Major depressive disease research in BRICS: A bibliometric analysis of publications from 2003 to 2022.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) seriously threatens human health. BRICS, known as an acronym for "Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa," were also actively carrying out researches on MDD. This study aimed to conduct a bibliometric study of research on MDD conducted by the BRICS. By searching in the Web of Science and using the software Vosviewer and Citespace as analysis tools, this study analyzed the cooperation network at the country, institution, author-specific levels, the research hotspots and trends from BRICS between 2003-2022. A total of 10,911 articles were finally included. Our findings showed that researches on MDD from BRICS rapidly increased during the past two decades. China and India have shown explosive growth, while South Africa has the largest average "Usage Count" and "Time Cited". The current cooperation partners of the BRICS were mainly high-income countries and other developing countries with similar cultures, languages, and geographical locations. Institutions in high-income countries served as the main bridges for BRICS cooperation, while at the author level, some core authors in the BRICS countries serve as centers. China showed a flexible model in domestic partnership, but institutions and authors in the other four countries have gathered to cooperate within the group. BRICS research on MDD mainly focused on cognitive science, brain science, epidemiology, and disease mechanisms. The keywords"gut microbiota", "network analysis," "machine learning" and "sleep quality" showed explosive growth and might become research hotspots in the near future. This bibliometric analysis provided a science knowledge graph and references for other researchers.

Difference of geographic distributions of the Chinese patients with prion diseases in the permanent resident places and referring places.

Human prion diseases (PrDs) are a group of transmissible neurodegenerative diseases that can be clarified as sporadic, genetic and iatrogenic forms. In this study, we have analysed the time and geographic distributions of 2011 PrD cases diagnosed by China National Surveillance for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CNS-CJD) since 2006, including 1792 sporadic CJD (sCJD) cases and 219 gPrD cases. Apparently, the cases numbers of both sCJD and gPrD increased along with the surveillance years, showing a stepping up every five years. The geographic distributions of the PrDs cases based on the permanent residences were wide, distributing in 30 out of 31 provincial-level administrative divisions in Chinese mainland. However, the case numbers in the provincial level varied largely. The provinces in the eastern part of China had much more cases than those in the western part. Normalized the case numbers with the total population each province revealed higher incidences in six provinces. Further, the resident and referring places of all PrD cases were analysed, illustrating a clear concentrating pattern of referring in the large metropolises. Five provincial-level administrative divisions reported more PrD cases from other provinces than the local ones. Particularly, BJ reported not only more than one-fourth of all PrDs cases in Chinese mainland but also 3.64-fold more PrDs cases from other provinces than its local ones. We believed that good medical resources, well-trained programmes and knowledge of PrDs in the clinicians and the CDC staffs contributed to well-referring PrD cases in those large cities.

Mobility Trends and Effects on the COVID-19 Epidemic - Hong Kong, China.

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS TOPIC?: Several outbreaks of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) occurred in Hong Kong in 2020, and the response had varied results based on the strength of policy measures and on compliance of the population. WHAT IS ADDED BY THIS REPORT?: By analyzing data of COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong, combined with the Google Mobility Trends and Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker, we make recommendations for the future prevention and control of the epidemic in Hong Kong. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE?: Monitoring data reflecting multiple aspects, such as the epidemic situation, the mobility behavior of people, and government policy, is helpful for public health practitioners and policymakers to understand the interaction between various factors and to precisely adjust COVID-19 control policies.

Spatiotemporal visualization for the global COVID-19 surveillance by balloon chart.

BACKGROUND: Considering the widespread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the world, it is important to understand the spatiotemporal development of the pandemic. In this study, we aimed to visualize time-associated alterations of COVID-19 in the context of continents and countries. METHODS: Using COVID-19 case and death data from February to December 2020 offered by Johns Hopkins University, we generated time-associated balloon charts with multiple epidemiological indicators including crude case fatality rate (CFR), morbidity, mortality and the total number of cases, to compare the progression of the pandemic within a specific period across regions and countries, integrating seven related dimensions together. The area chart is used to supplement the display of the balloon chart in daily new COVID-19 case changes in UN geographic regions over time. Javascript and Vega-Lite were chosen for programming and mapping COVID-19 data in browsers for visualization. RESULTS: From February 1st to December 20th 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic spread across UN subregions in the chronological order. It was first reported in East Asia, and then became noticeable in Europe (South, West and North), North America, East Europe and West Asia, Central and South America, Southern Africa, Caribbean, South Asia, North Africa, Southeast Asia and Oceania, causing several waves of epidemics in different regions. Since October, the balloons of Europe, North America and West Asia have been rising rapidly, reaching a dramatically high morbidity level ranging from 200 to 500/10 000 by December, suggesting an emerging winter wave of COVID-19 which was much bigger than the previous ones. By late December 2020, some European and American countries displayed a leading mortality as high as or over 100/100 000, represented by Belgium, Czechia, Spain, France, Italy, UK, Hungary, Bulgaria, Peru, USA, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico. The mortality of Iran was the highest in Asia (over 60/100 000), and that of South Africa topped in Africa (40/100 000). In the last 15 days, the CFRs of most countries were at low levels of less than 5%, while Mexico had exceptional high CFR close to 10%. CONCLUSIONS: We creatively used visualization integrating 7-dimensional epidemiologic and spatiotemporal indicators to assess the progression of COVID-19 pandemic in terms of transmissibility and severity. Such methodology allows public health workers and policy makers to understand the epidemics comparatively and flexibly.

Psychological distress and sleep quality of COVID-19 patients in Wuhan, a lockdown city as the epicenter of COVID-19.

The major Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak caused tens of thousands of diagnosed patients quarantined and treated in designated hospitals in Wuhan, the epicenter of the disease in China. Evidence for the psychological problems of COVID-19 patients was limited. Here we report a cross-sectional study of the mental distress and sleep quality of patients in a single center in Wuhan. The study was based on a combined questionnaire of basic questions designed by the study group, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). On Feb 17th and Mar 14th, two groups of patients were recruited respectively in a designated hospital for COVID-19. Univariate analysis and regression models were used to identify predictors for patients' psychological distress and sleep quality. In total, there were 202 participants in our combined sample. The average SAS, SDS, and PSQI score of participants were 44.2, 51.7, and 9.3 respectively. Factors associated with SAS score include gender, subjective evaluation of disease symptoms, and evaluation of medical staffs' attitude. Gender, age, education level, frequency of contacting with family, subjective knowledge level of COVID 19, and evaluation of medical staffs' attitude are associated with participants SDS score. Factors associated with PSQI score are age and subjective evaluation of disease symptoms.

The landscape of vaccines in China: history, classification, supply, and price.

BACKGROUND: Vaccine regulation in China meets World Health Organization standards, but China's vaccine industry and immunization program have some characteristics that differ from other countries. We described the history, classification, supply and prices of vaccines available and used in China, compared with high-and middle-incomes countries to illustrate the development of Chinese vaccine industry and immunization program. METHODS: Immunization policy documents were obtained from the State Council and the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC). Numbers of doses of vaccines released in China were obtained from the Biologicals Lot Release Program of the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC). Vaccine prices were obtained from Chinese Central Government Procurement (CCGP). International data were collected from US CDC, Public Health England, European CDC, WHO, and UNICEF. RESULTS: Between 2007 and 2015, the annual supply of vaccines in China ranged between 666 million and 1,190 million doses, with most doses produced domestically. The government's Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) prevents 12 vaccine preventable diseases (VPD) through routine immunization. China produces vaccines that are in common use globally; however, the number of routinely-prevented diseases is fewer than in high- and middle-income countries. Contract prices for program (EPI) vaccines ranged from 0.1 to 5.7 US dollars per dose - similar to UNICEF prices. Contract prices for private-market vaccines ranged from 2.4 to 102.9 US dollars per dose - often higher than prices for comparable US, European, and UNICEF vaccines. CONCLUSION: China is a well-regulated producer of vaccines, but some vaccines that are important globally are not included in China's EPI system in China. Sustained and coordinated effort will be required to bring Chinese vaccine industry and EPI into an era of global leadership.

An Abbreviated Scale for the Assessment of Skeletal Bone Age Using Radiographs of the Knee.

Hand and wrist radiographs are the most common means for estimating skeletal bone age. There is no widely used scale for estimating skeletal bone age using knee radiographs. Do skeletal bone age estimates from knee-maturity scales correlate sufficiently with both chronologic age and estimates from a hand-wrist scale to potentially substitute for estimates from the latter? The authors reviewed the records of 503 patients 6 to 19 years old who had hand and knee radiographs obtained within 30 days of each other. They analyzed radiographs using the O'Connor knee scale (based on 10 maturation markers) and a new, abbreviated version of the O'Connor scale (based on 7 markers). The authors also analyzed radiographs of the hands of boys 12.5 to 16 years old and girls 10 to 16 years old using the shorthand method. Multivariate linear regression was used for analysis. Inter- and intrarater reliabilities were assessed. Skeletal bone age derived from the O'Connor and abbreviated knee scales correlated with chronologic age (adjusted R2=0.88 and 0.90, respectively). Compared with estimates from the hand-wrist scale, estimates were lower by a mean of 0.91 years for boys and 0.38 years for girls when using the O'Connor scale and 0.96 years for boys and 0.52 years for girls when using the abbreviated scale. Inter- and intrarater reliabilities were very good (κ=0.82 and 0.90, respectively) and were substantial at each bony landmark measured. Knee radiographs can be used to estimate skeletal bone age using an abbreviated knee scale. [Orthopedics. 2018; 41(5):e676-e680.].

A pilot study of pre-operative motor dysfunction from gliomas in the region of corticospinal tract: Evaluation with diffusion tensor imaging.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Brain tumors in the corticospinal tract (CST) region are more likely to cause motor dysfunction. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of gliomas located in the CST region on motor function with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) preoperatively. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-five patients with histopathologically confirmed gliomas were included in this pilot study, in all cases (low-grade n = 13, high-grade n = 32) CST but not the motor cortex were involved by the tumor. DTI image were acquired and the posterior limb of the internal capsule fractional anisotropy (FA) and relative FA (rFA = affected FA/contralateral FA) were measured. Injury of the CST from tumor was divided into three grades (grade 1: displacement, grade 2: displacement and infiltration, grade 3: displacement and disruption). The fiber density index (FDi) and relative FDi (rFDi = affected FDi/contralateral FDi) of the injured and contralateral CST were measured. The correlations between muscle strength and the CST injury grade and the rFA, affected FDi, rFDi values were calculated using Spearman rank correlation analysis. rFA and rFDi values of muscle strength groups (MMT2-5) were compared with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The difference of muscle strength between low- and high-grade glioma groups were analysed with the Mann-Whitney U-test. RESULTS: Muscle strength was negatively correlated with the injury grade of the CST (r = -0.840, P<0.001). Muscle strength was positively correlated with rFA, FDi and rFDi (correlation coefficients (r) were 0.615, 0.643 and 0.567 for rFA, FDi and rFDi, respectively). The rFA values between grades (2&3, 2&4, 2&5, 3&5, 4&5) of muscle strength were significantly different (P<0.05), the rFDi values between grades (2&4, 2&5, 3&4, 3&5) of muscle strength were significantly different (P<0.05), while the rFA and rFDi values in the remaining groups of muscle strength grades showed no significant differences(P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative DTI and diffusion tensor tractography may quantify the injury degrees of CST and the extent of motor dysfunction in patients with brain glioma.

The knowledge, attitudes and practices on influenza among medical college students in Northwest China.

Objective This study aimed to understand the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) on seasonal influenza among medical college students in a low-income multiethnic society. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire survey collected information of KAP related to influenza. A knowledge score was calculated according to the total number of correct points out of 9 questions. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with influenza vaccine uptake. Results 856 valid questionnaires were obtained. The average knowledge score was 14.8 ± 3.1 out of 22 correct points. Han Chinese got higher score than minorities (p < 0.001). Knowledge score increased with grade (p < 0.001). Students majoring in pharmacy had lower score than others. Questions on mode of transmission, symptoms, precautions, high risk groups and vaccination schedule had a correct rate lower than 50%. Hand hygiene was practiced by less than 40% of students after touching objects in public areas or sneezing. The proportion of participants received influenza vaccine in the past 3 y was 4.1%, 9.2% and 6.1% respectively. Willingness to receive free vaccine (OR = 2.49, 95% CI 1.31∼4.28), and awareness of the vaccine effectiveness (OR = 1.67, 95% CI 1.08∼2.56) were significantly associated with vaccine uptake, while the general knowledge about influenza, perceived susceptibility and severity, and demographic factors were not. The top 3 reasons for not being vaccinated were poor knowledge of the vaccine (46%), no perceived need due to good health (45%) and worry about adverse reactions (33%). Conclusion Health education is needed to improve the awareness of basic facts about influenza and vaccine, and more attention should be paid to minority groups. The coverage of seasonal influenza vaccine is quite low. Besides individual level behavior change, social and structural factors should be considered to increase the uptake of influenza vaccine.

Seasonal influenza vaccination in China: Landscape of diverse regional reimbursement policy, and budget impact analysis.

BACKGROUND: To explore the current landscape of seasonal influenza vaccination across China, and estimate the budget of implementing a national "free-at-the-point-of-care" vaccination program for priority populations recommended by the World Health Organization. METHODS: In 2014 and 2016, we conducted a survey across provincial Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to collect information on regional reimbursement policies for influenza vaccination, estimated the national uptake using distributed doses of influenza vaccines, and evaluated the budget using population size and vaccine cost obtained from official websites and literatures. RESULTS: Regular reimbursement policies for influenza vaccination are available in 61 mutually exclusive regions, comprising 8 provinces, 45 prefectures, and 8 counties, which were reimbursed by the local Government Financial Department or Basic Social Medical Insurance (BSMI). Finance-reimbursed vaccination was offered mainly for the elderly, and school children for free in Beijing, Dongli district in Tianjin, Karamay, Shenzhen and Xinxiang cities. BSMI-reimbursement policies were limited to specific medical insurance beneficiaries with distinct differences in the reimbursement fractions. The average national vaccination coverage was just 1.5-2.2% between 2004 and 2014. A free national vaccination program for priority populations (n=416million), would cost government US$ 757million (95% CI 726-789) annually (uptake rate=20%). CONCLUSIONS: An increasing number of regional governments have begun to pay, partially or fully, for influenza vaccination for selected groups. However, this small-scale policy approach has failed to increase national uptake. A free, nationwide vaccination program would require a substantial annual investment. A cost-effectiveness analysis is needed to identify the most efficient methods to improve coverage.

Health system strengthening and hypertension awareness, treatment and control: data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.

OBJECTIVE: To monitor hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment and control in China two to three years after major reform of the health system. METHODS: Data from a national survey conducted in 2011-2012 among Chinese people aged 45 years or older - which included detailed anthropometric measurements - were used to estimate the prevalence of hypertension and the percentages of hypertensive individuals who were unaware of, receiving no treatment for, and/or not controlling their hypertension well. Modified Poisson regressions were used to estimate relative risks (RRs). FINDINGS: At the time of the survey, nearly 40% of Chinese people aged 45 years or older had a hypertensive disorder. Of the individuals with hypertension, more than 40% were unaware of their condition, about 50% were receiving no medication for it and about 80% were not controlling it well. Compared with the other hypertensive individuals, those who were members of insurance schemes that covered the costs of outpatient care were more likely to be aware of their hypertension (adjusted RR, aRR: 0.737; 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.619-0.878) to be receiving treatment for it (aRR: 0.795; 95% CI: 0.680-0.929) and to be controlling it effectively (aRR: 0.903; 95% CI: 0.817-0.996). CONCLUSION: In China many cases of hypertension are going undetected and untreated, even though the health system appears to deliver effective care to individuals who are aware of their hypertension. A reduction in the costs of outpatient care to patients would probably improve the management of hypertension in China.