Search

Appropriate dietary patterns for preserving cognitive function in China remains unknown. This study explored the association between dietary pattern and cognitive function in the Chinese population. A total of 6308 adults aged 55 and above who participated in the China Health and Nutrition Survey at least two waves from 1997 to 2018 were selected. The dietary pattern was determined using the reduced rank regression method with responses regarding vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, iron, copper, and selenium intakes. We used a three-level random coefficient model to evaluate the association. A “vegetable-pork” dietary pattern characterized by high intakes of Legume products, vegetables, fruits, nuts, pork, fish, and plant oil was identified. Compared to the first quartile (Q1) of dietary scores, the regression coefficients (p value) for the global cognitive score across Q2, Q3, and Q4 were 0.27 (p = 0.030), 0.45 (p < 0.001), and 0.50 (p < 0.001), respectively. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and the 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for poor cognition across Q2, Q3, and Q4 were 0.82 (0.73 to 0.93), 0.79 (0.69 to 0.91), and 0.74 (0.63 to 0.86), respectively. The relationship appeared to be stronger among people who were 65 years and older, women, people from the south, and smokers. Higher adherence to the “vegetable-pork” diet is associated with better cognitive function among Chinese elders.

Abstract Background The China Dietary Guidelines Index (CDGI) is a diet quality evaluation index that can present the overall diet quality and is comparable between individuals. The aim of this study was to revise CDGI for Chinese adults according to the Chinese Dietary Guidelines 2016 (CDG-2016), evaluate adherence to recommended diets between 1991 and 2015, and analyze the trend, variation, and determinants of diet quality. Methods Food, cooking oil, and condiment intakes were estimated based on twenty-four-hour dietary recalls over three consecutive days and the household weighing method. Based on the food and nutrients recommendations for people with different energy requirements in CDG-2016, CDGI was revised as China Dietary Guidelines Index (2019)-Adults (CDGI(2019)-A) by equal weight continuity scoring. Three-level random intercept-slope growth models were applied to analyze the trend, variation, and determinants at both the community and individual levels. Results CDGI(2019)-A, the sum of fourteen component scores with a range of 0–110 points, increased significantly from 38.2 in 1991 to 47.3 in 2015. Components with a score of less than half were milk (91.6%), fruits (72.0%), nuts (82.5%), other cereals and beans (82.6%), and seafood (77.7%). Between-individual accounted for 25.6% of the total score variation, of which 87.4% derived from the community level. CDGI(2019)-A score displayed a positive association with being female, having higher education, having higher income, living in an urban area, and knowing the CDG-2016 recommendations. The impact of income and awareness of CDG-2016 varied significantly across communities. Conclusions Although quality of diet has been improving in China, overall quality remains poor, primarily because of inadequate intake of milk and dairy products, nuts, fruits, other cereals and miscellaneous beans, and seafood. Intervention at the community level may improve diet quality more efficiently than at the individual level, and the most effective intervention should be selected in different communities according to local conditions.

Most data regarding the association between dietary protein intake and muscle mass come from developed Western countries. This cross-sectional study investigates the association between the amount and distribution of dietary protein intake and muscle mass in elderly Chinese adults. This analysis includes 4826 participants aged 60 years and above from the dataset of the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) 2018. Protein intake data were assessed using 3-day, 24 h dietary recalls. Appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) was obtained using the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Two-thirds of dietary protein intake comes from plant sources in the elderly Chinese population. The median total dietary protein intake was 60.5 g/d in low muscle mass participants for males and 52.5 g/d for females, which was lower than for their respective counterparts. Compared to the lowest quartile of protein intake, the highest total protein intake group had increased muscle mass by 0.96 kg among men and by 0.48 kg among women (p < 0.0001), and the highest vegetable protein intake group had increased muscle mass by 0.76 kg among men and by 0.35 kg among women (p < 0.0001). The amount of dietary protein intake with each meal was less than 20 g. High total protein intake and high plant-based protein intake were positively associated with higher muscle mass. A U-shape was observed between total dietary protein intake and low muscle mass risk in elderly Chinese adults. It should be encouraged to increase total daily protein intake to maintain muscle health.

Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) is a bioactive lipid that modulates macrophage polarization during immune responses, inflammation, and tissue remodeling. Patatin-like phospholipase domain containing protein 7 (PNPLA7) is a lysophospholipase with a preference for LPC. However, the role of PNPLA7 in macrophage polarization as an LPC hydrolase has not been explored. In the current study, we found that PNPLA7 is highly expressed in naïve macrophages and downregulated upon lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced polarization towards the classically activated (M1) phenotype. Consistently, overexpression of PNPLA7 suppressed the expression of proinflammatory M1 marker genes, including interleukin 1β (IL-1β), IL-6, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), whereas knockdown of PNPLA7 augmented the inflammatory gene expression in LPS-challenged macrophages. PNPLA7 overexpression and knockdown increased and decreased Sirtuin1 (SIRT1) mRNA and protein levels, respectively, and affected the acetylation of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65 subunit, a key transcription factor in M1 polarization. In addition, the levels of phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) were suppressed and enhanced by PNPLA7 overexpression and knockdown, respectively. Taken together, these findings suggest that PNPLA7 suppresses M1 polarization of LPS-challenged macrophages by modulating SIRT1/NF-κB- and p38 MAPK-dependent pathways.

Introduction: Valid and reliable instruments are crucial for measuring perceived social support among people living with HIV (PLHIV). We aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the English version of the 19-item Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS) adapted for PLHIV in Myanmar.Methods: Based on a standard cross-cultural procedure, we adapted the MOS-SSS and formed a Myanmar version of the scale (MOS-SSS-M), and then tested its validity and reliability. A sample of 250 eligible PLHIV was collected from a closed Facebook group that included more than 10,000 Myanmars, most of whom were PLHIV.Results: The MOS-SSS-M achieved a Cronbach’s α of 0.82–0.95. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed an acceptable fit index for the four-factor structure. Construct validity was demonstrated by significant association with self-reported HIV stigma and stress levels, and further confirmed by the findings of Rasch analysis.Conclusion: The MOS-SSS-M with a four-factor structure can be used to measure the level and categories of perceived social support among PLHIV in Myanmar.

ObjectiveGrowing evidence has highlighted that the immune and stromal cells that infiltrate in pancreatic cancer microenvironment significantly influence tumor progression. However, reliable microenvironment-related prognostic gene signatures are yet to be established. The present study aimed to elucidate tumor microenvironment-related prognostic genes in pancreatic cancer.MethodsWe applied the ESTIMATE algorithm to categorize patients with pancreatic cancer from TCGA dataset into high and low immune/stromal score groups and determined their differentially expressed genes. Then, univariate and LASSO Cox regression was performed to identify overall survival-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs). And multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to screen independent prognostic genes and construct a risk score model. Finally, the performance of the risk score model was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier curve, time-dependent receiver operating characteristic and Harrell’s concordance index.ResultsThe overall survival analysis demonstrated that high immune/stromal score groups were closely associated with poor prognosis. The multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that the signatures of four genes, including TRPC7, CXCL10, CUX2, and COL2A1, were independent prognostic factors. Subsequently, the risk prediction model constructed by those genes was superior to AJCC staging as evaluated by time-dependent receiver operating characteristic and Harrell’s concordance index, and both KRAS and TP53 mutations were closely associated with high risk scores. In addition, CXCL10 was predominantly expressed by tumor associated macrophages and its receptor CXCR3 was highly expressed in T cells at the single-cell level.ConclusionsThis study comprehensively investigated the tumor microenvironment and verified immune/stromal-related biomarkers for pancreatic cancer.

As an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-anchored phospholipase, neuropathy target esterase (NTE) catalyzes the deacylation of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and phosphatidylcholine (PC). The catalytic domain of NTE (NEST) exhibits comparable activity to NTE and binds to lipid droplets (LD). In the current study, the nucleotide monophosphate (cNMP)-binding domains (CBDs) were firstly demonstrated not to be essential for the ER-targeting of NTE, but to be involved in the normal ER distribution and localization to LD. NEST was associated with LD surface and influenced LD formation in human neuroblastoma cells. Overexpression of NEST enhances triacylglycerol (TG) accumulation upon oleic acid loading. Quantitative targeted lipidomic analysis shows that overexpression of NEST does not alter diacylglycerol levels but reduces free fatty acids content. NEST not only lowered levels of LPC and acyl-LPC, but not PC or alkyl-PC, but also widely altered levels of other lipid metabolites. Qualitative PCR indicates that the increase in levels of TG is due to the expression of diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 gene by NEST overexpression. Thus, NTE may broadly regulate lipid metabolism to play roles in LD biogenesis in cells.

The stratum corneum of the epidermis acts as a life-sustaining permeability barrier. Unique heterogeneous ceramides, especially ω-O-acylceramides, are key components for the formation of stable lamellar membrane structures in the stratum corneum and are essential for a vital epidermal permeability barrier. Several enzymes involved in acylceramide synthesis have been demonstrated to be associated with ichthyosis. The function of patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing protein 1 (PNPLA1) was a mystery until the finding that PNPLA1 gene mutations were involved in autosomal-recessive congenital ichthyosis (ARCI) patients, both humans and dogs. PNPLA1 plays an essential role in the biosynthesis of acylceramide as a CoA-independent transacylase. PNPLA1 gene mutations cause decreased acylceramide levels and impaired skin barrier function. More and more mutations in PNPLA1 genes have been identified in recent years. Herein, we describe the structural and functional specificity of PNPLA1, highlight its critical roles in acylceramide synthesis and skin barrier maintenance, and summarize the PNPLA1 mutations currently identified in ARCI patients.

The nutrition and health of middle-aged and elderly people is crucial to the long-term development of a country. The present study aimed to analyze the dietary consumption status in Chinese adults by using baseline and follow-up data from the community-based Cohort Study on Nervous System Diseases between 2018–2020 and selecting those aged 55 and older (n = 23,296). Dividing 65 food items into 17 subgroups on the basis of a valid semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, we analyze the consumption amount and consumption rate of foods in relation to wave and sociodemographic factors by employing the Wilcoxon rank sum test, Kruskal–Wallis analysis, the Chi-squared test, and the Cochran–Armitage trend test and evaluate food intake status using the Chinese Dietary Guidelines Recommendations (2022). Compared to 2018, the median daily intake of livestock meat, poultry, and eggs increased in 2020 (p < 0.05), while the median daily intake of wheat, other cereals, tubers, legumes, fruits, and fish and seafood decreased (p < 0.05). The proportion of subjects with excessive intake of grain, livestock and poultry, and eggs was 46.3%, 36.6%, and 26.6%, respectively, while the proportion of subjects with insufficient intake of whole grains and mixed beans, tubers, legumes, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and fish and seafood were 98.4%, 80.3%, 74.0%, 94.6%, 94.3%, 75.8%, and 86.5%, respectively, and more than 50% of subjects were non-consumers of dairy products, nuts, and whole grains and mixed beans. In conclusion, the problem of unhealthy dietary structure is prominent among adults aged 55 and older in China; insufficient or excessive intakes of various types of foods are common; and excessive consumption of edible oil and salt remains a serious problem.

There is a lack of studies on the association between whole grain intake and cardiometabolic risk factors in China and the current definition of whole grains is inconsistent. This study defined whole grains in two ways, Western versus traditional, and examined their associations with the risks of major cardiometabolic factors (CMFs) among 4706 Chinese adults aged ≥18 years, who participated in surveys both in 2011 and in 2015. Diet data were collected by consecutive 3 d 24 h recalls, together with household seasoning weighing. Whole grains were defined as grains with a ratio of fiber to carbohydrate of ≥0.1, while coarse grains were defined as grains except for rice and its products, and wheat and its products. Multivariable logistic regressions were modeled to analyze the associations of intakes of whole grains and coarse grains, respectively, with risks of major CMFs including obesity-, blood pressure-, blood glucose- and lipid-related factors, which were defined by International Diabetes Federation and AHA/NHLBI criteria. After adjusting for potential confounders, the odds of elevated LDL-C decreased with the increasing intake levels of whole grains (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.46–0.88, p-trend < 0.05). Moreover, adults with the whole grain intake of 50.00 to 150.00 g/day had 27% lower odds of overweight and obesity (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.54–0.99) and 31% lower odds of elevated LDL-C (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.49–0.96), as compared with non-consumers. In conclusion, given the significant nutrient profiles of whole grains and coarse grains, the adults with higher intakes of whole grains only may have a lower risk of LDL-C and overweight and obesity.

Numerous studies have shed some light on the importance of associated factors of collaborative attitudes. However, most previous studies aimed to explore the influence of these factors in isolation. With the strategy of data-driven decision making, the current study applied two data mining methods to elucidate the most significant factors of students' attitudes toward collaboration and group students to draw a concise model, which is beneficial for educators to focus on key factors and make effective interventions at a lower cost. Structural equation model trees (SEM trees) and structural equation model forests (SEM forests) were applied to the Program for International Student Assessment 2015 dataset (a total of 9,769 15-year-old students from China). By establishing the most important predictors and the splitting rules, these methods constructed multigroup common factor models of collaborative attitudes. The SEM trees showed that home educational resources (split by “above-average or not”), home possessions (split by “disadvantaged or not”), mother's education (split by “below high school or not”), and gender (split by “male or female”) were the most important predictors among the demographic variables, drawing a 5-group model. Among all the predictors, achievement motivation (split by “above-average or not”) and sense of belonging at school (split by “above-average or not” and “disadvantaged or not”) were the most important, drawing a 6-group model. The SEM forest findings proved the relative importance of these variables. This paper discusses various interpretations of these results and their implications for educators to formulate corresponding interventions. Methodologically, this research provides a data mining approach to discover important information from large-scale educational data, which might be a complementary approach to enhance data-driven decision making in education.

Water flooding is one of widely used technique to improve oil recovery from conventional reservoirs, but its performance in low-permeability reservoirs is barely satisfactory. Besides adding chemical agents, ultrasonic wave is an effective and environmental-friendly strategy to assist in water flooding for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in unconventional reservoirs. The acoustic frequency plays a dominating role in the EOR performance of ultrasonic wave and is usually optimized through a series of time-consuming laboratory experiments. Hence, this study proposes an unsupervised learning method to group low-permeability cores in terms of permeability, porosity and wettability. This grouping algorithm succeeds to classify the 100 natural cores adopted in this study into five categories and the water flooding experiment certificates the accuracy and reliability of the clustering results. It is proved that ultrasonic waves can further improve the oil recovery yielded by water-flooding, especially in the oil-wet and weakly water-wet low-permeability cores. Furthermore, we investigated the EOR mechanism of ultrasonic waves in the low-permeability reservoir via scanning electron microscope observation, infrared characterization, interfacial tension and oil viscosity measurement. Although ultrasonic waves cannot ameliorate the components of light oil as dramatically as those of heavy oil, such compound changes still contribute to the oil viscosity and oil-water interfacial tension reductions. More importantly, ultrasonic waves may modify the micromorphology of low-permeability cores and improve the pore connectivity.

In response to various stimuli, naïve macrophages usually polarize to M1 (classically activated) or M2 (alternatively activated) cells with distinct biological functions. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS1) is involved in M1 macrophage polarization at an early stage. Here, we show for the first time that NOS1 is dispensable for M2 macrophage polarization for the first time. Further, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) regulated by NOS1 signaling in M1-polarized macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were characterized by transcriptome analysis of wild-type (WT) and NOS1 knockout mouse macrophages. Thousands of affected genes were detected 2 h post LPS challenge, and this wide-ranging effect became greater with a longer stimulation time (8 h post LPS). NOS1 deficiency caused dysregulated expression of hundreds of LPS-responsive genes. Most DEGs were enriched in biological processes related to transcription and regulation of the immune and inflammatory response. At 2 h post-LPS, the toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and NOD-like receptor signaling pathway were the major pathways affected, whereas the main pathways affected at 8 h post-LPS were Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation, FoxO, and AMPK signaling pathway. Identified DEGs were validated by real-time quantitative PCR and interacted in a complicated signaling pathway network. Collectively, our data show that NOS1 is dispensable for M2 macrophage polarization and reveal novel insights in the role of NOS1 signaling at different stages of M1 macrophage polarization through distinct TLR4 plasma membrane-localized and endosome-internalized signaling pathways.

Background. This study aims to evaluate the quality of discharge teaching and readiness for discharge of fundus disease patients treated with day surgery and understand the role of social support between them. Methods. This was a cross-sectional descriptive correlational survey. Through convenient sampling, fundus disease patients treated with day surgery from Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, China, were recruited. Data were collected using demographic and disease-related information, quality of discharge teaching scale, readiness for hospital discharge scale, and social support scale. Results. 255 fundus disease patients treated with day surgery were recruited at last. The mean total score of readiness for discharge, quality of discharge teaching, and social support in patients with fundus disease were 157.91 (SD = 26.68), 122.97 (SD = 21.55), and 36.32 (SD = 7.60), respectively. Participants with stronger social support had better discharge teaching and then had higher readiness for discharge. Social support played a partial mediator role in the relationship between discharge teaching and readiness for discharge. The mediation effect ratio was 5.5%. Conclusions. The quality of discharge teaching and social support among fundus disease patients who underwent day surgery was relatively high, and readiness for discharge was good. Social support is essential for the quality of discharge teaching and the improvement of discharge readiness. Clinical nurses need to provide appropriate guidelines to help patients seek effective support and improve quality of discharge teaching to enhance the readiness for discharge of fundus disease patients treated with day surgery.

Emotion regulation (ER) plays a vital role in individuals’ well-being and successful functioning. In this study, we attempted to develop a computerized adaptive testing (CAT) to efficiently evaluate ER, namely the CAT-ER. The initial CAT-ER item bank comprised 154 items from six commonly used ER scales, which were completed by 887 participants recruited in China. We conducted unidimensionality testing, item response theory (IRT) model comparison and selection, and IRT item analysis including local independence, item fit, differential item functioning, and item discrimination. Sixty-three items with good psychometric properties were retained in the final CAT-ER. Then, two CAT simulation studies were implemented to assess the CAT-ER, which revealed that the CAT-ER developed in this study performed reasonably well, considering that it greatly lessened the test items and time without losing measurement accuracy.

Experimental studies on the desorption and adsorption of shale are conducted extensively and used for in-depth research on shale gas components and isotopic components. However, there is little systematic research aimed at a given shale stratum. This study takes the Chang-7 shale of the YC23 Well in the Ordos Basin as the research object, and attempts to obtain a full understanding of the distribution characteristics of different gas components, and to explore the migration ability of different gas components. In this study, Chang-7 shale gas in Well YC23 can be sorted into three categories: generated gas, retained gas and accumulated gas. Geochemical parameters including TOC, S1 and S2 are used to evaluate the generated gas, and the fractionation of hydrocarbon components is used to distinguish retained gas and migrated gas. The fractionation of non-hydrocarbon components as well as carbon isotopes is also analyzed and discussed. This study confirms that shale gas in different locations has unique gas components due to gas migration.

BackgroundHigh-fidelity simulation (HFS) has become a widely used and established pedagogy for teaching clinical nursing skills. Nevertheless, there are few evidence-based instruments that validate the effectiveness of simulation learning in mainland China.MethodsThe Simulation Learning Effectiveness Inventory (SLEI) was adapted and validated for use in this study. Psychometric evaluation, incorporating classical test theory and item response theory (IRT) methods, was performed with 533 third-year undergraduate nursing students who were recruited from May 2017 to July 2018.ResultsThe findings of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed that the simplified Chinese version of the SLEI (SLEI-SC) was composed of six factors, namely, course arrangement, equipment resource, debriefing, clinical ability, problem solving, and confidence, which explained 60.84% of the total variance. The Cronbach’s α, MIIC, marginal reliability, and test–retest reliability values obtained for the total scale were 0.88, 0.38, 0.96, and 0.88, respectively. Furthermore, the difference between the total scores for learning effectiveness pre- and post-course was statistically significant (t = 2.59, p < 0.05, Cohen’s d = 0.60). IRT analysis showed that the SLEI-SC discriminates well between students with high and low levels of learning effectiveness and offers information about a broad range of learning effectiveness measures. The relationship between final course grade and total score on the SLEI-SC was statistically significant (r = 0.63, p < 0.05).ConclusionWe demonstrated initial psychometric evidence and support for the 31-item SLEI-SC as a developmentally appropriate instrument for assessing the learning effectiveness of all phases of HFS use with nursing students.

The aim of this study was to explore the association of perceived stress on energy intake and percentage of energy from macronutrients. We examined cross-sectional data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey among Chinese adults. Perceived stress scale was used to assess psychological stress, and confirmatory factor analysis was used to calculate the two latent variable scores: distress factor and coping factor of perceived stress. Combined two-level random effect model and structural equation modeling were used to explore the association between distress, coping, and energy intake. The study involved 6865 adults with an average age of 46.9 years. The intake of energy was 2047.9 ± 666.6 kcal/d, 51.1% from carbohydrate and 35.2% from fat. Neither distress nor coping capacity had an association with energy intake. The coping factor score was positively associated with the sum of percentage of energy intake from carbohydrate and fat (%C&F) in females (β = 0.149, p = 0.015) but not in males. Compared to the lowest tertile, %C&F of females with a coping factor score in the medium and top tertiles were 0.44 and 0.81 significantly higher, respectively (pmedium = 0.0013, ptop < 0.0001). Psychological stress was positively associated with %C&F in females. It was insufficient capacity to cope with stress that led to unhealthy eating behavior.

Purpose: To investigate the correlation between anterior chamber volume (ACV) and corneal biomechanical properties in healthy and primary angle closure (PAC) eyes.Methods: A total of 79 eyes from 55 participants were enrolled in this study, including 24 eyes from 17 PAC patients and 55 eyes from 38 normal subjects. Anterior chamber volume was detected via swept-source anterior segment optical coherence tomography (OCT), and the cornea biomechanical data were obtained via corneal visualization Scheimpflug technology (Corvis ST). A student's t-test, Chi-square test, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and linear regression were used in the statistical analysis.Results: Anterior chamber volume was significantly associated with a lower deformation altitude (DA) (p = 0.033), higher stiffness parameter (SP-A1) (p = 0.005), younger age (p = 0.001), and higher biomechanical intraocular pressure (bIOP) (p = 0.001). PAC patients were suspected to have a much shallower anterior chamber than healthy participants. In the PAC group, the mean ACV (p < 0.01), SP-A1 (p < 0.01), and bIOP values (p = 0.01) were significantly reduced as compared to the normal group, and DA values (p = 0.02) and age (p = 0.01) were increased as compared to the normal group.Conclusions: Bigger ACV was associated with lower DA values and age, as well as higher SP-A1 and bIOP values. Reduced corneal stiffness was more commonly found in the PAC suspects as compared to their normal counterparts, indicating a protective physiological mechanism for people with shallower anterior chambers that protects against potential elevations of IOP.

Abstract Background In cell-based therapy, the transmission of communicable diseases imposes a substantial threat to recipients. In this study, we investigated whether cell-based screening could detect hepatitis B virus (HBV) in human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (HUMSCs) isolated from HBV-infected donors to understand the susceptibility of HUMSCs to HBV infection. Methods HBV assay was performed in HUMSCs derived from healthy and HBV-infected donors with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), fluorescence quantitative PCR (FQ-PCR) assay, and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assay. Further, HBV DNA was assayed in HUMSCs derived from healthy donors after incubation with human sera containing a high titer of HBV using FQ-PCR. Results HBV antigen/antibody and DNA failed to be detected using ELISA, FQ-PCR, and ddPCR. After incubation with HBV infection sera, HBV DNA could be detected, but below the valid titer of the assay kit. The HBV DNA levels in HBV-incubated HUMSCs gradually decreased with medium change every 2 days and then significantly decreased, not even detected after passage. Conclusions The current cell-based screening methods could not detect HBV in HUMSCs derived from HBV-infected donors, indicating the importance of more stringent donor eligibility to reduce the risk of transmission of communicable diseases in cell-based therapy. To solve the problem of an occult HBV window period in donor eligibility determination, we recommend that the donors undergo another HBV serological test 3 months after the first serological communicable disease screening.

Abstract Background Vitamin A plays an important role in human functions, which mainly come from foods. This study aims to examine dietary vitamin A intake and major food sources of Chinese adults. Methods We analyzed the cross-sectional data from 12,246 adult aged 18 to 64 years old in 2015 China Nutritional Transition Cohort Study. Three consecutive 24-h dietary recalls combined with household weighing method were used to assess dietary vitamin A intake. Results The average dietary vitamin A intakes were 480.9 μg retinol equivalents (RE) or 307.2 μg retinol activity equivalents (RAE). The carotenes and retinol intake of subjects were 2084.7 μg/day and 133.5 μg/day, respectively. Approximately 87% of adults consumed less vitamin A than the Chinese Estimated Average Requirement (EAR), and only 6% of adults consumed more than Chinese Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI). Chinese adults derived vitamin A mainly from plant source foods, which is supplied as carotenes (67.4% RE or 56.4% RAE). Dark- and light- vegetables and fruits were major contributors of carotenes (accounted for 84.2%). The most import food sources of retinol were egg, meats and meat products, poultry, fish and milk, representing 94.7% of retinol intake. The major four contributors of total vitamin A (as both RE and RAE) were dark vegetables, egg, light vegetables, and meats and meat products. In conclusion, dietary vitamin A remains a problem for Chinese adults. Conclusions Public health actions are needed to increase vitamin A intake in China.

Abstract Background The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in developed countries appears to be plateauing. The purpose of this study was to provide the most recent data on the prevalence and trends in overweight and obesity among Chinese children and adolescents from 2011 to 2015. Methods We used data collected in the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) and China Nutritional Transition Cohort Study (CNTCS). We used two waves of the survey in 12 provinces conducted in 2011 (aged 7–18 years; n = 1458) and 2015 (aged 7–18 years; n = 1084) to perform a trend analysis. We used data collected in 15 provinces (aged 7–18 years; n = 1617) to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Chinese children and adolescents in 2015. Results In 2015, based on the Working Group for Obesity in China (WGOC) criteria, the prevalence of overweight and obesity were 14.0% (95% CI, 11.6–16.3) and 10.5% (95% CI, 8.4–12.6) in boys, and 9.7% (95% CI, 7.7–11.8) and 7.1% (95% CI, 5.2–8.9) in girls, respectively. The increase in BMI z-scores from 2011 to 2015 was statistically significant among adolescents (p = 0.0083), but not among children. No significant changes were observed in prevalence of overweight and obesity between 2011 and 2015, excepting adolescents aged 12–18 years (p = 0.0086). Conclusions Since 2011, overweight has remained stable, and obesity has stabilized in children, though not in adolescents. Although levels of childhood overweight and obesity in China are not high compared to other developed countries, they remain concerning enough that effective policies and interventions need to be sustained and intensified for lowering rates of childhood overweight and obesity.

Studies on macronutrient intake and obesity have been inconclusive. This study examined the associations between multi-trajectories of macronutrients and the risk of obesity in China. We used data from 7914 adults who participated in the China Health and Nutrition Survey at least three times from 1991 to 2018. We collected detailed dietary data by conducting three 24 h dietary recalls and weighing foods and condiments in household inventories. We identified multi-trajectories using group-based multi-trajectory models and examined their associations with the risk of obesity with multiple Cox regression models. We found four multi-trajectories in rural areas: balanced macronutrient intake (BM), moderate protein, increasing low fat, and decreasing high carbohydrate (MP&ILF&DHC); decreasing moderate protein, decreasing high fat, and increasing moderate carbohydrate (DMP&DHF&IMC); increasing moderate protein, increasing high fat, and decreasing low carbohydrate (IMP&IHF&DLC)—35.1%, 21.3%, 20.1%, and 23.5% of our rural participant population, respectively. Compared with the BM trajectory, the hazard ratios of obesity in the DMP&DHF&IMC and the IMP&IHF&DLC groups were 0.50 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.27–0.95) and 0.48 (95% CI: 0.28–0.83), respectively, in rural participants. Relatively low carbohydrate and high fat intakes with complementary dynamic trends are associated with a lower risk of obesity in rural Chinese adults.

Taking the Chang 8 tight sandstone reservoir of the Yanchang Formation of Fuxian area in Ordos Basin as an example, the influencing mechanism of permeability on imbibition recovery in tight sandstone was explored by spontaneous imbibition experiment, combining nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and CT Scanning. Results show that: (1) spontaneous imbibition played a vital role in water–flooding of the tight sandstone reservoir, the recovery by spontaneous imbibition of experimental core samples can reach 5.24% – 18.23%, and the higher the matrix permeability, the higher the recovery degree by spontaneous imbibition; (2) because of the thickness of adsorbed layer, pores above sub-micron scale made a great contribution to the imbibition recovery of tight sandstone reservoir, and nano-submicron pores made less contribution to imbibition recovery; (3) the connectivity of pore and throat was the major microscopic mechanism of the positive correlation between matrix permeability and spontaneous imbibition recovery. Samples of different permeability didn't differ much in the sizes of sub-micron to micron pores, but with the rise of permeability, the connected pores and throats and surface porosity increased exponentially, leading to significant increase of imbibition recovery. Key words: tight sandstone, oil recovery by imbibition, influence mechanism, permeability, adsorbed layer, pore–throat connectivity, micro-nano pore

Few studies have examined the secular trend of energy intake distribution. This study aims to describe trajectories of energy intake distribution and determine their association with dyslipidemia risk. Data of 2843 adult participants from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) were analyzed. Trajectory groups of energy intake distribution were identified by multi-trajectory model over 27 years. Multilevel mixed-effects modified Poisson regression with robust estimation of variance was used to calculate risk ratio for incident dyslipidemia in a 9-year follow-up. Four trajectory groups were identified: “Energy evenly distributed group” (Group 1), “Lunch and dinner energy dominant group” (Group 2), “Dinner energy dominant group” (Group 3), “breakfast and dinner energy dominant group” (Group 4). Compared with Group 1, Group 3 was associated with higher risk of dyslipidemia (RR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.26, 1.75), hypercholesterolemia (RR = 1.96, 95% CI = 1.37, 2.81) and high low-density lipoproteins cholesterols (LDL-C) (RR = 2.41, 95% CI = 1.82, 3.20). A U-shape was observed between cumulative average proportion of dinner energy and dyslipidemia risk (p for non-linear = 0.01), with stronger relationship at 40% and above. Energy intake distribution characterized by higher proportion of dinner energy, especially over 40% was associated with higher dyslipidemia risk in Chinese adults.

Unique rapid urbanization-related changes in China may affect the dietary protein intake of the aging population. We aimed to evaluate trends in dietary protein intake and major food sources of protein and estimate conformity to the dietary reference intakes (DRIs) in the elderly Chinese population. A sample of 10,854 elderly adults aged 60 years or older, drawn from 10 waves of the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) between 1991 and 2018, was included. Protein intake data were obtained on the basis of 3-day, 24 h dietary recalls. The dietary protein intake among elderly Chinese individuals declined from 63.3 g/day to 57.8 g/day over the 28-year period, with a −0.032 ± 0.0001 g/day change per year (p < 0.05). There was a significant increase in the proportion of subjects with a protein intake level below the estimated averaged requirement (EAR) and a reduction in the proportion of subjects consuming protein above the recommended nutrient intake (RNI) across all population subgroups. Cereals ranked as the major sources of dietary protein, although their contribution to dietary protein gradually decreased as time went on. The contribution from meat steadily rose from 18.2% in 1991 to 28.7% in 2018. The proportion of energy gained from fat increased notably, reaching 34.2% in 2018. The elderly Chinese population experienced a significant reduction in dietary protein intake. Although the transformation of dietary patterns had positive effects on improving protein quality due to increases in animal source food, some elderly Chinese individuals currently face the risk of inadequate dietary protein intake.

It is essential to understand the impact of different dietary pattern trajectories on health over time. Therefore, we aimed to explore the long-term trajectories of dietary patterns among Chinese adults and examine the prospective association between different trajectory groups and the risk of overweight/obesity. The sample was 9299 adults aged 18 years or older from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) between 1991 and 2018. We used factor analysis to identify dietary patterns and group-based trajectory modeling to identify dietary pattern trajectories. Three trajectories of a southern pattern and a modern pattern and four trajectories of a meat pattern were identified. Participants who followed the highest initial score and a slight decrease trajectory (OR = 1.63; 95% CI: 1.04, 2.54) of the meat dietary pattern were positively associated with risk of overweight/obesity when compared with the lowest initial score trajectory. The southern dietary pattern and the modern dietary pattern trajectories of participants in Group 2 (OR = 0.64; 95% CI: 0.51, 0.81; OR = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.63, 0.91) and Group 3 (OR = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.54, 0.91; OR = 0.64; 95% CI: 0.44, 0.90) were associated with lower risk of overweight/obesity when compared with Group 1. We observed that dietary pattern trajectories have different associations with overweight/obesity among Chinese adults.

Abstract Background Our research aimed to investigate whether lymphadenectomy was required in patients with intermediate-risk endometrioid endometrial cancer (EEC). Methods Between 1989 and 2015, 1009 patients with intermediate-risk EEC: grade 1 or 2 tumor,

Abstract Background Baicalin, an important flavonoid in Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi extracts, exerts a variety of pharmacological effects. In this study, we explored the effects of baicalin on chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and investigated the mechanism underlying these effects. Moreover, we examined whether the inflammatory response was mediated by the A2A receptor (A2AR) and stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1)/C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4)-induced phosphatidyl inositol-3-kinase (PI3K) signaling in vivo. Methods We established a hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension (HPH) mouse model by subjecting wild-type (WT) and A2AR knockout (A2AR−/−) animals to chronic hypoxia, and we examined the effects of a 4-week treatment with baicalin or the A2AR agonist CGS21680 in these animals. Invasive hemodynamic parameters, the right ventricular hypertrophy index, pulmonary congestion, the pulmonary arterial remodeling index, blood gas parameters, A2AR expression, and the expression of SDF-1/CXCR4/PI3K/protein kinase B (PKB; AKT) signaling components were measured. Results Compared with WT mice, A2AR−/− mice exhibited increased right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP), right ventricle-to-left ventricle plus septum [RV/(LV + S)] ratio, RV weight-to-body weight (RV/BW) ratio, and lung wet weight-to-body weight (Lung/BW) ratio in the absence of an altered mean carotid arterial pressure (mCAP). These changes were accompanied by increases in pulmonary artery wall area and thickness and reductions in arterial oxygen pressure (PaO2) and hydrogen ion concentration (pH). In the HPH model, A2AR−/− mice displayed increased CXCR4, SDF-1, phospho-PI3K, and phospho-AKT expression compared with WT mice. Treating WT and A2AR−/− HPH mice with baicalin or CGS21680 attenuated the hypoxia-induced increases in RVSP, RV/(LV + S) and Lung/BW, as well as pulmonary arterial remodeling. Additionally, baicalin or CGS21680 alone could reverse the hypoxia-induced increases in CXCR4, SDF-1, phospho-PI3K, and phospho-AKT expression. Moreover, baicalin improved the hypoxemia induced by 4 weeks of hypoxia. Finally, we found that A2AR levels in WT lung tissue were enhanced by hypoxia and that baicalin up-regulated A2AR expression in WT hypoxic mice. Conclusions Baicalin exerts protective effects against clinical HPH, which are partly mediated through enhanced A2AR activity and down-regulated SDF-1/CXCR4-induced PI3K/AKT signaling. Therefore, the A2AR may be a promising target for baicalin in treating HPH.

Abstract The effect of substitution of Nb by Mo in Nb40Ti30Ni30 was investigated with respect to microstructural features and hydrogen dissolution, diffusion and permeation. As-cast Nb40−xMoxTi30Ni30 (x = 0, 5, 10) alloys consist of primary bcc-Nb phase and binary eutectic (bcc-Nb + B2-TiNi). The substitution of Nb by Mo reduces the hydrogen solubility in alloys, but may increase (x = 5) or decrease (x = 10) the apparent hydrogen diffusivity and permeability. As-cast Nb35Mo5Ti30Ni30 exhibits a combined enhancement of hydrogen permeability and embrittlement resistance as compared to Nb40Ti30Ni30. This work confirms that Mo is a desirable alloying element in Nb that can contribute to a reduction in hydrogen absorption and an increase in intrinsic hydrogen diffusion, thus improving embrittlement resistance with minimal permeability penalty.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

BackgroundA nursing student’s reflection on their knowledge and competence in patient safety (PS) may prepare them to provide safer care in certain circumstances. The Health Professional Education in PS Survey (H-PEPSS) is a validated tool for assessing the perceptions of nursing students with regards to competence in PS. The H-PEPSS is widely used internationally but is not available in Chinese.ObjectivesThis study aimed to translate the H-PEPSS into Chinese and test its psychometric properties among Chinese undergraduate nursing students.DesignThis was a cross-sectional online survey that was conducted in 2018.SettingsSeven nursing schools in North, East, Northeast, Central, Southwest, South, and Northwest China.ParticipantsA total of 732 final-year undergraduate nursing students were recruited by convenience sampling.MethodsTranslation was conducted rigorously in accordance with an adapted version of Brislin’s translation model. Psychometric evaluation was conducted by incorporating classical test theory and item response theory (IRT) analysis.ResultsThe Chinese version of the H-PEPSS (both the classroom and clinical practice versions) achieved a Cronbach’s α, marginal reliability and 2-week test-retest reliability of >0.85. A six-factor solution explaining 81.49% and 82.32% of the total variance was obtained for the classroom and clinical practice versions, respectively. This was further validated by confirmatory factor analysis. IRT analysis showed that the scale offers a broad range of information on PS competence and discriminates efficiently between patients with high and low levels of competence in PS.ConclusionThe Chinese version of the H-PEPSS is a reliable and valid instrument that is capable of evaluating competence in PS perceived by undergraduate nursing students. In addition, the survey may also be used to evaluate gaps in classroom knowledge and clinical competence, and to offer valid data for designing or tailoring new education strategies.

Analysis of social network data often faces the problem of tie non-response. Recent studies show that the results of social network analyses can be severely biased if tie non-response was ignored. To overcome the problems created by tie non-response, several treatments were proposed in the literature: complete-case approach, unconditional mean imputation, reconstruction, and multiple imputation. In this paper we assessed the impact of tie non-response on social network analysis and investigated the performance of four treatments to handle tie non-response. The simulation results showed that ignoring tie non-response data in network analysis could underestimate the degree and centralization of social networks depending on the types of network and the proportion of missing ties. We also found that unconditional mean imputation was the best tie non-response treatment. Multiple imputation could successfully correct for tie non-response in a few specific situations. Complete case approach and reconstruction, however, were not recommended. We advocate the importance of further research to better understand consequences of tie non-response in social networks analysis and to provide statistical guidance to researchers to tackle this problem in the field.

Poor dietary habits have been shown to be associated with a range of chronic diseases and can potentially be a major contributor to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) mortality. We therefore aimed to identify the prevailing dietary patterns among Chinese adults and to evaluate trends in dietary patterns from 1991 to 2015. We used data collected in the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS). Dietary patterns were identified using factor analysis of data from three consecutive 24 h dietary recalls. We studied 29,238 adults aged 18 and above with complete demo-graphic and dietary data. Three distinct dietary patterns were identified: southern (high intakes of rice, vegetables, and pork), modern (high intakes of fruits, dairy products, cakes, cookies, and pastries), and meat (high intakes of organ meats, poultry, and other livestock meat). The southern pattern score decreased (mean ± SD scores in 1991: 0.11 ± 1.13; scores in 2015: −0.22 ± 0.93). The modern pattern score (mean ± SD scores in 1991: −0.44 ± 0.59; scores in 2015: 0.21 ± 1.01) and meat pattern score (mean ± SD scores in 1991: −0.18 ± 0.98; scores in 2015: 0.27 ± 0.91) increased. We observed that China has experienced a shift from traditional dietary patterns to western dietary patterns.

Cognitive function is not generally associated with diet, and there is debate over that association. Moreover, little is known about such associations with the specific cognitive domains and subtypes of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We analyzed data of 4309 Chinese adults aged 55 and over from the Community-based Cohort Study on Nervous System Diseases from 2018–2019. Dietary habits were assessed at inclusion using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Cognitive function of the participants was measured by using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Analyses were performed using multiple logistic regression and quantile regression with adjustment for socio-demographic, lifestyle, and health-related factors. Compared with normal cognition participants, those with a worse cognition state were characterized as being an older age and lower economic level. After adjustment for potential factors, participants with higher consumption of rice, legumes, fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, pork, poultry, fish, and nuts tended to have higher scores of global cognitive function and domains, and to have lower odds of MCI, while those with higher consumption levels of wheat and eggs had worse cognition, compared with the corresponding bottom consumption level of each food. Participants with a medium consumption level of beef or mutton had 57% (OR: 1.57, 95%CI: 1.07–2.32) higher odds of aMCI-SD, whereas they had 50% (OR: 0.50, 95%CI: 0.34–0.73) lower odds of naMCI-MD. Similarly, the highest consumption level of dairy was positively associated with the odds of aMCI-SD (OR:1.51, 95%CI:1.00–2.29), but inversely linked to the odds of naMCI-SD (OR: 0.60, 95%CI: 0.38–0.93) and naMCI-MD (OR: 0.49, 95%CI: 0.29–0.82). Most diet global cognitive benefits were observed to be associated with the preexisting higher consumption of rice, legumes, fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, meat, and nuts. In addition, the heterogeneity of associations between the consumption of certain foods and MCI subtypes was observed among Chinese adults aged over 55 years. These cross-sectional observations require validation in prospective studies.

Evidence shows time-of-day of energy intake are associated with health outcomes; however, studies of time-of-day energy patterns and their health implication are still lacking in the Asian population. This study aims to examine the time-of-day energy intake pattern of Chinese adults and to examine its associations with nutrient intakes, diet quality, and insulin resistance. Dietary data from three 24-h recalls collected during the 2015 China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) were analyzed (n = 8726, aged ≥ 18 years). Time-of-day energy intake patterns were determined by latent class analysis (LCA). General Linear Models and Multilevel Mixed-effects Logistic Regression Models were applied to investigate the associations between latent time-of-day energy intake patterns, energy-adjusted nutrient intakes, diet quality score, and insulin resistance. Three time-of-day energy intake patterns were identified. Participants in the “Evening dominant pattern” were younger, had higher proportions of alcohol drinkers and current smokers. The “Evening dominant pattern” was associated with higher daily energy intake and a higher percentage of energy from fat (%) (p < 0.001), as well as higher insulin resistance risk (OR = 1.21; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.40), after adjusting for multivariate covariates. The highest diet quality score was observed in participants with “Noon dominant pattern” (p < 0.001). A higher proportion of energy in the later of the day was associated with insulin resistance in free-living individuals.

The current study examines hope and career adaptability as two potential mediators, parent-child closeness as a moderator of the relationship between career-related parental support and life satisfaction. A total of 521 vocational high school students responded to this study. The result revealed that hope and career adaptability independently and serially mediated the relationship between parental career-related support and life satisfaction. Moreover, the moderating effect of parent-child closeness on career-related parental support and hope was found. When students' parent-child closeness was high (vs. low), the indirect pathway linking parental career-related support to hope to career adaptability to life satisfaction was stronger. This study enlightens parents should give career-related support to their children and establish a close bond with children.

The Big-fish-little-Pond effect is well acknowledged as the negative effect of class/school average achievement on student academic self-concept, which profoundly impacts student academic performance and mental development. Although a few studies have been done with regard to this effect, inconsistence exists in the effect size with little success in finding moderators. Here, we present a meta-analysis to synthesize related literatures to reach a summary conclusion on the BFLPE. Furthermore, student age, comparison target, academic self-concept domain, student location, sample size, and publication year were examined as potential moderators. Thirty-three studies with fifty-six effect sizes (total N = 1,276,838) were finally included. The random effects model led to a mean of the BFLPE at β = −0.28 (p < 0.001). Moreover, moderator analyses revealed that the Big-Fish-Little-Pond effect is an age-based process and an intercultural phenomenon, which is stronger among high school students, in Asia and when verbal self-concept is considered. This meta-analysis is the first quantitative systematic overview of BFLPE, whose results are valuable to the understanding of BFLPE and reveal the necessity for educators from all countries to learn about operative means to help students avoid the potential negative effect. Future research expectations are offered subsequently.

Due to a lack of reliable non-invasive bio-markers, misdiagnosis between Parkinson's disease and essential tremor is common. Although some assistive engineering approaches have been proposed, little acceptance has been obtained for these methods lack well-studied mechanisms and involve operator-dependent procedures. Aiming at a better differentiation between the two tremor causes, we present a novel posture, termed arm-rested posture, to ameliorate the quality of recorded tremor sequences. To investigate its efficacy, the posture was compared with another common posture, called arm-stretching posture, in fundamental aspects of tremor intensity and dominant frequency. A tremor-affected cohort comprising 50 subjects (PD = 26, ET = 24) with inhomogeneous tremor manifestation were recruited. From each subject, acceleration data of 5 min in terms of each posture were recorded. In the overall process, no operator-dependent procedures, such as data screening, was employed. The differentiation performance of the two postures were assessed by the index of discrimination coefficient and a receiver operating characteristic analysis based on binary logistic regression. The results of the differentiation assessment consistently demonstrate a better performance with the arm-rested posture than with the arm-stretching posture. As a by-product, factors of disease stage (incipient, progressed stage), spectrum estimate (PSD, bispectrum) and recording length (5–300s) were investigated. The significant effect of disease stage was only found in PD in terms of tremor intensity [F(1, 516) = 7.781, P < 0.05]. The bispectrum estimate was found to have better performance than the PSD estimate in extracting dominant frequency in terms of the discrimination coefficient. By extending the recording length, we noticed an increase in the performance of dominant frequency. The best result of the arm-rested posture was obtained with the maximum recording length of 300 s (area under the curve: 0.944, sensitivity: 92%, 1-specificity: 0%, accuracy: 96%), which is better than that of the arm-stretching posture in the same condition (area under the curve: 0.734, sensitivity: 54%, 1-specificity: 12%, accuracy: 72%). Thus, we conclude that the arm-rested posture can assist in improving tremor differentiation between Parkinson's disease and essential tremor and may act as a universal tool to analyze tremor for both clinical and research purpose.

BACKGROUND:Calcium is one of the essential micronutrients in the human body and is well-known for its important role in keeping bones and teeth healthy. However, calcium deficiency is a very common nutritional problem in the world and especially in China. The aim of this research was to determine the dietary calcium intake of Chinese adults and the corresponding food sources based on data from the 2015 China Nutritional Transition Cohort Study. METHODS:We obtained dietary data from Chinese adults ages 18 to 64 years in 15 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities using 3 consecutive days combined with the household weighing method. We used the China Food Composition (book 1, 2nd edition) to calculate the calcium intake from each food category. We regarded the percentage of participants with a calcium intake median below the estimated average requirement as the level of calcium inadequacy in the overall population. RESULTS:We divided the participants into 2 age groups, 18-49 years and 50-64 years, which included 6,630 and 5,307 participants, respectively. The groups' dietary calcium intake medians were 324.8 milligrams per day (mg/d) and 332.7 mg/d, respectively, and the calcium inadequacies were 92.9% and 96.0%, correspondingly. The median calcium intake for the whole study population was 328.3 mg/d, and the inadequacy was 94.3%, which improved with higher education, income, and urbanization levels. The main food sources of dietary calcium among the study population were vegetables, legumes, and cereals, which contributed 30.2%, 16.7%, and 14.6%, respectively. Milk and dairy products contributed 6.7% to the study population but varied with the urbanization level to 15.0%, 6.1%, 6.3%, and 2.0% in urban, suburban, county, and rural areas, respectively. CONCLUSION:These findings highlight the importance of nutrition education and intervention for Chinese adults to improve their dietary structures and increase milk and dairy products intake to consume adequate calcium.

The microflow equipment monitored with micro X-ray computerized tomography (CT) is employed to investigate the microoccurrence of the irreducible water in a low-permeability sandstone core. By means of image segmentation and the three-dimensional (3D) image reconstruction technique, the visual microdistribution characteristics of irreducible water in two-dimensional (2D) slices and the 3D pore-throat system are quantitatively evaluated. Some interesting findings are list as below. Firstly, due to the variant micro geometric structures of the pore-throat systems, specific core slices showed significantly different irreducible water saturation even though these slices had same areal porosity. Secondly, due to the influence of capillary trapping and the existence of oil-wetting clay (main chlorite), the irreducible water saturation in the throat system (64%) is much larger than that in the pore system (36%). Furthermore, the wetting phase (irreducible water) did not spread all over the surface of the pore-throat network which caused a much more complicated oil-water two-phase interface. Thirdly, in micro scale, the main irreducible water occurrence mode in the pore system is much different from that in the throat system. In the pore system, the irreducible water principally existed in the corner of the pores which are linked through a water film. While in the throat system, the irreducible water occurrence is dominated by the water film. However, 25.5% of the throats are blocked by the irreducible water which cut off the crude oil drainage channels.

AIMS:The objective of this study was to investigate the longitudinal trajectory of BMI in the Chinese population, and to assess whether the gender or other personal characteristics were related to BMI, and whether there was a change in trajectory over time. METHODS:Data were obtained from 3,574 Chinese (5 to 89 years of age) who participated in the 2000-2011 of the China Health and Nutrition Survey. Latent growth curve models were used to investigate the longitudinal trajectory of BMI, and to examine the effect of some personal characteristics on BMI trajectory. RESULTS:The linear model resulted in a mean initial BMI value of 22.90 and a significant mean slope (Ms = 0.19, t = 10.73, p

Calcium acts as a universal second messenger in both developmental processes and responses to environmental stresses. Previous research has shown that a number of stimuli can induce [Ca2+] increases in both the cytoplasm and nucleus in plants. However, the relationship between cytosolic and nucleosolic calcium signaling remains obscure. Here, we generated transgenic plants containing a fusion protein, comprising rat parvalbumin (PV) with either a nuclear export sequence (PV-NES) or a nuclear localization sequence (NLS-PV), to selectively buffer the cytosolic or nucleosolic calcium. Firstly, we found that the osmotic stress-induced cytosolic [Ca2+] increase (OICIcyt) and the salt stress-induced cytosolic [Ca2+] increase (SICIcyt) were impaired in the PV-NES lines compared with the Arabidopsis wildtype (WT). Similarly, the osmotic stress-induced nucleosolic [Ca2+] increase (OICInuc) and salt stress-induced nucleosolic [Ca2+] increase (SICInuc) were also disrupted in the NLS-PV lines. These results indicate that PV can effectively buffer the increase of [Ca2+] in response to various stimuli in Arabidopsis. However, the OICIcyt and SICIcyt in the NLS-PV plants were similar to those in the WT, and the OICInuc and SICInuc in the PV-NES plants were also same as those in the WT, suggesting that the cytosolic and nucleosolic calcium dynamics are mutually independent. Furthermore, we found that osmotic stress- and salt stress-inhibited root growth was reduced dramatically in the PV-NES and NLS-PV lines, while the osmotic stress-induced increase of the lateral root primordia was higher in the PV-NES plants than either the WT or NLS-PV plants. In addition, several stress-responsive genes, namely CML37, DREB2A, MYB2, RD29A, and RD29B, displayed diverse expression patterns in response to osmotic and salt stress in the PV-NES and NLS-PV lines when compared with the WT. Together, these results imply that the cytosolic and nucleosolic calcium signaling coexist to play the pivotal roles in the growth and development of plants and their responses to environment stresses.

Icarisid II, one of the main active components of Herba Epimedii extracts, shows potent antitumor activity in various cancer cell lines, including osteosarcoma cells. However, the anticancer mechanism of icarisid II against osteosarcoma U2OS needs further exploration. This study aims to investigate further antitumor effects of icarisid II on human osteosarcoma cells and elucidate the underlying mechanism. We cultivated human osteosarcoma USO2 cells in vitro using different concentrations of icarisid II (0–30 µM). Cell viability was detected at 24, 48, and 72 h using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide analysis. Cell cycle was tested by flow cytometry after treatment with icarisid II for 48 h. Annexin V–allophycocyanin and 7-aminoactinomycin D staining were conducted to detect cell apoptosis. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot assay were performed to measure the levels of genes and proteins related to cell cycle and apoptosis. Results showed that icarisid II significantly inhibited the proliferation and induced apoptosis of human osteosarcoma U2OS cells. The half maximal inhibitory concentration values were 14.44, 11.02, and 7.37 µM at 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. Cell cycle was arrested in the G2/M phase in vitro. In addition, icarisid II upregulated the expression levels of P21 and CyclinB1 whereas downregulated the expression levels of CyclinD1, CDC2, and P-Cdc25C, which were related to cell cycle arrest in U2OS cells. The cell apoptotic rate increased in a dose-dependent manner after treatment with icarisid II for 48 h. Icarisid II induced apoptosis by upregulating Bax, downregulating Bcl-2, and activating apoptosis-related proteins, including cleaved caspase-3, caspase-7, caspase-9, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. These data indicate that icarisid II exhibits an antiproliferation effect on human osteosarcoma cells and induces apoptosis by activating the caspase family in a time- and dose-dependent manner in vitro. Therefore, icarisid II may be used as a candidate agent for the clinical treatment of osteosarcoma in the future.

Acyltransferases catalyze essential reactions in the buildup and remodeling of glycerophospholipids and contribute to the maintenance and diversity of cellular membranes. Transmembrane protein 68 (TMEM68) is an evolutionarily conserved protein of unknown function, that forms a distinct subgroup within the glycerophospholipid acyltransferase family. In the current study we expressed murine TMEM68 for the first time in mammalian cells to characterize its subcellular localization, topology, and possible biological function(s). We show that TMEM68 is an integral membrane protein and orients both, the N- and C-terminus towards the cytosol. Live cell imaging demonstrated that TMEM68 is localized mainly at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), but not at cellular lipid droplets (LDs). The positioning of TMEM68 at the ER was dependent on its first transmembrane domain (TMD), which by itself was sufficient to target cytosolic green fluorescence protein (GFP) to the ER. In contrast, a second TMD was dispensable for ER localization of TMEM68. Finally, we found that among multiple murine tissues the expression level of TMEM68 transcripts was highest in brain. We conclude that TMEM68 is an integral ER membrane protein and a putative acyltransferase involved in brain glycerolipid metabolism.

Among Kazakh-Chinese population in Xinjiang province of China, prevalence of obesity and hypertension were 40.1% and 50.3% respectively, the highest across all ethnic groups residing in this pastureland. Despite this, there remained a dearth of information regarding the association between the anthropometric measures [body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), Waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) etc.] and indicators for hypertension control [achieved levels of systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP and DBP), pulse pressure index (PPI), ankle-brachial index (ABI) etc.] among them.A cross-sectional study was conducted in Xinjiang to determine the distribution and inter-relationships of the anthropometric measures and indicators for achieved BP control as well as their predictors among hypertension patients of Kazakh-Chinese ethnicity. Out of 550 randomly selected patients, 516 completed the interview, anthropometry and BP assessments.In the sample population, average SBP, DBP and PP were 156.26±24.40mmHg, 87.55±14.73mmHg and 68.71±19.39mmHg respectively. Bivariate analysis identified age, gender, education, duration of hypertension, WC and BMI being factors influencing the achieved levels of BP. Adjusted multiple linear regression models elicited positive associations of age (βa = 0.152, p = 0.001) and duration of hypertension (βa = 0.132, p = 0.003) with achieved level of SBP as well as BMI (βa = 0.135, p = 0.002) with DBP. Age (βa = 0.207, p

In this work, the corrosion mechanism of a Cu-5Zn-5Al-1Sn alloy was examined in a 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. At the same time, the effect of a cysteine inhibitor was also investigated through a multi-analytical approach. Electrochemical results suggested that inhibition efficiency increased with the increase of cysteine concentration. From potentiodynamic polarization (PD) analysis, a decrease in corrosion current and corrosion potential shift toward a more negative direction was observed. The potential difference between the blank and inhibited surface was found to be 46 mV, which is less than 85 mV, revealing a mixed type inhibition effect of cysteine for the Cu-5Zn-5Al-1Sn alloy. The inhibition mechanism of cysteine (Cys) and the effect of alloying elements were investigated by fitting experimental impedance data according to a projected equivalent circuit for the alloy/electrolyte interface. A Langmuir adsorption isotherm was proposed to explain the inhibition phenomenon of cysteine on the Cu-5Zn-5Al-1Sn alloy surface. Surface morphology observation confirmed that the Cu-5Zn-5Al-1Sn alloy was damaged in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution and could be inhibited by using the cysteine inhibitor. The impact of alloying elements on the corrosion mechanism was further examined by surface analysis techniques such as X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)/Auger spectra, the results of which indicated that the corrosion inhibition was realized by the adsorption of the inhibitor molecules at the alloy/solution interface.

This work reports the enhanced emission at 2.7 µm in Er3+/Ho3+-codoped fluorotellurite glass upon a conventional 980 nm laser diode. The significantly reduced green upconversion and 1.5 µm emission intensity in Er3+/Ho3+-codoped samples are observed. The results suggest that the Er3+: 4I13/2 state can be efficiently depopulated via energy transfer from Er3+ to Ho3+ and the detailed energy transfer mechanisms are discussed qualitatively. The energy transfer efficiency from Er3+: 4I13/2 to Ho3+: 5I7 is calculated to be as high as 67.33%. The calculated emission cross-section in Er3+/Ho3+-codoped fluorotellurite glass is 1.82 × 10−20 cm2. This suggests that Er3+/Ho3+-codoped fluorotellurite glass is a potential material for 2.7 µm fiber laser.

Considering the importance of health literacy (HL) for the maximum yield from the hypertension control programs, development of a reliable and valid instrument of hypertension-related HL is critical. This study aimed to translate and validate the High Blood Pressure-Health Literacy Scale (HBP-HLS) into Chinese (C-HBP-HLS) and evaluate its psychometric properties in Chinese context.Between June 2013 and January 2014, a cross-sectional study was conducted among recruited hypertensive patients belonging to the Han and Kazakh-Chinese communities in Urumqi, Xinjiang, China.A pilot sample (n = 242) was selected for the exploratory factor analysis of the translated and modified instrument. Another sample (n = 308) was recruited for the confirmatory factor analysis. C-HBP-HLS consisted of five dimensions (Print Health Literacy, Medication Label, Understanding Ability, Newest Vital Sign Test, and Avoiding Food Allergy) containing 15 items, accounting for 77.7% of the total variance. The 5-factor model demonstrated a good overall fit. The scale-level content validity index was 0.85. Cronbach's alpha of the overall scale was 0.78 and test-retest reliability was 0.96. Education level had a strong positive correlation with the scores for items Q1, Q2, and Q3(r = 0.481, 0.492, 0.475, respectively). Health Literacy scores among Kazakh patients were significantly lower than Han (7.13±7.90 vs. 30.10±13.42, Z = -14.573, P