Shift of phytoplankton assemblages in a temperate lake located on the eastern route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project.

There remains no consensus on the effects of changes in the environment factors under the action of water diversions on phytoplankton communities. Herein the changing rules applying to phytoplankton communities subject to water diversion were unveiled based on long-term (2011-2021) time-series observations on Luoma Lake, located on the eastern route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. We found that nitrogen decreased and then increased, while phosphorus increased after operation of the water transfer project. Algal density and diversity were not affected by water diversion, while the duration of high algal density was shorter after water diversion. Phytoplankton composition had dramatic differences before and after water transfer. The phytoplankton communities exhibited greater fragility when they first experienced a human-mediated disturbance, and then they gradually adapted to more interferences and acquired stronger stability. We furthermore found the niche of Cyanobacteria narrowed while that of Euglenozoa widened under the pressure of water diversion. In addition to WT and DO, the main environmental factor before water diversion was NH4-N, whereas the effect of NO3-N and TN on phytoplankton communities increased after water diversion. These findings fill the knowledge gap as to the consequence of water diversion on water environments and phytoplankton communities.

Environmental titanium exposure and reproductive health: Risk of low birth weight associated with maternal titanium exposure from a nested case-control study in northern China.

Titanium (Ti) is commonly used in additives in the form of titanium dioxide (TiO2). However, our understanding of the effect of Ti on reproductive health remains limited. This nested case-control study, performed in a Ti mining exposure field, investigated the association between maternal blood Ti concentration and the risk of low birth weight (LBW), as well as the potential biological mechanism. A total of 45 women who delivered LBW infants (cases) and 352 women with normal birth weight infants (controls) were included. We collected maternal peripheral blood samples in the first or early second trimester to measure Ti concentration in serum (Tisr) and blood cells (Tibc), as well as inflammatory, lipid, and oxidative stress biomarkers thereof. The demographic characteristics of the women included in the study were also obtained. The results showed that the median total blood Ti concentration (Titb) in the case group was significantly higher than that in the control group (134 vs. 129 ng/mL, P = 0.039). A higher Titb level was associated with a greater risk of LBW [odds ratio = 2.62; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16-5.90], but no such association was observed for Tisr or Tibc after adjusting for potential confounders. The serum lipid biomarkers TC, TG, and total lipids (TL) were all negatively associated with Tisr and Titb. Serum 8-OHdG was positively associated with Tibc. We concluded that a high Titb during early pregnancy may increase the risk of LBW. Lipid metabolism and oxidative stress may play an important role in the adverse health effects associated with Ti exposure. Thus, our results merit more attention to the probable adverse effects of titanium exposure during pregnancy.

Does Low Maternal Exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Elevate the Risk of Spontaneous Preterm Birth? A Nested Case-Control Study in China.

Previous animal and human studies suggest potential links between maternal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and adverse birth outcomes. As spontaneous preterm birth (SPB) represents a major cause of infant mortality and precursor to future morbidity, we conducted a prospective nested case-control study in Shanxi Province, China to investigate the association between prenatal PFAS exposure and SPB risk, as well as the associations with biomarkers of oxidative stress and systemic inflammation. Among 4229 women enrolled during 2009-2013, 144 SPB cases and 375 controls were included in this study. Seventeen PFASs, as well as monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), were measured in maternal plasma or serum collected during 4th-22nd gestational weeks. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and its alternative chlorinated polyfluoroether sulfonic acid (6:2 Cl-PFESA) were detected in more than 90% samples with a median concentration of 0.79, 1.79, and 0.34 ng/mL, respectively. The analyses revealed no significant associations between plasma PFASs and the SPB risk after adjusting for potential confounders. However, concentrations of PFOS and 6:2 Cl-PFESA were both significantly and positively associated with MCP-1 levels, while PFOA was inversely associated with IL-8. Our findings suggested that maternal exposure to the determined low levels of PFAS did not induce an elevated risk of SPB, but the exposure may disturb potential biochemical pathways of inflammation. The latter has important implications for possible birth outcome effects and developmental effects in fetuses and newborns, which warrants close attention.

Environmental complex exposure and the risk of influenza-like illness among housewives: A case study in Shanxi Province, China.

The association between environmental pollution and risk of influenza-like illness (ILI) among general population has been reported. However, the relationships between the individual pollutants and ILI risk are still under discussion. Our study aimed to explore the associations of the typical environmental polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metal(loid)s with ILI risk among women population. We carried out a cross-sectional study and included a total of 396 housewives in Shanxi Province, China. The information on their general characteristics and ILI frequency was collected by questionnaire. We collected their hair samples and analyzed the concentrations of PAHs and various metal(loid)s. The results indicated that only acenaphthylene concentration of the nine detected PAH congeners in the hair was significantly associated with ILI risk with adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of 0.58 (0.38 - 0.91). Among the concerned 4 toxic metal(loid)s and 15 rare earth elements, only the hair concentration of arsenic had a positive dose-response relationship with ILI risk. In addition, we found that there were negative dose-response associations of the three essential trace elements (i.e. chromium, cobalt, and nickel), and four essential alkaline earth elements (i.e. magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium) with ILI risk. It was concluded that the environmental exposure to certain compounds of housewives may contribute to their ILI development.

Application of molecularly imprinted polymers for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in lipid matrix-based biological samples.

High-accuracy analyses of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in lipid matrix-based biological samples are highly necessary. We investigated the cleanup performance of the commercially available molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) to analyze PAHs in various biological samples (i.e., butter, peanut oil, pork belly, and human umbilical cord), and compared this method with the commonly used gel permeation chromatography (GPC). After primary cleanup with a MIP or GPC column, the extracts were further cleaned with a neutral aluminum oxide column. Then, we measured 16 PAH congeners using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The MIP method allowed PAH recovery levels as high as those measured with the GPC method to be obtained. More than 95% of the crude fats of butter, peanut oil, and pork belly were removed, although only ~ 50% were removed for human umbilical cord. The scan-mode ion chromatograms of the final extracts cleaned with the MIP method had responses similar to solvent blank for the four types of samples, which were slightly better than those cleaned with GPC. Moreover, the PAH concentrations in the MIP operation blank were generally lower than those of GPC operation blanks. These results indicated that MIP could be applied to the analysis of PAHs in various lipid matrix-based biological samples. Graphical abstract The schematic diagram of a molecularly imprinted polymer column and the elution curves of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and crude fats of various biological samples.

Advances and challenges in the technologies for cyanobacterial cells removal in drinking water treatment.

Harmful cyanobacteria in reservoirs pose a serious threat to drinking water safety due to the intracellular metabolites, such as toxins and unpleasant tastes & odours. Effective removal of harmful cyanobacteria with little to no cell damage is very important to ensure the safety of drinking water. This review first introduced development history of cyanobacterial removal technologies in drinking water treatment. Then, impacts of oxidation, coagulation and pre-oxidation enhanced coagulation processes on cyanobacterial removal and integrity of the cells were comprehensively evaluated and discussed. Oxidation can remove cyanobacteria, but high doses of oxidants can result in significant cell lysis and release of intracellular metabolites, especially when using chlorine or ozone. Although there is practically no cell damage during coagulation, the removal efficiency is low in many cases. Pre-oxidation may improve cyanobacterial removal by the subsequent solid-liquid separation processes, and moderate pre-oxidation with little to no cell lysis is very important. Mechanisms of interface interaction between pre-oxidants and cyanobacteria should be defined in future to ensure moderate pre-oxidation of algal cells. Fate of cyanobacterial cells in sludge is also reviewed because more and more waterworks return sludge supernatant to the inlet of plant. Damage to cyanobacterial cells in sludge depends mainly upon coagulant type and dosage, algal species, and cyanobacteria-containing sludge should be treated before cell lysis. Efficient techniques for harmless disposal of cyanobacteria-containing sludge should be developed in future. This paper will help to better understand the cyanobacterial removal processes and provide improved perspectives for future research in this field.

Molecular mechanisms underlying sodium percarbonate treatment suppress the recovery and growth of Pseudanabaena sp. in early spring.

Increasing frequency and intensity of cyanobacterial blooms in water sources is a growing global issue. Algicides are usually implemented in summer or autumn when blooms break out, however, the blooms will form again when algicide's concentration declines to a certain extent. Preventing the recovery and growth of cyanobacteria in early spring may be conducive to abatement of the blooms in summer or autumn. In this study solid sodium percarbonate (SPC) was used as an algicide to suppress recovery and growth of Pseudanabaena sp., a common odour-producing cyanobacterium, in early spring (12 °C). Results showed that 3.0 and 6.0 mg/L SPC were able to kill most of the algal cells after 12 h treatment at 12 °C, and the residual cells gradually died during the re-cultivation period at 25 °C. As a control, although SPC also caused most of algal cells to lyse at 25 °C, regrowth of cells was found during the period of re-cultivation at 25 °C. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that the dysregulated genes were strongly associated with translation and photosynthesis after SPC treatment. All differentially expressed unigenes related to translation and photosynthesis were down-regulated after SPC oxidation at 12 °C, whereas key genes associated with translation and photosynthesis were upregulated after SPC treatment at 25 °C.

Dynamic Fall Recovery Control for Legged Robots via Reinforcement Learning.

Falling is inevitable for legged robots when deployed in unstructured and unpredictable real-world scenarios, such as uneven terrain in the wild. Therefore, to recover dynamically from a fall without unintended termination of locomotion, the robot must possess the complex motor skills required for recovery maneuvers. However, this is exceptionally challenging for existing methods, since it involves multiple unspecified internal and external contacts. To go beyond the limitation of existing methods, we introduced a novel deep reinforcement learning framework to train a learning-based state estimator and a proprioceptive history policy for dynamic fall recovery under external disturbances. The proposed learning-based framework applies to different fall cases indoors and outdoors. Furthermore, we show that the learned fall recovery policies are hardware-feasible and can be implemented on real robots. The performance of the proposed approach is evaluated with extensive trials using a quadruped robot, which shows good effectiveness in recovering the robot after a fall on flat surfaces and grassland.

Exposure biomarker profiles of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons based on a rat model using a versatile analytical framework.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are an important group of organic toxic pollutants. Parent PAHs (pPAHs) are mainly metabolized into mono-hydroxylated PAHs (OH-PAHs) after entering the human body. Until now, it is still an urgent need to select appropriate exposure biomarkers for PAHs and analyze them at the trace level. Based on gas chromatography coupled with triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry, we have developed a versatile analytical method for the systemic analysis of pPAHs and OH-PAHs in routinely collected biological samples. This method was further applied to analyze plasma, hair and urine samples from 24 rats exposed to 13 pPAH congeners at four levels. The detection rate for pPAHs in three types of samples was 100%, except for dibenz(a,h)anthracene (DahA) in plasma, while the detection rate for OH-PAHs ranged from 25% to 100%. A significant linear relationship was observed between pPAH exposure levels and their corresponding OH-PAH levels in three different types of samples. It was found that each unit increase in pPAH exposure level was associated with an increase in OH-PAHs ranging from 0.03% (0.01-0.05%) to 5.27% (1.74-8.81%). Furthermore, significant positive correlations were found between any two types of samples for most OH-PAHs, but not observed for most pPAHs. The correlation patterns of 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OH-PYR) across three types of samples differed from other congeners. Strong correlations were identified between five types of hydroxyphenanthrene (OH-PHE) and pPAH exposure levels. In conclusion, OH-PAHs were more sensitive exposure biomarkers than pPAHs, particularly in hair and urine samples.

Advances in high-pressure laser floating zone growth: The Laser Optical Kristallmacher II (LOKII).

The optical floating zone crystal growth technique is a well-established method for obtaining large, high-purity single crystals. While the floating zone method has been constantly evolving for over six decades, the development of high-pressure (up to 1000 bar) growth systems has only recently been realized via the combination of laser-based heating sources with an all-metal chamber. While our inaugural high-pressure laser floating zone furnace design demonstrated the successful growth of new volatile and metastable phases, the furnace design faces several limitations with imaging quality, heating profile control, and chamber cooling power. Here, we present a second-generation design of the high-pressure laser floating zone furnace, "Laser Optical Kristallmacher II" (LOKII), and demonstrate that this redesign facilitates new advances in crystal growth by highlighting several exemplar materials: α-Fe2O3, ß-Ga2O3, and La2CuO4+δ. Notably, for La2CuO4+δ, we demonstrate the feasibility and long-term stability of traveling solvent floating zone growth under a record pressure of 700 bar.

Bibliometric study and visualization of cellular senescence associated with osteoarthritis from 2009 to 2023.

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis is a common degenerative joint disease that is highly prevalent in the elderly population. Along with the occurrence of sports injuries, osteoarthritis is gradually showing a younger trend. Osteoarthritis has many causative factors, and its pathogenesis is currently unknown. Cellular senescence is a stable form of cell cycle arrest exhibited by cells in response to external stimuli and plays a role in a variety of diseases. And it is only in the last decade or so that cellular senescence has gradually become cross-linked with osteoarthritis. However, there is no comprehensive bibliometric analysis in this field. The aim of this study is to present the current status and research hotspots of cellular senescence in the field of osteoarthritis, and to predict the future trends of cellular senescence in osteoarthritis research from a bibliometric perspective. METHODS: This study included 298 records of cellular senescence associated with osteoarthritis from 2009 to 2023, with data from the Web of Science Core Collection database. CiteSpace, Scimago Graphica software, VOSviewer, and the R package "bibliometrix" software were used to analyze regions, institutions, journals, authors, and keywords to predict recent trends in cellular senescence related to osteoarthritis research. RESULTS: The number of publications related to cellular senescence associated with osteoarthritis is increasing year by year. China and the United States contribute more than 70% of the publications and are the mainstay of research in this field. Central South University is the most active institution with the largest number of publications. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is the most popular journal in the field with the largest number of publications, while Osteoarthritis and Cartilage is the most cited journal. Loeser, Richard F. is not only the most prolific author, but also the most frequently cited author, contributing greatly to the field. CONCLUSION: In the last decade or so, this is the first bibliometric study that systematically describes the current status and development trend of research on cellular senescence associated with osteoarthritis. The study comprehensively and systematically summarizes and concludes the research hotspots and development trends, providing valuable references for researchers in this field.

[Distribution Characteristics and Environmental Driving Factors of Cyanobacteria Community in Impounded Lakes and Reservoirs in Shandong on the East Route of South-to-North Water Diversion Project].

To investigate the distribution characteristics of the cyanobacteria community and the driving factors in impounded lakes and reservoirs in Shandong on the east route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, monthly samples of phytoplankton and the aquatic environment from Nansi Lake, Dongping Lake, Datun Reservoir, Donghu Reservoir, and Shuangwangcheng Reservoir were collected from May to November during 2010 to 2019. A total of 44 planktonic cyanobacteria taxa were identified with 23 filamentous cyanobacteria taxa. Pseudanabaena limnetica, Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii, Microcystis aeruginosa, and Microcystis wesenbergii were the dominant harmful cyanobacteria species, with a high detection frequency and abundance in all lakes and reservoirs. By analyzing the distribution characteristics of the cyanobacteria community in impounded lakes and reservoirs, we found that filamentous cyanobacteria had growth advantages in the water with large hydraulic disturbances, which should be the key points of cyanobacteria prevention and control in the future. Pearson correlation analysis and generalized linear fitting curve results showed that total nitrogen, total phosphorus, water temperature, and water depth played a key role in affecting the growth of P. limnetica, C. raciborskii, M. aeruginosa, and M. wesenbergii. The nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients could promote the growth of harmful cyanobacteria. Due to the good temperature adaptability, P. limnetica could still become the dominant species in early summer and late autumn, and C. raciborskii, M. aeruginosa, and M. wesenbergii had growth advantages when the water temperature was higher than 25℃. In addition, shallow water was more conducive to the growth of C. raciborskii. It was suggested that based on strengthening of the control of nitrogen and phosphorus nutrient input in lakes and reservoirs, the key monitoring of P. limnetica in lakes should be conducted in early summer and late autumn, and the growth of C. raciborskii in shallow water areas should be paid close attention in the high temperature period to ensure the safety of water quality.

Realistic Actor-Critic: A framework for balance between value overestimation and underestimation.

Introduction: The value approximation bias is known to lead to suboptimal policies or catastrophic overestimation bias accumulation that prevent the agent from making the right decisions between exploration and exploitation. Algorithms have been proposed to mitigate the above contradiction. However, we still lack an understanding of how the value bias impact performance and a method for efficient exploration while keeping stable updates. This study aims to clarify the effect of the value bias and improve the reinforcement learning algorithms to enhance sample efficiency. Methods: This study designs a simple episodic tabular MDP to research value underestimation and overestimation in actor-critic methods. This study proposes a unified framework called Realistic Actor-Critic (RAC), which employs Universal Value Function Approximators (UVFA) to simultaneously learn policies with different value confidence-bound with the same neural network, each with a different under overestimation trade-off. Results: This study highlights that agents could over-explore low-value states due to inflexible under-overestimation trade-off in the fixed hyperparameters setting, which is a particular form of the exploration-exploitation dilemma. And RAC performs directed exploration without over-exploration using the upper bounds while still avoiding overestimation using the lower bounds. Through carefully designed experiments, this study empirically verifies that RAC achieves 10x sample efficiency and 25% performance improvement compared to Soft Actor-Critic in the most challenging Humanoid environment. All the source codes are available at https://github.com/ihuhuhu/RAC. Discussion: This research not only provides valuable insights for research on the exploration-exploitation trade-off by studying the frequency of policies access to low-value states under different value confidence-bounds guidance, but also proposes a new unified framework that can be combined with current actor-critic methods to improve sample efficiency in the continuous control domain.

Associations of maternal exposure to 41 metals/metalloids during early pregnancy with the risk of spontaneous preterm birth: Does oxidative stress or DNA methylation play a crucial role?

BACKGROUND: Few studies have explored the effects of multiple types of metals/metalloids on spontaneous preterm birth (SPB). A nested case-control study was conducted in Shanxi Province to investigate the associations between maternal exposure to 41 metals/metalloids during early pregnancy and the risk of SPB, and to clarify the underlying mechanisms of oxidative stress and DNA methylation. METHODS: A total of 74 controls with full-term delivery and 74 cases with SPB were included in the nested case-control study. The metals/metalloids in serum and the DNA adducts in peripheral blood cell DNA were determined using ICP-MS and UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS, respectively. Unconditional logistic regression models were employed to estimate the associations of the risk of SPB with the metal concentrations, as well as with the levels of oxidative stress/DNA methylation. In addition, linear regression models were used to investigate the associations between the metal/metalloid concentrations and the levels of oxidative stress/DNA methylation. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounders, the concentrations of Mn, Fe, Cu, Nd, Hg, and Pb in maternal serum during early pregnancy were positively associated with the risk of SPB. Compared with the lowest levels (Quartile 1) of Mn, Fe, Cu, Nd, Hg, and Pb, the odds ratios of SPB increased to 5.21 (95% CI: 1.63, 16.68), 3.47 (95% CI: 1.07, 11.21), 16.23 (95% CI: 3.86, 68.18), 10.54 (95% CI: 2.79, 39.86), 5.88 (95% CI: 1.72, 20.11), and 4.09 (95% CI: 1.31, 12.77) in the highest levels (Quartile 4), respectively. A significant increase in 8-OHdG was associated with the increased exposure to Fe, Pr, Eu, Er, and Lu. The levels of 5-MdC, 5-HmdC, and N6-MdA-the indicators of DNA methylation-were associated with exposure to multiple metals/metalloids. However, no significant associations were observed between the levels of oxidative stress or DNA methylation and the risk of SPB. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to multiple types of metals/metalloids during early pregnancy is positively associated with the risk of SPB. Oxidative stress and DNA methylation are significantly associated with exposure to multiple metals/metalloids. Systemic oxidative stress and DNA methylation have not been proven to be the mediating mechanisms of metals increasing the risk of SPB.

Using sodium percarbonate to suppress vertically distributed filamentous cyanobacteria while maintaining the stability of microeukaryotic communities in drinking water reservoirs.

The increasing frequency and intensity of blooms of toxin- and taste & odour-producing filamentous cyanobacteria in water sources is a growing global issue. Compared to the common spherical Microcystis genus, the removal of filamentous cyanobacteria is more difficult in drinking water treatment plants; hence, abatement and control of the occurrence and proliferation of harmful filamentous cyanobacteria within drinking water sources is important for water supply. In this study, the solid sodium percarbonate (SPC), Na2CO3·1.5H2O2, was used as an algaecide to eliminate the cyanobacteria distributed throughout the water column in the surface and bottom layer of a reservoir serving as a drinking water source. Results showed that although the oxidation capacity of SPC was higher in the surface water due to the higher light intensity than in the bottom water, 3.0 mg/L SPC can still suppress the harmful cyanobacteria in the bottom water after 36 h because the carbonate ion generated by SPC decomposition can act as an activator of H2O2 to generate many reactive oxygen species - including superoxide radicals, carbonate radical anions, and hydroxyl radicals - even in the light-limited environment. The obtained inactivation rates for the main cyanobacteria in this reservoir followed the order: Pseudanabaena limnetica > Raphidiopsis curvata > Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii. 3.0 mg/L SPC has a slight impact on microeukaryotic communities according to the 18S rRNA gene sequencing, while 6.0 mg/L SPC changed the composition of eukaryotic phytoplankton and zooplankton clearly. Eukaryotic co-occurrence networks showed that although the network of eukaryotic plankton in treated surface water was more compact and clustered, stability of microeukaryotes in the treated surface water was lower than for the treated bottom water, owing to the higher oxidation capacity of SPC in the surface water. The results above not only have important implications for full-scale control of harmful cyanobacteria in drinking water sources, especially filamentous cyanobacteria with vertical distributions, but also help to ensure the health and stability of the whole aquatic ecosystem.

Fe2+ activating sodium percarbonate (SPC) to enhance removal of Microcystis aeruginosa and microcystins with pre-oxidation and in situ coagulation.

The frequent occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms has become a concern for drinking water safety. Common pre-oxidation, which was widely considered to enhance the followed coagulation, can cause the rupture of algae cell, leading to the undesirable release of intracellular organic matter. In this study, the Fe2+ activating sodium percarbonate (SPC/Fe2+) process for pre-oxidation and in situ coagulation was proved to effectively remove Microcystis aeruginosa without damaging cell integrity at optimal combined doses of SPC (0.2 mM) and Fe2+ (0.2 mM). Moreover, the SPC/Fe2+ process can not only control the release of MCs, but also reduce extracellular MCs from 5.22 µg/L to 1.50 µg/L, due to their moderate oxidation. Meanwhile, the SPC/Fe2+ treatment produces low levels of residual Fe after settling. During sludge ageing, owing to oxidation damage on cells arising from the SPC/Fe2+ treatment, cells continually suffered severe damage and lysed on day 4, leading to large release of intracellular organic matter and MCs, correspondingly. As a result, it is worth noting that the M. aeruginosa cells in stored sludge should be treated or disposed of early. These findings support the development of a green and cost-effective technology to handle cyanobacteria-containing water based on SPC/Fe2+ for ensuring water quality.

Effects of Rare Earth Elements on Blood Pressure and Their Exposure Biomarkers: Evidence from Animal Experiments.

Solid fuel combustion is an important source of the release of rare earth elements (REEs) into the ambient environment, resulting in potential adverse effects on human cardiovascular health. Our study aimed to identify reliable exposure biomarkers of REE intake and their potential role in blood pressure change. A total of 24 rats were administered with 14 REE chlorides at four doses (six rats per group). Fur samples were collected both before and after administration. Blood samples were collected after 12 weeks of REE intake. The REE concentrations in rat fur and blood samples were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. For each week, blood pressure, as well as heart rate and pulse pressure, were measured. The linear mixed-effect model was used to analyze the relationship between REE administration dose and blood pressure change. We found that the REE concentration in fur, but not blood, samples exhibited significant dose-response relationships with administration dose. It suggested that hair samples are a more efficient matrix for indicating the exposure level of a population to REEs than blood samples. However, there was no dose-response relationships between the administration dose and blood pressure change of rats, or with heart rate and pulse pressure for the 14 REEs. We also did not find a dose-response relationship between REE administration levels and plasma concentration of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, as an important DNA oxidative stress damage biomarker. In conclusion, hair samples are more suitable as a sample type to reliably assess exposure to REEs than blood samples, and REEs did not have a direct adverse effect on blood pressure in our rat model.

Thorium and fetal neural tube defects: an epidemiological evidence from large case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Thorium is ubiquitous in the environment and its relationship with birth defects is still under discussion. This study aimed to investigate the associations of maternal exposure to thorium with risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) by using a case-control study, as well as the relationship between thorium exposure and the indoor air pollution from coal combustion. METHODS: This study was conducted in 11 local healthcare hospitals during 2003-2007 in Shanxi and Hebei provinces, China. A total of 774 mothers were included as participants who delivering 263 fetuses with NTDs including 123 with anencephaly, 115 with spina bifida, 18 with encephalocele, and 7 other NTD subtypes (cases), and 511 health fetuses without NTDs (controls). Their hair samples were collected as close as to the occipital posterior scalp, of which those grew from 3 months before to 3 months after conception was cut to measure the thorium concentration by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. RESULTS: We found a higher hair thorium concentration in the total NTD cases with 0.901 (0.588-1.382) ng/g hair [median (inter-quartile range)] than that in the controls with a value of 0.621 (0.334-1.058) ng/g hair. Similar results were found for the three concerned NTD subtypes. Maternal hair thorium concentration above its median of the controls was associated with an increased risk of the total NTDs with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.80 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.23-2.63)] by adjusting for all confounders. There was obvious dose-response relationship between maternal hair thorium concentration and the risk of total NTDs, as well as their two subtypes (i.e. anencephaly and spina bifida). Maternal hair thorium concentration was positive associated with their exposure level to indoor air pollution from coal combustion during cooking. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our findings revealed that maternal periconceptional thorium exposure was associated with the risk of NTDs in North China. Reducing the coal usage in the household cooking activities may decrease maternal thorium exposure level.

No obviously adverse pregnancy complications and outcomes of the recovered pregnant women from COVID-19.

The effects of SARS-COV-2 infection on the pregnant women and their fetus growth have attracted worldwide concern. Our case study aimed to investigate the neonatal clinical outcomes of the recovered pregnant women from COVID-19 in China, expecting to provide the clinical references of urgent need for other countries. Our study recruited a total of 12 recovered pregnant women from COVID-19 prior to pregnancy termination. The maternal and neonatal clinical characteristics were recorded. Of them, the placental pathological characteristics of five participants were evaluated following the standard guidelines. Two of them chose induced labour due to being worry about the potential adverse effects of medical treatment for COVID-19 by themselves. For the others, 8 gave birth by cesarean section with certain indications and 2 by vaginal delivery. Their neonates were all live birth with ≥ 37 gestational weeks and high Apgar scores of 9 ∼ 10. For the neonate related biological samples, they all have negative results of RNA test, including nasopharyngeal swab, umbilical cord blood, amniotic fluid, vaginal fluid, placenta, or umbilical cord. Most of other pathological indicators of placental examination suggested no abnormal syndromes. Overall, we did not find any abnormal pregnancy complications and neonatal outcomes among them. We concluded that excess adverse effect on the fetus development due to COVID-19 in the recovered pregnant women should be less influential, especially, induce abortion due to the anxiety of COVID-19 treatment should be not advisable.

Associations of AHR, CYP1A1, EPHX1, and GSTP1 genetic polymorphisms with small-for-gestational-age infants.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influences of aryl hydrocarbon (AHR), cytochrome P450 (CYP1A1), epoxide hydrolase 1 (EPHX1), and glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) genetic polymorphisms on small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants. METHODS: This nested case-control study (126 cases and 381 controls) was based on a prospective cohort study in Shanxi Province, China. We collected the general information of subjects using questionnaire and identified their single nucleotide polymorphisms by the MassARRAY genotyping platform. RESULTS: The polymorphisms of CYP1A1 (rs4646421 and rs4646903) and EPHX1 (rs1051740) were significantly associated with SGA. Neonates of women with EPHX1 (rs1051740) and GSTP1 (rs1695) variant alleles were at a significantly increased risk of SGA compared with the reference group (OR = 5.26; 95% CI, 1.08-25.66), as were neonates of women with CYP1A1 (rs4646903) and EPHX1 (rs1051740) variant alleles (OR = 7.11; 95% CI, 1.55-32.62). The results of strata analysis by AHR (rs2282883 and rs17137566) showed that the associations between the polymorphisms of CYP1A1 (rs4646421 and rs4646903) EPHX1 (rs1051740), GSTP1 (rs1695) and SGA were of significance in women with variant heterozygous or homozygous genotype. CONCLUSIONS: CYP1A1 (rs4646421 and rs4646903), EPHX1 (rs1051740), and GSTP1 (rs1695) genetic variances might increase the risk of SGA. AHR (rs2282883 and rs17137566) resulted in estimated effects varying across strata on CYP1A1 (rs4646421 and rs4646903), EPHX1 (rs1051740), and GSTP1 (rs1695).