Exposure to ambient particulate matter and hyperuricemia: An eight-year prospective cohort study on male traffic officers in China.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Studies on the effects of airborne particulates of diameter ≤ 1 µm (PM1), airborne particulates of diameter ≤ 2.5 µm (PM2.5) and airborne particulates of diameter ranges from 1 to 2.5 µm (PM1-2.5) on incidence of hyperuricemia are limited. We aimed to investigate the associations between PM1, PM2.5, and PM1-2.5 and hyperuricemia among male traffic officers. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 1460 traffic officers without hyperuricemia in Guangzhou, China from 2009 to 2016. Exposures of PM1 and PM2.5 were estimated with a spatiotemporal model. PM1-2.5 concentrations were calculated by subtracting PM1 from PM2.5 concentrations. Cox's proportional hazards regressions models were used to examine the association between PM1, PM2.5, and PM1-2.5 and hyperuricemia, adjusted for potential confounders. Associations between PM1, PM2.5, and PM1-2.5 and serum uric acid (SUA) levels were evaluated with multiple linear regression models. RESULTS: Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of hyperuricemia associated with 10 µg/m3 increment in PM1, PM2.5, and PM1-2.5 were 1.67 (95% CI:1.30-2.36), 1.49 (95% CI: 1.27-1.75), and 2.18 (95% CI: 1.58-3.02), respectively. The SUA concentrations increased by 12.23 µmol/L (95% CI: 5.91-18.56), 6.93 µmol/L (95% CI: 3.02-10.84), and 8.72 µmol/L (95% CI: 0.76-16.68) per 10 µg/m3 increase in PM1, PM2.5, and PM1-2.5, respectively. Stratified analyses indicated the positive associations of PM2.5 and PM1-2.5 with SUA levels were stronger in non-smokers, and PM1, PM2.5, and PM1-2.5 with SUA levels were stronger in non-drinkers. CONCLUSION: Long-term PM1, PM2.5, and PM1-2.5 exposures may increase the risk of hyperuricemia and elevate SUA levels among male traffic officers, especially in non-smokers and non-drinkers.

A systematic review on the recent advances of wheat allergen detection by mass spectrometry: future prospects.

Wheat is one of the three major staple foods in the world. Although wheat is highly nutritional, it has a variety of allergenic components that are potentially fatal to humans and pose a significant hazard to the growth and consumption of wheat. Wheat allergy is a serious health problem, which is becoming more and more prevalent all over the world. To address and prevent related health risks, it is crucial to establish precise and sensitive detection and analytical methods as well as an understanding of the structure and sensitization mechanism of wheat allergens. Among various analytical tools, mass spectrometry (MS) is known to have high specificity and sensitivity. It is a promising non immune method to evaluate and quantify wheat allergens. In this article, the current research on the detection of wheat allergens based on mass spectrometry is reviewed. This review provides guidance for the further research on wheat allergen detection using mass spectrometry, and speeds up the development of wheat allergen research in China.

The short interference RNA (siRNA) targeting NMUR2 relieves nociception in a bone cancer pain model of rat through PKC-ERK and PI3K-AKT pathways.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Bone cancer pain (BCP) causes troubles and burdens to patients globally. Increasing evidence proved that neuromedin U receptor 2 (NMUR2) was involved in pains. Our study was performed to investigate the role of NMUR2 on BCP and the underlying mechanism. METHODS: The rats were raised and BCP rat model was established by injection with Walker 256 cells. The RNA and protein expression levels of NMUR2 in rat neurons-dorsal spinal cord cells, RNdsc cells were detected by qRT-PCR and western blot. The administration with NMUR2 was via intrathecal injection with siRNA to silence NMUR2. The tolerance of rat to pain was measured by mechanical allodynia test and presented by paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) value. The effects on protein kinase C (PKC)/extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK) and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signal pathways were examined by western blot. RESULTS: The expression of NMUR2 in both mRNA and protein levels was upregulated in BCP rat model. In addition, siRNA injection significantly decreased the expression of NMUR2 on the 3rd, 7th and 14th day. BCP group revealed lower PWT value compared with control while NMUR2 silence increased the PWT value compared with negative control. The phosphorylation of PKC, ERK, PI3K and AKT was increased in BCP model while was decreased by si-NMUR2. PKC/ERK and PI3K/AKT inhibitor administration increased the PWT value compared with BCP group. CONCLUSION: si-NMUR2 alleviates BCP via inactivation of PKC/ERK and PI3K/AKT signal pathways.

Exposure to bisphenol-A affects fear memory and histone acetylation of the hippocampus in adult mice.

Bisphenol-A (BPA), an environmental endocrine disruptor, has been reported to possess weak estrogenic, anti-estrogenic, and anti-androgen properties. Previous evidence indicates that perinatal exposure to low levels of BPA affects anxiety-like and cognitive behaviors in adult rodents. The present study aims to investigate the effect of BPA on emotional memory using the contextual fear conditioning of male mice in adulthood exposed to BPA for 90days. The results indicated that exposure to BPA increased the freezing time 1h and 24h after fear conditioning training. Furthermore, western blot analyses showed that BPA exposure decreased the level of N-methyl-d-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor subunit NR1 and increased the expression of histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) before fear conditioning training in the hippocampus of male mice. One and twenty-four hours after fear conditioning training, BPA enhanced the changes of the expressions of NR1, phosphorylated extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK1/2), and histone acetylation induced by contextual fear conditioning in the hippocampus. These results suggest that long term exposure to BPA enhanced fear memory by the concomitant increased level of NMDA receptor and/or the enhanced histone acetylation in the hippocampus, which may be associated with activation of ERK1/2 signaling pathway.

Predictive value of POSSUM scoring system for postoperative complications and mortality in elderly patients with colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: The POSSUM scoring system, widely employed in assessing surgical risks, offers a simplified and objective approach for the prediction of complications and mortality in patient. Despite its effectiveness in various surgical fields, including orthopedics and cardiovascular surgery, yet its utilization in elderly patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery is infrequent. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the predictive value of POSSUM scoring system for postoperative complications and mortality in elderly with colorectal cancer. METHODS: 306 elderly colorectal cancer patients were grouped according to the complications and death within 30 days after surgery. Among them, 108 cases in complication group, 198 cases in non-complication group, 16 cases in death group and 290 cases in survival group. POSSUM scores of all subjects were obtained and its predictive value for postoperative complications and mortality of elderly was conducted by ROC curve. RESULTS: No apparent difference were observed in complications and mortality among patients with different disease types, operation types and operation timing (P> 0.05). The R2 in complication group was higher than non-complication group (P< 0.05). The R1 in death group were higher than survival group (P< 0.05). The AUC of R2 for predicting postoperative complications was 0.955 with a sensitivity of 88.89% and a specificity of 94.44% and the AUC of R1 for evaluating postoperative mortality of elderly with colorectal cancer was 0.783 with a sensitivity of 56.25% and a specificity of 82.93%. CONCLUSION: POSSUM score system has a certain predictive value for postoperative complications and mortality in elderly with colorectal cancer. However, the predicted mortality rate is higher than actual mortality rate.

Quantification of Allergic Crustacean Tropomyosin Using Shared Signature Peptides in Processed Foods with a Mass Spectrometry-Based Proteomic Strategy.

Crustacean shellfish are major allergens in East Asia. In the present study, a major allergic protein in crustaceans, tropomyosin, was detected accurately using multiple reaction monitoring mode-based mass spectrometry, with shared signature peptides identified through proteomic analysis. The peptides were deliberately screened through thermal stability and enzymatic digestion efficiency to improve the suitability and accuracy of the developed method. Finally, the proposed method demonstrated a linear range of 0.15 to 30 mgTM/kgfood (R2 > 0.99), with a limit of detection of 0.15 mgTM/kg food and a limit of quantification of 0.5mgTM/kgfood and successfully applied to commercially processed foods, such as potato chips, biscuits, surimi, and hot pot seasonings, which evidenced the applicability of proteomics-based methodology for food allergen analysis.

Sex-specific effects of bisphenol-A on memory and synaptic structural modification in hippocampus of adult mice.

Humans are routinely exposed to low levels of bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic xenoestrogen widely used in the production of polycarbonate plastics. The effects of long-term exposure to BPA on memory and modification of synaptic structure in hippocampus of adult mice were investigated in the present study. The adult mice were exposed to BPA (0.4, 4, and 40 mg/kg/day) or arachis oil for 12 weeks. In open field test, BPA at 0.4, 4, or 40 mg/kg/day increased the frequency of rearing and time in the central area of the males, while BPA at 0.4 mg/kg/day reduced the frequency of rearing in the females. Exposure to BPA (0.4 or 40 mg/kg/day) extended the average escape pathlength to the hidden platform in Morris water maze task and shortened the step-down latency 24 h after footshock of the males, but no changes were found in the females for these measures. Meanwhile, BPA induced a reduced numeric synaptic density and a negative effect on the structural parameters of synaptic interface, including an enlarged synaptic cleft and the reduced length of active zone and PSD thickness, in the hippocampus of the male mice. Western blot analyses further indicated that BPA down-regulated expressions of synaptic proteins (synapsin I and PSD-95) and synaptic NMDA receptor subunit NR1 and AMPA receptor subunit GluR1 in the hippocampus of the males. These results suggest that long-term exposure to low levels of BPA in adulthood sex-specifically impaired spatial and passive avoidance memory of mice. These effects may be associated with the higher susceptibility of the hippocampal synaptic plasticity processes, such as remodeling of spinal synapses and the expressions of synaptic proteins (e.g. synapsin I and PSD-95) and NMDA and AMPA receptors, to BPA in the adult male mice.

Financial disclosure quality and sustainability disclosure quality. A case in China.

This paper empirically examines whether there is an association between financial reporting disclosure quality and sustainability disclosure quality of the top 100 socially reputed Chinese listed firms. The paper computed financial disclosure quality by empirically combining earning qualities of accrual, persistence, predictability, and smoothness. Using content analysis and survey questionnaire research methods, it calculated sustainability quality by combining disclosure quantity (through quantitative weightings), disclosure type (through qualitative weightings), and disclosure item importance (through qualitative weightings) of economic, social, and environmental disclosures made in annual and sustainability reports, ascertained using the Global Reporting Initiative sustainability framework. The study finds that sustainability disclosure in the current period is sufficiently associated with financial disclosure quality of the current period and future period. Consistent with stakeholder theory, firms with a social reputation are perceived as trustworthy by stakeholders and shareholders. The findings lead to a cultural stakeholder theory where underlying values of societal culture create a condition supporting mutual stakeholder relationships between firm and various stakeholders. Demonstrating trustworthiness through disclosures can help boost consumer confidence and foreign trade relations for Chinese firms. The Chinese government can design innovative schemes to reward and promote trustworthiness in firms, such as regulating base-point reductions in interest rates on borrowing or raising funds.

Inhibitory effects of jujuboside A on EEG and hippocampal glutamate in hyperactive rat.

In this study, the inhibitory effect of jujuboside A (JuA) on a penicillin sodium (Na-PCN) induced hyperactivity model was investigated. Cortical EEG (electroencephalogram) and the concentration of hippocampal Glutamate (Glu) were monitored simultaneously in vivo as indicators of rat's excitatory state. Power spectral density (PSD) and gravity frequency of PSD were calculated. JuA (0.05 g/L and 0.1 g/L) inhibited the EEG excitation effect caused by Na-PCN by increasing the power of delta1 and delta2 bands (P<0.01 vs model) and lowering the gravity frequency of PSD (P<0.01 vs model). JuA also remarkably reduced the Glu elevation induced by Na-PCN (P<0.05 vs model). Diazepam also depressed Glu concentration and lowered the gravity frequency, but it showed a different EEG pattern in increased beta2-activity (P<0.01 vs model). EEG excitation caused by Na-PCN correlated with Glu elevation during the first hour. Neurophysiological inhibitory effects of JuA and diazepam were more persistent than their Glu inhibitory effects.

Neural responses to cartoon facial attractiveness: An event-related potential study.

Animation creates a vivid, virtual world and expands the scope of human imagination. In this study, we investigated the time-courses of brain responses related to the evaluation of the attractiveness of cartoon faces using the event-related potential (ERP) technique. The results demonstrated that N170 amplitude was higher for attractive than for unattractive cartoon faces in males, while the opposite was found in females. Facial attractiveness notably modulated the late positive component (LPC), which might reflect the task-related process of aesthetic appraisal of beauty. The mean LPC amplitude in males was significantly higher for attractive cartoon faces than for unattractive faces, while the LPC amplitude in females did not significantly differ between attractive and unattractive cartoon faces. Moreover, the paint mode (computer graphics, gouache, and stick figure) modulated the early encoding of facial structures and the late evaluative process. The early modulation effect by paint mode may be related to the spatial frequency of the pictures. The processing speed and intensity in females were both higher than those in males. In conclusion, our study, for the first time, reported ERP modulation based on the assessment of cartoon facial attractiveness, suggesting the facilitated selection of attractiveness information at the early stage, and that the attentional enhancement of attractive faces at the late stage only exists in males. This suggests that men's brains are hard-wired to be sensitive to facial beauty, even in cartoons.

[Detection of enteric pathogenic bacteria from surface waters by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR)].

A rapid quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) analysis method with universal primers was developed to detect cell densities of the enteric pathogenic bacteria from 5 surface water of Xi'an City for 4 months continuously. And the detection results by QPCR method were compared with counts of coliforms colony-forming units (CFU) determined by membrane filter (MF) analysis. The results showed that QPCR method had an estimated 94% confidence, and detection limit was 2.7 Escherichia coli cells per sample in undiluted DNA extracts. For five surface waters (N = 60), the geometric mean of pathogenic bacteria concentration determined by QPCR was 2.2-5 times of corresponding coliform CFU determined by MF analysis. Using QPCR analysis, these geometric means of pathogenic bacteria concentration ranged from 25 CCE/100 mL to 67 000 CCE/100 mL. Using MF culture analysis, coliforms ranged from 3 CFU/100 mL to 45 000 CFU/100 mL. Regression analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation between pathogenic bacteria determined by QPCR method and coliforms determined by MF method, the correlation coefficient (r) was 0.983.

[Measurement of monoamine transmitters in the brains of ovariectomized mice using high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection and gradient flow rate elution].

A method for the determination of norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in brains of ovariectomized mice was established by using high performance liquid chromatograph with a fluorescence detector, a C18 column and a gradient flow rate delivered by a single pump. The mobile phase was a mixture of 0.1 mol/L KH2PO4 and CH3OH (9/1, v/v). Detection limits of the method were determined to be lower than 10 nmol/L, absolute recoveries were above 80% and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) of intra-day were all within 3.03%. The method has the advantages of high sensitivity and of simple sample preparation. Short analysis time and better separation of samples were also obtained.