Projections of functional dependence among the late middle-aged and older population from 2018-2048 in China: a dynamic microsimulation.

BACKGROUND: The population of China is aging rapidly. However, the long-term trajectories of functionally dependent late middle-aged and older Chinese people are currently absent. The present study aimed to estimate the population size and proportion of late middle-aged and older adults with difficulties and dependence on activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) in China from 2018 to 2048. METHODS: We constructed a dynamic microsimulation model to project the population size and proportions of late middle-aged and older Chinese people who have difficulty and dependence in ADL and IADL from 2018-2048. The model was populated with a representative sample of the target population and allowed individual-level interaction between risk factors, diseases, and health outcomes. Analyses by socioeconomic subgroups were also conducted. RESULTS: Almost 25% and 38% of late middle-aged and older people in China will become ADL- and IADL-dependent by 2048, respectively. Also, 17% of the target population will be severely ADL-disabled by 2048. The inequity in functional status across subgroups by sex, educational level, and urban/rural residency will become substantial. CONCLUSIONS: The numbers and percentages of China's functionally difficult and dependent late middle-aged and older population will increase by magnitudes as of the mid-21st century, the pressure of which is compounded by its disproportionate distribution across subgroups. To alleviate the overwhelming challenge, efforts to improve the functional status of the underserved subpopulation should also be iterated.

Dietary Factors and Risk of Gout: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study.

BACKGROUND: Dietary intervention is the preferred approach for the prevention and clinical management of gout. Nevertheless, the existing evidence regarding the influence of specific foods on gout is insufficient. METHODS: We used two-sample Mendelian randomization for genetic prediction to analyze the relationship between the intake of more than a dozen daily food items, such as pork, beef, cheese, and poultry, and dietary macronutrient intake (fat, protein, carbohydrates, and sugar) and the risk of developing gout and elevating the serum uric acid level. Inverse-variance weighted MR analyses were used as the main evaluation method, and the reliability of the results was tested by a sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Cheese intake was associated with lower serum uric acid levels, and tea intake (OR = 0.523, [95%CI: 0.348~0.784], p = 0.002), coffee intake (OR = 0.449, [95%CI: 0.229~0.882], p = 0.020), and dried fruit intake (OR = 0.533, [95%CI: 0.286~0.992], p = 0.047) showed a preventive effect on the risk of gouty attacks. In contrast, non-oily fish intake (ß = 1.08, [95%CI: 0.24~1.92], p = 0.012) and sugar intake (ß = 0.34, [95%CI: 0.03~0.64], p = 0.030) were risk factors for elevated serum uric acid levels, and alcohol intake frequency (OR = 1.422, [95%CI: 1.079~1.873], p = 0.012) was a risk factors for gout predisposition. CONCLUSIONS: These results will significantly contribute to the formulation and refinement of nutritional strategies tailored to patients afflicted with gout.

Spectroscopic visualization of reversible hydrogen spillover between palladium and metal-organic frameworks toward catalytic semihydrogenation.

Hydrogen spillover widely occurs in a variety of hydrogen-involved chemical and physical processes. Recently, metal-organic frameworks have been extensively explored for their integration with noble metals toward various hydrogen-related applications, however, the hydrogen spillover in metal/MOF composite structures remains largely elusive given the challenges of collecting direct evidence due to system complexity. Here we show an elaborate strategy of modular signal amplification to decouple the behavior of hydrogen spillover in each functional regime, enabling spectroscopic visualization for interfacial dynamic processes. Remarkably, we successfully depict a full picture for dynamic replenishment of surface hydrogen atoms under interfacial hydrogen spillover by quick-scanning extended X-ray absorption fine structure, in situ surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and ab initio molecular dynamics calculation. With interfacial hydrogen spillover, Pd/ZIF-8 catalyst shows unique alkyne semihydrogenation activity and selectivity for alkynes molecules. The methodology demonstrated in this study also provides a basis for further exploration of interfacial species migration.

Concentrated Formic Acid from CO2 Electrolysis for Directly Driving Fuel Cell.

The production of formic acid via electrochemical CO2 reduction may serve as a key link for the carbon cycle in the formic acid economy, yet its practical feasibility is largely limited by the quantity and concentration of the product. Here we demonstrate continuous electrochemical CO2 reduction for formic acid production at 2 M at an industrial-level current densities (i.e., 200 mA cm-2 ) for 300 h on membrane electrode assembly using scalable lattice-distorted bismuth catalysts. The optimized catalysts also enable a Faradaic efficiency for formate of 94.2 % and a highest partial formate current density of 1.16 A cm-2 , reaching a production rate of 21.7 mmol cm-2 h-1 . To assess the practicality of this system, we perform a comprehensive techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment, showing that our approach can potentially substitute conventional methyl formate hydrolysis for industrial formic acid production. Furthermore, the resultant formic acid serves as direct fuel for air-breathing formic acid fuel cells, boasting a power density of 55 mW cm-2 and an exceptional thermal efficiency of 20.1 %.

Omicron wave during December 2022 - January 2023: access to pharmaceuticals and healthcare resources and impacts on health outcomes in Shenzhen, China.

Purpose: This study described pharmaceutical and medical resource accessibility of COVID-19 treatment in Shenzhen, China during the peak of COVID-19 infection from December 2022 to January 2023, and examined its influence on clinical outcomes. Methods: We surveyed Shenzhen residents on COVID-19-related topics using electronic questionnaires. We conducted descriptive statistical analyses and multiple regressions including logistic and Tobit models to explore the impacts of resource constraints on patient outcomes. Resource utilisation and attempts to seek medical care were also described for severity-stratified subgroups. Results: 76.8% of respondents reported experiencing COVID-19 symptoms between December 7, 2022 and January 29, 2023. Of those who attempted to purchase medication, 72.8% reported drug shortage. 49% of those seeking medical treatment experienced difficulties. Compared with those who did not experience drug shortages, those who did had an odds ratio of 1.959 (95% CI: 1.159 ∼3.313) of presenting with moderate to severe symptoms. Compared with those without difficulties in seeking medical treatment, those who did had an average of 0.39 (95% CI: 0.110 ∼0.670) more days absent from work. Conclusion: Shenzhen residents with COVID-19 symptoms from December 2022 to January 2023 experienced a certain degree of pharmaceutical and medical resource constraints, which might have compromised their prognosis.

How to tackle non-specific low back pain among adult patients? A systematic review with a meta-analysis to compare four interventions.

OBJECTIVE: To tackle non-specific low back pain (NSLBP) among patients and find the most effective solution and to quantitatively synthesize the overall effect of motor control training (MCT) compared with Pilates, McKenzie method, and physical therapy (PT) in pain and physical function. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of four types of intervention (MCT, Pilates, McKenzie method, and PT) for LBP were collected by searching PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCOhost (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials), and Scopus databases from the establishment of the database to September 30, 2023. The risk of bias was evaluated for included studies using the Revised Cochrane Risk of Bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2.0). Taking pain and physical function in the experimental and control groups as outcome indicators, subgroup analysis was performed according to the intervention method to calculate the standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: A total of 25 RCTs, including 1253 patients, were included. Meta-analysis showed that MCT effectively relieved pain [SMD = -0.65, 95% CI (- 1.00, - 0.29), p < 0.01] and improved physical function [SMD = -0.76, 95% CI (- 1.22, - 0.31), p < 0.01] comparing with other 3 types of intervention. Subgroup analysis suggested that MCT could alleviate pain [SMD = -0.92, 95% CI (- 1.34, - 0.50), p < 0.01] and improve physical function [SMD = -1.15, 95% CI (- 1.72, - 0.57), p < 0.01] compared with PT, but it had no statistical significance compared with Pilates [pain: SMD = 0.13, 95% CI (- 0.56, 0.83), p = 0.71; physical function: SMD = 0.10, 95% CI (- 0.72, 0.91), p = 0.81] and the McKenzie method [pain: SMD = -0.03, 95% CI (- 0.75, 0.68), p = 0.93; physical function: SMD = -0.03, 95% CI (- 1.00, 0.94), p = 0.95]. CONCLUSIONS: MCT can effectively relieve pain and improve physical function in patients with NSLBP. It is more effective compared with PT for LBP, while no differences were detected between MCT and Pilates, as well as McKenzie method. Therefore, MCT, Pilates, and the McKenzie method should be encouraged as exercise interventions for NSLBP rehabilitation.

Establishing cost-effectiveness threshold in China: a community survey of willingness to pay for a healthylife year.

INTRODUCTION: The willingness to pay per quality-adjusted life year gained (WTP/Q) is commonly used to determine whether an intervention is cost-effective in health technology assessment. This study aimed to evaluate the WTP/Q for different disease scenarios in a Chinese population. METHODS: The study employed a quadruple-bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation method to estimate the WTP/Q in the general public. The estimation was conducted across chronic, terminal and rare disease scenarios. Face-to-face interviews were conducted in a Chinese general population recruited from Jiangsu province using a convenience sampling method. Interval regression analysis was performed to determine the relationship between respondents' demographic and socioeconomic conditions and WTP/Q. Sensitivity analyses of removing protest responses and open question analyses were conducted. RESULTS: A total of 896 individuals participated in the study. The WTP/Q thresholds were 128 000 Chinese renminbi (RMB) ($36 364) for chronic diseases, 149 500 RMB ($42 472) for rare diseases and 140 800 RMB ($40 000) for terminal diseases, equivalent to 1.76, 2.06 and 1.94 times the gross domestic product per capita in China, respectively. The starting bid value had a positive influence on participants' WTP/Q. Additionally, residing in an urban area (p<0.01), and higher household expenditure (p<0.01), educational attainment (p<0.02) and quality of life (p<0.02) were significantly associated with higher WTP/Q. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated the robustness of the results. CONCLUSION: This study implies that tailored or varied rather than a single cost-effectiveness threshold could better reflect community preferences for the value of a healthy year. Our estimates hold significance in informing reimbursement decision-making in health technology assessment in China.

The Effect of a Video-Assisted Health Education Program Followed by Peer Education on the Health Literacy of COVID-19 and Other Infectious Diseases Among School Children: Quasi-Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: To improve the engagement and effectiveness of traditional health programs, it is necessary to explore alternative models of health education including video-assisted lectures and peer education. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a combination of video-assisted lectures and peer education on health literacy related to infectious diseases among students. METHODS: Third-grade classes from 11 pilot schools in Longgang District of Shenzhen, China, were randomized to the intervention and control groups. In the intervention group, a video-assisted interactive health education program was conducted twice over a time span of 5 months. Each of the 2 sessions included a 40-minute lecture on COVID-19 and other common infectious diseases in schools and a 5-minute science video. In addition, 5 "little health supervisors" at the end of the first session were elected in each class, who were responsible for helping class members to learn health knowledge and develop good hygiene habits. Students answered the same quiz before the first and after the second session. Models based on item response theory (IRT) were constructed to score the students' knowledge of infectious diseases based on the quiz. RESULTS: In total, 52 classes and 2526 students (intervention group: n=1311; control group: n=1215) were enrolled. Responses of the baseline survey were available for 2177 (86.2%; intervention group: n=1306; control group: n=871) students and those of the postintervention survey were available for 1862 (73.7%; intervention group: n=1187; control group: n=675). There were significant cross-group differences in the rates of correctly answering questions about influenza symptoms, transmission, and preventive measures; chicken pox symptoms; norovirus diarrhea symptoms; mumps symptoms; and COVID-19 symptoms. Average IRT scores of questions related to infectious diseases in the intervention and control groups were, respectively, -0.0375 (SD 0.7784) and 0.0477 (SD 0.7481) before the intervention (P=.01), suggesting better baseline knowledge in the control group. After the intervention, the average scores of the intervention and control groups were 0.0543 (SD 0.7569) and -0.1115 (SD 0.7307), respectively (P<.001), suggesting not only significantly better scores but also greater improvement in the intervention group. CONCLUSIONS: After the health education project, the correct answer rate of infectious disease questions in the intervention group was higher than that of the control group, which indicates significant effects of the combination of video-assisted lectures and peer education for the promotion of health literacy. In addition, the intervention effect of the first session persisted for at least 4 months up to the second session. As such, the proposed program was effective in improving the health literacy of school children in relation to infectious diseases and should be considered for massive health promotion campaigns during pandemics. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN ISRCTN49297995; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN49297995.

Patient Welfare Implications of Indication-Specific Value-Based Pricing of Multi-Indication Drugs.

OBJECTIVES: Indication-specific value-based pricing (ISVBP) is a mechanism that allows the prices of multi-indication drugs to vary across indications by aligning the drug prices with value. However, the overall impact of ISVBP on patients across indications is uncertain. This study examines the theoretical welfare effects of ISVBP for multi-indication drugs and compares consumer surplus under ISVBP and single pricing, the latter of which is based on the weighted average value. METHODS: We considered a healthcare system with government-negotiated drug prices based on the value of drugs. We assumed a drug with 2 indications and 1 relevant comparator for each indication. The value of the drug was uniformly distributed among the patients of each indication in the base case. We also considered alternative scenarios with exponentially and Pareto distributed drug values. Numerical simulations were conducted to explore potential settings where ISVBP was welfare-improving for patients compared with single pricing. RESULTS: The theoretical analysis showed that the consumer surplus change was strictly non-positive from single pricing to ISVBP. Therefore, it was not welfare-improving for patients in the settings of interest. Numerical simulations confirmed this result across various scenarios of value distributions. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides insights into the patient welfare implications of ISVBP for multi-indication drugs. We did not identify conditions under which ISVBP can enhance overall patient well-being, suggesting that it should be implemented cautiously. Future research should examine dynamic welfare implications related to innovation incentives because they may significantly affect population health in the future.

A microencapsulation approach to design microbial seed coatings to boost wheat seed germination and seedling growth under salt stress.

Introduction: Salt stress in seed germination and early seedling growth is the greatest cause of crop loss in saline-alkali soils. Microbial seed coating is an effective way to promote plant growth and salt resistance, but these coatings suffer from poor seed adhesion and low survival rates under typical storage conditions. Methods: In this study, the marine bacterium Pontibacter actiniarum DSM 19842 from kelp was isolated and microencapsulated with calcium alginate using the emulsion and internal gelation method. Results: Compared to unencapsulated seeds, the spherical microcapsules demonstrated a bacterial encapsulation rate of 65.4% and survival rate increased by 22.4% at 25°C for 60 days. Under salt stress conditions, the seed germination percentage of microcapsule-embedded bacteria (M-Embed) was 90%, which was significantly increased by 17% compared to the germination percentage (73%) of no coating treatment (CK). Root growth was also significantly increased by coating with M-Embed. Chlorophyll, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, proline, hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde levels indicated that the M-Embed had the best positive effects under salt stress conditions. Discussion: Therefore, embedding microorganisms in suitable capsule materials provides effective protection for the survival of the microorganism and this seed coating can alleviate salt stress in wheat. This process will benefit the development of sustainable agriculture in coastal regions with saline soils.

Pyrolysis-free synthesis of a high-loading single-atom Cu catalyst for efficient electrocatalytic CO2-to-CH4 conversion.

Electrocatalytic CO2-to-CH4 conversion provides a promising means of addressing current carbon resource recycling and intermittent energy storage. Cu-based single-atom catalysts have attracted extensive attention owing to their high intrinsic activity toward CH4 production; however, they suffer from uncontrollable metal loading and aggregation during the conventional pyrolysis process of carbon-based substrates. Herein, we developed a pyrolysis-free method to prepare a single-atom Cu catalyst anchored on a formamide polymer substrate with a high loading amount and well atomic dispersion through a mild polycondensation reaction. Owing to the isolation of copper active sites, efficient CO2-to-CH4 conversion is achieved over the single-atom Cu catalyst, along with the significant suppression of C-C coupling. As a result, the optimal single-atom catalyst with 5.87 wt% of Cu offers high CH4 faradaic efficiencies (FEs) of over 70% in a wide current density range from 100 to 600 mA cm-2 in the flow cell, together with a maximum CH4 partial current density of 415.8 mA cm-2. Moreover, the CH4 FE can reach 74.2% under optimized conditions in a membrane electrode assembly electrolyzer. This work provides new insights into the subtle design of highly efficient electrocatalyst for CO2 reduction.

Investigating linear and nonlinear associations of LDL cholesterol with incident chronic kidney disease, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality: A prospective and Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Observational studies suggest potential nonlinear associations of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) with cardio-renal diseases and mortality, but the causal nature of these associations is unclear. We aimed to determine the shape of causal relationships of LDL-C with incident chronic kidney disease (CKD), atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and all-cause mortality, and to evaluate the absolute risk of adverse outcomes contributed by LDL-C itself. METHODS: Observational analysis and one-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) with linear and nonlinear assumptions were performed using the UK Biobank of >0.3 million participants with no reported prescription of lipid-lowering drugs. Two-sample MR on summary-level data from the Global Lipid Genetics Consortium (N = 296,680) and the CKDGen (N = 625,219) was employed to replicate the relationship for kidney traits. The 10-year probabilities of the outcomes was estimated by integrating the MR and Cox models. RESULTS: Observationally, participants with low LDL-C were significantly associated with a decreased risk of ASCVD, but an increased risk of CKD and all-cause mortality. Univariable MR showed an inverse total effect of LDL-C on incident CKD (HR [95% CI]:0.84 [0.73-0.96]; p = 0.011), a positive effect on ASCVD (1.41 [1.29-1.53]; p<0.001), and no significant causal effect on all-cause mortality. Multivariable MR, controlling for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglycerides, identified a positive direct effect on ASCVD (1.32 [1.18-1.47]; p<0.001), but not on CKD and all-cause mortality. These results indicated that genetically predicted low LDL-C had an inverse indirect effect on CKD mediated by HDL-C and triglycerides, which was validated by a two-sample MR analysis using summary-level data from the Global Lipid Genetics Consortium (N = 296,680) and the CKDGen consortium (N = 625,219). Suggestive evidence of a nonlinear causal association between LDL-C and CKD was found. The 10-year probability curve showed that LDL-C concentrations below 3.5 mmol/L were associated with an increased risk of CKD. CONCLUSIONS: In the general population, lower LDL-C was causally associated with lower risk of ASCVD, but appeared to have a trade-off for an increased risk of CKD, with not much effect on all-cause mortality. LDL-C concentration below 3.5 mmol/L may increase the risk of CKD.

Light-driven flow synthesis of acetic acid from methane with chemical looping.

Oxidative carbonylation of methane is an appealing approach to the synthesis of acetic acid but is limited by the demand for additional reagents. Here, we report a direct synthesis of CH3COOH solely from CH4 via photochemical conversion without additional reagents. This is made possible through the construction of the PdO/Pd-WO3 heterointerface nanocomposite containing active sites for CH4 activation and C-C coupling. In situ characterizations reveal that CH4 is dissociated into methyl groups on Pd sites while oxygen from PdO is the responsible for carbonyl formation. The cascade reaction between the methyl and carbonyl groups generates an acetyl precursor which is subsequently converted to CH3COOH. Remarkably, a production rate of 1.5 mmol gPd-1 h-1 and selectivity of 91.6% toward CH3COOH is achieved in a photochemical flow reactor. This work provides insights into intermediate control via material design, and opens an avenue to conversion of CH4 to oxygenates.

Breast Cancer Screening Should Embrace Precision Medicine: Evidence by Reviewing Economic Evaluations in China.

The cost-effectiveness of conventional population-based breast cancer screening strategies (e.g. mammography) has been found controversial, while evidence shows that genetic testing for early detection of pathogenic variants is cost-effective. We aimed to review the economic evaluations of breast cancer screening in China to provide an information summary for future research on this topic. We searched the literature to identify the economic evaluations that examined breast cancer screening and testing in China, supplemented by hand-searching the reference lists of the included studies. We finally included five studies satisfying our inclusion criteria. Four articles examined mammography while the rest investigated multigene testing. The existing breast cancer screening programmes were found to be cost-effective among urban Chinese women, but one study concluded that they might cause harm to women in rural areas. Contextual factors, such as data absence, urban-rural disparity, willingness-to-pay threshold, and model design, imposed barriers to cost-effectiveness analysis. Multigene testing was found to be cost-effective and has a promising population impact among all women with breast cancer in China. Future research should investigate the cost-effectiveness of screening and identifying breast cancer through precision medicine technologies, including genetic testing, genome sequencing, cascade testing, and the return of secondary findings.

In situ resource utilization of lunar soil for highly efficient extraterrestrial fuel and oxygen supply.

Building up a lunar settlement is the ultimate aim of lunar exploitation. Yet, limited fuel and oxygen supplies restrict human survival on the Moon. Herein, we demonstrate the in situ resource utilization of lunar soil for extraterrestrial fuel and oxygen production, which may power up our solely natural satellite and supply respiratory gas. Specifically, the lunar soil is loaded with Cu species and employed for electrocatalytic CO2 conversion, demonstrating significant production of methane. In addition, the selected component in lunar soil (i.e. MgSiO3) loaded with Cu can reach a CH4 Faradaic efficiency of 72.05% with a CH4 production rate of 0.8 mL/min at 600 mA/cm2. Simultaneously, an O2 production rate of 2.3 mL/min can be achieved. Furthermore, we demonstrate that our developed process starting from catalyst preparation to electrocatalytic CO2 conversion is so accessible that it can be operated in an unmmaned manner via a robotic system. Such a highly efficient extraterrestrial fuel and oxygen production system is expected to push forward the development of mankind's civilization toward an extraterrestrial settlement.

Poria cocos Polysaccharide Ameliorated Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea in Mice via Regulating the Homeostasis of the Gut Microbiota and Intestinal Mucosal Barrier.

Poria cocos polysaccharides (PCP) have been validated for several biological activities, including antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective and modulation on gut microbiota. In this research, we aim to demonstrate the potential prebiotic effects and the therapeutic efficacies of PCP in the treatment of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD), and confirm the beneficial effects of PCP on gut dysbiosis. Antibiotic-associated diarrhea mice models were established by treating them with broad-spectrum antibiotics in drinking water for seven days. Mice in two groups treated with probiotics and polysaccharide were given Bifico capsules (4.2 g/kg/d) and PCP (250 mg/kg/d) for seven days using intragastric gavage, respectively. To observe the regulatory effects of PCP on gut microbiota and intestinal mucosal barrier, we conducted the following experiments: intestinal flora analysis (16S rDNA sequencing), histology (H&E staining) and tight junction proteins (immunofluorescence staining). The levels of mRNA expression of receptors associated with inflammation and gut metabolism were assessed by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The study revealed that PCP can comprehensively improve the clinical symptoms of AAD mice, including fecal traits, mental state, hair quality, etc., similar to the effect of probiotics. Based on histology observation, PCP significantly improved the substantial structure of the intestine of AAD mice by increasing the expression levels of colonic tight junction protein zonula-occludens 1 (ZO-1) and its mRNA. Moreover, PCP not only increased the abundance of gut microbiota, but also increased the diversity of gut microbiota in AAD mice, including alpha diversity and beta diversity. Further analysis found that PCP can modulate seven characteristic species of intestinal flora in AAD mice, including Parabacteroides_distasonis, Akkermansia_muciniphila, Clostridium_saccharolyticum, Ruminoc-occus_gnavus, Lactobacillus_salivarius, Salmonella_enterica and Mucispirillum_schaedleri. Finally, enrichment analysis predicted that PCP may affect intestinal mucosal barrier function, host immune response and metabolic function by regulating the microbiota. RT-PCR experiments showed that PCP can participate in immunomodulatory and modulation on metabolic by regulating the mRNA expression of forkhead-box protein 3 (FOXP3) and G protein-coupled receptor 41 (GPR41). These results indicated that Poria cocos polysaccharide may ameliorate antibiotic-associated diarrhea in mice by regulating the homeostasis of the gut microbiota and intestinal mucosal barrier. In addition, polysaccharide-derived changes in intestinal microbiota were involved in the immunomodulatory activities and modulation of the metabolism.

Cost Effectiveness of Denosumab for Secondary Prevention of Osteoporotic Fractures Among Postmenopausal Women in China: An Individual-Level Simulation Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the cost effectiveness of denosumab versus alendronate for secondary prevention of osteoporotic fractures among post-menopausal women in China. METHODS: A validated individual-level simulation model of osteoporotic fractures in the Chinese setting was adapted. Allowing both treatment discontinuation and waning effects, the analysis aimed to evaluate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of denosumab compared to alendronate by simulating a cohort of previously fractured individuals over the residual lifetime from the healthcare system perspective. Hip, vertebral, and wrist/humeral fractures were tracked along with the associated medical costs and quality-adjusted life-years. Age-related health state utility values, health state utility values of fractures, costs, fracture incidence, and mortality risks for Chinese were used whenever available. Comparative effectiveness data were obtained from a published network meta-analysis. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted. RESULTS: In the base case, denosumab was dominated by alendronate with incremental costs of CN¥2743 (US$425) and incremental health outcomes of - 0.20 quality-adjusted life-years at its current price in mainland China. It remained dominated in all one-way sensitivity analysis robustness checks. However, denosumab was cost effective if both drugs did not carry any waning effects. In the probabilistic sensitivity analysis, denosumab remained dominated in all replications. CONCLUSIONS: Denosumab is not cost effective for preventing secondary fractures among overall postmenopausal women in China. It is advisable to identify alternative denosumab regimens for high-risk subgroups among previously fractured postmenopausal women.

Optimization of Elderly Influenza and Pneumococcal Immunization Programs in Beijing, China Using Health Economic Evaluations: A Modeling Study.

(1) Background: Currently, residents ≥ 60 and ≥65 years old in Beijing, China, are eligible for free influenza and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines (PPSV23), respectively. The present study aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of current and alternative strategies of dual influenza and PPSV23 vaccination among the elderly in Beijing. (2) Methods: We developed a Markov state-transition model to compare the costs and the quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) associated with four influenza and PPSV23 vaccination strategies among the elderly in Beijing. The strategies were as follows: (1) no vaccination; (2) only flu vaccine for people ≥ 60 years old; (3) flu vaccine for people ≥ 60 years old and PPSV23 for people ≥ 65 years old; and (4) dual influenza vaccines and PPSV23 for people ≥ 60 years old. Incremental costs and QALYs were quantified to determine the optimal option. If dominant strategies emerged, the Chinese gross domestic product per capita in 2021 (80,976 CNY) was used as the willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold to covert QALYs into the monetary equivalent. (3) Results: The current program saved costs and increased QALYs compared to no vaccination or flu vaccine-only strategies. However, extending free PPSV23 to people ≥ 60 years old saved 0.35 CNY additionally while increasing QALYs marginally compared with the current policy. Results were robust in all sensitivity analyses. (4) Conclusion: Beijing's current dual influenza and pneumococcal vaccination program was cost-effective among the elderly compared with the preceding policies of no vaccination and flu-only immunization programs. However, the program can further save money while enhancing the population health by extending PPSV23 to all people ≥ 60 years old.

Pushing the Performance Limit of Cu/CeO2 Catalyst in CO2 Electroreduction: A Cluster Model Study for Loading Single Atoms.

Pushing the performance limit of catalysts is a major goal of CO2 electroreduction toward practical application. A single-atom catalyst is recognized as a solution for achieving this goal, which is, however, a double-edged sword considering the limited loading amount and stability of single-atom sites. To overcome the limit, the loading of single atoms on supports should be well addressed, requiring a suitable model system. Herein, we report the model system of an ultrasmall CeO2 cluster (2.4 nm) with an atomic precise structure and a high surface-to-volume ratio for loading Cu single atoms. The combination of multiple characterizations and theoretical calculations reveals the loading location and limit of Cu single atoms on CeO2 clusters, determining an optimal configuration for CO2 electroreduction. The optimal catalyst achieves a maximum Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 67% and a maximum partial current density of -364 mA/cm2 for CH4, and can maintain high CH4 FE values over 50% in a wide range of applied current densities (-50 ∼ -600 mA/cm2), exceeding those of the reported catalysts.

Impact of combination preventative interventions on hospitalization and death under the pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in China.

With a large population most susceptible to Omicron and emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants, China faces uncertain scenarios if reopening its border. Thus, we aimed to predict the impact of combination preventative interventions on hospitalization and death. An age-stratified susceptible-infectious-quarantined-hospitalized-removed-susceptible (SIQHRS) model based on the new guidelines of COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment (the ninth edition) was constructed to simulate the transmission dynamics of Omicron within 365 days. At baseline, we assumed no interventions other than 60% booster vaccination in individuals aged ≤60 years and 80% in individuals aged >60 years, quarantine and hospitalization. Oral antiviral medications for COVID-19 and nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) such as social distancing and antigen self-testing were considered in subsequent scenarios. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to reflect different levels of interventions. A total of 0.73 billion cumulative quarantines (95% CI 0.53-0.83), 33.59 million hospitalizations (22.41-39.31), and 0.62 million deaths (0.40-0.75) are expected in 365 days. The case fatality rate with pneumonia symptoms (moderate, severe and critical illness) is expected to be 1.83% (1.68-1.99%) and the infected fatality rate is 0.38‰ (0.33-0.4‰). The highest existing hospitalization and ICU occupations are 3.11 (0.30-3.85) and 20.33 (2.01-25.20) times of capacity, respectively. Sensitivity analysis showed that interventions can be adjusted to meet certain conditions to reduce the total number of infections and deaths. In conclusion, after sufficient respiratory and ICU beds are prepared and the relaxed NPIs are in place, the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant would not seriously impact the health system.