Recent advances in mesenchymal stem cell therapy for myocardial infarction.

Myocardial infarction refers to the ischemic necrosis of myocardium, characterized by a sharp reduction or interruption of blood flow in the coronary arteries due to the coronary artery occlusion, resulting in severe and prolonged ischemia in the corresponding myocardium and ultimately leading to ischemic necrosis of the myocardium. Given its high risk, it is considered as one of the most serious health threats today. In current clinical practice, multiple approaches have been explored to diminish myocardial oxygen consumption and alleviate symptoms, but notable success remains elusive. Accumulated clinical evidence has showed that the implantation of mesenchymal stem cell for treating myocardial infarction is both effective and safe. Nevertheless, there persists controversy and variability regarding the standardizing MSC transplantation protocols, optimizing dosage, and determining the most effective routes of administration. Addressing these remaining issues will pave the way of integration of MSCs as a feasible mainstream cardiac treatment.

Health risk assessment and bioaccessibilities of heavy metals for children in soil and dust from urban parks and schools of Jiaozuo, China.

Urban parks and schools sever as the mainly activity areas for children, but risk assessment posed by heavy metals (HMs) from soil and dust in these area has rarely been investigated. In this study, six urban parks and seven schools in Jiaozuo, China, were taken as research objects to understand the contamination level and bioaccessibility of HMs from soil and dust in urban parks and schools. The results indicated that Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, As, Ni and Co from soil and dust were above the background values, especially Zn and Cd in dust, and As and Cd in soil. Serious Cd pollution was discovered, and respective Cd concentrations in soil and dust were 17.83 and 7.52 times the background value. Additionally, the average concentration and bioaccessibility of Zn, Mn, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni and Co in dust were both higher than in soil. High concentration and high bioaccessibility of HMs in dust suggested that HMs contamination were serious and universal in Jiaozuo. The concentrations of most HMs were higher in the gastric phase, except for Cu and Cd which remained higher in the intestinal phase. Both in the gastric phase and intestinal phase, Mn, As and Cd in soil and dust both have high bioaccessibility which all exceed 10%. The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks base on the total HMs for children (soil: 7.93, 1.96E-05; dust: 6.44, 3.58E-05) were greater than those for adults (soil: 6.35E-01, 1.32E-05; dust: 5.06E-01, 2.42E-05), and urban parks and schools posed high potential risk for children. Therefore, assessment the risk posed by HMs contamination of soil and dust in urban parks and schools is vital and urgent for children.

Differences in the risk assessment of soil heavy metals between newly built and original parks in Jiaozuo, Henan Province, China.

Differences in the concentrations of heavy metals between newly built and original parks remain incompletely understood. In this work, two newly built and four original parks in Jiaozuo, China, were taken as research objects. Using the geo-accumulation index, ecological risk assessment index and human health risk model, differences in heavy metal pollution between the two types of parks were determined. In the surveyed region, five heavy metals, namely, Zn, Cu, As, Ni and Co, polluted the environment. Serious As pollution was discovered, and respective As concentrations in the soils of newly built and original parks were 5.9 and 3 times the background value. The concentrations of Zn, Mn, As, Pb, Cr and Ni in newly built parks were higher than those in the four original parks, although the concentrations of Cu and Co between the two types of parks were not significantly different. The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of these metals in newly built parks (adults: 4.27E-05, 1.08; children: 2.53E-04, 8.94) were greater than those in original parks (adults: 2.57E-05, 0.67; children: 1.52E-04, 5.39), and newly built parks posed higher potential risk than original parks. Therefore, the concentration of heavy metals in soil must be assessed before former industrial sites are transformed into parks.

Analysis of prevalence of body weight control behavior among middle school students, in Jiangsu, 2017 / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To explore the prevalence of body weight control behaviors (BWCB) among middle school students in Jiangsu province. @*Methods@#The database was established part from the surveillance of adolescent common disease and health related factors in Jiangsu province in 2017 and analysis were carried out to describe the prevalence rates of four basic BWCB and their comorbidity.@*Results@#Among 18 855 investigators, 75.8% middle school students reported having taken at least one kind of BWCB within 30 days before investigation, the report rates of BWCB of middle school students among male and female were 77.3% and 74.3%(P<0.01), showed decreasing tendency from grade 1 of junior middle school to grade 3 of senior middle school (Kendall’s tau-c=-0.10, P<0.01), those of malnutrition, normal body weight, overweight and obesity were 57.2%, 72.8%, 83.8%, 86.7% respectively and showed increasing tendency(Kendall’s tau-c=0.13, P<0.01). Reported rate of Changing diet structure, physical exercise, reducing diet and taking slimming drug prevalence were 58.7%, 61.0%, 17.9%, 2.6%, orderly. There are 15 combinations of BWCB based on those 4 kinds of behavior. In the highest five types list ,changing diet structure & physical exercise (35.2%) was the most common type, and followed by physical exercise(13.0%), Changing diet structure(9.2%), Changing diet structure & physical exercise & reducing diet(8.6%), Changing diet structure & physical exercise & reducing diet(3.4%), others 6.5%. The proportions of top five kinds of BWCB among middle school students taken BWCB were 46.4%, 17.1%, 12.2%, 11.3%, 4.5%, respectively, accounting for 91.5%. The probabilities of different types of BWCB were similar between urban and town(χ2=9.13, P=0.10), different among sex(χ2=351.17, P<0.01), districts(χ2=140.20, P<0.01), school type and nutrition status(χ2=343.95, 309.62, P<0.01).@*Conclusion@#Some overweight or obesity students report on control body weight, while some report taking medicine and reducing diet behavior. Health education on healthy body weight should be implemented for middle school students to cultivate healthy body image so as to keep healthy body weight.

[Investigation on historical snail environments in Taizhou City].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the status of historical environments of Oncomelania snails in Taizhou City, Jiangsu Province and evaluate the current condition of snail control. METHODS: The historical files of snail distribution were reviewed, field investigations were conducted, and all the data were analyzed. RESULTS: Totally 7 822 historical snail environments were identified, the total area with snails were 4 252.98 hm2. According to the degree of environment reformation, all historical environments were classified to I, II, III, IV types, and the proportions of the Type I, II, III, IV were 28.3%, 2.4%, 19. 4%, 49.9% respectively. There were 2 snail environments currently, with total area of 3.60 hm2. CONCLUSION: The snail status has been under well controlling, but most of the historical environments are suitable for snail breeding. Therefore, it is necessary to continue the snail surveillance.

Studies of impact on physical fitness and working capacity of patients with advanced Schistosomiasis japonica in Susong County, Anhui Province.

To assess the impact level on physical fitness and working capacity in patients with advanced Schistosomiasis japonica, a field study was carried out. According to the records of patients with advanced schistosomiasis in Susong County, Anhui Province, 48 advanced cases without other serious chronic diseases from endemic areas in two townships and 56 healthy individuals from non-endemic area, served as control group with matched ages between 40 and 70 years and matched sex were investigated with questionnaire, anthropometric measure and hemoglobin level. The impairment level of the liver was measured by ultrasonography and physical fitness was measured by the Step test in the case and control groups. All situations including lifestyle, working, socio-economic status and residing environment was similar in the case and control groups. Average height and weight was significantly lower in the case group than in the control group (height = 156.29 and 159.41 cm; weight = 50.72 and 53.92 kg; respectively, all P < 0.05). Thirteen individuals (28.3%) in the case group had moderate reduction of working capacity or even unable to work, but only seven (12.7%) individuals in the control group had moderate reduction of working capacity and all in the control group were able to work (P < 0.01). In the past 1 year, the average working days lost was 4.11 days in the case group and 0.86 day in the control group (P < 0.01). Both groups differed significantly in symptoms of abdominal pain, diarrhea and weakness (all P < 0.05). Twenty-one cases (43.8%) had grade II impairment of the liver and eight cases (16.7%) had grade III impairment of the liver in the case group, whereas seven individuals (12.7%) had grade II impairment of the liver in the control group (P < 0.01), as assessed by ultrasound. The hemoglobin levels and the power of gripping in the case group were significantly lower than those in the control group (Hb = 111.06 and 122.27 g/l; grip = 303.83 and 344.20 N, respectively, all P < 0.01). Physical fitness scores showed the control group (score: 71.84) was significantly fitter than the case group (score: 61.09, P < 0.01). Compared with the control group, the physical fitness of the case group reduced by 15%. The results showed that physical fitness and working capacity were reduced in advanced cases. Although most of the cases were treated and had reached a status of 'clinical cure', the impact on physical fitness and working capacity still existed.