This study was aimed at performing epidemiologic investigation of the first psittacosis death case in Hangzhou City,to provide a reference for the investigation and disposal of psittacosis cases,as well as prevention and control.Epidemio-logic data were collected through field epidemiologic investigation,and close contacts and environmental samples were collected for pathogenicity testing.The first symptom in the patient was cough,which did not raise concerns at the time.Several days later,the patient developed abdominal distension and black stools,and visited two medical institutions for treatment and hospi-talization.The patient's sputum and peripheral blood were tested for Chlamydia psittaci infection by metagenomic analysis via next-generation sequencing.Samples collected from the patient's family members,close contacts,and home environment test-ed negative with real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.The patient later died of gastrointestinal bleeding.This article is the first report of a case of psittacosis contracted from exposure to a sick parrot in Hangzhou City,in a patient who died be-cause of an underlying disease.Operational training should be provided for medical personnel,and early diagnosis with mNGS and treatment of patients with underlying diseases should be performed as early as possible to avoid fatality.In addition,health education should be carried out to raise public awareness of the disease.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of pushing reduction with our self-designed spinal fracture reduction device in the treatment of A3N0/1 thoracolumbar fractures.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the medical records of 53 patients who had undergone surgery for thoracolumbar vertebrae fracture at Department of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Zhengzhou Orthopedic Hospital from January 2019 to January 2022. All patients were treated by internal fixation via the Wiltse approach and bone grafting through the pedicle of the injured vertebrae. Clinical data: 35 males and 18 females; age: (37.8±10.2) years; injured segments: 23 cases at the thoracic spine and 30 cases at the lumbar spine; time from injury to surgery: (3.3±1.5) days. According to whether our self-designed spinal fracture reduction device was used or not, the patients were assigned into group A (23 cases) in which the injured vertebrae were pushed and reduced using our novel spinal fracture reduction device after vertebral distraction reduction by the pedicle screw and group B (30 cases) in which the injured vertebrae were distracted and reduced using the pedicle screw alone. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss and complications were compared between the 2 groups. The anterior vertebral body height ratio (AVBHr), middle vertebral body height ratio (MVBHr), posterior vertebral body height ratio (PVBHr), Cobb angle of the injured vertebra, visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) at preoperation, postoperative 3 and 6 months, and the last follow-up were compared between the 2 groups.Results:There was no statistically significant difference in the preoperative general data between the 2 groups, indicating comparability ( P>0.05). All patients were followed up for (16.3±5.9) months. All incisions healed at one stage postoperatively without any related complications. The operation time in group A was significantly longer than that in group B [(115.1±16.6) min. versus (101.0±11.5) min.], the intraoperative blood loss in group A was significantly greater than that in group B [(136.5±17.0) mL versus (121.6±19.8) mL], the MVBHr at postoperative 3 months in group A (93.9%±4.0%) was significantly better than that in group B (83.3%±7.6%), and the MVBHr, AVBHr, Cobb angle, VAS, and ODI at the last follow-up in group A [86.6%±5.5%, 89.8%±4.1%, 4°(4°, 6°), 1 (0, 1) point, and 4.7%±2.0%] were significantly better than those in group B [78.0% (74.0%, 79.0%), 84.5%±4.9%, 12.2°±3.3°, 2 (1, 3) points, and 7.3%±2.7%] (all P<0.05). However, there was no statistically significant difference in PVBHr between the 2 groups at postoperative 3 months or at the last follow-up ( P>0.05). Conclusion:In the treatment of A3N0/1 thoracolumbar fractures, pushing reduction with our self-designed spinal fracture reduction device can directly and effectively reduce the fracture zone of the injured vertebra, which is conducive to maintaining postoperative vertebral reduction, reducing vertebral height loss and kyphotic deformity at a later stage, relieving lumbar pain and improving lumbar spine function.

Objective: To investigate the infection sources and the transmission chains of three outbreaks caused by 2019-nCoV Omicron variant possibly spread through cross-border logistics in Beijing. Methods: Epidemiological investigation and big data were used to identify the exposure points of the cases. Close contacts were traced from the exposure points, and the cases' and environmental samples were collected for nucleic acid tests. Positive samples were analyzed by gene sequencing. Results: The Omicron variant causing 3 outbreaks in Beijing from January to April, 2022 belonged to BA.1, BA.1.1 and BA.2. The outbreaks lasted for 8, 12 and 8 days respectively, and 6, 42 and 32 cases infected with 2019-nCoV were reported respectively. International mail might be the infection source for 1 outbreak, and imported clothes might be the infection sources for another 2 outbreaks. The interval between the shipment start time of the imported goods and the infection time of the index case was 3-4 days. The mean incubation period (Q₁, Q₃) was 3 (2,4) days and the mean serial interval (Q₁, Q₃) was 3 (2,4)days. Conclusions: The 3 outbreaks highlighted the risk of infection by Omicron variant from international logistics-related imported goods at normal temperature. Omicron variant has stronger transmissibility, indicating that rapid epidemiological investigation and strict management are needed.
Humans ; Beijing ; SARS-CoV-2 ; COVID-19 ; Disease Outbreaks ; China/epidemiology*

Fourteen compounds were isolated from the n-butanol fraction of the 95% aqueous ethanol extract of the stems and twigs of Strychnos cathayensis by D101 macroporous resin, silica gel, ODS, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, and semipreparative RP-HPLC. Their structures were elucidated as ethyl 4-O-β-D-allopyranosyl-vanillate (1), n-butyl 4-O-β-D-allopyranosyl-vanillate (2), n-butyl 4-O-(6′-O-syringoyl)-β-D-allopyranosyl-vanillate (3), n-butyl 4-O-(6′-O-vanilloyl)-β-D-allopyranosyl-vanillate (4), n-butyl 4-O-(6′-O-syringoyl)-β-D-glucopyranosyl-vanillate (5), n-butyl 4-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-syringate (6), methyl 3-methoxy-4-(β-D-allopyranosyloxy) benzoate (7), pseudolaroside B (8), butyl syringate (9), glucosyringic acid (10), methyl syringate (11), methyl 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoate (12), clemochinenoside C (13), and clemoarmanoside A (14), respectively, on the basis of spectroscopic data interpretation and by comparison with literature information. Compounds 1-6 are artificial products of phenolic acid esterified by ethanol or n-butanol. It is noted that the precursors (4-O-(6′-O-syringoyl)-β-D-allopyranosyl-vanillic acid and 4-O-(6′-O-vanilloyl)-β-D-allopyranosyl-vanillic acid) of compounds 3 and 4 are new compounds. The hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of compounds 1-13 were evaluated in vitro at a concentration of 10 μmol·L^-1. Compounds 1, 2 and 6-10 exhibited potential hepatic protection effects with cell survival rates ranging from 53.6% to 55.5% (acetaminophen, 45.4% at 8 mmol·L^-1). Compound 4 demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity with nitric oxide inhibitory rate of 74.6%. Compounds 3 and 5 showed potential antioxidant activities with malondialdehyde inhibitory rates of 53.2% and 56.1%, respectively.

COVID-19 has been prevalent for three years. The virulence of SARS-CoV-2 is weaken as it mutates continuously. However, elderly patients, especially those with underlying diseases, are still at high risk of developing severe infections. With the continuous study of the molecular structure and pathogenic mechanism of SARS-CoV-2, antiviral drugs for COVID-19 have been successively marketed, and these anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs can effectively reduce the severe rate and mortality of elderly patients. This article reviews the mechanism, clinical medication regimens, drug interactions and adverse reactions of five small molecule antiviral drugs currently approved for marketing in China, so as to provide advice for the clinical rational use of anti-SARS-CoV-2 in the elderly.

AIM: To investigate the efficacy of micropulse laser combined with intravitreal injection of ranibizumab in the treatment of macular edema(ME)secondary to non-ischemic branch retinal vein occlusion(BRVO).METHODS: A total of 200 cases(200 eyes)of non-ischemic BRVO secondary to ME who were treated in our hospital from January 2020 to March 2022 were selected and divided into the control group(100 cases, 100 eyes)and the observation group(100 cases, 100 eyes)by random number table. The control group was given intravitreal injection of ranibizumab, and the observation group was given micropulse laser combined with intravitreal injection of ranibizumab. The best corrected visual acuity(BCVA), central macular thickness(CMT), subfoveal choroidal thickness(SFCT), total number of injections, macular leakage and complications were compared between two groups.RESULTS: After treatment, the BCVA of the two groups were improved, and the BCVA of the observation group was better than those in the control group at 1, 3, 6 and 12mo after treatment(all P<0.05). After treatment, the CMT and SFCT of the two groups decreased, and the CMT and SFCT of the observation group was lower than those in the control group at 1, 3, 6 and 12mo after treatment(all P<0.05). The total number of injections in the observation group during the treatment period was less than that in the control group [(4.06±1.12)times vs.(5.32±1.15)times](t=5.852, P<0.001). The leakage rates of the control group and the observation group after 12mo of treatment were 69.0% and 27.0% respectively, with statistical significance between the two groups(χ2=35.337, P<0.001). The incidence of complications in the control group and observation group were 11.0% and 5.0% respectively, with no statistical significance between the two groups(χ2=2.446, P=0.118).CONCLUSION: Micropulse laser combined with intravitreal injection of ranibizumab has a significant clinical efficacy in the treatment of ME secondary to non-ischemic BRVO, which is safe and can improve patients' vision and ME, reduce the total doses of ranibizumab without increasing the incidence of complications.

Objective : To analyze the epidemiological characteristics and pathogen spectrum of hand，foot mouth disease (HFMD) in Anhui province from 2015 to 2022，and to provide scientific evidence for prevention and control measures of HFMD． Methods : The surveillance data of hand，foot and mouth disease in Anhui province from 2015 to 2022 were analyzed by descriptive epidemiology. Real-time PCR was used to detect and classify HFMD samples. Results : A total of 650 590 HFMD cases were reported in Anhui province from 2015 to 2022，including 1 406 se- vere cases and 17 deaths．The annual reported incidence was 131. 45 /100 000．The epidemic features of“low incidence in odd years and high incidence in even years”were presented from 2015 to 2019．The incidence showed a continuous decline from 2020 to 2022．The monthly distribution showed the characteristics of bimodal epidemic，and the main peak was not obvious in 2020．Hefei，Fuyang，Bozhou，Chuzhou and Suzhou ranked the top five cities in terms of cumulative incidence．The age of onset was mainly distributed in children aged 5 years and below，accounting for 89. 26% of the total cases．The male to female ratio was 1. 48 ∶ 1．A total of 28 657 laboratory-confirmed cases had been reported from 2015 to 2022．EV71 cases accounted for 10. 57% ，Cox A16 cases accounted for 24. 90% ，and other enterovirus cases accounted for 64. 53%．The dominant pathogens showed dynamic changes in different years．Since 2018，the proportion of EV71 decreased significantly，and the proportion of other enteroviruses gradually increased to become the dominant pathogens．Among other enteroviruses，Cox A6 strain was dominant (80. 48% ) ． Conclusion This study suggests that the prevention and control of HFMD in Anhui province should be paid more attention from April to July and from October to December．The focus areas are the cities in northern Anhui and Hefei where the floating population is large．The focus of prevention and control is on children aged 5 years and below．Other enteroviruses have become the dominant pathogens of hand-foot-mouth disease in Anhui province，Cox A6 strain is dominant.

Objective: To understand the characteristics and associated factors of viral nucleic acid conversion in children infected with Omicron variant strain of SARS-CoV-2 in Shanghai. Methods: The clinical symptoms, laboratory results and other data of 177 children infected with SARS-CoV-2 who were hospitalized in Shanghai Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (designated hospital for SARS-CoV-2 infection in Shanghai) from April 25 to June 8, 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the chest imaging findings, the children were divided into mild and common type groups. According to their age, the unvaccinated children were divided into<3 years old group and 3-<18 years old group. According to the vaccination status, the children aged 3-<18 year were divided into non-vaccination group, 1-dose vaccination group and 2-dose vaccination group. Comparison between groups was performed by independent sample t-test and analysis of variance, and multivariate linear regression analysis was used for multivariate analysis. Results: Among the 177 children infected with Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, 96 were males and 81 were females, aged 3 (1, 6) years. The time of viral nucleic acid negative conversion was (10.3±3.1) days. The 177 children were 138 cases of mild type and 39 cases of common type. Among the children aged 3-<18 years old, 55 cases were not vaccinated, 5 cases received 1-dose and 36 cases received 2-dose vaccination. Among the 36 children who received 2 doses of vaccination, the time of viral nucleic acid negative conversion was shorter in those vaccinated within 6 months than those over 6 months ((7.1±1.9) vs. (10.8±3.0) d, t=-3.23, P=0.004). Univariate analysis showed that the time of nucleic acid negative conversion of SARS-CoV-2 was associated with age, underlying diseases, gastrointestinal symptoms, white blood cell count, proportion of neutrophils, proportion of lymphocytes, and the number of doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (t=3.87, 2.55, 2.04, 4.24, 3.51, 2.92, F=16.27, all P<0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that older age (β=-0.33, 95% CI -0.485--0.182, P<0.001) and more doses of vaccination (β=-0.79, 95% CI -1.463--0.120, P=0.021) were associated with shortened nucleic acid negative conversion time in children, while lower lymphocyte proportion (β=-0.02, 95% CI -0.044--0.002, P=0.031) and underlying diseases (β=1.52, 95% CI 0.363-2.672, P=0.010) were associated with prolonged nucleic acid negative conversion time in children. Conclusion: The children infected with Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 with reduced lymphocyte proportion and underlying diseases may have longer time of viral nucleic acid negative conversion,while children with older age and more doses of vaccination may have shorter time of viral nucleic acid negative conversion.
Child ; Female ; Male ; Humans ; Child, Preschool ; Adolescent ; SARS-CoV-2 ; COVID-19 Vaccines ; Nucleic Acids ; COVID-19 ; Retrospective Studies ; China/epidemiology* ; Translocation, Genetic ; Hospitals, Pediatric

Objective: To study the effects of dihydromyricetin (DMY) on the proliferation, apoptosis and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cell KYSE150 and KYSE410. Methods: KYSE150 and KYSE410 cells were treated with different concentrations of DMY (0, 25, 50, 100, 150, 200 μmol/L) for 24 hours. The median inhibition concentration (IC₅₀) values of KYSE150 and KYSE410 were detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) method. Then 0.5‰ dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was used as control group, dihydromyricetin (DMY), dihydromyricetin and transforming growth factor-β1 (DMY+ TGF-β1), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) were used as experimental group. Cell proliferation and apoptosis rates were measured by clonal formation and flow cytometry. Transwell invasion and wound healing assay were used to detect cell invasion and migration. The protein expression levels of Caspase-3, Caspase-9, Bcl-2, Bax, Smad2/3, phosphorylation-Smad2/3 (p-Smad2/3) and Vimentin were detected by western blot. Results: The IC₅₀ values of DMY on KYSE410 and KYSE150 cells were 100.51 and 101.27 μmol/L. The clone formation numbers of KYSE150 and KYSE410 in DMY group [(0.53±0.03) and (0.31±0.03)] were lower than those in DMSO group [(1.00±0.10) and (1.00±0.05), P<0.05]. The apoptosis rates of KYSE150 and KYSE410 cells in DMY group [(1.84±0.22)% and (2.80±0.07)%] were higher than those in DMSO group [(1.00±0.18)% and (1.00±0.07)%, P<0.05]. The invasion numbers of KYSE150 and KYSE410 cells in DMY group [(0.42±0.03) and (0.29±0.05)] were lower than those in DMSO group [(1.00±0.08) and (1.00±0.05), P<0.05]. The migration rates of KYSE150 and KYSE410 cells in DMY group [(0.65±0.14)% and (0.40±0.17)%] were lower than those in DMSO group [(1.00±0.10)% and (1.00±0.08)%, P<0.05]. The clone formation numbers of KYSE150 and KYSE410 in TGF-β1 group [(1.01±0.08) and (0.99±0.25)] were higher than those in DMY+ TGF-β1 group [(0.73±0.10) and (0.58±0.05), P<0.05]. The apoptosis rates of KYSE150 and KYSE410 cells in TGF-β1 group [(0.81±0.14)% and (1.18±0.10)%] were lower than those in DMY+ TGF-β1 group [(1.38±0.22)% and (1.85±0.04)%, P<0.05]. The invasion numbers of KYSE150 and KYSE410 cells in TGF-β1 group [(1.19±0.11) and (1.39±0.11)] were higher than those in DMY+ TGF-β1 group [(0.93±0.09) and (0.93±0.05), P<0.05]. The migration rates of KYSE150 and KYSE410 cells in TGF-β1 group [(1.87±0.19)% and (1.32±0.04)%] were higher than those in DMY+ TGF-β1 group [(0.86±0.16)% and (0.77±0.12)%, P<0.05]. The protein expression levels of Bax, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 in KYSE150 and KYSE410 cells in DMY group were higher than those in DMSO group, while the protein expression level of Bcl-2 was lower than that in DMSO group (P<0.05). The protein expression levels of p-Smad2/3, Smad2/3 and Vimentin in KYSE150 and KYSE410 cells in DMY group were lower than those in DMSO group (P<0.05). The protein expression levels of Bax, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 in KYSE150 and KYSE410 cells in TGF-β1 group were lower than those in DMY+ TGF-β1 group, and the protein expression level of Bcl-2 was higher than that in DMY+ TGF-β1 group (P<0.05). The protein expression levels of Bax, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 in KYSE150 and KYSE410 cells in DMY+ TGF-β1 group were lower than those in DMY group, and the protein expression level of Bcl-2 was higher than that in DMY group (P<0.05). The protein expression levels of p-Smad2/3, Smad2/3 and Vimentin in KYSE150 and KYSE410 cells in TGF-β1 group were higher than those in DMY+ TGF-β1 group (P<0.05). Conclusion: DMY can inhibit the proliferation and EMT of ESCC mediated by TGF-β1 and promote cell apoptosis.
Apoptosis ; Caspase 3/metabolism* ; Caspase 9/metabolism* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement ; Cell Proliferation ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide/pharmacology* ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; Esophageal Neoplasms/metabolism* ; Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma ; Flavonols ; Humans ; Signal Transduction ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1/pharmacology* ; Vimentin/metabolism* ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein/pharmacology*

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics and the transmission chain of a family clustering of COVID-19 cases caused by severe acute respiratory 2019-nCoV Delta variant in Changping district of Beijing. Methods: Epidemiological investigation was conducted and big data were used to reveal the exposure history of the cases. Close contacts were screened according to the investigation results, and human and environmental samples were collected for nucleic acid tests. Positive samples were analyzed by gene sequencing. Results: On November 1, 2021, a total of 5 COVID-19 cases caused by 2019-nCoV Delta variant were reported in a family detected through active screening. The infection source was a person in the same designated isolation hotel where the first case of the family cluster was isolated from 22 to 27, October. The first case was possibly infected through aerosol particles in the ventilation duct system of the isolation hotel. After the isolation discharge on October 27, and the first case caused secondary infections of four family members while living together from October 27 to November 1, 2021. Conclusion: 2019-nCoV Delta variant is prone to cause family cluster, and close attention needs to be paid to virus transmission through ventilation duct system in isolation hotels.
Aerosols ; COVID-19 ; Epidemics ; Humans ; SARS-CoV-2