This multicentre, randomised, double-blind, doubledummy, parallel-group study compared the efficacy and safety of telmisartan with those of losartan after 8 weeks' treatment. In total, 330 patients with mild-tomoderate hypertension (systolic blood pressure [SBP] <180 mmHg; diastolic blood pressure [DBP] 95-109 mmHg) were randomly assigned to receive oncedaily treatment with telmisartan 40 mg (n ¼ 164) or losartan 50 mg (n ¼ 166). After 4 weeks' treatment, if a patient's DBP was ‡90 mmHg, the dose was increased to telmisartan 80 mg or losartan 100 mg, respectively. The results show that mean trough seated blood pressure was reduced significantly more in the telmisartan group than that in the losartan group (SBP 12.5 mmHg vs. 9.4 mmHg, p ¼ 0.037; DBP 10.9 mmHg vs. 9.3 mmHg, p ¼ 0.030). The overall DBP response rate (reduction from baseline in mean seated DBP ‡ 10 mmHg and ⁄ or a mean seated DBP <90 mmHg) at the end of the study in the telmisartan group was higher than that in losartan group (70.1% vs. 58.7%, p ¼ 0.020). At both the low and high doses, the DBP response rates for telmisartan were significantly higher than those for losartan (telmisartan 40 mg vs. losartan 50 mg: 46.3% vs. 32.5%, p ¼ 0.010; telmisartan 80 mg vs. losartan 100 mg: 79.3% vs. 65.3%, p ¼ 0.008). Adverse events with the two treatments were comparable (telmisartan vs. losartan 23.2% vs. 22.9%, p ¼ 0.952). Most events were mild in intensity and abated within 72 h. Thus, telmisartan 40 mg or 80 mg administered once daily can reduce SBP and DBP effectively and safely.

Previous studies have revealed associations of meteorological factors with tuberculosis (TB) cases. However, few studies have examined their lag effects on TB cases. This study was aimed to analyse nonlinear lag effects of meteorological factors on the number of TB notifications in Hong Kong. Using a 22-year consecutive surveillance data in Hong Kong, we examined the association of monthly average temperature and relative humidity with temporal dynamics of the monthly number of TB notifications using a distributed lag nonlinear models combined with a Poisson regression. The relative risks (RRs) of TB notifications were >1.15 as monthly average temperatures were between 16.3 and 17.3 °C at lagged 13–15 months, reaching the peak risk of 1.18 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02–1.35) when it was 16.8 °C at lagged 14 months. The RRs of TB notifications were >1.05 as relative humidities of 60.0–63.6% at lagged 9–11 months expanded to 68.0–71.0% at lagged 12–17 months, reaching the highest risk of 1.06 (95% CI 1.01–1.11) when it was 69.0% at lagged 13 months. The nonlinear and delayed effects of average temperature and relative humidity on TB epidemic were identified, which may provide a practical reference for improving the TB warning system.

Chromium (Cr) has been widely used in industry for more than one century. Exposure to hexavalent Cr compounds is strongly associated with increasing risk of lung cancer. Extensive researches at DNA level indicated that generation of ROS from the reduction of Cr(VI) leading to DNA damage is the major cause of the toxicity and carcinogenicity of Cr(VI). The present study in cellular and protein levels confirmed that Cr(VI) induced apoptosis of lung epithelial cells (LEC) via ROS generation. To view the differentially expressed proteins in the process of Cr(VI) reduction, subcellular proteomics was applied and allowed the identification of more than 30 proteins with expression alteration. Most of those proteins are correlated with ROS-elicited responses, which were further validated by Western blotting analysis, induction of p53 pathway and antioxidative treatment. The current findings provided additional evidence in protein level to support the claim that ROS generated during the process of Cr(VI) reduction are involved in the Cr(VI)-induced toxicity and carcinogenesis.

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Objective: This study compared the therapeutic benefits and complication rates of small endoscopic sphincterotomy plus large-balloon dilation (ESLBD) with those of endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) alone for large bile duct stones. Methods: We compared prospectively ESLBD group (n=63) with conventional EST group (n=69) for the treatment of large bile duct stones (≥15mm). Mechanical lithotripsy was performed when the stone could not be removed using a normal basket. We compared the rates of stone removal, frequency of mechanical lithotripsy use, procedure-related complications, and recurrent stones. Results: A total of 132 patients were reviewed in the study. The mean age of the patients was 67.9 years. The two groups showed significant differences in complete stone removal during the first session (80.9 vs. 60.8%; P = 0.046), the use of mechanical lithotripsy (7.94 vs. 24.6%; P = 0.041), and less duration of admission (P =0.045). After ERCP, there were some instances of oozing in both groups, All patients recovered completely, 14 patients had recurrent common bile duct stones among the follow-up duration. Conclusion: The ESLBD technique seems to be a feasible and safe alternative technique for conventional EST and EBD and has no more Post-ERCP complications.