PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH IN POST-COVID-19 ERA

Transmission of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has now rapidly spread around the world, which has alarming implications for individuals and communities, in particular for public mental health. Significant progress has been made in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic in China, but the psychological crisis caused by the epidemic is still not over and may continue to exist. The public mental health in the post-COVID-19 era should not be ignored. This article provides early warning for the public\u27s mental health in the post-COVID-19 era by listing the characteristics and duration of the public mental health crisis following the SARS outbreak. In addition, based on the current situation, specific methods and measures are proposed in order to provide effective reference for the prevention and control of psychological crisis caused by the COVID-19 epidemic

Colorectal cancer screening with fecal occult blood test: A 22-year cohort study.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening with a three-tier fecal occult blood test (FOBT) in the Chinese population. The study was performed between 1987 and 2008 at the Beijing Military General Hospital, in a cohort of army service males and females aged >50 years. Between 1987 and 2005, a three-tier screening program, comprising guaiac-based FOBTs (gFOBTs), followed by immunochemical FOBTs for positive guaiac test samples and then colonoscopy for positive immunochemical test subjects, was performed annually. The cohort was followed up until 2008. The cohort included 5,104 subjects, of which, 3,863 subjects participated in screening (screening group) and 1,241 did not (non-screening group). The two groups did not differ in age, gender or other major risk factors for colon cancer. Overall, 36 CRCs occurred in the screening group and 21 in the non-screening group. Compared with the non-screening group, the relative risk for the incidence and mortality of CRC was 0.51 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.30-0.87] and 0.36 (95% CI, 0.18-0.71), respectively, in the screening group. The general sensitivity of this three-tier FOBT was 80.6% (95% CI, 65.3-91.1). Thus, annual screening using the three-tier FOBT program may reduce the CRC incidence and mortality rate

Recommendation for a contouring method and atlas of organs at risk in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients receiving intensity-modulated radiotherapy

Background and purpose To recommend contouring methods and atlas of organs at risk (OARs) for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients receiving intensity-modulated radiotherapy, in order to help reach a consensus on interpretations of OARs delineation. Methods and materials Two to four contouring methods for the middle ear, inner ear, temporal lobe, parotid gland and spinal cord were identified via systematic literature review; their volumes and dosimetric parameters were compared in 41 patients. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for temporal lobe contouring were compared in 21 patients with unilateral temporal lobe necrosis (TLN). Results Various contouring methods for the temporal lobe, middle ear, inner ear, parotid gland and spinal cord lead to different volumes and dosimetric parameters (P < 0.05). For TLN, D1 of PRV was the most relevant dosimetric parameter and 64 Gy was the critical point. We suggest contouring for the temporal lobe, middle ear, inner ear, parotid gland and spinal cord. A CT-MRI fusion atlas comprising 33 OARs was developed. Conclusions Different dosimetric parameters may hinder the dosimetric research. The present recommendation and atlas, may help reach a consensus on subjective interpretation of OARs delineation to reduce inter-institutional differences in NPC patients. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.published_or_final_versio

Diverse genome structures of Salmonella paratyphi C

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Salmonella paratyphi </it>C, like <it>S. typhi</it>, is adapted to humans and causes typhoid fever. Previously we reported different genome structures between two strains of <it>S. paratyphi </it>C, which suggests that <it>S. paratyphi </it>C might have a plastic genome (large DNA segments being organized in different orders or orientations on the genome). As many but not all host-adapted <it>Salmonella </it>pathogens have large genomic insertions as well as the supposedly resultant genomic rearrangements, bacterial genome plasticity presents an extraordinary evolutionary phenomenon. Events contributing to genomic plasticity, especially large insertions, may be associated with the formation of particular <it>Salmonella </it>pathogens.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We constructed a high resolution genome map in <it>S. paratyphi </it>C strain RKS4594 and located four insertions totaling 176 kb (including the 90 kb SPI7) and seven deletions totaling 165 kb relative to <it>S. typhimurium </it>LT2. Two rearrangements were revealed, including an inversion of 1602 kb covering the <it>ter </it>region and the translocation of the 43 kb I-CeuI F fragment. The 23 wild type strains analyzed in this study exhibited diverse genome structures, mostly as a result of recombination between <it>rrn </it>genes. In at least two cases, the rearrangements involved recombination between genomic sites other than the <it>rrn </it>genes, possibly homologous genes in prophages. Two strains had a 20 kb deletion between <it>rrlA </it>and <it>rrlB</it>, which is a highly conservative region and no deletion has been reported in this region in any other <it>Salmonella </it>lineages.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p><it>S. paratyphi </it>C has diverse genome structures among different isolates, possibly as a result of large genomic insertions, e.g., SPI7. Although the <it>Salmonella </it>typhoid agents may not be more closely related among them than each of them to other <it>Salmonella </it>lineages, they may have evolved in similar ways, i.e., acquiring typhoid-associated genes followed by genome structure rearrangements. Comparison of multiple <it>Salmonella </it>typhoid agents at both single sequenced genome and population levels will facilitate the studies on the evolutionary process of typhoid pathogenesis, especially the identification of typhoid-associated genes.</p

Fuzheng Huayu recipe prevents nutritional fibrosing steatohepatitis in mice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Fuzheng Huayu recipe (FZHY), a compound of Chinese herbal medicine, was reported to improve liver function and fibrosis in patients with hepatitis B virus infection. However, its effect on nutritional fibrosing steatohepatitis is unclear. We aimed to elucidate the role and molecular mechanism of FZHY on this disorder in mice.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>C57BL/6 J mice were fed with methionine-choline deficient (MCD) diet for 8 weeks to induce fibrosing steatohepatitis. FZHY and/or heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) chemical inducer (hemin) were administered to mice, respectively. The effect of FZHY was assessed by comparing the severity of hepatic injury, levels of hepatic lipid peroxides, activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and the expression of oxidative stress, inflammatory and fibrogenic related genes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Mice fed with MCD diet for 8 weeks showed severe hepatic injury including hepatic steatosis, necro-inflammation and fibrosis. Administration of FZHY or hemin significantly lowered serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, reduced hepatic oxidative stress and ameliorated hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. An additive effect was observed in mice fed MCD supplemented with FZHY or/and hemin. These effects were associated with down-regulation of pro-oxidative stress gene cytochrome P450 2E1, up-regulation of anti-oxidative gene HO-1; suppression of pro-inflammation genes tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-6; and inhibition of pro-fibrotic genes including α-smooth muscle actin, transforming growth factor beta 1, collagen type I (Col-1) and Col-3.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our study demonstrated the protective role of FZHY in ameliorating nutritional fibrosing steatohepatitis. The effect was mediated through regulating key genes related to oxidative stress, inflammation and fibrogenesis.</p

Unbalanced-basis-misalignment tolerant measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution

Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDIQKD) is a revolutionary protocol since it is physically immune to all attacks on the detection side. However, the protocol still keeps the strict assumptions on the source side that the four BB84-states must be perfectly prepared to ensure security. Some protocols release part of the assumptions in the encoding system to keep the practical security, but the performance would be dramatically reduced. In this work, we present a MDIQKD protocol that requires less knowledge of encoding system to combat the troublesome modulation errors and fluctuations. We have also experimentally demonstrated the protocol. The result indicates the high-performance and good security for its practical applications. Besides, its robustness and flexibility exhibit a good value for complex scenarios such as the QKD networks.Comment: 22 pages, 9 figure