Objective To survey avian influenza A viruses (AlVs) in the environment and explore the reasons for the surge in human H7N9 cases.Methods A total of 1,045 samples were collected from routine surveillance on poultry-related environments and 307 samples from human H7N9 cases-exposed environments in Henan from 2016 to 2017.The nucleic acids of influenza A (Flu A),H5,H7,and H9 subtypes were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction.Results A total of 27 H7N9 cases were confirmed in Henan from 2016 to 2017,24 had a history of live poultry exposure,and 15 had H7N9 virus detected in the related live poultry markets (LPMs).About 96％ (264/275) Flu A positive-environmental samples were from LPMs.H9 was the main AIV subtype (10.05％) from routine surveillance sites with only 1 H7-positive sample,whereas 21.17％ samples were H7-positive in H7N9 cases-exposed environments.Samples from H7N9 cases-exposed LPMs (47.56％)had much higher AIVs positive rates than those from routine surveillance sites (12.34％).The H7+H9 combination of mixed infection was 78.18％ (43/55) of H7-positive samples and 41.34％ (43/104) of H9-positive samples.Conclusion The contamination status of AIVs in poultry-related environments is closely associated with the incidence of human infection caused by AlVs.Therefore,systematic surveillance of AlVs in LPMs in China is essential for the detection of novel reassortant viruses and their potential for interspecies transmission.

BACKGROUND: The stress distribution is different between implants and natural teeth, and the biomechanical characters of implant-natural tooth supported fixed partial dentures need to be explored.OBJECTIVE: To analyze the distributions of stress and strain on the implant interface and natural tooth ligaments by loading a vertical force to a single implant crown, natural tooth crown and a implant-natural tooth supported fixed partial denture.METHODS: Two male healthy Beagle dogs were selected, and their right mandibular first molars were exacted under general anesthesia. Three months later, a 3.3 mm×10 mm RN ITI implant was implanted into the defect region of each dog. The dogs were killed under anesthesia after another 3 months to remove the mandible. One dog was restored by a single implant and natural tooth crown, and the other was restored by the implant-natural tooth supported fixed partial dentures. The specimens were fixed to the load device after embedded with self caring acrylic resin, and the strain gauges were pasted to the cortical bone around the implant and natural tooth neck. The vertical force was loaded to the implant, natural tooth and fixed denture with 40, 60, 80,120, and 160 N.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: When the force was loaded to the implant of combined denture, the implant stress of combined denture was less than that of the single implant repair, and partial force was loaded on natural teeth; when the force was loaded to the natural tooth of combined denture, the stress to the natural tooth of combined denture was less than that of the single natural tooth repair. When the force was loaded to the natural tooth of combined denture, the stress was assumed by the whole prostheses. However, the stress was almost assumed by the implant when the force was loaded to the implant of combined denture. That is to say, it is feasible to use the implant-natural tooth supported fixed partial dentures.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the differences in the factors associated with endometriosis between Chinese and British patients. METHODS: This case-control study was conducted in 387 patients with endometriosis and 199 non-endometriosis patients admitted to John Radcliffe Hospital (Oxford, UK) and in 101 patients with endometriosis and 50 non-endometriosis patients admitted in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine. The clinical data including height, weight, body mass index, marital status, employment, menstruation, fertility, and operation reasons were collected via a standardized WERF EPHect questionnaire. RESULTS: Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that body mass index, surgery for dysmenorrhea, history of pregnancy, counts of previous surgeries for endometriosis and status of employment were all significantly associated with endometriosis in the UK (P < 0.05), while a history of dysmenorrhea was significantly correlated with endometriosis in Chinese patients (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Dysmenorrhea may be the most important common factor associated with endometriosis in China and the UK, but the other factors contributing to endometriosis may differ between these two countries.
Case-Control Studies ; Dysmenorrhea/complications* ; Endometriosis/complications* ; Female ; Humans ; Menstruation ; Pregnancy ; United Kingdom

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutic effect of Epothilone D on traumatic optic neuropathy (TON) in rats. METHODS: Forty-two SD rats were randomized to receive intraperitoneal injection of 1.0 mg/kg Epothilone D or DMSO (control) every 3 days until day 28, and rat models of TON were established on the second day after the first administration. On days 3, 7, and 28, examination of flash visual evoked potentials (FVEP), immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting were performed to examine the visual pathway features, number of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), GAP43 expression level in damaged axons, and changes of Tau and pTau-396/404 in the retina and optic nerve. RESULTS: In Epothilone D treatment group, RGC loss rate was significantly decreased by 19.12% (P=0.032) on day 3 and by 22.67% (P=0.042) on day 28 as compared with the rats in the control group, but FVEP examination failed to show physiological improvement in the visual pathway on day 28 in terms of the relative latency of N2 wave (P=0.236) and relative amplitude attenuation of P2-N2 wave (P=0.441). The total Tau content in the retina of the treatment group was significantly increased compared with that in the control group on day 3 (P < 0.001), showing a consistent change with ptau-396/404 level. In the optic nerve axons, the total Tau level in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the control group on day 7 (P=0.002), but the changes of the total Tau and pTau-396/404 level did not show an obvious correlation. Epothilone D induced persistent expression of GAP43 in the damaged axons, detectable even on day 28 of the experiment. CONCLUSION Epothilone D treatment can protect against TON in rats by promoting the survival of injured RGCs, enhancing Tau content in the surviving RGCs, reducing Tau accumulation in injured axons, and stimulating sustained regeneration of axons.
Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Epothilones ; Evoked Potentials, Visual ; Nerve Regeneration/physiology* ; Optic Nerve Injuries/metabolism* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Retinal Ganglion Cells/physiology*

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether the combination of Naoxintong Capsule with standard care could further reduce the recurrence of ischemic stroke without increasing the risk of severe bleeding. METHODS: A total of 23 Chinese medical centers participated in this trial. Adult patients with a history of ischemic stroke were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio using a block design to receive either Naoxintong Capsule (1.2 g orally, twice a day) or placebo in addition to standard care. The primary endpoint was recurrence of ischemic stroke within 2 years. Secondary outcomes included myocardial infarction, death due to recurrent ischemic stroke, and all-cause mortality. The safety of drugs was monitored. Results were analyzed using the intention-to-treat principle. RESULTS: A total of 2,200 patients were enrolled from March 2015 to March 2016, of whom 143 and 158 in the Naoxintong and placebo groups were lost to follow-up, respectively. Compared with the placebo group, the recurrence rate of ischemic stroke within 2 years was significantly lower in the Naoxintong group [6.5% vs. 9.5%, hazard ratio (HR): 0.665, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.492-0.899, P=0.008]. The two groups showed no significant differences in the secondary outcomes and safety, including rates of severe hemorrhage, cerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage (P>0.05). CONCLUSION The combination of Naoxintong Capsule with standard care reduced the 2-year stroke recurrence rate in patients with ischemic stroke without increasing the risk of severe hemorrhage in high-risk patients. (Trial registration No. NCT02334969).
Adult ; Humans ; Secondary Prevention/methods* ; Ischemic Stroke ; Stroke/prevention & control* ; Cerebral Hemorrhage/complications* ; Double-Blind Method ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors