Perfluorooctane sulfonate alternatives and metabolic syndrome in adults: New evidence from the Isomers of C8 Health Project in China.

Chlorinated polyfluoroalkyl ether sulfonates (Cl-PFESAs), are ubiquitous alternatives to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), a widely used poly- and perfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS). Despite in vivo and in vitro evidence of metabolic toxicity, no study has explored associations of Cl-PFESAs concentrations with metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a human population. To help address this data gap, we quantified 32 PFAS, including 2 PFOS alternative Cl-PFESAs (6:2 and 8:2 Cl-PFESAs) in serum from 1228 adults participating in the cross-sectional Isomers of C8 Health Project in China study. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of MetS and its various components were estimated using individual PFAS as a continuous or categorical predictor in multivariate regression models. The association between the overall mixture of PFAS and MetS was examined using probit Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR-P). Greater serum PFAS concentrations were associated with higher odds of MetS and demonstrated a statistically significant dose-response trend (P for trend < 0.001). For example, each ln-unit (ng/mL) increase in serum 6:2 Cl-PFESA was associated with a higher prevalence of MetS (OR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.25, 1.85). MetS was also 2.26 (95% CI: 1.59, 3.23) times more common in the highest quartile of serum 6:2 Cl-PFESA concentration than the lowest, and particularly high among women (OR = 6.41, 95% CI: 3.65, 11.24). The BKMR-P analysis showed a positive association between the overall mixture of measured PFAS and the odds of MetS, but was only limited to women. While our results suggest that exposure to Cl-PFESAs was associated with MetS, additional longitudinal studies are needed to more definitively address the potential health concerns of these PFOS alternatives.

Is PM1 similar to PM2.5? A new insight into the association of PM1 and PM2.5 with children's lung function.

Experimental data suggests that PM1 is more toxic than PM2.5 although the epidemiologic evidence suggests that the health associations are similar. However, few objective exposure data are available to compare the associations of PM1 and PM2.5 with children lung function. Our objectives are a) to evaluate associations between long-term exposure to PM1, PM2.5 and children's lung function, and b) to compare the associations between PM1 and PM2.5. From 2012 to 2013, we enrolled 6,740 children (7-14 years), randomly recruited from primary and middle schools located in seven cities in northeast China. We measured lung function including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), peak expiratory flow (PEF), and maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMEF) utilizing two portable electronic spirometers. We dichotomized continuous lung function measures according the expected values for gender and age. The spatial resolution at which PM1 and PM2.5 estimated were estimated using a machine learning method and the temporal average concentrations were averaged from 2009 to 2012. A multilevel regression model was used to estimate the associations of PM1, PM2.5 exposure and lung function measures, adjusted for confounding factors. Associations with lower lung function were consistently larger for PM1 than for PM2.5. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) per interquartile range greater PM1 ranged from 1.53 for MMEF (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.20-1.96) to 2.14 for FEV1 (95% CI: 1.66-2.76) and ORs for PM2.5 ranged from 1.36 for MMEF (95%CI: 1.12-1.66) to 1.82 for FEV1 (95%CI: 1.49-2.22), respectively. PM1 and PM2.5 had significant associations with FVC and FEV1 in primary school children, and on PEF and MMEF in middle school children. Long-term PM1 and PM2.5 exposure can lead to decreased lung function in children, and the associations of PM1 are stronger than PM2.5. Therefore, PM1 may be more hazardous to children's respiratory health than PM2.5 exposure.

[Depressive symptoms and associated sexual behaviors among men who have sex with men in Foshan, Guangdong province].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the prevalence of depressive symptoms and associated sexual characteristics among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Foshan, Guangdong province. METHODS: Respondent-driven sampling method was used to recruit MSM who were 18 years and older, living in Foshan longer than 6 months. Scales of depression, demographical information, and characteristics of sexual behaviors were collected using a self-designed questionnaire. Respondent-Driven Sampling Analysis Tool and SAS were used to generate crude and estimated population proportion as well as 95% confidence intervals (CI). Multivariate logistic regression was performed to explore potential factors associated with depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Among 249 respondents, the mean age (standard deviation) was 31.9 (8.5) years, with 43.5% of them having had 7-9 years of education while 25.9% had 10-12 years. 49.7% of the respondents were currently married. 56.7% of them had bisexual orientation. 42.3% of them met their sex partners in parks/toilet and 63.3% of them had their first sex with a female. The estimated prevalence of depressive symptoms was 34.8% (28.2-42.3) among MSM in Foshan. Younger age, lower education levels, only had oral sex, and regularly meeting sexual partners in parks were associated with depressive symptoms, with the adjusted odd ratio (95%CI) as 3.31 (1.39-7.86), 2.23 (1.01-4.93), 3.09 (1.10-8.70) and 2.38 (1.20-4.75), respectively. CONCLUSION: Depression related symptoms might associate with the demographical and sexual characteristics of MSM in Foshan, suggesting that psychological interventions should involve components as demographical and sexual characteristics.