Puerarin protects renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats through NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD pathway

Purpose: To observe the effect of puerarin on renal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats, and to explore its mechanism based on NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD pathway. Methods: Twenty-one Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: sham-operated group (sham), model group (RIRI), and puerarin treatment group (RIRI + Pue). The model of acute renal I/R injury was established by cutting the right kidney and clamping the left renal pedicle for 45 min. Results: Renal function parameters were statistically significant in group comparisons. The renal tissue structure of rats in sham group was basically normal. Pathological changes were observed in the RIRI group. The renal pathological damage score and apoptosis rate in the RIRI group were higher than those in the sham group, and significantly lower in the RIRI + Pue group than in the RIRI group. Indicators of oxidative stress-superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, and glutathione peroxidase-were statistically significant in group comparisons. Compared with the sham group, the relative expressions of NLRP3, Caspase-1 and GSDMD proteins in the RIRI group were increased. Compared with the RIRI group, the RIRI + Pue group had significant reductions. Conclusions: Puerarin can inhibit the activation of NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD pathway, inhibit inflammatory response and pyroptosis, and enhance the antioxidant capacity of kidney, thereby protecting renal I/R injury in rats.

Genetic and environmental effects on the bone development of the hand and wrist in Chinese young twins / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

We assessed genetic and environmental effects on bone development of the hand and wrist, and on key anthropometric measures in Chinese young twins. In total, 139 monozygotic and 95 dizygotic twin pairs aged from 5 to 18 years were recruited. The twin correlations of total hand and wrist scores for monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins were 0.71 and 0.36, respectively. Bivariate model analysis showed moderate genetic correlations only for total skeletal maturity vs. weight and total skeletal maturity vs. waist circumference (r, 0.51 and 0.46, respectively). Our findings demonstrated that genetic factors played important roles in bone development of the hand and wrist in Chinese young twins, and that these genetic effects might be distinct from those influencing anthropometric measures.

Study on the molecular epidemiological characteristics of norovirus in acute gastroenteritis of Beijing / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the prevalence, genotypes and molecular characteristics of norovirus (NoV) in acute gastroenteritis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>RT-PCR was used to determine the molecular epidemiology of NoV.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Out of 685 samples, 66 positive specimens were identified and the prevalence was 9.6% (66/685), 9.9% in males and 9.4% in females, respectively, with no significant difference. The prevalence rates showed no differences between age groups or between inpatients and outpatients. NoV gastroenteritis did not present any seasonal distribution. 43 out of the 66 specimens were classified, with 10 (22.7%) belonged to GI including 2 GI.3, 1 GI.4, 4 GI.5 and 3 GI.7. Other 33 (77.3%) belonged to GII genogroup, including GII.4 accounted for 60.6% (20/33) and followed by 7 GII.12, 2 GII.6, 1 GII.2, 1 GII.3, 1 GII.5. Six specimens mixed with GI and GII and 3 specimens were classified as GI.3/GII.7, GI.5/GII.5 and GI.4/GII.4.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The main symptoms of acute gastroenteritis were abdominal pain, nausea, vomit and fever. There were many genotypes identified in our study and the main genotypes were GII.4/2006a and 2006b. GI and GII could be coinfected with each other.</p>

Study on the characteristics of temporal distribution and the epidemic trend of autumn-winter type scrub typhus under time series analysis / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective To explore the characteristics of temporal distribution and epidemic trend of autumn-winter type scrub typhus using the time series analysis.Methods Based on the data of scrub typhus collected from Shandong Diseases Reporting Information System from 2006 to 2011,both spectral analysis and moving average analysis were used to analyze the annual data of scrub typhus while scrub typhus incidence in 2012-2014 was forecasted.Seasonal decomposition analysis was applied to analyze the monthly data from January of 2006 to October of 2011,followed by Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average Model (ARIMA) which was constructed to forecast case number in November and December of 2011 and compared to the actual incidence.Results The results of spectral analysis showed that the prevalence of autumn-winter type scrub typhus had a feature of ‘3-year-periodicity’.A long-term up-trend was confirmed by method of moving average analysis,with annually case numbers of 310,337 and another number of 366 forecasted for 2012 to 2014,respectively,with the annual increase rate as 9％ per-year.Data from analysis of monthly data of scrub typhus showed that through multiple seasonal decomposition analysis,the results indicated that the prevalence of this disease possessed a typical autumn-winter type.The seasonality indexes for scrub typhus in October and November were 8.454 and 2.230,respectively,while others were less than 1.000.The ARIMA (0,1,1 ) (0,1,0)12 model of ( 1 -B) ( 1 -B12)X,=( 1 -0.811B)u,that was used to forecast the prevalence of autumn-winter type scrub typhus and was constructed with the residual error of 16 lags as white noise.The Box-Ljung test statistic for the model was 3.116,giving a P value of 0.999.The model fitted the data well.Good accordance was achieved between the observed values and the forecasted values of scrub typhus in November and December of 2011 which was produced by the ARIMA model,and all observed values were within the forecasted 95％ CI.Conclusion The prevalence of autumn-winter type scrub typhus showed a 3-year-periodicity,with a long-term up-trend,and the case numbers of 2012 to 2014 were forecasted,rising on the end with an increasing rate of 9％ per year,which occurred seasonally with October as the peak time in every year.The ARIMA (0,1,1 ) (0,1,0) 12 model seemed to be quite appropriate in predicting the autumn-winter type scrub typhus.

Analysis of epidemic features of scrub typhus between year 2006 and 2010 in Shandong province, China / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the epidemic features of scrub typhus between year 2006 and 2010 in Shandong Province.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Based on the data collected through Diseases Reporting Information System between year 2006 and 2010 in Shandong province, 1291 cases of scrub typhus were selected. The study described the population distribution features of the scrub typhus patients, and explored the temporal and spatial distribution features of the disease by applying the methods of spatial thematic mapping, inverse distance weighted, spatial autocorrelation analysis, spatial clustering analysis, temporal clustering analysis and spatial variation analysis in temporal trends based on Geographic Information software (ArcGIS 9.3) and Spatial Clustering Software (SatScan 7.0).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The onset age of the 1291 patients ranged between 1 and 92 years old.639 out of 1291 patients were over 55 years old, accounting for 49.5%.640 patients were male and the other 651 patients were female, occupying 49.6% and 50.4% respectively. The gender ratio was 1:1.02. Patients were found in farmers, workers, students and preschool children. However, most of the cases were farmers, up to 84.8% (1095/1291). Global Moran's I index was 0.324 (P < 0.01). The local Moran's I index in 8 locations were proved to have statistical significance (P < 0.01); all of which were H-H clustering areas. Gangcheng (38 cases), Laicheng (154 cases), Xintai (160 cases) and Donggang (105 cases) were important locations, whose local Moran's I index were 2.111, 1.642, 1.277 and 0.775 respectively. The clustering period of scrub typhus in respective year were as follows: 2006.09.23 - 2006.11.20 (202 cases), 2007.10.02 - 2007.11.11 (197 cases), 2008.09.30 - 2008.11.07 (302 cases), 2009.09.25 - 2009.11.10 (204 cases), and 2010.10.05 - 2010.11.13 (226 cases), whose RR values were separately 45.55, 34.60, 50.64, 53.09 and 79.84 (P < 0.01). Two spatial clustering area were found in the study, one was the area centered Taian and Xintai with radiation radius at 58.28 km (542 cases) and the other one was the area centered Rizhao and Donggang with radiation radius at 22.68 km (134 cases), whose RR values were 4.52 and 3.96 (P < 0.01). The spatial features of the two clustering areas were inland low hills area and coastal hills area. The highest annual growth rate of the disease was 45.04%, found in the area centered Linyi and Mengyin counties, with the radiation radius at 45.82 km. The RR value was 3.68 (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The majority of the scrub typhus patients were middle-aged and elderly farmers. The epidemic peak was between the last 10 days of September and the first 10 days of November. A positive spatial correlation of the disease was found; and most cases clustered in inland low hills area and costal hills area; especially the area around Linyi and Mengyin, with the highest annual growth rates of the disease.</p>

Meta analysis on the association between parental 5, 10-methylenetrahydrofolate reeducates C677T polymorphism and the neural tube defects of their offspring / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective To explore the relationship between 5, 10-methylenetrahydrofolate reeducates gene polymorphism of the parents and the susceptibility to their offspring having neural tube defects. To forecast and evaluate the onset risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) on the basis of 5, 10-methylenetrahydrofolate reeducates (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism on parents of the patients.Methods Electronic search strategy was carried out among the five databases from home and abroad to collect qualified research papers, according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Case-control studies on association between MTHFR polymorphism and susceptibility to NTDs were collected and divided into two groups as mothers and fathers. The combined OR values and their 95% CI were calculated with Review Manager 5.0. Results 33 eligible studies were included. Statistics of the combined data showed a significant difference between the mothers with NTDs offspring carrying TT/CC, CT/CC of MTHFR gene C677T and controls. The pooled OR (95%CI) were 1.68 (1.32-2.14)and 1.20 (1.07-1.35) respectively. These was a significant difference between the fathers of the offspring with NTDs that carrying of TT/CC, CT/CC of MTHFR gene C677T and controls. The pooled ORs (95%CI) were 1.38 (1.08-1.76) and 1.32 (1.13-1.55) respectively. Conclusion The results suggested that the paternal and maternal MTHFR gene C677T polymorphism were risk factors to NTDs.

Establishment of mouse liver regeneration model by consecutive partial hepatectomy / 第二军医大学学报

Objective:To establish a quantifiable and easily manipulable mouse model of liver regeneration by partial hepateetomy, so as to provide a basis for investigating the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms and pathophysiological significance of liver regeneration. Methods: Normal adult CS 7BL/ 6 mice were fixed by cardiac perfusion, the liver lobes were dissected and weighed, and the prupurtiuns uf each lube were calculated. Under anesthetic and sterile condition, partial hepatectomy was performed by removing the left lateral, left middle,and right middle liver lobes in turn to establish the regeneration model. The activation of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) gene in the regenerating liver was dynamically monitored by real-time PCR analysis. Results: The left lateral, left ddle,and right middle liver lobes together accounted for approximately 70% of the total liver weight. The animals survived and lived well after removal of the three lobes in turn. RT PCR showed that AFF expression was activated in the regenerating livers. Conclusion: We have successfully established the mouse model of liver regeneration by consecutive partial hepatectomy. This method can quantify the heptectomy and is easy to perform,which lays a foundation for studying liver regeneration in mice.

Predictive value of three surgical scoring systems for estimation of life expectancy in patients with extradural spinal metastasis / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the predictive values of Tokuhashi score, revised Tokuhashi score and Tomita score systems for life expectancy and treatment options in patients with spinal metastasis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From February 1996 to January 2009, spinal operations in 104 cases with spinal metastasis were performed in our hospital. There were 65 males and 39 females, with an average of 53.4 years (median 52.5 years). To calculate AUC (area under the curve) values of Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves of three scores, and to analyze the accuracy of prediction of life expectancy. To compare the actual survival time with the expected survival time of the three scores by Kaplan-Meier method. Spearman correlation analysis was performed between the survival time and three scoring systems.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All cases were followed-up with an average duration of 10.9 months, and 77 patients died. AUC analysis of ROC curves showed that the difference of the accuracy of the three scores was not significant. AUC in all groups of Tokuhashi Score was low, with a poor diagnostic accuracy. In the "died within 3 months" and "died within 6 months" groups of revised Tokuhashi score, the accuracy was low, while high in the other two groups. The AUC values of Tomita score in "died within 6 months" and "died within 24 months" were high, with a great diagnostic accuracy while the other two groups were low with a low diagnostic accuracy. Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis showed that the actual survival time in all three scores was not entirely consistent with the expected survival time. Tokuhashi score and revised score were positively correlated with the survival time while that of Tomita score was negative.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>All the three prognosis scores in patients with spinal metastasis were closely related with survival time. The combination of Tokuhashi score and Tomita score may be applied to better predict postoperative survival prognosis and guide the surgical options for patients with spinal metastasis.</p>

Clinical manifestations and epidemic factors of autumn-winter type scrub typhus in children from northern new endemic area / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Scrub typhus is an infectious disease due to Orientia tsutsugamushi transmitted by infected chigger mites. Scrub typhus has long been recognized to occur in southern areas of China, but has recently been increasingly often reported from the north since the first case was reported in Mengyin County, Shandong Province in 1986. The key objectives of the present study were to investigate the clinical manifestations and epidemic factors of scrub typhus in children from the northern new natural foci.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The case records of 56 children with scrub typhus who were admitted to the 5 hospitals of Fei County from September 1993 to January 2004 were reviewed. Orientia tsutsugamushi (Ot) was isolated from the cases. Based on ecological observations on the composition, seasonal fluctuation of animal hosts and chigger mites, Ot was isolated from rodents and chiggers. IgG antibodies to Ot was detected by IFA. Genotypes of the Ot isolates were also identified by nested PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among 56 children scrub typhus cases, 46 were male, 10 were female; 96% exhibited typical eschars or ulcers, 100% cases had high fever, skin rashes were observed in 55 cases (98%), and regional lymphadenopathy occurred in 48 cases (86%). All cases came from countryside, and all had histories of exposure to the crop field. fifty-one serum samples of suspected patients with scrub typhus were collected, 48 were positive for antibodies to Ot. The serotypes were Gilliam types. The cases only appeared in September to December with the peak at mid and late October. Leptotrombidium (L.) scutellare was the most important vector causing scrub typhus in the foci. Apodemus (A.) agrarius was the main host animals of Ot in the crop field. Totally 26 strains were isolated from patients, rodents, and chigger mites. The serotypes of 24 out of the 26 isolates were Gilliam types, while the genotypes of these isolates were Kawasaki types. The serotypes of the other 2 isolates were identical and both were Karp types.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Children scrub typhus patients were frequently seen in the new natural foci of Shandong province. Exposure history, typical eschars or ulcers, and presence of IgG antibody were the important indexes to diagnose the disease.</p>

Nucleotide sequence characterization and phylogenetic analysis of hantaviruses isolated in Shandong Province, China / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>China is the most severe endemic area of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in the world with 30,000-50,000 cases reported annually, which accounts for more than 90% of total number of cases worldwide. The incidence rate of the syndrome in Shandong Province is one of the highest in China, which has ever reached 50 per 100,000 persons per year. However, the molecular characteristics of hantaviruses (HV) epidemic in Shandong Province remain unclear. Therefore it is useful to clarify nucleotide sequence and phylogenetic characteristics of HV isolated in Shandong Province in order to provide better advices to control and prevent HFRS.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>RNAs were extracted from sera of clinically diagnosed patients and positive rodent lungs that were detected by indirect immunofluorescent assay (IFA). Partial M segments of HV were amplified from the RNAs with reverse transcription nested polymerase chain reactions (nested PCR) using hantavirus genotype specific primers. The nested PCR products were sequenced and compared with those from previously epidemic isolates in Shandong and with other representative HV sequences from GenBank. Phylogenetic tree analyses were performed based on the sequences of the M genes.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Thirty-four HV isolates in Shandong showed 67.1%-100% nucleotide identities. The nucleotide homologies among 6 Hantaan viruses (HTNV) isolates in Shandong were 78.1%-98.7%, while the homologies among 28 Seoul virus (SEOV) isolates in Shandong were 93.7%-100%. There were at least 3 subtypes HTNV (H2, H5, H9) and 2 subtypes SEOV (S2, S3) in Shandong Province.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>In Shandong Province, the homologies of HTNV were lower and there were no predominant subtypes, while the homologies of SEOV were higher and S3 was the predominant subtype. The homologies of SEOV from rodents were higher than those from patients. The distribution of subtypes in Shandong was similar to that of the adjoining provinces. Phylogenetic analyses of the sequences showed geographic clustering of HV in Shandong.</p>

Amplification and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis on the complete sequence of Sta56 gene of Orientia tsutsugamushi isolated from Shandong area / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the genetic differences of Orientia tsutsugamushi (Ot) Sta56 gene between Shandong isolates and other strains deposited in GenBank.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) were used to amplify the complete sequence of Ot-Sta56 gene. RFLP profiles of Ot were predicted by a computer program according to their complete sequences of Ot-Sta56 gene. PCR amplicon from XDM2 strain was sequenced and analyzed by Clustal X (1.8) and PHYLIP software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The complete sequences (about 1.6 kbp) of Ot-Sta56 gene were amplified from B16 strain (isolated from patients), FXS2 strain (isolated from A. agrarius) and XDM2 strain. Four species of restriction endonucleases (Hha I, Hinf I, Hae III, Pst I) were used to digest the PCR amplicons from the 3 isolates. When comparing with the RFLP profiles of prototype Ot, the RFLP profiles of PCR amplicons from the 3 isolates were similar to those of Japan Kawasaki strain, but were quite different from the international reference strains Gilliam, Karp, Kato. Results from DNA sequence analysis showed that the complete sequence of Ot-Sta56 gene homology to Japan Kawasaki strain of XDM2 strain was 97%, and deduced amino acid sequence was 92%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Data from the complete sequence of Sta56 gene indicated that the genotypes of Ot isolates in Shandong province were similar, but with distinction from the Kawasaki strain.</p>

Genotype identification and sequence analysis of Orientia tsutsugamushi isolated from Shandong area / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine genotype, nucleotide sequence homology and phylogenesis of Orientia tsutsugamushi isolated from Shandong, China.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Orientia tsutsugamushi isolated from patients, Apodemus agrarius and Leptotrombidium scutellare in Shandong area were identified by nested-PCR. On the basis of the nucleotide sequence of the gene that encoding the Ot M, 56 x 10(3) antigen, the primers were frequently used in Japan and Korea. Nucleotide sequences of three isolates were determined. The DNA sequences were compared with nucleotide sequences of Orientia tsutsugamushi registered in GenBank for sequence homology analysis. Phylogenetic analysis of the isolates and'some published sequences was carried out with Neighbor-joining method by MEGA 3.1 software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>481- 507 bp DNA fragments encoding Orientia tsutsugamushi M, 56 x 10(3) protein were amplified successfully in the samples of Gilliam, Karp, Kato and Shandong isolates by group-specific primers. The corresponding target fragments of the three international reference strains of Gilliam, Karp, and Kato were amplified successfully with each of their own type specific primers. 523 bp DNA fragments were amplified successfully from Shandong isolates by the nPCR with Kawasaki-specific primer, and no DNA fragment was amplified by the nPCR with Gilliam, Karp, Kato, Kuroki and Saitama-specific primer. Comparing with the sequences of Orientia tsutsugamushi registered in GenBank, all the Shandong isolates shared higher than 95% nucleotide sequence homology with Kawasaki strain founded in Japan. Data from phylogenetic analysis showed that Shandong isolates belonged to the same branch with Kawasaki strain.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>To facilitate international comparison and communication, the primers should be employed in the Orientia tsutsugamushi research in China. Orientia tsutsugamushi isolated in China were similar to Kawasaki strain</p>

A paired case-control study on related factors to attempted suicide / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To understand the environmental risk factors on attempted suicide, and to study the interaction between factors as gene polymorphism of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) associated to attempted suicide.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Paired case-control study of 205 suicide attempters (89 male, 116 female) and molecular biological techniques were used to study the relation between gene polymorphism of COMT, environmental factors and the rate of attempted suicide. Controls were paired with cases according to the same gender, similar age (no more than 3 years) and in the same district.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were no significant differences in gene types and gene frequency between case and control groups. Multivariate conditional logistic regression model analysis showed that COMT Val/Val 158/108, low education level, cigarette smoking, emotional conflicts, psychologic disorders and depression were risk factors of attempted suicide with OR values as 2.43 (95% CI: 1.10 - 5.40), 5.70 (95% CI: 1.88 - 17.27), 3.54 (95% CI: 1.02 - 12.36), 10.96 (95% CI: 4.74 - 25.34), 6.35 (95% CI: 1.68 - 24.05) and 11.30 (95% CI: 4.58 - 27.89) respectively. There was no first level interaction between any two risk factors.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The study supported that low education level, cigarette smoking, affective conflicts, psychiatric disorders, depression were risk factors of attempted suicide and COMT Val/Val 158/108 was suspected to be a susceptible gene type of attempted suicide but needs further study. The study also suggested that 116 bp in gene atlas be possibly correlated to high activity of COMT.</p>

The burden caused by injury in countryside residents in Dongying, Shandong Province / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To make clear the burden of injury in residents living in countryside of Dongying, Shandong Province.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A retrospective questionnaire survey was conducted among 15,276 residents in 20 villages of Dongying Municipality of Shandong Province with a multiphase cluster randomly sampling on cases of injury from March 1, 2002 to February 28, 2003. The injury was decided with three principles which had been carried out through the nation. The standardized incidence and mortality rates were calculated on base of the population data of Shandong Province in 2000. The burden of injury was evaluated by incidence rate, mortality rate, years of potential life lost (YPLL) system, disability adjusted life year (DALY), direct and indirect economic costs, et al.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Totally 902 were injured cases in which the crude incidence rate was 5.90%, and the standardized incidence rate was 5.93%. It was shown higher in men (7.79%) than in women (4.03%). The crude death rate was 12.438 per million. And the standardized death rate was 11.257 per million. 27 cases were crippled. The years, the working years and the valued years of the potential life lost were 24, 19.6 and 8.7 years respectively for each death case. Disability adjusted life years was 566.61 years. Direct economic cost for medical expenses of all cases was 816.3 thousand RMB Yuan and 200.1 thousand RMB Yuan for else costs. Indirect economic cost was 5,492.9 thousand RMB Yuan according to DALY.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Injury was common incidence in rural residents in Dongying which caused a heavy burden on them. Prevention and control of injuries would be enhanced.</p>

A case-control study on the risk factors of central nervous system congenital malformations / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine the risk factors in the development of central nervous system (CNS) congenital malformations.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A hospital-based 1:2 matched case-control study was conducted. Each case was matched with two normal controls on sex and residential area, date of birth, within half a year. By means of simple and multivariable conditional logistic regression, 48 factors were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Maternal exposure to pesticide or having cold with fever, family history of positive congenital malformations, preference eating pickled vegetables, negative life events, large consumption of meat, eggs, beans and milk during pregnancy and paternal exposure to poisonous chemicals were significantly associated with CNS congenital malformations, with odds ratios 16.471, 12.621, 10.246, 7.274, 3.730, 0.229, 5.616, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Maternal exposure to pesticides, cold with fever, positive congenital malformations family history, preference of eating pickled vegetables, negative life events during pregnancy, and paternal exposure to poisonous chemicals were the key risk factors contributing to CNS congenital malformations, while maternal exposure to big consumption of meat, eggs, beans and milk during pregnancy was protective factors that reducing CNS congenital malformations.</p>

A cross-sectional study on injuries in residents from the countryside of Huanghe Delta rural areas / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the incidence of injuries among residents living in the countryside of Huanghe delta area.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A household questionnaire survey was conducted to 15 276 residents in 20 villages of Dongying municipality of Shandong province with a stratified-cluster sampling on their injuries from March 1, 2002 to February 28, 2003. Data were analyzed with Excel 2000 and SPSS 11.0 software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The crude incidence of injuries was 5.90% in total, and the standardized incidence was 5.93%. It was higher in men (7.79%) than in women (4.03%). There were 19 deaths with 20 cripples. The standardized death rate was 122.56 per 100 000 with leading causes of injuries was blunt or by sharp articles (24.61%), traffic accident (24.17%), falls (22.62%) and animal bites (13.08%). Peak incidence of age group was high in 25 - 54 age group and 0 - 4 age group (> 6.0%). 267 cases (29.60%) inpatients had had about 15.89 days hospitalization for each case. Rest of each case with injury had 19.20 days of rest. Direct economic loss for treatment would cost 904.85 RMB Yuan and 10.15 days with care takers and 221.88 RMB for other cost. The potential years of life lost was 24 years, the working years of life lost was 19.6 year, the valued years of life lost was 8.7 year, and the standardized period expected years of life lost was 31.73 year.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Injury was common and frequently occurred among residents in the countryside of rural Huanghe delta areas, that seriously endangered the health care systems and burden on families.</p>

Amplification and typing of Sta56 gene of Orientia tsutsugamushi from Shandong province / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To clarify the gene type of Orientia tsutsugamushi (Ot) from Shandong province.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Nested-polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) was used to identify the gene type of 23 isolated Ot strains, 2 pools of homogenized leptotrombidium (L.) scutellare, 10 blood specimens of scrub typhus patients, and at the same time to compare with the international reference strains Gilliam, Karp, Kato. Sequencing analysis of the Sta56 gene was also used to further identify the precise gene types.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 35 samples, 33 had the same products in the amplification of template Ot-DNA. They all belonged to Kawasaki strains endemic in Japan while 2 (FXS4 and LHGM2 strain) belonged to Karp strains. The Sta56 gene sequence homologies to Japan Kawasaki strain of the 2 representative strains (B-16 and FXS2 strain) of the 33 samples were 94.22%, 95.21% respectively, but they were less than 75.87% to other prototype strains; The homologies to Karp strain of FXS4 and LHGM2 strain were 83.03%, 96.45% respectively. B-16 and FXS2 strain were designated as of types strain Japan Kawasaki, FXS4 and LHGM2 as Karp strain.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results indicated that the dominant Ot strains in Shandong Province were similar to Kawasaki strains, but Karp strains also existed.</p>

Relationship between mutation of exon G894 T of endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene and overweight to essential hypertension / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the relationship between the 7th exon G894T mutation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene and overweight in patients with essential hypertension.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally, 116 patients with essential hypertension taking no medications and 136 normotensives were selected from a steel workers as study subjects. Polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism were performed to detect mutation of the 7th exon G894T. Additive model was used to analyze interaction between G894T mutation and overweight on hypertension. Population attributable risk percent (PAR%) for them, etiologic fraction, was applied to their contribution to hypertension.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was a positive interaction between G894T mutation and overweight on essential hypertension, with an index of interaction of 1.99 and attributable interaction percent of 30.76%. Their pure attributable interaction percent was 36.38%. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that there still was positive interaction between G894T mutation and overweight on essential hypertension, adjusted for age, sex, smoking and alcohol drinking. Index of their attributable interaction was 2.85, with attributable interaction percent of 39.97%, also adjusted for the above-mentioned factors. Their pure attributable interaction percent was 46.49% and PAR% was estimated as about 15% under certain condition.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Interaction between mutation of the 7th exon G894T of eNOS gene and overweight played an important role in essential hypertension of the studied population. Control of body weight in the population with both G894T mutation and overweight could markedly decrease their risk of hypertension.</p>

Effects of G894T mutation in the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene on blood pressure / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the association between G894T (Glu298Asp) mutation at exon 7 in the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene and essential hypertension.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and sixteen essential hypertensives without taking hypertensive medication and 136 normotensives screened from health workers in a steel factory were selected as subjects in this study. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Ban II restriction enzyme digestion were performed to detect the G894T mutation.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>G894T mutation was significantly associated with essential hypertension. The T allele frequency in essential hypertensive group was significantly higher than that in normotensive group (16.0% versus 8.8%, P = 0.019, OR = 1.96, 95% CI: 1.14 - 3.37). The levels of systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure in the G894T mutant genotypes were all significantly elevated in hypertensive, normotensive, and the total subjects (P < 0.05). After adjusting factors as age, sex, smoking, alcohol drinking, body mass index, triglyceride, serum total cholesterol, serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol by analysis of multiple covariance, significant positive effect of the G894T mutant genotypes on blood pressure in the total subjects (P < 0.01) was noticed.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This study suggested that the G894T mutation in the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene might serve as a major risk factor of essential hypertension in this study population.</p>