[Risk assessment and early warning of imported COVID-19 in Guangdong province].

Objective: To assess the imported risk of COVID-19 in Guangdong province and its cities, and conduct early warning. Methods: Data of reported COVID-19 cases and Baidu Migration Index of 21 cities in Guangdong province and other provinces of China as of February 25, 2020 were collected. The imported risk index of each city in Guangdong province were calculated, and then correlation analysis was performed between reported cases and the imported risk index to identify lag time. Finally, we classified the early warming levels of epidemic by imported risk index. Results: A total of 1 347 confirmed cases were reported in Guangdong province, and 90.0% of the cases were clustered in the Pearl River Delta region. The average daily imported risk index of Guangdong was 44.03. Among the imported risk sources of each city, the highest risk of almost all cities came from Hubei province, except for Zhanjiang from Hainan province. In addition, the neighboring provinces of Guangdong province also had a greater impact. The correlation between the imported risk index with a lag of 4 days and the daily reported cases was the strongest (correlation coefficient: 0.73). The early warning base on cumulative 4-day risk of each city showed that Dongguan, Shenzhen, Zhongshan, Guangzhou, Foshan and Huizhou have high imported risks in the next 4 days, with imported risk indexes of 38.85, 21.59, 11.67, 11.25, 6.19 and 5.92, and the highest risk still comes from Hubei province. Conclusions: Cities with a large number of migrants in Guangdong province have a higher risk of import. Hubei province and neighboring provinces in Guangdong province are the main source of the imported risk. Each city must strengthen the health management of migrants in high-risk provinces and reduce the imported risk of Guangdong province.

[Risk assessment of exported risk of COVID-19 from Hubei Province].

Objective: To evaluate the exported risk of COVID-19 from Hubei Province and the imported risk in various provinces across China. Methods: Data of reported COVID-19 cases and Baidu Migration Indexin all provinces of the country as of February 14, 2020 were collected. The correlation analysis between cumulative number of reported cases and the migration index from Hubei was performed, and the imported risks from Hubei to different provinces across China were further evaluated. Results: A total of 49 970 confirmed cases were reported nationwide, of which 37 884 were in Hubei Province. The average daily migration index from Hubei to other provinces was 312.09, Wuhan and other cities in Hubei were 117.95 and 194.16, respectively. The cumulative COVID-19 cases of provinces was positively correlated with the migration index derived from Hubei Province, also in Wuhan and other cities in Hubei, with correlation coefficients of 0.84, 0.84, and 0.81. In linear model, population migration from Hubei Province, Wuhan and other cities in Hubei account for 71.2%, 70.1%, and 66.3% of the variation, respectively. The period of high exported risk from Hubei occurred before January 27, of which the risks before January 23 mainly came from Wuhan, and then mainly from other cities in Hubei. Hunan Province, Henan Province and Guangdong Province ranked the top three in terms of cumulative imported risk (the cumulative risk indices were 58.61, 54.75 and 49.62 respectively). Conclusion: The epidemic in each province was mainly caused by the importation of Hubei Province. Taking measures such as restricting the migration of population in Hubei Province and strengthening quarantine measures for immigrants from Hubei Province may greatly reduce the risk of continued spread of the epidemic.

[Occupational hazards and risk assessment of benzene-related enterprises in yangzhou city from 2014 to 2018].

Objective: To investigate the benzene concentration in the workplace of benzene-related enterprises in Yangzhou City from 2014 to 2018, and the abnormal blood routine of workers exposed to benzene, and to assess their occupational hazards. Methods: The environmental monitoring data of benzene-related enterprises and the health examination data of benzene exposed workers were collected in March 2019. The inhalation risk assessment model of the National Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was used to assess the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of benzene workers. Results: The qualified rate of benzene detection in the workplace was 100% from 2014 to 2018, the highest concentration was 1.42 mg/m(3) in five years. The abnormal rates of blood routine detection in benzene exposed workers in five years was 7.10% (213/2 998) 、5.17% (218/4 214) 、5.61% (196/3 493) 、7.65% (288/3 767) 、7.83% (280/3 574) and 7.83%. respectively. The results of risk assessment showed that the minimum carcinogenic risk value was 7.56×10(-6) and the maximum carcinogenic risk value was 31.33×10(-6) in 2014-2018. The hazard quotient values were than 1. Conclusion: Benzene monitoring concentration in benzene-related enterprises in Yangzhou City from 2014 to 2018 was low, which meets the occupational exposure limit in China. However, the abnormal rate of blood routine in five years is still high, and there are both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks. We should pay more attention to the health risk of workers exposed to low concentrat in benzene.

[Assessment of biomechanical properties of paraspinal muscles in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis].

Objective: To assess the bio-mechanical properties of paraspinal muscles in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Methods: The MyotonPro® device and shear wave elasticity imaging(SWEI) technique were applied to detect the paraspinal muscle tone (F), stiffness (S), relaxation time (R), Deborah number (C) and elasticity (D) of paravertebral muscles on the concave side and convex side of scoliosis curvature at several points: apex of the curve (a), upper (b) and lower (c) limits of the curve in 23 cases of AIS treated from October to December 2017 in Beijing Chaoyang Hospital.Cobb angle of the main curve was measured on the standing anteroposterior whole spine radiograph.Pearson correlation analysis was applied to detect the relation between the bio-mechanical properties and Cobb angle of the main curve. Results: A total of 23 AIS patients [3 males and 20 females, mean age was (15±4) years] were assessed in this study.The mean Cobb angle was (66±33) degrees.The MyotonPro® data showed that the muscle tone on the concave side were all significantly greater than those on the convex side [a: (18.9±2.2) Hz vs (17.4±1.6) Hz, t=4.435, P<0.05; b: (18.2±2.0) Hz vs (16.7±1.7) Hz, t=4.183, P<0.05; c: (18.0±2.3) Hz vs (16.8±1.7) Hz, t=4.520, P<0.05]. The muscle stiffness on the concave side were all significantly greater than those on the convex side at the three points (t=1.974, 2.048, 1.749, all P<0.05). The relaxation time were all longer on the convex side (t=-3.422, -2.713, -2.380, all P<0.05). The Deborah number were greater on the convex side at a and b points (t=-2.939, -2.466, both P<0.05). No significant difference in elasticity was found between the muscles of the two sides.The SWEI results also indicated that the elasticity of the paraspinal muscles of the two sides were similar.The Pearson correlation analysis showed that stiffness on the concave side was moderate positively correlated with Cobb angle of the main curve (r=0.582, P<0.05). Deborah number on the two sides and relaxation time on the concave were moderate negatively correlated with Cobb angle of the main curve (r=-0.632, -0.432, -0.611, all P<0.05). Conclusions: The bio-mechanical properties of paraspinal muscles in AIS are different significantly between the concave and convex side and affected by the severity of scoliosis.

Status, sources, and human health risk assessment of PAHs via foliar dust from different functional areas in Nanjing, China.

The present study was carried out to assess and understand the potential health risk, level of contamination, composition pattern, and sources of urban foliar dust in Nanjing City with respect to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Five urban functional areas of foliar dust were analysed and the contents of 16 priority PAHs were determined. Total PAH concentrations in foliar dust ranged from 1.77 to 19.02 µg·g-1, with an average value of 6.98 µg·g-1. The PAH pattern was dominated by four and five-ring PAHs (contributing > 38% of total PAHs) in all of the five functional areas. The results indicated that the combustion of fossil fuel, coal, and biomass, as well as vehicle traffic emissions were the major sources of PAHs. The estimated incremental lifetime cancer risk due to PAHs in foliar dust were 8.19 × 10-6, 6.63 × 10-6, and 9.65 × 10-6 for childhood, adolescence and adulthood, respectively, indicating a high risk of cancer from exposure to foliar dust in Nanjing. Our results indicated that foliar dust might be a useful indicator of atmospheric PAH pollution.

The cost-effectiveness of bevacizumab for the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer in Canada.

BACKGROUND: The overall survival (os) analysis of the icon7 trial demonstrated that frontline ovarian cancer patients with a high risk of progression (stage iii suboptimally debulked, and stage iii or iv with unresectable disease) benefited from the addition of bevacizumab to standard chemotherapy compared with standard chemotherapy alone. The objective of the present study was to investigate the cost-effectiveness, from a Canadian publicly funded perspective, of adding bevacizumab to frontline treatment of ovarian cancer at high risk of progression. METHODS: An area-under-the-curve, Markov-structured model was used to estimate the cost-effectiveness of the treatments. Long-term progression-free survival (pfs) and os were extracted from the icon7 trial (subgroup at high risk of relapse) and extrapolated by parametric time-to-event functions over a time horizon of 10 years. Canadian pfs health state utility values were obtained from the EQ-5D (EuroQoL Group, Rotterdam, Netherlands) questionnaires in the icon7 high-risk patient population. Canadian post-progression utility values were consistent with those for other gynecologic cancers. Cost inputs were informed by public sources. An annual 5% efficacy and cost discount rate was applied. A probabilistic sensitivity analysis and one-way sensitivity analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Ovarian cancer patients at high risk of progression receiving bevacizumab plus standard chemotherapy experienced a mean incremental quality-adjusted life year (qaly) gain of 0.374 years. At an additional cost of $35,901.54, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (icer) for the addition of bevacizumab to standard chemotherapy, relative to standard chemotherapy alone, was $95,942 per qaly. CONCLUSIONS: No formal health technology assessment willingness-to-pay threshold exists in Canada. However, at a threshold of $100,000 per qaly, bevacizumab in addition to chemotherapy is a cost-effective alternative for ovarian cancer patients who are at high risk of progression (stage iii suboptimally debulked, and stage iii or iv with unresectable disease). Using the $100,000 per qaly threshold in a probabilistic sensitivity analysis, it was determined that, compared with standard chemotherapy, the addition of bevacizumab to chemotherapy is cost-effective in 56% of tested scenarios.

Colorimetric detection of DNA damage by using hemin-graphene nanocomposites.

A colorimetric method for detection of DNA damage was developed by using hemin-graphene nanosheets (H-GNs). H-GNs were skillfully synthesized by adsorping of hemin on graphene through π-π interactions. The as-prepared H-GNs possessed both the ability of graphene to differentiate the damage DNA from intact DNA and the catalytic action of hemin. The damaged DNA made H-GNs coagulated to different degrees from the intact DNA because there were different amount of negative charge exposed on their surface, which made a great impact on the solubility of H-GNs. As a result, the corresponding centrifugal supernatant of H-GNs solution showed different color in the presence of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) and H2O2, which could be discriminated by naked eyes or by ultraviolet (UV)-visible spectrometer. Based on this, the damaged effects of styrene oxide (SO), NaAsO2 and UV radiation on DNA were studied. Results showed that SO exerted most serious damage effect on DNA although all of them damaged DNA seriously. The new method for detection of DNA damage showed good prospect in the evaluation of genotoxicity of new compounds, the maximum limit of pesticide residue, food additives, and so on, which is important in the fields of food science, pharmaceutical science and pesticide science.

A hierarchical storage management (HSM) scheme for cost-effective on-line archival using lossy compression.

A hierarchical storage management (HSM) scheme for cost-effective on-line archival of image data using lossy compression is described. This HSM scheme also provides an off-site tape backup mechanism and disaster recovery. The full-resolution image data are viewed originally for primary diagnosis, then losslessly compressed and sent off site to a tape backup archive. In addition, the original data are wavelet lossy compressed (at approximately 25:1 for computed radiography, 10:1 for computed tomography, and 5:1 for magnetic resonance) and stored on a large RAID device for maximum cost-effective, on-line storage and immediate retrieval of images for review and comparison. This HSM scheme provides a solution to 4 problems in image archiving, namely cost-effective on-line storage, disaster recovery of data, off-site tape backup for the legal record, and maximum intermediate storage and retrieval through the use of on-site lossy compression.

Accuracy of the automated assessment of left ventricular function with gated perfusion SPECT in the presence of perfusion defects and left ventricular dysfunction: correlation with equilibrium radionuclide ventriculography and echocardiography.

BACKGROUND: Gated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with automated methods allows the quantitative assessment of left ventricular function and perfusion; however, its accuracy must be defined for patients with large earlier infarctions and severe rest perfusion defects, in whom the estimation of endocardial and epicardial borders might be more difficult, even with automated edge-detection techniques. METHODS AND RESULTS: We prospectively compared the automated measurements of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and volumes from rest-injected gated Technetium 99m (Tc99m) perfusion SPECT with equilibrium radionuclide angiocardiography (ERNA) in 62 patients and the assessment of regional function with echocardiography in 22 patients. Forty-six patients had an earlier myocardial infarction (mean defect size, 34% of left ventricle; SD, 12.7%; range, 8% to 56%); 27 patients had large defects (> or = 20% of left ventricle; LVEF range, 8% to 75%). LVEF, as determined with Cedars-Sinai software (quantitative gated SPECT), correlated well with ERNA (r = 0.941; y = 1.003x + 1.15; P<.0001; SE of the estimate = 6.3%; mean difference -1.3% for LVEF) in the entire study population and in the subgroups of patients with an earlier infarction, severe defects, and large infarctions (> or = 20% of the left ventricle). A correlation existed between gated SPECT and ERNA volumes (r = 0.882, y = 1.040x - 14.7, P<.0001 for end-diastolic volume; r = 0.954, y = 1.147x - 13.9, P<.0001 for end-systolic volumes with the count-ratio technique), but with wider limits of agreement. The exact segmental score agreement between gated SPECT and echocardiography for regional function was 79.8% (281 of 352, kappa = 0.682). CONCLUSIONS: Automated gated SPECT provides an accurate assessment of ejection fraction and regional function, even in the presence of an earlier myocardial infarction with large perfusion defects and significant left ventricular dysfunction.