Chronic Hepatitis B in Indian Americans: Lack of Screening and Poor Linkage to Care

Background: Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is a major cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality in the United States (US) and globally. CHB disproportionately affects Asian Americans and many other immigrant minority populations, primarily owing to the high prevalence of CHB in their countries of origin. India is a country with a medium-to-high prevalence of hepatitis B (HB) (>2%) and has over 40 million people infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV), with more than 115,000 deaths annually from HBV-related complications. Indian Americans are one of the largest immigrant populations in the US but remain underdiagnosed and poorly linked to clinical care. We, therefore, assessed the HBV prevalence and evaluated the linkage-to-care (LTC) among Indian Americans to develop strategic plans to reduce the impact of HBV in the US. Methods: Between April 2022 and January 2024, serologic screening and surveys were provided to 328 Indian American adults (age 20 - 80) in New York City. All participants were tested for a triple panel consisting of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs), and hepatitis B core IgG antibody (anti-HBc). A survey was conducted on the subjects chronically infected with HBV regarding their histories of infection. Self-administered questionnaires were employed to evaluate demographic and epidemiologic characteristics. Results: Of 328 screened and evaluated (246 males and 82 females), 10 (3.0%) were HBV-infected, 222 (67.7%) were susceptible to HBV, and 96 (29.3%) were immune. The prevalence of chronic HBV varied between the age groups: 4.6% (age 20 - 40), 3.4% (age 41 - 60), and 1.7% (age 61 - 80). Of 10 chronically infected, only two subjects had been previously diagnosed but were not engaged in care. Conclusion: HBV disproportionately affects Asian Americans, primarily owing to immigration from parts of the world where the disease is endemic. Indian Americans belong to an intermediate-risk group, with an HBV prevalence of >2%, but remain underdiagnosed and poorly linked to care. Our pilot study on Indian American populations, the first of its kind, demonstrates a 3% prevalence of CHB, none of whom are linked to care. In addition, this population has a high percentage of unimmune subjects, creating a large reservoir for future infection. With the growing population of Indian Americans, our findings can be used to develop community-based strategies for HBV screenings and LTC that target high-risk groups.

American tegumentary leishmaniasis mimicking myiasis and granulomatous vasculitis:A case report

Rationale:American tegumentary leishmaniasis comprises cutaneous and mucocutaneous manifestations caused by parasitic infections by various Leishmania species.This report details the clinical interventions for a patient with American tegumentary leishmaniasis in Mendoza,Argentina,a non-endemic region.Patient concerns:A 43-year-old male was admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Mendoza,Argentina Republic with a history of progressive nasal discharge,septal perforation,facial pain,and pruritus.Despite treatment for presumed nasal myiasis and vasculitis with granulomatosis,symptoms persisted.Diagnosis:American tegumentary leishmaniasis.Interventions:Intravenous liposomal amphotericin B.Outcomes:Follow-up at 30 days showed no recurrence of symptoms with a remarkable clinical improvement of the nasal lesion.Lessons:This case sheds light on the necessity of accurate identification for timely intervention and the need to recognize the diverse manifestations of American tegumentary leishmaniasis to avoid misdiagnosis.

Community-Based Hepatitis B Campaign in Asian Americans

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) disproportionately affects minority groups in the US, particularly Asian Americans, with numerous factors contributing to this disparity. Of the 2.4 million people living with chronic HBV in the US, 60% are Asian American. Many are unaware of their status and lack access to proper clinical care, with less than ten percent receiving necessary antiviral treatment. Barriers to screening and care include lack of disease awareness, language and cultural barriers, and financial constraints. Additionally, healthcare providers and systems in the US often overlook the importance of CHB, leading to inadequate care. In response, the Center for Viral Hepatitis (CVH) has implemented a community-based outreach program over the past sixteen years, employing a multifaceted approach involving all sectors of society and various organizations to combat health disparities in CHB. This grassroots campaign has proven highly effective, leveraging CVH’s leadership in spearheading numerous collaborative activities with community members, healthcare professionals, and policymakers. We have summarized the key points of CVH's efforts and their significance in combating CHB-related health disparities. The CHB Screening and Awareness Campaign, tailored to the Asian American community, serves as a successful model for increasing CHB screening, linkage-to-care, and addressing socio-cultural barriers and health literacy. Insights from these outreach programs have guided the development of culturally relevant resources and education initiatives. These findings suggest that such community-driven approaches are essential for addressing health disparities. The strategies and outcomes of CVH’s efforts can inform future health initiatives for other minority communities in the US and globally.

Analysis on Bicultural Identities of Chinese Americans Based on Acculturation Theory

In the context of globalization,the communication between countries is gradually enhanced and the immigration is increasing.Chinese Americans,as a unique ethnic group,are easy to fall into the difficult problem of self-identity construction when facing the bicultural identity conflict between Chinese and American.This paper selects the film The Farewell created by a Chinese American director as the research object,analyzes the cultural identity crisis of Chinese Americans,introduces the cultural adaption strategy adopted by Chinese Americans from the perspective of Acculturation Theory,and provides reference for Chinese Americans about how to realize the bicultural identities in the cultural diaspora.

A Study on the Infiltration Methods of British and American Literature in High School English Reading Teaching

Reading is the key content of high school English teaching,which can improve students’mastery of words,grammar,and other knowledge,and can expand their horizons.British and American literature is the essence of British and American culture,and its application in high school English reading teaching can help improve students’English proficiency.This paper outlines the problems of high school English teaching,analyzes the role of British and American literature in high school English reading teaching,and explores the infiltration methods of British and American literature in high school English reading teaching,in order to provide references for teachers.

A Corpus Study of Acupuncture from the Perspective of Mass Media Based on the Corpus of Contemporary American English

Based on the Corpus of Contemporary American English(COCA),this study examines acupuncture from the perspective of mass media.Acupuncture has been circulating throughout the Chinese Cultural Circle since the Qin and Han Dynasties,and has since spread directly or indirectly to the rest of the world.The United States boasts the world’s second-largest acupuncture market,with its laws,regulations,industry growth,research,and education all positively influencing the development of acupuncture in other nations.This study uses COCA to analyze the form and content of acupuncture’s dissemination in eight different types of media.The findings show that acupuncture appears in COCA a total of 1,788 times,with the highest frequency in magazines,followed by blogs,and the lowest frequency in fiction.These findings reveal the popularity of acupuncture in mass media in the United States and provide empirical data and insights for the future dissemination and development of acupuncture in the United States.

Gender differences of lower urinary tract symptoms in older Chinese Americans

Objective To describe whether or not there are gender differences in lower urinary tract symptoms(LUTS)prevalence and risk factors in community-dwelling older Chinese Americans.Methods We performed a secondary analysis of a prospective cross-sectional population-based survey of Chinese Americans aged 60 years and older between January 2011 and December 2013 in English,Mandarin,Cantonese,Taishanese,or Teochew.A clinical review of systems was used to assess LUTS,which included urinary frequency,urgency,burning and/or pain,blood in urine,and urinary incontinence.Results Of the total 3157 people queried,42%were men and 58%were women.More men reported LUTS compared to women(32.9%vs.28.6%,p=0.01).In a multivariable analysis,female gender(adjusted odds ratio[aOR]0.60,95%confidence interval[CI]0.49-0.73),being married(aOR 0.79,95%CI 0.65-0.97),and smoking(aOR 0.66,95%CI 0.49-0.88)were found to be protective,while traditional Chinese medicine use(aOR 1.51,95%CI 1.28-1.78),heart disease(aOR 1.54,95%CI 1.24-1.91),and anxiety(aOR 1.69,95%CI 1.25-2.28)were most strongly associated with increased odds of LUTS.When examining genders separately,being married was found to be protective only in women.Meanwhile,unique factors found in men were hypertension,heart disease,and practice of Tai Chi.Conclusion In this large population-based study,LUTS were more prevalent in older Chinese American men than women.We also found gender-specific factors that influenced the odds of reporting LUTS;however,traditional Chinese medicine use was the only factor that was shared by both genders.Future longitudinal investigations are needed to elucidate these underlying mechanisms to provide evidence-based and culture-specific guidelines for this rapidly growing population.

The COVID-19 Pandemic: A Double Threat to Chinese Americans’ Mental Health

Objective:To explore the double psychosocial threats of the COVID-19 pandemic,targeted behavior toward Chinese Americans,and the correlates to their mental health.Methods:A quantitative,cross-sectional,and descriptive design was utilized by using a purposive convenience sample of 301 Chinese Americans over the age of 18 residing in the United States.Online data collection was conducted through the social media platform WeChat from April 8–21,2021.Descriptive statistical analysis was used for the participants’demographic charac-teristics,Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support(MSPSS),Double Threat Situations,COVID-19 Racial Discrimination,and General Anxiety Disorder-7(GAD-7).Stepwise logistic regression was conducted to verify predictors for anxiety levels by GAD-7.Results:In this sample(N=301),127(42.19%)were male and 174(57.81%)were female.The average age was 41.67(SD=5.89).Among MSPSS subscales,social support from family(MSPSS-Fam,79.73%,n=240)and social support from significant others(MSPSS-SO,73.75%,n=222)were high.231(76.74%)reported threats due to their Chinese ethnic background during the COVID-19 outbreak.Predictors for the high anxiety level by GAD-7 were COVID-19 racial discrimination from the local community(OR=0.47,95%CI=0.39–0.71,p<0.001),media/online(OR=0.36,95%CI=0.26–0.53,p<0.001),the perceived threat from the COVID-19 virus(OR=0.33,95%CI=0.23–0.51,p<0.001)and Perceived racism threat from Chinese back-ground related to COVID-19(OR=0.31,95%CI=0.21–0.49,p<0.001).Conclusions:COVID-19 double-threats(The virus and racial discrimination)situations are significantly related to the high level of anxiety among Chinese Americans.The sense of belonging and social perceptions of Chinese immigrants is closely related to public health problems in Western societies and needs to be addressed at all levels.Ourfindings call for the attention of health-care workers to specific racism double-threatened situations and high mental health risks,as well as direct and indirect ethnic discrimination that Chinese Americans are experiencing during this pandemic,the long-term influ-ences and effective coping ways related to this issue should be explored in further research.

Status Quo and Application of North American Wisteria in Shijiazhuang

The introduction and planting of three cultivars of North American wisteria in Shijiazhuang were observed.By comparing the inflorescences of Chinese wisteria,Japanese wisteria and North American wisteria,it is concluded that North American wisteria has compact inflorescence,rich color and late flowering period,and can prolong the ornamental time of wisteria when collocating with Chinese wisteria and Japanese wisteria in landscape application.The application of North American wisteria in Chinese gardens can not only enrich the species diversity of the region,but also have positive significance for improving the landscape effect of the whole city.

In Her Mother’s House:Mother-Daughter Dissonance in Post-1990s Chinese American Fiction

This paper attempts to examine the trope of“home”and the depiction of mother-daughter dissonance“in her mother’s house”in post-1990s Chinese American fiction.The research selects four novels in the case study and focuses on how mother-daughter dissonance“in her mother’s house”is presented,what cultural connotations the trope of“home”carries and how they are affected by such extra-contextual factors as racism,sexism and classism.In comparison with two representative mother-daughter narrative works in pre-1990s period,the new characteristics and connotations of“home”in mother-daughter dissonance in post-1990s Chinese American fiction are revealed.

A Comparative Study of British Gentleman Culture and American Cowboy Culture

This paper makes a comparative analysis by selecting British gentleman culture and American cowboy culture,the two distinctive cultures,to trace their roots,explore their connotations,and search for their similarities and differences,so as to better understand the respective characteristics of British and American cultures.The result shows that although the two cultures have different styles,which can interpret two different ethnic cultures,they are related by blood and have certain commonalities.

Discourse Construction of the Belt and Road Initiative in British and American Media:The Perspective of Proximization Theory

This study takes the reports on China’s“One Belt,One Road”in the British and American media as the object of study,mainly by collecting more than 10,000 words from the relevant reports published in the British media The Times,The Daily Telegraph and The Guardian from 2019-2022,to create a British corpus.A number of US media outlets,such as the New York Times,Los Angeles Times and Washington Post,were also collected to extract over 10,000 words of relevant corpus to create a US corpus.The BFSU Qualitative Coder 1.1,AntConc 3.5.7 and the LLX2 chi-square test were used to analyse the perceptions of the British and American corpora on China’s“One Belt,One Road”initiative,and to explore the temporal,spatial and value convergence of speakers and addressees in the corpus in the context of convergence theory.In this paper,we explore the specific distribution and pragmatic functions of the convergence of speakers and addressees in the corpus,in order to explore and reveal the different features of the application of convergence strategies in the British and American corpora in relation to China’s“One Belt,One Road”initiative.

美国麻醉医师协会分级在局部麻醉经皮肾镜碎石取石术的上尿路结石患者中的应用评价

目的分析美国麻醉医师协会(ASA)分级在行局部麻醉经皮肾镜碎石取石术(PCNL)的上尿路结石患者中的应用价值。方法将80例行局部麻醉PCNL的上尿路结石患者根据ASA分级分为高危组(ASA分级Ⅲ~Ⅳ级)36例和低危组(ASA分级Ⅰ~Ⅱ级)44例,比较2组围术期指标(手术时间、术中出血量、住院时间)、结石清除率、炎性因子[C反应蛋白(CRP)、白细胞介素-6(IL-6)、肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)]、疼痛视觉模拟评分法(VAS)评分及并发症发生率。结果低危组住院时间短于高危组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);低危组结石清除率为93.18%,高于高危组的75.00%,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。术前,高危组血清CRP、IL-6、TNF-α水平高于低危组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);术后1 d,高危组术后血清CRP、IL-6、TNF-α水平高于低危组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。术后1、3、5 d时,高危组和低危组VAS评分均降低,且低危组VAS评分低于高危组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。低危组并发症发生率为4.54%,低于高危组的19.44%,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论局部麻醉PCNL治疗ASA分级Ⅰ~Ⅱ级的上尿路结石患者的炎症反应、疼痛程度较ASA分级Ⅲ~Ⅳ级患者轻,且并发症发生率低。

区块链产业发展:经济特性与中美路径差异

区块链具有去中心化、可追溯性两大核心特征和不可篡改、去信任化、信息透明、可匿名性四大衍生特征,并进一步引致出能够作用于经济领域的五大经济特性:减少信息不对称、降低组织的集中度、提供可置信的承诺、生成新的价值标的、减少交易成本。区块链是否能与产业良好融合是其能否有效发挥上述重要经济特性的一个重要因素。本文通过对中美区块链行业的对比分析发现,中国对于区块链的应用领域态度更为审慎,同时也具有更强的政策导向,主要应用领域为实体经济;而美国虽然对区块链的政策导向不如中国明显,但其在技术、人才培养等方面都具有显著优势,区块链应用规模在全球范围内处于绝对领先地位。总的来看,中国区块链产业发展面临审慎的金融政策与区块链特征不匹配、结合区块链与实体经济的配套设施相对缺失、区块链适用领域有待细化、区块链技术有待提升等问题。为进一步推动中国区块链产业发展,需要推动央行数字货币发展、加强数字化基础设施建设、针对性推动区块链行业发展、加强区块链技术基础研究。

The dry and hot American Southwest under the present and future climates

由于正在持续的特大干旱,更频繁的洪水,热浪以及导致空气污染的山火,美国西南部目前正在经历气候危机.这些气候危机主要与水文气候过程相关,尤其是气候系统各圈层之间的水汽通量.本研究主要讨论目前一些水文系统的科学基站以及物理驱动因素,比如北美夏季风以及太平洋北美遥相关.本研究指出降水以及气温对于干旱的相对作用的理论和工具.确定内部变率和外部强迫对于美国西南部水文气候系统的相对作用尤为重要.展望未来,需要研究高分辨率模拟系统,加强降水以及温度对于水文气候系统相对作用的理解,外部强迫的作用以及通过科学家以及其他利益相关者之间的合作.

Theoretical and Practical Exploration of Ideology and Politics in British and American Literature Curriculum

British and American literature is the essence of culture and civilization created in the long historical development process and a bright pearl in the treasure house of world literature.Different types of civilization history,ideological history,and values can better help students understand the literary quality and ideology in various periods of Western civilization.Studying British and American literature aids students in using cross-cultural perspectives to distinguish Chinese and foreign literature and culture.Therefore,the ideological and political tasks of the curriculum are particularly prominent.This research takes a fragment of selected British and American literature as an example to analyze the paths and methods of ideological and political coordination between British and American literature and curriculum,and to explore new ways of educating students in colleges and universities using British and American literature in the new era.

美国高校荣誉学院拔尖创新人才选拔模式特征及启示

优质生源是人才培养的根基。探索拔尖创新人才选拔模式,是提升拔尖创新人才培养质量的必要举措。荣誉学院是美国高校培养拔尖创新人才的重要方式。选取五所美国知名高校荣誉学院作为研究案例,从选拔目标、选拔对象、选拔方式和选拔标准四个方面分析其选拔模式特征。研究发现:荣誉学院旨在选拔和培养具备批判思维和领导能力的世界公民;开设了以新生、在校生和转学生为主的多元化选拔渠道;采用自我申请与学院邀请融合的方式录取学生;从学术潜质、综合能力和个性特征三个方面评价学生素质。我国在选拔拔尖创新人才时应从扩大选拔基础、丰富筛选途径、健全选拔方式、完善选拔标准等方面深化改革,以培养能够应对全球挑战的拔尖人才。

创伤性颈脊髓损伤患者华勒氏变性的磁共振成像研究

目的探讨创伤性颈脊髓损伤患者脊髓华勒氏变性(WD)的磁共振成像(MRI)信号特点。方法回顾性分析2015年1月至2021年12月在北京博爱医院脊髓损伤康复科住院康复的191例创伤性颈脊髓损伤患者的临床资料,对常规颈椎MRI的矢状位及轴位T2加权像(T2WI)进行影像学评估,将其分为WD组和非WD组。比较两组性别、年龄、损伤机制、美国脊柱损伤协会残损分级(AIS)、神经平面、伤后获得MRI的时间差等,并分析WD在脊髓的背柱区(DC)、外侧脊髓丘脑束区(ST)和外侧皮质脊髓束区(CS)的信号特点。结果115例(60.2%)出现WD。WD组与非WD组年龄、损伤机制、AIS的等级分布和伤后获得MRI时间差有显著性差异(Z>3.820,χ2>9.104,P<0.05)。WD组中,在损伤部位的上方,DC、ST的WD发生率分别为100%和87%;在损伤部位的下方,CS的WD发生率为35.7%。根据WD信号出现的方式将其分为3组,只出现DC变化的15例(13%),DC合并ST发生变化为59例(51.3%),DC、ST、CS 3个位置均有变化的41例(35.7%)。3组间伤后获得MRI的时间差有显著性差异(H=90.794,P<0.05),3组间AIS等级分布无显著性差异(P>0.05)。结论创伤性颈脊髓损伤患者的常规MRI检查T2WI可检测到WD信号,且WD的发生与伤后时间存在关联。

美国社区学院产学研合作教育的经验与启示

美国产学研合作教育起步较早,积累了丰富的办学实践经验,具有完善的法律保障体系和灵活多样的合作方式,形成了独特的办学模式。尤其是社区学院的校企合作教育,有效促进了美国地方社会经济的发展。美国社区学院的校企产学研合作教育经历了形成、发展、成熟和繁荣四个时期,在服务地方社会经济和人才培养方面取得了显著成效,积累了丰富的成功经验:一是建立健全法律制度,为开展产学研合作教育提供保障;二是建立政府、社区学院和企业多元协作体系,推动校企产学研合作良性运转;三是依托项目群推动社区学院与企业开展深度合作,搭建校企产学研合作教育的桥梁;四是形成社区学院与企业联合培养人才模式,搭建校企产学研合作教育的纽带;五是满足地方社会经济发展的需求,抓住校企产学研合作教育的生命线。我国地方高校应借鉴美国社区学院发展的经验,充分发挥地方高校与企业之间的优势资源,健全校企产学研合作教育的法律体系,建立产学研合作教育一体化发展模式与管理机制,依托项目推动地方高校校企产学研合作教育,推动地方社会经济发展。

文明互鉴:中国自主知识体系建构的重要意识

自晚清民初西方学术传入中国以来,基于西方话语体系和学术体系建构的文科知识体系近乎主导了中国文科百年以来的构建进程。在这百余年间,如何重塑中国哲学社会科学的知识体系,重建中国理论话语一直都是世纪之题,是一代又一代中国学人孜孜以求力图解决的目标,而“建构中国自主知识体系”命题的提出引发了又一轮激烈的研讨。文章指出中国自主知识体系的建构不仅要立足中国实际、中国经验,更需要将中国文化放置于“文明互鉴”的视野下审视西方经验、西方实践以及西方理论。通过史实的梳证可知,包括“浪漫主义”“意象派”“新批评”“生态伦理批评”等诸多英美文论的形成明显汲取了来自中国文化哲学的元素。以此延展,文章提出了中外文论互鉴史研究、文论他国化变异研究、比较诗学变异研究等以中国为视角、以中国理论为建构方法的新领域,提出属于自身的标志性概念、创新性问题。做到知识自主,更要做到阐释自主,才能解决话语问题,解决人文社会科学“说不出”“不想说”“不敢说”的“卡嗓子”难题。