Recommendations for public health protection against flood disaster / 中华预防医学杂志

Flood disaster is one of the most serious natural disasters in the world, and it could pose an inestimable impact on the affected people. Based on existing laws, regulations, and emergency manuals in China, extensive literature review, epidemiological and related protection evidence, and expert consultation, this study analyzed different health risk factors of flood disaster and proposed a multi-stage, multi-population, and multi-phase comprehensive protection measures for the public in the perspective of pre-event prevention, in-event intervention and post-event rescue strategy, which could provide a scientific basis for improving the level of public health protection against the flood disaster and corresponding health outcomes.

Poisoning mechanism and protective drugs of sulfur mustard: An update / 第二军医大学学报

Sulfur mustard (SM) is a bifunctional alkylating agent that can react with multiple biochemical molecules such as DNA, RNA, proteins, and so on, and its alkylation with DNA is one of the major poisoning mechanisms. Presently the pathogenesis of SM included DNA alkylation, poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) activation, oxidative stress, inflammation, activation of immunoregulation and proteolytic enzymes, etc. By now there have been no specific antidotes in clinical treatment, and all the existing drugs are mainly used for symptomatic treatment. The drugs used clinically and currently being under development include free radical scavengers, antioxidant agents, PARP inhibitors, anti-inflammatory drugs and protease inhibitors. This review summarized the advances in pathogenesis of SM and the corresponding protective drugs.

In vitro evidence for endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC)'s inhibition of drug metabolism.

BACKGROUND: Humans can be frequently exposed to Bisphenol A (BPA) via multiple sources, and babies are considered to be the most sensitive group to exposure of BPA. AIMS: To investigate the inhibition potential of BPA towards human liver microsomes (HLMs)-catalyzed zidovudine (AZT) glucuronidation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In vitro HLMs incubation system was used to investigate the inhibition potential of BPA towards AZT glucuronidation. Both Dixon and Lineweaver-Burk plots were employed to determine the inhibition kinetic type, and nonlinear repression was utilized to calculate the inhibition kinetic parameters (Ki). RESULTS: Concentration-dependent inhibition of BPA towards AZT glucuronidation was observed. Both Dixon and Lineweaver-Burk plots showed that BPA exerted competitive inhibition towards the glucuronidation of AZT, and nonlinear repression with competitive equation was used to calculate the Ki value to be 3.2 µM. CONCLUSION: Potential BPA-AZT interaction might occur when the patients administered with AZT is also exposed to BPA.

Cross-sectional study on rates and influential factors of standard medication for antiretroviral therapy in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To understand the status of standard medication of antiretroviral therapy and identify its correlationship with preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Qualitative and quantitative methods for measuring of standard medication towards antiretroviral therapy of PMTCT were used in a cross-sectional study of 167 pregnant women who had accessed to PMTCT services and 57 physicians providing service from January 2005 to June 2007 in 5 HIV epidemic counties in Yunnan province.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 167 mothers were recruited, of which 65.87% (110/167) demonstrated for standard medication. The percentage of rational selection of antivirus-therapy regimen was 88.02% (147/167). HIV positive mothers with rational using medicine during labor covered 81.37% (131/161). 87.42% (146/167) of women demonstrated good compliance. The main correlations with the standard medication level of HIV positive pregnant women and their infants were as follows: diagnose time (OR = 2.617; 95% CI: 1.184 - 5.783), place of delivery (OR = 0.064; 95% CI: 0.007 - 0.607), minorities (OR = 0.344; 95% CI: 0.162 - 0.730), understanding of HIV women for antiretroviral therapy (OR = 6.843; 95% CI: 1.449 - 32.312), and doctors' cognition about the regimen for antiretroviral therapy was not enough; 5 key knowledge points (purpose of PMTCT, the consequence of not requiring standard medication, the effect of knowing regimens, the relationship of CD4 levels and selected regimens, the side effect of the relevant medicine) score rate was 47.72% (136/285).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The proportions of standard medication in PMTCT antiretroviral therapy were not high. Standard medication might be associated with multiple factors from doctors, patients and society. It is necessary to make some steps to improve standard medication of antiretroviral therapy in PMTCT.</p>