The Effect of Subclinical Hypothyroidism on Coagulation and fibrinolysis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Despite patients with thyroid dysfunction show obvious abnormal hemostatic indicators in the peripheral blood, the current research on whether and how subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) influence hemostatic function (the coagulation and fibrinolytic system) still remains controversial. Objective: We conducted this study to evaluate how SCH influence on the coagulation and fibrinolytic system in human body. Methods: Prior to March 2022, Web of Science, Embase, PubMed, WanFang, CNKI data and reference lists were searched to identify eligible researches. Two of us independently extracted the data and evaluated study quality. The effect size is represented by standard mean difference (SMD). Both fixed and random-effects models were used where appropriate. Review Manager 5.3 and STATA 16.0 were used to analyze the eligible data. Results: 1325 patients from twelve observational studies were involved in our research. Our study revealed that SCH changed the heamostatic balance towards hypercoagulable and hypofibrinolytic conditions accompanied by an increase in tissue fibrinogen, plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. By contrast, there was no statistically difference in acivated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and D-Dimer in SCH group compared with that in control subjects. Conclusions: Our study confirmed that SCH is related with a prothrombotic state, as reflected by changes in both coagulation and fibrinolysis. It is highly recommended for screening cardiovascular risk factors in combination with an adequate evaluation of SCH state. Systematic Review Registration: [https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/#recordDetails] PROSPERO [CRD42021275313].

Stoichiometric characteristics and economic implications of water-soluble ions in PM2.5 from a resource-dependent city.

The stoichiometric characteristics of water-soluble ions (WSIs) in PM2.5, which can be used as an indicator socioeconomic development level, are mostly depending on the sources and formation mechanism of PM2.5. This work presents the stoichiometric characteristics and socioeconomic linkage of WSIs in PM2.5 from a resource-dependent city. The relationship between NO3-/SO42- and car parc indexes the contribution of mobile emission source. The equivalent ratio of WSIs suggested that aerosol particles were weak acidic due to the deficiency of cations in PM2.5, which was consistent with the average annual pH (6.27) of precipitation in Wuhai in 2015. NH4+ neutralizes PM2.5 acidity in clean and polluted days, while Ca2+ and NH4+ in dust storm days. Furthermore, the PCA analysis indicated the multi-sources pollution characteristics from Spring to Fall, which was related the small build-up area (only 62.30 km2) and the close-set of various industrial enterprises in Wuhai. The ratios of NO2/SO2 may not work effectively to identify the importance of mobile versus stationary pollution emission sources when the heavy emission from the secondary industry, especially the proportion of secondary industry higher than 65% and the ratios of NO2/SO2 lower than 0.4. This work contributes to more effective control strategies for PM2.5 in resource-dependent areas.

Seasonal response of the synergism of maternal comorbidities and long-term air pollution exposure on birth outcomes.

Air pollution has been considered as one of the most important factors associating with various birth outcomes. However, the seasonal response of maternal comorbidities effects associated with air pollution has not been investigated, especially in the city with distinguish seasonal pattern and long heating seasons. In this work, 69,945 live births were investigated from 2013 to 2016, and the seasonal relationship between air pollution and preterm birth and low birth weight were assessed, as well as the synergism of maternal comorbidities. Exposures of six pollutants were assigned to maternal residences during pregnancy. The potential effect modification by maternal comorbidities on the associations was evaluated between prenatal air pollution and preterm birth (PTB), as well as effects of seasons and trimesters. Adjusting for seasonality, all six pollutants presented seasonal relationship with preterm birth, which CO, PM10, NO2, and PM2.5 were with [odds ratio (OR) = 1.035 95% CI: 1.015, 1.055, OR = 1.039 95% CI: 1.034, 1.045, OR = 1.042, 95% CI: 1.029, 1.056 and OR = 1.085 95% CI 1.073, 1.097, respectively] for tenth quartile of 10 µg/m3 range increased in autumn (the beginning of heating season). For O3, it associated with PTB in winter and spring with OR = 1.113 95% CI: 1.104, 1.123, and OR = 1.155 95% CI: 1.145, 1.165, respectively. The OR increase of PTB for exposure to all six pollutants was higher among women with preeclampsia and gestational hypertension. The associations between ambient air pollution and preterm birth were modified by gestational hypertension and preeclampsia. The seasonal patterns of six studied air pollutants increases the risk of PTB in autumn and winter distinguishably, which may due to the sudden increased concentrations of pollutants emitted by traditional heating. The seasonal response of the synergism of maternal comorbidities and long-term air pollution exposure on birth outcomes is supported by the data sets of preterm birth.

Increasing risk of congenital anomalies associated with seasonal pattern of air pollution: Differences by maternal comorbidities.

To interpret the relationship of the seasonal pattern of air pollution exposure associated with increased risk of congenital anomalies (CA) and the trimester-specific effects. In this work, 55,428 hospital records with 847 doctor-diagnosed CA from July 2013 to December 2016 were collected in Hohhot, China. Maternal exposure to critical air pollutants (SO2, CO, PM10, O3, NO2 and PM2.5) were estimated using an inverse distance weighted (IDW) method on the basis of the ambient air quality monitoring stations. Logistic regression analysis was employed to determine the association of CA (in terms of odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI)) in three trimesters with heating/none heating season exposure. The results showed that CO exposure was found a significant association with ORs (95% CI) 1.58 (1.09, 2.27) changing from IQR2-3 and 1.40 (1.01, 1.93) changing from IQR3-IQR4 in 1st trimester and 1.51 (1.12, 2.04) changing from IQR2-3 in 2nd trimester, respectively. PM10 also presented significant association with ORs (95% CI) 1.42(1.08, 1.86) changing from IQR3-4 in 2nd trimester. Exposure effects were found more obvious in heating season, i.e. CO exposure levels were associated with the risks of CA with IQR changing ORs (95% CI) of 5.21(2.02, 7.44), 2.24 (1.21, 4.15) and 1.84 (1.10, 3.11) in 1st trimester, respectively; PM2.5 exposure levels were associated with the risks of CA with IQR changing ORs (95% CI) of 3.76 (1.48, 6.55), 2.45 (1.10, 5.44) and 3.30 (1.63, 6.67) in 2nd trimester, respectively. Our findings suggested some positive associations of pregnancy and CA with maternal exposure to ambient CO and PM2.5 during the 1st and 2nd trimester after controlling for maternal comorbidities general covariates and other pollutants. PM10 was also found significantly associated with increased risk of CA in 2nd trimester besides seasons. There was no association found in 3rd trimester.

[Regulation of sporulation by two-component system YvcPQ in Bacillus thuringiensis].

Objective: To study the regulation of sporulation controlled by two-component system (TCS) YvcPQ. Methods: ß-galactosidase experiment was used to verify the regulation of YvcP on kapD expression; bacterial one-hybrid assay, EMSA and RT-qPCR were applied to study the regulation of AbrB on yvcPQ expression; markerless gene deletion coupled with spore count was used to reveal the influence of yvcPQ and kapD expressions on sporulation. Results: transcriptional regulator AbrB up-regulated the expression of yvcPQ; YvcP promoted the expression of kapD to inhibit sporulation. Conclusion: AbrB up-regulated the transcription of yvcPQ operon, then the increased YvcP strengthened the transcriptional acitivation of sporulation inhibitor gene kapD, and subsequently inhibited sporulation.

Two-component system YvqEC-dependent bacterial resistance against vancomycin in Bacillus thuringiensis.

YvqEC is one of the two-component signal transduction systems that may respond to cell envelope stress and enable cells to adjust multiple cellular functions. It consists of a histidine kinase YvqE and a response regulator YvqC. In this study, we separately constructed a single gene mutant ΔyvqE and a double gene mutant ΔyvqEC in Bacillus thuringiensis BMB171 through a homing endonucleases I-SceI mediated markerless gene deletion method. We found that the deletion of either yvqE or yvqEC weakened the resistance of B. thuringiensis against vancomycin. We also identified nine operons that may be involved in the cellular metabolism regulated by YvqC. This study not only enriches our understanding of bacterial resistance mechanisms against vancomycin, but also helps investigate the functions of YvqEC.

Shenzhu Tiaopi granule combined with lifestyle intervention therapy for impaired glucose tolerance: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the clinical effects of the Shenzhu Tiaopi granule (SZTP) combined with a lifestyle intervention in patients with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), who also had a spleen deficiency and damp overabundance syndrome (SDDOS). METHODS: After a one-month washout period, a total of 514 patients were randomly assigned to the control (lifestyle intervention) and experimental (SZTP plus lifestyle intervention) groups, with 257 patients in each group. Patients in the control group received the lifestyle intervention (diet and exercise) for 12 months, while the patients in the experimental group were treated with SZTP plus the lifestyle intervention for 12 months. The Traditional Chinese Medicinal (TCM) symptom scores were observed in each group before and after treatment; the conversion rates from IGT to diabetes mellitus (DM) were also measured. RESULTS: Following 12 months of treatment, the conversion rate from IGT to DM in the experimental group was significantly lower than in the control group (8.52% vs. 15.28%, P<0.05). A significantly higher number of patients with IGT reverted to normal blood glucose levels in the experimental group than in the control group (42.15% vs. 32.87%, P<0.05). In addition, after following the treatment for 12 months, the TCM symptoms of patients in the experimental group were markedly alleviated, as compared to the control group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The combination of SZTP and lifestyle intervention showed a reduction in the conversion from IGT to DM, and an increase in the conversion from IGT to normal blood glucose levels.

Distribution characteristics and potential ecological risk assessment of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd) in water and sediments from Lake Dalinouer, China.

The concentrations of Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd were measured in water and sediment to determine their distribution characteristics and potential ecological risks of the Lake Dalinouer. The results revealed that the dominate form of Cu, Pb, Cd and Zn in surface sediments respectively were organic sulfides, Fe-Mn oxides, carbonates and Fe-Mn oxides, with a mean content of 4.28mgkg(-1), 0.76mgkg(-1), 7.84µgkg(-1) and 1.77mgkg(-1), respectively; the concentrations of bio-available metals had an increase tendency from the northeast to the southwest part of this lake. Acid volatile sulfides (AVS) and simultaneously extracted metal (SEM) were used to predict the potential bioavailability of heavy metals. The horizontal distribution of AVS (0.15-2.4µmolg(-1), mean 0.53µmolg(-1)) in surface sediments shows an increasing trend from southwest to northeast of the lake, whereas SEM (0.02-0.99µmolg(-1), mean 0.37µmolg(-1)) had an opposite pattern. The relative high salt and pH which restrained the bioactivities of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) were the main controlling factor in AVS concentrations. The vertical variation of AVS concentration in sediment core increased with depth and different from SEM. Potential ecological risk index (PERI) and geo-accumulation index (Igeo) were used to assess heavy metals accumulation. The results indicated that moderate contamination of most heavy metals was prevalent and presented a decreased trend from southern to northern of the lake, and element Cd emerged the greatest potential ecological risk. The pollution of heavy metal in the southern of the Lake Dalinouer should be taken into consideration seriously.

Species and distribution of rare earth elements in the Baotou section of the Yellow River in China.

This paper analyses the contents and species distributions of rare earth elements (REEs) in the water-suspended particulate-sediment system of the Baotou section of the Yellow River, China, with known anthropogenic REE input from industrial discharges. The major forms of REEs were suspended and dissolved in the mainstream and the tributaries of the Baotou section, respectively. The concentrations of the dissolved and suspended REEs had the same trends in the overlying water along the mainstream, which increased from the Seqi section (site A) to the mouth of the Sidaosha River (site D), reaching a maximum value at site D, and tending to decrease thereafter. The contents of REEs in sediment cores showed enrichment with light rare earth elements (LREEs). The bound to carbonates and to Fe-Mn oxides are the major forms of REE in the secondary phase and the REE exhibited LREE enrichment pattern and moderate Eu depletion in suspended particulates and surface sediments. The contents and species distributions of REEs in the water-suspended particulate-sediment system of the Baotou section suggest that the anthropogenic source of REEs from Baotou city have enhanced REE accumulation to the Baotou section. This information is important for predicting possible pollution resulting from anthropogenic REE input into rivers.

[Heavy metal adsorption research on different size fractions of sediment in the Baotou section of the Yellow River by using modified fractal dimension model].

The expression of surface fractal dimension (SFD) for size fractions of the Yellow River sediment was deduced. Based on the expression, the SFD value of different size fractions of the sediment was calculated. The SFD value of the sediment in the Baotou section of the Yellow River is 1.91, and the SFD value of the sediment smaller than 63 microm is 1.36, indicating strong ablation and separating ability of the Yellow River water. Using the modified fractal model, Freundlich model and Langmuir model to fit the data of heavy metal (Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd) adsorption, it is found that the modified fractal model is more available. And the adsorptive thermodynamics is better described by combining the modified fractal model and metastable equilibrium adsorption (MEA) theory. The variation extents of equilibrium adsorption capacity influenced by different grain size are ranked as Cu > Pb > Zn approximately equal to Cd. For each selected heavy metal, the higher initial concentration is, the stronger variation of adsorption capacity will be. The adsorptions of Cu and Pb are mainly associated with mineral composition of the sediment, while the adsorptions of Zn and Cd are mainly associated with physical characteristics of the sediment surface.

[Distribution characteristics of organic matter and total nitrogen in sediments of lake Wuliangsuhai].

Lake Wuliangsuhai is one of the representative inland freshwater lakes in grassland areas of China, and its shrinking and eutrophication is becoming more serious. The study on the ecological and environmental effects of the shrinking and eutrophication revealed that the total nitrogen (TN) content in the surface sediment of the lake had an obvious differentiation both in longitudinal and in latitudinal direction, and had a significant correlation with organic matter content. The mean C/N ratio of the sediment ranged from 12.07 to 19.95, which meant that the organic matter was mainly come from the hydrophytes of the lake, and the eutrophication of the lake was mostly caused by its internal load. Both TN and organic matter had a clear grain-size effect in different fractions of grain sizes of surface sediment, and their contents in IV (< 63 microm) were as 3.1 - 7.6 and 2.5 - 8.0 times as those in I (>250 microm), respectively.

[Speciation and distribution characters of rare earth elements in the Baotou Section of the Yellow River].

As a whole of water column, suspended matter and surface sediment in the mainstream and the branch taking up industry wastewater, speciation and distribution characters of rare earth elements (REEs) were investigated systemically in the Baotou section of the Yellow River. This study shows that rare earth elements in the mainstream of the Baotou section of the Yellow River mainly exist in suspended particles, and the dissolved contents are in extremely minute quantities. REEs mainly exist in dissolved particles in the branch taking up industry wastewater, and suspended sigma REE and dissolved sigma REE are obviously higher than those in the mainstream. The change of sigma REE of dissolved particles in water phase along the Baotou section of the Yellow River is very similar to that of sigma REE of suspended particles, and consistent along the main river, it is that sigma REE increase appreciably from the control profile to the keystone discharged section, come to a head in the D site and reduce in the E site. This distribution pattern indicates pile industry wastewater of Baotou to rare earth elements in the mainstream of the Yellow River, particularly LREE. The REE distribution in the mainstream of the Baotou section of the Yellow River is the same, with LREE enrichment and Eu depletion. But LREE origin of D site is different from the other sites by excursion of LREE distribution curve and other geochemical parameters, they are origin of industry wastewater piled, otherwise the other four sites are origin of loess altiplano. And HREE are origin of loess altiplano in all the sites. The speciation characteristics of REE in the sediments and suspended matter are quite similar with the amount in as follows: residual >> bound to carbonates, bound to Fe-Mn oxides > bound to organic matter >> exchangeable. REEs exchangeable in surface sediment and suspended matter in the branch taking up industry wastewater are higher than those in the mainstream, it confirms that REEs in the mainstream mainly exist in suspended particles, and mainly exist in dissolved particles in the branch.