EQ-5D-5L Population Norms for China Derived From a National Health Survey.

OBJECTIVES: To develop the EQ-5D-5L (5L) population norms for China and to assess the relationship between various factors and 5L data. METHODS: This study used data derived from the Psychology and Behavior Investigation of Chinese Residents, a national sample survey of 21 909 representative participants aged 12 years and above. Participants' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was measured by the 5L. Their socioeconomic characteristics, behavioral factors, and health conditions were also obtained from the survey. Norm scores were generated and compared for different socioeconomic variables. Multiple linear and logistic regressions were used to assess the relationships of the 3 kinds of variables with the 5L utility, visual analog scale (VAS) scores and 5L health problems. RESULTS: The mean (SD) age of participants was 39.4 (18.9) years, and 50.0% of them were female. The mean (SD) utility and VAS scores were 0.940 (0.138) and 73.4 (21.6), respectively. Participants reported considerably more problems in anxiety/depression (26.2%) and pain/discomfort (22.2%) dimensions. The gender difference in HRQoL is attenuated. The participants older than 75 years suffered from a sharp decline in HRQoL; the participants in Shanghai and Tibet provinces reported lower utility and VAS scores and more health problems. Those who were younger, with better socioeconomic status and healthier lifestyles, and without diseases tended to report higher utility and VAS scores and fewer health problems. CONCLUSIONS: This study derived the 5L population norms for China based on a representative population sample.

Insight into the phenolics and antioxidant activity of Indian jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana Lamk) peel and pulp subjected to the simulated digestion.

To evaluate the release and activity of Indian jujube phenolics in vivo, its peel and pulp were subjected to simulated digestions. The phenolics content and antioxidant activity of the digested samples were determined. The results showed that the total phenolics/flavonoids in the peel were respectively 4.63 and 4.48 times higher than that in the pulp. The release of phenolics and flavonoids respectively increased by 79.75% and 39.98% in the peel and 86.34% and 23.54% in the pulp after the intestinal digestion. The correlation between the total phenolics/flavonoids and antioxidant activity was higher in the peel (r > 0.858, p < 0.01) than that in the pulp. The phenolics profiles of the peel were almost the same after the digestion, and four phenolics including naringenin tri-glycoside, quercetin-3-O-[(2-hexosyl)-6-rhamnosyl] -hexoside, quercetin-3-O-pentosylhexoside and quercetin-3-O-(2-pentosyl -rhamnoside)-4'-O-rhamnoside were found to be the main flavonoids of Indian jujube peel, and they showed high recovery (>89.88%) during the digestion, implying that these phenolics may play a vital role in the function of Indian jujubes.

Icotinib, an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, as adjuvant therapy for patients with stage IIA-IIIA EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung adenocarcinoma: a multicenter, open-label, single-arm, phase II study (ICAPE).

The survival benefit of icotinib (an oral epidermal growth factor receptor [EGFR] tyrosine kinase inhibitor) in patients with advanced lung cancer has been confirmed in several studies. This study (ICAPE) evaluated the efficacy of icotinib as adjuvant therapy for patients with stage IIA-IIIA EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung adenocarcinoma. Patients with stage IIA-IIIA EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung adenocarcinoma were enrolled in the multicenter, open-label, single-arm, phase II study. Eligible patients received oral icotinib 125 mg thrice daily for 1.5 years after complete surgical resection. The primary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS). Between March 2014 and January 2018, 79 patients were enrolled. The median follow-up time was 39.7 months with a median DFS and overall survival (OS) of 41.4 months (95% CI: 33.6-51.8) and 67.0 months (95% CI: 21.2-not reached [NR]), respectively. The 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year OS rates were 100%, 83.3%, and 61.7%, respectively. No significant difference was found in the median DFS between patients with Bcl-2 interacting mediator of cell death (BIM) mutant-type and wild-type (NR vs. 41.7 months; p = 0.75). No significant difference was found in the median DFS according to EGFR mutation types. Icotinib as adjuvant therapy demonstrated a favorable survival benefit in patients with stage IIA-IIIA EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung adenocarcinoma, indicating that icotinib might be a promising treatment option for this patient population. The optimal adjuvant duration of icotinib is still not clear and needs more incoming data to answer.

Advancing single-cell RNA-seq data analysis through the fusion of multi-layer perceptron and graph neural network.

The advancement of single-cell sequencing technology has smoothed the ability to do biological studies at the cellular level. Nevertheless, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data presents several obstacles due to the considerable heterogeneity, sparsity and complexity. Although many machine-learning models have been devised to tackle these difficulties, there is still a need to enhance their efficiency and accuracy. Current deep learning methods often fail to fully exploit the intrinsic interconnections within cells, resulting in unsatisfactory results. Given these obstacles, we propose a unique approach for analyzing scRNA-seq data called scMPN. This methodology integrates multi-layer perceptron and graph neural network, including attention network, to execute gene imputation and cell clustering tasks. In order to evaluate the gene imputation performance of scMPN, several metrics like cosine similarity, median L1 distance and root mean square error are used. These metrics are utilized to compare the efficacy of scMPN with other existing approaches. This research utilizes criteria such as adjusted mutual information, normalized mutual information and integrity score to assess the efficacy of cell clustering across different approaches. The superiority of scMPN over current single-cell data processing techniques in cell clustering and gene imputation investigations is shown by the experimental findings obtained from four datasets with gold-standard cell labels. This observation demonstrates the efficacy of our suggested methodology in using deep learning methodologies to enhance the interpretation of scRNA-seq data.

Three new species, and new distributional data, of Haltichella (Hymenoptera, Chalcididae) from China.

Five species of Haltichella (Hymenoptera, Chalcididae) from China are reviewed, including three new species, H.bimaculata Wang & Li, sp. nov., H.bomiana Wang & Li, sp. nov., H.strigata Wang & Li, sp. nov. Haltichellaclavicornis (Ashmead) is newly recorded from China and H.nipponensis Habu is newly recorded from Heilongjiang, Shanxi, Shandong, Xizang, Guangdong and Yunnan Provinces in China. A key to the Chinese species of the Haltichella is provided.

Carbon sink calculation model of urban construction land based on building capacity.

The exploitation and utilization of mineral materials during urban construction causes a large amount of carbon emission, but could also contribute to carbon sequestration. In the related literature, carbon sequestration process of building mineral materials has received limited attention and scientific quantification. On the basis of extracting building capacity and identifying building types, we used the technology of remote sensing image shadow height inversion to quantify mineral material consumption and carbon content parameters. Carbonization rate was measured by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Finally, a calculation method for carbon sink in urban buildings was constructed. We investigated the uncertainty of this method with Puhe New Town in Shenyang as an example. The results showed that the order of carbon sink density of different types of buildings followed the order of residential buildings > public service buildings > other types of buildings > commercial and financial buildings > industrial buildings; the ratio of carbon sink volumetric in diffe-rent types of construction land followed the order of commercial and financial buildings > residential buildings > public service buildings > other types of buildings > industrial buildings. The carbon sink calculation method based on the urban scale of building capacity in this study could quickly and accurately estimate the magnitude of carbon sinks from the inorganic materials in various types of urban construction lands. Under the background of limited urban natural carbon sequestration, using building carbon sequestration to enhance the urban carbon sequestration could provide new ideas for the low-carbon development of cities in China.

Consolidation chwemotherapy after concurrent chemoradiotherapy vs. chemoradiotherapy alone for locally advanced unresectable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer: A meta-analysis.

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) has been considered to be the standard of care for locally advanced unresectable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC). Whether consolidation chemotherapy (CCT) following CCRT is able to further improve the clinical outcome remains unclear. We therefore undertook a meta-analysis to compare the two regimens for LA-NSCLC. A literature search was performed through PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Chinese Biology Medicine, from their inception to November, 2015. Irrelevant studies were excluded using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses standards. Our primary endpoint was overall survival (OS), which was defined as the time from randomisation until death from any cause; the secondary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). All analyses were by intention-to-treat. Five phase III randomized controlled trials with 958 patients were included in the present meta-analysis. The results were expressed as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Compared with CCRT, CCT after CCRT was not associated with statistically significant differences in OS (OR=1.24; 95% CI: 0.89-1.72; P=0.21) or PFS (OR=1.16; 95% CI: 0.74-1.83; P=0.53), but increased the risk of toxicity, including infection (P=0.02), pneumonitis (P=0.003) and treatment-related death (P=0.04). There were no significant differences in terms of benefit according to particular patient characteristics, such as age, gender, performance status, tumor histology or clinical stage. Thus, the present study failed to support the use of CCT after CCRT over CCRT alone, as there was no significant OS and PFS benefit for LA-NSCLC patients, but the use of CCT after CCRT resulted in increased toxicity.

Analysis of Cytokine Levers in Pleural Effusions of Tuberculous Pleurisy and Tuberculous Empyema.

The aim is to examine whether the interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), IL-2, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1), and tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) levels were different in pleural effusions of tuberculous pleurisy and tuberculous empyema. IL-1ß, IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α, PAI-1, and t-PA levels in pleural fluids of 40 patients with tuberculous pleurisy and 38 patients with tuberculous empyema were measured. The levels of IL-1ß, PAI-1, and t-PA in the pleural effusions were different between tuberculous pleurisy and tuberculous empyema; it could be helpful to differentiate the two diseases. The levels of PAI-1, IL-1ß were higher and t-PA, IL-6 were lower in pleural effusions of the patients with tuberculous empyema and who must undergo operation than the patients who could be treated with closed drainage and anti-TB chemotheraphy. These indications may be helpful to evaluate whether the patient needs the operation.

Analysis of Pneumonectomy for Benign Disease: A Single Institution Retrospective Study on 59 Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Pneumonectomy is the only curative treatment for some benign diseases but the operation is a challenging procedure. Herein, we present our experiences of pneumonectomy for 59 patients. METHODS: The medical records of 59 patients who undergone pneumonectomy for benign lung diseases from 2008 to 2013 at the Division of Thoracic Surgery in Beijing Chest Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: There were 23 male and 36 female patients. Three procedures including pneumonectomy, pleuropneumonectomy and completion pneumonectomy were used. The operative time and intraoperative blood loss were statistically different in the patients who undergone different operations. The operative time of the patients with and without tuberculosis had no difference but the intraoperative blood loss was more in the patients with tuberculosis (P = 0.035). The operative type, age and operative blood loss were relevant with the morbidity, the P value were 0.024, 0.042 and 0.027 respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Pneumonectomy for patients with benign disease may be more difficult than for patients with lung cancer, mean while pleuropneumonectomy and completion pneumonectomy may be greater challenges. But with careful patient selection and operative technique, it is a satisfactory treatment method for benign lung disease. The morbidity is acceptable and associated with operative type, age and operative blood loss.

Characteristics of trace elements in freshwater and seawater cultured pearls.

Trace elements in pearls have characteristic disciplines and functions. The previous work had paid attention to different characteristics of trace elements in freshwater and seawater cultured pearls, but only limited species of trace elements have been detected by former testing techniques and analysis methods, and the test results have not been further analyzed. With the advantages of detection in good capability and high speed, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) can concurrently test various trace and ultra-trace elements. In the present paper, trace elements of cultured pearls in freshwater and seawater were measured by ICP-MS, and analyzed compared by a method of data processing. The results show that: (1) The kinds of higher content of trace elements (Sr, Zn, Ni, Ba, Mn, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ti, Co, Ce, Zr, La, Rb) in cultured pearls are approximately the same, but the total amount of trace elements in freshwater cultured pearls is significantly less than that of seawater cultured pearls. (2) The content of trace elements (Sr, Mn, Ba, Ni, Cr, Pb) in freshwater cultured pearls is more regular, and has a relatively fixed sequence from high to low, namely Sr > Mn > Ba > Ni > Cr > Pb. The content of trace elements in seawater cultured pearls is quite different. Sr is enriched in all samples. There is no a stable order of contents for the other trace elements. (3) There is a significant correlation among some trace elements in cultured pearls. The conclusion is instructive to indicate cultured environment, cultured technology, identification, comprehensive development and utilization of cultured pearls.

[Surgical treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis complicated with aspergilloma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the surgical indications of pulmonary tuberculosis complicated with aspergilloma , and to reduce postoperative complications. METHODS: From 1993 to 2010, a total of 51 surgically treated patients in pulmonary tuberculosis complicated with aspergilloma were analyzed retrospectively. The common surgical procedure performed was lobectomy(60.8%), followed by segmentectomy(15.7%), pneumonectomy(9.8%), wedge resection(9.8%). RESULTS: Postoperative non-fatal complications occurred in all patients, the complications (13 cases) included postoperative atelectasis(7.8%), bleeding(5.9%), bronchopleural fistula(5.9%), cardiac arrhythmia and heart failure(2.0%), incisional infection(2.0%). CONCLUSIONS: Surgical treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis complicated with aspergilloma is the most effective treatment; pulmonary resection is the treatment of choice when indicated.

[Study of prognostic factors in patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the prognostic factors for patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer. METHODS: A total of 224 patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer operated from 1999 to 2004 were retrospectively reviewed. The clinical profiles of age, gender, T grade, type of resection, tumor pathological typing, tumor cell differentiation and post-operative chemotherapy were analyzed by SPSS 13.0 statistic software. RESULTS: The five-year survival of stages Ia and Ib non-small cell lung cancer were 78.7% and 51.5% respectively. In univariate analysis, T grade and tumor cell differentiation were independent prognostic factors respectively. In multivariate analysis, T grade and tumor cell differentiation were independent prognostic factors for overall survival. CONCLUSION: There are significant differences in the five-year survival of stages Ia and Ib non-small lung cancer. Both tumor stage and tumor cell differentiation were independent prognostic factor for overall survival.

[Impact of TNM staging and treatment mode on the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To study the impact of TNM staging and combined treatment mode on the survival of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. METHODS: From January 1997 to December 2002, 987 NSCLC patients were surgically treated in this hospital. Of those, 574 received combined modality therapy (surgery + chemotherapy/radiotherapy), while 413 underwent operation alone. Their clinicopathological data were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year overall survival rates were 87.7%, 57.5%, 54.6% and 54.5%, respectively, for the whole group, which were 90.6%, 57.5%, 54.3% and 54.1% for the combined therapy group versus 83.8%, 57.6%, 55.2% and 55.2% for the group treated by surgical resection alone. The 1-year survival rate of the combined therapy group was significantly higher than that of the surgical resection alone group (90.6% vs. 83.8%) (P<0.01). With regard to the T factor, 5-year survival rate of the combined therapy group (surgery + radiotherapy) was higher than that of surgery alone group, especially in T4 cases (43.6% vs. 12.7%), with a significant difference between them (P<0. 05). As for the N factor, the 1-year survival rate of NO patients in the combined therapy group (surgery + chemotherapy/radiotherapy) was significantly higher than that of surgery alone group (94.4%, 97.9% vs. 90.0%) (P<0.05). The 1-year survival rate of N1 patients in the combined therapy group (surgery + chemotherapy or + chemotherapy and radiotherapy) was 91.7% and 100% versus 82.9% in the surgery alone group (P<0.01); The 1- and 3-year survival rates of N2 patients in the combined modality therapy group (surgery + chemotherapy) were 82.1% and 37.3%, while those of the surgery alone group were 69.4% and 26.5%, respectively, with a significant difference (P<0.05, P<0.01). All the severity of primary tumor, distance of lymph node involvement, and distant tumor metastasis significantly worsen the prognosis of the patients. CONCLUSION: The prognosis in NSCLC patients treated with combined modality therapy (surgery + chemotherapy/radiotherapy) is better than that with surgery alone. The larger the original tumor and the farther the lymph node and tumor metastases, the worse the prognosis is for NSCLC patients.

[Different treatment modalities of patients with stage III lung cancer].

OBJECTIVE: In order to improve the survival-rates and study the long-term therapeutic effect of stage III lung cancer patients with different treatment modalities. METHODS: From 1995 to 2004, 1921 patients of stage III lung cancer treated at our hospital were retrospectively analyzed to compare the long-term therapeutic effect of different treatment modalities. There were 606 cases in the combined therapy group (mainly surgical with combined treatment of chemotherapy & radiotherapy), 317 cases in the surgery alone group and 998 cases in the non-surgical group. The 1, 3, 5-year survival rates of these three groups were 66.0% (400/606) vs. 62.7% (199/317) vs. 51.2% (511/998), 32.34% (196/606) vs. 21.45% (68/317) vs. 8.15% (81/998), 19.31% (117/606) vs. 13.2% (42/317) vs. 4.2% (42/998) respectively. In comparison, 1, 3, 5-year survival rates of the combined therapy group was higher than the surgery alone and non-surgical groups; Significant differences in 1-year survival rates were found between the combined therapy group and the surgery alone group or the non-surgical group (P < 0.01) and significant differences in 3, 5-year survival rates among these three groups. CONCLUSION: The combined therapy of radical resection with chemotherapy and radiotherapy is the best treatment modality for stage III lung cancer.