A Case-control Study of Environmental Risk Factors for Nonsyndromic Cleft of the Lip and/or Palate in Xuzhou,China

In this study, we sought to determine the association between environmental factors and nonsyndromic cleft of the lip and/or palate （NSCLP） to understand the etiology of the disease. A total of 200 NSCLP cases and 327 controls were recruited at the Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Xuzhou City. We conducted face-to-face interviews with the mothers of both cases and controls. The factors increasing the risk of NSCLP were a positive family history [odds ratio （OR）=56.74], pesticide exposure （OR=8.90）, and indoor decoration pollution （OR= 4.32）. On the other hand, the factors decreasing the risk of NSCLP were a high education level （OR=0.22） and supplementation of folic acid （OR=0.23） and multivitamins （OR=0.16）. Positive family history, pesticide exposure, and indoor decoration pollution are associated with the risk of NSCLP. In contrast, high education level and folic acid and multivitamin supplementation are protective factors against NSCLP.

Environmental Risk Factors for Stomach Cancer in an African Setting about 193 Cases at the CHU Point G in Bamako/Mali

CHU (University Hospital Center) Point G: The department of surgery B is a surgical department of CHU Point G. The department is par excellence a reference department for cases of visceral surgery, cancer surgery, cardiovascular surgery, plastic and endocrinology surgery. As a reminder, the CHU Point G is the largest 3rd level referral hospital in Mali. Aim: To study the environmental risk factors of stomach cancer in the B surgery department of the Point G University Hospital in Bamako. Patients and Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study with retrospective collection from January 2008 to June 2018 (126 months). Results: We have identified 380 cases of digestive cancer, including 193 cases of stomach cancer or 50.79% of digestive cancers. The mean age of the patients was 57.21 ± 13 years. Male sex represented 55% (n = 106). Eating habits were dominated by the consumption of tô with potash (cereal paste) with 64.76% (n = 185). The main methods of preserving meat and fish were curing and smoking with 57.51% (n = 111). Chronic smoking was found in 24.35% (n = 47), alcohol + tobacco consumption in 2.59% (n = 5). The low socio-economic class represented 126 cases or 65.38%. Housewives and cultivators were respectively 37.82% (n = 73) and 227.97% (n = 54). 20.20% (n = 39) had a history of epigastric pain. Epigastralgia was the most common functional sign with 84.5% of cases (n = 169). An epigastric mass was found in 72 patients or 37.3%. Adenocarcinoma represented 97.4% (n = 188). Palliative surgery concerned the majority of our patients with 64.8% of patients (n = 79). The postoperative consequences were simple in 28.57% of cases (n = 28), the postoperative morbidity and mortality were respectively 33.61% (n = 41), and 23.77% (n = 29). The overall survival rate after surgery was 10.81% at 2 years and 2.94% at 5 years. This rate was 58.83% at 2 years and 28.50% at 5 years after curative surgery. Conclusion: The risk factors for stomach cancer are many and varied. Some are particularly present in Africa. Delay in diagnosis due to a belief in traditional healers is common in our community.

Environmental risk factors in children with cerebral palsy in Jiamusi,China

Most current studies focus on statistics of the incidence, etiology, and rehabilitative treatment of cerebral palsy. However, very few studies focus on the environmental risk factors for this syndrome In the present study, a total of 202 children with cerebral palsy in the Jiamusi district of China were selected as the case group, and 404 children were randomly selected for the control group. The survey focused on environmental factors during pregnancy, which included indoor pollution as the most dangerous factor （odds ratio = 2.432, 95% confidence interval = 1.172-5.047; P = 0.017）, followed by use of high-radiation mobile phones, more than 5 hours of watching television per day, and cooking with a marble kitchen platform during pregnancy. Results demonstrated that environmental risk factors play a role in the development of cerebral palsy in children.

Systematized Literature Review on Spatial Analysis of Environmental Risk Factors of Malaria Transmission

Malaria is still the major parasitic disease in the world, with approximately 438,000 deaths in 2015. Environmental risk factors (ERF) have been widely studied, however, there are discrepancies in the results about their influence on malaria transmission. Recently, papers have been published about geospatial analysis of ERF of malaria to explain why malaria varies from place to place. Our primary objective was to identify the environmental variables most used in the geospatial analysis of malaria transmission. The secondary objective was to identify the geo-analytic methods and techniques, as well as geo-analytic statistics commonly related to ERF and malaria. We conducted a systematized review of articles published from January 2004 to March 2015, within Web of Science, Pubmed and LILACS databases. Initially 676 articles were found, after inclusion and exclusion criteria, 29 manuscripts were selected. Temperature, land use and land cover, surface moisture and vector breeding site were the most frequent included variables. As for geo-analytic methods, geostatistical models with Bayesian framework were the most applied. Kriging interpolations, Geographical Weighted Regression as well as Kulldorff’s spatial scan were the techniques more widely used. The main objective of many of these studies was to use these methods and techniques to create malaria risk maps. Spatial analysis performed with satellite images and georeferenced data are increasing in relevance due to the use of remote sensing and Geographic Information System. The combination of these new technologies identifies ERF more accurately, and the use of Bayesian geostatistical models allows a wide diffusion of malaria risk maps. It is known that temperature, humidity vegetation and vector breeding site play a critical role in malaria transmission;however, other environmental risk factors have also been identified. Risk maps have a tremendous potential to enhance the effectiveness of malaria-control programs.

Epidemiological studies of migration and environmental risk factors in the inflammatory bowel diseases

Inflammatory bowel diseases(IBD)are idiopathic chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract well known to be associated with both genetic and environmental risk factors.Permissive genotypes may manifest into clinical phenotypes under certain environmental influences and these may be best studied from migratory studies.Exploring differences between first and second generation migrants may further highlight the contribution of environmental factors towards the development of IBD.There are few opportunities that have been offered so far.We aim to review the available migration studies on IBD,evaluate the known environmental factors associated with IBD,and explore modern migration patterns to identify new opportunities and candidate migrant groups in IBD migration research.

Association between Prenatal Environmental Factors and Child Autism: A Case Control Study in Tianjin,China

Objective To investigate the association between autism and prenatal environmental risk factors.Methods A case-control study was conducted among 193 children with autism from the specialeducational schools and 733 typical development controls matched by age and gender by usingquestionnaire in Tianjin from 2007 to 2012. Statistical analysis included quick unbiased efficientstatistical tree （QUEST） and logistic regression in SPSS 20.0.Results There were four predictors by QUEST and the logistic regression analysis, maternal airconditioner use during pregnancy （OR=0.316, 95% CI： 0.215-0.463） was the single first-level node（χ2=50.994, P=0.000）; newborn complications （OR=4.277, 95% CI： 2.314-7.908） and paternalconsumption of freshwater fish （OR=0.383, 95% CI： 0.256-0.573） were second-layer predictors（χ2=45.248, P=0.000; χ2=24.212, P=0.000）; and maternal depression （OR=4.822, 95% CI： 3.047-7.631）was the single third-level predictor （χ2=23.835, P=0.000）. The prediction accuracy of the tree was 89.2%.Conclusion The air conditioner use during pregnancy and paternal freshwater fish diet might bebeneficial for the prevention of autism, while newborn complications and maternal depression might bethe risk factors.

A Review of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE): Symptoms, Risk Factors, Treatment, and Health Related Quality of Life Issues

In this paper, we present a thorough review of one of the most life-threatening autoimmune diseases, Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus). Symptoms, risk factors, including genetic and epidemiological factors are discussed. Treatment, life expectancies, and Health Related Quality of Life of patients with SLE will be discussed as well. Special attention will be given to Lupus Nephritis.

Interaction of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T,cytochrome P4502E1 polymorphism and environment factors in esophageal cancer in Kazakh population

AIM： To evaluate the association and interaction of genetic polymorphisms in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase （MTHER） and cytochrome P4502E1 （CY- P4502E1）, environment risk factors with esophageal cancer （EC） in Kazakh, a high EC incidence area of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. METHODS： A 1：2 matched case-control study was conducted with 120 cases of EC and 240 populationor hospital-based controls. The controls were matched for sex, nationality, area of residence and age within a 5-year difference. MTHER and CYP4502E1 genotypes were identified by PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism （RFLP）. A conditional logistic regression model was established to identify risk factors. The strata method was adopted in interaction analysis. RESULTS： Low consumption of green vegetables and fresh fruits, alcohol drinking, and unsafe water （shallow well, or river） were found to be the risk factors for EC. Individuals with the MTHFR677 （C/T ＋ T/T） genotype had a 2.62-fold （95% CI： 1.61-4.28） risk of developing EC compared with those who carried the C/C genotype. Individuals with the CYP4502EIC1/C1 genotype had a 3.00-fold （95% CI： 1.82-4.96） risk compared with those who carried the CYP4502E1 （C1/C2 ＋ C2/C2） genotype. Gene-environment interaction analysis showed that MTHFR677 gene polymorphism was correlated with consumption of green vegetables and fresh fruit, while CYP4502E1 C1/C1 was correlated with alcohol drinking and unsafe drinking water. MTHFR and CYP4502E1 analysis of gene-gene interaction showed that individuals with the MTHFR677 （C/T ＋ T/T） and CYP4502EIC1/ C1 genotypes had a 7.41-fold （95% CI： 3.60-15.25） risk of developing EC compared with those who carried the MTHFR677C/C and CYP4502E1 RsaI C1/C2 ＋ C2/C2 genes, and the interaction rate was higher than that of the two factors alone. CONCLUSION： Low consumption of green vegetables and fresh fruits, alcohol drinking, and unsafe water （shallow well, or river） and polymorphisms in MTHFR and CYP4502E1 genes are important risk factors for EC. There is a synergistic interaction among polymorphisms in MTHFR and CYP4502E1 genes and environment factors. MTHFR and CYP4502E1 genes can be used as biomarkers for prevention of EC in Kazakh, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China.

Epidemiological Investigation of Risk Factors of the Pregnant Women with Early Spontaneous Abortion in Beijing

Objective： To determine the risk factors of the pregnant women with early spontaneous abortion in Beijing. Methods： A total of 34,417 cases of pregnant women were participated in the survey from January 2000 to December 2013. A questionnaire was informed to each woman. The content of questionnaire includes four parts： general condition, obstetrical history, past history and family history, and living environment and habits. The mental condition was evaluated with Self-Rating Anxiety Scale（SAS） and Self-Rating Depression Scale（SDS）. Results： A total of 32,296 questionnaires were collected. The spontaneous abortion rate in the total sample was 3.0%. There was no significant difference between the normal pregnancy group and spontaneous abortion group in terms of general condition, obstetrical and past history（P〉0.05）. Significant differences between the two groups were found in terms of decoration during pregnancy, keeping pets, near mobile communication base station within 100 m around the residence, drinking during pregnancy, having a cold during pregnancy and SAS（P〈0.05）. Having a cold during pregnancy, decoration during pregnancy, near mobile communication base station within 100 m around the residence, keeping pets and high SAS were determined the independent risk factors of spontaneous abortion by Logistic regression analysis. Conclusions： Having a cold during pregnancy, decoration, keeping pets, near mobile communication base station within 100 m around the residence and high SAS are the independent risk factors of spontaneous abortion in Beijing.

Environmental insults:critical triggers for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Background:Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS)is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterised by a rapid loss of lower and upper motor neurons.As a complex disease,the ageing process and complicated gene-environment interactions are involved in the majority of cases.Main body:Significant advances have been made in unravelling the genetic susceptibility to ALS with massively parallel sequencing technologies,while environmental insults remain a suspected but largely unexplored source of risk.Several studies applying the strategy of Mendelian randomisation have strengthened the link between environmental insults and ALS,but none so far has proved conclusive.We propose a new ALS model which links the current knowledge of genetic factors,ageing and environmental insults.This model provides a mechanism as to how ALS is initiated,with environmental insults playing a critical role.Conclusion:The available evidence has suggested that inherited defect(s)could cause mitochondrial dysfunction,which would establish the primary susceptibility to ALS.Further study of the underlying mechanism may shed light on ALS pathogenesis.Environmental insults are a critical trigger for ALS,particularly in the aged individuals with other toxicant susceptible genes.The identification of ALS triggers could lead to preventive strategies for those individuals at risk.