AIM: To investigate whether periodontal disease(PD) is associated with increasing coronary heart disease(CHD) risk by performing a meta-analysis.METHODS: Two authors independently searched Pub Med and China National K...AIM: To investigate whether periodontal disease(PD) is associated with increasing coronary heart disease(CHD) risk by performing a meta-analysis.METHODS: Two authors independently searched Pub Med and China National Knowledge Infrastructure up to January 10 th, 2013 for relevant case-control studies that investigated the association between PD and CHD. After quality assessment using Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and data extraction by two independent authors, the overall and subgroup meta-analyses were performed and publication bias were examined using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis V2 software. Potential publication bias was assessed using visual inspection of the funnel plots, Egger linear regression test, and trims and fill method.RESULTS: Finally 38 relevant case-control studies were identified, involving 4950 CHD patients and 5490 controls. Eleven studies were rated low quality and 27 were high quality. Based on random-effects, a significant association was identified between PD and CHD(OR 3.79, 95%CI: 2.23-6.43, P < 0.001, I2 = 98.59%), and sensitivity analysis showed that this result was robust. Subgroup analyses according to adjusted/unadjusted ORs, source of control, methodological quality, end point, assessment of PD/CHD, and ethnicity also indicated a significant association. Publication bias was detected, and the estimated OR including the "missing" studies did not substantially differ from our estimate with adjustment for missing studies(OR 4.15, 95%CI: 2.62-6.54, P < 0.001).CONCLUSION: Based on the meta-analysis, PD is probably associated with CHD risk independently and significantly.展开更多
Randomized controlled trials(RCTs) are the gold standard in terms of study design, however, in the surgical setting conducting RCTs can often be unethical or logistically impossible. Case-control studies should become...Randomized controlled trials(RCTs) are the gold standard in terms of study design, however, in the surgical setting conducting RCTs can often be unethical or logistically impossible. Case-control studies should become the major study design used in surgical research when RCTs are unable to be conducted and definitely replacing case series which offer little insight into surgical outcomes and disease processes.展开更多
Background: Case-control studies have been used extensively in determining the aetiology of rare diseases. However, case-control studies often suffer from participation bias in the control group, resulting in biased o...Background: Case-control studies have been used extensively in determining the aetiology of rare diseases. However, case-control studies often suffer from participation bias in the control group, resulting in biased odds ratios that cause problems with interpretation. Participation bias can be hard to detect and is often ignored. Methods: Population data can be used in place of the possibly biased control group, to investigate whether participation bias may have affected the results in previous studies, or in place of controls in future studies. We demonstrate this approach by reanalysing and comparing the results of two case-control studies: Type 1 diabetes in Yorkshire children and stroke in Indian adults. Findings: Using population data to represent the control groups reduced the width of the confidence intervals given in the original studies and confirmed the findings for the two diabetes risk factors used;caesarean birth (odds ratio (OR) = 2.12 (1.53, 2.95) compared with 1.84 (1.09, 3.10)) and amniocentesis (OR = 3.38 (2.09, 5.47) compared with 3.85 (1.34, 11.04)). The three stroke risk factors investigated were found to have increased odds ratios when using population data;hypertension (OR = 5.645 (5.639, 5.650) compared with 3.807 (2.114, 6.856)), diabetes (OR = 12.212 (12.200, 12.224) compared with 3.473 (1.757, 6.866)) and smoking (OR = 5.701 (5.696, 5.707) compared with 2.242 (1.255, 4.005)). Interpretation: Participation bias can greatly affect the results of a study and cause some potential risk factors to be over-or underestimated. This approach allows previous studies to be investigated for participation bias and presents an alternative to a control group in future studies, while improving precision.展开更多
During the last decade, hundreds of studies have been pub- lished examining whether significant associations exist be- tween mitochondrial DNA （mtDNA） variants and/or haplogroups （clades） and particular diseases ...During the last decade, hundreds of studies have been pub- lished examining whether significant associations exist be- tween mitochondrial DNA （mtDNA） variants and/or haplogroups （clades） and particular diseases （generally com- mon/complex diseases） （Fig. 1）. However, several authors have gathered evidence indicating a high incidence of false positive findings in mtDNA case-control association studies. Raule et al. （2007） and Herrnstadt and Howell （2004） showed various problems affecting mtDNA case-control association studies. Salas et al.展开更多
Background：Studies on the association between spicy food intake and cancer risk have reported inconsistent results.We quantitatively assessed this association by conducting a meta-analysis based on evidence from case...Background：Studies on the association between spicy food intake and cancer risk have reported inconsistent results.We quantitatively assessed this association by conducting a meta-analysis based on evidence from case-control studies.Methods：PubMed,EMBASE,and the Cochrane Library were searched for eligible publications.Combined odds ratios （ORs） with their 95% confidence interval （CI） were calculated using a random-or fixed-effects model.The methodological quality of the included articles was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale （NOS）.All data were analyzed using STATA 1 1.0 software （version 11.0;StataCorp.,College Station,TX,USA）.Subgroup analyses were also performed with stratification by region,sex,number of cases,cancer subtype,source of the control group,and NOS score.Results：A total 39 studies from 28 articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis （7884 patients with cancer and 10,142 controls）.Comparison of the highest versus lowest exposure category in each study revealed a significant OR of 1.76 （95% CI =1.35-2.29） in spite of significant heterogeneity （P 〈 0.00l）.In the subgroup analyses,this positive correlation was still found for gastric cancer,different regions,different numbers of cases,different sources of the control group,and high-quality articles （NOS score of≥ 7）.However,no statistically significant association was observed for women,esophageal cancer,gallbladder cancer,or low-quality articles （NOS score of〈7）.No evidence of publication bias was found.Conclusions：Evidence from case-control studies suggested that a higher level of spicy food intake may be associated with an increased incidence of cancer despite significant heterogeneity.More studies are warranted to clarify our understanding of the association between high spicy food intake and the risk of cancer.展开更多
Joanna Page is Director of CRASSH and Professor of Latin American Studies at the University of Cambridge.Her research interests are generally connected to the relationship between science and culture in Latin America....Joanna Page is Director of CRASSH and Professor of Latin American Studies at the University of Cambridge.Her research interests are generally connected to the relationship between science and culture in Latin America.She has also worked on questions of memory,modernity,capitalism,posthumanism,new materialism,decoloniality,ecology,and environmental thought.This interview covers three main aspects:the characteristics of science fiction texts in Latin America,the interdisciplinary research models at the intersection of science,literature,and art,and Latin America as a field of regional studies.Professor Page starts with Argentine science fiction novels and expands the discussion to include graphic novels in Latin America,outlining the panorama of science fiction and its indigenous features.The conversation delves into the literary and technological relationships within Latin American science fiction texts.Building upon this foundation,this interview explores the interdisciplinary research paradigms concerning the relationship between science and culture,aiming to contribute to regional studies by exploring new pathways for interdisciplinary,cross-regional,and trans-media research.展开更多
Professor Paul Crosthwaite,from the School of Literature,Languages,and Cultures at the University of Edinburgh,is a prominent scholar in the interdisciplinary field of literature and economics.He is a co-editor of the...Professor Paul Crosthwaite,from the School of Literature,Languages,and Cultures at the University of Edinburgh,is a prominent scholar in the interdisciplinary field of literature and economics.He is a co-editor of the Palgrave Studies in Literature,Culture,and Economics series and The Cambridge Companion to Literature and Economics(2022).In recent years,he has significantly influenced the intersection of literature and economics,advocating particularly for a shift towards the Economic Humanities.This interview covers:1.The definition and theoretical origin of the Economic Humanities;2.The internal heterogeneity and critical limitations of the New Economic Criticism,and the theoretical advantages and potential development of the Economic Humanities;3.What research paradigms do Environmental Humanities,Medical Humanities,and Digital Humanities provide for the Economic Humanities;4.How literary researchers can work at the interface of the Economic Humanities research.As a novel interdisciplinary interface between literature and economics,Professor Paul Crosthwaite’s concept of the Economic Humanities not only pioneers methodological tools for interdisciplinary studies of literature and economics but also underscores the interpretative potential and disciplinary benefits of literary viewpoints on economics.This underscores the vital role of literature in human knowledge,meriting attention from the literary research academia.展开更多
Cohort studies are important epidemiological methods to investigate associations between environmental factors,individual characteristics,and disease or other health outcomes.As a paradigm of cohort studies,the Framin...Cohort studies are important epidemiological methods to investigate associations between environmental factors,individual characteristics,and disease or other health outcomes.As a paradigm of cohort studies,the Framingham Heart Study(FHS)is the longest-running cardiovascular epidemiological study,starting in 1948.展开更多
BACKGROUND Depression is a significant risk factor for diabetes,particularly type 2 diabetes.However,depressive symptoms differ from clinical depression.Previous research has not fully considered the relationship betw...BACKGROUND Depression is a significant risk factor for diabetes,particularly type 2 diabetes.However,depressive symptoms differ from clinical depression.Previous research has not fully considered the relationship between the trajectory of depressive symptoms and the risk of developing diabetes over time.AIM To investigate the association between depressive symptoms,their trajectories,and the risk of developing diabetes in two prospective cohort studies.METHODS In the first phase we analyzed the association between depressive symptoms and the risk of developing diabetes separately using the Health and Retirement Study(HRS).Depressive symptom trajectories were assessed by examining changes in depressive symptoms at baseline and again 8 years later.We then identified specific depressive symptom trajectories that increased the risk of diabetes in the second phase.Finally,we confirmed the association between depressive symptoms and their trajectories with diabetes risk using the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing(ELSA)as a validation study.Depressive symptom trajectories were categorized into five states based on changes in the modified 8-item Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scores:Persistently high;increasing;fluctuating;decreasing;and persistently low.Diabetes mellitus was defined as self-reported,physician-diagnosed diabetes.Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess hazard ratios(HR)and 95%confidence intervals(CI),adjusting for potential confounders.RESULTS In the first phase a total of 27658 participants were included(HRS:18633,ELSA:9025),among whom 6582 had depressive symptoms(HRS:4547,ELSA:2035),6407 had somatic depressive symptoms(HRS:4414,ELSA:1993),and 26415 had cognitive-affective depressive symptoms(HRS:17755,ELSA:8660).We found that overall depressive symptoms(HRS:HR=1.14,95%CI:1.07-1.22;ELSA:HR=1.18,95%CI:1.03-1.34)and somatic depressive symptoms(HRS:HR=1.14,95%CI:1.07-1.22;ELSA:HR=1.25,95%CI:1.10-1.42)increased the risk of diabetes,while cognitive depressive symptoms were not associated with diabetes risk.Over an 8-year follow-up we identified 19729 trajectories of overall,somatic,and cognitive-affective depressive symptoms(HRS:13918,ELSA:5811).In the second phase we found that persistently high(HRS:HR=1.22,95%CI:1.06-1.40,ELSA:HR=1.54,95%CI:1.16-2.05 in total and HRS:HR=1.24,95%CI:1.07-1.43,ELSA:HR=1.79,95%CI:1.36-2.35 in somatic)and fluctuating(HRS:HR=1.09,95%CI:1.01-1.17,ELSA:HR=1.33,95%CI:1.14-1.55 in total and HRS:HR=1.10,95%CI:1.02-1.18,ELSA:HR=1.31,95%CI:1.13-1.53 in somatic)trajectories of overall and somatic depressive symptoms increased the risk of diabetes,while increasing trajectories may also raise diabetes risk.However,decreasing trajectories were not associated with diabetes risk.Cognitive-affective depressive symptoms showed no association with diabetes risk regardless of trajectory changes.Sensitivity analyses confirmed the reliability of the findings.CONCLUSION Persistently high and fluctuating trajectories of overall and somatic depressive symptoms increased the risk of diabetes,while decreasing trajectories were not associated with diabetes risk.In contrast trajectories of cognitiveaffective depressive symptoms show no relationship with diabetes risk.Focusing on depressive symptom trajectories,particularly those of somatic depressive symptoms,represented a viable strategy for future diabetes prevention.展开更多
The hybridity of words in literary texts and the multiplicity of theoretical discourse fundamentally determine the cross-cultural attributes of literary studies.This feature holds significant value for understanding d...The hybridity of words in literary texts and the multiplicity of theoretical discourse fundamentally determine the cross-cultural attributes of literary studies.This feature holds significant value for understanding different cultural traditions and presenting one’s cultural traits in a mutually contextualized manner.By analyzing the cross-cultural essence of literary studies with a focus on word transformation and critical discourse and also emphasizing that literary studies should fully consider the linguistic elements of literary texts,the theoretical origins of critical terminology,and the cultural stance of the researcher,it becomes possible to understand the important role of literary studies in humanistic academic knowledge production.展开更多
Objective: To identify the relation between nasopharyngeal carcinoma and the human novel gene UBAP1, which is located in the region of minimal heterozygosity deletion at 9pl3.2 and down-expressed in NPC. Methods: Fiv...Objective: To identify the relation between nasopharyngeal carcinoma and the human novel gene UBAP1, which is located in the region of minimal heterozygosity deletion at 9pl3.2 and down-expressed in NPC. Methods: Five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within UBAP1 gene were analysed by sequencing in 105 NPC patients and 183 control subjects which matched to the NPC cases on age, sex and residence. Results: Significant association was found between NPC with one SNP mark (rs1049557), which is located at 3' non-region of UBAP1 gene; the relative risk of this SNP mark is 1.64 (genotype GG) and 1.31 (genotype CG). Conclusion: The result has proved again that UBAP1 gene may play a certain role in the occurrence and development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The SNP mark rs1049557, considering its location, may influence the expression of UBAP1 gene.展开更多
Background:Cardiorespiratory fitness(CRF)is a powerful health marker recommended by the American Heart Association as a clinical vital sign.Comparing the predictive validity of objectively measured CRF(the"gold s...Background:Cardiorespiratory fitness(CRF)is a powerful health marker recommended by the American Heart Association as a clinical vital sign.Comparing the predictive validity of objectively measured CRF(the"gold standara")and estimated CRF is clinically relevant because estimated CRF is more feasible.Our objective was to meta-analyze cohort studies to compare the associations of objectively measured,exerciseestimated,and non-exercise-estimated CRF with all-cause and cardiovascular disease(CVD)mortality in adults.Methods:Systematic searches were conducted in 9 databases(MEDLINE,SPORTDiscus,Embase,Scopus,PsycINFO,Web of Science,PubMed,CINAHL,and the Cochrane Library)up to April 11,2024.We included full-text refereed cohort studies published in English that quantified the association(using risk estimates with 95%confidence intervals(95%CIs))of objectively measured,exercise-estimated,and non-exercise-estimated CRF with all-cause and CVD mortality in adults.CRF was expressed as metabolic equivalents(METs)of task.Pooled relative risks(RR)for all-cause and CVD mortality per 1-MET(3.5 mL/kg/min)higher level of CRF were quantified using random-effects models.Results:Forty-two studies representing 35 cohorts and 3,813,484 observations(81%male)(362,771 all-cause and 56,471 CVD deaths)were included.The pooled RRs for all-cause and CVD mortality per higher MET were 0.86(95%CI:0.83-0.88)and 0.84(95%CI:0.80-0.87),respectively.For both all-cause and CVD mortality,there were no statistically significant differences in RR per higher MET between objectively measured(RR range:0.86-0.90)and maximal exercise-estimated(RR range:0.85-0.86),submaximal exercise-estimated(RR range:0.91-0.94),and non-exercise-estimated CRF(RR range:0.81-0.85).Conclusion:Objectively measured and estimated CRF showed similar dose-response associations for all-cause and CVD mortality in adults.Estimated CRF could provide a practical and robust alternative to objectively measured CRF for assessing mortality risk across diverse populations.Our findings underscore the health-related benefits of higher CRF and advocate for its integration into clinical practice to enhance risk stratification.展开更多
Background:Pistacia integerrima,a cornerstone of traditional medicine,is renowned for its therapeutic applications against various health conditions,including cancer and hepatitis.This study investigates the pharmacol...Background:Pistacia integerrima,a cornerstone of traditional medicine,is renowned for its therapeutic applications against various health conditions,including cancer and hepatitis.This study investigates the pharmacological potential of bioactive compounds derived from Pistacia integerrima in inhibiting 5-lipoxygenase(5-LOX),a key enzyme implicated in inflammation and cancer progression.The current study aimed to evaluate the lipoxygenase inhibitory activity of bioactive compounds from Pistacia integerrima and assess their potential for therapeutic development in the context of inflammation and cancer treatment.Methods:Three major compounds-spinacetin(1),patuletin(2),and pistagremic acid(3)-were isolated from Pistacia integerrima and analyzed for their lipoxygenase inhibitory activity.Biochemical assays and molecular docking studies were performed to assess their effectiveness in inhibiting 5-LOX.Results:All three compounds demonstrated significant inhibition of lipoxygenase activity.Spinacetin(1)and patuletin(2)exhibited the most potent inhibitory effects,with IC_(50)values of 40.34μM and 45.04μM,respectively.Molecular docking studies revealed that patuletin(2)had the highest binding affinity(−7.717 kcal/mol)against 5-LOX,followed by spinacetin(1)with a binding affinity of−6.074 kcal/mol.In-depth in silico analysis highlighted the drug-likeness of spinacetin(1)and its favorable toxicological profile,suggesting its suitability for therapeutic development.Conclusion:The study demonstrates that compounds from Pistacia integerrima,particularly spinacetin and patuletin,have significant lipoxygenase inhibitory activity,with spinacetin showing promise as a lead candidate for lipoxygenase-targeted therapies.The findings reinforce the therapeutic relevance of Pistacia integerrima and suggest that its bioactive compounds may serve as safer,plant-based alternatives to conventional anti-inflammatory and anticancer treatments.展开更多
The effect of prenatal exposure to ambient particulate matter(PM)on birth weight varies considerably across studies,and the findings remain inconclusive.In this study,we conducted a meta-analysis to assess the associa...The effect of prenatal exposure to ambient particulate matter(PM)on birth weight varies considerably across studies,and the findings remain inconclusive.In this study,we conducted a meta-analysis to assess the associations between exposure to PM_(2.5) and PM10 and birth weight.A total of 74 studies were identified through searches in Web of Science,PubMed,Embase,and Ovid Medline,as well as manual searches,up to October 2024.We found that for each 10μg/m^(3) increase in PM_(2.5),the risk of low birth weight(LBW)increased significantly during the entire pregnancy(odds ratio[OR]=2.41,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.99–2.91)and in all trimesters.Similarly,for every 10μg/m^(3) increase in PM10 concentration,the risk of LBW increased significantly during the entire pregnancy(OR=1.46,95%CI:1.16–1.84).Subgroup analysis by maternal age for PM_(2.5) showed that mothers aged 30 and above had a significantly higher risk of LBW(OR=3.69,95%CI:2.81–4.84),compared with those under 30.In conclusion,maternal exposure to PM_(2.5) and PM_(10) is associated with an increased risk of LBW across all trimesters.Additionally,mothers aged 30 and above are at a higher risk of LBW,compared with younger mothers.Further research is needed to clarify the biological mechanisms by which PM pollution may contribute to LBW.展开更多
BACKGROUND Depressive symptoms differ from clinical depression.However,the relationship between depressive symptom trajectories and stroke risk across diverse geographic regions remains unclear.AIM To address the gap ...BACKGROUND Depressive symptoms differ from clinical depression.However,the relationship between depressive symptom trajectories and stroke risk across diverse geographic regions remains unclear.AIM To address the gap in the existing understanding of the relationship between depressive symptom trajectories and stroke risk,the current study utilized three representative cohorts.METHODS In this study,we used three representative cohorts from Asia,Europe,and the Americas:China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study(CHARLS),English Longitudinal Study of Ageing(ELSA),and Health and Retirement Study(HRS).Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 8-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale and categorized into somatic and cognitive-affective subtypes.The trajectories of depressive symptoms were monitored over four surveys starting from baseline and classified into five distinct states:persistently low,decreasing,fluctuating,increasing,and consistently high.Selfreported physician diagnoses were used to evaluate the subsequent stroke events.Hazard ratios(HRs)and 95%confidence intervals(95%CIs)were computed using Cox proportional-risk models adjusted for potential confounding factors.RESULTS A total of 7990 participants from CHARLS(females:52.3%,mean age:63.4 years),5642 participants from ELSA(females:56.2%,mean age:63.7 years),and 12260 participants from HRS(females:61.4%,mean age:64.7 years)participated in this study.The median follow-up periods were 5 years for CHARLS,8 years for ELSA,and 10 years for HRS.In comparison with the persistently low trajectory,consistently high and fluctuating trajectories of total depressive symptoms increased the risk of stroke in all three cohorts(CHARLS:HR=1.80,95% CI:1.36-2.38;ELSA:HR=1.50,95% CI:1.02-2.21;HRS:HR=1.45,95% CI:1.29-1.62 for consistently high;CHARLS:HR=1.47,95% CI:1.14-1.90;ELSA:HR=1.44,95% CI:1.17-1.77;HRS:HR=1.26,95% CI:1.13-1.41 for fluctuating).Increasing trajectories enhanced the risk in the European cohort(ELSA:HR=1.71,95% CI:1.06-2.74),while decreasing trajectories did not increase stroke risk in any cohort.For somatic depressive symptoms,consistently high and fluctuating trajectories increased the risk of stroke across all cohorts(CHARLS:HR=2.16,95% CI:1.67-2.79;ELSA:HR=1.94,95% CI:1.34-2.81;HRS:HR=1.79,95% CI:1.49-2.15 for consistently high;CHARLS:HR=1.35,95% CI:1.20-1.62;ELSA:HR=1.56,95% CI:1.27-1.92;HRS:HR=1.33,95% CI:1.20-1.46 for fluctuating).Increasing trajectories only increased the risk in the European cohort(ELSA:HR=1.95,95% CI:1.11-3.43),while decreasing trajectories did not increase stroke risk in the European and American cohorts.For cognitive-affective depressive symptoms,consistently high and fluctuating trajectories increased the risk in the Asian and European cohorts(CHARLS:HR=2.06,95% CI:1.52-2.81;ELSA:HR=1.25,95% CI:1.02-1.54 for consistently high;CHARLS:HR=1.63,95% CI:1.23-2.16;ELSA:HR=1.58,95% CI:1.11-2.24 for fluctuating).Increasing trajectories increased the risk only in the American cohort(HRS:HR=14.67,95% CI:1.87-114.91).CONCLUSION Consistently high and fluctuating trajectories of total and somatic depressive symptoms were associated with an increased risk for stroke across all populations.Consistently high,fluctuating,and increasing trajectories of cognitive-affective symptoms pose a risk for certain populations.These findings highlight the importance of targeted interventions for managing depressive symptoms as potential strategies for stroke prevention,particularly in regions where specific symptom trajectories are prevalent.展开更多
BACKGROUND Gastrointestinal endoscopy has been widely used in the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases.A great many of studies on gastrointestinal endoscopy have been done.AIM To analyze the characteri...BACKGROUND Gastrointestinal endoscopy has been widely used in the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases.A great many of studies on gastrointestinal endoscopy have been done.AIM To analyze the characteristics of top 100 cited articles on gastrointestinal endoscopy.METHODS A bibliometric analysis was conducted.The publications and their features were extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection,Science Citation Index-Expanded database.Excel,Web of Science database and SPSS software were used to perform the statistical description and analysis.VOSviewer software and Map-Chart were responsible for the visualizations.RESULTS The top 100 cited articles were published between 1976 and 2022.The guidelines(52%)and clinical trials(37%)are the main article types,and average publication year of the guidelines is much later than that of the clinical trials(2015 vs 1998).Among the clinical trials,diagnostic study(27.0%),cohort study(21.6%),case series(13.5%)and cross-sectional study(10.8%)account for a large proportion.Average citations of different study types and designs of the enrolled studies are of no significant differences.Most of the 100 articles were published by European authors and recorded by the endoscopic journals(65%).Top journals in medicine,such as the Lancet,New England Journal of Medicine and JAMA,also reported studies in this field.The hot spots of involved diseases include neoplasm or cancer-related diseases,inflammatory diseases,obstructive diseases,gastrointestinal hemorrhage and ulcer.Endoscopic surgery,endoscopic therapy and stent placement are frequently studied.CONCLUSION Our research contributes to delineating the field and identifying the characteristics of the most highly cited articles.It is noteworthy that there is a significantly smaller number of clinical trials included compared to guidelines,indicating potential areas for future high-quality clinical trials.展开更多
Against the backdrop of employment pressure,pursuing graduate studies has become a crucial pathway for undergraduate students to enhance employment competitiveness and alleviate employment challenges.However,the recen...Against the backdrop of employment pressure,pursuing graduate studies has become a crucial pathway for undergraduate students to enhance employment competitiveness and alleviate employment challenges.However,the recent downward trend in graduate school applicants has rendered the improvement of undergraduates’willingness to pursue advanced degrees an urgent practical issue.This study employs a questionnaire survey method to empirically investigate the influencing factors of undergraduates’intention to pursue graduate studies.The findings reveal that at the individual level,preparation difficulty,preparation pressure,clarity of goals,and academic planning significantly affect students’willingness to pursue graduate studies.At the family level,preparation costs and family atmosphere exert substantial influence on this decision-making process.Accordingly,this paper proposes enhancement strategies from both individual and family perspectives to improve enrollment rates.Students should establish clear academic objectives and strengthen psychological adjustment,while families ought to provide robust financial support and foster harmonious environments.These recommendations aim to effectively boost undergraduates’motivation for graduate education.展开更多
Resilience traits in pig populations allow animals to deal better with infectious disease and suboptimal production environments.The data on daily weight,feed intake and feed behaviors in pigs are collected in test pe...Resilience traits in pig populations allow animals to deal better with infectious disease and suboptimal production environments.The data on daily weight,feed intake and feed behaviors in pigs are collected in test period by automated feeding stations,which facilitate to evaluate the resilience traits.In this study,we adopted the root mean square error(RMSE)of ordinary least squares(OLS)and the negative residuals of quantile regression(QR)to generate four different novel resilience traits using daily records of feed intake and feed duration between 90 and 180 days of age in a population of commercial Duroc pigs.The genome-wide association studies(GWAS)based on single-and two-trait mixed models were carried out on 550 pigs using 48,603 single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)to identify genomic regions associated with resilience traits in growing pigs.We further focused on the GWAS signals to conduct gene annotation,colocalization with multi-tissue eQTL summary statistics of PigGTEx project and identification of enhancers and promoters using the publicly available data.The genomic heritabilities of four novel resilience traits ranged from 0.09 to 0.41.The pairwise genetic and phenotypic correlations ranged from 0.16 to 0.95 and from 0.05 to 0.36,respectively.Twenty-seven SNPs were identified to be significantly associated with these resilience traits.They were distributed on nine chromosomes(SSC1,SSC2,SSC6,SSC7,SSC8,SSC12,SSC14,SSC16 and SSC17).After annotation,39 QTLs and 49 candidate genes were identified.Several of these are functionally relevant candidate genes including OTUD4,TIFA and CARD14,which are involved in the host immune response,disease susceptibility and signal transduction.Eight unique SNPs were found to be causal in both GWAS and eQTL analyses across 15 tissues.Notably,one SNP(rs80794541)was associated with eQTLs identified concurrently across seven tissues/cell types,including the macrophage cell type.Furthermore,four significant SNPs(rs81467127,rs81356029,rs80794541 and rs81305085)were linked to the function of the primed enhancer,active element,and poised promoter in five pig tissues.Using the porcine fibroblast HiC dataset,SNP(rs81356029)on SSC2 regulates the CARNS1 and SSH3,while SNP(rs80794541)on SSC7 regulates the H2AC6.In this study,we generated four novel resilience traits and identified SNPs significantly associated with these resilience traits in a Duroc pig population.GWAS signals were associated with candidate genes involving in the immune traits,and were linked to the crucial regulatory elements as well.Our findings will contribute to elucidating the genetic mechanism that can enhance genome-enabled breeding and inform further research on resilience in domestic pigs.展开更多
Tick studies in Malaysia have experienced a dynamic evolution characterized by periods of growth,stagnation,and the potential for revival.Beginning during the colonial era in the early 1900s,tick studies were primaril...Tick studies in Malaysia have experienced a dynamic evolution characterized by periods of growth,stagnation,and the potential for revival.Beginning during the colonial era in the early 1900s,tick studies were primarily conducted by European scientists and curators,establishing the foundation for tick taxonomy in the region.Pioneering works by George Henry Falknier Nuttall and Cecil Warburton introduced several new tick species,including Haemaphysalis(H.)calva,H.mjoebergi,H.vidua and H.wellingtoni[1].However,some records from this period are now considered doubtful,for instance Amblyomma(A.)breviscutatum,A.clypeolatum and A.integrum.The 1929 description of Ornithodoros batuensis by Stanley Hirst[2]marked the first documentation of a soft tick species in Malaysia,setting the stage for subsequent research endeavours.The Golden Age of tick studies(early 1950s-late 1980s)in Malaysia saw a surge in tick research activities.展开更多
基金Supported by The Foundation of Education and Science Planning Project of Hubei Province(in part),No.2012A050the Intramural Research Program of Hubei University of Medicine,No.2011CZX01
文摘AIM: To investigate whether periodontal disease(PD) is associated with increasing coronary heart disease(CHD) risk by performing a meta-analysis.METHODS: Two authors independently searched Pub Med and China National Knowledge Infrastructure up to January 10 th, 2013 for relevant case-control studies that investigated the association between PD and CHD. After quality assessment using Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and data extraction by two independent authors, the overall and subgroup meta-analyses were performed and publication bias were examined using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis V2 software. Potential publication bias was assessed using visual inspection of the funnel plots, Egger linear regression test, and trims and fill method.RESULTS: Finally 38 relevant case-control studies were identified, involving 4950 CHD patients and 5490 controls. Eleven studies were rated low quality and 27 were high quality. Based on random-effects, a significant association was identified between PD and CHD(OR 3.79, 95%CI: 2.23-6.43, P < 0.001, I2 = 98.59%), and sensitivity analysis showed that this result was robust. Subgroup analyses according to adjusted/unadjusted ORs, source of control, methodological quality, end point, assessment of PD/CHD, and ethnicity also indicated a significant association. Publication bias was detected, and the estimated OR including the "missing" studies did not substantially differ from our estimate with adjustment for missing studies(OR 4.15, 95%CI: 2.62-6.54, P < 0.001).CONCLUSION: Based on the meta-analysis, PD is probably associated with CHD risk independently and significantly.
文摘Randomized controlled trials(RCTs) are the gold standard in terms of study design, however, in the surgical setting conducting RCTs can often be unethical or logistically impossible. Case-control studies should become the major study design used in surgical research when RCTs are unable to be conducted and definitely replacing case series which offer little insight into surgical outcomes and disease processes.
文摘Background: Case-control studies have been used extensively in determining the aetiology of rare diseases. However, case-control studies often suffer from participation bias in the control group, resulting in biased odds ratios that cause problems with interpretation. Participation bias can be hard to detect and is often ignored. Methods: Population data can be used in place of the possibly biased control group, to investigate whether participation bias may have affected the results in previous studies, or in place of controls in future studies. We demonstrate this approach by reanalysing and comparing the results of two case-control studies: Type 1 diabetes in Yorkshire children and stroke in Indian adults. Findings: Using population data to represent the control groups reduced the width of the confidence intervals given in the original studies and confirmed the findings for the two diabetes risk factors used;caesarean birth (odds ratio (OR) = 2.12 (1.53, 2.95) compared with 1.84 (1.09, 3.10)) and amniocentesis (OR = 3.38 (2.09, 5.47) compared with 3.85 (1.34, 11.04)). The three stroke risk factors investigated were found to have increased odds ratios when using population data;hypertension (OR = 5.645 (5.639, 5.650) compared with 3.807 (2.114, 6.856)), diabetes (OR = 12.212 (12.200, 12.224) compared with 3.473 (1.757, 6.866)) and smoking (OR = 5.701 (5.696, 5.707) compared with 2.242 (1.255, 4.005)). Interpretation: Participation bias can greatly affect the results of a study and cause some potential risk factors to be over-or underestimated. This approach allows previous studies to be investigated for participation bias and presents an alternative to a control group in future studies, while improving precision.
基金the "Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacio'n"(No.SAF2011-26983)the Plan Galego IDT(No.EM 2012/045)the grant from the Sistema Universitario Gallego-Modalidad REDES(No.2012-PG226,to A.Salas) from the Xunta de Galicia
文摘During the last decade, hundreds of studies have been pub- lished examining whether significant associations exist be- tween mitochondrial DNA （mtDNA） variants and/or haplogroups （clades） and particular diseases （generally com- mon/complex diseases） （Fig. 1）. However, several authors have gathered evidence indicating a high incidence of false positive findings in mtDNA case-control association studies. Raule et al. （2007） and Herrnstadt and Howell （2004） showed various problems affecting mtDNA case-control association studies. Salas et al.
文摘Background：Studies on the association between spicy food intake and cancer risk have reported inconsistent results.We quantitatively assessed this association by conducting a meta-analysis based on evidence from case-control studies.Methods：PubMed,EMBASE,and the Cochrane Library were searched for eligible publications.Combined odds ratios （ORs） with their 95% confidence interval （CI） were calculated using a random-or fixed-effects model.The methodological quality of the included articles was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale （NOS）.All data were analyzed using STATA 1 1.0 software （version 11.0;StataCorp.,College Station,TX,USA）.Subgroup analyses were also performed with stratification by region,sex,number of cases,cancer subtype,source of the control group,and NOS score.Results：A total 39 studies from 28 articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis （7884 patients with cancer and 10,142 controls）.Comparison of the highest versus lowest exposure category in each study revealed a significant OR of 1.76 （95% CI =1.35-2.29） in spite of significant heterogeneity （P 〈 0.00l）.In the subgroup analyses,this positive correlation was still found for gastric cancer,different regions,different numbers of cases,different sources of the control group,and high-quality articles （NOS score of≥ 7）.However,no statistically significant association was observed for women,esophageal cancer,gallbladder cancer,or low-quality articles （NOS score of〈7）.No evidence of publication bias was found.Conclusions：Evidence from case-control studies suggested that a higher level of spicy food intake may be associated with an increased incidence of cancer despite significant heterogeneity.More studies are warranted to clarify our understanding of the association between high spicy food intake and the risk of cancer.
基金“Cyborg Narratives and the Construction of 21^(st)Century Science Fiction Poetics”(22BZW175)sponsored by the National Social Science Fund of China。
文摘Joanna Page is Director of CRASSH and Professor of Latin American Studies at the University of Cambridge.Her research interests are generally connected to the relationship between science and culture in Latin America.She has also worked on questions of memory,modernity,capitalism,posthumanism,new materialism,decoloniality,ecology,and environmental thought.This interview covers three main aspects:the characteristics of science fiction texts in Latin America,the interdisciplinary research models at the intersection of science,literature,and art,and Latin America as a field of regional studies.Professor Page starts with Argentine science fiction novels and expands the discussion to include graphic novels in Latin America,outlining the panorama of science fiction and its indigenous features.The conversation delves into the literary and technological relationships within Latin American science fiction texts.Building upon this foundation,this interview explores the interdisciplinary research paradigms concerning the relationship between science and culture,aiming to contribute to regional studies by exploring new pathways for interdisciplinary,cross-regional,and trans-media research.
文摘Professor Paul Crosthwaite,from the School of Literature,Languages,and Cultures at the University of Edinburgh,is a prominent scholar in the interdisciplinary field of literature and economics.He is a co-editor of the Palgrave Studies in Literature,Culture,and Economics series and The Cambridge Companion to Literature and Economics(2022).In recent years,he has significantly influenced the intersection of literature and economics,advocating particularly for a shift towards the Economic Humanities.This interview covers:1.The definition and theoretical origin of the Economic Humanities;2.The internal heterogeneity and critical limitations of the New Economic Criticism,and the theoretical advantages and potential development of the Economic Humanities;3.What research paradigms do Environmental Humanities,Medical Humanities,and Digital Humanities provide for the Economic Humanities;4.How literary researchers can work at the interface of the Economic Humanities research.As a novel interdisciplinary interface between literature and economics,Professor Paul Crosthwaite’s concept of the Economic Humanities not only pioneers methodological tools for interdisciplinary studies of literature and economics but also underscores the interpretative potential and disciplinary benefits of literary viewpoints on economics.This underscores the vital role of literature in human knowledge,meriting attention from the literary research academia.
文摘Cohort studies are important epidemiological methods to investigate associations between environmental factors,individual characteristics,and disease or other health outcomes.As a paradigm of cohort studies,the Framingham Heart Study(FHS)is the longest-running cardiovascular epidemiological study,starting in 1948.
文摘BACKGROUND Depression is a significant risk factor for diabetes,particularly type 2 diabetes.However,depressive symptoms differ from clinical depression.Previous research has not fully considered the relationship between the trajectory of depressive symptoms and the risk of developing diabetes over time.AIM To investigate the association between depressive symptoms,their trajectories,and the risk of developing diabetes in two prospective cohort studies.METHODS In the first phase we analyzed the association between depressive symptoms and the risk of developing diabetes separately using the Health and Retirement Study(HRS).Depressive symptom trajectories were assessed by examining changes in depressive symptoms at baseline and again 8 years later.We then identified specific depressive symptom trajectories that increased the risk of diabetes in the second phase.Finally,we confirmed the association between depressive symptoms and their trajectories with diabetes risk using the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing(ELSA)as a validation study.Depressive symptom trajectories were categorized into five states based on changes in the modified 8-item Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scores:Persistently high;increasing;fluctuating;decreasing;and persistently low.Diabetes mellitus was defined as self-reported,physician-diagnosed diabetes.Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess hazard ratios(HR)and 95%confidence intervals(CI),adjusting for potential confounders.RESULTS In the first phase a total of 27658 participants were included(HRS:18633,ELSA:9025),among whom 6582 had depressive symptoms(HRS:4547,ELSA:2035),6407 had somatic depressive symptoms(HRS:4414,ELSA:1993),and 26415 had cognitive-affective depressive symptoms(HRS:17755,ELSA:8660).We found that overall depressive symptoms(HRS:HR=1.14,95%CI:1.07-1.22;ELSA:HR=1.18,95%CI:1.03-1.34)and somatic depressive symptoms(HRS:HR=1.14,95%CI:1.07-1.22;ELSA:HR=1.25,95%CI:1.10-1.42)increased the risk of diabetes,while cognitive depressive symptoms were not associated with diabetes risk.Over an 8-year follow-up we identified 19729 trajectories of overall,somatic,and cognitive-affective depressive symptoms(HRS:13918,ELSA:5811).In the second phase we found that persistently high(HRS:HR=1.22,95%CI:1.06-1.40,ELSA:HR=1.54,95%CI:1.16-2.05 in total and HRS:HR=1.24,95%CI:1.07-1.43,ELSA:HR=1.79,95%CI:1.36-2.35 in somatic)and fluctuating(HRS:HR=1.09,95%CI:1.01-1.17,ELSA:HR=1.33,95%CI:1.14-1.55 in total and HRS:HR=1.10,95%CI:1.02-1.18,ELSA:HR=1.31,95%CI:1.13-1.53 in somatic)trajectories of overall and somatic depressive symptoms increased the risk of diabetes,while increasing trajectories may also raise diabetes risk.However,decreasing trajectories were not associated with diabetes risk.Cognitive-affective depressive symptoms showed no association with diabetes risk regardless of trajectory changes.Sensitivity analyses confirmed the reliability of the findings.CONCLUSION Persistently high and fluctuating trajectories of overall and somatic depressive symptoms increased the risk of diabetes,while decreasing trajectories were not associated with diabetes risk.In contrast trajectories of cognitiveaffective depressive symptoms show no relationship with diabetes risk.Focusing on depressive symptom trajectories,particularly those of somatic depressive symptoms,represented a viable strategy for future diabetes prevention.
文摘The hybridity of words in literary texts and the multiplicity of theoretical discourse fundamentally determine the cross-cultural attributes of literary studies.This feature holds significant value for understanding different cultural traditions and presenting one’s cultural traits in a mutually contextualized manner.By analyzing the cross-cultural essence of literary studies with a focus on word transformation and critical discourse and also emphasizing that literary studies should fully consider the linguistic elements of literary texts,the theoretical origins of critical terminology,and the cultural stance of the researcher,it becomes possible to understand the important role of literary studies in humanistic academic knowledge production.
基金This work was supported by a grant from the National 63High-Tech Program of China (No. 2001AA221031) and a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.30100027). *Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
文摘Objective: To identify the relation between nasopharyngeal carcinoma and the human novel gene UBAP1, which is located in the region of minimal heterozygosity deletion at 9pl3.2 and down-expressed in NPC. Methods: Five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within UBAP1 gene were analysed by sequencing in 105 NPC patients and 183 control subjects which matched to the NPC cases on age, sex and residence. Results: Significant association was found between NPC with one SNP mark (rs1049557), which is located at 3' non-region of UBAP1 gene; the relative risk of this SNP mark is 1.64 (genotype GG) and 1.31 (genotype CG). Conclusion: The result has proved again that UBAP1 gene may play a certain role in the occurrence and development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The SNP mark rs1049557, considering its location, may influence the expression of UBAP1 gene.
基金supported by a grant from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska Curie(Grant agreement No.101028929)supported by an Investigator Grant from the Medical Research Future Fund(MRF1193862)supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship.
文摘Background:Cardiorespiratory fitness(CRF)is a powerful health marker recommended by the American Heart Association as a clinical vital sign.Comparing the predictive validity of objectively measured CRF(the"gold standara")and estimated CRF is clinically relevant because estimated CRF is more feasible.Our objective was to meta-analyze cohort studies to compare the associations of objectively measured,exerciseestimated,and non-exercise-estimated CRF with all-cause and cardiovascular disease(CVD)mortality in adults.Methods:Systematic searches were conducted in 9 databases(MEDLINE,SPORTDiscus,Embase,Scopus,PsycINFO,Web of Science,PubMed,CINAHL,and the Cochrane Library)up to April 11,2024.We included full-text refereed cohort studies published in English that quantified the association(using risk estimates with 95%confidence intervals(95%CIs))of objectively measured,exercise-estimated,and non-exercise-estimated CRF with all-cause and CVD mortality in adults.CRF was expressed as metabolic equivalents(METs)of task.Pooled relative risks(RR)for all-cause and CVD mortality per 1-MET(3.5 mL/kg/min)higher level of CRF were quantified using random-effects models.Results:Forty-two studies representing 35 cohorts and 3,813,484 observations(81%male)(362,771 all-cause and 56,471 CVD deaths)were included.The pooled RRs for all-cause and CVD mortality per higher MET were 0.86(95%CI:0.83-0.88)and 0.84(95%CI:0.80-0.87),respectively.For both all-cause and CVD mortality,there were no statistically significant differences in RR per higher MET between objectively measured(RR range:0.86-0.90)and maximal exercise-estimated(RR range:0.85-0.86),submaximal exercise-estimated(RR range:0.91-0.94),and non-exercise-estimated CRF(RR range:0.81-0.85).Conclusion:Objectively measured and estimated CRF showed similar dose-response associations for all-cause and CVD mortality in adults.Estimated CRF could provide a practical and robust alternative to objectively measured CRF for assessing mortality risk across diverse populations.Our findings underscore the health-related benefits of higher CRF and advocate for its integration into clinical practice to enhance risk stratification.
文摘Background:Pistacia integerrima,a cornerstone of traditional medicine,is renowned for its therapeutic applications against various health conditions,including cancer and hepatitis.This study investigates the pharmacological potential of bioactive compounds derived from Pistacia integerrima in inhibiting 5-lipoxygenase(5-LOX),a key enzyme implicated in inflammation and cancer progression.The current study aimed to evaluate the lipoxygenase inhibitory activity of bioactive compounds from Pistacia integerrima and assess their potential for therapeutic development in the context of inflammation and cancer treatment.Methods:Three major compounds-spinacetin(1),patuletin(2),and pistagremic acid(3)-were isolated from Pistacia integerrima and analyzed for their lipoxygenase inhibitory activity.Biochemical assays and molecular docking studies were performed to assess their effectiveness in inhibiting 5-LOX.Results:All three compounds demonstrated significant inhibition of lipoxygenase activity.Spinacetin(1)and patuletin(2)exhibited the most potent inhibitory effects,with IC_(50)values of 40.34μM and 45.04μM,respectively.Molecular docking studies revealed that patuletin(2)had the highest binding affinity(−7.717 kcal/mol)against 5-LOX,followed by spinacetin(1)with a binding affinity of−6.074 kcal/mol.In-depth in silico analysis highlighted the drug-likeness of spinacetin(1)and its favorable toxicological profile,suggesting its suitability for therapeutic development.Conclusion:The study demonstrates that compounds from Pistacia integerrima,particularly spinacetin and patuletin,have significant lipoxygenase inhibitory activity,with spinacetin showing promise as a lead candidate for lipoxygenase-targeted therapies.The findings reinforce the therapeutic relevance of Pistacia integerrima and suggest that its bioactive compounds may serve as safer,plant-based alternatives to conventional anti-inflammatory and anticancer treatments.
文摘The effect of prenatal exposure to ambient particulate matter(PM)on birth weight varies considerably across studies,and the findings remain inconclusive.In this study,we conducted a meta-analysis to assess the associations between exposure to PM_(2.5) and PM10 and birth weight.A total of 74 studies were identified through searches in Web of Science,PubMed,Embase,and Ovid Medline,as well as manual searches,up to October 2024.We found that for each 10μg/m^(3) increase in PM_(2.5),the risk of low birth weight(LBW)increased significantly during the entire pregnancy(odds ratio[OR]=2.41,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.99–2.91)and in all trimesters.Similarly,for every 10μg/m^(3) increase in PM10 concentration,the risk of LBW increased significantly during the entire pregnancy(OR=1.46,95%CI:1.16–1.84).Subgroup analysis by maternal age for PM_(2.5) showed that mothers aged 30 and above had a significantly higher risk of LBW(OR=3.69,95%CI:2.81–4.84),compared with those under 30.In conclusion,maternal exposure to PM_(2.5) and PM_(10) is associated with an increased risk of LBW across all trimesters.Additionally,mothers aged 30 and above are at a higher risk of LBW,compared with younger mothers.Further research is needed to clarify the biological mechanisms by which PM pollution may contribute to LBW.
文摘BACKGROUND Depressive symptoms differ from clinical depression.However,the relationship between depressive symptom trajectories and stroke risk across diverse geographic regions remains unclear.AIM To address the gap in the existing understanding of the relationship between depressive symptom trajectories and stroke risk,the current study utilized three representative cohorts.METHODS In this study,we used three representative cohorts from Asia,Europe,and the Americas:China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study(CHARLS),English Longitudinal Study of Ageing(ELSA),and Health and Retirement Study(HRS).Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 8-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale and categorized into somatic and cognitive-affective subtypes.The trajectories of depressive symptoms were monitored over four surveys starting from baseline and classified into five distinct states:persistently low,decreasing,fluctuating,increasing,and consistently high.Selfreported physician diagnoses were used to evaluate the subsequent stroke events.Hazard ratios(HRs)and 95%confidence intervals(95%CIs)were computed using Cox proportional-risk models adjusted for potential confounding factors.RESULTS A total of 7990 participants from CHARLS(females:52.3%,mean age:63.4 years),5642 participants from ELSA(females:56.2%,mean age:63.7 years),and 12260 participants from HRS(females:61.4%,mean age:64.7 years)participated in this study.The median follow-up periods were 5 years for CHARLS,8 years for ELSA,and 10 years for HRS.In comparison with the persistently low trajectory,consistently high and fluctuating trajectories of total depressive symptoms increased the risk of stroke in all three cohorts(CHARLS:HR=1.80,95% CI:1.36-2.38;ELSA:HR=1.50,95% CI:1.02-2.21;HRS:HR=1.45,95% CI:1.29-1.62 for consistently high;CHARLS:HR=1.47,95% CI:1.14-1.90;ELSA:HR=1.44,95% CI:1.17-1.77;HRS:HR=1.26,95% CI:1.13-1.41 for fluctuating).Increasing trajectories enhanced the risk in the European cohort(ELSA:HR=1.71,95% CI:1.06-2.74),while decreasing trajectories did not increase stroke risk in any cohort.For somatic depressive symptoms,consistently high and fluctuating trajectories increased the risk of stroke across all cohorts(CHARLS:HR=2.16,95% CI:1.67-2.79;ELSA:HR=1.94,95% CI:1.34-2.81;HRS:HR=1.79,95% CI:1.49-2.15 for consistently high;CHARLS:HR=1.35,95% CI:1.20-1.62;ELSA:HR=1.56,95% CI:1.27-1.92;HRS:HR=1.33,95% CI:1.20-1.46 for fluctuating).Increasing trajectories only increased the risk in the European cohort(ELSA:HR=1.95,95% CI:1.11-3.43),while decreasing trajectories did not increase stroke risk in the European and American cohorts.For cognitive-affective depressive symptoms,consistently high and fluctuating trajectories increased the risk in the Asian and European cohorts(CHARLS:HR=2.06,95% CI:1.52-2.81;ELSA:HR=1.25,95% CI:1.02-1.54 for consistently high;CHARLS:HR=1.63,95% CI:1.23-2.16;ELSA:HR=1.58,95% CI:1.11-2.24 for fluctuating).Increasing trajectories increased the risk only in the American cohort(HRS:HR=14.67,95% CI:1.87-114.91).CONCLUSION Consistently high and fluctuating trajectories of total and somatic depressive symptoms were associated with an increased risk for stroke across all populations.Consistently high,fluctuating,and increasing trajectories of cognitive-affective symptoms pose a risk for certain populations.These findings highlight the importance of targeted interventions for managing depressive symptoms as potential strategies for stroke prevention,particularly in regions where specific symptom trajectories are prevalent.
文摘BACKGROUND Gastrointestinal endoscopy has been widely used in the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases.A great many of studies on gastrointestinal endoscopy have been done.AIM To analyze the characteristics of top 100 cited articles on gastrointestinal endoscopy.METHODS A bibliometric analysis was conducted.The publications and their features were extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection,Science Citation Index-Expanded database.Excel,Web of Science database and SPSS software were used to perform the statistical description and analysis.VOSviewer software and Map-Chart were responsible for the visualizations.RESULTS The top 100 cited articles were published between 1976 and 2022.The guidelines(52%)and clinical trials(37%)are the main article types,and average publication year of the guidelines is much later than that of the clinical trials(2015 vs 1998).Among the clinical trials,diagnostic study(27.0%),cohort study(21.6%),case series(13.5%)and cross-sectional study(10.8%)account for a large proportion.Average citations of different study types and designs of the enrolled studies are of no significant differences.Most of the 100 articles were published by European authors and recorded by the endoscopic journals(65%).Top journals in medicine,such as the Lancet,New England Journal of Medicine and JAMA,also reported studies in this field.The hot spots of involved diseases include neoplasm or cancer-related diseases,inflammatory diseases,obstructive diseases,gastrointestinal hemorrhage and ulcer.Endoscopic surgery,endoscopic therapy and stent placement are frequently studied.CONCLUSION Our research contributes to delineating the field and identifying the characteristics of the most highly cited articles.It is noteworthy that there is a significantly smaller number of clinical trials included compared to guidelines,indicating potential areas for future high-quality clinical trials.
基金Research topic of Southwest Forestry University:“Research on Countermeasures to Improve the Postgraduate Entrance Rate of Undergraduates under the Background of Employment Pressure”(QN202308)。
文摘Against the backdrop of employment pressure,pursuing graduate studies has become a crucial pathway for undergraduate students to enhance employment competitiveness and alleviate employment challenges.However,the recent downward trend in graduate school applicants has rendered the improvement of undergraduates’willingness to pursue advanced degrees an urgent practical issue.This study employs a questionnaire survey method to empirically investigate the influencing factors of undergraduates’intention to pursue graduate studies.The findings reveal that at the individual level,preparation difficulty,preparation pressure,clarity of goals,and academic planning significantly affect students’willingness to pursue graduate studies.At the family level,preparation costs and family atmosphere exert substantial influence on this decision-making process.Accordingly,this paper proposes enhancement strategies from both individual and family perspectives to improve enrollment rates.Students should establish clear academic objectives and strengthen psychological adjustment,while families ought to provide robust financial support and foster harmonious environments.These recommendations aim to effectively boost undergraduates’motivation for graduate education.
基金funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2024YFF1000100 and 2021YFD1301102)the National Natural Science Foundations of China(32172702)the National Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program,Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(ASTIP-IAS02).
文摘Resilience traits in pig populations allow animals to deal better with infectious disease and suboptimal production environments.The data on daily weight,feed intake and feed behaviors in pigs are collected in test period by automated feeding stations,which facilitate to evaluate the resilience traits.In this study,we adopted the root mean square error(RMSE)of ordinary least squares(OLS)and the negative residuals of quantile regression(QR)to generate four different novel resilience traits using daily records of feed intake and feed duration between 90 and 180 days of age in a population of commercial Duroc pigs.The genome-wide association studies(GWAS)based on single-and two-trait mixed models were carried out on 550 pigs using 48,603 single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)to identify genomic regions associated with resilience traits in growing pigs.We further focused on the GWAS signals to conduct gene annotation,colocalization with multi-tissue eQTL summary statistics of PigGTEx project and identification of enhancers and promoters using the publicly available data.The genomic heritabilities of four novel resilience traits ranged from 0.09 to 0.41.The pairwise genetic and phenotypic correlations ranged from 0.16 to 0.95 and from 0.05 to 0.36,respectively.Twenty-seven SNPs were identified to be significantly associated with these resilience traits.They were distributed on nine chromosomes(SSC1,SSC2,SSC6,SSC7,SSC8,SSC12,SSC14,SSC16 and SSC17).After annotation,39 QTLs and 49 candidate genes were identified.Several of these are functionally relevant candidate genes including OTUD4,TIFA and CARD14,which are involved in the host immune response,disease susceptibility and signal transduction.Eight unique SNPs were found to be causal in both GWAS and eQTL analyses across 15 tissues.Notably,one SNP(rs80794541)was associated with eQTLs identified concurrently across seven tissues/cell types,including the macrophage cell type.Furthermore,four significant SNPs(rs81467127,rs81356029,rs80794541 and rs81305085)were linked to the function of the primed enhancer,active element,and poised promoter in five pig tissues.Using the porcine fibroblast HiC dataset,SNP(rs81356029)on SSC2 regulates the CARNS1 and SSH3,while SNP(rs80794541)on SSC7 regulates the H2AC6.In this study,we generated four novel resilience traits and identified SNPs significantly associated with these resilience traits in a Duroc pig population.GWAS signals were associated with candidate genes involving in the immune traits,and were linked to the crucial regulatory elements as well.Our findings will contribute to elucidating the genetic mechanism that can enhance genome-enabled breeding and inform further research on resilience in domestic pigs.
基金supported by the Higher Institution Centre of Excellence(HICoE)program(MO002-2019&TIDREC-2023)funded by the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine,Hamburg,Germany[100-TNCPI/INT 16/6/2(005/2020)].
文摘Tick studies in Malaysia have experienced a dynamic evolution characterized by periods of growth,stagnation,and the potential for revival.Beginning during the colonial era in the early 1900s,tick studies were primarily conducted by European scientists and curators,establishing the foundation for tick taxonomy in the region.Pioneering works by George Henry Falknier Nuttall and Cecil Warburton introduced several new tick species,including Haemaphysalis(H.)calva,H.mjoebergi,H.vidua and H.wellingtoni[1].However,some records from this period are now considered doubtful,for instance Amblyomma(A.)breviscutatum,A.clypeolatum and A.integrum.The 1929 description of Ornithodoros batuensis by Stanley Hirst[2]marked the first documentation of a soft tick species in Malaysia,setting the stage for subsequent research endeavours.The Golden Age of tick studies(early 1950s-late 1980s)in Malaysia saw a surge in tick research activities.
