Prevalence and trend of hepatitis C virus infection among blood donors in Chinese mainland: a systematic review and meta-analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Blood transfusion is one of the most common transmission pathways of hepatitis C virus (HCV). This paper aims to provide a comprehensive and reliable tabulation of available data on the epidemiological characteristics and risk factors for HCV infection among blood donors in Chinese mainland, so as to help make prevention strategies and guide further research.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A systematic review was constructed based on the computerized literature database. Infection rates and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated using the approximate normal distribution model. Odds ratios and 95% CI were calculated by fixed or random effects models. Data manipulation and statistical analyses were performed using STATA 10.0 and ArcGIS 9.3 was used for map construction.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Two hundred and sixty-five studies met our inclusion criteria. The pooled prevalence of HCV infection among blood donors in Chinese mainland was 8.68% (95% CI: 8.01%-9.39%), and the epidemic was severer in North and Central China, especially in Henan and Hebei. While a significant lower rate was found in Yunnan. Notably, before 1998 the pooled prevalence of HCV infection was 12.87% (95%CI: 11.25%-14.56%) among blood donors, but decreased to 1.71% (95%CI: 1.43%-1.99%) after 1998. No significant difference was found in HCV infection rates between male and female blood donors, or among different blood type donors. The prevalence of HCV infection was found to increase with age. During 1994-1995, the prevalence rate reached the highest with a percentage of 15.78% (95%CI: 12.21%-19.75%), and showed a decreasing trend in the following years. A significant difference was found among groups with different blood donation types, Plasma donors had a relatively higher prevalence than whole blood donors of HCV infection (33.95% <it>vs </it>7.9%).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The prevalence of HCV infection has rapidly decreased since 1998 and kept a low level in recent years, but some provinces showed relatively higher prevalence than the general population. It is urgent to make efficient measures to prevent HCV secondary transmission and control chronic progress, and the key to reduce the HCV incidence among blood donors is to encourage true voluntary blood donors, strictly implement blood donation law, and avoid cross-infection.</p

Study of the decay D0→K¯0π−e+νe

We report a study of the decay D0→K̄0π-e+νe based on a sample of 2.93 fb-1 e+e- annihilation data collected at the center-of-mass energy of 3.773 GeV with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider. The total branching fraction is determined to be B(D0→K̄0π-e+νe)=(1.434±0.029(stat.)±0.032(syst.))%, which is the most precise to date. According to a detailed analysis of the involved dynamics, we find this decay is dominated with the K∗(892)- contribution and present an improved measurement of its branching fraction to be B(D0→K∗(892)-e+νe)=(2.033±0.046(stat.)±0.047(syst.))%. We further access their hadronic form-factor ratios for the first time as rV=V(0)/A1(0)=1.46±0.07(stat.)±0.02(syst.) and r2=A2(0)/A1(0)=0.67±0.06(stat.)±0.01(syst.). In addition, we observe a significant K̄0π- S-wave component accounting for (5.51±0.97(stat.)±0.62(syst.))% of the total decay rate

Study of the h(c)(1(1)P(1)) meson via psi(2S) -> pi(0)h(c) decays at BESIII

Using 448 million psi(2S) events, the spin-singlet P-wave charmonium state h(c)(1(1)P(1)) is studied via the psi(2S) -&gt; pi(0)h(c) decay followed by the h(c) -&gt; gamma eta(c) transition. The branching fractions are measured to be B-Inc(psi(2S) -&gt; pi(0)h(c)) x B-Tag (h(c) -&gt; gamma eta(c)) = (4.22(-0.26)(+0.27) +/- 0.19) x 10(-4), B-Inc (psi(2S) -&gt; pi(0)h(c)) = (7.32 +/- 0.34 +/- 0.41) x 10(-4) , and B-Tag (h(c) -&gt; gamma eta(c)) = (57.66(-3.50)(+3.62) +/- 0.58)%, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. The h(c)(1(1)P(1)) mass and width are determined to be M = (3525.32 +/- 0.06 +/- 0.15) MeV/c(2) and Gamma = (0.78(-0.24)(+0.27)+/- 0.12) MeV. Using the center of gravity mass of the three chi(cJ) (1(3)P(J)) mesons [M(c.o.g.)], the 1P hyperfine mass splitting is estimated to be Delta(hyp) = M(h(c)) - M(c.o.g.) = (0.03 +/- 0.06 +/- 0.15) MeV/c(2), which is consistent with the expectation that the 1P hyperfine splitting is zero at the lowest order

Measurement of A baryon polarization in e(+) e(-) -> Lambda(Lambda)over-bar at root s=3.773 GeV

Using a data sample of psi(3770) events collected with the BESIII detector at BEPCII corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.9 fb-1, we report a measurement of A spin polarization in e+ e- -&gt; Lambda(Lambda) over bar at = root s = 3.773 GeV. The significance of polarization is found to be 2 sigma including the systematic uncertainty, which implies a zero phase between the transition amplitudes of the Lambda(Lambda) over bar helicity states. This phase can be interpreted in terms of psionic form factors, and is determined to be Delta Phi(Psi) = Phi(Psi)(E) - Phi(Psi)(M) = (71(-46)(+66) +/- 5)degrees. Similarly, the ratio between the form factors is found to be R-psi = vertical bar G(E)(Psi)/G(M)(Psi)vertical bar = 0.48(-0.35)(+0.21) +/- 0.03. The first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic