Bi-directional association between outdoor or social activities and cognitive function: do the PM2.5 exposure catalyze the detrimental inactivity-poor cognition cycle?

BACKGROUND: Previous research has shown that lack of leisure activities, either outdoor or social activities, impedes cognitive function. However, the interrelationship between poor cognition and deficient activities is understudied. In addition, whether exposure to air pollution, such as PM2.5, can accelerate the detrimental 'inactivity-poor cognition' cycle, is worthy of investigation. METHODS: We used data from the 2008, 2011, 2014, and 2018 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). We assessed the frequency of outdoor or social activities at each wave. The cognitive function was examined using a China-Modified Mini-mental State Examination. We estimated the residential exposure to fine particular matter (PM2.5) via a satellite-based model. We applied cross-lagged panel (CLP) model to examine the bi-directional relationship between outdoor or social activities and cognitive function. We then examined the effect of PM2.5 exposure with sequent cognitive function and activities using generalized estimation equation (GEE) model. FINDINGS: Overall, we observed significant bi-directional associations between outdoor or social activities and cognitive function. Participants with better cognitive function in the last wave were more likely to engage in outdoor or social activities in the following wave (outdoor activities: ß = 0.37, 95% CI [0.27,0.48], P < 0.01; social activities: ß = 0.05, 95% CI [0.02,0.09] P < 0.01). Meanwhile, higher engagement in outdoor or social activities in the last wave was associated with more favorable cognitive function in the following wave (outdoor activities: ß = 0.06, 95% CI [0.03,0.09], P < 0.01; social activities: ß = 0.10, 95% CI [0.03,0.18], P < 0.01). Notably, an increase in PM2.5 exposure during the preceding year was significantly associated with a declining cognitive function (ß = -0.05, 95% CI [-0.08,-0.03], P < 0.01), outdoor activities (ß = -0.02, 95% CI [-0.04, -0.01], P < 0.01) and social activities (ß = -0.02, 95% CI [-0.02, -0.01], P < 0.01) in the current year; the lagged effects of the PM2.5 exposure in the past year of the last wave on activities and cognitive function of the following wave were also observed. INTERPRETATION: Our findings not only indicate the bi-directional links between the frequency of outdoor or social activities and cognitive function, but also report that PM2.5 exposure plays a role in catalyzing the detrimental inactivity-poor cognition cycle. Future research should investigate whether the policy-driven interventions, such as clean air policies, can break the unfavorable activity-cognition cycle, and thereby promoting health from the dual gains in leisure activities and cognition.

Higher disease burden and lower utilization in mongolian with breast cancer: a 9-year retrospective cohort study of 18.19 million adults in China.

BACKGROUND: Whether health inequalities of disease burden and medical utilization exist by ethnicity in Asian breast cancer (BC) patients remains unclear. We aim to measure ethnic disparities in disease burden and utilization among Mongolian and Han female breast cancer patients in China. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Based on data extracted from Inner Mongolia Regional Health Information Platform, a retrospective cohort study was established during 2012-2021. Disease burden including incidence, 5-year prevalence, mortality, survival rate, and medical cost were analyzed and compared between Han and Mongolian patients. RESULTS: A total of 34,878 female patients (mean [SD] age, 52.34 [10.93] years) were included among 18.19 million Chinese, and 4,315 [12.03%] participants were Mongolian. Age-standardized rates of incidence are 32.68 (95% CI: 20.39-44.98) per 100,000. Higher age-specific incidence and 5-year prevalence were observed in Mongolian than in Han. The cost of breast cancer annually per capita was significantly lower for Mongolian than Han in FBC ($1,948.43 [590.11-4 776.42] vs. $2,227.35 [686.65-5,929.59], P<0.001). Mongolian females showed higher all-cause mortality (30.92, [95% CI: 28.15-33.89] vs. 27.78, [95% CI: 26.77-28.83] per 1,000, P=0.036) and breast cancer-specific mortality (18.78, [95% CI: 16.64-21.13] vs. 15.22, [95% CI: 14.47-16.00] per 1,000, P=0.002) than Han females. After adjusting covariates, Mongolian were associated with increased all-cause mortality (HR, 1.21, [95% CI, 1.09-1.34]; P<0.001) and breast cancer-specific mortality (HR, 1.31, [95% CI, 1.14-1.49]; P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The findings of this cohort study highlight a higher level of disease burden with unmet medical demand in Mongolian patients, suggesting that more practical efforts should be made for the minority. Further research is needed to explore the concrete mechanisms of the disparities as well as eliminate health disproportion.

Associations between cooking fuel use, its transitions, and worsening sensory impairments among Chinese middle-aged and older adults: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to explore the associations between household air pollution (HAP), measured by cooking fuel use, sensory impairments (SI), and their transitions in Chinese middle-aged and older adults. METHODS: Participants were recruited from the 2011 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) and were subsequently followed up until 2018. Data on SI were collected by self-reported hearing and vision impairments, which were divided into three categories: non-SI, single SI (hearing or vision impairment), and dual SI (DSI). Cooking fuels, including solid and clean fuels, are proxies for HAP. The transitions of cooking fuels and SI refer to the switching of the fuel type or SI status from baseline to follow-up. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to explore associations, and hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to evaluate the strength of the association. RESULTS: The prevalence of non-SI, single SI, and DSI was 59.6%, 31.8%, and 8.6%, respectively, among the 15,643 participants at baseline in this study. Over a median follow-up of 7.0 years, 5,223 worsening SI transitions were observed. In the fully adjusted model, solid fuel use for cooking was associated with a higher risk of worsening SI transitions, including from non-SI to single SI (HR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.01-1.16) and from non-SI to DSI (HR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.09-1.47), but not from single SI to DSI. In addition, compared to those who always used solid fuels, participants who switched from solid to clean fuel for cooking appeared to have attenuated the risk of worsening SI transitions. The statistical significance of the associations remained in the set of sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION: Solid fuel use was associated with higher risks of worsening SI transitions, while converting the type of cooking fuel from solid to clean fuels may reduce the risk of worsening SI transitions. Our study suggests that tailored clean fuel interventions, especially in developing countries, should be implemented to prevent sensory impairments and hence reduce the burden of sensory impairment-related disability.

The identification of signature genes and their relationship with immune cell infiltration in age-related macular degeneration.

BACKGROUND: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a prevalent source of visual impairment among the elderly population, and its incidence has risen in tandem with the increasing longevity of humans. Despite the progress made with anti-VEGF therapy, clinical outcomes have proven to be unsatisfactory. METHOD: We obtained differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of AMD patients and healthy controls from the GEO database. GO and KEGG analyses were used to enrich the DEGs. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify modules related to AMD. SVM, random forest, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) were employed to screen hub genes. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used to explore the pathways in which these hub genes were enriched. CIBERSORT was utilized to analyze the relationship between the hub genes and immune cell infiltration. Finally, Western blotting and RT‒PCR were used to explore the expression of hub genes in AMD mice. RESULTS: We screened 1084 DEGs in GSE29801, of which 496 genes were upregulated. These 1084 DEGs were introduced into the WGCNA, and 94 genes related to AMD were obtained. Seventy-nine overlapping genes were obtained by the Venn plot. These 79 genes were introduced into three machine-learning methods to screen the hub genes, and the genes identified by the three methods were TNC, FAP, SREBF1, and TGF-ß2. We verified their diagnostic function in the GSE29801 and GSE103060 datasets. Then, the hub gene co-enrichment pathways were obtained by GO and KEGG analyses. CIBERSORT analysis showed that these hub genes were associated with immune cell infiltration. Finally, we found increased expression of TNC, FAP, SREBF1, and TGF-ß2 mRNA and protein in the retinas of AMD mice. CONCLUSION: We found that four hub genes, namely, FAP, TGF-ß2, SREBF1, and TNC, have diagnostic significance in patients with AMD and are related to immune cell infiltration. Finally, we determined that the mRNA and protein expression of these hub genes was upregulated in the retinas of AMD mice.

Development of a ferroptosis-based molecular markers for predicting RFS in prostate cancer patients.

The goal of this study was to develop a ferroptosis-based molecular signature that can predict recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients with prostate cancer (PCa). In this study, we obtained ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) in FerrDb database and clinical transcriptome data in TCGA database and GEO database. Consensus cluster analysis was used to identify three molecular markers of ferroptosis in PCa with differential expression of 40 FRGs, including PD-L1 expression levels. We conducted a new ferroptosis-related signature for PCa RFS using four FRGs identified through univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. The signature was validated in the training, testing, and validation cohorts, and it demonstrated remarkable results in the area under the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.757, 0.715, and 0.732, respectively. Additionally, we observed that younger patients, those with stage T III and stage T IV, stage N0, cluster 1, and cluster 2 PCa were more accurately predicted by the signature as independent predictors of RFS. DU-145 and RWPE-1 cells were successfully analyzed by qRT-PCR and Western blot for ASNS, GPT2, RRM2, and NFE2L2. In summary, we developed a novel ferroptosis-based signature for RFS in PC, utilizing four FRGs identified through univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. This signature was rigorously validated across training, testing, and validation cohorts, demonstrating exceptional performance as evidenced by its ROC curves. Notably, our findings indicate that this signature is particularly effective as an independent predictor of RFS in younger patients or those with stage T III and T IV, stage N0, and in clusters 1 and 2. Finally, we confirmed the expression of these four FRGs in DU-145 and RWPE-1 cell lines.

Characterization, in vitro digestibility and release properties of starch-linoleic acid-sodium alginate composite film.

This study aimed to improve the complexing degree, digestibility and controlled release properties of the potato starch (PS)-linoleic acid (LA) complexes by encapsulating PS-LA complexes to sodium alginate (AG) beads. The results revealed that AG had a positive effect on the complexing index, R1047/1022 values, relative crystallinity, enthalpy and morphological structure of PS-LA-AG films, especially for PS-LA-AG film with the PS-LA: AG of 5:1. The in vitro digestion and hydrolysis kinetic analysis indicated that AG addition reduced the digestibility of PS-LA-AG films to a higher slowly digestible starch content and resistant starch content and a lower equilibrium hydrolysis percentage and kinetic constant. Furthermore, in vivo release study of PS-LA-AG films indicated a restrained release in simulated gastrointestinal conditions. Consequently, the results indicated that AG addition significantly improved the inclusion efficiency for the complex formation between PS and LA, which was beneficial for the design of resistant films to entrap and control release of unsaturated fatty.

Plant-based dietary pattern and low muscle mass: a nation-wide cohort analysis of Chinese older adults.

BACKGROUND: It remains unclear whether plant-based or animal-based dietary patterns are more beneficial for older adults more in maintaining muscle mass. Using a prospective cohort with nationwide sample of China older adults in this study, we aimed to examine the relationship between adhering to plant-based diet patterns or animal-based diet patterns and muscle loss. METHODS: We included 2771 older adults (≥ 65 years) from the Chinese Longitudinal Health Longevity Survey (CLHLS) with normal muscle mass at baseline (2011 and 2014 waves), which followed up into 2018. Plant-based dietary pattern scores and preference subgroups were constructed using 16 common animal-based and plant-based food frequencies. We used the corrected appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) prediction formula to assess muscle mass. We applied the Cox proportional hazard risk regression to explore associations between dietary patterns and low muscle mass (LMM). RESULTS: During a mean of 4.1 years follow-up, 234 (8.4%) participants with normal muscle mass at baseline showed LMM. The plant-based dietary pattern reduced the risk of LMM by 5% (Hazard Ratios [HR]: 0.95, 95% confidence intervals [95%CI]: 0.92-0.97). In addition, a high plant-based food company with a high animal-based food intake pattern reduced the risk of LMM by 60% (HR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.240-0.661) and 73% (HR: 0.27, 95% CI: 0.11-0.61) in the BADL disability and IADL disability population compared with a low plant-based food and high animal-based food intake, whereas a high plant-based food and low animal-based food intake was more beneficial in reducing the risk of LMM in the normal BADL functioning (HR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.35-0.90) and IADL functioning (HR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.28-0.91) population. CONCLUSIONS: When it comes to maintaining muscle mass in older Chinese people with functional independence, a plant-based diet pattern is more beneficial and effective than the animal-based one. People with functional dependence may profit from a combination of plant-based and animal-based diets to minimize muscle loss.

The moderating role of psychological resilience in the relationship between falls, anxiety and depressive symptoms.

BACKGROUND: There is a greater likelihood of anxiety and depression among older adults who suffer falls. This study examined the relationships of falls and severe falls with anxiety and depressive symptoms, and the moderating role of psychological resilience on these associations. METHODS: Our study recruited participants from the 2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), a nationally representative cohort study. A total of 11,857 participants included in the analysis. We used a linear regression model to investigate the relationship between falls/severe falls and anxiety/depressive symptoms, adjusting for a range of potential covariates and a bootstrapping sample test to examine the potential moderating role of psychological resilience in these relationships. RESULTS: Older adults who suffered the falls have higher anxiety/depressive symptoms (ß = 0.28 [0.23, 0.32] for anxiety symptoms, p < 0.001; ß = 0.21 [0.16, 0.25] for depressive symptoms, p < 0.001), and those who suffered the severe falls have higher anxiety/depressive symptoms (ß = 0.30 [0.24, 0.37] for anxiety symptoms, p < 0.001; ß = 0.21 [0.15, 0.27] for depressive symptoms, p < 0.001), in the fully adjusted model. The relationship between falls/severe falls and anxiety/depressive symptoms was mitigated in participants with higher levels of psychological resilience. LIMITATIONS: The present study is based on cross-sectional data, which limits the ability to infer causal relationships. CONCLUSIONS: Falls/severe falls were positively associated with anxiety and depression, and that psychological resilience could moderate this association. Our findings suggest that psychological resilience may be an effective target for intervention and prevention of fall-related symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Spatial Distribution and Risk Assessment of Heavy Metal(oid)s Contamination in Topsoil around a Lead and Zinc Smelter in Henan Province, Central China.

A total of 137 farmland soil samples were collected around a lead/zinc smelter within 64 km2. The concentration, spatial distribution, and potential source of nine heavy metal(oid)s (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn) in soils and their potential ecological risk were investigated in detail. The results showed that the average concentrations of Cd, Pb, Cr and Zn in these soils were higher than their background value in Henan Province, and the average content of Cd was 2.83 times of the risk screening values in the national standard of China (GB 15618-2018). According to the distribution of different heavy metal(oid)s in soils, Cd and Pb in soil decrease gradually with the increase of distance from the smelter to the surrounding area. This indicates that the Pb and Cd originate from smelters via airborne practices according to the typical air pollution diffusion model. The distribution of Zn, Cu, and As were similar to Cd and Pb. However, Ni, V, Cr, and Co were mainly affected by soil parent materials. The potential ecological risk of Cd was higher than those of other elements, and the risk grade of the other eight elements was mainly low. The polluted soils with significantly high and high potential ecological risk covered 93.84% of all the studied regions. This should be of serious concern to government. The results of a principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) show that Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, and As were the elements mainly stemmed from smelter and other types of plants, with a contribution rate of 60.08%, while Co, Cr, Ni, and V are mainly caused by nature, with a contribution rate of 26.26%.

Application of Pickering emulsions stabilized by corn, potato and pea starch nanoparticles: Effect of environmental conditions and approach for curcumin release.

To apply octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA)-modified corn, potato and pea starch nanoparticles (OCSNPs, OPtSNPs and OPSNPs, respectively) as Pickering emulsion stabilizers, effect of environmental conditions such as 30 days of storage period, pH of 1-11, ionic strength of 0.1-0.9 mol/L and heat of 30-90 °C on the stability of the emulsions was evaluated. Compared with emulsions stabilized by starch nanoparticles (SNPs), the emulsions stabilized by OSA-modified SNPs (OSNPs) kept stable against different environmental stresses (pH, ionic strength and heat) as well as for a storage period of 30 days, especially for OPtSNPs. Additionally, oiling-off was not observed in OSNPs emulsions over the storage time. OSNPs emulsions also showed improved protection on curcumin during storage and controlled release during in vitro digestion. These findings enlarged the application of OCSNPs, OPtSNPs and OPSNPs stabilized-Pickering emulsion in food systems and deliver system.

ß-Cyclodextrin-functionalized Ti3C2Tx MXene nanohybrids as innovative signal amplifiers for the electrochemical sandwich-like immunosensing of squamous cell carcinoma antigen.

Herein, a simple and highly sensitive electrochemical sandwich-like immunosensor for the squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA) was constructed using gold nanoparticle/graphene nanosheet (Au/GN) nanohybrids as a sensing platform and ß-cyclodextrin/Ti3C2Tx MXenes (ß-CD/Ti3C2Tx) as a signal amplifier. The good biocompatibility and large surface area as well as the high conductivity of Au/GN allow the platform to load primary antibodies (Ab1) and facilitate electron transport. In the case of the ß-CD/Ti3C2Tx nanohybrids, the ß-CD molecule is dedicated to binding secondary antibodies (Ab2) through host-guest interactions, thus inducing the formation of the sandwich-like structure Ab2-ß-CD/Ti3C2Tx/SCCA/Ab1/Au/GN in the presence of SCCA. Interestingly, Cu2+ can be adsorbed and self-reduced on the surface of the sandwich-like structure to form Cu0 since Ti3C2Tx MXenes can exhibit superior adsorption and reduction capabilities towards Cu2+, and a prominent current signal of Cu0 can be observed via differential pulse voltammetry. Based on this principle, an innovative signal amplification strategy has been proposed for SCCA detection, which avoids the process of labeling the probe and the specific immobilization step of catalytic components on the surface of amplification markers. After the optimization of various conditions, a wide linear range from 0.05 pg mL-1 to 20.0 ng mL-1, coupled with a low detection limit of 0.01 pg mL-1, was obtained for SCCA analysis. The proposed method for SCCA detection was also applied in real human serum samples and the observed results are satisfactory. This work opens up new pathways for constructing electrochemical sandwich-like immunosensors for SCCA and other targets.

Prevalence of depression and anxiety, and their relationship to social support among patients and family caregivers of rare bone diseases.

BACKGROUND: Rare bone diseases (RBDs) are a set of inherited rare diseases that can cause disability and have a devastating impact on families affected, which may lead to a particular high prevalence of psychological disorders in patients and caregivers. Social support plays a role in the well-being of families with rare disease patients, but its effect on psychology of RBD families remains unclear. The purpose of the current cross-sectional quantitative study was to investigate the frequency of depression and anxiety, and their relationship with social support among RBD patients and family caregivers. RESULTS: A total of 196 participants responded to the questionnaire, including 72 patients and 124 caregivers. Depression was detected among 33.8% of patients and 57% of caregivers, and anxiety disorder was presented in 28.6% of patients and 50% of caregivers. Higher depression scores and anxiety scores were found in both patients and caregivers with an education level of ≤ middle school and monthly income of ≤ ï¿¥2000 (all P < 0.05). The mean (SD) scores of Social Support Rating Scales in patients and caregivers were 37.06 (8.05) and 38.31 (5.76), respectively. After adjusting for gender, age, monthly income, education, employment and marital status, the reverse associations between depression scores, anxiety scores and social support were found merely in caregivers (depression & social support: ß = - 0. 46, P < 0.001, anxiety & social support: ß = - 0. 44, P < 0.001), specifically for subjective support (depression & subjective support: ß = - 0.94, P < 0.001, anxiety & subjective support: ß = - 0.87, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The study identified a high prevalence of depression and anxiety among RBD patients and caregivers, and pointed out the significance of social support in alleviating psychological distress. In order to provide RBD families with comprehensive assistance, the government should actively develop programs aimed at psychological aid, policy advocacy and tangible support.

Atmospheric particulate matter impairs cognition by modulating synaptic function via the nose-to-brain route.

Atmospheric particulate matter (PM), a ubiquitous air pollutant, is the leading environmental risk factor for mortality worldwide. Experimental and epidemiological studies consistently suggest a strong link between long-term exposure to PM2.5 (<2.5 µm, fine PM) and cognitive impairment. The neuroinflammatory response is presumed to be one of the main mechanisms of PM2.5-induced cognitive impairment, possibly leading to synaptic dysfunction. However, the main route and mechanism underlying the cause of cognitive dysfunction and pathogenic alterations in PM2.5-exposure mice remain poorly understood. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the main route and mechanism of PM2.5-induced cognitive impairment. Our results showed that PM2.5 directly entered the brain following nasal administration, and both the short-term PM2.5 administration via atomization and nasal drops induced learning and memory impairments and neuronal damage in adult mice. Moreover, astrocytes and microglia were both activated in the two short-term PM2.5 exposure models, while few changes in the inflammatory response were observed in the peripheral circulatory system. Furthermore, a further transcriptional analysis revealed that short-term PM2.5 administration led to cognitive impairment mainly by modulating synaptic functions and that although glia were activated, the glia-related pathological pathways were not significantly activated. Notably, following PM2.5 exposure, PLX3397-induced microglial deletion did not restore the cognitive function of the mice. In conclusion, our results provide evidence that PM2.5 enters the brain via the nose-to-brain route to impair cognitive function, and short-term exposure to PM2.5 directly alters synaptic function rather than the neuroinflammatory response to affect cognition.

GRK5 Deficiency in the Hippocampus Leads to Cognitive Impairment via Abnormal Microglial Alterations.

GRK5 is a member of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) kinase family and is closely associated with heart and nervous system disease. It has been reported that GRK5 is closely related to cerebral nerve function and neurodegenerative diseases. However, the biological function of GRK5 in the brain and the influence of GRK5 deficiency on cognitive dysfunction associated with neurodegenerative diseases are unknown. Here, we reported that mice with reduced GRK5 in the hippocampus exhibit cognitive impairment and some Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related molecular pathologies, such as significant neuronal damage and loss, enhanced tau protein phosphorylation, and increased levels of Aß peptides in the hippocampus. Mechanistically, we observed that GRK5 is located in microglia and plays an essential role in maintaining the morphology and function of microglia. GRK5 deficiency elicits microglial morphology changes and proinflammatory-associated gene increases. In addition, transcriptional analysis of hippocampal tissues revealed striking changes in neuroactive ligand‒receptor interactions and TNF signaling in GRK5-deficient mice. In conclusion, our results further confirm the vital role of GRK5 in maintaining normal cognitive function in mice. This finding suggests a possible mechanism by which GRK5 maintains microglial homeostasis, and its loss may induce microglial function deficits and cause some AD-related molecular pathogenesis.

A newly developed consortium with a highly efficient thiocyanate degradation capacity: A comprehensive investigation of the degradation and detoxification potential.

Thiocyanate-containing wastewater harms ecosystems and can cause serious damage to animals and plants, so it is urgent to treat it effectively. In this study, a new efficient thiocyanate-degrading consortium was developed and its degradation characteristics were studied. It was found that up to 154.64 mM thiocyanate could be completely degraded by this consortium over 6 days of incubation, with a maximum degradation rate of 1.53 mM h-1. High-throughput sequencing analysis showed that Thiobacillus (77.78%) was the predominant thiocyanate-degrading bacterial genus. Plant toxicology tests showed that the germination index of mung bean and rice seeds cultured with media obtained after thiocyanate degradation by the consortium increased by 94% and 84.83%, respectively, compared with the control group without thiocyanate degradation. Cytotoxicity tests showed that thiocyanate without degradation significantly decreased the Neuro-2a cell activity and mitochondrial membrane potential; induced reactive oxygen species generation and apoptosis; increased the cellular Ca2+ concentration; and damaged the cell nucleus and DNA. Furthermore, the thiocyanate degradation products produced the consortium were almost totally non-toxic, revealing the same characteristics as those of the control using distilled water. This study shows that the consortium has a high degradation efficiency and detoxification characteristics, as well as great application potential in bioremediation of industrial thiocyanate-containing wastewater.

How to reduce the exposure risk of medical staff from SARS-CoV-2 by reducing environmental contamination: Experience from designated hospitals in China.

Background: Using daily monitoring of environmental surfaces and personal protective equipment (PPE), we found an increase in environmental contamination since August 18, 2021, in a designated hospital for COVID-19 patients in China, which may lead to an increased risk of exposure to medical staff. Methods: To investigate the cause of increased environmental contamination and effect of our intervention, we obtained environmental samples at pre-intervention (August 18-21, 2021) and post-intervention (August 22-28, 2021) from six infection isolation rooms with windows for ventilation and other auxiliary areas at 105 and 129 sites before routine daily cleaning, respectively. In addition, we obtained PPE samples from 98 medical staff exiting the patient rooms/contaminated areas at 482 sites. Between August 22 and 24, 2021, we took measures to reduce environmental contamination based on sampling and inspection results. Findings: At pre-intervention, the positivity rates for contamination of environmental surfaces and PPE samples were significantly higher for critical patients (37.21 and 27.86%, respectively) than severely ill patients (25.00 and 12.50%, respectively) and moderately ill patients (0.00 and 0.00%, respectively) (Pearson's Chi-square: χ2 = 15.560, p = 0.000; Fisher's exact test: χ2 = 9.358, p = 0.007). Therefore, we inferred that the source of contamination of environmental surfaces and PPE was mainly the room of critically ill patients, likely through the hands of medical staff to the potentially contaminated areas. A critically ill patient had emergency tracheal intubation and rescue on August 18, 2021, due to worsened patient condition. The ventilator tube used for first aid did not match the ventilator, and the ventilator tube fell off multiple times on August 18-21, 2021, which may explain the increased contamination of environmental surfaces and PPE from critically ill patients, as well as lead to indirect contamination of potentially contaminated areas. The contamination positivity rates of environmental surfaces and PPE were reduced by replacing the appropriate ventilator catheter, limiting the number of people entering the isolation room simultaneously, increasing the frequency of environmental disinfection, standardizing the undressing process, setting up undressing monitoring posts to supervise the undressing process, and preventing the spread of virus infections in the hospital during an epidemic. Conclusions: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was spread on object surfaces in isolation rooms mainly by touch, and the contamination of environmental surfaces and PPE was greater in rooms of patients with greater disease severity and higher surface touch frequency. Therefore, strict protective measures for medical staff, frequent environmental cleaning for isolation rooms, and compliance with mask wearing by patients when conditions permit should be advised to prevent SARS-CoV-2 spread in hospitals.

Association of Ethnicity, Sex, and Age With Cancer Diagnoses and Health Care Utilization Among Children in Inner Mongolia, China.

Importance: China is experiencing a sustained increase in childhood cancer. However, whether differences exist in disease burden by ethnicity remains unclear. Objective: To compare differences in cancer diagnoses and health care utilization in Inner Mongolia among children subgrouped by ethnicity (Han vs Mongolian), sex, and age. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study in Inner Mongolia, China, used data on children aged 0 to 14 years with cancer from the Inner Mongolia Regional Health Information Platform, which comprises the National Basic Medical Insurance database and the Inner Mongolia cause-of-death reporting system, from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2019. Ethnicities analyzed included Han and Mongolian; patients of other ethnicities were not included in the analysis because of the small sample size. Cancer was broadly defined as a primary malignant tumor or hematologic cancer; benign central nervous system tumors were also included. A 2-year washout period was used to exclude prevalent cases. After diagnosis, the patients were followed up until the date of death or the end of the insured status, whichever came first. Exposures: Ethnicity (Han vs Mongolian), sex (male vs female), and age (0-4, 5-9, and 10-14 years). Main Outcomes and Measures: Crude incidence, 5-year prevalence, and survival rates at 1 year and 3 years after diagnosis; health care utilization, represented by medical costs during the first year and first 3 years after diagnosis; and hospital attendance with level (tertiary vs secondary and lower-level hospitals) and location of each unique visit. Results: From 2013 to 2019, 1 106 684 (2013), 1 330 242 (2014), 1 763 746 (2015), 2 400 343 (2016), 2 245 963 (2017), 2 901 088 (2018), and 2 996 580 (2019) children aged 0 to 14 years were registered in the NBMI database. Among the 2 996 580 children enrolled in 2019, the mean (SD) age was 6.8 (4.3) years, of whom 1 572 096 (52.5%) were male, 2 572 091 (85.8%) were Han, and 369 400 (12.3%) were Mongolian. A total of 1910 patients with cancer were identified (1048 were male [54.9%]; 1559 were Han [81.6%], and 300 were Mongolian [15.7%]). There were 764 hematologic cancers (40.0%) and 1146 solid tumors (60.0%). The overall crude incidence of cancer from 2015 to 2019 was 129.85 per million children (95% CI, 123.63-136.06), with a higher incidence among Mongolian than among Han children (155.12 [95% CI, 136.81-173.43] vs 134.39 [95% CI, 127.46-141.32]). The 5-year prevalence was 428.97 per million (95% CI, 405.52-452.42) in 2020, with a higher prevalence among Mongolian than among Han children (568.49 [95% CI, 91.62-645.36] vs 404.34 [95% CI, 379.77-428.91]). The combined 1-year (2015-2019) and 3-year (2015-2017) survival rates were 72.5% (95% CI, 67.5%-77.5%) and 66.8% (95% CI, 61.6%-71.9%), respectively. The 1-year (median [IQR], $1991 [$912-$10 181] vs $3991 [$1171-$15 425]) and 3-year (median [IQR], $2704 [$954-$13 909] vs $5375 [$1283-$22 466]) postdiagnosis costs were lower among Mongolian than among Han children. A higher proportion of Mongolian patients attended low-level hospitals (45.9% vs 17.4%). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, Mongolian children had a higher incidence and prevalence of cancer but a lower demand for medical care, suggesting that further investigations are needed to identify mechanisms underlying ethnic disparities and ensure that care is equitable.

Structural and in vitro starch digestion properties of starch-fatty acid nanocomplexes: effect of chain lengths and degree of unsaturation of fatty acids.

BACKGROUND: The structural and digestion properties of starch-lipid complexes are closely related to the properties of lipids. The chain length and degree of unsaturation of fatty acids (FAs), which can affect the structural and digestion properties of starch-lipid nanocomplexes, therefore need to be examined in detail to gain a better understanding of this. In this study, the effects of chain length (10-18 carbons) and degree of unsaturation (0-2) of FA on the structural and in vitro starch digestion properties of high amylose corn starch (HAS)-FA nanocomplexes were investigated, as was the correlation between their structural alterations and digestibility. RESULTS: This study showed that HAS-FA nanocomplexes with 10-carbon (38.55%) and 12-carbon (44.56%) FAs displayed high-resistant starch (RS) and slowly digestible starch (SDS) content, whereas those with 18-carbon FAs with two double bonds exhibited low RS + SDS content (23.41%). The complexing index, R1047/1022 , relative crystallinity, and enthalpy change in the HAS-FA nanocomplexes also increased with the reduction in the chain length (except for 10-carbon FA) and the degree of unsaturation of FAs, whereas the equilibrium hydrolysis percentage, kinetic constant and apparent amylose content showed an opposite trend. CONCLUSION: Chain length and degree of unsaturation of FAs affected the digestibility of HAS-FA nanocomplexes. The HAS-FA nanocomplexes with 12-carbon FAs displayed high RS + SDS content with higher degrees of molecular order at long-range and short-range levels. Results provided guidelines to regulate the digestibility of starch-fatty acid nanocomplexes by varying the FA structures. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

The rs9953490 polymorphism of DAL-1 gene is associated with gastric cancer risk in the Han population in Northeast China.

BACKGROUND: DAL-1 gene was reported to inhibit proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) of gastric cancer (GC) cells in our previous study. The association between the genomic variants in DAL-1 gene with risk of GC is still unclear. METHODS: In this study, 505 GC cases and 544 healthy controls (HCs) were collected to evaluate the association between six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs7240736, rs73937194, rs3817466, rs8082898, rs73381527, rs9953490) of DAL-1 gene and GC risk in the Han population in Northeast China. RESULTS: The TA + AA genotypes of rs9953490 were significantly associated with an increased risk in N3 compared with N0 subgroup (adjusted OR = 4.56, 95% CI = 1.49-13.98, P = 0.008), and also showed evident association with an increased risk in TNM stage III compared with stage I-II (adjusted OR = 2.33, 95% CI = 1.16-4.67, P = 0.017). CONCLUSION: The rs9953490 of DAL-1 gene may play an important role in the occurrence and development of GC in the Han population in Northeast China.