The Epidemiological Characteristics of Mpox Cases - China, 2023.

What is already known about this topic?: Since May 2022, a global outbreak of mpox has emerged in more than 100 non-endemic countries. As of December 2023, over 90,000 cases had been reported. The outbreak has predominantly affected men who have sex with men (MSM), with sexual contact identified as the principal mode of transmission. What is added by this report?: Since June 2023, China has faced an occurrence of mpox, predominantly affecting the MSM population. Approximately 90% of those affected reported engaging in homosexual behavior within 21 days prior to symptom onset, a trend that aligns with the global outbreak pattern. The prompt identification of cases, diligent tracing of close contacts, and the implementation of appropriate management strategies have successfully mitigated the spread of mpox virus in China. What are the implications for public health practice?: We propose that mpox is transmitted locally within China. Drawing from our experiences in controlling the virus spread, it is crucial to investigate and formulate effective surveillance and educational strategies. Importantly, we must encourage high-risk populations to promptly seek medical care upon the onset of symptoms.

A chimeric influenza virus vaccine expressing fusion protein epitopes induces protection from human metapneumovirus challenge in mice.

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a common virus associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome in pediatric patients. There are no HMPV vaccines or therapeutics that have been approved for prevention or treatment. In this study, we constructed a novel recombinant influenza virus carrying partial HMPV fusion protein (HMPV-F), termed rFLU-HMPV/F-NS, utilizing reverse genetics, which contained (HMPV-F) in the background of NS segments of influenza virus A/PuertoRico/8/34(PR8). The morphological characteristics of rFLU-HMPV/F-NS were consistent with the wild-type flu virus. Additionally, immunofluorescence results showed that fusion proteins in the chimeric rFLU-HMPV/F-NS could work well, and the virus could be stably passaged in SPF chicken embryos. Furthermore, intranasal immunization with rFLU-HMPV/F-NS in BALB/c mice induced robust humoral, mucosal and Th1-type dominant cellular immune responses in vivo. More importantly, we discovered that rFLU-HMPV/F-NS afforded significant protective efficacy against the wild-type HMPV and influenza virus challenge, with significantly attenuated pathological changes and reduced viral titers in the lung tissues of immunized mice. Collectively, these findings demonstrated that chimeric recombinant rFLU-HMPV/F-NS as a promising HMPV candidate vaccine has potentials for the development of HMPV vaccine.

Direct laser cooling the NH molecule with the pseudo-closed loop triplet-triplet transition including intervening electronic states.

Direct laser cooling molecule is useful way to obtain the accurate molecular spectroscopy. However, most of the reported direct laser cooling schemes are only involved the molecules with a singlet or doublet ground state because the one with a triplet ground state is more complex, especially when the first-excited state is not suitable for the pseudo-closed loop transition. Using NH as the prototype of the simplest heteronuclear molecule with a triplet ground state, we focus on constructing the direct laser cooling scheme with a pseudo-closed loop triplet-triplet transition including intervening electronic states. The potential energy curves and transition dipole moments are calculated for the X3Σ-, a1Δ, b1Σ+, and A3Π states by using the multireference configuration interaction including spin-orbit coupling with the aug-cc-pV5Z basis sets. The rotational and vibrational energy levels of each electronic state are obtained by solving the Schrödinger equation of nuclear motion with the obtained potential energy curves. A two-color laser cooling scheme is established based on the 3Π1 â†’ X3Σ- transition because the highly diagonal Franck-Condon factors make the transition suitable for constructing the pseudo-closed loop transition. The radiative lifetimes, the Doppler temperature, and the recoil temperature are calculated to access the cooling effect of the optical scheme. The results demonstrate that the 3Π1 â†’ X3Σ- transition is much superior to the other transitions and the intervening a1Δ and b1Σ+ will not significantly impact the pseudo-closed loop transition of the laser cooling scheme. The accumulate FCF reach 0.99996 implies that about 25,000 scattering photons are available before leaking, which can cool the NH molecule to the Doppler temperature of 20.2 µK.

Association of Adolescent Obesity with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Related Risk Factors in Xi 'an, China.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: To investigate the association of adolescent obesity with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and related risk factors in Xi'an, China. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 4141 adolescents (2,061 girls and 2,080 boys, mean age: 18.62 ± 0.66 years, age range 15-22 years) were enrolled in this investigation. Anthropometric index was measured, and liver ultrasonography and liver function biochemical test were performed in all the subjects. T test, χ2 test and logistic regression analysis were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: The total rates of obesity was 7.9% (08/4,141). The prevalence rate of NAFLD was 8.1% (335/4141) with a declining trend from obesity, overweight to normal BMI. NAFLD prevalence rate in obese boys was significantly higher than in girls (χ2 = 56.5, P < 0.01). BMI, body weight, ALT, and AST in NAFLD group were higher than in non-NAFLD group (P < 0.05). The tangent point of ALT was 36 U/L using Youden index in boys, and 33 U/L in girls. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of obesity and NAFLD in adolescents is higher in Xi'an than anticipated. Body weight and BMI may be the associated independent risk factors of NAFLD.