Influenza vaccination and the endurance against air pollution among elderly with acute coronary syndrome

ObjectiveAir pollution, weather condition and influenza are known risk factors of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) among elderly people. The influenza vaccine (IV) has been shown to reduce major cardiovascular events. The purpose of this study was to compare resistance to air pollution and weather factors causing ACS between vaccinated and less-vaccinated elderly people.MethodsA case–crossover design was applied to 1835 elderly ACS patients who were obtained from the 1-million sample of Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Data with inclusion criteria: (1) the first diagnosis of ACS was in cold season and at age 68 or more, (2) had received the free IV program at least once during the period 3 years before the ACS. They were stratified into two groups: 707 had received flu vaccinations for all the 3 years and the remaining 1128 had not. The measurements of air pollutants, temperature, and humidity corresponding to each of the 3 days prior to the ACS diagnosis date were retrieved from the data banks of the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration and Central Weather Bureau.FindingsIncreases in air pollution concentrations of CO, NO₂, PM₁₀ or PM_2.5 and decreases in temperature significantly influenced the risk of ACS for the non-continuously vaccinated elderly population; however, less significant effects were observed for the continuously vaccinated population.ConclusionConsecutive influenza vaccination may potentially offer resistance against the detrimental effects of air pollution and changes in temperature in frail elderly adults with ACS. Future studies are needed to directly assess the interaction effect between the vaccination and environmental factors on ACS.     

化工行业职业性机械伤害危险因素的病例-交叉方法研究

目的 研究化工行业机械伤害的有关诱发因素，估计其作用强度。方法 采用病例-交叉设计的方法。以操作和检修时受伤的化工工人为研究对象，每个对象在受伤后2d内完成调查，收集他们受伤前10min、上一工作日同一段时间和受伤前1周内有关诱发因素暴露的信息，用配对时间段方法和一般频数法进行分析，评估各种诱发因素的危险度。结果 一般频数法分析的结构表明，操作方法异常、设备工具缺陷、工作紧迫、注意力不集中、不使用防护用品、精神状况较差、与同事配合不协调、工作环境发生变化等瞬时危害因素的RR值及95%可信限的下限均大于1。配对时间段方法分析的结果与其相拟，但95%可信限较宽。结论 化工行业职业性机械伤害的发生存在着诸多诱发因素。病例-交叉研究中的一般频数法与配对时间段方法相比，前者所得结果较为可靠，研究的相对效率较高。建议进一步使用多个时间段方法进行研究，以减小混杂因素的影响。     

Meta-analysis of gross insertions causing human genetic disease: novel mutational mechanisms and the role of replication slippage

Although gross insertions (>20 bp) comprise <1% of disease-causing mutations, they nevertheless represent an important category of pathological lesion. In an attempt to study these insertions in a systematic way, 158 gross insertions ranging in size between 21 bp and approximately 10 kb were identified using the Human Gene Mutation Database (www.hgmd.org). A careful meta-analytical study revealed extensive diversity in terms of the nature of the inserted DNA sequence and has provided new insights into the underlying mutational mechanisms. Some 70% of gross insertions were found to represent sequence duplications of different types (tandem, partial tandem, or complex). Although most of the tandem duplications were explicable by simple replication slippage, the three complex duplications appear to result from multiple slippage events. Some 11% of gross insertions were attributable to nonpolyglutamine repeat expansions (including octapeptide repeat expansions in the prion protein gene [PRNP] and polyalanine tract expansions) and evidence is presented to support the contention that these mutations are also caused by replication slippage rather than by unequal crossing over. Some 17% of gross insertions, all >or=276 bp in length, were found to be due to LINE-1 (L1) retrotransposition involving different types of element (L1 trans-driven Alu, L1 direct, and L1 trans-driven SVA). A second example of pathological mitochondrial-nuclear sequence transfer was identified in the USH1C gene but appears to arise via a novel mechanism, trans-replication slippage. Finally, evidence for another novel mechanism of human genetic disease, involving the possible capture of DNA oligonucleotides, is presented in the context of a 26-bp insertion into the ERCC6 gene.     

Oral Sodium Cromoglycate Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis Related to Food Allergy

Thirty-two children and two adults with chronic atopic dermatitis related to food allergy entered this double-blind crossover study comparing oral sodium cromoglycate (200–1600 mg/24 h) with placebo. Each treatment period comprised 6 weeks: 1 weeks on elimination diet, and 2 weeks on a normal. i.e. unrestricted diet. The diagnosis of food allergy was made after clinical improvement with elimination diet and relapse after challenge. Overall analysis of skin symptoms evaluated by means of clinical assessments and diary cards, opinions of treatment, and use of concomitant medication gave no evidence of any difference between sodium cromoglycate and placebo. Unusual symptoms were reported by 18 patients. In one case the patient was withdrawn during the sodium cromoglycate period because of side effects. The majority of symptoms with both treatments were stomach problems. Overall analysis of the laboratory data gave no significant differences between treatments.     

Determination of an Acceptable Portion Size of Daal for a Bangladeshi Community-Based Iron Intervention in Adolescent Girls: A Feasibility Study

Widely consumed daal (lentils) in Bangladesh are an ideal vehicle for iron (Fe) fortification; however, an acceptable portion size in meals needs to be determined to carry out a community feeding study in at-risk adolescent girls. A non-randomized crossover trial was conducted with n = 100 Bangladeshi girls (12.9 ± 2.0 years of age). Two recipes (thin and thick) and three portion sizes (25 g, 37.5 g, 50 g of raw lentil) of daal were served with 250 g of cooked white rice in a counter-balanced manner over 12 weeks. Each meal was fed to participants 5 days/week for two weeks. Ratings of hunger, satiety, and palatability were measured before and after each meal using Visual Analog Scales (VAS). The thick preparation in the 37.5 g portion (~200 g cooked) elicited higher VAS ratings of hunger, satiety, and palatability compared to all other meals. The 50 g portion of the thin preparation had VAS ratings similar to those of the 37.5 g thick preparation. Consuming the 37.5 g portion of fortified daal would provide 6.9 mg Fe/day to girls in a community-based effectiveness study. This would meet ~86% and ~46% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for Fe for girls aged 9–13 and 14–18 years, respectively.     

布洛芬软胶囊治疗偏头痛的临床试验

目的 评价布洛芬软胶囊治疗偏头痛急性发作的疗效和安全性。方法 随机、双盲、安慰剂交叉对照的多中心临床试验。共入组偏头痛病例120例,实际完成病例数为111例,其中先服布洛芬后服安慰剂组55例;先服安慰剂后服布洛芬组56例。治疗前两组的一般资料、临床评价和实验室指标无显著性差异。结果 布洛芬组和安慰剂组2小时内头痛消失率分别为(48.65±4.74)%和(19.82±3.78)%(P<0.01)。布洛芬组和安慰剂组2小时内头痛缓解率分别为(79.28±3.85)%和(45.05±4.72)%(P<0.01)。结论 布洛芬治疗偏头痛安全性好,可作为治疗偏头痛急性发作的有效药物。     

基于宗族进行裂变选择的自适应遗传算法

提出了一种改进的自适应遗传算法,在选择算子中引入裂变选择的思想,避免种群中超级个体的出现,维持了种群的多样性。该算法改造了交叉算子和变异算子,提高了算法的收敛速度,避免早熟。同时,提出了在宗族中构造子代种群的思想,提高了算法的寻优效率。仿真函数优化的结果验证了该算法能有效地维持种群的多样性并迅速找到最优解。     

肾综合征出血热发病率与气象因素关系的研究

目的 探索影响肾综合征出血热发病率的气象因素及其定量关系.方法 运用病例交叉设计思想,对某监测点历年逐月的HFRS疫情资料和气象资料,建立气象因素对HFRS发病率影响的分季节多变量logistic回归模型.结果 影响HFRS流行的主要气象因素,春季为前6个月最低气温、前12个月平均气温、前6个月降雨量、前12个月降雨量、当月平均相对湿度、前3个月平均相对湿度、前3个月平均气压、前6个月平均气压、当月平均风速;夏季为当月平均气温、当月降雨量、前3个月平均相对湿度、前12个月平均相对湿度、前3个月总日照时间、前3个月平均风速;秋季为前6个月平均气温、当月平均相对湿度、当月总日照时间、前3个月平均风速;冬季为前3个月降雨量、前6个月降雨量、前12个月降雨量、当月平均相对湿度、前3个月平均相对湿度、前3个月日照时数、前3个月平均风速.结论 平均气温、降雨量、相对湿度、日照时数、平均气压、风速等气象因素均不同程度地影响HFRS,不同季节各气象变量的作用不同.     

The impact of baseline covariates on the efficiency of statistical analyses of crossover designs

We investigate the impact of baseline covariates on the efficiency of statistical analyses of crossover designs. For practical considerations, we contemplate two different baseline methods: study baselines and period‐dependent baselines. For each baseline method, we establish analytical upper bounds for the relative efficiency of a large class of crossover designs, the totally balanced designs, under a model with the baseline covariates as compared with the model without the baseline covariates. We present numerical details based on these bounds for assorted scenarios and reveal implications of these results. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.