A novel pathologic marker, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1, for the cholangiopathy of immune checkpoint inhibitors-induced immune mediated hepatotoxicity as adverse events and the prediction of additional ursodeoxycholic acid treatment.

Immune-related adverse events (irAE) has been clarified according the usage of immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICI). We primarily found indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1(IDO-1) as a histologic biomarker for the cholangiopathy of primary biliary cholangitis(PBC). In this study, we evaluated the utility of IDO-1 in identifying ICI-induced immune-mediated hepatotoxicity(IMH). Immunostaining for IDO-1 using liver sections of PBC, ICI-induced IMH and controls, revealed that IDO-1 expression in bile ducts is mostly restricted in PBC and ICI-induced IMH. In ICI-induced IMH, IDO-1-positive bile ducts is found in 2/2 cases of cholangitis type and also positive/focal ducts in 11/15 cases of hepatitis type. Moreover, in 8/13 positive/focal cases, ursodeoxycholic acid as well as steroids were needed to improve liver dysfunction, but just one case (1/4) in IDO-1-negative cases. One IDO-1 positive case of hepatitis type did not receive additional UDCA, but biliary enzymes worsen. In vitro study using cultured human biliary epithelial cells revealed that IDO-1 induction was found with the stimulation of IFN-γ. In conclusion, the presence of IDO-1-positive cells is found in bile ducts in hepatitic type as well as sclerosing cholangitis of ICI-induced IMH. IDO-1 is surely a valuable pathologic marker for diagnosing ICI-induced IMH and also for predicting an additional need of UDCA in clinical practice.

Pathogenesis and Treatment of Coronary Microvascular Disease in Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

In recent years， coronary microvascular disease （CMVD）， a main type of ischemic heart disease with high incidence and low diagnosis rate， has become a new research hotspot and received much clinical attention. The etiology of CMVD is complex and the symptoms are various. Traditional Chinese and Western medicine have different opinions on its pathogenesis and treatment plan. Western medicine believes that CMVD is related to structural abnormalities （such as microvascular remodeling， vascular invasion， lumen obstruction， sparse vascular vessel and perivascular fibrosis） and functional abnormalities （such as endothelial dysfunction， smooth muscle cell dysfunction， microvascular constriction， microvascular spasm， inflammation and autonomic nervous dysfunction） of coronary microvascular vessels as well as the extravascular factors （such as heart rate and blood pressure）. In clinics， conventional western medicines are usually used for empirical treatment， but with undesirable effects. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） believes that CMVD belongs to the category of "chest impediment"， "heart pain" and "collateral disease"， and the common syndromes include Qi deficiency and blood stasis， Qi stagnation and blood stasis， Qi and Yin deficiency， congealing cold in heart vessel， heart and spleen deficiency， blood stasis obstructing collaterals， combined phlegm and blood stasis， and liver and kidney deficiency， with a variety of treatment methods. Specifically， Chinese patent medicines， self-designed prescriptions， modified classical prescriptions and TCM characteristic therapies have achieved certain effects. This review discussed the risk factors， pathological mechanism， TCM etiology and pathogenesis and traditional Chinese and Western medicine treatment of CMVD， to provide reference for the study and treatment of CMVD.

Serology assays used in SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence surveys worldwide: a systematic review and meta-analysis of assay features, testing algorithms, and performance

BackgroundMany serological assays to detect SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were developed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Differences in the detection mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 serological assays limited the comparability of seroprevalence estimates for populations being tested. MethodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of serological assays used in SARS-CoV-2 population seroprevalence surveys, searching for published articles, preprints, institutional sources, and grey literature between January 1, 2020, and November 19, 2021. We described features of all identified assays and mapped performance metrics by the manufacturers, third-party head-to-head, and independent group evaluations. We compared the reported assay performance by evaluation source with a mixed-effect beta regression model. A simulation was run to quantify how biased assay performance affects population seroprevalence estimates with test adjustment. ResultsAmong 1807 included serosurveys, 192 distinctive commercial assays and 380 self-developed assays were identified. According to manufacturers, 28.6% of all commercial assays met WHO criteria for emergency use (sensitivity [Sn.] >= 90.0%, specificity [Sp.] >= 97.0%). However, manufacturers overstated the absolute values of Sn. of commercial assays by 1.0% [0.1, 1.4%] and 3.3% [2.7, 3.4%], and Sp. by 0.9% [0.9, 0.9%] and 0.2% [-0.1, 0.4%] compared to third-party and independent evaluations, respectively. Reported performance data was not sufficient to support a similar analysis for self-developed assays. Simulations indicate that inaccurate Sn. and Sp. can bias seroprevalence estimates adjusted for assay performance; the error level changes with the background seroprevalence. ConclusionsThe Sn. and Sp. of the serological assay are not fixed properties, but varying features depending on the testing population. To achieve precise population estimates and to ensure the comparability of seroprevalence, serosurveys should select assays with high performance validated not only by their manufacturers and adjust seroprevalence estimates based on assured performance data. More investigation should be directed to consolidating the performance of self-developed assays.

Protective effectiveness of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection and hybrid immunity against Omicron infection and severe disease: a systematic review and meta-regression

BackgroundWe aimed to systematically review the magnitude and duration of the protective effectiveness of prior infection (PE) and hybrid immunity (HE) against Omicron infection and severe disease. MethodsWe searched pre-print and peer-reviewed electronic databases for controlled studies from January 1, 2020, to June 1, 2022. Risk of bias (RoB) was assessed using the Risk of Bias In Non-Randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I)-Tool. We used random-effects meta-regression to estimate the magnitude of protection at 1-month intervals and the average change in protection since the last vaccine dose or infection from 3 months to 6 or 12 months. We compared our estimates of PE and HE to previously published estimates of the magnitude and durability of vaccine effectiveness (VE) against Omicron. FindingsEleven studies of prior infection and 15 studies of hybrid immunity were included. For prior infection, there were 97 estimates (27 at moderate RoB and 70 at serious RoB), with the longest follow up at 15 months. PE against hospitalization or severe disease was 82{middle dot}5% [71{middle dot}8-89{middle dot}7%] at 3 months, and 74{middle dot}6% [63{middle dot}1-83{middle dot}5%] at 12 months. PE against reinfection was 65{middle dot}2% [52{middle dot}9-75{middle dot}9%] at 3 months, and 24{middle dot}7% [16{middle dot}4-35{middle dot}5%] at 12 months. For HE, there were 153 estimates (78 at moderate RoB and 75 at serious RoB), with the longest follow up at 11 months for primary series vaccination and 4 months for first booster vaccination. Against hospitalization or severe disease, HE involving either primary series vaccination or first booster vaccination was consistently >95% for the available follow up. Against reinfection, HE involving primary series vaccination was 69{middle dot}0% [58{middle dot}9-77{middle dot}5%] at 3 months after the most recent infection or vaccination, and 41{middle dot}8% [31{middle dot}5-52{middle dot}8%] at 12 months, while HE involving first booster vaccination was 68{middle dot}6% [58{middle dot}8-76{middle dot}9%] at 3 months, and 46{middle dot}5% [36{middle dot}0-57{middle dot}3%] at 6 months. Against hospitalization or severe disease at 6 months, hybrid immunity with first booster vaccination (effectiveness 95{middle dot}3% [81{middle dot}9-98{middle dot}9%]) or with primary series alone (96{middle dot}5% [90{middle dot}2-98{middle dot}8%]) provided significantly greater protection than prior infection alone (80{middle dot}1% [70{middle dot}3-87{middle dot}2%]), first booster vaccination alone (76{middle dot}7% [72{middle dot}5-80{middle dot}4%]), or primary series alone (64{middle dot}6% [54{middle dot}5-73{middle dot}6%]). Results for protection against reinfection were similar. InterpretationPrior infection and hybrid immunity both provided greater and more sustained protection against Omicron than vaccination alone. All protection estimates waned quickly against infection but remained high for hospitalisation or severe disease. Individuals with hybrid immunity had the highest magnitude and durability of protection against all outcomes, reinforcing the global imperative for vaccination. FundingWHO COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. Research in contextO_ST_ABSEvidence before this studyC_ST_ABSThe global emergence and rapid spread of Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant of concern, characterized by their ability to escape immunity, has required scientists and policymakers to reassess the population protection against Omicron infection and severe disease. So far, few systematic reviews have incorporated data on Omicron, and none have examined the protection against Omicron conferred by hybrid immunity (i.e. the immunity gained from the combination of vaccination and prior infection) which is now widespread globally. While one preprint has recently reported protection from prior infection over time, no systematic review has systematically compared the magnitude and duration of vaccination, prior infection, and hybrid immunity. A large single-country study has reported that protection from either infection or hybrid immunity against Omicron infection wanes to low levels at 15 months, but is relatively stable against severe disease. Added value of this studyPrior infection and hybrid immunity both provided greater and more sustained protection against Omicron than vaccination alone. Individuals with hybrid immunity had the highest magnitude and durability of protection against all outcomes; protection against severe disease remained above 95% until the end of available follow-up at 11 months after hybrid immunity with primary series and 4 months after hybrid immunity with booster vaccination, and was sustained at these high levels of protection in projections to 12 months and 6 months, respectively. Implications of all the available evidenceThese results may serve to tailor guidance on the optimal number and timing of vaccinations. At the public health level, these findings can be combined with data on local infection prevalence, vaccination rates, and their timing. In settings with high seroprevalence, limited resources, and competing health priorities, it may be reasonable to focus on achieving high coverage rates with primary series among individuals who are at higher risk of poor outcome, as this will provide a high level of protection against severe disease for at least one year among those with prior infection. Furthermore, given the waning protection for both infection-and vaccine induced immunity against infection or reinfection, mass vaccination could be timed for roll-out prior to periods of expected increased incidence, such as the winter season. At the individual level, these results can be combined with knowledge of a persons infection and vaccination history. A six-month delay in booster may be justified after the last infection or vaccination for individuals with a known prior infection and full primary series vaccination. Further follow-up of the protective effectiveness of hybrid immunity against hospitalization or severe disease for all vaccines is needed to clarify how much waning of protection might occur with longer duration since the last infection or vaccination. Producing estimates of protection for new variant-containing vaccines will be crucial for COVID-19 vaccine policy and decision-making bodies. Policy makers considering the use and timing of vaccinations should include the local extent of past infection, the protection conferred by prior infection or hybrid immunity, and the duration of this protection as key considerations to inform their decision-making.

SARS-CoV-2 infection in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis of standardised seroprevalence studies, from January 2020 to December 2021

IntroductionEstimating COVID-19 cumulative incidence in Africa remains problematic due to challenges in contact tracing, routine surveillance systems and laboratory testing capacities and strategies. We undertook a meta-analysis of population-based seroprevalence studies to estimate SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in Africa to inform evidence-based decision making on Public Health and Social Measures (PHSM) and vaccine strategy. MethodsWe searched for seroprevalence studies conducted in Africa published 01-01-2020 to 30-12-2021 in Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and Europe PMC (preprints), grey literature, media releases and early results from WHO Unity studies. All studies were screened, extracted, assessed for risk of bias and evaluated for alignment with the WHO Unity protocol for seroepidemiological investigations. We conducted descriptive analyses of seroprevalence and meta-analysed seroprevalence differences by demographic groups, place and time. We estimated the extent of undetected infections by comparing seroprevalence and cumulative incidence of confirmed cases reported to WHO. PROSPERO: CRD42020183634. ResultsWe identified 54 full texts or early results, reporting 151 distinct seroprevalence studies in Africa Of these, 95 (63%) were low/moderate risk of bias studies. SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence rose from 3.0% [95% CI: 1.0-9.2%] in Q2 2020 to 65.1% [95% CI: 56.3-73.0%] in Q3 2021. The ratios of seroprevalence from infection to cumulative incidence of confirmed cases was large (overall: 97:1, ranging from 10:1 to 958:1) and steady over time. Seroprevalence was highly heterogeneous both within countries - urban vs. rural (lower seroprevalence for rural geographic areas), children vs. adults (children aged 0-9 years had the lowest seroprevalence) - and between countries and African sub-regions (Middle, Western and Eastern Africa associated with higher seroprevalence). ConclusionWe report high seroprevalence in Africa suggesting greater population exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and protection against COVID-19 disease than indicated by surveillance data. As seroprevalence was heterogeneous, targeted PHSM and vaccination strategies need to be tailored to local epidemiological situations.

Clinical efficacy of precise hepatectomy for the treatment of recurrent unilateral hepato-lithiasis and prognostic factors analysis / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of precise hepatectomy for the treatment of recurrent unilateral hepatolithiasis and prognostic factors.Methods:The retrospec-tive case-control study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 166 patients with recurrent unilateral hepatolithiasis who were treated by precise hepatectomy in the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from January 2015 to January 2021 were collected. There were 51 males and 115 females, aged (58±12)years. Observation indicators: (1)diagnosis and classification; (2) surgical and intraoperative situations; (3) postoperative situations; (4) follow-up; (5) analysis of prognostic factors. Follow-up was conducted using the outpatient examination and telephone inter-view to detect final stone clearance or recurrence and survival of patients up to August 2021. Patients with T-tube were performed T-tube cholangiography or choledochoscopy to evaluate the final stone clearance rate at postoperative week 8. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M(range). Count data were described as absolute numbers or percentages. Univariate and multi-variate analyses were conducted using the Logistic regression model. Results:(1) Diagnosis and classifica-tion: 166 patients were diagnosed as hepatolithiasis by preoperative imaging examination and intraoperative evaluation, including 134 cases with common bile duct stones. Of the 166 patients, 115 cases had stones located in the left lobe of liver and 51 cases had stones located in the right lobe of liver. There were 111 cases with bile pigment stones, 31 cases with cholesterol stones, 24 cases with mixed type of stones. There were 9 cases classified as Tsunoda type Ⅰ, 89 cases as Tsunoda type Ⅱ, 65 cases as Tsunoda type Ⅲ, 3 cases as Tsunoda type Ⅳ. There were 12 cases classified as type Ⅰ, 99 cases as type Ⅱ, 47 cases as type Ⅲ, 8 cases as type Ⅳ according to Japanese classification in 2001. All the 166 patients were classified as type Ⅰ based on Chinese classification. According to the classification of author team, 166 patients were classified as type Ⅱ. (2) Surgical and intra-operative situations: 119 of 166 patients had liver lobe or segment atrophy. All the 166 patients underwent precise hepatectomy combined with different methods of drainage, of which 28 cases underwent left hemihepatectomy, 11 cases underwent right hemihepatectomy, 1 case underwent liver resection of segment Ⅰ, 5 cases underwent liver resection of segment Ⅱ, 5 cases underwent liver resection of segment Ⅲ, 8 cases underwent liver resection of segment Ⅳ (left medial lobe), 3 cases underwent liver resection of segment Ⅴ, 2 cases underwent liver resection of segment Ⅵ, 2 cases underwent liver resection of segment Ⅷ, 68 cases underwent liver resection of segment Ⅱ and Ⅲ (left lateral lobe), 3 cases underwent liver resection of segment Ⅴ and Ⅵ, 6 cases underwent liver resection of segment Ⅴ and Ⅷ (right anterior lobe), 21 cases underwent liver resection of segment Ⅵ and Ⅶ (right posterior lobe), 1 case underwent liver resection of segment Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳa, 1 case underwent liver resection of segment Ⅴ, Ⅵ and Ⅶ, 1 case underwent liver resection of segment Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ. For biliary drainage methods of 166 patients, 120 patients received T-tube external drainage, 23 cases received choledochojejunostomy, 23 cases received choledochojejunostomy combined with T-tube external drainage. The original cholangiojejunal anastomotic stenosis was found and reconstructed in 10 patients. The operation time was (258±87)minutes and intraopera-tive blood transfusion rate was 16.87%(28/166) of 166 patients. All the 166 patients underwent fiber choledochoscopy, showing 77 cases with normal function of Oddi sphincter, 38 cases with disorder, 40 cases with dysfunction. There were 11 patients undergoing choledochojejunostomy who were not evaluate the function of Oddi sphincter. There were 21.69%(36/166)of patients with intra-hepatic biliary stricture. One hundred and forty-nine of 166 patients were conducted bile culture, showing the positive rate as 75.17%(112/149). There were 22 cases cultured multiple kinds of bacteria. The most common bacterium was Escherichia coli (43 cases), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (12 cases), Klebsiella pneumoniae (9 cases), Klebsiella oxytoca (7 cases), Enterococcus faecium (7 cases). (3) Postoperative situations. The postoperative complication rate of 166 patients was 16.87%(28/166). In the 8 patients with serious complications of Clavien-Dindo grade Ⅲ, 6 cases were performed thoracocentesis or abdominocentesis for effusion, 1 case was stopped bleeding under gastroscopy for stress ulcerbleeding, 1 case was performed surgery for adhesive intestinal obstruction. Two patients with septic shock of Clavien-Dindo grade Ⅳ were converted to intensive care unit for treatment and discharged after recovery. There were 13 patients with biliary leakage, 10 patients with pulmonary infection, 6 cases with incision infection, which were improved after conservative treatments. There was no perioperative death. The instant stone clearance rate of 166 patients was 81.93%(136/166). The duration of postoperative hospital stay of 166 patients was (11±6)days. (4) Follow-up: 166 patients were followed up for (37±17)months. The final stone clearance rate and stone recurrence rate of 166 patients were 94.58%(157/166) and 16.87%(28/166), respectively. According to Terblanche classification of prognosis, there were 91, 36, 25, 14 cases of grade Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ, Ⅳ in 166 patients, respectively. Five of the 166 patients underwent intrahepatic secondary malignancy in which 4 cases died. (5) Analysis of prognostic factors: results of univariate analysis showed that biliary culture, the number of previous surgeries, immediate stone clearance, final stone clearance were related factors affecting the prognosis of precise hepatectomy in patients with recurrent unilateral hepatolithiasis ( odds ratio=2.29, 7.48, 2.69, 4.52, 95% confidence interval as 1.09?4.85, 2.80?19.93, 1.16?6.25, 1.15?17.77, P<0.05). Results of multivariate analysis showed that the number of previous surgeries ≥3 was an independent risk factor affecting the prognosis of precise hepatectomy in patients with recurrent unilateral hepato-lithiasis ( odds ratio=6.05, 95% confidence interval as 2.20?16.62, P<0.05). Conclusions:Precise hepatectomy is safe and effective for the treatment of patients with recurrent unilateral hepato-lithiasis. The number of previous surgeries ≥3 is an independent risk factor affecting the prognosis of precise hepatectomy in patients with recurren t unilateral hepatolithiasis.

Effect of optimizing gastrointestinal reconstruction on reducing gastric emptying disorder after pancreaticoduodenectomy / 中华普通外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of optimizing perioperative measures on reducing postoperative gastric emptying disorder in gastrointestinal reconstruction after pancreaticoduodenectomy.Methods:The clinical data of 146 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy from Jan 2019 to Dec 2020 at the Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery,the First Affiliated Hospital ,Anhui Medical University were analyzed retrospectively. Among them, 78 cases underwent traditional Billroth Ⅱ gastrojejunal anastomosis for gastrointestinal reconstruction, and 68 cases in the improvement group took optimization measures. The time to first postoperative flatus, time to oral intake, postoperative hospital stay and complications were observed.Results:The operation time in the control group was (351.4±71.6) min, less than that in the improved group (368.8±97.6) min, while the time [(9.9±6.5)d vs. (7.6±6.0)d] to first oral take and postoperative hospital stay [(20.7±8.6)d vs. (17.9±7.0)d] were significantly longer than those in the improved group. The incidence of postoperative gastric emptying disorder (19.2% vs. 7.4%) was significantly higher than that in the improved group ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in postoperative time to first flatus and postoperative gastrointestinal bleeding between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions:The measures of optimizing gastrointestinal reconstruction in the perioperative period of pancreaticoduodenectomy have obvious advantages in reducing gastric emptying disorder, promoting the recovery of gastrointestinal function and shortening the length of hospital stay.

A dietary intervention study on the effects of different dietary structures on postprandial drowsiness / 上海预防医学

ObjectiveTo find the type of dietary structure that can effectively prevent or improve postprandial sleepiness in the Chinese population， and provide scientific basis and solutions for improving or avoiding postprandial sleepiness. MethodsIn this study， a six-day dietary intervention trial was conducted for 20 volunteers on four different diets （normal diet， high-fat diet， high-carbohydrate diet and healthy diet）. ResultsThe results showed that sleepiness increased after all four types of meals， but decreased after 30 minutes in the healthy balanced diet group； meanwhile， it increased for 60 minutes before it declined in the high-carbohydrate， high-fat， and normal diet （control） group. At 60 minutes after meal， the drowsiness of the healthy balanced diet group was the weakest， and that of the high carbohydrate diet groups was the strongest， while that of the normal diet group and the high fat diet group was intermediate （P<0.000 1）. Postprandial sleepiness was positively correlated with intake of carbohydrate and manganese， and negatively correlated with intake of protein， some mineral elements and vitamins. ConclusionThese results suggest that controlling carbohydrate and fat intake and appropriately increasing the intake of mineral elements and vitamins in a healthy and balanced diet can significantly improve and prevent postprandial sleepiness.

The extracellular vesicles from gram-positive bacteria: a review / 生物工程学报

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), also known as membrane vesicles, are vesicular bodies secreted by eukaryotic cells and bacteria. EVs can carry proteins, DNA, RNA, and various metabolites for the exchange and transmission of substances between cells. They play contents-dependent physiological functions, such as delivering nutrients, participating in immune response, and treating cancers. Currently, most studies focus on the exploration of vesicles secreted by eukaryotic cells and gram-negative bacteria, while few studies focus on gram-positive bacteria. This review summarized the production, content composition, physiological function, and engineering of EVs secreted by gram-positive bacteria, and prospected future perspectives in this area.

Global epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis of standardized population-based seroprevalence studies, Jan 2020-Oct 2021

BackgroundOur understanding of the global scale of SARS-CoV-2 infection remains incomplete: routine surveillance data underestimates infection and cannot infer on population immunity, there is a predominance of asymptomatic infections, and uneven access to diagnostics. We meta-analyzed SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence studies, standardized to those described in WHOs Unity protocol for general population seroepidemiological studies, two years into the pandemic, to estimate the extent of population infection and remaining susceptibility. Methods and FindingsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis, searching MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, preprints, and grey literature for SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence published between 2020-01-01 and 2022-05-20. The review protocol is registered with PROSPERO, (CRD42020183634). We included general population cross-sectional and cohort studies meeting an assay quality threshold (90% sensitivity, 97% specificity; exceptions for humanitarian settings). We excluded studies with an unclear or closed population sample frame. Eligible studies - those aligned with the WHO Unity protocol - were extracted and critically appraised in duplicate, with Risk of Bias evaluated using a modified Joanna Briggs Institute checklist. We meta-analyzed seroprevalence by country and month, pooling to estimate regional and global seroprevalence over time; compared seroprevalence from infection to confirmed cases to estimate under-ascertainment; meta-analyzed differences in seroprevalence between demographic subgroups such as age and sex; and identified national factors associated with seroprevalence using meta-regression. The main limitations of our methodology include that some estimates were driven by certain countries or populations being over-represented. We identified 513 full texts reporting 965 distinct seroprevalence studies (41% LMIC) sampling 5,346,069 participants between January 2020 and April 2022, including 459 low/moderate risk of bias studies with national/sub-national scope in further analysis. By September 2021, global SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence from infection or vaccination was 59.2%, 95% CI [56.1-62.2%]. Overall seroprevalence rose steeply in 2021 due to infection in some regions (e.g., 26.6% [24.6-28.8] to 86.7% [84.6-88.5%] in Africa in December 2021) and vaccination and infection in others (e.g., 9.6% [8.3-11.0%] to 95.9% [92.6-97.8%] in Europe high-income countries in December 2021). After the emergence of Omicron, infection-induced seroprevalence rose to 47.9% [41.0-54.9%] in EUR HIC and 33.7% [31.6-36.0%] in AMR HIC in March 2022. In 2021 Quarter Three (July to September), median seroprevalence to cumulative incidence ratios ranged from around 2:1 in the Americas and Europe HICs to over 100:1 in Africa (LMICs). Children 0-9 years and adults 60+ were at lower risk of seropositivity than adults 20-29 (p<0.0001 and p=0.005, respectively). In a multivariable model using pre-vaccination data, stringent public health and social measures were associated with lower seroprevalence (p=0.02). ConclusionsIn this study, we observed that global seroprevalence has risen considerably over time and with regional variation, however around 40 % of the global population remains susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our estimates of infections based on seroprevalence far exceed reported COVID-19 cases. Quality and standardized seroprevalence studies are essential to inform COVID-19 response, particularly in resource-limited regions.

SeroTracker-ROB: reproducible decision rules for risk of bias assessment of seroprevalence studies

BackgroundRisk of bias (RoB) assessments are a core element of evidence synthesis but can be time consuming and subjective. We aimed to develop a decision rule-based algorithm for RoB assessment of seroprevalence studies. MethodsWe developed the SeroTracker-RoB algorithm. The algorithm derives seven objective and two subjective critical appraisal items from the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Prevalence studies and implements decision rules that determine study risk of bias based on the items. Decision rules were validated using the SeroTracker seroprevalence study database, which included non-algorithmic RoB judgements from two reviewers. We quantified efficiency as the mean difference in time for the algorithmic and non-algorithmic assessments of 80 randomly selected articles, coverage as the proportion of studies where the decision rules yielded an assessment, and reliability using intraclass correlations comparing algorithmic and non-algorithmic assessments for 2,070 articles. ResultsA set of decision rules with 61 branches was developed using responses to the nine critical appraisal items. The algorithmic approach was faster than non-algorithmic assessment (mean reduction 2.32 minutes [SD 1.09] per article), classified 100% (n=2,070) of studies, and had good reliability compared to non-algorithmic assessment (ICC 0.77, 95% CI 0.74-0.80). We built the SeroTracker-RoB Excel Tool which embeds this algorithm for use by other researchers. ConclusionsThe SeroTracker-RoB decision-rule based algorithm was faster than non-algorithmic assessment with complete coverage and good reliability. This algorithm enabled rapid, transparent, and reproducible RoB evaluations of seroprevalence studies and may support evidence synthesis efforts during future disease outbreaks. This decision rule-based approach could be applied to other types of prevalence studies.

Advances of research on CAR-T cell immunotherapy for solid tumors / 中国药科大学学报

@#Adoptive cellular immunotherapy has been widely recognized in recent years due to its remarkable results, especially the success of CD19-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) autologous T cell therapy for malignant hematoma. Previous studies have found the existence of tumor immune microenvironment, heterogeneous targets, and immunosuppressive receptors in solid tumors, which has led to the shortcomings of CAR-T treatment of solid tumors. This article proposes the methods to improve CAR-T cells to increase T cell infiltration, co-expression of cytokines and enzymes and modification of related receptors in order to enhance the anti-solid tumor activity of CAR-T, laying a theoretical foundation for the follow-up CAR-T cell treatment of solid tumors.

A New Micro-traumatic Laparoscopic Surgery Robot System / 中国医疗器械杂志

At present, there still exist some limitations in the laparoscopic surgery robot represented by da Vinci surgical robot, such as the lack of force feedback function. Doctor can not feel the force feedback while operating. In this paper, a new minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery robot system is designed. Based on the master side surgeon's console, stereo vision subsystem and the slave side surgical cart, the multi-dimensional instrument force feedback technology and force feedback based safety protection strategy are introduced. The design realizes the force sensing function of full state operation. Besides, a number of different live pig experiments are carried out. The amount of bleeding in these experiments is relatively small compared with the data of the same kind of surgical robots, which effectively validates the force feedback and surgical safety protection strategies of the new robot system.