An evaluation index system for regional mobile SARS-CoV-2 virus nucleic acid testing capacity in China: a modified Delphi consensus study.

BACKGROUND: Large-scale detection has great potential to bring benefits for containing the COVID-19 epidemic and supporting the government in reopening economic activities. Evaluating the true regional mobile severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus nucleic acid testing capacity is essential to improve the overall fighting performance against this epidemic and maintain economic development. However, such a tool is not available in this issue. We aimed to establish an evaluation index system for assessing the regional mobile SARS-CoV-2 virus nucleic acid testing capacity and provide suggestions for improving the capacity level. METHODS: The initial version of the evaluation index system was identified based on massive literature and expert interviews. The Delphi method questionnaire was designed and 30 experts were consulted in two rounds of questionnaire to select and revise indexes at all three levels. The Analytic Hierarchy Process method was used to calculate the weight of indexes at all three levels. RESULTS: The evaluation index system for assessing the regional mobile SARS-CoV-2 virus nucleic acid testing capacity, including 5 first-level indexes, 17 second-level indexes, and 90 third-level indexes. The response rates of questionnaires delivered in the two rounds of consultation were 100 and 96.7%. Furthermore, the authority coefficient of 30 experts was 0.71. Kendall's coordination coefficient differences were statistically significant (P < 0.001). The weighted values of capacity indexes were established at all levels according to the consistency test, demonstrating that 'Personnel team construction' (0.2046) came first amongst the five first-level indexes, followed by 'Laboratory performance building and maintenance' (0.2023), 'Emergency response guarantee' (0.1989), 'Information management system for nucleic acid testing resources' (0.1982) and 'Regional mobile nucleic acid testing emergency response system construction' (0.1959). CONCLUSION: The evaluation system for assessing the regional mobile SARS-CoV-2 virus nucleic acid testing capacity puts forward a specific, objective, and quantifiable evaluation criterion. The evaluation system can act as a tool for diversified subjects to find the weak links and loopholes. It also provides a measurable basis for authorities to improve nucleic acid testing capabilities.

Applying the Moving Epidemic Method to Establish the Influenza Epidemic Thresholds and Intensity Levels for Age-Specific Groups in Hubei Province, China.

BACKGROUND: School-aged children were reported to act as the main transmitter during influenza epidemic seasons. It is vital to set up an early detection method to help with the vaccination program in such a high-risk population. However, most relative studies only focused on the general population. Our study aims to describe the influenza epidemiology characteristics in Hubei Province and to introduce the moving epidemic method to establish the epidemic thresholds for age-specific groups. METHODS: We divided the whole population into pre-school, school-aged and adult groups. The virology data from 2010/2011 to 2017/2018 were applied to the moving epidemic method to establish the epidemic thresholds for the general population and age-specific groups for the detection of influenza in 2018/2019. The performances of the model were compared by the cross-validation process. RESULTS: The epidemic threshold for school-aged children in the 2018/2019 season was 15.42%. The epidemic thresholds for influenza A virus subtypes H1N1 and H3N2 and influenza B were determined as 5.68%, 6.12% and 10.48%, respectively. The median start weeks of the school-aged children were similar to the general population. The cross-validation process showed that the sensitivity of the model established with school-aged children was higher than those established with the other age groups in total influenza, H1N1 and influenza B, while it was only lower than the general population group in H3N2. CONCLUSIONS: This study proved the feasibility of applying the moving epidemic method in Hubei Province. Additional influenza surveillance and vaccination strategies should be well-organized for school-aged children to reduce the disease burden of influenza in China.

Elevated Arsenic Exposure Is Associated with an Increased Risk of Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection: NHANES (2003-2014) in U.S. Adults.

Studies concerning the association between arsenic exposure and hepatitis B virus (HB V) infection have been lacking. The present study aimed to examine the association between total urinary arsenic (TUA) and infection of HBV. A total of 5186 participants from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2014 were included in the analysis. We used logistic regression to evaluate the association. We defined two measures of TUA. TUAI was the sum of arsenous acid, arsenicacid, monomethylarsonic acid and dimethylarsenic acid. TUA2 was defined as TUA minus arsenobetaine and arsenocholine. The results showed that the weighted overall prevalence of HBV infection was 6.08%. For NHANES 2003-2014, the medians (interquartile range) of TUAI and TUA2 were 5.60 µg/L (3.97-8.09 µg/L) and 4.91 µg/L (2.36-9.11 µg/L), respectively. Comparing the highest quartile to the lowest quartile after multivariable adjustment showed that the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for TUAI and TUA2 were 2.44 (1.40-4.27) and 2.84 (1.60-5.05), respectively. In conclusion, elevated urinary arsenic was associated with the risk of HBV infection. Further studies, especially prospective studies, are needed to confirm the causal relationship between arsenic exposure and HBV infection.

[Study on the relationship between polymorphism of adiponectin gene and risk of ischemic stroke among Han population in the Northern parts of China].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between polymorphisms of adiponectin gene and the risk of ischemic stroke in Han population from the Northern parts of China. METHODS: TaqMan probe of RT-PCR was applied to detect the genotype frequency of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) (rs266729 and rs2241766) of adiponectin gene in 357 ischemic stroke cases who developed the episode at first time and with 345 healthy controls. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationship of each genotype of SNPs and ischemic stroke. RESULTS: Mutation of rs2241766 (T > G) increased the risk of ischemic stroke among all the samples (OR = 1.55, P = 0.01) and it was still the risk factor of ischemic stroke when analyzed by multi-factors logistic regression after each factor was adjusted (OR = 1.55, P = 0.00). The polymorphism of rs266729 was not related to the risk of ischemic stroke among all the samples (OR = 1.13, P = 0.57). However, the genotype GG of rs266729 increased the risk of ischemic stroke among female population (OR = 3.25, P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: The variance of rs2241766 in adiponectin gene was related to the risk of ischemic stroke in Han population from the Northern parts of China and the genotype GG of rs266729 could possibly increase the risk of ischemic stroke in women of Han population from the Northern parts of the country.