Surveillance of amantadine and oseltamivir resistance among influenza viruses was begun in Hong Kong in 2006. In 2008, while both A/Brisbane/59/2007-like and A/Hong Kong/2652/2006-like viruses (H1N1) ...were cocirculating, we detected amantadine and oseltamivir resistance among A/Hong Kong/2652/2006-like viruses (H1N1), caused by genetic reassortment or spontaneous mutation.
Sex differences in the pathogenesis of hypertension exist. While gut microbiota (GM) has been associated with hypertension, it is unclear whether there are sex-linked differences in the association ...between GM and hypertension.
We conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate the sex differences in associations between GM characterized by shotgun sequencing, GM-derived short-chain fatty acids, and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure in 241 Hong Kong Chinese (113 men and 128 women; mean age, 54±6 years).
The hypertensive group was associated with GM alterations; however, significant differences in β-diversity and GM composition in hypertensive versus normotensive groups were only observed in women and not in men under various statistical models adjusting for the following covariates: age, sex, body mass index, sodium intake estimated by spot urine analysis, blood glucose, triglycerides, low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, smoking, menopause, and fatty liver status. Specifically,
,
, and
were significantly more abundant in the hypertensive women, whereas
was more abundant in the normotensive women. No bacterial species were found to be significantly associated with hypertension in men. Furthermore, total plasma short-chain fatty acids and propionic acid were independent predictors of systolic and diastolic blood pressure in women but not men.
GM dysregulation was strongly associated with 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure in women but not men, which may be mediated through propionic acid. Our work suggests that sex differences may be an important consideration while assessing the role of GM in the development and treatment of hypertension.
An experimental program was carried out to study the effect of water absorption of lightweight aggregate on the pore size distribution at the interfacial zone of lightweight aggregate concrete. ...Properties of lightweight expanded clay aggregates with absorption of 8.9%, 9.4% and 11% were compared. In order to do the study, three lightweight concrete mixes of water to cement ratio of 0.4, 0.44 and 0.48 were batched. The pore area percentage and pore size distribution in the cement paste and at the interfacial zone of the concretes cured for 28 days were examined using a high resolution optical microscope and image analysis software. The findings indicated that the pore area percentage at the interfacial zone was much higher than that at the hardened cement paste. The effect of W/C ratio of concrete on the pore area percentage at the interfacial zone was not significant. The aggregate of larger water absorption produced greater pore area percentage at the interfacial zone of concrete. For aggregates with absorption ranging from 8.9% to 11%, the pore area percentage ranged between 14.4% and 21.7%.
We conducted molecular analyses to confirm four clustering HIV-1 infections (Patient A, B, C & D) in Guangzhou, China. These cases were identified by epidemiological investigation and suspected to ...acquire the infection through a common heterosexual transmission chain.
Env C2V3V4 region, gag p17/p24 junction and partial pol gene of HIV-1 genome from serum specimens of these infected cases were amplified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nucleotide sequenced.
Phylogenetic analyses indicated that their viral nucleotide sequences were significantly clustered together (bootstrap value is 99%, 98% and 100% in env, gag and pol tree respectively). Evolutionary distance analysis indicated that their genetic diversities of env, gag and pol genes were significantly lower than non-clustered controls, as measured by unpaired t-test (env gene comparison: p < 0.005; gag gene comparison: p < 0.005; pol gene comparison: p < 0.005).
Epidemiological results and molecular analyses consistently illustrated these four cases represented a transmission chain which dispersed in the locality through heterosexual contact involving commercial sex worker.
We conducted a molecular epidemiological study on newly diagnosed human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected patients in Hong Kong to identify the epidemiological linkage of HIV-1 infection ...in the locality. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for HIV-1 was performed on newly diagnosed HIV-1-positive sera collected from January 2002 to December 2006. PCR products correspond to the env C2V3V4 region and gag p17/p24 junction of the HIV-1 genome were nucleotide sequenced. Phylogenetic analyses performed on the acquired nucleotide sequences revealed that CRF01_AE and subtype B were the two dominant HIV-1 subtypes. Analyses also demonstrated the presence of three emerging HIV-1 clusters among the subtype B sequences in Hong Kong. Individual cluster possesses a unique cluster-specific amino acid signature for identification. Data show that one of the clusters (Cluster I) is rapidly expanding. In addition to the unique cluster-specific amino acid signature, the majority of sequences in Cluster I harbor a 6-amino acid insertion at the gag p17/p24 junction in a region that is thought to be closely associated with HIV-1 infectivity.
This paper presents the mechanical properties of two bamboo species, namely Mao Zhu and Kao Zhu, which are commonly used for scaffolding in Southern China. Variations of the compressive strength ...against the physical properties of bamboo along the culms for both bamboo species were compared. A correlation of the average number of vascular bundle to the compressive strength of both bamboo species was developed. Findings indicate that the compressive strength of both Kao Zhu and Mao Zhu ranged between 45 and 65
N/mm
2 and the compressive strength of top section bamboo was higher than the bottom section. The fibre area of the top section bamboo was also found to be greater than bottom section bamboo from microstructure count of the sclerenchyma fibre within the vascular bundle of bamboo section. The microscopic examination of sclerenchyma fibre of bamboo section can be an alternative measure of the strength of bamboo for construction use.
There is uncertainty about the mode of transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus. We analyzed the temporal and spatial distributions of cases in a large community outbreak of ...SARS in Hong Kong and examined the correlation of these data with the three-dimensional spread of a virus-laden aerosol plume that was modeled using studies of airflow dynamics.
We determined the distribution of the initial 187 cases of SARS in the Amoy Gardens housing complex in 2003 according to the date of onset and location of residence. We then studied the association between the location (building, floor, and direction the apartment unit faced) and the probability of infection using logistic regression. The spread of the airborne, virus-laden aerosols generated by the index patient was modeled with the use of airflow-dynamics studies, including studies performed with the use of computational fluid-dynamics and multizone modeling.
The curves of the epidemic suggested a common source of the outbreak. All but 5 patients lived in seven buildings (A to G), and the index patient and more than half the other patients with SARS (99 patients) lived in building E. Residents of the floors at the middle and upper levels in building E were at a significantly higher risk than residents on lower floors; this finding is consistent with a rising plume of contaminated warm air in the air shaft generated from a middle-level apartment unit. The risks for the different units matched the virus concentrations predicted with the use of multizone modeling. The distribution of risk in buildings B, C, and D corresponded well with the three-dimensional spread of virus-laden aerosols predicted with the use of computational fluid-dynamics modeling.
Airborne spread of the virus appears to explain this large community outbreak of SARS, and future efforts at prevention and control must take into consideration the potential for airborne spread of this virus.
To determine the pattern of oral bacterial flora and their sensitivity to antibiotics in freshly captured native snakes in Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China.
Healthy native snakes were ...captured and kept in a designated centre. Snake species were identified by experienced herpetologists. Mouth swabs were taken by the veterinarian using strict aseptic techniques. The snakes were released back to the wild immediately after the above procedure. Swabs were sent for microbiological studies of bacterial culture and antibiotic sensitivity.
47 venomous snakes of the families Colubridae, Elapidae and Viperidae and 53 non-medically important snakes were captured. 406 bacterial isolates of 72 different species were cultured: these included gram negative and positive bacterial species and also anaerobic bacterial species. With the exception of the white-lipped pit viper (Cryptelytrops albolabris), venomous snakes harboured more pathogenic bacteria and total bacteria species compared to the non-medically important species. Of the venomous snakes, the Chinese cobra (Naja atra) harboured the largest number of bacterial species. In the present study, all gram negative bacteria associated with wound infection were sensitive to levofloxacin, netilmicin and piperacillin/tazobactam. Many gram negative bacteria in the study were not sensitive to cefuroxime axetil. Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid was an appropriate choice to cover Enterococcus faecalis and anaerobes.
In the presence of wound infection from snakebite injury in Hong Kong, first line empirical antibiotics include amoxicillin/clavulanic acid plus levofloxacin. Prophylactic antibiotics may be considered in selected cases of Chinese cobra (N. atra) bite, otherwise prophylactic antibiotics are not recommended in snakebite unless tissue necrosis is present.
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