Search

Abbreviations: RA, Rheumatoid arthritis; IM, Integrative medicine; CM, Chinese medicine; WM, Western medicine; NSAIDs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; DMARDs, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs; ACR, American College of Rheumatology; EULAR, European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology; ITT, intention-to-treat; PP, per-protocol; BMI, body mass index; RI, rheumatic immunity; PSM, propensity score matching; DAS28, disease activity score 28; TJC, tender joint count; SJC, swollen joint count; MS, morning stiffness; VAS, visual analog scale; PGA, patient's global assessment of disease activity; PhGA, physician's global assessment of disease activity; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; CRP, c-reactive protein; RF, rheumatoid factor; Anti-CCP, anticyclic citrullinated peptide; SDAI, simplified disease activity index; CDAI, clinical disease activity index; HAQ, health assessment questionnaire; MI, multiple imputation. Objective: To investigate the efficacy of Integrative medicine (IM), compare with Western medicine (WM), in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a cohort study. Methods: This is a cohort study with recruitment of RA patients from 10 hospitals in China. The primary outcome was change in disease activity score 28 (DAS28) during 4 follow-up visits. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) models that controlled for variables were used to investigate a time trend and assess group differences in the primary outcome and secondary outcomes after propensity score matching (PSM). Results: A total of 3195 patients with RA received IM (n = 1379, 43.2%) or WM (n = 1816, 56.8%). Following 1:1 propensity score matching, 1,331 eligible patients prescribed IM were compared to 1,331 matched patients prescribed WM. The GEE analysis with PSM showed that the IM was more beneficial to significantly decrease the levels of VAS, PGA and PhGA (VAS: odds ratio (OR), 0.76; 95% CI, 0.63-0.92; p = 0.004; PGA: OR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.64-0.92; p = 0.007; and PhGA: OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.64, 0.93; p = 0.004), and reduce DAS28 (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.73-0.98; p = 0.030) in the per-protocol population. Conclusion: This study suggests that compare to WM, IM has advantages in improving RA-related outcomes. However, the statistical significance might not reveal significant clinical difference. Further studies should be focused on specific treatment strategies and/or disease stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To systematically summarize the landscape and characteristics of all approved new anticancer drugs for the last 10 years in China and the United States (US) to further inform the trend, current state, and existing gap in the availability and affordability of cancer medicine between the two countries. Methods: Mainly based on the Pharmcube database, a list and detailed information of anticancer drugs approved in China and the United States were acquired. The annual number, time lag, and basic characteristics, including drug type, mechanism, enterprise type, indication population, drug target, and cancer type of approved drugs were compared. Results: Eighty-seven and 118 new anticancer drugs were approved in China and the US, respectively, showing a stable trend in the US, while a significant increase was observed after 2016 in China. Of the 42 cancer medicines launched in both countries, the US took precedence, and the median time lag markedly decreased, from 6.53 years in 2012 to 0.88 years in 2020. A total of 14.4% of drugs were applicable to children in the US, while only 2.3% were applicable in China, and there was no difference in drug type and enterprise. Thirty-one and 43 targets were explored, with respect to 27 and 36 cancer types in China and the US, respectively, during the period. In addition, the expenditure of drugs on PD-1 and PD-L1 in China was generally lower than that in America. Conclusion: The availability of new anticancer drugs has increased dramatically in the past decade, particularly in China. Compared with the US, the launch of new anticancer drugs in China lags behind, but the time lag has been shortened significantly, and better affordability is observed in immune drugs. More attention should be given to differentiated innovation, and unmet medical needs in special populations like childhood tumors, which are important directions of new drug R&D in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Luciolinae genus Emeia Fu, Ballantyne & Lambkin, 2012 is reviewed. Phylogenetic relationships based on cox1 DNA barcoding sequences from 42 fireflies and 2 outgroup species are reconstructed. The dataset included three main Lampyridae subfamilies: Luciolinae, Photurinae and Lampyrinae, and Emeia was recovered within Luciolinae. A new species, Emeia pulchra Zhu & Zhen sp. nov., is described from the wetland of Lishui, Zhejiang, China. Emeia pulchra is sister species to E. pseudosauteri from Sichuan, which is supported by morphological characters and a phylogeny based on DNA barcoding sequences. The two species are separated geographically as shown on the distribution map. A key to species of Emeia using males is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The long-term outcome of childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS) and its influencing factors remain unclear. The current study aimed to assess the long-term outcomes of COS and identify possible outcome predictors. Methods: We retrospectively investigated 276 patients with COS. Diagnosis made according to the ICD-10 criteria for schizophrenia, and the age of the first onset was ≤ 14 years. Follow-up was completed for 170 patients, with a median follow-up period of 5.6 years. Outcome variables included occupational/education status and readmission. Spearman correlation was performed to assess the relationship between predictors and outcome variables. Binary logistic regression was conducted to detect possible predictor variables for outcome variables. Results: At the end of the follow-up, 89 patients (52.3%) were at school, 70 patients (41.2%) were employed, and only 11 patients (6.5%) were dropped out of school or unemployed. The duration to the first admission and depressive symptoms were identified as predictors of occupational/educational status. The length of follow-up and obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) were distinguished as predictors of readmission. Duration to the first admission and length of follow-up were risk factors, and depressive symptoms and OCS were protective factors for the outcomes of COS. Conclusion: We found a favorable long-term outcome on occupational/education status in COS, and depressive symptoms and OCS may be associated with more positive long-term outcomes in COS. Our findings suggest that COS patients may benefit from early intervention and require appropriate treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was conducted to find out the effect of fruit thinning in walnut (Juglans regia L.) Rs. final nut number, nut weight, kernel rate, nuts mineral nutrients concentration and mineral nutrients concentration within leaves during growing season of 2014 and 2015 at Baoking in Hubai, China. The fruit thinning affected nut uniformity more than final nut number, weight and kernel rate. Fruit thinning showed non-significant effect on macro nutrient (N, P and K) concentrations within kernel, but had significant effect on micronutrient (Fe, Zn and B) concentration. With more fruits been retained, N, K, Fe, B and Zn concentrations within leaves increased significantly during the fruit developing. Thus, fruit thinning management for early-bearing commercial orchard could obtain more commercially valuable nuts and reduce mineral nutrients consuming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Our objective was to analyze changes in lifestyle patterns of Chinese college students at home during the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: According to a structured online questionnaire covering socio- demographic information, anthropometric data, and changes in food intake, physical activity, and sleep during the COVID-19 outbreak, the relationships between the above data before and during the outbreak were analyzed. Results: Among the 781 participants, 38.5% had significantly increased their total food intake and 29.1% had significantly decreased their physical activity. Overall, 44% of participants reported weight gain. The average weight gain was 0.7±2.5 kg. The main causes of weight gain were increased food intake (p < .001), decreased physical activity (p < .01), and an excessive increase or reduction in sleep duration (p < .024). Conclusion: During the COVID-19 outbreak, college students' food intake was found to be increased and physical activity decreased; sleep duration was irregular, and all these factors influenced weight gain.

A recent genome-wide copy number variations (CNVs) scan identified a 16q12.2 deletion that included the carboxylesterase 1 (CES1) gene, which is important in the metabolism of fatty acids and cholesterol. We aimed to investigate whether CES1 CNVs was associated with susceptibility to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in a Chinese Han population. A case-control study was conducted among 303 patients diagnosed with NAFLD and 303 age (± 5) and sex-matched controls from the Affiliated Nanping First Hospital of Fujian Medical University in China. The copy numbers of CES1 were measured using TaqMan quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and serum CES1 was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The Chi-squared test and a logistic regression model were used to evaluate the association between CES1 CNVs and NAFLD susceptibility. The distribution of CES1 CNVs showed a higher frequency of CNVs loss (< 2) among patients; however, the difference was not significant (P = 0.05). After controlling for other known or suspected risk factors for NAFLD, CES1 CNVs loss was significantly associated with greater risk of NAFLD (adjusted OR = 2.75, 95% CI 1.30-5.85, P = 0.01); while CES1 CNVs gain (> 2) was not. There was a suggestion of an association between increased CES1 serum protein levels and CNVs losses among cases, although this was not statistically significant (P = 0.07). Copy number losses (< 2) of CES1 contribute to susceptibility to NAFLD in the Chinese Han population.

Objective: To understand the variation rules of schistosomiasis endemic situation before and after schistosomiasis transmission controlled or interrupted, so as to provide the evidence for the consolidation of control achievements., Methods: In Anhui Province, 3 counties reaching the criteria of schistosomiasis transmission controlled or interrupted were selected and their historical endemic data were collected and analyzed statistically from 10 years before the schistosomiasis transmission controlled to 2008., Results: In Tianchang City, the Oncomelania hupensis snail area was 3.54 hm2 in a part of the lake marshland in the year reaching the criteria of transmission controlled (1998), and no snails were found in the year of transmission interrupted (2008). No stool-test-positive resident was detected except there were 58 acute schistosomiasis cases in 1993, and the sero-test-positive rate of local residents remained at low levels (0-1.55%). In Taihu County, the snail area was 0.84 hm2 accounting for 0.06% of its historical accumulative snail areas in the year of transmission controlled (1971) , and no snails were found three years before the transmission interrupted (1983). However, the schistosomiasis endemic rebounded 12 years later (1995), there was an outbreak of acute schistosome infections (73 cases), and the snail area increased again to 133.7 hm2 accounting for 2.91% of historical accumulative snail areas. After that, the snail area kept on rising and the infection rates of residents and bovine remained higher than 1%. In Guangde County, the snail area was 32.4 hm2 accounting for 1.90% of its historical accumulative snail areas in the year of transmission controlled (1995). After that, the snail area increased progressively, and the schistosomiasis endemic rebounded and there were acute schistosome infections 5 years later. The Spearman tests showed that the sero-test-positive rate (Tianchang City) and the stool-test-positive rates of residents and bovine (Taihu County) had positive correlations with the snail areas (r = 0.582, 0.401, 0.596, all P < 0.05)., Conclusion: The snail status is a key for the consolidation of schistosomiasis transmission controlled and interrupted. Therefore, a valid surveillance system of snail situation should be established as quickly as possible.

WU polyomavirus (WUPyV), a new member of the genus Polyomavirus in the family Polyomaviridae, is recently found in patients with respiratory tract infections. In our study, the complete genome of the two WUPyV isolates (FZ18, FZTF) were sequenced and deposited in GenBank (accession nos. FJ890981, FJ890982). The two sequences of the WUPyV isolates in this study varied little from each other. Compared with other complete genome sequences of WUPyV in GenBank (strain B0, S1-S4, CLFF, accession nos. EF444549, EF444550, EF444551, EF444552, EF444553, EU296475 respectively), the sequence length in nucleotides is 5228bp, 1bp shorter than the known sequences. The deleted base pair was at nucleotide position 4536 in the non-coding region of large T antigen (LTAg). The genome of the WUPyV encoded for five proteins. They were three capsid proteins: VP2, VP1, VP3 and LTAg, small T antigen (STAg), respectively. To investigate whether these nucleotide sequences had any unique features, we compared the genome sequence of the 2 WUPyV isolates in Fuzhou, China to those documented in the GenBank database by using PHYLIP software version 3.65 and the neighbor-joining method. The 2 WUPyV strains in our study were clustered together. Strain FZTF was more closed to the reference strain B0 of Australian than strain FZ18.

The genetic structure and diversity of 10 Chinese indigenous egg-type duck breeds were investigated using 29 microsatellite markers. The total number of animals examined were 569, on average 57 animals per breed were selected. The microsatellite marker set analysed provided 177 alleles (mean 6.1 alleles per locus, ranging from 3 to 10). All populations showed high levels of heterozygosity with the lowest estimate of 0.539 for the Jinding ducks, and the highest 0.609 observed for Jingjiang partridge ducks. The global heterozygote deficit across all populations (FIT) amounted to -0.363. About 10% of the total genetic variability originated from differences among breeds, with all loci contributing significantly. An unrooted consensus tree was constructed using the NeighborNet tree based on the Reynold's genetic distance. The structure software was used to assess genetic clustering of these egg-type duck breeds. Clustering analysis provided an accurate representation of the current genetic relations among the breeds. An integrated analysis was undertaken to obtain information on the population dynamics in Chinese indigenous egg-type duck breeds, and to better determine the conservation priorities.

Objective: To evaluate the quality of life (QoL), health-care resource utilization, and cost for the patients with premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) by radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA)., Methods: RFCA was performed in 58 patients with symptomatic PVCs that were refractory/easy to medication. A 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring, QoL, health-care resources utilization, and cost were assessed at a screening visit and 3 and 12 months after RFCA., Results: RFCA was successfully performed in 56 patients (96.6%). This resulted in a significant improvement in the QoL at 3 and 12 months after the procedure. There were no major complications related to the procedure. Nine patients (15.5%) had residual arrhythmia. Seven of them underwent repeated ablation with successful results. It also improved the QoL and reduced health-care resource utilization and cost., Conclusions: RFCA is a safe and effective treatment for PVCs, and it is a viable alternative to drugs in the presence of disabling symptoms.