The prevalence of COVID-19 infection, associated risk factors and post-COVID-19 symptoms among vaccinated people, in Anhui Province, China: A cross-sectional study.

To investigate the infection status of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among people in Anhui Province, China after the epidemic prevention and control measures were lifted, and to study and analyze its related influencing factors. From March 11 to May 20, 2023, questionnaires on COVID-19 were distributed on the Questionnaire Star platform, and Statistical Product and Service Solutions software (version 19.0) was used for statistical processing. The results showed that the infection rate of COVID-19 among respondents reached 72.24%. 58.81% of the infected people reported post COVID-19 symptoms. Fever, fatigue, and cough were the main symptoms during infection. The results of multi-factor logistic regression analysis showed that there is statistical significance between age (P = .002), residential area (P = .025), number of vaccine injections (P < .001) and the risk of new coronavirus infection. COVID-19 had a high infection rate, and children had a lower risk of COVID-19. People living in cities were more susceptible to COVID-19, and it was necessary to increase the number of vaccine doses.

The deubiquitinating enzyme USP4 regulates BRCA1 stability and function.

BRCA1 plays a suppressive role in breast tumorigenesis. Ubiquitin-dependent degradation is a common mechanism that regulates BRCA1 protein stability, and several ubiquitin ligases involved have been identified. However, the deubiquitinating enzyme for BRCA1 remains less defined. Here, we report that the deubiquitinase USP4 interacts with, deubiquitinates and stabilizes BRCA1, maintaining the protein level of BRCA1. USP4 knockdown results in a decreased BRCA1 protein level, impairment in homologous recombination mediated double-stranded break repair, and increased genome instability, and confers resistance to DNA damage-inducing agents and PARP inhibitors. Ectopic expression of USP4 stabilizes BRCA1 and reverse the effects caused by USP4 knockdown. Moreover, USP4 is low expressed in human breast cancer tissues and its low expression correlates with poorer survival of patients. Furthermore, we identified several loss-of-function mutations of USP4 in human gynecological cancers, the catalytic activity of which or their interaction with BRCA1 is disrupted. Together, we reveal that USP4 is a deubiquitinase for BRCA1. USP4 positively regulates the stability and function of BRCA1 through de-ubiquitination, and plays important role in the suppression of breast cancer.

Epidemiological survey of hypertension among middle-aged and elderly adults in Anhui Province.

To understand and analyze the prevalence and treatment of hypertension among residents aged 45 years and older in northern and southern Anhui Province to provide an opportunity to improve awareness, taking into account and standardizing hypertension management. Using a stratified cluster random sampling method, Anhui Province was divided into northern and southern Anhui regions using the Yangtze River as the boundary. The prevalence rate, awareness rate, treatment rate, control rate, related risk factors and complications of hypertension in the community population aged ≥ 45 years in Anhui Province were investigated using a questionnaire survey and a physical examination. The chi-square test was used to analyze the regional differences in hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment and control rates. Weighted logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors for hypertension. A total of 1331 residents aged ≥ 45 years were included. The results showed that the overall prevalence of hypertension in the Anhui Province population aged ≥ 45 years was 47.48% (50.73% in northern Anhui and 43.21% in southern Anhui), and the prevalence of hypertension in northern Anhui was higher than that in southern Anhui. The survey showed that the overall hypertension awareness rate in Anhui Province was 59.67%, the hypertension treatment rate was 44.46%, and the hypertension control rate was 30.70%. The differences between the 2 regions was statistically significant. The hypertension awareness, treatment and control rates in southern Anhui were higher than those in northern Anhui (P < .05). The risk factors for hypertension were older age, rural residence, male, obesity, low education level, high salt diet, smoking, excessive drinking, poor sleep, insufficient exercise, a family history of hypertension, a history of diabetes, and a history of hyperlipidemia. The most common complication of hypertension in middle-aged and elderly people in Anhui Province was cerebrovascular disease, followed by cardiovascular disease. Calcium channel blockers were the most commonly used antihypertensive drugs in middle-aged and elderly people in Anhui Province, followed by angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker receptor antagonists.

Anterior segment inflammation and its association with dry eye parameters following myopic SMILE and FS-LASIK.

PURPOSE: To evaluate dry eye and anterior segment inflammation after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK), and investigate their association. METHODS: This prospective and observational study included 96 eyes from 48 myopic patients. The evaluation was performed at baseline, postoperative day 1, week 1, month 1 and month 3. Outcome measures included anterior chamber flare, bulbar redness (BR), limbal redness (LR), ocular surface disease index (OSDI), tear meniscus height (TMH), the first and average noninvasive breakup time (NIBUT-1, NIBUT-a), fluorescein breakup time (FBUT), corneal fluorescein staining (CFS), and Schirmer I. Generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were applied to explore the correlation between flare and ocular surface parameters. RESULTS: Flare increased significantly in both groups at day 1 and week 1 and then returned to baseline at month 1. In both groups, BR decreased on day 1 and then gradually increased towards the baseline. In FS-LASIK, LR was lower than baseline at day 1 and month 3. An increase in OSDI was found in the SMILE group on day 1, and in the FS-LASIK group at day 1 to month 1. NIBUT-1 and NIBUT-a decreased significantly on day 1 in both groups. At month 3, NIBUT-a did not return to baseline in FS-LASIK. CFS increased significantly at week 1 in both groups. All parameters were comparable between SMILE and FS-LASIK except for OSDI and NIBUT-a. Time and spherical equivalent showed a correlation with flare. CONCLUSIONS: Both SMILE and FS-LASIK induced elevated anterior chamber flare and dry eye. However, flare might not be considered a factor determining perioperative dry eye.Key MessagesDry eye disease is common after corneal refractive surgery. Signs and symptoms of dry eye disease persist longer after FS-LASIK compared with SMILE.Both FS-LASIK and SMILE transiently disrupted blood-aqueous barrier integrity, leading to anterior segment inflammation.Anterior chamber flare might not be considered a factor explaining perioperative dry eye, other biomarkers remain for future exploration.