Development and Validation of Recreational Sport Well-Being Scale.

The purpose of this study is to develop the "Recreational Sport Well-being Scale", which will be used to investigate the subjective recreational sport well-being individuals' experience after participating in recreational sports. The study participants were Taiwanese who were over 20 years old and participated in recreational sports. Four sets of samples and 4050 questionnaires in total were collected. Using exploratory factor analysis, four factors were extracted from the scale -life satisfaction, physical and mental health, family flourishing, and positive feelings. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the scale's overall goodness of fit, convergent validity, and composite reliability all passed the thresholds. The results of cross-validation indicated that the model passed configural invariance, metric invariance, covariance invariance, and error variance invariance, which suggested that the scale has cross validity. Nomological validity analysis was conducted, showing that Recreational Sport Well-being Scale is nomologically valid since it is positively correlated to Subjective Health Scale. Test-retest reliability analysis suggested that the test results were stable when a retest was carried out two weeks later. The developed "Recreational Sport Well-being Scale" is highly reliable and valid and can be applied to measure future recreational sports participants' well-being.

Comparison of common burden tests for genetic association studies of rare variants.

Common burden tests have different statistical performance in genetic association studies of rare variants. Here, we compare the statistical performance of burden tests, such as CMC, WST, SUM and extension methods, using the computer-simulated datasets of rare variants with different parameters of sample sizes, linkage disequilibrium (LD), and different numbers of mixed non-associated variants. The simulation results showed that the type I error for all methods is near 0.05. When the rare variants had the same direction of effect, the higher LD and the less non-associated variants, the higher the power of these method, except the data adaptive SUM test. When the direction was different, the power was significantly reduced for all methods. The methods that consider the direction yielded larger statistical power than those methods without considering the effect direction, except the strong LD condition. And the larger the sample size, the larger the power. The statistical performance of burden tests is affected by a variety of factors, including the sample size, effect direction of variants, non-associated variants, and LD. Therefore, when choosing the method and setting the collection unit and weight, the prior biological information of genetic variation should be integrated to improve study efficiency.

Concentrations and Exposure Evaluation of Metals in Diverse Food Items from Chengdu, China.

A total of 520 food samples belonging to 29 food types and 63 drinking water were collected in Chengdu market of China in 2014 to investigate the concentrations of 11 metals, and to assess the related exposure to the local consumers by estimating the hazard quotient and carcinogenic risk (CR). The results showed that metals concentrations in drinking water were below the limit values suggested by the Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China, and FAO/WHO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/World Health Organization). While As, Cd, and Cr were found at concentrations higher than the limit values in some of the foodstuffs. Children in Chengdu intake more metals compared to adults, with the same order of Mn > Zn > Cu > Sr > Cr > Ni > As > Cd > Pb > Co > Sb. Among all of the diverse food, rice, flour, and fish and seafood were the primary sources to intake metals for Chengdu residents. Residents in Chengdu are subjected to both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks based on the calculated HI and CR values, especially for children. Finally, total daily metals intakes for both children and adults were calculated based on the current study and our previous studies, including consumption of food and drinking water and intake of outdoor and indoor dust. Dietary exposure is the predominant exposure route to metals for Chengdu residents, accounting for more than 75.8% of the total daily metals intakes for both children and adults.

Concentrations and health risk assessment of metal(loid)s in indoor dust from two typical cities of China.

Eleven trace metal(loid)s were determined in the household dust samples from Chengdu and Tianjin, China, and related human exposure and health risk to metal(loid)s via indoor dust intake were evaluated. The trace metal(loid)s were found to be highly concentrated and polluted in the indoor environment of Chengdu and Tianjin, especially for Cu, Zn, Cd, Sb, and Pb, of which the enrichment factors exceeding 5. Metal(loid) levels in the indoor dust samples exhibited no statistical differences between the two cities, with the exception of Sb, which was detected higher in the Chengdu samples. Bioaccessibilities in stomach phase of each element were estimated, Cd, Pb, and Sr exhibited higher bioaccessibility, and Sb showed the lowest bioaccessibility in both Chengdu and Tianjin. Dust ingestion was the main metal(loid) exposure pathway for Chengdu and Tianjin inhabitants, followed by dermal contact, dust inhalation accounted for less than 1 % of the total daily metal(loid) intakes and thus could be negligible. Children suffered more risk when exposure to metal(loid)s via indoor dust intake due to their higher frequency of hand to mouth activities. Risk evaluation indicated that, for most Chengdu and Tianjin inhabitants, there is little non-cancer and carcinogen risk when exposure to indoor dust. However, there is a potential non-cancer and carcinogen risk for children and adults in Chengdu, in the case of highly exposed scenario based on the current study.

Grain Size Distribution and Health Risk Assessment of Metals in Outdoor Dust in Chengdu, Southwestern China.

A total of 27 outdoor dust samples from roads, parks, and high spots were collected and analyzed to investigate the contamination of 11 metals (Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Sr, Cd, Sb, and Pb) in Chengdu, China. The results showed that the samples from the high spots exhibited the highest heavy metal level compared with those from the roads and the parks, except for Ni, Cu, and Pb. The dust was classified into five grain size fractions. The mean loads of each grain size fraction of 11 determined metals displayed similar distribution, and the contribution of median size (63-125, 125-250, 250-500 µm) fractions accounted for more than 70% of overall heavy metal loads. The health risk posed by the determined metals to human via dust ingestion, dermal contact, and inhalation was investigated. Oral and respiratory bioaccessible parts of the metals in dust were extracted using simulated stomach solution and composite lung serum. The mean bioaccessibilities of 11 investigated metals in the gastric solution were much higher than those in the composite lung serum, especially Zn, Cd, and Pb. Ingestion was the most important exposure pathway with percentage greater than 70% for both children and adults. Risk evaluation results illustrated that children in Chengdu might suffer noncarcinogenic risk when exposed to outdoor dust. Given that the cancer risk values of Pb and Cr larger than 1 × 10(-4), potential carcinogenic risk might occur for Chengdu residents through outdoor dust intake.

Particle size distribution and perchlorate levels in settled dust from urban roads, parks, and roofs in Chengdu, China.

A total of 27 settled dust samples were collected from urban roads, parks, and roofs in Chengdu, China to investigate particle size distribution and perchlorate levels in different size fractions. Briefly, fine particle size fractions (<250 µm) were the dominant composition in the settled dust samples, with mean percentages of 80.2%, 69.5%, and 77.2% for the urban roads, roofs, and the parks, respectively. Perchlorate was detected in all of the size-fractionated dust samples, with concentrations ranging from 73.0 to 6160 ng g(-1), and the median perchlorate levels increased with decreasing particle size. The perchlorate level in the finest fraction (<63 µm) was significantly higher than those in the coarser fractions. To our knowledge, this is the first report on perchlorate concentrations in different particle size fractions. The calculated perchlorate loadings revealed that perchlorate was mainly associated with finer particles (<125 µm). An exposure assessment indicated that exposure to perchlorate via settled road dust intake is safe to both children and adults in Chengdu, China. However, due to perchlorate mainly existing in fine particles, there is a potential for perchlorate to transfer into surface water and the atmosphere by runoff and wind erosion or traffic emission, and this could act as an important perchlorate pollution source for the indoor environment, and merits further study.

Occurrence and exposure evaluation of perchlorate in indoor dust and diverse food from Chengdu, China.

A total of 688 samples, including 520 food samples belonging to 29 food types in 10 groups, 63 drinking water, and 105 indoor dust samples were collected during May to November in 2014 in Chengdu and Tianjin (only dust samples in Tianjin), China to investigate the perchlorate levels in these samples and to estimate the related exposure to Chinese people. Significant difference in indoor dust perchlorate levels was found between Chengdu and Tianjin, with the concentrations ranging from 0.11 to 38.8 mg/kg in Chengdu, and from 0.72 to 119 mg/kg in Tianjin. The mean perchlorate levels in 10 groups of food samples were in the order of vegetables>wheaten flour≈egg, and wheaten flour>milk>sea food>livestock meats≈poultry≈freshwater fish>fruits>steamed rice, while no statistical difference in perchlorate levels was found between egg and milk. Exposure evaluation indicated that indoor dust contributed little (less than 5%) to the total daily perchlorate intake, and food consumption was the primary perchlorate exposure route for Chengdu people, followed by drinking water. Based on the median perchlorate levels obtained in this study, the daily perchlorate intake was below the reference does suggested by the US EPA.

Construction of a recombinant eukaryotic vector of human intestinal trefoil factor and its expression in 293-T cells / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To clone human intestinal trefoil factor (hITF/hTFF3) gene into an eukaryotic expression vector for its expression in eukaryotic cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The total RNA was extracted from normal human colon mucosa, and transcribed into cDNAs using RT-PCR. hTFF3 gene was amplified by PCR and ligated into pGEMT vector by TA cloning method. After sequencing, the hTFF3 gene was transfered into the eukaryotic expression vector pCMV5-myc. The recombinant vector was transfected into 293-T cells, and the expression of the recombinant protein was detected by Western blotting.</p><p><b>RESULTS AND CONCLUSION</b>hTFF3 gene was successfully cloned from normal human colon mucosa. The vector pCMV5-myc-hTFF3 was reconstructed, and in 293-T cells transfected with the vector, hTFF3 expression was detected by Western blotting.</p>

Molecular forms of TFF1 in normal gastric mucosa and its relationship with canceration / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the molecular forms of TFF1 in normal gastric mucosa and its expression in normal, gastric carcinoma, atypical hyperplasia, and intestinalized gastric mucosa.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The molecular forms of TFF1 in normal gastric mucosa was observed by western blotting. The expression of TFF1 in normal, gastric carcinoma, atypical hyperplasia, and intestinalization gastric mucosa was assayed immunohistochemically.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>TFF1 existed in normal gastric mucosa in forms of monomer, dimer and 21-kD TFF1 complex, with the last being the richest. TFF1 was expressed mainly in the epithelial cytoplasm of the mucosa in the gastric body and antrum, especially around the nucleus, and the closer to the lumen, the higher the expression. TFF1 expression in the tissues adjacent to gastric carcinoma was higher than that in normal gastric mucosa (P<0.001), and the expression in gastric adenocarcinoma was positively correlated to differentiation of adenocarcinoma. No TFF1 was expressed in poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. The expression of TFF1 in moderate and well differentiated adenocarcinoma was a little lower than that in normal mucosa (P>0.05). The gastric mucosa with atypical hyperplasia had significantly higher TFF1 expression than normal gastric mucosa (P<0.001), and TFF1 was not detected in intestinalized gastric mucosa. There was no significant difference in TFF1 expression between gastric mucosa around the intestinalized tissues and normal gastric mucosa (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>TFF1 plays an important part in protection and restitution of the gastric mucosa, and TFF1 may be related to suppression and differentiation of carcinoma.</p>