There are multiple sophisticated approaches that can be used in estimations on health effects resulting from environmental pollution. By comparison, human capital approach and averted expenditure approach are not suitable to be the first choice because of the insufficient capability of capturing all aspects of health effects. Date availability and estimation extrapolation limit the application of hedonic wage approach and hedonic price approach. It has been accepted universally for the flexible technique provided by contingent valuation approach that any health effects can be separately evaluated depending on researchers' purposes. Based on the powerful macroeconomic theory, general equilibrium theory, the CGE model is powerful to simulate the mechanism of interaction between multi-sectors with a national economic system so as to objectively reflect the health impacts on national economy due to environmental pollution.

Objective To establish computable general equilibrium model, CGE, and assess health impact of air pollution on national economy in China. Methods Based on the current concentration-response relationships provided by international and domestic epidemiological studies, the authors estimated the labor loss and excess medical expenditure led by China's air pollution, 2000. In order to elucidate the mechanism of the health impact on national economy, a computable general equilibrium model containing 39 sectors and 32 commodities was constructed for China. Results The simulation of the model indicated that the health impact due to air pollution has led to a GDP loss by 0.38‰ (95% CI 0.162‰-0.511‰) in China, 2000. Conclusion Air pollution not only has adverse effect on human health, but also retards the development of national economy.

The existing frameworks of integrated assessment on air pollution-induced health effects can be classified into four types, i.e. U.S. EPA framework, U.S. Harvard University framework, Thailand framework and China framework. As the intention of integrated environmental assessment is to provide a scientific warranty for sustainable development-related policymaking process, the authors made a systematic review for the four types of integrated assessment framework. Not only the strong points and disadvantages in each type of framework were analyzed in detail, but also suggestions for future improvement in integrated assessment were put forward.

Adenosine Triphosphate ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Burns ; metabolism ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Female ; Male ; Mitochondria, Heart ; metabolism ; Rats

Objective To compare the effect of 4 different cold and hot properties of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) on body temperature and related factors of yeast induced fever rats,and discuss the thermoregulatory mechanism of cold and hot properties of TCM.Methods 108 male SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group,a yeast-induced group,a R.palmatum treated group,a C.chinensis treated group,a Euodia ruticarpa treated group,and a Alpinia officinarum Hance treated group,with 18 rats in each group.Pyrexia model was induced by injecting yeast suspension subcutaneously on rat.At the 4h,8h and 12h after injection of yeast,the rats were sacrificed,and the blood and hypothalamus were collected.The levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2),cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) in hypothalamus and plasma were detected by ELISA assay.Results At the 4h after injection of yeast,the temperature of rats in the model group began to rise,and it reached the peak at 8h,while RheumpalmatumL and Coptis chinensis could significantly reduce the body temperature of yeast-induced rat (P＜ 0.01 or P＜ 0.05).At 8h,the levels of PGE2 and cAMP in hypothalamus increased significantly [respectively (31.55 ± 9.88) pg/mg and (0.17±0.03) pmol/mg] compared with the normal group,while the level of AVP (0.14±0.02) pmol/ml in plasma reduced (P＜0.05).Compared with model group,at 8h RheumpalmatumL and Coptis chinensis could significantly lowered PGE2 [respectively (113.65± 18.60) pg/mg and (127.72 ± 15.75) pg/mg,P＜ 0.01 or P＜0.05],and cAMP [respectively (0.69±0.08) pmol/mg and (0.74±0.10) pmol/mg,P＜0.05] in hypothalamus,and increased AVP levels [respectively (1.08 ± 0.12) pmol/ml and (0.91 ±0.01) pmol/ml,P＜0.05 or P＜0.01] in plasma.Euodia ruticarpa and Alpinia officinarum had no significant effect on both body temperature and the levels of inflammatory factors.Conclusion The two cold property traditional Chinese medicines,R.palmatum and C.chinensis,could significantly reduced the body temperature of yeast-induced rats,which may be related to its effective regulation on levels of PGE2 and cAMP in hypothalamus and AVP in plasma,however,the two hot property traditional Chinese medicine,Euodia ruticarpa and Alpinia officinarum Hance,had no related effects.

Purpose To exp1ore the expression and c1inica1 significance of epiderma1 growth factor receptor( EGFR)and human epi-derma1 receptor-2(HER-2)in co1orecta1 carcinoma. Methods Immunohistochemistry(IHC)PV-9000 was used to detect the expres-sion of EGFR and HER-2 in 78 cases of co1orecta1 carcinoma. Si1ver in situ hybridization( SISH)was used to detect HER-2 amp1ifica-tion in co1orecta1 carcinoma. Results The positive rates of EGFR in 78 co1orecta1 carcinomas were 69. 23%( 54/78 ). The differ-ences of the expression of EGFR between different depth of invasion group and 1ymph node metastasis group were statistica11y signifi-cant. The differences of the expression of EGFR between different aging group,gender group,tumor size,different histo1ogica1 grading group and Dukes stage were insignificant. The positive rates of HER-2 in 78 cases of co1orecta1 carcinoma were 25. 64%(20/78). The differences of the expression of HER-2 between different depth of invasion group and 1ymph node metastasis group were statistica11y sig-nificant. The differences of the expression of HER-2 between different aging group,gender group,tumor size,histo1ogica1 grading group and Dukes stage were insignificant. The expression of EGFR and HER-2 was positive1y corre1ated. Among the 20 cases of HER-2 protein overexpression,10 cases showed HER-2 gene amp1ification,15 cases showed HER-2 protein overexpression(~)by IHC and 10 cases showed HER-2 gene amp1ification by SISH. The rate of HER-2 gene amp1ification was 66. 67%. 5 cases with 1ow HER-2 protein overexpression( +)and no case showed HER-2 gene amp1ification. Conclusions EGFR and HER-2 are high1y ex-pressed in co1orecta1 carcinoma. EGFR and HER-2 expression is connected to invasion and metastasis process of co1orecta1 carcinoma. The both may be synergy. The corre1ation between HER-2 protein overexpression(~)and HER-2 gene amp1ification is statisti-ca11y significant. Therefore,immunohistochemistry can be regarded as an initia1 screening method for HER-2 gene amp1ification,and then SISH testing shou1d be done as we11 to confirm the resu1t. It is usefu1 for mo1ecu1ar target therapy to detect HER-2 status in co1or-ecta1 carcinoma.

Objective To investigate the biophysical properties of mechanosensitive(MS) channels in cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons of neonatal rats. Methods MS channels current of cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons of neonatal rats were recorded using cell-attached and inside-out patch-clamp technique.The biophysical properties such as pressure response relationship,current voltage relationship,channel kinetics and ion selectivity were analyzed.Membrane stretch was achieved by the application of negative pressure(suction) to a patch-clamp electrode. Results One type of MS non-selective cation ion channels in the membrane patches tested in cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons of neonatal rats were recorded. Those channels were activated rapidly when suction was applied, and kept active during sustained application of negative pressure and quickly turned off when the suction was released.The MS channels exhibited a nearly linear current voltage relationship in the balance solution.The outward chord conductance was (96.2?3.6)pS (mV is between +40 mV and +60 mV) and the inward slope conductance was (62.5?0.4)pS (mV is between -60 mV and 0 mV). This kind of channels appeared to be outward rectifier.The average reversal potential was (-2.3?0.8)mV.The channel kinetics analysis indicated that suction could significantly increase the duration of short-openings and long-openings and decrease that of long-closings,with no effects on short-closings. Conclusion The results of this study could serve as a reference to the understanding of electric activity of DRG neurons.

Objective To establish RT-PCR-RFLP method for studying the genotype of wild mea-sles virus strains isolated from Tianjin area from 2002 to 2008. Methods Isolations of measles virus were carried out by tissue culture method from urine and throat swab specimens collected from suspected cases. RNA were extracted from the virus specimens. The 594 bp fragment of C terminal of the N (nucleoprotein) gene was amplified by one-step RT-PCR, then the PCR products were digested with Bcn I , separated on agarose gel electrophoresis and then analyzed by the method of RFLP (restriction fragment length polymor-phism). In addition, above results were compared with DNA sequencing. Phylogenetic tree was plotted based on the results for the genetic relationship and distance analysis. Results Sixty-nine measles virus strains were isolated from 189 specimens from 2002 to 2008, of which the C terminals of N gene were all de-tected positive. Among the 69 strains of measles virus isolates, 98.55% (68/69) belonged to Hla sub-geno-type which was the predominant sub-genotype, and only one strain (1.45%) belonged to H1b sub-genotype by RFLP analysis which was in accordance with the results by DNA sequencing method. Phylogenetic tree analysis indicated the H1a sub-genotype measles virus strains should be further divided into 2 clades, and the variation fluctuated between 0.2% and 3.8%. There were transmission chains caused by different virus strains co-cireulation. Conclusion A genotype, H1a and H1b sub-genotype can be identified by RT-PCR-RFLP assay specically based on the restriction enzyme Bcn I .The RT-PCR-RFLP assay can be a rapid, simple, accurate and efficient method for large-scale surveillance of measles virus strains in China.

In China, combustion of fossil fuels and biomass has produced serious air pollution that does harm to human health. Based on dose-response relationships derived from epidemiological studies, the authors calculated the number of deaths and people with health problems which were thought to be attributable to China's air pollution in the year of 2000. In order to estimate the corresponding economic impacts from the national point of view, the general equilibrium approach was selected as an analysis tool for this study. A computable general equilibrium (CGE) model was constructed involving 39 sectors and 32 commodities. The human capital approach (HCA) was also used for comparison. The economic burden of disease for people estimated by HCA was equivalent to 1.26 per thousand (ranging from 0.44 per thousand to 1.84 per thousand) of China's gross domestic product (GDP). China's GDP loss estimated by the general equilibrium approach reached 0.38 per thousand (ranging from 0.16 per thousand to 0.51 per thousand). The difference between the two approaches and the implications of the results were discussed.
Air Pollution ; adverse effects ; economics ; China ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Environmental Exposure ; adverse effects ; economics ; Health Status ; Humans ; Models, Theoretical ; Morbidity ; Mortality ; Public Health ; economics

There are currently two commonly used approaches to assessing economic impacts of health damage resulting from environmental pollution: human capital approach (HCA) and willingness-to-pay (WTP). WTP can be further divided into averted expenditure approach (AEA), hedonic wage approach (HWA), contingent valuation approach (CVA) and hedonic price approach (HPA). A general review of the principles behind these approaches by the authors indicates that these methods are incapable of unveiling the mechanism of health impact from the point of view of national economy. On a basis of economic system, the shocks brought about by health effects of environmental pollution change the labor supply and medical expenditure, which in turn affects the level of production activity in each sector and the total final consumption pattern of the society. The general equilibrium approach within the framework of macroeconomic theory is able to estimate the health impact on national economy comprehensively and objectively. Its mechanism and applicability are discussed in detail by the authors.
Environmental Health ; economics ; methods ; standards ; Environmental Pollution ; economics ; Models, Theoretical