Mental health and insomnia problems in healthcare workers after the COVID-19 pandemic:A multicenter cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND Healthcare workers(HCWs)are at increased risk of contracting coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)as well as worsening mental health problems and insomnia.These problems can persist for a long period,even after the pandemic.However,less is known about this topic.AIM To analyze mental health,insomnia problems,and their influencing factors in HCWs after the COVID-19 pandemic.METHODS This multicenter cross-sectional,hospital-based study was conducted from June 1,2023 to June 30,2023,which was a half-year after the end of the COVID-19 emergency.Region-stratified population-based cluster sampling was applied at the provincial level for Chinese HCWs.Symptoms such as anxiety,depression,and insomnia were evaluated by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7,Patient Health Questionnaire-9,and Insomnia Severity Index.Factors influencing the symptoms were identified by multivariable logistic regression.RESULTS A total of 2000 participants were invited,for a response rate of 70.6%.A total of 1412 HCWs[618(43.8%)doctors,583(41.3%)nurses and 211(14.9%)nonfrontline],254(18.0%),231(16.4%),and 289(20.5%)had symptoms of anxiety,depression,and insomnia,respectively;severe symptoms were found in 58(4.1%),49(3.5%),and 111(7.9%)of the participants.Nurses,female sex,and hospitalization for COVID-19 were risk factors for anxiety,depression,and insomnia symptoms;moreover,death from family or friends was a risk factor for insomnia symptoms.During the COVID-19 outbreak,most[1086(76.9%)]of the participating HCWs received psychological interventions,while nearly all[994(70.4%)]of them had received public psychological education.Only 102(7.2%)of the HCWs received individual counseling from COVID-19.CONCLUSION Although the mental health and sleep problems of HCWs were relieved after the COVID-19 pandemic,they still faced challenges and greater risks than did the general population.Identifying risk factors would help in providing targeted interventions.In addition,although a major proportion of HCWs have received public psychological education,individual interventions are still insufficient.

Epidemiological Studies on Cystic Echinococcosis in China─A Review

In the four decades from 1951 to 1990, the six provinces or autonomous regions (Xinjiang, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, Xizang and Nei Monggol) reported a total of 26 065surgical cases of hydatid disease, most of which were reported in the recent decade. About one third of the patients was children and adolescents under 15 years old. So far, cystic hydatid infections of local origin have been confirmed in 22 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in the whole nation. Findings of X-ray examination and real-time B-mode ultrasonography in agricultural and pastoral areas of Xinjiang, Gansu, Qinghai,Ningxia and Xizang showed that the morbidity rate of hydatidosis in human population varied between 0.5% and 4.5%. The main animal intermediate host in all these regions is sheep, the morbidity of which varied between 3.3% and 90%. The infection rate of adult Echinococcus granulosus in dogs varied between 7% and 71%. The high-risk period for humans contracting hydatid disease is the pre-school age. Direct contact of children with dogs and ingestion of water, vegetables and foods contaminated by worm eggs are the chief mode of transmission for human hydatidosis. The common practices of home slaughter and of feeding dogs on offal containing hydatid cysts facilitate the life cycIe of the parasite.On the basis of hydatid control efforts for several years, the Ministry of Public Health promulgated officially the '1992-1995 National Programme for Hydatid Disease Control'in April, 1992, and pilot studies in which the control of hydatidosis is composed of extensive health education, sanitation of slaughtering and management and deworming of dogs are being established.Cystic echinococcosis has wide distribution in China and is a major public health problem in hyperendemic areas, poses a great threat against people's health and influences the development of livestock husbandry. This problem has received great attention from the medical and veterinary departments. In the rencent decade great efforts have been made in the epidemiology, parasitology and clinical treatment of echinococcosis, resulting in a better understanding of the disease and procedures effective in bringing about control of the disease

Studies on the Epidemiology and Etiology of Moldy Sugarcane Poisoning in China

Moldy sugarcane poisoning, an acute fatal food poisoning of unknown etiology, has occurred in 13 provinces in China. The epidemiological characteristics and clinical features were described. Evidence from laboratory studies indicates that 3-nitropropionic acid roduced by the fungus Arthrinium Spp. is the etiological factor of this food poisoning.

Clinical patterns and characteristics of uveitis in a secondary hospital in southern China

AIM: To investigate the characteristics of uveitis in a secondary hospital in southern China.METHODS: We reviewed all records of patients with uveitis at Hengli Hospital from January 2008 to December2011. Demographic data, past history, ophthalmic examinations and other laboratory tests were analyzed.RESULTS: One hundred and ninety-nine uveitis patients were enrolled in this study, including 134(67.3%) males and 65 females(32.7%) with an average age of 41.0 ±15.1y. The anatomical distribution included103(51.8%) cases of anterior uveitis, followed by panuveitis(65, 32.7%), posterior uveitis(29, 14.6%) and intermediate uveitis(2, 1.0%). Of the 98(49.2%) non-idiopathic cases, there were 10.1% Behcet’s disease,9.5% Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada(VKH) syndrome, 7.5%infectious uveitis, 7.5% traumatic uveitis and 3.5%postoperative uveitis.CONCLUSION: Idiopathic anterior and posterior uveitis,Behcet’s disease, VKH syndrome, infectious uveitis and traumatic uveitis are the most common uveitis entities in a secondary hospital in southern China. Additional measures should be taken to prevent infectious and traumatic uveitis.

E-Cigarette: A New Tobacco Product for Schoolchildren in Paris

Objectives: To explore if the dramatic decrease in price of e-cigarette has transformed this new product into a product used for tobacco initiation among a teenage population. Methods: The authors added a question in 2012 on e-cigarette in the yearly survey on tobacco consumption in Paris schoolchildren. The study is conducted on a randomly selected sample from 2% of classes since 1991. Results: 277 (8.1%) of the 3409 schoolchildren studied (including 575 non responders to this question) reported having had an experience with e-cigarette. Experimentation rate is 6.4% among the 12 - 14-year-old, 11.8% among the 15 - 16-year-old and 9% among the 17-year-old schoolchildren. Among the 12 - 14- year-old schoolchildren, 64.4% of e-cigarette experimentation was by non-smokers. Of the 17-year-old teenagers who had used e-cigarettes, 12.4% were non-smokers. For the whole population, 33.2% of those having tried e-cigarette are non-smoker, 22.7% occasional smoker, 3.6% ex-smoker and 40.4% daily smoker. Those who experiment cannabis, shisha or binge-drinking are more frequently users of e-cigarette. In the smoker group, there is an inverse trend of rela- tionship between the readiness to quit tobacco and the rate of use of e-cigarette. Conclusion: For teenager’s, e-cigare- ttes have become not a product to aid quit tobacco but a product for experimentation and initiation of cigarette use. Regulation is urgently needed to control the emergent use of this new tobacco product by children.

Fine particulate matter and cardiorespiratory health in China:A systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological studies

This review aimed to systematically summarize the epidemiological literature on the cardiorespiratory effects of PM_(2.5)published during the 13^(th) Five-Year Plan period(2016-2020)in China.Original articles published between January 1,2016 and June 30,2021 were searched in PubMed,Web of Science,the China National Knowledge Internet Database and Wanfang Database.Random-or fixed-effects models were used to pool effect estimates where appropriate.Of 8558 records identified,145 met the full eligibility criteria.A 10μg/m^(3) increase in short-term PM_(2.5)exposure was significantly associated with increases of 0.70%,0.86%,0.38%and 0.96%in cardiovascular mortality,respiratory mortality,cardiovascular morbidity,and respiratory morbidity,respectively.The specific diseases with significant associations included stroke,ischemic heart disease,heart failure,arrhythmia,chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,pneumonia and allergic rhinitis.The pooled estimates per 10μg/m^(3) increase in long-term PM_(2.5)exposure were 15.1%,11.9%and 21.0%increases in cardiovascular,stroke and lung cancer mortality,and 17.4%,11.0%and 4.88%increases in cardiovascular,hypertension and lung cancer incidence respectively.Adverse changes in blood pressure,heart rate variability,systemic infiammation,blood lipids,lung function and airway infiammation were observed for either short-term or long-term PM_(2.5)exposure,or both.Collectively,we summarized representative exposure-response relationships between short-and long-term PM_(2.5)exposure and a wide range of cardiorespiratory outcomes applicable to China.The magnitudes of estimates were generally smaller in short-term associations and comparable in long-term associations compared with those in developed countries.Ourfindings are helpful for future standard revisions and policy formulation.There are still some notable gaps that merit further investigation in China.

Creatine kinase in the diagnosis and prognostic prediction of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis:a retrospective case-control study

Creatine kinase is a muscle enzyme that has been reported at various levels in different studies involving patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.In the present retrospective case-control study,we included 582 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and 582 age-and sexmatched healthy controls.All amyotrophic lateral sclerosis participants received treatment in the Department of Neurology,West China Hospital,China,between May 2008 and December 2018.Serum creatine kinase levels in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis were significantly higher than those in healthy controls.Subgroup analysis revealed that serum creatine kinase levels in men were higher than those in women in both amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients and healthy controls.Compared with patients with bulbar-onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,patients with limb-onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis had higher creatine kinase levels.Spearman's correlation analysis revealed that serum creatine kinase levels were not correlated with body mass index,Amyotrophic lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating ScaleRevised score,or progression rate.After adjusting for prognostic covariates,higher log creatine kinase values were correlated with higher overall survival in the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients.We also investigated the longitudinal changes in serum creatine kinase levels in 81 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients;serum creatine kinase levels were decreased at the second blood test,which was sampled at least 6 months after the first blood test.Together,our results suggest that serum creatine kinase levels can be used as an independent factor for predicting the prognosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients.This study received ethical approval from the Ethics Committee of West China Hospital,China(approval No.2015(236))on December 23,2015.

Danish cohort of monozygotic inflammatory bowel disease twins: Clinical characteristics and inflammatory activity

AIM: To describe the establishment of a Danish inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) twin cohort with focus on concordance of treatment and inflammatory markers.METHODS: We identified MZ twins, likely to be discordant or concordant for IBD, by merging information from the Danish Twin Register and the National Patient Register. The twins were asked to provide biological samples, questionnaires, and data access to patient files and public registries. Biological samples were collected via a mobile laboratory, which allowed for immediate centrifugation, fractionation, and storage of samples. The mean time from collection of samples to storage in the -80 °C mobile freezer was less than one hour. The diagnoses where validated using the Copenhagen diagnostic criteria.RESULTS: We identified 159 MZ IBD twin pairs, in a total of 62 (39%) pairs both twins agreed to participate. Of the supposed 62 IBD pairs, the IBD diagnosis could be confirmed in 54 pairs. The cohort included 10 concordant pairs, whereof some were discordant for either treatment or surgery. The 10 concordant pairs, where both pairs suffered from IBD, included eight CD/CD pairs, one UC/UC pair and one UC/IBDU pair. The discordant pairs comprised 31 UC, 5 IBDU (IBD unclassified), and 8 CD discordant pairs. In the co-twins not affected by IBD, calprotectin was above 100 μg/g in 2 participants, and above 50 μg/g in a further 5 participants.CONCLUSION: The presented IBD twin cohorts are an excellent resource for bioinformatics studies with proper adjustment for disease-associated exposures including medication and inflammatory activity in the co-twins.

Situation analysis of cutaneous leishmaniasis in an endemic area,south of Iran

Objective: To update current situation of the cutaneous leishmaniasis(CL) in Kazerun County,southwest of Iran and to analyze the epidemiological aspects of the disease during 2005-2015,Methods: Data on CL were obtained from the Health Center of Kazerun County,and then were analyzed and mapped using SPSS and Arc GIS 10.3,Results: A total of 700 cases of CL were recorded during the study period with an overall decreasing trend from 2005 to 2015,More than 60% of the patients were inhabitants of rural areas and males were infected more than females,Although there was not a significant difference between gender,job categories,residence and CL infection(P>0.05),age groups were significantly different(P<0.05),But there was no significant correlation between monthly cases of the disease with average temperature(P>0.05),Most of the acute lesions were found to be present on the hand,leg and face,respectively,The average CL incidence in the study area was calculated as 24.9/100 000 population,A hot spot for the disease was found in southern part of the area(P<0.05),Conclusions: This study revealed that CL is present in Kazerun country,Thus,effective monitoring and sustained suveillance system is crucial in counteracting the disease,and if possible,to eliminate it.

Epidemiologic Study of Cancer Mortality among Chloroprene Workers

Both case-control and cohort studies were undertaken from July 1,1969 to June 30,1983 to ascertain whether exposure to chloroprene increases the risk of cancer.Fifty-five cases of cancer deaths were verified,16 of which had histories of exposure to chloroprene ranging from 3 to 23 years(median 11 years)with a latent period of 8-27 years,except for one case of 3 years(median 12.5 years).Fifty-four pairs were obtained by matching the cancer deaths to noncaneer deaths in accordance with strict requirements.The odds ratio for the paired data was 13,x^2=8.64,P <0.005.The average age at death from cancer of workers exposed to chloroprene was 12.7 years younger than that of unexposed workers,t'=2.98,P<0.001.The total cohort consisted of 1213 persons,among whom 149(11.6%)had histories of exposure for over 25 years,381(31.5%) for over 20 years,and 852(70.2%) for over 15 years.The SMR for the total cohort was 2.38(P <0.01),and all SMRs for the high-exposure occupations were of significance(P<0.05or P<0.01),in contrast to those of the low-exposure groups whose SMRs were low or zero.Thus, a dose-response relationship existed.Among the high-exposure occupations,maintenance me- chanics seem to have the highest risk of cancers,and SMRs for liver,lung,and lymphatic cancers were significant in this group.These results suggested that chloroprene exposure increases the risk of developing cancer.1989 Academic Press,Inc.

Analysis on the Epidemiological Characteristics of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Infection in Xuzhou,Jiangsu,China,1999

Objective： To determine epidemiologic features of an Escherichia coli O157：H7 outbreak occurred in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China in 1999, and assess the incidence of E. coli O157：H7 in diarrhea patients and host animals and its relationship with disease onset, and provide a scientific basis for establishing prevention and control strategies. Methods： Epidemiological, microbiological, and molecular methods were performed to identify risk factors and describe the ecology of E. coli O157：H7 in the enviromnent. Results： From May to September, in 1999, 99 cases of E. coli O157：H7 infection were confirmed. Fifty-six patients were enrolled in the case-control study. Bad personal health habits and poor sanitary conditions in the kitchen were associated with increased risks of infection, whereas hand washing was protective. The household survey indicated that residents in the epidemic region during the outbreak had higher than expected rates of diarrhea. The total E. coli O157：H7 carrier rate in the livestock was 12.36%（22/178）, specifically 19.15% in cattle, 12.50% in goat, and 11.11% in swine. Numerical analysis of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis（PFGE） profiles divided strains into two clusters with 77.5% homology. One cluster contained 11 strains isolated from diarrheal patients, foods, and animals. The other cluster comprised 10 strains from patients and environment. Conclusion： In a large outbreak of E. coli O157：H7 infection among predominantly elderly residents in Xuzhou, high rates of carriage of E. coli O157：H7 among host animals most likely resulted in contamination of the environment, thereby leading to the outbreak. Effective and preventive control measures should be taken to avoid contamination, including environmental and family health improvement, good personal hygiene, and safe food handling practices.

Indoor tanning bed use and risk of food addiction based on the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale

The popularity of indoor tanning may be partly attributed to the addictive characteristics of tanning for some individuals.We aimed to determine the association between frequent indoor tanning,which we view as a sunogate for tanning addiction,and food addiction.A total of 67,910 women were included from the Nurses＇ Health Study II.In2005,we collected information on indoor tanning during high school/college and age 25-35 years,and calculated the average use of indoor tanning during these periods.Food addiction was defined as ≥3 clinically significant symptoms plus clinically significant impairment or distress,assessed in 2009 using a modified version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale.Totally 23.3%（15,822） of the participants reported indoor tanning at high school/college or age 25-35 years.A total of 5,557（8.2%） women met the criteria for food addiction.We observed a dose-response relationship between frequency of indoor tanning and the likelihood of food addiction（P_（trend）〈 0.0001）,independent of depression,BMI,and other confounders.Compared with never indoor tanners,the odds ratio（95%confidence interval） of food addiction was 1.07（0.99-1.17） for average indoor tanning 1-2 times/year,1.25（1.09-1.43） for 3-5times/year,1.34（1.14-1.56） for 6-11 times/year,1.61（1.35-1.91） for 12-23 times/year,and 2.98（1.95-4.57） for 24 or more times/year.Frequent indoor tanning before or at early adulthood is associated with prevalence of food addiction at middle age.Our data support the addictive property of frequent indoor tanning,which may guide intervention strategies to curb indoor tanning and prevent skin cancer.

Multi-centric Study on Clinical Epidemiology Is the Key Link in Treating Hypertension with Integrative Chinese and Western Medicine

General survey ofhypertension has beencarried out in our coun—try for three times.Thelast time was in 1999,with the result showingthat in our country theincidence of hyperten-sion among people over15 years old was11.26％.The incidencehas been raised by 25％

How are children with medical complexity being identified in epidemiological studies?A systematic review

Background There are different definitions to identify/classify children with medical complexity(CMC).We aimed to investigate and describe the definitions used to classify CMC in epidemiological studies.Methods PubMed,SciELO,LILACS,and EMBASE were searched from 2015 to 2020(last updated September 15th,2020)for original studies that presented the definition used to classify/identify CMC in the scientific research method.We applied the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses methodology.From the included studies,the following were identified:first author,year of publication,design,population,study period,the definition of CMC used,limitations,and strengths.Results Nine hundred and sixty-seven records were identified in the searched databases,and 42 met the inclusion criteria.Of the 42 studies included,the four most frequent definitions used in the articles included in this review were classification of CMC into nine diagnostic categories based on the International Classification of Diseases,Ninth Revision(ICD-9)(35.7%,15 articles);update of the previous classification for ICD-10 codes with the inclusion of other conditions in the definition(21.4%,nine articles);definition based on a medical complexity algorithm for classification(16.7%,seven articles);and a risk rating system(7.1%,three articles).Conclusions CMC definitions using diagnostic codes were more frequent.However,several limitations were found in its uses.Our research highlighted the need to improve health information systems to accurately characterize the CMC population and promote the provision of comprehensive care.

Survey data analysis of the related risk factors of echinococcosis in Inner Mongolia of China and Mongolia

Objective:The aim of the study is to analyze the risk factors of hepatic echinococcosis in mass epidemiological studies in Inner Mongolia of China and Mongolia and provide a basis for related authorities to make appropriate preventive measures.Methods:Eight areas in Inner Mongolia and Zamyn-Üüd region of Mongolia were selected as epidemiological fields.By distributing epidemiological questionnaires to local residents and performing serological examinations and abdominal ultrasound examinations,the data results were collected and analyzed to obtain the risk factors.Results:In this research,there were 7,373 cases of valid data in the area of Inner Mongolia and 1,500 cases in the area of Mongolia.The mean age of the whole survey samples was 52.86±13.90,and the ratio of the female(58.35%)was much higher than that of the male(41.65%).Both univariate analysis and multivariate analysis in this study showed that the female(14.7%)had a higher risk of hepatic echinococcosis than the male(10.9%).From the perspective of profession,children,educators and medical personnel had a lower incidence,herdsmen had the highest positive rate of the disease(15.8%).Living in pastoral areas,having been to pastoral areas,eating uncooked food and drinking unboiled water,raising dogs and surrounding activities of foxes and voles can also increase the risk of positivity.Conclusions:Our findings demonstrate that the most important risk factor of hepatic echinoccosis is unhealthy lifestyles and customs in farmers and herdsmen.It is possible to provide a basis for related authorities to make effective protective measures aiming at hepatic echinococcosis.

Sex Hormones Affect Aging Process by Influencing Lipid Profiles, Cellular Immunological Function and Lipid Peroxides and Oxidation System

Objectives To investigate the correlation between sex hormones(SH) and aging. Methods Through epidemiological investigation in our country, the levels of SH were measured by radioimmunoassy; lipid profile, glucose and apolipoprotein by automatic biochemic analytical instrument; T cell subsets by flow cytometer; and MDA, SOD were evaluated by the thiobarbituric acid (TBA) test and the nitrite method modified by Oyanagui respectively using spectrophotometry. Results In men, the serum levels of follicle stimulating hormone ( FSH)、luteinizing hormone(LH) increased significantly with aging, but serum prolactin(PRL) and progesterone(P) levels remained unchanged in all life; Both testosterone (T) and free testosterone (FT) all decreased greatly with aging, but 17β - estradiol( 17β - E_2) was reverse ; E_2 was negatively correlated with T and E_2/T increased with aging. The level of serum total cholesterol (TC) increased with aging, but triglycerides (TG) remain unchanged; compared with young group, high - density lipoprotein cholesterol ( HDL - C) ; HDL - C/TC of other groups decreased significantly, but low - density lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL - C ) changed inversely; HDL- C/LDL- C reduced slightly with aging and showed no difference between groups. Apolipoprotein A1 (apoA1) and apoB all enhanced greatly with aging; meanwhile the ratio of apoA1/apoB decreased. The concentration of serum glucose (GLU) was unchanged in all life. To compare with those in the young group, CD3 + , CD4 + in other groups reduced greatly, CD4 + remained unchanged. Meanwhile, CD8 + increased significantly with aging. Compared with the young group, serum malondialdehyde(MDA) value of the old ones increased obviously, but the activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD) was reverse. By partial correlation analysis (controlling BMI, FSH, LH and PRL), TC、 LDL-C、apoA1、apoB、CD8 + 、MDA of men all presented a positive correlation with E_2/T respectively, their correlation coefficients (γ) were 0. 262、0. 136、 0. 532、0. 379、0. 394、0. 234 (P < 0. 001 ) ; HDL - C、 HDL- C/TC、HDL- C/LDL- C、CD3 + 、CD4 +/CD8 + 、SOD showed a negatively correlation with E_2/T respectively, γequaled - 0.563、- 0.332、- 0.654、- 0.1530、-0.4140、-0.236(P<0.001). In women, the serum concentrations of FSH、LH increased significantly after menopause; PRL increased little with aging; compared with young group, E_2 and P in postmenopausal groups reduced obviously, E_2/P revealed significant reduce with aging. T enhanced significantly after menopause, but nor did FT. E_2, P and the ratio of E_2/P were negatively correlated with age respectively by bivariate correlation analysis, and a positive relation between T and age. After 70 years old, the level of TC increased obviously, and so did that of TG after menopause; HDL decreased with aging, but LDL increased after 70, with the result that the ratios of HDL- C/TC and HDL- C/LDL- C all reduced with aging; apoA1 decreased gently after 70, but apoB increased signifi- cantly after menopause; correspondingly, the ratio of apoA1/apoB declined obviously. The concentration of GLU increased with aging. CD3 + and CD4 + didn't change until 60, but reduced after 60. Compared with the young groups, CD8 + remained unchanged, CD4 +/CD8 + reduced greatly with aging, CD4 + and CD8 + presented a negatively correlation with age respectively. The value of MDA in serum of women increased notably after 70 years old, but SOD activity already decreased significantly from 60. By partial correlation analysis (controlling BMI, FSH, LH and PRL), HDL-C、CD4 +、CD4 +/CD8 + showed a certain correlation with E_2/P respectively; γ were 0. 245、 0.157、0. 154 ( P <0.05 ) ; TG、 LDL、 apoB、 apoA1/ apoB、SOD presented a negatively correlation with E_2/P respectively, γ were 0. 452、 0. 236、 0.321、 0. 135、 0.156、0.154、0.426 ( P < 0.05 ). Conclusions The Disequilibrium of SH had correlations with lipid profile, cellular immunological function and lipid peroxides and oxidation system; these suggested SH took an important role in the process of aging.

Incidence and prognosis of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain infection in China:A national multicenter survey of 35,566 individuals

Objective:This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the epidemiology of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to COVID-19 in China.Methods:This study was conducted by 45 tertiary Grade-A hospitals in China.Online and offline questionnaire data were obtained from patients infected with COVID-19 between December 28,2022,and February 21,2023.The collected information included basic demographics,medical history,smoking and drinking history,vaccination history,changes in olfactory and gustatory functions before and after infection,and other postinfection symptoms,as well as the duration and improvement status of olfactory and gustatory disorders.Results:Complete questionnaires were obtained from 35,566 subjects.The overall incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunction was 67.75%.Being female or being a cigarette smoker increased the likelihood of developing olfactory and taste dysfunction.Having received four doses of the vaccine or having good oral health or being a alcohol drinker decreased the risk of such dysfunction.Before infection,the average olfactory and taste VAS scores were 8.41 and 8.51,respectively;after infection,they decreased to 3.69 and 4.29 and recovered to 5.83 and 6.55 by the time of the survey.The median duration of dysosmia and dysgeusia was 15 and 12 days,respectively,with 0.5%of patients having symptoms lasting for more than 28 days.The overall self-reported improvement rate was 59.16%.Recovery was higher in males,never smokers,those who received two or three vaccine doses,and those that had never experienced dental health issues,or chronic accompanying symptoms.Conclusions:The incidence of dysosmia and dysgeusia following infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus is high in China.Incidence and prognosis are influenced by several factors,including sex,SARS-CoV-2 vaccination,history of head-facial trauma,nasal and oral health status,smoking and drinking history,and the persistence of accompanying symptoms.

Investigation of mental health and its influence on Chinese cancer patients using a multidisciplinary screening flow： an epidemiological survey in the west of China

Background Despite psycho-oncological concerns and studies having thrived these past decades, sparse reports illustrate to what extent Chinese cancer patients are involved and influenced by comorbid mental health problems. To investigate the mental health condition of cancer patient, as well as its possible impacts on prognosis, the first large-scale survey was performed in the west of China. Methods For standardizing and facilitating the assessment of mental illness in inpatients with cancer, a multidisciplinary rating flow was designed and established. On the basis of this system, between May 1st and 31st 2009, 2279 cancer inpatients from nine medical centers received preliminarily screening executed by oncologists using screening scales Mental Health Screening Questionnaire （MHSQ）, Zung self-rating depression scales （SDS）, Zung self-rating anxiety scale （SAS）, and posttraumatic stress disorder checklist-civilian version （PCL-C）. Further analyses of the ones screened positively were conducted by psychiatrists applying corresponding symptom-rating scales （HAMNHAMD/BPRS）. We summarized the overall proportion of patients with impaired mental health based on the data acquired from preliminary screening, and then calculated occurrence rates of each clinical syndrome of mental disorder according to symptom conclusions. The impact of comorbid mental illness was evaluated through the follow-up scheduled 1 year later, by comparing the survival rate, progression of disease, and quality of life （QoL） between subgroup patients with or without clinical syndrome of mental disorder. Results In preliminary screenings, 26.1% （595/2279） yielded positive results. Further symptom conclusions confirmed 15.8% （359/2279） with clinical syndrome of mental disorder. Regarding specific type of syndrome, the occurrence rates of depression, anxiety, psychotic symptoms, and stress-related disorders were 13.3%, 10.2%, 2.8%, and 1.4%, respectively. Follow-up assessments were successfully performed in 1918 subjects （84.2%）. Further analyses indicated that although insignificant influence was observed in terms of 1-year survival rate and disease progression, cancer patients with a clinical syndrome of mental disorder obtained significantly lower levels （P 〈0.05） in five domains of QoL （scored by QLQ-C30）. Conclusion In China, at least 26% of cancer patients experienced impaired mental health, of which 60% already had a detectable clinical syndrome of mental disorder, which could significantly undermine their QoL.

DNA methylation in human diseases

Even though the importance of epigenetics was first recognized in light of its role in tissue development,an increasing amount of evidence has shown that it also plays an important role in the development and progression of many common diseases.We discuss some recent findings on one representative epigenetic modification,DNA methylation,in some common diseases.While many new risk factors have been identified through the population-based epigenetic epidemiologic studies on the role of epigenetics in common diseases,this relatively new field still faces many unique challenges.Here,we describe those promises and unique challenges of epigenetic epidemiological studies and propose some potential solutions.