Age, sex, residence, and region-specific differences in prevalence and patterns of multimorbidity among older Chinese: evidence from Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey.

BACKGROUND: Multimorbidity among older adults, which is associated with added functional decline and higher health care utilization and mortality, has become increasingly common with the dramatic acceleration of ageing in China. The purpose of this study was to reveal age, sex, residence, and region- specific prevalence and patterns of multimorbidity among older adults in China. METHODS: This study is based on the 2018 Chinese Longitudinal Health Longevity Survey (CLHLS), the most recent edition of this national survey, and involved analysis of 15,275 participants aged 65 years and older. Multimorbidity was defined as an individual who has two or more chronic diseases or conditions and was divided into two types for analysis: ≥2 (MM2+) and ≥ 3 (MM3+). Fourteen chronic diseases or conditions surveyed were used to assess patterns of multimorbidity through association rule mining. RESULTS: Among the 15,275 participants, the largest proportion (39.9%) was 90 years old and over, while the distribution of sex and residence is roughly the same. Overall, the prevalence of multimorbidity was 44.1% for MM2+ and 22.9% for MM3+. The most frequently occurring patterns were two or three combinations between hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and affective disorders. Cardiovascular diseases combined with diabetes or dyslipidemia showed the most predominant association in different age groups. Moreover, the prevalence of the hypertension +diabetes pattern decreased with age. The strongest associations were found for the clustering of hypertension + cardiovascular diseases + respiratory diseases in males, however, among females it was the cardiovascular diseases + diabetes cluster. Cardiovascular diseases + rheumatoid arthritis + visual impairment was observed in urban areas and hypertension + cardiovascular diseases + affective disorders in rural areas. The most distinctive association rule in Northern China was {cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, visual impairment} = > {diabetes}. Respiratory disease was more prevalent in combination with other systemic disorders in Western China, and affective disorders in Southern China. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of multimorbidity among older Chinese was substantial, and patterns of multimorbidity varied by age, sex, residence, and region. Future efforts are needed to identify possible prevention strategies and guidelines that consider differences in demographic characteristics of multimorbid patients to promote health in older adults.

Role of raising domestic animals in decreasing the risk of dementia occurrence in Chinese older adults: Evidence of a 10-year prospective cohort study.

This study explored the causal relationship between raising domestic animals and the risk of dementia occurrence. A 10-year cohort study was carried out drawing the data from Chinese Longitudinal Health Longevity Survey (CLHLS) 2008-2018. The Cox regression model was applied to analyze the association between raising domestic animals and the risk of developing dementia. Meanwhile, a subgroup analysis stratified by gender and exercise was performed. Participants were 8 170 older adults in China. The prevalence of raising domestic animals frequently was 24.8%. Older people who raised domestic animals frequently had a decreased risk of developing dementia by 21% than those who did not raise animals. The benefit of raising domestic animals frequently in decreasing the development of dementia was only in female non-exercise older adults. These findings strengthened the role of raising domestic animals in prevention of dementia risk occurrence among older Chinese adults.

Metabolism of diethyl phthalate (DEP) and identification of degradation intermediates by Pseudomonas sp. DNE-S1.

A Pseudomonas sp. DNE-S1 (GenBank accession number MF803832), able to degrade DEP in a wide range of acid-base conditions, was isolated from landfill soil. The growth kinetics of DNE-S1 on DEP followed the inhibition model. Fe3+ could promote the degradation ability of DNE-S1 to DEP probably by over-expression of the gene phthalate dihydrodiol dehydrogenase (ophB) and phthalate dioxygenase ferredoxin reductase (ophA4). The degradation rate of DEP (500 mg L-1 at 12 h) increased by 14.5% in the presence of Fe3+. Cu2+, Zn2+, and Mn2+ showed an inhibiting effect on the degradation performance of the strain and could alter the cellular morphology, surface area and volume of DNE-S1. Three degradation intermediates, namely ethyl methyl phthalate (EMP), dimethyl phthalate (DMP), and phthalic acid (PA), were detected in the biodegradation of DEP, and the biochemical pathway of DEP degradation was proposed. This study provides new information on the biochemical pathways and the responsible genes involved in DEP degradation.

Bidirectional relationship between frailty and cognitive function among Chinese older adults.

BACKGROUND: Frailty and cognitive function are two common aging-related conditions among older adults. This study examined the bidirectional relationship between frailty and cognitive function according to sex. METHODS: All older adults aged ≥65 years who participated in the 2008 and 2014 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey were included in this study. Binary logistic regression and generalized estimating equation models were used to determine the bidirectional relationship between frailty and cognitive function in cross-sectional and cohort studies, and sex differences were assessed. RESULTS: We included 12,708 participants who were interviewed in the baseline study. The participants' mean (standard deviation) age was 85.6 (11.1%) years. In the cross-sectional study, the multivariate-adjusted odds ratio (OR; 95% confidence interval [CI]) for pre-frailty and frailty among participants with cognitive impairment was 3.68 (3.29-4.13). Older adults with pre-frailty and frailty had higher risks of cognitive impairment (OR = 3.79, 95% CI: 3.38-4.25). The GEE models showed that pre-frailty and frailty predicted a higher likelihood of cognitive impairment (OR = 2.02, 95% CI, 1.67-2.46) during follow-up. Moreover, the temporal relationship between these relationships differed slightly by sex. Older women with cognitive impairment at baseline were more likely to develop pre-frailty or frailty than did older men. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated a significant bidirectional relationship between frailty and cognitive function. Moreover, this bidirectional relationship varied by sex. These findings confirm the need to integrate sex-specific interventions for frailty and cognitive functioning problems to improve the quality of life of older adults.

Corrigendum: Long-term tea consumption reduces the risk of frailty in older Chinese people: Result from a 6-year longitudinal study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.916791.].

Lanthanum-modified polydopamine loaded Acinetobacter lwoffii DNS32 for phosphate and atrazine removal: Insights into co-adsorption and biodegradation mechanisms.

A novel biobased composite was developed for the removal of phosphate (P) and atrazine from agricultural wastewater. A composite with strong P affinity and good biocompatibility, synthesized from La3+ and polydopamine (PDA), was immobilized onto an atrazine-degrading bacterium Acinetobacter lwoffii DNS32 (La/PDA/DNS32). Following Box-Behnken design optimization, the maximum removal rate of P (500 mg L-1) and atrazine (100 mg L-1) by La/PDA/DNS32 reached 28 % and 100 %, respectively. Density functional theory calculations revealed that La/PDA had more negative adsorption energy (-5.90 eV) than PDA alone and exhibited prominent electrophilic sites. Additionally, La/PDA-induced sorption of atrazine improved transmembrane transport and enhanced expression of degradation-associated genes in strain DNS32. La/PDA nanoparticles surrounding strain DNS32 provided a shielding effect and exhibited desirable biostability, thermal stability, and acid-alkaline resistance under contamination stress. This study demonstrates the promising potential of La/PDA/DNS32 in reducing the P and atrazine pollution caused by agricultural production.

Metagenomic study of carbon metabolism in black soil microbial communities under lead-lanthanum stress.

Pollution of soil environments with heavy metals (HMs) and rare earth elements (REEs) cannot be ignored. We aimed to determine the effects of lead combined with lanthanum (Pb-La) on microbial community structure, carbon metabolism, and differences in carbon source utilization in black soils using EcoPlates™ and a macrogenomic approach. We found that Pb and La contents and the microbial community structure together influence and shape the response of soil carbon metabolism to Pb-La. Compared with controls, microorganisms under pollution stress preferentially use phenolic and carboxylic acids as growth carbon sources. Under Pb-La stress, the relative abundance of Proteobacteria significantly increased, thereby selectively displacing heavy metal-sensitive phyla, such as Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria, and Thaumarchaeota. Altered functional potential of the microbial carbon cycle manifested as differences in carbon metabolism, methane metabolism, and carbon fixation pathways. Furthermore, an appropriate concentration of La can reduce the environmental toxicity of Pb, whereas a high concentration of La has synergistic toxicity with Pb. These findings have important implications for understanding the impact of HM-REE contamination in microbial communities and the functions associated with carbon metabolism in black soils.

Nutrition literacy differs based on demographics among University students in Bengbu, China.

Background: Nutrition literacy (NL) encompasses the knowledge and skills that inform individuals' food choices. This cross-sectional study explored factors associated with NL among Chinese university students in Bengbu, China. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out. Two thousand one hundred thirty-three university students were selected by stratified cluster sampling. A 43-item NL questionnaire was used to assess NL. Binary logistic regression was used to determine odds ratios (ORs) along with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for NL and to test the interaction effects of multiple factors on total NL and its six dimensions. Results: Of these participants, 1,399 (65.6%) were women and 734 (34.4%) were men. Students who were from urban areas (OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.08-1.72), were living with both parents (OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.02-1.65), and had high academic performance (OR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.34-2.57) were more likely to report higher NL levels than did other students. The ORs for NL (OR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.06-2.41), nutrition knowledge (OR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.00-2.26), obtaining skills (OR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.16-2.65), and critical skills (OR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.05-2.39) were higher for medical students who had received nutrition education than for other students. The ORs for NL (OR = 2.42, 95% CI: 1.21-4.84), nutrition understanding (OR = 2.59, 95% CI: 1.28-5.25), and interactive skills (OR = 2.06, 95% CI: 1.04-4.08) were higher for only-child students and those with a monthly expenditure of >¥1500. Conclusions: NL of university students differed in terms of place of origin, living arrangement, nutrition education, academic performance, and household income, and the findings imply that universities should have all students take a basic nutrition course to improve their NL.

A positive association between hunger in childhood and frailty in old age: Findings from the Chinese longitudinal healthy longevity survey.

Background: Childhood hunger not only directly affects the physical and mental health of children and adolescents but also has a long-term negative effect on later health outcomes. In this cross-sectional study, we used a nationally representative Chinese sample to examine the relationship between hunger in childhood and frailty in older adults. Materials and methods: The data were obtained from the 2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. The frailty index with 44 health deficits was used to identify frailty. Childhood hunger was measured by the question "Did you often go to bed hungry as a child?" Insurance status was categorized as New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme (NRCMS), Urban Basic Medical Insurance Scheme (UBMIS), others, and no insurance. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the adjusted relationship between childhood hunger and frailty. Results: A total of 7,342 older people aged 65 years and older were analyzed in this study. Older people who experienced childhood hunger were more likely to have frailty than those who did not (OR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.02-1.26), after adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, family/social support, socioeconomic status, insurance status, and health behaviors. The association of childhood hunger with frailty was found in the 65-79 years group (OR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.03-1.43), women (OR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.08-1.45), individuals with rural residence (OR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.03-1.31), agricultural work (OR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.00-1.34), financial dependence (OR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.02-1.37), and those participating in NRCMS (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.16-1.56). Participants with hunger in childhood who were 80 years or older (OR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.65-0.98) had lower odds of frailty. NRCMS (OR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.02-1.98) showed increased odds of childhood hunger-related frailty. Conclusion: Exposure to hunger during childhood is linked to frailty among older adults, and age, financial support, and insurance status may mediate this relationship. Targeted interventions and policies to address frailty in older adults should be implemented.

Long-term tea consumption reduces the risk of frailty in older Chinese people: Result from a 6-year longitudinal study.

Background: Vast accumulative evidence suggests that the consumption of tea and its components have various potential health benefits. This study used a longitudinal study to examine the causality between tea consumption and frailty in older Chinese people. Methods: This study employed the longitudinal data from 2008 to 2014 of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), which were systematically collected through face-to-face interviews. Two thousand four hundred and seventy three participants completed six-follow-up surveys in 2014 and were analyzed in this study. The frailty index recommended by Searle and co-authors, including 44 health deficits, was used. A Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) was applied to determine the risk ratio (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) for frailty, and further subgroup analyses were conducted to investigate whether the risk differed stratified by age, sex, and socioeconomic status. Additionally, the interaction between tea consumption with sex and frailty was tested. Results: Of the 2,473 participants, 14.1% were consistent daily tea drinkers, and 22.6% reported frailty at the 6-year follow-up. Compared to non-tea drinkers, consistent daily tea drinkers reported a significantly lower ratio of having frailty [risk ratio (RR) = 0.54, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.38-0.78], adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, health behavior, socioeconomic status, and chronic illnesses. In further subgroup analyses, consistent daily tea consumption significantly reduced the risk of frailty for males (RR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.32-0.87) but not females (RR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.37-1.12); in the young (RR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.22-0.74) but not in the oldest (aged ≥ 80) (RR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.40-1.06); informal education (RR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.28-0.84) but not formal education (RR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.37-1.03); financial dependence (RR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.25-0.71) but not financial independence (RR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.41-1.23). Additionally, females showed a lower tea-mediated risk of frailty in occasional tea consumers (RR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.29-0.89) and inconsistent tea drinkers (RR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.37-0.93). Conclusions: Habitual tea consumption can reduce the risk of frailty in older Chinese, and the benefit varied by age, sex, education, and financial support.

Development and validation of a novel short-form nutrition literacy measurement tool for Chinese college students.

Objectives: To develop and validate a short-form nutrition literacy (NL) assessment tool for Chinese college students based on a 43-item NL measurement scale. Methods: To develop and validate short-form NL scale, 1359 college students were surveyed, the data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis, linear regression analysis, Item analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and Pearson correlation. Results: The 12-item short-form NL scale (NL-SF12) was developed using factor analysis and regression analysis, which accounted for 96.4% of the variance. The correlation coefficient between the NL-SF12 and NL-43 was 0.969, indicating satisfactory criterion-related validity. The NL-SF12 had a Cronbach's α of 0.890, suggesting strong internal consistency reliability, and content validity index was greater than 0.9, indicating that each domain accurately reflects the connotation of nutrition literacy. The model-data fit and convergent validity of the confirmatory factor analysis results were both good. Conclusion: The NL-SF12 is an effective measurement tool with a good reliability and acceptable validity to assess comprehensively NL for college students, and is applicable to quick, widespread use in population study and practice with low respondent burden.

Monobutyl phthalate can induce autophagy and metabolic disorders by activating the ire1a-xbp1 pathway in zebrafish liver.

Monobutyl phthalate (MBP) can exist in biological organisms for a long time because of its excellent fat solubility, and it has been found to have certain toxic effects. In this study, the acute effects of MBP on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and metabolism in the zebrafish liver were studied. After continuous exposure to MBP (5 and 10 mg / L) for 96 h, ER damage and the appearance of apoptotic bodies and autophagosomes were found in liver. This is because MBP stimulated the ire-xbp1 pathway of ER stress, thus leading to apoptosis and autophagy. Also, through analysis of metabolic enzymes and genes, it was found that the activated ire-xbp1 pathway could promote lipid synthesis and cause the accumulation of lipid droplets. The gene pparγ related to lipid storage affected the level of insulin, which can also further affect the glucose metabolism process, that is, glycolysis and aerobic respiration were inhibited. And the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) was activated as a compensation mechanism to alleviate glycogen accumulation. The abnormal supply of energy and the death of excessive cells will eventually severely damage the zebrafish liver. This study will enrich the knowledge about the toxic effects of MBP.

Anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate enhanced biodegradation of dibutyl phthalate: Reducing membrane damage and oxidative stress in bacterial degradation.

Plasticizer dibutyl phthalate (DBP) pollution has received more and more attention. In this study, a DBP degrading bacteria Enterobacter sp. DNB-S2 was found to suffer membrane damage and oxidative stress during DBP degradation. Physiological and transcriptome analysis showed that 100 µmol L-1 anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS) could enhance the ability of strain DNB-S2 for biodegradation of DBP. AQDS adjusted the cell surface structure, including increase levels of hydrophobic and unsaturated fatty acids. These changes increased the chemotactic ability of the strain DNB-S2 to the hydrophobic pollutant DBP and the fluidity of the cell membrane. The expression of methyl chemotactic protein and genes associated with cell membrane-fixed components were up-regulated. AQDS also improved the scavenging ability of ·OH and H2O2 of DNB-S2 by promoting expression genes related to glutathione metabolism, thereby reducing oxidative stress. These results will provide new insights into the biodegradation of DBP.

Efficient removal of atrazine by iron-modified biochar loaded Acinetobacter lwoffii DNS32.

In order to efficiently remove commonly used herbicide atrazine in farmland, an iron-modified biochar (FeMBC) was fabricated via chemical co-precipitation of Fe3+ onto corn stalks biochar. The composites of FeMBC and Acinetobacter lwoffii DNS32 (bFeMBC) effectively accelerated the degradation rate of atrazine (100 mg L-1) in inorganic salt culture solution. TEM，XRD，XPS and FTIR were used to study the basic properties of the Materials. FeMBC promoted the formation of bacterial biofilm, -NH functional group on the surface of bacterial extracellular polymers (EPS) and FeMBC could interact with the aromatic ring of atrazine through Hbonding, which were conducive for microbial capture of atrazine. Meanwhile, the pores (2-10 µm) of FeMBC facilitated the passage of the DNS32 strain and the atrazine molecule, which contributed to the efficient capture and degradation of atrazine by DNS32 strain. BFeMBC amendment helped to maintain the bacterial diversity in the atrazine contaminated soil. The increase of rare bacteria (relative abundance of 0.01%-0.05%) richness plays a certain role in stabilizing nutrient cycling, thereby promoting microbial nutrient utilization activities and has the function of pollutant degradation. This may contribute to the digestion of atrazine and its intermediate metabolites，reducing the stress of microbial in atrazine contaminated soil. bFeMBC amendment may be a promising in situ remediation technique for soil atrazine contamination.