Establishment of a reference procedure to measure urine-formed elements and evaluation of an automated urine analyzer.

A standardized reference method is needed to accurately and precisely measure urine-formed elements (UFEs; red blood cells [RBCs], white blood cells [WBCs], and squamous epithelial cells [sECs]). We compared the results from a standard method with those from an automated analyzer. Trained technicians used standardized bright-field microscopy of fresh non-centrifuged urine samples, and disposable 1 µl chambers.

Performance of atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk prediction models in a rural Northern Chinese population: Results from the Fangshan Cohort Study.

Background: Performance of Pooled Cohort Equations (PCEs) for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risks varied across populations. Whether the recently developed Prediction for ASCVD Risk in China (China-PAR) model could accurately predict cardiovascular risks in real practice remains unclear.

Methods: A population-based cohort study in rural Beijing in the "stroke belt" in North China was used to externally validate PCE and China-PAR models for 5-year ASCVD risk prediction.

Cohort profile: the Fangshan Cohort Study of cardiovascular epidemiology in Beijing, China.

Background: Urbanizing rural areas in China face a rapidly growing cardiovascular disease burden. Epidemiologic studies and effective preventive strategies are urgently needed.

Methods: The Fangshan Cohort Study is a prospective study that began in 2008 and targets local residents aged 40 years or older living in 3 towns in the Fangshan district of Beijing.

[Gender-specific differences in relative effects of cardiovascular risk factors among rural population].

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and association of cardiovascular disease and its risk factors in Fangshan District, Beijing.

Methods: A total of 7 577 rural residents aged over 40 years were surveyed to estimate the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and its risk factors by questionnaire survey, physical examination and biochemical measures. The prevalence odds ratio (POR) was calculated for the association of stroke / coronary heart disease (CHD) with its risk factors in multiple logistic regression models.

[Strong association between the NINJ2 gene polymorphism and the susceptibility of stroke in Chinese Han population in Fangshan district].

Objective: To investigate the association between the NINJ2 gene rs11833579 polymorphism and stroke in Han Chinese population.

Methods: This study was a population-based cross-sectional case-control study. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and sequencing were used for the detection of NINJ2 genotypes in 790 patients with stroke (679 ischemic stroke) which were Han Chinese population from Fangshan First Hospital and 811 controls which were healthy Han Chinese population without family history of stroke in Fangshan district rural area.

[An association study of abdominal obesity and polymorphisms of UCP2 and SREBP1c genes].

Objective: To investigate the association of -866A/G polymorphism of uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) gene, and 54G/C polymorphism of sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c (SREBP1c) gene with abdominal obesity in the population of type 2 diabetes mellitus families.

Methods: Eligible type 2 diabetes mellitus cases from newly diagnosed and previous hospitalized patients were choson, then their family members (siblings and parents) tracked. A set of questionnaires was administered to obtain information on demographic characteristics.

The Fangshan/Family-based Ischemic Stroke Study In China (FISSIC) protocol.

Background: The exact etiology of ischemic stroke remains unclear, because multiple genetic predispositions and environmental risk factors may be involved, and their interactions dictate the complexity. Family-based studies provide unique features in design, while they are currently underrepresented for studies of ischemic stroke in developing countries. The Fangshan/Family-based Ischemic Stroke Study In China (FISSIC) program aims to conduct a genetic pedigree study of ischemic stroke in rural communities of China.

[Genetic epidemiological study on discordant sib pairs of ischemic stroke in Beijing Fangshan District].

Objective: To investigate the association among serum lipids, blood pressure, -514C/T polymorphism of hepatic lipase gene and subtypes of ischemic stroke in the discordant sib pairs.

Methods: Ischemic stroke cases were enrolled from a hospital-based stroke registry, the proband-initiated contact was used to recruit pedigrees, and participants' information and blood samples were collected through the community-based health care networks in rural areas of China. Statistical analysis was performed by using the Wilcoxon signed rank test to compare quantitative differences between sib pairs and the McNemar test to compare qualitative differences.