Anhui Area Research Articles

Trematode Aspidogastrea found in the freshwater mussels in the Yangtze River basin.

To investigate the prevalence of trematode Aspidogastrea in the freshwater mussels in the Yangtze River basin within Anhui province, China. We initially harvested the freshwater mussels living in the Yangtze River running through Anhui area, and labeled them with corresponding number. Then the samples were dissected for isolating the flukes, which were identified by conventional staining. Infection rate of trematode Aspidogastrea in freshwater mussels in the Yangtze River basin within the territory of Anhui province was 30.38% (103/339) in general, and a total of 912 flukes of Aspidogastrea were detected in the 103 mussels, with average infection rate of 8.85 for each mussel. Trematode Aspidogastrea is prevalent in the freshwater bivalves living in the Yangtze River basin running through Anhui area, and the treamatode was identified as Aspidogaster sp. belong to Aspidogaste under Aspidogastridae of Aspidogastrea.

An Empirical Analysis of Rural-Urban Differences in Out-Of-Pocket Health Expenditures in a Low-Income Society of China.

ObjectiveThe paper examines whether out-of-pocket health care expenditure also has regional discrepancies, comparing to the equity between urban and rural areas, and across households.MethodSampled data were derived from Urban Household Survey and Rural Household Survey data for 2011/2012 for Anhui Province, and 11049 households were included in this study. The study compared differences in out-of-pocket expenditure on health care between regions (urban vs. rural areas) and years (2011 vs. 2012) using two-sample t-test, and also investigated the degree of inequality using Lorenz and concentration curves.ResultApproximately 5% and 8% of total household consumption expenditure was spent on health care for urban and rural populations, respectively. In 2012, the wealthiest 20% of urban and rural population contributed 49.7% and 55.8% of urban and rural total health expenditure respectively, while the poorest 20% took only 4.7% and 4.4%. The concentration curve for out-of-pocket expenditure in 2012 fell below the corresponding concentration curve for 2011 for both urban and rural areas, and the difference between curves for rural areas was greater than that for urban areas.ConclusionA substantial and increasing gap in health care expenditures existed between urban and rural areas in Anhui. The health care financing inequality merits ample attention, with need for policymaking to focus on improving the accessibility to essential health care services, particularly for rural and poor residents. This study may provide useful information on low income areas of China.

AIDS awareness and condom use among patients in a high-HIV-prevalence area in rural northern Anhui, China.

The objective was to assess AIDS awareness and condom use in a rural northern Anhui area with a high HIV prevalence. One hundred two AIDS patients underwent a structured interview using a standard questionnaire. There were 51 female and 51 male patients, whose mean age was 46.27 +/- 7.27 years and who had good knowledge of AIDS-related issues. More sexually active patients than those nonactive ones knew it more properly that AIDS was a blood-borne disease (100% vs 94.4%; P = 0.03). Significantly more female patients than male (62.7% vs 47.1%; P = 0.047) knew AIDS is incurable. Self-perceived risk was low, and only 84 respondents regarded the condom use as a common problem in their area. Two independent factors associated with a higher rate of condom use were the AIDS patients' income level and their knowledge about condom use. There was statistically significance between the patients who regularly obtained free condoms and those who did not. The patients who bought condoms on their own initiative had a higher chance of using condoms than those who did not. In conclusion, despite a high level of awareness of HIV/AIDS issues, self-perceived risk was low, condom use was infrequent, and especially men continued to have multiple sexual partners.

Analysis on death causes of residents in Anhui province, 2013

To analyze the demographic characteristics and the death causes of the residents in Anhui province, and provide evidence for the disease prevention and control. Using descriptive epidemiological analysis, the demographic characteristics and death data of the national disease surveillance points (DSPs) in Anhui province in 2013 were analyed by areas. The aging of the population was observed in all the areas in Anhui, which was most obvious in Jianghuai, followed by Wannan and Huaibei. The overall mortality was 627.10/100 000. The mortalities of diseases varied with sex, area and age. Among the 3 areas, the overall mortality, chronic disease mortality and injury mortality were highest in Huaibei and lowest in Wannan. The area specific difference in mortality of infectious diseases was small. Regardless of areas or the types of diseases, the mortality was higher in males than in females. Deaths caused by diseases with unknown origins were common in residents aged >65 years. The mortality of chronic diseases was higher in residents aged >45 years, especially in those aged 65-84 years. The mortality of injuries was higher in age groups >15 years and >45 years. The mortality of infectious diseases peaked at both young age group and old age group. The top five death causes were cerebrovascular diseases, malignant tumors, heart diseases, respiratory diseases and injuries. Regardless of sex or area, the major death causes were similar, but the ranks were slightly different. The major death causes varied in different age groups, but they were similar in same age group in different areas. The major death causes were diseases originated in perinatal period, and congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities in children aged <1 year. The major death causes in children aged 1-14 years were injuries, diseases originated in perinatal period, congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities. Injuries and malignant tumors were the first and second death causes in residents aged 15-44 years. Malignant tumors, injuries, cerebrovascular diseases and heart diseases were the major death causes in residents aged 45-64 years. The major death causes were cerebrovascular diseases, malignant tumors, heart diseases and respiratory diseases in residents aged 65-84 years and heart diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, respiratory diseases and malign tumors in residents aged≥85 years. The major death causes in residents in Anhui province were cerebrovascular diseases, malignant tumors and injuries. Close attention should be paid to the prevention and control of cerebrovascular diseases, malignant tumors and heart diseases in age group≥45 years. It is necessary to strengthen the prevention and control of injuries in age group 15-44 years. Huaibei is a key area of disease prevention and control in Anhui, especially chronic disease and injury preventions.

STUDY OF ACAROID MITES POLLUTION IN STORED FRUIT-DERIVED CHINESE MEDICINAL MATERIALS.

to investigate the species and breeding density of acaroid mites in stored fruit-derived Chinese medicinal materials in Anhui province. samples of stored fruit-derived Chinese medicinal materials were collected from 30 herb stores and storehouses in 17 Anhui cities, where the breeding acaroids mites were detected. 20 species of acaroids mites were found in 33 samples, belonging to 15 genus, 5 families of the acaridae respectively, among which T. putrescentiae, A. farinae, C. lactis, and C. berlesei are predominant species. stored fruit-derived Chinese medicinal materials in Anhui areas suffer from serious acaroid mites pollution. Therefore, proactive measures should be taken to control acaroid mites from breeding in an effort to reduce the harm on medicinal materials.

Reconstruction Analysis on the Energy Conservation of the Power Grid in Anhui Area

This paper presented the loss of the power grid and elaborated the distribution features of the power grid in Anhui, pointed out that measures should be taken to improve the structure of Anhui power grid for energy-saving according to its own specific characteristics. Suggestions includes the construction of UHV power grid, the breaking out of looped network, the construction of multi-circuit transmission lines on the same tower, scientific adjusting the grid operation voltage, improving the power factors, and adjusting the load. Based on the rules and characteristics of grid power loss, measures should be adopted on special ways to get the largest energy-efficient operations and achieve the aim of less investment to increase economic efficiency.

Experimental Research on Liquefaction Behavior of Saturated Silt in Anhui Area

The liquefaction for saturated silty foundation can be usually incurred under dynamic loading, such as vehicular loading and earthquakes. The silty soil liquefaction caused by earthquake is mostly the direct reason for the foundation invalidation and the structure collapse. To analyze the liquefaction behavior of saturated silty soil from Anhui Province under high seismic shock, a series of dynamic triaxial tests are carried out under the given density of remolded saturated silt with different confining pressure conditions varying from 1 m to 10 m depth in the laboratory. The increasing law of liquefaction resistance of the remolded saturated silt in Anhui province, dynamic intensity and the process of excess pore pressure are obtained from the dynamic triaxial test research. Meanwhile, the maximum liquefaction depth and the dynamic deformation properties are also illuminated based on dynamic triaxial tests, which can provide scientific data to further make engineering measures preventing the silty foundation from liquefying.

Association of TCF7L2 gene rs290487 polymorphism and polycystic ovarian syndrome in Hans in Anhui Province

One-hundred and sixty-nine women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)and 95 healthy women were enrolled. All subjects were genotyped for rs290487 ( transcription factor 7-like 2 gene) by TaqManMGB probe hybridization assay. The results showed that polymorphism rs290487 had association with PCOS in Han people in Anhui area. The allele C was associated with the risk of PCOS. Genotype CC seems to be the risk factor of insulin resistance in PCOS patients. Key words: Polycystic ovarian syndrome; Transcription factor 7-like 2 gene; Insulin resistance

AIDS Awareness and Condom Use Among Patients in a High-HIV-Prevalence Area in Rural Northern Anhui, China

The objective was to assess AIDS awareness and condom use in a rural northern Anhui area with a high HIV prevalence. One hundred two AIDS patients underwent a structured interview...

Sleep and quality of life among rural elderly in Anhui province

The primary purposes of this article were to examine the distributions and correlation between conditions of sleep and the quality of life, so as to explore the risk factors of abnormal sleep among elderly in the rural areas of Anhui province. Elderly who aged 60 years or more (n = 1680) were randomly selected from rural areas in Anhui province. Conditions of sleep and quality of life of the subjects were assessed independently, using the pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) scale and SF-36 scale. A generalized logistic model analysis was performed, using sleep-related factors as explanatory variables. The average PSQI score was 7.43 +/- 4.13. Persons whose sleep conditions were graded as well, common or poor were accounted for 29.4%, 24.3%, 46.3%, respectively. Sex and sleep quality were different in terms of quality of life among all the factors(P < 0.05). Men had better quality than women, and poor sleepers had poorer quality of life as compared to the one with better conditions. Factors as being married/living alone/economically independent, having better social function, often eating meat or wheat were significant predictors for having good sleep conditions. However, factors as better education received, living alone, with poor vitality/general health, having chronic diseases (back pain, coronary heart or stomach disease), less meat intake, rice as major foods etc. were predictors for poorer sleeping condition. Our data showed that it was unsatisfactory on the quality of sleep among the rural elderly in Anhui province. Conditions on general, health and nutrition should be improved in order to prevent the poor sleep condition.

A “planting and eating soybean” project for people living with HIV/AIDS in rural Anhui – a pilot study in China

Many people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in rural Anhui, China are poor and lack sufficient protein in their diet. This project was to increase soybean protein in the diet of PLWHAs in a resource limited area in rural Anhui. A community intervention was implemented, by providing soybean seeds and a series of training courses on planting soybean, nutrition and preparing for soy food to PLWHA families in two villages in North Anhui. Participants were encouraged to eat soy food everyday after harvest. Among the 47 PLWHA participants in the assessment, 60% were females, 38% were illiterate, the average household income was 5323 Yuan ($760) per year. In 2006, they received soybean seeds of 320.5 kg and the harvest was 3465 kg four months later. In the past three months of the assessment, 94% had eaten soy food at least three times a week and 96% of them ate 100 g each time. After eating soy food, 93% felt better, 86% reported less sickness, 61.3% had higher total blood protein and blood white protein, 58.1% had higher blood hemoglobin, and 54.8% had higher CD4 count. All participants liked the project and all hoped to continue the project. The preliminary data suggested that the pilot “planting and eating soybean” project was effective and sustainable for PLWHAs living in resource limited rural areas in Anhui, China.

A myxobacterium strain Sorangium cellulosum AHB125 producing epothilone B and other anticancer substances

A myxobacterium strain AHB125 belonging to genus Sorangium cellulosum was isolated from Anhui area in China and identified with morphological analysis by electron microscopy and phase contrast microscope according to Bergey's manual of systematic bacteriology (8th Ed.). Its high-antitumor bioactivity metabolites was evaluated by bioassay-directed screening technique with B16 tumor cell line etc. Research results showed that it exhibited not only strong antitumor ability bioactivities and broad-spectrum antitumor abilities to B16, Bel7402, H446, SGC7901 cell lines, but also has selectivity and pertinence to B16 and SGC7901 cell lines. The compound was confirmed as epothilone B by HPLC and LC/MS analysis, compared to the epothilone B standard sample. Bioassay indicated that there were other high-bioactive substances in the metabolites.