Secondhand smoke exposure and ocular health: A systematic review.

The toxicology of secondhand smoke (SHS), along with the harm of its exposure to human health, has been generally acknowledged; however, specific evidence is lacking on the association between SHS exposure and ocular health. In this systematic review (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022247992), we included 55 original articles published by 12 May 2023, which dealt with SHS exposure and ocular disorders, such as eye irritation, conjunctivitis, dry eye diseases, uveitis, myopia, astigmatism, contact lens discomfort, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and thyroid eye disease that addressed the ocular neurovascular structures of the macular, retinal nerve fiber layer, choroid, and corneal biomechanical parameters. We found compelling correlational evidence for eye irritation, conjunctivitis, and dry eye symptoms-supporting that SHS exposure was positively associated with inflammatory and allergic changes in the eyes. Yet, evidence about the associations between SHS exposure and other ocular disorders, structures, and parameters is still limited or controversial. Given the limitations of existing literature, more investigations with high quality and rigorous design are warranted to elucidate the potentially harmful effects of SHS exposure on ocular health.

Analysis of Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Myopia Among Children Aged 6 to 8 Years in Hong Kong.

Importance: Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure potentially threatens ocular health; however, its association with myopia is unknown. Objective: To examine the association between SHS exposure and childhood myopia. Design, Setting, and Participants: Cross-sectional data from the population-based Hong Kong Children Eye Study were used. Data were collected from March 5, 2015, to September 12, 2021, at The Chinese University of Hong Kong Eye Center. Participants included children aged 6 to 8 years. Secondhand smoke exposure was evaluated using a validated questionnaire. All participants underwent comprehensive ophthalmic and physical examinations. Exposure: Secondhand smoke exposure. Main Outcomes and Measures: Generalized estimating equations were constructed to examine the association of SHS exposure with spherical equivalent and axial length; logistic regression models, with myopia rate; and linear regression models, with myopia onset. Results: A total of 12 630 children (mean [SD] age, 7.37 [0.88] years; 53.2% boys) were included in the analysis. Among the participants, 4092 (32.4%) had SHS exposure. After adjusting for age, sex, parental myopia, body mass index, near-work time, outdoor time, and family income, SHS exposure was associated with greater myopic refraction (ß = -0.09 [95% CI, -0.14 to -0.03]) and longer axial length (ß = 0.05 [95% CI, 0.02-0.08]). Children with SHS exposure were more likely to develop moderate (odds ratio [OR], 1.30 [95% CI, 1.06-1.59]) and high myopia (OR, 2.64 [95% CI, 1.48-4.69]). The association of SHS exposure with spherical equivalence and axial length was magnified in younger children. For each younger year of a child's exposure to SHS, SHS exposure was associated with a 0.07-D decrease in spherical equivalence (ß = 0.07 [95% CI, 0.01-0.13]) and a 0.05-mm increase in axial length (ß = -0.05 [95% CI, -0.08 to -0.01]). Exposure to SHS was associated with an earlier mean (SD) age at onset of myopia (72.8 [0.9] vs 74.6 [0.6] months; P = .01). Every increase in SHS exposure in units of 10 cigarettes per day was associated with greater myopic refraction (ß = -0.07 [95% CI, -0.11 to -0.02]), axial length (ß = 0.04 [95% CI, 0.01-0.06]), and likelihood of developing moderate (OR, 1.23 [95% CI, 1.05-1.44]) and high myopia (OR, 1.75 [95% CI, 1.20-2.56]), and earlier myopia onset (ß = -1.30 [95% CI, -2.32 to -0.27]). Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this cross-sectional study suggest that SHS exposure was associated with greater myopic refraction, longer axial length, greater likelihood of developing moderate and high myopia, and earlier myopia onset. The larger the quantity of SHS exposure and the younger the child, the more advanced myopia development and progression with which SHS exposure is associated.

The perceived relationship quality with migrant domestic workers is correlated with a lower level of loneliness among community-dwelling older adults: A cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: To explore older adults' perceived relationship quality with migrant domestic workers (MDWs) and examine the correlation between older adult/MDW (O-M) relationship quality and loneliness of community-dwelling older adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, older adults living with MDWs were conveniently recruited from neighbourhood elderly centers in Hong Kong. Loneliness and O-M relationship quality were assessed by the 6-item De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale and the mutuality scale, respectively. Older adults' demographic and functional characteristics, and MDW's nationality, spoken language and years of service in the dyad were also collected. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the contributions of 1) demographic variables and functional status, 2) MDW characteristics, 3) perceived social network and 4) perceived O-M relationship quality on loneliness. RESULTS: The 178 participants [mean age 83.44 (SD 7.05 years); 155 (87.1%) women and 23 men (22.9%)] were socially lonely (1.07 ± 1.15) and close to being lonely overall (1.90 ± 1.68), and emotionally (0.84 ± 0.97). The mean O-M relationship quality was poor (1.42 ± 0.79), which was significantly correlated with overall (ß= -0.33, 95% CI: -0.65 to -0.01, P value = 0.045), and social (ß= -0.24, 95% CI: -0.46 to -0.01, P value = 0.04) loneliness, but not significantly correlated to emotional loneliness. CONCLUSION: Better perceived O-M relationship quality is correlated with a lower level of loneliness among older adults. Strategies to improve O-M relationship quality may alleviate loneliness among older adults.

Food frequency questionnaire for dietary assessment among adults at a risk of coronary heart disease: A mixed-methods study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To develop and psychometrically test a food frequency questionnaire for adults at risk of coronary heart disease (Cardio-FFQ). BACKGROUND: Comprehensive dietary assessment is critical for the prevention of cardiovascular disease, but appropriate instruments to perform this work are lacking. DESIGN: A sequential mixed-methods study followed the COREQ and STROBE guidelines. METHODS: This study was conducted between April 2016 and November 2017. It started with dietary history interviews (Phase 1) to identify candidate food items of the Cardio-FFQ, which validity and reliability were assessed (Phase 2) through expert consultation and four seasonal measurements, including test and retest with a 2-week gap every season. Physical activity and blood glucose and lipids were assessed seasonally, while another FFQ was administered during the fourth measurement. Content analysis was used to analyse verbatim interview transcripts, while descriptive and inferential analyses were used to simplify the Cardio-FFQ and examine its psychometric properties. RESULTS: Phase I involved 34 participants during their first onset of acute coronary syndrome and generated 176 candidate food items (consumed by at least three participants) under 12 food categories. These food items were simplified to form the 133-item Cardio-FFQ after discarding items with trivial contributions to food commonalities or between-person variance. Further analysis showed that the simplified questionnaire had satisfactory content validity, concurrent validity, convergent validity, predictive validity, known-group validity and test-retest reliability. CONCLUSION: The 133-item Cardio-FFQ is a valid and reliable tool for a comprehensive dietary assessment appropriate for adults at risk of coronary heart disease. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Nurses may use the Cardio-FFQ to conduct a dietary assessment to better support people to commit to healthy diets, aiming to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

Ferric Phosphate Hydroxide Microstructures Affect Their Magnetic Properties.

Uniformly sized and shape-controlled nanoparticles are important due to their applications in catalysis, electrochemistry, ion exchange, molecular adsorption, and electronics. Several ferric phosphate hydroxide (Fe4(OH)3(PO4)3) microstructures were successfully prepared under hydrothermal conditions. Using controlled variations in the reaction conditions, such as reaction time, temperature, and amount of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), the crystals can be grown as almost perfect hyperbranched microcrystals at 180 °C (without CTAB) or relatively monodisperse particles at 220 °C (with CTAB). The large hyperbranched structure of Fe4(OH)3(PO4)3 with a size of ∼19 µm forms with the "fractal growth rule" and shows many branches. More importantly, the magnetic properties of these materials are directly correlated to their size and micro/nanostructure morphology. Interestingly, the blocking temperature (T B) shows a dependence on size and shape, and a smaller size resulted in a lower T B. These crystals are good examples that prove that physical and chemical properties of nano/microstructured materials are related to their structures, and the precise control of the morphology of such functional materials could allow for the control of their performance.

An electrochemical microRNAs biosensor with the signal amplification of alkaline phosphatase and electrochemical-chemical-chemical redox cycling.

MicroRNAs (MiRNAs) have been regarded as clinically important biomarkers and drug discovery targets. In this work, we reported a simple and ultrasensitive electrochemical method for miRNAs detection based on single enzyme amplification and electrochemical-chemical-chemical (ECC) redox cycling. Specifically, upon contact with the target miRNAs, the hairpin structure of biotinylated DNA immobilized on gold electrode was destroyed and the biotin group in DNA was forced away from the electrode surface, allowing for the coupling of streptavidin-conjugated alkaline phosphatase (SA-ALP). Then, ascorbic acid (AA, the enzymatic product of ALP) triggered the ECC redox cycling with ferrocene methanol (FcM) and tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP) as the redox mediator and the chemical reducing reagent, respectively. The method was more sensitive than that with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) or glucose oxidase (GOx) triggered recycling since one ALP molecule captured by one target miRNA molecule promoted the production of thousands of AA. Analytical merits (e.g., detection limit, dynamic range, specificity, regeneration and reproducibility) were evaluated. The feasibility of the method for analysis of miRNA-21 in human serum has also been demonstrated.

Copper metal-organic framework nanocrystal for plane effect nonenzymatic electro-catalytic activity of glucose.

This work describes the first demonstration of nanocrystal plane dependent nonenzymatic electro-catalytic glucose activity of [Cu3(btc)2] nanocrystals with different shapes (nanocube, truncated cube, cuboctahedron, and octahedron). From electrochemical results, the obtained [Cu3(btc)2] nanocube modified electrode shows the best nonenzymatic electro-catalytic glucose activity. Interestingly, decreasing the {100} crystal planes from cubes to octahedra, changes the nonenzymatic electro-catalytic activity from highly sensitive to general.

Cobalt vanadium oxide thin nanoplates: primary electrochemical capacitor application.

Co3V2O8 thin nanoplates are firstly described as a kind of electrode material for supercapacitors. More importantly, from electrochemical measurements, the obtained Co3V2O8 nanoplate electrode shows a good specific capacitance (0.5 A g(-1), 739 F g(-1)) and cycling stability (704 F g(-1) retained after 2000 cycles). This study essentially offers a new kind of metal vanadium oxides as electrochemical active material for the development of supercapacitors.