Impacts of ambient temperature on the burden of bacillary dysentery in urban and rural Hefei, China.

Bacillary dysentery continues to be a major health issue in developing countries and ambient temperature is a possible environmental determinant. However, evidence about the risk of bacillary dysentery attributable to ambient temperature under climate change scenarios is scarce. We examined the attributable fraction (AF) of temperature-related bacillary dysentery in urban and rural Hefei, China during 2006-2012 and projected its shifting pattern under climate change scenarios using a distributed lag non-linear model. The risk of bacillary dysentery increased with the temperature rise above a threshold (18·4 °C), and the temperature effects appeared to be acute. The proportion of bacillary dysentery attributable to hot temperatures was 18·74% (95 empirical confidence interval (eCI): 8·36-27·44%). Apparent difference of AF was observed between urban and rural areas, with AF varying from 26·87% (95% eCI 16·21-36·68%) in urban area to -1·90% (95 eCI -25·03 to 16·05%) in rural area. Under the climate change scenarios alone (1-4 °C rise), the AF from extreme hot temperatures (>31·2 °C) would rise greatly accompanied by the relatively stable AF from moderate hot temperatures (18·4-31·2 °C). If climate change proceeds, urban area may be more likely to suffer from rapidly increasing burden of disease from extreme hot temperatures in the absence of effective mitigation and adaptation strategies.

Effect of diurnal temperature range on the outpatient visits for acute bronchitis in children: a time-series study in Hefei, China.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the relationship between diurnal temperature range (DTR) and outpatient visits for childhood acute bronchitis (AB) in Hefei, China, to analyze whether DTR effect was delayed, and to explore the susceptible populations. STUDY DESIGN: An ecological study. METHODS: A Poisson generalized linear regression model combined with a distributed lag non-linear model was used to analyze the relationship between DTR and childhood AB from Hefei, China during 2010-2013, after adjusting for long-term trend and seasonality, mean temperature and relative humidity. RESULTS: An adverse effect of DTR on childhood AB was observed, and the impact of DTR was greatest at three days lag, with a 1.0% (95% confidence interval = 0.5-1.6%) increase of AB cases per 1 °C increment of DTR. Female children and children aged 0-4 years appeared to be more vulnerable to DTR effect than other children. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that large DTR may increase the incidence of childhood AB in Hefei, particularly for those who are female and young. Caregivers and health practitioners should be made aware of the potential threat posed by large DTR.

[The correlations of single photon emission computed tomography joints scan and bone metabolic markers in active rheumatoid arthritis].

Objective: To explore the correlation between quantitative value of joint bone scan by single photon emission computed tomography(SPECT) and serum bone metabolic markers in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis(RA). Method: Clinical data of 60 newly diagnosed RA patients were retrospectively collected in Department of Rheumatology and Immunology from May 2013 to December 2014, including 28 cases with medical history less than 6 months and 32 from 6 months to 2 years. Serum C-terminal telopeptide of type Ⅰ collgen(CTX-Ⅰ)and N-terminal propeptide of type Ⅰ collagen(PINP)were tested by chemiluminesence. SPECT whole body bone and target joint scan before treatment was done. Thirty-nine healthy subjects as control group received ultrasound, electrocardiogram, X-ray, and whole body bone imaging examination. Quantitative values of joint imaging were calculated for the statistical analysis. Result: Demographic data between RA group and control group were comparable (P>0.05), including sample, sex, age and BMI. The joint SPECT value, CTX-Ⅰ and PINP levels were all significantly higher than those of control group (P<0.01), which were 6.48±1.98 versus 3.73±1.16; (0.66±0.37) mg/L versus (0.58±0.21) mg/L; (46.35±28.15) mg/L versus (30.47±13.75) mg/L respectively. Joint SPECT values had positive correlations with serum CTX-Ⅰ levels in all RA patients, as well as PINP in patients with disease duration 6mon-2years. And the according correlation coefficients were 0.513, 0.495, 0.402(P<0.05). But SPECT value had no correlation with CTX-Ⅰ (P=0.081) in patients with disease duration less than 6 mon.The correlation coefficient was 0.336. Conclusion: SPECT imaging quantitative values were positively correlated with serum bone metabolic parameters. Thus SPECT imaging alone or combined with bone markers are helpful in diagnosing active RA.

[Survey of HIV infection in men who have sex with men living for 5 years or less in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province].

Objective: To assess the prevalence of HIV infection and related factors in men who have sex with men (MSM) living for ≤5 years in Wenzhou of Zhejiang province. Methods: MSM who were aged ≥16 years, had lived in Wenzhou for ≥3 months and had anal sex and/or oral sex with men in the last 12 months were recruited through respondent-driven sampling (RDS) from February to October in 2015. The MSM recruited completed a questionnaire for the information collection on socio-demographic characteristics, sexual behavior, awareness of HIV and related intervention, mental health status. Blood samples were collected from them for serological detection of HIV and syphilis antibodies. Software SPSS 18.0 was used to analyze HIV infection and related factors. Results: A total of 454 MSM were investigated, 108 of them (23.7%) were HIV positive. There were 267 MSM who lived in Wenzhou for ≤5 years, and 73 of them (27.3%) were HIV positive. Most of them were workers and commercial servants aged ≥25 years with personal monthly income <4 000 yuan and educational level of junior high school or below. According to multiple logistics regression analysis, age of 25-68 years old (OR=12.19, 95%CI: 2.29-65.02), heterosexual behavior in recent 6 months (OR=0.42, 95%CI: 0.18-0.96), believing it was possible to be infected with HIV (OR=0.06, 95%CI: 0.01-0.95), believing it was impossible to be infected with HIV (OR=0.03, 95%CI: 0.01-0.35) and syphilis status (OR=3.32, 95%CI: 1.05-10.52) were the risk factors associated with HIV infection. Conclusion: Compared with MSM who lived in Wenzhou for >5 years, MSM who lived in Wenzhou for ≤5 years had higher HIV infection rate and higher prevalence of risk behavior. It is necessary to conduct targeted intervention among them.

TGF-ß1 promotes human gastric carcinoma SGC7901 cells invasion by inducing autophagy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of TGF-b1 in autophagy and invasion ability in human gastric carcinoma cell line SGC7901. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cultured SGC7901 cells were treated with different concentrations of TGF-b1 for 24 h. The protein expression levels of autophagy relative marker LC3 and Beclin1 were detected by Western blot. The effect of TGF-b1 on invasion ability of SGC7901 cells was detected with transwell method. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that TGF-b1 was able to induced autophagy of SGC7901 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Autophagy inhibitor 3-MA could inhibit TGF-b1 upregulated autophagy. Furthermore, TGF-b1 significantly enhances the invasion ability of SGC7901 cells. However, autophagy inhibitor 3-MA could effectively reverse this process. CONCLUSIONS: TGF-b1 enhances SGC7901 cells migration by inducing autophagy.

[Influence of humidex on incidence of bacillary dysentery in Hefei: a time-series study].

Objective: To investigate the effect of humidex combined with mean temperature and relative humidity on the incidence of bacillary dysentery in Hefei. Methods: Daily counts of bacillary dysentery cases and weather data in Hefei were collected from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2013. Then, the humidex was calculated from temperature and relative humidity. A Poisson generalized linear regression combined with distributed lag non-linear model was applied to analyze the relationship between humidex and the incidence of bacillary dysentery, after adjusting for long-term and seasonal trends, day of week and other weather confounders. Stratified analyses by gender, age and address were also conducted. Results: The risk of bacillary dysentery increased with the rise of humidex. The adverse effect of high humidex (90 percentile of humidex) appeared in 2-days lag and it was the largest at 4-days lag (RR=1.063, 95%CI: 1.037-1.090). Subgroup analyses indicated that all groups were affected by high humidex at lag 2-5 days. Conclusion: High humidex could significantly increase the risk of bacillary dysentery, and the lagged effects were observed.

[7 elements in patients with heart diseases and their relationship with blood pressure and biochemical target].

The trace elements Zn, Cu, Fe, and ordinary elements K, Na, Ca, Mg in serum of 711 patients with heart disease (HD) were determined with GGX-II atomic absorption spectrophotometer and flame photometer. It was found that the contents of K, Ca/Mg in HD were significantly lower than those in the control, while the content of Na, Mg, Zn, Fe, and Zn/Cu, Na/K were significantly higher than those in the control. There was a significantly negative correlation between K, Ca/Mg and blood pressure (BP), between Zn/Cu and HDL-ch, and a significantly positive correlation between Na, Zn, Fe, Zn/Cu, Na/K and BP, between Fe and Hct, between Zn/Cu and Hct, TG, VLDL-ch.

Mechanical properties and in vivo performance of load-bearing fiber-reinforced composite intramedullary nails with improved torsional strength.

Fiber-reinforced composites (FRC) could be feasible materials for fracture fixation devices if the mechanical properties of the composites are congruent with the local structural properties of bone. In a recently developed FRC implant, bisphenol A dimethacrylate (BisGMA) and triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) resin was reinforced with unidirectional E-glass fibers. The addition of a braided glass fiber sleeving to the unidirectional fibers increased the torsional strength (99.5MPa) of the FRC implants at the expense of the flexural strength (602.0MPa). The flexural modulus was 15.3GPa. Two types of FRC intramedullary nails were prepared; first type was FRC as such, second type was FRC with a surface layer of bioactive glass (BG) granules. Experimental oblong subtrochanteric defect was created in 14 rabbits. The defect, which reduced the torsional strength of the bones by 66%, was fixed with an FRC intramedullary nail of either type. The contralateral intact femur served as the control. This model simulated surgical stabilization of bone metastasis. After 12 weeks of follow-up, the femurs were harvested and analyzed by torsional testing, micro-CT and hard tissue histology. Healed undisplaced peri-implant fractures were noticed in half of the animals irrespective of the type of FRC implant. Torsional testing showed no significant differences between the implantation groups. The torsional strength of the bones stabilized by either type of FRC implant was 83% of that of the contralateral femurs. In histological analysis, no implant debris and no adverse tissue reactions were observed. While the mechanical properties of the modified FRCs were suboptimal, the FRC intramedullary nails supported the femurs without structural failure, even in the cases of peri-implant fractures.

Effect of bilateral deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus on freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease.

OBJECTIVE: A prospective cohort study to evaluate the efficacy of bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) on freezing of gait (FOG) in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease. METHODS: Patients (n = 10) with advanced Parkinson's disease were surgically implanted with microelectrodes to facilitate STN-DBS. Evaluations of FOG, motor function, activities of daily living and neuropsychological function were carried out in on-medication and off-medication states (with and without levodopa treatment), before surgery and at 6 and 12 months postoperatively. RESULTS: STN-DBS was associated with significant improvement in FOG score and neuropsychological function at both 6 and 12 months postoperatively, compared with preoperatively. Significant postoperative improvements were also observed in motor function and activities of daily living. Daily levodopa dosage was significantly lower at both 6 and 12 months postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: STN-DBS improved FOG in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease. The significant reduction in levodopa dosage and improvement in neuropsychological function may be the reason for the therapeutic effect seen with STN-DBS.

Development of a multi-component fiber-reinforced composite implant for load-sharing conditions.

Fiber-reinforced composites (FRC) have the potential for use as load-bearing orthopaedic implants if the high strength and elastic modulus of FRC implant can be matched with local requirements. This study tested the in vivo performance of novel FRC implants made of unidirectional glass fibers (E-glass fibers in Bis-GMA and TEGDMA polymeric matrix). The implant surface was covered with bioactive glass granules. Control implants were made of surface-roughened titanium. Stress-shielding effects of the implants were predicted by finite element modelling (FEM). Surgical stabilization of bone metastasis in the subtrochanteric region of the femur was simulated in 12 rabbits. An oblong subtrochanteric defect of a standardized size (reducing the torsional strength of the bones approximately by 66%) was created and an intramedullary implant made of titanium or the FRC composite was inserted. The contralateral femur served as the intact control. At 12 weeks of healing, the femurs were harvested and analyzed by radiography, torsional testing, micro-CT imaging and hard tissue histology. The functional recovery was unremarkable in both groups, although the final analysis revealed two healed undisplaced peri-implant fractures in the group of FRC implants. FEM studies demonstrated differences in stress-shielding effects of the titanium and FRC implants, but the expected biological consequences did not become evident during the follow-up time of the animal study. Biomechanical testing of the retrieved femurs showed no significant differences between the groups. The torsional strength of the fixed bones had returned the level of contralateral intact femurs. Both implants showed ongrowth of intramedullary new bone. No adverse tissue reactions were observed. Based on these favorable results, a large-scale EU-project (NewBone, www.hb.se/ih/polymer/newbone) has been launched for development of orthopaedic FRC implants.

High-resolution electron microscopy observations of continuous precipitates with Pitsch-Schrader orientation relationship in an Mg-Al based alloy and interpretation with the O-lattice theory.

High-resolution electron microscopy was applied to analyze the continuous precipitated particles of the gamma-Mg(17)Al(12) phase with Pitsch-Schrader OR in the heat-treated AZ91 alloy at 473 K for 8 h. The existence of a continuous precipitated particle with the Pitsch-Schrader OR including the selection of the habit plane and the growth direction in Mg-Al system is rationalized by the constrained coincidence site lattice/constrained complete pattern shift lattice (CCSL/CDSCL) model and the O-lattice theory.

Double enzyme-catalyzed microreactors using capillary electrophoresis.

This work evaluates the concept of a double enzyme-catalyzed microreactor using capillary electrophoresis (CE). Migrating in a capillary under electrophoresis conditions, plugs of substrate and two enzymes are injected separately in buffer and allowed to react. Extent of reaction and product ratios were subsequently determined by CE. This concept is demonstrated using two model systems: the conversion of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) by hexokinase (HK, EC 2.7.1.1) and apyrase (APY, EC 3.6.1.5), respectively, in the conversion of glucose to glucose-6-phosphate and inorganic phosphate, respectively, and the conversion of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, reduced form (NADH), to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and back to NADH by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, EC 1.1.1.27) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH, EC 1.1.1.49), respectively, in the conversion of pyruvate to lactate and glucose-6-phosphate (glc-6-P) to 6-phosphogluconate, respectively. These procedures illustrate the use of the capillary as a double microreactor and the ease of quantitation of reaction products under conditions of electrophoresis.

Replantation of multi-level hand severances.

Since 1990, the replantation of hands severed at multiple levels has been carried out successfully for 22 patients. In each case the motor and sensory functions of the hand were recovered satisfactorily. We suggest that such wounds should be named 'multi-level severances' and should be classified into five groups according to the wound localities. In order to shorten ischaemic time, debridement should be carried out simultaneously by several groups. The main technical points of the operation are: (1) The order of replantation for multiply severed fingers is that the most distant section should be reattached first, and then the more proximal part. (2) High quality blood vessel anastomosis must be ensured. (3) Avoid taking the blood vessels, nerves and tendons from severed region. (4) During the operation, care should be taken to ensure that the replanted fingers' segments are protected from collision and stretching. In the early stages following the operation correct functional exercise is very important.

Insulin-like growth factors I and II in the aseptic loosening of total hip implants.

Periprosthetic interface tissue and pseudocapsule samples surrounding aseptically loosened hip implants and control knee synovium were studied by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry. Endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and monocyte/macrophages contained bone formation-enhancing insulin-like growth factors (IGFs). In interface tissue we found fewer IGF-I and IGF-II positive cells than in control tissue. In pseudocapsular tissue we found fewer IGF-I positive cells and an equal amount of IGF-II positive cells compared to control tissues. Decreased bone formation may contribute to net loss of bone around aseptically loosened hip implants.