Persistent pollution of genetic materials in a typical laboratory environment.

From the onset of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, there are concerns regarding the disease spread and environmental pollution of biohazard since studies on genetic engineering flourish and numerous genetic materials were used such as the nucleic acid test of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). In this work, we studied genetic material pollution in an institute during a development cycle of plasmid, one of typical genetic materials, with typical laboratory settings. The pollution source, transmission routes, and pollution levels in laboratory environment were examined. The Real-Time quantitative- Polymerase Chain Reaction results of all environmental mediums (surface, aerosol, and liquid) showed that a targeted DNA segment occurred along with routine experimental operations. Among the 79 surface and air samples collected in the genetic material operation, half of the environment samples (38 of 79) are positive for nucleic acid pollution. Persistent nucleic acid contaminations were observed in all tested laboratories and spread in the public area (hallway). The highest concentration for liquid and surface samples were 1.92 × 108 copies/uL and 5.22 × 107 copies/cm2, respectively. Significant amounts of the targeted gene (with a mean value of 74 copies/L) were detected in the indoor air of laboratories utilizing centrifuge devices, shaking tables, and cell homogenizers. Spills and improper disposal of plasmid products were primary sources of pollution. The importance of establishing designated experimental zones, employing advanced biosafety cabinets, and implementing highly efficient cleaning systems in laboratories with lower biosafety levels is underscored. SYNOPSIS: STATEMENT. Persistent environmental pollutions of genetic materials are introduced by typical experiments in laboratories with low biosafety level.

Projection of Mortality Burden Attributable to Nonoptimum Temperature with High Spatial Resolution in China.

The updated climate models provide projections at a fine scale, allowing us to estimate health risks due to future warming after accounting for spatial heterogeneity. Here, we utilized an ensemble of high-resolution (25 km) climate simulations and nationwide mortality data from 306 Chinese cities to estimate death anomalies attributable to future warming. Historical estimation (1986-2014) reveals that about 15.5% [95% empirical confidence interval (eCI):13.1%, 17.6%] of deaths are attributable to nonoptimal temperature, of which heat and cold corresponded to attributable fractions of 4.1% (eCI:2.4%, 5.5%) and 11.4% (eCI:10.7%, 12.1%), respectively. Under three climate scenarios (SSP126, SSP245, and SSP585), the national average temperature was projected to increase by 1.45, 2.57, and 4.98 °C by the 2090s, respectively. The corresponding mortality fractions attributable to heat would be 6.5% (eCI:5.2%, 7.7%), 7.9% (eCI:6.3%, 9.4%), and 11.4% (eCI:9.2%, 13.3%). More than half of the attributable deaths due to future warming would occur in north China and cardiovascular mortality would increase more drastically than respiratory mortality. Our study shows that the increased heat-attributable mortality burden would outweigh the decreased cold-attributable burden even under a moderate climate change scenario across China. The results are helpful for national or local policymakers to better address the challenges of future warming.

Increased risk of preterm birth due to heat exposure during pregnancy: Exploring the mechanism of fetal physiology.

BACKGROUND: Heat exposure during pregnancy can increase the risk of preterm birth (PTB) through a range of potential mechanisms including pregnancy complications, hormone secretion and infections. However, current research mainly focuses on the effect of heat exposure on pathophysiological pathways of pregnant women, but ignore that maternal heat exposure can also cause physiological changes to the fetus, which will affect the risk of PTB. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to explore the mediating role of fetal heart rate (FHR) in the relationship between maternal heat exposure and PTB incidence. METHODS: We assigned heat exposure to a multi-center birth cohort in China during 2015-2018, which included all 162,407 singleton live births with several times FHR measurements during the second and third trimesters. We examined the associations between heat exposure, FHR and PTB in the entire pregnancy, each trimester and the last gestational month. The inverse odds ratio-weighted approach applied to the Cox regression was used to identify the mediation effect of heat exposure on PTB and its clinical subtypes via FHR. FINDINGS: Exposure to heat significantly increased the risk of PTB during the third trimester and the entire pregnancy, hazard ratios and 95 % CIs were 1.266 (1.161, 1.379) and 1.328 (1.218, 1.447). Heat exposure during the third trimester and entire pregnancy increased FHR in the third trimester by 0.24 bpm and 0.14 bpm. The proportion of heat exposure mediated by FHR elevation on PTB and its subtype ranged from 3.68 % to 24.06 %, with the significant mediation effect found for both medically indicated PTB and spontaneous PTB. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that heat exposure during pregnancy has an important impact on fetal health, and FHR, as a surrogate marker of fetal physiology, may mediate the increased risk of PTB caused by extreme heat. Monitoring and managing physiological changes in the fetus would constitute a promising avenue to reduce adverse birth outcomes associated with maternal heat exposure.

Sarcopenic obesity is part of obesity paradox in dementia development: evidence from a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenic obesity, a clinical and functional condition characterized by the coexistence of obesity and sarcopenia, has not been investigated in relation to dementia risk and its onset. METHODS: We included 208,867 participants from UK biobank, who aged 60 to 69 years at baseline. Dementia diagnoses were identified using hospital records and death register data. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models to evaluate the associations of obesity, sarcopenia, and sarcopenic obesity with dementia risk, stratified by sex. Stratified analyses were performed across dementia-related polygenic risk score (PRS). Restricted mean survival time models were established to estimate the difference and 95%CIs of dementia onset across different status. Additionally, linear regression models were employed to estimate associations of different status with brain imaging parameters. The mediation effects of chronic diseases were also examined. RESULTS: Obese women with high PRS had a decreased risk (HR = 0.855 [0.761-0.961]), but obese men with low PRS had an increased risk (HR = 1.223 [1.045-1.431]). Additionally, sarcopenia was associated with elevated dementia risk (HRwomen = 1.323 [1.064-1.644]; HRmen = 2.144 [1.753-2.621]) in those with low PRS. Among those with high PRS, however, the association was only significant in early-life (HRwomen = 1.679 [1.355-2.081]; HRmen = 2.069 [1.656-2.585]). Of note, sarcopenic obesity was associated with higher dementia risk (HRwomen = 1.424 [1.227-1.653]; HRmen = 1.989 [1.702-2.323]), and results remained similar stratified by PRS. Considering dementia onset, obesity was associated with dementia by 1.114 years delayed in women, however, 0.170 years advanced in men. Sarcopenia (women: 0.080 years; men: 0.192 years) and sarcopenic obesity (women: 0.109 years; men: 0.511 years) respectively advanced dementia onset. Obesity, sarcopenia, and sarcopenic obesity were respectively related to alterations in different brain regions. Association between sarcopenic obesity and dementia was mediated by chronic diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Sarcopenic obesity and sarcopenia were respectively associated with increased dementia risk and advanced dementia onset to vary degree. The role of obesity in dementia may differ by sex and genetic background.

Risk factors associated with heatwave mortality in Chinese adults over 65 years.

Aging populations are susceptible to heat-related mortality because of physiological factors and comorbidities. However, the understanding of individual vulnerabilities in the aging population is incomplete. In the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, we assessed daily heatwave exposure individually for 13,527 participants (median age = 89 years) and 3,249 summer mortalities during follow-up from 2008 to 2018. The mortality risk during heatwave days according to relative temperature is approximately doubled (hazard ratio (HR) range = 1.78-1.98). We found that heatwave mortality risks were increased for individuals with functional declines in mobility (HR range = 2.32-3.20), dependency in activities of daily living (HR range = 2.22-3.27), cognitive impairment (HR = 2.22) and social isolation reflected by having nobody to ask for help during difficulties (HR range = 2.14-10.21). Contrary to current understanding, older age was not predictive of heatwave mortality risk after accounting for individual functional declines; no statistical differences were detected according to sex. Beyond age as a risk factor, our findings emphasize that functional aging is an underlying factor in enhancing heatwave resilience. Assessment of functional decline and implementing care strategies are crucial for targeted prevention of mortality during heatwaves.

Labor Migration of Parents and Aggression Among Their Offspring in China.

Importance: In China, parental labor migration often leaves children behind and is potentially adversely associated with children's health. However, the association between parental migration and aggression among their offspring remains largely underexplored. Objective: To investigate the associations of parental labor migration with total and subtypes of aggression among their offspring as well as potential sex differences therein. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study was conducted from February to October 2015 among students aged 11 to 20 years from 45 public middle and high schools across 5 provinces of China. Data analysis was performed from December 1, 2022, to August 1, 2023. Exposures: Parental migration, including migration status (yes or no), pattern (father, mother, or both), and the child's age at the initial parent-child separation. Main Outcomes and Measures: Total and subtypes of aggression (including physical aggression [PA], verbal aggression [VA], indirect aggression [IA], anger, and hostility) were measured using the Chinese version of the Buss-Warren Aggression Questionnaire. Binomial logistic regression analyses were used separately to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% CIs of parental migration by total and subtypes of aggression. Results: A total of 15 301 participants (7900 [51.6%] male and 7401 [48.4%] female) aged 11 to 20 years (mean [SD] age, 15.1 [1.8] years) were included. Of these participants, 5961 (39.0%) experienced parental migration; 2451 (16.0%) met the criteria for total aggression, 2407 (15.7%) for PA, 2283 (14.9%) for VA, 2899 (18.9%) for IA, 2307 (15.1%) for anger, and 2564 (16.8%) for hostility. Parental migration was associated with total aggression (aOR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.01-1.22); no significant association between parental migration and subtypes of aggression was found except for PA (aOR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.03-1.25). Compared with children whose parents did not migrate, the aORs for total aggression and PA for participants whose father migrated were 1.12 (95% CI, 1.01-1.28) and 1.15 (95% CI, 1.03-1.29), respectively; for participants with both parents having migrated, the aORs were 1.16 (95% CI, 1.02-1.31) and 1.12 (95% CI, 1.04-1.24), respectively. Compared with children whose parents did not migrate, children who experienced initial separation from 1 or both parents at adolescence had an aOR for total aggression of 1.20 (95% CI, 1.04-1.36), children who experienced initial separation from 1 or both parents at school age or adolescence had an aOR for PA of 1.15 (95% CI, 1.01-1.32) and 1.26 (95% CI, 1.04-1.51), respectively. No sex differences were found in these associations. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cross-sectional study of Chinese children and adolescents, we found that parental migration, mainly of the father or both parents or an initial separation at adolescence or school age from 1 or both parents, was associated with higher odds of total aggression and PA among offspring. These associations were similar between male and female participants.

Real-World Evidence of Multiple Air Pollutants and Mortality: A Prospective Cohort Study in an Oldest-Old Population.

We aimed to report real-world longitudinal ambient air pollutants levels compared to WHO Air Quality Guidelines (AQG) and analyze multiple air pollutants' joint effect on longevity, and the modification and confounding from the climate and urbanization with a focus on the oldest-old. This study included 13,207 old participants with 73.3% aged 80 and beyond, followed up from 2008 to 2018 in 23 Chinese provinces. We used the Cox-proportional hazards model and quantile-based g-computation model to measure separate and joint effects of the multiple pollutants. We adjusted for climate and area economic factors based on a directed acyclic graph. In 2018, no participants met the WHO AQG for PM2.5 and O3, and about one-third met the AQG for NO2. The hazard ratio (HR) for mortality was 1.07 (95% confidence interval-CI: 1.05, 1.09) per decile increase in all three pollutants, with PM2.5 being the dominant contributor according to the quantile-based g-computation model. In the three-pollutant model, the HRs (95% CI) for PM2.5 and NO2 were 1.27 (1.25, 1.3) and 1.08 (1.05, 1.12) per 10 µg/m3 increase, respectively. The oldest-old experienced a much lower mortality risk from air pollution compared to the young-old. The mortality risk of PM2.5 was higher in areas with higher annual average temperatures. The adjustment of road density considerably intensified the association between NO2 and mortality. The ambient PM2.5 and O3 levels in China exceeded the WHO AQG target substantially. Multiple pollutants coexposure, confounding, and modification of the district economic and climate factors should not be ignored in the association between air pollution and mortality.

Trade-offs between cold protection and air pollution-induced mortality of China's heating policy.

The winter heating policy in northern China was designed to safeguard households from the harsh subfreezing temperatures. However, it has inadvertently resulted in seasonal spikes in air pollution levels because of the reliance on coal as an energy source. While the loss of life years attributable to mortality from air pollution caused by winter heating has been estimated, the beneficial effect of protection from cold temperatures has not been assessed, primarily due to a lack of individual-level data linking these variables. Our study aims to address this research gap. We provide individual-level empirical evidence that quantifies the impact of protection from cold temperatures and air pollution on mortality, studying 5,334 older adults living around the Huai River during the period between 2000 and 2018. Our adjusted Cox-proportional hazard models show that winter heating was associated with a 22% lower mortality rate (95% CI: 16-28%). Individuals residing in areas without access to winter heating are subjected to heightened mortality risks during periods of cold temperatures. The protective effect is offset by a 27.8% rise attributed to elevated PM2.5 levels. Our results imply that the equilibrium between the effects of these two factors is achieved when PM2.5 concentration exceeds 24.3 µg/m3 (95% CI: 18.4-30.2). Our research suggests that while the existing winter heating policy significantly mitigates winter mortality by lessening the detrimental effects of cold temperatures, future air pollution reduction could provide further health benefits.

China's public health initiatives for climate change adaptation.

China's health gains over the past decades face potential reversals if climate change adaptation is not prioritized. China's temperature rise surpasses the global average due to urban heat islands and ecological changes, and demands urgent actions to safeguard public health. Effective adaptation need to consider China's urbanization trends, underlying non-communicable diseases, an aging population, and future pandemic threats. Climate change adaptation initiatives and strategies include urban green space, healthy indoor environments, spatial planning for cities, advance location-specific early warning systems for extreme weather events, and a holistic approach for linking carbon neutrality to health co-benefits. Innovation and technology uptake is a crucial opportunity. China's successful climate adaptation can foster international collaboration regionally and beyond.

The burden of disease attributable to indoor air pollutants in China from 2000 to 2017.

BACKGROUND: High-level exposure to indoor air pollutants (IAPs) and their corresponding adverse health effects have become a public concern in China in the past 10 years. However, neither national nor provincial level burden of disease attributable to multiple IAPs has been reported for China. This is the first study to estimate and rank the annual burden of disease and the financial costs attributable to targeted residential IAPs at the national and provincial level in China from 2000 to 2017. METHODS: We first did a systematic review and meta-analysis of 117 articles from 37 231 articles identified in major databases, and obtained exposure-response relationships for the candidate IAPs. The exposure levels to these IAPs were then collected by another systematic review of 1864 articles selected from 52 351 articles. After the systematic review, ten IAPs with significant and robust exposure-response relationships and sufficient exposure data were finally targeted: PM2·5, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, radon, formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, and p-dichlorobenzene. The annual exposure levels in residences were then evaluated in all 31 provinces in mainland China continuously from 2000 to 2017, using the spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression model to analyse indoor originating IAPs, and the infiltration factor method to analyse outdoor originating IAPs. The disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) attributable to the targeted IAPs were estimated at both national and provincial levels in China, using the population attributable fraction method. Financial costs were estimated by an adapted human capital approach. FINDINGS: From 2000 to 2017, annual DALYs attributable to the ten IAPs in mainland China decreased from 4620 (95% CI 4070-5040) to 3700 (3210-4090) per 100 000. Nevertheless, in 2017, IAPs still ranked third among all risk factors, and their DALYs and financial costs accounted for 14·1% (95% CI 12·3-15·6) of total DALYs and 3·45% (3·01-3·82) of the gross domestic product. Specifically, the rank of ten targeted IAPs in order of their contribution to DALYs in 2017 was PM2·5, carbon monoxide, radon, benzene, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulphur dioxide, formaldehyde, toluene, and p-dichlorobenzene. The DALYs attributable to IAPs were 9·50% higher than those attributable to outdoor air pollution in 2017. For the leading IAP, PM2·5, the DALYs attributable to indoor origins are 18·3% higher than those of outdoor origins. INTERPRETATION: DALYs attributed to IAPs in China have decreased by 20·0% over the past two decades. Even so, they are still much higher than those in the USA and European countries. This study can provide a basis for determining which IAPs to target in various indoor air quality standards and for estimating the health and economic benefits of various indoor air quality control approaches, which will help to reduce the adverse health effects of IAPs in China. FUNDING: The National Key Research and Development Program of China and the National Natural Science Foundation of China.

Biophilic classroom environments on stress and cognitive performance: A randomized crossover study in virtual reality (VR).

The emerging Metaverse will likely increase time expenditure in indoor virtual environments, which could impact human health and well-being. The biophilia hypothesis suggests that humans have an innate tendency to seek connections with the natural world and there is increasing evidence that biophilic design such as the incorporation of green plants can yield health benefits. Recently, virtual reality (VR) has been used to regulate stress and improve overall wellness, particularly by incorporating natural settings. In this randomized crossover study, we designed five virtual classroom scenes with different biophilic elements and turbidity in VR and investigated whether the visual stimulations can affect the stress levels and cognitive functions of 30 young adults from a university in China. We measured their physiological indicators of stress reaction by wearable biomonitoring sensors (blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), and skin conductance level (SCL)), conducted verbal cognitive tests on attention and creativity, and evaluated subjective/perceived (self-reported) stress levels and connection with nature. Albeit our results suggested no significant change in physiological stress reactions or cognitive functions induced by the biophilic and turbid interventions in VR, the addition of biophilic elements in the Metaverse could benefit students' health due to significantly decreased perceived stress levels and increased connections with nature.

Projecting future labor losses due to heat stress in China under climate change scenarios.

Climate change is expected to increase occupational heat stress, which will lead to diminished work performance and labor losses worldwide. However, sub-regional analyses remain insufficient, especially for countries with a heterogeneous spatial distribution of working populations, industries and climates. Here, we projected heat-induced labor losses in China, by considering local climate simulations, working population characteristics and developing an exposure-response function suitable for Chinese workers. We showed that the annual heat-induced work hours lost (WHL), compared to the baseline of 21.3 billion hours, will increase by 121.1% (111.2%-131.1%), 10.8% (8.3%-15.3%), and -17.8% (-15.3%--20.3%) by the end of the century under RCP(Representative Concentration Pathways)8.5, RCP4.5, and RCP2.6, respectively. We observed an approximately linear upward trend of WHL under RCP8.5, despite the decrease in future working population. Notably, WHL will be most prominent in the southern, eastern and central regions, with Guangdong and Henan accounting for a quarter of national total losses; this is largely due to their higher temperature exposure, larger population size, and higher shares of vulnerable population in total employment. In addition, limiting global warming to 1.5 °C would yield substantial gains. Compared to RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5, all provinces can avoid an average of 11.8%, 33.7%, and 53.9% of annual WHL if the 1.5 °C target is achieved, which is equivalent to avoiding 0.1%, 0.6%, and 1.4% of annual GDP losses in China, respectively. This study revealed climate change will exacerbate future labor losses, and adverse impacts can be minimized by adopting stringent mitigation policies coupled with effective adaptation measures. Policymakers in each province should tailor occupation health protection measures to their circumstances.

Exploration of the preterm birth risk-related heat event thresholds for pregnant women: a population-based cohort study in China.

Background: Heat events increase the risk of preterm birth (PTB), and identifying the risk-related event thresholds contributes to developing early warning system for pregnant women and guiding their public health response. However, the event thresholds that cause the risk remain unclear. We aimed to investigate the effects of heat events defined with different intensities and durations on PTB throughout pregnancy, and to determine thresholds for the high-risk heat events. Methods: Using a population-based birth cohort data, we included 210,798 singleton live births in eight provinces in China during 2014-2018. Daily meteorological variables and inverse distance weighted methods were used to estimate exposures at a resolution of 1 km × 1 km. A series of cut off temperature intensities (50th-97.5th percentiles, or 18 °C-35 °C) and durations (at least 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 consecutive days) were used to define the heat events. Cox regression models were used to estimate the effects of heat events on PTB in various gestational weeks during the entire pregnancy, and event thresholds were determined by calculating population attributable fractions. Findings: The hazard ratios of heat event exposure on PTB ranged from 1.07 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.13) to 1.43 (1.15, 1.77). Adverse effects of heat event exposure were prominently detected in gestational week 1-4, week 21-32 and the four weeks before delivery. The heat event thresholds were determined to be daily maximum temperature at the 90th percentile of the distribution or 30 °C lasting for at least one day. If pregnant women were able to avoid the heat exposures from the early warning systems triggered by these thresholds, approximately 15% or 17% of the number of total PTB cases could have been avoided. Interpretation: Exposure to heat event can increase the risk of PTB when thermal event exceeds a specific intensity and duration threshold, particularly in the first four gestational weeks, and between week 21 and the last four weeks. This study provides compelling evidence for the development of heat-health early warning systems for pregnant women that could substantially mitigate the risk of PTB. Funding: National Key R&D Program of China (No. 2018YFA0606200), National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 42175183), Sanming Project of Medicine in Shenzhen (No. SZSM202111001).

Performance and effectiveness of hepatocellular carcinoma screening in individuals with HBsAg seropositivity in China: a multicenter prospective study.

Current guidelines recommend hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance for at-risk individuals, including individuals with hepatitis B virus infection. However, the performance and survival benefits of annual screening have not been evaluated through multicenter prospective studies in a Chinese population. Between 2017 and 2021, we included 14,426 participants with hepatitis B surface antigen seropositivity in an annual HCC screening study in China using a multicenter prospective design with ultrasonography and serum alpha-fetoprotein. After four rounds of screening and follow-up, the adjusted hazard ratios of death after correction for lead-time and length-time biases for screen-detected cancers at the prevalent and incident rounds were 0.74 (95% confidence interval = 0.60-0.91) and 0.52 (95% confidence interval = 0.40-0.68), respectively. A meta-analysis demonstrated that HCC screening was associated with improved survival after adjusting for lead-time bias. Our findings highlight the 'real-world' feasibility and effectiveness of annual HCC screening in community settings for the early detection of HCC and to improve survival.

Racial/ethnic disparities in the cause of death among patients with prostate cancer in the United States from 1995 to 2019: a population-based retrospective cohort study.

Background: Racial/ethnic disparities in prostate cancer are reported in the United States (US). However, long-term trends and contributors of racial/ethnic disparities in all-cause and cause-specific death among patients with prostate cancer remain unclear. We analysed the trends and contributors of racial/ethnic disparities in prostate cancer survivors according to the cause of death in the US over 25 years. Methods: In this retrospective, population-based longitudinal cohort study, we identified patients diagnosed with first primary prostate cancer between 1995 and 2019, with follow-up until Dec 31, 2019, using population-based cancer registries' data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. We calculated the cumulative incidence of death for each racial/ethnic group (Black, white, Hispanic, Asian or Pacific Islander [API], and American Indian or Alaska Native [AI/AN] people), by diagnostic period and cause of death. We quantified absolute disparities using rate changes for the 5-year cumulative incidence of death between racial/ethnic groups and diagnostic periods. We estimated relative (Hazard ratios [HR]) racial/ethnic disparities and the percentage of potential factors contributed to racial/ethnic disparities using Cox regression models. Findings: Despite a decreasing trend in the cumulative risk of death across five racial/ethnic groups, AI/AN and Black patients consistently had the highest rate of death between 1995 and 2019 with an adjusted HR of 1.48 (1.40-1.58) and 1.40 (1.38-1.42) respectively. The disparities in all-cause mortality between AI/AN and white patients increased over time, with adjusted HR 1.32 (1.17-1.49) in 1995-1999 and 1.95 (1.53-2.49) in 2015-2019. Adjustment of stage at diagnosis, initial treatment, tumor grade, and household income explained 33% and 24% of the AI/AN-white and Black-white disparities in all-cause death among patients with prostate cancer. Interpretation: The enduring racial/ethnic disparities in patients with prostate cancer, call for new interventions to eliminate health disparities. Our study provides important evidence and ways to address racial/ethnic inequality. Funding: National Key R&D Program of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Beijing Municipal Administration of Hospitals Clinical Medicine Development of Special Funding Support, the Open Research Fund from Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Big Data-Based Precision Medicine, Key Projects of Philosophy and Social Sciences Research, Ministry of Education of China.

Association of greenness surrounding school with aggression among adolescents: A multi-site study in China.

Association of greenness surrounding school with aggression among adolescents was not well understood. This study aimed to investigate the associations of greenness surrounding school with adolescents' total and sub-types of aggression and explore potential mediators underlying these associations. A multi-site study of 15,301 adolescents aged 11-20 years were recruited through a multistage, random cluster sampling across 5 representative provinces in mainland China. Satellite-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values within circular buffers of 100 m, 500 m, and 1000 m surrounding school were used to indicate the adolescents' greenness exposure. We used the Chinese version of Buss and Warren's Aggression Questionnaire to assess total and sub-types of aggression. Daily concentrations of PM2.5, and NO2 were obtained from the China High Air Pollutants datasets. Per IQR increment of NDVI 100 m and 500 m surrounding school was associated with lower odds of total aggression; odds ratio [OR] with 95% CI was 0.958 (0.926-0.990) for the 100 m buffer and 0.963 (0.932-0.996) for the 500 m buffer, respectively. Similar associations can be observed in two sub-types of aggression, including verbal (NDVI 100 m: 0.960 (0.925-0.995); NDVI500m: 0.964 (0.930-0.999)) and indirect aggression (NDVI 100 m: 0.956 (0.924-0.990); NDVI500m: 0.953 (0.921-0.986)). There were no sex and age differences in the associations of school surrounding greenness with aggression, except that the beneficial associations of greenness exposure with total aggression (0.933(0.895-0.975) vs.1.005(0.956-1.056)), physical aggression (0.971(0.925-1.019) vs.1.098(1.043-1.156)), and hostility (0.942(0.901-0.986) vs.1.016(0.965-1.069)) were greater among participants aged ≥16 years than those aged<16 years. PM2.5 (proportion mediated estimates: 0.21; 95% CI: 0.08, 0.94) and NO2 (-0.78, 95% CI: -3.22, -0.37) mediated the association of NDVI 500 m surrounding school with total aggression. Our data indicated that exposure to greenness in school surroundings was associated with reduced aggression, particularly in verbal and indirect aggression. The presence of PM2.5 and NO2 partially mediated these associations.

Mortality Burden of Cardiovascular Disease Attributable to Ozone in China: 2019 vs 2050.

Due to a combination of lifestyle risk factors, the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been increasing in China, affecting an estimated 330 million people. Environmental risk factors can exacerbate these risks or independently contribute to CVD. Ozone is an overlooked and invisible risk factor, and it plays a significant role in the development of CVD. Our study provides a novel quantification of the ozone-attributable CVD mortality burden based on daily maximum 8-h average ozone concentration during May to October (6mDMA8) in Chinese adults in 2050, projected under Shared Socioeconomic Pathways 585 and 126, and using the updated WHO air quality guideline level. The study also considers the contributions made by changes in ozone exposure, population aging, population size, and baseline death rates of CVD between 2019 and 2050. While adopting a sustainable and green pathway (SSP 126) can reduce the projected magnitude of premature CVD deaths to 359,200 in 2050, it may not be sufficient to reduce the CVD mortality burden significantly. Therefore, it is crucial to implement strategies for stricter ozone control and reducing the baseline death rate of CVD to mitigate the impacts of ozone on Chinese adults.