Objective To investigate the distribution status of coal-burning fluorosis (endemic fluorosis) areas in Luoyang and to provide scientifc evidence for making strategies in prevention and control. Methods In 2006, a household per village was chosen to carry the general survey so as of disease condition, living habits and housing structure among 941 coal-burning pollution fluorine sickness natural villages in Yanshi, Mengjin, Xin'an, Luanchuan counties and Geely area which were under the jurisdiction of Luoyang. In the general survey, the sampled village having a population of more than 500 person was considered as a major survey village, and water fluoride, 8 - 12 year-old child fluorine spot on tooth and the urinary fluoride were surveyed. Water fluoride and the child urinary fluoride determination used the fluoride ion selective electrode method, and the children's dental fluorosis used Dean method. Results The endemic fluorosis of Luoyang existed 742 in endemic fluomsis villages, compared with history, a decrease of 199 in number. Ninety-six point seven per cent( 142 543/147 419) of the households were consuming smoke-free coal. Households using intact kitchens accounted for 93.6%( 137 919/147 419). Of which 63.0%(86 889/137 919) of kitchens were mixed up with bedrooms. Total 125 060 people were using coal- fired furnace for heating, of which 87.8%(109 802/125 060) had smoke-free facilities, 12.2%(15 258/125 060) had none. Among 52 endemic villages with population of more than 500 people surveyed, a total of 183 water samples were collected, 2 had water fluoride exceeding 1.0 rag/L, the highest water fluoride being 1.04 rag/L, averaging 0.39 mg/L Sixteen villages had a prevalence rate of dental fluorosis for children less than 30.00%, accounting for 30.8% (16/52), 36 endemic villages the prevalence of dental fluorosis detection rate of more than 30.00%, accounting for 69.2%(36/52). Twenty-thrce villages had a dental fluorosis index greater than 0.6, severe dental fluorosis was not found. Real-time measurement of 1408 urine samples of children aged 8 - 12 showed that urine fluoride highest value 6.88 nag/L, the minimum value of 0.10 mg/L, geometric mean 1.10 mg/L. The prevalence rate of dental fluorosis for children was 36.06%. Conclusions In Luoyang city, numbers of coal-burning endemic fluorosis villages are less than before, children's dental fluorosis has significantly declined, however some people still use kitchens connecting with bedrooms and lack smoke-free facilities, they need to be educated to change lifestyle and improve furnace to reduce soot fluoride pollution.

OBJECTIVETo explore the scientificity of Yunqi theory based on incidence of disease related recognitions such as year evolutive phase, host climatic qi, six climatic factors, celestial manager qi, qi in the earth by analyzing data of hypertension incidence.

METHODSA total of 1,265 inpatients with confirmed first diagnosis as hypertension were recruited at Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine from February 4, 1999 to February 4, 2011. Each period (including year evolutive phase, host climatic qi, guest climatic qi) was deducted based on Yun-qi theory. Their ratios of different phases and qi in the total number of hypertension inpatients number were calculated and statistically tested.

RESULTSThere was statistical difference in ratios at year evolutive phase, celestial manager qi, and qi in the earth (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe incidence of hypertension has certain difference in each period, which is consistent with Yun-qi theory.

Beijing ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; Incidence ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Qi ; Research

The five-flavor theory of traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) and the flavor efficacy generation mechanism has long been focuses and difficulties in studies on traditional Chinese medicinal properties. In this paper, by using the pharmacophore-based virtual screening technique, the authors discussed the relations between the pungent property and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) by studying the TCM components' role in regulating TRPV1 ion channel. The results showed that the matching relationship between TRPV1 agonist pharmacophore model and TCM chemical components could identify the active ingredients from pungent herbs. Therefore, the authors proposed that TRPV1 is one of the potential targets for efficient pungent herbs. The pungent property of TCMs is decided by its chemical components, and consistent with the inherited and additive characteristics.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Smell ; TRPV Cation Channels ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Taste

In 2009,5 523 participants of She nationality living in Ningde City of Fujian province were multistage-stratified and randomly collected,and 5 080 were enrolled in analysis eventually.The TSH screening (reference range,0.3-3.0 mIU/L) revealed biochemical hyperthyroidism in 2.4％ (2.1％ of males and 2.7％ of females) and biochemical hypothyroidism in 9.7％ (7.4％ of males and 11.4％ of females) of the participants.The prevalence of positive TPOAbs was 10.8％ (7.4％ of males and 13.5％ of females).TSH values outside the normal reference range were associated with a higher prevalence of positive TPOAbs,indicating that autoimmunity seems to be an important factor in both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.

OBJECTIVETo explore the onset cycle of scarlet fever in Beijing and its association with theory of five evolutive phases and six climatic factors (FEPSCF).

METHODSBased on the monthly scarlet fever data from 1970 to 2004, Complex Morlet wavelet was adopted to analyze the annual incidence and the incidence of six climatic factors in the past 35 years. Its association with the cycles of FEP-SCF was explored. The features of heavenly stems and earthly branches in the year that the wave peak corresponded and their correlations with doctrine of FEPSCF were analyzed.

RESULTSThe annual incidence of scarlet fever and the incidence of FEPSCF had two main cycles, i.e., 5 years and 28 years. The 5-year primary cycle was consistent with 5-year cycle of FEPSCF theory. The high incidence year of 5-year primary cycle was Jinyun.

CONCLUSIONSThe cycle of five evolutive phases was consistent with the onset cycle of scarlet fever. The quasi-periodic phenomenon and multi-cycle superimposed phenomenon of FEPSCF theory existed in the incidence of scarlet fever.

China ; epidemiology ; Climate ; Humans ; Incidence ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Scarlet Fever ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Wavelet Analysis

OBJECTIVETo discuss the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the hospitalized children with hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in Yantai area.

METHODSEpidemiological and clinical data of HFMD children from 2009 to 2010 were summarized and analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSMost of the infected (94.6%) were under 5 years old and the ratio between male and female was 1.5: 1. Oral mucosal pox or ulcer as well as hand and foot rashes were observed in all 931 patients. Fever and neurological disorders occurred in 840 (90.2%) and 121 (13.0%) patients respectively. The incidence was positively correlated with air temperature (r = 0.887, P < 0.001), with a peak in April to September (88.9%). The ratio of children from countryside, total duration of fever, serum concentration of c-reacting protein (CRP) and fasting blood glucose (FBG) were significantly higher in severe cases than in those mild ones. Multivariate analysis showed longer mean duration of fever( Odds ratio [OR], 1.491; 95% confidence interval [ CI] 1.170-1.901; P = 0.001) and hyperglycemia (OR, 1.124; 95% CI 1.016-1.245; P = 0.024) were independent risk factors of severity.

CONCLUSIONChildren younger than 5 years old are susceptible to HFMD and most cases occur in April to September. The monthly incidence is positively correlated with temperature of that month. Longer duration of fever and hyperglycemia are independent risk factors for severity. Most cases could have a favorable prognosis after timely diagnosis and proper intervention.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Female ; Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Seasons ; Temperature

OBJECTIVETo explore the better therapy in the treatment of ganglion.

METHODSNinety cases of ganglion were randomized into a two-way quintuple puncture group, a common quintuple puncture group and a fire needling group, 30 cases in each one. In the two-way quintuple puncture group, the "9-in-1" multiple penetrating needling technique was used. In the common quintuple puncture group, the traditional "5-in-1" multiple penetrating needling technique was applied. In the fire needling group, the traditional multiple fire needling technique was adopted. The treatment was given once a day, 3 treatments made one session and the efficacy was analyzed statistically after 1 session treatment in the three groups.

RESULTSAll of the three therapeutic methods achieved the efficacy on ganglion. The curative rate was 96. 7% (29/30) in the two-way quintuple puncture group, which was better obviously than 66.7% (20/30) in the common quintuple puncture group and 60. 0% (18/30) in the fire needling group (both P<0. 01).

CONCLUSIONThe two-way quintuple puncture technique achieves the remarkably superior efficacy on ganglion as compared with the common quintuple puncture technique and fire needling technique.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Ganglion Cysts ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the impact of the water extract from Codonopsis thalictrifolia Wall (CTW) on the reproductive

METHODSWe divided 32 male SD infant rats into four groups of equal number to be treated intragastrical-system of male infant rats. ly with distilled water (control) and CTW at 10 g/kg (low dose) , 20 g/kg (medium dose), and 40 g/kg (high dose), respectively, twice a day for 2 weeks. Then we killed the rats, measured the levels of testosterone (T), luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in the serum, obtained the testis weight, body weight, testis visceral coefficient and sperm concentration, and detected sperm viability, sperm motility and the level of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in the Leydig cells, followed by

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the low-dose, me-analysis of differences among different groups using the SPSS software. Medium-dose and high-dose CTW groups showed significant decreases in the serum T level ([3.09 +/-0.42] vs [1.22 +/-0. 32] , [1.06 +/- 0.29] and [0.57 +/-0.18] nmol/L, P<0.01), testis weight ([1.40 +/-0.16] vs [0.96 +/-0.09], [0.92 +/-0.11] and [0.91 +/- 0.08] g, P <0.01), and sperm concentration ([1.03 +/-0.16] vs [0.19 +/-0.07], [0.17 +/-0.08] and [0.16 +/-0.07] x 10(6)/ml, P <0.01), but a dramatic elevation in the testis visceral coefficient ([42.22 +/- 3.02] vs [51.39 +/- 3.09], [52.28 +/- 4.86] and [54.13 +/-6.06] mg/10 g, P <0.01); the medium- and high-dose CTW groups exhibited remarkable increases in the levels of serum LH ([13.62+/-0.89] vs [14.69 +/-0.12] and [14.93 +/-0.28] ng/L, P<0.01) and FSH ([4.32 +/-0.18] vs [4.77 +/-0.23] and [4.89 +/-0. 38] IU/L, P <0.05); all the three CTW groups showed markedly inhibited serum T secretion ([1.85 +/- 0.18] vs [1.42 +/-0.15], [1.12+/-0.18] and [0.88 +/-0.21] nmol/L, P<0.01) and intracellular cAMP ([5.51 +/-0.12] vs [4.39+/-0.06], [4.28 +/-0.07] and [4.11 +/- 0.10] nmol/L, P <0.01) in the Leydig cells.

CONCLUSIONThe water extract from CTW may reduce the synthesis of testosterone in the serum of male infant rats through the PKA pathway and consequently inhibit their testicular development and sperm production and affect the development of their reproductive system.

Animals ; Codonopsis ; chemistry ; Cyclic AMP ; metabolism ; Leydig Cells ; metabolism ; Male ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Testosterone ; blood ; Urogenital System ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo detect the MSX1 gene mutation in a Chinese family with oligodontia.

METHODSBlood samples were obtained from seven affected and seven unaffected individuals in the pedigree. All exons and flanking intronic boundaries of the MSX1 gene were amplified with polymerase chain reaction technique and then directly sequenced. The website of bioinformatics was used to predict the effect of the mutation on the function.

RESULTSA splicing mutation (IVS1-2A > G) was found at position -2 near the 3' end of the IVS1 of MSX1, which made a change of the intron 1 splice acceptor site. None of the mutation was found in normal individuals of the family and in 100 unrelated healthy matched control individuals.

CONCLUSIONSIVS1-2A > G was a novel splicing mutation identified in the MSX-1 gene and it might be responsible for nonsyndromic oligodontia in this family.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; MSX1 Transcription Factor ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Tooth Abnormalities ; genetics ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between genetic polymorphisms in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), methionine synthase reductase (MTRR), the central enzymes in folate metabolism that affects DNA methylation and synthesis, and the risk of Down syndrome in China.

METHODSGenomic DNA was isolated from the peripheral lymphocytes of 64 mothers of children with Down syndrome and 70 age matched control subjects. Polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism were used to examine the polymorphisms of MTHFR 677C-->T, MTRR 66A-->G and the relationship between these genotypes and the risk of Down syndrome was analyzed.

RESULTSThe results show that the MTHFR 677C-->T polymorphism is more prevalent among mothers of children with Down syndrome than among control mothers, with an odds ratio of 3.78 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.78 approximately 8.47). In addition, the homozygous MTRR 66A-->G polymorphism was independently associated with a 5.2-fold increase in estimated risk (95% CI, 1.90 approximately 14.22). The combined presence of both polymorphisms was associated with a greater risk of Down syndrome than the presence of either alone, with an odds ratio of 6.0 (95% CI, 2.058 approximately 17.496). The two polymorphisms appear to act without a multiplicative interaction.

CONCLUSIONMTHFR and MTRR gene mutation alleles are related to Down syndrome, and CT, TT and GG gene mutation types increase the risk of Down syndrome.

Alleles ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; Down Syndrome ; diagnosis ; ethnology ; genetics ; Female ; Ferredoxin-NADP Reductase ; genetics ; Folic Acid ; metabolism ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Risk Factors