Comprehensive overview of antibiotic distribution, risk and priority: A study of large-scale drinking water sources from the lower Yangtze River.

Antibiotics have attracted widespread attention around the world because they are ubiquitous in the environment and can lead to antibiotic-resistant microbes developing and pose ecotoxicological risks. In this study, we determined the spatiotemporal distributions of 39 antibiotics in 19 drinking water sources in Jiangsu area of the lower Yangtze River and attempted to identify the sources of the antibiotics and to prioritize the antibiotics. The total antibiotic concentrations in spring and fall were 234.56-6515.99 and 151.12-2562.59 ng/L, respectively. In spring, the total antibiotic concentration gradually increased from upstream to downstream. In fall, the antibiotic concentration did not markedly vary upstream to downstream (total concentrations 151.12-432.17 ng/L) excluding site S9 and S10. Analysis using a positive matrix factorization (PMF) model indicated that the antibiotics had four main sources. Pharmaceutical wastewater was the main source, contributing 34.1% and 41.2% of total antibiotics in spring and fall, respectively, and domestic wastewater was the second most important source, contributing 24.4% and 43% of total antibiotics in spring and fall, respectively. Pharmaceutical wastewater was the main source from midstream to downstream, but the other sources made different contributions in different areas because of the various ranges of human activities. An ecological risk assessment was performed. Stronger risks were posed by antibiotics in spring than fall, and fluoroquinolone antibiotics posed the strongest risks. Optimized risk quotients indicated that norfloxacin was a high-risk contaminant. An assessment of the risk of resistance development indicated that norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and enrofloxacin posed moderate to high risks of resistance development and should be prioritized for risk management. The results of this study are important reference data for identifying key sources of antibiotics and developing strategies to manage antibiotic contamination in similar areas.

Spatiotemporal distribution and ecological risk assessment of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) from Luoma Lake, an important node of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project.

PPCPs (pharmaceuticals and personal care products) are widely found in the environment and can be a risk to human and ecosystem health. In this study, spatiotemporal distribution, critical risk source identification and potential risks of 14 PPCPs found in water collected from sampling points in Luoma Lake and its inflowing rivers in two seasons in 2019 and 2020 were investigated. The PPCPs concentrations ranged from 27.64 ng·L-1 to 613.08 ng·L-1 in December 2019, and from 16.67 ng·L-1 to 3287.41 ng·L-1 in April 2020. Ketoprofen (KPF) dominated the PPCPs with mean concentrations of 125.85 ng·L-1 and 640.26 ng·L-1, respectively. Analysis of sources showed that the pollution in Luoma Lake mostly originated from sewage treatment plant effluents, inflowing rivers and domestic wastewater. Among them, the inflowing rivers contributed the most (82.95%) to the concentration of total PPCPs. The results of ecological risk assessment showed that there was a moderate risk (0.1 < RQs < 1) from carbamazepine (CBZ) in December 2019 and a high risk (RQs > 1) from naproxen (NPX) in April 2020. The results of human risk assessment found that NPX posed a high risk to infant health, and we found that NPX was associated with 83 diseases according to Comparative Toxicogenomics Database. NPX was identified as a substance requiring major attention. The results provide an understanding of the concentrations and ecological risks of PPCPs in Luoma Lake. We believe the data will support environmental departments to develop management strategies and prevent PPCPs pollution.

Adverse events following immunization with bivalent oral poliovirus vaccine in Jiangsu, China.

AIMS: The bivalent oral poliovirus vaccine (bOPV; Sabin types 1 and 3) replaced the trivalent OPV (Sabin types 1, 2 and 3) globally in April 2016. A routine schedule of 1 dose of inactivated poliovirus vaccine and 3 subsequent doses of bOPV was implemented in Jiangsu simultaneously. The schedule was changed to 2 inactivated poliovirus vaccines + 2 bOPV on 1 September 2019. Although OPV type 2 has been removed, challenges persist because of adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) with bOPV. Therefore, we analysed and evaluated the safety profile of bOPV administered in children based on passive postmarketing AEFI surveillance. METHODS: We collected all bOPV-related AEFI reports in Jiangsu from the Chinese National AEFI Information System (CNAEFIS) between May 2016 and April 2020. We obtained the administered doses of bOPV from the Jiangsu Provincial Electronic Immunization Registries System. A descriptive analysis was performed. RESULTS: In total, 2084 bOPV-related AEFIs were retrieved from the CNAEFIS. The overall reporting rate was 24.16 per 100 000 doses. Most AEFIs were nonserious. The most frequently reported symptoms were fever, rash and gastrointestinal disorders. Only 1.34% of AEFIs were serious, which thrombocytopenic purpura accounted for the largest category. Seventeen serious adverse events, including 2 vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis (VAPP) cases, were considered to be related to bOPV vaccination. The rate of VAPP was 0.2 per million doses. CONCLUSION: AEFI analysis showed that bOPV was well tolerated. The events most frequently reported were nonserious. However, bOPV can still cause VAPP. Attention should be given to risks related to bOPV.

[Evaluation of safety of haemophilus influenza type b(Hib) conjugate vaccine in postmarketing based on the immunization information management system].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the occurrence feature of adverse events following immunization (AEFI) of Hib conjugate vaccine (HibCV) and to evaluate the safety of HibCV in postmarketing. METHODS: 2008-2013 HibCV AEFI data were collected through national AEFI information management system, which were downloaded in March 18, 2014.The demographic information and inoculation quantity of HibCV were from Immunization information management system in Jiangsu province. The incidence rate and 95% CI value of AEFI, common vaccine reaction and rare vaccine reaction following immunization of HibCV were calculated. The differences in the incidence rate of common vaccine reaction and rare vaccine reaction among sex, months of age, and number of injections were compared by means of (χ² tests. RESULTS: A total of 6.16 million doses of vaccine were administered in Jiangsu province during 2008-2013, and 4 718 vaccinees reported having adverse event, for a rate of 76.60/100 000 (95% CI: 74.42/100 000-78.79/100 000). The incidence rate of common vaccine reaction and rare vaccine reaction was 71.10/100 000 (95% CI: 68.99/100 000-73.20/100 000) and 5.16/100 000 (95% CI: 4.60/100 000-5.73/100 000), respectively. The main symptoms of common vaccine reactions were fever, swelling, indurations and gastrointestinal reactions. The incidence rates of them were 40.54/100 000, 35.09/100 000, 12.94/100 000 and 0.36/100 000 in turn. The main symptoms of rare vaccine reactions were anaphylactic rashes and angioedema, the incidence rates of which were 4.77/100 000 and 0.15/100 000 respectively. 91.39% (4 002/4 379) of common vaccine reactions and 88.36% (281/318) of rare vaccine reactions happened within 1 d after vaccination. Anaphylactic shock (3 cases) and laryngeal edema (1 case) all happened within 1 d after vaccination. The incidence rate of common vaccine reactions among boys (79.72/100 000, 2 641/3 313 071) was higher than that of girls (61.07/100 000, 1 738/2 846 001) (χ² = 74.92, P < 0.001). The incidence rate of common vaccine reactions among children aged ≥ 12 month-old (86.82/100 000, 2 200/2 533 949) was higher than that among children aged 2-11 month-old (60.11/100 000, 2 179/3 625 123) (χ² = 149.79, P < 0.001). The incidence rate of common vaccine reactions in children vaccinated the first dose (78.93/100 000, 2 666/3 377 614) was higher than that in children vaccinated the second or third or fourth dose (61.59/100 000, 1 713/2 781 458) (χ² = 64.59, P < 0.001). The incidence rate of rare vaccine reactions in children vaccinated the first dose (6.69/100 000, 226/3 377 614) was higher than that in children vaccinated the second or third or fourth dose (3.31/100 000, 92/2 781 458) (χ² = 33.82, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The safety of HibCV among children was relative good. However, the surveillance should still focus on the anaphylactoid reactions of anaphylactic shock and laryngeal edema after HibCV immunization.

Toxic Effects of Bt-(Cry1Ab+Vip3Aa) Maize on Storage Pest Paralipsa gularis (Zeller).

Paralipsa gularis (Zeller) is a storage pest; however, in recent years it has evolved into a considerable maize pest during the late growth stage in the border region between China and other Southeast Asian countries. Bt transgenic insect-resistant maize is an effective measure in controlling a wide range of lepidopteran pests, but there is a lack of research on the toxic effects of storage pests. We tested the toxicity of Bt-Cry1Ab, Vip3Aa, and their complex proteins against P. gularis via bioassay and investigated the efficiency of Bt-(Cry1Ab+Vip3Aa) maize in controlling P. gularis during the late growth stage of maize in the period 2022-2023. The bioassay results show that the susceptibilities of P. gularis to the two Bt proteins and their complex proteins were significantly different. The LC50 values of DBNCry1Ab ("DBN9936" event), DBNVip3Aa ("DBN9501" event), DBN Cry1Ab+Vip3Aa ("DBN3601T" event), and Syngenta Cry1Ab+Vip3Aa ("Bt11" event × "MIR162" event) were 0.038 µg/g, 0.114 µg/g, 0.110 µg/g, and 0.147 µg/g, and the GIC50 values were 0.014 µg/g, 0.073 µg/g, 0.027 µg/g, and 0.026 µg/g, respectively. Determination of the expression content of the insecticidal protein in different tissues of Bt-(Cry1Ab+Vip3Aa) maize shows that the total Bt protein content in different tissues was in the following order: stalk > bract > cob > kernel. However, the bioassay results show that the mortalities of P. gularis feeding on Bt-(Cry1Ab+Vip3Aa) maize in different tissues at different growth stages were all above 93.00%. The field trial indicates that the occurrence density of larvae and plant damage rate for conventional maize were 422.10 individuals/100 plants and 94.40%, respectively, whereas no larvae were found on Bt-(Cry1Ab+Vip3Aa) maize. In summary, this study implies that Bt-(Cry1Ab+Vip3Aa) maize has a high potential for control of P. gularis, providing a new technical measure for the management of the pest.

Development of efficient and economic Bi2O3/BN/Co3O4 composite photocatalyst: Degradation mechanism, pathway and toxicity study of norfloxacin.

The production of cheap, efficient, and stable photocatalysts for degrading antibiotic contaminants remains challenging. Herein, Bi2O3/boron nitride (BN)/Co3O4 ternary composites were synthesized using the impregnation method. The morphological characteristics, structural features, and photochemical properties of the prepared photocatalysts were investigated via X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and ultraviolet-visible (Vis) diffuse reflectance spectrum techniques. BN was used as a charge transfer bridge in the ternary composites, which afforded a heterojunction between the two semiconductors. The formation of the heterojunction substantially enhanced the charge separation and improved the photocatalyst performance. The degradation activity of the Bi2O3/BN/Co3O4 ternary composites against norfloxacin (NOR) under Vis light irradiation was investigated. The degradation rate of NOR using 5-wt% Bi2O3/BN/Co3O4 reached 98% in 180 min, indicating excellent photocatalytic performance. The ternary composites also exhibited high photostability with a degradation efficiency of 88.4% after five cycles. Hydroxyl radicals (•OH), superoxide radicals (•O2-), and holes (h+) played a synergistic role in the photocatalytic reaction, where h+ and •O2- were more important than •OH. Consequently, seven intermediates and major photocatalytic degradation pathways were identified. Toxicity experiments showed that the toxicity of the degradation solution to Chlorella pyrenoidosa decreased. Finally, the ecotoxicity of NOR and its intermediates were analyzed using the Toxicity Estimation Software Tool, with most intermediates exhibiting low toxicity.

Biochar loaded with ferrihydrite and Bacillus pseudomycoides enhances remediation of co-existed Cd(II) and As(III) in solution.

Bioremediation is one of the effective ways for heavy metal remediation. Iron-modified biochar (F@BC) loaded with Bacillus pseudomycoides (BF@BC) was synthesized to remove the coexistence of cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) in solutions. The results showed that B. pseudomycoides significantly increased the removal rate of Cd(II) by enhancing the specific surface area and Si-containing functional groups of biochar (BC). The surface of F@BC was enriched with Fe-containing functional groups, significantly improving As(III) adsorption. The combination of ferrihydrite and strains on BF@BC enhanced the removal of Cd(II) and As(III). It also promoted the oxidation of As(III) by producing an abundance of hydroxyl radicals (·OH). The maximum saturated adsorption capacity of BF@BC for Cd(II) and As(III) increased by 52.47% and 2.99 folds compared with BC, respectively. This study suggests that biochar loaded with Fe and bacteria could be sustainable for the remediation of the coexistence of Cd(II) and As(III) in solutions.

Relative effectiveness of a heterologous booster dose with adenovirus type 5 vectored COVID-19 vaccine versus three doses of inactivated COVID-19 vaccine in adults during a nationwide outbreak of omicron predominance, in China: a retrospective, individually matched cohort-control study.

Effectiveness of heterologous booster regimes with ad5 vectored COVID-19 vaccine in a large, diverse population during the national-scale outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 omicron predominance in China has not been reported, yet. We conducted a large-scale cohort-control study in six provinces in China, and did a retrospective survey on the COVID-19 attack risk during this outbreak. Participant aged ≥18 years in five previous trials who were primed with 1 to 3 doses of ICV received heterologous booster with either intramuscular or orally inhaled ad5 vectored COVID-19 vaccine were included in the heterologous-trial cohort. We performed propensity score-matching at a ratio of 1:4 to match participants in the heterologous-trial cohort individually with the community individuals who received three-dose of ICV as a control (ICV-community cohort). From February 4 to April 10, 2023, 41504 (74.5%) of 55710 individuals completed the survey. The median time since the most recent vaccination to the onset of the symptoms of COVID-19 was 303.0 days (IQR 293.0-322.0). The attack rate of COVID-19 in the heterologous-trial cohort was 55.8%, while that in the ICV-community cohort was 64.6%, resulting in a relative effectiveness of 13.7% (95% CI 11.9 to 15.3). In addition, a higher relative effectiveness against COVID-19 associated outpatient visits, and admission to hospital was demonstrated, which was 25.1% (95% CI 18.9 to 30.9), and 48.9% (95% CI 27.0 to 64.2), respectively. The heterologous booster with ad5 vectored COVID-19 vaccine still offered some additional protection in preventing COVID-19 breakthrough infection versus homologous three-dose regimen with ICV, 10 months after vaccination.

Reducing Interface Defects and Porosity of Adhesive Bonded Aluminum Alloy Joints via Ultrasonic Vibration.

The surface microstructure formed by physical or chemical modification is essential for the desired joint strength. However, defects in the bonding interface and adhesive can be found. Such defects decrease shear strength and durability. In this study, ultrasonic vibration was applied to liquid adhesive on the sandblasted aluminum alloy plates. With ultrasonic treatment, the joints obtained the compact bonding interfaces and lower porosity of the adhesive layer. The treatment improved the shear strength by 9.1%. After two weeks of hydrothermal aging, the shear strength of joints only sandblasted decreased drastically by 48.9%, while it was 14% for the joints with ultrasonic vibration. The cavitation effect in the adhesive was detected by the aluminum foil erosion method. The result showed that a great number of micro-jets generated by the cavitation effect have intensive impact on the bonding interface which provide the adhesive with powerful force to fill the micro-grooves. Another finding in this work is that bubbles were gathered in the adhesive away from the vibration area. This mechanism was successfully used to reduce the porosity of the adhesive layer of joints.

Pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes during the landfill leachate treatment process: Occurrence, fate, and impact on groundwater.

Landfill leachate is an essential source of pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment. However, information on the removal behavior of pathogens and ARGs during the leachate treatment and the impact on surrounding groundwater is limited. In this study, we investigated the effects of leachate treatment on the removal of pathogens and ARGs with metagenomic sequencing, as well as the impact of landfill effluent on groundwater. It is shown that the leachate treatment could not completely remove pathogens and ARGs. Twenty-nine additional pathogens and twenty-nine ARGs were newly identified in the landfill effluent. The relative abundance of pathogens and multiple antibiotic resistance genes decreased after ultrafiltration but relative abundance increased after reverse osmosis. In addition, the relative abundances of Acinetobacter baumannii, Erwinia amylovora, Escherichia coli, Fusarium graminearum, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Magnaporthe oryzae, as well as mdtH, VanZ, and blaOXA-53 increased significantly in the landfill effluent compared to the untreated leachate. The relative abundance of some mobile genetic elements (tniA, tniB, tnpA, istA, IS91) in leachate also increased after ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis. The size of pathogens, the size and properties of ARGs and mobile genetic elements, and the materials of ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis membranes may affect the removal effect of pathogens, ARGs and mobile genetic elements in leachate treatment process. Interestingly, the pathogens and ARGs in landfill effluent were transferred to groundwater according to SourceTracker. The ARGs, mobile genetic elements, and pathogens that are difficult to remove in the leachate treatment process, provide a reference for optimizing the leachate treatment process and improving the control of pathogens and ARGs. Furthermore, this study clarifies the effect of landfill leachate sources of pathogens and ARGs in groundwater.

Trends in disease burden of hepatitis B infection in Jiangsu Province, China, 1990-2021.

Background: The incidence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) has decreased year by year in China after the expansion of vaccination, but there is still a high disease burden in Jiangsu Province of China. Methods: The year-by-year incidence data of HBV in Jiangsu Province from 1990 to 2021 were collected. The incidence rates of males and females age groups were clustered by systematic clustering, and the incidence rates of each age group were analyzed and studied by using Joinpoint regression model and age-period-cohort effect model (APC). Results: Joinpoint regression model and APC model showed a general decrease in HBV prevalence in both males and females. In addition, the results of the APC model showed that the age, period, and cohort effects of patients all affected the incidence of HBV, and the incidence was higher in males than in females. The incidence is highest in the population between the ages of 15 and 30 years (mean: 21.76/100,000), especially in males (mean: 31.53/100,000) than in females (mean:11.67/100,000). Another high-risk group is those over 60 years of age (mean: 21.40/100,000), especially males (mean: 31.17/100,000) than females (mean: 11.63/100,000). The period effect of the APC model suggests that HBV vaccination is effective in reducing the incidence of HBV in the population. Conclusions: The incidence of HBV in Jiangsu Province showed a gradual downward trend, but the disease burden in males was higher than that in females. The incidence is higher and increasing rapidly in the population between the ages of 15 and 30 years and people over 60 years of age. More targeted prevention and control measures should be implemented for males and the elderly.

Comparative physiological, metabolomic, and transcriptomic analyses reveal mechanisms of apple dwarfing rootstock root morphogenesis under nitrogen and/or phosphorus deficient conditions.

Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are essential phytomacronutrients, and deficiencies in these two elements limit growth and yield in apple (Malus domestica Borkh.). The rootstock plays a key role in the nutrient uptake and environmental adaptation of apple. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of N and/or P deficiency on hydroponically-grown dwarfing rootstock 'M9-T337' seedlings, particularly the roots, by performing an integrated physiological, transcriptomics-, and metabolomics-based analyses. Compared to N and P sufficiency, N and/or P deficiency inhibited aboveground growth, increased the partitioning of total N and total P in roots, enhanced the total number of tips, length, volume, and surface area of roots, and improved the root-to-shoot ratio. P and/or N deficiency inhibited NO3 - influx into roots, and H+ pumps played a important role in the response to P and/or N deficiency. Conjoint analysis of differentially expressed genes and differentially accumulated metabolites in roots revealed that N and/or P deficiency altered the biosynthesis of cell wall components such as cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and pectin. The expression of MdEXPA4 and MdEXLB1, two cell wall expansin genes, were shown to be induced by N and/or P deficiency. Overexpression of MdEXPA4 enhanced root development and improved tolerance to N and/or P deficiency in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants. In addition, overexpression of MdEXLB1 in transgenic Solanum lycopersicum seedlings increased the root surface area and promoted acquisition of N and P, thereby facilitating plant growth and adaptation to N and/or P deficiency. Collectively, these results provided a reference for improving root architecture in dwarfing rootstock and furthering our understanding of integration between N and P signaling pathways.

Post-marketing safety surveillance for both CRM197 and TT carrier proteins PCV13 in Jiangsu, China.

Background: This study is to evaluate the safety of two kinds of PCV13 carriers by monitoring the occurrence of adverse event following immunization (AEFI) after the launch of two kinds of PCV13 carriers in Jiangsu Province, China. Methods: The AEFI Information System (CNAEFIS) of mainland China was used to monitor the incidence and classification of adverse reactions of the CRM197-carrier protein PCV13 and TT-carrier protein PCV13 vaccines. Results: There was no statistical difference between the cumulative reported incidence of AEFI between the two vaccines from 2020 to 2022 (χ2 = 1.991, p < 0.158). 96.62% of the AEFIs were classified as common reactions; rare reactions and coincidental events only accounted for 2.99 and 0.39% of all the AEFI cases, respectively. Redness (2.6 cm-5 cm) is the commonest symptom at the injection site for both vaccines. More than 97% of AEFIs occurred between 30 min and 3 days after administration for both types of PCV13. Conclusion: Both vaccines perform well in terms of safety. We did not identify any new/unexpected safety concern from the NAEFISS during a 4 years timespan.

Occurrence and distribution of antibiotics in coastal water of the Taizhou Bay, China: impacts of industrial activities and marine aquaculture.

The occurrence, spatial distribution, and source analysis of antibiotics in global coastal waters and estuaries are not well documented or understood. Therefore, the distribution of 14 antibiotics in inflowing river and bay water of Taizhou Bay, East China Sea, was studied. Thirteen antibiotics, excluding roxithromycin (ROM), were all detected in inflowing river and bay water. The total antibiotic concentrations in bay water ranged from 3126.62 to 26,531.48 ng/L, which were significantly higher than those in the inflowing river (17.20-25,090.25 ng/L). Macrolides (MAs) and sulfonamides (SAs) were dominant in inflowing river (accounting for 24.40% and 74.9% of the total antibiotic concentrations, respectively), while SAs in bay water (93.6% of the total concentrations). Among them, clindamycin (CLI) (concentration range: ND-8414 ng/L, mean 1437.59 ng/L) and sulfadimidine (SMX) (ND-25,184.00 ng/L, mean concentrations: 9107.88 ng/L) were the highest in those surface water samples. Source analysis showed that MAs and SAs in the inflowing river mainly came from the wastewater discharge of the surrounding residents and pharmaceutical companies, while SAs in the bay water mainly came from surrounding industrial activities and mariculture. However, the contribution of the inflowing river to the bay water cannot be ignored. The risk assessment showed that SMX and ofloxacin (OFX) have potential ecological risks. These data will support the various sectors of the environment in developing management strategies and to prevent antibiotic pollution.

Study on Curing Kinetics and the Mechanism of Ultrasonic Curing of an Epoxy Adhesive.

Ultrasonic curing is an effective way to enhance the curing extent of composite material bonding in the aerospace industry. The non-thermal effect of ultrasonic has been revealed to improve curing efficiency. However, the mechanism of the ultrasonic non-thermal effect is still not clear. In this work, a variable activation energy model of ultrasonic curing was established by utilizing the iso-conversional method, including the activation energy of the thermal effect and activation energy of the non-thermal effect. The thermal effect caused by ultrasonic was accurately peeled off. An obvious decrease in activation energy was found from 54 kJ/mol in thermal curing to 38 kJ/mol in ultrasonic curing. The activation energy of the reaction system in ultrasonic curing was substituted into the modified Kamal autocatalytic equation, and the parameters of the ultrasonic curing kinetic model were estimated by means of an ALO algorithm. Further discussion based on in situ FTIR showed that the non-thermal effect of ultrasonic can affect the vibration strength, stability, and chemical bond energy of internal groups, but cannot cause the fracture of chemical bonds. Moreover, frontier molecular orbital analysis showed that the chemical reactivity of epoxy/amine molecules increased and the HOMO-LUMO energy gap decreased from 6.511 eV to 5.617 eV under the effect of ultrasonic.

Finely tuned polyamide structure with green plasticizers to construct ultrafast water channels for effective desalination.

Highly permeable reverse osmosis (RO) membranes are desirable for alleviating the energy burden and ensuring future water sustainability. Herein, the effectiveness of green plasticizer-assisted interfacial polymerization (GPAIP) for preparing polyamide thin-film composite (TFC) RO membranes with significantly enhanced water permeability was demonstrated. The presence of green citrate plasticizers, namely tributyl citrate (TBC) or acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC), led to the formation of new hydrogen bonds and inhibited the formation of the initial interchain amide-amide bonding, thus markedly reducing chain rigidity as demonstrated by the decreased elasticity modulus. More flexible polyamide chains resulted in the creation of more ultrafast water channels during filtration. Furthermore, TBC-modified membranes exhibited more elastic polyamide layers and higher water flux than that of ATBC-modified membranes on account of the presence of both hydrogen bond acceptors (OH) and hydrogen bond donors (C=O) in TBC molecules. Specifically, water flux of 0.6 wt% TBC-modified and 0.6 wt% ATBC-modified membranes was 83.6 L m-2 h-1 and 49.7 L m-2 h-1 respectively, more than 5 times and 3 times that of the pristine membrane. The excellent performance of TFC RO membranes fabricated via GPAIP together with the facile membrane manufacturing process offered the possibility of breaking the predicament in desalination field, which could eventually help ease the current freshwater crisis.

Post-marketing safety surveillance for inactivated Enterovirus 71 vaccines in Jiangsu, China from 2017 to 2019.

INTRODUCTION: Two types of enterovirus 71 (EV71) vaccines, manufactured using human diploid (H2) and Vero cells, have been administered in Jiangsu Province, China since 2017. In this study, we evaluated their safety profiles using records collected from the Chinese National Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFIs) Information System (CNAEFIS) and Electronic Immunization Registries System (EIRS) between 2017 and 2019. METHODS: Demographic characteristics of the patients, AEFI incidence rates(IRs), symptoms, and time intervals were summarized from the reported AEFI data in the CNAEFIS. Also, the administered doses of the two vaccines were exported from the EIRS to calculate the IRs of AEFIs and thus compare the AEFIs between the two types of EV71 vaccines. RESULTS: In total, 209, 407, and 344 AEFIs cases following EV71 vaccine administration were reported during 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively, yielding IRs of 59.2, 48.2, and 54.2 per 100,000 doses, respectively. Fever, irritability, allergic eruptions, fatigue, loss of appetite, redness and induration at the injection site were the most commonly reported AEFIs. No significant differences in rare reactions were found between the two types of EV71 vaccinations. The majority of AEFIs were developed within 30 min to 3 days after administration. CONCLUSION: EV71 vaccines showed satisfactory safety profiles since their first use 3 years ago in the Jiangsu Province. The AEFI profiles were identical to those in pre-marketing studies; most AEFIs after vaccination were mild and common. More active surveillance studies should be performed to provide more comprehensive post-marketing safety data.

Surveillance of adverse events following the introduction of inactivated poliovirus vaccine made from Sabin strains (sIPV) to the Chinese EPI and a comparison with adverse events following inactivated poliovirus vaccine made from wild strains (wIPV) in Jiangsu, China.

One dose of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) was introduced into the Chinese Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) in 2016. IPV made from Sabin strains (sIPV) was newly licensed in China and its safety has been concerned. This study aimed to evaluate the safety of sIPV and provide a comparison with conventional IPV made from wild strains (wIPV). We collected all IPV-related AEFI reports in Jiangsu from the Chinese National Adverse Events Following Immunization Information System (CNAEFIS) for 2016-2019. We obtained the administered doses of IPV from the Jiangsu provincial Electronic Immunization Registries System (JSEIRS). The AEFI reporting rates per 100,000 doses of vaccine administered were compared for sIPV and wIPV. A total of 699 sIPV and 908 wIPV AEFI cases were collected by CNAEFIS in Jiangsu during 2016-2019. The overall AEFI reporting rates were 53.02 per 100,000 doses and 41.25 per 100,000 doses for sIPV and wIPV, respectively (P < .001). For both sIPV and wIPV, the AEFIs were mainly classified as common adverse reactions. The reporting rate of common adverse reactions was higher for sIPV than for wIPV (P < .001). The most frequently reported symptoms/signs were fever, persistent crying, injection site erythema/swelling, rash, and injection site induration. Only 1.14% of sIPV-associated and 2.31% of wIPV-associated AEFI cases were diagnosed as serious. No difference in reporting rate was observed for serious AEFIs (P = .272). sIPV has a favorable safety profile, although it exhibits a slightly higher reporting rate of common adverse reactions than wIPV.

The Safety, Immunogenicity, and Immunopersistence of Hepatitis A Vaccine in HBs-Ag-Positive Participants: A Retrospective Study.

Objectives: To compare the safety, immunogenicity, and immune persistence of hepatitis A (HA) vaccines between HBs-Ag-positive and -negative participants. Method: 9000 participants were enrolled in the phase IV study of live attenuated HA (HA-L) or inactivated HA (HA-I) vaccines. The HBs-Ag-positive subjects were detected and became an independent observation group. Adverse reactions (ARs), geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) and seroconversion rates (SRs) of the vaccines were analyzed at five time points until three years after vaccination. Results: 120 HBs-Ag-positive subjects were screened out, only 1 participant had grade 1 experienced ARs after HA-L injection. Except the time point of two years, the SRs of HBs-Ag-positive group were 100% for both vaccines. The GMCs were not statistically different between HBs-Ag-positive and -negative groups after the HA-L vaccination. The logarithmically transformed GMCs for HBs-Ag-positive and -negative groups were 3.21 mIU/mL (95% CI, 2.03-4.39 mIU/mL) and 2.95 mIU/mL (95% CI, 2.88-3.02 mIU/mL) 28 days after the HA-L vaccination, respectively. Conclusions: Both HA-L and HA-I vaccines were safe for HBs-Ag-positive participants and may provide an excellent long-term protection against HAV in this study. The results indicated that people positive or negative for HBs-Ag can receive both HA-L and HA-I vaccines (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02601040).

Impact of blood pressure and other components of the metabolic syndrome on the development of cardiovascular disease.

BACKGROUND: Few prospective studies have explored blood pressure (BP) and other components of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and their interaction in the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in China. METHODS AND RESULTS: A prospective study of the prevention of multiple metabolic disorders and MetS in Jiangsu province, China: 3,598 subjects were followed for a median of 6.3 years. The Asian criterion of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III was used to define the MetS. Independent risk of the MetS and its components on developing CVD was analyzed, but only BP was associated with CVD. Incidence and risk of CVD increased with the number of MetS components. A linear association was found between the risk of CVD, BP and the number of other components (trend, P<0.01). The adjusted relative risk of developing CVD was increased when BP and other components coexisted. However, the interaction of BP and other components of MetS was not significant (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In Chinese, among the components of MetS BP was an independent risk factor for CVD. No significant interaction was found between BP and the other MetS components.