Research based on data mining compatibility of traditional Chinese medicine with Professor WANG Dong-mei in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea

Objective:To study the law of compatibility of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea by Professor WANG Dong-mei.Methods:This study collected the Professor WANG Dong-mei’s prescriptions for primary dysmenorrhea cases in the outpatient department,to establish a database by Excel 2015,and to use IBM SPSS statistics 24.0 and SPSS Clementine 12.0 software for clustering analysis and association rules data mining analysis.Results:A total of 106 cases were included,106 prescriptions were collected,114 kinds of drugs were used,nd the cumulative frequency of drug use was 1876 times;the top three drugs were white peony(89 times),Xiangfu(77 times),red peony(75 times);the drugs with the most drug properties and taste frequency were warm and sweet drugs,which were mainly liver meridian;four common pair-used drug groups were Xiangfu yanhusuo,angelica white peony etc.and six groups were common clustering groups.Conclusion:Professor WANG Dong-mei usually chooses the drugs of sweet,warm or spicy in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea.In addition to the natural efficacy,Prof.Wang also considers modern pharmacological effect in the specific drug selection.The commonly used prescription combination is Shaofu Zhuyu Decoction,which embodies Professor WANG Dong-mei's academic thought of treating primary dysmenorrhea"mainly by warming and regulating qi and blood",and for patients with reproductive needs,in addition to promoting blood circulation and relieving pain,she also adds menstruation regulating and pregnancy aiding drugs,which can not only improve the symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea,but also meet their fertility desire.

血清和房水中miR-377-3p和miR-365-3p表达水平与糖尿病性黄斑水肿程度的相关性

目的:探讨血清和房水中miR-377-3p和miR-365-3p表达水平与糖尿病性黄斑水肿(DME)程度的相关性。方法:前瞻性研究。选取2021-02/2022-02三六三医院收治的初诊为DME患者60例60眼(如双眼发病取严重眼入组,若两眼程度一致取右眼),其中轻度24眼,中度21眼,重度15眼;另选同期本院收治的未发生DME的2型糖尿病患者60例60眼作为对照组。收集所有患者基本临床资料,包括BMI、吸烟史、饮酒史、高血压、高血脂、糖尿病病程、糖化血红蛋白、空腹血糖、Hcy;实时荧光定量PCR(qRT-PCR)法检测血清和房水中miR-377-3p和miR-365-3p表达水平。结果:DME组患者糖尿病病程、糖化血红蛋白、空腹血糖、同型半胱氨酸(Hcy)均显著高于对照组(均P<0.05);DME组患者血清中miR-377-3p和miR-365-3p表达水平均低于对照组(均P<0.05);重度组患者血清和房水中miR-377-3p和miR-365-3p表达水平显著低于中度组和轻度组,中度组显著低于轻度组(均P<0.05);血清中miR-377-3p和miR-365-3p表达水平与CMT呈负相关(r=-0.342、-0.374,均P<0.05),房水中miR-377-3p和miR-365-3p表达水平与CMT呈负相关(r=-0.425、-0.503,均P<0.05);多因素Logistic回归分析结果显示,糖尿病病程、空腹血糖及Hcy是2型糖尿病患者发生DME的危险因素,血清中miR-377-3p和miR-365-3p是2型糖尿病患者发生DME的保护因素(P<0.05)。结论:DME患者血清和房水中miR-377-3p、miR-365-3p均低表达,并与DME患者严重程度呈负相关。

Adrenomedullin: an important participant in neurological diseases

Adrenomedullin,a peptide with multiple physiological functions in nervous system injury and disease,has aroused the interest of researchers.This review summarizes the role of adrenomedullin in neuropathological disorders,including pathological pain,brain injury and nerve regeneration,and their treatment.As a newly characterized pronociceptive mediator,adrenomedullin has been shown to act as an upstream factor in the transmission of noxious information for various types of pathological pain including acute and chronic inflammatory pain,cancer pain,neuropathic pain induced by spinal nerve injury and diabetic neuropathy.Initiation of glia-neuron signaling networks in the peripheral and central nervous system by adrenomedullin is involved in the formation and maintenance of morphine tolerance.Adrenomedullin has been shown to exert a facilitated or neuroprotective effect against brain injury including hemorrhagic or ischemic stroke and traumatic brain injury.Additionally,adrenomedullin can serve as a regulator to promote nerve regeneration in pathological conditions.Therefore,adrenomedullin is an important participant in nervous system diseases.

Antidiarrheal properties of different extracts of Chinese herbal medicine formula Bao-Xie-Ning

OBJECTIVE： Bao-Xie-Ning （BXN）, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine （CHM） formula composed of Fructus Evodiae, Flos Caryophylli and Cortex Cinnamomi, and used for the treatment of infant diarrheal illness, was subject to systematic assessment for its putative multiple pharmacodynamic effects and pharmacological antidiarrheal mechanisms. METHODS： High-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-electrospray ionization- mass spectrometric/mass spectrometry was developed and validated for identification and quantification of the main constituents in different extracts of BXN. Male Kunming mice weighing 20 to 25 g were used for detecting the antidiarrheal activity of the extracts. Ethanolic extract （EE）, volatile oil extract （VOE）, and aqueous extract （AE） of BXN were respectively subjected to pharmacodynamic and pharmacological comparison in assessing antidiarrheal effects with senna-induced diarrhea, castor oil-induced diarrhea, acetic acid-induced writhing assay, and isolated duodenum test. RESULTS： The highest yields of three detected components of BXN, rutaecarpine, eugenol and cinnamaldehyde were observed in EE. EE showed the most remarkable antidiarrheal activity in dose-dependent and time-dependent manners in both senna- and castor oil-induced diarrhea models, and presented dose-dependent analgesic activity in acetic acid-induced algesthesia model. In addition, EE extract of BXN also exhibited strong antimobility action on the intestine and strongest depression on spontaneous contraction of isolated duodenum. CONCLUSION： Ethanol extraction is an efficient method to extract the active constituents of BXN. BXN extract demonstrated multiple pharmacological activities affecting the main mechanisms of diarrhea, which validated BXN＇s usage in the comprehensive clinical treatment of diarrhea.

Quantum reflection of a Bose-Einstein condensate with a dark soliton from a step potential

We study dynamical behaviors of a Bose-Einstein condensate(BEC)containing a dark soliton reflected from potential wells and potential barriers,respectively.The orientation angle of the dark soliton and the width of the potential change play key roles on the reflection probability Rs.Variation of the reflection probability with respect to the orientation angleθof the dark soliton can be well described by a cosine function Rs~cos[λ(θ-π/2)],whereλis a parameter determined by the width of the potential change.There are two characteristic lengths which determine the reflection properties.The dependence of the reflection probability on the width of the potential change shows distinct characters for potential wells and potential barriers.The length of the dark soliton determines the sensitive width of potential wells,whereas for potential barriers,the decay length of the matter wave in the region of the barrier qualifies the sensitive width of the barrier.The time evolution of the density profiles of the system during the reflection process is studied to disclose the different behaviors of matter waves in the region of the potential variation.

Integrity of the editing and publishing process is the basis for improving an academic journal’s Impact Factor

BACKGROUND Journal Impact Factor™(JIF)is often used to evaluate the relative reputation and quality of academic journals in their respective fields,and can greatly influence the quality and scope of subsequent manuscript submissions.Therefore,many if not all academic journals are interested in increasing their JIF,to improve their academic impact.AIM To determine the importance of the integrity of the editorial and publication process in improving the academic influence of academic journals and the JIF of academic journals.METHODS In this paper,we describe our statistical analysis of bibliometric factors-including the 2021 JIFs released in the Journal Citation Report™2022,discipline rankings,received and published articles in 2019-2021,and webpage visits and downloads-for seven journals published by Baishideng Publishing Group(Baishideng)and indexed in Science Citation Index Expanded™;ultimately,we introduce and discuss the editing and publishing processes of Baishideng’s journals in their entirety,as they form the basis for our objective of safeguarding and bolstering integrity in academic publication.RESULTS For the seven journals assessed,their 2021 JIFs were basically unchanged from 2020,with the current metric ranging from 5.374 for World Journal of Gastroenterology(WJG)to 1.534 for World Journal of Clinical Cases(WJCC).Further assessments of the journals’bibliometrics from 2019 to 2020,showed that World Journal of Stem Cells has the highest self-citation rate(1.43%)and World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery has the lowest(0.21%).Additionally,the total 3012 articles published during this period were cited by more than 20000 articles in approximately 8000 academic journals.Of note,the 1102 articles published in WJG were cited by articles in 3059 journals,among which 171 journals have a JIF of>10,including internationally renowned academic journals such as CA-A Cancer Journal for Clinicians(2021 JIF 286.130,record count:1),Lancet(2021 JIF 202.731,record count:4),Nature Reviews Immunology(2021 JIF 108.555,record count:2),Nature Reviews Gastroenterology&Hepatology(2021 JIF 73.082,record count:9),Lancet Gastroenterology&Hepatology(2021 JIF 45.042,record count:8),Gastroenterology(2021 JIF 33.883,record count:19),and Gut(2021 JIF 31.793,record count:21).This suggests that Baishideng’s journals have been widely recognized for their academic quality.In the Reference Citation Analysis(RCA)database,all seven Baishidengpublished journals obtained a 2022 Journal Article Influence Index(JAII).For example,WJG has a 2022 JAII of 22.048,ranking 18th out of 102 journals in the field of gastroenterology&hepatology in the RCA,with 469909 total citations(6/102)and 21313 total articles(5/102).The numbers of manuscripts received and published in 2021 were both higher than those in 2019-2020.For example,WJCC received a total of 3650 manuscripts in 2021,which is 91.1%higher than those in 2019-2020(average:1910 papers/year).In 2021,WJCC published 1296 articles,representing an increase of 105.1%compared to those in 2019-2020(average:632 articles/year).The numbers of webpage visits and downloads received by the seven journals have increased year by year.For example,the number of total visits received by WJG in 2019-2021 was 1974052 in 2019,2317835 in 2020(increased by 17.4%compared with that in 2019),and 2652555 in 2021(increased by 4.4%compared with that in 2020).The visitors were from more than 220 countries and regions worldwide,such as the United States,China,and the United Kingdom.Open access(OA)plays a vital role in improving the quality,efficiency,transparency,and integrity of academic journal publishing.From 2019 to 2021,a total of 5543 OA articles were published in the seven journals,of which 2083(37.6%)were invited and published free-of-charge.During the same period,1683 articles were published in WJG,and the authors were from more than 70 countries and regions.For the total 5543 articles published in the seven journals from 2019 to 2021,3903 article quality tracking reports were received after the online publication of these articles.The quality of the articles was further evaluated through the Baishideng’s article quality and author evaluation tracking system,with 4655 articles(84.0%)having received author evaluation and feedback,which contributes to tracking metrics for authors’satisfaction with the collective publication processes.From March 25,2021 to June 28,2022,the seven journals received a total of 424 reader evaluations and 229 letters from readers;this subsequent reader engagement demonstrates that the popularity of the published articles and the volume of their readership audience were improved through the reader evaluation system.CONCLUSION Ultimately,the findings from our bibliometric assessments indicate that establishing,promoting and actively practicing processes that safeguard and bolster the integrity of the editing and publication process also help to improve the academic influence of academic journals,which itself is the cornerstone for improving JIF.

Effect of Th1/Th2 balance on serum prostaglandin,COX-2,AVP and OT in primary dysmenorrhea rats with cold coagulation and blood stasis syndrome

Objective:Explore the role of Th1/Th2 balance in the pathogenesis of primary dysmenorrhea through study the effect of Th1/Th2 balance drift on serum prostaglandin F_(2α),prostaglandin,6-keto-prostaglandin F_(1α),TXB2,COX-2,AVP and OT in Primary Dysmenorrhea Rats with cold coagulation and blood stasis syndrome.Method:The rat model of primary dysmenorrhea with cold coagulation and blood stasis syndrome was established.On the basis of this model,Th1 shift model and Th2 shift model were established.The rats were divided into blank group,model group,Th1 shifting group and Th2 shifting group.The writhing reaction of rats in each group was compared,and the contents of PGF_(2α),PGE_(2),6-keto-PGF_(1α),TXB2,COX-2,AVP and OT in serum were detected.Results:Writhing latency:There was no significant difference between Th1 and Th2 shifting groups(P>0.05),Th2 shifting group was shorter than Th1 shifting group(P<0.05).Writhing times in 30 minutes:Compared with the model group,the writhing times of Th1 shifting group decreased significantly(P<0.01),while Th2 shifting group increased significantly(P<0.01).Compared with the blank group,the contents of PGF_(2α),TXB2,COX-2,AVP and OT were increased(P<0.05,P<0.01),and the contents of 6-keto-PGF_(1α)and PGE_(2)were decreased(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the contents of PGF_(2α),TXB2,COX-2 and AVP in Th1 shifting group were decreased(P<0.05,P<0.01),and the contents of 6-keto-PGF_(1α)and PGE_(2)were increased(P<0.01),while the contents of PGF_(2α),TXB2,COX-2,AVP and OT in Th2 shifting group were increased(P<0.01),and the contents of 6-keto-PGF_(1α)and PGE_(2)were decreased(P<0.01).Conclusion:The intervention of Th1/Th2 cell balance on the expression of PGF_(2α),PGE_(2),6-keto-PGF_(1α),TXB2,COX-2,AVP and OT may be one of the pathogenesis of PD with cold coagulation and blood stasis syndrome.

Research progress in the treatment of endometriosis with traditional Chinese medicine

Endometriosis is not only a common disease in gynecology,but also a chronic and difficult disease in gynecology.In recent years,with the increase of cesarean section rate and the increase of artificial abortion and hysteroscopic operation,the incidence rate of endometriosis has increased significantly,which has a certain impact on women's health and quality of life.Western medicine treatment of endometriosis is mainly hormone therapy and surgical treatment,which has greater limitations and more adverse reactions.In recent years,traditional Chinese medicine treatment of this disease shows more and more unique advantages,and presents a diversified trend.Therefore,this paper reviews the literature on the treatment of endometriosis with traditional Chinese medicine in recent years.

New Year’s greeting and overview of World Journal of Virology in 2021

The 2020 year-end wrap-up session of Baishideng Publishing Group was held on December 31,2020.All staff attended this session.We shared our key results area and made a business plan regarding the journal management.World Journal of Virology(WJV)is now abstracted and indexed in PubMed and PubMed Central.It received 23 manuscripts and published 9 papers which included 6 articles reporting coronavirus 19 in 2020.On the other hand,we made major strategies for WJV’s development in 2021.At present,WJV only has 28 Editorial Board members and cannot receive many manuscripts.We must redouble our efforts to invite more highly influential scientists to join our Editorial Board member and write high-quality manuscripts.

Needle knife in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: The aim of this meta-analysis was to examine the effectiveness and safety ofneedle knives for primary dysmenorrhea. Methods: We searched the electronicdatabases from their inception to May 25, 2022, comprising Cochrane Library, PubMed,Embase, SinoMed, CNKI, VIP and Wanfang databases. Randomized controlled trials(RCTs) investigating the effectiveness of needle knives for people with primarydysmenorrhea were eligible. The risk of bias and the quality of the included literaturewere evaluated. RevMan5.3 software was used for this study. Results: Five articles with313 participants were involved in the review. The cure rate (2.82 (2.01, 3.95), I^(2) = 25%)and total effective rate (1.32 (1.10, 1.57), I^(2) = 65%) of the experimental group werehigher than those of the control group. The dysmenorrhea symptom scores (–1.81(–2.61, –1.01), I^(2) = 69%), TCM symptom scores (–4.19 (–6.06, –2.31), I2 = 0%) andadverse reactions (0.16 (0.05, 0.51), I^(2) = 0%) of the experimental group were lowerthan those of the control group. Conclusions: Needle knives may provide advantages inthe treatment of primary dysmenorrhea. RCTs, including the larger sample, multi-center,high-quality and double-blind research, were required to further verify the efficacy ofneedle knives for primary dysmenorrhea.

Molecular and Biochemical Evidence for Phenylpropanoid Synthesis and Presence of Wall-linked Phenolics in Cotton Fibers

The mature cotton （Gossypium hirsutum L.） fiber is a single cell with a typically thickened secondary cell wall. The aim of this research was to use molecular, spectroscopic and chemical techniques to investigate the possible occurrence of previously overlooked accumulation of phenolics during secondary cell wall formation in cotton fibers. Relative quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that GhCAD6 and GhCAD1 were predominantly expressed among seven gene homologs, only GhCAD6 was up-regulated during secondary wall formation in cotton fibers. Phylogenic analysis revealed that GhCAD6 belonged to Class I and was proposed to have a major role in monolignol biosynthesis, and GhCAD1 belonged to Class III and was proposed to have a compensatory mechanism for monolignol biosynthesis. Amino acid sequence comparison showed that the cofactor binding sites of GhCADs were highly conserved with high similarity and identity to bona fide cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenases. The substrate binding site of GhCAD1 is different from GhCAD6. This difference was confirmed by the different catalytic activities observed with the enzymes. Cell wall auto-fluorescence, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy （FTIR）, high-performance liquid chromatography （HPLC） and chemical analyses confirmed that phenolic compounds were bound to the cell walls of mature cotton fibers. Our findings may suggest a potential for genetic manipulation of cotton fiber properties, which are of central importance to agricultural, cotton processing and textile industries.

A drug-eluting Balloon for the trEatment of coronarY bifurcatiON lesions in the side branch:a prospective multicenter ranDomized (BEYOND)clinical trial in China

Background:Treatment of coronary bifurcation lesions remains challenging;a simple strategy has been preferred as of late,but the disadvantage is ostium stenosis or even occlusion of the side branch(SB).Only a few single-center studies investigating the combination of a drug-eluting stent in the main branch followed by a drug-eluting balloon in the SB have been reported.This prospective,multicenter,randomized study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of a paclitaxel-eluting balloon(PEB)compared with regular balloon angioplasty(BA)in the treatment of non-left main coronary artery bifurcation lesions.Methods:Between December 2014 and November 2015,a total of 222 consecutive patients with bifurcation lesions were enrolled in this study at ten Chinese centers.Patients were randomly allocated at a 1:1 ratio to a PEB group(n=113)and a BA group(n=109).The primary efficacy endpoint was angiographic target lesion stenosis at 9 months.Secondary efficacy and safety endpoints included target lesion revascularization,target vessel revascularization,target lesion failure,major adverse cardiac and cerebral events(MACCEs),all-cause death,cardiac death,non-fatal myocardial infarction,and thrombosis in target lesions.The main analyses performed in this clinical trial included case shedding analysis,base-value equilibrium analysis,effectiveness analysis,and safety analysis.SAS version 9.4 was used for the statistical analyses.Results:At the 9-month angiographic follow-up,the difference in the primary efficacy endpoint of target lesion stenosis between the PEB(28.7%±18.7%)and BA groups(40.0%±19.0%)was-11.3%(95%confidence interval:-16.3%to-6.3%,Psuperiority<0.0001)in the intention-to-treat analysis,and similar results were recorded in the per-protocol analysis,demonstrating the superiority of PEB to BA.Late lumen loss was significantly lower in the PEB group than in the BA group(-0.06±0.32 vs.0.18±0.34 mm,P<0.0001).For intention-to-treat,there were no significant differences between PEB and BA in the 9-month percentages of MACCEs(0.9%vs.3.7%,P=0.16)or non-fatal myocardial infarctions(0 vs.0.9%,P=0.49).There were no clinical events of target lesion revascularization,target vessel revascularization,target lesion failure,all-cause death,cardiac death or target lesion thrombosis in either group.Conclusions:In de novo non-left main coronary artery bifurcations treated with provisional T stenting,SB dilation with the PEB group demonstrated better angiographic results than treatment with regular BA at the 9-month follow-up in terms of reduced target lesion stenosis.Trial registration:ClinicalTrials.gov,NCT02325817;https://clinicaltrials.gov.

Drug resistance and pathogenic spectrum of patients coinfected with nontuberculous mycobacteria and human-immunodeficiency virus in Chengdu, China

Background:Human-immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is increasing worldwide and nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is an established microbiologic cause of pulmonary disease,lymphadenitis,and disseminated disease in cases of advanced immune suppression.Data on patients coinfected with HIV and NTM are limited.Thus,this study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics,drug resistance,and pathogen spectrum of patients coinfected with both HIV and NTM in the Chengdu area of China.Methods:Data of 59 patients coinfected with both HIV and NTM collected from the Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu,between January 2014 and December 2018,were analyzed.NTM drug sensitivity testing was performed using the microporous plate ratio method.Data were analyzed using SPSS 19.0,and the change in drug resistance rate was analyzed using the chi-square (x2) test.Results:Seven species/complex of NTM were identified from patients coinfected with HIV and NTM in this study,with Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex (52.5%) and M.kansasii (27.1%) as the predominant species.Male patients were more affected 50/59 (84.7%);the mean age of the 59 cases was 45 years.The clinical characteristics mainly included anemia (86.4%),cough and expectoration (79.7%).The baseline CD4 count was <50 cells/μL (84.7%).Patients were mainly in advanced acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) stage.Chest imaging mainly showed patchy shadows (42.4%) and nodules (32.2%),with various degrees of AIDS-defining diseases.The drug resistance of NTM was severe,and the rate of isoniazid resistance (100.0%) was the highest,followed by rifampicin (94.9%),streptomycin (94.9%),ofloxacin (93.2%),and others.Ethambutol (52.5%) and clarithromycin (33.9%) were relatively low.No significant difference was found in the drug resistance rate of NTM strain against nine antituberculosis drugs in 5 years (P > 0.05).Condusions:The immune level of patients coinfected with HIV and NTM is low in advanced AIDS stage;more male are affected in patients who are mainly infected with MAC and M.kansasii and with serious drug resistance,The drug resistance rate of ethambutol and clarithromycin is relatively low.

Next-generation sequencing confirmed the diagnosis of isolated central nervous system infection caused by Talaromyces marneffei in an immunocompetent patient

To the Editor:Talaromyces marneffei(T.marneffei) formerly known as Penicillium marneffei、was first isolated from the liver of a wild Chinese bamboo rat in Vietnam by Capponi et al in the Pasteur Inst让ute in 1956.Disalvo et al reported the first case of human natural infection in 1973.The patient was a human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)-negative American missionary with Hodgkin disease.The main epidemic areas of the disease are Southeast Asia,including Thailand,Vietnam,and China.Guangdong and Guangxi are the most common areas in China.11厅.marneffei is a conditional pathogenic fungus mostly found in people with low immunity to infections;HIV-positive patients are the most commonly affected.

Basilar artery occlusion successfully treated with delayed intravascular intervention and mild hypothermia

To the Editor: Acute basilar artery occlusion (BAO) is a catastrophic variant of stroke, which accounts for about 1% of all strokes.[1] Though rare, BAOs are associated with high morbidity and mortality rates.[2] Although treatable, the rate of death or disability associated with BAO is still as high as 80%.[2] Early recanalization either with thrombolysis or intravascular thrombectomy was shown to significantly improve the outcome of patients with BAO.

Recurrent hemichorea in a patient with diabetes and anti-phospholipid syndrome: a case report

To the Editor:Many diseases present with chorea,such as cerebrovascular disease,diabetes mellitus,and systemic autoimmune disorder.The differential diagnosis for chorea is complicated,with many other rarer causes of chorea.Hemichorea is a type of chorea with unilateral involuntary movements.Hemichorea associated with nonketotic hyperglycemia and high-signal-intensity lesions on T1-weighted brain magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)is recognized as diabetic striatopathy(DS).[1] The movement disorder and imaging abnormalities typically resolve with the treatment of hyperglycemia.

Kinematics of hip,knee,ankle of the young and elderly Chinese people during kneeling activity

Objective:The purpose of this study was to measure the kinematics of the lower limbs of Chinese people during normal kneeling activity,as such data could be valuable in designing joint prosthesis and arthroplasty that meet the needs of Chinese citizens' daily activities.Methods:Thirty young and twenty elderly Chinese participants with no personal history of joint diseases were recruited,and matched by age(average age:23.8 years for the young group,60.8 years for the elderly group).Each participant performed six trials during which three-dimensional(3D) kinematics data were collected and the means of the 3D angles of the ankle,knee,and hip joints of two groups were calculated.Results:There were no obvious differences between the two groups in the knee and ankle joints.The mean range of knee flexion was 139.6° for the young group and 140.9° for the elderly group.The mean range of ankle flexion was 35.7° for the young group and 37.6° for the elderly group.The maximal eccentric flexion at the hip joint was 67.5° for the young group compared to 100.5° for the elderly group.Conclusions:The elderly uses more hip flexion angles than the young when assuming the kneeling posture.The ranges of motion obtained during kneeling activity are greater than the reported mean ranges of motion achieved following joint arthroplasty.The data could be valuable in establishing criteria for lower limb prosthetics and rehabilitation protocol for the Chinese population.

Validation of Angiostrongylus cantonensis combined with herpes simplex virus type 1 in cerebrospinal fluid by next-generation sequencing

To the Editor:Angiostrongylus cantonensis is one of the major causes of eosinophilic meningitis/meningoencephalitis,due to eating raw or undercooked paratenic or intermediate hosts like mollusks.Here,we described a case of combined infection of A.cantonensis and herpes simplex virus type 1(HSV-1)based on the results of next-generation sequencing(NGS).

Evaluation of Safety and Efficacy of Qinming8631 DR Implantable Cardiac Pacemaker in Chinese Patients： A Prospective, Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Trial of the First Domestically Developed Pacemaker of China

Background：High cost of imported pacemakers is a main obstacle for Chinese patients suffering from bradyarrhythmia,and a domestically developed pacemaker will help lower the burden.This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy ofQinming8631 DR （Qinming Medical,Baoji,China）,the first domestically developed dual-chamber pacemaker of China,compared with a commercially available pacemaker Talos DR （Biotronik,Berlin,Germany） in Chinese patients.Methods：A prospective randomized trial was conducted at 14 centers in China.Participants were randomized into trial （Qinming8631 DR） and control （Talos DR） groups.Parameters of the pacing systems were collected immediately after device implantation and during follow-ups.The effective pacing rate at 6-month follow-up was recorded as the primary end point.Electrical properties,magnet response,single-and double-pole polarity conversion,rate response function,and adverse events of the pacing system were analyzed.The Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel Chi-square test,paired t-test,and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used for measuring primary qualitative outcomes and comparing normally and abnormally distributed measurement data.Results：A total of 225 patients with a diagnosis ofbradyarrhythmia and eligible for this study were randomly enrolled into the trial （n =113） and control （n =112） groups.They underwent successful pacemaker implantation with acceptable postoperative pacing threshold and sensitivity.Effective pacing rates of trial and control groups were comparable both in the full analysis set and the per protocol set （81.4% vs.79.5%,P =0.712 and 95.4% vs.89.5%,P =0.143,respectively）.In both data sets,noninferiority of the trial group was above the predefined noninferiority limit（-9.5%）.Conclusions：This study established the noninferiority ofQinming8631 DR to Talos DR.The safety and efficacy ofQinming8631 DR pacemaker were comparable to those of Talos DR in treating patients with cardiac bradyarrhythmia.

Oscillation of Second-order Quasilinear Neutral Delay Difference Equations

By using the Riccati transformation and mathematical analytic methods, some sufficient conditions are obtained for oscillation of the second-order quasilineoa＂ neutral delay difference equations