Local spatial variations analysis of smear-positive tuberculosis in Xinjiang using Geographically Weighted Regression model.

BACKGROUND: The spatial interplay between socioeconomic factors and tuberculosis (TB) cases contributes to the understanding of regional tuberculosis burdens. Historically, local Poisson Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) has allowed for the identification of the geographic disparities of TB cases and their relevant socioeconomic determinants, thereby forecasting local regression coefficients for the relations between the incidence of TB and its socioeconomic determinants. Therefore, the aims of this study were to: (1) identify the socioeconomic determinants of geographic disparities of smear positive TB in Xinjiang, China (2) confirm if the incidence of smear positive TB and its associated socioeconomic determinants demonstrate spatial variability (3) compare the performance of two main models: one is Ordinary Least Square Regression (OLS), and the other local GWR model. METHODS: Reported smear-positive TB cases in Xinjiang were extracted from the TB surveillance system database during 2004-2010. The average number of smear-positive TB cases notified in Xinjiang was collected from 98 districts/counties. The population density (POPden), proportion of minorities (PROmin), number of infectious disease network reporting agencies (NUMagen), proportion of agricultural population (PROagr), and per capita annual gross domestic product (per capita GDP) were gathered from the Xinjiang Statistical Yearbook covering a period from 2004 to 2010. The OLS model and GWR model were then utilized to investigate socioeconomic determinants of smear-positive TB cases. Geoda 1.6.7, and GWR 4.0 software were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Our findings indicate that the relations between the average number of smear-positive TB cases notified in Xinjiang and their socioeconomic determinants (POPden, PROmin, NUMagen, PROagr, and per capita GDP) were significantly spatially non-stationary. This means that in some areas more smear-positive TB cases could be related to higher socioeconomic determinant regression coefficients, but in some areas more smear-positive TB cases were found to do with lower socioeconomic determinant regression coefficients. We also found out that the GWR model could be better exploited to geographically differentiate the relationships between the average number of smear-positive TB cases and their socioeconomic determinants, which could interpret the dataset better (adjusted R 2 = 0.912, AICc = 1107.22) than the OLS model (adjusted R 2 = 0.768, AICc = 1196.74). CONCLUSIONS: POPden, PROmin, NUMagen, PROagr, and per capita GDP are socioeconomic determinants of smear-positive TB cases. Comprehending the spatial heterogeneity of POPden, PROmin, NUMagen, PROagr, per capita GDP, and smear-positive TB cases could provide valuable information for TB precaution and control strategies.

Peritoneal macrophages attenuate retinal ganglion cell survival and neurite outgrowth.

Inflammation is a critical pathophysiological process that modulates neuronal survival in the central nervous system after disease or injury. However, the effects and mechanisms of macrophage activation on neuronal survival remain unclear. In the present study, we co-cultured adult Fischer rat retinas with primary peritoneal macrophages or zymosan-treated peritoneal macrophages for 7 days. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed that peritoneal macrophages reduced retinal ganglion cell survival and neurite outgrowth in the retinal explant compared with the control group. The addition of zymosan to peritoneal macrophages attenuated the survival and neurite outgrowth of retinal ganglion cells. Conditioned media from peritoneal macrophages also reduced retinal ganglion cell survival and neurite outgrowth. This result suggests that secretions from peritoneal macrophages mediate the inhibitory effects of these macrophages. In addition, increased inflammation- and oxidation-related gene expression may be related to the enhanced retinal ganglion cell degeneration caused by zymosan activation. In summary, this study revealed that primary rat peritoneal macrophages attenuated retinal ganglion cell survival and neurite outgrowth, and that macrophage activation further aggravated retinal ganglion cell degeneration. This study was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of the Joint Shantou International Eye Center of Shantou University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shantou, Guangdong Province, China, on March 11, 2014 (approval no. EC20140311(2)-P01).

Relationship between serum uric acid level and bone density in patients with metabolic syndrome / 心血管康复医学杂志

Hyperuricemia is closely related to metabolic diseases.With the development of metabolic syndrome(MS),it can change the mechanical load,hormone and biochemical characteristics of patients,thus perform a complex impact on bone health.Although the increased mechanical load and the production of some hormones can prevent os-teoporosis,it can promote inflammation and oxidation in vivo,which may be harmful to bone health,and uric acid may have antioxidant effect to protect bone.Therefore,the influence of increased uric acid on bone in MS patients is still unclear.The present article will further explore this issue.

The Characteristics of TB Epidemic and TB/HIV Co-Infection Epidemic: A 2007-2013 Retrospective Study in Urumqi, Xinjiang Province, China.

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to find out epidemiologic characteristic of tuberculosis (TB) cases, and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) positive cases among TB patients (TB/HIV co-infection) through demographic, temporal, and spatial study in Urumqi. METHODS: Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression were applied to identify the epidemiologic characteristics and risk factors of TB epidemic and TB/HIV co-infection epidemic. All addresses of each TB case, TB/HIV co-infection case, and administrative street were transformed into geographical coordinate. Subsequently, the geocoded address for 82 streets was transformed into a dot map used as the basis of spatial datasets. In addition, the paper also used quantile map and the spatial scan statistic in order to identify the spatial distribution and spatial clusters of TB epidemic and TB/HIV co-infection epidemic. RESULT: There was a declining trend of the notification rates of TB epidemic from 2007 to 2009, as well as a rising trend from 2010 to 2013. However, the notification rates of TB/HIV co-infection epidemic showed a rising trend from 2007 to 2010, and a declining trend from 2011 to 2013. Moreover, a significant share of TB epidemic and TB/HIV co-infection epidemic happened between the age of 15 to 45 years old, indicating an increase in risk of TB and TB/HIV infection. It is worth noting that the risk of HIV infection for male TB patients was 2.947 times (95% CI [2.178, 3.988]) than that of female patients. Han ethnicity and Uygur ethnicity in urban region accounted for a large proportion of total TB and TB/HIV co-infection cases. Most of the TB cases of minorities in Urumqi showed a statistically significant increase in risk of HIV infection than Han ethnicity in Urumqi. In addition, the spatial distribution of TB epidemic and TB/HIV co-infection epidemic was highly skewed. Most of the local clusters were located in urban area and rural-urban continuum where showed an increase in risk of TB and TB/HIV infection. CONCLUSION: The epidemiologic and spatial-temporal analysis of TB epidemic and TB/HIV co-infection epidemic demonstrates a potential connection between TB and HIV in Urumqi. Demographic, temporal, geographic factors are the reasons of causing TB and TB/HIV co-infection epidemic.

Predictive factors for failure of non-invasive positive pressure ventilation in immunosuppressed patients with acute respiratory failure / 中华危重病急救医学

Objective To evaluate the predictive factors for failure of non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) in immunosuppressed patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF). Methods The clinical data of 118 immuno-deficient patients treated with NIPPV in the respiratory and intensive care unit (RICU) of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from January 2012 to August 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into a non-endotracheal intubation (ETI) group (n = 62) and ETI group (n = 56) according to whether ETI was performed during the hospitalization period or not. Each observed indicator was analyzed by univariate analysis, and factors leading to failure of NIPPV were further analyzed by Logistic regression. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to evaluate the predictive value of risk factors for failure of NIPPV in immunosuppressed patients with ARF. Results The non-intubation rate for NIPPV in immunosuppressed patients was 50.8% (60/118). Compared with the non-ETI group, the body temperature, pH value in the ETI group were significantly increased, the partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2) was significantly decreased, the ratio of oxygenation index (PaO2/FiO2) < 100 mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa), acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ(APACHE Ⅱ) score ≥ 20, and the number of cases requiring catecholamine were significantly increased, the mortality was significantly increased. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the APACHE Ⅱ score ≥ 20 [odds ratio (OR) = 15.274, 95% confidence internal (95%CI) = 2.175-107.252, χ2= 7.516, 1 = 0.006], PaO2/FiO2< 100 mmHg (OR = 0.075, 95%CI = 0.014-0.408, χ2= 8.968, 1 = 0.003), and need for catecholamine (OR = 35.736, 95%CI = 6.974-183.124, χ2= 18.400, 1 < 0.001) were independent risk factors for failure of NIPPV. ROC curve analysis showed that the APACHE Ⅱ score ≥ 20 and PaO2/FiO2< 100 mmHg could predict failure of NIPPV, the area under ROC curve (AUC) of the APACHE Ⅱ score ≥ 20 was 0.787, the sensitivity was 83.93%, the specificity was 69.35%, the positive predict value (PPV) was 71.21%, the negative predict value (NPV) was 82.69%, the positive likelihood ratio (PLR) was 2.74, the negative likelihood ratio (NLR) was 0.23, and Youden index was 0.53; the AUC of PaO2/FiO2< 100 mmHg was 0.757, the sensitivity was 80.65%, the specificity was 66.07%, the PPV was 68.18%, the NPV was 78.85%, the PLR was 2.38, the NLR was 0.29, and Youden index was 0.47. Conclusions 50.8% of immunocompromised and ARF patients treated with NIPPV did not require ETI, which is independent of the etiology of ARF. APACHE Ⅱ score ≥ 20, PaO2/FiO2<100 mmHg, and the need for catecholamine are predictive factors for failure of NIPPV in immunocompromised patients.

Preparation of hispidulin chitosan microsphere and its antiproliferation effect / 中国中药杂志

Hispidulin(HPDL) chitosan microspheres were prepared in this study to deliver HPDL to the lesion sitevia intravenous injection, and further evaluate their anticancer effects in vitro and the growth inhibition effect on A549 cells spheroids. HPDL chitosan microspheres were prepared by emulsion crosslinking method with chitosan as a drug carrier and the amount of HPDL was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The morphology of microspheres was observed under laser scanning confocal microscope. Additionally, the drug release amount of targeting microspheres was detected by dialysis method. Furthermore, the anti-proliferative effects against A549 lung cancer cells were tested by sulforhodamine B (SRB) method, and the effects of HPDL chitosan micrpsphereson early apoptosis of A549 cellswere determined by flow cytometry. A549 cells tumor spheroids were developed in vitro and then HPDL chitosan microspheres were added. On the 0, 1, 3, 7 d after adding the drugs, the inverted microscope was used to observe the mythologicaland volume changes of A549 cells spheroids. The encapsulation efficiency of HPDL chitosan microspheres was （75.32±0.52）%, and the drug loading amount was （7.76±0.67）%. Meanwhile, the microspheres were round shaped andhad smooth surface. The HPDL chitosan microspheres exhibited stronger inhibitory effects on A549 lung cancer cells. The results of flow cytometry indicated that, the early apoptosis rate of lung cancer A549 cells was （37.0±0.75）% at 24 h cells culture after drug administration. The volume of tumor spheroid was significantly inhibited, which had been shrunk by (50.09±11.06)% after the treatment by drug-loaded microsphere at day 7 as compared with blank group; meanwhile, the cells surface were obviously lysed. The preparation method in this research was simple and practicable, and the microspheres prepared with this method were round and smooth, with high encapsulation efficiency, which can significantly inhibit proliferation of lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells and induce cell apoptosis, and at the same time can cause lysisand death of A549 cell tumor spheroid.

Prevalence of rhinitis and related factors among college students in Urumqi,the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region / 中国基层医药

Objective To investigate the prevalence and the related factors of allergic rhinitis in Xinjiang College students.Methods Five universities'students in Urumqi were chosen as the research subjects,the question-naire survey was conducted by the method of cluster sampling,and the results were analyzed.Results 1 609 ques-tionnaires were valid from 2 000 questionnaires.The prevalence rate of allergic rhinitis was 36.8% in the five univer-sities in Urumqi.Prevalence rate increased with grade.The prevalence rates of drinking,regular cleaning nasal cavity, scrubbing their nose in allergic rhinitis were 43.2%,40.7%,53.8% respectively,which were higher than those in not drinking,not regular cleaning nasal cavity,not scrub nose,the differences were statistically significant (χ2 =6.945,9.679,100.845,all P 0.05).Conclusion Allergic rhinitis not only closely related to the grades and the environmental factors,but also has some connections with living habits(drink,clean nasal cavity and scrub noses).