The risks of sulfur addition on cadmium accumulation in paddy rice under different water-management conditions.

Recently, the application of sulfur (S) has been recommended to control the accumulation of cadmium (Cd) in rice in contaminated paddy soil. However, the effects of exogenous S on Cd transfer in paddy rice systems under different water-management practices have not been systematically investigated. Pot experiments were performed to monitor the composition of soil pore water and the Cd accumulation in iron plaque and rice tissue were compared under different S (0 and 200 mg/kg Na2SO4) and water (continuous and discontinuous flooding) treatments. Sulfur application significantly increased Cd concentrations in soil pore water under discontinuous flooding conditions, but slightly reduced them under continuous flooding. Moreover, the oxidation/reduction potential (Eh) was the most critical factor that affected the Cd levels. When the Eh exceeded -42.5 mV, S became the second critical factor, and excessive S application promoted Cd dissolution. In addition, S addition elevated the Cd levels in iron plaque and reduced the Cd transfer from the iron plaque to rice roots. In rice, S addition inhibited Cd transfer from the rice roots to the straw; thus, more Cd was stored in the rice roots. Nevertheless, additional S application increased the Cd content in the rice grains by 72% under discontinuous flooding, although this effect was mitigated by continued flooding. Under simulated practical water management conditions, S addition increased the risk of Cd contamination in rice, suggesting that S application should be reconsidered as a paddy fertilization strategy.

Accumulation of potentially toxic elements in agricultural soil and scenario analysis of cadmium inputs by fertilization: A case study in Quzhou county.

Fertilizer application has greatly increased crop yield, however impurities in mineral or organic fertilizers, such as heavy metals, are being added to agricultural soils, which would pose a high risk for soil and crop production. 115 soil samples were collected from Quzhou, a typical agricultural county in the North China Plain, to investigate the total content of cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and chromium (Cr) in soils. The contamination levels and source apportionment of studied elements were explored by the pollution indices, multivariate statistical approaches and geostatistical analysis. The ranges of Cd, As, Pb, Ni, Cu, Zn and Cr were between 0.08 and 0.35, 5.34-15.9, 7.34-38.9, 12.9-61.3, 7.80-27.0, 31.4-154, and 17.0-50.5 mg/kg and with the mean values 0.16, 9.20, 16.0, 24.7, 17.6, 61.1, and 29.5 mg/kg, respectively. The studied area was slightly polluted mainly by Cd, and higher pollution was found in soils under vegetable crops. The application of mineral phosphate fertilizer and livestock manure were the main source of Cd and Zn, and other elements (As, Pb, Ni and Cu) might originate from soil parent materials. Scenario analyses were performed using the R programming language, based on the cadmium contents in mineral phosphate fertilizers and livestock manures. The results showed that the long-term application of phosphate fertilizers would lead to some Cd enrichment in soil without risk of substantial pollution. Compared to pure mineral fertilizers, the long-term application of blended fertilizers (30% livestock manures and 70% phosphate fertilizers) or livestock manures would incur a higher Cd pollution risk within a short period, with a maximum probability of Cd risk of 55.21%. Mitigation measurements and scientific agronomic practices should be developed to minimize the risk of potential toxic elements in agricultural soil.

Role of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-13 in systemic sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to review the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-13 and their receptor signals; we discuss new insight into their possible roles in systemic sclerosis (SSc) and their overlapping function in SSc. INTRODUCTION: SSc is a connective tissue disease characterized by fibrosis. The exact etiology of SSc is unknown, and no therapy has been proved effective in modifying its course. Recently the roles of IL-4 and IL-13 in the development of SSc have been extensively considered. The possible roles of IL-4 and IL-13, especially their overlapping function, in SSc are not well documented. METHODS: A literature survey was performed using a PubMed database search to gather complete information regarding IL-4 and IL-13 and their role in inflammation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The participation of complex pathways of IL-4 and IL-13 in the process of inflammation and fibrosis action in SSc is still not very clear, and some pathogenesis of regulation found in vitro needs to be further proved. There is still more work which could be done to achieve useful developments with therapeutic benefit in SSc.

The epidemiology of alcohol consumption and multiple sclerosis: a review.

Alcohol consumption is accounted for a large proportion in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and may be a modifiable lifestyle factor that affects the risk of developing the disease. The epidemiological studies about the association between MS and alcohol consumption have got corresponding studies during the last decade. It has been suggested that alcohol consumption was associated with mood disorders, disability and even onset of MS, but a common theme is lacking. To make an understanding of the effect of alcohol consumption on MS, the related epidemiological evidence and potential mechanisms are reviewed.

Micronutrients, their potential effect on patients with systemic sclerosis.

Over the past years, several evidences have supported an important role of specific micronutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin D and vitamin E in immune dysfunction, vascular involvement and fibrotic changes involved in systemic sclerosis (SSc) development. In PubMed, eight clinical trials about the therapy of micronutrients on SSc patients were searched out using medical subject headings terms (SSc: "scleroderma, localized", "scleroderma, systemic", "scleroderma, diffuse" and "scleroderma, limited"; vitamins "vitamin A", "thiamin", "riboflavin", "niacin", "pantothenic acid", "vitamin B 6", "biotin", "folic acid", "vitamin B 12", "inositol", "choline", "ascorbic acid", "vitamin D", "vitamin E", "tocopherols", "vitamin K" and "vitamin P"; and minerals: "calcium", "magnesium", "potassium", "sodium", "phosphorus", "sulfur", "chlorine", "iron", "copper", "iodine", "zinc", "selenium", "manganese", "molybdenum", "cobalt", "chromium", "tin", "vanadium", "silicon", "nickel" and "fluorine"). This brief review will summarize current understanding on that for the further prospect of future studies. Though the clinical trials for the treatment of SSc with micronutrients are still in their infancy, more researches are needed to substantiate the current results and accelerate the knowledge in this field.

[Enrichment and Nutrition/Health Risks Assessment of Mineral Elements in Apples Growing in Yunnan's High Geological Background Area].

Considering the extremely high content of soil mineral elements in high geological background areas, it is crucial to understand the transportation and health risks of mineral elements in soil-plant systems. In this study, 30 soil and apple-paired samples were collected from the main apple production areas of Yunnan's high geological background region to determine the contents of mineral elements. The aim was to research the enrichment characteristics, nutritional values, and health risks associated with 12 mineral elements in apples. The results revealed that Cd, As, Pb and Cr contents in soil samples exceeded their corresponding risk screening values with percentages of 50%, 17%, 48%, and 30%, respectively. However, only 13.3% of Pb content in apple samples exceeded the safety limit （0.1 mg·kg-1, fresh fruit）. In addition to the toxic elements, apples had higher contents of K, Ca, Mg, Mn, and Zn, with average contents of 1.241 g·kg-1, 0.045 g·kg-1, 0.061 g·kg-1, 0.648 mg·kg-1, and 0.944 mg·kg-1, respectively. The nutritional evaluation results showed that the index （INQ） of K and Cu were higher than 2 through the consumption of apples, suggesting that apple consumption was one of the primary sources of K and Cu intake. The health risk assessment revealed that the target hazard quotient （THQ） of a single heavy metal was： Cu > As > Cr > Pb > Zn > Cd； the hazard index （HI） of all heavy metals was far lower than 1, indicating that apple consumption did not pose significant heavy metal exposure risks. The results of this study will provide a scientific insight into the nutritional aspects and health risks associated with mineral elements in soil-plant systems within high geological background areas.

Association of TGF-ß1 +869C/T promoter polymorphism with susceptibility to autoimmune diseases: a meta-analysis.

Many case-control studies have investigated the role of TGF-ß1 gene +869C/T promoter polymorphism in autoimmune diseases, but the results are inconsistent. To clarify this point, we performed a meta-analysis based on all available studies in Pubmed, Elsevier Science Direct, Google Searching, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure. Crude odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals were calculated to estimate the strength of the association. A fixed or random effects model was used on the basis of heterogeneity. A total of 21 papers including 2,693 cases and 3,036 controls were considered in the current meta-analysis. These studies encompass two ankylosing spondylitis (AS), eight rheumatoid arthritis (RA), four systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and seven systemic sclerosis (SSc). The results showed that TGF-ß1 +869C/T promoter polymorphism were associated with susceptibility to RA (CC vs. TT: OR=0.65, 95% CI=0.48-0.88, P=0.005; CC vs. CT+TT: OR=0.56, 95% CI=0.45-0.69, P=0.000; C vs. T: OR=0.81, 95% CI=0.71-0.93, P=0.003). When stratified by race, significant association was observed only in Asian population. However, we failed to reveal the association between this gene promoter polymorphism and AS, SLE, and SSc. Therefore, this meta-analysis suggests a possible association between TGF-ß1 +869C/T promoter polymorphism and RA, especially in Asian population.

The effect of TGF-ß1 polymorphism on systemic sclerosis: a systematic review and pooled analysis of available literature.

Transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc). To investigate whether TGF-ß1 gene promoter polymorphisms were associated with the susceptibility of SSc, we performed a meta-analysis based on all available studies through PubMed, Elsevier Science Direct, Embase, and Chinese Biomedical, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Google Scholar with the last report up to March 15, 2013. Crude odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were used to estimate the strength of the association. A fixed or random effects model was adopted according to heterogeneity test. Heterogeneity among studies was evaluated using I (2) . Meta-regression was used to explore potential sources of between-study heterogeneity. Publication bias was estimated using Begg's and Egger's test. Totally, seven papers with 663 SSc patients and 908 healthy controls were subjected to the final analysis. These studies encompass seven for TGF-ß1 codon 10, three for codon 25 and three for -509C/T. We failed to detect any association of these promoter polymorphism with SSc susceptibility. For TGF-ß1 codon 10 polymorphism, subgroup analyses by race, genotype testing method and classification of SSc were further performed. Similarly, no association was observed. Significant heterogeneity was detected among the studies in all genetic models of TGF-ß1 codon 10 polymorphism. Publication bias was absent. Taken together, our meta-analysis did not provided an evidence of confirming association between TGF-ß1 (codon 10, codon 25, -509C/T) gene polymorphism and SSc. Nevertheless, due to smaller sample sizes, larger sample studies including different ethnic groups should be considered in future to confirm our results.

[Enrichment Characteristics of Heavy Metals and Health Risk in Different Vegetables].

The health risk caused by heavy metal accumulation in vegetables is of great concern. In this study, a database of heavy metal content in a vegetable-soil system in China was constructed through literature review and field sample collection. A systematic analysis of seven heavy metal contents in edible parts of vegetables and their bioaccumulation capacity among different vegetables was also performed. Additionally, the non-carcinogenic health risks of four types vegetables were assessed by using Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). The mean values of Cd, As, Pb, Cr, Hg, Cu, and Zn in the edible parts of the vegetables were 0.093, 0.024, 0.137, 0.118, 0.007, 0.622, and 3.272 mg·kg-1, and the exceedance rates of the five toxic elements were:Pb (18.5%)>Cd (12.9%)>Hg (11.5%)>Cr (4.03%)>As (0.21%). Leafy vegetables showed high Cd enrichment, and root vegetables showed high Pb enrichment, with mean bioconcentration factors of 0.264 and 0.262, respectively. Generally, legumes vegetables and solanaceous vegetables showed lower bioaccumulation for heavy metals. The health risk results indicated that the non-carcinogenic risk for single elements of vegetable intake was within the acceptable range, with the health risk for children being higher than that for adults. The mean non-carcinogenic risk for single elements were:Pb>Hg>Cd>As>Cr. The multi-element combined non-carcinogenic risks of four types vegetables were:leafy vegetables>root vegetables>legume vegetables>solanaceous vegetables. Planting lower-heavy metal bioaccumulation vegetables in heavy metal-contaminated farmland is an effective method to minimize the health risk.

Matrix metalloproteinases: a review of their structure and role in systemic sclerosis.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are the main enzymes involved in arterial wall extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation and remodeling, whose activity has been involved in various normal and pathologic processes, such as inflammation, fibrosis. As a result, the MMPs have come to consider as both therapeutic targets and diagnostic tools for the treatment and diagnosis of autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare autoimmune disease of unknown etiology characterized by an excessive over-production of collagen and other ECM, resulting in skin thickening and fibrosis of internal organs. In recent years, abnormal expression of MMPs has been demonstrated with the pathogenesis of SSc, and the association of different polymorphisms on MMPs genes with SSc has been extensively studied. This review describes the structure, function and regulation of MMPs and shortly summarizes current understanding on experimental findings, genetic associations of MMPs in SSc.

Elevated pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio indicate low survival rate in apatinib-treated patients with non-small cell lung cancer: A STROBE-compliant article.

This study aimed to analyze the predictive value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) to better clarify which patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) would benefit most from apatinib after multiline treatment for drug resistance. This observational cohort study involved patients with advanced NSCLC who were treated with apatinib between May 2016 to May 2018. The participants in this study had previously been treated with at least two treatment regimens. Multivariate logistic regression and Cox proportional risk models were used to evaluate the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of the pretreatment NLR. A total of 125 patients were reviewed. The median age was 64 years (range, 33-92); and 32.8% of the patients were female. Only 0.8% of the patients had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG-PS) score ≥ 2. In multivariate analysis, pretreatment NLR ≥ 5 had an independent correlation with inferior OS (median 2.07 vs 3.40 months; HR 1.493, 95% CI 1.022-2.182; P = .038) and inferior PFS (median 1.83 vs 2.76 months; HR 1.478, 95% CI 1.015-2.153; P = .042). Elevated pretreatment NLR is associated with shorter OS and PFS in patients with advanced NSCLC treated with apatinib after multiline treatment for drug resistance.

Arsenic transfer and accumulation in the soil-rice system with sulfur application and different water managements.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) can readily accumulate arsenic (As), owing to its high capacity to take up As and special flooding cultivation, which poses a potential risk to human health. Although sulfur (S) can influence As accumulation in rice, its behavior in the rice-soil system is not clear under practical water management conditions. In this study, the transfer and soil solution dynamics of As in the whole soil-rice system was investigated under continuous flooding or intermittent drainage, either with S addition or not. The results showed that intermittent drainage effectively reduced As concentration in soil solution regardless of S conditions, and it only reduced As content in rice without S addition. Exogenous S decreased As concentration in soil solution and rice, except in the roots of mature rice, under continuous flooding. Sulfur addition significantly decreased the total As and As(III) contents in rice grains, by 62% and 79% under continuous flooding and by 50% and 76% under intermittent drainage, respectively. Moreover, the addition of S resulted in impaired iron plaque and inhibited binding of As. Sulfur also reduced As translocation from rice roots to shoots. Therefore, S could alleviate the crisis of excessive accumulation of As in rice grains caused by flooded environment through various adjustments to the soil-rice system.

Cadmium accumulation in wheat and maize grains from China: Interaction of soil properties, novel enrichment models and soil thresholds.

The cadmium (Cd) activity in soil has been widely studied. However, the interactive effects of soil properties (e.g. soil pH, CEC, and SOM) on Cd transfer from soil to grain are generally overlooked. In total 325 datasets including soil pH, CEC, SOM, and soil Cd content were used in this study. The descriptive statistics indicated that Cd content in wheat and maize soils ranged from 0.05 to 10.31 mg/kg and 0.02-13.68 mg/kg, with mean values of 0.87 and 1.14 mg/kg, respectively. Cd contents in wheat and maize grains were 0.01-1.36 mg/kg and 0.001-1.08 mg/kg with average values of 0.15 and 0.10 mg/kg, respectively. The results of SEM demonstrated that the interactive effects of soil properties contributed more to Cd transfer from soil to wheat grain than the soil Cd content. Subsequently, CITs-MLR indicated that the critical factors, including soil pH and total soil Cd content, could mask the contribution of other soil properties on Cd accumulation in grain; soil CEC may prevent Cd from leaching and therefore improve grain Cd level of wheat especially at acidic soil condition. The result of derived Cd thresholds revealed that current Cd thresholds are not completely suitable to wheat and maize grain at different soil conditions. This study provides a new model for further investigation on relationships between soil properties, soil Cd content and grain Cd level.

[Lead Uptake and Accumulation in Rice (Oryza sativa L.) with Water Management and Selenite Fertilization].

Lead (Pb) accumulation in rice grains has been identified as a potential threat to human health. Our study investigated the effects of varied rates of selenite fertilization (0, 0.5 and 1.0 mg·kg-1) on the dynamics of Pb in soil solutions, and its uptake and translocation by rice under different water management scenarios (aerobic and flooded) in pot experiments. Plants were harvested at seedling stage and at maturity to determine the Pb contents, and soil solutions were extracted during the growing season to monitor the Pb dynamics. Results showed that flooding the soil significantly increased Pb concentrations in DCB extracts and rice roots both at seedling stage and maturity. Root Pb contents in flooded treatments were 4.2-8.5 and 1.4-1.5 times higher than those under aerobic conditions at rice seedling stage and maturity. Flooding also decreased the percentage of Pb in rice shoots. The Pb content in soil solutions, rice seedlings, rice roots and stems at maturity were significantly decreased by selenite additions. Relative to the control treatment, selenite additions decreased the rice root Pb contents by 5.4%-24.3% and 2.7%-61.7% under flooding and aerobic conditions at seedling stage, respectively; while decreased Pb in rice root by 56.1%-64.1% and 53.8%-63.2% respectively, at maturity. No significant differences existed in grain Pb levels among the treatments. Results demonstrated that water management regimes and selenite additions affected Pb uptake by rice roots significantly, but had no significant influence on Pb accumulation in rice grains.

Prevalence of HIV-1 subtypes among men who have sex with men in China: a systematic review.

The distribution of prevalent HIV-1 strains are still complex in China. Men who have sex with men (MSM) play an important bridging role in spreading HIV. The aim of our study was to quantitatively evaluate the prevalence of HIV-1 subtypes among the MSM population in China from published studies. Relevant studies were searched by selection criteria from CNKI, CBM, Pubmed, etc. We computed the estimates of the pooled proportion of HIV-1 subtypes. Heterogeneity between studies was investigated and measured using Cochran's Q statistic and the I (2) statistic. All analyses were conducted by the R statistical package version 2.13.1. A meta-analysis was performed, which included 19 articles. For comprehensive analysis of env, gag and pol genes, the pooled estimates for the prevalence of subtype B was 28.25% (95% CI: 18.10-39.66%), CRF01_AE was 53.46% (95% CI: 46.11-60.74%), CRF07_BC was 18.66% (95% CI: 13.06-25.01%) and CRF08_BC was 5.85% (95% CI: 2.73-10.07%), respectively. In subgroup analysis, the proportion of subtype B decreased, while the proportion of CRF01_AE and CRF07_BC showed an increasing tendency. Beijing, Guangdong and Henan provinces had high proportions of subtype CRF01_AE while Guangdong and Hebei provinces had the highest proportions of subtype B and CRF07_BC, respectively. A high genetic variability of HIV-1 presents a serious challenge for HIV prevention and treatment strategies among MSM in China.

The association between systemic sclerosis, arginine and asymmetric dimethylarginine.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a kind of autoimmune disease characterized by inflammatory and endothelial dysfunction. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), as an endogenous nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, can cause or contribute to the inflammatory syndrome and endothelial dysfunction. Recently, increased ADMA levels have been demonstrated in SSc, revealing that ADMA might play an important role for the associated manifestations of SSc. Besides, ADMA may play a significant role in the level of NO, which is produced by arginine. In the review, we discuss the role of arginine and ADMA in patients with SSc.

The association between vibration and vascular injury in rheumatic diseases: a review of the literature.

Vascular manifestations can be seen early in the pathogenesis of inflammatory rheumatic diseases. Animal experiments, laboratory and clinical findings indicated that acute or long-term vibration exposure can induce vascular abnormalities. Recent years, in addition to Raynaud's phenomenon (RP), vibration as a risk factor for other rheumatic diseases has also received corresponding considered. This review is concentrated upon the role of vibration in the disease of systemic sclerosis (SSc). In this review, we are going to discuss the main mechanisms which are thought to be important in pathophysiology of vascular injury under the three broad headings of "vascular", "neural" and "intravascular". Aspects on the vibration and vascular inflammation are briefly discussed. And the epidemiological studies related to vibration studies in SSc and other rheumatic diseases are taken into account.

The association between systemic sclerosis and bone mineral density- a meta-analysis of observational studies.

Previous research has shown inconsistent effect of systemic sclerosis (SSc) on bone mineral density (BMD). The objective of this study was to perform a meta-analysis of previous articles to investigate the differences in BMD (g/cm(2) ) between SSc and non-SSc populations and to discuss potential underlying mechanisms. Twelve full-text articles (including an outlier study and two studies with identical data) with 662 SSc patients and 886 controls were identified by searching Medline prior to 10 September, 2013 using search terms 'Systemic sclerosis' OR 'scleroderma' and 'osteoporosis' OR 'bone density' OR 'bone mass'. BMD (mean and standard deviation), T-scores and Z-scores at lumbar spine, femoral neck and total hip measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry were extracted. Meta-analysis showed that a lower level of BMD was found in SSc patients, with weighted mean difference of -0.343 (95% CI: -0.500 to -0.186) at femoral neck, -0.084 (95% CI: -0.110 to -0.057) at total hip and -0.104 (95% CI: -0.135 to -0.073) at the lumbar spine. We conclude that patients with SSc may have a lower BMD level than healthy controls.

Epidemiology of syphilis infection among drug users at methadone maintenance treatment clinics in China: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Illicit drug trade has re-emerged in China since 1979 and the number of drug addicts had increased. Syphilis is mainly spread through sexual contact and blood. The incidence of syphilis is high among drug users. Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) clinics have been implemented in China since 2004. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of syphilis among drug users at MMT clinics in China between 2004 and 2013. Chinese and English databases (CBM, CNKI, Weipu, Pubmed) of literature were searched for studies reporting syphilis among drug users in MMT clinics from 2004 to 2013. The prevalence estimates and risk factors were summarized through a systematic review and meta-analysis of published literatures. In all, 29 eligible articles with a total of 8899 drug users, were selected in this review. The pooled prevalence of syphilis infection was 7.78% (95%CI: 5.83%-9.99%). The meta-analyses demonstrated significant differences in syphilis infection rates between men and women (OR = 0.34 [95%CI: 0.26-0.45]) but not between drug users and non-intravenous drug users (OR = 0.82 [95%CI: 0.51-1.32]). Enhanced detection of syphilis and health promotion is warranted in MMT clinics in China.

Association of interleukin 1 family with systemic sclerosis.

Systemic sclerosis is a connective tissue disease characterized with fibrosis of skin and/or internal organs, and its specific pathological mechanism remains incompletely understood. IL-1 family, whose biological properties are typically pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrosis, has been associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Interleukin (IL)-1 family has 11 members, IL-1α, IL-1ß, IL-1Ra, IL-18, IL-33, IL-36α, IL-36ß, IL-36γ, IL-36Ra, IL-37, and IL-38. With the exception of IL-1Ra and IL-36Ra, each member has its own receptor signal. Abnormal expression of IL-1 and its potential role in the fibrosis process have been probed earliest, as well as its gene polymorphisms with SSc. IL-33 and IL-18 have also been discussed in the recent years, and IL-33 may contribute to the fibrosis of SSc, while IL-18 remains to be researched to confirm its role in fibrosis process. There is a lack of studies on the association of the other members of the IL-1 family, which might provide us the future study area; much more efforts need to be put on this matter.