Objective:To disclose the epidemiological characteristics of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome in Ningbo city from 2013 to 2021.Methods:Epidemic data and laboratory-confirmed results of SFTS patients in Ningbo city were analyzed in the past 10 years. Phylogenetic trees were constructed by using genomic sequences of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) strains isolated from the patients.Results:During 2013-2021, a total of 65 confirmed SFTS cases were reported with the mortality of 12.31%, including 8 dead cases. The average age was 53.65 years with higher incidence in 60-70 years old cases. Cases were reported in 6 districts (counties) from Ningbo city, of which Ninghai county (33 cases, 50.77%) and Xiangshan county (20 cases, 30.77%) reported the highest number of cases. The cases mainly occurred from April to August, accounting for 81.54% (53/65); 76.92% (50/65) of the patients were farmers; 92.31% (60/65) of patients lived in mountainous or hilly terrain. Of the 65 SFTS cases, 8 patients had a clear history of tick bites, and 20 patients had contact with domestic animals (pets) or rats in their residence. The evolution analysis on gene sequencing results showed that SFTSV epidemic strains in Ningbo city included genotype J2 and C4.Conclusion:Most of the SFTS patients were elderly people. The top two high-risk areas were Ninghai county and Xiangshan county. July was the peak month of the disease. Genotype J2 and C4 were epidemic strains in Ningbo city.

Oral mucosal disease is a general term for a type of disease that mainly affects the oral mucosa and surrounding soft tissues. In the treatment of oral mucosal diseases, due to the particularity of the anatomical location, the use of topical administration is relatively simple and convenient; drugs can easily accumulate in the lesions, and at the same time, they can also avoid adverse reactions caused by systemic drug delivery. Topical administration has become an important and even preferred option for the treatment of oral mucosal diseases. There are various types of topically used drugs for oral mucosal diseases, such as glucocorticoids (triamcinolone acetonide), immunomodulatory drugs (tacrolimus), antiseptic drugs (chlorhexidine), pain relievers (lidocaine) and proprietary Chinese medicines (aloe vera gel). Among these drugs, although the most widely used liquid formulations such as gargles and sprays are easy to use, they are not conducive to local retention of drugs due to the particularity of the oral environment and function. Based on this, researchers have continuously improved the dosage form of the drug, and developed a series of semi-solid pharmaceutical preparations such as gels and ointments, some of which have exerted good curative effects in clinical work. In addition, although films, patches and other solid oral mucosal topical pharmaceutical preparations have few clinical applications, they have also been widely researched and described and are expected to become the mainstream dosage form in the future. In general, with the improvement of dosage forms, topical administration is playing an increasingly important role in the treatment of oral mucosal diseases. Therefore, combined with basic research and clinical reports, this article reviews the application of topical drug delivery in the treatment of oral mucosal diseases

Objective: To create a model to predict nosocomial infections in emergency intensive care units (EICU), so as to provide insights into early identification and interventions among patients with nosocomial infections. Methods: All nosocomial infections were collected from patients hospitalized in the EICU of a large tertiary hospital from 2017 to 2020. The 2017-2019 data were selected as the training set to create a logistic regression model, and the fitting effectiveness of the predictive model was evaluated using Hosmer-Lemeshow test. The 2020 data were selected as the test set to evaluate the external validation of the predictive model. In addition, the value of the model for prediction of nosocomial infections was examined using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results : Totally 1 546 inpatients in EICU were enrolled, and the prevalence of nosocomial infections was 7.18%. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified hospital stay duration of >7 days (OR=21.845, 95%CI: 7.901-60.398), use of ventilators (OR=3.405, 95%CI: 1.335-8.682), and surgery (OR=1.854, 95%CI: 1.121-3.064) as risk factors of nosocomial infections. The predictive model was p=ey/(1+ey), y=-6.105+(3.084×duration of hospital stay)+(1.225×use of ventilators)+(0.617×surgery). The area under ROC curve was 0.806 (95%CI: 0.774-0.838) for the training set and 0.723 (95%CI: 0.623-0.823) for the test set, and if the 0.065 cut-off of the predictive model created by the training set was included in the test set, the predictive value yield a 0.739 sensitivity and 0.642 specificity for prediction of nosocomial infections among patients hospitalized in EICU. Conclusion The created predictive model for nosocomial infections among patients hospitalized in EICU presents a high accuracy, which shows a satisfactory predictive value for high-risk nosocomial infections.

Objective: To investigate the origin of infection and risk factors of a case with SARS-CoV-2 infection associated with overseas countries in the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, Zhejiang Province, so as to provide the evidence for improving the COVID-19 control measures at ports. Methods: Ningbo Center for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) and Beilun CDC conducted case finding and epidemiological surveys immediately after being informed. The general information, history of vaccination and the travel during the latest 14 days were collected from the positive case, and all close contacts were tracked. Saliva samples were collected for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid testing and whole-genome sequencing, and the sequencing results were aligned with the GISAID's EpiCoV database. The origin of infection and transmission route of the positive case was investigated. Results: A case was identified positive for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid during company M's routine screening in the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port on August 10, 2021, and was confirmed positive for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid by Beilun CDC and Ningbo CDC on August 11. Whole-genome sequencing showed SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2 ( Delta ) variant, which shared the highest homology with the virus sequence uploaded by Russia on June, 2021 ( Russia/MOW-RII-MH27356S/2021 ). The case was a bundling worker for overseas container ships, and reported communicated with foreign boatmen and contacted materials without protected interventions on the SINOKOR AKITA Container Ship between August 4 and 5, 2021. This ship anchored at Vladivostok, Russia from July 27 to 29, anchored at Ningbo Harbor on August 4, and departed on August 5. Then, 11 boatmen from this ship were tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid on August 8. One asymptomatic case was reported in this epidemic; 254 close contacts and 617 secondary close contacts were identified, and all were tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid. No new cases with SARS-CoV-2 infections were detected until August 25, 2021, and the emergency response was therefore terminated. Conclusions The infection was a sporadic COVID-19 epidemic associated with overseas countries, which was caused by Delta variant infection through contacts with foreign boatmen or materials by a bundling worker in Ningbo-Zhoushan Port; fortunately, no epidemic spread occurred. Intensified closed-loop management and increased frequency of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid test among high-risk populations, and improving the precision and rapid emergency treatment of COVID-19 epidemics are required for the containment of COVID-19 at ports.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the predictive value of myocardial scar mass in malignant ventricular arrhythmia (MVA) after myocardial infarction. METHODS: Thirty myocardial infarction patients with complete electrophysiology and cardiac MRI data admitted from January 2012 to August 2017 were enrolled in the study. According to the results of intracavitary electrophysiological study, MVA developed in 16 patients (MVA group) and not developed in 14 patients (non-MVA group). The qualitative and quantitative analysis of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVFE) and scar mass was performed with CV post-processing software and predictive value of myocardial scar and LVEF for MVA after myocardial infarction was analyzed using ROC curves. RESULTS: LVEF in MVA group was significantly lower than that in non-MVA group, and scar mass in MVA group was significantly higher than that in non-MVA group (all <0.05). Regression analysis showed that LVEF (=1.580) and scar mass (=6.270) were risk factors for MVA after myocardial infarction. For predicting MVA, the area under ROC curve () of LVEF was 0.696 with a sensitivity of 0.786 and the specificity of 0.685; the of the scar mass was 0.839 with a sensitivity was 0.618 and the specificity of 0.929; the of LVEF combined with scar mass was 0.848 with a sensitivity of 0.688 and specificity of 0.857. CONCLUSIONS Myocardial scar assessed by late gadolinium enhancement MRI is more effective than LVEF in predicting MVA after myocardial infarction.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; diagnosis ; Cicatrix ; diagnostic imaging ; Contrast Media ; Gadolinium ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Ventricular Function, Left

Objective: To observe the preventive effects of combined application of total coumarin and essential oil of Angelicae Dahuricae Radix on the migraine rats induced by nitroglycerin, and to explore their mechanisms. Methods: A total of 56 Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group (saline 0. 1 mL · 10 g 1), migraine model group (saline 0. 1 mL · 10 g 1), total coumarin of Angelicae Dahuricae Radix group (100 mg · kg-1), essential oil of Angelicae Dahuricae Radix group (100 mg · kg-1), and low dose (25 mg · kg-1), middle dose (50 mg · kg-1) and high dose (100 mg · kg-1) of total coumarin and essential oil composition of Angelicae Dahuricae Radix groups (composition groups) (n=8). After continuously intragastric adminstration for 7 d, the rats were injected subcutaneously with nitroglycerin (10 mg · kg-1) for establishing the migraine models. The behavior of the rats were observed, the levels of nitric oxide (NO) in serum and brain tissue of rats, the levels of calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) and endothelin (ET) in plasma of the rats in various groups were detected. Results: Compared with normal control group, the frequencies of head shaking, the face shoting times of posterior legs and the scratching times of anterior limbs of the rats in migraine model group were increased (P<0. 05 or P<0. 01), and the levels of NO in serum and brain tissue of the rats were increased (P< 0. 01). Compared with migraine model group, the frequencies of head shaking, the face shoting times of posterior legs and scratching times of anterior limbs of the rats in total coumarin group, essential oil group, and composition groups were decreased (P<0. 05 or P<0. 01), and the levels of NO in serum and brain tissue of the rats were decreased (P<0. 05 or P<0. 01). Compared with migraine model group, the levels of CGRP and ET in plasma of the rats in essential oil group, total coumarin group and middle and high doses of composition groups were decreased (P<0. 05). Conclusion: The composition of two active ingredients of Angelicae Dahuricae Radix, total coumarin and essential oil, has preventive effects in the migraine rats induced by nitroglycerin, and their mechanisms may be related to regulation of the levels and function of vasoactive substances.

Objective: To identify immunodominant linear B cell epitopes in neuraminidase of avian influenza virus H7N9. Methods: By using protean algorithms of bioinformatic software DNAStar, antigenicity, hydrophilicity and surface probability of the H7N9 neuraminidase sequence was analyzed and their corresponding average indexes were calculated. Multiple regions containing potential linear B cell epitopes were predicted. Corresponding peptides were synthesized artificially and used in peptide-ELISA individually to check their reactivity to confirmed H7N9 positive human sera, and H7N9 negative human sera was used as control. Results: Seven potential linear B cell epitopes, namely A to G, were predicted according to their relatively strong antigenicity, hydrophilicity and surface probability. All corresponding synthetic peptides reacted strongly with H7N9 positive sera. Conclusions Immunodominant linear B cell epitopes in neuraminidase of H7N9 were successfully predicted and confirmed. It will facilitate to clarify molecular basis of the antigen specificity and to make respective antibodies.

Objective To predict and identify liner B-cell epitopes in the hemagglutinin ( HA) of human-infected avian-origin H7N9 influenza virus and analyze the specificity of H7 subtype.Methods Three serum samples collected at different times from the same patient who was confirmed to be infected with H7N9 influenza virus were provided by Shaoxing People’s Hospital, and one serum sample from healthy person was collected as the control.The extracellular region of HA protein was predicted by TMHMM Sever v.2.0.The potential B-cell epitopes were predicted by DNAStar Lasergene’ s Protean, BcePred and ABCpred tools, and the immunogenicity of the predicted B cell antigen epitopes was assessed by indirect enzyme-linked immunosordent assay ( ELISA ) .H7 subtype specificity was analyzed by comparing HA protein amino acid sequence with H7N9 and H1-H16 subtype influenza virus from Genbank using Clustal X 2.1 software, and Cn3D 4.3.1 software was used to detect the distribution and 3D structure of predicted epitopes on the HA protein of H7N9.Results The potential B-cell epitopes may be located in 172-183, 363-380, 452-472 and 491-506 of extracellular N-terminus of HA protein.ELISA showed that four predicted eptiopes specifically reacted with positive serums from patient.Multi-sequence alignment demonstrated that peptide 172-183 and 363-380 had higher H7 subtype specificity compared with amino acid sequences of other subtypes.Moreover, the predicted linear B-cell epitopes all located on the surface of HA protein according to the 3D structure analysis.Conclusion Four potential B-cell epitopes were identified, in which peptide 172-183 and 363-380 have higher H7 subtype specificity, and may be used in the design of epitope-based vaccines and diagnostics tests.

Objective To identify immunodominant B linear cell epitopes in capsid proteins VP1 to VP3 of Coxsackievirus A16 (CVA16) strain YY157.Methods The protean algorithms of bioinformatic software Lasergene were used to analyze antigenicity, hydrophilicity and surface probability of amino acid sequence of CVA16 capsid proteins VP1 to VP3.Multiple regions containing potential lineal B cell epitopes were predicted and their corresponding average indexes were calculated by BepiPred 1.0 Server.Corresponding peptides were synthesized and examined in peptide-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) individually to check whether it reacted positively or negatively toward sera from children with confirmed CVA16 infection.Results Totally 21 possible B cell linear epitopes were predicted according to their relatively strong antigenicity, hydrophilicity and surface probability.The corresponding synthetic peptides reacted positively with sera of CVA16-infected children in a varying extent.Conclusion Immunodominant B cell linear epitopes of capsid proteins VP1 to VP3 of CVA16 strain YY157 are successfully predicted and confirmed.