BackgroundSocial attitudes toward male homosexuality in China so far are still not optimistic. Sexual minorities in China have reported high levels of internalized homophobia.MethodsThis Internet-based study examined the associations among internalized homophobia, mental health, sexual behaviors, and outness among 435 gay/bisexual men in Southwest China from 2014 to 2015. Latent profile analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, univariate logistic regression, and separate multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted.ResultsThis descriptive study found the Internalized Homophobia Scale to be suitable for use in China. The sample demonstrated a high prevalence of internalized homophobia. Latent profile analysis suggested a 2-class solution as optimal, and a high level of internalized homophobia was significantly associated with greater psychological distress (Wald = 6.49, AOR = 1.66), transactional sex during the previous 6 months (Wald = 5.23, AOR = 2.77), more sexual compulsions (Wald = 14.05, AOR = 2.12), and the concealment of sexual identity from others (Wald = 30.70, AOR = 0.30) and parents (Wald = 6.72, AOR = 0.49).ConclusionsThese findings contribute to our understanding of internalized homophobia in China, and highlight the need to decrease gay-related psychological stress/distress and improve public health services.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12939-017-0530-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The objective of this study is to investigate the association between osteoarthritis (OA) and all-cause mortality in worldwide populations and to develop recommendations according to GRADE evidence levels. Literature search through Nov 2015 was performed using the electronic databases (including MEDLINE, EMBASE, EBSCO and Cochrane library). The prospective cohort trials that investigated the association between the symptomatic OA (SxOA) or radiological OA (ROA) and all-cause mortality were identified. Hazard ratios (HR) of all-cause mortality in patients with RxOA or ROA were pooled respectively. The evidence quality was evaluated using the GRADE system, while the recommendations were taken according to the quality. Nine of the published literature met the eligible criteria. Meta-analysis revealed that there was no significant difference in the association between SxOA and all-cause mortality (HR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.68–1.23) and between ROA and all-cause mortality (HR = 1.13, 95% CI: 0.95–1.35). The overall GARDE evidence quality was very low, which will lower our confidence in taking recommendations. To summarize, there was no reliable and confident evidence existed currently in respect of the association between OA and all-cause mortality. Due to the very low level of evidence quality currently, high-quality studies are still required.

To determine whether immunophenotypic features of monocytes are useful in differentiating chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) from reactive monocytosis, multiparameter flow cytometry was used to immunophenotype 20 bone marrow samples from patients with CMML, 10 normal marrow samples, and 20 marrow samples with reactive monocytosis. Monocytes in CMML exhibited aberrant antigen expression in all 20 cases. Abnormal antigen expression also was observed in monocytes in 11 of 20 reactive marrow samples. However, aberrant expression of 2 or more antigens was significantly less frequent in reactive monocytosis than in CMML (P = .002). CD56 expression with underexpression of a myeloid marker was unique to CMML monocytes. Subpopulations of monocytes with moderate levels of CD14 were present in all 3 groups. The proportion of CD14(moderate) monocytes was highest in CMML and was 20% or more in 13 of 20 CMML cases vs 3 of 20 reactive marrow samples (P = .003) and 2 of 10 normal marrow samples (P = .007). A combination of monocytosis with 2 or more immunophenotypic aberrancies with 20% or more of marrow monocytes showing moderate CD14 expression was 67% sensitive and 100% specific for CMML.

Background Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common arthritic disease and multifactorial whole-joint disease. Interactions of chemokines and OA is inadequately documented.Results In vivo and in vitro studies were conducted to investigate monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) and receptor chemokine (C–C motif) receptor 2 (CCR2) in chondrocyte degradation and cartilage degeneration. Chondrocytes from 16 OA patients and 6 normal controls were involved in this study. After stimulation of MCP-1, the expression of MCP-1 and CCR2 increased significantly (P < 0.001) and the expression of MMP-13 also increased (P < 0.05). MCP-1 stimulation also induced (or enhanced) the apoptosis of OA chondrocytes (P < 0.05). Additionally, the degradation of cartilage matrix markers (metalloproteinase 3 and 13, MMP3 and MMP13) in the culture medium of normal chondrocytes was also assessed. Furthermore, intra-articular injection of MCP-1 in mouse knees induced cartilage degradation and the CCR2 antagonist did not impede cartilage destroy in rats knees of monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) model.ConclusionsThe results of this study demonstrate that the MCP-1-CCR2 ligand-receptor axis plays a special role in the initiation and progression of OA pathology. Patients with ambiguous etiology can gain some insight from the MCP-1-CCR2 ligand-receptor axis.

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Numerous meta-analyses have been conducted aiming to compare hyaluronic acid (HA) and placebo in treating knee osteoarthritis (OA). Nevertheless, the conclusions of these meta-analyses are not in consistency. The purpose of the present study was to perform a systematic review of overlapping meta-analyses investigating the efficacy and safety of HA for Knee OA and to provide treatment recommendations through the best evidence. A systematic review was conducted based on the PRISMA guidelines. The meta-analyses and/or systematic reviews that compared HA and placebo for knee OA were identified. AMSTAR instrument was used to evaluate the methodological quality of individual study. The information of heterogeneity within each variable was fetched for the individual studies. Which meta-analyses can provide best evidence was determined according to Jadad algorithm. Twelve meta-analyses met the eligibility requirements. The Jadad decision making tool suggests that the highest quality review should be selected. As a result, a high-quality Cochrane review was included. The present systematic review of overlapping meta-analyses demonstrates that HA is an effective intervention in treating knee OA without increased risk of adverse events. Therefore, the present conclusions may help decision makers interpret and choose among discordant meta-analyses.

This study tested the association between multiple prenatal and postnatal early life factors and adolescent sexual orientation in a longitudinal birth cohort. Factors included birthweight, gestational age, parental ages at birth, number of older brothers and sisters, breastfeeding, maternal anxiety/depression, family socioeconomic position, parent-child relationships, parental absences, pubertal body mass index, and housing issues. We used data on 5007 youth from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Sexual orientation was assessed using a 5-point scale of sexual attraction at 15.5 years. Early life factors were separated into three developmental periods: prenatal (n = 9), before 7 years (n = 5), and after 7 years (n = 5). We controlled for childhood gender nonconformity (GNCB), handedness, and digit ratio as markers of prenatal androgen exposure. GNCB was strongly associated with later male and female nonheterosexuality, and higher right-hand digit ratio was associated with later male nonheterosexuality. Boys with low birthweight and shorter breastfeeding duration were more likely to have a later nonheterosexual orientation. Boys with parental absence before 7 years of age were more likely to be nonheterosexual, but this effect disappeared after entering all early life history factors. Parental absence since birth, low prenatal family socioeconomic position, and poorer parent-child relationship were associated with later nonheterosexuality among girls. The results are discussed in the context of a life history framework for understanding human sexual orientation development in males and females.

We concluded that the sex differences in Chinese 2D:4D are consistent with the results from western studies, and that genetic pool differences rather than latitude-related environmental variables affect the 2D:4D in China. In addition, 2D:4D measurements obtained by different digit measurement techniques should not be combined within one study, or used together in comparative studies.