Prospective randomized study of thrice weekly six-month and nine-month chemotherapy for cervical tuberculous lymphadenopathy

The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy of a thrice weekly 6- month regimen, 4S3H3R3Z3/2H3R3 (which consists of an initial 4 months of streptomycin (S), isoniazid (H), rifampicin (R), and pyrazinamide (Z) followed by 2 months of isoniazid and rifampicin), with o thrice weekly 9- month regimen, 4S3H3R3Z3/5H3R3 (which consists of an initial 4 months of streptomycin, isoniazid, rifampicin, and pyrazinamide followed by 5 months of isoniazid and rifampicin), in the treatment of cervical tuberculous lymphadenopathy. A total of 113 patients were recruited between August 1987 and December 1993. Twenty-two patients were excluded from the analysis because of defaulting treatment or modification of regimen. Ninety- one patients were included in the analysis. Forty-three patients were given the 6-month regimen, and 48 patients were given the 9-month regimen. Two (5%) patients of the 6-month regimen and one (2%) patient of the 9-month regimen had primary failure after completion of treatment (relative risk, 2.23; 95% confidence interval, 0.21 to 23.76). Of the 88 patients who had initial clinical remission after completion of treatment, the 5-year actuarial remission rates were 89% for the 6-month regimen and 90% for the 9-month regimen (Wilcoxon, p = 0.44). There were no significant differences of both primary failure rate and 5-year actuarial remission rate of the two regimens. The 6-month regimen is recommended as the initial treatment of tuberculous lymphadenopathy.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Highly luminescent phosphine oxide-containing bipolar alkynylgold(iii) complexes for solution-processable organic light-emitting devices with small efficiency roll-offs.

We report the synthesis of alkynylgold(iii) complexes with an electron-transporting phosphine oxide moiety in the tridentate ligand and hole-transporting triarylamine moieties as auxiliary ligands to generate a new class of phosphine oxide-containing bipolar gold(iii) complexes for the first time. Such gold(iii) complexes feature high photoluminescence quantum yields of over 70% in 1,3-bis(N-carbazolyl)benzene thin films with relatively short excited-state lifetimes of less than 3.9 μs at a 20 wt% dopant concentration. Highly efficient solution-processable organic light-emitting devices have been prepared with superior current efficiencies of up to 51.6 cd A-1 and external quantum efficiencies of up to 15.3%. Notably, triplet-triplet annihilation has been significantly reduced, as exemplified by a very small efficiency roll-off of ∼1% at a practical brightness of 500 cd m-2

Highly luminescent phosphine oxide-containing bipolar alkynylgold(iii) complexes for solution-processable organic light-emitting devices with small efficiency roll-offs.

We report the synthesis of alkynylgold(iii) complexes with an electron-transporting phosphine oxide moiety in the tridentate ligand and hole-transporting triarylamine moieties as auxiliary ligands to generate a new class of phosphine oxide-containing bipolar gold(iii) complexes for the first time. Such gold(iii) complexes feature high photoluminescence quantum yields of over 70% in 1,3-bis(N-carbazolyl)benzene thin films with relatively short excited-state lifetimes of less than 3.9 μs at a 20 wt% dopant concentration. Highly efficient solution-processable organic light-emitting devices have been prepared with superior current efficiencies of up to 51.6 cd A-1 and external quantum efficiencies of up to 15.3%. Notably, triplet-triplet annihilation has been significantly reduced, as exemplified by a very small efficiency roll-off of ∼1% at a practical brightness of 500 cd m-2

Assessing the safety of lipid-modifying medications among Chinese adolescents: a drug-target Mendelian randomization study

Abstract Background With increasing hypercholesterolemia prevalence in East Asian adolescents, pharmacologic interventions (e.g., HMGCR inhibitors (statins) and PCSK9 inhibitors) may have to be considered although their longer-term safety in the general adolescent population is unclear. This study aims to investigate the longer-term safety of HMGCR inhibitors and PCSK9 inhibitors among East Asian adolescents using genetics. Methods A drug-target Mendelian randomization study leveraging the Global Lipid Genetics Consortium (East Asian, n = 146,492) and individual-level data from Chinese participants in the Biobank clinical follow-up of Hong Kong’s “Children of 1997” birth cohort (n = 3443, aged ~ 17.6 years). Safety outcomes (n = 100) included anthropometric and hematological traits, renal, liver, lung function, and other nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomics. Positive control outcomes were cholesterol markers from the “Children of 1997” birth cohort and coronary artery disease from Biobank Japan. Results Genetic inhibition of HMGCR and PCSK9 were associated with reduction in cholesterol-related NMR metabolomics, e.g., apolipoprotein B (HMGCR: beta [95% CI], − 1.06 [− 1.52 to − 0.60]; PCSK9: − 0.93 [− 1.56 to − 0.31]) and had the expected effect on the positive control outcomes. After correcting for multiple comparisons (p-value < 0.006), genetic inhibition of HMGCR was associated with lower linoleic acid − 0.79 [− 1.25 to − 0.35]. Genetic inhibition of PCSK9 was not associated with the safety outcomes assessed. Conclusions Statins and PCSK9 inhibitors in East Asian adolescents appeared to be safe based on the outcomes concerned. Larger studies were warranted to verify these findings. This study serves as a proof of principle study to inform the medication safety among adolescents via genetics

Linking cohort-based data with electronic health records: a proof-of-concept methodological study in Hong Kong

Objectives Data linkage of cohort-based data and electronic health records (EHRs) has been practised in many countries, but in Hong Kong there is still a lack of such research. To expand the use of multisource data, we aimed to identify a feasible way of linking two cohorts with EHRs in Hong Kong.Methods Participants in the ‘Children of 1997’ birth cohort and the Chinese Early Development Instrument (CEDI) cohort were separated into several batches. The Hong Kong Identity Card Numbers (HKIDs) of each batch were then uploaded to the Hong Kong Clinical Data Analysis and Reporting System (CDARS) to retrieve EHRs. Within the same batch, each participant has a unique combination of date of birth and sex which can then be used for exact matching, as no HKID will be returned from CDARS. Raw data collected for the two cohorts were checked for the mismatched cases. After the matching, we conducted a simple descriptive analysis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) information collected in the CEDI cohort via the Strengths and Weaknesses of ADHD Symptoms and Normal Behaviour Scale (SWAN) and EHRs.Results In total, 3473 and 910 HKIDs in the birth cohort and CEDI cohort were separated into 44 and 5 batches, respectively, and then submitted to the CDARS, with 100% and 97% being valid HKIDs respectively. The match rates were confirmed to be 100% and 99.75% after checking the cohort data. From our illustration using the ADHD information in the CEDI cohort, 36 (4.47%) individuals had ADHD–Combined score over the clinical cut-off in the SWAN survey, and 68 (8.31%) individuals had ADHD records in EHRs.Conclusions Using date of birth and sex as identifiable variables, we were able to link the cohort data and EHRs with high match rates. This method will assist in the generation of databases for future multidisciplinary research using both cohort data and EHRs