[A clinical epidemiological investigation of neonatal acute respiratory distress syndrome in southwest Hubei, China].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical features and outcome of neonatal acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in southwest Hubei, China. METHODS: According to the Montreux definition of neonatal ARDS, a retrospective clinical epidemiological investigation was performed on the medical data of neonates with ARDS who were admitted to Department of Neonatology/Pediatrics in 17 level 2 or level 3 hospitals in southwest Hubei from January to December, 2017. RESULTS: A total of 7 150 neonates were admitted to the 17 hospitals in southwest Hubei during 2017 and 66 (0.92%) were diagnosed with ARDS. Among the 66 neonates with ARDS, 23 (35%) had mild ARDS, 28 (42%) had moderate ARDS, and 15 (23%) had severe ARDS. The main primary diseases for neonatal ARDS were perinatal asphyxia in 23 neonates (35%), pneumonia in 18 neonates (27%), sepsis in 12 neonates (18%), and meconium aspiration syndrome in 10 neonates (15%). Among the 66 neonates with ARDS, 10 neonates (15%) were born to the mothers with an age of ≥35 years, 30 neonates (45%) suffered from intrauterine distress, 32 neonates (49%) had a 1-minute Apgar score of 0 to 7 points, 24 neonates (36%) had abnormal fetal heart monitoring results, and 21 neonates (32%) experienced meconium staining of amniotic fluid. Intraventricular hemorrhage was the most common comorbidity (12 neonates), followed by neonatal shock (9 neonates) and patent ductus arteriosus (8 neonates). All 66 neonates with ARDS were treated with mechanical ventilation in addition to the treatment for primary diseases. Among the 66 neonates with ARDS, 10 died, with a mortality rate of 15% (10/66), and 56 neonates were improved or cured, with a survival rate of 85% (56/66). CONCLUSIONS: Neonatal ARDS in southwest Hubei is mostly mild or moderate. Perinatal asphyxia and infection may be the main causes of neonatal ARDS in this area. Intraventricular hemorrhage is the most common comorbidity. Neonates with ARDS tend to have a high survival rate after multimodality treatment.

[Influence factors of deposition induced by melt water erosion in Naqu region, China].

Melt water erosion is one of the important soil erosion forms caused by the melt water from glacier and snow in high altitude cold areas of China. This paper investigated the influencing factors of deposition caused by melt water erosion in Naqu region. Alluvial fan ratio was presented as an index to characterize the degree of the deposition induced by melt water erosion. Minimum polygon was determined based on spatial overlay technology of Geographic Information System (GIS). The regression equation between the deposition index and the influencing factors was established through the stepwise regression analysis based on minimum polygon. Key influencing factors were identified according to the stepwise regression equation. The results showed that large amounts of alluvial fan were observed in Naqu region; extensive alluvial fans were centered at gentle slope areas in the central part of Naqu region with great spatial differences; alluvial fans were mainly distributed at valley exits, most of which were at large scale with vast differences in area and thickness. Wind speed, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), K value of soil erodibility, annual temperature range and the steep slope area ratio were identified as the key influencing factors on the deposition induced by melt water erosion in the studied area. Index of deposition was positively correlated with the wind speed and NDVI, and showed negative relationships with the K value of soil erodibility, the annual temperature range and steep slope area ratio.

[Treatment and assistance for advanced schistosomiasis patients in Changshu City from 2006 to 2014].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the status of treatment and assistance for advanced schistosomiasis patients in Changshu City from 2006 to 2014. METHODS: According to The Parasitic Disease Prevention Information Management System, the data of treatment and assistance for advanced schistosomiasis patients were collected and analyzed statistically in Changshu City from 2006 to 2014. RESULTS: A total of 269 advanced schistosomiasis patients were assisted. The sex ratio of men: women was 0.56: 1 with an average age of 71.71 years. The ascites-type patients accounted for 78.25%, splenomegaly-type 21.20%, and colon proliferation-type 0.55%. The clinical cure rate was 12.29%, improvement rate 62.81%, and no-change 8.67%, and the total effective rate was 75.10%. CONCLUSION: The treatment and assistance for advanced schistosomiasis patients has achieved the basic target of improving the symptoms, relieving pains and improving the living quality.

[Survey on newly-developed advanced schistosomiasis patients in schistosomiasis transmission-interrupted areas].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the status of newly-developed advanced schistosomiasis patients in schistosome transmission-interrupted areas. METHODS: The newly diagnosed advanced schistosomiasis patients confirmed by professionals at province and county levels according to the available standards were investigated. Their detailed epidemiology history and present signs/ symptoms were surveyed, and the relevant medical examinations were performed. RESULTS: There were 75 patients including 22 males and 53 females. The average age was (70.0 +/- 7.0) years and they were all infected with schistosome previously. They received anti-schistosome therapy (mean 1.85 times) and stool examinations (mean 26.24 times) continuously from 1976 to 1985, and the results of stool examination were all negative. In majority of the patients' resident areas, the last time that Oncomelania hupensis snails were found was 1976, and the latest was 1983. During this period, no patients were up to the diagnostic criteria of advanced schistosomiasis after multiple examinations, and they were diagnosed as advanced cases between 2008 and 2011. The survey indicated that liver fibrosis was found in all the patients with 82.7% showing grad III pathological change, 90.7% of them had splenomegaly, 20.0% had ascites, and 22.7% had portal vein broadening. The mean value of enzyme indexes of liver function was 31.81 U/L (ALT), 53.19 U/L (AST) and 89.28 U/L (gamma-GT), and the positive rate was 21.3%, 49.3% and 57.3%, respectively. As for the fibrosis indexes, the positive rate of HA, LN, C VI and P III P was 73.3%, 13.3%, 17.3% and 9.3%, respectively, and the mean value of HA was 3 times higher than that of the upper limit of normal standard. Conclusions Newly-developed advanced schistosomiasis patients are those who were dignosed and cured parasitologically but progressed pathologically without any chance of re-infection. Anti-fibrosis therapy is necessary as the patients show considerable progressive liver fibrosis.