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The stochasticity of photovoltaic (PV) generation output makes it necessary to smooth the output using other flexible power sources to realize the scale development of PV power. Small cascade hydropower stations (SCHSs) are also widely distributed in space, like PV generation. Therefore, it is proposed to utilize the regulation capability of SCHSs to complement PV generation. Targeting the maximization of the utilization rate of outgoing lines (utilization rate for short) of the system, the minimization of the curtailment rate, and the maximization of the minimum output within a time frame, a model for exploring the capability of SCHSs for regulating PV generation was established and solved by a hierarchical optimization method. By taking two small hydropower stations (the Mupo and Yangjiawan stations) on the Fabian River with a total installed capacity of 105 MW and the surrounding PV power source in China's Sichuan Province as examples, it was found that SCHSs can regulate a certain level of PV generation through the combined operation of cascade reservoirs and reduce the fluctuations and stochasticity of the PV generation output. The results have far-reaching significance on the large-scale development of PV generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prevention and control of cardiometabolic conditions and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in China may contribute to sustainable CVD reduction globally, given the fact that one-fifth of the worldwide population is in China. Knowing the distribution of behavioral risk factors (e.g., smoking and physical inactivity), especially at a national level in China, would be extremely relevant to the field of public health and CVD prevention. The objectives of this study were to investigate the nationwide prevalence of obesity, smoking, heavy drinking, and physical inactivity in Chinese adults, and further explore whether cardiometabolic conditions would modify the distribution of behavioral risk factors.Methods: This population-based study is based on the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011-2012), including 17,302 adults (≥45 years, mean age 59.67 years, female 51.66%) from 25 provinces in China. Data on demographics, lifestyle factors, health status and history of diseases were collected via structured interviews and laboratory tests. Smoking, heavy drinking, obesity, and physical inactivity were defined following standard guidelines. We performed descriptive analysis and logistic regressions in this study.Results: The overall prevalence of heavy drinking, obesity, current smoking, and physical inactivity among middle-aged and older adults was 7.23% (95% confidence interval 6.53-7.29%), 11.53% (10.43-12.62%), 27.46% (26.30-28.62%), and 44.06% (41.19-46.92%), respectively. The prevalence varied between rural and urban areas as well as among geographic areas, with higher prevalence in the Northern and Northeastern regions. Heavy drinking and obesity were significantly associated with incident hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol; while current smoking was significantly associated with incident hypertension. Compared with healthy individuals, participants who self-reported a diagnosis of hypertension, high cholesterol, or diabetes were less likely to smoke currently and drink alcohol heavily, but more likely to be physically inactive and obese.Conclusions: Among Chinese middle-aged and older adults, the prevalence of behavioral risk factors varies by geographic region. Further effort is required to improve physical activity and fitness for Chinese adults, especially those with cardiometabolic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Considering the lack of efficient breast cancer prediction models suitable for general population screening in China. We aimed to develop a risk prediction model to identify high-risk populations, to help with primary prevention of breast cancer among Han Chinese women.Methods: A cause-specific competing risk model was used to develop the Han Chinese Breast Cancer Prediction model. Data from the Shandong Case-Control Study (328 cases and 656 controls) and Taixing Prospective Cohort Study (13,176 participants) were used to develop and validate the model. The expected/observed (E/O) ratio and C-statistic were calculated to evaluate calibration and discriminative accuracy of the model, respectively.Results: Compared with the reference level, the relative risks (RRs) for highest level of number of abortions, age at first live birth, history of benign breast disease, body mass index (BMI), family history of breast cancer, and life satisfaction scores were 6.3, 3.6, 4.3, 1.9, 3.3, 2.4, respectively. The model showed good calibration and discriminatory accuracy with an E/O ratio of 1.03 and C-statistic of 0.64.Conclusions: We developed a risk prediction model including fertility status and relevant disease history, as well as other modifiable risk factors. The model demonstrated good calibration and discrimination ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Chinese women in rural areas who are currently >=55 years old have experienced extreme undernutrition during their childbearing age. Their specific experiences provided us with a natural quasiexperimental field for assessing the effects of consuming eggs to obtain nutrients during the childbearing period on preventing nonfatal coronary events (NCE) during the postmenopausal period in the framework of life course epidemiology.Methods and Study Design: A population-based matched case-control design for NCE was conducted in Yiyuan County, Shandong Province, China. In this study, 462 women with NCE (cases; onset age >=55 years) were included from the Active Surveillance System for Chronic Diseases, and 462 age-matched women without NCE and stroke (controls) from the same village were included. Conditional logistic model analysis was used to determine the association between egg intake and NCE during the postmenopausal period in 3 specific life-periods, namely age 18 to 49 years (childbearing period), age 50 years to NCE onset (perimenopausal and postmenopausal period), and age 18 years to NCE onset (total period).Results: We found that >=12 eggs vs. 0 egg intake per month under extreme undernutrition status during childbearing period exhibited a strong preventive effect against NCE during the postmenopausal period (OR=0.588, 95% CI=0.358-0.964). The window of protective effect was in the age 28 to 49 years, suggesting a critical period model of life course epidemiology.Conclusions: Egg intake under extreme undernutrition status during the childbearing period plays a critical role in preventing NCE during the postmenopausal period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence regarding the association between metabolism-related indicators and serum urate (SU) is limited. We aimed to obtain the incidence density of hyperuricemia and to explore the association between metabolism-related predisposing risk factors and SU., Methods: A total of 48,979 Chinese adults from the Beijing Physical Examination Center were included in the study. The partial least squares path model was used to explore the relationship between SU and metabolism-related risk factors. The generalized additive model was used for smooth curve fitting, showing the sex-specific associations of SU at follow-up with baseline fasting blood glucose (FBG) concentrations and age., Results: The incidence density of hyperuricemia was 78/1000 person-years. Baseline SU, age, sex, obesity, FBG, and lipid metabolism were significantly associated with SU at follow-up (all P values <0.05). Non-linear relationships were found between the baseline FBG concentrations and SU at follow-up, while U-shaped associations were observed between baseline age and SU at follow-up., Conclusions: The SU concentration is associated with several metabolism-related risk factors such as obesity and FBG. Recognition of these associations will aid in a deeper understanding of the multifaceted nature of SU regulation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Liang, Zhang, Yu, Ding, Liu and Wang.)

Background The overall incidence of hyperphenylalaninemia (HPA) in China is 1:11,763, with tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) deficiency accounting for 8.55% of patients with HPA in the mainland. Much progress has been made in the diagnosis and treatment of BH4 deficiency with the introduction of neonatal screening in China. However, the screening rate is still low and screening is not universally available. Methods A total of 44 BH4-deficient patients were enrolled in this study, of which 39 were diagnosed with BH4 deficiency, while the remaining five showed typical characteristics of BH4 deficiency at a later period. The entire coding regions and adjacent intronic regions of GCH1, PTS, PCBD1 and QDPR genes were analyzed using target sequencing. Results Nineteen (n=19) different mutations in the PTS gene including four novel mutations and one mutation in QDPR were identified. p.P87S, p.D96N, IVS1-291A>G, p.N52S, p.K91R, p.V56M, p.T106M and p.F40GfsX53 in PTS were the prevalent mutations with ≥3% relative frequency. The mutation p.R221X in the QDPR gene was found with relatively lower frequencies (2.27%). The remaining 12 mutations in PTS were found at relative frequencies of 1.14%. Conclusions The results could be of value for genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis in the patients' families and for the molecular diagnosis of BH4 deficiencies. Furthermore, four novel mutations expand and improve the PTS mutation database.

Objectives: The white blood cell (WBC) count is a simple and convenient marker of inflammation for use in medical practice; however, its association with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has not been determined. We examined the relationship between WBC and NAFLD to provide a convenient and useful marker for the prediction of NAFLD., Setting: A longitudinal cohort participating in a large health check-up programme for the Chinese population was selected and followed up from 2005 to 2011., Participants: A total of 21 307 male and female participants without NAFLD who underwent health check-ups at least twice between 2005 and 2011 were included in this study. 15 201 participants (7286 men and 7915 women) were eligible for inclusion., Results: The baseline distribution of age, WBC, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), serum total protein (TP), albumin (ALB) and globin (GLO) and the prevalence of males, hypertension, hyperglycaemia, smoking and regular exercise were significantly different between the incident NAFLD and non-NAFLD groups (p<0.05). Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was performed to estimate the HRs and 95% CIs of WBC, which predicted the occurrence of NAFLD. Compared with the lowest WBC quartile (Q1), the HRs and 95% CIs of the other WBC quartiles (Q2, Q3 and Q4) for incident NAFLD were 1.090 (0.978 to 1.215), 1.174 (1.055 to 1.305) and 1.152 (1.035 to 1.281), respectively, after adjusting for age, gender, smoking, regular exercise, BMI, hypertension, hyperglycaemia, TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, ALB and GLO., Conclusions: Our study clearly showed that WBC count was a significant factor associated with incident NAFLD in Han Chinese., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/)