[Analysis of reliability and validity of the Chinese version of reflux symptom score 12]

Objective: To standardize the 12-item reflux symptom scale in Chinese and evaluate its reliability, validity, and effect on diagnoses. Methods: A systematic translation version of the RSS-12 scale was performed using the Brislin model. The scale with 12 items included three dimensions of symptoms in ear, nose and throat, gastrointestinal tract and respiratory tract. The effect was assessed by three aspects containing symptom frequency, severity, and the quality of life. The Chinese version of RSS-12 was used to test 432 patients who attended the outpatient ENT department of Fujian Provincial Hospital between March 2021 and December 2021, and 413 patient questionnaires were classified as valid, aged 17-78(40.8±13.3) years, 203 were female and 210 were male. SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 24.0 statistical software were used to evaluate the performance of the scale. Results: The scale was highly discriminatory among items and correlated well among dimensions. The I-CVI ranged from 0.67 to 1.00, and the S-CVI was 0.81. The exploratory factor analysis showed that the cumulative variance contribution was 63.583%. The validation factor analysis showed that the model adaptation was good, and the correlation coefficient with the RSI was 0.796. Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.814, the retest reliability was 0.939, and the Spearman-Brown half reliability was 0.892, all of which showed a high level of reliability. Using 24h MII-pH as the diagnostic criterion for LPRD, the RSS-12 scale had a diagnostic compliance rate of 79.4%, with a sensitivity of 0.768 and specificity of 0.857. Conclusion: The Chinese version of the RSS-12 scale has good reliability, validity, and diagnostic ability, which can be used as a screening tool to diagnose pharyngeal reflux diseases.

[Analysis on the incidence of occupational diseases in Bao'an District of Shenzhen city from 2006 to 2019]

Objective: To analyze the characteristics of occupational diseases in Bao'an District of Shenzhen from 2006 to 2019, so as to provide scientific basis for formulating occupational disease prevention policies and measures. Methods: In September 2020, the information of new occupational disease cases in Bao'an District of Shenzhen from 2006 to 2019 was collected through the national occupational disease and occupational health information monitoring system, and the classification, disease type distribution, population distribution and industry and enterprise scale distribution of new occupational disease cases were analyzed. Results: From 2006 to 2019, a total of 762 new occupational diseases were reported in Bao'an District of Shenzhen, of which the top three were occupational ear, nose, throat and oral diseases (233 cases, accounting for 30.58%) , occupational chemical poisoning diseases (219 cases, accounting for 28.74%) , occupational pneumoconiosis and other respiratory diseases (127 cases, accounting for 16.67%) . The classification composition of occupational diseases was different in different years, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05) . New occupational diseases are mainly distributed in the manufacturing industry (394 Eaterprises, caccouling 93.59%) , concentrated in (346 cases, accounting for 47.66%) and medium-sized enterprises (199 cases, accounting for 27.4%) small enterprises. Conclusion: New occupational diseases in Bao'an District of Shenzhen should focus on small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises, carry out risk assessment of occupational hazards, implement classified and hierarchical supervision of occupational health, and implement occupational health protection.

LRG1 expression indicates unfavorable clinical outcome in hepatocellular carcinoma

Leucine-rich-alpha-2-glycoprotein1 (LRG1) is a novel oncogene-associated protein which has been clarified vital to the progression of human cancers, but its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. Here, we showed that the expression of LRG1 was noticeably increased in HCC tissues, compared to the nontumorous tissues. High LRG1 expression was significantly associated with tumor size (P = 0.004), tumor differentiation (P = 0.010), TNM stage (P < 0.001) and vascular invasion (P = 0.019). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that LRG1 expression was closely correlated to overall survival and disease-free survival in a training cohort of 474 patients with HCC. The correlation was further validated in an independent cohort of 303 HCC patients. The prognostic implication of LRG1 was confirmed by stratified survival analyses. Multivariate Cox regression model indicated LRG1 as an independent poor prognostic indicator for overall survival (Hazard ratio = 1.582, 95% confident interval: 1.345–1.862, P < 0.001) and disease-free survival (Hazard ratio = 1.280, 95% confident interval: 1.037–1.581, P = 0.022) in HCC. In vitro data showed that LRG1 markedly promoted cell migration but has no effect on cell proliferation. Collectively, our data show that LRG1 is markedly up-regulated and serves as an independent factor of poor outcomes in HCC. Our study therefore provides a promising biomarker for prognostic prediction in clinical management of HCC.

Genetic variation of chicken MC1R gene in different plumage colour populations

1. Genetic variation in the chicken MC1R gene was analysed through bioinformatic methods after polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and sequencing of the coding region of MC1R gene from 5 different populations with 4 plumage colours (black, grey plumage with black spots, yellow plumage with black spots, red). 2. A total of 11 novel variations were detected in Hebei chickens, of which 8 were non-synonymous. Allele distribution analysis showed that the wild-type e(+) (Brown Leghorn) allele was mainly found in Hy-Line Brown and Lohmann Brown, the dominant Extended black E(AY220304) allele was mainly found in Hebei chicken with black plumage, whereas the Buttercup (e(bc)) allele was rare. 3. Nucleotide diversity (π) within each colour strain of Hebei chickens (0·0047-0·0052) was significantly greater than that of Hy-Line Brown (0·0024) or Lohmann Brown (0·0043). 4. The results indicate that there is abundant polymorphism in the MC1R gene, especially in Hebei chicken, which was associated with its rich plumage colour diversity.

SNP detection and haplotype analysis in partial sequence of MSTN gene in sheep

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products of the MSTN gene amplified from sixty sheep of nine Chinese indigenous sheep breeds and one imported sheep breed were sequenced to identify the single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a 378-bp fragment including intron 2 and exon 3 of the MSTN gene. A total of fifteen SNPs (A1937C, T1942G, C1956T, A1972C, A1990G, A2008C, A2011G, C2019T, A2025C, A2027C, T2085G, T2173C, C2198T, C2210T and C2213T) were detected among the sixty sequenced individuals and they were all located in intron 2. Twelve haplotypes were identified from these fifteen SNPs, of which haplotype I (CGTCGCGTCCGCTTT) and VIII (ATCAAAACAATTCCC) were the two major and basic ones with frequencies of 12.25% and 77.80%, respectively. Haplotype VIII was distributed in all sheep breeds and all individuals of the meat or meat-wool type sheep breeds were homozygous with respect to this haplotype. This suggests that haplotype VIII might be related to meat production traits in sheep. Haplotype I was only distributed in the fur, lambskin type and fur-meat type sheep breeds. This suggests that haplotype I may have some relationship with fur traits in sheep.

Polymorphism of the PRNP gene in the main breeds of indigenous Chinese goats

The polymorphism of the PRNP gene plays a key role in susceptibility to prion disease. Scrapie is a neurodegenerative disease affecting sheep and goats and belongs to the group of prion diseases. We isolated DNA from 333 goat samples representing the main local goat breeds in six provinces in China to identify PRNP polymorphisms and to determine whether these breeds were at risk for developing scrapie. Two novel amino acid polymorphisms (R211G and T219I) and a novel silent mutation at codon 125 as well as nine previously reported polymorphisms were observed. Twenty-eight alleles and forty-nine different genotypes were obtained. The codon 142M associated with resistance of goat scrapie was not found in this study. The codon 143R was relatively rare. The codon 222K, a potentially useful candidate site for selecting for scrapie resistance, was also rare in indigenous Chinese goats. These results could provide some useful data for assessing the risk of scrapie in Chinese indigenous goats.