Development and Validation of Estimation Equations for Appendicular Skeletal Muscle Mass in Chinese Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Purpose: This study aimed to establish equations for estimating muscle mass through anthropometric parameters or together with physical function parameters in the community-dwelling older adults, providing a simple way of muscle mass assessment. Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, a total of 1537 older adults were recruited from the community and accepted the measurements of height, weight, upper arm and calf circumferences, grip strength, and walking speed. Body composition including appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Participants were randomly divided into the development or validation group. Stepwise multiple linear regression was applied to develop equations in the development group. Thereafter, Pearson correlation coefficients, Bland-Altman plots, paired t-test, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and paired-samples t-tests were used to assess the validity of the equations. Results: All parameters were significantly correlated with ASM (r = 0.195~0.795, P < 0.001) except for the age in the validation group (P = 0.746). The most optimal anthropometric equation was: [adjusted R2 = 0.911, standard error of the estimate (SEE) = 1.311, P < 0.001]. Comparatively speaking, this equation showed high correlation coefficient (r = 0.951, P < 0.001) and ICC (ICC = 0.950, P < 0.001). No significant differences were found between BIA-measured ASM and the estimated ASM. The Bland-Altman plot showed that the mean difference between the estimated ASM and BIA-measured ASM was 0 kg and the limits of agreement of ASM was -2.70~2.60 kg. Furthermore, inclusion of physical function did not significantly improve the adjusted R2 and SEE. Conclusion: The anthropometric equation offers a practical alternative simple and dependable method for estimating ASM in community-dwelling older adults.

Effect of acceptance and commitment therapy for depressive disorders: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the effect of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on depressive disorders. METHODS: The electronic databases of Web of Science Core Collection, Pubmed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, PsycInfo, CNKI, Wanfang and Weipu were used to select relevant publications. Screening, data extraction, and quality assessment were undertaken following PRISMA guidelines for preferred reporting of systematic reviews and meta-analysis. RevMan5.4 was used for meta-analysis. RESULTS: 11 studies with a total of 962 patients were included. Random-effects model analysis showed that ACT could effectively reduce the level of depressive symptoms in patients with depressive disorders (SMD = - 1.05, 95% CI: - 1.43-- 0.66, P < 0.00001), improve psychological flexibility (MD = 4.84, 95% CI: 2.70-6.97, P < 0.00001), and have good maintenance effect (SMD = - 0.70, 95% CI: - 1.15-- 0.25, P = 0.002). All differences were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: ACT not only improves depressive symptoms and psychological flexibility, but also has a good maintenance effect, and it is particularly effective in Chinese patients. Large randomized controlled trials are needed to validate the findings from this meta-analysis.

Effect of "maccog" TCM tea on improving glucolipid metabolism and gut microbiota in patients with type 2 diabetes in community.

Objectives: This work aimed to observe the effect of consuming Chinese herb tea on glucolipid metabolism and gut microbiota in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: Ninety patients with T2DM were recruited from a community and randomly divided into the control group (CG) and intervention group (IG). CG maintained conventional treatment and lifestyle, and IG accepted additional "maccog" traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) tea (mulberry leaf, radix astragali, corn stigma, cortex lycii, radix ophiopogonis, and gynostemma) for 12 weeks. Glucolipid metabolism, hepatorenal function, and gut microbiota were then measured. Results: After the intervention, the decreases in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and total cholesterol (TC) were greater (P<0.05) in IG than in CG, and those in glycosylated serum protein (GSP) were almost significantly greater (P=0.066) in IG than in CG. The total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), and creatinine (CREA) levels in IG were significantly lower and their decreases were larger in IG than in CG (P<0.05) after the intervention. The Ace and Chao1 indices in IG were slightly higher after the intervention (P=0.056 and 0.052, respectively) than at baselines. The abundance of Actinobacteria, Lachnospiraceae, Bifidobacteriaceae, and Phascolarctobacterium increased significantly after the intervention in IG (P<0.05), and the abundance was higher in IG than in CG (P<0.05 or P<0.1). The abundance of Clostridiales and Lactobacillales was negatively correlated with FPG (P<0.05), Clostridiales and Lachnospiraceae was negatively correlated with GSP (P<0.05), and Bacteroides/Firmicutes was positively correlated with both (P<0.05). No adverse event was observed during the intervention. Conclusions: Administration of "maccog" TCM tea for 12 weeks slightly improved glucolipid metabolism and significantly increased the abundance of beneficial gut microbiota in community patients with T2DM. The increase in beneficial bacteria abundance may be involved in the improvement of glucose metabolism indicators. In addition, this intervention is safe and feasible. Clinical trial registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=31281, identifier ChiCTR1800018566.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the geriatric 8 screening tool in Chinese hospitalized older adults with cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To translate, cross-culturally adapt, and validate the Geriatric 8 (G8) questionnaire in Chinese hospitalized older adults with cancer. METHODS: The Chinese version of the G8 (C-G8) was produced following Brislin's guidelines. The psychometric properties of the C-G8 were evaluated among 296 eligible patients. RESULTS: The content validity index of the C-G8 was 0.8∼1 at the item level and 0.975 at the scale level. The C-G8 identified more frail individuals among these older (>75 years) participants compared to their younger (65∼75 years) counterparts (frailty prevalence: 87.1% vs. 70.9%, P=0.010). The convergent validity of the C-G8 was tested by correlating it with the FRAIL scale (r=-0.592, P<0.001). The C-G8 had a lower internal consistency (Cronbach's α coefficient=0.501) but higher test-retest reliability and inter-rater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient=0.913 and 0.993, respectively, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The C-G8 questionnaire presented acceptable validity and reliability and could be used in Chinese hospitalized older adults with cancer.

Cortisol stress reactivity moderates the effects of parental corporal punishment on Chinese preschoolers' executive function.

BACKGROUND: To date whether the effects of parental corporal punishment (CP) on executive function (EF) distinct components are different is less clear. Moreover, theory and empirical work suggest that physiological regulation system may help to explain the individual differences in the developmental outcomes associated with parental CP. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the effects of parental CP on Chinese preschoolers' EF and whether the cortisol stress reactivity would moderate such effects. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: One hundred and fifty-two preschool-aged children and their parents from Beijing China participated in the present study. METHODS: Parental CP was reported by fathers and mothers respectively in the first year of the study (2015, spring), and children's EF was assessed and salivary cortisol was collected in the second year (2016, spring). RESULTS: Both paternal and maternal CP were negatively correlated with children's EF one year later, and the relation between maternal, but not paternal CP and children's EF was moderated by cortisol stress reactivity. Specifically, compared to children with high cortisol stress reactivity levels, children with low cortisol stress reactivity levels who experienced maternal CP in the past year showed poorer global EF and working memory. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight the critical importance of examining the interactive effects of individual physiological level and environmental-level risks on young children's self-regulation outcomes.