Time trends in myopia and high myopia prevalence in young university adults in China

AIM:To investigate time trends in myopia and high myopia prevalence over 6y among young university adults in China.METHODS:This is a 6-year series cross-sectional study from 2016 to 2021.Totally 4910 freshmen were enrolled and completed a questionnaire concerning age,gender,and disease history.Students with eye diseases were excluded after a detailed eye examination.The refractive status was measured by non-cycloplegic objective refraction and ocular parameters were measured by Lenstar 900.The examination followed the same protocol each year.Trends over time in myopia and high myopia prevalence,as well as ocular biometry parameters,were analyzed.RESULTS:From 2016 to 2021,the axial length(AL)and corneal radius(CR)increased significantly(P=0.002 for AL;P=0.04 for CR).However,the spherical equivalent(SE)and the ratio of axial length to the corneal radius(AL/CR)did not change significantly(P=0.59 for SE;P=0.24 for AL/CR).The frequency of AL≥26.0 mm increased from 26.6%in 2016 to 29.3%in 2021(P=0.05 for trend).The prevalence of myopia and high myopia did not change significantly in our study(P≥0.18).Compared to a similar cross-sectional study conducted 10 years ago,the prevalence of myopia decreased significantly(94.9%vs 91.8%,P<0.001).Whereas the prevalence of high myopia increased largely(18.12%vs 27.6%,P<0.001).CONCLUSION:The prevalence of high myopia increases in young university adults during 10y period.Myopia control should begin earlier in childhood.However,these interventions are still needed for high myopia even in young adulthood.

Cancer burden in China:trends,risk factors and prevention

As the most populous country in the world,China has made strides in health promotion in the past few decades.With the aging population,the burden of cancer in China continues to grow.Changes in risk factors for cancer,especially diet,obesity,diabetes,and air pollution,continue to fuel the shift of cancer transition in China.The burden of upper gastrointestinal cancer in China is decreasing,but still heavy.The rising burden of colorectal,prostate,and breast cancers is also significant.Lung cancer became the top cause of cancer-related deaths,together with smoking as the most important contributor to cancer deaths.The Chinese government has taken several approaches to control cancer and cancer-related risk factors.Many achievements have been made,but some challenges remain.Health China 2030 is ambitious and depicts a bright vision of the future for cancer control in China.The decrease in the cancer burden in China will require cross-sector collaboration and coordinated efforts on primary and secondary preventions by governments,public health organizations,and individuals.In this review,we describe the trends of cancer burden and discuss cancer-related risk factors in China,identifying strategies to reduce the burden of cancer in China.

Changing trends of clinicopathologic features and survival duration after surgery for gastric cancer in Northeast China

BACKGROUND Through analyzing the data from a single institution in Northeast China,this study revealed the possible clinicopathologic characteristics that influence the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer(GC).AIM To evaluate the changing trends of clinicopathologic features and survival duration after surgery in patients with GC in Northeast China,which is a highprevalence area of GC.METHODS The study analyzed the difference in clinicopathologic features and survival duration after surgery of 5887 patients who were histologically diagnosed with GC at the Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital.The study mainly analyzed the data in three periods,2000 to 2004(Phase 1),2005 to 2009(Phase 2),and 2010 to 2014(Phase 3).RESULTS Over time,the postoperative survival rate significantly increased from 2000 to 2014.In the past 15 years,compared with Phases 1 and 2,the tumor size was smaller in Phase 3(P<0.001),but the proportion of high-medium differentiated tumors increased(P<0.001).The proportion of early GC gradually increased from 3.9%to 14.4%(P<0.001).A surprising improvement was observed in the mean number of retrieved lymph nodes,ranging from 11.4 to 27.5(P<0.001).The overall 5-year survival rate increased from 24%in Phase 1 to 43.8%in Phase 3.Through multivariate analysis,it was found that age,tumor size,histologic type,tumor-node-metastasis stage,depth of invasion,lymph node metastasis,surgical approach,local infiltration,radical extent,number of retrieved lymph nodes,and age group were independent risk factors that influenced the prognosis of patients with GC.CONCLUSION The clinical features of GC in Northeast China changed during the observation period.The increasing detection of early GC and more standardized surgical treatment effectively prolonged lifetimes.

Increasing pancreatic cancer is not paralleled by pancreaticoduodenectomy volumes in Brazil:A time trend analysis

Background: Currently, surgical resection represents the only curative treatment for pancreatic cancer(PC), however, the majority of tumors are no longer resectable by the time of diagnosis. The aim of this study was to describe time trends and distribution of pancreaticoduodenectomies(PDs) performed for treating PC in Brazil in recent years. Methods: Data were retrospectively obtained from Brazilian Health Public System(namely DATASUS) regarding hospitalizations for PC and PD in Brazil from January 2008 to December 2015. PC and PD rates and their mortalities were estimated from DATASUS hospitalizations and analyzed for age, gender and demographic characteristics. Results: A total of 2364 PDs were retrieved. Albeit PC incidence more than doubled, the number of PDs increased only 37%. Most PDs were performed in men(52.2%) and patients between 50 and 69 years old(59.5%). Patients not surgically treated and those 70 years or older had the highest in-hospital mortality rates. The most developed regions(Southeast and South) as well as large metropolitan integrated municipalities registered 76.2% and 54.8% of the procedures, respectively. LMIM PD mortality fluctuated, ranging from 13.6% in 2008 to 11.8% in 2015. Conclusions: This study suggests a trend towards regionalization and volume-outcome relationships for PD due to PC, as large metropolitan integrated municipalities registered most of the PDs and more stable mortality rates. The substantial differences between PD and PC increasing rates reveals a limiting step on the health system resoluteness. Reduction in the number of hospital beds and late access to hospitalization, despite improvement in diagnostic methods, could at least in part explain these findings.

Conforming to the Trend at An Appropriate Time——My Thoughts on the Building of the Silk Road Economic Belt

During his state visit to Kazakhstan this September,President Xi Jinping made a concrete proposal to build a Silk Road Economic Belt(SREB for short in the following paragraphs)from the aspects of policy communication,road connectivity,

Strengthening Exchanges and Cooperation in the Northeast Asia Region Follows the Trend of the Times——Sidelights of the 10^(th) Northeast Asia Youth Forum

The 10thNortheast Asia Youth Forum,with the theme of China-ROK-Japan Youth Employment Guidance,sponsored by Moral Re-Armament/Initiatives of Change(MRA/IC)-Korea was held in Seoul and Cheonan from August 12 to 17.Seventy five college students from 37 universities sent by China International Youth Exchange Center,Moral Re-Armament/Initiatives of Change(MRA/IC)-Korea and Japan Society attended the Forum.Lee Boksil,Vice-Minister of Ministry of

A 10-year review and epidemiology of animal bite cases in Gerash city, south of Iran: A retrospective cross-sectional study

Objective:To determine the temporal trend and epidemiology of animal bite cases in Gerash City,Iran.Methods:This retrospective cross-sectional study analyzed 630 cases of people with animal bites between 2011 and 2021 in Gerash City.The collected data were analyzed using Chi-square test.Results:The mean age of victims was(30.9±17.5)years.80.54%Of victims were male,39.70%were self-employed,and 64.60%were adults(≥18 years).Most cases of bites occurred in 2019(91 cases),2020(74 cases)and 2021(87 cases),and most of the bites were related to the upper limbs(62.70%).Most of the wounds were superficial(78%),most of the biting animals were domestic animals(91.74%),and most of the victims had Iranian nationality(97.62%).Conclusions:Given the increasing trend of animal bites in Gerash City,health authorities should carry out basic measures such as education and awareness among the public,especially at-risk groups such as adult males.Additionally,since most cases of bites are due to dogs,it seems necessary to plan for vaccination of dogs,especially those with owners.

Changing patterns of colorectal cancer in China over a period of 20 years

AIM： To determine whether any changes have occurred on the patterns of colorectal cancer in China. METHODS： Data from 21 Chinese articles published from 1980 to 1999, were used to analyze the time trend of colorectal cancer according to the patients＇age at diagnosis, sex, the site of the tumor, stage, and the pathology. RESULTS： From 1980s to 1990s, the mean age of the colorectal cancer patients has increased. The percentage of the female patients rose. The distribution of colorectal carcinoma shows a predominance of rectal cancer. However, the proportion of proximal colon cancer （induding transverse and ascending colon） increased significantly accompanied by a decline in the percentage of rectal cancer. Similarity in the percentage of distal colon cancer between two decades was revealed. In the 1990s, statistically more Stage B patients were found than those in 1980s. In addition, databases show a significant decrease in the Stage D cases. The proportion of adenocarcinoma increased, but the mucinous adenocarcinoma decreased during two decades. CONCLUSION： These findings indicate that the pattern of colorectal cancer in China has been changing. Especially, a proximal shift due to the increasing proportion of ascending and transverse colon cancer has occurred in China.

Gender Differences in Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Perceived Relevance on Outcomes <br/>—A Single Center 22-Year Observational Study in India (1996-2018)

Introduction: Gender differences are still quite prevalent in the present time. Although there is literature regarding gender differences in healthcare expenditure in India, there is no data regarding gender differences in hospital stay, hospital seeking behaviors and mortality. Aim: To evaluate the Gender differences in a hospital seeking behavior, mortality and hospital stay. Methods: We prospectively analyzed, from a retrospective database, all patients who underwent surgical gastrointestinal, hepato-biliary, pancreatic and splenic surgeries from 1996 to 2018 in our unit. Patients were divided into groups based on gender, admission time period and priority of admission i.e., elective or emergency. Both the gender groups were compared with respect to total procedures done, hospital stay and mortality. Organ specific mortality was calculated as proportions, was analyzed and compared between the groups. Time trends of the same were observed and compared. Results: Of 12,411 patients, 7979 (64.3%) were males and 4432 (35.7%) were females. 9191 (74.1%) patients underwent elective procedures whereas 3220 (25.9%) had emergency procedures (p ≤ 0.001). Overall mortality was higher in males (n = 473, 5.92%) in comparison to females (n = 185, 4.17%) (p ≤ 0.001). Majority of surgeries in males were of small intestine (22.5%) in which small bowel resection was most commonly done (5.4%), whereas, gallbladder and biliary surgeries (27.4%) were the most common in females in which laparoscopic cholecystectomy was most commonly done (5.8%). Median hospital stay was higher in males (10 days vs 9 days), (p ≤ 0.001). Mortality was higher in females in all organ categories except in liver (6.34% vs 2.7%), pancreas (37.3% Vs 18.3%) and spleen (3.38% Vs 1.62%) where mortality was higher for male gender. Highest mortality for females was in small intestinal surgery (34%) and for males, it was pancreatic surgery (37.3%). Highest mortality in males was emergency open pancreatic necrosectomy (21.6%) and that in females was emergency small intestinal surgery (11.9%). Although the number of surgeries in females increased over time (380 in 1996-1999 Vs 951 in 2016-2018), the proportion remained constant (36.3% Vs 38.3% in 1996-1999 and 2016-2018 respectively). Conclusion: We conclude that mortality is found to be higher in males after gastrointestinal surgery, which may be explained by the fact that hospital seeking behavior is more in males though it is fairly increasing in females in the recent years.

Returns to Education in China:1989-2011

Using China Health and Nutrition Survey(CHNS) data between 1989 and 2011, this paper measures the returns to education in China based on the Mincer earnings function and reaches the following findings through an analysis of the tendency of continuous variations over a long timeframe: returns to education are on the rise within the range of samples both under relative and absolute scenarios; returns to different levels of education are characterized by increasing marginal return; no significant difference exists between the returns to junior middle school and the returns to primary school education. Further discussions consider that the requirements of job positions for the overall competence of personnel, differentiated decline of corporate demand for recruitment, lack of an evaluation system in the labor market, information asymmetry in the job market, the development strategy adopted in a particular stage of history and the current slow progress of economic transition have jointly led to the underemployment of college graduates and the great enthusiasm of parents investing in higher education for their children. Conclusions of this paper not only have important practical relevance to the ongoing implementation of China's innovation-driven development strategy, but offer inspirations for the new round of educational reform as well.

Winter sea ice albedo variations in the Bohai Sea of China

Sea ice conditions in the Bohai Sea of China are sensitive to large-scale climatic variations. On the basis of CLARA-A1-SAL data, the albedo variations are examined in space and time in the winter（December, January and February） from 1992 to 2008 in the Bohai Sea sea ice region. Time series data of the sea ice concentration（SIC）, the sea ice extent（SIE） and the sea surface temperature（SST） are used to analyze their relationship with the albedo. The sea ice albedo changed in volatility appears along with time, the trend is not obvious and increases very slightly during the study period at a rate of 0.388% per decade over the Bohai Sea sea ice region.The interannual variation is between 9.93% and 14.50%, and the average albedo is 11.79%. The sea ice albedo in years with heavy sea ice coverage, 1999, 2000 and 2005, is significantly higher than that in other years; in years with light sea ice coverage, 1994, 1998, 2001 and 2006, has low values. For the monthly albedo, the increasing trend（at a rate of 0.988% per decade） in December is distinctly higher than that in January and February. The mean albedo in January（12.90%） is also distinctly higher than that in the other two months. The albedo is significantly positively correlated with the SIC and is significantly negatively correlated with the SST（significance level 90%）.

Analysis of the Thyroid Carcinoma Incidence in Tianjin Over a Recent Twenty-Year Period

OBJECTIVE To analyze the incidence rate and trend of thyroid cancer in Tianjin over a recent 20-year period. METHODS A method of descriptive epidemiology was used to study the occurrence of thyroid cancer. RESULTS During 1981-2001, the average incidence rate of thyroid cancer was 1.770 per 100,000 with a male to female incidence ratio of 1： 2.74, the occurrence being higher in females than in males. Thyroid cancer incidence increased gradually with time over the 20 years in both males and females, especially the incidence peaked in females of 35-50 years of age. CONCLUSION The rapid increase in the incidence rate of thyroid cancer, especially in females, suggests that further research on the risk factors and preventive efforts related to high-risk women should be conducted.

Chinese Buddhism's Philosophical Features and Trend of Development in Modern Times

Chinese Buddhism, one of the most important branches of Buddhism, has exerted tremendous influence on all aspects of the Chinese society. The reason that Buddhism in the Han area in Chinese history universally adopted Mahayana independent of man’s will was that the Mahayana spirit of altruism, benefiting society, compassion, and liberation of the world, in comparison with Hinayana Buddhism’s emphasis of benefiting and liberating the self, was more compatible with the demands of the development of Chinese society at the time. It could be said that the spirit of Mahayana Bodhisattva Path that emphasizes helping living beings and benefiting the world, and the Chan philosophy that focuses on the nature of the mind and pays attention to real life, are indeed the philosophical features of Chinese Buddhism. Chinese Buddhism(the Chan school in particular) has been greatly influenced by the Confucian thoughts, which have been the mainstream ideology of China. Its success in fusing with and absorbing the Confucian thoughts is a paragon even in the development history of human culture. Humanistic Buddhism(renjian fojiao 人间佛教) in modern times inherited and promoted the tradition of Chan Buddhism to stress real life, and an important aspect of Venerable Master Taixu’s(太虚) reform is to turn the Buddha-oriented tradition of Buddhism to the human-oriented.

Global patterns of breast cancer incidence and mortality:A population-based cancer registry data analysis from 2000 to 2020

Background:Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and leading cause of cancer death among women worldwide but has patterns and trends which vary in different countries.This study aimed to evaluate the global patterns of breast cancer incidence and mortality and analyze its temporal trends for breast cancer prevention and control.Methods:Breast cancer incidence and mortality data in 2020 were obtained from the GLOBOCAN online database.Continued data from the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents Time Trends,the International Agency for Research on cancer mortality and China National Central Cancer Registry were used to analyze the time trends from 2000 to 2015 through Joinpoint regression,and annual average percent changes of breast cancer incidence and mortality were calculated.Association between Human Development Index and breast cancer incidence and mortality were estimated by linear regression.Results:There were approximately 2.3 million new breast cancer cases and 685,000 breast cancer deaths worldwide in 2020.Its incidence and mortality varied among countries,with the age-standardized incidence ranging from the highest of 112.3 per 100,000 population in Belgium to the lowest of 35.8 per 100,000 population in Iran,and the age-standardized mortality from the highest of 41.0 per 100,000 population in Fiji to the lowest of 6.4 per 100,000 population in South Korea.The peak age of breast cancer in some Asian and African countries were over 10 years earlier than in European or American countries.As for the trends of breast cancer,the age-standardized incidence rates significantly increased in China and South Korea but decreased in the United States of America(USA)during 2000-2012.Meanwhile,the age-standardized mortality rates significantly increased in China and South Korea but decreased in the United Kingdom,the USA,and Australia during 2000 and 2015.Conclusions:The global burden of breast cancer is rising fast and varies greatly among countries.The incidence and mortality rates of breast cancer increased rapidly in China and South Korea but decreased in the USA.Increased health awareness,effective prevention strategies,and improved access to medical treatment are extremely important to curb the snowballing breast cancer burden,especially in the most affected countries.

Analysis of semen quality of 38 905 infertile male patients during 2008- 2016 in Wenzhou, China

This study analyzed the trend in semen quality of infertile male patients in Wenzhou,China,based on the data obtained from 38905 patients during 2008-2016 in The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University(Wenzhou,China).The results showed that only 24.9%of the patients had normal semen quality.For the semen quality of infertile male patients,that of the workers and 40-year-olds was significantly worse than the other occupational and age groups.For all the infertile patients,low semen volume,asthenozoospermia,and teratozoospermia accounted for 8.4%,50.5%,and 54.1%,respectively.During 2008-2016,the annual mean percentage of fast forward motile spermatozoa,percentage of total forward motile spermatozoa,and percentage of spermatozoa with normal morphology decreased linearly with slopes of-2.11,-2.59,and-0.70,respectively.The proportion of patients with asthenozoospermia and multi-abnormal spermatozoa increased during 2008-2016 with slopes of 4.70 and 4.87,respectively,while for low semen volume,it decreased with a slope of-0.47 in the same time period.The proportion of patients with teratozoospermia increased from 2008 to 2011 and from 2011 to 2016 with slopes of 17.10 and 2.09,respectively.In general,the deteriorating trend of semen quality of infertile male patients in Wenzhou was obvious.Future efforts should be made to reveal the adverse influences on semen quality,such as occupational exposure,environmental quality,and living habits.Furthermore,more pervasive reproduction health education is necessary.

CHANGES OF PAN EVAPORATION IN THE UPPER REACH OF THE YANGTZE RIVER

The upper reach of the Yangtze River, 4 511 km long from west to east, contains a great amount of water resources of the Yangtze River Basin. This article studies the characteristics of the pan evaporation, the related meteorological variables, and their effects on the pan evaporation, based on the data of the daily pan evaporation （1980-2008） and other meteorological variables （1961-2008）. The results show that the linear trend of the pan evaporation has remarkable regional features, i.e., the decrease trend in the southwest and the increase trend in the northeast of the investigated region, and the Yangtze River is approximately the boundary of these trends. The meteorological variables have different effects on the pan evaporation depending on the fact that they are in the category the thermal variables or the dynamic variables. The thermal meteorological variables （i.e., air temperature, diurnal temperature range, and sunshine duration） have positive partial correlations with the pan evaporation, while the dynamic ones （air pressure, rainfall, and relateive humidity） have negative correlations with the pan evaporation. The correlation of the wind speed remains to be investigated.

Will male semen quality improve with environmental quality?

Wenzhou has improved its environmental quality because of comprehensive environmental remediation;nevertheless,the semen quality of infertile males remains unclear.This study determined whether better environmental quality improved semen quality in this region.We recorded semen quality data from 22962 infertile males from January 2014 to November 2019 at the Center for Reproductive Health of The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University(Wenzhou,China).Patients were predominantly 30–35 years old(33.1%)and workers(82.0%),with high school education or lower(77.6%);more than a half of the patients(52.6%)were Wenzhou household registration;and most patients(77.5%)had abnormal semen quality.Patients who were older than 40 years and workers,and those with Wenzhou household registration,had significantly worse semen quality(all P<0.05).From 2014 to 2019,progressive sperm motility,total sperm motility,and semen volume showed increasing linear trends in all patients(P=0.021,0.030,and 0.005,respectively),yet normal sperm morphology showed a linearly decreasing trend(P=0.046).Sensitivity analyses for subgroups yielded similar results.In conclusion,the improvement of environmental quality and better function of the accessory glands are associated with progressive sperm motility,total sperm motility,and semen volume.Normal sperm morphology is influenced by occupational exposures and personal lifestyle and does not improve with environmental quality.

Inter-annual variations in vegetation and their response to climatic factors in the upper catchments of the Yellow River from 2000 to 2010

To understand the variations in vegetation and their correlation with climate factors in the upper catchments of the Yellow River, China, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index（NDVI） time series data from 2000 to 2010 were collected based on the MOD13Q1 product. The coefficient of variation, Theil–Sen median trend analysis and the Mann–Kendall test were combined to investigate the volatility characteristic and trend characteristic of the vegetation. Climate data sets were then used to analyze the correlation between variations in vegetation and climate change. In terms of the temporal variations, the vegetation in this study area improved slightly from 2000 to 2010, although the volatility characteristic was larger in 2000–2005 than in 2006–2010. In terms of the spatial variation, vegetation which is relatively stable and has a significantly increasing trend accounts for the largest part of the study area. Its spatial distribution is highly correlated with altitude, which ranges from about 2000 to 3000 m in this area. Highly fluctuating vegetation and vegetation which showed a significantly decreasing trend were mostly distributed around the reservoirs and in the reaches of the river with hydropower developments. Vegetation with a relatively stable and significantly decreasing trend and vegetation with a highly fluctuating and significantly increasing trend are widely dispersed. With respect to the response of vegetation to climate change, about 20–30% of the vegetation has a significant correlation with climatic factors and the correlations in most areas are positive： regions with precipitation as the key influencing factor account for more than 10% of the area; regions with temperature as the key influencing factor account for less than 10% of the area; and regions with precipitation and temperature as the key influencing factors together account for about 5% of the total area. More than 70% of the vegetation has an insignificant correlation with climatic factors.

Allocation of grassland, livestock and arable based on the spatial and temporal analysis for food demand in China

To explore the distribution of food demand and the projected trend in future food demand in China, this paper analyzed the change in current(1998–2012) percapita demand for grain, grain-consuming and herbivorous livestock products, and predicted the food demand in 2020 The results indicated that in 1998–2012, the national percapita consumption of grain ration declined by about36.66%, and the per-capita consumption of grain-consuming and herbivorous livestock products increased by about 48% and 34.09%, respectively. The grain-consuming livestock products have become the primary source of both calories and protein for consumers. The proportion of herbivorous livestock products in consumer diets has increased steadily and there has been huge potential in substituting beef and mutton for pork in this dynamic market. The demand for food in different regions of China is highly variable, which is important for planning grassland agriculture development and ensuring food safety. The demand for grain, and grain-consuming and herbivorous livestock products will increase by about3.3%, 20% and 14% respectively by 2020. Based on the food demand and trend in the development of grassland agriculture, the 31 regions in China are divided into three priority groups for grassland agriculture development.