Characteristics of exposure to microplastics via ingestion and inhalation among Chinese children / 上海预防医学

Objective To evaluate the characteristics of exposure to micro- and nano-plastics （MPs） via food ingestion and inhalation among Chinese children including 6-7 years old school children in Pudong New Area of Shanghai. Methods Articles published until March 2021 were searched on PubMed， Web of Science， Scopus， China National Knowledge Infrastructure （CNKI）， Wanfang and Weipu databases. The exposure levels of MPs by food ingestion and inhalation pathways were estimated by referring to the Chinese children food consumption and breathing rates data. The characteristics of children’s exposure to MPs in China were compared with that in the United States. In addition， the consumption of bottled water， tap water and salt intake among children aged 6-7 years was determined in a cohort of children and adolescents in Pudong New Area of Shanghai. The characteristics of exposure to MPs through food intake and inhalation among them were investigated. Results A total of 5 786 samples from 38 studies were retrieved. Annual intake of MPs among Chinese children was estimated to range from 159 400 to 204 637 MPs from food ingestion， depending on age and sex. When inhalation exposure is also considered， the annual MPs intake increased to 164 635 to 213 032 MPs， which were larger than the values in American persons. Ingestion of MPs posed the largest health risk to male Chinese adults. With the questionnaire survey data， the estimated annual total exposure amount through food intake alone is 116 272‒120 334 MPs for 6 to 7 years old school children in Pudong New Area. With addition of inhalation exposure， the annual total exposure amount is 121 300‒125 983 MPs， which is lower than the average exposure level in the whole country. The discrepancy could be mainly due to the different drinking habits between the local children and others. Overall， tap drinking water， seafood，bottled water， and air represented four substantial vectors of daily MPs exposure in Chinese children. Conclusion Ingestion and inhalation of MPs pose higher health risk to Chinese children in comparison to American children. The level of exposure to MPs among 6 to 7 years old school children in Pudong New Area of Shanghai is lower than that in the same age group of children across the whole country. The attempt to lower the MPs levels in drinking water and seafood would represent the most effective means to help reduce the MPs exposure risk to Chinese children.

Psychoactive substance abuse and associated factors among middle school students in Liaoning / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To investigate psychoactive substance abuse and associated factors among middle school students in Liaoning, and to provide policy suggestions and reference opinions for relevant departments.@*Methods@#A questionnaire survey was conducted among 12 598 middle school students in 10 cities of Liaoning by multi stage stratified cluster sampling. Multivariate Logistic regression model was used to analyze associated factors of psychoactive substance abuse.@*Results@#About 0.94% ( n =118) of all participants reported substance abuse behavior, the highest abuse rate was in the third grade students in vocational middle school, the most common psychoactive substance was “laughing balloon”, accounting for 0.57%. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis revealed that girls, moderate academic burden were generally negatively associated with more psychoactive substance use( OR = 0.57 , 0.58, P <0.05). Academic performance class was ranked in the last ten, monthly pocket money more than 500 yuan and sleep with medication were generally positively associated with more psychoactive substance use ( OR =1.93, 2.52, 4.29, P < 0.05 ).@*Conclusion@#The problem of psychoactive substance abuse among middle school students can not be ignored. Effective prevention and control of psychoactive substance abuse can be achieved through publicity, education, awareness raising, early intervention, counseling and treatment, and through coordination of adolescents, families, schools, government and the society.

Amplified cardiorespiratory activity by hypoxia in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats / 生理学报

Activation of peripheral respiratory chemoreceptors provokes respiratory and cardiovascular reflexes, providing a novel understanding of pathogenic mechanism of hypertension. Here we hypothesize that activation of peripheral respiratory chemoreceptors by hypoxia causes enhanced cardiorespiratory activity in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Using whole body plethysmography in combination with radio telemetry, pulmonary ventilation, arterial blood pressure and heart rate were examined in SHRs and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. We found that exposure to hypoxia induced greater increases in tidal volume and minute ventilation volume in SHRs compared to WKY rats. In addition, hypoxia caused a robust increase in arterial blood pressure and heart rate in SHRs relative to WKY counterparts. After carotid body denervation, the hypoxic ventilatory response was significantly decreased in both SHRs and WKY rats, but without significant difference between the two strains; moreover, the differences of arterial blood pressure and heart rate changes during hypoxic exposure were statistically insignificant between SHRs and WKY rats. It is concluded that hypoxia remarkably potentiates cardiorespiratory activity in the SHRs, suggesting an enhanced sensitivity of carotid bodies to hypoxia.

Objective evaluation of CO2 laser in the treatment of Tis--T glottic carcinoma after operation for voice rehabilitation / 临床耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To objectively evaluate the voice rehabilitation status in different period after treatment of Tis--T1 glottic carcinoma by CO2 laser with voice parameters.@*METHOD@#A retrospective review of 41 cases with Tis--T1 glottic carcinoma treated by CO2 laser was performed, 23 cases were stage Tis (Tis group) and 18 cases with stage T1N0M0 (T1 group). The range of excision of the lesion by CO2 laser was according to the different stages of the tumor, and ensured theoperation negative margin was by intraoperative frozen pathological examination. We tested and compared the actual voice (coritaine F0, Jitter, Shimmer, NNE and MPT) of 30 cases of healthy middle-aged and old male(normal group) and all the patients at one day prior to operation, three months, six months and one year after operation respectively, which was to evaluate the voice rehabilitation status in different period after operation objectively.@*RESULT@#Postoperative pathological examination revealed, 23 cases were squamous epithelium severe atypical hyperplasia, 16 cases were well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, and 2 cases were moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Palatoglossal arch mucosal tear occurred in 3 patients. Respiratory difficulties were not seen in all cases, and normal oral feeding was obtained in all cases in postoperative three days. All patients were followed up for one year. There was statistical significance in F0, Jitter, Shimmer of both Tis group and T1 group after operation in different periods(P0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#CO2 laser surgery is an effective treatment for early glottic carcinoma. Postoperative vocal function was improved in varying degrees, and voice quality gradually improved with the rehabilitation time. Partly objective parameters reflecting the vocal function gradually stabilized after half a year after operation.

Effects of laser-assisted cochleostomy on inner hair cell ribbon synapse in rats / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects on ribbon synapse of inner hair cells after superpulsed CO2 laser-assisted cochleostomy in SD rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighteen SD rats were randomly divided into laser-assisted surgery groups (2 W group and 5 W group), sham-operated group and control group. Ten of those were performed a cochleostomy using superpulsed CO2 laser with a corresponding power. Auditory brainstem responses (ABR) were measured pre-and postoperatively. The ribbon synapses at apical and middle cochlear turns were observed under laser scanning confocal microscope and then were quantified with 3ds Max software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The postoperative ABR thresholds of the 2 W and 5 W groups were larger than the preoperative case (t = -5.65, P < 0.01; t = -4.97, P < 0.01). The synapse number at the middle turn decreased significantly in 5 W group (F = 17.15, P < 0.01), while no significant changes were noted at the apical turn (P > 0.05). There was no statistical difference in 2 W group (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The superpulsed CO2 laser-assisted cochleostomy with high-power is accompanied by a synaptic injury, while no obvious effects after the low-power laser surgery, which might be a safe strategy to preform cochleostomy.</p>

Relationship between plasma cortisol levels and stress ulcer following acute and severe head injury

This study was designed to investigate the relationship between plasma cortisol levels and stress ulcer following acute severe head injury. The plasma cortisol levels were prospectively measured by radioimmunoassay in 68 patients following acute head injury. The diagnosis of stress ulcer was based on clinical evidence and was confirmed by endoscopic examination. Patients with stress ulcer and gastrointestinal bleeding [n = 30, 44.1%] were older than those without stress ulcer [38.2 +/- 7.9 vs. 28.3 +/- 9.7 years, P< 0.01]. The combined rate of poor recovery and death in the stress ulcer patients [70.0%] was significantly higher than in the nonulcer patients [42.1%, p = 0.02]. On each of the first 3 days following the head injury, the average plasma cortisol levels in the stress ulcer patients were higher than in the nonulcer patients [p< 0.01]. Univariate analysis showed a positive relationship between plasma cortisol on admission and stress ulcer [r= 0.329, p = 0.01]. Logistic regression analysis revealed that plasma cortisol levels on admission [OR = 2.326, 95% Cl = 1.982-2.466] and age [OR = 1.064, 95% Cl = 0.861-1.219] were independent predictors of stress ulcer. The data showed that acute severe head injury was associated with a significant increase in plasma cortisol. Plasma levels of cortisol and age were independent predictors of stress ulcer following acute head injury

Treatment of recurrent malignant gliomas by surgery combined with recombinant adenovirus-p53 injection / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of combination therapy with surgery and recombinant adenovirus-p53 injection of recurrent malignant gliomas.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>38 patients with recurrent malignant gliomas were included in this study. Among them, 18 patients of combined treatment group had Ommaya reservoirs placed into the tumor cavities after the resection of the tumors and received regular recombinant adenovirus-p53 injections after the operation. The other 20 patients received surgery alone.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The 6-month and 1-year survival rates after the combination therapy were 66.7% (14/18) and 44.4% (8/18), respectively. The median survival time was 9.7 months. Compared with the surgery-alone group, the combined treatment group achieved significant improvement (P < 0.05). The Karnofsky score was significantly improved at 6 months after the combination therapy compared with that before the treatment (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The recombinant adenovirus-p53 injection is safe and effective in treatment of recurrent malignant gliomas. The combination therapy of surgery and recombinant adenovirus-p53 injection may improve the life quality and the prognosis in patients with recurrent malignant gliomas.</p>