Evaluation of the Application Effect of "One Disease, One Product" Nursing Program in Improving Swallowing Function and ADL of Stroke Patients

[Objectives] To observe the effect of "One Disease, One Product" nursing program in improving swallowing function and activities of daily living (ADL) of stroke patients.[Methods] 240 patients with stroke complicated with dysphagia were divided into intervention group and control group according to the random number table method, with 120 cases in each group. The patients in the intervention group were treated with "One Disease, One Product" nursing program for standardized process nursing, and the control group was treated with routine nursing for stroke. Three weeks later, the swallowing function of the two groups of patients was evaluated by water swallowing test. At the same time, Barthel life index was used to evaluate patients activities of daily living (ADL) before nursing, after 3 weeks and after 3 months of nursing.[Results] After 3 weeks, the proportion of stroke patients with normal swallowing function in both groups increased compared with before, and the increase was more obvious in the intervention group. The difference in the proportion of stroke patients with normal swallowing function between the intervention group and the control group was statistically significant. The BI index scores after 3 weeks or at the follow-up three months later showed that compared with the same group before care, the BI index scores of patients in both groups increased significantly compared with before, but the increase was even greater in the intervention group, close to normal.[Conclusions] The "One Disease, One Product" nursing program can significantly improve the swallowing function of stroke patients, and can improve the near and long-term activities of daily living of patients, thus creating a high-quality nursing service brand.

A global perspective on macroprudential policy interaction with systemic risk,real economic activity,and monetary intervention

The study empirically assesses how macroprudential policy interacts with systemic risk,industrial production,and monetary intervention on a global level from January 2006 to December 2018.We adopt the aggregate proxies of these variables,capturing their global effects,and use a novel econometric technique,namely,smooth local projections.The study finds that global macroprudential policy leads the monetary policy,exhibiting a countercyclical pattern concerning industrial production.The latter has an inverse bidirectional linkage with systemic risk.Thus,an ex-ante tight macroprudential policy can indirectly mitigate global systemic risk through its pro-growth effect on industrial production,although no convincing evidence exists for the direct impact of a macroprudential intervention on systemic risk.The study results endure several extensions and a robustness check,which builds on alternative measures of global systemic stress and real economic activity,thereby legitimizing the increased importance attached to the macroprudential policy since the 2007–2009 global financial crisis.

Medicinal properties and anti-inflammatory components of Phytolacca(Shanglu)

Phytolacca(Shanglu)is a well-known traditional herbal medi-cine that has been used for thousands of years in China.Phytolacca is also used worldwide in different traditional phyto-medicines and homeopathic preparations.The present work re-viewed advances in the traditional uses,plant origin,chemical constituents,pharmacology,and medicinal properties of Phytolacca.Phytolacca is usually made from the roots of Phytolacca acinosa and P.esculenta,but the invasive plant P.americana(American pokeweed)is also widely used.Different types of medicinal products made with Phytolacca are available,as well as various types of Phytolacca extracts,showing a range of pharmacological activities including antioxidant,anti-inflammat-ory,anti-parasitic,antifungal,anticancer,and insecticidal effects.The marked anti-inflammatory activity of Phytolacca extracts supports its use in treating diseases such as arthritis,nephritis,and rheumatism,as well as in combatting cancer.Several bioact-ive natural products have been identified from Phytolacca,in-cluding glycosylated saponins such as esculentosides and phytolaccosides,as well as a few flavones(cochliophilin A)and phytosterols(α-spinasterol),which contribute to Phytolacca’s anti-inflammatory and/or anticancer effects.A quality evaluation of Phytolacca-based extracts and products is highly recommen-ded;nevertheless,the use of Phytolacca can be encouraged to help regulate cytokine production and combat inflammatory dis-eases.

Natural product-based treatment potential for type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes(T2D)is a metabolic disease of impaired glucose utilization and a major cause of cardiovascular disease(CVD).The pathogenesis of both diseases shares common risk factors and mechanisms,and both are significant contributors to global morbidity and mortality.Supplements of natural products for T2D mellitus(T2DM)and CVD can be seen as a potential preventive and effective therapeutic strategy.AIM To critically evaluate the therapeutic potential of natural products in T2D and coronary artery disease(CAD).METHODS By using specific keywords,we strategically searched the PubMed database.Randomized controlled trials(RCTs)were searched as the primary focus that examined the effect of natural products on glycemic control,oxidative stress,and antioxidant levels.We focused on outcomes such as low blood glucose levels,adjustment on markers of oxidative stress and antioxidants.After screening fulllength papers,we included 9 RCTs in our review that met our inclusion criteria.RESULTS In the literature search on the database,we found that various natural products like plant secondary metabolites play a diverse role in the management of CAD.American ginseng,sesame oil and cocoa flavanols proved effective in lowering blood glucose levels and controlling blood pressure,which are key factors in managing T2DM and CVD.In diabetic patients Melissa officinalis effectively reduce inflammation and shows diabetes prevention.Both fish oil and flaxseed oil reduced insulin levels and inflammatory markers,suggesting benefits for both conditions.The lipid profile and endothelial function were enhanced by Nigella sativa oil and Terminalia chebula,which is significant for the management of cardiovascular risk factors in T2DM.Additionally Bilberry extract also showed promise for improving glycemic control in patients with T2DM.CONCLUSION The high level of antioxidant,anti-inflammatory,and anti-angiogenic properties found in natural products makes them promising therapeutic options for the management of CAD,with the potential benefit of lowering the risk of CAD.

Kronecker积AB的广义逆的表示及其应用

本文给出矩阵A和B的Kronecker积的加权Moore－Penrose逆、Drazin逆和群逆的表示，并应用这些结果给出投影算子AAMN，AMNA，AdA和AgA的行列式表示，已知的关于Moore－Penrose逆和正则逆的结果，均为本文的特例．

Prevalence of fatty liver disease and the economy in China: A systematic review

AIM: To investigate the relationship between the economy and the adult prevalence of fatty liver disease(FLD) in China's Mainland. METHODS: Literature searches on the Pub Med and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were performed to identify eligible studies published before July 2014. Records were limited to crosssectional surveys or baseline surveys of longitudinal studies that reported the adult prevalence of FLD and recruited subjects from the general population or community. The gross domestic product(GDP) per capita was chosen to assess the economic status. Multiple linear regression and Loess regression were chosen to fit the data and calculate the 95%CIs. Fitting and overfitting of the models were considered in choosing the appropriate models. RESULTS: There were 27 population-based surveys from 26 articles included in this study. The pooled mean prevalence of FLD in China was 16.73%(95%CI: 13.92%-19.53%). The prevalence of FLD was correlated with the GDP per capita and survey years in the country(adjusted R2 = 0.8736, P GDP per capita = 0.00426, P years = 0.0000394), as well as in coastal areas(R2 = 0.9196, P GDP per capita = 0.00241, P years = 0.00281). Furthermore, males [19.28%(95%CI: 15.68%-22.88%)] presented a higher prevalence than females [14.1%(95%CI: 11.42%-16.61%), P = 0.0071], especially in coastal areas [21.82(95%CI: 17.94%-25.71%) vs 17.01%(95%CI: 14.30%-19.89%), P = 0.0157]. Finally, the prevalence was predicted to reach 20.21% in 2020, increasing at a rate of 0.594% per year. CONCLUSION: This study reveals a correlation between the economy and the prevalence of FLD in China's Mainland.

Allelopathy of decomposed maize straw products on three soilborn diseases of wheat and the analysis by GC-MS

In northern China, the soil-born diseases of wheat have been getting more and more serious under a new farming system that returns maize straw to the field. In order to investigate the allelopathy of the decomposed maize straw products on three soil-born diseases of wheat, culture dish and pot experiments were conducted and the compounds in the products were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry （GC-MS）. Culture dish experiments showed that the mycelial growth, sclerotia formation amount and total weight of Rhizoctonia cerealis were promoted at concentrations of 0.03, 0.06 and 0.12 g mL-1 and inhibited at concentration of 0.48 g mL-1 of the decomposed products. No significant effects were found of the product concentrations on average weight of the sclerotia. Mycelial growth of Gaeumannomyces graminis was promoted at almost all concentrations except the highest one. Mycelial growth and spore germination of Bipolaris sorokiniana were significantly inhibited by all concentrations of the decomposed products, with enhanced inhibition effects along with the increased concentrations. The length, number and dry weight of roots together with the root superoxide dismutase activity were promoted by the lowest concentration （0.03 g mL-1）, with a synthetic effect index of 0.012, and inhibited by other concentrations. The ion leakage of roots was increased and the root peroxidase activity of roots was lowered by all the treatments. Pot experiments revealed that occurrence of the sharp eyespot was reduced by 0.03 and 0.06 g mL-1 of decomposed products after irrigation. However, the incidence rates and disease indexes were significantly increased by 0.12, 0.24 and 0.48 g mL-1 of decomposed products. The results indicated that incidence rates and disease indexes of the take-all were significantly promoted after being irrigated with the decomposed products, while occurrences of the common rot didn＇t change, significantly. GC-MS results showed that the compounds of the decomposed products included organic acids, esters, hydrocarbons, amides and aldehydes, with the proportions 25.26, 24.01, 17.22, 14.39 and 7.73%, respectively. Further analysis investigated that the allelochemicals identified in straw decomposed products contained p-hydroxybenzoic acid （9.21%）, dibutyl phthalate （6.94%）, 3-phenyl-2-acrylic （5.06%）, 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzoic acid （2.26%）, hexanoic acid （1.73%）, 8-octadecenoic acid （1.06%）, 3-（4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-phenyl）-2-propenoic acid （1.04%）, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-benzoic acid （0.94%） and salicylic acid （0.94%）.

Herbal medicines and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD), which is characterized by excessive fat accumulation in the liver of patients who consume little or no alcohol, becomes increasingly common with rapid economic development. Long-term excess fat accumulation leads to NAFLD and represents a global health problem with no effective therapeutic approach. NAFLD is considered to be a series of complex, multifaceted pathological processes involving oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, and metabolism. Over the past decades, herbal medicines have garnered growing attention as potential therapeutic agents to prevent and treat NAFLD, due to their high efficacy and low risk of side effects. In this review, we evaluate the use of herbal medicines(including traditional Chinese herbal formulas, crude extracts from medicinal plants, and pure natural products) to treat NAFLD. These herbal medicines are natural resources that can inform innovative drug research and the development of treatments for NAFLD in the future.

Role of advanced glycation end products in cardiovascular disease

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are produced through the non enzymatic glycation and oxidation of proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. Enhanced formation of AGEs occurs particularly in conditions associated with hyperglycaemia such as diabetes mellitus (DM). AGEs are believed to have a key role in the development and progression of cardiovascular disease in patients with DM through the modification of the structure, function and mechanical properties of tissues through crosslinking intracellular as well as extracellular matrix proteins and through modulating cellular processes through binding to cell surface receptors [receptor for AGEs (RAGE)]. A number of studies have shown a correlation between serum AGE levels and the development and severity of heart failure. Moreover, some studies have suggested that therapies targeted against AGEs may have therapeutic potential in patients with heart failure (HF). The purpose of this review is to discuss the role of AGEs in cardiovascular disease and in particular in heart failure, focussing on both cellular mechanisms of action as well as highlighting how targeting AGEs may represent a novel therapeutic strategy in the treatment of HF.

Exploring the efficacy of natural products in alleviating Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease(hereafter AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects the central nervous system. There are multiple factors that cause AD, viz., accumulation of extracellular Amyloid-beta 42 plaques, intracellular hyper-phosphorylated Tau tangles, generation of reactive oxygen species due to mitochondrial dysfunction and genetic mutations. The plaques and tau tangles trigger aberrant signaling, which eventually cause cell death of the neurons. As a result, there is shrinkage of brain, cognitive defects, behavioral and psychological problems. To date, there is no direct cure for AD. Thus, scientists have been testing various strategies like screening for the small inhibitor molecule library or natural products that may block or prevent onset of AD. Historically, natural products have been used in many cultures for the treatment of various diseases. The research on natural products have gained importance as the active compounds extracted from them have medicinal values with reduced side effects, and they are bioavailable. The natural products may target the proteins or members of signaling pathways that get altered in specific diseases. Many natural products are being tested in various animal model systems for their role as a potential therapeutic target for AD, and to address questions about how these natural products can rescue AD or other neurodegenerative disorders. Some of these products are in clinical trials and results are promising because of their neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-amyloidogenic, anticholinesterase activities and easy availability. This review summarizes the use of animal model systems to identify natural products, which may serve as potential therapeutic targets for AD.

The role of natural flavonoids on neuroinflammation as a therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease:a narrative review

Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disease that affects a large proportion of older adult people and is characterized by memory loss,progressive cognitive impairment,and various behavioral disturbances.Although the pathological mechanisms underlying Alzheimer's disease are complex and remain unclear,previous research has identified two widely accepted pathological characteristics:extracellular neuritic plaques containing amyloid beta peptide,and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles containing tau.Furthermore,research has revealed the significant role played by neuroinflammation over recent years.The inflammatory microenvironment mainly consists of microglia,astrocytes,the complement system,chemokines,cytokines,and reactive oxygen intermediates;collectively,these factors can promote the pathological process and aggravate the severity of Alzheimer's disease.Therefore,the development of new drugs that can target neuroinflammation will be a significant step forward for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.Flavonoids are plant-derived secondary metabolites that possess various bioactivities.Previous research found that multiple natural flavonoids could exert satisfactory treatment effects on the neuroinflammation associated with Alzheimer's disease.In this review,we describe the pathogenesis and neuroinflammatory processes of Alzheimer's disease,and summarize the effects and mechanisms of 13 natural flavonoids(apigenin,luteolin,naringenin,quercetin,morin,kaempferol,fisetin,isoquercitrin,astragalin,rutin,icariin,mangiferin,and anthocyanin)derived from plants or medicinal herbs on neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease.As an important resource for the development of novel compounds for the treatment of critical diseases,it is essential that we focus on the exploitation of natural products.In particular,it is vital that we investigate the effects of flavonoids on the neuroinflammation associated with Alzheimer's disease in greater detail.

Fatigue in patients with inflammatory bowel disease in Eastern China

BACKGROUND Fatigue is a very common but relatively neglected problem in patients with inflammatory bowel disease(IBD).The prevalence rate of IBD in China is the highest in Asia,but there is little research on fatigue in patients with IBD.Neither the relationship between fatigue and quality of life(QoL)nor the relationship between fatigue and work productivity(WP)in Chinese IBD patients has been reported.AIM To investigate the prevalence of fatigue related to IBD in Eastern China,to identify the risk factors associated with fatigue,to assess the impact of fatigue on QoL,and to evaluate the relationship between fatigue and WP.METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted in a Regional Tertiary IBD Diagnostic and Treatment Center in Eastern China.Clinical data of patients were collected,and disease activity was evaluated.Blood samples were analyzed to assess anemia,albumin,and inflammation.Fatigue was assessed using the multidimensional fatigue inventory.QoL and WP were measured using the short inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire and the work productivity and activity impairment general health questionnaire,respectively.The patients also completed assessments of depression(Patient Health Questionnaire-9)and anxiety(Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale).RESULTS A total of 311 IBD patients,comprising 168 Crohn's disease patients and 143 ulcerative colitis patients,were enrolled.The prevalence of fatigue in patients with IBD was 60.77%.In a univariate logistic regression analysis,factors such as disease activity,depression,anxiety,anemia,and IBD-related surgery were individually related to a significantly increased risk of fatigue in IBD patients.Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that depression[odds ratio(OR)=8.078,95%confidence interval(CI):4.113-15.865],anxiety(OR=2.373,95%CI:1.100-5.119),anemia(OR=2.498,95%CI:1.290-4.834),and IBD-related surgery(OR=2.035,95%CI:1.084-3.819)were related to fatigue in IBD patients.There was a negative correlation between fatigue and QoL(r=-0.831;P<0.0001)but a positive correlation between fatigue and WP loss.CONCLUSION The prevalence of fatigue in IBD patients in Eastern China is remarkably high even in clinical remission.Factors such as depression,anxiety,anemia,and IBDrelated surgery are major risk factors for fatigue in IBD patients.In addition,fatigue has a negative impact on QoL and is positively correlated with WP loss.

Patients'perspectives on smoking and inflammatory bowel disease:An online survey in collaboration with European Federation of Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis Associations

BACKGROUNDSmoking has detrimental effects on Crohn’s disease (CD) activity while data onulcerative colitis (UC) are conflicting. Little is known about the use and impact ofalternative smoking products in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).AIMTo understand the patients’ perceptions of the impact of smoking on their IBDand to assess differences between CD and UC patients.METHODSThe questionnaire was developed by Philip Morris Products SA in cooperationwith European Federation of Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis Associations. Thefinal survey questionnaire consisted of 41 questions divided in 8 categories: (1)Subject screener;(2) Smoking history;(3) Background information;(4) IBD diseasebackground;(5) Current disease status;(6) Current therapeutics and medications;and (7) Current nicotine/cigarettes use and awareness of the impacts of smokingon IBD. The questionnaire was submitted online from 4th November 2019 to 11th March 2020 through the European Federation of Crohn's and Ulcerative ColitisAssociations website to IBD patients who were current smokers or had a historyof smoking.RESULTSIn total 1050 IBD patients speaking nine languages participated to the survey.Among them, 807 (76.9%) patients declared to have ever smoked or consumed analternative smoking product, with a higher proportion of current cigarettesmokers among CD patients (CD: 63.1% vs UC: 54.1%, P = 0.012). About twothirdsof the participants declared to have ever stopped cigarette smoking andrestarted (67.0%), with a significantly higher proportion among UC patientscompared to CD patients (73.1% vs 62.0%, P = 0.001). We also found significantdifferences between CD and UC patients in the awareness of the healthconsequences of smoking in their disease and in the perceived impact of smokingon disease activity, for both cigarettes and alternative smoking products.CONCLUSIONThis survey found significant differences between CD and UC patients in bothawareness and perception of the impact of smoking on their disease. Furtherefforts should be done to encourage smoking cessation for all IBD patients,including UC patients.

Role of the advanced glycation end products receptor in Crohn's disease inflammation

AIM:To investigate the level of mucosal expression and the involvement of the receptor for the advanced glycation end products(RAGE)in delayed apoptosis and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-αproduction in Crohn’s disease(CD).METHODS:Surgical and endoscopic specimens from both inflamed and non-inflamed areas of the ileum and/or colon were collected from 20 and 14 adult CD patients,respectively,and used for the assessment of RAGE expression by means of immunohistochemistry and western blotting analysis.Normal tissues from 21 control subjects were used for comparison.The same polyclonal anti-human RAGE antibody(R and D System)was used in all experimental conditions.RAGE staining was quantized by a score including both the amount of positive cells and intensity of immunoreactivity;cellular pattern was also described.The effects of RAGE blocking on apoptotic rate and TNF-αproduction were investigated on immune cells freshly isolated from CD mucosa and incubated both with and without the muramyl dipeptide used as antigenic stimulus.Statistical analysis was performed via the test for trend,with regression models to account for intra-patient correlations.A 2-sided P<0.05 was considered significant.RESULTS:In inflamed areas,RAGE expression in both the epithelial and lamina propria compartments was higher than control tissues(P=0.001 and 0.021,respectively),and a cluster of positive cells were usually found in proximity of ulcerative lesions.Similar results were obtained in the lamina propria compartment of non-inflamed areas(P=0.025).The pattern of staining was membranous and granular cytosolic at the epithelial level,while in the lamina propria it was diffuse cytosolic.When evaluating the amount of protein expression by immunoblotting,a significant increase of both surface area and band intensity(P<0.0001 for both)was observed in CD inflamed areas compared to control tissue,while in non-inflamed areas a significant increase was found only for band intensity(P<0.005).Moreover,a significantly lower expression in noninflamed areas in comparison with inflamed areas was found for both surface area and band intensity(P<0.0006 for both).Finally,RAGE blocking largely affects both the apoptotic rate of mucosal cells(towards an increase in both non-inflamed and inflamed areas of P<0.001 and<0.0001,respectively)and TNF-αsecretion(towards a decrease in both non-inflamed and inflamed areas of P<0.05 and<0.01,respectively),mainly in the presence of antigenic stimulation.CONCLUSION:RAGE is up-regulated in CD,especially in inflamed areas,and it appears to play a role in the mechanisms involved in chronic inflammation.

Brain-gut-liver interactions across the spectrum of insulin resistance in metabolic fatty liver disease

Metabolic associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD),formerly named“nonalcoholic fatty liver disease”occurs in about one-third of the general population of developed countries worldwide and behaves as a major morbidity and mortality risk factor for major causes of death,such as cardio-vascular,digestive,metabolic,neoplastic and neuro-degenerative diseases.However,progression of MAFLD and its associated systemic complications occur almost invariably in patients who experience the additional burden of intrahepatic and/or systemic inflammation,which acts as disease accelerator.Our review is focused on the new knowledge about the brain-gut-liver axis in the context of metabolic dysregulations associated with fatty liver,where insulin resistance has been assumed to play an important role.Special emphasis has been given to digital imaging studies and in particular to positron emission tomography,as it represents a unique opportunity for the noninvasive in vivo study of tissue metabolism.An exhaustive revision of targeted animal models is also provided in order to clarify what the available preclinical evidence suggests for the causal interactions between fatty liver,dysregulated endogenous glucose production and insulin resistance.

Three-dimensional stereotactic surface projection in the statistical analysis of single photon emission computed tomography data for distinguishing between Alzheimer's disease and depression

AIM To evaluate usefulness of single photon emission computed tomography(SPECT) with three-dimensional stereotactic surface projection(3D-SSP) in distinguishing between Alzheimer's disease(AD) and depression.METHODS We studied 43 patients who presented with both depressive symptoms and memory disturbance. Each subject was evaluated using the following:(1) the Minimal Mental State Examination;(2) the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression;(3) Clinical Global Impression-Severity scale(CGI-S); and(4) SPECT imaging with 3D-SSP.RESULTS The MMSE scores correlated significantly with the maximum Z-scores of AD-associated regions. CGI-S scores correlated significantly with the maximum Z-scores of depression-associated regions. Factor analysis identified three significant factors. Of these, Factor 1 could be interpreted as favouring a tendency for AD, Factor 2 as favouring a tendency for pseudo-dementia, and Factor 3 as favouring a depressive tendency.CONCLUSION We investigated whether these patients could be categorized as types: Type A(true AD), Type B(pseudodementia), Type C(occult AD), and Type D(true depression). The factor scores in factor analysis supported the validity of this classification. Our results suggest that SPECT with 3D-SSP is highly useful for distinguishing between depression and depressed mood in the early stage of AD.

Computed tomography of Crohn's disease:The role of three dimensional technique

Crohn's disease,a transmural inflammatory bowel disease,remains a difficult entity to diagnose clinically.Over the last decade,multidetector computed tomography(CT) has become the method of choice for noninvasive evaluation of the small bowel,and has proved to be of significant value in the diagnosis of Crohn's disease.Advancements in CT enterography protocol design,three dimensional(3-D) post-processing software,and CT scanner technology have allowed increasing accuracy in diagnosis,and the acquisition of studies at a much lower radiation dose.The cases in this review will illustrate that the use of 3-D technique,proper enterography protocol design,and a detailed understanding of the different manifestations of Crohn's disease are all critical in properly diagnosing the full range of possible complications in Crohn's patients.In particular,CT enterography has proven to be effective in identifying involvement of the small and large bowel(including active inflammation,stigmata of chronic inflammation,and Crohn's-related bowel neoplasia) by Crohn's disease,as well as the extra-enteric manifestations of the disease,including fistulae,sinus tracts,abscesses,and urologic/hepatobiliary/osseous complications.Moreover,the proper use of 3-D technique(including volume rendering and maximum intensity projection) as a routine component of enterography interpretation can play a vital role in improving diagnostic accuracy.

RAGE gene three polymorphisms with Crohn's disease susceptibility in Chinese Han population

AIM: To investigate the association of three polymorphisms in the receptor for advanced glycation end product (RAGE) gene with Crohn&#x02019;s disease (CD) risk in a Chinese population.

The 1st Euro-Mediterranean Workshop: Natural Products in Health and Diseases: Cairo, Egypt,March 2, 2015

Natural plant products have been used for centuries for health maintenance and treatment of a variety of diseases in various traditional systems of medicine in Egypt and other African countries, India, China, and other countries around the world. Over the past several decades, the popularity of herbal and other natural products has gradually increased in many western countries. Despite the increasing popularity of natural products, both the public and the professionals are skeptical about the use of these products. Reasons for this skepticism include, but are not limited to, the lack of proper documentation about the source and formulations used;standardization of the composition, batch-to-batch consistency, documented safety of herbal products;and information about the mechanisms of action of these products. The 1 st Euro-Mediterranean Workshop: Natural Products in Health and Diseases was organized by the Euro-Mediterranean Association of Life Sciences (EMALS) and various other local organizations to review and discuss the above-mentioned strengths and limitations of the use of natural products. The aim of this workshop was to share best practices and expertise about natural products, and to identify opportunities for collaboration among researchers, health professionals, and business personnel in a productive atmosphere.

Global and Regional Trends and Projections of Infective Endocarditis-Associated Disease Burden and Attributable Risk Factors from 1990 to 2030

Objective To forecast the future burden and its attributable risk factors of infective endocarditis(IE).Methods We analyzed the disease burden of IE and its risk factors from 1990 to 2019 using the Global Burden of Disease 2019 database and projected the disease burden from 2020 to 2030 using a Bayesian age-period-cohort model.Results By 2030,the incidence of IE will increase uncontrollably on a global scale,with developed countries having the largest number of cases and developing countries experiencing the fastest growth.The affected population will be predominantly males,but the gender gap will narrow.The elderly in high-income countries will bear the greatest burden,with a gradual shift to middle-income countries.The incidence of IE in countries with middle/high-middle social-demographic indicators(SDI) will surpass that of high SDI countries.In China,the incidence rate and the number of IE will reach 18.07 per 100,000 and 451,596 in 2030,respectively.IEassociated deaths and heart failure will continue to impose a significant burden on society,the burden on women will increase and surpass that on men,and the elderly in high-SDI countries will bear the heaviest burden.High systolic blood pressure has become the primary risk factor for IE-related death.Conclusions This study provides comprehensive analyses of the disease burden and risk factors of IE worldwide over the next decade.The IE-associated incidence will increase in the future and the death and heart failure burden will not be appropriately controlled.Gender,age,regional,and country heterogeneity should be taken seriously to facilitate in making effective strategies for lowering the IE disease burden.