Do people from Taiwan have higher heavy metal levels than those from Western countries?

<p><b>INTRODUCTION</b>This study investigated whether heavy metal levels were higher in people from Taiwan as compared to those from Western countries.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We measured the level of heavy metals (lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium) in the blood of 40 apparently healthy adults. Since mercury does not respond to ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) infusion, only urine lead, arsenic and cadmium levels were determined by applying the body burden concept after calcium disodium EDTA infusion. These three heavy metals were extracted from daily urine samples for three consecutive days.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The mean blood lead, mercury and cadmium levels of the Taiwanese individuals (24.46 ± 9.69 µg/L, 9.64 ± 6.98 µg/L and 0.73 ± 0.27 µg/L, respectively) were greater than those of the Americans. The Taiwanese also had greater blood mercury and cadmium levels than the Germans. The first-day urine lead, arsenic and cadmium levels were 77.9%, 33.1% and 62.4%, respectively, of the total lead, arsenic and cadmium excretion during the three days. This indicates that the first-day urine lead and cadmium excretion represented most (> 60%) of the lead and cadmium excretion in those three days.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This study demonstrated that the Taiwanese population has higher blood mercury and cadmium levels than Western populations. To study the urine lead and cadmium body burden of patients, detection of first-day, rather than three-day, urine lead and cadmium levels can be done, as the former yields results that are fairly representative, and is more time- and cost-effective.</p>

Characteristics of blood chemistry, hematology, and lymphocyte subsets in pregnant rhesus monkeys / 中国天然药物

The present study was designed to characterize the blood chemistry, hematology, and lymphocyte subsets in pregnant rhesus monkeys and provide baseline parameters for future studies of reproductive and developmental toxicity and developmental immunotoxicity. Harem-mating was used in 96 female and 16 male rhesus monkeys. Pregnancy was confirmed on gestation day (GD)18 by ultrasound. The blood samples of rhesus monkeys were collected at various times (20 days before pregnancy and GD20, 100 and 150). The analyses of blood chemistry, hematology, and lymphocyte subsets were performed. Compared with 20 days before pregnancy, Significant decreases (P < 0.05) were observed in HCT and RBC on GD20, GD150 and in HGB on GD150, Significant increases in NEUT and decreases in LYMPH on GD20 were observed. Significant decreases in ALB from GD20 to GD150 were observed, significant decreases in TP was observed on GD100. Significant increases in mean GLU were observed on GD20 and GD150 during pregnancy. Significant decreases (P < 0.05) in CD20(+) subsets on GD100, GD150 and CD4(+)/CD8(+)ratio on GD150 were observed, The significant changes of MCV, MCHC, RDW-SD, MCV, MONO, ALT, AST, GLB, ALP, TBIL, DBIL, IBIL, GGT, CR-S, URIC, TC, TG and CK were observed during the pregnant period, but no biologic change were observed, There were no significant changes in MCH, RDW-CV, MPV, BUN, CD3(+), CD4(+) and CD8(+) during pregnancy. These data provide a database for preclinical study in rhesus monkeys. Physiological anemia, hyperglycemia, and immune suppression may occur in pregnant rhesus monkey which is similar to that found in human, and it is essential to distinguish the physiological changes from the pharmacological effects in reproductive and developmental toxicity and developmental immunotoxicity studies of pharmaceuticals.

Kindergartens environmental pollution status and incidence of infectious diseases research of 2012 in Baoshan District, Shanghai / 上海预防医学

[Objective] To investigate the environmental pollution status and infectious diseases in kindergartens and nurseries in 2012 in Baoshan District . [ Methods] The questionaire was used in com-bination with data from monitoring of the disinfection effect of environment , monitoring analysis of routine infectious disease and others . [ Results] The overall pass rate was 97.91% for environmental disinfec-tion in kindergartens and nurseries , and it was higher in public kindergartens and nurseries than in private ones.The conventional infectious disease in kindergartens and nurseries was mainly hane-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD), whose incidence was higher in private kindergartens and nurseries than in public ones . And in terms of regional distribution , the incidence of HFMD was higher in streets and towns with more in-floating population than those with less .And the pass rate for the disinfection effect on the kindergartens nurseries and the incidence rate of HFMD were negatively correlated . [ Conclusion] Kindergartens and nurseries in our district should strengthen the complete configuration of hardware and software , establish standardized system of disinfection and isolation , and develop daily disinfection system , so as to reduce in-fectious disease .