Co-exposure to perfluoroalkyl acids and heavy metals mixtures associated with impaired kidney function in adults: A community-based population study in China.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have separately linked either perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA) or heavy metal exposure with kidney dysfunction. However, the relationships of co-exposure to PFAAs and heavy metals with kidney function are still unclear. OBJECTIVES: To explore the associations between exposure to PFAAs and heavy metals mixtures and kidney function in adults. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional community-based population study in Guangzhou, China, enrolling 1312 adults from November 2018 to August 2019. We quantified 13 PFAAs in serum and 14 heavy metals in plasma. We chose estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) as outcomes of interest. Distributed lag non-linear models (DLNMs) were used to check nonlinearity of individual pollutant with kidney function. Joint associations of pollutant mixtures on kidney function were assessed by Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) models. We further explored modification effects of gender. RESULTS: Most individual PFAA and heavy metal were associated with declined kidney function in single-pollutant models. We also observed significant dose-response relationships of pollutant mixtures with reduced eGFR levels and increased odds of CKD in BKMR models. Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS), arsenic (As) and strontium (Sr) were the predominant contributors among pollutant mixtures. A change in log PFHpS, As and Sr concentrations from the 25th to the 75th percentile were associated with a decrease in eGFR of -5.42 (95% confidence interval (CI): -6.86, -3.98), -2.14 (95% CI: -3.70, -0.58) and -1.87 (95% CI: -3.03, -0.72) mL/min/1.73 m2, respectively, when other pollutants were at their median values. In addition, the observed associations were more obvious in females. CONCLUSIONS: We provided new evidence that co-exposure to PFAAs and heavy metals mixtures was associated with reduced kidney function in adults and PFHpS, As and Sr appeared to be the major contributors. Further studies are warranted to confirm our findings and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

Analysis of influencing factors of dental caries in first permanent molars among children aged 10-12 years old in Guangzhou / 口腔疾病防治

Objective @# To know the influencing factors of dental caries in first permanent molars among children aged 10-12 years old in Guangzhou, and to give references for dental caries prevention.@*Methods @#The samples were selected by stratified random sampling method. Oral health examination and questionnaires were applied to all the 18 656 children who were 5 or 6-grade in 149 primary schools. @*Results @#The prevalence of dental caries in first permanent molars was 18.19%. Girls accouted for 19.96%, which was significantly higher than that of boys (16.71%) (χ2 = 32.817, P< 0.001). Multiple regression analyses were used to investigate the influencing factors of dental caries in first permanent molars. After controlling school cluster and other factors, household register, gender, pit and fissure sealant, consumption of sweets and chocolates, consumption of sweet milk were influencing factors of permanent teeth caries. And household register, gender, pit and fissure sealant, consumption of sweets and chocolates were associated with mean DMFT.@*Conclusion @#school oral health education should focus on the consumption of sugars and cares should be put into the differences between urban and rural area. In addition, strengthening publicity of the sealant retention project,raising public awareness, and improving sealant retention quality are necessary to ensure the anti-caries effect.

Chiral induction in the ionothermal synthesis of a 3D chiral heterometallic metal-organic framework constructed from achiral 1,4-naphthalenedicarboxylate.

A chiral heteometallic compound, [(EMIM)NaCu(1,4-ndc)2]n (1), constructed from the achiral 1,4-naphthalenedicarboxylate (1,4-ndc) ligand has been ionothermally synthesized and structurally and magnetically characterized. The chiral induction effect of the enantiopure 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium (EMIM) L-lactate additive in the ionothermal reaction is briefly discussed.

Proteomic analysis of the immunosuppressive effects of mesenchymal stem cells in a rat heart transplantation model.

BACKGROUND: Some reports suggest mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have immunosuppressive properties. However, conflicting evidence regarding the role of MSCs has emerged. OBJECTIVES: To gain a better understanding of the immunosuppressive properties of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in a rat heart transplantation model. MATERIAL AND METHODS: MSCs were obtained from the femoral and tibial bone marrow of Sprague-Dawley rats and cultured. Heart-transplanted rats were allocated into a MSC-treated group and 2 control groups. On postoperative day 7, 1 rat was sacrificed and the pathological changes of heart tissues were assessed. Serum proteomic spectra were generated by surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS). RESULTS: Rat MSCs displayed the typical spindle-shaped morphology in culture and significantly prolonged the graft survival up to 33.25 ± 2.54 days compared with controls (19.75 ± 1.56 and 11.16 ± 1.34 days, respectively). Pathological analysis showed the inflammatory cell infiltration in the MSC-treated group was significantly reduced. SELDI analysis showed that 5 protein/peptide peaks with M/Z 1272.33, 1986.65, 2323.42, 5375.59 and 12968.11 were up-regulated in the MSC-treated group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Donor-derived MSCs clearly alleviate acute rejection following heart transplantation in rats and significantly prolong the isograft survival time.

[Validity and reliability of Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Version 4.0 Generic Core Scales in Chinese children and adolescents].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reliability and validity of parent proxy-report scales of Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Version 4.0 (PedsQL 4.0) Generic Core Scales, the Chinese Version. METHODS: 3493 school students aged 6-18 years were recruited using multistage cluster sampling method. Health-related quality of life was assessed using the above-mentioned PedsQL 4.0 scales. The internal consistency was assessed, using Cronbach's a coefficient, while its validity was tested through correlation analysis, t-test and exploratory factor analysis. RESULTS: The internal consistency reliability for Total Scale Score (Cronbach's alpha = 0.90), Physical Health Summary Score (alpha= 0.81), and Psychosocial Health Summary Score (alpha= 0.89) were excellent. Six major factors were extracted by factor analysis which basically matched the designed structure of the original version accounting for nearly 66% of the variance. The total Scale Score significantly decreased by 3.5 to 13.3 (P < 0.05) in children and adolescents who had diseases including cold, skin hypersensitiveness, food allergy, courbature or arthralgia, breathlessness with a frequency of 6 times or more per year or had asthma as compared to those with lower frequency (< or = 5 times/y) of the diseases or without asthma. We found moderate to high correlations between items and the subscales. Correlation coefficients ranged between 0.45 to 0.84 (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The reliability and validity of the parent proxy-report scales of PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales of the Chinese Version were as good as the original version. Our findings suggested that the scales could be applied to evaluate the health-related quality of life in childhood children in similar Chinese regions to Guangzhou.

[Study on food preference and dietary behavior to overweight/obesity in school children and adolescents in Guangzhou: a case-control study].

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the effect of food preference and dietary behaviors on the risk of overweight or obesity in school children and adolescents aged 6 - 19 years. METHODS: All overweight or obese students, with age- and school-matched controls were recruited for this case-control study from 28 elementary and secondary schools in Guangzhou urban districts from October 2006 to April 2007. Weight and height were measured, and body mass index was calculated for the classification of obesity, overweight and underweight. Their food preference and behaviors were assessed using a structured questionnaire completed by their parents. Behavior and food preference were classified into four levels, and the relevant bottom levels were defined as control groups. Logistic regression was used to assess independent determinants of overweight and obesity. RESULTS: Among 7136 participants, 1947 cases and 2136 normal weight controls from 5755 students with valid questionnaire data were included in the study. Results from univariate analysis showed that odds ratios for overweight or obesity were 0.60-0.69 in those with most preference (top group) on vegetables, fruits, candy, evening snacks, 0.50 in the students of less food partiality, 1.84, 1.30 and 1.26 in those of most preference for pork, beef and deep-fried foods, and 5.14 in students with fastest speed during eating, respectively (all P < 0.05). Vegetable intake, evening snacks preference, speed during eating and food partiality remained with significant association with overweight and obesity in multivariate analysis after adjusted for age, sex, family socio-economical status and their parents' body build. The adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) of the above items became 0.55 (0.42 - 0.73), 0.48 (0.35 - 0.65), 0.50 (0.39 - 0.65), and 4.32 (3.23 - 5.80) as compared to the relevant lowest categories, respectively. CONCLUSION: Behaviors as eating more vegetables and slow-eating might be protective factors against overweight and obesity in school children.

[Primary cultured neonate rat sinus node cells: morphology and expression of kir2.1 protein].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of kir2.1 protein in primary cultured sinus node cells and establish a reliable technique to locate, culture and characterize neonatal rat sinus node cells. METHODS: In paraffin sections, the location and morphology of the neonatal rat sinus node cells were observed by HE staining, silver nitrate staining, myelin staining and phosphotungstic acid-hematoxylin (PTAH) staining. Primary cell culture from the neonatal rat sinus node was conducted to observe the spontaneous contraction frequency, cell morphology and kir2.1 protein expression. RESULTS: Combination of the 3 staining methods allowed accurate localization of the sino-atrial nodal (SAN) tissue, and among the cultured cells in the SAN, at least 3 distinct types of cells with spontaneous contraction were observed. The majority of the contracting cells were spindle cells and their construction and impulse frequency indicated their identity as pacemaker cells, while the triangular and irregular cells resembled the atrial muscle cells. A lower expression level of kir2.1 protein was detected in SAN cells than in the atrial and ventricular myocytes of the neonatal rats. CONCLUSION: Combination of silver nitrate staining, myelin staining and PTAH staining identifies the exact location of the sinus node tissue, and cultured sinus node cells have lower expression of kir2.1 protein than the atrial and ventricular myocytes of neonatal rats.

[Effect of cyclooxygenase-2,and matrix metalloproteinase-2 expression on prognosis of lung cancer].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2)increased in most tumor tissues. Inhibitors of both COX-2 and MMP-2 have been experimentally and clinically proved effective against the development of tumor. Our study was designed to investigate the expression of COX-2 and MMP-2, and the effect of those proteins on lymphoid metastasis and prognosis of lung cancer. METHODS: SP immunohistochemistry was used to determine the expression of COX-2 and MMP-2 in 42 patients with lung cancer. Kaplan-Meier and log-rank test were used to compare the survival time of positive staining group and negative staining group. RESULTS: The positive rate of COX-2 was 31%, and that of MMP-2 was 62%. The survival time in positive COX-2 group was significantly shorter than that in negative COX-2 group (P=0.019). The lymphoid metastasis rate of positive MMP-2 group was significantly higher than that of negative MMP-2 group (P=0.009). The survival time in positive MMP-2 group was significantly shorter than that in negative MMP-2 group (P=0.001). No relationship was found between the expression of COX-2 and MMP-2 (P=0.257). CONCLUSION: The expression of COX-2 and MMP-2 are closely correlate with the prognosis of lung cancer, and the over-expression of those proteins suggest poor prognosis in patients with lung cancer.

[Correlation between serum p53 antibody and chemosensitivity in patient with esophageal cancer].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Studies have revealed that overexpression of p53 protein has close relation to induction of drug resistance in cancer patients and it can be used as a predictor for chemosensitivity of tumor. Recently, it has been found that specific p53 antibody (p53-Ab) presented in the serum of cancer patients with p53 protein overexpression. Furthermore, the presence of serum p53-Ab is closely correlated with p53 protein overexpression. Thus, serum p53-Ab could theoretically be useful in predicting chemosensitivity in cancer patients. In the present study, we investigated whether preoperative serum p53-Ab is correlated with the postoperative chemosensitivity of esophageal cancer, which was analyzed using in vitro drug response assay. METHOD: Serum analysis of p53 antibodies was performed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 38 patients with esophageal cancer preoperatively, then surgically resected specimens were analyzed for their chemosensitivity to cisdichlorodiammineplatinum (DDP),5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and Adriamycin (ADM) by in vitro drug response assay MTT colorimetry. RESULTS: Serum p53-Ab was present in 47.3% of the patients with esophageal cancer. The positive rate of serum p53-Abs in patients was significantly different from that in healthy blood donors (P< 0.01). The positive rate of serum p53-Ab was 25%(5/20) for the patients at stage I and II, and 72.2%(13/18) for the patients at stage III and IV.A significant correlation between serum p53-Ab positive rate and TNM stage was observed (P< 0.05). The positive rate of serum p53-Ab were 21.5%(3/14), 50%(6/12), 75% (9/12) for the patients with well, moderately,and poorly differentiated tumors, respectively. There was significant correlation between serum p53-Ab positive rate and tumor differentiation (P< 0.05). The chemosensitivity to DDP, 5-FU, and ADM (11.1%,16.1%,and 16.1%, respectively) of the patients with positive serum p53-Ab was significantly lower than that of the patients with negative p53-Ab (60%, 45%, and 35%; P< 0.01,P< 0.05, and P< 0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: p53-Ab is not only a prognostic marker for patients with esophageal cancer, but also a predictor of their response to chemotherapy.