Global trends in incidence and death of neonatal disorders and its specific causes in 204 countries/territories during 1990-2019.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal disorders (ND) are a significant global health issue. This article aimed to track the global trends of neonatal disorders in 204 countries/territories from 1990 to 2019. METHODS: Data was explored from the Global Burden of Disease study 2019. Estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) and age-standardized rate (ASR) were calculated to quantify the trends of neonatal disorders and their specific causes, mainly included neonatal preterm birth (NPB), neonatal encephalopathy due to birth asphyxia and trauma (NE), neonatal sepsis and other neonatal infections (NS), and hemolytic disease and other neonatal jaundice (HD). RESULTS: In 2019, there were 23,532.23 × 103 incident cases of ND, and caused 1882.44 × 103 death worldwide. During 1990-2019, trends in the overall age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) of ND was relatively stable, but that of age-standardized death rate (ASDR) declined (EAPC = -1.51, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.66 to -1.36). Meanwhile, decreasing trends of ASDR were observed in most regions and countries, particularly Cook Islands and Estonia, in which the respective EAPCs were -9.04 (95%CI: -9.69 to -8.38) and -8.12 (95%CI: -8.46 to -7.77). Among the specific four causes, only the NPB showed decreasing trends in the ASIR globally (EAPC = -0.19, 95%CI: -0.26 to -0.11). Decreasing trends of ASDR caused by ND underlying specific causes were observed in most regions, particularly the HD in Armenia, with the EAPC was -13.08 (95%CI: -14.04 to -12.11). CONCLUSIONS: Decreasing trends of death caused by neonatal disorders were observed worldwide from 1990 to 2019. However, the burden of neonatal disorders is still a considerable challenge, especially in low-resource settings, which need more effective health strategies.

Non-age-related gait kinematics and kinetics in the elderly.

BACKGROUND: The change of gait kinematics and kinetics along aging were reported to indicate age-related gait patterns. However, few studies focus on non-age-related gait analysis. This study aims to explore the non-age-related gait kinematics and kinetics by comparing gait analysis outcomes among the healthy elderly and young subjects. METHODS: Gait analysis at self-paced was conducted on 12 healthy young subjects and 8 healthy elderly subjects. Kinematic and kinetic features of ankle, knee and hip joints were analyzed and compared in two groups. The degree of variation between the young and elderly in each kinematic or kinetic feature was calculated from pattern distance and percentage of significant difference. The k-means clustering and Elbow Method were applied to select and validate non-age-related features. The average waveforms with standard deviation were plotted for the comparison of the results. RESULTS: A total of five kinematic and five kinetic features were analyzed on ankle, knee and hip joints in healthy young and elderly groups. The degrees of variation in ankle moment, knee angle, hip flexion angle, and hip adduction moment were 0.1074, 0.1593, 0.1407, and 0.1593, respectively. The turning point was where the k value equals two. The clustering centers were 0.1417 and 0.3691, and the two critical values closest to the cutoff were 0.1593 and 0.3037. The average waveforms of the kinematic or kinetic features mentioned above were highly overlapped with a minor standard deviation between the healthy young and elderly but showed larger variations between the healthy and abnormal. CONCLUSIONS: The cluster with a minor degree of variation in kinematic and kinetic features between the young and elderly were identified as non-age-related, including ankle moment, knee angle, hip flexion angle, and hip adduction moment. Non-age-related gait kinematics and kinetics are essential indicators for gait with normal function, which is essential in the evaluation of mobility and functional ability of the elderly, and data fusion of the assistant device.

An engineered genetic circuit for lactose intolerance alleviation.

BACKGROUND: Lactose malabsorption occurs in around 68% of the world's population, causing lactose intolerance (LI) symptoms, such as abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea. To alleviate LI, previous studies have mainly focused on strengthening intestinal ß-galactosidase activity while neglecting the inconspicuous drop in the colon pH caused by the fermentation of non-hydrolyzed lactose by the gut microbes. A drop in colon pH will reduce the intestinal ß-galactosidase activity and influence intestinal homeostasis. RESULTS: Here, we synthesized a tri-stable-switch circuit equipped with high ß-galactosidase activity and pH rescue ability. This circuit can switch in functionality between the expression of ß-galactosidase and expression of L-lactate dehydrogenase in response to an intestinal lactose signal and intestinal pH signal, respectively. We confirmed that the circuit functionality was efficient in bacterial cultures at a range of pH levels, and in preventing a drop in pH and ß-galactosidase activity after lactose administration to mice. An impact of the circuit on gut microbiota composition was also indicated. CONCLUSIONS: Due to its ability to flexibly adapt to environmental variation, in particular to stabilize colon pH and maintain ß-galactosidase activity after lactose influx, the tri-stable-switch circuit can serve as a promising prototype for the relief of lactose intolerance.

Infection of human pegivirus 2 (HPgV-2) is associated with hepatitis C virus but not hepatitis B virus infection in people who inject drugs.

We evaluated the association between human pegivirus-2 (HPgV-2) infection and hepatitis C virus (HCV)/hepatitis B virus (HBV) co-infection in 745 plasma samples collected from HCV-positive but human immunodeficiency virus type one (HIV-1)-negative people who inject drugs in Hunan, China. The prevalence of anti-HPgV-2 was 4.43  % (33/745) and, within this, the HCV 6a genotype showed significantly higher prevalence as compared with the HCV non-6a genotypes, 6.29  % (18/286) vs. 1.69  % (4/236), respectively (P=0.009). HPgV-2 RNA was detected in 2.15  % (16/745), and was not significantly different between the HCV 6a and non-6a genotypes, 2.45  % (7/286) vs. 2.54  % (6/236), respectively (P =0.945). HBV single infection did not increase the risk of HPgV-2 infection. Compared with HCV single infection, HCV/HBV co-infection increased the risk of HPgV-2 infection by about three-fold: odds ratio (OR)=3.24 [95  % confidence interval (CI) 1.34-7.82, P=0.014] according to anti-HPgV-2 positivity or OR=3.51 (95  % CI 1.15-10.74, P=0.051) according to HPgV-2 viraemia. HPgV-2 infection did not increase the levels of liver-specific enzymes. Our study provides new findings regarding the association between HPgV-2 and HCV genotypes as well as HCV/HBV co-infection.

The global incidence and trends of three common flavivirus infections (Dengue, yellow fever, and Zika) from 2011 to 2021.

Background: Flavivirus pose a continued threat to global health, yet their worldwide burden and trends remain poorly quantified. We aimed to evaluate the global, regional, and national incidence of three common flavivirus infections (Dengue, yellow fever, and Zika) from 2011 to 2021. Methods: Data on the number and rate of incidence for the three common flavivirus infection in 204 countries and territories were retrieved from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021. The estimated annual percent change (EAPC) was calculated to quantify the temporal trend during 2011-2016, 2016-2019, and 2019-2021, respectively. Results: In 2021, an estimated 59,220,428 individuals were infected globally, comprising 58,964,185 cases of dengue, 86,509 cases of yellow fever, and 169,734 cases of Zika virus infection. The age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) of the three common flavivirus infections increased by an annual average of 5.08% (95% CI 4.12 to 6.05) globally from 2011 to 2016, whereas decreased by an annual average of -8.37% (95% CI -12.46 to -4.08) per year between 2016 to 2019. The ASIR remained stable during 2019-2021, with an average change of 0.69% (95% CI -0.96 to 2.37) per year globally for the three common flavivirus infections. Regionally, the burden of the three common flavivirus infections was primarily concentrated in those regions with middle income, such as South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Tropical Latin America. Additionally, at the country level, there was an inverted "U" relationship between the SDI level and the ASI. Notably, an increase in the average age of infected cases has been observed worldwide, particularly in higher-income regions. Conclusion: Flavivirus infections are an expanding public health concern worldwide, with considerable regional and demographic variation in the incidence. Policymakers and healthcare providers must stay vigilant regarding the impact of COVID-19 and other environmental factors on the risk of flavivirus infection and be prepared for potential future outbreaks.

The global burden and trends analysis of early-onset colorectal cancer attributable to dietary risk factors in 204 countries and territories, 1990-2019: a secondary analysis for the global burden of disease study 2019.

Background: Rising trends in early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC) burden have been observed, but the distribution and temporal patterns of early-onset CRC attributable to dietary risks remain unclear. Objectives: This study aimed to estimate the burden of early-onset CRC attributable to dietary risk factors globally, regionally, and nationally, by age and sex, from 1990 to 2019. Methods: The absolute number and age-specific rates (ASR) of diet-related early-onset CRC burden, as well as summary exposure value (SEV) of attributable dietary risk factors, were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2019. The temporal changes in the burden between 1990 and 2019 were analyzed by calculating the percentage change in the absolute number of burden and the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) in ASR of burden. The annualized rates of change (ARC) were calculated to evaluate the variation trend of SEV. Results: In 2019, diet-related early-onset CRC caused 30,096 (95% UI: 23,148 to 36,091) death cases and 1,465,755 (95% UI: 1,126,489 to 1,761,661) DALYs worldwide, accounting for 34.8% deaths and 34.4% DALYs of overall early-onset CRC, respectively. Moreover, a diet low in milk (responsible for 16.5% [95% UI: 11.1 to 21.9%] of DALYs in 2019), low in whole grains (15.2% [95% UI: 5.9 to 19.9%]), low in calcium (14.3% [95% UI: 10.7 to 18.9%]), high in red meat (5.3% [95% UI: 1.7 to 9.5%]), high in processed meat (2.5% [95% UI: 0.9 to 4.0%]), and low in fiber (2.3% [95% UI: 0.9 to 4.2%]) were early-onset CRC attributable dietary risk factors. The age-specific DALYs rate of early-onset CRC attributable to each dietary risk factor generally showed an increasing trend globally between 1990 and 2019, except for low intake of fiber (EAPC = -0.57, 95% CI: -0.76 to -0.38). In addition, from 1990 to 2019, males have a higher burden than females and this gap may continue to widen due to the increasing difference between the sexes in most dietary risk factors. Furthermore, dietary risks-attributable early-onset CRC burden has shifted from regions with high socio-demographic index (SDI) to high-middle and middle SDI quintiles with uncontrolled dietary risks. Conclusion: Early-onset CRC remains a concerning issue globally, and effective prevention and modification of dietary risk factors holds great promise to reduce early-onset CRC-related burden. Prioritizing diet improvement for males is critical and urgent for CRC control efforts, particularly for those living in developing countries with ongoing dietary pattern transition.

The overall and smoking-attributable burden of multiple sclerosis among older adults aged 65-89 years from 1990 to 2019 and predictions to 2040.

Background: The global prevalence of aging individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) is increasing. This study aimed to assess the burden and trends of overall and smoking-attributable MS in older adults aged 65-89 years at the global, regional, and national levels. Methods: The number and rates of years of life lived with disability (YLD) and years of life lost (YLL) due to MS for older adults in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019 were retrieved from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2019. Estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) in the age-standardized YLD and YLL rates were calculated to quantify the temporal trends. The Bayesian age-period-cohort model was used to predict the trends from 2020 to 2040. Results: In 2019, there were an estimated 80,040 (95% uncertainty interval 57,534 to 103,608) YLD and 139,132 (107,632 to 161,172) YLL caused by MS among older adults globally. The age-standardized YLD and YLL rates decreased by an average of -0.21% (95% CI -0.26 to -0.16) and - 0.2% (95% CI -0.26 to -0.14) per year for overall MS from 1990 to 2019, respectively. The number of YLL globally in 2019 was 7,891 (5,003 to 10,991) and 15,667 (10,833 to 20,076) due to smoking-attributable MS. The age-standardized YLD and YLL rates decreased by an annual average of -1.14% (95% CI -1.25 to -1.04) and - 1.15% (95% CI -1.27 to -1.03) for MS attributable to smoking. Although the global age-standardized rates of YLD and YLL for MS among older adults declined from 1990 to 2019, many regions showed increases. The largest increase in age-standardized YLD rate of MS was observed in East Asia (average annual change 1.62% [95% CI: 1.56 to 1.68]), while the largest increase in the age-standardized YLL rate occurred in High-income North America (1.74% [1.53 to 1.96]). Nationally, the age-standardized YLD and YLL rates for overall and smoking-attributable MS increased exponentially with increases in SDI level (all model p < 0.001). Furthermore, projections have also indicated an expected decrease in the age-standardized rates of YLD and YLL of MS in the elderly population from 2020 to 2040. Conclusion: Tracking trends in MS burden among older adults provides insights into the potential shifts in disease patterns over time. The findings lay the groundwork for informed decision-making in public health and healthcare delivery, aiming to ensure that older adults with MS receive appropriate care and support.

Global, regional, and national burden and trends analysis of gallbladder and biliary tract cancer from 1990 to 2019 and predictions to 2030: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

Objectives: Our aim was to explore the disease burden caused by gallbladder and biliary tract cancer globally, regionally, and nationally, by age and sex. Methods: The absolute number of cases and age-standardized rates (ASR) of incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) due to gallbladder and biliary tract cancer were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2019. We estimated the trends in disease burden by calculating the percentage change in the absolute number of cases and the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) in ASR, by social development index (SDI), region, nation, sex, and age. Results: From 1990 to 2019, the number of incident cases, prevalent cases, deaths, and DALYs worldwide significantly increased by 1.85-fold, 1.92-fold, 1.82-fold, and 1.68-fold, respectively. However, the age-standardized rates of incidence, prevalence, mortality, and DALYs tend to decrease globally over time. Nevertheless, heterogeneous disease burden patterns exist between geographic regions due to different geographical risk factors, distinct epidemiologically predominant gallbladder and biliary tract cancer subtypes, and potential genetic predispositions or ethnicity. Additionally, socioeconomic status mediates the regional variation in disease burden, with increasing SDI or HDI scores associated with downward trends in the age-standardized rates of incidence, prevalence, mortality, and DALYs. Older individuals and females are at higher risk of gallbladder and biliary tract cancer, but the increasing burden of early-onset gallbladder and biliary tract cancer is a cause for concern, especially for those living in lower SDI areas and males. High BMI is the primary risk factors underlying gallbladder and biliary tract cancer, accounted for 15.2% of deaths and 15.7% DALYs globally in 2019. Conclusion: Our study comprehensively elucidated the distribution and dynamic trends of gallbladder and biliary tract cancer burden over the past three decades, from multiple dimensions. These findings emphasize the importance of promoting a healthy lifestyle as a population-level cancer prevention strategy and tailoring cancer control actions based on localized risk factors and the epidemic profiles of gallbladder and biliary tract cancer by anatomical subtype.

AI-ChatGPT/GPT-4: An Booster for the Development of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in the New Era!

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been driving the continuous development of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) fields. The latest release of ChatGPT/GPT-4 has shown us that AI can potentially transform the healthcare industry. In this study, we propose various ways in which ChatGPT/GPT-4 can display its talents in the field of PM&R in future. ChatGPT/GPT-4 is an essential tool for Physiatrists in the new era.

Bioinformatic analysis and identification of macrophage polarization-related genes in intervertebral disc degeneration.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between macrophage polarization-related genes (MPRGs) and intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is unclear. The purpose of this study was to identify biomarkers associated with IDD. METHODS: Three transcriptome sequencing datasets, GSE124272, GSE70362 and GSE56081 were included in this study. Differential expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained by overlapping DEGs1 from the GSE124272 and DEGs2 from the GSE70362. The key module genes associated with the score of MPRGs were identified by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) in GSE12472. Differentially expressed (DE)-MPRGs were acquired by overlapping key module genes and DEGs. Candidate genes were obtained by SVM-RFE algorithm. Biomarkers were obtained by expression level analysis. In addition, immune analysis, enrichment analysis and construction of a ceRNA network were completed. The blood samples from 9 IDD patients (IDD group) and 9 healthy individuals (Control group) were used to verify the expression levels of these biomarkers through RT-qPCR. RESULTS: A sum of 39 DEGs were obtained by overlapping DEGs1 and DEGs2, and 1,633 key module genes were obtained by WGCNA. 9 DE-MPRGs were obtained by overlapping DEGs and key module genes, and ST6GALNAC2, SMIM3, and IFITM2 were identified as biomarkers. These biomarkers were enriched in KEGG_RIBOSOME pathway. Check-point, Cytolytic_activity, T_cell_co-stimulation, Neutrophils, Th2_cells and TIL differed between IDD and control groups. Some relationships such as SMIM3-hsa-miR-107-LINC02381 were identified in the network. Moreover, the functional analysis results of biomarkers showed that FITM2 and SMIM3 could predict IDD and nociceptive pain. The RT-qPCR showed that ST6GALNAC2 and IFITM2 were significantly expressed in IDD group in contrast to the control group. CONCLUSION: The macrophage polarization related biomarkers (ST6GALNAC2, SMIM3 and IFITM2) were associated with IDD, among which IFITM2 could be considered as a key gene for IDD. This may provide a new direction for the biological treatment and mechanism research into IDD.

Global burden and trends in pre- and post-menopausal gynecological cancer from 1990 to 2019, with Projections to 2040: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The global burden and trends in gynecological cancer (GC) by menopausal status worldwide remain unclear. METHODS: Data on the number of incident cases and deaths, as well as age-standardized rates (ASR) and risk factors for GC in pre- and post-menopausal women were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2019. The estimated annual percent change was calculated to quantify the temporal trend of GC burden by menopausal status between 1990 and 2019. The Bayesian age-period-cohort model was used to predict the trends in age-standardized incidence and mortality rates for pre- and post-menopausal GC during 2020-2040. RESULTS: In 2019, an estimated 400,146 premenopausal and 879,476 postmenopausal GC cases were newly diagnosed worldwide, with approximately 111,420 and 442,821 GC-related deaths occurring in each menopausal group, respectively. The majority of both pre- and post-menopausal GC cases in low- to middle-SDI regions was due to cervical cancer. In high- and high-middle-SDI regions, premenopausal GC was primarily attributed to cervical cancer, while postmenopausal GC was mainly attributed to uterine cancer. Additionally, the contribution of uterine cancer to GC was higher among postmenopausal women than premenopausal women, across all SDI levels and geographical regions. ASIRs either remained stable or increased from 1990 to 2019 worldwide for both pre- and post-menopausal GC (an average change of 0.03% [95% CI -0.02 to 0.08] and 0.09% [0.05 to 0.13] per year, respectively). However, the age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) declined by an annual average of 0.86% (95% CI -0.92 to -0.8) and 0.63% (95% CI -0.66 to -0.6) globally during the same period. The risk-attributable proportion of postmenopausal GC deaths was higher than that of premenopausal GC and increased with increasing SDI. The projections indicate an increasing trend in the burden of premenopausal GC from 2020 to 2040, while the burden of postmenopausal GC is expected to decline. CONCLUSIONS: GC continues to be a significant public health concern worldwide, with notable regional and demographic disparities in the burden based on menopausal status. Policymakers and health-care providers must be proactively aware of these evolving trends and tailor age-appropriate and region-specific screening strategies, as well as allocate resources accordingly.

3D structure-functional design of a biomass-derived photocatalyst for antimicrobial efficacy and chemical degradation under ambient conditions.

Surface sterilization and hazardous chemical degradation under ambient conditions can provide significant benefits for public and environmental health. Materials with sterilization and chemical degradation capacity under sunlight can efficiently reduce infectious disease incidence rates and toxic chemical exposure. Utilizing renewable energy for sustainable sterilization and degradation is more desirable as it reduces the potential secondary contamination. Herein, we report functional structure design using lignin, a renewable carbon heterogeneous polymer, to synthesize a highly efficient and stable photocatalyst that degrades environmentally hazardous organic compounds rapidly. Through a hydrolysis reaction between Ti-OH and the hydroxyl groups of lignin, Ti-O-C and Ti-O-Ti bonds were established and a lignin based photocatalyst with a hollow sphere structure (Clignin@H-TiO2) was formed. The presence of a homozygous carbon modified TiO2 structure contributes to the enhanced photodegradation activity with solar light. The close hetero-interfacial contact between carbonized lignin and TiO2 further improves the photocatalytic efficiency by facilitating effective charge carrier separation. After synthesis optimization, the resulting Clignin@H-TiO2 photocatalyst exhibits excellent performance in the degradation of atenolol under solar light irradiation with 100% degradation within five minutes. Additionally, it efficiently removes approximately 50% of PFOA and kills about 90% of bacteria within three hours. The uniform distribution of lignin within the crosslinking structures ensures a durable carbon modified TiO2 framework, which remains stable after 10 cycles of usage. The robustness of the lignin-based photocatalyst enables incorporating the catalyst into diversified material formats and various usages. Coating of the photocatalyst onto device surfaces shows bacterial killing efficacy under sunlight. The photocatalysts based on lignin valorization present a green chemistry approach for environmental remediation and surface sterilization, which has long-term environmental protection benefits, with broad applications in toxin treatment and health protection against pathogen infection.

SARS-CoV-2 incidence, seroprevalence, and COVID-19 vaccination coverage in the homeless population: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination of homeless people are a serious public health concern during COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to systematically assess SARS-CoV-2 incidence, seroprevalence, and COVID-19 vaccination coverage in homeless people, which are important to inform resource allocation and policy adjustment for the prevention and control of COVID-19. Methods: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and the World Health Organization COVID-19 database for the studies of SARS-CoV-2 incidence, seroprevalence, and COVID-19 vaccination coverage in the homeless population. Subgroup analyses were conducted to pool SARS-CoV-2 incidence and seroprevalence in sheltered homeless, unsheltered homeless, and mixed population, respectively. Potential sources of heterogeneity in the estimates were explored by meta-regression analysis. Results: Forty-nine eligible studies with a total of 75,402 homeless individuals and 5,000 shelter staff were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was 10% (95% CI: 7 to 12%) in the homeless population and 8% (5 to 12%) for shelter staff. In addition, the overall estimated SARS-CoV-2 specific seroprevalence was 19% (8 to 33%) for homeless populations and 22% (3 to 52%) for shelter staff, respectively. Moreover, for the homeless subjects, the pooled incidence was 10% (4 to 23%) for asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections, 6% (1 to 12%) for symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections, 3% (1 to 4%) for hospitalization for COVID-19, and 1% (0 to 2%) for severe COVID-19 cases, respectively while no COVID-19-related death was reported. Furthermore, the data derived from 12 included studies involving 225,448 homeless individuals revealed that the pooled proportion of one dose COVID-19 vaccination was 41% (35 to 47%), which was significantly lower than those in the general population. Conclusion: Our study results indicate that the homeless people remain highly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, but COVID-19 vaccination coverage was lower than the general population, underscoring the need for prioritizing vaccine deployment and implementing enhanced preventive measures targeting this vulnerable group.

Effectiveness of booster vaccination with inactivated COVID-19 vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 infection in Guangdong, China: a cohort study.

The effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines wanes over time and the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant led to the accelerated expansion of efforts for booster vaccination. However, the effect and contribution of booster vaccination with inactivated COVID-19 vaccines remain to be evaluated. We conducted a retrospective close contacts cohort study to analyze the epidemiological characteristics and Omicron infection risk, and to evaluate the effectiveness of booster vaccination with inactivated COVID-19 vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 infection, symptomatic COVID-19, and COVID-19 pneumonia during the outbreaks of Omicron BA.2 infection from 1 February to 31 July 2022 in Guangdong, China. A total of 46,547 close contacts were identified while 6.3% contracted Omicron BA.2 infection, 1.8% were asymptomatic infection, 4.1% developed mild COVID-19, and 0.3% had COVID-19 pneumonia. We found that females and individuals aged 0-17 or ≥ 60 years old were more prone to SARS-CoV-2 infection. The vaccinated individuals showed lower infection risk when compared with the unvaccinated people. The effectiveness of booster vaccination with inactivated COVID-19 vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 infection and symptomatic COVID-19 was 28.6% (95% CI: 11.6%, 35.0%) and 39.6% (95% CI: 30.0, 47.9) among adults aged ≥ 18 years old, respectively when compared with full vaccination. Booster vaccination provided a moderate level of protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection (VE: 49.9%, 95% CI: 22.3%-67.7%) and symptomatic COVID-19 (VE: 62.6%, 95% CI: 36.2%-78.0%) among adults aged ≥ 60 years old. Moreover, the effectiveness of booster vaccination was 52.2% (95% CI: 21.3%, 70.9%) and 83.8% (95% CI: 28.1%, 96.3%) against COVID-19 pneumonia in adults aged ≥ 18 and ≥ 60 years old, respectively. The reduction of absolute risk rate of COVID-19 pneumonia in the booster vaccination group was 0·96% (95% CI: 0.33%, 1.11%), and the number needed to vaccinate to prevent one case of COVID-19 pneumonia was 104 (95% CI: 91, 303) in adults aged ≥ 60 years old. In summary, booster vaccination with inactivated COVID-19 vaccines provides a low level of protection against infection and symptomatic in adults of 18-59 years old, and a moderate level of protection in older adults of more than 60 years old, but a high level of protection against COVID-19 pneumonia in older adults.

Transmission characteristics and inactivated vaccine effectiveness against transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 variant in Shenzhen, China.

We conducted a retrospective cohort study to evaluate the transmission risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron BA.2 variant and the effectiveness of inactivated COVID-19 vaccine boosters in Shenzhen during a BA.2 outbreak period from 1 February to 21 April 2022. A total of 1,248 individuals were infected with the BA.2 variant, and 7,855 close contacts were carefully investigated. The risk factors for the high secondary attack rate of SARS-CoV-2 infection were household contacts [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.748; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.448, 2.110], younger individuals aged 0-17 years (aOR: 2.730; 95% CI: 2.118, 3.518), older persons aged ≥60 years (aOR: 1.342; 95% CI: 1.135, 1.588), women (aOR: 1.442; 95% CI: 1.210, 1.718), and the subjects exposed to the post-onset index cases (aOR: 8.546; 95% CI: 6.610, 11.050), respectively. Compared with the unvaccinated and partially vaccinated individuals, a relatively low risk of secondary attack was found for the individuals who received booster vaccination (aOR: 0.871; 95% CI: 0.761, 0.997). Moreover, a high transmission risk was found for the index cases aged ≥60 years (aOR: 1.359; 95% CI: 1.132, 1.632), whereas a relatively low transmission risk was observed for the index cases who received full vaccination (aOR: 0.642; 95% CI: 0.490, 0.841) and booster vaccination (aOR: 0.676; 95% CI: 0.594, 0.770). Compared with full vaccination, booster vaccination of inactivated COVID-19 vaccine showed an effectiveness of 24.0% (95% CI: 7.0%, 37.9%) against BA.2 transmission for the adults ≥18 years and 93.7% (95% CI: 72.4%, 98.6%) for the adults ≥60 years, whereas the effectiveness was 51.0% (95% CI: 21.9%, 69.3%) for the individuals of 14 days to 179 days after booster vaccination and 51.2% (95% CI: 37.5%, 61.9%) for the non-household contacts. The estimated mean values of the generation interval, serial interval, incubation period, latent period, and viral shedding period were 2.7 days, 3.2 days, 2.4 days, 2.1 days, and 17.9 days, respectively. In summary, our results confirmed that the main transmission route of Omicron BA.2 subvariant was household contact, and booster vaccination of the inactivated vaccines was relatively effective against BA.2 subvariant transmission in older people.

Influence of Combination Antiretroviral Therapy on HIV-1 Serological Responses and Their Implications: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

We aimed to analyze HIV-1 seroreversion caused by combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) and to explore antibody levels of anti-HIV-1 as an alternative biomarker of HIV-1 reservoir. We searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science up to August 2021 for publications about the performance of HIV-1 serological assays or the association between antibody responses against HIV-1 and HIV-1 reservoirs. Potential sources of heterogeneity were explored by meta-regression analysis, including the year of publication, country, pretreatment viral load, sample size, the timing of treatment, time on cART, and principle or type of serological assay. Twenty-eight eligible studies with a total population of 1,883 were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled frequency of HIV-1 seronegativity is 38.0% (95% CI: 28.0%-49.0%) among children with vertical HIV-1 infection and cART initiation at the age of less than 6 months, while the percentage of HIV-1 seronegativity declined to 1.0% (95% CI: 0%-3.0%) when cART was initiated at the age of >6 months. For adult patients, 16.0% (95% CI: 9.0%-24.0%) of them were serologically negative when cART was initiated at acute/early infection of HIV-1, but the seronegative reaction was rarely detected when cART was started at chronic HIV-1 infection. Substantial heterogeneity was observed among the studies to estimate the frequency of HIV-1 seronegativity in the early-cART population (I2 ≥ 70%, p < 0.05 and all), while mild heterogeneity existed for the deferred-cART subjects. Moreover, anti-HIV-1 antibody response positively correlates with HIV-1 reservoir size with a pooled rho of 0.43 (95% CI: 0.28-0.55), suggesting that anti-HIV antibody level may be a feasible biomarker of HIV-1 reservoir size.

Rapid detection and tracking of Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 using CRISPR-Cas12a-based assay.

BACKGROUND: The newly emerged SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern (VOC) Omicron is spreading quickly worldwide, which manifests an urgent need of simple and rapid assay to detect and diagnose Omicron infection and track its spread. METHODS: To design allele-specific CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs) targeting the signature mutations in the spike protein of Omicron variant, and to develop a CRISPR-Cas12a-based assay to specifically detect Omicron variant. RESULTS: Our system showed a low limit of detection of 2 copies per reaction for the plasmid DNA of Omicron variant, and could readily detect Omicron variant in 5 laboratory-confirmed clinical samples and distinguish them from 57 SARS-CoV-2 positive clinical samples (4 virus isolates and 53 oropharyngeal swab specimens) infected with wild-type (N = 8) and the variants of Alpha (N = 17), Beta (N = 17) and Delta (N = 15). The testing results could be measured by fluorescent detector or judged by naked eyes. In addition, no cross-reaction was observed when detecting 16 clinical samples infected with 9 common respiratory pathogens. CONCLUSIONS: The rapid assay could be easily set up in laboratories already conducting SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid amplification tests and implemented routinely in resource-limited settings to monitor and track the spread of Omicron variant.

Anaphylaxis induced by intra-articular injection of chitosan: A case report and literature review.

Generally, we consider chitosan being a safe, nontoxic natural polymer with wide clinical applications. However, allergic reactions caused by chitosan have been reported on rare occasions. We report here a case of allergy and perform a literature review.

Effectively auto-regulated adsorption and recovery of rare earth elements via an engineered E. coli.

Conventional mining processes of rare earth elements (REEs) usually produce REEs-rich industrial waterwastes, which leads to a significant waste of REEs resources and causes serious environmental pollution. Biosorption using engineered microorganisms is an attractive technology for the recovery of REEs from aqueous solution. To regulate the REEs' adsorption and recovery by sensing extraneous REEs, an engineered cascaded induction system, pmrCAB operon containing a lanthanide-binding tag (LBT) for sensing REEs, was incorporated into E. coli in conjunction with a silica-binding protein (Si-tag) and dLBT anchored onto the cell membrane. The sensing and adsorption capacities for Terbium (Tb), a typical study subject of REEs, were enhanced by screening an effective LBT and increasing the dLBT copy number. The adsorption capacity for Tb reached the highest reported value of 41.9 mgg-1 dry cell weight (DCW). After adhering the engineered cells onto the silica column surface through overexpressed Si-tag, a high recovering efficiency (> 90%) of Tb desorption could be obtained with 3 bed volumes of citrate solution. In addition, the engineered cells also possessed fairly good adsorption capacity of other tested REEs. Our findings showed that the recovery of REEs with high efficiency, selectivity and controllability from aqueous solution can be well achieved via specifically bio-engineered strains.

Spatial and Temporal Trends in HIV/AIDS Burden Among Worldwide Regions From 1990 to 2019: A Secondary Analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

Purpose: HIV/AIDS is a critical public health concern worldwide. This article investigated the spatial and temporal trends in HIV/AIDS burden from 1990 to 2019. Methods: Data were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2019. The estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) and the age-standardized rate (ASR) were used to quantify the change in trends at the global, regional, and national levels. Results: In terms of temporal trends, during the period 1990-2004, increasing trends in prevalence (EAPC = 7.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.84, 9.12), death (EAPC = 10.85, 95% CI 8.90-12.84), and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) (EAPC = 10.40, 95% CI 8.47-12.36) of HIV/AIDS were observed. During the period 2005-2019, the global trends in HIV/AIDS incidence, death, and DALYs of HIV/AIDS decreased, with the EAPCs of -2.68 (95% CI-2.82--2.53), -6.73 (95% CI -6.98--6.47), and -6.75 (95% CI -6.95--6.54), respectively. However, the disease prevalence showed a slight increasing trend (EAPC = 0.71, 95% CI 0.54-0.87). In terms of spatial trends, over the past 15 years, trends in HIV/AIDS incidence of HIV/AIDS appeared upward in High-middle and High sociodemographic index (SDI) areas (EAPC = 6.51, 95% CI 5.50-7.53; EAPC = 2.31, 95% CI 2.02-2.60, respectively). Conclusion: Decreasing trends in HIV/AIDS incidence, death, and DALYs have been observed worldwide over the past 15 years, especially in death and DALYs rates. However, the global population living with HIV/AIDS is still increasing. It is worth noting that an unfavorable trend emerged in High-middle and High SDI areas. Prevention and control of HIV/AIDS still need to be strengthened to counteract these concerning trends.