The frequency and severity of symptoms of major depression in Chinese patients with chronic, medically unexplained, painful physical symptoms who present to a general neurology clinic

This cross-sectional, non-interventional, observational study evaluated depression in patients in China who presented to a general neurologist with chronic, medically unexplained, painful physical symptoms. Of the 402 patients enrolled, 197 patients (49.0%) met the criteria for a current major depressive episode (MDE+ group), as assessed using module A of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, and 205 patients (51.0%) did not (MDE- group). The mean pain severity visual analogue scale (VAS) score was signifi cantly higher in the MDE+ group than the MDE- group (65.3 vs 55.6 mm; p<0.001). The mean depression severity score, as assessed using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), was 8.4 units (95% CI: 7.3 to 9.5) higher in the MDE+ group than the MDE- group (mean PHQ-9 total score: 14.8 vs 6.4). Anxiety and perceived health state were signifi cantly worse, on average, in the MDE+ group (mean Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale anxiety subscale score 10.7 vs 5.9 units; mean EuroQoL-5 Dimensions VAS score 56.4 vs 67.7 mm; each p<0.001). Only 14.2% of patients had received treatment for depression during the past 3 months. These results suggest depression was common and may have been under-treated in this group of Chinese patients with chronic, medically unexplained painful physical symptoms.

The trends of changes in children's blood lead levels since the introduction of lead free gasoline in Shanghai / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To describe trends of changes in blood lead levels in children aged 1 - 6 years during the time period before and after introducing lead free gasoline in Shanghai 1997 and 1999.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Blood lead levels of 1 969 children aged 1 - 6 years were determined by a sampling survey in five districts of Shanghai in August and September, 1997. Blood lead levels of the same population were re-determined by the same method from April to June in 1998 and from August to September in 1999. Filter paper blood lead test was carried out monthly using the filter paper blood lead proficiency testing program of Centers for Disease Control in the United States. The results from blood lead samples were under acceptable ranges during the study.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The geometric means of blood lead levels were 83 microgram/L in 1997, 80 microgram/L in 1998 and 76 microgram/L in 1999, respectively. The prevalence rates of childhood lead poisoning (blood lead level was equal or more than 100 microgram/L) were 37.8% in 1997, 25.7% in 1998 and 24.8% in 1999. The amounts of decrease on average blood lead levels in the five districts between 1997 and 1999 were 10 microgram/L, 11 microgram/L, 6 microgram/L, 4 microgram/L and 2 microgram/L, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Lead poisoning is a preventable disease. The average levels of lead in young children in Shanghai decreased significantly after the introduction of lead free gasoline to Shanghai. Lead emissions from vehicles running on leaded gasoline was one of the important contributors to increase the children's blood lead levels in Shanghai. Lead poisoning is not evenly distributed among children in Shanghai, resulting in the different levels of decline.</p>

The Effect of Long-term Partial Sleep Deprivation on Learning and Memory in Young Mice / 中国心理卫生杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of long-term partial sleep deprivation on young mice's learning and memory and explore its probable mechanism Methods:We established the long-term sleep deprivation model in young mice first After 30 days sleep deprivation, the spatial learning and memory of the mice were tested by water maze automatic control device Then the immunohistochemical staining was used to examine nNOS expression in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of right cerebral hemisphere Light microscopy and image analyzer was used to study the samples Results:Long-term sleep deprivation resulted in learning and memory impairment The mice in study group spend longer time for arriving the end than mice of control group, with much more faults in the routine of maze The immunohistochemical staining of nNOS showed that the expression in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus were greatly decreased following partial sleep deprivation The area of positive and strong positive spots in prefrontal cortex of sleep deprivation group was less than that of control group, but in hippocampus only the area of strong positive spots was significantly different between the two groups Conclusions:Long-term partial sleep deprivation impairs young mice's learning and memory, and the decrease in expression of nNOS in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus maybe a mechanism inducing such impairments