Correlation between Combined Urinary Metal Exposure and Grip Strength under Three Statistical Models: A Cross-sectional Study in Rural Guangxi / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

OBJECTIVE@#This study aimed to investigate the potential relationship between urinary metals copper (Cu), arsenic (As), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), iron (Fe), lead (Pb) and manganese (Mn) and grip strength.@*METHODS@#We used linear regression models, quantile g-computation and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) to assess the relationship between metals and grip strength.@*RESULTS@#In the multimetal linear regression, Cu (β = -2.119), As (β = -1.318), Sr (β = -2.480), Ba (β = 0.781), Fe (β = 1.130) and Mn (β = -0.404) were significantly correlated with grip strength ( P < 0.05). The results of the quantile g-computation showed that the risk of occurrence of grip strength reduction was -1.007 (95% confidence interval: -1.362, -0.652; P < 0.001) when each quartile of the mixture of the seven metals was increased. Bayesian kernel function regression model analysis showed that mixtures of the seven metals had a negative overall effect on grip strength, with Cu, As and Sr being negatively associated with grip strength levels. In the total population, potential interactions were observed between As and Mn and between Cu and Mn ( P interactions of 0.003 and 0.018, respectively).@*CONCLUSION@#In summary, this study suggests that combined exposure to metal mixtures is negatively associated with grip strength. Cu, Sr and As were negatively correlated with grip strength levels, and there were potential interactions between As and Mn and between Cu and Mn.

Effect and cost-effectiveness of three commonly used molluscicides in largescale field application / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To evaluate the effect and cost-effectiveness of three commonly used molluscicides, 4% "Luo-wei" (tea-seed distilled saponins, TDS), 50% niclosamide ethanolamine salt wettable powder (NESWP), and 26% metaldehyde and niclosamide suspension concentrate (MNSC) in large-scale field application, so as to provide the references for formulating the strategy of snail control. Methods The field test and parallel comparison were implemented. A marshland with Oncomelania hupensis snails of the Yangtze River was divided into 4 parts (10 hm2) for the research, and three of them were experimental areas while the last one was a blank control area. The experimental areas were sprayed with 4% "Luo-wei", 50% NESWP and 26% MNSC respectively for 3 times and the interval was 1 week. Seven days after each spraying the effect of snail control was investigated, and the costs of molluscicides, labor, transportation, fuel consumption and mechanical loss were recorded. The cost of each molluscicide, snail mortality, snail density, and the cost of increasing 1% of snail mortality per 100 m2 were analyzed and compared. Results After the first, second and third spraying, the corrected snail mortality rates were 67.34%, 76.55% and 84.60% respectively in the 4% "Luo-wei" group; the corrected snail mortality rates were 64.71%, 75.17% and 83.89% respectively in the 50% NESWP group; the corrected snail mortality rates were 66.55%, 76.27% and 86.67% respectively in the 26% MNSC group. There was no significant difference among the 3 groups in the snail mortality at the same spraying time (χ2 = 1.590, 0.571, 3.238, all P > 0.05) . In addition, along with the increase of the spraying times, the snail mortality of each group was increased significantly compared to that of the control group (χ2 = 79.333, 94.718, 117.020, all P < 0.01) . After the first, second and third spraying, the reduction rates of snail density were 69.82%–86.60% in the 4% "Luo-wei" group, 68.66%–86.55% in the 50% NESWP group, and 71.89%–88.87% in the 26% MNSC group respectively. The decreasing amplitude of the snail density was more than 85% in all the experimental areas after 3 rounds of spraying molluscicide. The snail control costs per 100 hm2 were 19.57, 11.97 Yuan and 10.47 Yuan in the 4% "Luo-wei" group, 50% NESWP group, and 26% MNSC group respectively. After the first, second and third spraying, the costs of increasing 1% of snail mortality per 100 m2 were 0.30, 2.08 Yuan and 2.38 Yuan in the 4% "Luo-wei" group, 0.20, 1.10 Yuan and 1.32 Yuan in the 50% NESWP group, and 0.17, 1.04 Yuan and 0.97 Yuan in the 26% MNSC group respectively, and the cost-effectiveness was the highest at the first spraying in all the three groups. Conclusions The effects of the three molluscicides for snail control are similar, but the efficacy of snail control is reduced as the spraying time increases.

Effect and cost-effectiveness of three commonly used molluscicides in largescale field application / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To evaluate the effect and cost-effectiveness of three commonly used molluscicides, 4% "Luo-wei" (tea-seed distilled saponins, TDS), 50% niclosamide ethanolamine salt wettable powder (NESWP), and 26% metaldehyde and niclosamide suspension concentrate (MNSC) in large-scale field application, so as to provide the references for formulating the strategy of snail control. Methods The field test and parallel comparison were implemented. A marshland with Oncomelania hupensis snails of the Yangtze River was divided into 4 parts (10 hm2) for the research, and three of them were experimental areas while the last one was a blank control area. The experimental areas were sprayed with 4% "Luo-wei", 50% NESWP and 26% MNSC respectively for 3 times and the interval was 1 week. Seven days after each spraying the effect of snail control was investigated, and the costs of molluscicides, labor, transportation, fuel consumption and mechanical loss were recorded. The cost of each molluscicide, snail mortality, snail density, and the cost of increasing 1% of snail mortality per 100 m2 were analyzed and compared. Results After the first, second and third spraying, the corrected snail mortality rates were 67.34%, 76.55% and 84.60% respectively in the 4% "Luo-wei" group; the corrected snail mortality rates were 64.71%, 75.17% and 83.89% respectively in the 50% NESWP group; the corrected snail mortality rates were 66.55%, 76.27% and 86.67% respectively in the 26% MNSC group. There was no significant difference among the 3 groups in the snail mortality at the same spraying time (χ2 = 1.590, 0.571, 3.238, all P > 0.05) . In addition, along with the increase of the spraying times, the snail mortality of each group was increased significantly compared to that of the control group (χ2 = 79.333, 94.718, 117.020, all P < 0.01) . After the first, second and third spraying, the reduction rates of snail density were 69.82%–86.60% in the 4% "Luo-wei" group, 68.66%–86.55% in the 50% NESWP group, and 71.89%–88.87% in the 26% MNSC group respectively. The decreasing amplitude of the snail density was more than 85% in all the experimental areas after 3 rounds of spraying molluscicide. The snail control costs per 100 hm2 were 19.57, 11.97 Yuan and 10.47 Yuan in the 4% "Luo-wei" group, 50% NESWP group, and 26% MNSC group respectively. After the first, second and third spraying, the costs of increasing 1% of snail mortality per 100 m2 were 0.30, 2.08 Yuan and 2.38 Yuan in the 4% "Luo-wei" group, 0.20, 1.10 Yuan and 1.32 Yuan in the 50% NESWP group, and 0.17, 1.04 Yuan and 0.97 Yuan in the 26% MNSC group respectively, and the cost-effectiveness was the highest at the first spraying in all the three groups. Conclusions The effects of the three molluscicides for snail control are similar, but the efficacy of snail control is reduced as the spraying time increases.

Correlation between the length and weight of Arius maculatus off the southwestern coast of Taiwan

In this study, Arius maculatus were collected using the samples caught by bottom trawling off the southwestern coast of Taiwan. Length-weight and length-length, fork (FL), standard (SL) and total (TL) lengths, relationships were determined. The relationships between the lengths were all significantly linear (p<0.01), the b value in the length-weight relationship for this value was significantly lower than 3 in the fall (p<0.01), when the temporal changes were taken into account, indicating that only the sampling time affected the growth pattern of A. maculatus. The growth was isometric in the spring, summer and winter, but it was negative and allometric in the fall.

Preparation of a novel telomerase inhibitory protein LPTS-L / 生物工程学报

The gene for LPTS is originally cloned as a human liver-related putative tumor suppressor (LPTS) gene that encodes a full length protein of 328 amino acids (LPTS-L). LPTS-L is also identified as a telomerase inhibitor to regulate telomere length in the cells. To facilitate the functional and structural studies of LPTS-L protein, the cDNA for LPTS-L was cloned into the expression vector pET-24 in frame to generate a recombinant plasmid pET-24-LPTS. The LPTS-L protein was expressed in E. coli BL21 solublely, and purified by Ni Sepharose affinity chromatography which, however, is not fit for large scale protein purification. The gene of LITS-L was then PCR amplified to remove the 6 x His tag, and cloned into pET-24a. The non-fusion protein of LPTS-L was expressed in E. coli B21, and purified by phosphocellulose P11 chromatography. The purity of LPTS-L protein was about 55% after that procedure,and arrived at 80% after second purification by Sephadex G-100 chromatography. Western Blotting analysis showed that the band reflects the specific binding of anti-LPTS antiserum against the purified LPTS-L protein. The TRAP assay was performed to detect the telomerase inhibitory activity of LPTS-L protein in vitro. It was observed that the purified LPTS-L inhibited the activity of telomerase greatly, similarly with that of LPTS-L protein purified by Ni Sepharose 4B. Our results suggest that phosphocellulose P11 plus Sephadex G-100 chromatography could substitute for Ni Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography for preparation of purified LPTS-L protein. Through this study, a technique for preparation of LPTS-L protein in a large scale is established.

No Association between Polymorphisms of the DNA Repair Gene \it{XRCC1} and Cervical Neoplasm Risk

Objectives: To investigate the association between genetic polymorphisms of X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1) codons 194, 280, and 399 and cervical neoplasm susceptibility. Methods: A community-based nested case-control study was conducted. The study population consisted of women living in Chiayi City, located in southwestern Taiwan, who had received pap smear screening between October, 1999, and December, 2000 (n=32,466). The potential cases were women having lesions greater than cervical intraepithelium neoplasm II (CIN2) reconfirmed by cervical biopsy. The potential controls (case : control=1 : 2) were age matched (±2 yrs) and residency matched women who had had normal pap smears. In total, 100 cases (39 CIN2, 12 CIN3, 46 carcinoma in situ (CIS), and 3 invasive cancer) and 196 controls had the information on both questionnaire and data of XRCC1 polymorphisms. Results: The frequency of Arg/Arg, Arg/Gln, and Gln/Gln in codon 399 among cases and controls was 54% (54/100), 38% (38/100), and 8% (8/100) and 58% (114/196), 37% (73/196), and 5% (9/196), respectively, which were not significantly different. No associations were also observed between XRCC1 codon 194 and 280 genotypes and cervical neoplasm. While dichotomized by age (<40 vs. ³40 yrs), smoking status (active and passive smokers vs. non-smokers), and disease status (CIN2 and CIN3 vs. CIS and invasive cancer), the results remained insignificant. Conclusions: The present findings suggest that XRRC1 codon 194, 280 and 399 genotypes may not influence cervical neoplasm risk in the Taiwanese population.

No association between polymorphisms of the DNA repair geneXRCC1 and cervical neoplasm risk

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To investigate the association between genetic polymorphisms ofX-ray repair crosscomplementing group 1 (XRCC1) codons 194, 280, and 399 and cervical neoplasm susceptibility.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A community-based nested case-control study was conducted. The study population consisted of women living in Chiayi City, located in southwestern Taiwan, who had received pap smear screening between October, 1999, and December, 2000 (n=32,466). The potential cases were women having lesions greater than cervical intraepithelium neoplasm II (C1N2) reconfirmed by cervical biopsy. The potential controls (case: control=1∶2) were age matched (±2 yrs) and residency matched women who had had normal pap smears. In total, 100 cases (39 C1N2, 12 C1N3, 46 carcinoma in situ (CIS), and 3 invasive cancer) and 196 controls had the information on both questionnaire and data ofXRCC1 polymorphisms.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The frequency ofArg/Arg, Arg/Gln, andGln/Gln in codon 399 among cases and controls was 54% (54/100), 38% (38/100), and 8% (8/100) and 58% (114/196), 37% (73/196), and 5% (9/196), respectively, which were not significantly different. No associations were also observed betweenXRCC1 codon 194 and 280 genotypes and cervical neoplasm. While dichotomized by age (<40 vs. ≥40 yrs), smoking status (active and passive smokers vs. non-smokers), and disease status (C1N2 and C1N3 vs. CIS and invasive cancer), the results remained insignificant.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The present findings suggest thatXRRC1 codon 194, 280 and 399 genotypes may not influence cervical neoplasm risk in the Taiwanese population.</p>