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[Display omitted] • Pregnant women were widely exposed to NEOs and 6-CN was the most abundant metabolite. • IMI and ACE were adversely associated with neonatal head circumference. • Maternal 8-OHdG mediated the association between NEOs and neonatal head circumference. An increasing number of studies have reported neonicotinoid insecticides (NEOs), the emerging alternatives to conventional insecticides, may increase oxidative stress and cause adverse health effects, but limited is known about the prenatal NEOs exposures and their impact on birth outcomes. We investigated the levels of prenatal exposure to NEOs/metabolites, to assess their associations with birth outcomes, and investigate whether these associations could be mediated by oxidative stress using 8-OHdG as the biomarker. We studied 296 mother-infant pairs recruited from Laizhou Wan Birth Cohort in 2010 – 2013. Two NEOs (IMI and ACE), three metabolites (6-CN, ND-ACE, and 2CTCA), and 8-OHdG were measured in maternal urine collected before delivery. Birth outcomes including birth weight, birth length, ponderal index (PI), head circumference, and gestational age, were acquired. We examined the associations between NEOs/metabolites and birth outcomes using multivariable linear regression. Mediation analysis was conducted to clarify the role of 8-OHdG on the association of NEOs/metabolites exposure and birth outcomes. Highest detection rate was observed for ACE (100.0%), followed by IMI (98.3%) and 6-CN (98.0%), suggesting the common exposure of pregnant women. The highest median concentration was observed for 6-CN with creatinine-adjusted median levels of 9.58 μg/g creatinine. A decrease in newborns' head circumference was observed with a 10-fold increase in IMI (β = -1.83; 95% CI = -3.04, −0.62) and ACE (β = -2.27; 95% CI = -3.56, −0.98). An increase in newborns' PI was observed with a 10-fold increase in IMI (β = 0.40; 95% CI = 0.03, 0.75). Maternal 8-OHdG demonstrated 38.5–65.5% mediating effects in the negative association of IMI, ACE, 2-CTCA with head circumference. These associations might differ between boys and girls. Pregnant women were widely exposed to NEOs/metabolites in China. Results suggested the potential impacts of prenatal exposure to certain neonicotinoid insecticides on head circumference. Urinary 8-OHdG may partly mediate these associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a geological research related to formation of pyrites and their thermoelectric coefficient in the Mengqiguer uranium deposit of the Yili Basin in China. Topics discussed include relation of thermoelectric coefficient of pyrites with trace elements, supersaturation of iron element in high temperature pyrites and division of pyrites formation in Mengqiguer uranium deposit include relation with uranium ore formation and possibility of hot water activity in mineralization.

The article focuses on a research on coupling relationship between sandstone type uranium mineralization and yili basin sedimentary and evolution of the Tianshan tectonic belt in China. It discusses the identification of five age periods through Apatite Fission Track dating suggesting uprising-erosion events in the area. It also reports on sedimentary sequences and unconformities in the basin suggesting extension during the Carboniferous and Permian period and shrinking period during Triassic.

The article discusses a study on fluid of Mengqiguer uranium deposit in China. It mentions that fluid inclusions located in quartz fragment fracture contain liquid brine and hydrocarbon-containing aqueous solution. It states that vitrinite reflectance on organic matter in sand bodies is ranged from 0.40 percent to 0.74 percent. It also mentions that ore-forming fluid consists of mineral water containing oxygen and uranium and reducing hydrocarbon.

[Display omitted] • Prenatal PM 2.5 composition exposure was estimated in China with severe pollution. • Infant cognitive and motor functions in five domains were tested at 12 months by ASQ. • The effects of composition-specific PM 2.5 were further evaluated. • PM 2.5 compositions were negatively associated with ASQ scores in all five domains. • All PM 2.5 compositions except OM were associated with lower problem-solving scores. Prenatal fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) exposure has been linked to infant cognitive and motor functions, but the effects of PM 2.5 chemical composition remain unclear. We aimed to explore the associations of prenatal PM 2.5 and its composition exposure with infant cognitive and motor functions. We studied 2,435 mother-infant pairs in the Shanghai Birth Cohort Study. PM 2.5 and its seven compositions [primary particles (black carbon, mineral dust and sea salts) and secondary particles (NH 4 +, NO 3 –, SO 4 2- and organic matter)] during the three trimesters of pregnancy were retrieved from the V4.CH.03 product developed by using a combined geoscience-statistical method. At the 12-month-old follow-up, infant cognitive and motor functions in five domains were assessed using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ). We used multivariable linear regressions to estimate the effects of PM 2.5 and its composition on the ASQ scores, for all infants and stratifying by sex and breastfeeding duration. PM 2.5 exposure was negatively associated with gross motor, problem-solving and personal-social scores for all infants. PM 2.5 compositions were inversely associated with ASQ scores in all five domains, and the effects of different compositions varied across domains. Specifically, all compositions except organic matter were correlated with lower problem-solving scores [e.g., (β S O 4 2 - = − 10.79, 95 % CI: −17.40, −4.18) ∼ (β N O 3 - = − 4.68, 95 % CI: −7.84, −1.53); for each 10 μg/m3 increase in PM 2.5 compositions during the third trimester]. Primary and some secondary particles (organic matter, NO 3 –) were related to lower gross motor scores. Secondary particles were also inversely associated with communication (organic matter and NO 3 –), fine motor (NH 4 +, NO 3 –, SO 4 2-) and personal-social (NH 4 +) scores. Additionally, boys and infants breastfed for < 6 months appeared to be more susceptible. We found negative associations of PM 2.5 and its compositions with infant cognitive and motor functions over a range of domains, especially the problem-solving domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are believed to impair early neurodevelopment and disrupt thyroid hormone (TH) levels. However, there are limited epidemiological data on the neurodevelopmental effects in infancy of prenatal PFAS exposure and the potential mediating effects of TH. To evaluate potential associations between prenatal PFAS exposure and early neurodevelopmental deficiencies, and assess mediator effects of TH. From 2010 to 2013, 274 mother-infant pairs were recruited to the Laizhou Wan Birth Cohort in China. Ten PFAS and five TH were measured in cord serum. Developmental quotient (DQ) from 5 domains (adaptive, social, language, gross and fine motor) was assessed using Gesell Developmental Schedules for each child at 1 year of age. The associations between PFAS and DQs were evaluated using multivariable linear regressions. TH-mediated effects of PFAS on DQs were calculated by mediation analyses. Among our study population, PFAS exposures were common and associated with DQ decrement in infants. For each 10-fold increase in PFBS concentrations, gross motor and adaptive DQ decreased by 8.56 (95%CI: −15.15, −1.97) and 5.87 (95%CI: −8.07, −3.67) points, respectively. TSH mediated 12.90% of the association of PFBS with gross motor DQ and FT4 explained 19.63% of the association of PFBS with adaptive DQ. The negative association was also found between PFHxS exposure and gross motor DQ (β = 8.14, 95%CI: −15.39, −0.98). PFBS and PFHxS were negatively associated with early neurodevelopment, especially consistent in gross motor domain. The associations were partly explained by TSH and FT4. • The relationship between PFAS exposure, thyroid hormones and infant neurodevelopment were assessed in a Chinese birth cohort. • Prenatal PFHxS and PFBS exposure were associated with lower gross motor DQ, especially in males. • TSH and FT4 partly mediated the association of PFBS with DQ in several neurodevelopmental domains at 1 year of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent and bio-accumulative compounds that have been recognized as important immune hazards by animal studies. However, epidemiological studies regarding the impact on infant infections were inconsistent. We investigated the associations between prenatal exposure to PFASs and acute infectious diseases including common cold, bronchitis/pneumonia, and diarrhea in early childhood. Participating 235 mother–infant pairs were recruited from the Laizhou Wan (Bay) birth cohort (LWBC), a prospective study in Shandong, China between September 2010 and 2013. Ten selected PFASs congeners including PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFDA, PFUA, PFDoA, PFHxS, PFBS, PFHpA, and PFOSA were measured from maternal serum by HPLC-MS/MS. Detailed information on parent-reported frequency of acute infectious diseases was collected from questionnaires at 1-year follow-up, which was confirmed by the medical records. Logistic and Poisson regression models were used on binary health outcomes (yes/no) and the number of episodes of outcomes, which were reported as odds ratio (OR) and incidence rate-ratio (IRR), respectively. The risk of diarrhea increased by 4.99 (95% CI = 1.86, 13.39) per log-unit increase in PFOA. The frequencies of diarrhea increased by 97%–116% for each 10-fold increase in PFOA, PFNA, and PFDA. Moreover, when stratified by exclusively breastfeeding duration (at least 4 months or not), the adverse effects of PFASs exposures on diarrhea were more pronounced among the breastfed infants. There were no associations between prenatal PFASs exposure and common cold or bronchitis/pneumonia. Exposure to PFASs was associated with increased risks of diarrhea during the first year of life, and these effects were stronger among the breastfed infants. Due to the small sample size, our results should be interpreted with caution and additional studies on larger populations are needed to confirm our findings. [Display omitted] • Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are widely used in China and around the world. • We assessed the association between PFASs and acute infectious diseases in infancy. • PFASs especially PFOA was positively associated with the occurrence of diarrhea. • The adverse effects were stronger among the exclusively breastfed infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Few studies have examined the adverse birth sizes of preconception exposure to organophosphate pesticides (OPs) in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF)., Objectives: We investigated the relationship of preconception OP exposure with birth sizes among Chinese women undergoing IVF., Methods: This study included 302 couples seeking infertility treatment in the China National Birth Cohort Study, from Shanghai, China, who gave birth to singleton infants between 2018 and 2021. Clinical data were collected from medical records. We measured the concentrations of six nonspecific dialkyl phosphates (DAP) metabolites of OPs [diethylthiophosphate (DETP), diethylphosphate (DEP), diethyldithiophosphate (DEDTP), dimethyldithiophosphate (DMTP), dimethylphosphate (DMP), and dimethyldithiophosphate (DMDTP)] in maternal urine. DMDTP and DEDTP were precluded from further analyses due to the low detection rates. Generalized linear models (GLMs) and weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression analyses were performed to examine the individual and joint effects of OP exposures on gestational age, birth weight, body length, and ponderal index. Odder ratio (OR) of preterm birth were estimated using logistic regression models., Results: Women in the highest as compared with lowest quartile of DEP had shorter gestational age (β = - 0.68; 95% CI = -1.24, -0.11). The association was modified by sex, with boys showing larger decreases in gestational age (β = - 0.86; 95% CI = -1.60, -0.13). No associations were found between other DAP metabolites and birth sizes. Results from linear models with individual DAP metabolites were corroborated by the WQS regression where DEP had the largest contribution to the overall mixture effect on gestational age (weight = 0.70). Moreover, DEP concentration was associated with an elevated risk of preterm birth (OR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.11, 2.25)., Conclusion: Preconception DEP concentration was associated with shortened gestational age and increased risk of preterm birth, and the association was more pronounced among boys than girls., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Pregnant women are ubiquitously exposed to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Prenatal exposure to PFAS has been associated with lower birth weight but also with excess adiposity and higher weight in childhood. These mixed findings warrant investigation of the relationship between PFAS and dynamic offspring growth., Objectives: To investigate the association between prenatal PFAS exposure and early-life growth trajectories during the first 2 y., Methods: Pregnant women ( n = 3,426 ) were recruited from 2013 to 2016 from the Shanghai Birth Cohort (SBC) Study, and their children were followed up from birth to 2 y of age. Seven PFAS congeners were quantified in pregnant women's serum during the first trimester. Our study population was restricted to 1,350 children who had five repeated measurements for at least one anthropometric measure. Four anthropometric measures, including weight, length/height, weight-for-length, and head circumference, were evaluated at birth, 42 d, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months, and standardized into z -scores using the World Health Organization reference. Trajectories of each measure were classified into five groups using group-based trajectory modeling. Multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for trajectory groups according to log 2 -transformed PFAS concentrations, and the moderate-stable group was selected as the reference group for all measures., Results: Higher prenatal exposure to PFAS was associated with elevated odds for the low-rising weight-for-age z -score (WAZ) trajectory, and the high-rising length-for-age z -score (LAZ) trajectory. Meanwhile, PFAS levels were associated with decreased odds for the low-rising and high-rising weight-for-length z -score (WLZ) trajectories. In addition, the associations of PFAS with growth trajectory groups differed by sex, where males had greater odds for the low-rising and low-stable WAZ trajectories and for the high-stable and low-rising WLZ trajectories. In contrast, inverse associations were consistently observed with trajectories of the high-stable, low-stable, and low-rising head-circumference-for-age z -score (HCZ) in relation to most individual PFAS congeners. PFAS mixtures analysis further confirmed the above findings., Discussion: Trajectory analysis approach provided insight into the complex associations between PFAS exposure and offspring growth. Future studies are warranted to confirm the present findings with trajectory modeling strategies and understand the clinical significance of these trajectory groups. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP9875.

Background: Although maternal perfluoroalkyl and polyfluroalkyl substances (PFASs) were associated with adverse birth outcomes, much less is known about their impact on infant growth during early infancy., Objectives: We investigated the association between maternal PFASs exposure and infant growth during the first 12 months of life., Methods: Participating 2395 pregnancies were recruited from Shanghai Birth Cohort between 2013 and 2016. Ten PFASs were quantified from maternal plasma collected during early pregnancy (median, 15 gestational weeks). We measured infant length, weight, and head circumference at birth, 42 days, 6 months, and 12 months. Linear mixed regression model was used to estimate the associations between PFAS concentrations and repeated measurements of infant growth. Effect modification by infant sex was estimated., Results: Elevated perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) concentration was negatively associated with infant length-for-age Z score (LAZ) (β = -0.06, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.11, -0.01) during the first year. Adverse associations were also observed for perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) and weight-for-length Z score (WFL) (β = -0.02, 95% CI: -0.04, -0.00) and BMI-for-age Z score (BAZ) (β = -0.02, 95% CI: -0.04, -0.00). However, perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA) was positively associated with WFL (β = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.00, 0.06) and BAZ (β = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.00, 0.06). The adverse association of PFHpA and LAZ was more pronounced among males (β = -0.06; 95% CI: -0.11, -0.00) than females (β = 0.06; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.12)., Conclusions: In our study, negative associations were found for maternal PFHpA exposure and infant LAZ, PFBS and WFL and BAZ. Meanwhile, maternal PFDoA exposure was positively related with WFL and BAZ. The adverse association of maternal PFHpA exposure and infant LAZ was more pronounced among males. The results should be interpreted with caution, further prospective cohort studies with longitudinal and detailed measures are warranted to confirm these findings., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)