[Preliminary investigation on the epidemiology of migraine in China]

The prevalence of migraine was investigated in all provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions (except Taiwan) of the People's Republic of China. Random sampling from provincial capitals and from rural areas according to demonstration were used. Among a total screened population of 3,837,597 persons, there were 37,808 cases of migraine. The morbidity and the annual incidence rate were 985.2/100,000 and 79.7/100,000, respectively. The male/female ratio was 1:4. Inland plateaus were higher morbidity areas (more than 1,500/100,000) and coastal provinces and cities were lower morbidity areas (less than 400/100,000). The incidence rate was higher in spring in the south, while it was higher in summer in the north. The incidence rate was higher in hot and damp climate. The morbidity under 14 years old in China was significantly lower than those in overseas reports.

Growth comparison of breast-fed and formula-fed infants

Growth during infancy was analyzed using data from a study in which groups of infants were fed breast-milk or one of three formulas: Good Start, Isomil, or Similac. After adjustments for size at birth and parental stature, growth was within the normal range for all feeding groups and there were few significant differences in growth between those fed different formulas. There was, however, some evidence that Similac was associated with larger gains in weight and that those fed breast-milk or Isomil had lower weights at ages older than two months. Additionally, at six months, recumbent length tended to be smaller in the Isomil group of boys and in both the Isomil and Similac groups of girls and larger in the Good Start groups of boys and girls.

Obesity in children and adolescents: development of predictive equations and their application to epidemiologic studies

Epidemiological studies of body fatness cannot be based on laboratory measures. One alternative is to analyze values related to body composition such as skinfold thicknesses, but it is better to apply an equation that accurately predicts a body composition variable. If an equation is to be developed, the choice of the dependent variable affects the selection of the independent variables to be tested for inclusion. The validation group should have a wide distribution of values for the dependent and independent variables. To develop an equation that works well on validation and with other groups, all possible sub-set regression should be applied, multicollinearity examined, and ridge and robust regression used if these are needed. An equation chosen from the literature should have been developed and tested by appropriate methods and it should be validated against data from a sub-group of the study sample.

Equations for predicting stature in white and black elderly individuals

In an anthropometric nutritional assessment, elderly individuals are frequently unable to assume the positions needed for many measurements. This is especially true for stature, which is affected by mobility and skeletal deformities, and as a result measurements may be unreliable and inaccurate. An alternative is to use a surrogate value of stature. We developed predictive equations using data from elderly subjects in Cycle I of the National Health Examination Survey (NHES). The developed equations were cross-validated using two separate independent and more contemporary samples of elderly White men and women. The possible predictor variables were knee height and buttocks-knee length in the men and knee height and age in the women. For both the men and the women, the majority of the variance in stature was accounted for by knee height. Selected equation models were cross-validated, and a single equation was recommended for each elderly group that included knee height rather than buttocks-knee length as predictor variables. This selection was based upon the performance of the equations, and also upon the practical ease of collecting the possible predictor variables. Included with the recommended equations are the RMSEs and the standard error for predicting stature for an individual (SEI). The successful application of the recommended equations with two recent sets of elderly persons indicates the current utility of the recommended equations in White elderly Americans.

The sit-up test: an alternate clinical test for evaluating pediatric torticollis

The sit-up test, a new evaluation method for differentiating between ocular and orthopaedic torticollis, was evaluated against the monocular occlusion test, using results of three-step testing for standardization. The study group consisted of 31 patients with torticollis between the ages of 4 and 12.5 years. Subjects were selected based only on their ability to cooperate with three-step testing. Three-step testing identified 27 of the 31 patients as having ocular torticollis, with the remaining 4 having an orthopaedic etiology. Sit-up testing correctly identified all 27 ocular torticollis patients, with no false positives or false negatives. Monocular occlusion testing detected at best 22 (81.4%) of the ocular torticollis patients, with no false positives.

Effects of dexamethasone on pulmonary function following extubation

Dexamethasone is often given to intubated neonates to facilitate successful extubation. To study the effects of dexamethasone on pulmonary function immediately following extubation, we conducted a randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled trial in 51 infants. All infants had been intubated for a minimum of 3 days but no more than 30 days. Mean weight at extubation was 2.41 kg in treated infants, 2.25 kg in control infants. When infants were deemed ready for extubation, dexamethasone 0.5 mg/kg/dose or an equal volume of normal saline was given in three doses 8 hours apart. The final dose was given 1 hour before extubation. Esophageal pressure, air flow integrated to tidal volume (Vt), respiratory rate, and heart rate were measured before extubation, immediately following extubation, and every 20 minutes for 80 minutes. Total pulmonary resistance (RTP), dynamic lung compliance (CL), and minute ventilation (VE) were calculated. Forty-two infants completed the study; 19 infants received dexamethasone and 23 received placebo. There was no difference between the two groups in gestational age, weight at study, or length of intubation. Vt, RTP, VE, and CL were not significantly different between the two groups over time; however, RTP increased over time in the placebo group. Heart rate was significantly lower in the dexamethasone group. We conclude that dexamethasone appears to have limited effect on pulmonary function immediately following extubation in the population studied. Further studies should evaluate the drug effect beginning at least 1 hour after extubation.

[The effects of dachengqi decoction, shaogan decoction, emodin and sennoside on the histamine level of intestinal mucosa in intestinally obstructed rats]

The experimental intestinal obstruction model was made by partly ligating the ileum in rat. The histamine levels of obstruction groups (8.14 +/- 2.28 micrograms/g) were obviously lower than those of control groups (P < 0.01). After administration of Dachengqi decoction, Shaogan decoction, emodin and sennoside, the levels of histamine were significantly higher than those of obstruction groups, but there were no significant differences as compared with control groups.

[Modification and expression of insecticidal protein structural gene of Bacillus thuringiensis var. aizawai 7-29]

The regulative region (181bp) and the fifth toxic active domain (217bp) were removed from the insecticidal protein gene of Bacillus thuringiensis var. aizawai 7-29. After the synthesis of the adaptor (15bp) that contains initiation codon (ATG) and the PCR synthesis of the fifth toxic active domain (229bp) that contains stop codon (TAA), were inserted into on 5' truncated and 3' truncated of the coding fod N-terminal peptid's DNA fragment, that to become a modified structural gene. The modified structural gene can be play initiatic translation-function and stop translation-function during translation of insecticidal protein. The insecticidal protein was determined by western blotting, showed the expression of modified structural gene in Escherichia coli JM 103. The bioassay of insecticidal proteins showed the 3' truncated and 5' truncated of insecticidal gene was higher toxic active than the 3' truncated of insecticidal gene in Escherichia coli JM 103.

Serial changes in blood pressure from adolescence into adulthood

High blood pressure is an established risk factor for cardiovascular disease outcomes in adulthood. Furthermore, numerous longitudinal studies of blood pressure in childhood with length of follow-up from 1 to 17 years indicate that blood pressure levels track over the short term. This study addresses the question of the predictive value of childhood blood pressure readings for adult levels, using repeated blood pressure determinations from a sample of 501 participants in the Fels Longitudinal Study, an ongoing cohort study in southwestern Ohio that began in 1929. A damped autoregressive model indicated tracking correlations from 0.39 (4-year intervals) to 0.24 (20 years) for systolic pressure and 0.37 (4 years) to 0.20 (20 years) for diastolic pressure. These results indicate that tracking of blood pressure persists from age 13 years to age 40 years, which translates into moderate levels of relative risk for adult hypertension (diastolic pressure above 90 mmHg) for adolescents with high normal blood pressure. The estimated relative risks of hypertension at age 35 for white 15-year-olds with a true mean diastolic pressure of 80 mmHg were 1.9 for males and 2.6 for females, relative to 15-year-olds with a true diastolic pressure of 60 mmHg.

[The relation between the seed germination and seedling development of Bletilla striata and Mycena osmundicola etc. fungi]

This paper reports the effects of Mycena osmundicola etc. fungi on the seed germination and seedling growth of Bletilla striata. The results showed that B. striata seeds are easily germinated under normal conditions and belong to a special type among Orchidaceae. Fungi promote cotyledon differentiation and growth, as well as rhizoid formation of B. striata protocorms after seeds are sown with fungi. A liquid extract mixture enhanced the percentage of seed germination, and carbinol extract notably accelerated differentiation and growth of the protocorm's cotyledon after seeds were incubated with the liquid extract of Mycena osmundicola-culture products.

[Determination of sugar components in wild and cultured sclerotia of Grifola umbellata (pers. ex Fr.) Pilat at different ages]

Our determination indicates that in both wild and cultured sclerotia of Grifola umbellata the contents of reducing sugar decrease with the growing years; the contents of Polysaccharide peak in the second year of growth; the contents of protein increase with the growing years; the contents of fat reaches maximum in the first year of growth; in cultured sclerotia ergosterol becomes highest in contents when the plant is two years old, while in wild sclerotia it remains lowest.

Simplified limbal incision for extraocular rectus muscle surgery

We describe a limbal incision for extraocular muscle surgery which involves only one incision to the conjunctival-Tenon's layer instead of the three separate incisions required in the standard limbal approach. Based on the 316 extraocular muscle operations in which we have used this one-snip procedure, we conclude that it is simpler and faster than the standard limbal incision, and that it provides good surgical exposure and probably less tissue damage.