Pharmaceutical treatment status of patients with COPD in the community based on medical Internet of Things: a real-world study.

This study aimed to investigate the real-world standardisation and adherence of medical treatment regimens in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the community for making future management strategy. The follow-up data and treatment information of patients with COPD, which were collected through the Management Information Center of COPD (MICCOPD) in 21 community health service centres in Songjiang District, a countryside region of Shanghai. Concordance between the pharmaceutical treatment plan and recommendation of 2017 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) report during the follow-up management period, as well as the medication adherence by patients,were analysed. Out of the 2044 patients diagnosed with COPD, 814 patients (39.8%) who had an initial record of medication use were found to meet the inclusion criteria. The most common medication regimens were long-acting beta-agonist plus inhaled corticosteroids (35.9%) and oral bronchodilators (41.9%). Among these 814 patients, 45.7%, 38.0%, 31.6% and 14.6% adhered to the treatment after 6, 12, 18 and 24 months of follow-up, respectively. The concordance rate with the regimens recommended by the 2017 GOLD guidelines was 35.5% at baseline, 35.5% at 6 months, 32.7% at 12 months, 35.4% at 18 months and 37% at 24 months. The compliance and guideline consistency rates of patients with COPD in the community under the management of general practitioners need to be improved. Enhancing general practitioner proficiency in the prevention and management of COPD and increasing patient awareness of the condition, are crucial standardising and improving adherence to initial and follow-up COPD treatments.

Soil Chemical and Microbiological Properties Are Changed by Long-Term Chemical Fertilizers That Limit Ecosystem Functioning.

Although the effects of fertilization and microbiota on plant growth have been widely studied, our understanding of the chemical fertilizers to alter soil chemical and microbiological properties in woody plants is still limited. The aim of the present study is to investigate the impact of long-term application of chemical fertilizers on chemical and microbiological properties of root-associated soils of walnut trees. The results show that soil organic matter (OM), pHkcl, total nitrogen (TN), nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-), and total phosphorus (TP) contents were significantly higher in non-fertilized soil than after chemical fertilization. The long-term fertilization led to excessive ammonium-nitrogen (NH4+) and available phosphorus (AP) residues in the cultivated soil, among which NH4+ resulted in soil acidification and changes in bacterial community structure, while AP reduced fungal diversity. The naturally grown walnut trees led to an enrichment in beneficial bacteria such as Burkholderia, Nitrospira, Pseudomonas, and Candidatus_Solibacter, as well as fungi, including Trichoderma, Lophiostoma, Phomopsis, Ilyonectria, Purpureocillium, Cylindrocladiella, Hyalorbilia, Chaetomium, and Trichoglossum. The presence of these bacterial and fungal genera that have been associated with nutrient mobilization and plant growth was likely related to the higher soil OM, TN, NO3-, and TP contents in the non-fertilized plots. These findings highlight that reduced chemical fertilizers and organic cultivation with beneficial microbiota could be used to improve economic efficiency and benefit the environment in sustainable agriculture.

The complete chloroplast genome of paradox (Juglans major × J. regia), an interspecific hybrid in China.

Paradox is one of the most important rootstock resources in USA and China walnut industry. In this study, we characterized the complete chloroplast genome of Paradox (Juglans major × J. regia) based on next generation sequencing. The circular complete chloroplast genome was 160,324 bp in length, containing a large single-copy (LSC) region of 89,852 bp, and a small single-copy (SSC) region of 18,410 bp. These two regions were separated by a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRa and IRb) of 26,031 bp each. A total of 131 functional genes were encoded, consisted of 87 protein-coding genes, 36 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. The overall GC content of the chloroplast genome was 36.1% and the GC contents of the LSC, SSC, and IR regions were 33.7, 29.9, and 42.6%, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis by Neighbor-Joining showed that Paradox was relatively closely related to J. major compared to other species of Juglans genus. This complete chloroplast genome will provide valuable insight into evolution, molecular breeding, and phylogenetic analysis of Juglans species.

Experimental realization of a 2 × 2 polarization-independent split-ratio-tunable optical beam splitter.

We realized a polarization-independent split-ratio-tunable optical beam splitter supporting two input and output ports through a stable interferometer. By adjusting the angle of a half-wave plate in the interferometer, we can tune the beam splitter reflectivities for both input ports from 0 to 1, regardless of the input light polarization. High-fidelity polarization-preserving transmission from input to output ports was verified by complete quantum process tomography. Nearly optimal interference effects at the beam splitter with various split ratios were observed by two-photon Hong-Ou-Mandel interference for different input polarization states. Such a beam splitter could find a variety of applications in classical and quantum optical technologies.

[Quantitative study of porphyromonas gingivalis in subgingival plaques of orthodontic adults].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the early variation of clinical periodontal indexes and Porphyronwnas gingivulis (Pgingivalis) in subgingival plaques of orthodontic adults. METHODS: 11 orthodontic adults were selected. Clinical periodontal indexes of observed teeth were examined at three different time points: Before orthodontic treatment, the first month after treatment and the third month after treatment, and subgingival plaques were collected simultaneously at each time point. Clinical periodontal indexes included four ones: Plaque index (PU), sulcus bleeding index (SBI), probing depth (PD), and attachment loss. We used real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction to detect and quantitate the number of total bacteria and P.gingivalis in each sample to obtain positive rate of P.gingivalis and the percentage of P. gingiaalis in total bacteria. RESULTS: PLI and SBI of the first and third month were more than that of the baseline (P < 0.05). PD rose at the first month after treatment (P < 0.05), and then dropped at the third month. PD of all the 11 participants was lower than 2 mm. No attachment loss was found. The positive rate of P.gingivolis was stable (45.5%) and the proportion of Pgingivalis had no significant difference (p > 0.05) at each time point. CONCLUSION: Fixed orthodontic appliances caused plaque accumulation, accordingly slight gingiva inflammation and the increasement of P.gingivalis occurred in the early stage, hut none periodontitis was found.

Sentinel hospital surveillance for rotavirus diarrhea in the People's Republic of China, August 2001-July 2003.

China has the second largest birth cohort in the world and the second highest number of deaths due to rotavirus infection. It is also the only country with a licensed rotavirus vaccine. Chinese policy makers now need credible estimates of the burden of rotavirus disease, to decide about vaccine use. From August 2001 through July 2003, prospective hospital-based surveillance for rotavirus diarrhea among children <5 years of age was conducted in 6 sentinel hospitals. Rotavirus isolates were characterized to determine the G and P genotypes circulating during the study. Of 3149 children who were admitted to the hospitals for diarrhea and for whom screening for rotavirus was performed, 1590 (50%) had positive results of an antigen detection assay. Of all episodes of rotavirus diarrhea, 95% occurred during the first 2 years of life. The most common rotavirus strain was P[8]G3 (49% of episodes), and all the common strains were detected, including G9 strains (4% of episodes). Ongoing efforts are under way to more precisely define the burden of rotavirus diarrhea in urban and rural populations, to assess the proportion of episodes that may be due to unusual or emerging strains, and to estimate the economic burden of rotavirus disease.

[Epidemiological study on rotavirus-borne diarrhea in infants and children in different areas].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze and compare the epidemiological features of rotavirus diarrhea among infants in the different areas so as to provide data for rotavirus vaccine research. METHODS: From Sep. 2001 through Sep. 2003, sentinel sites were set up in Suzhou Children's Hospital and Maanshan Hospital. Fecal samples from children (< 5 years) with acute diarrheal were collected and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect rotavirus antigen. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the G serotypes and P genotypes of rotavirus strains. The features of strains in the two places and other areas of China were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: (1) Rotavirus infection appeared in autumn and winter, but the peaks varied. In Suzhou the peaks were from December to next February in 2001, and November to next January in 2002. But in Maanshan, it was November to next January for both two years. (2) Rate of rotavirus infection in Suzhou was much higher than that in Maanshan, infective rates of Inpatient Department and Outpatient Department are 47.28%, 28.39% and 30.38%, 14.77% respectively in the two hospitals. (3) Rates of infection in two hospitals showed age difference but the highest group was in 6 - 35 month-olds. No gender difference was found. (4) Secular distribution of G-typing and P-typing of rotavirus strain was different in Suzhou and Maanshan. G3 was mainly found in Suzhou and G1 in Maanshan. From 2002-2003 on, G3 became dominant in Maanshan. CONCLUSION: Rotavirus caused diarrhea among infant and children were different in terms of areas, period and types, suggesting that the introduction of rotavirus vaccine should be adjusted according to different strains with specific types and optimal timeline.