Air pollution and pregnancy outcomes based on exposure evaluation using a land use regression model: A systematic review.

This review systematically assessed those studies investigating the association between air pollution and birth outcomes using land use regression (LUR) models for exposure assessment. Fifty-four studies were identified which were published between 2007 and 2019. Most of these were conducted in America, Spain and Canada, while only five were conducted in China. One hundred and ninety-seven LUR models were developed for different pollutants. The main pollutants that these studies assessed were NO2 and PM2.5, and the main pregnancy outcomes investigated were preterm birth (PTB), small for gestational age (SGA) and birth weight. Studies consistently found that NO2 exposure during pregnancy was associated with reduced fetal growth and development. The effect of NO2 on other adverse pregnancy outcomes is unclear. In addition, it was found that increased PM2.5 (aerodynamic equivalent diameter ≤ 2.5 um) exposure during pregnancy reduced birth weight. The effect of PM2.5 on other adverse pregnancy outcomes is also unclear. The relationship between other pollutants and adverse pregnancy outcomes is uncertain based on the existing research. Exposure assessment with LUR modeling has been widely used in Europe and North America, but used less in China. Future studies are recommended to use LUR modeling for individual exposure evaluation in China to better characterize the relationship between air pollution and adverse pregnancy outcomes. In addition, further research is required given that a lot of the associations looked at in the review were inconclusive.

Electromagnetized-Nanoparticle-Modulated Neural Plasticity and Recovery of Degenerative Dopaminergic Neurons in the Mid-Brain.

The degeneration of dopaminergic neurons is a major contributor to the pathogenesis of mid-brain disorders. Clinically, cell therapeutic solutions, by increasing the neurotransmitter dopamine levels in the patients, are hindered by low efficiency and/or side effects. Here, a strategy using electromagnetized nanoparticles to modulate neural plasticity and recover degenerative dopamine neurons in vivo is reported. Remarkably, electromagnetic fields generated by the nanoparticles under ultrasound stimulation modulate intracellular calcium signaling to influence synaptic plasticity and control neural behavior. Dopaminergic neuronal functions are reversed by upregulating the expression tyrosine hydroxylase, thus resulting in ameliorating the neural behavioral disorders in zebrafish. This wireless tool can serve as a viable and safe strategy for the regenerative therapy of the neurodegenerative disorders.

[Expression of chromogranin A in human mammary tissues].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the pathogenesis and significance of neuroendocrine breast carcinoma by detecting chromogranin A (CgA) in human mammary tissues. METHOD: Eighty-nine cases of human mammary tissues were collected to detect CgA expression using immunohistochemistry. RESULT: No CgA expression was detected in normal or hyperplastic tissues, but its expression was found in mammary carcinoma tissues at the rate of 16.7%. A significant difference in CgA expression was found between cancer tissues and non-cancer tissues, but not between the cancer tissues with different pathological grades. CONCLUSION: The pathogenesis of mammary neuroendocrine carcinoma may involve the micro-environmental factors that affect the differentiation of stem cells to give rise to immature cells, cell differentiation in other lineages or transdifferentiation. CgA may serve as an immunological parameter for this type of breast cancer in routine screening test.

[Viability of corneal epithelial cells and cleavage of corneal basement after ethanol effect].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the viability of corneal epithelial cells and to determine the anatomic cleavage on the epithelial basement membrane after various exposure times to 20% ethanol during epithelial flap preparation in laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy (LASEK) in cadaver eyes. METHODS: Six human cadaver eyes were exposed to 20% ethanol for 20, 30 and 40 seconds (2 eyes for each group), and another one eye was used as the control. PCNA staining was performed to determine the viability of corneal epithelial cells. Immunofluorescence staining using monoclonal antibodies against collagen VII, and immunohistological staining using monoclonal antibodies against laminin were performed to detect the anatomic location of the cleavage plane on the corneal epithelial flaps created by 20 seconds exposure to 20% ethanol in cadaver eyes. RESULTS: Hematoxylin and eosin staining of epithelial flaps revealed a coherent stratified epithelium. The PCNA positive rates of the epithelial cells in the flap decreased in the 20-second group, 30-second group and 40-second group successively. Immunohistological staining to laminin was patchy in the lifted flap and the remaining corneal basement membrane. Immunofluorescence to collagen VII, the main component of anchoring fibrils remained exclusively in the corneal bed. CONCLUSIONS: Viability of the epithelial flap decreased with longer time exposure to ethanol. The cleavage plane of the ethanol-treated corneal epithelial flap is located between the lamina lucida and the lamina densa of the basement membrane where laminin forms hemidesmosome.

[Surgical management of blepharoptosis: a report of 500 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the various surgical techniques and their results for different types of blepharoptosis. METHODS: 620 eyes of 500 cases with blepharoptosis who underwent surgical treatment were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were diagnosed as congenital, neurogenic, myogenic, traumatic, senile and mechanical ptosis. The used techniques included resection of levator muscle, anastomosis of frontalis muscle and levator aponeurosis, Whitnall's ligament sling, Friedenwald- Guyton's frontalis muscle fixation, levator aponeurosis reconstruction, modified Hotz's tarsectomy. RESULTS: The overall success rate was 90.3% (560/620). 60 eyes with unsatisfactory result showed overcorrection in 5 eyes and undercorrection in 55 eyes in which the patients also suffered from combined eyelid deformities in 4 eyes, entropion in 6 eyes and ectropion in 2 eyes. The success rate of resection of levator muscle for the mild and moderate congenital ptosis was 93.8%. The success rates of resection of levator muscle and anastomosis of levator aponeurosis and frontalis muscle for the severe congenital ptosis were 72.4% and 100% respectively. The success rate of Whitnall's ligament sling for the recurrent congenital ptosis was 90%. The success rates of Friedenwald-Guyton's frontalis muscle fixation, Whitnall's ligament sling and anastomosis of levator aponeurosis and frontalis muscle for the neurogenic and myogenic ptosis was 41.6%, 80% and 90% respectively. The success rates of levator aponeurosis reconstruction for the traumatic and senile ptosis were 94.7% and 100%, respectively. The success rate of modified Hotz' tarsectomy for the mechanical ptosis was 93.3%. CONCLUSIONS: The key point for successful correction of ptosis is the selection of the right indication for each technique depended on the type and severity of the ptosis. The technique skill is also very important.

[Value of CT enhancement degree in differential diagnosis between pancreatic carcinoma and inflammatory pancreatic mass].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the CT enhancement degree in pancreatic carcinoma (PC) and inflammatory pancreatic mass (IPM), and to study the diagnostic value of CT to these two diseases. METHODS: Eighty-five patients with PC or IPM, 47 males and 38 females, aged 62 (37-79), underwent plain CT scanning and enhanced CT scanning in pancreatic phase and delay phase. The CT values of the pancreatic mass and relative normal pancreatic tissue were measured. The diagnosis of PC and IPM was verified by operation, biopsy, etc. Sixty persons without pancreatic diseases were used as controls. RESULTS: Among the 85 patients, 66 were proved to be with PC, and 19 patients were proved to be with IPM. In plain CT scanning, pancreatic-phase CT enhancement, and delay-phase CT enhancement, the CT values of PC were (34+/-7) HU, (54+/-10) HU, and (61+/-14) HU respectively; and the CT values of the relatively normal pancreatic tissue were (42+/-6) HU, (105+/-12) HU, and (77+/-10) HU respectively. In plain CT scanning, pancreatic-phase CT enhancement, and delay-phase CT enhancement, the CT values of IPM were (37+/-6) HU, (58+/-17) HU, and (64+/-10) HU respectively; and the CT values of the relatively normal pancreatic tissue were (40+/-8) HU, (85+/-10) HU, and (72+/-9) HU respectively. The pancreatic-phase enhanced CT values of the mass in the PC group and the IPM group showed no remarkable differences (P>0.05). The pancreatic-phase enhancement intensity of the relatively normal pancreatic tissue is greater in PC than in IPM (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: There is a certain limit for CT enhancement in differentiating between PC and IPM. Comprehensive analysis is necessary in diagnosis of PC and IPM.

[Influential factor analysis and improvement of cultural method of oral mucosal epithelial cells].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze influential factors of cultural method of human oral mucosal epithelial cells (hOMEC)and to establish a reliable cell culture system for hOMEC. METHODS: Benzalkonium bromide and gentamicin sulfate were used to prevent microbial contamination. Separations of epithelium from underlying connective tissues with Dispase at different concentration were compared. Enzyme digestion was used to isolate cells and keratinocyte-serum free medium(K-SFM) was employed for primary culture and subculture of hOMEC. RESULTS: Microbial contamination was under control. Separation of epithelium from underlying connective tissues with 0.40% Dispase was more complete than that of 0.25% Dispase. The cells grew fast and well in vitro. CONCLUSION: The high successful culture of hOMEC and simplified procedures could be obtained with improvement of methods.

[Expression and subcellular localization of XIAP and XAF1 in human normal oral keratinocytes and Tca8113 cells].

OBJECTIVE: To clarify expression and subcellular localization of XIAP and XAF1 protein in human normal oral keratinocytes (hNOK) and Tca8113 cells human tongue carcinoma cell line. METHODS: The hNOKs and Tca8113 cells were cultured in vitro. Expression and subcellular localization of XIAP and XAF1 protein were examined by combination of indirect immunofluorescence and confocal laser scanning microscopy. RESULTS: XIAP expression was weak in the hNOKs and fluorescence staining localized chiefly in the cytoplasm and perinuclear areas. In the Tca8113 cells, high level of XIAP protein could be detected in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus. In the hNOKs, XAF1 distributed mostly in the nucleus. Homogeneous nuclear and cytoplasmic distribution of XAF1 could be visualized in the Tca8113 cells. CONCLUSIONS: In cancerization of oral mucosa, XIAP protein could play an important antiapoptotic role by overexpression, while XAF1 protein does not appear to antagonize effectively the role of XIAP.