Combined Effects of A Body Shape Index and Serum C-reactive Protein on Ischemic Stroke Incidence among Mongolians in China / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

OBJECTIVE@#We aimed to evaluate the combined effects of a high body shape index (ABSI) and a high serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level on the incidence of ischemic stroke in a Mongolian population in China.@*METHODS@#A prospective cohort study was conducted among 2,589 participants from June 2002 to July 2012 in Inner Mongolia, China. The participants were categorized into 4 groups according to their level of ABSI and CRP. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for ischemic stroke among all groups.@*RESULTS@#The multivariate adjusted HRs (95% CI) of ischemic stroke for high ABSI and high CRP level were 1.46 (0.89-2.39) and 1.63 (0.95-2.79), respectively. Compared with the low ABSI/low CRP level group, the multivariate adjusted HRs (95% CI) of ischemic stroke in the low ABSI/high CRP, high ABSI/low CRP, and high ABSI/high CRP groups were 1.04 (0.46-2.35), 1.06 (0.58-1.95) and 2.52 (1.27-5.00), respectively. The HR of ischemic stroke for the high ABSI/high CRP level group was the highest and most statistically significant.@*CONCLUSION@#We found that participants with simultaneously high ABSI and high CRP levels had the highest risk of ischemic stroke in the Mongolian population. Our findings suggest that the combination of high ABSI and high CRP levels may increase the risk of ischemic stroke.

An Enzyme Cascade Strategy for Sensitive Detection of Acid Phosphatase / 分析化学

An enzyme cascade strategy was introduced for sensitive detection of acid phosphatase ( ACP) . Pyrophosphate ions ( PPi ) can strongly bound Fe3+and thus hinders the production of Prussian blue nanoparticles (PBNPs). ACP can hydrolyze PPi to form phosphate ions, and the released Fe3+reacts with potassium ferrocyanide ( K4[ Fe ( CN )6] ) to form PBNPs. The formed PBNPs have high peroxidase-like activity, which can decompose hydrogen peroxide ( H2O2) to produce hydroxyl radical (·OH) for oxidizing the typical substrate of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine ( TMB). Therefore, a novel sensing strategy for detecting ACP based on the high signal amplification of enzyme cascade was constructed. The results showed that there was a good linear relationship between the absorbance of oxidized TMB ( oxTMB ) and the concentration of ACP in the range of 3-20 U/L, with a detection limit of 0. 8 U/L. Different from the conventional enzyme cascades in which the product of one enzyme is the substrate of the other, this study opens up a new way to construct novel enzyme cascade system.

Combination therapy with pegylated interferon alpha-2b and adefovir dipivoxil in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B versus interferon alone: a prospective, randomized study / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

Currently available monotherapies of oral nucleoside/nucleotide analogs or interferon are unable to achieve a sustained and effective response in most of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The objective of the present study was to compare the efficacy and safety of pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN) alpha-2b plus adefovir dipivoxil combination therapy versus Peg-IFN alpha-2b alone. Sixty-one HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients were randomized to receive Peg-IFN alpha-2b alone (1.5 μg/kg once weekly) or Peg-IFN alpha-2b plus adefovir (10 mg daily) for up to 52 weeks. Efficacy and safety analyses were performed on all participants who received at least one dose of study medication. The rate of HBeAg seroconversion and undetectable HBV-DNA were evaluated after 52 weeks of therapy. At the end of treatment, 11 of 30 (36.7%) patients receiving combination therapy achieved HBeAg seroconversion versus 8 of 31 (25.8%) in the monotherapy group (P=0.36). In contrast, the percentage of patients with undetectable serum HBV DNA was significantly higher in the combination group than in the monotherapy group (76.7% vs. 29.0%, P<0.001). Thyroid dysfunction was more frequent in the combination group than in the monotherapy group (P<0.05). In HBeAg-positive CHB, combination of Peg-IFN alpha-2b and adefovir for 52 weeks resulted, at the end of treatment, in a higher virological response but without significant impact on the rate of HBeAg seroconversion and possibly an adverse effect on thyroid function.

Combination therapy with pegylated interferon alpha-2b and adefovir dipivoxil in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B versus interferon alone: a prospective, randomized study / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

Currently available monotherapies of oral nucleoside/nucleotide analogs or interferon are unable to achieve a sustained and effective response in most of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The objective of the present study was to compare the efficacy and safety of pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN) alpha-2b plus adefovir dipivoxil combination therapy versus Peg-IFN alpha-2b alone. Sixty-one HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients were randomized to receive Peg-IFN alpha-2b alone (1.5 μg/kg once weekly) or Peg-IFN alpha-2b plus adefovir (10 mg daily) for up to 52 weeks. Efficacy and safety analyses were performed on all participants who received at least one dose of study medication. The rate of HBeAg seroconversion and undetectable HBV-DNA were evaluated after 52 weeks of therapy. At the end of treatment, 11 of 30 (36.7%) patients receiving combination therapy achieved HBeAg seroconversion versus 8 of 31 (25.8%) in the monotherapy group (P=0.36). In contrast, the percentage of patients with undetectable serum HBV DNA was significantly higher in the combination group than in the monotherapy group (76.7% vs. 29.0%, P<0.001). Thyroid dysfunction was more frequent in the combination group than in the monotherapy group (P<0.05). In HBeAg-positive CHB, combination of Peg-IFN alpha-2b and adefovir for 52 weeks resulted, at the end of treatment, in a higher virological response but without significant impact on the rate of HBeAg seroconversion and possibly an adverse effect on thyroid function.

Field epidemiological study on a varicella outbreak among schoolchildren in Shenzhen / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective Both epidemiologic characteristics and transmission mode of a varicella outbreak among schoolchildren in Shenzhen city were studied and related control measures were discussed.Methods Case definition was established.Case-finding and face-to-face investigation were conducted,followed by analysis on distributions of time,place and persons of the outbreak.Association between possible modes of transmission and the outbreak was explored.Retrospective cohort study was carried out.Results The overall attack rate of this outbreak was 4.4％ (122 of 2742).The attack rate among primary schoolchildren (8.3％,118/1419) was higher than that in the middle-school children (0.3％,4/1323).There were no statistically significant differences on the attack rates between male and female students.A total of 22 classes from the 9 grades were affected by this outbreak and the aggregation of varicella cases was found in classes.The highest attack rates was found in the students of fifth grade (23.7％),followed by from the third grade (13.4％).The main transmission mode appeared to be close personal contact.The outbreak,with four peaks of incidence,lasted 72 days.Data from the investigation suggested that the primary case was introduced into the school during military training involved by the students.Activities related to physical examination for all the schoolchildren seemed to have contributed to the spread of this disease among classes.Delayed isolation of cases appeared to be the major factor causing the spread of disease among classes.Intensive off-school activities or free community bus for children did not seem to be associated with the spreading of the disease.52.5％ (64/122) of the cases had received one-dose of varicella vaccine,with the median of onset after the vaccination as 7 years.The results demonstrated that one single-dose vaccine or long vaccination period were factors related to the insufficient immunity that causing the outbreak of disease.Conclusion Varicella outbreak has been one of the most grievous public health problems in schools,posting challenges on the implementation of isolation measures,in particular.Once the chain of transmission is in place,it is difficult to make the universal measures effective within a short period.

Preliminary Application of High-Definition CT Gemstone Spectral Imaging in Hand and Foot Tendons

OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility of visualizing hand and foot tendon anatomy and disorders by Gemstone Spectral Imaging (GSI) high-definition CT (HDCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-five patients who suffered from hand or foot pain were scanned with GSI mode HDCT and MRI. Spectrum analysis was used to select the monochromatic images that provide the optimal contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) for tendons. The image quality at the best selected monochromatic level and the conventional polychromatic images were compared. Tendon anatomy and disease were also analyzed at GSI and MRI. RESULTS: The monochromatic images at about 65 keV (mean 65.09 +/- 2.98) provided the optimal CNR for hand and foot tendons. The image quality at the optimal selected monochromatic level was superior to conventional polychromatic images (p = 0.005, p 0.05), compression (chi2 = 0.5, p > 0.05), absence (chi2 = 0, p > 0.05) and rupture (chi2 = 0, p > 0.05). GSI was significantly less sensitive than MRI in displaying tendon adhesion (chi2 = 4.17, p < 0.05), degeneration (chi2 = 4.17, p < 0.05), and tendinous sheath disease (chi2 = 10.08, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: GSI with monochromatic images at 65 keV displays clearly the most hand and foot tendon anatomy and disorders with image quality improved, as compared with conventional polychromatic images. It may be used solely or combined with MRI in clinical work, depending on individual patient disease condition.