Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis of factors affecting the use of e-cigarettes among college students in Guangdong province.

INTRODUCTION: In recent years, e-cigarettes as an emerging tobacco product have been favored by college students. Our study aims to explore the factors affecting the use of e-cigarettes among college students and to put forward feasible suggestions for effectively controlling the use of e-cigarettes among college students. METHODS: The participating students were from three undergraduate and three specialized colleges in Guangdong Province, surveyed from January to March 2022. The Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) method was used to analyze the influence mechanism and path of five antecedents: self-efficacy, social environment, cognition, sales environment, and negative outcome expectation, on the use of e-cigarettes. The fsQCA used in this study is a novel research methodology that combines the strengths of qualitative and quantitative analyses, through which we can determine which conditions are essential to the outcomes that lead to e-cigarette use among college students, and which combinations of conditions are more important than others. RESULTS: The interaction of self-efficacy, social environment, cognition, sales environment, and negative outcome expectation, affected college students' use of e-cigarettes. Through the fsQCA method, it was found that self-efficacy alone constitutes a necessary condition for college students not to use e-cigarettes. There are four possible pathways for college students not to use e-cigarettes, with higher self-efficacy, correct cognition, and a healthy social environment influencing the most important combination of conditions for college students to use e-cigarettes. CONCLUSIONS: The use of e-cigarettes by students in Guangdong Province is the result of the synergistic effect of multiple factors. Tobacco control action suggestions focus on improving students' self-efficacy and paying attention to the combination of different factors to achieve more effective tobacco control.

Thirdhand smoke beliefs, exposure status and associated factors among young people in China: A cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Thirdhand smoke is an emerging threat to global public health. There is no research on young people's exposure to thirdhand smoke in China. This study aims to investigate the exposure status and beliefs of thirdhand smoke among young Chinese people and provide a reference for policy regarding thirdhand smoke. METHODS: Data from the 2022 Chinese Resident Psychological and Behavioral Survey were used to select young people aged 15-24 years. A total of 11781 subjects were included in this study. Demographic information, beliefs about thirdhand smoke, and exposure status to thirdhand smoke were investigated. RESULTS: Among the participants, 47.8% reported being exposed to thirdhand smoke (males: 49.1%, females: 47.0%). Young people living in urban areas (AOR=0.84, 95% CI: 0.77-0.91, p<0.001) and those with a monthly family income >12000 RMB (AOR=0.81, 95% CI: 0.71-0.92, p=0.001) were less likely to be exposed to thirdhand smoke. Young people with junior high school education or higher, and current or former smokers, were more likely to be exposed to thirdhand smoke. There is room for improvement in the beliefs about thirdhand smoke among young people. CONCLUSIONS: Thirdhand smoke exposure is an issue that should be addressed in public health policy. Young people with low income and current or former smokers are populations that should be mainly focused on in public education and prevention work on thirdhand smoke.

Comparative Analysis on Low- and Standard-Dose Regimes of Alteplase Thrombolytic Therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke: Efficacy and Safety.

OBJECTIVE: This study analyzed the efficacy and safety of low-dose and standard-dose alteplase intravenous thrombolytic therapy for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). METHODS: Patients with AIS who underwent intravenous alteplase thrombolysis from July 2012 to December 2016 were retrospectively analyzed and correspondingly divided into low-dose (0.6-0.89 mg/kg) group and standard-dose group (0.9 mg/kg) according to alteplase dosage. The clinical outcome was evaluated by modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 90 days after onset. The safety index was the mortality at 90 days after onset and the incidence of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH) within 7 days. RESULTS: A total of 1,486 patients were included (1,115 cases in low-dose group and 371 cases in standard-dose group). There were no significant differences in baseline data between the 2 groups. As mRS, good outcome rate as well as mortality rate in both groups had no significant difference (36.1 vs. 37.6%; χ2 = 10.882, p = 0.890; 5.5 vs. 7.3%; χ2 = 2.163, p = 0.076), but the incidence of SICH in low-dose group was significantly lower than that of the standard-dose group (2.2 vs. 5.9%; χ2 = 3.157, p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The efficacy of low-dose alteplase intravenous thrombolytic therapy for AIS was equivalent to the standard-dose regimen but with higher safety.

Loss of Heterozygosity of 9p Is Associated with Poorer Survival in Patients with Gliomas.

The prognostic factors associated with the survival of glioma patients have not been well established. Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of 9p was known to be a typical molecular signature of gliomas, but it was still unclear whether LOH of 9p was associated with poorer survival in patients with gliomas. We searched PubMed and Embase databases from the earliest records to May 2015 to identify studies that met the inclusion criteria. Either a fixed- or a random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled hazard ratio (HR) according to the between-study heterogeneity. Thirteen eligible studies involving 1465 cases of gliomas were included in the meta-analysis. There was little between-study heterogeneity (I 2 = 15 %), and the fixed-effects model was used to calculate the pooled HR. Meta-analysis of total 13 studies showed that LOH of 9p was significantly associated with poorer prognosis of glioma patients (HR = 1.39, 95%CI 1.17-1.64, P = 0.0002). Meta-analysis of eight studies reporting adjusted estimates showed that LOH of 9p was independently associated with poorer prognosis of glioma patients (HR = 1.40, 95%CI 1.14-1.72, P = 0.001). Subgroup analysis by types of gliomas showed that LOH of 9p was significantly associated with poorer prognosis in patients with glioblastoma (HR = 1.34, 95%CI 1.01-1.78, P = 0.04). There was no obvious risk of publication bias shown in the funnel plot. LOH of 9p is significantly associated with poorer prognosis of glioma patients, which is a useful biomarker in predicting patients' survival.

Human age­related cataracts: epigenetic suppression of the nuclear factor erythroid 2­related factor 2­mediated antioxidant system.

Human aging is a multifactorial process. The most prominent effects of aging include visual impairments, particularly age­related cataracts (ARC). Several studies have reported that oxidative stress and failure of the antioxidant system are the major factors contributing to lens oxidation. The present study focused on the nuclear factor erythroid 2­related factor 2 (Nrf2)/kelch­like ECH­associated protein 1 (Keap1)­mediated antioxidant system and its failure in aging lenses. The protein levels, gene expression and methylation status of Nrf2/Keap1 were investigated in human lenses from different age groups. Human lens epithelial cells were collected from different age groups ranging between 15 and 80 years and cataract lenses were also collected for the comparative study. The results demonstrated significantly lower protein and gene expression levels of Nrf2 in lenses of increasing age; however, a significant increase in the expression of the Nrf2 regulator, Keap1, was observed. Based on these results, the present study then aimed to investigate the underlying mechanisms. A gene specific DNA methylation study was performed in cataractous lenses of different ages, which revealed significantly increased levels of demethylated DNA in the Keap1 promoter with increasing age. Notably, the results from cataract lenses demonstrated significant demethylation of the Keap1 promoter, which was also reflected in the results of clear lenses aged between 66 and 80 years. These results suggested that demethylation in the Keap1 promoter region activated the expression of the Keap1 protein, which then increased the targeting of Nrf2 for proteasomal degradation. Therefore, decreased activity of Nrf2 restrained the transcription of its downstream antioxidant enzyme and led to the failure of the antioxidant system, ultimately leading to the formation of ARCs.