Brain tumors and occupational exposures in a cohort of female textile workers in Shanghai, China

OBJECTIVES： This study assessed the associations between brain tumors and specific processes and exposures among female textile workers in Shanghai, China. METHODS： A case-cohort study was conducted that was nested in a cohort of textile workers originally included in a randomized trial of breast self-examination. Incident brain tumor cases （N=114） were identified from 1989 to 1998 from a tumor and death registry operated by the Shanghai Textile Industry Bureau. A subcohort （N=3188）, representing an agestratified random sample of the entire cohort, was selected as a comparison group.     

The influence of the macro-environment on physical activity: a multilevel analysis of 38 countries worldwide

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: As indicated by the ANGELO framework and similar models, various environmental factors influence population levels of physical activity (PA). To date attention has focused on the micro-level environment, while evidence on the macro-level environment remains scarce and mostly limited to high-income countries. This study aims to investigate whether environmental factors at macro-level are associated with PA among a broader range of countries. METHODS: Data from the World Health Survey (WHS) was used to analyze 177,035 adults from 38 (mostly low and middle income) countries. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-S) was used to measure PA. Respondents were classified as active or inactive for vigorous PA, moderate PA and walking. Multilevel logistic regression was performed to assess associations between macro-level environmental factors and the prevalence of PA, with control for individual-level socioeconomic factors. RESULTS: The prevalence of PA varied widely between countries and types of PA (5.0%-93.8%). A negative association was found between gross domestic product and PA, odds ratios for men were 0.76 (95% CI: 0.65-0.89) for moderate PA and 0.79 (95% CI: 0.63-0.98) for walking. A higher temperature was associated with less PA (all types) and higher urbanization was associated with less vigorous and moderate PA. More gender equality was also associated with more walking for women. Governmental functioning and literacy rate were not found to be associated with any type of PA. CONCLUSIONS: This exploratory study indicates that factors such as climate, economic development and cultural factors are determinants of the level of overall PA at national levels. This underlines the suggestion that the macro-environment should be regarded as an important influence on PA.     

Influence of narrow-band UVB phototherapy on cutaneous microbiota of children with atopic dermatitis

OBJECTIVE: In the present work, the effect of narrow-band ultraviolet B (UVB) phototherapy on a cutaneous microbial population was evaluated in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and compared with control patients (vitiligo). METHODS: Count, isolation and identification of cutaneous microbiota from anticubital fossa were performed in 10 controls and 10 AD patients, both submitted to similar levels (P > 0.05) of UVB phototherapy (4.3 +/- 0.9 and 4.3 +/- 0.8 accumulated joules, respectively). Additionally, Staphylococcus aureus isolates were screened for the production of exotoxins. RESULTS: The total and staphylococcal cutaneous microbial population levels were higher (P < 0.05) in AD patients than in the controls. All these population levels decreased (P < 0.05) for both AD and control patients after UVB phototherapy, which also decreased the SCORAD for AD patients. All patients with AD and 50% of controls were carriers of S. aureus, and harboured the bacteria simultaneously on skin and anterior nares. All of the S. aureus strains recovered from AD patient skin produced toxin and the B type was the most frequently detected (70%), followed by C (20%) and A (10%) toxins. Only 40% of the S. aureus isolates from control patients produced toxin. After UVB treatment, microbial population levels of AD patients were similar (P > 0.05) to the ones found in control patients before phototherapy, and toxin production ability of S. aureus isolates decreased drastically. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study show the beneficial effect of UVB phototherapy on AD and suggest that this may be attributable not only to reduction of skin surface bacteria but also to the suppression of superantigen production from S. aureus.     

展毛翠雀花中的二萜生物碱

从展毛翠雀花(Delphinium kamaonense var.glabrescens)中分离到两个C_(19)-二萜生物碱,经光谱方法确定结构,证明其中一个是新化合物,命名为展毛翠雀碱(glabredelphinine,Ⅰ)。另一个是已知生物碱tatsiensine(Ⅱ)。     

Infection in diabetic osteoarthropathy: use of indium-labeled leukocytes for diagnosis

Indium-111 labeled leukocyte imaging was compared with three-phase skeletal scintigraphy as a means of determining whether osteomyelitis was complicating diabetic osteoarthropathy. Three-phase scintigraphy demonstrated increased activity in both infected and noninfected osteopathic bone, with a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 56% for osteomyelitis. Leukocyte imaging had the same sensitivity but was most helpful for excluding infection (specificity, 89%) when three-phase imaging could not. Abnormal leukocyte localization was seen at the primary site of infection in all cases within 4 hours after injection. Disadvantages of leukocyte imaging included long preparation time, low count rates resulting in poor spatial resolution, and absence of bone landmarks, which made it difficult to differentiate soft tissue from bone infection.