Composition of the editorial staff of major spinal journals based on geo-economic background: A survey analysis.

Background: The widespread absence of papers originating in low and middle income economies (LAMIE) across various scholarly disciplines has been widely acknowledged. One potential reason for this could be editorial biases against submissions from LAMIE. Although this bias has been observed in different academic areas, its extent in spinal research remains largely uninvestigated. This research endeavored to investigate the composition of editorial staff members (ESM) within major spinal journals and scrutinize the degree of international diversity represented among the ESM. Methods: We pinpointed ten major spinal journals by referencing their presence in the Journal Citation Reports of 2021. Countries of the ESM affiliated with these journals were categorized according to World Bank classifications. Following this, we conducted a thorough analysis of the ESM compositions. Results: A total of 982 ESM from 50 countries were identified. The United States exhibited the highest representation among ESM (395, 40.22%), followed by South Korea (57, 5.80%), Switzerland (53, 5.40%). When segmented by geographical regions, North America emerged with the highest representation, constituting 43.38% of ESM at 426, trailed by Europe & Central Asia at 31.16% (306), East Asia & Pacific at 17.92% (175). The majority of ESM, amounting to 87.98%, hailed from high income economies (HIE). There was an absence of ESM representation of low income economies. The relationship regarding the quantity of ESM in each country and its population failed to demonstrate significance (p = 0.274, r = 0.281). However, a notable positive correlation emerged when exploring the connection between ESM numbers and gross domestic product (p = 0.033, r = 0.517). Conclusions: Major spinal journals exhibit a notable absence of international representation within their editorial boards, predominantly comprising members from HIE. This underscores a substantial underrepresentation of ESM originating from LAMIE within the sphere of spinal investigation.

Complete genome sequence of a novel badnavirus infecting Fatsia japonica in China.

The complete genome sequence of a novel badnavirus, tentatively named "fatsia badnavirus 1" (FaBV1, OM540428), was identified in Fatsia japonica. The infected plant displayed virus-like symptoms on leaves, including yellowing and chlorosis. The genome of FaBV1 is 7313 bp in length and similar in size and organization to other members of the genus Badnavirus (family Caulimoviridae), containing four open reading frames (ORFs), three of which are found in all known badnaviruses, and the other of which is only present in some badnaviruses. The virus has the genome characteristics of badnaviruses, including a tRNAMet binding site (5'-TCTGAATTTATAGCGCTA-3') and two cysteine-rich domains (C-X-C-2X-C-4X-H-4X-C and C-2X-C-11X-C-2X-C-4X-C-2X-C). Pairwise sequence comparisons of the RT+RNase H region indicated that FaBV1 shares 61.4-71.2% nucleotide (nt) sequence identity with other known badnaviruses, which is below the threshold (80% nt sequence identity in the RT+RNase H region) used for species demarcation in the genus Badnavirus. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that FaBV1, ivy ringspot-associated virus (IRSaV, MN850490.1), and cacao mild mosaic virus (CMMV, KX276640.1) together form a separate clade within the genus Badnavirus, suggesting that FaBV1 is a new member of the genus Badnavirus in the family Caulimoviridae. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a badnavirus infecting F. japonica.

Analyzing the composition of the editorial boards in high-impact medical ethics journals: a survey study.

BACKGROUND: The underrepresentation of scholarly works from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in academic literature is a documented concern, attributed partly to editorial biases. This trend, prevalent across various disciplines, has been less explored in the context of medical ethics journals. This study aimed to examine the composition of editorial board members (EBM) in high-impact medical ethics journals and to evaluate the extent of international diversity within these editorial teams. METHODS: This study incorporated an analysis of 16 high-impact medical ethics journals. Information regarding the EBM of these journals was systematically gathered and categorized based on the World Bank's country income classifications. An in-depth examination of the editorial board compositions was then conducted. RESULTS: The study identified 669 EBM across the selected journals. A predominant 89.84% (601) of these members were from high-income countries (HICs), with upper-middle-income countries contributing 7.47% (50) and lower-middle-income countries 2.69% (18). No EBM were associated with low-income countries. A regional breakdown indicated that North America was the most represented area, accounting for 48.88% (327), followed by Europe & Central Asia (27.50%, 184), East Asia & Pacific (13.45%, 90), Latin America & Caribbean (4.63%, 31), Sub-Saharan Africa (4.19%, 28), Middle East & North Africa (0.75%, 5), and South Asia (0.60%, 4). In total, these EBMs hailed from 46 different countries, with the United States representing the largest proportion (43.80%, 293), followed by the United Kingdom (13.15%, 88), Australia (7.92%, 53), Germany (6.73%, 45), and Canada (5.08%, 34). CONCLUSIONS: There is a significant lack of international representation within the EBM of high-impact medical ethics journals. The majority of editors in this field are affiliated with HICs, leading to a severe underrepresentation of LMICs within the editorial boards.

Exploring the Regulation of Jiangtang Tiaozhi Formula on the Biological Network of Obese T2DM Complicated With Dyslipidemia Based on Clinical Transcriptomics.

Objective: To use systems biology to explore the biomolecular network mechanism of the Jiangtang Tiaozhi Recipe (JTTZR) in the intervention of obese Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients with dyslipidemia. Methods: Twelve patients with obese type 2 diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia (traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation was excess heat syndrome of the stomach and intestines) were treated with JTTZR for 24 weeks, and 12 patients were included in the healthy control group. First, blood samples from 6 patients in each group (disease group before treatment, disease group after treatment, and healthy control group) were collected for RNA microarray analysis. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to validate these target lncRNAs and mRNAs. Finally, a detailed analysis of the differences in the disease group before treatment vs. the healthy control group and the disease group after treatment vs. the disease group before treatment was undertaken. In addition, we focused on disease-related pathways and analyzed the correlation between the differential expression of target lncRNAs and clinical indicators. Results: (1) Disease group before treatment vs. healthy control group: There were 557 up-regulated lncRNAs, 273 down-regulated lncRNAs, 491 up-regulated mRNAs, and 1639 down-regulated mRNAs. GO analysis and pathway analysis showed that T2DM may be related to cell proliferation in the forebrain, post-embryonic organ development, calcium signaling pathway. qPCR validation showed that the expression of XLOC-005590 and HNF1A-AS1 as target lncRNAs increased, and this was verified by gene chip analysis. (2) Disease group after treatment vs. disease group before treatment: 128 lncRNAs were upregulated, 32 lncRNAs were downregulated, 45 mRNAs were upregulated, and 140 mRNAs were downregulated. GO analysis and pathway analysis showed that JTTZR may treat T2DM through endosome transport, the insulin signaling pathway, and glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism. qPCR validation showed that in the healthy control group, XLOC_005590 was upregulated, whereas the downstream gene (ECI2) was downregulated in the disease group before treatment. However, after 24 weeks of intervention with JTTZR, XLOC_005590 was downregulated and ECI2 was upregulated compared with the disease group before treatment (0 weeks) (P <0.05). Conclusion: JTTZR may interfere in patients with obese T2DM with dyslipidemia by regulating pathways such as fatty acid degradation, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and pyruvate metabolism.

Engineering of ultraID, a compact and hyperactive enzyme for proximity-dependent biotinylation in living cells.

Proximity-dependent biotinylation (PDB) combined with mass spectrometry analysis has established itself as a key technology to study protein-protein interactions in living cells. A widespread approach, BioID, uses an abortive variant of the E. coli BirA biotin protein ligase, a quite bulky enzyme with slow labeling kinetics. To improve PDB versatility and speed, various enzymes have been developed by different approaches. Here we present a small-size engineered enzyme: ultraID. We show its practical use to probe the interactome of Argonaute-2 after a 10 min labeling pulse and expression at physiological levels. Moreover, using ultraID, we provide a membrane-associated interactome of coatomer, the coat protein complex of COPI vesicles. To date, ultraID is the smallest and most efficient biotin ligase available for PDB and offers the possibility of investigating interactomes at a high temporal resolution.

A paralog-specific role of COPI vesicles in the neuronal differentiation of mouse pluripotent cells.

Coat protein complex I (COPI)-coated vesicles mediate membrane trafficking between Golgi cisternae as well as retrieval of proteins from the Golgi to the endoplasmic reticulum. There are several flavors of the COPI coat defined by paralogous subunits of the protein complex coatomer. However, whether paralogous COPI proteins have specific functions is currently unknown. Here, we show that the paralogous coatomer subunits γ1-COP and γ2-COP are differentially expressed during the neuronal differentiation of mouse pluripotent cells. Moreover, through a combination of genome editing experiments, we demonstrate that whereas γ-COP paralogs are largely functionally redundant, γ1-COP specifically promotes neurite outgrowth. Our work stresses a role of the COPI pathway in neuronal polarization and provides evidence for distinct functions for coatomer paralogous subunits in this process.

The inflammatory cytokine TNF-α regulates the biological behavior of rat nucleus pulposus mesenchymal stem cells through the NF-κB signaling pathway in vitro.

Nucleus pulposus (NP) mesenchymal stem cells (NPMSCs) are a potential cell source for intervertebral disc (IVD) regeneration; however, little is known about their response to tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), a critical inflammation factor contributing to accelerating IVD degeneration. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to investigate the regulatory effects of TNF-α at high and low concentrations on the biological behaviors of healthy rat NPMSCs, including proliferation, migration, and NP differentiation. In this study, NPMSCs were treated with different concentration of TNF-α (0-200 ng/mL). Then we used annexin V/propidium iodide flow cytometry analysis to detect the apoptosis rate of NPMSCs. Cell Counting Kit-8, Edu assay, and cell cycle test were used to examine the proliferation of NPMSCs. Migration ability of NPMSCs was detected by wound healing assay and transwell migration assay. Pellets method was used to induce NP differentiation of NPMSCs, and immunohistochemical staining, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot analysis were used to examine the NPC phenotypic genes and proteins. The cells were further treated with the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway inhibitor Bay 11-7082 to determine the role of the NF-κB pathway in the mechanism underlying the differentiation process. Results showed that treatment with a high concentration of TNF-α (50-200 ng/mL) could induce apoptosis of NPMSCs, whereas a relatively low TNF-α concentration (0.1-10 ng/mL) promoted the proliferation and migration of NPMSCs, but inhibited their differentiation toward NP cells. Moreover, we identified that the NF-κB signaling pathway is activated during the TNF-α-inhibited differentiation of NPMSCs, and the NF-κB signal inhibitor Bay 11-7082 could partially eliminate the adverse effect of TNF-α on the differentiation of NPMSCs. Therefore, our findings provide important insight into the dynamic biological behavior reactivity of NPMSCs to TNF-α during IVD degeneration process, thus may help us understanding the underlying mechanism of IVD degeneration.

Efficacy of Chinese Herbal Medicine in the Treatment of Moderate-Severe Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: A Retrospective Study.

Painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (pDPN) is a debilitating complication of diabetes. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the effectiveness of a Chinese herbal medicine regimen-the modified Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction (HGWD)-in the treatment of moderate-severe pDPN. The primary objective was to estimate the improvement in neuropathic pain severity. The secondary objective was to assess the response of common symptoms to the treatment. The change in patients' blood glucose level during the whole treatment was also evaluated. By searching through our medical records of all the diabetic patients from January 2006 to January 2012, we identified and enrolled 30 moderate and severe pDPN patients in the study, for whom the treatment of neuropathic pain by regular pharmacotherapies had failed. The modified HGWD treatment was administered orally twice a day for 6 months. The numerical rating scale (NRS) level at month 6 was 2.57 ± 2.30, significantly improved compared with the baseline level of 6.03 ± 1.83 (P < 0.05). The amelioration of 3 common symptoms, namely, limb pain, limb numbness, and insomnia, was evident, and the major response of common symptoms at month 6 including limb pain, insomnia, and limb coldness was significantly increased compared with the results at month 3 (P < 0.05). Moreover, 2-hour postprandial blood glucose (2hPG) level decreased from 10.77 ± 1.29 mmol/L at baseline to 9.66 ± 0.60 mmol/L at month 6 (P < 0.05). No serious adverse events occurred throughout the treatment period. The modified HGWD was effective in the treatment of moderate and severe pDPN and can thus be offered as a new alternative treatment option for pDPN patients who failed to respond to regular pharmaceutical therapies.

Structural Alteration of Gut Microbiota during the Amelioration of Human Type 2 Diabetes with Hyperlipidemia by Metformin and a Traditional Chinese Herbal Formula: a Multicenter, Randomized, Open Label Clinical Trial.

Accumulating evidence implicates gut microbiota as promising targets for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). With a randomized clinical trial, we tested the hypothesis that alteration of gut microbiota may be involved in the alleviation of T2DM with hyperlipidemia by metformin and a specifically designed herbal formula (AMC). Four hundred fifty patients with T2DM and hyperlipidemia were randomly assigned to either the metformin- or AMC-treated group. After 12 weeks of treatment, 100 patients were randomly selected from each group and assessed for clinical improvement. The effects of the two drugs on the intestinal microbiota were evaluated by analyzing the V3 and V4 regions of the 16S rRNA gene by Illumina sequencing and multivariate statistical methods. Both metformin and AMC significantly alleviated hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia and shifted gut microbiota structure in diabetic patients. They significantly increased a coabundant group represented by Blautia spp., which significantly correlated with the improvements in glucose and lipid homeostasis. However, AMC showed better efficacies in improving homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and plasma triglyceride and also exerted a larger effect on gut microbiota. Furthermore, only AMC increased the coabundant group represented by Faecalibacterium spp., which was previously reported to be associated with the alleviation of T2DM in a randomized clinical trial. Metformin and the Chinese herbal formula may ameliorate type 2 diabetes with hyperlipidemia via enriching beneficial bacteria, such as Blautia and Faecalibacterium spp.IMPORTANCE Metabolic diseases such as T2DM and obesity have become a worldwide public health threat. Accumulating evidence indicates that gut microbiota can causatively arouse metabolic diseases, and thus the gut microbiota serves as a promising target for disease control. In this study, we evaluated the role of gut microbiota during improvements in hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia by two drugs: metformin and a specifically designed Chinese herbal formula (AMC) for diabetic patients with hyperlipidemia. Both drugs significantly ameliorated blood glucose and lipid levels and shifted the gut microbiota. Blautia spp. were identified as being associated with improvements in glucose and lipid homeostasis for both drugs. AMC exerted larger effects on the gut microbiota together with better efficacies in improving HOMA-IR and plasma triglyceride levels, which were associated with the enrichment of Faecalibacterium spp. In brief, these data suggest that gut microbiota might be involved in the alleviation of diabetes with hyperlipidemia by metformin and the AMC herbal formula.

The Efficacy and Safety of the Chinese Herbal Formula, JTTZ, for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes with Obesity and Hyperlipidemia: A Multicenter Randomized, Positive-Controlled, Open-Label Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Studies have shown an increasing number of type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with concomitant obesity and hyperlipidemia syndromes, resulting from relevant metabolic disorders. However, there are few medications and therapies, which can thoroughly address these issues. Therefore, the current study evaluated the efficacy and safety of using JTTZ, a Chinese herbal formula, to treat T2D with obesity and hyperlipidemia. METHODS: A total of 450 participants with T2D (HbA1c ≥ 7.0%; waist circumference ≥ 90 cm and 80 cm in males and females, resp.; and triglycerides (TG) ≥ 1.7 mmol/L) were randomly assigned, in equal proportions, to two groups in this multicenter randomized, positive-controlled, open-label trial. One group received JTTZ formula, and the other received metformin (MET) for 12 consecutive weeks. The primary efficacy outcomes were changes in HbA1c, TG, weight, and waist circumference. Adverse reactions and hypoglycemia were monitored. RESULTS: HbA1c decreased by 0.75 ± 1.32% and 0.71 ± 1.2% in the JTTZ and MET groups, respectively, after 12 weeks of treatment. TG levels in the JTTZ and MET groups were reduced by 0.64 ± 2.37 mmol/L and 0.37 ± 2.18 mmol/L, respectively. Weight was decreased by 2.47 ± 2.71 kg in the JTTZ group and by 2.03 ± 2.36 kg in the MET group. JTTZ also appeared to alleviate insulin resistance and increase HOMA-ß. In addition, symptoms were significantly relieved in participants in the JTTZ group compared to those in the MET group. One case of hypoglycemia was reported in the MET group. No severe adverse events were reported in either group. CONCLUSIONS: The JTTZ formula led to safe and significant improvements in the blood glucose, blood lipids, and weight levels; relieved symptoms; and enhanced ß cell function for T2D patients with obesity and hyperlipidemia. The JTTZ formula has shown that it could potentially be developed as an alternative medicine for patients with T2D, particularly those who cannot tolerate metformin or other hypoglycemic drugs. This trial was registered with Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01471275.

Global scientific productivity in the field of PET: a 10-year survey of research activities.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess global research output in the field of PET and to provide a general picture of PET research. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Publications on PET from 2007 to 2016 were identified using the Web of Science. The total number of papers, the number of papers adjusted by gross domestic product (GDP)/population size, total citations, and average citations were investigated. RESULTS: A total of 40 670 papers were identified in the field of PET between 2007 and 2016. The number of papers published per year were significantly increased during this period (P=0.000). High-income countries published the maximum papers (89.95%), followed by middle-income countries (10.05%), whereas no papers were published by authors from low-income countries. The USA published the largest number of papers (11 936), followed by Japan (3667), Germany (3424), China (2508), and the UK (2424), and the USA had the highest total number of citations (361 498). The UK had the highest average citations (31.81). Positive correlations were found between the total number of papers and GDP (P=0.000, r=0.909)/population (P=0.000, r=0.772). When normalized by GDP, Denmark ranked the first (23.56), followed by The Netherlands (17.18) and Belgium (15.32). When adjusted for population, Denmark ranked the first (111.55), followed by The Netherlands (87.91) and Switzerland (86.93). CONCLUSION: Global scientific production represents a rapid increase in the PET field in recent years. The majority of PET papers are from high-income countries. The USA is the most prolific country, whereas some smaller European countries may be more prolific relative to their GDP/population.

Different intervention strategies for preventing type 2 diabetes mellitus in China: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Different strategies are increasingly used for early intervention in prediabetes in China, but the effects of these strategies on incident diabetes have not yet been confirmed. The aim of the present study was to assess systematically the effects of different strategies for preventing diabetes, aimed at Chinese people with prediabetes. Seven electronic databases were searched to identify eligible trials published from inception to September 20, 2016. Randomized controlled trials with a minimum follow-up duration of 6 months were included. Standard pairwise meta-analysis with a random-effects model and network meta-analysis with a frequentist framework were performed. A total of 63 studies, including 11 intervention strategies, were included. Compared with placebo, all strategies, except for lipid-affecting drugs and sitagliptin, reduced the rate of incident diabetes with different levels of effectiveness, ranging from 0.18 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.12, 0.27) to 0.39 (95% CI 0.20, 0.75). Ranking probability analysis indicated that metformin and ß-cell-stimulating drugs reduced the risk of diabetes most, with probabilities of 87.4% and 81%, respectively. Ethnicity and cultural factors should be considered for diabetes prevention. Most of the included trials were of poor methodological quality, however, and the results should be interpreted with caution.

Use of Limiting Dilution Method for Isolation of Nucleus Pulposus Mesenchymal Stem/Progenitor Cells and Effects of Plating Density on Biological Characteristics and Plasticity.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of the limiting dilution method and plating density in rat nucleus pulposus mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells (NPMSCs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nucleus pulposus tissues were isolated from 12-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats and NPMSCs were isolated using limiting dilution method. Cells were then classified into 3 groups according to plating density. Cell morphologies were observed, and colony-forming units, migration abilities, proliferative capacities, cell cycle percentages, multilineage differentiation capacities, stem cell biomarker expression levels, and immunophenotyping were also examined in each group. RESULTS: Low density group (LD) had higher morphological homogeneity, stronger colony-forming ability, higher cell proliferation capacity, and enhanced cell migration ability relative to the other two groups (p < 0.05). Moreover, LD had more cells entering S phase, with fewer cells arrested in G0/G1 phase (p < 0.05). While all three density groups showed a multilineage differentiation potential, LD showed a higher degree of observed and semiquantified lineage specific staining (p < 0.05). Furthermore, LD displayed higher expression levels of stem cell biomarkers (Nanog, Oct4, and Sox2) and showed higher percentages of CD29+, CD44+, and CD90+ cells (p < 0.05) following flow cytometry analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Limiting dilution method is suggested when isolating NPMSCs as a means of improving cell activity and plasticity.

Long noncoding RNA PVT1 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression through regulating miR-214.

BACKGROUND: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA) have been verified to be involved in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. However, the potential biologic function of PVT1 in HCC is not still fully known. METHODS: PVT1 and miR-214 were detected by qRT-PCR assays in HCC tissues and adjacent normal tissues. CCK8, cell colony and transwell invasion assays were performed to evaluate cell proliferation and invasion abilities. Western-blot assay was performed to detect the protein of E-cadherin and Vimentin. QRT-PCR, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays demonstrated PVT1 regulated miR-214 expression. RESULTS: The results showed that PVT1 was increased in HCC tissues and higher PVT1 expression was associated with tumor size, histological differentiation grade and advanced TNM stage. Furthermore, we revealed that PVT1 promoted cell proliferation and invasion in HCC. RIP and ChIP assays demonstrated that PVT1 significantly inhibited miR-214 expression by interacting with enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2). CONCLUSIONS: Thus, these results demonstrated that PVT1/EZH2/miR-214 regulatory pathway might serve as new target for HCC treatment.

Prevention of type 2 diabetes with the traditional Chinese patent medicine: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: Early interventions in prediabetes can prevent or delay the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The aim of this review was to assess the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese patent medicine (TCPM) on the prevention of T2DM. METHODS: Seven electronic databases were searched to identify eligible trials published until June 1, 2016. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared TCPM plus lifestyle modification (LM) versus LM alone were included for in the. RCTs that used TCPM plus LM compared with placebo plus LM were also included. Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias tool. A random- or fixed-effect model was used to analyze outcomes that were expressed as risk ratios (RRs) or mean differences (MD), and the I2 statistic was used to assess heterogeneity. RESULTS: Twenty-six trials with a total of 4169 participants met the inclusion criteria. Subgroup analysis confirmed that, compared with LM alone, TCPM and LM together were significantly better at reducing diabetes (RR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.38-0.59) and normalizing blood glucose (RR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.69-0.85). They also caused a greater reduction in fasting plasma glucose (FBG) (MD, -0.37; 95% CI, -0.62 to -0.13), 2-h plasma glucose (2h PG) (MD, -0.91; 95% CI, -1.35 to -0.47) and body mass index (BMI) (MD, -0.45; 95% CI, -0.76 to -0.14). Compared with placebo plus LM, TCPM plus LM was superior at reducing diabetes (RR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.45-0.68) and normalizing blood glucose (RR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.50-0.76). The interventions were also associated with a decline in FBG levels (MD, -0.68; 95% CI, -1.25 to -0.11) and 2h PG levels (MD, -1.07; 95% CI, -1.85 to -0.29). There were no significant differences in adverse events in either group. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses found no significant difference in overall effects among all study characteristics, indicating that the overall effects were stable. Generally, the quality of evidence was low for the effect of TCPM on the incidence of diabetes and normalization of blood glucose, and was very low for the effects of TCPM on FBG, 2h PG, and BMI. CONCLUSIONS: Based on this systematic review, TCPM may reduce the risk of progression to T2DM and increase the possibility of regression toward normoglycemia. As a result of the methodological drawbacks of the included studies, more rigorously designed RCTs are required to more reliably assess the efficacy of TCPM and long-term follow-up is needed before TCPM can be recommended for prediabetic patients.

Worldwide research productivity in the field of psychiatry.

BACKGROUND: The field of psychiatry has seen significant progress in recent years due to worldwide contributions. National productivity, however, in the field of psychiatry is still unclear. In our study, we investigated contributions of individual nations to the field of psychiatry. METHODS: The Web of Science was used to perform a search from 2011 to 2015 on the subject category "psychiatry". The total number of articles, citations and the per capita numbers were obtained to analyze the contributions of different countries. RESULTS: In psychiatry journals from 2011 to 2015, 84,760 articles were published worldwide. The most productive world areas were North America, East Asia, Europe and Oceania. The percentage of articles published in high-income countries was 87.77%, middle-income countries published 12.07%, and lower-income published 0.16%. Most articles were published by the United States (32.68%); the United Kingdom was next (8.59%), which was followed by Germany (6.77%), Australia (5.87%), and Canada (4.9%). The country with the highest number of citations (243,394) was the United States. A positive correlation was found between the population/GDP and the number of publications (P < 0.01). Australia ranked the highest when normalized to population size, and the Netherlands and Norway were next. The Netherlands ranked highest, followed by Israel and Australia when adjusted for GDP. CONCLUSIONS: The authorship of most of the psychiatry articles was from high-income countries and few papers came from low-income countries. The most productive country was the United States. However, when normalized to population size and GDP, some European and Oceania countries were most productive.

Diabetic kidney disease treated with a modified Shenzhuo formula derived from Traditional Chinese Medicine: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is one of the most common microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus and is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease. DKD seriously affects the quality of life of patients and brings heavy economic burden to the country. At present, the pathogenesis of DKD is not entirely clear, and clinical treatment is mainly to control blood glucose and lower blood pressure and urine protein. However, the clinical effect is not satisfactory. CASE PRESENTATION: A female patient, aged 72 years, first visited our hospital endocrinology clinic, and was diagnosed with DKD. She suffered from fatigue, cold sensation in the lower extremities, convulsion of the lower limbs and frequent urination at night. She had a dark purple tongue with white and yellow fur and sublingual varices. Accessory examinations showed that her fasting blood glucose was 5.7 mmol/L, serum creatinine 159 µmol/L, blood urea nitrogen 13.6 µmol/L, blood uric acid 493 µmol/L, and blood pressure 138/65 mm Hg. The patient received Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment of the modified Shenzhuo formula [Huangqi (Radix Astragali Mongolici), Dahuang (Radix Et Rhizoma Rhei Palmati), Shuizhi (Hirudo) and Danshen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae)] for 7 years and achieved good results. CONCLUSION: This case provides a specific treatment plan and an effective reference for clinical application of Traditional Chinese Medicine for treating DKD. This may be an alternative treatment for DKD.

[Retrospective study of Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus].

OBJECTIVE: To provide clinical evidence in support of Dahuang Huanglian Xiexin decoction (DHXD) to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and to introduce a new treatment option for clinicians. METHODS: Retrospective analysis was used to evaluate DHXD for the treatment of T2DM by analyzing clinical records of 183 cases. Patients with T2DM who met the inclusion criteria between January 1, 2013 and January 1, 2014 were enrolled. The effects of the treatment were evaluated by the changes in fasting blood-glucose (FBG), postprandial blood sugar (PBG), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood lipid profiles and body mass index (BMI) at 1, 2, 3 and 6 months. The changes in main symptoms were also evaluated. The dosage of Huanglian (Rhizoma Coptidis) and related factors were analyzed. RESULTS: There was a significant improvement in mean HbA1C at 3 and 6 months after DHXD treatment compared with the baseline level (P < 0.01). There were also significant improvements in FBG, PBG, blood lipid series and BMI. DHXD also improved the main symptoms of stomach and intestine excessive heat syndrome in patients with obese T2DM. Huanglian (Rhizoma Coptidis) was the most frequently used in 678 clinical visits, the dosage of Huanglian (Rhizoma Coptidis) was related to age, BMI, DM duration, the level of blood glucose, and use of Western hypoglycemic drugs. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that DHXD could decrease blood glucose and improve T2DM symptoms and reduce body weight. The use of DHXD may indicate a new optional treatment for T2DM.

Growing Trend of China's Contribution to Global Diabetes Research: A Systematic Literature Review.

China, as a rapidly developing country with the largest population in the world, is playing an increasingly important role in diabetes research. There are >10,000 diabetes doctors who care for a large population of diabetic patients. The quantity and quality of research on diabetes from 3 major regions of China, including Mainland China (ML), Taiwan (TW), and Hong Kong (HK), is unknown. We aimed to analyze the contributions of each of these 3 regions to diabetes research.Articles on diabetes originating from ML, TW, and HK that were published from 2005 to 2014 were retrieved from the Web of Science. The quantity of articles, citations, article types, and articles published in high-impact journals were analyzed.A total of 9302 articles were retrieved from the 3 regions of China. There were 6775 from ML, 1993 from TW, and 534 from HK, with an increasing trend in publications from 2005 to 2014. After 2006, the number of publications from ML exceeded TW and HK. The largest total number of citations (48,296) was from ML. The highest mean citations, however, were from HK (15.90). PLoS One was the most popular journal in all 3 regions. The greatest number of RCTs, clinical trials, meta-analyses, and articles published in high-impact journals were from ML.There has been a significant increase in the number of articles published on diabetes research from China during the past 10 years. Most of the articles were published by authors in ML, and an increasing trend began in 2006. HK had the highest quality research output in terms of mean citations per article.

Assessment of the Reporting Quality of Placebo-controlled Randomized Trials on the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes With Traditional Chinese Medicine in Mainland China: A PRISMA-Compliant Systematic Review.

Placebo-controlled randomized trials are often used to evaluate the absolute effect of new treatments and are considered gold standard for clinical trials. No studies, however, have yet been conducted evaluating the reporting quality of placebo-controlled randomized trials. The current study aims to assess the reporting quality of placebo-controlled randomized trials on treatment of diabetes with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in Mainland China and to provide recommendations for improvements.China National Knowledge Infrastructure database, Wanfang database, China Biology Medicine database, and VIP database were searched for placebo-controlled randomized trials on treatment of diabetes with TCM. Review, animal experiment, and randomized controlled trials without placebo control were excluded. According to Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) 2010 checklists items, each item was given a yes or no depending on whether it was reported or not.A total of 68 articles were included. The reporting percentage in each article ranged from 24.3% to 73%, and 30.9% articles reported more than 50% of the items. Seven of the 37 items were reported more than 90% of the items, whereas 7 items were not mentioned at all. The average reporting for "title and abstract," "introduction," "methods," "results," "discussion," and "other information" was 43.4%, 78.7%, 40.1%, 49.9%, 71.1%, and 17.2%, respectively. The percentage of each section had increased after 2010. In addition, the reporting of multiple study centers, funding, placebo species, informed consent forms, and ethical approvals were 14.7%, 50%, 36.85%, 33.8%, and 4.4%, respectively.Although a scoring system was created according to the CONSORT 2010 checklist, it was not designed as an assessment tool. According to CONSORT 2010, the reporting quality of placebo-controlled randomized trials on the treatment of diabetes with TCM improved after 2010. Future improvements, however, are still needed, particularly in methods sections.