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Objective To explore the role and mechanism of RNA demethylase fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) in the ferroptosis in testicular interstitial cells induced by di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). Methods Forty 3-week-old C57BL/6 male mice were randomly divided into a control group (corn oil) and 3 dosed DEHP treatment groups (5, 250 and 500 mg/kg), and received an intragastric infusion of corresponding agents for 35 d, respectively. After mouse testicular interstitial TM3 cells was treated with 0, 100, 200 and 400 μmol/L mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP) for 24 h, corresponding plasmids were transfected to construct Fto overexpressing TM3 cells. Serum testosterone level was detected by ELISA, expression of testicular proteins was detected with immunohistochemical assay, and contents of Fe2+, malondialdehyde (MDA) and lipid peroxides in the testicle were detected by colorimetry. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation, RT-PCR, and Western blotting were used to detect the level of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification. Results In the mice exposed to 250 and 500 mg/kg DEHP, the serum testosterone level was significantly reduced (P < 0.01), contents of Fe2+, MAD and lipid peroxides in testicular tissue were obviously increased (P < 0.01), and protein levels of RNA demethylase FTO, and ferroptosis related molecules ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1) and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) were significantly down-regulated (P < 0.05), while those of transferrin receptor (TFRC), ferroportin (FPN), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4) were notably up-regulated (P < 0.05). MEHP treatment for 24 h resulted in remarkably decreased cell viability in the TM3 cells, increased production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), reduced mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) (P < 0.01), down-regulated mRNA and protein levels of Fto (P < 0.01), and the changes in other ferroptosis related proteins were consistent with the trend in testicular tissue, indicating ferroptosis in testicular interstitial cells. Intervention with ferroptosis inhibitor Fer-1 or overexpression of Fto significantly inhibited MEHP-induced toxicity and ferroptosis in TM3 cells (P < 0.05), and overexpression of Fto reduced the m6A modification of Gpx4 and Fth1 mRNA (P < 0.05). Conclusion Abnormal m6A modification of Gpx4 and Fth1 caused by inhibiting FTO expression may be the mechanism of ferroptosis in testicular interstitial cells induced by DEHP.

Objective To investigate the mechanisms underlying the reduced biomechanical properties and impaired wound healing in the dorsal skin of streptozocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) mice. Methods Forty male C57BL/6 mice (8 weeks old, weighing 20~25 g) were randomly divided into wild-type (WT, n=20) and T1DM (n=20) groups. After the mice were inflicted with full-thickness skin resection (circular, 1 cm in diameter, in both sides of the back midline), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to assess the Young's modulus, relaxation rate, and collagen arrangement of the skin, and HE, Masson's trichrome, Sirius red, Gordon-Sweet, and Victoria blue staining were all applied to evaluate the epidermis and granulation tissue, total collagen content, ratio of type Ⅲ to type Ⅰ collagen, reticular fiber content, and elastic fiber content. Immunohistochemical assay and Western blotting were conducted to quantify the expression of type Ⅰ and type Ⅲ collagen proteins. Flow cytometry and immunofluorescence staining of paraffin sections were performed to detect the transformation of myofibroblast in wound tissues. Results On day 21 post-wounding, the dorsal skin of T1DM mice exhibited significantly reduced stiffness, strength, and resilience compared to the conditions in the WT group (P < 0.05). During and after healing, T1DM mice showed decreased collagen and elastic fibers, an increased ratio of type Ⅲ to type Ⅰ collagen, and increased reticular fibers, all with statistical significance (P < 0.05). Additionally, there was a significant reduction in myofibroblast transformation during the early stages of wound healing in the T1DM group (P < 0.05). Conclusion T1DM inhibits the transformation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts, leading to impaired wound healing and reduced biomechanical properties in the dorsal skin of mice.

Objective To explore the protective role of DNA damage induced transcription factor 4 (DDIT4) in oxidative stress injury in dermal papilla cells and its underlying mechanisms. Methods Dermal papilla cells were exposed to UVA and H2O2 to establish cellular model of oxidative stress. CCK-8 assay was used to detect cell viability under different treatment conditions, and the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected using 2′, 7′-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA). Autophagic vesicles were observed with electron microscopy. Western blotting was employed to measure the expression of DDIT4 and autophagy-related molecules, including microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3), ubiquitin-binding protein (P62), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and p-mTOR. Results UVA and H2O2 resulted in more production of ROS (P < 0.05) and decreased viability of dermal papilla cells (P < 0.05). DDIT4 expression was increased in dermal papilla cells under oxidative stress (P < 0.05), and the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) could effectively inhibit this effect (P < 0.05). After treatment with UVA or H2O2, cell autophagy was enhanced in dermal papilla cells, characterized by an increase in the number of autophagosomes and an increased LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ ratio (P < 0.05), a decrease in P62 expression (P < 0.05), and 3-methyladenine (3-MA) blocking autophagy led to further reduced cell viability (P < 0.05) and increased intracellular ROS production (P < 0.05). Conversely, rapamycin (RAPA) increased autophagy level and improved the viability of dermal papilla cells under oxidative conditions (P < 0.05), and reduced the generation of intracellular ROS (P < 0.05). Additionally, down-regulation of DDIT4 weakened autophagy in dermal papilla cells under oxidative stress, reduced LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ (P < 0.05), increased p-mTOR/mTOR and P62 (P < 0.05), inhibited cell viability (P < 0.05), and enhanced intracellular ROS production (P < 0.05). Conclusion DDIT4 may alleviate oxidative stress injury in dermal papilla cells through autophagy.

Objective To investigate the effects of basic fibro-blast growth factor (FGF-2) and Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) alone or combined together on the differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) into cardiomyocytes (CMs) and the mechanism of action of PNS and FGF-2 in the differentiation. Methods BMSCs were isolated from 3-week-old SD rats (20~30 g) by whole bone marrow adherence, and then the purity of BMSCs was identified by flow cytometry. After the purity was qualified, PNS and FGF-2 alone or in combination, or combined with LY294002 (phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase inhibitor), were used to induce BMSCs to differentiate. According to the corresponding culture time, the cells were divided into control group, PNS group, FGF-2 group, and PNS+FGF-2 group. The expression levels of Desmin and Cx43 after induction were detected by immunohistochemical assay. Western blotting was used to measure the expression levels of myocardium-specific proteins, related pathway proteins, and apoptosis-related proteins. RT-qPCR was conducted to detect the expression of myocardial transcription factors. Results The expression levels of myocardium-specific proteins and genes were increased in each single induction group (PNS group and FGF-2 group) and combined induction group (PNS+FGF-2 group, P < 0.05), and the highest expression levels were observed in the combined group. PNS and FGF-2 combined with LY294002 decreased the expression levels of myocardium-specific proteins and genes, decreased the phosphorylation of pathway-related protein Akt, decreased the level of Bcl-2, increased the level of Bax, and decreased the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax when compared with the 2 single induction groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion Both PNS and FGF-2 can induce BMSCs to differentiate into CMs after induction, and the combined induction is more effective in the differentiation. The PI3K/Akt signaling pathway is involved in the differentiation process by PNS and FGF-2, and PNS and FGF-2 play a role in reducing apoptosis.

Objective To compare the therapeutic efficacy of robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy versus conventional laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, and analyze the factors influencing treatment outcomes. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 719 patients (total cohort) who underwent radical prostatectomy in our department from June 2002 to October 2023. According to different surgical methods, they were divided into robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy group (robotic group, n=409) and conventional laparoscopic radical prostatectomy group (conventional group, n=310). Clinical characteristics, biochemical recurrence rates, and recovery of urinary continence at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively, as well as sexual function recovery at 6 and 12 months after surgery, were compared between the 2 groups. Additionally, the factors influencing biochemical recurrence and urinary continence recovery were analyzed across the entire cohort. Results In the cohort, the robot group demonstrated significantly larger proportions of pathological high T stages (≥pT3, P < 0.01), increased positive lymph node rate (P < 0.01), and greater number of dissected lymph nodes (P < 0.01) than the conventional group. There were no statistical differences between the 2 groups in terms of Gleason score, biochemical recurrence rate, or incidence and type of complications. The robot group exhibited significantly higher rates of urinary continence recovery at 1 (P=0.004), 3 (P < 0.01), 6 (P=0.002) and 12 months (P=0.004) postoperatively. But no obvious difference was seen in the score of International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) between the 2 groups at 6 and 12 months. Across the entire cohort, pathological high T stage (≥pT3, P < 0.01), high Gleason score (>7, P=0.036), fewer lymph nodes dissected (≤10, P < 0.01), and positive lymph nodes (P=0.046) were independent risk factors for biochemical recurrence. Additionally, the surgical method, specifically robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, was identified as a significant factor influencing urinary continence recovery at 12 months postoperatively (P=0.005). Conclusion Compared to conventional laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy shows certain effect on reducing biochemical recurrence rate and enhancing recovery of urinary continence in prostate cancer patients at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively.

Objective To analyze the diversity and composition changes of gut fungal communities between mouse model of total parental nutrition (TPN) and normal control mice. Methods After mouse model of TPN was constructed, fresh feces were collected from TPN mice (n=5) and normal control mice (n=5). Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) DNA sequencing was applied to determine intestinal fungi, and then bioinformatics analysis was conducted to identify the differences in fungal diversity, structure, and functional properties between the 2 groups of mice. Results There were significant differences in Alpha diversity (P < 0.05) and Beta diversity (P < 0.01) of intestinal fungi between the 2 groups. In the TPN model group, the relative abundances of Candida, Penicillium, Aspergillus and Talaromyces were obviously reduced (all P < 0.01). LEfSe analysis indicated that the above 4 strains were notably enriched in the normal control mice. Conclusion TPN mice exhibit characteristic changes in the composition of gut fungal flora compared to normal control mice. Dysfunction of gut fungal community may promote the occurrence of TPN related complications, and regulating the balance of gut fungal community may become a new strategy for preventing TPN related complications.

Objective To construct an optimal prediction model for lymph node metastasis (LNM) in early gastric cancer (EGC) using machine learning techniques and assess its predictive performance. Methods Clinical data of 433 EGC patients undergoing radical surgery in our hospital from January 2015 to December 2022 were collected. They were divided into a training set and a validation set in a 7 ∶3 ratio. LASSO regression was used to screen variables and multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to identify independent risk factors for LNM in the EGC patients. Ten machine learning models were constructed using categorical boosting (Catboost), light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM), extreme gradient boosting machine (XGboost), random forest (RF), gradient boosting machine (GBM), neural networks (NNET), support vector machine (SVM), K nearest (KNN), Naive Bayes (NB) and Logistic regression. The predictive power of the above models was evaluated and compared in terms of accuracy, precision, recall, F1 score value, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive rate, negative predictive rate, Kappa value, area value under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), calibration curve, decision curve, and precision-recall curve. Finally, SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) was applied to explain the contribution of each variable in the best model for the prediction outcomes. Results Depth of tumor invasion, lymphovascular invasion and smoking history were independent risk factors for LNM in the EGC patients. Catboost model obtained the best predictive performance, and had 5 performance indicators outperforming the other models in the training set, that is, an AUC value of 0.904 (95%CI 0.868~0.940), a F1-score of 0.633, a Brier score of 0.100, a negative predictive rate of 0.975, and a Kappa value of 0.520. Finally, calculating the SHAP values of Catboost revealed that the depth of tumor invasion and lymphovascular invasion were two key characteristic variables for predicting LNM. Conclusion The depth of tumor invasion of submucosal and lymphovascular invasion and smoking history are independent risk factors for LNM in early gastric cancer. ML can be used to predict LNM risk, the Catboost model has the best predictive performance and can provide guidance for clinical diagnosis and treatment decisions.

Objective To evaluate the correction rate, accuracy of pedicle screw fixation and overall clinical efficacy of intravertebral osteotomy and internal fixation surgery with the assistance of 3D printing guide plates in treatment of severe kyphosis. Methods A single-center nonrandomized clinical pilot study was conducted on 19 patients (8 males and 11 females) with severe kyphosis undergoing intravertebral osteotomy between December 2018 and June 2023. Seven of them (CAD group) had preoperative planning with computer-aided design (CAD) and intraoperative guidance of individualized 3D printing guide plates. And another 12 patients (control group) were corrected with conventional pedicle screw placement. Postoperative evaluation included assessment of posterior Cobb angle, spinal angular correction rate, accuracy of pedicle screw placement and Oswestry Dysfunction Index (ODI) questionnaire. Results The 19 patients were at a mean age of 48.0 years, and followed up for 26.4 (9~54) months. All of them achieved relatively satisfactory corrective results, with those of the CAD group having a correction rate of 96.83% and those of the control group of 86.61%. There were no statistical differences in average intraoperative blood loss (857 vs 1 045 mL) and average operative time (344 vs 402 min), but significant difference was observed in average length of hospital stay (11 vs 18 d, P < 0.05) between the 2 groups. A total of 278 nails were placed in this study, including 70 guide-assisted pedicle screws, 97.1% of which were grade A or B. In the control group, 208 pedicle screws were placed, 93.8% of which were grade A or B. Postoperative CT/X-ray scanning displayed that both groups achieved certain correction for kyphosis. No obvious difference was found in the average spinal angular correction (43.37° vs 36.10°), and significantly higher correction rate was seen in the CAD group than the control group (96.83% vs 86.61%, P < 0.01). The ODI value was notably lower in the CAD group than the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion CAD-assisted preoperative planning, surgical simulation and individualized 3D printing guide plates can promote surgical correction and accuracy of pedicle screw placement and improves the quality of life of patients with severe kyphotic deformity.

Objective To investigate the effects of a disintegrin and metalloprotease domain 10 (ADAM10) inhibitor on synaptic structure and blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability in rats with autism-like behavior. Methods A total of 50 male offspring rats with prenatal exposure to valproic acid (VPA) to induce autism-like behavior were randomly divided into VPA group and ADAM10 inhibitor, TAT-Pro-ADAM10 (709-729) group (TAT-Pro group), with 25 rats in each group. And another 25 offspring male rats induced by normal saline during pregnancy served as control group (CON group). The TAT-Pro group was given intraperitoneal injection on postnatal day 20 with 3 nmol/g TAT-Pro-ADAM10 (709-729), and equal volumes of normal saline were given to the CON and VPA groups. The changes of body mass and tail length of offspring rats were measured and recorded during modeling. Western blotting was performed to detect the protein levels of ADAM10, vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-Cad), Occludin, zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), post-synaptic density protein-95 (PSD95), and synaptophysin (SYN) in the hippocampal tissue of the offspring rats in 24 h after administration. The expression of ZO-1 protein was further verified by immunofluorescence assay. Behavioral tests were conducted from postnatal day 24, including open field, grooming, three-chamber social interaction, and water maze tests. The density of dendritic spines in hippocampal tissue in the offspring rats on postnatal day 28 was detected by Golgi staining. Results Compared with the VPA group, the TAT-Pro group showed no significant changes in body weight and tail length, but significantly improved repetitive stereotyped behaviors, social skills and learning memory ability (P < 0.05), reduced protein levels of ADAM10 and PSD95 in hippocampal tissues (P < 0.05), and elevated levels of VE-cad and Occludin (P < 0.05). The density of dendritic spines was significantly reduced (P < 0.05), and the number of immature dendritic spines also decreased in the TAT-Pro group than the VPA group. Conclusion Inhibition of ADAM10 overexpression during the critical period of synaptic development can alleviate learning and memory dysfunctions in VPA-induced rats with autism-like behavior, and has a certain restorative effect on abnormal synaptic structures and blood-brain barrier permeability.

Objective To construct vitamin E (tocopherol, VE)-based liposomes with both hydrogen peroxide-scavenging function and anticoagulant effect, and explore whether they can be used to treat acute ischemic stroke and then evaluate their in vitro anticoagulant effect. Methods Two molecules of VE were chemically bonded through peroxalate bond to obtain oxalate vitamin E (OVE). The anticoagulant unit LA-Hirudin was obtained by amidation reaction by connecting the anticoagulant drug hirudin to linoleic acid (LA). The structures of the synthesized products were characterized by using H nuclear magnetic resonance (1HNMR) and FT-IR spectra. Hirudin-Oxalic acid divitamin E ester liposome (HOL) was prepared by thin film dispersion and characterized with dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Mouse brain-derived endothelial cells (bEnd3) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were applied as the object of cell experiments. The levels of H2O2, and cellular inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β were determined by ELISA to evaluate the effect of the liposomes on the severity of cellular inflammation. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and cell proliferation assay (5-Ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine, Edu) were used to detect the effects of the liposomes on cell count and proliferation. The anticoagulant effect of the prepared liposomes was detected by using whole blood of mice. Results 1HNMR spectrum showed that OVE was successfully synthesized, and the FT-IR spectrum displayed that hirudin and linoleic acid were successfully bonded to obtain LA-Hirudin. The results of DLS and TEM indicated that the prepared liposomes were spheroids, in uniform distribution, with an average particle size of 161 nm. The cell experiments showed that the liposomes significantly inhibited the secretion of H2O2 and inflammatory factors, and exerted obvious antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in the model cells (P < 0.05). CCK-8 assay and Edu proliferation assay proved that the liposomes suppressed the decreased cell count and alleviated the inhibited cell proliferation caused by LPS (P < 0.01). Anticoagulation experiment revealed that the liposomes had significant inhibitory effect of CaCl2-induced coagulation reaction (P < 0.01). Conclusion A hydrogen peroxide-scavenging function material, OVE is synthesized, and then anticoagulant drug hirudin and OVE are used to prepare OVE thrombolytic liposomes, HOL. The liposomes have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects at the cellular level and also have significant anticoagulant effect.

Objective To investigate the correlation between salivary cystatin D level and salivary gland injury in patients with primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS). Methods A total of 51 pSS patients admitted in the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from September 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023, and 51 age- and gender-matched healthy individuals who took physical examination in the hospital during same period were enrolled in the study. The level of salivary cystatin D was detected, and the difference in the level between the 2 groups was compared using an independent-samples t test. Pearson correlation analysis was applied to analyze the correlation between salivary cystatin D and clinical parameters in the patients. Results The pSS patients had significantly lower cystatin D level than the healthy controls (206.55±108.11 vs 374.32±172.24 pg/mL, P < 0.01). The cystatin D level in the pSS patients was positively correlated with both static (r=0.433, P=0.002) and dynamic salivary flow rates (r=0.363, P=0.009). The patients with higher score of salivary gland ultrasonography (SGUS) had obviously lower cystatin D than those with lower SGUS score (parotid gland: 160.75±85.56 vs 290.53±95.17 pg/mL, P < 0.01; submandibular gland: 157.76±87.59 vs 276.25±97.06 pg/mL, P < 0.01). The cystatin D level was also negatively correlated with peripheral blood IL-6 level (r=-0.453, P=0.001) and CD4+ T cell count (r=-0.396, P=0.005) in the pSS patients. Conclusion Salivary cystatin D level can be used as an indicator of salivary gland damage for pSS patients.

Objective To investigate the effects of amylin, also known as islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP), on learning and memory abilities and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) signaling pathway in APP/PS1 mice. Methods A total of 20 APP/PS1 mice were randomly divided into Alzheimer's disease (AD) group and IAPP group, with 10 mice in each group. The mice in the latter group were given an intraperitoneal injection of 0.5 μmol/L IAPP, and those of the former group received same dose of PBS. Both interventions were given once per day, for 10 weeks. Morris water maze test was used to measure the learning and memory abilities; HE staining was employed to observe the pathological changes in the hippocampus; Transmission electron microscopy was utilized to observe the ultrastructure of hippocampal neurons; Biochemical assay were conducted to detect the contents of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in hippocampal tissues; ELISA was applied to measure the levels of inflammatory factors such as IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α as well as content of Aβ42 in hippocampal tissues; And Western blotting was conducted to detect the expression of PI3K/Akt proteins. Results Compared with the AD group, significantly shorter platform latency (P < 0.01), increased number of traversing the platform and longer time to explore the hidden platform (P < 0.01) were observed in the IAPP group, but no such difference was seen in the swimming speed of the mice. HE staining displayed that the IAPP group had more and well-arranged nerve cells in the hippocampal tissue when compared with the AD group (P < 0.05). Lower Aβ protein expression (P < 0.01), reduced oxidative stress and decreased contents of inflammatory factors (P < 0.01) in hippocampal tissue were observed in the IAPP group than the AD group. The IAPP group showed clearer structure of neuronal mitochondria, reduced vacuolization, and better arranged microtubules and microfilaments, and elevated expression of p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt proteins when compared with the AD group (P < 0.01). Conclusion Amylin can reduce oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, improve learning and memory abilities in AD mice, and promote the activity of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

In complex geological conditions, especially in the case of small faults and fractures, it is often impossible to use reflected waves for accurate detection. An alternative method is the use of the scattered waves caused by these small structures for seismic exploration. However, with the conventional description and utilization of scattered waves based on time–distance curves, it is difficult to meet the current needs of high-precision exploration. Therefore, starting from the theoretical description method, this study deduces the time–distance curve equation and the wave equation based on Born approximation for describing the propagation of scattered waves. Then, combined with the respective numerical simulation methods, namely, the fast step method to solve the program function method and the finite difference method to simulate the wave equation, the accuracy and influencing factors of the scattered wave description are analyzed. Finally, the corresponding simulation test is designed, and the numerical model is used to further show that the traditional time–distance curve equation can give the accurate time–distance relationship satisfied by the scattered wave, but it is not accurate when combined with the function equation for imaging. The wave equation based on Born approximation can achieve accurate simulation of scattered waves. The resulting assumptions of scatterers and scattering potential have little effect on the final simulation results. Under the premise of ensuring the stability of forward modeling, the higher the dominant frequency of the wavelet, the more accurate is the description of the scattered wave.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the chest computed tomography (CT) findings of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants in elderly patients with underlying diseases. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 140 elderly patients with underlying diseases who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants. The patients were divided into a moderate group and a severe/critical group based on their clinical classifications. Clinical data, laboratory results, and chest CT data (including lesion distribution, morphology, image signs, and lung lobe score) were collected and analyzed for all patients. Results: Hypertension and hyperlipidemia were the most prevalent underlying diseases among elderly patients with the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2. Ground-glass density opacity was the main chest CT manifestation, typically presenting as a mixed distribution across multiple lung lobes. Common clinical symptoms include fever, cough, and sputum production. The proportion of patients with fever was significantly higher in the severe/critical group compared to the moderate group. Additionally, the lymphocyte count was higher in the moderate group compared to the severe/critical group, while the procalcitonin level was significantly higher in the severe/critical group. Pleural thickening was also more prevalent in the severe/critical group. The right inferior lobe score was the highest in both groups (2 (1,3) and 3 (2,4) for moderate and severe/critical groups, respectively), with the total score and individual lobe scores being significantly higher in the severe/critical group. Conclusions: Chest CT scans play a crucial role in classifying disease severity and evaluating disease progression in elderly patients with underlying diseases infected with the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus. These findings can also guide clinical treatment decisions.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the application value of virtual monoenergetic (VMI) (≤70 keV) computed tomography angiography (CTA) in imaging small cerebral vessels with dual-layer detector spectral CT. Methods: The imaging data of 52 patients who underwent head and neck CTA using Philips IQon CT were retrospectively analyzed. Conventional 120 kVp mixed energy images and 40~70 keV (10 keV interval) VMI CTA images reconstructed using spectral data were obtained. The CT value, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast noise ratio (CNR), and CT value and noise (SD) of the paravascular cerebral parenchyma at the same level were measured in the M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery. The image quality of the middle cerebral artery in volume reconstruction (VRT) and lepidopleural artery in maximum density projection (MIP) was scored by two physicians using a 5-point Likert scale. The evaluation results between the different groups were compared. Results: The CT, SNR, and CNR values of blood vessels at 40~70 keV VMI increased with a decrease in energy level, and the SD values increased slightly, with more statistically significant differences compared with conventional images. In the subjective evaluation, the VRT images in the 40 keV and 50 keV groups were 5 (5, 5) and 5 (4, 5), respectively, and the MIP image scores were 4 (3, 4) and 4 (3, 5), respectively. The subjective scores of both groups were better than those of the other groups, with no statistically significant difference. Conclusion: Virtual monoenergetic CTA technology with dual-layer spectral CT

Objective: In this study, we aimed to compare the accuracies and efficiencies of dual-layer spectral computed tomography (CT), quantitative CT (QCT), and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in diagnosing osteoporosis. Methods: From January to October, 2023, 30 outpatients, including 15 males (age (56.6±8.31) years old) and 15 females (age (65.13±7.16) years old), at the spine surgery department of Beijing Jishuitan Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent bilayer spectral CT, QCT, and DXA of the lumbar spine. Additionally, bone mineral density (BMD) values for the L1~L3 vertebral bodies and areal BMD values were measured using DXA. Based on the diagnostic criteria for osteoporosis using lumbar spine QCT and DXA, the study participants were divided into three groups: normal bone mass, abnormal/low bone mass, and osteoporosis groups. Accuracies of dual-energy spectral CT, QCT, and DXA for BMD measurements to diagnose osteoporosis were compared using Fisher’s exact test. Moreover, sensitivity and specificity of dual-energy spectral CT to measure volumetric BMD values for osteoporosis diagnosis were calculated using receiver operating characteristic curves. Results: A strong correlation was observed among the average BMD values for L1~L3 measured using all three methods (0.751~0.971). Accuracies of osteoporosis diagnosis using dual-energy spectral CT, QCT, and DXA were 66.7% (10/15), 53.3% (8/15), and 40% (6/15), respectively, in males and 93.3% (14/15), 86.7% (13/15), and 60% (9/15), respectively, in females, with statistically significant differences. Dual-energy spectral CT showed area under the curve values of 0.995 (sensitivity: 88.9%; specificity: 90.5%) and 0.784 (sensitivity: 60%; specificity: 93.3%) with QCT and DXA as reference standards, respectively, for osteoporosis diagnosis. Conclusion: Volumetric BMD values measured using dual-energy spectral CT were comparable to those measured using QCT for osteoporosis diagnosis, and both outperformed DXA in terms of diagnostic efficiency.

Objective: The anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap is a multifunctional diaphyseal flap used to reconstruct head and neck defects. The location, destination, and source of the perforator vessels are crucial for developing a reasonable surgical plan. The small FOV technique can narrow the reconstruction field, increase image resolution, and enhance the spatial resolution of perforator vessels. The two-stage contrast injection method enhances peripheral vessel filling pressure. Multiplanar reformation (MPR) allows coronal reconstruction of the area of interest permitting observation of the distribution of the distal perforator vessels of the lateral circumflex femoral artery. Curved multiplanar reformation (CPR) generates a curved image of the perforator vessels by integrating the curved path of the perforator vessels with the volume-rendering image of the lateral circumflex femoral artery to determine the location and course of the perforator vessels. This study was performed to improve perforator flap vessel visualization using various computed tomography angiography (CTA) scanning and post-processing techniques. Methods: The study group consisted of 13 patients with head and neck tumor defects who underwent improved preoperative CTA scanning between January 2018 and August 2021 at our hospital’s Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. The control group included 13 patients with no significant lesions in the femoral artery or its branches who underwent non-spectral CT angiography of the bilateral lower extremity arteries between September 2020 and April 2023 at the Radiology Department of Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University. Vascular imaging quality was subjectively scored, and the contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) and signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) of the lateral circumflex femoral artery were objectively evaluated. Results: While SNR in the intervention group was slightly higher than that in the control group, no significant difference was observed between the two groups. The average CNR in the study group was 18.25±7.38, while that in the control group was 7.26±2.64. The CNR in the study group was significantly higher than that in the control group, with a statistically significant difference between the two groups. No significant difference in subjective image quality scores was observed between the study and control groups. All perforator vessels detected on preoperative CTA in the study group were confirmed intraoperatively. Conclusions: Comprehensive application of multiple techniques increased the contrast between the perforator vessels and surrounding tissues, resulting in satisfactory CT image quality. These methods improve the accuracy of image analysis and provide better technical support for clinicians in analyzing the location, course, and source of blood vessels.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the application value of fractional bolus injection of a contrast agent combined with double-layer detector spectral CT 50 keV virtual monoenergetic imaging (VMI) in combined imaging of computed tomography urography (CTU) and aortic CT angiography (CTA). Methods: The experimental group included 32 patients who underwent spectral CTU with a Philips IQon dual-layer detector at Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, between March and April 2024. Using fractional bolus injection of a contrast agent and bolus tracking technology, the conventional 120 kVp mixed energy image was reconstructed after scanning for group A1; the 50 keV VMI obtained by spectral reconstruction was group A2. The control group included 32 patients who underwent CTU examination between December 2023 and March 2024 using the same equipment, and the contrast agent split bolus and group injection tracking techniques were used. After scanning, the conventional 120 kVp mixed energy image was reconstructed for group B. The objective evaluation included the CT value, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the abdominal aorta and bilateral renal arteries, which were compared among the three groups. The Kruskal–Wallis and Nemenyi tests were used to compare the average CT values of the initial, middle, and lower parts of the ureter. Wilcoxon test was used to compare the effective radiation dose between the experimental and control groups. Subjective evaluation was performed by two senior radiologists on the three groups of CTU and CTA images using the 4- and 3-point methods, respectively. The consistency of the subjective scores of the two radiologists was analyzed using the Kappa test. Results: Among the objective evaluation indices, there were statistically significant differences among groups A2, A1, and B. There was a significant difference in the SNR of the bilateral renal arteries between groups A1 and B. The effective radiation dose of the experimental group was 15.1% lower than that of the control group, which was significantly different. There was no significant difference in the subjective evaluation of the CTA and CTU images among the three groups. The consistency of the CTA and CTU image scoring results between the two physicians was excellent and good, respectively. Conclusion: If CTU examination was performed by fractional injection of a contrast agent, fusion images of the urinary system and aorta were obtained, which not only had a clear anatomical relationship and the same image quality, but also reduced the effective radiation dose. The 50keV virtual monoenergetic image obtained by spectral reconstruction optimizes the image quality of CTU and CTA and has clinical value.

Accurate measurements of electron density and effective atomic number are essential for precise imaging diagnosis and dose estimation in the multiparametric functional analysis of dual-energy computed tomography (CT). This paper provides a review of research progress pertaining to different dual-energy imaging modalities of CT for measuring electron density and effective atomic number accurately. Its aim is to offer a reference for improving the accuracy of imaging diagnosis and treatment planning.

Objective: To explore the diagnostic value of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) combined with standardized iodine concentration (NIC) for assessing the degree of lower-extremity artery stent stenosis. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 32 patients with 48 stents who underwent dual-energy lower-extremity CTA at our hospital between January 2020 and June 2024. All patients underwent DSA within one week of CTA. Dual-energy data were reconstructed into five sets of virtual monochromatic images from 50～90 keV with 10 keV intervals, along with one set of optimum contrast (OCM) images. The CT, SD, CNR, SNR, and NIC values within the stent lumen were measured and compared, and subjective image quality evaluations were performed. The diagnostic accuracy of DECT for lumen stenosis rate and in-stent restenosis (ISR) was evaluated using DSA as the gold standard. Results: The SNR and CNR values were highest at 50 keV, gradually decreasing as the monochromatic energy level increased. The SNR and CNR values of the OCM and 60 keV groups were slightly lower than those of the 50 keV group, though were not significantly different. There were significant differences in the subjective evaluation scores among the six groups. The OCM (4.23±0.89) and 60 keV (4.19±0.64) groups had the highest scores but were not significantly different. Compared with DSA, DECT had moderate consistency in diagnosing lumen stenosis rate and ISR (kappa=0.563 and 0.654, respectively). DECT combined with NIC showed good consistency in ISR diagnosis (kappa=0.830). The NIC values were 1.02±0.14 for no significant stenosis, 0.73±0.14 for ISR, and 0.18±0.09 for occlusive lesions. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of the combined diagnosis were 94.11%, 85.71%, 94.11%, 85.71%, and 91.66%, respectively. Conclusion: DECT reconstructed at 60 keV and OCM images were best for assessing lower-extremity artery stent stenosis. Combining quantitative analysis with NIC can improve the accuracy of grading stent lumen stenosis and judging ISR, which has high diagnostic value.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the value of monoenergetic imaging using dual-layer spectral detector computed tomography (CT) for dacryocystography. Methods: Dacryocystography was performed in patients with clinically suspected lacrimal duct obstruction using a Philips IQon dual-layer spectral detector CT. The objective evaluation included the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of each monoenergetic image, subjective rating of image quality, and the site and degree of lacrimal duct obstruction. Results: The SNR and CNR of 50 keV images was 9.76±13.44 and 10.24±13.88, respectively, which were significantly lower than that of 70~200 keV images. The subjective scores for 50 keV and conventional image quality were (5, 5) and (4, 5), respectively, indicating good consistency in subjective scores among radiologists. Conclusion: The SNR and CNR of CT dacryocystography increased significantly at 50 keV.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of virtual non-calcium imaging using dual-energy computed tomography (CT) for acute sacrococcygeal injuries diagnosed by radiologists with varying levels of experience. Methods: A prospective study was employed and 29 patients presenting with acute coccygeal pain due to trauma between November 2021 and January 2024, involving a total of 174 vertebrae (145 sacral, 29 coccygeal), were enrolled. Both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and DECT data were acquired. Three radiologists with 1, 4, and 10 years of experience analyzed conventional CT and VNCa color-coded images, using MRI as the reference standard. Results: Following the application of VNCa imaging, the inter-rater agreement among the three radiologists significantly improved, with Kappa values increasing from 0.452, 0.615, and 0.735 to 0.775, 0.825, and 0.897, respectively. Diagnostic accuracy also notably increased to 92.5%, 94.3%, and 96.6% for the three radiologists, with no statistically significant differences observed among them. Quantitative analysis revealed an average VNCa CT value of (−84.2±20.3) HU for normal bone marrow and (−37.4±18.8) HU for bone marrow edema, showing a significant difference between the two. Using MRI as the reference standard, the area under the curve for distinguishing normal bone marrow from BME based on VNCa CT values was 0.962, with an optimal cutoff of −57.1 HU, yielding a sensitivity and specificity of 91.9％ and 90.2％, respectively. Conclusion: DECT VNCa imaging significantly enhances the diagnostic efficacy of radiologists with varying levels of experience in acute coccygeal injury assessment, particularly benefiting less-experienced physicians. VNCa CT values contribute substantially to diagnostic accuracy in this context.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the feasibility of applying dual-layer detector spectral computed tomography (DLCT) virtual non-contrast (VNC) technology in pediatric enhanced chest CT examinations. Methods: Retrospective analysis was conducted on the enhanced chest CT imaging data and clinical information of 51 children who underwent DLCT scanning at Wuhan Union Hospital. The same processing protocol was applied to each original image. VNC images were obtained using projection space spectral reconstruction from the venous phase spectral base images (SBI) and compared with true non-contrast (TNC) images regarding image quality and radiation dose. Two radiologists measured the CT and SD values of the pulmonary artery trunk, aorta trunk, erector spinae, lung tissue, and subcutaneous fat of the chest wall on image sets, calculating the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). Non-contrast, arterial, and venous phase radiation doses were recorded. Subjective image quality scores were assigned using a 5-point Likert scale, and inter-observer consistency was assessed with the Kappa test. The Mann–Whitney U test compared subjective scores, while the paired t-test was used for objective image quality and radiation dose analyses. Results: Objective evaluation of image quality showed no significant statistical differences between the SNR, CNR, and subjective scores of both groups. The median subjective image scores for TNC and VNC were 4 points. The DLP and ED values of the VNC group (298.14±119.40) mGy·cm, (4.27±1.34) mSv were significantly lower than those of the TNC group (437.31±178.28) mGy·cm, (6.26±2.00) mSv. The DLP and ED of the VNC group reduced by 31.82％ and 31.79％, respectively, compared to the TNC group. Conclusion: Spectral CT virtual non-contrast (VNC) images as a substitute for conventional non-contrast (TNC) images in pediatric enhanced chest scans offers satisfactory diagnostic image quality and can significantly reduce radiation dose.

Ascertaining the curvature attributes of fault systems depends on the partial derivative, which is easily disturbed by noise. Therefore, an edge-preserving de-noising filter is used to preprocess seismic data, effectively improving the signal-to-noise ratio and maintaining information on the edge structure. On this basis, multi-scale curvature analysis is realized by using multi-scale operators in a time–frequency–wavenumber domain. This attribute fully considers the complexity of geological structure and fault distribution characteristics. Small-scale curvature attributes can better represent subtle changes in geological structure, which is conducive to avoiding risk faults in the oilfield development phase. Large-scale curvature attributes are conducive to the macro analysis of fault distribution characteristics, which plays an important role in regional exploration. The multi-scale curvature method has been well applied to fault interpretation in the Bohai K Oilfield and has proven beneficial to the drilling of oilfield development wells.

To understand the effects of fractured formation on the responses of array sonic logging, the wave propagation of array acoustic logging was simulated based on the staggered grid finite difference method and poroelastic theory. Methods of velocity dispersion analysis and attenuation estimation were carried out on simulated sonic waveforms, and the differences of velocity dispersion and wave amplitude attenuation among these wave modes were summarized. First, the velocity-stress equation in cylindrical coordinates was deduced for the Biot poroelastic model. Next, the velocity-stress wave equation was discretized by using the staggered grid finite difference method. Furthermore, the higher order finite difference format and nearly perfect match layer (NPML) were adopted to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the finite difference method. Finally, simulated sonic waveforms in formation models with a tilted fracture zone and collapsed interval were applied to the velocity dispersion analysis by using forward and back amplitudes and the phase estimation method. The results show that the time difference of the P and S wave field in the low-velocity fracture zone increases and that the attenuation amplitude changes with the dip angle of the fracture zone. The attenuation of Stoneley waves and pseudo-Rayleigh waves is enhanced when the shaft collapse expands in the radial and axial directions. The time difference of acoustic waves, velocity dispersion, and amplitude attenuation can reflect the characteristics of the fracture zone, which is of great significance to the evaluation and development of fractured reservoirs.

Objective: To investigate the value of combining a deep learning image reconstruction algorithm and an energy spectral single-energy technique to improve the image quality of the thoracic aorta with a low contrast agent flow rate. Materials and Methods: The imaging data of 50 patients with thoracic aorta energy spectral CTA scans with contrast agent flow rate ≤1.5 mL/s from January 2016 to December 2023 at Fujian Medical University Union Hospital were retrospectively analyzed and whose thoracic aorta enhancement was insufficient (thoracic aorta CT value 50 keV>60 keV>120 kVp-like images. There was no statistically significant difference in the thoracic aortic CT values between the different reconstruction algorithms for the same type/energy level. SD, SNR, CNR, and BHA values were 40 keV>50 keV>60 keV>120 kVp-like images, respectively, and SD and BHA values were ASIR-V40%>DLIR-M>DLIR-H. The SNR and CNR of all the DLIR images (DLIR-M/H) at different energy levels were higher than those of the ASIR-V images. For subjective scoring, at the same energy level, DLIR-H>DLIR-M>ASIR-V, and under the same reconstruction algorithm: 40 keV>50 keV>60 keV>120 kVp-like. All differences were statistically significant. All cases could obtain successful diagnostic images through 40 keV-DLIR-H. Conclusion: Spectral single-energy images combined with deep learning reconstruction algorithms can provide objective parameters that meet the diagnostic needs of thoracic aorta CT images with a poor enhancement effect under a low contrast agent flow rate while significantly improving the overall image quality.

Objective: Discuss the value of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in post-processing head and carotid artery CTA images and diagnosing head and carotid artery stenosis. Methods: The imaging data of 42 patients who all underwent head and neck CTA and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) of head and carotid arteries from November 2022 to October 2023 at our hospital were retrospectively collected. Image post-processing and diagnosis were divided into AI and manual groups to compare the differences in image post-processing time and subjective scores of image quality and identification of head and carotid artery plaque properties (calcified plaque, non-calcified plaque and mixed plaque) between the two groups. To compare the differences in sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of the two groups in diagnosing head and neck artery stenosis, using DSA results as the gold standard, and to perform the Kappa test for consistency between the two groups’ diagnostic results and DSA results. The diagnostic efficacy of the AI and manual groups on the head and carotid artery stenosis was analyzed by subject operator characteristic curve (ROC) and compared by Z-test. Results: The post-processing and diagnostic time in the AI group was (366.48±18.54) s, which was approximately 71.65% shorter than that in the manual group (1291.63±52.27) s. The difference was statistically significant. The difference between the subjective scores of image quality obtained by the two methods was not statistically significant. A total of 145 head and neck artery plaques were identified in the manual group and 145 in the AI group, of which 141 plaques of different nature were accurately identified in the AI group, with an overall accuracy rate of 97.24% (141/145). There was no statistically significant difference between the AI group and the manual group for identifying calcified plaque, non-calcified plaque and mixed plaque in the head and carotid arteries, and the agreement between the two groups for identifying the nature of plaque was good (Kappa=0.845). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of the AI group in diagnosing head and neck artery stenosis were 87.09% (27/31), 81.82% (9/11), 93.10% (27/29), 69.23% (9/13) and 85.71% (36/42), respectively, which were in good agreement with DSA in diagnosing head and neck artery stenosis (Kappa= 0.792). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of the manual group in diagnosing head and neck artery stenosis were 90.32% (28/31), 81.82% (9/11), 93.33% (28/30), 75.00% (9/12) and 88.10% (37/42), respectively, which were in good agreement with DSA in diagnosing head and neck artery stenosis (Kappa=0.801), and the difference in diagnostic efficacy was not statistically significant in either group. The results of the ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) for the diagnosis of head and neck artery stenosis was 0.845 and 0.861 in the AI and manual groups, respectively, with no significant difference. Conclusion: AI technology has high clinical value in time spent on post-processing head and neck CTA images, assessing head and neck artery stenosis and identifying the nature of carotid plaque, and can be used as a useful aid for physicians in analyzing and diagnosing head and neck CTA.

With the popularization of high-resolution thin-layer CT, the detection rate of early asymptomatic lung cancer that manifests as solitary pulmonary nodules has significantly increased. The differentiation of benign from malignant nodules and histopathological classification are the keys to and challenges of clinical diagnoses, the accuracy of which is of great significance for treatment decision-making. Traditional CT evaluates nodules based on their size, density, and morphological characteristics with single modal imaging. Dual-energy CT achieves material separation based on attenuation differences in the same tissue at two different energy levels, which allows CT imaging to evolve from a single-parameter to multi-parameter measurements. This not only provides more valuable information for the early and accurate diagnosis of nodules but also facilitates measurements of tumor progression and heterogeneity. In addition, the combination of radiomics based on artificial intelligence and multi-parameter images by dual-energy CT has shown great potential in diagnosis, and the related investigations are in exploratory stages. This review will cover the application of dual-energy CT in the diagnosis of solitary pulmonary nodules, with a focus on the meaning of multi-parameter images for the ccurate diagnosis of pulmonary nodules. Further, the future directions of this diagnostic imaging technique are discussed as well.

Objective: This study aimed to systematically measure and analyze the radiation dose distribution in the abdomen and specific areas of interest on the body surface during abdominal CT scans using a dose simulation phantom, providing relevant data to assess patient radiation risks and to develop personalized radiation protection strategies. Methods: The study simulated routine clinical abdominal CT using a dose simulation phantom. Forty-two tissue detection points and eight surface points on the phantom were selected to represent major organs in the trunk and key areas of concern on the body surface. RGD-3B thermoluminescence was used to measure the dose level of the main organs and key parts of the body surface. Results: Experimental data from the dose simulation phantom were analyzed and indicated that the stomach received the highest radiation dose at 15.9 mGy, followed by the kidneys and pancreas, at 15.7 mGy and 14.4 mGy, respectively. The doses for the adrenal glands, gallbladder, and left lobe of the liver were 14.3, 13.2, and 12.9 mGy, respectively. All other areas received doses < 6.9 mGy. Surface area dose measurements showed that the left and right eye lens received a dose of 0.017 and 0.029 mGy, respectively. The dose for the thyroid was 0.062 mGy and 0.057 mGy on the left and right sides, respectively. The doses to the left and right breasts were 1.71 mGy and 1.58 mGy, respectively. The gonads received doses of 0.145 mGy and 0.090 mGy on the left and right sides, respectively. The skin entry dose at the lower edge of the breast, which is near the skin during CT scans, was between 1 and 2 mGy. Conclusion: During abdominal CT, the stomach, kidneys, and pancreas received the highest radiation doses. Although the radiation dose of sensitive areas on the body surface is lower, that in the thyroid, gonads, and lens remain higher than that in other surface tissues. These findings suggest that workers may need further protection in specific high-dose areas to reduce potential radiation hazards.

In this paper, a Hough transform method based on image gradient featured extraction is proposed to eliminate the ring artifacts of CT scanning system. Firstly, we use the gradient featured cluster analysis of the polar coordinate image to preliminary select the reconstructed image data. Then the Hough transform is adopted to detect the lines of the recombined data. When the artifacts in the original image are mapped out, the linear artifacts in the polar coordinate image are eliminated by interpolation. Then we can purposefully eliminate the ring artifacts in the reconstructed image. Simulation and experimental results show that with the image gradient featured cluster analysis, the effective number of detected artifact lines is greatly increased, the ring artifacts, arc artifacts and cluster artifacts in the central area of the reconstructed images are effectively removed, and the erroneous detection of lines by traditional Hough transform method is greatly reduced.

BackgroundMercury, as a global heavy metal pollutant, poses a serious threat to human health. The toxicity of mercury depends on its chemical form. Distinguishing the forms of mercury in the environment is of great significance for mercury management and reducing human mercury exposure risks. ObjectiveTo establish a non-targeted metallomics method based on synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence (SRXRF) spectroscopy combined with machine learning to screen inorganic mercury (IHg) or methylmercury (MeHg) exposed rice plants. MethodsRice seeds were exposed to ultra-pure water (control group), 0.1 mg·L−1 IHg (IHg group) or MeHg (MeHg group) solutions, respectively. After germination, the seedlings were cultured for 21 d, and rice leaves were collected, dried, weighed, and pressed. The content of metallome in rice leaves was determined by SRXRF. Machine learning models including soft independent modeling cluster analysis (SIMCA), partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), and logistic regression (LR) were used to classify the SRXRF full spectra of different groups and find the best model to distinguish rice exposed to IHg or MeHg. Besides, characteristic elements were selected as input parameters to optimize the model by improving computing speed and reducing model calculation. ResultsThe SRXRF spectral intensities of the control group, IHg group, and MeHg group were different, indicating that exposure to IHg and MeHg can interfere the homeostasis of metallome in rice leaves. The results of principal component analysis (PCA) of SRXRF spectra showed that the control group could be well distinguished from the mercury exposed groups, but the IHg group and the MeHg group were mostly overlapped. The accuracy rates of the three models (PLS-DA, SIMCA, and LR) were higher than 98% for the training set, higher than 95% for the validation set, and higher than 94% for the cross-validation set. Besides, the accuracy of the LR model was higher than that of the PLS-DA model and the SIMCA model. Furthermore, the accuracy was 92.05% when using characteristic elements K, Ca, Mn, Fe, and Zn selected by LR to distinguish the IHg group and the MeHg group. Compared with the full spectra model, although the prediction accuracy of the characteristic spectral model decreased, the input parameters of the model decreased by 99.51%, and precision, recall, and F1 score were above 84.48%, indicating that the model could distinguish rice exposed to different mercury forms. ConclusionNon-targeted metallomics method based on SRXRF and machine learning can be applied for high-throughput screening of rice exposed to different forms of mercury and thus decrease the risks of people being exposed to mercury.

The health effects associated with environmental pollutants remain one of the major public health issues at present. The research method focusing on the population as the research subjects is limited by reliable cohorts, and the research method targeting individual molecules cannot fully reflect the biological health effects under environmental pollutant stress. Using high-throughput multi-omics, machine learning, and epigenetic detection to conduct targeted research and joint analysis on cells, organoids, organs, animals, and humans in different biological dimensions will help provide data support for the study of potential targets and biological effects of environmental pollutants, providing a theoretical basis for the risk assessment and safety evaluation of environmental pollutants.

BackgroundThe population with diabetes in China is increasing year by year. Current research has found that either air pollution or temperature has an impact on the occurrence and development of diabetes, but the interaction between the two is unclear yet. ObjectiveTo investigate the effects and the lag effects of air pollutants and temperature on the risk of hospital admission for type 2 diabetes in Hefei, Anhui Province from 2016 to 2019, as well as to verify potential interaction between air pollutants and temperature. MethodsThis study collected hospital admission data for patients with type 2 diabetes from a tertiary hospital in Hefei, Anhui Province, and the corresponding monitoring data on air pollutants and meteorological factors from 2016 to 2019. Firstly, a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) was used to explore the effects of air pollutants and temperature on the risk of hospital admission for type 2 diabetes. Subsequently, a bivariate response surface model was used to explore potential interaction between temperature and various pollutants on frequency of hospital admission due to diabetes. Temperature was further divided into lower, medium, and higher levels by percentiles during the study period, and the potential interaction between air pollutants and temperature strata were verified . ResultsAfter controlling long-term trend, seasonal trend, holiday effect, and day of the week effect, the results of single pollutant models showed that for every 10 μg·m−3 increase in fine particulate matter (PM2.5), inhalable particulate matter (PM10), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), the relative risk (RR) values for hospital admission due to type 2 diabetes were 1.032 (95%CI: 1.021, 1.043), 1.018 (95%CI: 1.008, 1.026), and 1.037 (95%CI: 1.016, 1.058), respectively; for every 1 mg·m−3 increase in carbon monoxide (CO), the RR value for hospital admission due to type 2 diabetes was 1.319 (95%CI: 1.163, 1.495); the increases in sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), and daily average temperature showed no statistically significant impact on hospital admission due to type 2 diabetes. The results of bivariate response surface models suggested that daily average temperature and various pollutant levels spontaneously affected the risk of hospital admission for type 2 diabetes, but the stratified analysis did not find significant differences in the effect of PM2.5 on the risk of hospital admission due to type 2 diabetes across different temperature strata. ConclusionIncreases in the concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and CO elevate the risk of hospital admission for type 2 diabetes. This study could not confirm the interactions between daily average temperature and various pollutants.

BackgroundFormaldehyde is a toxic gas. Automatic iodine analyzer is a high-throughput automatic instrument for measuring water and urine iodine, but at present, there is a lack of its application in the determination for air formaldehyde. ObjectiveTo develop a high-throughput method for air formaldehyde determination with an automated iodine analyzer. MethodsThe formaldehyde in the air was collected with an atmospheric sampler, and 1.0 mL of working curve solution, standard solution, and sample solution were loaded to an automated iodine analyzer. Solution resting time and instrumental parameters, including detection wavelength, sample needle depth, and regent2 (R2) reaction time were optimized. Finally, the method was validated by precision, detection and quantification limits, and spiked recovery. Four different concentrations of standard substance solutions and 10 air samples were collected for comparison between manual measurement method and high-throughput fully automated detection method. ResultsThe final optimized conditions in this study were: 2 h and above resting time for prepared solution, and the optimal parameters of the instrument work were: detection wavelength at 660 nm, sample needle depth at 2800, and R2 reaction time at 900 s. Under the optimized conditions the linear equation of the method was optical density(D) =0.9787 × formaldehyde concentration (C) − 0.0364 and the correlation coefficient was 1.0000. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were 0.015 μg·mL−1 and 0.052 μg·mL−1 , respectively. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the intra-day precision experiments were 1.35% and 1.18% for the two different concentrations of standard sample solutions. The RSDs of the inter-day precision experiments were 1.82% and 1.50%, respectively. The recoveries ranged from 96.8% to 107.4%. The results produced by spectrophotometry and automated detection method in the comparison study were identical, and the measurements of selected four concentrations of standard solutions were within the uncertainty range. ConclusionThe method established in this study features small solvent dosage, fully automated high throughput, comparable sensitivity to the national standard method, high accuracy, and inter-day and intra-day precision with a recovery rate above 96%. It can provide strong technical support for the determination of air formaldehyde.

BackgroundGastric carcinogenesis is a multifactorial and complex process, in which long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles as oncogenes or antioncogenes. Research has found that the expression of lncRNA LINC02859 is down-regulated in gastric cancer tissues and correlated with the degree of tumor differentiation and TNM stage, and also plays an important role in the development of malignant transformation of cells induced by environmental carcinogen N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), but its mechanism of action is still unclear. ObjectiveTo explore the role and potential regulatory mechanism of gastric cancer-associated lncRNA LINC02859 in MNNG-induced malignant transformation of human normal gastric mucosal cells (GES-1). MethodsA total of 110 gastric cancer patients from a high incidence area of gastric cancer in Gansu Province were selected, and their cancer tissues and normal gastric mucosa tissues adjacent to the cancer were collected to detect the expression level of LINC02859 by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). High-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analysis of the tissues were used to identify the potential signaling pathways regulated by the genes co-expressed with LINC02859. GES-1 cells at 70%-80% cell fusion with low cell passage number and normal morphology were incubated with 0, 0.25 and 0.5 μmol·L−1 MNNG solution for 48 h and the LINC02859 expression level was detected. Cell proliferation activity was detected by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), clone formation was detected by plate clone formation assay, and cell migration ability was detected by scratch assay to evaluate the effects of MNNG on cell morphology and function. The expression levels of key proteins of Wnt signaling pathway were detected by RT-qPCR and Western blotting. Results The RT-qPCR results showed that LINC02859 was lowly expressed in the gastric cancer tissues compared with the paracancerous tissues, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The pathway enrichment analysis showed that LINC02859 potentially regulated the Wnt pathway. The in vitro malignant transformation assay suggested that after the MNNG exposure, the malignant cells of passage 5 (MC-5) had altered morphology, increased number of colony formation, and higher proliferation and migration ability than the control cells; compared with the normal GES-1 cells, LINC02859 gene expression levels were reduced in the 0.25 μmol·L−1 and the 0.5 μmol·L−1 MNNG-exposed GES-1 cells; the expression levels of key proteins of the Wnt pathway, transcription factor 7 (TCF7), Axis inhibitor (Axin1), phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (p-GSK-3β), casein kinase 1 (CK1), and β-catenin, were elevated in the cells after 0.5 μmol·L−1 MNNG exposure (P < 0.05); whereas, overexpression of LINC02859 suppressed the activating effect of MNNG on the Wnt pathway. ConclusionLINC02859 is lowly expressed in the cancer tissues of gastric cancer patients. MNNG exposure induces morphological and functional changes in GES-1 cells, down-regulated expression of LINC02859, and activation of the Wnt signaling pathway; overexpression of LINC02859 inhibits the activation of the Wnt signaling pathway in the gastric carcinogenesis induced by MNNG exposure.

BackgroundInjury is a major public health issue, and studying the correlation between temperature and injury in the context of climate change is of great significance for injury prevention and control.ObjectiveTo analyze the association between temperature and the volume of emergency medical service response due to injury in Chengdu. MethodsUsing a retrospective ecological study design, weather data in Chengdu were collected from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2023 from Chengdu Meteorological Office, including daily average temperature, daily average relative humidity, average wind speed, average pressure, sunshine, and rainfall. Emergency medical service data were collected from an emergency medical service center in Chengdu. A distributional lag non-linear model was conducted to calculate the association between temperature and volume of emergency medical service response due to injury, and gender- and age-stratified analyses were followed to identify susceptible groups. ResultsOverall 219685 incidents of emergency medical service dispatching due to injury were collected during the study period. The top three injury causes were traffic accident (90765, 41.32%), poisoning (44101, 20.07%), and falling (44046, 20.05%). When daily average temperature exceeded 17.9 ℃, as the temperature rised, the volume of emergency medical service response for injury increased. In terms of the single-day lag effect, the risk of emergency medical service response for injury elevated on lag1 and persisted until lag6, the maximum daily effectwas observed on lag2, lag3 and lag4, and their relative risks associated with every 1℃ higher above 17.9 ℃ were both 1.08 times, 95%CIs were (1.03, 1.14), (1.04, 1.12), and (1.04, 1.16) respectively. Both men and women were susceptible to temperature, but on the same lag day, the men's RR value was higher than the women's. There was no statistical difference in the lag effect of temperature on the 0-17 age group; the lag effect on the 18-44 age group appeared on lag1, and lasted to lag6; that for the 45-64 age group appeared on lag1, and lasted to lag4; that for the 65 age group and over was only on lag 3 (RR: 1.05, 95%CI: 1.00, 1.10). ConclusionAs the temperature rises, the volume of emergency medical service response due to injury is increased in Chengdu. In particular, the associated impact is significant on males and people aged 18-44 years old.

BackgroundWith the events reporting on odors in drinking water, odorous substances in water have become a hot topic in water quality analysis. Due to the low concentration of the odor threshold and the complexity of the odor components in water, it is difficult to make accurate qualitative and quantitative analysis. So it is necessary to develop a highly sensitive and accurate qualitative and quantitative analysis method. ObjectiveTo establish a method for simultaneous determination of four odorous substances, including dimethyl disulfide, dimethyl trisulfide, 2-methylisoborneol, and geosmin in water by purge and trap-gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. MethodsA certain amount of water sample was stored in the sample vial of a purge and trapinstrument. Through nitrogen purging, the odorous substances in water were purged out and enriched in the trap. Subsequently, the odorous substances were rapidly released at high temperatures after heating the trap, and then carried by carrier gas into gas chromatograph. After temperature programming, the substances were separated by an Agilent DB-624 capillary chromatographic column (30 m×0.25 mm, 1.4 μm) and determined by tandem mass spectrometry in multiple reaction monitoring modes, with internal standard method for quantification. The current project optimized purge time, sodium chloride concentration in water sample, desorption temperature, desorption time, and split ratio during the experimental process. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the standard curve, detection limit, and quantification limit were validated. Recovery tests with spiking concentrations of 5.0, 10.0, 30.0, 80.0 ng·L−1 and precision tests were conducted on water samples. Finally, the established method was applied to detect odorous substances in source water, finished water, and pipeline water in Deqing County of Huzhou City. ResultAfter the optimization, the purge time was 20 min, the desorption temperature was 280 ℃, the desorption time was 2 min, the split ratio was 10∶1, and no sodium chloride was added during the purge process. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the calibration curves for the four odorous substances showed an excellent linearity in the range of 1 to 100 ng·L−1 (R>0.999), with 0.3 ng·L−1 limit of detection and 1.0 ng·L−1 limit of quantitation. The average recoveries were from 85.5% to 102.4% and relative standard deviations (RSD) from 1.6% to 5.2%. After applying this method to detect local source water, finished water, and pipeline water, it was found that the positive rates of 2-methylisoborneo, and geosmin were relatively high, while the positive rates of dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide were relatively low. Only one sample of source water tested positive for dimethyl disulfide, and all samples were negative for dimethyl trisulfide. ConclusionCombined with the superiority of purge and trap and tandem mass spectrometry, the method has the advantages of easy to perform, strong anti-interference ability, good accuracy and precision, which meet the limit requirements of the four odorous substances in the expanded indices and reference indices of Hygienic standards for drinking water (GB 5749-2022). It also provides technical support for water quality assessment and analysis of odorous substances.

BackgroundThe effects of meteorological factors and air pollutants on ischemic heart disease (IHD) hospitalizations in Urumqi have not been fully understood. ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of meteorological conditions (temperature, relative humidity) and common air pollutants [fine particulate matter (PM2.5), inhalable particulate matter (PM10), ozone (O3), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and carbon monoxide (CO)] on the daily hospitalization volume of IHD, and to provide a scientific basis for the development of targeted prevention and management strategies. MethodsBasic information of 90622 IHD hospitalized patients in Urumqi City was collected from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2022, and daily air pollutant concentration data and meteorological data were collected during the same period. The meteorological data included daily mean temperature, daily maximum temperature, daily minimum temperature, and daily mean relative humidity, and the common air pollutants included PM2.5, PM10, daily maximum 8-h average concentration of O3 (O3_8 h), SO2, NO2, and CO. Descriptive statistical analyses (mean, standard deviation, and quartiles) were performed on the collected data. A distribution lag nonlinear model (DLNM) based on time-stratified case-crossover design was established to estimate the lagged effects (RR) as well as the cumulative lagged effects (RRcum) of daily mean temperature, relative humidity, and different air pollutants on the number of IHD admissions, stratified by gender and age (1, P

BackgroundPrevious research on chlorinated paraffins (CPs) in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has predominantly focused on short- and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs and MCCPs), and few studies could simultaneously determine short-, medium-, and long-chain chlorinated paraffins (LCCPs). Simultaneous extraction and determination of SCCPs, MCCPs, and LCCPs in PM2.5 could provide technical support for their environmental monitoring and human health risk assessment.ObjectiveTo establish a method based on QUEChERS pretreatment method in conjunction with ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry for simultaneously determining the levels of SCCPs, MCCPs, and LCCPs in PM2.5. MethodsThe extraction solvents, extraction salts, and extraction steps of a QuEChERS method were optimized. The extraction efficiencies of the target substances were compared under 4 extraction solvents [acetonitrile, dichloromethane, and n-hexane solvents in sequence; acetonitrile: dichloromethane: n-hexane = 1: 1: 2 (v/v/v) mixed solvent; 1% acetic acid-acetonitrile: dichloromethane: n-hexane = 1: 1: 1 (v/v/v) mixed solvent; acetonitrile: dichloromethane: n-hexane = 1: 1: 1 (v/v/v) mixed solvent], 2 dehydrated salts (anhydrous MgSO4+NaCl and anhydrous Na2SO4+NaCl), 2 purification salts (C18 and PSA), and 4 vortex time (5, 7.5, 10, and 12.5 min) conditions. Then internal standard was utilized to estimate linear range and detection limit of the refined QuEChERS approach. ResultsThe linearities of SCCPs, MCCPs, and LCCPs were good in the range of 10~1000 ng·mL−1 with the correlation coefficients all greater than 0.96. The method detection limits (MDLs) ranged from 0.01 to 0.29 ng·m−3. The spiked recoveries of SCCPs, MCCPs, and LCCPs at the low, medium, and high concentrations were 77.38%-81.64%, 93.11%-99.78%, and 87.41%-101.39%, respectively, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) were 2.90%-12.84%. This method was used to determine the CPs levels in 11 PM2.5 samples from Shijiazhuang. The positive rates of ∑SCCPs, ∑MCCPs, and ∑LCCPs were all 100%, the concentration ranges were 0.24-2.18 ng·m−3 (mean 0.84 ng·m−3), 0.17-1.67 ng·m−3 (mean 0.70 ng·m−3), and 0.01-0.16 ng·m−3 (mean 0.04 ng·m−3), respectively, and the percentages to ΣCPs were 52.95%, 44.39%, and 2.66%, respectively. ConclusionThe method established in this study is simple, time-saving, solvent saving, and can simultaneously detect SCCPs, MCCPs, and LCCPs in PM2.5, which is suitable for the determination of PM2.5 samples in large quantities, and can also provide a reference for the detection methods of other halogenated organic compounds in PM2.5.

BackgroundA large body of cross-sectional studies have indicated a correlation between exposure to benzene series and increased rates of menstrual abnormalities in female workers, but these findings are confusing as evidence in the field of preventive medicine. ObjectiveTo provide a more rigorous scientific basis for early prevention of reproductive function impairment through systematic review of independent studies. MethodsA comprehensive search was conducted for scientific articles published between January 1987 and July 2022, encompassing databases such as PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, and CQVIP. A meta-analysis was conducted on literature that met the stringent criteria for case-control studies, featuring well-defined and consistent datasets. A meticulous investigation was executed to ascertain the collective odds ratio (OR) linked to menstrual abnormalities, encompassing diverse categories such as component, dosage, cumulative exposure dosage, and age groups. The prevalence and corresponding risk fractions were estimated by calculating frequency distributions and attributing risk percentages (AR). ResultsA total of 53 papers of case-control studies were included in the meta-analysis, involving 27068 benzene series-exposed female workers and 22857 control female workers. During inhalation exposure to benzene series, benzene, toluene, and xylene all increased the risk of female menstrual abnormalities (OR=3.46, 95%CI: 2.79, 4.30, AR=29.37%). The OR value elevated with the increase of joint exposure concentration (OR=2.57-4.33), the OR value of the low cumulative exposure group was lower than that of the high cumulative exposure group (OR=2.81 vs 3.86, P < 0.01), and the OR value of the group aged 18 to 36 years old was higher than that of the group aged 18 to 45 years old (OR=5.83 vs 2.93, P < 0.01). The OR value discrepancy was apparent among the groups with single and multi-components of benzene, toluene, and xylene at different concentrations (OR=2.39-6.42, 95%CI: 1.26, 9.06). The symptom dimensions of menstrual abnormalities with a higher AR were abnormal menstrual volume (AR=47.12%), followed by abnormal menstrual cycle (AR=38.68%). The symptoms that were greatly influenced by the exposures were: irregular menstrual cycle (OR=3.33, 95%CI: 2.94, 3.79, AR=51.25%, n=1103), menorrhagia (OR=3.02, 95%CI: 2.76, 3.30, AR=46.73%, n=2262), dysmenorrhea (OR=3.22, 95%CI: 2.69, 3.84, AR=44.18%, n=3183), and prolonged menstrual duration (OR=2.20, 95%CI: 1.99, 2.43, AR=37.02%, n=1452). Conclusion Through inhalation exposure to benzene series, a higher concentration of combined benzene, toluene, and xylenes may increase the risk of menstrual abnormalities in female workers of childbearing age. The OR value of menstrual abnormalities is varied by chemical composition, exposure dose, cumulative exposure dose, and age. Volume and cycle of menstruation are affected by the exposure, and the most common symptoms are dysmenorrhea, menorrhagia, irregular cycle.

BackgroundThe monitoring of external radiation individual doses for radiation workers is a statutory task and serves as an important basis for the diagnosis of occupational diseases in this occupational group. Ensuring the accuracy and reliability of monitoring data is crucial for safeguarding the health of radiation workers.ObjectiveTo evaluate and compare the capabilities and levels of external radiation individual dose monitoring conducted by radiation hygiene service institutions in Shanghai, to standardize relevant workflows, and to improve the accuracy and reliability of the monitoring service. MethodsFrom 2021 to 2023, annual intercomparisons of external radiation individual dose monitoring capabilities were organized for radiation hygiene service institutions in Shanghai. The study subjects were 19 to 21 radiation hygiene service institutions registered in Shanghai for each year and they all participated in the intercomparisons. The monitoring subjects included 16 district-level centers for disease control and prevention (CDCs) and 13 third-party testing agencies. Monitoring capabilities were analyzed based on single-group performance, comprehensive performance, and Q-value. In the intercomparison, a thermoluminescent dosimetry system was used to perform irradiation tests on thermoluminescence dosimeter [made of lithium fluoride (magnesium, copper, phosphorus), LiF (Mg, Cu, P)], and monitoring data for X-rays and γ-rays at different doses and radiation conditions were analyzed following a standard procedure specified by GBZ 207−2016. Statistical methods included t-test and Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, with statistical significance set at P0.05); there was no significant difference between the reported and reference values for γ-rays over the three years (P>0.05). ConclusionOver the past three years, the external radiation individual dose monitoring capability intercomparison results of radiation hygiene service institutions in Shanghai have shown that the pass rate remains at a high level, with the excellence rate increasing year by year. However, some institutions still need to improve their monitoring capabilities, and further cooperation among institutions and training for technical staff are needed to enhance the capabilities and standardization of external radiation individual dose monitoring in Shanghai.

BackgroundDibutyl phthalate (DBP) is one of the most commonly used plasticizers, and has been found to relate to allergic asthma. However, mechanisms behind the phenomenon linking DBP and allergic asthma are still not well comprehended. ObjectiveTo investigate the role of endoplasmic reticulum stress in DBP-exacerbated allergic asthma. MethodsThirty-two male mice were divided into four groups at random, eight mice in each group: control group, allergic asthma model group (ovalbumin, OVA), OVA+40 mg·kg−1 DBP exposure group (OVA+DBP), and OVA+40 mg·kg−1 DBP+50 mg·kg−1 4-phenyl butyric acid (4-PBA) group (OVA+DBP+4-PBA). The control group mice were treated with saline via intraperitoneal injection on day 21, 35, 42, and 49, and atomized saline for 30 min per day from day 54 to 60. The OVA group mice were injected with 0.3 mL OVA sensitizing solution via intraperitoneal injection on day 21, 35, 42, and 49, and atomized with 1% OVA solution from day 54 to 60. The OVA+DBP group was treated in the same way as the OVA group to build an allergic asthma model, and was orally exposed to 40 mg·kg−1 DBP from day 1 to 53, plus atomized with 1% OVA solution from day 54 to 60. In order to verify the role of endoplasmic reticulum stress in DBP-exacerbated allergic asthma, 4-PBA was injected intraperitoneally every 2 d from day 1 to 53 in the OVA+DBP+4-PBA group mice. The pathological changes such as airway remodeling, inflammatory cell infiltration, and airway mucous hyperplasia in lung tissues were observed after hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining. The contents of total immunoglobulin E (T-IgE) and ovalbumin immunoglobulin E (OVA-IgE) levels in serum, and interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-13, and IL-17A in alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were detected by Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay(ELISA). The expression levels of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins including inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α), protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK), and activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) were detected by immunohistochemistry. ResultsCompared to the control mice, the OVA mice showed significant asthma-like symptoms, including inflammatory cell infiltration, increased inflammatory cytokines, airway remodeling, and mucous hyperplasia. Compared to the OVA group, long-term exposure to DBP aggravated airway pathological changes in the OVA+DBP mice, and increased the serum T-IgE and OVA-IgE levels (P

BackgroundFine particulate matter (PM2.5) in ambient air is an important carrier of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and long-term inhalation of heavy metals and PAHs poses a potential threat to human health.ObjectiveTo analyze the ambient PM2.5 concentrations and the distribution characteristics and sources of heavy metals and PAHs in PM2.5 in an urban area of Taizhou City, aiming to provide basic data and a scientific basis for local air pollution management and population health prevention.MethodsFrom 9am to 8pm on the 10th to 16th of each month from 2017 to 2022 (23 h·d−1), a monitoring point was set up on the top floor of a building in the main urban area of Taizhou to collect PM2.5 samples (sampling flow rate: 2.3 m3·h−1) and measure its concentration. The characteristics of 12 heavy metals and 16 priority PAHs in PM2.5 were analyzed. The pollution sources of heavy metals and PAHs were determined by enrichment factor method and isomer characteristic ratio method, respectively.ResultsFrom 2017 to 2022, the average daily concentration of PM2.5 in this urban area ranged from 4 to 141 μg·m−3, and the median annual concentrations were lower than the national secondary standard limit. The seasonal concentration of PM2.5 was as follows: winter>spring>summer and autumn, and the difference was statistically significant (H=134.077, Pspring>autumn>summer, and the difference was statistically significant (H=231.387, P

BackgroundSome studies have found that exposure to heavy metals significantly increases the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and welding operators in automobile manufacturing enterprises are exposed to heavy metals in the working environment. ObjectiveTo analyze the prevalence and related factors of NAFLD in workers of an automobile company in Guangzhou. MethodsFrom January 1 of 2023 to December 31 of 2023, 5463 workers of an automobile company in Guangzhou who participated in the physical examination in the Occupational Health Surveillance Centre of Guangzhou Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment Hospital were selected as research subjects. The general data, laboratory examinations, B-ultrasound examinations, and other data of the subjects were obtained through the physical examination system. The exposed occupational hazards were identified based on the workplace hazard surveillance report provided by the automotive company. Logistic regression was used to analyze potential influencing factors of NAFLD, and stratified analysis was used to adjust confounding factors according to the stepwise model to evaluate the relationship between exposure to manganese and its inorganic compounds and NAFLD. ResultsA total of 2129 cases (38.97%) were reported positive NAFLD. The results of logistic regression analysis showed that women had a lower risk of NAFLD (OR=0.40, 95%CI: 0.25, 0.64), while age > 25 years old (OR=1.49, 95%CI: 1.39, 1.60), body mass index (BMI) ≥24 kg·m−2 (OR=7.54, 95%CI: 6.46, 8.79), and elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (OR=4.87, 95%CI: 3.73, 6.36), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GGT) (OR=1.54, 95%CI: 1.17, 2.02), triglyceride (TG) (OR=3.47, 95%CI: 2.92, 4.14), and fasting blood glucose (OR=1.70, 95%CI: 1.32, 2.20) associated with a higher risk of NAFLD. NAFLD was positive in 39.40% of heavy metal exposed workers (701/1779). NAFLD was positive in 45.19% of workers exposed to manganese and its inorganic compounds (169/374), and among workers over 34 years old, exposure to manganese and its inorganic compounds (OR=1.79, 95%CI: 1.07, 2.97) significantly increased the prevalence of NAFLD. ConclusionThe association between heavy metal exposure and NAFLD in workers of an automobile enterprise in Guangzhou is not significant, but age and gender are related to the prevalence of NAFLD. BMI, ALT, γ-GGT, TG, and fasting blood glucose are positively correlated with the prevalence of NAFLD. Exposure to manganese and its inorganic compounds in welding workers of the automobile enterprise is associated with elevated risk of the disease, and the prevalence of NAFLD is significantly increased in workers over 34 years old.

BackgroundDi(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is the highest consumed and the most widely used phthalic acid ester, their effects on lipid metabolism have attracted the attention of many scholars. However, the associated mechanism is still unclear.ObjectiveTo observe the effect of DEHP on lipid metabolism in rats, probe its possible mechanism, and provide a research basis for the effect of DEHP on human lipid metabolism.MethodsForty healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: solvent control (0 mg·kg−1 DEHP), low DEHP (187 mg·kg−1), medium DEHP (375 mg·kg−1), and high DEHP (750 mg·kg−1) groups. DEHP was administered by oral gavage for 6 d per week, consecutively 8 weeks. The rats were weighed once a week during the exposure period. At 24 h after the last exposure, the rats were anesthetized with 20% urethane and sacrificed by apical puncture. Rat livers were harvested and weighed before hematoxylin-eosin (HE) histopathological observation. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the mRNA levels of lipid metabolism-related genes Janus kinase 3 (JAK3), signal transducer and activator of transcription 5b (STAT5b), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) in liver, and Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of lipid metabolism-related proteins JAK3, STAT5b, and PPARγ in liver.ResultsCompared with the control group, there was no significant difference in the body weight gain of the rats in each group (P>0.05). The liver organ coefficients of the DEHP exposure groups were higher than that of the control group (P

Bladder cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the urinary system. There are a large number of bladder cancer patients globally, concentrated in the middle-aged and old-aged population, and some of them are first diagnosed with muscle invasive bladder cancer or metastatic bladder cancer, with a poor prognosis. In China, bladder cancer has become one of the most important tumors of the urinary system, with its incidence and mortality increasing year by year. The susceptibility of bladder cancer is affected by a combination of environmental and genetic factors, similar to the global trend. Smoking is considered to be one of the most important environmental risk factors for bladder cancer, which is closely related to the pathogenesis of bladder cancer and is one of the major public health problems in China. In terms of genetics, previous studies have shown that polymorphisms in cell cycle regulatory genes, tumor angiogenesis regulatory genes, DNA damage repair genes, and carcinogen metabolism enzyme regulatory genes can significantly affect the risk of bladder cancer in individuals. In recent years, with the development of environmental genomics research, the joint effect of smoking and gene variants on the susceptibility to bladder cancer has also received widespread attention. Exploring the joint effects will help to identify potential susceptibility biomarkers of bladder cancer and provide an important theoretical basis for its prevention and control. In this review, the joint effects of smoking and gene variants on bladder cancer susceptibility were elaborated.

BackgroundBisphenol compounds are non-persistent environmental endocrine disruptors and frequently detected in drinking water systems, indicating potential human health risks through drinking water. ObjectiveTo establish and optimize a simultaneous determination method for 16 BPs in drinking water by online solid-phase extraction-ultra high-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, in order to efficiently monitoring BPs in drinking water. MethodsCandidate online solid-phase extraction conditions, chromatographic columns, mobile phase systems, mass spectrometry parameters, and other conditions were compared by chromatographic peaks of BPs, and processing conditions such as water sample preservation and pretreatment were optimized. The pH level of drinking water samples was adjusted and solid particles were removed. After extraction and purification by an online solid-phase extraction system, samples were detected by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and quantified by isotope internal standard method. The proposed method was verified by pure water and terminal tap water, and evaluated by spiked recovery rate and relative standard deviation. Eighty-eight tap water samples from different regions of local pipeline network were collected for method application. ResultsFor the 16 BPs, the calibration curves showed good linearity between 1.0 and 75 ng·L−1 and the correlation coefficients were greater than 0.995. The detection limit of the method was less than 0.30 ng·L−1, and the quantification limit of the method was less than 1.0 ng·L−1. When the spiked concentrations for the 16 BPs were 5.0, 15, and 40 ng·L−1, the average spiked recovery rates of the test substances were between (100 ± 10)%, and the relative standard deviations were all below 10%. In the method application to the local terminal water samples, the positive rates of bisphenol S (BPS), bisphenol A (BPA), and bisphenol AF (BPAF) were as high as 93.2%, 77.3%, and 29.5%, respectively. The concentrations of BPS were from not detected (N.D.) to 37.8 ng·L−1, and the concentrations of BPA were from N.D. to 52.0 ng·L−1. ConclusionThe method using an online solid-phase extraction system is established, featuring simple pre-treatment, small sample volume, high degree of automation, low detection limit, and good accuracy and precision. This method can be applied to the quantitative monitoring of 16 BPs at ng·L−1 level in drinking water.

The lungs, being the principal respiratory organs in humans, are highly vulnerable to occupational exposure hazards. The rapid industrialization and urbanization in China, coupled with the rise of new industries, have heightened the risk of lung-related occupational hazards for workers, thereby presenting substantial challenges to research in lung-related occupational toxicology. The emerging technology of lung organoids, a three-dimensional cell culture technique, has the potential to replicate human lung structure and function in a laboratory setting, enabling direct observation and assessment of various impacts. Furthermore, the organoid model's short cycles and high throughput play a critical role in the simulation of the occurrence and development of lung impairments and the screening and evaluation of potential therapeutic drugs for occupational lung diseases. As such, the utilization of lung-related organoid technology not only improves the assessment level of the health effects of lung-related occupational exposure, but also enhances researchers' understanding of the pathological mechanisms underlying lung diseases and aids in the development of prevention and treatment strategies, rendering it a valuable tool for investigating occupational lung diseases. This paper provided a comprehensive overview of the advancements in lung organoid models and their biomedical applications, particularly in the evaluation of the potential application in the heath effects of lung-related occupational exposures.

Circadian rhythm disruption is a universal phenomenon that is associated with a combination of internal and external factors, with internal factors referring to disturbances in the intrinsic regulatory mechanisms of sleep-wake behavior, and external factors including changes in sleep habits, severe sleep deprivation, shift work, social jet lag, prolonged exposure to nighttime light, and late nighttime eating. Shift work, as a common occupational factor, can lead to disruption of the central/ peripheral biological clock which regulates the expression of almost the entire genome, and the disruption of the biological clock can lead to genetic variants, hormonal secretion abnormalities, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and systemic inflammation, which are risk factors for obesity. In the context of rapid advancement of global economy and industrialization, the prevalence of simple obesity in the traditional cognitive category is increasing in a linear trend, while the incidence of abdominal obesity, which is closely related to metabolic disorders, is also showing an increasing trend. In recent years, the mechanism of circadian rhythm disorder and obesity associated with shift work has attracted much attention, and this article summarized the latest research progress, aiming to provide a basis for the prevention and treatment of obesity caused by circadian rhythm disruption due to shift work.

Objective To explore the effect of KIAA0753 on glucose and energy metabolism in mouse embryonic osteoblast precursor cell line MC3T3-E1. Methods The GSE182286 datasets of patients with Joubert syndrome acquired from the Gene Expression Comprehensive database were analyzed for the levels of gene expression. After the cells with KIAA0753 overexpression were constructed and the experiment were divided into the control group, the high glucose group and the high glucose+overexpression KIAA0753 group, Western blotting was used to determine the effect of KIAA0753 on MC3T3-E1 cells under high glucose condition by detecting the expression of the glucose metabolism-related proteins, such as glycogen synthase 1 (GYS1), glycogen phosphorylase L (PYGL), glucose transporter type 4(GluT4), phosphofructokinase muscle (PFKM), pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase 1 (PDP1), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase α (ACACA), as well as the mitochondria function-associated proteins, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF1), and mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM). The effect of KIAA0753 on the intermediates of glucose metabolism was analyzed by determining the contents of glycogen, glucose and lactic acid in the cell culture medium. Cellular immunofluorescence assay and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) assay were employed to measure the mitochondrial activity and function impacted by KIAA0753 in the cells under high glucose condition. The effect of KIAA0753 on the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells under high glucose was detected by EdU staining. Results The expression of KIAA0753 protein was downregulated in patients with Joubert syndrome and in MC3T3-E1 cells under high glucose conditions (P < 0.05). High glucose resulted in inhibited protein expression of GYS1, ACACA, PFKM, GluT4, PGC-1α, TFAM and NRF1, enhanced protein levels of PDP1 and PYGL, reduced glycogen generation and consumption of extracellular glucose, and promoted production of lactic acid (P < 0.05). While, overexpression of KIAA0753 could attenuate the effect of high glucose, that is, up-regulating the protein expression levels of GYS1, ACACA, PFKM, GluT4, PGC-1α, TFAM and NRF1, suppressing those of PDP1 and PYGL, enhancing glycogen generation and consumption of extracellular glucose, and inhibiting production of lactic acid (P < 0.05). What's more, the overexpression also could elevate the activity and membrane potential of mitochondria, and promote the ATP synthesis (P < 0.05) and cell proliferation (P < 0.05) in MC3T3-E1 cells under high glucose. Conclusion KIAA0753 can promote glucose metabolism and improve mitochondrial activity and function in osteoblasts, consequently providing more energy to the body.