Impact of Anemia on Cardiovascular Events and All-Cause Death Among Participants Who Received Intense Blood Pressure Treatment: A Secondary Analysis of SPRINT.

Background: To investigate whether anemia is associated with incident cardiovascular events and all-cause death among participants who received intensive blood pressure (BP) treatment in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT). Methods: A total of 4394 participants who received intensive BP control (systolic BP < 120 mmHg) in SPRINT were included. Anemia status was self-reported. Our primary outcome was a composite of cardiovascular events, and the secondary outcome was all-cause death. Cox regression was used to compare the incidence of outcomes between participants with anemia and non-anemia. In order to balance the baseline characteristics between the 2 groups, inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was applied. Hazard ratios (HRs), along with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), were then calculated. Results: There were 4394 participants who received intensive BP control (537 participants with anemia). Participants with anemia were older (mean age 68.86 versus 67.75, p = 0.01) and more likely to be female (64.8% versus 31.8%, p < 0.001). The presence of anemia was strongly associated with composite cardiovascular events after adjusting for potential confounders (HR 1.66, 95% CI 1.18-2.34, p = 0.004). The association remained statistically significant even in the population after IPTW (HR 1.55, 95% CI 1.06-2.27, p = 0.024). The secondary outcome revealed that participants with anemia had a higher rate of all-cause death compared to those without anemia. The HR of all-cause death for participants with anemia was 1.61 (95% CI 1.00-2.57, p = 0.049) in the population after IPTW. Conclusions: Anemia appears to be an independent risk factor for composite cardiovascular events and all-cause death among participants who received intensive BP control in SPRINT. Clinical Trial Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT01206062. All SPRINT anonymized data can be found at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Biologic Specimen and Data Repository (https://biolincc.nhlbi.nih.gov/home/).

Systemic inflammatory response index as a predictor of stroke-associated pneumonia in patients with acute ischemic stroke treated by thrombectomy: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: The predictive value of systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI) for stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) risk in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) treated by thrombectomy remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of SIRI for SAP in patients with AIS treated by thrombectomy. METHODS: We included AIS patients treated by thrombectomy between August 2018 and August 2022 at our institute. We used multivariate logistic regression to construct the prediction model and performed a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis to evaluate the ability of SIRI to predict SAP and constructed a calibration curve to evaluate the prediction accuracy of the model. We evaluated the clinical application value of the nomogram using decision curve analysis. RESULTS: We included 84 eligible patients with AIS in the analysis, among which 56 (66.7%) had SAP. In the univariate analysis, there were significant differences in sex (p = 0.035), National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score at admission ≥ 20 (p = 0.019) and SIRI (p < 0.001). The results of multivariable logistic analysis showed that the risk of SAP increased with the SIRI value (OR = 1.169, 95% CI = 1.049-1.344, p = 0.014). Age ≥ 60 (OR = 4.076, 95% CI = 1.251-14.841, p = 0.024) was also statistically significant. A nomogram with SIRI showed good prediction accuracy for SAP in AIS patients treated by thrombectomy (C-index value = 0.774). CONCLUSIONS: SIRI is an independent predictor for SAP in patients with AIS treated by thrombectomy. A high SIRI value may allow for the early identification of patients with AIS treated by thrombectomy at high risk for SAP.

Effects of family support system on the self-management behaviour of patients with T2DM: a multi-centre cross-sectional study in community settings.

BACKGROUND: The burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in China continues to escalate. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of family support system on the self-management behaviour of patients with T2DM. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 1,042 participants were sampled using a multistage stratified probability-proportionate-to-size method. On-site interviews were conducted using a structured questionnaire administered by 122 family doctors from 13 community health service centres in 8 administrative districts. A structural equation model was established to investigate the impact of individual factors and family support system on the self-management behaviour of T2DM patients. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 25.0 software. RESULTS: The self-management behaviour pass rate among individuals with T2DM was 40.9%. In terms of individual factors, those with a high school education level or above demonstrated higher self-management behaviour scores than those with a junior high school education level or lower. The structural equation model revealed a path of interactions among individual factors, family support system-related factors, and the self-management behaviour of patients with T2DM: Family function → Family support → Patients' self-management behaviour → Quality of life. The coefficient of the direct path from family function to family support was 0.74 (P < 0.001), while the coefficient of the direct path from family support to self-management behaviour was 0.68 (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: There is significant room for improvement in the self-management behaviour of T2DM patients in China. Family function can enhance the self-management behaviour of T2DM patients by promoting family support.

Migration-inducing gene-7 promotes glioma cell proliferation and invasiveness via activating the MAPK signaling pathway.

Glioma is a highly aggressive primary malignant tumor. Migration-inducing gene-7 (Mig-7) is closely related to tumor invasion and metastasis. However, the detailed molecular mechanism of Mig-7-mediated promotion of glioma cell invasion requires further investigation. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism by which Mig-7 promotes invasion and growth of glioma tumor cells. After collecting 65 glioma tissues and 16 non-tumor tissues, the expression difference of Mig-7 between tumor tissues and non-tumor tissues was analyzed. The molecular mechanism of Mig-7 in tumor cells was investigated by knockdown or overexpression of Mig-7 in U87MG cells. Specifically, the expression levels of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway-related molecules were detected in cells that knocked down Mig-7. MTT, Transwell, and three-dimensional cell culture assays were used to detect the survival, migration, invasion, and tube formation of U87MG cells that overexpressed Mig-7 were treated with the MAPK signaling pathway inhibitors (SP600125, SCH772984, and SB202190). The effect of Mig-7 on the tumorigenic ability of U87MG cells was investigated by subcutaneous tumorigenic experiment in nude mice. The corresponding results indicated that Mig-7 expression was significantly higher in glioma tissues and cell lines compared to that in non-neoplastic brain tissues and normal glial cell lines. In U87MG cells, downregulation or overexpression of Mig-7 inhibited or promoted the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, LAMC2, EphA2, and VE-cadherin, and phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2, JNK, and p38. Mig-7 overexpression promoted migration, invasion, cell viability, and tube formation, which were reversed by the MAPK signaling pathway inhibitors. Mig-7 overexpression promoted subcutaneous tumor growth in mice and upregulated the phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2, JNK, and p38 and the expression of Ki-67. These effects of Mig-7 overexpression were reversed by MAPK pathway inhibitors. Overall, these results suggest that Mig-7 may be a novel biomarker and potential therapeutic target for glioma, with the MAPK pathway playing a key role in the corresponding Mig-7 mechanism of action.

Using a Clinical Decision Support System to Improve Anticoagulation in Patients with Nonvalve Atrial Fibrillation in China's Primary Care Settings: A Feasibility Study.

Background: To primarily investigate the effect of using a clinical decision support system (CDSS) in community health centers in Shanghai, China, on the proportion of patients prescribed guideline-directed antithrombotic therapy. This study also gauged the general practitioner (GP)'s acceptance of the CDSS who worked in the atrial fibrillation (AF) special consulting room of the CDSS group. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study that included a semistructured interview and a feasibility study for a cluster-randomized controlled trial. Eligible patients who sought medical care in the AF special consulting rooms in two community health centers in Shanghai, China, between April 1, 2020, and October 1, 2020, were enrolled, and their medical records from the enrollment date, up to October 1, 2021, were extracted. Based on whether the GPs in the AF special consulting rooms of the two sites used the CDSS or not, we classified the two sites as a software group and a control group. The CDSS could automatically assess the risks of stroke and bleeding and provide suggestions on treatment, follow-up, adjustment of anticoagulants or dosage, and other items. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients prescribed guideline-directed antithrombotic therapy. We also conducted a semistructured interview with the GP in the AF special consulting rooms of the software group regarding the acceptance of the CDSS and suggestions on the optimization of the CDSS and the study protocol of the cluster-randomized controlled trial in the future. Results: Eighty-four patients completed the follow-up. The mean age of these subjects was 75.71 years, the median time of clinical visits was six times per person, and the follow-up duration was 15 months. The basic demographics were similar between the two groups, except for age (t = 2.109, p = 0.038) and the HAS-BLED score (χ 2 = 4.363, p = 0.037). The primary outcome in the software group was 8.071 times higher than that in the control group (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 8.071, 95% confidence interval (2.570-25.344), p < 0.001). The frequency of consultation between groups was not significantly different (p = 0.981). It seemed that the incidence of adverse clinical events in the software group was lower than that in the control group. The main reason for dropouts in both groups was "following up in other hospitals." The GP in the AF special consulting rooms of the software group accepted the CDSS well. Conclusions: The findings indicated that it was feasible to further promote the CDSS in the study among community health centers in China. The use of the CDSS might improve the proportion of patients prescribed guideline-directed antithrombotic therapy. The GP in the AF special consulting room of the software group showed a positive attitude toward the CDSS.

Transradial versus transfemoral access for endovascular therapy of intracranial aneurysms: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.

Endovascular treatment is widely used in the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. However, neurosurgeons are sceptical about endovascular access via the radial artery. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the effectiveness and safety of transradial and transfemoral artery access in patients with intracranial aneurysms. We systematically searched the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases for studies comparing the two approaches. The primary outcome was total complications, and the secondary outcomes were access site complications, intracranial haemorrhage, stroke, thromboembolism, silent infarct, re-treatment rate, mortality, complete occlusion of intracranial aneurysms, procedure duration, and length of hospital stay. A random-effects model was used to assess the pooled data. Of the 100 identified studies, 6 were eligible (a total of 3764 participants). There were no significant differences in total complications(odds ratio [OR] = 0.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.33, 1.45], p = 0.32), complete occlusion of intracranial aneurysms (OR = 1.02, 95%CI [0.77,1.37], p = 0.87), procedure duration (mean difference [MD] = - 6.24, 95%CI [- 14.75, - 1.54], p = 0.95), or length of hospital stay (MD = 2.204, 95%CI [- 0.05, 4.45], p = 0.95), access site complications (OR = 0.49, 95%CI [0.16, 1.52], p = 0.22), intracranial haemorrhage (OR = 1.07, 95%CI [0.49, 2.34], p = 0.86), stroke (OR = 0.59, 95%CI [0.20, 1.77], p = 0.35), thromboembolism (OR = 0.85, 95%CI [0.33, 2.17], p = 0.74), silent infarct (OR = 0.69, 95%CI [0.04, 11.80], p = 0.80), retreatment rate (OR = 1.32, 95%CI [0.70, 2.48], p = 0.39), mortality (OR = 1.41, 95%CI [0.06, 5.20], p = 0.61), immediate occlusion (OR = 0.99, 95%CI [0.64, 1.51], p = 0.95), and occlusion during follow-up (OR = 1.10, 95%CI [0.56, 2.16], p = 0.74) between the transradial and transfemoral groups. This study showed comparable safety and efficacy outcomes between transradial and transfemoral access in patients with intracranial aneurysms treated endovascularly. Future large randomised trials are warranted to confirm these findings.

Work competence of general practitioners working in the community health services of Shanghai: a cross-sectional study based on self-assessment.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to investigate the work competence of general practitioners (GPs) in the community health services (CHSs) of Shanghai, China. METHODS: A questionnaire was designed based on a previous capacity evaluation indicator system. We used a stratified and proportional cluster sampling method in this self-assessment and cross-sectional study. We collected data with the questionnaire on GPs' demographic variables and work competence including patient care ability, teaching ability, communication skill and coordination ability. Univariate analyses were performed by Mann-Whitney U test and Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Multivariate analyses were done with generalized liner model with significant univariate factors. RESULTS: A total of 2954 GPs were sampled from 116 CHSs in Shanghai. The response rate was 99.9%. The median scores of patient care ability, teaching ability, communication skill and coordination ability were 80[70-88.75], 76[60-80] and 80[70-85] on a scale of 100, respectively. GPs who were 30-39 years old, or worked in urban CHSs, or took GP trainer's training or had teaching experience got higher scores in patient care ability. GPs who worked for 5-19 years in CHSs, or worked in CHSs with GP training program or took GP trainer's training had higher scores in teaching ability. For communication skill and coordination ability, GPs who worked in CHSs with GP standardized training program, or took GP trainer's training or had teaching experience in CHSs got higher scores. CONCLUSIONS: The work competence of GPs in CHSs of Shanghai could mainly cover daily work, but still needed more improvement in teaching ability.

Quality of primary health care in China: challenges and recommendations.

China has substantially increased financial investment and introduced favourable policies for strengthening its primary health care system with core responsibilities in preventing and managing chronic diseases such as hypertension and emerging infectious diseases such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, widespread gaps in the quality of primary health care still exist. In this Review, we aim to identify the causes for this poor quality, and provide policy recommendations. System challenges include: the suboptimal education and training of primary health-care practitioners, a fee-for-service payment system that incentivises testing and treatments over prevention, fragmentation of clinical care and public health service, and insufficient continuity of care throughout the entire health-care system. The following recommendations merit consideration: (1) enhancement of the quality of training for primary health-care physicians, (2) establishment of performance accountability to incentivise high-quality and high-value care; (3) integration of clinical care with the basic public health services, and (4) strengthening of the coordination between primary health-care institutions and hospitals. Additionally, China should consider modernising its primary health-care system through the establishment of a learning health system built on digital data and innovative technologies.

Modelling of carbon nanotube film based temperature sensor: thermal emission and gas discharge.

The carbon nanotube (CNT) film based ionized temperature sensor is sensitive to gas temperature, and shows good sensitivity compared with other temperature sensors. But it is still unclear about the effect of CNT film on thermal emission and gas discharge at different temperatures. In this article, we established a gas discharge model of the CNT film temperature sensor. Field assisted thermal emission is simulated at the tip of CNTs by analysing the field enhancement effect and effective work function. Ionization collision, excitation, recombination collision, Penning ionization and quenching of argon are considered in order to obtain the interaction of various particles at different temperature. The current density-temperature characteristic of the temperature sensor was obtained at 24-80 V. The increase of the working voltage is helpful to improve the output current and sensitivity of the temperature sensor. Response time of the sensor will not change in the temperature range of 293-373 K. However, the change of temperature will affect the current density, secondary electron emission and reaction rate. In addition, the sensor has different temperature sensitivity in argon and helium. The above simulation results are helpful to understand the role of CNT film and temperature sensitivity of the ionized sensor. It can also be used to study and improve the sensitivity of this type of sensor.

Health information needs regarding diabetes mellitus in China: an internet-based analysis.

BACKGROUND: Today,. most people use the Internet to seek online health-related information from general public health-related websites and discussion groups. However, there are no Internet-based analyses of health information needs pertaining to diabetes in China until now. With the development of artificial intelligence,we can analyzed these online health-related information and provide references for health providers to improve their health service. METHODS: We have done a study of statistically analyzing the questions about diabetes collected from 39 health website, the number of which is 151,589. We have divided these questions into 9 categories using a convolutional neural network. RESULTS: The diabetes problems of consumer are presented as follows, diagnosis: 34.95%, treatment: 25.17%, lifestyle: 21.09%, complication: 8.00%, maternity-related:5.00%, prognosis: 2.59%, health provider choosing: 1.40%, prevention: 1.23%, others: 0.58%, The elderly are more concerned about the treatment and complications of diabetes, while the young are more concerned about the maternity-related and prognosis of diabetes. The diabetes drugs most frequently mentioned by consumers are insulin, metformin and Xiaoke pills, The most concerned complication is caidiovascular disease and diabetic eye disease. CONCLUSION: Diabetes health education should focus on how to prevent diabetes and the contents of health education should be different for differernt age groups;on diabetes treatment, the use of insulin and oral hypoglycemic drugs education should be strengthened.

A study of knowledge, attitudes, and practices of primary care physicians toward anticoagulant therapy in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation in Shanghai, China.

BACKGROUND: As a large number of Community Health Service (CHS) centers in China face the majority of patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), primary care physicians (PCPs) play a primary role in the prevention of embolization. Therefore, an awareness of anticoagulant management in patients with NVAF must be brought into focus among PCPs in China. This study investigated PCPs' knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward anticoagulant therapy in patients with NVAF, to help them understand their shortcomings regarding oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy in preventing embolization. METHOD: This was a cross-sectional observational study of 462 PCPs in CHS centers across Shanghai. We used a self-administered questionnaire to collect data from September to December 2017. A stratified random cluster sampling was adopted in the 90 CHS centers with the family medicine residency program. RESULT: Among 462 participants, 69.3% (320/462) of females received a medical bachelor's degree and over 50% of participants had more than 10 years of work experience. Each section for knowledge, attitude, and practice were categorized as poor (≤39.0%), fair (40.0-69.0%), and good (≥70.0%). The level of knowledge of OAC therapy for patients with NVAF among PCPs was insufficient in over half (75.8%) of the participants. The majority (89.8%) of PCPs had a positive attitude and 68.0% had modest performance in the anticoagulant management of patients with NVAF. CONCLUSIONS: The knowledge and behaviors of PCPs were insufficient for OAC therapy to prevent embolization in patients with NVAF. The study also revealed that there is good potential for PCPs' educational interventions to positively impact the care of patients with NVAF.

Evaluation of the Spring Seedling Project-Zhaotong Program: A study of a novel continuing medical education program for rural doctors in China.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of the Spring Seedling Project-Zhaotong program, a novel continuing medical education program, to improve the knowledge and skills of rural doctors in China. DESIGN: An uncontrolled single-group pre- and post-intervention design based on quantitative and qualitative methods. SETTING: Zhaotong is a prefecture-level city located in Yunnan, China. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1866 country doctors practising in Zhaotong were enrolled. INTERVENTIONS: The Zhaotong program consisted of three stages: remote education, workshops conducted in Zhaotong and field training in Shanghai. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The effectiveness of the remote education and Zhaotong workshop stages was assessed based on differences between pre- and post-training test scores. Qualitative comments were collected to assess the experience of country doctors following the Shanghai field training stage. RESULTS: In total, 1866 country doctors (46.9% males; mean age: 38.2 ± 9.2 years) participated in the program. The average score of the post-training test was higher than that of the pre-training test, both online (P < .001) and offline (P < .001). In regard to the Zhaotong workshops, with the exception of incisions/suturing, the average scores of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, gynaecological examinations and child growth/development were improved after training (P < .001). Qualitative analysis showed that Shanghai field training enhanced understanding of general practice, with the majority of country doctors indicating that they would apply what they learned in daily practice. CONCLUSION: This study introduced an comprehensive form of continuing medical education for rural doctors in Zhaotong and proved the effectiveness of this program and also provided a reference point for the future development of continuing medical education.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid attenuates traumatic brain injury-induced neuronal apoptosis by inducing autophagy through the upregulation of SIRT1-mediated deacetylation of Beclin-1.

BACKGROUND: Enhancing autophagy after traumatic brain injury (TBI) may decrease the expression of neuronal apoptosis-related molecules. Autophagy-mediated neuronal survival is regulated by the sirtuin family of proteins (SIRT). Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFA) are known to have antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. We previously demonstrated that ω-3 PUFA supplementation attenuated neuronal apoptosis by modulating the neuroinflammatory response through SIRT1-mediated deacetylation of the HMGB1/NF-κB pathway, leading to neuroprotective effects following experimental traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, no studies have elucidated if the neuroprotective effects of ω-3 PUFAs against TBI-induced neuronal apoptosis are modulated by SIRT1-mediated deacetylation of the autophagy pathway. METHODS: The Feeney DM TBI model was adopted to induce TBI rats. Modified neurological severity scores, the rotarod test, brain water content, and Nissl staining were employed to determine the neuroprotective effects of ω-3 PUFA supplementation. Immunofluorescent staining and western blot analysis were used to detect Beclin-1 nuclear translocation and autophagy pathway activation. The impact of SIRT1 deacetylase activity on Beclin-1 acetylation and the interaction between cytoplasmic Beclin-1 and Bcl-2 were assessed to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of ω-3 PUFAs and to determine if these effects were dependent on SIRT1-mediated deacetylation of the autophagy pathway in order to gain further insight into the mechanisms underlying the development of neuroprotection after TBI. RESULTS: ω-3 PUFA supplementation protected neurons against TBI-induced neuronal apoptosis via enhancement of the autophagy pathway. We also found that treatment with ω-3 PUFA significantly increased the NAD+/NADH ratio and SIRT1 activity following TBI. In addition, ω-3 PUFA supplementation increased Beclin-1 deacetylation and its nuclear export and induced direct interactions between cytoplasmic Beclin-1 and Bcl-2 by increasing SIRT1 activity following TBI. These events led to the inhibition of neuronal apoptosis and to neuroprotective effects through enhancing autophagy after TBI, possibly due to elevated SIRT1. CONCLUSIONS: ω-3 PUFA supplementation attenuated TBI-induced neuronal apoptosis by inducing the autophagy pathway through the upregulation of SIRT1-mediated deacetylation of Beclin-1.

The Evaluation of Colorectal Cancer Risk in Serum by anti-DESMIN-conjugated CdTe/CdS Quantum Dots.

BACKGROUND: DESMIN is a novel prognostic predictor and therapeutic target for colorectal cancer (CRC). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and electrochemiluminescence (ELC) assays are large-scale and highcost projects; therefore, it is necessary to develop a new, fast, and simple yet highly sensitive and specific method to detect DESMIN in serum. Semiconducting quantum dots (QDs) possess high fluorescence quantum yield, stability against photobleaching, and size-controlled luminescence properties, thus being utilized in photoelectrochemical tumor marker detection, especially in ameliorating the diagnostic value in complex biological ambient ionization. However, CdTe/CdS quantum dots (QDs) have not been applied in detecting DESMIN in serum. METHODS: DESMIN in serum has been established using anti-DESMIN-conjugated CdTe/CdS quantum dots (QDs) and measurements. The assay sensitivity was determined by measurement of quenched fluorescence intensity of DESMIN at 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, or 5.0 ng/mL in PBS or 0.25%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0%, or 5% human serum diluted in PBS. The assay was optimized under different pH (7.00 - 7.40) for different reaction durations (10 - 60 minutes). The specificity of anti-DESMIN-QDs was determined by testing the interference of DESMIN activity with CEA, IgG, or AFP, each at 1 ng/mL. RESULTS: Under the optimized incubation time (30 minutes) at room temperature and optimal pH 7.1 - 7.2, a correlation between the decreased fluorescence intensity of anti-DESMIN-conjugated CdTe/CdS QDs and the concentration of DESMIN in the range from 0.05 to 100 ng/mL, was established. The sensitivity for the detection of DESMIN in the range from 0.05 to 100 ng/mL, with a detection limit of 0.02 ng/mL. The assay presented a high specificity because the anti-DESMIN-conjugated CdTe/CdS QDs only reacted with ABR1B10 in the sera in the presence of CEA, IgG or AFP. CONCLUSIONS: The immunofluorescence assay to detect DESMIN in serum using anti-DEMSIN-conjugated CdTe/ CdS QDs was fast and simple yet presented high sensitivity and specificity. Our method provides a promising tool for early prediction of CRC risk.

Association between adverse mental health and an unhealthy lifestyle in rural-to-urban migrant workers in Shanghai.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The association between adverse mental health and unhealthy lifestyle behaviors in migrant workers remains poorly defined in Chinese rural-to-urban migrants. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted regarding health-related behaviors in 5484 migrants (51.3% males) employed in Shanghai for at least 6 months. The Chinese version of the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) was used to assess migrant mental health status. Logistic regression was applied to determine the contribution of adverse mental health to lifestyle behaviors. RESULTS: Of the 5484 migrants, 21.1% had potential mental health problems and 63.1% had an unhealthy lifestyle. The three most prevalent mental disorders were obsessions-compulsions (O-C; 13.7%; 751/5484), interpersonal sensitivity (I-S; 11.0%; 603/5484), and hostility (HOS; 10.8%; 590/5484). Compared with the male participants, the female participants exhibited significantly increased mean scores for phobic anxiety (PHOB) and anxiety (ANX) (p < 0.001). Logistic regression indicated that after adjustment for potential confounding factors in both genders, an unhealthy lifestyle score was significantly associated with all nine subscales of the SCL-90-R. The male participants with psychoticism [PSY; odds ratio (OR) = 4.908, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.474-9.735], ANX (OR = 4.022, 95% CI 2.151-7.518), or depression (DEP; OR = 3.378, 95% CI 2.079-5.487) were the most likely to have an unhealthy lifestyle. In the female participants, an unhealthy lifestyle was most associated with HOS (OR = 2.868, 95% CI 2.155-3.819), PSY (OR = 2.783, 95% CI 1.870-4.141), or DEP (OR = 2.650, 95% CI 1.960-3.582). CONCLUSION: Lifestyle behaviors were significantly associated with mental health in rural-to-urban migrant workers, and these findings indicate the need to develop targeted psychological interventions to foster healthy lifestyles in migrants.

Sensing Properties of a Novel Temperature Sensor Based on Field Assisted Thermal Emission.

The existing temperature sensors using carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are limited by low sensitivity, complicated processes, or dependence on microscopy to observe the experimental results. Here we report the fabrication and successful testing of an ionization temperature sensor featuring non-self-sustaining discharge. The sharp tips of nanotubes generate high electric fields at relatively low voltages, lowering the work function of electrons emitted by CNTs, and thereby enabling the safe operation of such sensors. Due to the temperature effect on the electron emission of CNTs, the collecting current exhibited an exponential increase with temperature rising from 20 °C to 100 °C. Additionally, a higher temperature coefficient of 0.04 K-1 was obtained at 24 V voltage applied on the extracting electrode, higher than the values of other reported CNT-based temperature sensors. The triple-electrode ionization temperature sensor is easy to fabricate and converts the temperature change directly into an electrical signal. It shows a high temperature coefficient and good application potential.

The Prevalence of Cigarette Smoking Among Rural-to-Urban Migrants in China: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The increasing rural-to-urban migrant population in China may be linked to the susceptibility to tobacco use. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of smoking among rural-to-urban migrants in China. METHODS: Major English and Chinese databases were searched for original studies on smoking prevalence among rural-to-urban migrants in China. A validated quality assessment tool was used to evaluate these studies. Subsequently, data were extracted to calculate the overall pooled estimate of prevalence using random effect model, and then stratified by gender, definition, location, and occupation. Meta-regression analysis was used to identify the source of heterogeneity among variables. RESULTS: We identified 17 eligible studies involving 32,694 migrants. The overall pooled prevalence estimate of smoking among rural-to-urban migrants was 27.25% (95% CI: 23.34, 31.34), with significant heterogeneity (I(2) = 98.2, p < .01). In stratified analysis, specific pooled prevalence estimates were 46.71% for male (95% CI: 40.51, 52.97) and 5.34% for female (95% CI: 2.90, 8.45); 26.71% (95% CI: 17.00, 37.71), and 24.96% (95% CI: 18.65, 31.86) in current and daily smoking group, respectively; 21.89% (95% CI: 15.80, 28.66) and 30.59% (95% CI: 20.04, 42.28) for migrants in North and South China, respectively; 48.34% (95% CI: 24.63, 72.46) in construction industry, 31.77% (95% CI: 15.54, 50.67) in manufacturing industry and 18.69% (95% CI: 11.37, 27.32) in service industry, respectively. Meta-regression analysis revealed that gender and occupation differences contributed to high heterogeneity. CONCLUSION: Cigarette smoking is still prevalent among rural-to-urban migrants, which may be influenced by gender and occupations. Policies should be designed and conducted to control smoking prevalence among these populations.

Detection of AKR1B10 in Peripheral Blood by Anti-AKR1B10-Conjugated CdTe/CdS Quantum Dots.

BACKGROUND: Aldo-ketoreductase family 1 member B10 (AKR1B10) is a novel prognostic predictor and therapeutic target for colorectal cancer (CRC), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and electrochemiluminescence (ELC) assays are sample-consuming and high-cost methods. Therefore, it is very necessary to develop a new, simple, and fast yet highly sensitive and specific method for the detection of AKR1B10 in serum. Semiconducting quantum dots (QDs) possess a high fluorescence quantum yield, stability against photobleaching, and size-controlled luminescence properties; thus, they are suitable for photoelectrochemical tumor marker detection, especially in complex biological samples. However, CdTe/CdS QDs have not been applied for the detection of AKR1B10 in serum. METHODS: AKR1B10 in peripheral blood has been established using anti-AKR1B10-conjugated CdTe/CdS QDs and measurements. The assay sensitivity was determined by measuring the quenched fluorescence intensity of AKR1B10 at 0.5, 1, 2, 5, or 10 ng/mL in phosphate-buffered solution (PBS) or 0.25%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0%, or 5% human serum diluted in PBS. The assay was optimized under different pH values (7.00 - 7.40) for different reaction durations (10 - 60 minutes). The specificity of anti-AKR1B10-QDs was determined by testing the inhibition of AKR1B10 activity with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), immunoglobulin G (IgG), or alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), each at 1 ng/mL. RESULTS: Under the optimized incubation time (30 minutes) at room temperature and optimal pH (7.1 - 7.2), a correlation between the decreased fluorescence intensity of anti-AKR1B10-conjugated CdTe/CdS QDs and the concentration of AKR1B10 in the range from 0.05 to 100 ng/mL was established. The assay was sensitive for the detection of AKR1B10 in the range from 0.05 to 100 ng/mL, and the detection limit was 0.02 ng/mL. The assay presented a high specificity because the anti-AKR1B10-conjugated CdTe/CdS QDs only reacted with AKR1B10 in the sera in the presence of CEA, IgG, or AFP. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the immunofluorescence assay to detect AKR1B10 in serum using anti-AKR1B10-conjugated CdTe/CdS QDs was simple and fast yet presented high sensitivity and specificity. Our findings provide a promising tool for the early prediction of CRC.

Sexual behavior of migrant workers in Shanghai, China.

BACKGROUND: Rapid urbanization of China has resulted in significant domestic migration. The purpose of the present study was to survey the sexual behavior of migrant workers in Shanghai and determine the risk factors for unprotected sex. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of the sexual behavior of 5996 migrant workers was conducted in 7 administrative regions of Shanghai in 2012 from August to October. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. RESULTS: Five thousand seven hundred seventy two out of the 5996 migrants enrolled into the present study were primarily young adults aged 34.3 ± 10.6 years. Of them, 73.5 % were married, 51.1 % graduated from junior high school, 46.0 % earned 1500-2500 yuan (RMB) monthly. The majority (82.3 %) of the migrants engaged in sexual behavior, and 58.0 % did not use condoms in sexual intercourse. Some of the participants (15.2 %) had casual extramarital partners within the previous 12 months; among them, 76.2 % never or only occasionally used condoms. The results of the multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that condom use was associated with age, occupation, monthly income, education, and housing conditions. Having temporary sexual partners was significantly associated with several factors such as unmarried (OR: 0.47, 95 % CI: 0.38-0.57), working at domestic (OR: 1.65,95 % CI: 1.17-2.34), working at wholesale/retail(OR: 1.65, 95 % CI: 1.13-2.13), and male migrants (OR: 2.37, 95 % CI: 1.96-2.85), but not with other factors such as age, monthly income, or education. Having casual extramarital partners was significantly associated with female migrants working at domestic (OR: 1.89, 95 % CI: 1.09-3.28), unmarried male migrants (OR: 0.51, 95 % CI: 0.36-0.74). CONCLUSION: Closer attention should be paid to sexual health education among migrant workers, especially women and those working in domestic and wholesale/retail occupations. The use of condoms should be promoted for older (>35 y), low-income, and less-educated individuals.

Determinants of tobacco smoking among rural-to-urban migrant workers: a cross-sectional survey in Shanghai.

BACKGROUND: Although there are several studies to investigate the smoking behaviors among rural-to-urban Chinese migrants, no study has focused individually on this population in Shanghai. This study was performed to estimate the prevalence and identify the determinants of tobacco smoking among rural-to-urban migrants in Shanghai. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, multi-stage quota sampling was used to select 5,856 rural-to-urban migrants aged 18 years or older from seven districts in Shanghai between July and October 2012. A structured questionnaire was administered to assess smoking knowledge, attitude, behavior and demographic characteristics. Mental health was assessed by the self-reported SCL-90. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the risk factors of smoking behavior. RESULTS: A total of 5,380 of the 5,856 migrants enrolled completed the questionnaire, among whom 45.0% of male and 2.0% of female participants reported current smoking. Multivariate analysis revealed current smoking in female migrants to be significantly associated with working at construction (OR, 8.08; 95% CI, 1.80-36.28), hotels/restaurants (OR, 5.06; 95% CI, 1.68-15.27), entertainment sector (OR, 6.79; 95% CI, 2.51-18.42), with monthly income > 3500 yuan (OR, 2.69; 95% CI, 1.21-5.98), number of migratory cities of 2 (OR, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.23-4.65), and SCL-90 total score > 160 (OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.03-3.98), while the male migrants working at construction (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.04-1.62), entertainment sector (OR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.36-2.56), being divorced/widowed (OR, 2.20; 95% CI, 1.02-4.74), with duration of migration of 4 or more than 4 years (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.06-1.91), number of migratory cities of 3 or more than 3 (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.13-1.80), and SCL-90 total score > 160 (OR,1.39; 95% CI, 1.07-1.79) showed an excess smoking prevalence. CONCLUSION: Migration lifestyle and mental status were associated with current smoking behaviors. The identifications of risk factors for current smoking may help to target health promotion interventions.