Biomass fuel exposure and asthma symptoms among rural school children in Nigeria

Background: Approximately 70% of rural Nigerian households rely on biomass fuels for cooking. The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) estimates the prevalence of current wheeze among children in Nigeria to have risen from 10.7% in 1999 to approximately 20% in 2014. Objective: To examine the effects of biomass smoke exposure on asthma symptom prevalence in rural children in Nigeria. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey in rural communities in Nigeria. Asthma symptoms were defined according to ISAAC definitions. Biomass smoke exposure was determined by the types of fuel used for cooking. Logistic regression was used to explore associations between biomass smoke and asthma symptoms. Results: The study population comprised 1,690 school children, of which 865 lived in households cooking with biomass and 825 lived in households not using biomass. Asthma symptoms were reported in 481 (28.5%) children. Biomass fuel was associated with increased odds of asthma symptoms. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) were 1.38 (95% CI: 1.05–1.80) for nocturnal cough, 1.26 (95% CI: 1.00–1.61) for current wheeze, and 1.33 (95% CI: 1.05–1.69) for report of any asthma-related symptoms. Sex modified the associations between asthma symptoms with biomass fuel: aORs were stronger and significant for males (nocturnal cough = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.24–2.76; current wheeze = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.03–2.13; report of any asthma-related symptoms = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.12–2.28), but weaker and non-significant for females.Conclusion: The risk of asthma symptoms related to biomass smoke exposure appears to differ by sex.     

Targeting P-glycoprotein expression and cancer cell energy metabolism: combination of metformin and 2-deoxyglucose reverses the multidrug resistance of K562/Dox cells to doxorubicin

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is one of the major obstacles to efficiency of cancer chemotherapy. Here, we investigated whether combination of metformin and 2-deoxyglucose reverses the multidrug resistance (MDR) of K562/Dox cells and tried to elucidate the possible mechanisms. The combination of metformin and 2-deoxyglucose selectively enhanced the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin against K562/Dox cells. Metformin was not a substrate of P-gp but suppressed the elevated level of P-gp in K562/Dox cells. The downregulation of P-gp may be partly attributed to the inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway. The addition of 2-deoxyglucose to metformin initiated a strong metabolic stress in both K562 and K562/Dox cells. Combination of metformin and 2-deoxyglucose inhibited glucose uptake and lactate production in K562 and K562/Dox cells leading to a severe depletion in ATP and a enhanced autophagy. Above all, P-gp substrate selectively aggravated this ATP depletion effect and increased cell apoptosis in K562/Dox cells. In conclusion, metformin decreases P-gp expression in K562/Dox cells via blocking phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase. P-gp substrate increases K562/Dox cell apoptosis via aggravating ATP depletion induced by combination of metformin and 2-deoxyglucose. Our observations highlight the importance of combination of metformin and 2-deoxyglucose in reversing multidrug resistance.     

2006—2019年广州市食物中毒突发公共卫生事件流行病学特征分析

目的 掌握广州市食物中毒突发公共卫生事件规律和特点,为提高其有效应对和防控提供科学依据。 方法 收集2006—2019年国家“突发公共卫生事件报告管理信息系统” 报告的广州市食物中毒突发公共卫生事件,应用描述性流行病学方法进行统计和分析。 结果 研究的14年间,广州市共报告食物中毒突发公共卫生事件89起,原因查明率为94.38%,中毒人数2 692人,死亡11人。69.66%的事件发生在5—9月。75.28%的事件致病因素是细菌,副溶血弧菌是细菌性食物中毒事件的首要致病菌,63.64%的死亡病例归因植物性食物中毒,78.65%的事件中毒场所在集体食堂。事件持续时间的中位数为13.50 h(范围为:0~135.33 h)。首例病例发生时间到接报的中位数是0.60 d(范围为:0.04~5.69 d),r=0.601,P＜0.01。 结论 加强食物中毒事件和食品安全风险监测,尽早介入处置,加强针对性的宣传,落实重点场所防控督导巡查,将有助于减少食物中毒事件发生和危害影响。     

2017—2019年浙江省温州市经性传播感染的HIV/AIDS感染来源及特征分析

目的 分析2017—2019年浙江省温州市经性传播感染的HIV/AIDS感染来源和特征,为艾滋病综合防治措施的调整提供依据。 方法 以2017—2019年温州市鹿城区和永嘉县新发现的经性传播感染的HIV/AIDS为研究对象,调查收集其人口学、性行为、流动情况等信息,并采血检测首次CD4⁺T淋巴细胞计数,运用Epi Data 3.1和SAS大学版软件进行数据整理和统计分析。 结果 342名调查对象以男性、25～59岁年龄段为主,未婚、初中及以下文化程度、外地迁入者居多。经感染来源判定,新感染比例为22.42%,本地感染比例为71.00%。15~24岁以下年龄组、未婚病例新感染比例高,分别为33.33%和31.54%;60岁及以上年龄组、教师/干部/退休等职业、大专及以上文化程度病例本地感染比例高,分别为94.74%、87.80%和81.43%;新感染病例曾发生非商业临时异性性行为、固定性伴同性性行为的比例分别为60.87%和39.53%,高于既往感染病例(χ²=3.967,P=0.047;χ²=4.314,P=0.038);本地感染病例曾发生非商业临时同性性行为比例为98.26%,高于外地感染病例(P=0.036)。 结论 2017—2019年温州市经性传播感染的HIV/AIDS以既往感染和本地感染为主,青年、老年及高知人群不容忽视,应加强对非商业临时性行为的干预。     

Comparative Effectiveness of Computed Tomography- Versus Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation Among Medicare Patients 65 Years of Age or Older With Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background

For patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) not eligible for surgical resection, radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a promising technique that reduces the risk of disease progression.

Identification of potential drugs for Parkinson's disease based on a sub-pathway method

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease in ageing individuals. Current therapeutic regimen suffers from general side effects and a poor efficiency for PD symptoms. The need for development new therapeutic agents for PD is urgent. Here, we aimed to explore the metabolic mechanism of PD and identified potential novel agents for PD by a sub-pathway-based method. By using the GSE7621 microarray data from the GEO database, we first identified the 1226 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between PD and normal samples. Then we identified 19 significant enriched metabolic sub-pathways, which may involve in development of PD. Finally, by an integrated analysis of PD-involved sub-pathways and drug-affected sub-pathways, we identified 49 novel small molecular drugs capable to target the PD-involved sub-pathways. Our method could not only identify existing drug (apomorphine) for PD, but also predict potentially novel agents (ketoconazole and astemizole), which might have therapeutic effects via targeting some key enzymes in arachidonic acid metabolism. These candidate agents identified by our approach may provide insights into a novel therapy approach for PD.     

男性避孕方法的研究概况和可行性分析

男性可采用的理想避孕方法应具有高度的有效性、安全性、可逆性,不影响性欲和男性性征,使用无文化背景冲突等特点。目前男性避孕干扰生殖的环节有:抑制精子生成、阻碍精子成熟、干扰精子获能和受精、阻断精子运输等,方法上包括卵泡刺激素免疫疫苗、外源性睾酮避孕、干扰雌激素受体或附睾特异蛋白从而影响精子成熟等。本文就近期男性避孕各方面的研究进展、原理和可行性作一综述。     

Evaluation of three methods for measurement of hemoglobin and calculated hemoglobin parameters with the Sysmex KX-21 and ADVIA 120 in Beagle dogs and Sprague Dawley (SD) rats

The Sysmex KX-21 uses a novel cyanide-free colorimetric method to detect hemoglobin (HGB) concentration. This measurement has not been compared with the cyanmethemoglobin method on the ADVIA 120 which is recommended as the reference method by the International Committee for Standardization in Hematology. Additionally, ADVIA 120 uses flow cytometric method to detect cellular HGB concentration. The aim of this study was to compare the three methods of HGB analysis on the two analyzers. Fresh K₃EDTA blood samples from 32 dogs and 27 rats were included. A complete blood count (CBC) was performed on each sample using the Sysmex KX-21 and ADVIA 120. Colorimetric and cellular HGB concentrations and all calculated variables based on HGB measurement were compared using linear regression, Passing–Bablok regression, and Bland–Altman plots, using the cyanmethemoglobin method as the reference method. In samples from both species, an excellent correlation was found between the HGB results measured with the cyanide-free method and the cyanide-based method (r?=?0.97); however, a slight mean proportional bias of 3.8 % (dogs) and 1.9 % (rats) was observed. The correlation of flow cytometric cellular HGB concentration and extracellular total HGB concentration on the ADVIA 120 was excellent (r?=?0.97), and no significant bias was observed. Additionally, excellent to fair agreement was evident for all calculated erythrocyte and HGB variables. Thus, the cyanide-free HGB method and flow cytometric method could be used with blood samples from dogs and rats; however, the proportional bias should be considered.