Suspicious symptom monitoring for leprosy: an optimal practice for early detection under a low endemic situation in Zhejiang Province, China.

Background: Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease that causes disabilities and deformities. Early detection is a major strategy for leprosy control. This study reported a new practice of suspicious symptom monitoring for early detection of leprosy.

Long acting β2-agonist's activation of cyclic AMP cannot halt ongoing mitogenic stimulation in airway smooth muscle cells.

Airway smooth muscle cell (ASMC) hyperplasia causes airway wall remodelling, which is resisting to therapy. Long acting β2-agonists (LABA) relax airway muscles, but their effect on remodelling is unclear. This study compared the anti-proliferative effect of LABA in human primary ASMC, in situations where LABA were applied before, together, or after platelet derived growth factor (PDGF-BB).

The effect of adrenomedullin and proadrenomedullin N-terminal 20 peptide on angiotensin II induced vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation.

Objectives: The study aimed to investigate the effects of adrenomedullin (ADM) and proadrenomedullin N- terminal 20 peptide (PAMP) on angiotensin (AngII)-stimulated proliferation in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs).

Materials And Methods: Thoracic aorta was obtained from Wistar rats and VSMCs were isolated from aorta tissues and then cultured. In vitro cultured VSMCs were stimulated with Ang II (10(-8) mol/l) followed by various doses of PAMP or ADM (10(-9), 10(-8), or 10(-7) mol/l).

[Muscle strength analysis of patella resurfacing in total knee arthroplasty].

Objective: To investigate the influence of patella tracking and thickness for muscle strength after patellar resurfacing in total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Methods: Quadriceps muscle strength of 100 cases 134 knees with osteoarthritis were analysed with isokinetic testing and extension lag after patellar resurfacing in TKA. Result was analyzed statistically through T test.

Report on childhood obesity in China (4) prevalence and trends of overweight and obesity in Chinese urban school-age children and adolescents, 1985-2000.

Objective: To describe the nationwide prevalence of childhood overweight/obesity, and their group variations and trends over the past 20 years in the Chinese urban population.

Methods: Data sets of boys and girls at the age of 7-18 years collected from the series of Chinese national surveillance on students' constitution and health (CNSSCH) between 1985 and 2000 were divided into five socioeconomic and demographic groups, while BMI classification reference proposed by Working Group on Obesity in China (WGOC) was used as screening reference to calculate the prevalence and trends of overweight/obesity in these groups.

Results: In 2000, the prevalence of obesity and overweight in boys aged 7-18 years was 11.

[Relationship between myocyte proliferation and cardiac function in adult rats with heart failure].

Objective: To confirm whether there is myocytes proliferation in the adult rat with heart failure or not, and to investigate the relationship between myocyte proliferation and heart function.

Methods: Descending anterior branch of left coronary artery was ligated in 20 adult male SD rats so as to establish an heart failure models. Eight rats were used as controls.

Report on childhood obesity in China (1)--body mass index reference for screening overweight and obesity in Chinese school-age children.

Purpose: To establish and propose a national body mass index (BMI) reference for screening overweight and obesity in Chinese school-age children and adolescents.

Methods: 2000 CNSSCH (Chinese National Survey on Students Constitution and Health) data, including 216 620 primary and secondary school students aged 7 to 18 years old, were used as a reference population. Compared with those of the NCHS international reference, three temporary sets of cut-off BMI were proposed by testing different combinations of P85, P90, and P95.