Heavy Metal Assessment among Chinese Nonferrous Metal-exposed Workers from the Jinchang Cohort Study / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

Environmental exposure to heavy metals has been linked to a wide range of human health hazards. We detected the levels of 15 metals in urine samples from 500 representative sub-samples in an ongoing occupational cohort study (Jinchang Cohort) to directly evaluate metal exposure levels. Fifteen metals, namely As, Ba, Be, Cd, Cs, Cr, Co, Cu, Pb, Mn, Ni, Se, Tl, U, and Zn, were detected by inductively coupled plasma quadruple mass spectrometry. The results showed that median creatinine adjustment and geometric mean urinary metal levels were higher in the heavy metal-exposed group, except Se and Zn, than other reported general or occupational populations. Further studies should address the effects of heavy metals on human health.

Diagnostic efficacy of 99Tcm-MIBI SPECT/CT and 18F-FDG coincidence SPECT/CT for solitary pulmonary nodules: a comparative study / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the diagnostic accuracy of (99)Tc(m)-MIBI SPECT/CT and (18)F-FDG coincidence SPECT/CT for solitary pulmonary nodules.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 88 cases suspected of solitary pulmonary nodules were analyzed retrospectively, of whom 36 were examined with (18)F-FDG coincidence SPECT/CT and 52 with (99)Tc(m)-MIBI SPECT/CT. The nature of the solitary pulmonary nodules (malignant or benign) were determined according to the pathological or follow-up (>2 years) results. The diagnostic accuracy of the two modalities for solitary pulmonary nodules was evaluated by ROC curve. The correlation of the lesion size and pathological grade determined by the two modalities with the L/N ratio was assessed using Spearman correlation analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(18)F-FDG coincidence SPECT/CT and (99)Tc(m)-MIBI SPECT/CT showed a similar area under curve (AUC) of the L/N ratio (0.92 vs 0.88, P=0.565) with diagnostic sensitivities of 76.92% (20/26) and 80.77% (21/26) and specificities of 100% (10/10) and 88.46% (23/26), respectively. For solitary pulmonary nodules with lesion diameter ≤2 cm, the AUC was 1.00 with (18)F-FDG coincidence SPECT/CT and 0.90 with (99)Tc(m)-MIBI SPECT/CT (P=0.746), while for nodules beyond 2 cm but below 3 cm, the AUCs were 0.79 and 0.89, respectively (P<0.001). In either of the two modalities, correlation analysis revealed no correlation of the L/N ratio with the pathological grade of the malignant lesions (P=0.771 and 0.077, respectively). The L/N ratio was not correlated with the size of the malignant lesion detected by (99)Tc(m)-MIBI SPECT/CT (P=0.516) but was significantly correlated with the size of the malignant lesions detected by (18)F-FDG coincidence SPECT/CT (P=0.016).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>(99)Tc(m)-MIBI SPECT/CT has a greater diagnostic accuracy than (18)F-FDG coincidence SPECT/CT for solitary pulmonary nodules with lesion a diameter beyond 2 cm, and is therefore the primary choice for low-income patients.</p>

Metal Exposure and Risk of Diabetes and Prediabetes among Chinese Occupational Workers / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the association between metal exposure and risk of diabetes and prediabetes among Chinese workers exposed to metals.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We used data obtained from the baseline survey of the Jinchang Cohort Study of workers in Jinchang Industry, the largest nickel production company in China. A total of 42,122 workers ⋝20 years of age were included in the study. A standardized, structured questionnaire was used to collect epidemiological information. Physical examinations and laboratory tests were conducted to evaluate the health status of the participants and to measure various biomarkers including blood sugar, lipids, and urinary metal concentrations. Logistic regression was used to study the association between occupational groups categorized according to the measured metal levels (office workers, low-level; mining/production workers, mid-level; and smelting/refining workers, high-level) and risk of diabetes and prediabetes.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The overall prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes was 7.5% and 16.8%, respectively. The adjusted odds ratios for diabetes among mining/production workers and smelting/refining workers compared to office workers were 1.5 (95% CI: 1.3, 1.7) and 3.8 (95% CI: 3.4, 4.3), respectively. No association was observed between these occupational groups and prediabetes in this study.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Occupations associated with higher levels of metal exposure were associated with an increased risk of diabetes in this cohort. More studies are needed to confirm this observed association.</p>

Nickel-exposed workers in China: a cohort study / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

There are more than 50 000 workers in Jinchuan Group Co, Ltd (JNMC). Since all staff in JNMC are eligible for a medical examination every two years, only 23 484 nickel-exposed subjects who participated in medical examination were included in this study. Their data, collected from June 22, 2011 to September 28, 2012, in a comprehensive epidemiological survey and during medical examinations, permitted an extensive evaluation of the relation between metal exposure, gene, epigenetics and risk of human diseases. Their lifestyle investigation showed that the overall prevalence of current smokers, alcohol drinkers, and tea drinkers was 39.1%, 19.7%, and 55.2%, respectively. The prevalence of hypertension, allergic rhinitis and cholecystitis , the top 3 prevalent diseases, was 11.7%, 11.0%, and 8.9%, respectively.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Chinese nickel-exposed workers / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) was investigated in Chinese nickel-exposed workers. A total of 35 104 subjects were enrolled in this study. The age-adjusted prevalence of MS, BMI⋝25, diabetes, hypertension, and abnormal lipid was 13.9%, 29.5%, 12.8%, 27.5%, and 47.1%, respectively. The prevalence of BMI⋝25, hyperglycemia, and hypertension increased with the age of males and females, and was higher in males than in females (37.1% vs 21.5%, 15.9% vs 12.1%, 35.0% vs 24.3%, 54.3% vs 40.4%).

The study of OmniView technology with three-dimensional ultrasound in displaying the fetal palate / 中华医学超声杂志（电子版）

Objective To evaluate the application of “OmniView”, a new three-dimensional ultrasound technology, in displaying the fetal palate. Methods The three-dimensional volume data was acquired from 100 normal fetuses, analysed by OmniView technology with the facial midsagittal plane as the starting plane. The imaging of fetal palate was obtained in axial plane (through maxilla, oral cleft), coronal plane, oblique coronal plane (through piriform aperture, oral cleft, submental triangle), and the palate′s curved plane tiled imaging by drawing the anatomical lines on referenced sagittal plane (facial midsagittal plane). The volumes of ifve fetuses with cleft lip and palate were obtained and analysed by the same technology. Results The volume dataset of 91 (91.0%, 91/100) normal fetuses were acquired successfully, and analyzed by OmniView technology, the results of 91 normal fetal palate in different plane were: (1) In axial plane through maxilla, the visualization of alveolar process bow was 91 (100%, 91/91). It was shown as“C”shaped arcuate structure, the anechoic structure of alveolar socket could be seen on the bow, and the ifrst 6 alveolar sockets were displayed clearly. The visualization number of hard palate was 91 (100%, 91/91), it was shown as hyperechoic lfake between two sides of alveolar bones. In axial plane through oral cleft, the visualization number of soft palate was 81 (89.0%, 81/91), it was shown as a strip of soft tissue echo band. (2) In coronal plane, the visualization number of hard palate was 91 (100%, 91/91), it was shown as a strip of hyperechoic band and separated the oral and nasal cavity. (3) In oblique coronal plane through piriform aperture, the visualization number of hard palate was 91 (100%, 91/91), it was shown as a short strip of hyperechoic band. In oblique coronal plane through oral cleft, the visualization number of hard palate was 91 (100%, 91/91). In oblique coronal plane through submental triangle, the visualization number of hard palate was 91 (100%, 91/91). In the above two planes, the hard palate was shown as a strip of hyperechoic band, due to acoustic shadow behind the hard palate, the nasal cavity and nasal septum above the hard palate couldn’t be displayed. (4) In oblique coronal plane through piriform aperture, the visualization number of soft palate was 81 (89.0%, 81/91). The visualization number of uvula was 25 (27.5%, 25/91). The soft palate was shown as a lfake of soft tissue echo behind the hard palate, and the uvula was shown as papillary protrusions on the edge of the soft palate in the midline. In oblique coronal plane through oral cleft, the visualization number of soft palate was 81 (89.0%, 81/91). In oblique coronal plane through submental triangle, the visualization number of soft palate was 81 (89.0%, 81/91). In the above two planes, the soft palate was shown as a strip of soft tissue echo band, the soft tissue echo of fetal tongue was in the lower front of soft palate, and the anechoic region of nasopharynx was superior behind the soft palate. (5) In the curved plane tiled imaging of palate, the visualization number of alveolar process bow (primary palate) was 91 (100%, 91/91). The visualization number of hard palate was 91 (100%, 91/91). The visualization number of soft palate was 81 (89.0%, 81/91). the visualization number of uvula was 25 (27.5%, 25/91), the planar panorama of alveolar process bow, hard palate and soft palate could be visualized intuitively, the alveolar arch and hard palate were shown as bone-like hyperecho, and the soft palate was shown as soft tissue hypoecho. In iffteen cases′volume involved cleft lip and palate, all five cases of malformations were detected through three-dimensional data analysis, the position and range of the cleft palate could also be conifrm. Abnormal fetuses were all veriifed after induction of labor. Conclusions By three-dimensional ultrasound technology-“OmniView”, the axial and coronal plane of fetal palate could be obtained easily which was dififcult by two-dimensional ultrasound, and the special oblique coronal plane of secondary palate could be displayed easily. The panorama of the palate could be visualized intuitively though curved plane tiled imaging by drawing a line tracking the structure of the palate. This technology could simplify the ultrasound examination procedure of the fetal palate, reduce the operators′skill-dependence, and quickly evaluated the integrity of the fetal primary palate and secondary palate. For the cleft lip fetus, this technology can determine whether the cleft palate exist or not, together with their position and range.

Synergistic effect of dichlorvos, dimethoate and malathion mixture on reproduction toxicity in male mice / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the reproduction toxicity of the mixture composed of dichlorvos, dimethoate and malathion synergistic effect on male mice, and further explore its possible mechanisms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The 105 male mice were divided into 7 groups, including control (0 mg/kg), mix low (10.8 mg/kg), mix medium (21.5 mg/kg), mix high dose (43.0 mg/kg), dichlorvos (5.1 mg/kg), dimethoate (12.6 mg/kg) and malathion (25.3 mg/kg) group. The oral gavage for successive 35 days, and the mice were sacrificed on the 36(th) day. The body weight, and the quantity, activity and morphology of sperms were examined. The levels of sexual hormone were measured, including testosterone (T), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and estradiol (E(2)). Pathological changes of testicle and epididymis were observed by morphology, pathology and electron microscope.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After 14 days exposure, the body weights of the mice were lower in the mix-high dose group ((22.40 ± 3.07) g) than those in control group ((26.73 ± 2.82) g) (P < 0.05). After 28 days exposure, the body weights of the mice were also lower in the mix-medium dose group ((30.00 ± 4.93) g) than those in control group ((33.13 ± 3.29) g) (P < 0.05). The sperm counts and sperm motility decreased significantly as the toxic concentration arised. Comparing to control group ((373.33 ± 14.65)×10(6)/g weight of epididymis and (75.17 ± 7.68)%), the spermatozoa count and sperm motility had decreased in mix-medium and mix-high dose groups ((321.17 ± 18.19)×10(6)/g weight of epididymis, (225.00 ± 19.67)×10(6)/g weight of epididymis, and (64.67 ± 9.91)%, (57.83 ± 9.66)%), and the sperm abnormality rates were higher in mix-medium and mix-high groups ((43.33 ± 8.66)‰ and (55.00 ± 13.80)‰) comparing to those in control group ((32.67 ± 8.17)‰). Compared to those in control group (FSH (1.41 ± 0.20), E(2)(17.32 ± 2.72), LH (8.75 ± 1.32) and T (3.45 ± 0.80) nmol/L), the serum level of FSH (3.14 ± 0.62) and (3.85 ± 0.37) nmol/L, E(2) (36.81 ± 6.68) and (43.76 ± 9.82) nmol/L in mix-medium and mix-high dose group increased (P < 0.01), while the level of LH (5.21 ± 1.23) and (4.27 ± 1.09) nmol/L and T (1.37 ± 0.38) and (0.73 ± 0.18) nmol/L decreased (P < 0.01). The morphological and ultramicrostructure results of testicle and epididymis indicated that the mature sperm numbers were decreased, and the cacoplastic sperm head and the tail of spermatozoon were observed in mix-high dose groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The dichlorvos, dimethoate and malathion mixture had synergistic reproductive toxicity to the testicle and epididymis structure and function, and thus leading to the process of generation cell cytopoiesis abnormalities, simultaneously the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis were also affected and thus resulted in parasecretion.</p>