Review of the environmental prenatal exposome and its relationship to maternal and fetal health

Environmental chemicals comprise a major portion of the human exposome, with some shown to impact the health of susceptible populations, including pregnant women and developing fetuses. The placenta and cord blood serve as important biological windows into the maternal and fetal environments. In this article we review how environmental chemicals (defined here to include man-made chemicals [e.g., flame retardants, pesticides/herbicides, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances], toxins, metals, and other xenobiotic compounds) contribute to the prenatal exposome and highlight future directions to advance this research field. Our findings from a survey of recent literature indicate the need to better understand the breadth of environmental chemicals that reach the placenta and cord blood, as well as the linkages between prenatal exposures, mechanisms of toxicity, and subsequent health outcomes. Research efforts tailored towards addressing these needs will provide a more comprehensive understanding of how environmental chemicals impact maternal and fetal health.     

Long-term seropositivity,safety, and impact of inactivated and live,attenuated hepatitis a vaccines in China – A cross-sectional study

BackgroundIn 2008, China introduced live, attenuated hepatitis A vaccine (L-HepA, licensed in 1992) and inactivated hepatitis A vaccine (I-HepA, licensed in 2002) nationwide, and is currently the only country using L-HepA in routine immunization. We assessed seropositivity and its duration following vaccination, safety, and association with hepatitis A incidence and population seroprevalence for I-HepA and L-HepA.MethodsWe obtained seroprevalence data from two nationwide serosurveys (in 1992 and 2014), vaccination status from the 2014 serosurvey, and vaccine safety and disease incidence data from the national surveillance system. We compared long-term HAV seropositivity among vaccine recipients and described safety profiles of both vaccines. We categorized the 31 provinces into those predominately using I-HepA and achieving high coverage (n = 4), those predominately using L-HepA achieving high coverage (n = 4), and those predominately using L-HepA achieving lower coverage (n = 23). We compared population HAV seropositivity, coverage, and disease incidence among the three groups.ResultsOne year after vaccination, seropositivity from I-HepA was significantly higher than from L-HepA (97.8% vs 90.7%), and seropositivity declined to 73.5% for L-HepA and 75.4% for I-HepA after 10 years – not significantly different by vaccine. The annual incidence of serious AEFI was <0.5/100 000 for both vaccines. Prior to licensure of either HepA vaccine, provinces that would go on to predominantly use I-HepA had lower incidences of hepatitis A and lower seropositivity levels to HAV than provinces that would go on to use L-HepA. By 2014, these differences were significantly diminished. Regardless of vaccine selection, all three province groups had lower immunity to HAV among individuals born during the 10 years prior to nationwide vaccine introduction – individuals who were 10 to 24 years old in 2014.ConclusionEvidence of good immunogenicity, safety, and impact on incidence supports continued use of both I-HepA and L-HepA in the EPI system. These results may be useful for countries considering integrating HepA vaccines into their routine programs.     

再生水应用现状及其水质特征探讨

目的:了解目前再生水应用现状和水质特征。方法:通过对某地区80家再生水生产企业进行现场调查;采集再生水企业生产的再生水连续进行水质监测。结果:现场调查结果显示,再生水主要的应用领域为居民小区、学校、宾馆饭店和办公楼,主要用途为:冲厕和绿化、道路喷洒、景观、洗车、设备冷却及部分公共区域保洁等,生产再生水的水源为生活污水,氯消毒是再生水主要的消毒方式。水质特征分析结果,11项指示理化指标监测结果,除少数水质较差外,大部分结果可以达到用水标准限值;2项指示微生物指标显示,微生物是影响再生水水质主要问题,其原因与消毒效果有关。结论:再生水主要在居民小区、学校和其他公共场所使用,以冲厕和绿化为主,卫生学微生物指标不容乐观。     

Rapid Detection of Yersinia pestis by Real-time Recombinase- aided Amplification

Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of bubonic and pneumonic plague, is considered to be one of the most dangerous and deadly pathogenic bacteria in the world[1]. Y. pestis? is classified as a category A pathogen by the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention because of its ease of aerosol-to-human transmission, high lethality, and potential for mass casualties as a biological warfare agent[2]. Therefore, both prevention and treatment require the development of a rapid, sensitive, and specific?method?to?detect?Y. pestis.     

Field evaluation of alternative testing strategies for the detection of HIV infection in Beijing

To identify a cost-efficient altemative antibody testing strategy for screening and confirmation of HIV infection by rapid simple tests （RSTs） and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays （ELISAs）. Methods Four RSTs （RST1, RST2, RST3, and RST4 ） and five ELISAs （ELISA1, ELISA2, ELISA3, ELISA4, and ELISA5） were evaluated in two phases by using banked and serum specimens prospectively collected at regional hospitals and voluntary counseling and testing （VCT） centers in Beijing. A total of 200 banked serum specimens were included in the first phase, including 62 HIV-positive, 127 HIV-negative and 11 indeterminate specimens. All specimens were tested by four RSTs and five ELISAs respectively. The second phase involved prospective testing of 389 routine specimens, including 92 HIV-positive, 287 HIV-negative, and 10 indeterminate specimens. All the specimens were tested by two RSTs （RST2 and RST4） and three ELISAs （ELISA1, ELISA3, and ELISA4）, which were selected for their respective excellent sensitivity and/or specificity. Westem blot （WB） was used as a gold standard for confirming the reactivity of all the specimens. Results Sensitivity, specificity, and efficacy were calculated for each assay in two phases. In the first phase, four assays （ELISA4, RST2, RST3, and RST4） had a specificity of 100%. For the determination of efficacy, ELISA4, RST2, and RST4 were selected in the second phase. ELISA1 and ELISA3 which have a sensitivity of 95.9% and 93.2% respectively also entered this phase. In the second phase, all the five assays （ELISA1, ELISA3, ELISA4, RST2, and RST4） had a sensitivity and specifity of over 90%. ELISA1 had a sensitivity of 99% and ELISA4 a specificity of 99%. Conclusion The sensitivity ELISA1 and the specificit of ELISA4 are comparable to ELISA/WB standard strategy. Application of this alternative testing strategy provides a cost-effective method for determining HIV prevalence in Beijing.     

The 2015–2016 influenza epidemic in Beijing,China: Unlike elsewhere,circulation of influenza A(H3N2) with moderate vaccine effectiveness

BackgroundWhile the 2015–2016 influenza season in the northern hemisphere was dominated by A(H1N1)pdm09 and B/Victoria viruses, in Beijing, China, there was also significant circulation of influenza A(H3N2) virus. In this report we estimate vaccine effectiveness (VE) against influenza A(H3N2) and other circulating viruses, and describe further characteristics of the 2015–2016 influenza season in Beijing.MethodsWe estimated VE of the 2015–2016 trivalent inactivated vaccine (TIV) against laboratory-confirmed influenza virus infection using the test-negative study design. The effect of prior vaccination on current VE was also examined.ResultsOf 11,000 eligible patients included in the study, 2969 (27.0%) were influenza positive. Vaccination coverage was 4.2% in both cases and controls. Adjusted VE against all influenza was 8% (95% CI: −16% to 27%): 18% (95% CI: −38% to 52%) for influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, 54% (95% CI: 16% to 74%) for influenza A(H3N2), and −8% (95% CI: −40% to 18%) for influenza B/Victoria. The overall VE for receipt of 2015–2016 vaccination only, 2014–2015 vaccination only, and vaccinations in both seasons was −15% (95% CI: −63% to 19%), −25% (95% CI: −78% to 13%), and 18% (95% CI: −11% to 40%), respectively.ConclusionsOverall the 2015–2016 TIV was protective against influenza infection in Beijing, with higher VE against the A(H3N2) viruses compared to A(H1N1)pdm09 and B viruses.     

Evaluation of inactivated vaccines against equine group A rotaviruses by use of a suckling mouse model

BackgroundEquine group A rotaviruses (RVAs) cause diarrhea in suckling foals. The dominant RVAs circulating among horses worldwide, including Japan, are G3P[12] and/or G14P[12] genotypes. Inactivated vaccines containing a G3P[12] RVA are commercially available in some countries for prevention of diarrhea caused by equine RVAs. However, there is no reported evidence whether vaccines containing a G3P[12] RVA are effective against G14P[12] RVAs or whether using a G14P[12] RVA results in a more effective vaccine. This study used a suckling mouse model to evaluate the effectiveness of inactivated vaccines containing G3P[12] (G3 vaccine) or G14P[12] (G14 vaccine) RVAs against G3P[12] and G14P[12] RVAs.MethodsFemale mice were inoculated twice with G3 or G14 vaccines, and were then mated. After parturition, suckling mice were challenged with one of either two G3P[12] RVAs, two G14P[12] RVAs, or one G13P[18] RVA. After virus inoculation, suckling mice were observed for diarrhea, and the incidence rates of diarrhea in the vaccinated groups were compared with those in the non-vaccinated groups.ResultsFollowing G3P[12] RVA challenge, suckling mice in the G3 and G14 vaccinated groups had significantly lower rates of diarrhea incidence than did those in the non-vaccinated group, and the rates in the G3 vaccinated group tended to be lower than in the G14 vaccinated group. Following G14P[12] RVA challenge, suckling mice in the G14 vaccinated group had significantly lower rates of diarrhea incidence than did those in the non-vaccinated and G3 vaccinated groups. The G3 and G14 vaccines did not reduce the rate when challenged with the G13P[18] RVA.ConclusionThe mouse model showed that the G3 and G14 vaccines were both effective against G3P[12] RVAs, and that the G14 vaccine was effective against G14P[12] RVAs. These results suggest that at least a G14 RVA strain should be included in as a vaccine strain.