Incidence Trends of Lip, Oral Cavity, and Pharyngeal Cancers: Global Burden of Disease 1990-2017.

The worldwide incidence trends of the lip, oral cavity, and pharyngeal cancers (LOCPs) need to be updated. This study aims to examine the temporal incidence trends of LOCPs from 1990 to 2017, using the latest Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study data to explore sex, age, and regional differences. GBD incidence data for LOCPs were driven by population cancer registries and were estimated from mortality data. Age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs) were directly extracted from the 2017 GBD database to calculate the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) over the study period. Incidence trends are mapped and compared separately by sex (females vs. males), age groups (15-49, 50-69, and 70+ y), regions (21 geographical and 5 sociodemographic regions), and countries. Among 678,900 incident cases of LOCPs notified in 2017, more than half were lip and oral cavity cancers. From 1990 to 2017, the estimated global incidence for nasopharyngeal cancers decreased dramatically (EAPC = -1.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], -1.70 to -1.34), while the incidence for lip and oral cavity cancers (EAPC = 0.26; 95% CI, 0.16-0.37) and other pharyngeal cancers (EAPC = 0.62; 95% CI, 0.54-0.71) increased. Higher ASIRs were observed among males than females across all age groups. However, females had larger EAPC variation when compared to males. Population groups aged 15 to 49 y presented the lowest ASIRs, with larger values of EAPC than those aged 50 to 69 and 70+ y. While high-income countries had higher ASIRs with little EAPC variation, ASIRs varied across low/middle-income regions with larger EAPC variations. South Asia and East Asia had the highest ASIRs and EAPC for lip and oral cavity cancers, respectively. In conclusion, the global incidence of LOCPs has increased among females, those aged 15 to 49 y, and people from low/middle-income countries over the study period, excepting nasopharyngeal cancers, which had a decreasing worldwide trend.

MiR-512-3p regulates malignant tumor behavior and multi-drug resistance in breast cancer cells via targeting Livin.

Breast cancer (BCa) is one of the most lethal malignancies of female reproductive organs. Increasing evidence has revealed that miRNAs participate in both tumorigenesis and multi-drug resistance. MiR-512-3p, a small non-coding RNA (miRNA), was previously found to be upregulated in breast cancer cells. In this study, we first verified that miR-512-3p expression forced a significant reorganization of the tumor architecture, affecting important cellular processes involved in cell-cell contact, cell adhesion and cell motility. Accordingly, induction of miR-512-3p expression significantly enhanced chemosensitivity and decreased metastatic potential in BCa cells. Our study demonstrated that miR-512-3p directly targets the 3'UTR of Livin, thereby decreasing its expression in MCF-7 cells. MiR-512-3p overexpression significantly inhibited breast cancer cell growth and metastasis. Both miR-512-3p overexpression and Livin knockdown significantly increased the chemosensitivity of cancer cells. Epirubicin (EPB), gemcitabine (GCB) and docetaxel (TXT) had antitumor effects in vitro against human breast cancer cell lines, and miR-512-3p overexpression increased tumor sensitivity to these drugs. In addition, miR-512-3p overexpression significantly inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Collectively, our data suggest that miR-512-3p is a significant regulator of tumorigenesis and drug resistance in breast cancer and provides evidence that miR-512-3p may represent a promising target for breast cancer therapy.

The challenges of implementing an integrated One Health surveillance system in Australia.

As 75 per cent of emerging infectious diseases are of animal origin, a One Health approach that integrates the health of humans, animals and the environment could provide an earlier opportunity for zoonotic disease detection and prevention. In Australia, human, animal and ecological health are managed by separate sectors with limited communication. This study aims to explore how professionals in these fields perceive a One Health approach to zoonotic disease surveillance, aiming to identify the challenges to the implementation of an integrated system in Australia. Using a qualitative research method, ten semistructured interviews were conducted with academic experts to gain insight into the possibility of developing an integrated surveillance system in Australia. A thematic analysis of the data was undertaken. Findings showed the absence of a clear definition and subsequent vision for the future of One Health act as a barrier to interdisciplinary collaboration, and that siloed approaches by different sectors restrict the ability for professionals to work collaboratively across disciplines. An understanding of disease transmission was considered by participants to be a necessary requirement for a successful One Health approach. Finally, participants considered political will an essential requirement for the integration of surveillance systems. This study demonstrates that for a One Health approach to be implemented in an Australian setting, those working in the fields of human, animal and ecological health must agree on several aspects. The establishment of a formal governance body with representatives from each sector could assist in overcoming long-standing barriers of privacy and distrust. Further, developing interdisciplinary training in One Health concepts for medical, environmental and veterinary students may encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration. Finally, demonstrating to policymakers the economic benefit of improved and timely detection of zoonoses may help in facilitating a structured One Health approach to disease surveillance in Australia.

Association between malaria incidence and meteorological factors: a multi-location study in China, 2005-2012.

This study aims to investigate the climate-malaria associations in nine cities selected from malaria high-risk areas in China. Daily reports of malaria cases in Anhui, Henan, and Yunnan Provinces for 2005-2012 were obtained from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Generalized estimating equation models were used to quantify the city-specific climate-malaria associations. Multivariate random-effects meta-regression analyses were used to pool the city-specific effects. An inverted-U-shaped curve relationship was observed between temperatures, average relative humidity, and malaria. A 1 °C increase of maximum temperature (T max) resulted in 6·7% (95% CI 4·6-8·8%) to 15·8% (95% CI 14·1-17·4%) increase of malaria, with corresponding lags ranging from 7 to 45 days. For minimum temperature (T min), the effect estimates peaked at lag 0 to 40 days, ranging from 5·3% (95% CI 4·4-6·2%) to 17·9% (95% CI 15·6-20·1%). Malaria is more sensitive to T min in cool climates and T max in warm climates. The duration of lag effect in a cool climate zone is longer than that in a warm climate zone. Lagged effects did not vanish after an epidemic season but waned gradually in the following 2-3 warm seasons. A warming climate may potentially increase the risk of malaria resurgence in China.

[Correlation analysis of the Epstein-Barr virus recruited regulatory T cells in nasopharyngeal carcinoma of immune escape].

Objective: To investigate the relation of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-induced immune escape to regulatory T cells(Treg) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC). Methods: We recruited 83 patients who were pathologically diagnozed as nasopharyngeal carcinoma and treated in Nanfang Hospital from January to September 2016. CD4(+) CD25(+) FOXP3(+) Treg in peripheral blood was examined by flow cytometry and the level of EBV DNA in the blood was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR)in 83 patients and 51 healthy adults as control. The expression of FOXP3(+) Treg and EBER in NPC in 32 of 83 patients and in nasopharyngitis in 16 control patients were tested by immunohistochemistry(IHC) and in-situ hybridization(ISH). Results: The ratio of Treg in blood in patients with NPC(5.29±1.45)% was higher than that in control group (4.78±1.19) %, with a statistically significant difference(P=0.035). The ratio of Treg in blood in patients with positive EBV was higher than that in patients with negative EBV(P=0.013), and there was a positive correlation between EBV DNA copies and Treg ratio(r=0.335, P=0.002). The density of FOXP3(+) Treg in NPC was higher than that in nasopharyngitis(P=0.001). Positive correlation was found between the density of FOXP3(+) Treg and the stain intensity of EBER(r=0.496, P=0.004). Conclusion: The ratios of Treg in blood and tissue in NPC patients with positive EBV are significantly increased, indicating a role of Treg in EBV-induced immune escape in NPC.

Sleep disorders of acute thalamic stroke and its influence on plasma IL-17.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between sleep disorders in acute thalamus stroke patients and plasma IL-17 levels and the mechanism through which inflammatory reactions develop in stroke. The study included two groups of patients: an experimental group consisting of 30 patients with thalamus stroke who received treatment at the Affiliated Hong Qi Hospital of Mu Dan Jiang Medical University during October 2015 to October 2016 and a control group consisting of 15 healthy volunteers. All the subjects included in the study were biochemically monitored for blood glucose, blood fats and IL-17 plasma levels. The sleep quality of all the subjects included in the study was evaluated [Epwort, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)] with 8-hour Polysonmography (PSG) monitoring. The experimental group was divided into 3 subgroups according to the part of the brain affected by stroke: anterior thalamus nucleus group, lateral thalamus nucleus group and medial thalamus nucleus group. The differences were analyzed between the experimental group and the control group in sleep quality scores, sleep structural changes, and plasma IL-17 levels. The differences in sleep structural scores were also analyzed according to different parts of the brain affected by stroke. The experimental group had a higher PSQI score compared with the control group, but this difference had no statistical significance (p>0.05). Compared with the control group, the N1 phase of the experimental group was longer while the N2 and N3 phases were shorter (p<0.05). There were no differences in sleep structure between the three regions of the brain affected by stroke (anterior thalamus nucleus group, lateral thalamus nucleus group and medial thalamus nucleus group) (p > 0.05). The plasma levels of IL-17 in the experimental group was higher compared to the control group (p<0.05). In the experimental group, the patients with hypersomnia had higher IL-17 levels than patients without hypersomnia (p<0.01). We can conclude that PSG can be used as an electrophysiology index for early detection of sleep disorders in thalamus stroke patients. Sleep disorders in patients with thalamus stroke persist a long time after the incident, therefore monitoring their sleep structure may become an important index to predict the prognosis of the disease. The increased level of IL-17 level in the experimental group shows its implication in appearance of sleep disorders of acute thalamus stroke through inflammatory mechanism.

The effects of ambient temperature and heatwaves on daily Campylobacter cases in Adelaide, Australia, 1990-2012.

Campylobacter spp. is a commonly reported food-borne disease with major consequences for morbidity. In conjunction with predicted increases in temperature, proliferation in the survival of microorganisms in hotter environments is expected. This is likely to lead, in turn, to an increase in contamination of food and water and a rise in numbers of cases of infectious gastroenteritis. This study assessed the relationship of Campylobacter spp. with temperature and heatwaves, in Adelaide, South Australia. We estimated the effect of (i) maximum temperature and (ii) heatwaves on daily Campylobacter cases during the warm seasons (1 October to 31 March) from 1990 to 2012 using Poisson regression models. There was no evidence of a substantive effect of maximum temperature per 1 °C rise (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 0·995, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0·993-0·997) nor heatwaves (IRR 0·906, 95% CI 0·800-1·026) on Campylobacter cases. In relation to heatwave intensity, which is the daily maximum temperature during a heatwave, notifications decreased by 19% within a temperature range of 39-40·9 °C (IRR 0·811, 95% CI 0·692-0·952). We found little evidence of an increase in risk and lack of association between Campylobacter cases and temperature or heatwaves in the warm seasons. Heatwave intensity may play a role in that notifications decreased with higher temperatures. Further examination of the role of behavioural and environmental factors in an effort to reduce the risk of increased Campylobacter cases is warranted.

Experts' Perceptions on China's Capacity to Manage Emerging and Re-emerging Zoonotic Diseases in an Era of Climate Change.

Zoonotic diseases transmitted by arthropods and rodents are a major public health concern in China. However, interventions in recent decades have helped lower the incidence of several diseases despite the country's large, frequently mobile population and socio-economic challenges. Increasing globalization, rapid urbanization and a warming climate now add to the complexity of disease control and prevention and could challenge China's capacity to respond to threats of emerging and re-emerging zoonoses. To investigate this notion, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 30 infectious disease experts in four cities in China. The case study diseases under discussion were malaria, dengue fever and haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, all of which may be influenced by changing meteorological conditions. Data were analysed using standard qualitative techniques. The study participants viewed the current disease prevention and control system favourably and were optimistic about China's capacity to manage climate-sensitive diseases in the future. Several recommendations emerged from the data including the need to improve health literacy in the population regarding the transmission of infectious diseases and raising awareness of the health impacts of climate change amongst policymakers and health professionals. Participants thought that research capacity could be strengthened and human resources issues for front-line staff should be addressed. It was considered important that authorities are well prepared in advance for outbreaks such as dengue fever in populous subtropical areas, and a prompt and coordinated response is required when outbreaks occur. Furthermore, health professionals need to remain skilled in the identification of diseases for which incidence is declining, so that re-emerging or emerging trends can be rapidly identified. Recommendations such as these may be useful in formulating adaptation plans and capacity building for the future control and prevention of climate-sensitive zoonotic diseases in China and neighbouring countries.

The effects of air pollution on asthma hospital admissions in Adelaide, South Australia, 2003-2013: time-series and case-crossover analyses.

BACKGROUND: Air pollution can have adverse health effects on asthma sufferers, but the effects vary with geographic, environmental and population characteristics. There has been no long time-series study in Australia to quantify the effects of environmental factors including pollen on asthma hospitalizations. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the seasonal impact of air pollutants and aeroallergens on the risk of asthma hospital admissions for adults and children in Adelaide, South Australia. METHODS: Data on hospital admissions, meteorological conditions, air quality and pollen counts for the period 2003-2013 were sourced. Time-series analysis and case-crossover analysis were used to assess the short-term effects of air pollution on asthma hospitalizations. For the time-series analysis, generalized log-linear quasi-Poisson and negative binomial regressions were used to assess the relationships, controlling for seasonality and long-term trends using flexible spline functions. For the case-crossover analysis, conditional logistic regression was used to compute the effect estimates with time-stratified referent selection strategies. RESULTS: A total of 36,024 asthma admissions were considered. Findings indicated that the largest effects on asthma admissions related to PM2.5 , NO2 , PM10 and pollen were found in the cool season for children (0-17 years), with the 5-day cumulative effects of 30.2% (95% CI: 13.4-49.6%), 12.5% (95% CI: 6.6-18.7%), 8.3% (95% CI: 2.5-14.4%) and 4.2% (95% CI: 2.2-6.1%) increases in risk of asthma hospital admissions per 10 unit increments, respectively. The largest effect for ozone was found in the warm season for children with the 5-day cumulative effect of an 11.7% (95% CI: 5.8-17.9%) increase in risk of asthma hospital admissions per 10 ppb increment in ozone level. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that children are more vulnerable and the associations between exposure to air pollutants and asthma hospitalizations tended to be stronger in the cool season compared to the warm season, with the exception of ozone. This study has important public health implications and provides valuable evidence for the development of policies for asthma management.

RNAi-mediated Ghrelin affects gastric H(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity and expression of GOAT-Ghrelin system in vitro.

Ghrelin has been implicated in the regulation of gastric functional development, and its physiological functions are mediated by Ghrelin-O-acyltransferase (GOAT) which is capable of generating the active form of this polypeptide hormone. However, whether and how ghrelin gene silencing may modify gastric acid secretion and GOAT-Ghrelin system is yet to be explored. The study was performed in gastric mucosal cells from weanling piglets in vitro. We evaluated the effect of ghrelin on gastric acid secretion, gene expression of GOAT and ghrelin as well as ghrelin levels by RNA interference assay. shGhrelin triggered the down-regulation of ghrelin mRNA expression (P<0.05) via an RNAi mechanism, as observed by real-time RT-PCR. In addition, shGhrelin showed reduced total ghrelin production and secretion (P<0.05) using ELISA in vitro. We also detected that GOAT mRNA expression was reduced in shGhrelin group (P<0.05), compared with control groups. In accordance with the GOAT expression, acylated ghrelin production and secretion were reduced in gastric mucosal cells and culture medium (P<0.05). Silencing of ghrelin gene achieved by RNAi-mediation inhibited the activity of H(+)-K(+)-ATPase and pepsin (P<0.05) in gastric mucosal cells. These results indicated that RNAi of Ghrelin gene inhibited the gastric acid secretion with decreased GOAT mRNA and acylated Ghrelin in gastric mucosal cells.

The effect of temperature on different Salmonella serotypes during warm seasons in a Mediterranean climate city, Adelaide, Australia.

Changing trends in foodborne disease are influenced by many factors, including temperature. Globally and in Australia, warmer ambient temperatures are projected to rise if climate change continues. Salmonella spp. are a temperature-sensitive pathogen and rising temperature can have a substantial effect on disease burden affecting human health. We examined the relationship between temperature and Salmonella spp. and serotype notifications in Adelaide, Australia. Time-series Poisson regression models were fit to estimate the effect of temperature during warmer months on Salmonella spp. and serotype cases notified from 1990 to 2012. Long-term trends, seasonality, autocorrelation and lagged effects were included in the statistical models. Daily Salmonella spp. counts increased by 1·3% [incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1·013, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·008-1·019] per 1 °C rise in temperature in the warm season with greater increases observed in specific serotype and phage-type cases ranging from 3·4% (IRR 1·034, 95% CI 1·008-1·061) to 4·4% (IRR 1·044, 95% CI 1·024-1·064). We observed increased cases of S. Typhimurium PT9 and S. Typhimurium PT108 notifications above a threshold of 39 °C. This study has identified the impact of warm season temperature on different Salmonella spp. strains and confirms higher temperature has a greater effect on phage-type notifications. The findings will contribute targeted information for public health policy interventions, including food safety programmes during warmer weather.

Meat Science and Muscle Biology Symposium: stem cell niche and postnatal muscle growth.

Stem cell niche plays a critical role in regulating the behavior and function of adult stem cells that underlie tissue growth, maintenance, and regeneration. In the skeletal muscle, stem cells, called satellite cells, contribute to postnatal muscle growth and hypertrophy, and thus, meat production in agricultural animals. Satellite cells are located adjacent to mature muscle fibers underneath a sheath of basal lamina. Microenvironmental signals from extracellular matrix mediated by the basal lamina and from the host myofiber both impinge on satellite cells to regulate their activity. Furthermore, several types of muscle interstitial cells, including intramuscular preadipocytes and connective tissue fibroblasts, have recently been shown to interact with satellite cells and actively regulate the growth and regeneration of postnatal skeletal muscles. From this regard, interstitial adipogenic cells are not only important for marbling and meat quality, but also represent an additional cellular component of the satellite cell niche. At the molecular level, these interstitial cells may interact with satellite cells through cell surface ligands, such as delta-like 1 homolog (Dlk1) protein whose overexpression is thought to be responsible for muscle hypertrophy in callipyge sheep. In fact, extracellular Dlk1 protein has been shown to promote the myogenic differentiation of satellite cells. Understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms within the stem cell niche that regulate satellite cell differentiation and maintain muscle homeostasis may lead to promising approaches to optimizing muscle growth and composition, thus improving meat production and quality.

Prevalence of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in mainland China: analysis of National Surveillance Data, 2004-2009.

The monthly and annual incidence of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in China for 2004-2009 was analysed in conjunction with associated geographical and demographic data. We applied the seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) model to fit and forecast monthly HFRS incidence in China. HFRS was endemic in most regions of China except Hainan Province. There was a high risk of infection for male farmers aged 30-50 years. The fitted SARIMA(0,1,1)(0,1,1)12 model had a root-mean-square-error criterion of 0·0133 that indicated accurate forecasts were possible. These findings have practical applications for more effective HFRS control and prevention. The conducted SARIMA model may have applications as a decision support tool in HFRS control and risk-management planning programmes.

Climate variability and Ross River virus infections in Riverland, South Australia, 1992-2004.

Ross River virus (RRV) infection is the most common notifiable vector-borne disease in Australia, with around 6000 cases annually. This study aimed to examine the relationship between climate variability and notified RRV infections in the Riverland region of South Australia in order to set up an early warning system for the disease in temperate-climate regions. Notified data of RRV infections were collected by the South Australian Department of Health. Climatic variables and monthly river flow were provided by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology and South Australian Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation over the period 1992-2004. Spearman correlation and time-series-adjusted Poisson regression analysis were performed. The results indicate that increases in monthly mean minimum and maximum temperatures, monthly total rainfall, monthly mean Southern Oscillation Index and monthly flow in the Murray River increase the likelihood, but an increase in monthly mean relative humidity decreases the likelihood, of disease transmission in the region, with different time-lag effects. This study demonstrates that a useful early warning system can be developed for local regions based on the statistical analysis of readily available climate data. These early warning systems can be utilized by local public health authorities to develop disease prevention and control activities.

Internet use and risk behaviours: an online survey of visitors to three gay websites in China.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the risk behaviours of visitors to gay websites and to explore the role of the internet in the HIV transmission among the Chinese men who have sex with men (MSM). METHODS: Between May and August 2006, visitors of three Chinese gay websites were invited to complete an online questionnaire about the use of the internet and risk sexual behaviours. RESULTS: The median age of the online sample was 25 years old (range 18 to 64). Over three-quarters (77.6%) had an education of college or higher. Less than 44% of the online sample reported little or no risk for HIV transmission. These men had either had no anal intercourse (28.0%) or had always used a condom for anal intercourse (15.8%). Although only about half of the participants reported that their main purpose of visiting the gay websites was to look for sexual partners, most participants (86.1%) had used the internet to seek partners. Compared with men seeking sexual partners only on the internet, men seeking partners both in traditional gay venues and on the internet were older, less likely to be students and more likely to have unprotected anal intercourse, more than six sexual partners in the past 6 months and commercial sex behaviours. CONCLUSION: The users of the gay websites are relatively young and well educated, and highly vulnerable to HIV/AIDS, given their low prevalence of consistent condom use and multiple-risk sexual behaviours. Effective intervention programmes should be implemented and strengthened in China, especially for those who seek sexual partners both on the internet and in traditional gay venues.

Weather: driving force behind the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome in China?

BACKGROUND: The association between weather and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) transmission in Beijing and Hong Kong in the 2003 epidemic was studied to examine the effect of weather on SARS transmission. METHODS: Pearson's correlation analyses and negative binomial regression analyses were used to quantify the correlations between the daily newly reported number of SARS cases and weather variables, using daily disease notification data and meteorological data from the two locations. RESULTS: The results indicate that there were inverse association between the number of daily cases and maximum and/or minimum temperatures whereas air pressure was found to be positively associated with SARS transmission. CONCLUSION: The study suggests that weather might be a contributory factor in the 2003 SARS epidemic, in particular in the transmission among the community members.

Time-series analysis of the risk factors for haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome: comparison of statistical models.

Three conventional regression models were compared using the time-series data of the occurrence of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and several key climatic and occupational variables collected in low-lying land, Anhui Province, China. Model I was a linear time series with normally distributed residuals; model II was a generalized linear model with Poisson-distributed residuals and a log link; and model III was a generalized additive model with the same distributional features as model II. Model I was fitted using least squares whereas models II and III were fitted using maximum likelihood. The results show that the correlations between the HFRS incidence and the independent variables measured (i.e. difference in water level, autumn crop production and density of Apodemus agrarius) ranged from -0.40 to 0.89. The HFRS incidence was positively associated with density of A. agrarius and crop production, but was inversely associated with difference in water level. The residual analyses and the examination of the accuracy of the models indicate that model III may be the most suitable in the assessment of the relationship between the incidence of HFRS and the independent variables.

Advantages and challenges of using census and multiplier methods to estimate the number of female sex workers in a Chinese city.

Using census and multiplier methods to estimate the size of the population of female sex workers (FSWs) in a small city in western China, this study compared the advantages and challenges of the two methods. It was estimated that there were about 1,500 FSWs within the urban area using the census method, which was significantly lower than that estimated by the multiplier method (2,500). Each method has advantages and limitations, and could be applied to different situations. The census method is less time and resource consuming in smaller regions and has a tendency to underestimate, and therefore, the result can be viewed as a low limit. It is useful in a local setting, for example, when estimations are needed for planning HIV/AIDS prevention programmes in a single city. Using existing information or resources, multiplier method could be used to produce estimates for a large geographic area or at a national level.