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Objective. This study focuses on the identification of risk factors, classification of stroke level, and evaluation of the importance and interactions of various patient characteristics using cohort data from the Second Hospital of Lanzhou University. Methodology. Risk factors are identified by evaluation of the relationships between factors and response, as well as by ranking the importance of characteristics. Then, after discarding negligible factors, some well-known multicategorical classification algorithms are used to predict the level of stroke. In addition, using the Shapley additive explanation method (SHAP), factors with positive and negative effects are identified, and some important interactions for classifying the level of stroke are proposed. A waterfall plot for a specific patient is presented and used to determine the risk degree of that patient. Results and Conclusion. The results show that (1) the most important risk factors for stroke are hypertension, history of transient ischemia, and history of stroke; age and gender have a negligible impact. (2) The XGBoost model shows the best performance in predicting stroke risk; it also gives a ranking of risk factors based on their impact. (3) A combination of SHAP and XGBoost can be used to identify positive and negative factors and their interactions in stroke prediction, thereby providing helpful guidance for diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aging slows down the mechanisms behind skeletal muscle weakening and mobility. Increases in inflammation brought on by aging may contribute to some characteristics of sarcopenia. As a result of population aging worldwide, sarcopenia, an age-related disease, has become a huge burden on both individuals and society as a whole. The study of the morbidity mechanism and available sarcopenia treatments has received more attention. The inflammatory response may be one of the most important methods behind the pathophysiology of sarcopenia in the aged, according to the background of the study. This anti-inflammatory cytokine inhibits the ability of human monocytes and macrophages to induce inflammation as well as the production of cytokines like IL-6. Here, we investigate the association between sarcopenia and interleukin-17 (IL-17), an inflammatory cytokine in the aged. There were 262 subjects aged 61-90 years who were screened for sarcopenia in Hainan General Hospital. The subjects were divided into 45 males and 60 females aged 65-79 years (average age: 72.00 ± 4.31 years). 105 patients without sarcopenia were randomly selected among 157 participants. It included 50 males and 55 females, aged 61-76 years (mean age: 69.10 ± 4.55 years) as per the standard definition of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS). The "skeletal muscle index" (SMI), "hand grip strength" (HGS), "gait speed" (GS), "biochemical indexes," "serum IL-17 level," nutritional status, and past medical history of the two groups were evaluated and compared. Compared with the participants without sarcopenia, sarcopenia patients had higher average age; less physical exercise; lower total scores of BMI, pre-ALB, IL-17, and SPPB; and a higher proportion of malnutrition risk (all P < 0.05). By "ROC curve analysis," the best critical point was IL-17 in the growth of sarcopenia. The area that comes under ROC (AUROC) value was 0.627 (95% CI = 0.552 , 0.702, P = 0.002). The ideal threshold value for IL-17 to estimate sarcopenia was 18.5 pg/mL. In the unadjusted model, IL-17 was considerably linked to sarcopenia (OR = 1.123 , 95% CI = 1.037 -1.215, P = 0.004). After the covariate adjustment observed in the complete adjustment model (OR = 1.111 , 95% CI = 1.004 -1.229, P = 0.002), this significance still exists. The results of this study suggest a strong relationship between sarcopenia and IL-17. This study will look at IL-17's potential to serve as a key sarcopenia indicator. This trial is registered with ChiCTR2200022590. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined the relationship between menopausal symptoms and sleep disturbances and the related influencing factors. Methods. We recruited women aged 40-65 years who attended the menopause clinic at Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Sixth People's Hospital from February 2011 to November 2019. The Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) was used to collect women's menopausal symptoms, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to evaluate the subjects' sleep condition. We used logistic regression models to identify the relationship between menopausal symptoms and sleep quality. Results. A total of 1341 participants were recruited in this study. The most frequent three symptoms assessed by MRS were fatigue (72.9%), sleep disturbance (67%), and hot flashes with night sweats (65%). Participants' age was significantly associated with the severity of menopausal syndrome (P < 0.01). According to the PSQI sleep evaluation, 66.9 percent of participants had sleep disturbances (PSQI > 5). Logistic regression analysis revealed that women with mild, moderate, or severe menopausal syndrome had a 3-, 7-, and 17-fold increased chance of having sleep disturbances compared to women without menopausal syndrome. Conclusion. Women aged 40–65 years were found to have a significantly higher risk of menopausal syndrome and sleep disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study is aimed at teasing out the correlation of plasma D-dimer (D-D) levels to age, metastasis, TNM stage (tumor-node-metastasis classification), and treatment in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients of different ages, to facilitate early diagnosis of hypercoagulable state, choose appropriate treatment, and use appropriate anticoagulants. Hence, thrombosis and complications caused by excessive anticoagulants can be prevented; thrombus or disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and other complications in elderly patients with NSCLC can be reduced or avoided. By monitoring the level of plasma D-D in patients with NSCLC, recurrence and metastasis can be predicted in the early stage and the TNM stage can be evaluated. Methods. A total of 670 patients with NSCLC were selected in Shanxi Bethune Hospital from March 2014 to October 2020 as the experimental group, and 950 healthy people were selected from the physical examination center of the same hospital as the control group. The data of patients with NSCLC diagnosed for the first time without any treatment were collected and grouped based on metastasis, TNM stage, treatment, and pathological type, and the correlation with plasma D-D level was analyzed. Plasma D-D levels were measured by immunoturbidimetry on an ACL TOP 700 Automatic Coagulation Analyzer. The patients were further divided into two groups according to different treatment methods, and the differences in plasma D-D levels between patients receiving chemotherapy and those receiving targeted therapy in different treatment cycles were analyzed. The correlation between D-D levels and age in healthy controls was analyzed. The difference in D-D levels between NSCLC patients and healthy controls of the same age was analyzed. Results. All data of both the experimental group and the control group were normally distributed. The average age of the experimental group was 61.31 ± 6.23 (range: 36-92) years. The average age of the control group was 61.14 ± 11.12 (range: 35-85) years. There was no significant difference in gender between the experimental group and the control group (p > 0.05). The plasma D-D level of NSCLC patients was significantly higher than that of the healthy controls (p < 0.05). No significant difference in plasma D-D level was found between NSCLC patients of different genders, and the finding was similar between healthy controls of different genders (p > 0.05). Significant difference in the D-D level was found between the groups of 30-59 years and 60-69 years (p < 0.05), between groups of 60-69 years and 70-79 years (p < 0.05), and between 70-79 years and ≥80 years (p < 0.05). The plasma D-D level of patients ≤ 79 years old increased with age, but it decreased in those over 80 years old. According to Pearson correlation analysis, there was a positive correlation between the D-D level and the age of NSCLC patients under 79 years old (p < 0.05). The differences in D-D levels between the four age groups were statistically significant (p < 0.05), showing an upward trend of the D-D level in healthy controls with the increase of age. There were statistically significant differences in D-D levels between NSCLC patients and healthy controls of the matching age group (p < 0.05), suggesting that NSCLC patients had significantly higher D-D levels than healthy people of the same age group. The differences in D-D levels between NSCLC patients without metastasis, NSCLC patients with metastasis, and healthy people were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The patients with metastasis had the highest D-D level, and healthy people had the lowest D-D level. The difference in plasma D-D levels between patients of different TNM stages was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Patients with an advanced TNM stage tended to have higher D-D levels. The TNM stage and D-D level of NSCLC patients changed significantly before and after treatment. An earlier stage was related to a more obvious change in D-D levels after treatment with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). A more advanced stage was associated with a smaller change in the D-D level after treatment, with no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05). The plasma D-D levels before and after four cycles of chemotherapy or targeted therapy were higher than those of the healthy control group, and the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The D-D level of patients after chemotherapy was significantly lower than that before chemotherapy (p < 0.05), but there was no significant difference before and after targeted therapy (p > 0.05). The D-D level after the first cycle of chemotherapy was higher than that before chemotherapy. The level of D-D after the third and fourth cycles was significantly lower than that before chemotherapy (p < 0.05). No significant difference was found between the D-D level before treatment and that after four cycles of chemotherapy (p > 0.05). Conclusion. It is suggested that coagulation test indexes should be included to evaluate the treatment regimen for NSCLC patients. Most patients with NSCLC are in a hypercoagulable state, which is related to age, tumor invasion and metastasis, recurrence, and treatment. Regular monitoring of plasma D-D levels can facilitate early diagnosis of a hypercoagulable state and timely and appropriate use of anticoagulants, to avoid or reduce complications such as venous thromboembolism in NSCLC patients and to prevent the risk of bleeding caused by excessive anticoagulants. Clinicians can choose the treatment with less harm and maximum benefit for NSCLC patients based on the plasma D-D level. When in a hypercoagulable state, the body's blood viscosity increases, making it more conducive to the growth and infiltration of tumor cells. Our study shows that the recurrence and metastasis of NSCLC are related to coagulation indexes, which provides a theoretical basis for the early diagnosis and treatment of recurrent and metastatic NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To compare the differences of epidemiology analysis in population birth defects (BDs) between the rural and urban areas of Hunan Province in China. Methods. The data of population-based BDs in Liuyang county (rural) and Shifeng district (urban) in Hunan Province for 2014–2018 were analyzed. BD prevalence rates, percentage change, and annual percentage change (APC) by sex and age were calculated to evaluate time trends. Risk factors associated with BDs were assessed using simple and multiple logistic regression analyses. Results. The BD prevalence rate per 10,000 perinatal infants (PIs) was 220.54 (95% CI: 211.26-230.13) in Liuyang and 181.14 (95% CI: 161.18-202.87) in Shifeng. Significant decreasing trends in BD prevalence rates were noted in the female PIs (APC = − 9.31 , P = 0.044) and the total BD prevalence rate in Shifeng (APC = − 14.14 , P = 0.039). Risk factors for BDs were as follows: rural area, male PIs, PIs with gestational age < 37 weeks, PIs with birth weight < 2500 g , and migrant pregnancies. Conclusions. We should focus on rural areas, reduce the prevalence of premature and low birth weight infants, and provide maternal healthcare services for migrant pregnancies for BD prevention from the perspective of population-based BD surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To establish a machine learning model for identifying patients coinfected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) through two sexual transmission routes in Jiangsu, China. Methods. A total of 14197 HIV cases transmitted by homosexual and heterosexual routes were recruited. After data processing, 12469 cases (HIV and HBV, 1033; HIV, 11436) were left for further analysis, including 7849 cases with homosexual transmission and 4620 cases with heterosexual transmission. Univariate logistic regression was used to select variables with significant P value and odds ratio for multivariable analysis. In homosexual transmission and heterosexual transmission groups, 10 and 6 variables were selected, respectively. For identifying HIV individuals coinfected with HBV, a machine learning model was constructed with four algorithms, including Decision Tree, Random Forest, AdaBoost with decision tree (AdaBoost), and extreme gradient boosting decision tree (XGBoost). The detective value of each variable was calculated using the optimal machine learning algorithm. Results. AdaBoost algorithm showed the highest efficiency in both transmission groups (homosexual transmission group: accuracy = 0.928 , precision = 0.915 , recall = 0.944 , F − 1 = 0.930 , and AUC = 0.96 ; heterosexual transmission group: accuracy = 0.892 , precision = 0.881 , recall = 0.905 , F − 1 = 0.893 , and AUC = 0.98). Calculated by AdaBoost algorithm, the detective value of PLA was the highest in homosexual transmission group, followed by CR, AST, HB, ALT, TBIL, leucocyte, age, marital status, and treatment condition; in the heterosexual transmission group, the detective value of PLA was the highest (consistent with the condition in the homosexual group), followed by ALT, AST, TBIL, leucocyte, and symptom severity. Conclusions. The univariate logistics regression combined with the AdaBoost algorithm could accurately screen the risk factors of HBV in HIV coinfection without invasive testing. Further studies are needed to evaluate the utility and feasibility of this model in various settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To elucidate the characteristics of symptomatic attack of rudimentary uteri in MRKH syndrome and highlight the rare and unexpected possibilities. Methods. A cohort of 202 Chinese MRKH syndrome patients admitted to the Peking Union Medical College Hospital from Jan 2009 to Dec 2016 was analyzed retrospectively. Based on the symptoms of abdominal pain before vaginoplasty, the patients were categorized into the asymptomatic and symptomatic groups. Results. Totally, 21 patients had their uteri removed due to obstructive bleeding, 19 of them had symptoms of abdominal pain before vaginoplasty, the mean duration of abdominal pain before artificial vaginoplasty was 5.0 years (range, 0.5–10 years), and the mean age at first onset of recurrent abdominal pain was 14.3 years old (range 11–18). Two special cases showed unusual long incubation periods up to 23 years. Ultrasound detected endometrioid echo in four asymptomatic patients. Among the symptomatic group, 7 patients had no imaging evidence for endometrial cavities despite clinical pain. Two of them developed severe symptoms over the next two or four years and eventually had their uteri removed. Two patients reported persistent abdominal pain with a visual analog scale (VAS) score of 4–5, still under observation. Three patients were lost to follow-up. Conclusion. More than 10% of the patients with MRKH syndrome had surgical indication to remove the rudimentary uteri. The discrepancy between clinical symptoms and imaging calls for the vigilance for prophylactic surgery or prolonged follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study is aimed at assessing association between frailty and erectile dysfunction among Chinese elderly men. Methods. This community-based study was conducted with a sample of 341 Chinese elderly men (aged 60 to 83 years old) in Fuyang City (Anhui Province, China). Each of the participants completed a standard questionnaire, including demographics (age, height, weight, yearly income, educational status, comorbidity, lifestyle factors, etc.), medical and sexual history, and the Chinese version of Tilburg Frailty Indicator (TFI) and International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) for assessing frailty and erectile dysfunction (ED). Results. The prevalence of ED and frailty in Chinese elderly men was 77.13% and 68.04%, respectively. Compared with the non-ED group, the ED group had increased age, spouse's age, BMI, prevalence of diabetes, and scores of TFI and lower yearly income, educational levels, and ratio of irregular intercourse (less than once per week) (all P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis indicated that age (OR: 0.860, 95% CI: 0.763-0.969), diabetes (OR: 0.330, 95% CI: 0.165-0.661), irregular intercourse (OR: 3.416, 95% CI: 1.874-6.229), and scores of TFI (OR: 0.906, 95% CI: 0.846-0.970) were regarded as independent risk factors for ED (all P < 0.05). And after adjusting for age, the TFI score had a negative significant association with the IIEF score (r = − 0.134 , P = 0.013). Conclusion. This study confirmed the strong associations between ED and frailty among elderly men. Sexual health care for elderly men with ED should be assessed and taken addressed on the multidimensional assessments of frailty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The relationships between adipose tissue distribution and peak bone mineral density (BMD) in young adults are still unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the body composition associations between fat mass (FM), lean mass (LM), regional adipose tissue distribution, and peak BMD across a cohort of young Chinese adults. Methods. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans were performed on 786 men and 825 women aged from 20 to 40 years old to measure the markers for whole-body LM, FM, and BMD in the lumbar spine (LS), femoral neck (FN), and total hip (TH) areas. The android/gynoid FM ratio (A/G FMR) based on the DXA scans was calculated as an indicator of adipose tissue distribution. Pearson's correlation and multivariable linear regression analyses were conducted to determine the body composition relationships between adipose tissue distribution and BMD of each skeletal site. Results. The body composition characteristics were different in young males and females: a higher body FM percentage was found in females, while males had higher LM and A/G FMR. The markers for WBLM and WBFM had significant positive correlations with BMD among the linear regression analyses in both genders, while the relationships between A/G FMR and BMD were different in males and females; significant inverse associations were showed in all skeletal sites for women (standard β ranged from -0.266 to -0.170, P < 0.001 for all), but no significant relationships were found in men except for an inverse association in the LS skeletal site (standard β with -0.115, P = 0.016). Conclusions. In this sample of young Chinese adults, both whole-body lean mass and fat mass had significant positive relationships with BMD in both genders. The A/G FMR, as an indicator of central adipose tissue distribution, was inversely associated with BMD, especially in females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of occupational burnout and its influence on the psychological health of factory workers and miners, in order to provide theoretical basis and reference for alleviating occupational burnout and promoting psychological health. The cross-sectional study investigated 6130 factory workers and miners with online questionnaire; the Chinese Maslach Burnout Inventory (CMBI) and Symptom Check List-90 (SCL-90) were used. In total, 6120 valid questionnaires were collected; effectiveness was 99.8%. The percentage of the factory workers and miners suffering from occupational burnout was 85.98% and psychological health problems was 38.27%. A statistically significant difference was observed in relation to the prevalence of occupational burnout among factory workers and miners of different sex, education level, labor contracts, work schedule, monthly incomes, weight, hypertension, age, working years, working hours per day, working hours per week, coal dust, silica dust, asbestos dust, benzene, lead, and noise. The detection rate of psychological health was higher for males than females. The detection rate of psychological health was higher for working days per week less than 5 days than more than 5 days. The detection rate of psychological health with high school education, senior professional title, night shift, divorced, monthly income less than 3000 yuan, weight more than 75 kg, age more than 45 years, and working years between 25 and 30 years was higher than that of the other groups. The results showed that sex, education level, professional title, work schedule, monthly income, hypertension, age, working years, asbestos dust, benzene, and occupational burnout affected psychological health among factory workers and miners. Factory workers and miners had high levels of occupational burnout, and occupational burnout was a risk factor that can lead to psychological health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study aimed to explore the risk factors of urinary tract infection (UTI) in patients with intracranial cerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Design. This is a retrospective study, and a total of 77 patients with ICH consecutively admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC (Anhui Provincial Hospital, Hefei, China) during the period of August 2015 to August 2017 were included. The patients were divided into an UTI group (24 cases) and a non-UTI group (53 cases); patients with UTI were diagnosed according to clinical manifestations, recent urinary routines, and urine culture results. The following information in these two groups was recorded: age, sex, course of disease, side of paralysis, location and type of cerebral hemorrhage, disturbance of consciousness or not, the Brunnstrom stage of paralysed lower limbs, number of basic diseases, whether there were complications (tracheotomy, retention catheterization, pulmonary infection, pressure sore, deep venous thrombosis, etc.), whether rehabilitation interventions were conducted, blood routine, biochemistry index, DIC complete set, urine routine, and urine culture data. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to examine the risk factors of UTI in patients with ICH. Results. Univariate analysis showed that age, side of paralysis, disturbance of consciousness, the Brunnstrom stage of lower limbs, tracheotomies, retention catheterization, pulmonary infection, leukocyte count, neutrophil proportion, sodium, uric acid, D-dimer, and fibrinogen may be related to UTI in patients with ICH (P < 0.05). Regression analysis showed that age (OR (95% CI) = 1.207 (1.022–1.424), P = 0.026), right-sided paralysis (OR (95% CI) = 0.20 (0.001–0.650), P = 0.028), and D-dimer (OR (95% CI) = 1.403 (1.003–1.961), P = 0.048) were associated with UTI in ICH patients. Conclusions. Increased age and high D-dimer are independent risk factors for UTI in patients with ICH, while right-sided paralysis is a protective factor for UTI in patients with ICH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Hepatitis B virus-associated acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ALCF) is a complicated syndrome with extremely high short-term mortality. -e artificial liver support system (ALSS) may improve the liver function for patients with HBV-ACLF, but the data on its short-term outcomes are insufficient in China. Methods. We recruited HBV-ACLF patients in this nationwide, multicenter, retrospective study. Patients with HBV-ACLF were diagnosed by the COSSH-ACLF criteria. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was used to generate compared pairs. -e short-term (28/90 days) survival rates between the standard medical therapy (SMT) group and ALSS group were calculated using a Kaplan-Meier graph. Result. In total, 790 patients with HBV-ACLF were included in this retrospective study; 412 patients received SMT only (SMT group), and 378 patients received SMTand ALSS treatment (ALSS group). PSM generated 310 pairs and eliminated the baseline differences between the two groups (p > 0.05 for all baseline variables). -e probabilities of survival on day 28 were 65.2% (205/310) in the ALSS group and 59.0% (185/310) in the SMTgroup; on day 90, they were 51.0% (163/310) and 42.3% (136/310). -e short-term (28/90 days) survival rates of the ALSS group were significantly higher than those of the SMTgroup (p = 0.0452 and p = 0.0187, respectively). Compared to receiving SMTalone, treatment with ALSS was associated with a significant reduction in serum bilirubin levels and the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores at day 7 and day 28. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that older age, high total bilirubin (T-Bil), low albumin, high ALT, high MELD scores, and high COSSH-ACLF grade were independent baseline factors associated with poor prognosis. Conclusions. -is retrospective study found that compared to SMT, the ALSS improved the short-term (28/90 days) survival rates and laboratory parameters in HBV-ACLF patients. -e ALSS had a better therapeutic effect than SMT for patients with HBV-ACLF in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For lack of feasible interval values from population differences and potential analytical discrepancies, it is essential to ascertain potassium (K), sodium (Na), chlorine (Cl), calcium (Ca), and phosphorus (P) ions reference intervals within Chinese children to fill the gap. Healthy children (n = 1391, 2–<15 years old) were recruited from communities and schools to establish sex- and age-specific serum electrolyte reference intervals of Han children in Changchun, China. Levels of serum K, Na, Cl, Ca, and P were measured using a Hitachi 7600-210 automatic biochemical analyzer. Reference intervals were established according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute EP28-A3c guidelines. Data from five representative hospitals located across Changchun were used to verify pediatric serum electrolyte reference intervals. Values were different from adult reference intervals in China. There were sex-specific differences in Na, Cl, Ca, and P reference intervals in 13-<14 children. Serum Na, Cl, and Ca reference intervals showed stable trends within early age groups but fluctuated in teens. Each serum electrolyte had ≤3 age-specific reference intervals. Five laboratories suggested reference intervals were applicable across Changchun. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Previous studies have shown that some metabolic risk factors are related to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This retrospective study was performed to investigate the associations between physical examinations and blood biochemistry parameters and NAFLD status and to identify possible risk factors of NAFLD. Methods. Study participants underwent general physical examinations, blood biochemistry, and abdominal ultrasound evaluations. In addition, data regarding sex, age, ethnicity, medical history, and alcohol consumption of participants were recorded. Among the study participants (N=1994), 57.8% were male, 41.2% over the age of 50, and 52.6% with BMI≥24. 986 patients had NAFLD and 1008 had no NAFLD. We used effect size analysis and logistic regression to determine which physical examinations and blood biochemistry parameters were significant for the association between these parameters and NAFLD status. Results. Both the effect size and logistic regression indicated that BMI, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), triglycerides (TG), and serum uric acid (SUA) show a significant association with NAFLD. Females are overall at a higher risk of NAFLD, but factors such as high BMI, DBP, TG, and SUA increase the associated risk for both sexes. Compared with males, females have a higher risk of NAFLD given that they are over 50, overweight and obese (BMI at or over 24), or have high SUA. In terms of age, people older than 50 with high SUA, and people younger than 50 with high DBP and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) all increase the risk of NAFLD. For BMI, high DBP and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) are risk factors for NAFLD in overweight and obese people (BMI at or over 24), whereas in normal weight and underweight people (BMI under 24), elevated LDL-C increases the risk of NAFLD. Conclusions. Our results revealed sex, age, and BMI modulate the association of physical examinations and blood biochemistry parameters and NAFLD, which may facilitate the development of personalized early warning and prevention strategies of NAFLD for at-risk populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the largest subcortical commissural fiber, the corpus callosum plays an important role in cerebral functions and has abundant blood supply from bilateral circulation. Isolated corpus callosum infarction (ICCI) may have specific characteristics. The aim of the study is to evaluate the clinical features, etiology, and 6-month prognosis of ICCI. Consecutive patients with acute ICCI treated at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital between June 2012 and June 2016 were retrospectively assessed for clinical and imaging findings. These cases were compared with patients suffering from other isolated supratentorial subcortical infarctions, matched for age, sex, and infarction size (n=60; control group). ICCI etiology and 6-month prognosis were further analyzed. ICCI cases accounted for 2.9% (33/1125) of all acute ischemic strokes and 30 patients were included. Most patients (n=28, 93.3%) presented nonspecific clinical symptoms, and only two (6.7%) with diffuse infarction developed callosal disconnection syndrome (CDS). The splenium was the most frequent site (37.5%). Large artery atherosclerosis (LAA) (n=16, 53.3%) was the most common etiology. Only four (13.3%) patients developed transient ischemic attacks (n=1, 3.3%) or cerebral infarction (n=3, 10%) during the 6-month follow-up. The frequency of good prognosis (modified Rankin score of 1-2 and without cardiovascular events) was higher in patients with ICCI compared with controls (P=0.024). Poor prognosis was associated with multiple cerebrovascular stenosis, diffuse/large infarction, and diabetes (all P<0.05). ICCI is a rare stroke type, frequently involving the splenium; its common etiology is likely LAA. Most patients show nonspecific symptoms, with only a few developing CDS. ICCI generally shows favorable short-term outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The factors that predispose to pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) are not fully understood. Previous studies have shown that cytokine gene polymorphisms were associated with PTB. Objectives. In this study, we have investigated the relationship between ILB, IL6, and TNFα polymorphisms and a predisposition to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection and PTB. Methods. A total of 209 cases of PTB, 201 subjects with latent TB infection (LTBI), and 204 healthy controls (HCS) were included in this study. Logistic regression analyses under allelic, homozygous, and heterozygous models were used to calculate P values, odds ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for assessing the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and disease risk, adjusting for sex and age. Genotyping was conducted using the improved multiplex ligase detection reaction (iMLDR) method. Results. When comparing PTB patients with LTBI subjects, significant associations with disease development were observed for SNPs of IL6 and TNFα. When comparing LTBI subjects with HCS, IL1B polymorphisms were significantly associated with LIBI. Haplotype analyses suggested that the CGG haplotype of IL1B was associated with an increased risk of PTB (P=0.039, OR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.01–1.76), while the TTGCG haplotype of TNFα was a protective factor against PTB (P=0.039, OR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.44–0.98). Conclusion. Our study demonstrated that IL1B variants were related to LTBI and IL6 and TNFα variants were associated with PTB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]