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Background: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of recently developed tumor marker clinical kits in China, with the aim of encouraging local medical technology innovation and thus narrowing the research and development gap with foreign kits. Methods: The newly established reagent kits were analyzed on the TESMI F3999-Luminex200 flow lattice instrument to verify precision, sensitivity (blank limit), linearity, anti-interference ability, carry-over contamination rate, hook effect, and reference interval verification. Additionally, the newly established reagent kits were compared to other commercially available detection kits (reference reagent kits) to analyze the correlation between the two types of kits. Results: The intra-assay and inter-assay precision had coefficients of variations (CVs) less than 3.50% and 6.91%, respectively. The tumor marker blank limits were lower than the manufacturer's statement. The newly established reagent kits demonstrated excellent linearity (r > 0.99). Rheumatoid factor, triglycerides, bilirubin, and hemoglobin did not have significant interference with the determination of tumor markers. The carry-over contamination rates were all much lower than 3%. At extremely high concentrations of AFP (277,335 ng/mL and 1,031,424 ng/mL), the measured tumor marker values were higher than the upper limit of the linear range and no hook effect occurred. The reference interval was suitable for use in clinical laboratory settings. Correlation analysis indicated a satisfactory relevance and consistency between the newly developed reagent kits and reference reagent kits, with correlation coefficients of r > 0.967 among 654 patients and healthy individuals. Conclusions: The newly developed reagent kits for tumor markers performed well in all evaluated parameters, having the potential for clinical promotion and application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origin and intrafamilial transmission of Human T-Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 (HTLV-1) in non-endemic populations such as China is still unknown. In this study, donors from blood banks/centers in China (including 28 provinces and Shenzhen city) during 2019 and 2021 were screened for HTLV-1/2 antibody, and all the reactive samples were tested using a line immunoassay (LIA) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Samples that can be detected using qPCR were amplified and sequenced for the long terminal repeat (LTR) region. The positive donors were contacted to identify their relatives. As a result, 4,451,883 blood donors were totally tested, and 50 of them were confirmed to be HTLV-1/2 positive. Viral LTR sequences genotyped from 26 HTLV-1 carriers demonstrated that all had the HTLV-1a genotype, of which Transcontinental and Japanese subgroups accounted for half each. There were 17 family members of 11 index donors detected, and the HTLV-1 infection rate in the spouses of male index donors (83.3%, 5/6) was significantly higher than that in the husbands of female index donors (0.0%, 0/4). However, 7 children of HTLV-1 positive women were tested and found negative. Therefore, our findings indicated that HTLV-1 is spreading silently fromhigh-endemic to low-endemic areas in China. To prevent further HTLV-1/2 transmission, an efficient HTLV-1/2 screening strategy and counseling of the virus carriers are essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malnutrition and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is frequently present in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC). However, the direct relationship between SIBO and nutrition status in the LC patients has not been elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there was an association between nutrition status, evaluated by the subjective global assessment (SGA) and SIBO in patients with Hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) related cirrhosis. A total of 120 patients with HBV or HCV-related cirrhosis and 30 healthy controls were included. Nutritional status was determined according to SGA and anthropometry. All patients and healthy controls underwent a glucose hydrogen breath test for SIBO. The prevalence of malnutrition for the patients with HBV or HCV related cirrhosis ranged 19.4%-60% in China. The highest prevalence of malnutrition was detected by SGA, the lowest by triceps skinfold thickness. The frequency of SIBO was significantly higher in the malnourished (SGA-B/C) than in the well-nourished (SGA-A) patients with HBV or HCV related cirrhosis [41/72 (56.9%) vs 12/48 (25.0%) (p=0.001)]. Univariate analysis showed that SIBO, ascites, and Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) class were associated with malnutrition. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that SIBO [odds ratio (OR) 8.10; p=0.002] and ascites (OR 4.56; p=0.022) were independently associated with the occurrence of malnutrition (SGA-B/C) in the same subjects. SIBO is independently related to the occurrence of malnutrition (SGA-B/C) in patients with HBV or HCV cirrhosis. We deduce that SIBO may play an important role in nutrition status in patients with HBV or HCV cirrhosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The policy environment in China is rapidly changing. Strategic planning may enable hospitals to respond more effectively to changes in their external environment, little evidence exists on the extent to which public hospitals in China adopt different strategies and the relationship between strategic decision-making and hospital performance. Purposes: The purposes of our study were to determine the extent to which different hospitals adopt different strategies, whether strategies are associated with organizational culture and whether hospital strategies are associated with hospital performance. Methodology: Presidents (or vice presidents), employees, and patients from 87 public hospitals were surveyed during 2009. Measures of strategic group were developed using cluster analysis based on the three dimensions of product position, competitive posture, and market position. Culture was measured using a tool developed by the investigators. Performance was measured based on profitability, patient satisfaction, and employee satisfaction with overall hospital development in the recent 5 years. The association of strategic group and organizational culture with hospital performance was analyzed using multivariate models. Findings: Chinese public general hospitals were classified into five strategic groups that had significant differences in product positioning, competitive posture, and market position. Hospitals of similar types based on regulation adopted different strategies. Organizational culture was not strongly associated with hospital strategic group. Although strategic group was associated with hospital profitability and patient satisfaction in the models with or without control for hospital location, these effects did not persist after controlling for organizational culture, hospital level, and hospital location. Practice Implications: It is important for public hospitals in China to make effective strategic planning and align their organizational culture with the strategies for better execution and therefore better performance. Moreover, the method of hospital strategic grouping in the study provides a new way to analyze management issues within a strategic group and between strategic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen is considered an ideal energy carrier, but the storage and efficient delivery of hydrogen to vehicles still remain a challenging problem currently. This study analyzes the possibilities of using methanol as a hydrogen carrier in China, based on the distributed methanol reforming technology at forecourt refueling stations. A detailed well- to-tank life cycle analysis was applied to the hydrogen production from coal-derived methanol at refueling stations (onsite methanol pathway) from energy, environmental and economic performance aspects, followed by comparisons between the onsite pathway and conventional ones on the delivery cost of hydrogen, energy efficiency, and CO2 emissions. The study shows that a coal-derived methanol pathway with distributed reforming utilities is well suited for China's specific energy situation, therefore it could play a key role in the transition process to a hydrogen economy in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To measure perceptions of organizational culture among employees of public hospitals in China and to determine whether perceptions are associated with hospital performance., Data Sources: Hospital, employee, and patient surveys from 87 Chinese public hospitals conducted during 2009., Study Design: Developed and administered a tool to assess organizational culture in Chinese public hospitals. Used factor analysis to create measures of organizational culture. Analyzed the relationships between employee type and perceptions of culture and between perceptions of culture and hospital performance using multivariate models., Principal Findings: Employees perceived the culture of Chinese public hospitals as stronger in internal rules and regulations, and weaker in empowerment. Hospitals in which employees perceived that the culture emphasized cost control were more profitable and had higher rates of outpatient visits and bed days per physician per day but also had lower levels of patient satisfaction. Hospitals with cultures perceived as customer-focused had longer length of stay but lower patient satisfaction., Conclusions: Managers in Chinese public hospitals should consider whether the culture of their organization will enable them to respond effectively to their changing environment., (© Health Research and Educational Trust.)