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Background: Kidney function is associated with clinical outcomes in patients with cancer. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the association between kidney function decline and cancer‐related mortality among community‐dwelling elderly individuals. Design: This was a retrospective longitudinal cohort study. Participants: The 61,988 participants were from an elderly health examination database in Taipei City from 2005 to 2012. Measurements Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the association between baseline covariates and rapidly deteriorating estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). In addition, Cox proportional hazards model and the Fine–Gray model were used to quantify the effects of covariates on total cancer mortality and six specific cancer mortalities. Results: During the follow‐up period, 1482 participants died of cancer. Their baseline average eGFR was 73.8 ± 19.9 mL/min/1.73 m2, and 18.3% had rapid renal function decline (≥5 mL/min/1.73 m2 per year). Rapid renal function decline was positively related to age, baseline eGFR, proteinuria, hypertension, waist circumferences, high log triglyceride levels, and diabetes mellitus (DM) history. In Cox proportional hazard models, participants with rapid eGFR decline had an increased risk of cancer mortality [hazard ratio (95% CI): 1.97 (1.73, 2.24); p < 0.001] compared to those without rapid eGFR decline. In the analysis of site‐specific cancer mortality risk, rapid eGFR decline was associated with six site‐specific cancer mortality, namely gastrointestinal tract, hepatobiliary, lung, prostate, urinary tract, and hematological malignancies. Conclusions: Elderly individuals with rapid kidney function decline had higher cancer mortality risks. Serial assessments of dynamic changes in eGFR might provide information relevant for cancer prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population mobility patterns are important for understanding a city's rhythms. With the widespread use of mobile phones, population‐based trajectories can be utilized to explore such mobility patterns. However, to protect personal privacy, mobile phone data must be de‐identified by data aggregation within each spatiotemporal unit. In data acquired from mobile phones, population mobility features are still implicit in the spatiotemporally aggregated grid data. In this study, based on image‐processing techniques, a two‐step 3D gradient method is adopted to extract the movement features. The first step is to estimate the initial movement pattern in each spatiotemporal grid, and then to estimate the accumulated movement pattern within a time period around a geographical grid. This method can be applied adaptively to multi‐scale spatiotemporal grid data. Using geospatial visualization methods, estimated motion characteristics such as velocity and flow direction can be made intuitive and integrated with other multiscale geospatial data. Furthermore, the correlation between the population mobility pattern and demographic characteristics, such as gender and age groups, can be analyzed with intuitive visualization. The implication of the visualization results can be used for understanding the human dynamics in a city, which can be beneficial for urban planning, transportation management, and socioeconomic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2019, an outbreak of pharyngoconjunctival fever (PCF) occurred at a swimming center in Zhejiang Province, China. A total of 97 (13.55%) of the 716 amateur swimmers had illnesses, with 24 patients (24.74%) hospitalized in the pediatric ward. Human adenovirus serotype 7 (HAdV‐7) was isolated from one concentrated water from the swimming pool, and 20 of 97 positive cases without liver damage. This outbreak led to a nosocomial outbreak in the pediatric ward, in which 1 nurse had a fever and was confirmed to be adenovirus positive. The hexon, fiber, and penton genes from 20 outbreak cases, 1 water sample, and 1 nurse had 100% homology. Furthermore, 2 cases admitted to the pediatric ward, 2 parents, and 1 doctor were confirmed to be human coronaviruses (HCoV‐229E) positive. Finally, all outbreak cases had fully recovered, regardless of a single infection (adenovirus or HCoV‐229E) or coinfection of these two viruses simultaneously. Thus, PCF and acute respiratory disease outbreaks in Zhejiang were caused by the completely homologous type 7 adenovirus and HCoV‐229E, respectively. The swimming pool water contaminated with HAdV‐7 was most likely the source of the PCF outbreak, whereas nosocomial transmission might be the source of HCoV‐229E outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The public health interventions to mitigate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) could also potentially reduce the global activity of influenza. However, this strategy's impact on other common infectious diseases is unknown. We collected data of 10 respiratory infectious (RI) diseases, influenza‐like illnesses (ILIs), and seven gastrointestinal infectious (GI) diseases during 2015–2020 in China and applied two proportional tests to check the differences in the yearly incidence and mortality, and case‐fatality rates (CFRs) over the years 2015–2020. The results showed that the overall RI activity decreased by 7.47%, from 181.64 in 2015–2019 to 168.08 per 100 000 in 2020 (p < 0.001); however, the incidence of influenza was seen to have a 16.08% escalation (p < 0.001). In contrast, the average weekly ILI percentage and positive influenza virus rate decreased by 6.25% and 61.94%, respectively, in 2020 compared to the previous 5 years (all p < 0.001). The overall incidence of GI decreased by 45.28%, from 253.73 in 2015–2019 to 138.84 in 2020 per 100 000 (p < 0.001), and with the greatest decline seen in hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) (64.66%; p < 0.001). The mortality and CFRs from RI increased by 128.49% and 146.95%, respectively, in 2020, compared to 2015–2019 (p < 0.001). However, the mortality rates and CFRs of seven GI decreased by 70.56% and 46.12%, respectively (p < 0.001). In conclusion, China's COVID‐19 elimination/containment strategy is very effective in reducing the incidence rates of RI and GI, and ILI activity, as well as the mortality and CFRs of GI diseases. Key Points: COVID‐19 elimination strategy in China decreased the activity of respiratory infectious diseases (RI) and influenza‐like illnesses. A 16.08% escalation was seen in influenza in 2020 compared to 2015–2019. The mortality of RI increased slightly in 2020 compared to 2015–2019. COVID‐19 elimination strategy in China decreased dramatically the activity and mortality of gastrointestinal infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unprecedented epizootic of avian influenza viruses, such as H5N1, H5N6, H7N1 and H10N8, has continued to cause disease in humans in recent years. In 2013, another novel influenza A (H7N9) virus emerged in China, and 30% of those patients died. Pregnant women are particularly susceptible to avian influenza and are more likely to develop severe complications and to die, especially when infection occurs in the middle and late trimesters. Viremia is believed to occur infrequently, and thus vertical transmission induced by avian influenza appears to be rare. However, avian influenza increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including spontaneous abortion, preterm birth and fatal distress. This review summarises 39 cases of pregnant women and their fetuses from different countries dating back to 1997, including 11, 15 and 13 infections with H7N9, H5N1 and the 2009 pandemic influenza (H1N1), respectively. We analysed the epidemic features, following the geographical, population and pregnancy trimester distributions; underlying diseases; exposure history; medical timelines; human-to-human transmission; pathogenicity and vertical transmission; antivirus treatments; maternal severity and mortality and pregnancy outcome. The common experiences reported in different countries and areas suggest that early identification and treatment are imperative. In the future, vigilant virologic and epidemiologic surveillance systems should be developed to monitor avian influenza viruses during pregnancy. Furthermore, extensive study on the immune mechanisms should be conducted, as this will guide safe, rational immunomodulatory treatment among this high-risk population. Most importantly, we should develop a universal avian influenza virus vaccine to prevent outbreaks of the different subtypes. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To examine the association between alcohol in school environments and adolescent alcohol use over the previous 6 months. Design A multi-level logistic regression analysis was performed of cross-sectional surveys conducted in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Participants and setting A total of 52 214 students aged 11-19 years from 387 middle or high schools were selected from a nationally representative, multi-stage, stratified probability sampling across Taiwan. Measurements Information on socio-demographic features and substance use experiences was collected using self-administered questionnaires. The alcohol in the environment was measured using the availability of convenience stores surrounding the schools. Using geographical information systems, the weighted numbers of convenience stores within 1 km, a 12-15-minute walk, of a school were calculated. The schools were later categorized into three subgroups via the tertile of nearby convenience stores. Findings Considering the compositional characteristics, the availability of convenience stores was found to account for 1.5% of the school-level variance of youthful drinking. The odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of alcohol use over the previous 6 months among youth attending schools with medium and high availability were 1.04 (0.96-1.13) and 1.08 (1.00-1.17), respectively, with a P-value of 0.04 in the trend test. Conclusion The greater availability of convenience stores near a school is associated with an increased risk of alcohol use among adolescents over the previous 6 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]