Association of height, foot length, and pubertal development in children aged 3-18: a cross-sectional survey in China.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the growth patterns of height and foot length (FL) among Chinese children aged 3-18 and examine their associations with puberty development. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in September 2022 in Beijing. Data were collected through questionnaires and on-site physical examinations. The growth patterns and velocity of height and FL in different age groups were described, and their associations with puberty development were analyzed. Results: From an age perspective, the peak FL growth occurred between 9 and 11 years (boys were 11 years and girls were 9 years), while the peak height growth occurred at 11 ~ 13 years for boys and 9 ~ 11 years for girls. Additionally, boys and girls reached 99.0% of their final FL at the ages of 14 and 13, respectively, while they reached 99.0% of their final height at the ages of 16 and 15, respectively. From the perspective of Tanner stage, the age of peak FL growth in boys coincided with the age of the G2 stage, while in girls it occurred slightly earlier than the mean age of the B2 stage. The peak height growth for both boys and girls occurred between Tanner stages 2 and 3. Conclusion: Boys and girls reach their peak FL growth at 11 and 9 years old, respectively, which were both 2 years earlier than their peak height growth. The peak FL growth occurred around the onset of puberty, while the peak height growth occurred between Tanner stages 2 and 3.

Rapid and visual detection of an isolated and identified goose parvovirus (GPV) strain by a loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay.

Gosling plague caused by goose parvovirus (GPV), a highly infectious septic disease with high mortality, has caused substantial loss in the waterfowl industry. A method for the rapid detection of GPV is needed. In this study, we isolated the virus strain of GPV in May 2020 and applied it to the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay. We designed five sets of primers for the goose parvovirus VP3 gene by LAMP. The GV-1 primer set was selected to detect GPV sensitively and rapidly. LAMP was more sensitive compared to PCR. In addition, the LAMP method could complete detection within 60 min which was faster than the PCR assay. The LAMP provided a convenient and effective experimental method for detection of GPV for inspection and quarantine departments and health care units in China, and it is expected to become a simple and routine detection method, especially suitable for goose farms.

Apoptosis mechanisms induced by parvovirus infections.

Parvoviruses affect both vertebrates and invertebrates, and can be both detrimental and benign to the host. Numerous studies about parvovirus-induced apoptotic cell death have been researched and reported. In most parvovirus infections, cell death heightens the virus dissemination and causes tissue damage, often leading to disease. Cell cycle arrest also induces cytopathic effects in infected cells and is sometimes a prerequisite to apoptotic cell death. Cell death mechanisms caused by parvovirus infections vary depending on the infecting parvovirus strain and the cell lines involved. Apo-ptosis, however, is a frequent form of cell death induced by parvoviruses. The non-structural protein 1 (NS1) is a major contributor to parvovirus infection-induced cell death. However, other proteins such as the 11 kDa, NP1 and viral genome replication can also induce cell death. Understanding the mechanisms involved in parvovirus cell death, and host response is important in the development of treatment for cytopathic parvoviruses. This review article discusses parvovirus-induced apoptotic cell death and the mechanisms involved. Keywords: apoptosis; cell cycle arrest; cell death; parvovirus; viral protein.

Joint Association of Metabolic Health and Obesity with Ten-Year Risk of Cardiovascular Disease among Chinese Adults.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the association of metabolic phenotypes that are jointly determined by body mass index (BMI) or fat mass percentage and metabolic health status with the ten-year risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among Chinese adults. METHODS: Data were obtained from a cross-sectional study. BMI and body fat mass percentage (FMP) combined with the metabolic status were used to define metabolic phenotypes. Multiple linear regression and logistic regression were used to examine the effects of metabolic phenotypes on CVD risk. RESULTS: A total of 13,239 adults aged 34-75 years were included in this study. Compared with the metabolically healthy non-obese (MHNO) phenotype, the metabolically unhealthy non-obese (MUNO) and metabolically unhealthy obese (MUO) phenotypes defined by BMI showed a higher CVD risk [odds ratio, OR (95% confidence interval, CI): 2.34 (1.89-2.89), 3.45 (2.50-4.75), respectively], after adjusting for the covariates. The MUNO and MUO phenotypes defined by FMP showed a higher CVD risk [ OR (95% CI): 2.31 (1.85-2.88), 2.63 (1.98-3.48), respectively] than the MHNO phenotype. The metabolically healthy obese phenotype, regardless of being defined by BMI or FMP, showed no CVD risk compared with the MHNO phenotype. CONCLUSION: General obesity without central obesity does not increase CVD risk in metabolically healthy individuals. FMP might be a more meaningful factor for the evaluation of the association of obesity with CVD risk. Obesity and metabolic status have a synergistic effect on CVD risk.

Intelligent prediction of RBC demand in trauma patients using decision tree methods.

BACKGROUND: The vital signs of trauma patients are complex and changeable, and the prediction of blood transfusion demand mainly depends on doctors' experience and trauma scoring system; therefore, it cannot be accurately predicted. In this study, a machine learning decision tree algorithm [classification and regression tree (CRT) and eXtreme gradient boosting (XGBoost)] was proposed for the demand prediction of traumatic blood transfusion to provide technical support for doctors. METHODS: A total of 1371 trauma patients who were diverted to the Emergency Department of the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2014 to January 2018 were collected from an emergency trauma database. The vital signs, laboratory examination parameters and blood transfusion volume were used as variables, and the non-invasive parameters and all (non-invasive + invasive) parameters were used to construct an intelligent prediction model for red blood cell (RBC) demand by logistic regression (LR), CRT and XGBoost. The prediction accuracy of the model was compared with the area under the curve (AUC). RESULTS: For non-invasive parameters, the LR method was the best, with an AUC of 0.72 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.657-0.775], which was higher than the CRT (AUC 0.69, 95% CI 0.633-0.751) and the XGBoost (AUC 0.71, 95% CI 0.654-0.756, P < 0.05). The trauma location and shock index are important prediction parameters. For all the prediction parameters, XGBoost was the best, with an AUC of 0.94 (95% CI 0.893-0.981), which was higher than the LR (AUC 0.80, 95% CI 0.744-0.850) and the CRT (AUC 0.82, 95% CI 0.779-0.853, P < 0.05). Haematocrit (Hct) is an important prediction parameter. CONCLUSIONS: The classification performance of the intelligent prediction model of red blood cell transfusion in trauma patients constructed by the decision tree algorithm is not inferior to that of the traditional LR method. It can be used as a technical support to assist doctors to make rapid and accurate blood transfusion decisions in emergency rescue environment, so as to improve the success rate of patient treatment.

Epidemiology and antifungal susceptibilities of yeast isolates causing invasive infections across urban Beijing, China.

AIM: To investigate the species distribution and antifungal susceptibility profiles of yeast isolates causing invasive infections across Beijing. MATERIALS & METHODS: A total of 1201 yeast isolates recovered from blood and other sterile body fluids were correctly identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization TOF MS supplemented by DNA sequencing. Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute broth microdilution method. RESULTS: Candida (95.5%) remained the most common yeast species isolated; Candida albicans (38.8%) and Candida parapsilosis (22.6%) were the leading species of candidemia. Azole resistances were mainly observed in Candida glabrata and Candida tropicalis isolates. CONCLUSION: This study outlined the epidemiologic data of invasive yeast infections and highlighted the need for continuous monitoring of azole resistances among C. glabrata and C. tropicalis isolates in Beijing.

[Prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and metabolic abnormalities in 387 obese children and adolescents in Beijing, China].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and metabolic abnormalities in obese children and adolescents in Beijing. METHODS: This study involved 387 obese children and adolescents, aged 12 to 17 years in Beijing. Data on anthropometric measurements was collected, including weight, height and age. All subjects underwent a clinic examination containing fasting blood and liver ultrasonography. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease was diagnosed using diagnostic criteria for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease which was recommended by the Fatty liver and Alcoholic Liver Disease Study Group of Liver Disease Association in China. RESULTS: 174 out of the 387 children were diagnosed as having NAFLD. The overall prevalence of NAFLD was 45.0% in this study population. The prevalence rates of NAFLD did not show significant difference between girls and boys. The prevalence rates of diabetes mellitus and IFG were 0.8% and 49.1% respectively. The prevalence rates of HTG, HTC, HLDL-C, LHDL-C, IFG, elevated ALT (or AST) and acanthosis nigricans were 6.3%, 4.0%, 37.9%, 22.8%, 46.0%, 17.8% and 28.5% in students combined with obesity and NAFLD, respectively. In the NAFLD subgroup, higher prevalence of high TG, acanthosis nigricans, abnormal ALT or AST were seen. With the increasing of obesity, the level of LDL-C, TG, liver function disturbance and prevalence of NAFLD and acanthosis nigricans were aggravated. Under binary logistic regression analysis, results showed that high BMI, acanthosis nigricans and TG were significantly correlated with NAFLD in obese children and adolescent population. CONCLUSION: NAFLD was common in obese children, and the prevalence of NAFLD in obese children was 45.0%. Higher BMI, acanthosis nigricans and abnormal TG were independent risk factors for NAFLD in obese children. Obese children who had been exposed to high risk factors should take the ultrasonography.

Prevalence of hyperuricemia and its related risk factors in healthy adults from Northern and Northeastern Chinese provinces.

BACKGROUND: Hyperuricemia (HUA) is a potential risk factor for developing insulin resistance, hypertension, dyslipidemia and cardiovascular disease. Therefore, we studied the prevalence of HUA and associated risk factors in the population of two provinces in northern China. METHODS: Based on the research of Chinese Physiological Constant and Health Conditions conducted in 2008-2010, we enrolled 29,639 subjects in a randomized, stratified study in four sampling areas in Heilongjiang Province and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. We collected 13,140 serum samples to determine biochemical indicators including uric acid(UA), glucose, blood lipids, liver function, and renal function, and finally a representative sample of 8439 aged 18 years and older was determined. We also defined and stratified HUA, hypertension, diabetes, obesity and lipid abnormalities according to international guidelines. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the UA levels between different genders and regions. The total prevalence of HUA is 13.7%. Men had a higher prevalence of HUA than women (21% vs. 7.9%; P < 0.0001). As age increased, HUA prevalence decreased in men but rose in women. The suburbs of big cities had the highest HUA prevalence (18.7%), and in high-prevalence areas the proportion of women with HUA also increased. A stepwise logistic regression model was used to filter out twelve HUA risk factors, including age, gender, residence, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, impaired fasting glucose, hypertension, obesity, abdominal obesity, CKD, drinking and sleeping. After adjusting for these factors, the odds ratio of HUA was 1.92 times higher in men than in women. Compared with agricultural and pastoral areas, the odds ratio of having HUA was 2.14 for participants in the suburbs of big cities and 1.57 in the center of big cities. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of HUA is high in northern China. The differences in HUA prevalence by geographic region suggested that unbalanced economic development and health education, therefore HUA prevention measures should be strengthened to improve quality of life and reduce health care costs.

Trends in blood pressure and hypertension among Chinese children and adolescents: China Health and Nutrition Surveys 1991-2004.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the trends in blood pressure (BP) and prevalence of hypertension among Chinese children and adolescents. METHODS: Data were extracted from the China Health and Nutrition Survey conducted from 1991 to 2004; 8247 children and adolescents aged 6-17 years were selected for this study. Multivariate linear regression analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to evaluate the secular trends in BP levels and prevalence of hypertension, respectively. RESULTS: During the study period, there was an upward trend in BP in Chinese children and adolescents. After adjustment for gender, age and weight status, the prevalence of pre-hypertension and hypertension increased dramatically from 1991 to 2004, with average relative increases of 6.38% and 8.13% in children and adolescents, respectively. Overweight was strongly associated with pre-hypertension and hypertension in comparison with normal weight, with odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of 2.21 (1.58-3.11) and 4.13 (3.32-5.13), respectively. CONCLUSION: BP levels and prevalence of hypertension increased dramatically among Chinese children and adolescents from 1991 to 2004.

[Comparison of sub-health status between Tibetan people and Han people].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the prevalence of sub-health status between Han people and Tibetan people. METHODS: Subjects were selected with two-stage clustering sampling method in Sichuan Province. The sub-health rating scale developed by Chen Qing-shan, et al was employed to assess the sub-health status of subjects. The prevalence of sub-health status was compared between two groups with logistic regression model and binomial regression model after adjusting some confounding factors, such as age, gender, marital status, hypertension, occupation, exercise, overweight, smoking and drinking status. RESULTS: Prevalence rates of sub-health status were 52.3% (3611/6911) and 57.9% (1034/1787) in Han and Tibetan people respectively. Logistic regression analyses results showed that the risk of sub-health in Tibetan people was 1.2840 times that in Han people (95%CI 1.1460-1.4390). Negative binomial model indicated that the number of sub-health symptoms was greater in Tibetan people and the risk was 1.2908 (95% CI 1.1820-1.4096). Prevalence rates of all sub-health dimensions were higher in Tibetan people. CONCLUSIONS: Tibetan people dwelling in high-altitude areas are more susceptible to suffer from sub-health status. The medical researchers should pay more attention to this problem.