Adherence to dietary guide for elderly adults and health risks of older adults in ethnic minority areas in China: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The impact of dietary guidelines on health in ethnic minority regions needs to be further explored because of multiple sociocultural factors. Therefore, this study was conducted to analyze the association between adherence to dietary guidelines and health risks in an elderly population in an ethnic minority region. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 836 older adults in ethnic minority areas. They were asked to describe their daily dietary intake levels through a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The closeness coefficient for each study subject was calculated by using the technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS), which measures the adherence to Dietary Guide for Elderly Adults (DGEA). Regression models were used to analyze the association between adherence and health risks. RESULTS: The daily food of the elderly in this area comprised cereals and vegetables. They had low intake of milk, dairy products, and water and high intake of salt. The closeness coefficient for the total population was 0.51, and the adherence of this population to dietary guidelines for the elderly was low. In both the crude model and the models adjusted for covariates, the closeness coefficient was not significantly associated with clinical indicators and health outcomes (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: No association was found between adherence to large sample-based dietary guidelines and clinical indicators or health outcomes in ethnic minority populations. The applicability of dietary guidelines to ethnic minority areas and whether they yield the expected health benefits require further study.

Association of liver and kidney functions with Klotho gene methylation in a population environment exposed to cadmium in China.

Exposure to the heavy metal cadmium has adverse effects on human health, including DNA methylation. This study aimed to investigate the effects of cadmium on liver and kidney functions and Klotho gene methylation and to explore the relationship of methylation level with indicators of liver and kidney functions. Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry was conducted to determine urinary cadmium, and an automatic biochemical analyzer was used to detect indices of liver and kidney functions. PCR pyrosequencing was performed to detect the methylation rate of Klotho. One-way ANOVA was adopted to compare the differences between groups, and the linear correlation to variables was analyzed. Cadmium exposure was negatively correlated with albumin level (r=-0.143, p=0.021) and positively correlated with urinary ß2-microglobulin level (r=0.229, p<0.001). However, the methylation levels of Klotho gene was decreased and increased by low and high doses of cadmium exposure, respectively. And Klothomethylation levels were negatively correlated with albumin levels and positively correlated with ß2-microglobulin levels.In this study, cadmium exposure affects liver and kidney functions as well as Klotho methylation levels, but the effect on Klotho methylation levels is not linear. Klotho methylation levels also influence liver and kidney functions.

Histamine Enhances Theta-Coupled Spiking and Gamma Oscillations in the Medial Entorhinal Cortex Consistent With Successful Spatial Recognition.

Encoding of spatial information in the superficial layers of the medial entorhinal cortex (sMEC) involves theta-modulated spiking and gamma oscillations, as well as spatially tuned grid cells and border cells. Little is known about the role of the arousal-promoting histaminergic system in the modification of information encoded in the sMEC in vivo, and how such histamine-regulated information correlates with behavioral functions. Here, we show that histamine upregulates the neural excitability of a significant proportion of neurons (16.32%, 39.18%, and 52.94% at 30 µM, 300 µM, and 3 mM, respectively) and increases local theta (4-12 Hz) and gamma power (low: 25-48 Hz; high: 60-120 Hz) in the sMEC, through activation of histamine receptor types 1 and 3. During spatial exploration, the strength of theta-modulated firing of putative principal neurons and high gamma oscillations is enhanced about 2-fold by histamine. The histamine-mediated increase of theta phase-locking of spikes and high gamma power is consistent with successful spatial recognition. These results, for the first time, reveal possible mechanisms involving the arousal-promoting histaminergic system in the modulation of spatial cognition.

Impact of meteorological factors on mumps and potential effect modifiers: An analysis of 10 cities in Guangxi, Southern China.

BACKGROUND: In the current context of global climate change, understanding the impact of climate on respiratory infectious diseases such as mumps and the potential modified factors is crucial, especially in developing countries. However, research on the climate-related incidence of mumps is rare, inconsistent and mainly limited to a single city or region. METHODS: Daily mumps cases and meteorological variables of 10 cities in Guangxi, Southern China were collected for 2005-2017. Two-stage analyses were performed to assess the relationship between meteorological factors and mumps incidence during two time-periods: 2005-2012 and 2013-2017, separately. First, a Poisson regression model that allows over-dispersion was used to estimate the city-specific climate-related morbidity after controlling for temporal trends, day of week, and national statutory holidays. Then, we used a multivariate meta-analytical model to pool the city-specific effect estimates and conducted subgroup analyses. Multivariate meta-regression was applied to detect potential effect modifiers. RESULTS: Non-linear relationships were observed among mean temperature, wind speed, and mumps incidence in 2005-2012. The impact of high temperature on mumps incidence was short and rapid, whereas the impact of low temperature was long and slow. The total cumulative relative risk (RR) associated with hot temperature was 1.18 [95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.93, 1.48], which was calculated by comparing the incidence of mumps above the 90th percentile of temperature with its incidence at the median temperature at lag of 0-30 days. Meanwhile, the RR associated with cold temperature was calculated to be 1.50 (95% CI: 1.08, 2.10) by comparing the incidence of mumps below the 10th percentile of temperature with its incidence at the median temperature. Similarly, the RRs associated with windless and windy conditions for the total population were 1.23 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.46) and 0.83 (95% CI: 0.67, 1.02), respectively. Effects based on extreme temperature and wind speed conditions were more prominent in males than in females. Compared with children and adults, adolescents (5-14 years old) were more sensitive to extreme weather conditions. Geographical latitude, Population density, GDP per capita, Number of health institutions, Highly educated population and Inoculation rate were considered the most likely associated modifiers. In addition, the correlation between meteorological factors and the incidence of mumps and modification of socioeconomic factors after 2013 showed similar curves compared with results in 2005-2012, but the cumulative effect was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Meteorological factors, such as temperature and wind speed, exert a significant impact on the incidence of mumps. The relationship varies depending on gender and age. Socioeconomic factors such as vaccination, GDP, geographical latitude, etc. may substantially affect the weather-related mumps incidence.

The hypocretin/orexin system: an increasingly important role in neuropsychiatry.

Hypocretins, also named as orexins, are excitatory neuropeptides secreted by neurons specifically located in lateral hypothalamus and perifornical areas. Orexinergic fibers are extensively distributed in various brain regions and involved in a number of physiological functions, such as arousal, cognition, stress, appetite, and metabolism. Arousal is the most important function of orexin system as dysfunction of orexin signaling leads to narcolepsy. In addition to narcolepsy, orexin dysfunction is associated with serious neural disorders, including addiction, depression, and anxiety. However, some results linking orexin with these disorders are still contradictory, which may result from differences of detection methods or the precision of tools used in measurements; strategies targeted to orexin system (e.g., antagonists to orexin receptors, gene delivery, and cell transplantation) are promising new tools for treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, though studies are still in a stage of preclinical or clinical research.

Total cerebral small vessel disease burden and stroke outcomes in large vessel occlusion stroke receiving endovascular treatment: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is prevalent in the population, especially among the elderly. Various types of CSVD markers commonly coexist, and the neurological function outcome is affected by their combined effect. Studies investigating the association between total CSVD burden and stroke outcomes in large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke receiving endovascular treatment (EVT) are expanding but have not been systematically assessed. METHODS: We systematically searched the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases for relevant clinical studies. The total CSVD burden score summarized the markers of CSVD, including lacunes, white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), cerebral microbleeds (CMBs), and enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVSs), which was a comprehensive index of overall CSVD burden. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) were used to calculate the association between high total CSVD burden score and outcomes of EVT in patients with LVO stroke. The primary outcome was poor functional outcome, which was defined as a modified Rankin Scale score (mRS) ≥ 3 at 90 days after EVT. The secondary outcomes were symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) and poor collateral flow. RESULTS: Overall, 6 eligible studies with 1,774 patients with LVO stroke undergoing EVT were pooled in meta-analysis. High overall CSVD burden score was significantly associated with increased risks of poor functional outcome at 90 days (pooled OR 2.86, 95 % CI 1.31-6.25, p = 0.008). Besides, high overall CSVD burden score was associated with sICH (pooled OR 2.07, 95 % CI 0.38-5.17; p = 0.118) and poor collateral flow (pooled OR 1.57, 95 % CI 0.75-3.27; p = 0.232), but were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: High overall CSVD burden was associated with increased risks of unfavorable outcomes in patients with LVO stroke undergoing EVT.

Clinical Predictors of Mixed Apneas in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).

Purpose: Mixed events in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients (mixed-OSA) indicate respiratory regulation instability and are essential for OSA pathogenesis and prognosis. It also shows a decreased compliance with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Using predictors to identify mixed-OSA has significant clinical guidance for OSA precise diagnosis and treatment. This study aimed to establish a simple and accessible method for rapid screening of mixed-OSA, thus promoting OSA precise diagnosis. Patients and Methods: A total of 907 patients with suspected OSA were screened, of which 513 OSA patients, including 344 with pure-OSA and 169 with mixed-OSA, were finally included in the study. The clinical characteristics and polysomnography (PSG) parameters of the two OSA groups were compared. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the factors affecting the morbidity of mixed-OSA. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to explore if some convenient PSG parameters can be used to predict mixed-OSA. Results: About 33% of OSA patients were identified as mixed-OSA. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that apnea hypopnea index (AHI) and lowest oxygen saturation (LSO2) were independently associated with mixed-OSA after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), smoking, drinking, hypertension, and Epworth Sleepiness Score (ESS) (AHI: OR=1.046, 95% CI 1.032-1.060, P < 0.001; LSO2: OR=0.958, 95% CI 0.936-0.981, P < 0.001). ROC curve analysis showed that AHI > 47 or LSO2 < 77% indicated mixed-OSA. The sensitivity and specificity of AHI> 47 was 0.952 and 0.652, respectively, and 0.822 and 0.675 for LSO2 < 77%, respectively. Conclusion: Our research found that AHI > 47 or LSO2 < 77% are independently associated with mixed-OSA and can be used to quickly identify the occurrence of mixed-OSA. Therefore, this study can help detect mixed-OSA and precise individual diagnosis of OSA patients.

Association between TFEB gene polymorphism, gene-environment interaction, and fatty liver disease: A case-control study in China.

BACKGROUND: Fatty liver disease (FLD) is a serious public health problem that is rapidly increasing. Evidence indicates that the transcription factor EB (TFEB) gene may be involved in the pathophysiology of FLD; however, whether TEFB polymorphism has an association with FLD remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: To explore the association among TFEB polymorphism, gene-environment interaction, and FLD and provide epidemiological evidence for clarifying the genetic factors of FLD. METHODS: This study is a case-control study. Sequenom MassARRAY was applied in genotyping. Logical regression was used to analyze the association between TFEB polymorphism and FLD, and the gene-environment interaction in FLD was evaluated by multiplication and additive interaction models. RESULTS: (1) The alleles and genotypes of each single nucleotide polymorphism and haplotypes of TFEB in the case and control groups were evenly distributed; no statistically substantial difference was observed. (2) Logistic regression analysis indicated that TFEB polymorphism is not remarkably associated with FLD. (3) In the multiplicative interaction model, rs1015149, rs1062966, rs11754668 and rs2273068 had remarkable interaction with the amount of cigarette smoking. Rs1062966 and rs11754668 also had a considerable interaction body mass index and alcohol intake, respectively. However, no remarkable additive interaction was observed. CONCLUSION: TFEB polymorphism is not directly associated with FLD susceptibility, but the risk can be changed through gene-environment interaction.

Effects of Gene and Plasma Tau on Cognitive Impairment in Rural Chinese Population.

BACKGROUND: Sufficient attention was not paid to the effects of microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) and plasma tau protein on cognition. OBJECTIVE: A total of 3072 people in rural China were recruited. They were provided with questionnaires, and blood samples were obtained. METHODS: The MMSE score was used to divide the population into cognitive impairment group and control group. First, logistic regression analysis was used to explore the possible factors influencing cognitive function. Second, 1837 samples were selected for SNP detection through stratified sampling. Third, 288 samples were selected to test three plasma biomarkers (tau, phosphorylated tau, and Aß-42). RESULTS: For the MAPT rs242557, people with AG genotypes were 1.32 times more likely to develop cognitive impairment than those with AA genotypes, and people with GG genotypes were 1.47 times more likely to develop cognitive impairment than those with AG phenotypes. The plasma tau protein concentration was also increased in the population carrying G (P = 0.020). The plasma tau protein was negatively correlated with the MMSE score (P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: The mutation of MAPT rs242557 (A > G) increased the risk of cognitive impairment and the concentration of plasma tau protein.

Effects of the association between APOE rs405509 polymorphisms and gene-environment interactions on hand grip strength among middle-aged and elderly people in a rural population in southern China.

BACKGROUND: Hand grip strength is a complex phenotype. The current study aimed to identify the effects of the association between APOE rs405509 polymorphisms and gene-environment interactions on hand grip strength among middle-aged and elderly people in a rural population in Gongcheng, southern China. METHODS: APOE rs405509 polymorphisms in 1724 participants (695 men and 1029 women, aged 45-97 years old) were genotyped using the Sequenom MassARRAY platform. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 21.0 and Plink 1.90. RESULTS: The APOE rs405509 G allele was associated with lower hand grip strength in all participants (ß = -1.04, P value <0.001), and the correlation seemed to be even stronger among women. A significant gene-environment interaction was observed between APOE rs405509 and smoking, especially in men. The hand grip strength of male smokers carrying the GG genotype was significantly higher than that of nonsmokers (P value = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: APOE rs405509 polymorphisms might be genetic factors that affect hand grip strength in a rural population in Gongcheng, southern China. The APOE rs405509-smoking interaction has an impact on hand grip strength.

Effects of Oil Tea on Obesity and Dyslipidemia: A Cross-Sectional Study in China.

BACKGROUND: Animal experiments have found that oil tea reduces body weight and improves blood lipid levels. However, the effect of oil tea on human health has not been confirmed yet. This study aims to explore the relationship between oil tea consumption and obesity and dyslipidemia. METHODS: In a cross-sectional population study in Guangxi, China, a semi-quantitative questionnaire was used to investigate the oil tea consumed and food consumption frequency in adults aged 30 years and over. Anthropometric variables and serum biochemical indicators were measured. A total of 2001 adults were divided into five groups based on their non-consumption status and quartile of consumption (groups non-drink oil tea, Q1-Q4). RESULTS: The risk of abdominal obesity tended to decrease significantly with increasing consumption of oil tea (P for trend< 0.05) in the overall participants (Q3 group, OR = 0.545, 95% CI = 0.336-0.884; Q4 group, OR = 0.520, 95% CI = 0.311-0.871) and in women (Q2 group, OR = 0.502, 95% CI = 0.274-0.920; Q3 group, OR = 0.397, 95% CI = 0.213-0.740; Q4 group, OR = 0.421, 95% CI = 0.228-0.780). Oil tea consumption Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4 group significantly reduced the risk of abnormal HDL-cholesterol (P < 0.05). Oil tea consumption Q2 group significantly increased the risk of abnormal LDL-cholesterol (OR = 2.600, 95% CI = 1.033-6.546) in women. Oil tea consumption Q1 (OR = 0.081, 95% CI =0.008-0.864) and Q3 (OR = 0.057, 95% CI = 0.004-0.913) groups significantly reduced the risk of abnormal HDL-cholesterol in women. CONCLUSION: Oil tea consumption may be associated with a low risk of abdominal obesity. High-dose oil tea consumption may be associated with a low risk of abnormal HDL-cholesterol. Prospective studies with large sample sizes would be required to further investigate this association.

Short-term effects of meteorological factors and air pollution on childhood hand-foot-mouth disease in Guilin, China.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have always focused on the impact of various meteorological factors on Hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD). However, only few studies have investigated the simultaneous effects of climate and air pollution on HFMD incidence. METHODS: Daily HFMD counts among children aged 0-14 years in Guilin city were collected from 2014 to 2016. Distributed lag nonlinear models (DLNM) were used to assess the effects of extreme meteorological factors and air pollution indicators, as well as the effects of different lag days on HFMD incidence. Furthermore, this study explored the variability across gender and age groups. RESULTS: Extreme temperatures, high precipitation and low-O3 concentration increased the risk of HFMD. Hot effect was stronger and longer lasting than cold effect. Risks of rainy effect and low-O3 effect continued to increase as lag days extended, with the maximum RR values: 1.60 (1.38, 1.86) (90th vs median) and 1.48 (1.16, 1.89) (1th vs median) at 0-14 lag days, respectively. By contrast, extremely high wind speed, low precipitation, low PM2.5 and high O3 exerted a certain protective effect on HFMD incidence. The corresponding minimum RR values were: 0.85 (0.74, 0.98) (90th vs median) at 0-14 lag days, 0.98 (0.97, 0.99) (10th vs median) at 0-14 lag days, 0.73 (0.61, 0.88) (1th vs median) at 0-14 lag days and 0.81 (0.73, 0.90) (99th vs median) at 0-7 lag days, respectively. Male children and children aged 0-1 years (followed by 1-3 years) were the most susceptible subgroups to extreme climatic effects and air pollution. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that daily meteorological factors and air pollution exert non-linear and delayed effects on pediatric HFMD, and such effects vary depending on gender and age. These findings may serve as a reference for the development of an early warning system and for the adoption of specific interventions for vulnerable groups.

Orexin neurons in the lateral hypothalamus project to the medial prefrontal cortex with a rostro-caudal gradient.

Orexin neurons in the lateral hypothalamus (LH) play an important role in arousal, guaranteeing the execution of medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC)-related higher cognitive functions. The mPFC is anatomically and functionally a rostro-caudal hierarchy. Little is known about the innervation pattern, especially in the rostro-caudal model, from the arousal-promoting orexin system in the LH to the mPFC subregions, including the anterior cingulate cortex (AC), prelimbic cortex (PL) and infralimbic cortex (IL). Here, we used an anterograde tracing method and immunohistochemistry and found that the density of the LH, as well as orexinergic, fibers increased from the rostral part to the caudal part of the mPFC, regardless of AC, PL or IL. Similarly, the distribution of type 1 orexin receptors in the mPFC follows a rostro-caudal increasing gradient hierarchy. These data suggest a rostro-caudal hierarchy of LH orexinergic innervation to the mPFC. We hope to provide anatomical and morphological evidence for the regulation pattern of the arousal-promoting orexin system on the cognition-related mPFC system.

Effects of interface pressure distribution on human sleep quality.

High sleep quality promotes efficient performance in the following day. Sleep quality is influenced by environmental factors, such as temperature, light, sound and smell. Here, we investigated whether differences in the interface pressure distribution on healthy individuals during sleep influenced sleep quality. We defined four types of pressure models by differences in the area distribution and the subjective feelings that occurred when participants slept on the mattresses. One type of model was showed "over-concentrated" distribution of pressure; one was displayed "over-evenly" distributed interface pressure while the other two models were displayed intermediate distribution of pressure. A polysomnography analysis demonstrated an increase in duration and proportion of non-rapid-eye-movement sleep stages 3 and 4, as well as decreased number of micro-arousals, in subjects sleeping on models with pressure intermediately distributed compared to models with over-concentrated or over-even distribution of pressure. Similarly, higher scores of self-reported sleep quality were obtained in subjects sleeping on the two models with intermediate pressure distribution. Thus, pressure distribution, at least to some degree, influences sleep quality and self-reported feelings of sleep-related events, though the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. The regulation of pressure models imposed by external sleep environment may be a new direction for improving sleep quality. Only an appropriate interface pressure distribution is beneficial for improving sleep quality, over-concentrated or -even distribution of pressure do not help for good sleep.

Optogenetics in neuroscience: what we gain from studies in mammals.

Optogenetics is a newly-introduced technology in the life sciences and is gaining increasing attention. It refers to the combination of optical technologies and genetic methods to control the activity of specific cell groups in living tissue, during which high-resolution spatial and temporal manipulation of cells is achieved. Optogenetics has been applied to numerous regions, including cerebral cortex, hippocampus, ventral tegmental area, nucleus accumbens, striatum, spinal cord, and retina, and has revealed new directions of research in neuroscience and the treatment of related diseases. Since optogenetic tools are controllable at high spatial and temporal resolution, we discuss its applications in these regions in detail and the recent understanding of higher brain functions, such as reward-seeking, learning and memory, and sleep. Further, the possibilities of improved utility of this newly-emerging technology are discussed. We intend to provide a paradigm of the latest advances in neuroscience using optogenetics.