ABSTRACT
Background Tinnitus is a common symptom in workers exposed to noise, and no specific treatment is available yet. Paying attention to the influencing factors of tinnitus is very important to prevent tinnitus. Objective To investigate the situation of tinnitus among noise-exposed workers and its influencing factors. Methods Using a cross-sectional study design, 1011 noise-exposed male workers in Hangzhou were studied. Tinnitus status, age, education, personal protection, smoking history, drinking history, and family history of the participants were surveyed by questionnaires. Binaural pure tone hearing threshold test was performed on all study subjects. The environmental noise in the workplace was measured. The relationships of tinnitus with noise exposure intensity, noise exposure time, noise exposure category, cumulative noise exposure, and wearing hearing protectors among the noise-exposed workers were analyzed by logistic regression. Results The prevalence of tinnitus among the noise-exposed workers was 36.1%. The mean hearing thresholds at 500, 3000, 4000, and 6000 Hz in the right and left ears were higher in the tinnitus group than in the non-tinnitus group (P<0.05); the hearing threshold at 2000 Hz in the right ear was higher in the tinnitus group than in the non-tinnitus group (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in the prevalence of monaural speech-frequency hearing loss or monaural high-frequency hearing loss (P>0.05). The on-site noise intensity was divided into three groups: ＜85, 85-＜95, and ≥95 dB(A); the prevalence of tinnitus in the three groups was 19.6%, 40.5%, and 66.7% respectively. The years of noise exposure was divided into three groups: ＜1, 1-＜5, and ≥5 years; the prevalence of tinnitus in the three groups was 17.9%, 34.0%, and 45.4% respectively. The cumulative noise exposure was divided into six groups: ＜80, 80-＜85, 85-＜90, 90-＜95, 95-＜100, and ≥100 dB(A)·year; the prevalence of tinnitus in the six groups was 6.8%, 25.0%, 31.0%, 39.6%, 43.1%, and 46.7% respectively. The prevalence of tinnitus was higher in the non-stationary noise group (42.5%) than in the stationary noise group (26.8%) (χ2=26.18, P<0.01), and the prevalence in the group without or with hearing protection was 39.7% and 35.5% respectively. The results of logistic regression showed that workers exposed to higher intensity, longer noise exposure, higher cumulative noise exposure, and non-stationary noise (reference: stationary noise) resulted in a higher risk of tinnitus (Ptrend<0.01 or P<0.01); workers wearing of hearing protection device versus those not showed a lower risk of tinnitus (P<0.05). Conclusion Higher intensity, longer exposure to noise, and more cumulative noise exposure associate with a higher risk of tinnitus. Wearing hearing protective device can reduce the risk of tinnitus. Tinnitus in noise-exposed workers can precede the presentation of abnormal hearing loss.
ABSTRACT
Background: The incidence of ulcerative colitis (UC) has gradually increased in China in recent years. The pathogenesis of UC is related to the dysfunction of immune system. B7-H5 is an important immune checkpoint molecule and is significant for the regulation of immune function. Ainis: To investigate the expression and clinical significance of B7-H5 in UC. Methods: A total of 65 UC tissue specimens were collected from Jan. 2010 to Dec. 2020 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, and 5 healthy subjects were served as controls. Immunohistoehemistry and immunofluorescence were used to detect the expression of B7-H5, and its relationship with elinieopathologieal characteristics of UC patients was analyzed. Results: Expression of B7-H5 was significantly increased in UC patients than in controls (P 0. 05). Conclusions; The expression of B7-H5 in UC patients is significantly increased and is correlated with ESR and CRP, and can be used as a new marker for reflecting the severity of inflammation in UC patients.
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Gastrointestinal cancers are the common malignant tumors of the digestive system, and their morbidity and mortality are in the forefront of malignant tumors. Currently, cancer immunotherapy is the hottest topic in cancer research field. Although cancer immunotherapy has achieved some results in the fundamental research and clinical application of gastrointestinal tumors, there are still a series of problems that need to be resolved. In this article, we review the fundamental and clinical research progress of several common methods of cancer immunotherapy in the field of gastrointestinal tumors.
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Background: Gastric cancer is one of the common gastrointestinal malignancies. Early diagnosis can reduce the mortality rate significantly. In the Chinese consensus published in 2017, the New Gastric Cancer Screening Scoring System was recommended to be used for risk stratification of gastric cancer. Aims: To preliminarily explore the value of the New Gastric Cancer Screening Scoring System in early gastric cancer screening in asymptomatic community population. Methods: At several communities in Suzhou City Xiangcheng District, a questionnaire survey was conducted in asymptomatic community residents willing to accept voluntary serum tests to collect information on high risk factors of gastric cancer. Serum pepsinogen (PG), PGⅡ, gastrin 17 (G-17) and Helicobacter pylori (Hp) IgG were tested simultaneously. Risk stratification of gastric cancer was carried out in accordance with the New Gastric Cancer Screening Scoring System. Gastroscopy was recommended for moderate to high risk individuals. Results: A total of 540 asymptomatic individuals completed the study, of which 11 were categorized as high risk (2.0%), 168 as moderate risk (31.1%), and 361 as low risk (66.9%). Sixty-four moderate to high risk individuals completed the gastroscopy with a response rate of 35.8%. Four precancerous lesions were detected (6.2%), including 3 gastric low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia and 1 duodenal adenoma. No gastric cancer was detected. Conclusions: The New Gastric Cancer Screening Scoring System is useful for risk stratification of gastric cancer in asymptomatic population and may provide a basis for further endoscopic examination. However, the value of this scoring system in low risk areas of gastric cancer needs to be further verified.