PAHs removal by soil washing with thiacalix[4]arene tetrasulfonate.

Remediating soil contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) presents a significant environmental challenge due to their toxic and carcinogenic properties. Traditional PAHs remediation methods-chemical, thermal, and bioremediation-along with conventional soil-washing agents like surfactants and cyclodextrins face challenges of cost, ecological harm, and inefficiency. Here we show an effective and environmentally friendly calixarene derivative for PAHs removal through soil washing. Thiacalix[4]arene tetrasulfonate (TCAS) has a unique molecular structure of a sulfonate group and a sulfur atom, which enhances its solubility and facilitates selective binding with PAHs. It forms host-guest complexes with PAHs through π-π stacking, OH-π interactions, hydrogen bonding, van der Waals forces, and electrostatic interactions. These interactions enable partial encapsulation of PAH molecules, aiding their desorption from the soil matrix. Our results show that a 0.7% solution of TCAS can extract approximately 50% of PAHs from contaminated soil while preserving soil nutrients and minimizing adverse environmental effects. This research unveils the pioneering application of TCAS in removing PAHs from contaminated soil, marking a transformative advancement in resource-efficient and sustainable soil remediation strategies.

Tumor suppressor miR-361-3p inhibits prostate cancer progression through Gli1 and AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: The primary challenge in prostate cancer (PCa) is tumor metastasis, which seriously affects the survival time of patients. Growing evidence suggests that microRNAs play a crucial regulatory role in various malignancies and that the tumor suppressor miR-361-3p is responsible for regulating migration, proliferation, and invasion in different cancer types. However, the underlying regulatory mechanism of miR-361-3p in PCa remains unknown. METHODS: The expression of miR-361-3p in PCa cells was analyzed using quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction. The clinical utility of miR-361-3p in PCa was evaluated using in vitro assays. The mechanism of action of miR-361-3p was investigated using western blotting, luciferase reporter assays, immunofluorescence, and rescue studies. RESULTS: The function, invasiveness, migration, and proliferation of PCa cells, as well as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), were aided by the downregulation of miR-361-3p, whereas its overexpression exerted the opposite effect. Repression of glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 (Gli1) expression by miR-361-3p led to activation of the protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (AKT/mTOR) signaling pathway, triggering EMT and promoting PCa metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: Downregulation of miR-361-3p along the Gli1 axis promoted tumor malignancy. Collectively, the results of this study imply that miR-361-3p has the potential to be both a biomarker and therapeutic target in PCa.

Mediation of metabolic syndrome in the association between long-term exposure to particulate matter and incident cardiovascular disease: Evidence from a population-based cohort in Chengdu.

BACKGROUND: Particulate matter (PM) exposure has been linked with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and metabolic syndrome (MetS), the latter characterized by concurrent multiple metabolic disorders. As a result, the mechanisms assumption from PM to CVD through MetS have emerged, thus requiring further epidemiological evidence. This cohort study aimed to assess whether MetS mediates the associations of PM with CVD risk. METHODS: This study included 14,195 participants from the Chengdu cohort of the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort (CMEC) study in 2018. The primary outcome of incident CVD diagnoses was identified using matched hospital records from the Health Information Center of Sichuan Province. Residence-specific levels of PM with aerodynamic diameters of ≤ 1 µm (PM1), ≤ 2.5 µm (PM2.5), and ≤ 10 µm (PM10) were estimated by spatiotemporal models. Causal mediation analyses were applied to evaluate the indirect effect of MetS. RESULTS: Increased exposure levels to PM were significantly associated with MetS and CVD. Mediation analyses indicated that the associations between PM exposure and CVD were mediated by MetS, with the proportion of multiple mediations being 19.3%, 12.1%, and 13.5% for PM1, PM2.5, and PM10, respectively. Further moderated mediation analyses suggested that male, overweight individuals, alcohol drinkers, and those suffering from indoor air pollution may experience more significant adverse effects from PM exposure on CVD via MetS than others. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that MetS partially mediates the association between long-term exposure to PM and CVD. These mediation effects appear to be amplified by demographic characteristics and unhealthy lifestyles.

LncRNA HOXA11-AS modulates the miR-148b-3p/MLPH axis to promote prostate cancer cell proliferation.

Prostate cancer refers to the epithelial malignant tumor of the prostate. It has a high incidence and mortality rate, seriously endangering the lives of men. In recent years, lncRNAs have become a hot topic for lots of scholars for their regulation functions on assorted cancers. Several lncRNAs have been proven they can take part in the regulation of prostate cancer development. Nevertheless, how HOXA11-AS (homeobox A11 antisense RNA)functioned in prostate cancer is not explained. In our research, the expression of HOXA11-AS in prostate cancer cells was evaluated through qRT-PCR. Colony formation experiments, EdU experiments, Tanswelland TUNEL experiments, as well as caspase-3 detection, were designed to test cell proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis. RIP, pull down and luciferase reporter experiments examined the correlations of HOXA11-AS, miR-148b-3p and MLPH. We discovered a high level of HOXA11-AS in prostate cancer cells.HOXA11-AS silence could restrain the mentioned cell malignant behavior. Mechanically, HOXA11-AS could sponge miR-148b-3p to target MLPH. MLPH was positively associated with HOXA11-AS and overexpressed it accelerated the progression of prostate cancer. Taken together, HOXA11-AS elevated MLPH expression by sponging miR-148b-3p and accelerated prostate cancer cell proliferation.

Mediation Effect of Obesity on the Association of Age at Menarche With Blood Pressure Among Women in Southwest China.

Background Previous studies have been inconsistent about the association between age at menarche and high blood pressure. Little is known about such association across a wide range of menarcheal ages in less developed ethnic minority regions in China. We aimed to explore the association between age at menarche and high blood pressure (BP; ≥140/90 mm Hg) and to examine the mediating effect of obesity and the moderating effect of menopausal status on this association. Methods and Results A total of 45 868 women from the baseline data of the CMEC (China Multi-Ethnic Cohort) were included in this study. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between age at menarche and high BP, and the mediation model was used to evaluate the mediating effects of body mass index and waist circumference on the association of age at menarche with high BP. The mean age at enrollment and age at menarche of participants in our study were 49.3 (SD=10.7) and 14.7 (SD=2.1) years, respectively. Late menarche was associated with a lower risk of high BP (odds ratio, 0.831 [95% CI, 0.728-0.950]). The risk of high BP decreased by 3.1% with each year's delay in the onset of menarche (P for trend <0.001). Body mass index and waist circumference could partially mediate the association of age at menarche and high BP with the indirect effect of body mass index (odds ratio, 0.998 [95% CI, 0.997-0.998]) and waist circumference (odds ratio, 0.999 [95% CI, 0.998-0.999]). In addition, the mediation effects were modified by the status of menopause. Conclusions Women with late menarche have a lower risk of high BP, and obesity could be one of the important mediators. Obesity prevention is an efficient strategy to reduce the association between age at menarche and high BP, especially in premenopausal women.

Two a posteriori dietary patterns are associated with risks of hyperuricemia among adults in less-developed multiethnic regions in Southwest China.

Diet is a major determinant of hyperuricemia, but little is known about the association between diet and hyperuricemia in less-developed multiethnic regions (LMERs). This study aimed to assess the hypothesis that dietary patterns (including 2 a-priori and 3 a posteriori dietary patterns) are associated with hyperuricemia in LMERs. The 2 a priori dietary patterns were the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) and the alternative Mediterranean diet (aMED). We derived 3 a posteriori dietary patterns from the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort study by principal component factor analysis. Given that those dietary patterns had high geographic discrimination, they were named the Sichuan Basin (economically developed industrial region), Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau (agricultural region), and Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (nomadic region) dietary pattern, respectively. We performed a logistic regression model to investigate associations between dietary patterns and hyperuricemia with potential confounders identified by the directed acyclic graph. Comparing the highest with the lowest quintiles, the Sichuan Basin dietary pattern was positively associated with hyperuricemia, whereas the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau dietary pattern showed an inverse association with hyperuricemia. For the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau dietary pattern, DASH, or aMED, our results did not show a significant association with hyperuricemia. The results were robust among stratified analyses and different analyzing strategies. The dietary patterns showed great diversity in Southwest China. Both DASH and aMED, which many studies widely recommended, did not show expected beneficial effects on preventing hyperuricemia. However, the plant-based protein dietary pattern in the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau showed a beneficial association with the risk of hyperuricemia, which can provide insights for dietary guidance in LMERs.

Association of major dietary patterns and different obesity phenotypes in Southwest China: the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort (CMEC) Study.

PURPOSE: Dietary behavior is an important part of lifestyle interventions for obesity and its cardiovascular comorbidities. However, little is known about associations between dietary patterns and obesity phenotypes in Southwest China, a region with unique dietary patterns and significant heterogeneity in obesity. METHODS: Data from the baseline survey of the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort in Southwest China were analyzed (n = 64,448). Dietary intakes during the past year were measured with the semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (s-FFQ). Principal component factor analysis (PCFA) was used to identify dietary patterns. Multinomial logistic regressions were used to examine the associations between dietary patterns and obesity phenotypes and stratified analyses were performed to assess whether the associations differed across demographic variables. RESULTS: Three dietary patterns were identified and then named according to their apparent regional gathering characteristics: the Sichuan Basin dietary pattern (characterized by high intakes of various foods), the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau dietary pattern (characterized by agricultural lifestyles), and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau dietary pattern (characterized by animal husbandry lifestyles), respectively. Higher adherence to the Sichuan Basin dietary pattern was positively associated with metabolically healthy overweight/obesity (MHO, OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.05-1.21) but negatively associated with metabolically unhealthy normal weight (MUNW, OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.65-0.95). Higher adherence to the other two dietary patterns was positively associated with MHO and metabolically unhealthy overweight/obesity (MUO). Besides, differences in socioeconomic status also affected the relationship between dietary patterns and obesity phenotypes. CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to the more diverse Sichuan basin dietary pattern performed a mixed picture, while the other two may increase the risk of obesity phenotypes, which indicates nutritional interventions are urgently needed.

Does awareness of diabetic status increase risk of depressive or anxious symptoms? Findings from the China Multi-Ethnic cohort (CMEC) study.

INTRODUCTION: People with diabetes mellitus (DM) have increased risk of depressive symptoms (DS) or anxious symptoms (AS). This study explores whether awareness of DM will contribute to prevalence of DS or AS. METHODS: The baseline data including 81,717 adults from Southwest China was analyzed. DS and AS were assessed using PHQ-2 and GAD-2. Exposures were defined as 1) having self-reported physician diagnosis of diabetes (self-reported DM), 2) no prior diagnosis of diabetes but meeting diagnostic criteria (newly diagnosed DM), 3) having self-reported physician diagnosis or meeting criteria of non-diabetic diseases (non-diabetic patients), 4) healthy participants. Generalized linear mixed models were used to assess impact of presence and awareness of DM on DS or AS, adjusting for regional and individual related factors. RESULTS: The prevalence of DS in self-reported DM, newly diagnosed DM, non-diabetic patient and healthy participants was 7.08 %, 4.30 %, 5.37 % and 3.17 %. The prevalence of AS was 7.80 %, 5.77 %, 6.37 % and 3.91 %. After adjusting for related factors, compared with healthy participants, self-reported DM and non-diabetic patients were associated with DS [AORDS, self-reported = 1.443(1.218,1.710), AORDS, nondiabetic patients = 1.265(1.143,1.400)], while the association between newly diagnosed DM and DS was not statistically significant. The associations between self-reported DM, newly diagnosed DM, non-diabetic patients and AS were all statistically significant. LIMITATIONS: DS and AS were assessed through self-report and may suffer recall or information bias. CONCLUSIONS: The association between awareness of diabetes and DS/AS suggests to pay attention to distinguish between self-reported and newly diagnosed DM and screening for DS and AS in diabetic population.

Exosomal RNF157 mRNA from prostate cancer cells contributes to M2 macrophage polarization through destabilizing HDAC1.

Background: Exosomes have been identified to mediate the transmission of RNAs among different cells in tumor microenvironment, thus affecting the progression of different diseases. However, exosomal messenger RNAs (mRNAs) have been rarely explored. RNF157 mRNA has been found to be up-regulated in PCa patients' exosomes, but the role of exosomal RNF157 mRNA in PCa development remains unclear. Methods: Online databases were utilized for predicting gene expression and binding correlation between different factors. RT-qPCR and western blot assays were respectively done to analyze RNA and protein expressions. Flow cytometry analysis was implemented to analyze M2 polarization. Results: RNF157 expression was high in PCa tissues and cells. M2 polarization of macrophages was enhanced after co-culture with PCa cells or with exosomes released by PCa cells. Upon RNF157 knockdown in PCa cells, the extracted exosomes could not lead to the facilitated M2 polarization. Mechanistically, RNF157 could bind to HDAC1 and contribute to HDAC1 ubiquitination, which led to HDAC1 degradation and resulting in promoting M2 polarization of macrophages. Animal experiments validated that exosomal RNF157 accelerated PCa tumor growth through facilitating macrophage M2 polarization. Conclusion: Exosome-mediated RNF157 mRNA from PCa cells results in M2 macrophage polarization via destabilizing HDAC1, consequently promoting PCa tumor progression.

The Epidemiological Characteristics of Noncommunicable Diseases and Malignant Tumors in Guiyang, China: Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Studies that address the changing characteristics of diseases are of great importance for preventing and controlling the occurrence and development of diseases and for improving health. However, studies of the epidemiological characteristics of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and malignant tumors (MTs) of the residents in Guiyang, China, are lacking. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalences of NCDs and MTs in residents of Guiyang, Guizhou Province, China, and analyze differences among ages, genders, and regions. METHODS: A multistage stratified cluster sampling method was used. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 81,517 individuals were selected for the study. Of these, 77,381 (94.9%) participants completed the study. Structured questionnaires were used to collect information on demographic characteristics, NCDs, and MTs. The chi-square test (with 95% confidence intervals) was used to analyze differences in disease prevalence among genders, ages, and geographical regions. RESULTS: The major chronic NCDs of Guiyang residents are obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. MTs in women are mostly breast cancer, cervical cancer, and endometrial cancer, whereas in men, MTs are mainly lung cancer, rectal cancer, and gastric cancer. The prevalences of hypertension and diabetes in women are higher than in men, but the prevalences of lung cancer and gastric cancer in men are higher than in women. The epidemiological characteristics of individuals in different life stages are dissimilar. In terms of regional distribution, the prevalences of the above diseases in the Baiyun and Yunyan districts of Guiyang are relatively high. CONCLUSIONS: Several NCDs (obesity, hypertension, and diabetes) and MTs (women: breast cancer, cervical cancer, and endometrial cancer; men: lung cancer, rectal cancer, and gastric cancer) should be the focus for the prevention and control of chronic diseases in the future. In particular, the Baiyun and Yunyan districts of Guiyang are the important regions to emphasize.

Transgenic construction and functional miRNA analysis identify the role of miR-7 in prostate cancer suppression.

Although miR-7 suppresses the initiation and progression in cancers, little is known about its role in prostate cancer, especially in transgenic mouse models. In present study, we found that expression of miR-7, regulated by p53, was lower in prostate cancer tissues, and miR-7 overexpression significantly mitigated prostate cancer cells growth both in vitro, in organoids and in vivo regardless of p53 status. After we generated miR-7 overexpression transgenic mice and miR-7+/TRAMP mice, we found that transgenic overexpression of miR-7 in mice is safe and miR-7+/TRAMP mice have a preferred overall survival. Moreover, in vivo treatment of miR-7 inhibited subcutaneous tumour growth in mice and prolonged the survival of mice harboring prostate cancer lung metastasis when co-injection with PD-1 antibody. In addition, miR-7 downregulated glycolysis of prostate cancer cells by inhibiting several key pathways including HIF-1α, and subsequently remodeled acidic tumour microenvironment, PanKLa level and T cell infiltration. In summary, our findings highlighted a promising target for development of miRNA-based therapeutics for prostate cancer patients regardless of p53 status.

Associations between long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and renal function in Southwest China: The China Multi-Ethnic Cohort (CMEC) study.

BACKGROUND: Limited studies have examined associations between air pollutants exposure and renal function, especially in China, with the most extensive chronic kidney disease (CKD) disease burden worldwide. OBJECTIVES: This study examines associations between long-term exposure to ambient PM2.5, NO2, CO, O3, SO2 and renal function. METHODS: We included 80,225 participants aged 30-79 years from the baseline data of the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort (CMEC) study. Three-year average concentrations of PM2.5, NO2, CO, O3, and SO2 were estimated using satellite-based spatiotemporal models. Renal function is determined by the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) using Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation. After adjusting for covariates, generalized propensity scores (GPS) weighting regression was used to estimate associations between ambient air pollutants and renal function. RESULTS: An increase of 0.1 mg/m3 CO (OR [odds ratio] =1.20 95% CI [confidence interval], 1.05-1.37) was positively associated with CKD. An increase of 1 µg/m3 in SO2 (1.07, 1.00-1.14) concentration was positively associated with CKD. An increase of 10 µg/m3 in PM2.5 (1.17, 0.99-1.38), NO2 (1.12, 0.83-1.51) and O3 (1.10, 0.81-1.50) concentration was not associated with CKD. These effects are stronger in those younger than 65, smoking and with low BMI. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we found that long-term exposure to ambient CO and SO2 were positively associated with CKD. Gaseous pollutants should also arouse the concern of relevant departments.

MAP9 Exhibits Protumor Activities and Immune Escape toward Bladder Cancer by Mediating TGF-ß1 Pathway.

To investigate more potential targets for the treatment of human bladder cancer, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and high-content screening (HCS) analysis were performed, and microtubule-associated protein 9 (MAP9), which had the strongest proliferation inhibition from 809 downregulated genes, has been selected. MAP9 is responsible for bipolar spindle assembly and is involved in the progression of many types of tumors; however, its role in bladder cancer (BC) remains unknown. Expressive levels of MAP9 in BC tissues were determined through immunohistochemistry, and the clinical significance of MAP9 in BC was analyzed. Short hairpin ribonucleic acid- (ShRNA-) MAP9 was used to construct stable MAP9 knockdown BC cell lines. The proliferative abilities of MAP9 were measured through assays in vivo and in vitro, and the migrated and invasive abilities of MAP9 were analyzed via in vitro experiments. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR, western blotting, coimmunoprecipitation (Co-IP), and rescue assays were used to identify downstream targets of MAP9. MAP9 expression increased in the tumor tissues, and its increased level was negatively correlated with prognosis. Further, the loss of MAP9 caused decreased BC cell proliferation via inducing the growth 1/synthesis (G1/S) cell cycle arrest in vitro and slowed tumor growth in vivo. In addition, MAP9 silencing attenuated BC cell migration and invasion. Moreover, we found that the growth 1/synthesis (G1/S) cell cycle-related genes and the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) marker levels decreased after silencing MAP9. Finally, we found that the transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-ß1) pathway is activated as a mediator for MAP9 to regulate genes related to the G1/S cell cycle and EMT. MAP9 promotes BC progression and immune escape activity through the TGF-ß1 pathway and is a potential novel target for therapies of BC.

Case Report: Giant Congenital Left Atrial Appendage Aneurysm Presenting With Acute Massive Cerebral Infarction and Refractory Atrial Fibrillation: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Background: Congenital left atrial appendage aneurysm (LAAA) is a rare cardiac anomaly with a variety of presentations, from being asymptomatic to potentially serious complications such as systemic thromboembolism and atrial tachyarrhythmia. Case Presentation: We report a case of congenital giant LAAA in a 35-year-old man presenting with acute massive cerebral infarction and atrial fibrillation (AF) with rapid ventricular rate. The AF was refractory to conventional antiarrhythmic agents, such as amiodarone and electrical cardioversion, but restored and maintained sinus rhythm after surgical resection of LAAA. The patient remained free of events and was in sinus rhythm during half-year follow-up. Conclusion: Giant LAAA has the potential causing serious complications and should be managed surgically in most cases.

State-of-the-Art Capability of Convolutional Neural Networks to Distinguish the Signal in the Ionosphere.

Recovering and distinguishing different ionospheric layers and signals usually requires slow and complicated procedures. In this work, we construct and train five convolutional neural network (CNN) models: DeepLab, fully convolutional DenseNet24 (FC-DenseNet24), deep watershed transform (DWT), Mask R-CNN, and spatial attention-UNet (SA-UNet) for the recovery of ionograms. The performance of the models is evaluated by intersection over union (IoU). We collect and manually label 6131 ionograms, which are acquired from a low-latitude ionosonde in Taiwan. These ionograms are contaminated by strong quasi-static noise, with an average signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) equal to 1.4. Applying the five models to these noisy ionograms, we show that the models can recover useful signals with IoU > 0.6. The highest accuracy is achieved by SA-UNet. For signals with less than 15% of samples in the data set, they can be recovered by Mask R-CNN to some degree (IoU > 0.2). In addition to the number of samples, we identify and examine the effects of three factors: (1) SNR, (2) shape of signal, (3) overlapping of signals on the recovery accuracy of different models. Our results indicate that FC-DenseNet24, DWT, Mask R-CNN and SA-UNet are capable of identifying signals from very noisy ionograms (SNR < 1.4), overlapping signals can be well identified by DWT, Mask R-CNN and SA-UNet, and that more elongated signals are better identified by all models.

Identification of the susceptible subpopulations for wide pulse pressure under long-term exposure to ambient particulate matters.

Wide pulse pressure (WPP) is a preclinical indicator for arterial stiffness and cardiovascular diseases. Long-term exposure to ambient particulate matters (PMs) would increase the risk of WPP. Although reducing pollutants emissions and avoiding outdoor activity during a polluted period are effective ways to blunt the adverse effects. Identifying and protecting the susceptible subpopulation is another crucial way to reduce the disease burdens. Therefore, we aimed to identify the susceptible subpopulations of WPP under long-term exposure to PMs. The WPP was defined as pulse pressure over 60 mmHg. Three-year averages of PMs were estimated using random forest approaches. Associations between WPP and PMs exposure were estimated using generalized propensity score weighted logistic regressions. Demographic, socioeconomic characteristics, health-related behaviors, and hematological biomarkers were collected to detect the modification effects on the WPP-PMs associations. Susceptible subpopulations were defined as those with significantly higher risks of WPP under PMs exposures. The PMs-WPP associations were significant with ORs (95%CI) of 1.126 (1.094, 1.159) for PM1, 1.174 (1.140, 1.210) for PM2.5, and 1.111 (1.088, 1.135) for PM10. There were 17 subpopulations more sensitive to WPP under long-term exposure to PMs. The susceptibility was higher in subpopulations with high BMI (Q3-Q4 quartiles), high-intensive physical activity (Q3 or Q4 quartile), insufficient or excessive fruit intake (Q1 or Q5 quartile), insufficient or too long sleep length (<7 or >8 h). Subpopulations with elevated inflammation markers (WBC, LYM, BAS, EOS: Q3-Q4 quartiles) and glucose metabolism indicators (HbA1c, GLU: Q3-Q4 quartiles) were more susceptible. Besides, elder, urban living, low socioeconomic level, and excessive red meat and sodium salt intake were also related to higher susceptibility. Our findings on the susceptibility characteristics would help to develop more targeted disease prevention and therapy strategies. Health resources can be allocated more effectively by putting more consideration to subpopulations with higher susceptibility.

Patterns and demographic correlates of domain-specific physical activities and their associations with dyslipidaemia in China: a multiethnic cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the patterns and demographic correlates of domain-specific physical activities (PAs) and their associations with dyslipidaemia among ethnic minorities in China. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. PARTICIPANTS: In total, 17 081 individuals were included. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Domain-specific PAs were assessed using a questionnaire related to occupational, transportation, housework and leisure-time PAs. Dyslipidaemia was measured using an automatic biochemical instrument. Demographic variables were self-reported. RESULTS: Housework accounted for most PAs in the study. Elderly people were more likely to participate in housework and leisure-time PA, whereas the mean level of PA in people with low education level and household income was high. With G3-G4 levels of occupational PA, Dong men (G4: OR=0.530, 95% CI 0.349 to 0.806), Miao women (G3: OR=0.698, 95% CI 0.524 to 0.931; G4: OR=0.611, 95% CI 0.439 to 0.850) and Bouyei women (G3: OR=0.745, 95% CI 0.566 to 0.981; G4: OR=0.615, 95% CI 0.440 to 0.860) tended to have a low risk of dyslipidaemia. With G2 levels of transportation, PA could reduce the risk of dyslipidaemia in Bouyei women (G2: OR=0.747, 95% CI 0.580 to 0.962). G2-G3 levels of leisure-time PA could reduce the risk of dyslipidaemia in Miao men (G2: OR=0.645, 95% CI 0.446 to 0.933; G3: OR=0.700, 95% CI 0.513 to 0.954). However, a high risk of dyslipidaemia was observed with G4 levels of leisure-time PA among Bouyei women (G4: OR=.353, 95% CI 1.001 to 1.905) and with transportation PA among Dong men (G4: OR=1.591, 95% CI 1.130 to 2.240). CONCLUSION: The main PA of the ethnic minorities in Guizhou Province involved housework. Domain-specific PAs varied with demographic factors, and active domain-specific PAs were associated with a reduced risk of dyslipidaemia.

The relationship between occupational physical activity and dyslipidaemia in farmers with varying working modes in southwest China: the China multi-ethnic cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Farmers are the integral members of rural communities. In the present study, we determined the association between occupational physical activity (OPA) of farmers and dyslipidaemia. METHODS: We included 7649 farmers from The China Multi-Ethnic Cohort (CMEC) Study. The working modes of all farmers were divided into four types according to their self-reported seasonal changes in farming work and/or other job changes (1: no change; 2: changing job; 3: seasonal changes; and 4: seasonal and job changes). OPA was self-reported, and the OPA levels in the four groups were classified as Q1, Q2-Q3, and Q4 by quantile. Dyslipidaemia was defined as the presence of abnormalities in lipid indicators. Binary logistic regression was used to estimate the association between OPA and dyslipidaemia. RESULTS: Compared with those in the no change group, the participants in other three groups were younger with lower level of education, annual income, and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA). Active OPA could reduce the risk of dyslipidaemia in the no change [men: odds ratios (OR) = 0.21, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.07-0.64; women: OR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.20-0.93] and seasonal change (men: OR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.27-0.77; women: OR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.41-0.86) groups. However, in the seasonal and job change group (men: OR = 3.23, 95% CI: 1.06-9.80; women: OR = 3.24, 95% CI: 1.42-7.41), active OPA increased the risk of dyslipidaemia. CONCLUSIONS: Different OPA levels might lead to differences in association with blood lipid levels. Thus, OPA guidelines must be developed for farmers, especially for those who experience seasonal changes in farming work and job changes.

Relationship Between Sleep Duration and Stroke History in Middle-Aged and Elderly in Guiyang: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

BACKGROUND: With over 2 million new cases annually, stroke is associated with the higher amount of disability-adjusted life-years lost than any other disease in China; however, the relationship between sleep time and stroke has not been concluded yet. Aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between sleep duration and stroke history in middle-aged and elderly people in Guiyang, China. METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional survey carried out in 40-99-years-old permanent residents of Guiyang. Yunyan, Wudang, and Baiyun districts and Xiuwen County were selected by stratified multilevel sampling for a face-to-face survey. Demographics, history of stroke, and self-reported sleep behavior data were collected, and multivariable logistic regression models were used to gradually adjust possible confounding factors. RESULTS: A total of 5065 participants were included, of them 126 (2.5%) had a history of stroke. Short sleep (<7 h) was observed in 11.0%, sufficient sleep (7-9 h) in 69.4%, and long sleep (>9 h) in 19.6%. Sleep duration and stroke prevalence showed a U-shaped distribution. When taking the sleep duration of 7-9 h as a reference, sleep duration >9 h was associated with stroke (all P < 0.05) in the univariable model (OR = 2.68, 95% CI: 1.83-3.93) and in the multivariable models 1 (OR = 2.35, 95% CI: 1.59-3.47), 2 (OR = 2.27, 95% CI: 1.53-3.37), 3 (OR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.51-3.33), and 4 (OR = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.39-3.19). There were no significant differences between the <7 and 7-9 h groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Thus, long sleep duration (>9 h) is independently associated with history of stroke in middle-aged and elderly people in Guiyang.

[Effect of Astragali Radix-Curcumae Rhizoma compatibility combined with 5-fluorouracil on Th17/Treg balance and tumor-related mRNA and protein expression in orthotopic xenograft model mice of CT26.WT colorectal carcinoma].

Astragali Radix-Curcumae Rhizoma(AR-CR) is a combination commonly used in the clinical treatment of tumors. Based on the T helper 17(Th17)/regulatory T cell(Treg) balance, the present study explored the possible mechanism of AR-CR combined with 5-fluorouracil(5-FU) on the tumor growth of orthotopic xenograft model mice of colorectal carcinoma. Ninety male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into nine groups, i.e., a blank group, a model group, a 5-FU group, high-, medium-, and low-dose AR-CR(2∶1) groups, and high-, medium-, and low-dose AR-CR+5-FU groups, with 10 mice in each group. The orthotopic xenograft model of CT26.WT colorectal carcinoma was induced in mice except those in the blank group. Twenty-four hours after the ope-ration, mice in the blank group and the model group received normal saline by gavage(10 mL·kg~(-1), once per day), and those in the 5-FU group received 5-FU by intraperitoneal injection(25 mg·kg~(-1), once every other day). Mice in the AR-CR groups received AR and CR decoctions by gavage(12, 6, and 3 g·kg~(-1), once a day) and those in the combination groups received AR and CR decoctions and 5-FU(doses and administration methods were the same as above). After intervention for three weeks, all mice were sacrificed and tumor tissues were collected. The tumor mass was weighed and the average tumor weight was calculated. The changing trend of Th17/Treg(%) in the CD4~+T lymphocytes of the spleen tissues of the mice in each group was detected. The mRNA expression in the blood and protein expression in the tumor tissues of transforming growth factor-ß(TGF-ß), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interferon-γ(IFN-γ), Smad4, N-cadherin, matrix metalloproteinase-7(MMP-7) were detected. The experimental results revealed that compared with the model group, the groups with drug intervention showed reduced tumor mass(P<0.01), decreased CD4~+IL-17~+ in the spleen tissues to varying degrees(P<0.001), and increased proportion of CD4~+Foxp3~+(P<0.001 or P<0.05), indicating that Th17/Treg maintained dynamic balance, and the effect of the combination groups was predominant. Additionally, the mRNA expression in the blood and protein expression in the tumor tissues of TGF-ß, TNF-α, IFN-γ, Smad4, N-cadherin, and MMP-7 declined to varying degrees in a dose-dependent manner(P<0.01 or P<0.001). The AR-CR combined with 5-FU can inhibit the tumor growth of orthotopic xenograft model mice of CT26.WT colorectal carcinoma. The mechanism may be related to maintenance of Th17/Treg dynamic balance in the body and down-regulation of TGF-ß, TNF-α, IFN-γ, Smad4, N-cadherin, and MMP-7 expression.