[Study on clinical symptoms and influencing factors of influenza-associated severe acute respiratory illness in children younger than 5 years old in Suzhou of China, 2011-2017]

Objective: To study the influencing factors of influenza-associated severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) in children younger than 5 years of old in Suzhou, and to provide evidence to support the improvement of prevention and control strategies for influenza in children. Methods: We conducted a prospective influenza surveillance for hospitalized SARI and outpatient influenza-like illness (ILI) at Children's Hospital of Soochow University from April 2011 to March 2017. We compared the clinical and other characteristics of influenza-positive patients with SARI to those with ILI to find the differences and to identify influencing factors of influenza-associated SARI, using χ² test and unconditional logistic regression. Results: We found 786 cases of influenza-associated ILI and 413 cases of influenza-associated SARI during the study period. Cough, runny nose, shortness of breath, asthma or wheezing were more common in influenza-associated SARI than in influenza-associated ILI (P<0.01). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression showed that the influencing factors which significantly associated with increased risk of influenza-associated SARI were as follows: younger age (<6 months OR=3.6, 6-23 months aOR=2.5), respiratory infection history within 3 months (aOR=4.5), chronic lung disease history (OR=3.4), fever above 39.0 ℃ (39.0-39.9 ℃ aOR=2.4, ≥40.0 ℃ aOR=6.0), and the presence of A/H1N1 (aOR=2.3), A/H3N2 (aOR=1.9). Conclusion: Children younger than 2 years old, with a history of chronic lung disease, a history of respiratory infection within 3 months, or with a fever peak above 39.0 ℃ should seek medical advice as soon as possible or receive annual influenza vaccination to reduce the incidence of influenza-associated serious outcomes.

Enhanced phytoremediation of uranium contaminated soil by artificially constructed plant community plots

In order to develop an artificially constructed plant community plot for the enhanced phytoremediation of uranium contaminated soils, three uranium accumulators including Bamboo-willow (Salix sp.), Paspalum scrobiculatum linn and Macleaya cordata were used to construct four artificial plant community plots, and greenhouse experiments were conducted to investigate the bioaccumulation of uranium by the plants and the organic acid content, enzyme activity, and the change of microbial community structure in their rhizosphere soils. The transfer factor (TF) and the total bioaccumulation amount (TBA) of uranium were used to describe remediation efficiencies in this paper. It was found that their remediation efficiencies were in the order Bamboo-willow (Salix sp.)-Paspalum scrobiculatum linn-Macleaya cordata > Bamboo-willow (Salix sp.)-Macleaya cordata > Paspalum scrobiculatum linn-Macleaya cordata > Bamboo-willow (Salix sp.)-Paspalum scrobiculatum linn. The bioaccumulation amount of uranium by each plant in the Bamboo-willow (Salix sp.)-Paspalum scrobiculatum linn-Macleaya cordata community plot was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that by its single population, the bioaccumulation amounts of uranium by Bamboo-willow (Salix sp.), Paspalum scrobiculatum linn and Macleaya cordata were 0.29, 0.32 and 2.19 mg/plant, respectively, and they were increased by 31.82%, 77.78% and 146.07%, respectively, and the transfer efficiencies by the plants were increased by 150%, 110% and 52.17%, respectively. The interaction between the plants' roots and the microorganisms in the rhizosphere soil of the Bamboo-willow (Salix sp.)-Paspalum scrobiculatum linn-Macleaya cordata community plot resulted in the high content of organic acids such as oxalic acid in the rhizosphere soil of the plant community plot, which was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that of its single population. The chelation of the organic acids with uranium led to an increase in the proportion of exchangeable uranium in soil solution. In addition, Burkholderia, which is an iron-producing carrier bacterium and can increase the uptake and accumulation of uranium by plants, and Leptolyngbya, which is a plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and can increase the biomass of plants, emerged in the rhizosphere soil of the plant community plot. These may be the mechanisms by which the phytoremediation of the uranium contaminated soils was enhanced by the plant community plot.

[Effect of occupational stress on recurrent spontaneous abortion in women of childbearing age]

Objective: To investigate the influence of occupational stress on recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) in women of childbearing age. Methods: From January to December, 2017, 75 working women of childbearing age (25-35 years) who were admitted to a provisional hospital in Lanzhou, China and diagnosed with RSA were assigned into patient group. At a 1∶4 ratio, 300 age-matched working women who had normal first pregnancy were randomly selected as controls. A case-control study was conducted by a self-made questionnaire and the effort-reward imbalance scale. The impact of occupational stress on RSA in women of childbearing age was analyzed by evaluation of occupational harmful factors, regularity, effort-reward ratio, and sleep quality. Results: There were significant differences in the distribution of sleep, daily exercise, night shift, extrinsic-effort/low-reward score, and effort/low-reward score between the patient group and the control group (χ(2)=7.867, P<0.05; χ(2)=7.377, P<0.05; χ(2)=3.714, P<0.05; χ(2)=6.651, P<0.05; χ(2)=8.556, P<0.05) . With controlled factors such as general conditions and living habits, logistic regression analysis showed that poor sleep quality and high-effort/low-reward were risk factors for RSA (odds ratio[OR]=1.462, 95% confidence interval[CI]: 1.032~2.073; OR=3.253, 95%CI: 1.169~9.053) . A regular work was a protective factor against RSA (OR=0.644, 95%CI: 0.438-0.946) . Conclusion: In occupational stress, irregular working hours, lack of sleep, and high-effort/low-reward are risk factors for RSA. Working women of childbearing age should ensure adequate sleep, pay attention to effort-reward balance, and make a regular work schedule.

A combined theoretical and experimental investigation of uranium dioxide under high static pressure

We have investigated the behavior of uranium dioxide (UO2) under high static pressure using a combination of experimental and theoretical techniques. We have made Raman spectroscopic measurements up to 87 GPa, electrical transport measurements up to 50 GPa from 10 K to room temperature, and optical transmission measurements up to 28 GPa. We have also carried out theoretical calculations within the GGA + U framework. We find that Raman frequencies match to a large extent, theoretical predictions for the cotunnite (Pnma) structure above 30 GPa, but at higher pressures some behavior is not captured theoretically. The Raman measurements also imply that the low-pressure fluorite phase coexists with the cotunnite phase up to high pressures, consistent with earlier reports. Electrical transport measurements show that the resistivity decreases by more than six orders of magnitude with increasing pressure up to 50 GPa but that the material never adopts archetypal metallic behavior. Optical transmission spectra show that while UO2 becomes increasingly opaque with increasing pressure, a likely direct optical band gap of more than 1 eV exists up to at least 28 GPa. Together with the electrical transport measurements, we conclude that the high pressure electrical conductivity of UO2 is mediated by variable-range hopping.

Synthesis and thermoelectric power of nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes

We have previously shown that high-purity multiwalled carbon nanotubes (pristine MWNTs) can be prepared from a mixture of xylene-ferrocene (99 at% C:1 at% Fe) inside a quartz tube reactor operating at approximately 700 degrees C. In a similar process, approximately 3 g of melamine (C3H6N6) was introduced during the growth of MWNTs to prepare nitrogen-doped nanotubes. The structural and electronic properties of nitrogen-doped MWNTs were determined by scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), and thermopower measurements. The individual nitrogen-doped nanotube exhibits a bamboo-like structure and comprises 6-16 tube walls, as evidenced by HRTEM studies. The EELS measurements yielded an average nitrogen content of approximately 5 at% in the doped tubes. The thermoelectric power data of nitrogen-doped MWNTs remained negative even after exposure to oxygen for an extended period of time, suggesting that nitrogen doping of MWNTs renders them n-type, consistent with scanning tunneling spectroscopic studies on similar nanotubes.

Structures of oxide nanobelts and nanowires

We have recently reported the synthesis of one-dimensional nanobelt structures of ZnO, SnO2, In2O3, CdO, Ga2O3, and PbO2 by evaporating the desired commercial metal oxide powders at high temperatures (Science (2001), 291, 1947). The as-synthesized oxide nanobelts are pure, structurally uniform, single crystalline, and most of them free from dislocations. The beltlike morphology appears to be a unique and common structural characteristic for the family of semiconducting oxides. In the present article, we focus on the twin and stacking fault planar defects found in oxide nanobelts and nanowires although they are rarely observed. Some interesting and unique growth morphologies are presented to illustrate the roles played by surface energy and kinetics in growth. It is shown that the surfaces of the oxide nanobelts are enclosed by the low-index, low-energy crystallographic facets. The growth morphology is largely dominated by the growth kinetics.

Possible in situ formation of meteoritic nanodiamonds in the early Solar System

Grains of dust that pre-date the Sun provide insights into their formation around other stars and into the early evolution of the Solar System. Nanodiamonds recovered from meteorites, which originate in asteroids, have been thought to be the most abundant type of presolar grain. If that is true, then nanodiamonds should be at least as abundant in comets, because they are thought to have formed further out in the early Solar System than the asteroid parent bodies, and because they should be more pristine. Here we report that nanodiamonds are absent or very depleted in fragile, carbon-rich interplanetary dust particles, some of which enter the atmosphere at speeds within the range of cometary meteors. One interpretation of the results is that some (perhaps most) nanodiamonds formed within the inner Solar System and are not presolar at all, consistent with the recent detection of nanodiamonds within the accretion discs of other young stars. An alternative explanation is that all meteoritic nanodiamonds are indeed presolar, but that their abundance decreases with heliocentric distance, in which case our understanding of large-scale transport and circulation within the early Solar System is incomplete.

Nanobelts of semiconducting oxides

Ultralong beltlike (or ribbonlike) nanostructures (so-called nanobelts) were successfully synthesized for semiconducting oxides of zinc, tin, indium, cadmium, and gallium by simply evaporating the desired commercial metal oxide powders at high temperatures. The as-synthesized oxide nanobelts are pure, structurally uniform, and single crystalline, and most of them are free from defects and dislocations. They have a rectanglelike cross section with typical widths of 30 to 300 nanometers, width-to-thickness ratios of 5 to 10, and lengths of up to a few millimeters. The beltlike morphology appears to be a distinctive and common structural characteristic for the family of semiconducting oxides with cations of different valence states and materials of distinct crystallographic structures. The nanobelts could be an ideal system for fully understanding dimensionally confined transport phenomena in functional oxides and building functional devices along individual nanobelts.

Body composition as a predictor of blood pressure in three communities in Guangdong province, China

The aim of this study was to compare mean blood pressure (BP), anthropometric and body compositional measurements in three Chinese communities and to examine relationships between BP and body composition in these communities. A total of 935 adult (aged >= 25 years) men and women were randomly sampled from three communities (Chauzhou County speaking Teochew, Meixian County speaking Hakka, and Xinhui speaking Cantonese) in Guangdong Province, China. Self-administered questionnaires about food habits, lifestyle and health status were completed. Body weight, stature, waist and hip circumferences and systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured. Body mass index, waist to hip ratio, fat free mass, total body fat mass and the percentage body fat were calculated to assess body composition. No significant differences were found in stature, body mass index, umbilical circumference, hip circumference, fat free mass, percentage body fat and defined hypertension between the three communities. However, the waist to hip ratio was lower in Chauzhou men than Meixian women. The mean BPs were different between the communities and mean blood pressure was the highest in the Chauzhou community. Intra-community non-parametric relations between BP and body composition were found mostly in men with increased total and abdominal fatness positively related to BP. The relationships of the aggregate communities with blood pressure were found consistent with those for intra-community analyses, although the body fatness-blood pressure relationship was then evident without exception. Anthropometrically assessed body composition predicts BP in Chinese men, but to a lesser extent, in Chinese women in Guangdong Province, China.

Long-term toxicity of modified recombinant human tumor necrosis factor in Macaca mulatta

AIM

To study the long-term toxicity of modified recombinant human tumor necrosis factor (rhTNF-NC) in Macaca mulatta compared with recombinant human tumor necrosis factor (rhTNF).

METHODS

rhTNF-NC 93, 9.3 GU/m2, and rhTNF 62 GU/m2 were injected i.v. daily to 16 Macaca mulatta for 1 month and 10 d, respectively. Hematologic, chemical, urinalysis values, ECG, specific antibody, bone marrow, and pathologic profile of organs were measured.

RESULTS

No more adverse effects of rhTNF-NC were found in spite of anorexia in 4 monkeys and palpebral edema in 2 monkeys of 93 GU/m2 group. Besides, in rhTNF group, the injury of liver and kidneys, the decrease of erythron, the phlebitis, and thrombosis at injection site occurred. Both drugs caused the production of specific antibody.

CONCLUSION

No serious adverse effects of rhTNF-NC were found in Macaca mulatta. The toxicity of rhTNF-NC was much lower than that of rhTNF.

Cigarette smoking and socio-economic indicators as determinants of body fatness in three Southern Chinese communities of China

Obesity is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease and non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. This study describes cigarette smoking and the socio-demographic differences of body fatness in three sub-ethnic distinctive communities in Guangdong Province, China. In this study, 935 adult Chinese (Chauzhou - 203 men and 111 women; Meixian - 169 men and 140 women; Xinhui - 194 men and 118 women) were randomly sampled from three communities. A standard protocol was used to measure stature, body weight, waist and hip circumferences. Body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip circumference ratio (WHR) were calculated as measures of total body fatness and abdominal body fatness, respectively. The questionnaire was self-administered and demographic and lifestyle factors were assessed. WHR was positively related to age in men (p=0.0001) and in women (p=0.0001) while BMI was associated with age only in women (p=0.0001). In women, WHR was significantly related to education levels after adjusting for age and BMI (p=0.0300). In men, BMI differed by educational level, after adjusting for age and WHR (p=0.0329). BMI was significantly associated with occupational status in men, after adjusting for age and WHR (p=0.0004). Gross household income was significantly associated with WHR in men, after adjusting for age and BMI (p=0.0469). Male smokers had a significantly lower mean BMI than the non-smokers, after adjusting for age and WHR (p=0.0037). Marital status was not related to body fatness measurements after adjusting for age and WHR. The differences in body fatness in Chinese living in Southern China can not be totally explained by educational level, occupational status, marital status, gross household income and cigarette smoking, particularly in women. Age was the only consistent predictor of abdominal body fatness in both men and women and also of total body fatness in women.

Relationship between hemodynamics and plasma atrial natriuretic peptide in children with ventricular septal defect or patent ductus arteriosus

To evaluate the relationship between concentrations of ANP in plasma of the right-sided central circulation and hemodynamic parameters in congenital heart disease with left-to-right shunt. We enrolled 20 children aged from 1 month to 4.8 years with ventricular septal defect (VSD) or patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). The concentrations of ANP in plasma were extracted through a cartridge (Sep-Pak C18) before being measured by radioimmunoassay. Significant increased concentrations of ANP in plasma from inferior vena cava (117.6 +/- 18.1 pg/mL), right atrium (160.6 +/- 21.6 pg/mL) to pulmonary artery (PA) (253.4 +/- 38.8 pg/mL) were recognized. In VSD (n = 10) and PDA (n = 10), the concentrations of ANP in plasma from the inferior vena cava correlated significantly with the ratio of pulmonary to systemic blood flow (Qp/Qs) (r = 0.69, p < 0.05; r = 0.94, p < 0.01 respectively), the systolic pulmonary artery pressure (r = 0.90, p < 0.01; r = 0.93, p < 0.01 respectively), the diastolic pulmonary artery pressure (r = 0.76, p < 0.02; r = 0.68, p < 0.05 respectively), and the mean pulmonary artery pressure (r = 0.88, p < 0.01; r = 0.87, p < 0.01 respectively). The concentrations of ANP in plasma from the pulmonary artery also correlated significantly with the Qp/Qs (r = 0.81, p < 0.01; r = 0.87, p < 0.01 respectively). The results indicated that left atrial volume loading may have an important influence on secretion of ANP in some congenital heart disease with left to right shunt.

[Studies on residual antimalarial activity of tripynadine in mice and monkeys]

This paper reports the experiments in which tripynadine free base at a dose 4.5 times that of ED50 was given to mice by intragastric administration. On the 20th day following the administration the mice were inoculated with 1 x 10(7) RBC infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA strain. The infection rate was zero, implying that all mice had acquired protection. Although the residual activity time of tripynadine phosphate was longer than that of tripynadine free base or piperaquine phosphate, but tripynadine phosphate caused vomiting in monkeys during the medication. The residual antimalarial activity of tripynadine hydroxynaphthoate was less than that of tripynadine phosphate or tripynadine free base. A total dose of 200 mg/kg of tripynadine free base ensured residual antimalarial activity against P. cynomolgi bastianellii for 20 days. However, the residual activity decreased evidently when the total dose was reduced to 100 mg/kg. In short, it seems that the residual antimalarial activity of tripynadine free base is slightly less than that of piperaquine in monkeys.