Showing papers by "Jia Cao published in 2009"

Semen quality of 1346 healthy men, results from the Chongqing area of southwest China

Abstract: background: Large studies on semen quality of the general healthy population from China are rare. methods: A cross-sectional study was performed to evaluate the semen quality of 1346 healthy men residing in Chongqing area of south- west China in 2007. The semen parameters were measured and compared with the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. A linear regression model was used to examine the determinants of semen quality. results: The medians were 2.3 ml for semen volume, 77.8 � 10 6 per ml for semen concentration, 167.7 � 10 6 for total sperm count, 33% for sperm rapid progressive motility, 52.6% for sperm progressive motility and 70.9% for total motility. According to WHO criteria, 61.1% of healthy males had at least one semen parameter below normal threshold values. Season and abstinence duration were found to be significantly associated with semen quality (P , 0.001). Age, smoking, alcohol use and BMI had little or no effect on semen parameters. conclusions: A high proportion of healthy males in Chongqing area of southwest China had abnormal semen parameters values according to WHO criteria. The semen parameters in the study population were markedly different from those reported for the other Chinese, USA and European populations. The differences remain unexplained and may be due to demographic characteristics, lifestyle, environmental factors or genetic variation.

A Novel Polymorphism rs1329149 of CYP2E1 and a Known Polymorphism rs671 of ALDH2 of Alcohol Metabolizing Enzymes Are Associated with Colorectal Cancer in a Southwestern Chinese Population

Abstract: Background: To screen for tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (tagSNP) in the major alcohol metabolizing enzymes: ADH1B, ALDH2, and CYP2E1, and to evaluate the association between these tagSNPs and colorectal cancer (CRC) in a southwestern Chinese population. Methods: A hospital-based case-control study of 440 CRC patients and 800 cancer-free controls was conducted. Personal information was collected by a Semi-Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire. The tagSNPs were screened in the HapMap with Haploview by setting the minor allele frequency at 0.03 with the highest score of r 2 form each block. Genotypes were identified by using the SNPLex System. Both crude and adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to evaluate the risk of each SNP. Results: Sixteen tagSNPs were selected, and 13 were successfully genotyped. A novel CYP2E1 locus rs1329149 and a known ALDH2 locus rs671 were found to be significantly associated with CRC risk. The adjusted OR was 1.86 (95% CI, 1.12-3.09) for the rs671 A/A genotype and 4.04 for the rs1329149 T/T genotype (95% CI, 2.44-6.70), compared with their common homozygous genotypes. Interaction was found between alcohol consumption and gene polymorphisms on CRC, the adjusted OR was 7.17 (95% CI, 2.01-25.53) for drinking habits combined with rs671 A/A or rs1329149 T/T genotype. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that rs671 A/A and the first reported locus rs1329149 T/T genotypes increase the susceptibility to CRC, and gene-environmental interaction between the two loci and alcohol use existed for CRC in Southwestern Chinese. Larger studies are warranted to verify our findings. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(9):2522–7)

Community health needs assessment with precede-proceed model: a mixed methods study

Abstract: Community health services in China have developed over the last few decades. In order to use limited health resources more effectively, we conducted a community health needs assessment. This aimed to provide an understanding of the community's health problems and the range of potential factors affecting risk behaviours for the priority health problems. We used the precede-proceed model for the needs assessment. Triangulation of data, methods and researchers were employed in data collection. Main findings include: cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) were identified as the priority health problems in the study communities; risk factors associated with CVDs included smoking, physical inactivity and unhealthy eating behaviours, particularly amongst male residents with low education level; factors negatively affecting behaviours were classified into predisposing factors (limited knowledge, beliefs and lack of perceived needs), enabling factors (limited access to health promotion activities, unawareness of health promotion, lack of work-site and school health promotion, absence of health promotion related policy) and reinforcing factors (culture). Policies and organization were not perfect; there were limited staff skilled in providing health promotion in the community. CVDs were identified by the communities as priority health problems. Future health programs should focus on smoking, physical inactivity and unhealthy eating behaviours. Behaviour change strategies should take predisposing factors, enabling factors and reinforcing factors into consideration. Policies, organization and human resource need strengthening.

Biomonitoring of detoxifying activity as measured by CYP1A1 induction in Yangtze and Jialing Rivers in Chongqing City in China.

Abstract: In order to determine the potential toxicities of organic pollutants in the river water of Chongqing City (China), chemicals were extracted from surface water of the Yangtze River and Jialing River between August 2004 and January 2005. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis showed that the main compounds detected were polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and phthalate acid esters (PAE). The ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) test showed that the toxic equivalency (TEQ) values of the samples ranged from 0.9 to 13.3 x 10(-4) pg 2,3,7,8-TCDD/L river water. Incubation of H4IIE cells with organic extracts produced a time-dependent induction of cytochrome P-450 1A1 (CYP1A1) mRNA expression as determined by (1) reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), (2) positive binding to aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), and (3) activation of xenobiotic response element (XRE) by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). Data indicated that organic extracts from the river water of Chongqing City induced CYP1A1 activity in hepatocytes in vitro. A possible mechanism underlying toxicity might involve the AhR signal pathway, but further studies are necessary.

Evaluation of ovotoxicity in female mice caused by organic extracts in tap water from Jialing River in Chongqing, China.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Recently, toxic effects of widespread organic pollutants have received much attention due to the hazards they pose to female reproductive health. The aim of the present study was to determine the female reproductive toxicity of organic extracts (OE) in tap water from the Jialing River in Chongqing, China. METHODS: In our experiment, Kunming female mice that exhibited normal estrous cycles were randomly divided into 4 groups, which included a control group (OE 0 L/kg bw) as well as low- (OE 12.5 L/kg bw/day), mid- (OE 25 L/kg bw/day), and high-dose (OE 50 L/kg bw/day) groups. Mice were continually administered intraperitoneal injections of OE at different doses for 5 consecutive days. On the 15th and 30th day after treatments, half of the mice were sacrificed separately. RESULTS: The results showed that OE decreased relative ovary weights and prolonged the duration of estrous cycle with concomitant increase in estrous phase. There was a significant decrease in the number of corpora lutea of OE-treated mice, but no significant differences were found in healthy and atretic follicle populations compared to control. Ultrastructure observation regarding granulosa cells of the ovary revealed that OE treatment caused mitochondrial swelling together with endoplasmic reticulum expansion. CONCLUSIONS: All these data indicate that OE could exert adverse effects on the development of ovary and also a slight suppressive effect on reproductive functions. Birth Defects Res (Part B) 89:26–33, 2010. ©2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Molecular characterization of embB306 gene in Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from tuberculosis patients in Chongqing municipality

Abstract: Objective To understand the characteristics of embB gene mutation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) isolates from tuberculosis patients in Choagqing, and the value of embB306 as a molecular marker used to diagnose ethambutol (EMB)-resistant MTB strains. Methods Direct sequencing was used to analyze the polymorphism of embB mutation in 51 EMB-resistant MTB strains and 50 EMB-sensitive MTB strains. And diagnostic testing was used to evaluate the value of embB306 as a molecular marker of EMB -resistant MTB strains as compared with the traditional sensitivity test. Results All 34 of 51 EMB-resistant strains (66.7%) and 3 of 51 EMB- sensitive strains (6%) had had embB306 mutation. The embB306 mutation rate in EMB-resistant strains coming from previously treated case was 87.5%, showing significantly higher than that from new cases (48.1% ,P<0.01); embB306 mutation rate was increased with the number of the resistant drugs; embB306 mutation serving as a marker to diagnose EMB-resistant MTB strains comparing with the traditional sensitivity test,had the rate of sensitivity = 66.7% ,specificity =94.0% ,accuracy = 80.2% and Youden index = 60.7%. Conclusion embB306 mutation should be the main mechanism of MTB resistance to EMB in Chongqing, showing an association with the history of the treated and numbers of the resistant drugs, embB306 mutation should be a good marker to diagnose EMB-resistant MTB strains. Key words: Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Ethambutol ; Gene,embB; Drug resistance