The Chinese National Twin Registry: a ‘gold mine’ for scientific research

The Chinese National Twin Registry (CNTR) currently includes data from 61 566 twin pair from 11 provinces or cities in China. Of these, 31 705, 15 060 and 13 531 pairs are monozygotic, same‐sex dizygotic and opposite‐sex dizygotic pairs, respectively, determined by opposite sex or intrapair similarity. Since its establishment in 2001, the CNTR has provided an important resource for analysing genetic and environmental influences on chronic diseases especially cardiovascular diseases. Recently, the CNTR has focused on collecting biologic specimens from disease‐concordant or disease‐discordant twin pairs or from twin pairs reared apart. More than 8000 pairs of these twins have been registered, and blood samples have been collected from more than 1500 pairs. In this review, we summarize the main findings from univariate and multivariate genetic effects analyses, gene–environment interaction studies, omics studies exploring DNA methylation and metabolomic markers associated with phenotypes. There remains further scope for CNTR research and data mining. The plan for future development of the CNTR is described. The CNTR welcomes worldwide collaboration.     

Treatment sequence network meta-analysis in Crohn’s disease: a methodological case study

Objective: Several biologic therapies are available for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Crohn’s disease (CD). This network meta-analysis (NMA) aimed to assess the comparative efficacy of ustekinumab, adalimumab, vedolizumab and infliximab in the maintenance of clinical response and remission after 1?year of treatment.

Methods: A systematic literature search was performed to identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Key outcomes of interest were clinical response (CD activity index [CDAI] reduction of 100 points; CDAI-100) and remission (CDAI score under 150 points; CDAI < 150). A treatment sequence Bayesian NMA was conducted to account for the re-randomization of patients based on different clinical definitions, the lack of similarity of the common comparator for each trial and the full treatment pathway from the induction phase onwards.

Results: Thirteen RCTs were identified. Ustekinumab 90?mg q8w was associated with statistically significant improvement in clinical response relative to placebo and vedolizumab 300?mg. For clinical remission, ustekinumab 90?mg q8w was associated with statistically significant improvement relative to placebo and vedolizumab 300?mg q8w. Findings from sub-population analyses had similar results but were not statistically significant.

Conclusions: The NMA suggest that ustekinumab is associated with the highest likelihood of reaching response or remission at 1?year compared with placebo, adalimumab and vedolizumab. Results should be interpreted with caution because this is a novel methodology; however, the treatment sequence analysis may be the most methodologically sound analysis to derive estimates of comparative efficacy in CD in the absence of head-to-head evidence.     

绵阳市2017年男男性行为者性行为特征及无保护措施肛交影响因素

目的 了解男男性行为者(men who have sex with men ,MSM)性行为特征,分析无保护措施肛交影响因素。 方法 2017年1—10月,在四川省绵阳市采用滚雪球抽样法,进行MSM行为学及血清学的横断面抽样调查,用χ²检验、Logistic回归模型进行无保护措施肛交影响因素的单因素及多因素分析。 结果 回收有效问卷1 242份,近6个月肛交91.6%,其中71.4%有保护措施。近6个月商业性行为1.7%,其中31.6%有保护措施。近6个月异性性行为9.7%,其中30.8%有保护措施。近6个月高频率肛交24.5%,多性伴50.3%。近6个月肛交无保护措施的艾滋病病毒阳性率10.5%,高于有保护措施的1.8%(χ²=41.837,P＜0.001)。多因素分析结果,年龄＞30岁(OR=1.627,95%CI: 1.192～2.221)、使用Rush(OR=2.122, 95%CI:1.293～3.482)者近6个月无保护措施肛交可能性更大,高中及以上文化(OR=0.401,95%CI:0.269～0.600)、艾滋病防治知识全对(OR=0.639, 95%CI:0.428～0.954)、近1年接受预防服务(OR=0.537,95%CI:0.312～0.923)、近6个月多性伴(OR=0.635, 95%CI:0.480～0.841)者近6个月无保护措施肛交可能性更小。 结论 MSM性行为复杂,无保护、多性伴普遍,大年龄、低文化、艾滋病防治知识不全对、未接受预防服务者发生无保护措施肛交的风险较大,应针对性开展行为干预。     

La pleine conscience incarnée : un concept unificateur entre les traditions orientales et occidentales de la pleine conscience

ObjectiveThe interest in mindfulness as a concept continues to grow as shown in the increase in the number of publications pertaining to mindfulness in the last four decades. This increase is also a reflection of the fact that the term “mindfulness” is currently used as an umbrella for a variety of approaches that assign different meanings to the same word. Although differences among varying conceptualizations and definitions of “mindfulness” have been previously highlighted, few efforts have attempted to compare these varying conceptual approaches as a means to address commonalties between them. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to review different conceptualizations of mindfulness in order to understand their common and distinctive components.MethodIn order to investigate commonalities and distinctions among different mindfulness conceptualizations, we conducted a thorough qualitative review of theoretical and empirical papers belonging to three approaches in mindfulness: Eastern Buddhist traditions, Western modern mindfulness meditation programs, and Langerian mindfulness. Each of these approaches is presented first at a conceptual level (i.e., how it defines mindfulness) and then at a practical level (i.e., how to operationalize mindfulness). Empirical research pertaining to the effectiveness of each approach is presented and discussed. As Buddhism incorporates different schools of thoughts, this paper focuses primarily on the conceptualization of mindfulness outlined within Theravada Buddhism. It operationalizes mindfulness through an engagement in intensive and daily meditative practice, which includes both concentrative and open-monitoring meditation. In addition, Buddhism includes a set of ethical principles. Western modern mindfulness meditation programs are conceptualized according to Kabat-Zinn and other western scholars. Definitions varied to some extent according to different scholars, each including a different set of components (e.g., attention, awareness, acceptance, nonjudgement, observation). Western modern mindfulness meditation programs are operationalized though the development and implementation of structured psychosomatic interventions, such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. Langerian mindfulness is conceptualized as a general style or mode of functioning through which individuals actively reconstruct their environment by creating new categories or distinctions, and seeking multiple perspectives. Langer operationalized mindfulness through a set of sociocognitive tasks. The role of the body in these three approaches and more specifically the mind-body connection is highlighted through the analysis of clinical, behavioral, and neuroscientific research findings.Results and DiscussionDefinitions from both eastern and western approaches share self-regulation of attention and awareness as central common elements. Both attention and awareness processes increase interoceptive and exteroceptive body awareness and mind-body connection, therefore suggesting a role of embodiment in conceptualizing and operationalizing mindfulness across different approaches. We therefore introduce the new concept of Embodied Mindfulness as an integration of top-down and bottom-up processes and argue for its utility in the empirical study of mindfulness across the three conceptual approaches.ConclusionsThe new notion of embodied mindfulness integrates different conceptualizations of mindfulness by allowing a common understanding of the mechanisms of change across these conceptualizations. This new notion has also both research and clinical implications. This new notion suggests further emphasizing the body and mind-body connection in both studying/measuring mindfulness and in developing/validating clinical interventions.     

广泛期小细胞肺癌一线化疗肿瘤缓解深度与生存期的相关性

目的:分析广泛期小细胞肺癌一线化疗后肿瘤缓解深度与患者生存期的相关性。方法:回顾性分析符合入组条件的50例初治广泛期小细胞肺癌患者的临床资料。通过Spearman秩相关检验评价广泛期小细胞肺癌化疗后肿瘤缓解深度与生存期的相关性，应用Log-rank检验比较不同肿瘤缓解深度对生存期的影响，应用COX比例回归模型进行多因素分析。结果:Spearman秩相关分析显示肿瘤缓解深度与PFS及OS均呈中等程度相关。不同缓解深度患者的生存期存在统计学差异。体重减少（P＜0.000 1）、缓解深度（P＜0.001）为无进展生存期的独立影响因素；体重减少（P＜0.000 1）、体力状态（P=0.001 2）、缓解深度（P＜0.001）、化疗周期（P=0.000 2）、二线治疗（P=0.006 7）为总生存期的独立预后因素。结论:广泛期小细胞肺癌一线化疗后肿瘤缓解深度对患者生存期有一定的预测价值。     

Estudio de la hiperfrecuentación en un distrito de atención primaria

Objective

To describe the distribution of frequent attenders (FA) through the different primary care practices in Cordoba-Guadalquivir Health District (Córdoba, Spain).

T-DM1 Efficacy in Patients With HER2-positive Metastatic Breast Cancer Progressing After a Taxane Plus Pertuzumab and Trastuzumab: An Italian Multicenter Observational Study

BackgroundT-DM1 improves progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with metastatic human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2⁺) breast cancer progressing on prior trastuzumab plus a taxane. A paucity of data is available on T-DM1 efficacy after dual anti-HER2 blockade with pertuzumab and trastuzumab plus a taxane, which represents the current first-line standard of care. The present study is a retrospective/prospective evaluation of the efficacy and activity of second-line T-DM1 after front-line pertuzumab-based therapy.Patients and MethodsEligible patients were identified within the Gruppo Italiano Mammella (GIM) 14/BIOMETA study, a retrospective/prospective multicenter study on treatment patterns and outcomes of patients with metastatic breast cancer (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02284581). We searched for patients who received second-line T-DM1 after taxane plus trastuzumab and pertuzumab between November 15, 2013 and May 31, 2018. We calculated median PFS, median time to treatment failure (TTF), prolonged duration of therapy (PDT), objective response rate (ORR), and 1-year OS.ResultsOf 445 patients with HER2⁺ metastatic breast cancer, 77 were eligible for the analysis. At a median follow-up of 7 months, median PFS was 6.3 months (95% confidence intervals [CI], 4.8-7.7 months), and median TTF was 6.2 months (95% CI, 4-8.6 months). More than one-third of patients (37.6%; n = 29) experienced PDT with an ORR of 27.1%. At data cutoff, the median OS was not reached, and the 1-year OS was 82%.ConclusionsOur results show meaningful activity of T-DM1 after front-line pertuzumab plus trastuzumab and a taxane, with about 27% of patients having an objective response and 40% of patients achieving durable disease control.     

医学高校师生对PBL的评价与期望对比研究

目的进行医学高校师生对PBL法的评价与期望对比研究。方法以某医学高校师生为研究对象,以问卷调查数据为基础,进行医科院校师生对于现行PBL法的教学课堂评价与期望的对比研究。结果高校师生对PBL法的评价与期望存在部分差异,学生对该教学法的实施普遍期待,但超过半数学生不知道如何参与;部分教师表示其在实际操作中可能存在问题与局限;在激发学生学习兴趣与主动性方面,几乎所有教师都认同该教学方法,但大部分学生却怀有不确定或中立态度。尽管存在差异,但师生们对PBL法提高学生自主学习能力等方面的优点都表现出一致性赞同。结论 PBL教学法在提高学生综合素质与课堂质量方面的显著成效符合新时期医学高校师生的期望,但也不能忽视其在实际操作中可能存在的困难与局限;教师可在今后传统课堂模式中逐渐融入PBL教学法,在实践中加以改良,达到高效完成课堂教学的目的。