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Carrier screening of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) has not been widely evaluated. To identify definite DMD female carriers prior to or in early pregnancy, we studied a large population of reproductive age females and provided informed reproductive options to DMD carriers. 37268 females were recruited from the Hangzhou Family Planning Publicity and Technology Guidance Station/Hangzhou Health Service Center for Children and Women, Hangzhou, China, between October 10, 2017, and December 16, 2018. CK activity was measured with follow-up serum DMD genetic testing in subjects with hyperCKemia, defined as CK > 200 U / L. The calculated upper reference limit (97.5th percentile) of serum creatine kinase (CK) for females aged 20-50 years in this study was near the reference limit recommended by the manufacturer (200 U/L), above which was defined as hyperCKemia. 427 females (1.2%) harbored initially elevated CK, among which 281 females (response rate of 65.8%) accepted CK retesting. DMD genetic testing was conducted on 62 subjects with sustained serum CK > 200 U / L and 16 females with a family history of DMD. Finally, 6 subjects were confirmed to be DMD definite carriers. The estimated DMD female carrier rate in this study was 1 : 4088 (adjusting for response rate), an underestimated rate, since only 50% to 70% of DMD female carriers manifest elevated serum CK, and carriers in this study may have been missed due to lack of follow-up or inability to detect all DMD pathogenic variants by current genetic testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Newborn screening (NBS) plays a significant role in reducing the risk of birth defects. NBS in China began in the early 1980s. Under the protection of laws and regulations and the leadership of the national health administration, approved screening centers in public hospitals took the responsibility for publicity, screening, diagnosis, treatment, follow-up and management of birth defects. As of 2022, 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government) have carried out NBS for phenylketonuria, congenital hypothyroidism, and hearing loss, 23 provinces have carried out screening for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (with a screening rate of 89.24%), and 24 provinces have carried out screening for congenital adrenal cortical hyperplasia (91.45% screening rate). Over the past four decades, screening techniques have evolved from bacterial inhibition, fluorescence analysis, and tandem mass spectrometry for the detection of biochemical markers to genetic testing, which has greatly contributed to the expansion of the types of diseases screened for. The combined use of metabolomics and genomics is currently being explored. Effective management and rigorous quality control of NBS are prerequisites for improving the quality and ensuring the accuracy of screening. The Quality Management System for Newborn Screening System Network (QMS-NBS), established by the National Center for Clinical Laboratories, covers all screening centers and related blood collection agencies. The operation of the QMS-NBS allows the quality and performance of screening to be transparent and measurable, ensuring the quality and efficiency of screening. This article provides an overview of the history of NBS, especially the evolution of policies for the NBS in China, the construction of screening institutions, the number of newborns screened, the incidence rates of screened diseases, the changes in screening technology, the expansion of new diseases screened for, and the quality control of NBS. Overall, the progress in NBS in China has not only benefited from the development and standardization at the technological level, but also benefited from the construction of policies, regulations and ethics.

Although a live attenuated vaccine is available for controlling mumps virus (MuV), mumps still outbreaks frequently worldwide. The attenuated MuV vaccine strain S79 is widely used in mumps vaccination in China, but still with many shortcomings, among which the most prominent are the side effects and decreased immunity. Therefore, there is a need to further improve the safety and efficacy of the current MuV vaccine. In the present study, we further attenuated MuV S79 vaccine strain by inhibiting viral mRNA methyltransferase (MTase). We generated a panel of eight recombinant MuVs (rMuVs) carrying mutations in the MTase catalytic site or S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) binding site in the large (L) polymerase protein. These rMuVs are genetically stable and seven rMuVs are more attenuated in replication in cell culture and five rMuVs are more attenuated in replication in lungs of cotton rats compared with the parental vaccine strain S79. Importantly, cotton rats vaccinated with these seven rMuV mutants produced high levels of serum neutralizing antibodies and were completely protected against challenge with a wild-type MuV strain (genotype F). Therefore, our results demonstrate that alteration in the MTase catalytic site or SAM binding site in MuV L protein improves the safety or the immunogenicity of the MuV vaccine and thus mRNA cap MTase may be an effective target for the development of new vaccine candidates for MuV.

Objectives: Although it is widely believed that China is facing a major shortage of pediatricians, the real situation of the current national status of pediatric human resources and their working conditions has not been evaluated to date., Methods: We administered a survey to 54 214 hospitals from all 31 provinces in mainland China from 2015 to 2016. Hospital directors of all secondary and tertiary hospitals with pediatric services and a random sample (10%) of primary hospitals provided information on number of pediatricians and their educational levels, specialties, workloads, dropout rates, and other hospital characteristics. A data set of medical resources and socioeconomic information regarding each region (1997-2016) was constructed from the Chinese National Statistics Bureau. The Gini coefficient was used to describe the geographical distributions of pediatricians and hospitals., Results: There were 135 524 pediatricians in China or ∼4 pediatricians per 10 000 children. Pediatricians' average educational level was low, with ∼32% having only 3 years of junior college training after high school. The distribution of pediatricians was extremely skewed (Gini coefficient 0.61), and the imbalance of highly educated pediatricians was even more skewed (Gini coefficient 0.68). The dropout rate of pediatricians was 12.6%. Despite an increase in the Chinese government's financial investment in health over the last decade, physicians have been burdened with a greater workload., Conclusions: Uneven development of the pediatric care system, inadequately trained pediatricians, low job satisfaction, and unmet demand for pediatric care are the major challenges facing China's pediatric health care system., Competing Interests: POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The authors have indicated they have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2019 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

Objective: To explore the clinical features and variations of ACADVL gene in 9 neonates with very long chain acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency (VLCADD)., Methods: VLCADD was suspected based on the results of neonatal screening by tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS), with tetradecenoylcarnitine ± tetradecenoylcarnitine/octanoylcarnitine (C14: 1 ± C14: 1/C8) as the mark indexes. Infants with positive outcome were confirmed by sequencing of the ACADVL gene., Results: Among 9 VLCADD cases, one case lost during follow-up, the observed phenotypes comprised 2 with severe early-onset form, 1 with hepatic form and 5 with late-onset form. Optimal outcome was acquired for all patients except the 2 early-onset cases. In total 16 ACADVL variations were detected among the 9 infants, which included 8 novel variations (c.96-105del GCCCGGCCCT, c.541C>T, c.863T>G, c.878+1G>C, c.895A>G, c.1238T>C, c.1276G>A, and c.1505T>A) and 11 missense variations. There were 9 genotypic combinations, including 1 homozygote and 8 compound heterozygotes. Except for two patients carrying null variations, all had a good outcome., Conclusion: VLCADD is relatively rare in southern China, for which late-onset form is common. Carriers of null variations of the ACADVL gene may have relatively poorer clinical outcome. Above results will provide valuable information for the diagnosis and management of VLCADD.

Phenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency (PAHD), one of the genetic disorders resulting in hyperphenylalaninemia, has a complex phenotype with many variants and genotypes among different populations. Here, we describe the mutational and phenotypic spectrum of PAHD in a cohort of 420 patients from neonatal screening between 1999 and 2016. The observed phenotypes comprised 43.57% classic phenylketonuria, 33.10% mild PKU, and 23.33% mild hyperphenylalaninemia, with an overall PAHD incidence of 1 in 20,445. Genetic testing was performed for 209 patients and 72 variants including seven novel variants were identified. These included two synonymous and five pathogenic nonsynonymous variants (p.S36*, p.T186I, p.L255W, p.F302V and p.R413H). The most common variant among all patients was p.R243Q, followed by p.R241C, p.Y204C, p.R111* and c.442-1G > A. Variants p.R53H and p.F392I occurred only in MHP with 19.3% and 8.0% of the observed alleles respectively. The genotypes p.[R241C];[R243Q], p.[R243Q];[R243Q], and p.[Y204C];[R243Q] were abundant across all PAHD patients. The distributions of the null allele and the three defined genotypes, null/null, null/missense, and missense/missense, were significantly different between the cPKU and mPKU patients. However, no significant differences were found between mPKU and MHP patients, indicating that other modifier factors influence the phenotypic outcome in these patients. The data presented here will provide a valuable tool for improved genetic counseling and management of future cases of PAHD in China.

The live-attenuated measles virus (MV) vaccine based on the Hu191 strain has played a significant role in controlling measles in China. However, it has considerable adverse effects that may cause public health burden. We hypothesize that the safety and efficacy of MV vaccine can be improved by altering the S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) binding site in the conserved region VI of the large polymerase protein. To test this hypothesis, we established an efficient reverse genetics system for the rMV-Hu191 strain and generated two recombinant MV-Hu191 carrying mutations in the SAM binding site. These two mutants grew to high titer in Vero cells, were genetically stable, and were significantly more attenuated in vitro and in vivo compared to the parental rMV-Hu191 vaccine strain. Importantly, both MV-Hu191 mutants triggered a higher neutralizing antibody than rMV-Hu191 vaccine and provided complete protection against MV challenge. These results demonstrate its potential for an improved MV vaccine candidate., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To analyze the results and follow up data of screening for newborn organic aciduria in Zhejiang province., Methods: The results and follow-up data of 1 861 262 newborns from Zhejiang province undergoing screening for organic aciduria during January 2009 and December 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. The acylcarnitine spectrum in urine samples was detected by tandem mass spectrum (MS/MS) and the positive patients were confirmed by urine gas chromatography mass spectrometry and/or gene analysis., Results: Ninety two cases of organic aciduria were confirmed with a prevalence of 1:20 200. Among 40 cases of methylmalonic academia (MMA), 13 (32.5%) were of MMA simple type and 27 (67.5%) were combined type. Genetic analysis showed 6 cases of MUT type and 1 case of CblB type out of 7 patients with MMA simple type, 10 cases of CblC and 1 case of CblF out of 11 patients with combined type, respectively. Six patients had propionic academia with a prevalence of 1:310 200, 7 had isovaleric academia (1:265 900), 6 had glutaric academia type 1 (1:310 200), 27 had 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase deficiency (MCC, 1:68 900), 1 had 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaric aciduria (1:1 861 300), 2 had β-ketothiolase deficiency (1:960 600), and 3 had biotinidase deficiency/holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency (1:620 400). Thirty-one patients had a disease onset at neonatal period, and 15 at post-neonatal period. Thirty-three patients had brain involvements or cranial imaging disorders. Three patients with MMA had kidney diseases or heomlytic uremic syndrome, and 3 had myocardial impairments. Twenty patients died during the follow-up., Conclusions: MMA is the most common newborn organic aciduria in Zhejiang province. Except MCC, most organic aciduria may lead to metabolism decompensation, complications or even death.

Objective: To analyze the result and follow-up data of screening for newborn amino acid metabolic disorders in Zhejiang province., Methods: A total of 1 861 262 newborns were screened for amino acid metabolic disorders during January 2009 and December 2016 in Zhejiang province. The screening results and the follow-up data were analyzed retrospectively., Results: One hundred and sixty four cases were diagnosed as amino acid metabolic disorders with a prevalence of 1:11 349, including 83 with hyperphenylalaninaemia (1:22 400), 29 with neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency (1:64 138), 16 with methionine S-adenosyltransferase deficiency (1:116 250), 9 with maple syrup urine disease (1:206 667), 8 with argininemia (1:232 500), 7 with citrullinemia type Ⅰ (1:265 700), 6 with hyperprolinemia type Ⅰ (1:310 000), and 2 with carbamylphosphate synthetase Ⅰ deficiency(1:930 000). In addition, ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency, cystathionine β-synthase deficiency, argininosucoinate aciduria and tyrosinemia type Ⅰ were detected in one patient for each, respectively. Two patients had developmental delay, 7 patients were dead, and 2 cases of maple syrup urine disease were lost to follow-up., Conclusions: Hyperphenylalaninaemia is the most common amino acid metabolic disease in newborns in Zhejiang province. Patients with amino acid metabolic disorders identified in newborn screening program can have chance for normal growth development by intervention.

Objective: To screen fatty acid oxidation disorders (FAOD) in newborns in Zhejiang province., Methods: A total of 1 861 262 newborns were screened for FAOD in Neonatal Screening Center of Zhejiang Province during January 2009 and December 2016. The blood samples from newborns were screened by tandem mass spectrometry, and diagnosis of FAOD was confirmed by urine organic acid measurement combined with genetic analysis. The prognosis and follow-up of patients with FAOD were also evaluated., Results: Of 1 861 262 newborns screened, 121 cases of FAOD were diagnosed. Among 121 cases of FAOD, primary carnitine deficiency (PCD) was the most common type ( n =78, 64.5%), which was followed by short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (SCADD, n =27, 22.3%), medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency ( n =5, 4.1%), multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MADD, n =4, 3.3%), very long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency ( n =3, 2.5%), carnitine palmitoyltransferase Ⅰ deficiency( n =2, 1.7%)and carnitine palmitoyltransferase Ⅱ deficiency (CPTⅡD, n =2, 1.7%). During 2-82 month follow-up, 15 patients were lost, 4 were dead (1 PCD, 1 MADD, and 2 CPTⅡD), and the remaining 102 subjects had normal intelligence and physical development without any clinical symptoms., Conclusions: PCD and SCADD are the most common FAODs in newborns in Zhejiang province. Most of FAOD patients are asymptomatic, and have normal growth and development after early intervention and management.

Objectives: This is a population based descriptive study that examined the trends in childhood mortality among under five children and the major causes under five mortality in Zhejiang Province, China., Methods: A population-based survey was conducted through a province-level surveillance network. The mortality rate and leading causes of death for children under 5 years of age were analyzed. The trend in the mortality rate for children under five and cause-specific mortality rates were analyzed by chi-square with SPSS 13.0 software., Results: In Zhejiang Province, during 1997-2012, mortality rates in neonates, postneonatal infants, and children under 5 years were reduced by 64.2% (from 7.85 to 2.81 per 1000 livebirths), 66.7% (from 12.73 to 4.24 per 1000 livebirths), and 63% (from 15.76 to 5.85 per 1000 livebirths), respectively. The mortality rates in children under 5 years of age decreased by 59.5% (from 11.09 to 4.49 per 1000 livebirths) and 65.8% (from 19.30 to 6.61 per 1000 livebirths) in urban and rural areas, respectively. Prematurity/low birth weight and congenital heart disease were in the top five causes of death in children under 5 years of age during 1997-2012., Conclusions: Zhejiang province has achieved great progress in the reduction of mortality rates in children under five-years-old during the past two decades. The future tasks on reduction of mortality rate still rely on how to improve the management of premature birth/low birth weight, reduce birth defects and prevent accidental deaths in Zhejiang Province.

Background: Williams syndrome (WS) is a neurodevelopmental disease characterized by compelling psychological phenotypes. The symptoms span multiple cognitive domains and include a distinctive pattern of social behavior. The goal of this study was to explore adaptive behavior in WS patients in China., Methods: We conducted a structured interview including the Infants-Junior Middle School Students Social-life Abilities Scale in three participant groups: children with WS (n = 26), normally-developing children matched for mental age (MA, n = 30), and normally-developing children matched for chronological age (CA, n = 40). We compared the mean scores for each domain between the three groups., Results: Children with WS had more siblings than children in the two control groups. The educational level of the caregivers of WS children was lower than that of the control children. We found no differences in locomotion, work skill, socialization, or self-management between the WS and MA groups. WS children obtained higher scores of self-dependence (df = 54, Z = -2.379, p = 0.017) and had better communication skills (df = 54, Z = -2.222, p = 0.026) compared with MA children. The CA children achieved higher scores than the WS children for all dimensions of adaptive behavior., Conclusions: WS children have better adaptive behavior skills regarding communication and self-dependence than normal children matched for mental age. Targeted intervention techniques should be designed to promote social development in this population.

Background: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is often comorbid with psychiatric and developmental disorders. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of obesity and overweight among Chinese children with ADHD, and to explore which subtypes of the disorder may specifically be associated with obesity/overweight., Methods: Children meeting the DSM-IV criteria for ADHD were enrolled in the study. Weight, weight z-score, height, height z-score, BMI, and BMI z-score were used to evaluate growth status. Obesity and overweight were determined using the National Growth Reference for Chinese Children and Adolescents. Relations between the prevalence of obesity/overweight and different ADHD subtypes and pubertal development were analyzed., Results: A total of 158 children with ADHD (mean age: 9.2 years) were recruited for the study. The prevalences of obesity, overweight, and combined obesity/overweight were 12.0%, 17.1%, and 29.1%, respectively, which were significantly higher than in the general Chinese population (2.1%, 4.5%, and 6.6%, respectively). Multivariable analysis showed that the children with the combined subtype of ADHD and the onset of puberty were at a higher risk of becoming obese or overweight., Conclusions: The prevalence of obesity in Chinese children with ADHD is higher than that of the general population. Children with the ADHD combined subtype who were at the onset of puberty were more likely to be overweight or obese.

Background: Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) has been available in China for 8 years. This technique makes it possible to screen for a wide range of previously unscreened inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) using a single test. This 3-year pilot study investigated the screening, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of IEM in symptomatic infants and children., Methods: All children encountered in the Newborn Screening Center of Zhejiang Province during a 3-year period with symptoms suspicious for IEM were screened for metabolic diseases. Dried blood spots were collected and analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry. The diagnoses were further confirmed by clinical symptoms and biochemical analysis. Neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency, ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency and primary carnitine deficiency were confirmed by DNA analysis., Results: A total of 11,060 symptomatic patients (6,720 boys, 4,340 girls) with a median age of 28.8 months (range: 0.04-168.2 months) were screened. Among these, 62 were diagnosed with IEM, with a detection rate of 0.56%. Thirty-five were males and 27 females and the median age was 3.55 months (range 0.07-143.9 months). Of the 62 patients, 27 (43.5%) had aminoacidemias, 26 (41.9%) had organic acidemias and nine (14.5%) had fatty acid oxidation disorders., Conclusions: Because most symptomatic patients are diagnosed at an older age, mental retardation and motor delay are difficult to reverse. Additionally, poor medication compliance reduces the efficacy of treatment. More extensive newborn screening is thus imperative for ensuring early diagnosis and enhancing the treatment efficacy of IEM.

Background: Recent studies have suggested that vitamin D deficiency in children is widespread. But the vitamin D status of Chinese children is seldom investigated. The objective of the present study was to survey the serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] in more than 6,000 children aged 1 month to 16 years in Hangzhou (latitude: 30°N), the capital of Zhejiang Province, southeast China., Methods: The children aged 1 month to 16 years who came to the child health care department of our hospital, the children's hospital affiliated to Zhejiang university school of medicine, for health examination were taken blood for 25(OH) D measurement. Serum 25(OH) D levels were determined by direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and categorized as < 25, < 50, and < 75 nmol/L., Results: A total of 6,008 children aged 1 month to 16 years participated in this cross-sectional study. All the subjects were divided into subgroups according to their age: 0-1y, 2-5y, 6-11y and 12-16y representing infancy, preschool, school age and adolescence stages respectively. The highest mean level of serum 25(OH)D was found in the 0-1y stage (99 nmol/L) and the lowest one was found in 12-16y stage (52 nmol/L). Accordingly, the prevalence of serum 25(OH)D levels of < 75 nmol/L and < 50 nmol/L were at the lowest among infants (33.6% and 5.4% respectively) and rose to the highest among adolescents (89.6% and 46.4% respectively). The mean levels of serum 25(OH)D and the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency changed according to seasons. In winter and spring, more than 50% of school age children and adolescents had a 25(OH)D level at < 50 nmol/L. If the threshold is changed to < 75 nmol/L, all of the adolescents (100%) had low 25(OH)D levels in winter and 93.7% school age children as well., Conclusions: The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency among children in Hangzhou Zhejiang province is high, especially among children aged 6-16 years. We suggest that the recommendation for vitamin D supplementation in Chinese children should be extended to adolescence.

Maternal iron status is thought to be related to postpartum depressive symptoms. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between pre- and postnatal maternal iron status and depressive symptoms in pilot (n = 137) and confirmatory (n = 567) samples of Chinese women. Iron status was evaluated at mid- and late pregnancy and 3 days postpartum. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to assess maternal postpartum depression 24-48 hours after delivery and 6 weeks later. In the pilot sample, correlations between early- and late-pregnancy maternal Hb and EPDS scores at 6 weeks were r = 0.07 and -0.01, respectively (nonsignificant). In the confirmatory sample, the correlations between maternal iron measures (Hb, MCV, ZPP, ferritin, sTfR, and sTfR Index) in mid- or late pregnancy or 3 days postpartum and EPDS scores shortly after delivery or at 6 weeks were also low (r values < 0.10). EPDS scores in anemic and nonanemic mothers did not differ, regardless of sample or timing of maternal iron status assessment. In addition, women with or without possible PPD were similar in iron status in both samples. Thus, there was no relationship between maternal iron status and postpartum depression in these samples.

Aim: This study was designed to evaluate mental and motor development, psychosocial adjustment (temperament and behavioural problems) in children with phenylketonuria (PKU)., Methods: Twenty-eight Chinese children aged from three to 36 months with early-treated PKU were evaluated by Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID), Peabody Developmental Motor Scale (PDMS-II), Toddler Temperament Questionnaire (TTQ) and Achenbach's Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). The related factors, including blood phenylalanine (Phe) levels, and the socio-economic status (SES) of the children's family were also explored., Results: In comparison with healthy control, early-treated PKU children showed no delay in the mental and motor development. However, they presented higher levels on four of the nine temperamental dimensions (higher level in activity, more intense in reaction, more negative mood and more distraction). They also had more behavioural problems in depression, aggression and destructibility. A lower Phe level and a higher SES of children's family showed a positive effect on development index, temperamental characteristics and behavioural problems., Conclusion: Early-treated PKU children were normal in the mental and motor development. However, they presented higher level on four of the nine temperamental dimensions and had more behavioural problems. Paediatric control combined with psycho-counselling was suggested for young PKU children., (© 2011 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2011 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).)

The region on chromosome 7q stands out as the region of suggestive linkage to aetiology of autism with the greatest concordance in many independent genome-wide scans. RELN and GRM8, the two genes selected in this study, are located within this region. The protein products of both genes are considered to play a pivotal role in the development of the central nervous system. In addition, biochemical and neuroanatomical data indicated that RELN and GRM8 genes are likely involved in the pathogenesis of autistic disorder. Therefore, both RELN and GRM8 genes are considered to be not only the positional but also the functional candidate genes to autism for association research. In this study, we genotyped 12 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located within the RELN and GRM8 genes in 213 children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and 160 controls. A significant genetic association between SNP2 (located in intron 59 of RELN) and ASD was observed, and the log-additive model was accepted as the best inheritance model fitting this data (OR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.54-0.97, P = 0.03). Haplotype-specific association analysis revealed that the result was consistent with the individual SNP study; the combination of SNP1/SNP2/SNP3/SNP4 which are in strong linkage disequilibrium (LD) (D' > 0.75) showed significant association with ASD (P = 0.027). Neither the single SNP nor the haplotype analysis showed significant association between ASD and the markers of GRM8 gene. Hence, our study suggested the possible involvement of RELN gene in the susceptibility to ASD. Future replications are warranted before definitive conclusion can be drawn., ((c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Background: Vitamin A can have a positive impact on growth and development of children, but vitamin A deficiency (VAD) was found to be a public health problem in Zhejiang Province, China in 1998. There have been no studies on this topic in Zhejiang Province recently. This study was designed to evaluate the serum retinol levels of children aged 0~4 years in Zhejiang Province, southeast China. This epidemiological data will help design supplementation strategies for vitamin A in high-risk groups and improve their vitamin A status., Methods: Children were randomly recruited for this study using a stratified sampling method. A blood sample was collected from each child. Assessment included C-reactive protein (CRP), serum retinol was measured with HPLC and a questionnaire completed providing for family information and nutritional status. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the risk factors for VAD in children., Results: A group of 357 subjects aged 1 day to 4 years were recruited. The mean plasma retinol concentration was 1.653 (sd 0.47) mumol/L. There were 3.08% (11/357) of children affected with VAD, and 7.28% (26/357) of children had low vitamin A status, but none of the children showed any clinical symptoms of VAD. There was no significant difference in the levels of plasma retinol and the incidence rate of VAD between male and female children. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that living in urban region, having parents with good education and taking vitamin A capsule regularly prevented children from VAD, whereas being young (less than 2 years old) was a risk factor., Conclusion: Low vitamin A status remains a nutritional problem in Zhejiang Province. The high-risk group in this study were young, dwelled in rural regions, had parents with poor education and did not take a regular vitamin A containing supplement.

This study examines how the provision of schistosomiasis control has adapted to increased exposure to market forces which has occurred in China over the past decades with the main emphasis on contemporary performance of the services. Financial and service data were collected and analysed from ten schistosomiasis stations in the Hunan province. A document and literature review, key informant interviews, as well as two focus group discussions were conducted to establish their context. The study found that the schistosomiasis control stations had shifted their emphasis from prevention to clinical services and that 62% of the stations' total income now comes from charging for individual clinical services, while 90% of the total costs was related to providing these services. The study found that revenue generation had become the primary motive, and that over-treatment and prescription had become an accepted practice for all the stations. The study concludes that a combination of lax supervision and accountability, and a greater reliance on user-payment and market mechanisms has severely compromised the provision of the public goods elements of the schistosomiasis control programme.