Cardiac MRI-Based Assessment of Myocardial Injury in Asymptomatic People Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus: Correlation With nadir CD4 Count.

BACKGROUND: There are known cardiac manifestations of HIV, but the findings in asymptomatic subjects are still not fully explored. PURPOSE: To evaluate for the presence of subclinical myocardial injury in asymptomatic people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) by cardiac MRI and to explore the possible association between subclinical myocardial injury and HIV-related clinical characteristics. STUDY TYPE: Cross-sectional. POPULATION: A total of 80 asymptomatic PLWH (age: 53 years [47-56 years]; 90% male) and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy participants. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: A 3-T, cine sequence, T1, T2, and T2* mapping. ASSESSMENT: Function analysis was derived from short axis, two-, three-, and four-chamber cine images by feature tracking. Regions of interest were manually selected in the midventricular septum T1, T2, and T2* mapping sequences. PLWH were evaluated for T1 increment (△T1 mapping = native T1 - cutoff values) and HIV-related clinical characteristics, particularly the nadir CD4 count. And PLWH were stratified into two groups according to the cutoff value of native T1: elevated native T1 and normal. STATISTICAL TESTS: T test, Wilcoxon rank-sum test, Chi-square test, Spearman rank correlation, and logistic regression. P <0.05 indicated statistical significance. RESULTS: Asymptomatic PLWH revealed significantly higher native myocardial T1 values (1241 ± 29 msec vs. 1189 ± 21 msec), T2 values (40.7 ± 1.5 msec vs. 37.9 ± 1.4 msec), and lower LVGRS (30.2% ± 6.2% vs. 35.8% ± 6.4%), LVGCS (-18.0% ± 2.5% vs. -19.5% ± 2.0%), and LVGLS (-16.0% ± 3.8% vs. -17.9% ± 2.6%) but showed no difference in T2* values (17.3 msec [16.3-19.1 msec] vs. 18.3 msec [16.5-19.3 msec], P = 0.201). A negative correlation between the native T1 increment in PLWH with subclinical myocardial injury and the nadir CD4 count (u = -0.316). Nadir CD4 count <500 cells/mm3 was associated with higher odds of elevated native T1 myocardial values (odds ratio, 6.12 [95% CI, 1.07-34.91]) in PLWH. DATA CONCLUSION: Subclinical myocardial inflammation and dysfunction were present in asymptomatic PLWH, and a lower nadir CD4 count may be a risk factor for subclinical myocardial injury. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 1. TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

The Distribution Characteristics and Potential Risk Assessment of Lead in the Soil of Tieguanyin Tea Plantations in Anxi County, China.

Assessing the distribution and risks associated with the soil lead content in the Tieguanyin tea plantations of Anxi County is critical, given the county's significance as the primary Tieguanyin tea production area in Fujian Province. This study examined the distribution characteristics of soil lead in Anxi County's tea plantations according to the Kriging spatial interpolation of the parameters of the semivariance function of the exponential model. Moreover, the sources of lead content were analyzed, considering geological backgrounds and anthropogenic influences. Ecological risks and the issuance of early warnings were also assessed. The soil lead content in the rocks of the Tieguanyin tea plantations in Anxi County followed the order: andesite > dacite > rhyolite > granite. The soil lead content gradually decreased from the center toward the east and west, forming four distinct north-south parallel zones. High-lead-content areas were identified at the border of Jiandou, Bailai, and Hushang; in the central part of Lutian; and in the southern part of Huqiu. The high levels of soil lead in the tea plantations possibly originated from industrial and mining activities, automobile exhaust, and agricultural activities. The distribution of single-factor pollution indices and potential risk evaluation based on the Soil Environmental Quality Standard, Environmental Technical Conditions for Tea Production Area, and Environmental Technical Conditions for Organic Tea Production Area indicated that the soil in Tieguanyin tea plantations in Anxi County was clean and safe for tea cultivation.

Trends in the prevalence of conduct disorder from 1990 to 2019: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

Conduct disorder is one of the least widely recognized and studied psychiatric disorders. This study aimed to comprehensively analyze the burden of conduct disorder at the global, regional, and national levels based on the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 estimates. Globally, the age-standardized prevalence rates (ASPRs) of conduct disorder slightly increased from 1990 to 2019 with an estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) at 0.147. Males had a higher burden than females, but females had a greater increment in ASPRs than males over time. In 2019, the highest ASPR of conduct disorder was observed in Western Europe, followed by Eastern Europe, with the lowest one found in East Asia, then South Asia. However, the most significant increment in ASPRs was observed in high-income North America, followed by East Asia, and South Asia. The EAPCs at the national level were negatively associated with the ASPRs in 1990. The burden of conduct disorder continues to increase globally, especially in high-income North America, East Asia, and South Asia, and should have more attention focused on it.

Multiplex Chemical Labeling of Amino Acids for Protein Footprinting Structure Assessment.

Protein footprinting with mass spectrometry is an established structural biology technique for mapping solvent accessibility and assessing molecular-level interactions of proteins. In hydroxyl radical protein footprinting (HRPF), hydroxyl (OH) radicals generated by water radiolysis or other methods covalently label protein side chains. Because of the wide dynamic range of OH reactivity, not all side chains are easily detected in a single experiment. Novel reagent development and the use of radical chain reactions for labeling, including trifluoromethyl radicals, is a potential approach to normalize the labeling across a diverse set of residues. HRPF in the presence of a trifluoromethylation reagent under the right conditions could provide a "one-pot" reaction for multiplex labeling of protein side chains. Toward this goal, we have systematically evaluated amino acid labeling with the recently investigated Langlois' reagent (LR) activated by X-ray-mediated water radiolysis, followed by three different mass spectrometry methods. We compared the reactivity of CF3 and OH radical labeling for all 20 protein side chains in a competition-free environment. We found that all 20 amino acids exhibited CF3 or OH labeling in LR. Our investigations provide the evidence and knowledge set to perfect hydroxyl radical-activated trifluoromethyl chemistry as "one-pot" reaction for multiplex labeling of protein side chains to achieve higher resolution in HRPF.

Case Report: Predicting the Range of Lamotrigine Concentration Using Pharmacokinetic Models Based on Monte Carlo Simulation: A Case Study of Antiepileptic Drug-Related Leukopenia.

Lamotrigine (LTG), a wide-spectrum antiepileptic drug, is frequently associated with cutaneous side-effects, whereas hematological side-effects such as leukopenia have rarely been reported for it. We report the case of a 15-year-old Chinese female epileptic patient weighing 60 kg who developed combined asymptomatic leukopenia after receiving concomitant therapy with LTG and valproate acid (VPA). In this case report, antiepileptic drug-related leukopenia may have occurred in definite relation to an increase in LTG concentration and reversed with the discontinuation of VPA. Monte Carlo (MC) simulations were performed to estimate the steady-state serum concentrations (C ss ) of LTG for different dosing regimens in adolescent Chinese epileptic patients weighing the same as the patient considered in the case study, based on pharmacokinetic (PK) models published in past research. Adjustments to the dosage of LTG for the patient were analyzed to illustrate the application of MC simulations and verify the results. The predicted LTG concentrations within a prediction interval between the 10th and 90th percentiles that represented 80% of the simulated populations, could adequately capture the measured LTG concentrations of the patient, indicating that MC simulations are a useful tool for estimating drug concentrations. Clinicians may benefit from the timely probabilistic predictions of the range of drug concentration based on an MC simulation that considers a large sample of virtual patients. The case considered here highlights the importance of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) and implementing model-informed precision dosing in the course of a patient's individualized treatment to minimize adverse reactions.

Beyond Sociodemographic and COVID-19-Related Factors: The Association Between the Need for Psychological and Information Support from School and Anxiety and Depression.

BACKGROUND In addition to sociodemographic and COVID-19- related factors, the needs of school support, including material, psychological and information support, have seldom been discussed as factors influencing anxiety and depression among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIAL AND METHODS In this cross-sectional study, 3351 college students from China were surveyed through questionnaires about their sociodemographic and COVID-19 characteristics, the needs of school support, and their experiences with anxiety and depression. RESULTS Anxiety and depression were reported by 6.88% and 10.50% of students, respectively. Married, higher education, non-medical, and urban students had significantly higher risks of anxiety or depression. Additionally, symptoms such as cough and fever, especially when following a possible contact with suspected individuals, quarantine history of a personal contact, going out 1-3 times a week, not wearing a mask, and spending 2-3 hours browsing COVID-19-related information were significantly associated with the occurrence of anxiety or depression. Those who used methods to regulate their emotional state, used a psychological hotline, and who had visited a psychiatrist showed higher anxiety or depression. Those who used online curricula and books, used preventive methods for COVID-19, and who had real-time information about the epidemic situation of the school showed lower anxiety and depression. CONCLUSIONS In addition to sociodemographic and COVID-19-related aspects, students' needs for psychological assistance and information from schools were also associated with anxiety and depression among college students.

Focusing on quality of life in the family caregivers of patients with schizophrenia from the perspective of family functioning: A cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACT: The study aimed to explore the association between family functioning and quality of life (QOL) in family caregivers of patients with schizophrenia.Totally 121 family caregivers were surveyed in the cross-sectional study by the self-administration questionnaires about sociodemographic characteristics, family functioning and QOL. Family functioning was evaluated in terms of the family assessment device and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale II China Version. QOL was evaluated in terms of TSDHE short-form 12-item health survey, version 2. Multiple regression models were built to explore the association between QOL and family functioning.A regression analysis showed that poorer physical health of family caregivers was significantly associated with the lower educational level of caregivers, the closer kinship with patients and the multiple episodes schizophrenia. The other regression analysis showed that better family adaptability and affective responsiveness were significantly associated with the better mental health of family caregivers.Family functioning is associated with mental health rather than the physical health of family caregivers. Psychoeducational intervention could focus on family caregivers with a lower educational level and closer kinship, and those who look after patients with multiple episodes schizophrenia. Further family intervention could focus on family adaptability and affective expression in family caregivers of patients with schizophrenia.

Decision analysis and reinforcement learning in surgical decision-making.

BACKGROUND: Surgical patients incur preventable harm from cognitive and judgment errors made under time constraints and uncertainty regarding patients' diagnoses and predicted response to treatment. Decision analysis and techniques of reinforcement learning theoretically can mitigate these challenges but are poorly understood and rarely used clinically. This review seeks to promote an understanding of decision analysis and reinforcement learning by describing their use in the context of surgical decision-making. METHODS: Cochrane, EMBASE, and PubMed databases were searched from their inception to June 2019. Included were 41 articles about cognitive and diagnostic errors, decision-making, decision analysis, and machine-learning. The articles were assimilated into relevant categories according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. RESULTS: Requirements for time-consuming manual data entry and crude representations of individual patients and clinical context compromise many traditional decision-support tools. Decision analysis methods for calculating probability thresholds can inform population-based recommendations that jointly consider risks, benefits, costs, and patient values but lack precision for individual patient-centered decisions. Reinforcement learning, a machine-learning method that mimics human learning, can use a large set of patient-specific input data to identify actions yielding the greatest probability of achieving a goal. This methodology follows a sequence of events with uncertain conditions, offering potential advantages for personalized, patient-centered decision-making. Clinical application would require secure integration of multiple data sources and attention to ethical considerations regarding liability for errors and individual patient preferences. CONCLUSION: Traditional decision-support tools are ill-equipped to accommodate time constraints and uncertainty regarding diagnoses and the predicted response to treatment, both of which often impair surgical decision-making. Decision analysis and reinforcement learning have the potential to play complementary roles in delivering high-value surgical care through sound judgment and optimal decision-making.

Clinical assessment of uterine artery embolization combined with curettage when treating patients with cesarean scar pregnancy: A retrospective study of 169 cases.

AIM: Recent years have witnessed an elevated incidence of cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP). However, the clinical complications and consequences of uterine artery embolization (UAE) and curettage treatment for CSP patients are not clear. We aimed to assess menstrual recovery and other clinically pertinent factors after UAE and curettage treatment in CSP patients. METHODS: A total of 169 CSP patients who underwent UAE combined with curettage between August 2013 and August 2017 were enrolled in this study. The menstruation recovery was recorded, and the factors that potentially affected menstrual blood volume (MBV) were analyzed. RESULTS: Among the 169 CSP cases, 36 had asymptomatics (21.3%), 133 vaginal hemorrhage (78.7%) and 19 lower abdominal pain (11.2%). The success rate of treatment was 96.4% with six patients undergoing further treatment. The follow-up assessment was performed in 139 of 169 patients. About 83 of 139 (59.7%) patients had reduced MBV, and 2 patients (1.4%) had amenorrhea. There was a significant difference in numbers of abortions between the decreased and normal MBV group (P = 0.0276). Importantly, 16 of 42 cases who were planning on having babies became pregnant, with 8 from the decreased (8/27) and normal MBV (8/15) group each. CONCLUSION: UAE combined with curettage treatment in CSP patients demonstrates a favorable success rate, which can also reduce MBV and proceeding pregnancy rate.

Spatio-temporal variations of sedimentary metals in a large suburban lake in southwest China and the implications for anthropogenic processes.

Environment quality of suburban and urban lakes receives special attention due to their great impacted by human perturbations and important roles in ecosystem services. Herein, the spatio-temporal variations of 10 metal and metalloid elements in 13 sediment cores from a large suburban lake (Dianchi) were studied to explore the changes in sedimentary environment and pollution and their associations with human activities since the last century. Concentrations of each element were largely varied at spatial scales, but showed similar vertical trends among the profiles, suggesting comparable changes in sedimentary processes in each lake region. Cluster analysis showed two groups of elements: group I includes Al, Ti, Cu, Cr and Ni, and group II includes As, Cd, Hg, Pb and Zn. Temporally, concentrations of all elements were generally constant until the 1950s. Thereafter, group I elements along with the clay percentage started to decrease, indicating accelerated input of coarser soils due to strengthening human perturbation and changing land use. However, group II elements showed increasing values of concentrations, particularly the enrichment factors (EF = 1.0-10.8), which peaked between mid-1990s and 2000, indicating continued pollutants input with watershed economic development. With the implementation of environment management measures, pollution was initially restrained or reduced in recent decades as indicated by the stable EFs and sedimentary fluxes of Cd, Hg, Pb and Zn and decreasing values of As. Spatially, the stocks of anthropogenic As, Cd, Hg, Pb and Zn were higher in the northern while lower in the southern lake area. This spatial difference was mainly due to the large input of industrial and domestic wastewaters in the northern compared to the area in the southern that receives runoff from agricultural and forested land. Overall, the spatio-temporal patterns in accumulation of metal and metalloid elements in the lake reliably reflected the impacts of watershed human activities.

Comparing clinical judgment with the MySurgeryRisk algorithm for preoperative risk assessment: A pilot usability study.

BACKGROUND: Major postoperative complications are associated with increased cost and mortality. The complexity of electronic health records overwhelms physicians' abilities to use the information for optimal and timely preoperative risk assessment. We hypothesized that data-driven, predictive-risk algorithms implemented in an intelligent decision-support platform simplify and augment physicians' risk assessments. METHODS: This prospective, nonrandomized pilot study of 20 physicians at a quaternary academic medical center compared the usability and accuracy of preoperative risk assessment between physicians and MySurgeryRisk, a validated, machine-learning algorithm, using a simulated workflow for the real-time, intelligent decision-support platform. We used area under the receiver operating characteristic curve to compare the accuracy of physicians' risk assessment for six postoperative complications before and after interaction with the algorithm for 150 clinical cases. RESULTS: The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the MySurgeryRisk algorithm ranged between 0.73 and 0.85 and was significantly better than physicians' initial risk assessments (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve between 0.47 and 0.69) for all postoperative complications except cardiovascular. After interaction with the algorithm, the physicians significantly improved their risk assessment for acute kidney injury and for an intensive care unit admission greater than 48 hours, resulting in a net improvement of reclassification of 12% and 16%, respectively. Physicians rated the algorithm as easy to use and useful. CONCLUSION: Implementation of a validated, MySurgeryRisk computational algorithm for real-time predictive analytics with data derived from the electronic health records to augment physicians' decision-making is feasible and accepted by physicians. Early involvement of physicians as key stakeholders in both design and implementation of this technology will be crucial for its future success.

[Contamination and Potential Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in the Sediments of Yilong Lake, Southwest China].

The concentrations of Al, Ti, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Hg and chemical speciation of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in four short cores sampled from the Yilong Lake, Yunnan Province were analyzed. The vertical and spatial features in the pollution levels and potential ecological risks of heavy metals in the sediments were studied. Except for the wide concentration ranges of Cd, the metals in the sediments showed narrow variations in their concentrations with coefficients of variation less than 0.3. According to the cluster analysis results, all metals could be classified into two groups:metals in group Ⅰ included As, Cd, Hg, and Pb, while metals in group Ⅱ included Al, Ti, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn. The metals in each group exhibited similar vertical variations in each core, but their variations were highly different between the cores. The correlation analysis results demonstrated that the variations in metal concentrations in the sediments were greatly regulated by the sediment texture. Therefore, the enrichment factor (EF) method was used for the differentiation of metals from the natural and anthropogenic sources and for the pollution assessment based on the total metal concentrations. The Cd and Pb in the sediments were mainly presented in the reducible speciation with percentages of 48% and 42%, respectively; Cr, Cu, Zn, and Ni were primarily (68%-82%) associated with the residual speciation. Based on the EF and chemical speciation of metals and their enrichment coefficients of the secondary phase, Cd was the typical pollutant with moderate pollution on average, and the other elements were observed in non-to weak pollution levels. Anthropogenic metals were mainly associated with the extractable speciation in the sediment. Combining the ecological risk index, the sediment quality guidelines, as well as the pollution level and chemical speciation of metals, As, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the surface sediments of Yilong Lake should have low potential ecological risk. However, Cd may pose a high potential ecological risk.

Working toward precision medicine: Predicting phenotypes from exomes in the Critical Assessment of Genome Interpretation (CAGI) challenges.

Precision medicine aims to predict a patient's disease risk and best therapeutic options by using that individual's genetic sequencing data. The Critical Assessment of Genome Interpretation (CAGI) is a community experiment consisting of genotype-phenotype prediction challenges; participants build models, undergo assessment, and share key findings. For CAGI 4, three challenges involved using exome-sequencing data: Crohn's disease, bipolar disorder, and warfarin dosing. Previous CAGI challenges included prior versions of the Crohn's disease challenge. Here, we discuss the range of techniques used for phenotype prediction as well as the methods used for assessing predictive models. Additionally, we outline some of the difficulties associated with making predictions and evaluating them. The lessons learned from the exome challenges can be applied to both research and clinical efforts to improve phenotype prediction from genotype. In addition, these challenges serve as a vehicle for sharing clinical and research exome data in a secure manner with scientists who have a broad range of expertise, contributing to a collaborative effort to advance our understanding of genotype-phenotype relationships.

Intelligent Perioperative System: Towards Real-time Big Data Analytics in Surgery Risk Assessment.

Surgery risk assessment is an effective tool for physicians to manage the treatment of patients, but most current research projects fall short in providing a comprehensive platform to evaluate the patients' surgery risk in terms of different complications. The recent evolution of big data analysis techniques makes it possible to develop a real-time platform to dynamically analyze the surgery risk from large-scale patients information. In this paper, we propose the Intelligent Perioperative System (IPS), a real-time system that assesses the risk of postoperative complications (PC) and dynamically interacts with physicians to improve the predictive results. In order to process large volume patients data in real-time, we design the system by integrating several big data computing and storage frameworks with the high through-output streaming data processing components. We also implement a system prototype along with the visualization results to show the feasibility of system design.

Distribution, mass inventories, and ecological risk assessment of legacy and emerging contaminants in sediments from the Pearl River Estuary in China.

This study focused on comparing the occurrences and environmental toxic risks for diverse priority and emerging contaminants (>100 chemicals) in the sediments from the Pearl River Estuary (PRE, China). The most predominant compounds were cationic surfactants, organophosphate flame retardants (e.g., triisobutylphosphate), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), accounting for >75% of the total mass inventory (∼330 metric tons). Wastewater discharges seem to be one of the main sources of pollution in the area, as the highest concentrations (>1000ngg-1 for some chemicals) were reported in the upper part of the PRE (near Guangzhou city) and Macau. Highest levels of ultraviolet (UV) filters, however, were observed in recreational areas, revealing the importance of direct sources (e.g., outdoor activities). An environmental risk assessment showed that PAHs and dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene had the highest hazard quotient (HQ) values (up to 233). Nonylphenol, a metabolite from nonionic surfactant, and two UV filters (2-ethyl-hexyl-4-trimethoxycinnamate and 4-methylbenzylidene camphor) also posed a significant threat to benthic species (HQ>1). Further research through the realization of monitoring campaigns and toxicity tests is encouraged, as the exposure of the resident aquatic organisms and human population to these and other emerging chemicals is expected to increase over the years.

Closing yield gaps in China by empowering smallholder farmers.

Sustainably feeding the world's growing population is a challenge, and closing yield gaps (that is, differences between farmers' yields and what are attainable for a given region) is a vital strategy to address this challenge. The magnitude of yield gaps is particularly large in developing countries where smallholder farming dominates the agricultural landscape. Many factors and constraints interact to limit yields, and progress in problem-solving to bring about changes at the ground level is rare. Here we present an innovative approach for enabling smallholders to achieve yield and economic gains sustainably via the Science and Technology Backyard (STB) platform. STB involves agricultural scientists living in villages among farmers, advancing participatory innovation and technology transfer, and garnering public and private support. We identified multifaceted yield-limiting factors involving agronomic, infrastructural, and socioeconomic conditions. When these limitations and farmers' concerns were addressed, the farmers adopted recommended management practices, thereby improving production outcomes. In one region in China, the five-year average yield increased from 67.9% of the attainable level to 97.0% among 71 leading farmers, and from 62.8% to 79.6% countywide (93,074 households); this was accompanied by resource and economic benefits.

Free triiodothyronine in relation to coronary severity at different ages: Gensini score assessment in 4206 euthyroid patients.

OBJECTIVE: To study whether free triiodothyronine (FT3) within normal range has effects on the presence and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) in different gender and age groups. METHODS: A total of 4206 euthyroid patients were consecutively enrolled and divided into CAD group (n = 3306) and non-CAD group (n = 900). All patients underwent coronary angiography (CAG). Gensini score (GS) was used to determine the severity of coronary artery stenosis. Severe CAD was defined as GS > 32 and mild CAD was defined as GS ≤ 32. Logistic regression analysis and linear regression analysis were conducted to determine the association of FT3 with CAD in patients with different gender and ages. RESULTS: Concentration of FT3 was lower in patients with CAD than that in angiography-normal control group (P < 0.05). In addition, concentration of FT3 was lower in severe CAD than that in mild CAD. After adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors and potential confounders, FT3 was negatively correlated with the presence of CAD, but not in the old patients (> 65 years old). Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that FT3 was negatively associated with GS in male and young patients with stable CAD, but not in the old patients. CONCLUSIONS: Low FT3 within normal range was negatively associated with the presence and severity of CAD in young patients, but not in the old ones. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Economic Performance and Sustainability of a Novel Intercropping System on the North China Plain.

Double cropping of wheat and maize is common on the North China Plain, but it provides limited income to rural households due to the small farm sizes in the region. Local farmers in Quzhou County have therefore innovated their production system by integration of watermelon as a companion cash crop into the system. We examine the economic performance and sustainability of this novel intercropping system using crop yield data from 2010 to 2012 and farm household survey data collected in 2012. Our results show that the gross margin of the intercropping system exceeded that of the double cropping system by more than 50% in 2012. Labor use in the intercropping system was more than three times that in double cropping. The lower returns per labor hour in intercropping, however, exceeded the average off-farm wage in the region by a significant margin. Nutrient surpluses and irrigation water use are significant larger under the intercropping system. We conclude that the novel wheat-maize/watermelon intercropping system contributes to rural poverty alleviation and household-level food security, by raising farm incomes and generating more employment, but needs further improvement to enhance its sustainability.

High-density lipoprotein subfractions in relation with the severity of coronary artery disease: A Gensini score assessment.

BACKGROUND: The exact role of different high-density lipoprotein (HDL) subfractions in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD) has not yet been fully explored. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between HDL subfractions and the severity of CAD in patients without statin therapy. METHODS: A total of 382 consecutive patients (mean: 55.36 ± 11.30 years of age) who underwent coronary angiography from angina-like chest pain were investigated. Patients were classified into 2 groups according to the angiographic results: a CAD group (n = 283) and a control group (n = 99). The distribution of HDL subfractions was analyzed using a Quantimetrix Lipoprint HDL system. CAD severity was measured by Gensini score (GS). RESULTS: Compared with the control group, HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), large HDL-C level, and the large HDL subfraction percentages in the CAD group were significantly lower (P = .002, P < .001, P < .001, respectively). Meanwhile, a small HDL-C level and the percentage of small HDL subfraction were significantly higher (P = .003, P < .001, respectively). Correlation analysis showed that the percentage of a large HDL subfraction was negatively correlated with GS (ß = -0.191, P = .005), whereas the percentage of a small HDL subfraction positively correlated with GS (ß = 0.145, P = .023) in patients with CAD. CONCLUSIONS: Small HDL subfraction was associated with the presence of CAD, whereas the percentage of large HDL and small HDL subfraction was negatively and positively associated with the severity of CAD, respectively.

Relation of ABO blood groups to the severity of coronary atherosclerosis: an Gensini score assessment.

OBJECTIVE: Although the study on the relationship between ABO blood groups and coronary atherosclerosis has a long history, few data is available regarding ABO to severity of coronary atherosclerosis in a large cohort study. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the relation of the ABO blood groups to the severity of coronary atherosclerosis assessed by Gensini score (GS) in a large Chinese cohort undergoing coronary angiography. METHODS: A total of 2919 consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography were enrolled, and their baseline characteristics and ABO blood groups were collected. The GS was calculated as 1st tertile (0-10), 2nd tertile (11-36), 3rd tertile (>36) according to angiographic results. The relation of the ABO blood groups to GS was investigated. RESULTS: The frequency of blood group A was significantly higher in the upper GS tertiles (24.4% vs. 28.2% vs. 29.5%, p = 0.032). Multivariable linear regression analysis revealed that blood group A was independently associated with GS (ß = 0.043, p = 0.017). Likewise, multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that group A remained significantly associated with mid-high GS (OR = 1.44, 95% CI 1.16-1.80, p = 0.001), and the group O was showed as a protective factor (OR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.65-0.92, p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: In this large Chinese cohort study, the data indicated that there was an association between ABO blood groups and the severity of coronary atherosclerosis. Moreover, the blood group A was an independent risk factor for serious coronary atherosclerosis.