Short-term effects of nitrogen dioxide on inpatient acute myocardial infarction in Lanzhou, China.

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) represents a deleterious effect on acute myocardial infarction (AMI), but few relevant studies have been conducted in China. We aim to evaluate the acute effects of NO2 exposure on hospitalization for AMI in Lanzhou, China. In this study, we applied a distributional lag nonlinear model (DLNM) to assess the association between NO2 exposure and AMI hospitalization. We explored the sensitivity of various groups through stratified analysis by gender, age, and season. The daily average concentration of NO2 is 47.50 ± 17.38 µg/m3. We observed a significant exposure-response relationship between NO2 concentration and AMI hospitalization. The single pollutant model analysis shows that NO2 is positively correlated with AMI hospitalization at lag1, lag01, lag02, and lag03. The greatest lag effect estimate occurs at lag01, where a 10 µg/m3 increase in NO2 concentrations is significantly associated with a relative risk (RR) of hospitalization due to AMI of 1.027 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.013, 1.042]. The results of the stratified analysis by gender, age, and season indicate that males, those aged ≥65 years, and the cold season are more sensitive to the deleterious effects caused by NO2 exposure. Short-term exposure to NO2 can enhance the risk of AMI hospitalization in urban Lanzhou.Implications: Exposure to particulate matter can lead to an increased incidence of AMI. Our study once again shows that NO2 exposure increases the risk of AMI hospital admission. AMI is a common and expensive fatal condition. Reducing NO2 exposure will benefit cardiovascular health and save on healthcare costs.

Can environmental policies improve marine ecological efficiency? Examining China's Ecological Civilization Pilot Zones.

Terrestrial ecosystems can benefit from environmental protection policies; however, their impact on marine ecological efficiency deserves further exploration. This study uses China's Ecological Civilization Pilot Zone (ECZ) policy as an example of a quasi-natural experimental study, with data from 11 coastal provinces in China from 2006 to 2019 as the initial sample. First, a Super-SBM model considers undesired outputs to measure marine eco-efficiency, while a synthetic control method (SCM) investigates the effect of environmental regulations on marine eco-efficiency. The results show that ECZ policies can promote marine eco-efficiency and the effect mechanisms of these policies are discussed from national and regional perspectives. This study contributes to the current literature by theoretically evaluating the impact of ECZ policies on the marine environment in coastal areas, enriching the mechanism of integrated environmental policies on marine ecological protection, and providing references for formulating and implementing environmental policies.

Short-term association between air pollution and daily genitourinary disorder admissions in Lanzhou, China.

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between short-term exposure to ambient air pollution and the number of daily hospital admissions for genitourinary disorders in Lanzhou. Hospital admission data and air pollutants, including PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, O38h and CO, were obtained from the period 2013 to 2020. A generalized additive model (GAM) combined with distribution lag nonlinear model (DLNM) based on quasi-Poisson distribution was used by the controlling for trends, weather, weekdays and holidays. Short-term exposure to PM2.5, NO2 and CO increased the risk of genitourinary disorder admissions with RR of 1.0096 (95% CI 1.0002-1.0190), 1.0255 (95% CI 1.0123-1.0389) and 1.0686 (95% CI 1.0083-1.1326), respectively. PM10, O38h and SO2 have no significant effect on genitourinary disorders. PM2.5 and NO2 are more strongly correlated in female and ≥ 65 years patients. CO is more strongly correlated in male and < 65 years patients. PM2.5, NO2 and CO are risk factors for genitourinary morbidity, and public health interventions should be strengthened to protect vulnerable populations.

Association between air temperature and risk of hospitalization for genitourinary disorders: An environmental epidemiological study in Lanzhou, China.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between air temperature and the risk of hospitalization for genitourinary disorders. METHODS: Distributed lag non-linear models (DLNM) were used to estimate the association between air temperature and the risk of hospitalization for genitourinary disorders, with subgroup analysis by gender and age to identify the susceptible population of temperature-sensitive genitourinary system diseases. RESULTS: Low mean temperature (MT) (RR = 2.001, 95% CI: 1.856~2.159), high MT (RR = 2.884, 95% CI: 2.621~3.173) and low diurnal temperature range (DTR) (RR = 1.619, 95% CI: 1.508~1.737) were all associated with the increased risk of hospitalization for genitourinary disorders in the total population analysis, and the high MT effect was stronger than the low MT effect. Subgroup analysis found that high MT was more strongly correlated in male (RR = 2.998, 95% CI: 2.623~3.427) and those <65 years (RR = 3.003, 95% CI: 2.670~3.344), and low DTR was more strongly correlated in female (RR = 1.669, 95% CI: 1.510~1.846) and those <65 years (RR = 1.643, 95% CI: 1.518~1.780). CONCLUSIONS: The effect of high MT on the risk of hospitalization for genitourinary disorders is more significant than that of low MT. DTR was independently associated with the risk of hospitalization for genitourinary disorders.

Short-term effects of air pollution on hospitalization of children with acute upper respiratory infections: A time series analysis in Lanzhou, China.

OBJECTIVE: Short-term air pollution exposure is correlated with childhood acute upper respiratory infections (AURI) hospitalizations. We surveyed the relationship between AURI hospitalizations and air pollutant concentrations in children aged 0-14 years from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2019 in Lanzhou City. METHODS: We collected both data on air pollutant concentrations and children's AURI hospitalizations during the study period. Distributional lagged nonlinear models were adopted to assess the short-term effects of air pollutants on children's AURI hospitalizations. We also performed subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: A total of 15,881 children were hospitalized for AURI during the study period. The results showed that for each 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 , SO2 , and NO2 concentrations at lag0-6, the relative risk (RR) values for children hospitalized for AURI were RR = 1.0247 (95% CI: 1.0092,1.0405), RR = 1.0928 (95% CI: 1.0562, 1.1308), and RR = 1.0715 (95% CI: 1.0495, 1.0940), respectively. PM10 was significantly associated with AURI hospitalization in children only at lag0, RR = 1.0028 (95% CI: 1.0000, 1.0056). CONCLUSION: Short-term exposures to PM2.5 , PM10 , SO2 , and NO2 all increase the risk of AURI hospitalization in children variously.

Short-term effects of air pollution on hospitalization for acute lower respiratory infections in children: a time-series analysis study from Lanzhou, China.

BACKGROUND: Short-term exposure to air pollution is associated with acute lower respiratory infections (ALRI) in children. We investigated the relationship between hospitalization for ALRI in children and air pollutant concentrations from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2020 in Lanzhou City. METHODS: We collected data on air pollutant concentrations and children's hospitalization data during the study period. A time series regression analysis was used to assess the short-term effects of air pollutants on ALRI in children, and subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses were performed. RESULTS: A total of 51,206 children with ALRI were studied, including 40,126 cases of pneumonia and 11,080 cases of bronchiolitis. The results of the study revealed that PM2.5, PM10, SO2 and NO2 were significantly associated with hospitalization for ALRI in children aged 0-14 years. For each 10 µg/m3 increase in air pollutant concentration in lag0-7, the relative risk of ALRI hospitalization in children due to PM2.5, PM10, SO2 and NO2 increased by 1.089 (95%CI:1.075, 1.103), 1.018 (95%CI:1.014, 1.021), 1.186 (95%CI:1.154. 1.219) and 1.149 (95%CI:1.130, 1.168), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: PM2.5, PM10, SO2 and NO2 short-term exposures were positively associated with ALRI, pneumonia and bronchiolitis hospitalizations in Lanzhou, China. Local governments should make efforts to improve urban ambient air quality conditions to reduce hospitalization rates for childhood respiratory diseases.

Acute effects of air pollution on type II diabetes mellitus hospitalization in Lanzhou, China.

Studies on the effects of short-term air pollution exposure on hospitalization for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are relatively scarce in developing regions. The time-series study was used to explore the acute effects of air pollutants on hospitalization for T2DM in Lanzhou, China. A distribution lag nonlinear model based on the generalized additive model was used to analyze the hospitalization impact of air pollution on T2DM. Stratified analysis by gender, age and season was obtained. The results were indicated as the relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for single-day lags (from lag0 to lag7) and cumulative lag days (from lag0-1 to lag0-7). The strongest correlations (RR, 95% CI) of hospitalization for T2DM and PM10 (RR = 1.003, 95% CI 1.000, 1.001) at lag7 and NO2 (RR = 1.022, 95% CI 1.000, 1.045) at lag0-4 were observed for an increase of 10 µg/m3 in the concentrations and CO (RR = 1.091, 95% CI 1.017, 1.170) at lag0-4 for an increase of 1 mg/m3 in the concentration. The hazardous impacts of PM10, NO2 and CO were greater for females, people aged ≥ 65 years and in the cold season. However, there was no significant association between PM2.5, SO2 and O38h and the number of hospitalizations for T2DM.

Time Series Analysis of the Acute Effect of Atmospheric Fine Particulate Matter on Hospitalization for Heart Failure in Lanzhou, China.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between environmental PM 2.5 and heart failure (HF) hospitalization in Lanzhou, China. METHOD: The correlation between atmospheric PM 2.5 and HF hospitalization was evaluated using a distributed lag nonlinear model. RESULT: During the study period, 16,122 HF patients were hospitalized. The average concentration of PM 2.5 is 45.24 µg/m 3 . PM 2.5 was positively correlated with HF hospitalization with single lag (lag0) and cumulative lag (lag01, lag02, lag03). The maximum lag effect is estimated to occur in lag03, and with the PM 2.5 concentration increasing by 10 µg/m 3 , HF hospitalization risk increased by 1.023 (95% confidence interval, 1.006-1.039). The risk of hospitalization for HF in the male group, the age group 65 years or older, and the cold season was statistically significant and more positively correlated. CONCLUSION: PM 2.5 exposure increases the risk of HF admission in Lanzhou.

A Nomogram Prediction Model Based on Tissue Window for the Prognosis of Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke Undergoing Thrombectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Thrombectomy greatly improves the clinical prognosis of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). The aim of this study is to develop a nomogram model that can predict the prognosis of patients with acute ischemic stroke undergoing thrombectomy. METHODS: We retrospectively collected information of patients with acute ischemic stroke who were admitted to the stroke Green Channel of the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from September 2018 to May 2022. The main outcome was defined as a three-month unfavorable outcome (modified Rankin Scale 3-6). Based on the results of multivariate regression analysis, a nomogram was established. We tested the accuracy and discrimination of our nomogram by calculating the consistency index (C-index) and plotting the calibration curve. RESULTS: National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score (OR, 1.418; 95% CI, 1.177-1.707; P＜0.001), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (OR, 2.705; 95% CI, 1.203-6.080; P = 0.016), Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (ASPECTS) (OR, 0.633; 95% CI, 0.421-0.952; P = 0.028), infarct core volume (OR, 1.115; 95% CI, 1.043-1.192; P = 0.001) and ischemic penumbra volume (OR, 1.028; 95% CI, 1.006-1.050; P = 0.012) were independent risk factors for poor clinical prognosis of AIS patients treated with thrombectomy. The C-index of our nomogram was 0.967 and the calibration plot revealed a generally fit in predicting three-month unfavorable outcomes. Based on this nomogram, we stratified the risk of thrombectomy population. We found that low-risk population is less than or equal to 65 points, and patients of more than 65 points tend to have a poor clinical prognosis. CONCLUSION: The nomogram, composed of NIHSS, LDL-C, ASPECTS, infarct core volume and ischemic penumbra volume, may predict the clinical prognosis of cerebral infarction patients treated with thrombectomy.

[Effect of Diurnal Temperature Range on the Number of Residents Hospitalized Due to Stroke in Lanzhou].

Objective To analyze the relationship between diurnal temperature range (DTR) and the hospitalization of stroke in Lanzhou,so as to provide a scientific basis for probing into the mechanism of temperature changes in inducing stroke and formulating comprehensive prevention and control measures for stroke by relevant departments.Methods The information of the patients hospitalized due to stroke in Lanzhou during January 2014 to December 2019 and the air pollutants (PM10,SO2,and NO2) and meteorological data in the same period were collected for statistical analysis.Spearman rank correlation analysis was performed to analyze the correlations between air pollutants and meteorological factors.The distributed lag nonlinear model was adopted to fit the relationship between DTR and the number of stroke inpatients,and three-dimensional diagrams and the correlation diagrams of DTR against stroke risk were established.The stratified analysis was performed according to gender and age (< 65 years and ≥65 years).Results From 2014 to 2019,a total of 92 812 stroke patients were hospitalized in Lanzhou,with a male-to-female ratio of 1.35:1.There was a nonlinear relationship between DTR and the number of stroke inpatients in Lanzhou,which presented a lag effect.The low DTR at 4.5 ℃ had the largest RR value of 1.25 (95%CI=1.16-1.35) for stroke inpatients at a cumulative lag of 18 d.The effect of high DTR (18.5 ℃) on the hospitalization of stroke patients peaked at a cumulative lag of 21 d,with an RR value of 1.09 (95%CI=1.01-1.18).The stratified analysis results suggested that low levels of DTR had greater effects on the hospitalization of male stroke patients and stroke patients <65 years.Conclusions Short-term exposure to different levels of DTR had an impact on the number of stroke inpatients,and low levels of DTR had a slightly greater impact on stroke inpatients than high levels of DTR.Importance should be attached to the protection of males and people aged <65 years at low levels of DTR.

Characteristics of symptomatic plaque on high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging and its relationship with the occurrence and recurrence of ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerosis is the most common cause of ischemia stroke. Computed tomographic angiography (CTA) and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) are used to evaluate the degree of lumen stenosis. However, these examinations are invasive and can only reveal mild to moderate stenosis. High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HRMRI) seems a more intuitive way to show the pathological changes of vascular wall. Hence, we conducted a systematic retrospective study to determine the characteristics of symptomatic plaques in patients with intracranial atherosclerosis on HRMRI and their association with the occurrence and recurrence of ischemic stroke events. METHODS: The PubMed database was searched for relevant studies reported from January 31, 2010, to October 31, 2020. RESULTS: We selected 14 clinical outcome studies. We found that plaque enhancement and positive remodeling on HRMRI indicate symptomatic plaques. Besides, intraplaque hemorrhage and positive remodeling index are closely related to the occurrence of stroke. However, it is still controversial whether the initial enhancement of plaque and the occurrence and recurrence of stroke are related. There is also no significant correlation between vascular stenosis and symptomatic plaque or the occurrence and recurrence of ischemic stroke. CONCLUSION: High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging can be used as an assessment tool to predict the risk of stroke onset and recurrence in patients with atherosclerosis, but further research is also needed.

The fecal metabolome is associated with gestational diabetes mellitus.

Dysbiosis of gut microbiota has been linked to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and grows as a resource for GDM biomarkers. However, the contributions of gut microbiota to GDM remain incompletely understood. Metabolites are key messengers in the interactions between gut microbiota and the host. Metabolomics is emerging as an essential tool in exploring the contributions of gut microbiota to diseases. In this study, we performed 1H-NMR based metabolomics on the feces of 62 pregnant women, including 31 women with GDM, and 31 women as the non-diabetes (NDM) control. Using Principle Component Analysis (PCA) and Orthogonal Projection to Latent Structures Discrimination Analysis (OPLS-DA), we observed clear cluster separation of the fecal metabolome between women with GDM and the NDM control. We further applied several feature selection methods to find five fecal metabolites contributing to the cluster separation of the fecal metabolome. These five metabolites, namely dibutyl decanedioate, N-acetylgalactosamine-4-sulphate, homocysteine, l-malic acid, and butanone, were significantly correlated with the clinical indices of GDM. Metabolite enrichment and pathway analysis on the five metabolites suggested that the fecal citrate cycle and sulfur metabolism were correlated with GDM. The results of this study demonstrated that disorders in the fecal metabolome are associated with GDM.

[Clinical observation on warming-promotion acupuncture for lumbar muscle strain].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the theraputic effect of warming-promotion acupuncture for lumbar muscle strain. METHODS: Sixty-four cases were randomly divided into a warming-promotion acupuncture group(group A) and a routine acupuncture group (group B), 32 cases in each group. The group A was treated with acupuncture at Shenshu (BL 23) and Guanyuanshu (BL 26) with warming-promotion acupuncture method, (Guanyuanshu (BL 26), Yaoyangguan (GV 3), Weizhong (BL 40) with twirling uniform reinforcing-reducing method. The group B was treated with acupuncture at same acupoints only with twirling uniform reinforcing-reducing method. After four-session treatment, the theraputic effect of two groups was compared. RESULTS: The cured and markedly effective rate of 65.6% (21/32) in the group A, which was superior to that of 40.6% (13/32)in the group B (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The efficiency on lumbar muscle strain treated with warming-promotion acupuncture is superior to that with routine acupuncture, means a suitable manipulation can enhance the therapeutic effect.

[Observation on therapeutic effect of acupuncture at point "Xiajiquan" on muscular strength of finger after apoplexy].

OBJECTIVE: To approach to the best therapy for recovery of fingers function after apoplexy. METHODS; One hundred and twenty-three cases were randomly divided into an observation group of 63 cases and a control group of 60 cases. The control group were treated by acupuncture at Quchi (LI 11), Shousanli ( LI 10), Waiguan (TE 5), etc., and the observation group by acupuncture at point "Xiajiquan" besides the acupoints for the control group. After treatment of 10 sessions, the therapeutic effects were assessed. RESULTS: The cured and markedly effective rate was 74.6% in the observation group and 40.0% in the control group, the observation group being significantly better than the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Point "Xiajiquan" has a better therapeutic effect on derivation of finger muscular strength.