Mendelian randomization evidence for the causal effect of mental well-being on healthy aging.

Mental well-being relates to multitudinous lifestyle behaviours and morbidities and underpins healthy aging. Thus far, causal evidence on whether and in what pattern mental well-being impacts healthy aging and the underlying mediating pathways is unknown. Applying genetic instruments of the well-being spectrum and its four dimensions including life satisfaction, positive affect, neuroticism and depressive symptoms (n = 80,852 to 2,370,390), we performed two-sample Mendelian randomization analyses to estimate the causal effect of mental well-being on the genetically independent phenotype of aging (aging-GIP), a robust and representative aging phenotype, and its components including resilience, self-rated health, healthspan, parental lifespan and longevity (n = 36,745 to 1,012,240).

Mendelian randomization evidence for the causal effects of socio-economic inequality on human longevity among Europeans.

Human longevity correlates with socio-economic status, and there is evidence that educational attainment increases human lifespan. However, to inform meaningful health policies, we need fine-grained causal evidence on which dimensions of socio-economic status affect longevity and the mediating roles of modifiable factors such as lifestyle and disease. Here we performed two-sample Mendelian randomization analyses applying genetic instruments of education, income and occupation (n = 248,847 to 1,131,881) to estimate their causal effects and consequences on parental lifespan and self-longevity (n = 28,967 to 1,012,240) from the largest available genome-wide association studies in populations of European ancestry.

Major osteoporosis fracture prediction in type 2 diabetes: a derivation and comparison study.

Unlabelled: The widely recommended fracture prediction tool FRAX was developed based on and for the general population. Although several adjusted FRAX methods were suggested for type 2 diabetes (T2DM), they still need to be evaluated in T2DM cohort.

Introduction: This study was undertaken to develop a prediction model for Chinese diabetes fracture risk (CDFR) and compare its performance with those of FRAX.

Association between the Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte Ratio and New-onset Subclinical Macrovascular and Microvascular Diseases in the Chinese Population.

Objective: The association between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) with subclinical macrovascular and microvascular diseases has been less investigated. We sought to examine the association between NLR and new-onset subclinical macrovascular and microvascular abnormalities in the Chinese population.

Methods: From a community cohort, we included 6,430 adults aged ≥ 40 years without subclinical macrovascular and microvascular diseases at baseline.

Association of Visit-to-Visit Variabilities in Metabolic Factors with Chronic Kidney Disease in Chinese Adults Living in Shanghai.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the association of visit-to-visit variabilities in metabolic factors with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Shanghai community residents.

Methods: We used data from a cohort study of community residents who participated in three examinations in 2008, 2009, and 2013, respectively. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) level, blood pressure (BP), and lipid levels were determined in 2,109 participants at all three visits, and CKD was evaluated between the second and the third visits.

Inverted U-Shaped Associations between Glycemic Indices and Serum Uric Acid Levels in the General Chinese Population: Findings from the China Cardiometabolic Disease and Cancer Cohort (4C) Study.

Objective: The relationship between serum uric acid (SUA) levels and glycemic indices, including plasma glucose (FPG), 2-hour postload glucose (2h-PG), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), remains inconclusive. We aimed to explore the associations between glycemic indices and SUA levels in the general Chinese population.

Methods: The current study was a cross-sectional analysis using the first follow-up survey data from The China Cardiometabolic Disease and Cancer Cohort Study.

Peripheral Artery Disease and Risk of Fibrosis Deterioration in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Prospective Investigation.

Objective: Liver fibrosis is an important predictor of mortality in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Peripheral artery disease (PAD) and liver fibrosis share many common metabolic dysfunctions. We aimed to explore the association between PAD and risk of fibrosis deterioration in NAFLD patients.

Ideal Cardiovascular Health is Inversely Associated with Subclinical Atherosclerosis: A Prospective Analysis.

Objective: Ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) could predict a lower risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. This study was conducted to investigate the association between ideal CVH and subclinical atherosclerosis in a population cohort of Chinese adults aged ⪖ 40 years.

Methods: This study was designed as a cross-sectional analysis of 8,395 participants who had complete data at baseline and a prospective analysis of 4,879 participants who had complete data at 4.

PITUITARY STALK THICKENING IN A LARGE COHORT: TOWARD MORE ACCURATE PREDICTORS OF PITUITARY DYSFUNCTION AND ETIOLOGY.

To summarize the characteristics of patients with pituitary stalk thickening, analyze the association between pituitary stalk width and hypopituitarism, and develop a diagnostic model to differentiate neoplastic and inflammatory origins. A total of 325 patients with pituitary stalk thickening in a tertiary teaching hospital between January 2012 and February 2018 were enrolled. Basic characteristics and hormonal status were evaluated.

Association between Coronary Atherosclerotic Plaque Composition and Cardiovascular Disease Risk.

Objective: The objective of this study is to determine whether coronary atherosclerotic plaque composition is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in Chinese adults.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis in 549 subjects without previous diagnosis or clinical symptoms of CVD in a community cohort of middle-aged Chinese adults. The participants underwent coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography for the evaluation of the presence and composition of coronary plaques.

Serum Fetuin-A Levels and Thyroid Function inMiddle-aged and Elderly Chinese.

Serum fetuin-A levels are reportedly elevated in hyperthyroidism. However, there are few relevant epidemiologic studies. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Songnan community, China in 2009 to investigate the association between serum fetuin-A concentrations and thyroid function.

Smoking and Its Relation to Metabolic Status among Chinese Adults: Analysis of a Nationwide Survey.

Objective: To update the estimated prevalence rates of smoking and examine major metabolic diseases associated with smoking status in Chinese adults.

Methods: Using a complex, multistage, probability sampling design, we recruited a nationally representative sample of 98,658 Chinese adults aged ⋝18 years in 2010. Information on current, former, never, and passive smoking status was obtained using a standard questionnaire.

Berberine analogue IMB-Y53 improves glucose-lowering efficacy by averting cellular efflux especially P-glycoprotein efflux.

Objective: Cellular efflux transporters, especially P-glycoprotein (P-gp), impel berberine (BBR) out of cells, and therefore reduce bioavailability of the compound. This study was designed to overcome efflux of BBR using P-gp as a target.

Materials/methods: Molecular docking study was done to identify BBR analogues that were with low affinity to P-gp.

Host apolipoprotein B messenger RNA-editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide-like 3G is an innate defensive factor and drug target against hepatitis C virus.

Unlabelled: Host cellular factor apolipoprotein B messenger RNA (mRNA)-editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide-like 3G (hA3G) is a cytidine deaminase that inhibits a group of viruses including human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1). In the continuation of our research on hA3G, we found that hA3G stabilizing compounds significantly inhibited hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication. Therefore, this study investigated the role of hA3G in HCV replication.

Small molecular compounds that inhibit hepatitis C virus replication through destabilizing heat shock cognate 70 messenger RNA.

Unlabelled: Host heat shock cognate 70 (Hsc70) protein is packaged into hepatitis C viral (HCV) particles as a structural component of the virus in the assembly process. It helps HCV RNA release into the cytoplasm in the next infection cycle. The goal of this study is to investigate whether chemically down-regulating host Hsc70 expression could be a novel strategy to interrupt HCV replication.

[Application of the life sciences platform based on oracle to biomedical informations].

The life sciences platform based on Oracle database technology is introduced in this paper. By providing a powerful data access, integrating a variety of data types, and managing vast quantities of data, the software presents a flexible, safe and scalable management platform for biomedical data processing.