[The effect of Ba Duan Jin on the balance of community-dwelling older adults: a cluster randomized control trial].

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a 6-month Ba Duan Jin exercise program in improving the balance of community-dwelling older adults. Methods: A two arms, parallel-group, cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted in 1 028 community residents aged 60-80 years in 40 communities in 5 provinces of China. Participants in the intervention group (20 communities, 523 people) received Ba Duan Jin exercise 5 days/week, 1 hour/day for 6 months, and three times of falls prevention health education, and the control group (20 communities, 505 people) received falls prevention health education same as the intervention group. The Berg balance scale (BBS) score was the leading outcome indicator, and the secondary outcome indicators included the length of time of standing on one foot (with eyes open and closed), standing in a tandem stance (with eyes open and closed), the closed circle test, and the timed up to test. Results: A total of 1 028 participants were included in the final analysis, including 731 women (71.11%) and 297 men (28.89%), and the age was (69.87±5.67) years. After the 3-month intervention, compared with the baseline data, the BBS score of the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group by 3.05 (95%CI: 2.23-3.88) points (P<0.001). After the 6-month intervention, compared with the baseline data, the BBS score of the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group by 4.70 (95%CI: 4.03-5.37) points (P<0.001). Ba Duan Jin showed significant improvement (P<0.05) in all secondary outcomes after 6 months of exercise in the intervention group compared with the control group. Conclusions: This study showed that Ba Duan Jin exercise can improve balance in community-dwelling older adults aged 60-80. The longer the exercise time, the better the improvement.

[Analysis of healthy life expectancy and related socioeconomic influencing factors among the middle-aged and elderly in China, the United States, and the European Union].

Objective: To calculate and compare the healthy life expectancy (HLE) of the middle-aged and elderly in China, the United States, and developing and developed countries in the European Union(EU) and analyze the impact of socioeconomic factors on HLE in different countries or regions. Methods: Four surveys from 2010 to 2019 were brought into the research. The data were collected from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, Health and Retirement Study, and the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. Developed and developing countries in the EU were divided into two groups for calculation. Education level, total family wealth, and work retirement status were selected to measure socioeconomic status, and activities of daily living were used as health status indicators. We used the multi-state life cycle table method to calculate the transition probability between different health states and estimate life expectancy and HLE. Results: A total of 69 544 samples were included in the study. In terms of age, the middle-aged and elderly in the United States and developed countries of the EU have higher HLE in all age groups. In terms of gender, only Chinese women have lower HLE than men. Regarding socioeconomic factors, the middle-aged and elderly with higher education levels and total family wealth level have higher HLE. In China, working seniors have higher HLE, while for USA women and developed countries of the EU, retired or unemployed seniors have higher HLE. Conclusions: Demographic and socioeconomic factors impact HLE in different countries or regions. China should pay more attention to the health of women and the middle-aged and elderly retired with lower education and less total family wealth.

[Early death and causes of death of patients with autism spectrum disorders: A systematic review].

To study of premature/early death of autistic patients from the perspective of life course can help families, medical institutions and policy makers better deal with the adverse effects of autism. Several studies have shown that autistic patients have a high risk of death, however, the results are still inconsistent. To assess the risk of mortality among the autistic patients, we undertook a comprehensive search of MEDLINE, Web of Science and EMBASE databases. This paper reviewed the studies on the negative disease outcomes of autism spectrum disorders, including the risk of death, causes of death and several research hotspots in this field. Strict inclusion/exclusion criteria were used. Information was extracted from selected papers, tabulated and synthesized. In the study, 15 studies were included, with a total of 216 045 individuals. The main outcome was all-cause mortality in association with autism and the secondary outcome was cause-specific mortality. The results showed that all-cause mortality was higher for the autistic patients (RR=2.32, 95%CI: 1.98-2.72, I2=87.1%, P < 0.001). Risk ratio showed a greater inequality for female than male (male: RR=2.00, 95%CI: 1.57-2.55, I2=93.2%, P < 0.001; female: RR=4.66, 95%CI: 3.30-6.58, I2=92.0%, P < 0.001). Compared with the unnatural death, the risk of natural death was higher (RR=3.44, 95%CI: 1.27-9.26, I2=80.2%, P=0.025). As autism had many comorbidities, which would bring more health risks and natural deaths possibilities. There were some structural differences in unnatural death. Accidental injury death and suicide were two kinds of causes. Lacking social skills would weaken the ability to ask for help when encountering injuries. This paper put forward some suggestions for futures. First, to well study the comorbidity can reduce the risk of death from a medical point of view. Second, the scientists and policymakers should pay attention to the social environment and provide a safer environment for the autistic patients. Third, for women and for adolescents without cognitive impairment, due to their high risk of suicide, the society should provide them with more supportive social networks and improve their life satisfaction. Fourth, it is necessary to balance the rehabilitation resources in various regions in China and provide more high-quality lifelong rehabilitation monitoring and care services.

[Investigation of contact dermatitis caused by hard metal dust].

Objective: To investigate the incidence of contact dermatitis among workers in cemented carbide production enterprises. Methods: From October 1997 to October 2017, an occupational epidemiological survey was conducted on a large-scale cemented carbide production enterprise, and occupational health examinations were conducted for employees. 152 people were exposed to hard metal dust (hard metal raw material dust and alloy dust) . The employees in the work group were contact groups, and 142 employees in the non-dusting operation of the company were in the control group. A detailed retrospective survey of hard metal production workers with contact dermatitis history in the two groups was conducted to analyze the risk factors of contact dermatitis exposure to hard metal dust. Results: The incidence of allergic diseases in the exposed group was significantly higher than that in the control group. The difference was statistically significant (χ(2)=23.793, P<0.05) . The incidence of contact dermatitis in the exposed group was significantly higher than that in the control group. The difference was statistically significant (χ(2)=24.659, P<0.05) ; the changes of contact dermatitis in the contact group were mainly allergic contact dermatitis, and some showed irritative contact dermatitis; the operator had respiratory symptoms (including work-related nasal congestion, cough, wheezing) , difficulty breathing may be the influencing factors of contact dermatitis (RR=2.60, 95%CI: 1.10-6.20, P<0.05) . Conclusion: Hard metal alloy enterprises are exposed to hard metal dust. The incidence of contact dermatitis is high in workers, and the occurrence of contact dermatitis may be associated with those with respiratory symptoms.

[Association between the change of daily living activities and symptoms of depression in Chinese middle-aged and elderly people].

Objective: To explore the association between the change of daily living activities and the suymtoms of depression in Chinese middle-age and elderly people. Methods: People without symptoms on depression, emotional or spiritual diseases or memories related diseases in baseline survey (2011), those who were aged ≥45 years in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS) with two waves from 2011 to 2013 were invited to participate in this CHARLS study. Information related to demographic characteristics and health status of the subjects were collected through household-interview. Depression symptom was assessed with the Center for Epidemiological Studies of Depression (CES-D10) scale. Activities of daily living function was assessed by both Basic Activities of Daily Living (BADL) and Instrument Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scales. Symptoms of depression was compared and the differences in various BADL/IADL changing groups were analyzed with Log-rank test. Association between the changes of daily living activities and depression symptom was analyzed by Cox regression model. Results: Results from the log-rank test showed that the differences of depression symptom hazard ratio were statistically significant in different BADL/IADL changing groups. Results from the Cox regression analysis showed that the BADL/IADL in the deteriorating groups was associated with the higher hazard ratio of depression symptom (P<0.01), with the HR value (95%CI) for BADL and IADL deteriorate groups as 1.45 (1.20-1.76) and 1.64 (1.36-1.98), respectively, when comparing to the 'stablized' group. This phenomenon appeared an urban-rural difference. Statistical significances on IADL also happened in both urban and rural areas while BADL only occurred in rurals. Conclusion: There appeared an association between the change of daily living activities and depression symptom in Chinese middle-age and elderly people. Difference between IADL and BADL was also noticed between urban and rural areas.

[Determination of relative elements of hard metal in workplace air and urine by inductive coupled plama].

Objective: To establish a rapid detection method regarding the air conditions of workplace and the workers' urine included Tungsten, Cobalt, Nickel, Titanium, Cadmium, Manganese, Lead and its compounds based on inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) . Methods: The experiment adopts ICP-MS to deter-mine those metals in workshop air and workers urine, evaluate the detection's limitation, the precision and accuracy of the method. Using the membrane filter and urine freeze - dried metal standard material to verify this method. Results: Each element of correlation coefficient was greater than 0.999. The recovery rate of air samples was 91.6%~104.6%, within-batch RSD precision was 1.41%~3.50%, between-run precision was 1.28%~4.31%, urine samples recovery rate was 93.0%~102.6%, within - batch RSD precision was 1.25%~3.56%, between - run precision was 1.58%~4.67%, According to the method every element was within the scope of the standard reference, it was also showed that the established method is accurate and reliable. Conclusion: ICP-MS is an effective and feasible method to detect the workshop air and the workers' urine which included Tungsten, Cobalt, Nickel, Titanium, Cadmium, Manganese, Lead and its compounds.

Tumor cell characterization and classification based on cellular specific membrane capacitance and cytoplasm conductivity.

This paper reports a microfluidic system that enables the characterization of tumor cell electrical properties where cells were aspirated through a constriction channel (cross-section area smaller than that of biological cells) with cellular impedance profiles measured and translated to specific membrane capacitance (Cspecific membrane) and cytoplasm conductivity (σcytoplasm). Two batches of H1299 cells were quantified by the microfluidic platform with different constriction channel cross-section areas, recording no differences with statistical significance (p<0.001) in both Cspecific membrane (1.63±0.52 vs. 1.65±0.43 µF/cm(2)) and σcytoplasm (0.90±0.19 vs. 0.92±0.15S/m), and thus confirming the reliability of the microfluidic platform. For paired high- and low-metastatic carcinoma strains 95D (ncell=537) and 95C cells (ncell=486), significant differences in both Cspecific membrane (2.00±0.43 vs. 1.62±0.39 µF/cm(2)) and σcytoplasm (0.88±0.46 vs. 1.25±0.35S/m) were observed. Statistically significant difference only in Cspecific membrane (2.00±0.43 vs. 1.58±0.30 µF/cm(2)) was observed for 95D cells (ncell=537) and 95D CCNY-KD cells with single oncogene CCNY down regulation (ncell=479, CCNY is a membrane-associated protein). In addition, statistically significant difference only in σcytoplasm (0.73±0.17 vs. 1.01±0.17S/m) was observed for A549 cells (ncell=487) and A549 CypA-KD cells with single oncogene CypA down regulation (ncell=597, CypA is a cytosolic protein). These results validated the developed microfluidic platform for Cspecific membrane and σcytoplasm quantification and confirmed the feasibility of using Cspecific membrane and σcytoplasm for tumor cell classification.

Ischaemic postconditioning rescues brain injury caused by focal ischaemia/reperfusion via attenuation of protein oxidization.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of ischaemic postconditioning on brain injury and protein oxidization in focal ischaemia/reperfusion. METHODS: Adult male Wistar rats (n = 30) were randomly divided into sham-operated, ischaemia, and ischaemic postconditioning groups. Ischaemia was produced by middle cerebral artery occlusion and ischaemic postconditioning was performed using three cycles of 30-s/30-s reperfusion/reocclusion after 2 h of ischaemia. Brain infarction size, hydrogen peroxide concentration, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and proteasome activities, protein carbonyl derivatives and advanced oxidized protein products (AOPPs) were evaluated. RESULTS: The size of brain infarction after ischaemic postconditioning was significantly smaller compared with the ischaemia group, and was concomitant with significant reduction in protein carbonyl derivatives and AOPPs. The activities of SOD, CAT and proteasomes were elevated by ischaemic postconditioning compared with the ischaemia group. CONCLUSIONS: Ischaemic postconditioning is an effective way of reducing the size and effects of brain infarction caused by focal ischaemia/reperfusion, possibly due to a decrease in oxidized protein levels. Decreasing protein oxidization may, therefore, be a useful target for preventing cerebral injury.

Use of a new type of trocar for the surgical treatment of hydrocephalus: a simple and effective technique.

This study compared the use of a new type of peritoneocentesis trocar with conventional laparotomy for the placement of the distal catheter in the treatment of hydrocephalus with ventriculoperitoneal shunt. A total of 376 patients with hydrocephalus were recruited to the study and were assigned randomly to undergo insertion of the distal catheter by conventional laparotomy (n = 195) or using the new peritoneal trocar (n = 181). The time taken for the surgical procedure and the complication rate over the following 1-year period were compared between the two groups. The mean length of the procedure to place the distal catheter was significantly shorter in the trocar group compared with the laparotomy group. Infection and obstruction rates were significantly higher in the laparotomy group than in the trocar group. In conclusion, the use of the new trocar was associated with lower rates of surgically induced trauma and complications compared with conventional laparotomy.

First Report of Bacterial Leaf Spot on Snow Lotus Caused by Pseudomonas syringae in China.

Snow lotus (Saussurea involucrata (Kar. & Kir.) Sch. Bip.) is an economically important medicinal herb increasingly grown in China in recent years. During the summer and autumn of 2005, 2006, and 2007, a necrosis of unknown etiology was observed on leaves in commercial production areas in Xinjiang Province of China. Disease incidence was approximately 40 to 50% of the plants during the 2005 and 2007 growing seasons. Initial symptoms consisted of pronounced water-soaked, dark brown-to-black spots that were 1 to 2 mm in diameter on young, expanding leaves. Later, some leaf spots on older leaves enlarged and coalesced, causing leaf desiccation. Leaf samples were collected in 2005, 2006, and 2007 from the affected hosts. Bacterial streaming was evident from these samples, and 28 strains were isolated on nutrient agar or King's medium B (KMB). All strains were gram negative and fluoresced bluegreen under UV light after 48 h of growth at 28°C on KMB. On the basis of LOPAT tests, the strains were identified as Pseudomonas syringae (1). The identity of two strains was confirmed by sequencing the 16S rDNA gene, which revealed 98% similarity to P. syringae strains in NCBI (Accession Nos. FJ001817 and FJ001818 for XJSNL 111 and 107, respectively). Infiltration of tobacco leaves with bacterial suspensions resulted in typical hypersensitivity reactions within 24 h. Pathogenicity of the strains was confirmed by spray inoculating five snow lotus leaves of a six-leaf stage plant with 108 CFU ml-1 bacterial suspensions in sterile water and five plants sprayed with sterile distilled water served as controls. Inoculated and sterile water-sprayed controls were maintained in the growth chamber with 90% relative humidity for 15 days at 15 ± 2°C. Symptoms similar to the original symptoms were observed on inoculated plants after 2 weeks. No symptoms developed on controls. Bacteria reisolated from inoculated plants were identified as strains of P. syringae. Isolates were deposited at the Key Laboratory for Oasis Crop Disease Prevention and Cure, Shihezi University. Rust caused by Puccinia carthami and leaf spot disease caused by Alternaria carthami of snow lotus have been reported (2,3). To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. syringae as the cause of bacterial leaf spot on snow lotus in China. References: (1) A. Braun-Kiewnick and D. C. Sands. Pseudomonas. Page 84 in: Laboratory Guide for the Identification of Plant Pathogenic Bacteria. 3rd ed. N. W. Schaad et al., eds. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN, 2001. (2) S. Zhao et al. Plant Dis. 91:772, 2007. (3) S. Zhao et al. Plant Dis. 92:318, 2008.

Deletion analysis of the F plasmid oriT locus.

Functional domains of the Escherichia coli F plasmid oriT locus were identified by deletion analysis. DNA sequences required for nicking or transfer were revealed by cloning deleted segments of oriT into otherwise nonmobilizable pUC8 vectors and testing for their ability to promote transfer or to be nicked when tra operon functions were provided in trans. Removal of DNA sequences to the right of the central A + T-rich region (i.e., from the direction of traM) did not affect the susceptibility of oriT to nicking functions; however, transfer efficiency for oriT segments deleted from the right was progressively reduced over an 80- to 100-bp interval. Deletions extending toward the oriT nick site from the left did not affect the frequency of transfer if deletion endpoints lay at least 22 bp away from the nick site. Deletions or insertions in the central, A + T-rich region caused periodic variation in transfer efficiency, indicating that phase relationships between nicking and transfer domains of oriT must be preserved for full oriT function. These data show that the F oriT locus is extensive, with domains that individually contribute to transfer, nicking, and overall structure.