Rural barriers to early lung cancer detection: Exploring access to lung cancer screening programs in New Hampshire and Vermont

BackgroundRural populations face many health disadvantages compared to urban areas. There is a critical need to better understand the current lung cancer screening landscape in these communities to identify targeted areas to improve the impact of this proven tool.MethodsData from the County Health Rankings of New Hampshire and Vermont was reviewed for population density, distribution of adult smokers, and level of education compared to the distribution of Lung Cancer Screening Facilities throughout these two states.ResultsScreening programs in southern counties of Vermont with lower levels of education have decreased access. In New Hampshire, there are no programs within 30 miles of the areas with the largest distribution of smokers, and decreased access in some areas with the lowest levels of education.ConclusionsImproving equitable access to high-quality screening services in rural regions and the creation of targeted interventions to address decreased access in areas of high tobacco use and low education is vital to decreasing the incidence of latestage presentations of lung cancer within these populations.     

Egg Intake Has No Adverse Association With Blood Lipids Or Glucose In Adolescent Girls

Objective: Longitudinal data on cardiometabolic effects of egg intake during adolescence are lacking. The current analyses aim to evaluate the impact of usual adolescent egg consumption on lipid levels, fasting glucose, and insulin resistance during late adolescence (age 17–20?years).

Methods: Data from 1392 girls, aged 9 to 10 at baseline and followed for 10?years, in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s National Growth and Health Study were used to examine the association between usual egg intake alone and in combination with other healthy lifestyle factors and late adolescent lipid levels, fasting glucose, and insulin resistance, measured as homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Diet was assessed using 3-day food records during eight examination cycles. Girls were classified according to usual weekly egg intake, ages 9–17?years:?<1 egg/wk (n?=?361), 1 to <3 eggs/wk (n?=?703), and ≥3 eggs/wk (n?=?328). Analysis of covariance modeling was used to control for confounding by other behavioral and biological risk factors.

Results: Girls with low, moderate, and high egg intakes had adjusted low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels of 99.7, 98.8, and 95.5 mg/dL, respectively (p?=?0.0778). In combination with higher intakes of fiber, dairy, or fruits and vegetables, these beneficial effects were stronger and statistically significant. There was no evidence that ≥3 eggs/wk had an adverse effect on lipids, glucose, or HOMA-IR. More active girls who consumed ≥3 eggs/wk had the lowest levels of insulin resistance.

Conclusion: These results suggest that eggs may be included as part of a healthy adolescent diet without adverse effects on glucose, lipid levels, or insulin resistance.     

2018 European Conference on Donor Health and Management

The third European Conference on Donor Health and Management (ECDHM) was held in Copenhagen from 5th to 7th September 2018 and was co‐organised by the ECDHM committees and European Blood Alliance. This is an international conference with a focus on ‘donor health’, including donors of blood, organs and other substances of human origin, and remains the only conference focusing exclusively on donor medicine. This overview presents a selection of research topics in relation to iron, the keynote speeches and plenary talks. The keynote speeches cover the epidemiology of donors and recipients, whole‐blood donor recruitment and retention and the safety of donors and recipients of plasma and plasma products. Talks from the plenary speakers reviewed modern multi‐omic approaches to study red cell quality and the central, perennial question of what motivates a donor to give blood and how can this be encouraged.     

Vitamin D levels and cancer incidence in 217,244 individuals from primary health care in Denmark

Vitamin D has been linked to cancer development in both pre-clinical and epidemiological studies. Our study examines the association between serum levels of vitamin D and cancer incidence in the Capital Region of Denmark. Individuals who had vitamin D analyzed at The Copenhagen General Practitioners Laboratory between April 2004 and January 2010 were linked to Danish registries with end of follow-up date at Dec 31st 2014, excluding individuals with pre-existing cancer. Cox regression models adjusted for age in one-year intervals, sex, month of sampling, and Charlson Comorbidity Index were applied. The study population of 217,244 individuals had a median vitamin D level of 46 nmol/L (IQR 27–67 nmol/L). Non-melanoma skin cancer was the most frequent form of cancer, followed by breast-, lung-, and prostate cancers. No associations were found between increments of 10 nmol/L vitamin D and incidence of breast, colorectal, urinary, ovary or corpus uteri cancer. However, higher levels of vitamin D were associated with higher incidence of non-melanoma (HR 1.09 [1.09–1.1]) and melanoma skin cancer (HR 1.1 [1.08–1.13]) as well as prostate (HR 1.05 [1.03–1.07]) and hematological cancers (HR 1.03 [1.01–1.06]), but with lower incidence of lung cancer (HR 0.95 [0.93–0.97]). In our study, vitamin D levels are not associated with the incidence of several major cancer types, but higher levels are significantly associated with a higher incidence of skin, prostate, and hematological cancers as well as a lower incidence of lung cancer. These results do not support an overall protective effect against cancer by vitamin D.     

南充市社区中老年人群血脂血糖现状水平分析

【摘要】 目的 了解社区中老年人群的血脂、血糖现状水平，探讨其与性别和年龄的关系，为本地区心脑血管疾病、糖尿病等疾病的防治提供诊疗依据。方法 对我市38078名社区居民采集清晨空腹血清标本，检测血糖（GLU）、甘油三酯（TG）、总胆固醇（TC）、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇（HDL C）和低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（LDL C）的结果，并对其进行年龄、性别分组统计分析。结果 不同性别和年龄组间的血脂、血糖水平差异有统计学意义（P＜005），74~89岁年龄组血脂、血糖总体水平高于其他各年龄组（P＜005）；女性血脂水平普遍高于男性（P＜005）。结论 中老年人群血脂、血糖异常率高，应定期对中老年人进行血脂、血糖监测，开展宣传教育活动，提高自我保健意识，预防高血脂、高血糖的发生和发展。     

“中国科技期刊卓越行动计划”资助期刊特征分析

【目的】 对“中国科技期刊卓越行动计划”资助期刊的特征进行分析,可以了解这些具有较高国际影响力的国内科技期刊的特点,为其他有潜力的科技期刊发展提供参考。【方法】 利用文献调研、网站调研、统计分析等方法对入选科技期刊的主办及主管单位、学科类别、国内外学术影响力等方面进行系统剖析,同时通过SCI收录情况与JCR分区指标对顶层的领军期刊和重点期刊进行重点分析。【结果】 领军期刊和重点期刊项目重点支持英文期刊;以域选刊,重点关注优先建设领域;所有期刊均被SCI收录,主要引证指标表现优秀。梯队期刊兼顾中、英文期刊;资助数量最多,覆盖学科领域较广;整体国际学术影响力不高,但其中的中文期刊具有较高的国内影响力。高起点新刊项目主要支持英文期刊,关注优先建设领域。【结论】 “中国科技期刊卓越行动计划”资助期刊在国际影响力、主要引证指标、出版体系等方面呈现出尖兵引领、梯次跟进的态势,同层次期刊可以逐步探索良性的竞争与合作模式,冲击更优、更强的国际一流期刊;未受到资助的期刊可参照相应的指标不断追跑,从而促进我国科技期刊体系的持续健康发展。     

炔雌醇环丙孕酮片用于PCOS不孕治疗中的效果

目的 分析炔雌醇环丙孕酮片(达英-35)、二甲双胍联合克罗米芬序贯用于治疗多囊卵巢综合征不孕的临床效果.方法 选取在医院接受治疗的多囊卵巢综合征不孕患者88例,选取时间为2017年10月—2018年12月,随机将所有患者分为2组,即对照组(44例)、观察组(44例),对照组患者行炔雌醇环丙孕酮片、克罗米芬序贯治疗,观察组患者行达英-35、二甲双胍联合克罗米芬序贯治疗.结果 经过治疗后,观察组患者的妊娠率为86.36%,明显高于对照组患者的妊娠率,数据差异显著,P<0.05;治疗后,两组患者的LH、FSH、T、E2等激素水平与治疗前对比,差异显著,P<0.05;治疗后,观察组患者的LH、FSH、T、E2等激素水平与对照组对比,数据差异较明显,P<0.05.结论 多囊卵巢综合征不孕患者接受炔雌醇环丙孕酮片、二甲双胍联合克罗米芬序贯治疗,可以改善患者的激素水平,提高患者的妊娠几率.     

Peak C-reactive protein levels do not predict 30-day mortality for bacteremia: A retrospective cohort study

IntroductionAlthough peak C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are correlated with the prognosis of some diseases, there have been no reports regarding the association between peak CRP levels and mortality in patients with bacteremia. The present study aimed to determine the association between peak CRP levels and prognosis in patients with bacteremia.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study was conducted in a single tertiary hospital and included patients with bacteremia admitted to the emergency department from November 2012 to March 2017. Cox regression analysis was performed to examine the association between peak CRP levels and 30-day mortality. We also performed propensity score adjustment using potential confounding factors.ResultsOne hundred fifty-nine patients were included in the study. Peak CRP levels were significantly higher in the β-hemolytic streptococci (P = 0.001) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (P = 0.003) groups. The C-statistic of the multivariate logistic regression model for the propensity score was 0.88. For 30-day mortality, peak CRP levels >20 mg/dL did not show significance in the Cox regression analysis (hazard ratio, 0.866; 95% confidence interval, 0.489–1.537; P = 0.62). Even after propensity score adjustment, no significance was noted (hazard ratio, 0.865; 95% confidence interval, 0.399–1.876; P = 0.71).ConclusionsPeak CRP levels were not an independent predictor of mortality in patients with bacteremia in the emergency department. Clinicians should consider that patients with extremely high peak CRP levels do not necessarily have high mortality and vice versa.