Objective: To analyze the characteristics of super-antigen (SAg) of group A Streptococcus pyogenes (GAS), isolated from patients with scarlet fever or pharyngeal infections in Beijing between 2015-2017. Methods: Throat swab specimens from patients with scarlet fever or pharyngeal infections were collected and tested for GAS. Eleven currently known SAg genes including SpeA, speC, speG, speH, speI, speJ, speK, speL, speM, smeZ and ssa were tested by real-time PCR while M protein genes (emm genes) were amplified and sequenced by PCR. Results: A total of 377 GAS were isolated from 6 801 throat swab specimens, with the positive rate as 5.5%. There were obvious changes noticed among speC, speG, speH and speK in three years. A total of 45 SAg genes profiles were observed, according to the SAgs inclusion. There were significant differences appeared in the frequencies among two of the highest SAg genes profiles between emm1 and emm12 strains (χ(2)=38.196, P<0.001; χ(2)=72.310, P<0.001). There also appeared significant differences in the frequencies of speA, speH, speI and speJ between emm1 and emm12 strains (χ(2)=146.154, P<0.001; χ(2)=52.31, P<0.001; χ(2)=58.43, P<0.001; χ(2)=144.70, P<0.001). Conclusions: Obvious changes were noticed among SAg genes including speC, speG, speH and speK from patients with scarlet fever or pharyngeal infections in Beijing between 2015-2017. SAg genes including speA, speH, speI and speJ appeared to be associated with the emm 1 and emm 12 strains. More kinds of SAg genes profiles were isolated form GAS but with no significant differences seen in the main SAg genes profiles, during the epidemic period.
Antigens, Bacterial/genetics* ; Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins ; Bacterial Proteins ; Beijing/epidemiology* ; China/epidemiology* ; Exotoxins ; Female ; Humans ; Membrane Proteins ; Pharyngitis/microbiology* ; Pharynx/microbiology* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/microbiology* ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Scarlet Fever/microbiology* ; Streptococcal Infections ; Streptococcus pyogenes/isolation & purification* ; Superantigens/genetics*

Objective: To analyze and reveal the distribution, research hotspots and study trend of worldwide published articles correlated with HIV/AIDS post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), and provide information for related studies in China. Methods: CiteSpace software 5.1 was used to visualize all related papers in the web of science database published during 2000-2017. Results: The average growth rate of international PEP-related papers was 10.78%,and number of published papers in 2016 was highest (n=34), relevant research hotspots have shifted from the prevention of occupational HIV exposure to the prevention of non-occupational HIV exposure in group at high risk, such as MSM, in recent years. Clustering analysis classified research hotspots into three categories, including risk reduction through enhanced intervention, current status of global HIV PEP and German-Austrian Recommendation. Conclusions: Non-occupational HIV PEP in groups at high-risk, especially MSM, has received increasing attention in recent years, the research of PEP mainly focus on improving the awareness and use of PEP in MSM and compliance in the course of medication. In the context of severe HIV epidemic in MSM without effective control in China, PEP should be strengthened to assess and explore the risk of HIV infection in MSM to provide reference for medical personnel and related departments to implement HIV non-occupation exposure blockade and formulate PEP medication.
Anti-HIV Agents/administration & dosage* ; Bibliometrics ; Biomedical Research ; China ; HIV ; HIV Infections/prevention & control* ; Homosexuality, Male ; Humans ; Male ; Periodicals as Topic ; Post-Exposure Prophylaxis/methods*

Objective: To study the diagnostic and epidemiological features of the first two HIV-2 indigenous cases in Hunan province. Methods: Blood samples from two individuals with "HIV antibody indeterminate" and HIV-2 specific band showed by HIV-1/2 western blotting method, were repeatedly collected and detected under HIV 1+2 strip immunoassay and PCR, in Changsha city, Hunan province, through March to November, 2017. An epidemiological survey was carried out at the same time. Results: Our findings showed that the two cases were sex partners, without histories of sexual contact with foreigners and the source of infection was unknown. Results from the HIV 1+2 antibody confirmation test showed that they were "HIV-2 antibody positive" . Through amplifying and sequencing the gag area of HIV-2 and BLAST, the similarity of HIV-2 strains presented as 98%. The results also showed that there were HIV-2 specific fragments in the two cases. Conclusion: HIV-2 indigenous cases had never been reported in China. These cases had brought new challenge on prevention, diagnosis and treatment of HIV/AIDS in China.
Adult ; Blotting, Western/methods* ; China ; HIV Antibodies/isolation & purification* ; HIV Infections/ethnology* ; HIV-2/immunology* ; Humans ; Sexual Behavior ; Sexual Partners ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Five influenza pandemics had occurred during the past century (1918 "Spanish flu" , 1957 "Asian flu" , 1968 "Hong Kong flu" , 1977 "Russian flu" and 2009 H1N1 Pandemic), accounting for hundreds of millions of people infected and tens of millions dead. China was influenced by all the five pandemics, and three of them (1957 "Asian flu" , 1968 "Hong Kong flu" and 1977 "Russian flu" ) were originated from China. The pandemics triggered the establishment of public health agencies and influenza surveillance capacities. In addition, more resources were allocated to influenza-related research, prevention and control. As a leader in the field of influenza, China should further strengthen its pandemic preparedness and response to contribute to global health.
Asian People ; China/epidemiology* ; Disease Outbreaks/history* ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Hong Kong ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; Influenza, Human/history* ; Pandemics/history* ; Public Health

Objective: To analyze the pathogenic surveillance programs and related factors on bacillary dysentery in Beijing, 2008-2017, to provide evidence for the practices of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the disease. Methods: Analysis was conducted on surveillance data of bacillary dysentery, collected from the surveillance areas of national bacillary dysentery in Beijing. Shigella positive rate of stool samples were used as the gold standard while detection rate of Shigella, diagnostic accordance rate and resistance were computed on data from the surveillance programs. Chi-square test was used to compare the rates and unconditional logistic regression was used to analyze the related factors of Shigella infection. Results: Both the reported incidence rate on bacillary dysentery and detection rate of Shigella in diarrhea patients showed significantly decreasing trend, from 2008 to 2017. The accordance rate of bacillary dysentery was only 7.80% (111/1 423). Shigella sonnei was the most frequently isolated strain (73.95%, 159/215) followed by Shigella flexnery. Results from the multivariate logistic regression of Shigella positive rate revealed that among those patients who were routine test of stool positive vs. routine test of stool positive (OR=1.863, 95%CI: 1.402-2.475), onset from July to October vs. other months'time (OR=7.271, 95%CI: 4.514-11.709) temperature ≥38 ℃vs. temperature <38 ℃(OR=4.516, 95%CI: 3.369-6.053) and age from 6 to 59 years old vs. other ages (OR=1.617, 95%CI: 1.085-2.410), presenting higher positive detection rates of Shigella from the stool tests. The resistant rates on ampicillin and nalidixic acid were 97.57% (201/206) and 94.90% (186/196), both higher than on other antibiotics. The resistant rates on ciprofloxacin (16.33%, 32/196), ofloxacin (9.57%, 11/115) and on amoxilin (15.05%, 31/206) were relatively low. The resistant rate appeared higher on Shigella flexnery than on Shigella sonnei. The proportion of strains with resistance on 3 more drugs, was 30.00%(21/70). Conclusions: The diagnostic accordance rate of bacillary dysentery in Beijing was low, with severe resistance of Shigella. Our findings suggested that clinicians should take multiple factors into account in their practices about epidemiological history, clinical symptom and testing results for diarrhea patients.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use* ; Beijing/epidemiology* ; Child ; China/epidemiology* ; Dysentery, Bacillary/prevention & control* ; Feces/microbiology* ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Population Surveillance/methods* ; Sentinel Surveillance ; Shigella/isolation & purification* ; Shigella flexneri/isolation & purification* ; Shigella sonnei/isolation & purification* ; Young Adult

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of physical activity and its influencing factors in rural residents in Shanxi and Chongqing. Methods: In four counties (districts) of Shanxi and Chongqing, local residents aged ≥18 who lived there for more than one year and had no plan to migrate to other areas in 2 years were surveyed through face to face questionnaire interviews to collect the information about their daily physical activity time, sedentary time, related knowledge and attitude, and others. Results: The physical inactivity rate of the residents was 14.9%, and 88.7% of residents never took daily physical activity. The average sedentary time was (3.91±2.06) hours. The results of multivariate analysis showed that education level, per capita monthly income and activity degree were the factors influencing physical inactivity. Conclusion: The proportion of people who never took daily physical activity in the survey area was higher than the average level in rural areas in China, so measures should be taken to improve the overall rate of physical activity. For people who have exercise willingness, but have no practice, and those who have already increased their physical activities, targeted guidance is needed on the basis of strengthened health education.
China ; Educational Status ; Exercise ; Health Education ; Humans ; Income ; Motivation ; Motor Activity ; Physicians ; Prevalence ; Rural Population ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BRAF is a serine/threonine kinase that harbors activating mutations in ∼7% of human malignancies and ∼60% of melanomas. Despite initial clinical responses to BRAF inhibitors, patients frequently develop drug resistance. To identify candidate therapeutic targets for BRAF inhibitor resistant melanoma, we conduct CRISPR screens in melanoma cells harboring an activating BRAF mutation that had also acquired resistance to BRAF inhibitors. To investigate the mechanisms and pathways enabling resistance to BRAF inhibitors in melanomas, we integrate expression, ATAC-seq, and CRISPR screen data. We identify the JUN family transcription factors and the ETS family transcription factor ETV5 as key regulators of CDK6, which together enable resistance to BRAF inhibitors in melanoma cells. Our findings reveal genes contributing to resistance to a selective BRAF inhibitor PLX4720, providing new insights into gene regulation in BRAF inhibitor resistant melanoma cells.

The prevalence of child and adolescent growth and mental-behavior related diseases are increasing, and the pathogenesis are complex. Twins are excellent natural resources for complex chronic diseases research as they share the maternal intrauterine environment, born at the same time and share the same family environment in early years, which could benefit the adjust ment of confounding factors, such as age, genetic factors and early family environmental factors. Birth cohort with twin families involved could be more effective in exploring the genetic and environmental factors for complex chronic diseases at the very beginning of life. This paper summarizes the objective, content, progress, strengths and potential problems of Wuhan Twin Birth Cohort, with emphasis on the overall design and progress of the study.
Adolescent ; Asian People ; Birth Weight ; Child ; China ; Cohort Studies ; Diseases in Twins/genetics* ; Epidemiological Monitoring ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Twin Studies as Topic ; Twins