OBJECTIVES: To investigate the incidence of extrauterine growth retardation (EUGR) and its risk factors in very preterm infants (VPIs) during hospitalization in China. METHODS: A prospective multicenter study was performed on the medical data of 2 514 VPIs who were hospitalized in the department of neonatology in 28 hospitals from 7 areas of China between September 2019 and December 2020. According to the presence or absence of EUGR based on the evaluation of body weight at the corrected gestational age of 36 weeks or at discharge, the VPIs were classified to two groups: EUGR group (n=1 189) and non-EUGR (n=1 325). The clinical features were compared between the two groups, and the incidence of EUGR and risk factors for EUGR were examined. RESULTS: The incidence of EUGR was 47.30% (1 189/2 514) evaluated by weight. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that higher weight growth velocity after regaining birth weight and higher cumulative calorie intake during the first week of hospitalization were protective factors against EUGR (P<0.05), while small-for-gestational-age birth, prolonged time to the initiation of total enteral feeding, prolonged cumulative fasting time, lower breast milk intake before starting human milk fortifiers, prolonged time to the initiation of full fortified feeding, and moderate-to-severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia were risk factors for EUGR (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS It is crucial to reduce the incidence of EUGR by achieving total enteral feeding as early as possible, strengthening breastfeeding, increasing calorie intake in the first week after birth, improving the velocity of weight gain, and preventing moderate-severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia in VPIs.
Female ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; Gestational Age ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors

Background: and Purpose The rate of donepezil discontinuation and the underlying reasons for discontinuation in Asian patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are currently unknown. We aimed to determine the treatment discontinuation rates in AD patients who had newly been prescribed donepezil in routine clinical practice in Asia. Methods: This 1-year observational study involved 38 institutions in seven Asian countries, and it evaluated 398 participants aged 50–90 years with a diagnosis of probable AD and on newly prescribed donepezil monotherapy. The primary endpoint was the rate of donepezil discontinuation over 1 year. Secondary endpoints included the reason for discontinuation,treatment duration, changes in cognitive function over the 1-year study period, and compliance as assessed using a clinician rating scale (CRS) and visual analog scale (VAS). Results: Donepezil was discontinued in 83 (20.9%) patients, most commonly due to an adverse event (43.4%). The mean treatment duration was 103.67 days in patients who discontinued. Among patients whose cognitive function was assessed at baseline and 1 year, there were no significant changes in scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Trail-Making Test–Black and White scores, whereas the Clinical Dementia Rating score increased significantly (p<0.001). Treatment compliance at 1 year was 96.8% (306/316) on the CRS and 92.6±14.1% (mean±standard deviation) on the VAS. Conclusions In patients on newly prescribed donepezil, the primary reason for discontinuation was an adverse event. Cognitive assessments revealed no significant worsening at 1 year, indicating that continuous donepezil treatment contributes to the maintenance of cognitive function.

Background: and Purpose The rate of donepezil discontinuation and the underlying reasons for discontinuation in Asian patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are currently unknown. We aimed to determine the treatment discontinuation rates in AD patients who had newly been prescribed donepezil in routine clinical practice in Asia. Methods: This 1-year observational study involved 38 institutions in seven Asian countries, and it evaluated 398 participants aged 50–90 years with a diagnosis of probable AD and on newly prescribed donepezil monotherapy. The primary endpoint was the rate of donepezil discontinuation over 1 year. Secondary endpoints included the reason for discontinuation,treatment duration, changes in cognitive function over the 1-year study period, and compliance as assessed using a clinician rating scale (CRS) and visual analog scale (VAS). Results: Donepezil was discontinued in 83 (20.9%) patients, most commonly due to an adverse event (43.4%). The mean treatment duration was 103.67 days in patients who discontinued. Among patients whose cognitive function was assessed at baseline and 1 year, there were no significant changes in scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Trail-Making Test–Black and White scores, whereas the Clinical Dementia Rating score increased significantly (p<0.001). Treatment compliance at 1 year was 96.8% (306/316) on the CRS and 92.6±14.1% (mean±standard deviation) on the VAS. Conclusions In patients on newly prescribed donepezil, the primary reason for discontinuation was an adverse event. Cognitive assessments revealed no significant worsening at 1 year, indicating that continuous donepezil treatment contributes to the maintenance of cognitive function.

Objective: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to present a major challenge to public health. Vaccine development requires an understanding of the kinetics of neutralizing antibody (NAb) responses to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Methods: In total, 605 serum samples from 125 COVID-19 patients (from January 1 to March 14, 2020) varying in age, sex, severity of symptoms, and presence of underlying diseases were collected, and antibody titers were measured using a micro-neutralization assay with wild-type SARS-CoV-2. Results: NAbs were detectable approximately 10 days post-onset (dpo) of symptoms and peaked at approximately 20 dpo. The NAb levels were slightly higher in young males and severe cases, while no significant difference was observed for the other classifications. In follow-up cases, the NAb titer had increased or stabilized in 18 cases, whereas it had decreased in 26 cases, and in one case NAbs were undetectable at the end of our observation. Although a decreasing trend in NAb titer was observed in many cases, the NAb level was generally still protective. Conclusion We demonstrated that NAb levels vary among all categories of COVID-19 patients. Long-term studies are needed to determine the longevity and protective efficiency of NAbs induced by SARS-CoV-2.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology* ; Antibodies, Viral/immunology* ; COVID-19/immunology* ; Female ; Humans ; Kinetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neutralization Tests ; SARS-CoV-2

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Qiang Jin exercises on the muscle strength and activity of lumbar spine in patients with lumbar disc herniation. METHODS: From March 2016 to September 2017, at the Department of Orthopaedics, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, a total of 110 subjects were enrolled, and 98 eligible subjects were screened. The subjects were randomized by stratified randomization and divided into experimental group and control group, 49 cases in each group, 25 males and 24 females in the experimental group, 25 males and 24 females in the control group. The experimental group exercised with Qiang Jin exercises, one time each morning and evening, each time10 sets were made;the control group used classic rehabilitation training, training twice a week, and three months was a course of treatment. After 12 weeks of training, the muscle strength and activity of the lumbar spine were evaluated and compared with the muscle strength and activity of the lumbar spine before training. RESULTS: The experimental group and the control group had different muscle strength and activity of the lumbar spine before and after treatment ( CONCLUSION Qiang Jin exercises can effectively improve the muscle strength and activity of the lumbar spine and improve the daily living ability of patients.
China ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Lumbosacral Region ; Male ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To compare the degeneration of lumbosacral multifidus muscle in patients with lumbar disc herniation. METHODS: Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy was performed on the multifidus muscle of 35 healthy volunteers and 35 patients with unilateral L lumbar disc herniation. There were 20 males and 15 females in each group, aged from 25 to 55 years old. In healthy volunteers, the mean age was (35.66±8.73) years old and the BMI was (21.85±1.94) kg/m; in the patients, the mean age was (36.09±7.70) years old, the BMI was (21.50±1.78) kg/m, the VAS score was (4.40±0.88) points, the course of disease was (11.2±7.14) months. The proportion of fat in the L lumbosacral multifidus muscle and the proportion of fat-suppressed cross-sectional area were observed by MRI, the differences of the observation indexes of the two groups were compared through data analysis. RESULTS: In healthy volunteers, the proportion of fat on the left side of the multifidus muscle was (0.169± 0.035)%, the proportion of fat removal cross-sectional area on the left side of the multifidus muscle was (0.699±0.070)%, the proportion of fat on the right side of the multifidus muscle was (0.168±0.031)%, and the proportion of fat removal cross-sectional area on the right side of the multifidus muscle was (0.712±0.056)%, there was no significant difference between the two sides (>0.05). In patients, the proportion of fat on the healthy side of multifidus muscles was (0.173±0.021)%, the proportion of fat removal cross-sectional area on the healthy side of multifidus muscles was (0.695±0.054)%, the proportion of fat on the affected side of the multifidus muscle was (0.228±0.027)%, and the proportion of fat removal cross-sectional area on the affected side of the multifidus muscle was (0.629±0.048)%, the differences of the above indexes on both sides were statistically significant (<0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in the proportion of multifidus muscle fat and the ratio of fat-suppressed cross-sectional area between the affected side and volunteers (<0.05). There was no significant difference in fat ratio and fat-suppressed cross sectional area ratio between the left and right sides of healthy volunteers and healthy side of patients (>0.05). CONCLUSION There is degeneration of lumbosacral multifidus muscle on the affected side of patients with unilateral L intervertebral disc herniation, featuring multifidus muscular atrophy and fat infiltration.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the degeneration of lumbosacral multifidus muscle in patients with lumbar disc herniation. METHODS: Thirty-five healthy volunteers and 35 patients with unilateral L lumbar disc herniation from December 2015 to September 2017 were recruited. There were 20 males and 15 females in each group, aged from 25 to 55 years old. In healthy volunteers group, the mean age was (35.66±8.73) years old and the BMI was (21.85±1.94) kg /m. In patients with lumbar disc herniation, the mean age was (36.09±7.70) years old, the BMI was (21.50±1.78) kg /m, the VAS score was 4.40±0.88, the course of disease was (11.20±7.14) months. Surface electromyography analysis was performed on the multifidus muscle of the two groups. The average myoelectric amplitude of the multifidus muscle in the two groups were compared. RESULTS: The average myoelectric amplitude of the multifidus muscle of healthy volunteers was (48.84±7.77) µV on the left and (49.13±7.86) µV on the right. There was no significant difference between the two sides (>0.05). The average myoelectric amplitude of multifidus muscle in patients with lumbar disc herniation was(48.82±8.14) µV on the healthy side and (42.81±7.00) µV on the affected side, and the difference was statistically significant between two sides(<0.05). There was no significant difference in the average myoelectric amplitude of multifidus muscle between the healthy side of lumbar disc herniation and on the left of healthy volunteers, or between the healthy side of lumbar disc herniation and on the right of healthy volunteers (>0.05). There was significant difference in the average myoelectric amplitude of multifidus muscle between the affected side of lumbar disc herniation and on the left of healthy volunteers, and also between the affected side of lumbar disc herniation and on the right of healthy volunteers(<0.05). CONCLUSION Patients with chronic lumbar disc herniation have an imbalance in myoelectric activity, and the muscle strength of the multifidus muscle on the affected side is significantly reduced.
Adult ; Electromyography ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration ; diagnostic imaging ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Paraspinal Muscles

The traditional Chinese medicine of Radix Hedysari plays an important role in invigorating gas for as-cending, benefiting blood for promoting production of fluid, and promoting circulation for removing obstruction in collaterals, which is consistent with the principle of treatment for osteoporosis. This study is designed to investigate the bioactive components on increasing peak bone mass (PBM) by exploring the spectrum-effect relationship between chromatography fingerprints and effect. Multiple indicators are selected to evaluate the pharmacological activity. In fingerprints, 21 common peaks are obtained, five of which are identified. Furthermore, gray relational analysis (GRA) is a quantitative method of gray system theory and is used to describe the correlation degree of common peaks and pharmacological activities with relational value. 21 components are then divided into three different regions, of which ononin and calycosin play an extremely significant role in increasing PBM. In addition, factor analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) are used to screen the optimal producing area for Radix Hedysari. This provides a comprehensive and efficient method to improve the quality evaluation of Radix Hedysari, confirming the bioactive components for PBM-enhancement and further develop its medicinal value.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of Bianyanning on acute pharyngitis in rats, and to provide evidence and experimental data for its clinical application. METHODS: The acute pharyngitis of rats was induced by spraying ammonia directly to their throat. The model rats were randomly divided into model control group, the high-, medium- and low-dose group of Bianyanning, while normal rats were used as control group, 10 in each group. After the corresponding drug treatment, the symptoms and manifestations of each group were observed and recorded; 24 hours after last gavaging, blood samples of each group were collected from the abdominal aorta. The serum contents of interleukin 1-beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were detected by ELISA. HE method was used to observe the characteristic of the lung tissues and the transmission electron microscopy method was used to observe the trachea cilia. RESULTS: After the treatment, compared with the model control group, the high-, medium- and low-dose group of Bianyanning, the symptoms of acute pharyngitis such as inflamed and congestive throat were relieved obviously. The morphological changes of lung and bronchus tissues were apparently improved. The contents of IL-1β and TNF-α in serum were decreased significantly. CONCLUSION Compound Bianyanning can promote the recovering process of acute pharyngitis, improve the morphology of lungs and bronchus, which may be related to inhibiting the releasing of the IL-1β and TNF-α in serum.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Interleukin-1beta ; metabolism ; Pharyngitis ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To report an overview of bariatric & metabolic surgery performed in 2018 in North China. METHODS: Based on prospective and observational North China Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery Clinical Database(NC-BMD), the study of evaluating the number and the type of bariatric &metabolic surgery procedures was performed in North China. Demographic characteristic, obesityrelated diseases and operational information were also analyzed. RESULTS: In 2018, 17 centers from 7 regions in North China contributed a total of 728 registration data. Valid data were analyzed from 16 centers. The patients' median (minimum, maximum) BMI pre-surgery was 38.4(24.7,95.2). The overall proportion of female patients was 74.7%, and mean±SD age was(32.5±8.29) years, while male patients was 25.3%, and mean±SD age was (32.7±9.90) years. According the data 93.9% laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy(LSG), 4.4% laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) and 1.7% other operation types. 29.2% of patients had a history of type 2 diabetes, 69.4% had sleep apnea, and 22.6% had polycystic ovary syndrome before operation. CONCLUSION: The establishment of NC-BMD has laid a solid foundation for data registration in North China. Based on current data, LSG is the mainstream of bariatric and metabolic surgery in North China this year.