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Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) plays an important role in acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs), especially in children. We investigated the epidemiology of HMPV associated with ARTIs among pediatric inpatients and identified HMPV genetic variations in Qingdao, China, from January 2018 to June 2019. HMPV‐positive samples were identified from throat swabs by multiplex real‐time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). The G gene sequences of HMPV were obtained, followed by phylogenetic analysis. As a result, 71 out of 1051 (6.76%) patients were HMPV positive, and the HMPV‐positive rate in children under 5 years of age was three times higher than that in those aged 5−17 years. The epidemic season of HMPV was in spring, with a peak mainly in March. Thirty‐two nucleotide sequences of the HMPV G gene successfully obtained were clustered into three genotypes, A2c (25/32, 78.13%), B1 (3/32, 9.38%) and B2 (4/32, 12.50%). In addition, 76% (19/25) of A2c viruses were identified as the emerging A2c111nt‐dup variants, which were predominantly circulating among pediatric inpatients with ARTIs between January 2018 and June 2019 in Qingdao. The emerging A2c111nt‐dup variants have spread between countries and cities and might spread more widely in the future. Further prevalence monitoring of this duplication variant is needed to clarify the potentially expanding transmission and to provide a scientific basis for disease control and vaccine development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Age-related hearing impairment (ARHI) has attracted increasing attention recently. It is caused by genetic and environmental factors. A number of ARHI-related genes have been found. This study aimed to detect the potential association between NR3C1 gene polymorphisms and ARHI by means of weighted allele score. Methods: A total of 861 participants from Qingdao city were selected by means of cluster random sampling. We statistically evaluated the characteristics of individuals and used the Mann–Whitney U test or chi-square test for comparison. The publicly available expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) was queried on the website of the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx). We used the weighted allele score and logistic regression analysis to explore the association between NR3C1 gene polymorphisms and ARHI. Finally, the prediction model was constructed by logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: All individuals over 60 years of age were enrolled in this study. The allele of rs61757411, rs41423247 and rs6877893 were significantly different between the ARHI group and the normal hearing group (P < 0.01). Though eQTL analysis, rs6877893 and rs33388 might affect the occurrence of ARHI by affecting the expression of NR3C1 gene in artery aorta. Then we performed two models: one without adding any covariates into model and the other adjusting for demographic characteristic, smoking and drinking, diet and exercise, and physical conditions. In the multivariate-adjusted model 2, the odds ratio with 95% confidence interval for weighted allele score (NR3C1) was 0.841 (0.710–0.995, P = 0.043). The area under the ROC curve was 0.755, indicating that the model had good predictability. Conclusions: Our study suggests that NR3C1 gene polymorphisms was significantly associated with ARHI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To characterize the genetic properties of coxsackievirus A12 (CVA12) strains isolated from hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) patients in Qingdao during 2008-2011, the complete genome and VP1 coding region were sequenced and analyzed. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all strains from China clustered into three different branches, suggesting multiple lineages of CVA12 co-circulating in Asia. Sequence analysis indicated a monophyletic group only when the P1 region was examined, indicating possible recombination between CVA12 and other HEV-A serotypes. The emergence of CVA12 involved in an HFMD outbreak in China is a public-health issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Monozygotic twins were used to investigate the DNA methylation for age related hearing loss. • LCK , which was associated with the top CpG sites, may play key roles in the hearing process. • The genes ALG10 , C3 , and GBX2 , which were associated with DMRs may play key roles in the hearing process. To explore the differences in DNA methylation associated with age-related hearing loss in a study of 57 twin pairs from China. Monozygotic twins were identified through the Qingdao Twin Registration system. The median age of participants was > 50 years. Their hearing thresholds were measured using a multilevel pure-tone audiometry assessment. The pure-tone audiometry was calculated at low frequencies (0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 kHz), speech frequencies (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 kHz), and high frequencies (4.0 and 8 kHz). The CpG sites were tested using a linear mixed-effects model, and the function of the cis -regulatory regions and ontological enrichments were predicted using the online Genomic Regions Enrichment of Annotations Tool. The differentially methylated regions were identified using a comb-p python library approach. In each of the PTA categories (low-, speech-, high-frequency), age-related hearing loss was detected in 25.9%, 19.3%, and 52.8% of participants. In the low-, speech- and high-frequency categories we identified 18, 42, and 12 individual CpG sites and 6, 11, and 6 differentially methylated regions. The CpG site located near DUSP4 had the strongest association with low- and speech-frequency, while the strongest association with high-frequency was near C21orf58. We identified associations of ALG10 with high-frequency hearing, C3 and LCK with low- and speech-frequency hearing, and GBX2 with low-frequency hearing. Top pathways that may be related to hearing, such as the Notch signaling pathway, were also identified. Our study is the first of its kind to identify these genes and their associated with DNA methylation may play essential roles in the hearing process. The results of our epigenome-wide association study on twins clarify the complex mechanisms underlying age-related hearing loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]