Relationship between triglyceride-glucose index baselines and trajectories with incident cardiovascular diseases in the elderly population.

BACKGROUND: The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is regarded as a sophisticated surrogate biomarker for insulin resistance, offering a refined means for evaluating cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). However, prospective cohort studies have not simultaneously conducted baseline and multi-timepoint trajectory assessments of the TyG index in relation to CVDs and their subtypes in elderly participants. METHODS: After excluding data deficiencies and conditions that could influence the research outcomes, this study ultimately incorporated a cohort of 20,185 participants, with data chronicles extending from 2016 to 2022. The TyG index was calculated as Ln [fasting triglyceride (mg/dL) × fasting glucose (mg/dL)/2]. Latent Class Trajectory Model (LCTM) was used to assess the change trends of the TyG index over multiple time points. Utilizing the Cox proportional-hazards models, we assessed the relationship between the baseline quartiles of the TyG index and various trajectories with CVDs and subtypes. RESULTS: During the mean follow-up time of 4.25 years, 11,099 patients experienced new CVDs in the elderly population. After stratifying by baseline TyG quartiles, the higher TyG level was associated with an increased risk of CVDs; the aHR and 95% CI for the highest quartile group were 1.28 (1.19-1.39). Five trajectory patterns were identified by the LCTM model. The low gradual increase group as the reference, the medium stable group, and the high gradual increase group exhibited an elevated risk of CVDs onset, aHR and 95%CIs were 1.17 (1.10-1.25) and 1.25 (1.15-1.35). Similar results were observed between the trajectories of the TyG index with subtypes of CVDs. CONCLUSION: Participants with high levels of baseline TyG index and medium stable or high gradual increase trajectories were associated with an elevated risk of developing CVDs in elderly populations.

Vascular and pulmonary effects of ibuprofen on neonatal lung development.

BACKGROUND: Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug that is commonly used to stimulate closure of a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in very premature infants and may lead to aberrant neonatal lung development and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). METHODS: We investigated the effect of ibuprofen on angiogenesis in human umbilical cord vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and the therapeutic potential of daily treatment with 50 mg/kg of ibuprofen injected subcutaneously in neonatal Wistar rat pups with severe hyperoxia-induced experimental BPD. Parameters investigated included growth, survival, lung histopathology and mRNA expression. RESULTS: Ibuprofen inhibited angiogenesis in HUVECs, as shown by reduced tube formation, migration and cell proliferation via inhibition of the cell cycle S-phase and promotion of apoptosis. Treatment of newborn rat pups with ibuprofen reduced pulmonary vessel density in the developing lung, but also attenuated experimental BPD by reducing lung inflammation, alveolar enlargement, alveolar septum thickness and small arteriolar wall thickening. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, ibuprofen has dual effects on lung development: adverse effects on angiogenesis and beneficial effects on alveolarization and inflammation. Therefore, extrapolation of the beneficial effects of ibuprofen to premature infants with BPD should be done with extreme caution.

The regulatory roles of socio-economic status, social and intellectual activity in the relationship between alcohol consumption and cognitive decline trajectory in middle-aged and elderly Chinese: A prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the relationship between alcohol consumption and cognitive decline, and to further explore the potential regulatory role of education, socio-economic status (SES), and social or intellectual activity in this relationship. METHODS: 6197 participants aged 45-75 years with four repeated measures data from 2011 to 2018 were included. A mixed-effect model was used to explore the relationship between alcohol consumption and the rate of change in cognitive decline, a latent class growth mixed model (LCGMM) was applied to determine the potential trajectory of cognitive decline, and finally, the mediating and moderating analyses were used to determine the regulatory effect of all four variables on the relationship between alcohol consumption and potential trajectory. RESULTS: Compared to never-drinkers, moderate alcohol consumption was a protective factor for overall cognitive function (ß = 0.13, 95% CI: 0.04-0.20, p < 0.001), but there was no statistical correlation with the decline rate of cognitive function. And this protective effect was no longer significant after additional adjustments for education, SES, social and intellectual activity. The LCGMM model divided participants into two trajectories, a high-level-to-decline group including 79.75% of participants (quadratic: ß [SE]: -0.90 [0.07], p < 0.001), and a low-level-to-decline group including 20.25% participants (linear: ß [SE]: -3.05 [0.49], p < 0.001). With the latter as the reference, SES played a reverse regulation role in the harmful effect of heavy drinking on cognitive trajectories (odd ratio [OR] = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.23-0.93, p < 0.05). Social and intellectual activities played a negative mediating role in the harmful effect of alcohol consumption on cognitive trajectories (light: OR = 0.96, p < 0.001; moderate: OR = 0.96, p < 0.001; heavy: OR = 0.97, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol itself has no protective effect on the decline of longitudinal cognitive trajectory. But the regulatory effect of SES, social and intellectual activities slows down the harm of alcohol consumption on the decline of cognitive function. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: The data used in this study are from publicly available databases. They are retrospective cohort studies without any intervention. Therefore, no clinical trial registration has been conducted.

Comparing the efficacy of thyroglobulin and thyroglobulin/ thyroid-stimulating hormone ratio models in predicting a successful response to radioactive iodine therapy.

BACKGROUND: The thyroglobulin (Tg)/ thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) ratio has manifested to be a reliable marker for predicting prognosis in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of Tg and Tg/TSH ratio models in predicting a successful response to radioactive iodine therapy. METHODS: One thousand six hundred forty-two DTC patients receiving 131I radiotherapy were finally enrolled in this retrospective study. The patients were divided into a training set (n = 973) and a validation set (n = 669) by the patient consultation time (July 2019). A receiver-operating characteristic curve was constructed for Tg and the Tg/TSH ratio to establish their cutoffs. Then, the variables were screened by univariate logistic regression and incorporated into logistic prediction models by stepwise regression, where Tg/TSH was excluded from model 1 and Tg was excluded from model 2. RESULTS: In 1642 enrolled DTC patients, the first 131I radiotherapy had an excellent response in 855 patients. The cut-offs for Tg level and Tg/TSH ratio were 3.40 ng/ mL [area under the curve (AUC): 0.789] and 36.03 ng/mIU (AUC: 0.788), respectively. In addition, the AUC of the model including Tg was higher than that of the model including Tg/TSH in both the training set (0.837 vs 0.833) and the testing set (0.854 vs 0.836). CONCLUSIONS: Both Tg and Tg/TSH ratios could be considered predictors of the effects of the first 131I ablative therapy. However, the prediction model including Tg performed better than the model including Tg/TSH.

Association of Ureaplasma infection pattern and azithromycin treatment effect with bronchopulmonary dysplasia in Ureaplasma positive infants: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether Ureaplasma-associated pneumonia and azithromycin treatment affect the risk for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants who tested positive for Ureaplasma within 72 h after birth in a tertiary unit. Chest X-ray (CXR) and laboratory test were performed before and after azithromycin treatment. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent association between BPD and Ureaplasma-associated pneumonia, as well as BPD and effective azithromycin treatment. RESULTS: A total of 118 infants were included in the current study, of whom 36 developed BPD (defined as supplemental oxygen needed at postmenstrual age 36 weeks or discharge). The rate of BPD was significantly higher in infants with Ureaplasma-associated pneumonia (44.6%) compared to infants with Ureaplasma colonization (17.7%, P = 0.002). After adjusting for confounders, an effective azithromycin treatment was significantly associated with reduced risk of BPD [odd ratio (OR) 0.011; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.000-0.250), whereas Ureaplasma-associated pneumonia was not significantly associated with BPD (OR 1.835; 95% CI: 0.548-6.147). CONCLUSION: Effective Azithromycin treatment in Ureaplasma positive VLBW infants was associated with a reduced risk of BPD.

Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of the Trehalose-6-Phosphate Synthetase Gene Family in Chinese Cabbage (Brassica rapa) and Plasmodiophora brassicae during Their Interaction.

Trehalose is a nonreducing disaccharide that is widely distributed in various organisms. Trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS) is a critical enzyme responsible for the biosynthesis of trehalose, which serves important functions in growth and development, defense, and stress resistance. Although previous studies have found that the clubroot pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae can lead to the accumulation of trehalose in infected Arabidopsis organs, it has been proposed that much of the accumulated trehalose is derived from the pathogen. At present, there is very little evidence to verify this view. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of the TPS gene family was conducted in Brassica rapa and Plasmodiophora brassicae. A total of 14 Brassica rapa TPS genes (BrTPSs) and 3 P. brassicae TPS genes (PbTPSs) were identified, and the evolutionary characteristics, functional classification, and expression patterns were analyzed. Fourteen BrTPS genes were classified into two distinct classes according to phylogeny and gene structure. Three PbTPSs showed no significant differences in gene structure and protein conserved motifs. However, evolutionary analysis showed that the PbTPS2 gene failed to cluster with PbTPS1 and PbTPS3. Furthermore, cis-acting elements related to growth and development, defense and stress responsiveness, and hormone responsiveness were predicted in the promoter region of the BrTPS genes. Expression analysis of most BrTPS genes at five stages after P. brassicae interaction found no significant induction. Instead, the expression of the PbTPS genes of P. brassicae was upregulated, which was consistent with the period of trehalose accumulation. This study deepens our understanding of the function and evolution of BrTPSs and PbTPSs. Simultaneously, clarifying the biosynthesis of trehalose in the interaction between Brassica rapa and P. brassicae is also of great significance.

Dose-dependent immunomodulatory effects of metformin on human neonatal monocyte-derived macrophages.

While the association of inflammation with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) has long been appreciated, M1 proinflammatory macrophage population is emerging as the key element in driving the BPD inflammatory environment. Previous study suggests that low-dose metformin elicits an anti-inflammatory response, possibly through modulating macrophages, to improve disease outcome in a rat BPD model. To investigate this concept further, we examined the dose-dependent immunomodulatory function of metformin directly on human macrophages derived from cord blood (CB) monocytes. We demonstrate that low-dose metformin promotes expansion of M2 anti-inflammatory macrophages, contrasted with high-dose treatment, which exacerbates inflammation by favoring M1 polarization and restricting M2 phenotype. These findings highlight that metformin hold immunomodulatory ability by regulating macrophage polarization in a dose-dependent manner, and only when applied at low dose, exhibiting potential for beneficial anti-inflammatory adjuvant in BPD setting.

Can 3D Pseudo-Continuous Territorial Arterial Spin Labeling Effectively Diagnose Patients With Recanalization of Unilateral Middle Cerebral Artery Stenosis?

BACKGROUND: Unilateral middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis, as an independent risk factor for stroke, requires an intervention operation for vessel recanalization. Accurate perfusion measurement is thus essential after the operation. PURPOSE: To explore the feasibility of three-dimensional (3D) pseudo-continuous territorial arterial-spin-labeling (tASL) in evaluating MCA recanalization. STUDY TYPE: Prospective and longitudinal. SUBJECTS: Forty-seven patients with unilateral MCA stenosis or occlusion. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: A 3.0 T, 3D time-of-flight fast-field-echo magnetic resonance (MR) angiography sequence, spin-echo echo-planar diffusion-weighted imaging sequence, 3D fast-spin-echo pseudo-continuous ASL (pcASL) and tASL sequences. ASSESSMENT: All patients underwent MR examination before and after MCA recanalization and scored using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at admission and discharge. An mRS score <2 was defined as a good prognosis. 3D-pcASL and tASL cerebral blood flow (CBF) maps were obtained, and the corresponding Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS)-based scores were evaluated. STATISTICAL TESTS: The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, intra-class correlation coefficient, paired t-test, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and multivariable logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: After recanalization, tASL derived absolute CBFs between the affected and contralateral sides were significantly higher than before the operation (mean: 34.3 ± 8.5 mL/100 g/min vs. 40.6 ± 9.2 mL/100 g/min, 42.6 ± 9.8 mL/100 g/min vs. 43.5 ± 9.9 mL/100 g/min, both P < 0.05). In ROC analysis, tASL provided good prognosis (area under ROC curve [AUC] = 0.829; 95% CI: 0.651-1.000, P < 0.05), while pcASL had lower prognostic value (AUC = 0.760; 95% CI: 0.574-0.946, P < 0.05). The NIHSS score before recanalization, pcASL, and tASL-based ASPECTS scores were significantly associated with good clinical outcome (P < 0.05). Multivariable analysis revealed that ASPECTS-based scores of pcASL and tASL before and after surgery were independent predictors of good clinical outcome (all P < 0.05). DATA CONCLUSION: tASL can determine hypoperfusion in the responsible vascular perfusion area and predict clinical outcome. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 4 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

The association of metabolic syndrome and cognitive impairment in Jidong of China: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (Mets) is prevalent in the general population and has been reported to be an independent risk factor for cognitive impairment. This study aimed to investigate the association of Mets with the risk of cognitive impairment. METHODS: We studied 5854 participants from the Jidong community. Cognitive function was assessed by the Mini-Mental State of Examination (MMSE) scale. Mets was diagnosed according to the International Diabetes Federation criteria. We used logistic regression analysis to investigate the association of metabolic syndrome with the risk of cognitive impairment. RESULT: Among the 5854 adults included in the study, the age mean (SD) of age was 44 (13.57) years, and 2916 (50.34%) were male. There was a higher (56.03%) cognitive impairment incidence rate among participants with Mets than among those without Mets. In addition, there was a significant association between Mets and cognitive impairment (OR: 2.39, 95% CI: 2.00-2.86, P < 0.05) after adjusting for potential confounders, including age, gender, education level, marital status, smoking and alcohol consumption status. Regarding the 5 Mets components, abdominal obesity and elevated blood pressure were associated with the risk of Mets (OR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.09-1.70, P < 0.001; OR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.07-1.63, P < 0.05). Moreover, the strongest statistical correlation (adjusted OR: 1.86, 95% CI: 1.22-2.83, P < 0.05) was found when the number of Mets components was three. CONCLUSION: Our study suggested that Mets was associated with cognitive impairment and that abdominal obesity and hypertension were associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment.

Simultaneous detection of fungal (1,3)-ß-d-glucan and procalcitonin using a dual-label time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay.

Neonatal infectious diseases are a serious threat to the health of newborns. The aim was to establish a new detection method for the simultaneous measurement of (1,3)-ß-d-glucan and procalcitonin in serum for the early screening and efficacy testing of neonatal infectious diseases. We established a sandwich dual-label time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay (TRFIA): anti-(1,3)-ß-d-glucan/procalcitonin antibodies immobilized on 96-well plates captured (1,3)-ß-d-glucan/procalcitonin antigens and then banded together with the detection antibodies labeled with europium(III) (Eu3+ )/samarium(III) (Sm3+ ) chelates. Finally, time-resolved fluorometry was used to measure the fluorescence intensity. The linear correlation coefficient (R2 ) of the (1,3)-ß-d-glucan standard curve was 0.9913, and the R2 of the procalcitonin standard curve was 0.9911. The detection sensitivity for (1,3)-ß-d-glucan was 0.4 pg/mL (dynamic range: 0.6-90 pg/mL), and the average recovery was 101.55%. The detection sensitivity for procalcitonin was 0.02 ng/mL (dynamic range: 0.05-95 ng/mL), and the average recovery was 104.61%. There was a high R2 between the present TRFIA method and a commercially available assay (R2  = 0.9829 for (1,3)-ß-d-glucan and R2  = 0.9704 for procalcitonin). Additionally, the cutoff values for (1,3)-ß-d-glucan and procalcitonin were 23.95 pg/mL and 0.055 ng/mL, respectively. The present TRFIA method has high sensitivity, accuracy, and specificity and is an effective method for early screening and efficient testing of neonatal invasive fungal infection.

Kangaroo Mother Care Reduces Noninvasive Ventilation and Total Oxygen Support Duration in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants.

OBJECTIVE: Evidence on the safety and influence of kangaroo mother care (KMC) in extremely low birth weight infants (ELBWIs) on ventilation is lacking. STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective cohort study performed in 145 ELBWIs on noninvasive mechanical ventilation from a tertiary center. RESULTS: The duration of nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (nIPPV) and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) ventilation was significantly shorter in infants with KMC compared with infants without (21 vs. 13.5 days, p = 0.001 and 29.5 days vs. 20.5 days, p = 0.001, respectively). The frequency of apnea during hospital stay was fewer in KMC infants, compared with no KMC (23 vs. 20 times, p = 0.002). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that KMC was an independent protective factor for shortening nIPPV/CPAP duration (ß = -9.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] [-13.20, -6.60], p < 0.001), total supplemental oxygen support (ß = -10.52, 95% CI [-16.73, -4.30], p = 0.001), and reducing times of apneas (ß = -5.88, 95% CI [-8.56, -3.21], p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: KMC benefits ELBWIs by shortening nIPPV/CPAP ventilation duration and total supplemental oxygen support, and reducing the frequency of apneas.

Right pneumonectomy for primary large acinic cell carcinoma (AciCC) with severe mediastinal deviation: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Primary lung acinic cell carcinoma is very rare. Here we report a young female patient who suffered the largest primary lung acinic cell carcinoma with severe mediastinal deviation which has never been reported before. We also reviewed data and features of 20 previously reported cases of primary lung acinic cell carcinoma who underwent lobectomy. CASE PRESENTATION: A 27-year-old female patient presented with recurrent coughing and hemoptysis for more than 10 years came to our hospital. A chest computed tomography (CT) showed a giant space-occupying lesion in the hilum of right lung. After a thorough and detailed preoperative examination, the patient then was performed a radical right pneumonectomy with mediastinal lymph node dissection. The size of the tumor was about 8.6 × 4.5 × 4.4 cm. The pathological results demonstrated a primary acinic cell carcinoma of right lung. The immunohistochemistry of the tumor showed AE1/AE3 (+), Ki-67 (2% +), CK7 (+), Vimentin (+), CK19 (+), α1-ACT (+), AB-PAS (+), S-100 (-), TTF-1 (-). The patient was discharged less than 2 weeks after the operation. So far, the patient has been followed-up for 2 years, and no evidence of tumor recurrence or metastasis was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The primary acinic cell carcinoma of lung in this case is the biggest one ever reported and also the first case treated with radical right pneumonectomy. In addition, the patient had a very rare condition of severe mediastinal deviation at the same time. After surgical treatment, the patient recovered uneventfully and had stable disease without recurrence and metastasis after 2 years of follow-up. This case together with the reported case indicate that primary acinic cell carcinoma of lung is of low malignancy, the prognosis and therapy effect of surgical treatment are relatively satisfactory.

[Influence of premature rupture of membranes on the early prognosis of extremely premature infants].

OBJECTIVE: To study the influence of premature rupture of membranes (PROM) on the early prognosis of extremely premature infants, and to provide a basis for the management of extremely premature infants and prenatal consultation. METHODS: A total of 179 extremely premature singleton infants who were born from 2017 to 2019 were enrolled. According to the presence or absence of PROM, they were divided into two groups: PROM group (n=69) and non-PROM group (n=110). A statistical analysis was performed for maternal data and early prognostic indicators. RESULTS: Compared with the non-PROM group, the PROM group had significantly higher incidence rates of earlyonset sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) (P < 0.05) and significantly lower rate of use of pulmonary surfactant and incidence rate of hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (P < 0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that chorioamnionitis was an independent risk factor for early-onset sepsis and NEC (OR=11.062 and 9.437 respectively, P < 0.05), and PROM was an independent protective factor against the use of pulmonary surfactant (OR=0.363, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: PROM increases the incidence rates of early-onset sepsis and NEC in extremely premature infants and does not increase the incidence rates of other adverse outcomes. For pregnant women with PROM at the risk of extremely preterm delivery, prevention of miscarriage and chorioamnionitis is recommended to prolong gestational weeks, reduce the incidence rate of infection, and thus improve the outcome of extremely premature infants.

Relationships between menstrual status and obesity phenotypes in women: a cross-sectional study in northern China.

BACKGROUND: One of most important concerns of postmenopausal women is obesity. The relationships between menstruation status and obesity phenotypes are unclear. This study aimed to assess the associations between menstrual status and different obesity phenotypes in women. METHODS: In total, 5373 women aged ≥40 years were recruited from the Jidong and Kailuan communities. Basic information was collected via clinical examination, laboratory testing and standardized questionnaires. The women were stratified into the following three groups: menstrual period, menopausal transition period and postmenopausal period. General obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) of ≥28 kg/m2. Central obesity was defined as a waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) of > 0.85. Visceral obesity was defined as the presence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and increased pericardial fat volume (PFV). RESULTS: The numbers of women in the menstrual, menopausal transition, and postmenopausal periods were 2807 (52.2%), 675 (12.6%) and 1891 (35.2%), respectively. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for central obesity among women in the menopausal transition and postmenopausal periods compared with women in the menstrual period were 0.99 (0.82-1.19) and 1.52 (1.26-1.84), respectively. The OR for NAFLD among postmenopausal women was 1.78 (1.44-2.20). The adjusted ß-coefficient (standard error, SE) for PFV among postmenopausal women was 41.25 (7.49). The adjusted OR for general obesity among postmenopausal women was 1.01 (0.77-1.34). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that menopause is an independent risk factor for central and visceral obesity but not general obesity.

Retrospective analysis of the possibility of predicting the COVID-19 outbreak from Internet searches and social media data, China, 2020.

The peak of Internet searches and social media data about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak occurred 10-14 days earlier than the peak of daily incidences in China. Internet searches and social media data had high correlation with daily incidences, with the maximum r > 0.89 in all correlations. The lag correlations also showed a maximum correlation at 8-12 days for laboratory-confirmed cases and 6-8 days for suspected cases.

Spatial phase and polarization retrieval of arbitrary circular symmetry singular light beams using orthogonal polarization separation.

Circular symmetry singular light beams (CS-SLBs) possessing spatially variant field distributions have drawn extensive attention because of their unique optical properties. However, the extraction of spatial phase and polarization distributions is always a significant but difficult issue in CS-SLB applications. Here, we propose and experimentally investigate an orthogonal polarization separation (OPS) method to retrieve the spatial phase and polarization distributions of arbitrary CS-SLBs. Theoretically, the CS-SLB, including the vortex beam (VB), cylindrical vector beam (CVB), and cylindrical vector vortex beam (CVVB), can be decomposed into two orthogonal circularly polarized sub-VBs. Therefore, once the spatial phase distributions and initial phase difference of the two components are obtained, the phase and polarization distributions of the CS-SLB can be retrieved, and its type can also be identified. Based on this analysis relationship, we first separated the CS-SLB into two circularly polarized sub-VBs and designed an astigmatic phase iterative algorithm to restore their spatial phase information. After retrieving the phases of the two components, we have experimentally obtained the spatial phase and polarization distributions of three typical CS-SLBs, including VBs, CVBs, and CVVBs. These results demonstrate that this method provides a feasible way to retrieve the variant field distributions of CS-SLBs and may have great application prospects in optical imaging, optical communication, etc.

Ideal cardiovascular health metrics and the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A cross-sectional study in northern China.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The components of ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics have been shown to be associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The present study aimed to determine the association between ideal CVH metrics and NAFLD. METHODS: A total of 10,511 participants (47.26% men) aged 18 to 92 years were selected from the Jidong and Kailuan communities. Ideal CVH was based on 7 ideal CVH metrics: smoking, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, diet, total cholesterol, blood pressure and fasting blood glucose. NAFLD was determined by abdominal ultrasonography. All participants underwent questionnaire assessments and clinical and laboratory examinations. Logistic regression models were used to analyse the relationship of CVH metrics and the number of ideal CVH metrics with NAFLD. RESULTS: The prevalence rates of NAFLD by CVH summary score quartiles were 64.38% (2,015/3,130), 50.16% (786/1,567), 33.28% (1,194/3,588) and 20.89% (465/2,226). Participants in the highest quartile showed a lower odds ratio (OR) than those in the lowest quartile (fully adjusted OR: 0.17, 95% CI: 0.17-0.20, P < 0.001). Similar results were observed in subjects stratified by sex and age (45 years). The ORs were progressively decreased with an increased number of ideal CVH metrics (all P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: NAFLD was significantly associated with both the summary score of CVH metrics and the number of ideal CVH metrics. The combined evaluation of ideal CVH may contribute to the prevention of NAFLD.

Neonatal hematological parameters and the risk of moderate-severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia in extremely premature infants.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between hematological parameters at birth and the risk of moderate-severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in a cohort of extremely preterm infants. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of all extremely premature infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit, Shenzhen Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital from January 2016 to May 2018. Extremely prematurity was defined as a delivery at a gestational age ≤ 28 weeks or a birth weight ≤ 1000 g. BPD was diagnosed if oxygen exposure exceeded 28 days and the severity was decided at 36 weeks PMA or discharge. Multivariable analysis was performed to assess the independence of the association between hematological parameters at birth and risk of moderate or severe BPD. RESULTS: A total of 115 extremely premature infants were analyzed in this study. The median platelet count, neutrophil and monocyte count at birth were significantly higher in infants with moderate-severe BPD compared to infants without BPD (228 vs 194*109/l, P = 0.004; 5.0 vs 2.95*109/l, P = 0.023; 0.88 vs 0.63*109/l, P = 0.026, respectively) whereas the mean platelet volume was significantly lower in infants with moderate-severe BPD than those without BPD (9.1 vs 9.4 fl, P = 0.002). After adjusting for covariates, the risk of moderate-severe BPD was independently associated with platelet count≥207*109/l (odds ratio 3.794, 95% confidence interval: 1.742-8.266, P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that hematologic parameters at birth are different in extremely preterm infants who will develop moderate-severe BPD. A higher platelet count at birth may increase the risk of moderate-severe BPD after extremely premature birth.

The development of the social health scale for the elderly.

BACKGROUND: With the elderly population comprising an increasing large proportion of society, a valid and reliable measure of social health in the elderly is indispensable for a comprehensive health assessment. The objective of this study is to develop a Social Health Scale for the Elderly (SHSE). METHODS: A draft scale was generated based on a literature review and expert surveys. Pilot testing was conducted from December 14, 2015, to January 8, 2016. Some items were removed after assessment with five statistical analysis methods. Field testing began on November 6, 2016, and ended on January 20, 2017. After field testing, the reliability and validity of the scale were assessed and the norms in Hangzhou were calculated. RESULTS: In the two tests, 430 and 2404 subjects were included in the statistical analyses. The long form of the SHSE (SHSE-L) contained 25 items, 14 of which were also in the short form (SHSE-S). The internal consistency of the SHSE-L was acceptable. The test-rest reliability and inter-rater reliability were moderate, but the concurrent validity, construct validity, and convergent and discriminant validity were desirable in both versions. The standard and percentile rank norms in Hangzhou, China were developed based on the field testing data. CONCLUSIONS: The population-based social health of the Chinese elderly can be validly and reliably assessed with the SHSE.

Association between ambient air pollutants and preterm birth in Ningbo, China: a time-series study.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to air pollutants has been related to preterm birth, but little evidence can be available for PM2.5, O3 and CO in China. This study aimed to investigate the short-term effect of exposure to air pollutants on risk preterm birth during 2014-2016 in Ningbo, China. METHODS: We conducted a time-series study to evaluate the associations between daily preterm birth and major air pollutants (including PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, O3 and CO) in Ningbo during 2014-2016. A General Additive Model extend Poisson regression was used to evaluate the relationship between preterm birth and air pollution with adjustment for time-trend, meteorological factors and day of the week (DOW). We also conducted a subgroup analysis by season and age. RESULTS: In this study, a total of 37,389 birth occurred between 2014 and 2016 from the Electronic Medical Records System of Ningbo Women and Children's Hospital, of which 5428 were verified as preterm birth. The single pollutant model suggested that lag effect of PM2.5, PM10, NO2 reached a peak at day 3 before delivery and day 6 for SO2, and no relationships were observed for O3 and preterm birth. Excess risks (95% confidence intervals) for an increase of IQR of air pollutant concentrations were 4.84 (95% CI: 1.77, 8.00) for PM2.5, 3.56 (95% CI: 0.07, 7.17) for PM10, 3.65 (95% CI: 0.86, 6.51) for SO2, 6.49 (95% CI: 1.86, 11.34) for NO2, - 0.90 (95% CI: -4.76, 3.11) for O3, and 3.36 (95% CI: 0.50, 6.30) for CO. Sensitivity analyses by exclusion of maternal age < 18 or > 35 years did not materially alter our results. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that short-term exposure to air pollutants (including PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2) are positively associated with risk of preterm birth in Ningbo, China.