Population In Beijing Research Articles

The taste of origin in a lady beetle: do males discriminate between females based on cuticular hydrocarbons?

AbstractThe Asian lady beetle Harmonia axyridis originates from Asia and has established invasive populations worldwide. Recent population genetic studies trace their invasion routes and demonstrate that bottlenecks in population size have reduced their genetic diversity. Consequently, phenotypical differences are highlighted between native and invasive populations. Among phenotypical traits, cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) might reflect the geographical origin of a lady beetle, especially because of their genetic basis. The present study investigates whether (i) the CHC profiles qualitatively and quantitatively differ between females of H. axyridis from native and invasive populations and (ii) males discriminate females from native and invasive populations using CHC profiles. CHCs are solvent‐extracted before being quantified and identified by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. In total, 17 CHCs are detected from female elytra, including six alkanes, three polyunsaturated and eight monounsaturated alkenes. The total quantity of CHCs differs among the populations, with lady beetles from Tai'an (China) displaying higher CHC concentrations than lady beetles from Gembloux (Belgium) and from Beijing (China) populations. Multivariate analyses detect differences in CHC qualitative profiles, with females from Tai'an being different from the two other populations. Finally, behavioural assays show that females originating from the native Tai'an population are less preferred by males, whereas females from the invasive population are mounted more often. The behavioural assays suggest that CHCs are not involved in discrimination of mating partners based on their origin.

Avian influenza A (H9N2) virus infections among poultry workers, swine workers, and the general population in Beijing, China, 2013-2016: A serological cohort study.

BackgroundFew studies have reported on the seroprevalence of antibodies against avian influenza A (H9N2) virus and the incidence of these infections in the northern China and among swine workers.MethodsWe conducted a serological cohort study among people working with poultry or swine or the general population in Beijing, China. It comprised four cross‐sectional serological surveys in November 2013, April 2014, April 2015, and April 2016. Blood samples collected from the participants were tested for anti‐H9N2 antibodies using a hemagglutination‐inhibition (HI) assay. Multivariable Poisson regression model was then used to compare the person‐month incidence rates for H9N2 viral infections among the three groups, assessed by incidence rate ratio (IRR).ResultsIn the four cross‐sectional surveys, the highest seroprevalence of anti‐H9N2 antibodies (HI titer ≥ 80) was recorded in the poultry workers (2.77%, 19/685) in April 2016, while the lowest was recorded in the general population (0.09%, 1/1135) in April 2015. The highest incidence density rate for H9N2 infections across the whole study period was recorded among the poultry workers (3.75/1000 person‐months), followed by the swine workers (1.94/1000 person‐months) and the general population (1.78/1000 person‐months). Multivariable analysis showed that the poultry workers were at higher risk (IRR: 2.42, 95% CI: 1.07‐5.48; P = 0.034) of contracting H9N2 virus than the general population.ConclusionsAlthough the seroprevalence of H9N2 antibodies was low in Beijing, the poultry workers were at higher risk of contracting H9N2 viral infections than the general population. Closer monitoring and strengthened protection measures for poultry workers are warranted.

Hyperuricemia is Associated with Immunoglobulin G N-Glycosylation: A Community-Based Study of Glycan Biomarkers.

The increasing prevalence of hyperuricemia has been recognized as an emerging public health concern in both developed and developing countries. Hyperuricemia is a metabolic condition characterized by an elevated serum uric acid, and associated with renal damage, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and cardiovascular diseases. Although human genetic variation has been recognized as a factor, posttranslational cellular processes and glycan biomarkers have not been studied extensively for susceptibility to hyperuricemia. We evaluated whether immunoglobulin (Ig)G N-glycans play a role in hyperuricemia in the general population. This cross-sectional study enrolled 635 participants (208 men and 427 women), ages ≥18 years, from a community-based population in Beijing, China. The IgG N-glycan composition of serum was analyzed by an ultraperformance liquid chromatography method. The prevalence of hyperuricemia observed in this sample was 5.98% (14.9% in men and 1.6% in women). Serum uric acid level was positively correlated with glycan peaks (GP)1, GP2, GP4, GP6, GP10, and GP11, whereas it was negatively correlated with GP12, GP13, GP14, GP15, GP18, and GP20. The combination of GP9, GP10, body mass index, and gender distinguished individuals with hyperuricemia from subjects without hyperuricemia, with an area under the curve value of 0.849 (95% confidence interval: 0.784-0.915). These findings collectively suggest a possible link between hyperuricemia and IgG N-glycans, which might be potentially mediated through inflammation-related mechanisms. Additional research on glycan biomarkers in independent and community-based population samples might allow the development of glycan diagnostics for hyperuricemia and gout in the future.

Hybrid tenure structure, stratified rights to the city: An examination of migrants’ tenure choice in Beijing

By virtue of the hukou reform issued by the State Council in 2014, a more people-oriented development path under a ‘New Urbanization Model’ is implemented during the 13th Five Year Plan. In a new grading regime, migrants' housing tenurial status plays a crucial role in differentiating who are qualified to enjoy the welfare entitlement (e.g. public education) in the host cities. Drawing upon the data from the 2011 and 2016 Migrant Dynamics Monitoring Survey, this paper investigates the rationale of the hybrid tenure continuum, its stratification mechanism among the whole migrant population in Beijing, and its dynamic change and impact on migrants given the undertaking of drastic measures by Beijing Municipality in the early 2010s to address its informality problems. A hybrid tenure structure from an insecure to de facto and to legal titles was proved critical to increase the resilience of housing supply for migrant groups. Policy implication of this paper is about how best to empower migrants as equal citizens.

Axial length and its associations in a Russian population: The Ural Eye and Medical Study

PurposeTo assess the normal distribution of axial length and its associations in a population of Russia.MethodsThe population-based Ural Eye and Medical Study included 5,899 (80.5%) individuals out of 7328 eligible individuals aged 40+ years. The participants underwent an ocular and systemic examination. Axial length was measured sonographically (Ultra-compact A/B/P ultrasound system, Quantel Medical, Cournon d'Auvergne, France).ResultsBiometric data were available for 5707 (96.7%) individuals with a mean age of 58.8±10.6 years (range:40–94 years; 25%, 50%, 75% quartile: 51.0, 58.0, 66.0 years, respectively). Mean axial length was 23.30±1.10 mm (range: 19.02–32.87mm; 95% confidence interval (CI): 21.36–25.89; 25%, 50%, 75% quartile: 22.65mm, 23.23mm, 23.88mm, resp.). Prevalences of moderate myopia (axial length:24.5-<26.5mm) and high myopia (axial length >26.5mm) were 555/5707 (8.7%;95%CI:9.0,10.5) and 78/5707 (1.4%;95%CI:1.1,1.7), respectively. Longer axial length (mean:23.30±1.10mm) was associated (correlation coefficient r2:0.70) with older age (P<0.001;standardized regression coefficient beta:0.14), taller body height (P<0.001;beta:0.07), higher level of education (P<0.001;beta:0.04), higher intraocular pressure (P<0.001;beta:0.03), more myopic spherical refractive error (P<0.001;beta:-0.55), lower corneal refractive power (P<0.001;beta:-0.44), deeper anterior chamber depth (P<0.001;beta:0.20), wider anterior chamber angle (P<0.001;beta:0.05), thinner peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (P<0.001;beta:-0.04), higher degree of macular fundus tessellation (P<0.001;beta:0.08), lower prevalence of epiretinal membranes (P = 0.01;beta-0.02) and pseudoexfoliation (P = 0.007;beta:-0.02) and higher prevalence of myopic maculopathy (P<0.001;beta:0.08). In that model, prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (any type: P = 0.84; early type: P = 0.46), diabetic retinopathy (P = 0.16), and region of habitation (P = 0.27) were not significantly associated with axial length.ConclusionsMean axial length in this typically multi-ethnic Russian study population was comparable with values from populations in Singapore and Beijing. In contrast to previous studies, axial length was not significantly related with the prevalences of age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy or region of habitation.

Evaluation on the effectiveness for respondent-driven sampling method among men who have sex with men in Beijing, 2017

Objective: To evaluate the randomness and representativeness of respondent- driven sampling (RDS) tool in conducting the investigation in MSM population, in Beijing, 2017. Methods: RDS tool was used to recruit MSM population for a face-to-face interview with structured questionnaire and serological tests. Results: A total of 600 MSM people were sampled and interviewed. The median number of personal network of seeds was 10, which was higher than other MSM people recruited. The numbers of recruitments by wave presented a skewed positive distribution and the highest number was in the fourth wave. It was also dramatically varied from different seeds. Three seeds had the longest chains and had recruited 184, 113 and 92 MSM people, respectively. In contrast, five seeds recruited less than 10 MSM people. Two college students were the most non-generative seeds and each recruited only 1 MSM person. After five to nine waves of sampling, the major demographic characteristics reached equilibrium. Both convergence and bottleneck plots of major demographic characteristics reached convergence, although the plots on marriage and education did not. The homophiles of characteristics were all closed to 1, except for education. The HIV positive rate appeared as 7.9% (95%CI: 4.4%-11.4%) . Conclusions: Results from this study showed that RDS could be used as a feasible sampling method for the study on MSM population with major demographic characteristics reached equilibrium. The process of recruitment appeared controllable and reasonable, showing that this could represent the MSM population in Beijing, in some degree.

Presence and human exposure assessment of organophosphate flame retardants (OPEs) in indoor dust and air in Beijing, China

In this study, levels of 14 organophosphate flame retardants (OPEs) were measured in 101 indoor dust samples collected from dormitories, residential homes, and offices in Beijing, China. In addition, paired air samples were also analyzed to evaluate any correlation between OPE levels in air and that in corresponding dust samples. The Σ14OPEs levels substantially varied between individual samples. Thereinto, significantly higher OPE levels were found in dust samples from office (mean value: 14 μg g–1), comparing to that in dust samples from residential homes (mean value: 5.9 μg g–1) and dormitories (mean value: 6.9 μg g–1). Congener profiles of OPEs in dust samples from different microenvironments indicated that tris (2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) was the dominant OPE in the office samples, followed by tris (2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCPP). In contrast, TCPP was the dominant OPE in the residential home and dormitory samples, followed by TCEP. The mean concentration (range) of Σ14OPEs in the 15 air samples was 5.2 (1.0–20) ng m–3, and TCPP was the dominated congener in these samples. The concentration of TCEP and TCPP in air was positively correlated with that in corresponding indoor dust, and OPEs with highly saturated vapor pressures have higher fractions in the air than that in the dust. The estimated daily intakes through dust ingestion, dermal absorption, and inhalation indicated that the exposure to OPEs in indoor environments do not result in significant health risk for the general population in Beijing.

Analysis on reproductive health service, demographics and characteristics of internal migrant population in three municipalities of China

Objective: To investigate the utilization of reproductive health services and relating factors among internal migrant population in Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing. Methods: A multi-stage cluster sampling method was adopted in this cross-sectional study, conducted in Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing from August 2014 to August 2015. Standard methods on statistics and nonlinear canonical correlation were applied. Results: Out of the 6 545 internal migrant persons, 41.76% ever used the reproductive health services in the past year. Results from the nonlinear canonical correlation analysis revealed that the utilization of reproductive health services was correlated with the demographic features (=0.28, P<0.000 1) and characteristics of the population mobility (=0.21, P<0.000 1), respectively. For the above said demographic features, canonical variable L(1) which represented the demographic features was mainly determined by area, occupation and education attainment. Canonical variable M(1) that reflected the utilization of reproductive health services, was mainly determined by factors as free contraceptives, education on contraception/reproductive health, and pregnancy diagnosis/antenatal care. As for the characteristics of the population mobility, canonical variable U(1), which represented population mobility characteristics, was mainly determined by factors as purpose of migration, current pattern of residence and the length of annual stay in the area. Again, the canonical variable V(1), reflecting the use of reproductive health services was mainly determined by factors as free contraceptives, check-up on reproductive tract infection, education on contraception/reproductive health, and pregnancy diagnosis/antenatal care. Conclusions: The utilization of reproductive health services was low among the internal migrant population under study. Responsible departments for health and family planning in those cities should make internal migrants attach importance to reproductive health.

Characteristics of sagittal spinopelvic alignment in asymptomatic Han Chinese adults.

The aim of the present study was to investigate patterns of spine sagittal alignment in asymptotic patients using radiological analysis. A number of studies focused on investigating normal patterns of spinal and pelvic alignment in Chinese populations, while few have evaluated Caucasian and other Asian populations. A total of 10 relevant pelvic and spinal parameters, including pelvic incidence (PI), pelvic tilt (PT), sacral slope (SS), lumbar lordosis (LL), cervical lordosis (CL), thoracic kyphosis (TK), sagittal vertical axis (SVA), lumbopelvic lordosis angle (PR-T12), spino-sacral angle (SSA) and sacral pelvic angle (SPA), were evaluated in asymptomatic Chinese adults from Beijing, aged 21–65 years. Correlations among these parameters, as well as between these parameters and age, and associations with gender and body mass index (BMI) were assessed using Pearson's correlation analysis. A total of 39 males and 46 females, aged 50.9±13.2 and 41.8±13.6 years, respectively, were enrolled in the present study. The results of PI, PT, SS, LL, TK, CL, SVA, PR-T12, SSA and SPA values suggested that age was positively correlated with TK, CL and SVA, while it was negatively correlated with LL, PR-T12 and SSA. SSA and SVA were revealed to differ significantly between sexes. It was also demonstrated that LL and TK may be associated with BMI. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicate that spinopelvic parameters in the asymptomatic Chinese Han population (in Beijing) are correlated with age and may be associated with individuals' ethnicity, sex and BMI. The results of the current study may provide a basis for the restoration of LL or similar diseases.

Estimation of Exposure to Organic Flame Retardants via Hand Wipe, Surface Wipe, and Dust: Comparability of Different Assessment Strategies.

This study aimed to investigate the exposure of three occupational populations (i.e., office worker, taxi drivers, and security guards) to flame retardants by comparing different sampling approaches (i.e., hand wipe, surface wipe, and dust). Hand wipe samples were collected from 68 participants from three populations in Beijing, China. Dust and/or surface wipes were also sampled from their respective occupational workplaces. Ten phosphorus flame retardants (PFRs), two novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) and eight polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were analyzed. BDE209, decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE), tris(chloropropyl) phosphate isomers (∑TCPP), tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) and triphenyl phosphate (TPHP) were detected in at least 95% of the samples, collectively accounting for over 90% of the total concentrations in each type of samples. Concentrations and composition profiles of flame retardants differed in hand wipes of the three populations with summed level of all target compounds (∑FRs) ranked as taxi drivers > office workers > security guards. Most FRs in hand wipes were significantly correlated with those in surface wipes, whereas the correlations between hand wipes and dust are weak. Estimated exposure to FRs via dust ingestion and dermal absorption for each population varied when using different types of samples for exposure assessment, suggesting the importance of sampling strategy selection. Estimation via hand wipes indicated that taxi drivers were subjected to greater exposure to PFRs among three populations, while office workers were subjected to greater BFR exposure. Our data suggest hand wipes have the potential of being standardized into a noninvasive method for evaluating human exposure to environmental contaminants across different populations.

Self-rated depression and eye diseases: The Beijing Eye Study.

PurposeTo assess the prevalence of depression in the general population of Beijing and its association with ocular diseases.MethodsThe population-based Beijing Eye Study was conducted in a rural and an urban region of Greater Beijing. The study participants underwent a detailed ophthalmological examination and an interview including questions on the socioeconomic background. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using a Chinese depression scale adapted from Zung´s self-rated depression scale. The total score of depression symptoms was 80. Depression was defined as having a depression score >44.ResultsOut of 3468 study participants, 3267 (94.2%) individuals (1419 men) with an age of 64.5±9.7 years (range: 50–93 years) participated in the interview and answered all questions on depression. The mean depression score was 25.0±5.9 (median: 23.3; range:20–64). Depression (depression score >44) was present in 66 individuals (2.0%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.5, 2.5), and 5 individuals (0.2%; 95%CI: 0.02,0.3) had a depression score ≥59. In multivariate regression, analysis, a higher depression score was associated (regression coefficient r2: 0.22) with a higher number of days with dry eye feeling (P<0.001; standardized regression coefficient beta: 0.09; non-standardized regression coefficient B: 0.20; 95%CI: 0.12,0.29) and shorter corneal curvature radius (P = 0.03;beta:-0.04; B:1.01; 95%CI: -1.90,-0.12), after adjusting for age, gender, region of habitation, body mass index, cognitive function score, life quality score and blood concentration of triglycerides. Adding age-related macular degeneration (P = 0.10), glaucoma (P = 0.77), diabetic retinopathy (P = 0.77), nuclear cataract (P = 0.35), cortical cataract (P = 0.58) or posterior subcapsular cataract (P = 0.28) as single parameters to the model revealed no significant correlation with the depression score. Lower best corrected visual acuity showed a marginal significant association (P = 0.05; beta: 0.04; B: 1.56; 95%CI: -0.01, 3.13).ConclusionsDry eye feeling was the only common ocular disorder associated with an increased depression score, while the occurrence of age-related macular degeneration, any type of glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, any type of cataract and keratoconus were not significantly associated with an increased depression score. Lower visual acuity was marginally associated. The prevalence of depression in the population aged 50+ years in Greater Beijing was 2.0% (96%CI: 1.5, 2.5).

Background biomonitoring of residue levels of 137 pesticides in the blood plasma of the general population in Beijing.

Due to the widespread use of pesticides, human exposure to pesticides is possible and can potentially cause adverse impacts on public health. We measured 137 pesticides including organophosphorus, organochlorine, pyrethroid and carbamate pesticides together with various herbicides in 100 human blood samples collected from the general population in Beijing. The samples were analysed by triple quadrupole tandem gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In total, 24 organochlorine pesticides, 5 pyrethroid pesticides and 6 organophosphorus pesticides were detected. The detection rates of HCB, α-HCH, β-HCH, γ-HCH, p,p'-DDE and quintozene were 99, 96, 74, 72, 96 and 95%, respectively. No statistically significant gender difference in the blood concentrations of the pesticides was found. Consistent with the trend of the increasing β-HCH, p,p'-DDE and quintozene concentrations with age, a strong positive correlation between the age and concentrations of β-BHC, p,p'-DDE and quintozene was observed.

Prevalence of urinary incontinence and its impact on life quality self-assessment in community-dwelling elderly residents of Beijing

Objective To find out the prevalence of urinary incontinence(UI), as well as its impact on self-assessed life quality in community-dwelling elderly Beijing residents. Methods A total of 2 878 local elderly residents(≥65 years)were enrolled through stratified cluster random sampling from July 2013 to December 2014 in Beijing.A face-to-face questionnaire survey and physical examination were conducted by trained investigators.UI was screened using ICIQ-SF.Prevalence of UI was adjusted by the standard population of Beijing and the number of elderly people with UI was estimated. Results The overall prevalence of UI was 24.6%.The morbidity of UI was 18.5%in male and 29.8%in female participants.The estimated number of elderly UI patients in Beijing was about 445 thousands, with 153 thousand male and 292 female patients.After adjustment for potential confounding demographic, lifestyle and chronic disease factors, logistic regression analysis revealed that UI was negatively correlated with several self-assessed measures, including quality of life, health, sleep quality, activities of daily life, sexual life and relationship with other people(all P<0.05). Moreover, negative emotions in the last four weeks increased in the elderly with UI. Conclusions Nearly one quarter of the aged population, especially among aged women, in Beijing suffer from UI.UI severely affects the quality of life and emotions in aged persons.It is necessary to take early interventions to improve quality of life and promote healthy aging. Key words: Urinary incontinence; Quality of life

Quantitative assessment of urban ecosystem services flow based on entropy theory: A case study of Beijing, China

Quantitative evaluation of ecosystem service is a primary premise for rational resources exploitation and sustainable development. Examining ecosystem services flow provides a scientific method to quantity ecosystem services. We built an assessment indicator system based on land cover/land use under the framework of four types of ecosystem services. The types of ecosystem services flow were reclassified. Using entropy theory, disorder degree and developing trend of indicators and urban ecosystem were quantitatively assessed. Beijing was chosen as the study area, and twenty-four indicators were selected for evaluation. The results showed that the entropy value of Beijing urban ecosystem during 2004 to 2015 was 0.794 and the entropy flow was -0.024, suggesting a large disordered degree and near verge of non-health. The system got maximum values for three times, while the mean annual variation of the system entropy value increased gradually in three periods, indicating that human activities had negative effects on urban ecosystem. Entropy flow reached minimum value in 2007, implying the environmental quality was the best in 2007. The determination coefficient for the fitting function of total permanent population in Beijing and urban ecosystem entropy flow was 0.921, indicating that urban ecosystem health was highly correlated with total permanent population.

Prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in population older than 15 years of age in Beijing, 2013-2014

Objective: To investigate the rates on prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in population older than 15 years of age in Beijing, 2013-2014. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Beijing between 2013-2014. Stratified multistage random sampling method was used to select representative sample of 13 057 Chinese individuals aged over 15 years, from the general population. Blood pressure was measured for three readings at sitting position after resting for at least five minutes with an average reading recorded. A standardized structured questionnaire was developed to collect history of hypertension and antihypertensive treatment. Results: A total of 4 663 community residents aged over 15 years were hypertensive among the 13 057 individuals, with the standardized prevalence rate as 32.7%, in Beijing area. The age-standardized prevalence rates of hypertension appeared 34.6% in men and 30.8% in women. The age-and sexstandardized prevalence of hypertension rates were 33.3% in urban and 24.6% in rural areas. The prevalence of hypertension increased with age and appeared higher in men than in women, in urban than in rural residents. Among the hypertensive patients, rates of awareness, treatment and control were 66.8%, 64.6% and 31.6%, respectively. Conclusion: High prevalence of hypertension with low rates on awareness and treatment and control, appeared in the general population of Beijing. Related strategies should be developed regarding prevention, control and management of hypertension, to reduce the burden of this disease.

The Burden of Disease Hospitalization due to Coal Burning in Beijing

Background/Aim: Coal plays an irreplaceable role in the energy use in China, however, it causes severe air pollution and adverse health impacts, i.e. outpatient /emergency visit, hospital admission, and death. Hospital admission of the exposed population costs large direct medical expenses, but its quantitative estimate is rarely studied in China. In this article we evaluated the direct economic burden caused by hospital admissions due to coal burning in Beijing. Methods: The data of daily air quality and hospital admissions with the related medical expenses for ischemic heart disease (IHD), lung cancer (LC), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and stroke in Jan 1st, 2013-Oct 22nd, 2014 were collected in Beijing. Time series study using a generalized additive model was used to evaluate the exposure-response relationship between PM2.5 concentration and hospital admission (for the four diseases as a whole and each). With the contribution rate of coal burning for PM2.5 and the insurance rate in Beijing, the extra hospital admissions caused by coal burning was estimated, and then the mean medical expenses were used to figure out the economic burden. Results: The daily average concentration of PM2.5 was 89.90 (6.28-397.30) μg/m3 during the study period. 162,009 patients were admitted for the four diseases, with a daily average of 247 inpatients. An increase of 10μg/m3 of PM2.5 could increase the risk of hospital admission for the four diseases by 0.66% (95%CI: 0.59%, 0.73%). Accordingly, at least 2287 extra inpatients occurred because of coal burning, with the total economic loss of 65.69 million RMB. The highest two extra inpatient numbers were from IHD (at least 898, 39.27%) and stroke (at least 868, 37.95%), which caused about 41.85% and 28.94% of the total medical expenses. Conclusions: Coal burning caused adverse health impact and huge economic burden on the exposed population in Beijing, especially on IHD and stroke patients.

High-density lipoprotein 3 cholesterol is a predictive factor for arterial stiffness: a community-based 4.8-year prospective study

BackgroundAlthough drug trials with niacin and cholesteryl ester transfer protein inhibitors that substantially increase high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) failed to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, HDL protection of the cardiovascular system cannot be easily denied. Hence, it may be HDL subfractions that are responsible for the long-held and consistent cardioprotective association of HDL. Arterial stiffness has been increasingly recognized as a strong predictor of subclinical vascular disease, atherosclerotic disease, and cardiovascular mortality. As the association of HDL subfractions and arterial stiffness is not well characterized, we aimed to determine the relations between these two entities in a community-based longitudinal Chinese population sample.MethodsWe evaluated the associations of plasma HDL2-C and HDL3-C subfractions with arterial stiffness measured using carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) and then multivariate logistic regression in 1447 subjects (mean age 61.3 years) from a community-based population in Beijing, China.ResultsAfter a median follow-up of 4.8 years, Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed that HDL3-C was negatively associated with follow-up cf-PWV (r = −0.114; P = 0.001), and there was no correlation between HDL2-C and follow-up cf-PWV (r = −0.045; P = 0.181). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, each standard deviation (SD) increase in HDL3-C was associated with a 1.490-increased likelihood of the presence of follow-up cf-PWV [odds ratio (per SD increase in HDL3-C) 1.490; 95% confidence interval 1.021–1.470; P = 0.039), whereas there was no relation between HDL2-C and follow-up cf-PWV.ConclusionsHDL3-C subfractions were significantly and inversely associated with arterial stiffness, suggesting that HDL subfractions are likely more important than HDL-C in preventing cardiovascular disease.

Projection of temperature-related mortality due to cardiovascular disease in beijing under different climate change, population, and adaptation scenarios

Human health faces unprecedented challenges caused by climate change. Thus, studies of the effect of temperature change on total mortality have been conducted in numerous countries. However, few of those studies focused on temperature-related mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) or considered future population changes and adaptation to climate change. We present herein a projection of temperature-related mortality due to CVD under different climate change, population, and adaptation scenarios in Beijing, a megacity in China. To this end, 19 global circulation models (GCMs), 3 representative concentration pathways (RCPs), 3 socioeconomic pathways, together with generalized linear models and distributed lag non-linear models, were used to project future temperature-related CVD mortality during periods centered around the years 2050 and 2070. The number of temperature-related CVD deaths in Beijing is projected to increase by 3.5–10.2% under different RCP scenarios compared with that during the baseline period. Using the same GCM, the future daily maximum temperatures projected using the RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5 scenarios showed a gradually increasing trend. When population change is considered, the annual rate of increase in temperature-related CVD deaths was up to fivefold greater than that under no-population-change scenarios. The decrease in the number of cold-related deaths did not compensate for the increase in that of heat-related deaths, leading to a general increase in the number of temperature-related deaths due to CVD in Beijing. In addition, adaptation to climate change may enhance rather than ameliorate the effect of climate change, as the increase in cold-related CVD mortality greater than the decrease in heat-related CVD mortality in the adaptation scenarios will result in an increase in the total number of temperature-related CVD mortalities.

External Exposure to Short- and Medium-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins for the General Population in Beijing, China.

Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) are a class of compounds that are currently produced and used in large amounts in commercial products worldwide. In this study, food, indoor air, indoor dust, and drinking water samples were collected to evaluate the external exposure levels of CPs and possible pathway for the general population in Beijing, China. Short chain CPs (SCCPs) and medium chain CPs (MCCPs) in 199 samples were analyzed using a gas chromatography tandem time-of-flight high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-HR-MS) method. High levels of CPs were observed in the indoor environment from residential houses, offices, and student dormitories. The geometric mean concentrations (GM) of ∑SCCPs and ∑MCCPs in indoor dust were 92 μg g-1 and 82 μg g-1, respectively, while in indoor air, the concentrations were 80 ng m-3 and 3.4 ng m-3, respectively. The GM of ∑SCCPs and ∑MCCPs in the diet were 83 ng g-1 dry weight (dw) and 56 ng g-1 dw, respectively. The most important external exposure routes to CPs to the general populations in Beijing were food intake and indoor dust ingestion. Indoor dust and indoor air posed higher risks for toddlers and infants than for adults.

Willingness to accept a future influenza A(H7N9) vaccine in Beijing, China

BackgroundThe present study aimed to estimate residents’ willingness to accept a future H7N9 vaccine and its determinants in the general adult population in Beijing, China. MethodsWe conducted a multi-stage sampling, cross-sectional survey using self-administered anonymous questionnaires from May to June, in 2014. The main outcome variable was residents’ willingness to accept a future H7N9 vaccine. Logistic regression was used to identify the predictors of vaccination willingness. ResultsOf the 7264 eligible participants, 14.5% of Beijing residents reported that they had not heard of H7N9. Among those who had heard of H7N9, 59.5% of the general adult population would be willing to accept a future H7N9 vaccine, and approximately half of them reported ‘I am afraid of being infected by H7N9’ and ‘H7N9 vaccine can prevent infections’, and 28.1% reported ‘my daily life is affected by H7N9’. The variables that were significantly associated with a higher likelihood of reporting willingness were being younger adults (aged 18–29 years: OR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.17–1.97; aged 30–39 years: OR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.08–1.78), being farmers (OR = 1.61; 95% CI: 1.32–1.96), being unemployed people (OR = 1.36; 95% CI: 1.04–1.78), living in suburban areas (OR = 2.18; 95% CI: 1.89–2.51), having ≥2 children in the family (OR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.03–1.92), perceived risk in China (OR = 1.30; 95% CI: 1.15–1.48), perceived susceptibility to disease (OR = 3.13; 95% CI: 2.73–3.58), perceived negative effect on daily life (OR = 1.32; 95% CI: 1.13–1.55), perceived effectiveness of vaccination (OR = 2.34; 95% CI: 2.07–2.64), and recent uptake of influenza vaccine (OR = 2.26; 95% CI: 1.92–2.66). ConclusionsA great number of Beijing residents had doubts about the vaccine’s effectiveness and were not concerned about disease risk, which were the factors affecting willingness to be vaccinated. Targeted education programs on disease risk as well as vaccine’s effectiveness are needed to improve the willingness of vaccination for potential H7N9 pandemic preparedness.