冠状病毒研究态势分析

2019年底,一种新型冠状病毒在武汉引起发热性呼吸道疾病(COVID-19),并在我国境内及周边国家持续蔓延,对人类流行病的防控提出了新的要求。基于文献计量学方法梳理了冠状病毒的研究进展,从全球视角对主要研发国家/地区、核心研究机构和热点研究方向进行了分析,旨在揭示冠状病毒的诊断、预防和治疗的研究态势,以期为当前科研联合攻关提供参考。     

冠状病毒研究态势分析

2019年底,一种新型冠状病毒在武汉引起发热性呼吸道疾病(COVID-19),并在我国境内及周边国家持续蔓延,对人类流行病的防控提出了新的要求。基于文献计量学方法梳理了冠状病毒的研究进展,从全球视角对主要研发国家/地区、核心研究机构和热点研究方向进行了分析,旨在揭示冠状病毒的诊断、预防和治疗的研究态势,以期为当前科研联合攻关提供参考。     

Molecular Epidemiology of Influenza A/H3N2 Viruses Circulating in Mexico from 2003 to 2012

In this work, nineteen influenza A/H3N2 viruses isolated in Mexico between 2003 and 2012 were studied. Our findings show that different human A/H3N2 viral lineages co-circulate within a same season and can also persist locally in between different influenza seasons, increasing the chance for genetic reassortment events. A novel minor cluster was also identified, named here as Korea, that circulated worldwide during 2003. Frequently, phylogenetic characterization did not correlate with the determined antigenic identity, supporting the need for the use of molecular evolutionary tools additionally to antigenic data for the surveillance and characterization of viral diversity during each flu season. This work represents the first long-term molecular epidemiology study of influenza A/H3N2 viruses in Mexico based on the complete genomic sequences and contributes to the monitoring of evolutionary trends of A/H3N2 influenza viruses within North and Central America.     

The Evolution of Dental Eruption Sequence in Artiodactyls

The sequence of eruption of the second generation of teeth varies across taxa, is highly functional, and is strongly influenced by genetic effects. We assessed postcanine dental eruption sequence across artiodactyls in order to test two hypotheses: 1) dental eruption sequence is a good phylogenetic character for artiodactyls; and, 2) eruption sequence is adaptive and associated with life history variables like postnatal growth and longevity in artiodactyls (Schultz’s Rule). We examined postcanine eruption sequence in 81 genera (100 species) spanning ten families of Artiodactyla. Our ancestral state reconstruction supports the interpretation that the third molar erupted last in the ancestor of Artiodactyla, and that the fourth premolar erupted after the third molar in the ancestor of Ruminantia. Our results indicate that eruption of the third molar last evolved secondarily in the caprines, likely sometime in the Miocene. Overall, our results support the hypothesis that dental eruption sequence is phylogenetically conserved in artiodactyls. Caprines occupy high elevation habitats, and we hypothesize that evolution of their unique dental eruption sequence may be associated with limited resource availability in high elevation mountain systems and the necessity to process a wide range of vegetation types.     

Bibliometric Assessment of European and Sub-Saharan African Research Output on Poverty-Related and Neglected Infectious Diseases from 2003 to 2011

Background

The European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) is a partnership of European and sub-Saharan African countries that aims to accelerate the development of medical interventions against poverty-related diseases (PRDs). A bibliometric analysis was conducted to 1) measure research output from European and African researchers on PRDs, 2) describe collaboration patterns, and 3) assess the citation impact of clinical research funded by EDCTP.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Disease-specific research publications were identified in Thomson Reuters Web of Science using search terms in titles, abstracts and keywords. Publication data, including citation counts, were extracted for 2003–2011. Analyses including output, share of global papers, normalised citation impact (NCI), and geographical distribution are presented. Data are presented as five-year moving averages. European EDCTP member countries accounted for ~33% of global research output in PRDs and sub-Saharan African countries for ~10% (2007–2011). Both regions contributed more to the global research output in malaria (43.4% and 22.2%, respectively). The overall number of PRD papers from sub-Saharan Africa increased markedly (>47%) since 2003, particularly for HIV/AIDS (102%) and tuberculosis (TB) (81%), and principally involving Southern and East Africa. For 2007–2011, European and sub-Saharan African research collaboration on PRDs was highly cited compared with the world average (NCI in brackets): HIV/AIDS 1.62 (NCI: 1.16), TB 2.11 (NCI: 1.06), malaria 1.81 (NCI: 1.22), and neglected infectious diseases 1.34 (NCI: 0.97). The NCI of EDCTP-funded papers for 2003–2011 was exceptionally high for HIV/AIDS (3.24), TB (4.08) and HIV/TB co-infection (5.10) compared with global research benchmarks (1.14, 1.05 and 1.35, respectively).

Conclusions

The volume and citation impact of papers from sub-Saharan Africa has increased since 2003, as has collaborative research between Europe and sub-Saharan Africa. >90% of publications from EDCTP-funded research were published in high-impact journals and are highly cited. These findings corroborate the benefit of collaborative research on PRDs.     

Impact of Article Language in Multi-Language Medical Journals - a Bibliometric Analysis of Self-Citations and Impact Factor

Background

In times of globalization there is an increasing use of English in the medical literature. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of English-language articles in multi-language medical journals on their international recognition – as measured by a lower rate of self-citations and higher impact factor (IF).

Methods and Findings

We analyzed publications in multi-language journals in 2008 and 2009 using the Web of Science (WoS) of Thomson Reuters (former Institute of Scientific Information) and PubMed as sources of information. The proportion of English-language articles during the period was compared with both the share of self-citations in the year 2010 and the IF with and without self-citations. Multivariable linear regression analysis was performed to analyze these factors as well as the influence of the journals‘ countries of origin and of the other language(s) used in publications besides English.We identified 168 multi-language journals that were listed in WoS as well as in PubMed and met our criteria. We found a significant positive correlation of the share of English articles in 2008 and 2009 with the IF calculated without self-citations (Pearson r=0.56, p = <0.0001), a correlation with the overall IF (Pearson r = 0.47, p = <0.0001) and with the cites to years of IF calculation (Pearson r = 0.34, p = <0.0001), and a weak negative correlation with the share of self-citations (Pearson r = -0.2, p = 0.009). The IF without self-citations also correlated with the journal‘s country of origin – North American journals had a higher IF compared to Middle and South American or European journals.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that a larger share of English articles in multi-language medical journals is associated with greater international recognition. Fewer self-citations were found in multi-language journals with a greater share of original articles in English.     

Dental Mold: A Novel Formulation to Treat Common Dental Disorders

Oral administration of antibiotics to treat dental problems mostly yields slow actions due to slow onset and hepatic “first-pass.” Again, commonly used dental paints are generally washed out by saliva within few hours of application. To overcome the challenges, polymeric molds to be placed on an affected tooth (during carries and gum problems) were prepared and evaluated in vitro for sustained drug release for prolonged local action. Here, amoxicillin trihydrate and lidocaine hydrochloride were used as model drugs. Dental molds were prepared using corn zein, carbopol 934 P, gum karaya powder, and poloxamer 407 by mixing and solvent evaporation technique. Different physicochemical evaluation studies such as tooth adhesion test, surface pH, swelling index, and drug-distribution pattern were carried out. Percentage swelling varied from 56% to 93%. Average tooth adhesion strength and mean initial surface pH of the formulations were 50 g and 6.5, respectively. As assessed by scanning electron microscopy, drug distribution was uniform throughout the matrix. Cumulative percentage release of lidocaine hydrochloride and amoxicillin trihydrate in simulated saliva were 98% and 50%, respectively. In vitro drug-release studies revealed the sustained-release patterns of the drugs in simulated saliva at least for 24 h. The stability study shows that the drugs were stable in the formulations following the conditions as per ICH guideline. The formulation is a novel approach to deliver the drug(s) for a prolonged period for local action upon its application on an affected tooth.     

Evidence Base of Clinical Studies on Tai Chi: A Bibliometric Analysis

Background

The safety and health benefits of Tai Chi mind-body exercise has been documented in a large number of clinical studies focused on specific diseases and health conditions. The objective of this systematic review is to more comprehensively summarize the evidence base of clinical studies of Tai Chi for healthcare.

Methods and Findings

We searched for all types of clinical studies on Tai chi in PubMed, the Cochrane Library and four major Chinese electronic databases from their inception to July 2013. Data were analyzed using SPSS17.0 software. A total of 507 studies published between 1958 and 2013 were identified, including 43 (8.3%) systematic reviews of clinical studies, 255 (50.3%) randomized clinical trials, 90 (17.8%) non-randomized controlled clinical studies, 115 (22.7%) case series and 4 (0.8%) case reports. The top 10 diseases/conditions was hypertension, diabetes, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis or osteopenia, breast cancer, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary heart disease, schizophrenia, and depression. Many healthy participants practiced Tai Chi for the purpose of health promotion or preservation. Yang style Tai Chi was the most popular, and Tai Chi was frequently practiced two to three 1-hour sessions per week for 12 weeks. Tai Chi was used alone in more than half of the studies (58.6%), while in other studies Tai Chi was applied in combination with other therapies including medications, health education and other physical therapies. The majority of studies (94.1%) reported positive effects of Tai Chi, 5.1% studies reported uncertain effects and 0.8% studies reported negative effects. No serious adverse events related to Tai Chi were reported.

Conclusions

The quantity and evidence base of clinical studies on Tai Chi is substantial. However, there is a wide variation in Tai Chi intervention studied and the reporting of Tai Chi intervention needs to be improved. Further well-designed and reported studies are recommended to confirm the effects of Tai Chi for the frequently reported diseases/conditions.     

《蛛形学报》(1992～2001年)学术论文计量分析

采用文献计量的方法分析了《蛛形学报》（1992～2001)发表的学术论文、刊物特色、作者地区、单位分布,引文概况,并就进一步推动《蛛形学报》的发展提出了建议。     

武威市2009~2012年流感样病例监测结果分析

目的:分析探讨2009~2012年武威市流行性感冒(简称流感)的流行特征,为流感的防控提供科学依据。方法:收集2009年6月~2012年12月武威市流感样病例及病原学监测资料,分析流感样病例就诊比(ILI%)的变化规律、流感样病例的年龄分布和流感病毒各亚型的变化。结果:2009~2012年,武威市的ILI%分别是1.94%、1.55%、1.12%、1.15%,ILI%高峰分别出现在6月(2009年)、7月(2010年)和10月~次年3月(2011年和2012年)。ILI年龄构成显示病例以15岁以下人群为主。2009~2012年,ILI样本病原学检测阳性率为19.00%;2009年,甲型H1N1为优势毒株,构成比是76.64%,2010年为季节性H3(60.00%)、B型(29.23%)混合流行;2011年主要是甲型H1N1(26.47%)、季节性H3(29.41%)、A未分型(29.41%);2012年为季节性H3(31.78%)、B型(53.49%)混合流行。结论:2009年甲型H1N1流感大流行之后,武威市流感的活动较为平稳,流行优势毒株不断发生变化。     

A Geographic Analysis about the Spatiotemporal Pattern of Breast Cancer in Hangzhou from 2008 to 2012

Background

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common female malignant tumor. Previous studies have suggested a big incidence disparity among different cities in China. The present work selected a typical city, Hangzhou, to study BC incidence disparity within the city.

Methods

Totally, 8784 female breast cancer cases were obtained from the Hangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention during the period 2008–2012. Analysis of Variance and Poisson Regression were the statistical tools implemented to compare incidence disparity in the space-time domain (reference group: township residents during 2008, area: subdistrict, town, and township, time frame: 2008–2012), space-time scan statistics was employed to detect significant spatiotemporal clusters of BC compared to the null hypothesis that the probability of cases diagnosed at a particular location was equal to the probability of cases diagnosed in the whole study area. Geographical Information System (GIS) was used to generate BC spatial distribution and cluster maps at the township level.

Results

The subdistrict populations were found to have the highest and most stable BC incidence. Although town and township populations had a relatively low incidence, it displayed a significant increasing trend from 2008 to 2012. The BC incidence distribution was spatially heterogeneous and clustered with a trend-surface from the southwest low area to the northeast high area. High clusters were located in the northeastern Hangzhou area, whereas low clusters were observed in the southwestern area during the time considered.

Conclusions

Better healthcare service and lifestyle changes may be responsible for the increasing BC incidence observed in towns and townships. One high incidence cluster (Linping subdistrict) and two low incidence clusters (middle Hangzhou) were detected. The low clusters may be attributable mainly to developmental level disparity, whereas the high cluster could be associated with other risk factors, such as environmental pollution.     

鸡西市1957-2003年麻疹流行特征分析

目的:了解鸡西市麻疹流行病学特征,探讨控制麻疹的策略。方法:采用描述流行病学,对鸡西市1957～2003年麻疹发病及死亡情况进行分析。结果:1957～1966年麻疹发病呈高发状态,年平均发病率为1280.03/10万,每年1～6月份发病占病例总数的83.09%,使用麻疹疫苗前具有明显的周期性,每隔3～4年出现1个发病高峰,使用麻疹疫苗后整个流行呈明显下降态势;发病主要集中在1～7岁年龄组,占84.09%,男女性别比为1.27:1。结论:实施计划免疫对控制麻疹疫情效果显著,为控制麻疹疫情应继续加强麻疹疫苗的常规免疫,适时开展强化免疫,加强麻疹监测与报告。