Adolescent ; Adult ; China ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Models, Theoretical ; Young Adult

Objective To find out the data sources of respiratory syndromes and their components from the outpatients of general hospitals and to describe the time distribution and mutual relations of different respiratory syndromes. Feasibility of respiratory syndromes used for early warning surveillance on respiratory infectious disease was also under research. Methods Retrospective investigation on Hospital Information System (HIS) was implemented in a general hospital in Guangzhou, 2005, and data of outpatients was collected and classified into different syndromes. The respiratory syndromes with its time distribution similar to influenza like illness (ILI),were selected, and cross-correlation analyses were conducted to inveshgate the feasibility of respiratory syndromes for early warning surveillance on respiratory infection diseases (influenza as an example). Results Primary sub-classification of respiratory syndromes in outpatient department would include upper respiratory infection(URI)(51.20%), trachitis/bronchitis (18.80%), asthma ( 17.52% ), etc. Pulmonary infection accounted for only 2.26%. Time distributions of URI, trachitis/bronchitis, pulmonary infection, cough and asthma in outpatient department, X-ray tests and pneumonia/acute respiratory distress syndromes (ARDSs) in outpatient X-ray room were similar, with two peaks observed. Cross-correlation functions were calculated with the data sets of 1st-28th week.The most significant correlation was detected between the time series of outpatient pulmonary infections and ILIs moved 4 weeks backward (r＝0.739, P＜0.01 ), and that was detected between URIs and ILIs moved 5 weeks backward (r=0.714, P＜0.01 ). Correlation between X-ray tests,pneumonia/ARDSs in outpatient X-ray room and ILIs was the strongest when ILIs time series moved 1 week backward (r=0.858, P＜0.001; r=0.821, P＜0.001 ). Conclusion Outpatient data from HIS system in general hospital could be applied to syndromic surveillance on respiratory diseases. For early warning epidemics or outbreaks of influenza or other respiratory infectious diseases, data of outpatient pulmonary infection appeared to be the most feasible for its specificity and timeliness, followed by URI and cough. X-ray tests and pneumonia/ARDSs in outpatient X-ray findings were important supplementary to verify the respiratory disease epidemics or outbreaks for its good specificity, but with no advantage for early warning.

A rapid detection method for dyeing wastewater by snapshot imaging spectrometer was developed. The simulated dyeing wastewater solution of a single component and mixed components was prepared and the experimental conditions were optimized. The white LED array was used as the detection light source and the image of the sample was collected by the imaging spectrometer developed in the laboratory to obtain the spectral information of the sample in the range of 400-800 nm. The standard curve between the absorbance and the concentration of the samples was established. The linear range of a single component of Rhodamine B or Orange G was 1-50 mg / L, the linear correlation coefficients was more than 0. 99, the recoveries were 93% -114% and the relative standard deviations ( RSD) were 7. 5% and 1. 3% . The correlation coefficients between predicted concentration and reference concentration reached 0. 999 in the detection of mixed component by using the multiple linear regression model, and the relative errors of 3 predicted samples were reduced. The rapid, accurate and precise method showed an excellent promise for on-site and emergency detection of dyeing wastewater.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the epidemiological characteristics, related risk factors, measures for its control of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

METHODSData on epidemiological features, pathogens and measures for control were collected and analyzed.

RESULTSSince Jan 2003, infectious atypical pneumonia (AP) has become epidemic in Guangzhou city. The first autochthonous case was identified on Jan 2nd. Number of cases started to increase since February and reached peak in the early 10 days of February. Hereafter the epidemic tended to decline in March and since early April, the average number of new cases began to decrease, less than 10 per day. Epidemiological studies revealed that the number of cases aged between 20 and 50 was higher than that below the age of 20. Of the total 966 cases, 429 were males versus 537 females. Geographically, the epidemics covered all 13 districts of Guangzhou, but 95% of the cases concentrated in 7 urban districts. As for professional distribution, health care workers accounted for 28.67% of the total cases. There were 36 deaths, aged from 5 to 89, with half of them older than 60. Out of the victims, 38.9% of them had complications as hypertension, diabetes, heart diseases and COPD etc. Data regarding the clustering features of cases showed that there were 42 families having 2 or more cases in one family, while 277 health workers suffered from SARS were concentrated in 28 hospitals. Only one outbreak took place in a public setting but no outbreak was reported in schools. Relevant research also indicated that SARS could be classified as an air-borne infectious disease, transmitted through aerosol and droplets, but close contact also played an important role in the mode of transmission. The disease was highly infectious, suggesting that people who had close contact with patients in the place with poor ventilation was in greater risk of getting infection. The incubation period ranged from 1 to 11 days (mainly from 3 to 8 days), with an average of 5 days. According to our observation, the following measures might be effective such as: early diagnosis, isolation and treatment provided to the patients, and suspected cases under medical observation should also be put in separate places. Improving ventilation and regular disinfection over air and stuff in hospital wards were also recommended. In order to prevent iatrogenic infection, sense on self-protection among health care workers must be strengthened. Patients were not allowed to be visited by any one other than hospital staff.

CONCLUSIONSARS is a preventable disease and can be under control. It is of great importance to prevent clustered SARS cases and the prevention of iatrogenic infection is essential.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; China ; epidemiology ; Contact Tracing ; Disease Outbreaks ; Family Health ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; epidemiology ; prevention & control

BACKGROUNDSepsis is a leading cause of death in the intensive care units. The late inflammatory cytokine, high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), plays a critical role in sepsis. In the present study, we investigated the association between the serum HMGB1 levels and the severity of organ injury in the lipopolysaccharide-induced sepsis in rats.

METHODSTo produce an animal model of sepsis with different degree of organ injury, animals were treated with three different doses of lipopolysaccharide (4, 8 and 16 mg/kg), and the animals in control group were treated with the same volume of the vehicle (saline). The levels of serum HMGB1 were measured at 0, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, 32 and 48 hours after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or vehicle injection, meanwhile the biochemical and histopathological indicators for the severity of organ injury were assessed.

RESULTSThe level of HMGB1 had a positive, high correlation with the abnormal changes of serum cardiac troponin I, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, creatinine and blood urea nitrogen, as well as the pathologic scores of heart, lung, liver and kidney.

CONCLUSIONSThe level of serum HMGB1 is highly correlated with the severity of sepsis in rats, suggesting that HMGB1 could serve as a valuable adjunct in the diagnosis and management of sepsis.

Animals ; HMGB1 Protein ; blood ; Lipopolysaccharides ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sepsis ; blood ; drug therapy ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of adjuvant hormonal therapy (AHT) immediately after radical surgery for high- risk organ-confined or locally advanced prostate cancer using the PSA-related biochemical relapse rate within 2 years after surgery.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed 62 cases of high-risk organ-confined or locally advanced prostate cancer. The patients were treated by laparoscopic radical prostatectomy or radical retropubic prostatectomy after MRI and ECT systemic bone imaging examination, which revealed no regional lymph node or bone metastasis. Thirty-two of the patients (group A) received AHT orally or subcutaneously from 2 weeks to 1 months after operation, and another 30 (group B) were left untreated. We followed up the patients for 2 years, measuring the serum PSA level every 3 months, performing ECT every 6 months, and recording the adverse reactions, medication dura- tion, and the patients'quality of life.

RESULTSAll the operations were successfully accomplished. The rate of 2-year biochemical relapse-free survival was 78.13% (25/32) in group A and 53.33% (16/30) in group B.

CONCLUSIONAHT immediately after radical surgery can improve the rate of biochemical relapse-free survival of the patients with high-risk organ-confined or locally advanced prostate cancer and check the progression and metastasis of the disease.

Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal ; therapeutic use ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Disease Progression ; Disease-Free Survival ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; blood ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatectomy ; methods ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; blood ; drug therapy ; pathology ; surgery ; Quality of Life ; Retrospective Studies

Objective To compare and explore the differences of clinical characteristics between human adenovirus type 7 (HAdV7) and type 55 (HAdV55) infections in adults,and to provide evidences for clinical management.Methods The data of clinical manifestations,laboratory examinations,chest computed tomography and prognosis of 214 cases with HAdV7 and 235 cases with HAdV55 infections from 2012 to 2018 were retrospectively collected and analyzed.The chi-square test was used for the categorical variables,and the rank sum test was used for the continuous variables of non-normal distribution.Results Compared with patients in HAdV55,those in HAdV7 group displayed more diarrhea (12.1％ [26/214] vs 2.6％ [6/235],x2 =15.583),more laryngeal lymphatic follicles (33.2％ [71/214] vs 17.9％ [42/235],x2 =23.566),more tonsil enlargement (56.5％ [121/214] vs 20.0％ [47/235],x2 =63.870) with secretions (33.2％ [71/214] vs 11.5％ [27/235],x2 =30.878),more leukocytosis (24.8％ [53/214] vs 14.0％ [33/235],x2 =8.318),more monocytosis (78.0％ [167/214] vs 52.8％ [124/235],x2 =31.364),more thrombocytosis (7.1％ [15/212] vs 3.8％ [9/235],x2 =5.835),more elevated level of C-reactive protein (80.8％ [97/120] vs 64.3％ [137/213],x2 =10.020),more abnormalities of liver function (alamne aminotransferase [ALT]:13.5％ [28/207] vs 5.6％ [13/232],x2 =8.111) and myocardial enzymes (creatine kinase [CK]:37.6％ [77/205] vs 26.4％ [61/231],x2 =6.246),creatine kinase isoenzymes ([CK-MB]:35.6％ [73/205] vs 11.1％ [24/216],x2 =35.600),and all the differences were statistically significant (all P ＜ 0.05,0.01).Compared with patients in HAdV7 group,those in HAdV55 group displayed longer duration of diseases (7 [5]days vs 6[5] days,Z=-2.632),more sore throat (72.8％ [171/235] vs 62.1％ [133/214],x2 =0.016),more headache (62.1％ [146/235] vs 16.4％ [35/214],x2 =97.527),more pharyngeal congestion (93.6％ [220/235]vs 74.8％ [160/214],x2 =30.602),more leukopenia (14.0％ [33/235] vs 24.8％ [53/214],x2 =8.318),and more elevated level of lactate dehydrogenase (12.6％ [29/230] vs 6.3％ [13/205],x2 =4.881),more pneumonia (71.5％ [168/235] vs31.8％ [68/214],x2 =70.846) (all P＜0.05,0.01).Conclusions The clinical characteristics of HAdV7 and HAdV55 infections in adults are different.The type 55 infection is more likely to develop to pneumonia,while the type 7 infection has wider tissue tropism.

Adult ; Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Humans ; SARS Virus ; immunology

UNLABELLEDStudy on human case of avian influenza in Guangzhou 2006 without causing human-to-human transmission

OBJECTIVETo explore the possibility of transmission from a human case of avian influenza to his close contacts.

METHODSClose contacts of the human case of avian influenza in Guangzhou 2006 were found out according to the definition and methods publicized by the Ministry of Health, People's Republic of China. Epidemiological investigation and medical observation were carried out. Serum antibodies were tested in some of the close contacts.

RESULTSThe avian influenza patient had never left Guangzhou in the month prior to disease onset. No contact history with dead or diseased poultry was found. A total of 56 close contacts, including his girl friend, relatives, friends and medical staff who had taken care of him, were brought under medical observation for 7 days but none of them showed signs of infection.

CONCLUSIONUnlike SARS, direct contact with patient contracted with avian influenza at the end of incubation period and in the stage of illness through flying droplets, saliva, mucous membrane and skin injuries will not lead to human-to-human transmission, indicating the virus' ability to pass from human to human is limited.

Animals ; China ; Contact Tracing ; Female ; Humans ; Influenza, Human ; transmission ; Male

Erythrocytes ; metabolism ; Humans ; Kidney Diseases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mitochondria ; genetics ; Mitochondrial Membranes ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; genetics ; physiology