Objective This study reports the first imported case of Lassa fever (LF) in China. Laboratory detection and molecular epidemiological analysis of the Lassa virus (LASV) from this case offer valuable insights for the prevention and control of LF.Methods Samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood, urine, saliva, and environmental materials were collected from the patient and their close contacts for LASV nucleotide detection. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on positive samples to analyze the genetic characteristics of the virus.Results LASV was detected in the patient’s CSF, blood, and urine, while all samples from close contacts and the environment tested negative. The virus belongs to the lineage IV strain and shares the highest homology with strains from Sierra Leone. The variability in the glycoprotein complex (GPC) among different strains ranged from 3.9% to 15.1%, higher than previously reported for the seven known lineages. Amino acid mutation analysis revealed multiple mutations within the GPC immunogenic epitopes, increasing strain diversity and potentially impacting immune response.Conclusion The case was confirmed through nucleotide detection, with no evidence of secondary transmission or viral spread. The LASV strain identified belongs to lineage IV, with broader GPC variability than previously reported. Mutations in the immune-related sites of GPC may affect immune responses, necessitating heightened vigilance regarding the virus.
Objective To assess health equity in the Yangtze River region to improve understanding of the correlation between hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) and socioeconomic factors.Methods From 2014–2016, data on HFMD incidence, population statistics, economic indicators, and meteorology from 26 cities along the Yangtze River were analyzed. A multi-city random-effects meta-analysis was performed to study the relationship between temperature and HFMD transmission, and health equity was assessed with respect to socio-economic impact.Results Over the study period, 919,458 HFMD cases were reported, with Shanghai (162,303) having the highest incidence and Tongling (5,513) having the lowest. Males were more commonly affected (male-to-female ratio, 1.49:1). The exposure-response relationship had an M-shaped curve, with two HFMD peaks occurring at 4 °C and 26 °C. The relative risk had two peaks at 1.30 °C (1.834, 95% CI: 1.204–2.794) and 31.4 °C (1.143, 95% CI: 0.901–1.451), forming an M shape, with the first peak higher than the second. The most significant impact of temperature on HFMD was observed between –2 °C and 18.1 °C. The concentration index (0.2463) indicated moderate concentration differences, whereas the Theil index (0.0418) showed low inequality in distribution.Conclusion The incidence of HFMD varied across cities, particularly with changes in temperature. Economically prosperous areas showed higher risks, indicating disparities. Targeted interventions in these areas are crucial for mitigating the risk of HFMD.
Objective Blood culture remains the gold standard for diagnosing bloodstream infections. Clinical laboratories must ensure the quality of blood culture processes from receipt to obtaining definitive results. We examined laboratory analytical indicators associated with positive blood culture results. Methods Blood cultures collected from Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2022, were retrospectively analyzed. The mode of transportation (piping logistics delivery vs. staff), source of blood cultures (outpatient/emergency department vs. inpatient department), rotation of personnel, and time of reception (8:00–19:59 vs. 20:00–07:59) were compared between blood culture-positive and -negative results.Results Between 2020 and 2022, the total positive rate of blood culture was 8.07%. The positive rate of blood cultures in the outpatient/emergency department was significantly higher than that in the inpatient department (12.46% vs. 5.83%; P < 0.0001). The time-to-detection of blood cultures was significantly affected by the delivery mode and personnel rotation. The blood culture positive rate of the total pre-analytical time within 1 h was significantly higher than that within 1–2 h or > 2 h (P < 0.0170).Conclusion Laboratory analytical indicators such as patient source, transportation mode, and personnel rotation significantly impacted the positive detection rate or time of blood culture.
Objective Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is sensitive to ferroptosis, a new form of programmed cell death that occurs in most tumor types. However, the mechanism through which ferroptosis modulates HCC remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the oncogenic role and prognostic value of FANCD2 and provide novel insights into the prognostic assessment and prediction of immunotherapy.Methods Using clinicopathological parameters and bioinformatic techniques, we comprehensively examined the expression of FANCD2 macroscopically and microcosmically. We conducted univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses to identify the prognostic value of FANCD2 in HCC and elucidated the detailed molecular mechanisms underlying the involvement of FANCD2 in oncogenesis by promoting iron-related death.Results FANCD2 was significantly upregulated in digestive system cancers with abundant immune infiltration. As an independent risk factor for HCC, a high FANCD2 expression level was associated with poor clinical outcomes and response to immune checkpoint blockade. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that FANCD2 was mainly involved in the cell cycle and CYP450 metabolism.Conclusion To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to comprehensively elucidate the oncogenic role of FANCD2. FANCD2 has a tumor-promoting aspect in the digestive system and acts as an independent risk factor in HCC; hence, it has recognized value for predicting tumor aggressiveness and prognosis and may be a potential biomarker for poor responsiveness to immunotherapy.
Objective This study examines utilizes the advantages of machine learning algorithms to discern key determinants in prognosticate postoperative circulatory complications (PCCs) for older patients.Methods This secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial involved 1,720 elderly participants in five tertiary hospitals in Beijing, China. Participants aged 60–90 years undergoing major non-cardiac surgery under general anesthesia. The primary outcome metric of the study was the occurrence of PCCs, according to the European Society of Cardiology and the European Society of Anaesthesiology diagnostic criteria. The analysis metrics contained 67 candidate variables, including baseline characteristics, laboratory tests, and scale assessments.Results Our feature selection process identified key variables that significantly impact patient outcomes, including the duration of ICU stay, surgery, and anesthesia; APACHE-II score; intraoperative average heart rate and blood loss; cumulative opioid use during surgery; patient age; VAS-Move-Median score on the 1st to 3rd day; Charlson comorbidity score; volumes of intraoperative plasma, crystalloid, and colloid fluids; cumulative red blood cell transfusion during surgery; and endotracheal intubation duration. Notably, our Random Forest model demonstrated exceptional performance with an accuracy of 0.9872.Conclusion We have developed and validated an algorithm for predicting PCCs in elderly patients by identifying key risk factors.
Objective To evaluate the impact of endometrial polyps (EP) on postoperative pregnancy outcomes in infertile women with endometriosis (EMs). Methods PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP, SinoMed, and WanFang Data databases were searched to include clinical studies on the effect of EP on pregnancy outcomes in patients with EMs, published before August 31, 2020. A meta-analysis was performed using Rev Man 5.3 software after two investigators independently screened the literature, extracted information, and evaluated the risk of bias of the included studies. Results The meta-analysis included ten studies (651 and 1,040 in the combined EP and uncomplicated EP groups, respectively). The spontaneous pregnancy rate, clinical pregnancy rate, and live birth rate were significantly lower in the group with combined EPs than in the group without combined EPs [Odd’s ratio (OR) = 0.63, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.50–0.80, P = 0.0001; OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.48–0.84, P = 0.001; OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.42–0.96, P = 0.03], and the rate of embryonic abortion was significantly higher than that in the uncomplicated EP group [OR = 3.10, 95% CI: 1.52–6.32, P = 0.002].Conclusion EP may adversely affect pregnancy outcomes in patients with infertility and EMs. Even after surgical treatment, EP can still reduce natural pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, and live birth rates in infertile women with EMs and increase the risk of embryo arrest in these women.
Objective Observational studies have shown inconsistent associations of loneliness or social isolation (SI) with ischemic heart disease (IHD), with unknown mediators.Methods Using data from genome-wide association studies of predominantly European ancestry, we performed a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) study to estimate causal effects of loneliness (N = 487,647) and SI traits on IHD (N = 184,305). SI traits included whether individuals lived alone, participated in various types of social activities, and how often they had contact with friends or family (N = 459,830 to 461,369). A network MR study was conducted to evaluate the mediating roles of 20 candidate mediators, including metabolic, behavioral and psychological factors.Results Loneliness increased IHD risk (OR =2.129; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.380 to 3.285), mediated by body fat percentage, waist-hip ratio, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. For SI traits, only fewer social activities increased IHD risk (OR = 1.815; 95% CI: 1.189 to 2.772), mediated by hypertension, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting insulin, and smoking cessation. No reverse causality of IHD with loneliness and SI was found.Conclusion These findings suggested more attention should be paid to individuals who feel lonely and have fewer social activities to prevent IHD, with several mediators as prioritized targets for intervention.
Objective To explore the causality between reproductive traits and risk of psoriasis by using a large Mendelian randomization (MR) study.Methods A two-sample MR study was performed using summarized statistics from the genome-wide association studies (GWAS) conducted in reproductive traits, as well as GWAS data on overall psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and psoriasis vulgaris (PV). Besides univariable MR (UVMR), multivariable MR and two-step MR was used to calculate the independent effects and quantify the proportion mediated by education or body mass index (BMI).Results Genetically predicted early age at first sexual intercourse (AFS) led to an increased risk of overall psoriasis [odds ratio (OR)UVMR: 0.54]; 36.13% of this effect was mediated through BMI and 47.79% through educational attainment. The direct negative casual association between age at first birth (AFB)-PsA was dominant (ORUVMR: 0.76), with 49.61% proportion of the mediation due to BMI. The mediating effect was found for BMI on the AFS-PV relationship, which accounted for 26.27% of the proportion. AFS was inversely associated with the risk of overall psoriasis and PV, with considerable mediation by BMI and educational attainment.Conclusion Early AFB may cause a higher risk of PsA, while the AFS-PsA association was fully mediated by BMI.
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