Trends in prevalence, mortality, and risk factors of dementia among the oldest-old adults in the United States: the role of the obesity epidemic.

The oldest-old population, those aged ≥ 80 years, is the fastest-growing group in the United States (US), grappling with an increasingly heavy burden of dementia. We aimed to dissect the trends in dementia prevalence, mortality, and risk factors, and predict future levels among this demographic. Leveraging data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019, we examined the trends in dementia prevalence, mortality, and risk factors (with a particular focus on body mass index, BMI) for US oldest-old adults. Through decomposition analysis, we identified key population-level contributors to these trends. Predictive modeling was employed to estimate future prevalence and mortality levels over the next decade. Between 1990 and 2019, the number of dementia cases and deaths among the oldest-old in the US increased by approximately 1.37 million and 60,000 respectively. The population growth and aging were highlighted as the primary drivers of this increase. High BMI emerged as a growing risk factor. Females showed a disproportionately higher dementia burden, characterized by a unique risk factor profile, including BMI. Predictions for 2030 anticipate nearly 4 million dementia cases and 160,000 related deaths, with a marked increase in prevalence and mortality anticipated among those aged 80-89. The past 30 years have witnessed a notable rise in both the prevalence and mortality of dementia among the oldest-old in the US, accompanied by a significant shift in risk factors, with obesity taking a forefront position. Targeted age and sex-specific public health strategies that address obesity control are needed to mitigate the dementia burden effectively.

Characteristics, Treatment, and In-Hospital Outcomes of Older Patients With STEMI Without Standard Modifiable Risk Factors.

Background: Strategies targeting standard modifiable cardiovascular risk factors (SMuRFs), including hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and smoking, have been well established to prevent coronary heart disease. However, few studies have evaluated the management and outcomes of older patients without SMuRFs after myocardial infarction. Objectives: The authors sought to evaluate the profile of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) aged ≥75 years without SMuRFs. Methods: This study is based on the CCC-ACS (Improving Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China-Acute Coronary Syndrome) project. Patients aged ≥75 years with a first presentation of STEMI were enrolled in this study between November 2014 and December 2019. Modified Poisson regression was used to evaluate the association between SMuRF-less and in-hospital outcomes. Results: Among 10,775 patients with STEMI aged ≥75 years, 1,633 (15.16%) had no SMuRFs. Compared with those with SMuRF, SMuRF-less patients received less evidence-based treatment. In-hospital mortality was similar among patients with and without SMuRFs (5.44% vs 5.14%; P = 0.630). However, after adjustment for patient characteristics and treatment, being SMuRF-less was significantly associated with a reduced risk of mortality (RR: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.65-0.99; P = 0.043). SMuRF-less patients also had a significantly reduced risk of in-hospital death when only adjusting for in-hospital treatment (RR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.63-0.98; P = 0.030), regardless of patient characteristics. Conclusions: Approximately 1 in 7 STEMI patients in China ≥75 years old had no SMuRFs. The similar mortality in patients with and without SMuRF can be partially explained by the inadequate in-hospital treatment of SMuRF-less patients. The quality of care for older patients without SMuRF should be improved. (CCC Project-Acture Coronary Syndrome; NCT02306616).

Spatial distribution and source identification of potentially toxic elements in Yellow River Delta soils, China: An interpretable machine-learning approach.

Identifying the driving factors and quantifying the sources of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) are essential for protecting the ecological environment of the Yellow River Delta. In this study, data from 201 surface soil samples and 16 environmental variables were collected, and the random forest (RF) and Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) methods were then combined to explore the key factors affecting soil PTEs. An innovative t-distributed random neighbor embedding-RF-SHAP model was then constructed, based on the absolute principal component score and multivariate linear regression model, to quantitatively determine PTE sources. Although average PTE concentrations did not exceed the risk control values, PTE distributions exhibited significant differences. It was found that sodium, soil organic matter, and phosphorus contents were the three most important factors affecting PTEs, and human activities and natural environmental factors both influence PTE contents by altering the soil properties. The proposed model successfully determined PTE sources in the soil, outperforming the original linear regression model with a significantly lower RMSE. Source analysis revealed that the parent material was the main contributor to soil PTEs, accounting for more than half of the total PTE content. Industrial and agricultural activities also contributed to an increase in soil PTEs, with average contributions of 19.91 % and 17.44 %, respectively. Unknown sources accounted for 10.83 % of the total PTE content. Thus, the proposed model provides innovative perspectives on source parsing. These findings provide valuable scientific insights for policymakers seeking to develop effective environmental protection measures and improve the quality of saline-alkali land in the Yellow River Delta.

Treatment-naïve people living with HIV aged 50 years or older in Beijing, China, 2010-2020: joinpoint regression model analysis of surveillance data.

INTRODUCTION: As they age, people living with HIV (PLWH) must face new challenges, such as accelerated ageing and higher rates of comorbidities. This study described the characteristics of HIV acquisition among treatment-naïve PLWH aged ≥50 years and <50 years in Beijing from 2010 to 2020, exploring associated risk factors for comorbidities. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, differences in HIV-related and non-HIV-related characteristics were compared using the t-test, Mann-Whitney U test and chi-square test. Temporal trend data were analysed via joinpoint regression. A multivariate logistic regression model was conducted to analyse the associated factors with PLWH having one or more comorbidities. RESULTS: The proportion of PLWH aged ≥50 years has significantly increased since 2013, with a corresponding increase in homosexual transmission in this age group over the past decade. The proportion of individuals with CD4 counts <200 cells/µl significantly decreased from 2010 to 2013 among PLWH aged ≥50 years and from 2010 to 2014 among those aged <50 years. Delayed initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) improved for both age groups over the course of the decade, especially from 2014 to 2020. Compared to PLWH aged <50 years, those aged ≥50 years had a higher proportion of CD4 counts <200 cells/µl, higher levels of plasma HIV RNA load and a higher prevalence of non-HIV-related risk factors. Multivariate analysis revealed that PLWH aged ≥50, male, not single, transmission through heterosexual contact or drug injection, WHO Stage IV, coinfection with hepatitis B virus/hepatitis C virus and CD4 counts <200 cells/µl at the initiation of ART were associated with higher risk of the presence of an HIV comorbidity. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the persistent burden of HIV-related characteristics or symptoms and the increasing prevalence of coexisting comorbidities among treatment-naïve PLWH aged ≥50 years, physicians should provide the highest-quality screening, prevention, treatment and management of coexisting comorbidities, adopting a multidisciplinary approach.

Factors Associated With Delayed and Late Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy Among Patients With HIV in Beijing, China, 2010-2020.

Objectives: To determine factors associated with late and delayed antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation in China and provide evidence for HIV prevention. Methods: Logistics regression model was used to determine factors associated with three outcomes: late (CD4 cell count <200 cells/µL or clinical AIDS diagnosis prior to ART initiation), delayed (more than 1 month between HIV diagnosis date and ART initiation) and either late or delayed ART initiation. Results: Multivariable analysis revealed that male, heterosexual, HIV diagnosis before 2014, HBV/HCV seropositive, and tuberculosis were associated with increased odds of all three outcomes. Conversely, married or cohabiting patients were less likely to have delayed ART initiation and either late or delayed ART initiation, while people who inject drugs were more likely to have these two outcomes. Additionally, older age was associated with an increased risk of having either late or delayed ART initiation, but a decreased risk of delayed ART initiation. Conclusion: The proportion of late and delayed ART initiation decreased significantly after the release of the 2016 guidelines in China. To further improve late diagnosis and early treatment, precise interventions for key populations are required.

Temporal Trends of Clinical Characteristics and Treatments in People Living with HIV at the Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy - Beijing Municipality, China, 2010-2020.

What is already known about this topic?: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) eligibility criteria and treatment regimens were updated in national guidelines. However, whether treatment was timely and followed guidelines was under-assessed. What is added by this report?: Among 22,591 people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) who initiated ART in Beijing between 2010 and 2020, the time from diagnosis to initiating ART decreased, the clinical condition of PLWH improved, and ART regimens changed in accordance with guidelines. What are the implications for public health practice?: Over the past decade, improvements in clinical status have been observed among PLWH; however, a proportion of PLWH remain who started ART late. Early linkage to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care should be further improved.

Global incidence pattern and factors associated with common cutaneous reactions related to COVID-19 vaccination of 2.55 million participants in real-world settings: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Understanding the incidence pattern of cutaneous reactions is crucial for promoting COVID-19 vaccination. We aimed to report the global incidence pattern of, and factors associated with common cutaneous reactions related to COVID-19 vaccination in real-world settings. Methods: We searched five databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CNKI, and Wanfang) from inception to May 13, 2022, for studies reporting the incidence of common cutaneous reactions related to COVID-19 vaccines in real-world settings. The outcomes were the systematic skin reactions (rash and urticaria) and the local injection site reactions (pain, swelling, redness, and erythema). We conducted random-effects meta-analyses and explored associated factors using multi-step statistical analyses. Results: We included 35 studies and assessed 2 549 968 participants from 23 countries. The pooled incidence of overall systemic skin reactions was 3.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.4%-5.5%) with short duration (about one week). Specifically, the pooled incidence rates of rash and urticaria were 3.0% (95% CI = 2.1%-3.9%) and 1.1% (95% CI = 0.7%-1.5%), respectively. For overall local injection site reactions, the pooled incidence was 72.4% (95% CI = 65.7%-78.7%) with short duration (1 to 4.5 days). Except for local pain (72.2%, 95% CI = 65.3%-78.5%), other localized reactions had low incidence, including swelling (13.3%, 95% CI = 9.5%-17.7%), redness (11.5%, 95% CI = 5.7%-19.0%), and erythema (5.8%, 95% CI = 0.7%-15.4%). Geographically, different distribution patterns were observed for these reactions. Regarding associated factors, mRNA vaccines showed lower incidence of urticaria (P < 0.001). Asia population showed higher incidence of urticaria (P < 0.001). We observed lower incidence rates of overall local injection site reactions and pain among inactivated vaccines (P < 0.001). We found no significant difference among reactions between the first and the second dose of vaccines. Conclusions: We examined the global incidence pattern of common cutaneous reactions related to COVID-19 vaccination and found low incidence and short duration of systemic skin reactions and local injection site reactions (except for pain); discrepancies in these reactions were observed across different vaccine types. The cutaneous side effects related to COVID-19 vaccination do not seem to cause concern. Registration: PROSPERO: CRD42021258012.

COVID-19 pandemic: impacts on air quality and economy before, during and after lockdown in China in 2020.

This paper comprehensively evaluates the dynamic effects on China's environment and economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results show that the COVID-19 lockdown resulted in a temporary improvement in air quality. Furthermore, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels in the atmosphere in China were 36% lower than in the week after last year's Lunar New Year holiday, but this also led to an economic downturn. Moreover, the aerosol optical depth (AOD) decreased significantly. During the back-to-work period, the economy recovered and there was an increase in energy consumption, and CO2, NO2 emissions sharply increased to pre-lockdown levels. In the post-lockdown period, the AOD was lower than that of the same period last year. This study can provide reference for environmental policy making, as it demonstrates to what extent the control of pollution sources can improve air quality. Precise emission reduction and regional joint prevention and control are important and effective means for the prevention and control of O3 pollution. The health and economic benefits of COVID-19 pandemic control measures are incalculable. And this can provide an effective scientific basis and theoretical support for the prevention and control of air pollution.

Duration of Diabetes, Glycemic Control, and Risk of Heart Failure Among Adults With Diabetes: A Cohort Study.

CONTEXT: The influences of diabetes duration and glycemic control and their potential interplays on the risk of heart failure (HF) remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: This work aimed to investigate the association of diabetes duration and glycemic control with the risk of HF. METHODS: A total of 23 754 individuals with diabetes but without HF during the baseline recruitment of UK Biobank were included in this study. Duration of diabetes was self-reported, and the status of glycemic control was reflected by glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels. Their associations with incident HF were assessed using multivariate Cox models adjusting for traditional risk factors. RESULTS: Duration of diabetes and HbA1c levels both were positively associated with the risk of HF. The hazard ratios (HRs) (95% CI) for diabetes durations of 5 to less than 10, 10 to less than 15, and 15 years or more were 1.09 (0.97-1.23), 1.13 (0.97-1.30), and 1.32 (1.15-1.53), respectively (vs < 5 years); and the HRs for HbA1c of 53.0 to less than 58.5 mmol/mol (7.0% to < 7.5%), 58.5 to less than 63.9 mmol/mol (7.5% to < 8.0%), and 63.9 mmol/mol or greater (8.0%) were 1.15 (1.02-1.31), 1.07 (0.91-1.26), and 1.46 (1.30-1.65), respectively (vs < 53.0 mmol/mol [7.0%]). Individuals with the longest disease duration (≥ 15 years) and poorer glycemic control (HbA1c ≥ 63.9 mmol/mol [8.0%]) had a particularly higher risk of HF (P for interaction = .026). CONCLUSION: The risk of HF among individuals with diabetes increases with a longer duration of diabetes and increasing HbA1c levels. This finding may contribute to the individualized prevention of HF in patients with diabetes if being considered in clinical practices and policy-making.

Association of age at first birth and risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in women: evidence from the NHANES.

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have suggested that age at first birth (AFB) is inversely associated with metabolic diseases, but positively associated with liver cancer in women. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a canonical example of metabolic dysfunction and inflammation-based liver disease, while the association between AFB and the risk of NAFLD remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between AFB and the odds of NAFLD in women. METHODS: Women older than 20 years at the time of the survey were analyzed using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 1999 to 2018 in the US. AFB was obtained with self-administered questionnaires. NAFLD was diagnosed as fatty liver index (FLI) ≥ 60. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using logistic regression models. RESULTS: Of the 12,188 women included in this study, 5670 (46.5%) had NAFLD. Compared to individuals with AFB of 30-32 years old (reference group), the fully adjusted ORs and 95% CI in women with AFB < 18, 18-20, 21-23, and 24-26 years were 1.52 (95% CI 1.14, 2.03), 1.60 (95% CI 1.21, 2.11), 1.40 (95% CI 1.06, 1.84), and 1.33 (95% CI 1.01-1.76), respectively. Yet there was no significant difference between AFB of 27-29, 33-35, or > 35 years compared to the reference group. CONCLUSIONS: Women with younger AFB have higher odds of NAFLD in later life. Policymakers should consider focusing on those with earlier AFB for screening and prevention of NAFLD.

Early ACEI/ARB use and in-hospital outcomes of acute myocardial infarction patients with systolic blood pressure <100 mmHg and undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: Findings from the CCC-ACS project.

Background: Few studies have evaluated whether acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients with relatively low blood pressure benefit from early ACEI/ARB use in the era of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Objectives: This study evaluated the associations of ACEI/ARB use within 24 h of admission with in-hospital outcomes among AMI patients with SBP < 100 mmHg and undergoing PCI. Methods: This study was based on the Improving Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China-ACS project, a collaborative registry and quality improvement project of the American Heart Association and the Chinese Society of Cardiology. Between November 2014 and December 2019, a total of 94,623 patients with AMI were enrolled. Of them, 4,478 AMI patients with SBP < 100 mmHg and undergoing PCI but without clinically diagnosed cardiogenic shock at admission were included. Multivariable logistic regression and propensity score-matching analysis were used to evaluate the association between early ACEI/ARB use and in-hospital major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), a combination of all-cause death, cardiogenic shock, and cardiac arrest. Results: Of AMI patients, 24.41% (n = 1,093) were prescribed ACEIs/ARBs within 24 h of admission. Patients with early ACEI/ARB use had a significantly lower rate of MACEs than those without ACEI/ARB use (1.67% vs. 3.66%, p = 0.001). In the logistic regression analysis, early ACEI/ARB use was associated with a 45% lower risk of MACEs (odds ratio: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.33-0.93; p = 0.027). Further propensity score-matching analysis still showed that patients with early ACEI/ARB use had a lower rate of MACEs (1.96% vs. 3.93%, p = 0.009). Conclusion: This study found that among AMI patients with an admission SBP < 100 mmHg undergoing PCI, early ACEI/ARB use was associated with better in-hospital outcomes. Additional studies of the early use of ACEIs/ARBs in AMI patients with relatively low blood pressure are warranted.

The role of endometrial thickness in predicting ectopic pregnancy after in vitro fertilization and the establishment of a prediction model.

Objective: To explore the risk factors of ectopic pregnancy after in vitro fertilization. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at the Reproductive Medical Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2016 to April 2020. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to analyze the related factors affecting the occurrence of ectopic pregnancy (EP) and to construct a nomographic prediction model for the incidence of ectopic pregnancy. Results: A total of 12,766 cycles of 10109 patients were included, comprising 214 cases of EP and 12,552 cases of intrauterine pregnancy (IUP). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the tubal factor was associated with a 2-fold increased risk for EP (aOR = 2.72, 95% CI: 1.69-4.39, P < 0.0001). A stratified analysis showed that women with an endometrial thickness (EMT) between 7.6 to 12.1mm (aOR = 0.57, 95%CI: 0.36-0.90, P = 0.0153) and >12.1mm (aOR = 0.42, 95%CI: 0.24-0.74, P = 0.0026) had a significant reduction of the risk of EP compared to women with an EMT of <7.6mm. Compared to cleavage stage transfer, blastocyst transfer can reduce the risk of ectopic pregnancy (aOR = 0.36, 95%CI: 0.26-0.50, P < 0.0001). The saturation model (full mode) establishes a nomographic prediction model with an AUC = 0.68 and a sensitivity and specificity of 0.67and 0.64, respectively. The nomination model was internally verified by self-sampling method (bootstrap sampling resampling times = 500). The resulting AUC = 0.68 (sensitivity: 0.65; specificity: 0.65) showed that the model was relatively stable. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that EMT is inversely proportional to the risk of EP. Embryo stage, number of embryos transferred were also significantly associated with EP rate. A simple nomogram for the predicting the risk of EP was established in order to reduce the occurrence of EP.

Eliciting national and subnational sets of disability weights in mainland China: Findings from the Chinese disability weight measurement study.

Background: The disability weight (DW) quantifies the severity of health states from disease sequela and is a pivotal parameter for disease burden calculation. We conducted a national and subnational DW measurement in China. Methods: In 2020-2021, we conducted a web-based survey to assess DWs for 206 health states in 31 Chinese provinces targeting health workers via professional networks. We fielded questions of paired comparison (PC) and population health equivalence (PHE). The PC data were analysed by probit regression analysis, and the regression results were anchored by results from the PHE responses on the DW scale between 0 (no loss of health) and 1 (health loss equivalent to death). Findings: We used PC responses from 468,541 respondents to estimate DWs of health states. Eight of 11 domains of health had significantly negative coefficients in the regression of the difference between Chinese and Global Burden of Disease (GBD) DWs, suggesting lower DW values for health states with mention of these domains in their lay description. We noted considerable heterogeneity within domains, however. After applying these Chinese DWs to the 2019 GBD estimates for China, total years lived with disability (YLDs) increased by 14·9% to 177 million despite lower estimates for musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular diseases, mental disorders, diabetes and chronic kidney disease. The lower estimates of YLDs for these conditions were more than offset by higher estimates of common, low-severity conditions. Interpretation: The differences between the GBD and Chinese DWs suggest that there might be some contextual factors influencing the valuation of health states. While the reduced estimates for mental disorders, alcohol use disorder, and dementia could hint at a culturally different valuation of these conditions in China, the much greater shifts in YLDs from low-severity conditions more likely reflects methodological difficulty to distinguish between health states that vary a little in absolute DW value but a lot in relative terms. Funding: This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 82173626], the National Key Research and Development Program of China [grant numbers 2018YFC1315302], Wuhan Medical Research Program of Joint Fund of Hubei Health Committee [grant number WJ2019H304], and Ningxia Natural Science Foundation Project [grant number 2020AAC03436].

Spatiotemporal Variation in Ground Level Ozone and Its Driving Factors: A Comparative Study of Coastal and Inland Cities in Eastern China.

Variations in marine and terrestrial geographical environments can cause considerable differences in meteorological conditions, economic features, and population density (PD) levels between coastal and inland cities, which in turn can affect the urban air quality. In this study, a five-year (2016-2020) dataset encompassing air monitoring (from the China National Environmental Monitoring Centre), socioeconomic statistical (from the Shandong Province Bureau of Statistics) and meteorological data (from the U.S. National Centers for Environmental Information, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) was employed to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics and underlying drivers of urban ozone (O3) in Shandong Province, a region with both land and sea environments in eastern China. The main research methods included the multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) model and wavelet analysis. From 2016 to 2019, the O3 concentration increased year by year in most cities, but in 2020, the O3 concentration in all cities decreased. O3 concentration exhibited obvious regional differences, with higher levels in inland areas and lower levels in eastern coastal areas. The MGWR analysis results indicated the relationship between PD, urbanization rate (UR), and O3 was greater in coastal cities than that in the inland cities. Furthermore, the wavelet coherence (WTC) analysis results indicated that the daily maximum temperature was the most important factor influencing the O3 concentration. Compared with NO, NO2, and NOx (NOx ≡ NO + NO2), the ratio of NO2/NO was more coherent with O3. In addition, the temperature, the wind speed, nitrogen oxides, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exerted a greater impact on O3 in coastal cities than that in inland cities. In summary, the effects of the various abovementioned factors on O3 differed between coastal cities and inland cities. The present study could provide a scientific basis for targeted O3 pollution control in coastal and inland cities.

Cost-Effectiveness of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in China: A Systematic Review.

Objective: Men who have sex with men in China meet the definition of the population at "substantial risk" of contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) according to the World Health Organization; therefore, initiating pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is recommended for this population. Lack of convincing evidence on cost-effectiveness has resulted in the lack of large-scale PrEP implementation at a national level. The objective of this review is to assess the cost-effectiveness of pre-exposure prophylaxis implementation among men who have sex with men in China. Methods: The following databases were used to search studies of pre-exposure prophylaxis in China in both English and Chinese: PubMed, Embase, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and the Wanfang Database. Inclusion criteria included pre-exposure intervention, year for publication (2007-2021), setting (China), and cost-effectiveness estimation. Results: Seven studies were identified. We found that pre-exposure prophylaxis is only cost-effective among men who have sex with men without prioritization with at least a 5.5% reduction in the market price in the models. Pre-exposure prophylaxis is potentially cost-effective when using the latest market price, combined with other preventive programs or delivered to the population with a high risk of HIV exposure. Conclusion: Our study identifies key considerations in cost-effectiveness evaluation: cost assumptions, implementation coverage, and targeted population. The scarce evidence available is not comparable to some extent. However, combined with the latest market and policy reform, the cost-effectiveness of PrEP could be achieved as estimated by the underlying model of the included studies. Consequently, it calls for more standard and transparent modeling studies that include the latest drug types and market prices.

[Spatio-temporal Characteristics of Air Quality and Influencing Factors in Shandong Province from 2016 to 2020].

Based on the daily monitoring data of urban air quality in Shandong province from 2016 to 2020, combined with socio-economic data such as population density and urbanization rate, as well as meteorological data such as wind speed, temperature, and relative humidity, the methods of geographic weighted regression (GWR), multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR), and wavelet analysis were comprehensively applied to explore the temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of air pollutants and their relationship with socio-economic and meteorological elements. The results showed that:① In the past five years, the air quality in Shandong province has shown an overall improvement trend. Except for ozone, the concentrations of SO2, NO2, PM2.5, and PM10 decreased annually. Additionally, their distribution had obvious spatial differences, which was reflected in the lower concentration of air pollutants in coastal areas. ② PM2.5 in Shandong province had an extremely significant positive correlation with population density and the proportion of secondary industry (P<0.01) but had a very negative correlation with urbanization rate (P<0.01). Moreover, there were scale differences in the spatial relationship. The spatial relationship between population density, civil vehicle volume, industrial power consumption, and PM2.5 was relatively stable, whereas the spatial heterogeneity of the impact of urbanization rate and the proportion of secondary industry on PM2.5 concentration was high. ③ Meteorological factors had different effects on PM2.5 in Heze and Weihai. PM2.5 in Heze had a stronger correlation with air temperature, relative humidity, and sunshine hours, whereas sea land breeze prevailed in Weihai, resulting in a higher correlation between PM2.5 and wind speed. ④ Wavelet analysis showed that the frequency of air pollution in Heze was higher than that in Weihai, approximately one-two weeks/time in winter. In the annual cycle, the PM2.5 in Heze lagged behind the wind speed, whereas the PM2.5 and wind speed in Weihai were in the same phase. To summarize, there were obvious temporal and spatial differences in air quality in Shandong province, which was comprehensively affected by socio-economic and meteorological factors.

Effect of Helicobacter Pylori Eradication on Human Gastric Microbiota: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a major risk factor for gastric cancer and eradication of H. pylori is recommended as an effective gastric cancer prevention strategy. The infected individuals show microbial dysbiosis of gastric microbiota. In recent years, agrowing number of studies have focused on gastric microbiota changes following H. pylori eradication. In the present study, we aim to evaluate the influence of successful H. pylori eradication on the short-term and long-term alterations of human gastric microbiota using a method of systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: We did a systematic search based on three databases (PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science) in November 2021. Additional articles were also identified by reviewing references cited in the included papers. Human studies that reported changes in gastric microbiota following successful H. pylori eradication were enrolled. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42021293796. Results: In total, nine studies enrolling 546 participants were included. Regarding quadruple therapy, alpha diversity indexes increased within 1 month after eradication; significant differences in gastric microbial community structure between before and after eradication were also seen within 1 month. The trends of the above-mentioned diversity changes persisted with a follow-up of 6 months. The microbial composition altered significantly after eradication and the relative abundance of H. pylori-related taxa decreased. Accordingly, gastric commonly dominant commensals were enriched. Bioinformatic analyses of microbiota functions showed that bacteria reproduction-related pathways were down-regulated and pathways of gastric acid secretion, etc. were up-regulated. For triple therapy, similar trends of alpha diversity and beta diversity changes were observed in the short-term and long-term follow-up. Also, after eradication, H. pylori was not the gastric dominant bacteria and similar changes in gastric microbial composition were found. For gastric microbial interactions, a decrease in microbial interactions was seen after eradication. Additionally, regarding whether successful H. pylori eradication could restore gastric microbiota to uninfected status, the results remain controversial. Conclusion: In conclusion, successful H. pylori eradication could reverse the gastric microbiota dysbiosis and show beneficial effects on gastric microbiota. Our findings may provide new insight for exploring the role of H. pylori and the whole gastric microbiota in gastric carcinogenesis.

Proton Pump Inhibitors and In-Hospital Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome Receiving Dual Antiplatelet Therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use and in-hospital gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) taking dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study is based on the Improving Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China-ACS project, an ongoing collaborative registry and quality improvement project of the American Heart Association and the Chinese Society of Cardiology. A total of 25,567 patients with ACS taking DAPT from 172 hospitals from July 1, 2017, through December 31, 2018, were included. Multivariable Cox regression and propensity score-matched analyses were used to evaluate the association between PPI use and in-hospital GI bleeding. RESULTS: Of these patients with ACS, 63.9% (n=16,332) were prescribed PPIs within 24 hours of admission. Patients using PPIs had a higher rate of GI bleeding compared with those not using PPIs (1.0% vs 0.5%; P<.001). In the multivariable Cox regression analysis, early PPI use was associated with a 58% higher risk of GI bleeding (hazard ratio, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.15 to 2.18; P=.005). Further propensity score matching attenuated the association but still showed that patients using PPIs had a higher rate of GI bleeding (0.8% vs 0.6%; P=.04). CONCLUSION: In China, PPIs are widely used within 24 hours of admission in patients with ACS taking DAPT. An increased risk of GI bleeding is observed in inpatients with early PPI use. Randomized trials on early use of PPIs in patients with ACS receiving DAPT are warranted. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02306616.

Associations between ambient air pollution and IVF outcomes in a heavily polluted city in China.

RESEARCH QUESTION: Is air pollution related to IVF outcomes in a heavily polluted city in China? DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study of 8628 fresh, autologous IVF cycles was conducted for the first time at the Reproductive Medicine Center of The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between May 2014 and December 2018 (oocyte retrieval date). The exposure was divided into four periods (gonadotrophin injection to oocyte retrieval [P1], oocyte retrieval to embryo transfer [P2], 1 day after embryo transfer to embryo transfer +14 days [P3] and gonadotrophin injection to embryo transfer +14 days [P4]) and four levels (Q1-Q4 according to their 25th, 50th and 75th percentiles). RESULTS: An interquartile range increase (Q2 versus Q1) in particulate matter ≤10 µm (PM10) during P3 and P4 and sulphur dioxide (SO2) during P3 significantly decreased the clinical pregnancy rate (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.71-0.92 for PM10 of P3; aOR 0.87, 95% CI 0.76-1.00 for PM10 of P4; aOR 0.82, 95% CI 0.73-0.93 for SO2 of P3). In addition, PM10 was associated with an increased biochemical pregnancy rate (Q3 versus Q1: aOR 1.55, 95% CI 1.09-2.19 for PM10 of P1) and decreased live birth rate (Q2 versus Q1: aOR 0.88, 95% CI 0.77-0.99 for PM10 of P3). The multivariate regression results were consistent with that of multiple treatments propensity score method (PSM) for SO2 pollutants in P3 and PM10 pollutants in P4. CONCLUSION: From the early follicular stage to the pregnancy test period, high concentrations of PM10 and SO2 may have a negative impact on IVF treatment outcomes in the study area.

School-based Hygiene Intervention to Prevent HelicObacter Pylori infection among childrEn (SHIP HOPE): protocol for a cluster-randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Helicobacter pylori infection rates are high in China and worldwide, and maintaining good hygiene is effective in preventing H. pylori infection. Childhood is a critical stage for developing good hygiene practices. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to explore whether a comprehensive hygiene intervention can prevent H. pylori infection in primary schools in China. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The School-based Hygiene Intervention to Prevent HelicObacter Pylori infection among childrEn study is a cluster-randomised controlled trial, which will include approximately 2400 children in grades 2-4 from 60 classes in 10 primary schools of Linqu County, Shandong Province. Schools will be randomly assigned (1:1) via a computer-generated list, to receive either comprehensive hygiene intervention (intervention) or the usual health education lessons (control), with stratification by area (urban or rural). The interventions will include the following: (1) Children's education: lessons and cartoon books designed to provide basic knowledge about hygiene, H. pylori, hand hygiene, diet and oral hygiene will be provided to children; (2) Caregiver's education: children will be empowered to share hygiene-related knowledge with their caregivers as homework; caregivers will be also invited to the school for hygiene lessons; (3) School hygiene promotion: suggestions will be provided for improving the hygienic environment. Children in control schools will receive usual health education lessons according to the arrangements of each school. The primary outcome is the prevalence and incidence of H. pylori infection among children at 1-year follow-up. The secondary outcomes are H. pylori and hygiene knowledge, family eating customs and hygiene practices among children and their caregivers, as well as school absences owing to diarrhoea. Additionally, growth in children is set as an exploratory outcome. General linear mixed models will be used to analyse differences between the intervention and control schools. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval has been obtained from the Institution Review Board of Tsinghua University (No: 20220020). Written informed consent will be obtained from each child and one of their caregivers. The findings of this study will be actively disseminated through scientific publications and conference presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2200056191.