Disease Outbreaks ; Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola ; epidemiology ; history ; prevention & control ; History, 21st Century ; Humans ; Sierra Leone ; epidemiology

Objective:To comparative investigate the HPV16 virus-specific immune characteristics of HPV vaccinees, cervical precancerous lesions patients and cervical cancer patients.Methods:Six female HPV vaccinees, five patients with cervical precancerous lesions or cervical cancer and 8 healthy female volunteers from Beijing were recruited as subjects. Peripheral anticoagulated blood specimens were collected from these subjects and the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and plasma were isolated. After culturing in vitro with the stimulation of L1 protein peptide pool derived from HPV16 for 9-10 days, the percentage of CD4 + and CD8 + -T lymphocytes secreting cytokines IFN-γ, IL-2 and TNF-α in the PBMCs were detected by flow cytometry. The level of HPV16 IgG antibody in plasma was determined by ELISA. Results:The IgG levels of vaccinees were significantly higher than those of healthy donors as well as patients with cervical precancerous lesions or cervical cancer. Moreover, the specific CD4 + T cell immune level of vaccinees against HPV16 was significantly higher than that of healthy controls. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between the level of specific T cell immunity and the level of antibody against HPV16 in all the donors (Pearson, r>0.4, p<0.05). Conclusions:The virus-specific immune responses, i. e. humoral responses as well as cellular immune responses are presenting diversely among different HPV-related subjects. HPV vaccinees possess robust humoral immunity and CD4 + T cell responses.

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the relationship between H. pylori infection, gastric cancer and other gastric diseases through the changes in gastric mucosa and the status of different gastric diseases within 5 years after H. pylori eradication in H. pylori-positive subjects in a high incidence region of gastric cancer.

METHODSOne thousand and six adults were selected from the general population in Yantai, Shandong province, a high incidence region for gastric cancer in China. Gastroscopy and Campylobacter-like organism (CLO) testing were performed on all subjects. Biopsy samples from the gastric antrum and body were obtained for histology and assessment of H. pylori infection. All H. pylori-positive subjects were then randomly divided into two groups: treatment group receiving Omeprazole Amoxicillin Clarythromycin (OAC) triple therapy and placebo as controls. These subjects were endoscopically followed up in the second and fifth year. We compared the endoscopic appearance and histology of the biopsy specimens from the same site obtained at the first and last visits.

RESULTSAll 552 H. pylori-positive subjects were randomly and evenly divided into treatment group or control group. During the five-year follow-up, the numbers of patients who continued to be negative or positive for H. pylori were 161 and 198, respectively. Statistical analysis revealed that: (1) At the initial visit, there were no significant differences in the severity and activity of inflammation, atrophy and intestinal metaplasia between the biopsy specimens from the antrum and body respectively in both groups. (2) The severity and activity of inflammation in both the antrum and body were markedly reduced after H. pylori eradication (P = 0.000). (3) Within five years after H. pylori eradication, intestinal metaplasia in the antrum either regressed or had no progression, while the proportion of intestinal metaplasia in the H. pylori-positive group increased significantly (P = 0.032). (4) After H. pylori eradication, the atrophy in both the antrum and body had no significant regression. The P value was 0.223 and 0.402, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSH. pylori eradication results in remarkable reduction in the severity and activity of chronic gastritis, marked resolution of intestinal metaplasia in the antrum. On the other hand, continuous H. pylori infection leads to progressive aggravation of atrophy and intestinal metaplasia.

Adult ; Aged ; Double-Blind Method ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastric Mucosa ; pathology ; Gastritis ; etiology ; Helicobacter Infections ; complications ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Metaplasia ; Middle Aged ; Stomach Neoplasms ; etiology

Objective:Using high-throughput transcriptome sequencing technology to study the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and related regulatory signaling pathways involved in H1N1 influenza virus infection in primary human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells.Methods:Primary human RPE cells were infected with H1N1 influenza virus for 2 h or 12 h, respectively. Taking H1N1 uninfected cells as a control group, total RNA was extracted, a library was constructed, and transcriptome sequencing was performed. DEGs were screened by DESeq2 software, and DEGs were analyzed by gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway.Results:Compared with the control group, a total of 1830 DEGs were identified in the 2 h H1N1 influenza virus infection group, and 2847 DEGs were identified in the 12 h infection group; 1213 DEGs were identified in the H1N1 influenza virus infection kinetics process (2 h: 12 h). The GO functional annotation analysis of DEGs in the H1N1 influenza virus infection group for 12 h showed that DEGs widely exist in a variety of cellular components and participate in various biological processes such as cellular processes, biological regulation, and metabolic processes. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that DEGs were mainly enriched in the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, cancer MicroRNAs, and cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions in the 2 h H1N1 influenza virus infection group; in the 12 h H1N1 influenza virus infection group, DEGs were mainly enriched in PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, cancer MicroRNAs, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway and immune-inflammatory pathways; during the kinetics of H1N1 influenza virus infection (2 h: 12 h), DEGs were mainly enriched in cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, TGF-β signaling pathway.Conclusions:Infection with H1N1 influenza virus leads to significant changes in the transcriptome of RPE cells. These data provide scientific reference for elucidating the molecular mechanism of eye infection by respiratory viruses such as influenza virus.

Aged ; Comorbidity ; Cytoreduction Surgical Procedures ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Methods ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Patient Preference ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Prospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by interval debulking surgery (IDS) confers similar outcomes as primary debulking surgery and chemotherapy. Little is known about patients who receive NACT but do not undergo debulking surgery. Our aim was to characterize these patients. METHODS: We prospectively identified patients with newly diagnosed stage III/IV ovarian cancer treated with NACT from 7/1/15–12/1/17. Fisher exact and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to compare clinical characteristics by surgical status. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival outcomes. Log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards model were applied to assess the relationship of covariates to outcome, and time-dependent covariates were applied to variables collected after diagnosis. RESULTS: Of 224 women who received NACT, 162 (72%) underwent IDS and 62 (28%) did not undergo surgery. The non-surgical group was older (p<0.001), had higher Charlson comorbidity index (CCI; p<0.001), lower albumin levels (p=0.007), lower Karnofsky performance scores (p<0.001), and were more likely to have dose reductions in NACT (p<0.001). Reasons for no surgery included poor response to NACT (39%), death (15%), comorbidities (24%), patient preference (16%), and loss to follow-up (6%). The no surgery group had significantly worse overall survival (OS) than the surgery group (hazard ratio=3.34; 95% confidence interval=1.66–6.72; p<0.001), after adjustment for age, CCI, and dose reductions. CONCLUSIONS A significant proportion of women treated with NACT do not undergo IDS, and these women are older, frailer, and have worse OS. More studies are needed to find optimal therapies to maximize outcomes in this high-risk, elderly population.

OBJECTIVE: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by interval debulking surgery (IDS) confers similar outcomes as primary debulking surgery and chemotherapy. Little is known about patients who receive NACT but do not undergo debulking surgery. Our aim was to characterize these patients. METHODS: We prospectively identified patients with newly diagnosed stage III/IV ovarian cancer treated with NACT from 7/1/15–12/1/17. Fisher exact and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to compare clinical characteristics by surgical status. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival outcomes. Log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards model were applied to assess the relationship of covariates to outcome, and time-dependent covariates were applied to variables collected after diagnosis. RESULTS: Of 224 women who received NACT, 162 (72%) underwent IDS and 62 (28%) did not undergo surgery. The non-surgical group was older (p<0.001), had higher Charlson comorbidity index (CCI; p<0.001), lower albumin levels (p=0.007), lower Karnofsky performance scores (p<0.001), and were more likely to have dose reductions in NACT (p<0.001). Reasons for no surgery included poor response to NACT (39%), death (15%), comorbidities (24%), patient preference (16%), and loss to follow-up (6%). The no surgery group had significantly worse overall survival (OS) than the surgery group (hazard ratio=3.34; 95% confidence interval=1.66–6.72; p<0.001), after adjustment for age, CCI, and dose reductions. CONCLUSIONS A significant proportion of women treated with NACT do not undergo IDS, and these women are older, frailer, and have worse OS. More studies are needed to find optimal therapies to maximize outcomes in this high-risk, elderly population.

OBJECTIVE: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by interval debulking surgery (IDS) confers similar outcomes as primary debulking surgery and chemotherapy. Little is known about patients who receive NACT but do not undergo debulking surgery. Our aim was to characterize these patients. METHODS: We prospectively identified patients with newly diagnosed stage III/IV ovarian cancer treated with NACT from 7/1/15–12/1/17. Fisher exact and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to compare clinical characteristics by surgical status. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival outcomes. Log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards model were applied to assess the relationship of covariates to outcome, and time-dependent covariates were applied to variables collected after diagnosis. RESULTS: Of 224 women who received NACT, 162 (72%) underwent IDS and 62 (28%) did not undergo surgery. The non-surgical group was older (p<0.001), had higher Charlson comorbidity index (CCI; p<0.001), lower albumin levels (p=0.007), lower Karnofsky performance scores (p<0.001), and were more likely to have dose reductions in NACT (p<0.001). Reasons for no surgery included poor response to NACT (39%), death (15%), comorbidities (24%), patient preference (16%), and loss to follow-up (6%). The no surgery group had significantly worse overall survival (OS) than the surgery group (hazard ratio=3.34; 95% confidence interval=1.66–6.72; p<0.001), after adjustment for age, CCI, and dose reductions. CONCLUSIONS A significant proportion of women treated with NACT do not undergo IDS, and these women are older, frailer, and have worse OS. More studies are needed to find optimal therapies to maximize outcomes in this high-risk, elderly population.

The avian influenza A (H7N9) virus is a zoonotic virus that is closely associated with live poultry markets. It has caused infections in humans in China since 2013. Five waves of the H7N9 influenza epidemic occurred in China between March 2013 and September 2017. H7N9 with low-pathogenicity dominated in the first four waves, whereas highly pathogenic H7N9 influenza emerged in poultry and spread to humans during the fifth wave, causing wide concern. Specialists and officials from China and other countries responded quickly, controlled the epidemic well thus far, and characterized the virus by using new technologies and surveillance tools that were made possible by their preparedness efforts. Here, we review the characteristics of the H7N9 viruses that were identified while controlling the spread of the disease. It was summarized and discussed from the perspectives of molecular epidemiology, clinical features, virulence and pathogenesis, receptor binding, T-cell responses, monoclonal antibody development, vaccine development, and disease burden. These data provide tools for minimizing the future threat of H7N9 and other emerging and re-emerging viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2.
Animals ; COVID-19 ; China/epidemiology* ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H7N9 Subtype ; Influenza in Birds/epidemiology* ; Influenza, Human/prevention & control* ; Poultry ; SARS-CoV-2