Investigation into the Reinforcement Modification of Natural Plant Fibers and the Sustainable Development of Thermoplastic Natural Plant Fiber Composites.

Natural plant fibers (NPFs) have emerged as a sustainable alternative in the manufacture of composites due to their renewability and low environmental impact. This has led to a significant increase in the use of natural plant fiber-reinforced polymers (NPFRPs) in a variety of industries. The diversity of NPF types brings a wide range of properties and functionalities to NPFRPs, which in turn highlights the urgent need to improve the properties of fiber materials in order to enhance their performance and suitability.

Risk sexual behaviors for sexually transmitted infections among sexual minority women: A cross-sectional study in Beijing, China.

Researchers in this study assesses risk behaviors for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among sexual minority women (SMW) in Beijing, China. A total of 1,631 SMW participated in the study. Compared with women who have sex with women exclusively, women who have sex with both women and men reported more sex partners, more likely sharing sex toys, experiencing STI infections.

The response of crop yield, carbon sequestration, and global warming potential to straw and biochar applications: A meta-analysis.

Organic materials play an important role in improving crop yield. However, due to variations in natural and field management practices, the impact of straw incorporation (NS) and biochar addition (NB) on soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration and global warming potential (GWP) remains uncertain. This meta-analysis synthesizes the findings from 112 published studies, encompassing 897 samples, to assess the effects of NS and NB on crop yield, SOC, and GWP.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor induced cough compared with placebo, and other antihypertensives: A systematic review, and network meta-analysis.

Studies have shown that angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) are superior in primary and secondary prevention for cardiac mortality and morbidity to angiotensin receptor blocker (ARBs). One of the common side effects from ACEI is dry cough. The aims of this systematic review, and network meta-analysis are to rank the risk of cough induced by different ACEIs and between ACEI and placebo, ARB or calcium channel blockers (CCB).

Short Acting Beta Agonist Use Associated with Increased Mortality and Morbidity in Asthma Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Purpose: Short acting b2 agonists are recommended to be used ≤ 2 canisters per year. It is suggested that overuse of b2 agonists will lead to increased morbidity and mortality.  This study aimed to determine if overuse of b2 agonists result in increased morbidity and mortality.

Surface modification and functionalization of powder materials by atomic layer deposition: a review.

Powder materials are a class of industrial materials with many important applications. In some circumstances, surface modification and functionalization of these materials are essential for achieving or enhancing their expected performances. However, effective and precise surface modification of powder materials remains a challenge due to a series of problems such as high surface area, diffusion limitation, and particle agglomeration.

Effects of Vitamin D Serum Level on Morbidity and Mortality in Patients with COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Purpose: It has been shown that low Vitamin D serum concentration is associated with increased pneumonia and viral respiratory infections. Vitamin D is readily available, inexpensive, and easy to administer to subjects infected with COVID-19. If effective in reducing the severity of COVID-19, it could be an important and feasible therapeutic intervention.

[An investigation of vaccination in children with human immunodeficiency virus infection].

Objective: To investigate the status of vaccination in children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.

Methods: A questionnaire survey was performed in 148 children in Hunan province, China who were registered in China's Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Comprehensive Response Information Management System up to December 31, 2016 and were aged <15 years at the time of confirmed diagnosis of HIV infection. The information on vaccination, diagnosis of HIV infection, and diagnosis and treatment of related diseases was collected.

Borneol and Α-asarone as adjuvant agents for improving blood-brain barrier permeability of puerarin and tetramethylpyrazine by activating adenosine receptors.

Puerarin (PUE) and tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) are central nervous system (CNS) drugs used in cerebrovascular diseases. Poor brain-blood barrier (BBB) permeability limited their clinical application. Borneol and α-asarone have been proposed as an oral brain-targeting enhancer.

[Analysis of early detection of HIV infections by provider initiated HIV testing and counselling in regions with high HIV/AIDS epidemic in China].

Objective: To understand provider initiated HIV testing and counseling (PITC) in a region with high HIV/AIDS epidemic in China, and analyze its effect to early detection of HIV infections.

Methods: Between January and December, 2013, 37 county level medical institutions were selected as the study sites, among which, 19 were public medical institutions and 18 were private institutions. According to the related regulation, procedures and contents of PITC, the study was implemented among outpatients and inpatients who seek for doctors in these medical institutions and PITC were provided for them.

[A cost-utility study on HIV/AIDS 'one-stop service' pilot at county level].

Objective: To conduct a cost utility study on the HIV/AIDS 'one-stop service' at county level.

Methods: Financial records and questionnaires were used to collect the information about the resource allocation and the effectiveness of antivirus treatment (ART) during the two period which were January 2012-June 2013 and July 2013-December 2013 in the three pilot counties providing 'one-stop service'. Treeage Pro 2009 was used to build the Markov model to simulate the evolution of 5 different HIV statuses, including HIV infection, AIDS, HIV infection receiving ART, AIDS receiving ART and death.

[A study on the health economic evaluations of prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission in Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province, China from 2004 to 2013].

Objective: To conduct health economic evaluation of the prevention of mother-to-child HIV among pregnant women in Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province, China from 2004 to 2013.

Methods: Data on cost were collected mainly from the annual prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) reporting system of Dehong prefecture, and supplemented by HIV PMTCT-related resource allocation data from local health bureau. Effectiveness indexes were from local continuous HIV surveillance system and annual reported data.

Effects of higher-order aberration correction on stereopsis at different viewing durations.

To better understand how the eye's optics affects stereopsis, we measured stereoacuity before and after higher-order aberration (HOA) correction with a binocular adaptive optics visual simulator. The HOAs were corrected either binocularly or monocularly in the better eye (the eye with better contrast sensitivity). A two-line stereo pattern served as the visual stimulus.

[Analysis of characteristics and therapy of clients in the extension methadone maintenance therapy clinic].

Objective: To understand the characteristics and retention situation of clients in extension clinic of methadone maintenance therapy.

Methods: From December 20, 2010 to March 10, 2011, the system sampling method was used to get the cases. A total of 462 heroin addicts from 22 methadone maintenance therapy clinics and extension clinics located in Mangshi, Ruili, Longchuan, Yingjiang, Lianghe of Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province were interviewed, and the demographic characteristics, quality of life, urine testing results for morphine of the patients between the extension MMT clinic and standard MMT clinic were also collected and compared.

[Economic evaluation of needle and syringe exchange in two provinces of Southwest China].

Objective: To measure related cost, effectiveness and benefit of needle and syringe exchange (NSP) in two provinces of Southwest China.

Methods: Between September 2012 and February 2013, program files and questionnaires were used to collect the information about cost, effectiveness and benefit of NSP during three program years (July 2009 to June 2010, July 2010 to June 2011, July 2011 to June 2012 ) in 31 counties of two provinces of Southwest China. Unit cost indicators including cost of providing per syringe and cost of covering per IDU, number of new HIV infections avoided by providing needle and syringe exchange were used to evaluate the effectiveness of NSP, and the benefit indicators included the fees for ART, hospitalization cost and follow up of new HIV infection avoided by NSP.

[Health economic evaluation for the extension clinics of methadone maintenance treatment].

Objective: To discuss the cost, cost-effectiveness, and cost-utility of the extension methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) clinics and provide the evidences of the strategy of scaling up the extension MMT clinics.

Methods: A study was conducted in Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province, including Mang, Ruili city, Longchuan, Yingjiang, Lianghe county. 117 newly enrolling heroin addict patients in 17 extension MMT clinics were recruited as subjects from December 2010 to February 2011.

The impact of comprehensive prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission in Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province, 2005-2010: a hard-hit area by HIV in Southern China.

The burden of HIV/AIDS in China has been disproportionately concentrated in Yunnan Province, where in Dehong prefecture, the HIV prevalence rate among pregnant women reached 1.3% in 2003, a rate that is indicative of a generalized epidemic. Since then, there have been extensive efforts to expand prevention to reduce mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) in this high-prevalence region.

Detection of Haemophilus influenzae type B DNA in a murine pneumonia model by in situ PCR.

This study estimated the value of in situ PCR (ISPCR) in the detection of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) DNA in paraffin-embedded lung tissues of a murine pneumonia model. ICR mice were infected with Hib solution intranasally. In study group A (n=20), physiological changes and the number of deaths were recorded for 7 consecutive days after infection.

The role of Haemophilus influenzae type b in fatal community-acquired pneumonia in Chinese children.

To analyze the role of Haemophilus influenzae type b in children's death resulting from severe pneumonia conventional PCR, Southern blotting and in situ PCR were evaluated for the detection of Hib in 202 paraffin-embedded lung tissue autopsy samples from children with fatal outcome of pneumonia in China during the period of 1953-2002. The results indicate that Hib was a cause of fatal pneumonia in 36 (17.8%) of 202 samples.

[Study on Haemophilus influenzae type b: data from autopsy of community acquired pneumonia among children].

Objective: To evaluate the status of Haemophilus influenza type b(Hib) on death cases of children from community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and to estimate the value of direct in-situ polymerase chain reaction (ISPCR) on diagnosis of children CAP, pathogenically.

Methods: Ordinary PCR, Southern blot and direct ISPCR were applied and compared in detecting Hib in 100 paraffin-embedded lung tissues of autopsy children died of CAP.

Results: No major difference on the detection rate of Hib between 50-60s and 80s-2002 was found.

[Experimental study on preparation of decellularized artery vascular graft matrix and explantation of carotid artery allografts].

Objective: To set up a new process to access the preparation of decellularized artery grafts. And to evaluate the feasibility of decellularized artery allografts was evaluated.

Methods: This study compared the effects of four extraction chemicals [1% t-octyl-phenoxypolyethoxyethanol (Triton X-100), 1% tri (n-butyl) phosphate (TnBP), and 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and trypsin (0.

[Surveillance of antimicrobial susceptibility of Haemophilus influenzae isolates from children in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou 2000 - 2002].

Objective: To investigate the situation of antibiotic resistance of Haemophilus influenzae isolates from Chinese children.

Methods: Eight hundred and ninety-eight strains of H. influenzae isolated from randomly selected pediatric out-patients in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou 2000 approximately 2002 underwent determination of antibiotic susceptibility by E test MIC method for beta-lactam antibiotics (ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ceftriaxone, cefuroxime, and cefaclor) and KB disc diffusion method for chloramphenicol, tetracycline, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (SMZ/TMP), azithromycin, and ciprofloxacin.

[Analysis of antimicrobial resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae with restriction fragment length polymorphism of pbp2b gene and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profiles among children].

Unlabelled: Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common cause of potentially life-threatening infections such as meningitis, bacteraemia, pneumonia worldwide, for which children of preschool age are at particularly high risk. Since the late 1970s and 1980s, antibiotic resistance among pneumococci has become an emerging problem. Several multidrug-resistant clones have rapidly spread throughout the world.