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Sample records for eastern chinese population

  1. Human Papillomavirus 16 Infection and TP53 Mutation: Two Distinct Pathogeneses for Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in an Eastern Chinese Population

    OpenAIRE

    Wang, Zhen; Xia, Rong-Hui; Ye, Dong-Xia; Li, Jiang

    2016-01-01

    Objectives To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics, human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, p53 expression, and TP53 mutations in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) and determine their utility as prognostic predictors in a primarily eastern Chinese population. Methods The HPV infection status was tested via p16INK4A immunohistochemistry and validated using PCR, reverse blot hybridization and in situ hybridization (ISH) in 188 OPSCC samples. p53 expression levels and TP...

  2. Distinct genetic alteration profiles of acute myeloid leukemia between Caucasian and Eastern Asian population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Hui; Wang, Ying; Zhou, Chunlin; Lin, Dong; Liu, Bingcheng; Liu, Kaiqi; Qiu, Shaowei; Gong, Benfa; Li, Yan; Zhang, Guangji; Wei, Shuning; Gong, Xiaoyuan; Liu, Yuntao; Zhao, Xingli; Gu, Runxia; Mi, Yingchang; Wang, Jianxiang

    2018-02-10

    Racial and ethnic disparities in malignancies attract extensive attention. To investigate whether there are racial and ethnic disparities in genetic alteration between Caucasian and Eastern Asian population, data from several prospective AML trials were retrospectively analyzed in this study. We found that there were more patients with core binding factor (CBF) leukemia in Eastern Asian cohorts and there were different CBF leukemia constitutions between them. The ratios of CBF leukemia are 27.7, 22.1, 21.1, and 23.4%, respectively, in our (ChiCTR-TRC-10001202), another Chinese, Korean, and Japanese Eastern Asian cohorts, which are significantly higher than those in ECOG1900, MRC AML15, UK NCRI AML17, HOVON/SAKK AML-42, and German AML2003 (15.5, 12.5, 9.3, 10.2, and 12%, respectively). And CBFbeta-MYH11 occurred more prevalently in HOVON/SAKK AML- 42 and ECOG1900 trials (50.0 and 54.3% of CBF leukemia, respectively) than in Chinese and Japanese trials (20.1 and 20.8%, respectively). The proportion of FLT3-ITD mutation is 11.2% in our cohort, which is lower than that in MRC AML15 and UK NCRI AML17 (24.6 and 17.9%, respectively). Even after excluding the age bias, there are still different incidence rates of mutation between Caucasian and Eastern Asian population. These data suggest that there are racial and ethnic disparities in genetic alteration between Caucasian and Eastern Asian population.

  3. Genetic variants of JNK and p38α pathways and risk of non-small cell lung cancer in an Eastern Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Ming; Zhu, Meiling; Zhou, Fei; Wang, Mengyun; Sun, Menghong; Yang, Yajun; Wang, Xiaofeng; Wang, Jiucun; Jin, Li; Xiang, Jiaqing; Zhang, Yawei; Chang, Jianhua; Wei, Qingyi

    2017-02-15

    The JNK and p38α pathways play an important role in carcinogenesis. Therefore, we hypothesize that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of genes involved in these pathways are associated with risk of lung cancer. We first selected and genotyped 11 independent SNPs of the JNK and p38α pathway-related genes in a discovery set of 1,002 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases and 1,025 cancer-free controls of Eastern Chinese. Then, we validated those significant SNPs in a replication set of 1,333 NSCLC cases and 1,339 cancer-free controls of Eastern Chinese. Multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) and classification and regression tree (CART) analyses were used to identify interactions between significant SNPs and other covariates. In both discovery and replication as well as their pooled analysis, carriers of GADD45G rs8252T variant genotypes had a significantly lower risk of NSCLC (adjusted OR = 0.81 and 0.79, 95% CI = 0.72-0.92 and 0.64-0.99 and p = 0.001 and 0.040 for dominant and recessive genetic models, respectively) and carriers of MAP2K7 rs3679T variant genotypes had an increased risk of NSCLC (adjusted OR = 1.19 and 1.29, 95% CI = 1.05-1.34 and 1.09-1.54 and p = 0.005 and 0.004 for dominant and recessive genetic models, respectively). Furthermore, rs8252 variant CT/TT carriers showed significantly higher levels of GADD45G mRNA expression than CC carriers in the target tissues. We observed some evidence of interactions between rs8252 genotypes and sex in NSCLC risk. These results indicate that GADD45G rs8252 and MAP2K7 rs3679 SNPs may be susceptibility biomarkers for NSCLC in Eastern Chinese populations. © 2016 UICC.

  4. Human Papillomavirus 16 Infection and TP53 Mutation: Two Distinct Pathogeneses for Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in an Eastern Chinese Population.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhen Wang

    Full Text Available To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics, human papillomavirus (HPV infection, p53 expression, and TP53 mutations in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC and determine their utility as prognostic predictors in a primarily eastern Chinese population.The HPV infection status was tested via p16INK4A immunohistochemistry and validated using PCR, reverse blot hybridization and in situ hybridization (ISH in 188 OPSCC samples. p53 expression levels and TP53 gene mutations were assessed through immunohistochemistry and sequencing, respectively. Clinicopathological characteristics and follow-up information were collected. Overall survival was estimated using the Log-rank test.Overall, 22 of the 188 OPSCC samples were associated with HPV infection. HPV16 was identified in all 22 samples, whereas no samples were positive for HPV18. All 22 HPV-associated OPSCC samples were p53 negative and lacked TP53 mutations. HPV16 positivity, female patients, non-smokers, and patients with histological grade I and stage N0 diseases showed better overall survival (p = 0.009, 0.003, 0.048, 0.009, and 0.004, respectively. No significant differences in overall survival between smoking and non-smoking patients were observed in the HPV-associated OPSCC group. Patients without mutations in TP53 exons 5-8 had better prognoses (p = 0.031 among the 43 sequenced specimens. Multivariate analysis indicated that HPV16 infection status (p = 0.011, histological grade (p = 0.017, and N stage (p = 0.019 were independent prognostic factors for patients with OPSCC.Distinct from the situation in Europe and America, for the patients with OPSCC in this study, HPV16 infection was relatively low, although it was still the most important independent prognostic predictor for the disease. In addition to the high smoking and drinking rate in this population, HPV16 infection and TP53 dysfunction appear to be two distinct pathogens for OPSCC patients in the eastern Chinese

  5. Human Papillomavirus 16 Infection and TP53 Mutation: Two Distinct Pathogeneses for Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in an Eastern Chinese Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhen; Xia, Rong-Hui; Ye, Dong-Xia; Li, Jiang

    2016-01-01

    To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics, human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, p53 expression, and TP53 mutations in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) and determine their utility as prognostic predictors in a primarily eastern Chinese population. The HPV infection status was tested via p16INK4A immunohistochemistry and validated using PCR, reverse blot hybridization and in situ hybridization (ISH) in 188 OPSCC samples. p53 expression levels and TP53 gene mutations were assessed through immunohistochemistry and sequencing, respectively. Clinicopathological characteristics and follow-up information were collected. Overall survival was estimated using the Log-rank test. Overall, 22 of the 188 OPSCC samples were associated with HPV infection. HPV16 was identified in all 22 samples, whereas no samples were positive for HPV18. All 22 HPV-associated OPSCC samples were p53 negative and lacked TP53 mutations. HPV16 positivity, female patients, non-smokers, and patients with histological grade I and stage N0 diseases showed better overall survival (p = 0.009, 0.003, 0.048, 0.009, and 0.004, respectively). No significant differences in overall survival between smoking and non-smoking patients were observed in the HPV-associated OPSCC group. Patients without mutations in TP53 exons 5-8 had better prognoses (p = 0.031) among the 43 sequenced specimens. Multivariate analysis indicated that HPV16 infection status (p = 0.011), histological grade (p = 0.017), and N stage (p = 0.019) were independent prognostic factors for patients with OPSCC. Distinct from the situation in Europe and America, for the patients with OPSCC in this study, HPV16 infection was relatively low, although it was still the most important independent prognostic predictor for the disease. In addition to the high smoking and drinking rate in this population, HPV16 infection and TP53 dysfunction appear to be two distinct pathogens for OPSCC patients in the eastern Chinese population.

  6. Mutation rates at 42 Y chromosomal short tandem repeats in Chinese Han population in Eastern China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Weiwei; Ren, Wenyan; Hao, Honglei; Nan, Hailun; He, Xin; Liu, Qiuling; Lu, Dejian

    2018-01-31

    Mutation analysis of 42 Y chromosomal short tandem repeats (Y-STRs) loci was performed using a sample of 1160 father-son pairs from the Chinese Han population in Eastern China. The results showed that the average mutation rate across the 42 Y-STR loci was 0.0041 (95% CI 0.0036-0.0047) per locus per generation. The locus-specific mutation rates varied from 0.000 to 0.0190. No mutation was found at DYS388, DYS437, DYS448, DYS531, and GATA_H4. DYS627, DYS570, DYS576, and DYS449 could be classified as rapidly mutating Y-STRs, with mutation rates higher than 1.0 × 10 -2 . DYS458, DYS630, and DYS518 were moderately mutating Y-STRs, with mutation rates ranging from 8 × 10 -3 to 1 × 10 -2 . Although the characteristics of the Y-STR mutations were consistent with those in previous studies, mutation rate differences between our data and previous published data were found at some rapidly mutating Y-STRs. The single-copy loci located on the short arm of the Y chromosome (Yp) showed relatively higher mutation rates more frequently than the multi-copy loci. These results will not only extend the data for Y-STR mutations but also be important for kinship analysis, paternal lineage identification, and family relationship reconstruction in forensic Y-STR analysis.

  7. A Map of Copy Number Variations in Chinese Populations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yajun; Kang, Longli; Zhang, Xin; Jin, Wenfei; Wu, Bailin; Jin, Li; Xu, Shuhua

    2011-01-01

    It has been shown that the human genome contains extensive copy number variations (CNVs). Investigating the medical and evolutionary impacts of CNVs requires the knowledge of locations, sizes and frequency distribution of them within and between populations. However, CNV study of Chinese minorities, which harbor the majority of genetic diversity of Chinese populations, has been underrepresented considering the same efforts in other populations. Here we constructed, to our knowledge, a first CNV map in seven Chinese populations representing the major linguistic groups in China with 1,440 CNV regions identified using Affymetrix SNP 6.0 Array. Considerable differences in distributions of CNV regions between populations and substantial population structures were observed. We showed that ∼35% of CNV regions identified in minority ethnic groups are not shared by Han Chinese population, indicating that the contribution of the minorities to genetic architecture of Chinese population could not be ignored. We further identified highly differentiated CNV regions between populations. For example, a common deletion in Dong and Zhuang (44.4% and 50%), which overlaps two keratin-associated protein genes contributing to the structure of hair fibers, was not observed in Han Chinese. Interestingly, the most differentiated CNV deletion between HapMap CEU and YRI containing CCL3L1 gene reported in previous studies was also the highest differentiated regions between Tibetan and other populations. Besides, by jointly analyzing CNVs and SNPs, we found a CNV region containing gene CTDSPL were in almost perfect linkage disequilibrium between flanking SNPs in Tibetan while not in other populations except HapMap CHD. Furthermore, we found the SNP taggability of CNVs in Chinese populations was much lower than that in European populations. Our results suggest the necessity of a full characterization of CNVs in Chinese populations, and the CNV map we constructed serves as a useful resource in

  8. A map of copy number variations in Chinese populations.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haiyi Lou

    Full Text Available It has been shown that the human genome contains extensive copy number variations (CNVs. Investigating the medical and evolutionary impacts of CNVs requires the knowledge of locations, sizes and frequency distribution of them within and between populations. However, CNV study of Chinese minorities, which harbor the majority of genetic diversity of Chinese populations, has been underrepresented considering the same efforts in other populations. Here we constructed, to our knowledge, a first CNV map in seven Chinese populations representing the major linguistic groups in China with 1,440 CNV regions identified using Affymetrix SNP 6.0 Array. Considerable differences in distributions of CNV regions between populations and substantial population structures were observed. We showed that ∼35% of CNV regions identified in minority ethnic groups are not shared by Han Chinese population, indicating that the contribution of the minorities to genetic architecture of Chinese population could not be ignored. We further identified highly differentiated CNV regions between populations. For example, a common deletion in Dong and Zhuang (44.4% and 50%, which overlaps two keratin-associated protein genes contributing to the structure of hair fibers, was not observed in Han Chinese. Interestingly, the most differentiated CNV deletion between HapMap CEU and YRI containing CCL3L1 gene reported in previous studies was also the highest differentiated regions between Tibetan and other populations. Besides, by jointly analyzing CNVs and SNPs, we found a CNV region containing gene CTDSPL were in almost perfect linkage disequilibrium between flanking SNPs in Tibetan while not in other populations except HapMap CHD. Furthermore, we found the SNP taggability of CNVs in Chinese populations was much lower than that in European populations. Our results suggest the necessity of a full characterization of CNVs in Chinese populations, and the CNV map we constructed serves as a

  9. [Development and validation of the Chinese version of modified body imgae scale in Chinese population].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, X X; Zhu, L; Yu, S J; Xu, T

    2018-02-25

    Objective: To develop the Chinese version of modified body image scale (MBIS) questionnaires, and to validate them in Chinese population. Methods: The original English MBIS questionnaire was translated into Chinese, following the WHO cross-cultural adaptation of health-related quality of life measures. The reliability and validity of the Chinese version of MBIS questionnaires were evaluated in Chinese population, MRKH syndrome patients. Results: Totally 50 patients with MRKH syndrome completed the MBIS and short-form 12-item health survey (SF-12) questionnaires. The Cronbach's alpha of MBIS was 0.741, intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.472-0.815 ( PChinese version of MBIS has high reliability and validity in Chinese population, therefore is suitable for clinic and research.

  10. Increasing imputation and prediction accuracy for Chinese Holsteins using joint Chinese-Nordic reference population

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ma, Peipei; Lund, Mogens Sandø; Ding, X

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated the effect of including Nordic Holsteins in the reference population on the imputation accuracy and prediction accuracy for Chinese Holsteins. The data used in this study include 85 Chinese Holstein bulls genotyped with both 54K chip and 777K (HD) chip, 2862 Chinese cows...... was improved slightly when using the marker data imputed based on the combined HD reference data, compared with using the marker data imputed based on the Chinese HD reference data only. On the other hand, when using the combined reference population including 4398 Nordic Holstein bulls, the accuracy...... to increase reference population rather than increasing marker density...

  11. Inner and inter population structure construction of Chinese Jiangsu Han population based on Y23 STR system.

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    Huipin Wang

    Full Text Available In this study, we analyzed the genetic polymorphisms of 23 Y-STR loci from PowerPlex® Y23 system in 916 unrelated healthy male individuals from Chinese Jiangsu Han, and observed 912 different haplotypes including 908 unique haplotypes and 4 duplicate haplotypes. The haplotype diversity reached 0.99999 and the discrimination capacity and match probability were 0.9956 and 0.0011, respectively. The gene diversity values ranged from 0.3942 at DYS438 to 0.9607 at DYS385a/b. Population differentiation within 10 Jiangsu Han subpopulations were evaluated by RST values and visualized in Neighbor-Joining trees and Multi-Dimensional Scaling plots as well as population relationships between the Jiangsu Han population and other 18 Eastern Asian populations. Such results indicated that the 23 Y-STR loci were highly polymorphic in Jiangsu Han population and played crucial roles in forensic application as well as population genetics. For the first time, we reported the genetic diversity of male lineages in Jiangsu Han population at a high-resolution level of 23 Y-STR set and consequently contributed to familial searching, offender tracking, and anthropology analysis of Jiangsu Han population.

  12. Inner and inter population structure construction of Chinese Jiangsu Han population based on Y23 STR system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Chun; Zhang, Jianqiu

    2017-01-01

    In this study, we analyzed the genetic polymorphisms of 23 Y-STR loci from PowerPlex® Y23 system in 916 unrelated healthy male individuals from Chinese Jiangsu Han, and observed 912 different haplotypes including 908 unique haplotypes and 4 duplicate haplotypes. The haplotype diversity reached 0.99999 and the discrimination capacity and match probability were 0.9956 and 0.0011, respectively. The gene diversity values ranged from 0.3942 at DYS438 to 0.9607 at DYS385a/b. Population differentiation within 10 Jiangsu Han subpopulations were evaluated by RST values and visualized in Neighbor-Joining trees and Multi-Dimensional Scaling plots as well as population relationships between the Jiangsu Han population and other 18 Eastern Asian populations. Such results indicated that the 23 Y-STR loci were highly polymorphic in Jiangsu Han population and played crucial roles in forensic application as well as population genetics. For the first time, we reported the genetic diversity of male lineages in Jiangsu Han population at a high-resolution level of 23 Y-STR set and consequently contributed to familial searching, offender tracking, and anthropology analysis of Jiangsu Han population. PMID:28704439

  13. Transfer of ERR for radiation-related leukemia from Japanese population to Chinese population

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang Liqiong; Sun Zhijuan; Zhao Yongcheng; Wang Jixian

    2011-01-01

    Objective: To establish a transfer model for excess relative risk (ERR) for radiation-related leukemia from Japanese population to Chinese population. Methods: Combined ERR of several subtypes of leukemia published in 1994, with the corresponding leukemia baseline incidence rates obtained from Cancer Incidence in Five Continents Vol. Ⅸ (CI5-Ⅸ) for Japanese population and Chinese population, a weighted risk transfer model was employed between an additive model and a multiplicative model, to execute ERR transfer. Results: A range of weighing factors was proposed for risk transfer models: weighing factor was 0.4 for male and 0.3 for female, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia and chronic myeloid leukemia. The uncertainty for ERR transfer was characterized by lognormal distribution. Conclusions: Based on the difference of baseline incidence rate for subtypes of leukemia between Japanese population and Chinese population, the transfer model and these weighing factors discussed in the present study could be applicable to transfer ERR for radiation-related leukemia from Japanese population to Chinese population. (authors)

  14. Sleep Patterns in Chinese Preschool Children: A Population-Based Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Ran; Wang, Guang-Hai; Zhu, Hong; Jiang, Fan; Jiang, Chun-Lei

    2018-04-15

    This study aimed to (1) provide data on normal sleep patterns in Chinese preschool children, (2) identify cross-cultural differences of sleep patterns among children from China and other countries, (3) estimate the prevalence of sleep duration not meeting the optimal amount, and (4) characterize delayed weekend sleep pattern. A population-based sample of 1,610 children aged 3-6 years was recruited from 10 cities across China. Parents completed questions about their child's sleep patterns adapted from the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ). The mean bedtime was 9:31 PM, wake time was 7:27 AM, nighttime sleep duration was 9 hours 30 minutes, daytime sleep duration was 1 hour 31 minutes, and total sleep duration was 11 hours 2 minutes. The children had a shorter nighttime sleep duration but longer daytime naps, resulting in no differences in total sleep duration compared with counterparts predominantly in the west. Of the children, 85.3% met the recommended amount of sleep of 10 to 13 hours, and 10.8% slept fewer than 10 hours. The prevalence of sleep less than 10 hours was higher in older children and children from eastern China. Children went to bed and woke up more than 30 minutes later on weekends than weekdays, accounting for 40.1% and 50%, respectively. Children in western China showed longer delay than children in eastern China ( P < .05). Age- and region-specific variability of sleep patterns are reported as well as insufficient sleep and delayed weekend sleep pattern in Chinese preschool children. The cross-cultural difference of sleep patterns was in temporal placement rather than sleep duration. © 2018 American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

  15. Post-Institutionalized Chinese and Eastern European Children: Heterogeneity in the Development of Emotion Understanding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camras, Linda A.; Perlman, Susan B.; Fries, Alison B. Wismer; Pollak, Seth D.

    2006-01-01

    Post-institutionalized Chinese and Eastern European children participated in two emotion understanding tasks. In one task, children selected facial expressions corresponding to four emotion labels (happy, sad, angry, scared). The second task required children to match facial expressions to stories describing situations for these emotions. While…

  16. Investigation of vitamin D status and its correlation with insulin resistance in a Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Bing; Wang, Xiaojin; Wang, Ningjian; Li, Qin; Chen, Yi; Zhu, Chunfang; Chen, Yingchao; Xia, Fangzhen; Pu, Xiaoqi; Cang, Zhen; Zhu, Chaoxia; Lu, Meng; Meng, Ying; Guo, Hui; Chen, Chi; Tu, Weiping; Li, Bin; Hu, Ling; Wang, Bingshun; Lu, Yingli

    2017-06-01

    Although many studies worldwide have focused on the relationship between vitamin D and insulin resistance, results remain controversial. Furthermore, concentrations of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) in the Chinese population are unclear. We aimed to investigate vitamin D status and its correlation with insulin resistance among a Chinese adult population. Serum 25(OH)D, fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, glycated Hb (HbA1c) and other metabolic parameters were assessed. Neck circumference, waist circumference, hip circumference, weight and height were also measured. Lifestyle factors including smoking and drinking status were obtained. Diabetes mellitus was diagnosed by HbA1c according to the 2010 American Diabetes Association criteria. Eastern China. Of 7200 residents included, 6597 individuals were ultimately analysed. We enrolled 2813 males (mean age 52·7 (sd 13·5) years) and 3784 females (52·3 (sd 13·5) years); mean serum 25(OH)D concentration was 43·1 (sd 11·6) and 39·6 (sd 9·8) nmol/l, respectively. Additionally, 83·3 % of participants were 25(OH)D deficient. A significant difference in 25(OH)D was observed between males and females in winter and spring (Pinsulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in the overweight and pre-diabetic populations. After adjusting for several variables, 25(OH)D was significantly associated with HOMA-IR in winter. When 25(OH)D values were categorized into quartiles, HOMA-IR was significantly associated with decreasing 25(OH)D. The majority of the Chinese population was vitamin D deficient and this deficiency was negatively associated with insulin resistance, particularly in the overweight and pre-diabetic populations. Moreover, these associations might be more evident in the winter.

  17. Breeding biology of the eastern population of the Short-clawed Lark ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Breeding biology of the eastern population of the Short-clawed Lark in South Africa. ... courtship and copulation behaviour, the incubation period, description of the ... In contrast with the single-brooded western population, the eastern ...

  18. Annual survival rate estimate of satellite transmitter–marked eastern population greater sandhill cranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fronczak, David L.; Andersen, David E.; Hanna, Everett E.; Cooper, Thomas R.

    2015-01-01

    Several surveys have documented the increasing population size and geographic distribution of Eastern Population greater sandhill cranes Grus canadensis tabida since the 1960s. Sport hunting of this population of sandhill cranes started in 2012 following the provisions of the Eastern Population Sandhill Crane Management Plan. However, there are currently no published estimates of Eastern Population sandhill crane survival rate that can be used to inform harvest management. As part of two studies of Eastern Population sandhill crane migration, we deployed solar-powered global positioning system platform transmitting terminals on Eastern Population sandhill cranes (n  =  42) at key concentration areas from 2009 to 2012. We estimated an annual survival rate for Eastern Population sandhill cranes from data resulting from monitoring these cranes by using the known-fates model in the MARK program. Estimated annual survival rate for adult Eastern Population sandhill cranes was 0.950 (95% confidence interval  =  0.885–0.979) during December 2009–August 2014. All fatalities (n  =  5) occurred after spring migration in late spring and early summer. We were unable to determine cause of death for crane fatalities in our study. Our survival rate estimate will be useful when combined with other population parameters such as the population index derived from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fall survey, harvest, and recruitment rates to assess the effects of harvest on population size and trend and evaluate the effectiveness of management strategies.

  19. Russia's Eastern Energy Policy: A Chinese Puzzle for Rosneft

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Poussenkova, Nina

    2013-04-01

    In the past decade Russia set a strategic goal: to develop the Eastern vector of its energy policy and strengthen oil and gas cooperation with the Asia-Pacific countries. While dialogue on gas with China was stalled, Rosneft, the country's number-one oil company, made a breakthrough in petroleum relations. Rosneft received credits from Chinese banks against guaranteed supplies of oil; lobbied for the construction of a spur to China from the Eastern Siberia-Pacific Ocean pipeline system; dramatically increased oil exports to China; let CNPC and Sinopec enter the Russian upstream; cooperated with them abroad; sold some of its shares to CNPC, and consolidated its position in China's downstream. The state company is fulfilling the government's strategic plans on the diversification of markets for hydrocarbons and the development of the East of the country, while simultaneously influencing state energy policy. Rosneft has its own long-term plans to become an international energy corporation and it is pursuing the internationalization of its business, including in the Asia-Pacific markets. Yet thanks to China, Rosneft is also supporting its short-term corporate interests: the first two loans were used to pay for the acquisition of Yukos, and now it plans to attract the Chinese money to buy TNK-BP. Therefore, the key question remains: Do its corporate interests correspond to the long-term goals of Russia, in so far as they place the country in a position of dependence on China? (author)

  20. Automated Determination of Bone Age in a Modern Chinese Population

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Shao-Yan; Liu, Gang; Ma, Chen-Guo; Han, Yi-San; Shen, Xun-Zhang; Xu, Rui-Long; Thodberg, Hans Henrik

    2013-01-01

    Rationale and Objective. Large studies have previously been performed to set up a Chinese bone age reference, but it has been difficult to compare the maturation of Chinese children with populations elsewhere due to the potential variability between raters in different parts of the world. We re-analysed the radiographs from a large study of normal Chinese children using an automated bone age rating method to establish a Chinese bone age reference, and to compare the tempo of maturation in the Chinese with other populations. Materials and Methods. X-rays from 2883 boys and 3143 girls aged 2–20 years from five Chinese cities, taken in 2005, were evaluated using the BoneXpert automated method. Results. Chinese children reached full maturity at the same age as previously studied Asian children from Los Angeles, but 0.6 years earlier than Caucasian children in Los Angeles. The Greulich-Pyle bone age method was adapted to the Chinese population creating a new bone age scale BX-China05. The standard deviation between BX-China05 and chronologic age was 1.01 years in boys aged 8–14, and 1.08 years in girls aged 7–12. Conclusion. By eliminating rater variability, the automated method provides a reliable and efficient standard for bone age determination in China

  1. Elder abuse in Chinese populations: a global review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, XinQi

    2015-01-01

    This review focuses on the epidemiology of elder abuse in the global Chinese population with respect to its prevalence, risk factors, and consequences, as well as the perceptions of elder abuse. Evidence revealed that elder abuse and its subtypes are common among the global Chinese population with prevalence ranging from 0.2% to 64%. Younger age, lower income levels, depression, cognitive impairment, and lack of social support were consistently associated with self-reported elder abuse. Caregiver burden was a constant risk factor for the proclivity to elder abuse by caregivers. The adverse health outcomes of elder abuse included suicidal ideation and psychological stress. Some primary research gaps exist: such as, lack of consistency in measurements and recall periods, insufficient studies on the causal relationships between potential risk factors and elder abuse, consequences of elder abuse, and possible interventions. In order to reduce the risk of elder abuse in the global Chinese population, collaboration is encouraged among researchers, health care professionals, social service providers, and policy makers.

  2. Conservation of the Eastern Taiwan Strait Chinese White Dolphin (Sousa chinensis: Fishers' Perspectives and Management Implications.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ta-Kang Liu

    Full Text Available The abundance of the eastern Taiwan Strait (ETS population of the Chinese white dolphin (Sousa chinensis has been estimated to be less than 100 individuals. It is categorized as critically endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Thus, immediate measures of conservation should be taken to protect it from extinction. Currently, the Taiwanese government plans to designate its habitat as a Major Wildlife Habitat (MWH, a type of marine protected area (MPA for conservation of wildlife species. Although the designation allows continuing the current exploitation, however, it may cause conflicts among multiple stakeholders with competing interests. The study is to explore the attitude and opinions among the stakeholders in order to better manage the MPA. This study employs a semi-structured interview and a questionnaire survey of local fishers. Results from interviews indicated that the subsistence of fishers remains a major problem. It was found that stakeholders have different perceptions of the fishers' attitude towards conservation and also thought that the fishery-related law enforcement could be difficult. Quantitative survey showed that fishers are generally positive towards the conservation of the Chinese white dolphin but are less willing to participate in the planning process. Most fishers considered temporary fishing closure as feasible for conservation. The results of this study provide recommendations for future efforts towards the goal of better conservation for this endangered species.

  3. Genetic diversity and population structure of Chinese honeybees ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Genetic diversity and population structure of Chinese honeybees (Apis cerana) under microsatellite markers. T Ji, L Yin, G Chen. Abstract. Using 21 microsatellite markers and PCR method, the polymorphisms of 20 Apis cerana honeybee populations across China was investigated and the genetic structure and diversity of ...

  4. Ethnic dental analysis of shovel and Carabelli's traits in a Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsu, J W; Tsai, P L; Hsiao, T H; Chang, H P; Lin, L M; Liu, K M; Yu, H S; Ferguson, D

    1999-03-01

    Chinese populations differ from Caucasoids by having a high prevalence of shovel trait and a low prevalence of Carabelli's trait. This study was conducted to investigate the association between the shovel and the Carabelli's traits in a Chinese population. The research design investigated a Chinese population that resides in southern Taiwan. The ancestors of this Chinese population migrated to Taiwan from mainland China, mainly from Fukien and Kwangtung. The effects of sex and age on Carabelli's trait were controlled in this investigation, as was the association between tooth size and Carabelli's trait. Results show that males were more likely to have Carabelli's trait expressed on teeth than females. The buccolingual diameter of Carabelli's trait teeth was larger than that of teeth without the trait. After controlling for sex, age, and tooth size, the existence of the shovel trait increased the likelihood of having Carabelli's trait by a factor of five and a half, which is a significant effect.

  5. The associations of diastolic blood pressure with the risk of stroke in Western and Eastern populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ni Mhurchu, C; Rodgers, A; MacMahon, S

    1999-01-01

    This paper reviews evidence from two overviews of prospective, observational studies of the association of diastolic blood pressure (DBP) with the risk of stroke in populations from the US and Europe and populations from China and Japan. The Western overview included seven studies involving a total of 405,511 individuals. During a mean follow-up period of 11 years, 843 strokes were observed. The Eastern overview included 18 cohorts involving a total of 124,774 participants. During a mean follow-up duration of 9 years, 1,798 strokes were observed. The shape of the association between usual DBP and the risk of stroke was similar in Western and Eastern populations, but in Eastern populations the size of the association was about 50% steeper than that in Western populations. This may be due, at least in part, to cerebral haemorrhage comprising a greater proportion of total stroke in Eastern populations. This finding, together with the high stroke rates in many Eastern Asian populations, suggests that the potential benefits of blood pressure lowering may be greater in Eastern Asia.

  6. Ancient Human Parasites in Ethnic Chinese Populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeh, Hui-Yuan; Mitchell, Piers D

    2016-10-01

    Whilst archaeological evidence for many aspects of life in ancient China is well studied, there has been much less interest in ancient infectious diseases, such as intestinal parasites in past Chinese populations. Here, we bring together evidence from mummies, ancient latrines, and pelvic soil from burials, dating from the Neolithic Period to the Qing Dynasty, in order to better understand the health of the past inhabitants of China and the diseases endemic in the region. Seven species of intestinal parasite have been identified, namely roundworm, whipworm, Chinese liver fluke, oriental schistosome, pinworm, Taenia sp. tapeworm, and the intestinal fluke Fasciolopsis buski . It was found that in the past, roundworm, whipworm, and Chinese liver fluke appear to have been much more common than the other species. While roundworm and whipworm remained common into the late 20th century, Chinese liver fluke seems to have undergone a marked decline in its prevalence over time. The iconic transport route known as the Silk Road has been shown to have acted as a vector for the transmission of ancient diseases, highlighted by the discovery of Chinese liver fluke in a 2,000 year-old relay station in northwest China, 1,500 km outside its endemic range.

  7. Assessing genome-wide copy number variation in the Han Chinese population.

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    Lu, Jianqi; Lou, Haiyi; Fu, Ruiqing; Lu, Dongsheng; Zhang, Feng; Wu, Zhendong; Zhang, Xi; Li, Changhua; Fang, Baijun; Pu, Fangfang; Wei, Jingning; Wei, Qian; Zhang, Chao; Wang, Xiaoji; Lu, Yan; Yan, Shi; Yang, Yajun; Jin, Li; Xu, Shuhua

    2017-10-01

    Copy number variation (CNV) is a valuable source of genetic diversity in the human genome and a well-recognised cause of various genetic diseases. However, CNVs have been considerably under-represented in population-based studies, particularly the Han Chinese which is the largest ethnic group in the world. To build a representative CNV map for the Han Chinese population. We conducted a genome-wide CNV study involving 451 male Han Chinese samples from 11 geographical regions encompassing 28 dialect groups, representing a less-biased panel compared with the currently available data. We detected CNVs by using 4.2M NimbleGen comparative genomic hybridisation array and whole-genome deep sequencing of 51 samples to optimise the filtering conditions in CNV discovery. A comprehensive Han Chinese CNV map was built based on a set of high-quality variants (positive predictive value >0.8, with sizes ranging from 369 bp to 4.16 Mb and a median of 5907 bp). The map consists of 4012 CNV regions (CNVRs), and more than half are novel to the 30 East Asian CNV Project and the 1000 Genomes Project Phase 3. We further identified 81 CNVRs specific to regional groups, which was indicative of the subpopulation structure within the Han Chinese population. Our data are complementary to public data sources, and the CNV map may facilitate in the identification of pathogenic CNVs and further biomedical research studies involving the Han Chinese population. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  8. Intensity and sulci landmark combined brain atlas construction for Chinese pediatric population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Yishan; Shi, Lin; Weng, Jian; He, Hongjian; Chu, Winnie C W; Chen, Feiyan; Wang, Defeng

    2014-08-01

    Constructing an atlas from a population of brain images is of vital importance to medical image analysis. Especially in neuroscience study, creating a brain atlas is useful for intra- and inter-population comparison. Research on brain atlas construction has attracted great attention in recent years, but the research on pediatric population is still limited, mainly due to the limited availability and the relatively low quality of pediatric magnetic resonance brain images. This article is targeted at creating a high quality representative brain atlas for Chinese pediatric population. To achieve this goal, we have designed a set of preprocessing procedures to improve the image quality and developed an intensity and sulci landmark combined groupwise registration method to align the population of images for atlas construction. As demonstrated in experiments, the newly constructed atlas can better represent the size and shape of brains of Chinese pediatric population, and show better performance in Chinese pediatric brain image analysis compared with other standard atlases. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Population estimate of Chinese mystery snail (Bellamya chinensis) in a Nebraska reservoir

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaine, Noelle M.; Allen, Craig R.; Fricke, Kent A.; Haak, Danielle M.; Hellman, Michelle L.; Kill, Robert A.; Nemec, Kristine T.; Pope, Kevin L.; Smeenk, Nicholas A.; Stephen, Bruce J.; Uden, Daniel R.; Unstad, Kody M.; VanderHam, Ashley E.

    2012-01-01

    The Chinese mystery snail (Bellamya chinensis) is an aquatic invasive species in North America. Little is known regarding this species' impacts on freshwater ecosystems. It is be lieved that population densities can be high, yet no population estimates have been reported. We utilized a mark-recapture approach to generate a population estimate for Chinese mystery snail in Wild Plum Lake, a 6.47-ha reservoir in southeast Nebraska. We calculated, using bias-adjusted Lincoln-Petersen estimation, that there were approximately 664 adult snails within a 127 m2 transect (5.2 snails/m2). If this density was consistent throughout the littoral zone (Chinese mystery snail wet biomass is estimated to be 3,119 kg (643 kg/ha). If this density is confined to the depth sampled in this study (1.46 m), then the adult population is estimated to be 169,400 snails, and wet biomass is estimated to be 2,084 kg (643 kg/ha). Additional research is warranted to further test the utility of mark-recapture methods for aquatic snails and to better understand Chinese mystery snail distributions within reservoirs.

  10. Analysis of Geographic and Pairwise Distances among Chinese Cashmere Goat Populations

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    Jian-Bin Liu

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated the geographic and pairwise distances of nine Chinese local Cashmere goat populations through the analysis of 20 microsatellite DNA markers. Fluorescence PCR was used to identify the markers, which were selected based on their significance as identified by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO and the International Society for Animal Genetics (ISAG. In total, 206 alleles were detected; the average allele number was 10.30; the polymorphism information content of loci ranged from 0.5213 to 0.7582; the number of effective alleles ranged from 4.0484 to 4.6178; the observed heterozygosity was from 0.5023 to 0.5602 for the practical sample; the expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.5783 to 0.6464; and Allelic richness ranged from 4.7551 to 8.0693. These results indicated that Chinese Cashmere goat populations exhibited rich genetic diversity. Further, the Wright’s F-statistics of subpopulation within total (FST was 0.1184; the genetic differentiation coefficient (GST was 0.0940; and the average gene flow (Nm was 2.0415. All pairwise FST values among the populations were highly significant (p<0.01 or p<0.001, suggesting that the populations studied should all be considered to be separate breeds. Finally, the clustering analysis divided the Chinese Cashmere goat populations into at least four clusters, with the Hexi and Yashan goat populations alone in one cluster. These results have provided useful, practical, and important information for the future of Chinese Cashmere goat breeding.

  11. The effect of shovel trait on Carabelli's trait in Taiwan Chinese and Aboriginal populations.

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    Hsu, J W; Tsai, P L; Hsiao, T H; Chang, H P; Lin, L M; Liu, K M; Yu, H S; Ferguson, D

    1997-09-01

    Chinese and other Mongoloid populations differ from Caucasoids by having a high prevalence of shovel trait and a low prevalence of Carabelli's trait. This study was conducted to compare the association between the shovel and the Carabelli's traits between Chinese and aboriginal Mongoloid populations. The research is designed to sample randomly a Chinese population and an aboriginal population having low admixture with neighboring populations. The Mongoloid aboriginal group was from the Bunun tribe who resides in an isolated alpine area in Taiwan. The effects of sex and age on Carabelli's trait were controlled in this study, as was the association between tooth size and Carabelli's trait. Our results show that males had more Carabelli's trait expressed on teeth than females in both of these two Mongoloid populations. The buccolingual diameter of Carabelli's trait teeth was larger than that of teeth without the trait. After controlling for sex, age, and tooth size, the existence of the shovel trait significantly increased the likelihood of having Carabelli's trait, especially in Chinese, which implies another significant ethnic feature for Mongoloid identification.

  12. Systematic screening for CYP3A4 genetic polymorphisms in a Han Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Guo-Xin; Dai, Da-Peng; Wang, Hao; Huang, Xiang-Xin; Zhou, Xiao-Yang; Cai, Jie; Chen, Hao; Cai, Jian-Ping

    2017-03-01

    To systematically investigate the genetic polymorphisms of the CYP3A4 gene in a Han Chinese population. The promoter and exons of CYP3A4 gene in 1114 unrelated, healthy Han Chinese subjects were amplified and genotyped by direct sequencing. In total, five previously reported alleles (*1G, *4, *5, *18B and *23) were detected, of which one allele (*23) was reported for the first time in Han Chinese population. Additionally, seven novel exonic variants were also identified and designated as new alleles CYP3A4*28-*34. This study provides the most comprehensive data of CYP3A4 polymorphisms in Han Chinese population and detects the largest number of novel CYP3A4 alleles in one ethnic group.

  13. Genetic variants associated with myocardial infarction and the risk factors in Chinese population.

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    Yongqin Wang

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Recent genome-wide association (GWA studies in Caucasians identified multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs associated with coronary artery disease (CAD. The associations of those SNPs with myocardial infarction (MI have not been replicated in Asian populations. Among those previously identified SNPs, we selected nine (rs10953541, rs1122608, rs12190287, rs12413409, rs1412444, rs1746048, rs3798220, rs4977574, rs579459, in or near genes 7q22, LDLR, TCF21, CYP17A1, LIPA, CXCL12, LPA, CDKN2A, ABO, respectively because of the relatively high minor allele frequencies in Chinese individuals and tested the associations of the SNPs with MI and MI related risk factors in Chinese population. METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a case-control association study on a cohort of 2365 MI patients and 2678 unrelated controls from the Chinese population. Genotyping of 9 SNPs were performed by the TaqMan Real Time PCR method. After age, sex, and BMI adjustment, we observed the SNPs rs12190287, rs12413409, rs1412444, rs1746048 and rs4977574, were significantly associated with MI in additive models and rs12190287, rs12413409, rs4977574 were significantly associated with phenotypes of MI at the same time. We also found three SNPs rs1122608, rs3798220 and rs579459 were significantly associated with risk factors of MI, although they had no association with MI in Chinese population. CONCLUSION: Results of this study indicate that 5 SNPs were associated with MI and 3 SNPs were associated with associated with lipoprotein levels but not with MI in a Chinese population. The present study supports some CAD-related genes in Caucasian as important genes for MI in a Chinese population.

  14. Genetic structure, divergence and admixture of Han Chinese, Japanese and Korean populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yuchen; Lu, Dongsheng; Chung, Yeun-Jun; Xu, Shuhua

    2018-01-01

    Han Chinese, Japanese and Korean, the three major ethnic groups of East Asia, share many similarities in appearance, language and culture etc., but their genetic relationships, divergence times and subsequent genetic exchanges have not been well studied. We conducted a genome-wide study and evaluated the population structure of 182 Han Chinese, 90 Japanese and 100 Korean individuals, together with the data of 630 individuals representing 8 populations wordwide. Our analyses revealed that Han Chinese, Japanese and Korean populations have distinct genetic makeup and can be well distinguished based on either the genome wide data or a panel of ancestry informative markers (AIMs). Their genetic structure corresponds well to their geographical distributions, indicating geographical isolation played a critical role in driving population differentiation in East Asia. The most recent common ancestor of the three populations was dated back to 3000 ~ 3600 years ago. Our analyses also revealed substantial admixture within the three populations which occurred subsequent to initial splits, and distinct gene introgression from surrounding populations, of which northern ancestral component is dominant. These estimations and findings facilitate to understanding population history and mechanism of human genetic diversity in East Asia, and have implications for both evolutionary and medical studies.

  15. Asthma susceptible genes in Chinese population: A meta-analysis

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    He Chao

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Published data regarding the associations between genetic variants and asthma risk in Chinese population were inconclusive. The aim of this study was to investigate asthma susceptible genes in Chinese population. Methods The authors conducted 18 meta-analyzes for 18 polymorphisms in 13 genes from eighty-two publications. Results Seven polymorphisms were found being associated with risk of asthma, namely: A Disintegrin and Metalloprotease 33 (ADAM33 T1-C/T (odds ratio [OR] = 6.07, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.69-13.73, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE D/I (OR = 3.85, 95%CI: 2.49-5.94, High-affinity IgE receptor β chain (FcεRIβ -6843G/A (OR = 1.49, 95%CI: 1.01-2.22, Interleukin 13(IL-13 -1923C/T (OR = 2.99, 95%CI: 2.12-4.24, IL-13 -2044A/G (OR = 1.49, 95%CI: 1.07-2.08, Regulated upon Activation, Normal T cell Expressed and Secreted (RANTES -28C/G (OR = 1.64, 95%CI: 1.09-2.46, Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α -308G/A(OR = 1.42, 95%CI: 1.09, 1.85. After subgroup analysis by age, the ACE D/I, β2-Adrenergic Receptor (β2-AR -79G/C, TNF-α -308G/A, Interleukin 4 receptor(IL-4R -1902G/A and IL-13 -1923C/T polymorphisms were found significantly associated with asthma risk in Chinese children. In addition, the ACE D/I, FcεRIβ -6843G/A, TNF-α -308G/A, IL-13 -1923C/T and IL-13 -2044A/G polymorphisms were associated with asthma risk in Chinese adults. Conclusion ADAM33, FcεRIβ, RANTES, TNF-α, ACE, β2-AR, IL-4R and IL-13 genes could be proposed as asthma susceptible genes in Chinese population. Given the limited number of studies, more data are required to validate these associations.

  16. Distinct modes of transmission of tuberculosis in aboriginal and non-aboriginal populations in Taiwan.

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    Yih-Yuan Chen

    Full Text Available Tuberculosis incidence among aborigines is significantly higher than for Han Chinese in Taiwan, but the extent to which Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB strain characteristics contribute to this difference is not well understood. MTB isolates from aborigines and Han Chinese living in eastern and southern Taiwan, the major regions of aborigines, were analyzed by spoligotyping and 24-loci MIRU-VNTR. In eastern Taiwan, 60% of aboriginal patients were ≤20 years old, significantly younger than the non-aboriginal patients there; aborigines were more likely to have clustered MTB isolates than Han Chinese (odds ratio (OR = 5.98, p<0.0001. MTB lineages with high clustering were EAI (54.9% among southern people, and Beijing (62.5% and Haarlem (52.9% among eastern aborigines. Resistance to first-line drugs and multidrug resistance (MDR were significantly higher among eastern aborigines (≥15% than in any other geographic and ethnic group (p<0.05; MDR was detected in 5 of 28 eastern aboriginal patients ≤20 years old. Among patients from the eastern region, clustered strains (p = 0.01 and aboriginal ethnicity (p = 0.04 were independent risk factors for MDR. The lifestyles of aborigines in eastern Taiwan may explain why the percentage of infected aborigines is much higher than for their Han Chinese counterparts. The significantly higher percentage of the MDR-MTB strains in the aboriginal population warrants close attention to control policy and vaccination strategy.

  17. Apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism and Alzheimer's disease in Chinese population: a meta-analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Mengying; Bian, Chen; Zhang, Jiqiang; Wen, Feng

    2014-03-01

    The relationship between Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genotype and the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is relatively well established in Caucasians, but less established in other ethnicities. To examine the association between ApoE polymorphism and the onset of AD in Chinese population, we searched the commonly used electronic databases between January 2000 and November 2013 for relevant studies. Total 20 studies, including 1576 cases and 1741 controls, were retrieved. The results showed statistically significant positive association between risk factor ɛ4 allele carriers and AD in Chinese population (OR = 3.93, 95% CI = 3.37-4.58, P risk suffering from AD than controls in Chinese population. The results also provide a support for the protection effect of ApoE ɛ3 allele in developing AD.

  18. Correlation of human papilloma virus with oral squamous cell carcinoma in Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Jingping; Tao, Detao; Tang, Daofang; Gao, Zhenlin

    2015-01-01

    Previous studies indicated that oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) might be related to human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. However, the relationship between OSCC in a Chinese population and oral HPV infection is still unclear. In this study, we evaluate the relationship of OSCC with HPV infection in a Chinese population via a meta-analysis. The reports on HPV and OSCC in a Chinese population published between January, 1994, and October, 2015 were retrieved via CNKI/WANFANG/pubmed databases. According to the inclusion criteria, we selected 26 eligible case-control studies. After testing the heterogeneity of the studies by the Cochran Q test, the meta-analyses for HPV and HPV16 were performed using the random effects model. Quantitative meta-analyses showed that, compared with normal oral mucosa the combined odds ratio of OSCC with HPV infection were 1.98 (95% CI: 1.34-2.92). The test for overall effect showed that the P value was less than 0.05 (Z = 3.46). Forest plot analyses were seen in Figures 2 and 3. Publication bias and bias risk analysis using RevMan 5.3 software were measured indicators of the graphics of the basic symmetry. High incidences of HPV infection were found in the samples of Chinese OSCC. For the Chinese population, HPV infection elevates the risk of OSCC tumorigenesis.

  19. Comparison of Genetic Variants in Cancer-Related Genes between Chinese Hui and Han Populations.

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    Chaoyong Tian

    Full Text Available The Chinese Hui population, as the second largest minority ethnic group in China, may have a different genetic background from Han people because of its unique demographic history. In this study, we aimed to identify genetic differences between Han and Hui Chinese from the Ningxia region of China by comparing eighteen single nucleotide polymorphisms in cancer-related genes.DNA samples were collected from 99 Hui and 145 Han people from the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in China, and SNPs were detected using an improved multiplex ligase detection reaction method. Genotyping data from six 1000 Genomes Project population samples (99 Utah residents with northern and western European ancestry (CEU, 107 Toscani in Italy (TSI, 108 Yoruba in Ibadan (YRI, 61 of African ancestry in the southwestern US (ASW, 103 Han Chinese in Beijing (CHB, and 104 Japanese in Tokyo (JPT were also included in this study. Differences in the distribution of alleles among the populations were assessed using χ2 tests, and FST was used to measure the degree of population differentiation.We found that the genetic diversity of many SNPs in cancer-related genes in the Hui Chinese in Ningxia was different from that in the Han Chinese in Ningxia. For example, the allele frequencies of four SNPs (rs13361707, rs2274223, rs465498, and rs753955 showed different genetic distributions (p0.000 between the Hui and Han populations.These results suggest that some SNPs associated with cancer-related genes vary among different Chinese ethnic groups. We suggest that population differences should be carefully considered in evaluating cancer risk and prognosis as well as the efficacy of cancer therapy.

  20. [Polymorphism analysis of 20 autosomal short-tandem repeat loci in southern Chinese Han population].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ling; Lu, Hui-Jie; DU, Wei-An; Qiu, Ping-Ming; Liu, Chao

    2016-02-20

    To evaluate the value of PowerPlex ® 21 System (Promega) and study the genetic polymorphism of its 20 short-tandem repeat (STR) loci in southern Chinese Han population. We conducted genotyping experiments using PowerPlex ® 21 System on 20 autosomal STR loci (D3S1358, D1S1656, D6S1043, D13S317, Penta E, D16S539, D18S51, D2S1338, CSF1PO, Penta D, TH01, vWA, D21S11, D7S820, D5S818, TPOX, D8S1179, D12S391, D19S433 and FGA) in 2367 unrelated Chinese Han individuals living in South China. The allele frequencies and parameters commonly used in forensic science were statistically analyzed in these individuals and compared with the reported data of other populations. The PowerPlex ® 21 System had a power of discrimination (PD) ranging from 0.7839 to 0.9852 and a power of exclusion (PE) ranging from 0.2974 to 0.8099 for the 20 loci. No significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg expectations was found for all the loci except for D5S818. This southern Chinese Han population had significant differences in the allele frequencies from 8 ethnic groups reported in China, and showed significant differences at 8 to 20 STR foci from 5 foreign populations. The allele frequency at the locus D1S1656 in this southern Chinese Han population differed significantly from those in the 5 foreign populations and from 3 reported Han populations in Beijing, Zhejiang Province and Fujian Province of China. The neighbor-joining phylogenetictree showed clustering of all the Asian populations in one branch, while the northern Italian and Argentina populations clustered in a separate branch. This southern Chinese Han population had the nearest affinity with the Yi ethnic population in Yunnan Province of China. The 20 STR loci are highly polymorphic in this southern Chinese Han population, suggesting the value of this set of STR loci in forensic personal identification, paternity testing and anthropological study.

  1. A functional polymorphism at microRNA-629-binding site in the 3'-untranslated region of NBS1 gene confers an increased risk of lung cancer in Southern and Eastern Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Lei; Li, Yinyan; Cheng, Mei; Huang, Dongsheng; Zheng, Jian; Liu, Bin; Ling, Xiaoxuan; Li, Qingchu; Zhang, Xin; Ji, Weidong; Zhou, Yifeng; Lu, Jiachun

    2012-02-01

    The genetic variations in NBS1 gene have been reported to be associated with cancer risk. The polymorphisms in 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of NBS1 might affect gene's function and thus contribute to cancer susceptibility. We hypothesized that these polymorphisms of NBS1 are associated with the lung cancer risk. In two independent case-control studies conducted in Southern and Eastern Chinese, we genotyped three tagSNPs (rs14448, rs13312986 and rs2735383) in Southern Chinese and then validated the discovered association in Eastern Chinese. No significant association was observed for rs13312986 and rs14448; we only found that the rs2735383CC genotype had a significantly increased risk of lung cancer under a recessive genetic model in the total 1559 cases versus 1679 controls (odds ratio = 1.40, 95% confidence interval = 1.18-1.66, P = 0.0001) when compared with GG or GC genotypes; the rs2735383CC genotype carriers had lower messenger RNA and protein expression levels in tumor tissues than those of other genotypes as quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot shown. Luciferase assay revealed that the rs2735383C allele had a lower transcription activity than G allele, and the hsa-miR-629 but not hsa-miR-499-5P had effect on modulation of NBS1 gene in vitro. We further observed that the X-ray radiation induced more chromatid breaks in lymphocyte cells from the carriers of rs2735383CC homozygote than those from the subjects with other genotypes (P = 0.0008). Our data suggested that the rs2735383G>C variation contributes to an increased risk of lung cancer by diminishing gene's expression through binding of microRNA-629 to the polymorphic site in the 3'-UTR of NBS1 gene.

  2. [A study of population pharmacokinetics of linezolid in Chinese].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, L; Bai, N; Liu, Y N; Wang, R

    2016-12-12

    Objective: To study the population pharmacokinetic (PPK) profiles of linezolid in Chinese healthy volunteers and infected patients. Methods: Linezolid 600 mg was administered to 31 Chinese healthy volunteers with a single dose and to 57 infected patients every 12 h for at least 5 doses. High performance liquid chromatography was applied to determine the plasma concentration of linezolid. Nonlinear mixed-effects modeling method was applied to analyze the PPK profiles. Results: For healthy volunteers with single dose of linezolid, 2-compartment with linear elimination model was the most appropriate structural pharmacokinetic model. The population typical value of apparent volume of central compartment was 26.99 L, volume of peripheral compartment was 22.22 L, apparent clearance of central compartment was 7.99 L/h, and clearance of peripheral compartment was 101.28 L/h. For each 1 kg deviation of weight from the mean value, 0.62 L of volume of peripheral compartment was correlated. For Chinese infected patients with multiple doses of linezolid, 1-compartment with linear elimination model was the most appropriate structural pharmacokinetic model. The population typical value of apparent volume was 38.85 L, and apparent clearance was 4.70 L/h. For each 1 kg deviation of weight from the mean value, 0.79 L of volume, as well as 0.04 L/h of clearance were correlated. For each 1 year deviation of age from the mean value, -0.045 L/h of clearance was correlated. Conclusions: The pharmacokinetic profiles of linezolid in Chinese simulate a 2-compartment with linear elimination model when single dose is administrated, and the weight is linearly positive-correlated to volume. While a 1-compartment with linear elimination model is appropriate when multiple doses are administrated, and the weight is linearly positive-correlated to volume and clearance, but the age is linearly negative-correlated to clearance.

  3. The Genetic Structure of Wild Orobanche cumana Wallr. (Orobanchaceae Populations in Eastern Bulgaria Reflects Introgressions from Weedy Populations

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    Rocío Pineda-Martos

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Orobanche cumana is a holoparasitic plant naturally distributed from central Asia to south-eastern Europe, where it parasitizes wild Asteraceae species. It is also an important parasitic weed of sunflower crops. The objective of this research was to investigate genetic diversity, population structure, and virulence on sunflower of O. cumana populations parasitizing wild plants in eastern Bulgaria. Fresh tissue of eight O. cumana populations and mature seeds of four of them were collected in situ on wild hosts. Genetic diversity and population structure were studied with SSR markers and compared to weedy populations. Two main gene pools were identified in Bulgarian populations, with most of the populations having intermediate characteristics. Cross-inoculation experiments revealed that O. cumana populations collected on wild species possessed similar ability to parasitize sunflower to those collected on sunflower. The results were explained on the basis of an effective genetic exchange between populations parasitizing sunflower crops and those parasitizing wild species. The occurrence of bidirectional gene flow may have an impact on wild populations, as new physiological races continuously emerge in weedy populations. Also, genetic variability of wild populations may favour the ability of weedy populations to overcome sunflower resistance mechanisms.

  4. The Genetic Structure of Wild Orobanche cumana Wallr. (Orobanchaceae) Populations in Eastern Bulgaria Reflects Introgressions from Weedy Populations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pineda-Martos, Rocío; Pujadas-Salvà, Antonio J.; Fernández-Martínez, José M.; Stoyanov, Kiril; Pérez-Vich, Begoña

    2014-01-01

    Orobanche cumana is a holoparasitic plant naturally distributed from central Asia to south-eastern Europe, where it parasitizes wild Asteraceae species. It is also an important parasitic weed of sunflower crops. The objective of this research was to investigate genetic diversity, population structure, and virulence on sunflower of O. cumana populations parasitizing wild plants in eastern Bulgaria. Fresh tissue of eight O. cumana populations and mature seeds of four of them were collected in situ on wild hosts. Genetic diversity and population structure were studied with SSR markers and compared to weedy populations. Two main gene pools were identified in Bulgarian populations, with most of the populations having intermediate characteristics. Cross-inoculation experiments revealed that O. cumana populations collected on wild species possessed similar ability to parasitize sunflower to those collected on sunflower. The results were explained on the basis of an effective genetic exchange between populations parasitizing sunflower crops and those parasitizing wild species. The occurrence of bidirectional gene flow may have an impact on wild populations, as new physiological races continuously emerge in weedy populations. Also, genetic variability of wild populations may favour the ability of weedy populations to overcome sunflower resistance mechanisms. PMID:25143963

  5. [Association between ABO blood groups and coronary heart disease in Chinese Guangxi Zhuang population].

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    Shi, Ying; Lin, Yingzhong; Liu, Hairun; Ji, Qingwei; Lu, Zhihong; Lu, Zhengde; Xu, Nengwen; Yuan, Jun; Liu, Ling

    2015-09-01

    To investigate this association between ABO blood groups and coronary heart disease (CHD) in the Chinese Guangxi Zhuang population. From August 2010 to April 2013, we performed a case-control study in a Chinese Zhuang population, which included 1 024 CHD cases and 1 024 age and gender-matched non-CHD controls. The ABO blood groups and biological variables were measured by standard laboratory procedures. The Gensini score was used to evaluate the severity of coronary artery stenosis. Compared to non-CHD control group, CHD group had higher levels of fasting blood glucose ((6.71 ± 6.72) mmol/L vs. (4.98 ± 1.55) mmol/L, P blood groups were associated with CHD risk in the Chinese Zhuang population. Compared with group O, the group B individuals had a higher risk of CHD (OR = 2.33, 95% CI 1.88-2.90, P group O subjects in the CHD group, and MACE at 1-year follow-up was similar between ABO blood groups of CHD individuals. ABO blood groups are associated with CHD risk in the Chinese Zhuang population.

  6. Culture Qualitatively but Not Quantitatively Influences Performance in the Boston Naming Test in a Chinese-Speaking Population

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    Ting-Bin Chen

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aims: The Boston Naming Test (BNT is the most frequently administered confrontational naming test, but the cultural background of the patients may influence their performance in the BNT. The aim of this study was to identify differences in performance in the BNT between a Chinese population in Taiwan, Chinese populations in other areas and a Caucasian population. Methods: A total of 264 native, Chinese-speaking, cognitively normal elders aged >60 years were enrolled in our study and conducted the 30-item Chinese version of the BNT. Another 10 BNT studies were categorized, analyzed and compared with the present study. Results: Higher education was associated with higher scores, whereas age and gender had no effect on performance in the BNT. The score of the Chinese-speaking population was equivalent to the English-speaking population. A disparity in difficulties with items was not only apparent between the Taiwanese and Caucasian populations, but also between the Chinese-speaking populations in the different geographic areas. Conclusion: For the most part, the impact of culture on performance in the BNT may not be quantitative but qualitative. Attention should be paid to a potential effect of culture on difficulties with items when administering the BNT to non-English-speaking populations. Understanding differences in performance in the BNT in distinct cultural settings improves the clinical application of the BNT.

  7. Expansion of the genotypic and phenotypic spectrum of xeroderma pigmentosum in Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jia; Cheng, Ruhong; Yu, Xia; Sun, Zhonghui; Li, Ming; Yao, Zhirong

    2017-01-01

    Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a rare genodermatosis characterized by exaggerated sunburn reactions, freckle-like pigmentation, and a high possibility of developing cutaneous tumors. XP comprised seven complementation groups (from XP-A to XP-G) and a variant form XP-V. This study was based on five unrelated Chinese families with six patients clinically suspected to be XP. Mutation screening was performed by direct sequencing of the entire coding region of eight XP genes. All of the pathogenic mutations were identified by mutational analysis, including four novel mutations. Our study successfully identified the pathogenic mutations in six XP patients (three XP-A, one XP-G, one XP-V, and a rare XP-D group in Chinese population). We reviewed the reported XP cases with mutations in the Chinese population and concluded that four complementation groups (XP-A, XP-C, XP-G, and XP-V) that occupy the major proportion should be considered as a first step in genetic detection (especially, XPA is the most common group, and unlike in other populations, XP-G is not rare in the Chinese population). Moreover, XP-D and XP-F, two rare subgroups, should also be added for further mutational analysis. Further, we provide some information for Chinese dermatologists that, when an early diagnosis is made, XP-C and XP-V patients can have relatively good prognoses. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Genetic variability of CYP2B6 polymorphisms in four southern Chinese populations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Bing-Ying; Guo, Li-Ping; Lee, Shui-Shan; Dong, Qing-Ming; Tan, Yi; Yao, Hong; Li, Li-Hua; Lin, Che-Kit; Kung, Hsiang-Fu; He, Ming-Liang

    2007-01-01

    AIM: To investigate the genotype and allelic frequencies of Cytochrome P450 2B6 polymorphisms in four southern Chinese populations. METHODS: DNA was obtained from blood samples from Han Chinese from Hong Kong and three minority groups, the Wa, Bulang and Lahu from Yunnan in southern China. Genotyping was performed using real-time PCR and confirmed by direct sequencing. RESULTS: A total of 507 subjects from southern China were studied. Results showed there is a high prevalence of 516G > T (34.5%) in ethnic Chinese compared to literature reports on other Asian populations and Caucasians. The frequency of the 516TT genotype is higher in the Han majority (23.1%) than in three other ethnic minority groups (i.e., 7.4%, 9.1% and 15.8%) in southern China. CONCLUSION: This was the first study to document the spectrum of CYP2B6 allelic variants and genotypes in a southern Chinese population. The 516G > T allele is associated with a defective metabolism of efavirenz (EFV), which therefore may predispose to drug toxicity. Treatment regimens for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and heroin addiction may need to be optimized in different populations because of the marked variability of the key metabolizing enzyme. PMID:17465455

  9. Preferred nasolabial angle in Middle Eastern population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alharethy, Sami

    2017-05-01

    To define the preferred nasolabial angle measurement in Middle Eastern population. An observational study was conducted from January 2012 to January 2016 at the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A total of 1027 raters, 506 males, and 521 females were asked to choose the most ideal nasolabial angle for 5 males and 5 females lateral photographs whose nasolabial angle were modified with Photoshop into the following angles (85°, 90°, 95°, 100°, 105°, and 110°). Male raters preferred the angle of 89.5° ± 3.5° (mean ± SD) for males and 90.8° ± 5.6° for females. While female raters preferred the angle of 89.3° ± 3.8° for males and 90.5° ± 4.8° for females. ANOVA test compare means among groups: p: 0.342, and there is no statistically significant difference between groups. The results of our study showed an even more acute angles than degrees found in the literature. It shows that what young generation in our region prefers and clearly reflects that what could be explained as under rotation of the nasal tip in other cultures is just the ideal for some Middle Eastern population.

  10. Genetic variants at 20p11 confer risk to androgenetic alopecia in the Chinese Han population.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bo Liang

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA is a well-characterized type of progressive hair loss commonly seen in men, with different prevalences in different ethnic populations. It is generally considered to be a polygenic heritable trait. Several susceptibility genes/loci, such as AR/EDA2R, HDAC9 and 20p11, have been identified as being involved in its development in European populations. In this study, we aim to validate whether these loci are also associated with AGA in the Chinese Han population. METHODS: We genotyped 16 previously reported single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs with 445 AGA cases and 546 healthy controls using the Sequenom iPlex platform. The trend test was used to evaluate the association between these loci and AGA in the Chinese Han population. Conservatively accounting for multiple testing by the Bonferroni correction, the threshold for statistical significance was P ≤ 3.13 × 10(-3. RESULTS: We identified that 5 SNPs at 20p11 were significantly associated with AGA in the Chinese Han population (1.84 × 10(-11 ≤ P ≤ 2.10 × 10(-6. CONCLUSIONS: This study validated, for the first time, that 20p11 also confers risk for AGA in the Chinese Han population and implicated the potential common genetic factors for AGA shared by both Chinese and European populations.

  11. Strategies for piloting a breast health promotion program in the Chinese-Australian population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koo, Fung Kuen; Kwok, Cannas; White, Kate; D'Abrew, Natalie; Roydhouse, Jessica K

    2012-01-01

    In Australia, women from non-English-speaking backgrounds participate less frequently in breast cancer screening than English-speaking women, and Chinese immigrant women are 50% less likely to participate in breast examinations than Australian-born women. Chinese-born Australians comprise 10% of the overseas-born Australian population, and the immigrant Chinese population in Australia is rapidly increasing. We report on the strategies used in a pilot breast health promotion program, Living with Healthy Breasts, aimed at Cantonese-speaking adult immigrant women in Sydney, Australia. The program consisted of a 1-day education session and a 2-hour follow-up session. We used 5 types of strategies commonly used for cultural targeting (peripheral, evidential, sociocultural, linguistic, and constituent-involving) in a framework of traditional Chinese philosophies (Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism) to deliver breast health messages to Chinese-Australian immigrant women. Creating the program's content and materials required careful consideration of color (pink to indicate femininity and love), symbols (peach blossoms to imply longevity), word choice (avoidance of the word death), location and timing (held in a Chinese restaurant a few months after the Chinese New Year), communication patterns (the use of metaphors and cartoons for discussing health-related matters), and concern for modesty (emphasizing that all presenters and team members were female) to maximize cultural relevance. Using these strategies may be beneficial for designing and implementing breast cancer prevention programs in Cantonese-speaking Chinese immigrant communities.

  12. Cultural views, language ability, and mammography use in Chinese American women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Wenchi; Wang, Judy; Chen, Mei-Yuh; Feng, Shibao; Yi, Bin; Mandelblatt, Jeanne S

    2009-12-01

    Mammography screening rates among Chinese American women have been reported to be low. This study examines whether and how culture views and language ability influence mammography adherence in this mostly immigrant population. Asymptomatic Chinese American women (n = 466) aged 50 and older, recruited from the Washington, D.C. area, completed a telephone interview. Regular mammography was defined as having two mammograms at age-appropriate recommended intervals. Cultural views were assessed by 30 items, and language ability measured women's ability in reading, writing, speaking, and listening to English. After controlling for risk perception, worry, physician recommendation, family encouragement, and access barriers, women holding a more Chinese/Eastern cultural view were significantly less likely to have had regular mammograms than those having a Western cultural view. English ability was positively associated with mammography adherence. The authors' results imply that culturally sensitive and language-appropriate educational interventions are likely to improve mammography adherence in this population.

  13. [Post-marketing re-evaluation about usage and dosage of Chinese medicine based on human population pharmacokinetics].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Junjie; Xie, Yanming

    2011-10-01

    The usage and dosage of Chinese patent medicine are determined by rigorous evaluation which include four clinical trail stages: I, II, III. But the usage and dosage of Chinese patent medicine are lacked re-evaluation after marketing. And this lead to unchanging or fixed of the usage and dosage of Chinese patent medicine instead of different quantity based on different situations in individual patients. The situation of Chinese patent medicine used in clinical application is far away from the idea of the "Treatment based on syndrome differentiation" in traditional Chinese medicine and personalized therapy. Human population pharmacokinetics provides data support to the personalized therapy in clinical application, and achieved the postmarking reevaluating of the usage and dosage of Chinese patent medicine. This paper briefly introduced the present situation, significance and the application of human population pharmacokinetics about re-evaluation of the usage and dosage of Chinese patent medicine after marketing.

  14. Chinese teenagers' concerns about the future: a cross-national comparison

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dodds, J.; Lin, C.D.

    1992-01-01

    Teenagers in the U.S., U.S.S.R., Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and New Zealand have consistently rated death of a parent and nuclear war as their greatest concerns about the future. In the present study, however, Chinese teenagers rated overpopulation and environmental pollution as their greatest concerns; these were usually rated quite low by teenagers in other countries. While still of concern to Chinese teenagers, nuclear war seemed more remote to them than it did to U.S. and U.S.S.R. teenagers and therefore more survivable. Speculation is offered as to how teenagers' concerns reflect those of a country's general population

  15. Genotype-phenotype correlation of xeroderma pigmentosum in a Chinese Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Z; Zhang, J; Guo, Y; Ni, C; Liang, J; Cheng, R; Li, M; Yao, Z

    2015-04-01

    Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by extreme sensitivity to sunlight, freckle-like pigmentation and a greatly increased incidence of skin cancers. Genetic mutation detection and genotype-phenotype analysis of XP are rarely reported in the Chinese Han population. To investigate the mutational spectrum of XP in a Chinese Han population, to discover any genotype-phenotype correlation and, consequently, to propose a simple and effective tool for the molecular diagnosis of XP. This study was carried out on 12 unrelated Chinese families that included 13 patients with clinically suspected XP. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples. Mutation screening was performed by direct sequencing of exons and flanking intron-exon boundaries for the entire coding region of eight XP genes. In 12 patients, direct sequencing of the whole coding region of eight XP genes revealed pathogenic mutations, including seven compound heterozygous mutations, three homozygous mutations and a Japanese founder mutation. Thirteen mutations have not been previously identified. This cohort was composed of four patients with XP-C (XPC), two with XP-G (ERCC5), three with XP-A (XPA) and three with XP-V (POLH). This study identified 13 novel mutations and extended the mutation spectrum of XP in the Chinese Han population. In this cohort, we found that patients with XP-G have no neurological symptoms, and patients with XP-A and XP-V have a high incidence of malignancy. Furthermore, lack of stringent protection against sunlight, late diagnosis and long duration of disease play an important role. © 2014 British Association of Dermatologists.

  16. Risk assessment of dietary exposure to aluminium in the Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Ning; Liu, Zhao-Ping; Yang, Da-Jin; Liang, Jiang; Zhu, Jiang-Hui; Xu, Hai-Bin; Li, Feng-Qin; Li, Ning

    2016-10-01

    In order to address the issue of excessive intake of aluminium (Al) from Al-containing food additives in the Chinese diet, this study conducted a dietary exposure assessment of Al in the general population based on the national surveillance data of Al content in foods and national food consumption data. It was found that the mean dietary exposure of the whole Chinese population to Al from Al-containing food additives was 1.795 mg kg ‒1 bw week ‒1 , not exceeding the PTWI, while high dietary exposures (e.g., 97.5 th percentile) to Al were 7.660 and 2.103-2.903 mg kg ‒1 bw week ‒1 for children, respectively, both exceeding the PTWI. It was found that the dietary exposure to Al for 32.5% of the total Chinese population and 42.6% of children aged 4-6 years exceeded the PTWI. Wheat flour and wheat-based products are the main source of dietary A l exposure (85% of the total intake); and puffed foods are the major source of Al intake for children. These findings suggested that consumption of Al-containing food additives could be a health concern for consumers with high food consumption (97.5 th percentile) and children under the age of 14 years.

  17. Cutaneous Microbial Community Variation across Populations of Eastern Hellbenders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Obed Hernández-Gómez

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Multicellular hosts maintain complex associations with microbial communities. While microbial communities often serve important functional roles for their hosts, our understanding of the local and regional processes that structure these communities remains limited. Metacommunity analyses provide a promising tool for investigating mechanisms shaping microbiome heterogeneity, which is essential for predicting functional variation between hosts. Using a metacommunity framework, we examined heterogeneity in the skin microbiome of the eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis. Hellbenders are broadly distributed throughout river systems in the eastern United States, but are present in specific environmental locations throughout their range. The large range of the species and history of population fragmentation suggest that local and regional processes contribute to the distribution of cutaneous symbiont diversity. Therefore, we characterized the skin and environmental bacterial communities at eight rivers throughout the range of the species. We observed variation among hellbender populations in skin microbial community diversity and proportion of shared operational taxonomic units (OTUs between animal and river water communities. Among populations sampled, we noted significant clumped OTU turnover (i.e., Clementsian structure resulting in unique cutaneous communities. In addition, we observed a significant positive correlation between skin community divergence and hellbender population genetic divergence. Host-population skin community dissimilarity did not correlate strongly with distance between sampling locations, indicating a weak spatial effect on the distribution of symbionts. These results suggest that species sorting mechanisms (i.e., local processes structure local skin microbial communities in hellbenders. The variation in skin community composition observed among host populations foreshadows a similar pattern in

  18. Prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms in Chinese older adults: A population-based study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Yu, J.; Li, J.; Cuijpers, P.; Wu, S.; Wu, Z.

    2012-01-01

    Objective In China, the rapid socioeconomic transition and the consequential traditional culture change had significant influences on Chinese older-adult depression. In the present study, the prevalence, the potential risk, and the protective factors of depression in the Chinese older population

  19. Branched-chain and aromatic amino acid profiles and diabetes risk in Chinese populations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Tianlu; Ni, Yan; Ma, Xiaojing; Bao, Yuqian; Liu, Jiajian; Huang, Fengjie; Hu, Cheng; Xie, Guoxiang; Zhao, Aihua; Jia, Weiping; Jia, Wei

    2016-01-01

    Recent studies revealed strong evidence that branched-chain and aromatic amino acids (BCAAs and AAAs) are closely associated with the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in several Western countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential role of BCAAs and AAAs in predicting the diabetes development in Chinese populations. The serum levels of valine, leucine, isoleucine, tyrosine, and phenylalanine were measured in a longitudinal and a cross sectional studies with a total of 429 Chinese participants at different stages of diabetes development, using an ultra-performance liquid chromatography triple quadruple mass spectrometry platform. The alterations of the five AAs in Chinese populations are well in accordance with previous reports. Early elevation of the five AAs and their combined score was closely associated with future development of diabetes, suggesting an important role of these metabolites as early markers of diabetes. On the other hand, the five AAs were not as good as existing clinical markers in differentiating diabetic patients from their healthy counterparts. Our findings verified the close correlation of BCAAs and AAAs with insulin resistance and future development of diabetes in Chinese populations and highlighted the predictive value of these markers for future development of diabetes. PMID:26846565

  20. Levels of Acculturation of Chinese Older Adults in the Greater Chicago Area - The Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, XinQi; Bergren, Stephanie M; Chang, E-Shien

    2015-09-01

    Acculturation is a difficult process for minority older adults for a variety of reasons, including access and exposure to mainstream culture, competing ethnic identities, and linguistic ability and preference. There is a paucity of research regarding overall level of acculturation for Chinese older adults in the United States. This study aimed to provide an overall estimate of level of acculturation of Chinese older adults in the United States and to examine correlations between sociodemographic characteristics, self-reported health measures, and level of acculturation. Data were collected through the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago (PINE) study. This community-based participatory research study surveyed 3,159 Chinese older adults aged 60 and older. The PINE Study Acculturation Scale was used to assess level of acculturation in three dimensions: language preference, media use, and ethnic social relations. Mean acculturation level for all items was 15.3 ± 5.1, indicating low levels of acculturation. Older age, more offspring, lower income, fewer years living in the United States, lower overall health status, and lower quality of life were associated with lower levels of acculturation. Level of acculturation was low in Chinese older adults, and certain subsets of the population were more likely to have a lower level of acculturation. Future research should investigate causality and effects of level of acculturation. © 2015, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2015, The American Geriatrics Society.

  1. A panel of ancestry informative markers to estimate and correct potential effects of population stratification in Han Chinese.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, Pengfei; Li, Zhiqiang; Jin, Wenfei; Lu, Dongsheng; Lou, Haiyi; Shen, Jiawei; Jin, Li; Shi, Yongyong; Xu, Shuhua

    2014-02-01

    Population stratification acts as a confounding factor in genetic association studies and may lead to false-positive or false-negative results. Previous studies have analyzed the genetic substructures in Han Chinese population, the largest ethnic group in the world comprising ∼20% of the global human population. In this study, we examined 5540 Han Chinese individuals with about 1 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and screened a panel of ancestry informative markers (AIMs) to facilitate the discerning and controlling of population structure in future association studies on Han Chinese. Based on genome-wide data, we first confirmed our previous observation of the north-south differentiation in Han Chinese population. Second, we developed a panel of 150 validated SNP AIMs to determine the northern or southern origin of each Han Chinese individual. We further evaluated the performance of our AIMs panel in association studies in simulation analysis. Our results showed that this AIMs panel had sufficient power to discern and control population stratification in Han Chinese, which could significantly reduce false-positive rates in both genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and candidate gene association studies (CGAS). We suggest this AIMs panel be genotyped and used to control and correct population stratification in the study design or data analysis of future association studies, especially in CGAS which is the most popular approach to validate previous reports on genetic associations of diseases in post-GWAS era.

  2. Population dynamics of mallards breeding in eastern Washington

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dugger, Bruce D.; Coluccy, John M.; Dugger, Katie M.; Fox, Trevor T.; Kraege, Donald K.; Petrie, Mark J.

    2016-01-01

    Variation in regional population trends for mallards breeding in the western United States indicates that additional research into factors that influence demographics could contribute to management and understanding the population demographics of mallards across North America. We estimated breeding incidence and adult female, nest, and brood survival in eastern Washington in 2006 and 2007 by monitoring female mallards with radio telemetry and tested how those parameters were influenced by study year (2006 vs. 2007), landscape type (agricultural vs. natural), and age (second year [SY] vs. after second year [ASY]). We also investigated the effects of female body condition and capture date on breeding incidence, and nest initiation date and hatch date on nest and brood survival, respectively. We included population parameters in a stage-based demographic model and conducted a perturbation analysis to identify which vital rates were most influential on population growth rate (λ). Adult female survival was best modeled with a constant weekly survival rate (0.994, SE = 0.003). Breeding incidence differed between years and was higher for birds in better body condition. Nest survival was higher for ASY females (0.276, SE = 0.118) than SY females (0.066, SE = 0.052), and higher on publicly managed lands (0.383, SE = 0.212) than agricultural (0.114, SE = 0.058) landscapes. Brood survival was best modeled with a constant rate for the 7-week monitoring period (0.50, SE = 0.155). The single variable having the greatest influence on λ was non-breeding season survival, but the combination of parameters from the breeding grounds explained a greater percent of the variance in λ. Mallard population growth rate was most sensitive to changes in non-breeding survival, nest success, brood survival, and breeding incidence. Future management decisions should focus on activities that improve these vital rates if managers want to increase the production of

  3. Statin Safety in Chinese: A Population-Based Study of Older Adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Daniel Q; Kim, Richard B; McArthur, Eric; Fleet, Jamie L; Hegele, Robert A; Shah, Baiju R; Weir, Matthew A; Molnar, Amber O; Dixon, Stephanie; Tu, Jack V; Anand, Sonia; Garg, Amit X

    2016-01-01

    Compared to Caucasians, Chinese achieve a higher blood concentration of statin for a given dose. It remains unknown whether this translates to increased risk of serious statin-associated adverse events amongst Chinese patients. We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study of older adults (mean age, 74 years) newly prescribed a statin in Ontario, Canada between 2002 and 2013, where 19,033 Chinese (assessed through a validated surname algorithm) were matched (1:3) by propensity score to 57,099 non-Chinese. This study used linked healthcare databases. The follow-up observation period (mean 1.1, maximum 10.8 years) was similar between groups, as were the reasons for censoring the observation period (end of follow-up, death, or statin discontinuation). Forty-seven percent (47%) of Chinese were initiated on a higher than recommended statin dose. Compared to non-Chinese, Chinese ethnicity did not associate with any of the four serious statin-associated adverse events assessed in this study [rhabdomyolysis hazard ratio (HR) 0.61 (95% CI 0.28 to 1.34), incident diabetes HR 1.02 (95% CI 0.80 to 1.30), acute kidney injury HR 0.90 (95% CI 0.72 to 1.13), or all-cause mortality HR 0.88 (95% CI 0.74 to 1.05)]. Similar results were observed in subgroups defined by statin type and dose. We observed no higher risk of serious statin toxicity in Chinese than matched non-Chinese older adults with similar indicators of baseline health. Regulatory agencies should review available data, including findings from our study, to decide if a change in their statin dosing recommendations for people of Chinese ethnicity is warranted.

  4. Genetic Variation of 25 Y-Chromosomal and 15 Autosomal STR Loci in the Han Chinese Population of Liaoning Province, Northeast China.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jun Yao

    Full Text Available In the present study, we investigated the genetic characteristics of 25 Y-chromosomal and 15 autosomal short tandem repeat (STR loci in 305 unrelated Han Chinese male individuals from Liaoning Province using AmpFISTR® Yfiler® Plus and IdentifilerTM PCR amplification kits. Population comparison was performed between Liaoning Han population and different ethnic groups to better understand the genetic background of the Liaoning Han population. For Y-STR loci, the overall haplotype diversity was 0.9997 and the discrimination capacity was 0.9607. Gene diversity values ranged from 0.4525 (DYS391 to 0.9617 (DYS385. Rst and two multi-dimensional scaling plots showed that minor differences were observed when the Liaoning Han population was compared to the Jilin Han Chinese, Beijing Han Chinese, Liaoning Manchu, Liaoning Mongolian, Liaoning Xibe, Shandong Han Chinese, Jiangsu Han Chinese, Anhui Han Chinese, Guizhou Han Chinese and Liaoning Hui populations; by contrast, major differences were observed when the Shanxi Han Chinese, Yunnan Bai, Jiangxi Han Chinese, Guangdong Han Chinese, Liaoning Korean, Hunan Tujia, Guangxi Zhuang, Gansu Tibetan, Xishuangbanna Dai, South Korean, Japanese and Hunan Miao populations. For autosomal STR loci, DP ranged from 0.9621 (D2S1338 to 0.8177 (TPOX, with PE distributing from 0.7521 (D18S51 to 0.2988 (TH01. A population comparison was performed and no statistically significant differences were detected at any STR loci between Liaoning Han, China Dong, and Shaanxi Han populations. The results showed that the 25 Y-STR and 15 autosomal STR loci in the Liaoning Han population were valuable for forensic applications and human genetics, and Liaoning Han was an independent endogenous ethnicity with a unique subpopulation structure.

  5. Genetic Variation of 25 Y-Chromosomal and 15 Autosomal STR Loci in the Han Chinese Population of Liaoning Province, Northeast China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Jun; Wang, Bao-Jie

    2016-01-01

    In the present study, we investigated the genetic characteristics of 25 Y-chromosomal and 15 autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci in 305 unrelated Han Chinese male individuals from Liaoning Province using AmpFISTR® Yfiler® Plus and IdentifilerTM PCR amplification kits. Population comparison was performed between Liaoning Han population and different ethnic groups to better understand the genetic background of the Liaoning Han population. For Y-STR loci, the overall haplotype diversity was 0.9997 and the discrimination capacity was 0.9607. Gene diversity values ranged from 0.4525 (DYS391) to 0.9617 (DYS385). Rst and two multi-dimensional scaling plots showed that minor differences were observed when the Liaoning Han population was compared to the Jilin Han Chinese, Beijing Han Chinese, Liaoning Manchu, Liaoning Mongolian, Liaoning Xibe, Shandong Han Chinese, Jiangsu Han Chinese, Anhui Han Chinese, Guizhou Han Chinese and Liaoning Hui populations; by contrast, major differences were observed when the Shanxi Han Chinese, Yunnan Bai, Jiangxi Han Chinese, Guangdong Han Chinese, Liaoning Korean, Hunan Tujia, Guangxi Zhuang, Gansu Tibetan, Xishuangbanna Dai, South Korean, Japanese and Hunan Miao populations. For autosomal STR loci, DP ranged from 0.9621 (D2S1338) to 0.8177 (TPOX), with PE distributing from 0.7521 (D18S51) to 0.2988 (TH01). A population comparison was performed and no statistically significant differences were detected at any STR loci between Liaoning Han, China Dong, and Shaanxi Han populations. The results showed that the 25 Y-STR and 15 autosomal STR loci in the Liaoning Han population were valuable for forensic applications and human genetics, and Liaoning Han was an independent endogenous ethnicity with a unique subpopulation structure.

  6. Genetic variations of GAK in two Chinese Parkinson's disease populations: a case-control study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei-En Johnny Tseng

    Full Text Available Cyclin G-associated kinase (GAK modifies α-synuclein expression levels and affects the susceptibility of Parkinson's disease (PD. The single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP rs1564282 of GAK gene has a significant association to the risk of PD among Caucasian populations. To date there is only one data with regards to ethnic Chinese from Mainland China. Here, we conducted a case-control study in two independent cohorts of Han Chinese populations from Taiwan and Singapore to validate this association. A total of 1,755 subjects (871 PD patients and 884 controls were recruited. The results showed that neither the CT, TT genotypes nor the minor allele T of SNP rs1564282 were associated with PD among the subjects from Taiwan and Singapore as well as in the pooled analysis. Differences in our study population with regards to published literature may be due to epigenetic factors and gene-gene or gene-environmental interactions. Further studies in other Chinese populations will be of interest to validate these findings.

  7. Acarbose monotherapy and weight loss in Eastern and Western populations with hyperglycaemia: an ethnicity-specific meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Y; Tong, Y; Zhang, Y; Huang, L; Wu, T; Tong, N

    2014-11-01

    To demonstrate if weight loss achieved with acarbose in individuals with hyperglycaemia differs between Eastern and Western populations. Databases and reference lists of clinical trials on acarbose were searched. Eligible studies were randomised controlled trials of acarbose monotherapy in populations with hyperglycaemia of more than 12-week duration that provided data on body weight (BW) or body mass index (BMI). A total of 34 trials (6082 participants) were included. The effect of acarbose on BW was superior to that of placebo [weighted mean difference (WMD) = -0.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.78 to -0.25], nateglinide (WMD = -1.33, 95% CI -1.51 to -0.75) and metformin (WMD = -0.67, 95% CI -1.14 to -0.20). Compared with placebo, there was a significantly greater weight loss of 0.92 kg (p Eastern populations (WMD = -1.20, 95% CI -1.51 to -0.75) than that in Western populations (WMD = -0.28, 95% CI -0.59 to 0.03). Across all studies, the acarbose group achieved a significantly larger absolute weight loss of (change from baseline) 1.35 kg (p Eastern populations (WMD = -2.26, 95% CI -2.70 to -1.81) than in Western populations (WMD = -0.91, 95% CI -1.36 to -0.47). Nevertheless, the possible risk of bias in Eastern studies may influence the results. The effect of acarbose on weight loss seems to be more pronounced in Eastern than in Western populations with hyperglycaemia, and is superior to that of placebo, nateglinide and metformin across both ethnicities. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Population genetic data of the NGM SElect STR loci in Chinese Han population from Zhejiang region, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Anju; Wu, Weiwei; Liu, Qiuling; Wu, Yeda; Lu, Dejian

    2013-03-01

    Genetic variations of the 17 NGM SElect STR loci in Chinese Han samples from the Zhejiang region were analyzed. The results show that the NGM SElect is a highly genetic informative system in Zhejiang Han, and this population shows quite different genetic data from other major populations in the world with the exception of the Fujian Han.

  9. Dental age estimation from the developmental stage of the third molars in western Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Guo; Ren, Jiayin; Zhao, Shuping; Liu, Yuanyuan; Li, Na; Wu, Wanhong; Yuan, Shanshan; Wang, Hu

    2012-06-10

    The purpose of this study is to provide reference data about estimating dental age from third molars of the western Chinese population for comparing with other populations and being applied to the age estimation of western Chinese juveniles and adolescents. A total of 2078 digital panoramic radiographs of 989 male and 1089 female Chinese subjects aged between 5 and 23 years were examined. The mineralization status of the third molars was assessed using the formation stages described by Demirjian et al. with two modifications. The results showed that the development of third molars in the western Chinese population was likely to begin at age 5 in both males and females. The third molars 28 and 48 showed significantly higher frequency in females than in males. The third molars 18 in the stage 1, 38 in the stages 1, A and G, and 48 in the stage H showed significantly older average age in females than in males. The Demirjian's stages C and D could be used as a reference stage to determine dichotomously whether a western Chinese is more likely to be under or above age 14 or 16, respectively. This study provided reference data for the age estimation of western Chinese juveniles and adolescents by the mineralization stages of the third molar. Apart from forensic age determination in living subjects, the presented reference data can also be used for age estimations of unidentified corpses and skeletons. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Depression in Cardiovascular Patients in Middle Eastern Populations: A Literature Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donnelly, Tam Truong; Al Suwaidi, Jassim Mohd; Al-Qahtani, Awad; Asaad, Nidal; Qader, Najlaa Abdul; Singh, Rajvir; Fung, Tak Shing; Mueed, Irem; Sharara, Shima; El Banna, Noha; Omar, Sarah

    2015-08-01

    Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increasing in Middle Eastern countries. Depression is associated with increased morbidity and mortality rates among cardiovascular (CV) patients. Early detection of and intervention for depression among CV patients can reduce morbidity and mortality and save health care costs. Public information on mental health care needs of Arab CV patients living in Middle East regions is scattered and limited. This literature review surveyed and summarized research studies to learn what is known about the relationship between depression and CVD in Middle Eastern populations. The information will raise awareness among health care professionals and policy makers regarding the clinical significance of depression in Arab CV patients. It might contribute to development of culturally appropriate and effective mental health care services. Multiple databases were searched and 60 articles were assessed, including studies that investigated depression in Arab CV patient populations, physiological mechanisms of depression-CVD comorbidity, and intervention strategies that affect CV risk in depressed Arab patients. We discuss the extent to which this issue has been explored in Arab populations living in Middle East regions and Arab populations living abroad. We recommend that more comprehensive and in-depth research studies be conducted with Arab cardiac patients to enable implementation of culturally appropriate and effective mental health care interventions.

  11. Developmental dyslexia in Chinese and English populations: dissociating the effect of dyslexia from language differences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Wei; Lee, Hwee Ling; Zhang, Qiang; Liu, Tao; Geng, Li Bo; Seghier, Mohamed L.; Shakeshaft, Clare; Twomey, Tae; Green, David W.; Yang, Yi Ming

    2010-01-01

    Previous neuroimaging studies have suggested that developmental dyslexia has a different neural basis in Chinese and English populations because of known differences in the processing demands of the Chinese and English writing systems. Here, using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we provide the first direct statistically based investigation into how the effect of dyslexia on brain activation is influenced by the Chinese and English writing systems. Brain activation for semantic decisions on written words was compared in English dyslexics, Chinese dyslexics, English normal readers and Chinese normal readers, while controlling for all other experimental parameters. By investigating the effects of dyslexia and language in one study, we show common activation in Chinese and English dyslexics despite different activation in Chinese versus English normal readers. The effect of dyslexia in both languages was observed as less than normal activation in the left angular gyrus and in left middle frontal, posterior temporal and occipitotemporal regions. Differences in Chinese and English normal reading were observed as increased activation for Chinese relative to English in the left inferior frontal sulcus; and increased activation for English relative to Chinese in the left posterior superior temporal sulcus. These cultural differences were not observed in dyslexics who activated both left inferior frontal sulcus and left posterior superior temporal sulcus, consistent with the use of culturally independent strategies when reading is less efficient. By dissociating the effect of dyslexia from differences in Chinese and English normal reading, our results reconcile brain activation results with a substantial body of behavioural studies showing commonalities in the cognitive manifestation of dyslexia in Chinese and English populations. They also demonstrate the influence of cognitive ability and learning environment on a common neural system for reading. PMID:20488886

  12. Plasma surfactant protein D levels and the relation to body mass index in a chinese population

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhao, X M; Wu, Y P; Wei, R

    2007-01-01

    in a Chinese population from the Tai An region comprising 268 individuals. We found that (i) plasma SP-D in the Chinese population was distributed with a median value of 380.2 ng/ml (324.9; 418.7) and a range from 79.4 to 3965.3 ng/ml, (ii) significantly higher plasma SP-D in men than in women...

  13. Cross-Cultural Differences of the Non-Motor Symptoms Studied by the Traditional Chinese Version of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society- Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Rwei-Ling; Wu, Ruey-Meei; Chan, Anne Y Y; Mok, Vincent; Wu, Yih-Ru; Tilley, Barbara C; Luo, Sheng; Wang, Lu; LaPelle, Nancy R; Stebbins, Glenn T; Goetz, Christopher G

    2017-01-01

    Given the importance of ethnic differences in the evaluation of various aspects of symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), we present the formal procedure for completing the traditional Chinese translation of the International and Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society/UPDRS (MDS-UPDRS) and highlight the discrepancy in nonmotor symptoms (NMS) between patients in Eastern and Western countries. A total of 350 native Chinese-speaking PD patients were recruited from multiple hospitals in Eastern countries; they completed the MDS-UPDRS. The translation process was executed and factor analysis was performed to determine the structure of the scale. Chi-squared and t tests were used to compare frequency and severity of PD symptoms between the Chinese-speaking and English-speaking groups (n = 876). NMS and motor symptoms were more severe in the Western population (Part I: t (1205) = 5.36, P < 0.0001; and Part III: t (1205) = 7.64, P < 0.0001); however, the prevalence of cognitive dysfunction and impairments in activities of daily living were more frequent in the Eastern patients. The comparative fit index was 0.93 or greater, and the exploratory factor analysis revealed compatible results between the translated scale and the original version. The traditional Chinese version of the MDS-UPDRS can be designated as an official translation of the original scale, and it is now available for use. Moreover, NMS in PD constitute a major issue worldwide, and the pattern of NMS among the Chinese population is more marked in terms of cognition-based symptoms and activities of daily living.

  14. The effects of river flooding on the fish populations of two eastern ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    fish populations in two eastern Cape estuaries is compared. .... Methods. Catch per unit effort (CPUE) of fish in the Swartkops and Sundays estuaries was obtained by means of gill-nets. ..... Abundance of other species was little affected ex-.

  15. Novel LOVD databases for hereditary breast cancer and colorectal cancer genes in the Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Min; Cong, Peikuan; Wang, Yue; Lin, Changsong; Yuan, Ying; Dong, Jian; Banerjee, Santasree; Zhang, Tao; Chen, Yanling; Zhang, Ting; Chen, Mingqing; Hu, Peter; Zheng, Shu; Zhang, Jin; Qi, Ming

    2011-12-01

    The Human Variome Project (HVP) is an international consortium of clinicians, geneticists, and researchers from over 30 countries, aiming to facilitate the establishment and maintenance of standards, systems, and infrastructure for the worldwide collection and sharing of all genetic variations effecting human disease. The HVP-China Node will build new and supplement existing databases of genetic diseases. As the first effort, we have created a novel variant database of BRCA1 and BRCA2, mismatch repair genes (MMR), and APC genes for breast cancer, Lynch syndrome, and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), respectively, in the Chinese population using the Leiden Open Variation Database (LOVD) format. We searched PubMed and some Chinese search engines to collect all the variants of these genes in the Chinese population that have already been detected and reported. There are some differences in the gene variants between the Chinese population and that of other ethnicities. The database is available online at http://www.genomed.org/LOVD/. Our database will appear to users who survey other LOVD databases (e.g., by Google search, or by NCBI GeneTests search). Remote submissions are accepted, and the information is updated monthly. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. [The general survey for chondromalacia of 2,743 Chinese population].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, K; Ye, Q; Zeng, X; Lin, J; Wu, Z

    1998-06-01

    To evaluate the distribution of chondromalacia patella in Chinese population. A random cluster sampling survey was performed covering 2,743 subjects varied in age, sex and occupation in 1995. The prevalence rate is 36.2%. The occurrence in women was higher than that in men (P chondromalacia patella in China.

  17. Derivation and characterization of human embryonic stem cell lines from the Chinese population

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Zhao Wu; Huimin Dai; Lei Qian; Qing Tian; Lei Xiao; Xiaojun Tan; Hui Li; Lingjun Rao; Lixiazi He; Lei Bao; Jing Liao; Chun Cui; Zhenyu Zuo; Qiao Li

    2011-01-01

    Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) can self-renew indefinitely and differentiate into all cell types in the human body. Therefore, they are valuable in regenerative medicine, human developmental biology and drug discovery. A number of hESC lines have been derived from the Chinese population,but limited of them are available for research purposes. Here we report the derivation and characterization of two hESC lines derived from human blastocysts of Chinese origin. These hESCs express alkaline phosphatase and hESC-specific markers, including Oct4, Nanog, SSEA-3, SSEA-4,TRA-1-60 and TRA-1-81. They also have high levels of telomerase activity and normal karyotypes. These cells can form embryoid body in vitro and can be differentiated into all three germ layers in vivo by teratoma formation. The newly established hESCs will be distributed for research purposes.The availability of hESC lines from the Chinese population will facilitate studies on the differences in hESCs from different ethnic groups.

  18. Founder effect of a prevalent phenylketonuria mutation in the Oriental population

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Tao (Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX (United States) Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing (China)); Okano, Yoshiyuki; Eisensmith, R.C.; Harvey, M.L.; Woo, S.L.C. (Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX (United States)); Lo, W.H.Y.; Yuan, Lifang (Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing (China)); Huang, Shuzhen; Zeng, Yitao (Shanghai Children' s Hospital (China)); Furuyama, Junichi (Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya (Japan)); Oura, Toshiaki (Osaka Municipal Rehabilitation Center for the Disabled, Osaka (Japan)); Sommer, S.S. (Mayo Clinic/Foundation, Rochester, MN (United States))

    1991-03-15

    A missense mutation has been identified in the human phenylalanine hydroxylase Chinese patient with classic phenylketonuria (PKU). A G-to-C transition at the second base of codon 413 in exon 12 of the gene results in the substitution of Pro{sup 413} for Arg{sup 413} in the mutant protein. This mutation (R413P) results in negligible enzymatic activity when expressed in heterologous mammalian cells and is compatible with a classic PKU phenotype in the patient. Population genetic studies reveal that this mutation is tightly linked to restriction fragment length polymorphism haplotype 4, which is the predominant haplotype of the PAH locus in the Oriental population. It accounts for 13.8% of northern Chinese and 27% of Japanese PKU alleles, but it is rare in southern Chinese (2.2%) and is absent in the Caucasian population. The data demonstrate unambiguously that the mutation occurred after racial divergence of Orientals and Caucasians and suggest that the allele has spread throughout the Orient by a founder effect. Previous protein polymorphism studies in eastern Asia have led to the hypothesis that northern Mongoloids represented a founding population in Asia. The results are compatible with this hypothesis in that the PKU mutation might have occurred in northern Mongoloids and subsequently spread to the Chinese and Japanese populations.

  19. Founder effect of a prevalent phenylketonuria mutation in the Oriental population

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Tao; Okano, Yoshiyuki; Eisensmith, R.C.; Harvey, M.L.; Woo, S.L.C.; Lo, W.H.Y.; Yuan, Lifang; Huang, Shuzhen; Zeng, Yitao; Furuyama, Junichi; Oura, Toshiaki; Sommer, S.S.

    1991-01-01

    A missense mutation has been identified in the human phenylalanine hydroxylase Chinese patient with classic phenylketonuria (PKU). A G-to-C transition at the second base of codon 413 in exon 12 of the gene results in the substitution of Pro 413 for Arg 413 in the mutant protein. This mutation (R413P) results in negligible enzymatic activity when expressed in heterologous mammalian cells and is compatible with a classic PKU phenotype in the patient. Population genetic studies reveal that this mutation is tightly linked to restriction fragment length polymorphism haplotype 4, which is the predominant haplotype of the PAH locus in the Oriental population. It accounts for 13.8% of northern Chinese and 27% of Japanese PKU alleles, but it is rare in southern Chinese (2.2%) and is absent in the Caucasian population. The data demonstrate unambiguously that the mutation occurred after racial divergence of Orientals and Caucasians and suggest that the allele has spread throughout the Orient by a founder effect. Previous protein polymorphism studies in eastern Asia have led to the hypothesis that northern Mongoloids represented a founding population in Asia. The results are compatible with this hypothesis in that the PKU mutation might have occurred in northern Mongoloids and subsequently spread to the Chinese and Japanese populations

  20. Evaluation of candidate genes associated with hepatitis A and E virus infection in Chinese Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Maolin; Qiu, Jing; Guo, Daoxia; Xu, Yunfang; Liu, Xingxiang; Shen, Chong; Dong, Chen

    2018-03-20

    Recent GWAS-associated studies reported that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ABCB1, TGFβ1, XRCC1 genes were associated with hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection, and variants of APOA4 and APOE genes were associated with and hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection in US population. However, the associations of these loci with HAV or HEV infection in Chinese Han population remain unclear. A total of 3082 Chinese Han persons were included in this study. Anti-HAV IgG and anti-HEV IgG were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Genotypes in ABCB1, TGFβ1, XRCC1, APOA4 and APOE SNPs were determined by TaqMan MGB technology. In Chinese Han population, rs1045642 C to T variation in ABCB1 was significantly associated with the decreased risk of HAV infection (P infection in our samples (P C to T variation in APOE was significantly associated with lower risk of HEV infection in males (adjusted OR infection. Additionally, Chinese Han males with rs7412 C to T variation in APOE gene are less prone to be infected by HEV.

  1. Risk Factors for Venous Thromboembolism in Hospitalized Patients in the Chinese Population

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Chunling

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Venous thromboembolism (VTE refers to the formation of a blood clot inside veins and has a high risk of inducing medical accidents. An effective risk assessment model will help screen high risk populations and prevent the occurrence of VTE. In this study, 287 VTE cases were collected and analyzed for risk factors in a Chinese population. The risks of VTE were evaluated using the Caprini and Padua models. Our results indicated that the Caprini model was more effective in evaluating VTE risk among hospitalized patients than the Padua model. As well, the Caprini model was more relevant in VTE risk assessment among surgery patients compared with internal medicine patients, while the Padua model showed no significant differences. In our studies, the most frequent risk factors included obesity, medical patients currently at bed rest, and severe lung disease. Our studies provide clinical support on selecting the suitable risk assessment model of VTE in the Chinese population.

  2. Abraham's children in the genome era: major Jewish diaspora populations comprise distinct genetic clusters with shared Middle Eastern Ancestry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atzmon, Gil; Hao, Li; Pe'er, Itsik; Velez, Christopher; Pearlman, Alexander; Palamara, Pier Francesco; Morrow, Bernice; Friedman, Eitan; Oddoux, Carole; Burns, Edward; Ostrer, Harry

    2010-06-11

    For more than a century, Jews and non-Jews alike have tried to define the relatedness of contemporary Jewish people. Previous genetic studies of blood group and serum markers suggested that Jewish groups had Middle Eastern origin with greater genetic similarity between paired Jewish populations. However, these and successor studies of monoallelic Y chromosomal and mitochondrial genetic markers did not resolve the issues of within and between-group Jewish genetic identity. Here, genome-wide analysis of seven Jewish groups (Iranian, Iraqi, Syrian, Italian, Turkish, Greek, and Ashkenazi) and comparison with non-Jewish groups demonstrated distinctive Jewish population clusters, each with shared Middle Eastern ancestry, proximity to contemporary Middle Eastern populations, and variable degrees of European and North African admixture. Two major groups were identified by principal component, phylogenetic, and identity by descent (IBD) analysis: Middle Eastern Jews and European/Syrian Jews. The IBD segment sharing and the proximity of European Jews to each other and to southern European populations suggested similar origins for European Jewry and refuted large-scale genetic contributions of Central and Eastern European and Slavic populations to the formation of Ashkenazi Jewry. Rapid decay of IBD in Ashkenazi Jewish genomes was consistent with a severe bottleneck followed by large expansion, such as occurred with the so-called demographic miracle of population expansion from 50,000 people at the beginning of the 15th century to 5,000,000 people at the beginning of the 19th century. Thus, this study demonstrates that European/Syrian and Middle Eastern Jews represent a series of geographical isolates or clusters woven together by shared IBD genetic threads.

  3. Mini-Mental State Examination in Elderly Chinese: A Population-Based Normative Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Hanzhi; Jia, Jianping; Yang, Zhiqiang

    2016-05-07

    Chinese nationwide norms of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) have not been established despite its wide use. To obtain norms for the MMSE based on age, gender, education, and rural or urban residences and to determine the optimal cut-off points of the MMSE in elderly Chinese. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Chinese community residents aged 65 years or over selected by cluster random sampling. The MMSE was administered to 9,629 subjects (7,110 cognitively normal, 2,024 with mild cognitive impairment, and 495 with dementia). The demographic influences on MMSE scores were investigated and the norms were established considering those factors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to determine the optimal cut-off points. Years of education (standardized β= 0.399), rural residence (standardized β= -0.261), age (standardized β= -0.198), and being female (standardized β= -0.101) had significant effects on MMSE scores (p < 0.001). Accordingly, we presented the demographic-stratified normative data for the MMSE. The optimal cut-off points for dementia screening were 16/17 for illiterate (sensitivity 87.6% and specificity 80.8%), 19/20 for individuals with 1-6 years of education (sensitivity 93.6% and specificity 92.7%), and 23/24 for individuals with 7 or more years of education (sensitivity 94.3% and specificity 94.3%). We provide the age-, gender-, education-, and residence-specific reference norms for the MMSE derived from an investigation of a large-scale, multicenter, nationwide representative Chinese elderly population. It could be of great improvement for the use of the MMSE in dementia screening in Chinese elderly population.

  4. The polymorphism and haplotypes of PIN1 gene are associated with the risk of lung cancer in Southern and Eastern Chinese populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Jiachun; Yang, Lei; Zhao, Hongjun; Liu, Bin; Li, Yinyan; Wu, Hongxia; Li, Qingchu; Zeng, Bohang; Wang, Yunnan; Ji, Weidong; Zhou, Yifeng

    2011-11-01

    Peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase (PPIase), PIN1, has been found to be a critical catalyst that involves in multiple oncogenic signaling pathways. Recently, several putative functional polymorphisms of the PIN1 gene have been identified to be associated with cancer risk. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that two common polymorphisms, c.-842G>C (rs2233678) and c.-667C>T (rs2233679), in the PIN1 promoter are associated with risk of lung cancer. In two independent case-control studies of 1,559 lung cancer cases and 1,679 controls conducted in Southern and Eastern Chinese population, we found that compared with the most common c.-842GG genotype, the carriers of c.-842C variant genotypes (GC + CC) had a decreased risk of lung cancer (odds ratio [OR] = 0.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.51-0.78, p = 1.13 × 10(-5) ). Although no association was observed between the c.-667C>T polymorphism and cancer risk, we found that the haplotype "C-C" had a greater protective effect (OR = 0.39, 95% CI = 0.23-0.67, p = 5.03 × 10(-4) ). The stratification analysis showed that the protective role of c.-842C variants was more pronounced in current smokers (p = 4.45 × 10(-5) ), especially in male smokers (p = 6.71 × 10(-6) ) and in those who smoked more than 20 pack-years (p = 2.30 × 10(-5) ) and the c.-842C variant genotypes interacted with smoking status (P(interaction) = 0.019) or pack-years smoked (P(interaction) = 0.008) on reducing cancer risk. Further functional assay revealed that the c.-842C variant allele had a lower transcription activity in luciferase assay and a lower DNA-binding ability with nuclear proteins, and low transcription activity in western blot assay. In conclusions, our data suggest that functional c.-842C variants and haplotype "C-C" in the PIN1 promoter contribute to decreased risk of lung cancer by diminishing the promoter activity, which may be susceptibility biomarkers for lung cancer. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Association of rs662799 in APOA5 with CAD in Chinese Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Hua; Ding, Shifang; Zhou, Mi; Wu, Xiayin; Liu, Xi; Wu, Yun; Liu, Dechao

    2018-01-08

    CAD (Coronary Artery Disease) is a complex disease that influenced by various environmental and genetic factors. Previous studies have found many single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with the risk of CAD occurrence. However, the results are inconsistent. In this study, we aim to investigate genetic etiology in Chinese Han population by analysis of 7 SNPs in lipid metabolism pathway that previously has been reported to be associated with CAD. A total of 631 samples were used in this study, including 435 CAD cases and 196 normal healthy controls. SNP genotyping were conducted via multiplex PCR amplifying followed by NGS (next-generation sequencing). Rs662799 in APOA5 (Apolipoprotein A5) gene was associated with CAD in Chinese Han population (Odds-ratio = 1.374, P-value = 0.03). No significant association was observed between the rest of SNPs and CAD. Stratified association analysis revealed rs5882 was associated with CAD in non-hypertension group (Odds-ratio = 1.593, P-value = 0.023). Rs1800588 was associated with CAD in smoking group (Odds-ratio = 1.603, P-value = 0.035). The minor allele of rs662799 was the risk factor of CAD occurrences in Chinese Han population.

  6. Population decline of the Elfin-woods Warbler Setophaga angelae in eastern Puerto Rico

    Science.gov (United States)

    W.J. Arendt; S.S. Qian; K. Mineard

    2013-01-01

    We estimated the population density of the globally threatened Elfin-woods Warbler Setophaga angelae within two forest types at different elevations in the Luquillo Experimental Forest in north-eastern Puerto Rico. Population densities ranged from 0.01 to 0.02 individuals/ha in elfin woodland and 0.06–0.26 individuals/ha in palo colorado forest in 2006, with average...

  7. [Distribution of rubidium, cesium, beryllium, strontium, and barium in blood and urine in general Chinese population].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Chunguang; Pan, Yajuan; Zhang, Aihua; Zhu, Chun; Liu, Deye; Xu, Guang; Zheng, Yuxin; Yan, Huifang

    2015-12-01

    To investigate the distribution of rubidium (Rb), cesium (Cs), beryllium (Be), strontium (Sr), and barium (Ba) in blood and urine in general Chinese population. A total of 18 120 subjects aged 6~60 years were enrolled from 24 regions in 8 provinces in Eastern, Central, and Western China from 2009 to 2010 based on the method of cluster random sampling. Questionnaire survey was conducted to collect the data on living environment and health status. Blood and urine samples were collected from these subjects, and the levels of Rb, Cs, Be, Sr, and Ba in these samples were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The distribution of these elements in blood and urine in male or female subjects living in different regions was analyzed statistically. In the general Chinese population, the concentration of Be in the whole blood was below the detection limit (0.06 μg/L); the geometric mean (GM) of Ba in the whole blood was below the detection limit (0.45 μg/L), with the 95th percentile (P95)of 1.37 μg/L; the GMs (95% CI)of Rb, Cs, and Sr in the whole blood were 2 374(2 357~2 392) μg/L, 2.01 (1.98~2.05) μg/L, and 23.5 (23.3~23.7) μg/L, respectively; in males and females, the GMs (95%CI)of blood Rb, Cs, and Sr were 2 506 (2 478~2 533) μg/L and 2 248 (2 227~2 270) μg/L, 1.88 (1.83~1.94) μg/L and 2.16 (2.11~2.20) μg/L, and 23.4 (23.1~23.7) μg/L and 23.6 (23.3~23.9) μg/L, respectively(P0.05, and P>0.05). In the general Chinese population, the GM of urine Be was below the detection limit (0.06 μg/L), while the GMs (95%CI)of urine Rb, Cs, Sr, and Ba were 854 (836~873) μg/L, 3.65 (3.56~3.74) μg/L, 39.5 (38.4~40.6) μg/L, and 1.10 (1.07~1.12) μg/L, respectively; in males and females, the GMs (95%CI)of urine Rb, Cs, Sr, and Ba were 876 (849~904) μg/L and 832 (807~858) μg/L, 3.83 (3.70~3.96) μg/L and 3.47 (3.35~3.60) μg/L, 42.5 (40.9~44.2) μg/L and 36.6 (35.1~38.0) μg/L, and 1.15 (1.12~1.19) μg/L and 1.04 (1.01~1.07) μg/L, respectively (all P< 0

  8. Ancient and recent Middle Eastern maternal genetic contribution to North Africa as viewed by mtDNA diversity in Tunisian Arab populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elkamel, Sarra; Boussetta, Sami; Khodjet-El-Khil, Houssein; Benammar Elgaaied, Amel; Cherni, Lotfi

    2018-05-01

    Through previous mitochondrial DNA studies, the Middle Eastern maternal genetic contribution to Tunisian populations appears limited. In fact, most of the studied communities were cosmopolitan, or of Berber or Andalusian origin. To provide genetic evidence for the actual contribution of Middle Eastern mtDNA lineages to Tunisia, we focused on two Arab speaking populations from Kairouan and Wesletia known to belong to an Arab genealogical lineage. A total of 114 samples were sequenced for the mtDNA HVS-I and HVS-II regions. Using these data, we evaluated the distribution of Middle Eastern haplogroups in the study populations, constructed interpolation maps, and established phylogenetic networks allowing estimation of the coalescence time for three specific Middle Eastern subclades (R0a, J1b, and T1). Both studied populations displayed North African genetic structure and Middle Eastern lineages with a frequency of 12% and 28.12% in Kairouan and Wesletia, respectively. TMRCA estimates for haplogroups T1a, R0a, and J1b in Tunisian Arabian samples were around 15 000 YBP, 9000 to 5000 YBP, and 960 to 600 YBP, respectively. The Middle Eastern maternal genetic contribution to Tunisian populations, as to other North African populations, occurred mostly in deep prehistory. They were brought in different migration waves during the Upper Paleolithic, probably with the expansion of Iberomaurusian culture, and during Epipaleolithic and Early Neolithic periods, which are concomitant with the Capsian civilization. Middle Eastern lineages also came to Tunisia during the recent Islamic expansion of the 7th CE and the subsequent massive Bedouin migration during the 11th CE. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Scientific psychology within the Chinese language and cultural context.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Heyong

    2006-01-01

    The Scientific Psychology that was founded by Wilhelm Wundt appeared in China in the late nineteenth century. The scholars translated the name of psychology into Chinese as Xin-Li-Xue, for which the meaning of the words looks like "heartology," i.e., "the study of the heart." In Chinese, the same core structure related to "heart" (Xin) is found in most of the terms of psychology, such as emotion, thinking, will, forgetting, and memory. By translating Xin as "heart" instead of "mind," we maintain an embodied approach to understanding the "principles of the heart." Through a historical approach to the influence of Western psychology, a cultural analysis of the meaning of the term psychology in Chinese, and a focus on the meeting of Eastern and Western psychology, we can witness the significance of psychology in the Chinese language and cultural context. I will use three parts to present psychology in the Chinese cultural context: the origins of Chinese psychology, from a historical approach; the meaning of "psychology" in Chinese, using a cultural analysis; and the meeting of Eastern and Western psychology, focusing on the development and future.

  10. Impact of classical risk factors of type 2 diabetes among Asian Indian, Chinese and Japanese populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, L; Tuomilehto, J; Qiao, Q; Söderberg, S; Daimon, M; Chambers, J; Pitkäniemi, J

    2015-11-01

    This review investigated the population impact of major modifiable type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk factors, with special focus on native Asian Indians, to estimate population attributable risks (PARs) and compare them with estimates from Chinese and Japanese populations. Information was obtained on risk factors in 21,041 Asian Indian, 17,774 Chinese and 17,986 Japanese populations from multiple, large, cross-sectional studies (the DECODA project) of T2D. Crude and adjusted PARs were estimated for the major T2D risk factors. Age had the highest crude and adjusted PARs among Asian Indians and Chinese in contrast to waist-hip ratio among Japanese. After adjusting for age, the PAR for body mass index (BMI) in Asian Indians (41.4% [95% CI: 37.2%; 45.4%]) was second only to triglycerides (46.4% [95% CI: 39.5%; 52.8%]) compared with 35.8% [95% CI: 29.9%; 41.4%] in Japanese and 38.4% [95% CI: 33.5%; 43.2%] in Chinese people. The PAR for BMI adjusted for age, LDL and triglycerides (39.7% [95% CI: 31.6%; 47.2%]) was higher than for any other factor in Asian Indians, and was much higher than in the Chinese (16.8% [95% CI: 3.0%; 30.9%]) and Japanese (30.4% [95% CI: 17.5%; 42.2%]) populations. This review provides estimates of the association between major risk factors and prevalences of T2D among Asian populations by examining their PARs from large population-based samples. From a public-health point of view, the importance of BMI in Asian Indians is especially highlighted in comparison to the other Asian populations. Given these results and other recent findings on the causality link between BMI and T2D, it can be postulated that obesity may be involved in the aetiology of T2D through interaction with ethnic-specific genetic factors, although ethnicity itself is not a direct risk factor for T2D as people of all ethnic backgrounds develop diabetes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  11. Interpretation keys in the process of sensitization and education of the Chinese consumer as to the consumption of wine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Trotta Alessandro

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available China’ wine consumption has ever and ever increased during the last decade but there are still difficulties in the communication of this product. This is caused by the great social, cultural and economical diversities among Chinese themselves and between eastern and western culture. In fact, the diversities between the population of urban areas of greater development and the rural ones and the differences between the profound and radical eastern culture and the western culture outline a very different consumer-type compared to the western one. For this reason, for years, the marketing strategies in the wine sector have not brought about the attended results. The Chinese wine consumer reveals much instability caused by cultural reasons, which have emerged in this work, joined by an experimental analysis that could bring into light reliable evaluative results. The output of the analysis of these results is a list of interpretation key points that can be used as a tool to improve the education and the communication towards Chinese wine consumer.

  12. LRRK2 A419V is not associated with Parkinson's disease in different Chinese populations.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yih Ru Wu

    Full Text Available It has been suggested that a common LRRK2 polymorphic variant (A419V (rs34594498 C >T may be a risk factor among Asians (especially in Taiwan. In this study, we examined this variant in a larger and independent Taiwan cohort. We found the frequency of the variant (A419V to be very rare in our Taiwan PD and controls (?0.6%. Further studies were conducted in two other Chinese populations (Singapore and China, comprising of a total of 3004 subjects including 1517 PD patients and 1487 control subjects. However, our multi-center Chinese study revealed that the frequency of the variant was rare (?0.4% and was not associated with risk of PD, suggesting that the variant is not a major risk factor for PD among Chinese, at least in our study population.

  13. Correlation between leptin receptor gene polymorphism and type 2 diabetes in Chinese population: a meta-analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miao HE

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Objective To evaluate the correlation between leptin receptor gene (LEPR polymorphism and type 2 diabetes (T2DM in Chinese population. Methods The literature concerning the correlation between LEPR polymorphism and T2DM in Chinese population were searched from Chinese databases (CNKI, VIP, WanFang, CBM with "leptin receptor gene" and "type 2 diabetes" as keywords, and from English databases (PubMed, Web of Knowledge, EBSCO with "leptin receptor gene", "LEPR", "OBR", "OB-R", "type 2 diabetes" and "T2DM" as keywords. The relevant articles were searched up to September 20, 2014. Then, meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.1 and Stata 11.0 software. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was applied to assess methodological quality of included articles from 3 aspects, namely, selection of participants, comparability and outcome assessment. Results Seventeen case-control studies involving 12 533 cases of T2DM and 3348 controls were included in Meta-analysis. A significant correlation was found between rs1137100 polymorphism in LEPR gene and T2DM (for recessive genetic model: OR=0.67, 95%CI 0.52-0.88, P=0.00; for allele contrast genetic model: OR=1.46, 95%CI 1.15-1.85, P=0.00. A strong correlation was also found between rs1137101 polymorphism and T2DM (for additive genetic model: OR=1.54, 95%CI 1.20-1.98, P=0.00; for allele contrast genetic model: OR=1.15, 95%CI 1.01-1.30, P=0.00. In addition, rs1805096 polymorphism was closely correlated with T2DM (for dominant genetic model: OR=1.32, 95%CI 1.07-1.62, P=0.00; for recessive genetic model: OR=1.30, 95%CI 1.09-1.54, P=0.00; for allele contrast genetic model: OR=0.67, 95%CI 0.59-0.75, P=0.00. Conclusions There is a significant correlation between rs1137100, rs1805096 of LEPR gene and T2DM in Chinese population under allele contrast genetic model as well as in recessive genetic model. Rs1137101 of LEPR gene is closely correlated with T2DM in Chinese population under additive genetic model. For dominant

  14. LILRA3 Is Associated with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Risk in a Chinese Population

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jielin Sun

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available A recent prostate cancer (PCa genome-wide association study (GWAS identified rs103294, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP located on LILRA3, a key component in the regulation of inflammatory inhibition, to be significantly associated with PCa risk in a Chinese population. Because inflammation may be a common etiological risk factor between PCa and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, the current study was conducted to investigate the association of rs103294 with BPH risk. rs103294 was genotyped in a Chinese population of 426 BPH cases and 1,008 controls from Xinhua Hospital in Shanghai, China. Association between rs103294, BPH risk and clinicopathological traits were tested with adjustment for age. rs103294 was significantly associated with BPH risk with a p-value of 0.0067. Individuals with risk allele “C” had increased risk for BPH (OR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.09–1.66. Stratified analysis revealed a stronger association risk for younger patients who are below 72 years old (OR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.06–2.16. Our study represents the first effort to demonstrate that LILRA3 gene is significantly associated with BPH risk in a Chinese population. Our results support a common role of inflammation in the development of PCa and BPH. Additional studies are needed to further evaluate our results.

  15. Curative efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine xuebijing injections combined with ulinastatin for treating sepsis in the Chinese population: A meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Shi-Hui; Luo, Liang; Liu, Xiang-Hong; Zhou, Yu-Ming; Liu, Hong-Ming; Huang, Zhen-Fei

    2018-06-01

    Sepsis is a clinically critical disease. However, it is still controversial whether the combined use of traditional Chinese medicine Xuebijing injections (XBJI) and western medicine can enhance curative efficacy and ensure safety compared with western medicine alone. Thus, this research consisted of a systematic review of the curative efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine XBJI combined with ulinastatin for treating sepsis in the Chinese population. A total of 8 databases were retrieved: 4 foreign databases, namely, PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science; and 4 Chinese databases, namely, Sino Med, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP, and Wangfang Data. The time span of retrieval began from the establishment of each database and ended on August 1, 2017. Published randomized controlled trials about the combined use of traditional Chinese medicine XBJI and western medicine were included, regardless of language. Stata12.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Finally, 16 papers involving 1335 cases were included. The result of meta-analysis showed that compared with the single use of ulinastatin, traditional Chinese medicine XBJI combined with ulinastatin could reduce the time of mechanical ventilation, shorten the length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, improve the 28-day survival rate, and decrease the occurrence rate of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, case fatality rate, procalcitonin (PCT) content, APACKEII score, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α level, and interleukin (IL)-6 level. On the basis of the common basic therapeutic regimen, the combined use of traditional Chinese medicine XBJI and ulinastatin was compared with the use of ulinastatin alone for treating sepsis in the Chinese population. It was found that the number of adverse events of combination therapy is not significantly increased, and its clinical safety is well within the permitted range. However, considering the limitations of this

  16. Origin and geodynamic significance of the early Mesozoic Weiya LP and HT granulites from the Chinese Eastern Tianshan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mao, Ling-Juan; He, Zhen-Yu; Zhang, Ze-Ming; Klemd, Reiner; Xiang, Hua; Tian, Zuo-Lin; Zong, Ke-Qing

    2015-12-01

    The Chinese Tianshan in the southwestern part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) is characterized by a variety of high-grade metamorphic rocks, which provide critical constraints for understanding the geodynamic evolution of the CAOB. In this paper, we present detailed petrological and zircon U-Pb geochronological studies of the Weiya low-pressure and high-temperature (LP-HT) granulites of the Chinese Eastern Tianshan. These granulites were previously considered to be a product of a regional metamorphic orogenic event. Due to different bulk-rock chemistries the Weiya granulites, which occur as lenses within the contact metamorphic aureole of the Weiya granitic ring complex, have a variety of felsic-pelitic and mafic granulites with different textural equilibrium mineral assemblages including garnet-cordierite-sillimanite-bearing granulites, cordierite-sillimanite-bearing granulites, cordierite-orthopyroxene-bearing granulites, and orthopyroxene-clinopyroxene-bearing granulites. Average P-T thermobarometric calculations and conventional geothermobarometry indicates that the Weiya granulites underwent early prograde metamorphism under conditions of 600-650 °C at 3.2-4.2 kbar and peak metamorphism of 750-840 °C at 2.9-6.3 kbar, indicating a rather high geothermal gradient of ca. 60 °C/km. Zircon U-Pb LA-ICP-MS dating revealed metamorphic ages between 244 ± 1 to 237 ± 3 Ma, which are in accordance with the crystallization age of the Weiya granitic ring complex. We suggest that the formation of the Weiya granulites was related to contemporaneous granitic magmatism instead of a regional metamorphic orogenic event. In addition, a Late Devonian metamorphic age of ca. 380 Ma was recorded in zircon mantle domains from two pelitic samples which is consistent with the metamorphic age of the Xingxingxia metamorphic complex in the Chinese Eastern Tianshan. This suggests that the mantle domains of the zircon grains of the Weiya granulites probably formed during the

  17. Zinc Absorption from Representative Diet in a Chinese Elderly Population Using Stable Isotope Technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Ya Jie; Li, Min; Liu, Xiao Bing; Ren, Tong Xiang; Li, Wei Dong; Yang, Chun; Wu, Meng; Yang, Lin Li; Ma, Yu Xia; Wang, Jun; Piao, Jian Hua; Yang, Li Chen; Yang, Xiao Guang

    2017-06-01

    To determine the dietary zinc absorption in a Chinese elderly population and provide the basic data for the setting of zinc (Zn) recommended nutrient intakes (RNI) for Chinese elderly people. A total of 24 elderly people were recruited for this study and were administered oral doses of 3 mg 67Zn and 1.2 mg dysprosium on the fourth day. The primary macronutrients, energy, and phytic acid in the representative diet were examined based on the Chinese National Standard Methods. Fecal samples were collected during the experimental period and analyzed for zinc content, 67Zn isotope ratio, and dysprosium content. The mean (± SD) zinc intake from the representative Chinese diet was 10.6 ± 1.5 mg/d. The phytic acid-to-zinc molar ratio in the diet was 6.4. The absorption rate of 67Zn was 27.9% ± 9.2%. The RNI of zinc, which were calculated by the absorption rate in elderly men and women, were 10.4 and 9.2 mg/d, respectively. This study got the dietary Zn absorption in a Chinese elderly population. We found that Zn absorption was higher in elderly men than in elderly women. The current RNI in elderly female is lower than our finding, which indicates that more attention is needed regarding elderly females' zinc status and health. Copyright © 2017 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.

  18. STAT4 is a genetic risk factor for systemic sclerosis in a Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi, L; Wang, J C; Guo, X J; Gu, Y H; Tu, W Z; Guo, G; Yang, L; Xiao, R; Yu, L; Mayes, M D; Assassi, S; Jin, L; Zou, H J; Zhou, X D

    2013-01-01

    Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an immune-mediated and complex genetic disease. An association of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the STAT4 gene with SSc has been reported in European Caucasians, North Americans and Japanese. We undertook the current study to examine whether the STAT4 SNPs are also associated with susceptibility to SSc and SSc subsets in a Han Chinese population. A total of 453 Han Chinese patients with SSc and 534 healthy controls were examined in the study. The SNPs rs7574865, rs10168266 and rs3821236 of the STAT4 gene were examined with SNP TaqMan assays. The T-allele carriers of rs7574865 and rs10168266 were strongly associated with the presence of anti-topoisomerase I (ATA) and pulmonary fibrosis in SSc patients, as well as with diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc). The presence of anti-centromere (ACA) and limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc) did not show significant association with any of the examined SNPs. The results were consistent with previous reports in other ethnic populations in supporting the notion that polymorphisms of STAT4 may play an important role in susceptibility to SSc. It also revealed different genetic aspects of SSc subsets in a Han Chinese population.

  19. Morphological and genetic evolution in eastern populations of the Macrhybopsis aestivalis complex (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae), with the descriptions of four new species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilbert, Carter R; Mayden, Richard L; Powers, Steven L

    2017-03-30

    For many years the North American cyprinid fish Macrhybopsis aestivalis (common name: Speckled Chub) was regarded as a single widespread and morphologically variable species, occurring in rivers throughout much of the Mississippi Valley and geographically adjacent eastern Gulf slope drainages, west to the Rio Grande basin in Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico. Eisenhour (1997) completed a morphological study of western populations of the Speckled Chub, the results of which appeared thereafter in published form (Eisenhour 1999, 2004). He demonstrated the existence of five valid species west of the Mississippi River (aestivalis, marconis, australis, tetranema, hyostoma), of which the name aestivalis was shown to be restricted to the population occurring in the Rio Grande and the geographically adjacent Rio San Fernando system, in northeastern Mexico. Eisenhour (2004) considered populations throughout the middle Mississippi Valley and its major tributaries to be a single morphologically variable species (hyostoma), and he also indicated that populations of Macrhybopsis from eastern Gulf slope drainages may represent a complex of species. Genetic confirmation of Eisenhour's conclusions regarding western species appeared in the publication by Underwood et al. (2003), who also showed that western populations of M. hyostoma, as presently recognized, are genetically much more complex than previously considered.     Meanwhile, the present authors were involved in a companion study of eastern populations of Macrhybopsis, for which a genetic summary of the eastern Gulf coast species was published by Mayden & Powers (2004). Based on their findings, four species were recognized from southeastern drainages (identified as species A-D), although no formal taxonomic descriptions were included. Their genetic data, in combination with meristic, morphometric and other morphological data presented herein, form the basis for a revised classification of eastern Macrhybopsis populations

  20. Fraternal Birth Order, Handedness, and Sexual Orientation in a Chinese Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Yin; Zheng, Yong

    2017-01-01

    We examined the relationship between handedness, fraternal birth order, and sexual orientation in a Chinese population, and analyzed the influence of the components assessing sexual orientation and criteria classifying individuals as homosexual on this relationship. A large sample of heterosexual, bisexual, and homosexual men and women participated in a web-based survey. Our results showed that homosexual women are more likely to be non-right-handed than heterosexual women, regardless of how sexual orientation was defined, whereas bisexual women are more likely to be non-right-handed than heterosexual women when sexual orientation was assessed via sexual attraction and sexual identity. Bisexual men are more likely to be non-right-handed than heterosexual men when sexual orientation was assessed via sexual attraction. We found neither a fraternal birth-order effect nor an interaction between sibling sex ratio, handedness, and sexual orientation. The small number of siblings may be the reason why we could not replicate the fraternal birth-order effect in this Chinese population, which highlights the importance of cultural differences in the understanding of handedness, fraternal birth order, and sexual orientation.

  1. Is GDF5 gene promoter polymorphism +104T/C associated with osteoarthritis in the Eastern of Turkey population?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tülüce, Y; Yildirim, I H; Özkol, H; Edi Z, L; Delen, V

    2017-08-30

    Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis. Genetic factors have been shown to play important roles in the etiology of OA. The gene growth differentiation factor 5 (GDF5) has been implicated in skeletal development and joint morphogenesis in human and mice. A functional single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) +104T/C in the 5'-UTR of GDF5 (rs143383) was reported to be associated with osteoarthritis susceptibility in Han Chinese and Japanese populations. Our objective was to assess whether this SNP was also associated with OA in the Eastern Turkey population.A total of 172 cases including 95 patients with idiopathic OA and 77 control cases were recruited into the study. DNA samples were extracted from peripheral blood lymphocytes of all cases by using salting out method. The +104T/C polymorphism was genotyped by PCR-RFLP method. In terms of genotype comparison there wasn't any correlation between patient and control groups. Frequency of C allele was found to be higher in-patient group than control group and statistical analysis showed a poor correlation in allele frequencies of the +104T/C SNP of GDF5 gene between cases and controls (p<0.05). Significant correlation between GDF5 and OA has been reported in Asian population, especially T alleles were found in higher frequencies and related to OA.  Our study did not confirm this association and also in term of T allele. Interestingly, we found higher frequency of C allele in patient group than control group and our results are compatible with the study carried out in Greek population.

  2. Association of HLA-DPB1 with scleroderma and its clinical features in Chinese population.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiucun Wang

    Full Text Available Human leukocyte antigen DPB1 was reported to contain singly nucleotide polymorphisms conferring the strongest susceptibility to systemic sclerosis in Korean population. However, associations of specific DPB1 alleles with SSc vary in different ethnic populations. The aim of this study was to profile DPB1 alleles in Chinese population and to identify specific DPB1 alleles in association with SSc and clinical and serological features of SSc in Han Chinese. A cohort containing 338 patients with SSc and 480 gender-matched and unrelated controls were examined in the study. The HLA-DPB1 genotyping was performed with sequence-based typing method. Exact p-values were obtained (Fisher's test from 2×2 tables of allele counts or allele carriers and disease status. Thirty eight DPB1 alleles were found in the cohort. DPB1*05:01 was the most common allele in this cohort. DPB1*03:01 and *13:01 were significantly increased in SSc. DPB1*13:01 association had already been described in other ethnic populations, whereas DPB1*03:01 was specific to Han Chinese patients with SSc. In addition, comparisons between SSc subsets indicated that patients carrying DPB1*03:01 were more likely to develop pulmonary fibrosis, DPB1*04 carriers were increased in SSc patients with anti-centromere autoantibodies and in contrast, SSc patients with homozygous DPB1*05:01 showed an opposite association with marginal significance.

  3. High-Resolution Genome-Wide Linkage Mapping Identifies Susceptibility Loci for BMI in the Chinese Population

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhang, Dong Feng; Pang, Zengchang; Li, Shuxia

    2012-01-01

    The genetic loci affecting the commonly used BMI have been intensively investigated using linkage approaches in multiple populations. This study aims at performing the first genome-wide linkage scan on BMI in the Chinese population in mainland China with hypothesis that heterogeneity in genetic...... linkage could exist in different ethnic populations. BMI was measured from 126 dizygotic twins in Qingdao municipality who were genotyped using high-resolution Affymetrix Genome-Wide Human SNP arrays containing about 1 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Nonparametric linkage analysis...... in western countries. Multiple loci showing suggestive linkage were found on chromosome 1 (lod score 2.38 at 242 cM), chromosome 8 (2.48 at 95 cM), and chromosome 14 (2.2 at 89.4 cM). The strong linkage identified in the Chinese subjects that is consistent with that found in populations of European origin...

  4. Turkish Cypriot paternal lineages bear an autochthonous character and closest resemblance to those from neighbouring Near Eastern populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gurkan, Cemal; Sevay, Huseyin; Demirdov, Damla Kanliada; Hossoz, Sinem; Ceker, Deren; Teralı, Kerem; Erol, Ayla Sevim

    2017-03-01

    Cyprus is an island in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea with a documented history of human settlements dating back over 10,000 years. To investigate the paternal lineages of a representative population from Cyprus in the context of the larger Near Eastern/Southeastern European genetic landscape. Three hundred and eighty samples from the second most populous ethnic group in Cyprus (Turkish Cypriots) were analysed at 17 Y-chromosomal short tandem repeat (Y-STR) loci. A haplotype diversity of 0.9991 was observed, along with a number of allelic variants, multi-allelic patterns and a most frequent haplotype that have not previously been reported elsewhere. Pairwise genetic distance comparisons of the Turkish Cypriot Y-STR dataset and Y-chromosomal haplogroup distribution with those from Near East/Southeastern Europe both suggested a closer genetic connection with the Near Eastern populations. Median-joining network analyses of the most frequent haplogroups also revealed some evidence towards in situ radiation. Turkish Cypriot paternal lineages seem to bear an autochthonous character and closest genetic connection with the neighbouring Near Eastern populations. These observations are further underscored by the fact that the haplogroups associated with the spread of Neolithic Agricultural Revolution from the Fertile Crescent (E1b1b/J1/J2/G2a) dominate (>70%) the Turkish Cypriot haplogroup distribution.

  5. Meta-analysis shows similar re-bleeding rates among Western and Eastern populations after index video capsule endoscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tziatzios, Georgios; Gkolfakis, Paraskevas; Hassan, Cesare; Toth, Ervin; Zullo, Angelo; Koulaouzidis, Anastasios; Dimitriadis, George D; Triantafyllou, Konstantinos

    2018-03-01

    Video capsule endoscopy (VCE) is the first-line diagnostic procedure for investigating obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB). Different re-bleeding rates following index VCE have been reported among Western and Eastern studies. We conducted a comprehensive literature search to identify studies examining re-bleeding rates after VCE for OGIB. Meta-analysis assessed the pooled proportion of re-bleeding events after VCE for OGIB according to study's origin (Western vs. Eastern) and according to the length of follow-up (≥24 months vs. Western and 16 Eastern) studies with 5796 patients. Significant heterogeneity was detected among meta-analyzed studies. Overall, the pooled re-bleeding rate was similar between Western (29%; 95% CI: 23-34) and Eastern (21%; 95% CI: 15-27) populations, irrespective of the length of follow-up. The odds of re-bleeding was significantly higher after positive as compared to negative index VCE in Eastern studies (OR: 1.77; 95% CI: 1.07-2.94). Application of specific treatment after positive index VCE was associated with lower re-bleeding odds in both Western (OR: 0.37; 95% CI: 0.16-0.87) and Eastern (OR: 0.39; 95% CI: 0.21-0.72) populations. Patients undergoing VCE for OGIB have similar re-bleeding rates in the East and the West, regardless of the length of follow-up. However, increased re-bleeding odds after positive index VCE is observed in Eastern studies. Copyright © 2018 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Central corneal thickness and related factors in an elderly American Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Dandan; Singh, Kuldev; Weinreb, Robert; Kempen, John; He, Mingguang; Lin, Shan

    2011-07-01

    To assess central corneal thickness and related factors in an elderly American Chinese population residing in San Francisco. Cross-sectional community based study. American Chinese aged 40 years and older were enrolled using random cluster sampling and volunteer screening in the Chinatown district of San Francisco. The following data were obtained: central corneal thickness by ultrasound pachymetry, intraocular pressure by Goldmann applanation tonometry, axial length by A-scan biometry, refractive status and corneal curvature by autorefractor. History of systemic and ocular diseases was collected via standard questionnaire. Central corneal thickness. Of 311 eligible subjects, 274 consented to study participation, and 228 phakic eyes were analyzed. Mean corneal thickness was 524.1 ± 31.1 µm, 545.5 ± 30.9 µm and 538.9 ± 31.8 µm in the sampling cluster, volunteer group and all subjects, respectively. A multiple linear regression model showed corneal thickness to be negatively associated with age (standardized regression coefficient [SRC] = -0.21; P = 0.016) and corneal curvature (SRC = -0.19; P = 0.018) but positively correlated with intraocular pressure (SRC = 0.20; P = 0.023). The distribution of central corneal thickness among this American Chinese population is similar to that reported in studies from East Asia. The independent factors associated with thinner corneas included older age, lower intraocular pressure and greater corneal curvature. While descendents of Chinese immigrants in America have, on average, thicker corneas than their ancestors, this phenomenon is potentially impacted by the level of intraocular pressure. © 2011 The Authors. Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology © 2011 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

  7. Chinese Companies in Switzerland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Esther Kessler

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, some of China’s leading firms have made headlines with their European expansion, by either opening new facilities or by acquiring or merging with significant enterprises in Europe. The goal of this paper is to contribute to the existing literature by examining Chinese enterprises expanding into Switzerland. The study also allows some conclusions for Chinese companies entering Central and Eastern Europe. We analyze via interviews the motivations of Chinese companies to expand into Switzerland as well as their behavior and the impediments in their internationalization process. Our findings show that Chinese companies fail to take advantage of certain benefits of western economies (such as open information and stable rule of law. To move forward efficiently, they should develop competence in dealing systematically with readily available market information, building professional networks that recognize a separation between business life and personal life, and managing their Chinese and foreign employees in the foreign cultural environment.

  8. Association between mitochondrial DNA variations and schizophrenia in the northern Chinese Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Feng-Ling; Ding, Mei; Yao, Jun; Shi, Zhang-Sen; Wu, Xue; Zhang, Jing-Jing; Pang, Hao; Xing, Jia-Xin; Xuan, Jin-Feng; Wang, Bao-Jie

    2017-01-01

    To determine whether mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variations are associated with schizophrenia, 313 patients with schizophrenia and 326 unaffected participants of the northern Chinese Han population were included in a prospective study. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) including C5178A, A10398G, G13708A, and C13928G were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Hypervariable regions I and II (HVSI and HVSII) were analyzed by sequencing. The results showed that the 4 SNPs and 11 haplotypes, composed of the 4 SNPs, did not differ significantly between patient and control groups. No significant association between haplogroups and the risk of schizophrenia was ascertained after Bonferroni correction. Drawing a conclusion, there was no evidence of an association between mtDNA (the 4 SNPs and the control region) and schizophrenia in the northern Chinese Han population.

  9. Population Genetic Analysis of an Eastern U.S. Wheat Powdery Mildew Population Reveals Geographic and Recent Common Ancestry with U.K. and Israeli Populations

    Science.gov (United States)

    The structure of the U.S. wheat powdery mildew population (Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici) has not been investigated, and the global evolutionary history of B. g. tritici is largely unknown. After gathering 141 single-ascoporic B. g. tritici isolates from 10 eastern U.S. locations, 34 isolates fr...

  10. Polymorphisms in the CISH gene are associated with susceptibility to tuberculosis in the Chinese Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ji, Lin-dan; Xu, Wei-nan; Chai, Peng-fei; Zheng, Wei; Qian, Hai-xia; Xu, Jin

    2014-12-01

    A recent multi-center case-control study identified several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the cytokine-inducible SRC homology 2 domain (CISH) gene that are associated with susceptibility to tuberculosis (TB) in both African and Asian populations. To acquire a more robust and well-powered estimate of the putative influence of these SNPs on TB susceptibility, we conducted a well-designed case-control study in the Chinese Han population. We genotyped 3 previously identified SNPs within CISH in 600 patients with pulmonary TB and 618 healthy controls, and we calculated the pooled P-values and ORs of several studies that have also been conducted in the Chinese populations. The results of the case-control study showed that the C allele of rs2239751 and the T allele of rs414171 are associated with TB susceptibility, and this association exists only in women and young adults. The pooled analysis indicated that both SNPs are significantly associated with TB in the global populations and Chinese populations. The current study confirms that variants of CISH are associated with susceptibility to TB, suggesting that negative regulators of cytokine signaling may have a role in immunity against TB infection. We hypothesize that CISH and estrogen may interact in the cytokine-dependent regulation of the immune system. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Investigation on hepatitis C virus infection among different population group in eastern Guangdong province

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hong Kai; Chen Linxing; Zhang Renhua; Yao Zhanchen; Xu Pinghui

    2004-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the HCV infection rate and the route of transmission among different population groups in Eastern Gruangdong province. Methods: Anti HCV was detected with EL ISA and HCV-RNA with FQ-PCR in selected population groups in Eastern Guangdong (total 8990 subjects). Results: The anti-HCV positive rates for general population, pregnant women, medical personnel, hepatitis B patients and patients on hemodialysis (HD) were: 0.89%(58/6468), 0.93%(17/1836), 2.93%(5/171), 11.5%(47/410) and 51.4%(54/105) respectively. Twelve of the 17 anti-HCV positive mothers were found to be HCV-RNA positive and two of the 12 infants were also HCV-RNA positive: a mother-to-infant transmission rate of 16.7%. In MD patients, anti HCV positive rate in those with history of transfusion and those without transfusion was 58% and 17% respectively, the difference being significant (P<0.01). Conclusion: Blood transmission was the main route for HCV infection transmission and mother-to-infant transmission as well as infections in medical personnel should be of great concern. (authors)

  12. Genetic species identification and population structure of Halophila (Hydrocharitaceae) from the Western Pacific to the Eastern Indian Ocean.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Vy X; Detcharoen, Matsapume; Tuntiprapas, Piyalap; Soe-Htun, U; Sidik, Japar B; Harah, Muta Z; Prathep, Anchana; Papenbrock, Jutta

    2014-04-30

    The Indo-Pacific region has the largest number of seagrass species worldwide and this region is considered as the origin of the Hydrocharitaceae. Halophila ovalis and its closely-related species belonging to the Hydrocharitaceae are well-known as a complex taxonomic challenge mainly due to their high morphological plasticity. The relationship of genetic differentiation and geographic barriers of H. ovalis radiation was not much studied in this region. Are there misidentifications between H. ovalis and its closely related species? Does any taxonomic uncertainty among different populations of H. ovalis persist? Is there any genetic differentiation among populations in the Western Pacific and the Eastern Indian Ocean, which are separated by the Thai-Malay peninsula? Genetic markers can be used to characterize and identify individuals or species and will be used to answer these questions. Phylogenetic analyses of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region based on materials collected from 17 populations in the Western Pacific and the Eastern Indian Ocean showed that some specimens identified as H. ovalis belonged to the H. major clade, also supported by morphological data. Evolutionary divergence between the two clades is between 0.033 and 0.038, much higher than the evolutionary divergence among H. ovalis populations. Eight haplotypes were found; none of the haplotypes from the Western Pacific is found in India and vice versa. Analysis of genetic diversity based on microsatellite analysis revealed that the genetic diversity in the Western Pacific is higher than in the Eastern Indian Ocean. The unrooted neighbor-joining tree among 14 populations from the Western Pacific and the Eastern Indian Ocean showed six groups. The Mantel test results revealed a significant correlation between genetic and geographic distances among populations. Results from band-based and allele frequency-based approaches from Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism showed that all

  13. Psychometric analysis of an eating behaviour questionnaire for an overweight and obese Chinese population in Singapore.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chong, Mary Foong-Fong; Ayob, M Na'im M; Chong, Kok Joon; Tai, E-Shyong; Khoo, Chin Meng; Leow, Melvin Khee-Shing; Lee, Yung Seng; Tham, Kwang Wei; Venkataraman, Kavita; Meaney, Michael J; Wee, Hwee Lin; Khoo, Eric Yin-Hao

    2016-06-01

    Previous studies reveal that the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ), which assesses eating behaviour, performs differently across population groups and cultures. We aimed to identify the factor structure that is most appropriate to capture eating behaviour in an overweight and obese Chinese population in Singapore. TFEQ-51 was administered to 444 Chinese subjects pooled from four separate studies and scored according to various alternative versions of the TFEQ. Confirmatory factor analyses and goodness of fit indices were used to determine the most appropriate factor structure. Known-group validity analyses were conducted. Niemeier's Disinhibition Factors and the TFEQ-R18 factor structures were found to be the most applicable in our population based on goodness of fit indices, with a x(2)/df ratio of 0.9 for both. Only two of three factors (Emotional Eating and Uncontrolled Eating) of the TFEQ-R18 showed good internal consistency, while none of Niemeier's Disinhibition Factors showed good internal consistency. Known-group validity showed that Emotional Eating and Internal Disinhibition were significantly associated with higher BMI. We found that the TFEQ-R18 factor structure is the most appropriate and practical for use in measuring eating behaviour in an overweight and obese Chinese population in Singapore. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Multiple genetic variants associated with primary biliary cirrhosis in a Han Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Ming; Li, Jinxin; Tang, Ruqi; Zhu, Ping; Qiu, Fang; Wang, Chan; Qiu, Jie; Wang, Lan; Dai, Yaping; Xu, Ping; Gao, Yueqiu; Han, Chongxu; Wang, Yongzhong; Wu, Jian; Wu, Xudong; Zhang, Kui; Dai, Na; Sun, Weihao; Zhou, Jianpo; Hu, Zhigang; Liu, Lei; Jiang, Yuzhang; Nie, Jinshan; Zhao, Yi; Gong, Yuhua; Tian, Ye; Ji, Hualiang; Jiao, Zhijun; Jiang, Po; Shi, Xingjuan; Jawed, Rohil; Zhang, Yu; Huang, Qinghai; Li, Enling; Wei, Yiran; Xie, Wei; Zhao, Weifeng; Liu, Xiang; Zhu, Xiang; Qiu, Hong; He, Gengsheng; Chen, Weichang; Seldin, Michael F; Gershwin, M Eric; Liu, Xiangdong; Ma, Xiong

    2015-06-01

    Multiple genome-wide association studies of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) in both European and Japanese ancestries have shown significant associations of many genetic loci contributing to the susceptibility to PBC. Major differences in susceptibility loci between these two population groups were observed. In this study, we examined whether the most significant loci observed in either European and/or Japanese cohorts are associated with PBC in a Han Chinese population. In 1070 PBC patients and 1198 controls, we observed highly significant associations at CD80 (rs2293370, P = 2.67 × 10(-8)) and TNFSF15 (rs4979462, P = 3.86 × 10(-8)) and significant associations at 17q12-21 (rs9303277), PDGFB (rs715505), NF-κB1 (rs7665090), IL12RB2 (rs11209050), and STAT4 (rs7574865; all corrected P values rs7574865) was strongly associated after additional control samples were analyzed. Our study is the first large-scale genetic analysis in a Han Chinese PBC cohort. These results do not only reflect that Han Chinese PBC patients share common genetic susceptibility genes with both their Japanese and European counterparts but also suggest a distinctly different genetic susceptibility profile.

  15. Physical Activity, Adiposity, and Diabetes Risk in Middle-Aged and Older Chinese Population

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Qin, Li; Corpeleijn, Eva; Jiang, Chaoqiang; Thomas, G. Neil; Schooling, C. Mary; Zhang, Weisen; Cheng, Kar Keung; Leung, Gabriel M.; Stolk, Ronald P.; Lam, Tai Hing

    2010-01-01

    OBJECTIVE- Physical activity may modify the association of adiposity with type 2 diabetes. We investigated the independent and joint association of adiposity and physical activity with fasting plasma glucose, impaired fasting glucose, and type 2 diabetes in a Chinese population. RESEARCH DESIGN AND

  16. Anthropometric growth study of the ear in a Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Shichun; Li, Dianguo; Liu, Zhenzhong; Wang, Yibiao; Liu, Lei; Jiang, Duyin; Pan, Bo

    2018-04-01

    A large number of anthropometric studies of the auricle have been reported in different nations, but little data were available in the Chinese population. The aim of this study was to analyze growth changes in the ear by measuring the width and length of ears in a Chinese population. A total of 480 participants were enrolled and classified into 1-, 3-, 5-, 7-, 9-, 12-, 14-, and 18-year groups (half were boys and half were girls in each group). Ear length, ear width, body weight, and body length were measured and recorded; ear index was calculated according to ear length and ear width. The growth of auricle and differences between genders were analyzed. Growth of ear in relation to body height and weight and the degree of emphasis on the length and width of the auricle were also analyzed. Ear length and width increased with age. Ear length achieved its mature size in both 14-year-old males and females. Ear width reached its mature size in males at 7 years and in females at 5 years. Different trends of ear index were shown between males and females. People in this population paid more attention to the length than the width of the auricle. The data indicated that ear development followed increase in age. There were gender and ethnic difference in the development of ear. These results may have potential implications for the diagnosis of congenital malformations, syndromes, and planning of ear reconstruction surgery. Copyright © 2017 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Combinations of bacterial species associated with symptomatic endodontic infections in a Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, Z; Cao, H; Jiang, H; Zhao, J; Tang, Z

    2016-01-01

    To use microarrays to detect 11 selected bacteria in infected root canals, revealing bacterial combinations that are associated with clinical symptoms and signs of primary endodontic infections in a Chinese population. DNA was extracted from 90 samples collected from the root canals of teeth with primary endodontic infections in a Chinese population, and the 16S rRNA gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The PCR products were hybridized to microarrays containing specific oligonucleotide probes targeting 11 species, and the arrays were screened with a confocal laser scanner. Pearson's chi-squared test and cluster analysis were performed to investigate the associations between the bacterial combinations and clinical symptoms and signs using SAS 8.02. Seventy-seven samples (86%) yielded at least one of the 11 target species. Parvimonas micra (56%), Porphyromonas endodontalis (51%), Tannerella forsythia (48%), Prevotella intermedia (44%) and Porphyromonas gingivalis (37%) were the most prevalent taxa and were often concomitant. The following positive associations were found between the bacterial combinations and clinical features: P. endodontalis and T. forsythia with abscess; P. gingivalis and P. micra with sinus tract; P. gingivalis and P. endodontalis or P. micra and P. endodontalis with abscess and sinus tract; and the combination of P. endodontalis, P. micra, T. forsythia and P. gingivalis with sinus tract (P endodontalis, T. forsythia and P. gingivalis may contribute to abscesses or sinus tracts of endodontic origin with bacterial synergism in a Chinese population. © 2015 International Endodontic Journal. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Association between Chinese cooking oil fumes and sleep quality among a middle-aged Chinese population

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wei, Fu; Nie, Guanghui; Zhou, Bo; Wang, Liang; Ma, Yifei; Peng, Suwan; Ou, Songfeng; Qin, Jian; Zhang, Li'e; Li, Shu; Zou, Ruosi; Zeng, Xiaoyun; Zhang, Zhiyong; Zou, Yunfeng

    2017-01-01

    Poor sleep quality is an important symptom of many medical or psychiatric disorders. However, the impact of cooking oil fumes (COFs) on sleep quality has not been studied. This population-based cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the association between COFs of Chinese household cooking and sleep quality. Individual sleep quality assessment was completed in 2197 participants with an average age of 37.52 years, through Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Information about their cooking practice were also collected by self-reported questionnaire. As an internal biomarker of COFs, urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-HOP) (n = 562) was further measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. Binary logistic regression models were performed to evaluate the association between exposure to COFs and individual sleep quality. We found that, subjective poor kitchen ventilation, preheating oil to smoking, and cooking for over 30 minutes were positively associated with overall poor sleep quality (global PSQI score >5) [odds ratio (OR) = 1.75, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.43–2.16; 1.25, (1.03–1.52); 1.42, (1.15–1.76), respectively]. After adjusting for potential confounders, subjective poor kitchen ventilation still tend to increase the risk of long sleep latency, sleep disturbances, and daytime dysfunction [OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.09–1.73; 1.91, (1.39–2.61); 1.54, (1.23–1.93), respectively]. Similar results were observed in participants who preheated oil to smoking [OR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.08–1.72; 1.55, (1.14–2.14); 1.25, (1.02–1.55), respectively] and cooked for over 30 minutes [OR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.05–1.72; 1.46, (1.03–2.06); 1.36, (1.08–1.72), respectively]. Furthermore, high urinary 1-HOP level was also positively associated with overall poor sleep quality (OR = 2.30, 95% CI = 1.31–4.05). The results indicated that exposure to COFs from Chinese household cooking may be a risk factor for poor sleep quality among

  19. Quasi-extinction risk and population targets for the Eastern, migratory population of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Semmens, Brice X.; Semmens, Darius J.; Thogmartin, Wayne E.; Wiederholt, Ruscena; Lopez-Hoffman, Laura; Diffendorfer, James E.; Pleasants, John M.; Oberhauser, Karen S.; Taylor, Orley R.

    2016-01-01

    The Eastern, migratory population of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus), an iconic North American insect, has declined by ~80% over the last decade. The monarch’s multi-generational migration between overwintering grounds in central Mexico and the summer breeding grounds in the northern U.S. and southern Canada is celebrated in all three countries and creates shared management responsibilities across North America. Here we present a novel Bayesian multivariate auto-regressive state-space model to assess quasi-extinction risk and aid in the establishment of a target population size for monarch conservation planning. We find that, given a range of plausible quasi-extinction thresholds, the population has a substantial probability of quasi-extinction, from 11–57% over 20 years, although uncertainty in these estimates is large. Exceptionally high population stochasticity, declining numbers, and a small current population size act in concert to drive this risk. An approximately 5-fold increase of the monarch population size (relative to the winter of 2014–15) is necessary to halve the current risk of quasi-extinction across all thresholds considered. Conserving the monarch migration thus requires active management to reverse population declines, and the establishment of an ambitious target population size goal to buffer against future environmentally driven variability.

  20. Gene-diet interaction effects on BMI levels in the Singapore Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Xuling; Dorajoo, Rajkumar; Sun, Ye; Han, Yi; Wang, Ling; Khor, Chiea-Chuen; Sim, Xueling; Tai, E-Shyong; Liu, Jianjun; Yuan, Jian-Min; Koh, Woon-Puay; van Dam, Rob M; Friedlander, Yechiel; Heng, Chew-Kiat

    2018-02-24

    Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 97 body-mass index (BMI) associated loci. We aimed to evaluate if dietary intake modifies BMI associations at these loci in the Singapore Chinese population. We utilized GWAS information from six data subsets from two adult Chinese population (N = 7817). Seventy-eight genotyped or imputed index BMI single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that passed quality control procedures were available in all datasets. Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI)-2010 score and ten nutrient variables were evaluated. Linear regression analyses between z score transformed BMI (Z-BMI) and dietary factors were performed. Interaction analyses were performed by introducing the interaction term (diet x SNP) in the same regression model. Analysis was carried out in each cohort individually and subsequently meta-analyzed using the inverse-variance weighted method. Analyses were also evaluated with a weighted gene-risk score (wGRS) contructed by BMI index SNPs from recent large-scale GWAS studies. Nominal associations between Z-BMI and AHEI-2010 and some dietary factors were identified (P = 0.047-0.010). The BMI wGRS was robustly associated with Z-BMI (P = 1.55 × 10 - 15 ) but not with any dietary variables. Dietary variables did not significantly interact with the wGRS to modify BMI associations. When interaction analyses were repeated using individual SNPs, a significant association between cholesterol intake and rs4740619 (CCDC171) was identified (β = 0.077, adjP interaction  = 0.043). The CCDC171 gene locus may interact with cholesterol intake to increase BMI in the Singaporean Chinese population, however most known obesity risk loci were not associated with dietary intake and did not interact with diet to modify BMI levels.

  1. Asian population frequencies and haplotype distribution of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) genes among Chinese, Malay, and Indian in Singapore.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Yi Chuan; Chan, Soh Ha; Ren, Ee Chee

    2008-11-01

    Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) gene frequencies have been shown to be distinctly different between populations and contribute to functional variation in the immune response. We have investigated KIR gene frequencies in 370 individuals representing three Asian populations in Singapore and report here the distribution of 14 KIR genes (2DL1, 2DL2, 2DL3, 2DL4, 2DL5, 2DS1, 2DS2, 2DS3, 2DS4, 2DS5, 3DL1, 3DL2, 3DL3, 3DS1) with two pseudogenes (2DP1, 3DP1) among Singapore Chinese (n = 210); Singapore Malay (n = 80), and Singapore Indian (n = 80). Four framework genes (KIR3DL3, 3DP1, 2DL4, 3DL2) and a nonframework pseudogene 2DP1 were detected in all samples while KIR2DS2, 2DL2, 2DL5, and 2DS5 had the greatest significant variation across the three populations. Fifteen significant linkage patterns, consistent with associations between genes of A and B haplotypes, were observed. Eighty-four distinct KIR profiles were determined in our populations, 38 of which had not been described in other populations. KIR haplotype studies were performed using nine Singapore Chinese families comprising 34 individuals. All genotypes could be resolved into corresponding pairs of existing haplotypes with eight distinct KIR genotypes and eight different haplotypes. The haplotype A2 with frequency of 63.9% was dominant in Singapore Chinese, comparable to that reported in Korean and Chinese Han. The A haplotypes predominate in Singapore Chinese, with ratio of A to B haplotypes of approximately 3:1. Comparison with KIR frequencies in other populations showed that Singapore Chinese shared similar distributions with Chinese Han, Japanese, and Korean; Singapore Indian was found to be comparable with North Indian Hindus while Singapore Malay resembled the Thai.

  2. DNA locus HLA-DQ alpha polymorphism in human population of the north-eastern Poland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pepiński, W; Skawrońska, M; Janica, J

    1996-01-01

    Investigations on DNA polymorphism locus HLA-DQ alpha were carried out on a sample of 117 adult unrelated inhabitants from the north-eastern Poland. The polymerase chain reaction and the reverse dot-blot hybridisation were employed to detect 6 different HLA-DQ alpha alleles. Population data on 20 different genotypes served as a basis for statistic evaluation. The results of genotype analysis were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Other population data were compared.

  3. Applicability of western chemical dietary exposure models to the Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Shizhen; Price, Oliver; Liu, Zhengtao; Jones, Kevin C; Sweetman, Andrew J

    2015-07-01

    A range of exposure models, which have been developed in Europe and North America, are playing an increasingly important role in priority setting and the risk assessment of chemicals. However, the applicability of these tools, which are based on Western dietary exposure pathways, to estimate chemical exposure to the Chinese population to support the development of a risk-based environment and exposure assessment, is unclear. Three frequently used modelling tools, EUSES, RAIDAR and ACC-HUMANsteady, have been evaluated in terms of human dietary exposure estimation by application to a range of chemicals with different physicochemical properties under both model default and Chinese dietary scenarios. Hence, the modelling approaches were assessed by considering dietary pattern differences only. The predicted dietary exposure pathways were compared under both scenarios using a range of hypothetical and current emerging contaminants. Although the differences across models are greater than those between dietary scenarios, model predictions indicated that dietary preference can have a significant impact on human exposure, with the relatively high consumption of vegetables and cereals resulting in higher exposure via plants-based foodstuffs under Chinese consumption patterns compared to Western diets. The selected models demonstrated a good ability to identify key dietary exposure pathways which can be used for screening purposes and an evaluative risk assessment. However, some model adaptations will be required to cover a number of important Chinese exposure pathways, such as freshwater farmed-fish, grains and pork. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Association between Chinese cooking oil fumes and sleep quality among a middle-aged Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Fu; Nie, Guanghui; Zhou, Bo; Wang, Liang; Ma, Yifei; Peng, Suwan; Ou, Songfeng; Qin, Jian; Zhang, Li'e; Li, Shu; Zou, Ruosi; Zeng, Xiaoyun; Zhang, Zhiyong; Zou, Yunfeng

    2017-08-01

    Poor sleep quality is an important symptom of many medical or psychiatric disorders. However, the impact of cooking oil fumes (COFs) on sleep quality has not been studied. This population-based cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the association between COFs of Chinese household cooking and sleep quality. Individual sleep quality assessment was completed in 2197 participants with an average age of 37.52 years, through Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Information about their cooking practice were also collected by self-reported questionnaire. As an internal biomarker of COFs, urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-HOP) (n = 562) was further measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. Binary logistic regression models were performed to evaluate the association between exposure to COFs and individual sleep quality. We found that, subjective poor kitchen ventilation, preheating oil to smoking, and cooking for over 30 minutes were positively associated with overall poor sleep quality (global PSQI score >5) [odds ratio (OR) = 1.75, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.43-2.16; 1.25, (1.03-1.52); 1.42, (1.15-1.76), respectively]. After adjusting for potential confounders, subjective poor kitchen ventilation still tend to increase the risk of long sleep latency, sleep disturbances, and daytime dysfunction [OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.09-1.73; 1.91, (1.39-2.61); 1.54, (1.23-1.93), respectively]. Similar results were observed in participants who preheated oil to smoking [OR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.08-1.72; 1.55, (1.14-2.14); 1.25, (1.02-1.55), respectively] and cooked for over 30 minutes [OR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.05-1.72; 1.46, (1.03-2.06); 1.36, (1.08-1.72), respectively]. Furthermore, high urinary 1-HOP level was also positively associated with overall poor sleep quality (OR = 2.30, 95% CI = 1.31-4.05). The results indicated that exposure to COFs from Chinese household cooking may be a risk factor for poor sleep quality among middle-aged Chinese

  5. Prevalence, Causes and Social Factors of Visual Impairment among Chinese Adults: Based on a National Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Chao; Wang, Zhenjie; He, Ping; Chen, Gong; Zheng, Xiaoying

    2017-09-08

    Visual impairment has become a global challenge, especially for developing countries. This study aims to estimate the prevalence, causes and social factors of visual impairment among Chinese adults. Data were from a nationally representative population-based cross-sectional study. The study population were 1,909,199 non-institutionalized adults aged 18 years and older in mainland China. In the survey, low vision and blindness were checked by ophthalmologists according to the WHO best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) criteria. Population weighted numbers and prevalence of low vision and blindness with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated where appropriate. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify the social factors of visual impairment. The weighted prevalence of visual impairment was 17.17 (95% CI, 16.84-17.50) per 1000 Chinese adults aged 18 years and older. Cataract (57.35%), disorders of choroid and retina (9.80%), and disorders of cornea (6.49%) contributed more than 70 percent to the visual impairment in Chinese adults. Older age groups, young or middle-aged male adults, female elders, illiterate, rural dwellers, non-eastern residents, singles, unemployment, and from family with lower income were associated with visual impairment. More efforts are warranted to enhance treatment and rehabilitation among people with eye disorders to prevent visual impairment.

  6. Increasing Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in a Chinese Elderly Population: 2001?2010

    OpenAIRE

    Liu, Miao; Wang, Jianhua; Jiang, Bin; Sun, Dongling; Wu, Lei; Yang, Shanshan; Wang, Yiyan; Li, Xiaoying; He, Yao

    2013-01-01

    Objective The information on the changes of prevalence of MetS in China is limited. Our objective was to assess a 10-year?s change of the prevalence of MetS in a Chinese elderly population between 2001 and 2010. Methods We conducted two cross-sectional surveys in a representative sample of elderly population aged 60 to 95 years in Beijing in 2001 and 2010 respectively. MetS was defined according to the 2009 harmonizing definition. Results A total of 2,334 participants (943 male, 1,391 female)...

  7. Effects of Body Mass Index on Lung Function Index of Chinese Population

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Qiao; Ye, Jun; Yang, Jian; Zhu, Changan; Sheng, Lei; Zhang, Yongliang

    2018-01-01

    To study the effect of body mass index (BMI) on lung function indexes in Chinese population. A cross-sectional study was performed on 10, 592 participants. The linear relationship between lung function and BMI was evaluated by multivariate linear regression analysis, and the correlation between BMI and lung function was assessed by Pearson correlation analysis. Correlation analysis showed that BMI was positively related with the decreasing of forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and FEV1/FVC (P <0.05), the increasing of FVC% predicted value (FVC%pre) and FEV1% predicted value (FEV1%pre). These suggested that Chinese people can restrain the decline of lung function to prevent the occurrence and development of COPD by the control of BMI.

  8. Joint genome-wide association study for milk fatty acid traits in Chinese and Danish Holstein populations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Li, Xiujin; Buitenhuis, Albert Johannes; Lund, Mogens Sandø

    2015-01-01

    is highly consistent between the Chinese and Danish Holstein populations, such that a joint genome-wide association study (GWAS) can be performed. In this study, a joint GWAS was performed for 16 milk FA traits based on data of 784 Chinese and 371 Danish Holstein cows genotyped by a high-density bovine...... different effects in the 2 populations. Ten FA were influenced by a quantitative trait loci (QTL) region including DGAT1. Both C14:1 and the C14 index were influenced by a QTL region including SCD1 in the combined population. Other QTL regions also showed significant associations with the studied FA....... A large region (14.9–24.9 Mbp) in BTA26 significantly influenced C14:1 and the C14 index in both populations, mostly likely due to the SNP in SCD1. A QTL region (69.97–73.69 Mbp) on BTA9 showed a significantly different effect on C18:0 between the 2 populations. Detection of these important SNP...

  9. Glutathione S-transferase P1, gene-gene interaction, and lung cancer susceptibility in the Chinese population: An updated meta-analysis and review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xue-Ming Li

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim of Study: To assess the impact of glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1 Ile105Val polymorphism on the risk of lung cancer in the Chinese population, an updated meta-analysis and review was performed. Materials and Methods: Relevant studies were identified from PubMed, Springer Link, Ovid, Chinese Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Chinese Biology Medicine published through January 22, 2015. The odds ratios (ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CIs were calculated to estimate the strength of the associations. Results: A total of 13 case-control studies, including 2026 lung cancer cases and 2451 controls, were included in this meta-analysis. Overall, significantly increased lung cancer risk was associated with the variant genotypes of GSTP1 polymorphism in the Chinese population (GG vs. AA: OR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.01-1.84. In subgroup analyses stratified by geographic area and source of controls, the significant results were found in population-based studies (GG vs. AA: OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.13-2.31; GG vs. AG: OR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.03-2.16; GG vs. AA + AG: OR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.12-2.26. A gene-gene interaction analysis showed that there was an interaction for individuals with combination of GSTM1 (or GSTT1 null genotype and GSTP1 (AG + GG mutant genotype for lung cancer risk in Chinese. Conclusion: This meta-analysis suggests that GSTP1 Ile105Val polymorphism may increase the risk of lung cancer in the Chinese population.

  10. Sun-exposure knowledge and protection behavior in a North Chinese population: a questionnaire-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Shaowei; Lian, Shi; Hao, Yongjing; Kang, Nan; Li, Shujuan; Nie, Yanjun; Zhang, Fan

    2010-08-01

    Sun exposure can cause a range of skin disorders. Skin damage can be prevented by following certain sun-protection measures. However, the majority of reported studies regarding sun-exposure knowledge and behavior have involved Caucasian populations. A self-administered multiple-choice questionnaire was administered. The questionnaire consisted of 13 questions aimed at evaluating people's knowledge, awareness, and protection behavior regarding sun exposure, and their knowledge of sunscreens and sunscreen use. A total of 623 volunteers were enrolled, including 238 men (38.2%) and 385 women (61.8%). The percentages of correct answers regarding sun-exposure knowledge and awareness ranged from 50% to 80%. Overall, 58.8% used sunscreen as a sun-protection measure in daily life, followed by use of protective clothes (49.3%), sun umbrella (45.4%), sunglasses (45.3%), and hat (42.2%). Fifty-two percent thought that suntan was harmful or not attractive. The mean sun-protection factor (SPF) of the sunscreens used was 27.7 +/- 9.2 and the mean UVA protection grade (PA) was 2.3 +/- 0.6. Knowledge and awareness concerning the harmful effects of sun exposure are widespread among the Chinese population. Sunscreens with high SPF and PA are the most commonly used among Chinese people. Clear sex differences were observed. There is a significant difference in the attitude toward suntan between Chinese and Caucasian populations.

  11. Replication of genome wide association studies on hepatocellular carcinoma susceptibility loci in a Chinese population.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kangmei Chen

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS have identified three loci (rs17401966 in KIF1B, rs7574865 in STAT4, rs9275319 in HLA-DQ as being associated with hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-related HCC in a Chinese population, two loci (rs2596542 in MICA, rs9275572 located between HLA-DQA and HLA-DQB with hepatitis C virus-related HCC (HCV-related HCC in a Japanese population. In the present study, we sought to determine whether these SNPs are predictive for HBV-related HCC development in other Chinese population as well. METHOD AND FINDINGS: We genotyped 4 SNPs, rs2596542, rs9275572, rs17401966, rs7574865, in 506 HBV-related HCC patients and 772 chronic hepatitis B (CHB patients in Han Chinese by TaqMan methods. Odds ratio(ORand 95% confidence interval (CI were calculated by logistic regression. In our case-control study, significant association between rs9275572 and HCC were observed (P = 0.02, OR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.56-0.95. In the further haplotype analysis between rs2596542 at 6p21.33 and rs9275572 at 6p21.3, G-A showed a protective effect on HBV-related HCC occurrence (P<0.001, OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.52-0.84. CONCLUSION: These findings provided convincing evidence that rs9275572 significantly associated with HBV-related HCC.

  12. Replication of genome wide association studies on hepatocellular carcinoma susceptibility loci in a Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Kangmei; Shi, Weimei; Xin, Zhenhui; Wang, Huifen; Zhu, Xilin; Wu, Xiaopan; Li, Zhuo; Li, Hui; Liu, Ying

    2013-01-01

    Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified three loci (rs17401966 in KIF1B, rs7574865 in STAT4, rs9275319 in HLA-DQ) as being associated with hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-related HCC) in a Chinese population, two loci (rs2596542 in MICA, rs9275572 located between HLA-DQA and HLA-DQB) with hepatitis C virus-related HCC (HCV-related HCC) in a Japanese population. In the present study, we sought to determine whether these SNPs are predictive for HBV-related HCC development in other Chinese population as well. We genotyped 4 SNPs, rs2596542, rs9275572, rs17401966, rs7574865, in 506 HBV-related HCC patients and 772 chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients in Han Chinese by TaqMan methods. Odds ratio(OR)and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated by logistic regression. In our case-control study, significant association between rs9275572 and HCC were observed (P = 0.02, OR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.56-0.95). In the further haplotype analysis between rs2596542 at 6p21.33 and rs9275572 at 6p21.3, G-A showed a protective effect on HBV-related HCC occurrence (P<0.001, OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.52-0.84). These findings provided convincing evidence that rs9275572 significantly associated with HBV-related HCC.

  13. Perceptions of Breast Cancer Screening in Older Chinese Women: A Meta-Ethnography

    OpenAIRE

    Banning, M; Shia, N

    2014-01-01

    In Eastern Asia, as the incidence of breast cancer continues to increase yet compliance with breast cancer screening in older Chinese women who are at risk of early stage breast cancer is poor. This meta-ethnography explored breast cancer awareness, attitudes and breast screening behaviour in older Chinese women. Nine qualitative studies were appraised using CASP tools. Many Chinese women believed that illness is preordained, therefore mammography was a futile exercise. Older Chinese women he...

  14. [Epidemiological study on disability caused by injury in the Chinese population].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dai, Jin-fang; Wang, Sheng-yong; Wang, Chang; Zhao, Guo-xiang; Dong, Xiao-mei

    2010-10-01

    To describe and analyze the prevalence and epidemiological features of people with disability caused by injury in the Chinese population, and to provide scientific basis for developing the prevention and control programs on injuries. Statistics and intervention measures were used to analyze the data from the Second China National Sample Survey on injury-caused Disability. Cluster analysis was used to analyze the differences in regions. The overall prevalence of disability caused by injury was 99.68/10 000 which occupied 15.59% of all the disability, with multiple disability excluded. Physical disability and hearing disability accounted for 65.59% and 23.35% of all the injury-caused disability respectively, while those ranked Grade IV and III making up the majority (55.14% and 25.83%) of the disability, respectively. There were significant differences in the distribution of injury-caused disability among different age groups (χ(2) = 23 106.14, P Problems discovered by injury-caused disability in the Chinese population should not be ignored. Both physical and hearing disabilities appeared to be the two main types of disability while age, gender and region were related to injury-caused disability. Targeted strategies should be developed to decrease the injury-caused disability in China.

  15. Russian- Chinese relations : towards an energy partnership

    OpenAIRE

    Garanina, Olga

    2007-01-01

    18 p.; This paper aims to investigate the Russian-Chinese energy relations in the context of evolution of bilateral strategic relations since 1991.The research is focused on Russia and encompasses three main aspects: strategic approach of Russian-Chinese relations, Russian hydrocarbons production and export potential and prospects for the Eastern Russia. The paper is based on qualitative analysis. It shows that the framework of bilateral relations is globally favourable for creation of costly...

  16. How to conserve threatened Chinese plant species with extremely small populations?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sergei Volis

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available The Chinese flora occupies a unique position in global plant diversity, but is severely threatened. Although biodiversity conservation in China has made significant progress over the past decades, many wild plant species have extremely small population sizes and therefore are in extreme danger of extinction. The concept of plant species with extremely small populations (PSESPs, recently adopted and widely accepted in China, lacks a detailed description of the methodology appropriate for conserving PSESPs. Strategies for seed sampling, reintroduction, protecting PSESP locations, managing interactions with the local human population, and other conservation aspects can substantially differ from those commonly applied to non-PSESPs. The present review is an attempt to provide a detailed conservation methodology with realistic and easy-to-follow guidelines for PSESPs in China.

  17. Direct health care costs associated with obesity in Chinese population in 2011.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Jingcheng; Wang, Yao; Cheng, Wenwei; Shao, Hui; Shi, Lizheng

    2017-03-01

    Overweight and obesity are established major risk factors for type 2 diabetes, and major public health concerns in China. This study aims to assess the economic burden associated with overweight and obesity in the Chinese population ages 45 and older. The Chinese Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) in 2011 included 13,323 respondents of ages 45 and older living in 450 rural and urban communities across China. Demographic information, height, weight, direct health care costs for outpatient visits, hospitalization, and medications for self-care were extracted from the CHARLS database. Health Care costs were calculated in 2011 Chinese currency. The body mass index (BMI) was used to categorize underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese populations. Descriptive analyses and a two-part regression model were performed to investigate the association of BMI with health care costs. To account for non-normality of the cost data, we applied a non-parametric bootstrap approach using the percentile method to estimate the 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Overweight and obese groups had significantly higher total direct health care costs (RMB 2246.4, RMB 2050.7, respectively) as compared with the normal-weight group (RMB 1886.0). When controlling for demographic characteristics, overweight and obese adults were 15.0% and 35.9% more likely to incur total health care costs, and obese individuals had 14.2% higher total health care costs compared with the normal-weight group. Compared with the normal-weight counterparts, the annual total direct health care costs were significantly higher among obese adults in China. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Higher fine-scale genetic structure in peripheral than in core populations of a long-lived and mixed-mating conifer--eastern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pandey, Madhav; Rajora, Om P

    2012-04-05

    Fine-scale or spatial genetic structure (SGS) is one of the key genetic characteristics of plant populations. Several evolutionary and ecological processes and population characteristics influence the level of SGS within plant populations. Higher fine-scale genetic structure may be expected in peripheral than core populations of long-lived forest trees, owing to the differences in the magnitude of operating evolutionary and ecological forces such as gene flow, genetic drift, effective population size and founder effects. We addressed this question using eastern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) as a model species for declining to endangered long-lived tree species with mixed-mating system. We determined the SGS in two core and two peripheral populations of eastern white cedar from its Maritime Canadian eastern range using six nuclear microsatellite DNA markers. Significant SGS ranging from 15 m to 75 m distance classes was observed in the four studied populations. An analysis of combined four populations revealed significant positive SGS up to the 45 m distance class. The mean positive significant SGS observed in the peripheral populations was up to six times (up to 90 m) of that observed in the core populations (15 m). Spatial autocorrelation coefficients and correlograms of single and sub-sets of populations were statistically significant. The extent of within-population SGS was significantly negatively correlated with all genetic diversity parameters. Significant heterogeneity of within-population SGS was observed for 0-15 m and 61-90 m between core and peripheral populations. Average Sp, and gene flow distances were higher in peripheral (Sp = 0.023, σg = 135 m) than in core (Sp = 0.014, σg = 109 m) populations. However, the mean neighborhood size was higher in the core (Nb = 82) than in the peripheral (Nb = 48) populations. Eastern white cedar populations have significant fine-scale genetic structure at short distances. Peripheral populations have several

  19. Analysis of Geographic and Pairwise Distances among Chinese Cashmere Goat Populations

    OpenAIRE

    Liu, Jian-Bin; Wang, Fan; Lang, Xia; Zha, Xi; Sun, Xiao-Ping; Yue, Yao-Jing; Feng, Rui-Lin; Yang, Bo-Hui; Guo, Jian

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated the geographic and pairwise distances of nine Chinese local Cashmere goat populations through the analysis of 20 microsatellite DNA markers. Fluorescence PCR was used to identify the markers, which were selected based on their significance as identified by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Society for Animal Genetics (ISAG). In total, 206 alleles were detected; the average allele number was 10.30; the polymorphism i...

  20. FTO variants are associated with obesity in the Chinese and Malay populations in Singapore.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Jonathan T; Dorajoo, Rajkumar; Seielstad, Mark; Sim, Xue Ling; Ong, Rick Twee-Hee; Chia, Kee Seng; Wong, Tien Yin; Saw, Seang Mei; Chew, Suok Kai; Aung, Tin; Tai, E-Shyong

    2008-10-01

    Association between genetic variants at the FTO locus and obesity has been consistently observed in populations of European ancestry and inconsistently in non-Europeans. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of FTO variants on obesity and type 2 diabetes in Southeast Asian populations. We examined associations between nine previously reported FTO single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and related traits in 4,298 participants (2,919 Chinese, 785 Malays, and 594 Asian Indians) from the 1998 Singapore National Health Survey (NHS98) and 2,996 Malays from the Singapore Malay Eye Study (SiMES). All nine SNPs exhibited strong linkage disequilibrium (r(2) = 0.6-0.99), and minor alleles were associated with obesity in the same direction as previous studies with effect sizes ranging from 0.42 to 0.68 kg/m(2) (P Chinese, 0.65 to 0.91 kg/m(2) (P Malays, and 0.52 to 0.64 kg/m(2) (P Malays after adjustment for age, sex, smoking, alcohol consumption, and exercise. The variants were also associated with type 2 diabetes, though not after adjustment for BMI (with the exception of the SiMES Malays: odds ratio 1.17-1.22; P Chinese and Malays in Singapore. Our data do not support the hypothesis that differences in allele frequency or genetic architecture underlie the lack of association observed in some populations of Asian ancestry. Examination of gene-environment interactions involving variants at this locus may provide further insights into the role of FTO in the pathogenesis of human obesity and diabetes.

  1. Sexual dimorphism of the mandible in a contemporary Chinese Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Hongmei; Deng, Mohong; Wang, WenPeng; Zhang, Ji; Mu, Jiao; Zhu, Guanghui

    2015-10-01

    A present limitation of forensic anthropology practice in China is the lack of population-specific criteria on contemporary human skeletons. In this study, a sample of 203 maxillofacial Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images, including 96 male and 107 female cases (20-65 years old), was analyzed to explore mandible sexual dimorphism in a population of contemporary adult Han Chinese to investigate the potential use of the mandible as sex indicator. A three-dimensional image from mandible CBCT scans was reconstructed using the SimPlant Pro 11.40 software. Nine linear and two angular parameters were measured. Discriminant function analysis (DFA) and logistic regression analysis (LRA) were used to develop the mathematics models for sex determination. All of the linear measurements studied and one angular measurement were found to be sexually dimorphic, with the maximum mandibular length and bi-condylar breadth being the most dimorphic by univariate DFA and LRA respectively. The cross-validated sex allocation accuracies on multivariate were ranged from 84.2% (direct DFA), 83.5% (direct LRA), 83.3% (stepwise DFA) to 80.5% (stepwise LRA). In general, multivariate DFA yielded a higher accuracy and LRA obtained a lower sex bias, and therefore both DFA and LRA had their own advantages for sex determination by the mandible in this sample. These results suggest that the mandible expresses sexual dimorphism in the contemporary adult Han Chinese population, indicating an excellent sexual discriminatory ability. Cone beam computed tomography scanning can be used as alternative source for contemporary osteometric techniques. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. A neuropeptide Y variant (rs16139 associated with major depressive disorder in replicate samples from Chinese Han population.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yongjun Wang

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs of neuropeptide Y (NPY and major depressive disorder (MDD in Chinese Han population. DESIGN: Prospective and randomized studies were carried out. PATIENTS: A total of 700 patients (324 male and 376 female; mean age = 40±14.9 years with depression who met the diagnostic criteria of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV and 673 healthy controls (313 male and 360 female; mean age = 41.9±17.2 years were used to investigate the relationship between SNPs of NPY and the pathogenesis of MDD. A total of 417 patients (195 male and 202 female; mean age = 36±14.2 years diagnosed with MDD and 314 healthy controls (153 male and 161 female; mean age = 37.9±14.2 years from Chinese Han population were used to verify the relationship between SNPs of NPY and the pathogenesis of MDD. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: Ligase detection reactions were performed to detect the SNP sites of NPY. A series of statistical methods was carried out to investigate the correlation between the NPY gene SNP and MDD. RESULTS: Statistical analysis showed a significant correlation between the SNP sites rs16139 in NPY and the morbidity of depression. Patients with MDD have a lower frequency of A-allele in rs16139 in replicate samples from Chinese Han population. However, the frequency varied between male and female patients. CONCLUSION: The gene polymorphism loci rs16139 was closely related to MDD in Chinese Han population.

  3. The G to C polymorphism at -174 of the interleukin-6 gene is rare in a Southern Chinese population

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhai, R.H.; Liu, G.; Yang, C.M.; Huang, C.H.; Wu, C.R.; Christiani, D.C. [Harvard University, Boston, MA (United States). School of Public Health, Occupational Health Programme, Dept. of Environmental Health

    2001-11-01

    Interleukin-6 is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of coal workers' pneumoconiosis. Recently, a functional G to C polymorphism at position -174 of the promoter of the IL-6 gene has been described. The -174 polymorphisms in 259 retired Chinese men from Guangxi province (all retired coal miners) were examined. Only one GC heterozygous and no CC homozygous variants were found. Our results suggest that the frequency of the C allele in this Chinese population is lower than in Caucasian and east Indian populations.

  4. Genetic analysis identifies DDR2 as a novel gene affecting bone mineral density and osteoporotic fractures in Chinese population.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan Guo

    Full Text Available DDR2 gene, playing an essential role in regulating osteoblast differentiation and chondrocyte maturation, may influence bone mineral density (BMD and osteoporosis, but the genetic variations actually leading to the association remain to be elucidated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether the genetic variants in DDR2 are associated with BMD and fracture risk. This study was performed in three samples from two ethnicities, including 1,300 Chinese Han subjects, 700 Chinese Han subjects (350 with osteoporotic hip fractures and 350 healthy controls and 2,286 US white subjects. Twenty-eight SNPs in DDR2 were genotyped and tested for associations with hip BMD and fractures. We identified 3 SNPs in DDR2 significantly associated with hip BMD in the Chinese population after multiple testing adjustments, which were rs7521233 (P = 1.06×10-4, β: -0.018 for allele C, rs7553831 (P = 1.30×10-4, β: -0.018 for allele T, and rs6697469 (P = 1.59×10-3, β: -0.015 for allele C, separately. These three SNPs were in high linkage disequilibrium. Haplotype analyses detected two significantly associated haplotypes, including one haplotype in block 2 (P = 9.54×10-4, β: -0.016 where these three SNPs located. SNP rs6697469 was also associated with hip fractures (P = 0.043, OR: 1.42 in the Chinese population. The effect on fracture risk was consistent with its association with lower BMD. However, in the white population, we didn't observe significant associations with hip BMD. eQTL analyses revealed that SNPs associated with BMD also affected DDR2 mRNA expression levels in Chinese. Our findings, together with the prior biological evidence, suggest that DDR2 could be a new candidate for osteoporosis in Chinese population. Our results also reveal an ethnic difference, which highlights the need for further genetic studies in each ethnic group.

  5. Trend of cancer risk of Chinese inhabitants to dioxins due to changes in dietary patterns: 1980-2009

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Tao; Jiang, Wanyanhan; Ling, Zaili; Zhao, Yuan; Gao, Hong; Ma, Jianmin

    2016-02-01

    Food ingestion is a major route for human exposure and body burden to dioxins. We estimated the potential influence of changes in dietary patterns in Chinese population on human health risk to 2,3,7,8-TCDD (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin) over the last three decades. We performed multiple modeling scenario investigations to discriminate the contribution of 2,3,7,8-TCDD emissions and changes in dietary patterns to the cancer risks (CR) to dioxins. Results showed that changes in dietary patterns, featured by decreasing consumption of total grain (including all unprocessed grains) and vegetables and increasing intake of animal-derived foodstuffs, caused increasing CR from 7.3 × 10-8 in 1980 to 1.1 × 10-7 in 2009. Varying dietary patterns contributed 17% to the CR of Chinese population in 2009 under the fixed emission in 1980. The CR to 2,3,7,8-TCDD in urban and eastern China residents was higher considerably than those who lived in rural area and western China, attributable to higher emissions, household income, and greater intake of animal-derived foodstuffs in urban and eastern China inhabitants. On the other hand, more rapid increasing trend of the CR was found in rural residents due to their more rapid increase in the consumption of fat-dominated foods as compared with urban residents.

  6. LINE-1 Hypomethylation is Associated with the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Chinese Population

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wei, Li [Department of Cardiology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin (China); Liu, Shuchuan [Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin (China); Su, Zhendong; Cheng, Rongchao; Bai, Xiuping; Li, Xueqi, E-mail: xueqi-li@163.com [Department of Cardiology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin (China)

    2014-05-15

    Global methylation level in blood leukocyte DNA has been associated with the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), with inconsistent results in various populations. Similar data are lacking in Chinese population where different genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors may affect DNA methylation and its risk relationship with CHD. To examine whether global methylation is associated with the risk of CHD in Chinese population. A total of 334 cases with CHD and 788 healthy controls were included. Global methylation in blood leukocyte DNA was estimated by analyzing LINE-1 repeats using bisulfite pyrosequencing. In an initial analysis restricted to control subjects, LINE-1 level reduced significantly with aging, elevated total cholesterol, and diagnosis of diabetes. In the case-control analysis, reduced LINE-1 methylation was associated with increased risk of CHD; analysis by quartile revealed odds ratios (95%CI) of 0.9 (0.6-1.4), 1.9 (1.3-2.9) and 2.3 (1.6-3.5) for the third, second and first (lowest) quartile (P{sub trend} < 0.001), respectively, compared to the fourth (highest) quartile. Lower (Chinese population. Potential CHD risk factors such as older age, elevated total cholesterol, and diagnosis of diabetes may have impact on global DNA methylation, whereby exerting their effect on CHD risk.

  7. LINE-1 Hypomethylation is Associated with the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Chinese Population

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wei, Li; Liu, Shuchuan; Su, Zhendong; Cheng, Rongchao; Bai, Xiuping; Li, Xueqi

    2014-01-01

    Global methylation level in blood leukocyte DNA has been associated with the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), with inconsistent results in various populations. Similar data are lacking in Chinese population where different genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors may affect DNA methylation and its risk relationship with CHD. To examine whether global methylation is associated with the risk of CHD in Chinese population. A total of 334 cases with CHD and 788 healthy controls were included. Global methylation in blood leukocyte DNA was estimated by analyzing LINE-1 repeats using bisulfite pyrosequencing. In an initial analysis restricted to control subjects, LINE-1 level reduced significantly with aging, elevated total cholesterol, and diagnosis of diabetes. In the case-control analysis, reduced LINE-1 methylation was associated with increased risk of CHD; analysis by quartile revealed odds ratios (95%CI) of 0.9 (0.6-1.4), 1.9 (1.3-2.9) and 2.3 (1.6-3.5) for the third, second and first (lowest) quartile (P trend < 0.001), respectively, compared to the fourth (highest) quartile. Lower (Chinese population. Potential CHD risk factors such as older age, elevated total cholesterol, and diagnosis of diabetes may have impact on global DNA methylation, whereby exerting their effect on CHD risk

  8. BMI and waist circumference cut-offs for corresponding levels of insulin sensitivity in a Middle Eastern immigrant versus a native Swedish population - the MEDIM population based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bennet, Louise; Stenkula, Karin; Cushman, Samuel W; Brismar, Kerstin

    2016-12-09

    The aim of this study was to identify corresponding body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference cut-offs for equivalent levels of insulin sensitivity in a Middle Eastern immigrant population compared with native Swedes. Citizens of Malmö, Sweden aged 30 to 75 years, who were born in Iraq or Sweden, were in 2010-2012 invited to participate in a health examination including anthropometrics, oral glucose tolerance test, fasting samples and interviews concerning sociodemographic factors and lifestyle behaviours. In total, 1176 individuals born in Iraq and 688 born in Sweden, without previously diagnosed type 2 diabetes, participated in the study. In normal weight participants (BMI Middle Eastern populations.

  9. Trial of labour and vaginal birth after previous caesarean section: A population based study of Eastern African immigrants in Victoria, Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belihu, Fetene B; Small, Rhonda; Davey, Mary-Ann

    2017-03-01

    Variations in caesarean section (CS) between some immigrant groups and receiving country populations have been widely reported. Often, African immigrant women are at higher risk of CS than the receiving population in developed countries. However, evidence about subsequent mode of birth following CS for African women post-migration is lacking. The objective of this study was to examine differences in attempted and successful vaginal birth after previous caesarean (VBAC) for Eastern African immigrants (Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan) compared with Australian-born women. A population-based observational study was conducted using the Victorian Perinatal Data Collection. Pearson's chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were performed to generate adjusted odds ratios for attempted and successful VBAC. Victoria, Australia. 554 Eastern African immigrants and 24,587 Australian-born eligible women with previous CS having singleton births in public care. 41.5% of Eastern African immigrant women and 26.1% Australian-born women attempted a VBAC with 50.9% of Eastern African immigrants and 60.5% of Australian-born women being successful. After adjusting for maternal demographic characteristics and available clinical confounding factors, Eastern African immigrants were more likely to attempt (OR adj 1.94, 95% CI 1.57-2.47) but less likely to succeed (OR adj 0.54 95% CI 0.41-0.71) in having a VBAC. There are disparities in attempted and successful VBAC between Eastern African origin and Australian-born women. Unsuccessful VBAC attempt is more common among Eastern African immigrants, suggesting the need for improved strategies to select and support potential candidates for vaginal birth among these immigrants to enhance success and reduce potential complications associated with failed VBAC attempt. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Differences in development among children and adolescents in eastern and western China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Ying-Xiu; Wang, Shu-Rong

    2010-01-01

    There are wide-ranging differences in human growth, not only between ethnic groups but also between regions. China covers a vast area and has a very large population. However, no studies on the differences in development among children and adolescents in eastern and western China have been reported. This study assessed the differences in stature and body weight in children and adolescents in eastern and western China. Using data derived from two national surveys on students' constitution and health carried out by the Chinese government in 1985 and 2005, the average stature and body weight for children and adolescents aged 7-18 years in eastern and western China were calculated. The differences of mean values between eastern and western China were compared. Boys and girls in eastern China were taller and heavier than their counterparts in western China in all age groups (7-18 years) in 2005, the average differences being 3.56 cm, 4.56 kg (urban boys), 3.05 cm, 2.92 kg (urban girls), 4.04 cm, 4.19 kg (rural boys) and 3.48 cm, 2.96 kg (rural girls). In 18-year-old groups, the differences in the stature and body weight between eastern and western China were 2.82 cm, 5.17 kg for urban boys, 1.86 cm, 2.11 kg for urban girls, 2.26 cm, 3.38 kg for rural boys and 1.96 cm, 1.38 kg for rural girls, respectively. From 1985 to 2005, differences in stature and body weight of children and adolescents between eastern and western China have continuously expanded. There have been obvious regional variations in development in children and adolescents in China, the variations in development in children and adolescents between eastern and western China being related to regional economic status and living standards of residents.

  11. Higher fine-scale genetic structure in peripheral than in core populations of a long-lived and mixed-mating conifer - eastern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Background Fine-scale or spatial genetic structure (SGS) is one of the key genetic characteristics of plant populations. Several evolutionary and ecological processes and population characteristics influence the level of SGS within plant populations. Higher fine-scale genetic structure may be expected in peripheral than core populations of long-lived forest trees, owing to the differences in the magnitude of operating evolutionary and ecological forces such as gene flow, genetic drift, effective population size and founder effects. We addressed this question using eastern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) as a model species for declining to endangered long-lived tree species with mixed-mating system. Results We determined the SGS in two core and two peripheral populations of eastern white cedar from its Maritime Canadian eastern range using six nuclear microsatellite DNA markers. Significant SGS ranging from 15 m to 75 m distance classes was observed in the four studied populations. An analysis of combined four populations revealed significant positive SGS up to the 45 m distance class. The mean positive significant SGS observed in the peripheral populations was up to six times (up to 90 m) of that observed in the core populations (15 m). Spatial autocorrelation coefficients and correlograms of single and sub-sets of populations were statistically significant. The extent of within-population SGS was significantly negatively correlated with all genetic diversity parameters. Significant heterogeneity of within-population SGS was observed for 0-15 m and 61-90 m between core and peripheral populations. Average Sp, and gene flow distances were higher in peripheral (Sp = 0.023, σg = 135 m) than in core (Sp = 0.014, σg = 109 m) populations. However, the mean neighborhood size was higher in the core (Nb = 82) than in the peripheral (Nb = 48) populations. Conclusion Eastern white cedar populations have significant fine-scale genetic structure at short distances. Peripheral

  12. Higher fine-scale genetic structure in peripheral than in core populations of a long-lived and mixed-mating conifer - eastern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pandey Madhav

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Fine-scale or spatial genetic structure (SGS is one of the key genetic characteristics of plant populations. Several evolutionary and ecological processes and population characteristics influence the level of SGS within plant populations. Higher fine-scale genetic structure may be expected in peripheral than core populations of long-lived forest trees, owing to the differences in the magnitude of operating evolutionary and ecological forces such as gene flow, genetic drift, effective population size and founder effects. We addressed this question using eastern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis as a model species for declining to endangered long-lived tree species with mixed-mating system. Results We determined the SGS in two core and two peripheral populations of eastern white cedar from its Maritime Canadian eastern range using six nuclear microsatellite DNA markers. Significant SGS ranging from 15 m to 75 m distance classes was observed in the four studied populations. An analysis of combined four populations revealed significant positive SGS up to the 45 m distance class. The mean positive significant SGS observed in the peripheral populations was up to six times (up to 90 m of that observed in the core populations (15 m. Spatial autocorrelation coefficients and correlograms of single and sub-sets of populations were statistically significant. The extent of within-population SGS was significantly negatively correlated with all genetic diversity parameters. Significant heterogeneity of within-population SGS was observed for 0-15 m and 61-90 m between core and peripheral populations. Average Sp, and gene flow distances were higher in peripheral (Sp = 0.023, σg = 135 m than in core (Sp = 0.014, σg = 109 m populations. However, the mean neighborhood size was higher in the core (Nb = 82 than in the peripheral (Nb = 48 populations. Conclusion Eastern white cedar populations have significant fine-scale genetic structure at short

  13. Population attributable risk of overweight and obesity for high blood pressure in Chinese children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Bin; Wang, Zhiqiang; Wang, Hai-Jun; Ma, Jun

    2015-01-01

    Little is known about whether eliminating overweight and obesity could effectively reduce the prevalence of high blood pressure (HBP) in Chinese children. This study aimed to estimate the magnitude of contribution of overweight and obesity associated with HBP in Chinese children, and assess the theoretical HBP prevalence if overweight and obesity were eliminated. Data on 197,191 participants aged 7-17 years with complete records from the Chinese National Survey on Students' Constitution and Health conducted in 2010 were included. The population attributable risk of overweight and obesity for HBP was calculated. The prevalence of HBP was 6.8% and 5.8% for boys and girls, respectively. HBP in about 22.9% (95% CI 21.5, 24.2%) of boys and 14.7% (95% CI 13.5, 15.8%) of girls could be attributable to overweight and obesity. If both overweight and obesity were eliminated, the prevalence of HBP theoretically could be reduced to 5.2% in boys and 5.0% in girls. Similar results were found in different age and urban/rural area groups. Eliminating overweight and obesity could theoretically lead to a moderate reduction in the prevalence of HBP in Chinese children.

  14. Ethnic Differences in Mental Illness Severity: A Population-Based Study of Chinese and South Asian Patients in Ontario, Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiu, Maria; Lebenbaum, Michael; Newman, Alice M; Zaheer, Juveria; Kurdyak, Paul

    2016-09-01

    Little is known about the sociocultural determinants of mental illness at hospital presentation. Our objective was to examine ethnic differences in illness severity at hospital admission among Chinese, South Asian, and the general population living in Ontario, Canada. We conducted a large, population-based, cross-sectional study of psychiatric inpatients aged from 19 to 105 years who were discharged between 2006 and 2014. A total of 133,588 patients were classified as Chinese (n = 2,582), South Asian (n = 2,452), or the reference group (n = 128,554) using a validated surnames algorithm (specificity: 99.7%). Diagnoses were based on DSM-IV criteria. We examined the association between ethnicity and 4 measures of disease severity: involuntary admissions, aggressive behaviors, and the number and frequency of positive symptoms (ie, hallucinations, command hallucinations, delusions, and abnormal thought process) (Positive Symptoms Scale, Resident Assessment Instrument-Mental Health [RAI-MH]). After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, immigration status, and discharge diagnosis, Chinese patients had greater odds of involuntary admissions (odds ratio [OR] = 1.79; 95% CI, 1.64-1.95) and exhibiting severe aggressive behaviors (OR = 1.36; 95% CI, 1.23-1.51) and ≥ 3 positive symptoms (OR = 1.39; 95% CI, 1.24-1.56) compared to the general population. South Asian ethnicity was also an independent predictor of most illness severity measures. The association between Chinese ethnicity and illness severity was consistent across sex, diagnostic and immigrant categories, and first-episode hospitalization. Chinese and South Asian ethnicities are independent predictors of illness severity at hospital presentation. Understanding the role of patient, family, and health system factors in determining the threshold for hospitalization is an important future step in informing culturally specific care for these large and growing populations worldwide. © Copyright 2016 Physicians

  15. The genetic variation of SORCS1 is associated with late-onset Alzheimer's disease in Chinese Han population.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Xu

    Full Text Available The variations of SORCS1 gene may play potential key roles in late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD. To evaluate the relationship between the polymorphism of SORCS1 gene and LOAD in the ethnic Han Chinese, we conducted a case-control study to investigate the association between the single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs in intron 1 of SORCS1 and LOAD in Chinese Han population. Six reported SNPs in intron 1 of SORCS1 were analyzed by Snapshot, genotyping and haplotyping in 236 Chinese LOAD cases and 233 matched controls. The significant differences in frequencies of two SNPs (rs10884402, rs950809 were found between the two groups. In addition, haplotype analyses revealed that, in the LOAD group, the frequency of haplotypes C-C-G-T-C (alleles in order of rs17277986, rs6584777, rs10884402, rs7078098, rs950809 polymorphisms were significantly higher (Psim<0.0001 while haplotype C-C-A-T-C, C-C-A-C-C, T-T-A-C-C were significantly lower (Psim<0.0001. Our data suggested that the genetic variation of the rs10884402 and rs950809 in intron 1 of SORCS1 was associated with the late-onset AD in the Chinese Han population.

  16. Y-chromosome and mtDNA genetics reveal significant contrasts in affinities of modern Middle Eastern populations with European and African populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badro, Danielle A; Douaihy, Bouchra; Haber, Marc; Youhanna, Sonia C; Salloum, Angélique; Ghassibe-Sabbagh, Michella; Johnsrud, Brian; Khazen, Georges; Matisoo-Smith, Elizabeth; Soria-Hernanz, David F; Wells, R Spencer; Tyler-Smith, Chris; Platt, Daniel E; Zalloua, Pierre A

    2013-01-01

    The Middle East was a funnel of human expansion out of Africa, a staging area for the Neolithic Agricultural Revolution, and the home to some of the earliest world empires. Post LGM expansions into the region and subsequent population movements created a striking genetic mosaic with distinct sex-based genetic differentiation. While prior studies have examined the mtDNA and Y-chromosome contrast in focal populations in the Middle East, none have undertaken a broad-spectrum survey including North and sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and Middle Eastern populations. In this study 5,174 mtDNA and 4,658 Y-chromosome samples were investigated using PCA, MDS, mean-linkage clustering, AMOVA, and Fisher exact tests of F(ST)'s, R(ST)'s, and haplogroup frequencies. Geographic differentiation in affinities of Middle Eastern populations with Africa and Europe showed distinct contrasts between mtDNA and Y-chromosome data. Specifically, Lebanon's mtDNA shows a very strong association to Europe, while Yemen shows very strong affinity with Egypt and North and East Africa. Previous Y-chromosome results showed a Levantine coastal-inland contrast marked by J1 and J2, and a very strong North African component was evident throughout the Middle East. Neither of these patterns were observed in the mtDNA. While J2 has penetrated into Europe, the pattern of Y-chromosome diversity in Lebanon does not show the widespread affinities with Europe indicated by the mtDNA data. Lastly, while each population shows evidence of connections with expansions that now define the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, many of the populations in the Middle East show distinctive mtDNA and Y-haplogroup characteristics that indicate long standing settlement with relatively little impact from and movement into other populations.

  17. Assessing Cardiovascular Health Using Life′s Simple 7 in a Chinese Population Undergoing Stroke Prevention

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qiong Yang

    2015-01-01

    Conclusions: Few Chinese patients undergoing stroke prevention had optimal CVH (determined using LS7. Additionally, fewer patients undergoing secondary prevention had optimal CVH than those undergoing primary prevention. In particular, physical activity and diet status in this population require improvement.

  18. Socio-economic circumstances and food habits in Eastern, Central and Western European populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boylan, Sinéad; Lallukka, Tea; Lahelma, Eero; Pikhart, Hynek; Malyutina, Sofia; Pajak, Andrzej; Kubinova, Ruzena; Bragina, Oksana; Stepaniak, Urszula; Gillis-Januszewska, Aleksandra; Simonova, Galina; Peasey, Anne; Bobak, Martin

    2011-04-01

    To assess the relationship between several socio-economic indicators and frequency of consumption of seven predefined healthy foods (consumption of fruit, vegetables, wholegrain bread, vegetable-fat spread, vegetable cooking fat, low-fat milk and low-fat cheese) in populations from Eastern, Central and Western Europe. Analysis of baseline data collected in two cross-sectional cohort studies between 2000 and 2005: the Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial factors In Eastern Europe (HAPIEE) study and the Finnish Helsinki Health Study (HHS). Urban populations in the Czech Republic, Russia, Poland and Finland. In the HAPIEE study, random samples of men and women aged 45-69 years were drawn from population registers and electoral lists of selected cities. In the HHS, men and women aged 40-60 years employed by the City of Helsinki were recruited. Data on 21,326 working subjects from both cohorts were analysed. Healthy food habits were, in general, positively associated with higher education, occupational position and fewer economic difficulties, but there were differences in the strength of the gradient by food and country. Fruit consumption showed the most consistent gradients, especially in relation to socio-economic status among men (country-specific relative index of inequality (RII)=2.02-5.17) and women (RII=2.09-3.57). The associations between socio-economic indicators and healthy food habits showed heterogeneity between countries. Future studies of dietary behaviours should consider multiple measures of socio-economic position.

  19. Celiac Disease Autoimmunity in Patients with Autoimmune Diabetes and Thyroid Disease among Chinese Population.

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    Zhiyuan Zhao

    Full Text Available The prevalence of celiac disease autoimmunity or tissue transglutaminase autoantibodies (TGA amongst patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D and autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD in the Chinese population remains unknown. This study examined the rate of celiac disease autoimmunity amongst patients with T1D and AITD in the Chinese population. The study included 178 patients with type 1 diabetes and 119 with AITD where 36 had both T1D and AITD, classified as autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 3 variant (APS3v. The study also included 145 patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D, 97 patients with non-autoimmune thyroid disease (NAITD, and 102 healthy controls. Serum islet autoantibodies, thyroid autoantibodies and TGA were measured by radioimmunoassay. TGA positivity was found in 22% of patients with either type 1 diabetes or AITD, much higher than that in patients with T2D (3.4%; p< 0.0001 or NAITD (3.1%; P < 0.0001 or healthy controls (1%; p<0.0001. The patients with APS3v having both T1D and AITD were 36% positive for TGA, significantly higher than patients with T1D alone (p = 0.040 or with AITD alone (p = 0.017. T1D and AITD were found to have a 20% and 30% frequency of overlap respectively at diagnosis. In conclusion, TGA positivity was high in the Chinese population having existing T1D and/or AITD, and even higher when both diseases were present. Routine TGA screening in patients with T1D or AITD will be important to early identify celiac disease autoimmunity for better clinical care of patients.

  20. Genetic variations and haplotype diversity of the UGT1 gene cluster in the Chinese population.

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    Jing Yang

    Full Text Available Vertebrates require tremendous molecular diversity to defend against numerous small hydrophobic chemicals. UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs are a large family of detoxification enzymes that glucuronidate xenobiotics and endobiotics, facilitating their excretion from the body. The UGT1 gene cluster contains a tandem array of variable first exons, each preceded by a specific promoter, and a common set of downstream constant exons, similar to the genomic organization of the protocadherin (Pcdh, immunoglobulin, and T-cell receptor gene clusters. To assist pharmacogenomics studies in Chinese, we sequenced nine first exons, promoter and intronic regions, and five common exons of the UGT1 gene cluster in a population sample of 253 unrelated Chinese individuals. We identified 101 polymorphisms and found 15 novel SNPs. We then computed allele frequencies for each polymorphism and reconstructed their linkage disequilibrium (LD map. The UGT1 cluster can be divided into five linkage blocks: Block 9 (UGT1A9, Block 9/7/6 (UGT1A9, UGT1A7, and UGT1A6, Block 5 (UGT1A5, Block 4/3 (UGT1A4 and UGT1A3, and Block 3' UTR. Furthermore, we inferred haplotypes and selected their tagSNPs. Finally, comparing our data with those of three other populations of the HapMap project revealed ethnic specificity of the UGT1 genetic diversity in Chinese. These findings have important implications for future molecular genetic studies of the UGT1 gene cluster as well as for personalized medical therapies in Chinese.

  1. Central and Eastern European Countries Focus on the Silk Road Economic Belt

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    GEORGE CORNEL DUMITRESCU

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available The Silk Road Economic Belt, a strategic priority of the Chinese foreign policy in 2015, draws the attention to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe through the multiple benefits that it displays (investments, economic growth, trade between the countries along its corridors, job creation, infrastructure development, the strategic importance of being part of a grandiose multi-continental project. Among these benefits an important one is represented by the opportunities of Chinese investments in infrastructure, since the EU is suffering from a credit restraint. Also, The Silk Road Economic Belt could lead to a potential increase in the bilateral trade. Analyzing the literature in the field and the various official information available online, this paper aims to depict the Chinese project form the Eastern European perspective, identifying local priorities, conflicting interests, possible infrastructure projects, routes, focusing on two strategic countries in the region: Romania and Serbia, both displaying advantages and disadvantages.

  2. On the Eastern and Western Cultures as Reflected in Differences in Food Culture

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    黄卓; 张海南

    2015-01-01

    When talking about differences between Eastern and Western culture,we should first think of the eating cultural differences.There are many differences in Eastern and Western food cultures,in this paper it will introduce the different food concepts,the different eating goals,the different eating habits,etc.A comparison study of Chinese and Western food culture still makes sense through the analysis of cultural differences between Chinese and Western food,we can understand their own cultural traditions in China and the West.At the same time it is able to carry out improvement and innovation of Chinese culture.Throughout the comparisons,coupled with the differences of the concept of Western food culture,objects,methods,ownership and nature,it studies these differences,identifies areas for mastery of the place,promotes cultural exchange.Thus it enables China to the world,and to make the world know China better.

  3. On the Eastern and Western Cultures as Reflected in Differences in Food Culture

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    黄卓; 张海南

    2015-01-01

    When talking about differences between Eastern and Western culture,we should first think of the eating cultural differences.There are many differences in Eastern and Western food cultures,in this paper it will introduce the different food concepts,the different eating goals,the different eating habits,etc. A comparison study of Chinese and Western food culture still makes sense through the analysis of cultural differences between Chinese and Western food,we can understand their own cultural traditions in China and the West.At the same time it is able to carry out improvement and innovation of Chinese culture. Throughout the comparisons,coupled with the differences of the concept of Western food culture,objects,methods,ownership and nature,it studies these differences,identifies areas for mastery of the place,promotes cultural exchange.Thus it enables China to the world,and to make the world know China better.

  4. Association study of STAT4 polymorphisms and type 1 diabetes in Northeastern Chinese Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bi, C; Li, B; Cheng, Z; Hu, Y; Fang, Z; Zhai, A

    2013-03-01

    Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an organ-specific, T-cell-mediated disease resulting from the selective destruction of pancreatic β cells. The signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) gene is one of the most interesting genes for the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, including T1D. In this study, a case-control study was conducted in a Han population in northeastern China comparing the genotypes of T1D patients to healthy controls for the presence of two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the STAT4 gene. The study population comprised of 410 T1D patients and 407 healthy individuals. Two SNPs (rs7574865 and rs3024866) of STAT4 were genotyped with Multiplex SNaPShot method. Data were analyzed with spss 13.0 to determine if a statistical association existed between these genotypes and T1D. One of the two SNPs (rs7574865) was strongly associated with T1D in Northeastern Chinese population compared to healthy controls (P < 0.05), whereas the other tested SNP (rs3024866) demonstrated no significant relationship. In conclusion, the STAT4 gene may play an important role in facilitating susceptibility to T1D in this Han Chinese population. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  5. Pre-whaling genetic diversity and population ecology in eastern Pacific gray whales: insights from ancient DNA and stable isotopes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S Elizabeth Alter

    Full Text Available Commercial whaling decimated many whale populations, including the eastern Pacific gray whale, but little is known about how population dynamics or ecology differed prior to these removals. Of particular interest is the possibility of a large population decline prior to whaling, as such a decline could explain the ~5-fold difference between genetic estimates of prior abundance and estimates based on historical records. We analyzed genetic (mitochondrial control region and isotopic information from modern and prehistoric gray whales using serial coalescent simulations and Bayesian skyline analyses to test for a pre-whaling decline and to examine prehistoric genetic diversity, population dynamics and ecology. Simulations demonstrate that significant genetic differences observed between ancient and modern samples could be caused by a large, recent population bottleneck, roughly concurrent with commercial whaling. Stable isotopes show minimal differences between modern and ancient gray whale foraging ecology. Using rejection-based Approximate Bayesian Computation, we estimate the size of the population bottleneck at its minimum abundance and the pre-bottleneck abundance. Our results agree with previous genetic studies suggesting the historical size of the eastern gray whale population was roughly three to five times its current size.

  6. [Association between CISH polymorphisms and susceptibility to chronic hepatitis B in Chinese Han population].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xin; Sun, Xuehua; Zhou, Zhenhua; Li, Man; Gao, Yueqiu

    2014-04-01

    To investigate the association between rs414171 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of cytokine- inducible src homology 2 domain protein (CISH) and the susceptibility to chronic hepatitis B. A total of 233 Chinese Han patients with chronic hepatitis B and 148 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled in this case-control study. The SNP rs414171 was genotyped by Sequenom MassArray-IPLEX to analyze the relationship between rs414171 and chronic hepatitis B. The distribution of SNP rs414171 allele and genotype frequencies showed no significant difference between the patients and healthy controls (P>0.05). CISH rs414171 is not significantly associated with the susceptibility to chronic hepatitis B in Chinese Han population.

  7. Understanding Chinese Luxury Fashion Goods Consumption in Present Day China

    OpenAIRE

    Webber, K.S.

    2010-01-01

    The global luxury goods market has grown considerably in the past few decades and continues to do so. However, research literature on the topic, especially on Eastern cultures, is still limited. This study sets out to understand luxury goods consumption in Chinese culture. Ten Chinese students were interviewed to gauge an understanding of how perceptions of ‘luxury’ and what motivates them to purchase it.

  8. [Expert consensus post-marketing evaluation scheme to detect immunotoxicity of Chinese medicine in clinical populations (draft version for comments)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Yan-Ming; Zhao, Yu-Bin; Jiang, Jun-Jie; Chang, Yan-Peng; Zhang, Wen; Shen, Hao; Lu, Peng-Fei

    2013-09-01

    Through consensus, establish a post-marketing scheme and the technical processes to evaluate Chinese medicine's immunotoxicity on a population, as well as its beneficial influences on the immune system. Provide regulations on the collection, storage and transportation of serum samples. This article applies to the post-marketing scientific evaluation of the immunotoxicity of parenterally administered, and for other ways of taking Chinese medicine.

  9. Wealth Inequality and Mental Disability Among the Chinese Population: A Population Based Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhenjie; Du, Wei; Pang, Lihua; Zhang, Lei; Chen, Gong; Zheng, Xiaoying

    2015-10-19

    In the study described herein, we investigated and explored the association between wealth inequality and the risk of mental disability in the Chinese population. We used nationally represented, population-based data from the second China National Sample Survey on Disability, conducted in 2006. A total of 1,724,398 study subjects between the ages of 15 and 64, including 10,095 subjects with mental disability only, were used for the analysis. Wealth status was estimated by a wealth index that was derived from a principal component analysis of 10 household assets and four other variables related to wealth. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for mental disability for each category, with the lowest quintile category as the referent. Confounding variables under consideration were age, gender, residence area, marital status, ethnicity, education, current employment status, household size, house type, homeownership and living arrangement. The distribution of various types and severities of mental disability differed significantly by wealth index category in the present population. Wealth index category had a positive association with mild mental disability (p for trend disability (p for trend disability when all severities of mental disability were taken into consideration. This study's results suggest that wealth is a significant factor in the distribution of mental disability and it might have different influences on various types and severities of mental disability.

  10. Chinese culture and fertility decline.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, C; Jia, S

    1992-01-01

    Coale has suggested that cultural factors exert a significant influence on fertility reduction; countries in the "Chinese cultural circle" would be the first to show fertility decline. In China, the view was that traditional Chinese culture contributed to increased population. This paper examines the nature of the relationship between Chinese culture and fertility. Attention was directed to a comparison of fertility rates of developing countries with strong Chinese cultural influence and of fertility within different regions of China. Discussion was followed by an explanation of the theoretical impact of Chinese culture on fertility and direct and indirect beliefs and practices that might either enhance or hinder fertility decline. Emigration to neighboring countries occurred after the Qing dynasty. Fertility after the 1950s declined markedly in Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, and mainland China: all countries within the Chinese cultural circle. Other countries within the Chinese circle which have higher fertility, yet lower fertility than other non-Chinese cultural countries, are Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. Within China, regions with similar fertility patterns are identified as coastal regions, central plains, and mountainous and plateau regions. The Han ethnic group has lower fertility than that of ethnic minorities; regions with large Han populations have lower fertility. Overseas Chinese in East Asian countries also tend to have lower fertility than their host populations. Chinese culture consisted of the assimilation of other cultures over 5000 years. Fertility decline was dependent on the population's desire to limit reproduction, favorable social mechanisms, and availability of contraception: all factors related to economic development. Chinese culture affects fertility reduction by affecting reproductive views and social mechanisms directly, and indirectly through economics. Confucianism emphasizes collectivism, self

  11. Population genetics of the Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis across multiple spatial scales.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shem D Unger

    Full Text Available Conservation genetics is a powerful tool to assess the population structure of species and provides a framework for informing management of freshwater ecosystems. As lotic habitats become fragmented, the need to assess gene flow for species of conservation management becomes a priority. The eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis is a large, fully aquatic paedamorphic salamander. Many populations are experiencing declines throughout their geographic range, yet the genetic ramifications of these declines are currently unknown. To this end, we examined levels of genetic variation and genetic structure at both range-wide and drainage (hierarchical scales. We collected 1,203 individuals from 77 rivers throughout nine states from June 2007 to August 2011. Levels of genetic diversity were relatively high among all sampling locations. We detected significant genetic structure across populations (Fst values ranged from 0.001 between rivers within a single watershed to 0.218 between states. We identified two genetically differentiated groups at the range-wide scale: 1 the Ohio River drainage and 2 the Tennessee River drainage. An analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA based on landscape-scale sampling of basins within the Tennessee River drainage revealed the majority of genetic variation (∼94-98% occurs within rivers. Eastern hellbenders show a strong pattern of isolation by stream distance (IBSD at the drainage level. Understanding levels of genetic variation and differentiation at multiple spatial and biological scales will enable natural resource managers to make more informed decisions and plan effective conservation strategies for cryptic, lotic species.

  12. Population Assessment of an Endangered Shorebird: the Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus melodus in Eastern Canada

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diane L. Amirault

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Small, at-risk populations are those for which accurate demographic information is most crucial to conservation and recovery, but also where data collection is constrained by logistical challenges and small sample sizes. Migratory animals in particular may experience a wide range of threats to survival and reproduction throughout each annual cycle, and identification of life stages most critical to persistence may be especially difficult for these populations. The endangered eastern Canadian breeding population of Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus melodus was estimated at only 444 adults in 2005, and extensive effort has been invested in conservation activities, reproductive monitoring, and marking of individual birds, providing a comprehensive data set on population dynamics since 1998. We used these data to build a matrix projection model for two Piping Plover population segments that nest in eastern Canada in order to estimate both deterministic and stochastic rates of population growth (λd and λs, respectively. Annual population censuses suggested moderate growth in abundance between 1998–2003, but vital rate estimates indicated that this temporary growth may be replaced by declines in the long term, both in southern Nova Scotia (λd = 1.0043, λs = 0.9263 and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (λd = 0.9651, λs = 0.8214. Nonetheless, confidence intervals on λ estimates were relatively wide, highlighting remaining uncertainty in future population trajectories. Differences in projected growth between regions appear to be driven by low estimated juvenile post-fledging survival in the Gulf, but threats to juveniles of both population segments following departure from nesting beaches remain unidentified. Similarly, λ in both population segments was particularly sensitive to changes in adult survival as expected for most migratory birds, but very little is understood about the threats to Piping Plover survival during migration and overwintering

  13. Genetic polymorphisms in ALDH2 are associated with drug addiction in a Chinese Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Chan; Ding, Heng; Cheng, Yujing; Chen, Wanlu; Li, Qi; Li, Qing; Dai, Run; Luo, Manlin

    2017-01-31

    We investigated the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ALDH2, which has been associated with alcohol dependence and several types of diseases, and the risk of drug addiction in a Chinese Han population. In a case-control study that included 692 cases and 700 healthy controls, eight SNPs in ALDH2 were selected and genotyped using the Sequenom MassARRAY platform. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using unconditional logistic regression after adjusting for age and gender. We determined that rs671 is significantly associated with a 1.551-fold increased drug addiction risk (95% CI = 1.263-1.903; p drug addiction under additive, dominant and recessive models (p drug addiction risk under additive and recessive model, respectively (p drug addiction risk (OR = 1.668; 95% CI, 1.328-2.094, p drug addiction risk (OR = 0.444; 95% CI, 0.281-0.704, p drug addiction in the Chinese Han population.

  14. Influence of Cigarette Smoking on Rheumatoid Arthritis Risk in the Han Chinese Population

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    Jian Yin

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available ObjectivesCigarette smoking has been shown in European populations to be associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA susceptibility. This study aims to examine the association of smoking with RA in the Han Chinese population.Methods718 Han Chinese RA patients and 404 healthy controls were studied. The associations of cigarette smoking (current, former or ever vs. never smokers, and pack-years of exposure with RA, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (ACPA positive RA, IgM rheumatoid factor (RF positive RA, and baseline radiographic erosions (modified van der Heijde–Sharp scores were assessed. The interaction between smoking and the HLA-DRB1 shared epitope (SE in RA was also examined.ResultsIn this study, 11 (1.53% cases and 6 (1.49% controls were former smokers (p = 0.95, while 95 (13.23% cases and 48 (11.88% controls were current smokers (p = 0.52. Trends toward associations between smoking status (ever vs. never with RA-overall (p = 0.15, OR = 1.44, ACPA-positive RA (p = 0.24, OR = 1.37, RF-positive RA (p = 0.14, OR = 1.46, or the presence of radiographic erosions (p = 0.66, OR = 1.28 were observed although individually here were not statistically significant. There was no evidence of statistical interaction between smoking status (ever vs. never and SE for all RA, ACPA-positive RA, ACPA-negative RA, RF-positive RA, RF-negative RA (p = 0.37, 0.50, 0.24, 0.26, and 0.81 respectively, and the 95% CI for the attributable proportion for all interactions included 0.ConclusionThis is the first study to examine the association of cigarette smoking with RA in the Han Chinese population. This study shows a trend toward an interaction between smoking and SE carriage influencing the risk of RA, though findings were not statistically significant. It is possible that in the presence of universal exposure to heavy air pollution the effect of smoking on RA risk may be obscured.

  15. [Disease burden on drowning in the Chinese population, in 1990 and 2013].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, X; Jin, Y; Ye, P P; Wang, L H; Duan, L L

    2017-10-10

    Objective: To comprehensively analyze the disease burden of drowning in the Chinese population both at the national and provincial levels in 1990 and 2013, to provide reference for the development of strategies regarding drowning prevention. Methods: Both methods related to unified measurement framework and standardized estimation on Global Burden of Disease in 2013, were used. Data on deaths caused by injuries were from the following sources which include: Disease Surveillance Points, the National Maternal and Child Health Surveillance Network, the Death Registration Reporting System of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Death Registration System and death information from Macau and Hong Kong areas of China. Injury-related incidence data was from the National Injury Surveillance System and literature review. Parameters as death/death rate, years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLL)/standardized YLL rate, years living with disability (YLD)/standardized YLD rate and disability-adjusted of life years (DALY)/standardized DALY were used to analyze the disease burden and changing trend on drowning at both the national and all the provincial levels. Results: In 2013, the number of deaths due to drowning was63 619 in China, with the standardized mortality rate as 5.29 per 100 000, accounting for 8.0 % of the total injury deaths. Drowning was the fourth leading cause of injury death in the whole population and the first leading cause of injury death among children aged standardized mortality, standardized YLL, standardized YLD and standardized DALY of drowning all declined in 2013. The five provinces/districts/cities with the highest rates of drowning were Xinjiang (10.08 per 100 000), Jiangxi (8.44 per 100 000), Anhui (7.92 per 100 000), Guizhou (7.77 per 100 000) and Sichuan (7.68 per 100 000). Standardized mortality of drowning reduced in all provinces in 2013. Conclusions: Disease burden of drowning in the Chinese population, especially in

  16. Chinese herbal decoction as a complementary therapy for atrophic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... in the treatment of atrophic gastritis (AG) in China and other Far Eastern countries. ... However, the H. pylori eradication effect of CHD was not supported by the ... Keywords: atrophic gastritis; Helicobacter pylori; Chinese herbal decoction; ...

  17. Defining normal liver stiffness range in a normal healthy Chinese population without liver disease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James Fung

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: For patients with chronic liver disease, different optimal liver stiffness cut-off values correspond to different stages of fibrosis, which are specific for the underlying liver disease and population. AIMS: To establish the normal ranges of liver stiffness in the healthy Chinese population without underlying liver disease. METHODS: This is a prospective cross sectional study of 2,528 healthy volunteers recruited from the general population and the Red Cross Transfusion Center in Hong Kong. All participants underwent a comprehensive questionnaire survey, measurement of weight, height, and blood pressure. Fasting liver function tests, glucose and cholesterol was performed. Abdominal ultrasound and transient elastography were performed on all participants. RESULTS: Of the 2,528 subjects, 1,998 were excluded with either abnormal liver parenchyma on ultrasound, chronic medical condition, abnormal blood tests including liver enzymes, fasting glucose, fasting cholesterol, high body mass index, high blood pressure, or invalid liver stiffness scan. The reference range for the 530 subjects without known liver disease was 2.3 to 5.9 kPa (mean 4.1, SD 0.89. The median liver stiffness was higher in males compared with females (4.3 vs 4.0 kPa respectively, p55 years (p=0.001. CONCLUSIONS: The healthy reference range for liver stiffness in the Chinese population is 2.3 to 5.9 kPa. Female gender and older age group was associated with a lower median liver stiffness.

  18. Population data of 17 short tandem repeat loci in 2923 individuals from the Han population of Nantong in East China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Min; Li, Liming; Han, Haijun; Jin, Li; Jia, Dongtao; Li, Shilin

    2016-09-01

    Nantong is located in mid-eastern China, and the Han population in Nantong may be greatly affected by population admixture between northern and southern Han Chinese populations. In this study, we analyzed 17 autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci on 2923 unrelated individuals collected from the Han population of Nantong. No significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was observed at all STR loci, and the expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.6184 to 0.9187. The combined match probability (CMP) was 3.87 × 10(-21), and the combined power of discrimination (CPD) was 99.999999999999999999613 %. No significant difference of allele frequencies was observed between Nantong and other Han populations at all STR loci, as well as Dai, Mongolian, and Tibetan. Significant differences were only observed between Nantong Han and Uyghur at TH01, as well as Nantong Han and Dong at CSF1PO and FGA. Nantong Han showed significant differences between She, Bouyei, and Miao at multiple STR loci.

  19. An evolving tectonic environment of Late Carboniferous to Early Permian granitic plutons in the Chinese Altai and Eastern Junggar terranes, Central Asian Orogenic Belt, NW China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Chen; Liu, Dongdong; Luo, Qun; Liu, Luofu; Zhang, Yunzhao; Zhu, Deyu; Wang, Pengfei; Dai, Quanqi

    2018-06-01

    The Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) represents one of the most important sites of juvenile crustal growth during the Phanerozoic. Located in the central part of the CAOB, the Chinese Altai and Eastern Junggar terranes record the collisional processes between the peri-Siberian and Kazakhstan orogenic systems. However, the precise timing of collision between the two terranes remains controversial. The Wukuli and Kadelat plutons in the Chinese Altai belt are dated at ∼305 and ∼280 Ma respectively, whereas the Aketas pluton in the Eastern Junggar terrane is dated at ∼308 Ma. Granites from the Wukuli and Kadelat plutons are strongly peraluminous (A/CNK > 1.1), and are characterized by low Al2O3, Na2O, MnO, MgO, CaO and heavy rare earth element (HREE) contents, but with high SiO2, K2O and Rb contents as well as high Rb/Sr ratios. Granites from the Wukuli pluton have low εNd(t) and εHf(t) values of -3.7 to -3.4 and -9.7 to +4.9, whereas those from the Kadelat pluton have values of -3.6 to -3.4 and -8.0 to +2.6. These features suggest S-type affinity for the Wukuli and Kadelat plutons with magma derivation through partial melting of Mesoproterozoic metasediments. The Aketas pluton is composed of weakly peraluminous quartz monzonites that have A/CNK values ranging from 0.92 to 1.08, with high Na2O, Sr, and Sr/Y, and low Y, Yb, Nb, and Ta. These rocks display positive εNd(t) (+4.8 to +6.4) and εHf(t) (+9.7 to +14.6) values, and low initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.703357-0.703868), similar to modern adakites, suggesting that the quartz monzonites were derived from the partial melting of lower crustal material. The geochemical characteristics suggest that the Aketas pluton was formed in a subduction-related setting, the Wukuli pluton in a syn-collisional setting, and the Kadelat pluton in the subsequent post-orogenic strike-slip-related setting. In combination with data from other granitoids in these two terranes, the Aketas pluton represents the youngest record of

  20. Population data and mutation rates of 20 autosomal STR loci in a Chinese Han population from Yunnan Province, Southwest China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xiufeng; Liu, Linlin; Xie, Runfang; Wang, Guiyi; Shi, Yuan; Gu, Tao; Hu, Liping; Nie, Shengjie

    2018-07-01

    The genetic polymorphisms of 20 autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci included in the PowerPlex® 21 kit were evaluated from 2068 unrelated, healthy individuals from the Chinese Han population of Yunnan Province in southwest China. All of the loci reached Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. These loci were examined to determine allele frequencies and forensic statistical parameters. The genetic relationships among the Yunnan Han and other Chinese populations were also estimated. The combined discrimination power and probability of excluding paternity of the 20 STR loci were 0.99999999999999999999999126 and 0.999999975, respectively. In addition, mutation rates from 4363 parentage cases (2215 trios and 2148 duos) were investigated in this study. A total of 164 mutations were observed in 6578 meioses from the 20 loci. The highest mutation rate was observed in D12S391 (0.30%), and the lowest mutation rates were observed in D13S317 (0.03%) and TPOX (0.03%). The average mutation rate for the 20 loci was estimated to be 1.246 × 10 -3 per meiosis. The mutations were primarily single-step and paternal mutations.

  1. Chinese Tallow (Triadica sebifera (L.) Small) Population expansion in Louisiana, East Texas, and Mississippi

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sonja N. Oswalt

    2010-01-01

    Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera) is a nonnative invasive species with high fecundity rates that has naturalized from the coastal prairies of east Texas along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts as far north as North Carolina. Population differences were computed for two forest inventory periods (mid-1990s and late 2000s) in Louisiana, east Texas, and Mississippi using data...

  2. Variants in multiple genes polymorphism association analysis of COPD in the Chinese Li population

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ding Y

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Yipeng Ding,1,* Danlei Yang,2,3,* Long Zhou,4 Junxu Xu,5 Yu Chen,5 Ping He,1 Jinjian Yao,1 Jiannan Chen,1 Huan Niu,1 Pei Sun,1 Tianbo Jin4 1Department of Emergency, People’s Hospital of Hainan Province, Haikou, Hainan, 2Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of Health Ministry, Tongji Medical College, 3Department of Science and Technology, Huazhong University, Wuhan, 4School of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an, 5Department of Respiration Emergency, The Third People’s Hospital of Haikou, Haikou, Hainan, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: It is known that the contribution of risk alleles to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD may vary between populations. Further, previous studies involving various ethnic groups have revealed associations between COPD and genetic polymorphisms in families with sequence similarity 13, member A (FAM13A, micro-RNA 2054 (MIR2054, SET domain containing protein 7 (SETD7, ring finger protein 150 (RNF150, hedgehog interacting protein (HHIP, and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA. Our objective was to explore the association between these gene polymorphism and COPD in members of Chinese Li minority population.Materials and methods: The Chinese Li population case–control study was conducted to assess genetic associations with COPD risk. Seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs located on chromosome 4, including FAM13A, MIR2054, SETD7, RNF150, and HHIP, and nine SNPs in the VEGFA gene were genotyped among 234 cases and 240 controls using Sequenom Mass-ARRAY® platform. Linkage disequilibrium (LD analysis was performed using Haploview software and the associations of the SNP frequencies with COPD were analyzed using chi-square (χ2 tests, genetic models analysis, and haplotype analysis.Results: By χ2 we found the minor allele “G” of rs17050782 was with increased

  3. 78 FR 66139 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Delisting of the Eastern Distinct Population Segment of...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-11-04

    ... likely to cause the eastern DPS of Steller sea lion to become in danger of extinction throughout all or a... low and not likely to cause this population to become in danger of extinction within the foreseeable... threatened species under the ESA: It is not in danger of extinction or likely to become so within the...

  4. Writing Chinese and mathematics achievement: A study with Chinese-American undergraduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Chieh; Nuttall, Ronald

    2001-04-01

    Two recent studies indicated that writing Chinese is correlated to Chinese-American (CA) students' spatial skills. The current study investigated whether writing Chinese would have the same relationship to mathematics skills. The Scholastic Assessment Test—Mathematics (SAT-Math) scores were analysed for 150 CA undergraduates: 42 writers of Chinese and 108 non-writers of Chinese. The results suggested a strong correlation between writing Chinese and success on SAT-Math. An underlying mechanism may be the common cognitive components that encompass writing Chinese, spatial tasks, and SAT-Math. Contrary to previous findings with other populations in the USA, CA females scored slightly higher on SAT-Math than males. The finding supports the cultural relativity theory of gender difference on SAT-Math.

  5. SLC2A9 and ZNF518B polymorphisms correlate with gout-related metabolic indices in Chinese Tibetan populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, X Y; Geng, T T; Liu, L J; Yuan, D Y; Feng, T; Kang, L L; Jin, T B; Chen, C

    2015-08-19

    Current evidence suggests that heredity and metabolic syndrome contribute to gout progression. SLC2A9 and ZNF518B may play a role in gout progression in different populations, but no studies have focused on the Tibetan Chinese population. In this study, we determined whether variations in these 2 genes were correlated with gout-related indices in Chinese-Tibetan gout patients. We detected 6 single nucleotide polymorphisms in SLC2A9 and ZNF518B in 319 Chinese Tibetan gout patients. One-way analysis of variance was used to evaluate the polymorphisms' effects on gout based on mean serum levels of metabolism indicators. Polymorphisms in SLC2A9 and ZNF518B affected multiple risk factors related to gout development. Significant differences in serum triglyceride levels and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol level were detected between different genotypic groups with SLC2A9 polymorphisms rs13129697 (P = 0.022), rs4447863 (P = 0.018), and rs1014290 (P = 0.045). Similarly in ZNF518B, rs3217 (P = 0.016) and rs10016022 (P = 0.046) were associated with high creatinine and glucose levels, respectively. This study is the first to investigate and identify positive correlations between SLC2A9 and ZNF518B gene polymorphisms and metabolic indices in Tibetan gout patients. We found significant evidence indicating that genetic polymorphisms affect gout-related factors in Chinese Tibetan populations.

  6. Association between the interleukin-1β C-511T polymorphism and periodontitis: a meta-analysis in the Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, H F; He, F Q; Xu, C J; Li, D M; Sun, X J; Chi, Y T; Guo, W

    2017-02-23

    The association between the interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) C-511T (or rs16944) polymorphism and periodontitis remains inconclusive, even though there have been previous studies on this association. To assess the effects of IL-1β C-511T variants on the risk of development of periodontitis, a meta-analysis was performed in a single ethnic population. Studies, published up to December 2015, were selected for the meta-analysis from PubMed and Chinese databases. The associations were assessed with pooled OR and 95%CI. This meta-analysis identified 8 studies, including 1276 periodontitis cases and 1558 controls. Overall, a significant association between the IL-1β C-511T polymorphism and periodontitis was found in the Chinese population (TT vs CC: OR = 1.48, 95%CI = 1.19-1.85; TT + CT vs CC: OR = 1.50, 95%CI = 1.25-1.81; T vs C: OR = 1.33, 95%CI = 1.06-1.68). In the subgroup analyses based on geographical area(s), source of controls, and type of periodontitis, significant results were obtained for the association between IL-1β C-511T variants and periodontitis. Our meta-analysis indicated that the IL-1β C-511T polymorphism may be a genetic susceptibility factor for periodontitis in the Chinese population. This marker could be used to identify Chinese individuals at a high risk for periodontitis.

  7. Impaired visual, working, and verbal memory in first-episode, drug-naive patients with major depressive disorder in a Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ce; Jiang, Wen-Hui; Wang, Wei; Ma, Xian-Cang; Li, Ye; Wu, Jin; Hashimoto, Kenji; Gao, Cheng-Ge

    2018-01-01

    Cognitive impairment has been observed in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, it remains unclear whether the deficits in specific cognitive domains are present in first-episode, drug-naïve patients or medicated patients. In the present study, using the CogState battery (CSB) Chinese language version, we evaluated the visual, working, and verbal memory in first-episode drug-naive patients and medicated patients with MDD in a Chinese population. We measured the cognitive function in first-episode drug-naïve patients (n = 36), medicated MDD patients (n = 71), and age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects (n = 59) in a Chinese population. The CSB composite scores in both first-episode drug-naive patients and medicated patients were significantly poorer than those in the healthy control subjects. The CSB sub-scores, including visual, working, and verbal memory were also significantly poorer in both patient groups than those in the healthy control subjects. In contrast, processing speed, attention/vigilance, executive function, spatial working memory, and social cognition were no different from healthy controls, whereas the executive function was significantly better in the medicated patients than in the healthy control subjects and first-episode drug-naïve patients. These findings suggest an impairment in the visual, working, and verbal memory in first-episode, drug-naive MDD patients in a Chinese population.

  8. Autosomal genetic diversity in non-breed horses from eastern Eurasia provides insights into historical population movements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warmuth, Vera; Manica, Andrea; Eriksson, Anders; Barker, Graeme; Bower, Mim

    2013-02-01

    Many events in the history of eastern Eurasia, including the process of domestication itself, the initial spread of domestic horses and subsequent movements, are believed to have affected the genetic structure of domestic horse populations in this area. We investigated levels of within- and between-population genetic diversity in 'non-breed horses' (working horses sampled in remote areas) from 17 locations in Asia and parts of Eastern Europe, using 26 autosomal microsatellite loci. Non-breed horses have not been subject to the same intensity of artificial selection and closed breeding as have most breed animals and are thus expected to better reflect the population history of domestic horses. Despite geographic distances of between 300 and 7000 km between sampling locations, pairwise F (ST) was very low (range: <0.001 to -0.033), suggesting historically high levels of gene flow. Our analyses of non-breed horses revealed a pattern of isolation by distance and a significant decline in genetic diversity (expected heterozygosity and allelic richness) from east to west, consistent with a westward expansion of horses out of East Asia. Although the timing of this putative expansion is unclear, our results highlight the benefit of studying animals that do not belong to particular breeds when investigating aspects of a population's history. © 2012 The Authors, Animal Genetics © 2012 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.

  9. Customer loyalty & face concerns : Differences between Eastern (Chinese) and Western (Dutch) consumers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zhang, Sha

    2015-01-01

    Consider some of the issues confronting a typical marketing manager of a multinational company (MNC): Should our customer retention and customer acquisition strategies differ between Western and Eastern cultures? How should we adjust the elements of the marketing mix to appeal to Eastern and Western

  10. Prevalence of blood parasites in eastern versus Western house finches: are eastern birds resistant to infection?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Andrew K; Hood, Wendy R; Hill, Geoffrey E

    2013-09-01

    The rapid spread of the bacterial disease, Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG), throughout the introduced range of house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) in eastern North America, compared to its slower spread through the native western range, has puzzled researchers and highlights the need to understand the relative differences in health state of finches from both populations. We conducted a light-microscope survey of hemoparasites in populations of finches from Arizona (within the western range) and from Alabama (within the eastern range), and compared our estimates of prevalence to published reports from house finches sampled in both ranges. Of the 33 Arizona birds examined, we recorded hematozoan infections in 16 (48.5%) individuals, compared to 1 infected Alabama bird out of 30 birds examined (3.3%). Based on independent surveys of seven western North American and five eastern North American populations of house finches the average prevalence of blood parasites in western populations is 38.8% (±17.9 SD), while the average prevalence within the eastern range is only 5.9% (±6.1 SD). The average rate of infection among all songbirds sampled in the east is 34.2% (±4.8 SD). Thus, our surveys of wild birds as well as previously published observations point to eastern house finches having a much lower prevalence of blood parasite infections than their western counterparts. Combined with the fact that eastern finches also tend to have lower rates of avian pox infections than do western birds (based on a literature review), these observations suggest that eastern birds have either strong resistance to these infections or high susceptibility and associated mortality.

  11. Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) in the general population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wenzheng; Bian, Qian; Zhao, Yan; Li, Xu; Wang, Wenwen; Du, Jiang; Zhang, Guofang; Zhou, Qing; Zhao, Min

    2014-01-01

    Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses. The reliability and the validity of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9, a depression screening tool, have not been examined in the general population in China. Thus, this study evaluated the reliability and the validity of the Chinese version of the PHQ-9 in detecting major depression in residents of a Chinese community. A total of 1045 participants from a Shanghai community were enrolled in our study. Participants completed the Chinese versions of the PHQ-9, the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. One hundred participants were randomly selected to complete the PHQ-9 again 2 weeks after the initial assessment. The reliability, the validity and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of the PHQ-9 were analyzed. Cronbach's alpha for the internal consistency reliability of the Chinese version of the PHQ-9 was 0.86 for the entire scale. The correlation coefficient for the 2-week test-retest of the total score was 0.86. The PHQ-9 scale correlated positively with the SDS (r=0.29, p<0.001) and correlated negatively with all subscale scores of the SF-36 (correlation coefficients ranged from -0.11 to -0.47, p<0.001). The area under the curve of the ROC was 0.92 (95% confidence interval: 0.86-0.97). A cutoff score of 7 or higher on the PHQ-9 had a sensitivity of 0.86 and a specificity of 0.86. In the general Chinese population, the Chinese version of the PHQ-9 is a valid and efficient tool for screening depression, with a recommended cutoff score of 7 or more. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Helicobacter pylori Infection in the general population: A Middle Eastern perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khedmat, Hossein; Karbasi-Afshar, Reza; Agah, Shahram; Taheri, Saeed

    2013-01-01

    Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) infection is probably the most important factor that has been associated with the development of gastric cancers in human populations. However, there are no reliable data on the prevalence of this infection in the Middle East. In this article, based on a comprehensive literature review, we aimed to evaluate the situation in this region. The literature has been searched for the incidence and prevalence of H.pylori infection by Pubmed and Google Scholar. Search was repeated for each of the Middle Eastern countries, and to empower the method, citations of each found article were searched for the related studies. Seventy seven reports from the countries of the Middle East region had been reviewed and they all indicated a high rate of infection either in the general population or in the dyspeptic patients, the rate seemed to be higher in patients with dyspepsia, in patients with histologically confirmed gastritis and in patients of older age groups.

  13. Population specific biomarkers of human aging: a big data study using South Korean, Canadian and Eastern European patient populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mamoshina, Polina; Kochetov, Kirill; Putin, Evgeny; Cortese, Franco; Aliper, Alexander; Lee, Won-Suk; Ahn, Sung-Min; Uhn, Lee; Skjodt, Neil; Kovalchuk, Olga; Scheibye-Knudsen, Morten; Zhavoronkov, Alex

    2018-01-11

    Accurate and physiologically meaningful biomarkers for human aging are key to assessing anti-aging therapies. Given ethnic differences in health, diet, lifestyle, behaviour, environmental exposures and even average rate of biological aging, it stands to reason that aging clocks trained on datasets obtained from specific ethnic populations are more likely to account for these potential confounding factors, resulting in an enhanced capacity to predict chronological age and quantify biological age. Here we present a deep learning-based hematological aging clock modeled using the large combined dataset of Canadian, South Korean and Eastern European population blood samples that show increased predictive accuracy in individual populations compared to population-specific hematologic aging clocks. The performance of models was also evaluated on publicly-available samples of the American population from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). In addition, we explored the association between age predicted by both population-specific and combined hematological clocks and all-cause mortality. Overall, this study suggests a) the population-specificity of aging patterns and b) hematologic clocks predicts all-cause mortality. Proposed models added to the freely available Aging.AI system allowing improved ability to assess human aging. © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America.

  14. Health-Related Quality of Life and Health Behaviors in a Population-Based Sample of Older, Foreign-Born, Chinese American Adults Living in New York City

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wyatt, Laura C.; Trinh-Shevrin, Chau; Islam, Nadia S.; Kwon, Simona C.

    2014-01-01

    Although the New York City Chinese population aged =65 years increased by 50% between 2000 and 2010, the health needs of this population are poorly understood. Approximately 3,001 Chinese individuals from high-density Asian American New York City areas were included in the REACH U.S. Risk Factor Survey; 805 (26.8%) were aged =65 years and…

  15. The Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen in a Chinese Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Population.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shan Ye

    Full Text Available The existing screening batteries assessing multiple neuropsychological functions are not specific to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS patients and are limited to their physical dysfunctions, whereas category cognitive tests are too time-consuming to assess all the domains. The Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS was recently developed as a fast and easy cognitive screening tool specifically designed for patients. The purpose of the study was to validate the effectiveness of the Chinese version in Chinese ALS populations.Eighty-four ALS patients and 84 age-, gender- and education-matched healthy controls were included in this cross-sectional study. All the participants took the ECAS, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE and Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB. Primary caregivers of patients were interviewed for behavioural and psychiatric changes.Significant differences were noted in language (p = 0.01, fluency, executive function, ALS-specific functions, and ECAS total score (p<0.01 between ALS patients and controls. The cut-off value of the total ECAS score was 81.92. Cognitive impairment was observed in 35.71% of patients, and 27.38% exhibited behavioural abnormalities. The ECAS total score had a medium correlation with education year. Memory was more easily impaired in the lower education group, whereas verbal fluency and language function tended to be preserved in the higher education group. The average time of ECAS was only 18 minutes.The Chinese version of the ECAS is the first screening battery assessing multiple neuropsychological functions specially designed for the ALS population in China, which provides an effective and rapid tool to screen cognitive and behavioural impairments.

  16. Wealth Inequality and Mental Disability Among the Chinese Population: A Population Based Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhenjie; Du, Wei; Pang, Lihua; Zhang, Lei; Chen, Gong; Zheng, Xiaoying

    2015-01-01

    In the study described herein, we investigated and explored the association between wealth inequality and the risk of mental disability in the Chinese population. We used nationally represented, population-based data from the second China National Sample Survey on Disability, conducted in 2006. A total of 1,724,398 study subjects between the ages of 15 and 64, including 10,095 subjects with mental disability only, were used for the analysis. Wealth status was estimated by a wealth index that was derived from a principal component analysis of 10 household assets and four other variables related to wealth. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for mental disability for each category, with the lowest quintile category as the referent. Confounding variables under consideration were age, gender, residence area, marital status, ethnicity, education, current employment status, household size, house type, homeownership and living arrangement. The distribution of various types and severities of mental disability differed significantly by wealth index category in the present population. Wealth index category had a positive association with mild mental disability (p for trend wealth index category had a significant, inverse association with mental disability when all severities of mental disability were taken into consideration. This study’s results suggest that wealth is a significant factor in the distribution of mental disability and it might have different influences on various types and severities of mental disability. PMID:26492258

  17. Mini-plate versus Kirschner wire internal fixation for treatment of metacarpal and phalangeal fractures in Chinese Han population: a meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Jiaming; Zhang, Changqing

    2014-04-11

    This meta-analysis aimed to compare the therapeutic effect of mini-plate versus Kirschner wire (K-wire) internal fixation on the treatment of metacarpal and phalangeal fractures among Chinese Han population. Databases of China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, Chinese VIP, PubMed, and Embase were retrieved for studies on mini-plate (case group) versus K-wire (control group) internal fixation for the treatment of metacarpal and phalangeal fractures among Chinese Han population. The odds ratio (OR) and standardized mean difference (SMD) at 95% confidence interval (CI) were used for estimating the effects of dichotomous data and continuous data, respectively. All statistical analyses were performed by Review Manager 5.2 software. A total of 18 studies involving 1,375 metacarpal or phalangeal fracture patients (709 cases and 666 controls) were included in the meta-analysis. There were significant differences in fracture healing time (SMD = -1.28; 95% CI: -1.81, -0.76), postoperative infection rate (OR = 0.25; 95% CI: 0.16, 0.39), complication incidence (OR = 0.24; 95% CI: 0.15, 0.38), and surgery time (SMD = 1.57; 95% CI: 0.76, 2.37) between the case and the control group, while no significant difference was found in hospital stays between these two groups (SMD = 0.43; 95% CI: -0.34, 1.20; P = 0.27). For the treatment of metacarpal or phalangeal fracture among Chinese Han population, mini-plate has advantages of shorter healing time and lower infection rate and complication incidence compared with K-wire internal fixation, while a longer surgery time than K-wire. In conclusion, mini-plate is prior than K-wire internal fixation for the treatment of metacarpal or phalangeal fracture among Chinese Han population.

  18. PARP-1 serves as a novel molecular marker for hepatocellular carcinoma in a Southern Chinese Zhuang population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jiatong; Dou, Dongwei; Li, Ping; Luo, Wenqi; Lv, Wenxin; Zhang, Chengdong; Song, Xiaowei; Yang, Yuan; Zhang, Yuening; Xu, Yanzhen; Xiao, Feifan; Wei, Yan; Qin, Jian; Li, Hongtao; Yang, Xiaoli

    2017-07-01

    PARP-1 (poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1) plays an important role in tumorigenesis. Since its effects on different populations are varied, this study investigated the impact of PARP-1 on primary hepatocellular carcinoma in a Southern Chinese Zhuang population. We assessed the global PARP-1 messenger RNA expression in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma using The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset. Increased PARP-1 expression, related to alpha-fetoprotein level, was observed. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve value was 0.833. Kaplan-Meier survival curves indicated that higher PARP-1 expression was not correlated with poorer overall survival and recurrence-free survival. In a Zhuang population, PARP-1 messenger RNA and protein levels were increased in the hepatocellular carcinoma tissue and its adjacent liver tissues as assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, and western blotting. Higher PARP-1 level was associated with a higher tumor stage (p  0.05). Further analysis suggested that H2AX, a PARP-1 protein interaction partner, was coordinated with PARP-1 in hepatocellular carcinoma tumorigenesis. Overall, some new characteristics of PARP-1 expression were noted in the Zhuang population. PARP-1 is a novel promising diagnostic marker for hepatocellular carcinoma in the Southern Chinese Zhuang population.

  19. Population differences in brain morphology and microstructure among Chinese, Malay, and Indian neonates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bai, Jordan; Abdul-Rahman, Muhammad Farid; Rifkin-Graboi, Anne; Chong, Yap-Seng; Kwek, Kenneth; Saw, Seang-Mei; Godfrey, Keith M; Gluckman, Peter D; Fortier, Marielle V; Meaney, Michael J; Qiu, Anqi

    2012-01-01

    We studied a sample of 75 Chinese, 73 Malay, and 29 Indian healthy neonates taking part in a cohort study to examine potential differences in neonatal brain morphology and white matter microstructure as a function of ethnicity using both structural T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). We first examined the differences in global size and morphology of the brain among the three groups. We then constructed the T2-weighted MRI and DTI atlases and employed voxel-based analysis to investigate ethnic differences in morphological shape of the brain from the T2-weighted MRI, and white matter microstructure measured by fractional anisotropy derived from DTI. Compared with Malay neonates, the brains of Indian neonates' tended to be more elongated in anterior and posterior axis relative to the superior-inferior axis of the brain even though the total brain volume was similar among the three groups. Although most anatomical regions of the brain were similar among Chinese, Malay, and Indian neonates, there were anatomical variations in the spinal-cerebellar and cortical-striatal-thalamic neural circuits among the three populations. The population-related brain regions highlighted in our study are key anatomical substrates associated with sensorimotor functions.

  20. [Disease burden caused by suicide in the Chinese population, in 1990 and 2013].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, X; Wang, L H; Jin, Y; Ye, P P; Yang, L; Er, Y L; Deng, X; Wang, Y; Duan, L L

    2017-10-10

    Objective: To provide basic suicide prevention strategy through analyzing the disease burden of suicide in the Chinese population, in 1990 and 2013. Methods: Indicators including mortality rate, years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLL), years lived with disability (YLD), and disability-adjusted of life years (DALY) on suicide, were from the results of Global Burden of Disease 2013 and used to describe the burden of disease caused by suicide in Chinese population. Data described the disease burden of suicide in China by comparing the corresponding parameters in 1990 and 2013. Results: In 2013, the standard mortality on suicide was 9.08 per 100 000, and 73.39 per 100 000 in the 80 and above year-old, with the highest rates on DALY and YLL seen in the 75-79-year-old. Each parameter related to suicide burden in males appeared higher than that in females. Compare to data in the 1990s, these parameters declined in 2013, especially seen in females. The rate of YLLs/YLDs on suicide was 90.03 in 2013, 89.83 in males and 89.00 in females. Conclusion: The disease burden of suicide decreased sharply between 1990 and 2013 but was still a serious issue in the elderly that called for more attention.

  1. Variability and connectivity of plaice populations from the Eastern North Sea to the Baltic Sea, part II. Biological evidence of population mixing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ulrich, Clara; Hansen, Jakob Hemmer; Boje, Jesper

    2016-01-01

    in parallel. Genetic markers suggested the existence of different genetic populations in the transition area. Growth backcalculation with otoliths resulted in significant although limited differences in growth rates between North Sea and Skagerrak, indicating weak differentiation or important mixing......A multi-disciplinary study was conducted to clarify stock identity and connectivity patterns in the populations of European plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) in the Skagerrak-Kattegat transition area between the Eastern North Sea and the Baltic Sea. Five independent biological studies were carried out...... constitute a large share of the catches in this area. The mixing of different populations within a management area has implications for stock assessment and management. Choice must be made to either lump or split the populations, and the feasibility and constraints of both options are discussed. The outcomes...

  2. Reproductive characteristics and population decline of four species of skate (Rajidae) off the eastern coast of Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mcphie, R P; Campana, S E

    2009-07-01

    Four of the most common species of skate (Rajidae) were studied off eastern Canada to determine if their reproductive characteristics were linked to their population trajectories. The fecundity of the winter skate Leucoraja ocellata, the little skate Leucoraja erinacea, the thorny skate Amblyraja radiata and the smooth skate Malacoraja senta averaged between 41 and 56 egg cases per year for each species. For all species but L. ocellata, males matured at larger sizes and at later ages than females. Theoretical rates of population increase for non-equilibrium populations of L. ocellata (c. 0.07), M. senta (c. 0.14) and L. erinacea and A. radiata (c. 0.20) were low compared to most fishes, indicating that north-west Atlantic skates are intrinsically unproductive, yet are theoretically capable of supporting low-level fisheries. Nevertheless, the results of 36 years of research surveys indicate that the abundance of mature L. ocellata, A. radiata and M. senta all decreased by >90% since 1970, indicating that past fishing mortality (both directed and undirected) has outstripped the net productivity of the skate populations on the eastern Scotian Shelf. The relationship between maximum age (t(max)) and age of maturity (t(mat)) was a better predictor of population growth rate than was body size, with the species exhibiting the highest ratios of t(mat) :t(max) (L. ocellata = 0.68, M. senta = 0.66) having the lowest predicted population growth rates. L. ocellata appears to have the lowest productivity and has experienced the greatest population decline, thus raising concerns over its future status.

  3. Variation in STAT4 is associated with systemic lupus erythematosus in Chinese Northern Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Yin; Zhao, Yi; Liu, Xu; Guo, Jian-Ping; Jiang, Quan; Liu, Xiang-Yuan; Zhang, Feng-Chun; Zheng, Yi; Li, Xiao-Xia; Song, Hui; Huang, Ci-Bo; Huang, Yan-Hong; Wang, Tian; Pan, Si-Si; Li, Chun; Liu, Xia; Zhu, Lei; Zhang, Chun-Fang; Li, Zhan-Guo

    2010-11-01

    Recent studies have identified signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) as a susceptibility gene for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in different populations. In order to examine whether the allele distribution of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in gene STAT4 rs7574865 in patients with SLE is different from those of healthy controls in Chinese Northern Han population, we investigated whether the variants of STAT4 rs7574865 were associated with any specific clinical features of SLE. We genotyped SNPs in STAT4 rs7574865 in 252 patients with SLE and 497 healthy controls. All subjects were from the Northern part of Chinese Han population. The genotypes in rs7574865 were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and consequence direct sequencing of PCR products in the DNA samples. There was a significant difference in distribution of the SNPs in rs7574865 between the SLE patients and healthy controls. Compared with healthy controls, there was a significant correlation between TT genotypes in rs7574865 and the risk of SLE when GG genotype was used as a reference genotype after adjusting for gender and age. The frequency of T allele in the SLE patients was strongly significantly higher than that of healthy controls. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in the distribution of SNP in rs7574865 between male and female SLE patients, when compared with healthy controls. The frequency of T allele in rs7574865 in male patients was significantly higher than that of male healthy controls or female patients. There was no significant correlation between the frequencies of T allele in STAT4 rs7574865 and the clinical features of SLE. The SNP rs7574865 in STAT4 is strongly associated with risk of SLE in the Chinese Northern Han population. The TT genotype and T allele in STAT4 rs7574869 are susceptibility factors for SLE, especially for male SLE patients.

  4. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 gene polymorphisms associated with rheumatoid arthritis in Northwestern Chinese Han population.

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    Liang, Ya-Ling; Wu, Hua; Li, Pei-Qiang; Xie, Xiao-Dong; Shen, Xi; Yang, Xiao-Qing; Cheng, Xuan; Liang, Li

    2011-08-01

    Signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) gene encode a transcriptional factor that transmits signals induced by several key cytokines which play important roles in the development of autoimmune diseases. Recently, several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in STAT4 gene have been reported to be significantly associated with Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in different ethnic populations. We undertook this study to investigate whether the association of STAT4 genetic polymorphisms with RA is present in Northwestern Chinese Han population. A case-control association study in individuals with RA (n=208) and healthy controls (n=312) was conducted. Four SNPs (rs7574865, rs8179673, rs10181656, rs11889341) in STAT4 gene were genotyped by using polymerase chain reaction followed by denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (PCR-DHPLC) and DNA sequencing. The genotype and allele distributions of four polymorphisms were significantly different in individuals with RA compared to controls, with SNP rs7574865 T allele and T/T genotype showing the most significant association with susceptibility to RA (uncorrected P=1×10(-4), OR=1.645, 95% CI=1.272-2.129; uncorrected P=4.8×10(-5), OR=3.111, 95% CI=1.777-5.447, respectively). Stratification studies showed that STAT4 gene polymorphisms were significantly associated with anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) positive subgroup in Northwestern Chinese Han population. These findings strongly suggest that STAT4 genetic polymorphisms are associated with RA in Northwestern Chinese Han population, and support the hypothesis of STAT4 gene polymorphisms increasing the risk for RA across major populations. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Serum 25(OHD is inversely associated with metabolic syndrome risk profile among urban middle-aged Chinese population

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    Yin Xiao

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a variety of chronic metabolic diseases. Limited evidence regarding vitamin D deficiency exists within the Chinese population. The present study aims to examine the association between serum vitamin D concentrations and cardiometabolic risk factors in the young and middle-aged, urban Chinese population Methods The cross-sectional relationships between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OHD] concentrations and indices of adiposity and cardiometabolic risk factors (e.g., body mass index, waist circumference, fasting plasma glucose, etc. were evaluated in 601 non-diabetic adults. Result Vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency was present in 66% of the tested population, and serum 25(OHD levels were lower in patients who were overweight/obese or suffered metabolic syndrome when compared to individuals of healthy weight without metabolic syndrome (24.08 ± 8.08 vs 31.70 ± 11.77 ng/ml, 21.52 ± 6.9 vs 31.74 ± 10.21 ng/ml respectively. 25(OHD was inversely associated with waist circumference, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol, and it was positively associated with HDL-cholesterol in a multivariable-adjusted regression model. Conclusion Vitamin D deficiency is common in the young and middle-aged, urban Chinese population, with high prevalence in overweight/obese individuals and patients with metabolic syndrome. Low vitamin D concentration was associated with indices of adiposity and cardiometabolic risk factors. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the cause-effect relation between vitamin D status, obesity and related metabolic disorders. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials (ISRCTN21527585

  6. Evaluation of PSA-age volume score in predicting prostate cancer in Chinese populationArticle Subject.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Yi-Shuo; Wu, Xiao-Bo; Zhang, Ning; Jiang, Guang-Liang; Yu, Yang; Tong, Shi-Jun; Jiang, Hao-Wen; Mao, Shan-Hua; Na, Rong; Ding, Qiang

    2018-02-06

    This study was performed to evaluate prostate-specific antigen-age volume (PSA-AV) scores in predicting prostate cancer (PCa) in a Chinese biopsy population. A total of 2355 men who underwent initial prostate biopsy from January 2006 to November 2015 in Huashan Hospital were recruited in the current study. The PSA-AV scores were calculated and assessed together with PSA and PSA density (PSAD) retrospectively. Among 2133 patients included in the analysis, 947 (44.4%) were diagnosed with PCa. The mean age, PSA, and positive rates of digital rectal examination result and transrectal ultrasound result were statistically higher in men diagnosed with PCa (all P PSA-AV were 0.864 and 0.851, respectively, in predicting PCa in the entire population, both performed better than PSA (AUC = 0.805; P PSA-AV was more obvious in subgroup with PSA ranging from 2.0 ng ml-1 to 20.0 ng ml-1. A PSA-AV score of 400 had a sensitivity and specificity of 93.7% and 40.0%, respectively. In conclusion, the PSA-AV score performed equally with PSAD and was better than PSA in predicting PCa. This indicated that PSA-AV score could be a useful tool for predicting PCa in Chinese population.

  7. The characteristics of impaired fasting glucose associated with obesity and dyslipidaemia in a Chinese population

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    Zhang Yi

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Different populations have diverse patterns of relationships between Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG and obesity and lipid markers, it is important to investigate the characteristics of associations between IFG and other related risk factors including body mass index (BMI, waist circumstance (WC, serum lipids and blood pressure (BP in a Chinese population. Methods This was a case-control study of 648 IFG subjects and 1,296 controls derived from a large-scale, community-based, cross-sectional survey of 10,867 participants. Each subject received a face-to-face interview, physical examination, and blood tests, including fasting blood glucose and lipids. Student's t-test, Chi-square test, Spearman correlation and multiple logistic regressions were used for the statistical analyses. Results Fasting plasma glucose (FPG was positively correlated with BMI, WC, systolic blood pressure (SBP, diastolic blood pressure (DBP, triglyceride (TG, and total cholesterol (TC, and was negatively correlated with high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C (all p Conclusions In this Chinese population, both BMI and WC were important predictors of IFG. Abnormal TG as a lipid marker was more strongly associated with IFG than were TC and HDL-C. These factors should be taken into consideration simultaneously for prevention of IFG.

  8. Population genetic structure of Monimopetalum chinense (Celastraceae), an endangered endemic species of eastern China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Guo-Wen; Wang, De-Lian; Yuan, Yong-Ming; Ge, Xue-Jun

    2005-04-01

    Monimopetalum chinense (Celastraceae) standing for the monotypic genus is endemic to eastern China. Its conservation status is vulnerable as most populations are small and isolated. Monimopetalum chinense is capable of reproducing both sexually and asexually. The aim of this study was to understand the genetic structure of M. chinense and to suggest conservation strategies. One hundred and ninety individuals from ten populations sampled from the entire distribution area of M. chinense were investigated by using inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR). A total of 110 different ISSR bands were generated using ten primers. Low levels of genetic variation were revealed both at the species level (Isp=0.183) and at the population level (Ipop=0.083). High clonal diversity (D = 0.997) was found, and strong genetic differentiation among populations was detected (49.06 %). Small population size, possible inbreeding, limited gene flow due to short distances of seed dispersal, fragmentation of the once continuous range and subsequent genetic drift, may have contributed to shaping the population genetic structure of the species.

  9. Association of inflammatory gene polymorphisms with ischemic stroke in a Chinese Han population

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    Zhao, Nan; Liu, Xin; Wang, Yongqin; Liu, Xiaoqiu; Li, Jiana; Yu, Litian; Ma, Liyuan; Wang, Shuyu; Zhang, Hongye; Liu, Lisheng; Zhao, Jingbo; Wang, Xingyu

    2012-01-01

    Abstract Background Inflammatory mechanisms are important in stroke risk, and genetic variations in components of the inflammatory response have been implicated as risk factors for stroke. We tested the inflammatory gene polymorphisms and their association with ischemic stroke in a Chinese Han population. Methods A total of 1,124 ischemic stroke cases and 1,163 controls were genotyped with inflammatory panel strips containing 51 selected inflammatory gene polymorphisms from 35 candidate genes...

  10. Genetic variations in MTHFR and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma susceptibility in Chinese Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Weifeng; Zhang, Sheng; Qiu, Hao; Wang, Lixin; Sun, Bin; Yin, Jun; Gu, Haiyong

    2014-05-01

    Esophageal cancer is the sixth most common cancer worldwide. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a fatal malignancy associated with low 5-year survival rate. The aim of this study was to assess the association between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs1801133 C>T, rs3753584 A>G, rs4845882 G>A, rs4846048 A>G and rs9651118 T>C genotypes and ESCC susceptibility in a hospital-based case-control study. We conducted genotyping analyses for these five SNPs with 629 ESCC cases and 686 controls in a Chinese Han population. Ligation detection reaction method was used to identify genotypes of these MTHFR SNPs. Our results demonstrated that MTHFR rs1801133 C>T was associated with the risk of ESCC; however, MTHFR rs4845882 G>A and rs4846048 A>G SNPs were associated with the decreased risk of ESCC, and MTHFR rs3753584 A>G and rs9651118 T>C SNPs were not associated with ESCC risk. Our findings suggests that MTHFR rs1801133 C>T, rs4845882 G>A and rs4846048 A>G SNPs may be genetic modifiers for developing ESCC in Chinese Han population.

  11. [A Survey for Colton and Other 3 Rare Blood Group Systems in Chinese Nanjing Han Population].

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    Chen, Yan; Ma, Ling; Liu, Yan-Chun

    2015-10-01

    To investigate the distribution of Colton, Diego, Kell and Yt rare blood groups in Chinese Nanjing Han population, so as to improve the transfusion capability of patients with rare blood group and to further enrich the rare-blood-donor bank. A total of 2 015 blood samples from the blood donors were selected randomly to screen the presence of K⁺ and Kp(c+) (Kell), Yt(b+) (Yt), Co(b+) (Colton), Di(a+b+) and Di(a+b-) (Digeo) antigen allele by using PCR and multiplex PCR. Out of 2005 samples, 1 case with K⁺ gene, 8 cases with Yt(b+) gene and 100 cases with Di(a+b+) gene, 2 cases with Di(a+b-) were identified, while no Kp(c+) and Co(b+) were detected. The frequencies of K⁺, Yt(b+) and Di(a+), Di(b+) are 0.0003, 0.0013 and 0.0258, 0.9742, respectively. They are very rare blood groups in Chinese Nanjing Han population.

  12. Assessing health literacy in the eastern and middle-eastern cultures

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    Satish Chandrasekhar Nair

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Health literacy is a term employed to assess the ability of people to meet the increasing demands related to health in a rapidly evolving society. Low health literacy can affect the social determinants of health, health outcomes and the use of healthcare services. The purpose of the study was to develop a survey construct to assess health literacy within the context of regional culture. Different socioeconomic status among the Eastern and Middle Eastern countries may restrict, health information access and utilization for those with low literacy. Methods By employing expert panel, Delphi technique, focus group methodologies, and pre-testing using participants (N = 900 from the UAE and India, a survey construct to the Eastern-Middle Eastern cultures was developed. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s α and validity using Factor analysis. Kiaser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO sampling adequacy and Bartlett’s tests were used to assess the strength of the relationship among the variables. Results Inclusion of non-health related items were found to be critical in the authentic assessment of health literacy in the Eastern and Middle Eastern population given the influence of social desirability. Thirty-two percentage of the original 19-item construct was eliminated by the focus group for reasons of relevance and impact for the local culture. Field pretesting participants from two countries, indicated overall construct reliability (Cronbach’s α =0.85, validity and consistency (KMO value of 0.92 and Bartlett’s test of sphericity was significant. Conclusion The Eastern-Middle Eastern Adult Health Literacy (EMAHL13, screening instrument is brief, simple, a useful indicator of whether or not a patient can read. It assessespatients’ ability to comprehend by distinguishing between health and non-health related items. The EMAHL13 will be a useful too for the reliable assessment of health literacy in countries, where culture plays a

  13. Assessing health literacy in the eastern and middle-eastern cultures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nair, Satish Chandrasekhar; Satish, Karthyayani Priya; Sreedharan, Jayadevan; Ibrahim, Halah

    2016-08-19

    Health literacy is a term employed to assess the ability of people to meet the increasing demands related to health in a rapidly evolving society. Low health literacy can affect the social determinants of health, health outcomes and the use of healthcare services. The purpose of the study was to develop a survey construct to assess health literacy within the context of regional culture. Different socioeconomic status among the Eastern and Middle Eastern countries may restrict, health information access and utilization for those with low literacy. By employing expert panel, Delphi technique, focus group methodologies, and pre-testing using participants (N = 900) from the UAE and India, a survey construct to the Eastern-Middle Eastern cultures was developed. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's α and validity using Factor analysis. Kiaser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) sampling adequacy and Bartlett's tests were used to assess the strength of the relationship among the variables. Inclusion of non-health related items were found to be critical in the authentic assessment of health literacy in the Eastern and Middle Eastern population given the influence of social desirability. Thirty-two percentage of the original 19-item construct was eliminated by the focus group for reasons of relevance and impact for the local culture. Field pretesting participants from two countries, indicated overall construct reliability (Cronbach's α =0.85), validity and consistency (KMO value of 0.92 and Bartlett's test of sphericity was significant). The Eastern-Middle Eastern Adult Health Literacy (EMAHL13), screening instrument is brief, simple, a useful indicator of whether or not a patient can read. It assessespatients' ability to comprehend by distinguishing between health and non-health related items. The EMAHL13 will be a useful too for the reliable assessment of health literacy in countries, where culture plays a significant impact. This will be the first steptowards providing

  14. Platelet glycoprotein IaC807T polymorphisms and ischemic stroke in young Chinese Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, J; Huang, D; Yang, J; An, H; Ojha, R; DU, C; Liu, R

    2012-11-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate the association between platelet glycoprotein (GP) Ia C807T polymorphisms and ischemic stroke in young Chinese Han Population. We conducted a case-control study in 92 consecutive young (ischemic stroke inpatients and outpatients, 86 elder ischemic stroke control (> 50 years), and 160 age- and sex-matched healthy control. Genotyping of platelet GP Ia C807Tpolymorphisms was performed by polymerase chain reaction followed by sequencing nucleic acid with dideoxy chain-termination method and an ABI PRISM3100 (Perkin-Elmer Co) genetic analyzer. Student's t-test, chi-square test, and logistic regression modeling were used for data significance analyses. Hypertension and smoking were found to be the independent risk factors for ischemic stroke patients (aged ischemic stroke patients (aged > 50 years). There was no significant difference observed in the T allele frequency of GPIa C807T polymorphisms between young stroke patients and corresponding controls. These findings suggest that there is no role of GPIa C807T polymorphisms in the development of young first-ever ischemic stroke in Chinese Han Population.

  15. Intercontinental and intracontinental biogeography of the eastern Asian - Eastern North American disjunct Panax (the ginseng genus, Araliaceae), emphasizing its diversification processes in eastern Asia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zuo, Yun-Juan; Wen, Jun; Zhou, Shi-Liang

    2017-12-01

    The intercontinental biogeography between eastern Asia and eastern North America has attracted much attention from evolutionary biologists. Further insights into understanding the evolution of the intercontinental disjunctions have been hampered by the lack of studies on the intracontinental biogeography in eastern Asia, a region with complex geology, geography, climates and habitats. Herein we studied the biogeographic history of the eastern Asian-eastern North American disjunct genus Panax with special emphasis on the investigation of its uneven diversification in Asia. This study reconstructs the diversification history of Panax and also emphasizes a large clade of Panax taxa, which has a wide distribution in eastern Asia, but was unresolved in previous studies. We examined the noncoding plastid DNA fragments of trnH-psbA, rps16, and psbM-trnD, the mitochondrial b/c intron of NAD1, and the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of 356 samples from 47 populations. The results revealed the subtropical Northern Hemisphere origin (Asia or Asia and North America) of Panax in the Paleocene. Intercontinental disjunctions between eastern Asia and eastern North America formed twice in Panax, once estimated in early Eocene for the split of P. trifolius and another in mid-Miocene for the divergence of P. quinquefolius. Intercontinental diversifications in Panax showed temporal correlation with the increase of global temperature. The evolutionary radiation of the P. bipinnatifidus species complex occurred around the boundary of Oligocene and Miocene. Strong genetic structure among populations of the species complex was detected and the populations may be isolated by distance. The backbone network and the Bayesian clustering analysis revealed a major evolutionary radiation centered in the Hengduan Mountains of western China. Our results suggested that the evolutionary radiation of Panax was promoted by geographic barriers, including mountain ranges

  16. Chandipura virus infection causing encephalitis in a tribal population of Odisha in eastern India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dwibedi, Bhagirathi; Sabat, Jyotsnamayee; Hazra, Rupenangshu K; Kumar, Anu; Dinesh, Diwakar Singh; Kar, Shantanu K

    2015-01-01

    The sudden death of 10 children in a tribal village of Kandhamal district, Odisha in eastern India led to this investigation. We conducted a door-to-door survey to identify cases. Antibodies for Chandipura, Japanese encephalitis, dengue, chikungunya and West Nile viruses were tested by ELISA in probable cases. Chandipura virus RNA was tested from both human blood samples and sand flies by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. We conducted vector surveys in domestic and peridomestic areas, and collected sand flies. Entomological investigations revealed the presence of Phlebotomus argentipes and Sergentomiya sp. Thirty-five patients presented with fever, 12 of them had altered sensorium including 4 who had convulsions. The blood samples of 21 patients were tested; four samples revealed Chandipura virusspecific IgM antibody. Chandipura virus infection causing encephalitis affected this tribal population in eastern India at 1212 m above sea level. Copyright 2015, NMJI.

  17. Common variants on 2p16.1, 6p22.1 and 10q24.32 are associated with schizophrenia in Han Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, H; Yan, H; Li, J; Li, Z; Zhang, X; Ma, Y; Mei, L; Liu, C; Cai, L; Wang, Q; Zhang, F; Iwata, N; Ikeda, M; Wang, L; Lu, T; Li, M; Xu, H; Wu, X; Liu, B; Yang, J; Li, K; Lv, L; Ma, X; Wang, C; Li, L; Yang, F; Jiang, T; Shi, Y; Li, T; Zhang, D; Yue, W

    2017-07-01

    Many schizophrenia susceptibility loci have been identified through genome-wide association studies (GWASs) in European populations. However, until recently, schizophrenia GWASs in non-European populations were limited to small sample sizes and have yielded few loci associated with schizophrenia. To identify genetic risk variations for schizophrenia in the Han Chinese population, we performed a two-stage GWAS of schizophrenia comprising 4384 cases and 5770 controls, followed by independent replications of 13 single-nucleotide polymorphisms in an additional 4339 schizophrenia cases and 7043 controls of Han Chinese ancestry. Furthermore, we conducted additional analyses based on the results in the discovery stage. The combined analysis confirmed evidence of genome-wide significant associations in the Han Chinese population for three loci, at 2p16.1 (rs1051061, in an exon of VRK2, P=1.14 × 10 -12 , odds ratio (OR)=1.17), 6p22.1 (rs115070292 in an intron of GABBR1, P=4.96 × 10 -10 , OR=0.77) and 10q24.32 (rs10883795 in an intron of AS3MT, P=7.94 × 10 -10 , OR=0.87; rs10883765 at an intron of ARL3, P=3.06 × 10 -9 , OR=0.87). The polygenic risk score based on Psychiatric Genomics Consortium schizophrenia GWAS data modestly predicted case-control status in the Chinese population (Nagelkerke R 2 : 1.7% ~5.7%). Our pathway analysis suggested that neurological biological pathways such as GABAergic signaling, dopaminergic signaling, cell adhesion molecules and myelination pathways are involved in schizophrenia. These findings provide new insights into the pathogenesis of schizophrenia in the Han Chinese population. Further studies are needed to establish the biological context and potential clinical utility of these findings.

  18. Association of inflammatory gene polymorphisms with ischemic stroke in a Chinese Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Nan; Liu, Xin; Wang, Yongqin; Liu, Xiaoqiu; Li, Jiana; Yu, Litian; Ma, Liyuan; Wang, Shuyu; Zhang, Hongye; Liu, Lisheng; Zhao, Jingbo; Wang, Xingyu

    2012-07-06

    Inflammatory mechanisms are important in stroke risk, and genetic variations in components of the inflammatory response have been implicated as risk factors for stroke. We tested the inflammatory gene polymorphisms and their association with ischemic stroke in a Chinese Han population. A total of 1,124 ischemic stroke cases and 1,163 controls were genotyped with inflammatory panel strips containing 51 selected inflammatory gene polymorphisms from 35 candidate genes. We tested the genotype-stroke association with logistic regression model. We found two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CCL11 were associated with ischemic stroke. After adjusting for multiple testing using false discovery rate (FDR) with a 0.20 cut-off point, CCL11 rs4795895 remained statistically significant. We further stratified the study population by their hypertension status. In the hypertensive group, CCR2 rs1799864, CCR5 rs1799987 and CCL11 rs4795895 were nominally associated with increased risk of stroke. In the non-hypertensive group, CCL11 rs3744508, LTC4S rs730012, FCER1B rs569108, TGFB1 rs1800469, LTA rs909253 and CCL11 rs4795895 were associated with ischemic stroke. After correction for multiple testing, CCR2 rs1799864 and CCR5 rs1799987 remained significant in the hypertensive group, and CCL11 rs3744508, LTC4S rs730012, FCER1B rs569108, TGFB1 rs1800469, LTA rs909253 remained significant in the non-hypertensive group. Our results indicate that inflammatory genetic variants are associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke in a Chinese Han population, particularly in non-hypertensive individuals.

  19. Population versus hospital controls for case-control studies on cancers in Chinese hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Lin; Zhang, Min; Holman, D'Arcy

    2011-12-15

    Correct control selection is crucial to the internal validity of case-control studies. Little information exists on differences between population and hospital controls in case-control studies on cancers in Chinese hospital setting. We conducted three parallel case-control studies on leukemia, breast and colorectal cancers in China between 2009 and 2010, using population and hospital controls to separately match 540 incident cases by age, gender and residency at a 1:1 ratio. Demographic and lifestyle factors were measured using a validated questionnaire in face-to-face interview. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained using conditional logistic regression analyses. The two control groups had closely similar exposure distributions of 15 out of 16 factors, with the only exception being that hospital controls were less likely to have a BMI ≥ 25 (OR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.54, 0.93). For exposure of green tea drinking, the adjusted ORs (95% CIs) comparing green tealeaves intake ≥ 1000 grams annually with non-drinkers were 0.51 (0.31, 0.83) and 0.21 (0.27, 0.74) for three cancers combined, 0.06 (0.01, 0.61) and 0.07 (0.01, 0.47) for breast cancer, 0.52 (0.29, 0.94) and 0.45 (0.25, 0.82) for colorectal cancer, 0.65 (0.08, 5.63) and 0.57 (0.07, 4.79) for leukemia using hospital and population controls respectively. The study found that hospital controls were comparable with population controls for most demographic characteristics and lifestyle factors measured, but there was a slight difference between the two control groups. Hospital outpatients provide a satisfactory control group in hospital-based case-control study in the Chinese hospital setting.

  20. Population versus hospital controls for case-control studies on cancers in Chinese hospitals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Lin

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Correct control selection is crucial to the internal validity of case-control studies. Little information exists on differences between population and hospital controls in case-control studies on cancers in Chinese hospital setting. Methods We conducted three parallel case-control studies on leukemia, breast and colorectal cancers in China between 2009 and 2010, using population and hospital controls to separately match 540 incident cases by age, gender and residency at a 1:1 ratio. Demographic and lifestyle factors were measured using a validated questionnaire in face-to-face interview. Odds ratios (ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CIs were obtained using conditional logistic regression analyses. Results The two control groups had closely similar exposure distributions of 15 out of 16 factors, with the only exception being that hospital controls were less likely to have a BMI ≥ 25 (OR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.54, 0.93. For exposure of green tea drinking, the adjusted ORs (95% CIs comparing green tealeaves intake ≥ 1000 grams annually with non-drinkers were 0.51 (0.31, 0.83 and 0.21 (0.27, 0.74 for three cancers combined, 0.06 (0.01, 0.61 and 0.07 (0.01, 0.47 for breast cancer, 0.52 (0.29, 0.94 and 0.45 (0.25, 0.82 for colorectal cancer, 0.65 (0.08, 5.63 and 0.57 (0.07, 4.79 for leukemia using hospital and population controls respectively. Conclusions The study found that hospital controls were comparable with population controls for most demographic characteristics and lifestyle factors measured, but there was a slight difference between the two control groups. Hospital outpatients provide a satisfactory control group in hospital-based case-control study in the Chinese hospital setting.

  1. Prediction consistency and clinical presentations of breast cancer molecular subtypes for Han Chinese population

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    Huang Chi-Cheng

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease in terms of transcriptional aberrations; moreover, microarray gene expression profiles had defined 5 molecular subtypes based on certain intrinsic genes. This study aimed to evaluate the prediction consistency of breast cancer molecular subtypes from 3 distinct intrinsic gene sets (Sørlie 500, Hu 306 and PAM50 as well as clinical presentations of each molecualr subtype in Han Chinese population. Methods In all, 169 breast cancer samples (44 from Taiwan and 125 from China of Han Chinese population were gathered, and the gene expression features corresponding to 3 distinct intrinsic gene sets (Sørlie 500, Hu 306 and PAM50 were retrieved for molecular subtype prediction. Results For Sørlie 500 and Hu 306 intrinsic gene set, mean-centring of genes and distance-weighted discrimination (DWD remarkably reduced the number of unclassified cases. Regarding pairwise agreement, the highest predictive consistency was found between Hu 306 and PAM50. In all, 150 and 126 samples were assigned into identical subtypes by both Hu 306 and PAM50 genes, under mean-centring and DWD. Luminal B tended to show a higher nuclear grade and have more HER2 over-expression status than luminal A did. No basal-like breast tumours were ER positive, and most HER2-enriched breast tumours showed HER2 over-expression, whereas, only two-thirds of ER negativity/HER2 over-expression tumros were predicted as HER2-enriched molecular subtype. For 44 Taiwanese breast cancers with survival data, a better prognosis of luminal A than luminal B subtype in ER-postive breast cancers and a better prognosis of basal-like than HER2-enriched subtype in ER-negative breast cancers was observed. Conclusions We suggest that the intrinsic signature Hu 306 or PAM50 be used for breast cancers in the Han Chinese population during molecular subtyping. For the prognostic value and decision making based on intrinsic subtypes, further prospective

  2. Population structure and phylogeography reveal pathways of colonization by a migratory marine reptile (Chelonia mydas) in the central and eastern Pacific.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dutton, Peter H; Jensen, Michael P; Frey, Amy; LaCasella, Erin; Balazs, George H; Zárate, Patricia; Chassin-Noria, Omar; Sarti-Martinez, Adriana Laura; Velez, Elizabeth

    2014-11-01

    Climate, behavior, ecology, and oceanography shape patterns of biodiversity in marine faunas in the absence of obvious geographic barriers. Marine turtles are an example of highly migratory creatures with deep evolutionary lineages and complex life histories that span both terrestrial and marine environments. Previous studies have focused on the deep isolation of evolutionary lineages (>3 mya) through vicariance; however, little attention has been given to the pathways of colonization of the eastern Pacific and the processes that have shaped diversity within the most recent evolutionary time. We sequenced 770 bp of the mtDNA control region to examine the stock structure and phylogeography of 545 green turtles from eight different rookeries in the central and eastern Pacific. We found significant differentiation between the geographically separated nesting populations and identified five distinct stocks (F ST = 0.08-0.44, P eastern Pacific Chelonia mydas form a monophyletic group containing 3 subclades, with Hawaii more closely related to the eastern Pacific than western Pacific populations. The split between sampled central/eastern and western Pacific haplotypes was estimated at around 0.34 mya, suggesting that the Pacific region west of Hawaii has been a more formidable barrier to gene flow in C. mydas than the East Pacific Barrier. Our results suggest that the eastern Pacific was colonized from the western Pacific via the Central North Pacific and that the Revillagigedos Islands provided a stepping-stone for radiation of green turtles from the Hawaiian Archipelago to the eastern Pacific. Our results fit with a broader paradigm that has been described for marine biodiversity, where oceanic islands, such as Hawaii and Revillagigedo, rather than being peripheral evolutionary "graveyards", serve as sources and recipients of diversity and provide a mechanism for further radiation.

  3. Investigation of insecticide-resistance status of Cydia pomonella in Chinese populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, X-Q; Zhang, Y-L

    2015-06-01

    The codling moth Cydia pomonella (L.) is an economically important fruit pest and it has been directly targeted by insecticides worldwide. Serious resistance to insecticides has been reported in many countries. As one of the most serious invasive pest, the codling moth has populated several areas in China. However, resistance to insecticides has not been reported in China. We investigated the insecticide-resistance status of four field populations from Northwestern China by applying bioassays, enzyme activities, and mutation detections. Diagnostic concentrations of lambda-cyhalothrin, chlorpyrifos-ethyl, carbaryl, and imidacloprid were determined and used in bioassays. Field populations were less susceptible to chlorpyrifos-ethyl and carbaryl than laboratory strain. Insensitive populations displayed an elevated glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) activity. Reduced carboxylesterase (CarE) activity was observed in some insecticide insensitive populations and reduced acetylcholinesterase activity was observed only in the Wuw population. The cytochrome P450 polysubstrate monooxygenases activities in four field populations were not found to be different from susceptible strains. Neither the known-resistance mutation F399V in the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) gene, ace1, nor mutations in CarE gene CpCE-1 were found in adult individuals from our field populations. Native-PAGE revealed that various CarE isozymes and AChE insensitivity were occurring among Chinese populations. Our results indicate that codling moth populations from Northwestern China were insensitivity to chlorpyrifos-ethyl and carbaryl. Increased GST activity was responsible for insecticides insensitivity. Decreased CarE activity, as well as the presence of CarE and AChE polymorphisms might also be involved in insecticides insensitivity. New management strategies for managing this pest are discussed.

  4. A Tentative Analysis of the Origin of Middle Chinese Grammar and Its Historical Position

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    Liu Shizhen

    2007-10-01

    Full Text Available Middle Chinese is thelanguage used in the period from the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Sui Dynasty. Inrecent years researches of Middle Chinese have attracted scholars’ attention.While it inherited some characteristics from the grammar of Ancient Chinese,the morphology and syntax of Middle Chinese underwent obvious elimination andnew birth, an important content which laid the foundation for the furtherevolution of the Early Modern Chinese Grammar. Numerous grammatical phenomenonstarted to appear in Tang and Song Dynasties. The grammar was going through achange in which new forms replaced old ones, thus being the mediator ininheriting the archaic and beginning the early modern grammar, and thereforeoccupying an important position in the history of Chinese.

  5. Branched-chain and aromatic amino acid profiles and diabetes risk in Chinese populations

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    Tianlu Chen; Yan Ni; Xiaojing Ma; Yuqian Bao; Jiajian Liu; Fengjie Huang; Cheng Hu; Guoxiang Xie; Aihua Zhao; Weiping Jia; Wei Jia

    2016-01-01

    Recent studies revealed strong evidence that branched-chain and aromatic amino acids (BCAAs and AAAs) are closely associated with the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in several Western countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential role of BCAAs and AAAs in predicting the diabetes development in Chinese populations. The serum levels of valine, leucine, isoleucine, tyrosine, and phenylalanine were measured in a longitudinal and a cross sectional studies with a total of 429 C...

  6. Increasing Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in a Chinese Elderly Population: 2001-2010.

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    Miao Liu

    Full Text Available The information on the changes of prevalence of MetS in China is limited. Our objective was to assess a 10-year's change of the prevalence of MetS in a Chinese elderly population between 2001 and 2010.We conducted two cross-sectional surveys in a representative sample of elderly population aged 60 to 95 years in Beijing in 2001 and 2010 respectively. MetS was defined according to the 2009 harmonizing definition.A total of 2,334 participants (943 male, 1,391 female in 2001 and 2,102 participants (848 male, 1,254 female in 2010 completed the survey. The prevalence of MetS was 50.4% (95%CI: 48.4%-52.4% in 2001 and 58.1% (95%CI: 56.0%-60.2% in 2010. The absolute change of prevalence of MetS was 7.7% over the 10-year's period (p<0.001. The syndrome was more common in female than male in both survey years. Among the five components, hypertriglyceridemia and low HDL-C had increased most, with an increase of 14.8% (from 29.4% to 44.2% and 9.9% (from 28.3% to 38.2% respectively. The adjusted ORs of MetS for CHD, stroke and CVD were 1.67(95%CI: 1.39-1.99, 1.50(95%CI: 1.19-1.88 and 1.70(95%CI: 1.43-2.01 respectively in 2001, and were 1.74(95%CI: 1.40-2.17, 1.25(95%CI: 0.95-1.63 and 1.52(95%CI: 1.25-1.86 respectively in 2010.The prevalence of MetS is high and increasing rapidly in this Chinese elderly population. Participants with Mets and its individual components are at significantly elevated ORs for CVD. Urgent public health actions are needed to control MetS and its components, especially for dislipidemia.

  7. Elder Self-neglect and Suicidal Ideation in an U.S. Chinese Aging Population: Findings From the PINE Study.

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    Dong, XinQi; Xu, Ying; Ding, Ding

    2017-07-01

    Self-neglect and suicidal ideations are important public health issues among the aging population. This study aims to examine the association between self-neglect, its phenotypes, and suicidal ideation among U.S. Chinese older adults. Guided by a community-based participatory research approach, the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago (PINE) study is a population-based epidemiological study conducted from 2011 to 2013 among 3,159 Chinese older adults aged 60 years and older in the Greater Chicago area. Self-neglect was assessed by a 27-item instrument, describing five phenotypes with hoarding, poor personal hygiene, unsanitary condition, lack of utilities, and need of home repair. Suicidal ideation was assessed by the ninth item of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the Geriatric Mental State Examination-Version A (GMS-A). Logistic regression is utilized to analyze the association. Higher level of self-neglect was found significantly associated with increased risk of self-reported suicidal ideation within 2 weeks (odds ratio 2.97 [1.54-5.72]); 12 months (odds ratio 2.82 [1.77-4.51]); and lifetime (odds ratio 2.74 [1.89-3.95]). For phenotypes, the study found that poorer personal hygiene and severer level of unsanitary conditions were associated with increased risk of suicidal ideation at all three time periods. This study suggests that self-neglect and its phenotypes are significantly associated with suicidal ideation among Chinese older adults. Longitudinal studies are needed to explore the mechanisms through which self-neglect links with suicidal ideation. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  8. Chilli consumption and the incidence of overweight and obesity in a Chinese adult population.

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    Shi, Z; Riley, M; Taylor, A W; Page, A

    2017-07-01

    The frequency of spicy food intake has recently been associated with a reduced risk of mortality in the Chinese population. This study aimed to prospectively examine the association between chilli intake and the incidence of overweight/obesity in a Chinese adult population. Adults aged 20-75 years in the China Health and Nutrition Survey were followed between 1991 and 2011. Dietary data were collected during home visits using a 3-day food record in 1991, 1993, 1997, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2011. Cox regression was used in the analysis. Overweight/obesity was defined as body mass index ⩾25 kg m - 2 . A total 12 970 adults were followed for a median of 9 years. During 126 884 person-years of follow-up, 3203 subjects developed overweight/obesity. The absolute incidence rate of overweight/obesity was 26.4, 22.3, 24.4 and 20.5 per 1000 person-years among those who consumed no chilli or 1-20, 20.1-50, ⩾50.1 g per day, respectively. Chilli consumption was therefore inversely associated with the incidence of overweight/obesity. After adjusting for age, gender, energy and fat intake, smoking, alcohol drinking and physical activity, those whose cumulative average chilli intake was 0, 1-20, 20.1-50 and ⩾50.1 g per day had a hazard ratio for overweight/obesity of 1.00, 0.81 (95% confidence interval=0.73-0.89), 0.77 (0.69-0.86) and 0.73 (0.63-0.84); P for trend overweight/obesity. Chilli intake is inversely associated with the risk of becoming overweight/obese in Chinese adults.

  9. The Structure of the Chinese Material Value Scale: An Eastern Cultural View

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    Jiangqun Liao

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated the structure of the Chinese Material Value Scale (MVS. A two-factor structure, rather than the original three-factor structure, was proposed for China by means of confirmatory factor analysis. Direct evidence showed that the dimensions of success and happiness could be merged together. Both explicit and implicit methods were used to examine the relationship between success and happiness based on possession. In particular, as an implicit method, the dot-probe paradigm recording participants’ response time supported the idea that the two-factors could be merged together. The results also showed that for Chinese people, success to an extent means happiness, while the converse is not necessarily true. Chinese are much more concerned about social evaluation than their own feelings, and this cultural characteristic is reflected in our findings.

  10. Polymorphisms in RYBP and AOAH genes are associated with chronic rhinosinusitis in a Chinese population: a replication study.

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    Yuan Zhang

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The development of CRS is believed to be the result of combined interactions between the genetic background of the affected subject and environmental factors. OBJECTIVES: To replicate and extend our recent findings from genetic association studies in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS performed in a Canadian Caucasian population in a Chinese population. METHODS: In a case-control replication study, DNA samples were obtained from CRS with (n  = 306; CRSwNP and without (n = 332; CRSsNP nasal polyps, and controls (n = 315 in a Chinese population. A total of forty-nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs selected from previous identified SNPs associated with CRS in Canadian population, and SNPs from the CHB HapMap dataset were individually genotyped. RESULTS: We identified two SNPs respectively in RYBP (rs4532099, p = 2.15E-06, OR = 2.59 and AOAH (rs4504543, p = 0.0001152, OR = 0.58 significantly associated with whole CRS cohort. Subgroup analysis for the presence of nasal polyps (CRSwNP and CRSsNP displayed significant association in CRSwNP cohorts regarding to one SNP in RYBP (P = 3.24(E-006, OR = 2.76. Evidence of association in the CRSsNP groups in terms of 2 SNPs (AOAH_rs4504543 and RYBP_rs4532099 was detected as well. Stratifying analysis by gender demonstrated that none of the selected SNPs were associated with CRSwNP as well as CRSsNP. Meanwhile 3 SNPs (IL1A_rs17561, P = 0.005778; IL1A_rs1800587, P = 0.009561; IRAK4_rs4251513, P = 0.03837 were associated with serum total IgE level. CONCLUSIONS: These genes are biologically plausible, with roles in regulation of transcription (RYBP and inflammatory response (AOAH. The present data suggests the potential common genetic basis in the development of CRS in Chinese and Caucasian population.

  11. Genetic isolation between the Western and Eastern Pacific populations of pronghorn spiny lobster Panulirus penicillatus.

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    Seinen Chow

    Full Text Available The pronghorn spiny lobster, Panulirus penicillatus, is a circumtropical species which has the widest global distribution among all the species of spiny lobster, ranging throughout the entire Indo-Pacific region. Partial nucleotide sequences of mitochondrial DNA COI (1,142-1,207 bp and 16S rDNA (535-546 bp regions were determined for adult and phyllosoma larval samples collected from the Eastern Pacific (EP(Galápagos Islands and its adjacent water, Central Pacific (CP(Hawaii and Tuamotu and the Western Pacific (WP(Japan, Indonesia, Fiji, New Caledonia and Australia. Phylogenetic analyses revealed two distinct large clades corresponding to the geographic origin of samples (EP and CP+WP. No haplotype was shared between the two regional samples, and average nucleotide sequence divergence (Kimura's two parameter distance between EP and CP+WP samples was 3.8±0.5% for COI and 1.0±0.4% for 16S rDNA, both of which were much larger than those within samples. The present results indicate that the Pacific population of the pronghorn spiny lobster is subdivided into two distinct populations (Eastern Pacific and Central to Western Pacific, with no gene flow between them. Although the pronghorn spiny lobster have long-lived teleplanic larvae, the vast expanse of Pacific Ocean with no islands and no shallow substrate which is known as the East Pacific Barrier appears to have isolated these two populations for a long time (c.a. 1MY.

  12. Variants of Interferon Regulatory Factor 5 are Associated with Neither Neuromyelitis Optica Nor Multiple Sclerosis in the Southeastern Han Chinese Population

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    Qi-Bing Liu

    2015-01-01

    Conclusions: Our preliminary study indicates that genetic variants in IRF5 may affect neither NMO nor MS in the Southeastern Han Chinese population. Further studies with a large sample size and diverse ancestry populations are needed to clarify this issue.

  13. China’s Trade Policy Towards Central and Eastern Europe in the 21St Century, Example of Poland

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    Drelich-Skulska Bogusława

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to present China’s economic model and discuss, in this context, bilateral trade and investment relations between China and Poland. The analysis presented herein is based on the strategy of cooperation with countries of Central and Eastern Europe, as presented by China’s Prime Minister, and on the growing importance of Poland as a main partner of China in the Central and Eastern Europe region. The paper describes main premises of the Chinese economic model, followed by a diagnosis of Chinese economy. The authors analyze the main directions of China’s foreign cooperation, placing the emphasis on relations with Poland.

  14. Cable pin system versus K-wire tension band fixation for patella fractures in Chinese Han population: A meta-analysis.

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    Zha, Kun; Liu, Guo-Hui; Yang, Shu-Hua; Zhou, Wu; Liu, Yi; Wu, Qi-Peng

    2017-10-01

    This meta-analysis compared the therapeutic effect of cable pin system (CPS) with K-wire tension band (KTB) in the treatment of patella fractures among Chinese Han population. The databases of PubMed, Cochrane library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese WanFang and Chinese VIP were searched for studies on CPS versus KTB in the treatment of patella fractures among Chinese Han population. Literatures were screened according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of the studies was assessed, and meta-analysis was performed using the Cochrane Collaboration's REVMAN 5.3 software. A total of 932 patients from 15 studies were included in this meta-analysis (426 fractures treated with CPS and 506 fractures treated with KTB). There were significant differences in duration of hospital stay [mean difference (MD)=-1.07; 95% confidence interval (CI):-1.71 to-0.43], fracture healing time (MD=-1.23; 95% CI:-1.68 to-0.77), flexion degree of knee joint at 6th month after operation (MD=14.82; 95% CI: 10.93 to 18.71), incidence of postoperative complication [risk ratio (RR)=0.16; 95% CI: 0.09 to 0.27] and excellent-good rate of Böstman score (RR=1.09; 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.16) between the CPS group and KTB group, while no significant difference was found in operative time between the two groups (MD=-4.52; 95% CI:-11.70 to 2.67). For the treatment of patella fractures among Chinese Han population, limited evidence suggests that the CPS is more suitable than the KTB when considering the hospital stay, fracture healing time, flexion degree of knee at 6th month after operation, incidence of postoperative complication and excellent-good rate of Böstman joint score. Due to the limitation of high quality evidence and sample size, more large-scale randomized controlled trials are needed to validate the findings in the future.

  15. Warfarin dosage response related pharmacogenetics in Chinese population.

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    Siyue Li

    Full Text Available As the most frequently prescribed anticoagulant, warfarin has large inter-individual variability in dosage. Genetic polymorphisms could largely explain the differences in dosage requirement. rs9923231 (VKORC1, rs7294 (VKORC1, rs1057910 (CYP2C9, rs2108622 (CYP4F2, and rs699664 (GGCX involved in the warfarin action mechanism and the circulatory vitamin K were selected to investigate their polymorphism characteristics and their effects on the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of warfarin in Chinese population.220 patients with cardiac valve replacement were recruited. International normalized ratio and plasma warfarin concentrations were determined. The five genetic polymorphisms were genotyping by pyro-sequencing. The relationships of maintenance dose, plasma warfarin concentration and INR were assessed among groups categorized by genotypes.rs9923231 and rs7294 in VKORC1 had the analogous genotype frequencies (D': 0.969. 158 of 220 recruited individuals had the target INR (1.5-2.5. Patients with AA of rs9923231 and CC of rs7294 required a significantly lower maintenance dose and plasma concentration than those with AG and TC, respectively. The mean weekly maintenance dose was also significantly lower in CYP2C9 rs1057910 mutated heterozygote than in patients with the wild homozygote. Eliminating the influence from environment factors (age, body weight and gender, rs9923231 and rs1057910 could explain about 32.0% of the variability in warfarin maintenance dose; rs7294 could explain 26.7% of the variability in plasma concentration. For patients with allele G of rs9923231 and allele T of rs7294, higher plasma concentration was needed to achieve the similar goal INR.A better understanding of the genetic variants in individuals can be the foundation of warfarin dosing algorithm and facilitate the reasonable and effective use of warfarin in Chinese.

  16. Lack of association of -607 C/A and -137 G/C polymorphisms in interleukin 18 gene with susceptibility to gout disease in Chinese Han male population.

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    Li, Changgui; Yuan, Ying; Wang, Xinfeng; Han, Lin; Chu, Nan; Wang, Hui; Liu, Shiguo

    2012-06-01

    To identify association of IL18-607 C/A and -137 G/C polymorphism with susceptibility to gout in Chinese Han male population, We evaluate the genetic contribution of the IL18-607 C/A and -137 G/C polymorphism in 202 gout male patients and 493 gout-free control of Chinese Han population by allele-specific polymerase chain reaction assay. Our results reveal no significant association between the polymorphisms -607C/A and -137G/C in IL18 with gout. Our study might suggest that -607 C/A and -137 G/C polymorphisms in the promoter of IL18 are not associated with susceptibility to gout and thus do not play a major role in the development of gout in the Chinese Han male population.

  17. Association of a miRNA-137 Polymorphism with Schizophrenia in a Southern Chinese Han Population

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    Guoda Ma

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Both genome wide association study (GWAS and biochemical studies of Caucasian populations indicate a robust association between the miR-137 genetic variant rs1625579 and schizophrenia, but inconsistent results have been reported. To assay the association between this variant and schizophrenia, we genotyped 611 schizophrenic patients from Southern Chinese Han population for the risk single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP rs1625579 using the SNaPshot technique and compared the clinical profiles of different genotypes. Additionally, a meta-analysis was performed using the combined sample groups from five case-control publications and the present study. Both the genotype and allele distributions of the rs1625579 SNP were significantly different between patients and controls (P=0.036 and 0.026, SNP. TT genotype carriers showed slightly lower Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia- (BACS- derived working memory performance than G carriers (15.58 ± 9.56 versus 19.71 ± 8.18, P=0.045. In the meta-analysis, we observed a significant association between rs1625579 and schizophrenia under different genetic models (all P<0.05. The results of our study and meta-analysis provide convincing evidence that rs1625579 is significantly associated with schizophrenia. Furthermore, the miR-137 polymorphism influences the working memory performance of schizophrenic patients in a Chinese Han population.

  18. The characteristics of impaired fasting glucose associated with obesity and dyslipidaemia in a Chinese population.

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    Qian, Yun; Lin, Yudi; Zhang, Tiemei; Bai, Jianling; Chen, Feng; Zhang, Yi; Luo, Senlin; Shen, Hongbing

    2010-03-17

    Different populations have diverse patterns of relationships between Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG) and obesity and lipid markers, it is important to investigate the characteristics of associations between IFG and other related risk factors including body mass index (BMI), waist circumstance (WC), serum lipids and blood pressure (BP) in a Chinese population. This was a case-control study of 648 IFG subjects and 1,296 controls derived from a large-scale, community-based, cross-sectional survey of 10,867 participants. Each subject received a face-to-face interview, physical examination, and blood tests, including fasting blood glucose and lipids. Student's t-test, Chi-square test, Spearman correlation and multiple logistic regressions were used for the statistical analyses. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) was positively correlated with BMI, WC, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), triglyceride (TG), and total cholesterol (TC), and was negatively correlated with high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) (all p or = 2.26 mmol/l), when comparing to subjects with TG < 1.70 mmol/l. There was a significant dose-response relationship between the number of abnormal variables and increased risk of IFG. In this Chinese population, both BMI and WC were important predictors of IFG. Abnormal TG as a lipid marker was more strongly associated with IFG than were TC and HDL-C. These factors should be taken into consideration simultaneously for prevention of IFG.

  19. The Association between NOS3 Gene Polymorphisms and Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy Susceptibility and Symptoms in Chinese Han Population

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    Yongqin Wu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Endothelial NOS (NOS3 has a potential role in the prevention of neuronal injury in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE. Thus, we aimed to explore the association between NOS3 gene polymorphisms and HIE susceptibility and symptoms in a Chinese Han population. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs in the NOS3 gene, rs1800783, rs1800779, and rs2070744, were detected in 226 children with HIE and 212 healthy children in a Chinese Han population. Apgar scores and magnetic resonance image scans were used to estimate the symptoms and brain damage. The association analyses were conducted by using SNPStats and SPSS 18.0 software. The genotype and allele distributions of rs1800779 and rs1799983 displayed no significant differences between the patients and the controls, while the rs2070744 allele distribution was significantly different (corrected P=0.009. For clinical characteristics, the rs2070744 genotype distribution was significantly different in patients with different Apgar scores (≤5, TT/TC/CC = 6/7/5; 6~7, TT/TC/CC = 17/0/0; 8~9, TT/TC/CC = 6/2/0; 10, TT/TC/CC = 7/1/0; corrected P=0.006 in the 1001 to 1449 g birth weight subgroup. The haplotype test did not show any associations with the risk and clinical characteristics of HIE. The results suggest that NOS3 gene SNP rs2070744 was significantly associated with HIE susceptibility and symptom expression in Chinese Han population.

  20. MRI correlates of interaction between gender and expressive suppression among the Chinese population.

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    Wang, Kangcheng; Huang, Hui; Chen, Li; Hou, Xin; Zhang, Yong; Yang, Junyi; Hao, Xin; Qiu, Jiang

    2017-04-07

    Expressive suppression is a kind of emotion regulation strategies by suppressing behaviors related to emotional responding. Despite the amount of behavioral research on expressive suppression, the structural and functional mechanisms underlying the interaction between gender and expressive suppression in Chinese healthy subjects have remained unknown. In the current study, we assessed the levels of expressive suppression and acquired the structural and functional imaging data from 273 Chinese individuals. A nearly automatic cortical processing technique was used to calculate cortical thickness for each subject. The results from cortical thickness analyses revealed a significant interaction between gender and expressive suppression in the superior frontal gyrus. Then, we conducted the whole-brain functional connectivity analysis with the seed of the superior frontal gyrus to explore the functionally related regions of brain. Subsequent analysis of the interaction between gender and expressive suppression indicated a significant functional connectivity between the superior frontal gyrus and default mode network (DMN) core regions, including the medial prefrontal cortex, precuneus and parahippocampal gyrus. Our results provided the robust empirical evidence illustrating the role of the superior frontal gyrus and DMN in gender difference of expressive suppression among the Chinese population. These findings might have implications for understanding gender difference in emotion processing and regulation. Copyright © 2017 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Clinical Application of Earlobe Augmentation with Hyaluronic Acid Filler in the Chinese Population.

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    Qian, Wei; Zhang, Yan-Kun; Cao, Qian; Hou, Ying; Lv, Wei; Fan, Ju-Feng

    2017-02-01

    Larger earlobes, which are a symbol of "richness" in traditional Chinese culture, are favored by Chinese patients. The objective of this paper is to investigate the application of earlobe augmentation with hyaluronic acid (HA) filler injection and its clinical effects in the Chinese population. A total of 19 patients (38 ears) who received earlobe augmentation with HA filler injections between March 2013 and March 2015 were included. The clinical effects, duration, and complications of these cases were investigated. All patients who received earlobe HA injections showed immediate postoperative effects with obvious morphological improvement of their earlobes. The volume of HA filler injected into each ear was 0.3-0.5 ml. The duration of the effect was 6-9 months. Two of the 19 cases (3 ears) demonstrated mild bruising at the injection site, but the bruising completely disappeared within 7 days after the injection. No vascular embolism, infection, nodule, or granuloma complications were observed in the studied group. The application of earlobe augmentation with HA filler injection is a safe, effective, simple procedure for earlobe shaping. It has an easy clinical application with good clinical prospects. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

  2. Social cognition and work performance of persons with schizophrenia in a Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lo, Panmi; Siu, Andrew M H

    2015-01-01

    Social-cognitive deficits have a significant impact on the community and vocational functioning of persons with schizophrenia. This study aimed to explore the relationship between social-cognitive abilities and vocational functioning in a Chinese population. We recruited 30 outpatients with schizophrenia to participate. We administered the Chinese Social Cognition and Screening Questionnaire (C-SCSQ) to assess Theory of Mind (ToM), attributional bias, and neurocognition; the Facial Expression Identification Test (FEIT) to assess emotion perception (EP) ability, and the Chinese Work Personality Profile (CWPP) to assess work performance in a simulated work setting. ToM showed a significant negative correlation with attributional bias. The neurocognitive measure displayed a significant positive correlation with ToM and EP. The structural equation model was a good fit to the data (CFI=0.91, RMSEA=0.12), and showed that social-cognitive abilities had a significant impact (-0.41) on work performance. Of the four social-cognitive domains, ToM and paranoid attributional style (PAS) contributed significantly to variations in work performance. These results support the theory that social-cognitive abilities have an impact on work performance. ToM has a positive impact whereas PAS has an adverse effect. Persons with schizophrenia present specific deficits in their social-cognitive abilities, which have significant impact on their work performance and employability.

  3. Meta-analysis indicates that the European GWAS-identified risk SNP rs1344706 within ZNF804A is not associated with schizophrenia in Han Chinese population.

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    Ming Li

    Full Text Available Recent genetic association studies have implicated several candidate susceptibility variants for schizophrenia among general populations. Rs1344706, an intronic SNP within ZNF804A, was identified as one of the most compelling candidate risk SNPs for schizophrenia in Europeans through genome-wide association studies (GWASs and replications as well as large-scale meta-analyses. However, in Han Chinese, the results for rs1344706 are inconsistent, and whether rs1344706 is an authentic risk SNP for schizophrenia in Han Chinese is inconclusive. Here, we conducted a systematic meta-analysis of rs1344706 with schizophrenia in Chinese population by combining all available case-control samples (N = 12, including a total of 8,982 cases and 12,342 controls. The results of our meta-analysis were not able to confirm an association of rs1344706 A-allele with schizophrenia (p = 0.10, odds ratio = 1.06, 95% confidence interval = 0.99-1.13. Such absence of association was further confirmed by the non-superiority test (p = 0.0003, suggesting that rs1344706 is not a risk SNP for schizophrenia in Han Chinese. Detailed examinations of individual samples revealed potential sampling bias in previous replication studies in Han Chinese. The absence of rs1344706 association in Han Chinese suggest a potential genetic heterogeneity in the susceptibility of schizophrenia on this locus and also demonstrate the difficulties in replicating genome-wide association findings of schizophrenia across different ethnic populations.

  4. Association of inflammatory gene polymorphisms with ischemic stroke in a Chinese Han population

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    Zhao Nan

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Inflammatory mechanisms are important in stroke risk, and genetic variations in components of the inflammatory response have been implicated as risk factors for stroke. We tested the inflammatory gene polymorphisms and their association with ischemic stroke in a Chinese Han population. Methods A total of 1,124 ischemic stroke cases and 1,163 controls were genotyped with inflammatory panel strips containing 51 selected inflammatory gene polymorphisms from 35 candidate genes. We tested the genotype-stroke association with logistic regression model. Results We found two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs in CCL11 were associated with ischemic stroke. After adjusting for multiple testing using false discovery rate (FDR with a 0.20 cut-off point, CCL11 rs4795895 remained statistically significant. We further stratified the study population by their hypertension status. In the hypertensive group, CCR2 rs1799864, CCR5 rs1799987 and CCL11 rs4795895 were nominally associated with increased risk of stroke. In the non-hypertensive group, CCL11 rs3744508, LTC4S rs730012, FCER1B rs569108, TGFB1 rs1800469, LTA rs909253 and CCL11 rs4795895 were associated with ischemic stroke. After correction for multiple testing, CCR2 rs1799864 and CCR5 rs1799987 remained significant in the hypertensive group, and CCL11 rs3744508, LTC4S rs730012, FCER1B rs569108, TGFB1 rs1800469, LTA rs909253 remained significant in the non-hypertensive group. Conclusions Our results indicate that inflammatory genetic variants are associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke in a Chinese Han population, particularly in non-hypertensive individuals.

  5. RTEL1 polymorphisms are associated with lung cancer risk in the Chinese Han population.

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    Yan, Shouchun; Xia, Ridong; Jin, Tianbo; Ren, Hui; Yang, Hua; Li, Jing; Yan, Mengdan; Zhu, Yuanyuan; Chen, Mingwei

    2016-10-25

    RTEL1 (regulator of telomere elongation helicase 1; OMIM 608833) gene polymorphisms were linked to lung cancer (LC) susceptibility in a cancer genome-wide association study (GWAS) Here, we assessed whether seven previously reported RTEL1 polymorphisms influenced LC risk in Han Chinese population. All study samples (554 LC cases and 696 cancer-free controls) were collected from the Affiliated Hospital of Xizang Minzu University in China. We assessed associations between SNPs and LC risk using various several genetic models (codominant, dominant, recessive, overdominant, and additive). Whereas rs2738780 showed a protective effect against LC (Odds ratio (OR) = 0.80 ;95% confidence interval (CI): 0.638 = 0.998; p = 0.048), rs7261546(OR = 4.16; 95% CI: 1.35-12.82; p = 0.007), rs6062299(OR=5.08; 95% CI: 1.43-18.10; p = 0.005) and rs3787098(OR = 5.10; 95% CI: 1.43-18.15; p = 0.004) were all associated with increased LC susceptibility (recessive model). Haplotype analysis suggested that ''CTC'' was associated with a 0.8-fold decrease in LC risk (OR = 0.80, 95% CI, 0.63-1.00; Pearson's p = 0.05). These findings suggest a potential association between RTEL1 polymorphisms and LC risk in a Chinese Han population.

  6. Association between RTEL1 gene polymorphisms and COPD susceptibility in a Chinese Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Yipeng; Xu, Heping; Yao, Jinjian; Xu, Dongchuan; He, Ping; Yi, Shengyang; Li, Quanni; Liu, Yuanshui; Wu, Cibing; Tian, Zhongjie

    2017-01-01

    We investigated the association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms in regulation of telomere elongation helicase 1 ( RTEL1 ), which has been associated with telomere length in several brain cancers and age-related diseases, and the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a Chinese Han population. In a case-control study that included 279 COPD cases and 290 healthy controls, five single-nucleotide polymorphisms in RTEL1 were selected and genotyped using the Sequenom MassARRAY platform. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using unconditional logistic regression after adjusting for age and gender. In the genotype model analysis, we determined that rs4809324 polymorphism had a decreased effect on the risk of COPD (CC versus TT: OR =0.28; 95% CI =0.10-0.82; P =0.02). In the genetic model analysis, we found that the "C/C" genotype of rs4809324 was associated with a decreased risk of COPD based on the codominant model (OR =0.33; 95% CI =0.13-0.86; P =0.022) and recessive model (OR =0.32; 95% CI =0.12-0.80; P =0.009). Our data shed new light on the association between genetic polymorphisms of RTEL1 and COPD susceptibility in the Chinese Han population.

  7. Echogenic intracardiac focus on second trimester ultrasound: prevalence and significance in a Middle Eastern population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mirza, Fadi G; Ghulmiyyah, Labib; Tamim, Hani; Bou Hamdan, Farah; Breidy, Juliana; Geagea, Sandra; Usta, Ihab; Adra, Abdallah; Nassar, Anwar H

    2016-01-01

    The association between echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) and trisomy 21 is well established, with a recognized ethnic variation. Our study aimed to determine the prevalence of EIF in a Middle Eastern population and to examine its association with trisomy 21 and other adverse pregnancy outcomes. Retrospective case-control study of second-trimester obstetric sonograms (16-28 weeks) performed at a tertiary care center over a 5-year period. Cases with EIF were retrieved, and a matched control group with no EIF was identified. The incidence of trisomy 21 and other adverse pregnancy outcomes was compared. A total of 9270 obstetric sonograms were examined, with an EIF prevalence of 2.5% (95% CI: 2.2-2.8%). Of patients with available outcome data, EIF was not associated with trisomy 21 (0/163 versus 1/163; p value = 1.00). Additionally, EIF was not associated with trisomy 18, trisomy 13, small for gestational age, preterm birth, fetal demise, cesarean delivery, operative vaginal delivery, or admission to the neonatal intensive care unit. In a contemporary Middle Eastern population, EIF is a rare occurrence. As an isolated finding, it is not associated with aneuploidy or other adverse pregnancy outcomes. EIF appears to be incidental with no impact on clinical practice.

  8. Detection of mismatch repair gene germline mutation carrier among Chinese population with colorectal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jin, Hei-Ying; Zhao, Ronghua; Liu, Xiufang; Li, Vicky Ka Ming; Ding, Yijiang; Yang, Bolin; Geng, Jianxiang; Lai, Rensheng; Ding, Shuqing; Ni, Min

    2008-01-01

    Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) is an autosomal dominant syndrome. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has recommended the Revised Bethesda guidelines for screening HNPCC. There has been a great deal of research on the value of these tests in other countries. However, literature about the Chinese population is scarce. Our objective is to detect and study microsatellite instability (MSI) and mismatch repair (MMR) gene germline mutation carriers among a Chinese population with colorectal cancer. In 146 prospectively recruited consecutive patients with clinically proven colorectal cancer, MSI carriers were identified by analysis of tumor tissue using multiplex fluorescence polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using the NCI recommended panel and classified into microsatellite instability-low (MSI-L), microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) and microsatellite stable (MSS) groups. Immunohistochemical staining for MSH2, MSH6 and MLH1 on tissue microarrays (TMAs) was performed, and methylation of the MLH1 promoter was analyzed by quantitative methylation specific PCR (MSP). Germline mutation analysis of blood samples was performed for MSH2, MSH6 and MLH1 genes. Thirty-four out of the 146 colorectal cancers (CRCs, 23.2%) were MSI, including 19 MSI-H CRCs and 15 MSI-L CRCS. Negative staining for MSH2 was found in 8 CRCs, negative staining for MSH6 was found in 6 CRCs. One MSI-H CRC was negative for both MSH6 and MSH2. Seventeen CRCs stained negatively for MLH1. MLH1 promoter methylation was determined in 34 MSI CRCs. Hypermethylation of the MLH1 promoter occurred in 14 (73.7%) out of 19 MSI-H CRCs and 5 (33.3%) out of 15 MSI-L CRCs. Among the 34 MSI carriers and one MSS CRC with MLH1 negative staining, 8 had a MMR gene germline mutation, which accounted for 23.5% of all MSI colorectal cancers and 5.5% of all the colorectal cancers. Five patients harbored MSH2 germline mutations, and three patients harbored MSH6 germline mutations. None of the patients had an MLH

  9. Association between High Fat-low Carbohydrate Diet Score and Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes in Chinese Population

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Na, Y.; Feskens, E.J.M.; Li, Y.P.; Zhang, J.; Fu, P.; Ma, G.S.; Yang, X.G.

    2012-01-01

    Objective To study the association between high fat-low carbohydrate diet score and newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes in Chinese population. Methods Data about 20 717 subjects aged 45-59 years from the cross-sectional 2002 China National Nutrition and Health Survey were analyzed. High fat-low

  10. Genetic variants in NTCP exon gene are associated with HBV infection status in a Chinese Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Wennan; Zeng, Yongbin; Lin, Jinpiao; Wu, Yingying; Chen, Tianbin; Xun, Zhen; Ou, Qishui

    2018-04-01

    Sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide (NTCP) plays an important role in the enterohepatic circulation of bile acids. Recently, NTCP was identified as a hepatitis B virus (HBV) receptor. The aim of this study is to investigate the association of NTCP polymorphisms with HBV clinical outcomes and investigate the relationship between NTCP polymorphisms and the serum bile acid level in a Chinese Han population. The single nucleotide polymorphisms rs2296651 and rs4646285 were genotyped in 1619 Chinese Han individuals. Improved multiple ligase detection reaction was utilized to genotype. The level of bile acids was measured by the enzymatic cycling method. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis was carried out to analyze the potential function. In logistic regression analysis, the frequency of rs2296651 (S267F) CT genotype was higher in HBV immune recovery and healthy control groups than in the chronic HBV infection group (P = 0.001 and P HBV infection group (P = 0.011). No difference in serum bile acid was detected between the rs4646285 wild-type patients and mutant-type patients. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction showed the NTCP mRNA levels were lower in rs4646285 variants than wild types. NTCP gene polymorphisms may be associated with the natural course of HBV infection in a Chinese Han population. The S267F variant may be a protective factor to resist chronic hepatitis B progression which showed a higher bile acid level in Chinese Han chronic HBV infection patients. The rs4646285 variants could influence the expression of NTCP at the level of transcription, and ultimately may be associated with HBV infection immune recovery. © 2017 The Japan Society of Hepatology.

  11. A novel prescription pedometer-assisted walking intervention and weight management for Chinese occupational population.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yingxiang Yu

    Full Text Available Information technology has been previously used for the research and practice of health promotion. Appropriate and effective health promotion methods used by professional groups remain to be investigated. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of a weight management program among the Chinese occupational population using and a novel information technology exercise prescription.A 3-month open, self-monitored intervention trial, involving individualized pedometer-assisted exercise prescription and a one-time targeted dietary guidance prior to exercise was conducted on the Chinese occupational population aged 18-65 years in China from 2015 to 2016. Data were collected from March 2015 to May 2016 and analyzed from June 2016 to August 2016. Participants were also asked to synchronize exercise data of the pedometer to the Internet-based Health System Center daily (at least weekly, by connecting to the personal computer (PC using a USB cable or via Bluetooth.Eligible participants included 802 Chinese occupational persons, and 718 of them followed exercise interventions with 89.5% (718/802 adherence to the exercise programs. Of them, 688 participants completed the program with 85.8% (688/802 adherence to the exercise program and their data were analyzed. Weight decreased by 2.2% among all overweight/obese participants, with 1.8% reduction in waist circumference and 3.3% reduction in body fat percentage (p< 0.001. Weight and body fat percentage in normal-weight individuals decreased by 0.7% and 2.5%, respectively (p < 0.01. A weight gain of 1.0% was observed in all underweight participants (p< 0.05, and 68.2% (208/305 of overweight/obese participants experienced weight loss, with an average reduction of 3.5%, with 20.2% (42/208 of them achieving weight loss ≥5%. Blood pressure and fasting serum glucose decreased significantly in both the overweight/obese and the normal-weight individuals (p < 0.05. The incidence of hypertension

  12. Optimal Cutoff Scores for Alzheimer's Disease Using the Chinese Version of Mini-Mental State Examination Among Chinese Population Living in Rural Areas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Zhao; Holt, Hunter K; Fan, Jin-Hu; Ma, Li; Liu, Ying; Chen, Wen; Como, Peter; Zhang, Lin; Qiao, You-Lin

    2016-12-01

    To explore the optimal cutoff score for initial detection of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) through the Chinese version of Mini-Mental State Examination (CMMSE) in rural areas in China, we conducted a cross-sectional study within the Linxian General Population Nutritional Follow-up study. 16,488 eligible cohort members participated in the survey and 881 completed the CMMSE. Among 881 participants, the median age (Interquartile range) was 69.00 (10.00), 634 (71.92%) were female, 657 (74.57%) were illiterate, 35 (3.97%) had 6 years of education or higher, and 295 (33.48%) were diagnosed with AD. By reducing the CMMSE criteria for illiterate to 16 points, primary school to 19 points, and middle school or higher to 23 points, the efficiency of Chinese version of Mini-Mental State Examination can be significantly improved for initial detection of AD in rural areas in China, especially in those nutrition deficient areas. © The Author(s) 2016.

  13. Utility of AD8 for Cognitive Impairment in a Chinese Physical Examination Population: A Preliminary Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Yue; Gao, Ya; Jia, Jianjun; Wang, Xiaohong; Wang, Zhenfu; Xie, Hengge

    2014-01-01

    Objective. To investigate the utility of AD8 for cognitive impairment in a Chinese physical examination population. Methods. Military cadres who took routine physical examination in Chinese PLA General Hospital from Jan 1, 2013, to Dec 31, 2013, were subjected to AD8 scale. Individual information such as age, gender, and education was also collected. All data were analyzed by SPSS 19.0. Results. 1544 subjects were enrolled in this study with mean age 75.4 ± 10.6 years. The subjects who scored 0 to 8 of AD8 scale were 1015, 269, 120, 60, 30, 14, 19, 8, and 9, respectively. Corresponding proportions were 65.7%, 17.4%, 7.8%, 3.9%, 2.0%, 0.9%, 1.2%, 0.5%, and 0.6%, respectively. The endorsement prevalence of 8 questions was 5.6%, 9.2%, 6.6%, 9.2%, 4.8%, 4.5%, 8.9%, and 24.1%, respectively. The endorsement prevalence of question 8 was significantly higher than others (P physical examination population. PMID:25436227

  14. Etiology, pathology, management and prognosis of chronic pancreatitis in Chinese population: A retrospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camara, Soriba Naby; Ramdany, Sonam; Zhao, Gang; Gou, Shan-Miao; Xiong, Jiong-Xin; Yang, Zhi-Yong; Yin, Tao; Yang, Ming; Balde, Oumar Taibata; Barry, Ahmed Boubacar; Adji, Seid; Li, Xiang; Jin, Yan; Wu, He-Shui; Wang, Chun-You

    2015-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the etiology, pathological characteristics, management and prognosis of chronic pancreatitis in the Chinese population. The clinical data of 142 patients with chronic pancreatitis were retrospectively studied. All patients were of Chinese nationality and hospitalized from January 2008 to December 2011. Their ages ranged from 14 to 76 years, with a mean of 43 years. Of 142 patients, there were 72 cases of obstructive chronic pancreatitis (50.70%), 19 cases of alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (13.38%), 14 cases of autoimmune pancreatitis (9.86%) and 37 cases of undetermined etiology (26.06%). Pathologically, the average inflammatory mass diameter was 3.8 ± 3.3 cm, biliary obstruction occurred in 36 cases, gall stones in 70 cases, calcification in 88 cases, ductal dilatation in 61 cases, side branch dilatation in 32 cases, ductal irregularity in 10 cases, lymphocytic inflammation in 23 cases, obliterative phlebitis in 14 cases, extra pancreatic lesion in 19 cases and fibrosis in 142 cases. Location of pancreatic lesion in the region of head (n=97), neck (n=16), body (n=12), tail (n=15) and whole pancreas (n=2) influenced the choice of surgical procedures. Ninety-four patients (66.20%) received surgical treatment and 33.80% received other treatments. After operation, 80.85% of 94 patients experienced decreased pain, and 8.51% of 94 showed recovery of endocrine function but with a complication rate of 12.77%. All the operations were performed successfully. According to the pain scale of European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (QLQ-C30) a decrease from 76 ± 22 to 14 ± 18 was observed. Etiology, pathological characteristics, management and prognosis of chronic pancreatitis in the Chinese population vary from others.

  15. Modeling redistribution of α-HCH in Chinese soil induced by environment factors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tian, Chongguo; Liu Liyan; Ma Jianmin; Tang Jianhui; Li Yifan

    2011-01-01

    This study explores long-term environmental fate of α-HCH in China from 1952 to 2007 using ChnGPERM (Chinese Gridded Pesticide Emission and Residue Model). The model captures well the temporal and spatial variations of α-HCH concentration in Chinese soils by comparing with a number of measured data across China in different periods. The results demonstrate α-HCH grasshopping effect in Eastern China and reveal several important features of the chemical in Northeast and Southeast China. It is found that Northeast China is a prominent sink region of α-HCH emitted from Chinese sources and α-HCH contamination in Southwest China is largely attributed to foreign sources. Southeast China is shown to be a major source contributing to α-HCH contamination in Northeast China, incurred by several environmental factors including temperature, soil organic carbon content, wind field and precipitation. - Highlights: → Grasshopping effect is found in Eastern China. → Northeast China is a prominent sink region of α-HCH emitted from Chinese sources. → Southeast China is a major source region to α-HCH contamination in Northeast China. → The source-sink relationship is incurred by several environmental factors. - This study provides the first comprehensive overview to redistribution of a toxic chemical incurred by long-term variation of environmental factors across China.

  16. [Gene polymorphism of CYP450 2C9 and VKORC1 in Chinese population and their relationships to the maintaining dosage of warfarin].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Ya-nan; Cui, Wei; Han, Mei; Zheng, Bin; Liu, Fan; Xie, Rui-qin; Yang, Xiao-hong; Gu, Guo-qiang; Zheng, Hong-mei; Wen, Jin-kun

    2010-02-01

    To investigate the distribution of gene polymorphism of CYP450 2C9 and VKORC1-1639A/G in the Chinese population as well as the difference of genetic polymorphism between Chinese Han population and other ethnic populations. Contribution of CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genotype to the maintenance doses on warfarin was also studied. The genotype and allele frequencies were calculated and compared with those in other populations. One hundred and one patients with stable anticoagulation with warfarin under a target international normalized ratio (INR) of 2.0 to 3.0 were enrolled for studying the relationship between the CYP2C9 and VKORC1 gene polymorphism and the warfarin maintaining dosage. CYP450 2C9*3 + 1075C/A allele frequencies were:AA in 449 cases (92.2%), AC in 36 cases (7.4%) and CC in 2 cases (0.4%), respectively. VKORC1 -1639A/G allele frequencies were AA in 415 cases (85.2%), GA in 72 cases (14.8%), but GG in no case (0.0%), respectively. When linear stepwise regression analysis was used to identify factors contributing to warfarin stable dose, the final equation was: ln (D) = 0.346 + 0.017 (weight) - 0.376 (CYP450 2C9*3 + 1075C/A) + 0.148 (VKORC1-1639A/G) - 0.002 (age) (r = 0.827, P = 0.02). There existed significant gene polymorphism CYP450 2C9*3 + 1075C/A and VKORC1-1639A/G in the Chinese Han population. Both Gene polymorphisms of CYP450 2C9*3 + 1075C/A and VKORC1-1639A/G were significantly affecting the maintaining dose of warfarin in the Chinese population.

  17. Designing Peptide-Based HIV Vaccine for Chinese

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Xiaojuan

    2014-01-01

    CD4+ T cells are central to the induction and maintenance of CD8+ T cell and antibody-producing B cell responses, and the latter are essential for the protection against disease in subjects with HIV infection. How to elicit HIV-specific CD4+ T cell responses in a given population using vaccines is one of the major areas of current HIV vaccine research. To design vaccine that targets specifically Chinese, we assembled a database that is comprised of sequences from 821 Chinese HIV isolates and 46 human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DR alleles identified in Chinese population. We then predicted 20 potential HIV epitopes using bioinformatics approaches. The combination of these 20 epitopes has a theoretical coverage of 98.1% of the population for both the prevalent HIV genotypes and also Chinese HLA-DR types. We suggest that testing this vaccine experimentally will facilitate the development of a CD4+ T cell vaccine especially catered for Chinese. PMID:25136573

  18. Species Diversity Distribution Patterns of Chinese Endemic Seed Plants Based on Geographical Regions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Jihong; Ma, Keping; Huang, Jianhua

    2017-01-01

    Based on a great number of literatures, we established the database about the Chinese endemic seed plants and analyzed the compositions, growth form, distribution and angiosperm original families of them within three big natural areas and seven natural regions. The results indicate that the above characters of Chinese endemic plants take on relative rule at the different geographical scales. Among the three big natural areas, Eastern Monsoon area has the highest endemic plants richness, whereas Northwest Dryness area is the lowest. For life forms, herbs dominate. In contrast, the proportion of herbs of Eastern Monsoon area is remarkable under other two areas. Correspondingly the proportions of trees and shrubs are substantially higher than other two. For angiosperm original families, the number is the highest in Eastern Monsoon area, and lowest in Northwest Dryness area. On the other hand, among the seven natural regions, the humid and subtropical zone in Central and Southern China has the highest endemic plants richness, whereas the humid, hemi-humid region and temperate zone in Northeast China has the lowest. For life forms, the proportion of herbs tends to decrease from humid, hemi-humid region and temperate zone in Northeast China to humid and tropical zone in Southern China. Comparably, trees, shrubs and vines or lianas increase with the same directions. This fully represents these characters of Chinese endemic plants vary with latitudinal gradients. Furthermore, as to the number of endemic plants belonging to angiosperm original families, the number is the most in humid and subtropical zone in Center and Southern China, and tropical zone in Southern China in the next place. In contrast, the endemic plant of these two regions relatively is richer than that of The Qinghai-Tibet alpine and cold region. All above results sufficiently reflect that the Chinese endemic plants mainly distribute in Eastern Monsoon area, especially humid and subtropical zone in Center

  19. Cultural inter-population differences do not reflect biological distances: an example of interdisciplinary analysis of populations from Eastern Adriatic coast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bašić, Željana; Fox, Ayano R; Anterić, Ivana; Jerković, Ivan; Polašek, Ozren; Anđelinović, Šimun; Holland, Mitchell M; Primorac, Dragan

    2015-06-01

    To compare the population group from the Šopot graveyard with population groups from traditional Croatian medieval graveyards by using anthropological, craniometrics, and mitochondrial (mtDNA) analysis and to examine if the cultural differences between population groups reflect biological differences. We determined sex, age at death, pathological, and traumatic changes of skeletal remains from the Šopot graveyard and compared them with a cumulative medieval sample from the same region. We also performed principal component analysis to compare skeletal remains from Šopot with those from Ostrovica and other Central European samples according to 8 cranial measurements. Finally, we compared 46 skeletons from Šopot with medieval (Ostrovica) and contemporary populations using mDNA haplogroup profiling. The remains from Šopot were similar to the cumulative sample in lifestyle and quality of life markers. Principal component analysis showed that they were closely related to Eastern Adriatic coast sites (including Ostrovica and Šopot) in terms of cranial morphology, indicating similar biological makeup. According to mDNA testing, Šopot population showed no significant differences in the haplogroup prevalence from either medieval or contemporary populations. This study shows that the Šopot population does not significantly differ from other medieval populations from this area. Besides similar quality of life markers, these populations also had similar biological markers. Substantial archeological differences can therefore be attributed to apparent cultural influences, which in this case do not reflect biological differences.

  20. Estimation of the Ideal Lumbar Lordosis to Be Restored From Spinal Fusion Surgery: A Predictive Formula for Chinese Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Leilei; Qin, Xiaodong; Zhang, Wen; Qiao, Jun; Liu, Zhen; Zhu, Zezhang; Qiu, Yong; Qian, Bang-ping

    2015-07-01

    A prospective, cross-sectional study. To determine the independent variables associated with lumbar lordosis (LL) and to establish the predictive formula of ideal LL in Chinese population. Several formulas have been established in Caucasians to estimate the ideal LL to be restored for lumbar fusion surgery. However, there is still a lack of knowledge concerning the establishment of such predictive formula in Chinese population. A total of 296 asymptomatic Chinese adults were prospectively recruited. The relationships between LL and variables including pelvic incidence (PI), age, sex, and body mass index were investigated to determine the independent factors that could be used to establish the predictive formula. For the validation of the current formula, other 4 reported predictive formulas were included. The absolute value of the gap between the actual LL and the ideal LL yielded by these formulas was calculated and then compared between the 4 reported formulas and the current one to determine its reliability in predicting the ideal LL. The logistic regression analysis showed that there were significant associations of LL with PI and age (R = 0.508, P < 0.001 for PI; R = 0.088, P = 0.03 for age). The formula was, therefore, established as follows: LL = 0.508 × PI - 0.088 × Age + 28.6. When applying our formula to these subjects, the gap between the predicted ideal LL and the actual LL was averaged 3.9 ± 2.1°, which was significantly lower than that of the other 4 formulas. The calculation formula derived in this study can provide a more accurate prediction of the LL for the Chinese population, which could be used as a tool for decision making to restore the LL in lumbar corrective surgery. 3.

  1. Terms of Address in the Chinese Business Enterprise

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Xiaoyan; Sultan, Robert

    2014-01-01

    This study examines terms of address currently used by employees of Chinese business enterprises. The authors find that a speaker's address selections are related significantly to the gender of the speaker, the location of the enterprise in Eastern or Western China, and the ownership type of the enterprise; that is, whether the enterprise is…

  2. Genetic Isolation among the Northwestern, Southwestern and Central-Eastern Indian Ocean Populations of the Pronghorn Spiny Lobster Panulirus penicillatus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhamad Fadry Abdullah

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available The pronghorn spiny lobster Panulirus penicillatus is a highly valuable species which is widely distributed in Indo-West Pacific and Eastern Pacific regions. Mitochondrial DNA control region sequences (566–571 bp were determined to investigate the population genetic structure of this species in the Indian Ocean. In total, 236 adult individuals of Panulirus penicillatus were collected from five locations in the Indian Ocean region. Almost all individuals had a unique haplotype. Intrapopulation haplotype (h and nucleotide (π diversities were high for each locality, ranging from h = 0.9986–1.0000 and π = 0.031593–0.043441. We observed distinct genetic isolation of population located at the northwestern and southwestern edge of the species range. Gene flow was found within localities in the central and eastern region of the Indian Ocean, probably resulting from an extended planktonic larval stage and prevailing ocean currents.

  3. Genetic variants of STAT4 are associated with ankylosing spondylitis susceptibility and severity in a Chinese Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Zhixiang; Zhang, Peisen; Dong, Jie

    2014-01-01

    Genetic factors play an important role in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) etiology and signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) gene polymorphisms may be involved. The aim of this study was to test whether STAT4 variants were associated with susceptibility to AS in a Chinese population. A total of 175 subjects who were diagnosed as AS and 249 healthy age-matched controls were enrolled in the present study. The rs7574865 G/T SNP in STAT4 gene was genotyped in all the subjects. The SPSS software was used to investigate the association between the rs7574865 genotypes and AS susceptibility or severity. Rs7574865 G/T was found to be significantly associated with increased risk and severity of AS. Our data demonstrated the STAT4 rs7574865 G/T SNP was significantly associated with increased AS susceptibility and severity in Chinese Han Population.

  4. Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 4G/5G polymorphism and ischemic stroke risk: a meta-analysis in Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Yuezhou; Chen, Weixian; Qian, Yun; Zeng, Yanying; Liu, Wenhua

    2014-12-01

    The guanosine insertion/deletion polymorphism (4G/5G) of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) gene has been suggested as a risk factor for ischemic stroke (IS), but direct evidence from genetic association studies remains inconclusive even in Chinese population. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate this association. All of the relevant studies were identified from PubMed, Embase, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure database and Chinese Wanfang database up to September 2013. Statistical analyses were conducted with Revman 5.2 and STATA 12.0 software. Odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) values were applied to evaluate the strength of the association. Heterogeneity was evaluated by Q-test and the I² statistic. The Begg's test and Egger's test were used to assess the publication bias. A significant association and a borderline association between the PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism and IS were found under the recessive model (OR = 1.639, 95% CI = 1.136-2.364) and allelic model (OR = 1.256, 95% CI = 1.000-1.578), respectively. However, no significant association was observed under homogeneous comparison model (OR = 1.428, 95% CI = 0.914-2.233), heterogeneous comparison model (OR = 0.856, 95% CI = 0.689-1.063) and dominant model (OR = 1.036, 95% CI = 0.846-1.270). This meta-analysis suggested that 4G4G genotype of PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism might be a risk factor for IS in the Chinese population.

  5. Western-style fast food intake and cardiometabolic risk in an Eastern country.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Odegaard, Andrew O; Koh, Woon Puay; Yuan, Jian-Min; Gross, Myron D; Pereira, Mark A

    2012-07-10

    Western-style fast food contributes to a dietary pattern portending poor cardiometabolic health in the United States. With globalization, this way of eating is becoming more common in developing and recently developed populations. We examined the association of Western-style fast food intake with risk of incident type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease mortality in Chinese Singaporeans. This analysis included men and women 45 to 74 years of age who enrolled in the Singapore Chinese Health Study from 1993 to 1998. For CHD mortality, 52 584 participants were included and 1397 deaths were identified through December 31, 2009, via registry linkage. For type 2 diabetes mellitus, 43 176 participants were included and 2252 cases were identified during the follow-up interview (1999-2004) and validated. Hazard ratios for incident type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease mortality were estimated with thorough adjustment for demographic, lifestyle, and dietary factors. Chinese Singaporeans with relatively frequent intake of Western-style fast food items (≥2 times per week) had an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (hazard ratio, 1.27; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.54) and dying of coronary heart disease (hazard ratio, 1.56; 95% confidence interval, 1.18-2.06) relative to their peers with little or no reported intake. These associations were not materially altered by adjustments for overall dietary pattern, energy intake, and body mass index. Western-style fast food intake is associated with increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus and of coronary heart disease mortality in an Eastern population. These findings suggest the need for further attention to global dietary acculturation in the context of ongoing epidemiological and nutrition transitions.

  6. Western-Style Fast Food Intake and Cardiometabolic Risk in an Eastern Country

    Science.gov (United States)

    Odegaard, Andrew O.; Koh, Woon Puay; Yuan, Jian-Min; Gross, Myron D.; Pereira, Mark A.

    2014-01-01

    Background Western-style fast food contributes to a dietary pattern portending poor cardiometabolic health in the United States. With globalization, this way of eating is becoming more common in developing and recently developed populations. Methods and Results We examined the association of Western-style fast food intake with risk of incident type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease mortality in Chinese Singaporeans. This analysis included men and women 45 to 74 years of age who enrolled in the Singapore Chinese Health Study from 1993 to 1998. For CHD mortality, 52 584 participants were included and 1397 deaths were identified through December 31, 2009, via registry linkage. For type 2 diabetes mellitus, 43 176 participants were included and 2252 cases were identified during the follow-up interview (1999 –2004) and validated. Hazard ratios for incident type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease mortality were estimated with thorough adjustment for demographic, lifestyle, and dietary factors. Chinese Singaporeans with relatively frequent intake of Western-style fast food items (≥2 times per week) had an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (hazard ratio, 1.27; 95% confidence interval, 1.03–1.54) and dying of coronary heart disease (hazard ratio, 1.56; 95% confidence interval, 1.18 –2.06) relative to their peers with little or no reported intake. These associations were not materially altered by adjustments for overall dietary pattern, energy intake, and body mass index. Conclusions Western-style fast food intake is associated with increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus and of coronary heart disease mortality in an Eastern population. These findings suggest the need for further attention to global dietary acculturation in the context of ongoing epidemiological and nutrition transitions. PMID:22753304

  7. Chinese herbal medicine use in Taiwan during pregnancy and the postpartum period: a population-based cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chuang, Chao-Hua; Chang, Pei-Jen; Hsieh, Wu-Shiun; Tsai, Yih-Jian; Lin, Shio-Jean; Chen, Pau-Chung

    2009-06-01

    Using Chinese herbal medicines during pregnancy and postpartum is common in the Chinese community. The purpose of this current study is to explore the use of Chinese herbal medicines by women during pregnancy and postpartum in Taiwan. It is an on-going prospective longitudinal study design. We used multistage stratified systematic sampling to recruit 24,200 pairs, postpartum women and newborns, from the Taiwan national birth register in 2005. Subjects underwent a home interview 6 months after their deliveries between June 2005 and July 2006. A structured questionnaire was successfully administered to 87.8% of the sampled population. At least one Chinese herbal medicine was used by 33.6% and 87.7% of the interviewed subjects during pregnancy and the postpartum period, respectively. An-Tai-Yin, Pearl powder, and Huanglian were the most commonly used during pregnancy, while Shen-Hua-Tang and Suz-Wu-Tang were the most commonly used by postpartum women. Pregnant women aged 20-34, with high education, threatened abortion, chronic disease, and primipara appeared to use more Chinese herbal medicines than others in the sample. Postpartum women with high education, primipara, normal spontaneous delivery, and breastfeeding were found to use more Chinese herbal medicines; but women with pregnancy-related illness used less. Chinese herbal medicines are frequently used by women during pregnancy and the postpartum period in Taiwan and those with high education and primipara used more such herbs. Due to limited safety information on these herbs, we would advise caution regarding their use either during pregnancy or postpartum breastfeeding period. Moreover, it is important for nurses/midwifes enquiring about such habits, and providing the adequate education to women during prenatal and postpartum care to prevent potential side effects.

  8. Archaeological Discoveries in the People’s Republic of China and Their Contribution to the Understanding of Chinese History

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    Xingcan Chen

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available More than eight decades ago, the distinguished Chinese scholar Hu Shi (1891–1962 wrote an essay titled ‘My Views on Ancient History’, in which he said: My outlook regarding ancient history is, for the present, we should shorten the study of ancient history by two or three thousand years, and start our researches from the Book of Odes. When archaeology has become well developed, then we can slowly extend [our understanding of ancient history before the Eastern Zhou dynasty, using excavated historical evidence. Today, over eighty years later, Chinese history before the Eastern Zhou dynasty has been steadily reconstructed, step by step, from archaeological discoveries, without which, even the well-recognized deserved brilliance of ancient history, since the Eastern Zhou dynasty, would be dimmed.

  9. Saving Chinese-Language Education in Singapore

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Cher Leng

    2012-01-01

    Three-quarters of Singapore's population consists of ethnic Chinese, and yet, learning Chinese (Mandarin) has been a headache for many Singapore students. Recently, many scholars have argued that the rhetoric of language planning for Mandarin Chinese should be shifted from emphasizing its cultural value to stressing its economic value since…

  10. Demographic War Losses as a Determinant of the Population Development of Eastern Croatia in the Period 1991–2001

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    Dražen Živić

    2005-06-01

    Full Text Available The subject of study in this paper are demographic losses in Eastern Croatia during Croatia’s Homeland war. The goal of the research was to determine or assess the direct migration losses of this area in the period 1991–2002, and evaluate their effect on changes in the number of inhabitants, on the age-gender structure and on the ethnic structure of the population of Eastern Croatia in the most recent inter-census period (1991–2001. The effect of inherited destabilising factors on the development of East Croatia’s population (two world wars, emigration, the “white plague”, a dropping birth rate, the rural exodus, demographic ageing… has been notably increased through demographic losses and the effects of Serbian military aggression, especially in the migrational aspect (domain of war effects. In line with a series of indicators, it is more than apparent that demographic war losses can be highlighted as the most important determinant of modern population development in the East Croatian region. Over ten thousand losses of life, and expellees, refugees and emigrants numbering in the tens of thousands, substantially deranged basic dynamic structural processes in the population development of this area of Croatia.

  11. Association between single nucleotide polymorphisms of sterol regulatory element binding protein-2 gene and risk of knee osteoarthritis in a Chinese Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiu, Xiao-Ming; Jin, Cheng-Tao; Wang, Wei

    2014-04-01

    To investigate associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs2228314 and rs2267443 in the sterol regulatory element binding protein-2 gene (SREBP-2) and knee osteoarthritis (OA) susceptibility in a Chinese Han population. SREBP-2 rs2228314 and rs2267443 polymorphisms were genotyped in patients with knee OA and age- and sex-matched OA-free controls from a Chinese Han population. A total of 402 patients with knee OA and 410 controls were enrolled in the study. GC and CC genotypes of rs2228314, and variant C, were associated with a significantly increased risk of knee OA. On stratification analysis, the association between the risk of OA and rs2228314 GC heterozygotes compared with GG homozygotes was stronger in females and those aged >65 years. In contrast, the GA and AA genotypes of rs2267443 were not significantly associated with the risk of knee OA, even after further stratification analysis according to age or sex. SREBP-2 rs2228314 G to C change and variant C genotype may contribute to knee OA risk in a Chinese Han population.

  12. K+ and Na+ fluxes in roots of two Chinese Iris populations

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    Pinfang LI,Biao ZHANG

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Maintenance of ion homeostasis, particularly the regulation of K+ and Na+ uptake, is important for all plants to adapt to salinity. Observations on ionic response to salinity and net fluxes of K+, Na+ in the root exhibited by plants during salt stress have highlighted the need for further investigation. The objectives of this study were to compare salt adaptation of two Chinese Iris (Iris lactea Pall. var. chinensis (Fisch. Koidz. populations, and to improve understanding of adaptation to salinity exhibited by plants. Plants used in this study were grown from seeds collected in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (Xj and Beijing Municipality (Bj, China. Hydroponically-grown seedlings of the two populations were supplied with nutrient solutions containing 0.1 (control and 140 mmol·L-1 NaCl. After 12 days, plants were harvested for determination of relative growth rate and K+, Na+ concentrations. Net fluxes of K+, Na+ from the apex and along the root axis to 10.8 mm were measured using non-invasive micro-test technique. With 140 mmol·L-1 NaCl treatment, shoots for population Xj had larger relative growth rate and higher K+ concentration than shoots for population Bj. However, the Na+ concentrations in both shoots and roots were lower for Xj than those for Bj. There was a lower net efflux of K+ found in population Xj than by Bj in the mature zone (approximately 2.4-10.8 mm from root tip. However, no difference in the efflux of Na+ between the populations was obtained. Population Xj of I. lactea continued to grow normally under NaCl stress, and maintained a higher K+/Na+ ratio in the shoots. These traits, which were associated with lower K+ leakage, help population Xj adapt to saline environments.

  13. Parental Beliefs on Children's Play: Comparison among Mainland Chinese, Chinese Immigrants in the USA, and European-Americans

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Shan; Han, Myae

    2016-01-01

    The current study surveyed parental play beliefs among the three groups of parents: the mainland Chinese, Chinese immigrants in the USA, and European-Americans. Limited comparison studies on parental play beliefs were previously reported for these three populations in the literature. Two measures, the Chinese child-rearing ideology and parental…

  14. Increasing Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in a Chinese Elderly Population: 2001-2010.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Miao; Wang, Jianhua; Jiang, Bin; Sun, Dongling; Wu, Lei; Yang, Shanshan; Wang, Yiyan; Li, Xiaoying; He, Yao

    2013-01-01

    The information on the changes of prevalence of MetS in China is limited. Our objective was to assess a 10-year's change of the prevalence of MetS in a Chinese elderly population between 2001 and 2010. We conducted two cross-sectional surveys in a representative sample of elderly population aged 60 to 95 years in Beijing in 2001 and 2010 respectively. MetS was defined according to the 2009 harmonizing definition. A total of 2,334 participants (943 male, 1,391 female) in 2001 and 2,102 participants (848 male, 1,254 female) in 2010 completed the survey. The prevalence of MetS was 50.4% (95%CI: 48.4%-52.4%) in 2001 and 58.1% (95%CI: 56.0%-60.2%) in 2010. The absolute change of prevalence of MetS was 7.7% over the 10-year's period (pdislipidemia.

  15. Validation of the DRAGON Score in a Chinese Population to Predict Functional Outcome of Intravenous Thrombolysis-Treated Stroke Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xinmiao; Liao, Xiaoling; Wang, Chunjuan; Liu, Liping; Wang, Chunxue; Zhao, Xingquan; Pan, Yuesong; Wang, Yilong; Wang, Yongjun

    2015-08-01

    The DRAGON score predicts functional outcome of ischemic stroke patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis. Our aim was to evaluate its utility in a Chinese stroke population. Patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with intravenous thrombolysis were prospectively registered in the Thrombolysis Implementation and Monitor of acute ischemic Stroke in China. We excluded patients with basilar artery occlusion and missing data, leaving 970 eligible patients. We calculated the DRAGON score, and the clinical outcome was measured by the modified Rankin Scale at 3 months. Model discrimination was quantified by calculating the C statistic. Calibration was assessed using Pearson correlation coefficient. The C statistic was .73 (.70-.76) for good outcome and .75 (.70-.79) for miserable outcome. Proportions of patients with good outcome were 94%, 83%, 70%, and 0% for 0 to 1, 2, 3, and 8 to 10 score points, respectively. Proportions of patients with miserable outcome were 0%, 3%, 9%, and 50% for 0 to 1, 2, 3, and 8 to 10 points, respectively. There was high correlation between predicted and observed probability of 3-month favorable and miserable outcome in the external validation cohort (Pearson correlation coefficient, .98 and .98, respectively, both P DRAGON score showed good performance to predict functional outcome after tissue-type plasminogen activator treatment in the Chinese population. This study demonstrated the accuracy and usability of the DRAGON score in the Chinese population in daily practice. Copyright © 2015 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Genetic diversity and population demography of the Chinese crocodile lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilurus in China.

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    Huayuan Huang

    Full Text Available The Chinese crocodile lizard Shinisaurus crocodilurus is a critically endangered species, listed in Appendix II of CITES. Its populations and habitat in China have undergone significant changes in recent years. Understanding the genetic variability and phylogeography of this species is very important for successful conservation. In this study, samples were taken from 11 wild ponds and two captive populations in China. We sequenced mitochondrial CYTB, partial ND6, and partial tRNA-Glu and genotyped 10 microsatellite loci. Our analyses of these data showed low genetic variability, no strong isolation caused by distance, and a lack of a phylogeographic structure in this species. Based on our results, the basal divergence between two clades of S. crocodilurus in China may have been caused by the formation of the Pearl River system. We found a population expansion in one of these clades. Microsatellite analysis indicated the presence of three clusters, separated by significant genetic differences. We found that most individuals in the two captive populations were from the Luokeng (Guangdong and Guangxi wild source populations, respectively.

  17. Spatiotemporal dataset on Chinese population distribution and its driving factors from 1949 to 2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Lizhe; Chen, Lajiao

    2016-07-01

    Spatio-temporal data on human population and its driving factors is critical to understanding and responding to population problems. Unfortunately, such spatio-temporal data on a large scale and over the long term are often difficult to obtain. Here, we present a dataset on Chinese population distribution and its driving factors over a remarkably long period, from 1949 to 2013. Driving factors of population distribution were selected according to the push-pull migration laws, which were summarized into four categories: natural environment, natural resources, economic factors and social factors. Natural environment and natural resources indicators were calculated using Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) techniques, whereas economic and social factors from 1949 to 2013 were collected from the China Statistical Yearbook and China Compendium of Statistics from 1949 to 2008. All of the data were quality controlled and unified into an identical dataset with the same spatial scope and time period. The dataset is expected to be useful for understanding how population responds to and impacts environmental change.

  18. Genetic variants identified by GWAS was associated with colorectal cancer in the Han Chinese population

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    Hui-Ping Qiao

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim of Study: Colorectal cancer (CRC, now the third most common cancer across the world, is known to aggregate in families. Recently, genome-wide association studies have identified two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP associated with CRC in Caucasians. Materials and Methods: To validate whether the same variations conferred risk to CRC in the Han Chinese population, we genotyped 760 individuals (380 controls and 380 cases samples recruited from the Han Chinese origin. Results: We found rs11987193 in 8p12 (P = 0.0472 after correction, OR = 0.751 was significantly associated with CRC but rs12080929 in 1p33 (P = 0.0650 after correction, OR = 0.750 was not. Conclusion: Our findings supported that rs11987193 is a susceptibility locus for CRC, and gene DUSP4 was possible to play a role in the pathology of CRC.

  19. The Perennial Problem: The Chinese Minority in Indonesia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1986-06-28

    peranakan , ethnic Chinese, local Chinese, foreign-born Chinese, Indonesian Chinese, alien Chinese, citizen Chinese, and so forth.) For the purposes of this...study, only four terms are im- -" portant: pribumi, peranakan , totok, and cina. ’Pribumi’ is * an Indonesian term which literally means ’indigenous...pribumi population consists of hundreds of different ethnic and linguistic groups. ’ Peranakan ’ is the term used to refer to the Indonesia-born Chinese

  20. ApoE rs429358 and rs7412 Polymorphism and Gender Differences of Serum Lipid Profile and Cognition in Aging Chinese Population

    OpenAIRE

    Zhen, Jie; Huang, Xiaochen; Van Halm-Lutterodt, Nicholas; Dong, Shengqi; Ma, Weiwei; Xiao, Rong; Yuan, Linhong

    2017-01-01

    ApoE gene polymorphism has been reportedly associated with serum lipids and cognition. However, very few studies have explored the combined effects of ApoE gene polymorphism and gender on serum lipid profile with subsequent impacts on cognition in Chinese population. A total of 1,000 Chinese community dwellers aged 55 years and above were recruited in this cross-sectional study. Demographic information of the participants was collected using well designed self-administered questionnaires. The...

  1. Genetic Variants of IκB Kinase β (IKBKB and Polymerase β (POLB Were Not Associated with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Risk in a Chinese Han Population.

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    Yuan Li

    Full Text Available A previous large-scale replication study validation of a genome wide association study (GWAS identified IκB kinase β (IKBKB single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs as a risk factor associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE in a Chinese Han population. IKBKB SNPs were associated with polymerase β (POLB SNPs and reduced POLB expression, and this was proposed to be an underlying cause of human SLE development. In the current case-control study, we evaluated IKBKB (rs12676482 and rs2272733 and POLB (rs3136717 and rs3136744 SNPs in 946 SLE patients and 961 healthy controls. We investigated the possible association of these four SNPs with SLE in a Chinese Han population using the polymerase chain reaction-ligation detection reaction (PCR-LDR technique. The differences in the frequencies of the four SNP alleles and the genotypes and haplotypes of the POLB polymorphisms were statistically insignificant when the SLE patients were compared with the controls in the Chinese Han population enrolled in this study (all, p ˃ 0.05. Furthermore, no associations were detected using different genetic models (additive, dominant, and recessive; all, p ˃ 0.05. Our findings indicate that the IKBKB (rs12676482 and rs2272733 and POLB (rs3136717, rs3136744 SNPs confer no genetic predisposition to SLE risk in this Chinese Han population.

  2. Replication and fine mapping for association of the C2orf43, FOXP4, GPRC6A and RFX6 genes with prostate cancer in the Chinese population.

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    Qing-Zhi Long

    Full Text Available Prostate cancer represents the leading cause of male death across the world. A recent genome-wide association study (GWAS identified five novel susceptibility loci for prostate cancer in the Japanese population. This study is to replicate and fine map the potential association of these five loci with prostate cancer in the Chinese Han population.In Phase I of the study, we tested the five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs which showed the strongest association evidence in the original GWAS in Japanese. The study sample consists of 1,169 Chinese Hans, comprising 483 patients and 686 healthy controls. Then in phase II, flanking SNPs of the successfully replicated SNPs in Phase I were genotyped and tested for association with prostate cancer to fine map those significant association signals.We successfully replicated the association of rs13385191 (located in the C2orf43 gene, P = 8.60×10(-5, rs12653946 (P = 1.33×10(-6, rs1983891 (FOXP4, P = 6.22×10(-5, and rs339331 (GPRC6A/RFX6, P = 1.42×10(-5 with prostate cancer. The most significant odds ratio (OR was recorded as 1.41 (95% confidence interval 1.18-1.68 for rs12653946. Rs9600079 did not show significant association (P = 8.07×10(-2 with prostate cancer in this study. The Phase II study refined these association signals, and identified several SNPs showing more significant association with prostate cancer than the very SNPs tested in Phase I.Our results provide further support for association of the C2orf43, FOXP4, GPRC6A and RFX6 genes with prostate cancer in Eastern Asian populations. This study also characterized the novel loci reported in the original GWAS with more details. Further work is still required to determine the functional variations and finally clarify the underlying biological mechanisms.

  3. Prevalence and risk factors of urinary incontinence in Chinese women: a population-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ge, Jing; Yang, Peng; Zhang, Yi; Li, Xinyu; Wang, Quanyi; Lu, Yongxian

    2015-03-01

    To estimate the current prevalence rate of urinary incontinence (UI) and to identify risk factors in Chinese women, we conducted a population-based survey in 3058 women in Beijing, China, in 2009. The prevalence rate of UI was estimated to be 22.1%, with stress UI (12.9%) being more prevalent than urgency UI (1.7%) and mixed UI (7.5%). The prevalence rates of UI, urgency UI, and mixed UI increased with age, with the highest recorded in participants aged ≥70 years. However, stress UI was most commonly seen in participants aged 50 to 69 years. Risk factors for UI included aging, lower education background, older age of menarche, menstrual disorder, pregnancy history, episiotomy, chronic pelvic pain, gynecological disease, other chronic diseases, constipation, fecal incontinence, lower daily water intake, and frequency of high protein intake. UI is a common disorder in Chinese women, and many risk factors are able to affect the development of UI. © 2011 APJPH.

  4. Association of Interleukin-1 Gene Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms with Keratoconus in Chinese Han Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yani; Wei, Wei; Zhang, Changning; Zhang, XueHui; Liu, Ming; Zhu, Xiuping; Xu, Kun

    2016-05-01

    To investigate whether interleukin-1 alpha (IL1A) and interleukin-1 beta (IL1B) polymorphisms are associated with keratoconus (KC) in unrelated Chinese Han patients. The IL1A (rs2071376) and IL1B (rs1143627, rs16944) polymorphisms were genotyped in 115 unrelated Chinese Han KC patients and 101 healthy Chinese Han volunteers with the Sequenom MassARRAY RS1000. Sequenom Typer 4.0 software, PLINK 1.07, Haploview 4.0 software platform were used to analyze the allelic variants of IL1A and IL1B genes, and their association with KC risk factors were assessed. Among the variants, the three SNPs (rs2071376 in IL1A, rs1143627 and rs16944 in the promoter region of IL1B) were different between the two groups. The A allele of rs2071376 (A > C, p = 0.017, OR = 1.968, 95% C.I. 1.313-3.425), the C allele of rs1143627 (C > T, p rs16944 (A > G, p = 0.002, OR = 2.401, 95% C.I. 1.396-4.161) were associated with a increased risk of KC in Chinese Han patients. This study showed that rs2071376, rs1143627 and rs16944 had significant differences in associations between KC patients and the control group when different genotypes were analyzed in three models (dominant, recessive, and additive). In the haplotype analysis, the two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs1143627 and rs16944 showed strong linkage disequilibrium. In addition, Haplotype "ACA" was found to be associated with a higher risk of developing KC (OR = 12.91, p < 0.001). Keratocyte apoptosis is an initiating event in the pathogenesis of KC which could be induced by the altered levels of IL1 gene. These findings confirmed that polymorphisms in IL1 genes were associated with risk of KC in the Chinese Han population, which help us to gain insight into the pathogenesis of KC.

  5. Association study of GABA system genes polymorphisms with amphetamine-induced psychotic disorder in a Han Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Kai; Zhao, Yan; Wang, Qingzhong; Jiang, Haifeng; Du, Jiang; Yu, Shunying; Zhao, Min

    2016-05-27

    GABA system genes have been implicated in neurotrophy and neurogenesis, which play pivotal roles in an individual's variation in vulnerability to amphetamine addiction or amphetamine-induced psychosis (AIP). We hypothesized that common genetic variants in the GABA system genes may be associated with amphetamine-induced psychotic disorder. In our study, thirty-six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the GABA system genes were genotyped in 400 amphetamine-induced psychotic disorder patients and 400 amphetamine use disorders patients (AUP) (not including those categorized as psychosis) in the Han Chinese population. In this study, 51.88% of the Han Chinese amphetamine-type substance use disorder patients met the criteria of amphetamine-induced psychotic disorder, and 79.5% amphetamine-induced psychotic disorder patients had auditory hallucinations, while 46.5% had delusions of reference. The allele frequency of rs1129647 showed nominal association with AIP in the Han Chinese population (P=0.03). Compared with AUP group patients, T allele frequency of AIP group patients was significantly increased. The adjustment for age and gender factors in the AIP and AUP patients was executed using unconditional logistic regression under five inheritance models. The genotype frequency of rs1129647 showed nominal association with AIP in the log-additive model (P=0.04). The genotype frequency of rs2290733 showed nominal association with AIP in the recessive model (P=0.04). Compared with female AIP patients, male patients were more likely to have the CC genotype of rs17545383 (P=0.04). Moreover, we determined that more male patients carried the T allele of rs2290733 in the AIP group (P=0.004). Unfortunately, the significant differences did not survive Benjamini-Hochberg false discovery rate correction (adjusted P>0.05). No association between the SNPs of the GABA system genes and amphetamine-induced psychotic disorder risk was identified. No haplotype of the GABA system

  6. A change in strategy: Static emotion recognition in Malaysian Chinese

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    Chrystalle B.Y. Tan

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Studies have shown that while East Asians focused on the center of the face to recognize identities, participants adapted their strategy by focusing more on the eyes to identify emotions, suggesting that the eyes may contain salient information pertaining to emotional state in Eastern cultures. However, Western Caucasians employ the same strategy by moving between the eyes and mouth to identify both identities and emotions. Malaysian Chinese have been shown to focus on the eyes and nose more than the mouth during face recognition task, which represents an intermediate between Eastern and Western looking strategies. The current study examined whether Malaysian Chinese continue to employ an intermediate strategy or shift towards an Eastern or Western pattern (by fixating more on the eyes or mouth respectively during an emotion recognition task. Participants focused more on the eyes, followed by the nose then mouth. Directing attention towards the eye region resulted in better recognition of certain own- than other-race emotions. Although the fixation patterns appear similar for both tasks, further analyses showed that fixations on the eyes were reduced whereas fixations on the nose and mouth were increased during emotion recognition, indicating that participants adapt looking strategies based on their aims.

  7. Brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens was concentrated at the rear of the typhoon Soudelor in Eastern China in August 2015.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Jian; Wang, Ye-Chen; Hu, Yan-Yue; Lu, Ming-Hong; Wan, Gui-Jun; Chen, Fa-Jun; Liu, Wan-Cai; Zhai, Bao-Ping; Hu, Gao

    2017-03-28

    Sometimes, extreme weather is vital for the population survival of migratory insects by causing sudden population collapse or outbreak. Several studies have shown that rice planthopper migration was significantly influenced by typhoons in eastern Asia. Most typhoons occur in the summer, especially in August. In August, brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) migrates northward or southward depending on wind direction, and thus typhoons can potentially influence its migration process and population distribution. However, this has not yet been studied. This paper reported a case study on the effects of Typhoon Soudelor on the summer migration of N. lugens in eastern China in 2015. The migration pathways of N. lugens were reconstructed for the period under the influence of a typhoon by calculating the trajectories and migration events in eight counties of the Yangtze River Valley region with ancillary information. Trajectory modelling showed that most migrants took short distance migrations (less than 200 km) under the influence of the Typhoon Soudelor. Numerous N. lugens migrants were concentrated and deposited at the rear of the typhoon during the last 5 days of Typhoon Soudelor on August 9-13 due to horizontal convergence, and this led to an outbreak population. These results indicated that the N. lugens population was redistributed by the typhoon in the summer and that the population dynamics at the rear of a typhoon should be kept under close surveillance. This study provided insight into migratory organisms adapting to atmospheric features. © 2017 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

  8. Performance of the international physical activity questionnaire (short form) in subgroups of the Hong Kong chinese population

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF) has been validated and recommended as an efficient method to assess physical activity, but its validity has not been investigated in different population subgroups. We examined variations in IPAQ validity in the Hong Kong Chinese population by six factors: sex, age, job status, educational level, body mass index (BMI), and visceral fat level (VFL). Methods A total of 1,270 adults (aged 42.9 ± SD 14.4 years, 46.1% male) completed the Chinese version of IPAQ (IPAQ-C) and wore an accelerometer (ActiGraph) for four days afterwards. The IPAQ-C and the ActiGraph were compared in terms of estimated Metabolic Equivalent Task minutes per week (MET-min/wk), minutes spent in activity of moderate or vigorous intensity (MVPA), and agreement in the classification of physical activity. Results The overall Spearman correlation (ρ) of between the IPAQ-C and ActiGraph was low (0.11 ± 0.03; range in subgroups 0.06-0.24) and was the highest among high VFL participants (0.24 ± 0.05). Difference between self-reported and ActiGraph-derived MET-min/wk (overall 2966 ± 140) was the smallest among participants with tertiary education (1804 ± 208). When physical activity was categorized into over or under 150 min/wk, overall agreement between self-report and accelerometer was 81.3% (± 1.1%; subgroup range: 77.2%-91.4%); agreement was the highest among those who were employed full-time in physically demanding jobs (91.4% ± 2.7%). Conclusions Sex, age, job status, educational level, and obesity were found to influence the criterion validity of IPAQ-C, yet none of the subgroups showed good validity (ρ = 0.06 to 0.24). IPAQ-SF validity is questionable in our Chinese population. PMID:21801461

  9. Heterogeneity revealed through meta-analysis might link geographical differences with nasopharyngeal carcinoma incidence in Han Chinese populations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Su, Wen-Hui; Chiu, Chi-Cking; Yao Shugart, Yin

    2015-01-01

    Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an epithelial malignancy highly prevalent in southern China, and incidence rates among Han Chinese people vary according to geographic region. Recently, three independent genome-wide association studies (GWASs) confirmed that HLA-A is the main risk gene for NPC. However, the results of studies conducted in regions with dissimilar incidence rates contradicted the claims that HLA-A is the sole risk gene and that the association of rs29232 is independent of the HLA-A effect in the chromosome 6p21.3 region. We performed a meta-analysis, selecting five single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in chromosome 6p21.3 mapped in three published GWASs and four case–control studies. The studies involved 8994 patients with NPC and 11,157 healthy controls, all of whom were Han Chinese. The rs2517713 SNP located downstream of HLA-A was significantly associated with NPC (P = 1.08 × 10 −91 , odds ratio [OR] = 0.58, 95 % confidence interval [CI] = 0.55–0.61). The rs29232 SNP exhibited a moderate level of heterogeneity (I 2 = 47 %) that disappeared (I 2 = 0 %) after stratification by moderate- and high-incidence NPC regions. Our results suggested that the HLA-A gene is strongly associated with NPC risk. In addition, the heterogeneity revealed by the meta-analysis of rs29232 might be associated with regional differences in NPC incidence among Han Chinese people. The higher OR of rs29232 and the fact that rs29232 was independent of the HLA-A effect in the moderate-incidence population suggested that rs29232 might have greater relevance to NPC incidence in a moderate-incidence population than in a high-incidence population. The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-015-1607-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

  10. Association between common variants near LBX1 and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis replicated in the Chinese Han population.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wenjie Gao

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS is one of the most common spinal deformities found in adolescent populations. Recently, a genome-wide association study (GWAS in a Japanese population indicated that three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs, rs11190870, rs625039 and rs11598564, all located near the LBX1 gene, may be associated with AIS susceptibility [1]. This study suggests a novel AIS predisposition candidate gene and supports the hypothesis that somatosensory functional disorders could contribute to the pathogenesis of AIS. These findings warrant replication in other populations. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: First, we conducted a case-control study consisting of 953 Chinese Han individuals from southern China (513 patients and 440 healthy controls, and the three SNPs were all found to be associated with AIS predisposition. The ORs were observed as 1.49 (95% CI 1.23-1.80, P = 5.09E-5, 1.70 (95% CI 1.42-2.04, P = 1.17E-8 and 1.52 (95% CI 1.27-1.83, P = 5.54E-6 for rs625039, rs11190870 and rs11598564, respectively. Second, a case-only study including a subgroup of AIS patients (N = 234 was performed to determine the effects of these variants on the severity of the condition. However, we did not find any association between these variants and the severity of curvature. CONCLUSION: This study shows that the genetic variants near the LBX1 gene are associated with AIS susceptibility in Chinese Han population. It successfully replicates the results of the GWAS, which was performed in a Japanese population.

  11. Cerebral asymmetry in a selected Chinese population

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Y.X.; He, G.X.; Tong, G.H.; Wang, D.B.; Xu, K.Y.

    1999-01-01

    Previous studies have demonstrated anatomical differences between the two cerebral hemispheres and ethnic differences in cerebral asymmetry. This study examined asymmetry of Chinese living in Shanghai. Measurements were taken across the frontal, mid-cerebral and occipital regions from normal head computed tomography (CT) scans of 200 Chinese Shanghai residents (100 male and 100 female, aged 6-73 years, average 48.7 years). The results were compared with reported data in the literature. The following results were found: (i) In the frontal region the right side was larger than the left in 57.5% of cases, equal in 10.5% and smaller in 32% of cases; in the mid-cerebral region the right side was larger than the left in 65.5% of cases, equal in 12.5% and smaller in 22% of cases; in the occipital regions the right side was larger than the left in 34.5% of cases, equal in 8.5% and smaller in 57% of cases. The average right-left differences between the frontal, mid-cerebral and occipital regions were 0.43 mm, 0.9 mm and 0.4 mm respectively. No difference in cerebral asymmetry existed between males and females. The occipital lobes showed the greatest individual asymmetry. The distribution of cerebral asymmetry of Chinese in Shanghai showed similarity to North American Whites rather than North American Blacks, but the average right-left differences were smaller than those of Whites. Copyright (1999) Blackwell Science Pty Ltd

  12. Association Study between Ghrelin Gene Polymorphism and Metabolic Syndrome in a Han Chinese Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    You, Yueyue; Yu, Yaqin; Wu, Yanhua; Rao, Wenwang; Zhang, Yangyu; Liu, Yingyu; Yang, Guang; Fu, Yingli; Shi, Jieping; Kou, Changgui

    2017-01-01

    Ghrelin, in humans, is a hormone secreted from the stomach with an orexigenic effect, which is good for digestion and absorption, as well as regulating physical growth, metabolism, and energy balance. It is also involved in the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study assessed the association between single nucleotide variants of the GHRL gene and the risk of metabolic syndrome in a Han Chinese population. A case-control study was performed on 3780 Han Chinese comprising 1813 MetS cases and 1967 controls. Three missense polymorphisms in GHRL (rs26802, rs10490816, and rs696217) were selected, and the association between these polymorphisms and the risk of MetS was investigated. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the criteria of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). Using Pearson's 2 test, we found that there were no significant differences in genotype distributions and allele frequencies between cases and controls (all p > 0.05). There were also no significant differences in haplotype distributions between MetS cases and healthy controls. Furthermore, we confirmed that rs26802 of the GHRL gene is associated with body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and fasting glucose; rs10490816 is associated with triglycerides (TG) and total cholesterol (TC); while rs696217 is associated with hip circumference and fasting glucose. We concluded that mutations in the GHRL gene did not confer risk for MetS in our study population. Therefore, functional analysis and replication studies in other populations are needed to further investigate the exact role of the GHRL gene in MetS.

  13. Potentially functional polymorphism in IL-23 receptor and risk of acute myeloid leukemia in a Chinese population.

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    Xifeng Qian

    Full Text Available The interleukin-23 (IL-23 and its receptor (IL-23R mediate the direct antitumor activities in human hematologic malignancies including pediatric acute leukemia. Two potentially functional genetic variants (IL-23R rs1884444 T>G and rs6682925 T>C have been found to contribute to solid cancer susceptibility. In this study, we conducted a case-control study including 545 acute myeloid leukemia (AML patients and 1,146 cancer-free controls in a Chinese population to assess the association between these two SNPs and the risk of AML. We found that IL-23R rs1884444 TG/GG and rs6682925 TC/CC variant genotypes were associated with significantly increased risk of AML [rs1884444: adjusted odds ratio (OR = 1.28, 95% confidence interval (CI = 1.01-1.62; rs6682925: adjusted OR = 1.30, 95%CI = 1.01-1.67], compared to their corresponding wild-type homozygotes, respectively. These findings indicated that genetic variants in IL-23R may contribute to AML risk in our Chinese population.

  14. Community Education in Eastern Chinese Coastal Cities: Issues and Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Suju

    2009-01-01

    This paper first reviews the development of community education in Shanghai, one of China's eastern coastal cities. Then the development of community education in the Xuhui District of Shanghai, especially its management system and operational mechanisms, school operating systems and networks, curriculum systems, and team building are presented.…

  15. Population Spatial Dynamics of Larix potaninii in Alpine Treeline Ecotone in the Eastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau, China

    OpenAIRE

    Jia’nan Cui; Jihong Qin; Hui Sun

    2017-01-01

    The high-altitude treeline is known to be sensitive to climate variability, and is thus considered as a bio-monitoring indicator of climate change. However, our understanding of the population dynamics and the cumulative climate-change effects on the alpine treeline ecotone in recent decades is limited. Here, we investigated the population dynamics of Larix potainii on the south- and north-facing slopes in the alpine treeline ecotone in the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, China, includ...

  16. EU-China Trade Partnership: Strategic Importance of Central and Eastern European Members

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Loredana Jitaru

    2016-01-01

    the increase of Chinese investment in Europe. This paper aims to analyze trade flows betweenChina and the EU member states in Central and Eastern Europe in the framework of the EU-Chinatrade partnership and how these countries can be considered a strategic partner in EU-Chinatrade relations.

  17. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of Fasciola flukes from eastern India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayashi, Kei; Ichikawa-Seki, Madoka; Mohanta, Uday Kumar; Singh, T Shantikumar; Shoriki, Takuya; Sugiyama, Hiromu; Itagaki, Tadashi

    2015-10-01

    Fasciola flukes from eastern India were characterized on the basis of spermatogenesis status and nuclear ITS1. Both Fasciola gigantica and aspermic Fasciola flukes were detected in Imphal, Kohima, and Gantoku districts. The sequences of mitochondrial nad1 were analyzed to infer their phylogenetical relationship with neighboring countries. The haplotypes of aspermic Fasciola flukes were identical or showed a single nucleotide substitution compared to those from populations in the neighboring countries, corroborating the previous reports that categorized them in the same lineage. However, the prevalence of aspermic Fasciola flukes in eastern India was lower than those in the neighboring countries, suggesting that they have not dispersed throughout eastern India. In contrast, F. gigantica was predominant and well diversified, and the species was thought to be distributed in the area for a longer time than the aspermic Fasciola flukes. Fasciola gigantica populations from eastern India were categorized into two distinct haplogroups A and B. The level of their genetic diversity suggests that populations belonging to haplogroup A have dispersed from the west side of the Indian subcontinent to eastern India with the artificial movement of domestic cattle, Bos indicus, whereas populations belonging to haplogroup B might have spread from Myanmar to eastern India with domestic buffaloes, Bubalus bubalis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. CHARACTERIZING THE 25-HYDROXYVITAMIN D STATUS OF TWO POPULATIONS OF FREE-RANGING EASTERN BOX TURTLES (TERRAPENE CAROLINA CAROLINA).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watson, Megan K; Byrd, John; Phillips, Christopher A; Allender, Matthew C

    2017-09-01

    Ultraviolet B radiation is recommended for captive reptiles to stimulate production of adequate levels of vitamin D; however, little is known regarding the vitamin D status in many free-ranging populations. Current reference ranges for vitamin D in eastern box turtles have not yet been established. Sixty free-ranging eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) from two well-studied populations in Illinois (n = 24) and Tennessee (n = 36) were assayed for plasma vitamin D concentration in 2014. There were no significant differences in concentrations between individuals in Illinois (mean: 117.5 nM/L) and Tennessee (mean: 98.7 nM/L) (P = 0.129) populations. Similarly, there were no differences in concentrations based on age class (P = 0.533) or sex (P = 0.532). There was a significant correlation between UV at the time of capture and vitamin D concentrations (R = 0.301, P = 0.030). Vitamin D was not correlated with total calcium (R = 0.018, P = 0.89) or Ca : P ratio (R = 0.025, P = 0.85). Diseases in captive individuals, including secondary nutritional hyperparathyroidism, may commonly be associated with vitamin D deficiencies, and clinical intervention relies on reference data. Vitamin D supplementation may be recommended if animals are deemed to be deficient. Data obtained can be used to improve the care of captive and free-ranging turtles by providing reference ranges, as well as better characterize the health of wild populations.

  19. Health inequalities among rural and urban population of Eastern Poland in the context of sustainable development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pantyley, Viktoriya

    2017-09-21

    The primary goals of the study were a critical analysis of the concepts associated with health from the perspective of sustainable development, and empirical analysis of health and health- related issues among the rural and urban residents of Eastern Poland in the context of the sustainable development of the region. The study was based on the following research methods: a systemic approach, selection and analysis of the literature and statistical data, developing a special questionnaire concerning socio-economic and health inequalities among the population in the studied area, field research with an interview questionnaire conducted on randomly-selected respondents (N=1,103) in randomly selected areas of the Lubelskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie and eastern part of Mazowieckie Provinces (with the division between provincial capital cities - county capital cities - other cities - rural areas). The results of statistical surveys in the studied area with the use of chi-square test and contingence quotients indicated a correlation between the state of health and the following independent variables: age, life quality, social position and financial situation (C-Pearson's coefficient over 0,300); a statistically significant yet weak correlation was recorded for gender, household size, place of residence and amount of free time. The conducted analysis proved the existence of a huge gap between state of health of the population in urban and rural areas. In order to eliminate unfavourable differences in the state iof health among the residents of Eastern Poland, and provide equal sustainable development in urban and rural areas of the examined areas, special preventive programmes aimed at the residents of peripheral, marginalized rural areas should be implemented. In these programmes, attention should be paid to preventive measures, early diagnosis of basic civilization and social diseases, and better accessibility to medical services for the residents.

  20. Genetic variations in the MCT1 (SLC16A1) gene in the Chinese population of Singapore.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lean, Choo Bee; Lee, Edmund Jon Deoon

    2009-01-01

    MCT1(SLC16A1) is the first member of the monocarboxylate transporter (MCT) and its family is involved in the transportation of metabolically important monocarboxylates such as lactate, pyruvate, acetate and ketone bodies. This study identifies genetic variations in SLC16A1 in the ethnic Chinese group of the Singaporean population (n=95). The promoter, coding region and exon-intron junctions of the SLC16A1 gene encoding the MCT1 transporter were screened for genetic variation in the study population by DNA sequencing. Seven genetic variations of SLC16A1, including 4 novel ones, were found: 2 in the promoter region, 2 in the coding exons (both nonsynonymous variations), 2 in the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) and 1 in the intron. Of the two mutations detected in the promoter region, the -363-855T>C is a novel mutation. The 1282G>A (Val(428)Ile) is a novel SNP and was found as heterozygotic in 4 subjects. The 1470T>A (Asp(490)Glu) was found to be a common polymorphism in this study. Lastly, IVS3-17A>C in intron 3 and 2258 (755)A>G in 3'UTR are novel mutations found to be common polymorphisms in the local Chinese population. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a comprehensive analysis on the MCT1 gene in any population.

  1. Genetic variant rs7758229 in 6q26-q27 is not associated with colorectal cancer risk in a Chinese population.

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    Lingjun Zhu

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: A recent genome-wide association study has identified a new genetic variant rs7758229 in SLC22A3 for colorectal cancer susceptibility in a Japanese population, but it is unknown whether this newly identified variant is associated with colorectal cancer in other populations, including the Chinese population. METHODS: We examined the associations between rs7758229 and colorectal cancer risk among 1,147 cases and 1,203 controls matched by age and sex. Logistic regression model was used to assess the associations. RESULTS: No significant association was found between rs7758229 and colorectal cancer risk (OR = 0.95, 95%CI = 0.84-1.09, P = 0.463. Similar results were observed in the stratification of tumor location (OR = 0.94, 95%CI = 0.80-1.11, P = 0.481 for colon cancer, and OR = 0.96, 95%CI = 0.82-1.13, P = 0.621 for rectum cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings did not support an association between rs7758229 in 6q26-q27 and the risk of colorectal cancer in a Chinese population.

  2. ApoE rs429358 and rs7412 Polymorphism and Gender Differences of Serum Lipid Profile and Cognition in Aging Chinese Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhen, Jie; Huang, Xiaochen; Van Halm-Lutterodt, Nicholas; Dong, Shengqi; Ma, Weiwei; Xiao, Rong; Yuan, Linhong

    2017-01-01

    ApoE gene polymorphism has been reportedly associated with serum lipids and cognition. However, very few studies have explored the combined effects of ApoE gene polymorphism and gender on serum lipid profile with subsequent impacts on cognition in Chinese population. A total of 1,000 Chinese community dwellers aged 55 years and above were recruited in this cross-sectional study. Demographic information of the participants was collected using well designed self-administered questionnaires. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test was employed to evaluate the cognitive status of the participants. Semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to obtain the dietary intake information. Fasting venous blood samples were taken for ApoE genotyping and serum lipid measurements. Significant gender differences in cognition, serum lipid profile and dietary fat-rich foods consumption were observed ( p < 0.05). Cognition of the subjects was found to be associated with ApoE genotypes ( p < 0.05). ApoE rs429358 and rs7412 variants demonstrated a significant effect on cognitive performance in the male subjects; especially within the attention and language cognitive domains as well as the total MoCA score ( p < 0.05), respectively. Serum lipid profile and cognition of Chinese adults are significantly linked with gender and ApoE genetic polymorphism. The ApoE variant rs429358 is found to be notably associated with cognition in aging male Chinese population.

  3. Population Trend and Elasticities of Vital Rates for Steller Sea Lions (Eumetopias jubatus in the Eastern Gulf of Alaska: A New Life-History Table Analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John M Maniscalco

    Full Text Available Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus numbers are beginning to recover across most of the western distinct population segment following catastrophic declines that began in the 1970s and ended around the turn of the century. This study makes use of contemporary vital rate estimates from a trend-site rookery in the eastern Gulf of Alaska (a sub-region of the western population in a matrix population model to estimate the trend and strength of the recovery across this region between 2003 and 2013. The modeled population trend was projected into the future based on observed variation in vital rates and a prospective elasticity analysis was conducted to determine future trends and which vital rates pose the greatest threats to recovery. The modeled population grew at a mean rate of 3.5% per yr between 2003 and 2013 and was correlated with census count data from the local rookery and throughout the eastern Gulf of Alaska. If recent vital rate estimates continue with little change, the eastern Gulf of Alaska population could be fully recovered to pre-decline levels within 23 years. With density dependent growth, the population would need another 45 years to fully recover. Elasticity analysis showed that, as expected, population growth rate (λ was most sensitive to changes in adult survival, less sensitive to changes in juvenile survival, and least sensitive to changes in fecundity. A population decline could be expected with only a 6% decrease in adult survival, whereas a 32% decrease in fecundity would be necessary to bring about a population decline. These results have important implications for population management and suggest current research priorities should be shifted to a greater emphasis on survival rates and causes of mortality.

  4. Population Trend and Elasticities of Vital Rates for Steller Sea Lions (Eumetopias jubatus) in the Eastern Gulf of Alaska: A New Life-History Table Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maniscalco, John M; Springer, Alan M; Adkison, Milo D; Parker, Pamela

    2015-01-01

    Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) numbers are beginning to recover across most of the western distinct population segment following catastrophic declines that began in the 1970s and ended around the turn of the century. This study makes use of contemporary vital rate estimates from a trend-site rookery in the eastern Gulf of Alaska (a sub-region of the western population) in a matrix population model to estimate the trend and strength of the recovery across this region between 2003 and 2013. The modeled population trend was projected into the future based on observed variation in vital rates and a prospective elasticity analysis was conducted to determine future trends and which vital rates pose the greatest threats to recovery. The modeled population grew at a mean rate of 3.5% per yr between 2003 and 2013 and was correlated with census count data from the local rookery and throughout the eastern Gulf of Alaska. If recent vital rate estimates continue with little change, the eastern Gulf of Alaska population could be fully recovered to pre-decline levels within 23 years. With density dependent growth, the population would need another 45 years to fully recover. Elasticity analysis showed that, as expected, population growth rate (λ) was most sensitive to changes in adult survival, less sensitive to changes in juvenile survival, and least sensitive to changes in fecundity. A population decline could be expected with only a 6% decrease in adult survival, whereas a 32% decrease in fecundity would be necessary to bring about a population decline. These results have important implications for population management and suggest current research priorities should be shifted to a greater emphasis on survival rates and causes of mortality.

  5. The Latent Class Structure of Chinese Patients with Eating Disorders in Shanghai

    OpenAIRE

    ,; ,; ,; ,; ,; ,; ,; ,; ,; ,

    2017-01-01

    Background Eating disorder is culture related, and the clinical symptoms are different between eastern and western patients. So the validity of feeding and eating disorders in the upcoming ICD-11 guide for Chinese patients is unclear. Aims To explore the latent class structure of Chinese patients with eating disorder and the cross-cultural validity of the eating disorder section of the new ICD-11 guide in China. Methods A total of 379 patients with eating disorders at Shanghai Mental Health C...

  6. Validity and reliability of the Traditional Chinese version of the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory in general population

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chuang, Li-Ling; Chuang, Yu-Fen; Hsu, Miao-Ju; Huang, Ying-Zu; Wong, Alice M. K.

    2018-01-01

    Background Fatigue is a common symptom in the general population and has a substantial effect on individuals’ quality of life. The Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI) has been widely used to quantify the impact of fatigue, but no Traditional Chinese translation has yet been validated. The goal of this study was to translate the MFI from English into Traditional Chinese (‘the MFI-TC’) and subsequently to examine its validity and reliability. Methods The study recruited a convenience sample of 123 people from various age groups in Taiwan. The MFI was examined using a two-step process: (1) translation and back-translation of the instrument; and (2) examination of construct validity, convergent validity, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and measurement error. The validity and reliability of the MFI-TC were assessed by factor analysis, Spearman rho correlation coefficient, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), minimal detectable change (MDC), and Bland-Altman analysis. All participants completed the Short-Form-36 Health Survey Taiwan Form (SF-36-T) and the Chinese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) concurrently to test the convergent validity of the MFI-TC. Test-retest reliability was assessed by readministration of the MFI-TC after a 1-week interval. Results Factor analysis confirmed the four dimensions of fatigue: general/physical fatigue, reduced activity, reduced motivation, and mental fatigue. A four-factor model was extracted, combining general fatigue and physical fatigue as one factor. The results demonstrated moderate convergent validity when correlating fatigue (MFI-TC) with quality of life (SF-36-T) and sleep disturbances (PSQI) (Spearman's rho = 0.68 and 0.47, respectively). Cronbach’s alpha for the MFI-TC total scale and subscales ranged from 0.73 (mental fatigue subscale) to 0.92 (MFI-TC total scale). ICCs ranged from 0.85 (reduced motivation) to 0.94 (MFI-TC total scale), and

  7. Chinese Global and Russian Spatial Strategies: Harmonization Potential

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pavel Aleksandrovich Minakir

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available A probability of the harmonization of the Chinese sub-global strategy ‘One Belt, One Road’, proposed in 2013, and Russian integration project for the Eurasia economic cooperation are reviewed as well as the influence of this potential synchronized project on the Far Eastern segment of the Russian spatial strategy. It is noted that the problems of spatial heterogeneity gave push to the ‘One Belt, One Road’ project when China approached the point in economic development where different regional economic zones demand new infrastructural solutions for maintaining economic dynamics. The article shows that the declared co-development of countries involved is based on the rigid pragmatic financial-credit and infrastructural expansion of Central Asian model: mandatory provision of significant share in property (controlling stake, if possible, mandatory financing with construction contract and guaranteed future export of services for operating the facilities, ensuring the rights on full (or no less than 50% export of raw materials for further processing to China, employing Chinese labor in Russian-Chinese enterprises, and using Chinese machinery and equipment

  8. Variants of Interferon Regulatory Factor 5 are Associated with Neither Neuromyelitis Optica Nor Multiple Sclerosis in the Southeastern Han Chinese Population

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Qi-Bing Liu; Lei Wu; Gui-Xian Zhao; Ping-Ping Cai; Zhen-Xin Li; Zhi-Ying Wu

    2015-01-01

    Background:Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and multiple sclerosis (MS) are demyelinating disorders of the central nervous system.Interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) is a common susceptibility gene to different autoimmune disorders.However,the association of IRF5 variants with NMO and MS patients has not been well studied.Therefore,we aimed to evaluate whether IRF5 variants were associated with NMO and MS in the Southeastern Han Chinese population.Methods:Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected and genotyped by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry in 111 NMO patients,145 MS patients and 300 controls from Southeastern China.Results:None of these 4 SNPs was associated with NMO or MS patients.Conclusions:Our preliminary study indicates that genetic variants in IRF5 may affect neither NMO nor MS in the Southeastern Han Chinese population.Further studies with a large sample size and diverse ancestry populations are needed to clarify this issue.

  9. A modified sagittal spine postural classification and its relationship to deformities and spinal mobility in a chinese osteoporotic population.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hua-Jun Wang

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Abnormal posture and spinal mobility have been demonstrated to cause functional impairment in the quality of life, especially in the postmenopausal osteoporotic population. Most of the literature studies focus on either thoracic kyphosis or lumbar lordosis, but not on the change of the entire spinal alignment. Very few articles reported the spinal alignment of Chinese people. The purpose of this study was threefold: to classify the spinal curvature based on the classification system defined by Satoh consisting of the entire spine alignment; to identify the change of trunk mobility; and to relate spinal curvature to balance disorder in a Chinese population. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: 450 osteoporotic volunteers were recruited for this study. Spinal range of motion and global curvature were evaluated noninvasively using the Spinal-Mouse® system and sagittal postural deformities were characterized. RESULTS: We found a new spine postural alignment consisting of an increased thoracic kyphosis and decreased lumbar lordosis which we classified as our modified round back. We did not find any of Satoh's type 5 classification in our population. Type 2 sagittal alignment was the most common spinal deformity (38.44%. In standing, thoracic kyphosis angles in types 2 (58.34° and 3 (58.03° were the largest and lumbar lordosis angles in types 4 (13.95° and 5 (-8.61° were the smallest. The range of flexion (ROF and range of flexion-extension (ROFE of types 2 and 3 were usually greater than types 4 and 5, with type 1 being the largest. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The present study classified and compared for the first time the mobility, curvature and balance in a Chinese population based on the entire spine alignment and found types 4 and 5 to present the worst balance and mobility. This study included a new spine postural alignment classification that should be considered in future population studies.

  10. Clinical and genetic characteristics of Pseudohypoparathyroidism in the Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chu, Xueying; Zhu, Yan; Wang, Ou; Nie, Min; Quan, Tingting; Xue, Yu; Wang, Wenbo; Jiang, Yan; Li, Mei; Xia, Weibo; Xing, Xiaoping

    2018-02-01

    Pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) is caused by mutations and epimutations in the GNAS locus, and characterized by the possibility of resistance to multiple hormones and Albright's hereditary osteodystrophy. PHP can be classified into the forms 1A/C, sporadic 1B and familial 1B. To obtain an overall view of the clinical and genetic characteristics of the Chinese PHP patient population. From 2000 to 2016, 120 patients were recruited and studied using Sanger sequencing, methylation-specific multiple ligation-dependent probe amplification (MS-MLPA) and combined bisulfite restriction analysis (COBRA). Of these patients, 104 had positive molecular alterations indicative of certain forms of PHP and were included in data analysis. Clinical and laboratory features were compared between PHP1A/C and PHP1B patients. Ten PHP1A/C, 21 familial PHP1B and 73 sporadic PHP1B patients were identified. Four novel GNAS mutations were discovered in these patients, including c.1038+1G>T, c.530+2T>C, c.880_883delCAAG and c.311_312delAAG, insT. The most common symptoms in this series were recurrent tetany (89.4%) and epilepsy (47.1%). The prevalence of weight excess increased with age for PHP1B (10%-35%) and PHP1A/C (50%-75%). Intracranial calcification had a prevalence of 94.6% and correlated with seizures (r = .227, P = .029). Cataracts occurred in 56.2% PHP patients, and there was a trend towards longer disease duration in patients with cataracts (P = .051). Statistically significant differences (P PHP1B and PHP1A/C patients, including age of onset (10 vs 7 year), short stature (21.3% vs 70%), rounded face (60.6% vs 100%), brachydactyly (25.5% vs 100%), ectopic ossification (1.1% vs 40%) and TSH resistance (44.6% vs 90%), respectively. This study is the largest single-centre series of PHP patients and summarizes the clinical and genetic features of the Chinese PHP population. While there was substantial clinical overlap between PHP1A/C and PHP1B, differences in disease progression

  11. CHRNA5 polymorphism and susceptibility to lung cancer in a Chinese population

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shen, Bo [Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Department of Medical Oncology, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province (China); Zhu, Qun [Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Department of Endocrinology, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province (China); Zheng, Ma-Qing [College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province (China); Chen, Jia; Shi, Mei-Qi; Feng, Ji-Feng [Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Department of Medical Oncology, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province (China)

    2013-01-11

    Polymorphisms in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit CHRNA5 gene have been associated with lung cancer positive susceptibility in European and American populations. In the present hospital-based, case-control study, we determined whether polymorphism in rs503464 of CHRNA5 is associated with lung cancer risk in Chinese individuals. A single nucleotide polymorphism in CHRNA5 rs503464, c.-166T>A (hereafter T>A), was identified using TaqMan-MGB probes with sequencing via PCR in 600 lung cancer cases and 600 healthy individuals. Genotype frequencies for rs503464 (T>A) were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for the control population. However, genotype frequencies were significantly different between cases and controls (P < 0.05), while allele frequencies were not significantly different between groups. Compared to homozygous genotypes (TT or AA), the risk of lung cancer in those with the heterozygous genotype (TA) was significantly lower (OR = 0.611, 95%CI = 0.486-0.768, P = 0.001). Using genotype AA as a reference, the risk of lung cancer for those with genotype TA was increased 1.5 times (OR = 1.496, 95%CI = 1.120-1.997, P = 0.006). However, no difference in risk was observed between T allele carriers and A allele carriers (OR = 0.914, 95%CI = 0.779-1.073, P = 0.270). Stratification analysis showed that the protective effect of TA was more pronounced in those younger than 60 years, nonsmokers, or those without a family history of cancer, as well as in patients with adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma in clinical stages III or IV (P < 0.05). Therefore, the heterozygous genotype c.-166T>A at rs503464 of CHRNA5 may be associated with reduced risk of lung cancer, thus representing a susceptibility allele in Chinese individuals.

  12. CHRNA5 polymorphism and susceptibility to lung cancer in a Chinese population

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shen, Bo; Zhu, Qun; Zheng, Ma-Qing; Chen, Jia; Shi, Mei-Qi; Feng, Ji-Feng

    2013-01-01

    Polymorphisms in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit CHRNA5 gene have been associated with lung cancer positive susceptibility in European and American populations. In the present hospital-based, case-control study, we determined whether polymorphism in rs503464 of CHRNA5 is associated with lung cancer risk in Chinese individuals. A single nucleotide polymorphism in CHRNA5 rs503464, c.-166T>A (hereafter T>A), was identified using TaqMan-MGB probes with sequencing via PCR in 600 lung cancer cases and 600 healthy individuals. Genotype frequencies for rs503464 (T>A) were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for the control population. However, genotype frequencies were significantly different between cases and controls (P < 0.05), while allele frequencies were not significantly different between groups. Compared to homozygous genotypes (TT or AA), the risk of lung cancer in those with the heterozygous genotype (TA) was significantly lower (OR = 0.611, 95%CI = 0.486-0.768, P = 0.001). Using genotype AA as a reference, the risk of lung cancer for those with genotype TA was increased 1.5 times (OR = 1.496, 95%CI = 1.120-1.997, P = 0.006). However, no difference in risk was observed between T allele carriers and A allele carriers (OR = 0.914, 95%CI = 0.779-1.073, P = 0.270). Stratification analysis showed that the protective effect of TA was more pronounced in those younger than 60 years, nonsmokers, or those without a family history of cancer, as well as in patients with adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma in clinical stages III or IV (P < 0.05). Therefore, the heterozygous genotype c.-166T>A at rs503464 of CHRNA5 may be associated with reduced risk of lung cancer, thus representing a susceptibility allele in Chinese individuals

  13. Genetic association between NRG1 and schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder in Han Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wen, Zujia; Chen, Jianhua; Khan, Raja Amjad Waheed; Song, Zhijian; Wang, Meng; Li, Zhiqiang; Shen, Jiawei; Li, Wenjin; Shi, Yongyong

    2016-04-01

    Schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder are three major psychiatric disorders affecting around 0.66%, 3.3%, and 1.5% of the Han Chinese population respectively. Several genetic linkage analyses and genome wide association studies identified NRG1 as a susceptibility gene of schizophrenia, which was validated by its role in neurodevelopment, glutamate, and other neurotransmitter receptor expression regulation. To further investigate whether NRG1 is a shared risk gene for major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder as well as schizophrenia, we performed an association study among 1,248 schizophrenia cases, 1,056 major depression cases, 1,344 bipolar disorder cases, and 1,248 controls. Totally 15 tag SNPs were genotyped and analyzed, and no population stratification was found in our sample set. Among the sites, rs4236710 (corrected Pgenotye  = 0.015) and rs4512342 (Pallele  = 0.03, Pgenotye  = 0.045 after correction) were associated with schizophrenia, and rs2919375 (corrected Pgenotye  = 0.004) was associated with major depressive disorder. The haplotype rs4512342-rs6982890 showed association with schizophrenia (P = 0.03 for haplotype "TC" after correction), and haplotype rs4531002-rs11989919 proved to be a shared risk factor for both major depressive disorder ("CC": corrected P = 0.009) and bipolar disorder ("CT": corrected P = 0.003). Our results confirmed that NRG1 was a shared common susceptibility gene for major mental disorders in Han Chinese population. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Validation of the Dyadic Coping Inventory with Chinese couples: Factorial structure, measurement invariance, and construct validity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Feng; Hilpert, Peter; Randall, Ashley K; Li, Qiuping; Bodenmann, Guy

    2016-08-01

    The Dyadic Coping Inventory (DCI, Bodenmann, 2008) assesses how couples support each other when facing individual (e.g., workload) and common (e.g., parenting) stressors. Specifically, the DCI measures partners' perceptions of their own (Self) and their partners' behaviors (Partner) when facing individual stressors, and partners' common coping behaviors when facing common stressors (Common). To date, the DCI has been validated in 6 different languages from individualistic Western cultures; however, because culture can affect interpersonal interactions, it is unknown whether the DCI is a reliable measure of coping behaviors for couples living in collectivistic Eastern cultures. Based on data from 474 Chinese couples (N = 948 individuals), the current study examined the Chinese version of the DCI's factorial structure, measurement invariance (MI), and construct validity of test scores. Using 3 cultural groups (China, Switzerland, and the United States [U.S.]), confirmatory factor analysis revealed a 5-factor structure regarding Self and Partner and a 2-factor structure regarding Common dyadic coping (DC). Results from analyses of MI indicated that the DCI subscales met the criteria for configural, metric, and full/partial scalar invariance across cultures (Chinese-Swiss and Chinese-U.S.) and genders (Chinese men and women). Results further revealed good construct validity of the DCI test scores. In all, the Chinese version of the DCI can be used for measuring Chinese couples' coping behaviors, and is available for cross-cultural studies examining DC behaviors between Western and Eastern cultures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  15. Development and Validation of a Risk-Score Model for Type 2 Diabetes: A Cohort Study of a Rural Adult Chinese Population.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ming Zhang

    Full Text Available Some global models to predict the risk of diabetes may not be applicable to local populations. We aimed to develop and validate a score to predict type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM in a rural adult Chinese population. Data for a cohort of 12,849 participants were randomly divided into derivation (n = 11,564 and validation (n = 1285 datasets. A questionnaire interview and physical and blood biochemical examinations were performed at baseline (July to August 2007 and July to August 2008 and follow-up (July to August 2013 and July to October 2014. A Cox regression model was used to weigh each variable in the derivation dataset. For each significant variable, a score was calculated by multiplying β by 100 and rounding to the nearest integer. Age, body mass index, triglycerides and fasting plasma glucose (scores 3, 12, 24 and 76, respectively were predictors of incident T2DM. The model accuracy was assessed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC, with optimal cut-off value 936. With the derivation dataset, sensitivity, specificity and AUC of the model were 66.7%, 74.0% and 0.768 (95% CI 0.760-0.776, respectively. With the validation dataset, the performance of the model was superior to the Chinese (simple, FINDRISC, Oman and IDRS models of T2DM risk but equivalent to the Framingham model, which is widely applicable in a variety of populations. Our model for predicting 6-year risk of T2DM could be used in a rural adult Chinese population.

  16. Association of RTEL1 gene polymorphisms with stroke risk in a Chinese Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Yi; Zeng, Chaosheng; Su, Qingjie; Zhou, Jingxia; Li, Pengxiang; Dai, Mingming; Wang, Desheng; Long, Faqing

    2017-12-29

    We investigated the associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the regulator of telomere elongation helicase 1 ( RTEL1 ) gene and stroke in the Chinese population. A total of 400 stroke patients and 395 healthy participants were included in this study. Five SNPs in RTEL1 were genotyped and the association with stroke risk was analyzed. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated using unconditional logistic regression analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify SNPs that correlated with stroke. Rs2297441 was associated with an increased risk of stroke in an allele model (odds ratio [OR] = 1.24, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.01-1.52, p = 0.043). Rs6089953 was associated with an increased risk of stroke under the genotype model ([OR] = 1.862, [CI] = 1.123-3.085, p = 0.016). Rs2297441 was associated with an increased risk of stroke in an additive model (OR = 1.234, 95% CI = 1.005, p = 0.045, Rs6089953, Rs6010620 and Rs6010621 were associated with an increased risk of stroke in the recessive model (Rs6089953:OR = 1.825, 95% CI = 1.121-2.969, p =0.01546; Rs6010620: OR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.008-2.669, p =0.04656;Rs6010621:OR = 1.661, 95% CI = 1.014-2.722, p =0.04389). Our findings reveal a possible association between SNPs in the RTEL1 gene and stroke risk in Chinese population.

  17. Predicting the 10-Year Risks of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in Chinese Population: The China-PAR Project (Prediction for ASCVD Risk in China).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Xueli; Li, Jianxin; Hu, Dongsheng; Chen, Jichun; Li, Ying; Huang, Jianfeng; Liu, Xiaoqing; Liu, Fangchao; Cao, Jie; Shen, Chong; Yu, Ling; Lu, Fanghong; Wu, Xianping; Zhao, Liancheng; Wu, Xigui; Gu, Dongfeng

    2016-11-08

    The accurate assessment of individual risk can be of great value to guiding and facilitating the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). However, prediction models in common use were formulated primarily in white populations. The China-PAR project (Prediction for ASCVD Risk in China) is aimed at developing and validating 10-year risk prediction equations for ASCVD from 4 contemporary Chinese cohorts. Two prospective studies followed up together with a unified protocol were used as the derivation cohort to develop 10-year ASCVD risk equations in 21 320 Chinese participants. The external validation was evaluated in 2 independent Chinese cohorts with 14 123 and 70 838 participants. Furthermore, model performance was compared with the Pooled Cohort Equations reported in the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guideline. Over 12 years of follow-up in the derivation cohort with 21 320 Chinese participants, 1048 subjects developed a first ASCVD event. Sex-specific equations had C statistics of 0.794 (95% confidence interval, 0.775-0.814) for men and 0.811 (95% confidence interval, 0.787-0.835) for women. The predicted rates were similar to the observed rates, as indicated by a calibration χ 2 of 13.1 for men (P=0.16) and 12.8 for women (P=0.17). Good internal and external validations of our equations were achieved in subsequent analyses. Compared with the Chinese equations, the Pooled Cohort Equations had lower C statistics and much higher calibration χ 2 values in men. Our project developed effective tools with good performance for 10-year ASCVD risk prediction among a Chinese population that will help to improve the primary prevention and management of cardiovascular disease. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

  18. Chinese Geography through Chinese Cuisine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lipman, Jonathan

    2010-01-01

    China has the world's largest population, now over 1.3 billion, but its land area (much of it high mountains or desert) is about the same as that of the United States, which has less than one-fourth as many people. So Chinese farmers have learned to use every inch of their fertile land intensively. Pressure on the land has required extremely…

  19. Genome-wide scan identifies variant in TNFSF13 associated with serum IgM in a healthy Chinese male population.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ming Yang

    Full Text Available IgM provides a first line of defense during microbial infections. Serum IgM levels are detected routinely in clinical practice. And IgM is a genetically complex trait. We conducted a two-stage genome-wide association study (GWAS to identify genetic variants affecting serum IgM levels in a Chinese population of 3495, including 1999 unrelated subjects in the first stage and 1496 independent individuals in the second stage. Our data show that a common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP, rs11552708 located in the TNFSF13 gene was significantly associated with IgM levels (p = 5.00×10(-7 in first stage, p = 1.34×10(-3 in second stage, and p = 4.22×10(-9 when combined. Besides, smoking was identified to be associated with IgM levels in both stages (P0.05. It is suggested that TNFSF13 may be a susceptibility gene affecting serum IgM levels in Chinese male population.

  20. Association of a transforming growth factor-β1 polymorphism with acute coronary syndrome in a Chinese Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Y N; Zhao, B; Li, X M; Xie, X; Liu, F; Chen, B D

    2014-04-03

    Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a complex multifactorial and polygenic disorder that is thought to result from the interaction between an individual's genetic makeup and various environmental factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of a transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) polymorphism (-509C>T) with ACS in a Chinese Han population. The TGF-β1 polymorphism was evaluated in 336 patients with ACS and 396 healthy control subjects by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. The genotype distributions of the control and ACS groups were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (X(2) = 3.54 and X(2) = 1.72, respectively, P > 0.05). The frequencies of the CC, CT, and TT genotypes were 22.61, 53.57, and 20.83% in the ACS group, respectively, whereas they were 8.33, 48.74, and 42.17% in controls. There were significant differences between controls and ACS patients in the frequencies of the CC genotype and the C allele. These results suggest that the promoter polymorphism (-509C>T) in TGF-β1 is associated with ACS in this population. The CC genotype and the C allele of TGF-β1 might be a specific risk factor of ACS in the Chinese Han population in Xinjiang.

  1. Use of traditional Chinese medicine in patients with hyperlipidemia: A population-based study in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chu, Shih-Meng; Shih, Wei-Tai; Yang, Yao-Hsu; Chen, Pau-Chung; Chu, Yen-Hua

    2015-06-20

    Chinese herbal products (CHPs) are commonly used in patients with hyperlipidemia in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Because hyperlipidemia and related disease are common issues worldwide, this study analyzed the prescription patterns and frequencies of CHPs for treating patients with hyperlipidemia in Taiwan. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has become popular as a therapy for controlling symptoms in patients with hyperlipidemia. This study aimed to analyze the prescription patterns of TCM for patients with hyperlipidemia in Taiwan. The study population was recruited from a random-sampled cohort of 1,000,000 people from the National Health Insurance Research Database between 2003 and 2009. We identified 30,784 outpatient visits related with hyperlipidemia diagnosis and collected these medical records. Association rules of data mining were conducted to explore the co-prescription patterns for Chinese herbal products (CHPs). The most commonly prescribed herbal formula for hyperlipidemia treatment was Xue-Fu-Zhu-Yu-Tang (16.1%), and Shan Zha (Crataegi fructus; 25.0%) was the most commonly prescribed single herb. The most commonly prescribed combination of an herbal formula and a single herb was Xue-Fu-Zhu-Yu-Tang and Dan Shen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae), and the most commonly prescribed combination of couplet herbs was Dan Shen and Shan Zha. Xue-Fu-Zhu-Yu-Tang is the most frequently prescribed formula and is typically prescribed with Shan Zha, Dan Shen, and He Shou Wu for patients with hyperlipidemia. Clinical trials are warranted in future research to investigate the effects of the CHPs in terms of safety and efficacy and in particular to evaluate potential interactions with conventional treatments. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

  2. Association of ghrelin Leu72Met polymorphism with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jing; Liu, Jia; Tian, Li-min; Liu, Ju-xiang; Bing, Ya-jun; Zhang, Ji-ping; Wang, Yun-Fang; Zhang, Lu-yan

    2012-08-10

    Ghrelin, a novel endogenous ligand for the growth hormone secretagogue receptor, is considered to implicate the development of the type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The Leu72Met (+408C>A) polymorphism of the preproghrelin, has been linked to obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes. To investigate the distribution of ghrelin gene Leu72Met polymorphism and its association with the type 2 diabetes mellitus in Chinese population. We conducted a case-control study on 877 patients with T2DM and 864 controls, which were genotyped by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) and DNA sequence analysis. Laboratory analyses were carried out in the hospital laboratory. No significant difference in the Leu72Met genotype distributions and allele frequency was observed between type 2 diabetes mellitus and controls (both P>0.05). The polymorphism was not associated with T2DM. However, among the T2DM group, the patients carrying Leu72Leu genotype had significantly increased levels of FPG and serum creatinine compared with variant genotypes (Leu72Met and Met72Met) (Ppolymorphism of the preproghrelin gene was not associated with T2DM in Chinese population. However, it may have some roles in the etiology of insulin resistance. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Associations of ACE I/D, AGT M235T gene polymorphisms with pregnancy induced hypertension in Chinese population: a meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Ming; Zhang, Jie; Nie, Shaofa; Yan, Weirong

    2012-09-01

    There have been many studies concerning the associations of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) I/D, angiotensinogen (AGT) M235T polymorphisms with pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) among Chinese populations. However, the results were inconsistent, prompting the necessity of meta-analysis. Studies published in English and Chinese were mainly searched in EMbase, PubMed and CBM up to January 2012. Twenty-three studies with 3,551 subjects for ACE I/D and seven studies with 1,296 subjects for AGT M235T were included. Significant associations were found between ACE I/D and PIH under dominant, recessive and allelic models. A separate analysis confined to preeclampsia suggested that ACE I/D was associated with preeclampsia under recessive model and allelic model, but not dominant model. Stratified analyses were conducted as meta-regression analysis indicated that the sample size of case group was a significant source of heterogeneity, which suggested no significant association between ACE I/D and PIH in the subgroup of more than 100 cases. Associations were found between AGT M235T and PIH under dominant genetic model (OR = 1.59; 95 %CI: 1.04-2.42), recessive genetic model (OR = 1.60; 95 %CI: 1.07-2.40), and allelic model (OR = 1.40; 95 %CI: 1.17-1.68). No publication bias was found in either meta-analysis. The present meta-analysis suggested significant associations between ACE I/D, AGT M235T and PIH in Chinese populations. However, no significant association was found between ACE I/D and PIH in the subgroup of more than 100 cases. Studies with larger sample sizes are necessary to investigate the associations between gene polymorphisms and PIH in Chinese populations.

  4. Development and validation of a fine-motor assessment tool for use with young children in a Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siu, Andrew M H; Lai, Cynthia Y Y; Chiu, Amy S M; Yip, Calvin C K

    2011-01-01

    Most of the fine-motor assessment tools used in Hong Kong have been designed in Western countries, so there is a need to develop a standardized assessment which is relevant to the culture and daily living tasks of the local (that is, Chinese) population. This study aimed to (1) develop a fine-motor assessment tool (the Hong Kong Preschool Fine-Motor Developmental Assessment [HK-PFMDA]) for use with young children in a Chinese population and (2) examine the HK-PFMDA's psychometric properties. The HK-PFMDA was developed by a group of occupational therapists specializing in the area of developmental disabilities in Hong Kong. A panel of 21 experts reviewed the content validity of the instrument. Rasch item analysis was used to examine the model fit of items against the rating scale model, and to explore the dimensionality of the test. Intra- and interrater reliability, convergent validity, and criterion-related validity were examined. The participants included 783 children without disabilities, 45 with autistic spectrum disorder, and 35 with developmental delay. The Rasch analysis suggested that the 87-item HK-PFMDA had a unidimensional structure, as the items explained most (91.6%) of the variance. The HK-PFMDA demonstrated excellent intra- (ICC = .99) and interrater reliability (ICC = .99), and internal consistency (α ranging from .83 to .92). In terms of validity, the HK-PFMDA had significant positive correlations with both age and the convergent measures of the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales (PDMS-2). A set of normative data for local children aged from birth to 6 years was established. The HK-PFMDA has shown excellent psychometric properties and is suitable for clinical application by occupational therapists in the assessment of fine-motor skills development of young children in Chinese populations. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Genetic association between selected cytokine genes and glioblastoma in the Han Chinese population

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jin, Tianbo; Li, Xiaolan; Zhang, Jiayi; Wang, Hong; Geng, Tingting; Li, Gang; Gao, Guodong; Chen, Chao

    2013-01-01

    Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most malignant brain tumor. Many abnormal secretion and expression of cytokines have been found in GBM, initially speculated that the occurrence of GBM may be involved in these abnormal secretion of cytokines. This study aims to detect the association of cytokine genes with GBM. We selected seven tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (tSNPs) in six cytokine genes, which previously reported to be associated with brain tumors, and analyzed their association with GBM in a Han Chinese population using χ 2 test and genetic model analysis. We found two risk tSNPs and one protective tSNP. By χ 2 test, the rs1801275 in IL-4R showed an increased risk of GBM. In the genetic model analysis, the genotype “TC” of rs20541 in IL-13 gene showed an increased risk of GBM in over-dominant model (OR = 2.00; 95% CI, 1.13-3.54, p = 0.015); the genotype “CT” of rs1800871 in the IL-10 gene showed a decrease risk in the over-dominant model (OR = 0.57; 95% CI, 0.33 – 0.97; p = 0.037). The genotype “AG” of rs1801275 in the IL-4R gene showed an increase risk in over-dominant model (OR = 2.29; 95% CI, 1.20 - 4.35; p = 0.0081) We further analyzed whether the six cytokine genes have a different effect on the disease in gender specific population, and found that the allele “G” of rs2243248 in the IL-4 gene showed a decrease risk of GBM in female (OR = 0.35, 95% CI, 0.13 - 0.94, p = 0.0032), but the allele “T” showed a decrease risk in male (OR = 0.30, 95% CI, 0.17 - 0.53, p = 0.0032). Our findings, combined with previously reported results, suggest that cytokine genes have potential role in GBM development, which may be useful to early prognostics for GBM in the Han Chinese population

  6. [Disease burden caused by violence in the Chinese population, in 1990 and 2013].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, L; Gao, X; Jin, Y; Ye, P P; Er, Y L; Deng, X; Wang, Y; Duan, L L

    2017-10-10

    Objective: To analyze the disease burden of violence in the Chinese population, in 1990 and 2013. Methods: Indicators including mortality rate, years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLL), years lived with disability (YLD), and disability-adjusted of life years (DALY) related to violence, were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease 2013 and used to describe the burden of disease caused by violence in the Chinese population. Data related to corresponding parameters on disease burden of violence in 1990 and 2013 were described. Results: In 2013, a total of 20 500 people died of violent events, with the death rate as 1.44 per 100 000, in China. DALY caused by violence was 1.08 million person years in 2013. DALY caused by sharp violence was 0.47 million person years, with 0.09 million person years lost due to firearm violence. Disease burden caused by violence appeared higher in males than in females. When comparing with data from the 1990s, reductions were seen by 67.35 % on the standardized death rate of violence, by 68.07 % on the DALY attributable to violence, and by 70.47 % on the standardized DALY rate attributable to violence, respectively, in 2013. Disease burden of violence among young adults and elderly was among the highest. When comparing with data from the 1990, DALY in 2013 decreased among all the age groups except for the 70-year-old showed an increase of 9.36 % . The standardized DALY rate in 2013 showed a declining trend in all the age groups, mostly in the 0-4-year-old group. The standardized DALY rates caused by sharp violence or firearm decreased by75.11 % and 83.20 % in the 0-4-year-old group. Conclusion: In recent years, the disease burden caused by violence showed a decreasing trend but appeared higher in males however with the increase of DALY in the elder population.

  7. Genetic polymorphisms in HLA-DP and STAT4 are associated with IgA nephropathy in a Southwest Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Bin; Zhang, Junlong; Liu, Xinle; Huang, Zhuochun; Su, Zhenzhen; Liao, Yun; Wang, Lanlan

    2018-01-23

    IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common chronic glomerular disease worldwide. Genetic factors are thought to be crucial in the pathogenesis of IgAN. However, few data are available on the relationship between human leucocyte antigen (HLA) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) polymorphisms and IgAN susceptibility in the Chinese population. Therefore, we examined HLA-DP/DQ and STAT4 polymorphisms (rs3077, rs9277535, rs7453920 and rs7574865) in a total of 630 subjects including 140 IgAN and 490 healthy controls in Chinese. There were significant associations between IgAN patients and healthy controls in the allele frequency of rs3077, rs9277535 and rs7574865. In addition, the genotypes of rs3077, rs9277535 and rs7574865 were also significantly associated with IgAN under recessive models. Moreover, the haplotypes block AAG, AGG, GAG and GGA in the HLA gene significantly correlated with the risk of IgAN. This is the first study demonstrating the significant associations of SNP rs3077, rs9277535 and rs7574865 and the haplotypes in the HLA gene with the risk of IgAN in a Southwest Chinese population. This research provides a new insight into the significant relationship between HLA-DP and STAT4 polymorphisms and the susceptibility to IgAN.

  8. Distribution, population status, and threats of nationally threatened Cantor's leaf-nosed bat Hipposideros galeritus Cantor, 1846 in eastern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Subrat Debata

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available This report provides information regarding the distribution range, population status, and threats of the nationally threatened Cantor's leaf-nosed bat from Odisha, eastern India. The study revealed six new roosting sites of the species with an estimated total population of 97 individuals. Roosting sites were mostly recorded within moist deciduous habitats, located in caves, old temples, and buildings. In most of the sites, bats are threatened from roost site disturbance and hunted for ethnozoological uses. We recommend long-term monitoring on population trends in relation to human activities. The information generated from the study will aid in reassessing the conservation status of the species in future.

  9. Association of STAT4 polymorphisms with hepatitis B virus infection and clearance in Chinese Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Xianzhong; Su, Kunkai; Tao, Jingjing; Fan, Rongli; Xu, Yi; Han, Haijun; Li, Lanjuan; Li, Ming D

    2016-11-01

    Genome-wide association study indicates that STAT4 is a plausible candidate for an association study with HBV-related liver diseases. We aimed to examine the roles of STAT4 polymorphisms on HBV-related liver diseases in a Chinese Han population. We selected 13 SNPs in STAT4 based on the HapMap database to investigate their associations in 3,033 participants. SNP rs7574865 was significantly associated with HBV infection [odds ratio (OR) 1.15; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.00, 1.31; P = 0.046] and clearance (OR 1.17; 95 % CI 1.02, 1.33; P = 0.028). Further, haplotype-based association analysis indicated that the haplotype CTCTT, formed by SNPs rs8179673, rs7574865, rs4274624, rs11889341, and rs10168266, was significantly associated with HBV infection (OR 0.87; 95 % CI 0.76, 0.99; P = 0.022) and clearance (OR 0.86; 95 % CI 0.75, 0.99; P = 0.018). Bioinformatics analysis of these SNPs predicted that they participate in transcriptional regulation. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that variants in STAT4 play a critical role in HBV infection and clearance in the Chinese Han population.

  10. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the IRF6 and TFAP2A in non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCLP) in a northern Chinese population

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shi, Jinna; Song, Tao; Jiao, Xiaohui; Qin, Chunlin; Zhou, Jin

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → IRF6 rs642961 polymorphism is intensively associated with NSCLP. → IRF6 rs2235371 polymorphism is not associated with NSCLP in the northern Chinese population. → This investigation failed to yield any evidence for the involvement of TFAP2A polymorphisms in NSCLP in the northern Chinese population. -- Abstract: Non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCLP) is a common birth defect that is presumably caused by genetic factors alone or gene alterations in combination with environmental changes. A number of studies have shown an association between NSCLP and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the interferon regulatory factor 6 (IRF6) gene in several populations. The transcription factor AP-2a (TFAP2A), which is involved in regulating mid-face development and upper lip fusion, has also be considered a candidate gene contributing to the etiology of NSCLP. The potential importance of IRF6 and TFAP2A in the NSCLP is further highlighted by a study showing that the two molecules are in the same developmental pathway. To further assess the roles of the IRF6 and TFAP2A in NSCLP, we investigated two identified IRF6 SNPs (rs2235371, rs642961) and three TFAP2A tag SNPs (rs3798691, rs1675414, rs303050) selected from HapMap data in a northern Chinese population, a group with a high prevalence of NSCLP. These SNPs were examined for association with NSCLP in 175 patients and 160 healthy controls. We observed a significant correlation between IRF6 rs642961 and NSCLP, and a lack of association between IRF6 rs2235371 polymorphisms and NSCLP in this population. This investigation indicated that there is no association between the three SNPs in the TFAP2A and NSCLP, suggesting that TFAP2A may not be involved in the development of NSCLP in the northern Chinese population. Our study provides further evidence regarding the role of IRF6 variations in NSCLP development and finds no significant association between TFAP2A and NSCLP in this northern

  11. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the IRF6 and TFAP2A in non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCLP) in a northern Chinese population

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shi, Jinna, E-mail: kqkjk@yahoo.com.cn [Department of Periodontology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin (China); Song, Tao; Jiao, Xiaohui [Department of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin (China); Qin, Chunlin [Department of Biomedical Sciences, Texas A and M Health Science Center, Baylor College of Dentistry, Dallas, TX (United States); Zhou, Jin [Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin (China)

    2011-07-15

    Highlights: {yields} IRF6 rs642961 polymorphism is intensively associated with NSCLP. {yields} IRF6 rs2235371 polymorphism is not associated with NSCLP in the northern Chinese population. {yields} This investigation failed to yield any evidence for the involvement of TFAP2A polymorphisms in NSCLP in the northern Chinese population. -- Abstract: Non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCLP) is a common birth defect that is presumably caused by genetic factors alone or gene alterations in combination with environmental changes. A number of studies have shown an association between NSCLP and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the interferon regulatory factor 6 (IRF6) gene in several populations. The transcription factor AP-2a (TFAP2A), which is involved in regulating mid-face development and upper lip fusion, has also be considered a candidate gene contributing to the etiology of NSCLP. The potential importance of IRF6 and TFAP2A in the NSCLP is further highlighted by a study showing that the two molecules are in the same developmental pathway. To further assess the roles of the IRF6 and TFAP2A in NSCLP, we investigated two identified IRF6 SNPs (rs2235371, rs642961) and three TFAP2A tag SNPs (rs3798691, rs1675414, rs303050) selected from HapMap data in a northern Chinese population, a group with a high prevalence of NSCLP. These SNPs were examined for association with NSCLP in 175 patients and 160 healthy controls. We observed a significant correlation between IRF6 rs642961 and NSCLP, and a lack of association between IRF6 rs2235371 polymorphisms and NSCLP in this population. This investigation indicated that there is no association between the three SNPs in the TFAP2A and NSCLP, suggesting that TFAP2A may not be involved in the development of NSCLP in the northern Chinese population. Our study provides further evidence regarding the role of IRF6 variations in NSCLP development and finds no significant association between TFAP2A and NSCLP in this

  12. ApoE rs429358 and rs7412 Polymorphism and Gender Differences of Serum Lipid Profile and Cognition in Aging Chinese Population

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jie Zhen

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available ApoE gene polymorphism has been reportedly associated with serum lipids and cognition. However, very few studies have explored the combined effects of ApoE gene polymorphism and gender on serum lipid profile with subsequent impacts on cognition in Chinese population. A total of 1,000 Chinese community dwellers aged 55 years and above were recruited in this cross-sectional study. Demographic information of the participants was collected using well designed self-administered questionnaires. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA test was employed to evaluate the cognitive status of the participants. Semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ was used to obtain the dietary intake information. Fasting venous blood samples were taken for ApoE genotyping and serum lipid measurements. Significant gender differences in cognition, serum lipid profile and dietary fat-rich foods consumption were observed (p < 0.05. Cognition of the subjects was found to be associated with ApoE genotypes (p < 0.05. ApoE rs429358 and rs7412 variants demonstrated a significant effect on cognitive performance in the male subjects; especially within the attention and language cognitive domains as well as the total MoCA score (p < 0.05, respectively. Serum lipid profile and cognition of Chinese adults are significantly linked with gender and ApoE genetic polymorphism. The ApoE variant rs429358 is found to be notably associated with cognition in aging male Chinese population.

  13. Genetic variations in the vitamin-D receptor (VDR) gene in preeclampsia patients in the Chinese Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhan, Ying; Liu, Mengchun; You, Yuelan; Zhang, Yan; Wang, Jingli; Wang, Xunfeng; Liu, Shiguo; Liu, Xuemei

    2015-07-01

    Previous studies have indicated that vitamin D deficiency is linked to a risk of preeclampsia (PE). The aim of our study was to investigate the association between genetic variations in the vitamin-D receptor (VDR) gene and the susceptibility to PE in the Chinese Han population. We examined the genotypes VDR rs2228570, rs11568820 and rs1544410 in 402 PE patients and 554 normal pregnant women in the third trimester by TaqMan allelic discrimination real-time polymerase chain reaction. The clinical data of the individuals were collected to enable genotype-phenotype analysis. A significant statistical difference in the genotypic frequencies of rs2228570 between cases and controls was found (χ(2)=13.750, P=0.001). The G allele was the risk factor for the risk of PE (χ(2)=9.456, P=0.002, OR=1.137, 95% CI 1.111-1.610). There was no difference in the genotypic and allelic distributions of rs11568820 and rs1544410 between the two groups (P> 0.05). Our results provide evidence for a possible link between VDR and the development of PE in the Chinese Han population.

  14. The Latent Class Structure of Chinese Patients with Eating Disorders in Shanghai.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Yuchen; Kang, Qing; Huang, Jiabin; Jiang, Wenhui; Liu, Qiang; Chen, Han; Fan, Qing; Wang, Zhen; Chen, Jue; Xiao, Zeping

    2017-08-25

    Eating disorder is culture related, and the clinical symptoms are different between eastern and western patients. So the validity of feeding and eating disorders in the upcoming ICD-11 guide for Chinese patients is unclear. To explore the latent class structure of Chinese patients with eating disorder and the cross-cultural validity of the eating disorder section of the new ICD-11 guide in China. A total of 379 patients with eating disorders at Shanghai Mental Health Center were evaluated using the EDI questionnaire and a questionnaire developed by researchers from 2010 to 2016. SPSS 20.0 was used to enter data and analyze demographic data, and Latent GOLD was employed to conduct latent profile analysis. According to the results of latent profile analysis, patients with eating disorder were divided into five classes: low-weight fasting class (23.1%), non-fat-phobic binge/purge class (21.54%), low-fat-phobic binge class (19.27%), fat-phobic binge class (19.27%), and non-fat-phobic low-weight class (16.76%). Among the clinical symptoms extracted, there were significant differences in Body Mass Index (BMI), binge eating behavior, self-induced vomiting, laxative use and fat-phobic opinion; while there was no significant difference in restrictive food intake. Based on the clinical symptoms, there are five latent classes in Chinese patients with eating disorder, which is in accordance with the diagnostic categories of feeding and eating disorder in ICD-11. However, further work is needed in improving the fat-phobic opinion of patients with eating disorder and clarifying the BMI standard of thinness in the Chinese population.

  15. Replication of 13 obesity loci among Singaporean Chinese, Malay and Asian-Indian populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dorajoo, R; Blakemore, A I F; Sim, X; Ong, R T-H; Ng, D P K; Seielstad, M; Wong, T-Y; Saw, S-M; Froguel, P; Liu, J; Tai, E-S

    2012-01-01

    Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 38 obesity-associated loci among European populations. However, their contribution to obesity in other ethnicities is largely unknown. We utilised five GWAS (N=10 482) from Chinese (three cohorts, including one with type 2 diabetes and another one of children), Malay and Indian ethnic groups from Singapore. Data sets were analysed individually and subsequently in combined meta-analysis for Z-score body-mass index (BMI) associations. Variants at the FTO locus showed the strongest associations with BMI Z-score after meta-analysis (P-values 1.16 × 10(-7)-7.95 × 10(-7)). We further detected associations with nine other index obesity variants close to the MC4R, GNPDA2, TMEM18, QPCTL/GIPR, BDNF, ETV5, MAP2K5/SKOR1, SEC16B and TNKS/MSRA loci (meta-analysis P-values ranging from 3.58 × 10(-4)-1.44 × 10(-2)). Three other single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from CADM2, PTBP2 and FAIM2 were associated with BMI (P-value ≤ 0.0418) in at least one dataset. The neurotrophin/TRK pathway (P-value=0.029) was highlighted by pathway-based analysis of loci that had statistically significant associations among Singaporean populations. Our data confirm the role of FTO in obesity predisposition among Chinese, Malays and Indians, the three major Asian ethnic groups. We additionally detected associations for 12 obesity-associated SNPs among Singaporeans. Thus, it is likely that Europeans and Asians share some of the genetic predisposition to obesity. Furthermore, the neurotrophin/TRK signalling may have a central role for common obesity among Asians.

  16. Towards understanding the low prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in Malays: genetic variants among Helicobacter pylori-negative ethnic Malays in the north-eastern region of Peninsular Malaysia and Han Chinese and South Indians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maran, Sathiya; Lee, Yeong Yeh; Xu, Shu Hua; Raj, Mahendra Sundramoorthy; Abdul Majid, Noorizan; Choo, Keng Ee; Zilfalil, Bin Alwi; Graham, David Y

    2013-04-01

    To identify gene polymorphisms that differ between Malays, Han Chinese and South Indians, and to identify candidate genes for the investigation of their role in protecting Malays from Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. Malay participants born and residing in Kelantan with a documented absence of H. pylori infection were studied. Venous blood was used for genotyping using the Affymetrix 50K Xba I kit. CEL files from 141 Han Chinese and 76 South Indians were analyzed to compare their allele frequency with that of the Malays using fixation index (FST ) calculation. The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with the highest allele frequency (outliers) were then examined for their functional characteristics using F-SNP software and the Entrez Gene database. In all, 37 Malays were enrolled in the study; of whom 7 were excluded for low genotyping call rates. The average FST estimated from the genome-wide data were 0.038 (Malays in Kelantan vs the South Indians), 0.015 (Malays in Kelantan vs Han Chinese) and 0.066 (Han Chinese vs South Indians), respectively. The outlier gene variants present in Malays with functional characteristics were C7orf10 (FST  0.29988), TSTD2 (FST  0.43278), SMG7 (FST  0.29877) and XPA (FST  0.43393 and 0.43644). Genetic variants possibly related to protection against H. pylori infection in ethnic Malays from the north-eastern region of Peninsular Malaysia were identified for testing in subsequent trials among infected and uninfected Malays. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Digestive Diseases © 2012 Chinese Medical Association Shanghai Branch, Chinese Society of Gastroenterology, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  17. Type 2 diabetes mellitus susceptibility gene TCF7L2 is strongly associated with hyperglycemia in the Saudi Arabia Population of the eastern province of Saudi Arabia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Acharya, S; Al-Elq, A; Al-Nafaie, A; Muzaheed, M; Al-Ali, A

    2015-08-01

    We studied the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs7903146, rs12255372 and rs4506565 in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) susceptibility gene, transcription factor 7 like 2 (TCF7L2) with T2DM among the population of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. In a case-control study, blood samples were collected from 359 T2DM patients and 351 age and sex-matched normoglycemic controls. Genotyping was done by allele specific PCR assay. Our results revealed a strong association between risk T alleles in variants rs12255372 (OR: G/T=1.4233; T/T=2.0395) and rs4506565 (OR: A/T=1.6066; T/T=3.1301) and T2DM among the Saudi population of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. This is the first time that this association has been identified in a Saudi population. However, a common variant, rs7903146, often found to be associated with T2DM in other populations failed to demonstrate any association to T2DM with the present population. These data further strengthens the hypothesis that Saudi populations might carry a distinct risk allele in T2DM susceptibility gene TCF7L2. The present results confirm that rs12255372 and rs4506565 variants of TCF7L2 show an association, but not rs7903146, with T2DM for the Saudi population of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

  18. Chinese Methods of Interpersonal Conflict Management

    Science.gov (United States)

    2007-05-24

    trees: it is a symbiosis of different trees, bushes, plants, insects, animals and micro-organisms, and we miss the essence of the forest if we only...The Far Eastern Quarterly (Pre-1986) 14, no. 4 (August 1955): 471; Qiguang Zhao, “Chinese Mythology in the Context of Hydraulic Society,” Asian...One is “all beneath the sky” and the other is “all within the four seas.” To the people of a maritime country such as the Greeks , it would be

  19. Genetic polymorphisms of 18 short tandem repeat loci in 3550 individuals from the Han population of Changchun, Northeast China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Zhen; Xia, Mingying; Bao, Helai; Wang, Linlin; Jin, Li; Li, Liming; Li, Shilin

    2016-11-01

    In this study, we analyzed 18 autosomal STRs on 3550 unrelated individuals collected from the Han population of Changchun. No significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was observed at all STR loci, and the expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.6275 to 0.9207. The combined match probability (CMP) was 2.42 × 10 - 22 , and the combined power of discrimination (CPD) was 99.9999999999999999999758 %. Changchun Han showed no significant difference between northern and eastern Han populations at nearly all STR loci, but had significant differences between southern Han at multiple STRs, as well as other Chinese ethnic populations. The phylogenetic analysis also showed that Changchun Han is genetically close to northern Hans, suggesting that the Han population of Changchun could mainly come from northern China.

  20. Diet and Blood Pressure Control in Chinese Canadians: Cultural Considerations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zou, Ping

    2017-04-01

    Hypertension is highly prevalent in Chinese Canadians and diet has been identified as an important modifiable risk factor for hypertension. The current anti-hypertensive dietary recommendations in hypertension care guidelines lack examination of cultural factors, are not culturally sensitive to ethnic populations, and cannot be translated to Chinese Canadian populations without cultural considerations. Guided by Leininger's Sunrise Model of culture care theory, this paper investigates how cultural factors impact Chinese Canadians' dietary practice. It is proposed that English language proficiency, health literacy, traditional Chinese diet, migration and acculturation, and Traditional Chinese Medicine influence Chinese Canadians' dietary practices. A culturally congruent nursing intervention should be established and tailored according to related cultural factors to facilitate Chinese Canadians' blood pressure control. In addition, further study is needed to test the model adapted from Sunrise Model and understand its mechanism.

  1. Characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine use for children with allergic rhinitis: a nationwide population-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yen, Hung-Rong; Liang, Kai-Li; Huang, Tzu-Ping; Fan, Ji-Yu; Chang, Tung-Ti; Sun, Mao-Feng

    2015-04-01

    Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common allergic disorder in children, some of whom seek complementary treatments, including acupuncture and Chinese herbs. Little, however, is known about the treatment of pediatric AR with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). To characterize TCM use in pediatric AR, we conducted a nationwide population-based study. We screened one million randomly sampled beneficiaries of the National Health Insurance Program in Taiwan from 2002 to 2010 to identify children herb was Chan-Tui (Periostracum cicadae; 13.78%). Regarding syndrome differentiation (ZHENG) according to TCM theory, prescriptions for the Cold Syndrome exceeded those for the Hot Syndrome throughout the year in Taiwan. We found that approximately two-thirds of pediatric AR patients were prescribed TCM treatments in Taiwan. Further research is warranted to examine the efficacy and safety of TCM for pediatric AR patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Cigarette smoking in male patients with chronic schizophrenia in a Chinese population: prevalence and relationship to clinical phenotypes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiang Yang Zhang

    Full Text Available The high prevalence of smoking in schizophrenia of European background may be related to smoking's reducing clinical symptoms and medication side effects. Because smoking prevalence and its associations with clinical phenotypes are less well characterized in Chinese than European patients with schizophrenia, we assessed these smoking behaviors using clinician-administered questionnaires and the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND in 776 Chinese male schizophrenia and 560 control subjects. Patients also were rated on the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS, the Simpson and Angus Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale (SAES, and the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS. We found that the schizophrenia patients had a higher lifetime incidence of smoking (79% vs 63%, were more likely to be heavy smokers (61% vs 31%, and had lower smoking cessation rates (4% vs 9% (all p0.05 than the non-smoking patients. These results suggest that Chinese males with schizophrenia smoke more frequently than the general population. Further, smokers with schizophrenia may display fewer negative symptoms and possibly less parkinsonism than non-smokers with schizophrenia.

  3. The influence of eastern philosophy on elder care by Chinese Americans: attitudes toward long-term care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Cary Stacy; Hung, Li-Ching

    2012-01-01

    Chinese philosophy has been a major cornerstone of Chinese culture for millennia and has bestowed on the world traditions such as Taoism, Yin and Yang, and filial piety. Although these beliefs have remained steadfast over thousands of years, their ability to survive unchanged in the future is uncertain. As the world forges ahead into the 21st century, several pertinent questions arise: Will age-old axioms, primarily those concerning elderly Chinese and their relationship with their children, survive? When ancient, traditional beliefs conflict with newer, Western ideas, which system of thought is likely to be the victor? Moreover, will elderly Chinese Americans and their perceptions concerning long-term care facilities cause problems with the traditional familial unit? This article will discuss these issues in detail.

  4. Comorbidity profile of poliomyelitis survivors in a Chinese population: a population-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Jiunn-Horng; Lin, Herng-Ching

    2011-06-01

    Previous reports of comorbid conditions in poliomyelitis survivors mainly focused on some disease categories, such as respiratory diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, psychiatric diseases, neurological diseases and cancer. Data regarding a wide spectrum of medical comorbidities in patients with poliomyelitis is still sparse. This study aimed to investigate and profile the wide range of comorbidities among the survivors of paralytic poliomyelitis in a Chinese population. In total, 2,032 paralytic poliomyelitis patients were selected as the study group and the comparison group consisted of 10,160 randomly selected enrollees. The comorbidities for analysis were based on a modified version of the Elixhauser Comorbidity Index. Conditional logistic regression analyses were computed to investigate the risk of comorbidities for these two groups. As compared to controls, patients with paralytic poliomyelitis had significantly higher prevalence of hypertension, ischemic heart disease, hyperlipidemia, congestive heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, peripheral vascular disorder, stroke, paralysis, migraines, Parkinson's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, pulmonary circulation disorders, chronic pulmonary disease, liver disease, peptic ulcers, hepatitis B or C, deficiency anemias, depression, and lymphoma. Most of the differences are of clinical interest, ORs often being between 2 and 3. No significant difference between poliomyelitis patients and controls was observed in the prevalence of SLE, tuberculosis, alcohol abuse and drug abuse. Our findings demonstrate that survivors of paralytic poliomyelitis in Taiwan are at higher risk of having multiple medical comorbidities although some potential confounding factors including educational level, marital status, obesity and physical activity are not available in our database. The pattern is generally consistent with previous observations from Western populations. Nevertheless, we found several novel associations

  5. [Polymorphism of PentaD and PentaE STR locus in five Chinese Han population].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Qiu-ling; Lu, Hui-ling; Lü, De-jian

    2003-01-01

    To obtain the genetic polymorphism data of Guangxi, Hunan, Henan, Sichuan, Taiwang Chinese Han population and compare the polymorphism of PentaD and PentaE STR locus. The two loci was analyzed by using the PowerPlex 16 System. 10 alleles of PentaD and 19 alleles of PentaE were found in the five Han population. PentaD and PentaE have the expected heterozygosity values of 0.7746-0.8047 and 0.9005-0.9219, the polymorphism information content values of 0.7710-0.8025 and 0.8969-0.9176, the discrimination power values of 0.9223-0.9341 and 0.9471-0.9782, the power of exclusion values of 0.5435-0.6325 and 0.6785-0.8465, respectively. The result showed that these two loci were highly informative and suitable for forensic application.

  6. Increasing Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in a Chinese Elderly Population: 2001–2010

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Bin; Sun, Dongling; Wu, Lei; Yang, Shanshan; Wang, Yiyan; Li, Xiaoying; He, Yao

    2013-01-01

    Objective The information on the changes of prevalence of MetS in China is limited. Our objective was to assess a 10-year’s change of the prevalence of MetS in a Chinese elderly population between 2001 and 2010. Methods We conducted two cross-sectional surveys in a representative sample of elderly population aged 60 to 95 years in Beijing in 2001 and 2010 respectively. MetS was defined according to the 2009 harmonizing definition. Results A total of 2,334 participants (943 male, 1,391 female) in 2001 and 2,102 participants (848 male, 1,254 female) in 2010 completed the survey. The prevalence of MetS was 50.4% (95%CI: 48.4%–52.4%) in 2001 and 58.1% (95%CI: 56.0%–60.2%) in 2010. The absolute change of prevalence of MetS was 7.7% over the 10-year’s period (pdislipidemia. PMID:23824753

  7. Network analysis of Chinese provincial economies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Xiaoqi; An, Haizhong; Liu, Xiaojia

    2018-02-01

    Global economic system is a huge network formed by national subnetworks that contains the provincial networks. As the second largest world economy, China has "too big to fail" impact on the interconnected global economy. Detecting the critical sectors and vital linkages inside Chinese economic network is meaningful for understanding the origin of this Chinese impact. Different from tradition network research at national level, this paper focuses on the provincial networks and inter-provincial network. Using Chinese inter-regional input-output table to construct 30 provincial input-output networks and one inter-provincial input-output network, we identify central sectors and vital linkages, as well as analyze economic structure similarity. Results show that (1) Communication Devices sector in Guangdong and that in Jiangsu, Transportation and Storage sector in Shanghai play critical roles in Chinese economy. (2) Advanced manufactures and services industry occupy the central positions in eastern provincial economies, while Construction sector, Heavy industry, and Wholesale and Retail Trades sector are influential in middle and western provinces. (3) The critical monetary flow paths in Chinese economy are Communication Devices sector to Communication Devices sector in Guangdong, Metals Mining sector to Iron and Steel Smelting sector in Henan, Communication Devices sector to Communication Devices sector in Jiangsu, as well as Petroleum Mining sector in Heilongjiang to Petroleum Processing sector in Liaoning. (4) Collective influence results suggest that Finance sector, Transportation and Storage sector, Production of Electricity and Heat sector, and Rubber and Plastics sector in Hainan are strategic influencers, despite being weakly connected. These sectors and input-output relations are worthy of close attention for monitoring Chinese economy.

  8. Raw Garlic Consumption and Lung Cancer in a Chinese Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myneni, Ajay A; Chang, Shen-Chih; Niu, Rungui; Liu, Li; Swanson, Mya K; Li, Jiawei; Su, Jia; Giovino, Gary A; Yu, Shunzhang; Zhang, Zuo-Feng; Mu, Lina

    2016-04-01

    Evidence of anticancer properties of garlic for different cancer sites has been reported previously in in vitro and in vivo experimental studies but there is limited epidemiologic evidence on the association between garlic and lung cancer. We examined the association between raw garlic consumption and lung cancer in a case-control study conducted between 2005 and 2007 in Taiyuan, China. Epidemiologic data was collected by face-to-face interviews from 399 incident lung cancer cases and 466 healthy controls. We used unconditional logistic regression models to estimate crude and adjusted ORs (aOR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI). Adjusted models controlled for age, sex, average annual household income 10 years ago, smoking, and indoor air pollution. Compared with no intake, raw garlic intake was associated with lower risk of development of lung cancer with a dose-response pattern (aOR for garlic consumption with indoor air pollution and with any supplement use in association with lung cancer. The results of the current study suggest that raw garlic consumption is associated with reduced risk of lung cancer in a Chinese population. This study contributes to the limited research in human population on the association between garlic and lung cancer and advocates further investigation into the use of garlic in chemoprevention of lung cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(4); 624-33. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

  9. Anatomic study on mental canal and incisive nerve canal in interforaminal region in Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Yun; Suo, Ning; Tian, Xiufen; Li, Fei; Zhong, Guangxin; Liu, Xiaoran; Bao, Yongxing; Song, Tao; Tian, Hua

    2015-08-01

    This study was aimed to detect the positions of mental canal and incisive nerve canal as well as the prolongation of mandibular canal in interforaminal region in Chinese population to supply the reference data of the surgical safe zone in chin for clinicians. A total of 80 formalin-fixed semi-mandibles of Chinese adult cadavers were dissected, the positions and courses of mental canal and incisive nerve canal as well as the prolongation of mandibular canal in interforaminal region were measured. The mental foramina were present in all cases (100 %), and most of them were located below 2nd premolar (58.75 %). Accessory mental foramina were observed in 5 %. The anterior end of mandibular canal, extending along the course of 7.37 ± 1.10 mm above the lower border of mandible to interforaminal region about 3.54 ± 0.70 mm medial to the mental foramen, most often ended below between the two premolars (73.75 %), where it continued as the incisive nerve canal (100 %) and the mental canal (96.25 %). Mental canal, with the wall formed by compact bone, being 2.60 ± 0.60 mm in diameter and 4.01 ± 1.20 mm in length, opened into mental foramen. Incisive nerve canal, with the wall formed by thin compact bone and/or partly or completely by spongy bone, being 1.76 ± 0.27 mm in diameter and 24.87 ± 2.23 mm in length, extended to the incisor region along the course of 9.53 ± 1.43 mm above the lower border of mandible, and most often ended below the lateral incisor (70.00 %). This research recommended for chin operations in Chinese population: the surgical safe zone could be set in the region about over 4 mm anterior to the mental foramen, and over 12 mm above inferior border of mandible for anterior alveolar surgery, or within 9 mm above inferior border of mandible for genioplasty.

  10. The rs7517847 polymorphism in the IL-23R gene is associated with gout in a Chinese Han male population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Shiguo; He, Hongmei; Yu, Renchao; Han, Lin; Wang, Can; Cui, Ying; Li, Changgui

    2015-05-01

    Gout is a polygenic auto-inflammatory disease, in which inflammation plays an important role in disease pathogenesis. The cytokine interleukin (IL)-23 promotes inflammation and helps to guide inflammatory cells, while studies have shown that the IL-23R gene is associated with susceptibility to several immune-related diseases. This study aimed to determine whether the IL-23R rs7517847 (G/T) polymorphism is associated with gout in a Chinese Han male population. We recruited 400 patients with gout and 582 gout-free controls. After obtaining blood samples for DNA extraction, genotyping of the rs7517847 polymorphism was performed by fluorescence-based quantitative PCR using TaqMan probes. An association analysis was carried out using the χ(2) test. A genotype-phenotype analysis was also conducted. Both genotypic and allelic frequencies of rs7517847 differed significantly between gout patients and controls (χ(2) = 6.792, df = 2, P = 0.034 by genotype; χ(2) = 4.202, df = 1, P = 0.04 by allele). IL-23R may be associated with gout in a Chinese Han male population, although our findings should be confirmed using larger sample sizes and other independent populations.

  11. The Brachyury Gly177Asp SNP Is not Associated with a Risk of Skull Base Chordoma in the Chinese Population

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhen Wu

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available A recent chordoma cancer genotyping study reveals that the rs2305089, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP located in brachyury gene and a key gene in the development of notochord, is significantly associated with chordoma risk. The brachyury gene is believed to be one of the key genes involved in the pathogenesis of chordoma, a rare primary bone tumor originating along the spinal column or at the base of the skull. The association between the brachyury Gly177Asp single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP and the risk of skull base chordoma in Chinese populations is currently unknown. We investigated the genotype distribution of this SNP in 65 skull-base chordoma cases and 120 healthy subjects. Comparisons of the genotype distributions and allele frequencies did not reveal any significant difference between the groups. Our data suggest that the brachyury Gly177Asp SNP is not involved in the risks of skull-base chordoma, at least in the Chinese population.

  12. Chronic periodontitis and oral health-related quality of life in Chinese adults: A population-based, cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Songlin; Wei, Shicheng; Wang, Jinhua; Ji, Ping

    2018-03-01

    This population-based, cross-sectional study explored the association between chronic periodontitis and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in Chinese adults, independently of sociodemographic factors and other common oral conditions. The present study was carried out in a sample population of 480 adults aged 35 to 74 years from Chongqing municipality. A multi-stage stratified random sampling approach was adopted to select participants. The Chinese version of the short-form oral health impact profile (OHIP-14) was used to assess OHRQoL. Chronic periodontitis was trichotomized into mild, moderate, and severe periodontitis. Logistic regression models were adopted to explore the association between the severity of chronic periodontitis and OHIP-14 scores. After adjustment for sociodemographic factors and other common clinical conditions, participants with severe and moderate chronic periodontitis, respectively, had 1.63- (95% CI: 1.41 to 1.98) and 1.42-fold (95% CI: 1.29 to 1.63) higher odds for the OHIP-14 scores being above the median compared with participants without chronic periodontitis. However, participants with mild periodontitis did not have significantly higher odds for the OHIP-14 scores being above the median than participants without chronic periodontitis. Certain sociodemographic variables, including higher age, lower education level, number of missing teeth, and current smoker, had negative associations with OHRQoL. Chronic periodontitis was associated with poorer OHRQoL in Chinese adults. In addition, the impairment in OHRQoL showed a significant correlation with the severity of chronic periodontitis. © 2018 American Academy of Periodontology.

  13. A Prospective Study of Venous Thromboembolic Prophylaxis Using Foot Pumps Following Total Knee Replacement in a Chinese Population

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    Yiu-Chung Wong

    2013-06-01

    Conclusion: The rate of proximal DVT after TKR was low (4.5% without pharmacological prophylaxis. We advise against the use of pharmacological prophylaxis in Chinese population for TKRs because of the low risk of proximal DVT and its possible bleeding complications. Foot pump did not lower the rate of DVTfurther, and its use for DVT prophylaxis in TKR is not necessary.

  14. Fine mapping of genetic polymorphisms of pulmonary tuberculosis within chromosome 18q11.2 in the Chinese population: a case-control study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dai Yaoyao

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Recently, one genome-wide association study identified a susceptibility locus of rs4331426 on chromosome 18q11.2 for tuberculosis in the African population. To validate the significance of this susceptibility locus in other areas, we conducted a case-control study in the Chinese population. Methods The present study consisted of 578 cases and 756 controls. The SNP rs4331426 and other six tag SNPs in the 100 Kbp up and down stream of rs4331426 on chromosome 18q11.2 were genotyped by using the Taqman-based allelic discrimination system. Results As compared with the findings from the African population, genetic variation of the SNP rs4331426 was rare among the Chinese. No significant differences were observed in genotypes or allele frequencies of the tag SNPs between cases and controls either before or after adjusting for age, sex, education, smoking, and drinking history. However, we observed strong linkage disequilibrium of SNPs. Constructed haplotypes within this block were linked the altered risks of tuberculosis. For example, in comparison with the common haplotype AA(rs8087945-rs12456774, haplotypes AG(rs8087945-rs12456774 and GA(rs8087945-rs12456774 were associated with a decreased risk of tuberculosis, with the adjusted odds ratio(95% confidence interval of 0.34(0.27-0.42 and 0.22(0.16-0.29, respectively. Conclusions Susceptibility locus of rs4331426 discovered in the African population could not be validated in the Chinese population. None of genetic polymorphisms we genotyped were related to tuberculosis in the single-point analysis. However, haplotypes on chromosome 18q11.2 might contribute to an individual's susceptibility. More work is necessary to identify the true causative variants of tuberculosis.

  15. TCF7L2 polymorphisms and the risk of schizophrenia in the Chinese Han population

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Lijun; Li, Jingjie; Yan, Mengdan; Li, Jing; Chen, Junyu; Zhang, Yi; Zhu, Xikai; Wang, Li; Kang, Longli; Yuan, Dongya; Jin, Tianbo

    2017-01-01

    Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TCF7L2 (Transcription Factor 7-Like 2) reportedly affect susceptibility to schizophrenia (SCZ). We examined the association between TCF7L2 polymorphisms and SCZ susceptibility in a Chinese Han population. Six SNPs were genotyped in 499 SCZ patients and 500 healthy individuals, after which their associations with SCZ were evaluated using the Chi-squared test and genetic model analyses. We observed that the allele A of rs12573128 is associated with an increased SCZ risk (odds ratio [OR] = 1.33, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08-1.63, P = 0.006, adjusted P = 0.030). The AA genotype of rs12573128 was associated with a higher SCZ risk than the GG genotype, before and after adjustment for sex and age (adjusted OR = 2.97, 95% CI: 1.49-5.92, P = 0.002). In addition, SNP rs12573128 was associated with 1.47-fold, 2.64-fold and 1.50-fold increases in SCZ risk of in dominant, recessive and additive model, respectively (adjusted OR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.09-1.99, P = 0.012; Bonferroni adjusted P = 0.030). adjusted OR = 2.64, 95% CI = 1.34-5.18, P = 0.005 and adjusted OR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.17-1.93, P = 0.002, respectively). These results suggest rs12573128 is significantly associated with an increased risk of SCZ in the Chinese Han population. PMID:28404897

  16. Association between chilli food habits with iron status and insulin resistance in a Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jiang; Wang, Rui; Xiao, Cheng

    2014-04-01

    Some studies have indicated that the consumption of chilli-containing foods can influence iron absorption and affect serum insulin and glucose concentrations, which may help to alleviate diabetes or prediabetes. The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between chilli food habits with iron status and insulin resistance in the Chinese population. Fasting blood samples, anthropometric data, and chilli food habit data collected from 8433 adults (aged 18 to 99), in 2009, as part of the China Health and Nutrition Survey, a large-scale longitudinal, household-based survey in China. Chilli food habits were assessed using chilli food eating frequencies (no eating, sometimes eating, often eating, and usually eating) and chilli food types (a little bit hot, moderately hot, and very hot). Fasting serum ferritin, insulin, and fasting plasma glucose were also measured. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was used to estimate insulin resistance. Compared with the chilli-eating group, the no eating group had higher HOMA-IR levels for both men and women (Pfood types. However, there was no significant difference in the ferritin level and HOMA-IR components for different chilli food eating frequencies in both sex groups. Chilli food habits, especially the different hotness levels of chilli food, were associated with iron status and insulin resistance in the Chinese population. Additional studies are needed to elucidate mechanisms of action and to establish causal inference.

  17. The ZJU index is a powerful index for identifying NAFLD in the general Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Linman; You, Wenyi; Ren, Wei

    2017-10-01

    The ZJU index is a novel model for detecting non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) that it is calculated based on combination of the body mass index, fasting plasma glucose, triglycerides, and the serum alanine aminotransferase-to-aspartate transaminase ratio. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the ZJU index in detecting NAFLD in the Chinese population. This was a cross-sectional study. Anthropometric measurements, laboratory data, and ultrasonography features were collected through a standard protocol. The ZJU index, fatty liver index, hepatic steatosis index, lipid accumulation product, and visceral adiposity index were calculated. Then the predictive values of the five indices were compared according to the area under receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUROC) values. A total of 19,804 participants were recruited, of whom 7324 participants were diagnosed with NFALD and 12,480 subjects were regarded as controls. The AUROC value for NAFLD identification by the ZJU index was 0.925 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.919-0.931), which was significantly higher than the values for the other four models (P 60 years, the AUROC for the ZJU increased from 87.1 to 95.4%, values which were also greater than those for the other four indices. Analysis by sex also showed that the performance of the ZJU index in males and females was better than that of the other four indices. The ZJU index is an accurate and easy to employ tool for identifying NAFLD in the general Chinese population.

  18. Inadequate Riboflavin Intake and Anemia Risk in a Chinese Population: Five-Year Follow Up of the Jiangsu Nutrition Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Zumin; Zhen, Shiqi; Wittert, Gary A.; Yuan, Baojun; Zuo, Hui; Taylor, Anne W.

    2014-01-01

    Objectives Riboflavin (vitamin B2) has been shown in animal studies to affect the absorption and metabolism of iron. Cross-sectional population studies show a relationship between riboflavin intake and anemia but prospective population studies are limited. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between riboflavin intake and the risk of anemia in a Chinese cohort. Method The study used data from 1253 Chinese men and women who participated in two waves of the Jiangsu Nutrition Study (JIN), five years apart, in 2002 and 2007. Riboflavin intake and hemoglobin (Hb) were quantitatively assessed together with dietary patterns, lifestyle, socio-demographic and health-related factors. Results At baseline, 97.2% of participants had inadequate riboflavin intake (below the estimate average requirement). Riboflavin intake was positively associated with anemia at baseline, but low riboflavin intake was associated with an increased risk of anemia at follow-up among those anemic at baseline. In the multivariate model, adjusting for demographic and lifestyle factors and dietary patterns, the relative risk and 95% confidence interval for anemia at follow-up, across quartiles of riboflavin intake were: 1, 0.82(0.54–1.23), 0.56(0.34–0.93), 0.52(0.28–0.98) (p for trend 0.021). There was a significant interaction between riboflavin and iron intake; when riboflavin intake was low, a high iron intake was associated with a lower probability of anemia at follow-up. This association disappeared when riboflavin intake was high. Conclusion Inadequate riboflavin intake is common and increases the risk of anemia in Chinese adults. Given the interaction with iron intake correcting inadequate riboflavin intake may be a priority in the prevention of anemia, and population based measurement and intervention trials are required. PMID:24533156

  19. Concurrent validation of two key health literacy instruments in a South Eastern European population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toçi, Ervin; Burazeri, Genc; Sørensen, Kristine; Kamberi, Haxhi; Brand, Helmut

    2015-06-01

    Public health practice has come to increasing recognition of health promotion and the central role of knowledge, attitude, beliefs and practices in achieving health promotion. Health literacy (HL) is an under-explored topic in South Eastern European countries. There are no HL reports from Albania to date. The aim of this study was to assess the concurrent validity of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q) and the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA) in a population-based sample of adults in Albania. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2013 in Tirana, Albania, including 239 individuals aged ≥ 18 years (61% women; 87% response). A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was applied twice (test and retest procedure after 2 weeks) including HLS-EU-Q and TOFHLA instruments. The internal consistency was high for both instruments (Cronbach's alpha for the test procedure was 0.92 for TOFHLA and 0.98 for HLS-EU-Q). Both tools exhibited a high stability over time (Spearman's rho: 0.88 for TOFHLA and 0.87 for HLS-EU). Mean values of both instruments were similar in men and women (mean score for TOFHLA: 76.0 vs. 76.5, P = 0.83; mean score for HLS-EU-Q: 32.2 vs. 32.6, P = 0.63). For both instruments, higher HL scores were significantly associated with younger age, higher educational and economic level and lower body mass index. Our study provides valuable novel evidence on concurrent validation of two major HL instruments in a South Eastern European population-based sample. Future studies should be conducted in order to confirm and expand our findings. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

  20. Utility of AD8 for Cognitive Impairment in a Chinese Physical Examination Population: A Preliminary Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yue Xie

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. To investigate the utility of AD8 for cognitive impairment in a Chinese physical examination population. Methods. Military cadres who took routine physical examination in Chinese PLA General Hospital from Jan 1, 2013, to Dec 31, 2013, were subjected to AD8 scale. Individual information such as age, gender, and education was also collected. All data were analyzed by SPSS 19.0. Results. 1544 subjects were enrolled in this study with mean age 75.4 ± 10.6 years. The subjects who scored 0 to 8 of AD8 scale were 1015, 269, 120, 60, 30, 14, 19, 8, and 9, respectively. Corresponding proportions were 65.7%, 17.4%, 7.8%, 3.9%, 2.0%, 0.9%, 1.2%, 0.5%, and 0.6%, respectively. The endorsement prevalence of 8 questions was 5.6%, 9.2%, 6.6%, 9.2%, 4.8%, 4.5%, 8.9%, and 24.1%, respectively. The endorsement prevalence of question 8 was significantly higher than others (P<0.05. 260 subjects were scored equal to or greater than 2. The abnormal rate was 16.9%. All the participants were stratified into 9 groups by age; the prevalence of dementia was highly correlated with age (P<0.01. Conclusion. AD8 scale is a convenient and effective tool for cognitive screening in routine physical examination population.

  1. Impact of Stereotypes on Intercultural Communication: A Chinese Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Shi-Yong

    2010-01-01

    Using Kuhn and McPartland's approach, 116 Chinese college students were recruited and asked to write as many sentences as possible beginning with "Chinese...," "Americans...," and "Japanese...." The population of sentences consisted of 258 adjectives, of which 96 described Chinese, 53 described Americans, and 109…

  2. Risk factors and classification of stillbirth in a Middle Eastern population: a retrospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kunjachen Maducolil, Mariam; Abid, Hafsa; Lobo, Rachael Marian; Chughtai, Ambreen Qayyum; Afzal, Arjumand Muhammad; Saleh, Huda Abdullah Hussain; Lindow, Stephen W

    2017-12-21

    To estimate the incidence of stillbirth, explore the associated maternal and fetal factors and to evaluate the most appropriate classification of stillbirth for a multiethnic population. This is a retrospective population-based study of stillbirth in a large tertiary unit. Data of each stillbirth with a gestational age >/=24 weeks in the year 2015 were collected from electronic medical records and analyzed. The stillbirth rate for our multiethnic population is 7.81 per 1000 births. Maternal medical factors comprised 52.4% in which the rates of hypertensive disorders, diabetes and other medical disorders were 22.5%, 20.8% and 8.3%, respectively. The most common fetal factor was intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) (22.5%) followed by congenital anomalies (21.6%). All cases were categorized using the Wigglesworth, Aberdeen, Tulip, ReCoDe and International Classification of Diseases-perinatal mortality (ICD-PM) classifications and the rates of unclassified stillbirths were 59.2%, 46.6%, 16.6%, 11.6% and 7.5%, respectively. An autopsy was performed in 9.1% of cases reflecting local religious and cultural sensitivities. This study highlighted the modifiable risk factors among the Middle Eastern population. The most appropriate classification was the ICD-PM. The low rates of autopsy prevented a detailed evaluation of stillbirths, therefore it is suggested that a minimally invasive autopsy [postmortem magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)] may improve the quality of care.

  3. Genetic variations of MMP9 gene and intracerebral hemorrhage susceptibility: a case-control study in Chinese Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Jie; Wu, Bo; Lin, Sen; Zhou, Junshan; Li, Yingbin; Dong, Wei; Arima, Hisatomi; Zhang, Chanfei; Liu, Yukai; Liu, Ming

    2014-06-15

    To investigate the association between genetic variations of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) gene and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) susceptibility in Chinese Han population. The clinical data and peripheral blood samples from the patients with ICH and hypertension, and controlled subjects with hypertension only, were collected. MassARRAY Analyzer was used to genotype the tagger single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of MMP9 gene. Haploview4.2 and Unphased3.1.7 were employed to construct haplotypes and to analyze the association between genetic variations (alleles, genotypes and haplotypes) of MMP9 gene and ICH susceptibility. 181 patients with ICH and hypertension, and 197 patients with hypertension only, were recruited between Sep 2009 and Oct 2010. Patients in the ICH group were younger (61.80 ± 13.27 vs. 72.44 ± 12.71 years, ppopulation. Our logistical regression analysis showed that there were no significant associations between genetic variations of the MPP9 gene and ICH susceptibility (all p>0.05). The genetic variations of MMP9 gene were not significantly associated with ICH susceptibility in the Chinese Han population. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Population structure of the malaria vector Anopheles darlingi in a malaria-endemic region of Eastern Amazonian Brazil

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Conn, Jan E.; Vineis, Joseph H.; Bollback, Jonathan Paul

    2006-01-01

    of insecticides, but since the mid-1990s there has been a shift to patient treatment and focal insecticide fogging. Anopheles darlingi was believed to have been significantly reduced in a gold-mining community, Peixoto de Azevedo (in Mato Grosso State), in the early 1990s by insecticide use during a severe...... malaria epidemic. In contrast, although An. darlingi was eradicated from some districts of the city of Belem (the capital of Para State) in 1968 to reduce malaria, populations around the water protection area in the eastern district were treated only briefly. To investigate the population structure of An...

  5. Spatial genetic analyses reveal cryptic population structure and migration patterns in a continuously harvested grey wolf (Canis lupus population in north-eastern Europe.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maris Hindrikson

    Full Text Available Spatial genetics is a relatively new field in wildlife and conservation biology that is becoming an essential tool for unravelling the complexities of animal population processes, and for designing effective strategies for conservation and management. Conceptual and methodological developments in this field are therefore critical. Here we present two novel methodological approaches that further the analytical possibilities of STRUCTURE and DResD. Using these approaches we analyse structure and migrations in a grey wolf (Canislupus population in north-eastern Europe. We genotyped 16 microsatellite loci in 166 individuals sampled from the wolf population in Estonia and Latvia that has been under strong and continuous hunting pressure for decades. Our analysis demonstrated that this relatively small wolf population is represented by four genetic groups. We also used a novel methodological approach that uses linear interpolation to statistically test the spatial separation of genetic groups. The new method, which is capable of using program STRUCTURE output, can be applied widely in population genetics to reveal both core areas and areas of low significance for genetic groups. We also used a recently developed spatially explicit individual-based method DResD, and applied it for the first time to microsatellite data, revealing a migration corridor and barriers, and several contact zones.

  6. Genetic Divergence and Signatures of Natural Selection in Marginal Populations of a Keystone, Long-Lived Conifer, Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus) from Northern Ontario

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chhatre, Vikram E.; Rajora, Om P.

    2014-01-01

    Marginal populations are expected to provide the frontiers for adaptation, evolution and range shifts of plant species under the anticipated climate change conditions. Marginal populations are predicted to show genetic divergence from central populations due to their isolation, and divergent natural selection and genetic drift operating therein. Marginal populations are also expected to have lower genetic diversity and effective population size (N e) and higher genetic differentiation than central populations. We tested these hypotheses using eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) as a model for keystone, long-lived widely-distributed plants. All 614 eastern white pine trees, in a complete census of two populations each of marginal old-growth, central old-growth, and central second-growth, were genotyped at 11 microsatellite loci. The central populations had significantly higher allelic and genotypic diversity, latent genetic potential (LGP) and N e than the marginal populations. However, heterozygosity and fixation index were similar between them. The marginal populations were genetically diverged from the central populations. Model testing suggested predominant north to south gene flow in the study area with curtailed gene flow to northern marginal populations. Signatures of natural selection were detected at three loci in the marginal populations; two showing divergent selection with directional change in allele frequencies, and one balancing selection. Contrary to the general belief, no significant differences were observed in genetic diversity, differentiation, LGP, and N e between old-growth and second-growth populations. Our study provides information on the dynamics of migration, genetic drift and selection in central versus marginal populations of a keystone long-lived plant species and has broad evolutionary, conservation and adaptation significance. PMID:24859159

  7. Genetic divergence and signatures of natural selection in marginal populations of a keystone, long-lived conifer, Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus) from Northern Ontario.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chhatre, Vikram E; Rajora, Om P

    2014-01-01

    Marginal populations are expected to provide the frontiers for adaptation, evolution and range shifts of plant species under the anticipated climate change conditions. Marginal populations are predicted to show genetic divergence from central populations due to their isolation, and divergent natural selection and genetic drift operating therein. Marginal populations are also expected to have lower genetic diversity and effective population size (Ne) and higher genetic differentiation than central populations. We tested these hypotheses using eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) as a model for keystone, long-lived widely-distributed plants. All 614 eastern white pine trees, in a complete census of two populations each of marginal old-growth, central old-growth, and central second-growth, were genotyped at 11 microsatellite loci. The central populations had significantly higher allelic and genotypic diversity, latent genetic potential (LGP) and Ne than the marginal populations. However, heterozygosity and fixation index were similar between them. The marginal populations were genetically diverged from the central populations. Model testing suggested predominant north to south gene flow in the study area with curtailed gene flow to northern marginal populations. Signatures of natural selection were detected at three loci in the marginal populations; two showing divergent selection with directional change in allele frequencies, and one balancing selection. Contrary to the general belief, no significant differences were observed in genetic diversity, differentiation, LGP, and Ne between old-growth and second-growth populations. Our study provides information on the dynamics of migration, genetic drift and selection in central versus marginal populations of a keystone long-lived plant species and has broad evolutionary, conservation and adaptation significance.

  8. Homocysteine and the C677T Gene Polymorphism of Its Key Metabolic Enzyme MTHFR Are Risk Factors of Early Renal Damage in Hypertension in a Chinese Han Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yun, Lin; Xu, Rui; Li, Guohua; Yao, Yucai; Li, Jiamin; Cong, Dehong; Xu, Xingshun; Zhang, Lihua

    2015-12-01

    The combined hyperhomocysteinemia condition is a feature of the Chinese hypertensive population. This study used the case-control method to investigate the association between plasma homocysteine and the C677T gene polymorphism of its key metabolic enzyme, 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), and early renal damage in a hypertensive Chinese Han population.A total of 379 adult essential hypertensive patients were selected as the study subjects. The personal information, clinical indicators, and the C677T gene polymorphism of MTHFR were texted. This study used the urine microalbumin/urine creatinine ratio (UACR) as a grouping basis: the hypertension without renal damage group (NRD group) and the hypertension combined with early renal damage group (ERD group).Early renal damage in the Chinese hypertensive population was associated with body weight, systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, cystatin C, uric acid, aldosterone, and glomerular filtration rate. The homocysteine level and the UACR in the TT genotype group were higher than those in the CC genotype group. The binary logistic regression analysis results showed that after sex and age were adjusted, the MTHFR C677T gene polymorphism was correlated with early renal damage in hypertension in both the recessive model and in the additive model.Plasma homocysteine and the C677T gene polymorphism of its key metabolic enzyme MTHFR might be independent risk factors of early renal damage in the hypertensive Chinese Han population.

  9. Conspecific plasticity and invasion: invasive populations of Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera) have performance advantage over native populations only in low soil salinity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Leiyi; Tiu, Candice J; Peng, Shaolin; Siemann, Evan

    2013-01-01

    Global climate change may increase biological invasions in part because invasive species may have greater phenotypic plasticity than native species. This may be especially important for abiotic stresses such as salt inundation related to increased hurricane activity or sea level rise. If invasive species indeed have greater plasticity, this may reflect genetic differences between populations in the native and introduced ranges. Here, we examined plasticity of functional and fitness-related traits of Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera) populations from the introduced and native ranges that were grown along a gradient of soil salinity (control: 0 ppt; Low: 5 ppt; Medium: 10 ppt; High: 15 ppt) in a greenhouse. We used both norm reaction and plasticity index (PIv) to estimate the conspecific phenotypic plasticity variation between invasive and native populations. Overall, invasive populations had higher phenotypic plasticity of height growth rate (HGR), aboveground biomass, stem biomass and specific leaf area (SLA). The plasticity Index (PIv) of height growth rate (HGR) and SLA each were higher for plants from invasive populations. Absolute performance was always comparable or greater for plants from invasive populations versus native populations with the greatest differences at low stress levels. Our results were consistent with the "Master-of-some" pattern for invasive plants in which the fitness of introduced populations was greater in more benign conditions. This suggests that the greater conspecific phenotypic plasticity of invasive populations compared to native populations may increase invasion success in benign conditions but would not provide a potential interspecific competitive advantage in higher salinity soils that may occur with global climate change in coastal areas.

  10. Clinical study on the prevalence and comparative analysis of metabolic syndrome and its components among Chinese breast cancer women and control population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Yu-Tuan; Luo, Qing-Qing; Li, Xin; Arshad, Bilal; Xu, Zhou; Ran, Liang; Zhao, Chun-Xia; Wu, He; Shi, Yan-Ling; Chen, Hao-Ran; Li, Hao; Li, Hong-Yuan; Wu, Kai-Nan; Kong, Ling-Quan

    2018-01-01

    Metabolic syndrome has been previously identified as a risk factor for breast cancer and is increasingly a public health concern. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components among primary breast cancer and control population. The clinical data of metabolic syndrome and its components in the breast cancer (605 cases) and control population (3212 cases), from Breast Cancer Center and Physical Examination Center of Chongqing, China, from July 2015 to February 2017, were collected for comparative analysis. This study was prospectively registered in Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (http://www.chictr.org.cn/, number: ChiCTR-OOB-15007543). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in breast cancer (32.6%) was obviously higher than that in control population (18.2%) (pmetabolic syndrome in breast cancer group aged below 60 years (24.9%, pmetabolic syndrome and its components in Chinese breast cancer women, and metabolic syndrome is closely related with breast cancer. Therefore, screening and prevention strategy of metabolic syndrome should be carried out in the management of breast cancer.

  11. Carotid stenosis and cognitive impairment amongst older Chinese adults living in a rural area: a population-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Z; Liang, Y; Shi, J; Cai, C; Jiang, H; Song, A; Qiu, C

    2016-01-01

    The possible association between carotid stenosis and cognitive impairment in the Chinese population has been rarely investigated. The association between the severity of carotid stenosis and cognitive impairment amongst older Chinese people living in a rural area was assessed. This cross-sectional study included 1375 participants (age ≥60 years) from the Confucius Hometown Aging Project in Shandong. In 2010-2011, data were collected through interviews and clinical examinations. Carotid stenosis was assessed using ultrasonography. Cognitive impairment was defined according to the education-specific cutoff scores of the Mini-Mental State Examination. Data were analyzed using multinomial logistic models. The overall prevalence was 7.0% for moderate carotid stenosis, 2.0% for severe stenosis and 6.0% for cognitive impairment. The multi-adjusted odds ratio of cognitive impairment was 1.43 (95% confidence interval 0.63-3.22) for moderate carotid stenosis and 3.75 (1.24-11.40) for severe carotid stenosis (P(trend) = 0.023). Similar results were obtained in people without a history of cerebrovascular disease. Severe carotid stenosis, even asymptomatic, is associated with cognitive impairment independent of atherosclerotic risk factors and disorders amongst older Chinese people. © 2015 EAN.

  12. Complex postglacial recolonization inferred from population genetic structure of mottled sculpin Cottus bairdii in tributaries of eastern Lake Michigan, U.S.A.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Homola, J J; Ruetz, C R; Kohler, S L; Thum, R A

    2016-11-01

    This study used analyses of the genetic structure of a non-game fish species, the mottled sculpin Cottus bairdii to hypothesize probable recolonization routes used by cottids and possibly other Laurentian Great Lakes fishes following glacial recession. Based on samples from 16 small streams in five major Lake Michigan, U.S.A., tributary basins, significant interpopulation differentiation was documented (overall F ST = 0·235). Differentiation was complex, however, with unexpectedly high genetic similarity among basins as well as occasionally strong differentiation within basins, despite relatively close geographic proximity of populations. Genetic dissimilarities were identified between eastern and western populations within river basins, with similarities existing between eastern and western populations across basins. Given such patterns, recolonization is hypothesized to have occurred on three occasions from more than one glacial refugium, with a secondary vicariant event resulting from reduction in the water level of ancestral Lake Michigan. By studying the phylogeography of a small, non-game fish species, this study provides insight into recolonization dynamics of the region that could be difficult to infer from game species that are often broadly dispersed by humans. © 2016 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

  13. Quantitative assessment of the association between Fas/FasL gene polymorphism and susceptibility to esophageal carcinoma in a north Chinese population

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Meijuan; Wu, Cuiping; Li, Baohuan; Du, Wenjun; Zhang, Chuanzhen; Chen, Ziping

    2016-01-01

    The case–control study aims to investigate the association of Fas and FasL genetic polymorphisms (Fas-670A/G (rs1800682), Fas-1377G/A (rs2234767) and FasL-844T/C (rs763110)) with esophageal carcinoma susceptibility in a north Chinese population. A total of 204 patients with esophageal carcinoma and 248 healthy controls were enrolled from Henan, China and genotyped by the polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism method. There were no significant differences in distributions of their genotypes frequencies between patients and controls in Fas-670A/G, Fas-1377G/A and FasL-844T/C polymorphisms (P > 0.05). Stratified analysis showed that no significant association was found between esophageal carcinoma and gene polymorphisms of Fas-670 A/G, Fas-1377G/A, and FasL-844T/C (P > 0.05). Genetic polymorphisms in the death pathway genes Fas and FasL were not associated with risk of developing esophageal carcinoma in a north Chinese population

  14. Chinese life cycle impact assessment factors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yang, Jianxin; Nielsen, Per Henning

    2001-01-01

    The methodological basis and procedures for determination of Chinese normalization references and weighting factors according to the EDIP-method is described. According to Chinese industrial development intensity and population density, China was divided into three regions and the normalization...... was determined as the normalization reference (ER ( j)90) divided by society's target contribution in the year 2000 abased on Chinese political reduction plans, ER ( j)(T2000). This paper presents and discuss results obtained for eight different environmental impact categories relevant for China: global warming...

  15. Sequence Variants of ADIPOQ and Association with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Taiwan Chinese Han Population

    OpenAIRE

    Tsai, Ming-Kai; Wang, Hui-Min David; Shiang, Jeng-Chuan; Chen, I-Hung; Wang, Chih-Chiang; Shiao, Ya-Fen; Liu, Wen-Sheng; Lin, Tai-Jung; Chen, Tsung-Ming; Chen, Ya-Huey

    2014-01-01

    Diabetes is a serious global health problem. Large-scale genome-wide association studies identified loci for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), including adiponectin (ADIPOQ) gene and transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2), but few studies clarified the effect of genetic polymorphisms of ADIPOQ and TCF7L2 on risk of T2DM. We attempted to elucidate association between T2DM and polymorphic variations of both in Taiwan's Chinese Han population, with our retrospective case-control study genotyping ...

  16. A Reproductive Management Program for an Urban Population of Eastern Grey Kangaroos (Macropus giganteus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew Tribe

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Traditionally, culling has been the expedient, most common, and in many cases, the only tool used to control free-ranging kangaroo populations. We applied a reproductive control program to a population of eastern grey kangaroos confined to a golf course in South East Queensland. The program aimed to reduce fecundity sufficiently for the population to decrease over time so that overgrazing of the fairways and the frequency of human–animal conflict situations were minimised. In 2003, 92% of the female kangaroos above 5 kg bodyweight were implanted with the GnRH agonist deslorelin after darting with a dissociative anaesthetic. In 2007, 86% of the females above 5 kg were implanted with deslorelin and also 87% of the males above 5 kg were sterilised by either orchidectomy or vasectomy. In 2005, 2008 and 2009, the population was censused to assess the effect of each treatment. The 2003 deslorelin program resulted in effective zero population growth for approximately 2.5 years. The combined deslorelin–surgery program in 2007 reduced the birth rate from 0.3 to 0.06%/year for 16 months, resulting in a 27% population reduction by November 2009. The results were consistent with implants conferring contraception to 100% of implanted females for at least 12 months. The iatrogenic mortality rates for each program were 10.5% and 4.9%, respectively, with 50% of all mortalities due to darting-related injuries, exertional myopathy/hyperthermia or recovery misadventure. The short term sexual and agonistic behaviour of the males was assessed for the 2007 program: no significant changes were seen in adult males given the vasectomy procedure, while sexual behaviours’ were decreased in adult males given the orchidectomy procedure. It is concluded that female reproduction was effectively controlled by implantation with deslorrelin and male reproductive behaviour was reduced by orchidectomy, which together achieved population control.

  17. The E23K and A190A variations of the KCNJ11 gene are associated with early-onset type 2 diabetes and blood pressure in the Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhuang, Langen; Zhao, Yu; Zhao, Weijing; Li, Ming; Yu, Ming; Lu, Ming; Zhang, Rong; Ge, Xiaoxu; Zheng, Taishan; Li, Can; Yin, Jun; Yin, Jingyuan; Bao, Yuqian; Liu, Limei; Jia, Weiping; Liu, Yanjun

    2015-06-01

    Conflicting associations between define (KCNJ11) variations and susceptibility to late-onset (>40 years old) type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have been reported in different ethnic groups. We investigated whether the E23K (G→A, rs5219) or A190A (C→T, rs5218) variations in KCNJ11 are associated with early-onset T2DM and blood pressure in the Chinese population. Case-control study of 175 unrelated Chinese patients with early-onset T2DM (age of onset population.

  18. [A accurate identification method for Chinese materia medica--systematic identification of Chinese materia medica].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xue-Yong; Liao, Cai-Li; Liu, Si-Qi; Liu, Chun-Sheng; Shao, Ai-Juan; Huang, Lu-Qi

    2013-05-01

    This paper put forward a more accurate identification method for identification of Chinese materia medica (CMM), the systematic identification of Chinese materia medica (SICMM) , which might solve difficulties in CMM identification used the ordinary traditional ways. Concepts, mechanisms and methods of SICMM were systematically introduced and possibility was proved by experiments. The establishment of SICMM will solve problems in identification of Chinese materia medica not only in phenotypic characters like the mnorphous, microstructure, chemical constituents, but also further discovery evolution and classification of species, subspecies and population in medical plants. The establishment of SICMM will improve the development of identification of CMM and create a more extensive study space.

  19. Aetiological bases of 46,XY disorders of sex development in the Hong Kong Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Angel O K; But, W M; Lee, C Y; Lam, Y Y; Ng, K L; Loung, P Y; Lam, Aimen; Cheng, C W; Shek, C C; Wong, W S; Wong, K F; Wong, M Y; Tse, W Y

    2015-12-01

    Disorders of sex development are due to congenital defects in chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomical sex development. The objective of this study was to determine the aetiology of this group of disorders in the Hong Kong Chinese population. Five public hospitals in Hong Kong. Patients with 46,XY disorders of sex development under the care of paediatric endocrinologists between July 2009 and June 2011. Measurement of serum gonadotropins, adrenal and testicular hormones, and urinary steroid profiling. Mutational analysis of genes involved in sexual differentiation by direct DNA sequencing and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification. Overall, 64 patients were recruited for the study. Their age at presentation ranged from birth to 17 years. The majority presented with ambiguous external genitalia including micropenis and severe hypospadias. A few presented with delayed puberty and primary amenorrhea. Baseline and post-human chorionic gonadotropin-stimulated testosterone and dihydrotestosterone levels were not discriminatory in patients with or without AR gene mutations. Of the patients, 22 had a confirmed genetic disease, with 11 having 5α-reductase 2 deficiency, seven with androgen insensitivity syndrome, one each with cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme deficiency, Frasier syndrome, NR5A1-related sex reversal, and persistent Müllerian duct syndrome. Our findings suggest that 5α-reductase 2 deficiency and androgen insensitivity syndrome are possibly the two most common causes of 46,XY disorders of sex development in the Hong Kong Chinese population. Since hormonal findings can be unreliable, mutational analysis of the SRD5A2 and AR genes should be considered the first-line tests for these patients.

  20. A reappraisal of adult thoracic and abdominal surface anatomy via CT scan in Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Xin-Hua; Su, Bai-Yan; Liu, Jing-Juan; Zhang, Gu-Muyang; Xue, Hua-Dan; Jin, Zheng-Yu; Mirjalili, S Ali; Ma, Chao

    2016-03-01

    Accurate surface anatomy is essential for safe clinical practice. There are numerous inconsistencies in clinically important surface markings among and within contemporary anatomical reference texts. The aim of this study was to investigate key thoracic and abdominal surface anatomy landmarks in living Chinese adults using computed tomography (CT). A total of 100 thoracic and 100 abdominal CT scans were examined. Our results indicated that the following key surface landmarks differed from current commonly-accepted descriptions: the positions of the tracheal bifurcation, azygos vein termination, and pulmonary trunk bifurcation (all below the plane of the sternal angle at vertebral level T5-T6 in most individuals); the superior vena cava formation and junction with the right atrium (most often behind the 1st and 4th intercostal spaces, respectively); and the level at which the inferior vena cava and esophagus traverse the diaphragm (T10 and T11, respectively). The renal arteries were most commonly at L1; the midpoint of the renal hila was most frequently at L2; the 11th rib was posterior to the left kidney in only 29% of scans; and the spleen was most frequently located between the 10th and 12th ribs. A number of significant sex- and age-related differences were noted. The Chinese population was also compared with western populations on the basis of published reports. Reappraisal of surface anatomy using modern imaging tools in vivo will provide both quantitative and qualitative evidence to facilitate the clinical application of these key surface landmarks. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Annual survival rates of adult and immature eastern population tundra swans

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nichols, J.D.; Bart, J.; Limpert, R.J.; Sladen, William J. L.; Hines, J.E.

    1992-01-01

    Tundra swans (Cygnus columbianus ) of the eastern population were neckbanded in Maryland, North Carolina, and Alaska from 1966 through 1990. These swans were resighted and recaptured during autumn, winter, and spring, 1966-1990. Although the original motivation for this study involved swan movements, we wanted to use the resulting data to test hypotheses about sources of variation in swan survival rates. Recaptures of legbanded and neckbanded swans permitted us to estimate neckband loss rates, which were found to vary with age and sex of swans, and number of years since initial application. Estimates of annual neckband retention rate ranged from about 0.50 for adult male swans greater than or equal to 2 years after initial neckbanding to > 0.96 for immature swans and adult females the first year following neckbanding. This variation in neckband loss rates prevented the simple correction of survival estimates to account for such loss. Consequently, we developed a series of multinomial models parameterized with survival, sighting, and neckband retention probabilities for use with the recapture and resighting data.

  2. Association between alcohol consumption and cancers in the Chinese population--a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ying Li

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Alcohol consumption is increasing worldwide and is associated with numerous cancers. This systematic review examined the role of alcohol in the incidence of cancer in the Chinese population. METHODS: Medline/PubMed, EMBASE, CNKI and VIP were searched to identify relevant studies. Cohort and case-control studies on the effect of alcohol use on cancers in Chinese were included. Study quality was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Data were independently abstracted by two reviewers. Odds ratios (OR or relative risks (RR were pooled using RevMan 5.0. Heterogeneity was evaluated using the Q test and I-squared statistic. P<.01 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Pooled results from cohort studies indicated that alcohol consumption was not associated with gastric cancer, esophageal cancers (EC or lung cancer. Meta-analysis of case-control studies showed that alcohol consumption was a significant risk factor for five cancers; the pooled ORs were 1.79 (99% CI, 1.47-2.17 EC, 1.40 (99% CI, 1.19-1.64 gastric cancer, 1.56 (99% CI, 1.16-2.09 hepatocellular carcinoma, 1.21 (99% CI, 1.00-1.46 nasopharyngeal cancer and 1.71 (99% CI, 1.20-2.44 oral cancer. Pooled ORs of the case-control studies showed that alcohol consumption was protective for female breast cancer and gallbladder cancer: OR 0.76 (99% CI, 0.60-0.97 and 0.70 (99% CI, 0.49-1.00 respectively. There was no significant correlation between alcohol consumption and lung cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, cancer of the ampulla of Vater, prostate cancer or extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Combined results of case-control and cohort studies showed that alcohol consumption was associated with 1.78- and 1.40-fold higher risks of EC and gastric cancer but was not significantly associated with lung cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Health programs focused on limiting alcohol intake may be important for cancer control in China. Further studies are needed to examine the

  3. Social Anxiety among Chinese People.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Qianqian; Chang, Weining C

    2015-01-01

    The experience of social anxiety has largely been investigated among Western populations; much less is known about social anxiety in other cultures. Unlike the Western culture, the Chinese emphasize interdependence and harmony with social others. In addition, it is unclear if Western constructed instruments adequately capture culturally conditioned conceptualizations and manifestations of social anxiety that might be specific to the Chinese. The present study employed a sequence of qualitative and quantitative approaches to examine the assessment of social anxiety among the Chinese people. Interviews and focus group discussions with Chinese participants revealed that some items containing the experience of social anxiety among the Chinese are not present in existing Western measures. Factor analysis was employed to examine the factor structure of the more comprehensive scale. This approach revealed an "other concerned anxiety" factor that appears to be specific to the Chinese. Subsequent analysis found that the new factor-other concerned anxiety-functioned the same as other social anxiety factors in their association with risk factors of social anxiety, such as attachment, parenting, behavioral inhibition/activation, and attitude toward group. The implications of these findings for a more culturally sensitive assessment tool of social anxiety among the Chinese were discussed.

  4. Genetic variant in the 3'-untranslated region of VEGFR1 gene influences chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer development in Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Hui; Yang, Lei; Deng, Jieqiong; Wang, Bo; Yang, Xiaorong; Yang, Rongrong; Cheng, Mei; Fang, Wenxiang; Qiu, Fuman; Zhang, Xin; Ji, Weidong; Ran, Pixin; Zhou, Yifeng; Lu, Jiachun

    2014-09-01

    Lung inflammation and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) are two pathogenic features for the two contextual diseases: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. VEGFR1 (or FLT1) plays a certain role in promoting tumour growth, inflammation and EMT. To simultaneously test the association between the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in VEGFR1 and risk of COPD and lung cancer would reveal genetic mechanisms shared by these two diseases and joint aetiology. We conducted a two-population hospital-based case-control study. Three potential functional SNPs (rs664393, rs7326277 and rs9554314) were genotyped in southern Chinese and validated in eastern Chinese to explore their associations with COPD risk in 1511 COPD patients and 1677 normal lung function controls, and with lung cancer risk in 1559 lung cancer cases and 1679 cancer-free controls. We also detected the function of the promising SNP. Individuals carrying the rs7326277C (CT+CC) variant genotypes of VEGFR1 had a significant decrease in risk of both COPD (OR = 0.78; 95% CI = 0.68-0.90) and lung cancer (OR = 0.79; 95% CI = 0.64-0.98), compared with those carrying the rs7326277TT genotype. Functional assays further showed that the rs7326277C genotypes had lower transcriptional activity and caused decreased VEGFR expression, compared with the rs7326277TT genotype. However, no significant association was observed for the other two SNPs (rs664393 and rs9554314) and either COPD or lung cancer risk. Our data suggested that the rs7326277C variant of VEGFR1 could reduce both COPD and lung cancer risk by lowering VEGFR1 mRNA expression; the SNP might be a common susceptible locus for both COPD and lung cancer. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the UK Environmental Mutagen Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  5. Social Anxiety among Chinese People

    OpenAIRE

    Fan, Qianqian; Chang, Weining C.

    2015-01-01

    The experience of social anxiety has largely been investigated among Western populations; much less is known about social anxiety in other cultures. Unlike the Western culture, the Chinese emphasize interdependence and harmony with social others. In addition, it is unclear if Western constructed instruments adequately capture culturally conditioned conceptualizations and manifestations of social anxiety that might be specific to the Chinese. The present study employed a sequence of qualitativ...

  6. Self-mastery among Chinese Older Adults in the Greater Chicago Area

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xinqi Dong

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: Self-mastery is an important psychological resource to cope with stressful situations. However, we have limited understanding of self-mastery among minority aging populations. Objective: This study aims to examine the presence and levels of self-mastery among U.S. Chinese older adults. Methods: Data were drawn from the PINE study, a population-based survey of U.S. Chinese older adults in the Greater Chicago area. Guided by a community-based participatory research approach, a total of 3,159 Chinese older adults aged 60 and above were surveyed. A Chinese version of the Self-Mastery Scale was used to assess self-mastery. Results: Out of the 7-item Chinese Self-Mastery Scale, approximately 42.8% to 87.5% of Chinese older adults experienced some degree of self-mastery in their lives. Older adults with no formal education and the oldest-old aged 85 and over had the lowest level of self-mastery in our study. A higher mastery level was associated with being married, having fewer children, better self-reported health status, better quality of life, and positive health changes. Conclusion: Although self-mastery is commonly experienced among the Chinese aging population in the Greater Chicago area, specific subgroups are still vulnerable. Future longitudinal studies are needed to improve the understanding of risk factors and outcomes associated with self-mastery among Chinese older adults.

  7. Genetic variants in MARCO are associated with the susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis in Chinese Han population.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mai-Juan Ma

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Susceptibility to tuberculosis is not only determined by Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, but also by the genetic component of the host. Macrophage receptor with a collagenous structure (MARCO is essential components required for toll like receptor-signaling in macrophage response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which may contribute to tuberculosis risk. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To specifically investigated whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs in MARCO gene are associated with pulmonary tuberculosis in Chinese Han population. By selecting tagging SNPs in MARCO gene, 17 tag SNPs were identified and genotyped in 923 pulmonary tuberculosis patients and 1033 healthy control subjects using a hospital based case-control association study. Single-point and haplotype analysis revealed an association in intron and exon region of MARCO gene. One SNP (rs17009726 was associated with susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis, where the carriers of the G allele had a 1.65 fold (95% CI = 1.32-2.05, p(corrected = 9.27E-5 increased risk of pulmonary tuberculosis. Haplotype analysis revealed that haplotype GC containing G allele of 17009726 and haplotype TGCC (rs17795618T/A, rs1371562G/T, rs6761637T/C, rs2011839C/T were also associated with susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis (p(corrected = 0.0001 and 0.029, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggested that genetic variants in MARCO gene were associated with pulmonary tuberculosis susceptibility in Chinese Han population, and the findings emphasize the importance of MARCO mediated immune responses in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis.

  8. Diagnostic accuracy of HbA1c in diabetes between Eastern and Western.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Shuang; Liu, Siying; Zhao, Yashuang; Zhang, Wencui; Sun, Xiaohui; Li, Jianing; Jiang, Fuli; Ju, Jiaming; Lang, Ning; Zhang, Yingqi; Zhou, Weiyu; Li, Qiang

    2013-07-01

    In 2010, the American Diabetes Association recommended the use of HbA1c as a diagnostic criterion for diabetes. However, HbA1c is not an accepted diagnostic tool for diabetes in Eastern Asia, because genetic differences compromise the standardization of the diagnostic cut-off point. This study evaluated differences in the use of HbA1c for diagnosing diabetes in Eastern and Western populations and investigated whether HbA1c cut-off point of ≥ 6.5% is diagnostic of diabetes in patients from Eastern Asia. Literature was obtained from MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane databases. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of each HbA1c cut-off point were extracted and compared between Western and Eastern populations. Differences in the cut-off point for diagnosing diabetes in each region were compared by examining differences in the area under summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves. Twelve publications from Eastern countries (n = 59,735) and 13 from Western countries (n = 22,954) were included in the analysis. Areas under SROC curves in the Eastern and Western groups were 0.9331 and 0.9120, respectively (P = 0.98). The cut-off point of the highest Youden index was 6.0%. At the HbA1c cut-off point of 6.5%, the pooled sensitivity and specificity were 58.7% and 98.4% for Eastern countries and 65.5% and 98.1% for Western countries, respectively. HbA1c exhibits the same diagnostic value for diabetes in Eastern and Western populations. In both populations, HbA1c levels > 6.0% identify the population at high risk of diabetes, and HbA1c > 6.5% is diagnostic of clinically established diabetes. © 2013 Stichting European Society for Clinical Investigation Journal Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Conspecific plasticity and invasion: invasive populations of Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera have performance advantage over native populations only in low soil salinity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leiyi Chen

    Full Text Available Global climate change may increase biological invasions in part because invasive species may have greater phenotypic plasticity than native species. This may be especially important for abiotic stresses such as salt inundation related to increased hurricane activity or sea level rise. If invasive species indeed have greater plasticity, this may reflect genetic differences between populations in the native and introduced ranges. Here, we examined plasticity of functional and fitness-related traits of Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera populations from the introduced and native ranges that were grown along a gradient of soil salinity (control: 0 ppt; Low: 5 ppt; Medium: 10 ppt; High: 15 ppt in a greenhouse. We used both norm reaction and plasticity index (PIv to estimate the conspecific phenotypic plasticity variation between invasive and native populations. Overall, invasive populations had higher phenotypic plasticity of height growth rate (HGR, aboveground biomass, stem biomass and specific leaf area (SLA. The plasticity Index (PIv of height growth rate (HGR and SLA each were higher for plants from invasive populations. Absolute performance was always comparable or greater for plants from invasive populations versus native populations with the greatest differences at low stress levels. Our results were consistent with the "Master-of-some" pattern for invasive plants in which the fitness of introduced populations was greater in more benign conditions. This suggests that the greater conspecific phenotypic plasticity of invasive populations compared to native populations may increase invasion success in benign conditions but would not provide a potential interspecific competitive advantage in higher salinity soils that may occur with global climate change in coastal areas.

  10. Genetic diversity in the desert warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus delameri) population of eastern Africa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Muwanika, Vincent B.; Kock, Richard; Masembe, Charles

    2012-01-01

    in a population of the desert warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus) sampled from 12 localities in its natural range in eastern Africa. From the total sample (30 individuals), at the six microsatellite loci that were analysed, a total of 43 alleles was observed averaging seven alleles per locus. Expected...... heterozygosity (HE) per locus was high, ranging from 0.53 to 0.87. At the mitochondrial loci, nucleotide diversity was low (p = 0.12%) with two unique haplotypes observed from the 19 individuals that amplified successfully. The diversity indices observed in the desert warthog are comparable to those previously...... reported for the closely related but widespread species, the common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus). These results suggest that the desert warthog is not genetically depauperate despite the rinderpest epidemic of the 1880s that eliminated it from most of its natural range....

  11. Variants of Interleukin-7/Interleukin-7 Receptor Alpha are Associated with Both Neuromyelitis Optica and Multiple Sclerosis Among Chinese Han Population in Southeastern China

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    Jing-Cong Zhuang

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Neuromyelitis optica (NMO and multiple sclerosis (MS are autoimmune demyelinating diseases of the central nerve system. Interleukin-7 (IL-7 and interleukin-7 receptor alpha (IL-7Rα were proved to be important in the pathogenesis of both diseases because of the roles they played in the differentiations of autoimmune lymphocytes. The variants of both genes had been identified to be associated with MS susceptibility in Caucasian, Japanese and Korean populations. However, the association of these variants with NMO and MS has not been well studied in Chinese Southeastern Han population. Here, we aimed to evaluate the association of six IL-7 variants (rs1520333, rs1545298, rs4739140, rs6993386, rs7816065, and rs2887502 and one variant of IL-7RA (rs6897932 with NMO and MS among Chinese Han population in southeastern China. Methods: Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MassARRAY system and Sanger sequencing were used to determine the variants of IL-7 and IL-7RA in 167 NMO patients, 159 MS patients and 479 healthy controls among Chinese Han population in southeastern China. Samples were excluded if the genotyping success rate <90%. Results: Statistical differences were observed in the genotypes of IL-7 rs1520333 in MS patients and IL-7RA rs6897932 in NMO patients, compared with healthy controls (P = 0.035 and 0.034, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in the genotypes of IL-7 rs2887502 between MS and NMO patients (P = 0.014. And there were statistically significant differences in the rs6897932 genotypes (P = 0.004 and alleles (P = 0.042 between NMO-IgG positive patients and healthy controls. Conclusions: The study suggested that among Chinese Han population in southeastern China, the variant of IL-7RA (rs6897932 was associated with NMO especially NMO-IgG positive patients while the variant of IL-7 (rs1520333 with MS patients. And the genotypic differences of IL-7 rs2887502

  12. Variants of Interleukin-7/Interleukin-7 Receptor Alpha are Associated with Both Neuromyelitis Optica and Multiple Sclerosis Among Chinese Han Population in Southeastern China

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Jing-Cong Zhuang; Lei Wu; Mei-Zhen Qian; Ping-Ping Cai; Qi-Bing Liu; Gui-Xian Zhao; Zhen-Xin Li

    2015-01-01

    Background: Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and multiple sclerosis (MS) are autoimmune demyelinating diseases of the central nerve system.Interleukin-7 (IL-7) and interleukin-7 receptor alpha (IL-7Rα) were proved to be important in the pathogenesis of both diseases because of the roles they played in the differentiations of autoimmune lymphocytes.The variants of both genes had been identified to be associated with MS susceptibility in Caucasian, Japanese and Korean populations.However, the association of these variants with NMO and MS has not been well studied in Chinese Southeastern Han population.Here, we aimed to evaluate the association of six IL-7 variants (rs 1520333, rs1545298, rs4739140, rs6993386, rs7816065, and rs2887502) and one variant of IL-7RA (rs6897932) with NMO and MS among Chinese Han population in southeastem China.Methods: Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MassARRAY system) and Sanger sequencing were used to determine the variants ofIL-7 and IL-7RA in 167 NMO patients, 159 MS patients and 479 healthy controls among Chinese Han population in southeastern China.Samples were excluded if the genotyping success rate <90%.Results: Statistical differences were observed in the genotypes ofIL-7 rs 1520333 in MS patients and IL-7RA rs6897932 in NMO patients,compared with healthy controls (P =0.035 and 0.034, respectively).There was a statistically significant difference in the genotypes of IL-7 rs2887502 between MS and NMO patients (P =0.014).And there were statistically significant differences in the rs6897932 genotypes (P =0.004) and alleles (P =0.042) between NMO-IgG positive patients and healthy controls.Conclusions: The study suggested that among Chinese Han population in southeastern China, the variant of IL-7RA (rs6897932) was associated with NMO especially NMO-IgG positive patients while the variant of IL-7 (rs1520333) with MS patients.And the genotypic differences ofIL-7 rs2887502 between MS and NMO

  13. Detection of Porphyromonas endodontalis, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella intermedia in primary endodontic infections in a Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, H; Qi, Z; Jiang, H; Zhao, J; Liu, Z; Tang, Z

    2012-08-01

    To assess the prevalence of three black-pigmented bacterial species (Porphyromonas endodontalis, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella intermedia) using microarray technology in root canals of teeth associated with primary endodontic infections in a Chinese population. Microbial samples were taken from root canals of 80 teeth with pulp necrosis and primary endodontic infections in a Chinese population. DNA extracted from the samples was amplified by PCR with universal bacterial primers based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, and the products hybridized with the microarrays in which the specific oligonucleotide probes were added. The results of hybridization were screened by a confocal laser scanner. Pearson chi-square test and the two-sided Fisher exact test were used to analyse whether a significant association existed between the species and symptoms as well as in co-existence of two target organisms by a statistical software package (SAS 8.02). The 16S rRNA gene microarray detected at least one of the three test species in 76% of the study teeth. P. endodontalis, P. gingivalis and P. intermedia were found in 50%, 33% and 45%, respectively. A significant association was found in the presence of the pair P. endodontalis / P. gingivalis (P endodontalis (P endodontalis and P. gingivalis was also associated with the presence of a sinus tract (Pendodontalis were associated with the presence of sinus tract and abscess formation. © 2012 International Endodontic Journal.

  14. Fluoroquinolone Resistance Mechanisms and population structure of Enterobacter cloacae non-susceptible to Ertapenem in North-Eastern France.

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    Thomas eGuillard

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Fluoroquinolone (FQ agents are a potential resort to treat infection due to Enterobacteriaceae producing extended spectrum β-lactamase and susceptible to FQ. In a context of increase of non-susceptibility to carbapenems among Enterobacteriaceae, we characterized FQ resistance mechanisms in 75 Enterobacter cloacae isolates non-susceptible to ertapenem in North-Eastern France in 2012 and describe the population structure by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE and multilocus sequence typing (MLST.Among them, 14.7% (12/75 carried a carbapenemase-encoding gene. Except one isolate producing VIM-1, the carbapenemase-producing isolates carried the well-known IncL/M pOXA48a plasmid. Most of the isolates (59/75 harbored at least a FQ-R determinant. qnr genes were predominant (40%, 30/75. The MLST study revealed that E. cloacae isolates’ clonality was wide (24 different STs. The more widespread STs were ST74, ST101, ST110, ST114 and ST133. Carbapenem MICs were higher for E. cloacae ST74 than for other E. cloacae isolates. PMQR determinants were more often observed in E. cloacae ST74 isolates. These findings showed that (i pOXA-48a is spreading in North-Eastern France, (ii qnr is preponderant in E. cloacae, (iii E. cloacae comprised a large amount of lineages spreading in North-Eastern France and (iv FQ as an alternative to β-lactams to treat ertapenem non-susceptible Enterobacteriaceae are compromised.

  15. Improving access to health care for chronic hepatitis B among migrant Chinese populations: A systematic mixed methods review of barriers and enablers

    OpenAIRE

    Vedio, A.; Liu, E. Z. H.; Lee, A. C. K.; Salway, S.

    2017-01-01

    Summary Migrant Chinese populations in Western countries have a high prevalence of chronic hepatitis B but often experience poor access to health care and late diagnosis. This systematic review aimed to identify obstacles and supports to timely and appropriate health service use among these populations. Systematic searches resulted in 48 relevant studies published between 1996 and 2015. Data extraction and synthesis were informed by models of healthcare access that highlight the interplay of ...

  16. Association between RTEL1 gene polymorphisms and COPD susceptibility in a Chinese Han population

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ding YP

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Yipeng Ding,* Heping Xu,* Jinjian Yao, Dongchuan Xu, Ping He, Shengyang Yi, Quanni Li, Yuanshui Liu, Cibing Wu, Zhongjie Tian Department of Emergency, People’s Hospital of Hainan Province, Haikou, Hainan, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Objective: We investigated the association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms in regulation of telomere elongation helicase 1 (RTEL1, which has been associated with telom­ere length in several brain cancers and age-related diseases, and the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD in a Chinese Han population.Methods: In a case–control study that included 279 COPD cases and 290 healthy controls, five single-nucleotide polymorphisms in RTEL1 were selected and genotyped using the Sequenom MassARRAY platform. Odds ratios (ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CIs were calculated using unconditional logistic regression after adjusting for age and gender.Results: In the genotype model analysis, we determined that rs4809324 polymorphism had a decreased effect on the risk of COPD (CC versus TT: OR =0.28; 95% CI =0.10–0.82; P=0.02. In the genetic model analysis, we found that the “C/C” genotype of rs4809324 was associated with a decreased risk of COPD based on the codominant model (OR =0.33; 95% CI =0.13–0.86; P=0.022 and recessive model (OR =0.32; 95% CI =0.12–0.80; P=0.009.Conclusion: Our data shed new light on the association between genetic polymorphisms of RTEL1 and COPD susceptibility in the Chinese Han population. Keywords: RTEL1, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD, gene polymorphisms, association study, case-control study

  17. Assessment of fish populations and habitat on Oculina Bank, a deep-sea coral marine protected area off eastern Florida

    OpenAIRE

    Harter , Stacey L.; Ribera, Marta M.; Shepard, Andrew N.; Reed, John K.

    2009-01-01

    A portion of the Oculina Bank located off eastern Florida is a marine protected area (MPA) preserved for its dense populations of the ivory tree coral (Oculina varicosa), which provides important habitat for fish. Surveys of fish assemblages and benthic habitat were conducted inside and outside the MPA in 2003 and 2005 by using remotely operated vehicle video transects and digital still imagery. Fish species composition, biodiversity, and grouper densities were used to determine w...

  18. Active epilepsy prevalence, the treatment gap, and treatment gap risk profile in eastern China: A population-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Xiaoyan; Zheng, Yang; Guo, Yi; Shen, Chunhong; Wang, Shan; Chen, Feng; Yan, Shengqiang; Ding, Meiping

    2018-01-01

    We measured the prevalence of active epilepsy and investigated the treatment gap and treatment gap risk profile in eastern China. This was a cross-sectional population-based survey conducted in Zhejiang, China, from October 2013 to March 2014. A total 54,976 people were selected using multi-stage cluster sampling. A two-stage questionnaire-based process was used to identify patients with active epilepsy and to record their demographic, socioeconomic, and epilepsy-related features. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze risk factors of the treatment gap in eastern China, as adjusted for age and sex. We interviewed 50,035 people; 118 had active epilepsy (2.4‰), among which the treatment gap was 58.5%. In multivariate analysis, failure to receive appropriate antiepileptic treatment was associated with higher seizure frequency of 12-23 times per year (adjusted odds ratio=6.874; 95% confidence interval [CI]=2.372-19.918), >24 times per year (adjusted odds ratio=19.623; 95% CI=4.999-77.024), and a lack of health insurance (adjusted odds ratio=7.284; 95% CI=1.321-40.154). Eastern China has relatively lower prevalence of active epilepsy and smaller treatment gap. Interventions aimed at reducing seizure frequency, improving the health insurance system should be investigated as potential targets to further bridge the treatment gap. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Population pharmacokinetics of adefovir dipivoxil tablets in healthy Chinese volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Jihan; Zhang, Yaping; Huang, Xiaohui; Li, Lujin; Li, Yunfei; Wang, Kun; Yang, Juan; He, Yingchun; Lv, Yinghua; Zheng, Qingshan

    2014-01-01

    To develop a population pharmacokinetic model of adefovir dipivoxil in healthy volunteers and evaluate the effect of individual factors on the pharmacokinetics of adefovir dipivoxil. Plasma concentration data collected from 32 healthy Chinese subjects in a Phase I clinical study was pooled. Subjects received a single oral dose of 10 mg, 20 mg, or 30 mg adefovir dipivoxil, or multiple doses of 10 mg once a day for 9 days. Plasma concentrations of adefovir dipivoxil were measured using a validated liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric method. A nonlinear mixed-effect model was used to analyze the plasma concentration data of adefovir dipivoxil in healthy volunteers and to calculate the relevant parameters as well as inter- and intra-individual variability. The time course of adefovir dipivoxil concentration is best described by a first-order absorption and first-order elimination two-compartment model with lag time. The final estimate of total body clearance (CL) is 56.9 L/h and 78.7 L/h for single and multiple dosing regimen, respectively; the volume distribution of the central compartment (V2) is 106 L; inter-compartmental clearance (Q) is 220 L/h; volume distribution of the peripheral compartment (V3) is 498 L and 800 L for single and multiple dosing regimen, respectively; absorption rate is 0.509 h-1; and lag time is 0.315 hours. The inter-individual variabilities of CL and V2 were 22.4% and 58.9%, respectively. The proportional error of residual variability is 14.1% and the additive error is 0.30 ng/L. The final pharmacokinetic model was evaluated using a bootstrap method. A nonlinear mixed effect model for oral adefovir dipivoxil formulations was developed in healthy Chinese subjects. A multiple dosing regimen may significantly increase the body clearance and volume distribution of the peripheral compartment compared to a single dosing regimen. *These authors contribute equally to this work.

  20. Increased frequency of diabetes and other forms of dysglycemia in the population of specific areas of eastern Slovakia chronically exposed to contamination with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Radikova, Z.; Koska, J.; Ksinantova, L. [Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, SAS, Bratislava (SK)] (and others)

    2004-09-15

    Some studies suggest that exposure to organochlorine pollutants may affect glucose metabolism and insulin secretion and action. Considerable pollution of water, soil and food chain in Eastern Slovakia was caused by a chemical factory, which was manufacturing PCBs in 1959-1985. The aim of the present preliminary evaluation of data obtained within the EC project PCBRISK was to search for further interrelations between long-term organochlorine pollution and disturbances in glucose homeostasis in large cohorts of population from three districts of Eastern Slovakia.

  1. Social-cultural factors of HIV-related stigma among the Chinese general population in Hong Kong.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeo, Tien Ee Dominic; Chu, Tsz Hang

    2017-10-01

    HIV-related stigma in the wider community compounds the suffering of people living with HIV (PLWH) and hampers effective HIV prevention and care. This study examines the level of public stigma toward PLWH in Hong Kong and associated social-cultural factors. A telephone survey was conducted in June-July 2016 with 1080 Chinese adults aged 18-94 randomly selected from the general population. The results indicate substantial degree of public stigma toward PLWH. Overall, 58.1% of the participants endorsed at least one statement indicating negative social judgment of PLWH. Over 40% attributed HIV infections to irresponsible behaviors and nearly 30% perceived most PLWH as promiscuous. About 20% considered HIV to be a punishment for bad behavior and believed that PLWH should feel ashamed of themselves. These statistics indicate that HIV-related stigma among the general Hong Kong population had no noticeable reduction in a decade but is lower than that among rural and urban populations in China. Our findings suggest that the lower stigma in Hong Kong may be linked to higher education levels rather than Hongkongers' more Westernized outlook. The results of a multiple regression analysis showed that education level (β = -.19), homophobia (β = .30), and conformity to norms (β = .14) were independent predictors of HIV-related stigma but not age, income, or cultural orientations. By differentiating between associated social-cultural factors, this study provides a more nuanced understanding of the layered nature of HIV-related stigma: not broadly grounded in religion or Chinese culture but stemming from more specific social-cultural beliefs - perceptions of norm violation and negative attitudes toward homosexuality, which were not mutually exclusive. These findings have implications for HIV-related stigma reduction by providing evidence for the importance of addressing homophobia. Existing HIV publicity activities should be re-examined for inadvertent contribution

  2. Chinese materia medica used in medicinal diets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Fang; Chen, Yalin; Tan, Xiaolei; Ma, Yunyun; Peng, Yong

    2017-07-12

    Medicinal diets have a history of more than 2000 years. Locally referred to as yaoshan (Chinese: ), a medicinal diet is understood in China as a dietary product that combines herbs and food with the purpose of preventing and treating diseases or improving health under the guidance of traditional Chinese medicine theory. Medicinal diets are used in Chinese people's daily life and in specialized restaurants. Hundreds of Chinese materia medica (CMM) are used in medicinal diets; however, a comprehensive evaluation of medicinal diets is lacking. This is an exploratory study that aims to identify the CMM that are most frequently used in medicinal diets and to provide an updated view of the current situation of medicinal diets in China. A field study of 1221 people in 32 Chinese provinces was conducted over a period of approximately 6 months and included various types of interviews as well as a written questionnaire. Two approaches were used to analyse the data collected in the survey: (1) estimating the frequency of CMM consumed in daily diets; and (2) collecting CMM used in medicinal diet restaurants. Complementary information on the selected CMM was obtained from relevant databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, Baidu Scholar, CNKI, and Web of Science. Ten CMM were reported as commonly used by more than 50% of the participants. Among these 10 species, most medicinally used parts were seeds and fruits. Pharmacological data from the literature revealed that these species are associated with a wide spectrum of biological properties, including antitumour (80%), antioxidant (50%), anti-diabetic (40%), antilipemic (40%), anti-aging (40%), antimicrobial (40%) and cardioprotective (40%) activities. Our survey shows that most medicinal diet restaurants are located in the eastern part of China, with the greatest numbers being found in Beijing and Guangzhou. Only Dioscoreae Rhizoma, Lycii Fructus, Chrysanthemi Flos and Longan Arillus were frequently consumed both in daily

  3. Social Anxiety among Chinese People

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qianqian Fan

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The experience of social anxiety has largely been investigated among Western populations; much less is known about social anxiety in other cultures. Unlike the Western culture, the Chinese emphasize interdependence and harmony with social others. In addition, it is unclear if Western constructed instruments adequately capture culturally conditioned conceptualizations and manifestations of social anxiety that might be specific to the Chinese. The present study employed a sequence of qualitative and quantitative approaches to examine the assessment of social anxiety among the Chinese people. Interviews and focus group discussions with Chinese participants revealed that some items containing the experience of social anxiety among the Chinese are not present in existing Western measures. Factor analysis was employed to examine the factor structure of the more comprehensive scale. This approach revealed an “other concerned anxiety” factor that appears to be specific to the Chinese. Subsequent analysis found that the new factor—other concerned anxiety—functioned the same as other social anxiety factors in their association with risk factors of social anxiety, such as attachment, parenting, behavioral inhibition/activation, and attitude toward group. The implications of these findings for a more culturally sensitive assessment tool of social anxiety among the Chinese were discussed.

  4. Social Anxiety among Chinese People

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Qianqian; Chang, Weining C.

    2015-01-01

    The experience of social anxiety has largely been investigated among Western populations; much less is known about social anxiety in other cultures. Unlike the Western culture, the Chinese emphasize interdependence and harmony with social others. In addition, it is unclear if Western constructed instruments adequately capture culturally conditioned conceptualizations and manifestations of social anxiety that might be specific to the Chinese. The present study employed a sequence of qualitative and quantitative approaches to examine the assessment of social anxiety among the Chinese people. Interviews and focus group discussions with Chinese participants revealed that some items containing the experience of social anxiety among the Chinese are not present in existing Western measures. Factor analysis was employed to examine the factor structure of the more comprehensive scale. This approach revealed an “other concerned anxiety” factor that appears to be specific to the Chinese. Subsequent analysis found that the new factor—other concerned anxiety—functioned the same as other social anxiety factors in their association with risk factors of social anxiety, such as attachment, parenting, behavioral inhibition/activation, and attitude toward group. The implications of these findings for a more culturally sensitive assessment tool of social anxiety among the Chinese were discussed. PMID:26380367

  5. The Functional Living Index-Cancer is a reliable and valid instrument in Chinese cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fong, Daniel Y T; Lee, Alvina H K; Tung, Stewart Y; Wong, Janet Y H; Chan, Y M; Goh, Cynthia R; Cheung, Y B

    2014-02-01

    To evaluate the linguistic and psychometric properties of the Functional Living Index-Cancer (FLIC) in assessing the quality of life of Chinese cancer patients. The English FLIC was translated into Traditional Chinese by the standard forward-backward procedure. After cognitive debriefing, a Traditional Chinese FLIC was administered to 500 cancer patients in a major public hospital in Hong Kong. Of which, 200 were invited to complete the questionnaire in 2 weeks. To identify a scale structure appropriate to Chinese, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed on two randomly split halves of the sample. We identified five scales of the Traditional Chinese FLIC which assess the physical, psychological, hardship, nausea and social aspects. These five scales and the overall scale demonstrated satisfactory fit and had the alpha coefficient ranged from 0.68 to 0.92. The intra-class correlation coefficient ranged from 0.67 to 0.88. In addition, all FLIC scales were negatively associated with the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status and, also except for the psychological scale, had lower scores in patients who were treated by chemotherapy. The Traditional Chinese FLIC is an appropriate health indicator for Chinese cancer patients.

  6. Critical Reflections on »Chinese Capitalism« as Paradigm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arif Dirlik

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available A culturally shaped Chinese capitalism has received much attention over the last decade, accompanied by a renewed interest in Confucianism as the marker for Chinese culture. This translation of Arif Dirlik's essay argues against culturalist explanations of the successful economic development of Chinese (and more generally, East Asian societies. The flourishing of capitalism in these societies, it argues, is instead best understood with reference to developments within capitalism globally. Rather than a source of capitalist development, a Chinese culture conceived homogeneously provides an ideological alibi to new developments within capitalism, as well as a means to check the disruptive effects of capitalist development in Chinese societies. An insistence on Chineseness conceived culturally disguises, and seeks to contain, the social and cultural dispersal of Chinese populations, the so-called Chinese diaspora.

  7. Is cardiovascular risk reduction therapy effective in South Asian, Chinese and other patients with diabetes? A population-based cohort study from Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ke, Calvin H; Morgan, Steve; Smolina, Kate; Gasevic, Danijela; Qian, Hong; Khan, Nadia A

    2017-08-31

    Guidelines recommend ACE inhibitors (ACEi), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), calcium channel blockers (CCBs) and diuretics in all patients with diabetes mellitus. However, the effectiveness of these agents in South Asian and Chinese populations is unknown. We sought to determine whether ACEi, ARB, CCB and diuretics are associated with reduced mortality in South Asian, Chinese and other patients with diabetes. Population-based cohort study using administrative health databases. Province of British Columbia, Canada (2006-2013). Patients aged ≥35 years with incident diabetes. Primary outcome was all-cause mortality for each medication class compared with untreated patients within each ethnicity. Treatment effect was assessed using inverse probability of treatment weighted Cox proportional hazards models. Medication adherence effect on mortality was also evaluated. 208 870 patients (13 755 South Asian, 22 871 Chinese, 172 244 other Canadian) were included. ACEi reduced mortality in other patients (HR=0.88, 0.84-0.91), but power was insufficient to evaluate for benefit in Chinese and South Asian patients. ARB and diuretics reduced mortality in Chinese (ARB HR=0.64, 0.50-0.82; diuretics HR=0.77, 0.62-0.96) and other patients (ARB HR=0.69, 0.64-0.74; diuretics HR=0.66, 0.63-0.69) compared with untreated patients. No mortality benefit was observed among South Asians for any drug class or for CCB among all ethnicities. Higher medication adherence was associated with lower mortality for other patients only (HR=0.79, 0.72-0.86). Effectiveness of cardiovascular risk reduction therapy on mortality varies considerably by ethnicity. Further study is needed to evaluate the mortality benefit of antihypertensive agents in South Asians. Inclusion of these ethnic groups in future clinical trials is essential to examine for differential responses. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No

  8. Habitat, wildlife, and one health: Arcanobacterium pyogenes in Maryland and Upper Eastern Shore white-tailed deer populations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melissa M. Turner

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Background: Understanding the distribution of disease in wildlife is key to predicting the impact of emerging zoonotic one health concerns, especially for wildlife species with extensive human and livestock interfaces. The widespread distribution and complex interactions of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus with humans suggest deer population health and management may have implications beyond stewardship of the animals. The intracranial abscessation suppurative meningitis (IASM disease complex in deer has been linked to Arcanobacterium pyogenes, an under-diagnosed and often misdiagnosed organism considered commensal in domestic livestock but associated with serious disease in numerous species, including humans. Methods: Our study used standard bacterial culture techniques to assess A. pyogenes prevalence among male deer sampled across six physiogeographic regions in Maryland and male and female deer in the Upper Eastern Shore under Traditional Deer Management (TDM and Quality Deer Management (QDM, a management protocol that alters population demographics in favor of older male deer. Samples were collected from antler pedicles for males, the top of the head where pedicles would be if present for females, or the whole dorsal frontal area of the head for neonates. We collected nasal samples from all animals by swabbing the nasopharyngeal membranes. A gram stain and catalase test were conducted, and aerobic bacteria were identified to genus and species when possible. We evaluated the effect of region on whether deer carried A. pyogenes using Pearson's chi-square test with Yates’ continuity correction. For the white-tailed deer management study, we tested whether site, age class and sex predisposed animals to carrying A. pyogenes using binary logistic regression. Results: A. pyogenes was detected on deer in three of the 6 regions studied, and was common in only one region, the Upper Eastern Shore. In the Upper Eastern Shore, 45% and 66% of

  9. Distribution and migration chronology of Eastern population sandhill cranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fronczak, David L.; Andersen, David; Hanna, Everett E.; Cooper, Thomas R.

    2017-01-01

    The Eastern Population (EP) of greater sandhill cranes (Antigone canadensis tabida; cranes) is expanding in size and geographic range. Little information exists regarding the geographic extent of breeding, migration, and wintering ranges, migration chronology, or use of staging areas for cranes in the EP. To obtain these data, we attached solar global positioning system (GPS) platform transmitting terminals (PTTs) to 42 sandhill cranes and monitored daily locations from December 2009 through August 2014. On average, tagged cranes settled in summer areas during late‐March in Minnesota (7%), Wisconsin (29%), Michigan, USA (21%), and Ontario, Canada (38%) and arrived at their winter terminus beginning mid‐December in Indiana (15%), Kentucky (3%), Tennessee (45%), Georgia (5%), and Florida (32%). Cranes initiated spring migration beginning mid‐February to their respective summer areas on routes similar to those used during fall migration. Twenty‐five marked cranes returned to the same summer area after a second spring migration, of which 19 (76%) settled cranes in the EP, we estimated that approximately 29–31% of cranes that summered in both Wisconsin and the Lower Peninsula of Michigan were not in areas included in the survey. The information we collected on crane movements provides insight into distribution and migration chronology that will aid in assessment of the current USFWS fall survey. In addition, information on specific use sites can assist state and federal managers to identify and protect key staging and winter areas particularly during current and future recreational harvest seasons.

  10. Chinese immigrants’ parental experiences in Norway

    OpenAIRE

    Zhu, Hong

    2015-01-01

    European Master in Social Work with Families and Children Existing empirical studies of parents in China found that this population presents features of authoritarian parenting style: greater parental demands and control together with lower parental responsiveness. However, when the investigation conducted on Chinese immigrants, parental practice is characterized as more authoritative style, combining high levels of controlling and responsiveness. Paradoxical findings between Chinese paren...

  11. Reliability and validity of 12-item Short-Form health survey (SF-12) for the health status of Chinese community elderly population in Xujiahui district of Shanghai.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shou, Juan; Ren, Limin; Wang, Haitang; Yan, Fei; Cao, Xiaoyun; Wang, Hui; Wang, Zhiliang; Zhu, Shanzhu; Liu, Yao

    2016-04-01

    The 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) is the abridged practical version of SF-36. This cross-sectional study was aimed to assess the reliability and validity of SF-12 for the health status of Chinese community elderly population. The Chinese community elderly people in Xujiahui district of Shanghai were investigated. The internal consistency reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and split-half reliability coefficients. Construct validity was analyzed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Spearman's correlation coefficient (ρ) was used for the evaluation of criterion, convergent, and discriminant validity with Spearman's ρ ≥ 0.4 as satisfactory. Comparisons of the SF-12 summary scores among populations that differed in demographics were performed for discriminant validity. Total 1343 individuals aged ≥60 and reliability coefficient (0.812) reflected satisfactory internal consistency reliability of SF-12. EFA extracted a two-factor model (physical and mental health). About 60.7 % of the total variance was explained by the two factors. CFA showed that the two-factor solution provided a good fit to the data. Good convergent validity and discriminant validity of SF-12 were proved by the correction analyses (Spearman's ρ > 0.4) and the comparisons of the SF-12 summary scores among populations (P  0.4, P reliability and validity in measuring health status of Chinese community elderly population in Xujiahui district of Shanghai.

  12. Polymorphisms of STAT4 and the risk of inflammatory bowel disease: A case-control study in Chinese Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Houbao; Liu, Jianbing; Zhang, Hongxin; Wang, Zhengting; Liu, Jie; Lu, Shunyuan; Xu, Wangyang; Zhong, Jie; Wang, Zhugang

    2013-03-01

    Signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) is a transcription factor involved in the signaling pathways of several cytokines, playing an essential role in the development of inflammation in various immune-mediated diseases. Genetic association studies have shown that the STAT4 gene was significantly associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Spanish and Caucasian populations. However, these associations in other ethnic populations remain unknown. In the present study, we evaluated the role of the STAT4 rs7574865 and rs7582694 polymorphisms on IBD in 562 unrelated Chinese Han subjects by assessing distributions of genotypes and allele frequencies. Results showed that neither rs7574865 [Crohn's disease (CD): P=0.66, odds ratio (OR) = 0.95, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.74-1.21; ulcerative colitis (UC): P=0.43, OR=0.85, 95% CI 0.56-1.28; IBD: P=0.52, OR=0.93, 95% CI 0.73-1.17] nor rs7582694 (CD: P=0.40, OR=1.12, 95% CI 0.86-1.44; UC: P=0.50, OR=0.86, 95% CI 0.56-1.33; IBD: P=0.62, OR=1.06, 95% CI 0.83-1.36) was significantly associated with IBD, although the genotype frequency of rs7574865 varied in patients and the controls. In conclusion, our data did not support that STAT4 variants contribute to IBD susceptibility in the Chinese Han population.

  13. Cutoff value of HbA1c for predicting diabetes and prediabetes in a Chinese high risk population aged over 45.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Ruyi; Wang, Jiao; Luo, Jinhua; Yang, Xiaoyan; Yang, Rui; Cai, Dehong; Zhang, Hua

    2015-01-01

    To evaluate the cutoff value of HbA1c for predicting diabetes and prediabetes in a Chinese high risk population aged over 45. A total of 619 people aged over 45 without diabetes were randomly recruited to complete Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINDRISC) questionnaire. 208 high-risk individuals (defined by Diabetes Risk Score >=9) had OGTT and HbA1c determined at the same time. In a Chinese population aged over 45, the best cutoff value of HbA1c for detecting diabetes and prediabetes was 5.8% and 5.4% respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve of HbA1c for detecting diabetes was 0.85 (95% CI: 0.80-0.90) and prediabetes was 0.62 (95% CI: 0.54-0.70). The combined use of HbA1c and fasting blood glucose (FPG) had larger AUROC than HbA1c alone (0.88, 95%CI: 0.83-0.92 in detecting diabetes vs 0.75, 95% CI: 0.67-0.82 in prediabetes), and had a higher sensitivity in predicting diabetes and higher specificity and positive predictive value (PPV) in predicting prediabetes. However, the AUROC between HbA1c alone and combined use in predicting diabetes was not significantly different (p=0.173). FINDRISC is feasible tool to screen people who are at high risk of diabetes. The cutoff values of HbA1c to diagnose diabetes and prediabetes in a Chinese high risk population aged over 45 were 5.8% and 5.4%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of HbA1c for detecting diabetes and prediabetes was relatively low, so that the combined use of HbA1c and FPG may be more effective in prediction.

  14. Influence of human population movements on urban climate of Beijing during the Chinese New Year holiday

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jingyong; Wu, Lingyun

    2017-03-01

    The population movements for the Chinese New Year (CNY) celebrations, known as the world’s largest yearly migration of human beings, have grown rapidly in the past several decades. The massive population outflows from urban areas largely reduce anthropogenic heat release and modify some other processes, and may thus have noticeable impacts on urban climate of large cities in China. Here, we use Beijing as an example to present observational evidence for such impacts over the period of 1990-2014. Our results show a significant cooling trend of up to 0.55 °C per decade, particularly at the nighttime during the CNY holiday relative to the background period. The average nighttime cooling effect during 2005-2014 reaches 0.94 °C relative to the 1990s, significant at the 99% confidence level. The further analysis supports that the cooling during the CNY holiday is attributable primarily to the population outflow of Beijing. These findings illustrate the importance of population movements in influencing urban climate despite certain limitations. As the world is becoming more mobile and increasingly urban, more efforts are called for to understand the role of human mobility at various spatial and temporal scales.

  15. Chinese life cycle impact assessment factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, J X; Nielsen, P H

    2001-04-01

    The methodological basis and procedures for determination of Chinese normalization references and weighting factors according to the EDIP-method is described. According to Chinese industrial development intensity and population density, China was divided into three regions and the normalization references for each region were calculated on the basis of an inventory of all of the region's environmental emissions in 1990. The normalization reference was determined as the total environmental impact potential for the area in question in 1990 (EP(j)90) divided by the population. The weighting factor was determined as the normalization reference (ER(j)90) divided by society's target contribution in the year 2000 based on Chinese political reduction plans, ER(j)T2000. This paper presents and discuss results obtained for eight different environmental impact categories relevant for China: global warming, stratospheric ozone depletion, acidification, nutrient enrichment, photochemical ozone formation and generation of bulk waste, hazardous waste and slag and ashes.

  16. Chinese taukeh, labourer, and state control Case study of panglong in eastern region of Sumatra (1890-1930

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erwiza Erman

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Recently the flow of labour from China to Indonesia has fuelled many discussions but is not a new phenomenon. It can be traced back to the eighteenth century and continued until the twentieth century. In colonial Indonesia, the Chinese labour force was recruited to work in the economic sectors of mining, plantations, fisheries and forestry. Unfortunately, previous studies about Chinese society in Indonesia more focused on economic and political elites rather than the social history of the Chinese contract coolies. This article attempts to look at the labour history of the Chinese coolie in the forest exploitation companies, known as panglong. By focusing on the ways in which they were treated in the recruitment process and workplace, this article shows that changes for the better did take place in the appalling working conditions of the labourers. Until the second decade of the twentieth century, recruitment, food, and health care were rife with manipulations, exacerbated by arduous working conditions and insecurity in the workplace, abuse of power by mandors and forms of non-economic coercion like the use of opium. All these factors were meant to ensure that the Chinese contract labourers could not break loose from their indentures, a modern form of slavery. Hampered by budgetary restrictions, lack of personnel, and marine transport facilities, the state colonial officials were hamstrung. But in the second decade of twentieth century, when the abysmal working conditions of the Chinese coolies were debated on a higher level by politicians and bureauracts state control was tightened. More effectual control by the state had a positive effect on improving of the working and living conditions.

  17. Biology of the eastern chipmunk, Tamias striatus. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Snyder, D.P.

    1976-08-01

    Major goals of this project were development of baseline ecological data for the eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) over time and space; and determination of the effect of sublethal ionizing radiation on populations of this species. The study focussed on free-ranging populations in southern Vermont, was long term 1965-1973, and was simultaneously descriptive and experimental. Data were integrated with those from a concurrent similar study in Pennsylvania. The work has produced one of the most extensive sets of ecological data available on a native, free-ranging small mammal and makes the eastern chipmunk a useful and desirable species for experimental studies in physiology, behavior, ecology, and evolution. Eastern chipmunk densities are correlated in general with production of mast, their staple food. Variation in production of young from season to season is one of the major ways in which numbers are regulated. Single insults of 200 R or 400 R of gamma radiation decreased the rate of disappearance of individuals from the populations so treated. In a population in which average range size of males was quite large, irradiation resulted in reduction in home range in comparison to a control group

  18. Genetic Association of Interleukin-31 Gene Polymorphisms with Epithelial Ovarian Cancer in Chinese Population

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chenlu Liu

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Roles of interleukin-31 (IL-31 in the development and progression of human epithelial ovarian cancer are largely unknown. Studies report that the polymorphisms, rs7977932 C>G and rs4758680 C>A in IL-31, affect the expression level of IL-31. In the present study, we examined 412 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer and 428 healthy individuals to explore whether these polymorphisms are associated with the epithelial ovarian cancer in Chinese women. The genotype of the polymorphisms in each individual was identified. The associations of the polymorphisms with patients’ clinical characteristics and outcomes were evaluated. For rs7977932, the frequency of the CG/GG was significantly decreased in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. However, the frequency of the rs4758680 CA/AA was significantly increased in those patients. Moreover, the frequency of rs7977932 CG/GG genotype was significantly higher in patients with less advanced FIGO stages. Kaplan-Meier curve showed that patients with CG/GG genotypes of rs7977932 had a decreased risk for recurrence compared to those with CC genotype. Our findings suggested that rs7977932 and rs4758680 of IL-31 may be associated with the development and progression of the epithelial ovarian cancer in the Chinese population. IL-31, therefore, may be a potential therapeutic target for the development of drugs to treat the disease.

  19. IL-13 may be involved in the development of CAD via different mechanisms under different conditions in a Chinese Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zha, Ling-Feng; Nie, Shao-Fang; Chen, Qian-Wen; Liao, Yu-Hua; Zhang, Hong-Song; Dong, Jiang-Tao; Xie, Tian; Wang, Fan; Tang, Ting-Ting; Xia, Ni; Xu, Cheng-Qi; Zhou, Ying-Chao; Zeng, Zhi-Peng; Jiao, Jiao; Wang, Peng-Yun; Wang, Qing K; Tu, Xin; Cheng, Xiang

    2018-04-18

    Interleukin-13 (IL-13) has important functions in atherosclerosis, but its role in coronary artery disease (CAD) is unclear. Here, we studied the genetic role of IL-13 in CAD in a Chinese Han population using tag SNPs covering the whole IL13 gene (i.e., rs1881457, rs2069744 and rs20541) and a two-stage cohort containing 1863 CAD cases and 1841 controls. Traditional risk factors for CAD, such as age, BMI, and other factors, were used as covariates in logistic regression analysis. In the total population, we found that two haplotypes of IL13 (ATG and ATA, ordered rs1881457 C -rs2069744 T -rs20541 A ) significantly contributed to the risk of CAD with adjusted p values less than 0.05 (p adj  = 0.019 and p adj  = 0.042, respectively). In subgroup population analyses, the variant rs1881457 C was found to significantly contribute to a nearly two fold increase in the risk of CAD in men (p adj  = 0.023, OR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.09-3.33). The variant rs1881457 C also significantly contributed to a nearly twofold risk of late-onset CAD (p adj  = 0.024, OR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.09-3.42). In conclusion, IL13 might be involved in CAD via different mechanisms under different conditions in the Chinese Han population.

  20. The Associations between RNA Splicing Complex Gene SF3A1 Polymorphisms and Colorectal Cancer Risk in a Chinese Population.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaohua Chen

    Full Text Available Aberrant alternative splicing included alterations in components of the mRNA splicing machinery often occurred in colon cancer. However, the role of SF3A1, one key component of the mRNA splicing machinery, on colorectal cancer (CRC risk was still not elucidated.We performed a hospital-based case-control study containing 801 CRC patients and 817 cancer-free controls to examine the association between SF3A1 polymorphisms and CRC risk in a Chinese population. Four candidate SNPs (rs10376, rs5753073, rs2839998 and rs2074733 were selected based on bioinformatics analysis and previous findings. The results showed no significant associations between these SNPs and CRC risk (P > 0.05. Besides, the stratified analysis based on the smoking and alcohol use status obtained no statistically significant results.Our study was the first one to investigate the association between SF3A1 polymorphisms and CRC risk. The results suggested these four SNPs in SF3A1 were not associated with CRC risk in a Chinese population, however, further more studies are needed to confirm our findings.

  1. Association of the 5-HT2A receptor gene promoter polymorphism-1438G/A with anorexia nervosa and psychopathological traits in the Chinese Han population: A preliminary study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Qing; Chen, Jue; Yu, Shunying; Yuan, Aihua; Zhang, Yanxia; Zhang, Ran; Jiang, Wenhui; Zhang, Chen; Zhang, Haiyin; Zhang, Mingdao; Xiao, Zeping

    2017-09-01

    The aim of the study was to explore the possible role of the 5-HT 2A -1438G/A polymorphism in the susceptibility to anorexia nervosa (AN) in the Chinese Han population. The -1438G/A polymorphism of 249 female AN patients, 228 matched healthy controls, and 198 trios was genotyped using SNaP shot assay. Psychopathological traits of eating-disordered behaviors in AN subjects were examined using the Chinese version of the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire. Neither the case-control analysis nor the transmission disequilibrium test revealed significant associations between the -1438G/A polymorphism and AN (P > .05). However, AA homozygote patients with AN had lower weight and shape concern scores of the EDE-Q6.0 than those of GA heterozygotes (P < .05). Our findings suggested that female AN patients with 5-HT 2A -1438AA genotype may be characterized by less severe eating-disordered psychopathological traits in the Chinese Han population. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  2. Eyes are windows to the Chinese soul: evidence from the detection of real and fake smiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mai, Xiaoqin; Ge, Yue; Tao, Lin; Tang, Honghong; Liu, Chao; Luo, Yue-Jia

    2011-01-01

    How do people interpret the meaning of a smile? Previous studies with Westerners have found that both the eyes and the mouth are crucial in identifying and interpreting smiles, yet less is known about Easterners. Here we reported that when asking the Chinese to judge the Duchenne and non-Duchenne smiles as either real or fake, their accuracy and sensitivity were negatively correlated with their individualism scores but positively correlated with their collectivism scores. However, such correlations were found only for participants who stated the eyes to be the most useful references, but not for those who favored the mouth. Moreover, participants who favored the eyes were more accurate and sensitive than those who favored the mouth. Our results thus indicate that Chinese who follow the typical Eastern decoding process of using the eyes as diagnostic cues to identify and interpret others' facial expressions and social intentions, are particularly accurate and sensitive, the more they self-report greater collectivistic and lower individualistic values.

  3. Eyes are windows to the Chinese soul: evidence from the detection of real and fake smiles.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoqin Mai

    Full Text Available How do people interpret the meaning of a smile? Previous studies with Westerners have found that both the eyes and the mouth are crucial in identifying and interpreting smiles, yet less is known about Easterners. Here we reported that when asking the Chinese to judge the Duchenne and non-Duchenne smiles as either real or fake, their accuracy and sensitivity were negatively correlated with their individualism scores but positively correlated with their collectivism scores. However, such correlations were found only for participants who stated the eyes to be the most useful references, but not for those who favored the mouth. Moreover, participants who favored the eyes were more accurate and sensitive than those who favored the mouth. Our results thus indicate that Chinese who follow the typical Eastern decoding process of using the eyes as diagnostic cues to identify and interpret others' facial expressions and social intentions, are particularly accurate and sensitive, the more they self-report greater collectivistic and lower individualistic values.

  4. Association between forkhead-box P2 gene polymorphism and clinical symptoms in chronic schizophrenia in a Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rao, Wenwang; Du, Xiangdong; Zhang, Yingyang; Yu, Qiong; Hui, Li; Yu, Yaqin; Kou, Changgui; Yin, Guangzhong; Zhu, Xiaomin; Man, Lijuan; Soares, Jair C; Zhang, Xiang Yang

    2017-07-01

    The forkhead-box P2 (FOXP2) gene polymorphism has been reported to be involved in the susceptibility to schizophrenia; however, few studies have investigated the association between FOXP2 gene polymorphism and clinical symptoms in schizophrenia. This study investigated whether the FOXP2 gene was associated with the development and symptoms of schizophrenia in relatively genetically homogeneous Chinese population. The FOXP2 rs10447760 polymorphism was genotyped in 1069 schizophrenia inpatients and 410 healthy controls using a case-control design. The patients' psychopathology was assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). We found no significant differences in the genotype and allele distributions between the patient and control groups. Interestingly, we found significant differences in PANSS total, positive symptom, and general psychopathology scores between genotypic subgroups in patients, with the higher score in patients with CC genotype than those with CT genotype (all p schizophrenia, but may contribute to the clinical symptoms of schizophrenia among Han Chinese.

  5. Ethnic Chinese Remigration from Southeast Asian Countries since 1960s: A Case Study of Malaysian Chinese Outflows

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    Kang Xiaoli

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Total outflows of Chinese from Southeast Asian countries since the Second World War reached around 3 million. They headed to the developed countries such as the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, France and Singapore. As for the case of Malaysia, large number of Malaysian Chinese remigrated to Singapore, United Kingdom, United States, Canada and Australia for new residence since the end of the Second World War. They left Malaysia because of political discrimination, economic restrictions, and unequal educational and cultural treatment. According to Malaysia census data and natural population growth rate, this paper made estimation that by 201 0 a total of 1.13 million ethnic Chinese had migrated out of Malaysia. After deducting the number of ethnic Chinese moving to Malaysia, the Malaysian Chinese migrating abroad reached 1.05 million. Malaysian Chinese left Malaysia in the manner of permanent residents and short-term migrants. Permanent residents include those in the skill stream, family stream and those with special eligibility. Short-term migrants refer to visiting scholars, foreign students, guest labor, business expatriates and expatriate professionals. As a matter of fact, there has been a serious brain drain through Chinese remigration from Malaysia.

  6. Development of nuclear analytical methods at the Helongjiang Institute (PRC) and the Far-Eastern Branch, USSR Academy of Sciences

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    GuoLiang, Wu; Duyuan, Xiao; Haoqing, Peng; Ivanenko, V.V.; Buznik, V.M.

    1992-01-01

    The common character of the problems associated with the use of mineral resources in the northeastern part of the People's Republic of China and in far-eastern Russia has resulted in collaborative development of nuclear-physical analysis methods by the Heilongjiang Academy of Sciences (HAS) and the Far-Eastern Branch Academy of Sciences (HAS) and the Far-Eastern Branch Academy of Sciences (FEBAS) of Russia. A joint Chinese-Soviet Laboratory of nuclear analysis has been established. At the HAS Institute of Physics, a portable analyzer and other products have been developed for use in mineral prospecting and metal identification. The energy resolution for Fe-K line is 61%, and the measuring range covers 0.01 to 100%

  7. Cone-beam computed tomography study of root and canal morphology of mandibular premolars in a western Chinese population

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu, Xuan; Guo, Bin; Li, Ke-Zeng; Zhang, Ru; Tian, Yuan-Yuan; Wang, Hu; DDS, Tao Hu

    2012-01-01

    Traditional radiography is limited in its ability to give reliable information on the number and morphology of root canals. The application of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) provides a non-invasive three-dimensional confirmatory diagnosis as a complement to conventional radiography. The aim of this study was to evaluate the root and canal morphology of mandibular premolars in a western Chinese population using CBCT scanning. The sample included 149 CBCT images comprising 178 mandibular first premolars and 178 second premolars. The tooth position, number of roots and canals, and canal configuration according to Vertucci’s classification were recorded. The results showed that 98% of mandibular first premolars had one root and 2% had two roots; 87.1% had one canal, 11.2% had two canals and 0.6% had three canals. The prevalence of C-shaped canals was 1.1%. All mandibular second premolars had one root; 97.2% had one canal and 2.2% had two canals. The prevalence of C-shaped canals was 0.6%. The prevalence of multiple canals in mandibular first premolars was mainly of Type V, and mandibular second premolars had a low rate of canal variation in this western Chinese population. Root canal bifurcation occurred at the middle or apical third in most bicanal mandibular premolars. CBCT scanning can be used in the management of mandibular premolars with complex canal morphology

  8. High Homocysteine and Blood Pressure Related to Poor Outcome of Acute Ischemia Stroke in Chinese Population

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Changjiang; Zhao, Liang; Zhou, Mo; Sun, Wenjie; Xu, Tan; Tong, Weijun

    2014-01-01

    Objectives To assess the association between plasma homocysteine (Hcy), blood pressure (BP) and poor outcome at hospital discharge among acute ischemic stroke patients, and if high Hcy increases the risk of poor outcome based on high BP status in a northern Chinese population. Methods Between June 1, 2009 and May 31, 2013, a total of 3695 acute ischemic stroke patients were recruited from three hospitals in northern Chinese cities. Demographic characteristics, lifestyle risk factors, medical history, and other clinical characteristics were recorded for all subjects. Poor outcome was defined as a discharge modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score ≥3 or death. The association between homocysteine concentration, admission blood pressure, and risk of poor outcome following acute ischemic stroke was analyzed by using multivariate non-conditional logistic regression models. Results Compared with those in the lowest quartile of Hcy concentration in a multivariate-adjusted model, those in the highest quartile of Hcy concentration had increased risk of poor outcome after acute ischemic stroke, (OR = 1.33, P<0.05). The dose-response relationship between Hcy concentration and risk of poor outcome was statistically significant (p-value for trend  = 0.027). High BP was significantly associated with poor outcome following acute ischemic stroke (adjusted OR = 1.44, 95%CI, 1.19–1.74). Compared with non-high BP with nhHcy, in a multivariate-adjusted model, the ORs (95% CI) of non-high BP with hHcy, high BP with nhHcy, and high BP with hHcy to poor outcome were 1.14 (0.85–1.53), 1.37 (1.03–1.84) and 1.70 (1.29–2.34), respectively. Conclusion The present study suggested that high plasma Hcy and blood pressure were independent risk factors for prognosis of acute ischemic stroke, and hHcy may further increase the risk of poor outcome among patients with high blood pressure. Additionally, the results indicate that high Hcy with high BP may cause increased susceptibility

  9. Whole-exome sequencing identifies common and rare variant metabolic QTLs in a Middle Eastern population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yousri, Noha A; Fakhro, Khalid A; Robay, Amal; Rodriguez-Flores, Juan L; Mohney, Robert P; Zeriri, Hassina; Odeh, Tala; Kader, Sara Abdul; Aldous, Eman K; Thareja, Gaurav; Kumar, Manish; Al-Shakaki, Alya; Chidiac, Omar M; Mohamoud, Yasmin A; Mezey, Jason G; Malek, Joel A; Crystal, Ronald G; Suhre, Karsten

    2018-01-23

    Metabolomics-genome-wide association studies (mGWAS) have uncovered many metabolic quantitative trait loci (mQTLs) influencing human metabolic individuality, though predominantly in European cohorts. By combining whole-exome sequencing with a high-resolution metabolomics profiling for a highly consanguineous Middle Eastern population, we discover 21 common variant and 12 functional rare variant mQTLs, of which 45% are novel altogether. We fine-map 10 common variant mQTLs to new metabolite ratio associations, and 11 common variant mQTLs to putative protein-altering variants. This is the first work to report common and rare variant mQTLs linked to diseases and/or pharmacological targets in a consanguineous Arab cohort, with wide implications for precision medicine in the Middle East.

  10. Pangolins in eastern Nepal: trade and ethno-medicinal importance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hem Bahadur Katuwal

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Pangolin populations are declining globally due to illicit trade for meat and ethno-medicinal practices. We performed semi-structured interviews to analyze scenario of trade activities and documented the ethno-medicinal importance of pangolins in four districts of eastern Nepal. Out of 106 respondents, 78.3% had seen live pangolins, 90.6% had seen their burrows and 66% respondents speculated their decreasing population. Although 64% of the respondents were aware that pangolin is protected species, 44% of respondents had eaten its meat. We found the trade as an organized network where poachers of one village supply pangolins and its parts to poachers of another village and so on until it reaches the international border. Trade flow was more across the Chinese border via different routes where the prices varied from US$ 500–625/kg or even more. For this illegal trade, poachers provoke unemployed youths especially from ethnic communities. Most people hunt pangolins merely for trade without knowing its exact medicinal value. Some people, however, use meat and scales to supposedly cure gastro-intestinal disease, skin disease, cardiac problem, pregnancy pains, back pain; and also for making rings, bags, jackets, purses and musical instruments. As most pangolin habitats lie outside protected areas, illicit trade is increasing rapidly. We recommend immediate strategic plans, effective monitoring techniques and inter-border cooperation to thwart the trade, and raise awareness of their importance.  

  11. Association between single-nucleotide polymorphism in CISH gene and susceptibility to tuberculosis in Chinese Han population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Lan; Chu, Haiqing; Xu, Xiaogang; Yue, Jun; Li, Huiping; Wang, Minggui

    2014-04-01

    The cytokine-inducible SRC homology 2 domain (CISH) gene is up-regulated by IL-2 in response to infection, and inhibits microbial infection. The objective of the present study was to examine whether genetic variants of CISH (SNPs) are associated with increased susceptibility to tuberculosis (TB) in individuals of Chinese Han ethnicity. We sequenced five previously identified SNPs of CISH in patients with TB or healthy controls. Three of the SNPs, rs148685070 [position -639; C/C], rs414171 [position -292; A/T], and rs6768300 [position -163; C/G]) are located in the promoter region, while the fourth (rs2239751 [position +1320; A/C]) near the translation start site, and the fifth (rs622502 [position +3415; C/G]) in the third intron. The AA genotypes of the SNPs rs2239751 and rs414171 were significantly associated with TB. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that subjects with the rs414171 AA genotype were more likely to have TB than those with the AT genotype. By contrast, we did not observe genetic variants of the rs148685070 SNP. In conclusion, two genetic variants in CISH gene appear to increase susceptibility to TB in Chinese Han population.

  12. Inflammatory bowel disease in children of middle eastern descent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naidoo, Christina Mai Ying; Leach, Steven T; Day, Andrew S; Lemberg, Daniel A

    2014-01-01

    Increasing rates of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are now seen in populations where it was once uncommon. The pattern of IBD in children of Middle Eastern descent in Australia has never been reported. This study aimed to investigate the burden of IBD in children of Middle Eastern descent at the Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick (SCHR). The SCHR IBD database was used to identify patients of self-reported Middle Eastern ethnicity diagnosed between 1987 and 2011. Demographic, diagnosis, and management data was collected for all Middle Eastern children and an age and gender matched non-Middle Eastern IBD control group. Twenty-four patients of Middle Eastern descent were identified. Middle Eastern Crohn's disease patients had higher disease activity at diagnosis, higher use of thiopurines, and less restricted colonic disease than controls. Although there were limitations with this dataset, we estimated a higher prevalence of IBD in Middle Eastern children and they had a different disease phenotype and behavior compared to the control group, with less disease restricted to the colon and likely a more active disease course.

  13. Association between the biochemical profiles in blood and bone mineral density in Chinese Han population: findings from a cross-sectional study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chen HX

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Hong-Xia Chen,1,2,* Li-Bing Wu,3,* Zhong-Ji Meng1 1Institute of Biomedicine, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Environmental, Agricultural, & Occupational Health, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA; 3Department of Nuclear Medicine, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work. Abstract: This study investigated the possible correlation between blood biochemical profiles and bone mineral density (BMD in the Chinese Han population. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using participants randomly selected from the Health Screening Center of Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, which included a total of 285 individuals, varied in ages from 31 years to 63 years. The height, weight, and body mass index (BMI of each subject were measured, as well as fasting blood glucose (FBG, triglycerides, total cholesterol, blood uric acid (UA, blood urea nitrogen, and blood creatinine. We evaluated BMD at the wrist (grams per centimeter square using a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan. The mean ages of female and male groups were 45.32±8.24 years and 46.76±9.01 years, respectively. The mean age of the study population was 46.14±8.79 years, which is similar to the general population. The mean BMI values were 22.08±2.38 kg/m2 and 24.50±2.67 kg/m2 in the female and male population, respectively, representing a statistically significant difference (P<0.05. No significant differences in levels of FBG total cholesterol, or triglycerides were seen among the male and female population. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed using BMD as outcome variables and BMI, blood UA, FBG, total cholesterol, triglycerides, urea nitrogen, and blood creatinine as covariates, and the regression equation was established as Y=0

  14. Visceral leishmaniasis relapse hazard is linked to reduced miltefosine exposure in patients from Eastern Africa: a population pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dorlo, Thomas P C; Kip, Anke E; Younis, Brima M; Ellis, Sally J; Alves, Fabiana; Beijnen, Jos H; Njenga, Simon; Kirigi, George; Hailu, Asrat; Olobo, Joseph; Musa, Ahmed M; Balasegaram, Manica; Wasunna, Monique; Karlsson, Mats O; Khalil, Eltahir A G

    2017-11-01

    Low efficacy of miltefosine in the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis was recently observed in Eastern Africa. To describe the pharmacokinetics and establish a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationship for miltefosine in Eastern African patients with visceral leishmaniasis, using a time-to-event approach to model relapse of disease. Miltefosine plasma concentrations from 95 patients (48 monotherapy versus 47 combination therapy) were included in the population pharmacokinetic model using non-linear mixed effects modelling. Subsequently a time-to-event model was developed to model the time of clinical relapse. Various summary pharmacokinetic parameters (various AUCs, Time > EC50, Time > EC90), normalized within each treatment arm to allow simultaneous analysis, were evaluated as relapse hazard-changing covariates. A two-compartment population model with first-order absorption fitted the miltefosine pharmacokinetic data adequately. Relative bioavailability was reduced (-74%, relative standard error 4.7%) during the first week of treatment of the monotherapy arm but only the first day of the shorter combination regimen. Time to the relapse of infection could be described using a constant baseline hazard (baseline 1.8 relapses/year, relative standard error 72.7%). Miltefosine Time > EC90 improved the model significantly when added in a maximum effect function on the baseline hazard (half maximal effect with Time > EC90 6.97 days for monotherapy). Miltefosine drug exposure was found to be decreased in Eastern African patients with visceral leishmaniasis, due to a (transient) initial lower bioavailability. Relapse hazard was inversely linked to miltefosine exposure. Significantly lower miltefosine exposure was observed in children compared with adults, further urging the need for implementation of dose adaptations for children. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.

  15. Prospective study of dietary patterns and colorectal cancer among Singapore Chinese

    OpenAIRE

    Butler, L M; Wang, R; Koh, W-P; Yu, M C

    2008-01-01

    An influence of Western diet and lifestyle factors observed among Singapore Chinese may contribute to the population's marked rise in colorectal cancer incidence over the past two decades. Thus far, however, there is little evidence for individual nutrients and foods as major contributing factors in this population. We evaluated whether patterns of food intake were associated with colorectal cancer in a population-based cohort of 61,321 Singapore Chinese that was established in 1993?98. Two d...

  16. Use of Atorvastatin in Lipid Disorders and Cardiovascular Disease in Chinese Patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ye, Yi-Cong; Zhao, Xi-Liang; Zhang, Shu-Yang

    2015-01-01

    Objective: Statins are still underused for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in China. Hence, we conducted a systemic review on the pharmacology, clinical efficacy, and adverse events of atorvastatin, as well as on patient adherence. Data Sources: We conducted a systemic search in PubMed with the following keywords: “atorvastatin” (Supplementary concept) or “atorvastatin” (All field) and (“China” [AD] or “China” [all field] or “Chinese” [All field]). Study Selection: Clinical or basic research articles on atorvastatin were included. Results: Atorvastatin is a reversible and competitive inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, decreasing the de novo cholesterol synthesis. The pharmacokinetics of atorvastatin among Chinese is similar to those in Caucasians, and several gene polymorphisms have proved to be associated with the metabolism of atorvastatin in the Chinese population. Several international multiple-center randomized control trials have demonstrated the benefit of atorvastatin for primary and secondary prevention of CVD. None of them, however, included the Chinese, and current evidence in the population is still inadequate, due to the small sample size, low study quality, short study duration, and the use of surrogate endpoints instead of clinical endpoints. The overall incidence of adverse events observed with atorvastatin did not increase in the 10–80 mg dose range, and was similar to that observed with placebo and in patients treated with other statins, which makes atorvastatin well-tolerated in the Chinese population. Moreover, high patient adherence was observed in clinical studies. Conclusions: Based on the current available evidence, there is no significant difference between Chinese and non-Chinese population in term of pharmacology and clinical efficacy/safety. High-quality evidence is still needed to support the use of atorvastatin in high-risk Chinese population. PMID:25591572

  17. A MORPHOLOGICAL STUDY OF HUMAN THYROID GLAND IN THE POPULATION OF NORTH - EASTERN REGION OF INDIA

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    Debabani

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND : Due to the high incidence of thyroid disorders in the North - Eastern population of India a study was undertaken in Guwahati Medical College to see the age related changes in the morphology of the gland in the ca davers of this region. AIM : The study was done to compare the dimensions of the thyroid gland in this population with different studies around the world to see if it can throw any light why thyroid disorders are more common in this population and help clin icians to deal better. MATERIALS AND METHOD : The specimens were divided into three groups according to their ages. Twenty (21 specimens (both male and female were taken from each age group. Statistical analysis was done by paired t - test and t was taken a s significant if the value of t was greater than 2.18. SUMMARY : A study of all together of 63 specimen were taken up to see if any morphological differences in dimension exists in various age groups viz. pediatrics , adults and elderly and co relate with fi ndings of previous workers and was statistically analyzed. CONCLUSION : The study showed that there was no morphological difference of this population with that of previous studies done in other parts of the world. Perhaps a histological study in molecular level will throw more light why this stratum of population is so vulnerable to thyroid disorders.

  18. Identification of novel susceptibility Loci for kawasaki disease in a Han chinese population by a genome-wide association study.

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    Fuu-Jen Tsai

    Full Text Available Kawasaki disease (KD is an acute systemic vasculitis syndrome that primarily affects infants and young children. Its etiology is unknown; however, epidemiological findings suggest that genetic predisposition underlies disease susceptibility. Taiwan has the third-highest incidence of KD in the world, after Japan and Korea. To investigate novel mechanisms that might predispose individuals to KD, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS in 250 KD patients and 446 controls in a Han Chinese population residing in Taiwan, and further validated our findings in an independent Han Chinese cohort of 208 cases and 366 controls. The most strongly associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs detected in the joint analysis corresponded to three novel loci. Among these KD-associated SNPs three were close to the COPB2 (coatomer protein complex beta-2 subunit gene: rs1873668 (p = 9.52×10⁻⁵, rs4243399 (p = 9.93×10⁻⁵, and rs16849083 (p = 9.93×10⁻⁵. We also identified a SNP in the intronic region of the ERAP1 (endoplasmic reticulum amino peptidase 1 gene (rs149481, p(best = 4.61×10⁻⁵. Six SNPs (rs17113284, rs8005468, rs10129255, rs2007467, rs10150241, and rs12590667 clustered in an area containing immunoglobulin heavy chain variable regions genes, with p(best-values between 2.08×10⁻⁵ and 8.93×10⁻⁶, were also identified. This is the first KD GWAS performed in a Han Chinese population. The novel KD candidates we identified have been implicated in T cell receptor signaling, regulation of proinflammatory cytokines, as well as antibody-mediated immune responses. These findings may lead to a better understanding of the underlying molecular pathogenesis of KD.

  19. Human papillomavirus type-18 prevalence in oesophageal cancer in the Chinese population: a meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, L W; Zhang, S K; Liu, S Z; Chen, Q; Zhang, M; Quan, P L; Lu, J B; Sun, X B

    2016-02-01

    Globally, the prevalence of oesophageal cancer cases is particularly high in China. Since 1982, oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) has been hypothesized as a risk factor for oesophageal cancer, but no firm evidence of HPV infection in oesophageal cancer has been established to date. We aimed to conduct a meta-analysis to estimate the high-risk HPV-18 prevalence of oesophageal cancer in the Chinese population. Eligible studies published from 1 January 2005 to 12 July 2014 were retrieved via computer searches of English and Chinese literature databases (including Medline, EMBASE, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform). A random-effects model was used to calculate pooled prevalence and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A total of 2556 oesophageal cancer cases from 19 studies were included in this meta-analysis. Overall, the pooled HPV-18 prevalence in oesophageal cancer cases was 4·1% (95% CI 2·7-5·5) in China, 6·1% (95% CI 2·9-9·3) in fresh or frozen biopsies and 4·0% (95% CI 2·3-5·8) in paraffin-embedded fixed biopsies, 8·2% (95% CI 4·6-11·7) by the E6/E7 region and 2·2% (95% CI 0·9-3·6) by the L1 region of the HPV gene. This meta-analysis indicated that China has a moderate HPV-18 prevalence of oesophageal cancer compared to cervical cancer, although there is variation between different variables. Further studies are needed to elucidate the role of HPV in oesophagus carcinogenesis with careful consideration of study design and laboratory detection method, providing more accurate assessment of HPV status in oesophageal cancer.

  20. Phylogeographic and population insights of the Asian common toad (Bufo gargarizans in Korea and China: population isolation and expansions as response to the ice ages

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    Amaël Borzée

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available The effects of ice ages on speciation have been well documented for many European and North American taxa. In contrast, very few studies have addressed the consequences of such environmental and topographical changes in North East Asian species. More precisely, the Korean Peninsula offers a unique model to assess patterns and processes of speciation as it hosts the northern- and eastern-most distribution limit of some widespread Asian taxa. Despite this, studies addressing phylogeographic patterns and population genetics in the peninsula and surrounding countries are few and studies for most families are lacking. Here we inferred the phylogenetic relationships of the common toad (Bufo gargarizans from South Korea and their North East Asian counterpart populations, based on mitochondrial data. Korean B. gargarizans GenBank BLASTs matched few individuals from nearby China, but the presence of a Korean clade suggests isolation on the Korean Peninsula, previous to the last glacial maximum, linked to sea level resurgence. Molecular clock calibrations within this group were used to date the divergence between clades and their relationship to paleo-climatic events in the area. Lack of genetic structure among South Korean populations and strong homogeneity between the Korean and some Chinese localities suggest weak isolation and recent expansion. Geographical projection of continuous coalescent maximum-clade-credibility trees shows an original Chinese expansion towards the Korean Peninsula through the Yellow Sea circa two million years ago with colonisation events dating circa 800 thousand years ago (K. y. a.. Following this colonisation, the data point to outgoing Korean Peninsula dispersal events throughout different periods, towards the North through land, and West through land bridge formations over the Yellow Sea during sea level falls. In accordance, demographic analyses revealed a population expansion in the Koran Peninsula circa 300 K. y. a

  1. Understanding the Culture of Chinese Children and Families

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheung, Ruth; Nelson, Warren; Advincula, Luzelle; Cureton, Virginia Young; Canham, Daryl L.

    2005-01-01

    Providing appropriate health care to a client can be accomplished only in an environment that is sensitive to the cultural values and beliefs of the client. As the population of first-and second-generation Chinese immigrants increases in the United States, the need to develop culturally sensitive health care becomes significant. Chinese immigrants…

  2. Does the consumption of fruits and vegetables differ between Eastern and Western European populations? Systematic review of cross-national studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stefler, Denes; Bobak, Martin

    2015-01-01

    Difference in fruit and vegetable consumption has been suggested as a possible reason for the large gap in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality rates between Eastern and Western European populations. However, individual-level dietary data which allow direct comparison across the two regions are rare. In this systematic review we aimed to answer the question whether cross-national studies with comparable individual-level dietary data reveal any systematic differences in fruit and vegetable consumption between populations in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the Former Soviet Union (FSU) compared to Western Europe (WE). Studies were identified by electronic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE and Web of Science databases from inception to September 2014, and hand search. Studies which reported data on fruit, vegetable consumption or carotene and vitamin C intake or tissue concentrations of adult participants from both CEE/FSU and WE countries were considered for inclusion. Quality of the included studies was assessed by a modified STROBE statement. Power calculation was performed to determine the statistical significance of the comparison results. Twenty-two studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Fruit consumption was found to be consistently lower in CEE/FSU participants compared to Western Europeans. Results on vegetable intake were less unambiguous. Antioxidant studies indicated lower concentration of beta-carotene in CEE/FSU subjects, but the results for vitamin C were not consistent. This systematic review suggests that populations in CEE and FSU consume less fruit than Western Europeans. The difference in the consumption of fruit may contribute to the CVD gap between the two regions.

  3. Ancient DNA Reveals That the Genetic Structure of the Northern Han Chinese Was Shaped Prior to 3,000 Years Ago

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Quan-Chao; Li, Hong-Jie; Cui, Ying-Qiu; Xu, Zhi; Jin, Li; Zhou, Hui; Zhu, Hong

    2015-01-01

    The Han Chinese are the largest ethnic group in the world, and their origins, development, and expansion are complex. Many genetic studies have shown that Han Chinese can be divided into two distinct groups: northern Han Chinese and southern Han Chinese. The genetic history of the southern Han Chinese has been well studied. However, the genetic history of the northern Han Chinese is still obscure. In order to gain insight into the genetic history of the northern Han Chinese, 89 human remains were sampled from the Hengbei site which is located in the Central Plain and dates back to a key transitional period during the rise of the Han Chinese (approximately 3,000 years ago). We used 64 authentic mtDNA data obtained in this study, 27 Y chromosome SNP data profiles from previously studied Hengbei samples, and genetic datasets of the current Chinese populations and two ancient northern Chinese populations to analyze the relationship between the ancient people of Hengbei and present-day northern Han Chinese. We used a wide range of population genetic analyses, including principal component analyses, shared mtDNA haplotype analyses, and geographic mapping of maternal genetic distances. The results show that the ancient people of Hengbei bore a strong genetic resemblance to present-day northern Han Chinese and were genetically distinct from other present-day Chinese populations and two ancient populations. These findings suggest that the genetic structure of northern Han Chinese was already shaped 3,000 years ago in the Central Plain area. PMID:25938511

  4. Genetic Variations of the COL4A1 Gene and Intracerebral Hemorrhage Risk: A Case-Control Study in a Chinese Han Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Sen; Xia, Chao; He, Sha; Yang, Jie; Li, Hao; Zheng, Jun; Liu, Ming; You, Chao

    2018-04-01

    To investigate the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms or haplotypes of the COL4A1 gene and the risk of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). We conducted a case-control study that included 181 patients from the Chinese Han population with hypertensive ICH and 197 hypertension patients without ICH. Genomic DNA was extracted by DNA extraction kit, and the 6 single nucleotide polymorphism genotypes of the COL4A1 gene were detected with a MassARRAY Analyzer. Unphased 3.1.4 and SPSS 19.0 were used to analyze the association between alleles, genotypes, and haplotypes of the COL4A1 gene and the risk of ICH. Compared with the control group, patients in the ICH group were significantly younger. There were no differences in gender, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, current smoking, and alcohol consumption between the 2 groups. Our association analysis showed that the rs3742207 A, rs11069830 A, and rs679505 A alleles were association factors of the risks of ICH; rs11069830 AA, rs544012 AC, and rs679505 AA genotypes were association factors of the risk of ICH; AA haplotype (rs3742207-rs11069830) was an association factor of the risk of ICH. After adjusting age and gender by multivariate logistic regression, the rs544012 AC and rs679505 AA genotypes were independently associated with the risk of ICH. Our study showed that the rs544012 AC and rs679505 AA genotypes were independently associated with the risk of ICH in the Chinese Han population and that the AA haplotype (rs3742207-rs11069830) in the COL4A1 gene may be related to the risk of ICH in the Chinese Han population; these conclusions need further confirmation in future studies with larger samples. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  5. Association of Inducible T Cell Costimulator Polymorphisms with Susceptibility and Outcome of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in a Chinese Han Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, J; Li, Q-L; Hou, S-H; Peng, H; Guo, J-J

    2015-09-01

    Inducible T cell costimulator (ICOS) functions to regulate cell-cell signalling, immune responses and cell proliferation. ICOS single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) may affect protein expression and functions. This study investigated the association of ICOS SNPs with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and outcome in a Chinese population. A total of 1290 Chinese Han individuals were enrolled, including 63 asymptomatic HBV carriers, 220 chronic hepatitis B patients (CHB), 249 HBV-related liver cirrhosis patients (LC), 108 patients with HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 338 patients with natural HBV clearance and 312 healthy subjects (as controls). DNA samples from these subjects were genotyped for four ICOS SNPs (rs11883722, rs10932029, rs1559931 and rs4675379) using TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assay and analysed. The data showed that genotype and allele frequencies of ICOS SNPs in cases and controls followed the Hardy-Weinberg distribution. The CC genotype of rs4675379 was higher in patients with HBV infection (including AC, CHB, LC and HCC) than in patients with HBV clearance (P = 0.006). Furthermore, the genotype 'GA' and the minor allele 'A' of rs1559931 were associated with a decreased HCC susceptibility (P a lower frequency in patients than in HBV-cleared subjects (P = 0.034), although its overall frequency was only 1.6%. Our study found that ICOS rs1559931 SNP was associated with decreased HBV-related HCC risk in the studied Chinese Han population, except for patients with natural clearance of HBV. © 2015 The Foundation for the Scandinavian Journal of Immunology.

  6. Population dynamics and breeding patterns of multimammate mouse, Mastomys natalensis (Smith 1834), in irrigated rice fields in eastern Tanzania.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mulungu, Loth S; Ngowo, Victoria; Mdangi, Mashaka; Katakweba, Abdul S; Tesha, Protas; Mrosso, Furaha P; Mchomvu, Mary; Sheyo, Paul M; Kilonzo, Bukhet S

    2013-03-01

    Multimammate mice are the most important vertebrate pests in Sub-Saharan Africa and are also reservoirs of many zoonotic diseases, including sylvan plague. This study investigated the population dynamics and breeding patterns of this mouse in irrigated rice cropping systems in eastern Tanzania. The multimammate mouse, Mastomys natalensis, population varied with habitat and months. Fallow land had a more abundant population than rice fields. The highest population peak was observed during the dry season from July to October. Mastomys natalensis is sexually active throughout the year in the study area, although it reaches the highest level in June and December when rice is at the maturity stage. This suggests that breeding is highly influenced by the presence of a rice crop in both seasons. More juvenile individuals were recorded in August and September, indicating that they were produced in the previous breeding months. The sex ratio of M. natalensis was not skewed to either males or females, indicating that it was at parity. Rodent population dynamics during the study periods in all habitats indicated that high birth rates accounted for the rapid population growth and turnover. Regular control and sustainable operations are thus essential if rodent pest populations are to be kept within tolerable limits. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.

  7. Exploring traditional end-of-life beliefs, values, expectations, and practices among Chinese women living in England: Informing culturally safe care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Mei Lan; Malcoe, Lorraine Halinka; Sixsmith, Judith; Wong, Louise Yuen Ming; Callender, Matthew

    2015-10-01

    This study explores the end-of-life (EoL) beliefs, values, practices, and expectations of a select group of harder-to-reach Chinese women living in England. A cultural safety approach was undertaken to interpret 11 in-depth, semistructured interviews. Interviews were conducted in Mandarin and Cantonese. Transcripts were translated and back-translated by two researchers. Findings were analyzed using the technical analytical principles of grounded theory. The key themes generated from our analysis include: acculturation; differential beliefs and norms in providing care: family versus health services; language and communication; Eastern versus Western spiritual practices and beliefs; and dying, death, and the hereafter. End-of-life discussions can be part of an arduous, painful, and uncomfortable process, particularly for migrants living on the margins of society in a new cultural setting. For some Chinese people living in the United Kingdom, end-of-life care requires attention to acculturation, particularly Western versus Eastern beliefs on religion, spirituality, burial practices, and provision of care, and the availability of culturally specific care, all of which encompass issues related to gender. Stories of a purposive sample of Chinese women were viewed through a cultural safety lens to gain a deeper understanding of how social and cultural norms and expectations, in addition to the pressures of acculturation, impact gendered roles and responsibilities. The analysis revealed variations between/within Eastern and Western culture that resulted in pronounced, and oftentimes gendered, differences in EoL care expectations.

  8. Genetic variants of phosphodiesterase 4D gene are associated with an enhanced risk for ischemic stroke in young Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Ying; Yang, Dong Zhi; Yu, Hui; Li, Man Yu; Feng, Qing Chuan; Zheng, Hong

    2013-01-01

    Previous studies have shown that the phosphodiesterase 4D (PDE4D) gene is a susceptibility gene for ischemic stroke (IS) primarily in elder populations. However, few studies have reported the role of the PDE4D gene polymorphisms in a young cohort. To investigate the association between the PDE4D gene polymorphisms and young-onset IS in Chinese population. A total of 186 young patients (18-45 years) with IS and 232 matched control subjects were recruited. Two SNPs (rs918592 and rs2910829) in PDE4D gene were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. Odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated to test the association between the genetic factors and IS. The rs918592A/A genotype frequency and A allele frequency, rs2910829 CT/TT genotype frequency and T allele frequency of young IS group were significantly higher than those of the control group ( P young patients than that in the controls (OR =4.047, 95% CI: 3.521-4.652). Hap (A-C) and Hap (G-C) were associated with decreased risk of IS (OR =0.640, 95% CI: 0.452-0.906; OR =0.675, 95% CI: 0.466-0.978, respectively). Our findings suggest that the rs918592 and rs2910829 polymorphisms and haplotypes of PDE4D gene are significantly associated with IS in Chinese young population.

  9. Maternal and infant health of Eastern Europeans in Bradford, UK: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richards, Jessica; Kliner, Merav; Brierley, Shirley; Stroud, Laura

    2014-09-01

    This qualitative study aimed to investigate maternal and infant health needs within Eastern European populations in Bradford. Evidence suggested that migrants from Eastern Europe had poor maternal and child health and increased rates of infant mortality. Health visitors, community midwives and specialist voluntary workers were involved. Eleven interviews took place. They were semi-structured and analysed using a thematic approach. A number of health needs were identified in Eastern European populations, including high rates of smoking and poor diet. Wider determinants of health such as poverty and poor housing were cited as commonplace for Eastern European migrants. There were numerous cultural barriers to health, such as discrimination, mobility, cultural practices regarding age at pregnancy, and disempowerment of women. Lastly, access to health services was identified as a significant issue and this was impacting on staff working with this population. This study demonstrated the complexity and interaction of health and social factors and their influence on utilisation of health services.

  10. Development and Validation of Chinese Health Literacy Scale for Low Salt Consumption-Hong Kong Population (CHLSalt-HK.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P H Chau

    Full Text Available Globally, sodium intake far exceeds the level recommended by the World Health Organization. Assessing health literacy related to salt consumption among older adults could guide the development of interventions that target their knowledge gaps, misconceptions, or poor dietary practices. This study aimed to develop and validate the Chinese Health Literacy Scale for Low Salt Consumption-Hong Kong population (CHLSalt-HK. Based on previous studies on salt intake and nutrition label reading in other countries, we developed similar questions that were appropriate for the Chinese population in Hong Kong. The questions covered the following eight broad areas: functional literacy (term recognition and nutrition label reading, knowledge of the salt content of foods, knowledge of the diseases related to high salt intake, knowledge of international standards, myths about salt intake, attitudes toward salt intake, salty food consumption practices, and nutrition label reading practices. Eight professionals, including doctors, nurses, and dietitians, provided feedback on the scale. The psychometric properties of the scale were assessed based on data collected from a convenience sample of 603 Chinese elderly adults recruited from Elderly Health Centres in Hong Kong. The 49-item CHLSalt-HK had a possible score range of 0 to 98, with a higher score indicating higher health literacy related to salt intake. The CHLSalt-HK had acceptable content validity; the item-level Content Validity Index ranged from 0.857 to 1.000, and the scale-level Content Validity Index was 0.994. Additionally, it had good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha of 0.799 and good test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.846. The mean CHLSalt-HK score among those who were aware of the public education slogan about nutrition labels and sodium intake was higher by 3.928 points (95% confidence interval: 1.742 to 6.115 than that among those who were not aware of the slogan

  11. Polymorphisms in CISH gene are associated with persistent hepatitis B virus infection in Han Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Zhangyong; Yang, Jinliang; Wu, Yangping; Xiong, Guolian; Wang, Yali; Yang, Jun; Deng, Lan

    2014-01-01

    Cytokine-inducible SRC homology 2 domain protein (CISH) is the first member of the suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) protein family. An association between multiple CISH polymorphisms and susceptibility to infectious diseases has been reported. This study aimed to investigate the possible association of these single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CISH gene with different outcomes of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. 1019 unrelated Chinese Han subjects, including 240 persistent asymptomatic HBV carriers, 217 chronic hepatitis B patients, 137 HBV-related liver cirrhosis patients, and 425 cases of spontaneously recovered HBV as controls, were studied. Four SNPs (rs622502, rs2239751, rs414171 and rs6768300) in CISH gene were genotyped with the snapshot technique. Transcriptional activity of the CISH promoter was assayed in vitro using the dual-luciferase reporter assay system. At position rs414171, A allele and AA genotype frequencies were significantly higher in the HBV-resolved group as compared to the persistent HBV infection group. At position rs2239751, TT genotype was further observed in the HBV-resolved group. Using asymptomatic HBV carriers as controls, our results indicated that the rs414171 and rs2239751 polymorphisms were unrelated to HBV progression. The other two SNPs (rs622502 and rs6768300) showed no association with persistent HBV infection. Haplotype analysis revealed that the GGCA haplotype was associated with spontaneous clearance of HBV in this population. Moreover, luciferase activity was significantly higher in the PGL3-Basic-rs414171T construct as compared to the PGL3-Basic-rs414171A construct (pCISH gene were associated with persistent HBV infection in Han Chinese population, but not with HBV progression.

  12. Big mountains but small barriers: population genetic structure of the Chinese wood frog (Rana chensinensis) in the Tsinling and Daba Mountain region of northern China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhan, Aibin; Li, Cheng; Fu, Jinzhong

    2009-04-09

    Amphibians in general are poor dispersers and highly philopatric, and landscape features often have important impacts on their population genetic structure and dispersal patterns. Numerous studies have suggested that genetic differentiation among amphibian populations are particularly pronounced for populations separated by mountain ridges. The Tsinling Mountain range of northern China is a major mountain chain that forms the boundary between the Oriental and Palearctic zoogeographic realms. We studied the population structure of the Chinese wood frog (Rana chensinensis) to test whether the Tsinling Mountains and the nearby Daba Mountains impose major barriers to gene flow. Using 13 polymorphic microsatellite DNA loci, 523 individuals from 12 breeding sites with geographical distances ranging from 2.6 to 422.8 kilometers were examined. Substantial genetic diversity was detected at all sites with an average of 25.5 alleles per locus and an expected heterozygosity ranging from 0.504 to 0.855, and two peripheral populations revealed significantly lower genetic diversity than the central populations. In addition, the genetic differentiation among the central populations was statistically significant, with pairwise FST values ranging from 0.0175 to 0.1625 with an average of 0.0878. Furthermore, hierarchical AMOVA analysis attributed most genetic variation to the within-population component, and the between-population variation can largely be explained by isolation-by-distance. None of the putative barriers detected from genetic data coincided with the location of the Tsinling Mountains. The Tsinling and Daba Mountains revealed no significant impact on the population genetic structure of R. chensinensis. High population connectivity and extensive juvenile dispersal may account for the significant, but moderate differentiation between populations. Chinese wood frogs are able to use streams as breeding sites at high elevations, which may significantly contribute to the

  13. Genetic variants of STAT4 are associated with ankylosing spondylitis susceptibility and severity in a Chinese Han population

    OpenAIRE

    Liu, Zhixiang; Zhang, Peisen; Dong, Jie

    2014-01-01

    Objective: Genetic factors play an important role in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) etiology and signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) gene polymorphisms may be involved. The aim of this study was to test whether STAT4 variants were associated with susceptibility to AS in a Chinese population. Methods: A total of 175 subjects who were diagnosed as AS and 249 healthy age-matched controls were enrolled in the present study. The rs7574865 G/T SNP in STAT4 gene was genotyped in ...

  14. Population Fluctuation of Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) as a Function of Altitude in Eastern Guatemala.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flores, S; Montoya, P; Ruiz-Montoya, L; Villaseñor, A; Valle, A; Enkerlin, W; Liedo, P

    2016-08-01

    Population fluctuations of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) were evaluated over a period of 12 mo in four altitudinal strata (400-750, 750-1,100, 1,100-1,450, and 1,450-1,800 meters above sea level, masl) in Eastern Guatemala. Within each altitudinal range, sampling plots were established in coffee plantations and adjacent areas, in which Jackson traps were set and baited with Trimedlure. Coffee berries and other host fruits were collected. Population density was lowest at the 400-750 masl stratum and highest at 1,450-1,800 masl. At every altitudinal range, the fluctuations of the pest were associated mainly with the availability of ripe coffee berries as a primary host. From 750-1,450 masl, the pest was also associated with the availability of sweet orange and mandarins in commercial and backyard orchards. The highest densities of the pest were recorded in the dry season. Citrus were the main alternate host where ripe coffee berries were not available. This knowledge on population dynamics of C. capitata will contribute to develop more effective area-wide pest management strategies including the use of sterile insects, natural enemies, and bait sprays. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  15. Interactions between traditional Chinese medicine and western drugs in Taiwan: A population-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Kuan Chen; Lu, Richard; Iqbal, Usman; Hsu, Ko-Ching; Chen, Bi-Li; Nguyen, Phung-Anh; Yang, Hsuan-Chia; Huang, Chih-Wei; Li, Yu-Chuan Jack; Jian, Wen-Shan; Tsai, Shin-Han

    2015-12-01

    Drug-drug interactions have long been an active research area in clinical medicine. In Taiwan, however, the widespread use of traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) presents additional complexity to the topic. Therefore, it is important to see the interaction between traditional Chinese and western medicine. (1) To create a comprehensive database of multi-herb/western drug interactions indexed according to the ways in which physicians actually practice and (2) to measure this database's impact on the detection of adverse effects between traditional Chinese medicine compounds and western medicines. First, a multi-herb/western medicine drug interactions database was created by separating each TCM compound into its constituent herbs. Each individual herb was then checked against an existing single-herb/western drug interactions database. The data source comes from the National Health Insurance research database, which spans the years 1998-2011. This study estimated the interaction prevalence rate and further separated the rates according to patient characteristics, distribution by county, and hospital accreditation levels. Finally, this new database was integrated into a computer order entry module of the electronic medical records system of a regional teaching hospital. The effects it had were measured for two months. The most commonly interacting Chinese herbs were Ephedrae Herba and Angelicae Sinensis Radix/Angelicae Dahuricae Radix. Ephedrae Herba contains active ingredients similar to in ephedrine. 15 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine compounds contain Ephedrae Herba. Angelicae Sinensis Radix and Angelicae Dahuricae Radix contain ingredients similar to coumarin, a blood thinner. 9 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine compounds contained Angelicae Sinensis Radix/Angelicae Dahuricae Radix. In the period from 1998 to 2011, the prevalence of herb-drug interactions related to Ephedrae Herba was 0.18%. The most commonly prescribed traditional Chinese compounds were

  16. Prevalence, Awareness, Treatment and Control of Diabetes Mellitus in a Chinese Population.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiqiang Yue

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prevalence, awareness, treatment and glycemic control of diabetes mellitus (DM in a Chinese population. The findings from this study are expected to offer scientific evidence to better prevent and control the growing number of reported and untreated cases.A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Jiangsu, China. We recruited permanent residents over 18 years of age from eight towns in Jintan (JT and six towns in Yangzhong (YZ using a three-stage stratified cluster sampling method. The rates of DM prevalence, awareness, treatment and control as well as their related factors were analyzed.A total number of 15,404 people were entered into the analysis. The DM prevalence, awareness, treatment and control rates were 7.31%, 58.35%, 51.87% and 14.12%, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that being female was positively related to prevalence (OR=1.21, 95% CI: 1.07-1.37, awareness (OR=1.52, 95% CI: 1.19-1.93, treatment (OR=1.48, 95% CI: 1.17-1.88 and control (OR=1.87, 95% CI: 1.30-2.67 of DM. Having a family history of diabetes was significantly correlated with DM risk (OR=1.86, 95% CI: 1.37-2.54 and increased awareness (OR=3.12, 95% CI: 2.19-4.47, treatment (OR=3.47, 95% CI: 2.45-4.90 and control (OR=1.81, 95% CI: 1.22-2.68 of DM. Former smoking status (OR=1.82, 95% CI: 1.23-2.71, overweight (OR=2.11, 95% CI: 1.72-2.60 and obesity (OR=3.46, 95% CI: 2.67-4.50 were related to the risk of DM. Additionally, we found current drinking status to be positively correlated with DM risk (OR=1.30, 95% CI: 1.01-1.66 and negatively correlated with DM awareness (OR=0.41, 95% CI: 0.29-0.59 and treatment (OR=0.41, 95% CI: 0.29-0.59. Our study highlights the high prevalence and inadequate awareness, treatment and control of DM in the Chinese population.Management and prevention of DM-related complications should be considered an essential strategy by governments and society. This study assessed the

  17. Prevalence, Awareness, Treatment and Control of Diabetes Mellitus in a Chinese Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yue, Jiqiang; Mao, Xuhua; Xu, Kun; Lü, Lingshuang; Liu, Sijun; Chen, Feng; Wang, Jianming

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prevalence, awareness, treatment and glycemic control of diabetes mellitus (DM) in a Chinese population. The findings from this study are expected to offer scientific evidence to better prevent and control the growing number of reported and untreated cases. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Jiangsu, China. We recruited permanent residents over 18 years of age from eight towns in Jintan (JT) and six towns in Yangzhong (YZ) using a three-stage stratified cluster sampling method. The rates of DM prevalence, awareness, treatment and control as well as their related factors were analyzed. A total number of 15,404 people were entered into the analysis. The DM prevalence, awareness, treatment and control rates were 7.31%, 58.35%, 51.87% and 14.12%, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that being female was positively related to prevalence (OR=1.21, 95% CI: 1.07-1.37), awareness (OR=1.52, 95% CI: 1.19-1.93), treatment (OR=1.48, 95% CI: 1.17-1.88) and control (OR=1.87, 95% CI: 1.30-2.67) of DM. Having a family history of diabetes was significantly correlated with DM risk (OR=1.86, 95% CI: 1.37-2.54) and increased awareness (OR=3.12, 95% CI: 2.19-4.47), treatment (OR=3.47, 95% CI: 2.45-4.90) and control (OR=1.81, 95% CI: 1.22-2.68) of DM. Former smoking status (OR=1.82, 95% CI: 1.23-2.71), overweight (OR=2.11, 95% CI: 1.72-2.60) and obesity (OR=3.46, 95% CI: 2.67-4.50) were related to the risk of DM. Additionally, we found current drinking status to be positively correlated with DM risk (OR=1.30, 95% CI: 1.01-1.66) and negatively correlated with DM awareness (OR=0.41, 95% CI: 0.29-0.59) and treatment (OR=0.41, 95% CI: 0.29-0.59). Our study highlights the high prevalence and inadequate awareness, treatment and control of DM in the Chinese population. Management and prevention of DM-related complications should be considered an essential strategy by governments and society. This study assessed the

  18. Prevalence and risk factors of attempted suicide in adult war-affected population of eastern Uganda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinyanda, Eugene; Weiss, Helen A; Mungherera, Margaret; Onyango-Mangen, Patrick; Ngabirano, Emmanuel; Kajungu, Rehema; Kagugube, Johnson; Muhwezi, Winston; Muron, Julius; Patel, Vikram

    2013-01-01

    There is conflicting evidence on the relationship between war trauma and suicidal behavior. Some studies point to an increased risk of suicidal behavior while others do not, with a paucity of such data from sub-Saharan Africa. To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of attempted suicide in war-affected Eastern Uganda. A cross-sectional survey was carried out in two districts of Eastern Uganda where 1,560 respondents (15 years and older) were interviewed. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess risk factors of attempted suicide in this population. Lifetime attempted suicide was 9.2% (n = 142; 95% CI, 7.8%-10.8%), and 12-month attempted suicide was 2.6% (n = 41; 95% CI, 1.9-3.5%). Lifetime attempted suicide was significantly higher among females 101 (11.1%) than among males 43 (6.5%; OR = 1.80, 95% CI 1.21-2.65). Factors independently associated with lifetime rate of attempted suicide among females were subcounty, being a victim of intimate partner violence, having reproductive health complaints, and having major depressive disorder. Among males these were belonging to a war-vulnerable group, having a surgical complaint, and having a major depressive disorder. In both sexes, the lifetime rate of attempted suicide was not independently directly related to experiences of war trauma. It was, however, indirectly related to war trauma through its association with psychological, somatic, and psychosocial sequelae of war.

  19. Understanding Cultural Influences on Dietary Habits in Asian, Middle Eastern, and Latino Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Review of Current Literature and Future Directions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mora, Natalie; Golden, Sherita Hill

    2017-10-23

    This review focuses on evaluating and identifying gaps in the current literature regarding culturally specific dietary influences for patients with type 2 diabetes. As this topic has previously been examined in African American populations, we chose to focus on four other distinct populations (Hispanic, Middle Eastern, Western Pacific, South Asian). Given the rapid increase in global rates of type 2 diabetes and high rates of diabetes among certain ethnic groups, it is important to understand how culturally adapted strategies in diabetes management have been described in different regions and populations. The specific role of nutrition in controlling diabetes is tied to cultural habits and customs. Variation in cultural practices, including diet, create unique environments in which patients with diabetes must navigate. The role of family, particularly among Hispanics, is crucial to cultural adaptations of diabetes management. Incorporating alternative medicine, namely observed in Chinese and Indian populations, also guided diabetes care strategies. Language barriers, health literacy, and acculturation were all unique factors affecting cultural approaches to diabetes management in these four populations. Understanding such cultural determinants is crucial to addressing diabetes disparities and improving outcomes.

  20. Episiotomy and severe perineal trauma among Eastern African immigrant women giving birth in public maternity care: A population based study in Victoria, Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belihu, Fetene B; Small, Rhonda; Davey, Mary-Ann

    2017-08-01

    Eastern African immigrants from countries affected by female genital mutilation have resettled in many developed countries, including Australia. Although possibly at risk of perineal trauma and episiotomy, research investigating their perineal status post-migration is sparse. To investigate variations in episiotomy use and incidence of severe perineal tear for women born in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan compared with Australian-born women. A population-based study of 203,206 Australian-born and 3502 Eastern African immigrant women admitted as public patients, with singleton vaginal births between 1999 and 2007, was conducted using the Victorian Perinatal Data Collection. Descriptive and multivariable logistic regression analysis adjusting for confounders selected a priori, were performed to compute incidence and adjusted odds ratios. Overall, 30.5% Eastern African immigrants had episiotomy compared to 17.2% Australian-born women. Severe perineal trauma occurred in 2.1% of Eastern African immigrants and 1.6% of Australian-born women. While the odds of severe perineal trauma was significantly elevated only during non-instrumental vaginal births for Eastern African immigrants {OR adj 1.56 95%CI(1.17, 2.12)}; that of episiotomy was increased during both non-instrumental {OR adj 4.47 95%CI(4.10, 4.88)} and instrumental {OR adj 2.51 95%CI(1.91, 3.29)} vaginal births. Overall, Eastern African immigrant women experienced elevated odds of episiotomy and severe perineal tear. Health care providers need to be mindful of the increased risk of severe perineal tear in these women and enhance efforts in identification and treatment of severe perineal trauma to minimise associated short and long term morbidity. Strategies to reduce unneeded episiotomy and ways of enhancing perineal safety are also needed. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Family beliefs about diet and traditional Chinese medicine for Hong Kong women with breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simpson, Peggy Burrows

    2003-01-01

    To explore beliefs about diet and traditional Chinese medicine related to the breast cancer experience of Hong Kong Chinese women and their families. Interpretive phenomenology. Hong Kong, China. A purposive sample of 20 Hong Kong Chinese women diagnosed with breast cancer at various stages of the illness trajectory and at least one other family member. A semistructured, three-hour interview was translated, transcribed, and back-translated. Many women and their family members believed that diet was responsible for their cancer and recurrence. They integrated their cultural beliefs about diet and traditional Chinese medicine to manage illness symptoms and prevent recurrence. Families were anxious and confused about conflicting messages from various sources about dietary practices to promote their health and prevent recurrence. Food and diet alternatives should be discussed with the understanding that beliefs about diet and traditional Chinese medicine are embedded in culture and that many Chinese women and their families seek a combination of Eastern Chinese medicine and Western medicine strategies to manage the illness trajectory. Many Chinese families have different beliefs about food and diet and the role that food plays in managing the cancer experience. Often, Chinese people will not seek clarification if they do not understand information. If information does not fit with their predominant belief systems, families may not implement it, nor will they discuss a situation if they think the conversation will result in a relationship of conflict with healthcare providers.

  2. Contribution of DNA repair xeroderma pigmentosum group D genotypes to pancreatic cancer risk in the Chinese Han population

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dong Yan

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract This study aimed to determine the association between the polymorphisms and haplotypes in the xeroderma pigmentosum group D (XPD gene and the risk of pancreatic cancer in the Chinese Han population. SNaPshot was used for genotyping six SNP sites of the XPD gene. Comparisons of the correlations between different genotypes in combination with smoking and the susceptibility to pancreatic cancer were performed. Individual pancreatic cancer risk in patients who carry mutant C alleles (AC, CC, and AC+CC at rs13181 increased (p < 0.05. Taking non-smoking individuals who carry the AA genotype as a reference, and non-smoking individuals who carry mutant allele C (AC+CC, the risk of pancreatic cancer increased by 3.343 times in individuals who smoked ≥ 20 cigarettes daily, 3.309 times in individuals who smoked ≥ 14 packs per year, 5.011 times in individuals who smoked ≥ 24 packs per year, and 4.013 times in the individuals who smoked ≥ 37 packs per year (P < 0.05. In addition, haplotype analysis revealed that haplotype AGG, which comprised rs13181, rs3916874 and rs238415, was associated with a 1.401-fold increase in pancreatic cancer risk (p < 0.05. We conclude that the polymorphism of XPD Lys751Gln (rs13181 in combination with smoking contributes to increased risk of pancreatic cancer in the Chinese Han population. Haplotype AGG might be a susceptibility haplotype for pancreatic cancer.

  3. Dietary exposure to heterocyclic amines in a Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Kin-Yoke; Su, Jin; Knize, Mark G; Koh, Woon-Puay; Seow, Adeline

    2005-01-01

    Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) formed in meat during high-temperature cooking have been associated with risk of colorectal and breast cancer. Incidence of these cancers is increasing in Singapore, a country with 77% ethnic Chinese. The purpose of this study was to estimate HAA levels in the Chinese diet and individual levels of exposure to these compounds because little is known. Twenty-five samples (each pooled from three sources) of meat and fish, cooked as commonly consumed, were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography for concentrations (ng/g) of 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline, 2-amino-3, 4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (MeIQ), 2-amino-3,8- dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), 2-amino-3, 4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (4,8-DiMeIQx), 2- amino-3,7,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline, 2-amino -1,6-dimethylfuro[3,2-e]imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine, and 2- amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP). Dietary meat consumption data (g/day), including meat type and cooking method, were gathered from food-frequency questionnaires completed by 497 randomly sampled Chinese men and women aged 20-59 yr. PhIP, MeIQx, and 4,8-DiMeIQx were the most abundant HAAs detected. Total HAA concentrations ranged from roasted pork had the highest levels. The estimated mean daily exposure to HAA was 49.95 ng/day (P10 14.0 ng/day, P90 95.8 ng/day); this was 50% higher among younger (20-39 yr) compared with older individuals. Seven specific meat-cooking method combinations contributed 90.1% of this intake, namely, pan-fried fish, pork, and chicken, deep-fried chicken as well as fish, roasted/barbecued pork, and grilled minced beef.

  4. Interleukin-2 and Interleukin-8 Gene Polymorphisms and Acquired Aplastic Anemia Risk in a Chinese Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xuejie; Lin, Shengyun; Yang, Yan; Rong, Liucheng; He, Guangsheng; He, Hailong; Xue, Yao; Fang, Yongjun; Wang, Yaping

    2017-01-01

    Cytokines IL-2 and IL-8 both participate in immune regulation. However, the relationship between polymorphisms in these two cytokines and the risk of acquired aplastic anemia (acquired AA) has not been explored. We selected five SNPs including rs11575812, rs2069772 and rs2069762 of IL-2, rs2227306 and rs2227543 of IL-8. SNaPshot genotyping was used to test the genotypes of IL-2 and IL-8 polymorphisms in a population of 101 acquired AA patients and 165 healthy controls. The rs2069762 G allele appeared to be a protective mutation, but no significant differences were found in other four SNPs. We also found that rs2069762 had an impact on the transcriptional regulation. It could be assumed that the rs2069762 polymorphism might reduce the risk of acquired aplastic anemia, while the remaining four SNPs might not contribute to susceptibility to acquired AA in a Chinese population. © 2017 The Author(s)Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

  5. Population aging from 1950 to 2010 in seventeen transitional countries in the wider region of South Eastern Europe

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mihajlo Jakovljevic

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Aim: Population aging has profoundly reshaped demographic landscapes in all South Eastern European (SEE countries. The aim of this study was to provide a thorough comparative inter-country assessment on the speed of population aging in the entire SEE region for the period 1950-2010. Methods: Descriptive observational analysis of long-term trends on core primary and composite indicators of population aging across seventeen countries of the wider SEE region, with panel data sets at a national level. Results: During the past six decades, the entire SEE region has experienced a rapid increase in the median age (from 25.2 years in 1950 to 37.9 years in 2010, with a simultaneous fall of fertility rates for two children per woman (from 3.55 children per each childbearing woman in 1950 to 1.49 in 2010, coupled with significant rise in the population of elderly citizens. The speed of population aging has vastly accelerated (with a 2.5 fold increase over the past three decades. The percentage of individuals over 65 years has doubled from 7% in 1950 to 14% in 2010. Conclusion: Complex national strategies are needed to cope with the shrinking labour force coupled with the growing proportion of the older population. With all likelihood, population aging will further accelerate in the near future. This profound long-term demographic transition will threaten financial sustainability of current health systems in all SEE countries.

  6. Measurement of Prosocial Reasoning among Chinese Adolescents

    OpenAIRE

    Frank H. Y. Lai; Andrew M. H. Siu; Chewtyn C. H. Chan; Daniel T. L. Shek

    2012-01-01

    This study attempted to develop a standardized instrument for assessment of prosocial reasoning in Chinese populations. The Prosocial Reasoning Objective Measure (PROM) was translated, and a two-stage study was conducted to evaluate the psychometric properties of the translated instrument. The content validity, cultural relevance, and reading level of the translated instrument were evaluated by an expert panel. Upon revisions according to the expert opinions, the Chinese PROM demonstrated goo...

  7. Maternal serum lead level during pregnancy is positively correlated with risk of preterm birth in a Chinese population

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Jun; Wang, Hua; Hao, Jia-Hu; Chen, Yuan-Hua; Liu, Lu; Yu, Zhen; Fu, Lin; Tao, Fang-Biao; Xu, De-Xiang

    2017-01-01

    Lead (Pb) is a well-known developmental toxicant. The aim of the present study was to analyze the association between maternal serum Pb level and risk of preterm birth in a population-based birth cohort study. The present study analyzed a sub-study of the China-Anhui Birth Cohort that recruited 3125 eligible mother-and-singleton-offspring pairs. Maternal serum Pb level was measured by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. All subjects were classified into three groups by tertile division according to serum Pb level: Low-Pb (L-Pb, <1.18 μg/dl), Medium-Pb (M-Pb, 1.18–1.70 μg/dl), and High-Pb (H-Pb, ≥1.71 μg/dl). The rate of preterm birth was 2.8% among subjects with L-Pb, 6.1% among subjects with M-Pb, and 8.1% among subjects with H-Pb, respectively. After controlling confounding factors, the adjusted OR for preterm birth was 2.33 (95%CI: 1.49, 3.65) among subjects with M-Pb and 3.09 (95%CI: 2.01, 4.76) among subjects with H-Pb. Of interest, maternal Pb exposure in early gestational stage than in middle gestational stage was more susceptible to preterm birth. Moreover, maternal serum Pb level was only associated with increased risk of late preterm birth. The present study provides evidence that maternal serum Pb level during pregnancy is positively associated with risk of preterm birth in a Chinese population. - Highlights: • Environmental Pb exposure during pregnancy elevates risk of preterm birth. • Environmental Pb exposure during pregnancy elevates risk of moderate and late preterm birth. • Environmental Pb exposure at early or middle gestational stage elevates risk of preterm birth. - Maternal serum Pb level during pregnancy is positively associated with risk of preterm birth in a Chinese population.

  8. Associations of ACE Gene Insertion/Deletion Polymorphism, ACE Activity, and ACE mRNA Expression with Hypertension in a Chinese Population

    OpenAIRE

    He, Qingfang; Fan, Chunhong; Yu, Min; Wallar, Gina; Zhang, Zuo-Feng; Wang, Lixin; Zhang, Xinwei; Hu, Ruying

    2013-01-01

    Background The present study was designed to explore the association of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene insertion/deletion (I/D, rs4646994) polymorphism, plasma ACE activity, and circulating ACE mRNA expression with essential hypertension (EH) in a Chinese population. In addition, a new detection method for circulating ACE mRNA expression was explored. Methods The research was approved by the ethics committee of Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Prevention and Control. Written i...

  9. Distribution of Chinese names

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Ding-wei

    2013-03-01

    We present a statistical model for the distribution of Chinese names. Both family names and given names are studied on the same basis. With naive expectation, the distribution of family names can be very different from that of given names. One is affected mostly by genealogy, while the other can be dominated by cultural effects. However, we find that both distributions can be well described by the same model. Various scaling behaviors can be understood as a result of stochastic processes. The exponents of different power-law distributions are controlled by a single parameter. We also comment on the significance of full-name repetition in Chinese population.

  10. Developmental Eye Movement (DEM Test Norms for Mandarin Chinese-Speaking Chinese Children.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yachun Xie

    Full Text Available The Developmental Eye Movement (DEM test is commonly used as a clinical visual-verbal ocular motor assessment tool to screen and diagnose reading problems at the onset. No established norm exists for using the DEM test with Mandarin Chinese-speaking Chinese children. This study aims to establish the normative values of the DEM test for the Mandarin Chinese-speaking population in China; it also aims to compare the values with three other published norms for English-, Spanish-, and Cantonese-speaking Chinese children. A random stratified sampling method was used to recruit children from eight kindergartens and eight primary schools in the main urban and suburban areas of Nanjing. A total of 1,425 Mandarin Chinese-speaking children aged 5 to 12 years took the DEM test in Mandarin Chinese. A digital recorder was used to record the process. All of the subjects completed a symptomatology survey, and their DEM scores were determined by a trained tester. The scores were computed using the formula in the DEM manual, except that the "vertical scores" were adjusted by taking the vertical errors into consideration. The results were compared with the three other published norms. In our subjects, a general decrease with age was observed for the four eye movement indexes: vertical score, adjusted horizontal score, ratio, and total error. For both the vertical and adjusted horizontal scores, the Mandarin Chinese-speaking children completed the tests much more quickly than the norms for English- and Spanish-speaking children. However, the same group completed the test slightly more slowly than the norms for Cantonese-speaking children. The differences in the means were significant (P0.05; compared with Spanish-speaking children, the scores were statistically significant (P0.05. DEM norms may be affected by differences in language, cultural, and educational systems among various ethnicities. The norms of the DEM test are proposed for use with Mandarin Chinese

  11. Genetic polymorphisms in HLA-DP and STAT4 are associated with IgA nephropathy in a Southwest Chinese population

    OpenAIRE

    Yang, Bin; Zhang, Junlong; Liu, Xinle; Huang, Zhuochun; Su, Zhenzhen; Liao, Yun; Wang, Lanlan

    2018-01-01

    IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common chronic glomerular disease worldwide. Genetic factors are thought to be crucial in the pathogenesis of IgAN. However, few data are available on the relationship between human leucocyte antigen (HLA) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) polymorphisms and IgAN susceptibility in the Chinese population. Therefore, we examined HLA-DP/DQ and STAT4 polymorphisms (rs3077, rs9277535, rs7453920 and rs7574865) in a total of 630 subjects...

  12. Haplotype diversity of 17 Y-chromosomal STRs in three native Sarawak populations (Iban, Bidayuh and Melanau) in East Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Yuet Meng; Swaran, Yuvaneswari; Phoon, Yoong Keat; Sothirasan, Kavin; Sim, Hang Thiew; Lim, Kong Boon; Kuehn, Daniel

    2009-06-01

    17 Y-STRs (DYS456, DYS389I, DYS390, DYS389II, DYS458, DYS19, DYS385a/b, DYS393, DYS391, DYS439, DYS635 or Y-GATA C4, DYS392, Y-GATA H4, DYS437, DYS438 and DYS448) have been analyzed in 320 male individuals from Sarawak, an eastern state of Malaysia on the Borneo island using the AmpFlSTR Y-filer (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA). These individuals were from three indigenous ethnic groups in Sarawak comprising of 103 Ibans, 113 Bidayuhs and 104 Melanaus. The observed 17-loci haplotypes and the individual allele frequencies for each locus were estimated, whilst the locus diversity, haplotype diversity and discrimination capacity were calculated in the three groups. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated that 87.6% of the haplotypic variation was found within population and 12.4% between populations (fixation index F(ST)=0.124, p=0.000). This study has revealed that the indigenous populations in Sarawak are distinctly different to each other, and to the three major ethnic groups in Malaysia (Malays, Chinese and Indians), with the Melanaus having a strikingly high degree of shared haplotypes within. There are rare unusual variants and microvariants that were not present in Malaysian Malay, Chinese or Indian groups. In addition, occurrences of DYS385 duplications which were only noticeably present in Chinese group previously was also observed in the Iban group whilst null alleles were detected at several Y-loci (namely DYS19, DYS392, DYS389II and DYS448) in the Iban and Melanau groups.

  13. Sleep quality and health service utilization in Chinese general population: a cross-sectional study in Dongguan, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Hui-Shan; Mai, Yan-Bing; Li, Wei-Da; Xi, Wen-Tao; Wang, Jin-Ming; Lei, Yi-Xiong; Wang, Pei-Xi

    The aims of this study were to explore the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and health service utilization in Chinese general population, to investigate the association between PSQI and health service utilization and to identify the independent contributions of social demographic variables, health related factors and PSQI to health service utilization. In a cross-sectional community-based health survey using a multi-instrument questionnaire, 4067 subjects (≥15 years old) were studied. The Chinese version of the PSQI was used to assess sleep quality. Health service utilization was measured by recent two-week physician visit and annual hospitalization rates. Higher PSQI scores were associated with more frequent health service utilization. Higher scores in subjective sleep quality were associated with higher rate of recent two-week physician visit (adjusted OR = 1.24 per SD increase, P = 0.015). Higher scores in habitual sleep efficiency (adjusted OR = 1.24 per SD increase, P = 0.038) and sleep disturbances (adjusted OR = 2.09 per SD increase, P quality predicted more frequent health service utilization. The independent contribution of PSQI on health service utilization was smaller than social demographic variables. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  14. Sex-dependent associations of genetic variants identified by GWAS with indices of adiposity and obesity risk in a Chinese children population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xi, Bo; Shen, Yue; Reilly, Kathleen Heather; Zhao, Xiaoyuan; Cheng, Hong; Hou, Dongqing; Wang, Xingyu; Mi, Jie

    2013-10-01

    Recent genome-wide association studies have identified a few single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which are associated with body mass index (BMI)/obesity. This study aimed to examine the identified associations among a population of Chinese children. Five SNPs (SEC16B rs10913469, SH2B1 rs4788102, PCSK1rs6235, KCTD15 rs29941, BAT2 rs2844479) were genotyped for a group of Chinese children (N = 2849, age range 6-18 years). A total of 1230 obese cases and 1619 controls with normal weight were identified based on the Chinese age- and sex-specific BMI references. Of five studied variants, only two (SEC16B rs10913469, SH2B1 rs4788102) were nominally associated with indices of adiposity and obesity risk in girls and only SEC16B rs10913469 in children at puberty (p indicated that the genetic risk score (GRS) was associated with BMI, waist circumference and risk of obesity (defined by BMI) in girls, even after FDR adjustment for multiple testing. However, there was no statistical association of GRS with indices of adiposity and risk of obesity in children at puberty after multiple comparison correction. This study confirmed the synthetic effect of SNPs on the indices of adiposity and risk of obesity in Chinese girls, but failed to replicate the effect of five separate variants. We also did not found cumulative effect of SNPs in children at puberty. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Dutch higher education and Chinese students in the Netherlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hong, T.M.; Pieke, F.N.; Steehouder, L.; Veldhuizen, van J.L.

    2017-01-01

    The number of Chinese students in the Dutch higher education sector has grown rapidly. In 2014 the number of Chinese BA and MA students reached 4638, or about 7 percent of the population of international students in the Netherlands. The number of formally employed PhD students in that year was 427.

  16. The influence of habitat structure on genetic differentiation in red fox populations in north-eastern Poland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mullins, Jacinta; McDevitt, Allan D; Kowalczyk, Rafał; Ruczyńska, Iwona; Górny, Marcin; Wójcik, Jan M

    2014-01-01

    The red fox ( Vulpes vulpes ) has the widest global distribution among terrestrial carnivore species, occupying most of the Northern Hemisphere in its native range. Because it carries diseases that can be transmitted to humans and domestic animals, it is important to gather information about their movements and dispersal in their natural habitat but it is difficult to do so at a broad scale with trapping and telemetry. In this study, we have described the genetic diversity and structure of red fox populations in six areas of north-eastern Poland, based on samples collected from 2002-2003. We tested 22 microsatellite loci isolated from the dog and the red fox genome to select a panel of nine polymorphic loci suitable for this study. Genetic differentiation between the six studied populations was low to moderate and analysis in Structure revealed a panmictic population in the region. Spatial autocorrelation among all individuals showed a pattern of decreasing relatedness with increasing distance and this was not significantly negative until 93 km, indicating a pattern of isolation-by-distance over a large area. However, there was no correlation between genetic distance and either Euclidean distance or least-cost path distance at the population level. There was a significant relationship between genetic distance and the proportion of large forests and water along the Euclidean distances. These types of habitats may influence dispersal paths taken by red foxes, which is useful information in terms of wildlife disease management.

  17. The Association Study between Twenty One Polymorphisms in Seven Candidate Genes and Coronary Heart Diseases in Chinese Han Population.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barrak F Alobeidy

    Full Text Available Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS in multiple populations identified several genetic loci for coronary heart diseases (CHD. Here we utilized a 2-stage candidate gene association strategy in Chinese Han population to shed light on the putative association between several metabolic-related candidate genes and CHD. At the 1(st stage, 190 patients with CHD and 190 controls were genotyped through the MassARRAY platform. At the 2(nd stage, a larger sample including 400 patients and 392 controls was genotyped by the High Resolution Melt (HRM method to confirm or rule out the associations with CHD. MLXIP expression level was quantified by the real time PCR in 65 peripheral blood samples. From the 21 studied single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs of seven candidate genes: MLXIPL, MLXIP, MLX, ADIPOR1, VDR, SREBF1 and NR1H3, only one tag SNP rs4758685 (T→C was found to be statistically associated with CHD (P-value = 0.02, Odds ratio (OR of 0.83. After adjustment for the age, sex, lipid levels and diabetes, the association remained significant (P-value = 0.03. After adjustment for the hypertension, P-value became 0.20 although there was a significant difference in the allele distribution between the CHD patients with hypertension and the controls (P-value = 0.04, 406 vs 582. In conclusion, among the 21 tested SNPs, we identified a novel association between rs4758685 of MLXIP gene and CHD. The C allele of common variant rs4758685 interacted with hypertension, and was found to be protective against CHD in both allelic and genotypic models in Chinese Han population.

  18. Strategic Military Colonisation: The Cape Eastern Frontier 1806–1872

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The Cape Eastern Frontier of South Africa offers a fascinating insight into British military strategy as well as colonial development. The Eastern Frontier was for over 100 years a very turbulent frontier. It was the area where the four main population groups (the Dutch, the British, the Xhosa and the Khoikhoi) met, and in many ...

  19. Genetic variation in WDR1 is associated with gout risk and gout-related metabolic indices in the Han Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, L J; Zhang, X Y; He, N; Liu, K; Shi, X G; Feng, T; Geng, T T; Yuan, D Y; Kang, L L; Jin, T B

    2016-04-28

    Gout is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis affecting men, and current evidence suggests that genetic factors contribute to its progression. As a previous study identified that WD40 repeat protein 1 (WDR1) is associated with gout in populations of European descent, we sought to investigate its relationship with this disease in the Han Chinese population. We genotyped six WDR1 single nucleotide polymorphisms in 143 gout cases and 310 controls using Sequenom MassARRAY technology. The SPSS 16.0 software was used to perform statistical analyses. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by unconditional logistic regression, with adjustments for age and gender. In an analysis using an allelic model, we identified that the minor alleles of rs3756230 (OR = 0.64, 95%CI = 0.450-0.911, P = 0.013) and rs12498927 (OR = 1.377, 95%CI = 1.037-1.831, P = 0.027) were associated with gout risk. In addition, we found that the "A/A" genotype of rs12498927 was associated with increased risk of gout under codominant (OR = 2.22, 95%CI = 1.12- 4.40, P = 0.042) and recessive models (OR = 2.24, 95%CI = 1.20-4.17, P = 0.012). We also determined the "A/G" genotype of rs12498927 to be significantly associated with higher urea levels in gout patients (P = 0.017). Our data shed new light on the association between genetic variations in the WDR1 gene and gout susceptibility in the Han Chinese population.

  20. Elevated serum ferritin concentration is associated with incident type 2 diabetes mellitus in a Chinese population: A prospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ling; Li, Yufeng; Zhang, Fang; Zhang, Simin; Zhou, Xianghai; Ji, Linong

    2018-03-08

    We aimed to evaluate the association between serum ferritin levels and incident type 2 diabetes mellitus risk in a Chinese population. This cohort study assessed 2225 Chinese individuals aged 25-75 years. Diabetes mellitus was diagnosed using the 1999 World Health Organization definition with a median follow-up period of 20 months. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for incident diabetes when serum ferritin concentrations increased by one standard deviation. During the follow-up period, 112 cases (62 men and 50 women) of type 2 diabetes mellitus were identified. Baseline serum ferritin levels were higher in the diabetes than the non-diabetes group. After adjusting for age, body mass index, waist circumference, mean arterial pressure, fasting plasma glucose, fasting insulin, hemoglobin A1c, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, alanine transaminase and triglyceride levels, family history of diabetes mellitus, pork meat consumption, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, education, and annual household income, the hazard ratios for incident diabetes corresponding to one standard deviation increase in serum ferritin levels were 1.17 (95% CI 1.03, 1.34), 1.20 (95% CI 1.003, 1.43), and 1.03 (95% CI 0.82, 1.31) for the total population, men, and women, respectively. High serum ferritin levels were associated with a higher risk of incident type 2 diabetes mellitus independent of traditional risk factors in the total population and men. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. [Key points of poverty alleviation of Chinese herbal medicine industry and classification of recommended Chinese herbal medicines].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Lu-Qi; Su, Gang-Qiang; Zhang, Xiao-Bo; Sun, Xiao-Ming; Wu, Xiao-Jun; Guo, Lan-Ping; Li, Meng; Wang, Hui; Jing, Zhi-Xian

    2017-11-01

    To build a well-off society in an all-round way, eliminate poverty, improve people's livelihood and improve the level of social and economic development in poverty-stricken areas is the frontier issues of the government and science and technology workers at all levels. Chinese herbal medicine is the strategic resource of the people's livelihood, Chinese herbal medicine cultivation is an important part of China's rural poor population income. As most of the production of Chinese herbal medicine by the biological characteristics of their own and the interaction of natural ecological environment factors, showing a strong regional character.the Ministry of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the State Council Poverty Alleviation Office and other five departments jointly issued the "China Herbal Industry Poverty Alleviation Action Plan (2017-2020)", according to local conditions of guidance and planning of Chinese herbal medicine production practice, promote Chinese herbal medicine industry poverty alleviation related work In this paper, based on the relevant data of poverty-stricken areas, this paper divides the areas with priority to the poverty alleviation conditions of Chinese herbal medicine industry, and analyzes and catalogs the list of Chinese herbal medicines grown in poverty-stricken areas at the macro level. The results show that there are at least 10% of the poor counties in the counties where the poverty-stricken counties and the concentrated areas are concentrated in the poverty-stricken areas. There is already a good base of Chinese herbal medicine industry, which is the key priority area for poverty alleviation of Chinese herbal medicine industry. Poverty-stricken counties, with a certain degree of development of Chinese medicine industry poverty alleviation conditions, the need to strengthen the relevant work to expand the foundation and capacity of Chinese herbal medicine industry poverty alleviation; 37% of poor counties to develop Chinese medicine

  2. Yield from an intensively hunted population of eastern fox squirrels

    Science.gov (United States)

    James S. Jordan; James S. Jordan

    1971-01-01

    Rates at which Eastern fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) are exploited in areas open to public hunting may be useful guides for designing fall hunting seasons that are biologically defensible. However, there is a question whether the harvest of fox squirrels by public hunting will even occasionally be great enough to challenge the limit allowed by the best designed...

  3. Polymorphisms in CISH gene are associated with persistent hepatitis B virus infection in Han Chinese population.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhangyong Hu

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND AIM: Cytokine-inducible SRC homology 2 domain protein (CISH is the first member of the suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS protein family. An association between multiple CISH polymorphisms and susceptibility to infectious diseases has been reported. This study aimed to investigate the possible association of these single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs in CISH gene with different outcomes of Hepatitis B virus (HBV infection. METHODS: 1019 unrelated Chinese Han subjects, including 240 persistent asymptomatic HBV carriers, 217 chronic hepatitis B patients, 137 HBV-related liver cirrhosis patients, and 425 cases of spontaneously recovered HBV as controls, were studied. Four SNPs (rs622502, rs2239751, rs414171 and rs6768300 in CISH gene were genotyped with the snapshot technique. Transcriptional activity of the CISH promoter was assayed in vitro using the dual-luciferase reporter assay system. RESULTS: At position rs414171, A allele and AA genotype frequencies were significantly higher in the HBV-resolved group as compared to the persistent HBV infection group. At position rs2239751, TT genotype was further observed in the HBV-resolved group. Using asymptomatic HBV carriers as controls, our results indicated that the rs414171 and rs2239751 polymorphisms were unrelated to HBV progression. The other two SNPs (rs622502 and rs6768300 showed no association with persistent HBV infection. Haplotype analysis revealed that the GGCA haplotype was associated with spontaneous clearance of HBV in this population. Moreover, luciferase activity was significantly higher in the PGL3-Basic-rs414171T construct as compared to the PGL3-Basic-rs414171A construct (p<0.001. CONCLUSION: Two SNPs (rs414171 and rs2239751 in the CISH gene were associated with persistent HBV infection in Han Chinese population, but not with HBV progression.

  4. Lymphotoxin alpha (LTA polymorphism is associated with prognosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in a Chinese population.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan Zhang

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL has been widely reported to be associated with autoimmune and pro-inflammatory response, and genetic polymorphisms of candidate genes involved in autoimmune and pro-inflammatory response may influence the survival and prognosis of NHL patients. To evaluate the role of such genetic variations in prognosis of NHL, we conducted this study in a Chinese population. METHODS: We used the TaqMan assay to genotype six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs (TNF rs1799964T>C, LTA rs1800683G>A, IL-10 rs1800872T>G, LEP rs2167270G>A, LEPR rs1327118C>G, TNFAIP8 rs1045241C>T for 215 NHL cases. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to compare progression free survival among two common genotypes. Cox proportional hazard models were used to identify independent risk factors. RESULTS: We observed that LTA rs1800683G>A was significantly associated with risk of progression or relapse in NHL patients (HR = 1.63, 95%CI = 1.06-2.51; P = 0.028, particularly in Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL cases (HR = 1.50, 95%CI = 1.10-2.04, P = 0.01. Both univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that in DLBCL patients, Ann Arbor stage III/IV, elevated LDH level before treatment and LTA rs1800683 AA genotype carrier were independent risk factors for progression or relapse. While in NK/T cell lymphoma, Ann Arbor stage III/IV and elevated β2-MG level before treatment indicated poorer prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: The polymorphism of LTA rs1800683G>A contributes to NHL prognosis in a Chinese population. Further large-scale and well-designed studies are needed to confirm these results.

  5. Mutation spectrum of Chinese patients with Bartter syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Yue; Lin, Yi; Sun, Qing; Wang, Shujuan; Gao, Yanxia; Shao, Leping

    2017-11-24

    Bartter syndrome (BS) has been rarely reported in Chinese population except for a few case reports. This investigation was aimed to analyze the mutations of the causal genes in sixteen Chinese patients with BS, and review their followup and treatment. Identify mutations by the next generation sequencing and the multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA). Clinical characteristics and biochemical findings at the first presentation as well as follow-up were reviewed. 15 different CLCNKB gene mutations were identified in fourteen patients with BS, including 11 novel ones. A novel missense mutation and a novel small deletion were found from SLC12A1 gene. A novel gross deletion was found in CLCNKA gene. A recurrent missense mutation was identified from BSND gene. We found that the whole gene deletion mutation of CLCNKB gene was the most frequent mutation (32%), and the rate of gross deletion was up to 50 percent in this group of Chinese patients. The present study has found 19 mutations, including 14 novel ones, which would enrich the human gene mutation database (HGMD) and provide valuable references to the genetic counseling and diagnosis of the Chinese population.

  6. The associations between two vital GSTs genetic polymorphisms and lung cancer risk in the Chinese population: evidence from 71 studies.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kui Liu

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The genetic polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferase (GSTs have been suspected to be related to the development of lung cancer while the current results are conflicting, especially in the Chinese population. METHODS: Data on genetic polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferase Mu 1 (GSTM1 from 68 studies, glutathione S-transferase theta 1 (GSTT1 from 17 studies and GSTM1-GSTT1 from 8 studies in the Chinese population were reanalyzed on their association with lung cancer risk. Odds ratios (OR were pooled using forest plots. 9 subgroups were all or partly performed in the subgroup analyses. The Galbraith plot was used to identify the heterogeneous records. Potential publication biases were detected by Begg's and Egger's tests. RESULTS: 71 eligible studies were identified after screening of 1608 articles. The increased association between two vital GSTs genetic polymorphisms and lung cancer risk was detected by random-effects model based on a comparable heterogeneity. Subgroup analysis showed a significant relationship between squamous carcinoma (SC, adenocarcinoma (AC or small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC and GSTM1 null genotype, as well as SC or AC and GSTT1 null genotype. Additionally, smokers with GSTM1 null genotype had a higher lung cancer risk than non-smokers. Our cumulative meta-analysis demonstrated a stable and reliable result of the relationship between GSTM1 null genotype and lung cancer risk. After the possible heterogeneous articles were omitted, the adjusted risk of GSTs and lung cancer susceptibility increased (fixed-effects model: ORGSTM1 = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.19 to 1.27, P<0.001; ORGSTT1 = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.26, P<0.001; ORGSTM1-GSTT1 = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.61, P = 0.004. CONCLUSIONS: An increased risk of lung cancer with GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotype, especially with dual null genotype, was found in the Chinese population. In addition, special histopathological classification of lung cancers and a

  7. Deep whole-genome sequencing of 90 Han Chinese genomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lan, Tianming; Lin, Haoxiang; Zhu, Wenjuan; Laurent, Tellier Christian Asker Melchior; Yang, Mengcheng; Liu, Xin; Wang, Jun; Wang, Jian; Yang, Huanming; Xu, Xun; Guo, Xiaosen

    2017-09-01

    Next-generation sequencing provides a high-resolution insight into human genetic information. However, the focus of previous studies has primarily been on low-coverage data due to the high cost of sequencing. Although the 1000 Genomes Project and the Haplotype Reference Consortium have both provided powerful reference panels for imputation, low-frequency and novel variants remain difficult to discover and call with accuracy on the basis of low-coverage data. Deep sequencing provides an optimal solution for the problem of these low-frequency and novel variants. Although whole-exome sequencing is also a viable choice for exome regions, it cannot account for noncoding regions, sometimes resulting in the absence of important, causal variants. For Han Chinese populations, the majority of variants have been discovered based upon low-coverage data from the 1000 Genomes Project. However, high-coverage, whole-genome sequencing data are limited for any population, and a large amount of low-frequency, population-specific variants remain uncharacterized. We have performed whole-genome sequencing at a high depth (∼×80) of 90 unrelated individuals of Chinese ancestry, collected from the 1000 Genomes Project samples, including 45 Northern Han Chinese and 45 Southern Han Chinese samples. Eighty-three of these 90 have been sequenced by the 1000 Genomes Project. We have identified 12 568 804 single nucleotide polymorphisms, 2 074 210 short InDels, and 26 142 structural variations from these 90 samples. Compared to the Han Chinese data from the 1000 Genomes Project, we have found 7 000 629 novel variants with low frequency (defined as minor allele frequency genome. Compared to the 1000 Genomes Project, these Han Chinese deep sequencing data enhance the characterization of a large number of low-frequency, novel variants. This will be a valuable resource for promoting Chinese genetics research and medical development. Additionally, it will provide a valuable supplement to the 1000

  8. Social Change and its Potential Impacts on Chinese Population Health

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang, Hong

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available Within the past 25 years, China has experienced transformation of its economic system from a highly centralized planned economy toward a market oriented economic system. This process has led to massive and rapid changes in all aspects of society with profound effects on the population’s health in the large parts of the country. Along with the material prosperity, the living conditions of Chinese people, such as food, shelter, and sanitation status, have been improving steadily. People have more capability to purchase health related merchandise as well as health services. Overall the health status of most Chinese has improved but there are significant exceptions to this overall conclusion. These exceptions arise from increasing inequity of income, increases in unemployment rates, the decline of health insurance coverage, changes in demography, changes in social value, culture, health related behaviors, and the changes of health care systems.

  9. Demographic changes and marker properties affect detection of human population differentiation

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    Sanichwankul Kittipong

    2007-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Differentiating genetically between populations is valuable for admixture and population stratification detection and in understanding population history. This is easy to achieve for major continental populations, but not for closely related populations. It has been claimed that a large marker panel is necessary to reliably distinguish populations within a continent. We investigated whether empirical genetic differentiation could be accomplished efficiently among three Asian populations (Hmong, Thai, and Chinese using a small set of highly variable markers (15 tetranucleotide and 17 dinucleotide repeats. Results Hmong could be differentiated from Thai and Chinese based on multi-locus genotypes, but Thai and Chinese were indistinguishable from each other. We found significant evidence for a recent population bottleneck followed by expansion in the Hmong that was not present in the Thai or Chinese. Tetranucleotide repeats were less useful than dinucleotide repeat markers in distinguishing between major continental populations (Asian, European, and African while both successfully distinguished Hmong from Thai and Chinese. Conclusion Demographic history contributes significantly to robust detection of intracontinental population structure. Populations having experienced a rapid size reduction may be reliably distinguished as a result of a genetic drift -driven redistribution of population allele frequencies. Tetranucleotide markers, which differ from dinucleotide markers in mutation mechanism and rate, are similar in information content to dinucleotide markers in this situation. These factors should be considered when identifying populations suitable for gene mapping studies and when interpreting interpopulation relationships based on microsatellite markers.

  10. Old age mortality in Eastern and South-Eastern Asia

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    Danan Gu

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Eastern and South-Eastern Asian countries have witnessed a marked decline in old age mortality in recent decades. Yet no studies have investigated the trends and patterns in old age morality and cause-of-death in the region. Objective: We reviewed the trends and patterns of old age mortality and cause-of-death for countries in the region. Methods: We examined data on old age mortality in terms of life expectancy at age 65 and age-specific death rates from the 2012 Revision of the World Population Prospects for 14 countries in the region (China, Hong Kong, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam and data on cause-of-death from the WHO for five countries (China, Hong Kong, Japan, Republic of Korea, and Singapore from 1980 to 2010. Results: While mortality transitions in these populations took place in different times, and at different levels of socioeconomic development and living environment, changes in their age patterns and sex differentials in mortality showed certain similarities: women witnessed a similar decline to men in spite of their lower mortality, and young elders had a larger decline than the oldest-old. In all five countries examined for cause-of-death, most of the increases in life expectancy at age 65 in both men and women were attributable to declines in mortality from stroke and heart disease. GDP per capita, educational level, and urbanization explained much of the variations in life expectancy and cause-specific mortality, indicating critical contributions of these basic socioeconomic development indicators to the mortality decline over time in the region. Conclusions: These findings shed light on the relationship between epidemiological transition, changing age patterns of mortality, and improving life expectancy in these populations.

  11. 75 FR 68756 - Eastern North Pacific Gray Whale; Notice of Petition Availability

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-11-09

    ... North Pacific Gray Whale; Notice of Petition Availability AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service... petition to designate the Eastern North Pacific population of gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) as a... Eastern North Pacific gray whales is available on the Internet at the following address: http://www.nmfs...

  12. Enhanced natural radiation exposure enhanced by human activity: the largest contributor to the Chinese population dose

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pan Ziqiang; Liu Yanyang

    2011-01-01

    For the radiation exposure caused by human activities, the enhanced natural radiation exposure is the largest contributor to Chinese population dose. This problem has attracted social attention in recent years. Efforts have been made in several fields, such as radon indoors and in workplace, environmental problems associated with NORMs, occupational radiation hazards of non-uranium mine, and radiation dose evaluation for energy chain, but there are still many problems to be solved. In order to protect the health of workers and the public, while ensuring industrial production and economic development, it is also necessary to continue to strengthen research in all aspects above mentioned, and gradually promote the control of natural radiation exposure enhanced by human activities. (authors)

  13. Program of Regional Collaboration between Eastern Part of Russia and Northeast China: Present and Future

    OpenAIRE

    Dmitriy Aleksandrovich Izotov

    2014-01-01

    The author uses Russian and Chinese sources of information to analyze the current status and evaluate realization prospects of investment projects within the Cooperation Program between eastern regions of Russia and northeast China. State budget financed construction of transport and border infrastructure is being implemented as planned both in Russia and China. Sectoral distribution of key Program projects is found to be unbalanced: Russian regions specialize in mining and primary processing...

  14. Temporal trends in cardiovascular disease risk factors among white, South Asian, Chinese and black groups in Ontario, Canada, 2001 to 2012: a population-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiu, Maria; Maclagan, Laura C; Tu, Jack V; Shah, Baiju R

    2015-08-10

    To determine ethnic-specific temporal trends in cardiovascular risk factors in Ontario between 2001 and 2012. A population-based repeated cross-sectional study. Ontario, Canada. 219,276 participants of the Canadian Community Health Survey (205,326 white, 5620 South Asian, 4368 Chinese and 3962 black) during the period 2001 to 2012. Age-standardised ethnic-sex-specific prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors for three time periods: 2001-2004, 2005-2008 and 2009-2012 among Canada's four major ethnic groups: white, South Asian, Chinese and black. During the study period, the prevalence of diabetes increased 2.3-fold (p = 0.0001) among South Asian males and 1.9-fold (p = 0.02) among black females. The prevalence of obesity (body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m(2)) increased over time across all ethnic groups, with the largest relative increases observed among males of Chinese (2.1-fold increase, p = 0.04) and black (1.7-fold increase, p = 0.06) descent. The prevalence of hypertension increased the most among black females. Smoking prevalence decreased by more than 20% among South Asian, Chinese and white females. Overall, South Asian males and black males and females showed the greatest declines in cardiovascular health over the study period. We observed important ethnic differences in the temporal trends in cardiovascular risk factor profiles in Ontario. Awareness of the direction and magnitude of these risk factor trends may be useful in informing targeted strategies for preventing cardiovascular diseases in multiethnic populations. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  15. A TagSNP in SIRT1 gene confers susceptibility to myocardial infarction in a Chinese Han population.

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    Jie Cheng

    Full Text Available SIRT1 exerts protective effects against endothelial cells dysfunction, inflammation and atherosclerosis, indicating an important role on myocardial infarction (MI pathogenesis. Nonetheless, the effects of SIRT1 variants on MI risk remain poorly understood. Here we aimed to investigate the influence of SIRT1 polymorphisms on individual susceptibility to MI. Genotyping of three tagSNPs (rs7069102, rs3818292 and rs4746720 in SIRT1 gene was performed in a Chinese Han population, consisting of 287 MI cases and 654 control subjects. In a logistic regression analysis, we found that G allele of rs7069102 had increased MI risk with odds ratio (OR of 1.57 [95% confidence interval (CI = 1.15-2.16, Bonferroni corrected P (Pc = 0.015] after adjustment for conventional risk factors compared to C allele. Similarly, the combined CG/GG genotypes was associated with the increased MI risk (OR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.14-2.35, Pc = 0.021 compared to the CC genotype. Further stratified analysis revealed a more significant association with MI risk among younger subjects (≤ 55 years old. Consistent with these results, the haplotype rs7069102G-rs3818292A-rs4746720T containing the rs7069102 G allele was also associated with the increased MI risk (OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.09-1.84, Pc = 0.040. However, we did not detect any association of rs3818292 and rs4746720 with MI risk. Our study provides the first evidence that the tagSNP rs7069102 and haplotype rs7069102G-rs3818292A-rs4746720T in SIRT1 gene confer susceptibility to MI in the Chinese Han population.

  16. Association between polymorphisms of the IKZF3 gene and systemic lupus erythematosus in a Chinese Han population.

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    Xinze Cai

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: It has been reported that IKAROS family of zinc finger 3 (IKZF3-deficient mice spontaneously develop human systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE-like phenotypes and produce anti-dsDNA Ab leading to immune complex-mediated glomerulonephritis. Polymorphism of the IKZF3 gene corresponds with the susceptibility to several immune-related diseases. Our intention was to establish an association between polymorphisms in the IKZF3 gene and SLE in the Chinese Han population. METHODS: The study involved obtaining blood samples for DNA extraction and genotyping the 4 selected single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs in IKZF3, including rs12150079, rs9909593, rs907091, and rs2872507, by performing PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (PCR-RFLP. A group of 366 SLE patients were compared to 455 healthy controls. RESULTS: A significant decrease in frequencies of the rs907091 CC genotype and C allele appeared in the SLE patients unlike that observed in the controls (p = 0.001 and 0.015, respectively. The frequencies of the rs12150079 genotype and allele were different between the SLE patients and the control individuals, although the significance was only marginal (p = 0.046 and 0.049, respectively. In addition, a significantly low frequency of the GGCG haplotype was observed in the SLE patients, suggesting that it may provide protection against SLE (p = 0.011. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate an important association between polymorphisms in IKZF3 and SLE in the Chinese Han population. A strong association between rs907091 in the IKZF3 gene and SLE was identified.

  17. FCRL3 gene polymorphisms confer autoimmunity risk for allergic rhinitis in a Chinese Han population.

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    Zheng Gu

    Full Text Available Heredity and environmental exposures may contribute to a predisposition to allergic rhinitis (AR. Autoimmunity may also involve into this pathologic process. FCRL3 (Fc receptor-like 3 gene, a novel immunoregulatory gene, has recently been reported to play a role in autoimmune diseases.This study was performed to evaluate the potential association of FCRL3 polymorphisms with AR in a Chinese Han population.Five single-nucleotide polymorphisms of FCRL3, rs945635, rs3761959, rs7522061, rs10489678 and rs7528684 were genotyped in 540 AR patients and 600 healthy controls using a PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. Allele, genotype and haplotype frequencies were compared between patients and controls using the χ2 test. The online software platform SHEsis was used to analyze their haplotypes.This study identified three strong risk SNPs rs7528684, rs10489678, rs7522061 and one weak risk SNP rs945635 of FCRL3 in Chinese Han AR patients. For rs7528684, a significantly increased prevalence of the AA genotype and A allele in AR patients was recorded. The frequency of the GG genotype and G allele of rs10489678 was markedly higher in AR patients than those in controls. For rs7522061, a higher frequency of the TT genotype, and a lower frequency of the CT genotype were found in AR patients. Concerning rs945635, a lower frequency of the CC genotype, and a higher frequency of G allele were observed in AR patients. According to the analysis of the three strong positive SNPs, the haplotype of AGT increased significantly in AR cases (AR = 38.8%, Controls = 24.3%, P = 8.29 × 10(-14, OR [95% CI] 1.978 [1.652~2.368].This study found a significant association between the SNPs in FCRL3 gene and AR in Chinese Han patients. The results suggest these gene polymorphisms might be the autoimmunity risk for AR.

  18. Knowledge and perceptions of hospice care of Chinese older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Enguidanos, Susan; Yonashiro-Cho, Jeanine; Cote, Sarah

    2013-06-01

    Despite dramatic increases in hospice enrollment, ethnic disparities persist. With rapidly growing populations of Asian Americans, research is needed to elucidate factors that contribute to hospice underenrollment in subgroups of Asian populations. The purpose of this study was to explore older Chinese Americans' knowledge, understanding, and perceptions of hospice care. Three focus groups were conducted, one each in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese, all recruited from a Chinese social service agency. Focus groups were audiotaped and transcribed and then coded for themes. Thirty-four Chinese Americans participated in the groups, all but one reporting primary language other than English. Themes included lack of knowledge, death timing, burden (financial, emotional, physical toward family or government), peaceful death (relief of suffering), and quality of care (and its influence on perception of best care location). Findings indicate the need for hospice education and outreach to Chinese Americans. Additionally, to address concerns about burden and death in the home, efforts to improve access to hospice facilities are needed. Findings from this study provide direction for healthcare providers to address potential barriers to increasing access to hospice of Chinese Americans. © 2013, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2013, The American Geriatrics Society.

  19. Population genetic structure and genetic diversity of Chinese pomfret at the coast of the East China Sea and the South China Sea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Peng; Tang, Baojun; Yin, Fei

    2018-05-01

    The Chinese pomfret Pampus chinensis is one of the most economic and ecological important marine fish species in China. In the present study, the population genetic structure and genetic diversity of P. chinensis were evaluated from a total sample size of 180 individuals representing six populations from the East China Sea and the South China Sea using mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. A total of 24 variable sites (including 3 singleton sites and 21 parsimony information sites) were observed, and 18 haplotypes were defined. The haplotype diversity (Hd) of the populations ranged from 0.559 to 0.775, and the nucleotide diversity (π) ranged from 0.330 to 1.090%. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) reveals that the main variation (66.02%) was among individuals within populations. The average pairwise differences and ϕ ST values indicated significant genetic differentiation between Dongxing population and the other populations. The results of the present study are helpful for the sustainable management and utilization of this species.

  20. Novel Considerations about Diabetes Management Strategies in Chinese Immigrants in America: Possible Corollaries of the Use of Traditional Chinese Medicines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julia A Devonish

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Worldwide, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM and its related management costs have increased over time. The latest predictions anticipate this trend to continue during the next few decades. As individuals with T2DM in the United States (US are burdened with escalating prescription drug expenses, the appeal and use of cost effective alternatives may also increase. Herbal supplements are an example of such an alternative, but are unregulated and mostly lacking scientific evidence of advertised claims. In general, plant based herbal preparations are often advertised as ‘natural’, ‘less-toxic’, ‘medicines’ and are widely available from public retailers throughout the country. Over half of the US adult population report the use of supplements. Eastern countries, and especially China, have a long history of the use of herbal preparations as traditional medicine to prevent and treat diabetes. Recently the US has experienced a growth in the number imports of herbal supplements and other Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM to the country as well as the most rapid population growth in individuals who identify themselves as Asian. To date, little is known about the prevalence TCM use in the management of T2DM either alone or in combination with prescription medicines in the US. Knowledge of possible implications to patient safety (e.g., interactions, adverse effects with concurrent use of both TCM and prescription medicines is also lacking. This review begins with summaries of the T2DM management strategies employed in traditional modern medicine (TMM and Chinese medicine (TCM. A review of literature follows where the most commonly used TCM herbal preparations and their ingredients are identified and found along with any published reports of their proposed mechanisms of action, efficacy, adverse effects, and contraindications. Conflict of Interest We declare no conflicts of interest or financial interests that the authors or