APOE ε4 allele modifies the associations of toxic metals and their mixture with cognitive impairment among older adults.

BACKGROUND: The evidence of interactive effect of the toxic metal (TM) mixture and apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 gene on cognitive impairment in older adults is scarce. We aimed to explore whether the associations of single TMs and their mixture with cognitive impairment depend on APOE ε4 in Chinese community-dwelling older people. METHODS: A total of 1148 older adults from a subset of the baseline survey of a cohort study were included. Blood arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), strontium (Sr), and vanadium (V) were detected by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. APOE gene (rs429358, rs7412) polymorphisms were analyzed by the Polymerase Chain Reaction instrument. Mixed effects logistic regression was applied to estimate the relationships of single TMs and APOE genotype with cognitive impairment. Weighted quantile sum (WQS) and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models were performed to examine joint impacts of the TM mixture, as well as the interaction of the TM mixture with APOE ε4 genotype on cognitive impairment. RESULTS: Pb displayed a significant linear association with an increased odds of cognitive impairment after adjustment for covariates (Ptrend = 0.045). While APOE genotype did not show a significant correlation with cognitive impairment. WQS showed that the TM mixture was associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment by 31.0% (OR=1.31, 95% CI: 0.92, 1.87) while no significance was found. BKMR exhibited a significant linear association between the TM mixture and cognitive impairment. Moreover, both WQS and BKMR indicated that Pb contributed the most to cognitive impairment within the mixture. Significant interactions of Pb or the TM mixture and APOE genotype on cognitive impairment were observed, contributing to 38.1% and 38.2% of total effects, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: APOE ε4 allele amplifies the associations of single Pb or the TM mixture with cognitive impairment. These findings may help to develop precision prevention.

Association Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Academic Performance Among Children and Adolescents: A Global Meta-Analysis.

This study was conducted to quantify the association of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and the academic performance of children and adolescents. The literature was systematically searched in six electronic databases, and a meta-analysis was conducted. Twenty studies with a total of 1,196,631 children and adolescents from five countries were included. Meta-analysis showed that ACE score was positively associated with poor academic achievement, grade repetition, and special education support. Compared with children and adolescents without any ACE, those with one or more ACE had a significantly higher risk of poor academic achievement (pooled odds ratio [OR]: 1.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.13, 1.85], I2 = 82.6%) and grade repetition (pooled OR: 1.36, 95% CI [1.29, 1.43], I2 = 71.0%). Moreover, all types of ACEs were positively associated with poor academic achievement and grade repetition. In addition, there was a significant dose-response relationship between the ACE score and the risk of poor academic achievement. This study supported that ACE had a significant impact on the academic performance of children and adolescents. Based on these findings, we recommend that early screening of ACEs for children and adolescent is critical and appropriate support and prevention in education should be developed for those with ACEs. Further studies are needed to further explore the long-term effect of ACEs on education and its gender differences.

Physical activity attenuates the association of long-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide with sleep quality and its dimensions in Chinese rural older adults.

BACKGROUND: Joint impacts of air pollution and physical activity (PA) on sleep quality remain unaddressed. We aimed to investigate whether PA attenuates the association of long-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) with sleep quality and its dimensions in older adults. METHODS: This study included 3408 Chinese rural older adults. Annual NO2 was estimated using the Space-Time Extra-Trees model. PA was assessed by International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Sleep quality was evaluated using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scale. Linear regression models were used to assess the associations of long-term NO2 exposure and PA with sleep quality and its dimensions, and interaction plots were used to depict the attenuating effect of PA on associations of NO2 with sleep quality and its dimensions. RESULTS: Three-year (3-y) average NO2 (per 0.64-µg/m3 increment) was positively associated with global PSQI (ß = 0.41, 95 % CI: 0.23, 0.59), sleep duration (ß = 0.16, 95 % CI: 0.11, 0.21), and habitual sleep efficiency (ß = 0.22, 95 % CI: 0.17, 0.27), while PA was negatively associated with global PSQI (ß = -0.33, 95 % CI: -0.46, -0.20) and five domains of PSQI other than sleep duration and sleep disturbances. The associations of NO2 with global PSQI, sleep duration, and habitual sleep efficiency were attenuated with increased PA (Pinteraction were 0.037, 0.020, and 0.079, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: PA attenuates the adverse impacts of long-term NO2 exposure on sleep quality, especially on sleep duration, and habitual sleep efficiency, in Chinese rural elderly people. Participating in PA should be encouraged in this population, and continued efforts are still needed to reduce air pollution.

The Association Between Essential Metal Element Mixture and Sleep Quality in Chinese Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Previous studies have related single essential metal elements (EMEs) to sleep quality among older adults, however, the association of the EME mixture with sleep quality remained poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between single EMEs and the EME mixture and sleep quality in older adults living in Chinese communities. This study consisted of 3957 older adults aged 60 years or over. Urinary concentrations of cobalt (Co), vanadium (V), selenium (Se), molybdenum (Mo), strontium (Sr), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) were detected using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Sleep quality was evaluated using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The associations of single EMEs and EME mixture with sleep quality were assessed using logistic regression and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models, respectively. Adjusted single-element logistic regression models showed that Mo (OR = 0.927, 95%CI:0.867-0.990), Sr (OR = 0.927, 95%CI:0.864-0.994), and Mg (OR = 0.934, 95%CI:0.873-0.997) were negatively related to poor sleep quality. BKMR models exhibited similar results. Also, higher levels of the EME mixture in urine were inversely related to the odds of poor sleep quality after adjustment for covariates, and Mo had the largest conditional posterior inclusion probability (condPIP) value in the mixture. Mo, Sr, and Mg were negatively related to poor sleep quality, separately and as the mixture. The EME mixture in urine was associated with decreased odds of poor sleep quality in older adults, and Mo was the greatest contributor within the mixture. Additional cohort research is warranted to clarify the relationship of multiple EMEs with sleep quality.

Short-term effects of heatwaves on clinical and subclinical cardiovascular indicators in Chinese adults: A distributed lag analysis.

AIMS: Previous studies have related heat waves to morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular diseases; however, potential mechanisms remained limited. Our aims were to investigate the short-term effects of heat waves on a series of clinical/subclinical indicators associated with cardiovascular health. METHODS: Our study used 80,574 health examination records from the Health Management Center of Nanjing Zhongda Hospital during the warm seasons of 2019-2021, including 62,128 participants. A total of 11 recognized indicators of cardiovascular risk or injury were assessed. Air pollution and meteorological data were obtained from the Nanjing Ecological Environment Bureau and the China Meteorological Data Network, respectively. Heat waves were defined as a daily average temperature over the 95th percentile for three or more consecutive days from May to September. We used a combination of linear mixed effects models and distributed lag nonlinear models to assess the lagged effects of heat waves on clinical and subclinical cardiovascular indicators. Stratified analyses based on individuals' characteristics, including gender, age, body mass index (BMI), diabetes, and hypertension, were also performed. RESULTS: Heat waves were related to significant changes in most indicators, with the magnitude of effects generally peaking at a lag of 0 to 3 days. Moreover, the cumulative percentage changes over lag 0-7 days were -0.82 % to -2.55 % in blood pressure, 1.32 % in heart rate, 0.20 % to 2.66 % in systemic inflammation markers, 0.36 % in a blood viscosity parameter, 9.36 % in homocysteine, and 1.35 % to 3.25 % in injuring myocardial enzymes. Interestingly, females and males showed distinct susceptibilities in different indicators. Stronger effects were also found in participants aged 50 years or over, individuals with abnormal BMI status, and patients with diabetes. CONCLUSION: Short-term exposure to heat waves could significantly alter clinical/subclinical cardiovascular indicator profiles, including blood pressure changes, increased heart rate, acute systemic inflammation, elevated blood viscosity, and myocardial injury.

Monthly variations of groundwater arsenic risk under future climate scenarios in 2081-2100.

The seasonal variations of shallow groundwater arsenic have been widely documented. To gain insight into the monthly variations and mechanisms behind high groundwater arsenic and arsenic exposure risk in different climate scenarios, the monthly probability of high groundwater arsenic in Hetao Basin was simulated through random forest model. The model was based on arsenic concentrations obtained from 566 groundwater sample sites, and the variables considered included soil properties, climate, topography, and landform parameters. The results revealed that spatial patterns of high groundwater arsenic showed some fluctuations among months under different future climate scenarios. The probability of high total arsenic and trivalent arsenic was found to be elevated at the start of the rainy season, only to rapidly decrease with increasing precipitation and temperature. The probability then increased again after the rainy season. The areas with an increased probability of high total arsenic and trivalent arsenic and arsenic exposure risk under SSP126 were typically found in the high-arsenic areas of 2019, while those with decreased probabilities were observed in low-arsenic areas. Under SSP585, which involves a significant increase in precipitation and temperature, the probability of high total arsenic and trivalent arsenic and arsenic exposure risk was widely reduced. However, the probability of high total arsenic and trivalent arsenic and arsenic exposure risk was mainly observed in low-arsenic areas from SSP126 to SSP585. In conclusion, the consumption of groundwater for human and livestock drinking remains a threat to human health due to high arsenic exposure under future climate scenarios.

Short-term effects of ambient PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 on internal metal/metalloid profiles in older adults: A distributed lag analysis in China.

There is limited evidence linking exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM) with internal doses of metals and metalloids (metal(loid)s). This study aimed to evaluate the effects of short-term exposure to ambient PM on urine metal(loid)s among Chinese older adults. Biological monitoring data of 15 urine metal(loid)s collected in 3, 970 community-dwelling older adults in Fuyang city, Anhui Province, China, from July to September 2018, were utilized. PMs with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 1 µm (PM1), ≤ 2.5 µm (PM2.5), and ≤ 10 µm (PM10) up to eight days before urine collection were estimated by space-time extremely randomized trees (STET) model. Residential greenness was reflected by Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). We used generalized additive model (GAM) combined with distributed lag linear/non-linear models (DLMs/DLNMs) to estimate the associations between short-term PM exposure and urine metal(loid)s. The results suggested that the cumulative exposures to PM1, PM2.5, or PM10 over two days (lag0-1 days) before urine collection were associated with elevated urine metal(loid)s in DLMs, while exhibited linear or "inverted U-shaped" relationships with seven urine metal(loid)s in DLNMs, including Gallium (Ga), Arsenic (As), Aluminum (Al), Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca), Uranium (U), and Barium (Ba). Aforementioned results indicated robust rather than spurious associations between PMs and these seven metal(loid)s. After standardizations for three PMs, PM1 was the greatest contributor to U, PM2.5 made the greatest contributions to Ga, As, Al, and Ba, and PM10 contributed the most to Mg and Ca. Furthermore, the effects of three PMs on urine Ga, As, Al, Mg, Ca, and Ba were reduced when exposed to higher levels of NDVI. Overall, short-term exposures to ambient PMs contribute to elevated urinary metal(loid) levels in older adults, and three PMs exhibit various contributions to different urine metal(loid)s. Moreover, residential greenness may attenuate the effects of PMs on urine metal(loid)s.

Associations of 10 trace element levels in the whole blood with risk of three types of obesity in the elderly.

BACKGROUND: Currently, over 2 billion people worldwide suffer from obesity, which poses a serious health risk. More and more attention is being given to the effects of trace elements on obesity in recent years. Synergistic or antagonistic interactions among these elements can adversely or positively impact human health. However, epidemiological evidence on the relationship between trace element exposure levels and obesity has been inconclusive. METHODS: Baseline data of 994 participants from the Cohort of Elderly Health and Environment Controllable Factors were used in the present study. ICP-MS was used to measure the concentrations of 10 trace elements in the whole blood of the older population. Binary logistic regression, restricted cubic splines (RCS) models, and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models were employed to assess single, nonlinear, and mixed relationships between 10 trace element levels and three types of obesity based on body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and body fat percentage (BFP) in the elderly. RESULTS: Based on BMI, WC and BFP, 51.8% of the included old population were defined as general overweight/obesity, 67.1% as abdominal obesity, and 36.2% as having slightly high/high BFP. After multivariable adjustment, compared with the lowest tertile, the highest tertile of blood selenium (Se) concentration was associated with an increased risk of all three types of obesity. Additionally, compared with the lowest tertile, higher tertiles of strontium (Sr) concentrations were associated with a lower risk of general overweight/obesity and having slightly high/high BFP, and the highest tertile of barium (Ba) was associated with a lower risk of having slightly high BFP, while higher tertiles of arsenic (As) concentrations were associated with an increased risk of having slightly high/high BFP, and the highest tertile of manganese (Mn) was associated with a higher risk of abdominal obesity. BKMR analyses showed a strong linear positive association between Se and three types of obesity. Higher blood levels of trace element mixture were associated with increased obesity risks in a dose-response pattern, with Se having the highest value of the posterior inclusion probability (PIP) within the mixture. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we found higher Se levels were associated with an elevated risk of obesity and high levels of Ba, Pb and Cr were associated with a decreased risk of obesity. Studies with larger samples are needed to confirm these findings.

Spatial distribution of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes in tidal flat reclamation areas in China.

Tidal flat areas are important resources for land development and are becoming antibiotic resistance receivers that trigger major health concerns. The spatial distributions of forty-nine antibiotics, nine antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), one mobile gene element (MGE) gene, and nine available metals in the soils and sediments along the coastlines of the Yellow Sea in China were quantified. Hierarchical linear model analysis was used to explore relationships between the antibiotics and ARGs across multiple effects resulting from human activities and environmental factors. Fish farm sediments and farmland soils showed high levels of quinolones (QNs) (maximum 637 ng·g-1), sulfonamides (SAs) (maximum 221 ng·g-1), and corresponding ARGs. Significant positive correlations (P from 5.47 × 10-14 to 0.0487) were observed between the antibiotics (QNs, SAs, and chlortetracycline) and their corresponding ARGs (qnrA, qnrD, aac(6')-Ib-cr, dfrA, sul2, and tetA), indicating the selective pressure from antibiotics in soils and sediments. Nine available metals had positive correlations with at least one ARG, indicating heavy metal pollution could enhance the ARGs. Sheep and poultry husbandry and marine aquaculture contribute the most to the antibiotic resistance in the coastlines. In conclusion, antibiotic pollutions have promoting effects at sub-inhibitory concentrations and more attention should be given to inhibit the enrichment of ARGs during tidal flat reclamation processes. The study also suggests the induction effects from metal pollutions, MGE spread, and the antibiotic pollutions from the usage in livestock and aquaculture.

The geochemical stability of typical arsenic-bearing sinter in the Tibetan plateau: Implications from quantitative mineralogy.

High­arsenic (As) sinter deposited from geothermal water is a potentially overlooked hazardous matrix and there remain substantial gaps in our comprehension of the stability of As sequestered within it. In this study, qualitative and quantitative analysis of the mineralogy of As-bearing sinter was conducted by Mineral Liberation Analyzer (MLA) in geothermal areas of the Tibetan Plateau to reveal the geochemical stability of As. Our results indicated that the contents of As in sinter were 3 orders of magnitude higher than the local soil. The dominant host minerals of As were calcite (40.9 %), thenardite (22.5 %), calcium silicate (13.0 %), and halite (8.1 %). Additionally, it was found that a relatively higher As bioavailability was extracted by ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), with a leaching rate of 41.2 %. Notably, the X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that the thenardite and halite were decomposed after the leaching. The combination of mineralogy and geochemistry data suggested that calcite and calcium silicate were a crucial mechanism for As retention in sinter, while the dissolution of saline minerals (e.g., thenardite, halite, and calcium chloride) served as the primary sources for As release. This finding unveils the potential risks and mechanisms associated with high-As sinter, providing scientific guidance for risk management of sinter.

The associations of non-essential metal mixture with fasting plasma glucose among Chinese older adults without diabetes.

The evidence about the effect of non-essential metal mixture on fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels among older adults without diabetes is limited. This study aims to estimate the individual and joint relationship between five non-essential metals and FPG levels in Chinese older adults without diabetes. This study included 2362 older adults without diabetes. Urinary concentrations of five non-essential metals, i.e., cesium (Cs), aluminum (Al), thallium (Tl), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As), were detected by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The associations of single metals and the metal mixture with FPG levels were assessed using linear regression and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models, respectively. Adjusted single-metal linear regression models showed positive associations of urinary Al (ß = 0.016, 95%CI: 0.001-0.030) and Cs (ß = 0.018, 95%CI: 0.006-0.031) with FPG levels. When comparing the 2th, 3th, and 4th quartiles of urine Cs to its 1th quartile, the significant associations between Cs and FPG levels were found and presented as an "inverted U" trend (ßQ2 vs. Q1: 0.034; ßQ3 vs. Q1:0.054; ßQ4 vs. Q1: 0.040; all P<0.05). BKMR analyses showed urinary level of Cs exhibited an "inverted U" shape association with FPG levels. Moreover, the FPG levels increased linearly with the raised levels of the non-essential metal mixture, and the posterior inclusion probability (PIP) of Cs was the highest (0.92). Potential positive interaction of As and Cs on FPG levels was found in BKMR model. Stratified analysis displayed significant interactions of hyperlipidemia and urine Cs or Tl on FPG levels. An inverse U-shaped association between Cs and FPG was found, individually and as mixture. The FPG levels increased with the raised levels of the non-essential metal mixture, and Cs was the most contributor to FPG levels. Further research is required to confirm the correlation between non-essential metals and FPG levels and to clarify the underlying mechanisms.

The association between the essential metal mixture and fasting plasma glucose in Chinese community-dwelling elderly people.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies about the effect of essential metal mixture on fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels among elderly people are sparse. The object of this study was to examine the associations of single essential metals and essential metal mixture with FPG levels in Chinese community-dwelling elderly people. METHODS: The study recruited 2348 community-dwelling elderly people in total. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry was adopted to detect the levels of vanadium (V), selenium (Se), magnesium (Mg), cobalt (Co), calcium (Ca), and molybdenum (Mo) in urine. The relationships between single essential metals and essential metal mixture and FPG levels were evaluated by linear regression and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models, respectively. RESULTS: In multiple-metal linear regression models, urine V and Mg were negatively related to the FPG levels (ß = - 0.016, 95 % CI: - 0.030 to - 0.003 for V; ß = - 0.021, 95 % CI: - 0.033 to - 0.009 for Mg), and urine Se was positively related to the FPG levels (ß = 0.024, 95 % CI: 0.014-0.034). In BKMR model, the significant relationships of Se and Mg with the FPG levels were also found. The essential metal mixture was negatively associated with FPG levels in a dose-response pattern, and Mg had the maximum posterior inclusion probability (PIP) value (PIP = 1.0000), followed by Se (PIP = 0.9968). Besides, Co showed a significant association with decreased FPG levels in older adults without hyperlipemia and in women. CONCLUSIONS: Both Mg and Se were associated with FPG levels, individually and as a mixture. The essential metal mixture displayed a linear dose-response relationship with reduced FPG levels, with Mg having the largest contribution to FPG levels, followed by Se. Further prospective investigations are necessary to validate these exploratory findings.

Does social capital aid in leveling the income gradient in child mental health? A structural analysis of the left-behind and not-left-behind Chinese children.

BACKGROUND: Few prior studies have investigated the income gradient in child mental health from a socio-environmental perspective. In an age when child mental health problems in a rapidly changing social environment have become a worldwide issue, an understanding of the socio-environmental mechanisms of the income disparities in child mental health outcomes is imperative and cost-effective. METHODS: By conducting structural equation analyses with Chinese nationally representative survey data, this study explored the family income gradient in child depression and its potential socio-environmental pathways at the neighborhood, family and school levels, differentiating left-behind and not-left-behind children. RESULTS: We found a robust family income gradient in depressive symptoms. Neighborhood cohesion mitigated the income gradient in depressive symptoms by playing a suppression role. School social capital acted as a mediator. Neighborhood trust, neighborhood safety and family social capital played no significant impact. The mitigating and mediating roles of social capital components were significant among only the not-left-behind children. CONCLUSIONS: To reduce income-related inequalities in child mental health in the long run, integrating policies that directly reduce poverty with policies that improve distal socio-environments is necessary.

The Reasonableness and Spatial Differences of the Food Consumption Structure of Urban and Rural Residents in China, 2015-2021.

Based on residents' food consumption data from 31 provinces in China from 2015-2021, this study analyzes the deviation in food consumption from nutrition targets and the spatial distribution characteristics of urban and rural residents in China from 2015-2021, and finds that there are irrationalities in the structure of food consumption of Chinese residents as well as regional differences in consumption. The food consumption of Chinese residents deviates from the recommended values of the Chinese Food Guide Pagoda to a certain extent, with large differences between urban and rural areas and provinces. Therefore, a new concept of food security with nutrition as the target should be established to guide residents' food consumption scientifically and rationally, and to adopt focused attention and targeted measures for regions with serious imbalances in food consumption.

Short-term effects of cold spells on hematocrit among adults in Nanjing, China: A distributed-lagged effect analysis.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have linked exposure to cold spells with cardiovascular diseases, however, underlying mechanisms remained to be understood. We aimed to explore the short-term effects of cold spells on hematocrit, a blood indicator associated with cardiovascular disease. METHODS: Our study was performed among 50,538 participants (68,361 health examination records) who visited the health examination centers of Zhongda Hospital in Nanjing City, China, during the cold seasons from 2019 to 2021. Data on meteorology and air pollution were obtained from the China Meteorological Data Network and the Nanjing Ecological Environment Bureau, respectively. Cold spells in this study were defined as daily mean temperatures (Tmean) <3rd or 5th percentile with two or more consecutive days. Linear mixed-effect models combined with distributed lag nonlinear models were applied to estimate associations of cold spells with hematocrit. RESULTS: Cold spells were found to be significantly correlated with increased hematocrit on lag 0 to 26 days. Moreover, the cumulative effects of cold spells on hematocrit remained significant at varying lag days. These single and cumulative effects were robust across different definitions of cold spells and conversions of hematocrit. For instance, cold spells (Tmean <3rd percentile) at lags 0, 0-1, and 0-27 days were significantly associated with 0.09 [95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.03, 0.15], 0.17 (95 % CI: 0.07, 0.28), and 3.71 (95 % CI: 3.06, 4.35) - unit (%) increases in original hematocrit, respectively. In subgroup analyses, stronger effects of cold spells on hematocrit were observed in females and participants aged 50 years or over. CONCLUSION: Cold spells have significant immediate and longer-lagged effects (up to 26 days) on hematocrit. Females and individuals aged 50 years or over are more sensitive to cold spells. These findings might provide a new perspective for exploring the effects of cold spells on adverse cardiac events.

The spatial-temporal pattern of Japanese encephalitis and its influencing factors in Guangxi, China.

Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a major global public health threat. Using Japanese encephalitis incidence data from 2004 to 2010 in Guangxi Province, China, this study comprehensively explored the driving forces and the interactive effects between environmental and social factors of Japanese encephalitis using the Geo-detector method. The results indicated that the incidence of Japanese encephalitis showed a fluctuating downward trend from 2004 to 2010. The onset of JE was seasonal, mainly concentrated in June-July, and highly aggregated in northwestern Guangxi. Among the factors associated with Japanese encephalitis, days with temperatures >30 °C, accumulated temperatures >25 °C, slope, the normalized difference vegetation index, the gross domestic product of tertiary industries, the gross domestic product of primary industries and the number of pigs slaughtered showed higher contributions to Japanese encephalitis incidence. An enhanced interactive effect was found between environmental and social factors, and the interaction between days with humidity levels >80% and the gross domestic product of tertiary industries had the greatest combined effect on JE. These findings enhanced the understanding of the combined effect of social and environmental factors on the incidence of Japanese encephalitis and could help improve Japanese encephalitis transmission control and prevention strategies.

Leaching characteristics and potential risk of heavy metals from drip irrigation pipes and mulch substrate in agricultural ecosystems.

Drip irrigation is a valuable method for optimising water and fertiliser usage, motivating its increasing use. However, the ecological effects of drip irrigation fertilisation have not been sufficiently evaluated, limiting its effective and widespread use. Within this context, we aimed to determine the effects and potential ecological risks of using polyethylene irrigation pipes and mulch substrate under various drip irrigation conditions as well as burning of waste pipes and mulch substrate. Laboratory simulations of field conditions were used to determine the distribution, leaching, and migration pattern of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn) from plastic drip irrigation pipes and agricultural mulch substrate into various solutions. Maize samples obtained from drip-irrigated fields were analysed to determine the presence of heavy metal residues and assess the risk of heavy metal contamination. Heavy metal leaching from pipes and mulch substrate was high under acidic conditions, while the migration of heavy metals from plastic products was low in alkaline water-soluble fertiliser solutions. After combustion, heavy metal leaching from pipes and mulch residues increased considerably, with the migration capacity of Cd, Cr, and Cu increasing by >10-fold. Heavy metals in plastic pipes migrated primarily to the residue (bottom ash), whereas those from mulch substrate migrated to the fly ash component. Under experimental conditions, the migration of heavy metals from plastic pipes and mulch substrate had a negligible effect on the heavy metal content in aqueous environments. Although heavy metal leaching increased, the effect on water quality under actual irrigation conditions was relatively minor (in the order of 10-9). Thus, the use of plastic irrigation pipes and mulch substrate did not result in significant heavy metal contamination and potential risk to the agriculture ecosystem. Our study findings provide evidence for the effective application and widespread promotion of drip irrigation and fertiliser technology.

Longitudinal association between problematic smartphone use and sleep disorder among Chinese college students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Problematic smartphone use (PSU) and sleep disorders (SD) are common public health problems among college students. While previous cross-sectional studies have found a relationship between PSU and SD, the causal direction of this relationship remains unclear. This study aims to examine the longitudinal changes of PSU and SD during the COVID-19 pandemic, determine the causal relationship between them, and identify confounding factors that affect this association. METHODS: The study sample consisted of 1186 Chinese college students (47.7% male) with a mean age of 18.08 years. Participants completed the Smartphone Addiction Scale - Short Version (SAS-SV) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) at both baseline and follow-up surveys, conducted one year apart. The cross-lagged panel model (CLPM) was used to examine the causal relationship between PSU and SD, stratified by gender and duration of daily physical activity. The fixed effect panel regression was used to confirm the findings of CLPM. RESULTS: The results of the CLPM analysis showed a significant bidirectional relationship between PSU and SD for the overall sample, which was consistent with the fixed effects model findings. However, subgroup analyses revealed that the bidirectional association disappeared among males or those who engaged in daily physical activity for more than 1 h. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows a significant bidirectional association between PSU and SD, with variations across gender and daily physical activity levels. Encouraging physical activity may serve as a potential intervention to disrupt the bidirectional association between PSU and SD, which has important implications for public health strategies aimed at reducing the negative consequences of PSU and SD.

Selenium and Zinc Intakes of Staple Grains and Their Correlation with Urine Selenium and Zinc in the Tibetan Rural Residents along the Yarlung Zangbo River.

Grains account for a large proportion of the diet of rural residents in Tibet. The lack of selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn) threatens the population's nutrition and health. However, the intakes of selenium and zinc in grains remains unclear. To clarify the nutritional status of selenium and zinc consumed from staple grains of residents along the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet, 341 grain samples and 242 urine samples were collected, and 244 food frequency questionnaires were completed along the Yarlung Zangbo River in 2020-2021. The results showed that the selenium concentrations of 88.5% of self-produced tsampa and 80.8% of self-produced flour were lower than the grain selenium threshold (<25 µg·kg-1). The intake of selenium and zinc from staple grains (tsampa, flour, and rice) contributed 15.0% and 43.5% to the recommended nutrient intake (RNI) on average, respectively. A geographical detector model analyzed factors affecting urinary selenium and zinc levels. Selenium and zinc intakes in rice and flour, and dietary diversity score (DDS) were the main factors affecting urinary selenium and zinc (p < 0.01). Their interaction effects on urinary selenium and zinc were greater than those of a single factor. The staple grains of rural residents along the Yarlung Zangbo River were in a state of selenium deficiency. The zinc content of the staple grain purchased was lower than that of the main grain produced by rural residents. Changing the grain consumption pattern and adjusting the proportion of exogenous grains can improve selenium and zinc nutrition in residents.

The Associations between Multiple Essential Metal(loid)s and Gut Microbiota in Chinese Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Several experimental studies have suggested that individual essential metal(loid)s (EMs) could regulate the gut microbiota. However, human studies assessing the associations between EMs and gut microbiota are limited. This study aimed to examine the associations of individual and multiple EMs with the compositions of the gut microbiota in older adults. A total of 270 Chinese community-dwelling people over 60 years old were included in this study. Urinary concentrations of selected EMs, including vanadium (V), cobalt (Co), selenium (Se), strontium (Sr), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), and molybdenum (Mo), were examined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The gut microbiome was assessed using the 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. The zero-inflated probabilistic principal components analysis PCA (ZIPPCA) model was performed to denoise substantial noise in microbiome data. Linear regression and the Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) models were utilized to determine the associations between urine EMs and gut microbiota. No significant association between urine EMs and gut microbiota was found in the total sample, whereas some significant associations were found in subgroup analyses: Co was negatively associated with the microbial Shannon (ß = -0.072, p < 0.05) and the inverse-Simpson (ß = -0.045, p < 0.05) indices among urban older adults; Ca (R2 = 0.035) and Sr (R2 = 0.023) exhibited significant associations with the altercations of beta diversity in females, while V (R2 = 0.095) showed a significant association with altercations of beta diversity in those who often drank. Furthermore, the associations between partial EMs and specific bacterial taxa were also found: the negative and linear associations of Mo with Tenericutes, Sr with Bacteroidales, and Ca with Enterobacteriaceae and Lachnospiraceae, and a positive and linear association of Sr with Bifidobacteriales were found. Our findings suggested that EMs may play an important role in maintaining the steady status of gut microbiota. Prospective studies are needed to replicate these findings.