Genotypic analysis on the ORF-K1 gene of human herpesvirus 8 from patients with Kaposi's sarcoma in Xinjiang,China

Human herpesvirus 8 （HHV-8） is thought to be essential for the development of all forms of Kaposi＇s sarcoma （KS）. HHV-8 DNA is present virtually in all KS tumor biopsy samples. Genes at both ends of the HHV-8 genome have been shown to vary considerably. Seven major molecular subtypes of HHV-8 were defined based on the amino acid sequence of the open reading frame K1 （ORF-K1）, generally known as A, B, C, D, E, F, and Z. Most strains collected worldwide were clustered into two subtypes （A and C）. Here, the K1/VRI region of HHV-8 was amplified by nested PCR in 22 （81.48%） of 27 cases from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, a province in northwestern China. Phylogenetic analysis on the basis of the K1/VR1 amino acid sequence indicated that the majority of these KS patients were infected by subtype C HHV-8 （n = 18, including 15 belonging to the C2 group）, and several by subtype A （n = 4, including 3 being the A1 group）. This is the first report of subtype A HHV-8 in China. Furthermore, the correlations between different forms and lesions of KS and different subtypes of HHV-8 were analyzed. The findings showed that subtype A HHV-8 resulted in significantly more frequent mucosal KS lesions than subtype C. However, there was no obvious correlation between different forms of KS and different subtypes of HHV-8.

Evaluating patients' perception of service quality at hospitals in nine Chinese cities by use of the ServQual scale

Objective: To investigate patients' perception of service quality at hospitals in nine Chinese cities and propose some measures for improvement. Methods: The ServQ ual scale method was used in a survey involving patients at out-patient and in-patient facilities in Shanghai, Chongqing, Chengdu, Nanning, Guilin and Laibin of Guangxi, Honghezhou of Yunnan, Wulumuqi of Xinjiang and Zhongshan of Guangdong. The data collected were entered and analyzed using SPSS 20.0. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, factor analyses, reliability analyses, product-moment correlations, independent-sample t-tests, One-way ANOVA and regression analyses. Results: The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value for the factor analysis of the scale was 0.979. The Cronbach's α for the reliability analysis was 0.978. All the Pearson correlation coei cients were positive and statistically signii cant. Visitors to out-patient facilities reported more positive perception tacilities on tangibles(t = 4.168, P(t = 1.979, P <han visitors to in-patient f 0.05). Patients of 60 years of age and above reported mor< 0.001) and reliability e positive perception th<an those between 40 and 49 on reliability(F = 3.311, P = 0.010), assurances(F = 2.751, P 0.05) and empathy(F = 4.009, P = 0.003). For the i ve dimensions of the scale, patients in Laibin, Guangxi reported the most positive perceived service quality, followed by patients in Shanghai. On the other hand, patients in Chongqing and Nanning and Guilin of Guangxi reported relatively poor perceptions of service quality. Standardized regression coei cients showed statistically significant(P < 0.001) positive values for all Serv Qual dimensions. Empathy(β = 0.267) and reliability(β uality. = 0.239) most strongly predicted perception of service qConclusions: Chinese patients perceived service quality as satisfactory. Hospitals in various regions of China should enhance their awareness and ability to serve their patients.

Fecal microbiota of three bactrian camels(Camelus ferus and Camelus bactrianus) in China by high throughput sequencing of the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene

This study aimed to reveal the microbial diversity in the fecal samples of bactrian camels using the 16 S r RNA sequencing analysis on the Illumina Mi Seq platform. Three fecal samples were collected from two geographical regions in China. Operational taxonomic unit（OTU） clustering was performed by identifying an OTU at 97% sequence identity. The alpha and beta diversities were applied to estimate the differences in microbial diversity among the three fecal samples. Totally, 4409, 3151 and 4075 OTUs in the fecal samples were identified in the Lop Nor wild camel（Camelus ferus）, the domestic camel（C. bactrianus） and Dunhuang wild camel（C. ferus）, respectively. The majority of bactreria were affiliated with phylum Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes in the three samples. The wild camels had higher gastrointestinal tract microbial diversity than the domestic one, while the microbial composition of the Lop Nor wild camel shared higher similarity with domestic camel at the genus and family levels than that of the Dunhuang wild camel did. Our results may provide a theoretical basis for assessing their health conditions and may thus be useful for protecting the critically endangered species of C. ferus.

Sex difference in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its relationship to BMI and age

Objective:To investigate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in primary aldosteronism(PA) patients with different genders and relationship between body mass index(BMI), age and MetS. Methods:This study included 168 PA patients who were hospitalized in hypertension treatment center of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region People' Hospital, including 94 male patients and 74 female patients and the backgrounds and biochemical parameters of two groups were compared. Based on this, the relationship between BMI, age and MetS were also analyzed. Results:The prevalence of MetS was significantly higher in male patients with PA than female patients with PA(83.0% vs 58.1%,P<0.001). Compared to PA patients without MetS, PA patients with MetS had a higher level of BMI and greater prevalence of obesity (P<0.05). According to the BMI stratification analysis, we found the prevalence of MetS was higher in obese groups than non-obese groups (P<0.05). Moreover, the obese male patients with PA had higher prevalence of every component of MetS and prevalence of MetS with 5 metabolic factors compared to the non-obese group (P<0.05);while the obese female patients with PA only had higher prevalence of abdominal obesity compared to the non-obese group (P<0.001). Among the patients classified by age, the both prevalence of MetS was higher in male than female, and there was no male:female ratio inverted in patients with PA after menopause. Conclusions:The prevalence of MetS in male patients with PA was higher than female patients with PA. In addition, the obese groups had the higher prevalence of MetS than non-obese groups.

Incidence and Risk Factors of Cognitive Impairment 3 Months after First-ever Stroke: A Cross-sectional Study of 5 Geographic Areas of China

This study examined the incidence, neuropsychological characteristics and risk factors of cognitive impairment 3 months after stroke in China. Five regions that differed in geography and economy in China were selected. Patients from the hospitals located in the five regions were prescreened at admission, and the demographic data, vascular risk factors and clinical characteristics of stroke were obtained. A battery of cognitive-specific domain tests was performed in the patients who failed to pass cognitive screening 3 months post stroke. Patients were diagnosed as having post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) or no cognitive impairment (NCI) based on the results of the neuropsy-chological tests. Univariate analysis was performed for suspect risk factors, and significant variables were entered in multivariable logistic regression analysis. Our results showed that a total of 633 patients were recruited 3 months after stroke; complete cognitive tests were performed in 577 of the stroke pa-tients. The incidence of PSCI in these Chinese patients was 30.7%. There were 129 (22.4%) patients with visuospatial impairment, 67 (11.6%) with executive impairment, 60 (10.4%) with memory impairment and 18 (3.1%) with attention impairment. The risk factors associated with PSCI were older age (odds ratio [OR] 1.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.20–2.58), low education level (OR 2.45, 95% CI 1.65–3.64), depressive symptom (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.09–2.61), obesity (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.41–4.71), stroke severity 3 months post stroke (OR 1.62, 95%CI 1.10–2.37) and cortex lesion (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.04–2.31). It was concluded that PSCI occurs commonly 3 months after first-ever stroke in Chinese patients. Visuospatial ability may be the most frequently impaired cognitive domain for the patients with stroke. The critical risk factors of PSCI are older age, low education level, depressive symptom, obesity, stroke severity 3 months post stroke and cortex lesion.

A rat pup model of cerebral palsy induced by prenatal inflammation and hypoxia

Animal models of cerebral palsy established by simple infection or the hypoxia/ischemia method cannot effectively simulate the brain injury of a premature infant. Healthy 17-day-pregnant Wistar rats were intraperitoneally injected with lipopolysaccharide then subjected to hypoxia. The pups were used for this study at 4 weeks of age. Simultaneously, a hypoxia/ischemia group and a control group were used for comparison. The results of the footprint test, the balance beam test, the water maze test, neuroelectrophysiological examination and neuropathological examination demonstrated that, at 4 weeks after birth, footprint repeat space became larger between the forelimbs and hindlimbs of the rats, the latency period on the balance beam and in the Morris water maze was longer, place navigation and ability were poorer, and the stimulus intensity that induced the maximal wave amplitude of the compound muscle action potential was greater in the lipopolysaccharide/hypoxia and hypoxia/ischemia groups than in the control group. We observed irregular cells around the periventricular area, periventricular leukomalacia and breakage of the nuclear membrane in the lipopolysacchadde/hypexia and hypoxia/ischemia groups. These results indicate that we successfully established a Wistar rat pup model of cerebral palsy by intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide and hypoxia.

COMPARISON OF ABSORBED DOSE MEASUREMENTS WITH AN EXTRAPOLATION CHAMBER AND A FARMER CHAMBER IN HIGH ENERGY ELECTRON BEAM

In this paper, the comparison of absorbed dose measurement performed with an extrapolation chamber and a Fanner chamber in high energy electron beam is described. The experiments performed in the course of this work show that the Xinjiang extrapolation chamber is suitable for calibration of high energy electron beams produced from medical linear accelerators.

Folate level and prevalence of folate deficiency in population from agriculture and stock-raising regions and its correlation with hypertension

Objective:To compare the plasma folate level,prevalence of folate deficiency and the related influencing factors of hypertension in Xinjiang agricultural and pastoral areas.Methods:We enrolled 1926 study subjects with 447 hypertensive and non-hypertensive 1479 ones aged≥15 years old using multi-stage stratified sampling in Emin Xinjiang between January and December 2014,conducted the health behavior questionnaire and physical examination,and collected blood samples.The plasma folate level were measured by chemiluminescence method.Results:(1)There were significant differences(P<0.05)in age,gender,ethnic composition,marital status,education level,smoking consumption,drinking data,overweight and obesity and hyperhomocysteinemia(HHcy)between hypertension group and non hypertension group.(2)The folate deficiency rate of hypertension group was higher than that of non hypertension group(P=0.003);the folate deficiency rate of systolic and diastolic hypertension was the highest(P=0.008);the folate level of hypertension with HHcy was the lowest(P<0.001)and the folate deficiency rate was the highest(P=0.023).(3)Partial correlation analysis showed that folate was negatively correlated with systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure(P<0.05).(4)Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age 45-59(OR=3.78,95%CI:2.45-5.82),age≥60(OR=6.87,95%CI:4.35-5.10.87),male gender(OR=6.96,95%CI:3.86-12.54),Kazakhs(OR=2.12,95%CI:1.52-2.96),Mongolian(OR=2.38,95%CI:1.25-4.53),smoking(OR=4.21,95%CI:2.05-8.63),drinking(OR=6.36,36%CI:3.00-13.48),overweight and obesity(OR=2.11,95%CI:1.58-2.81),and folate deficiency(OR=1.72,95%CI:1.05-2.80)were the related factors of hypertension.Conclusions:The prevalence of folate deficiency in the population with hypertension in Xinjiang is higher than that in the non hypertension group,and the highest prevalence of folate deficiency is in hypertension with HHcy.Therefore,folate supplementation in the prevention of hypertension may be helpful,especially for the elderly,men and Kazakhs,and at the same time,healthy life style has an important reference value for reducing the level of hypertension and preventing and controlling cardiovascular diseases.