Objective To make it clear whether dust storms may produce same acute adverse impacts on community population. Methods 2 primary schools in Baotou City were selected. During the period of dust storm in March of 2004 an investigation among 918 pupils from third to fifth grades and 1 770 parents of them was conducted by questionnaires. Meanwhile the concentrations of PM2.5 were also determined. Results On the day of dust storms developed the concentrations of PM2.5 obviously increased (212.9 ?g/m3)then decreased rapidly(

OBJECTIVETo investigate the risk factors allergic asthma in adult as well as the indoor environmental risk factors.

METHODSCase-control study was used to collect the information from 102 cases of adults' allergic asthma and 394 controls. The information included general social demographic characteristics, disease history, smoking history, occupation, indoor environmental situation and genetic history of the families.

RESULTSThe case group had higher proportion of the history on occupational dust exposure than the control group (P < 0.05, OR = 1.78) with statistical significance. Poorer housing condition were more likely to cause adult allergic asthma or onset, with an odds ratio of 3.24. The results also showed that there was a correlation between the frequency of "quilt solarization" and adult allergic asthma (P < 0.10, OR = 1.53). We also found that the frequency of having woody floor in the living room of the patients cases was higher than that in the controls (P < 0.01, OR = 2.33) so as the degree of indoor cooking-oil fume contamination (P < 0.01, OR = 2.52). The statistical significant correlation was also found between the adult allergic asthma and the history of asthma or chronic bronchitis of their parents (P < 0.01, OR = 2.32).

CONCLUSIONSThe study showed that the indoor environmental risk factors as poor housing condition, fewer frequency of solarization for quilts, woody floor in the living room as well as indoor cooking-oil fume contamination were the possible risk factors related to adult allergic asthma. Occupational dust exposure and the family genetic history were also the possible risk factors. The study indicated that adult allergic asthma was a multi-factorial complex disease and the interaction of environmental and genetic risk factors played an important role in the onset of this disease.

Adult ; Aged ; Air Pollutants, Occupational ; adverse effects ; Air Pollution, Indoor ; adverse effects ; Asthma ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; epidemiology ; Diet ; Dust ; Family Health ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution ; adverse effects

Objective To explore the association between ambient average temperature and hospital emergency room visits for cardiovascular diseases(International Classification of Diseases,Tenth Vision ICD-10:I00-I99) in Beijing,China.Methods Data was collected on daily hospital emergency room visits for cardiovascular diseases from Peking University Third Hospital,including meteorological data(daily average temperature,relative humidity,wind speed,and atmospheric pressure) from the China Meteorological Data Sharing Service System,and on air pollution from the Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center.Time-stratified case-crossover design was used to analyze data on 4 seasolls.Results After adjusting data on air pollution,1 degree(℃) increase of ambient average temperature would associate with the emergency room visits of odds ratio(Ors)as 1.282(95%CI:1.250-1.315).1.027(95%CI:1.001-1.055),0.661(95%CI:0.637-0.687),and 0.960 (95%CI:0.937-0.984) in spring,summer,autumn,and winter respectively.After controlling the influence of relative humidity,wind speed,and atmospheric pressure,1℃ increase in the ambient average temperature would be associated with the emergency room visits on Ors value as 1.423 (95%CI:1.377-1.471).1.082(95%CI:1.041-1.124),0.633(95%CI:0.607-0.660)and 0.971(95%CI:0.944-1.000) in spring,summer,auttmm,and winter respectively.Conclusion These data on outcomes suggested that the elevated level of ambient temperature would increase the hospital emergeney room visits for cardiovascular diseases in spring and summer while the elevated level of ambient temperature would decrease the hospital emergency room visits for the cardiovascular diseases in autumn and winter,suggesting that patients with cardiovascular diseases should pay attention to the climate change.

Objective Using case-crossover design to explore the association between ambient air pollution and the hospital emergency room visits for respiratory diseases (International Classification of Diseases, tenth vision ICD-10: J00-J99) in Beijing, China. Methods Data regarding the daily hospital emergency room visits' of the respiratory diseases (ICD-10: J00-J99)were obtained in 2004.01.01-2005.12.31, from the Peking University Third Hospital and data on relevant air pollution and meteorological factors from the local municipal environmental monitoring center and meteorology bureau of Beijing, respectively. Time-stratified case-crossover technique was used to evaluate their relationships. Results from the bi-directional control sampling approach were compared with unidirectional approach. Results Using a unidirectional control sampling approach,the results obtained from a conditional logistic regression model (multi-pollutant model) after adjusting for meteorological variables, showed that the ORs of the hospital emergency room visits for the respiratory diseases associated with each 10 μg/m3 increment of PM10, SO2, NO2 were 1.010(95%CI: 1.005-1.014), 1.010(95%CI: 1.001-1.018) ,0.996(95%CI:0.983-1.009) respectively.In the bi-directional control sampling approach, the ORs were 1.002(95%CI:0.998-1.005)、 1.011 (95%CI:1.003-1.018)、 1.012(95%CI: 1.001-1.022). Conclusion Results from this study provided evidence that higher levels of ambient air pollutants increased the risk of hospital emergency room visits for respiratory diseases.

OBJECTIVETo analyze and evaluate the reproductive effects of occupational exposure to mercury among female workers and to identify relative sensitive indicators.

METHODSDocuments on the relations of occupational exposure to mercury and reproductive effects on female workers were collected through computer and manually that were published in Chinese language during 1989-2006. After strict selection, homogeneity test and integrated analysis for the abstracted data of the eligible studies were conducted using Review Manager Statistic Software. Combined RR value was used as the index for total effect on each project for Meta-analysis.

RESULTSIn total, 14 original research papers were included (totally 2148 subjects and 2044 controls). When comparing to the controls, the occupational exposure to mercury was significantly associated with longer menstrual period (RR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.45-2.30), menstrual cycle delay (RR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.74-2.37) and the changes of menstrual blood volume (RR = 2.06, 95% CI: 1.47-2.09), dysmenorrhea (RR = 2.14, 95% CI: 1.54-2.99), pregnancy-induced hypertension (RR = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.32-3.57), stillbirths (RR = 2.54, 95% CI: 1.41-4.56) and low birth weight (RR = 3.39, 95% CI: 1.38-8.33)/birth defect (RR = 2.67, 95% CI: 1.55-4.60) of their offspring (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONOccupational exposure to mercury could cause dysfunction of the menstrual period, menstrual cycle, menstrual blood volume, as well as dysmenorrhea for female workers being exposed to mercury and inducing adverse reproductive outcomes, including pregnancy-induced hypertension, stillbirth, low birth weight and birth defects of their offspring.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Dysmenorrhea ; chemically induced ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced ; chemically induced ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Menstrual Cycle ; drug effects ; Mercury ; adverse effects ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; chemically induced ; Stillbirth ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical features and the combined treatment modality of Hurthle cell thyroid tumor (HCT).

METHODSTwenty-eight cases of HCT treated between 2001 and 2009 were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSThe age of the patients ranged from 18 to 72 years (with a median of 46.5 years); 22 females and 6 males. The main symptoms were thyroid solitary node or mass (22 cases) and multiple nodule (6 cases), 2 cases with cervical lymph node metastasis. All of the patients underwent surgery, 11 cases with thyroid lobectomy, 11 cases with thyroid lobectomy plus isthmusectomy, 4 cases with subtotal thyroidectomy, and 2 cases with thyroid lobectomy plus isthmusectomy and combined with modified radical cervical lymph node dissection. Postoperative pathological examination showed that 22 cases were Hurthle cell adenomas and 6 cases were Hurthle cell carcinomas, 1 of them with cervical lymph node metastasis. Twenty-one patients with Hurthle cell adenomas were followed up for 6 months to 7.5 years (with a median of 45 months) and 6 patients with Hurthle cell carcinomas for 3 to 8 years (with a median of 54 months), with no recurrence and death case.

CONCLUSIONSHCT is a potential malignant neoplasm. There are some difficulties in the diagnosis of HCT by frozen section. Surgery is an effective treatment for HCT. L-Thyroxine can be used to inhibit TSH excretion.

Adenoma, Oxyphilic ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship of hair content of rare earth elements (REEs) in the young children aged 0 - 3 years to that in their mothers living in a rare earth mining area of Jiangxi Province.

METHODSContent of five kinds of REEs, i.e., lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd) and samarium (Sm) were determined for the hair-root samples collected from 71 young children and 62 of their mothers by inductively coupled plasma source mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

RESULTSThe mean hair content of REEs (e.g., La) was the highest (2,202.90 ng/g) in the young children living in the place nearest to the REE mining area, next (471.72 ng/g) was in those nearer to the REE mining area, and the lowest (97.37 ng/g) was in those in the control area. And, the hair content of REEs in the mothers was the same as that in their children, i.e, the mean content of La was the highest (1,510.21 ng/g) in high-exposure area, next (241.63 ng/g) was that in the low-exposure area, and the lowest (59.15 ng/g) was that in the control area, with P < 0.001. Pair-comparison analysis for the means showed that the average hair level of five kinds of REEs in the young children was two times high as their mothers' (P < 0.001). For example, the hair level of La was 533.83 ng/g in the young children and 279.78 ng/g in their mothers, respectively. Simple linear regression analysis showed that there was a significant correlation between the hair levels of each kind of REEs in the young children and those in their mothers, with a correlation coefficient of more than 0.75, e.g., that of La was 0.878 (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe hair level of REEs can be used as a bio-marker to reflect body's level of exposure to REEs. The hair level of REEs in young children and their mothers decreased with the increase of the distance from their home to rare earth mining area. Young children living in the area with REEs mining may be the high-exposure population, and their hair level of REEs was significantly higher than that in their mothers and more attention should be paid to them.

Child, Preschool ; Environmental Exposure ; Hair ; chemistry ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Metals, Rare Earth ; analysis ; Mining ; Mothers

OBJECTIVETo study source apportionment of atmospheric PM10 (particle matter ≤ 10 µm in aerodynamic diameter) and PM2.5 (particle matter ≤ 2.5 µm in aerodynamic diameter) in Beijing,Urumqi and Qingdao, China.

METHODSThe atmospheric particle samples of PM10 and PM2.5 collected from Beijing between May 17th and June 18th, 2005, from Urumqi between April 20th and June 1st, 2006 and from Qingdao between April 4th and May 15th, 2005, were detected to trace the source apportionment by factor analysis and enrichment factor methods.

RESULTSIn Beijing, the source apportionment results derived from factor analysis model for PM10 were construction dust and soil sand dust (contributing rate of variance at 45.35%), industry dust, coal-combusted smoke and vehicle emissions (contributing rate at 31.83%), and biomass burning dust (13.57%). The main pollution element was Pb, while the content (median (minimum value-maximum value)was 0.216 (0.040-0.795) µg/m(3)) . As for PM2.5, the sources were construction dust and soil sand dust (38.86%), industry dust, coal-combusted smoke and vehicle emissions (25.73%), biomass burning dust (13.10%) and burning oil dust (11.92%). The main pollution element was Zn (0.365(0.126-0.808) µg/m(3)).In Urumqi, source apportionment results for PM10 were soil sand dust and coal-combusted dust(49.75%), industry dust, vehicle emissions and secondary particles dust (30.65%). The main characteristic pollution element was Cd (0.463(0.033-1.351) ng/m(3)). As for PM2.5, the sources were soil sand dust and coal-combusted dust (43.26%), secondary particles dust (22.29%), industry dust and vehicle emissions (20.50%). The main characteristic pollution element was As (14.599 (1.696-36.741) µg/m(3)).In Qingdao, source apportionment results for PM10 were construction dust (30.91%), vehicle emissions and industry dust (29.65%) and secondary particles dust (28.99%). The main characteristic pollution element was Pb (64.071 (5.846-346.831) µg/m(3)). As for PM2.5, the sources were secondary particles dust, industry dust and vehicle emissions (49.82%) and construction dust (33.71%). The main characteristic pollution element was Pb(57.340 (5.004-241.559) µg/m(3)).Enrichment factors of Zn, Pb, As and Cd in PM2.5 were higher than those in PM10 both in Beijing and Urumqi.

CONCLUSIONThe major sources of the atmospheric particles PM10 and PM2.5 in Beijing were cement dust from construction sites and sand dust from soil; while the major sources of those in Urumqi were pollution by smoke and sand dust from burning coal. The major sources of the atmospheric particles PM10 in Qingdao were cement dust from construction sites; however, the major sources of PM2.5 there were secondary particles dust, industry dust and vehicle emissions. According to our study, the heavy metal elements were likely to gather in PM2.5.

Air Pollutants ; analysis ; China ; Cities ; Dust ; analysis ; Environmental Monitoring ; methods ; Particle Size ; Seasons ; Vehicle Emissions ; analysis

OBJECTIVEThis study aims to investigate relationship between daily concentration of PM(10), SO(2), NO(2) and daily mortality due to circulatory system diseases in Chaoyang district, Beijing.

METHODSThe time-series data of daily mortality from circulatory system diseases of registered residents in Chaoyang were obtained from Chaoyang District Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The daily concentration of sulfur dioxide (SO(2)), nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)), and particulate matter (PM(10)) were collected from Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center. And the routine monitoring meteorological data were collected from Beijing Meteorological Bureau, including daily mean temperature and daily mean relative humidity. The time-series analysis was then conducted to determine the relationship of mortality from circulatory system diseases with daily concentrations of SO(2), NO(2) and PM(10) by using Poisson regression with generalized additive model (GAM).

RESULTSDuring January 2004 to September 2008, the cumulative death number from circulatory system diseases of registered residents in Chaoyang district of Beijing was 19 241, the daily average concentration of SO(2), NO(2), PM(10) was 48.7, 63.9, 146.1 µg/m(3), respectively. The single pollutant model showed an increase of daily concentration of PM(10), SO(2) and NO(2) by 10 µg/m(3) will augment the mortality from circulatory system diseases by 0.20% (95%CI: 0.01% - 0.39%), 0.36% (95%CI: -0.13% - 0.85%) and 0.30% (95%CI: -0.34% - 0.94%), respectively. In the multiple air pollutants models, combinatorial effects of PM(10) and SO(2) still positively correlated with increased mortality from circulatory system diseases (P < 0.05), whereas changes of the concentration of NO(2) had no significant effect on mortality from circulatory system diseases (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONOur findings in this study elucidated that changes of the concentration of PM(10) and SO(2) had a positive correlation with daily mortality from circulatory system diseases among the local residents in Chaoyang District, whereas the daily concentration of NO(2) was irrelevant with that.

Aged ; Air Pollutants ; analysis ; Air Pollution ; analysis ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; epidemiology ; mortality ; China ; epidemiology ; Environmental Monitoring ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Models, Theoretical ; Nitrogen Dioxide ; analysis ; Particulate Matter ; analysis ; Sulfur Dioxide ; analysis ; Survival Rate ; Time Factors