Protocol of Jidong Women Health Cohort Study: Rationale, Design, and Baseline Characteristics / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

OBJECTIVE@#The Jidong Women Health Cohort Study is a prospective cohort study on female-specific characteristics and risks of chronic diseases in Chinese women and focuses on the potential association between menopause and risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD).@*METHODS@#The study includes 4,179 female participants with an age of older than 18 years from Caofeidian district, Tangshan city, northern China. Baseline information on female-specific characteristics and potential cardiovascular risk factors was collected and all the participants underwent a physical examination with blood samples collected in 2013. To establish a better risk assessment tool of female CVD, updated information from questionnaire investigation, physical examinations and occurrence of outcome events will be collected through a longitudinal follow-up annually up to the year 2024.@*RESULTS@#At baseline, Mean age of the participants was 42.3 ± 12.8 years. Reproduction occurred in 2,948 participants (70.5%), menopausal transition in 173 (4.3%), and postmenopause in 1,058 (25.3%). The incidence of arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes showed significant difference across different groups stratified by Stage of Reproductive Aging Workshop (STRAW) system (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The Jidong Women Health Cohort Study will contribute to the scientific evidence on association between female-specific characteristics and cardiovascular risks, and will also be helpful to provide a new path for early detection and prevention of CVD.

An epidemiological investigation of bats carrying SARS-CoV in Guangzhou and its vicinity / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To detect serve acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and SARS-like-CoV in fruit bats captured in Guangzhou and its vicinity.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 927 bats of 9 species (Cynopterus sphinx, Rousettus leschenaulti, Miniopterus schreibersi, Hipposideros pratti, Rhinolophusasinicus, Scotophilusakuhlii, Hipposideros Pomona, Rhinolophus affinis, and Rhinolophus pusillus) captured in Guangzhou and its vicinity from September 2004 to November 2005 were available for this investigation, from which 3,043 samples (813 throat swasb, 524 sera, 853 lung tissues and 853 colorectal tissue specimens) were obtained. SARS-Cov and SARS-like-CoV were detected in these specimens using diagnostic kit for novel coronavirus N protein (ELISA), SARS-CoV Virus RNA detection kit, fluorescence PCR, Genchip, RT-PCR and cell isolation culture methods.</p><p><b>RESULTS AND CONCLUSION</b>No SARS-CoV and SARS-like-CoV were detected in the 3043 samples, indicating the current absence of SARS-CoV and SARS-like-CoV in the bats captured in Guangzhou and its vicinity.</p>

Molecular epidemiological study of human calicivirus infection in diarrhea children in autumn and winter at a hospital in Guangzhou / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the epidemiological features of human calicivirus( HuCV) infection in children with diarrhea in a hospital in Guangzhou.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Stool specimens were collected from children with viral diarrhea diagnosed between October, 2003 and January, 2004 and between October, 2004 and January, 2005. HuCV was detected by means of RT-PCR and sequence analysis of the PCR products.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Eighty specimens positive for Norwalk-like viruses (NLVs) were identified from 648 stool specimens, with a positivity rate of 12.35%, and sapporo-like viruses (SLVs) were identified in 2 specimens (0.31%). The monthly NLV positivity rate was 11.74% (Oct.), 14.16% (Nov.), 9. 09% (Dec.) and 13.95% (Jan.), respectively, showing no significant variation in these months. NLVs mainly infected children below 2 years old. Twenty-two strains of NLVs were sequenced and analyzed, and 21 of them were identified as GII and the genotype of 1 strain could not be determined. The prevalent viral population were GII-3 and GII-4 in 2003 and was GII-4 in 2004, and both of the SLVs belong to GI-1.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>NLVs is one of the important pathogens causing sporadic acute gastroenteritis in children admitted in the hospital in Guangzhou, and the prevalent strains are GII-3 and GII-4 , but different prevalent strains are possible in different periods.</p>

A field trial for evaluating the safety of recombinant human interferon alpha-2b for nasal spray / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the safety of recombinant human interferon alpha-2b for nasal spray for the prevention of SARS and other upper respiratory viral infections.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Field epidemiologic evaluation was conducted, the design was randomized and had a synchronously parallel control group. In the study, the drugs were given for five days and all subjects were followed up for ten days.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>During the period of using interferon, body temperature of the experimental group was normal compared to the control group. Experimental group had more influenza-like symptoms than the control group (P < 0.05), such as headache (4.83%-7.09%), dizziness (7.17%-11.63%), lassitude (8.55%-15.06%), muscular soreness (4.43%-7.09%), pharynx dryness (12.10%-17.85%), angina (6.25%-8.72%), abdominal pain (2.30%-5.50%) and diarrhea (2.45%-5.66%). Most of side effects reached their peak with in the first 3 days. Except for pharynx dryness, the incidences of all other side effects declined after completion of the use of the trial drug, and incidences of some symptoms in experimental group were lower than those of the control group. There were no significant differences in the symptoms of cough and expectoration between the experimental group and the control group. The incidence of exanthem in the control group was significantly higher than that in the experimental group. The side effect of bloody nasal mucus was not observed in experimental group, which had been reported by other authors in several volunteer studies.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Using recombinant human interferon alpha-2b for nasal spray could lead to some influenza-like symptoms, however, all those symptoms were mild , reversible, and relieved after completion of the use of the trial drug. No serious side effects were found during the period of following up. The authors conclude that the drug is safe.</p>

Molecular epidemiology of diarrhea among children with Norwalk-like virus in a hospital of Guangzhou in autumn and winter / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the epidemiological characteristics of Norwalk-like virus (NLVs) infection in children with diarrhea and to study the genotype and predominant cluster at a hospital in Guangzhou city.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fecal specimens from 358 children with acute gastroenteritis from October 2003 to January 2004 and information about the cases were collected. NLVs was detected from the specimens by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and the PCR products were purified and sequenced.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Forty-two positive specimens were detected from the 358 fecal specimen with a positive rate of 11.73% (42/358). Of these, 40 specimens were obtained from infants younger than 3 years of age. The youngest infant infected with NLVs in this study was only 25 days. The positive rate in November (17.27%) was the highest. Eleven positive PCR products were selected and sequenced. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that 11 strains all belong to genogroup II (G II), and of these, 5 strains belonged to G II-3 cluster, with another 5 strains belonged to G II-4 cluster. However, one strain with its cluster could not be determined.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>NLVs served as one of the important pathogens causing sporadic acute gastroenteritis among children at a hospital in Guangzhou. The predominant strains were identified as G II-3 and G II-4 cluster.</p>