‘Prediabetes’ as a practical distinctive window for workable fruitful wonders: Prevention and progression alert as advanced professionalism

Diabetes is a devastating public health problem.Prediabetes is an intermediate stage in the disease processes leading to diabetes,including types 1 and 2 diabetes.In the article“Prediabetes in children and adolescents:An updated review,”the authors presented current evidence.We simplify and systematically clearly present the evidence and rationale for a conceptual framework we term the‘3ASs’:(1)Awareness Sensible;(2)Algorithm Simple;and(3)Appealing Strategies.Policy makers and the public need to be alerted.The prevalence of prediabetes should send alarm bells ringing for parents,individuals,clinicians,and policy makers.Prediabetes is defined by the following criteria:impaired fasting glucose(100-125 mg/dL);impaired glucose tolerance(2 h postprandial glucose 140-199 mg/dL);or hemoglobin A1c values of 5.7%–6.4%.Any of the above positive test alerts for intervention.Clinical guidelines do not recommend prioritizing one test over the others for evaluation.Decisions should be made on the strengths and shortfalls of each test.Patient preferences and test accessibility should be taken into consideration.An algorithm based on age,physiological stage,health status,and risk factors is provided.Primordial prevention targeting populations aims to eliminate risk factors through public education and encouraging practices through environmental modifications.Access to healthy foods is provided.Primary prevention is for individuals with a prediabetes diagnosis and involves a structured program to reduce body weight and increase physical activity along with a healthy diet.An overall methodical move to a healthy lifestyle for lifelong health is urgently needed.Early energetic prediabetes action is necessary.

Training for Vessel Collision Prevention:Circumstances and Causes of Near-Miss Incidents

Among the near-miss incidents related to the operation of training ship of the JMETS(Japan Agency of Maritime Education and Training for Seafarers),three characteristic cases were analyzed,extracting their circumstances and near-miss factors.Based on the results of these analyses,measures to prevent vessel collisions were studied,from which we proposed collision prevention training.The training entails(1)lookout training,(2)navigation planning training,(3)resource management training,and(4)false assumption prevention training.In future research,we aim to verify the effectiveness of the proposed training,improve the training’s effectiveness,and contribute to the development of effective anti-collision support devices.

Cervical cancer prevention in China: where are we now, and what's next?

Cervical cancer(CC) epidemiology CC, the fourth most frequently diagnosed malignancy in women worldwide, is a major global health challenge, particularly in low-resource regions. Approximately 88.1% of the 604,000 CC new cases occurred in low-and middle-income countries in 2020, and more than 90% of the 342,000 CC deaths occurred in low-and middle-income countries in 2020~1.

Adolescent suicide risk factors and the integration of socialemotional skills in school-based prevention programs

Adolescents are considered one of the most vulnerable groups affected by suicide.Rapid changes in adolescents’physical and mental states,as well as in their lives,significantly and undeniably increase the risk of suicide.Psychological,social,family,individual,and environmental factors are important risk factors for suicidal behavior among teenagers and may contribute to suicide risk through various direct,indirect,or combined pathways.Social-emotional learning is considered a powerful intervention measure for addressing the crisis of adolescent suicide.When deliberately cultivated,fostered,and enhanced,selfawareness,self-management,social awareness,interpersonal skills,and responsible decision-making,as the five core competencies of social-emotional learning,can be used to effectively target various risk factors for adolescent suicide and provide necessary mental and interpersonal support.Among numerous suicide intervention methods,school-based interventions based on social-emotional competence have shown great potential in preventing and addressing suicide risk factors in adolescents.The characteristics of school-based interventions based on social-emotional competence,including their appropriateness,necessity,cost-effectiveness,comprehensiveness,and effectiveness,make these interventions an important means of addressing the crisis of adolescent suicide.To further determine the potential of school-based interventions based on social-emotional competence and better address the issue of adolescent suicide,additional financial support should be provided,the combination of socialemotional learning and other suicide prevention programs within schools should be fully leveraged,and cooperation between schools and families,society,and other environments should be maximized.These efforts should be considered future research directions.

Recent advances in promising drugs for primary prevention of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding with cirrhotic portal hypertension

Background:Gastroesophageal variceal bleeding is one of the most severe complications of patients with cirrhosis.Although primary prevention drugs,including non-selectiveβ-blockers,have effectively reduced the incidence of bleeding,their efficacy is limited due to side effects and related contraindications.With recent advances in precision medicine,precise drug treatment provides better treatment efficacy.Data sources:Literature search was conducted in PubMed,MEDLINE and Web of Science for relevant articles published up to May 2022.Information on clinical trials was obtained from https://clinicaltrials.gov/and http://www.chictr.org.cn/.Results:The in-depth understanding of the pathogenesis and advances of portal hypertension has enabled the discovery of multiple molecular targets for promising drugs.According to the site of action,these drugs could be classified into four classes:intrahepatic,extrahepatic,both intrahepatic and extrahepatic targets and others.All these classes of drugs offer advantages over traditional treatments in prevention of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension.Conclusions:This review classified and summarized the promising drugs,which prevent gastroesophageal variceal bleeding by targeting specific markers of pathogenesis of portal hypertension,demonstrating the significance of using the precision medicine strategy to discover and develop promising drugs for the primary prevention of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension.

Diabetes and susceptibility to COVID-19:Risk factors and preventive and therapeutic strategies

Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)is a highly infectious disease caused by a novel human coronavirus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2).Diabetes is a well-known risk factor for infectious diseases with high prevalence and increased severity.Here,we elucidated the possible factors for the increased vulnerability of diabetic patients to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the more severe COVID-19 illness.The worsened prognosis of patients with both COVID-19 and diabetes may be attributable to host receptor angiotensinconverting enzyme 2-assisted viral uptake.Moreover,insulin resistance is often associated with impaired mucosal and skin barrier integrity,resulting in microbiota dysbiosis,which increases susceptibility to viral infections.It may also be associated with higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines resulting from an impaired immune system in diabetics,inducing a cytokine storm and excessive inflammation.This review describes diabetes mellitus and its complications,explains the risk factors,such as disease characteristics and patient lifestyle,which may contribute to the high susceptibility of diabetic patients to COVID-19,and discusses preventive and therapeutic strategies for COVID-19-positive diabetic patients.

Unlocking the potential-vitamin D in prostate cancer prevention

Prostate cancer poses a significant health challenge globally,demanding proactive prevention strategies.This editorial explores the emerging role of vitamin D in prostate cancer prevention.While traditionally associated with bone health,vitamin D is increasingly recognized for its broader impact on immune function,cellular signaling,and cancer prevention.Epidemiological studies suggest an intriguing link between vitamin D deficiency and elevated prostate cancer risk,particularly in regions with limited sunlight exposure.Mechanistically,vitamin D regulates cellular processes,inhibiting unchecked cancer cell growth and bols-tering immune surveillance.Personalized prevention strategies,considering individual factors,are deemed essential for harnessing the full potential of vitamin D.To unlock this potential,the future calls for robust research,public awareness campaigns,dietary improvements,and vigilant medical guidance.Collaborative efforts are poised to pave the way toward a future where vitamin D stands as a sentinel in prostate cancer prevention,ushering in hope and improved health for men worldwide.

Navigating nephrotoxic waters:A comprehensive overview of contrast-induced acute kidney injury prevention

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury(CI-AKI)is the third leading cause of acute kidney injury deriving from the intravascular administration of contrast media in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and leading to longer in-hospital stay and increased short and long-term mortality.Its pathophysiology,although not well-established,revolves around medullary hypoxia paired with the direct toxicity of the substance to the kidney.Critically ill patients,as well as those with pre-existing renal disease and cardiovascular comorbidities,are more susceptible to CI-AKI.Despite the continuous research in the field of CI-AKI prevention,clinical practice is based mostly on periprocedural hydration.In this review,all the investigated methods of prevention are presented,with an emphasis on the latest evidence regarding the potential of RenalGuard and contrast removal systems for CI-AKI prevention in high-risk individuals.

Effectiveness of serological markers of gastric mucosal atrophy in the gastric precancer screening and in cancer prevention

BACKGROUND New markers are needed to improve the effectiveness of serological screening for atrophic gastritis.AIM To develop a cost-effective method for serological screening of atrophic gastritis with a high level of sensitivity.METHODS Of the 169 patients with atrophic gastritis,selected by the visual endoscopic Kimura-Takemoto method,165 showed histological mucosal atrophy using the updated Kimura-Takemoto method.All 169 patients were examined for postprandial levels of gastrin-17(G17)and pepsinogen-1(PG1)using Gastro-Panel®(Biohit Plc,Helsinki,Finland).RESULTS We used the histological standard of five biopsies of the gastric mucosa,in accordance with the Kimura-Takemoto classification system to assess the sensitivity of G17 in detecting gastric mucosal atrophy.We also compared the morphofunctional relationships between the detected histological degree of gastric mucosal atrophy and the serological levels of G17 and PG1,as the markers of atrophic gastritis.The sensitivity of postprandial G17 was 62.2%for serological levels of G17(range:0-4 pmol/L)and 100%for serological G17(range:0-10 pmol/L)for the detection of monofocal severe atrophic gastritis.No strong correlation was found between the levels of PG1 and degree of histological atrophy determined by the Kimura-Takemoto classification system to identify the severity of mucosal atrophy of the gastric corpus.In the presented clinical case of a 63-year-old man with multifocal atrophic gastritis,there is a pronounced positive long-term dynamics of the serological marker of atrophy-postprandial G17,after five months of rennet replacement therapy.CONCLUSION Serological screening of multifocal atrophic gastritis by assessment of postprandial G17 is a cost-effective method with high sensitivity.Postprandial G17 is an earlier marker of regression of atrophic gastritis than a morphological examination of a gastric biopsy in accordance with the Sydney system.Therefore,postprandial G17 is recommended for dynamic monitoring of atrophic gastritis after treatment.

Helicobacter pylori eradication for primary prevention of gastric cancer:progresses and challenges

Gastric cancer remains a significant global health challenge,causing a substantial number of cancer-related deaths,particularly in China.While the exact causes of gastric cancer are still being investigated,Helicobac-ter pylori(H.pylori)infection has been identified as the primary risk factor,which triggers chronic inflammation and a multistage progression of gastric lesions that may lead to carcinogenesis over a long latency time.Since the 1990s,numerous efforts have focused on assessing the effectiveness of H.pylori eradication in preventing new cases of gastric cancer among both the general population and patients who have undergone early-stage cancer treatment.This body of work,including several community-based interventions and meta-analyses,has shown a reduction in both the incidence of and mortality from gastric cancer following H.pylori treatment,alongside a decreased risk of metachronous gastric cancer.In this review,we seek to consolidate current knowledge on the effects of H.pylori treatment on gastric cancer prevention,its systemic consequences,cost-effectiveness,and the influence of antibiotic resistance and host characteristics on treatment outcomes.We further discuss the potential for precision primary prevention of H.pylori treatment and comment on the efficient implementation of test-and-treat policies and allocation of health resources towards minimizing the burden of gastric cancer globally.

Beyond dentistry:could prevention and screening for neurodegenerative diseases start in the dental office?

The differential diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases is complex and relies on clinical assessment,biomarker levels in cerebrospinal fluid,neuroimaging and neuropsychological assessment.The efforts of the scientific community are focused on two aspects:a)the discovery of minimally invasive biomarkers;b)the discovery of early biomarkers that can predict the progression to clinical disease in the presymptomatic stage of a disease.Considering the impact of the number of patients affected by chronic neurodegenerative diseases on public health expenditures,early diagnosis seems to be a primary need of our society.

Physical activity with or without dietary intervention for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases

We and others have published extensively on the benefits of physical activity(PA),exercise training,and cardiorespiratory fitness(CRF)to decrease the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases(CVDs)and CVD and all-cause morbidity and mortality.^(1-5)Both PA and CRF are important;however,CRF,which is mostly obtained through PA,although there is a genetic component,seems to be even more important than PA for predicting prognosis.^(1,4-6)Certainly,the wealth of data from across the world has indicated that increasing PA to enhance CRF while mitigating sedentary behavior would go a long way to lessen the world-wide obesity epidemic and reduce CVD and all-cause mortality.

Colon cancer screening programs prevent cancer

In this article we comment on the article by Agatsuma et al.Our article focuses on the use of screening for colon cancer increases the likelihood of early diagnosis of colorectal cancer compared to those presenting after symptoms develop.Patients with symptoms were more likely to have left-sided lesions with resultant hematochezia and/or changes in bowel habits.In this study almost all patients in the screen group were first screened with immunochemical fecal occult blood testing.Colonoscopy was used either if it was thought to be the more appropriate initial screening modality or if the non-invasive test was positive.The exact timing when an initial screening colonoscopy should be performed is not totally clear from this study.However,early screening for colon cancer does reduce the risk of cancer diagnosis and more advanced cancer diagnoses.

Comprehensive approach to esophageal variceal bleeding:From prevention to treatment

Esophageal variceal bleeding is a severe complication often associated with portal hypertension,commonly due to liver cirrhosis.Prevention and treatment of this condition are critical for patient outcomes.Preventive strategies focus on reducing portal hypertension to prevent varices from developing or enlarging.Primary prophylaxis involves the use of non-selective beta-blockers,such as propranolol or nadolol,which lower portal pressure by decreasing cardiac output and thereby reducing blood flow to the varices.Endoscopic variceal ligation(EVL)may also be employed as primary prophylaxis to prevent initial bleeding episodes.Once bleeding occurs,immediate treatment is essential.Initial management includes hemodynamic stabilization followed by pharmacological therapy with vasoactive drugs such as octreotide or terlipressin to control bleeding.Endoscopic intervention is the cornerstone of treatment,with techniques such as EVL or sclerotherapy applied to directly manage the bleeding varices.In cases where bleeding is refractory to endoscopic treatment,transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt may be considered to effectively reduce portal pressure.Long-term management after an acute bleeding episode involves secondary prophylaxis using betablockers and repeated EVL sessions to prevent rebleeding,complemented by monitoring and managing liver function to address the underlying disease.In light of new scientific evidence,including the findings of the study by Peng et al,this editorial aims to review available strategies for the prevention and treatment of esophageal varices.

Community-based prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases

The Annual Report on Cardiovascular Health and Diseases in China(2022)intricate landscape of cardiovascular health in China.This is the third section of the report with a specific focus on community-based prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases(CVD).This section of the report underscores the importance of initiatives outlined in the"Healthy China 2030 Plan,"emphasizing the comprehensive prevention and control strategy for chronic diseases.A key aspect of this plan involves the establishment of national demonstration areas aimed at comprehensive prevention and control of chronic diseases.By 2020,488 such areas had been set up across China,surpassing the initial target and covering a significant proportion of counties and districts.The report highlights the successful implementation of these strategies in Lishan district,Anshan city,where demonstration areas for comprehensive prevention and control of chronic diseases were launched in 2013.Over the course of seven years,the number of healthy units increased substantially,leading to improvements in managing risk factors for CVD among residents.Significant reductions in prevalence rates of overweight,obesity,smoking,passive smoking,and drinking were observed,along with the development of healthier behaviors among residents.Similarly,Qiaokou district in Wuhan City,designated as a national demonstration area in 2014,implemented comprehensive public health promotion initiatives.Notably,special clinics for hypertension intervention were established,contributing to an increase in self-reported rates of hypertension,a slight decrease in prevalence,and a remarkable improvement in the control rate among treated patients.Overall,these efforts underscore the effectiveness of community-based approaches in driving positive health outcomes and advancing the comprehensive prevention and control of chronic diseases,particularly cardiovascular diseases,in China.

Assessment of public perspectives and barriers towards dengue preventive practices using the Health Belief Model in Puducherry,India:A cross-sectional study

Objective:To assess the perspectives and barriers towards dengue preventive practices among the residents of Puducherry,India.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 300 households in Puducherry,using a population-proportionate(7:3)distribution from urban and rural areas by grid sampling.One adult interview per household was conducted and the participants were selected using a KISH grid.A semi-structured questionnaire based on the Health Belief Model(HBM)with additional questions on knowledge assessment was used.Knowledge was assessed based on the correctness of answers and the HBM scores were calculated on a 5-point Likert scale.Participants were categorized based on the median score under each domain.Logistic regression was used for adjusted analysis and models were built to predict the performances in each domain.Results:Four percent of the participants lacked basic knowledge regarding dengue transmission.While 208(69.3%)participants did not consider themselves at risk of contracting dengue within the next year,majority perceived dengue as a disease with low severity.Around 49.3%(148)were skeptical about the benefit of time and money spent on dengue prevention.Inadequate government efforts were stated as the major barrier(47.0%)and frequent reminders(142,47.3%)as the major cue to action.Age above 50 years(aOR 1.78,95%CI 1.04-3.06,P=0.037)and rural locality(aOR 2.68,95%CI 1.52-4.71,P=0.001)were found to be significantly associated with poor knowledge scores.Urban participants had a significantly higher chance to perceive low susceptibility as compared to the rural counterparts(aOR 1.74,95%CI 1.05-2.9,P=0.03).Participants with less than a high school education had low perceived benefits(aOR 2.46,95%CI 1.52-3.96,P<0.001)and low self-efficacy scores(aOR 2.66,95%CI 1.61-4.39,P<0.001).Conclusions:This study identifies key gaps in dengue prevention,including low perceived susceptibility,mild disease perception,limited knowledge of breeding sites,and overreliance on government efforts.Tailoring interventions to community needs,stratified to factors influencing the community perspectives can significantly improve dengue prevention efforts.

Overview on Mangrove Forest Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Functions

This paper provides a comprehensive overview on coastal protection and hazard mitigation by mangroves.Previous stud-ies have made great strides to understand the mechanisms and influencing factors of mangroves’protection function,including wave energy dissipation,storm surge damping,tsunami mitigation,adjustment to sea level rise and wind speed reduction,which are sys-tematically summarized in this study.Moreover,the study analyzes the extensive physical models,based on indoor flume experi-ments and numerical models,that consider the interaction between mangroves and hydrodynamics,to help our understanding of mangrove-hydrodynamic interactions.Additionally,quantitative approaches for valuing coastal protection services provided by man-groves,including index-based and process-resolving approaches,are introduced in detail.Finally,we point out the limitations of previous studies,indicating that efforts are still required for obtaining more long-term field observations during extreme weather events,to create more real mangrove models for physical experiments,and to develop numerical models that consider the flexible properties of mangroves to better predict wave propagation in mangroves having complex morphology and structures.

Mechanism,prevention,and control of mining-induced dynamic disasters in underground metal mines in China:Challenges and solutions

Metal mineral resources play an indispensable role in the development of the national economy.Dynamic disasters in underground metal mines seriously threaten mining safety,which are major scientific and technological problems to be solved urgently.In this article,the occurrence status and grand challenges of some typical dynamic disasters involving roof falling,spalling,collapse,large deformation,rockburst,surface subsidence,and water inrush in metal mines in China are systematically presented,the characteristics of mining-induced dynamic disasters are analyzed,the examples of dynamic disasters occurring in some metal mines in China are summarized,the occurrence mechanism,monitoring and early warning methods,and prevention and control techniques of these disasters are highlighted,and some new opinions,suggestions,and solutions are proposed simultaneously.Moreover,some shortcomings in current disaster research are pointed out,and the direction of efforts to improve the prevention and control level of dynamic disasters in China’s metal mines in the future is prospected.The integration of forward-looking key innovative theories and technologies in the abovementioned aspects will greatly enhance the cognitive level of disaster prevention and mitigation in China’s metal mining industry and achieve a significant shift from passive disaster relief to active disaster prevention.

Identification of Early Warning Signals of Infectious Diseases in Hospitals by Integrating Clinical Treatment and Disease Prevention

The global incidence of infectious diseases has increased in recent years,posing a significant threat to human health.Hospitals typically serve as frontline institutions for detecting infectious diseases.However,accurately identifying warning signals of infectious diseases in a timely manner,especially emerging infectious diseases,can be challenging.Consequently,there is a pressing need to integrate treatment and disease prevention data to conduct comprehensive analyses aimed at preventing and controlling infectious diseases within hospitals.This paper examines the role of medical data in the early identification of infectious diseases,explores early warning technologies for infectious disease recognition,and assesses monitoring and early warning mechanisms for infectious diseases.We propose that hospitals adopt novel multidimensional early warning technologies to mine and analyze medical data from various systems,in compliance with national strategies to integrate clinical treatment and disease prevention.Furthermore,hospitals should establish institution-specific,clinical-based early warning models for infectious diseases to actively monitor early signals and enhance preparedness for infectious disease prevention and control.

Unraveling colorectal cancer prevention:The vitamin D-gut flora-immune system nexus

Colorectal cancer(CRC)is one of the most common cancers diagnosed in the world.Although environmental and genetic factors play a major role in the pathogenesis of CRC,extensive research has suggested that vitamin D may play a pivotal role in the development of CRC.Vitamin D,primarily obtained through sunlight exposure,dietary sources,and supplements,has long been recognized for its essential functions in maintaining health,including immune regulation.This article delves into the intricate relationship between vitamin D,the immune system,gut flora,and the prevention of CRC.It presents a synthesis of epidemiological data,experimental studies,and clinical trials,highlighting the mechanisms by which vitamin D influences immune cell function,cytokine production,and inflammation.By enhancing the immune system’s surveillance and antitumor activity,vitamin D may offer a promising avenue for CRC prevention.Furthermore,this comprehensive review delves into the prospective clinical applications of vitamin D supplementation and delineates the forthcoming avenues of research in this dynamic domain.Additionally,the paper tentatively outlines a spectrum of prophylactic impacts of vitamin D on CRC,emphasizing its significant potential in reducing CRC risk through shedding light on its mechanisms,encompassing antineoplastic mechanisms,influences on the immune system,and modulation of the gut microbiome.