Background/Aims: Low educational attainment is a well-established risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in developed areas. However, the association between educational attainment and the risk of NAFLD is less clear in China. Methods: A cross-sectional study including over 200,000 Chinese adults across mainland China was conducted. Information on education level and lifestyle factors were obtained through standard questionnaires, while NAFLD and advanced fibrosis were diagnosed using validated formulas. Outcomes included the risk of NAFLD in the general population and high probability of fibrosis among patients with NAFLD. Logistic regression analysis was employed to estimate the risk of NAFLD and fibrosis across education levels. A causal mediation model was used to explore the potential mediators. Results: Comparing with those receiving primary school education, the multi-adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for NAFLD were 1.28 (1.16 to 1.41) for men and 0.94 (0.89 to 0.99) for women with college education after accounting for body mass index. When considering waist circumference, the odds ratios (95% CIs) were 0.94 (0.86 to 1.04) for men and 0.88 (0.80 to 0.97) for women, respectively. The proportions mediated by general and central obesity were 51.00% and 68.04% for men, while for women the proportions were 48.58% and 32.58%, respectively. Furthermore, NAFLD patients with lower educational attainment showed an incremental increased risk of advanced fibrosis in both genders. Conclusions In China, a low education level was associated with a higher risk of prevalent NAFLD in women, as well as high probability of fibrosis in both genders.

The association between serum uric acid and the risk of incident diabetes in Chinese adults remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate this association in a community-dwelling population aged ≥ 40 years in Shanghai, China. Oral glucose tole3rance test was conducted during baseline and follow-up visits. Relative risk regression was utilized to examine the associations between baseline gender-specific serum uric acid levels and incident diabetes risk. A total of 613 (10.3%) incident diabetes cases were identified during the follow-up visit after 4.5 years. Fasting plasma glucose, postload glucose, and glycated hemoglobin A1c during the follow-up visit progressively increased across the sex-specific quartiles of serum uric acid (all Ps < 0.05). The incidence rate of diabetes increased across the quartiles of serum uric acid (7.43%, 8.77%, 11.47%, and 13.43%). Multivariate adjusted regression analysis revealed that individuals in the highest quartile had 1.36-fold increased risk of diabetes compared with those in the lowest quartile of serum uric acid (odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 1.36 (1.06-1.73)). Stratified analysis indicated that the association was only observed in women. Accordingly, serum uric acid was associated with the increased risk of incident diabetes among middle-aged and elderly Chinese women.
Adult ; Aged ; China/epidemiology* ; Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology* ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Uric Acid

Objective: To evaluate the pathogenicity of Acinetobacter venetum（Av），which is expected to be used as an environmental remediation agent，using Caenorhabditis elegans（C.elegans）. Methods: The C.elegans were cultured on the media loaded with E.coli OP50 and Av，respectively. The pathogenicity of Av was evaluated by observing the effects of Av on the growth，movement，digestive function，lifespan and reproduction of C.elegans，compared with that of another evaluation system according to NY 1109-2017 General Biosafety Standard for Microbial Fertilizers. Results: By C. elegans system，it was found that the body length，width，head thrash frequency，body bending frequency and average lifespan [（13.5±0.4）d vs.（13.7±0.4）d] of adult nematodes in the Av group were not significantly different from those in the OP50 group（all P>0.05）；while the average time of defecation cycle in the Av group shortened，the total number of progenies in the Av group increased by 18.7%（all P<0.05）. According to NY1109-2017 General Biosafety Standard for Microbial Fertilizers，it was found that the oral LD50 values for both male and female mice were more than 10 g/kgbw，which was practically non-toxic；the pathogenicity test of acute intraperitoneal injection showed that the animals did not have signs of poisoning，deaths or any abnormalities in gross anatomy；Av had no irritation to damaged skin and eyes of rabbits；the hemolysis test was negative；Av was sensitive to seven antibiotics and was medium to one antibiotic. Conclusion Av is not pathogenic. C. elegans can be used in early screening for the pathogenicity of environmental remediation agents.

Objective To investigate the association between levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and the risks of cardiovascular disease in Chinese. Methods A survey of 10 375 subjects aged 40 or older in Jiading District of Shanghai was performed using cluster sampling. All the subjects were recruited to undergo questionnaire interview, anthropometric measurements, and fasting blood sampling. A total of 8 877 participants were included in the final analyses, including 5 664 females and 3 213 males. The mean age of individuals was ( 58.68 ± 9.22)yearsinmenand(57.65±8.93)yearsinwomen(P＜0.01).10-yearriskforafirsthardatherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD) event was calculated. Results Increased ALT levels were associated with more unfavorable cardiovascular risk profiles and 10-year risk for ASCVD. Increased ALT levels were associated with the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in female participants, while in male participants the prevalence of diabetes mellitus appeared as a U-distribution. The prevalence of hypertension and hyperlipidemia were 66.04%, 52.74%and 64.49%, 47.63% respectively. Increased serum ALT was associated with higher prevalence of 10-year risk for ASCVD. As compared with participants in the first ALT quartile, the risks of 10-year risk for ASCVD were increased by 148%(OR＝2.48, 95%CI 1.78-3.45) and 139%(OR＝2.39, 95%CI 1.78-3.19), respectively in male and female participants. As compared with participants in the first ALT quartile, higher prevalence of 10-year risk for ASCVD were increased by 96%(OR＝1.96, 95%CI 1.30-2.95), while there was no significantly statistical difference in men. Conclusion A high-normal serum ALT level was significantly associated with an increased risk of the cardiovascular disease in middle-aged and elderly Chinese.

Objective To investigate the association of age at menarche with the risks of diabetes and metabolic syndrome ( MS) in adulthood in Shanghai community postmenopausal women. Methods A total of 10375 residents over 40 years in Jiading, Shanghai were identified by a cluster sampling method. After taking standardized questionnaire surveys, physical examinations, and biochemical parameters testing, we gathered their lifestyle and medicine information. A total of 4723 postmenopausal women were enrolled in the study. The population was divided into three groups according to age at menarche, and their risks of MS and diabetes in various groups were compared. Results After multivariate adjustment, postmenopausal women with a menarche age<15 years had a 29％increased risk of diabetes(95％CI 1.03-1.61) and a 45％ increased risk of MS(95％ CI 1.20-1.76) in adulthood, compared with those with menarcheal age at 15-18 years. Among the five components of MS, earlier age of menarche was associated with higher risks of hypertriglyceridemia, low high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and central obesity. Conclusions In Shanghai Jiading community postmenopausal women, age at menarche is associated with the risk of diabetes and MS, independent of the body mass index in adulthood.

OBJECTIVE:To establish a method for the simultaneous determination of curdione,germacrone and furanodiene of zedoray turmeric oil in Ruxiankang injection. METHODS:HPLC was performed on the column of Zorbax SB-C18 with mobile phase of acetonitrile-water (gradient elution) at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min,detection wavelength was 216 nm,column temperature was 30℃,and the injection volume was 10 μl. RESULTS:The linear range was 60-480 μg/ml for curdione(r=0.999 0),40-320 μg/ml for germacrone(r=0.999 0)and 40-320 μg/ml(r=0.999 0);RSDs of precision,stability and reproducibility tests were lower than 2.0%;recoveries were 95.21%-99.89%(RSD=1.6%,n=6),102.33%-104.89%(RSD=1.0%,n=6)and 97.38%-99.06%(RSD=0.7%,n=6),respectively. CONCLUSIONS:The method is simple and accurate,and can be used for simultaneous contents deter-mination of curdione,germacrone and furanodiene of zedoray turmeric oil in Ruxiankang injection.

Objective To explore the effect of intensity of 1 Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to right Broca's ho-mologue on nonfluent aphasia after stroke. Methods 40 inpatients were equally divided into low-intensity group and high-intensity group, who received rTMS (1 Hz for 10 minutes) once a day and twice a day respectively for 10 days. They were assessed with Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) before and after intervention, and 2 months after intervention. Results The scores of content and fluency, auditory compre-hension, naming, repetition and AQ improved more in the high-intensity group than in the low-intensity group (P<0.01). It maintained more for 2 months in the scores of content and fluency, repetition and AQ (P<0.05). Conclusion High-intensity rTMS can promote the improve-ment of speech in patients with nonfluent aphasia after stroke that remains for a long term.

Objective To develop a stable method for fingerprint analysis of extractum platycodi liquidum to ensure its u‐niformity and stability .Methods UPLC‐ELSD was applied to obtain a chromatogram with 11 well separated peaks ,and the chromatographic condition was as follows:mobile phase was gradient elution by acetonitrile‐water ,column was ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 (2 .1 × 100 mm ,1 .7 μm) with the column temperature of 30 ℃ and the flow rate of 0 .2 ml/min .Results The chromatographic fingerprints were analyzed with similarity evaluation system for chromatographic fingerprint of TCM .Similar‐ities were all greater than 0 .90 ,which could meet the requirement for chromatographic fingerprint of TCM .Conclusion The stability ,repeatability and precision of the developed method were all validated ,and the chromatographic fingerprint analysis was a rapid and accurate method for the quality evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine .

Objective To establish a method for the determination of berberine hydrochloride and phellodendrine in Lishukang Capsules by HPLC. Methods Waters Symmetry C18 column (4.6 mm× 250 mm, 5μm) was used, the mobile phase was acetonitrile-0.1%phosphoric acid (0.1 g sodidum dodecyl sulfonate in 100 mL water), with the flow rate of 1 mL/min by gradient elution. The detection wavelength was set at 284 nm. Results Berberine hydrochloride showed good linear relationship (r 2=0.999 1) in the range of 403.4-10 084.7 μg, the average recovery rate was 99.8%(RSD=1.7%). Phellodendrine showed good linear relationship (r 2=0.999 2) in the range of 169.137 6-4228.44 μg, the average recovery rate was 95.5%(RSD=3.2%). Conclusion The method is specific, accurate and convenient to be used for the quality control of Lishukang Capsules.