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Purpose: China has the world's largest burden of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. However, there are few studies reported on the latest prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) among pregnant women in China. We aimed to assess the prevalence of HBV infection and its associated risk factors among pregnant women in Yunnan, which is a province with relatively high prevalence of blood-borne viruses.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 15,641 pregnant women who underwent routine antenatal screening for HBsAg in Yunnan between 2013 and 2016. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine the associations between HBV infection and risk factors.Results: Overall, 7.89% (95% confidence interval (CI), 7.47%-8.31%) of the 15,641 pregnant women tested positive for HBsAg. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that advanced age (≥35 years old; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.43-2.59), Hani ethnicity (aOR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.22-3.17), unemployed women (aOR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.30-2.72), multigravidas (aOR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.05-1.40), and multiparas (aOR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.10-1.49) were more likely to be infected with HBV. HBV infection was associated with cesarean section and preterm birth, with aORs of 1.31 (1.17-1.48) and 1.23 (1.00-1.51), respectively. In the subgroup analysis, the association between Hani ethnicity and HBV infection was significantly higher in women aged 35 years or older (aOR = 5.15; 95% CI, 1.51-17.55) than in women younger than 35 years of age (aOR = 1.69; 95% CI, 1.00-2.86).Conclusions: HBV infection among 15,641 pregnant women was of high-intermediate endemicity in Yunnan, China. Advanced age, Hani ethnicity, unemployment, and multigravid and multiparous statuses were associated with an increased prevalence of HBV infection. High-risk pregnant women should be paid more attention during routine antenatal examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is highly endemic (7-8% prevalence) in rural China, causing high mortality and societal burden. Data from men of reproductive age is scarce and last reported in 2006. We assessed the seroepidemiology of men in rural China, aiming to provide updated baseline data for the prevalence of HBV infection.Methods: We established prevalence of HBV infection from data gathered through a nationwide population-based study of Chinese rural men aged 21-49 years. Data were obtained from a physical check-up programme for couples of reproductive age, the National Free Preconception Health Examination Project, that covered 31 provinces from 2010-12. We tested serological samples with ELISA and categorised participants' HBV status based on presence of HBsAg, anti-HBV core antibody (anti-HBc), and anti-HBV surface antibody (anti-HBs).Findings: 2 030 083 men were recruited into the database from Jan 1, 2010, to Dec 31, 2012, and 1 966 013 men provided serum samples for analysis. 124 274 men (6%) tested positive for HBsAg, 178 559 (9%) tested positive for anti-HBc, and 583 923 (30%) tested positive for anti-HBs. Isolated anti-HBs (an indicator of vaccine-mediated immunity) were present in 527 566 men (27%). And 1 234 127 men (63%) were negative for all HBV makers (susceptible population). HBsAg prevalence was higher in men aged 25-39 years (6·35-6·47%) than in other age groups (5·54-5·78%; p<0·0001). HBV markers were all more prevalent in the eastern region of China than in the central or western regions (all p<0·0001). 32 326 (26%) of 124 274 HBsAg-positive men tested positive for HBeAg (suggesting high infectiousness); this decreased with increasing age (p<0·0001).Interpretation: HBV prevalence in men in rural China has changed from highly endemic into intermediate endemic in the past two decades. However, the absolute number of HBV-infected men and the susceptible population is still very large.Funding: Chinese Association of Maternal and Child Health Studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the associations between air pollution and male sexual function. A total of 5047 male subjects in China were included in this study. The average air pollution exposure (PM 2.5 , PM 10 , SO 2 , CO, NO 2 , and O 3) for the preceding 1, 3, 6, and 12 months before the participants' response was assessed. Male sexual function was evaluated using the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) and the Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT). Generalized linear models were utilized to explore the associations between air pollution and male sexual function. K-prototype algorithm was conducted to identify the association among specific populations. Significant adverse effects on the IIEF-5 score were observed with NO 2 exposure during the preceding 1, 3, and 6 months (1 m: β = −5.26E-05; 3 m: β = −4.83E-05; 6 m: β = −4.23E-05, P < 0.05). PM 2.5 exposure during the preceding 12 months was found to significantly negatively affect the PEDT after adjusting for confounding variables. Our research indicated negative correlations between air pollutant exposures and male sexual function for the first time. Furthermore, these associations were more pronounced among specific participants who maintain a normal BMI, exhibit extroverted traits, and currently engage in smoking and alcohol consumption. [Display omitted] • Average NO 2 exposure was negatively associated with IIEF-5 scores. • PM 2.5 exposure over the preceding 12 months negatively impacted the PEDT. • Reducing air pollution exposure is important for male sexual function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) is an important causative agent that causes acute respiratory disease and egg-dropping in chickens and turkeys. Here, we characterized an aMPV subgroup C (aMPV/C) from 320-day-old broiler breeder chickens with severe respiratory diseases in Beijing, China, as evidenced by RT-PCR typing and confirmation of the nucleoprotein (N) gene sequence. The N gene sequence of the aMPV/C strain (designated BJ17) exhibited no deletions or insertions and possessed 94.6% to 99.6% identity to those of published aMPV/C isolates. The phylogenetic tree of the nucleotide sequences constructed using the neighbor-joining clustering method showed that the BJ17 strain formed one cluster with other aMPV/C viruses and formed one subcluster with published Chinese aMPV/C isolates regardless of Muscovy duck or chicken origins. Comparative analysis of the N proteins showed that a unique amino acid residue D at position 110 might be associated with regional distribution due to its occurrence in all the Chinese aMPV/C isolates only. Strain BJ17 was successfully isolated by cultured Vero cell passage and further inoculated in 3-wk-old specific-pathogen-free chickens for the examination of pathogenicity. Animal experimental results showed that BJ17-inoculated chickens had severe respiratory diseases and inflammatory lesions, as demonstrated by pathological changes and aMPV antigen in the nasal turbinate, tracheae, and lung tissues. These results enrich the available information regarding the epidemiology and pathogenicity of aMPV/C in chickens, which may facilitate the development of effective measures against aMPV/C infection in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To explore trajectories of gestational weight gain (GWG) before diagnosis and its association with risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).Methods: A population-based retrospective cohort study including 37,060 women with live singleton was conducted between 2013 and 2019 in China. Latent class trajectory model (LCTM) was used to identify GWG trajectories, and Poisson regression with robust error estimates was used to estimate risk ratio (RR) of GDM.Results: Among total 37,060 participants, 25.47% of women were developed with GDM. Two trajectories of GWG were identified as non-excessive weight gain (94.31%) and excessive weight gain (5.69%) before diagnosis of GDM. Women with excessive GWG trajectory before diagnosis had significantly 32.8% (aRR = 1.328, 95 %CI: 1.252 ∼ 1.409, P < 0.001) increased risk of developing GDM compared with non-excessive GWG trajectory. Women with excessive GWG trajectory also had higher risk of macrosomia (aRR = 1.476, 95 %CI: 1.307 ∼ 1.666, P < 0.001) and cesarean delivery (aRR = 1.126, 95 %CI: 1.081 ∼ 1.174, P < 0.001). The impact of excessive GWG trajectory on GDM was greater among pre-pregnancy normal weight women compared with overweight/obese or underweight women.Conclusion: Women with excessive GWG trajectory before diagnosis had significantly higher risk of GDM and GDM-related adverse outcomes, and pre-pregnancy normal weight women with excessive GWG trajectory should also be concerned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Evidence on residential greenness and fetal growth in utero is scarce in China. • Residential greenness were beneficially associated with fetal growth in utero. • The associations were stronger in women exposed to lower levels of PM 2.5. Although studies have examined the association between residential greenness and birth weight, there is no evidence regarding the association between residential greenness and fetal growth in utero. We aimed to investigate the associations of residential greenness with both fetal growth in utero and birth weight. A birth cohort (2014–2017) with 18,665 singleton pregnancies was established in Tongzhou Maternal and Child hospital of Beijing, China. Residential greenness was matched with maternal residential address and estimated from remote satellite data using normalized difference vegetation index with 200 m and 500 m buffers (NDVI-200 and NDVI-500). Fetal parameters including estimated fetal weight (EFW), abdominal circumference (AC), head circumference (HC) and femur length (FL) were assessed by ultrasound measurements during pregnancy. Fetal parameters were standardized as gestational-age- and gender-adjusted Z-score and undergrowth was defined as Z-score < −1.88. Birth weight Z-score, low birth weight (LBW) and small for gestational age (SGA) were assessed as birth outcomes. Generalized estimating equations with the autoregressive working correlation structure and generalized linear regression were used to examine the associations of residential greenness with quantitative and categorized outcomes. We found an increase Z-score of EFW [0.054, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.020–0.087], AC (0.045, 95%CI: 0.011–0.080) and HC (0.054, 95%CI: 0.020–0.089) associated with residential greenness above NDVI-500 median compared to less than and equal to NDVI-500 median. Stratified analyses indicated that the associations might be stronger in women exposed to lower levels of particles with aerodynamic diameters ≤2.5 µm. No associations were found in the analyses of NDVI-250 with fetal growth in utero. We didn't observe significant associations of NDVI with birth weight Z-score, LBW and SGA. This study identified a positive association of NDVI-500 and fetal growth in utero, but we didn't observe its association with birth weight measures. Our results suggest that building sufficient green infrastructure might potentially promote early life health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]