Objective:To analyze the prospective associations between liver biomarkers and mortality among Chinese middle-aged and elderly populations and to evaluate the mortality risk predictive value.Methods:A total of 22 758 participants from the 3 rd resurvey of the China Kadoorie Biobank were included. Cox proportional hazard models were used to analyze the prospective associations of 5 liver biomarkers with mortality. These liver biomarkers included two liver imaging biomarkers (liver fat attenuation parameter, liver stiffness measurement) and three serum liver enzyme biomarkers [gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), ALT, and AST]. Restricted cubic spline was used to assess the nonlinear associations between biomarkers and mortality. The area used the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) to evaluate the predictive ability of the models after incorporating liver biomarkers into traditional prediction models for mortality. Results:The mean age of the participants was (65.2±9.1) years, with a median follow-up of 1.5 years, during which 307 deaths occurred. Compared to individuals without hepatic steatosis, those with severe hepatic steatosis had a 79% higher risk of mortality, with a HR of 1.79 (95% CI: 1.06-3.03). Compared to individuals without hepatic fibrosis, those with advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis had higher mortality risks of 48% and 91%, respectively (both P<0.05). For each standard deviation increase in GGT, the mortality risk increased by 10% ( HR=1.10, 95% CI: 1.05-1.15), with the positive association plateauing at higher GGT levels. AST exhibited a U-shaped association with mortality risk. The AUC of the prediction model adding liver biomarkers into traditional prediction factors was 0.718 (95% CI: 0.679-0.757), with an increase of 0.030 ( P<0.001) compared with the traditional model. Conclusions:Severe hepatic steatosis, higher levels of hepatic fibrosis, and elevated GGT levels are significantly associated with higher mortality risk. AST shows a U-shaped nonlinear association with mortality risk. Incorporating liver biomarkers into traditional risk prediction models enhance the ability to predict mortality.

Objective:To investigate the prospective associations between plasma metabolites and the risks of all-cause and cause-specific mortality among Chinese adults.Methods:This study analyzed plasma metabolomics data from 2 183 healthy adults in the China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB), measured using targeted mass spectrometry. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to examine the associations between 630 metabolites and the risk of all-cause mortality. Cause-specific hazard regression models evaluated the associations between metabolites and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risks, cancer, and other-cause mortality. Stepwise regression was used to identify key metabolites independently associated with all-cause mortality, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was calculated to assess the improvement in predictive performance when these metabolites were added to traditional risk prediction models.Results:The mean age of the participants was (53.2±9.8) years, 65.1% of whom were female. During a median follow-up of 14.5 years, 231 deaths occurred. A total of 44 metabolites were significantly associated with the risk of all-cause mortality [false discovery rate (FDR)-adjusted P<0.05], primarily including triglycerides, ceramides, and amino acids. Additionally, 29 and 15 metabolites were found to be associated with cancer and other-cause mortality, respectively, but no metabolites were significantly associated with CVD mortality after FDR corrections. Adding 14 metabolites independently associated with all-cause mortality into the traditional prediction model significantly improved its predictive performance. Specifically, incorporating metabolites into the traditional model, which already included laboratory biomarkers, increased the AUC to 0.798 (95% CI: 0.755-0.843), an improvement of 0.088 compared to the traditional model ( P<0.001). Conclusions:Multiple metabolites are significantly associated with mortality risk and can substantially improve the accuracy of mortality risk prediction models. These findings provide new insights into the physiological mechanisms of aging and offer valuable clues for personalized health risk assessment.

Objective:To describe the prevalence of preserved ratio impaired spirometry (PRISm) in participants from the China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) and explore the influencing factors.Methods:The CKB project conducted the baseline survey, the first and the second resurvey in 2004-2008, 2008, and 2013-2014, respectively. Based on the lung function tests, the participants were categorized into three groups: regular, PRISm, and airflow obstruction. The prevalence of PRISm was reported by gender, age, and region at the baseline survey. The secular trend in the prevalence of PRISm was described during the three surveys. Finally, we used the multiple logistic regression model to examine the factors related to PRISm in the baseline survey.Results:After standardization for gender, age, and region according to the sixth national census data in 2010, the overall prevalence of PRISm and airflow obstruction among the 434 760 participants at baseline was 24.8% and 6.1%, respectively. The prevalence of PRISm was higher in rural (25.4%) than that in urban areas (24.3%). Of the 10 study regions, Gansu had the highest prevalence of PRISm (56.0%), while Henan had the lowest (15.4%). After standardization for gender, age, and region according to the baseline population, the prevalence of PRISm decreased from 24.9% at baseline to 15.7% in the second resurvey, and the prevalence of airflow obstruction increased from 5.9% to 21.4%. Unmarried status, current smoking, using solid fuels for cooking, low body weight, being overweight, obesity, and central obesity were associated with an increased risk of PRISm. In contrast, higher education attainments, increased household income, and maintaining a specific degree of physical activity were associated with a reduced risk of PRISm.Conclusions:The prevalence of PRISm was high in adults aged 40 years and above in China, and it varied by sociodemographic and lifestyle factors.

Objective:To explore the impacts of smoking on the need for respiratory support and mortality in patients hospitalized with pneumonia.Methods:A total of 24 367 patients hospitalized with pneumonia from 2009 to 2017 in the China Kadoorie Biobank, were included. Smoking status was self-reported, and data regarding respiratory support during hospitalization and mortality during follow-up were obtained from medical claims and death registries, respectively. OR, HR, and 95% CI were calculated and adjusted for potential confounders using logistic regression models and Cox proportional hazards regression models, respectively. Results:Among males, current smokers or those who quit smoking due to illness had higher risks of requiring respiratory support ( OR=1.15, 95% CI: 1.03-1.29), 1-year mortality ( HR=1.66, 95% CI: 1.32-2.08), and 5-year mortality ( HR=1.32, 95% CI: 1.13-1.54) following pneumonia hospitalization compared to nonsmokers. Male smokers who started smoking at a younger age or with longer smoking duration had the highest mortality risks (trend test both P<0.05). Female current smokers or those who quit smoking due to illness had higher risks of 1-year mortality ( HR=1.62, 95% CI: 1.17-2.23) and 5-year mortality ( HR=1.33, 95% CI: 1.06-1.67). We found no statistically significant difference in 90-day mortality between current smokers/those who quit smoking due to illness and nonsmokers. Conclusions:Smoking was associated with higher risks of requiring respiratory support and mortality in patients hospitalized with pneumonia, especially among males and heavy smokers. These findings highlight the need for targeted strategies to promote smoking cessation in patients hospitalized with pneumonia.

Objective:To identify individuals with accelerated aging under the frailty index (FI) as a proxy indicator of biological age, and to investigate the associations of age at menarche, age at menopause, and reproductive lifespan with frailty status and multi-timepoint FI trajectories among Chinese adult women.Methods:The current study included 302 471 women from the China Kadoorie Biobank 2004-2008 baseline survey data. Their age at menarche and menopause were self-reported, and the duration of reproductive lifespan was calculated by subtracting the two ages. The baseline FI was constructed using 28 baseline variables, including diseases, symptoms, and anthropometric measurements. Frailty status was categorized into three groups: non-frail (FI≤0.10), pre-frail (0.10

Objective:To investigate the relationship between individual and combined exposure to ambient air pollutants and vitamin D, as well as the potential role of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in mediating the relationships.Methods:This study included 6 967 participants from the China Kadoorie Biobank, whose baseline (2004-2008) blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D had been tested. The average monthly concentrations of pollutants (PM 2.5, PM 10, NO 2, O 3) and the UVR estimates in the month of blood sample collection were derived from the ChinaHighAirPollutants and ultraviolet datasets covering China, respectively. Linear models and multinomial logistic regression models were used to analyze the associations of each air pollutant with vitamin D concentrations and groups. Principal component analysis integrated with quantile-based g-computation was applied to evaluate the co-effects and relative contribution weights of air pollutants. Mediation analyses were performed to investigate the potential role of UVR. Results:PM 2.5, PM 10, NO 2, and O 3 were individually associated with vitamin D concentrations, as well as vitamin D groups: insufficiency (20-30 ng/ml) and deficiency (<20 ng/ml). For each 10 μg/m3 increase in monthly PM 2.5, PM 10, NO 2, and O 3, the percentage changes (95% CIs) in vitamin D concentrations were -1.71% (-2.16% - -1.26%), -1.30% (-1.60% - -1.00%), -3.77% (-4.60% - -2.93%), and 1.27% (0.91%-1.63%), respectively, with corresponding ORs (95% CIs) for vitamin D deficiency of 1.17 (1.06-1.29), 1.12 (1.05-1.19), 1.66 (1.38-2.00), and 0.81 (0.74-0.89). The mixture of the first principal component of PM 2.5 and PM 10 (PM), along with NO 2 and O 3, was negatively correlated with vitamin D. The percentage change (95% CI) in vitamin D concentrations for a one-quintile increase in the mixture was -2.20% (-3.56%- -0.82%), with NO 2 contributing the most (83%), followed by PM (17%). UVR-mediated association was 12.2% (95% CI：2.5%-23.0%) for PM 2.5 and 4.9% (95% CI：2.2%-8.0%) for PM 10 with vitamin D concentrations, respectively. Conclusion:Higher concentrations of particulate matter, NO 2, and a mixture of air pollutants were associated with lower vitamin D concentrations in Chinese adults, with reduced UVR acting as a partial mediator in the particulate matter-vitamin D relationship.

This study aimed to identify mutations in the human insulin receptor gene (INSR) and investigate their role in the pathogenesis of severe insulin resistance syndrome. Sanger sequencing of the INSR gene was performed on a patient clinically suspected of having type A insulin resistance syndrome admitted to the Department of Endocrinology, the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital. Upon identifying mutations, relevant exons were sequenced in her first-degree relatives. Additionally, control groups consisting of individuals with type 2 diabetes and those with normal glucose tolerance were screened for the mutation detected in the patient. Functional predictions of the INSR protein were made using MutationTaster, SIFT, and PolyPhen2 software. A previously unreported heterozygous missense mutation, c.3652G/A (Asp1218Asn), in exon 20 was identified in both the proband and her father. This mutation was not present in any of the control individuals. Multiple prediction tools indicate that this mutation likely disrupts gene/protein structure or function. The c.3652G/A (Asp1218Asn) heterozygous mutation in INSR is a novel variant that plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of severe insulin resistance in this Chinese family.

Introducing fingerprint level 3 features(especially sweat pores)in fingerprint recognition can significantly improve the value of fingerprints.However,conventional fingerprint visualization methods suffer from issues such as poor stability and reproducibility,insufficient resolution,and feature masking in detecting level 3 features.Electrospun membrane has unique advantages in latent fingerprint(LFP)detection due to its excellent adsorption performance and high specific surface area,and thus its application potential in LFP visualization urgently need to be explored.A novel pore visualization method based on core-shell structured PAN-Flu/PVP composite nanofibrous membrane was proposed in this work.Specifically,the PAN-Flu/PVP composite nanofibrous membrane was prepared via coaxial electrospinning technology,with polyacrylonitrile(PAN)loaded with fluorescein(Flu)as the core and polyvinylpyrrolidone(PVP)as the shell.The experimental results showed that the prepared PAN Flu/PVP composite nanofibrous membrane had a porous structure and excellent adsorption performance.Based on the water solubility of the outer shell PVP and the water induced fluorescence enhancement effect of the core Flu,high-resolution visualization of sweat pores could be achieved within 2 s.The optimization experiment showed that the best quality of sweat latent fingerprints was obtained when the Flu content was 4 mg/mL,the spinning time was 1 h,and the sweating time was 2 min.Through repeated fingerprinting and live fingerprint comparison experiment,the strong stability and high reproducibility of the as-produced membrane in displaying fingerprint sweat pores were finally verified.In summary,the development method could quickly,stably and accurately extract the spatial distribution and activity level of fingerprint sweat pores,which was of great significance for improving the utilization and value of fingerprints.

The relationship between hyperuricemia (HUA) and erectile dysfunction (ED) remains inadequately understood. Given that HUA is often associated with various metabolic disorders, this study aims to explore the multivariate linear impacts of metabolic parameters on erectile function in ED patients with HUA. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted involving 514 ED patients with HUA in the Department of Andrology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine (Nanjing, China), aged 18 to 60 years. General demographic information, medical history, and laboratory results were collected to assess metabolic disturbances. Sexual function was evaluated using the 5-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) questionnaire. Based on univariate analysis, variables associated with IIEF-5 scores were identified, and the correlations between them were evaluated. The effects of these variables on IIEF-5 scores were further explored by multiple linear regression models. Fasting plasma glucose ( β = -0.628, P < 0.001), uric acid ( β = -0.552, P < 0.001), triglycerides ( β = -0.088, P = 0.047), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( β = -0.164, P = 0.027), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c; β = -0.562, P = 0.012), and smoking history ( β = -0.074, P = 0.037) exhibited significant negative impacts on erectile function. The coefficient of determination ( R ²) for the model was 0.239, and the adjusted R ² was 0.230, indicating overall statistical significance ( F -statistic = 26.52, P < 0.001). Metabolic parameters play a crucial role in the development of ED. Maintaining normal metabolic indices may aid in the prevention and improvement of erectile function in ED patients with HUA.
Humans ; Male ; Erectile Dysfunction/metabolism* ; Hyperuricemia/metabolism* ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Glycated Hemoglobin/metabolism* ; Blood Glucose/metabolism* ; Uric Acid/blood* ; Young Adult ; Triglycerides/blood* ; Adolescent ; Cholesterol, LDL/blood* ; Penile Erection/physiology* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Previous evidence showed that ambient air pollution and cardiovascular mortality are related. However, there is a lack of evidence towards the modification effect of long-term lifestyle on the association between short-term ambient air pollution and death from cardiovascular events. METHOD: A total of 14,609 death from major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were identified among the China Kadoorie Biobank participants from 2013 to 2018. Ambient air pollution exposure including particulate matter 2.5 (PM_2.5), SO₂, NO₂, CO, and O₃ from the same period were obtained from space-time model reconstructions based on remote sensing data. Case-crossover design and conditional logistic regression was applied to estimate the effect of short-term exposure to air pollutants on MACE mortality. RESULTS: We found MACE mortality was significantly associated with PM_2.5 (relative percent increase 2.91% per 10 µg/m³ increase, 95% CI 1.32-4.53), NO₂ (5.37% per 10 µg/m³ increase, 95% CI 1.56-9.33), SO₂ (6.82% per 10 µg/m³ increase, 95% CI 2.99-10.80), and CO (2.24% per 0.1 mg/m³ increase, 95% CI 1.02-3.48). Stratified analyses indicated that drinking was associated with elevated risk of MACE mortality with NO₂ and SO₂ exposure; physical inactivity was associated with higher risk of death from MACE when exposed to PM_2.5; and people who had balanced diet had lower risk of MACE mortality when exposed to CO and NO₂. CONCLUSIONS The study results showed that short-term exposure to ambient PM_2.5, NO₂, SO₂, and CO would aggravate the risk of cardiovascular mortality, yet healthy lifestyle conduct might mitigate such negative impact to some extent.
Humans ; Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology* ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Air Pollution/adverse effects* ; Middle Aged ; Air Pollutants/analysis* ; Particulate Matter/analysis* ; Environmental Exposure/adverse effects* ; Life Style ; Aged ; Adult ; Risk Factors ; Cross-Over Studies ; East Asian People