Differences of RUNX2 gene promoter methylation and transcription level in ankylosing spondylitis.

Background And Objective: Ankylosing spondylitis is a refractory immune disease that seriously affects the life and work of patients. Epigenetic modifications, especially DNA methylation, have become a research hotspot in complex diseases. We aim to explore the changes in runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) gene promoter methylation and transcription level in AS.

PRICKLE1 gene methylation and abnormal transcription in Chinese patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Background: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a common inflammatory arthritis without a reliable biomarker. The role of methylation and mRNA expression of PRICKLE1 promoter in the pathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis remains unclear.

Methods: A two-stage case-control design was used to detect the characteristics of methyl group and transcriptome of PRICKLE1 gene in Ankylosing spondylitis.

DNA Methylation and mRNA Expression of B7-H3 Gene in Ankylosing Spondylitis: A Case-Control Study.

Background: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a common inflammatory arthritis, with a high prevalence in patients in their mid-20s. Its pathogenesis is not well understood; however, genetic factors likely play a critical role. Epigenetic DNA changes may be involved in the pathogenesis of AS.

Prevalence and risk of COVID-19 in patients with rheumatic diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: COVID-19 pandemic has already had a tremendous impact on the process of human society; the survival of mankind and the healthy living environment deterioration with the influence will last for many years. This meta-analysis aims to assess the risk of COVID-19 in patients with rheumatic diseases.

Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM) were systematically searched with no language restriction up to July 5, 2021.

Telomere length in patients with osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Telomere length (TL) as a biomarker of aging was associated with many age-related diseases. The relationship between TL and osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of joint diseases, had been investigated in a number of studies, but with the result inconsistent.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to systematically evaluate the relationship between TL and OA.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms of TRAF2 and TRAF5 gene in ankylosing spondylitis: a case-control study.

Objective To investigate the role of eight locus polymorphisms of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 2 (TRAF2) and TRAF5 gene and their interaction in the susceptibility to ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in Chinese Han population. Methods Eight single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of TRAF2 (rs3750511, rs10781522, rs17250673, rs59471504) and TRAF5 (rs6540679, rs12569232, rs4951523, rs7514863) gene were genotyped in 673 AS patients and 687 controls. Results The SNPs of TRAF2 and TRAF5 do not indicate a correlation with the susceptibility of AS in Chinese Han population.

Association of CTLA-4 (+49 A/G) polymorphism with susceptibility to autoimmune diseases: A meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis.

Objectives: In recent years, more and more studies have been focusing on the association between Cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) (+49 A/G) gene polymorphism and autoimmune diseases. However, the results of previous studies are still controversial. The meta-analysis is aiming at determining the association in CTLA-4 (+49 A/G) gene rs231775 polymorphism and ankylosing spondylitis (AS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Non-Contact Heart Rate Detection When Face Information Is Missing during Online Learning.

Research shows that physiological signals can provide objective data support for the analysis of human emotions. At present, non-contact heart rate data have been employed in the research of medicine, intelligent transportation, smart education, etc. However, it is hard to detect heart rate data using non-contact traditional methods during head rotation, especially when face information is missing in scenarios such as online teaching/learning.

The development of phonological awareness and Pinyin knowledge in Mandarin-speaking school-aged children.

Purpose: The writing of Chinese is non-alphabetic, but children in China learn , a Romanised alphabetic system, to facilitate literacy development. This research investigates how Mandarin phonological awareness (PA) develops, and how it interacts with Pinyin in school-aged Mandarin-speaking children in China.

Method: In Beijing, 182 students in grades two through four (ages ranged between 91 and 135 months) were tested for PA (syllable manipulation and onset-rime oddity tasks) and Pinyin knowledge (Pinyin symbol naming and syllable reading tasks).

Comparison Study of Vocal Attack Time in Patients With Cleft Palate With and Without Glottal Stop in Mandarin.

Glottal stop (GS) is a typical compensatory articulation, which has a great impact on speech intelligibility in patients with cleft palate. It is usually detected by perceptual analysis. The aim of this study is to investigate the utility of vocal attack time (VAT) values in patients with cleft palate with and without GS, when unaspirated monosyllables are articulated in Mandarin, by using electroglottography.

Voice Characteristics of Young Girl Role in Kunqu Opera.

Three electroglottographic parameters, fundamental frequency, contact quotient, and speed quotient were analyzed for two singers of Young girl role in Kunqu Opera. Each singer performed three conditions, singing, stage speech, and reading lyrics. The phonation types adopted in different conditions were explored based on electroglottographic parameters.

Mass spectrometry-based metabolomics and chemometric analysis of Pu-erh teas of various origins.

Pu-erh tea is one of the most popular tea beverages in China. Storage time, fermentation process and origin of production affect quality and price of Pu-erh teas. High resolution mass spectrometry-based metabolomics approach, NIR combined with chemometric analysis were used to profile water soluble metabolites from raw Bingdao Pu-erh teas stored for 1-10 years and teas from various production sites.

Vocal Attack Time of Different Pitch Levels and Vowels in Mandarin.

The purpose of this study was to investigate how vocal attack time (VAT) varies when young adults articulate the three vertex vowels in Mandarin Chinese at five linguistically unconstrained pitch levels. Sound pressure and electroglottographic signals were recorded simultaneously from 53 male and 53 female subjects saying sustained /A/, /i/, and /u/ at five equally spaced pitch heights, each being higher than the preceding one. Then analyses of means, variance, and correlation were performed to explore the relationships of VAT/pitch levels and VAT/vowels.

Formant and voice source properties in two male Kunqu Opera roles: a pilot study.

Objective: This investigation analyzes flow glottogram and electroglottogram (EGG) parameters as well as the relationship between formant frequencies and partials in two male Kunqu Opera roles, Colorful face (CF) and Old man (OM).

Participants And Methods: Four male professional Kunqu Opera singers volunteered as participants, 2 singers for each role. Using inverse filtering of the audio signal flow glottogram parameters and formant frequencies were measured in each note of scales.

Long-term-average spectrum characteristics of Kunqu Opera singers' speaking, singing and stage speech.

Long-term-average spectrum (LTAS) characteristics were analyzed for ten Kunqu Opera singers, two in each of five roles. Each singer performed singing, stage speech, and conversational speech. Differences between the roles and between their performances of these three conditions are examined.

Loudness and pitch of Kunqu opera.

Equivalent sound level (Leq), sound pressure level (SPL), and fundamental frequency (F0) are analyzed in each of five Kunqu Opera roles, Young girl and Young woman, Young man, Old man, and Colorful face. Their pitch ranges are similar to those of some western opera singers (alto, alto, tenor, baritone, and baritone, respectively). Differences among tasks, conditions (stage speech, singing, and reading lyrics), singers, and roles are examined.

Quantitative high-speed laryngoscopic analysis of vocal fold vibration in fatigued voice of young karaoke singers.

Purpose: The present study aimed to determine whether there were physiological differences in the vocal fold vibration between nonfatigued and fatigued voices using high-speed laryngoscopic imaging and quantitative analysis.

Methods: Twenty participants aged from 18 to 23 years (mean, 21.2 years; standard deviation, 1.

A preliminary study of a quantitative analysis method for high speed laryngoscopic images.

High speed laryngoscopic study provides new information on the vocal fold vibratory patterns which has not been made possible before. Qualitative analysis of high speed laryngoscopic images is commonly reported in the literature. However, quantitative studies are necessary to provide objective measures for research and clinical purposes.