[Epidemiological status and risk factors of hyperuricemia in rural area of the Three Gorges].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the epidemiological status and risk factors of hyperuricemia in rural area of the Three Gorges. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was carried out in rural area of Yiling District, Yichang City, which was located north-west bank of Xiling Gorge in 2007. A standard structure questionnaire was used to collect demographic data, social-economic status and life-style features. Fasting venous blood was collected and serum uric acid (SUA) was determined. Hyperuricemia was defined as SUA levels ≥ 417 µ mol/L (70 mg/L) in men and ≥ 357 µmol/L (60 mg/L) in women. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to analysed the risk factors of hyperuricemia. RESULTS: A total of 9354 participants aged 35 and above were included, 19.9% (1866/9354) participants were the Three Gorges migrants. Serum uric acid level in men was significantly higher than that in women [(285.1 ± 80.2) µmol/L vs. (210.3 ± 65.0) µmol/L,P < 0.01].Serum uric acid level increased significantly in both genders in proportion to increase of age, and was higher in men than in women in all age groups (all P < 0.01). The age-adjusted prevalence was significantly higher in men than in women (5.6% vs. 3.3%, P < 0.01), and was also higher in men aged 35-44 and aged 45-54 than in women (both P < 0.01). There was no significance in prevalence of hyperuricemia in both men and women aged 55-64 and aged ≥ 65. After adjusting age, gender, educational level, migration and occupation, the multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the prevalence of hyperuricemia was higher in alcohol drinking participants than that of non-alcohol drinking participants (OR = 2.06, 95%CI:1.59-2.67, P < 0.01), and in participants used to consume less green vegetables and fruits than in participants consuming more green vegetables and fruits (OR = 1.77, 95% CI:1.27-2.47, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of hyperuricemia is relatively low in rural area of the Three Gorges.Alcohol drinking and low intake of green vegetables and fruits are the risk factors of hyperuricemia in this population.

[Effect of abamectin insecticide on the microbial community in broccoli phyllosphere].

The indigenous microbial communities within the plant phyllosphere are highly diverse and include many different species of bacteria, filamentous fungi, yeasts and algae which play important ecological roles. This study was the first attempt to assess the impact of abamectin treatments on microbial communities of broccoli phyllosphere using two culture-independent techniques of phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA) and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP). Results showed that low concentration of abamectin treatments did not affect the microbial biomass and microbial community structure of broccoli phyllosphere significantly. However, high concentration of abamectin treatments significantly change the microbial community structure including a decrease of total and bacterial biomass, and a decrease in the ratio of Gram-positive bacteria to Gram-negative bacteria, but did not change the fungal biomass. Moreover, PLFA suggested that the number of unsaturated and cyclopropane phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs: 16: 1omega9t, 18: 1omega7, cy17:0 and cy19:0) increased with high concentration abamectin treatment, while the saturated PLFAs i15:0, a15:0, i16:0 and a17:0 decreased. The appearance terminal restriction fragments (T-RFs: 58, 96, 236 and 420 bp) indicated that some bacteria might play a significant role in abamectin degradation in broccoli phylosphere, while the disappeared T-RFs (51, 89, 99, 338, 66, 223 and 482 bp) implied some other bacteria might potentially serve as microbial indicator of abamectin exposure.

[Degradation of dichlorvos by Rhodobacter sphaeroides].

Rhodobacter sphaeroides possesses an extensive range of energy acquiring mechanisms including photosynthesis, lithotrophy, aerobic and anaerobic respiration. It can produce 5-aminolevulinic acid, CoQ10, carotenoids, hydrogen, etc. by fermentation. A Rhodobacter sphaeroides strain was isolated, designated as EBL0706, from soil. The degradation of dichlorvos (DDVP) by the Rhodobacter sphaeroides was investigated. 98% of DDVP could be degraded in water solution in 12 h when 5 x 10(8) CFU/mL Rhodobacter sphaeroides was added to 400 mg/L DDVP solution under pH 6.9-7.5 and 20-50 degrees C. This strain could also degrade the DDVP residues on Chinese cabbage leaves effectively.