Comparative and phylogenetic analysis of chloroplast genomes from four species in Quercus section Cyclobalanopsis.

The Quercus L. species is widely recognized as a significant group in the broad-leaved evergreen forests of tropical and subtropical East Asia. These plants hold immense economic value for their use as firewood, furniture, and street trees. However, the identification of Quercus species is considered challenging, and the relationships between these species remain unclear. In this study, we sequenced and assembled the chloroplast (cp.) genomes of four Quercus section Cyclobalanopsis species (Quercus disciformis, Quercus dinghuensis, Quercus blackei, and Quercus hui). Additionally, we retrieved six published cp. genome sequences of Cyclobalanopsis species (Quercus fleuryi, Quercus pachyloma, Quercus ningangensis, Quercus litseoides, Quercus gilva, and Quercus myrsinifolia). Our aim was to perform comparative genomics and phylogenetic analyses of the cp. whole genome sequences of ten Quercus section Cyclobalanopsis species. The results revealed that: (1) Quercus species exhibit a typical tetrad structure, with the cp. genome lengths of the newly sequenced species (Q. disciformis, Q. dinghuensis, Q. blakei, and Q. hui) being 160,805 bp, 160,801 bp, 160,787 bp, and 160,806 bp, respectively; (2) 469 SSRs were detected, among which A/T base repeats were the most common; (3) no rearrangements or inversions were detected within the chloroplast genomes. Genes with high nucleotide polymorphism, such as rps14-psaB, ndhJ-ndhK, rbcL-accD, and rps19-rpl2_2, provided potential reference loci for molecular identification within the Cyclobalanopsis section; (4) phylogenetic analysis showed that the four sections of Cyclobalanopsis were grouped into sister taxa, with Q. hui being the first to diverge from the evolutionary branch and Q. disciformis being the most closely related to Q. blackei. The results of this study form the basis for future studies on taxonomy and phylogenetics.

It Costs To Exist: Acceptability Judgments of the Temporal Concord of the Auxiliary Verbs You and Hui in Taiwan Mandarin.

The mechanisms underlying the processing of the temporal reference of a sentence are still unexplored. Most of the previous psycholinguistic studies used the temporal concord violation between deictic time adverbs and tense marking on the verb to investigate this issue. They found that processing past tense marking is more difficult than non-past tense, indicated by lower accuracy rates and/or longer reaction time. However, it is not clear whether this complexity is due to tense marking or the temporal reference it denotes. This paper examines this issue with a judgment acceptability experiment in Taiwan Mandarin, which is analyzed as a tenseless language. The two modal auxiliary verbs you and hui were placed after deictic past time adverbs (grammatical with you but not with hui) and deictic future time adverbs (grammatical with hui but not with you). The temporal concord violation of the auxiliary verb you led to higher acceptability rates but longer reaction time than hui, reflecting higher processing difficulties. This paper argues that these complexities are due to the existential-assertive meaning of you, which interplays with the meaning of the event described by the verb rendering the situation more or less likely to occur in the future. The computation of the temporal concord of hui, displaying a future sense meaning, is more straightforward and therefore easier to process. This suggests that the mechanisms responsible for temporal reference processing are of different nature depending on the semantics of the temporal marker in the sentence.

Quality of Life of Children Treated for Split Cord Malformation.

OBJECTIVE: Split cord malformation (SCM), associated with neurologic deficits, necessitates surgical intervention for spinal cord detethering. Limited evidence exists regarding its impact on children's quality of life. Our study aims to evaluate the postoperative quality of life in children treated for SCM. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study examined records of patients with SCM operated on between July 1, 2012, and July 31, 2022, at a single center. Data, including Health Utility Index-3 (HUI-3) scores provided by guardians, was collected to assess quality of life. Clinical and neurologic outcomes were also analyzed. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients, predominantly female (68%), with a median age of 7 years, were included. Most presented with normal motor function (76%). The most common anatomic level of SCM was lumbar (12; 48%) followed by lumbosacral (5; 20%). A bony spur from the lamina was the most common cause of splitting the cord (64%). Over a median follow-up of 3.3 years, 64% of patients showed neurologic stability, 16% showed neurologic improvement, and 4% experienced deterioration. The mean HUI-3 score for 21 children was 0.93 ± 0.24. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical management of SCM showed favorable neurologic outcomes and a positive long-term quality of life, as shown by HUI-3 scores. Our findings emphasize the efficacy of surgical intervention in improving the lives of children with this condition.

Comparative analysis of the clinical features of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation among Tibetan, Han, and Hui patients in Qinghai Province, China.

BACKGROUND: Global nonvalvular AF rises, impacting health severely. In Qinghai, China's diverse setting, studying AF among varied ethnic groups is crucial OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compares cardiac features in AF among Tibetan, Han, and Hui patients to develop tailored prevention and treatment strategies for this region, the goal was to enhance the understanding of AF and provide an empirical basis for developing prevention and treatment strategies specific to this region METHODS: This study included a total of 3445 Tibetan, Han, and Hui patients diagnosed with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and treated at the Qinghai Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Specialist Hospital, China, between January 2019 and January 2021. We analyzed the differences in cardiac structure, comorbidities, and other influencing factors among the different ethnic groups RESULTS: We found significant differences in gender, age, smoking history, lone atrial fibrillation, left heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, and diabetes between Tibetan, Han, and Hui patients (P < 0.05). Tibetan, Han, and Hui patients also differed with regard to left ventricular end-diastolic volume, left ventricular ejection fraction, fractional shortening, NT-proBNP, glycated hemoglobin, red blood cell distribution width, platelet count, platelet hematocrit, platelet distribution width, homocysteine (Hcy), C-reactive protein, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) (P < 0.05) CONCLUSION: Our study revealed variations in comorbidities, cardiac structure, and blood indexes among Tibetan, Han, and Hui AF patients, highlighting distinct patterns in complications and biomarker levels across ethnic groups.

A study of the spatial network structure of ethnic regions in Northwest China based on multiple factor flows in the context of COVID-19: Evidence from Ningxia.

As an underdeveloped and low-income region, the development of minority regions in Northwest China is crucial. As an important part of minority regions, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region has insufficient endogenous power for stable economic development and high risk of returning to poverty. On the whole, the Ningxia county network shows a spatial pattern of high in the north and low in the south. However, there are great differences in the centrality of different factor flow networks. The factor connections between most counties are weak, and a close innovation network has not yet been formed. There is an obvious administrative clique structure, showing a certain degree of self-enclosure. The factor flows between counties are relatively uniform and greatly affected by geographic distance. From the perspective of integrated flow, the Ningxia county network presents a distinct core-periphery circle structure. Population size and GDP are the main factors affecting the spatial network. The policy implication of this study is that Ningxia Autonomous Prefecture should coordinate the planning of the region's economy, technology, and transportation, so as to reduce the development gap between counties by enhancing the closeness of the county spatial association network, and ultimately realize the region's high-quality development.

Spatial-temporal changes of landscape and habitat quality in typical ecologically fragile areas of western China over the past 40 years: A case study of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

In this paper, we use the InVEST model and five periods of land use data from 1980 to 2020 to assess the habitat quality of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in Western China, which has characteristics of a typical fragile ecosystem. We further analyse the spatial and temporal characteristics of habitat quality evolution and its relationship with land use and landscape pattern indices to explore the close relationship between regional habitat quality changes and human natural resource conservation and utilization. The research results show that the overall habitat quality of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region was stable and at a moderate level (0.57-0.60) during the 40 years from 1980 to 2020; Habitat patches (2020) with low (24.89%), high (22.45%) and very high (29.81%) quality occupy a larger proportion of the area, followed by very low (13.31%) and moderate levels (9.54%). Over the past 40 years, there have been 275 sample sites in Ningxia where habitat quality has deteriorated, 1593 sample sites where the habitat quality has remained stable, and 184 sample sites where the habitat quality has increased. From 1980 to 2020, the Mean Patch Area of landscape types in Ningxia decreased by 25.9 hm2. The Patch Density increased by 0.06 /hm2. The Largest Patch Index decreased by 15.69%. The Edge Density increased by 2.5 m/hm2. The Contagion Index decreased by 2.99%. The Area-Weighted Mean Patch Fractal Dimension remained basically unchanged (0.01). The Landscape Shape Index showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing, increasing by 13.94. The Area-Weighted Mean Shape Index has been reduced by 9.45. The Shannon Diversity Index and Shannon Evenness Index both show an increasing trend, but the amplitude is relatively small, with 0.09 and 0.04, respectively. There was a significant spatial aggregation of high and low habitat quality in Ningxia, with high values usually distributed in the northern and southern areas with good natural conditions and low values distributed in areas with frequent human activities and poor natural conditions. The decrease in habitat quality in Ningxia was mainly due to the expansion of cultivated land and construction land, the increase in landscape fragmentation and the resulting decrease in connectivity. On the other hand, due to the implementation of ecological protection measures, such as the project of returning farmland to pasture and grass to forest, the quality of habitats in Ningxia increased. The conclusions of this study support the idea that the conservation of habitat quality in ecologically fragile areas should fully preserve the original natural habitats and reduce the interference of human activities to increase the habitat suitability of the landscape and the habitat connectivity between patches. At the same time, targeted ecological protection policies should be developed to restore the areas where the habitat quality has been damaged and ultimately maintain the stability of biodiversity and ecosystems in ecologically fragile areas. Meanwhile, for ecologically fragile areas with similar ecological characteristics to those of Ningxia, our research supports the idea of increasing the protection of the stability of the original habitats, increasing the proportion of ecological restoration projects, financial investment and seeking cooperation with local community managers and residents will help to improve the quality of the regional habitats and the enrichment of the biodiversity, and ultimately promote the harmonious coexistence of human beings and nature in the modernized sense of the word.

Using two self-developed InDel panels to explore forensic traits and ancestral components in the Hui group.

To address the challenges faced by forensic examiners in degraded DNA analysis, we have developed two different panels for various forensic applications, encompassing an AIM-InDel panel for ancestry inference and a Multi-InDel panel for individual identification, respectively. Herein, the efficiencies of these two panels were tested in the Chinese Hui group. By calculating forensic parameters and simulating family relationships, we verified that the Multi-InDel panel could be an effective tool for individual identification, paternity testing, and could assist in kinship identification in the Hui group. For full siblings, the true positive rate of kinship discrimination was 96.553%, when the threshold of log10LR was 1. The cumulative probability of matching as well as cumulative probability of exclusion were 3.8117 × 10-26 and 0.999999722, respectively. Meanwhile, we found that the AIM-InDel panel was effective for bio-geographic ancestry inference, with the vast majority of loci contributing significantly to distinguish East Asian, African, and European populations. By studying the population structure of the Hui ethnic minority, the genetic distance to the Beijing Han population was the closest among the 26 reference populations, which was similar to previous reports. In summary, we have developed two panels which can be effectively applied to the Hui group for individual identification, parentage testing and bio-geographic ancestry inference.

Analysis of the dosage form and taking characteristics of pediatric diseases in Tai Ping Sheng Hui Fang / 国际中医中药杂志

The particularity of children's physiology and pathology determines that doctors should pay special attention to nursing in the process of treating pediatric diseases. This article discussed the dosage form and taking characteristics of pediatric prescriptions in Tai Ping Sheng Hui Fang from the aspects of dosage form and quantity, decoction, dosage, temperature, time, frequency and degree. It has been concluded that Tai Ping Sheng Hui Fang is rich in dosage forms, both internal and external treatment; paying attention to the care of the spleen and stomach, taking medicine in a light and specialized manner, and emphasizing the end of the disease; the way of taking medicine conforms to the physiological and pathological characteristics of children.

Estimating health state utilities in Duchenne muscular dystrophy using the health utilities index and EQ-5D-5L.

BACKGROUND: The progression of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is characterized by loss of ambulation, respiratory insufficiency, cardiomyopathy, and early mortality. DMD profoundly impacts health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL). However, few health state utility data exist; published utilities tend to be derived from small samples for a limited number of health states and are often based on caregiver-reported patient health status. This study estimated utility values for varied clinical and functional health states in DMD, based on patient-reported health status. METHODS: Individuals with DMD in the US aged 12-40 years completed the EQ-5D (5-level) and Health Utilities Index (HUI) preference-based instruments. Based on responses to a clinical questionnaire, participants self-classified into functional health states according to level of lower and upper limb function, use of respiratory support, and presence of cardiomyopathy. Mean [standard deviation (SD)] utility and EQ-5D visual analogue scale (VAS) scores were estimated according to health state; and median (interquartile range) attribute levels calculated to understand which domains of health are most severely affected in DMD. RESULTS: Of 63 males with DMD, mean (SD) age was 19.8 (6.1) years and 11 (17.5%) were ambulatory. Mean (SD) utility values were 0.92 (0.08; HUI2), 0.84 (0.20; HUI3), and 0.84 (0.13; EQ-5D) for ambulatory patients without cardiomyopathy (n = 10). For non-ambulatory patients with moderately impaired upper limb function, night and daytime ventilation without cardiomyopathy, mean (SD) utilities were 0.49 (0.07) for the HUI2, 0.16 (0.15) for the HUI3 and 025 (0.14) for the EQ-5D. Mean (SD) VAS scores for the same health states were 91 (9) and 83 (21), respectively. In addition to impairments in mobility/ambulation, and self-care, attributes like usual activities and pain also showed notable effects of DMD. CONCLUSIONS: In DMD, although a relationship between disease progression and HRQoL is observed, there is large variability in utility within functional health states, and across instruments. Utility values for less severe non-ambulatory health states described by level of upper limb function are novel. These utility values, derived based on direct patient feedback rather than from caregiver report, are relevant to individuals of varying functional statuses and augment scarce DMD-specific utility data.

Unraveling the paternal genetic structure and forensic traits of the Hui population in Liaoning Province, China using Y-chromosome analysis.

The Hui people are the second-largest ethnic minority in China, and they are distributed throughout the country. A previous study explored the paternal genetic structure of the Hui population in nine different regions of China, but it overlooked the Liaoning province. In this study, we examined the paternal genetic makeup and forensic traits of the Hui population in Liaoning province by analyzing 157 Y-chromosome single nucleotide polymorphisms (Y-SNPs) and 26 short tandem repeats (Y-STRs). We successfully genotyped 282 unrelated male individuals from the Hui population of Liaoning province using the SNaPshot® single base extension assay and Goldeneye™ Y26 system kit (PEOPLESPOT R&D, Beijing, China). The results revealed high haplotypic diversity (0.9998) and identified 46 terminal haplogroups for the Hui population. Additional analyses, such as heat maps, principal component analysis (PCA), genetic distance (FST), Multidimensional scaling (MDS) analysis, and median-joining network (MJ) analysis, showed that the Hui population could be classified into three groups: Northwest Hui populations (NWH), including Liaoning, Xinjiang, Qinghai, Gansu, Ningxia, Shaanxi, and Henan; Hui populations from Sichuan and Shandong (SSH); and Yunnan Hui populations (YNH). Pairwise genetic distance (Rst) comparisons with other Chinese populations revealed that the Hui population displayed genetic affinity with the Han population. The comprehensive understanding of the Hui population in Liaoning province, explored by Y-SNPs and Y-STRs, can be utilized to interpret their genetic structure and enhance the accuracy of forensic databases.

Limb Salvage Strategy Amendment for a Better Future in the Era of Bone Cancer Therapy: A Cross-Sectional Study in North India.

BACKGROUND:  Bone tumors remain a formidable challenge for orthopedic surgeons. In developing countries, the challenge is exacerbated by limited diagnostic, therapeutic, and management facilities and ignorance. Patients with upper and lower-extremity muscle and skeletal tumors are candidates for amputation or surgical rescue of the limbs. Traditionally, limb rescue surgery by neo-adjuvant chemotherapy is the preferred surgery method for localized carcinoma. Amputations are usually reserved for patients with increased tumor size. The purpose of this study is to investigate health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and physical disability, focusing on surgical care, gender, and age, in adolescent and young adult survivors of malignant bone tumors treated surgically. METHODS:  This cross-sectional study consists of 38 long-term survivors who underwent amputation or limb-salvage surgery at King George's Medical University, Lucknow, from 2019 to 2022. After obtaining ethical clearance and informed consent, 38 patients which included 26 patients treated with limb salvage in Group A and 12 patients treated with amputation in Group B were included in the study. The SF-36 and HUI3 scores were used to assess the functional outcome and health-related QoL of these patients. RESULTS:  After minimal six months of interventions, we have found a significant improvement in all the following factors: physical functioning (P=0.000), role limitations due to physical health (P=0.000) and emotional problems (P=0.001), energy/fatigue (P=0.000), emotional well-being (P=0.000), social functioning (P=0.000), pain (P=0.000), and general health (P=0.000). Group A showed a higher degree of significance than Group B through SF-36 (Short Form-36, patient-reported outcome), whereas HUI-3 did not show any significant outcomes (P=0.347). CONCLUSION:  The overall quality of life of patients with salvaged limbs appears to be higher than that of the quality of life of amputee patients in tumor survivor patients. Further analyses must be carried out to verify the results and focus on areas that have a major impact on the overall quality of life using other assessment tools. The impact of therapy on the quality of life depends on maintaining the necessary structures for functional functions, adjusting patient expectations to cancer treatments, and designing long-term rehabilitation programs to support functional functions.

Rethinking personal carbon trading (PCT) mechanism: A comprehensive review.

The implementation of Personal Carbon Trading (PCT) holds promise in facilitating a noteworthy contribution towards the attainment of emissions reduction predicated on consumption patterns and consequently motivating lifestyle modifications. As individual consumption behaviors usually lead to continuous changes in carbon emissions, it is crucial to rethink PCT from a systematic perspective. This review employed a bibliometric analysis of 1423 papers related to PCT, highlighting the key themes of carbon emissions from energy consumption, climate change, and public opinion on policies in the context of PCT. Most of the existing PCT researches focus on theoretical assumptions and public attitudes, while the quantification of carbon emissions and simulation of PCT require further investigation. Furthermore, the concept of Tan Pu Hui is seldom addressed in PCT studies and case analyses. Moreover, there are limited PCT schemes worldwide that can be directly implemented in practice, leading to a scarcity of large-scale, high-participation case studies. To address these gaps, this review proposes a framework to clarify how PCT can stimulate individual emission reductions on the consumption side, comprising two phases, from motivation to behavior and behavior to target. Future endeavors should prioritize the enhancement of the systematic study of the theoretical foundation of PCT, encompassing carbon emissions accounting and policy design, the incorporation of cutting-edge technology, and the reinforcement of integrated policy practice. This review serves as a valuable reference for future research endeavors and policymaking efforts.

Exploring the relationship between North Star Ambulatory Assessment and Health Utilities Index scores in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

BACKGROUND: The North Star Ambulatory Assessment (NSAA) documents motor performance in ambulatory individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Health Utilities Index (HUI) scores, reflecting preferences for health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) implications of health states, are commonly estimated within trials. This study sought to characterize the relationship between the NSAA score and utility in DMD. METHODS: Family members serving as proxy respondents for placebo-treated ambulatory individuals with DMD (NCT01254019; BioMarin Pharmaceuticals Inc) completed the HUI and the NSAA (score range, 0-34). Mean change over time on these measures was estimated, and the correlation between changes in NSAA score and a) HUI utility; b) HUI3 ambulation and HUI2 mobility attribute scores, over 48 weeks was calculated. RESULTS: Baseline mean (range) age was 8.0 years (5-16; n = 61) and mean (standard deviation [SD]) scores were 0.87 (0.13; HUI2), 0.82 (0.19; HUI3), and 21.0 (8.1; NSAA). Mean (SD) change over 48 weeks was -0.05 (0.14; HUI2), -0.06 (0.19; HUI3), and -2.9 (4.7; NSAA). Weak positive correlations were observed between baseline NSAA score and HUI utility (HUI2: r = 0.29; HUI3: r = 0.17) and for change over 48 weeks (HUI2: r = 0.16; HUI3: r = 0.15). Stronger correlations were observed between change in NSAA score and the HUI3 ambulation (r = 0.41) and HUI2 mobility (r = 0.41) attributes. CONCLUSIONS: Among ambulatory individuals with DMD, NSAA score is weakly correlated with HUI utility, suggesting that motor performance alone does not fully explain HRQoL. Stronger relationships were observed between HUI ambulation and mobility attributes, and NSAA. Although unidimensional measures like the NSAA are informative for documenting disease-specific health impacts, they may not correlate well with measures of overall health status; requiring use in conjunction with other patient-reported and preference-based outcomes.

People Diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis have Lower health-related quality of life and Need More Medical and Caregiver Help in Comparison to the General Population: Analysis of Two Observational Studies.

INTRODUCTION: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular disease causing extreme muscular fatigue, triggering problems with vision, swallowing, speech, mobility, dexterity, and breathing. This analysis intended to estimate the health-related quality-of-life impact, the medical burden, and the need for caregiver help of people diagnosed with MG. METHODS: MyRealWorld-MG (MRW) is an observational study among adults diagnosed with MG in 9 countries. The General Population Norms (POPUP) observational study enrolled representative members of the general population in 8 countries. In both digital studies, respondents entered personal characteristics and provided data on medical conditions, EQ-5D-5L, HUI3, MG-Activities of Daily Living (MG-ADL), sick leave, caregiver help, and medical care utilization. RESULTS: In MRW (n = 1859), 58.4% of respondents had moderate-to-severe MG. Average utility values were lower in MRW versus POPUP (0.739 vs. 0.843 for EQ-5D-5L; 0.493 vs. 0.746 for HUI3), and declined with more severe disease (0.872, 0.707, 0.511 EQ-5D-5L utilities and 0.695, 0.443, 0.168 HUI3 utilities for mild, moderate, and severe MG, respectively). Taking sick leave in the past month was 2.6 times more frequent among people diagnosed with MG compared to the general population (34.4% vs. 13.2%) and four times more people diagnosed with MG reported needing help from a caregiver (34.8% vs. 8.3%). Use of medical care was twice as likely in MRW in comparison with POPUP (51.9% vs. 24.6%). CONCLUSION: This direct comparison of people diagnosed with MG and the general population using two large international studies revealed significant negative impact of MG. Results were consistent across all outcomes, in all countries.

Mapping the schizophrenia quality of life scale to EQ-5D, HUI3 and SF-6D utility scores in patients with schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVES: The current study aimed to map the disease-specific Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale (SQLS) onto the three- and five-level EuroQol five-dimension (EQ-5D-3 L and EQ-5D-5 L), Health Utility Index Mark 3 (HUI3) and Short Form six-dimensional (SF-6D) preference-based instruments to inform future cost-utility analyses for treatment of patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: Data from 251 outpatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders was included for analysis. Ordinary least square (OLS), Tobit and beta regression mixture models were employed to estimate the utility scores. Three regression models with a total of 66 specifications were determined by goodness of fit and predictive indices. Distribution of the original data to the distributions of the data generated using the preferred estimated models were then compared. RESULTS: EQ-5D-3 L and EQ-5D-5 L were best predicted by the OLS model, including SQLS domain scores, domain-squared scores, age, and gender as explanatory predictors. The models produced the best performance index and resembled most closely with the observed EQ-5D data. HUI3 and SF-6D were best predicted by the OLS and Tobit model respectively. CONCLUSION: The current study developed mapping models for converting SQLS scores into generic utility scores, which can be used for economic evaluation among patients with schizophrenia.

Interpreting regional ecological security from perspective of ecological networks: a case study in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.

The rapid economic development and intense human activities have seriously restricted the sustainable development of ecology and the maintenance of ecosystem services. Ecological network can effectively connect fragmented habitats and is an important way to couple landscape structure, ecological process, and function. This study proposes a multimodel coupling framework to explore the ecological security status of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (NHAR) under different development scenarios from the perspective of ecological networks. The conclusions are as follows: (1) From 2000 to 2030, grassland and arable land were the main land types of NHAR. Grassland is the main expansion land type under the ecological land protection (ELP) scenario, while construction land is the main expansion land type in two other scenarios. (2) The main gather and change of the ecological sources occurred in the central region, and the ecological expansion should develop from the middle to the south. (3) The average area of ecological sources under BAU and RED scenarios is smaller than that under ELP scenario, and more ecological corridors are needed to connect. (4) The centrality of the ecological sources under the BAU scenario is generally high, but the ecological sources under ELP and RED scenarios have undergone spatial migration. In addition, the urbanization trend of NHAR is different under different scenarios, and more attention should be paid to the maintenance and protection of ecological networks in typical areas. This study can provide important reference for NHAR's ecological space planning and ecological protection policy formulation.

A Comparison of Preference-Based, Generic and Disease-Specific Health-Related Quality of Life in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Objective: Generic preference-based HRQOL assessments used expressly for economic evaluation have not been examined in pediatric Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). The objective was to further assess the construct validity of preference-based HRQOL measures in pediatric IBD by comparing the Child Health Utility 9 Dimensions (CHU9D) and Health Utilities Index (HUI) to the disease-specific IMPACT-III and to the generic PedsQL in children with CD and with UC. Methods: The CHU9D, HUI, IMPACT-III and/or PedsQL were administered to Canadian children aged 6 to 18 years with CD and UC. CHU9D total and domain utilities were calculated using adult and youth tariffs. HUI total and attribute utilities were determined for the HUI2 and HUI3. Total scores for IMPACT-III and PedsQL were determined. Spearman correlations were calculated between generic preference-based utilities and the IMPACT-III and PedsQL scores. Results: The questionnaires were administered to 157 children with CD and 73 children with UC. Moderate to strong correlations were observed between the CHU9D, HUI2, HUI3 and the disease-specific IMPACT-III or generic PedsQL. As hypothesized, domains with similar constructs demonstrated stronger correlations, such as the Pain and Well-being domains. Conclusions: While all questionnaires were moderately correlated with the IMPACT-III and PedsQL questionnaires, the CHU9D using youth tariffs and the HUI3 were most strongly correlated and would be suitable choices to generate health utilities for children with CD or UC for the purpose of economic evaluation of treatments in pediatric IBD.

Determinants of health-related quality of life after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA): A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: With a growing number of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors globally, the focus of OHCA management has now broadened to survivorship. An outcome central to survivorship is health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This systematic review aimed to synthesise evidence related to the determinants of HRQoL of OHCA survivors. METHODS: We systematically searched MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus from inception to 15 August 2022 to identify studies investigating the association of at least one determinant and HRQoL in adult OHCA survivors. All articles were independently reviewed by two investigators. We abstracted data pertaining to determinants and classified them using a well-established HRQoL theoretical framework - the Wilson and Cleary (revised) model. RESULTS: 31 articles assessing a total of 35 determinants were included. Determinants were classified into the five domains in the HRQoL model. 26 studies assessed determinants related to individual characteristics (n = 3), 12 studied biological function (n = 7), nine studied symptoms (n = 3), 16 studied functioning (n = 5), and 35 studied characteristics of the environment (n = 17). In studies that included multivariable analyses, most reported that individual characteristics (older age, female sex), symptoms (anxiety, depression), and functioning (impaired neurocognitive function) were significantly associated with poorer HRQoL. CONCLUSIONS: Individual characteristics, symptoms, and functioning played significant roles in explaining the variability in HRQoL. Significant non-modifiable determinants such as age and sex could be used to identify populations at risk of poorer HRQoL, while significant modifiable determinants such as psychological health and neurocognitive functioning could serve as targets for post-discharge screening and rehabilitation plans. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022359303.

A comparison of the Child Health Utility 9D and the Health Utilities Index for estimating health utilities in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease.

PURPOSE: Health utilities are challenging to ascertain in children and have not been studied in pediatric Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). The objective was to assess discriminative validity by comparing utilities elicited using the Child Health Utility-9 Dimension (CHU9D) to the Health Utilities Index (HUI) across multiple disease activity scales in pediatric UC and CD. METHODS: Preference-based instruments were administered to 188 children with CD and 83 children with UC aged 6 to 18 years. Utilities were calculated using CHU9D adult and youth tariffs, and HUI2 and HUI3 algorithms in children with inactive (quiescent) and active (mild, moderate, and severe) disease. Differences between instruments, tariff sets and disease activity categories and were tested statistically. RESULTS: In CD and UC, all instruments detected significantly higher utilities for inactive compared to active disease (p < 0.05). Mean utilities for quiescent disease ranged from 0.810 (SD 0.169) to 0.916 (SD 0.121) in CD and from 0.766 (SD 0.208) to 0.871 (SD 0.186) in UC across instruments. Active disease mean utilities ranged from 0.694 (SD 0.212) to 0.837 (SD 0.168) in CD and from 0.654 (SD 0.226) to 0.800 (SD 0.128) in UC. CONCLUSION: CHU9D and HUI discriminated between levels of disease activity in CD and UC regardless of the clinical scale used, with the CHU9D youth tariff most often displaying the lowest utilities for worse health states. Distinct utilities for different IBD disease activity states can be used in health state transition models evaluating the cost-effectiveness of treatments for pediatric CD and UC.

Genetic polymorphisms of pharmacogenomic VIP variants in the Hui population from Ningxia Province of China.

Pharmacogenomics has been widely used to study the very important pharmacogenetic (VIP) variants among different populations. However, there is little pharmacogenomic information about the Chinese Hui population. Our research aimed to reveal the outstandingly different loci in the Hui population, and provide a theoretical foundation for personalized drug use in the Hui population, so as to facilitate more effective treatment of diseases. This study genotyped 53 VIP variants of 26 genes in 200 independent Hui individuals based on the Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics Knowledge Base (PharmGKB). Remarkable differences in the genotype and allele frequencies between the Hui and 26 other populations from the 1000 Genomes Project were assessed using the χ2 test. The genotype and allele frequencies of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in PTGS2 (rs20417), NAT2 (rs1801280), NAT2 (rs1208), ACE (rs4291), and CYP2D6 (rs1065852) were considerably different in the Hui population compared with those in the other 26 populations. Besides, using the PharmGKB database, we identified several VIP variants that may alter the drug metabolism of ibuprofen, rofecoxib (PTGS2), captopril (ACE), citalopram, and escitalopram (CYP2D6). We also discovered other variants associated with adverse reactions to cisplatin and cyclophosphamide (NAT2). Our study indicated that the loci of PTGS2 (rs20417), NAT2 (rs1801280 and rs1208), ACE (rs4291), and CYP2D6 (rs1065852) in the Hui population were obviously different from those in the other 26 populations, which provides reliable information for predicting drug efficacy. Besides, it supplements the pharmacogenomic knowledge of the Hui population and lays the foundation for the individualized treatment for the Hui population.