Objective To compare the performance of MTBDRplus V2 and Xpert MTB/RIF for detecting smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB).
Methods Clinical PTB suspects were enrolled consecutively in Anhui Chest Hospital and Xi’an Chest Hospital from January to December in 2014. The sputum samples of smear negative PTB suspects were collected and decontaminated. The sediment was used to conduct MTBDRplus V2, Xpert MTB/RIF and drug susceptibility test (DST). All the samples with discrepant drug susceptibility result between molecular methods and phenotypic method were confirmed by DNA sequencing.
Results A total of 1973 cases were enrolled in this study. The detection rates ofMycobacterium tuberculosiscomplex (MTBC) by MTBDRplus V2 and Xpert MTB/RIF were 27.67% and 27.98%, respectively. When setting MGIT culture result as a gold standard, the sensitivity and specificity of MTBDRplus V2 were 86.74% and 93.84%, and the sensitivity and specificity of Xpert MTB/RIF were 86.55% and 93.43%, respectively. For the detection of the resistance to rifampin, the sensitivity and specificity of MTBDRplus V2 were 94.34% and 96.62%, and the sensitivity and specificity of Xpert MTB/RIF were 88.68% and 95.96%, respectively. For the detection of the resistance to isoniazid, the sensitivity and specificity of MTBDRplus V2 were 77.38% and 98.02%, respectively.
Conclusion MTBDRplus V2 and Xpert MTB/RIF can be used to detect MTBC in smear negative samples with satisfactory performance.

Objective To determine the associations of socio-economic and psychosocial factors with active and passive smoking in older adults. Methods Using a standard interview method, we examined random samples of 6071 people aged≥60 years in 5 provinces of China during 2007-2009. Results World age-standardised prevalence for current and former smoking in men was 45.6% and 20.5%, and in women 11.1%and 4.5%. Current smoking reduced with older age but increased with men, low socioeconomic status (SES), alcohol drinking, being never-married, pessimistic and depressive syndromes. Former smoking was associated with men, secondary school education, a middle-high income, being a businessman, being widowed, less frequencies of visiting children/relatives and friends, and worrying about children. Among 3774 never-smokers, the prevalence of passive smoking was 31.5%, and the risk increased with women, low SES, alcohol drinking, being married, having a religious believe, and daily visiting children/relatives. There were sex differences in the associations, and an interaction effect of education and income on smoking and passive smoking. Conclusion Older Chinese had a higher level of smoking and passive smoking than those in high income countries, reflecting China’s failures in controlling smoking. The associations with low SES and different psychosocial aspects and sex differences suggest preventative strategies for active and passive smoking.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the influence of an extract ofGenista tinctoria L. herba (GT) or methylparaben (MP) on histopathological changes and2 biomarkers of oxidative stress in rats subchronicly exposed to bisphenol A (BPA).
MethodsAdult female Wistar rats were orally exposed for 90 d to BPA (50 mg/kg), BPA+GT (35 mg isoflavones/kg) or BPA+MP (250 mg/kg). Plasma and tissue samples weretaken from liver, kidney, thyroid, uterus, ovary, and mammary gland after 30, 60, and 90 d of exposure respectively. Lipid peroxidation andin vivo hydroxyl radical production were evaluated byhistological analysis along withmalondialdehyde and 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic aciddetection.
ResultsTheseverity of histopathological changes in liver and kidneyswas lower afterGT treatmentthan afterBPA or BPA+MPtreatment. A minimal thyroid receptor antagonist effect was only observedafter BPA+MPtreatment.Theabnormal folliculogenesis increased in a time-dependent manner,and the number of corpus luteum decreased.No significant histological alterationswere foundin the uterus.The mammary gland displayed specific estrogen stimulation changes at all periods. Both MP and GT revealed antioxidant properties reducing lipid peroxidation and BPA-inducedhydroxyl radical generation.
ConclusionGTL. extract ameliorates the toxic effects of BPA andisprovedto haveantioxidant potential and antitoxic effect. MP has antioxidant properties, but has either no effect or exacerbates the BPA-induced histopathological changes.

Objective To study the alteration of circulating microRNAs in 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK)-induced early stage lung carcinogenesis.
Methods A lung cancer model of male F344 rats was induced with systemic NNK and levels of 8 lung cancer-associated miRNAs in whole blood and serum of rats were measured by quantitative RT-PCR of each at weeks 1, 5, 10, and 20 following NNK treatment.
Results No lung cancer was detected in control group and NNK treatment group at week 20 following NNK treatment. The levels of some circulating miRNAs were significantly higher in NNK treatment group than in control group. The miR-210 was down-regulated and the miR-206 was up-regulated in NNK treatment group. The expression level of circulating miRNAs changed from week 1 to week 20 following NNK treatment.
Conclusion The expression level of circulating miRNAs is related to NNK-induced early stage lung carcinogenesis in rats and can therefore serve as its potential indicator.

Objective To evaluate the association of known polymorphisms in the lipid metabolic pathway with body mass index (BMI), and estimate their interactions with soybean food intake.
Methods A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in a Chinese Han population. BMI, soybean food intake, and single nucleotide polymorphisms of rs599839, rs3846662, rs3846663, rs12916, rs174547, rs174570, rs4938303, and rs1558861 were measured in 944 subjects. A multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the association of the studied polymorphisms with BMIs. The expectation-maximization algorithm was employed to evaluate the extent of linkage disequilibrium between pairwise polymorphisms. The gene-environment interaction was assessed in the general multifactor dimensionality reduction model.
Results The polymorphisms of rs3846662 and rs3846663 were associated with 10% highest BMIs when comparing to the 10% lowest values both in individuals and haplotype-based association tests. Although no statistically significant gene-environment interactions were found, people with the haplotype composed of C allele in rs3846662 and T allele in rs3846663 and low frequency of soybean intake had significantly higher risk to overweight and obesity as compared with those with the haplotype consisting of T allele in rs3846662 and C allele in rs3846663 and highly frequent soybean food intake, with an odds ratio of 1.64 (95%confidence interval: 1.15-2.34, P<0.01) after adjusting for the common confounders.
Conclusion Our study has suggested that rs3846662 and rs3846663 may be the potential candidate polymorphisms for obesity, and their effect on the pathogenesis could be mediated by the frequency of soybean food intake.

Objective To analyze and assess secular change in stature in rural children and adolescents in China from 1985 to 2010.
Methods Data were obtained from the 6 rounds of the Chinese National Survey on Student’s Constitution and Health. The subjects enrolled in the study were children and adolescents aged 7-18 years in rural areas of provincial capitals.
Results An overall positive secular trend in stature occurred in rural areas of provincial capitals in China from 1985 to 2010. The overall average increase rates were 3.1 and 2.4 cm/decade for boys and girls, respectively. The total body height increases for grown up boys and girls were 3.6 and 2.3 cm and the increase rates were 1.4 and 0.9 cm/decade, respectively. There were differences in body height increase among eastern, central and western regions. The average body height of the children or adolescents in eastern region was highest, followed by central region and western region. The overall increase rates in central region were highest among the three regions. The difference between eastern/central region and western region was obvious.
Conclusion Positive secular trend in stature of children or adolescents has occurred in rural area of China, and rural boys and girls showed a great potential for continuous growth. More attention should be paid to the differences in children’s body height between western region and eastern/central region.

ObjectiveTo purify a low-temperature hydroxylamine oxidase (HAO) from aheterotrophicnitrifying bacteriumAcinetobactersp.Y16 and investigate the enzyme property. MethodsA HAO was purifiedby an anion-exchange and gel-filtration chromatography from strain Y16. The purity and molecular mass were determined by RP-HPLC and SDS-PAGE. The HAO activity was detected by monitoring the reduction of potassium ferricyanide using hydroxylamine as substrate and ferricyanide as electron acceptor. The partial amino acid sequence was determined bymass spectrometry. ResultsThe low-temperature HAO with a molecular mass of 61 kDa was purified from strain Y16 by an anion-exchange and gel-filtration chromatography. The enzyme exhibited an ability to oxidize hydroxylamine in wide temperature range (4-40 °C)in vitro using hydroxylamine as substrate and ferricyanide as electron acceptor. It was stable in the temperature range of 4 to 15 °C and pH range of 6.0 to 8.5 with less than 30% change in its activity. The optimal temperature and pH were 15°C and 7.5, respectively. Three peptides were determined by mass spectrometry which were shown to be not identical to other reported HAOs. ConclusionThis is the first study to purify a low-temperature HAO from aheterotrophicnitrifier Acinetobactersp. It differs from other reported HAOs in molecular mass andenzyme properties.The findings of the present study have suggested that the strain Y16 passes through a hydroxylamine-oxidizing process catalyzed by a low-temperature HAO for ammonium removal.

ObjectiveTo study therelationbetween temperature andmortalitybyestimatingthe temperature-related mortality in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. MethodsData of daily mortality, weather and air pollutioninthe three citieswere collected.A distributed lag nonlinear model wasestablishedand used in analyzing theeffects oftemperatureon mortality. Current and future net temperature-related mortality was estimated. ResultsThe association between temperature and mortality was J-shaped, withanincreased death riskof both hot and cold temperature in thesecities. The effects of cold temperatureonhealth lasted longer thanthoseof hot temperature.Theprojected temperature-related mortality increasedwith the decreasedcold-related mortality.Themortalitywas higher inGuangzhouthan inBeijing and Shanghai. ConclusionThe impact of temperatureonhealth varies inthe 3 cities of China, which may have implications for climate policy making in China.

Objective To explore the metabolic syndrome and its association with arterial compliance in Chinese children and adolescents. Methods 337 participants aged 6 to 18 years with males accounted for 55.8% were grouped according to their traits of metablic syndrome. Anthropometry, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, insulin and serum lipid profile were measured. Homeostasis model was assessed and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index was measured and calculated for estimating individual insulin resistance. Arterial compliance was also measured using digital pulse wave analyzing method (Micro medical, London), and stiffness index was calculated. Results The stiffness index in participants with metablic syndrome was significant higher than that in participants with no riskof metablic syndrome [(7.69±1.63) vs (6.25±0.86) m/s, P<0.01] and stiffness index and HOMA-IR were progressively increased with the increase of traits of metablic syndrom (P for linear trend <0.001). After gender, age, and pubertal development were adjusted, both traits of metablic syndrome and HOMA-IR were correlated positively with stiffness index (both P<0.05). Conclusion The clustering of metablic syndrome was closely associated with risk at increased arterial stiffness in Chinese children and adolescents. It was suggested that arterial compliance assessment of children and adolescents might be an important measure for prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Objective To investigate the co-effect of Demand-control-support (DCS) model and Effort-reward Imbalance (ERI) model on the risk estimation of depression in humans in comparison with the effects when they are used respectively.
Methods A total of 3 632 males and 1 706 females from 13 factories and companies in Henan province were recruited in this cross-sectional study. Perceived job stress was evaluated with the Job Content Questionnaire and Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire (Chinese version). Depressive symptoms were assessed by using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D).
Results DC (demands/job control ratio) and ERI were shown to be independently associated with depressive symptoms. The outcome of low social support and overcommitment were similar. High DC and low social support (SS), high ERI and high overcommitment, and high DC and high ERI posed greater risks of depressive symptoms than each of them did alone. ERI model and SS model seem to be effective in estimating the risk of depressive symptoms if they are used respectively.
Conclusion The DC had better performance when it was used in combination with low SS. The effect on physical demands was better than on psychological demands. The combination of DCS and ERI models could improve the risk estimate of depressive symptoms in humans.