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This exploratory study investigated whether/how kindergartners (ages 5-6) with different linguistic backgrounds in Malta and the U.S. engaged in similar or different reading processes with the same app book "But Not the Hippopotamus" in English. As part of a broader project, we purposefully sampled children who scored top three and bottom three in their retelling of the book from each of the four linguistic groups: (1) Maltese as the dominant home language in Malta; (2) English as the dominant home language in Malta; (3) a third language other than English/Maltese as the dominant home language in Malta; and (4) monolingual English native speakers in the U.S. Our qualitative analysis of videos of the 27 children reading the app book revealed the distinct patterns of high-comprehension readers processes with multimodal digital features across these linguistic groups, and the potential of digital features to support learners with diverse linguistic backgrounds.

This qualitative study investigated 27 US and 28 Turkish dyads of children between 4 and 6 years old who read 12 app books across a school year. Emergent coding and constant comparison were used to identify reading patterns in which the dyads engaged: hotspot-centric, text-centric, and integrated. Then we examined how characteristics of readers (socio-economic status, language, and gender), text (animations, navigation features, and typographical cues), and context (social interaction styles) were related to these reading patterns. Children read differently in their native versus a foreign language, and social interaction styles played a role in how reading patterns changed over time. Integrated reading, navigating sequentially through the app book, and collaborative social interactions were related to deeper meaning-making and the use of more effective reading patterns over time. Implications include how to model and scaffold app book reading practices, select texts for instruction, and design app books with features that have been shown to be effective.

Introduction We sought to determine what type of treatment reengagement after smoking relapse would increase long-term cessation. Aims and Methods Participants were military personnel, retirees, and family members (TRICARE beneficiaries) recruited across the United States from August 2015 through June 2020. At baseline, consented participants (n = 614) received a validated, four-session, telephonic tobacco-cessation intervention with free nicotine replacement therapy. At the 3-month follow-up, 264 participants who failed to quit or relapsed were offered the opportunity to reengage in cessation. Of these, 134 were randomized into three reengagement conditions: (1) repeat initial intervention ("recycle"), (2) Smoking reduction with eventual cessation goal ("rate reduction"), or (3) Choose #1 or #2 ("choice"). Prolonged abstinence and 7-day point prevalence abstinence were measured at 12 months. Results Despite being in a clinical trial advertised as having the opportunity for reengagement, only 51% (134 of the 264) of participants who still smoked at 3-month follow-up were willing to reengage. Overall, participants randomized to recycle had higher prolonged cessation rates at 12 months than rate reduction conditions (OR = 16.43, 95% CI: 2.52 to 107.09, Bonferroni adjusted p =.011). When participants who randomly received recycle or rate reduction were pooled, respectively, with participants who chose recycle or rate reduction in the Choice group, recycle had higher prolonged cessation rates at 12 months than rate reduction (OR = 6.50, 95% CI: 1.49 to 28.42, p =.013). Conclusions Our findings suggest service members and their family members who fail to quit smoking but are willing to reengage in a cessation program are more likely to benefit from repeating the same treatment. Implications Finding methods that are both successful and acceptable to reengage people who smoke who want to quit can have a significant impact on improving the health of the public by reducing the portion of the population who smoke. This study suggests that repeating established cessation programs will result in more people ready to quit successfully achieving their goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although seafood is considered to be an important part of a balanced diet, many national food consumption surveys suggest that seafood is not consumed in sufficient amounts. As consumers are moving to diversify their diet from animal-based protein, it is important to understand the factors influencing consumption of marine foods. This review aims to assess the characteristics of seafood consumers as well as the influences on seafood consumption in Europe, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Systematic search strategies were used to identify relevant journal articles from three electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science and Embase). Three searches were carried out and identified 4405 unique publications from which 121 met the criteria for the review process. The reviewed studies revealed that seafood consumers were more likely to be older, more affluent and more physically active and were less likely to smoke compared with non-seafood consumers. Sex and BMI did not appear to have a directional association with seafood consumption. The most commonly reported barriers to seafood consumption were cost, followed by sensory or physical barriers, health and nutritional beliefs, habits, availability and cooking skills. The most commonly reported influences were beliefs about the contribution of seafood to health, environmental influences and personal preferences. Based on the findings of this review, future intervention strategies to increase seafood consumption may need to consider affordability and education in terms of health, nutrition and cooking skills. More research is needed to explore the effectiveness of specific interventions at increasing the consumption of seafood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is critical to achieving viral suppression. However, social determinants of health (SDoH) can undermine patient adherence to ART, resulting in drug resistance that compromises future treatment options. We assessed ART adherence and HIV-1 drug resistance at the national and state levels in the US and investigated their associations with SDoH and other HIV-related outcomes. Data were obtained from Symphony Health's Integrated Dataverse (IDV), Monogram/LabCorp Database, as well as national and publicly available databases, including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Community Survey (ACS), and J. Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF). Inferential analyses were performed to investigate associations using patient-level data, and the results were reported by state and overall within the nation. Correlations between continuous variables were estimated by the Spearman's test, and that between continuous variable and categorical variable were estimated using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). State-level rates of poor adherence and resistance ranged from 26 to 55% and 20 to 54%, respectively. Female gender, non-white race, low education, poverty, and unemployment were associated with poor adherence; female gender was associated with drug resistance. Both adherence and resistance were correlated to HIV prevalence rates. Our findings suggest that US patients living with HIV face great challenges associated with poor ART adherence and HIV-1 drug resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Maternal obesity, excessive gestational weight gain (EGWG), gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and breastfeeding are four important factors associated with childhood obesity. Objectives: The objective of the study was to assess the interplay among these four factors and their independent contributions to childhood overweight in a cohort with standard clinical care. Methods: The cohort included 15 710 mother–offspring pairs delivered in 2011. Logistic regression was used to assess associations between maternal exposures and childhood overweight (body mass index >85th percentile) at age 2 years. Results: Mothers with pre‐pregnancy obesity or overweight were more likely to have EGWG, GDM and less likely to breastfeed ≥6 months. Mothers with GDM had 40–49% lower EGWG rates and similar breastfeeding rates compared with mothers without GDM. Analysis adjusted for exposures and covariates revealed an adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) associated with childhood overweight at age 2 years of 2.34 (2.09–2.62), 1.50 (1.34–1.68), 1.23 (1.12–1.35), 0.95 (0.83–1.10) and 0.76 (0.69–0.83) for maternal obesity, overweight, EGWG, GDM and breastfeeding ≥6 months vs. <6 months, respectively. Conclusions: In this large clinical cohort, GDM was not associated with, but maternal pre‐pregnancy obesity or overweight and EGWG were independently associated with an increased risk, and breastfeeding ≥6 months was associated with a decreased risk of childhood overweight at age 2 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study examined whether and how preschoolers' social interactions during buddy “reading” supported their use and learning of theme-related vocabulary. Data included 32 transcribed videos of 14 preschoolers engaged in buddy “reading.” Interaction analysis and constant comparative methods were applied to identify (1) patterns of social interactions that occurred, (2) patterns of opportunities for children to use and learn themed vocabulary, and (3) patterns that hindered such vocabulary opportunities. Findings included three patterns of social interactions: collaborative, tutor–tutee, and parallel. Each differentially affected opportunities for using and learning theme-related vocabulary. Opportunities to use and learn words occurred when children provided exposures to vocabulary words or clarified concept knowledge for their buddy. Opportunities were hindered when buddies struggled over participation, “reading” roles, or content. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

During the past 2 years, high-speed rail (HSR) has become a popular concept in the United States partially because of its perceived environmental benefits. Many states are competing for HSR funding after the federal government made HSR a domestic priority. Of course, the allocation of funding is subject to many constraints. Among them, one of the necessary considerations should be the environmental efficiency of each HSR line. Using the proposed lines in California (CAHSR) and Florida (FLHSR) as examples, this article details a method that can be used to assess the life-cycle energy usage and carbon emission efficiency for new HSR lines. Ridership is forecasted based on data from existing HSR lines, and energy and emissions are analysed with the Economic Input–Output–Life-Cycle Analysis tool. Calculation shows that the construction of CAHSR is more environmentally efficient primarily due to its higher ridership predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This work evaluates several techniques to account for mesoscale initial-condition (IC) and model uncertainty in a short-range ensemble prediction system based on the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model. A scientific description and verification of several candidate methods for implementation in the U.S. Air Force Weather Agency mesoscale ensemble is presented. Model perturbation methods tested include multiple parametrization suites, land-surface property perturbations, perturbations to parameters within physics schemes and stochastic 'backscatter' stream-function perturbations. IC perturbations considered include perturbed observations in 10 independent WRF-3DVar cycles and the ensemble-transform Kalman filter (ETKF). A hybrid of ETKF (for IC perturbations) and WRF-3DVar (to update the ensemble mean) is also tested. Results show that all of the model and IC perturbation methods examined are more skilful than direct dynamical downscaling of the global ensemble. IC perturbations are most helpful during the first 12 h of the forecasts. Physical parametrization diversity appears critical for boundary-layer forecasts. In an effort to reduce system complexity by reducing the number of suites of physical parametrizations, a smaller set of parametrization suites was combined with perturbed parameters and stochastic backscatter, resulting in the most skilful and statistically consistent ensemble predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trapezoidal relationship between land surface temperature (Ts) and Vegetation Index (VI) was used to estimate soil moisture in the present study. An iterative algorithm is proposed to estimate the vertices of the Ts∼ VI trapezoid theoretically for each pixel, and then Water Deficit Index (WDI) is calculated based on the Ts ∼ VI trapezoid using MODIS remotely sensed measurements of surface temperature and enhanced vegetation index (EVI). The capability of using WDI based on Ts ∼ VI trapezoid to estimate soil moisture is evaluated using soil moisture observations and antecedent precipitation in the Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed (WGEW) in Arizona, USA. The result shows that, the Ts ∼ VI trapezoid based WDI can capture temporal variation in surface soil moisture well, but the capability of detecting spatial variation is poor for such a semi-arid region as WGEW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the proposed Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP-5) experimental design in the U.S. in 2010. CMIP-5 will archive the forcing variables needed to tackle global projections of wave climate with the use of an approach that fits the prior regional wave model projections. CMIP-5 aims to offer long-term simulations forced by representative concentration pathways emission scenarios.

Water samples from 20 locations on rivers in the Tongzhou District of Beijing were collected four times from July 2005 to March 2006. In addition, sediment samples were collected in July 2005. All samples were analyzed for 16 US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) priority pollutants polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The concentration, distribution, seasonal variation, and sources of the 16 PAH compounds identified in the water samples, suspended particles, and surface sediments were then evaluated. The concentrations of PAHs in the water and suspended particle and surface sediment samples ranged from 87.3 to 1,890 ng l−1, 1,330 to 27,700 ng g−1, and 156 to 8,650 ng g−1, respectively. These results demonstrated that rivers in the Tongzhou District of Beijing had a high level of PAH pollution, especially in the suspended particles. The highest and lowest concentrations of PAHs in the water samples were observed in summer and spring. However, the seasonal variations in the concentration of PAHs in the suspended particles were more complicated. The dominant compounds in the water, suspended particle, and surface sediment samples were two-, three- and four-ring PAH compounds, respectively. Ratio analysis illustrated that fuel-burning was the primary source of PAHs in the study area. Gasoline, diesel, coal, and coke oven sources were identified and the contributions of the different fuel-burning sources were then calculated using factor analysis and multiple linear regression. These analyses revealed that coal combustion, gasoline combustion plus coke oven emission, and diesel combustion accounted for 38.8%, 38.5%, and 22.7% of the PAHs in suspended particles, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An innovative solution to improve the current service efficiency in paratransit is introduced. The conventional pickup procedure requires reservations in advance for the paratransit operator to meet passengers at designated locations and missed pickups may occur due to the ambiguity of the address information or the inability of finding a specific location. With the availability of existing mobile global positioning system (GPS) devices, passengers can be located instantly, which ensures a successful pickup. This research explores the potential feasibility of using mobile GPS devices to reduce the number of missed pickups. Two GPS-tracking devices were tested and a prototype was also developed. Under this prototype, the agency dispatcher can see both the vehicle and the passenger and therefore instantly supervise the pickup if any errors occur. As new features can be added to the prototype system and new technologies become available, opportunities for future work are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent and historical deposition of mercury (Hg) was examined over a broad geographic area from southwestern Northwest Territories to Labrador and from the U.S. Northeast to northern Ellesmere Island using dated sediment cores from 50 lakes (18 in midlatitudes (41-50°N), 14 subarctic (51-64°N) and 18 in the Arctic (65-83°N)). Distinct increases of Hg over time were observed in 76% of Arctic, 86% of subarctic and 100% of midlatitude cores. Subsurface maxima in Hg depositional fluxes (μg m-2 y-1) were observed in only 28% of midlatitude lakes and 18% of arctic lakes, indicating little recent reduction of inputs. Anthropogenic Hg fluxes adjusted for sediment focusing and changes in sedimentation rates (ΔFadj,F) ranged from -22.9 to 61 μg m-2 y-1 and were negatively correlated (r = -0.57, P < 0.001) with latitude. Hg flux ratios (FRs; post-1990)/pre-1850) ranged from 0.5 to 7.7. The latitudinal trend for Hg ΔFadj,F values showed excellent agreement with predictions of the global mercury model, GRAHM for the geographic location of each lake (r = 0.933, P < 0.001). The results are consistent with a scenario of slow atmospheric oxidation of mercury, and slow deposition of reactive mercury emissions, declining with increasing latitude away from emission sources in the midlatitudes, and support the view that there are significant anthropogenic Hg inputs in the Arctic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1 The egg-prepupal parasitoid Fopius arisanus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) was evaluated in quarantine facilities as a potential biological control agent for the olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae (Diptera: Tephritidae) in California, U.S.A. 2 Nontarget testing of two weed biological control agents confirmed that F. arisanus will not attack Tephritidae that feed in inflorescences or galls. It may, however, pose risks to native Tephritidae that feed in fruit. 3 Females preferentially oviposited in eggs, although first-instar B. oleae were also attacked. Low lifetime reproductive potential and high rates of direct mortality inflicted on host eggs indicate that rearing on B. oleae may prove difficult. 4 In multiparasitized B. oleae, F. arisanus prevailed in competition against two species of larval–pupal parasitoids, Diachasmimorpha kraussii and Psyttalia concolor (both Hymenoptera: Braconidae). 5 The broad host-range of F. arisanus with respect to fruit-feeding Tephritidae may preclude its introduction to California, as may its low fecundity and its intrinsic competitive superiority over larva l–pupal parasitoids, which include specialists on B. oleae that are currently being introduced to California. High rates of direct mortality, however, point to potential uses in augmentative biological control. Whether or not F. arisanus is released in California, its biology as a parasitoid of B. oleae has been little studied to date and the results herein may be applied in other regions worldwide where B. oleae is a problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The USDA Soil Conservation Service (SCS) curve number (CN) method has been the foundation of the hydrology algorithms in commonly used continuous simulation models, including the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). This expanded use of the SCS-CN method has proven successful for many applications. However, because the SCS-CN method was originally developed to determine design peak discharges of synthetic storm events under an average antecedent moisture condition, research is needed to address the controversy over the use of this method to represent continuous precipitation runoff processes. In addition, poor results obtained for some conditions indicate the necessity to improve the method to provide a more realistic and accurate representation of waterflow amounts, paths, and source areas upon which erosion and water quality predictions depend. Thus, the objectives of this study were to: (1)propose a modified curve number (MCN) method, and (2) assess the MCN method relative to the existing SWAT method with an Ia/S value either equal to 0.2 or 0.05. The equations that formulate the MCN method were coded into the SWAT 2005 framework. A SWAT model implementing the MCN method was evaluated along with the models implementing the existing SWAT method with Ia/S values of 0.2 and 0.05. The evaluation was conducted in the 870 km² upper portion of the Forest River watershed located in northeastern North Dakota. The results revealed that the total streamflows predicted by the three models were comparable, as indicated by similar values for the Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient. However, the MCN approach resulted in the most accurate prediction of the streamflow components (i.e., baseflow versus direct flow) as well as water yields. For the study area, the MCN method was judged to be superior to the existing commonly used curve number methods in terms of mimicking the precipitation runoff processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate Korean immigrant mothers' perspectives on their involvement in American schools. In-depth interviews were conducted with six mothers. The findings indicated that the Korean mothers confronted difficulties while contacting teachers and participating in school activities. These difficulties included linguistic and cultural barriers, feelings of discrimination, and limited school support. Suggestions for both teachers and parents are discussed. In order to build effective and trusting partnerships, teachers need to be sensitive to Korean parents' needs and perspectives while Korean mothers need to participate in American schools more actively by voicing their concerns and helping teachers understand their unique cultural values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensitivity analysis for mathematical simulation models is helpful in identifying influential parameters for model outputs. Representative sets of APEX (Agricultural Policy/Environmental extender) model data from across the U.S. were used for sensitivity analysis to identify influential parameters for APEX outputs of crop grain yields, runoff/water yield, water and wind erosion, nutrient loss, and soil carbon change for a national assessment project: the Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP). The analysis was based on global sensitivity analysis techniques. A test case, randomly selected from the representative sets of APEX model data, was first analyzed using both the variance-based sensitivity analysis technique and the enhanced Morris method. The analysis confirmed the reliability of the enhanced Morris measure in screening subsets of influential and non-influential parameters. Therefore, the enhanced Morris method was used for the national assessment, where the cost of applying variance-based techniques would be excessive. Although sensitivities are dynamic in both temporal arid spatial dimensions, the very influential parameters (ranking 1st and 2nd) appear very influential in most cases. Statistical analyses identified that the NRCS curve number index coefficient is very influential for runoff and water-related output variables, such as soil loss by water, N and P losses in runoff. The Hargreaves PET equation exponent, moisture fraction required for seed germination, RUSLE C factor coefficient, and the potential heat units are influential for more than two APEX outputs studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neutron scattering is one of the most powerful characterization techniques available for materials research, and its proven capabilities and anticipated potentials justify the 1.4-billion dollar construction of the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) as well as a number of multi-million dollar facility upgrades at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE). Intense Pulsed Neutron Source (IPNS), and High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) in the US, and at ISIS, the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in UK. However, while the multi-billion dollar constructions are on-going all around the world currently there is no concerted effort within the US in advancing the science and education in the application of neutron scattering in materials research, specifically in the study of mechanical behavior of advanced materials. To be borer positioned in the scientific research at the international level, it is important to develop a network with international counterparts. Therefore, a group of the most active researchers in the neutron-scattering materials-research field will form an international network through the International Materials Institutes (IMI)-Advanced Neutron Scattering netWork for Education and Research (ANSWER) with a focus on mechanical behavior of materials. The IMI provides a synergistic effort in advancing the fundamental understanding of mechanical behavior of materials at the atomic level using state-of-the-art neutron sources in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wang X (Environmental Epidemiology Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA) Guyer B and Paige D M. Differences in gestational age-specific birthweight among Chinese, Japanese and White Americans. 1994; 23: 119–128. This study investigated racial differences in gestational age-specific birthweight in a sample of 21 288 Chinese, 11 882 Japanese and 65818 White resident singleton livebirths, obtained from the National Center for Health Statistics 1983 and 1984 linked birth/infant death cohort files. The gestational age-specific birthweight distributions of Chinese and Japanese were similar, but differed from those of Whites both in the mean level and in the variance. The mean birth-weights of Chinese and Japanese as compared to that of White infants were 4–5% lower among preterm births, and 5–6% lower among term births, after adjustment was made for gestational age, demographic variables, use of antenatal care and infant gender. The racial differences in gestational age-specific birthweight were even greater at the 90th percentile but smaller at the 10th percentile. These racial differences should be considered in both clinical evaluation of newborns and in epidemiological studies. Significant interactions were found between race and such maternal variables as education, marital status, birthplace, and month during which antenatal care began. It suggests that recognition of racial differences in risk factors and exposure-response relationships may be valuable in specifying interventions for intrauterine growth retardation among different racial groups. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

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The aim of this article was to explore the association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) and to provide valuable information for public health professionals and policymakers to improve quality of life and reduce mortality. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data pooled from the 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). This study involved 102,393 US adult participants from the 2020 BRFSS. The zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) and mixed graphical model (MGM) models were used to explore the effect of ACEs on CCI and the interaction between ACEs. In the count part of the model (CCI ≥0), sexual abuse had the strongest association with CCI (relative risk [RR] = 1.111, P < 0.001). In the logit part of the model (CCI = 0), the likelihood of having CCI equal to 0 decreased by 23.0% for household substance abuse, which was the highest percentage decrease for all ACEs. Compared to those with ACE scores equal to 0, individuals with ACE scores ≥4 have an expected CCI RR of 1.222, and the likelihood of having CCI equal to 0 decreased by 50.2%. Household substance abuse and incarceration history in the home had the strongest association among interactions of ACEs (0.85). Associations between ACEs and CCI were observed in this study, and these associations differed between genders. The findings of this study provide data to design strategies for disease prevention and improvement of quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant barrier to adoption of de-escalated treatment protocols for human papillomavirus-driven oropharyngeal cancer (HPV-OPC) is that few predictors of poor prognosis exist. We conducted the first large whole-genome sequencing (WGS) study to characterize the genetic variation of the HPV type 16 (HPV16) genome and to evaluate its association with HPV-OPC patient survival. A total of 460 OPC tumor specimens from two large United States medical centers (1980-2017) underwent HPV16 whole-genome sequencing. Site-specific variable positions [single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)] across the HPV16 genome were identified. Cox proportional hazards model estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for overall survival by HPV16 SNPs. Harrell C-index and time-dependent positive predictive value (PPV) curves and areas under the PPV curves were used to evaluate the predictive accuracy of HPV16 SNPs for overall survival. A total of 384 OPC tumor specimens (83.48%) passed quality control filters with sufficient depth and coverage of HPV16 genome sequencing to be analyzed. Some 284 HPV16 SNPs with a minor allele frequency ≥1% were identified. Eight HPV16 SNPs were significantly associated with worse survival after false discovery rate correction (individual prevalence: 1.0%-5.5%; combined prevalence: 15.10%); E1 gene position 1053 [HR for overall survival (HR os): 3.75, 95% CI 1.77-7.95; P fdr = 0.0099]; L2 gene positions 4410 (HR os : 5.32, 95% CI 1.91-14.81; P fdr = 0.0120), 4539 (HR os : 6.54, 95% CI 2.03-21.08; P fdr = 0.0117); 5050 (HR os : 6.53, 95% CI 2.34-18.24; P fdr = 0.0030), and 5254 (HR os : 7.76, 95% CI 2.41–24.98; P fdr = 0.0030); and L1 gene positions 5962 (HR os : 4.40, 95% CI 1.88-10.31; P fdr = 0.0110) and 6025 (HR os : 5.71, 95% CI 2.43-13.41; P fdr = 0.0008) and position 7173 within the upstream regulatory region (HR os : 9.90, 95% CI 3.05-32.12; P fdr = 0.0007). Median survival time for patients with ≥1 high-risk HPV16 SNPs was 3.96 years compared with 18.67 years for patients without a high-risk SNP; log-rank test P < 0.001. HPV16 SNPs significantly improved the predictive accuracy for overall survival above traditional factors (age, smoking, stage, treatment); increase in C-index was 0.069 (95% CI 0.019-0.119, P < 0.001); increase in area under the PPV curve for predicting 5-year survival was 0.068 (95% CI 0.015-0.111, P = 0.008). HPV16 genetic variation is associated with HPV-OPC prognosis and can improve prognostic accuracy. • Few prognostic markers of human papillomavirus-driven oropharyngeal cancer (HPV-OPC) exist. • We conducted the first large HPV16 whole-genome sequencing study of 384 HPV16+OPCs • We found eight HPV16 SNPs to be strongly associated with HPV-OPC prognosis. • Median survival was 4 years for HPV-OPC patients with ≥1 high-risk HPV16 SNPs versus 19 years for patients without. • HPV16 SNPs improved predictive accuracy for HPV-OPC overall survival compared with age, stage, treatment and smoking alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study intended to compare the effectiveness of thematic maps with that of tabular data in comprehension and memory of risk magnitudes, with Zika virus (ZIKV) disease outbreaks in the United States as the subject matter. The study also aimed to examine the effects of data presentation format and past occurrence information on risk perception and risk avoidance intention. This study used an experiment. Each participant was randomly assigned to view ZIKV disease 2017 incidence data presented in one of the three formats: a choropleth map, a graduated-circle map, and a table, after which they answered questions about comprehension and memory of risk magnitudes. Each participant was then randomly assigned to view or not to view incidence data of the previous occurrence of ZIKV outbreaks in 2016, after which they answered questions about risk perception and risk avoidance intention. The results revealed the effectiveness of thematic maps over tabular data in comprehension, risk perception, and risk avoidance intention. Compared to tabular data, the choropleth map led to a better comprehension of relative risk magnitudes, the graduated-circle map led to higher risk perception, and both thematic maps led to greater risk avoidance intention. In contrast, tabular data led to better recognition of absolute risk magnitudes than both thematic maps. In addition, past occurrence information enhanced risk perception and risk avoidance intention. The findings reveal the importance of data presentation format in comprehension and memory of risk magnitudes. This can be attributed to the cognitive match between the information emphasized in the presentation and that required by the tasks. The findings also suggest that data presentation format and past occurrence information are important judgmental heuristics that help to form risk perception and risk avoidance intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 2-factor test design was used to investigate the effect of an emulsifier (Aldo®, Lonza, America) (200 g/t) in the diet of Cherry Valley meat ducks to replace some of 2 different oils (animal fat and vegetable oil) on meat production performance, slaughter traits, and fat metabolism. The 900 healthy 18-day-old ducks were grouped into 6 treatments, each with 5 replicates and 30 meat ducks per replicate. The 2 fat sources were established as a positive control group, a negative control group (positive control group—some oil (equivalent to metabolic energy of 50 kcal/ton)), and an emulsifier group (negative control group + 200 g/ton Aldo). The results showed that addition of different fat sources in feed had no significant effect on growth performance, carcass properties, and fat metabolism of 18- to 42-day-old meat ducks (P > 0.05). Reducing the amount of oil used in the feed lowered the growth performance, carcass properties, and affected fat metabolism of meat ducks. However, in feeds with 2 fat sources, some oils were replaced by adding Aldo without affecting growth performance and carcass properties of meat ducks, and improved their fat metabolism, reduced triglycerides (TG) in serum, and increased activity of lipoprotein and hepatic lipases in liver and of pancreatic lipase. Thus, addition of Aldo to a low fat diet could improve growth performance, carcass quality, and lipid metabolism, and promote digestion and absorption of fat for meat ducks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2003 the Chinese Health Care Science and Technology Society organized an international cooperative research project on "Hydration and Health" to compare distilled water (DW) and a US patented microclustered water (MW), called "VIVO", which was awarded by US National Nutritional Foods Association as the "Best Nutritional Beverage in Year 2002". Recent bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) studies also showed that diabetics had a lower ratio of intracellular water (ICW) / extracellular water (ECW). A total 336 type-2 diabetics (plasma glucose level >7.0 mmol/L) from five hospitals were recruited in a randomized, double-blind trial. All the subjects received 250 ml of MW or DW twice daily for 4 weeks. To avoid over-dose absorption, subjects were advised to not take medications within 30 minutes after consumption of the test waters. BIA (RJL, USA) and other clinical markers were performed weekly. It was observed that MW consumption improved cell water distribution (ICW/ECW), basal metabolism rate (BMR), phase angle (PA) and cell capacitance (CP) during the 4 week testing period. In comparison with the rate change from baseline, the P value (MW vs DW) of ICW/ECW, BMR, PA and CP were 0.04, 0.003, 0.005 and 0.003, respectively. In this study, about 45% of subjects had higher plasma glucose levels (>8.3 mmol/L). In comparison with the means of above four BIA measurements at the end of experiment, the P value (MW vs DW) were 0.025, 0.022, 0.007 and 0.009, respectively. Two repeating NMR analysis showed that the half-width of the oxygen17 NMR spectrum were 64 and 67HZ, respectively, approximating normal saline, plasma and fresh natural spring water, while NMR values of DW and most purified waters exceeded 100 HZ. The relative small size of the water cluster may be one of the mechanisms which lead to improve cell structure and function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer frequently co-occur due to shared risk factors such as obesity, which is linked to CVD and 14 cancer types. This study explores whether CVD pathophysiologies, combined with obesity, increase cancer risk, impacting clinical management., Methods and Results: Data from the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) study, spanning 28 years, were analyzed. The cohort included 5127 participants with incident CVD (myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure, coronary heart disease), of whom 1511 developed a first primary cancer. Follow-up began at CVD diagnosis after Visit 1. Obesity was assessed using body mass index, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio. Incidence rate differences between obesity groups were adjusted for age, sex, and center, whereas the obesity-cancer association was estimated using Fine-Gray regression adjusted for shared risk factors including smoking. Cancer incidence in obese individuals with CVD (body mass index: rate differences=226.6/100 000 person-years) was higher than in those with normal weight. Although obesity was not linked to overall cancer after adjusting for shared risk factors, it was nominally associated with obesity-related cancers. Specifically, women with CVD and obesity had increased obesity-related cancer risk (body mass index: hazard ratio, 1.67 [95% CI, 1.17-2.31]). No significant associations were found in men, even after excluding prostate cancer., Conclusions: This study suggests that obesity is linked to higher obesity-related cancer risk in women with incident CVD, independent of shared risk factors. Further research is needed to eliminate residual confounding, understand sex differences, and explore how CVD pathophysiologies and obesity together influence cancer risk.

Background: Depression symptoms are a common complication of stroke and heart disease and is a predictor of Post-stroke depression (PSD). However, the relationship between overall cardiovascular health indicators and PSD remains unclear., Methods: Data were collected from stroke patients in the 2005-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) survey. Depression was defined as a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) score ≥10. In addition, PSD was defined as the coexistence of stroke and depression. Life's Simple 7 (LS7) provides an assessment of cardiovascular health and consists of 7 items. The LS7 scores range from 0 to 14 and can also be categorized into poor (0-7), average (8-10), and ideal (11-14). Logistic regression models were used to investigate the relationship between LS7 and PSD., Results: The average age of participants was 64.2 years, with 45.1% and 34.3 % being male and non-Hispanic whites, respectively. After adjusting for age, sex, race, education, and income, the LS7 scores were found to be associated with reduced PSD odds (OR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.68-0.85, P: <0.001), as well as the number of ideal LS7 metrics (OR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.56-0.85, P: <0.001). Furthermore, non-poor LS7 was also associated with a lower risk of PSD compared to poor LS7 (OR: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.25-0.91, P: 0.01). This association was stable in stratification analyses., Conclusion: Cardiovascular health status assessed by LS7 was negatively associated with PSD. Future studies are required to verify these findings., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declared no disclose regarding conflict of interest with respect to this manuscript., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Although the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) is widely recommended to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause death, there are significant differences in physiological and nutritional factors between the sexes. The potential impact of sex on adult dietary health is still poorly understood. The study was designed to assess whether the health benefits of diet differed by sex., Methods: In a prospective study of 39,567 U.S. adults (51.2% female, age 46.8 ± 17.6 years), we examined sex-specific, multivariable-adjusted associations of HEI with all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality. Restricted cubic splines (RCS), subgroup analysis, propensity score matching (PSM), random forest feature importance, and sensitivity analysis were also used., Results: During 328,403 person-years of follow-up, a total of 4754 all-cause deaths were recorded, including 1481 cardiovascular deaths. Compared to the lowest quartile of HEI, the all-cause mortality rate of females and males in the highest quartile array decreased by 34% (HR 0.66 [95% CI 0.55-0.8]) and 15% (HR 0.85 [95% CI 0.73-0.99]), respectively. The restricted cubic spline showed a linear inverse association between baseline HEI and all-cause mortality and CVD mortality, with similar sex-specific results. Similarly, component scores were sex-specific for mortality risk, with females benefiting more from diet. The benefits of dairy products, vegetables, and sodium scores on the risk of all-cause death were higher in males and females. However, the benefits of vegetable, sodium, and fatty acid scores on the risk of cardiovascular death were different., Conclusions: In the adult population of the U.S., there are more opportunities for females to reduce the risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality from the same dose of healthy dietary intake than males. These findings could reduce the risk of death by motivating the population, especially females, to consume healthy dietary components, especially vegetables and dairy products., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

N-terminal pro-Brain-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) has a predictive value of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Pro-inflammatory diet has been proven to be related to CVD. Our study investigated whether the association between NT-proBNP and mortality differed among general U.S. adults with different dietary inflammatory index (DII) scores. This study utilized the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) database from 1999 to 2004. Non-pregnant U.S. adults aged ≥ 20 years and without CVD were included. Cox regression model and restricted cubic splines were used to investigate the associations between NT-proBNP, DII, and mortality. A total of 9788 adults were included, and 2386 all-cause deaths with 668 CVD deaths occurred over 17.08 years of follow-up. NT-proBNP was positively associated with DII scores (P < 0.001). Among subjects without CVD, elevated NT-proBNP was positively associated with an increased risk of mortality, with per unit increase in log transformed NT-proBNP, the risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality increased by approximately 1.40 times (HR 2.397, 95%CI 1.966-2.922, P < 0.001) and 2.89 times (HR 3.889, 95%CI 2.756-5.490, P < 0.001) after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors, similar results were observed after adjusting DII scores. Besides, significant interaction was found between lgNT-proBNP and DII on mortality (all P for interaction < 0.05). While as the DII quartiles increased, the association between lgNT-proBNP and mortality partially weakened. Our findings reveal that the association of NT-proBNP with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality differed with different DII scores among U.S. adults without CVD. A pro-inflammatory diet may partially explain the association between NT-proBNP and mortality and warrant further study., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Given the global shifts in environmental conditions and dietary habits, understanding the potential impact of dietary factors and body mass index (BMI) on respiratory diseases, including asthma, is paramount. Investigating these relationships can contribute to the formulation of more effective prevention strategies. The Planetary Health Diet Index (PHDI), a dietary scoring system that balances human health with environmental sustainability, underscores the importance of increasing the consumption of plant-based foods while reducing the intake of red meat, sugar, and highly processed foods. The objective of this study was to assess the association between PHDI and the prevalence of asthma and the mediation effect of BMI in a US general population., Methods: This study utilized data from 32,388 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning from 2005 to 2018. Multivariate logistic regression and weighted quantile sum (WQS) regressions were employed to investigate the association between PHDI, individual nutrients, and asthma. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis explored the linear or non-linear relationship between PHDI and asthma. Interaction analyses were conducted on subgroups to validate the findings. Mediation analysis was performed to examine the effect of BMI on the relationship between PHDI and asthma., Results: There was a significant negative association between PHDI and asthma. After adjusting for covariates, for every 10-point increase in PHDI, there was a 4% decrease in the prevalence of asthma (P = 0.025). Moreover, as PHDI increased, there was a trend towards lower asthma prevalence (P for trend < 0.05). WQS analyses showed consistent associations (OR = 0.93, 95%CI: 0.88, 0.98), with Fiber, Vitamin C, and Protein significant factors. The dose-response curve indicated a linear association between PHDI and asthma, with higher PHDI associated with lower asthma prevalence. Additionally, BMI is significantly positively associated with asthma (P < 0.001), and BMI decreases as the PHDI increases (β = -0.64, P < 0.001). Mediation analysis indicates that BMI significantly mediates the relationship between PHDI and asthma, with a mediation proportion of 33.85% (P < 0.001)., Conclusion: The results of this study show a strong negative correlation between PHDI and the prevalence of asthma. In addition, BMI mediated this negative relationship., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Research on the potential association between life-ever gallstones and depressive symptoms is limited. This study aims to evaluate whether the presence of gallstone disease is associated with depressive symptoms. In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-March 2020 cycles. The presence of depressive symptoms and gallstone disease was assessed using questionnaire responses. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) were calculated using a multivariate logistic regression model, with adjustments made for age, sex, race, body mass index, history of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, arthritis, and pulmonary disease across different models. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were conducted to ensure the stability of the results. This study included 6201 adults aged 20 years and above, with 539(8.7%) experiencing depressive symptoms. After adjusting for age, sex, race, body mass index, CVD history, hypertension, arthritis, pulmonary disease, depressive symptoms were possibly associated with life-ever gallstones (OR 1.37, 95% CI 0.91-2.08).When depressive symptoms were categorized as mild, moderate, moderately severe, and severe,life-ever gallstones was possibly associated with mild depressive symptoms (OR 1.12, 95% CI 0.81-1.56), moderate depressive symptoms (OR 1.37, 95% CI 0.89-2.12), moderately severe depressive symptoms (OR 1.93, 95% CI 0.93-3.99), and severe depressive symptoms (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.16-2.88).As a continuous variable, life-ever gallstones was associated with the PHQ-9 score (OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.02-0.83). The results remained stable after multiple imputation for all missing data. This cross-sectional study demonstrates no significant association between life-ever gallstones and depressive symptoms in US adults., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: This study aimed to explore the potential associations between trans fatty acid (TFA) and α-klotho levels., Methods: Datasets from the 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were analysed for this study. Multivariable linear regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analyses were performed to examine the relationships between plasma TFA and serum α-klotho levels., Results: A total of 1,205 participants were included, with a geometric mean (GM) of 803.60 (95% CI: 787.45, 820.00) pg/mL for serum α-klotho levels. RCS analysis revealed L-shaped relationships between TFA and α-klotho levels. The inflection points for palmitelaidic acid (PA), vaccinic acid (VA), elaidic acid (EA), and total TFA levels were 4.55, 20.50, 18.70, and 46.40 µmol/L, respectively. Before reaching the inflection point, serum α-klotho levels were negatively correlated with plasma PA, VA, EA and total TFA levels, with β values (95% CI) of -0.15 (-0.24, -0.06), -0.16 (-0.23, -0.09), -0.14 (-0.22, -0.05) and - 0.19 (-0.27, -0.11), respectively. Linolelaidic acid (LA) levels exhibited an inverse and linear association with α-klotho levels ( P nonlinearity =0.167, P overall <0.001). L-shaped relationships between TFA and α-klotho levels were also observed in the subgroups of participants who were aged < 65 years, were male, did not exercise, were ex-smokers, and were overweight/obese., Conclusions: L-shaped correlations between plasma PA, VA, EA, and total TFA levels and serum α-klotho levels were observed among adults in the United States., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Prediabetes is an early phase before diabetes. Diabetes and dietary inflammation are two crucial factors that are strongly associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Dietary interventions slowed the progression of diabetes and CVD. However, the associations between CVDs and dietary inflammation in different stages of pathoglycaemia have not been investigated. To explore the effect of a proinflammatory diet on CVD incidence at different stages of diabetes, NHANES (2001-2018) data were collected and analysed. A total of 3137 CVD patients with a comparable non-CVD group (n = 3137) were enrolled after propensity score matching (PSM) analysis. These patients were subsequently categorized into three subgroups: those with diabetes (n = 3043), those with prediabetes (n = 1099) and those with normoglycemia (n = 2132). The DII (Dietary inflammatory index) is a risk factor for CVD, both in overall individuals and in each subgroup of population-based information. In diabetic individuals, the odds ratios (ORs) (95% CIs) of CVD incidence for the DII were 1.10 (1.05, 1.15) and 1.08 (1.03, 1.13) according to the crude and adjusted models, respectively. For individuals with prediabetes, the ORs (95% CIs) of CVD risk for DII were 1.05 (0.97, 1.14) and 1.11 (1.01, 1.22) according to the crude and adjusted models, respectively. After adjusting for population-based information and hypertension status, the DII appeared to have the highest OR for individuals with prediabetes, and no significant association was found between the DII score and CVD risk in the normoglycemia group. Moreover, the OR of CVD for DII in the uncontrolled diabetes group was 1.06 (0.98, 1.16)*. These results suggest that the DII is more closely associated with the risk of CVDs in prediabetic and diabetic populations, and we should pay more attention to diet control before a person develops diabetes to prevent CVD progression., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Both cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are the leading causes of death worldwide. Although our previous study detected a relationship between CVD and cancer incidence, limited evidence is available regarding the relationship between CVD, cardiovascular risk factors, and cancer mortality., Methods and Results: A prospective cohort study using data from the continuous NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2016) merged with Medicare and National Death Index mortality data, through December 31, 2018. We included individuals with no history of cancer at baseline. The primary exposure was CVD at baseline. We also conducted a comprehensive risk factor analysis as secondary exposure. The main outcome was cancer mortality data collected from Medicare and National Death Index. We included 44 591 adult individuals representing 1 738 423 317 individuals (52% female, 67% non-Hispanic White, and 9% Hispanic). Competing risk modeling showed a significantly higher risk of cancer mortality in individuals with CVD (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.37 [95% CI 1.07-1.76], P =0.01) after adjusting for age, sex, and race and ethnicity. Notably, cancer mortality increased with aging (aHR, 1.08 [95% CI 1.05-1.11], P <0.0001), current smoking status (aHR, 6.78 [95% CI, 3.43-13.42], P <0.0001), and obesity (aHR, 2.32 [95% CI, 1.13-4.79], P =0.02). Finally, a significant interaction ( P =0.034) was found where those with CVD and obesity showed higher cancer mortality than those with normal body mass index (aHR, 1.73 [95% CI, 1.03-2.91], P =0.04)., Conclusions: Our study highlights the close relationship between cardiovascular health and cancer mortality. Our findings suggest that obesity may play a significant role in cancer mortality among individuals with CVD. These findings emphasize the need for a more proactive approach in managing the shared risk factors for CVD and cancer.

Advancements in vaccination technologies mitigate disease transmission risks but may inadvertently suppress the behavioral immune system, an evolved disease avoidance mechanism. Applying behavioral immune system theory and utilizing robust big data analytics, we examined associations between rising vaccination coverage and government policies, public mobility, and online information seeking regarding disease precautions. We tested whether cultural tightness-looseness moderates the relationship between mass immunization and disease prevention vigilance. Comprehensive time series analyses were conducted using American data (Study 1) and international data (Study 2), employing transfer function modeling, cross-correlation function analysis, and meta-regression analysis. Across both the US and global analyses, as vaccination rates rose over time, government COVID-19 restrictions significantly relaxed, community mobility increased, and online searches for prevention information declined. The relationship between higher vaccination rates and lower disease prevention vigilance was stronger in culturally looser contexts. Results provide initial evidence that mass immunization may be associated with attenuated sensitivity and enhanced flexibility of disease avoidance psychology and actions. However, cultural tightness-looseness significantly moderates this relationship, with tighter cultures displaying sustained vigilance amidst immunization upticks. These findings offer valuable perspectives to inform nuanced policymaking and public health strategies that balance prudent precautions against undue alarm when expanding vaccine coverage worldwide., (© 2023 The Authors. Applied Psychology: Health and Well‐Being published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Association of Applied Psychology.)

Background: Excessive visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is associated with a spectrum of diseases, including diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. Remnant cholesterol (RC), denoting cholesterol within triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and their metabolic byproducts, has been identified as a key contributor to cardiovascular diseases and related mortality. However, the association between the VAT and RC remains unclear. In this study, the objective is to provide new evidence regarding the association between VAT and RC concentrations., Methods: 4727 individuals aged 18-59 were selected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between 2011 and 2018 as study participants. This study utilized several weighted linear regression models and a restricted cubic spline (RCS) to explore the association and potential nonlinearities between VAT and RC. Subgroup analyses were performed to determine the consistency of findings., Results: The mean VAT value was 103.82 ± 1.42 cm 2 , and the median RC value was 18 mg/dl. VAT demonstrated a positive association with RC in a fully adjusted model, with a β and 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.09 (0.08, 0.11) after adjustment for potential confounders. Analysis using RCS revealed a nonlinear association between the VAT area and RC (P < 0.001 for nonlinearity). Adjusted two-piecewise regression models demonstrated β coefficients of 0.13 (95%CI: 0.11 ~ 0.16, P < 0.001) for RC in individuals with VAT < 143 cm 2 , and 0.02 (95%CI: -0.01 ~ 0.06, P = 0.15) for those with VAT ≥ 143 cm 2 . Interactions were observed among the body mass index (BMI) subgroup; the β coefficients for RC were 0.14 (95%CI: 0.12 ~ 0.16) in those with BMI < 30 kg/m 2 and 0.05 (95%CI:0.04 ~ 0.07) in those with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m 2 , with a P-value of < 0.001 for interaction., Conclusions: This study identified a nonlinear association between VAT and RC in American adults. Reducing the VAT area may be beneficial in lowering RC concentration, particularly when VAT is < 143 cm 2 and those with a BMI < 30 kg/m 2 ., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Diet and inflammation are associated with constipation. Dietary inflammation index (DII) and energy-dietary inflammation index (E-DII) have not been evaluated together with constipation. Therefore, this study was conducted to further observe the relationship between DII and E-DII and constipation in American adults., Methods: Data were extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for 12,400 adults aged 20 years and older between 2005 and 2010. DII and E-DII were obtained by employing data from the two 24-h dietary recall of the participants. Constipation was defined and categorized using the Bristol Stool Form Scale., Results: In the logistic regression model, the relationship between DII and E-DII and constipation remained positive after adjusting for confounding factors (odds ratio [OR] = 1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07-1.20 in DII logistic regression model III; odds ratio [OR] = 1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-1.17 in E-DII logistic regression model III). Constipation was more common in quartile 4 (DII: 2.87-5.09; E-DII: 1.78-8.95) than in quartile 1 (DII: -5.11-0.25; E-DII: -2.60-0.11) (OR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.30-2.47 in DII and OR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.25-2.46 in E-DII for all participants; OR = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.39-3.00 in DII OR = 2.20, 95% CI: 1.39-3.47 in E-DII for males; OR = 1.86, 95% CI: 1.08-3.22 and OR = 1.80, 95% CI: 1.06-3.06 for females). These results were confirmed using multiple imputations., Conclusions: The findings of this study show that a high DII and E-DII were associated with an increased incidence of constipation among US adults., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

One of the justifiable criticisms of human genetic studies is the underrepresentation of participants from diverse populations. Lack of inclusion must be addressed at-scale to identify causal disease factors and understand the genetic causes of health disparities. We present genome-wide associations for 2068 traits from 635,969 participants in the Department of Veterans Affairs Million Veteran Program, a longitudinal study of diverse United States Veterans. Systematic analysis revealed 13,672 genomic risk loci; 1608 were only significant after including non-European populations. Fine-mapping identified causal variants at 6318 signals across 613 traits. One-third ( n = 2069) were identified in participants from non-European populations. This reveals a broadly similar genetic architecture across populations, highlights genetic insights gained from underrepresented groups, and presents an extensive atlas of genetic associations.

Objective: This study investigated the link between triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and liver fibrosis in American adults., Methods: Information for 6495 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-2020.03 was used for this cross-sectional study. The link between TG/HDL-C ratios and NAFLD and liver fibrosis was assessed by multiple linear regression before evaluating nonlinear correlations based on smoothed curve fitting models. Stratification analysis was then applied to confirm whether the dependent and independent variables displayed a stable association across populations., Results: TG/HDL-C ratios were positively correlated with NAFLD, with higher ratios being linked to increased prevalence of NAFLD. After adjusting for potential confounders, the odds ratios (OR) for NAFLD patients in the fourth TG/HDL-C quartile were 3.61 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.94-4.38) ( P for trend < 0.001) in comparison with those in the first quartile after adjusting for clinical variables. However, no statistical significance was noted for the ratio for liver fibrosis after adjusting for potential confounders ( P for trend = 0.07). A nonlinear correlation between TG/HDL-C ratios and NAFLD was observed based on smoothed curve fitting models. However, a nonlinear relationship between the ratios and liver fibrosis was not established. In subgroup analyses, there was an interaction between smoking status and TG/HDL-C ratio in relation to the prevalence of liver fibrosis ( P for interaction < 0.001)., Conclusions: Among American adults, the TG/HDL-C ratio was noted to be nonlinearly positively associated with the prevalence of NAFLD; however, this relationship was not present in liver fibrosis., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wang, Li, Wang, Shi, Hu, Zeng, Luo, Yang, Luo, Cao, Cai, Chen and Wang.)

Background: Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs) have attracted widespread concern due to their environmental persistence and potential toxicity. This study aims to examine the association between BFRs exposure and hypertension., Methods: We used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning 2005 to 2016 for the cross-sectional analysis. To evaluate the individual and combined impacts of BFRs exposure on hypertension, we utilized multivariate models, including generalized additive models, weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression, and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models., Results: 9882 individuals (48% male) aged ≥ 20 were included in the final analysis, of whom 4114 had hypertension. After controlling for potential covariates, higher serum concentrations of PBDE100 (OR: 1.26; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.57) and PBDE153 (OR: 1.50; 95% CI: 1.18, 1.88) were significantly associated with hypertension. A nonlinear relationship between PBDE28 and hypertension was observed (P = 0.03). Moreover, BFRs mixture were positively associated with the prevalence of hypertension in both the WQS (β:1.09; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.17; P = 0.02) and BKMR models., Conclusion: Our study suggested that BFRs exposure is positively associated with hypertension in the general population. To confirm this association and elucidate the mechanisms, further research is required., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: We aimed to comprehensively assess the relationship of specific dietary patterns and various nutrients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and its progression., Methods: The observational study data were from the NHANES 2005-2020. We calculated four dietary pattern scores (healthy eating index 2020 (HEI-2020), dietary inflammatory index (DII), alternative mediterranean diet (aMed), and dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH)) and the intakes of various nutrients and defined CKD, CKD-very high risk, and kidney dialysis. Associations between dietary patterns and nutrients and disease were assessed by means of two logistic regression models. Two-sample MR was performed with various food and nutrients as the exposure and CKD, kidney dialysis as the outcome. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to verify the reliability of the results., Results: A total of 25,167 participants were included in the analyses, of whom 4161 had CKD. HEI-2020, aMed, and DASH were significantly negatively associated with CKD and CKD-very high risk at higher quartiles, while DII was significantly positively associated. A higher intake of vitamins and minerals may reduce the incidence and progression of CKD to varying degrees. The MR results, corrected for false discovery rates, showed that a higher sodium intake was associated with a higher prevalence of CKD (OR: 3.91, 95%CI: 2.55, 5.99)., Conclusions: Adhering to the three dietary patterns of HEI-2020, aMed, and DASH and supplementing with vitamins and minerals benefits kidney health.

Aims: Studies on the association between serum lead levels and parathyroid function in adolescents are lacking. Therefore, in this study, we elucidated the possible association between blood lead levels (BLLs) and the parathyroid hormone (PTH) in adolescents aged 12-19 years in the United States., Methods: In this study, information from the database of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was utilized. The study included 3919 participants from survey cycles between 2003-2004 and 2005-2006. Multivariable linear regression analysis was performed to determine the correlation between BLLs and PTH. Furthermore, smooth curve fitting was utilized to analyze the dose-response relationship between BLLs and PTH., Results: Multivariable linear regression analysis revealed that every 1 μg/dL increase in BLLs was associated with 0.67 pg/mL increase in PTH (β = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.16-1.18, p < 0.01). However, sex-stratified subgroup analysis revealed that this positive association was only observed in males (β = 1.16, 95% CI: 0.50-1.83 p < 0.01). Smooth curve fitting revealed a positive correlation between BLLs and PTH., Conclusions: In adolescents in the United States, BLLs are positively correlated with PTH, particularly in males., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 He, Wang, Luo and Zhou.)

Background: Expanding access to clinical trials in community settings is a potential approach to addressing disparities in accrual of historically underrepresented populations. However, little is known about the characteristics of practices that do not participate in research. We investigated differences in patient and practice characteristics of US community oncology practices with high vs low engagement in clinical research., Methods: We included patients from a real-world, nationwide electronic health record-derived, de-identified database who received active treatment for cancer at community oncology practices between November 1, 2017, and October 31, 2022. We assessed patient and practice characteristics and their associations with high vs low research engagement using descriptive analyses and logistic regression models., Results: Of the 178 practices, 70 (39.3%) events had high research engagement, treated 57.8% of the overall 568 540 patient cohort, and enrolled 3.25% of their patients on cancer treatment trials during the 5-year observation period (vs 0.27% enrollment among low engagement practices). Practices with low vs high research engagement treated higher proportions of the following patient groups: ages 75 years and older (24.2% vs 21.8%), non-Latinx Black (12.6% vs 10.3%) or Latinx (11.6% vs 6.1%), were within the lowest socioeconomic status quintile (21.9% vs16.5%), and were uninsured or had no documented insurance (22.2% vs 13.6%)., Conclusions: Patient groups historically underrepresented in oncology clinical trials are more likely to be treated at community practices with limited or no access to trials. These results suggest that investments to expand the clinical research footprint among practices with low research engagement could help address persistent inequities in trial representation., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Aims: Patients affected by functional mitral regurgitation represent an increasingly high-risk population. Edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (TEER) has emerged as a promising treatment option for these patients. However, there is limited research on the comparative outcomes of TEER versus surgical mitral valve repair (SMVr). This study seeks to compare the demographics, complications, and outcomes of TEER and SMVr based on a real-world analysis of the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database., Methods and Results: In the NIS database, from the years 2016 to 2018, a total of 6233 and 2524 patients who underwent SMVr and TEER were selected, respectively. The mean ages of the patients were 65.68 years (SMVr) and 78.40 years (TEER) (p < 0.01). The mortality rate of patients who received SMVr was similar to that of patients who were treated with TEER (1.7% vs. 1.9%, p = 0.603). Patients who underwent SMVr more likely suffered from perioperative complications including cardiogenic shock (2.3% vs. 0.4%, p < 0.001), cardiac arrest (1.7% vs. 1.1%, p = 0.025), and cerebrovascular infarction (0.9% vs. 0.4%, p = 0.013). The average length of hospital stay was longer (8.59 vs. 4.13 days, p < 0.001) for SMVr compared to TEER; however, the average cost of treatment was higher ($218 728.25 vs. $215 071.74, p = 0.031) for TEER compared to SMVr. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that SMVr was associated with worse adjusted cardiogenic shock (OR, 7.347 [95% CI, 3.574-15.105]; p < 0.01) and acute kidney injury (OR, 2.793 [95% CI, 2.356-3.311]; p < 0.01)., Conclusion: Patients who underwent TEER demonstrated a notable decrease in postoperative complications and a shorter hospitalization period when compared to those who underwent SMVr., (© 2024 The Author(s). Clinical Cardiology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Our research aimed to identify previously undocumented adverse events (AEs) in the gemcitabine drug insert with the goal of informing clinical practice., Methods: We extracted adverse events associated with gemcitabine use through 2023 using the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database. Four algorithms (Reporting Odds Ratio, Proportional Reporting Ratio, Bayesian Confidence Propagation Neural Network, and Empirical Bayesian Geometric Mean) were employed to detect new AE signals. AEs were considered positive signals only if they were detected by all four algorithms., Results: From 2014 to 2023, a total of 42,360 AEs were reported in 14,905 individuals following gemcitabine use. These AEs totaled 437 preferred terms (PTs) across 20 system organ classes (SOCs). We identified unexpected AEs related to the ocular disorders, the nervous system, and the ear and the labyrinth. The ocular organ system will present with retinopathy, purtscher retinopathy, choroidal effusion, amaurosis, necrotizing scleritis, etc. The nervous system may experience reversible posterior encephalopathy syndrome, cerebellar syndrome, cauda equina syndrome, athetosis, transverse myelitis, etc. The ears and labyrinth may exhibit ototoxicity., Conclusion: Our study identified previously undetected signals following gemcitabine treatment, thereby providing new insights for future medication guidance.

In reality, people are often co-exposed to multiple heavy metals; however, current research has focused on the association between individual heavy metals and inflammation. Therefore, it is more relevant to explore the combined effects of multiple heavy metal exposure on inflammation. The study included data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2011-2016. The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) was used to reflect systemic immune-inflammation status. In this study, single variable models were used to assess the linear and non-linear relationships between single heavy metal exposures and SII. To analyze the combined effect of mixed heavy metals exposure on SII, we constructed three statistical models, including weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression, quantile-based g computation (qgcomp), and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR). The single-exposure analysis found positive associations between multiple heavy metals and SII, while mercury in blood was negatively associated with SII, and U-shaped correlations were observed between blood lead, urine barium and strontium, and SII. In the WQS model, SII increased significantly with increasing concentrations of mixed heavy metals, while consistent results in the qgcomp model, but not statistically significant. In the BKMR model, exposure to heavy metal mixtures was positively associated with SII, with mercury, cadmium, and cobalt in urine contributing the most to the mixed exposure. In addition, synergistic and antagonistic effects between heavy metals on increasing SII were found in our study. In summary, our results reveal that combined exposure to multiple heavy metals is positively associated with SII in the US adults., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: Chewing gum (especially sugar-free gum) has been linked to improved oral health, however there is an absence of observational research using nationally-representative data in the United States. We sought to examine the factors associated with chewing gum and its relationship with the oral health status of U.S. adults., Methods: Cross-sectional data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2018 cycles were used in these analyses. Primary outcomes were the odds of having gum disease, treatment for gum disease, ever being told of bone loss around teeth, root caries, caries, and restoration. Unadjusted and multivariate logistic regression models were used to investigate the relationship of chewing gum use with demographic/lifestyle factors and the oral health status of participants., Results: 2.40% ( n  = 365) of adults were users of chewing gum and the average among users was 5.20 ± 0.40 g/d. Users of chewing gum were more likely to be female, younger in age, and non-Hispanic Black or Hispanic. Self-reported chewing gum use did not affect the oral health status of U.S. adults (OR: 1.10, 95% CI: 0.42-2.88 for gum disease; OR: 1.34, 95% CI: 0.64-2.81 for treatment for gum disease; OR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.27-1.17 for bone loss around teeth; OR: 1.01, 95% CI: 0.32-3.12 for root caries; OR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.54-1.69 for caries), except for restoration (OR: 3.54, 95% CI: 1.78-7.06), but was associated with improved diet quality (OR: 1.86, 95% CI: 1.11-3.12 for a healthy eating index (HEI) of 51-59; OR: 1.96, 95% CI: 1.08-3.56 for HEI of 60-93); and decreased intakes of snacks (OR: 1.64, 1.01-2.69), and added sugars., Conclusion: Future observational studies that more accurately capture chewing gum usage are needed, as these analyses have several limitations.