Assessing the Impact of Salt Reduction Initiatives on the Chronic Disease Burden of Singapore

Globally, many countries are facing an increasing burden of chronic disease due to ageing populations, of which cardiovascular disease forms a large proportion. Excess dietary sodium contributes to cardiovascular disease risk and requires intervention at a population level. This study aimed to quantify the impact of several salt reduction initiatives on population health over a 30-year horizon using GeoDEMOS, a population model from Singapore. Four interventions were modelled in four demographic groups in 2020 for a total of 16 intervention scenarios. The effect of 0.5, 2.0, and 4.0 g/day reductions in daily salt consumption, along with adherence to the World Health Organization guidelines of a maximum of 5.0 g of salt each day, was modelled in the entire population, including the overweight and obese, the elderly, and diabetics. In each scenario, the number of averted incident cases of acute myocardial infarction and stroke, along with the disability-adjusted life years up to 2050, was monitored. We found 4.0 g/day reductions in salt consumption were the most effective when implemented across the entire population, resulting in 24,000 averted incident cases of cardiovascular disease and 215,000 disability-adjusted life years over 30 years. This is a large figure when compared with the 29,200 projected annual incident cases of cardiovascular disease in 2050. When targeted at specific high-risk demographic groups, the largest effects were observed in the overweight and obese, with the same intervention yielding 10,500 averted incident cases of cardiovascular disease and 91,500 disability-adjusted life years. Quantifying the benefits of salt reduction initiatives revealed a significant impact when administered across the entire population or the overweight and obese. Health promotion efforts directed toward sustainably reducing salt consumption will help to lower the chronic disease burden on the healthcare system in years to come.     

用腰椎X—线片半定量诊断骨质疏松的研究

目的验证JOA X-线骨质疏松诊断标准的可靠性.方法47名女性病人(年龄65.3±7.2岁)行腰椎常规X-线检查和第三腰椎正、侧位DEXA骨密度测量.用t检验验证X-线骨质疏松等级间骨密度的差异性,用Spearman相关性分析法检验X-线骨质疏松等级与骨密度值的相关性.结果X-线骨质疏松等级间骨密度具有显著性差异(P＜0.01),X-线骨质疏松等级与第三腰椎侧位骨密度值之间相关性最高(r=0.714).结论通过腰椎X-线片按照JOA标准划分骨质疏松等级,可以作为粗略检查腰椎骨质疏松的方法.     

动态增强磁共振成像在评估女性乳房乳头乳晕血供的应用

目的探究动态增强磁共振成像(DCE-MRI)用于评估女性乳房乳头乳晕血供特点的可行性,为乳房整形手术提供乳头乳晕的血供参考。方法从2012年3月至2019年10月华中科技大学同济医学院附属同济医院影像数据库中收集女性乳腺DCE-MRI图像资料,选择未发现肿物的正常乳房的DCE-MRI图像进行研究。在西门子工作站将患者乳腺DCE-MRI图像通过图像减影获取乳房血管图像,分别对轴位、冠状位和矢状位的最大密度投影(MIP)图像进行评估,结合三维MIP图像识别所有供应乳头乳晕的血管。乳头乳晕的血供被划分为内上、内侧、内下、外上、外侧、外下、中央、上方和下方9个象限,对各个象限血管进行统计和分析,并测量血管至乳房皮肤表面投影的最大距离。采用SPSS 19.0软件进行统计分析,通过卡方检验分别比较左侧与右侧乳房的乳头乳晕复合体(NAC)血供象限分布构成比。计算血管到皮肤距离的平均值、标准差及95%置信区间,通过方差分析比较各象限血管至皮肤距离的差异。P<0.05为差异具有统计学意义。结果共收集到245例患者490只女性乳房DCE-MRI图像,其中97例患者97只乳房发现有乳腺肿物,其余393只为正常乳房(97例单侧乳房、148例双侧乳房),将其作为研究对象。患者年龄23~72岁,平均43.7岁。393只乳房(左侧200只、右侧193只)共发现有637条(左侧311条、右侧326条)乳头乳晕供应血管。在637条血管中,内上象限269条(42.2%),外上180条 (28.3%),内侧57条(8.9%),下方37条(5.8%),中央30条(4.7%),内下25条(3.9%),外下25条(3.9%),上方11条(1.7%),外侧3条(0.5%)。卡方检验表明左侧乳房和右侧乳房在NAC血供象限分布构成比差异无统计学意义(χ2 =6.4,P=0.602)。除中央象限血管以外,所有血管到皮肤表面投影最大距离的平均值为0.91 cm, 95%置信区间为0.86~0.96 cm。方差分析表明各象限供血血管到皮肤投影的最大距离,差异有统计学意义(F=11.4,P<0.001)。结论 DCE-MRI可以清晰地显示乳头乳晕的血供来源。乳头乳晕血供主要来源于内上象限和外上象限的血管,血管在皮下约1 cm深度走行。     

Assessment of Carbendazim Residues and Safety in Celery Under Different Cultivation Conditions

Although the carbendazim is widely used to manage spot blight in celery cultivation, information on residues identified is of interest. In this study, we examined the dissipation and residual amounts of carbendazim in celery and soil under different cultivation methods when using the suggested dose and ten times of that and the bioconcentration factor of carbendazim for celery. The results showed that when celery leaves were sprayed with the suggested dose, the half-lives in a celery field and greenhouse were 2.75 days and 3.29 days, respectively. When the soil matrix was sprayed with the recommended dose before cultivation, the half-lives of carbendazim residues were 16.86 days and 11.97 days. We also conducted a long-term dietary risk assessment using the corresponding criteria. The results showed that, in China, the use of carbendazim at a dose of 0.022 g/m² is safer and more reasonable when the harvest interval is 28 days.

     

4型腺病毒载体的构建和β－半乳糖苷酶基因的表达

以４型腺病毒疫苗株感染Ａ５４９细胞，提取病毒ＤＮＡ，将ＥｃｏＲＩ消化的Ｄ片段（７０．５－８３．０基因图谱单位）克隆入ｐＵＣ１８质粒，得ｐＡｄ４（７０．５－８３）质粒，质粒ｐＡｄ４（７０．５－８３）和ｐＡｄ４Ｃ１－２５经酶切、系列亚克隆、加接头等方法得到大部分和部分缺失Ｅ３区的重组质粒。聚合酶链反应（ＰＣＲ）法获得ｐｏｌｙ（Ａ），构建约８００ｂＰ腺病毒晚期表达盒，在所构建的腺病毒重组质粒Ｅ３缺失区或Ｅ４与ＩＴＲ间插入表达盒，得到可同时表达２个或２个以上外源基因和保留了Ｅ３区编码分子量为１９３００糖蛋白基因的３种Ａｄ４载体。将ｌａｃＺ基因插入载体表达区，与Ｂｅｌｌ消化的Ａｄ４ＤＮＡＡ片段共转染Ａ５４９细胞，ＯＮＰＧ法检测证实所构建的载体和表达盒功能良好。本项工作对于在国内研究口服活疫苗及开展基因治疗均具有重要意义。     

Endogenous estrogen status, but not genistein supplementation, modulates 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced mutation in the liver cII gene of transgenic big blue rats

A growing number of studies suggest that isoflavones found in soybeans have estrogenic activity and may safely alleviate the symptoms of menopause. One of these isoflavones, genistein, is commonly used by postmenopausal women as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy. Although sex hormones have been implicated as an important risk factor for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma, there are limited data on the potential effects of the estrogens, including phytoestrogens, on chemical mutagenesis in liver. Because of the association between mutation induction and the carcinogenesis process, we investigated whether endogenous estrogen and supplemental genistein affect 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced mutagenesis in rat liver. Intact and ovariectomized female Big Blue rats were treated with 80 mg DMBA/kg body weight. Some of the rats also received a supplement of 1,000 ppm genistein. Sixteen weeks after the carcinogen treatment, the rats were sacrificed, their livers were removed, and mutant frequencies (MFs) and types of mutations were determined in the liver cII gene. DMBA significantly increased the MFs in liver for both the intact and ovariectomized rats. While there was no significant difference in MF between the ovariectomized and intact control animals, the mutation induction by DMBA in the ovariectomized groups was significantly higher than that in the intact groups. Dietary genistein did not alter these responses. Molecular analysis of the mutants showed that DMBA induced chemical-specific types of mutations in the liver cII gene. These results suggest that endogenous ovarian hormones have an inhibitory effect on liver mutagenesis by DMBA, whereas dietary genistein does not modulate spontaneous or DMBA-induced mutagenesis in either intact or ovariectomized rats.     

Preliminary study on immunotoxin for the prevention of Schistosomiasis japonica

To investigate the effects of immunotoxin (bio-missile) on the prevention of schistosomiasis. The monoclonal antibody NP11-4, located in out-layer membrane of adult worm, membrane of cercariae, membrane of schistosomula, shell of egg and membrane of miracidium in egg, was combined with artesunate (produced by Guilin Pharmaceutical Factory of China) by chemical method to fabricate immunotoxin.