Vitamin D Status and Factors Associated with Vitamin D Deficiency during the First Year of Life in Preterm Infants

We aimed to investigate the changes in vitamin D levels and factors associated with vitamin D deficiency (VDD) during the first year of life in Korean preterm infants. We enrolled 333 preterm infants who were born at Kyungpook National University Children’s Hospital between March 2013 and December 2019. 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) levels and medical records were collected at birth, 6 months, and 12 months of age. The mean gestational age was 33.4 ± 2.3 weeks and mean 25-OHD levels at birth were 18.2 ± 13.5 ng/mL. The incidence of VDD was 82.8%, 30.6%, and 27.0% at birth, 6 months, and 12 months, respectively. The incidence of severe VDD (25-OHD < 10 ng/mL) was 31.5%, 1.5%, and 0%, at birth, 6 months, and 12 months, respectively. Among infants with severe VDD, the deficiency persisted in 49.6% at 6 months, and 35.3% at 12 months. The strongest predictor of VDD during follow-up was 25-OHD concentration at birth. Vitamin D supplementation at 400 IU/day did not affect vitamin D levels during the first year of life. Therefore, it is important to prevent neonatal VDD through maternal vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy. Further research is needed to determine the optimal vitamin D supplementation dose for Korean preterm infants.     

Genomic Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2: Distribution of Clades in the Republic of Korea in 2020

Since a novel beta-coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first reported in December 2019, there has been a rapid global spread of the virus. Genomic surveillance was conducted on samples isolated from infected individuals to monitor the spread of genetic variants of SARS-CoV-2 in Korea. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency performed whole genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 in Korea for 1 year (January 2020 to January 2021). A total of 2,488 SARS-CoV-2 cases were sequenced (including 648 cases from abroad). Initially, the prevalent clades of SARS-CoV-2 were the S and V clades, however, by March 2020, GH clade was the most dominant. Only international travelers were identified as having G or GR clades, and since the first variant 501Y.V1 was identified (from a traveler from the United Kingdom on December 22^nd, 2020), a total of 27 variants of 501Y.V1, 501Y.V2, and 484K.V2 have been classified (as of January 25^th, 2021). The results in this study indicated that quarantining of travelers entering Korea successfully prevented dissemination of the SARS-CoV-2 variants in Korea.     

Road Traffic and Urban Form Factors Correlated with the Incidence of Lung Cancer in High-density Areas: An Ecological Study in Downtown Shanghai,China

The incidence of lung cancer is affected by air pollution, especially in high-density urban areas with heavy road traffic and dense urban form. Several studies have examined the direct relationship between lung cancer incidence and road traffic as well as urban form. However, the results are still inconsistent for high-density urban areas. This study focused on urban form and road traffic, aiming at revealing their relationship with lung cancer incidence in high-density urban areas at the neighborhood level. For this, an ecological study was conducted in downtown Shanghai to identify important indicators and explore quantitative associations. Negative binomial regression was fitted with lung cancer incidence as the dependent variable. The independent variables included indicators for road traffic and urban form, greenness, demographic, and socio-economic factors. The results showed that building coverage, averaged block perimeter area ratio, density of metro station without the glass barrier system, and the percentage of low-quality residential land were positively correlated with lung cancer incidence in the neighborhood, while population density was negatively correlated with lung cancer incidence. This study found a strong self-selection effect of socio-economic factors in the relationship between lung cancer incidence and greenness. These results may be useful for conducting health impact assessments and developing spatial planning interventions for respiratory health in high-density urban areas.     

Stochastic programming for outpatient scheduling with flexible inpatient exam accommodation

This study is concerned with the determination of an optimal appointment schedule in an outpatient-inpatient hospital system where the inpatient exams can be cancelled based on certain rules while the outpatient exams cannot be cancelled. Stochastic programming models were formulated and solved to tackle the stochasticity in the procedure durations and patient arrival patterns. The first model, a two-stage stochastic programming model, is formulated to optimize the slot size. The second model further optimizes the inpatient block (IPB) placement and slot size simultaneously. A computational method is developed to solve the second optimization problem. A case study is conducted using the data from Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) centers of Lahey Hospital and Medical Center (LHMC). The current schedule and the schedules obtained from the optimization models are evaluated and compared using simulation based on FlexSim Healthcare. Results indicate that the overall weighted cost can be reduced by 11.6% by optimizing the slot size and can be further reduced by an additional 12.6% by optimizing slot size and IPB placement simultaneously. Three commonly used sequencing rules (IPBEG, OPBEG, and a variant of ALTER rule) were also evaluated. The results showed that when optimization tools are not available, ALTER variant which evenly distributes the IPBs across the day has the best performance. Sensitivity analysis of weights for patient waiting time, machine idle time and exam cancellations further supports the superiority of ALTER variant sequencing rules compared to the other sequencing methods. A Pareto frontier was also developed and presented between patient waiting time and machine idle time to enable medical centers with different priorities to obtain solutions that accurately reflect their respective optimal tradeoffs. An extended optimization model was also developed to incorporate the emergency patient arrivals. The optimal schedules from the extended model show only minor differences compared to those from the original model, thus proving the robustness of the scheduling solutions obtained from our optimal models against the impacts of emergency patient arrivals.

     

Characteristics of Nursing Homes by COVID-19 Cases Among Staff: March to August 2020

ObjectiveTo measure the association between nursing home (NH) characteristics and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevalence among NH staff.DesignRetrospective cross-sectional study.Setting and ParticipantsCenters for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 database for US NHs between March and August 2020, linked to NH facility characteristics (LTCFocus database) and local COVID-19 prevalence (USA Facts).MethodsWe estimated the associations between NH characteristics, local infection rates, and other regional characteristics and COVID-19 cases among NH staff (nursing staff, clinical staff, aides, and other facility personnel) measured per 100 beds, controlling for the hospital referral regions in which NHs were located to account for local infection control practices and other unobserved characteristics.ResultsOf the 11,858 NHs in our sample, 78.6% reported at least 1 staff case of COVID-19. After accounting for local COVID-19 prevalence, NHs in the highest quartile of confirmed resident cases (413.5 to 920.0 cases per 1000 residents) reported 18.9 more staff cases per 100 beds compared with NHs that had no resident cases. Large NHs (150 or more beds) reported 2.6 fewer staff cases per 100 beds compared with small NHs (<50 beds) and for-profit NHs reported 0.8 fewer staff cases per 100 beds compared with nonprofit NHs. Higher occupancy and more direct-care hours per day were associated with more staff cases (0.4 more cases per 100 beds for a 10% increase in occupancy, and 0.7 more cases per 100 beds for an increase in direct-care staffing of 1 hour per resident day, respectively). Estimates associated with resident demographics, payer mix, or regional socioeconomic characteristics were not statistically significant.Conclusions and ImplicationsThese findings highlight the urgent need to support facilities with emergency resources such as back-up staff and protocols to reduce resident density within the facility, which may help stem outbreaks.     

上海市预防接种工作人员疑似预防接种异常反应监测认知和报告影响因素

目的了解上海市预防接种工作人员疑似预防接种异常反应(Adverse events following immunization,AEFI)监测的知识和态度以及影响AEFI报告的因素。方法采用方便抽样在上海市所有459个预防接种门诊选择预防接种工作人员开展问卷调查,分析AEFI监测知识得分(满分6分)和态度,采用多因素Logistic回归分析AEFI报告的影响因素。结果1379名调查对象的AEFI监测知识平均得分为3.30±1.31分;认为开展AEFI监测有必要、报告AEFI是自身职责、AEFI监测是额外工作负担的调查对象分别占98.84%、92.75%、30.38%。69.62%的调查对象近1年报告过AEFI;社区接种门诊、免疫规划专职人员、近1年接受过AEFI培训、AEFI监测知识得分高的调查对象报告AEFI的比例高[OR(95%CI):19.55(14.16-26.98)、1.95(1.45-2.64)、3.14(1.76-5.59)、1.91(1.38-2.63)]。结论上海市预防接种工作人员AEFI监测知识水平不高,对AEFI监测存在一定认识误区;需加强AEFI监测培训,进一步提高其AEFI报告意识。     

西安市134例百日咳疑似病例不同标本百日咳鲍特菌检测阳性率比较

目的比较百日咳疑似病例鼻、咽和鼻咽拭子标本百日咳鲍特菌(Bordetella pertussis,Bp)检测阳性率。方法选择西安市两家医院2018年1-7月134例百日咳疑似病例,同时采集鼻、咽和鼻咽拭子标本,进行Bp分离培养和实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应核酸检测。结果百日咳疑似病例的Bp检测总阳性率为44.78%(60/134),其中鼻、咽、鼻咽拭子阳性率分别为36.57%、32.09%、39.55%(χ²=1.64,P=0.440);发病后0-7d、8-14d、15-21d、22-28d、29d采样的阳性率分别为23.33%、64.52%、63.89%、42.86%、23.33%(χ²=22.13,P=0.000)。鼻、咽、鼻咽拭子Bp核酸检测阳性率分别为36.57%、32.09%、39.55%(χ²=1.64,P=0.440);分离培养阳性率分别为0.00%、0.00%、4.59%(Fisher精确概率法,P=0.036)。在Bp核酸阳性病例中鼻和/或咽、鼻和/或鼻咽、咽和/或鼻咽拭子阳性分别占93.33%、91.67%、100%(Fisher精确概率法,P=0.080)。结论百日咳疑似病例鼻、咽和鼻咽拭子Bp检测总阳性率相当;核酸检测阳性率以鼻咽拭子最高,组合采样可提高Bp核酸检测阳性率;分离培养仍建议选择鼻咽拭子。     

传染性病毒性肺炎的中医四季防护

中医作为传统医学对于疾病的预防治疗有着不可取代的优势,2020年年初武汉暴发新型瘟疫以来,中医中药在防护和阻止病情进展的过程中发挥了重要作用,而且疗效确切,备受推崇.本文从生活起居、四季饮食药膳、中医保健预防等几个方面介绍中医防护传染性病毒性肺炎的一些措施与可操作的方法.