Objective While some individual studies have suggested an association between periodontal disease and breast cancer, there has not been a formal meta‐analysis that collates the existing evidence supporting the hypothesis that periodontal disease leads to a higher risk of developing breast cancer. Accordingly, this meta‐analysis was conducted. Methods Relevant studies published until April 2018 were retrieved and were screened according to established inclusion criteria. Risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to assess the association between periodontal disease and the risk of breast cancer and fixed effect models were used according to the results of the heterogeneity test. Results Eight studies, involving 168,111 individuals, were identified as having explored the association between periodontal disease and breast cancer. Summary estimates in view of adjusted data showed that periodontal disease did increase susceptibility to breast cancer (RR = 1.18, 95%CI: 1.11–1.26, I2 = 17.6%), with robust results confirmed by sensitivity analysis. Conclusion Our results provided evidence of a modest positive association between periodontal disease and breast cancer. Implementation of practical measures to prevent and treat periodontal disease is of great public health significance. Moreover, additional studies are recommended to explore this topic in more detail.

Recently, emerging studies on the relationship between insomnia, the most common sleep disorder, and cancer have been published, but with inconsistent results. With the development of society and the accelerated pace of life, more and more people experience insomnia. Therefore, it is important to clarify the association. Relevant literature was obtained through a search of seven databases and supplementary searches. After a strict screening, eight cohort studies (seven prospective and one retrospective) involving 578,809 participants and 7,451 cancer events were incorporated into our analysis. The results demonstrate a modest 24% overall increased risk of cancer for individuals with insomnia in comparison to those without insomnia. The sensitivity analysis shows that the correlation between the two is stable. Subgroup analyses show that the risk of developing cancer was significantly higher in studies conducted in women (HR = 1.24; 95% CI, 1.01–1.53), but not in men (HR = 1.28; 95% CI, 0.90–1.80). Similarly, in terms of specific cancer types, the pooled HR was only significantly higher in thyroid cancer (HR = 1.36; 95% CI, 1.12–1.65) and not in other types of cancer (p > 0.05). Our findings suggest that insomnia may serve as an early warning sign of the onset of cancer and provide an opportunity for early detection and early intervention. Our findings should be treated with caution because of the limited number of included studies and potential bias. More additional studies are warranted to provide more information on the carcinogenic effect of insomnia.

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Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) induces blood leukocytosis, which correlates inversely with patient survival. The molecular mechanisms leading to leukocytosis in the infarcted heart remain poorly understood. Using an AMI mouse model, we identified gasdermin D (GSDMD) in activated leukocytes early in AMI. We demonstrated that GSDMD is required for enhanced early mobilization of neutrophils to the infarcted heart. Loss of GSDMD resulted in attenuated IL-1 β release from neutrophils and subsequent decreased neutrophils and monocytes in the infarcted heart. Knockout of GSDMD in mice significantly reduced infarct size, improved cardiac function, and increased post-AMI survival. Through a series of bone marrow transplantation studies and leukocyte depletion experiments, we further clarified that excessive bone marrow–derived and GSDMD-dependent early neutrophil production and mobilization (24 hours after AMI) contributed to the detrimental immunopathology after AMI. Pharmacological inhibition of GSDMD also conferred cardioprotection after AMI through a reduction in scar size and enhancement of heart function. Our study provides mechanistic insights into molecular regulation of neutrophil generation and mobilization after AMI, and supports GSDMD as a new target for improved ventricular remodeling and reduced heart failure after AMI.

Objective To evaluate the association between periodontitis and the incidence and mortality of gastrointestinal cancer. Method A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify all relevant studies published prior to April 2019 according to the established inclusion criteria. The pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated with a random‐effects model. Results We identified 10 studies with 26 estimates of the relationship between periodontitis and gastrointestinal cancer. The HR for the incidence of gastrointestinal cancer in periodontitis was 1.23 (95% CI: 1.10–1.37). Subgroup analyses showed that periodontitis was associated with an increased risk of gastrointestinal cancers in prospective cohort studies and high–quality studies, North American individuals, and individuals 18 years or older, as well as when the dental status was self‐reported and when the study was adjusted for smoking. A meta‐analysis of nine reports demonstrated that periodontitis was associated with increased mortality from gastrointestinal cancer (HR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.16–2.16). Additionally, periodontitis was associated with mortality from pancreatic cancer (HR = 2.20, 95% CI: 1.44–3.37); thus, periodontitis may be a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Conclusion Our meta‐analysis demonstrated that periodontitis may be a risk factor for gastrointestinal cancers. Additional prospective cohort studies are warranted to confirm these findings.

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BackgroundVery few studies have focused on the relationship between ambient apparent temperature (AT) and admission of mental and behaviour disorders (MDs). Therefore, a time-series study was conducted in Yancheng, China, to explore the effects of AT on the daily emergency admissions of patients with MDs over the period of 2014–17.MethodsA quasi-Poisson generalized linear model (GLM) combined with a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) was adopted to explore the associations after adjusting for time trend, day of the week, humidity, sunshine duration, rainfall, holidays and air pollutants. In the subgroup analysis, the modification effects of age and sex were also examined.ResultsOverall, 8438 cases of MDs emergency admissions were identified. With the apparent temperature with the minimum number of admissions (− 3.4 °C) serving as a reference, a positive correlation emerged between high AT and daily emergency admissions of patients with MDs in Yancheng, China, with the lagged effect of 1 to 5 days. The subgroup analysis demonstrated a positive relationship between AT and MDs emergency admissions among males and individuals younger than 45 years old, with no lagged effect.ConclusionsThe results will provide important scientific evidence for mental health policy-makers and practitioners for possible intervention, especially among the vulnerable populations.