Objective To describe the epidemiological characteristics, investigation and treatment process of the first monkeypox cluster outbreak in Wuhan, and to provide reference for the prevention and control of monkeypox cluster outbreak in the future. Methods Field epidemiological investigation was conducted on the cases, and throat swabs, anal swabs, shingles fluid, whole blood, and serum samples were collected from the cases. Subsequently, real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction was employed for the detection of monkeypox virus nucleic acid and subsequent gene sequencing. Results Two cases had a high-risk exposure behavior in a hotel in Wuhan on June 2, 2023. The first case exhibited the emergence of beige papules on June 5 and sought medical treatment at a tertiary hospital in Wuhan on June 11. The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention conducted tests on herpes fluid samples, which yielded positive results for the presence of monkeypox virus nucleic acid. Genetic sequencing analysis revealed that the infecting strain of the monkeypox virus in this case belonged to the West African clade B.1. Conclusion Based on epidemiological investigation and laboratory results, this monkeypox cluster outbreak may be caused by latent men with men sexual transmission. Monkeypox has the risk of both overseas importation and local transmission in our country. It is very necessary to detect, report and deal with monkeypox outbreak early.

Biotoxins, which include bacterial, fungal, marine, plant, and animal toxins, are widespread in living and occupational environments, posing potential threats to human health. Rapid detection of biotoxins in blood is crucial for preventing health hazards and enabling timely disease diagnosis and treatment. Biosensors and immunoassay technologies have critical advantages in the rapid detection of biotoxins in blood. Common biosensors, such as surface plasmon resonance biosensors and fluorescent biosensors, enhance sensitivity and reduce detection limits through signal amplification. Common immunoassay methods, such as colloidal gold immunochromatography, fluorescence immunochromatography, and chemiluminescence immunoassay, improve detection efficacy and sensitivity through specific antibody-antigen binding and nanotechnology. However, current rapid detection technologies of bitoxins in blood face challenges such as matrix interference and insufficient specificity, and they fall short in high-throughput detection of multiple toxins simultaneously. Future developments should focus on improving sample pretreatment, innovating signal amplification methods, enhancing specificity on recognition of elements, and designing portable detection devices and high-throughput platforms for simultaneous toxin analysis. These advancements aim to improve the sensitivity and reliability of detection methods, providing more accurate and convenient solutions for biotoxin detection in blood.

Objective To establish a method for the determination of thallium and its soluble compounds in workplace air using microporous filter membrane sampling and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Methods Thallium and its soluble compounds in workplace air were collected using microporous filter membranes, digested with nitric acid, quantified using lutetium internal standard method, and detected by ICP-MS. Results The linear range of thallium was 0.00 to 600.00 μg/L, with the correlation coefficient of 1.000. The detection limit was 0.08 μg/L, and the lower limit of quantification was 0.26 μg/L. The minimum detection concentration and minimum quantitation concentration of thallium of 75.00 L workplace air were 1.0×10^-5 and 3.0×10^-5 mg/m³, respectively. The minimum detection concentration and minimum quantitation concentration of thallium of 480.00 L workplace air was 2.0×10^-6 and 5.0×10^-6 mg/m³, respectively. The recovery rate of spiking was 100.82%-103.44%, and the relative standard deviation within- and between-batches was 1.50%-3.32% and 1.32%-3.11%, respectively. The sample could be stored at room temperature for at least 14 days. Conclusion This method can be used for the detection of thallium and its soluble compounds in workplace air.

Virtual reality (VR) is a three-dimensional virtual technology which generates virtual world by computer simulation. VR provides users with the simulation of visual, auditory and tactile senses, so that users can observe things in the virtual space as in the real world. Electroencephalogram(EEG) is the direct reflection of the activation of neurons in the cerebral cortex. The combination of VR and EEG has become an important method of brain science research. However, the existing research lacks a systematic arrangement of combination of VR and EEG. In this paper, the related research of VR combined with EEG in the past 20 years were summarized, the corresponding experimental paradigm, research methods and results were introduced, and finally the future research directions of the combination of VR and EEG were prospected.

OBJECTIVE: To improve the pretreatment method for the detection of lead, manganese and their inorganic compounds in workplace air samples by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. METHODS: In this method, 20.0 mL of 1.0-2.0 mol/L nitric acid solution was used as the digestion solution to digest the microporous membrane sample at 140-160 ℃ to a volume of 0.5-1.0 mL. Samples were cooled and fixed to 10 mL and detected by flame atomic absorption spectrometry method. RESULTS: The lead detection had a good linear relationship in the range of 0.10-3.00 mg/L. The correlation coefficient was 0.999 5, the detection limit and the lower limit of quantification were 0.03 and 0.10 mg/L respectively(calculated by 3 and 10 times of standard deviation respectively). The minimum detection concentration was 0.004 mg/m~3, and the minimum quantitative concentration was 0.010 mg/m~3(collected by 75 L air calculation). The manganese detection had a good linear relationship in the range of 0.05-3.00 mg/L mass concentration. The correlation coefficient was 0.999 8, the detection limit and the lower limit of quantification were 0.015 and 0.05 mg/L respectively(calculated by 3 and 10 times of standard deviation respectively), the minimum detection concentration was 0.002 mg/m~3, and the minimum quantitative concentration was 0.007 mg/m~3(based on collection 75 L air calculation). The recovery rate of standard addition was 97.8%-99.6%, and the relative standard deviation within and between run were 0.4%-2.0% and 0.4%-1.7% respectively. CONCLUSION: The method is simple, the reagent consumption is small, the digestion temperature is low, the precision and accuracy are high. This method is suitable for widespread use.

OBJECTIVE: To establish the occupational exposure limits for methyl t-butyl ether(MTBE) in the air of workplace in China. METHODS: According to the GBZ/T 210.1-2008 Guide for Establishing Occupational Health Standards--Part 1: Occupational Exposure Limits for Airborne Chemicals in the Workplace, we collected and analyzed data on physical and chemical properties, toxicology, occupational epidemiology and foreign occupational exposure limits related to MTBE by literature search. A total of 180 occupational workers exposed to MTBE were selected as exposure group, and 155 workers and administrative logistics personnel without exposure to MTBE were selected as the control group. Occupational hygiene investigation and occupational physical examination were carried out. We deduced the occupational exposure limits for MTBE in workplace air in China by combining literature data. RESULTS: The time-weighted average(TWA) of MTBE in the workplace air developed by the United States of America and Britain is 180.00 mg/m~3. The short-term exposure limit(STEL) of MTBE in the workplace air developed by Australia and New Zealand is 270.00 mg/m~3. The concentration of TWA(C_(TWA)) of MTBE in the exposure group was less than 0.08-4.90 mg/m~3. The concentration of short term exposure was less than 0.10-14.28 mg/m~3, and the C_(TWA) was less than 0.02-83.66 mg/m~3, in parts of workplaces. There was no statistically significant difference on the self-conscious discomfort and the abnormality in physical examination between these two groups(P>0.05). CONCLUSION: It's recommended that the permissible concentration-TWA of MTBE should be set at 180.00 mg/m~3, and the permissible concentration-STEL should be set at 270.00 mg/m~3 in China.

OBJECTIVE: To explore an objective evaluation mode for emergency response capacity on sudden poisoning incidents. METHODS: Based on the health emergency drills and blind design,22 teams in Guangdong Province were recruited to participate in the first round of evaluation,including blind sample analysis,theoretical examination( poisoning medical rescue,detection and investigation) and skills assessment( poisoning medical care,poisoning investigation,personal protection,poisoning detection and emergency decision-making). Then,the top 10 teams in the first round of evaluation were proceeded to desktop exercise in the second round of evaluation. The evaluation results were compared with the local gross domestic product( GDP) from 2011 to 2015 by Spearman rank correlation analysis. RESULTS: The median scores of the 4 sections were as follows: blind sample analysis was 71. 0,theoretical examination was 61. 4,skills assessment was 76. 5,and the desktop exercise was 55. 0. The rates of excellent for assessment of blind sample analysis,theoretical examination and skills assessment were 22. 7%,4. 5% and 0. 0%,while the failure rates were 31. 8%,45. 5% and 4. 5%,respectively. The rates of failure in medical rescue and investigation in theoretical examination were63. 6% and 50. 0%,the rates of failure in medical rescue and investigation in skills assessment were 40. 9% and 31. 8%,respectively. The middle-grade and passing rates of the top 10 teams in the desktop exercise were 10. 0%,and the failure rate was 80. 0%. There was a moderate positive correlation between the emergency response capacity for emergent poisoning and local GDP( Spearman rank correlation coefficient > 0. 700,P < 0. 05). CONCLUSION: The evaluation mode of emergency response capability assessment combined with actual combat and desktop emergency drill is established successfully. It can objectively test the assessment of emergency response capabilities.

This paper introduced a hand function rehabilitation system based on motor imagery (MI) brain-computer interface for hand function rehabilitation of stroke patients. The rehabilitation system contains three subsystems. Offline training subsystem displays the blank screen, a left or right hand movement video and arrow in turn, which respectively reminders patients to rest and make preparations for MI and instruct them how to do MI, and be doing MI. Finally, the patients' electroephalography (EEG) signals are acquired and processed togenerate a recognition model. Model update online training subsystem presents the black screen and a left or right arrow, the meanings ofwhich are the same as those in offline training subsystem. Then the acquired EEG signals are analyzed according to the established recognitionmodel. Next, the analysis result is derived to control the hand movement video to be played. The video can also act as a visual feedback,which makes patients' EEG signals easier to be recognized. The updated and more effective recognition model is built at last. Virtual reality(VR) online training subsystem constructs 3D grid models of VR scene, a 3D man model and its hand animations in the 3Dmax. Then, all ofthem are imported into Unity3D. The control methods of the animations are also designed in Unity3D. In the end, the patients' EEG signalsare analyzed according to the updated recognition model, thus controlling the hand movements of the 3D man in real time. The developedsystem has many characteristics, such as multilevel training and more immersion, which hopefully promotes the plasticity of central nervoussystem. The designed system provides new treatments for post-stroke hand function rehabilitation and further lays the foundation for family-mode rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the technical level and ability of the detection of free silica in dust in occupational health technical service institutions of Guangdong Province through inter-laboratory comparison. METHODS: The interlaboratory detection of free silica in dust in 55,61,58 and 66 occupational health technical service institutions were carried out and compared in 2012-2015. The results were statistically analyzed by four points robust statistical technique,and the relative deviation between the laboratory test results and the Median of them was used as the auxiliary evaluation index of the laboratory's technical ability. RESULTS: The stable coefficient of variation(CV) of samples with free silica content > 20. 00% was less than 5. 00%,and the stable CV of samples with free silica content ≤20. 00% was more than5. 00%. The qualified rate in 2012-2015 were 89. 09%,81. 97%,77. 59% and 81. 82%,respectively. There was no statistical difference(P > 0. 05) in the annual reference between private and non-private institutions compared to the qualified rate in 2012-2015. There was no statistical difference(P > 0. 05) in the qualified rate of the institutions in the Pearl River Delta region and in the non-triangular regions of the Pearl River Delta in 2012-2015. CONCLUSION: Comparison of the detection technology service ability in the detection of free silica in dust should be conducted to improve its technical service quality.

Aluminum ; blood ; Humans ; Spectrophotometry, Atomic ; methods