Impact of sports participation on mortality rates among Brazilian adults

Objective: To analyze the possible dose-response association between components of sports participation (intensity, volume and previous engagement) and 4-year mortality rates among Brazilian adults.

Methods: 679 males and females (mean age among men = 66.7 ± 9.3 years old and mean age among women = 64.8 ± 8.9 years old) composed the study sample. Sports participation was assessed using Baecke’s questionnaire, which considers intensity, duration and previous engagement. Medical records were used to identify the cause of the death. Cox regression analysis was performed to determine the independent associations of exercise components and mortality.

Results: Participants that reported exercising at moderate-vigorous intensity (Moderate/vigorous: 4.1% versus None/light: 10.3% [p-value = 0.012]; HR = 0.42 [0.1 to 0.94)] and for more than four months (≥4 months: 5.3% versus <4 months: 10.2% [p-value = 0.038]; HR = 0.47 [0.24 to 0.94]) had lower mortality risk. The percentage of survival according to all-cause mortality was significantly higher for participants engaged in sports at moderate-vigorous intensity (p-value = 0.014), as well as for those engaged in sports for periods superior than four months (p-value = 0.036).

Conclusion: We found higher percentage of survival among adults engaged in sports at moderate-vigorous intensity and with at least four months of previous engagement.     

老年人医院获得性肺炎96例分析

对96例老年人医院获得性肺炎病例进行回顾性分析，发现其有较高发病率和病死率的原因与老年人免疫功能下降，重要脏器功能减退，常并发多种慢性基础疾患，住院时间长，并发感染后起病隐匿，细菌耐药率高，易发生多系统器官功能衰竭等因素有关。因此对老年住院病人应提高其自身免疫力，积极治疗原发病，缩短住院时间，对已合并感染者应早期痰培养检查，合理用药，重视全身综合治疗措施．以降低其发病率和病死率。     

Child maltreatment in Taiwan for 2004–2013: A shift in age group and forms of maltreatment

Cases of child maltreatment are being increasingly reported in Taiwan. However, the trend or changes of child maltreatment in Taiwan are fragmentary and lack empirical evidence. This study analyzed the epidemiological characteristics of substantiated child maltreatment cases from the previous decade, using mortality as an indicator to investigate the care of children who experienced substantiated maltreatment in the past to determine any new developments. Data for analysis and estimates were retrieved from the Department of Statistics in the Ministry of the Interior from 2004 to 2013. Trend analyses were conducted using the Joinpoint Regression Program. The child maltreatment rate in Taiwan was found to have nearly tripled from 2004 to 2013. A greater increase in the maltreatment of girls than boys and the maltreatment of aboriginal children than non-aboriginal children was noted from 2004 to 2013. When stratified by age group, the increase in maltreatment was most pronounced in children aged 12–17 years, and girls aged 12–17 years experienced the greatest increase in maltreatment. In terms of the proportional changes of different maltreatment forms among substantiated child maltreatment cases, child neglect was decreasing. The increase in sexual abuse was higher than for any other form of maltreatment and surpassed neglect by the end of 2013. Furthermore, the mortality rate of children with substantiated maltreatment record is increasing in Taiwan, whereas the mortality rate among children without any substantiated maltreatment record is decreasing. The results of this study highlight the need for policy reform in Taiwan regarding child maltreatment.     

Serum Urea:Albumin Ratio as a Prognostic Marker in Critical Patients With Non-Chronic Kidney Disease

Routine laboratory investigations play an important role in estimating the risk of mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. The significance of urea:albumin ratio (UAR) in predicting the stay and mortality of ICU patients is not known. It is a retrospective study of patients admitted to ICU (n = 412) with non-chronic kidney disease (non-CKD). Receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) analysis for predicting mortality was carried out to find area under curve (AUC) and threshold levels. Analysis of survival probability was carried out by Kaplan–Meier method and Log-rank test. The AUC to predict mortality were 0.695, 0.767 and 0.791 for serum albumin, urea and UAR, respectively. The threshold levels for albumin, urea and UAR were 2.8 g/dL, 53 mg/dL, and 23.44 mg/g, respectively. The highest odds ratio (OR) of 9.75 to predict mortality at threshold level was observed for UAR, while OR were 7.0 and 3.62 for serum urea and albumin, respectively. The serum urea above and albumin below threshold level were associated with increase in ICU stay of >3 days but the highest OR of 4.73 to predict stay of >3 days was observed for UAR. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis shows significant (p < 0.001) difference at the threshold value of UAR. Serum urea and albumin are found to be an independent predictor for the mortality and stay; however an increased UAR value is the best parameter in predicting mortality and stay in ICU patients with non-CKD illness.     

Renal insufficiency is an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality for patients with acute myocardial infarction receiving primary percutaneous coronary intervention

Objective:To investigate the relationship between renal function and clinical outcomes among patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (ASTEMI), who were treated with emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: 420 patients hospitalized in Peking University First Hospital, diagnosed with ASTEMI treated with emergency (PCI) from January 2001 to June 2011 were enrolled in this study. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was used as a measure of renal function. We compared the clinical parameters and outcomes between ASTEMI patients combined renal insufficiency and the patients with normal renal function. Results:There was a significant increase in the concentrations of fibrinogen and D-Dimer (P<0.05) and a much higher morbidity of diabetes mellitus in the group of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD; eGFR<60 ml/(min·1.73 m2)) (P<0.01). CKD (eGFR<60 ml/(min·1.73 m2)) was an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality for patients hospitalized with ASTEMI receiving PCI therapy rapidly (P=0.032, odds ratio (OR) 4.159, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.127-15.346). Conclusions:Renal insufficiency is an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality for patients hospitalized with ASTEMI treated with primary PCI.     

Charlson合并症指数对2型糖尿病肾病死亡率预测作用的研究(英文)简

Our intent is to examine the predictive role of Charlson comorbidity index （CCI） on mortality of patients with type 2 diabetic nephropathy （DN）. Based on the CCI score, the severity of comorbidity was categorized into three grades： mild, with CCI scores of 1-2; moderate, with CCI scores of 3-4; and severe, with CCI scores 〉5. Factors influencing mortality and differences between groups stratified by CCI were determined by logistical regression analysis and one-way analysis of variance （ANOVA）. The impact of CCI on mortality was assessed by the Kaplan- Meier analysis. A total of 533 patients with type 2 DN were enrolled in this study, all of them had comorbidity （CCI score 〉1）, and 44.7% （238/533） died. The mortality increased with CCI scores： 21.0% （50/238） patients with CCI scores of 1-2, 56.7% （135/238） patients with CCI scores of 3-4, and 22.3% （53/238） patients with CCI scores 〉5. Logistical regression analysis showed that CCI scores, hemoglobin, and serum albumin were the potential predictors of mortality （P〈0.05）. One-way ANOVA analysis showed that DN patients with higher CCI scores had lower levels of hemoglobulin, higher levels of serum creatinine, and higher mortality rates than those with lower CCI scores. The Kaplan-Meier curves showed that survival time decreased when the CCI scores and mortality rates went up. In con- clusion, CCI provides a simple, readily applicable, and valid method for classifying comorbidities and predicting the mortality of type 2 DN. An increased awareness of the potential comorbidities in type 2 DN patients may provide insights into this complicated disease and improve the outcomes by identifying and treating patients earlier and more effectively.     

成长,从迷惘到坚定——对《老人》的功能文体学分析

《老人》是美国女作家凯瑟琳·安·波特"米兰达"系列小说中的一部。故事按照时间顺序分为三个部分,描述了女主人公米兰达在各个年龄阶段的不同心理状态。本文选取在这三个部分中米兰达所参与的及物性过程作为分析材料,并通过对语料中"前景化"的及物性过程的分析,揭示了米兰达从无知,迷惘到坚定的成长过程及其自我意识的觉醒,从功能文体学的角度为"米兰达"这一文学角色的解读提供了一个全新的视角。     

Estimating Mortality in War‐Time Iraq: A Controversial Survey with Important Lessons for Students

In teaching introductory quantitative methods in sociology, I have used a controversial survey of mortality in Iraq before and after the 2003 invasion to highlight to students the power of simple questionnaires, the role of ambiguity in statistics and the place of politics in the framing of statistical results. This brief report summarizes Roberts et al.'s (2004) estimate that the invasion of Iraq resulted in 98,000 (95% CI = 8000–194,000) deaths, as well as the intriguing reaction that the survey received in the press. Statistics teachers should find the Roberts et al. study to be an effective way to introduce students to more controversial – and political – aspects of statistical research.     

青紫蓝兔对兔瘟病毒易感日龄的测定

本试验测定了不同日龄青紫蓝兔对兔瘟病毒的易感性.试验选用不同日龄的青紫蓝兔54只,分成6组,9只/组,分别为30、40、50、60、90和120日龄组,分别对兔瘟脏器湿毒的敏感性进行人工感染测定.结果表明30、40、50、60、90和120日龄组青紫蓝兔对兔瘟病毒的发病率分别为33.33%、66.67%、100%、100%、100%和100%.其中30日龄和60日龄青紫蓝兔人工感染后,其发病率范围在33.33%～100%.从试验结果中可以看出人工攻毒30～60日龄青紫蓝兔可以被兔瘟病毒感染且发病,但不同日龄的青紫蓝兔对兔瘟病毒的感染存在有日龄上的差异.试验结果表明兔瘟病有向幼龄化发展的趋势.结果显示青紫蓝兔在40日龄左右用兔瘟组织灭活疫苗进行首次免疫,60日龄时进行二免,对兔瘟病的免疫预防具有明显保护作用.