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OBJECTIVE This study aimed to determine the disease burden of hepatitis E virus (HEV)-infected inpatients in Jiangsu province, China. METHODS Between July 1, 2016 and October 31, 2018, 1152 HEV-infected inpatients were identified from four cities in Jiangsu province, namely, Nanjing, Suzhou, Yancheng, and Zhenjiang. The disease burden comprised the economic burden and loss of health due to HEV infection. Factors influencing the disease burden were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS The average direct, indirect, and total economic burden for 1152 HEV-infected inpatients was US$ 4,986.40, US$ 1,507.28, and US$ 6,493.68, respectively, accounting for 46.66%, 14.11%, and 60.77% of per capita disposable income (PCDI) in Jiangsu province, respectively. The disease burden for HEV-infected inpatients with hepatitis B was significantly higher than that for other inpatients. The average EQ-5D utility value of 1152 HEV-infected inpatients was 0.72 ± 0.18 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and the average EQ-visual analogue score (EQ-VAS) was 0.66 ± 0.17 points. Multivariate analysis showed that the direct economic burden and the total economic burden were influenced by variables such as hospitalization days, outcomes, past history of other diseases, and regions (P

Background We aimed to analyse multiple factors in the prediction of risk of postoperative recurrent vitreous haemorrhage (RVH) for non-clearing vitreous haemorrhage in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) who underwent sutureless vitrectomy with 23- (23G) or 25-gauge (25G) narrow-gauge systems. Methods A retrospective consecutive case series design was used. DR patients who underwent sutureless vitrectomy for non-clearing vitreous haemorrhage between June 2017 and October 2019 were enrolled. All operations were performed at a tertiary hospital. Patient demographics and risk factors, including age, gender, duration of diabetes, preoperative fasting blood sugar levels (FBSL), systolic blood pressure (SBP), serum creatinine (Cr), urea, triamcinolone acetonide (TA), electrical coagulation, air-fluid exchange, pan-retinal photocoagulation status (PRP), anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drug (anti-VEGF), and other factors, were recorded. Patients were divided into two groups based on the timing of their postoperative RVH: immediate postoperative RVH (within 2 weeks after operation) and delayed postoperative RVH (beyond 2 weeks after operation). Results Overall, 167 eyes (167patients) were enrolled. Seventy eyes were underwent 23G and 25G sutureless vitrectomy performed in 97 eyes, respectively. Postoperative RVH developed in 18 eyes (25.7%) in Group 23G and in 20 eyes (21.6%) in Group 25G (P = 0.540). Of these, 3 eyes (4.3%) had severed RVH in Group 23G compared with 5 eyes (5.2%) in Group 25G (P = 0.584). Delayed postoperative RVH occurred in 6 eyes (8.6%) in Group 23G and 8 eyes (8.2%) in Group 25G (P = 0.789). A binomial logistic regression analysis revealed that age, duration of diabetes, and Cr level were significantly associated with RVH in both Group 23G (P Conclusions The incidence and severity of RVH were 25.7 and 4.3%, respectively, in Group 23G and 21.6 and 5.2%, respectively, in Group 25G. Thus, the 23G sutureless vitrectomy approach was as safe as the 25G sutureless vitrectomy approach for treating vitreous haemorrhage in patients with DR. A younger age, shorter duration of diabetes, and higher Cr levels were risk factors for postoperative RVH in sutureless vitrectomy.

Avian influenza A(H5N6) keeps evolving, causing outbreaks in birds and sporadic infections in human. Here, we report a fatal paediatric infection caused by a novel reassortant H5N6 virus. The patient was an obese 9-year-old girl. She initiated with fever and cough, then developed pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and respiratory failure. Lower respiratory tract aspirates and anal swabs were serially taken till the patient's death. Viral isolation, genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis were conducted. A novel reassortant H5N6 virus was isolated from the patient. Except the PA gene, all other 7 genes of the virus belonged to H5N6 genotype A (S4-like virus). The PA gene was probably obtained from Eurasian waterfowl influenza viruses. The H5N6 virus was consistently detected from the patient's respiratory samples till the 17th day after symptom onset, but not from anal swabs or urine sample by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Significantly elevated (32-fold) serum antibodies to H5N6 virus were observed during the patient's course of disease. Aside from the identified novel reassortant H5N6 viral strain, obesity, delayed confirmation of aetiology and specific antiviral treatment, and prolonged virus shedding could have contributed to the poor clinical outcome.

Avian influenza A(H7N9) virus has caused 5 epidemic waves in China since its emergence in 2013. We investigated the dynamic changes of antibody response to this virus over 1 year postinfection in 25 patients in Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, China, who had laboratory-confirmed infections during the fifth epidemic wave, October 1, 2016–February 14, 2017. Most survivors had relatively robust antibody responses that decreased but remained detectable at 1 year. Antibody response was variable; several survivors had low or undetectable antibody titers. Hemagglutination inhibition titer was >1:40 for

One new polyhydroxylated steroid, caerulsteroid A (1), along with nine known analogues (2-10), was isolated from the gorgonian coral Anthogorgia caerulea collected from the South China Sea. The structure of the new compound was elucidated by 1-D and 2-D NMR, and mass spectrometry. The absolute configuration of 1 was assigned on the basis of the absolute configurations of the related congeners 2 and 3, which were determined by application of the modified Mosher's method. The isolated compounds were assayed for their cytotoxicity, antimicrobial activity and lethality towards brine shrimp Artemia salina.

Purpose A number of studies have shown that the levels of some proteins in the aqueous humor (AH) are altered and correlate with the mechanisms or prognosis of many eye diseases. To identify the possible mechanisms that lead to the development of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a proteomic analysis of the AH composition from wet AMD patients was performed and compared with that from non-AMD cataract patients. Experimental design Six wet AMD and six non-AMD cataract patients were enrolled. A proteomic approach which included two-dimensional electrophoresis coupled with MS and bioinformatics methods were used to identify AH proteins with altered expression in wet AMD compared with non-AMD patients. An ELISA was used to validate the proteomic results. Results We separated 78 protein spots and identified 68 that were differently expressed in the wet AMD group and controls. Numerous proteins identified in this study are implicated in inflammation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and oxidative stress. Conclusions and clinical relevance The AH protein composition was significantly different between wet AMD and non-AMD patients. The proteins identified in this study may be potential biomarkers of wet AMD development and might play a role in the mechanisms of wet AMD.

Edaravone (3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one), a free radical scavenger, is used for the clinical treatment of retinal injury. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of edaravone against diabetic retinal damage in the mouse. Diabetic retinopathy in the mouse was induced by injection of streptozotocin. Edaravone was given once-daily and was intraperitoneally (i.p.) treated at a dose of 3 mg/kg from streptozotocin injection to 4 weeks after onset of diabetes. Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) damage was evaluated by recording the pattern electroretinogram (ERG). RGCs damage was also detected by Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining, and the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were determined fluorometrically. The expressions of phosporylated-ERK1/2, BDNF, and caspase-3 were determined by Western blot analysis. Retinal levels of ROS, phosphorylated ERK1/2, and cleaved caspase-3 were significantly increased, whereas the expression of BDNF was significantly decreased in the retinas of diabetic mice, compared to nondiabetic mice. Administration of edaravone significantly attenuated diabetes induced RGCs death, upregulation of ROS, ERK1/2 phosphorylation, and cleaved caspase-3 and downregulation of BDNF. These findings suggest that oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in diabetic retinal damage and that systemic administration of edaravone may slow the progression of retinal neuropathy induced by diabetes.