[A cross-sectional study on current status of rare disease related health information based on WeChat official accounts in China].

Objective: To understand the current status of rare disease related health information release in WeChat official accounts in China. Methods: We used a series of key words containing "rare diseases" and the names of the top 30 rare diseases in hospitalizations in China to search WeChat official accounts. Eligible articles were selected by systematic sampling. All including WeChat official accounts and articles were evaluated to extract the basic information. Results: No relevant WeChat official accounts were found for 14 rare diseases (46.67%). Most of the WeChat official accounts (52.17%) were initiated by patients and patient groups. No significant difference was detected in the total number of articles between the official accounts related with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and non-TCM related ones, however, the frequency of the monthly information release was significantly higher in TCM related official accounts (P<0.001), while the average reading number of articles was significantly higher in non-TCM related official accounts (P<0.001). Nearly 80% of the WeChat official accounts had navigation menu, and the average reading number of official accounts with menus was larger than those without menus. The top three topics were rare disease diagnosis and treatment knowledge (46.00%), public welfare activity for rare diseases (12.81%) and uncorrelated things (8.65%), while the first three leading topics were cutting-edge information, public welfare activity and patient story, respectively. Conclusions: The scale for rare disease related health information release based on WeChat official accounts in China has been basically formed, but it is still in development stage. Many improvements should be made in their coverage of rare diseases, release frequency, topic and form. It is urgent to establish or recreate some high-quality WeChat official accounts in order to provide precise information and effectively facilitate the prevention and treatment of rare diseases.

[Clinical characteristics of 84 children with invasive Haemophilus influenzae infection from 2014 to 2018].

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics of invasive Haemophilus influenzae (HI) infection in children. Methods: The clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations and treatment outcomes of 84 children with HI infection confirmed by bacterial culture in 7 tertiary children's hospitals from 2014 to 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Among the 84 cases, 50 were males. The age was 1.54 years (ranged from 5 days to 13 years).Twenty cases (24%) had underlying diseases and 48 cases (57%) had not received antibiotics before collecting specimens. Eighty-two cases (98%) had fever and 75 cases (89%) had clear infection foci, among which 31 cases (37%) had meningitis and 27 cases (32%) had pneumonia. Blood culture was positive in 62 cases (74%), cerebrospinal fluid culture was positive in 10 cases (12%), blood culture and cerebrospinal fluid culture were both positive in 11 cases (13%). Antibiotics susceptibility test showed that 27% (22/82) of all HI strains produced ß-lactamases and 48% (37/77) strains were resistant to ampicillin. The drug resistance rates to cefuroxime, ampicillin-sulbactam, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and azithromycin were 25% (20/80) , 20% (9/45) , 71% (44/62) and 19%(11/58), respectively. All strains were sensitive to meropenem, levofloxacin and ceftriaxone. After sensitive antibiotic therapy, 83% (70/84) of all patients were cured and improved, the mortality rate and loss of follow-up rate were 13% (11/84) and 4% (3/84) respectively. Conclusions: Meningitis and pneumonia are common presentation of invasive HI infections in children. Mortality in HI meningitis children is high and the third generation of cephalosporins, such as ceftriaxone can be used as the first choice for the treatment of invasive HI infection.

Oral Chinese herbal medicine as maintenance treatment after chemotherapy for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The concept of maintenance therapy in cancer treatment is currently under debate because of modest survival benefits, added toxicity, economic considerations, and quality-of-life concerns. Traditional Chinese Medicine (tcm) is widely used in China for cancer patients, offering the advantages of low toxicity and enhancement of quality of life. However, no systematic reviews or meta-analyses have assessed the role of tcm as maintenance treatment for non-small-cell lung carcinoma. METHODS: We searched the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, PubMed, embase, and the Cochrane Library databases for all eligible studies. The endpoints were overall survival (os), progression-free survival (pfs), the 1-year and 2-year survival rates, and performance status. Our meta-analysis used a fixed-effects model and a random-effects model for heterogeneity in the Stata software application (version 11.0: StataCorp LP, College Station, TX, U.S.A.), with the results expressed as hazard ratios (hrs) or risk ratios (rrs), with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% cis). RESULTS: Sixteen randomized studies representing 1150 patients met the inclusion criteria. Compared with best supportive care, observation, or placebo, tcm as maintenance treatment was associated with a significant increase in os (hr: 0.49; 95% ci: 0.35 to 0.68; p < 0.001), pfs (hr: 0.66; 95% ci: 0.51 to 0.84; p = 0.001), and 2-year survival rate (rr: 0.63; 95% ci: 0.44 to 0.92, p = 0.017), and a significant improvement in performance status (rr: 0.68; 95% ci: 0.61 to 0.75; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: For patients who show non-progression-including stable disease, partial response, or complete response-after first-line chemotherapy, including those with poor quality of life, oral Chinese herbal medicine can be considered an efficient and safe maintenance therapy strategy.

Astragalus-containing Traditional Chinese Medicine, with and without prescription based on syndrome differentiation, combined with chemotherapy for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a systemic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Traditional Chinese Medicine (tcm) is used in China as part of the treatment for non-small-cell lung cancer (nsclc) and often includes prescription of herbal therapy based on syndrome differentiation. Studies of various Astragalus-based Chinese medicines combined with platinum-based chemotherapy in the treatment of lung cancer are popular in East Asia, particularly in China. The aim of the present study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing platinum-based chemotherapy alone with platinum-based chemotherapy plus Astragalus-based Chinese botanicals, with and without prescription based on syndrome differentiation, as first-line treatment for advanced nsclc. METHODS: We searched the Chinese Biomedical Literature database, the China National Knowledge Internet, the VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodicals Database, PubMed, embase, the Cochrane databases, and abstracts presented at meetings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the World Conference on Lung Cancer, the European Society for Medical Oncology, and the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology for all eligible studies. Endpoints were overall survival; 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year survival rates; performance status; overall response rate; and grade 3 or 4 adverse events. Subgroup analyses based on herbal formulae individualized using syndrome differentiation or on oral or injection patent medicines were performed using the Stata software application (version 11.0: StataCorp LP, College Station, TX, U.S.A.) and a fixed-effects or random-effects model in case of heterogeneity. Results are expressed as a hazard ratio (hr) or relative risk (rr), with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (cis). RESULTS: Seventeen randomized studies with scores on the Jadad quality scale of 2 or more, representing 1552 patients, met the inclusion criteria. Compared with platinum-based chemotherapy alone, the addition of Astragalus-based tcm to chemotherapy was associated with significantly increased overall survival (hr: 0.61; 95% ci: 0.42 to 0.89; p = 0.011); 1-year (rr: 0.73; 95% ci: 0.65 to 0.82; p < 0.001), 2-year (rr: 0.3344; 95% ci: 0.237 to 0.4773; p < 0.001), and 3-year survival rates (rr: 0.30; 95% ci: 0.17 to 0.53; p < 0.001); performance status (rr: 0.43; 95% ci: 0.34 to 0.55; p < 0.001); and tumour overall response rate (rr: 0.7982; 95% ci: 0.715 to 0.89; p < 0.001). Subgroup analyses indicated that Astragalus herbal formulae given based on syndrome differentiation were more effective than Astragalus-based oral and injection patent medicines. Side effects-including anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, fatigue, poor appetite, nausea, and vomiting-were significantly more frequent with platinum-based chemotherapy alone than when platinum-based chemotherapy was combined with Astragalus-based tcm. CONCLUSIONS: Astragalus-based Chinese botanical therapy, especially when based on syndrome differentiation, is associated with increased efficacy of platinum-based chemotherapy and decreased platinum-derived toxicities for patients with advanced nsclc.

Identification, molecular characterization, and tissue expression of parathyroid hormone-related protein gene (PTHrP) from water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).

Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) is involved in the deposition of milk calcium in mammal lactation, but its role in buffalo is unclear. In this study, the full-length coding sequence of the water buffalo PTHrP gene was first isolated using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The protein was then subjected to molecular characterization using bioinformatic methods, and the tissue expression pattern was further assayed by semi-quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. The water buffalo PTHrP gene contains an open reading frame of 534 base pairs encoding a polypeptide of 177 amino acid residues, a theoretical molecular weight of 20.32 kDa, and an isoelectric point of 10.00. In addition, water buffalo PTHrP was predicted to contain a signal peptide, a typical hydrophobic region with no hydrophobic transmembrane regions, and to exert its function in the cell nucleus. A conserved domain of parathyroid superfamily from amino acids 34-114 was observed in the polypeptide. Sequence comparison and the phylogenetic analysis showed that the sequence of the water buffalo PTHrP protein shared high homology with that of other mammals, particularly cattle and goat. Among the 16 tissues examined, the PTHrP gene was only expressed in adipose tissue, placenta, uterine wall, hypophysis, and mammary gland tissue, but gene expression levels were higher in the uterus wall and adipose tissue. The results of this study suggest that the PTHrP gene plays an important role in the deposition of milk calcium of water buffalo.

Effects of heat stress on survival of Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and Thrips tabaci (Thysanoptera: Thripidae).

Temperature is known to play a crucial role in the population dynamics of insects. Insects have evolved different mechanisms to resist unfavorable extreme temperatures. In recent years, western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), and onion thrips, Thrips tabaci (Lindeman) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), have caused significant damage to vegetable crops. Because of global warming and expanding areas of vegetable cultivation, a study of the effects of heat stress on these thrips species is warranted. We exposed the various developmental stages of western flower thrips and onion thrips to temperatures of 41, 43, or 45 degrees C for 2, 6, 12, 24, or 36 h to determine the effects of heat stress on survival. Our results showed that the heat resistance of nonadult western flower thrips was greater than that of the nonadult onion thrips, and that the natural heat resistant ability was the primary factor in heat resistance in western flower thrips. In contrast, the heat resistance of adult onion thrips was greater than that of the adult western flower thrips, which was primarily the result of the ability of searching suitable microenvironment that enabled the onion thrips to mitigate the effects of high temperatures more efficiently than the western flower thrips. Our analysis of the differences in heat resistance between western flower thrips and onion thrips provides important information for the development of thermal treatments for controlling western flower thrips and onion thrips.

First Report of Anthracnose of Lycium barbarum Caused by Colletotrichum acutatum in China.

Barbary wolfberry (Lycium barbarum, Solanaceae) is an important Chinese traditional medicine that is widely planted in northwestern China (6.7 × 104 ha under cultivation, including Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region). After a recent, large increase in the planting area and density, anthracnose has become more damaging. In China, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides was assumed to be the sole causal agent of anthracnose on L. chinense (wolfberry) (3), whereas in Korea, C. dematium was reported to cause anthracnose on wolfberry (4). During the summer and autumn of 2007, 29 barbary wolfberry fruit samples were collected from three orchards in Zhongning County, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Conidia were 8.5 to 16.5 × 2.5 to 4 µm and fusiform or pointed at one or both ends. Slow-growing colonies on potato dextrose agar were white to orange or pink; sclerotia and setae were absent. The morphological traits were identical to those of C. acutatum and clearly distinct from those of C. gloeosporioides (conidia cylindrical with both ends rounded, gray colony color) or C. dematium (conidia falcate, sclerotia and setae abundant) (2-4). Koch's postulates were performed to verify that the isolates were capable of causing anthracnose on wolfberry. Six wolfberry fruits were surface sterilized with 70% alcohol, allowed to dry 1 min, then wounded with a sterile needle, and dipped in 6 ml of spore suspension (1 × 105 conidia/ml). Anthracnose symptoms were observed on inoculated fruit after 3 days, whereas control fruits inoculated with sterile water did not develop symptoms. The pathogenicity test was performed three times; in each trial, fungi reisolated from symptomatic tissue were morphologically identical to those that had been used as inoculum. Amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA with primers ITS1 and ITS4 resulted in bands of approximately 600 bp. The sequences of both isolates were compared with sequences deposited in the GenBank database and demonstrated 99% similarity to C. acutatum isolate DQ286123. PCR amplification of the ITS region was also carried out using species-specific primer CaInt2 in conjunction with the universal primer ITS4 (1). A DNA fragment of approximately 500 bp was amplified from all isolates, whereas no amplification products were obtained from reference cultures of C. gloeosporioides and C. dematium. To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. acutatum causing anthracnose on L. barbarum. References: (1) S. Sreenivasaprasad et al. Plant Pathol. 45:650, 1996. (2) B. C. Sutton. Page 523 in: The Coelomycetes. Commonwealth Mycological Institute, Kew, Surrey, England, 1980. (3) X. M. Wang and J. Y. Li. Acta Mycol. Sinica 6:211, 1987. (4) S. H. Yu. Korean J. Plant Pathol. 2:31, 1986.

Chemical defenses of Trifolium glanduliferum against redlegged earth mite Halotydeus destructor.

Trifolium glanduliferum Boiss. was resistant to redlegged earth mite, Halotydeus destructor Tucker (Acari: Penthaleidae), feeding compared with Trifolium subterraneum L. Extracts from T. glanduliferum leaves, obtained with dichloromethane and methanol, acted as feeding deterrents to the redlegged earth mite. Bioassay-directed fractionation of the extracts led to the isolation of several metabolites, coumarin, alpha-and beta-ionone, linalool, medicarpin, that were shown to be deterrent in laboratory experiments. The compounds contributing to the defense of T. glanduliferum were different from those influencing mite feeding on T. subterraneum leaves.

Triterpenoids and other compounds from Salvia roborowskii Maxim.

Two new triterpenoids, 2 alpha-hydroxy-3 beta-methoxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid and 3 alpha-hydroxy-2 alpha-methoxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid as well as 25 known compounds were isolated from the whole plant of Salvia roborowskii Maxim. Their structures were elucidated by means of spectral data and chemical transformation. This is the first report on the chemical constituents of this plant. The presence of eugenyl beta-D-glucopyranoside 22 in a plant of the genus Salvia is also reported for the first time.

The suppressive effect of electrical stimulation on nociceptive responses in the rat.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The aim of this investigation was to study the effect of electrical stimulation on nociceptive responses within the lumbar levels of the rat spinal cord. METHODS: A single high-energy thermal pulse produced by a surgical laser stimulator (5 W, 30 milliseconds) was applied on the plantar surface of the hind paws of male Sprague-Dawley rats. The spinal cord field potential evoked by the laser pulse was used as an indicator of thermosensitive nociceptive responses. Low-intensity single stimulation, high-intensity single stimulation, low-intensity train stimulation, and high-intensity train stimulation were applied on the common peroneal nerve with protected cuff electrodes in different trials. RESULTS: Neither low-intensity nor high-intensity single stimulation suppressed field potentials. In contrast, low-intensity train stimulation elicited partial inhibition of field potentials. Furthermore, high-intensity train stimulation elicited biphasic inhibition at a wider range of intervals lasting for 20 seconds. CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION: The results demonstrate that two modes of train electrical stimulation can produce two patterns of fast-onset (within milliseconds), short-duration (within 20 seconds) inhibition of field potentials in the spinal cord. These results provide evidence that noxious heat-related impulses are modulated by the presence of specific electrical stimulation. The clinical application of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation to block pain is supported.