An outbreak of acute respiratory disease caused by HAdV-55 in Beijing, China, 2020.

Human adenoviruses (HAdVs) can cause acute respiratory diseases (ARDs) worldwide, and HAdV-55 is a reemergent pathogen in recent years. In the study, we investigated an outbreak of ARD at a school due to HAdV-55 in Beijing, China, during the early outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The epidemic prevention team was dispatched to the school to collect epidemiologic data and nasopharyngeal samples. Then, real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and multiplex PCR assays were used to detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and other respiratory pathogens, respectively. One representative HAdV-55 isolate was selected and submitted for whole-genome sequencing using a MiSeq system and the whole-genome phylogenetic tree was conducted based on the maximum likelihood method. The outbreak lasted from January 27 to February 6, 2020, and 108 students developed fever, among whom 60 (55.56%) cases were diagnosed with HAdV-55 infection in the laboratory using real-time PCR and 56 cases were hospitalized. All the confirmed cases had a fever and 11 cases (18.33%) presented with a fever above 39°C. Other main clinical symptoms included sore throat (43.33%) and headache (43.33%). We obtained and assembled the full genome of one isolate, BJ-446, with 34 761 nucleotides in length. HAdV-55 isolate BJ-446 was 99.85% identical to strain QS-DLL, which was the first HAdV-55 strain in China isolated from an ARD outbreak in Shanxi in 2006. One and four amino acid mutations were observed in the hexon gene and the coding region of L2 pV 40.1 kDa protein, respectively. We identified the first HAdV-55 infection associated with the ARD outbreak in Beijing since the emergence of COVID-19. The study suggests that improved surveillance of HAdV is needed, although COVID-19 is still prevalent in the world.

Probiotics for preventing postoperative infection in colorectal cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Postoperative infection has seriously affected the prognosis of cancer patients, while probiotics have been increasingly used to prevent postoperative infection in clinical practice. This study aimed to evaluate the preventive effect of probiotics on infection after colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery. METHODS: Related clinical trial reports were collected from Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library as well as China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases. These reports were then strictly screened, and information as well as data were extracted. Finally, the enrolled studies were evaluated by systematic review and meta-analysis using STATA v11 and Revman v5.2. RESULTS: Probiotics administration contributed to the reduction of overall infection rate after colorectal surgery, with a pooled odds ratio (OR) of 0.51 (95% CI: 0.38-0.68, P = 0.00). Meanwhile, the incidence of incision infection (pooled OR = 0.59, 95% CI 0.39-0.88, P = 0.01) and pneumonia (pooled OR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.32-0.98, P = 0.04) as well as the first flatus time (SMDs = - 0.70, 95% CI - 1.13-- 0.27, P = 0.002) were also reduced by probiotics. In addition, urinary tract infection, anastomotic leakage, and duration of postoperative pyrexia were also analyzed, which displayed no statistical differences compared with those of control. CONCLUSION: Probiotics have potential efficacy on preventing postoperative infection and related complications in cancer patients undergoing colorectal surgery.

Efficient frequency conversion for cubic harmonic generation at 266 nm in centrosymmetric α-BBO crystal.

Direct third-harmonic generation (THG) is a third-order nonlinear process without the restriction to the symmetric characteristic of crystals. It is of great interest for setting up a χ(3) optical parametric oscillator which can be used in multiphoton quantum correlation. To obtain pure and strong THG, we proposed to elect the centrosymmetric crystal with delocalized π bond as the nonlinear media during the frequency conversion process. An unprecedented cubic harmonic energy 37.6 µJ (average power ∼37.6 mW, conversion efficiency ∼2.5%) at 266 nm was generated in α-BBO crystal (not the ß-BBO), indicating direct THG in practical application. These results also demonstrated a succinct and efficient way to generate deep-UV laser and another development direction of nonlinear crystals in UV region.

Evaluation of sample size for laboratory detection during HAdVs outbreaks in China: a systematic review and model research.

Human adenovirus infection is a common cause of upper and lower respiratory illness and easily breaks out in schools and the army. In an adenovirus epidemic, a large number of samples would be collected for laboratory diagnosis, and it is urgent to optimize the current sampling strategy. We researched the application of laboratory detection in the adenovirus epidemic and optimized the range of laboratory pathogen detection in the adenovirus epidemic by summarizing previous theoretical achievements, research reports, and experts' opinions and by using mathematical model tools. Under certain assumptions, a susceptible-infectious-quarantined-recovered (SIQR) model was established to describe the adenovirus epidemic and optimize the range of laboratory pathogen detection. Some standards and implementation rules suggest that when the number of cases is less than 10 or 20, all patients should be sampled for laboratory examination, and when the number of cases is more than 10 or 20, at least 10 or 20 samples should be collected. In practice, the sampling range can be appropriately expanded. A total of 21 studies were analyzed, and the sampling rate of adenovirus infection was 31% (95%CI: 24%~38%). The mathematical model suggested that the screening of asymptomatic people in the latent stage can slow the spreading of the epidemic, but the detection range will be too large. These findings may be helpful for policymaking during an adenovirus epidemic and to avoid proceeding with laboratory testing blindly. Furthermore, it may also provide some guidance for optimizing the sampling strategy of other diseases, especially for respiratory tract infections.

Establishment and evaluation of a theater influenza monitoring platform.

BACKGROUND: Influenza is an acute respiratory infectious disease with a high incidence rate in the Chinese army, which directly disturbs military training and affects soldiers' health. Influenza surveillance systems are widely used around the world and play an important role in influenza epidemic prevention and control. METHODS: As a theater centers for disease prevention and control, we established an influenza monitoring platform (IMP) in 2014 to strengthen the monitoring of influenza-like illness and influenza virus infection. In this study, we introduced the constitution, influenza virus detection, and quality control for an IMP. The monitoring effect was also evaluated by comparing the monitoring data with data from national influenza surveillance systems. The experiences and problems associated with the platform also were summarized. RESULTS: A theater IMP was established based on 3 levels of medical units, including monitoring sites, testing laboratories and a checking laboratory. A series of measures were taken to guarantee the quality of monitoring, such as technical training, a unified process, sufficient supervision and timely communication. The platform has run smoothly for 3 monitoring years to date. In the 2014-2015 and 2016-2017 monitoring years, sample amount coincided with that obtained from the National Influenza Surveillance program. In the 2015-2016 monitoring year, due to the strict prevention and control measures, an influenza epidemic peak was avoided in monitoring units, and the monitoring data did not coincide with that of the National Influenza Surveillance program. Several problems, including insufficient attention, unreasonable administrative intervention or subordination relationships, and the necessity of detection in monitoring sites were still observed. CONCLUSIONS: A theater IMP was established rationally and played a deserved role in the prevention and control of influenza. However, several problems remain to be solved.

Elevated expression of miR-210 predicts poor survival of cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: MiRNAs are important regulators of different biological processes, including tumorigenesis. MiR-210 is a potential prognostic factor for survival in patients with cancer according to previous clinical researches. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the significance of increased miR-210 expression in the prognosis of indicated cancers. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The present systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 researches included 1809 patients with 7 different types of cancers from 7 countries, and aimed to explore the association between miR-210 expression and the survival of cancer patients. Over-expression of miR-210 may predict poor overall survival (OS, HR = 1.33, 95% CI: 0.85-2.09, P = 0.210), but the effect was not significant. While the predictive effect on disease-free survival (DFS, HR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.30-2.74, P = 0.001), progression-free survival (PFS, HR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.05-1.38, P = 0.007) and relapse-free survival(RFS, HR = 4.42, 95% CI: 2.14-9.15, P = 0.000) for patients with breast cancer, primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), renal cancer, soft-tissue sarcoma, pediatric osteosarcoma, bladder cancer or glioblastoma was certain. Subgroup analysis showed the limited predictive effect of over-expressed miR-210 on breast cancer OS (HR = 1.63, 95% CI: 0.47-5.67, P = 0.443), breast cancer DFS (HR = 2.03, 95% CI: 0.90-4.57, P = 0.088), sarcoma OS (HR = 1.24, 95% CI: 0.20-7.89, P = 0.818) and renal cancer OS (HR = 1.16, 95% CI: 0.27-4.94, P = 0.842). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that miR-210 has a predictive effect on survival of patients with studied cancer types as indexed by disease-free survival, progression-free survival and relapse-free survival. While the predictive effect on overall survival, breast cancer overall survival, breast cancer disease-free survival, sarcoma overall survival and renal cancer overall survival was not statistically significant.

Preclinical evaluation of recombinant human IFNα2b-containing magnetoliposomes for treating hepatocellular carcinoma.

Magnetoliposomes are phospholipid vesicles encapsulating magnetic nanoparticles that can be used to encapsulate therapeutic drugs for delivery into specific organs. Herein, we developed magnetoliposomes containing recombinant human IFNα2b, designated as MIL, and evaluated this combination's biological safety and therapeutic effect on both cellular and animal hepatocellular carcinoma models. Our data showed that MIL neither hemolyzed erythrocytes nor affected platelet-aggregation rates in blood. Nitroblue tetrazolium-reducing testing showed that MIL did not change the absolute numbers or phagocytic activities of leukocytes. Acute-toxicity testing also showed that MIL had no devastating effect on mice behaviors. All the results indicated that the nanoparticles could be a safe biomaterial. Pharmacokinetic analysis and tissue-distribution studies showed that MIL maintained stable and sustained drug concentrations in target organs under a magnetic field, helped to increase bioavailability, and reduced administration time. MIL also dramatically inhibited the growth of hepatoma cells. Targeting of MIL in the livers of nude mice bearing human hepatocellular carcinoma showed that MIL significantly reduced the tumor size to 38% of that of the control group. Further studies proved that growth inhibition of cells or tumors was due to apoptosis-signaling pathway activation by human IFNα2b.