The associations between hyperhomocysteinaemia (HHcy), methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism, and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) remain controversial, with only few studies focused on these associations within the Chinese population. We performed subgroup and interaction analyses in a Chinese Han population to investigate these associations. In all, 155 AAA patients and 310 control subjects were evaluated for serum total homocysteine levels and MTHFR C677T polymorphisms. Multiple logistic regression models were used to evaluate the aforementioned associations. Interaction and stratified analyses were conducted according to age, sex, smoking status, drinking status, and chronic disease histories. The multiple logistic analyses showed a significant association between HHcy and AAA but no significant association between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and AAA. The interaction analysis showed that age and peripheral arterial disease played an interactive role in the association between HHcy and AAA, while drinking status played an interactive role in the association between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and AAA. In conclusion, HHcy is an independent risk factor of AAA in a Chinese Han population, especially in the elderly and peripheral arterial disease subgroups. Longitudinal studies and clinical trials aimed to reduce homocysteine levels are warranted to assess the causal nature of these relationships

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China has adopted a variety of digital technologies to effectively combat the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. The massive utilisation of digital technologies, however, to a great extent, magnifies the age-related digital divide. This paper aims to examine the impacts of the age-related digital divide on older adults in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cases of three age-related digital divide scenarios, including older people taking public transportation, seeking medical care, as well as conducting digital transactions, are collected from Chinese official news outlets. The results indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic accelerates the pace of digital technology utilisation but exacerbates the age-related digital divide. Such an age-related digital divide has largely excluded older adults from both the real society and the virtual society. Older adults’ personal attitudes and motivations, as well as education and income, governmental policies, and family and social supports, are all major contributors to the severe impacts of the age-related digital divide on old adults during the pandemic. More measures should be adopted to bridge the age-related digital divide and build a senior-friendly e-society.

China has had the one-child policy for more than 30 years. It reduced China's population growth within a short period of time and promoted economic development. However, it has also led to difficulties, and this paper focuses on those which pertain to ageing and losing one's only child. Approximately one million families have lost their only child in China. They suffer mentally and physically, and sometimes face social stigma and economic loss. What worries them most, however, is elderly care, which has become a severe crisis for the families who have lost their only children. This article draws upon several qualitative studies and 12 cases reported by the Chinese media in 2012 and 2013, and existing laws and policies for supporting those who have lost only children. It also analyses the current elderly care situation facing these families. The Chinese government has recognized the predicament and provides some help, which is increasing but is still not always adequate. To both sustain China's economic development and limit population growth, it is essential for the government to reform the one-child policy and provide a comprehensive support system for the families who have lost their only children, including financial relief and elderly care, and work to reduce stigma against these families.

Malnutrition has been considered as a risk factor for postoperative delirium (POD). The Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) is a validated tool for assessing nutritional status. This study aimed to investigate the association between preoperative PNI values and the occurrence of POD in elderly surgical patients. Methods: The retrospective cohort study included 361 elderly individuals who underwent noncardiac surgery between 2018 and 2019. Perioperative data were collected from the patients' medical records. PNI was used to evaluate preoperative nutritional status. The primary outcome was the occurrence of POD. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify key factors associated with POD and assess the relationship between PNI values and the occurrence of POD. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to assess the predictive value of PNI for POD. Results: Seventy-two (19.9%) individuals developed postoperative delirium after surgery. Compared with patients of normal nutrition status (PNI ≥ 50), mild malnutrition (PNI 45-50) did not increase the risk of POD, while patients with moderate to severe malnutrition (PNI 40-45) (odds ratio [OR], 2.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.31-6.50) and serious malnutrition (PNI < 40) (OR, 3.15; 95% CI, 1.12-8.83) were more likely to develop POD. The cut-off value of PNI was 46.05 by ROC curve analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.69 (95% CI 0.62-0.77). Conclusion:Preoperative PNI value is related to postoperative delirium in elderly patients after noncardiac surgery.