过去对北非和中国干旱区140 ka BP来环境演化的初步对比表明,两地的干旱度在万年时间尺度上基本同步。这种关系是否也适用于全新世百年尺度的干旱事件,仍是有待研究的问题。本文对撒哈拉地区569个地表淡水指示物和我国北方干旱区158个...过去对北非和中国干旱区140 ka BP来环境演化的初步对比表明,两地的干旱度在万年时间尺度上基本同步。这种关系是否也适用于全新世百年尺度的干旱事件,仍是有待研究的问题。本文对撒哈拉地区569个地表淡水指示物和我国北方干旱区158个古土壤和湖泊沉积的^(14)C年代数据进行了时空频数统计分析,揭示出两地沙漠在全新世期间至少经历了三次同时性的、百年—千年尺度的干旱事件,叠置于季风气候对地球轨道变化响应的总体趋势上;沙漠在纬向上的进退主要受控于季风前沿的伸缩幅度,说明两个季风系统的短尺度变化可能受统一因素控制。最为显著的干旱事件发生于约4 ka BP。两地干旱区在过去认为的6 ka BP前后的全新世气候适宜期并没有表现为稳定的湿润环境。我国过去发现的该时期不少的干旱证据被解释为高温所导致的强烈蒸发作用所致。但全新世中期的干旱期在热带的存在及其与冰心记录中低甲烷事件的吻合难以用蒸发来解释,而应与夏季风环流的减弱有关。展开更多
AIM: To study the brain-gut interaction and the effect of behavioral or psychiatric conditions on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in an African population. METHODS: IBS was diagnosed using the Rome Ⅱ diagnostic criter...AIM: To study the brain-gut interaction and the effect of behavioral or psychiatric conditions on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in an African population. METHODS: IBS was diagnosed using the Rome Ⅱ diagnostic criteria. The entry of each patient was confirmed following detailed explanations of the questions. Four hundred and eighteen patients were studied. Subjects satisfying the Rome Ⅱ criteria for IBS were physically examined and stool microscopy was done to identify the presence of “alarm factors”. Depression was diagnosed using the symptom-check list adapted from the Research Diagnostic Criteria (DSM-Ⅳ) of the American Psychiatric Association. RESULTS: Seventy-five (56.8%) of the 132 IBS patients were depressed whereas only 54 (20.1%) of the 268 non-IBS patients were depressed. There was a significant relationship between IBS and depression (χ2 = 54.29, Odds ratio = 5.21, 56.8 ± 8.4 vs 20.1 ± 5.2, P = 0.001). Even though constipation predominant IBS patients were more likely to be depressed, no significant relationship was found between the subtype of IBS and depression (χ2 = 0.02, OR = 0.95, P = 0.68). CONCLUSION: IBS is significantly associated with major depression but not gender and bowel subtypes of the patients. Patients with IBS need to be evaluated for depression due to the highly significant relationship between the two conditions.展开更多
There is growing concern in Sub-Saharan Africa about the spread of the Ebola virus disease(EVD),formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever,and the public health burden that it ensues.Since 1976,there have been 885,343...There is growing concern in Sub-Saharan Africa about the spread of the Ebola virus disease(EVD),formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever,and the public health burden that it ensues.Since 1976,there have been 885,343 suspected and laboratory confirmed cases of EVD and the disease has claimed 2,512 cases and 932 fatality in West Africa.There are certain requirements that must be met when responding to EVD outbreaks and this process could incur certain challenges.For the purposes of this paper,five have been identified:(i)the deficiency in the development and implementation of surveillance response systems against Ebola and others infectious disease outbreaks in Africa;(ii)the lack of education and knowledge resulting in an EVD outbreak triggering panic,anxiety,psychosocial trauma,isolation and dignity impounding,stigmatisation,community ostracism and resistance to associated socio-ecological and public health consequences;(iii)limited financial resources,human technical capacity and weak community and national health system operational plans for prevention and control responses,practices and management;(iv)inadequate leadership and coordination;and(v)the lack of development of new strategies,tools and approaches,such as improved diagnostics and novel therapies including vaccines which can assist in preventing,controlling and containing Ebola outbreaks as well as the spread of the disease.Hence,there is an urgent need to develop and implement an active early warning alert and surveillance response system for outbreak response and control of emerging infectious diseases.Understanding the unending risks of transmission dynamics and resurgence is essential in implementing rapid effective response interventions tailored to specific local settings and contexts.Therefore,the following actions are recommended:(i)national and regional inter-sectorial and trans-disciplinary surveillance response systems that include early warnings,as well as critical human resources development,must be quickly adopted by allied ministries 展开更多
文摘过去对北非和中国干旱区140 ka BP来环境演化的初步对比表明,两地的干旱度在万年时间尺度上基本同步。这种关系是否也适用于全新世百年尺度的干旱事件,仍是有待研究的问题。本文对撒哈拉地区569个地表淡水指示物和我国北方干旱区158个古土壤和湖泊沉积的^(14)C年代数据进行了时空频数统计分析,揭示出两地沙漠在全新世期间至少经历了三次同时性的、百年—千年尺度的干旱事件,叠置于季风气候对地球轨道变化响应的总体趋势上;沙漠在纬向上的进退主要受控于季风前沿的伸缩幅度,说明两个季风系统的短尺度变化可能受统一因素控制。最为显著的干旱事件发生于约4 ka BP。两地干旱区在过去认为的6 ka BP前后的全新世气候适宜期并没有表现为稳定的湿润环境。我国过去发现的该时期不少的干旱证据被解释为高温所导致的强烈蒸发作用所致。但全新世中期的干旱期在热带的存在及其与冰心记录中低甲烷事件的吻合难以用蒸发来解释,而应与夏季风环流的减弱有关。
文摘AIM: To study the brain-gut interaction and the effect of behavioral or psychiatric conditions on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in an African population. METHODS: IBS was diagnosed using the Rome Ⅱ diagnostic criteria. The entry of each patient was confirmed following detailed explanations of the questions. Four hundred and eighteen patients were studied. Subjects satisfying the Rome Ⅱ criteria for IBS were physically examined and stool microscopy was done to identify the presence of “alarm factors”. Depression was diagnosed using the symptom-check list adapted from the Research Diagnostic Criteria (DSM-Ⅳ) of the American Psychiatric Association. RESULTS: Seventy-five (56.8%) of the 132 IBS patients were depressed whereas only 54 (20.1%) of the 268 non-IBS patients were depressed. There was a significant relationship between IBS and depression (χ2 = 54.29, Odds ratio = 5.21, 56.8 ± 8.4 vs 20.1 ± 5.2, P = 0.001). Even though constipation predominant IBS patients were more likely to be depressed, no significant relationship was found between the subtype of IBS and depression (χ2 = 0.02, OR = 0.95, P = 0.68). CONCLUSION: IBS is significantly associated with major depression but not gender and bowel subtypes of the patients. Patients with IBS need to be evaluated for depression due to the highly significant relationship between the two conditions.
文摘There is growing concern in Sub-Saharan Africa about the spread of the Ebola virus disease(EVD),formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever,and the public health burden that it ensues.Since 1976,there have been 885,343 suspected and laboratory confirmed cases of EVD and the disease has claimed 2,512 cases and 932 fatality in West Africa.There are certain requirements that must be met when responding to EVD outbreaks and this process could incur certain challenges.For the purposes of this paper,five have been identified:(i)the deficiency in the development and implementation of surveillance response systems against Ebola and others infectious disease outbreaks in Africa;(ii)the lack of education and knowledge resulting in an EVD outbreak triggering panic,anxiety,psychosocial trauma,isolation and dignity impounding,stigmatisation,community ostracism and resistance to associated socio-ecological and public health consequences;(iii)limited financial resources,human technical capacity and weak community and national health system operational plans for prevention and control responses,practices and management;(iv)inadequate leadership and coordination;and(v)the lack of development of new strategies,tools and approaches,such as improved diagnostics and novel therapies including vaccines which can assist in preventing,controlling and containing Ebola outbreaks as well as the spread of the disease.Hence,there is an urgent need to develop and implement an active early warning alert and surveillance response system for outbreak response and control of emerging infectious diseases.Understanding the unending risks of transmission dynamics and resurgence is essential in implementing rapid effective response interventions tailored to specific local settings and contexts.Therefore,the following actions are recommended:(i)national and regional inter-sectorial and trans-disciplinary surveillance response systems that include early warnings,as well as critical human resources development,must be quickly adopted by allied ministries
