Thermal stability of diagnostic targets plasmodium falciparum histidine rich protein II and plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase in rapid detection.

During the COVID-19 epidemic, blood samples are usually processed at 56 to attenuate the virus before pathogen detection. 71 blood samples of malaria patients reported by Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2017-2019 were collected, including 38 with Plasmodium falciparum infection, 8 P. malariae, 11 P. ovale and 14 P. vivax. The effect of inactivation on the thermal stability of P. falciparum histidine rich protein II (PfHRPII) and Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) in blood samples was assessed before and after incubation at 56 for 30 min using the rapid diagnostic test (RDT) kit. The results showed that among the 38 P. falciparum T1-positive (PfHRPII) blood samples before heat treatment, 35 samples remained to be T1-positive (92.11%, 35/38, chi2=3.123, P>0.05) after heat treatment;while 54 blood samples (26 P. falciparum, 6 P. vivax, 10 P. ovale and 12 P. vivax) that were T2-positive (pLDH) before heat treatment turned to be T2-negative (positive rate 0, 0/54, chi2=87.755, P<0.01) after heat treatment. It was demonstrated that PfHRPII is stable during incubation at 56 for 30 min, while pLDH is unstable and degraded or inactivated during the heating. Therefore, the detection results of P. falciparum will not be affected by RDT, but diagnosis of the parasites other than P. falciparum in blood samples may be missed.Copyright © 2021, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases. All rights reserved.

Analysis of case-based malaria surveillance and response during the period of COVID-19 outbreak in China

Objective To assess the case-based malaria surveillance and response during the period of COVID-19 outbreak in China, in order to provide reference for malaria elimination under the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Information of malaria cases reported during the four months pre - and post-COVID -19 outbreak (December 1, 2019-March 31, 2020) and in the same time period of past two years in China (excluding Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan regions) was obtained from the Parasitic Disease Control Information Management System. Cross-sectional survey and comparison were conducted for malaria surveillance and response data in 3 four-month time periods (December 1, 2019 to January 22, 2020;January 23 to March 17, 2020;and March 18-31, 2020). The number of malaria cases including deaths, the median and average time interval from disease onset to the first visit, the median and average of time interval from the first visit to the confirmed diagnosis, the completion status of the #1-3-7$ task and the source of infections in each period were analyzed and compared to the same times in the past two years. Results From December 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020, a total of 750 malaria cases, which were all imported cases, were reported in China, decreased by 9.2% from that reported during December 2018 and March 2019 (826 cases) and by 13.1% from that reported during December 2017 to March 2018 (863 cases). The decrease mainly occurred in February and March in 2020;there were no statistical differences in the time interval from onset to first visit (median 1 day, mean 2.0 days), time interval from first visit to confirmed diagnosis (median 1 day, mean 1.8 days), case reporting rate within 1 day (100%), case epidemiological investigation rate within 3 days (98.4%), epidemic site disposal rate within 7 days (100%) between the time period of COVID-19 outbreak and the same time in the past year (December 2018 to March 2019). In addition, no statistical difference (! > 0.05) was found in the time intervals from onset to first visit among the first period [median 1 d, average (1.9 +/- 0.2) d], the second period [median 1 d, average (2.1 +/- 0.3) d] and the third period [median 1 d, mean (1.5 +/- 0.3) d], while the time interval from the first visit to the confirmed diagnosis was statistically different (! X 0.05) among the first period [median 0 d, average (1.5 +/- 0.2) d], the second period [median 1 d, mean (2.3 +/- 0.3) d] and the third period [median 0.5 d, average (1.5 +/- 0.4) d], where the time interval in the second period was longer than that in the first period (! X 0.01). Conclusion China' s core measures to eliminate malaria have been carried out as planned, although the timely malaria diagnosis was slightly affected in the second time period (January 23 to March 17, 2020).Copyright © 2021, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases. All rights reserved.

Limited effect of reducing pulmonary tuberculosis incidence amid mandatory facial masking for COVID-19

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant health and public issue in many countries. Its incidence and mortality have been decreasing in many countries. The recent COVID-19 could have significant impacts on the transmission and health care for this chronic disease by obligatory facial masking and by affecting healthcare capacities. WHO global tuberculosis in 2021 reported that the TB incidence would rebound at the end of 2020 during COVID-19 pandemic. We wondered if this phenomenon could have existed in Taiwan. We asked whether the trend of TB incidence and mortality would be affected by the COVID-19 epidemic due to their common air transmission route. We also asked whether the incidence of TB in regions with different COVID-19 incidences would be similar. We obtained the yearly new cases of TB and multidrug-resistant TB through Taiwan CDC and estimated the incidence and mortality by the population numbers in 7 administrative regions in Taiwan from 2010 to 2021. The result showed that incidences of TB in recent 10 years show a continuously decreasing trend, even amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21. Surprisingly, in the low COVID-19 incidence regions of Taiwan, the incidence of TB remained high during the COVID-19 pandemic. We concluded that the decreasing trend of incidence and mortality of TB does not change during the COVID-19 epidemic in Taiwan. The mask-wearing and social distancing could prevent the transmission of COVID-19, however, their effect on the limiting spread of TB may be limited. The health policy decision should take the consideration of the TB rebound, even in the post-COVID-19 era.Copyright © 2023

Expert consensus on diagnosis and treatment of adult mental stress-induced hypertension in China (2022 Revision): Part B

Mental stress has been recognized as an essential risk factor for hypertension. Therefore, experts specializing in cardiology, psychiatry, and Traditional Chinese Medicine organized by the Psycho-cardiology Group, College of Cardiovascular Physicians of Chinese Medical Doctor Association, and Hypertension Group of the Chinese Society of Cardiology proposed the expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of adult mental stress-induced hypertension in March 2021, which includes the epidemiology, etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of the mental stress-induced hypertension. This consensus will hopefully facilitate the clinical practice of this disorder. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has become one of the primary global sources of psychosocial stressors since the beginning of 2020, and the revision of this expert consensus in 2022 has increased the relevant content. This consensus consists of two parts. The sections of Part A include (I) Background and epidemiological characteristics, (II) Pathogenesis, and (III) Diagnosis. The sections of Part B contain (IV) Treatment recommendations, and (V) Prospects. This article presents Part B of the consensus. © 2022 Heart and Mind ;Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow.

Expert consensus on diagnosis and treatment of adult mental stress induced hypertension in China (2022 revision): Part A

Mental stress has been recognized as an essential risk factor for hypertension. Therefore, experts specializing in cardiology, psychiatry, and Traditional Chinese Medicine organized by the Psycho-Cardiology Group of College of Cardiovascular Physicians of Chinese Medical Doctor Association and Hypertension Group of Chinese Society of Cardiology proposed the expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of adult mental stress-induced hypertension in March 2021, which includes the epidemiology, etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of the mental stress-induced hypertension. This consensus will hopefully facilitate the clinical practice of this disorder. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has become one of the primary global sources of psychosocial stressors since the beginning of 2020, and the revision of this expert consensus in 2022 has increased the relevant content. This consensus consists of Part A and Part B. Part A includes (I) Background and epidemiological characteristics, (II) Pathogenesis, and (III) Diagnosis and Part B includes (IV) Treatment recommendations and (V) Prospects. This part presents the content of Part A. © 2022 Heart and Mind ;Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow.

Dynamic Effects of CO2 Emissions on Anticipated Financial Development of European Countries

This study investigates the motives behind the degrees of molecular pollution during the COVID-19 pandemic, which persisted from first walk 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020. A spatial Durbin file model is used linked to an edge backslide model in this article to find the widely inclusive and nearby consequences of present-day plan and urbanization on nonrenewable energy source by things. The outcomes are discussed next: both were available in modern-day plan and urbanization from a generally inclusive standpoint. The geological consequences of CO2 emissions were concentrated on utilizing information from 22 European countries somewhere in the range of 1990-2020, and all through the examination cycle, the Durbin spatial model was discovered. Although factors such as gross domestic product per capita, urbanization, and energy power impact CO2 emissions, exchange receptivity stays unaltered. The findings will fill in as critical repercussions for state-run administrations, wellbeing experts, and regulators in the war against the return of COVID-19 in Europe. The great number of suggestions were worthless since the concept integrated six money-connected creation assessments into a coordinated arrangement. There is information to indicate that CO2 emissions are associated with money-related events in neighboring nations.

A Community-Based Model of Care During the Fourth Wave of the COVID-19 Outbreak in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

In response to a call for help during a surge in coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) cases in Ho Chi Minh City in July 2021, the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City developed and implemented a community care model for the management of patients with COVID-19. This was based on three main principles: home care; providing monitoring and care at a distance; and providing timely emergency care if needed. One team supported patients at home with frequent contacts and remote monitoring, while a second team transferred and cared for patients requiring treatment at field emergency care facilities. COVID-19-related mortality rates at the two districts where this approach was implemented (0.43% and 0.57%) were substantially lower than the overall rate in Ho Chi Minh City over the same period (4.95%). Thus, utilization of a community care model can increase the number of patients with COVID-19 who can be effectively managed from home, and use of field emergency care facilities limited the number of patients that had to be referred for tertiary care. Importantly, the community care model also markedly reduced the mortality rate compared with traditional methods of COVID-19 patient management.

Thermal stability of diagnostic targets plasmodium falciparum histidine rich protein Ⅱ and plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase in rapid detection

During the COVID-19 epidemic, blood samples are usually processed at 56 ℃ to attenuate the virus before pathogen detection. 71 blood samples of malaria patients reported by Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2017-2019 were collected, including 38 with Plasmodium falciparum infection, 8 P. malariae, 11 P. ovale and 14 P. vivax. The effect of inactivation on the thermal stability of P. falciparum histidine rich protein Ⅱ (PfHRPⅡ) and Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) in blood samples was assessed before and after incubation at 56 ℃ for 30 min using the rapid diagnostic test (RDT) kit. The results showed that among the 38 P. falciparum T1-positive (PfHRPⅡ) blood samples before heat treatment, 35 samples remained to be T1-positive (92.11%, 35/38, χ2=3.123, P>0.05) after heat treatment;while 54 blood samples (26 P. falciparum, 6 P. vivax, 10 P. ovale and 12 P. vivax) that were T2-positive (pLDH) before heat treatment turned to be T2-negative (positive rate 0, 0/54, χ2=87.755, P<0.01) after heat treatment. It was demonstrated that PfHRPⅡ is stable during incubation at 56 ℃ for 30 min, while pLDH is unstable and degraded or inactivated during the heating. Therefore, the detection results of P. falciparum will not be affected by RDT, but diagnosis of the parasites other than P. falciparum in blood samples may be missed. © 2021, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases. All rights reserved.

Multicolor Immunodiagnostic for Semiquantitative Visual Detection Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Specific Antibody: A Prospect Strategy for On-site COVID-19 Therapeutic Process Monitoring

Rapid detection of body fluid severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2) antibody is an effective strategy for infection therapeutic effect of coronavirus disease(COVID-19). Most detection methods require relatively large equipment, which limited their on-site application. Lateral flow immunoassay(LFIA) can be used to qualitative antibody detection based on the aggregation of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs), which exhibits just one-color change and cannot realize rapid quantitative detection without the help of additional equipment. In this study, a high-resolution multicolor colorimetric strategy was developed and applied to assessing antibody concentration at a glance based on etching of gold nanorods(Au NRs). Firstly, SARS-CoV-2 recombinant antigen was immobilized on the surface of the 96-wells. Then, horseradish peroxidase(HRP)-labeled second antibody combined with antibody to form an antigen-antibody-secondary antibody complex on the well surface, which has direct relationship with antibody concentration in the sample and can be used to oxidize 3, 3', 5, 5'-tetramethylbenzidine(TMB) to form TMB2+ at the presence of HRP. The generation of TMB2+ efficiently etch Au NRs to produce multicolor solution. The etching result in vivid color changes in the system has a relationship with the amount of SARS-CoV-2 IgM antibody. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed strategy exhibited a linear response in the 5.00―200 IU concentration range, and a detection limit of 1.29 IU for SARS-CoV-2 IgM antibody, with high sensitivity and specificity. This assay is prospective for the on-site semi-quantitative visual detection of SARS-CoV-2 IgM antibody concentration in the COVID-19 therapeutic process. © 2021, Editorial Department of Chem. J. Chinese Universities. All right reserved.

Nano Magnetic Beads Combined with Polymerase Chain Reaction Detection of 2019-nCoV and Analysis of the Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics of 2019-nCoV Patients

The 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is extremely infectious and the human population globally is generally susceptible to it. Its spread poses a serious threat to public health. Analyzing the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can more fully demonstrate its characteristics and evolution, and provide effective scientific strategies for preventing and controlling the epidemic. In this study, nucleic acid detection was performed on 228 suspected COVID-19 cases in Ningbo City from January 2020 to August 2020. The RNA of the virus was extracted by the nano magnetic bead method and was detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR. Patients whose test results were positive were considered as research subjects. Clinical data of the patients were collected through a medical record system and the epidemiology and characteristics of COVID-19 were analyzed. Among the 228 suspected cases, 108 patients had a positive nucleic acid test result. The 108 confirmed patients were selected as research subjects, including 9 patients with mild symptoms, 85 patients with common symptoms, and 14 patients with severe symptoms. The age range of the patients was 17-82 years. Overall, 35 patients (32.40%) had complications. The median incubation period for patients was 7.5 days. Seventy patients (64.81%) had a contact history with a diseased individual. In terms of the clinical symptoms of the patients, the following symptoms were identified: fever in 92, cough in 62, fatigue in 34, sputum expectoration in 32, dry cough in 22, sore throat in 19, diarrhea in 8, headache in 8, shortness of breath in 7, nasal congestion in 5, and muscle ache in 5 cases. The results of chest CT imaging showed that 96 patients (88.89%) exhibited bilateral or unilateral pneumonia lesions of varying degrees, manifested as bilateral or unilateral lung patches, cloudy floccules, patches with an increased density shadow. The CT images of 12 patients (11.11%) showed no obvious abnormalities, while 24 cases (22.22%) had absolute white blood cell count of <4x10(9)/L, while 1 case had one of >10x10(9)/L. The absolute neutrophil count in 10 patients (9.26%) increased (>6.3x10(9/)L). The absolute lymphocyte count in 49 patients (45.37%) decreased (<1.1x10(9)/L). The hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelet levels of the vast majority of patients were normal, while a few were low or high. Fifty-eight patients (53.70%) had elevated C-reactive protein (>10 mg/L);14 (12.96%) had elevated D-dimer (>256 mu g/L);14 (12.96%) had high levels of alanine aminotransferase (>40 U/L);9 (8.33%) had increased aspartate aminotransferase (>40 U/L);while 32 (29.6%) had increased lactate dehydrogenase (>250 U/L). COVID-19 in Ningbo is mainly transmitted in clusters, and elderly patients are more likely to develop severe symptoms. There is no significant difference in clinical characteristics between patients with severe conditions and those with mild and common ones.

Cleaning and disinfection in health care settings during the COVID-19 outbreak

Cleaning and disinfection of the health care environment plays an important role in reducing indirect transmission of SARS-CoV-2 - the virus responsible for COVID-19. © 2020, International Centre for Eye Health.