OBJECTIVETo discuss the relations of dental fluorosis and the social economic status in fluorosis-stricken villages where drying the corn by burning coal was prevail.

METHODSA total of 6 fluorosis-endemic villages and one non-endemic village were involved in the study. The general fluorine intake and the concentrations of fluorine in corn, in the pupils' were tested. Dental fluorosis among the pupils was also examen. A individual interview or household questionnaire survey was conducted to probe the economic condition and staple food structure in 600 adults.

RESULTSThe fluorosis prevalence was lower in the villages of transportation convenience, higher income, less coal-dried corn intake. There was a declining trend of dental fluorosis in the corresponding age groups (r: 0.912, 0.916; P < 0.05); There was no significant changes in age-specified dental fluorosis in the low income villages. The correlation (r) of corn fluorine concentration and student's age-specified dental fluorosis prevalence and disparity was 0.755 - 0.980 (P < 0.05) and 0.302 - 0.811; The urine fluorine concentrations were 0.811 and 0.915 (P < 0.05). It was assumed that there was a negative correlation between family cash income and the dental fluorosis.

CONCLUSIONSThe corn fluorine concentration is closely related to age-specified dental fluorosis. With the economic improvement, taking less coal-burned corn is the one of major factors in reducing the of dental fluorosis in these areas.

China ; Coal ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Feeding Behavior ; Fluorine ; analysis ; urine ; Fluorosis, Dental ; economics ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Rural Population ; Zea mays

OBJECTIVETo observe the liver oxidant damage for diabetic model in mice.

METHODSMale kunming mice were feed with high fat dietary for a week and then were randomly divided into two groups by weight, with 10 mice in each group. One group was induced by small dose streptozotocin (STZ) and obtained STZ-induced diabetic mice, and the other group was regarded as the control. Both of the two groups were feed with high fat dietary. After 6 weeks, the activities of enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) were measured. Glutathione (GSH), maleic dialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) levels in the liver and the liver viscera quotient were also measured. Liver histological manifestations were observed.

RESULTSIn diabetes group, there was a significant decrease in body weight, and the activities of GSH, CAT, and NOS decreased significantly (t value were 5.370, 10.639, 5.235, 3.089, respectively, P < 0.01). While, the liver viscera quotient, the levels of MDA, GSH-PX and NO increased remarkably (t value were -6.246, -2.728, -2.660, -4.924, respectively, P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). The significant difference was not observed in SOD between the two groups (t value was -0.405, P > 0.05). The liver histological damages were observed in diabetes group, light microscope observation showed hepatocytes swelling, ballooned changing and fatty droplets clustering.

CONCLUSIONThe oxidant damage might exist in the liver diabetic model in mice.

Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate optimistic factors affecting nutrition status of infants under 3-year-old in rural areas of western China.

METHODSThe data used in this study came from a cross-sectional survey on primary health and maternal and child health care in western rural China. The method of stratified multistage cluster random sampling was used to obtain the sample of children. Composite index of anthropometric failure (CIAF) was used to classify the infants with normal nutrition or malnutrition. Logistic regression model was employed to investigate optimistic factors effecting nutrition of infants from 3 levels as family, mother and children themselves.

RESULTS14,532 qualified infants were obtained, 57.4% of them were boys. According to CIAF, 72.1% of children were found in normal nutritional status. Prevalence of malnutrition was 27.9% and 10.3% of children were both underweighted and retarded in growth. The result showed the children with better nutrition were from such families with high income, fathers with higher education and fewer children. Higher education for mothers and breastfeeding were optimistic factors effecting nutrition of infants under 6-month after family factors being controlled for. For children over 6 months old, the optimistic factors were heavy mother body weight and more education acquired, exclusive breast feeding within 4-month, introduction of foods containing more protein.

CONCLUSIONFamily factors strongly influence nutritional status of rural children. Improving mothers'education and adding protein intake for children older than 6 months make their nutrition status better.

Child, Preschool ; China ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Growth Disorders ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Infant ; Nutritional Physiological Phenomena ; Nutritional Status ; ethnology ; Rural Population

OBJECTIVETo detect the therapeutic effect of selenium-enriched garlic (SeG) on chronic gastritis.

METHODSChronic gastritis was induced of the glandular stomach of male Mongolian Gerbils via gastric instillation of H. pylori TN2 strain once every 4 days for 5 consecutive times followed by random classification into six groups. Fresh SeG suspension was administrated daily at dosages of 4.70, 1.5, 0.47, 0.15 g.kg(-1).d(-1) for four weeks. The gerbils in the positive control group were treated with omeprazole, clarithromycin, and amoxicillin for one week. The gerbils were killed for pathological examination four weeks after SeG-treatment.

RESULTSChronic gastritis (CAG), low-grade dysplasia or gastric intraepithelial neoplasia (DYS/GIN) were observed among 77% and 38.5% of the 13 H. pylori-treated animals in the negative control group, respectively; whereas 40% and 26.7% in the positive control group (n = 15), respectively. The incidences of CAG and DYS/GIN in the SeG groups (n = 21 - 27) were reduced dose-dependently, 16.7% - 38.7% and 11.1% - 14.3% for CAG and DYS/GIN, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSeG administration inhibits the development and progression of CAG induced by H. pylori remarkably.

Animals ; Chronic Disease ; Disease Models, Animal ; Garlic ; Gastritis ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; Gerbillinae ; Helicobacter Infections ; drug therapy ; Helicobacter pylori ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Selenium ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo estimate the number of death from malignant tumor and to assess the completeness of cancer registry data using the capture-recapture method.

METHODSData about death form malignant tumor were collected during the period of 2004 and 2005 from cancer registry, civil administration and police registries in Linzhou. Cases in every source were matched on the address, name, sex, ID card, date of death, cause of death. A 3-source log-liner poisson model was used to estimate the real number of death from malignant tumor during the period of 2004 and 2005 in Linzhou.

RESULTSThe real number of death from malignant tumor that estimated by capture-recapture method was 3140 (95% CI: 3124 - 3161) during 2004-2005 year in Linzhou. Underreported number by source linkage was 71. Log-liner model demonstrated positive dependence between the 3 sources, implying that 2-source model would underestimate missing cases. Using the mortality number estimated by the capture-recapture as the denominator, under-reporting rate of cancer registry was 6.6%.

CONCLUSIONIt is feasible to estimate the real number of death from malignant tumor and to correct data bias by applying the capture-recapture method.

China ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; mortality ; Registries ; Sampling Studies

OBJECTIVESTo analyze the survival rate of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and to evaluate the effect of intervention in this high risk population of NPC.

METHODSBased on the cancer and vital registry systems, the follow-up data of 1761 NPC cases were collected. The measures of survival include 5-year, 10-year survival rate and median survival duration. Cox model was used to screen the independent prognosis factors.

RESULTSThe 5-year and 10-year survival rates of NPC cases in Sihui were 50.62% and 37.01%, and the median survival duration was 5.05 years. The survival rate of NPC cases diagnosed after 1993 was 58.8%, which was higher than that of cases diagnosed before 1993 (43.3%). Other prognosis factors included gender, age, clinical stage and diagnostic hospital.

CONCLUSIONThere is a significant improvement of NPC survival in Sihui. That is mainly related to the improvement of NPC treatment. However, it needs to a long time observation to see a mortality reduction of NPC.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; mortality ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Survival Analysis ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the value of a back propagation (BP) network in determining the risk factors of uterine myomas.

METHODSUsing stratified randomized sampling method, 1260 women were surveyed by questionnaire. 1:2 matched case-control study was conducted in 113 cases of uterine myomas. Neural network tools box of Software MATLAB 6.5 was used to train and simulate BP artificial network. The mean impact value (MIV) for each input variables was analyzed, and was compared with multiple logistic regression analysis and log-linear model for interaction between factors.

RESULTSBP artificial neural analysis showed that the leading risk factors for uterine myomas were delayed menstruation, family history of uterine myomas, cervicitis, menstrual disorder, induced abortion, pelvic inflammatory, oral contraceptive medication, and elytritis, with mean impact value -0.0405, 0.0361, 0.0162, 0.0143, 0.0135, 0.0117, 0.0094, 0.0087, respectively. Both BP artificial neural and logistic regression analysis showed that the sequence of leading risk factors were similar in the whole, but there were some differences observed, induced abortion was proved to be an important cooperation variable through logline model analysis respectively.

CONCLUSIONCompared to the conventional statistics method, BP artificial neural network could deal with the interaction between covariables preferably, thus provided a powerful method to risk factor analysis.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Leiomyoma ; epidemiology ; Middle Aged ; Neural Networks (Computer) ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors ; Uterine Neoplasms ; epidemiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the rate of candidal infection in different condition of oral epithelia, that may imply the possibility of candida in the canceration of oral leukoplakia.

METHODSSaliva culture was used to detect the infection of candida in 100 cases of healthy control group, 110 cases of oral leukoplakia and 11 cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma, whose smoking condition were collected carefully. The results were analyzed by Crosstabs, Bivariate Correlations and Binary Logistic Regression analysis.

RESULTSWith Crosstabs and Bivariate Correlations analysis, there was significant correlation within malignant level of oral leukoplakias and candidal infection rates (r = 0.148, P = 0.032). With Crosstabs single factor analysis, there was significant correlation within saliva culture results and pathological types (chi(2) = 21.757, P = 0.010). With Binary Logistic Regression analysis, there was significant correlation within saliva culture results and both of subjects, ages (OR = 0.72, P = 0.000) and duration of smoking (OR = 0.37, P = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONCandidal infection may be one of the most important factors inducing dysplasia of epithelia and malignant transformation of oral leukoplakia. So saliva culture should be taken as a rule for patients with oral leukoplakia. The follow-up of oral leukoplakia patients with candidal infection should be enhanced.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Candida albicans ; isolation & purification ; Candidiasis, Oral ; epidemiology ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Leukoplakia, Oral ; epidemiology ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Mucosa ; pathology ; Mouth Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Saliva ; microbiology ; Smoking

OBJECTIVETo investigate the associations of serum gastrin-17 (G-17) concentration with helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection.

METHODSA (13)C-urea breath and ELISA test to determine the Helicobacter pylori status and to detect the serum gastrin concentration was conducted in 242 villagers in Linqu of Shandong Province, a high gastric cancer prevalence area in China.

RESULTSOf 242 subjects, 65 of 111 were found Hp-positive in males (58.56%), compared with 65 of 131 in females (49.62%) (chi(2) = 1.932, P = 0.165). The statistical difference was not observed among different age groups (chi(2) = 4.185, P = 0.123). The average level of G-17 among 242 subjects was (24.43 +/- 25.46) pmol/L and it was statistically higher in females (29.87 +/- 28.18) pmol/L than that in males (18.01 +/- 20.11) pmol/L (Z = -3.618, P < 0.001). However, there was no statistical difference found among age groups (chi(2) = 1.948, P = 0.378). The G-17 level in Hp-negative group (35.50 +/- 30.92) pmol/L was observed significantly higher than in Hp-positive group (14.90 +/- 13.79) pmol/L (Z = 5.368, P = 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONThe G-17 concentration was found higher in Hp-negative subjects than in Hp-positive subjects, and higher in female than in male, but no difference was found among age groups.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Gastrins ; blood ; Helicobacter Infections ; blood ; epidemiology ; Helicobacter pylori ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rural Population ; Sampling Studies

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the urinary nuclear matrix protein (NMP22) as an adjuvant diagnostic index for transitional cell carcinoma of urinary tract and monitoring the state of disease.

METHODSUrinary samples were collected from 262 patients with transitional cell carcinoma, 198 non-transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary tract and 65 patients with benign diseases. Urinary NMP22 concentration was determined through enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTSThe urinary NMP22 concentration had significant difference among the three groups (Kruskal Wallis, chi(2) = 197.17 P < 0.001). The detection sensitivity and specificity of urinary NMP22 to transitional cell carcinoma were 71.37% and 87.69% respectively. The NMP22 concentration showed significant difference among three groups divided according to the pathological grade (Kruskal-Wallis test, chi(2) = 34.06 P < 0.01). The NMP22 concentration was significant lower in the recovery patients after the operation than the peoples of pre-operation and recurrence (Kruskal-Wallis test, chi(2) = 37.53, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONMP22 is a helpful tumor marker for the diagnosis of transitional cell carcinoma and monitoring the state of illness with increased efficacy.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; urine ; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell ; diagnosis ; urine ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nuclear Proteins ; urine ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; urine