LipoCol Forte capsules reduce the risk of liver cancer:A propensity score-matched,nationwide,population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND Liver cancer is among the top five most common cancers globally. Lipid-lowering drugs such as statins can lower the risk of liver cancer, but may also cause liver damage. LipoCol Forte capsules(LFC), a red yeast rice product, have demonstrated significant antihypercholesterolemic effects and a good safety profile in clinical studies.AIM To evaluate whether LFC lowers the risk of liver cancer in adults in this propensity score-matched, nationwide, population-based cohort study.METHODS We used data from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database, which includes electronic medical records for up to 99.99% of Taiwan’s population. LFC users and LFC non-users were matched 1:1 by propensity scores between January 2010 and December 2017. All had followup data for at least 1 year. Statistical analyses compared demographic distributions including sex, age, comorbidities, and prescribed medications. Cox regression analyses estimated adjusted hazard ratios(aHRs) after adjusting for potential confounders.RESULTS We enrolled 33231 LFC users and 33231 non-LFC users(controls). No significant differences between the study cohorts were identified regarding comorbidities and medications [standardized mean difference(SMD) < 0.05]. At follow-up, the overall incidence of liver cancer was significantly lower in the LFC cohort compared with controls [aHR 0.91;95% confidence interval(CI): 0.86-0.95;P < 0.001]. The risk of liver cancer was significantly reduced in both females(aHR 0.87;95%CI: 0.8-0.94;P < 0.001) and males(aHR 0.93;95%CI: 0.87-0.98;P < 0.01) in the LFC cohort compared with their counterparts in the non-LFC cohort. The antitumor protective effects applied to patients with comorbidities(including hypertension, ischemic stroke, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, hepatitis B infection and hepatitis C infection). Those using LFC for more than 84 drug days had a 0.64-fold lower risk of liver cancer compared with controls(P < 0.001). Compared with controls, the risk of developing liver cancer in the LFC cohort progressively decreased over time;the lowest incidence of liver cancer occurred in LFC users followed-up for more than 6 years(27.44 vs 31.49 per 1,000 person-years;aHR 0.75;95%CI: 0.68-0.82;P < 0.001).CONCLUSION This retrospective cohort study indicates that LFC has a significantly protective effect on lowering the risk of liver cancer, in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner.

Trends in research on osteoarthritis of the knee in conventional medicine:a bibliometric analysis based on big data from 1990-2022

Background:Osteoarthritis of the knee(KOA)is a chronic degenerative disease.KOA is a growing concern due to its high incidence and the pain and other burdens it places on patients.Traditional medicine is a health care model with a long history that includes nature-based treatments,psycho-psychological types of treatments,and more.Traditional medicine is also more effective in diagnosing and treating KOA,and it has never stopped researching KOA.There are no bibliometric studies analyzing articles on the traditional medical diagnosis and management of KOA.This study aimed to comprehensively analyze and analyze the general trends in the study of KOA in traditional medicine from a bibliometric perspective.Methods:All articles reporting on KOA and traditional medicine from 1 January 1990 to 01 November 2022 were obtained from the Web of Science Core.Some software such as CiteSpace,VOS Viewer and Scimago Graphica were used to analyse the publications,which included authors,citations,journals,references,countries where studies were published,institutions and research keywords.The final visualisations were produced using this data.Results:A total of 769 articles were searched.Peijian Tong was identified as the most contributing and published author in the field,and medicine was identified as the most reputable journal in the field of traditional medicine and osteoarthritis of the knee.China is a global leader in the field and a centre of collaboration in the field,with a major concentration of traditional medicine in Asia,which is consistent with the evidence that traditional medicine originated in Asia.According to the data,“osteoarthritis”,“knee osteoarthritis”,“pain”,and“knee”and“hip”were identified as hot keywords for research in this area.Conclusions:The results of this bibliometric study provide a snapshot of the current state of clinical research in the treatment of KOA in traditional medicine and are well placed to envisage future hotspots and possible trends,and may help to provide researchers with more than enough information with a view to guiding the cutting edge of research in this field and the infinite possibilities for the future.

An Experimental Research to Study the Microwaves transmission Characteristics of Ablating Material in Arc-Heated Plasma Flow

in this paper, an experimental research the effect of ablating material on the reflection and the transmission of microwaves in arc-heated plasma flow is presented by using the C band microwave measuring system. The results show that the ablating material with accidented surface and its high temperature have remarkably affected the reflection and the transmission of microwaves. The experiment proves that the system has outstanding precision and reliability.

On the Combination of “The Textual Research on Historical Documents” and “The Comparative Study of Historical Data” —— and a Discussion on “The Law of Quan-ma and Gui-mei” in Chinese Language Studies

In Chinese language studies, both “The Textual Research on Historical Documents” and “The Comparative Study of Historical Data” are traditional in methodology and they both deserve being treasured, passed on, and further developed. It will certainly do harm to the development of academic research if any of the two methods is given unreasonable priority. The author claims that the best or one of the best methodologies of the historical study of Chinese language is the combination of the two, hence a new interpretation of “The Double-proof Method”. Meanwhile, this essay is also an attempt to put forward “The Law of Quan-ma and Gui-mei” in Chinese language studies, in which the author believes that it is not advisable to either treat Gui-mei as Quan-ma or vice versa in linguistic research. It is crucial for us to respect always the language facts first, which is considered the very soul of linguistics.

The Application of Research Study in Higher Vocational Medical College Teaching

The research study is a new learning mode emerging in recent years, which can cultivate students＇ many aspects of ability. In the higher vocational colleges, obstetrics and gynecology department is a subject of strong theory and practice, which has a higher requirement for students＇ autonomous learning and ability to independently solve and analyze the problems. And it applies to the higher vocational obstetrics and gynecology subject teaching, which conforms to the refornl and development of clinical teaching in obstetrics and gynecology, and it is good for cultivating the medical talents suitable for social need with high quality and strong practice ability.

Reduction of the incidence and mortality of rectal cancer bypolypectomy:a prospective cohort study in Haining County

AIM: To reduce the incidence and mortality of rectal cancer and address the hypothesis that colorectal cancer often arise from precursor lesion(s), either adenomas or non-adenomatous polyps, by conducting a population-based mass screening for colorectal cancer in Haining County, Zhejiang, PRC. METHODS: From 1977 to 1980, physicians screened the population of Haining County using 15 cm rigid endoscopy. Of over 240000 participants, 4076 of them were diagnosed with precursor lesions, either adenomas or non-adenomatous polyps, which were then removed surgically. All individuals with precursor lesions were followed up and reexamined by endoscopy every two to five years up to 1998. RESULTS: After the initial screening, 953 metachronous adenomas and 417 non-adenomatous polyps were detected and removed from the members of this cohort. Further, 27 cases of colorectal cancer were detected and treated. Log-rank tests showed that the survival time among those cancer patients who under went mass screening increased significantly compared to that of other colorectal cancer patients (P【0.0001). According to the population-based cancer registry in Haining County, age-adjusted incidence and mortality of rectal cancer decreased by 41% and 29% from 1977-1981 to 1992-1996, respectively. Observed cumulative 20-year rectal cancer incidence was 31% lower than the expected in the screened group; the mortality due to rectal cancer was 18% lower than the expected in the screened group. CONCLUSION:Mass screening for rectal cancer and precursor lesions with protocoscopy in the general population and periodical following-up with routine endoscopy for high-risk patients may decrease both the incidence and mortality of rectal cancer.

Current status of basic and clinical research studies in the field of gastroenterology in China

his article involves the major scientific advances in the field of gastroenterology in China, in which some investingations into the mechanism of diseases, new clues and new approaches to treatment are included.

Glutathione S-transferases M1,T1 genotypes and the risk of gastric cancer:A case-control study

AIM: Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are involved in the detoxification of many potential carcinogens and appear to play a critical role in the protection from the effects of carcinogens. The contribution of glutathione S-transferases M1 and T1 genotypes to susceptibility to the risk of gastric cancer and their interaction with cigarette smoking are still unclear. The aim of this study was to determine whether there was any relationship between genetic polymorphisms of GSTT1 and GSTT1 and gastric cancer. METHODS: A population based case-control study was carried out in a high-risk area, Changle County, Fujian Province, China. The epidemiological data were collected by a standard questionnaire and blood samples were obtained from 95 incidence gastric cancer cases and 94 healthy controls. A polymerase chain reaction method was used to detect the presence or absence of the GSTT1 and GSTT1 genes in genomic DNA. Logistic regression model was employed in the data analysis. RESULTS: An increase in risk for gastric cancer was found among carriers of GSTT1 null genotype. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) was 2.63 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI) 1.17-5.88, after controlling for age, gender, cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, and fish sauce intake. The frequency of GSTT1 null genotype in cancer cases (43.16%) was not significantly different from that in controls (50.00%). However, the risk for gastric cancer in those with GSTT1 null and GSTT1 non-null genotype was significantly higher than in those with both GSTT1 and GSTT1 non-null genotype (OR = 2.77, 95% CI 1.15-6.77). Compared with those subjects who never smoked and had normal GSTT1 genotype, ORs were 1.60 (95% CI:0.62-4.19) for never smokers with GSTT1 null type, 2.33 (95% CI 0.88-6.28) for smokers with normal GSTT1, and 8.06 (95% CI 2.83-23.67) for smokers with GSTT1 null type. CONCLUSIONS: GSTT1 gene polymorphisms may be associated with genetic susceptibility of stomach cancer and may modulate tobacco-related carcinogenesis of gastric cancer.

Animal exercise studies in cardiovascular research:Current knowledge and optimal design--A position paper of the Committee on Cardiac Rehabilitation,Chinese Medical Doctors’Association

Growing evidence has demonstrated exercise as an effective way to promote cardiovascular health and protect against cardiovascular diseases However,the underlying mechanisms of the beneficial effects of exercise have yet to be elucidated.Animal exercise studies are widely used to investigate the key mechanisms of exercise-induced cardiovascular protection.However,standardized procedures and well-established evaluation indicators for animal exercise models are needed to guide researchers in carrying out effective,high-quality animal studies using exercise to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases.In our review,we present the commonly used animal exercise models in cardiovascular research and propose a set of standard procedures for exercise training,emphasizing the appropriate measurements and analysis in these chronic exercise models.We also provide recommendations for optimal design of animal exercise studies in cardiovascular research,including the choice of exercise models,control of exercise protocols,exercise at different stages of disease,and other considerations,such as age,sex,and genetic background.We hope that this position paper will promote basic research on exercise-induced cardiovascular protection and pave the way for successful translation of exercise studies from bench to bedside in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

On Analysis of English Language Education in China from the Research Questions and Research Methods

The present paper first reviewed the major concepts and practices involves in research. A small study was conducted to survey on the prevailing research questions and methods in ELT studies in China, showing a major paradigm shift from qualitative studies to quantitative research and mixed methods, with little critical research identified.

Quantitative comparison of cranial approaches in the anatomy laboratory: A neuronavigation based research method

AIMTo describe the development and validation of a novel neuronavigation-based method, which allows the quan-tification of the anatomical features that define anapproach, as well as real-time visualization of the surgicapyramid. METHODSThe method was initially developed with commercially-available hardware for coordinate collection （a digitizerand a frameless navigation system） and software forvolume rendering; dedicated neuronavigation software （ApproachViewer, part of GTx-UHN） was then developed. The accuracy of measurements and the possibility of volumetric rendering of surgical approaches simulated in a phantom were compared among three different methods and commercially-available radiological software. In the anatomy laboratory, ApproachViewer was applied to the comparative quantitative analysis of multiple neurosurgical approaches and was used by many surgeons who were untrained for the research method.RESULTSThe accuracy of ApproachViewer is comparable to com-mercially-available radiological software. In the anatomy laboratory, the method appears versatile. The system can be easily used after brief training. ApproachViewer allows for real-time evaluation and comparison of surgical approaches, as well as post-dissection analyses of collected data. The accuracy of the method depends on the navigation registration： with a 1-2 mm registration error, it is adequate for evaluation and comparison of most neurosurgical approaches.CONCLUSIONThis new research method and software allows semi-automated visualization, quantifcation, and comparison of neurosurgical approaches in the anatomy laboratory.

The Application of Geographic Information System(GIS) to the Study of Chinese History

Historical geographic information system construction echoes the call of academic development in the information era and demonstrates the in-depth advancement of history studies. In recent years, an increasing number of data platforms have been built to facilitate historical information storage, display, management and analysis. In such a context, the geographic information system(GIS) begins to contribute to the study of Chinese history. Its contribution is highlighted in nine areas: historical climate, fluvial landforms, town economies, rural settlements, hydraulic societies, environmental changes, ancient cities, ancient maps and HGIS-enabled research methods. The application of GIS to the study of Chinese history initiates a reform in research methods and at the same time upgrades the philosophy of history studies, facilitating the utilization of a diversity of historical data(documents, ancient maps, remote-sensing images, archaeological information, etc.) for dynamic tracing and multi-factor comprehensive research. At present, restricted by traditional disciplinary boundaries, the construction of HGIS platforms remains slow and insufficient, making it difficult to extensively apply GIS to the study of Chinese history.

On the 2002 U. S. Mid-Term Election Zhang Yanyu and Wang Wenfeng are both assistant research professors at the Division for American Studies in China Institute of Contemporary International Relations

The first mid-term election of the U. S. in the new century took place on November 5, 2002. One third of the senators from the 107th Congress (34 out of 100), all representatives (435), 36 state governors, and numerous local officials and legislators were to be elected or reelected. The resounding victory of the GOP in the congressional elections and the fact that the Democrats only got three more.

Impact of Diabetes Mellitus on the Treatment Outcomes of Chemotherapy in Women with Breast Cancer——A Population-Based Prospective Cohort Study

There are few population-based data in investigating the impact of diabetes on chemotherapy adverse effects and treatment outcomes of non-metastatic breast cancer. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether diabetes affects the patterns of use in chemotherapy, toxic effects of chemotherapy, and treatment outcomes for non-metastatic breast cancer in Taiwan. The study results can provide physicians for making a decision whether or not to use chemotherapy based on the individual patients＇ condition.

Study design in evidence-based surgery:What is the role of case-control studies?

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.

Creating the Foundation of a Healthcare Research Project

The research topic of this paper develops a case study approach that builds on the foundations of Yin＇s ＂linear model＂ and ＂the best practice＂ used in theoretical case studies at international research literature. It discusses the case study method and its role and focusing on research questions like healthcare branding, research design, and methodic. Also presents the case study research theory for a research case study. The methods used in this paper are based on hypothesis of a generic hospital branding strategy for the Romanian Private Hospital and also may apply to the Romanian strategy of development of public healthcare entities and partnerships between public and private healthcare entities. An empirical test of the relationships among branding loyalty and awareness, customer satisfaction, trust and relationship commitment suggests that Romanian hospitals can be successful in creating an image and positive brand equity if they can manage their customer relationships well. This can be done through a coordinated strategy of management and marketing development of healthcare entities. The results highlight the dominance of case-study research in qualitative marketing healthcare and highlight the importance of customer relationships in the branding practice of healthcare marketing. It also shows that marketing managers can succeed in creating positive brand equity and image if they can manage relationships with their customers well.

The Status quaestionis of Whiteheadian Research in Brazil

This paper is a survey of papers,which constitutes a chronological mapping of Brazilian research in theses and dissertations about Whitehead or in dialogue with Process Thought,with an emphasis on works written in the Portuguese language since the 1980s.It is divided into three groups:(1)theses and dissertations restricted to Whitehead and Process Thought and(2)those studies done in dialogue with Alfred North Whitehead and Process Thought.(3)The third section introduces a non-exhaustive list regarding ongoing studies,which were begun prior to the 12th International Whitehead Conference that took place in Brazil in August of 2019.The digital databases consulted were:1)Lattes Platform-CNPQ^1;2)Sucupira Platform-CAPES/MEC2;3)Contemporary Ontology(research group on ANPOF3;4)Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations from IBICT4;5)Theses and Dissertations catalogue CAPES/MEC;6)Digital databases from specific universities.The researches listed are restricted to scholarly research done by Brazilian researchers inside the country or in foreign universities.The descriptive paragraphs were compiled from the abstracts written by their own authors.We did not use ellipses or quotation marks in these cases.

On the Positioning, Contents, and Methodology of Human Rights Law Study

The ideal model of human rights law studies shall be one that is open and comprehensive. On the basis of normative legal studies, it shall pay more attention to and respond to political, economic, and social development in a wide range of human rights issues. These studies should attempt to find practical solutions to concrete problems. Human rights law should be a relatively independent legal discipline, and it should be a problem-oriented object of study. Regarding the research methodologies, human rights law could encompass all aspects of legal studies, and go beyond legal them to some extent to encompass the influence of other disciplines.

An Analysis of the Position of Chinese Translation Study

Since the Polysystem theory was brought in, domestic researchers have carried out many studies on the availability and shortcomings of the theory. Some scholars use it as the framework to make descriptive studies. Based on the Polysystem theory, this paper describes and analyzes the position of Chinese translation study in the polysystem of Chinese culture and the world 's transla?tion study. Although the position of both translation and translation study has ever changed over a certain period of time, Chinese translation study has maintained a peripheral position for a long time. It can learn from the development experience of western translation studies to improve the situation. What's more, it should not ignore the influence of power system and ideology system. And to carry out translation studies in China, especially cultural studies on translation can help to make China's translation studies more central.

Empirical Human Rights Studies Contribute to Building a Society Under the Rule of Law——Summary of the Fifth National Meeting for the Exchange of Work Experience Among Human Rights Research Institutions

From Nov. 5 to 6, 2013, the China Society for Human Rights Studies （CSHRS）held the Fifth National Meeting for the Exchange of Work Experience Among Human Rights Research Institutions at Wuhan University. More than 100 experts and scholars, focusing on empirical human rights studies and their contribution to building a society based on the rule of law, shared their work experience and discussed effective strategies. CSHRS President Luo Haocai, who served as vice chairman of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People＇s Political Consultative Conference,