Do Lockdowns Bring about Additional Mortality Benefits or Costs? Evidence based on Death Records from 300 Million Chinese People

After the COVID-19 outbreak, China immediately adopted stringent lockdown policies to contain the virus. Using comprehensive death records covering around 300 million Chinese people, we estimate the impacts of city and community lockdowns on non-COVID-19 mortality outside of Wuhan. Employing a difference-in-differences method, we find that lockdowns reduced the number of non-COVID-19 deaths by 4.9% (cardiovascular deaths by 6.2%, injuries by 9.2%, and non-COVID-19 pneumonia deaths by 14.3%). The health benefits are likely driven by significant reductions in air pollution, traffic, and human interactions. A back-of-the-envelope calculation shows that more than 32,000 lives could have been saved from non-COVID-19 diseases/causes during the 40 days of the lockdown on which we focus. The results suggest that the rapid and strict virus countermeasures not only effectively controlled the spread of COVID-19 but also brought about massive unintended public health benefits. These findings can help better inform policymakers around the world about the benefits and costs of city and community lockdowns policies in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Neural stem cell transplantation:its actuality and future used for treatment of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:Many studies have showed that neural stem cells therapy is a new strategy for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. OBJECTIVE:To review and analyze the status of research, transplantation strategies and mechanism of neural stem cells therapy for treatment of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. METHODS:A computer-based retrieval was performed in PubMed and CNKI database to search papers published from August 2000 to August 2013 using the key words of“hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, neural stem cells”in English and Chinese. The papers with objective-independent and repetitive contents were excluded, and final y 39 papers were included for final analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Neural stem celltransplantation can promote recovery of neurological function, which brings new hope to hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy patients. But the study is at a primary stage and limited in laboratory. There are many critical factors that hinder the clinical transplantation, such as delivery path, transplantation time, single or combined transplantation, mechanisms of action. Application of neural stem cells requires further investigation.

Comparison of therapeutic effects of transureteroscope holmium laser lithotripsy and retroperitoneal laparo-scopic ureterolithotomy for unilateral upper ureteral calculi / 中国基层医药

Objective To compare the therapeutic effects of transureteroscope holmium laser lithotripsy ( URL) and retroperitoneal laparoscopic ureterolithotomy ( RLU) for unilateral upper ureteral calculi and evaluate the selection of indications and clinical value of URL and RLU .Methods 37 patients were enrolled into the study . 14 patients received URL ,23 patients received RUL .Double-J stent was routinely indwelled in both groups .The oper-ation time,hospitalization time,clearance rate of the stone and incidence of postoperative complications .Results The stone clearance rate after postoperation of RLU group was 100%, which was significantly higher than that of URL group 64.4%(χ2 =4.15,P0.05).Two cases converted to operation in URL group ,while only 1 case converted to operation in RLU group.Conclusion Laparoscopic ureterolithotomy has a higher stone clearance rate and shorter operation time compared with ureteroscopic lithotripsy .Laparoscopic ureterolithotomy is a safe and effective therapeutic method for unilateral upper ureteral stones .