OBJECTIVES: To study the epidemiological characteristics of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in hospitalized children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in Hebei Province. METHODS: Hospitalized children with CAP who tested positive for RSV and were admitted to Hebei Children's Hospital from various cities and counties across Hebei Province between January 2019 and December 2023 were included in the study. Clinical data were collected and analyzed to assess epidemiological characteristics. RESULTS: The clinical data of 43 978 children with CAP were collected, with an overall RSV detection rate of 25.98%. The detection rate was higher during the implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) (30.60%) than in the non-NPIs period. Winter and spring were the primary epidemic seasons for RSV each year except in 2022. The detection rate in males (26.62%) was higher than in females (25.06%) (P<0.001). The highest detection rate (59.18%) was found in infants aged 29 days to <1 year. Single RSV infection was more common, with rhinovirus being the most frequent co-infection. CONCLUSIONS The overall RSV detection rate in Hebei Province is influenced by NPIs, being higher during their implementation. RSV predominantly circulates in winter and spring. The detection rate of RSV is higher in males and infants. RSV infection is primarily single, most often co-occurring with rhinovirus.
Humans ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections/epidemiology* ; Female ; Male ; Infant ; Child, Preschool ; Seasons ; China/epidemiology* ; Infant, Newborn ; Community-Acquired Infections/epidemiology* ; Child

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study. METHODS: A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m ²) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m ²) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m ²) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m ² ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Adult ; Mortality ; Cause of Death ; Obesity/mortality* ; Overweight/mortality*

Objective To discuss the relationship between activated glia cells in distal segment of the spinal cord and widespread pain.Methods Fifty female rats were randomly divided into sham group,the chronic constriction injury of the infraorbital nerve(CCI-ION)group,CCI-ION+minocycline(Mino)group,CCI-ION+L-2-aminoadipic acid(LAA)group,and CCI-ION+normal saline(NS)group,n=10 for each group.CCI-ION model was established and Mino,LAA,and normal saline were delivered intrathecally to CCI-ION rats.Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect activated astrocytes and microglia in the medulla oblongata,cervical,thoracic,and lumbar spinal cord segments.On the 7th,14th,21st,28th day,von Frey filaments were used to evaluate the mechanical withdrawal threshold of vibrissa pad,and electronic von Frey tactile pain meter was used to measure the mechanical withdrawal threshold of front paw,chest and hind paw.The radiant thermal stimulator was used to measure the thermal withdrawal threshold of hind paw.Results After intrathecal injection of Mino to inhibit microglia,the activated microglia in each spinal cord segment decreased.Moreover,inhibiting astrocytes by using LAA significantly reduced activated astrocytes in spinal dorsal horn from distal segments.Behavioral assay showed that after intrathecal injection of Mino and LAA,the mechanical allodynia of vibrissa pad in CCI-ION rats was relieved.However,there was no significant difference(P>0.05)in the thermal and mechanical withdrawal thresholds in the hind paw of CCI-ION rats after intrathecal injection of Mino,while intrathecal injection of LAA significantly increased the thermal and mechanical withdrawal thresholds in the hind paw,indicating the relief of widespread pain induced by CCI-ION.Conclusion The activated astrocytes in distal segments of the spinal cord mediated CCI-ION-induced widespread pain.

Objective To analyze the stress changes of thoracic vertebra(T)11-sacrum(S)titanium rods in patients with ankylosing spondylitis after vertebral column decancellation(VCD)osteotomy,and provide reference for the selection and improvement of titanium rods before surgery.Methods The original data of the continuous scanning tomographic images of patients with ankylosing spondylitis after VCD osteotomy were imported into Mimics 21.0 in DICOM format,and T11-S vertebrae,screws and titanium rods were respectively reconstructed.They were imported into 3-Matic to establish a preliminary geometric modeling,and then processed with noise removal,paving,smoothing,etc.The improved model was imported into Hypermesh 10 software for grid division,and the material was imported into ANSYS 19.2 to display the finite element model after attribute assignment,Set the boundary and load conditions,and measure the stress value at the connection between the screw and the titanium rod.Results Under neutral position,forward bending,lateral bending,and axial rotation conditions,the titanium rod had the highest stress at the upper vertebrae(T11)and the lowest stress at the top vertebrae(L3);Under the backward extension condition,the titanium rod has the highest stress at the lower end vertebra(L5).Conclusion In the upper and lower vertebrae,it is possible to consider increasing the diameter of the titanium rod,enhancing its hardness,or changing it to a double rod.

This study was aimed at understanding the genomic characteristics of the Vibrio cholerae O1 group isolated from humans in Fujian Province,to provide essential data for the molecular epidemiological study of cholera.From 2008 to 2022,16 strains of the V.cholerae O1 group from patients and carriers were collected,and antibiotic sensitivity was determined accord-ing to the minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC).The whole genome sequences obtained through second generation sequen-cing were analyzed in open source software,including snippy,Roary,and Prokka,as well as online analysis websites,inclu-ding NCBI and BacWGSTdb,for core-genome multilocus sequence typing(cgMLST),core-genome single nucleotide polymor-phism analysis(cgSNP),virulence gene analysis,drug resistance gene prediction,and pan-genomic diversity analysis.The whole genome sequences of V.cholerae were divided into five sequence types(STs),among which the newly discovered ST182 and ST1480 were the evolutionary branches of the current dominant clonal group ST75 in China,and were highly related to two strains isolated from Taiwan in 2010 and 2013,respectively.Both toxigenic strains and non-toxigenic strains carried a variety of virulence factors and showed gene variation to varying degrees.Thirteen drug resistance genes in seven categories were predicted,among which the distribution of colistin and tetracycline resistance genes was consistent with the drug resistance phenotype.Pan-ge-nomic analysis indicated that V.cholerae had an open pan-genome,and Roary cluster analysis showed higher resolution than cgMLST.In summary,V.cholerae O1 group isolates from humans in Fujian Province have polymorphisms in genome structure and function,and the newly discovered ST1480 clone group has epidemic potential.Therefore,the monitoring of such strains must be strengthened.

BACKGROUND: The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection posed a huge threat and burden to public healthcare in late 2022. Non-drug measures of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), such as acupuncture, cupping and moxibustion, are commonly used as adjuncts in China to help in severe cases, but their effects remain unclear. OBJECTIVES: To observe the clinical effect of TCM non-drug measures in improving respiratory function and symptoms among patients with severe COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: This study was designed as a multicenter, assessor-blind, randomized controlled trial. Hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were randomly assigned to the treatment or control group. The treatment group received individualized TCM non-drug measures in combination with prone position ventilation, while the control group received prone position ventilation only for 5 consecutive days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measures were the percentage of patients with improved oxygen saturation (SpO₂) at the end of the 5-day intervention, as well as changes of patients' respiratory rates. The secondary outcome measures included changes in SpO₂ and total score on the self-made respiratory symptom scale. The improvement rate, defined as a 3-day consecutive increase in SpO₂, the duration of prone positioning, and adverse events were recorded as well. RESULTS: Among the 198 patients included in the intention-to-treat analysis, 159 (80.3%) completed all assessments on day 5, and 39 (19.7%) patients withdrew from the study. At the end of the intervention, 71 (91%) patients in the treatment group had SpO₂ above 93%, while 61 (75.3%) in the control group reached this level. The proportion of participant with improved SpO₂ was significantly greater in the intervention group (mean difference [MD] = 15.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.4, 27.1; P = 0.008). Compared to the baseline, with daily treatment there were significant daily decreases in respiratory rates in both groups, but no statistical differences between groups were found (all P ≥ 0.05). Compared to the control group, the respiratory-related symptoms score was lower among patients in the treatment group (MD = -1.7; 95% CI: -2.8, -0.5; P = 0.008) after day 3 of treatment. A gradual decrease in the total scores of both groups was also observed. Thirty-one adverse events occurred during the intervention, and 2 patients were transferred to the intensive care unit due to deterioration of their illness. CONCLUSION: TCM non-drug measures combined with prone positioning can effectively treat patients with severe COVID-19. The combined therapy significantly increased SpO₂ and improved symptom scores compared to prone positioning alone, thus improving the patients' respiratory function to help them recover. However, the improvement rate did not differ between the two groups. TRIAL REGISTRATION Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2300068319). Please cite this article as: Yin X, Jin Z, Li F, Huang L, Hu YM, Zhu BC, Wang ZQ, Li XY, Li JP, Lao LX, Mi YQ, Xu SF. Effectiveness and safety of adjunctive non-drug measures in improving respiratory symptoms among patients with severe COVID-19: A multicenter randomized controlled trial. J Integr Med. 2024; 22(6): 637-644.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; China ; COVID-19/complications* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Moxibustion/methods* ; Oxygen Saturation ; Prone Position ; Respiration, Artificial ; Treatment Outcome

Abstract: Objective To express and purify MPT83 protein of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and evaluate its application value in immunological diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) using clinical samples. Methods Using Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) H37Rv genome as the template, Mtb mpt83 gene was amplified by PCR and connected to PET-21a (+) to construct prokaryotic expression vector, and then transferred into E.coli DH5α. The positive colonies were picked out and retained. The recombinant plasmid pET-mpt83 of the strain with positive colony PCR was extracted, identified by double digestion, and the samples of the positive colonies were sent for sequencing. The correctly sequenced plasmids then were transferred into BL21 competent cells for induction, expression and purification with nickel column affinity chromatography. The purified products were identified by 12 alkyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western blotting. Mouse polyclonal antiserum was prepared by immunizing mice with purified protein. 8 patients clinically diagnosed as tuberculosis pleural effusion (TB group) and 8 adenocarcinomas patients (CA group) were enrolled and their pleural effusion and plasma were collected. 8 healthy people (HC group) were enrolled as the control group and their plasma were collected. An indirect ELISA was used to detect the level of specific antibodies recognizing MPT83 protein in the samples. Results Mtb MPT83 protein was successfully expressed and purified. The serum titer of MPT83 mouse polyclonal antibody was as high as 1∶1 280 000. The plasma levels of MPT83 antigen specific antibodies in TB group were significantly higher than those in HC group (P<0.05), while the plasma levels of MPT83 antigen specific antibodies in CA group were not significantly different from those in HC group (P>0.05). Compared with the HC group, there was no significant difference in pleural fluid in both the TB and CA groups (P>0.05). The ROC curve was used to analyze the OD values of plasma in TB group and HC group, and the area under the curve was greater than 0.7, showing high diagnostic efficacy. Conclusion　MPT83 protein has high antigen specificity and immunogenicity, which has great application value in the immunological diagnosis of tuberculosis.

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of thrombospondin type 1 domain-containing 7A (THSD7A) and neural epidermal growth factor-like 1 protein (NELL1) in phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R)-negative membranous nephropathy (MN). Methods A total of 116 PLA2R-negative MN patients treated in Hangzhou TCM Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University from 2014 to 2021 were enrolled in this study.Immunohistochemistry was employed to detect THSD7A and NELL1 in the renal tissue.The pathological characteristics,treatment,and prognosis were compared between positive and negative groups. Results The 116 PLA2R-negative MN patients included 23 THSD7A-positive patients and 9 NELL1-positive patients.One patient was tested positive for both proteins.The THSD7A-positive group showed higher positive rate of IgG4 (P=0.010),more obvious glomerular basement membrane (GBM) thickening (P=0.034),and higher proportion of stage Ⅱ MN and lower proportion of stage I MN (P=0.002) than the THSD7A-negative group.The NELL1-positive group had lower positive rates of C1q and IgG2 (P=0.029,P=0.001),less obvious GBM thickening (P<0.001),more extensive inflammatory cell infiltration (P=0.033),lower proportion of deposits on multi-locations (P=0.001),and lower proportion of atypical MN (P=0.010) than the NELL1-negative group.One patient with THSD7A-positive MN was diagnosed with colon cancer,while none of the NELL1-positive patients had malignancy.Survival analysis suggested that THSD7A-positive MN had worse composite remission (either complete remission or partial remission) of nephrotic syndrome than the negative group (P=0.016),whereas NELL1-positive MN exhibited better composite remission of nephrotic syndrome than the negative group (P=0.015).The MN patients only positive for NELL1 showed better composite remission of nephrotic syndrome than the MN patients only positive for THSD7A (P<0.001). Conclusions THSD7A- and NELL1-positive MN is more likely to be primary MN,and there is no significant malignancy indication.However,it might have a predictive value for the prognosis of MN.
Humans ; Autoantibodies ; Clinical Relevance ; Colonic Neoplasms ; EGF Family of Proteins ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranous/diagnosis* ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Receptors, Phospholipase A2/metabolism* ; Thrombospondins/metabolism*

Objective: To explore the epidemiological characteristic of a COVID-19 outbreak caused by 2019-nCoV Omicron variant BF.7 and other provinces imported in Shenzhen and analyze transmission chains and characteristics. Methods: Field epidemiological survey was conducted to identify the transmission chain, analyze the generation relationship among the cases. The 2019-nCoV nucleic acid positive samples were used for gene sequencing. Results: From 8 to 23 October, 2022, a total of 196 cases of COVID-19 were reported in Shenzhen, all the cases had epidemiological links. In the cases, 100 were men and 96 were women, with a median of age, M (Q₁, Q₃) was 33(25, 46) years. The outbreak was caused by traverlers initial cases infected with 2019-nCoV who returned to Shenzhen after traveling outside of Guangdong Province.There were four transmission chains, including the transmission in place of residence and neighbourhood, affecting 8 persons, transmission in social activity in the evening on 7 October, affecting 65 persons, transmission in work place on 8 October, affecting 48 persons, and transmission in a building near the work place, affecting 74 persons. The median of the incubation period of the infection, M (Q₁, Q₃) was 1.44 (1.11, 2.17) days. The incubation period of indoor exposure less than that of the outdoor exposure, M (Q₁, Q₃) was 1.38 (1.06, 1.84) and 1.95 (1.22, 2.99) days, respcetively (Wald χ²=10.27, P=0.001). With the increase of case generation, the number and probability of gene mutation increased. In the same transmission chain, the proportion of having 1-3 mutation sites was high in the cases in the first generation. Conclusions: The transmission chains were clear in this epidemic. The incubation period of Omicron variant BF.7 infection was shorter, the transmission speed was faster, and the gene mutation rate was higher. It is necessary to conduct prompt response and strict disease control when epidemic occurs.
Male ; Humans ; Female ; SARS-CoV-2 ; COVID-19/epidemiology* ; Disease Outbreaks ; Epidemics ; China/epidemiology*

OBJECTIVE: To verify the consistency between the digital manufacturing simple intraoral Gothic arch-tracing device and the traditional intraoral Gothic arch-tracing device in determining the centric relation of complete dentures restoration. METHODS: Ten outpatients with edentulous jaws were selec-ted, and the centric relation of the patients was determined by digital manufacturing of simple intraoral Gothic arch-tracing device (T1) and traditional intraoral Gothic arch-tracing device (T2); the difference of clinical operation time between the two methods was recorded; the upper and lower edentulous jaw plaster models were scanned with two kinds of centric relation, the Standard Triangle Language (STL) files imported into Geomagic studio software to apply the best fitting of multiple points of the both upper jaw models, the fitted STL files imported into the 3 shape viewer software, and the maximum position deviations of the vertical, labial (buccal) and lingual directions of the mandibular midline area and molar areas in T1 and T2 groups measured. During the clinical complete dentures try-in, we observed whether there was midline deviation in the mouth of T1 group and T2 group, and whether the occlusion of posterior teeth was stable or not. RESULTS: The mean time spent on determining the centric relation of T1 and T2 groups was (41.90±2.64) min, (57.50±2.37) min respectively. Paired t test was conducted in the two groups, P < 0.01 with significant statistical difference; The mean maximum position deviation between T1 group and T2 group of the midline mandibular region in labial lingual direction was (0.32±0.14) mm, that was (0.40±0.23) mm in vertical direction; the mean maximum position deviation of molar area in buccal lingual direction was (0.35±0.23) mm and that was (0.33±0.20) mm in vertical direction. In the vertical and horizontal directions, the maximum position deviation of mandibles between group T1 and group T2 was controlled within 0.5 mm. In the process of clinical complete dentures try-in, there was no deviation from the center line of dentures. There was not warping, swinging and other poor stability phenomena in T1 and T2 groups. CONCLUSION The digital manufacturing of simple intraoral Gothic arch-tracing device can be used to determine the centric relation of complete dentures, which can not only save time of clinical operation, but also ensure the accuracy of the centric relation.
Humans ; Centric Relation ; Jaw Relation Record/methods* ; Denture, Complete ; Mouth, Edentulous ; Jaw, Edentulous