Exosome Transplantation From Patients With Schizophrenia Causes Schizophrenia-Relevant Behaviors in Mice: An Integrative Multi-omics Data Analysis.

Exosomes are involved in the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric diseases, but the role of exosomes in schizophrenia (SCZ) is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that transplantation of serum exosomes from SCZ patients into mice caused behavioral abnormalities such as deficits in prepulse inhibition and sociability, hyperactivity, and anxiogenesis. A comparative bioinformatics analysis suggested shared and distinct differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and enriched molecular pathways in the brains of SCZ exosome-recipient mice, methylazoxymethanol acetate-treated rats, and SCZ patients, which correlates evidence of altered prefrontal-hippocampal functional coherence in SCZ. A large proportion of SCZ-relevant DEGs in the exosome-recipient mice were targets of DE exosomal miRNAs in SCZ patients. Furthermore, we identified 20 hub genes for SCZ risk genes, including BDNF and NRG1, which were DE miRNA targets in SCZ. Collectively, our study suggests that SCZ exosome transplantation caused SCZ-relevant behaviors in mice, and epigenetic regulation may contribute to the phenotypes in the SCZ exosome-recipient mice. Our results may provide a potential animal model and novel therapeutic targets for SCZ.

Coverage and parental perceptions of influenza vaccination among parents of children aged 6 to 23 months in Hong Kong.

BACKGROUND: The impact of influenza on young children can be severe and even fatal. Influenza vaccination (IV) has been shown to be effective in reducing complications of influenza among children. This study investigated the prevalence and factors of IV among children aged 6-23 months in Hong Kong. METHODS: A sample of 401 Chinese parents of children aged 6-23 months were interviewed at local Maternal and Child Health Centers. Socio-demographic information, variables related to Health Belief Model, including perceptions about the child's chance of contracting influenza, perceived harm of influenza on children, perceived benefits and side-effects of IV, having received recommendations from health professionals to uptake IV, and IV behaviors of the children were measured. Multivariate analysis was used to examine factors associated with IV behaviors of children. RESULTS: Only 9% of the children had ever been vaccinated. Among those parents who had heard of IV (92.0%), substantial proportions perceived that IV could reduce the risk of influenza-induced complications (70.5%), hospitalization (70.5%) and death (65.9%). Relatively few of the participants believed that IV had no side effects (17.1%) and even less had been recommended by health care professionals to uptake IV (10.6%). Results from multivariate analysis showed that physician recommendations were associated with a higher likelihood for IV among younger children, whilst parental perceptions of the side effects of IV was associated with a lower likelihood for IV. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of IV among children aged 6-23 months in Hong Kong was very low. Promotion of IV with the component of physician recommendations and parents' knowledge about IV safety for this group is warranted.

Knowledge of avian influenza (H5N1) among poultry workers, Hong Kong, China.

In 2009, a cross-sectional survey of 360 poultry workers in Hong Kong, China, showed that workers had inadequate levels of avian influenza (H5N1) risk knowledge, preventive behavior, and outbreak preparedness. The main barriers to preventive practices were low perceived benefits and interference with work. Poultry workers require occupation-specific health promotion.

[The feasibility of outpatient data used for respiratory syndromic surveillance in general hospital].

OBJECTIVE: To find out the data sources of respiratory syndromes and their components from the outpatients of general hospitals and to describe the time distribution and mutual relations of different respiratory syndromes. Feasibility of respiratory syndromes used for early warning surveillance on respiratory infectious disease was also under research. METHODS: Retrospective investigation on Hospital Information System (HIS) was implemented in a general hospital in Guangzhou, 2005, and data of outpatients was collected and classified into different syndromes. The respiratory syndromes with its time distribution similar to influenza like illness (ILI), were selected, and cross-correlation analyses were conducted to investigate the feasibility of respiratory syndromes for early warning surveillance on respiratory infection diseases (influenza as an example). RESULTS: Primary sub-classification of respiratory syndromes in outpatient department would include upper respiratory infection (URI) (51.20%), trachitis/bronchitis (18.80%), asthma (17.52%), etc. Pulmonary infection accounted for only 2.26%. Time distributions of URI, trachitis/bronchitis, pulmonary infection, cough and asthma in outpatient department, X-ray tests and pneumonia/acute respiratory distress syndromes (ARDSs) in outpatient X-ray room were similar, with two peaks observed. Cross-correlation functions were calculated with the data sets of 1(st) - 28(th) week. The most significant correlation was detected between the time series of outpatient pulmonary infections and ILIs moved 4 weeks backward (r = 0.739, P < 0.01), and that was detected between URIs and ILIs moved 5 weeks backward (r = 0.714, P < 0.01). Correlation between X-ray tests, pneumonia/ARDSs in outpatient X-ray room and ILIs was the strongest when ILIs time series moved 1 week backward (r = 0.858, P < 0.001;r = 0.821, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Outpatient data from HIS system in general hospital could be applied to syndromic surveillance on respiratory diseases. For early warning epidemics or outbreaks of influenza or other respiratory infectious diseases, data of outpatient pulmonary infection appeared to be the most feasible for its specificity and timeliness, followed by URI and cough. X-ray tests and pneumonia/ARDSs in outpatient X-ray findings were important supplementary to verify the respiratory disease epidemics or outbreaks for its good specificity, but with no advantage for early warning.

[Study on the immunization coverage and effects of hepatitis B vaccine in the 20-59 years-old population in Guangzhou city].

OBJECTIVE: To study the immunization coverage and immune effects of hepatitis B vaccine (HepB) among people who were immunized later than at birth in Guangzhou city. METHODS: A multistage randomized cluster sampling was used and the subjects were at age 20 to 59 years old, from the families of twelve districts in Guangzhou. Cross sectional analysis was carried out. Every study subject's HepB immunization history and main risk were investigated through questionnaire. Venous blood samples were collected and then tested for HBsAg and anti-HBs by means of ELISA. The immunization coverage rate of HepB, prevalence rates of HBsAg and anti-HBs among every age group were valuated by sampling weights. The protective efficacy of the people with immunization of HepB was assessed by case-control study. RESULTS: The overall immunization rate of HepB was 24.71% (95%CI: 20.86%-28.56%) in the 20-59 age group. HBsAg prevalence rate was 14.91% (95%CI: 12.73%-17.08%), and 8.52% in vaccinated group while 18.15% in the non-vaccinated group. Results from case-control study showed that HepB had good protective efficacy to HBV in people of 20-59 years old. The protective rate of HepB against HBV was 62.6%. CONCLUSION: Vaccinating HepB on people after the neonatal period also non-newborn could provide good immune effect to HBV.

[Needs on information related to influenza pandemic by the public].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the information needs on human infection with avian influenza (H5N1), A (H1N1) and influenza pandemic in different time periods and create well-targeted messages by the public, so as to develop communication with the public effectively when human infection with avian influenza (H5N1), A (H1N1) and influenza pandemic occur. METHODS: Data were collected through questionnaire over telephone calls. The questionnaire was self-designed, revised after pilot testing. RESULTS: The effective response rate in this telephone survey was 54.33%, higher than those in Beijing and Shanghai. The respondents felt that government's propaganda during the influenza virus-active period was more helpful and instructive than those in the period when influenza was relatively inactive (chi(2) = 17.41, P = 0.000). Trust to the government by the public was higher in the influenza virus-active than in the relatively inactive period (chi(2) = 8.15, P = 0.004). As to the information needs, the respondents reflected that during the time period of relative influenza inactivity, they viewed the basic knowledge of human infection with avian influenza (H5N1) as their top priority, while in the influenza virus-active period, the feasible preventive measures was their top priority. The pandemic-related information needs in the influenza virus-active period and in the time period of relative influenza inactivity were similar, demonstrating that the respondents had no perceptual knowledge of influenza pandemic and had poor awareness on the pandemic. The respondents were not used to wear a mask to cover their mouths and noses when sneezing, but were quite knowledgeable about the following preventive measures as: avoid going out and at the crowded areas, wash hands frequently etc. Around 2% to 6% of the respondents did not have any information needs. CONCLUSION: The response rate in this telephone survey was fairly high, indicating that telephone survey was well accepted by Guangzhou residents. The public was satisfied with the government's propaganda activities and trusting the government. Public health professionals should develop communication messages closely related to the epidemic situation to target the information needs from the public.