[Association between socioeconomic status and overweight/obesity in Yi people, Sichuan province].

Objective: To explore the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and overweight/obesity in Yi people in Sichuan province. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in 2015. Stratified cluster sampling method was used to enroll Yi farmers and rural-to-urban Yi migrants aged 20-80 years. SES was measured by education level, personal annual income, and compound SES index. Unconditional logistic regression models were used to determine the association between SES and overweight/obesity (BMI≥24.0 kg/m(2)). Results: 1 894 Yi farmers and 1 162 rural-to urban migrants were included in the analysis. After adjustment for age, smoking, drinking and physical activity, compared with illiteracy, OR for farmer males with higher education level (primary or junior school, senior high school or higher) were 1.71 (95%CI: 1.13-2.58) and 4.15 (95%CI: 2.10-8.22). Compared with lower income group (<5 000 CNY/y), the higher income group had increased risk (OR=1.66, 95%CI: 1.12-2.44). For farmer males with medium and high SES level, the risk of overweight/obesity were 1.65 (95%CI: 1.02-2.67) and 3.26 (95%CI: 1.97-5.42) compared with low level of SES. For farmer females, the risk increased with the higher income, with OR as 1.49 (95%CI: 1.10-2.02). Compared with low SES level, farmer females with medium level of SES was associated with 1.47 (95%CI: 1.11-1.95) times higher risk of overweight/obesity. In Yi migrants, the association between SES and overweight/obesity was not found. Conclusion: Socioeconomic status was positively associated with overweight/obesity only in Yi farmers.

Chronic periodontitis and the risk of erectile dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the association between chronic periodontitis (CP) and the risk of erectile dysfunction (ED). Electronic search using PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library was carried out for observational studies, longitudinal, cohort, case-control and epidemiological studies on humans, published up to December 2015. Manual searches were also performed. Odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate the association between CP and the risk of ED. Methodological quality assessment was carried out using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. Four case-control studies and one cross-sectional studies involving 213, 006 participants were included. Based on the random-effects model, analyses of all studies showed that CP was associated with an increased risk of ED (OR=2.28, 95% CI: 1.50-3.48). There was heterogeneity among the studies (P<0.001, I2=97.8%). Estimates of total effects were generally consistent with the sensitivity and subgroup analyses. In conclusion, our meta-analysis suggested that there was a significant association between CP and the risk of ED. Further epidemiological studies are needed to better estimate the key risk factors for periodontitis and their interaction effects.

Vasectomy and risk of prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.

The results of published literature focusing on the association between vasectomy and the incidence of prostate cancer are often inconsistent. We conducted a meta-analysis to provide a quantitative assessment of the association between vasectomy and the risk of prostate cancer. We identified all cohort studies by searching the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library before August 2014. The quality of the studies was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale checklist. Summary effect estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were derived using a fixed or random effects model, depending on the heterogeneity of the included studies. Nine cohort studies that spanned across two continents involving 1 127 096 participants (ages 20-75) with 7539 cases of prostate cancer cases were included in the meta-analysis. The overall combined relative risks for men with the reference group were 1.08 (95% CI: 0.87-1.34) in a random effects, however, the association was not statistically significant (p = 0.48). Estimates of total effects were generally consistent in the sensitivity and subgroup analyses. No evidence of publication bias was observed. This meta-analysis indicated that vasectomy may not contribute to the risk of prostate cancer. The conclusion might have a far-reaching significance for the public health, especially in countries with high prevalence rates of vasectomy.

The significance of chloride in the inhibitory action of disodium cromoglycate on immunologically-stimulated rat peritoneal mast cells.

BACKGROUND: The microelectrode array (MEA) was used to investigate the pharmacological relevance of chloride (Cl-) ions in antigen-dependent mast cell activation and the inhibitory effect of disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) on mast cell activation. METHODS: The movements of ions across the cellular membrane and the potential relationship between Cl- channels and DSCG during immunological activation were investigated using the MEA. The results were then subsequently compared with the amount of histamine released from anti-IgE activated peritoneal mast cells. RESULTS: The inclusion of charybdotoxin (ChTX) in Cl--free buffer showed that the measured field potentials during antigen-stimulated peritoneal mast cell were a combination of Cl- influx and K+ efflux. The delayed onset time of Cl- influx indicated the presence of a delayed outwardly-rectifying Cl- current in the antigen-stimulated peritoneal mast cells. The use of 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino) benzoic acid demonstrated that the activated mast cell membrane potential can be stabilised, thereby reducing the amount of histamine released from the anti-IgE activated mast cells. The correlation between the results of the histamine release assay and the electrophysiological measurements demonstrated the importance of Cl- to anti-IgE dependent mast cell activation. The inhibitory effect of DSCG on anti-IgE activated cells, however, did not correlate with the presumed influx of Cl-. CONCLUSIONS: The MEA data suggest that Cl- influx is crucial to IgE-dependent mast cell degranulation. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: While the MEA cannot yield information about single channel properties, it is convenient to use and can provide information on the global changes in electrophysiological responses of non-excitable cells.

Changes in condom use behaviours among clients of female sex workers in China.

BACKGROUND: Clients of female sex workers (CFSWs) are at risk for HIV transmission; relevant surveillance and interventions for this vulnerable group are scarce. The China-UK HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Project launched an enhanced intervention programme involving peer education, seminars, testing services and social gatherings and so forth, and two behavioural surveillance studies (BSS) targeting CFSWs in Suining, Sichuan. METHODS: Two cross-sectional BSS (a baseline survey and an evaluative survey) were conducted in September 2005 and May 2006, respectively. In total, 356 and 372 respondents who patronised some low-end sex services were interviewed by peer interviewers. Another triangulation condom audit exercise was conducted in June 2006. RESULTS: Prevalence of respondents using at least one prevention service increased from 50.3% in 2005 to 68.5% in 2006 (AOR = 2.2). Respondents of the evaluative survey compared with their counterparts of the baseline survey had lower prevalence of inconsistent condom users in the last 6 months (44.1% vs 77.0%; AOR = 0.2) and higher prevalence of condom use in the last episode of commercial sex (78.0% vs 41.5%; AOR = 4.9). The triangulation audit showed that condoms were used by 73.8% of CFSWs. The multivariate analysis shows that year of study (OR = 0.3), self-reported sexually transmitted disease symptoms (OR = 2.9), use of face-to-face counselling services (OR = 0.5) and so forth were significantly associated with inconsistent condom use during commercial sex in the last 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Condom use and service use behaviours changed in the study population over a time period when an enhanced intervention programme was implemented. Such effective programmes may be applied to other locations in China.

Nonpsychotic genital self-mutilation.

The case of a sixty-four-year-old man who progressively created a penoscrotal hypospadias on himself is presented. Although genital self-mutilation is normally considered symptomatic of deep psychotic disturbance, the details and evaluation of this case would classify it as nonpsychotic, though unusual behavior.

Seminoma in atrophic testis.

A seminoma was incidentally discovered in an atrophic testis in the course of a workup for infertility. The literature is reviewed. Further investigation to clarify the relationship between testicular atrophy and testicular tumor is needed.