OBJECTIVE: Humans are exposed to complex mixtures of environmental chemicals and other factors that can affect their health. Analysis of these mixture exposures presents several key challenges for environmental epidemiology and risk assessment, including high dimensionality, correlated exposure, and subtle individual effects. METHODS: We proposed a novel statistical approach, the generalized functional linear model (GFLM), to analyze the health effects of exposure mixtures. GFLM treats the effect of mixture exposures as a smooth function by reordering exposures based on specific mechanisms and capturing internal correlations to provide a meaningful estimation and interpretation. The robustness and efficiency was evaluated under various scenarios through extensive simulation studies. RESULTS: We applied the GFLM to two datasets from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). In the first application, we examined the effects of 37 nutrients on BMI (2011-2016 cycles). The GFLM identified a significant mixture effect, with fiber and fat emerging as the nutrients with the greatest negative and positive effects on BMI, respectively. For the second application, we investigated the association between four pre- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and gout risk (2007-2018 cycles). Unlike traditional methods, the GFLM indicated no significant association, demonstrating its robustness to multicollinearity. CONCLUSION GFLM framework is a powerful tool for mixture exposure analysis, offering improved handling of correlated exposures and interpretable results. It demonstrates robust performance across various scenarios and real-world applications, advancing our understanding of complex environmental exposures and their health impacts on environmental epidemiology and toxicology.
Humans ; Environmental Exposure/analysis* ; Linear Models ; Nutrition Surveys ; Environmental Pollutants ; Body Mass Index

Objective To evaluate the accuracy of bioelectrical impedance analysis(BIA)in measurement of appendicular skeletal muscle mass(ASM)of adults.Methods A total of 836 adults aged 18-42 years were recruited in Guangzhou using a convenient sampling method from April 2021 to September 2022.ASM was measured using BIA and Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry(DXA).Using DXA as the standard method,the consistency between the BIA and DXA measurements was evaluated by intra-class correlation coefficients(ICCs)and Bland-Altman analysis in logarithmically transformed data,in order to evaluate the accuracy of BIA in ASM measurement.Receiver operating characteristic curve was plotted to evaluate the diagnostic value of BIA for screening low muscle mass.Results A total of 774 individuals were included for analysis finally.ICCs for ASM measured by BIA and DXA were 0.774 and 0.667 in males and females,respectively.Mean ratios(limits of Agreement)of ASM were 0.94(0.80-1.10)and 0.91(0.78-1.05)in males and females,respectively.Area under curve of BIA for screening low muscle mass were 0.91 and 0.94 in males and females,respectively.The optimal cut-off values of Z-score by BIA for males and females were-0.57 and-0.66,respectively.Sensitivity and specificity for males were 82.5%and 86.0%,while being 86.8%and 93.8%,for females.Conclusion BIA shows a moderate consistency with DXA for measuring ASM in adults.Furthermore,BIA yields a good diagnostic value in identifying low muscle mass in adults aged 18-42 years.

BackgroundWomen may develop severe symptoms of stress disorder following childbirth， which may be exposed to a risk of developing mental health problems， and even lead to the recurrence of the illness in female patients with schizophrenia， while comparatively limited research has been undertaken concerning the clinical characteristics and treatment of puerperal schizophrenia in China. ObjectiveTo explore the clinical characteristics of puerperal schizophrenia， so as to provide references for the clinical treatment. MethodsA total of 24 patients with puerperal schizophrenia who were hospitalized in the female ward of adult psychiatry department of the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from 2012 to 2020 and met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders， fourth edition （DSM-IV） diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia were included as puerperal group. Another 48 non-puerperal women with schizophrenia were concurrently enrolled as control group. Then the basic data， scores on Positive and Negative Symptom Scale （PANSS） and the discharge medication were recorded. ResultsThe percentages of newly onset and positive family history of psychosis in puerperal group were larger than those in control group， with statistical significance （χ²=9.321， 5.240， P<0.05 or 0.01）. Puerperal group scored higher on PANSS excitement factor （t=-2.220， P<0.05） and lower on negative factor （t=3.377， P<0.01） compared with control group. In terms of discharge medication， puerperal group reported a higher dosage of antipsychotic drugs （t=-2.095， P<0.05）， and a larger proportion of combined use of benzodiazepines or antidepressants （χ²=21.316， 5.114， P<0.05 or 0.01） compared with control group， with statistical significance. ConclusionPatients with puerperal schizophrenia display increased ratings of excitement symptoms and decreased ratings of negative symptoms， which necessitates the use of high doses of antipsychotic drugs， and combined use of benzodiazepines and antidepressants.

Pulmonary fibrosis(PF)is a chronic progressive end-stage lung disease.However,the mechanisms un-derlying the progression of this disease remain elusive.Presently,clinically employed drugs are scarce for the treatment of PF.Hence,there is an urgent need for developing novel drugs to address such diseases.Our study found for the first time that a natural source of Prismatomeris connata Y.Z.Ruan(Huang Gen,HG)ethyl acetate extract(HG-2)had a significant anti-PF effect by inhibiting the expression of the transforming growth factor beta 1/suppressor of mothers against decapentaplegic(TGF-β1/Smad)pathway.Network pharmacological analysis suggested that HG-2 had effects on tyrosine kinase phosphorylation,cellular response to reactive oxygen species,and extracellular matrix(ECM)disassembly.Moreover,mass spec-trometry imaging(MSI)was used to visualize the heterogeneous distribution of endogenous metabolites in lung tissue and reveal the anti-PF metabolic mechanism of HG-2,which was related to arginine biosyn-thesis and alanine,asparate and glutamate metabolism,the downregulation of arachidonic acid meta-bolism,and the upregulation of glycerophospholipid metabolism.In conclusion,we elaborated on the relationship between metabolite distribution and the progression of PF,constructed the regulatory metabolic network of HG-2,and discovered the multi-target therapeutic effect of HG-2,which might be conducive to the development of new drugs for PF.

Objective: To investigate the factors influencing parents willingness to vaccinate their children against influenza in Guangzhou, and to provide a scientific basic for effectively improving the coverage rate of influenza vaccine in children. Methods: According to economic level, one secondary school and one elementary school in each of the central administrative and peripheral districts of Guangzhou were selected by stratified cluster sampling. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 5 133 parents of the school students. Questionnaire content included the basic characteristics of children and their parents, and parents knowledge of influenza vaccination for children. Results: A total of 14.57%(748/5 133) of parents were unwilling to have their children vaccinated against influenza. The results of the multivariate Logistic regression analysis found that, compared with parents aged ≤35 years old, parents aged 41-45 years and ≥46 years were 49% (adjusted OR=1.49, 95%CI =1.11-2.00) and 86% (adjusted OR= 1.86 , 95%CI =1.33-2.60), respectively, more likely to refuse vaccinating their children. Parents with an annual income ≥ 200 000 yuan were 52% more likely to be unwilling to vaccinate their children than those with annual income <100 000 yuan (adjusted OR=1.52, 95%CI =1.12-2.06). Parents living within a walking distance ≥30 minutes from the vaccination clinic were 52% more likely to be vaccinereluctant than those living within a walking distance of ≤10 minutes (adjusted OR=1.52, 95%CI = 1.16- 1.99). Compared with parents who regarded the vaccine as safe, parents who did not believe that it was safe or who were unsure of its safety were more likely to refuse vaccinating their children, with adjusted OR(95%CI ) of 12.75(9.44-17.23) and 3.37(2.73- 4.15 ), respectively( P <0.01). Conclusion Parents age, annual income, recognition of the safety of influenza vaccines, and walking distance to the vaccination clinic are associated with parents willingness to vaccinate children against influenza. Hospitals, communities and schools should cooperate to carry out vaccination and popular science propaganda, and arrange vaccination sites rationally to improve the coverage of influenza vaccines.

Objective:To investigate the preoperative nutritional status of cardiac surgery patients in southwest China, analyze the incidence and characteristics of nutritional risk, and provide basis for establishing a standardized individualized nutritional intervention program for cardiac surgery patients.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted on the nutritional status and intervention status of preoperative patients in cardiac surgery department of 23 general hospitals in Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan and Chongqing districts. At 00: 00 on July 7, 2022, the patients aged > 18 years old in cardiac surgery departments of the above hospitals who planned to undergo surgical treatment were enrolled as the survey objects to investigate the nutritional status on July 6, 2022 (the survey date), including basic information (general information, nutrition indicators, etc.), nutrition screening and evaluation (nutrition risk screening and organ support, etc.), nutrition treatment (nutrition supplement methods and prescriptions, etc.) and nutrition awareness of medical staff.Results:The 126 questionnaires were collected, of which 125 were valid (99.2%). ① Basic information: of the 125 patients, 67 patients were male (53.6%) and 58 patients were female (46.4%). The age ranged from 19 years old to 86 years old, with an average of (53.13±14.74) years old. Body mass index (BMI) was (22.21±3.78) kg/m 2. The age and BMI of men were significantly higher than those of women [age (years old): 56.63±13.34 vs. 49.09±15.35, BMI (kg/m 2): 22.74±3.86 vs. 21.59±3.61, both P < 0.05]. Of the 125 patients, 75 had valvular disease and 50 were with non-valvular diseases, which mainly included congenital heart disease [19 cases (15.2%)], aortic dissection [13 cases (10.4%)], coronary heart disease [12 cases (9.6%)], etc. The course of disease was 0.5 hour to 36 years, of which 93 patients (74.4%) were more than 6 months and 32 patients (25.6%) were equal to or less than 6 months. The proportion of female patients with disease duration > 6 months was significantly higher than that of male patients [87.9% (51/58) vs. 62.7% (42/67), P < 0.01]. The basic diseases mainly included hypertension [38 cases (30.4%)], coronary heart disease [12 cases (9.6%)], diabetes [7 cases (5.6%)], chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD, 6 cases (4.8%)], etc. Among 125 patients, total protein (TP) < 60 g/L in 24 cases (19.2%), albumin (Alb) < 40 g/L in 64 cases (51.2%), anemia [male hemoglobin (Hb) < 120 g/L, female Hb < 110 g/L] in 33 cases (26.4%). A total of 60 cases of prealbumin data were collected, of which 23 cases (38.3%) were less than 200 mg/L.② Nutrition screening and assessment: 33.6% of the 125 patients did not undergo routine nutrition screening after admission, including the provincial and municipal tertiary hospitals. Among the 83 patients undergoing nutritional screening, 41 (32.8%) were at nutritional risk. Further analysis of patients with nutritional risk showed that of the 41 patients, 20 were male (48.8%) and 21 were female (51.2%); 27 cases (65.9%) was with valvular diseases and 14 cases (34.1%) was with non-valvular diseases; the course of disease was more than 6 months in 30 cases (73.2%), and ≤ 6 months in 11 cases (26.7%). Statistical comparison of the above 83 patients showed that women, basic disease, long term-valvular disease, anemia, low TP, and low Alb before operation were more prone to innutrition. ③ Nutritional therapy: of the 125 patients, 5 were receiving mechanical ventilation (4.0%) and 2 were using vasoactive drugs (1.6%); there were 5 cases with gastrointestinal dysfunction (4.0%), mainly manifested as abdominal distension, abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea. One patient was treated with enteral nutrition through gastric tube combined with parenteral nutrition support, 124 patients were fed orally, and an irregular phenomenon of injecting amino acid fat emulsion through peripheral vein in 2 patients. ④ Nutrition awareness of medical staff: 124 (99.2%) of the 125 patients had a nutrition department in their hospital; 71 cases (56.8%) received nutrition education, of which 37 cases (52.1%) were consulted by the nutrition department. Of all the cases, only 38 (30.4%) were consulted by the nutrition department, of which 1 (2.6%) did not receive nutrition education after consultation. Conclusions:At present, the incidence of preoperative malnutrition in patients undergoing cardiac surgery is high in southwest China. The incidence of malnutrition in patients with basic diseases, long term-valvular disease, low TP, low Alb and anemia before operation is higher, and the incidence of malnutrition is hidden in women. The course of disease of women is longer than that of men at the time of treatment, and malnutrition is more likely to occur. The attending physicians should pay attention to the above groups. It is necessary to establish a standardized individualized nutritional intervention program and apply it to actual clinical diagnosis and treatment, so as to ultimately improve the prognosis of patients undergoing cardiac surgery and increase the benefits of patients in treatment.

Objective:To study the efficacy of laparoscopic limited anatomical hepatectomy (LLAH) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) within the right anterior section.Methods:The clinical data of 144 patients with HCC confined in the right anterior section undergoing hepatectomy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University from January 2015 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, including 122 males and 22 females, aged (54.5±9.7) years. Patients were divided into LLAH ( n=27), laparoscopic anatomical hepatectomy (LAH, n=69), and laparoscopic non-anatomical hepatectomy (LNAH, n=48). Propensity score matching was used to compare the operative time, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative complications, serum total bilirubin and albumin, and the prognostic indicators such as tumor-free survival (DFS) rate and cumulative survival rate between the groups. Results:After propensity score matching, there were 26 cases each in LLAH and LNAH group. There was no significant difference in operative time, intraoperative blood loss and postoperative hospital stay between LLAH group and LNAH group (all P<0.05). The total bilirubin and albumin in LLAH on the third day after operation were [ M( Q1, Q3)] 24.1(20.9, 29.1) μmol/L and (35.8±2.9) g/L, better than those in LNAH group 39.3(33.2, 57.0) μmol/L and (33.9±2.5) g/L, respectively. The 1- and 3-year DFS rates in LLAH group were 92.3% and 57.7%, higher than those in LNAH group (80.8% and 19.2%) (all P<0.05). After propensity score matching, there were 25 patients each in LLAH and LAH group. The operative time, postoperative hospital stay and postoperative complications of LLAH group were lower than those of LAH group, and the liver function parameters of LLAH group was also better than those of LAH group (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in DSF rate between the two groups LLAH group and LAH group ( χ2=0.10, P=0.800). Conclusions:The perioperative outcome of LLAH for HCC within the right anterior section are similar to that of LNAH and better than that of LAH. The DFS of LLAH were better than that of LNAH and similar to that of LAH.

Objective:To determine the accuracy and clinical application of donor HLA quartile genotyping based upon transplanted kidney biopsy.Methods:The clinical and follow-up data are retrospectively reviewed for 38 recipients of kidney transplantation(KT)at First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from 2019 to 2022.They are suspected of rejection.HLA quartile genotyping of donor kidney is performed through puncture and DNA analysis by LABType SSO method.Known HLA genotypes of recipients are compared for predicting HLA genotypes of donors.Donor-specific antibody(DSA)is detected by Labscreen Single kit.And SPSS18.0 statistical software is employed for processing baseline data, donor/recipient HLA typing data, recipient DSA antibody data and transplant nephropathy parameters.Results:Among them, 12(31.58%)belonged to HLA-A, B, C, DR and DQ.Four loci are detected in 14 cases(36.84%). Three sites are detected in 10 cases(26.32%). Two sites are detected in 2 cases(5.26%)and a negative correlation exists between detected sites and transplantation time( rs=-0.707, P=0.001). The detection rate of HLA loci is 78.94%(30 cases). B: 65.78%(25 cases); C: 84.21%(32 cases); DR: 57.89%(22 cases); DQ: 100% (38 cases); HLA sites detected in puncture tissue are 89.47% consistent with the results of donor whole blood test, among which HLA-C and HLA-DQ sites are 100% consistent and HLA-A and HLA-B sites 87.50% and 90% consistent and HLA-DR sites 66.7% consistent( P<0.01). Spearman's rank correlation analysis indicated that pathological diagnosis of interstitial inflammation( rs=-0.432, P=0.017), renal tubule atrophy( rs=-0.587, P=0.001)and interstitial fibrosis( rs=-0.560, P=0.001)are correlated negatively with HLA detected sites in transplanted kidney puncture tissue.DSA is detected in 42.1% of recipients and 68.75% of recipients belonged to HLA-DQ. Conclusions:HLA typing results of puncture tissue are consistent with those of whole blood test.Time after transplantation, infiltration of transplanted nephritis cells and degree of fibrosis may influence the detection of HLA loci.Donor HLA quartile genotyping using transplanted kidney biopsy has some diagnostic values for detecting the presence of DSA.

The latest epidemiological data suggests that the situation of adult diabetes in China is severe, and metabolic diseases have become significant chronic illnesses that have a serious impact on public health and social development. After more than six years of practice, the National Metabolic Management Center(MMC) has developed distinctive approaches to manage metabolic patients and has achieved a series of positive outcomes, continuously advancing the standardized diagnosis and treatment model. In order to further improve the efficiency, based on the first edition, the second edition guideline was composed by incorporating experience of the past six years in conjunction with the latest international and domestic guidelines.