AIM: To investigate whether periodontal disease(PD) is associated with increasing coronary heart disease(CHD) risk by performing a meta-analysis.METHODS: Two authors independently searched Pub Med and China National K...AIM: To investigate whether periodontal disease(PD) is associated with increasing coronary heart disease(CHD) risk by performing a meta-analysis.METHODS: Two authors independently searched Pub Med and China National Knowledge Infrastructure up to January 10 th, 2013 for relevant case-control studies that investigated the association between PD and CHD. After quality assessment using Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and data extraction by two independent authors, the overall and subgroup meta-analyses were performed and publication bias were examined using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis V2 software. Potential publication bias was assessed using visual inspection of the funnel plots, Egger linear regression test, and trims and fill method.RESULTS: Finally 38 relevant case-control studies were identified, involving 4950 CHD patients and 5490 controls. Eleven studies were rated low quality and 27 were high quality. Based on random-effects, a significant association was identified between PD and CHD(OR 3.79, 95%CI: 2.23-6.43, P < 0.001, I2 = 98.59%), and sensitivity analysis showed that this result was robust. Subgroup analyses according to adjusted/unadjusted ORs, source of control, methodological quality, end point, assessment of PD/CHD, and ethnicity also indicated a significant association. Publication bias was detected, and the estimated OR including the "missing" studies did not substantially differ from our estimate with adjustment for missing studies(OR 4.15, 95%CI: 2.62-6.54, P < 0.001).CONCLUSION: Based on the meta-analysis, PD is probably associated with CHD risk independently and significantly.展开更多
Randomized controlled trials(RCTs) are the gold standard in terms of study design, however, in the surgical setting conducting RCTs can often be unethical or logistically impossible. Case-control studies should become...Randomized controlled trials(RCTs) are the gold standard in terms of study design, however, in the surgical setting conducting RCTs can often be unethical or logistically impossible. Case-control studies should become the major study design used in surgical research when RCTs are unable to be conducted and definitely replacing case series which offer little insight into surgical outcomes and disease processes.展开更多
During the 1970’s and 1980’s studies on the rela-tion between LAI and yield had been carried out inGAAS.The main results were as follows:(1)Usingthe accumulated LAI value at three stages,i.e.panicle initiation(PI),h...During the 1970’s and 1980’s studies on the rela-tion between LAI and yield had been carried out inGAAS.The main results were as follows:(1)Usingthe accumulated LAI value at three stages,i.e.panicle initiation(PI),heading(H)and 20 d afterheading(H),to analyze the relation between LAIand yield was more accurrate than only using theLAI value at H stage(see table);(2)Reaching cer-展开更多
Exploitation of coal seams in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin is conducted in complex and difficult conditions. These difficulties are connected with the occurrence of many natural mining hazards and limitations resulti...Exploitation of coal seams in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin is conducted in complex and difficult conditions. These difficulties are connected with the occurrence of many natural mining hazards and limitations resulting from the existing in this area surface infrastructure. One of the most important problems of Polish mining is the rock burst hazard and reliable evaluation of its condition. During long-years’ mining practice in Poland a comprehensive system of evaluation and control of this hazard was developed. In the paper the main aspects of rock burst hazard state evaluation will be presented, comprising: 1) rock mass inclination for rock bursts, i.e., rock strength properties investigation, comprehensive parametric evaluation of rock mass inclination for rock bursts, prognosis of seismic events induced by mining operations, methods of computer-aided modelling of stress and rock mass deformation parameters distribution, strategic rock mass classification under rock burst degrees; 2) immediate seismic and rock burst hazard state evaluation, i.e., low diameter test drilling method, seismologic and seismoacoustic method, comprehensive method of rock burst hazard state evaluation, non-standard methods of evaluation; 3) legal aspects of rock burst hazard state evaluation. Selected elements of the hazard state evaluation system are illustrated with specific practical examples of their application.展开更多
This paper collects and synthesizes the technical requirements, implementation, and validation methods for quasi-steady agent-based simulations of interconnectionscale models with particular attention to the integrati...This paper collects and synthesizes the technical requirements, implementation, and validation methods for quasi-steady agent-based simulations of interconnectionscale models with particular attention to the integration of renewable generation and controllable loads. Approaches for modeling aggregated controllable loads are presented and placed in the same control and economic modeling framework as generation resources for interconnection planning studies. Model performance is examined with system parameters that are typical for an interconnection approximately the size of the Western Electricity Coordinating Council(WECC) and a control area about 1/100 the size of the system. These results are used to demonstrate and validate the methods presented.展开更多
The genome-wide association study (GWAS) is a powerful experimental design that is applied to detect disease susceptible genetic variants. The main goal of these studies is to provide a better understanding of the bio...The genome-wide association study (GWAS) is a powerful experimental design that is applied to detect disease susceptible genetic variants. The main goal of these studies is to provide a better understanding of the biology of disease, which further facilitates prevention or better treatment. A statistical inferential process is finally carried out in this study, where an association is usually observed between the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) and the traits in a case-control setting. To detect the disease responsible loci correctly, the investigation of the statistical association should be carefully conducted along with the other necessary steps. This research provides an introductory guideline for conducting such statistical association tests for these studies using SNP genotype data.展开更多
Objective This study aimed to analyze the clinical efficacy of the Jianpi Shengxue tablet for treating renal anemia.Methods A total of 200 patients with renal anemia from December 2020 to December 2022 were enrolled a...Objective This study aimed to analyze the clinical efficacy of the Jianpi Shengxue tablet for treating renal anemia.Methods A total of 200 patients with renal anemia from December 2020 to December 2022 were enrolled and randomly divided into two groups.Patients in the control group were treated with polysaccharide-iron complex,and those in the experimental group were administered Jianpi Shengxue tablet.After 8 weeks of continuous treatment,the therapeutic outcomes regarding anemia were compared between the two groups.Results After treatment,the red blood cell(RBC)count,hematocrit(HCT),reticulocyte percentage(RET),ferritin(SF),serum iron(SI),transferrin saturation(TSAT),and serum albumin(ALB)all increased(P<0.01),and the clinical symptom score and total iron binding capacity decreased(P<0.01)in the experimental group.Moreover,the improvements in RBC,HCT,RET,SF,SI,TAST,ALB,and clinical symptoms(fatigue,anorexia,dull skin complexion,numbness of hands and feet)in the experimental group were significantly greater than those in the control group(P<0.05).The total effective rate for treating renal anemia was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group(P<0.01).Conclusion The Jianpi Shengxue tablet demonstrates efficacy in treating renal anemia,leading to significant improvements in the laboratory examination results and clinical symptoms of patients with renal anemia.展开更多
Strong evidence has accumulated to show a correlation between depression symptoms and inflammatory responses.Moreover,anti-inflammatory treatment has shown partial effectiveness in alleviating depression symptoms.Lyci...Strong evidence has accumulated to show a correlation between depression symptoms and inflammatory responses.Moreover,anti-inflammatory treatment has shown partial effectiveness in alleviating depression symptoms.Lycium barbarum polysaccharide(LBP),derived from Goji berries,exhibits notable antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties.In our recent double-blinded randomized placebo-controlled trial,we found that LBP significantly reduced depressive symptoms in adolescents with subthreshold depression.It is presumed that the antidepressant effect of LBP may be associated with its influence on inflammatory cytokines.In the double-blinded randomized controlled trial,we enrolled 29 adolescents with subthreshold depression and randomly divided them into an LBP group and a placebo group.In the LBP group,adolescents were given 300 mg/d LBP.A 6-week follow up was completed by 24 adolescents,comprising 14 adolescents from the LBP group(15.36±2.06 years,3 men and 11 women)and 10 adolescents from the placebo group(14.9±1.6 years,2 men and 8 women).Our results showed that after 6 weeks of treatment,the interleukin-17A level in the LBP group was lower than that in the placebo group.Network analysis showed that LBP reduced the correlations and connectivity between inflammatory factors,which were associated with the improvement in depressive symptoms.These findings suggest that 6-week administration of LBP suppresses the immune response by reducing interleukin-17A level,thereby exerting an antidepressant effect.展开更多
Objective To introduce the design of observational trials under real-world study(RWS),and to provide guidance for clinical development of new research trials and reference for real-world researchers.Methods Relevant l...Objective To introduce the design of observational trials under real-world study(RWS),and to provide guidance for clinical development of new research trials and reference for real-world researchers.Methods Relevant literature of RWS and observational experiments at home and abroad were reviewed and analyzed,and then the design of observational studies was summarized under RWS.Results and Conclusion The data and information provided in observational studies not only help to further verify the clinical study results obtained by randomized controlled trial(RCT)in clinical practice,but also objectively reflect the real situation in the process of clinical research and application.展开更多
BACKGROUND Low back pain(LBP)is a prevalent issue that orthopedic surgeons frequently address in the outpatient setting.LBP can arise from various causes,with stiffness in the paraspinal muscles being a notable contri...BACKGROUND Low back pain(LBP)is a prevalent issue that orthopedic surgeons frequently address in the outpatient setting.LBP can arise from various causes,with stiffness in the paraspinal muscles being a notable contributor.The administration of Botulinum toxin type A(BoNT-A)has been found to alleviate back pain by relaxing these stiff muscles.While BoNT-A is approved for use in numerous conditions,a limited number of randomized clinical trials(RCTs)validate its efficacy specifically for treating LBP.AIM To study the safety and the efficacy of BoNT-A in minimizing pain and improving functional outcomes in patients of chronic LBP(CLBP).METHODS In this RCT,adults aged 18-60 years with mechanical LBP persisting for at least six months were enrolled.Participants were allocated to either the Drug group,receiving 200 Ipsen Units(2 mL)of BoNT-A,or the Control group,which received a 2 mL placebo.Over a 2-month follow-up period,both groups were assessed using the Visual Analog Scale(VAS)for pain intensity and the Oswestry Disability Index(ODI)for disability at the start and conclusion of the study.A decrease in pain by 50%was deemed clinically significant.RESULTS The study followed 40 patients for two months,with 20 in each group.A clinically significant reduction in pain was observed in 36 participants.There was a statistically significant decrease in both VAS and ODI scores in the groups at the end of two months.Nonetheless,when comparing the mean score changes,only the reduction in ODI scores(15 in the placebo group vs 16.5 in the drug group,clinically insignificant)was statistically significant(P=0.012),whereas the change in mean VAS scores was not significant(P=0.45).CONCLUSION The study concludes that BoNT-A does not offer a short-term advantage over placebo in reducing pain or improving LBP scores in CLBP patients.展开更多
Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) is a commonly diagnosed cancer in Southeast Asia. Many studies have examined the risk factors for NPC, yet the roles of some risk factors remain inconclusive. The purpose of t...Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) is a commonly diagnosed cancer in Southeast Asia. Many studies have examined the risk factors for NPC, yet the roles of some risk factors remain inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between modifiable lifestyle factors and the risk of NPC in the Singaporean population.Methods: We conducted a case–control study in Singapore with 300 patients and 310 controls who were recruited between 2008 and 2012. Each control was selected and individually matched to each patient based on sex, ethnicity, and age(±5 years). A total of 290 pairs of cases and controls were matched successfully. We examined lifestyle factors such as tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, various salted and preserved food consumption, and weaning practices.Results: After adjusting for covariates, multivariate analysis showed that those participants who were current smokers and had ever smoked tobacco had a higher risk of NPC than participants who had never smoked, with odds ratios(ORs) of 4.50(95% confidence interval [CI] 2.58–7.86; P < 0.001) and 2.52(95% CI 1.54–4.12; P < 0.001), respectively. Those who consumed salted vegetables at least once a week also showed a significantly increased risk of NPC than those who never or rarely consumed salted vegetables, with an OR of 4.18(95% CI 1.69–10.38; P = 0.002).Conclusion: Smoking(currently and ever-smoked) and consuming salted vegetables once a week or more were lifestyle risk factors for NPC, and changes of these factors for the better may reduce the risk of NPC.展开更多
BACKGROUND： Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD） is a major public health problem worldwide. Pulmonary rehabilitation （PR） is an established intervention for the management of patients with COPD. Exercise...BACKGROUND： Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD） is a major public health problem worldwide. Pulmonary rehabilitation （PR） is an established intervention for the management of patients with COPD. Exercise training is an important part of PR, and its effectiveness in patients with COPD is well established. However, alternative methods of PR training such as Daoyin have not been appropriately studied. Hence, alternative forms of exercise training that require less exercise equipment and no specific training place should be evaluated. This paper describes the study protocol of a clinical trial that aims to determine if pulmonary Daoyin training will improve the exercise capacity and psychosocial function of patients with COPD in China. METHODS AND DESIGN： A multicenter, randomized, controlled trial will be conducted. A total of 464 patients meeting the inclusion criteria will be enrolled into this study with 232 patients in each of the trial group and the control group. Based on patient education, patients in the trial group will receive pulmonary Daoyin and continue with their usual therapy for three months. In the control group, patients will continue with their usual therapy. The primary outcome measures are exercise capacity assessed by the six-minute walking distance test and lung function. Secondary outcomes include dyspnea and quality of life. Measurements will be taken at baseline （month 0） and after the study period （month 3）. DISCUSSION： It is hypothesized that pulmonary Daoyin will have beneficial effects in improving exercise capacity and psychosocial function of patients with stable COPD, and will provide an alternative form of exercise training that is accessible for the large number of people with COPD. TRIAL REGISTRATION： This trial has been registered in ClinicalTrials.gov. The identifier is NCT01482000.展开更多
Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells(hUC-MSCs)support revascularization,inhibition of inflammation,regulation of apoptosis,and promotion of the release of beneficial factors.Thus,they are regarded as a promisin...Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells(hUC-MSCs)support revascularization,inhibition of inflammation,regulation of apoptosis,and promotion of the release of beneficial factors.Thus,they are regarded as a promising candidate for the treatment of intractable spinal cord injury(SCI).Clinical studies on patients with early chronic SCI(from 2 months to 1 year post-injury),which is clinically common,are rare;therefore,we will conduct a prospective,multicenter,randomized,placebo-controlled,single-blinded clinical trial at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University,West China Hospital of Sichuan University,and Shanghai East Hospital,Tongji University School of Medicine,China.The trial plans to recruit 66 early chronic SCI patients.Eligible patients will undergo randomization at a 2:1 ratio to two arms:the observation group and the control group.Subjects in the observation group will receive four intrathecal transplantations of stem cells,with a dosage of 1×106/kg,at one calendar month intervals.Subjects in the control group will receive intrathecal administrations of 10 mL sterile normal saline in place of the stem cell transplantations.Clinical safety will be assessed by the analysis of adverse events and laboratory tests.The American Spinal Injury Association(ASIA)total score will be the primary efficacy endpoint,and the secondary efficacy outcomes will be the following:ASIA impairment scale,International Association of Neural Restoration-Spinal Cord Injury Functional Rating Scale,muscle tension,electromyogram,cortical motor and cortical sensory evoked potentials,residual urine volume,magnetic resonance imaging–diffusion tensor imaging,T cell subtypes in serum,neurotrophic factors and inflammatory factors in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid.All evaluations will be performed at 1,3,6,and 12 months following the final intrathecal administration.During the entire study procedure,all adverse events will be reported as soon as they are noted.This trial is designed to evaluate the clinical safety and efficacy of subarachnoid transplantation of hUC-MSCs to treat early chronic SCI.Moreover,it will establish whether cytotherapy can ameliorate local hostile microenvironments,promote tracking fiber regeneration,and strengthen spinal conduction ability,thus improving overall motor,sensory,and micturition/defecation function in patients with early chronic SCI.This study was approved by the Stem Cell Research Ethics Committee of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University,China(approval No.[2018]-02)on March 30,2018,and was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov(registration No.NCT03521323)on April 12,2018.The revised trial protocol(protocol version 4.0)was approved by the Stem Cell Research Ethics Committee of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University,China(approval No.[2019]-10)on February 25,2019,and released on ClinicalTrials.gov on April 29,2019.展开更多
The static and dynamic magnetic controlling characteristics of NiMnGa magnetically controlled shape memory alloy （MSMA） were experimentally studied. The results show that the characteristics of induced strain with r...The static and dynamic magnetic controlling characteristics of NiMnGa magnetically controlled shape memory alloy （MSMA） were experimentally studied. The results show that the characteristics of induced strain with respect to the magnetic field are nonlinear with saturation nature, and dependent on the temperature as well as the load applied to the MSMA. The magnetic shape memory effect can be observed only in complete martensite phase at room temperature. The magnetic permeability of MSMA is not constant and reduces with the increment of magnetic field. The relative saturation magnetic permeability of MSMA is about 1.5.展开更多
Iterative Learning Control （ILC） captures interests of many scholars because of its capability of high precision control implement without identifying plant mathematical models, and it is widely applied in control e...Iterative Learning Control （ILC） captures interests of many scholars because of its capability of high precision control implement without identifying plant mathematical models, and it is widely applied in control engineering. Presently, most ILC algorithms still follow the original ideas of ARIMOTO, in which the iterative-learning-rate is composed by the control error with its derivative and integral values. This kind of algorithms will result in inevitable problems such as huge computation, big storage capacity for algorithm data, and also weak robust. In order to resolve these problems, an improved iterative learning control algorithm with fixed step is proposed here which breaks the primary thought of ARIMOTO. In this algorithm, the control step is set only according to the value of the control error, which could enormously reduce the computation and storage size demanded, also improve the robust of the algorithm by not using the differential coefficient of the iterative learning error. In this paper, the convergence conditions of this proposed fixed step iterative learning algorithm is theoretically analyzed and testified. Then the algorithm is tested through simulation researches on a time-variant object with randomly set disturbance through calculation of step threshold value, algorithm robustness testing,and evaluation of the relation between convergence speed and step size. Finally the algorithm is validated on a valve-serving-cylinder system of a joint robot with time-variant parameters. Experiment results demonstrate the stability of the algorithm and also the relationship between step value and convergence rate. Both simulation and experiment testify the feasibility and validity of the new algorithm proposed here. And it is worth to noticing that this algorithm is simple but with strong robust after improvements, which provides new ideas to the research of iterative learning control algorithms.展开更多
Tuned liquid damper (TLD) and tuned liquid column damper (TLCD) are two types of passive control devices that are widely used in structural control. In this study, a real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) technique is emp...Tuned liquid damper (TLD) and tuned liquid column damper (TLCD) are two types of passive control devices that are widely used in structural control. In this study, a real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) technique is employed to investigate the diff erence in control performance between TLD and TLCD. A series of RTHSs is presented with the premise of the same liquid length, mass ratio, and structural parameters. Herein, TLD and TLCD are physically experimented, and controlled structures are numerically simulated. Then, parametric studies are performed to further evaluate the diff erent performance between TLD and TLCD. Experimental results demonstrate that TLD is more eff ective than TLCD under diff erent amplitude excitations.展开更多
Cooling panels are increasingly used in domestic residential buildings.To provide medium temperature cold water for the cooling panel,and dehumidify the indoor air simultaneously,a new kind of temperature-humidity ind...Cooling panels are increasingly used in domestic residential buildings.To provide medium temperature cold water for the cooling panel,and dehumidify the indoor air simultaneously,a new kind of temperature-humidity independent control air-conditioning unit was developed for single residential house by utilizing multi-variable technology.First,the supply air temperature was studied to determine the proper supply air flow rate for the humidity control.Then,the energy consumption of different temperature-humidity independent control systems was studied.The analysis indicates that unity evaporating temperature can be used to handle the moisture load and sensible heat load in two evaporators.So the unit scheme was put forward.Two evaporators were used to produce medium temperature water and dry air separately,and electric expansion valves were used to control the refrigerant distribution between the two evaporators.Then,experimental work was carried out to investigate the influence of compressor frequency,refrigerant distribution on the dehumidification capacity,energy efficiency and refrigeration capacity.In the end,the paper concludes that both compressor frequency and refrigerant distribution can control the dehumidification capacity,but the former influences the EER more than the latter,while the latter influences the refrigeration capacity more than the former.We can find a proper running point at certain sensible and latent cooling load by adjusting both compressor frequency and electric expansion valve.The energy consumption of this kind of unit was estimated and compared with present room air conditioners,which shows that it can save about 41% cooling energy consumption.展开更多
基金Supported by The Foundation of Education and Science Planning Project of Hubei Province(in part),No.2012A050the Intramural Research Program of Hubei University of Medicine,No.2011CZX01
文摘AIM: To investigate whether periodontal disease(PD) is associated with increasing coronary heart disease(CHD) risk by performing a meta-analysis.METHODS: Two authors independently searched Pub Med and China National Knowledge Infrastructure up to January 10 th, 2013 for relevant case-control studies that investigated the association between PD and CHD. After quality assessment using Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and data extraction by two independent authors, the overall and subgroup meta-analyses were performed and publication bias were examined using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis V2 software. Potential publication bias was assessed using visual inspection of the funnel plots, Egger linear regression test, and trims and fill method.RESULTS: Finally 38 relevant case-control studies were identified, involving 4950 CHD patients and 5490 controls. Eleven studies were rated low quality and 27 were high quality. Based on random-effects, a significant association was identified between PD and CHD(OR 3.79, 95%CI: 2.23-6.43, P < 0.001, I2 = 98.59%), and sensitivity analysis showed that this result was robust. Subgroup analyses according to adjusted/unadjusted ORs, source of control, methodological quality, end point, assessment of PD/CHD, and ethnicity also indicated a significant association. Publication bias was detected, and the estimated OR including the "missing" studies did not substantially differ from our estimate with adjustment for missing studies(OR 4.15, 95%CI: 2.62-6.54, P < 0.001).CONCLUSION: Based on the meta-analysis, PD is probably associated with CHD risk independently and significantly.
文摘Randomized controlled trials(RCTs) are the gold standard in terms of study design, however, in the surgical setting conducting RCTs can often be unethical or logistically impossible. Case-control studies should become the major study design used in surgical research when RCTs are unable to be conducted and definitely replacing case series which offer little insight into surgical outcomes and disease processes.
文摘During the 1970’s and 1980’s studies on the rela-tion between LAI and yield had been carried out inGAAS.The main results were as follows:(1)Usingthe accumulated LAI value at three stages,i.e.panicle initiation(PI),heading(H)and 20 d afterheading(H),to analyze the relation between LAIand yield was more accurrate than only using theLAI value at H stage(see table);(2)Reaching cer-
基金Project R0903003 supported by the Research-Development Project of Poland
文摘Exploitation of coal seams in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin is conducted in complex and difficult conditions. These difficulties are connected with the occurrence of many natural mining hazards and limitations resulting from the existing in this area surface infrastructure. One of the most important problems of Polish mining is the rock burst hazard and reliable evaluation of its condition. During long-years’ mining practice in Poland a comprehensive system of evaluation and control of this hazard was developed. In the paper the main aspects of rock burst hazard state evaluation will be presented, comprising: 1) rock mass inclination for rock bursts, i.e., rock strength properties investigation, comprehensive parametric evaluation of rock mass inclination for rock bursts, prognosis of seismic events induced by mining operations, methods of computer-aided modelling of stress and rock mass deformation parameters distribution, strategic rock mass classification under rock burst degrees; 2) immediate seismic and rock burst hazard state evaluation, i.e., low diameter test drilling method, seismologic and seismoacoustic method, comprehensive method of rock burst hazard state evaluation, non-standard methods of evaluation; 3) legal aspects of rock burst hazard state evaluation. Selected elements of the hazard state evaluation system are illustrated with specific practical examples of their application.
文摘This paper collects and synthesizes the technical requirements, implementation, and validation methods for quasi-steady agent-based simulations of interconnectionscale models with particular attention to the integration of renewable generation and controllable loads. Approaches for modeling aggregated controllable loads are presented and placed in the same control and economic modeling framework as generation resources for interconnection planning studies. Model performance is examined with system parameters that are typical for an interconnection approximately the size of the Western Electricity Coordinating Council(WECC) and a control area about 1/100 the size of the system. These results are used to demonstrate and validate the methods presented.
文摘The genome-wide association study (GWAS) is a powerful experimental design that is applied to detect disease susceptible genetic variants. The main goal of these studies is to provide a better understanding of the biology of disease, which further facilitates prevention or better treatment. A statistical inferential process is finally carried out in this study, where an association is usually observed between the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) and the traits in a case-control setting. To detect the disease responsible loci correctly, the investigation of the statistical association should be carefully conducted along with the other necessary steps. This research provides an introductory guideline for conducting such statistical association tests for these studies using SNP genotype data.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.82170701).
文摘Objective This study aimed to analyze the clinical efficacy of the Jianpi Shengxue tablet for treating renal anemia.Methods A total of 200 patients with renal anemia from December 2020 to December 2022 were enrolled and randomly divided into two groups.Patients in the control group were treated with polysaccharide-iron complex,and those in the experimental group were administered Jianpi Shengxue tablet.After 8 weeks of continuous treatment,the therapeutic outcomes regarding anemia were compared between the two groups.Results After treatment,the red blood cell(RBC)count,hematocrit(HCT),reticulocyte percentage(RET),ferritin(SF),serum iron(SI),transferrin saturation(TSAT),and serum albumin(ALB)all increased(P<0.01),and the clinical symptom score and total iron binding capacity decreased(P<0.01)in the experimental group.Moreover,the improvements in RBC,HCT,RET,SF,SI,TAST,ALB,and clinical symptoms(fatigue,anorexia,dull skin complexion,numbness of hands and feet)in the experimental group were significantly greater than those in the control group(P<0.05).The total effective rate for treating renal anemia was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group(P<0.01).Conclusion The Jianpi Shengxue tablet demonstrates efficacy in treating renal anemia,leading to significant improvements in the laboratory examination results and clinical symptoms of patients with renal anemia.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81671347(to KL)the Science and Technology Program of Guangzhou of China,No.202007030012(to KFS and KL)the Science and Technology Program of Guangzhou of China,No 202102020735(to RW).
文摘Strong evidence has accumulated to show a correlation between depression symptoms and inflammatory responses.Moreover,anti-inflammatory treatment has shown partial effectiveness in alleviating depression symptoms.Lycium barbarum polysaccharide(LBP),derived from Goji berries,exhibits notable antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties.In our recent double-blinded randomized placebo-controlled trial,we found that LBP significantly reduced depressive symptoms in adolescents with subthreshold depression.It is presumed that the antidepressant effect of LBP may be associated with its influence on inflammatory cytokines.In the double-blinded randomized controlled trial,we enrolled 29 adolescents with subthreshold depression and randomly divided them into an LBP group and a placebo group.In the LBP group,adolescents were given 300 mg/d LBP.A 6-week follow up was completed by 24 adolescents,comprising 14 adolescents from the LBP group(15.36±2.06 years,3 men and 11 women)and 10 adolescents from the placebo group(14.9±1.6 years,2 men and 8 women).Our results showed that after 6 weeks of treatment,the interleukin-17A level in the LBP group was lower than that in the placebo group.Network analysis showed that LBP reduced the correlations and connectivity between inflammatory factors,which were associated with the improvement in depressive symptoms.These findings suggest that 6-week administration of LBP suppresses the immune response by reducing interleukin-17A level,thereby exerting an antidepressant effect.
文摘Objective To introduce the design of observational trials under real-world study(RWS),and to provide guidance for clinical development of new research trials and reference for real-world researchers.Methods Relevant literature of RWS and observational experiments at home and abroad were reviewed and analyzed,and then the design of observational studies was summarized under RWS.Results and Conclusion The data and information provided in observational studies not only help to further verify the clinical study results obtained by randomized controlled trial(RCT)in clinical practice,but also objectively reflect the real situation in the process of clinical research and application.
基金Supported by All India Institute of Medical Sciences Bhubaneswar Research Grant,No.AIIMS/BBSR/RS/2022/372.
文摘BACKGROUND Low back pain(LBP)is a prevalent issue that orthopedic surgeons frequently address in the outpatient setting.LBP can arise from various causes,with stiffness in the paraspinal muscles being a notable contributor.The administration of Botulinum toxin type A(BoNT-A)has been found to alleviate back pain by relaxing these stiff muscles.While BoNT-A is approved for use in numerous conditions,a limited number of randomized clinical trials(RCTs)validate its efficacy specifically for treating LBP.AIM To study the safety and the efficacy of BoNT-A in minimizing pain and improving functional outcomes in patients of chronic LBP(CLBP).METHODS In this RCT,adults aged 18-60 years with mechanical LBP persisting for at least six months were enrolled.Participants were allocated to either the Drug group,receiving 200 Ipsen Units(2 mL)of BoNT-A,or the Control group,which received a 2 mL placebo.Over a 2-month follow-up period,both groups were assessed using the Visual Analog Scale(VAS)for pain intensity and the Oswestry Disability Index(ODI)for disability at the start and conclusion of the study.A decrease in pain by 50%was deemed clinically significant.RESULTS The study followed 40 patients for two months,with 20 in each group.A clinically significant reduction in pain was observed in 36 participants.There was a statistically significant decrease in both VAS and ODI scores in the groups at the end of two months.Nonetheless,when comparing the mean score changes,only the reduction in ODI scores(15 in the placebo group vs 16.5 in the drug group,clinically insignificant)was statistically significant(P=0.012),whereas the change in mean VAS scores was not significant(P=0.45).CONCLUSION The study concludes that BoNT-A does not offer a short-term advantage over placebo in reducing pain or improving LBP scores in CLBP patients.
基金This study was funded by a grant from the National Cancer Centre Singapore Research Fund(CEFIA 08113-25260790-CREF-IARC)(Grant No.CEFIA08136).
文摘Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) is a commonly diagnosed cancer in Southeast Asia. Many studies have examined the risk factors for NPC, yet the roles of some risk factors remain inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between modifiable lifestyle factors and the risk of NPC in the Singaporean population.Methods: We conducted a case–control study in Singapore with 300 patients and 310 controls who were recruited between 2008 and 2012. Each control was selected and individually matched to each patient based on sex, ethnicity, and age(±5 years). A total of 290 pairs of cases and controls were matched successfully. We examined lifestyle factors such as tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, various salted and preserved food consumption, and weaning practices.Results: After adjusting for covariates, multivariate analysis showed that those participants who were current smokers and had ever smoked tobacco had a higher risk of NPC than participants who had never smoked, with odds ratios(ORs) of 4.50(95% confidence interval [CI] 2.58–7.86; P < 0.001) and 2.52(95% CI 1.54–4.12; P < 0.001), respectively. Those who consumed salted vegetables at least once a week also showed a significantly increased risk of NPC than those who never or rarely consumed salted vegetables, with an OR of 4.18(95% CI 1.69–10.38; P = 0.002).Conclusion: Smoking(currently and ever-smoked) and consuming salted vegetables once a week or more were lifestyle risk factors for NPC, and changes of these factors for the better may reduce the risk of NPC.
基金supported by 2011 Special Fund for TCM-scientific Research in the Public Interest of Ministry of Finance, People’s Republic of ChinaState Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (No. 201107002)
文摘BACKGROUND： Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD） is a major public health problem worldwide. Pulmonary rehabilitation （PR） is an established intervention for the management of patients with COPD. Exercise training is an important part of PR, and its effectiveness in patients with COPD is well established. However, alternative methods of PR training such as Daoyin have not been appropriately studied. Hence, alternative forms of exercise training that require less exercise equipment and no specific training place should be evaluated. This paper describes the study protocol of a clinical trial that aims to determine if pulmonary Daoyin training will improve the exercise capacity and psychosocial function of patients with COPD in China. METHODS AND DESIGN： A multicenter, randomized, controlled trial will be conducted. A total of 464 patients meeting the inclusion criteria will be enrolled into this study with 232 patients in each of the trial group and the control group. Based on patient education, patients in the trial group will receive pulmonary Daoyin and continue with their usual therapy for three months. In the control group, patients will continue with their usual therapy. The primary outcome measures are exercise capacity assessed by the six-minute walking distance test and lung function. Secondary outcomes include dyspnea and quality of life. Measurements will be taken at baseline （month 0） and after the study period （month 3）. DISCUSSION： It is hypothesized that pulmonary Daoyin will have beneficial effects in improving exercise capacity and psychosocial function of patients with stable COPD, and will provide an alternative form of exercise training that is accessible for the large number of people with COPD. TRIAL REGISTRATION： This trial has been registered in ClinicalTrials.gov. The identifier is NCT01482000.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China,No.2017YFA0105403(to LMR)the Key Research and Development Program of Guangdong Province of China,No.2019B020236002(to LMR)+4 种基金The Clinical Innovation Research Program of Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory of China,No.2018GZR0201006(to LMR)the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos.81772349(to BL),31470949(to BL)the Guangzhou Science and Technology Project of China,Nos.201704020221(to LMR),201707010115(to BL)the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province of China,No.2017A030313594(to BL)the Medical Scientific Research Foundation of Guangdong Province of China,No.A2018547(to MP)
文摘Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells(hUC-MSCs)support revascularization,inhibition of inflammation,regulation of apoptosis,and promotion of the release of beneficial factors.Thus,they are regarded as a promising candidate for the treatment of intractable spinal cord injury(SCI).Clinical studies on patients with early chronic SCI(from 2 months to 1 year post-injury),which is clinically common,are rare;therefore,we will conduct a prospective,multicenter,randomized,placebo-controlled,single-blinded clinical trial at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University,West China Hospital of Sichuan University,and Shanghai East Hospital,Tongji University School of Medicine,China.The trial plans to recruit 66 early chronic SCI patients.Eligible patients will undergo randomization at a 2:1 ratio to two arms:the observation group and the control group.Subjects in the observation group will receive four intrathecal transplantations of stem cells,with a dosage of 1×106/kg,at one calendar month intervals.Subjects in the control group will receive intrathecal administrations of 10 mL sterile normal saline in place of the stem cell transplantations.Clinical safety will be assessed by the analysis of adverse events and laboratory tests.The American Spinal Injury Association(ASIA)total score will be the primary efficacy endpoint,and the secondary efficacy outcomes will be the following:ASIA impairment scale,International Association of Neural Restoration-Spinal Cord Injury Functional Rating Scale,muscle tension,electromyogram,cortical motor and cortical sensory evoked potentials,residual urine volume,magnetic resonance imaging–diffusion tensor imaging,T cell subtypes in serum,neurotrophic factors and inflammatory factors in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid.All evaluations will be performed at 1,3,6,and 12 months following the final intrathecal administration.During the entire study procedure,all adverse events will be reported as soon as they are noted.This trial is designed to evaluate the clinical safety and efficacy of subarachnoid transplantation of hUC-MSCs to treat early chronic SCI.Moreover,it will establish whether cytotherapy can ameliorate local hostile microenvironments,promote tracking fiber regeneration,and strengthen spinal conduction ability,thus improving overall motor,sensory,and micturition/defecation function in patients with early chronic SCI.This study was approved by the Stem Cell Research Ethics Committee of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University,China(approval No.[2018]-02)on March 30,2018,and was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov(registration No.NCT03521323)on April 12,2018.The revised trial protocol(protocol version 4.0)was approved by the Stem Cell Research Ethics Committee of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University,China(approval No.[2019]-10)on February 25,2019,and released on ClinicalTrials.gov on April 29,2019.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under grant No.50177019by the Education Department of China under grant No.20040142004.
文摘The static and dynamic magnetic controlling characteristics of NiMnGa magnetically controlled shape memory alloy （MSMA） were experimentally studied. The results show that the characteristics of induced strain with respect to the magnetic field are nonlinear with saturation nature, and dependent on the temperature as well as the load applied to the MSMA. The magnetic shape memory effect can be observed only in complete martensite phase at room temperature. The magnetic permeability of MSMA is not constant and reduces with the increment of magnetic field. The relative saturation magnetic permeability of MSMA is about 1.5.
基金supported by Specialized Research Fund for Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China (Grant No. 20091102120038)
文摘Iterative Learning Control （ILC） captures interests of many scholars because of its capability of high precision control implement without identifying plant mathematical models, and it is widely applied in control engineering. Presently, most ILC algorithms still follow the original ideas of ARIMOTO, in which the iterative-learning-rate is composed by the control error with its derivative and integral values. This kind of algorithms will result in inevitable problems such as huge computation, big storage capacity for algorithm data, and also weak robust. In order to resolve these problems, an improved iterative learning control algorithm with fixed step is proposed here which breaks the primary thought of ARIMOTO. In this algorithm, the control step is set only according to the value of the control error, which could enormously reduce the computation and storage size demanded, also improve the robust of the algorithm by not using the differential coefficient of the iterative learning error. In this paper, the convergence conditions of this proposed fixed step iterative learning algorithm is theoretically analyzed and testified. Then the algorithm is tested through simulation researches on a time-variant object with randomly set disturbance through calculation of step threshold value, algorithm robustness testing,and evaluation of the relation between convergence speed and step size. Finally the algorithm is validated on a valve-serving-cylinder system of a joint robot with time-variant parameters. Experiment results demonstrate the stability of the algorithm and also the relationship between step value and convergence rate. Both simulation and experiment testify the feasibility and validity of the new algorithm proposed here. And it is worth to noticing that this algorithm is simple but with strong robust after improvements, which provides new ideas to the research of iterative learning control algorithms.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos.51725901 and 51639006
文摘Tuned liquid damper (TLD) and tuned liquid column damper (TLCD) are two types of passive control devices that are widely used in structural control. In this study, a real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) technique is employed to investigate the diff erence in control performance between TLD and TLCD. A series of RTHSs is presented with the premise of the same liquid length, mass ratio, and structural parameters. Herein, TLD and TLCD are physically experimented, and controlled structures are numerically simulated. Then, parametric studies are performed to further evaluate the diff erent performance between TLD and TLCD. Experimental results demonstrate that TLD is more eff ective than TLCD under diff erent amplitude excitations.
基金Supported by Research Fund of the 11th 5year Sci Tech National Support Project
文摘Cooling panels are increasingly used in domestic residential buildings.To provide medium temperature cold water for the cooling panel,and dehumidify the indoor air simultaneously,a new kind of temperature-humidity independent control air-conditioning unit was developed for single residential house by utilizing multi-variable technology.First,the supply air temperature was studied to determine the proper supply air flow rate for the humidity control.Then,the energy consumption of different temperature-humidity independent control systems was studied.The analysis indicates that unity evaporating temperature can be used to handle the moisture load and sensible heat load in two evaporators.So the unit scheme was put forward.Two evaporators were used to produce medium temperature water and dry air separately,and electric expansion valves were used to control the refrigerant distribution between the two evaporators.Then,experimental work was carried out to investigate the influence of compressor frequency,refrigerant distribution on the dehumidification capacity,energy efficiency and refrigeration capacity.In the end,the paper concludes that both compressor frequency and refrigerant distribution can control the dehumidification capacity,but the former influences the EER more than the latter,while the latter influences the refrigeration capacity more than the former.We can find a proper running point at certain sensible and latent cooling load by adjusting both compressor frequency and electric expansion valve.The energy consumption of this kind of unit was estimated and compared with present room air conditioners,which shows that it can save about 41% cooling energy consumption.
