Huayu Qutan Recipe promotes lipophagy and cholesterol efflux through the mTORC1/TFEB/ABCA1-SCARB1 signal axis.

This study aims to investigate the mechanism of the anti-atherosclerosis effect of Huayu Qutan Recipe (HYQT) on the inhibition of foam cell formation. In vivo, the mice were randomly divided into three groups: CTRL group, MOD group and HYQT group. The HYQT group received HYQT oral administration twice a day (20.54 g/kg/d), and the plaque formation in ApoE-/- mice was observed using haematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and oil red O (ORO) staining. The co-localization of aortic macrophages and lipid droplets (LDs) was examined using fluorescent labelling of CD11b and BODIPY fluorescence probe. In vitro, RAW 264.7 cells were exposed to 50 µg/mL ox-LDL for 48 h and then treated with HYQT for 24 h. The accumulation of LDs was evaluated using ORO and BODIPY. Cell viability was assessed using the CCK-8 assay. The co-localization of LC3b and BODIPY was detected via immunofluorescence and fluorescence probe. LysoTracker Red and BODIPY 493/503 were used as markers for lysosomes and LDs, respectively. Autophagosome formation were observed via transmission electron microscopy. The levels of LC3A/B II/LC3A/B I, p-mTOR/mTOR, p-4EBP1/4EBP1, p-P70S6K/P70S6K and TFEB protein level were examined via western blotting, while SQSTM1/p62, Beclin1, ABCA1, ABCG1 and SCARB1 were examined via qRT-PCR and western blotting. The nuclear translocation of TFEB was detected using immunofluorescence. The components of HYQT medicated serum were determined using Q-Orbitrap high-resolution MS analysis. Molecular docking was employed to identify the components of HYQT medicated serum responsible for the mTOR signalling pathway. The mechanism of taurine was illustrated. HYQT has a remarkable effect on atherosclerotic plaque formation and blood lipid level in ApoE-/- mice. HYQT decreased the co-localization of CD11b and BODIPY. HYQT (10% medicated serum) reduced the LDs accumulation in RAW 264.7 cells. HYQT and RAPA (rapamycin, a mTOR inhibitor) could promote cholesterol efflux, while chloroquine (CQ, an autophagy inhibitor) weakened the effect of HYQT. Moreover, MHY1485 (a mTOR agonist) also mitigated the effects of HYQT by reduced cholesterol efflux. qRT-PCR and WB results suggested that HYQT improved the expression of the proteins ABCA1, ABCG1 and SCARB1.HYQT regulates ABCA1 and SCARB1 protein depending on the mTORC1/TFEB signalling pathway. However, the activation of ABCG1 does not depend on this pathway. Q-Orbitrap high-resolution MS analysis results demonstrated that seven core compounds have good binding ability to the mTOR protein. Taurine may play an important role in the mechanism regulation. HYQT may reduce cardiovascular risk by promoting cholesterol efflux and degrading macrophage-derived foam cell formation. It has been observed that HYQT and ox-LDL regulate lipophagy through the mTOR/TFEB signalling pathway, rather than the mTOR/4EBP1/P70S6K pathway. Additionally, HYQT is found to regulate cholesterol efflux through the mTORC1/TFEB/ABCA1-SCARB1 signal axis, while taurine plays a significant role in lipophagy.

Aberrant expression of HDL-bound microRNA induced by a high-fat diet in a pig model: implications in the pathogenesis of dyslipidaemia.

BACKGROUND: A high-fat diet can affect lipid metabolism and trigger cardiovascular diseases. A growing body of studies has revealed the HDL-bound miRNA profiles in familial hypercholesterolaemia; in sharp contrast, relevant studies on high-fat diet-induced dyslipidaemia are lacking. In the current study, HDL-bound miRNAs altered by a high-fat diet were explored to offer some clues for elucidating their effects on the pathogenesis of dyslipidaemia. METHODS: Six pigs were randomly divided into two groups of three pigs each, namely, the high-fat diet and the balanced diet groups, which were fed a high-fat diet and balanced diet separately for six months. HDL was separated from plasma, which was followed by dissociation of the miRNA bound to HDL. miRNA sequencing of the isolated miRNA was performed to identify the differential expression profiles between the two groups, which was validated by real-time PCR. TargetScan, miRDB, and miRWalk were used for the prediction of genes targeted by the differential miRNAs. RESULTS: Compared with the balanced diet group, the high-fat diet group had significantly higher levels of TG, TC, LDL-C and HDL-C at six months. miRNA sequencing revealed 6 upregulated and 14 downregulated HDL-bound miRNAs in the high-fat diet group compared to the balanced diet group, which was validated by real-time PCR. GO enrichment analysis showed that dysregulated miRNAs in the high-fat diet group were associated with the positive regulation of lipid metabolic processes, positive regulation of lipid biosynthetic processes, and positive regulation of Ras protein signal transduction. Insulin resistance and the Ras signalling pathway were enriched in the KEGG pathway enrichment analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Twenty HDL-bound miRNAs are significantly dysregulated in high-fat diet-induced dyslipidaemia. This study presents an analysis of a new set of HDL-bound miRNAs that are altered by a high-fat diet and offers some valuable clues for novel mechanistic insights into high-fat diet-induced dyslipidaemia. Further functional verification study using a larger sample size will be required.

The effects of psychological interventions on depression and anxiety among Chinese adults with cancer: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies.

BACKGROUND: Our previous studies found the high prevalence of depression and anxiety among Chinese cancer patients, and many empirical studies have been conducted to evaluate the effects of psychological interventions on depression and anxiety among Chinese cancer patients. This study aimed to conduct a meta-analysis in order to assess the effects of psychological interventions on depression and anxiety in Chinese adults with cancer. METHODS: The four most comprehensive Chinese academic database- CNKI, Wanfang, Vip and CBM databases-were searched from their inception until January 2014. PubMed and Web of Science (SCIE) were also searched from their inception until January 2014 without language restrictions, and an internet search was used. Randomized controlled studies assessing the effects of psychological interventions on depression and anxiety among Chinese adults with cancer were analyzed. Study selection and appraisal were conducted independently by three authors. The pooled random-effects estimates of standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Moderator analysis (meta-regression and subgroup analysis) was used to explore reasons for heterogeneity. RESULTS: We retrieved 147 studies (covering 14,039 patients) that reported 253 experimental-control comparisons. The random effects model showed a significant large effect size for depression (SMD = 1.199, p < 0.001; 95% CI = 1.095-1.303) and anxiety (SMD = 1.298, p < 0.001; 95% CI = 1.187-1.408). Cumulative meta-analysis indicated that sufficient evidence had accumulated since 2000-2001 to confirm the statistically significant effectiveness of psychological interventions on depression and anxiety in Chinese cancer patients. Moderating effects were found for caner type, patients' selection, intervention format and questionnaires used. In studies that included lung cancer, preselected patients with clear signs of depression/anxiety, adopted individual intervention and used State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the effect sizes were larger. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that psychological interventions in Chinese cancer patients have large effects on depression and anxiety. The findings support that an adequate system should be set up to provide routine psychological interventions for cancer patients in Chinese medical settings. However, because of some clear limitations (heterogeneity and publication bias), these results should be interpreted with caution.

Prevalence and associated factors of depressive symptoms among Chinese male correctional officers.

OBJECTIVES: Chinese correctional officers (COs) consist of frontline COs in direct contact with the prisoners and non-frontline COs (including administrative staff and professionals). Male COs compose the majority of Chinese COs, especially for frontline COs. Although they are quite susceptible to depressive symptoms due to highly risky and stressful working environment, few studies focus on this issue. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of depressive symptoms and to explore its associated factors among Chinese male frontline and non-frontline COs. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed during the period of March/April 2011. The study population comprised of 1,900 male COs in four male prisons in a province of northeast China. A questionnaire including the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, demographic factors, work conditions, effort-reward imbalance questionnaire was distributed to these COs. A total of 1,494 effective respondents became our subjects (981 frontline COs and 513 non-frontline COs). Frontline and non-frontline COs were analyzed separately. RESULTS: Approximately 61.4% of Chinese male COs had depressive symptoms (63.5% in frontline COs and 57.3% in non-frontline COs). Multivariate logistic analyses showed that effort-reward ratio, overcommitment, chronic disease, and threat perception were associated with depressive symptoms in frontline and non-frontline COs, whereas weekly work time had an effect only in frontline COs. CONCLUSIONS: Chinese male COs, especially frontline COs, might have high-level prevalence of depressive symptoms. Moreover, this study had identified important risk factors that might be important in planning strategies for prevention and intervention of depressive symptoms for Chinese male COs.

The potential molecular mechanism underlying gypenoside amelioration of atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mice: A multi-omics investigation.

Gypenosides (Gyp) are bioactive components of Gynostemma pentaphyllum that have a variety of pharmacological properties. Extracts of G. pentaphyllum have been found to be effective in the reduction of blood sugar and lipids and prevention of atherosclerosis. Here, the functions of Gyp and the mechanisms underlying their effects on atherosclerosis were investigated. Mice were allocated to three groups, namely, the control (C57BL/6), atherosclerosis model (ApoE-/- mice with high-fat diet), and Gyp-treated groups. Differentially expressed mRNAs, miRNAs, circRNA, and differential metabolites among the groups were analyzed. The results showed that "Fatty acid metabolism", "Fatty acid elongation", "Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction", and "PI3K-Akt signaling pathway", amongst others, were involved in treatment process. Differentially expressed genes, including Fabp1, Apoe, FADS1, ADH1, SYNPO2, and Lmod1were also identified. Mmu-miR-30a and mmu-miR-30e showed reduced expression in atherosclerosis models but were increased following Gyp treatment, suggesting involvement in the effects of Gyp. In addition, chr5:150604177-150608440 were found to interact with mmu-miR-30a and mmu-miR-30e to regulate their abundance. In terms of metabolomics, Gyp may regulate biological processes involving PGD2 and PGJ2, potentially alleviating atherosclerosis. In conclusion, Gyp appeared to have complex effects on atherosclerosis, most of which were positive. These results support the use of Gyp in the treatment of atherosclerosis.

Positive resources for combating depressive symptoms among Chinese male correctional officers: perceived organizational support and psychological capital.

BACKGROUND: Although correctional officers (COs) clearly suffer from depression, positive resources for combating depression have been rarely studied in this population. The purpose of the study was to examine the associations of perceived organizational support (POS) and psychological capital (PsyCap) with depressive symptoms among Chinese COs. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a province of northeast China during March-April 2011. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 1900 male COs from four male prisons. Depressive symptoms, POS, and PsyCap (self efficacy, hope, resilience, and optimism) were measured anonymously. A total of 1428 effective respondents with 953 frontline COs (FL-COs) and 475 non-frontline COs (NFL-COs) became our final sample. Hierarchical linear regression was performed to explore the factors associated with depressive symptoms. Asymptotic and resampling strategies were used to examine the mediating roles of PsyCap and its four components. RESULTS: The level of depressive symptoms of FL-COs was significantly higher than that of NFL-COs (t = 2.28, p = 0.023). There were significant negative associations of POS, PsyCap, hope, resilience, and optimism with depressive symptoms among FL-COs. In NFL-COs, POS, PsyCap, and optimism were negatively associated with depressive symptoms. POS was positively associated with PsyCap and its four components among both FL-COs and NFL-COs. For FL-COs, PsyCap (a*b = -0.143, BCa 95% CI: -0.186, -0.103, p < 0.05), resilience (a*b = -0.052, BCa 95% CI: -0.090, -0.017, p < 0.05), and optimism (a*b = -0.053, BCa 95% CI: -0.090, -0.016, p < 0.05) significantly mediated the association between POS and depressive symptoms. For NFL-COs, PsyCap (a*b = -0.126, BCa 95% CI: -0.186, -0.065, p < 0.05) and optimism (a*b = -0.066, BCa 95% CI: -0.116, -0.008, p < 0.05) significantly mediated the association. CONCLUSIONS: Perceived organizational support and psychological capital could be positive resources for combating depressive symptoms in Chinese male COs. Psychological capital and its components (resilience and optimism) partially mediate the association between perceived organizational support and depressive symptoms. Therefore, organizational support and psychological capital investment (especially resilience and optimism) should be included in depression preventions and treatments targeting Chinese male COs.

Simultaneous Determination of Three Compounds in Rat Plasma by UHPLC-QQQ-MS/MS and Its Application to Pharmacokinetics of Banxia Baizhu Tianma Tang.

A rapid and highly selective and sensitive ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QQQ-MS/MS) method was applied to simultaneously determine ephedrine, gastrodin, and liquiritin in rat plasma. The three analytes and vitexin-2″-O-rhamnoside (I.S.) were analyzed on a Waters Acquity UPLC C18 column (1.7 µm, 2.1 mm × 100 mm) at 30°C with gradient mobile phase consisting of 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution (A) and acetonitrile (B) after one-step direct protein precipitation with acetonitrile. The detection was performed by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode via electrospray ionization (ESI) source in positive and negative ion modes. The product ions m/z 166.1⟶148.1, 285.1⟶123.1, 417.1⟶255.1, and 579.0⟶433.1 were used for determination of ephedrine, gastrodin, liquiritin, and I.S., respectively. The calibration curves of the three analytes were linear with r 2 greater than 0.994. The intra and interday precision RSD% was less than 11.5 and 13.4. The intra and interday precision RE% was between -10.4% and 9.33%. The average extraction recoveries of the three analytes were no less than 86.88 ± 1.08%. The developed and validated method was for the first time applied to the pharmacokinetics of three compounds in rat plasma after intragastric administration of Banxia Baizhu Tianma Tang.

Activation of the gut microbiota-kynurenine-liver axis contributes to the development of nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis in nondiabetic adults.

The contribution of gut-liver signaling to the development of non-alcoholic hepatic steatosis (NHS) in non-diabetic adults remains unclear. We therefore performed comprehensive 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing and fecal metabolomics analyses in 32 controls and 59 non-diabetic adults with NHS and performed fecal microbiota transplantation into germ-free mice using controls and NHS patients as donors. Compared to controls, the abundance of the genera Collinsella and Acinetobacter were higher, while that of Lachnospira was lower, in NHS subjects. Fecal metabolomics analysis showed decreased L-tryptophan levels and increased abundance of the tryptophan metabolite kynurenine in individuals with NHS. Correlation analysis showed that kynurenine levels positively associated with the abundance of Collinsella and Acinetobacter. ROC analysis demonstrated that the combination of tryptophan and kynurenine could discriminate NHS patients from controls with good statistical power [P < 0.05; AUC = 0.833 (95% CI, 0.747 to 0.918)]. Supporting a key role of dysbiotic gut microbiota in NHS development, incipient hepatic steatosis and increased kynurenine levels were observed in GF mice colonized with samples from NHS patients. These results indicate that enhanced kynurenine production resulting from altered gut microbiota composition contributes to NHS in nondiabetic adults and suggest the relevance of tryptophan metabolites as diagnostic biomarkers.

Increased quality of life in patients with stroke during the COVID-19 pandemic: a matched-pair study.

Patients with stroke are likely to experience impaired health-related quality of life (QOL), especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to evaluate the QOL of Chinese patients with stroke during the pandemic and explore the associated variables. A matched-pair, multicenter survey was conducted before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Questionnaires including the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scale, and the Questionnaire about the Process of Recovery (QPR) were used. A total of 172 matched pairs (344 patients) were recruited in this study. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed to analyze variables associated with QOL. Physical and mental component scores (PCS and MCS) were higher among the stroke patients during the pandemic (44.20 ± 18.92 and 54.24 ± 19.08) than before the pandemic (37.98 ± 14.52 and 43.50 ± 20.94). Pandemic stress, demographic and clinical characteristics were negative variables associated with PCS and MCS. QPR was positively associated with PCS and MCS. The QOL of Chinese stroke patients was higher during than before the COVID-19 pandemic. Pandemic stress aggravated stroke patients' QOL, while personal recovery could alleviate the detrimental effect of pandemic stress on QOL for stroke patients.

Associations of workplace violence and psychological capital with depressive symptoms and burn-out among doctors in Liaoning, China: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to (1) Identify the prevalence of workplace violence among doctors in Liaoning, China. (2) Examine the relationships between workplace violence and psychological capital with depressive symptoms and burn-out in Chinese doctors. DESIGN: A quantitative, cross-sectional study. SETTING: Eight hospitals in Liaoning Province were surveyed using a self-reported questionnaire. PARTICIPANTS: The study population comprised 1800 doctors. Ultimately 1392 doctors completed valid questionnaires with a response rate of 77.3%. RESULTS: The prevalence of workplace violence was 77.5%. Compared with other types of workplace violence, the prevalence of psychological aggression was the highest (72.7%). Workplace violence (depressive symptoms: ß[95% CI]=0.11 [0.06, 0.16]; emotional exhaustion: ß[95% CI]=0.18 [0.13, 0.23]; depersonalisation: ß[95% CI]=0.17 [0.12, 0.22]) and psychological capital (depressive symptoms: ß[95% CI]=-0.32 [-0.37, -0.27]; emotional exhaustion: ß[95% CI]=-0.23 [-0.28, -0.18]; depersonalisation: ß[95% CI]=-0.23 [-0.28, -0.18]) were associated with depressive symptoms and burn-out. Workplace violence increased the level of depressive symptoms and burn-out by damaging psychological capital (depressive symptoms: a*b=1.61, bias-corrected and accelerated [BCa] 95% CI 1.08 to 2.25; emotional exhaustion: a*b=1.29, BCa 95% CI 0.86 to 1.83; depersonalisation: a*b=0.70, BCa 95% CI 0.45 to 1.00). CONCLUSIONS: In China, most doctors will be exposed to workplace violence, especially psychological aggression. A safer work environment and psychological capital development may be considered in prevention and treatment strategies for improving mental health.

The association between ambient air pollution exposure and mental health status in Chinese female college students: a cross-sectional study.

The association between exposure to air pollution and mental health has not been adequately studied. Accordingly, this study aimed to explore the association between exposure to ambient air pollution and mental health status among female college students. We performed a cross-sectional study involving female students attending college located in Anshan, a heavy industry city in Northeast China. The investigation was performed using electronic questionnaires including the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Cornell Medical Index (CMI), and general well-being (GWB) scale between March and April 2017. The individual daily average of time spent outdoors in each season was used as an indicator of exposure to ambient air pollution. The association between mental health status and exposure to ambient air pollution was analyzed using general linear regression. Of the 412 female participants, 346 (83.98%) submitted valid questionnaires. Multivariate linear regression indicated that GWB was negatively associated with the SCL-90 score, and annual average daily outdoor time and sleep quality were positively associated with the SCL-90 score. This study demonstrated that exposure to ambient air pollution may be a risk factor for mental health problems among female college students.

The Long-Term Effects of Maternal Postnatal Depression on a Child's Intelligence Quotient: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies Based on 974 Cases.

OBJECTIVE: Epidemiologists have explored the relationship between maternal postnatal depression (PND) and the intelligence quotient (IQ) of the resulting offspring, but the results remain inconclusive. This study aims to analyze the literature regarding the association between maternal PND and a child's IQ. DATA SOURCES: A search of articles in PubMed, Web of Science, and MEDLINE databases from inception to September 2015 was conducted and supplemented by a manual search of relevant reference lists. The following search terms were used: (postpartum OR postnatal OR puerperal) AND (depression OR depressive symptoms OR blues OR dysthymia OR disorders OR psychosis) AND (intelligence quotient OR IQ OR intelligence tests OR intelligence OR cognitive OR cognition) AND (children OR child OR adolescent OR offspring) AND (cohort OR prospective OR follow-up OR follow OR longitudinal). STUDY SELECTION: Articles exploring the association between maternal PND and IQ of offspring aged 2 years and older were included. A total of 510 records were retrieved. DATA EXTRACTION: Two authors independently selected eligible studies and extracted data. Three authors assessed the quality of the studies. To explore the associations between maternal PND and full IQ and verbal IQ, random-effects meta-analyses were performed, followed by subgroup analysis of impact on full IQ. RESULTS: Nine articles were eligible for review. On the basis of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, 7 studies were considered to be of high quality. When one study of participants aged 3.8 years was excluded from the meta-analysis, the pooled weighted mean difference of full IQ between the children of PND mothers and non-PND mothers was -4.086 (95% CI, -6.578 to -1.594), and the pooled standard mean difference of verbal IQ between the children of PND mothers and non-PND mothers was -0.361 (95% CI, -0.564 to -0.158). Subgroup analysis showed that the child's age at evaluation, diagnostic method of PND, study quality, and socioeconomic status did not affect the mean difference in full IQ between children of PND mothers and those of non-PND mothers. When the excluded study was included in the meta-analysis, the results did not vary. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal PND may be a risk factor for a child's lower IQ. More studies of high methodological quality may be needed.

The Associations of Job Stress and Organizational Identification with Job Satisfaction among Chinese Police Officers: The Mediating Role of Psychological Capital.

Police officers' job satisfaction is an important issue for police force management, but insufficient research exists on the topic, especially in China. This study aimed to examine the associations of job stress and organizational identification with job satisfaction among Chinese police officers, and particularly the mediating role of psychological capital (PsyCap). A cross-sectional study was conducted in Liaoning Province of China during the period of September-October 2014. A set of self-administered questionnaires was distributed to 2514 police officers, and complete responses were obtained from 2226 participants. The associations among variables in relation to job satisfaction were validated by structural equation modeling. Job stress was negatively associated with job satisfaction, while organizational identification and PsyCap were positively associated with job satisfaction among Chinese police officers. PsyCap mediated the associations of job stress and organizational identification with job satisfaction. Interventions to improve Chinese police officers' job satisfaction should be developed in the future, especially the enhancement of PsyCap.

The Effects of Being an Only Child, Family Cohesion, and Family Conflict on Behavioral Problems among Adolescents with Physically Ill Parents.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to examine the parental physical illness' effect on behavioral problems among adolescents, and the effects of being an only child, family cohesion, and family conflict on behavioral problems among adolescents with physically ill parents in Liaoning province, China. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed in 2009. A questionnaire including two dimensions of the Family Environment Scale (family cohesion and family conflict), self-reported Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and demographic factors was distributed to the subjects. RESULTS: Among the 5220 adolescents, 308 adolescents lived with physically ill parents. The adolescents with physically ill parents had more behavioral problems than adolescents with healthy parents. Among the girls who lived in families with physically ill parents, the SDQ score and the prevalence of SDQ syndromes were higher in the girls with siblings than the girls without siblings after adjusting for variables; the effect of family cohesion on SDQ was significant after adjusting for variables. CONCLUSION: Interventions targeting family cohesion may be effective to reduce behavioral problems of adolescents with physically ill parents.

Is sunlight exposure a risk factor for age-related macular degeneration? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiologists have recently investigated sunlight exposure as a risk factor for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), but there remains an ongoing dispute over this association due to insufficient evidence and unreliable data. OBJECTIVES: To analyse comprehensively the epidemiological literature concerning the association between AMD and sunlight exposure. METHODS: We systematically reviewed the epidemiological literature concerning the association between AMD and sunlight exposure. An electronic search was performed of PubMed, Web of Science and CNKI, which was supplemented by hand searching. The selection of studies, data abstraction and quality assessment were performed independently by three reviewers. After these steps, we performed a random-effects meta-analysis, followed by subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis, including a random-effects meta-regression for study-specific covariates. RESULTS: Fourteen studies were identified. Twelve studies identified an increasing risk of AMD with greater sunlight exposure, six of which reported significant risks. The pooled OR was 1.379 (95% CI 1.091 to 1.745). The subgroup of non-population-based studies revealed a significant risk (OR 2.018, 1.248 to 3.265, p=0.004). We identified the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita (p=0.048), but not the latitude (p=0.21), as a factor that led to heterogeneity according to the meta-regression. CONCLUSIONS: The epidemiological literature published to date indicates that individuals with more sunlight exposure are at a significantly increased risk of AMD. The OR significantly decreased with increasing GDP per capita.

A Bayesian meta-analysis on prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection among Chinese volunteer blood donors.

BACKGROUND: Although transfusion-transmitted infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) threatens the blood safety of China, the nationwide circumstance of HBV infection among blood donors is still unclear. OBJECTIVES: To comprehensively estimate the prevalence of HBsAg positive and HBV occult infection (OBI) among Chinese volunteer blood donors through bayesian meta-analysis. METHODS: We performed an electronic search in Pub-Med, Web of Knowledge, Medline, Wanfang Data and CNKI, complemented by a hand search of relevant reference lists. Two authors independently extracted data from the eligible studies. Then two bayesian random-effect meta-analyses were performed, followed by bayesian meta-regressions. RESULTS: 5957412 and 571227 donors were identified in HBsAg group and OBI group, respectively. The pooled prevalence of HBsAg group and OBI group among donors is 1.085% (95% credible interval [CI] 0.859%~1.398%) and 0.094% (95% CI 0.0578%~0.1655%). For HBsAg group, subgroup analysis shows the more developed area has a lower prevalence than the less developed area; meta-regression indicates there is a significant decreasing trend in HBsAg positive prevalence with sampling year (beta = -0.1202, 95% -0.2081~-0.0312). CONCLUSION: Blood safety against HBV infection in China is suffering serious threats and the government should take effective measures to improve this situation.