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Objective: To grasp the epidemiological characteristics of influenza outbreaks in Guangdong Province by analyzing the outbreaks of influenza-like cases reported in Guangdong Province from January 2015 to the end of August 2022. Methods: In response to the outbreak of epidemics in Guangdong Province from 2015 to 2022, information on on-site epidemic control was collected, and epidemiological analysis was conducted to describe the characteristics of the epidemics. The factors that influence the intensity and duration of the outbreak were determined through a logistic regression model. Results: A total of 1 901 influenza outbreaks were reported in Guangdong Province, with an overall incidence of 2.05%. Most outbreak reports occurred from November to January of the following year (50.24%, 955/1 901) and from April to June (29.88%, 568/1 901). A total of 59.23% (1 126/1 901) of the outbreaks were reported in the Pearl River Delta region, and primary and secondary schools were the main places where outbreaks occurred (88.01%, 1 673/1 901). Outbreaks with 10-29 cases were the most common (66.18%, 1 258/1 901), and most outbreaks lasted less than seven days (50.93%,906/1 779). The size of the outbreak was related to the nursery school (aOR=0.38, 95%CI:0.15-0.93), the Pearl River Delta region (aOR=0.60, 95%CI:0.44-0.83), the time interval between the onset of the first case and the time of report (>7 days compared with ≤3 days: aOR=3.01, 95%CI:1.84-4.90), the influenza A(H1N1) (aOR=2.02, 95%CI:1.15-3.55) and the influenza B (Yamagata) (aOR=2.94, 95%CI: 1.50-5.76). The duration of outbreaks was related to school closures (aOR=0.65, 95%CI: 0.47-0.89), the Pearl River Delta region (aOR=0.65, 95%CI: 0.50-0.83) and the time interval between the onset of the first case and the time of report (>7 days compared with ≤3 days: aOR=13.33, 95%CI: 8.80-20.19; 4-7 days compared with ≤3 days: aOR=2.56, 95%CI: 1.81-3.61). Conclusions: An influenza outbreak in Guangdong Province exhibits two peaks, one in the winter and spring seasons and the other in the summer. Primary and secondary schools are high-risk areas, and early reporting of outbreaks is critical for controlling influenza outbreaks in schools. Furthermore, comprehensive measures should be taken to prevent the spread of the epidemic.
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Humans , Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype , Influenza, Human/epidemiology , Disease Outbreaks , Epidemics , China/epidemiologyABSTRACT
2019-nCoV Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant, which has brought new challenges to the prevention and control of COVID-19 pandemic, has the characteristics of stronger transmissibility and more rapid transmission and more significant immune evasion. It took only two months to become a predominant strain worldwide after its identification in South Africa in November 2021. Local epidemics caused by Omicron variant have been reported in several provinces in China. However, the epidemiological characteristics of highly mutated Omicron variant remain unclear. This article summarizes the progress in the research of functional mutations, transmissibility, virulence, immune evasion and cross-reactive immune responses of Omicron variant, to provide references for the effective prevention and control of COVID-19 pandemic caused by Omicron variant.
Subject(s)
Humans , COVID-19 , Mutation , Pandemics , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
AIM: To investigate the choroidal thickness changes in macular area and facular area of patients with diabetic retinopathy ( DR) after panretinal photocoagulation (PRP). METHODS: Totally 40 cases (78 eyes) of DR patients with PRP in our hospital from January 2015 to January 2017 were selected, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) was conducted for preoperative and postoperative choroidal thickness in macular area and facular area. RESULTS: At 1mo after PRP, the subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), nasal choroidal thickness (NCT), the temporal choroidal thickness (TCT), superior choroidal thickness (SCT),inferior choroidal thickness(ICT) were sharply higher than those before operation, the difference was statistically significant(t=2.016,t=2 017, t=2.001, t=2.264, t=2.229;P<0.05). SFCT,NCT,TCT, SCT and ICT at postoperative 3mo sharply decreased when compared to those before operation, showing statistical significance (t=2.048, t=2.051, t=2.092, t=2 010, t=2.273; P<0.05). Postoperative baseline level average choroidal thickness in facular area of 227. 6士44 9μ m was evidently higher than that at postoperative 1mo (207.1士41.6μ m),the difference had statistical points (t=2.118, P<0.05). The mean thickness at postoperative 3mo (206. 5士41. 3μ m) was apparently lower than the baseline level mean choroidal thickness 227.6士44.9μ m, the difference showed statistical significance(t=2.188,P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The choroid thickness at macular region rises obviously for short term after PRP, while that in facula area reduces markedly, which shows choroidal blood flow redistribution after operation.
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Objective To analyze the developments and frontiers of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) research in order to make possible breakthroughs in subsequent studies.Methods Information visualization software Citespace V was applied to draw the mapping knowledge domain based on the database of SLE literature in Science Citation Index Expanded of Web of Science from 1975 to 2016.In this way,it was possible to analyze the basis of knowledge,network relationships between countries or regions,hot spots and courses frontier evolution in the recent 40 years.Results Totally 39 847 articles of literature were collected.The USA,UK,Spain,Italy and Australia were known as the leading countries in the study of SLE.The relationships between SLE and other autoimmune diseases,autoantibody detection and significance,anticardiolipin antibody expression,gene expression,classification criteria,disease activity were hot spots of SLE.Depression of SLE patients,management of SLE and differentiation of SLE were eye-catching research frontiers in recent years.Conclusion The mapping knowledge domain can display the main hot spots in research of SLE,show the frontier spheres and evolution course of related branches of learning,reveal the potential information in complex giant data networks,and guide future studies.
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Objective To summarize the features of esophageal hiatus hernia (EHH) on contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and investigate the diagnostic value of CEUS in EHH.Methods A retrospective analysis of 88 EHH patients and 50 healthy controls was conducted with focus on their findings on CEUS.Results The structures of the cardiac and abdominal esophagus were clear in 50 healthy controls,and the esophageal hiatus diameters were (1.96±0.39) cm.In contrast,the cardiac and abdominal esophagus in EHH patients were unable to be identified in subdiaphragm region.The esophageal hiatus was wider with a diameter of (3.24±0.76) cm.The difference was statistically significant(t=2.36,P＜0.05).The hernia sacs were found in 78 EHH patients at rest.And the hernia sacs were present on the diaphragm in 10 EHH patients after pressure.The maximum diameter of hernia sac was 7.6 cm.The size of hernia sac may change with abdominal pressure.In sliding EHH patients,the sac wall was found to slide up and down the diaphragm.A mass was found on the wall in 2 patients.The B ring was present in 76 patients.For healthy controls in supine position,contrast-enhanced ultrasound showed that the gastric bottom and diaphragm were at dependent or horizontal position.The gastric bottom and diaphragm was upward in 73 patients.Conclusions The EHH has characteristic appearance on CEUS.It is easy to detect and diagnose EHH with CEUS,which has a diagnostic value in detection of space-occupying lesions in hernia sac.CEUS can be used for EHH screening.
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Objective To investigate the liver injury and pathological changes of rat and patients with Clonorchis sinensis(C, sinensis) infection, and to clarify the role of apoptosis in the injury induced by C. sinensis.Methods Wistar rats were divided into two group: 60 in infection group and 20 in control. The rats in infection group were infected with C. sinensis via oral feeding encysted cercaria;rats in control group were fed with normal saline. The rats were sacrificed 4, 6, 8 and 12 weeks after infection, respectively. Liver tissue specimens of the patients infected with C. sinensis were collected. The pathological changes of liver tissue were observed by light microscopy and the apoptofic rate of hepatocyte was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL) assay. Results Parasites and eggs could he seen around the bile duct, and the duct was associated with mucosa and adenoma papillary hyperplasia, wall thickening, inflammatory cell infiltration, a small amount of fibrous tissue hyperplasia, and periportal liver cells surrounded by a number of nuclear condensation, all these changes meant morphological characteristics of apoptosis. Apoptotic rates of liver cells in infection group 4, 6,8 and 12 weeks after infection were (7.15 ± 1.50)%,(11.61 ± 3.09)%,(13.21 ± 3.47)% and (11.26 ± 4.06)%,respectively, which was significantly higher than that in control group [(2.57 ± 0.72)%, (3.17 + 0.77)%, (3.67 ±0.96)% and (2.84 ± 0.87)%, t values were 4.45, 5.49, 5.95 and 4.74, respectively, all P < 0.01]. Conclusions These findings indicate that C, sinensis can stimulate both hepatoeytic apoptosis and degeneration which may he related to clinical manifestations and liver lesions in patients with clonorchiasis.
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Objective To observe the levels of alanine aminotransferase(ALT), total bilirubin(TBIL), hyaluronic acid (HA), procollagen type Ⅲ aminoterminal peptide (P Ⅲ NP) and larninin (LN) in the sera of rats infected with Clonorchis sinensis (C. sinensis) after treatment of albendazole combined with milkvetch root. Methods Thirty-two healthy adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups with 8 in each based on body mass: control group, non-treatment group, Albendazole group(ALB group) and albendazole combined with milkvetch root group(ALB+MR group). The rats in non-treatmen, ALB and ALB+MR groups were infected orally with metacercariae of C. sinensis 50 per rat. The rats in control group were mock-infected with saline. The rats in ALB group were treated to each rat with 50 mg/kg alhendazole for 5 days, and ALB+MR groups were given to same treat with albendazole, meanwhile each rat injected with 800 mg/kg milkvetch root intraperitoneally for 30 days. All rats were killed after infestation 14 weeks and their sera samples were collected to detect ALT, TBIL, HA, PⅢNP, LN. Results There were statistically significant differences in the levels of ALT and LN in the sera of rats between groups(F=31.40,11.82, P<0.01). Compared with control[ (47.88±4.88)U/L, (51.20±4.12)μg/L], the levels of ALT and LN in rats in non-treatment group [(85.50±9.65)U/L, (64.20±4.18) μg/L] and ALB group [(65.29± 7.78) U/L, (58.23±2.55) μg/L] were significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared with non-treatment group, the levels of ALT and LN in rats in ALB group and ALB+MR groups[(50.25±9.29)U/L, (53.68±5.63)μg/L] were significantly decreased(P<0.05), and they decreased more obviously in ALB+MR group (P<0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the levels of TBIL, PⅢNP and HA in the sera of rats between groups (χ2=15.309,21.418,19.759, P<0.01). Compared with control[(0.700±0.350)μmol/L, (26.085±4.075)μg/L, (81.935±42.550)μg/L], the levels of TBIL, PⅢNP and HA in rats in non-treatment group(2.400 μmol/L, 46.220 μg/L,310.885 μg/L) and ALT group(1.200 μmol/L,36.540 μg/L, 178.010 μg/L) were significantly increased(P<0.05). Compared with non-treatment group, the level of TBIL in ALT+MR group(0.750 μmol/L), the levels of pⅢNP and HA in ALT and ALT+MR group(30.470,100.240 μg/L) were significantly decreased(P< 0.05). The levels of TBIL, PⅢNP and HA decreased more obviously in ALB+MR group(P<0.05). Conclusions The liver function in rats infected with C. sinensis is abnormal. The liver function and fibrosis are improved after treatment with albendazole or albendazole combined with milkvetch root. The treatment of albendazole combined with milkvetch root is more effective.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study whether the caries status of the primary dentition correlated with status of the permanent in the same cohort over an eight-year period. To determine whether the caries status of the primary dentition can be used to predict caries in the permanent dentition.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 362 children, 3 - 4 years old in the baseline study in 1992 were re-examined in 2000 based on WHO criteria and methods.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Statistically significant associations were observed between the caries prevalence in primary and permanent teeth (P < 0.01) and between DMFT(s) and dmft(s) (P < 0.01). Children who had caries in the primary teeth were nearly three times more likely to have caries in the permanent teeth (RR = 2.6,95% CI = 1.4 - 4.7, P < 0.001). The highest sensitivity (93.9%) for prediction caries in the permanent dentition was found in caries presence on any of the eight primary molars, for which the relative ratio was 3.3 (95% CI = 1.8 - 6.1, P < 0.001) and the positive prediction value was 85.4%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The study determinate clearly that caries status in the primary teeth can be used as a risk indicator for predicting caries in the permanent dentition.</p>