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BACKGROUND@#Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) offers a new approach for adult patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). The study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tACS treating MDD.@*METHODS@#This is an 8-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Ninety-two drug-naive patients with MDD aged 18 to 65 years will receive 20 daily 40-min, 77.5-Hz, 15-mA sessions of active or sham tACS targeting the forehead and both mastoid areas on weekdays for 4 consecutive weeks (week 4), following a 4-week observation period (week 8). The primary outcome is the remission rate defined as the 17-item Hamilton depression rating scale (HDRS-17) score ≤7 at week 8. Secondary outcomes are the rates of response at weeks 4 and 8 and rate of remission at week 4 based on HDRS-17, the proportion of participants having improvement in the clinical global impression-improvement, the change in HDRS-17 score (range, 0-52, with higher scores indicating more depression) over the study, and variations of brain imaging and neurocognition from baseline to week 4. Safety will be assessed by vital signs at weeks 4 and 8, and adverse events will be collected during the entire study.@*DISCUSSION@#The tACS applied in this trial may have treatment effects on MDD with minimal side effects.@*TRIAL REGISTRATION@#Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1800016479; http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=22048.
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Background: SEPT9 gene methylation is a specific biomarker of colorectal cancer, and its peripheral blood expression level can assess the risk of colorectal cancer. Aims: To investigate the clinical significance of detection of peripheral blood SEPT9 gene methylation and glycoprotein tumor markers in the diagnosis of colorectal cancer. Methods: A total of 57 normal controls, 61 colorectal adenoma and 71 colorectal cancer patients from Dec. 2016 to Apr. 2017 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University were enrolled. The peripheral blood SEPT9 gene methylation was detected by PCR fluorescence probe method, and levels of tumor markers CEA, CA125, CA19-9, CA72-4 and CA211 were determined. ROC curve was used to analyze the diagnostic value of above-mentioned indices for colorectal cancer. Logistic regression equation was established and used to evaluate the diagnostic value of SEPT9 gene combined with CEA. Results: The positivity rates of SEPT9 gene methylation in normal control group, adenoma group and colorectal cancer group were 0, 6.6% and 52.1%, respectively. CEA level in colorectal cancer group was significantly higher than that in normal control group and adenoma group (P<0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that AUC of SEPT9, CEA, combination of the two indicators for the diagnosis of colorectal cancer were 0.817, 0.707 and 0.793, respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed that the OR of SEPT9 and CEA for the diagnosis of colorectal cancer were 1.394 (1.198-1.762) and 1.325 (0.997-1.622), respectively. Conclusions: The positivity rate of peripheral blood SEPT9 gene methylation is significantly increased with the progress of disease, and the diagnostic value for colorectal cancer is high. The combination of peripheral blood SEPT9 gene methylation and CEA is helpful for improving the early screening rate of colorectal cancer.
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Objective@#To investigate knowledge, attitudes, and practice on exercise and dietary behaviors among the primary and middle school pupils in Shandong province, and to provide a theoretical basis for a targeted education on diet and physical health among the primary and middle school students.@*Methods@#A questionnaire survey was conducted among 6 161 students from 3 cities in Shandong province by random cluster sampling.@*Results@#Self-reported rate of having breakfast every day for primary and middle school students were 85.0% and 75.3% ,respectively(χ2=84.0，P<0.01). 41.2% of primary school students were reported to do physical exercises more than 60 minutes every day and the rate was only 29.6% for middle school students(χ2=270.0，P<0.01). 39.2% of boys were reported to do physical exercises more than 60 minutes every day and the rate was 28.7% for the girls(χ2=90.4，P<0.01). The awareness rates of knowledge about dietary and physical exercise among primary and middle school students were 44.4% and 55.8%, respectively(χ2=702.0，P<0.01). The awareness rates among boys and girls were 50.4% and 51.9% respectively (χ2=12.4，P<0.01). Parents’ occupation, knowledge score and education level of mother were influencing factors of breakfast behavior everyday. The physical exercise was influenced by gender, parents' occupation, knowledge score and education level of mother.@*Conclusion@#It is necessary to educate students to take healthy diet and have more physia1 activities. Families, schools and government departments need to take feasible measures to ensure the time and intensity of pupils’ physical exercise through many ways.
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Objective To analyze the characteristics of central macular retinal microvascular network morphology of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) with optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA).Methods The 7-15 years old ROP children with laser treatment history(ROP group,25 eyes of 14 patients) and full-term children(control group,40 eyes of 20 patients) were collected by cross-sectional study.The subjects in the two groups were examined by RTVue XR Avanti-OCTA,and several parameters including the detection of the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA),central foveal thickness (CFT),foveal avascular zone (FAZ),macular superficial retinal capillary plexus (SCP) density were recorded and analyzed statistically with t test in the two groups.Results The area of FAZ in ROP group was (0.04 ± 0.05) mm2,which was significantly less than that in control group [(0.29 ± 0.08) mm2] (P ＜ 0.001).The SCP density of ROP group was 42.70％ ± 5.90％,which was significantly higher than that in the control group (35.90％ ± 6.30％) (P ＜ 0.001).The CFT in ROP group was (328.50 ± 34.90) μm,which was significantly higher than that in the control group [(236.80 ± 23.40)μm] (P ＜ 0.001).The BCVA was 0.83 ± 0.14 in ROP group and 0.85 ±0.26 in the control group,respectively,without significant difference (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion ROP children have smaller or undefined FAZ,the thickened CFT and the increased SCP density,and the BCVA is not affected by the FAZ area and CFT in this study.
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The early detection and diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC)is of great clinical importance. Peripheral blood methylated SEPT9 gene was found to be a sensitive and specific biomarker for CRC and was superior to other commonly used screening methods such as fecal occult blood test,serum tumor markers and colonoscopy in a variety of studies. But it is of limited value in screening of adenomas,polyps and other precursors of CRC,and its capacities for assessment of cancer recurrence and therapeutic effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy need further clinical validation. This article reviewed the progress in application of peripheral blood methylated SEPT9 gene assay for CRC screening.
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The early detection and diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC)is of great clinical importance. Peripheral blood methylated SEPT9 gene was found to be a sensitive and specific biomarker for CRC and was superior to other commonly used screening methods such as fecal occult blood test,serum tumor markers and colonoscopy in a variety of studies. But it is of limited value in screening of adenomas,polyps and other precursors of CRC,and its capacities for assessment of cancer recurrence and therapeutic effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy need further clinical validation. This article reviewed the progress in application of peripheral blood methylated SEPT9 gene assay for CRC screening.