Objective To analyze the spatio-temporal process on 2009 influenza A (HlNl) pandemic in Changsha and the influencing factors during the diffusion process. Methods Data were from the following 5 sources, influenza A (HlNl) pandemic gathered in 2009, Geographic Information System (GIS) of Changsha, the broad range of theorems and techniques of hot spot analysis, spatio-temporal process analysis and Spearman correlation analysis. Results Hot spot areas appeared to be more in the economically developed areas, such as cities and townships. The cluster of spatial-temporal distribution of influenza A (HlNl) pandemic was most likely appearing in Liuyang city (RR=22.70,P<0.01). The secondary cluster would include districts as Yuelu (RR=6A9,P< 0.01) , Yuhua (RR=81.63, P<0.01). Xingsha township appeared as the center in the Changsha county (RR=2.90, P<0.01) while townships as Yutangping (RR=19.31, P<0.01) , Chengjiao (RR=73.14,P<0.01) and Longtian appeared as the center in the west of Ningxiang county (RR= 14.43,P<0.01) and Wushan as the center in the Wangcheng county (RR= 13.84,P<0.01). As time went on, the epidemic moved towards the eastern and more developed regions. Regarding factor analysis, population, the amount of students, geographic relationship and business activities etc. appeared to be the key elements influencing the transmission of influenza A (H1N1) pandemic. At the beginning of the epidemic, population density served as the main factor (r=0.477, P<0.05) but during the initial and fast growing stages, it was replaced by the size of students to serve as the important indicator (r=0.831, P<0.01; r=0.518, P<0.01). However, during the peak of the epidemics, the business activities played an important role (r=-0.676, P<0.01). Conclusion Groups under high risk and districts with high incidence rates were shifting, along with the temporal process of influenza A(H1N1) pandemic, suggesting that the protection measures need to be adjusted, according to the significance of influencing factors at different stages.

OBJECTIVETo realize the influence of climatic changes on the transmission of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), and to explore the adoption of climatic factors in warning HFRS.

METHODSA total of 2171 cases of HFRS and the synchronous climatic data in Changsha from 2000 to 2009 were collected to a climate-based forecasting model for HFRS transmission. The Cochran-Armitage trend test was employed to explore the variation trend of the annual incidence of HFRS. Cross-correlations analysis was then adopted to assess the time-lag period between the climatic factors, including monthly average temperature, relative humidity, rainfall and Multivariate Elño-Southern Oscillation Index (MEI) and the monthly HFRS cases. Finally the time-series Poisson regression model was constructed to analyze the influence of different climatic factors on the HFRS transmission.

RESULTSThe annual incidence of HFRS in Changsha between 2000 - 2009 was 13.09/100 000 (755 cases), 9.92/100 000 (578 cases), 5.02/100 000 (294 cases), 2.55/100 000 (150 cases), 1.13/100 000 (67 cases), 1.16/100 000 (70 cases), 0.95/100 000 (58 cases), 1.40/100 000 (87 cases), 0.75/100 000 (47 cases) and 1.02/100 000 (65 cases), respectively. The incidence showed a decline during these years (Z = -5.78, P < 0.01). The results of Poisson regression model indicated that the monthly average temperature (18.00°C, r = 0.26, P < 0.01, 1-month lag period; IRR = 1.02, 95%CI: 1.00 - 1.03, P < 0.01), relative humidity (75.50%, r = 0.62, P < 0.01, 3-month lag period; IRR = 1.03, 95%CI: 1.02 - 1.04, P < 0.01), rainfall (112.40 mm, r = 0.25, P < 0.01, 6-month lag period; IRR = 1.01, 95CI: 1.01 - 1.02, P = 0.02), and MEI (r = 0.31, P < 0.01, 3-month lag period; IRR = 0.77, 95CI: 0.67 - 0.88, P < 0.01) were closely associated with monthly HFRS cases (18.10 cases).

CONCLUSIONClimate factors significantly influence the incidence of HFRS. If the influence of variable-autocorrelation, seasonality, and long-term trend were controlled, the accuracy of forecasting by the time-series Poisson regression model in Changsha would be comparatively high, and we could forecast the incidence of HFRS in advance.

China ; epidemiology ; Climate Change ; Forecasting ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome ; epidemiology ; transmission ; Humans ; Humidity ; Incidence ; Models, Theoretical ; Seasons ; Temperature

OBJECTIVETo investigate the distribution of Yersinia enterocolitica in Henan province from 2005 to 2011.

METHODSA total of 6700 samples of stool specimen were collected from diarrhea patients and different domestic animals between 2005 and 2011 from Zhengzhou, Suixian and Dengfeng, as well as flies and the daub specimens of raw and cooked meat products. The bacteria were isolated by cold enrichment method, analyzed by the systematic biochemistry to determine the serotypes and bio-types, and tested the virulence genes by PCR method.

RESULTSA total of 216 strains of Yersinia enterocolitica were isolated from 11 kinds of animal hosts and foods, while 29.63% (64/216) of them were from swine. The dominant epidemic serotypes of the Yersinia enterocolitica were O: 5 and O: 8, accounted for 23.2% (50/216) and 20.4% (44/216), respectively; type 1A was the dominant bio-type, accounted for 84.7% (183/216). The dominant serotype and bio-type differed a lot among various hosts.16 pathogenic strains were isolated from swine, followed by diarrhea patients (6 strains) and dogs (6 strains).

CONCLUSIONThe distribution of the host of Yersinia enterocolitica was widespread, while swine was the dominant animal host.

Animals ; Animals, Domestic ; microbiology ; Bacterial Typing Techniques ; China ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Yersinia Infections ; epidemiology ; Yersinia enterocolitica ; isolation & purification

In order to investigate the central nervous mechanism and the diseases involved in catecholamine transmitter secretion, the dynamics of catecholamine release is studied in single cell, brain slice or in vivo. Noradrenaline is an important neurotransmitter and modulator in the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). In the present paper, we first compared three real-time methods used to measure noradrenaline secretion in single cells (membrane capacitance, amperometry and confocal fluorescence microscopy imaging). Compared to the electrophysiological method and fluorescence microscopy, the basic usage of the carbon fiber electrode (CFE) in neuroscience research was presented as an example. Then, we presented a primary description of ion channels, including voltage-gated Na(+), K(+) and Ca(2+) channels in locus coeruleus (LC) neurons in rat brain slices. Finally, we presented example recordings of combined patch-clamp and amperometry measurements in LC neurons, indicating Ca(2+)-dependent quantal noradrenaline release following Ca(2+) influx through Ca(2+) channels.
Animals ; Central Nervous System ; physiology ; Ion Channels ; physiology ; Norepinephrine ; secretion ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Rats

Objective::To observe the intervention effect of Yiqi Huoxue recipe (YQHX) on ventricular remodeling in rats with chronic heart failure, in order to explore its mechanism. Method::Among 40 male SD rats, 10 were randomly selected as the sham operation group. The left anterior descending coronary artery ligation was performed to construct the chronic heart failure(CHF) rat model. After modeling, they were randomly divided into model group, captopril group(13.5 mg·kg^-1·d^-1) and YQHX group (20 g·kg^-1·d^-1), and orally given the corresponding drugs. After 8 weeks of intervention, cardiac tissues were collected, body mass and heart mass were weighed, and echocardiography were performed to detect the changes in cardiac structure. Masson staining was performed to determine the myocardial interstitial collagen volume fraction. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of mitochondrial fusion protein optic atrophy 1 (Opa1) and cleavage protein dynamic-related protein 1 (Drpl). The quantitative real-time fluorescence polymerase chain reaction(Real-time PCR)was applied to detect the expressions of Wnt/β-catenin pathway-related factors such as lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6), glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) and β-catenin. Result::Compared with the sham group, the left ventricular wall of the model group was significantly thickened (P<0.05), the cardiac cavity was significantly enlarged, and the content of collagen in the myocardial interstitium was increased (P<0.01). The expression level of Opal decreased, the expression level of Drp1 increased (P<0.05), the mRNA expression level of LRP6, GSK-3, and β-catenin increased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, YQHX group can reduce ventricular wall thickening, heart chamber enlargement, myocardial interstitial collagen content, up-regulate the low expression of Opa1, but down-regulate the high expressions of Drpl, LRP6, GSK-3β, β-catenin(P<0.05, P<0.01). Conclusion::YQHX can effectively alleviate ventricular remodeling and improve mitochondrial energy metabolism in rats with CHF. The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin related factors.