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Information on the burden of disease due to foodborne pathogens in China is quite limited. To understand the incidence of foodborne gastroenteritis due to non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica and Vibrio parahaemolyticus, population survey and sentinel hospital surveillance were conducted during July 2010 to June 2011 in Shanghai, east China, and a model for calculating disease burden was established. The multiplier for gastroenteritis caused by these pathogens was estimated at 59 [95% confidence interval (CI) 30–102]. Annual incidence per 100,000 population in Shanghai was estimated as 48 (95% CI 24–83) and 183 (95% CI 93–317) cases for foodborne non-typhoidal salmonellosis and V. parahaemolyticus gastroenteritis, respectively, illustrating that bacterial gastroenteritis due to these two pathogens poses a substantial health burden. There is a significant difference between our simulated incidence and the data actually reported for foodborne diseases, indicating significant underreporting and underdiagnosis of non-typhoidal S. enterica and V. parahaemolyticus gastroenteritis in the surveillance area. The present research demonstrates basic situation of the health burden caused by major foodborne pathogens in the surveillance area. Enhanced laboratory-based sentinel hospital surveillance is one of the effective ways to monitor food safety in east China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: To provide a questionnaire, with Shanghai medical interns as respondents, analyzing knowledge (K), attitude (A), and practice (P) in relation to clinical nutrition, and to explore factors that could affect KAP scores.Methods and Study Design: The cross- sectional study used 330 interns from Shanghai medical universities responding to general material data questionnaires and KAP questionnaires on clinical nutrition.Results: The mean KAP score was 210.26±25.9 (X±SD), and the score for each part of the KAP questionnaire was just within the threshold for qualified. Multivariate analysis showed that the factors influencing the proportion of excellent scores for K were preventive medicine major (OR=3.45, p<0.001), senior intern (OR=2.52, p=0.002), and tertiary intern hospital (OR=2.31, p=0.006). The only factor influencing the proportion of excellent scores for P was accessing nutritional information one to three times per week (OR=3.95, p=0.011). Nutrition course had no relation to any scores of K, A, P.Conclusions: The mean scores of overall KAP and the individual K, A, P were all categorized as qualified. The P score was the lowest and only influenced by how frequently information was accessed. In summary, nutrition knowledge and regular practical training gained from intern hospital could be a better way to enable senior interns to quickly and competently address patient nutrition problems at the commencement of their careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors report the results of a hospital-based case-control study of all patients diagnosed with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) (n = 36) from 28 participating hospitals over a 4-year period. Diagnoses were made by a single laboratory using 2001 World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Subjects were matched to 2 control patients and interviewed concerning previous diseases, work histories, and exposures to potential etiologic agents. Peripheral blood and bone marrow findings revealed clinical features of both myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs) and myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), consistent with hematopoietic disease category of MDS/MPN. The frequency of clonal cytogenetic abnormalities in all CMML cases was 31%, with no consistent pattern identified. A select number of risk factors associated with occupational exposure, nonoccupational exposure, and prior medical or family history of disease were extracted from the questionnaire. The results were compared between the case and control subjects. A total of 5 study subjects (2 CMML cases and 3 control subjects) were determined to have had some benzene exposure. In addition, none of the highlighted risk factors associated with nonoccupational exposure to etiologic agents was significantly different among the study subjects. These results do not support an increased risk for developing CMML associated with historical exposures to benzene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and investigated the relationship between IBS and disturbed sleep in school-age children in Shanghai, China. Primary, middle and high school students ( n = 1542) were recruited from schools in Shanghai. Students completed two questionnaires: the questionnaire for IBS in children and adolescents and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The overall prevalence of IBS adjusted for cluster effects among students was 18.81%, and prevalence increased with age. Relative to non-IBS students, more IBS students tended to have poor sleep, including quality and duration. IBS is common among children and adolescents in Shanghai, China, and its prevalence increases with age. A tendency toward poor sleep also increases with age. The causal relationship between sleep and IBS needs to be further studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper investigates the characteristics of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in raw water from the Huangpu River and also in water undergoing treatment in the full-scale Yangshupu drinking water treatment plant (YDWTP) in Shanghai, China. The average DON concentration of the raw water was 0.34mg/L, which comprised a relatively small portion (~5%) of the mass of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN). The molecular weight (MW) distribution of dissolved organic matter (DOM) was divided into five groups: >30, 10–30, 3–10, 1–3 and <1kDa using a series of ultrafiltration membranes. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), UV absorbance at wavelength of 254nm (UV254) and DON of each MW fraction were analyzed. DON showed a similar fraction distribution as DOC and UV254. The <1kDa fraction dominated the composition of DON, DOC and UV254 as well as the major N-nitrosodimethylamine formation potential (NDMAFP) in the raw water. However, this DON fraction cannot be effectively removed in the treatment line at the YDWTP including pre-ozonation, clarification and sand filtration processes. The results from linear regression analysis showed that DON is moderately correlated to DOC, UV254 and trihalomethane formation potential (FP), and strongly correlated to haloacetic acids FP and NDMAFP. Therefore, DON could serve as a surrogate parameter to evaluate the reactivity of DOM and disinfection by-products FP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The clinical, cytogenetic and molecular features of chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL), a disease previously considered to be rare in Asia, were examined in consecutive series of 70 cases diagnosed by our laboratory over a 30-month period. Clonal abnormalities were observed in 80% of CLL/SLL cases using a combination of conventional cytogenetic and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis. Those involving 14q32/IGH were the most frequent (24 cases), followed by trisomy 12 and 11q abnormalities. IgVH gene usage was non-random with over-representation of VH4-34, VH3-23 and a previously unreported increase in VH3-48 gene use. Somatic hypermutation (SHM) of IgVH germline sequences was observed in 56.5% of cases with stereotyped patterns of SHM observed in VH4-34 heavy chain complimentary-determining (HCDR1) and framework region CFR2 sequences. These findings in a Chinese population suggest subtle geographical differences in IgVH gene usage while the remarkably specific pattern of SHM suggest that a relatively limited set of antigens may be involved in the development of this disease worldwide. IgVH gene mutation status was a significant predictor of initial survival in CLL/SLL. However, an influence of karyotype on prognosis was not observed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]