Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy in Mainland China: A Meta-Analysis

Background

Although diabetic retinopathy (DR) is considered to be a major cause of blindness, this is the first meta-analysis to investigate the pooled prevalence of DR in mainland China.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We conducted a search of all English reports on population-based studies for the prevalence of DR using Medline, EMbase, Web of Science, Google (scholar), and all Chinese reports were identified manually and on-line using CBMDisc, Chongqing VIP database, and CNKI database. A meta-analysis was carried out. The fixed effects model or random effects model was used as a statistical test for homogeneity. Nineteen studies were included. The prevalence of DR, non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) in the pooled general population was 1.3% (95%CI: 0.5%–3.2%), 1.1% (95%CI: 0.6%–2.1%), and 0.1% (95%CI: 0.1%–0.3%), respectively, but was 23% (95%CI: 17.8%–29.2%), 19.1% (95%CI: 13.6%–26.3%), and 2.8% (95%CI: 1.9%–4.2%) in the diabetic group. The prevalence rate of DR in the pooled rural population was higher than that in the urban population, 1.6% (95%CI: 1.3%–2%), and the diabetic population, 29.1% (95%CI: 20.9%–38.9%). The prevalence of DR was higher in the Northern region compared with the Southern region.

Conclusions/Significance

The prevalence of DR in mainland China appeared a little high, and varied according to area. NPDR was more common. This study highlights the necessity for DR screening in the rural areas of China.     

Mucormycosis in Mainland China: A Systematic Review of Case Reports

Mycopathologia - Mucormycosis is a lethal fungal infection with increasing incidence. The epidemiology of mucormycosis in current mainland China has not been fully elucidated. To investigate the...     

Chromoblastomycosis in Mainland China: A Systematic Review on Clinical Characteristics

Chromoblastomycosis is one of the most frequent chronic infections caused by melanized fungi. In order to evaluate the clinical characteristics of chromoblastomycosis in Mainland China, we performed an evidence-based review of published literature. PubMed and Chinese-language database of CNKI, VIP and Wanfang data during January 1990–August 2011 were searched. Epidemiology, clinical features, laboratory findings, therapy and prognosis were analyzed. Cladophialophora carrionii was the most common causative agent in the north of the Mainland China, and Fonsecaea monophora and F. pedrosoi were the most common agents in the southern part of the Mainland China. Infection commonly initiated after the etiologic agents gain entrance through puncture wounds and more common involved extremities of the males. Skin lesions were found in different sites, like the extremities, buttocks, trunk and face, and presented diversity morphology. There were about seven different clinical types found in Mainland China: plaque type, tumoral type, cicatricial type, verrucous type, pseudo-vacuole type, eczymatous type and mixed type of lesions. The success of treatment for chromoblastomycosis was related to the causative agent, the clinical form and severity of the lesions. Most of the patients could be treated successfully with the physical treatment, chemotherapy and/or combination therapy. The itraconazole, terbinafine or a combination of both were commonly medication for these mycosis patients. Physical methods were usually indicated to support chemotherapy with some severe forms and long-lasting cases. Photodynamic therapy has been extended from the oncological field to that of antimicrobial chemotherapy in these years. We applied it on some recalcitrant cases of chromoblastomycosis and found its good clinical response, and hopeful it could be a promising therapy in near future.     

Epidemiology of Major Depressive Disorder in Mainland China: A Systematic Review

Background

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the important causes of disease burden in the general population. Given the experiencing rapid economic and social changes since the early 1990s and the internationally recognized diagnostic criteria and interview instruments across the surveys during 2001–2010 in china, the epidemiological studies on MDD got varied results. We performed this meta-analysis to investigate current, 12-month and lifetime prevalence rates of MDD in mainland China.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, Chinese Biological Medical Literature database (CBM), Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure database (CNKI), and the Chinese Wanfang and Chongqing VIP database were searched for associated studies. We estimated the overall prevalence of MDD using meta-analysis.

Conclusions

Seventeen eligible studies were included. Our study showed that the overall estimation of current, 12-month and lifetime prevalence of MDD was 1.6, 2.3, 3.3%, respectively. The current prevalence was 2.0 and 1.7% in rural and urban areas, respectively; between female and male, it was 2.1 and 1.3%, respectively. In addition, the current prevalence of MDD diagnosed with SCID (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV) was 1.8% and that diagnosed with CIDI (Composite International Diagnostic Interview) was 1.1%. In conclusion, our study revealed a relatively high prevalence rate in the lifetime prevalence of MDD. For current prevalence, MDD diagnosed with SCID had a higher prevalence rate than with CIDI; males showed a lower rate than females, rural residents seemed to have a greater risk of MDD than urban residents.     

中国大陆葫芦科一归化属--野胡瓜属

报道了中国大陆葫芦科—归化属—野胡瓜属。     

中国大陆多毛类猫耳衣属一新记录种(英文)

报道了猫耳衣属多毛类地衣一中国大陆新记录种——小黑猫耳衣(Leptogium trichophoroides),与其他国家和地区相比,该种在中国大陆具有更宽的海拔分布范围和稍大的子囊孢子。     

中国大陆山茶科一新记录种——日本厚皮香

报道了发现于浙江省象山县的山茶科Theaceae厚皮香属Ternstroemia日本厚皮香T. japonica (Thunb.) Thunb.,描述其主要形态特征、生境。该种为中国大陆新记录种。凭证标本存于浙江农林大学植物标本馆(ZJFC)。     

Recent advances of microfluidics in Mainland China

The history and current status of research on microfluidics in China is summarized in this review. The recent representative contributions in this field by Chinese scientists are cited. A perspective on some trends in future development of this field in China is presented.     

Penicillium marneffei Infection: An Emerging Disease in Mainland China

Penicillium marneffei is an emerging pathogenic fungus that can cause a life-threatening systemic mycosis in immunocompromised hosts, especially in patients with AIDS. This infection is endemic in Southeast Asia. With the prevalence of AIDS in this area, the number of patients with systemic penicilliosis marneffei is found to be increasing rapidly in mainland China in recent years. We recently reviewed 668 cases of penicilliosis marneffei in mainland China from January 1984 to December 2009 in cnki, cqvip, CBMdisc and PubMed. We analyzed epidemiological and clinical features, laboratory findings, reaction to therapy and prognosis of the disease. We found that 99.4 % of the cases were reported in the southern part of China; among these cases, 42.8 % were from Guangxi (286 cases) and 40.6 % were from Guangdong province (271 cases). Five hundred and eighty-six cases (87.7 %) of penicilliosis marneffei were reported with infection by the human immunodeficiency virus, 25 cases (3.8 %) with other immunocompromised diseases, and 57 cases (8.5 %) without any documented underlying diseases. Fever, weight loss, anemia, lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, respiratory signs and skin lesions were the common clinical manifestations of P. marneffei infections. The 569 cases received antifungal therapy with a mortality of 24.3 % (138 cases), 99 cases who had not received antifungal therapy had a mortality of 50.6 %. P. marneffei was an emerging pathogenic fungus and become a medical and public health importance in mainland China. The immunocompromised patients should pay more attention to P. marneffei infection in the endemic areas.     

The Neglected Arboviral Infections in Mainland China

The major arboviral diseases in mainland China include Japanese encephalitis, dengue fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (also known as Xinjiang hemorrhagic fever), and tick-borne encephalitis. These and other newly found arbovirus infections due to Banna virus and Tahyna virus contribute to a large and relatively neglected disease burden in China. Here we briefly review the literature regarding these arboviral infections in mainland China with emphasis on their epidemiology, primary vectors, phylogenetic associations, and the prevention programs associated with these agents in China.     

翼茎水丁香,中国大陆柳叶菜科一归化水生植物

首次报道了在江西省南昌市南昌县与进贤县发现的柳叶菜科原产美洲一归化种:翼茎水丁香(Ludwigiadecurrens Walt.),茎具翼,蒴果方柱形,特征明显,易与国产同属植物区分。对其特征和生境信息进行了描述,并简要讨论了其潜在的入侵风险。     

粘鞭霉属2个中国大陆新记录种

分离得到2个粘鞭霉属中国大陆新记录种-禾谷粘鞭霉[G.CERALIS(P.Karst.)C.H.Dickinson]和墙粘鞭霉费利变种[G.murorum vat.felina (Marchal) S.Hughes].二者均为土壤真菌,分别采自湖北神农架自然保护区和贵州雷公山自然保护区.文中提供了详细的形态结构描述并绘...     

Religious Involvement and Mental Disorders in Mainland China

Purpose

The present study aims to examine the association between religious involvement and mental disorder (anxiety disorder, mood disorder, alcohol use disorder) in a general Chinese population, and explore connections between religious belief and mental disorders in the Hui and Han ethnic groups.

Method

Data were examined from a representative sample of 2,770 community-dwelling adults in the province of Ningxia located in western China. Self-reported religious attendance and the importance of religious in daily life were measured. The WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to diagnose mental disorders.

Results

In the overall sample, the importance of religious affiliation was positively associated with mental disorders (especially anxiety) (p<0.01). No association was found between any religious characteristic and mood disorders or alcohol use disorders. With regard to analyses within different ethnic groups, religious affiliation was positively associated with mental disorder in Han ethnicity (p<0.01), but not in Hui ethnicity. When stratified by age and ethnic group, religious affiliation was associated positively with mental disorder in younger Han (p<0.01); whereas high religiosity was associated positively with mental disorder in older Hui (p<0.05). Among older Hui, however, religious affiliation was inversely associated with mood disorder (p<0.05).

Conclusions

In contrast to most previous studies in Western populations, religious involvement is less likely to be inversely related to mental disorder in Mainland China, although this association varies by age and ethnic group.     

中国大陆菊科二新归化植物

报道了中国菊科2新归化植物:短舌花金钮扣(Acmella brachyglossa Cass.)和粉黄缨绒花(Emilia praetermissa Milne-Redh.)。短舌花金钮扣原产美洲中部和南部以及加勒比海,我国台湾有逸生,最近在广州黄埔区发现1归化居群,而此前浙江象山县报道的本种新记录实为白花金钮扣[A. radicans var. debilis (Kunth) R. K. Jansen]的错误鉴定。粉黄缨绒花原产于西非,我国台湾有逸生,最近在广州市和鹤山市发现了大量的归化居群,而且生长旺盛并排斥其他草本植物,具有明显的入侵性,应引起相关部门的重视。凭证标本保存在中国科学院华南植物园标本馆(IBSC)。     

插天山羊耳蒜——中国大陆兰科植物的新记录

插天山羊耳蒜(Liparis sootenzanensis Fukuyama)以前报道只分布于中国台湾。首次报道其在大陆的分布,其主要特征是：茎(或假鳞茎)粗壮,叶大;总状花序具10余朵花;花淡绿色;花瓣丝状,唇瓣倒卵形,先端边缘具细齿。凭证标本保存于茂兰保护区标本室(HML)。     

Chronicle of Women: A Hongkong Story

In this paper I offer a feminist analysis of a theatrical production recently staged in Hongkong. I suggest that through a performative strategy of negotiating between compliance and resistance to normative constructions of Chinese/Hongkong womanhood, the show under consideration succeeds in giving us a highly nuanced representation of gendered colonial subjects. Many of these subtleties were erased by audience interpretations of the performance as an allegorical account of Hongkong/China relations framed by the issue of sovereignty transferral in 1997. Instead of seeing this as a negative process, I argue that critiques of patriarchy and political hegemony can and must productively interrupt one another in contemporary Hongkong.     

垂枝斑叶兰，中国大陆兰科植物新记录

垂枝斑叶兰（Goodyera pendula Maxim．）,先前只报道于日本和中国台湾,在大陆首次发现。该种的显著特点：植株在树干上附生,花序下垂后再上升,呈“L”型,花序密被腺毛,花朵密集,生于一侧,不完全开张。凭证标本保存在中国科学院华南植物园标本馆（IBSC）。     

垂枝斑叶兰，中国大陆兰科植物新记录

垂枝斑叶兰(Goodyera pendula Maxim.),先前只报道于日本和中国台湾,在大陆首次发现。这个种的显著特点：植株在树干上附生,花序下垂后再上升,呈“L”型,花序密被腺毛,花朵密集,生于一侧,不完全开张。凭证标本保存在中国科学院华南植物园标本馆（IBSC）。