and family caregivers.

MATERIALS/METHODS

This was a cross-sectional observational study. From October 2021 to January 2022, 200 patient-caregiver dyads were enrolled in Chengdu, China. Sociodemographic information and the distress thermometer (including the problem list), the Distress Disclosure Index and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale scores were collected. Data were analyzed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and kappa statistics, two-related-samples, chi-square and/or Fisher's exact tests, and binary logistic regression.

RESULTS

A fair level of agreement was identified between Head and Neck Cancer (HNC)patients' and caregiver's reports of patient distress (intraclass correlation coefficients [ICC] = 0.456). The patients reported significantly higher psychological distress scores than the paired caregiver reports. Gender (odds ratio [OR], 0.380; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.147-0.979), metastasis (odds ratio [OR], 0.092; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.017-0.492) and patient knowledge of the disease (OR, 3.107; 95% CI, 1.035-9.326) affected the concordance of psychological distress.

CONCLUSION

There was relatively low concordance between HNC patients' reports and caregivers' perceptions of psychological distress. Family caregivers tended to underestimate HNC patients' psychological distress. Having an awareness of the incongruence between patient and caregiver may help healthcare providers better interpret caregiver assessments. Healthcare providers should reinforce Patient-family caregiver psychosocial education to improve concordance. More psychological care and substantial emotional support should be provided for Chinese HNC patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy by family caregivers and healthcare providers. The authors would like to thank every patient and family member who participated in the study.

[Comparative analysis of intestinal microbiota distribution characteristics based on metagenomics in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis with or without ascites]

Objective: To use metagenomic sequencing to compare the differences in intestinal microbiota species and metabolic pathways in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis with or without ascites and further explore the correlation between the differential microbiota and clinical indicators and metabolic pathways. Methods: 20 hepatitis B cirrhosis cases [10 without ascites (HBLC-WOA), 10 with ascites (HBLC-WA), and 5 healthy controls (HC)] were selected from the previously studied 16S rRNA samples. Metagenome sequencing was performed on the intestinal microbiota samples. The Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test and Spearman test were used to identify and analyse differential intestinal microbiota populations, metabolic pathways, and their correlations. Results: (1) The overall structure of the intestinal microbiota differed significantly among the three groups (R = 0.19, P = 0.018). The HC group had the largest abundance of Firmicutes and the lowest abundance of Proteobacteria at the genus level. Firmicutes abundance was significantly decreased (P(fdr) < 0.01), while Proteobacteria abundance was significantly increased (P(fdr) < 0.01) in patients with cirrhosis accompanied by ascites; (2) LEfSe analysis revealed that 29 intestinal microbiota (18 in the HBLC-WA group and 11 in the HBLC-WOA group) played a significant role in the disease group. The unclassified Enterobacteriaceae and Klebsiella species in the HBLC-WA group and Enterobacteriaceae in the HBLC-WOA group were positively correlated with the Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score, prothrombin time, and international normalized ratio score and negatively correlated with albumin and hemoglobin levels (P < 0.05). Escherichia and Shigella in the HBLC-WA group were positively correlated with CTP scores (P < 0.05); (3) The correlation analysis results between the KEGG pathway and 29 specific intestinal microbiota revealed that Enterobacteriaceae and arachidonic acid, α-linolenic acid, glycerolipid metabolism, and fatty acid degradation were positively correlated in the lipid metabolism pathway, while most Enterobacteriaceae were positively correlated with branched-chain amino acid degradation and negatively correlated with aromatic amino acid biosynthesis in the amino acid metabolic pathway. Conclusion: A significant increment of Enterobacteriaceae in the intestines of HBLC-WA patients influenced hepatic reserve function and was associated with amino acid and lipid metabolic pathways. Therefore, attention should be paid to controlling the intestinal microbiota to prevent complications and improve the prognosis in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis, especially in those with ascites.

[Association between internet use and healthy lifestyles in urban adults in Hangzhou, China]

Objective: To explore the association between internet use and healthy lifestyles in urban adults. Methods: From May to August, 2022, a face-to-face questionnaire survey was conducted in residents aged 18-64 years selected in the urban area of Hangzhou by integrated cluster stratified random sampling and Kish grid method. The information about internet use included the internet use time in the past 7 days and 12 kinds of internet use contents. Using factor analysis and K-means clustering, three types of internet use were summarized, i.e. general type, video game type and working/learning type. Healthy lifestyles were defined as active physical activity, healthy diet habit, non-smoking, non-drinking, healthy weight, and healthy waist circumference. The correlations between internet use and healthy lifestyles were evaluated by using binary logistic regression and multinomial logistic regression analyses. Results: A total of 1 624 participants were included. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, the longer internet use time group (≥8.5 h/d) was less likely to have healthy weight (OR=0.59, 95%CI:0.41-0.85) and 5-6 healthy lifestyles (OR=0.55, 95%CI: 0.32-0.96) compared with those with shorter internet use time group (<2.5 h/d). For different types of internet use, it was found that compared with working/learning type group, the general type group was less likely to have healthy diet habits (OR=0.63, 95%CI: 0.46-0.86), non-drinking (OR=0.68, 95%CI: 0.47-0.99), healthy waist circumference (OR=0.59, 95%CI: 0.42-0.84) and 5-6 healthy lifestyles (OR=0.40, 95%CI: 0.23-0.69), the video game type group was less likely to have active physical activity (OR=0.73, 95%CI: 0.55-0.97) and healthy diet habits (OR=0.79, 95%CI: 0.62-0.99). Conclusion: Too long internet use (≥8.5 h/d), general type and video game type of internet use were associated with unhealthy lifestyles.

Photobiomodulation therapy activates YAP and triggers proliferation and dedifferentiation of Müller glia in mammalian retina

Photobiomodulation therapy has been proposed as a promising therapeutic approach for retinal degenerative diseases. However, its effect on the regenerative capacity in mammalian retina and its intracellular signalling mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we show that photobiomodulation with 670 nm light stimulates Müller glia cell cycle re-entry and dedifferentiation into a progenitor-like state in both the uninjured and injured retina. We also find that 670 nm light treatment inhibits the Hippo pathway, which is activated in Müller glia following NaIO3-induced retinal injury. YAP, a major downstream effector of the Hippo signalling pathway was translocated into the nucleus of Müller glia along with YAP dephosphorylation in retina treated with 670 nm light. Deficiency of YAP attenuated Müller glia cell cycle re-entry and dedifferentiation. Our data reveal that the Hippo-YAP signalling pathway is associated with the photostimulatory effect on regenerative response in mammalian retina, and suggest a potential therapeutic strategy for retinal degenerative diseases. [BMB Reports 2023; 56(9): 502-507].

Photobiomodulation therapy activates YAP and triggers proliferation and dedifferentiation of Müller glia in mammalian retina

Photobiomodulation therapy has been proposed as a promising therapeutic approach for retinal degenerative diseases. However, its effect on the regenerative capacity in mammalian retina and its intracellular signalling mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we show that photobiomodulation with 670 nm light stimulates Müller glia cell cycle re-entry and dedifferentiation into a progenitor-like state in both the uninjured and injured retina. We also find that 670 nm light treatment inhibits the Hippo pathway, which is activated in Müller glia following NaIO3-induced retinal injury. YAP, a major downstream effector of the Hippo signalling pathway was translocated into the nucleus of Müller glia along with YAP dephosphorylation in retina treated with 670 nm light. Deficiency of YAP attenuated Müller glia cell cycle re-entry and dedifferentiation. Our data reveal that the Hippo-YAP signalling pathway is associated with the photostimulatory effect on regenerative response in mammalian retina, and suggest a potential therapeutic strategy for retinal degenerative diseases. [BMB Reports 2023; 56(9): 502-507].

[Study on the associations of meeting intensive systolic blood pressure control goals with risk for incident cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases among the adult hypertensive patients in China]

Objective: To evaluate the associations of meeting intensive systolic blood pressure (SBP) control goals with risk for incident cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases among the adult hypertensive patients in China. Methods: We used data from adult hypertensive patients from the China Kadoorie Biobank. logistic regression models evaluated the influencing factors of meeting intensive and standard SBP control goals. Cox proportional hazard models evaluated the associations between meeting intensive vs. standard SBP control goals and risk for incident cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Results: A total of 3 628 hypertensive patients who reported continuous medication use were included in this study, of which 5.0% of the participants met the goals of intensive SBP control (≤130 mmHg). Participants with higher educational attainment (OR=2.36,95%CI: 1.32-4.04), healthier diet (OR=2.09,95%CI: 1.45-2.96), daily intake of fresh fruit (OR=1.67,95%CI: 1.17-2.36) and combination treatment (OR=1.82,95%CI: 1.03-3.09) were more likely to meet intensive SBP control goal after adjustment of age, sex and urban/rural areas. During an average follow-up of (10.0±3.7) years, 1 278 cases of composite cardiovascular outcome were recorded. This study did not find a statistical correlation between achieving the goal of enhanced SBP control and the occurrence of composite cardiovascular and cerebrovascular outcomes (HR=0.89, 95%CI: 0.63-1.25). For major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), cerebrovascular diseases, stroke, and ischemic stroke, we observed a trend of decrease in risk of outcomes with more intensive SBP control (trend test P<0.05). Conclusions: We observed decreased risk for MACE and cerebrovascular diseases with more intensive SBP control. However, there was no significant risk reduction for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases when meeting the intensive SBP control goal, compared to the standard SBP control goal.

Intravitreal Administration of Retinal Organoids-Derived Exosomes Alleviates Photoreceptor Degeneration in Royal College of Surgeons Rats by Targeting the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Pathway

Increasing evidence suggests that exosomes are involved in retinal cell degeneration, including their insufficient release; hence, they have become important indicators of retinopathies. The exosomal microRNA (miRNA), in particular, play important roles in regulating ocular and retinal cell functions, including photoreceptor maturation, maintenance, and visual function. Here, we generated retinal organoids (ROs) from human induced pluripotent stem cells that differentiated in a conditioned medium for 60 days, after which exosomes were extracted from ROs (Exo-ROs). Subsequently, we intravitreally injected the Exo-RO solution into the eyes of the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rats. Intravitreal Exo-RO administration reduced photoreceptor apoptosis, prevented outer nuclear layer thinning, and preserved visual function in RCS rats. RNA sequencing and miRNA profiling showed that exosomal miRNAs are mainly involved in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. In addition, the expression of MAPK-related genes and proteins was significantly decreased in the Exo-RO-treated group. These results suggest that Exo-ROs may be a potentially novel strategy for delaying retinal degeneration by targeting the MAPK signaling pathway.

[Epidemiological distribution characteristics of peripheral blood mosaic chromosomal alteration in adults from 10 regions of China]

Objective: To describe the epidemiological distribution characteristics of peripheral blood mosaic chromosomal alteration (mCA) in community adults aged 30-79 years in 10 regions of China. Methods: A total of 100 297 participants with complete baseline information (demographic characteristics, lifestyle, physical examination, etc.) and genotyping data of blood-derived DNA in ten regions of the China Kadoorie Biobank study were included. The mCAs were detected with the Mosaic Chromosomal Alterations pipeline, and logistic regression models were used to compare the differences in the detection rate of mCAs in different regions and populations. Results: A total of 5 810 mCA carriers were detected, with the detection rate of 5.8%. The standardized detection rate was 5.1%. The baseline detection rate of mCA increased with age, which were 3.4%, 5.0%, and 9.4% in those aged 30-, 51-, and >60 years, respectively (trend test P<0.001). A more significant proportion of mCAs were found in men (8.0%) than women (4.0%), as well as in urban areas (6.4%) than in rural areas (5.3%), the difference was significant (P<0.001). After adjusting for age and gender, the detection rate of mCA was higher in current smokers or people quitting smoking due to illness and people with low physical activity level, and the mCA detection rate was lower in obesy people (5.3%) than that in people with normal body weight (5.9%) (P=0.006). Conclusions: The detection rate of mCAs varied with region and population in community adults aged 30-79 years in 10 regions of China. The study results might contribute to the molecular identification of aging populations and guide precision prevention of age-related diseases such as cancers.

[Tea consumption and cancer: a Mendelian randomization study]

Objective: A Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed to assess the relationship between tea consumption and cancer. Methods: There were 100 639 participants with the information of gene sequencing of whole genome in the China Kadoorie Biobank. After excluding those with cancer at baseline survey, a total of 100 218 participants were included in this study. The baseline information about tea consumption were analyzed, including daily tea consumption or not, cups of daily tea consumption, and grams of daily tea consumption. We used the two-stage least square method to evaluate the associations between three tea consumption variables and incidence of cancer and some subtypes, including stomach cancer, liver and intrahepatic bile ducts cancer, colorectal cancer, tracheobronchial and lung cancer, and female breast cancer. Multivariable MR and analysis only among nondrinkers were used to control the impact of alcohol consumption. Sensitivity analyses were also performed, including inverse variance weighting, weighted median, and MR-Egger. Results: We used 54, 42, and 28 SNPs to construct non-weighted genetic risk scores as instrumental variables for daily tea consumption or not, cups of daily tea consumption, and grams of daily tea consumption, respectively. During an average of (11.4±3.0) years of follow-up, 6 886 cases of cancer were recorded. After adjusting for age, age², sex, region, array type, and the first 12 genetic principal components, there were no significant associations of three tea consumption variables with the incidence of cancer and cancer subtypes. Compared with non-daily tea drinkers, the HR (95%CI) of daily tea drinkers for cancer and some subtypes, including stomach cancer, liver and intrahepatic bile ducts cancer, colorectal cancer, tracheobronchial and lung cancer, and female breast cancer, are respectively 0.99 (0.78-1.26), 1.17 (0.58-2.36), 0.86 (0.40-1.84), 0.85 (0.42-1.73), 1.39 (0.85-2.26) and 0.63 (0.28-1.38). After controlling the impact of alcohol consumption and performing multiple sensitivity analyses, the results were similar. Conclusion: There is no causal relationship between tea consumption and risk of cancer in population in China.

[Progress on genome-wide association studies on mosaic chromosomal alterations]

Mosaic chromosomal alteration (mCA) is referred to as large-scale somatic mutations on chromosomes, which results in diverse karyotypes in body. The mCA is regarded as one of the phenotypes of aging. Studies have revealed its associations with many chronic diseases such as hematopoietic cancers and cardiovascular diseases, but its genetic basis (e.g. genetic susceptibility variants) is still under-investigated. This paper reviews GWAS studies for mCA on autosomal chromosomes and sex chromosomes [mosaic loss of the Y chromosome (mLOY) and mosaic loss of the X chromosome (mLOX)] based on large population, respectively. Most of the genetic susceptibility loci found in studies for autosomal mCA were associated with copy-neutral loss of heterozygosity. The study of sex chromosome mCA focused on mosaic loss mutations. The number of genetic susceptibility loci for mLOY was high (up to 156), but it was relatively less for mLOX.

[A case-control study on the association between a healthy lifestyle and obesity among adult twins in Shanghai]

Objective: To investigate the associations between the numbers of healthy lifestyles and overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity in adult twins in Shanghai. Methods: Based on the Shanghai Twin Registry System Phase Ⅱ survey data in 2017-2018, a case-control study was conducted to analyze the association between healthy lifestyles and obesity and further adjusted for confounders by a co-twin control study. Results: A total of 7 864 adult twins (3 932 pairs) were included. In the co-twin case-control analysis for monozygotic twins, compared with participants with 0 to 2 healthy lifestyles, those with 3 and 4 to 5 healthy lifestyles had a 49% (OR=0.51, 95%CI: 0.28-0.93) and 70% (OR=0.30, 95%CI: 0.13-0.69) lower risk of overweight/obesity, respectively, and a 17% (OR=0.83, 95%CI: 0.44-1.57) and 66% (OR=0.34, 95%CI: 0.14-0.80) lower risk of abdominal obesity, respectively. For each additional healthy lifestyle, the risk of developing overweight/obesity was reduced by 41% (OR=0.59, 95%CI: 0.42-0.85), and the risk of developing abdominal obesity was reduced by 37% (OR=0.63, 95%CI: 0.44-0.90). Conclusion: An increasing number of healthy lifestyles was associated with a marked decreased risk for both overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity.

[A review on cardiovascular disease risk prediction models in the elderly]

Risk prediction models play an important role in the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in the elderly population. There are fifteen papers about CVD risk prediction models developed for the elderly domestically and internationally, of which the definitions of disease outcome vary widely. Ten models were reported with insufficient information about study methods or results. Ten models were at high risk of bias. Thirteen models presented moderate discrimination in internal validation, and only four models have undertaken external validation. The CVD risk prediction models for the elderly differed from those for the general population in terms of model algorithm and the effect size of association between predictor and outcome, and the prediction performance of the models for the elderly attenuated. In the future, high-quality external validation researches are necessary to provide more solid evidence. Different ways, including adding new predictors, using competing risk model algorithms, machine learning methods, or joint models, and altering the prediction time horizon, should be explored to optimize the current models.

[Incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and risk factors in the Suzhou cohort]

Objective: To understand the incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the Suzhou cohort, and explore the risk factors for the development of COPD in Suzhou, and provide a scientific basis for COPD prevention. Methods: This study was based on the China Kadoorie Biobank project in Wuzhong District, Suzhou. After excluding individuals with airflow obstruction and self-reported chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or pulmonary heart disease at baseline, 45 484 individuals were finally included in the analysis. Cox proportional risk models were used to analyze risk factors of COPD and calculate hazard ratios and 95% confidence interval (CI) in the Suzhou cohort. The effect modifications of smoking on the association between other risk factors and COPD were evaluated. Results: Complete follow-up was available through December 31, 2017. Participants were followed up for a median of 11.12 years, and 524 individuals were diagnosed with COPD during the follow-up period; the incidence was 105.54 per 100 000 person-years. Multivariate Cox proportional risk regression models showed that age (HR=3.78, 95%CI:3.32-4.30), former smoking (HR=2.00, 95%CI:1.24-3.22), current smoking (<10 cigarettes/day, HR=2.14, 95%CI:1.36-3.35;≥10 cigarettes/day, HR=2.69, 95%CI:1.60-4.54), history of respiratory disease (HR=2.08, 95%CI:1.33-3.26), daily sleep duration ≥10 hours (HR=1.41, 95%CI:1.02-1.95) were associated with increased risk of COPD. However, education level of primary school and above (primary or junior high school, HR=0.65, 95%CI:0.52-0.81; high school and above, HR=0.54, 95%CI:0.33-0.87), consuming fresh fruit daily (HR=0.59, 95%CI:0.42-0.83) and consuming spicy food weekly (HR=0.71, 95%CI:0.53-0.94) were associated with reduced risk of COPD. Conclusions: The incidence of COPD is low in Suzhou. Older age, smoking, history of respiratory disease, and long sleep duration were risk factors for the development of COPD in the Suzhou cohort.

[Research on the formulation and revision of standard limits for antimony,boron and vanadium in the "Standards for Drinking Water Quality (GB5749-2022)" in China]

China is rich in antimony, boron, and vanadium mineral resources, which have been detected in environmental water bodies and drinking water. During the revision process of the "Standards for Drinking Water Quality (GB5749-2006)", research and evaluation are focused on three indicators: antimony, boron and vanadium. Vanadium is added and the limit value of boron is adjusted. This study reviews and discusses the technical contents related to the revision of the antimony, boron and vanadium, including the environmental presence levels, exposure status, health effects, and the revision of the standard limits of these three indicators. Suggestions are also made for the implementation of this standard.

[Prospective association between physical activity and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease]

Objective: To investigate the prospective association of physical activity with all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and chronic kidney disease (CKD) mortality in CKD patients in China. Methods: Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the association of total, domain-specific, and intensity-specific physical activity with the risk of all-cause, CVD, and CKD mortality based on data from the baseline survey of China Kadoorie Biobank. Results: During a median follow-up of 11.99 (11.13, 13.03) years, there were 698 deaths in 6 676 CKD patients. Compared with the bottom tertile of total physical activity, participants in the top tertile had a lower risk of all-cause, CVD, and CKD mortality, with hazard ratios (HRs) (95%CIs) of 0.61 (0.47-0.80), 0.40 (0.25-0.65), and 0.25 (0.07-0.85), respectively. Occupational, commuting, and household physical activity were negatively associated with the risk of all-cause and CVD mortality to varying degrees. Participants in the top tertile of occupational physical activity had a lower risk of all-cause (HR=0.56, 95%CI: 0.38-0.82) and CVD (HR=0.39, 95%CI: 0.20-0.74) mortality, those in the top tertile of commuting physical activity had a lower risk of CVD mortality (HR=0.43, 95%CI: 0.22-0.84), and those in the top tertile of household physical activity had a lower risk of all-cause (HR=0.61, 95%CI: 0.45-0.82), CVD (HR=0.44, 95%CI: 0.26-0.76) and CKD (HR=0.03, 95%CI: 0.01-0.17) mortality, compared with the bottom tertile of corresponding physical activity. No association of leisure-time physical activity with mortality was observed. Both low and moderate-vigorous intensity physical activity were negatively associated with the risk of all-cause, CVD and CKD mortality. The corresponding HRs (95%CIs) were 0.64 (0.50-0.82), 0.42 (0.26-0.66) and 0.29 (0.10-0.83) in the top tertile of low intensity physical activity, and the corresponding HRs (95%CIs) were 0.63 (0.48-0.82), 0.39 (0.24-0.64) and 0.23 (0.07-0.73) in the top tertile of moderate-vigorous intensity physical activity. Conclusion: Physical activity can reduce the risk of all-cause, CVD, and CKD mortality in CKD patients.

Non-linear relationship between dietary vitamin E intake and cognitive performance in older adults

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to explore the relationship between dietary vitamin E (VE) intake and cognitive function in older adults.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a cross-sectional study.

METHODS

We applied data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey obtained during 2011-2014 that met our requirements. The cognitive ability assessments included the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease Word Learning (CERAD-WL) and Delayed Recall (CERAD-DR) tests, the animal fluency test, the Digit Symbol Substitution Test, and a composite z-score calculated by summing z-scores of individual tests. We used binary logistic regression analysis to explore the relationship between VE intake and cognitive performance. The results are reported using odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Our study also included sex-stratified analyses and sensitivity analysis. A restricted cubic splines model was used to evaluate the dose-response relationship between dietary VE intake and cognitive function.

RESULTS

This study found that a higher intake of dietary VE was associated with a lower risk of cognitive impairment in patients. Sensitivity analysis shows stable results. The results of the gender stratification analysis showed that dietary VE intake was negatively related to the risk of cognitive disorder among females. An irregular L-shaped dose-response relationship was observed between dietary VE intake and cognitive impairment risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Dietary VE intake was negatively related to the risk of cognitive disorder in older adults, with a higher VE intake lowering the risk.

[A descriptive analysis of hyperlipidemia in adult twins in China]

Objective: To describe the distribution characteristics of hyperlipidemia in adult twins in the Chinese National Twin Registry (CNTR) and explore the effect of genetic and environmental factors on hyperlipidemia. Methods: Twins recruited from the CNTR in 11 project areas across China were included in the study. A total of 69 130 (34 565 pairs) of adult twins with complete information on hyperlipidemia were selected for analysis. The random effect model was used to characterize the population and regional distribution of hyperlipidemia among twins. The concordance rates of hyperlipidemia were calculated in monozygotic twins (MZ) and dizygotic twins (DZ), respectively, to estimate the heritability. Results: The age of all participants was (34.2±12.4) years. This study's prevalence of hyperlipidemia was 1.3% (895/69 130). Twin pairs who were men, older, living in urban areas, married,had junior college degree or above, overweight, obese, insufficient physical activity, current smokers, ex-smokers, current drinkers, and ex-drinkers had a higher prevalence of hyperlipidemia (P<0.05). In within-pair analysis, the concordance rate of hyperlipidemia was 29.1% (118/405) in MZ and 18.1% (57/315) in DZ, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Stratified by gender, age, and region, the concordance rate of hyperlipidemia in MZ was still higher than that in DZ. Further, in within-same-sex twin pair analyses, the heritability of hyperlipidemia was 13.04% (95%CI: 2.61%-23.47%) in the northern group and 18.59% (95%CI: 4.43%-32.74%) in the female group, respectively. Conclusions: Adult twins were included in this study and were found to have a lower prevalence of hyperlipidemia than in the general population study, with population and regional differences. Genetic factors influence hyperlipidemia, but the genetic effect may vary with gender and area.

[A descriptive analysis on hypertension in adult twins in China]

Objective: To describe the distribution characteristics of hypertension among adult twins in the Chinese National Twin Registry (CNTR) and to provide clues for exploring the role of genetic and environmental factors on hypertension. Methods: A total of 69 220 (34 610 pairs) of twins aged 18 and above with hypertension information were selected from CNTR registered from 2010 to 2018. Random effect models were used to describe the population and regional distribution of hypertension in twins. To estimate the heritability, the concordance rates of hypertension were calculated and compared between monozygotic twins (MZ) and dizygotic twins (DZ). Results: The age of all participants was (34.1±12.4) years. The overall self-reported prevalence of hypertension was 3.8%(2 610/69 220). Twin pairs who were older, living in urban areas, married, overweight or obese, current smokers or ex-smokers, and current drinkers or abstainers had a higher self-reported prevalence of hypertension (P<0.05). Analysis within the same-sex twin pairs found that the concordance rate of hypertension was 43.2% in MZ and 27.0% in DZ, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). The heritability of hypertension was 22.1% (95%CI: 16.3%- 28.0%). Stratified by gender, age, and region, the concordance rate of hypertension in MZ was still higher than that in DZ. The heritability of hypertension was higher in female participants. Conclusions: There were differences in the distribution of hypertension among twins with different demographic and regional characteristics. It is indicated that genetic factors play a crucial role in hypertension in different genders, ages, and regions, while the magnitude of genetic effects may vary.

[Progress in research of risk prediction model for chronic kidney disease]

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an important global public health problem that greatly threatens population health. Application of risk prediction model is a crucial way for the primary prevention of CKD, which can stratify the risk for developing CKD and identify high-risk individuals for more intensive interventions. By now, more than twenty risk prediction models for CKD have been developed worldwide. There are also four domestic risk prediction models developed for Chinese population. However, none of these models have been recommended in clinical guidelines yet. The existing risk prediction models have some limitations in terms of outcome definition, predictors, strategies for handling missing data, and model derivation. In the future, the applications of emerging biomarkers and polygenic risk scores as well as advances in machine learning methods will provide more possibilities for the further improvement of the model.

[Progress in research of epidemiology of 2019-nCoV reinfection]

Continuous evolution of Omicron variant of 2019-nCoV has resulted in a rapid and simultaneous emergences of novel sub-variants with increased immune escape ability, higher reinfection risk and shorter time interval between infections. Compared with the first infection, the reinfection would still pose exceed risk to people's health although the clinical manifestations of the reinfection might be milder and the risk for severe illness or death is lower. The reinfection is highly associated with people's vaccination status, immunity level, age, working and residential factors. Those who have not received 2019-nCoV vaccination, the elderly and those with comorbidities, especially the previous 2019-nCoV patients with severe/critical illness, are at high risk for the reinfection. Booster doses of vaccine might play an additional role in the prevention of the reinfection and severe illness on the basis of natural immunity.

[Prevalence of chronic kidney disease and its association with lifestyle factors in adults from 10 regions of China]

Objective: To investigate the distribution of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in participants from the China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) study and evaluate the association between lifestyle risk factors and CKD. Methods: Based on the baseline survey data and follow-up data (as of December 31, 2018) of the CKB study, the differences in CKD cases' area and population distributions were described. Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to estimate the association between lifestyle risk factors and the risk of CKD. Results: A total of 505 147 participants, 4 920 cases of CKD were recorded in 11.26 year follow up with a incidence rate of 83.43/100 000 person-years. Glomerulonephropathy was the most common type. The incidence of CKD was higher in the urban area, men, and the elderly aged 60 years and above (87.83/100 000 person-years, 86.37/100 000 person-years, and 132.06/100 000 person-years). Current male smokers had an increased risk for CKD compared with non-smokers or occasional smokers (HR=1.18, 95%CI: 1.05-1.31). The non-obese population was used as a control group, both general obesity determined by BMI (HR=1.19, 95%CI: 1.10-1.29) and central obesity determined by waist circumference (HR=1.27, 95%CI: 1.19-1.35) were associated with higher risk for CKD. Conclusion: The risks for CKD varied with area and population in the CKB cohort study, and the risk was influenced by multiple lifestyle factors.

[Epidemiological characteristics and research progress of monkeypox in 2022]

Monkeypox is a zoonosis caused by monkeypox virus. Monkeypox was endemic mainly in central and western Africa in the past. Since May 7, 2022, monkeypox outbreaks have been reported in many non-epidemic countries and regions around the world. As of December 25, 2022, monkeypox cases have been detected in 110 countries and areas. Moreover, human to human transmission, especially among men who have sex with men, has aroused high global concern. The incidence, transmission route and clinical characteristics of monkeypox in 2022 seemed different from those in the past. Therefore, this paper summarizes the progress in research of the changes of epidemiological characteristics of monkeypox, the clinical characteristics of monkeypox and its prevention and treatment to provide scientific evidence for the prevention and control of monkeypox.

Development and validation of a brief screener for posttraumatic stress disorder risk in emergency medical settings

OBJECTIVE

Predicting risk of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the acute care setting is challenging given the pace and acute care demands in the emergency department (ED) and the infeasibility of using time-consuming assessments. Currently, no accurate brief screening for long-term PTSD risk is routinely used in the ED. One instrument widely used in the ED is the 27-item Immediate Stress Reaction Checklist (ISRC). The aim of this study was to develop a short screener using a machine learning approach and to investigate whether accurate PTSD prediction in the ED can be achieved with substantially fewer items than the IRSC.

METHOD

This prospective longitudinal cohort study examined the development and validation of a brief screening instrument in two independent samples, a model development sample (N = 253) and an external validation sample (N = 93). We used a feature selection algorithm to identify a minimal subset of features of the ISRC and tested this subset in a predictive model to investigate if we can accurately predict long-term PTSD outcomes.

RESULTS

We were able to identify a reduced subset of 5 highly predictive features of the ISRC in the model development sample (AUC = 0.80), and we were able to validate those findings in the external validation sample (AUC = 0.84) to discriminate non-remitting vs. resilient trajectories.

CONCLUSION

This study developed and validated a brief 5-item screener in the ED setting, which may help to improve the diagnostic process of PTSD in the acute care setting and help ED clinicians plan follow-up care when patients are still in contact with the healthcare system. This could reduce the burden on patients and decrease the risk of chronic PTSD.

[Characteristics of daytime napping and its correlation with chronic diseases in Chinese adults]

Objective: To describe the prevalence of daytime nap habit in participants of the China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) study, across 10 study regions and explore its correlation with prevalence of major chronic diseases. Methods: Participants with a self-reported pre-diagnosis of any cancer at baseline survey were excluded. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the differences in study regions and age distribution of the prevalence daytime nap habit, and its correlation with the prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and chronic liver diseases. Results: Among 510 145 participants, 39.9% had daytime nap habit in summer and 20.8% had daytime nap habit all the year round. Urban-rural differences were observed in the prevalence of summer nap habit and perennial nap habit. Daytime nap in summer was common in rural areas and Suzhou, with prevalence ranged from 32.9% to 73.3%. Haikou and Liuzhou had higher prevalence of perennial nap (60.4% and 63.3%). The proportion of people with daytime nap habit all the year round increased with age (P for trend <0.001), the proportion was highest in those aged 70- years (31.9%). Daytime nap habit in summer was positively correlated with the prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, CHD and chronic liver disease with OR of 1.10 (95%CI: 1.07-1.14), 1.03 (95%CI:1.02-1.05), 1.07 (95%CI: 1.02-1.12) and 1.07 (95%CI:1.00-1.14), respectively. Daytime nap habit all the year round was positively correlated with the prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, CHD, stroke, COPD and chronic liver disease with OR of 1.33 (95%CI: 1.29-1.37), 1.11 (95%CI: 1.09-1.13), 1.39 (95%CI: 1.33-1.45), 1.33 (95%CI: 1.26-1.41), 1.12 (95%CI: 1.08-1.16) and 1.27 (95%CI:1.18-1.37) respectively. Conclusion: There were regional and age differences in prevalence of daytime nap habit among CKB participants. Daytime nap habit, especially daytime nap habit all the year round, was positively correlated with the prevalence of major chronic diseases.

[Research progress on the epidemiological distribution and influencing factors of autosomal mosaic chromosomal alteration]

Somatic mosaicism is defined as the occurrence and accumulation of somatic mutations in humans, and mosaic chromosomal alterations (mCA) are recognized as one of the aging phenotypes due to their impact on genome integrity. With the coming acceleration of global population aging, understanding the prevalence and influencing factors of mCA will help to explore the "genomic instability" of human aging and its biological mechanisms and provide the scientific basis for the primary prevention of age-related diseases. This review aims to summarize the epidemiological distribution and influencing factors of autosomal mCA in peripheral blood based on previous large-scale population-based studies.

[Progress in research of etiology and epidemiology of 2019-nCoV Omicron variant]

2019-nCoV Omicron variant has become predominant in the world. New subvariants with further mutations in their spike proteins are continuously emerging. Compared with the wild type and other variants of concern, Omicron variant exhibits altered etiological and epidemiological characteristics, with weakened pathogenicity and toxicity in laboratory mice and hamsters as well as enhanced immune escape capacity. The human infections are more likely to be asymptomatic and mild characterized by upper respiratory tract symptoms with reduced risk of hospitalization and death. In addition, Omicron variant can transmit more rapidly and shows shorter incubation period to cause infection, and the variant is more likely to transmit through contamination of object surfaces and aerosols spread. This paper summarizes the etiological and epidemiological characteristics of Omicron variant to provide a reference for the effective prevention and control of Omicron variant infection.

[Research advances on the application of silk fibroin biomaterials in wound repair]

Silk fibroin, a natural fibrin, is a suitable matrix biomaterial for wound repair due to its unique properties such as good biocompatibility, tunable biodegradation and mechanical properties, low host inflammatory response, low cost, ease of fabrication, etc. Silk fibroin can be used alone or in combination with other materials to construct various dressings including scaffolds, hydrogels, films, smart mats, and microneedles, which can meet the needs of different wound repair and regulate the wound repair process. Thus, the application research of silk fibroin in skin tissue engineering has increased dramatically. Compared with other natural materials, silk fibroin promotes tissue regeneration and wound repair by improving cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation behavior at different stages, showing unique advantages in different dimensions. Based on the development of silk fibroin wound repair materials in the recent years, this review focuses on the mechanism and application prospect of silk fibroin and its composite materials in wound repair.

Swept-source endoscopic optical coherence tomography real-time imaging system based on GPU acceleration for axial megahertz high-speed scanning

OBJECTIVE

In order to solve the problem of image real-time processing and correction for high-speed endoscopic swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT), we highly optimize a computer-unified device architecture-based platform and use a field-programmable gate array to summarize the application experience.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We use the Half-Sync/Half-Asyn mode to optimize memory in order to build a high-throughput data thread pool for CPU. We use asynchronous streaming architecture to multiplex multiple threads at high speed to accelerate data processing. At the same time, we design a rotary scanning position information encoding feedback module to suppress image drift, which can realize 25ns logic-timing sequence synchronization control through FPGA 40MHz clock.

RESULTS

The maximum complete attainable axial-scan-processing rate (including memory transfer and display of B-scan frames) is 3.52 MHz for a 16-bit pixel depth and A-scans/s of 1024 pixels. To our knowledge, this is the fastest processing rate reported to date with a single-chip graphical processing unit for SS-OCT. Finally, the established high-speed SS-OCT is used to image mouse esophagus and human fingers, and the output images are stable. When the image size is 1024 × 1024 pixels, the real-time imaging rate is 200 frames per second.

CONCLUSIONS

This paper develops a real-time image processing and reconstruction technology suitable for high-throughput SS-OCT systems, which can have high-density operation and efficient parallelism, while suppressing high-speed image drift. It lays the foundation for the non-destructive, in vivo, non-staining, fast and convenient early tumor diagnosis of high-speed endoscopic SS-OCT.

[Correlation between sleep status and frailty in adults aged 30-79 years in China]

Objective: To explore the correlation between sleep status and frailty in adults aged 30-79 years in China, and explore the potential effect modification of general and central obesity. Methods: Based on the baseline data of the China Kadoorie Biobank, we used multinomial logistic regression to analyze the correlation between long and short sleep duration, insomnia disorder, snoring, and unhealthy sleep score with risks of pre-frailty and frailty. Both overall and obesity-stratified analyses were performed. Result: Among the 512 724 participants, 2.3% had frailty and 40.1% had pre-frailty. There was a U-shaped relationship between sleep duration and frailty score. Short (OR=1.21, 95%CI: 1.19-1.23) or long sleep duration (OR=1.19, 95%CI: 1.17-1.21), insomnia disorder (OR=2.09, 95%CI: 2.02-2.17), and snoring (OR=1.61, 95%CI: 1.59-1.63) were all positively correlated with pre-frailty, and dose-response relationships were observed between unhealthy sleep score and pre-frailty (P for trend<0.001), with OR values of 1.46 (1.44-1.48), 1.97 (1.93-2.00) and 3.43 (3.21-3.67) respectively for those having unhealthy sleep score of 1 to 3. These sleep problems were also positively correlated with frailty. Compared with the overweight or obesity group, stronger relationships were observed between short sleep duration and frailty or pre-frailty and between insomnia disorder and pre-frailty, while the relationships between snoring and frailty and pre-frailty were weaker in the participants with normal weight (P for interaction <0.007 for all). We also observed similar effect modification by central obesity. Conclusion: Long or short sleep duration, insomnia disorder, snoring and higher unhealthy sleep scores were positively correlated with pre-frailty or frailty, general and central obesity status could modify the relationships.

[Review of genome-wide association research of aging phenotypes]

"Active health" has been emphasized in "Healthy China 2030" in dealing with the challenges of population aging, so the anti-aging strategies are requires to be more precise and effective at both individual and population levels. Aging is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. In the recent 20 years, the research of genetics of human ageing has been greatly facilitated owning to the development of high-throughput sequencing techniques, statistical methodology for multi-omics data, as well as the growing qualified evidence of large-scale population-based genomic research. This paper provides a review of genome-wide association research of aging.