Glutamine enhances pneumococcal growth under methionine semi-starvation by elevating intracellular pH.

Introduction: Bacteria frequently encounter nutrient limitation in nature. The ability of living in this nutrient shortage environment is vital for bacteria to preserve their population and important for some pathogenic bacteria to cause infectious diseases. Usually, we study how bacteria survive after nutrient depletion, a total starvation condition when bacteria almost cease growth and try to survive.

Risk of maternal exposure to mixed air pollutants during pregnancy for congenital heart diseases in offspring.

Objective: To explore the risk of maternal exposure to mixed air pollutants of particulate matter 1 (PM ), particulate matter 2.5 (PM ), particulate matter 10 (PM ) and NO for congenital heart disease (CHD) in offspring, and to estimate the ranked weights of the above pollutants.

Methods: 6038 CHD patients and 5227 healthy controls from 40 medical institutions in 21 cities in Guangdong Registry of Congenital Heart Disease (GRCHD) from 2007 to 2016 were included.

Prenatal Detection of Congenital Heart Diseases Using Echocardiography: 12-Year Results of an Improving Program With 9782 Cases.

Background: A provincial program combining the effect of a government investment in prenatal screening and a specialized cardiac center was introduced in 2004, to improve prenatal diagnosis by echocardiography for congenital heart diseases (CHDs) in the Guangdong Registry of Congenital Heart Disease, China.

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of this program on the prenatal diagnosis rate (PDR) by echocardiography and termination of pregnancy (TOP).

Methods: A retrospective study from 2004-2015 included 9782 fetuses and infants diagnosed with CHDs.

Using Innovative Machine Learning Methods to Screen and Identify Predictors of Congenital Heart Diseases.

Congenital heart diseases (CHDs) are associated with an extremely heavy global disease burden as the most common category of birth defects. Genetic and environmental factors have been identified as risk factors of CHDs previously. However, high volume clinical indicators have never been considered when predicting CHDs.

First-Trimester Maternal Folic Acid Supplementation Modifies the Effects of Risk Factors Exposures on Congenital Heart Disease in Offspring.

This study aimed to examine effect modification of maternal risk factor exposures and congenital heart disease (CHD) by maternal folic acid supplementation (FAS)/non-FAS. We included 8379 CHD cases and 6918 CHD-free controls from 40 clinical centers in Guangdong Province, Southern China, 2004-2016. Controls were randomly chosen from malformation-free fetuses and infants and frequency matched to the echocardiogram-confirmed cases by enrollment hospital and year of birth.

Maternal exposure to ambient air pollution and congenital heart defects in China.

Background: Evidence of maternal exposure to ambient air pollution on congenital heart defects (CHD) has been mixed and are still relatively limited in developing countries. We aimed to investigate the association between maternal exposure to air pollution and CHD in China.

Method: This longitudinal, population-based, case-control study consecutively recruited fetuses with CHD and healthy volunteers from 21 cities, Southern China, between January 2006 and December 2016.

Maternal folic acid supplementation mediates the associations between maternal socioeconomic status and congenital heart diseases in offspring.

Low maternal socioeconomic status (SES) is considered as a risk factor of congenital heart diseases (CHDs) in offspring. However, the pathways underpinning the SES-CHDs associations are unclear. We assessed if first trimester maternal folic acid supplementation (FAS) is a mediator of the SES-CHDs associations.

Triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio and risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in a Chinese population.

Background And Aims: Triglyceride (TG) to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio may play a role in predicting cardiovascular events. We aimed to prospectively explore the association between the TG/HDL-C ratio and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), ischemic stroke, as well as coronary heart disease (CHD) in a Chinese population.

Methods And Results: This prospective cohort study included 9368 participants from four Chinese populations in the People's Republic of China-United States of America (PRC-USA) Collaborative Study of Cardiovascular and Cardiopulmonary Epidemiology.

Evaluation of interactive effects between paternal alcohol consumption and paternal socioeconomic status and environmental exposures on congenital heart defects.

Background: While the maternal risk factors on congenital heart defects (CHDs) have often been assessed, paternal contribution to CHDs, especially the joint effects of paternal risk factors on CHDs remain unknown. This study examined the major impacts of paternal alcohol consumption and its interaction (on multiplicative and additive scales) with paternal socioeconomic status (SES) and environmental exposures on CHDs in China.

Methods: A population-based case-control study involving 4,726 singleton CHDs cases and 4,726 controls (without any malformation and matched on hospital, gender, and gestational age) was conducted in Guangdong, China, 2004-2014.

Associations of greenness with gestational diabetes mellitus: The Guangdong Registry of Congenital Heart Disease (GRCHD) study.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with adverse short- and long-term health outcomes among mothers and their offspring. GDM affects 0.6%-15% of pregnancies worldwide and its incidence is increasing.

First-Trimester Maternal Folic Acid Supplementation Reduced Risks of Severe and Most Congenital Heart Diseases in Offspring: A Large Case-Control Study.

Background Maternal folic acid supplementation (FAS) reduces the risk of neural tube defects in offspring. However, its effect on congenital heart disease (CHDs), especially on the severe ones remains uncertain. This study aimed to assess the individual and joint effect of first-trimester maternal FAS and multivitamin use on CHDs in offspring.

Maternal residential greenness and congenital heart defects in infants: A large case-control study in Southern China.

Background: Proximity to greenness has shown protective effects on coronary heart diseases by limiting exposure to environmental hazards, encouraging physical activity, and reducing mental stress. However, no studies have previously evaluated the impacts of greenness on congenital heart defects (CHDs). We examined the association between maternal residential greenness and the risks of CHDs.

Fasting glucose and its association with 20-year all-cause and cause-specific mortality in Chinese general population.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between fasting glucose levels and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in Chinese population.

Methods: The role of fasting blood glucose levels as a predictor of all-cause and cause-specific mortality was estimated in 9930 participants from four Chinese general populations with a 20-year follow-up. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to identify the relationship between fasting glucose and mortality.

Urinary sodium excretion and risk of cardiovascular disease in the Chinese population: a prospective study.

The effect of dietary sodium (salt) on cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been debated for a long time. The present study aims to explore whether salt intake affects the risk of cardiovascular disease in the Chinese population. Data from a prospective cohort study that included 954 men and women aged 35-59 years at baseline from four urban and rural population samples in China were used.

Ideal cardiovascular health metrics and its association with 20-year cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in a Chinese population.

Background: The American Heart Association (AHA) developed a simplified assessment tool based on seven ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics, but the relationship between the AHA defined ideal CVH metrics and cardiovascular risk in Chinese population has not been well estimated.

Methods: The baseline survey were conducted among 938 Chinese men and women from four urban and rural population samples in China, aged 35-59 years in 1983-1984. The cohort was followed up for multiple cardiovascular endpoints up to 2005.

Does maternal environmental tobacco smoke interact with social-demographics and environmental factors on congenital heart defects?

Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are a major cause of death in infancy and childhood. Major risk factors for most CHDs, particularly those resulting from the combination of environmental exposures with social determinants and behaviors, are still unknown. This study evaluated the main effect of maternal environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), and its interaction with social-demographics and environmental factors on CHDs in China.

Perinatal and early postnatal outcomes for fetuses with prenatally diagnosed d-transposition of the great arteries: a prospective cohort study assessing the effect of standardised prenatal consultation.

Background: The aim of this study was to explore perinatal and early postnatal outcomes in fetuses with prenatally diagnosed d-transposition of the great arteries and impacts of standardised prenatal consultation.

Methods: All fetuses with prenatally diagnosed d-transposition of the great arteries prospectively enrolled at South China cardiac centre from 2011 to 2015. Standardised prenatal consultation was introduced in 2013 and comprehensive measures were implemented, such as establishing fetal CHD Outpatient Consultation Service, performing standard prenatal consultation according to specifications, and establishing a multidisciplinary team with senior specialists performing in-person consultations.

Incidence of Congenital Heart Disease: The 9-Year Experience of the Guangdong Registry of Congenital Heart Disease, China.

There are 16.5 million newborns in China annually. However, the incidence of congenital heart disease (CHD) has not been evaluated.

Risk factors of different congenital heart defects in Guangdong, China.

Background: Limited studies have evaluated the risk factors for congenital heart defects (CHDs) in China and compared them for different types of CHDs. This study examined risk factors between isolated and multiple CHDs as well as among CHDs subtypes in Guangdong, Southern China.

Methods: This population-based case-control study included 4,034 pairs of case and control infants enrolled in the Guangdong Registry of CHD study, 2004-2013.

[Cut-off values of waist circumference for central obesity in Chinese adults].

Objective: To investigate the appropriate cut-off values of waist circumference(WC)for central obesity and severe central obesity in Chinese adults.

Methods: A total of 10 265 participants aged 35-69 years from the cross-sectional survey of the PRC-USA Collaborative Study of Cardiovascular and Cardiopulmonary Epidemiology between 1993 and 1994 with integral data were included. Each integer unit in centimeters of WC in a given range was used as the cut-off point to detect clustering of risk factors, which was defined as an individual with 2 or more risk factors including hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

[Analysis of environmental risk factors in congenital heart defects].

Objective: To explore the environmental risk factors of different categories of congenital heart defects (CHD) and provide evidence for further risk factors and prevention research of CHD phenotypes.

Methods: Data of Guangdong CHD Register Study from 2004 to 2012 were used. In the study, 3 038 CHD cases and 3 038 paired controls from 34 hospitals distributed in 17 cities were registered and related information were collected using uniform, and structured questionnaires.

[Long term trends of blood lipid and glucose change in Guangzhou urban and rural natural population].

Objective: To observe the long term trends of blood lipid and glucose change in Guangzhou urban and rural natural population.

Methods: We cross-sectionally studied individuals 35 to 65 years of age (50% male) from People' Republic of China-United States cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary epidemiology research study using random sampling design in Guangzhou Shipyard and Panyu Dashi Town (Dashi Street and Luopu Street now) in 1983 and 1984 (n = 4 548), 1998 (n = 1 593), 2004 (n = 2 095)and 2011 (n = 1 692). Prevalence of dyslipidemia and pathoglycemia were standardized to the WHO world standard population.