BACKGROUND: Weather conditions are a possible contributing factor to age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of irreversible loss of vision. The present study evaluated the joint effects of meteorological factors and fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) on AMD. METHODS: Data was extracted from a national cross-sectional survey conducted across 10 provinces in rural China. A total of 36,081 participants aged 40 and older were recruited. AMD was diagnosed clinically by slit-lamp ophthalmoscopy, fundus photography, and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). Meteorological data were calculated by European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) reanalysis and were matched to participants' home addresses by latitude and longitude. Participants' individual PM_2.5 exposure concentrations were calculated by a satellite-based model at a 1-km resolution level. Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models paired with interaction analysis were performed to investigate the joint effects of meteorological factors and PM_2.5 on AMD. RESULTS: The prevalence of AMD in the study population was 2.6% (95% CI 2.42-2.76%). The average annual PM_2.5 level during the study period was 63.1 ± 15.3 µg/m³. A significant positive association was detected between AMD and PM_2.5 level, temperature (T), and relative humidity (RH), in both the independent and the combined effect models. For PM_2.5, compared with the lowest quartile, the odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) across increasing quartiles were 0.828 (0.674,1.018), 1.105 (0.799,1.528), and 2.602 (1.516,4.468). Positive associations were observed between AMD and temperature, with ORs (95% CI) of 1.625 (1.059,2.494), 1.619 (1.026,2.553), and 3.276 (1.841,5.830), across increasing quartiles. In the interaction analysis, the estimated relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) and the attributable proportion (AP) for combined atmospheric pressure and PM_2.5 was 0.864 (0.586,1.141) and 1.180 (0.768,1.592), respectively, indicating a synergistic effect between PM_2.5 and atmospheric pressure. CONCLUSIONS This study is among the first to characterize the coordinated effects of meteorological factors and PM_2.5 on AMD. The findings warrant further investigation to elucidate the relationship between ambient environment and AMD.
Humans ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Air Pollutants/analysis* ; Particulate Matter/analysis* ; China/epidemiology* ; Macular Degeneration/etiology* ; Meteorological Concepts

Objective:To solve international students' problems of learning difficulties and passive learning caused by language barriers in the process of biochemistry learning from the perspective of teachers in this specialty.Methods:Eighty international students were randomly divided into experimental group and control group. In the experimental group, the regional management mode was introduced in teaching, allowing students to speak mother tongues or English for group discussions on well-designed questions, and at the same time, classroom quizzes and stage tests were given, introducing formative evaluation to supervise students' learning and assess their learning performance. The control group received conventional teaching. The learning effects were assessed through a final exam and questionnaire survey. SPSS 25.0 was used to perform the Kruskal-Wallis H test and Nemenyi test. Results:Twenty-seven (75.00%) students believed that group discussion by region could deepen the discussion of questions; 27 (75.00%) no longer felt difficult, or even felt easy, to learn biochemistry; and nearly 90.00% of the students affirmed the formative evaluation mode, believing that it had positive effects on their learning attitude and behavior. In addition, the median exam score of the experimental group was 36.94% higher than that of the control class in the same year.Conclusions:Regional management combined with formative evaluation can promote international students' learning enthusiasm, improve their comprehensive achievement, and positively affect their learning behavior.

BACKGROUND: Given the general unavailability, common adverse effects, and complicated administration of tetracycline, the clinical application of classic bismuth quadruple therapy (BQT) is greatly limited. Whether minocycline can replace tetracycline for Helicobacter pylori ( H . pylori ) eradication is unknown. We aimed to compare the eradication rate, safety, and compliance between minocycline- and tetracycline-containing BQT as first-line regimens. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 434 naïve patients with H . pylori infection. The participants were randomly assigned to 14-day minocycline-containing BQT group (bismuth potassium citrate 110 mg q.i.d., esomeprazole 20 mg b.i.d., metronidazole 400 mg q.i.d., and minocycline 100 mg b.i.d.) and tetracycline-containing BQT group (bismuth potassium citrate/esomeprazole/metronidazole with doses same as above and tetracycline 500 mg q.i.d.). Safety and compliance were assessed within 3 days after eradication. Urea breath test was performed at 4-8 weeks after eradication to evaluate outcome. We used a noninferiority test to compare the eradication rates of the two groups. The intergroup differences were evaluated using Pearson chi-squared or Fisher's exact test for categorical variables and Student's t -test for continuous variables. RESULTS: As for the eradication rates of minocycline- and tetracycline-containing BQT, the results of both intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analyses showed that the difference rate of lower limit of 95% confidence interval (CI) was >-10.0% (ITT analysis: 181/217 [83.4%] vs . 180/217 [82.9%], with a rate difference of 0.5% [-6.9% to 7.9%]; PP analysis: 177/193 [91.7%] vs . 176/191 [92.1%], with a rate difference of -0.4% [-5.6% to 6.4%]). Except for dizziness more common (35/215 [16.3%] vs . 13/214 [6.1%], P = 0.001) in minocycline-containing therapy groups, the incidences of adverse events (75/215 [34.9%] vs . 88/214 [41.1%]) and compliance (195/215 [90.7%] vs . 192/214 [89.7%]) were similar between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The eradication efficacy of minocycline-containing BQT was noninferior to tetracycline-containing BQT as first-line regimen for H . pylori eradication with similar safety and compliance. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov, ChiCTR 1900023646.
Humans ; Bismuth/therapeutic use* ; Metronidazole/therapeutic use* ; Esomeprazole/pharmacology* ; Minocycline/pharmacology* ; Helicobacter pylori ; Potassium Citrate/therapeutic use* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Tetracycline/adverse effects* ; Helicobacter Infections/drug therapy* ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Amoxicillin

Objective:To systematically review the development trajectory and predictors of cancer-related fatigue (CRF) in breast cancer patients.Methods:The article on CRF development trajectories of breast cancer patients using latent growth modeling research was electronically retrieved in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang Data, VIP, and China Biomedical Literature Database. The search period was from database establishment to March 3, 2023. Two researchers conducted article screening, data extraction, and article quality evaluation, and summarized the results using descriptive analysis.Results:A total of 12 longitudinal studies were included, and 2 to 5 CRF trajectory classifications were found. Five studies described severity-based trajectories, four reported variability trends, and three delved into multidimensional patterns. Predictors of the high fatigue group were identified, including depressive symptoms, sleep disorders, anxiety, high body mass index, chronic stress, poor overall health, childhood adversity, chemotherapy, cytokines sTNF receptor-RII, IL-1 β, IL-10, and so on.Conclusions:The latent growth modeling reveals relative and similar heterogeneity trajectories of CRF, with inconsistent evidence for distinguishing different factors. It is necessary to conduct validation and in-depth research in a diverse environment, and improve the standardization of mixed model reporting, so as to provide information for early screening and the development of personalized intervention strategies.

The clinical features, imaging findings and pathological manifestations of children diagnosed with acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP) in the Department of Respiratory, Beijing Children′s Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2016 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed.One patient was a girl aged 8 years and 4 months, and the other patient was a boy aged 1 year and 11 months.Both of them had cough and tachypnea for 20 days with transient afebrile.They were diagnosed as Mycoplasma pneumonia and viral pneumonia, respectively, in other hospitals, but the treatment effect was poor.The physical examination results at admission suggested tachypnea, three depression sign (+ ), cyanosis of lips and fingers, no acropachia, and no rales.No abnormality in cardio abdominal and nervous system was detected.Both patients had hypoxemia.The partial pressure of carbon dioxide was normal.The investigations of pathogen were negative.Autoantibody and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies were negative.High resolution CT (HRCT) showed reduced light transmittance of both lungs (especially the lower lung), diffuse bilateral ground glass opacities, consolidation, and traction associated bronchiectasis.The pulmonary histopathology showed di-ffuse alveolar damage, thickened alveolar septum and fibrous tissue in the alveolar cavity.The hyaline membrane was observed in the girl patient.Both patients were treated with corticosteroid.The girl patient had nasal cannula oxygenation, while the boy patient received nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) support.They were followed up with improvement.The course of corticosteroid was taped for 8 months and 1 year in the girl patient and boy patient, respectively.After treatment, lung lesions were basically absorbed.

Objective:To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy of programmed death-1 and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) inhibitors versus traditional first-line regimens for the treatment of solid tumors.Methods:Databases including PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library were searched for literatures from the date of their establishment to October 2018 with the key words including "PD-1/PD-L1, solid tumors, melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, renal cell carcinoma, immunotherapy" . The randomized controlled trial or non randomized controlled trial of high quality about PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors and traditional fist-line regimens for the treatment of solid tumors were received and enrolled. Patients underwent PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors immunotherapy were allocated into treatment group, patients underwent traditional first-line regimens treatment were allocated into control group. Two reviewers independently screened literatures, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias. Count data were described as odds ratio ( OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI). The heterogeneity of the studies included was analyzed using the I2 test. Funnel plot was used to test potential publication bias if the studies included≥5, and no test was needed if the studies included<5. Results:(1) Document retrieval: a total of 11 available randomized clinical trials were included. There were 5 161 patients, including 2 677 in the treatment group and 2 484 in the control group. (2) Results of Meta analysis. ① There was a significant difference in the objective response rate between the treatment group and the control group ( OR=4.49, 95% CI: 3.01-6.68, P<0.05). The bilateral symmetry was presented in the funnel plot based on the 9 studies, suggesting that publication bias had little influence on results of Meta analysis. ② There was no significant difference in the disease control rate between the treatment group and the control group ( OR=1.53, 95% CI: 1.01-2.32, P=0.05). The bilateral symmetry was presented in the funnel plot based on the 9 studies, suggesting that publication bias had little influence on results of Meta analysis. ③ There was a significant difference in disease stability rate between the treatment group and the control group ( OR=0.49, 95% CI: 0.33-0.73, P<0.05). The bilateral symmetry was presented in the funnel plot based on the 9 studies, suggesting that publication bias had little influence on results of Meta analysis. ④ There was no significant difference in disease progression rate between the treatment group and the control group ( OR=0.71, 95% CI: 0.45-1.15, P>0.05). The bilateral symmetry was presented in the funnel plot based on the 9 studies, suggesting that publication bias had little influence on results of Meta analysis. ⑤ There were significant differences in overall incidence of adverse events and incidence of adverse events not less than three levels between the treatment group and the control group ( OR=0.53, 0.54, 95% CI: 0.38-0.74, 0.31-0.93, P<0.05). The bilateral symmetry was presented in the funnel plot based on the 11 studies, suggesting that publication bias had little influence on results of Meta analysis. Conclusion:Compared with traditional first-line regimens treatment, PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors immunotherapy can improve the objective response rate and decrease the incidence of adverse events.

Objective:To understand the awareness of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) status and awareness of COPD-related knowledge and its influencing factors in COPD patients aged ≥40 years in China in 2014-2015.Methods:The study subjects were selected through multi-stage stratified cluster sampling from 125 COPD surveillance points in 31 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) in China. The number of the subjects was 75 107. The relevant variables about COPD diagnosis and COPD-related knowledge awareness were collected by electronic questionnaire in face to face interviews. A total of 9 134 participates with post-bronchodilator FEV 1/FVC<70% were diagnosed with COPD. Based on the complex sampling design, the awareness rate of COPD status and related knowledge were estimated, and the influencing factors were analyzed. Results:A total of 9 132 COPD patients were included in the analysis. Among COPD patients aged ≥40 years in China, 0.9% were aware of their COPD status (95 %CI: 0.6%-1.1%), and 5.7% were aware of COPD related knowledge (95 %CI: 4.8%-6.6%), and 3.4% were aware of pulmonary function test (95 %CI: 2.8%-4.0%). The COPD status awareness rate was 3.9% in the patients with history of chronic respiratory disease (95 %CI: 2.9%-4.8%), 2.4% in the patients with respiratory symptoms (95 %CI: 1.7%-3.1%), and 7.1% in the patients with COPD related knowledge awareness (95 %CI: 4.5%-9.8%) respectively. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that chronic respiratory disease history, respiratory symptoms, occupational dust and/or harmful gas exposure and COPD related knowledge awareness had influences on the awareness rate of COPD status. Educational level and chronic respiratory disease history had influences on the awareness rate of COPD related knowledge. And ethnic groups, educational level and history of chronic respiratory diseases had influences on the awareness rate of pulmonary function test. Conclusions:The awareness rates of COPD status, COPD-related knowledge and pulmonary function test in COPD patients in China were low. The comprehensive intervention of COPD should be carried out to improve the level of diagnosis and the awareness COPD status of COPD patients.

The "student-centered" concept highlights the dominant position of students in the teaching process and makes up for the deficiency of traditional teaching mode.Based on the above idea,the teaching team of the author's department tried to improve teaching effect through effective teaching design in biochemistry.Firstly,the teaching goal (the goal of knowledge,ability and emotion) and the important situational factors the learning situation analysis,the characteristics of the course and the class,etc)should be identified.suitable teaching strategies he inspiration strategy,exploration strategy and problem solution strategy,etc.),teaching method (discussion,case study,problem based learning,etc.) and proper assessment (such as the summative assessment with formative evaluation) should be determined to organize classroom teaching.At the end of the class the timely feedback and the teaching reflection should be carried outto extend classroom teaching to extra-curricular class.The results showed that effective teaching designismore likely to stimulate students' learning enthusiasm,promote students' deep learning and achieve better teaching effects.

Objective To investigate the neonatal genetic carrier rate and genotype composition of thalassemia in Haikou city,and to evaluate the application of using dried blood spot specimens of neonates for population screening of thalassemia.Methods From January 2016 to December 2016,25% to 50% of all dried blood spot specimens of registered neonates were collected randomly by mechanical samping method in 30 hospitals of Haikou city everyday.Total of 6 864 samples were primarily analyzed by hemoglobin electrophoresis,and those with positive results were secondarily recalled for venous blood collection and subsequent genotyping tests.Feasibility of using neonatal dried blood spot specimens for population screening of thalassemia was retrospectively analyzed.Results A total of 6 864 neonatal dried blood spot specimens were analyzed.Out of 604 positive samples primarily screened by Hb electrophoresis, the positive rate was 8.80%,343 samples carried thalassemia gene mutations secondarily confirmed by genotyping test, the carrying rate was 5%(343/6 864),among which 81.92 %(281/343)were α-thalassemia,16.62%(57/343)were β-thalassemia and 1.46%(5/343)were both α-and β-thalassemia.In those α-thalassemia,the deleted α-gene types occupied 89.68%(252/281),the major genotype was --SEA/αα; the mutated α-gene types occupied 4.98%(14/281),the major genotype was αQS α/αα.In those β-thalassemia,there were 9 genotypes,the major genotype was CD41-42/N, occupying 61.40%(35/57).Conclusions The neonates have a relatively high carrying rate of thalassemia gene mutations in Haikou city, the genotype composition has geographical characteristics,and the major type is α-thalassemia.The method of using heel dried blood spot specimens on filter paper to screen thalassemia among neonates is advantageous and worthy of advocation.