Hostile Hartlepool and genteel Guildford: hostility and health in 10 English towns

Research from the USA suggests that cities with high mortality rates have high levels of hostility. Our aim was to replicate this research in English towns. A telephone questionnaire, based on the Cook-Medley hostility scale, was administered to random samples of adults in 10 English towns: five with high standardized mortality ratios (SMR) and five with low SMRs. The point estimate for the age-sex-weighted mean hostility score of high SMR towns was higher than that of low SMR towns (mean difference 0.2). However, the 95% confidence interval on the estimate included no difference between the two groups (-0.3-0.8). Our study does not confirm beyond doubt the findings of earlier research in the USA.     

An epidemiological and clinical study of untreated patients with tinea pedis within a company in Japan

In this study, we investigated epidemiological and clinical aspects of dermatophyte foot infections among employees of one dairy product company located in Kanagawa prefecture in central Japan. Sixty-nine of 377 subjects were reported having "athlete's foot" in response to a simple questionnaire. A subsequent mycological examination revealed 41 untreated patients with tinea pedis and/or tinea unguium (89% of subjects examined) and the overall prevalence was estimated at 18%. Comparing severity scores of five clinical symptoms (itching, erythema, vesicles/pustules, erosion/maceration, and scales) between those untreated patients within the subjects and another group of patients who spontaneously attended dermatological clinics to treat tinea pedis, itching, erythema, and total score were significantly higher in the latter group.     

Frequency and perception of cough severity

OBJECTIVE: The frequency of the common symptom of cough in children is unknown. The aim of this study was to compare cough frequency and perception of cough severity in children with and without recurrent cough. METHODOLOGY: Eighty-four children with (C) and without (NC) recurrent cough were recruited in the same season. Cough frequency (measured with cough-meter) and subjective cough severity (measured on parent-completed and child-completed diary cards on two subjective systems), were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Cough frequency in C (median 65/day) was significantly higher than in NC (10/day). The correlation between daytime and night-time cough was higher in NC (rs = 0.51, P < 0.00001) than in C (rs = 0.3, P = 0.05). The C group had significantly higher coughs per score than NC, for both subjective methods. CONCLUSIONS: Children with recurrent cough have a higher frequency and different pattern of cough than controls enrolled in the same season. Subjective perception of cough severity is dependent on the population studied.     

Test meal intake in obese binge eaters in relation to mood and gender

OBJECTIVE: We assessed test meal intake in men and women with and without binge eating disorder (BED) in relation to mood score (Zung scale). METHODS: Eighty-five overweight subjects (24 males and 61 females) participated; 30 subjects with BED and 55 without BED. Following an 8-hr fast, subjects consumed a liquid test meal until extremely full. RESULTS: BED subjects consumed significantly more (p =.009) of the test meal (1,032 g +/- 429) than the non-binge eaters (737 g +/- 399). The men ingested more than the women (p =.002). BED subjects also had higher depression scores (p =.01), without differing by gender. However, depression scores were unrelated to test meal intakes (r = -.01). DISCUSSION: The larger meal intakes of the BED group may be due to the larger stomach capacity previously found in both bulimics and obese subjects. The findings also support the premise that BED, listed in the DSM-IV appendix for further study, is found in a distinct subgroup of overweight individuals.     

Risk factor profile for atherosclerosis among young adults in Israel--results of a large-scale survey from the young adult periodic examinations in Israel (YAPEIS) database

Assessing the prevalence of relevant risk factors among young adults is a critical step in the process of preventing atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD) later in life. The Israel Defense Force Periodic Health Examination Center performs a routine check-up for subjects aged 25–45 years. Medical history, physical examination notes, laboratory results and ECG tracings are recorded, computerized and processed to form the Young Adults Periodic Examinations in Israel (YAPEIS) database. Data representing 31,640 subjects (27,769 males and 3871 females) examined between the years 1991–1999 were analyzed. The prevalence of documented risk factors for ASCVD were evaluated. The results of all parameters were graded categorically as low, moderate or high and the Framingham risk score was calculated. Fifty-one percent of the study participants were found to be overweight (body mass index 25 kg/m²), 8.5% had high systolic blood pressure and 14.6% had high diastolic blood pressure. The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia and hyperglycemia was found to be 44.7 and 9.7%, respectively. Thirty-two percent of the subjects smoked cigarettes, and 76.7% reported not performing any routine physical activity. Furthermore, 31.8% had a Framingham score indicating a greater than 5% risk for developing a coronary event within the next 10 years. As expected, the prevalence of these risk factors increased with age and were found to be less frequent among females. Thus we conclude that many young Israeli adults hold significant risk factors for future ASCVD. Many of these risk factors are modifiable, and risk behavior is often amenable to alteration. Awareness to the high prevalence of risk factors among young adults should spark vigorous health-promotion programs as well as screening, education, and interventional measures aimed at altering the expected outcome of future ASCVD.     

中国成人家庭内部食物分配及影响因素

目的 :　研究家庭成员的性别、年龄、职业、个人收入、是否户主等特征对食物分配的影响。方法 :　利用中美合作课题“中国健康与营养调查”1 993年的资料 ,应用多元 Logistic回归方法进行分析。本研究用“偏差分数”来表示食物分配情况。结果及结论 :　男性比女性更有可能分得较多的食物 ;45岁以上中老年人会比 1 8～ 44岁年龄组人群获得更多的食物分配 ;干部和服务行业人群在家庭内部食物分配中更易受到偏向 ,农村地区工人职业人群会得到较多的食物分配 ;经济收入较高的家庭成员在食物分配中更易受到偏爱 ;家庭中户主分得的食物所占全家的比例会比其他家庭成员要高。     

氧化苦参碱对大鼠局灶性脑缺血再灌注损伤保护作用的中枢机制

目的：探讨氧化苦参碱（OMT）对大鼠局灶性脑缺血再灌注损伤的作用及其中枢机制。方法：采用结扎大脑中动脉的方法制备大鼠局灶性脑缺血再灌注模型。外周给药大鼠随机分为假手术组、脑缺血再灌注模型组、路路通组（LLT，31.25 mg•kg^-1）及OMT 35、70和105 mg•kg^-1 腹腔注射给药组；脑室给药大鼠随机分为假手术组、脑缺血再灌注模型组、LLT 0.15 mg•kg^-1组及OMT 0.35 mg•kg^-1脑室注射给药组。以神经学评分及脑梗塞面积为指标观察OMT对大鼠局灶性脑缺血再灌注性损伤的保护作用，同时检测OMT脑室注射给药大鼠血清NO含量。结果：与脑缺血再灌注模型组比较，腹腔注射OMT 105 mg•kg^-1组神经学评分明显降低（P<0.05），OMT 70和105 mg•kg^-1组脑梗塞面积缩小（P<0.05）；与脑缺血再灌注模型组比较， OMT 0.35 mg•kg^-1脑室注射给药组大鼠脑梗塞面积缩小（P<0.05），血清NO含量明显降低（P<0.05）。结论：脑室注射OMT对局灶性脑缺血再灌注大鼠的脑损伤具有明显的保护作用，中枢作用可能为其机制之一。     

"创伤评分系统"软件的研制

目的：研制集多种院前和院内评分为一体的简捷方便的评分工具软件系统。方法：将创伤评分各指标参数进行比较归类分解，编制评分系统功能与流程，采用Delphi语言进行编程。结果：成功编制出“创伤评分系统”软件，该软件功能主要包括：新建、查询、打印、资料备份与恢复、字典维护等功能；可实现步步提示查询AIS评分和诊断、同时计算10种常用创伤评分、数据资料随意组合查询、结果导出和打印等。结论：该软件资料录入简捷方便，计算简单准确，资料查询筛选方便为创伤临床医师提供了一种科学、便捷、高效的工具．     

小儿急性胰腺炎病情严重度评分的临床应用

目的 探讨小儿急性胰腺炎评分系统在病情严重度判定中的临床应用价值.方法 回顾分析2002年1月～2006年8月间本院收治的49例小儿急性胰腺炎(AP)病例,分析比较Ranson、APACHEⅡ及小儿急性胰腺炎评分(John评分)系统对小儿急性胰腺炎病情严重度评判的灵敏度、特异度、似然比及接收者工作特征(ROC)曲线下面积(AUC)等指标,检验各评分系统对小儿AP病情严重度评判的价值.结果 49例中,发生胰腺坏死/假性囊肿/脓肿,脏器功能障碍等严重并发症的小儿SAP重症急性胰腺炎(SAP)7例,轻症急性胰腺炎(MAP)42例.SAP组与MAP组间,3种评分系统的分值分别为(1.12±0.29)与(0.93±0.22),(3.39±0.73)与(2.85±0.68),(3.07±0.45)与(1.12±0.27),仅John评分分值的组间差异有统计学意义(t=15.1974,P=0.0000).3种评分系统对小儿SAP评判的灵敏度分别为28.57%、42.86%、85.71%,John评分高于前二者,特异度分别为88.10%、85.71%、83.33%.3种评分系统评判小儿SAP的AUC值分别为0.54、0.59及0.90,John评分的AUC值明显高于前二者,差异有显著性意义(P=0.0083、0.0112).结论 与Ranson及A-PACHEⅡ评分比较,John评分对小儿AP病情严重度和预后的评判价值较大.