Tag: pubmed

Wei Sheng Yan Jiu. 2026 Jan;55(1):92-97. doi: 10.19813/j.cnki.weishengyanjiu.2026.01.016.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of different aging years of Liupao tea on metabolic indexes and body composition.

METHODS: Subjects who met the inclusion criteria were recruited in March 2024 in some communities in Haidian District, Beijing, and randomly assigned to the one-year and seven-year Liupao tea aging groups to receive the tea drinking intervention, with a dose of 6 g/d per person, which was brewed with 250 mL of boiled water for 30-45 seconds in the morning of each day and then consumed. Before and three months after tea drinking, fasting blood glucose, glycated haemoglobin, serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C) level was measured, and the subjects' body composition indexes such as protein, body fat mass, and muscle mass were measured by using IOI353 Body Composition Analyser. Using the international common scale, the subjects' sleep and appetite were measured before and after the intervention. Compared the effects of Liupao tea of different aging years on the metabolic indexes, body composition and sleep of the subjects.

RESULTS: After three months of intervention, the metabolic indexes of the subjects' LDL-C cholesterol level decreased by 0.21 mmol/L(P<0.05), the HDL-C cholesterol level increased by 0.05 mmol/L(P<0.05), the total cholesterol level of those with abnormal levels decreased by 0.34 mmol/L(P<0.05). The level of those with abnormal blood pressure decreased from 138.6/82.3 mmHg to 123.4/77.4 mmHg(P<0.05). In the body composition index, BMI decreased from(25.4±2.9) to(24.8±2.7)(P<0.05), muscle mass increased from 40.3(37.1, 46.4) kg to 40.7(37.2, 47.0)kg(P<0.05), body fat decreased from(21.5±4.9)kg to(19.7±4.6)kg(P<0.05), and other parts of the body composition indexes such as protein also improved. The body fat decreased from(21.5±4.9)kg to(19.7±4.6)kg(P<0.05), and other body composition indicators such as protein also improved; the anxiety symptoms of the subjects also improved after 3 months of drinking tea(P<0.05). However, there was no statistically significant difference in the effects of different aging years of Liupao tea on the metabolic indexes and body composition of the subjects.

CONCLUSION: The health effects of drinking Liupao tea water such as lipid-lowering and muscle building were significant, but there was no significant difference in the effects of different aging years of Liupao tea on the population.

PMID:41820002 | DOI:10.19813/j.cnki.weishengyanjiu.2026.01.016

Wei Sheng Yan Jiu. 2026 Jan;55(1):51-66. doi: 10.19813/j.cnki.weishengyanjiu.2026.01.010.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the relationship between dietary patterns and obesity among adult residents aged 18 years and older in six regions of Guizhou Province in 2023.

METHODS: The data were derived from the 2023 China Development and Nutrition Health Impact Cohort Survey in Guizhou Province, which used a multistage stratified cluster random sampling method to identify the survey population, and the questionnaire was used to collect basic personal information and dietary data on food frequency, and the physical examination was used to collect data on height and weight. The Chi-Square test was used to compare the differences in the proportion of obese people among different characteristics, and the Wilcoxon rank test was used to compare the differences in energy intake between obese and non-obese people; dietary patterns were established based on exploratory factor analysis, and factor scores were categorized into five categories at the quartile level(Q1-Q5); and binary Logistic regression was used to conduct the analysis of associations between different dietary patterns and obesity.

RESULTS: A total of 730 adult residents were included in the analysis of this study, and the obese population amounted to 129(17.67%), of which, males(18.54%), 45-59-year-olds(18.66%), rural population(19.28%), junior high school-educated population(21.67%), smokers(20.63%), alcohol-drinking population(20.90%), moderate physical activity population(19.54%) had a higher prevalence of obesity, but none of the differences were statistically significant. Three types of dietary patterns were established by exploratory factor analysis, namely, non-meat-balanced pattern, salted vegetables-fermented soybean products-meat-rice&noodles pattern, and high salt-oil-sugar pattern. The result of multi-factorial Logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for gender, age, region, education, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and energy intake, the salted vegetable-fermented soybean product-meat-rice&noodle pattern(Q4 vs. Q1: OR=2.574, 95% CI 1.306-5.076) and the high salt-oil-sugar pattern(Q5 vs. Q1: OR=2.175, 95% CI 1.169-4.046) were positively associated with obesity.

CONCLUSION: salted vegetable-fermented soybean product-meat-rice&noodle pattern and high salt-oil-sugar dietary patterns were positively associated with obesity among adult residents in six regions of Guizhou Province.

PMID:41819997 | DOI:10.19813/j.cnki.weishengyanjiu.2026.01.010

Wei Sheng Yan Jiu. 2026 Jan;55(1):35-50. doi: 10.19813/j.cnki.weishengyanjiu.2026.01.008.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To analyze and identify protective dietary patterns for reducing remnant cholesterol levels in Chinese adult residents, and to analyze the energy and nutrient intake of different compliance groups.

METHODS: The data for this study was obtained from the China Residents Nutrition and Health Survey(2015-2017). The sampling method used was stratified, multi-stage, and random sampling. A total of 61 317 residents aged 18 and over from 298 monitoring sites across the country were included in the study. The remnant cholesterol levels were estimated using internationally recognized method. The protective dietary patterns were identified using the principal component regression method.

RESULTS: The protective dietary patterns for remnant cholesterol in Chinese adult residents are characterized by a higher intake of fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, fungi and algae, and soybean products, and a lower intake of refined grains and alcoholic beverages. This dietary pattern explains 8.24% of the variability in food groups and 53.69% of the variability in the response variable. In the correlation analysis, the dietary score was found to have a negative correlation with explanatory variables that had negative factor loadings, and a positive correlation with explanatory variables that had positive factor loadings. These correlations were statistically significant(P<0.01). The response variables also showed a positive correlation(P<0.01), with dietary fiber having the strongest correlation with vitamin E intake(r=0.73, P<0.01) and a strong positive correlation with calcium intake(r=0.71, P<0.01). Additionally, there was a significant positive correlation between the response variable and dietary score(P<0.01). The highest correlations were found between dietary score and dietary fiber(r=0.78, P<0.01) and vitamin E(r=0.75, P<0.01). In the nutrient analysis, the high compliance group showed higher intakes of protein, fat, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, cholesterol, total vitamin A, beta-carotene, retinol, thiamine, vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron, zinc, selenium, copper, and manganese, and lower intakes of energy, thiamine, and niacin. The median energy intake of the Q5 group decreased by 596.08 kcal/d compared to the Q1 group. Additionally, the median protein intake increased by 2.01 g/d, while the fat intake decreased by 0.60 g/d. However, the carbohydrate intake increased by 29.99 g/d.

CONCLUSION: There are significant differences in energy and nutrient intake among the compliance groups of the protective dietary patterns for remnant cholesterol in Chinese adult residents. This highlights the importance of a balanced and nutrient-rich diet in reducing remnant cholesterol levels.

PMID:41819995 | DOI:10.19813/j.cnki.weishengyanjiu.2026.01.008

Wei Sheng Yan Jiu. 2026 Jan;55(1):16-21. doi: 10.19813/j.cnki.weishengyanjiu.2026.01.005.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the knowledge level and influencing factors related to dietary recommendations for Chinese school-aged children in 2023 to 2024.

METHODS: A multi-stage cluster random sampling was used to select 195 survey sites across the country, there were 126 802 children surveyed, with 90 240 children in upper elementary, middle and high school included in the analysis. The “Nutrition and Health Knowledge Questionnaire for School-Aged Children in China” comprises five dimension, scored out of 100 points; dietary recommendation-related knowledge was scored out of 28 points, and a score of 21 points or above was judged as acquiring relevant knowledge. Univariate and multi-variate Logistic regression models were used to analyze the factors influencing relevant knowledge level.

RESULTS: The average score of dietary recommendation-related knowledge was 16.7±5.1, and the knowledge awareness rate was 22.5%. In elementary, middle and high schools, the correct rates of food groups in each level of the Dietary Pagoda(upper elementary grades: 38.0%-69.1%; middle school: 33.3%-63.7%; high school: 28.3%-59.9%) and nutritional breakfast combinations(upper elementary grades: 14.6%; middle school: 40.7%; high school: 43.7%) were low; in middle and high schools, the recommended daily intake of oil(middle school: 22.9%; high school: 20.8%), salt(middle school: 33.8%; high school: 34.1%) and sugar(middle school: 35.1%; high school: 39.7%) per person was also low. Multivariate analysis revealed that the knowledge of dietary recommendations was lower among children in rural(OR_(upper elementary)=0.683, OR_(middle school)=0.923, OR_(high school)=0.830), central(OR_(upper elementary)=0.645, OR_(middle school)=0.573, OR_(high school)=0.487) and western(OR_(upper elementary)=0.586, OR_(middle school)=0.480, OR_(high school)=0.444) areas compared to the counterparts; female(OR_(upper elementary)=1.226, OR_(middle school)=1.197, OR_(high school)=1.123) had a higher awareness rate compared to male. The awareness rate is higher among day students compared to boarders in elementary and middle schools(OR_(upper elementary)=1.485, OR_(middle school)=1.081); while the rate was lower among day students in high schools(OR=0.932). The awareness rate of children increased with mother's literacy, and the trend was statistically significant(P<0.001).

CONCLUSION: The level of knowledge related to the dietary recommendations for Chinese school-aged children in 2023-2024 was low, especially in terms of the foods at each level of the Dietary Pagoda, breakfast combinations, and the recommended intake of oil, salt, and sugar, and the knowledge level of children in rural, central and western areas, and those whose mothers are less literate is even lower.

PMID:41819992 | DOI:10.19813/j.cnki.weishengyanjiu.2026.01.005

Proc Biol Sci. 2026 Mar 11;293(2066):20252137. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2025.2137.

ABSTRACT

Feedback loops govern many processes in the natural world and are ubiquitous in ecology and evolutionary biology. Despite their prevalence in theory, however, feedbacks and other forms of reciprocal causation are rarely quantified by empiricists working with observational datasets. This divide has been brought to the fore by the causal revolution in the natural sciences. When researchers aim to quantify causal effects, the bi-directional nature of feedbacks seems incompatible with standard tools, such as regression, which begin by distinguishing between ‘response’ and ‘predictor’ variables. This seems to leave empiricists in ecology and evolution with few tools, if any, to quantify bidirectional effects. First, we highlight that, when ignored, feedback can lead to bias in common statistical analyses. We then present several methods that can help researchers quantify causal effects when feedbacks are present, including models with discrete cross-lagged effects as well as continuous time models, both of which are suitable for longitudinal data. We also consider instrumental variables, which can help to disentangle bidirectional effects from cross-sectional data. Focusing on examples from ecology and evolutionary biology, our aim is to provide a general primer on the challenges and opportunities for the quantitative analysis of bidirectional causation.

PMID:41818814 | DOI:10.1098/rspb.2025.2137

Proc Biol Sci. 2026 Mar 11;293(2066):20252834. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2025.2834.

ABSTRACT

In humans and other animals, social robots can serve as effective tutors for learning new skills. Young oscines learn their song by imitating conspecific adults. In a previous study, we demonstrated that a robotic bird can be as effective as a live tutor in training a young zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) to imitate a song model. Here, we take this further by investigating the role of behavioural contingency in developmental song learning and in shaping the birds’ engagement with the robot. Two groups of young male finches were exposed to a robotic tutor under contingent (CON) or non-contingent (NCON) conditions. In the CON group, the robot produced a call in response to a call emitted by the bird. When the bird perched nearby, the robot oriented towards it and broadcast a song. While song imitation was slightly better in the CON group, the difference was not statistically significant. However, birds in the CON group spent more time near the robot and interacted with it more frequently compared to NCON-birds. These findings highlight the importance of behavioural contingency in social robotics and offer novel insights into the use of robotic agents in studies with non-human animals.

PMID:41818808 | DOI:10.1098/rspb.2025.2834

Psychol Health Med. 2026 Mar 12:1-17. doi: 10.1080/13548506.2026.2643801. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Climate change has emerged as a global challenge with significant impacts on individuals’ mental and emotional well-being. Among young people, particularly students in health-related fields, climate-related anxiety-commonly referred to as ‘eco-anxiety’ is becoming increasingly prevalent. Understanding the relationship between healthcare students’ climate anxiety and their levels of hope for mitigating climate change is essential for guiding educational strategies and fostering sustainable healthcare practices. This study aimed to examine the influence of healthcare students’ hope on their climate change anxiety. This descriptive and correlational study was conducted among students enrolled in five programs (Physiotherapy, Geriatric Care, First and Emergency Aid, Medical Laboratory Techniques, and Operating Room Services) within the School of Health Services at a state university, comprising a total population of 1027 students. The sample size was calculated using the G*Power program and the minimum required sample was determined as 194 students. In total, data were collected from 501 students. Data were gathered through face-to-face interviews using the Personal Information Form, the Climate Change Hope Scale (CCHS), and the Climate Change Worry Scale (CCWS). The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS 24 statistical software package. The students exhibited high levels of climate change worry (mean CCWS score = 34.49 ± 6.64) and high levels of hope for preventing climate change (mean CCHS score = 28.75 ± 7.43). The participating healthcare students exhibited high levels of both hope and worry regarding climate change, suggesting that climate change worry may function as a factor that fosters hope among young individuals.

PMID:41818789 | DOI:10.1080/13548506.2026.2643801

ATS Sch. 2026 Mar 1;7(1):44-51. doi: 10.34197/ats-scholar.2025-0029OC.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Sex-based disparities persist in procedural subspecialties, including interventional pulmonology (IP). Letters of recommendation (LORs) are critical in fellowship applications, and prior research suggests sex-based bias in LORs for female candidates.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate gendered language and structural differences in LORs for IP fellowship candidates by applicant and letter writer sex.

METHODS: This study analyzed 461 LORs from IP fellowship applications during the 2022 and 2023 cycles. LORs were deidentified and analyzed using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count program, supplemented by a custom dictionary capturing agentic, communal, and family terms. Statistical analyses assessed differences by applicant and letter writer sex, practice type, and academic rank.

RESULTS: A total of 461 LORs were reviewed. No significant differences were found in LOR length by applicant or writer sex. The frequency of agentic and communal terms was similar across groups. However, female letter writers used significantly more family-related terms than male letter writers did (0.16 vs. 0.09; P = 0.002). Secondary analyses revealed no consistent meaningful differences by letter writer age, practice type, or rank.

CONCLUSION: This study found limited evidence of sex-based bias in LORs for IP fellowship candidates. The results underscore the need for continued awareness and training to promote equity in the application process.

PMID:41818786 | DOI:10.34197/ats-scholar.2025-0029OC

ATS Sch. 2026 Mar 1;7(1):52-59. doi: 10.1093/atsscholar/aapaf004.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: There’s a gap in understanding how healthcare workers perceive professional development activities and goals, specifically within a Tele-ICU environment. Gaining this knowledge is crucial for optimizing educational strategies and fostering professional engagement in this specialized setting.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe the implementation of educational activities for a multidisciplinary team directly involved in patient care, as a component of the Tele-ICU project named TeleUTI Conectada.

METHOD: This is a prospective study conducted within the TeleUTI Conectada project, involving 8 Brazilian ICUs. The educational component was delivered through 3 distinct methodologies: in-person simulation, asynchronous, and synchronous online classes. The Net Promoter Score (NPS) and additional questionnaires to assess professionals’ self-perceived knowledge were applied. The participants’ performance was assessed by comparing the initial and final scores of the asynchronous classes. Variables were summarized using median (IQR) or frequency (%). The Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test was used to compare the differences between the initial and final scores of the asynchronous classes and the differences between professional performance. A P-value <.05 was considered significant for all analyses.

RESULTS: Between December 2023 and October 2024, 285 professionals were recruited to participate in educational activities. The majority of participants were female (202/285, 71%), with a median age of 36 years (31, 43). Nurses comprised the largest group of participants (161/285, 56.5%). Across all learning strategies, the course was highly rated, as indicated by the NPS and corroborated by the additional self-perception questions. The asynchronous course exhibited lower scores on both NPS and additional questionnaires, though without a statistically significant difference observed among professional groups. Participants expressed positive perceptions of the courses having met their expectations, enhanced their knowledge, and the content being applicable to their clinical practice. The median test scores comparing the initial and final scores of the asynchronous classes showed significant improvement within the respiratory therapist and nursing team.

CONCLUSION: This study described the implementation of a multidisciplinary education program within the TeleUTI Conectada project. It may offer a viable model for essential critical care training in remote areas with limited access to specialized healthcare professionals.

PMID:41818785 | DOI:10.1093/atsscholar/aapaf004

N Z Med J. 2026 Mar 13;139(1631):110-115. doi: 10.26635/6965.7313.

ABSTRACT

Achieving equity in health research requires sub-groups to have meaningful, if not equal, explanatory power, ideally through similiar sample sizes. Obtaining equal sample size, though, is often not possible. Small sub-group sizes increase the risk of false conclusions being drawn, which may reinforce inequities if results are misinterpreted (e.g., saying there is a difference between study arms when there is not and, conversely, saying there is no difference when there is). Here we provide examples of common pitfalls and potential considerations to guide researchers, reviewers and editors when analysing and interpreting sub-group data. We propose that researchers focus on presenting effect sizes and confidence intervals rather than statistical significance.

PMID:41818764 | DOI:10.26635/6965.7313