Characteristics of viral shedding in people infected with SARS-CoV-2 during difference stages / 中国热带医学

@#Abstract: Viral shedding of SARS-CoV-2 is a continuous dynamic process, which can be divided into latent stage, initial stage, peak stage and decreasing stage according to the characteristics of viral shedding. After being infected with SARS-CoV-2, the infected person generally stays in the latent period for 1-3 days, which is characterized by continuous negative nucleic acid test results and no infectiousness, and the risk of infection for close contacts is very low. At the initial stage of viral shedding is characterized by a rapid decline in the Ct value of nucleic acid tests in a short time, and clinical symptoms gradually appear. The infectiousness of the infected person gradually increases during this period, and the risk of infection for close contacts also gradually increases, but it is still in the early stage of infection, the possibility of viral shedding is low, and the risk of infection of secondary close contacts is low. The peak of viral shedding is characterized by low Ct value in nucleic acid test and obvious clinical symptoms; during this period, the infected person is the most infectious, and the risk of infection of the contact is the highest, so the scope of close contacts should be expanded appropriately. The decreasing period is characterized by the gradual increase of Ct value of nucleic acid test and the gradual disappearance of clinical symptoms; during this period, the infectiousness of the infected person gradually decreases to disappear. In an outbreak, an infected person in the decreasing phase is more likely to be an early infected person in the transmission chain. If infected individuals in the decreasing phase are found in an area without a SARS-CoV-2 epidemic, it suggests that the local outbreak epidemic has been spreading for some time and may be larger in scale. According to the characteristics of viral shedding, risk personnel can be determined more scientifically and accurately, so as to minimize the risk and reduce the waste of epidemic prevention resources.

3d printing application in bone defect area measurement on patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip / Aplicação de impressão 3d na mensuração da área de defeitos ósseos em pacientes com displasia do desenvolvimento do quadril

ABSTRACT Objectives Evaluate the application value of 3D printing technology in measuring acetabular bone defect area in adult patients diagnosed with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). Methods 23 cases of DDH requiring total hip replacement surgery were enrolled in this study. Preoperative examination confirmed the standard pelvic plain films Crowe, including 3 cases of Crowe I, 7 Crowe II, and 13 Crowe III. The 3D printing technology was used to print the hip model before the operation. Based on the pre-printed model, pre-operative planning and surgical procedures were established. The area of the acetabular bone defects was measured, the selected size prosthesis was recorded, and the surgery was performed (group A). The actual acetabular bone defect area and the prosthesis size were also recorded (group B). Results The comparative results indicated that the actual acetabular defect area measured intraoperatively and the area measured using the 3D printing technology did not significantly differ for all participants (all P>0.05). Conclusion Preoperative model can accurately measure the acetabular bone defect area for DDH. It is significant to develop individualized implants for DDH patients treated with the 3D printing technique. Level of Evidence IV: Case series.

RESUMO Objetivos Avaliar o potencial da aplicação da tecnologia de impressão 3D na medição da área de defeito ósseo acetabular em pacientes adultos diagnosticados com displasia do desenvolvimento do quadril (DDH). Métodos 23 casos de DDH que requereram cirurgia de substituição total do quadril foram incluídos neste estudo. O exame pré-operatório confirmou os filmes pélvicos padrão Crowe, incluindo 3 casos de Crowe I, 7 Crowe II, e 13 Crowe III. A tecnologia de impressão 3D foi utilizada para imprimir o modelo de quadril antes da operação. Com base no modelo pré-impresso, o planejamento pré-operatório e os procedimentos cirúrgicos foram estabelecidos. A área dos defeitos ósseos acetabulares foi medida, a prótese de tamanho selecionado foi registrada, e a cirurgia foi realizada (grupo A). A área do defeito ósseo acetabular real e o tamanho da prótese também foram registrados (grupo B). Resultados Os resultados comparativos indicaram que a área real do defeito acetabular medida intraoperativamente e a área medida usando a tecnologia de impressão 3D não diferiu significativamente para todos os participantes (todos P>0,05). Conclusão O modelo pré-operatório pode medir com precisão a área de defeito ósseo acetabular para DDH. É relevante desenvolver implantes individualizados para pacientes com DDH tratados com a técnica de impressão 3D. Nível de Evidência IV: Série de casos.

The semi-quantitative risk assessment of Listeria monocytogenes contamination in cooked meat products in bulk in Zhejiang Province / 预防医学

Objective@#To investigate the contamination status and assess the potential consumption risk of Listeria monocytogenes ( L. monocytogenes ) in cooked meat products in bulk in Zhejiang Province, so as to provide strategy for food safety supervision and management.@*Methods@#A total of 2 320 cooked meat products were sampled from eleven cities in Zhejiang Province during 2018-2020. The detection of L. monocytogenes was carried out in accordance with the national standard GB/T 4789.30-2016. Risk Ranger software was used for the semi-quantitative risk assessment on the whole population and pregnant women.@*Results@#The total detection rate of L. monocytogenes in cooked meat products in bulk in Zhejiang Province was 2.97% ( 69/2 320 ). The detection rates in stewed, smoked/roasted, fried, dried products and others were 3.85%, 1.81%, 0.59%, 0% and 0.94%, which were significantly different ( P<0.05 ). There were 28 positive samples in 1 069 samples collected in 2020, with the concentration ranging from 5 to 590 CFU/g and averaging 6.8 CFU/g. The estimated number of listeriosis cases each year caused by consumption of cooked meat products in bulk was 131 in the whole population with a risk score of 42, and 1.44 in pregnant women with a risk score of 54. The risk coefficient could reduce to approximate zero after sufficient heating before intake.@*Conclusion@#The prevalence of L. monocytogenes in cooked meat products in bulk in Zhejiang Province during 2018-2020 poses a potential risk in food safety. Pregnant women should avoid eating.

Transformation of berberine to its demethylated metabolites by the CYP51 enzyme in the gut microbiota / 药物分析学报

Berberine(BBR)is an isoquinoline alkaloid extracted from Coptis chinensis that improves diabetes,hyperlipidemia and inflammation.Due to the low oral bioavailability of BBR,its mechanism of action is closely related to the gut microbiota.This study focused on the CYP51 enzyme of intestinal bacteria to elucidate a new mechanism of BBR transformation by demethylation in the gut microbiota through multiple analytical techniques.First,the docking of BBR and CYP51 was performed;then,the pharma-cokinetics of BBR was determined in ICR mice in vivo,and the metabolism of BBR in the liver,kidney,gut microbiota and single bacterial strains was examined in vitro.Moreover,16S rRNA analysis of ICR mouse feces indicated the relationship between BBR and the gut microbiota.Finally,recombinant E.coli con-taining cyp51 gene was constructed and the CYP51 enzyme lysate was induced to express.The metabolic characteristics of BBR were analyzed in the CYP51 enzyme lysate system.The results showed that CYP51 in the gut microbiota could bind stably with BBR,and the addition of voriconazole(a specific inhibitor of CYP51)slowed down the metabolism of BBR,which prevented the production of the demethylated metabolites thalifendine and berberrubine.This study demonstrated that CYP51 promoted the deme-thylation of BBR and enhanced its intestinal absorption,providing a new method for studying the metabolic transformation mechanism of isoquinoline alkaloids in vivo.

Development of a new protocol for freeze-drying preservation of Pseudoalteromonas nigrifaciens and its protective effect on other marine bacteria

Background: Freeze-drying is known as one of the best methods to preserve bacterial strains. Protectant is the key factor affecting the survival rate of freeze-dried strains. In addition, salinity, bacterial suspension concentration, drying time, and other factors can also affect the survival rate of strains to varying degrees. At present, there are relatively few studies on freeze-drying preservation of marine bacteria. In the present study, we performed the freeze-drying protectant screening and optimized the preservation conditions for Pseudoalteromonas nigrifaciens, which is widely distributed in marine environment. The protective effects of the screened protectants were verified by 18 other marine bacterial strains. Results: The results indicated that the combination of 5.0% (w/v) lactose, 5.0% (w/v) mannitol, 5.0% (w/v) trehalose, 10.0% (w/v) skim milk powder, 0.5% (w/v) ascorbic acid and 0.5% (w/v) gelatin was the best choice for the preservation of P. nigrifaciens. The suggested salinity and concentration of initial cell suspension were 10 g/L NaCl and 1.0 × 109 CFU/mL, respectively. Furthermore, stationary-phase cells were the best choice for the freeze-drying process. The highest survival rate of P. nigrifaciens reached 52.8% when using 5­10% (w/v) skim milk as rehydration medium. Moreover, the other 18 marine strains belonging to Pseudoalteromonas, Vibrio, Photobacterium, Planomicrobium, Edwardsiella, Enterococcus, Bacillus, and Saccharomyces were freezedried under the abovementioned conditions. Their survival rates were 2.3­95.1%. Conclusion: Collectively, our results supported that the protectant mixture and parameters were beneficial for lyophilization of marine bacteria

Role of B cell activating factor in the development of periodontitis / 口腔疾病防治

@#B cell activating factor (BAFF) is the key regulator of B cells and is considered as a potential therapeutic target for immune inflammatory diseases. Periodontitis can promote local and systemic BAFF factor expression, whereas BAFF aggravates B cell immune responses and tissue destruction in periodontitis. In addition, BAFF also stimulates CD4+T cell response and inhibits regulatory T cell and M2 macrophage responses, thus changing the pathogenesis of a variety of immune inflammatory diseases. However, whether the biological effect mentioned above is an important mechanism by which BAFF aggravates periodontitis still lacks direct evidence and should be confirmed in future research. To provide a theoretical basis for the study of the pathogenic mechanism of BAFF, the expression and role of BAFF in periodontitis is reviewed in this article.

Decreased expression of chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein 9 is a novel independent prognostic biomarker for colorectal cancer

Previous studies suggested that chromodomain helicase DNA-binding proteins (CHDs), including CHD 1-8, were associated with several human diseases and cancers including lymphoma, liver cancer, colorectal cancer, stomach cancer, etc. To date, little research on CHD 9 in human cancers has been reported. In this study, we assessed the prognostic value of CHD 9 in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). We screened for CHD 9 expression using immunohistochemical analysis in 87 surgical CRC specimens and found that the expression was upregulated in 81.5% of the cases, while 7.4% were decreased; in the remaining 11.1% of the cases, levels were not altered. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with high CHD 9 expression had better prognosis than those with low CHD 9 expression (54.5 vs 32.1%, P=0.034). Subsequently, Cox multi-factor survival regression analysis revealed that expression of CHD 9 protein was an independent predictor for CRC, with a hazard ratio of 0.503 (P=0.028). In addition, we found that CHD 9 expression was positively correlated with MSH2 (rs=0.232, P=0.036). We speculated that CHD9 might be a putative tumor suppressor gene, and could inhibit the development of CRC by participating in DNA repair processes. Our findings suggest that CHD 9 could be a novel prognostic biomarker and a therapeutic target for CRC. Further studies are needed to detect the effect of CHD 9 on cellular function and the expression of mismatch repair genes.

Application of methylene blue staining for precise positioning of small esophageal leiomyoma during video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery via one utility port / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To develop a novel methylene blue staining technique to localize small esophageal leiomyomas ( small esophageal leiomyomas ( and 4 females with an average age of 51 years. We preoperatively injected 0.5–1.0 ml methylene blue in the submucosa adjacent to the tumors under the guidance of gastroscope. Then, we transferred the patients to the operating room. Results    Staining was successful in 9 patients. The unstained tumor was exposed after the blue-stained mediastinal pleura and overlying muscle were incised longitudinally during ideo-assisted thoracoscopic surgery via one utility port. No abnormalities were detected in the esophageal mucosa. No major complications, such as esophageal leakage or esophageal diverticulum occurred. Conclusion    Endoscopic methylene blue staining is safe and feasible for localizing small esophageal leiomyomas during video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery via one utility port. This method will enable enucleation precise and easy.

3D printing navigation template-guided percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation for V2 trigeminal neuralgia treatment / 华西口腔医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#This paper aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the 3D printing puncture navigation template-guided percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation for V2 trigeminal neuralgia treatment.@*METHODS@#A total of 52 patients with V2 trigeminal neuralgia were treated with radiofrequency thermocoagulation. A total of 32 patients were treated under the guidance of the 3D printing puncture navigation template (guide plate group), while 20 patients underwent puncture via pterygopalatine fossa routinely (routine treatment group). The puncture time, operation time, puncture success rate, and immediate postoperative pain were recorded. The degree of immediate postoperative pain was indicated by visual analogue scale (VAS). Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) classification criteria were used to evaluate the efficacy, and the postoperative complications were observed. All patients were followed up for 1 year.@*RESULTS@#The two groups showed significant decrease in VAS after the operation (P0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#3D printing puncture navigation template-guided radiofrequency thermocoagulation may increase the operation success rate and reduce complication incidence. Therefore, this technique possesses clinical promotional value.

High Spicy Food Intake and Risk of Cancer: A Meta-analysis of Case-control Studies / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>Background:</b>Studies on the association between spicy food intake and cancer risk have reported inconsistent results. We quantitatively assessed this association by conducting a meta-analysis based on evidence from case-control studies.</p><p><b>Methods:</b>PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were searched for eligible publications. Combined odds ratios (OR s) with their 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using a random- or fixed-effects model. The methodological quality of the included articles was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS). All data were analyzed using STATA 11.0 software (version 11.0; StataCorp., College Station, TX, USA). Subgroup analyses were also performed with stratification by region, sex, number of cases, cancer subtype, source of the control group, and NOS score.</p><p><b>Results:</b>A total 39 studies from 28 articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis (7884 patients with cancer and 10,142 controls). Comparison of the highest versus lowest exposure category in each study revealed a significant OR of 1.76 (95% CI = 1.35-2.29) in spite of significant heterogeneity (P < 0.001). In the subgroup analyses, this positive correlation was still found for gastric cancer, different regions, different numbers of cases, different sources of the control group, and high-quality articles (NOS score of ≥ 7). However, no statistically significant association was observed for women, esophageal cancer, gallbladder cancer, or low-quality articles (NOS score of <7). No evidence of publication bias was found.</p><p><b>Conclusions:</b>Evidence from case-control studies suggested that a higher level of spicy food intake may be associated with an increased incidence of cancer despite significant heterogeneity. More studies are warranted to clarify our understanding of the association between high spicy food intake and the risk of cancer.</p>

Edaravone Enhances the Viability of Ischemia/reperfusion Flaps / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

The purpose of the experiment was to study the efficacy of edaravone in enhancing flap viability after ischemia/reperfusion (IR) and its mechanism.Forty-eight adult male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups:control group (n=16),IR group (n=16),and edaravone-treated IR group (n=16).An island flap at left lower abdomen (6.0 cm×3.0 cm in size),fed by the superficial epigastric artery and vein,was created in each rat of all the three groups.The arterial blood flow of flaps in IR group and edaravone-treated IR group was blocked for 10 h,and then the blood perfusion was restored.From 15 min before reperfusion,rats in the edaravone-treated IR group were intraperitoneally injected with edaravone (10 mg/kg),once every 12 h,for 3 days.Rats in the IR group and control group were intraperitoneally injected with saline,with the same method and frequency as the rats in the edaravone-treated IR group.In IR group and edaravone-treated IR group,samples of flaps were harvested after reperfusion of the flaps for 24 h.In the control group,samples of flaps were harvested 34 h after creation of the flaps.The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) were determined,and changes in organizational structure and infiltration of inflammatory cells were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining,apoptotic cells of vascular wall were marked by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay,and the apoptotic rate of cells in vascular wall was calculated.The ultrastructural changes of vascular endothelial cells were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM).Seven days after the operation,we calculated the flap viability of each group,and marked vessels of flaps by immunohistochemical staining for calculating the average number of subcutaneous vessels.The results showed that the content of MDA,the number ofmulticore inflammatory cells and apoptotic rate of cells in vascular wall in the edaravone-treated IR group were significantly lower than those in the IR group.The activity of SOD,flap viability and average number of subcutaneous vessels in the edaravone-treated IR group were significantly higher than those in the IR group.All the differences were statistically significant.The ultrastructure injury of vascular endothelial cells in the edaravone-treated IR group was slighter than that in IR group.It was concluded that edaravone can significantly enhance IR flap viability and protect flap vessels,which is related to scavenging oxygen free radicals,reducing the consumption of SOD,reducing the extent of lipid peroxidation and inflammation,and protecting functional structure of vessels in the early stages of reperfusion.

Clinical application of bupivacaine in non-catheter infiltration anesthesia during vitrectomy / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

·AIM: To evaluate the effect of bupivacaine in non-catheter infiltration anesthesia during vitretomy operation.·METHODS:Fifty-eight patients (58 eyes) with vitreous retinal surgery were selected. Patients were randomly divided into observation group ( 28 eyes ) and control group ( 30 eyes ) . The observation group were received non-catheter infiltration anesthesia. The control group were received traditional Sub- Tenon's block ( STB ) . Degree of pain, basic vital signs, the duration of anesthesia and analgesia grade were recorded and compared between two groups.·RESULTS: No significant difference was found in the 11-point numeric rating scale ( NRS - 11 scoring ) of anesthesia process, sclera incision, intraocular operation and the end of operation between two groups (P>0. 05). The difference were not significant in heart rate and blood pressure between two groups(P>0. 05). There was statistically significant difference in the duration of anesthesia between two groups (P<0. 05).·CONCLUSION: Both groups can provide the same anesthetic effect. Compared to STB, non - catheter infiltration anesthesia takes short time, and it is a safe and effective anesthesia methods. In addition, compare to the mixture of bupivacaine and lidocaine injection, bupivacaine injection can provide the same anesthetic effect.

Heavy Metal Assessment among Chinese Nonferrous Metal-exposed Workers from the Jinchang Cohort Study / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

Environmental exposure to heavy metals has been linked to a wide range of human health hazards. We detected the levels of 15 metals in urine samples from 500 representative sub-samples in an ongoing occupational cohort study (Jinchang Cohort) to directly evaluate metal exposure levels. Fifteen metals, namely As, Ba, Be, Cd, Cs, Cr, Co, Cu, Pb, Mn, Ni, Se, Tl, U, and Zn, were detected by inductively coupled plasma quadruple mass spectrometry. The results showed that median creatinine adjustment and geometric mean urinary metal levels were higher in the heavy metal-exposed group, except Se and Zn, than other reported general or occupational populations. Further studies should address the effects of heavy metals on human health.

Trend Analysis of Cancer Mortality in the Jinchang Cohort, China, 2001-2010 / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To describe the baseline data of cancers in the Jinchang Cohort, this paper examined trends in cancer mortality among adults investigated in Jinchang, Gansu province from 2001 to 2010.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Mortality data were collected from company departments through administrative documents, death certificates, etc. Trend analyses of cancer mortality were performed on the basis of 925 cancer deaths between 2001 and 2010.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The crude mortality rate of cancer continuously increased from 161.86 per 100,000 in 2001 to 315.32 per 100,000 in 2010, with an average increase of 7.69% per year in the Jinchang Cohort (16.41% in females compared to 6.04% in males), but the age-standardized mortality rate increased only in females. Thirteen leading cancers accounted for 92.10% of all cancer deaths. The five leading causes of cancer mortality in males were lung, gastric, liver, esophageal, and colorectal cancer, whereas those in females were lung, liver, gastric, breast, and esophageal cancer.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The overall cancer mortality rate increased from 2001 to 2010 in the Jinchang Cohort, with greater rate of increase in females than in males. Lung, breast, and gastric cancer, in that order, were the leading causes of increased cancer mortality in females.</p>

Dynamic Changes in DNA Damage and Repair Biomarkers with Employment Length among Nickel Smelting Workers / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

Our study explored the dynamic changes in and the relationship between the DNA damage marker 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and the DNA repair marker 8-hydroxyguanine DNA glycosidase 1 (hOGG1) according to the length of occupational employment in nickel smelting workers. One hundred forty nickel-exposed smelting workers and 140 age-matched unexposed office workers were selected from the Jinchang cohort. The 8-OHdG levels in smelting workers was significantly higher than in office workers (Z=-8.688, P<0.05) and the 8-OHdG levels among nickel smelting workers in the 10-14 y employment length category was significantly higher than among all peers. The hOGG1 levels among smelting workers were significantly lower than those of non-exposed workers (Z=-8.948, P<0.05). There were significant differences between employment length and hOGG1 levels, with subjects employed in nickel smelting for 10-14 y showing the highest levels of hOGG1. Correlation analysis showed positive correlations between 8-OHdG and hOGG1 levels (r=0.413; P<0.01). DNA damage was increased with employment length among nickel smelting workers and was related to the inhibition of hOGG1 repair capacity.

Metal Exposure and Risk of Diabetes and Prediabetes among Chinese Occupational Workers / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the association between metal exposure and risk of diabetes and prediabetes among Chinese workers exposed to metals.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We used data obtained from the baseline survey of the Jinchang Cohort Study of workers in Jinchang Industry, the largest nickel production company in China. A total of 42,122 workers ⋝20 years of age were included in the study. A standardized, structured questionnaire was used to collect epidemiological information. Physical examinations and laboratory tests were conducted to evaluate the health status of the participants and to measure various biomarkers including blood sugar, lipids, and urinary metal concentrations. Logistic regression was used to study the association between occupational groups categorized according to the measured metal levels (office workers, low-level; mining/production workers, mid-level; and smelting/refining workers, high-level) and risk of diabetes and prediabetes.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The overall prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes was 7.5% and 16.8%, respectively. The adjusted odds ratios for diabetes among mining/production workers and smelting/refining workers compared to office workers were 1.5 (95% CI: 1.3, 1.7) and 3.8 (95% CI: 3.4, 4.3), respectively. No association was observed between these occupational groups and prediabetes in this study.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Occupations associated with higher levels of metal exposure were associated with an increased risk of diabetes in this cohort. More studies are needed to confirm this observed association.</p>

Preemptive analgesia effects of Ketamine in patients undergoing surgery. A meta-analysis

PURPOSE: To evaluate the preemptive analgesia effects of ketamine for postoperative pain. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library were searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involved in ketamine for preemptive analgesic up to March 2013. The relative risk (RR) or mean difference (MD) as well as the confounding 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated by the Revman 5.0 software. RESULTS: A total of five studies including 266 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Overall, ketamine could reduce the postoperative morphine consumption and significantly prolong the time to first analgesic (p < 0.00001, MD = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.56 to 1.26). However, there was no significant difference in indicators of nausea and vomiting (p = 0.87, RR = 1.04, 95% CI: 0.67 to 1.60), surgical time (p = 0.41, MD = -2.13, 95% CI: -7.21 to 2.95) and anesthetic time (p = 0.53, MD = -1.54, 95% CI: -6.34 to -3.26) between ketamine and control group. CONCLUSIONS: Ketamine was able to accomplish some preemptive analgesic effects of reducing postoperative morphine consumption and prolonging the time to first analgesic. Meanwhile, ketamine was as safe as physiological saline in side effects of nausea and vomiting. .

Nickel-exposed workers in China: a cohort study / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

There are more than 50 000 workers in Jinchuan Group Co, Ltd (JNMC). Since all staff in JNMC are eligible for a medical examination every two years, only 23 484 nickel-exposed subjects who participated in medical examination were included in this study. Their data, collected from June 22, 2011 to September 28, 2012, in a comprehensive epidemiological survey and during medical examinations, permitted an extensive evaluation of the relation between metal exposure, gene, epigenetics and risk of human diseases. Their lifestyle investigation showed that the overall prevalence of current smokers, alcohol drinkers, and tea drinkers was 39.1%, 19.7%, and 55.2%, respectively. The prevalence of hypertension, allergic rhinitis and cholecystitis , the top 3 prevalent diseases, was 11.7%, 11.0%, and 8.9%, respectively.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Chinese nickel-exposed workers / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) was investigated in Chinese nickel-exposed workers. A total of 35 104 subjects were enrolled in this study. The age-adjusted prevalence of MS, BMI⋝25, diabetes, hypertension, and abnormal lipid was 13.9%, 29.5%, 12.8%, 27.5%, and 47.1%, respectively. The prevalence of BMI⋝25, hyperglycemia, and hypertension increased with the age of males and females, and was higher in males than in females (37.1% vs 21.5%, 15.9% vs 12.1%, 35.0% vs 24.3%, 54.3% vs 40.4%).

Recent Developments in the Use of Intralesional Injections Keloid Treatment

Keloid scars are often considered aesthetically unattractive and frustrating problems that occur following injuries. They cause functional and cosmetic deformities, displeasure, itching, pain, and psychological stress and possibly affect joint movement. The combination of these factors ultimately results in a compromised quality of life and diminished functional performance. Various methods have been implemented to improve keloid scars using both surgical and non-surgical approaches. However, it has proven to be a challenge to identify a universal treatment that can deliver optimal results for all types of scars. Through a PubMed search, we explored most of the literature that is available about the intralesional injection treatment of hypertrophic scars and keloids and highlights both current (corticosteroid, 5-fluorouracil, bleomycin, interferon, cryotherapy and verapamil) and future treatments (interleukin-10 and botulinum toxin type A). The reference lists of retrieved articles were also analysed. Information was gathered about the mechanism of each injection treatment, its benefits and associated adverse reactions, and possible strategies to address adverse reactions to provide reliable guidelines for determining the optimal treatment for particular types of keloid scars. This article will benefit practitioners by outlining evidence-based treatment strategies using intralesional injections for patients with hypertrophic scars and keloids.