HIV and Severity of Seasonal Household Food-Related Coping Behaviors in Rural Ghana

In-depth research was conducted to evaluate the seasonal food insecurity of HIV-positive and HIV-negative farm households in the Eastern Region, Ghana. A Coping Strategy Index (CSI) was used to assess household food-related coping behaviors. HIV-positive farm households often relied on both less severe and more severe coping behaviors, had a higher CSI, cultivated a smaller field area, harvested fewer food species from farms and gardens, and obtained income from fewer sources than HIV-negative farm households in both the post-harvest and lean seasons. We conclude that food insecurity is more severe in HIV-positive than in HIV-negative farm households in both seasons.     

六季气候因素对类风湿关节炎患者的影响

目的探讨北京地区类风湿关节炎(RA)患者住院人数的季节波动与六季气候因素之间的关系。方法以中国中医科学院西苑医院RA住院患者资料为研究对象,用"六季"为分类方法,统计2000—2006年42季各季入院人数;同时根据气象信息中心提供的同期日平均气温、平均气压、平均相对湿度、平均降水量、平均风速五项气象要素,计算7 a来42季各季气候平均值,运用方差分析进行研究。结果 RA患者入院人数有按季节分布趋势,峰值分别对应温季和湿季,谷值对应风季。且温季与风季、湿季与风季入院人数比较有显著性差异(P<0.01)。结论气候因素的季节差异可能是导致RA患者入院人数季节波动的原因之一。     

清暑益气汤治疗梅雨季节癌病并发症的临床体会

癌病患者多程治疗后,脾胃元气先虚,遇夏天气热盛,易患暑夏疾病。治当益气运脾、清热除湿、生津止渴。运用清暑益气汤治疗梅雨季节癌病并发症能起捷效。     

皮肤对紫外线红斑反应敏感度的季节因素研究

目的：比较春夏秋冬4个季节不同部位皮肤对紫外线红斑反应的敏感性，了解皮肤紫外线红斑反应敏感度的影响因素。方法：春夏秋冬4个季节分别在40名受试者的前臂伸侧（曝光部位）和上臂屈侧（非曝光部位）使用中波紫外线（UVB）（181．44、140．40、88．56、56．16mJ）及长波紫外线（UVA）＋UVB03．49J／364．80mJ，9．91J／273．60mJ，6．62J／190．00mJ，4．45J／125．40mJ）西各4个剂量进行照射。照射前及照射后10min、24h、48h、第7天、第14天进行临床评分和使用Mexameter（皮肤黑素和血红素测定仪）进行检测，计算皮肤红斑指数改变率（EIR）。结果：①非曝光部位红斑反应强度在春季显著大于其他季节（P〈0．05），与非曝光部位的四季皮肤基础色素情况完全一致，且具有相关性（P〈0．05）。②春季和其他3个季节间曝光部位红斑反应强度差异均有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。结论：四季中春季对紫外线红斑反应的敏感性最高。表皮中黑素含量会影响皮肤对紫外线的敏感性。     

Observation seasonal variation of intraocular pressure in young healthy volunteers

AIM: To investigate fluctuation of intraocular pressure (IOP) and seasonal variation of 24-hour IOP during one year in healthy participants METHODS: Totally 13 young healthy volunteers participated in this study. IOP was measured with Canon TX-20 at about 8:00-9:00 a.m. from Monday to Friday every week for a whole year. They also underwent 24-hour IOP examination every three months. Blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, humidity, atmosphere pressure, sunshine duration and other environment parameters were recorded. RESULTS: The yearly fluctuation curve showed IOP in the summer months were lower than other seasons. In the multivariable generalized estimating equation analysis, IOP had a negative correlation with both temperature and sunshine duration (P<0.05). There also was a seasonal effect on 24-hour IOP. However, all intraclass correlation coefficients values of minimum, maximum and average of the 24-hour IOP and each individual IOP were less than 0.30. CONCLUSION: IOP is trend to be higher in cold days than warm days. IOP have negative association with both environmental temperature and duration of sunshine. On a season-to-season basis, 24-hour IOP is not highly reproducible in healthy volunteers.     

福州市登革热流行特征与蚊媒种群关系的研究

目的:研究1999年福州市近郊登革热的流行特征与媒介蚊虫的关系,以控制登革热的再次流行。方法:访视现症病人,开展房屋指数、容器指数、布雷图指数测定。检测病人血清中的IgM与IgG,从病人血清及白纹伊蚊体内分离病毒。设5个监测点,调查孳生场所,全年观察幼虫的季节消长规律。结果:经流行病学研究与病原学检测确认,本次流行的病原为Ⅱ型登革病毒,传播媒介是白纹伊蚊。罹患率为3.56％,以20～49岁年龄组为主,女性发病率高于男性,职业分布以农民、商人为主,分别占 45.84％和21.05％,呈一定的家庭聚集性,病例集中在8～9月,分别占47.68％和38.15％。在各种材料容器的水体中,广泛发现白纹伊蚊孳生。1月见少量幼虫;2月仍有残存幼虫;3月开始繁殖;4月上旬出现成蚊,密度逐渐上升,6月初与9月下旬分别出现主次高峰,11～12月下旬仍可发现幼虫;成蚊9月上旬密度最高;病家周围环境以白纹伊蚊幼虫孳生最多,流行特征与蚊媒种群密度的关系,呈互为制约作用。结论:本次流行有着明显的年龄、性别、职业、季节和家庭聚集等特征,发病与疫区白纹伊蚊孳生地多,密度高,人群普遍易感及气候条件等因素有着直接的关系。     

Physical activity in children measured by accelerometry: stability over time

The aim of this study was to examine the stability of objectively measured physical activity in Swedish children and to study variables that predicted physical activity and body mass index standard deviation score (BMI SDS) at follow-up. A total of 97 children provided valid repeated measurements of physical activity between 2002 and 2005. The children were on average 7.5 years at baseline (SD±0.92) and 9 years at follow-up (SD±0.92). The mean follow-up time was approximately 1.5 years (mean 558 days, SD±224). An accelerometer (Actiwatch^®, Cambridge Neurotechnology Ltd., Cambridge, UK) was used to measure physical activity during 7 consecutive days. Yearly weight and height were examined and BMI SDS was calculated. Baseline physical activity was significantly correlated with physical activity at follow-up ( r =0.59) with a stronger correlation for boys ( r =0.72) than for girls ( r =0.51). High physical activity levels were more stable ( r =0.74) than low physical activity levels ( r =0.55). Physical activity at follow-up was explained by physical activity at baseline and season ( R ² = 0.46) whereas BMI SDS at follow-up was explained by BMI SDS at baseline and age ( R ²=0.90). The results of this study suggest that physical activity levels are fairly stable in 6–10-year-old children.     

Sex and Seasonal Variations of Plasma Retinol,a-Tocopherol,and Carotenoid Concentrations in Japanese Dietitians

Aim: To clarify sex and seasonal variations of plasma antioxidant concentrations among middle-aged Japanese.Subjects and Methods: We investigated sex and seasonal variations of plasma antioxidant concentrations,including retinol, α-tocopherol, and carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene,β-cryptoxanthin, lutein and lycopene),in 55 middle-aged dietitians (46 women and 9 men) in Aichi Prefecture, Central Japan, who took no supplementsfrom autumn 1996 to summer 1997. Reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography was used tomeasure plasma antioxidant concentrations in overnight-fasting blood samples. Results: Plasma levels of α-tocopherol, α-/β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin and lutein were significantly influenced by sex, being significantlyhigher for women than men in each corresponding season; retinol and lycopene, however, showed no suchdifference. For women, winter values of α-tocopherol, α-/β-carotene, lutein and lycopene were significantlylower than corresponding summer values, and had reached their annual lowest. Retinol failed to show anysignificant seasonal variation, whereas the winter value of β-cryptoxanthin had reached its annual highest. Formen, β-cryptoxanthin exhibited significant seasonal changes and was also highest in winter. Winter values of α-tocopherol, α-/β-carotene and lycopene were lower compared with other seasons, but not statistically significant,probably due to the small sample size. Conclusions: The findings indicate that sex and seasonal variations ofplasma antioxidant concentrations should be taken into account in nutritional epidemiologic studies.