Biphasic burrowing in Atlantic hagfish (Myxine limosa).

Myxine limosa is a burrowing species of hagfish that occurs in the western North Atlantic in areas with muddy substrate and at depths generally greater than 100 meters. Burrowing of M. limosa has been observed from submersibles, but little is known about the behavior of these animals within the substrate or the biomechanical mechanisms involved.

Tri-Ponderal Mass Index Reference Values for Screening Metabolic Syndrome in Children and Adolescents: Results From Two National-Representative Cross-Sectional Studies in China and America.

Introduction: To ascertain the possible cut point of tri-ponderal mass index (TMI) in discriminating metabolic syndrome (MetS) and related cardio-metabolic risk factors in Chinese and American children and adolescents.

Methods: A total of 57,201 Chinese children aged 7-18 recruited in 2012 and and 10,441 American children aged 12-18 from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2001-2014) were included to fit TMI percentiles. Participants were randomly assigned to a derivation set (75%) and validation set (25%).

The Association between Breastfeeding Duration and Lipid Profile among Children and Adolescents.

To investigate the relationship between breastfeeding duration and lipid profile among children and adolescents, a cross-sectional survey using random cluster sampling was performed, and a national sample of 12,110 Chinese children and adolescents aged 5-19 years were collected. Breastfeeding duration and sociodemographic factors were collected by questionnaires. Fasting blood samples were obtained to test the lipid profile.

Association Between Maternal Lifestyle and Risk of Metabolic Syndrome in Offspring-A Cross-Sectional Study From China.

Background: The prevalence of MS among children and adolescents continues to rise, which has become an escalating serious health issue worldwide. It had been reported that maternal current lifestyle had a strong independent correlation with offspring health. However, it is not clear whether comprehensive lifestyle of mother has an impact on the MS risk in offspring and the role of offspring's lifestyle in it.

Association between birth weight and risk of abdominal obesity in children and adolescents: a school-based epidemiology survey in China.

Background: Abdominal obesity is becoming an increasingly serious public health challenge in children and adolescents, there remains controversial opinions on birth weight and risk of childhood abdominal obesity. This study aims to assess the association between birth weight and the risk of abdominal obesity in childhood, as well as to compare the associations among different sex and age groups.

Methods: A total number of 30,486 (15,869 boys and 14,617 girls) participants aged 6-17 years old were included in this study.

A proteomic signature for CNS adaptations to the valence of environmental stimulation.

Environmental Enrichment leads to a significant improvement in long-term performance across a range of cognitive functions in mammals and it has been shown to produce an increased synaptic density and neurogenesis. Nevertheless it is still an open question as to whether some key aspects of spatial learning & memory and procedural learning might be embodied by different molecular pathways to those of social cognition. Associated with synaptic changes and potentially underlying conditions, the Ras-ERK pathway has been proposed to be the primary mediator of in vivo adaptations to environmental enrichment, acting via the downstream Ras-ERK signalling kinase MSK1 and the transcription factor CREB.

Role of tri-ponderal mass index in cardio-metabolic risk assessment in children and adolescents: compared with body mass index.

Objective: To investigate the performance of weight/height in discriminating obesity-related cardio-metabolic risks, and compare their performance with BMI in Chinese and American children.

Methods: 57,201 Chinese children aged 7-18 and 10,441 American children aged 12-18 with complete record of sex, age, height, weight, and waist circumference were included. Analyses and comparisons of BMI, weight/height, and weight/height were predominantly discussed, while BMI z score, converted by BMI based on 2007 WHO growth standard, was set as the reference.

Spatial clusters of chronic preventable hospitalizations (ambulatory care sensitive conditions) and access to primary care.

Background: Potentially preventable hospitalizations (PPHs) or ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs) represent hospitalizations that could be successfully managed in a primary care setting. Research from the USA and elsewhere on the role of primary care provider (PCP) access as a PPH driver has been conflicting. We investigated the role of PCP access in the creation of areas with persistently significant high rates of PPHs over time or PPH hotspots/spatial clusters.

The association between fetal-stage exposure to the China famine and risk of diabetes mellitus in adulthood: results from the China health and retirement longitudinal study.

Background: The associations of famine exposure with diabetes risk in adulthood are still unclear. This study aimed to explore the association between famine exposure in early life and risk of diabetes in adulthood.

Methods: A total of 4138 subjects were selected from the data of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) 2011-2012.

Prevalence of excess body weight and underweight among 26 Chinese ethnic minority children and adolescents in 2014: a cross-sectional observational study.

Background: Little is known regarding the nutritional burden in Chinese ethnic minority children. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of excess body weight and underweight for 26 ethnic groups.

Methods: Data on 80,821 participants aged 7-18 years across 26 minorities, with completed records from a large national cross-sectional survey, were obtained from Chinese National Survey on Students' Constitution and Health (CNSSCH) in 2014.

Association between the Great China Famine exposure in early life and risk of arthritis in adulthood.

Background: The association between famine exposure in early life and risk of arthritis (combination of osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis) in adulthood is unclear. The aim of this study is to explore the association.

Methods: A total of 4124 subjects were selected from the national data of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2011-2012.

Simplifying the screening of abdominal adiposity in Chinese children with waist-to-height ratio.

Objectives: The current age- and sex-specific waist circumference (WC) reference for defining abdominal adiposity in Chinese children is quite complex. This study aimed to evaluate the optimal waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) thresholds based on the estimated WC references.

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of data from 121,025 Chinese children aged 7-18 years collected in 2010 was performed.

Ethnic differences in cardiometabolic risk among adolescents across the waist-height ratio spectrum: National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES).

Background: Although large waist-height ratio (WHtR) is associated with increased cardiometabolic risks, its ethnic difference in adolescents is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the ethnic differences in cardiometabolic risk across the WHtR spectrum among adolescents.

Methods: Data for this cross-sectional study were obtained from National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (2001-2014), and a total of 7385 participants aged 12-17years were involved.

The association between blood pressure and grip strength in adolescents: does body mass index matter?

Increased body mass index (BMI) has been related to both low grip strength and high blood pressure (BP) in adolescents. Previous reports of high BP associated with decreased grip strength could be due to the inherent increase in BP in youths with high BMI. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the association between grip strength and BP in adolescents independent of BMI.

The association between C-reactive protein levels and the risk for chronic kidney disease hospitalizations in adults of a remote Indigenous Australian community - A prospective cohort study.

Background: Indigenous Australians are significantly burdened by chronic kidney disease (CKD). Elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) have been associated with diabetes and cardiovascular incidence in previous studies. Elevated CRP has been associated with albuminuria and reduced eGFR in cross-sectional studies.

Role of waist measures in addition to body mass index to assess the hypertension risk in children.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate whether waist measures, including waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), can improve the ability of body mass index (BMI) to assess the hypertension risk when used as continuous variables.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 82 432 Chinese children aged 9-17 years were included. Elevated BP was defined using age-sex-and-height-specific references.

The Association between HbA1c and Cardiovascular Disease Markers in a Remote Indigenous Australian Community with and without Diagnosed Diabetes.

Objectives: This study investigates the burden of cardiovascular risk markers in people with and without diabetes in a remote Indigenous Australian community, based on their HbA1c concentration.

Methods: This study included health screening exams of 1187 remote Indigenous residents over 15 years old who represented 70% of the age-eligible community. The participants were stratified by HbA1c into 5 groups using cut-off points recommended by international organisations.

Low birthweight increases risk for cardiovascular disease hospitalisations in a remote Indigenous Australian community--a prospective cohort study.

Objectives: To investigate the association between low birthweight (LBW; <2,500 grams) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) hospitalisations in adult life in a remote Indigenous Australian community.

Methods: This was a prospective cohort of 852 participants with recorded birthweight using community-wide health screening examinations conducted between 1992 and 1999 and hospitalisation records up to 2012. Cox proportional hazard models assessed the association between LBW and hypertension, major CVD (heart failure, myocardial infarction and stroke) and any CVD hospitalisations.

The HbA1c and all-cause mortality relationship in patients with type 2 diabetes is J-shaped: a meta-analysis of observational studies.

Background: Low blood glucose and HbA1c levels are recommended in the literature on management of diabetes. However, data have shown that low blood glucose is associated with serious adverse effects for the patients and the recommendation has been criticized. Therefore, this article revisits the relationship between HbA1c and all-cause mortality by a meta-analysis of observational studies.