Novel thawing method of ultrasound-assisted slightly basic electrolyzed water improves the processing quality of frozen shrimp compared with traditional thawing approaches.

Thawing is the primary step in handling frozen aquatic products, which directly determines their end-product quality. This study firstly constructed a novel thawing method of ultrasound-assisted slightly basic electrolyzed water (UST), and its influences on the physicochemical and histological properties of shrimp, as well as the structural of myofibrillar proteins (MPs) in shrimp were evaluated. Results indicated that the UST treatment greatly reduced 48.9 % thawing time of frozen shrimp compared to traditional thawing approaches. Meanwhile, the UST effectively decreased the generation of malondialdehyde (MDA), total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), and carbonyl compounds in the thawed shrimps. In addition, it significantly preserved the elasticity and integrity of muscle fiber. Notably, the UST reduced the damage of thawing to the spatial structures of MPs, thereby greatly keeping the stability of protein. All these favorable changes maintained the water holding capacity (WHC) and quality of shrimp. Therefore, the UST is a promising non-thermal thawing technology for aquatic products.

School belonging mediates the association between negative school climate and depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents: a national population-based longitudinal study.

Background: A negative school climate is an important factor affecting students' mental health. However, few studies have focused on the mechanisms underlying the relationship. This study aimed to explore the mediating effect of school belonging on the association between negative school climate and depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents, using a nationwide longitudinal survey. Methods: We conducted a longitudinal study using data from the 2013 (T1) and 2014 (T2) waves of the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS). A negative school climate was assessed by school administrators' reports. School belonging and depressive symptoms were evaluated using adolescents' self-reports. We used a cross-lagged panel model to explore the mediating effect of school belonging on the association between negative school climate and depressive symptoms, adjusting for a set of covariates. Results: In total, 7,049 Chinese adolescents with a mean age of 12.9 years were included in this study. The results of the cross-lagged model showed that negative school climate at T1 was significantly negatively associated with school belonging at T2 (ß = -0.089, 95%CI = -0.111--0.067, p < 0.001), and was positively associated with depressive symptoms at T2 (ß = 0.032, 95%CI = 0.012-0.054, p = 0.002). In addition, school belonging at T1 was significantly negatively associated with depressive symptoms at T2 (ß = -0.025, 95%CI = -0.050--0.001, p = 0.045). Mediation analysis showed that school belonging played a mediating role in the association between negative school climate and depressive symptoms (ß = 0.002, 95%CI = 0.001-0.005, p = 0.041). Conclusion: Among Chinese adolescents, a negative school climate is associated with a greater risk of depressive symptoms. Improving school belonging may be helpful in decreasing the impact of a negative school climate on depressive symptoms in adolescents.

The bi-directional relationships between diversified leisure activity participation and cognitive function in older adults in China: separating between-person effects from within-person effects.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the bi-directorial association between diversified leisure activity participation and cognitive function over a 7-year period. METHODS: Data analyzed was from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), a large-scale longitudinal national study. The baseline survey was conducted in 2011 with follow-up every three years. We traced a total of 2718 participants over a period of 7 years. We used adjusted random intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPMs) to examine the bi-directorial associations between diversified leisure activity participation and cognitive function. RESULTS: We observed bi-directorial associations between diversity of leisure activity and cognitive function across waves at the between-person and within-person levels. The adjusted random intercept cross-lagged panel models fitted the data appropriately, and the 3-year cross-lagged effects of prior diversified leisure activity participation on cognitive function (ß = 0.058, p < 0.01) and cognitive function on subsequent diversified leisure activity participation (ß = 0.047, p < 0.05) were significant. The results remained after adjusting the model for baseline sex, age, educational level, marital status and current residence, the number of chronic diseases, ADL, depressive symptoms, sleep quality, smoking, and drinking. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that a reciprocal causality relationship between diversified leisure activity participation and cognitive function, indicating a "positive circle" that further promotes cognition over time.

Risk factors of recurrence after incisional hernia preperitoneal repair: a long-term retrospective single-center cohort study.

PURPOSE: To explore the risk factors for incisional hernia (IH) recurrence following open prepertioneal repair. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with primary IH who underwent open preperitoneal repair at our hospital were enrolled. Patients were assessed, and perioperative factors were collected. Recurrence surveys were performed at regular intervals throughout the long-term postoperative follow-up. The risk factors for IH recurrence were identified using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: This study included 145 patients. Significant differences were found between recurrence and non-recurrence patients regarding pulmonary ventilation function (PVT), age, body mass index (BMI), mesh materials, type of surgery (clean, clean-contaminated, or contaminated), surgical site infections (SSIs), maximum width of the hernia defect (MWHD), and site of incisional hernia (P < 0.01). The univariate survival analysis revealed that PVT abnormalities, age > 70 years, BMI > 27 kg/m2, porcine small intestine submucosal (PSIS) mesh, non-clean surgery, SSIs, MWHD > 10 cm, and location in the lateral zones were significant factors for IH recurrence after open preperitoneal repair. The multivariate survival analysis showed that PVT abnormalities, age > 70 years, BMI > 27 kg/m2, and PSIS mesh were independent risk factors for IH recurrence after open preperitoneal repair. CONCLUSIONS: We identified PVT abnormalities, age > 70 years, BMI > 27 kg/m2, and PSIS mesh as novel risk factors for IH recurrence after open preperitoneal repair.

Non-linear associations of serum spermidine with type 2 diabetes mellitus and fasting plasma glucose: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Previous animal experiments have demonstrated the potential of spermidine to mitigate glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and hyperinsulinemia. However, there remains a scarcity of epidemiological evidence supporting these findings. Therefore, we aimed to elucidate the associations of serum spermidine with T2DM and FPG. Materials and methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted from June to August 2019 in the rural areas of Fuxin County, Liaoning Province, China. A total of 4,437 participants were included in the study. The serum spermidine was detected using high-performance liquid chromatography with a fluorescence detector. FPG was measured using the hexokinase method. T2DM was defined as participants with a FPG level of 7.0 mmol/L or greater, or self-reported diagnosis of diabetes by a doctor. Restricted cubic spline model and piecewise linear regression model were used to explore the associations of serum spermidine with T2DM and FPG, respectively. Results: The mean (SD) age of the participants was 59.3 (10.0) years, with 622 out of 4,437 participants being defined as T2DM. The serum spermidine in participants stratified by age and BMI categories was significantly different, with p values of 0.006 and 0.001, respectively. Among all the participants, the association of serum spermidine with T2DM was J-shaped. The log (spermidine) was negatively associated with T2DM (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.52 to 0.92, p = 0.01) below the inflection point, while log (spermidine) was not significantly associated with T2DM (OR = 1.97, 95% CI: 0.93 to 4.15, p = 0.07) above the inflection point. Among the participants without T2DM, the association of serum spermidine with FPG was inverted J-shaped. The log (spermidine) was positively associated with FPG (ß = 0.13, 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.21, p = 0.001) below the inflection point, while log (spermidine) was negatively associated with FPG (ß = -0.29, 95% CI: -0.42 to -0.16, p < 0.001) above the inflection point. Conclusion: In conclusion, non-linear associations of serum spermidine with T2DM and FPG were found in the cross-sectional study in Chinese rural adults. This provided insights into the use of spermidine for the prevention of T2DM, highlighting the potential role in public health prevention strategies of spermidine.

Bi-directional association between outdoor or social activities and cognitive function: do the PM2.5 exposure catalyze the detrimental inactivity-poor cognition cycle?

BACKGROUND: Previous research has shown that lack of leisure activities, either outdoor or social activities, impedes cognitive function. However, the interrelationship between poor cognition and deficient activities is understudied. In addition, whether exposure to air pollution, such as PM2.5, can accelerate the detrimental 'inactivity-poor cognition' cycle, is worthy of investigation. METHODS: We used data from the 2008, 2011, 2014, and 2018 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). We assessed the frequency of outdoor or social activities at each wave. The cognitive function was examined using a China-Modified Mini-mental State Examination. We estimated the residential exposure to fine particular matter (PM2.5) via a satellite-based model. We applied cross-lagged panel (CLP) model to examine the bi-directional relationship between outdoor or social activities and cognitive function. We then examined the effect of PM2.5 exposure with sequent cognitive function and activities using generalized estimation equation (GEE) model. FINDINGS: Overall, we observed significant bi-directional associations between outdoor or social activities and cognitive function. Participants with better cognitive function in the last wave were more likely to engage in outdoor or social activities in the following wave (outdoor activities: ß = 0.37, 95% CI [0.27,0.48], P < 0.01; social activities: ß = 0.05, 95% CI [0.02,0.09] P < 0.01). Meanwhile, higher engagement in outdoor or social activities in the last wave was associated with more favorable cognitive function in the following wave (outdoor activities: ß = 0.06, 95% CI [0.03,0.09], P < 0.01; social activities: ß = 0.10, 95% CI [0.03,0.18], P < 0.01). Notably, an increase in PM2.5 exposure during the preceding year was significantly associated with a declining cognitive function (ß = -0.05, 95% CI [-0.08,-0.03], P < 0.01), outdoor activities (ß = -0.02, 95% CI [-0.04, -0.01], P < 0.01) and social activities (ß = -0.02, 95% CI [-0.02, -0.01], P < 0.01) in the current year; the lagged effects of the PM2.5 exposure in the past year of the last wave on activities and cognitive function of the following wave were also observed. INTERPRETATION: Our findings not only indicate the bi-directional links between the frequency of outdoor or social activities and cognitive function, but also report that PM2.5 exposure plays a role in catalyzing the detrimental inactivity-poor cognition cycle. Future research should investigate whether the policy-driven interventions, such as clean air policies, can break the unfavorable activity-cognition cycle, and thereby promoting health from the dual gains in leisure activities and cognition.

Endothelial mesenchymal transition promotes pannus formation in ankylosing spondylitis by activation of TGF-ß/SMAD signalling pathway.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the role of endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) mediated by the TGF-ß/SMAD signalling pathway in the pathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). METHODS: Serum levels of TGF-ß1 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 48 patients with AS and 15 healthy subjects. The expression levels of TGF-ß1, SMAD7, CTGF, CD34 and EndMT-related markers (α-SMA, vimentin, FSP-1, VE-cadherin) in the sacroiliac joint (SIJ) of three AS patients were detected by immunohistochemistry, and three non-spondyloarthritis (SpA) autopsy samples were used as controls. RESULTS: Serum TGF-ß1 level of AS patients was significantly higher than that of healthy controls (22971 ± 7667 pg/ml vs. 14837±4653 pg/ml, p<0.01). Compared with the non-SpA control group, the microvascular density (MVD) at the pannus formation site of SIJ in AS patients was significantly increased, accompanied by respectively increased expressions of TGF-ß1, CTGF, α-SMA, vimentin, and FSP-1 (all p<0.05), whereas respectively decreased expressions of VE-cadherin and SMAD7 (p<0.01). The expression level of FSP-1 was positively correlated with levels of TGF-ß1 and MVD, and negatively correlated with SMAD7. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that EndMT is involved in the promotion of pannus formation by TGF-ß/SMAD signalling pathway activation in AS.

Associations between cooking fuel use, its transitions, and worsening sensory impairments among Chinese middle-aged and older adults: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to explore the associations between household air pollution (HAP), measured by cooking fuel use, sensory impairments (SI), and their transitions in Chinese middle-aged and older adults. METHODS: Participants were recruited from the 2011 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) and were subsequently followed up until 2018. Data on SI were collected by self-reported hearing and vision impairments, which were divided into three categories: non-SI, single SI (hearing or vision impairment), and dual SI (DSI). Cooking fuels, including solid and clean fuels, are proxies for HAP. The transitions of cooking fuels and SI refer to the switching of the fuel type or SI status from baseline to follow-up. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to explore associations, and hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to evaluate the strength of the association. RESULTS: The prevalence of non-SI, single SI, and DSI was 59.6%, 31.8%, and 8.6%, respectively, among the 15,643 participants at baseline in this study. Over a median follow-up of 7.0 years, 5,223 worsening SI transitions were observed. In the fully adjusted model, solid fuel use for cooking was associated with a higher risk of worsening SI transitions, including from non-SI to single SI (HR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.01-1.16) and from non-SI to DSI (HR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.09-1.47), but not from single SI to DSI. In addition, compared to those who always used solid fuels, participants who switched from solid to clean fuel for cooking appeared to have attenuated the risk of worsening SI transitions. The statistical significance of the associations remained in the set of sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION: Solid fuel use was associated with higher risks of worsening SI transitions, while converting the type of cooking fuel from solid to clean fuels may reduce the risk of worsening SI transitions. Our study suggests that tailored clean fuel interventions, especially in developing countries, should be implemented to prevent sensory impairments and hence reduce the burden of sensory impairment-related disability.

Combined effects of vitamin D deficiency and systemic inflammation on all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality in older adults.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency and systemic inflammation share common pathological mechanisms in muscle loss, cardio-pulmonary function decline, and abnormal metabolism, which are linked to chronic conditions, senescence, and early mortality. However, their combined effect on mortality in older adults has not been well established. This study longitudinal aimed to explore the independent and combined associations of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) with mortality risk in Chinese community-based older people. METHODS: 3072 older adults (86.07 ± 11.87 years, 54.52% female) from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (2012-2018) were enrolled. Baseline 25(OH)D and hs-CRP levels were collected, and survival information was recorded in the 2014 and 2018 follow-up waves. Cox proportional hazard regressions were conducted to explore the associations between 25(OH)D, hs-CRP, and mortality. Demographic characteristics, health behaviors, and chronic disease biomarkers were adjusted. RESULTS: During 10,622.3 person-years of follow-up (median: 3.51 years), 1321 older adults died, including 448 deaths due to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Increased mortality risk was associated with lower 25(OH)D and higher hs-CRP quantiles, even after adjusting for each other and multiple covariates (all P-trend < 0.05). In combined analyses, the highest all-cause mortality (HR: 2.18, 95% CI: 1.73 ~ 2.56), CVD mortality (HR: 2.30, 95% CI: 1.64 ~ 3.21), and non-CVD mortality (HR: 2.19, 95% CI: 1.79 ~ 2.49) were obtained in participants with both 25(OH)D deficiency (< 50 nmol/L) and high hs-CRP (≥ 3.0 mg/L), respectively. We observed significant additive interactions of 25(OH)D and hs-CRP on all-cause mortality and non-CVD mortality (RERIS>0). CONCLUSIONS: Low 25(OH)D and high hs-CRP, both independently and jointly, increase mortality risk in Chinese community-dwelling older adults. Thus, priority should be given to early detection and appropriate intervention in older individuals with combined vitamin D deficiency and systemic inflammation. Molecular mechanisms of related adverse health effect are worthy of further investigation.

Comprehensive assessment of fine motor movement and cognitive function among older adults in China: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Fine motor skills are closely related to cognitive function. However, there is currently no comprehensive assessment of fine motor movement and how it corresponds with cognitive function. To conduct a complete assessment of fine motor and clarify the relationship between various dimensions of fine motor and cognitive function. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study with 267 community-based participants aged ≥ 60 years in Beijing, China. We assessed four tests performance and gathered detailed fine motor indicators using Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) motion capture technology. The wearable MEMS device provided us with precise fine motion metrics, while Chinese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was used to assess cognitive function. We adopted logistic regression to analyze the relationship between fine motor movement and cognitive function. RESULTS: 129 (48.3%) of the participants had cognitive impairment. The vast majority of fine motor movements have independent linear correlations with MoCA-BJ scores. According to logistic regression analysis, completion time in the Same-pattern tapping test (OR = 1.033, 95%CI = 1.003-1.063), Completion time of non-dominant hand in the Pieces flipping test (OR = 1.006, 95%CI = 1.000-1.011), and trajectory distance of dominant hand in the Pegboard test (OR = 1.044, 95%CI = 1.010-1.068), which represents dexterity, are related to cognitive impairment. Coordination, represented by lag time between hands in the Same-pattern tapping (OR = 1.663, 95%CI = 1.131-2.444), is correlated with cognitive impairment. Coverage in the Dual-hand drawing test as an important indicator of stability is negatively correlated with cognitive function (OR = 0.709, 95%CI = 0.6501-0.959). Based on the above 5-feature model showed consistently high accuracy and sensitivity at the MoCA-BJ score (ACU = 0.80-0.87). CONCLUSIONS: The results of a comprehensive fine-motor assessment that integrates dexterity, coordination, and stability are closely related to cognitive functioning. Fine motor movement has the potential to be a reliable predictor of cognitive impairment.

The Performance of Cellulose Composite Membranes and Their Application in Drinking Water Treatment.

Water scarcity and water pollution have become increasingly severe, and therefore, the purification of water resources has recently garnered increasing attention. Given its position as a major water resource, the efficient purification of drinking water is of crucial importance. In this study, we adopted a phase transition method to prepare ZrO2/BCM (bamboo cellulose membranes), after which we developed IP-ZrO2/BC-NFM (bamboo cellulose nanofiltration membranes) through interfacial polymerization using piperazine (PIP) and tricarbonyl chloride (TMC). Subsequently, we integrated these two membranes to create a combined "ultrafiltration + nanofiltration" membrane process for the treatment of drinking water. The membrane combination process was conducted at 25 °C, with ultrafiltration at 0.1 MPa and nanofiltration at 0.5 MPa. This membrane combination, featuring "ultrafiltration + nanofiltration," had a significant impact on reducing turbidity, consistently maintaining the post-filtration turbidity of drinking water at or below 0.1 NTU. Furthermore, the removal rates for CODMN and ammonia nitrogen reached 75% and 88.6%, respectively, aligning with the standards for high-quality drinking water. In a continuous 3 h experiment, the nanofiltration unit exhibited consistent retention rates for Na2SO4 and bovine serum protein (BSA), with variations of less than 5%, indicating exceptional separation performance. After 9 h of operation, the water flux of the nanofiltration unit began to stabilize, with a decrease rate of approximately 25%, demonstrating that the "ultrafiltration + nanofiltration" membrane combination can maintain consistent performance during extended use. In conclusion, the "ultrafiltration + nanofiltration" membrane combination exhibited remarkable performance in the treatment of drinking water, offering a viable solution to address issues related to water scarcity and water pollution.

Relationship between readiness for interprofessional learning and academic self-efficacy among nursing students: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Modern medicine emphasizes that medical professionals engage in interprofessional collaboration to better meet the diverse needs of patients from physical, psychological, and social perspectives. As nursing students are the future reserve of the clinical nursing workforce, nursing educators worldwide should pay close attention to nursing students' interprofessional learning attitudes and take responsibility for training qualified interprofessional nursing personnel. However, little is known about the relationship between nursing students' readiness for interprofessional learning and academic self-efficacy. Thus, this study aims to investigate the level of readiness for interprofessional learning and academic self-efficacy among nursing students, and to explore the relationship between the two. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a sample of 741 undergraduate nursing students pursuing four-year degrees from a school in Jinan, Shandong Province, China from November to December 2021. The social-demographic questionnaire, Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale, and Academic Self-efficacy Scale were used for data collection. Descriptive statistics used to analyze the data included: Cronbach's alpha, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: Readiness for interprofessional learning mean score was (3.91 ± 0.44) and mean academic self-efficacy was (3.47 ± 0.42). Significant differences were found in the research variables according to participants' sex, grade, choice of nursing profession, and frequency of communication with health-related major students in studies (p < 0.05, p < 0.001). Pearson correlation analysis showed that academic self-efficacy was positively related to readiness for interprofessional learning (r = 0.316, p < 0.01). The hierarchical regression analysis showed that academic self-efficacy was positively related to readiness for interprofessional learning (ß = 0.307, p < 0.001), The model explained 15.6% of the variance in readiness for interprofessional learning (F = 18.038, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Readiness for interprofessional learning and academic self-efficacy were in the middle level among nursing students. Moreover, there was a significant positive correlation between the two. Therefore, it is very important for nursing educators to improve nursing students' academic self-efficacy before improving their readiness for interprofessional learning.

Relationship Between eHealth Literacy and Healthy Aging in Older Chinese People: The Mediating Effect of Health Behaviors.

OBJECTIVES: Healthy aging is an important means of promoting the well-being of older individuals. However, no studies have examined the relationship between eHealth literacy and healthy aging or its mechanism. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the relationship between eHealth literacy and healthy aging and the mediating effect of health behaviors in older Chinese individuals. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: We recruited 2144 older individuals from Jinan, Shandong Province, China. METHODS: We used the eHealth Literacy Scale to assess eHealth literacy. Healthy aging was evaluated based on multimorbidity, functional limitations, mild cognitive impairment, depressive symptoms, and social isolation. Moreover, health behaviors were assessed using the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile. Logistic and linear regression models were used to analyze the relationships between eHealth literacy, healthy aging, and its components. Finally, a structural equation model was used to analyze the mediation. RESULTS: High eHealth literacy was associated with all healthy aging components (P < .05), including the absence of multimorbidity [odds ratio (OR), 1.014; 95% CI, 1.002-1.025], no functional limitation (OR, 1.035; 95% CI, 1.022-1.047), no mild cognitive impairment (OR, 1.042; 95% CI, 1.024-1.061), no depressive symptoms (OR, 1.049; 95% CI, 1.027-1.072), and no social isolation (OR, 1.033; 95% CI, 1.018-1.048). In the adjusted model, eHealth literacy (ß = 0.174; 95% CI, 0.132-0.217) was positively correlated with healthy aging. Health behaviors had a partial mediating effect on the relationship between eHealth literacy and healthy aging. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Higher eHealth literacy was associated with better healthy aging in older Chinese individuals, and health behaviors mediated this relationship. Improving eHealth literacy may be an effective intervention for achieving healthy aging.

Housing Environmental Factors Driving Falls Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A National Cohort Study.

Background and Objectives: Housing is one of the main places where falls occur; however, few studies have examined housing environmental factors driving fall risk. This study aimed to explore the associations between housing environmental factors and falls in China. Research Design and Methods: The study included data of middle-aged and older adults aged ≥45 years from 4 waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. We assessed 7 housing environmental factors: building materials, toilet types, household tidiness, household cooking fuels, and access to electricity, running water, and bathing facilities. Based on these, we divided housing environments into 3 types: good (0-2 poor factors), moderate (3-5 poor factors), and poor (6-7 poor factors). Falls incidence (yes or no) was self-reported during the survey period. We applied the Cox proportional hazard model to estimate the associations, adjusting for a set of covariates such as sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyles, and disease status. Results: A total of 12,382 participants were analyzed, and the incidence of falls was 31.7%. According to the fully adjusted model, having a squatting toilet (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03-1.26), household untidiness (HR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.01-1.18), and solid fuel use for cooking (HR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.02-1.18) were associated with a higher risk of falls (ps < .05), compared to their counterparts. We found a linear relationship between housing environments and falls (p for trend = .001). Specifically, moderate (HR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.06-1.27) and poor housing environments (HR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.08-1.34) were associated with a higher risk of falls compared to a good housing environment. Discussion and Implications: Among middle-aged and older Chinese adults, a better household environment, including sitting toilets, tidy living conditions, and clean fuel use for cooking, may reduce the risk of falls. The evidence from our study suggests the need to implement age-friendly housing environments to prevent falls and disability in an aging society.

Association between dietary intake and symptoms of depression and anxiety in pregnant women: Evidence from a community-based observational study.

Dietary intake is considered as a crucial factor affecting mental health symptoms, particularly depression and anxiety symptoms, especially in the case of pregnant women. This study explored the role of dietary intake in depression and anxiety symptoms of pregnant women and provided evidence for primary care interventions. We enrolled 806 pregnant women in their third trimester from 14 communities in Hengyang City, Hunan Province, China, from July 2019 to September 2019. The Chinese version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder questionnaire-7 (GAD-7) were used to assess depression and anxiety symptoms. Dietary intake, demographic characteristics, BMI, and pregnancy characteristics were collected using a self-designed, structural questionnaire. A covariate-adjusted logistic regression was conducted to examine the relationship between mental health symptoms and dietary intake. The prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms in our population were 7.7% (95% CI: 5.9%-9.5%) and 9.2% (95% CI: 7.2%-11.2%), respectively. Women consuming eggs and egg products once a week (OR: 3.688, 95% CI: 1.476-9.215) were more likely to have depression symptom than consumed eggs and egg products once or more per day. Consuming green leafy vegetable <2-3 times per month had a significantly greater risk for depression symptoms than consuming the same once or more per day (OR: 3.450, 95% CI: 1.145-10.393). Women who consumed eggs and egg products 2-3 times a week had an increased likelihood of experiencing anxiety symptoms (OR: 2.253, 95% CI: 1.049-4.837). Anxiety symptoms in women consuming green leafy vegetables <2-3 times per month probably increased by 3.988 times (95% CI: 1.327-11.985) compared with women consuming the same once or more per day. Consuming salted and smoked food <2-3 times per month was protective against anxiety symptoms (OR: 0.181, 95% CI: 0.040-0.828) than consuming the same every day. Implementing interventions to promote healthy dietary among pregnant women is crucial due to its association with mental health. However, future researches are warranted to confirm the reliability and causal association obtained in this study.

5-bit all-optical quantum random number generator based on a time-multiplexed optical parametric oscillator.

Random numbers are of critical importance in many applications, including secure communication, photonics computing and cryptography. Due to the non-deterministic nature of the quantum processes, a degenerate optical parametric oscillator (DOPO) constitutes a solution to produce true randomness. Nevertheless, one of the existing challenges for DOPO in this field is bit sequence scalability. Here, we experimentally report on the generation of 5-bit random number streams in a time-multiplexed femtosecond DOPO system. A multi-pass cell is added to elongate the OPO cavity to scale up the bit sequences. To this end, for a ∼15 m long all free space OPO cavity, resonating 5 signal pulses with a repetition rate of 50 MHz is demonstrated. The above-threshold binary phase nature originates from vacuum fluctuations of a DOPO ensuring the randomness of the system. The phase state of the output is characterized by the interference pattern between the output pulses and the fundamental pump pulses. Different bit sequences are presented here by turning on and off the OPO. Conditional probability is performed to verify the randomness of the output for 1200 bits. Our scheme provides a new direction for an all-optical random number generator.

The impact of urban-rural medical insurance integration on medical impoverishment: evidence from China.

BACKGROUND: Financial protection is a key dimension of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), and social medical insurance is an effective measure to provide financial protection. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of urban-rural medical insurance integration on medical impoverishment in China. METHODS: We collected the time of integration policy in 337 prefecture-level cities across China, combined with the longitudinal database of China Labor-force Dynamics Survey (CLDS) from 2012-2016, and used a difference-in-differences (DID) method with multiple time periods at the city level to study the effect of urban-rural medical insurance integration on the medical impoverishment. Besides, to explore the heterogeneity of policy effects across populations, we conducted subgroup analyses based on respondents' age, household registration, and whether they were rural-urban migrants. FINDINGS: A total of 8,397 samples were included in the study. The integration policy has significantly reduced the incidence of medical impoverishment (average treatment effect on the treated (ATT) = - 0.055, p < 0.05). Subgroup analysis showed that the impacts on medical impoverishment varied by age group, and the integration policy has more effect on older people than on younger people (ATT for age 15-34 = - 0.018, p > 0.05; ATT for age 35-54 = - 0.042, p < 0.05; ATT for age 55-64 = - 0.163, p < 0.01). Moreover, the impacts also varied by household registration. The integration policy has a more significant impact on rural residents (ATT for rural = - 0.067, p < 0.05) compared to urban residents (ATT for urban = - 0.007, p > 0.05). Additionally, the policy has a bigger influence on rural-urban migrants (ATT for rural-urban migrated = - 0.086, p < 0.05) than on those who have not migrated (ATT for rural-urban unmigrated = - 0.071, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: China's policy of integrating urban-rural medical insurance has been successful in reducing medical impoverishment, especially for older age, rural, and rural-urban migrated people. It can be speculated that the integrating policy may be adapted to other similar settings in developing countries to reduce medical impoverishment.

Gut microbiome and frailty: insight from genetic correlation and mendelian randomization.

Observational studies have shown that the gut microbiome is associated with frailty. However, whether these associations underlie causal effects remains unknown. Thus, this study aimed to assess the genetic correlation and causal relationships between the genetically predicted gut microbiome and frailty using linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) and Mendelian Randomization (MR). Summary statistics for the gut microbiome were obtained from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis of the MiBioGen consortium (N = 18,340). Summary statistics for frailty were obtained from a GWAS meta-analysis, including the UK Biobank and TwinGene (N = 175,226). We used LDSC and MR analyses to estimate the genetic correlation and causality between the genetically predicted gut microbiome and frailty. Our findings indicate a suggestive genetic correlation between Christensenellaceae R-7 and frailty. Moreover, we found evidence for suggestive causal effects of twelve genus-level gut microbes on frailty using at least two MR methods. There was no evidence of horizontal pleiotropy or heterogeneity in the MR analysis. This study provides suggestive evidence for a potential genetic correlation and causal association between several genetically predicted gut microbes and frailty. More population-based observational studies and animal experiments are required to clarify this association and the underlying mechanisms.

Plant-based dietary pattern and low muscle mass: a nation-wide cohort analysis of Chinese older adults.

BACKGROUND: It remains unclear whether plant-based or animal-based dietary patterns are more beneficial for older adults more in maintaining muscle mass. Using a prospective cohort with nationwide sample of China older adults in this study, we aimed to examine the relationship between adhering to plant-based diet patterns or animal-based diet patterns and muscle loss. METHODS: We included 2771 older adults (≥ 65 years) from the Chinese Longitudinal Health Longevity Survey (CLHLS) with normal muscle mass at baseline (2011 and 2014 waves), which followed up into 2018. Plant-based dietary pattern scores and preference subgroups were constructed using 16 common animal-based and plant-based food frequencies. We used the corrected appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) prediction formula to assess muscle mass. We applied the Cox proportional hazard risk regression to explore associations between dietary patterns and low muscle mass (LMM). RESULTS: During a mean of 4.1 years follow-up, 234 (8.4%) participants with normal muscle mass at baseline showed LMM. The plant-based dietary pattern reduced the risk of LMM by 5% (Hazard Ratios [HR]: 0.95, 95% confidence intervals [95%CI]: 0.92-0.97). In addition, a high plant-based food company with a high animal-based food intake pattern reduced the risk of LMM by 60% (HR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.240-0.661) and 73% (HR: 0.27, 95% CI: 0.11-0.61) in the BADL disability and IADL disability population compared with a low plant-based food and high animal-based food intake, whereas a high plant-based food and low animal-based food intake was more beneficial in reducing the risk of LMM in the normal BADL functioning (HR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.35-0.90) and IADL functioning (HR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.28-0.91) population. CONCLUSIONS: When it comes to maintaining muscle mass in older Chinese people with functional independence, a plant-based diet pattern is more beneficial and effective than the animal-based one. People with functional dependence may profit from a combination of plant-based and animal-based diets to minimize muscle loss.

Hypotension and cognitive impairment among the elderly: Evidence from the CLHLS.

BACKGROUND: While high blood pressure has been linked to cognitive impairment, the relationship between low blood pressure, especially hypotension, and cognitive impairment has not been well studied. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of hypotension and cognitive impairment in the seniors of China, and the association between hypotension and cognitive function impairment. METHODS: The data was derived from the 2018 wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). Systolic blood pressures (SBP) and diastolic blood pressures (DBP) were measured by objective examination. The Chinese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (CMMSE) was used to evaluate the cognitive impairment of the elderly. Generalized linear models were conducted to evaluate the association of hypotension with cognitive impairment. RESULTS: The prevalence of hypotension and cognitive impairment in the Chinese elderly were 0.76% and 22.06%, respectively. Participants with hypotension, lower SBP, and lower DBP, had odds ratios of 1.62, 1.38, and 1.48 for cognitive impairment, respectively. Besides, the CMMSE scores decreased by 2.08, 0.86, and 1.08 in the elderly with hypotension, lower SBP, and DBP, compared with those with non-hypotension, higher SBP, and DBP, respectively. Subgroup analyses showed that the association of cognitive impairment with hypotension was stronger in Chinese elderly who had decreased activity of daily living. Moreover, there was statistical evidence of a nonlinear dose-response relationship of SBP and DBP with cognitive impairment (Pnonlinear < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Hypotension was a potential risk factor for cognitive impairment of the Chinese elderly, especially for those having decreased activity of daily living. Blood pressure management should be conducted to prevent them from cognitive impairment.