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Background: The epidemic tendency of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is on the rise in recent years in Guangzhou. This study aimed to explore the associations between meteorological factors and HFRS epidemic risk in Guangzhou for the period from 2006–2015. Methods: We obtained data of HFRS cases in Guangzhou from the National Notifiable Disease Report System (NNDRS) during the period of 2006–2015. Meteorological data were obtained from the Guangzhou Meteorological Bureau. A negative binomial multivariable regression was used to explore the relationship between meteorological variables and HFRS. Results: The annual average incidence was 0.92 per 100000, with the annual incidence ranging from 0.64/100000 in 2009 to 1.05/100000 in 2012. The monthly number of HFRS cases decreased by 5.543% (95%CI -5.564% to -5.523%) each time the temperature was increased by 1°C and the number of cases decreased by 0.075% (95%CI -0.076% to -0.074%) each time the aggregate rainfall was increased by 1 mm. We found that average temperature with a one-month lag was significantly associated with HFRS transmission. Conclusions: Meteorological factors had significant association with occurrence of HFRS in Guangzhou, Southern China. This study provides preliminary information for further studies on epidemiological prediction of HFRS and for developing an early warning system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Total refractive astigmatism is usually the first consideration that guides the selection of contact lens type (e.g., spherical or toric), while the ocular source of the astigmatism is a second, but more important consideration, for the final clinical decision. This study was conducted to provide detailed data on this topic by evaluating astigmatic components in Chinese adolescents. Methods: Participants were recruited from healthy high school students undergoing an annual ocular examination at a local hospital. Total astigmatism (TA), corneal astigmatism (CA), and ocular residual astigmatism (ORA) were determined by a Hartmann-Shack wavefront analyzer system (KR-1W, Topcon) with the natural pupil. The axis relationship between CA and ORA was placed into three categories: on-axis, defined as an axis with a difference of 0 ± 10°; opposite-axis, a difference of 90 ± 10°; and the rest defined as oblique-axis. Results: The study consisted of 1,466 students (57.84% girls, age: 16.49 ± 1.05 years). ORA was present in 83.97%, 66.64%, and 45.23% of participants, according to the various criteria for astigmatism (≥ 0.50 D, ≥ 0.75 D, and ≥ 1.00 D, respectively). While with-the-rule was the most common axis orientation for both TA (76.28%) and CA (89.94%), against-the-rule predominated in ORA (93.82%; χ2 = 1688.544, p < 0.001). Opposite-axis was the major type of axis difference (90.96%) of clinical significance (i.e., ≥ 1.00 D) between CA and ORA, which also prevailed in all levels of TA (range: 56.25–82.26%). Conclusions: ORA is common in high school students and usually demonstrates a compensation relationship with CA, which should be taken into consideration when determining the design of contact lenses to correct refractive error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The deleterious effects of psychosocial outcomes on diabetic patients’ health have not been fully investigated yet. This study was aimed to explore how psychosocial outcomes impacted on the health status of Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: A mix of stratified sampling and typical sampling were used to select diabetic patients in Jiangsu Province to conduct individual interviews. Health status was measured by EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Psychosocial outcomes were measured by instruments used in the Diabetes Attitudes, Wishes and Needs survey, including psychological well-being, diabetes distress, patient empowerment, self-management, and patient reported healthcare provision. Clinical characteristics measured included diabetes comorbidities, complications and treatment. OLS regression analyses were used to estimate how health status varied with different characteristics. Results: Altogether 1614 patients with type 2 diabetes aged 18–65 years from 6 districts/counties in Jiangsu Province were included in the study. With general characteristics and clinical factors controlled for, psychological well-being among all psychosocial outcomes had the most significant association with health status, with a difference of 9.2 in VAS scores between likely depression and good well-being. VAS scores were also significantly lower in patients with high diabetes distress and significantly higher in those more frequently conducting physical activities. Other psychosocial outcomes were not significantly associated with health status. Conclusions: Likely depression and diabetes-related distress are negatively associated with health status while frequently conducting physical activities are positively associated with health status of type 2 diabetes patients aged 18–65 years from 6 districts/counties in Jiangsu Provinces. These findings underscore the necessity of undertaking routine assessment for depression and diabetes distress and prioritizing interventions on promoting regular physical activities in diabetic patients to improve health management and achieve better health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the relationships between climate variability, animal reservoirs and scrub typhus incidence in Southern China. Methods: We obtained data on scrub typhus cases in Guangzhou every month from 2006 to 2014 from the Chinese communicable disease network. Time-series Poisson regression models and distributed lag nonlinear models (DLNM) were used to evaluate the relationship between risk factors and scrub typhus. Results: Wavelet analysis found the incidence of scrub typhus cycled with a period of approximately 8–12 months and long-term trends with a period of approximately 24–36 months. The DLNM model shows that relative humidity, rainfall, DTR, MEI and rodent density were associated with the incidence of scrub typhus. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the incidence scrub typhus has two main temporal cycles. Determining the reason for this trend and how it can be used for disease control and prevention requires additional research. The transmission of scrub typhus is highly dependent on climate factors and rodent density, both of which should be considered in prevention and control strategies for scrub typhus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to the increase incidents of premarital sex and the lack of reproductive health services, college students are at high risk of HIV/AIDS infections in China. This study was designed to examine the predictors of consistency of condom use among college students based on the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) model and to describe the relationships between the model constructs. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess HIV/AIDS related information, motivation, behavioral skills and preventive behavior among college students in five colleges and universities in Nanjing, China. An anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted for data collection, and the structural equation model (SEM) was used to assess the IMB model. Results: A total of 3183 participants completed this study. The average age was 19.90 years (SD = 1.43, range 16 to 25). 342 (10.7%) participants of them reported having had premarital sex, among whom 30.7% reported having had a consistent condom use, 13.7% with the experience of abortion (including the participants whose sex partner has the same experience), 32.7% of participants had experience of multiple sex partners. The final IMB model provided acceptable fit to the data (CFI = 0.992, RMSEA = 0.028). Preventive behavior was significantly predicted by behavioral skills (β = 0.754, P<0.001). Information (β = 0.138, P<0.001) and motivation (β = 0.363, P<0.001) were indirectly affected preventive behavior, and was mediated through behavioral skills. Conclusions: The results of the study demonstrate the utility of the IMB model for consistent condom use among college students in China. The main influencing factor of preventive behavior among college students is behavioral skills. Both information and motivation could affect preventive behavior through behavioral skills. Further research could develop preventive interventions based on the IMB model to promote consistent condom use among college students in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a biodegradable thermo-sensitive hydrogel from poly(trimethylene carbonate)15-F127-poly(trimethylene carbonate)15 (PTMC15-F127-PTMC15) was designed and evaluated as an injectable implant during ocular glaucoma filtration surgery in vivo and in vitro. Mitomycin C (MMC) was loaded into this hydrogel for controlled released to prolong the efficacy and to reduce the long-term toxicity. The properties of the hydrogel were confirmed using 1H NMR and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Compared to the Pluronic F127 hydrogel, the PTMC15-F127-PTMC15 hydrogel showed a good solution-gel transition temperature at 37°C, a lower work concentration of 5% w/v and a longer mass loss time of more than 2 weeks. The in vitro study showed that the drug could be released from PTMC15-F127-PTMC15 (5% w/v) hydrogel for up to 16 days with only 57% of drug released in the first day. Moreover, the cell toxicity, which was tested via LDH and ANNEXIN V/PI, decreased within 72 h in human tenon's fibroblast cells (HTFs). The in vivo behavior in a rabbit glaucoma filtration surgery model indicated that this hydrogel loaded with 0.1 mg/ml MMC led to a better functional bleb with a prolonged mean bleb survival time (25.5±2.9 days). The scar tissue formation, new collagen deposition and myofibroblast generation appeared to be reduced upon histological and immunohistochemistry examinations, with no obvious side effects and inflammatory reactions. The in vitro and in vivo results demonstrated that this novel hydrogel is a safe and effective drug delivery candidate in ocular glaucoma surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]