Identification of the regulatory network and potential markers for type 2 diabetes mellitus related to internal exposure to metals in Chinese adults.

People intake metals from their environment. This study investigated type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) related to internal exposure to metals and attempted to identify possible biomarkers. A total of 734 Chinese adults were enrolled, and urinary levels of ten metals were measured. Multinomial logistic regression model was used to assess the association between metals and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and T2DM. Gene ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and protein-protein interaction were used to explore the pathogenesis of T2DM related to metals. After adjustment, lead (Pb) was positively associated with IFG (odds ratio [OR] 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06-1.61) and T2DM (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.01-1.98), but cobalt was negatively associated with IFG (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.34-0.95). Transcriptome analysis showed 69 target genes involved in the Pb-target network of T2DM. GO enrichment indicated that the target genes are enriched mainly in the biological process category. KEGG enrichment indicated that Pb exposure leads to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, lipid and atherosclerosis, and insulin resistance. Moreover, there is alteration of four key pathways, and six algorithms were used to identify 12 possible genes in T2DM related to Pb. SOD2 and ICAM1 show strong similarity in expression, suggesting a functional correlation between these key genes. This study reveals that SOD2 and ICAM1 may be potential targets of Pb exposure-induced T2DM and provides novel insight into the biological effects and underlying mechanism of T2DM related to internal exposure to metals in the Chinese population.

Spatio-temporal analysis of urban air pollutants throughout China during 2014-2019.

Air pollution control has become the top priority of China's "green development" concept since 2013. The Chinese government has enacted a range of policies and statutes to control contaminant emissions and improve air quality. On the basis of the national air quality ground observation database, the spatial and temporal distribution of air quality index value (AQI), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), coarse particles (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O3) were explored in 336 cities throughout China from 2014 to 2019. AQI and most pollutants (except O3) decreased in concentrations from 2014 to 2019. In 2019, all cities except Henan reached the level 2 of the ambient air quality index, and six cities had a lower ambient air quality index and reached the level 1. Spatially, higher pollutant concentrations were concentrated in large city clusters, whereas the areas with high O3 concentration were found across the country. Furthermore, central heating was shown to have a negative impact on air quality. The observed AQI value, PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, and CO concentrations were highest in north and northwest China and Henan province in central China. The correlations among pollutants suggest that the main sources of pollutants are fossil fuel combustion, industrial production, and motor vehicle emissions. The influence of meteorological factors on air quality, long-distance transportation, and the transformations of pollutants should be explored in future research. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11869-021-01043-5.

Comparison between two anammox fiber fillers under load impact and the effect of HCO3 - concentration.

Based on the establishment of a stable anaerobic ammonia oxidation treatment system in 100 days, the impact resistances of two different anammox fiber fillers (the curtain filler: R1 and the bundle filler: BR) were compared. Furthermore, the effect of HCO3 - concentration on the bundle filler system was also investigated, the results have shown that the activity of the two anammox fiber fillers was not inhibited when the NO2 --N concentration was lower than 750 mg L-1 (FNA = 0.085 mg L-1), while it was significantly suppressed at 900 mg L-1 (FNA = 0.118 mg L-1). However, the two fiber fillers could be recovered and exhibit a good impact resistance reduction of the substrate concentration. On day 95, the structure of the bundle filler was more conducive to the stable attachment, proliferation, and aggregation of anammox bacteria. Dominant anammox bacteria in both the curtain and bundle fillers were Candidatus Kuenenia, which accounted for 25.9% and 35.9% of the total population, respectively. When the influent HCO3 - concentration was 900 mg L-1, the bundled fiber filler had the highest total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiency, which reached 89.0%. Even though it was inhibited under 2000 mg L-1 of HCO3 - concentration, the reactor was able to recover within one week by reducing the substrate concentration. In addition, the HCO3 - inhibition mechanism was independent of pH, which resulted in high FA content.

Correction to: Fluoxetine and Riluzole Mitigates Manganese-Induced Disruption of Glutamate Transporters and Excitotoxicity via Ephrin-A3/GLAST-GLT-1/Glu Signaling Pathway in Striatum of Mice.

The original article contains mistake. Figure 3d and Figure 3e were repeated.

Public health initiatives from hospitalized patients with COVID-19, China.

BACKGROUND: Since December 2019, when it first occurred in Wuhan, China, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread rapidly worldwide via human-to-human transmission. We aimed to describe the epidemiological and demographic features of COVID-19 outside Wuhan. METHODS: A single-center case series of 136 consecutive (from January 16 to February 17, 2020) patients with confirmed COVID-19 hospitalized in The First People's Hospital of Jingzhou, China, was retrospectively analyzed. Outcomes were followed up until February 19, 2020. RESULTS: Of the 136 patients (median age, 49 years; interquartile range [IQR], 33-63 years; range, 0.3-83 years), 91 (67%) had been to Wuhan or contacted persons from Wuhan. Forty-five (33.1%) were familial clusters. The median incubation period was 6 days (IQR: 4-11 days). All children had an exact exposure history, family members with COVID-19, and "Mild/Moderate" symptoms at admission. Among the 64 elderly patients, 14 (21.9%) had no exposure history, and 43 (67.2%) had a chronic illness. All 11 (8.1%) "Severe/very severe" illness at onset cases and 5 (3.7%) fatal cases were elderly patients. The duration from symptom onset to admission was positively correlated with the duration from symptom onset to endpoint. Overall, patients with a longer incubation period had more severe outcomes. CONCLUSION: As high-risk susceptible groups, strong protection should be implemented for children and the elderly. Universal screening should be performed for people with a clear exposure history, even lacking apparent symptoms. Given the rapid progression of COVID-19, people should be admitted quickly following symptom onset.

Fluoxetine and Riluzole Mitigates Manganese-Induced Disruption of Glutamate Transporters and Excitotoxicity via Ephrin-A3/GLAST-GLT-1/Glu Signaling Pathway in Striatum of Mice.

Manganese (Mn) is an essential element required for many biological processes and systems in the human body. Mn intoxication increases brain glutamate (Glu) levels causing neuronal damage. Recent studies have reported that ephrin-A3 regulates this glutamate transporter. However, none has explored the role of this crucial molecule in Mn-induced excitotoxicity. The present study investigated whether ephrin-A3/GLAST-GLT-1/Glu signaling pathway participates in Mn-induced excitotoxicity using astrocytes and Kunming mice. The mechanisms were explored using fluoxetine (ephrin-A3 inhibitor) and riluzole (a Glu release inhibitor). Firstly, we demonstrated that Mn exposure (500 µM or 50 mg/kg MnCl2) significantly increased Mn, ephrin-A3, and Glu levels, and inhibited Na+-K+ ATPase activity, as well as mRNA and protein levels of GLAST and GLT-1. Secondly, we found that astrocytes and mice pretreated with fluoxetine (100 µM or 15 mg/kg) and riluzole (100 µM or 32 µmol/kg) prior to Mn exposure had lower ephrin-A3 and Glu levels, but higher Na+-K+ ATPase activity, expression levels of GLAST and GLT-1 than those exposed to 500 µM or 50 mg/kg MnCl2. Moreover, the morphology of cells and the histomorphology of mice striatum were injured. Results showed that pretreatment with fluoxetine and riluzole attenuated the Mn-induced motor dysfunctions. Together, these results suggest that the ephrin-A3/GLAST-GLT-1/Glu signaling pathway participates in Mn-induced excitotoxicity, and fluoxetine and riluzole can mitigate the Mn-induced excitotoxicity in mice brain.

Association Between Air Temperature and the Incidence of Acute Coronary Heart Disease in Northeast China.

AIM: The aim of this study was to examine the association between air temperature and incidence of acute coronary heart disease in Northeast China. METHODS: We obtained coronary heart disease (CHD) daily hospitalization data from January 2017 to June 2019, and collected meteorological data including average daily air temperature, air pressure, relative humidity, wind velocity, sunshine duration and water vapor pressure, for the same period. Totally, This study included data from 6775 patients with CHD. RESULTS: After adjusting for confounding factors, low air temperature was inversely associated with CHD. Additionally, in the warm season (April-September), the number of daily hospital admissions for CHD was higher (≥24.2°C) if the average daily air temperature was low (≤15.4°C). CONCLUSION: Low air temperature might be a risk factor for CHD among the elderly, especially in the warm season.

A double-loop structure in the adaptive generalized predictive control algorithm for control of robot end-point contact force.

Robot force control is an essential issue in robotic intelligence. There is much high uncertainty when robot end-effector contacts with the environment. Because of the environment stiffness effects on the system of the robot end-effector contact with environment, the adaptive generalized predictive control algorithm based on quantitative feedback theory is designed for robot end-point contact force system. The controller of the internal loop is designed on the foundation of QFT to control the uncertainty of the system. An adaptive GPC algorithm is used to design external loop controller to improve the performance and the robustness of the system. Two closed loops used in the design approach realize the system׳s performance and improve the robustness. The simulation results show that the algorithm of the robot end-effector contacting force control system is effective.