Objective: Intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) may protect against mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, there is still a lack of the n-3 PUFAs intervention in the elderly with MCI in China. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of n-3 PUFA supplementation on cognitive function in the Chinese elderly with MCI. Methods: Eighty six MCI individuals aged 60 years or older were randomly assigned to receive either n-3 PUFAs (480 mg DHA and 720 mg EPA per day, n = 44) or placebo (olive oil, n = 42) capsules. The changes of cognitive functions were assessed using Basic Cognitive Aptitude Tests (BCAT). Results: The mean age of participants was 71 years old, and 59% of the participants were men. n-3 PUFA supplementation was associated with improved total BCAT scores, perceptual speed, space imagery efficiency, and working memory (p < 0.01), but not with mental arithmetic efficiency or recognition memory (p > 0.05). Subgroup analysis by sex showed that n-3 PUFAs significantly improved perceptual speed (p = 0.001), space imagery efficiency (p = 0.013), working memory (p = 0.018), and total BCAT scores (p = 0.000) in males. However, in females, the significant beneficial effects can only be observed in perceptual speed (p = 0.027), space imagery efficiency (p = 0.006), and total BCAT scores (p = 0.015)—not working memory (p = 0.113). Conclusion: n-3 PUFAs can improve cognitive function in people with MCI. Further studies with different fish oil dosages, longer intervention periods, and larger sample sizes should be investigated before definite recommendations can be made.

The impact of nutritional status on survival among elderly esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients undergoing radiotherapy is unclear. In this study, we aimed at validating the performance of the geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) in predicting overall survival time in elderly ESCC patients with radiotherapy. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 239 ESCC patients aged 60 and over admitted consecutively from January 2008 to November 2014 in the Department of Radiotherapy, Henan Tumor Hospital (Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Zhengzhou University), Zhengzhou, Henan, China. All patients were subjected to nutritional screening using GNRI, and were followed for the occurrence of lymphatic node metastasis, radiation complication and mortality. The Kaplan–Meier method with Log-rank test was used to estimate survival curves. Univariable Cox regression analysis was used to identify variables associated with overall survival time. Among the 239 patients, 184 patients (76.9%) took no nutritional risk, 32 patients (13.4%) took moderate risk of malnutrition, and 23 patients (9.7%) took a high risk of malnutrition. Univariable Cox regression showed that both high nutritional risk group and moderate nutritional risk group were significantly less likely to survive than no nutritional risk patients (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.688, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.019–2.798 for moderate risk group, and HR = 2.699, 95% CI = 1.512–4.819 for high risk group, respectively). The GNRI is an independent prognostic factor for overall survival time in elderly ESCC patients with radiotherapy. A GNRI ≤98 can be suggested as an indicator of surviving less.

Several studies reported that long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) was associated with an increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It remains unclear whether reduced PM_2.5 can decrease the risk of COPD development. To investigate the associations of dynamic changes (including deterioration and improvement) in long-term exposure to ambient PM_2.5 with changes in lung function and the incidence of COPD. A total of 133,119 adults (aged 18 years or older) were recruited in Taiwan between 2001 and 2014. All participants underwent at least two standard medical examinations including spirometry test. We estimated PM_2.5 concentrations using a high-resolution (1 km²) satellite-based spatio-temporal model. The change in PM_2.5 (ΔPM_2.5) was defined as the difference in concentration of PM_2.5 between the respective visit and the previous visit. We used a multivariable mixed linear model and time-varying Cox model to investigate the associations of change in PM_2.5 with annual change of lung function and the incidence of COPD, respectively. The PM_2.5 concentration in Taiwan increased during 2002-2004 and began to decrease around 2005. Every 5-µg/m³/year decrease in the annual change of PM_2.5 (i.e., ΔPM_2.5/year of 5 µg/m³/year) was associated with an average increase of 19.93 mL/year (95 %CI: 17.42,22.43) in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁), 12.76 mL/year (95 %CI: 9.84,15.66) in forced vital capacity (FVC), 70.22 mL/s/year (95 %CI: 64.69,76.16) in midexpiratory flow between 25 and 75% of the forced vital capacity (MEF25-75), 0.27%/year (95 %CI: 0.21%, 0.32%) in FEV₁/FVC/year. Every 5 µg/m³ decrease in PM_2.5 (i.e., ΔPM_2.5 of 5 µg/m³) was associated with a 12% (95 %CI: 7%, 17%) reduced risk of COPD development. The stratified and sensitivity analyses generally yielded similar results. An improvement in PM_2.5 pollution exposure was associated with an attenuated decline in lung function parameters of FEV₁, FVC, MEF25-75, and FEV₁/FVC, and a decreased risk of COPD development. Our findings suggest that strategies aimed at reducing air pollution may effectively combat the risk of COPD development.