Concentrations of domestic mite and pet allergens and endotoxin in Palestine

BACKGROUND: A few studies have compared indoor allergens and endotoxin levels between urban and rural settings as important determinants for asthma and atopy in children. However, no study was done in the Middle East or investigated refugee camps. METHODS: As part of a nested case-control study in Ramallah in 2001, we measured house dust mite and pet allergens, as well as endotoxin in dust collected from 110 children's mattresses and living room floors. RESULTS: Geometric mean (GM) concentrations of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p1) antigen were 4.48 microg/g in mattress dust and 1.23 microg/g floor dust. The highest Der p1 levels were seen in refugee camps. Concentrations of Dermatophagoides farinae antigen (Der f1) were much lower (<0.08 microg/g dust). Concentrations of cat allergen (Fel d1) were highest in villages, and those of dog allergen (Can f1) were highest in mattresses from cities and in floor dust from refugee camps. GM of endotoxin levels were 25.7 EU/mg in mattress dust and 49 EU/mg dust in floor dust. CONCLUSIONS: Concentrations of Der p1 were high compared to Western European countries, but were lower compared to UK and Australia. Levels of pet allergens were lower than in Western Europe. Endotoxin levels were higher compared to developed countries. Indoor environmental factors such as dampness seemed to be important determinants for allergen and endotoxin, but living habits such as lack of mattress cover appeared unimportant.     

Prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and allergic sensitization in Mongolia

BACKGROUND: Studies in countries, such as Mongolia, which are in transition from farming to industrial society permit evaluation of the impact of environmental change on atopic diseases. METHODS: In the screening study, questionnaire data were obtained from 9453 subjects aged 10-60 years. In the clinical study, a subsample of 869 subjects (participation rate 50.0%) was examined. A questionnaire-based interview, clinical examination, skin prick tests, spirometry and bronchodilation test or methacholine challenge test were used to define the clinical diagnoses. The prevalences of atopic diseases were evaluated at the population level using two-phase data and sampling weights. RESULTS: The prevalences of asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and allergic sensitization with 95% confidence intervals were 1.1% (0.3-2.0%), 9.3% (4.0-14.6%) and 13.6% (7.4-19.9%) in Mongolian villages, 2.4% (1.4-3.5%), 12.9% (8.2-17.7%) and 25.3% (17.1-33.6%) in rural towns and 2.1% (1.3-3.0%), 18.4% (13.3-23.4%) and 31.0% (24.5-37.5%) in Ulaanbaatar city, respectively. The prevalence of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (P = 0.02) and allergic sensitization (P = 0.003) increased significantly with increasing urbanization. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalences of atopic diseases were low in rural Mongolia and increased with increasing urbanization suggesting that rural living environment protects against atopy.     

Stress and dental caries in the rat

The stress of crowding and exposure to inescapable electric shock increased both the incidence and the severity of dental caries in rats housed in a conventional animal facility. Male Osborne-Mendel rats were inoculated intraorally with cariogenic bacteria, fed a high-sucrose diet, and housed in either a conventional or a sheltered facility. Rats in both housing conditions were subdivided into control and stress groups. At the end of the 56-day trial period, stressed rats from conventional housing had a significant increase in both incidence and severity of dental caries in comparison to their controls. In contrast, stressed rats from sheltered housing had a trend toward increased cariogenesis which reached significance in only one of five scores. These rats also failed to gain weight comparable to their controls, making it possible that stress-induced reduction in appetite partially offset stress-induced exacerbation in cariogenesis.This investigation was supported in part by the following Grants from the United States Public Health Service: CA 20093, HL 22727, and HL 07374.     

Heredity-environment analyses of Jencks's IQ correlations

Three different published heredity-environment analyses of Jencks's summary correlations for IQ have yielded strikingly different results. It is shown empirically that differences in selection of data and in computational procedures and logical inconsistencies in specifying equations are not responsible for the differences in results. Rather, the differences trace to the underlying assumptions made by the various authors. The analyses suggest that the assumptions concerning genetic dominance, assortative mating, and special twin environments were especially critical, while those regarding selective placement and different modes of environmental transmission were not.     

铁皮石斛的栽培研究

本文总结了铁皮石斛组培苗移栽的最佳时间、最佳基质及温湿度的控制,使铁皮石斛的栽培变得简单易行。     

A pilot study of the effect of mechanical ventilation and heat exchange on house-dust mites and Der p 1 in New Zealand homes

We have examined the effect of reducing relative humidity (RH), with inbuilt mechanical ventilation and heat-exchange (MVHE) units, on house-dust- mite (HDM) counts and allergen levels, in a pilot study of 10 Wellington dwellings. Recent international prevalence studies in adults and children have confirmed a high prevalence of asthma in New Zealand, Sensitivity to HDM is common among the general population, and HDM is the major allergen associated with asthma. Recent studies of allergen levels have confirmed high concentrations of Der p 1 in the domestic environment. While humidity was significantly reduced in those dwellings fitted with ventilation units, no systematic effect on mites or Der p 1 was observed during the study period. When the reductions in humidity were examined in the context of the time spent below the critical equilibrium humidity (CEH), the intervention led to RH values below the CEH for only 39% of the total of 24-h periods for which measurements were made. Reducing RH by means of MVHE in New Zealand domestic dwellings does not lower humidity sufficiently, or long enough, to have any measurable effect on HDM populations.     

幼儿情绪自我调控的相关因素

目的:探讨与儿童自我调控能力有关的因素。方法:对560名18个月至6岁的幼儿进行自我调控能力、气质、生活环境和养育方式的评价。自我调控能力包括努力控制的注意集中和抑制性控制两因子和儿童自我调控发展评价。结果:(1)父亲受教育程度与儿童的自我调控能力有关(F=3．83,P<0．05;F =4．71,P<0．01)。父亲为大学或以上组的儿童的认知调控和注意集中的得分最高(3．6±0．4,34．5± 8．7),初中组的得分最低(3．4±0．5,30．4±9．2)。母亲受教育程度与儿童的自我调控能力有关(F= 5．14,P<0．01;F=3．02,P<0．05),母亲为大学或以上组与大专组的儿童的注意集中和抑制性控制得分相同并且最高(3．6±0．4,3．7±0．5)。自我调控发展总分随母亲受教育程度的升高而提高(129．2±25．1, 127．7±23．2,122．37±25．8,118．1±26．1,F=3．63,P<0．05)。(2)家长为权威型养育态度儿童的自我调控能力最强(F=4．02-23．23,P<0．05或P<0．001)。(3)“经常”看电视儿童的社会行为和亲社会行为的得分较很少看或不看者低(117．5±21．7,125．0±22．8,127．2±27．3,t=3．16、3．26,P<0．05)。 (4)自我调控因子与气质维度之间的相关性在3～6岁达到统计学意义的数目比3岁前更多而且相关程度也普遍提高。适应性和坚持性是与自我调控能力相关性最高的两个维度(r=0．4～0．6)。易养型儿童的自我调控能力得分最高,启动缓慢型的最低(F=10．02～15．4,P<0．001)。结论:气质和养育方式是与自我调控关系较大的因素。     

家庭社会经济状况与3岁以内儿童生长发育及营养状况的关系

目的 探究家庭社会经济状况(SES)与3岁以内儿童生长发育及营养状况的关系,为我国儿童预防保健提供科学依据。方法 数据源于2015年中国九市7岁以下儿童体格发育调查的西安地区数据。研究共纳入父/母亲文化程度、父/母亲职业和家庭年收入5项指标因子,构建了SES综合指标作为自变量。结局变量为身长、体重和评估的营养状况结局。调整儿童性别和月龄后,分别建立线性回归和Logistic回归模型,分析SES与身长体重和营养结局的关系。结果 研究共纳入3岁以内儿童12 017人,经评估营养不良者281人(2.3%),营养过剩者531人(4.4%)。调整儿童性别和月龄后,与低水平SES儿童相比,中等水平SES儿童身长增加0.32 cm(95%CI:0.16~0.47),发生营养过剩的风险降低20%(OR =0.80, 95%CI:0.65~0.98);高水平儿童身长增加0.77 cm(95%CI:0.61~0.92),体重增加0.06 kg(95%CI:0.006~0.12),发生营养过剩的风险降低33%(OR=0.67, 95%CI:0.53~0.83)。结论 较好的社会经济状况可能降低营养过剩的风险,有助于儿童的发育与营养健康。应改善家庭育儿环境,加强对低SES家庭的儿保宣教,提高儿童的健康水平。     

肇庆市端州区中小学校教学环境监测结果分析

目的 全面了解肇庆市端州区中小学校教学环境的卫生状况,为相关部门采取有效措施提供科学依据。方法 以端州区所有中小学校为监测对象,于2015—2019年对学校教室进行教学环境监测,并对监测结果进行评价。结果 共监测学校58所,小学42所,中学16所,监测教室384间,课桌椅3 480套,教室采光系数、窗地比、灯桌间距、黑板尺寸合格率分别为100%、96.55%、95.40%、84.20%;黑板反射比、黑板下缘与讲台地面垂直距离、人均面积、课桌面照度合格率分别为67.82%、48.85%、35.34%、30.75%;课桌椅分配符合率和黑板面照度合格率非常低,分别为0.86%和2.59%。小学与中学的教室人均面积(χ2=36.47,P＜0.001)、黑板尺寸(χ2=10.44,P=0.001)、黑板反射比(χ2=40.85,P＜0.001)合格率差异有统计学意义。结论 端州区中小学校教室采光、教师黑板卫生状况较好,但教室人均面积(特别是小学)、课桌椅分配符合率、教室照明合格率低,亟须进一步整改。     

徐州市直属小学学生近视与教室光环境调查研究

目的 调查徐州市直属小学学生近视现状,分析教室光环境及学龄对儿童视力的影响。方法 采用整群抽样方法,运用标准对数视力表对直属小学学生进行视力检测;随机抽取4所学校,使用TES-1332A照度计测定教室光环境;计量资料采用t检验或方差分析;计数资料采用χ2检验,等级资料采用秩和检验分析其统计学差异。结果 2018年徐州市小学生近视检出率总体为49.84%(男生45.81%,女生53.88%),女生高于男生(χ2=52.001,P<0.05),且重度近视检出率更高(Z=7.795,P<0.05)。市直属小学生近视检出率54.18%,县区直属小学46.45%,市区高于县区(χ2=47.247,P<0.05)。不同年级近视发生情况不同,二～六年级近视检出率分别为36.03%,40.5%,48.45%,58.77%,65.4%,高年级近视发生率高于低年级(χ2趋势=384.766,P<0.05),且重度近视高于低年级(χ2=742.673,P<0.05)。各检测小学不同楼层间教室黑板以及桌面照度不同 (F=3.894,P<0.05) ,但均符合国家标准。结论 徐州市直属小学学生近视检出率较高,并随学龄延长而加重,女生更严重;监测学校教室光环境符合要求。改善和保护学生视力除了保障教室光环境合格和定期监测外,应进一步探讨影响学生视力的其他因素,共同促进学生视力健康。