Dynamic Change of Cardiovascular Health Metrics and Long-Term Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death: The ARIC Study.

Background The change of cardiovascular health (CVH) status has been associated with risk of cardiovascular disease. However, no studies have explored the change patterns of CVH in relation to risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). We aim to examine the link between baseline CVH and change of CVH over time with the risk of SCD. Methods and Results Analyses were conducted in the prospective cohort ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) study, started in 1987 to 1989. ARIC enrolled 15 792 individuals 45 to 64 years of age from 4 US communities (Forsyth County, North Carolina; Jackson, Mississippi; suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Washington County, Maryland). Subjects with 0 to 2, 3 to 4, and 5 to 7 ideal metrics of CVH were categorized as having poor, intermediate, or ideal CVH, respectively. Change in CVH over 6 years between 1987 to 1989 and 1993 to 1995 was considered. The primary study outcome was physician adjudicated SCD. The study population consisted of 15 026 subjects, of whom 12 207 had data about CVH change. Over a median follow-up of 23.0 years, 583 cases of SCD were recorded. There was a strong inverse association between baseline CVH metrics and time varying CVH metrics with risk of SCD. Compared with subjects with consistently poor CVH, risk of SCD was lower in those changed from poor to intermediate/ideal (hazard ratio [HR], 0.67 [95% CI, 0.48-0.94]), intermediate to poor (HR, 0.73 [95% CI, 0.54-0.99]), intermediate to ideal (HR, 0.49 [95% CI, 0.24-0.99]), ideal to poor/intermediate CVH (HR, 0.23 [95% CI, 0.10-0.52]), or those with consistently intermediate (HR, 0.49 [95% CI, 0.36-0.66]) or consistently ideal CVH (HR, 0.31 [95% CI, 0.13-0.76]). Similar results were also observed for non-SCD. Conclusions Compared with consistently poor CVH, other patterns of change in CVH were associated with lower risk of SCD. These findings highlight the importance of promotion of ideal CVH in the primordial prevention of SCD.

[Category of Chinese medicine registration:historical evolution,current status,and problems].

The development of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has always been highly valued and supported since 1949. However, Chinese medicine industry still faces great challenges in view of the current status of the industry and registration and approval of new products in recent years. Related policies also directly influence the development of the industry. The latest version of the Provisions for Drug Registration and Requirement on Registration Classification and Application Information of Traditional Chinese Medicines have been put into practice since 2020. Registration classification is the core content of the Chinese medicine registration management system, as it is closely related to the research, development, and registration of Chinese medicine and the innovative development of the industry. This article aims to systematically review the historical evolution of the category of Chinese medicine registration and analyze the current status and problems, which is expected to provide a reference for the formulation of supporting documents according to related laws and regulations.

Study on heavy metal levels and its health risk assessment in some edible fishes from Nansi Lake, China.

Eight heavy metals, namely Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cd, Ni, Pb, and As in the muscles of nine fish species collected from Nansi Lake, China. were determined, and the potential health risks to local residents via consumption of the fishes were estimated. The results of two-way ANOVA that showed the concentrations of heavy metals in the investigated fish samples were influenced significantly by fish species and sampling sites. Correlation analysis indicated that sampling sites had significant effects on the levels of correlation coefficients among different heavy metal concentrations. Interestingly, although none of the hazard quotient (HQ) values of any individual element was greater than 1 for the investigated exposure population through fish consumption, the hazard index (HI) values were more than 1 for local fishermen, suggesting that local fishermen may be experiencing some adverse health effects. Among the investigated nine fish species, Cyprinus carpio had the highest HQ and HI. As, Pb, and Cd were the most concerning heavy metals in the investigated fish samples due to their higher relative contributions to the HI values.

Assessment of potential health risk for arsenic and heavy metals in some herbal flowers and their infusions consumed in China.

Herbal tea is consumed widely in China due to their therapeutic efficacy, mild features, and relatively low cost. To assess the health risk associated with drinking herbal tea, arsenic and seven heavy metals, namely Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cd, Ni, and Pb in eight different types of herbal flowers and their infusions were determined by inductively coupled-mass spectrometry after microwave digestion. The accuracy and precision of the analytical method were confirmed by the certified reference material (GBW 07605). The results suggested that significant differences existed in all metal concentrations determined among different varieties of herbal flowers and their infusions. In general, the concentration of iron was higher than those of seven other metals in the investigated herbal flowers and their infusions. The hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) were calculated to evaluate the noncarcinogenic health risk from individual metal and combined metals due to the dietary intakes via consumption of herbal infusions. Both the HQ and HI levels were far below one, suggesting that the dietary intakes of the eight metals determined from daily consumption 4.5 g of the investigated herbal flowers for a normal adult should pose no potential risk to human health.

Health risk assessment of eight heavy metals in nine varieties of edible vegetable oils consumed in China.

Eight heavy metals, namely Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cd, Ni, Pb and As, in nine varieties of edible vegetable oils collected from China were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAS) after microwave digestion. The accuracy of procedure was confirmed by certified reference materials (GBW10018 and GBW08551). The relative standard deviations were found below 10%. The concentrations for copper, zinc, iron, manganese, nickel, lead and arsenic were observed in the range of 0.214-0.875, 0.742-2.56, 16.2-45.3, 0.113-0.556, 0.026-0.075, 0.009-0.018 and 0.009-0.019 µg g(-1), respectively. Cadmium was found to be 2.64-8.43 µg/kg. In general, iron content was higher than other metals in the investigated edible vegetable oils. Comparing with safety intake levels for these heavy metals recommended by Institute of Medicine of the National Academies (IOM), US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), the dietary intakes of the eight heavy metals from weekly consumption of 175 g of edible vegetable oils or daily consumption 25 g of edible vegetable oils for a 70 kg individual should pose no risk to human health.

A survey on financial support and research achievement of medical education research units in China.

AIM: To investigate the current situation of financial support and research achievement of medical education research units in China. METHODS: A total of 46 individuals in 46 medical schools completed a questionnaire including information about affiliation of the unit, financial support, published articles and achievement awards of the units. RESULT: Of the 46 schools, 24 had independent medical education research units, 36 had financial support, and 30 had research funding. The mean number of published articles was 2.53 per staff. The mean number of achievement awards was 3.80 per unit. There was a significant difference in funding and published articles between independent medical education research units and other types of units; and in published articles and achievement awards between the units with funding and without funding. CONCLUSION: The financial support from the school was the main source of medical education research units in China. More attention should be paid to the development of medical education research units, to their ability to produce high quality research and support the improvement of medical care in China.

Assessment of heavy metals in some wild edible mushrooms collected from Yunnan Province, China.

Eight heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb) in 14 different wild-growing edible mushroom species (Coprinus comatus, Voluariella volvacea, Pleurotus nebrodensis, Hypsizigus marmoreus, Hericium erinaceus, Agrocybe aegerita, Lenfinus edodes, Collybia velutipes, Agaricus bisporus, Russula albida, Clitocybe conglobata, Pleurotus eryngii, Lepista sordida, and Pleurotus ostreatus) collected from Yunnan province, China, were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry after microwave digestion. All element concentrations were determined on a dry weight basis. The ranges of element concentrations for copper, zinc, iron, manganese, cadmium, chromium, nickel, and lead were 6.8-31.9, 42.9-94.3, 67.5-843, 13.5-113, 0.06-0.58, 10.7-42.7, 0.76-5.1, and 0.67-12.9 mg/kg, respectively. In general, iron content was higher than other metals in all mushroom species. The levels of zinc, cadmium, and lead in some edible mushroom samples were found to be higher than legal limits. The relative standard deviations were found below 10%. The accuracy of procedure was confirmed by certified reference material.

[Severe fungal corneal ulcer resulting in infectious endophthalmitis].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze causes of serious fungal corneal ulcer resulting in infectious endophthalmitis and explore clinical strategies of avoiding the failure of antifungal therapy. METHODS: Etiological factors, pre-hospital treatments, clinical features and laboratory findings of 47 inpatients with fungal corneal ulcer resulting in endophthalmitis from January 1999 to December 2008 in Qingdao eye hospital were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Rural residents (95.7%) dominated in 47 cases with a mean age of (49.8 ± 10.1) years. Ocular trauma was the leading cause of fungal corneal ulcer (66.0%). Three patients were ever treated with hormone drugs after the fungal infection. Primary, secondary and tertiary hospital accounted for 68.1%, 17.0% and 14.9% among first medical consultation sites. Diagnostic accuracies of fungal corneal ulcer in three grade hospitals were 31.3%, 62.5% and 71.4% respectively. The average interval from the onset of disease to the admission into our hospital was (29 ± 23) days. The dominating pathogen was genus Fusarium (91.5%) with F. solani (48.9%), F. oxysporum (31.9%) and F. moniliforme (8.5%). Antifungal drug sensitivity tests were performed in 21 patients. The first three sensitive drugs were natamycin (88.9%), voriconazole (78.6%) and amphotericin B (61.9%). The first three drug-resistant ones were miconazole (90.5%), fluconazole (66.7%) and itraconazole (61.9%). CONCLUSION: Main causes of fungal corneal ulcer resulting in infectious endophthalmitis included lower diagnostic accuracies of first medical consultation in primary hospitals, abuses of non-sensitive drug and delayed treatment of patients. Improving clinical capabilities of doctors in primary hospitals, emphasizing antifungal drug susceptibility tests, and consummating the social security system and the referral system could be effective measures to avoid therapeutic failures.

[Inorganic nitrogen and phosphate and potential eutrophication assessment in Liaodong bay].

On basis of field data measured during 4 cruises from June to September in 2002, variation feature of inorganic nitrogen and phosphate in Liaodong Bay was analyzed. Regression analyses of NH4+(-)N, NO3-(-)N, NO2-(-)N and PO4(3-)-P versus pH as well as inorganic nitrogen and phosphate versus salinity were also conducted. Finally, potential eutrophication of Liaodong Bay was assessed. It is shown that inorganic nitrogen and phosphate in Liaodong Bay vary with different months and different locations. In coast areas inorganic nitrogen and phosphate are mainly affected by rivers, while in central areas of the bay, they are subject to marine biochemical process. Ratio of inorganic nitrogen to phosphate rises to 60.6 from 52.5 in early June, then drops to 39, all far above Redfield value 16. Inorganic nitrogen and phosphate versus pH as well as salinity show different correlation. For example, the correlation coefficient of NO2(-)-N and pH even reaches 0.93. During 4 cruises in Liaodong Bay the total inorganic nitrogen is 212.0 microg/L, phosphate 10.1 microg/L, N/P 50.77. Potential eutrophication assessment indicates that during the survey period Liaodong Bay can be classified as a phosphate-limiting moderate-level nutrient area.

Safety assessment for genetically modified sweet pepper and tomato.

The coat protein (CP) gene of cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) was cloned from a Chinese CMV isolate, the CaMV promoter and NOS terminator added and the gene construct was transformed into both sweet pepper and tomato plants to confer resistance to CMV. Safety assessments of these genetically modified (GM) plants were conducted. It was found that these two GM products showed no genotoxicity either in vitro or in vivo by the micronucleus test, sperm aberration test and Ames test. Animal feeding studies showed no significant differences in growth, body weight gain, food consumption, hematology, blood biochemical indices, organ weights and histopathology between rats or mice of either sex fed with either GM sweet pepper or tomato diets compared with those with non-GM diets. These results demonstrate that the CMV-resistant sweet pepper and tomato are comparable to the non-GM counterparts in terms of food safety.