Effects of pollen concentration on allergic rhinitis in children: A retrospective study from Beijing, a Chinese megacity.

With global climate change and rapid urbanization, the prevalence of allergic diseases caused by pollen is rising dramatically worldwide with unprecedented complexity and severity, especially for children in mega-cities. However, because of the lack of long time-series pollen concentrations data, the accurate evaluation of the impact of pollen on allergic rhinitis (AR) was scarce in the Chinese metropolis. A generalized additive model was used to assess the effect of pollen concentration on pediatric AR outpatient visits in Beijing from 2014 to 2019. A stratified analysis of 10 pollen species and age-gender-specific groups was also conducted during the spring and summer-autumn peak pollen periods separately. Positive associations between pollen concentration and pediatric AR varied with the season and pollen species were detected. Although the average daily pollen concentration is higher during the spring tree pollen peak, the influence was stronger at the summer-autumn weed pollen peak with the maximum relative risk 1.010 (95% CI 1.009, 1.011), which was higher than the greatest relative risk, 1.003 (95% CI 1.002, 1.004) in the spring peak. The significant adverse effects can be sustained to lag10 during the study period, and longer in the summer-autumn peak (lag13) than in the spring peak (lag8). There are thresholds for the health effects and they varied between seasons. The significant effect appeared when the pollen concentration was higher than 3.74 × 105 grain·m-2·d-1 during the spring tree pollen peaks and 4.70 × 104 grain·m-2·d-1 during the summer-autumn weed pollen peaks. The stratified results suggested that the species-specific effects were heterogeneous. It further highlights that enough attention should be paid to the problem of pollen allergy in children, especially school-aged children aged 7-18 years and weed pollen in the summer-autumn peak pollen period. These findings provide a more accurate reference for the rational coordination of medical resources and improvement of public health.

Remote Photothermal Control of DNA Origami Assembly in Cellular Environments.

In situ synthesis of DNA origami structures in living systems is highly desirable due to its potential in biological applications, which nevertheless is hampered by the requirement of thermal activation procedures. Here, we report a photothermal DNA origami assembly method in near-physiological environments. We find that the use of copper sulfide nanoparticles (CuS NPs) can mediate efficient near-infrared (NIR) photothermal conversion to remotely control the solution temperature. Under a 4 min NIR illumination and subsequent natural cooling, rapid and high-yield (>80%) assembly of various types of DNA origami nanostructures is achieved as revealed by atomic force microscopy and single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer analysis. We further demonstrate the in situ assembly of DNA origami with high location precision in cell lysates and in cell culture environments.

Association of iron supplementation with risk of transfusion, hospital length of stay, and mortality in geriatric patients undergoing hip fracture surgeries: a meta-analysis.

AIMS: To assess the efficacy and safety of iron supplementation for perioperative anemia in geriatric patients with hip fracture. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted for studies published using PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library Databases that compared iron supplementation with placebo in patients undergoing hip fracture surgery. The outcomes were blood transfusion rate and volume, length of stay, infection and mortality (last follow-up). Sub-group and sensitivity analyses were performed in cases of substantial heterogeneity. RESULTS: The meta-analysis (6 studies: 1201 patients) indicated that iron supplements were not associated with reducing blood transfusion rate (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.60-1.41; P = 0.69), but high heterogeneity (I2 = 61%) was detected and a significant association was found in sensitivity analysis of four studies (n = 637; OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.49-0.95; P = 0.02). A significant reduction was detected in transfusion volume (two studies: n = 234; MD - 0.45 units/patient, 95% CI - 0.74 to - 0.16; P = 0.002), hospital stay (five studies: n = 998; MD - 1.42, 95% CI - 2.18 to - 0.67; P = 0.0002) and caused no increased risk of mortality (five studies: n = 937; OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.65-1.36; P = 0.76) and infection (four studies: n = 701; OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.38-0.90; P = 0.01). Sub-group analyses of four studies showed that the preoperative intravenous use of iron at 200-300 mg (two studies) may be the beneficial option for hip fractures patients. CONCLUSIONS: Iron supplementation, especially preoperative intravenous use of 200-300 mg iron, is safe and associated with reducing transfusion requirement and hospital stay. Unfortunately, data were too limited to draw a definite conclusion. Further evaluation is required before recommending iron supplementation for older patients with hip fracture surgeries.

[Effect of adductor canal block combined with local infiltration anesthesia on rehabilitation of primary total knee arthroplasty].

Objective: To investigate the effect of adductor canal block combined with local infiltration anesthesia on the rehabilitation of primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Methods: A total of 104 patients who met the selection criteria for the first unilateral TKA between March 2017 and August 2017 were included in the study. They were randomly divided into trial group (53 cases) and control group (51 cases). In the trial group, the adductor canal block with intraoperative local infiltration anesthesia were performed. In the control group, only intraoperative local infil-tration anesthesia was performed. There was no significant difference in gender, age, body mass index, diagnosis, effected side, and the preoperative American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grading between 2 groups ( P>0.05). The operation time, length of stay, and complications were compared between 2 groups, as well as visual analogue scale (VAS) score of incision at rest and during activity, the range of motion (ROM) of knee flexion and extension activity, limb swelling (thigh circumference), walking distance, and pain VAS score while walking. Results: The operation time of the trial group was significantly shorter than that of the control group ( t=-2.861, P=0.005). However, there was no significant difference in length of stay between 2 groups ( t=-0.975, P=0.332). The wound effusion occurred in 1 patient of trial group and 2 of control group; hematoma occurred in 2 patients of trial group and 3 of control group; no symptom of intermuscular venous thrombosis occurred in 1 patient in each of 2 groups; ecchymosis occurred in 14 patients of trial group and 15 of control group; there was no significant difference in the incidence of related complications between 2 groups ( P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the preoperative VAS score at rest and during activity, ROM of knee flexion and extension activity, and thigh circumference between 2 groups ( P>0.05). However, there were significant differences in the VAS score at rest and during activity after 2, 4, 8, and 12 hours, ROM of knee flexion and extension activity after 1 and 2 days, and the walking distance on the day of discharge, pain VAS scores while walking after 1 and 2 days and on the day of discharge, and thigh circumference after 1 day between 2 groups ( P<0.05). Conclusion: For the primary TKA, the adductor canal block combined with local infiltration anesthesia can early relieve the initial pain of the incision, shorten the operation time, and promote the mobility and functional recovery of the knee joint.

Safety and Efficacy of High-Dose Daily Vitamin D3 Supplementation in Children and Young Adults Infected With Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

BACKGROUND: Suboptimal vitamin D (vitD) status is common in children and young adults infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The vitD supplemental dose needed to normalize vitD status in this population is unknown. METHODS: In this double-blind trial, subjects infected with HIV ages 8.3 to 24.9 years were randomized to vitD3 supplementation of 4000 IU/day or 7000 IU/day and evaluated at 6 and 12 week for changes in vitD status and HIV indicators. A dose was considered unsafe if serum calcium was elevated (above age and sex-specific range) associated with elevated serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D); >160 ng/mL). RESULTS: At baseline, 95% of subjects (n = 44; 43% with perinatally acquired HIV, 57% with behaviorally acquired HIV) had a suboptimal serum 25(OH)D concentration of <32 ng/mL (mean ± standard deviation, 19.3 ± 7.4; range, 4.4-33.6 ng/mL). After 12 weeks (main outcome) of D3 supplementation, both D3 doses were safe and well tolerated, with no evidence of elevation of serum calcium concentrations or deterioration in HIV immunologic or virologic status. Sufficient vitD status, defined as serum 25(OH)D ≥32 ng/mL, was achieved in 81% of all subjects, and only the 7000 IU/day group (86%) achieved this a priori efficacy criterion in >80% of subjects. Change in serum 25(OH)D did not differ between HIV acquisition groups. CONCLUSIONS: A 7000 IU/day D3 supplementation was safe and effective in children and young adults infected with HIV.