Risk for transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) among close contacts of infected persons has not been well estimated. This study evaluates the risk for transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among a prospective cohort of 3410 close contacts in China exposed to 391 persons with COVID-19 infection according to different settings of exposure.

The present patients with positive GFAP-immunoglobulin G are highly similar to autoimmune GFAP astrocytopathy, described in a recent report. The features of the neuropathology and immunopathology of GFAP astrocytopathies were perivascular inflammation and loss of astrocytes and neurons.

doctoral student, Pei-liang Chen 2 , master's 8 students, Hua-min Liu 2 , doctoral student, Xin Cheng 2 , master's students, 9 Miao-chun Cai 2 , master's students, Qing-mei Huang 2 , master's students, 1 0

Oxidative stress is involved in a variety of diseases. Prospective studies investigating the relationship between oxidative stress biomarkers and the status and development of colorectal cancer (CRC) are scarce; previous studies have failed to establish a relationship between the serum total oxidant/antioxidant status and CRC. Therefore, we compared the total serum oxidant/antioxidant levels of CRC patients and healthy subjects, and analyzed their clinical significance in the CRC. Fasting blood samples from 132 CRC patients and 64 healthy subjects were collected. Oxidative stress parameters, including total oxidant status (TOS) and total antioxidant status (TAS), were measured, and the oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated. The TOS and OSI levels increased significantly (P<0.001) and the TAS level significantly decreased (P<0.001) in the CRC group compared to those in the healthy control group. Oxidative stress parameters differed significantly depending on the patient’s smoking and drinking status (P<0.05). The preoperative and postoperative levels of TOS, TAS, and OSI did not differ significantly between primary sites (colon/rectum) and clinical stages (P>0.05).However, the levels of TOS, TAS, and OSI were significantly different between patients with no metastasis and those with metastases to two organs (P<0.05) Finally, the parameters are affected by smoking and drinking, and subsequent research should be conducted excluding the relevant influencing factors.

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Objective: The aim of this work was to report an autoimmune glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) astrocytopathy with long-term follow-up in 7 patients. Methods: Antibodies were detected by indirect immunofluorescence assay and patient data were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Seven patients (4 female, 3 male) with ≥1 year follow-up were included. All patients had positive GFAP antibodies in their cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). Their median age at disease onset was 56 years (range 27-69) and the median disease duration was 1 year (range 1-4). In the initial attack, all patients received intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP) followed by oral steroids, which were tapered. Six patients received intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg). One patient had no response to IVIg and IVMP. Four patients received immunosuppressive agents. Five patients underwent the second lumbar puncture after treatment. CSF white blood cell counts, protein levels, and antibody titers were significantly decreased. CSF protein levels correlated positively with the Expanded Disability Status Scale score, which was elevated at each lumbar puncture. Four patients experienced relapse. To date, 6 patients had a bad prognosis, of which 2 died. Conclusions: Some patients with GFAP astrocytopathy experienced a poor response to treatment although they received steroids and immunosuppressive agents.

BackgroundGlial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) astrocytopathy, an autoimmune central nervous system disorder with a specific GFAP-IgG, often coexists with other antibodies.ObjectiveThe aim of this article was to study overlapping syndromes in autoimmune GFAP astrocytopathy.MethodsAntibody was detected by indirect immunofluorescence assay. Patient data were analyzed retrospectively.ResultsThirty patients with positive GFAP-IgG were included, of whom 10 were defined as overlapping syndrome. Four patients with positive aquaporin-4 (AQP4)-IgG, two with N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor-IgG, three with unknown neuronal antibodies, and one with double AQP4 and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-IgG were identified. GFAP-IgG and other specific antibodies occurred simultaneously at the initial attack in eight patients. The main symptoms included fever, headache, ataxia, psychosis, hypersomnia, dyskinesia, dementia, seizure, myelitis, and optical symptoms. Brain magnetic resonance imaging in four patients revealed characteristic radial enhancing patterns in the white matter. Cortical abnormalities were found in four patients. Other brain abnormalities occurred in the hypothalamus, midbrain, pons, medulla, cerebellum, and meninges. Six patients exhibited lesions in the spinal cord. In a subgroup study, patients with overlapping syndrome were younger at onset than those with non-overlapping syndrome.ConclusionOverlapping antibodies are common in GFAP astrocytopathy.

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