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Styrene and ethylbenzene (S/EB) are identified as hazardous air contaminants that raise significant concerns. The association between S/EB exposure and the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and the interaction between genes and environment, remains poorly understood. Our study consisted of 2219 Chinese adults who were part of the Wuhan-Zhuhai cohort. A follow-up assessment was conducted after six years. Exposure to S/EB was quantified by determining the concentrations of urinary biomarkers of exposure to S/EB (UBE-S/EB; urinary phenylglyoxylic acid level plus urinary mandelic acid level). Logistic regression models were constructed to investigate the relations of UBE-S/EB and genetic risk score (GRS) with T2DM prevalence and incidence. The interaction effects of UBE-S/EB and GRS on T2DM were investigated on multiplicative and additive scales. UBE-S/EB was dose-dependently and positively related to T2DM prevalence and incidence. Participants with high levels of UBE-S/EB [relative risk (RR) = 1.930, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.157–3.309] or GRS (1.943, 1.110–3.462) demonstrated the highest risk of incident T2DM, in comparison to those with low levels of UBE-S/EB or GRS. Significant additive interaction between UBE-S/EB and GRS on T2DM incidence was discovered with relative excess risk due to interaction (95% CI) of 0.178 (0.065–0.292). The RR (95% CI) of T2DM incidence was 2.602 (1.238–6.140) for individuals with high UBE-S/EB and high GRS, compared to those with low UBE-S/EB and low GRS. This study presented the initial evidence that S/EB exposure was significantly related to increased risk of T2DM incidence, and the relationship was interactively aggravated by genetic predisposition.

The factors affecting the antibody responses to the ZF2001 vaccine remain unknown. To address this, we conducted a cross-sectional serological study in the real world. Adults with no prior SARS-CoV-2 infection history and received three doses of ZF2001 vaccine were invited to our study in the early stages of the COVID-19 epidemic in Chongqing between 7 April 2021 and 17 November 2021. A questionnaire survey was conducted to obtain demographic characteristics, health information, and the frequency of lifestyles at the time of enrollment. A total of 266 eligible subjects aged 18 to 86 years, with a median age of 56.00 (IQR: 34–66) participated. 68.80% of them were female. Hypertension (13.16%) and diabetes (6.02%) were common comorbidities. Serum samples were collected at one month after the third dose of ZF2001 vaccination, and serological testing was conducted using the Pseudovirus-Based Neutralization Assay. The chi-square test was employed to compare seropositivity rates, and the Mann-Whitney U test or the Kruskal–Wallis test was used to analyze the neutralizing antibodies level in stratified groups. Subsequently, univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were conducted to identify the influencing factors. We observed that seropositivity rates was 76.32%, with 95% confidence interval (95%CI) 70.85%–81.03%, and geometric mean titer (GMT) was 120.26, with 95%CI 100.38–144.08. Age, diabetes, and frequently of alcohol were negative associations with antibody response (β = -0.2021, 95% CI: −0.2507 to −0.1535, β = -0.2873, 95% CI: −0.5590 to −0.0155, β = -0.2082, 95% CI: −0.3419 to-0.0746, P < 0.0001, P = 0.0384, P = 0.0024). Conversely, the -interval between 1 and 2 dose and frequently of tea were positive associations with antibody response (β = 0.1369, 95% CI: 0.0463 to 0.2275, β = 0.0830, 95% CI: 0.0106 to 0.1554, P = 0.0032, P = 0.0247). Overall, the ZF2001 vaccine-induced antibody response was influenced by a multifactor that may provide a reference for the development of personalized antigen vaccines and vaccination strategies in the future.

Background: In China, Chongqing is the first province implement a province-wide HPV vaccination free program for female students. Given the HPV vaccination of adolescents is largely dependent on the intent of their guardians, this study examined the factors associated with the parental intention to vaccinate their daughter against HPV. And we could explore how to change the factors to incentivize more guardians to vaccinate their children.Methods: This study used a cross-sectional survey designed by multi-stage non-randomized sampling. Study participants were guardians of female students of second year of junior high in all districts and counties of Chongqing, who were most knowledgeable about the immunization status of the adolescents. Data was collected by an online survey platform between December, 2022 to March, 2023.Results: We collected 20, 642 valid samples. Among the participating guardians, nearly 40% guardians had never heard of HPV and HPV vaccine. 68.8% guardians considered vaccinating their children against HPV, 12.5% guardians had vaccinated or vaccinating HPV vaccine for their children, and only 16.7% were reluctant to vaccinate for their children right now. Some individual characteristics of guardians (e.g. age, number of the children) were associated with the intention of HPV vaccines. Sufficient knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccine would promote the HPV vaccination, and vaccine hesitancy prevented guardians from vaccinating their children.Conclusions: Majority of guardians held a positive intention to vaccinate their daughter, higher than the foreign uptake. Exploring the methods of social propaganda to promote HPV-related knowledge and reduce the safety concerns of guardians could help improve HPV vaccination intention.

Abstract Background To assess the largely undetermined separate and joint effects of sleep and liver function biomarkers on liver cancer. Methods Data of 356,894 participants without cancer at baseline in the UK Biobank were analyzed. Sleep score was evaluated using five sleep traits (sleep duration, chronotype, insomnia, snoring, and excessive daytime sleepiness) and dichotomized into healthy or unhealthy sleep. Circulating liver function biomarkers were measured. Cox proportional hazard model was performed to investigate the independent and joint associations of sleep and liver function biomarkers with liver cancer incidence. Results After a median follow-up time of 13.1 years, 394 cases of incident liver cancer were documented. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for liver cancer was 1.46 (95% confidence interval: 1.15–1.85) associated with unhealthy sleep (vs. healthy sleep), and was 1.17 (1.15–1.20), 1.20 (1.18–1.22), 1.69 (1.47–1.93), 1.06 (1.06–1.07), 1.08 (1.07–1.09), 1.81 (1.37–2.39), or 0.29 (0.18–0.46) associated with each 10-unit increase in alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), total bilirubin (TBIL), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total protein (TP), or albumin (ALB), respectively. Individuals with unhealthy sleep and high (≥ median) ALT, AST, TBIL, GGT, ALP, or TP or low (

Background: Long-term air pollution exposure is a major health concern, yet its associations with thyroid dysfunction (hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism) and biological aging remain unclear. We aimed to determine the association of long-term air pollution exposure with thyroid dysfunction and to investigate the potential roles of biological aging. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted on 432,340 participants with available data on air pollutants including particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10, and PM2.5-10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and nitric oxide (NO) from the UK Biobank. An air pollution score was calculated using principal component analysis to reflect joint exposure to these pollutants. Biological aging was assessed using the Klemera-Doubal method biological age and the phenotypic age algorithms. The associations of individual and joint air pollutants with thyroid dysfunction were estimated using the Cox proportional hazards regression model. The roles of biological aging were explored using interaction and mediation analyses. Results: During a median follow-up of 12.41 years, 1,721 (0.40 %) and 9,296 (2.15 %) participants developed hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, respectively. All air pollutants were observed to be significantly associated with an increased risk of incident hypothyroidism, while PM2.5, PM10, and NO2 were observed to be significantly associated with an increased risk of incident hyperthyroidism. The hazard ratios (HRs) for hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism were 1.15 (95 % confidence interval: 1.00–1.32) and 1.15 (1.08–1.22) for individuals in the highest quartile compared with those in the lowest quartile of air pollution score, respectively. Additionally, we noticed that individuals with higher pollutant levels and biologically older generally had a higher risk of incident thyroid dysfunction. Moreover, accelerated biological aging partially mediated 1.9 %–9.4 % of air pollution-associated thyroid dysfunction. Conclusions: Despite the possible underestimation of incident thyroid dysfunction, long-term air pollution exposure may increase the risk of incident thyroid dysfunction, particularly in biologically older participants, with biological aging potentially involved in the mechanisms.

Oriented antibody immobilization has been widely employed in immunoassays and immunodiagnoses due to its efficacy in identifying target antigens. Herein, a heptapeptide ligand, HWRGWVC (HC7), was coupled to poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) nanospheres (PGMA-HC7). The antibody immobilization behavior and antigen recognition performance were investigated and compared with those on PGMA nanospheres by nonspecific adsorption and covalent coupling via carbodiimide chemistry. The antibodies tested included bovine, rabbit, and human immunoglobulin G (IgG), while the antigens included horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and β-2-Microglobulin (β2-MG). The nanospheres were characterized using zeta potential and particle size analyzers, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and reversed-phase chromatography, proving each synthesis step was succeeded. Isothermal titration calorimetry assay demonstrated the strong affinity interaction between IgG and PGMA-HC7. Notably, PGMA-HC7 achieved rapid and extremely high IgG adsorption capacity (~3 mg/mg) within 5 min via a specific recognition via HC7 without nonspecific interactions. Moreover, the activities of immobilized anti-HRP and anti-β2-MG antibodies obtained via affinity binding were 1.5-fold and 2-fold higher than those of their covalent coupling counterparts. Further, the oriented-immobilized anti-β2-MG antibody on PGMA-HC7 exhibited excellent performance in antigen recognition with a linear detection range of 0–5.3 μg/mL, proving its great potential in immunoassay applications.

Background: Post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) represents a serious post-stroke complication with poor cognitive consequences. A vascular consequence after a stroke is that the occurrence and progression of PSCI may be closely related to blood pressure (BP). Thus, we systematically reviewed and performed a meta-analysis of the literature to examine the correlations between BP and PSCI. Methods: We systematically queried databases, including PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, and Scopus, and conducted meta-analyses on studies reporting odds ratios (ORs) related to the association between BP and PSCI. Two authors autonomously assessed all titles, abstracts, and full texts and extracted data following the Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. The quality of the studies was evaluated using the modified Newcastle–Ottawa scale. Results: Meta-analyses incorporated 12 articles comprising a cumulative participant cohort of 21,732 individuals. The quality assessment indicated good in five studies, fair in one study, and poor in six. Through meta-analyses, we found that hypertension, systolic or diastolic BP (SBP or DBP) was significantly associated with PSCI (OR 1.53, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.18–1.99; p = 0.001, I2 = 66%; OR 1.13, 95% CI, 1.05–1.23; p = 0.002, I2 = 52%; OR 1.38, 95% CI, 1.11–1.72; p = 0.004, I2 = 90%, respectively). In the subgroup analysis, SBP 0.05). Statistical heterogeneity was moderate to high, and publication bias was detected in SBP for PSCI. Conclusions: Considering the multifactorial etiology of PSCI, it is difficult to conclude that BP is an independent risk factor for PSCI. Given the restricted inclusion of studies, caution is advised when interpreting the findings from this meta-analysis. Subsequent investigations with substantial sample sizes are essential to exploring BP as a prospective target for addressing PSCI. Trial Registration Number: CRD42023437783 from PROSPERO.

BackgroundAs an environmental pollutant, 1-bromopropane (1-BP) is ubiquitous in the living environment. However, its health effects on the general population are still unclear. ObjectiveTo assess the associations between urinary 1-BP metabolite and blood routine indices in a Chinese community population. MethodsA total of 3512 community residents aged 18-80 years from the baseline of the Wuhan-Zhuhai cohort were included in our study. The demographic characteristics, disease history, and lifestyles of the participants were collected through questionnaires. Height, weight, blood pressure, and other anthropometrics were collected through physical examination. Blood routine indicators were tested using an automated hematology analyzer. Urinary 1-BP metabolite N-Acetyl-S-(n-propyl)-L-cysteine (BPMA) was measured by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Generalized linear models and logistic regression models were used to assess the associations of urinary BPMA with blood routine indices and the risks of abnormal blood routine indices, respectively. Besides, stratified analysis and effect modification analysis were further conducted to investigate the effects of individual characteristics and lifestyles on the associations of urinary BPMA with blood routine indices. All models were adjusted for gender, age, and other potential confounders.ResultsThe mean age of the study population (30.1% male) was (52.78±12.77) years. The median (P25, P75) level of urinary BPMA adjusted for urinary creatinine was 0.90 (0.50, 1.73) mg·mol−1. In the analysis with target indicator as continuous variable, each 1-unit increase in natural logarithm-transformed urinary BMPA level was associated with a 0.078×109 L−1, 0.031×109 L−1, 0.307%, 3.518 g·L−1, and 2.469×109 L−1 decrease in white blood cell, lymphocyte, lymphocyte percentage, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and platelet levels, respectively (all Ps

The factors that lead to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy among health-care workers (HCWs) are unclear. We aimed to identify the factors that influence HCWs’ hesitancy, especially the influence of their social network. Using an online platform, we surveyed HCWs in Chongqing, China, in January 2021 to understand the factors that influence the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among HCWs. Proportional allocation stratified sampling method was used to recruit respondents. Multivariable logistic regression and social network analysis (SNA) were used to analyze the influence factors. A total of 5247 HCWs were included and 23.3% of them were vaccine-hesitant. Participants were more hesitant if they had chronic diseases (OR = 1.411, 95% CI: 1.146–1.738), worked in tertiary hospitals (OR = 1.546, 95% CI: 1.231–1.942), and reported a history of vaccine hesitancy (OR = 1.637, 95% CI: 1.395–1.920) and refusal toward other vaccines (OR = 2.433, 95% CI: 2.067–2.863). The participants with a social network to communicate COVID-19 immunization were less hesitant (OR = 0.850, 95% CI: 0.728–0.993). Several influential members with social networks were found in SNA. Most of these influential members in the networks were department leaders who were willing to get COVID-19 vaccines (P

BackgroundThe impact of birth weight on lung function and risk of asthma remains contentious. Our aim was to investigate the specific association of birth weight with lung function and the risk of asthma in children.MethodsWe performed cross-sectional analyses of 3,295 children aged 6–15 years who participated in the 2007–2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). After controlling for potential covariates other than gestational diabetes, maternal asthma and obesity, the linear and non-linear associations of birth weight with lung function metrics and the risk of asthma were evaluated by a generalized linear model and generalized additive model, respectively.ResultsWe observed a non-linear association of birth weight with FEV1 %predicted, FEV1/FVC %predicted and FEF25 − 75 %predicted (P for non-linearity was 0.0069, 0.0057, and 0.0027, respectively). Further threshold effect analysis of birth weight on lung function detected the turning point for birth weight was 3.6 kg. When the birth weight was < 3.6 kg, birth weight was significantly positively associated with all pulmonary function metrics. However, negative associations were found in FEV1 %predicted, FEV1/FVC %predicted and FEF25 − 75 %predicted when the birth weight was ≥3.6 kg. These results were consistent in the stratified and sensitivity analyses. Additionally, a possible non-linear relationship was also detected between birth weight and the risk of asthma.ConclusionAlthough not all maternal factors were accounted for, our findings provided new insight into the association of birth weight with lung function. Future studies are warranted to confirm the present findings and understand the clinical significance.

Abstract Few study has revealed spatial transmission characteristics of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China. We aimed to analyze the spatiotemporal spread of COVID-19 in Wuhan and its influence factors. Information of 32,682 COVID-19 cases reported through March 18 were extracted from the national infectious disease surveillance system. Geographic information system methods were applied to analysis transmission of COVID-19 and its influence factors in different periods. We found decrease in effective reproduction number (Rt) and COVID-19 related indicators through taking a series of effective public health measures including restricting traffic, centralized quarantine and strict stay-at home policy. The distribution of COVID-19 cases number in Wuhan showed obvious global aggregation and local aggregation. In addition, the analysis at streets-level suggested population density and the number of hospitals were associated with COVID-19 cases number. The epidemic situation showed obvious global and local spatial aggregations. High population density with larger number of hospitals may account for the aggregations. The epidemic in Wuhan was under control in a short time after strong quarantine measures and restrictions on movement of residents were implanted.

Background: Acrolein is a significant high priority hazardous air pollutant with pulmonary toxicity and the leading cause of most noncancer adverse respiratory effects among air toxics that draws great attention. Whether and how acrolein exposure impacts pulmonary function remain inconclusive. Objectives: To assess the association of acrolein exposure with pulmonary function and the underlying roles of oxidative DNA damage, inflammation, and pulmonary epithelium integrity. Methods: Among 3,279 Chinese adults from the Wuhan-Zhuhai cohort, associations of urinary acrolein metabolites (N-Acetyl-S-(2-carboxyethyl)-L-cysteine, CEMA; N-Acetyl-S-(3-hydroxypropyl)-L-cysteine, 3HPMA) as credible biomarkers of acrolein exposure with pulmonary function were analyzed by linear mixed models. Joint effects of biomarkers of oxidative DNA damage (8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine), inflammation (C-reactive protein, CRP), and pulmonary epithelium integrity (Club cell secretory protein, CC16) with acrolein metabolites on pulmonary function and the mediating roles of these biomarkers were assessed. Besides, a subgroup (N = 138) was randomly recruited from the cohort to assess the stabilities of acrolein metabolites and their longitudinal associations with pulmonary function change in three years. Results: Significant inverse dose–response relationships between acrolein metabolites and pulmonary function were found. Each 10-fold increment in CEMA, 3HPMA, or ΣUACLM (CEMA + 3HPMA) was cross-sectionally related to a 68.56-, 40.98-, or 46.02-ml reduction in FVC and a 61.54-, 43.10-, or 50.14-ml reduction in FEV1, respectively (P

Acrylamide (ACR) exposure and consequent health hazards are alarming public health issues that attract worldwide concern. The World Health Organization urges more researches into health hazards from ACR exposure. However, whether and how ACR exposure increases cardiovascular risk remain unclear, and we sought to address these issues in this prospective cohort study conducted on 3024 general adults with 3-year follow-up (N = 871 at follow-up). Individual urinary ACR metabolites (N-Acetyl-S-(2-carbamoylethyl)-L-cysteine [AAMA] and N-Acetyl-S-(2-carbamoyl-2-hydroxyethyl)-L-cysteine [GAMA]) as credible biomarkers of ACR exposure were detected to assess their cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships with 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, a well measure of overall cardiovascular risk. Besides, biomarkers of oxidative stress (urinary 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine [8-OHdG] and 8-iso-prostaglandin-F2α [8-iso-PGF2α]) and inflammation (circulating mean platelet volume [MPV] and plasma C-reactive protein [CRP]) as well as plasma transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) were measured to assess their mediating/mechanistic roles in the relationships of ACR metabolites with 10-year CVD risk. We found AAMA, GAMA, and ΣUAAM (AAMA + GAMA) were cross-sectionally and longitudinally related to increased 10-year CVD risk with odds ratios (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) of 1.32 (1.04, 1.70), 1.81 (1.36, 2.40), and 1.40 (1.07, 1.82), respectively, and risk ratios (95% CIs) of 1.99 (1.10, 3.60), 2.48 (1.27, 4.86), and 2.13 (1.15, 3.94), respectively. Furthermore, 8-OHdG, 8-iso-PGF2α, MPV, CRP, and TGF-β1 were found to significantly mediate 8.06–48.92% of the ACR metabolites-associated 10-year CVD risk increment. In summary, daily ACR exposure of general adults was cross-sectionally and longitudinally associated with increased cardiovascular risk, which was partly mediated by oxidative stress, inflammation, and TGF-β1, suggesting for the first time that ACR exposure may well increase cardiovascular risk of general adult population partly by mechanisms of inducing oxidative stress, inflammation, and TGF-β1. Our findings have important public health implications that provide potent epidemiological evidence and vital mechanistic insight into cardiovascular risk increment from ACR exposure.

Abstract Background Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) spread rapidly around the world. We aimed to describe the epidemiological characteristics and the entire evolution of COVID-19 in Wuhan, and to evaluate the effect of non-pharmaceutical intervention by the government. Methods The information of COVID-19 cases until Mar 18, 2020 in Wuhan were collected from the national infectious disease surveillance system in Hubei province. Results A total of 49,973 confirmed cases were reported until Mar 18, 2020 in Wuhan. Among whom, 2496 cases died and the overall mortality was 5.0%. Most confirmed cases (25,619, 51.3%) occurred during Jan 23 to Feb 4, with a spike on Feb 1 (new cases, 3374). The number of daily new cases started to decrease steadily on Feb 19 (new cases, 301) and decreased greatly on Mar 1 (new cases, 57). However, the mortality and the proportion of severe and critical cases has been decreasing over time, with the lowest of 2.0 and 10.1% during Feb 16 to Mar 18, 2020, respectively. The percentage of severe and critical cases among all cases was 19.6%, and the percentage of critical and dead cases aged over 60 was 70.1 and 82.0%, respectively. Conclusion The number of new cases has dropped significantly after the government taking the isolation of four types of personnel and the community containment for 14 days. Our results indicate that the mortality and proportion of severe and critical cases gradually decreased over time, and critical and dead cases are more incline to be older individuals.

Background: Phthalates have been largely used for years in varieties of products worldwide. However, research on the joint toxic effect of various phthalates exposure on the liver is lacking. Objectives: We aimed to assess exposure to phthalates on liver function tests (LFTs). Methods: This analysis included data on 6046 adults (≥20 years old) who participated in a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in 2007–2016. We employed linear regression and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), to explore the associations of urinary phthalate metabolites with 8 indicators of LFTs. Results: Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (ΣDEHP) was found to be positively associated with serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (all P FDR

One of the main challenges of transmucosal drug delivery is that of enabling particles and molecules to move across the mucosal barrier of the mucosal epithelial surface. Inspired by nanovehicles and mucus-penetrating nanoparticles, a magnetically driven, mucus-inert Janus-type nanovehicle (Janus-MMSN-pCB) was fabricated by coating the zwitterionic polymer poly(carboxybetaine methacrylate) (pCB) on the mesoporous silica nanorod, which was grown on one side of superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticle using the sol–gel method. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, and Fourier infrared spectroscopy were used to characterize the structure and morphology of the nanovehicles, proving the success of each synthesis step. The in vitro cell viability assessment of these composites using Calu-3 cell lines indicates that the nanovehicles are biocompatible in nature. Furthermore, the multiparticle tracking, Transwell® system, and cell imaging experimental results demonstrate that both the modification of pCB and the application of a magnetic field effectively accelerated the diffusion of the nanovehicles in the mucus and improved the endocytosis through Calu-3. The favorable cell uptake performance of Janus-MMSN-pCB in mucus systems with/without magnetic driving proves its potential role in the diagnosis, treatment, and imaging of mucosal-related diseases.

Microplastics (MPs) are currently a global environmental pollutants and health hazards that caused by MPs cannot be ignored. However, studies on MP toxicity in mammals are scare. Here, we investigated the effects of two doses (0.1 mg and 0.5 mg) of 5 µm polystyrene microplastic (PS-MP) particles on the hematological system of mice through traditional toxicology experiments and assessed the related potential biological mechanisms using transcriptome sequencing analysis. The toxicological examinations showed that the 0.5 mg dose significantly decreased white blood cell count, increased Pit count, and inhibited the growth of colony-forming unit CFU-G, CFU-M and CFU-GM. Compared with the control group, there were 41 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the 0.1 mg-treated group and 32 significantly changed genes in 0.5 mg-treated group. Of note, eight genes were found to be significantly altered in both the PS-MP-treated groups. Gene ontology analysis showed that DEGs were mainly involved in T cell homeostasis, response to osmotic stress, extracellular matrix and structure organization, and metabolic process of NADP and nucleotides. In addition, pathway analysis revealed that the Jak/Stat pathway, pentose and glucuronate interconversions, nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, and the pentose phosphate pathway were involved in PS-MP-induced toxicity in mice. These results indicated that PS-MP exposure can cause hematotoxicity to some extent, impact gene expression, and disturb related molecular and biological pathways in mouse bone marrow cells. Our study provides fundamental data on the hematotoxicity of PS-MPs in terrestrial mammals that will help to further assess the corresponding health risks in these mammals.

Benzene is a ubiquitous, occupational, and environmental hematotoxic and leukemogen. Damage to hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) induced by benzene and its metabolites is a key event in bone marrow (BM) depression and leukemogenesis. There are no reports on transcriptome profiles of HSCs following benzene exposure. Here, Smart-seq2 single-cell transcriptome sequencing was used to detect transcriptomic alternations in BM HSCs and peripheral blood HSCs (PBSCs) in male C57B/6 mice exposed to benzene. We found that benzene caused hematotoxicity which was confirmed by routine blood test, pathological examination, and HSCs percentage analysis. A total of 1514 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in BM HSCs and 1703 DEGs in PBSCs were screened after treatment with benzene. Weighted gene correlation network analysis revealed that pathways in cancer, transcriptional misregulation in cancer, and hematopoietic cell lineage are vital pathways involved in benzene-induced toxicity in BM HSCs, whereas hematopoietic cell lineage and leukocyte transendothelial migration are critical pathways in PBSCs. Of note, there were 164 common DEGs in both HSCs, out of which 53 genes were co-regulated in both types of HSCs. Subsequent pathway analysis of these 53 genes indicated that the most relevant pathways involved neutrophil degranulation and CD93 localized in the core of the network of the 53 genes, which are known to regulate leukemia stem cell self-renewal and quiescence. Our results could enhance our understanding of HSC responses to benzene, facilitate the identification of potential molecular biomarkers and future studies on its mechanism of toxicity toward HSCs.

Methyl parathion (MP) is a typical organophosphate pesticide widely used in agriculture, causing serious pollution. MP hydrolysis generates a toxic 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) with environmental risks, but a subsequent reduction of 4-NP produces a nontoxic 4-aminophenol (4-AP), which serves as a resource for further use in chemical synthesis. Thus, the detoxification and resourcilization of MP are of great significance for environmental remediation and sustainable development. However, most reports on MP cascade conversion require two different catalysts, each of which is single-catalytic. Herein, we report the first self-cascade nanocatalyst with bicatalytic activities of hydrolysis and reduction based on cupric metal-organic framework (Cu-AZB) nanosheets for the conversion of MP to 4-AP. It was found that Cu-AZB could completely convert MP to 4-AP in the presence of NaBH4 within 10 min. Moreover, hydrolysis was 19-fold accelerated by the NaBH4-mediated reduction in the self-cascade catalysis, so a catalyst with a high cascade conversion efficiency against MP with an activity factor of 513.2 min-1 g-1, a reaction rate constant of 0.25 min-1, and a half-life of 2.82 min was achieved, which was more efficient than literature-reported cascade catalysts. The results demonstrated the application potential of the bicatalytic Cu-AZB in the complete detoxification and conversion of the toxic pollutant into a nontoxic resource through one-pot cascade catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benzene, a known occupational and environmental contaminant, has been recognized as the hematotoxin and human carcinogen. Lipids have a variety of important physiological functions and the abnormal lipid metabolism has been reported to be closely related to the occurrence and development of many diseases. In the present study, we aim to utilize LC-MS/MS lipidomic platform to identify novel biomarkers and provide scientific clues for mechanism study of benzene hematotoxicity. Results showed that a total of 294 differential metabolites were obtained from the comparison of benzene-treated group and control group. The glycerophospholipid pathway was altered involving the down-regulation of the levels of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine. In addition, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and 1-Acyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine levels were increased in benzene-treated group. Based on the relationship between PE and autophagy, we then found that effective biomarker of autophagy, Beclin1 and LC3B, were increased remarkably. Furthermore, following benzene treatment, significant decreases in glucosylceramide (GlcCer) and phytosphingosine (PHS) levels in sphingolipid pathway were observed. Simultaneously, the levels of proliferation marker (PCNA and Ki67) and apoptosis regulator (Bax and Caspase-3) showed clear increases in benzene-exposed group. Based on our results, we speculate that disturbances in glycerophospholipid pathway play an important role in the process of benzene-induced hematopoietic toxicity by affecting autophagy, while sphingolipid pathway may also serve as a vital role in benzene-caused toxicity by regulating proliferation and apoptosis. Our study provides basic study information for the future biomarker and mechanism research underlying the development of benzene-induced blood toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global incidence and temporal trends of asbestosis are rarely explored. Using the detailed information on asbestosis from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2017, we described the age-standardised incidence rate (ASIR) and its average annual percentage change. A Joinpoint Regression model was applied to identify varying temporal trends over time. Although the use of asbestos has been completely banned in many countries, the ASIR of asbestosis increased globally from 1990 to 2017. Furthermore, the most pronounced increases in ASIR of asbestosis were detected in high-income North America and Australasia. These findings indicate that efforts to change the asbestos regulation policy are urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, MIL-101 and ZIF-8, two typical highly porous metal-organic framework materials, were synthesized using the simple one-pot methods for the adsorption of aqueous Congo red (CR). The study found that highly efficient removal of CR at neutral pH can be achieved with short contact time. The CR adsorption behaviors of the two adsorbents were studied and found to follow Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. The maximum CR adsorption capacities of MIL-101 and ZIF-8 were up to 2248 and 1381 mg g–1 at 298 K, respectively, significantly higher than most of the adsorbents previously studied. Especially, MIL-101 showed faster kinetics and higher adsorption capacity when compared to ZIF-8, which can be attributed to the larger porosity and pore size of MIL-101, and the direct coordination between the unsaturated metal sites in MIL-101 and CR. Thermodynamic studies suggested that the adsorption was a spontaneous and endothermic reaction. Additionally, MIL-101 and ZIF-8 showed good performance after regeneration. Therefore, as-prepared MIL-101 and ZIF-8 have great potential as adsorbents for wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zn2+ has remarkable impacts on amyloid β-protein (Aβ) aggregation, which is crucial in the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease. However, the Zn2+ concentration in human cerebrospinal fluid is commonly too low for interaction with Aβ, and only during neurotransmission is there a transient release of a high concentration of Zn2+. It is difficult to explore the details of the interaction between Zn2+ and Aβ within such a short time scale by using ordinary analytical methods. Herein, stopped-flow fluorescence spectroscopy was used to study the fast aggregation kinetics of Aβ42 in the presence of Zn2+ in the time scale from 1 ms to seconds. It was found that Zn2+ bound to Aβ42 within 1 ms; caused immediate conformational transition around Tyr10, which led to the enhancement of Aβ42 hydrophobicity; and then promoted fast aggregation of Aβ42 through enhanced hydrophobic interactions. Among the two Zn2+-binding sites on Aβ42 (KD = 107 nM and 5.2 μM), the first one of higher affinity had a greater impact on the aggregation of Aβ42. Three kinetic phases were observed in the Zn2+-induced fast aggregation of Aβ42, and the fast phase was extremely accelerated by Zn2+, indicating that accelerated aggregation mainly occurred in the fast phase. The reactions occurring in this phase were closely related to the association of Zn2+ and Aβ42. Moreover, Zn2+ largely broadened the pH range of Aβ42 fast aggregation from pH 5.2–6.2 without Zn2+ to pH 5.2–7.8 in the presence of Zn2+. Besides, the promoting effect of Zn2+ on Aβ42 fast aggregation peaked at pH 6.8–7.8, which includes the pH values of the cerebrospinal fluid (pH 7.3) and hippocampus (pH 7.15–7.35). The findings demonstrate the significant effect of Zn2+ on Aβ aggregation and provide new insight into its mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taste is an important quality attribute of tea. In order to find out the taste quality of green teas made from the major varieties in Wanzhou district, Chongqing, the taste profile of the tea infusions was determined by sensory evaluation and 5 taste components including catechins, free amino acids, alkaloids, flavanols and their glycosides, and organic acids were analyzed by targeted detection methods. The results showed that there were obvious differences in the taste quality of green teas prepared from the 4 varieties of tea trees. Sichuan middle- and small-leafed tea group variety had a strong taste, and ‘Anji Baicha’ had an obvious fresh and brisk taste with mellow sweet aftertaste. ‘Fuding Dabaicha’ tasted strong with fresh and brisk taste and mellow sweet aftertaste. ‘Zhonghuang 1’ tasted fresh and brisk but less strong. The results of taste component analysis showed that the Sichuan middle- and small-leafed tea group variety contained high contents of catechins but low contents of free amino acids. ‘Anji Baicha’ had the highest content of free amino acids. The content of each flavor component was high in ‘Fuding Dabaicha’, and the contents of total flavor components and water extract of ‘Zhonghuang 1’ were low. The results of principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the 4 varieties could be well distinguished. Thirteen major taste contributors such as rutin and caffeine were identified. The differential analysis indicated that aspartic acid, glutamic acid and theanine were the major contributors to the fresh and brisk taste characteristics of ‘Anji Baicha’ and ‘Fuding Dabaicha’. Yangmeiin-3-O-galactoside and chrysin were the major taste contributors for ‘Zhonghuang 1’ that distinguished it from the other 3 varieties. There were also large differences in taste components within the Sichuan middle- and small-leafed tea group variety, with samples C4 and C5 being closer to each other. They both contained high contents of flavonoid glycosides, having a strong astringent taste. This study provides a reference for research to improve the flavor quality of green tea in Wanzhou district.

The adsorption and elution behaviors of bovine serum albumin (BSA) on poly(ethylenimine) (PEI)-grafted Sepharose FF resins were recently studied and a critical ionic capacity (cIC; 600 mmol/L) was found, above which the uptake rate increased drastically due to the occurrence of significant "chain delivery" effect. Moreover, above the cIC value, higher salt concentrations were required for protein elution due to the high charge density of the resins. In this work, we have reduced the charge density on the PEI chains of a PEI-grafted resin by neutralization of the amine groups with sodium acetate. PEI-modified resin with IC of 740 mmol/L (FF-PEI-L740, IC cIC) was chosen as the starting material, and three resins with residual IC values of 660, 560 and 440 mmol/L (FF-PEI-R440) were obtained. The adsorption and chromatographic behaviors of these resins for BSA were investigated. It was found that, with IC decreasing from 740 to 440 mmol/L, the adsorption capacity kept almost unchanged; the effective protein diffusivity (De) also showed negligible variations as IC decreased from 740 to 560 mmol/L (De/D0= 0.38 ± 0.04). However, it was interesting to observe a three-fold increase of the Devalue for FF-PEI-R440 (De/D0= 1.23 ± 0.08). It is considered that the occurrence of the drastic uptake rate increase in FF-PEI-R440 was attributed to the decreased available binding sites for protein molecule, which led to the decrease of binding strength, thus facilitated the happenings of "chain delivery" effect of bound proteins. Besides, a study on the effect of ionic strength clarified that the lower the IC value, the higher the sensitivity of protein binding to salt concentration due to the easily screened electrostatic interactions at low surface charge densities. The ionic strength at the elution peak also decreased with decreasing IC in accordance with the salt sensitivity order. Column breakthrough studies demonstrated that the dynamic adsorption capacity of FF-PEI-R440 was much higher than the other three resins at flow rates higher than 30 cm/h because of its high uptake rate. The findings in this work provided new insights into the effects of the interactions between proteins and grafted polymers on adsorption equilibria and uptake kinetics, which would help the selection and design of suitable media for high-performance protein chromatography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]