Association of Nap Duration after Lunch with Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in a Chinese Government Employee Population

Metabolic syndrome is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and all-cause mortality. However, the relationship between napping and metabolic syndrome remains contradictory. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between nap duration after lunch and prevalence of metabolic syndrome, and subgroup differences in the associations among a government employee population. A total of 5129 participants (mean age 39.4 years) were included in this study. Nap duration after lunch was self-reported, and metabolic syndrome was defined according to the Joint Interim Statement in 2009. Multivariate logistic regression models and adjusted restricted cubic spline functions were used to examine the association and dose-response relationship between nap duration after lunch and prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Of the participants, 17.3% had metabolic syndrome and 81.4% were habitual nappers. Adjusted odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)) of metabolic syndrome for longer nap duration (>90 min) per day was 1.77 (95% CI 1.09 to 2.89), compared with reference (~30 min). Results of stratification analyses indicated the association was found only among females (OR 3.02, 95% CI 1.38 to 6.57), participants without mood symptoms (OR 1.97, 95% CI 1.19 to 3.25), and those having longer night sleep duration (≥8 h) (OR 2.34, 95% CI 1.20 to 4.56). Longer nap duration was also associated with components of metabolic syndrome, including elevated waist circumference, elevated fasting plasma glucose, and elevated triglycerides. In conclusion, longer nap duration after lunch was associated with a higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome in females, people without mood symptoms, and people having longer night sleep duration

Clinical features and prognosis of acute-on-chronic liver failure in patients with recompensated cirrhosis

Abstract Background There are few studies on acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) in patients with recompensated cirrhosis. This study was aimed to investigate the clinical features of ACLF patients with recompensated cirrhosis. Methods A total of 461 ACLF patients were enrolled and divided into three groups: compensated, recompensated, and decompensated cirrhosis with ACLF. The baseline clinical data and 1-year survival rates were compared among the three groups. Results Compared with the decompensated group, in the recompensated group, the levels of hemoglobin, albumin, and serum sodium were significantly higher and the white blood cell count, international normalized ratio, and incidence of respiratory failure were significantly lower; there were no evident differences in other organ failures. The proportion of patients with ACLF grade 3 and 1-year survival rates significantly differed between the two groups. Conversely, compared with the compensated group, in the recompensated group, the platelet and total bilirubin levels were significantly lower and the proportion of patients with ACLF grade 1 was significantly higher. However, other clinical indicators or 1-year survival rates did not significantly differ between the two groups. Conclusions Compared with patients who developed ACLF with decompensated cirrhosis, those who developed ACLF with recompensated cirrhosis had a less severe condition, lower incidence of respiratory failure, and better 1-year prognosis. However, the baseline clinical features and prognosis were similar between ACLF patients with recompensated and compensated cirrhosis. Trial registration Chinese clinical trials registry: ChiCTR1900021539

An Alternative to Lithium Metal Anodes: Non-dendritic and Highly Reversible Sodium Metal Anodes for Li-Na Hybrid Batteries

Highly reversible, stable, and non-dendritic metal anode (Li, Na etc.) is a crucial requirement for next-generation high-energy batteries. Herein, we have built a Li-Na hybrid battery (LNHB) based on Na plating/stripping, which features a high and stable coulombic efficiency of 99.2 % after 100 cycles, low voltage hysteresis (42 mV at 2 mA cm−2), and fast charge transfer. As a result of the Li+electrostatic shield layer, the Na deposition showed cubic morphology rather than dendritic, even at high current density of 5 mA cm−2. The solvation/desolvation of Li+and Na+were modelled by density functional theory calculations, demonstrating the fast desolvation kinetics of Na+. Owing to the superior performance of the Na metal anode, the LNHB coupled with LiFePO4cathode exhibited low voltage hysteresis and stable cycling performance that demonstrates its feasibility in practical applications

Indicators of Male Gout Patients’ Comorbidities with the Theory on Traditional Chinese Medicine

Gout, typically manifesting as acute burning pain and swelling in a joint, has a high frequency of comorbidities. Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine syndrome (TCMS) theory, obstruction of dampness and heat syndrome (ODHS) and intermingled phlegm-stasis blood syndrome (IPSBS) were the two main TCMS subtypes in Chinese suffering from acute gout. In this study, we did a retrospective study enrolling 4,417 ODHS male gout cases and 1,413 IPSBS male gout cases, to investigate the comorbidities distribution difference between the two subtype groups and seek the potential indicators of male gout with some comorbidities. Interestingly, we found male ODHS group with higher prevalence of possible kidney damage (ODHS: 4.34%; IPSBS: 0.78%), lower prevalence of cardiac-cerebral vascular diseases (ODHS: 0.52%, IPSBS: 0.85%) and diabetes (ODHS: 1.06%; IPSBS: 1.63%) than male IPSBS group. And cystatin C is the only index reflecting that renal function showed significant difference between the two groups and the average levels were out of the normal range (1.09 ± 0.28 versus 1.17 ± 0.31, p=0.001). Further, we also observed significance difference on abnormality rates of cystatin C between the two groups. (χ2=5.543, p= 0.019). Besides, the comparison between the two subtypes also showed significant difference on hematocrit (43.12 ± 3.60 versus 42.26 ± 4.17%, p=0.007), mean corpuscular volume (89.52 ± 6.07 versus 86.81 ± 7.11fL, p=0.001), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (338.00 ± 11.67 versus 334.86 ± 13.58g/L, p=0.004). In general, we put forward that male gout patients with ODHS should be more vigilant of damage of renal function, and those with IPSBS should pay more attention to prevent cardiac-cerebral vascular diseases and diabetes. Increased Cys C level might be correlated with risk of comorbidities, especially diabetes . Thus, it is of significance to diagnose the TCMS in acute gout accurately and monitored related indices to prevent comorbidities

Association of Healthy Lifestyles with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Prospective Cohort Study in Chinese Government Employees

Background: Evidence indicates that certain healthy lifestyle factors are associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, little is known about the effect of combined healthy lifestyle factors. Objective: To assess the association of combined healthy lifestyle factors with the incidence of NAFLD. Methods: This cohort study was conducted in Changsha, Hunan Province, China. The healthy lifestyles factors studied were not being a current smoker, having a healthy diet, engaging in physical activity, having a normal body mass index (BMI) and engaging in non-sedentary behavior. NAFLD was diagnosed based on abdominal ultrasonography. Logistic regression models were conducted to investigate the associations being studied. Results: Of the 5411 participants, 1280 participants had NAFLD, with a prevalence of 23.7% at baseline. The incidence of NAFLD among participants without NAFLD at baseline was found to be 7.2% over a mean follow-up of 1.1 years. Compared with participants with 0–1 low-risk factors, the OR of NAFLD was 0.50 (95% CI: 0.29–0.82, p = 0.008) for those with at least 4 low-risk factors. Similar associations were observed in subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses. Conclusion: This study suggests that a combined healthy lifestyle pattern may considerably decrease the risk of NAFLD in Chinese government employees

Serum Metabolic Profiling Analysis of Gout Patients Treated with Traditional Chinese Medicine Tongfengtai Granules Based on Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Gout has become a public health problem that seriously threatens human health. Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) have a long history of treating gout and have some advantages compared with the conventional medicines. Compound TCM Tongfengtai granules are gradually being used for clinical treatment of gout, but its mechanism is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the metabolic profiling of serum from gout patients before and after treatment with Tongfengtai granules and identify the differential metabolites and related metabolic pathways. A total of 40 gout patients hospitalized in Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital from 2018 to March 2019 were recruited in the current study, and serum samples from these patients before and after treatment with Tongfengtai granules were collected. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) assay was used to identify serum metabolites. The OPLS-DA VIP method was used to screen for potential metabolic biomarkers, and MetaboAnalyst 4.0 was used to identify related metabolic pathways. The result showed that there was a significant difference in the concentrations of six metabolites in the serum after treatment: D-galactose, lactic acid, 3-hydroxybutyric acid, D-pyran (type) glucose, alanine, and L-isoleucine. Except D-pyran (type) glucose, the serum concentrations of the other five metabolites were all significantly reduced. Besides, pathway enrichment analysis found that these potential metabolic biomarkers were mainly involved in lactose degradation and the glucose-alanine cycle. Thus, the serum metabolic profiling of gout patients treated with Tongfengtai granules changed, and the differential metabolites and related metabolic pathways might provide clues for understanding the mechanism of Tongfengtai granules