Risk Factors of Cytomegalovirus Retinitis Occurrence After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

PURPOSE: To explore the potential risk factors for the occurrence of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) retinitis (CMVR) in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) patients. METHODS: This is a retrospective, nested case-control study conducted in hematological patients with CMVR who underwent allo-HSCT. Patients diagnosed with CMVR after allo-HSCT were included as the case group, and those without CMVR were matched by a ratio of 1:2 and were recruited as controls. We selected 19 pre- and post-transplant indicators for univariate analysis between the cases and controls, and then Logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for exploration of risk factors of the CMVR occurrence. RESULTS: A total of 1308 allo-HSCT patients from January 1, 2020 to July 31, 2023 were analyzed, and 27 patients were diagnosed CMVR with a median onset time of 222 days after transplantation. In univariate analysis, donors of stem cells source, HLA-match types (including matched sibling donor, haploidentical donor, and unrelated donor), post-transplant Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) viremia, platelet implantation time, and serostatus of CMV-IgG were more easily to develop CMVR than controls (p < 0.001, p = 0.003, p < 0.001, p = 0.032, p = 0.038, respectively). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that stem cells source (OR 7.823, 95% CI 1.759-34.800), HLA-match types (OR 7.452, 95% CI 1.099-50.542), and post-transplant EBV infection (OR 7.510, 95% CI 1.903-29.640) were positively associated with the onset of CMVR. CONCLUSION: Stem cells derived from bone marrow and peripheral blood, HLA-match types, and post-transplant EBV viremia are important risk predictors of CMVR in allo-HSCT patients. These results suggest that clinicians should pay more attention to these indicators when formulating preventive measures pre- and post-transplant.

Breast Augmentation Preferences and Concerns Among Chinese Women: A Nationwide Multicenter Study of 2066 Cases.

BACKGROUND: Research studies on Asian women's preferences for breast augmentation and the factors that influence decision-making are scarce or unrepresentative. METHODS: This study was conducted from September 2016 to September 2017, a period of one year. We developed a questionnaire for Chinese female with breast augmentation intentions based on the Breast-Q questionnaire, the world's most popular breast augmentation assessment tool, and conducted questionnaire surveys in 35 hospitals located in 19 provinces in mainland China among female who came to hospitals to inquire about breast augmentation surgery. RESULTS: A total of 2066 questionnaires were collected from female interested in breast augmentation. The age range at the time of response was 19-53 years (mean 31.2 ± 6.8 years). More than half of the respondents (58.1%) were married, and 70.4% of them had children. The respondents rated their dressed image significantly higher than their nude image. Their partners also rated their breast image poorly, with 43% rating it fair and 30.4% negatively. Internal reasons, such as improving self-confidence and creating a better body image, were the main motivators for breast augmentation. More than half of the respondents had only limited understanding of breast augmentation surgery or had heard of it but did not fully understand it (33.2% and 27.5%, respectively), and 69.4% had considered breast augmentation for less than three years. A total of 49.2% of the respondents learned about breast augmentation surgery through the Internet. A total of 43.8% of the respondents did not receive support from family members or partners. Surgical safety (20.4%), surgical effect (17.1%), and surgeon's skill (16.6%) were given the highest priority. The surgeon's professionalism, popularity, and academic background were also high on people's list of considerations. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our breast augmentation survey provide data on many Chinese women considering breast augmentation. This will help plastic surgeons better understand the characteristics, preferences, and concerns of Chinese women undergoing breast augmentation and will be used to guide patient-doctor communication and help Chinese women make the most informed decisions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE V: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

PPAR-γ regulates the polarization of M2 macrophages to improve the microenvironment for autologous fat grafting.

The unpredictable survival rate of autologous fat grafting (AFG) seriously affects its clinical application. Improving the survival rate of AFG has become an unresolved issue in plastic surgery. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) regulates the adipogenic differentiation of adipocytes, but the functional mechanism in AFG remains unclear. In this study, we established an animal model of AFG and demonstrated the superior therapeutic effect of PPAR-γ regulation in the process of AFG. From day 3 after fat grafting, the PPAR-γ agonist rosiglitazone group consistently showed better adipose integrity, fewer oil cysts, and fibrosis. Massive macrophage infiltration was observed after 7 days. At the same time, M2 macrophages begin to appear. At day 14, M2 macrophages gradually became the dominant cell population, which suppressed inflammation and promoted revascularization and fat regeneration. In addition, transcriptome sequencing showed that the differentially expressed genes in the Rosiglitazone group were associated with the pathways of adipose regeneration, differentiation, and angiogenesis; these results provide new ideas for clinical treatment.

The Safety of Injections in the Infraorbital Region.

BACKGROUND:  Infraorbital filler injection is a commonly used minimally invasive cosmetic procedure on the face, which can cause vascular complications. OBJECTIVE:  In this study, we aimed to explore the anatomical structure of the infraorbital vasculature and to establish an accurate protocol for infraorbital filler injection. METHODS:  The vascular structure of the infraorbital region was evaluated in 84 hemifacial specimens using computed tomography. Four segments (P1-P4) and five sections (C1-C5) were considered. We recorded the number of identified arteries in each slice and at each location and the number of deep arteries. Furthermore, we also measured the infraorbital artery (IOA) distribution. RESULTS:  At P1-P4, the lowest number of arteries was detected in segment P4, with a 317/1727 (18.4%) and 65/338 (2.3%) probability of total and deep arterial identification, respectively. The probabilities of encountering an identified artery at the five designated locations (C1-C5) were 277/1727 (16%), 318/1727 (18.4%), 410/1727 (23.7%), 397/1727 (23%), and 325/1727 (18.8%), respectively. The probability of an IOA being identified at C2 was 68/84 (81%). CONCLUSION:  We described an effective filler injection technique in the infraorbital region to minimize the associated risks. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Classifying self-management clusters of patients with mild cognitive impairment associated with diabetes: A cross-sectional study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study aims to propose a self-management clusters classification method to determine the self-management ability of elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) associated with diabetes mellitus (DM). BACKGROUND: MCI associated with DM is a common chronic disease in old adults. Self-management affects the disease progression of patients to a large extent. However, the comorbidity and patients' self-management ability are heterogeneous. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study based on cluster analysis is designed in this paper. METHOD: The study included 235 participants. The diabetes self-management scale is used to evaluate the self-management ability of patients. SPSS 21.0 was used to analyse the data, including descriptive statistics, agglomerative hierarchical clustering with Ward's method before k-means clustering, k-means clustering analysis, analysis of variance and chi-square test. RESULTS: Three clusters of self-management styles were classified as follows: Disease neglect type, life oriented type and medical dependence type. Among all participants, the percentages of the three clusters above are 9.78%, 32.77% and 57.45%, respectively. The difference between the six dimensions of each cluster is statistically significant. CONCLUSION(S): This study classified three groups of self-management styles, and each group has its own self-management characteristics. The characteristics of the three clusters may help to provide personalized self-management strategies and delay the disease progression of MCI associated with DM patients. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Typological methods can be used to discover the characteristics of patient clusters and provide personalized care to improve the efficiency of patient self-management to delay the progress of the disease. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: In our study, we invited patients and members of the public to participate in the research survey and conducted data collection.

Stratified support pattern-based internet-assisted self-management therapy for diabetes mellitus -mild cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled trial protocol.

BACKGROUND: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) associated with diabetes mellitus (DM) is common among older adults, and self-management is critical to controlling disease progression. However, both MCI and DM are heterogeneous diseases, and existing integrated self-management interventions do not consider patient differences. Grouping patients by disease characteristics could help to individualize disease management and improve the use of available resources. The current study sought to explore the feasibility and effectiveness of a stratified support model for DM-MCI patients. METHODS: Eighty-four DM-MCI patients will be randomly divided into an intervention group and a control group in a 1:1 ratio. The intervention group will receive a self-management intervention using the stratified support pattern-based internet-assisted therapy (SISMT), while the control group will receive the health manual intervention (HMI). The study recruiter will be blinded to the group allocation and unable to foresee which group the next participant will be assigned to. At the same time, the allocation will be also hidden from the research evaluators and participants. After 12 weeks and 24 weeks, cognitive function, blood glucose, self-management ability, psychological status, health literacy, and self-management behavior of patients in both groups will be measured and compared. DISCUSSION: This study developed a stratified support pattern-based internet-assisted to provide self-management intervention for patients with DM-MCI. The impact of different models and forms of self-management intervention on cognitive function, blood glucose management, and psychological status health literacy and self-management behavior of patients will be assessed. The results of this study will inform related intervention research on the stratified support pattern-based internet-assisted self-management therapy, and help to slow the decline of cognitive function in patients with DM-MCI. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR2200061991. Registered 16 July 2022.

An emerging research: the role of hepatocellular carcinoma-derived exosomal circRNAs in the immune microenvironment.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common primary malignancy of the liver, is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death and is associated with a poor prognosis. The tumor microenvironment (TME) of HCC comprises immune, immunosuppressive, and interstitial cells with hypoxic, angiogenic, metabolic reprogramming, inflammatory, and immunosuppressive features. Exosomes are nanoscale extracellular vesicles that secrete biologically active signaling molecules such as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), microribonucleic acid (miRNA), proteins, and lipids. These signaling molecules act as messengers in the tumor microenvironment, especially the tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment. Exosomal circRNAs reshape the tumor microenvironment by prompting hypoxic stress response, stimulating angiogenesis, contributing to metabolic reprogramming, facilitating inflammatory changes in the HCC cells and inducing tumor immunosuppression. The exosomes secreted by HCC cells carry circRNA into immune cells, which intervene in the activation of immune cells and promote the overexpression of immune checkpoints to regulate immune response, leading tumor cells to acquire immunosuppressive properties. Furthermore, immunosuppression is the final result of a combination of TME-related factors, including hypoxia, angiogenesis, metabolic reprogramming, and inflammation changes. In conclusion, exosomal circRNA accelerates the tumor progression by adjusting the phenotype of the tumor microenvironment and ultimately forming an immunosuppressive microenvironment. HCC-derived exosomal circRNA can affect HCC cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and induction of chemoresistance. Therefore, this review aimed to summarize the composition and function of these exosomes, the role that HCC-derived exosomal circRNAs play in microenvironment formation, and the interactions between exosomes and immune cells. This review outlines the role of exosomal circRNAs in the malignant phenotype of HCC and provides a preliminary exploration of the clinical utility of exosomal circRNAs.

Investigation and analysis of myopia and ocular biological parameters of primary and secondary school students in Urumqi / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To investigate the differences of myopia and ocular biological parameters of primary and middle school students in Urumqi.METHODS: A cross-sectional survey. A total of 2 495 primary and middle school students aged 7 to 18 from 4 schools in Urumqi were selected by judgemental sampling from September 2021 to November 2021 for relevant eye examination. The differences of ocular biological parameters and refractive status of students of different ages, genders and nationalities were compared, and the correlation between spherical equivalent(SE)and ocular biological parameters was analyzed.RESULTS: The detection rate of poor vision among the students was 80.36%, the detection rate of myopia was 55.91%, and the detection rate of astigmatism was 42.96%, among which the detection rate of low myopia was 63.80%, the detection rate of moderate myopia was 27.60%, and the detection rate of high myopia was 8.60%. There were significant differences in the detection rate of poor vision, myopia, astigmatism, SE and some ocular biological parameters among students of different ages and nationalities(all P<0.05). Among them, the detection rate of myopia, astigmatism and poor vision among Uygur and Kazakh ethnic groups was significantly lower than that of Han. The detection rate of poor vision and myopia among boys was lower than that among girls, while the detection rate of astigmatism was higher than that of girls. Spearman correlation analysis showed that axis length of eye, axial length to axial ratio, anterior chamber depth, and pupil diameter were negatively correlated with SE(rs=-0.664, -0.724, -0.320, -0.086, all P<0.001), and lens thickness was positively correlated with SE(rs=0.147, P<0.001).CONCLUSION: The prevalence of myopia among primary and secondary school students in Urumqi is high, and there are differences in the distribution of ocular biological parameters among children and adolescents of different ages and ethnicities.

Myopia and hyperopia reserve of Uyghur children aged 6～12 years in Yecheng county of Xinjiang / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To investigate the myopia and hyperopia reserve among Uyghur children aged 6～12 in Yecheng county of Xinjiang.METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, a total of 50 151 Uyghur students aged 6～12 years from Yecheng county of Xinjiang underwent comprehensive vision screening, including automatic computer optometry, indoor remote light box E-word standard logarithmic visual acuity chart(GB 11533), to measure the naked eye distant vision and corrected vision with lens.RESULTS: From October 2021 to January 2022, the spherical equivalent(SE)of 6-12 year old Uyghur myopic children was -0.875(-1.625, -0.625)D, and the detection rate of myopia was 6.75%(3384/50151)in Yecheng county of Xinjiang. The SE of the myopic children aged 6～12 was -0.75(-1.125, -0.625)D, -0.75(-1.125, -0.625)D, -0.875(-1.125, -0.625)D, -0.875(-1.375, -0.625)D, -0.875(-1.6, -0.625)D, -0.875(-1.625, -0.625)D, -1.25(-2.125, -0.75)D, respectively. The SE of non-myopic children aged 6～12 was +0.25(-0.125, +0.5)D, and the detection rate of insufficient hyperopia reserve was 75.51%. The SE of the non-myopic children aged 6～12 was +0.25(-0.125, +0.5)D, +0.25(0, +0.5)D, +0.125(-0.125, +0.5)D, +0.25(-0.125, +0.5)D, +0.125(-0.125, +0.5)D, +0.125(-0.125, +0.5)D, +0.25(-0.125, +0.625)D, respectively. The detection rates of myopia children aged 6～12 were 6.78%, 5.64%, 5.72%, 5.36%, 5.01%, 6.82%, 12.14%, respectively. The detection rates of insufficient hyperopia reserve children aged 6～12 were 91.67%, 92.04%, 92.91%, 83.85%, 68.89%, 54.01%, 26.71%, respectively. The detection rate of insufficient hyperopia reserve in non-myopic girls aged 9～12 years old was higher than that in boys(χ2=8.94, 19.99, 19.91 and 39.11, all P&#x003C;0. 05); The detection rate of myopia in 10～12 year old girls was higher than that in boys(χ2=5.402, 8.493 and 36.9711, all P&#x003C;0. 05).CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence rate of myopia among Uyghur children aged 6～12 years in Yecheng county of Xinjiang was 6.75%, while the detection rate of insufficient hyperopia reserve in non-myopic children reached up to 75.51%. It is predicted that there are a large number of children at high risk of myopia. Therefore, early monitoring of hyperopia reserve in children is vital for myopia prevention and control strategy.

How a Digital Case Management Platform Affects Community-Based Palliative Care of Sub-Saharan African Cancer Patients: Clinician-Users' Perspectives.

BACKGROUND: Symptom control among cancer patients is a Tanzanian public health priority impacted by limited access to palliative care (PC) specialists and resources. Mobile Palliative Care Link (mPCL), a mobile/web application, aims to extend specialist access via shared care with local health workers (LHWs) with the African Palliative care Outcome Scale (POS) adapted for regular, automated symptom assessment as a core feature. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to assess clinicians' attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions regarding mPCL usability and utility with their patients within a government-supported, urban Tanzanian cancer hospital setting. METHODS: We used a mixed methods approach including surveys, qualitative interviews, and system usage data to assess clinicians' experience with mPCL in a field study where discharged, untreatable cancer patients were randomized to mPCL or phone-contact POS collection. RESULTS: All six specialists and 10 LHWs expressed overall satisfaction with mPCL among 49 intervention arm patients. They perceived mPCL as a way to stay connected with patients and support remote symptom control. Timely access to POS responses and medical records were identified as key benefits. Some differences in perceptions of mPCL use and utility were seen between clinician groups; however, both expressed strong interest in continuing app use, recommending it to colleagues, and extending use throughout Tanzania. Primary use was for clinical status communication and care coordination. Pain and other symptom progression were the most frequently reported reasons for provider-patient interactions accounting for 34% (n = 44) and 12% (n = 15) of reasons, respectively. Usage barriers included time required to create a new clinical record, perceived need for response to non-urgent reminders or alerts, and training. necessary for competent use. System-level implementation barriers included variable patient access to smartphones and SIM cards and unreliable Internet access. CONCLUSION: This work demonstrates broad clinician desire for digital health tools to support remote community-based PC among cancer patients, particularly pain management.

[Role and Mechanism of Low Molecular-Weight-Organic Acids in Enhanced Phytoremediation of Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil].

Phytoremediation is an environmentally friendly technology to remove heavy metals from polluted soil by using the physical and chemical roles of plants. This can effectively reduce the production of secondary pollutants and is economically feasible. Low molecular-weight-organic acids (LMWOAs) are biodegradable and environmentally friendly and have strong application potential in the phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils. The role and mechanism of LMWOAs in phytoremediation was elaborated on in this study with the aim to:① regulate the development of roots, stems, and leaves; increase plant biomass; and enhance plant enrichment of heavy metals; ② improve photosynthesis, enhance plant resistance, and promote tolerance to heavy metals; ③ change the properties of rhizosphere soil, improve rhizosphere microbial activity, and promote the absorption of heavy metals; and ④ change the form of heavy metals, reduce the toxicity of heavy metals, and improve transport efficiency. Moreover, the advantages, disadvantages, and application of LMWOAs in enhanced phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated soil were explored in this study. Finally, the research direction of LMWOAs in the phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils was proposed, which will have practical scientific significance for the research and application of LMWOAs in future phytoremediation.

Recent advances in the diagnostic and therapeutic roles of microRNAs in colorectal cancer progression and metastasis.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common malignancy in the world and one of the leading causes of cancer death; its incidence is still increasing in most countries. The early diagnostic accuracy of CRC is low, and the metastasis rate is high, resulting in a low survival rate of advanced patients. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a small class of noncoding RNAs that can inhibit mRNA translation and trigger mRNA degradation, and can affect a variety of cellular and molecular targets. Numerous studies have shown that miRNAs are related to tumour progression, immune system activity, anticancer drug resistance, and the tumour microenvironment. Dysregulation of miRNAs occurs in a variety of malignancies, including CRC. In this review, we summarize the recent research progress of miRNAs, their roles in tumour progression and metastasis, and their clinical value as potential biomarkers or therapeutic targets for CRC. Furthermore, we combined the roles of miRNAs in tumorigenesis and development with the therapeutic strategies of CRC patients, which will provide new ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of CRC.

Plasma Quantitative Lipid Profiles: Identification of CarnitineC18:1-OH, CarnitineC18:2-OH and FFA (20:1) as Novel Biomarkers for Pre-warning and Prognosis in Acute Myocardial Infarction.

This study was aimed to determine the association between potential plasma lipid biomarkers and early screening and prognosis of Acute myocardial infarction (AMI). In the present study, a total of 795 differentially expressed lipid metabolites were detected based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Out of these metabolites, 25 lipid metabolites were identified which showed specifical expression in the AMI group compared with the healthy control (HC) group and unstable angina (UA) group. Then, we applied the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and support vector machine-recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) methods to obtain three lipid molecules, including CarnitineC18:1-OH, CarnitineC18:2-OH and FFA (20:1). The three lipid metabolites and the diagnostic model exhibited well predictive ability in discriminating between AMI patients and UA patients in both the discovery and validation sets with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.9. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that the three lipid metabolites may serve as potential biomarkers for diagnosing AMI. A subsequent 1-year follow-up analysis indicated that the three lipid biomarkers also had prominent performance in predicting re-admission of patients with AMI due to cardiovascular events. In summary, we used quantitative lipid technology to delineate the characteristics of lipid metabolism in patients with AMI, and identified potential early diagnosis biomarkers of AMI via machine learning approach.

Relationship between body mass index and sexual development in Chinese children / 中华儿科杂志

Objective: To investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and sexual development in Chinese children. Methods: A nationwide multicenter and population-based large cross-sectional study was conducted in 13 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities of China from January 2017 to December 2018. Data on sex, age, height, weight were collected, BMI was calculated and sexual characteristics were analyzed. The subjects were divided into four groups based on age, including ages 3-<6 years, 6-<10 years, 10-<15 years and 15-<18 years. Multiple Logistic regression models were used for evaluating the associations of BMI with sexual development in children. Dichotomous Logistic regression was used to compare the differences in the distribution of early and non-early puberty among normal weight, overweight and obese groups. Curves were drawn to analyze the relationship between the percentage of early puberty and BMI distribution in girls and boys at different Tanner stages. Results: A total of 208 179 healthy children (96 471 girls and 111 708 boys) were enrolled in this study. The OR values of B2, B3 and B4+ in overweight girls were 1.72 (95%CI: 1.56-1.89), 3.19 (95%CI: 2.86-3.57), 7.14 (95%CI: 6.33-8.05) and in obese girls were 2.05 (95%CI: 1.88-2.24), 4.98 (95%CI: 4.49-5.53), 11.21 (95%CI: 9.98-12.59), respectively; while the OR values of G2, G3, G4+ in overweight boys were 1.27 (95%CI: 1.17-1.38), 1.52 (95%CI: 1.36-1.70), 1.88 (95%CI: 1.66-2.14) and in obese boys were 1.27 (95%CI: 1.17-1.37), 1.59 (95%CI: 1.43-1.78), and 1.93 (95%CI: 1.70-2.18) (compared with normal weight Tanner 1 group,all P<0.01). Analysis in different age groups found that OR values of obese girls at B2 stage and boys at G2 stage were 2.02 (95%CI: 1.06-3.86) and 2.32 (95%CI:1.05-5.12) in preschool children aged 3-<6 years, respectively (both P<0.05). And in the age group of 6-10 years, overweight girls had a 5.45-fold risk and obese girls had a 12.54-fold risk of B3 stage compared to girls with normal BMI. Compared with normal weight children, the risk of early puberty was 2.67 times higher in overweight girls, 3.63 times higher in obese girls, and 1.22 times higher in overweight boys, 1.35 times higher in obese boys (all P<0.01). Among the children at each Tanner stages, the percentage of early puberty increased with the increase of BMI, from 5.7% (80/1 397), 16.1% (48/299), 13.8% (27/195) to 25.7% (198/769), 65.1% (209/321), 65.4% (157/240) in girls aged 8-<9, 10-<11 and 11-<12 years, and 6.6% (34/513), 18.7% (51/273), 21.6% (57/264) to 13.3% (96/722), 46.4% (140/302), 47.5% (105/221) in boys aged 9-<10, 12-<13 and 13-<14 years, respectively. Conclusions: BMI is positively correlated with sexual development in both Chinese boys and girls, and the correlation is stronger in girls. Obesity is a risk factor for precocious puberty in preschool children aged 3-<6 years, and 6-<10 years of age is a high risk period for early development in obese girls.

Investigation and analysis of dry eye condition of residents in Hotan, Xinjiang / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To evaluate the prevalence and potential risk factors of dry eye among residents in Hotan, Xinjiang, China.METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 6 027 residents aged 18-98 from 105 villages in Hotan, Xinjiang, China from January 2019 to September 2019. The subjective symptoms of dry eye were collected by ocular surface disease index(OSDI)questionnaire, and the objective signs were collected by testing fluorescein breakup time(FBUT)and Schirmer Ⅰ test, so as to analyze the prevalence and risk factors of dry eye.RESULTS: A total of 6 339 subjects aged 18-98 years were recruited from residents in Hotan, Xinjiang, China. Relevant eye examinations and questionnaires were conducted on the subjects, of which 6 027 were valid questionnaires, with an effective recovery rate of 95.08%. The dry eye detection rate of 6 027 residents was 40.37%(2 433/6 027), and the dry eye detection rates of male and female were 36.47%(846/2 320)and 42.81%(1 587/3 707)respectively. The dry eye detection rates of 18-24 years old, 25-34 years old, 35-44 years old, 45-54 years old, 55-64 years old, and ≥65 years old were 13.77%, 15.67%, 33.31%, 46.35%, 47.65%, 53.50%, respectively. According to the severity of dry eye, they were divided into mild dry eye, moderate dry eye and severe dry eye, and their constituent ratios were 80.11%, 19.03% and 0.86%, respectively.CONCLUSION: The prevalence of dry eye in the study population was 40.37%. The prevalence of dry eye in female was higher than that in male, and the prevalence of dry eye increased with the increase of age. Older age and female are the risk factors for dry eye.

Implementing a digital system for contact tracing and case investigation during COVID-19 pandemic in San Francisco: a qualitative study.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many health jurisdictions deployed digital informatics systems to support "manual" case investigation and contact tracing (CICT). This case study evaluates the implementation and use of a digital information system through the experiences of CICT workers in the City and County of San Francisco (CCSF). We conducted semi-structured, 90-min interviews with a sample of the CCSF CICT workforce (n = 37). Participants also completed standardized assessments of the digital system using the System Usability Scale (SUS). Qualitative analyses highlighted (1) the importance of digital tools to ensure rapid onboarding and effective data capture in a public health emergency; (2) the use of digital systems to support culturally sensitive care; and (3) the role of digitals tools in building supportive work environments. The mean SUS score was 70/100 (SD = 17), indicating relative ease of use. In summary, the analysis highlights the importance of digital tools to support manual CICT in the COVID-19 response.

mPalliative Care Link: Examination of a Mobile Solution to Palliative Care Coordination Among Tanzanian Patients With Cancer.

PURPOSE: Late-stage cancer patient symptom control is a national priority in Tanzania. Mobile health promises to improve the reach of a limited pool of palliative care specialists through interprofessional, community-based care coordination. This work assessed the effectiveness of a smartphone- or Web-based app, mPalliative Care Link (mPCL), to extend specialist access via shared data and communication with local health workers. Central to mPCL is the African Palliative care Outcome Scale (POS), adapted for automated mobile symptom assessment and response. METHODS: Adult patients with incurable cancer were randomly assigned at hospital discharge to mPCL versus phone-contact POS collection. Sociodemographic, clinical, and POS data were obtained at baseline. Twice-weekly POS responses were collected and managed via mPCL or phone contact with clinician study personnel for up to 4 months, on the basis of study arm assignment. Patient end-of-study care satisfaction was assessed via phone survey. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients per arm participated. Comparison of baseline characteristics showed an insignificant trend toward more women (P = .07) and higher discharge morphine use (P = .09) in the mPCL group compared with phone-contact and significant between-group differences in cancer types (P = .003). Proportions of deaths were near equal between groups (mPCL: 27%; phone-contact: 29%). Overall symptom severity was significantly lower in the phone-contact group (P < .0001), and symptom severity decreased over time in both groups (P = .0001); however, between-group change in overall symptoms over time did not vary significantly (P = .34). Care satisfaction was generally high in both groups. CONCLUSION: Higher symptom severity scores in the mPCL arm likely reflect between-group sociodemographic and clinical differences and clinical support of phone-contact arm participants. Similar rates of care satisfaction in both groups suggest that mPCL may support symptom-focused care coordination in a more efficient and scalable manner than phone contact. A broader study of mPCL's cost efficiency and utility in Tanzania is needed.

Prognostic Value of Regression Rate of Plasma EBV DNA After Induction Chemotherapy for Stage II-IVA Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: We aimed to explore the prognostic value of regression rate (RR) of plasma Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA after induction chemotherapy (IC) in patients with stages II-IVA nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS: Eligible patients receiving IC followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy were included. The cut-off value of pre-treatment EBV DNA (pre-IC DNA) and RR were identified by receiver operating curve (ROC). Recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) was applied to create new staging. Harrell's c-index and time-independent ROC were employed to compare different RPA staging. RESULTS: In total, 1,184 patients were included. The cut-off values of pre-IC DNA and RR were 16,200 copies/ml and 95.127% for patients receiving two cycles, and 5,520 copies/ml and 99.994% for those receiving three cycles. Notably, we only focused on patients receiving two cycles of IC. Patients with a RR >95.127% had significantly better 5-year overall survival (OS) than those with a RR ≤95.127% (86.2% vs. 54.3%, P <0.001). Then, RPA1 (pre-IC DNA + TNM staging + RR) and RPA2 (pre-IC DNA + TNM staging + post-IC EBV DNA [post-IC DNA]) staging systems were created. RPA1 staging achieved stronger power in OS prediction than RPA2 staging and TNM staging (c-index: 0.763 [0.714-0.812] vs. 0.735 [0.684-0.786] vs. 0.677 [0.604-0.749]; AUC: 0.736 vs. 0.714 vs. 0.628), indicating that RR had stronger prognostic power than post-IC DNA. Moreover, patients with stages III-IVRPA1 could benefit from high concurrent cumulative platinum dose (≥160 mg/m2). CONCLUSION: RR in conjunction with current TNM staging could better conduct risk stratification, prognosis prediction and help to guide precise concurrent chemotherapy.

Coping and growing in dilemma: Clinical work experience of front-line nurses in Wuhan during the early stage of COVID-19 epidemic.

AIM: To deeply explore the experience of front-line nurses who participated in rescuing Wuhan during the early stage of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. METHODS: Using a descriptive qualitative design, individual semi-structured interviews were conducted between February 25 and March 5, 2020. A conventional content analysis method was used in data analysis to extract themes and sub-themes. RESULTS: Six themes emerged after data analysis: (a) worries and stress during rescue; (b) difficulties encountered during rescue; (c) experience of team work; (d) experience of interaction with COVID-19 patients; (e) experience of logistic support and widespread concern; and (f) value and significance of the experience. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses took on difficult missions in the rescue and played an irreplaceable role. They experienced remarkable psychological changes over the intensive work. It was necessary to understand the feelings and problems of the nurses so as to establish a healthcare system that can protect medical staff effectively in future disasters.

A Mobile App to Improve Symptom Control and Information Exchange Among Specialists and Local Health Workers Treating Tanzanian Cancer Patients: Human-Centered Design Approach.

BACKGROUND: Improving access to end-of-life symptom control interventions among cancer patients is a public health priority in Tanzania, and innovative community-based solutions are needed. Mobile health technology holds promise; however, existing resources are limited, and outpatient access to palliative care specialists is poor. A mobile platform that extends palliative care specialist access via shared care with community-based local health workers (LHWs) and provides remote support for pain and other symptom management can address this care gap. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to design and develop mobile-Palliative Care Link (mPCL), a web and mobile app to support outpatient symptom assessment and care coordination and control, with a focus on pain. METHODS: A human-centered iterative design framework was used to develop the mPCL prototype for use by Tanzanian palliative care specialists (physicians and nurses trained in palliative care), poor-prognosis cancer patients and their lay caregivers (patients and caregivers), and LHWs. Central to mPCL is the validated African Palliative Care Outcome Scale (POS), which was adapted for automated, twice-weekly collection of quality of life-focused patient and caregiver responses and timely review, reaction, and tracking by specialists and LHWs. Prototype usability testing sessions were conducted in person with 21 key informants representing target end users. Sessions consisted of direct observations and qualitative and quantitative feedback on app ease of use and recommendations for improvement. Results were applied to optimize the prototype for subsequent real-world testing. Early pilot testing was conducted by deploying the app among 10 patients and caregivers, randomized to mPCL use versus phone-contact POS collection, and then gathering specialist and study team feedback to further optimize the prototype for a broader randomized field study to examine the app's effectiveness in symptom control among cancer patients. RESULTS: mPCL functionalities include the ability to create and update a synoptic clinical record, regular real-time symptom assessment, patient or caregiver and care team communication and care coordination, symptom-focused educational resources, and ready access to emergency phone contact with a care team member. Results from the usability and pilot testing demonstrated that all users were able to successfully navigate the app, and feedback suggests that mPCL has clinical utility. User-informed recommendations included further improvement in app navigation, simplification of patient and caregiver components and language, and delineation of user roles. CONCLUSIONS: We designed, built, and tested a usable, functional mobile app prototype that supports outpatient palliative care for Tanzanian patients with cancer. mPCL is expressly designed to facilitate coordinated care via customized interfaces supporting core users-patients or caregivers, LHWs, and members of the palliative care team-and their respective roles. Future work is needed to demonstrate the effectiveness and sustainability of mPCL to remotely support the symptom control needs of Tanzanian cancer patients, particularly in harder-to-reach areas.