Objective To investigate the annual effective doses to radiation workers caused by radon concentrations in the underground workplaces of medical institutions, and to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of indoor radon in underground places. Methods A typical sampling method was used to select 5-30 medical institutions in each of Hunan, Jiangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, and Sichuan provinces. A total of 66 monitoring points in 66 medical institutions were selected. The indoor radon concentrations in underground workplaces were measured cumulatively using CR-39 solid nuclear track detectors. The radiation dose to radiation workers was estimated according to the method outlined in the Requirements for control of indoor radon and its progeny (GB/T 16146—2015). The Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to compare the differences in indoor radon concentrations between different provinces. Results The average indoor radon concentration in the underground workplaces of 66 medical institutions was 69.8 Bq/m³, with the highest being 147.6 Bq/m³. The average indoor radon concentrations in the underground workplaces of medical institutions in Sichuan, Guizhou, Hubei, Jiangxi, and Hunan were 72.1, 83.2, 66.6, 88.4, and 61.5 Bq/m³, respectively. The annual effective doses to radiation workers caused by radon concentrations in underground workplaces were 0.57-0.83 mSv, with an average of 0.69 mSv. There was a significant difference in radon concentrations among provinces (P < 0.05). Conclusion The indoor radon concentrations and personnel exposure doses in the underground workplaces of monitored medical institutions comply with national control standards. However, continuous monitoring and necessary indoor radon prevention and control measures are still needed.

Background::Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and diameter, stiffness, and wave reflections, are independent and important clinical biomarkers and risk predictors for cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of the present study was to establish nationwide reference values of carotid properties for healthy Chinese adults and to explore potential clinical determinants.Methods::A total of 3053 healthy Han Chinese adults (1922 women) aged 18-79 years were enrolled at 28 collaborating tertiary centers throughout China between April 2021 and July 2022. The real-time tracking of common carotid artery walls was achieved by the radio frequency (RF) ultrasound system. The IMT, diameter, compliance coefficient, β stiffness, local pulse wave velocity (PWV), local systolic blood pressure, augmented pressure (AP), and augmentation index (AIx) were then automatically measured and reported. Data were stratified by age groups and sex. The relationships between age and carotid property parameters were analyzed by Jonckheere-Terpstra test and simple linear regressions. The major clinical determinants of carotid properties were identified by Pearson’s correlation, multiple linear regression, and analyses of covariance.Results::All the parameters of carotid properties demonstrated significantly age-related trajectories. Women showed thinner IMT, smaller carotid diameter, larger AP, and AIx than men. The β stiffness and PWV were significantly higher in men than women before forties, but the differences reversed after that. The increase rate of carotid IMT (5.5 μm/year in women and 5.8 μm/year in men) and diameter (0.03 mm/year in both men and women) were similar between men and women. For the stiffness and wave reflections, women showed significantly larger age-related variations than men as demonstrated by steeper regression slopes (all P for age by sex interaction <0.05). The blood pressures, body mass index (BMI), and triglyceride levels were identified as major clinical determinants of carotid properties with adjustment of age and sex. Conclusions::The age- and sex-specific reference values of carotid properties measured by RF ultrasound for healthy Chinese adults were established. The blood pressures, BMI, and triglyceride levels should be considered for clinical application of corresponding reference values.

Objective: Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss is seldom achieved with nucleos(t)ide analog (NA) therapy in chronic hepatitis B patients but may be enhanced by switching to finite pegylated-interferon (Peg-IFN) alfa-2a. We assessed HBsAg loss with 48- and 96-week Peg-IFN alfa-2a in chronic hepatitis B patients with partial response to a previous NA. Methods: Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive patients who achieved HBeAg loss and hepatitis B virus DNA < 200 IU/mL with previous adefovir, lamivudine or entecavir treatment were randomized 1:1 to receive Peg-IFN alfa-2a for 48 (n = 153) or 96 weeks (n = 150). The primary endpoint of this study was HBsAg loss at end of treatment. The ClinicalTrials.gov identifier is NCT01464281. Results: At the end of 48 and 96 weeks' treatment, 14.4% (22/153) and 20.7% (31/150) of patients, respectively, who switched from NA to Peg-IFN alfa-2a cleared HBsAg. Rates were similar irrespective of prior NA or baseline HBeAg seroconversion. Among those who cleared HBsAg by the end of 48 and 96 weeks' treatment, 77.8% (14/18) and 71.4% (20/28), respectively, sustained HBsAg loss for a further 48 weeks. Baseline HBsAg < 1 500 IU/mL and week 24 HBsAg < 200 IU/mL were associated with the highest rates of HBsAg loss at the end of both 48- and 96-week treatment (51.4% and 58.7%, respectively). Importantly, extending treatment from 48 to 96 weeks enabled 48.3% (14/29) more patients to achieve HBsAg loss. Conclusion Patients on long-term NA who are unlikely to meet therapeutic goals can achieve high rates of HBsAg loss by switching to Peg-IFN alfa-2a. HBsAg loss rates may be improved for some patients by extending treatment from 48 to 96 weeks, although the differences in our study cohort were not statistically significant. Baseline and on-treatment HBsAg may predict HBsAg loss with Peg-IFN alfa-2a.

Objective To explore the effects of seamless nursing on timely vaccination in community floating children, so as to provide references for the management of the immunization nurses and the implementation of timely vaccination in community health service center. Methods Totally 155 cases of floating children (parents) from 2 community health service centers were recruited in the research by convenience sampling method, and assigned into intervention group and control group for each community health service center. Routine nursing management was applied in the control group. Based on the routine nursing management, the intervention group received seamless nursing by the contract between family doctor team and the children's family, collective health seminars on vaccination day, specialist health education of prescription into the family, remote guidance about home skills. The parents' health belief of timely immunization, the timely immunization rate and the parents' satisfaction were compared between the two groups. Results After the intervention, the score of the parents' health belief of the control group was (58.42±6.90), which was lower than that of the intervention group (99.07±7.23), and the difference was statistically significant (t=-50.637, P< 0.001). The timely vaccination rates of the control group and the intervention group were 81.94% and 94.84% respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (χ2=12.571, P< 0.001). There was a significantly higher satisfaction rate in the intervention group (95.48%) than in the control group (87.10%) (χ2=6.856,P< 0.001). Conclusions The seamless management could effectively improve the quality of timely children vaccination and the parents' satisfaction rate.

Objective To investigate the nutrition status, sleep quality, anxiety and depression in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), and to analyze the relationships between them. Method Hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), mini nutritional assessment (MNA) and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) were used to assess anxiety and depression, nutrition status and sleep quality in 118 CHF patients who were selected by convenience sanpling respectively. Results The score of anxiety of the patients was with a median of 5 (3, 8) and the score of depression was with a median of 5 (2, 8). Anxiety was present in 47 cases (39.8％). Depression was present in 48 cases (40.7％).MNA score was with an average of 21.5 ±3.5, 19 patients (16.1％) were malnourished, 59 patients (50.0％) were at risk of malnutrition and 40 (33.9％)well nourished. The MNA scores of patients with anxiety or depression were significantly lower than those with no anxiety or depression (P<0.001). The PSQI score in 118 patients was 6(4, 10), where 42(35.6％) were with sleep disorder and patients with depression and anxiety were higher than those without (P<0.01). The MNA score was negatively correlated with anxiety and depression (all P<0.001). The PSQI score was positively related with anxiety and depression (all P<0.01). Conclusions The prevalence of anxiety and depression was high in CHF patients. Both nutrition status and sleep quality were related to them. In the clinic work, medical workers should pay attention to the treatment of heart failure and the assessment of psychological status in heart failure patients with malnutrition or sleep disorders.

Objective To explore the effect of health education improvement on promotion of timely vaccination among migrant children in community and to provide references for community health service center.Methods A total of 155 migrant children's parents were recruited from July 2015 to February 2016,and improved health education intervention was carried out on the basis of routine health education to promote parents' health belief on timely vaccination.The compliance of parents' participation in health education activities,the health belief of parents themselves on timely vaccination at different stages of intervention and parents' satisfaction,and the rate of timely vaccination of migrant children before and after intervention were evaluated.Results Regarding the compliance of health education activities for parents in 12 weeks,the first 3 weeks was 85％ ～ 91％,the last 4 weeks were 95％ and above.Six months after intervention,the score of parents' health belief on timely vaccination was higher than that after 3 months of intervention and before intervention,and the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05).The timely vaccination rates in the study group for migrant children was higher than that in the historical groups (P＜0.05).After intervention,the satisfaction rate for parents was 95.484％.Conclusion Health education improvement could effectively promote parents' health belief on timely vaccination,satisfaction rate and rate of timely vaccination among migrant children.

Objective To evaluate the risk of locoregional recurrence (LRR) and the influencing factors for long-term survival in patients with epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma (EMCa).Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for 18 EMCa patients, who received initial therapy or initial adjuvant therapy in our hospital from 1999 to 2015, to investigate their survival.Among these patients, 8(44%) underwent surgery alone, 9(50%) received adjuvant radiotherapy, and 1(6%) received radical concurrent chemoradiotherapy.Locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were compared between these groups.The Kaplan-Meier mtthod was used to calculated survival rates and log-rank test was used to compare the LRFS.Results With a median follow-up time of 46 months, 5 patients developed LRR, and the 5-year LRFS and OS rates were 69% and 93%, respectively.The patients treated with radiotherapy had a significantly higher 5-year LRRFS rate than those not treated with radiotherapy (71% vs.57%, P=0.569).Conclusions LRR is the main failure mode of EMCa treatment, and further improving local control is the key to improved survival.

Humans ; Multiple Myeloma ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the impacts of air temperature on years of life lost (YLL) among the residents in Guangzhou and Zhuhai, Guangdong province.

METHODSDaily mortality and meteorology data in Guangzhou and Zhuhai were collected, and distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) was used to evaluate the cumulative and delayed effects of daily air temperature on YLL of total non-accident mortality. The accumulative effect of air temperature on mortality under the extreme high temperature (0-1 days) and extreme low temperature (0-13 days) situation in Guangzhou and Zhuhai were analyzed respectively.

RESULTSThe average YLL was 1 928.0 in Guangzhou and 202.5 in Zhuhai. The exposure-response functions seemed to be non-linear. The hot effect seemed to be acute and reached the peak at the same day, while the cold effect reached the peak at 5(th) days and lasted for about two weeks. Low temperature had stronger gross effect than high temperature had. The cold effect among males was greater than that among females in Guangzhou. The hot/cold effect on YLL was greater in people aged ≥ 65 years than in people aged < 65 years and in people suffering from respiratory disease than in people suffering from cardiovascular disease in both Guangzhou and Zhuhai.

CONCLUSIONThe effects of high and low temperatures on YLL were obvious, and the impact of low temperature was greater. The elderly and people suffering from respiratory disease or cardiovascular disease are the vulnerable populations.

Aged ; Air ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; epidemiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Extreme Cold ; adverse effects ; Extreme Heat ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mortality, Premature ; Nonlinear Dynamics ; Respiratory Tract Diseases ; epidemiology ; Time Factors

Objective To evaluate the impacts of air temperature on years of life lost(YLL) among the residents in Guangzhou and Zhuhai,Guangdong province. Methods Daily mortality and meteorology data in Guangzhou and Zhuhai were collected,and distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM)was used to evaluate the cumulative and delayed effects of daily air temperature on YLL of total non-accident mortality. The accumulative effect of air temperature on mortality under the extreme high temperature(0-1 days)and extreme low temperature(0-13 days)situation in Guangzhou and Zhuhai were analyzed respectively. Results The average YLL was 1 928.0 in Guangzhou and 202.5 in Zhuhai. The exposure-response functions seemed to be non-linear. The hot effect seemed to be acute and reached the peak at the same day,while the cold effect reached the peak at 5th days and lasted for about two weeks. Low temperature had stronger gross effect than high temperature had. The cold effect among males was greater than that among females in Guangzhou. The hot/cold effect on YLL was greater in people aged ≥65 years than in people aged <65 years and in people suffering from respiratory disease than in people suffering from cardiovascular disease in both Guangzhou and Zhuhai. Conclusion The effects of high and low temperatures on YLL were obvious,and the impact of low temperature was greater. The elderly and people suffering from respiratory disease or cardiovascular disease are the vulnerable populations.