Bias-free glucose/O2 bio-photoelectrochemical system for multi-energy conversion and phenolic pollutant degradation.

Developing a multi-functional green energy device that propels sustainable energy development and concurrently purifies environmental pollutants offers an irresistibly compelling vision for a cleaner future. Herein, we reported a bias-free glucose/O2 bio-photoelectrochemical system (BPECS) for both energy conversion and phenolic pollutants degradation. Coupling a glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) modified self-assembled meso-tetrakis (4-carboxyphenyl)-porphyrin (SA-TCPP)-sensitized TiO2 biophotoanode for glucose oxidation and nitrogen/oxygen doped cobalt single-atom catalyst (CoNOC) cathode for two-electron oxygen reduction, both solar and biochemical energies were converted into electric power in BPECS with a maximum power density of 296.98 µW cm-2 (0.49 V). Working in synergy with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) biocatalysis, the cathode-generated H2O2, a by-product, is effectively redeployed for degrading phenol, attaining an impressive degradation efficiency of approximately 100% within 60 min. Additionally, aiming to scale up this ingenious BPECS approach, peroxidase-mimicking Co3O4 nanozyme were engineered as a substitute for natural HRP. Remarkably, these nanozyme demonstrated a comparable degradation efficiency, achieving the same result in 90 min. In this work, our results demonstrate that this bias-free glucose/O2 BPECS model marks a significant step forward in integrating renewable energy harvesting with environmental remediation, but also opens new avenues for the versatile application of nanozymes.

DPPX antibody-mediated autoimmune encephalitis：the first case with breast cancer and review of the literature.

Dipeptidyl-peptidase-like protein 6 (DPPX) antibody-mediated encephalitis is a rare type of autoimmune encephalitis (AE), which mainly manifests as diarrhea accompanied by weight loss, cognitive decline, epileptic seizures, and even psychiatric symptoms. Remarkably, it is also reported to be associated with tumors, predominantly B-cell lymphoma. Overall, the AE remains uncharacterized clinically and its long-term prognosis remains elusive. Herein, we report the first case of DPPX antibody-mediated AE secondary to breast cancer. Importantly, it substantially improves after aggressive immunotherapy. Our case highlights DPPX antibody-mediated AE as a paraneoplastic syndrome and discusses the pearls in its diagnosis and management.

Cohort Profile Update: the China Metal-Exposed workers Cohort Study (Jinchang Cohort).

The Jinchang Cohort was an ongoing 20-year ambispective cohort with unique metal exposures to an occupational population. From January 2014 to December 2019, the Jinchang Cohort has completed three phases of follow-up. The baseline cohort was completed from June 2011 to December 2013, and a total of 48 001 people were included. Three phases of follow-ups included 46 713, 41 888, and 40 530 participants, respectively. The death data were collected from 2001 to 2020. The epidemiological, physical examination, physiological, and biochemical data of the cohort were collected at baseline and during follow-up. Biological specimens were collected on the baseline to establish a biological specimen bank. The concentrations of metals in urine and serum were detected by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The new areas of research aim to study the all-cases mortality, the burden of diseases, heavy metals and diseases, and the course of the chain from disease to high-risk outcomes using a combination of macro and micro means, which provided a scientific basis to explore the pathogenesis of multi-etiology and multi-disease and to evaluate the effects of the intervention measures in the population.

Identification of key genes in pathogenesis of placental insufficiency intrauterine growth restriction.

BACKGROUND: Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is defined as a fetus that fails to achieve its genetically determined growth potential. The exact molecular mechanisms of placental insufficiency IUGR pathogenesis are a little known. Our goal was to identify key genes and gene co-expression modules related to placental insufficiency IUGR. METHODS: We used weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis to examine the IUGR dataset GSE114691 from NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus. Core modules and hub nodes of the protein-protein interaction network were identified. A gene network was constructed and genes were classified by WGCNA into different modules. The validation of potential key genes was carried out using additional datasets (GSE12216 and GSE24129). RESULTS: We identified in GSE114691 539 down regulated genes and 751 up regulated genes in placental tissues characteristic of placental insufficiency IUGR compared with non-IUGR, and defined 76 genes as hub nodes in the protein-protein interaction network. Genes in the key modules of the WGCNA network were most closely associated with placental insufficiency IUGR and significantly enriched in biological process such as cellular metabolic process and macromolecule metabolic process. We identified as key genes TGFB1, LEP, ENG, ITGA5, STAT5A, LYN, GATA3, FPR1, TGFB2, CEBPB, KLF4, FLT1, and PNPLA2. The RNA expression levels of ENG and LEP, as biomarkers, were validated. CONCLUSION: A holistic gene expression profile of placental insufficiency IUGR has been generated and the key genes ENG and LEP has potential to serve as circulating diagnosis biomarkers and therapeutic targets for placental insufficiency IUGR.

Research advances in cGAS-stimulator of interferon genes pathway and central nervous system diseases: Focus on new therapeutic approaches.

Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), a crucial innate immune sensor, recognizes cytosolic DNA and induces stimulator of interferon genes (STING) to produce type I interferon and other proinflammatory cytokines, thereby mediating innate immune signaling. The cGAS-STING pathway is involved in the regulation of infectious diseases, anti-tumor immunity, and autoimmune diseases; in addition, it plays a key role in the development of central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Therapeutics targeting the modulation of cGAS-STING have promising clinical applications. Here, we summarize the cGAS-STING signaling mechanism and the recent research on its role in CNS diseases.

Mediating effects of insulin resistance on the development of hypertension associated with elevated serum uric acid: a prospective cohort study.

Many studies have demonstrated that elevated serum uric acid independently increases the risk of developing hypertension. However, the role of insulin resistance in the relationship between serum uric acid and hypertension is still unelucidated. Based on a prospective cohort study, we aimed to examine the longitudinal link between serum uric acid and hypertension and whether this relationship was mediated by insulin resistance. Overall, 21,999 participants without hypertension or gout at baseline with a mean age of 46 ± 13 years in the Jinchang Cohort were included in our study. Adjusted Cox-regression analyses and mediation analyses were performed to assess the risk of hypertension by serum uric acid quartile distribution and whether insulin resistance mediated the association between serum uric acid and hypertension. During the first follow-up period, 3080 participants developed hypertension. After controlling for covariates, compared with the lowest quartile of serum uric acid, the risk of hypertension in the highest quartile was 1.21 (1.06, 1.38) in the overall population. The risks for males and females were 1.14 (1.00-1.29) and 1.30 (1.08-1.56), respectively. The correlation between serum uric acid and hypertension was especially observed in younger people (<30 years). The mediating effects of insulin resistance were 0.058 (0.051, 0.065), 0.030 (0.025, 0.036) and 0.056 (0.047, 0.065), and the proportions mediated were 39.73, 36.59 and 38.62% in the overall, male and female populations, respectively. Elevated serum uric acid levels are associated with an increased risk of incident hypertension, and insulin resistance may play a mediating role in the relationship between serum uric acid and hypertension.

The Role of Formyl Peptide Receptors in Neurological Diseases via Regulating Inflammation.

Formyl peptide receptors (FPRs) are a group of G protein-coupled cell surface receptors that play important roles in host defense and inflammation. Owing to the ubiquitous expression of FPRs throughout different cell types and since they interact with structurally diverse chemotactic agonists, they have a dual function in inflammatory processes, depending on binding with different ligands so that accelerate or inhibit key intracellular kinase-based regulatory pathways. Neuroinflammation is closely associated with the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, neurogenic tumors and cerebrovascular diseases. From recent studies, it is clear that FPRs are important biomarkers for neurological diseases as they regulate inflammatory responses by monitoring glial activation, accelerating neural differentiation, regulating angiogenesis, and controlling blood brain barrier (BBB) permeability, thereby affecting neurological disease progression. Given the complex mechanisms of neurological diseases and the difficulty of healing, we are eager to find new and effective therapeutic targets. Here, we review recent research about various mechanisms of the effects generated after FPR binding to different ligands, role of FPRs in neuroinflammation as well as the development and prognosis of neurological diseases. We summarize that the FPR family has dual inflammatory functional properties in central nervous system. Emphasizing that FPR2 acts as a key molecule that mediates the active resolution of inflammation, which binds with corresponding receptors to reduce the expression and activation of pro-inflammatory composition, govern the transport of immune cells to inflammatory tissues, and restore the integrity of the BBB. Concurrently, FPR1 is essentially related to angiogenesis, cell proliferation and neurogenesis. Thus, treatment with FPRs-modulation may be effective for neurological diseases.

EDNRA Gene rs1878406 Polymorphism is Associated With Susceptibility to Large Artery Atherosclerotic Stroke.

Objective: We performed this study to investigate whether the EDNRA gene rs1878406 C > T polymorphism is associated with risk of large artery atherosclerosis (LAA) stroke in the Chinese Han population. Methods: Genotyping of rs1878406 was performed in 1,112 LAA stroke patients and 1,192 healthy controls. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied to assess the effect of the rs1878406 C > T polymorphism on susceptibility to LAA stroke. Results: A significant increase of LAA stroke risk was found in the recessive model (TT vs. CC/TC, OR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.23-2.48, p = 0.002) and co-dominant model (TC vs. CC, OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 0.89-1.27, TT vs. CC, OR = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.25-2.55, p = 0.006). However, the interaction between age and genotypes of rs1878406 was not statistically significant, and no significant interactive effect was observed between the rs1878406 C > T polymorphism and sex (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The rs1878406 C > T polymorphism is associated with increased risk of LAA stroke in the Chinese Han population.

Comparative genomics analysis of c-di-GMP metabolism and regulation in Microcystis aeruginosa.

BACKGROUND: Cyanobacteria are of special concern because they proliferate in eutrophic water bodies worldwide and affect water quality. As an ancient photosynthetic microorganism, cyanobacteria can survive in ecologically diverse habitats because of their capacity to rapidly respond to environmental changes through a web of complex signaling networks, including using second messengers to regulate physiology or metabolism. A ubiquitous second messenger, bis-(3',5')-cyclic-dimeric-guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP), has been found to regulate essential behaviors in a few cyanobacteria but not Microcystis, which are the most dominant species in cyanobacterial blooms. In this study, comparative genomics analysis was performed to explore the genomic basis of c-di-GMP signaling in Microcystis aeruginosa. RESULTS: Proteins involved in c-di-GMP metabolism and regulation, such as diguanylate cyclases, phosphodiesterases, and PilZ-containing proteins, were encoded in M. aeruginosa genomes. However, the number of identified protein domains involved in c-di-GMP signaling was not proportional to the size of M. aeruginosa genomes (4.97 Mb in average). Pan-genome analysis showed that genes involved in c-di-GMP metabolism and regulation are conservative in M. aeruginosa strains. Phylogenetic analysis showed good congruence between the two types of phylogenetic trees based on 31 highly conserved protein-coding genes and sensor domain-coding genes. Propensity for gene loss analysis revealed that most of genes involved in c-di-GMP signaling are stable in M. aeruginosa strains. Moreover, bioinformatics and structure analysis of c-di-GMP signal-related GGDEF and EAL domains revealed that they all possess essential conserved amino acid residues that bind the substrate. In addition, it was also found that all selected M. aeruginosa genomes encode PilZ domain containing proteins. CONCLUSIONS: Comparative genomics analysis of c-di-GMP metabolism and regulation in M. aeruginosa strains helped elucidating the genetic basis of c-di-GMP signaling pathways in M. aeruginosa. Knowledge of c-di-GMP metabolism and relevant signal regulatory processes in cyanobacteria can enhance our understanding of their adaptability to various environments and bloom-forming mechanism.

Electrospun Silver Nanoparticles-Embedded Feather Keratin/Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Poly(ethylene oxide) Antibacterial Composite Nanofibers.

Feathers, which contain >90% keratin, are valuable natural protein resources. The aim of this study is to prepare antimicrobial feather keratin (FK)-based nanofibers by incorporating silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). A series of AgNPs-embedded feather keratin/poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(ethylene oxide) (FK/PVA/PEO) composite nanofibers with varying amounts of AgNPs content were fabricated by electrospinning. Their morphology, crystallinity, thermal stability, tensile property, and antibacterial activity were systematically investigated. The average diameters of composite nanofibers gradually decreased with increases in the amount of AgNPs. The crystallinity, thermal stability, and antibacterial activity of FK/PVA/PEO nanofibers were enhanced by embedding AgNPs. When embedded with 1.2% AgNPs, both the tensile strength and elongation-at-break reached the highest level. This work has the potential to expand the application of FK-based nanofibers in the biomaterial field.

Protective effects of irisin on hypoxia-reoxygenation injury in hyperglycemia-treated cardiomyocytes: Role of AMPK pathway and mitochondrial protection.

Recent evidence has verified the cardioprotective actions of irisin in different diseases models. However, the beneficial action of irisin on hypoxia-reoxygenation (HR) injury under high glucose stress has not been described. Herein our research investigated the influence of irisin on HR-triggered cardiomyocyte death under high glucose stress. HR model was established in vitro under high glucose treatment. The results illuminated that HR injury augmented apoptotic ratio of cardiomyocyte under high glucose stress; this effect could be abolished by irisin via modulating mitochondrial function. Irisin treatment attenuated cellular redox stress, improved cellular ATP biogenetics, sustained mitochondria potential, and impaired mitochondrion-related cell death. At the molecular levels, irisin treatment activated the 5'-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway and the latter protected cardiomyocyte and mitochondria against HR injury under high glucose stress. Altogether, our results indicated a novel role of irisin in HR-treated cardiomyocyte under high glucose stress. Irisin-activated AMPK pathway and the latter sustained cardiomyocyte viability and mitochondrial function.

Effects of hepatitis B virus infection, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transferase on prediabetes and diabetes mellitus: A cohort study.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to confirm whether hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and the levels of liver enzymes would increase the risk of prediabetes and diabetes mellitus (DM) in China. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 10,741 individuals was enrolled in this prospective cohort study. Cox regression analysis was used to calculate the Hazard ratios (HRs) to evaluate the relationships between HBV infection and the risk of DM and prediabetes. Decision trees and dose response analysis were used to explore the effects of liver enzymes levels on DM and prediabetes. RESULTS: In baseline population, HBV infection ratio was 5.31%. In non-adjustment model, the HR of DM in HBV infection group was 1.312 (95% CI, 0.529-3.254). In model adjusted for gender, age and liver cirrhosis, the HR of DM in HBV infection group were 1.188 (95% CI, 0.478-2.951). In model adjusted for gender, age, liver cirrhosis, smoking, drinking, the HR of DM was 1.178 (95% CI, 0.473-2.934). In model further adjusted for education, family income and occupation, the HR of DM was 1.230 (95% CI, 0.493-3.067). With the increases of levels of Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), the risk of prediabetes was gradually increasing (Pnon-linearity<0.05). There were dose-response relationships between ALT, GGT and the risk of DM (Pnon-linearity<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: HBV infection was not associated with the risk of prediabetes and DM. The levels of liver enzymes increased the risk of prediabetes and DM.

Plasticization of Cottonseed Protein/Polyvinyl Alcohol Blend Films.

The use of waste plant protein obtained from underutilized and non-food-producing plants may be a promising strategy in the development of bioactive packaging. A series of blend films were prepared by casting from cottonseed protein (CP) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and modified with different plasticizers. The morphology, structure, and crystallinity of each of the blend films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. CP and PVA were found to be compatible in the appropriate ratios, and the CP/PVA blend films were partially crystalline. We compared the effects that four plasticizers, i.e., glycerol, triethanolamine (TEA), ethylene glycol, and polyethylene glycol, had on the performance of the CP/PVA blend films. Plasticizers altered the degree of interaction between CP and PVA, which changed the secondary structure of the CP but had little effect on the crystallinity of CP/PVA blend films. Among the different plasticizers tested, TEA was the most efficient at improving the elongation at the break, tensile strength, and oxygen barrier properties of the CP/PVA blend films. Such CP/PVA blend films plasticized using TEA can, therefore, be considered emerging and promising plastics for potential applications in food packaging and flower planting applications.

Occupational exposure to heavy metals, alcohol intake, and risk of type 2 diabetes and prediabetes among Chinese male workers.

OBJECTIVE: Both exposure to heavy metals and alcohol intake have been related to the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). In this study, we aimed to assess the potential interactions between metal exposure and alcohol intake on the risk of T2D and prediabetes in a cohort of Chinese male workers. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 26,008 Chinese male workers in an occupational cohort study from 2011 to 2013. We assessed metal exposure and alcohol consumption at baseline in these workers who were aged ≥20 years. Based on occupations which were categorized according to measured urine metal levels, multiple logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the independent and joint effects of metal and alcohol exposure on the risk of T2D and prediabetes. RESULTS: Risks of T2D (P trend = 0.001) and prediabetes (P trend = 0.001) were significantly elevated with increasing number of standard drinks per week, years of drinking, and lifetime alcohol consumption. An adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 6.1 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.8-7.8) was observed for the smelting/refining workers (highest metal exposure levels) who had the highest lifetime alcohol consumption (>873 kg) (P interaction = 0.018), whereas no statistically significant joint effect was found for prediabetes (P interaction = 0.515). CONCLUSIONS: Both exposures to metal and heavy alcohol intake were associated with the risk of diabetes in this large cohort of male workers. There was a strong interaction between these two exposures in affecting diabetes risk that needs to be confirmed in future studies.

Total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio is a significant predictor of nonalcoholic fatty liver: Jinchang cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Some studies found out that TC/HDL-C ratio is a predictor of Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and Nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD) is related to CVD. And some researches have already studied that Apolipoprotein B to Apolipoprotein A1 ratio (ApoB/ApoA1) and Triglyceride to High-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-C) were both related with CVD and NAFLD, but few studied the association between TC/HDL-C ratio and NAFLD. So, we suspected the ratio was also related to NAFLD. The research aims to study the predictive value of TC/HDL-C to NAFLD and to help the early detection of NAFLD. METHODS: Based on the Jinchang Cohort, the study contained 32,121 participants. We assessed the incidence of NAFLD by the quartiles of TC, HDL-C and TC/HDL-C. Then, the does-response relationship between these indicators and the risk of NAFLD was obtained. Finally, the receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) was applied to decide the predictive value of TC/HDL-C. RESULTS: Among the study participants, the cumulative incidence of NAFLD was 6.30% and the rate of dyslipidemia was 40.37%. The biochemical indicators of NAFLD had a difference with general population. The incidence of NAFLD raised with the quartiles of TC, TG and LDL-C raising, while decreased with the HDL-C' quartiles raising. After controlling confounding factors, TC and TC/HD-C had a positive relationship with NAFLD, while HDL-C had the opposite. Finally, the ROC analysis showed the area under the curve (AUC) of TC/HDL-C (0.645) was greater than TC (0.554), HDL-C (0.627) and Apolipoprotein B to Apolipoprotein A1 (ApoB/ApoA1) (0.613). CONCLUSIONS: The TC/HDL-C ratio has significant predictive value to NAFLD.

A pilot study of a group mindfulness-based cognitive-behavioral intervention for smartphone addiction among university students.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) has been applied in behavioral addiction studies in recent years. However, few empirical studies using MBI have been conducted for smartphone addiction, which is prevalent among Chinese university students. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a group mindfulness-based cognitive-behavioral intervention (GMCI) on smartphone addiction in a sample of Chinese university students. METHODS: Students with smartphone addiction were divided into a control group (n = 29) and an intervention group (n = 41). The students in the intervention group received an 8-week GMCI. Smartphone addiction was evaluated using scores from the Mobile Phone Internet Addiction Scale (MPIAS) and self-reported smartphone use time, which were measured at the baseline (1st week, T1), post-intervention (8th week, T2), the first follow-up (14th week, T3), and the second follow-up (20th week, T4). RESULTS: Twenty-seven students in each group completed the intervention and the follow-up. Smartphone use time and MPIAS scores significantly decreased from T1 to T3 in the intervention group. Compared with the control group, the intervention group had significantly less smartphone use time at T2, T3, and T4 and significantly lower MPIAS scores at T3. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This pilot study demonstrated that the GMCI could significantly alleviate smartphone addiction among university students.

Liver Enzymes, Fatty Liver and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in a Jinchang Cohort: A Prospective Study in Adults.

OBJECTIVES: It is unclear whether liver enzymes or the interactions of various liver enzymes is a predictor of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which is independent of fatty liver. METHODS: A total of 48,001 subjects participated in baseline examinations. Among the subjects, 33,355 were followed for an average of 2.2 years. Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine the adjusted associations of AST, GGT and ALT with T2DM. RESULTS: The cumulative incidence of T2DM was 8.05% to 9.02% for fatty liver and 2.25% to 4.10% for non-fatty liver, both showing statistically significant differences. Compared with the normal liver enzyme levels in the group with fatty liver, the adjusted incident hazard ratios in T2DM were: ALT 1.23 (95% CI 1.10 to 1.50); AST 1.30 (95% CI 1.07-1.59); and GGT 1.34 (95% CI 1.08 to 1.65). In addition, compared with the normal liver enzyme levels in the group with non-fatty liver, the adjusted incident hazard ratios in type 2 diabetes were: ALT 1.27 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.59); AST 1.33 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.59); and GGT 1.53 (95% CI 1.19 to 1.98). There are significant interactions of T2DM hazard ratios between GGT and ALT and between GGT and AST in addition to ALT and AST. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the incidence of T2DM in the group with fatty liver is significantly higher than that in the normal population, and the rise of serum AST, GGT and ALT levels are risk factors independent of fatty liver for the development of T2DM after adjusting for confounding factors.

Vapor-Assisted Crosslinking of a FK/PVA/PEO Nanofiber Membrane.

Herein, we demonstrate a three-component FK/PVA/PEO nanofiber membrane by electrospinning and vapor-assisted crosslinking. We have used feather-derived-keratin (FK), poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) as membrane components and citric acid/glyoxal as the crosslinker. The structural, thermal, hydrophobicity, and mechanical properties of the as-prepared and crosslinked FK/PVA/PEO nanofiber membranes have been systematically investigated. The results suggest that the nanofiber membrane's vapor-assisted crosslinking by citric acid has shown better performances than that of glyoxal used as a crosslinker. These results exhibit that non-toxic citric acid can be used as a crosslinking agent to modify the performance of keratin-based membranes. This study opens up further avenues for post-synthesis modification of polymeric membranes for a wide range of applications.

Heavy Metal Assessment among Chinese Nonferrous Metal-exposed Workers from the Jinchang Cohort Study.

Environmental exposure to heavy metals has been linked to a wide range of human health hazards. We detected the levels of 15 metals in urine samples from 500 representative sub-samples in an ongoing occupational cohort study (Jinchang Cohort) to directly evaluate metal exposure levels. Fifteen metals, namely As, Ba, Be, Cd, Cs, Cr, Co, Cu, Pb, Mn, Ni, Se, Tl, U, and Zn, were detected by inductively coupled plasma quadruple mass spectrometry. The results showed that median creatinine adjustment and geometric mean urinary metal levels were higher in the heavy metal-exposed group, except Se and Zn, than other reported general or occupational populations. Further studies should address the effects of heavy metals on human health.