[A study on the burden and causes of hospitalization and deaths in Shenzhen, between 1995 and 2014]

Objective: Data from the surveillance program was collected, to analyze the situation of hospitalization and cases of death with recorded causes, in Shenzhen, from 1995 to 2014. Situation of hospitalization and causes of deaths were studied in Shenzhen which had been a fast-developing city with growing number of immigrants so as to provide reference for decision-making on related prevention and control strategies. Methods: Data on hospitalizations and deaths collected from the surveillance program, were classified by both International Classification of Diseases (ICD)- 9 and ICD-10. A database was constructed with methods on related descriptive and trend analysis. Results: Around 6.3 million inpatients were seen in the past two decades in Shenzhen. The top five diseases for hospitalization were pregnancy childbirth and puerperium complications, respiratory diseases, injury and poisoning, digestive system diseases and circulatory system diseases, that accounting for 68.4% of all the hospitalization burden. The number of inpatients increased annually, with an 11 times increase during the past two decades. Proportions for pregnancy childbirth and puerperium complications, circulatory system diseases and urinary system diseases all showed increasing (χ(2)=53 806.94, 6 893.95 and 15 383.14, P<0.01), while proportions for injuries and poisoning, respiratory diseases, digestive system diseases showed a declining trend (χ(2)=131 480.09,1 711.84 and 11 367.66, P<0.01). Number of cumulative inpatient deaths exceeded 60 000, with the top five causes as malignant tumor, circulatory system diseases, injury and poisoning, respiratory system diseases and digestive system diseases, that accounting for 82.28% of all the inpatient deaths. Deaths due to circulatory system diseases, injury and poisoning increased and then decreased. Malignant tumor and respiratory diseases-induced deaths showed an increasing trend (χ(2)=1 546.48, 309.55, P<0.01), while induced deaths from disease of the other systems showed slight changes. The overall case fatality rate showed an annual decline (χ(2)=4 378.63, P<0.01), from 2.23% in 1995 to 0.74% in 2014, with mortality attribute to tumor, circulatory system disease decreased significantly. Conclusions: Shenzhen had been under an ageing transition, with relatively young population living in the city. Chronic diseases such as tumor gradually had become the major causes for heavy hospitalization burden on the population of Shenzhen.

Decentered ablation zones resulting from photorefractive keratectomy with an erodible mask

Four patients underwent photorefractive keratectomy for compound myopic astigmatism using the erodible mask. All achieved improvements in unaided visual acuities despite manifesting varying levels of decentration of the ablated zones. However, one patient had significant monocular diplopia because of the severity of the decentration. The problems with the present system include the use of a NON coaxial microscope; difficulty with obtaining and maintaining proper alignment of the excimer laser beam to the erodible mask and the central corneal zone; the inability to interrupt and restart the procedure due to the ablation of the reference marks on the mask; and patient discomfort. We suggest installation of the PMMA mask at the laser aperture in order to alleviate the above difficulties. In the meantime, use of a coaxial microscope, a limbal suction device for fixation, permanent reference marks on the mask and peribulbar anaesthesia may be helpful.

Scanning electron microscope examination of epithelial cells infected with enveloped viruses

The apical surface structure of virus infected epithelial cells (MDBK and MDCK) was examined in the SEM. Cells were infected with related enveloped viruses (influenza, Sendai, and vesicular stomatitis) under conditions of productive, nonproductive, and persistent infections. Fewer microvilli were seen in persistent infections with Sendai virus and the standard virus infected cells appeared to be normal. Extensive morphological changes, stunting of microvilli or budding effects, were noted in productive infections with influenza virus (WSN) and a reduction in the relative number of microvilli in a nonproductive infection with the PR8 strain. Although budding occurs on the basal lateral surface of VSV infected cells, morphological alterations were evident on the apical surface unlike that seen in influenza and Sendai virus infections.