Chromosome-level genome assembly of Hippophae tibetana provides insights into high-altitude adaptation and flavonoid biosynthesis.

BACKGROUND: As an endemic shrub of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP), the distribution of Hippophae tibetana Schlecht. ranges between 2800 and 5200 m above sea level. As the most basal branch of the Hippophae genus, H. tibetana has an extensive evolutionary history. The H. tibetana is a valuable tree for studying the ecological evolution of species under extreme conditions. RESULTS: Here, we generated a high-quality chromosome-level genome of H. tibetana. The total size of the assembly genome is 917 Mb. The phylogenomic analysis of 1064 single-copy genes showed a divergence between 3.4 and 12.8 Mya for H. tibetana. Multiple gene families associated with DNA repair and disease resistance were significantly expanded in H. tibetana. We also identified many genes related to DNA repair with signs of positive selection. These results showed expansion and positive selection likely play important roles in H. tibetana's adaptation to comprehensive extreme environments in the QTP. A comprehensive genomic and transcriptomic analysis identified 49 genes involved in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway in H. tibetana. We generated transgenic sea buckthorn hairy root producing high levels of flavonoid. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, this H. tibetana high-quality genome provides insights into the plant adaptation mechanisms of plant under extreme environments and lay foundation for the functional genomic research and molecular breeding of H. tibetana.

A regularized orthogonal activated inverse-learning neural network for regression and classification with outliers.

A novel regularized orthogonal activated inverse-learning (ROAIL) neural network is proposed and investigated for reducing the impact of outliers in regression and classification fields. The proposed ROAIL network does not require extensive iterative computations. Instead, it can achieve the desired results with a single step of computation, allowing for the efficient acquisition of network weights. By extending the Gegenbauer polynomials to a multi-variate version, and integrating the ℓ2 regularization and Welsch loss function into the orthogonal activated inverse-learning framework, two forms of ROAIL are obtained, i.e., ℓ2 norm ROAIL (ℓ2-ROAIL) and Welsch-ROAIL (W-ROAIL). ℓ2-ROAIL neural network is proposed to minimize the empirical and structural risk simultaneously since taking the structural risk as a part of loss function can effectively reduce the complexity of the model and thus improve the generalization ability. W-ROAIL neural network further improves the robustness of the ℓ2-ROAIL neural network by replacing the original two-norm in loss function with Welsch function. The Welsch function can determine the weights of each sample according to its output error, and influence of outliers could be weakened since the weights of outliers would be reduced. Both regression and classification experiments show that W-ROAIL neural network has strong ability to suppress the influence of outliers.

A Jump-Gain Integral Recurrent Neural Network for Solving Noise-Disturbed Time-Variant Nonlinear Inequality Problems.

Nonlinear inequalities are widely used in science and engineering areas, attracting the attention of many researchers. In this article, a novel jump-gain integral recurrent (JGIR) neural network is proposed to solve noise-disturbed time-variant nonlinear inequality problems. To do so, an integral error function is first designed. Then, a neural dynamic method is adopted and the corresponding dynamic differential equation is obtained. Third, a jump gain is exploited and applied to the dynamic differential equation. Fourth, the derivatives of errors are substituted into the jump-gain dynamic differential equation, and the corresponding JGIR neural network is set up. Global convergence and robustness theorems are proposed and proved theoretically. Computer simulations verify that the proposed JGIR neural network can solve noise-disturbed time-variant nonlinear inequality problems effectively. Compared with some advanced methods, such as modified zeroing neural network (ZNN), noise-tolerant ZNN, and varying-parameter convergent-differential neural network, the proposed JGIR method has smaller computational errors, faster convergence speed, and no overshoot when disturbance exists. In addition, physical experiments on manipulator control have verified the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed JGIR neural network.

A novel Sagittaria sagittifolia L. polysaccharides mitigate DSS-induced colitis via modulation of gut microbiota and MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathways.

Sagittaria sagittifolia L. polysaccharides possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-modulatory properties. In this study, we identified a novel S. sagittifolia L. polysaccharide, named PSSP-1, and evaluated its potential in alleviating dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in a mouse model. The results demonstrated that administration of PSSP-1 at doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg·bw significantly reduced the disease activity index (DAI) and suppressed the expression of inflammatory cytokines in UC mice. Furthermore, PSSP-1 treatment upregulated the expression levels of claudin-1, occludin, and ZO-1, and promoted the diversity and abundance of beneficial gut microbiota, including Lactobacillus and Candidatus_Saccharimonas, while reducing the levels of Bacteroidetes and Verrucomicrobiota. Particularly, the Lactobacillus_johnsonii species may play a potentially significant role in modulating colitis. Subsequently, there was a significant increase in the levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Additionally, the correlation analyses revealed positive associations between PSSP-1 supplementation and Nitrosospira and Dialister, which are implicated in gut inflammation. Mechanistically, PSSP-1 intervention inhibited the protein phosphorylation of key molecules in the MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways. Collectively, these findings suggest that PSSP-1 mitigates colitis symptoms by repairing the intestinal barrier, promoting microbial metabolism, and regulating the gut microbiota-MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathways.

Maternal Supplementary Tapioca Polysaccharide Iron Improves the Growth Performance of Piglets by Regulating the Active Components of Colostrum and Cord Blood.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of maternal supplementation with TpFe (tapioca polysaccharide iron) on reproductive performance, colostrum composition, cord blood active components of sows, and growth performance of their nursing piglets. Sixty healthy Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire sows were randomly assigned to three groups at day 85 of gestation. The experimental diets included a basal diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg FeSO4·H2O (CON group), the basal diet supplemented with 50 mg/kg TpFe (TpFe50 group), and the basal diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg TpFe (TpFe100 group), as calculated by Fe content. The experiment lasted from day 85 of gestation to the end of weaning (day 21 of lactation). Results showed that maternal supplementation with 100 mg/kg TpFe improved (p < 0.05) feed intake during lactation, live births, and birth weight of the litter (alive) and increased (p < 0.05) colostrum IgM (immunoglobulin m), IgA (immunoglobulin A), as well as the IgG levels, while it decreased (p < 0.05) the urea nitrogen and somatic cell count of sows. Moreover, sows in the TpFe100 group had higher (p < 0.05) serum iron levels and IgG. Additionally, maternal supplementation with 100 mg/kg TpFe increased (p < 0.05) iron level, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px), catalase (CAT), IgG, red blood cells (RBC), and hemoglobin (Hb) of cord blood, similar with the iron content, T-AOC, GSH-px, IgG, RBC, Hb, hematocrit (HCT), and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of weaned piglet blood. The diarrhea and mortality rates among the nursing piglets were decreased (p < 0.05), while the average weight at day 21 of age was increased (p < 0.05) in the TpFe100 group. Serum PRL (prolactin) levels of sows exhibited a positive correlation (p < 0.05) with live births. Suckling piglet diarrhea was positively correlated with colostrum urea nitrogen level but negatively correlated with colostrum IgM, IgG, and cord blood Hb content (p < 0.05). The mortality of suckling piglets was negatively correlated with serum iron content and IgM in colostrum, GSH-px, and IgG in cord serum of sows (p < 0.05). The average weight of weaning piglets was positively (p < 0.05) related to colostrum IgM and IgG levels, as well as cord serum RBC counts of sows on day 21. In conclusion, maternal supplementation with TpFe can improve the active components of colostrum and umbilical cord blood and improve the growth performance of suckling piglets.

Histone H3K9 acetylation modulates gene expression of key enzymes in the flavonoid and abscisic acid pathways and enhances drought resistance of sea buckthorn.

The effect of histone H3K9 acetylation modification on gene expression and drought resistance in drought-resistant tree species is not clear. Using the chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) method, this study obtained nine H3K9 acetylated protein-interacting DNAs from sea buckthorn seedlings, and the ChIP sequencing result predicted about 56,591, 2217 and 5119 enriched region peaks in the control, drought and rehydration comparative groups, respectively. Gene functional analysis of differential peaks from three comparison groups revealed that 105 pathways were involved in the drought resistance process, and 474 genes were enriched in the plant hormone signaling transduction pathways. Combined ChIP-seq and transcriptome analysis revealed that six genes related to abscisic acid synthesis and signaling pathways, 17 genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis, and 15 genes involved in carotenoid biosynthesis were positively regulated by H3K9 acetylation modification under drought stress. Under drought stress conditions, the content of abscisic acid and the expression of related genes were significantly up-regulated, while the content of flavonoids and the expression of key enzymes involved in their synthesis were largely down-regulated. Meanwhile, after exposure to histone deacetylase inhibitors (trichostatin A), the change of abscisic acid and flavonoids content and their related gene expression were slowed down under drought stress. This study will provide an important theoretical basis for understanding the regulatory mechanisms of histone acetylation modifications in sea buckthorn drought resistance.

Genetic characterization and pathogenicity of H7N9 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses isolated from South China in 2017.

Since 2017, the new H7N9 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) have been responsible for more than 200,000 cases of chicken infection and more than 120,000 chicken deaths in China. Our previous study found that the Q26 was chicken-origin H7N9 HPAIV. In this study, we analyzed the genetic characterization of Q24, Q65, Q66, Q85, and Q102 H7N9 avian influenza viruses isolated from Guangdong, China in 2017. Our results showed that these viruses were highly pathogenic and belonged to two different genotypes, which suggested they occurred genetic reassortant. To investigate the pathogenicity, transmission, and host immune responses of H7N9 virus in chickens, we selected Q24 and Q26 viruses to inoculate chickens. The Q24 and Q26 viruses killed all inoculated chickens within 3 days and replicated effectively in all tested tissues. They were efficiently transmitted to contact chickens and killed them within 4 days through direct contact. Furthermore, we found that the expressions of several immune-related genes (e.g., TLR3, TLR7, MDA5, MAVS, IFN-ß, IL-6, IL-8, OAS, Mx1, MHC I, and MHC II) were upregulated obviously in the lungs and spleen of chickens inoculated with the two H7N9 viruses at 24 h post-inoculation (HPI). Among these, IL-6 and IFN-ß in lungs were the most upregulated (by 341.02-381.48-fold and 472.50-500.56-fold, respectively). These results suggest that the new H7N9 viruses isolated in 2017, can replicate and transmit effectively and trigger strong immune responses in chickens, which helps us understand the genetic and pathogenic variations of H7N9 HPAIVs in China.

Rapid Preparation of Antifreezing Conductive Hydrogels for Flexible Strain Sensors and Supercapacitors.

Conductive hydrogels have shown great promise in flexible electronics, but their practical applications may be impeded by the time-consuming and energy-consuming polymerization process. We proposed a sodium lignosulfonate-Fe (SLS-Fe) strategy to address this challenge and took advantage of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and poly(acrylic acid) to prepare the CMC/PAA/Fe3+/LiCl interpenetrating conductive hydrogels with good self-healing properties, antifreezing properties, and a 6-fold increase in conductivity in this study. The hydrogel-based flexible strain sensors demonstrated a broad detection range (400%), high sensitivity (GF = 6.19 at 200-400%), and human motion detection capability. The hydrogel-based supercapacitor exhibited a single-electrode specific capacitance of 122.36 F g-1 which successfully powered LEDs. Furthermore, the supercapacitor showed a single-electrode specific capacitance of 83.16 F g-1 at -23 °C (68% of the one exhibited at 25 °C). Therefore, the multifunctional performance of the CMC/PAA/Fe3+/LiCl hydrogel is anticipated to play an exemplary role in a new generation of flexible electronics.

Duck MARCH8 Negatively Regulates the RLR Signaling Pathway through K29-Linked Polyubiquitination of MAVS.

Mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS) is a key adaptor in cellular innate immunity. Ubiquitination plays an important role in regulating MAVS-mediated innate immune responses; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying ubiquitination of MAVS have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we first identified the mitochondria-resident E3 ligase duck membrane-associated RING-CH 8 (duMARCH8) in ducks as a negative regulator of duck MAVS (duMAVS). Overexpression of duMARCH8 impaired the duMAVS-mediated signaling pathway, whereas knockdown of duMARCH8 resulted in the opposite effects. The suppression was due to duMARCH8 interacting with duMAVS and degrading it in a proteasome-dependent manner. We further found that duMARCH8 interacted with the 176-619 regions of duMAVS. Moreover, duMARCH8 catalyzed the K29-linked polyubiquitination of duMAVS at Lys 398 to inhibit the MAVS-mediated signaling pathway. Collectively, our findings reveal a new strategy involving MARCH8 that targets the retinoic acid-inducible gene-I-like receptor signaling pathway to regulate innate immune responses in ducks.

The influencing factors of participation in time banking volunteer service for older adults among university students in Nanjing, China.

Objective: This study aims to identify factors influencing university students' participation in time banking volunteer services for older adults and provides evidence to promote the involvement. Methods: Conducted in November 2022, we utilized a convenience sampling method to recruit students from the School of Aging Service and Management at Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, China. Data was collected through an online questionnaire focusing on various aspects related to time banking volunteer services for older adults. Factor analysis was employed to extract variables, and logistic regression was applied to identify key determinants. Results: A significant majority (82.67%) of participants expressed willingness to engage in volunteer services for older adults. Factor analysis uncovered six influential factors explaining 62.55% of the variance. Logistic regression highlighted four key determinants of students' willingness: value judgment (OR = 4.392, CI = 2.897-6.658), social support (OR = 1.262, CI = 0.938-1.975), social influence (OR = 1.777, CI = 1.598-3.799), and socioeconomic conditions (OR = 1.174, CI = 1.891-3.046). Conclusion: To foster sustainability and continuous time banking among university students majoring in aging service and management, a multifaceted support involving governmental, social, and university is recommended.

Recent progress of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides on intestinal microbiota, microbial metabolites and health: a review.

Intestinal microbiota is symbiotically associated with host health, learning about the characteristics of microbiota and the factors that modulate it could assist in developing strategies to promote human health and prevent diseases. Polysaccharides from Lycium barbarum (LBPs) are found beneficial for enhancing the activity of gut microbiota, as a potential prebiotic, which not only participates in improving body immunity, obesity, hyperlipidemia and systemic inflammation induced by oxidative stress, but also plays a magnificent role in regulating intestinal microenvironment and improving host health and target intestinal effects via its biological activities, as well as gut microbiota and metabolites. To highlight the internal relationship between intestinal microbiota and LBPs, this review focuses on the latest advances in LBPs on the intestinal microbiota, metabolites, immune regulation, intestinal barrier protection, microbiota-gut-brain axis and host health. Moreover, the preparation, structure, bioactivity and modification of LBPs were also discussed. This review may offer new perspective on LBPs improving health of gut and host via intestinal microbiota, and provide useful guidelines for the application of LBPs in the food industry.

Towards Cleaner Production Ecosystem: An Analysis of Embodied Industrial Pollution in International Trade of China's Processing versus Normal Exports.

While promoting economic growth, industrial development is causing serious environmental problems and threatening human health. Studies on pollution transfer through international trade often over-estimate the actual embodied emissions in exports and ignore the industrial pollutants. By designing a non-competitive input-output model which differentiates between processing exports and normal exports, we calculate the embodied domestic and imported industrial emissions in China's processing and normal exports and imports. We also calculate the balance of embodied emission in trade (BEET) and the pollution terms of trade (PTT), as well as the decomposition of scale, structural, and technical effects on embodied emission in international trade. The results demonstrate that processing exports reduce domestic pollution by importing intermediate inputs; normal exports, on the other hand, have a considerable impact on domestic pollution. Bilateral trade between China and the US has the most detrimental impact on China's local environment, followed by trade between China and Japan. China's exports to Japan are more polluting per unit than those to the US and Germany. Technological upgradations and transformation of trade structure have helped to reduce the negative environmental consequences of China-US and China-Japan bilateral trade. Investment in technology and trade policy can lead to a cleaner production ecosystem.

The Impact of the Numbers of Monitoring Stations on the National and Regional Air Quality Assessment in China During 2013-18.

China national air quality monitoring network has become the core data source for air quality assessment and management in China. However, during network construction, the significant change in numbers of monitoring sites with time is easily ignored, which brings uncertainty to air quality assessments. This study aims to analyze the impact of change in numbers of stations on national and regional air quality assessments in China during 2013-18. The results indicate that the change in numbers of stations has different impacts on fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone concentration assessments. The increasing number of sites makes the estimated national and regional PM2.5 concentration slightly lower by 0.6-2.2 µg m-3 and 1.4-6.0 µg m-3 respectively from 2013 to 2018. The main reason is that over time, the monitoring network expands from the urban centers to the suburban areas with low population densities and pollutant emissions. For ozone, the increasing number of stations affects the long-term trends of the estimated concentration, especially the national trends, which changed from a slight upward trend to a downward trend in 2014-15. Besides, the impact of the increasing number of sites on ozone assessment exhibits a seasonal difference at the 0.05 significance level in that the added sites make the estimated concentration higher in winter and lower in summer. These results suggest that the change in numbers of monitoring sites is an important uncertainty factor in national and regional air quality assessments, that needs to be considered in long-term concentration assessment, trend analysis, and trend driving force analysis.

Transcriptome and DNA methylome provide insights into the molecular regulation of drought stress in sea buckthorn.

Sea buckthorn is a typical drought-resistant tree species. However, there is a general lack of understanding of the pattern of DNA methylation linked with sea buckthorn responses to drought, and its relationship with drought tolerance mechanisms. In this study, we performed whole-transcriptome RNA sequencing and methylome sequencing in response to drought stress to explore differentially expressed mRNAs, miRNAs, lncRNAs and circRNAs in sea buckthorn leaves. Based on predicted DE pairs, we constructed a competitive endogenous RNA network, which revealed potential transcriptional regulatory roles in response to drought stress. The results of methylome sequencing revealed that the DNA methylation level was increased in sea buckthorn leaves under drought stress. We identified 13,405 differentially methylated regions between CK and TR. We found one DMR-associated DEG (Vacuolar-sorting receptor 6) involved in the ABA accumulation pathway. In addition, two DNA methyltransferases (HrMET1 and HrDRM1) were closely associated with drought-induced hypermethylation in sea buckthorn. Together, we firstly conducted a comprehensive transcriptomic and epigenetic analysis of sea buckthorn under drought stress, providing a resource for further study of the potential functions of genes, miRNAs, lncRNAs, circRNAs and DNA methyltransferases.

Genome-wide DNA N6-adenine methylation in sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) fruit development.

As a new epigenetic mark, DNA N6-adenine (6mA) methylation plays an important role in various biological processes and has been reported in many prokaryotic organisms in recent years. However, the distribution patterns and functions of DNA 6mA modification have been poorly studied in non-model crops. In this study, we observed that the methylation ratio of 6mA was about 0.016% in the sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) genome using mass spectrometry. We first constructed a comprehensive 6mA landscape in sea buckthorn genome using nanopore sequencing at single-base resolution. Distribution analysis suggested that 6mA methylated sites were widely distributed in the sea buckthorn chromosomes, which were similar to those in Arabidopsis and rice. Furthermore, reduced 6mA DNA methylation is associated with different expression of genes related to the fruit-ripening process in sea buckthorn. Our results revealed that 6mA DNA modification could be considered an important epigenomic mark and contributes to the fruit ripening process in plants.

Targeted Metabolome and Transcriptome Analyses Reveal the Pigmentation Mechanism of Hippophae (Sea Buckthorn) Fruit.

The genus Hippophae (sea buckthorn) is widely cultivated and consumed in Asia and Europe. The fruit color is an important appearance and commercial trait for sea buckthorn, which is closely related to the biosynthesis and accumulation of various nutrients and pigments. The fruit colors of sea buckthorn are varied, which appear as yellow, orange, red, and brown. However, the nutrients and pigments forming different the fruit colors of sea buckthorn remain unclear. To investigate the mechanism of pigmentation of sea buckthorn fruit, integrative analyses of the transcriptome and targeted metabolome, including the carotenoids, flavonoids, and chlorophylls, were performed in five sea buckthorn varieties with different fruit colors. A total of 209 flavonoids and 41 carotenoids were identified in five sea buckthorn fruits of different colors. The types and contents of flavonoids and carotenoids in the five sea buckthorn fruits were significantly different. Interestingly, we only found a high content of chlorophyll (772.7 mg/kg) in the sea buckthorn fruit with a brown color. The quantities and relative proportions of the flavonoids, carotenoids, and chlorophyll led to the different colors of the sea buckthorn fruits. Using a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), the key genes related to the carotenoids and chlorophyll metabolism were identified. The high content of chlorophylls in the brown fruit was closely related to the downregulated expression of key genes in the chlorophyll degradation pathway, including SGR, SGRL, PPH, NYC1, and HCAR. Our results provide new insights into the roles of flavonoids, carotenoids, and chlorophylls in the formation of fruit color in sea buckthorn.

Aging deteriorated liver Ischemia and reperfusion injury by suppressing Tribble's proteins 1 mediated macrophage polarization.

Aggravated liver injury has been reported in aged ischemia/reperfusion-stressed livers; however, the mechanism of aged macrophage inflammatory regulation is not well understood. Here, we found that the adaptor protein TRIB1 plays a critical role in the differentiation of macrophages and the inflammatory response in the liver after ischemia/reperfusion injury. In the present study, we determined that aging promoted macrophage-mediated liver injury and that inflammation was mainly responsible for lower M2 polarization in liver transplantation-exposed humans post I/R. Young and aged mice were subjected to hepatic I/R modeling and showed that aging aggravated liver injury and suppressed macrophage TRIB1 protein expression and anti-inflammatory function in I/R-stressed livers. Restoration of TRIB1 is mediated by lentiviral infection-induced macrophage anti-inflammatory M2 polarization and alleviated hepatic I/R injury. Moreover, TRIB1 overexpression in macrophages facilitates M2 polarization and anti-inflammation by activating MEK1-ERK1/2 signaling under IL-4 stimulation. Taken together, our results demonstrated that aging promoted hepatic I/R injury by suppressing TRIB1-mediated MEK1-induced macrophage M2 polarization and anti-inflammatory function.

Duck TRIM29 negatively regulates type I IFN production by targeting MAVS.

The innate immune response is a host defense mechanism that induces type I interferon and proinflammatory cytokines. Tripartite motif (TRIM) family proteins have recently emerged as pivotal regulators of type I interferon production in mammals. Here, we first identified duck TRIM29, which encodes 571 amino acids and shows high sequence homology with other bird TRIM29 proteins. DuTRIM29 inhibited IFN-ß and IRF7 promoter activation in a dose-dependent manner and downregulated the mRNA expression of IFN-ß, IRF7, Mx and IL-6 mediated by duRIG-I. Moreover, duTRIM29 interacted and colocalized with duMAVS in the cytoplasm. DuTRIM29 interacted with duMAVS via its C-terminal domains. In addition, duTRIM29 inhibited IFN-ß and IRF7 promoter activation and significantly downregulated IFN-ß and immune-related gene expression mediated by duMAVS in ducks. Furthermore, duTRIM29 induced K29-linked polyubiquitination and degradation of duMAVS to suppress the expression of IFN-ß. Overall, our results demonstrate that duTRIM29 negatively regulates type I IFN production by targeting duMAVS in ducks. This study will contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanism regulating the innate immune response by TRIM proteins in ducks.

The status of anxiety state among cancer patients and their relatives during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Hubei, China.

BACKGROUND: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic, tumor patients and their families might suffer from greater psychological stress as a result of anxiety or other psychological disorders. We conducted an online study during the epidemic to explore the mental state of tumor patients and their families during this extraordinary time. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was carried out. Questionnaires were distributed through the WeChat "Questionnaire Star" network. The snowball sampling technique was adopted and further promoted by subjects who had completed the questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 1,030 valid questionnaires were collected. There were 609 (59.13%) tumor patients and 421 (40.87%) family members. One hundred and fifty-six (15.15%) subjects had anxiety, among which 65 (6.31%) had moderate to severe anxiety. Single-factor analysis indicated that age (>60 years old), the farmer occupation, and a high sleep disorder assessment score were risk factors for anxiety, while the latter two might also be independent risk factors, as suggested by multi-factor analysis. Infrequent contact with doctors was an independent risk factor for cancer patients, while uninterrupted anti-tumor therapy was an independent protective factor. 40.19% of the subjects expressed a need for psychosocial support during the COVID-19 period. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 outbreak resulted in tumor patients and their relatives experiencing greater psychological pressure than usual, and patients were more worried about anti-tumor treatment and disease progression impacted by the epidemic. Both groups had a significant need for psychosocial help.

Association between anemia and cognitive decline among Chinese middle-aged and elderly: evidence from the China health and retirement longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Our objective was to characterize the relationship of anemia and hemoglobin concentrations with cross-sectional cognitive functions and changes in cognitive functions over 2 years in a large sample of Chinese middle aged and elderly. METHODS: Ten thousand nine hundred eighteen adults aged 45 years or older participating in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were used for cross-sectional analyses and 9324 were used for longitudinal analysis. Cognitive functions were assessed by memory recall (episodic memory), mental status (TICS), and global cognitive function at baseline survey (Visit 1) and first follow-up survey (Visit 2). The lower the cognitive test score, the worse the cognitive function. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin concentrations lower than 13 g/dl for men and lower than 12 g/dl for women. Adjusted multivariate regression analyses were used to explore the relationships of different cognitive domains with anemia and hemoglobin concentration. RESULTS: Overall, the prevalence of anemia was 12.86% and the mean hemoglobin concentration was 14.37 ± 2.20 g/dl. After adjusting for socio-demographic and health-related covariates, the cross-sectional association between anemia and global cognitive function [ß (95%CI) = - 0.49(- 0.69~ - 0.29)], episodic memory [ß (95%CI) = - 0.14(- 0.23~ - 0.05)], and TICS [ß (95%CI) = - 0.23(- 0.38~ - 0.08)] were significant and did not differ by gender. The hemoglobin concentration was also associated with global cognitive function among the whole sample (P < 0.05 for all). The longitudinal analyses showed global cognitive function and episodic memory were associated with anemia independent of covariates (P < 0.05 for all). Sensitivity analyses further provided significant results showing the association between anemia and cognition decline (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: There was a cross-sectional and longitudinal association between anemia and accelerated decline in cognitive functions in Chinese middle-aged and elderly. This suggests that anemia and low hemoglobin concentrations are independent risk factors of cognitive decline.