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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of hearing loss with atherogenic index (AI) in the general population.

Background: Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a complex disease caused by environmental and genetic risk factors. This study explored the relationship between the genetic variations in the CASP gene and the risk of developing NIHL among Chinese workers exposed to occupational noise.Methods: A case-control study of 272 NIHL workers and 272 normal-hearing workers matched for age, sex and years of noise exposure was conducted. Fifteen single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the CASP1, CASP3, CASP4, CASP5, CASP6, CASP8, CASP9, CASP10 and CASP14 genes were genotyped using the polymerase chain reaction-ligase detection reaction method. Using conditional logistic regression models, the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of genetic variations associated with NIHL risk were calculated.Results: Two SNPs in the CASP3 gene were associated with NIHL risk. For rs1049216, TT genotype was associated with a decreased risk of NIHL (OR = 0.246, 95% CI = 0.069-0.886) when compared with the CC genotype. For rs6948, the AC and CC genotype were associated with a decreased NIHL risk (OR = 0.568, 95% CI = 0.352-0.916) compared with AA genotype. There were joint effects of working time and CASP3 polymorphisms on NIHL risk (P < 0.05).Conclusions: Genetic variations in the CASP3 gene and the joint effects of working time and CASP3 polymorphisms may modify the risk of developing NIHL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To explore the relationship of different body mass index, waist circumference and serum lipid levels with essential hypertension among residents of Ningbo. And to explore the predictive value of BMI and WC (Waist Circumference) for hypertension. Methods Adopting cluster sampling, 2 303 people (1 081 cases of hypertension and 1 222 people with normal blood pressure) were collected in the four townships of Ningbo City. We conducted questionnaires, physical examination and blood lipid testing for all of subjects. WC group: WC≥85 cm in male or WC≥80 cm in female is central obesity, and the others are normal. BMI groups: BMI≥24 kg/m² is overweight, and BMI <24 kg/m² is normal. The relationship of BMI, WC and serum lipid levels with hypertension was analyzed by multivariate unconditional logistic regression model. The predictive value of BMI and WC for hypertension was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results WC, BMI, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in hypertension group were higher than those in control group (P < 0.01). And WC, BMI, TG, LDL-C is the impact factor for hypertension. The overweight rate and central obesity rate in hypertension group were higher than control group (P < 0.01). TG and LDL-C level abnormality, overweight and central obesity were the risk factors of hypertension. As a risk factor of hypertension, overweight with central obesity group is higher than overweight with normal waistline group, simple central obesity group and normal group. In the area under the ROC curve, BMI is higher than WC in both male and female population. Conclusion WC, BMI, TG and LDL-C abnormalities were risk factors for hypertension, and BMI was a better predictive factor for hypertension than WC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Hearing loss is a sensory impairment caused by genetic and environmental factors. Previous epidemiological studies of magnesium intake and hearing loss have yielded conflicting results.Methods and Study Design: We investigated the association between serum magnesium concentrations and hearing loss in a population from the Zhejiang region of China. A cross-sectional study of 3,267 participants aged 18 years and older from five hospitals was conducted from October 2016 to May 2018. An audiometric examination was conducted, and hearing thresholds were computed as pure-tone averages (PTAs) at speech (0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz) and high frequencies (3, 4, and 6 kHz). Magnesium concentrations were measured using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer.Results: A linear regression analysis revealed a negative association between magnesium levels and hearing losses from lower to high PTAs. After the adjustment of potential confounders, participants in the highest magnesium quartile had a lower PTA (quartile 4: -1.89%; 95% confidence interval (CI: -3.07 to -0.701); p=0.022) and high PTA (quartile 4: -3.05%; 95% CI: -4.64 to -1.46; p=0.005) than those in the lowest quartile. A logistic regression analysis showed a dose-dependent reduction in the odds of high frequency hearing loss across magnesium quartiles. In model 3, after adjusting for all potential confounders, participants with the highest magnesium quartiles had a 54.0% (OR: 0.460; 95% CI: 0.339-0.587) reduction in the odds of high-frequency hearing loss.Conclusions: Higher whole blood levels of magnesium in this population were associated with lower hearing thresholds and risk of hearing loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the support of the Chinese government, nursing homes have increasingly adopted Internet and intelligent information technology to provide daily healthcare services to residents. However, no research has reported the status of intelligent healthcare in nursing homes. From September 2017 to May 2018, we conducted a survey of 197 nursing homes and collected information on their general characteristics, the intelligent healthcare services provided, the effectiveness of the application products used, and the attitudes of the staff and residents toward intelligent healthcare. Overall, 79.69% of the surveyed nursing homes have provided intelligent healthcare services, including medical care services (eg, chronic disease management and intelligent nursing) and daily life services (eg, fall monitoring and wireless positioning). Portable health monitoring devices and data management and service platforms are the most used healthcare products. The attitudes of staff probably affected the development of intelligent healthcare. Financial investment and the attitudes of staff and residents are factors that influence the effectiveness of the application of intelligent healthcare products in nursing homes. With the support of national policies, nursing homes have implemented primary intelligent healthcare. Stakeholders play pivotal roles in the provision of intelligent healthcare services., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Schistosomiasis remains the second most prevalent zoonotic disease after malaria in veterinary medicine. The egg lodgement in target host tissue plays important roles in pathogenesis of this disease, but the process prior to egg-laying is still elusive. Surely, investigation of how this parasite invades and moves inside corresponding host will probably improve our understanding of homeostasis and maintenance of animal health, further, of related pathogenesis and thus potential intervention against schistosomiasis. TNT-coupled transcription/translation-expressed Sj serpin was employed for the protease inhibition assay. Transendothelial resistance (TER), its charge selectivity and size selectivity, were measured by the ussing chamber technique in serpin-transfected or recombinant serpin-treated HUVEC monolayer. The expressions of junction proteins were assayed using real-time PCR, Western blot and immunostaining. Sj serpin blocks the protease activity of elastase in a time-dependent manner; and Sj serpin can increase TER ofendothelial monolayer by decreasing its paracellular size selectivity, but not by interfere with the charge selectivity. Altered expression of tight junction protein claudin-2 was not observed at either RNA or protein levels; however, we found a marked increase in the expression of occludin, ZO-1,VE-cadherin and beta-catenin. Sj serpin can increase the transendothelial barrier function by decreasing the transendothelial permeability, implying serpin as a potential target to limit the invasion of schistosome into animal blood vessel., Competing Interests: None., (IJCEP Copyright © 2017.)

Objective: To investigate the stages of health-related behaviors, family and peer support situation about adolescent in Wuhan, and to provide evidence for health intervention and health promotion., Methods: Based on the principle of multi-stage stratified cluster sampling, extracted two junior middle school and two high school in two cities in Wuhan from March 2012 to May. A total of 1 200 students, which were part of the first and second grade class in middle school and high school, toke as the investigation object. The study surveyed following content, including the demographic situation, adolescent health-related behavior (physical activity, sedentary behavior, high-fat diet behavior, fruit and vegetable intaking behavior), stages of adolescent health related behavior (precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance) and adolescent support got from family and peer. The questionnaire was distributed in 1 200 copies, the valid questionnaires were 1 052 and the effective rate was 87.67%. Using χ² test to compare the different stages of change in health related behavior, t test was used to compare different groups of social support and using analysis of variance and post test to analyze social support of the four types behavior., Results: In 1 052 students, there was 555 (52.8%) middle school students, 497 (47.2%) high school students, and 553 (52.6%) boys, 499 (47.4%) girls. In physical exercise and sedentary behavior, numbers of precontemplation was respectively accounting for 42.2% (444/1 200) and 28.4% (299/1 200). In high-fat diet behavior, the stages of preparation and maintain was occupied 46.7% (492/1 200). In fruit and vegetable intake behavior, there was 32.9% (346/1200) students in contemplation. Numbers in action stage was both less in the above four behavior, accounting for 6.2% (65/1 200), 8.9% (94/1 200), 14.0% (147/1 200) and 6.3% (66/1 200) separately. Adolescent peer support score respectively (2.9 ± 0.7), (2.8 ± 0.8) and (2.9 ± 0.9), which was higher than the family support scores ((2.7 ± 1.1), (2.5 ± 1.2) and (2.9 ± 1.2)) (t values were -8.72, -11.22 and -2.59, respectively. All P values were < 0.001) in physical exercise, sedentary behavior and high fat diet, but in the intake of fruits and vegetables behavior, family support score was higher than peer support (score was respectively (3.3 ± 0.9) and (3.5 ± 1.2); t < 9.97, P < 0.001). ANOVA and post hoc comparison showed that the score of family and peer support in the after-action stage was significantly higher than that the before-action stage in physical exercise, high-fat diet and fruit and vegetable intake behavior, while the differences in sedentary behavior was not significant., Conclusion: Youth health-related behaviors remained in its infancy, there was a certain impact on its stages which showed that the higher social support the more advanced stages of behavior.

Objective: To learn the dietary fat intake behavior status and influencing psychological factors in teenagers., Methods: According to the multi-stage stratified cluster sampling method, students were recruited from middle and high schools in Hangzhou, Wuhan and Xi'an from March to May, 2012. Chinese version of adolescent dietary fat intake behavior of psychological measurement scales was utilized in field investigations with 3 448 effective questionnaires. Under the transtheoretical model, the status quo of teenagers fat intake behavior was analyzed and it shows the relationship between stages and psychological variables, including strategy of change, decision balance and self-efficacy., Results: In the 3 448 participants, the proportion of girls were 52.4% (1 806/3 448) and boys were 47.6% (1 642/3 448), while the mean age was (14.85 ± 1.46). There are significant differences among distributed stages of behavior change, grouped by gender, grade and region (χ(2) values were 33.59, 20.53, 27.92, P < 0.001). In different gender groups, the number of boys in precontemplation came to the first and accounted for 24.2% (438/1 806), and the number of girls were more in contemplation and preparation stage, which accounted for 49.5% (813/1 642), and it was the least both in the action stage with the ratio 12.1% (218/1 806) and 14.7% (241/1 642) respectively; in different grade groups, the numbers of student in middle school and high school were the largest in contemplation and precontemplation stage, accounted for 24.9% (494/1 986) and 23.4% (343/1 462); and among different regions, the proportion in precontemplation, contemplation and preparation stage was not a few, and this ratio in Hangzhou, Wuhan, Xi'an area was 70.6% (801/1 135), 61.7% (649/1 052) and 68.8% (867/1 261), respectively. The number in action stage was the least of all, which were 144, 147, 168, respectively. Ordinal logistic mode showed that the four variables, including the scores of process of change, decision balance (pros), decision balance (cons) and self-efficacy, were factors which significantly affected the stages of behavior change, which showed a significant difference (F values were 155.12, 19.86, 44.59, 94.27, P < 0.001) in different stages. From precontemplation stage to action stage, the score of the process of change, decision balance (pros) and self-efficacy showed an upward trend, and achieved the highest score in the action stage (from 32.6 ± 12.8, 8.4 ± 2.9, 19.7 ± 6.9 to 48.4 ± 12.6, 10.1 ± 2.5, 25.9 ± 6.9, respectively); contrarily, the decision balance (cons) decreased with the development of behavioral stage (from 14.7 ± 4.4 to 12.2 ± 3.9). Post hoc comparison also found that the score of process of change, decision balance (pros) and self-efficacy after action stages were higher than those before action, while the score of decisional balance (cons) in the precontemplation stage was higher than that in the other 4 stages., Conclusion: Fat intake behavior in teenagers showed different stages, whose psychological factors had significant influences, with decision balance (pros) hindered the progress of stages of behavior change, while other three factors played a positive role.

Objective: To develop a suitable fat intake behavior of psychological measurement scales for the Chinese adolescents and evaluate its validity and reliability., Methods: According to the multi-stage stratified cluster sampling principle, a total of 3 600 junior students were recruited from the classes in 12 selected high schools in Hangzhou, Wuhan and Xi'an from March to May, 2012. Based on introducing and translating the original scale abroad, Chinese version of adolescent fat intake behavior of psychological measurement scales was utilized in field investigations. The reliability was assessed, using Cronbach's α and split-half reliability; while exploratory factor analysis used to test its validity, with entries-dimension correlation coefficient (IIC), correlation coefficient between the scores and the dimension, and the dimension of correlation coefficient test content validity., Results: The valid subject of the study was 3 448(of whom males were 52.4% (1 806/3 448) and female were 47.6% (1 642/3 448)), while the mean age was (14.85 ± 1.46) years old. The internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's α) for total scale score and four domains were 0.922,0.933, 0.660, 0.773 and 0.869 respectively, whose split-efficacy reliability were separately 0.927, 0.933, 0.790, 0.624 and 0.889. Data from the exploratory factor analysis revealed the following dimensions:the entries were all inclusive, with the cumulative contribution rate at 59.453%, 56.062% and 52.668%, respectively. The results of IIC showed that in the four dimensions, the contained entries between Spearman correlation coefficient have statistically significant, with the r value range of 0.584-0.793, 0.665-0.818, 0.654-0.765 and 0.622-0.747 severely, while other dimensions from weak to moderate relationships, the r value ranged from -0.028 to 0.614., Conclusion: The reliability and validity of the adolescent fat intake behavior of psychological measurement scales (Chinese version) were good, and could be used to measure the fat intake behavior of psychological conditions in Chinese adolescents.

Objective: To study the situation of sports and its influencing factors among students in order to improve health related education and promotion programs., Methods: A multistage random sampling method was used on 3 600 students from three cities to understand their physical exercise behavior. Both t and χ(2) test were used to measure the scale of psychology and to describe the time spent on exercise. Single variance factor was used to measure the levels of change on behavior of physical activities, psychological and physical exercise behaviors., Results: The weekly exercise time for students was 2.66 ± 1.801 days, with 81.4% of the students less than four days. Data showed that 37.3%, 23.6%, 20.5% of the high school students were in pre-contemplation stage, in contemplation stage, or in preparation stage respectively, with only 18.6 percent of the high school students in the action phase and maintaining phase. Students in the stages of change increase the amount of physical exercises. Scores with statistically significant differences were seen in the following areas: between five stages of behavior change on strategies (F = 77.442, P < 0.001), forward effects on the balance of decision-making (F = 29.498, P < 0.001), having negative effects (F = 14.784, P < 0.001)and self-efficacy (F = 135.544, P < 0.001). Changing strategy on the intention stage of front maintenance phase, positive effects on decision-making balance and self-efficacy scores were increasing along with the increasing stages of changing. The effect of balancing the negative effects increased when the change of phase decreased., Conclusion: Students were in lack of physical exercise per week. The differences related to the behavior on physical exercise did exist but most of the high school students were in the primary stage. Psychological factors played important role in the different stages of changing, suggesting that high school students should receive different health education and psychological intervention measures to enhance the effectiveness of physical exercise.

Objective: To study on genotype distribution of rs17321515 which is homologous with Trib1 and its associativity with blood lipid parameters and diagnosis., Method: Collecting 1 014 blood samples to measure its lipid levels, then detecting rs17321515 locus's SNP by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry technology., Results: Three genotypes (A/A, A/G, G/G) proportions in the population were 13.8%, 50.2% and 36.0%, allele frequencies were A: G = 38.9% : 61.1%. In variance analysis, variation of TG of male was statistical significant (F = 4.46, P = 0.01), TG level of male who carried AG is lower than GG carries ( t = 0.29, P = 0.02). Logistic regression analysis showed that, hypertriglyceridemia prevalence of male who carried AA is lower than GG carries (OR = 0.45, P = 0.04). Low HDL-c acidosis prevalence of male who carried AG is lower than GG carries (OR = 0.62, P = 0.03). Hypercholesterolemia prevalence of female who carried AG is lower than GG carries (OR = 0.58, P = 0.01)., Conclusion: Allele frequencies of rs17321515 varies in different ethnic groups; The locus' polymorphism distribution is relevant with a certain lipid indicators and lipid diagnosis, but there exist gender differences on these relevance.