Real-World Emission Characteristics of Full-Volatility Organics Originating from Nonroad Agricultural Machinery during Agricultural Activities.

Nonroad agricultural machinery (NRAM) emissions constitute a significant source of air pollution in China. Full-volatility organics originating from 19 machines under 6 agricultural activities were measured synchronously. The diesel-based emission factors (EFs) for full-volatility organics were 4.71 ± 2.78 g/kg fuel (average ± standard deviation), including 91.58 ± 8.42% volatile organic compounds (VOCs), 7.94 ± 8.16% intermediate-volatility organic compounds (IVOCs), 0.28 ± 0.20% semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs), and 0.20 ± 0.16% low-volatility organic compounds (LVOCs). Full-volatility organic EFs were significantly reduced by stricter emission standards and were the highest under pesticide spraying activity. Our results also demonstrated that combustion efficiency was a potential factor influencing full-volatility organic emissions. Gas-particle partitioning in full-volatility organics could be affected by multiple factors. Furthermore, the estimated secondary organic aerosol formation potential based on measured full-volatility organics was 143.79 ± 216.80 mg/kg fuel and could be primarily attributed to higher-volatility-interval IVOCs (bin12-bin16 contributed 52.81 ± 11.58%). Finally, the estimated emissions of full-volatility organics from NRAM in China (2021) were 94.23 Gg. This study provides first-hand data on full-volatility organic EFs originating from NRAM to facilitate the improvement of emission inventories and atmospheric chemistry models.

Crop-specific ammonia volatilization rates and key influencing factors in the upland of China - A data synthesis.

Ammonia (NH3) is an important alkaline reactive nitrogen (Nr) species which is involved in global nitrogen (N) biogeochemical cycling, but which has negative impacts on the environment and human health. In order to better understand and control the NH3 loss potential in soil-upland crop systems in China, an integrated data analysis including 1302 observations from 236 published articles between 1980 and 2021 was conducted. The typical NH3 volatilization rate (AVR) and the main factors influencing AVR in the major Chinese upland crops (maize, wheat, openfield vegetables and greenhouse vegetables and others) were estimated and analyzed. The mean AVR for maize, wheat, openfield vegetables and greenhouse vegetables were 7.8%, 5.3%, 8.4% and 1.8%. The most important influencing factors were fertilizer placement, meteorological conditions (especially temperature and rainfall) and soil properties (especially SOM). Subsurface N application produced a significantly lower AVR compared to surface application. High N recovery efficiency and N agronomic efficiency were generally associated with low AVRs. In conclusion, high N application rates, inefficient application methods and the use of loss-prone N fertilizer types are the main factors responsible for high AVRs in major Chinese croplands.

Efficient Co-Adsorption and Highly Selective Separation of Cs+ and Sr2+ with a K+ -Activated Niobium Germanate by the pH Control.

137 Cs and 90 Sr are hazardous to ecological environment and human health due to their strong radioactivity, long half-life, and high mobility. However, effective adsorption and separation of Cs+ and Sr2+ from acidic radioactive wastewater is challenging due to stability issues of material and the strong competition of protons. Herein, a K+ -activated niobium germanate (K-NGH-1) presents efficient Cs+ /Sr2+ coadsorption and highly selective Cs+ /Sr2+ separation, respectively, under different acidity conditions. In neutral solution, K-NGH-1 exhibits ultrafast adsorption kinetics and high adsorption capacity for both Cs+ and Sr2+ (qm Cs  = 182.91 mg g-1 ; qm Sr  = 41.62 mg g-1 ). In 1 M HNO3 solution, K-NGH-1 still possesses qm Cs of 91.40 mg g-1 for Cs+ but almost no adsorption for Sr2+ . Moreover, K-NGH-1 can effectively separate Cs+ from 1 M HNO3 solutions with excess competing Sr2+ and Mn + (Mn +  = Na+ , Ca2+ , Mg2+ ) ions. Thus, efficient separation of Cs+ and Sr2+ is realized under acidic conditions. Besides, K-NGH-1 shows excellent acid and radiation resistance and recyclability. All the merits above endow K-NGH-1 with the first example of niobium germanates for radionuclides remediation. This work highlights the facile pH control approach towards bifunctional ion exchangers for efficient Cs+ /Sr2+ coadsorption and selective separation.

Real-world emission characteristics of semivolatile/intermediate-volatility organic compounds originating from nonroad construction machinery in the working process.

Detailed emission characterization of semivolatile/intermediate-volatility organic compounds (S/IVOCs) originating from nonroad construction machines (NRCMs) remains lacking in China. Twenty-one NRCMs were evaluated with a portable emission measurement system in the working process. Gas phase S/IVOCs were collected by Tenax TA tubes and analyzed via thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS). Particle phase S/IVOCs were collected by quartz filters and analyzed via GC-MS. The average emission factors (EFs) for fuel-based total (gas + particle phase) IVOCs and SVOCs of the assessed NRCMs were 221.45 ± 194.60 and 11.68 ± 10.67 mg/kg fuel, respectively. Compared to excavators, the average IVOC and SVOC EFs of loaders were 1.32 and 1.55 times higher, respectively. Compared to the working mode, the average IVOC EFs under the moving mode (only moving forward or backward) were 1.28 times higher. The IVOC and SVOC EFs for excavators decreased by 69.06% and 38.37%, respectively, from China II to China III. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of emission control regulations. In regard to individual NRCMs, excavators and loaders were affected differently by emission standards. The volatility distribution demonstrated that IVOCs and SVOCs were dominated by gas- and particle-phase compounds, respectively. The mode of operation also affected S/IVOC gas-particle partitioning. Combined with previous studies, the mechanical type significantly affected the volatility distribution of IVOCs. IVOCs from higher volatile fuels are more distributed in the high-volatility interval. The total secondary organic aerosol (SOA) production potential was 104.36 ± 79.67 mg/kg fuel, which originated from VOCs (19.98%), IVOCs (73.87%), and SVOCs (6.15%). IVOCs were a larger SOA precursor than VOCs and SVOCs. In addition, normal (n-) alkanes were suitably correlated with IVOCs, which may represent a backup solution to quantify IVOC EFs. This work provides experimental data support for the refinement of the emission characteristics and emission inventories of S/IVOCs originating from NRCMs.

High-capacity recovery of Cs+ ions by facilely synthesized layered vanadyl oxalatophosphates with the clear insight into remediation mechanism.

Radiocesium remediation is of great significance for the sustainable development of nuclear energy and ecological protection. It is very challenging for the effective recovery of 137Cs from aqueous solutions due to its strong radioactivity, solubility and mobility. Herein, the efficient recovery of Cs+ ions has been achieved by three layered vanadyl oxalatophosphates, namely (NH4)2[(VO)2(HPO4)2C2O4]·5 H2O (NVPC), Na2[(VO)2(HPO4)2C2O4]·2 H2O (SVPC), and K2.5[(VO)2(HPO4)1.5(PO4)0.5(C2O4)]·4.5 H2O (KVPC). NVPC exhibits the ultra-fast kinetics (within 5 min) and high adsorption capacity for Cs+ (qmCs = 471.58 mg/g). It also holds broad pH durability and excellent radiation stability. Impressively, the entry of Cs+ can be directly visualized by the single-crystal structural analysis, and thus the underlying mechanism of Cs+ capture by NVPC from aqueous solutions has been illuminated at the molecular level. This is a pioneering work in the removal of radioactive ions by metal oxalatophosphate materials which highlights the great potential of metal oxalatophosphates for radionuclide remediation.

Highly Efficient Uptake of Cs+ by Robust Layered Metal-Organic Frameworks with a Distinctive Ion Exchange Mechanism.

137Cs with strong radioactivity and a long half-life is highly hazardous to human health and the environment. The efficient removal of 137Cs from complex solutions is still challenging because of its high solubility and easy mobility and the influence of interfering ions. It is highly desirable to develop effective scavengers for radiocesium remediation. Here, the highly efficient uptake of Cs+ has been realized by two robust layered metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), namely [(CH3)2NH2]In(L)2·DMF·H2O (DMF = N,N'-dimethylformamide, H2L= H2aip (5-aminoisophthalic acid) for 1 and H2hip (5-hydroxyisophthalic acid) for 2). Remarkably, 1 and 2 hold excellent acid and alkali resistance and radiation stabilities. They exhibit fast kinetics, high capacities (q m Cs = 270.86 and 297.67 mg/g for 1 and 2, respectively), excellent selectivity for Cs+ uptake, and facile elution for the regeneration of materials. Particularly, 1 and 2 can achieve efficient Cs+/Sr2+ separation in a wide range of Sr/Cs molar ratios. For example, the separation factor (SF Cs/Sr) is up to ∼320 for 1. Moreover, the Cs+ uptake and elution mechanisms have been directly elucidated at the molecular level by an unprecedented single-crystal to single-crystal (SC-SC) structural transformation, which is attributed to the strong interactions between COO- functional groups and Cs+ ions, easily exchangeable [(CH3)2NH2]+, and flexible and robust anionic layer frameworks with open windows as "pockets". This work highlights layered MOFs for the highly efficient uptake of Cs+ ions in the field of radionuclide remediation.

Highly selective cesium(I) capture under acidic conditions by a layered sulfide.

Radiocesium remediation is desirable for ecological protection, human health and sustainable development of nuclear energy. Effective capture of Cs+ from acidic solutions is still challenging, mainly due to the low stability of the adsorbing materials and the competitive adsorption of protons. Herein, the rapid and highly selective capture of Cs+ from strongly acidic solutions is achieved by a robust K+-directed layered metal sulfide KInSnS4 (InSnS-1) that exhibits excellent acid and radiation resistance. InSnS-1 possesses high adsorption capacity for Cs+ and can serve as the stationary phase in ion exchange columns to effectively remove Cs+ from neutral and acidic solutions. The adsorption of Cs+ and H3O+ is monitored by single-crystal structure analysis, and thus the underlying mechanism of selective Cs+ capture from acidic solutions is elucidated at the molecular level.

Real-world emission characteristics of black carbon emitted by on-road China IV and China V diesel trucks.

Diesel vehicle is an important source of black carbon (BC). A portable emission measurement system including a photo-acoustic extinctiometer and SEMTECH-LDV was used to measure the real-world emissions of 14 light-duty and heavy-duty diesel trucks (LDDTs and HDDTs, meeting the China IV and China V standards) in Beijing. BC emission factors and the BC/PM2.5 ratio were obtained, and the effects of the vehicle type, emission standard and driving cycle on emissions were analyzed. The tightening of emission standards and the advancement of vehicle technology have reduced BC emissions from the China II standard to the China V standard. The emission reductions of BC are lower than those of other components of PM2.5 from the China II standard to the China IV standard but higher from the China IV standard to the China V standard. The BC and PM2.5 had the same main sources for the HDDTs and China IV LDDTs but had different sources for the China V LDDTs having diesel particulate filters. The BC/PM2.5 ratios of LDDTs, and HDDTs decreased from the China IV standard to the China V standard by 97.2% and 38.2%, respectively. The BC/PM2.5 ratio for China V LDDTs was 10 to 20 times lower than that for other diesel vehicles. The BC emissions tested under the highway driving cycle were 39.4% ± 16.7% lower than those under the no-highway driving cycle, but the BC/PM2.5 ratios had the opposite tendency. More China V and China VI heavy-duty diesel vehicles equipped with diesel particulate filters need to be tested to obtain more accurate BC/PM2.5 data and to improve the readiness of emission inventory calculations. The findings of this study help clarify the BC emission characteristics of diesel vehicles on actual roads and provide scientific basis for the formulation of emission control strategies for diesel vehicles in China.

Polycyclic and nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pollution characteristics and carcinogenic risk assessment of indoor kitchen air during cooking periods in rural households in North China.

Medium-flow atmospheric samplers were used to collect particulate (PM2.5) and gaseous samples from the indoor kitchen of each of 35 randomly selected rural houses in North China while a meal was being cooked. The concentrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 9 nitro-PAHs (NPAHs) in the samples were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). This study provided the real PAH and NPAH pollution characteristics and carcinogenic risk produced by cooking in rural indoor kitchens in North China. The mean PAH and NPAH concentrations in air in the indoor kitchens during cooking periods were 4049.1 and 1741.6 ng/m3, respectively. The PAH and NPAH concentrations were lower in the particulate phase than the gaseous phase. The mean PAH and NPAH concentrations were much higher for cooking using coal than for cooking using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or electricity. The PAH and NPAH benzo[a]pyrene toxic equivalent (TEQBaP) concentrations for cooking using coal were 1823.3 and 2760.9 ng/m3, respectively. Lower PAH and NPAH concentrations were found in kitchens with than without range hoods. Range hoods decreased the PAH and NPAH TEQBaP concentrations by 68.8% and 61.9%, respectively. Appropriate fuel and ventilation choice will improve air pollution in indoor kitchens during cooking. The results provide important evidence for changing cooking habits and developing policies for cooking in rural China.

Expression of several long noncoding RNAs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

PURPOSE: Accumulating evidence has linked long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) to autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. This study aimed to detect the expression levels of five lncRNAs (lnc0640, lnc3643, lnc5150, lnc7514 and lncagf) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), as well as their correlation with clinical and laboratory features. MATERIALS/METHODS: We recruited 76 patients with SLE and 71 normal controls into the present study, and obtained PBMCs from the blood samples of all study subjects. Expression levels of lncRNAs were determined by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and their associations with clinical and laboratory characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS: Lnc5150 expression levels were statistically significantly decreased (Z=-6.016, P < 0.001) compared with normal controls. Lnc3643 levels were also statistically significantly decreased in SLE patients with proteinuria compared with those without (Z=-2.934, P = 0.003), and the lnc7514 levels were statistically significantly lower in anti-dsDNA(+) patients compared with anti-dsDNA(-) patients. The expression levels of lnc3643 were correlated with C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), lnc7514 was correlated with disease activity and ESR (all P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The aberrant lncRNA expression levels and their associations with laboratory features in SLE suggest their important role in SLE pathogenesis.

Association between circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D and systemic lupus erythematosus: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: The indicators for measuring vitamin D are various, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) is considered as the optimal indicator of total vitamin D levels. In this study, we aim to deeply explore the 25(OH)D status in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, and evaluate its relation to SLE risk and disease severity. METHODS: Literature about 25(OH)D status and its associations with SLE were searched in Pubmed, Embase and Cochrane Library databases. Standardized mean difference (SMD), odds ratio (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were illustrated by forest plots, and correlation coefficients (r) were combined by generic inverse variance method. Heterogeneity and publication bias were quantified by I-squared (I2 ) test, funnel plot and Egger's test, respectively. Sensitivity analyses were further examined by leave-one-out method. RESULTS: Nineteen articles were included into our meta-analysis. The overall results showed that compared with the healthy controls, the circulating 25(OH)D levels were significantly lower in SLE patients (pooled SMD = -1.63, 95% CI: -2.51 to -0.76). Subgroup analysis revealed that compared with the healthy controls, SLE patients of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) ≥ 10, Arab and European ethnicity, all 4 seasons, no vitamin D supplement, had significantly lower circulating 25(OH)D levels; no significant differences were observed in SLE patients of SLEDAI < 10, mixed ethnicity, spring, summer, vitamin D supplement, respectively; no matter the changes of age, disease duration, and the therapy of corticosteroid or immunosuppressive or neither, circulating 25(OH)D levels were significantly reduced in SLE patients. The deficiency, insufficiency and sufficiency of vitamin D could significantly elevate, slightly decrease (not significantly), significantly decrease SLE risk, respectively (pooled OR = 4.37, 95% CI: 1.49 to 12.84; pooled OR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.22 to 1.26; pooled OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.15 to 0.63). Circulating 25(OH)D levels were inversely associated with SLEDAI (pooled correlation coefficient = -0.50, 95% CI: -0.8278 to -0.1689). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with healthy controls, 25(OH)D levels are significantly lower in SLE patients, which is influenced by disease activity, ethnicity, seasons and vitamin D supplement; no matter the change of age, diseases duration and therapy of corticosteroid or immunosuppressive or neither, 25(OH)D levels are significantly decreased in SLE patients; the deficiency, insufficiency and sufficiency of vitamin D could significantly elevate, slightly decrease, and significantly decrease SLE risk, respectively; and 25(OH)D levels inversely correlate with SLEDAI.

Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Cardiovascular (CV) risk in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is increased. In this study, we evaluated the differences in major markers of CV risk between patients with T1DM and healthy controls by a systematic review and meta-analysis. Literature from PubMed, EMBASE, and The Cochrane Library comparing CV risk markers between patients with T1DM and controls was obtained. The overall standard mean differences (SMDs) of carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), endothelium-dependent flow-mediated dilation (FMD%), carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV), and glyceryl trinitrate-mediated dilatation (GTN%) with its 95% confidence interval (CI) between patients with T1DM and control groups were calculated using fixed-effect or random-effect model. Heterogeneity was evaluated using the Cochran Q and I2 statistics. The results showed that patients with T1DM had a significantly greater cIMT (SMD: 0.89; 95% CI, 0.69-1.09; P < .001), significantly lower FMD% (SMD: -1.45%; 95% CI, -1.74 to -1.17; P < .001), significantly increased cf-PWV (SMD: 0.57; 95% CI, 0.03-1.11; P < .001), and significantly decreased GTN% (SMD: -1.11; 95% CI, -1.55 to -0.66; P < .001) than controls. Our results support the current evidence for an elevated CV burden in patients with T1DM and affirm the clinical utility of markers of subclinical atherosclerosis in the management of these patients.

Response of ammonia volatilization to biochar addition: A meta-analysis.

There has been increasing interest in and use of biochar as a soil amendment. However, the effects of biochar addition on ammonia volatilization (AV) appeared contradictory from the many reported studies and the main influencing factors remain unclear. Here, we conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of 41 published articles with 144 observations to reveal the effects of biochar addition on AV and used a boosted regression tree modelling approach to further interpret the contribution of biochar characteristics, soil properties and experimental conditions to this process. On average, biochar addition did not impact on AV, but this varied greatly under different soil, biochar and experimental conditions. The pH of soil and biochar were important factors impacting AV. Biochar application to acidic soil could stimulate AV, and addition of biochar with a high pH and at a low application rate also showed the same trend. In contrast, combining biochar with urea or organic fertilizer, or using wood-based or acidified biochar at appropriate rates had benefits in reducing AV. These findings have major implications for biochar management strategies in agricultural systems, where an important consideration is the mitigation of potentially detrimental environmental consequences.

Circulating Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Levels in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is closely related to the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, especially Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). However, published works about the circulating MMP-9 levels in SLE are contradictory. A meta-analysis was performed to estimate circulating MMP- 9 levels in SLE patients more accurately and explore its related influencing factors. METHODS: The related literatures were systematically searched in PubMed, Embase, and The Cochrane Library database (up to 31 January 2018). Pooled Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) and 95% Confidence Interval (CI) of circulating MMP-9 levels were calculated by Stata12.0 software according to fixed-effect or randomeffect model analysis. RESULTS: A total of 638 articles were retrieved, and 12 studies including 730 SLE cases and 759 controls were finally included in the meta-analysis. No significant differences in circulating MMP-9 levels were observed between SLE patients and healthy controls (pooled SMD = -0.209, 95% CI = -0.812 to 0.394). However, subgroup analyses indicated that age<30 years group had higher MMP-9 levels (SMD = 0.991, 95% CI: 0.504 to 1.478) and sample size (n ≥ 60) group had lower MMP-9 levels when compared with controls (SMD = -0.755, 95% CI: - 1.347 to -0.163). CONCLUSION: The meta-analysis of current evidence suggests that circulating MMP-9 levels do not differ between SLE patients and healthy controls, however, the results may be affected by age and sample size. Further studies are needed to clarify the relationship between SLE and circulating MMP-9 levels.

Association of interleukin-10 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms with rheumatoid arthritis in a Chinese population.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Increasing numbers of studies show that interleukin (IL)-10 plays a key role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and acts as an immunomodulatory cytokine. The purpose of the present study was to analyse the relationship between gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the IL-10 gene and RA susceptibility. STUDY DESIGN: We genotyped three SNPs (rs1800890, rs3024495, rs3024505) of the IL-10 gene in a Chinese population of 354 RA patients and 367 controls. Genotyping was conducted using TaqMan SNP genotyping assays. Plasma IL-10 levels were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: The A allele of the rs1800890 variant was significantly related to decreased risk for RA compared with the T allele (A vs T: OR 0.580, 95% CI 0.345 to 0.975, P=0.038). No significant association between the genotype distribution of these SNPs and RA susceptibility was detected. The genotype effect of the dominant model was also evaluated, but no statistical difference was found. Further analysis in RA patients demonstrated that none of these SNPs were associated with rheumatoid factor (RF) or anti-citrullinated protein antibody (anti-CCP). In addition, no significant differences in plasma IL-10 levels were observed among RA patients with different genotypes. CONCLUSIONS: The IL-10 rs1800890 variant might contribute to RA susceptibility in the Chinese population. Replication studies in different ethnic groups are required to further examine the critical role of IL-10 gene variation in the pathogenesis of RA.

Association of interleukin-10 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms with susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus in a Chinese population.

The aim of this study was to investigate the association of interleukin (IL)-10 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a Chinese population. 848 SLE patients and 461 normal controls were recruited in this study. Nine SNPs in IL-10 gene (rs1518110, rs1518111, rs1554286, rs1800890, rs1800893, rs3024493, rs3024495, rs3024498 and rs6667202) were genotyped using TaqMan genotyping assays on Fluidigm 192.24 system. The frequency of IL-10 rs3024498-C allele was significantly higher in patient group compared with control subjects (OR=5.118, 95% CI=1.819-14.405, P=0.002). No significant differences were detected for the distribution of allele and genotype frequencies of other eight SNPs between patients with SLE and controls after Bonferroni correction (all P>0.0056). Interestingly, significant differences were detected both in the allele and genotype frequencies of rs3024498 between SLE patients with and without arthritis (P=0.002, P=0.022, respectively).There was significant difference in genotype frequency at rs3024498 between SLE patients with and without malar rash (P=0.040). And, there was significant difference in allele frequency at rs3024498 between SLE patients with and without anti-double-stranded DNA (P=0.032). Meanwhile, significant difference in genotype frequency at rs1518110 and rs1518111 were found in patients with and without lupus headache (P=0.025, P=0.038, respectively). There were significant difference in allele and genotype frequency at rs1800890 and rs6667202 between SLE patients with and without thrombocytopenia (rs1800890: P=0.016, P=0.026, respectively; rs6667202: P=0.007, P=0.007, respectively). Further, significant difference were observed both in allele frequency and in genotype distribution of rs1800893 between patients with and without tubular urine and proteinuria (tubular urine: P<0.001, P=0.003, respectively; proteinuria: P=0.001, P=0.018, respectively). In summary, IL-10 rs3024498 polymorphism might contribute to SLE susceptibility and several clinical phenotypes.

Prevalence of pulmonary hypertension in systemic lupus erythematosus: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) has been suggested to be associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, the results of prevalence studies on PH in SLE vary substantially. To derive a more precise estimation on the prevalence of PH in SLE, a meta-analysis was performed. METHODS: Relevant literatures were searched in PubMed and EMBASE until November 2017. A total of 1366 articles were obtained after searching databases, and 23 studies were finally included in the meta-analysis. Heterogeneity test was performed, and publication bias was evaluated. RESULTS: The result of analysis in random effect model showed that the pooled prevalence was 8% (95%CI 5-12%). There was no evidence of publication bias (p = 0.51). To evaluate the stability of our results, sensitivity analyses were performed, and the results showed no significant change when any one study was excluded. Subgroup analyses demonstrated that there were significant differences in PH prevalence in SLE patients of different gender, age, regions, year of publication, and diagnostic methods. CONCLUSIONS: PH is prevalent in SLE patients, but it was significantly different between different gender, age, regions, year of publication, and diagnostic methods.

Meta-analysis of associations between XRCC1 gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1) gene polymorphisms confer susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A meta-analysis was conducted to determine the associations between XRCC1 gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to SLE and RA. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted to identify all relevant studies. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate the strength of the association. RESULTS: A total of nine case-control articles, consisting of five SLE and four RA articles, involving 1138 patients and 1399 healthy controls, were included in the meta-analysis. This meta-analysis showed no significant association of the Arg399Gln and Arg194Trp polymorphisms with SLE were found in all models when all study subjects were considered together. Stratification by ethnicity indicated the variant Arg399 (A) allele carriers increased the risk of SLE in Asians (A vs. G: OR = 1.402, 95% CI = 1.139-1.726, P = 0.001) and decreased the risk of SLE in Caucasians (A vs. G: OR = 0.769, 95% CI = 0.630-0.937, P = 0.009; AA vs. AG+GG: OR = 0.727, 95% CI = 0.554-0.953, P = 0.021). However, we failed to reveal any association between XRCC1 gene polymorphisms (Arg399Gln, Arg280His and Arg194Trp) and RA risk under all analysis models. Similar results were obtained in the subgroup analysis based on ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that the XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism might be associated with genetic susceptibility to SLE in Asians and Caucasians, and there is no significant association between XRCC1 gene polymorphisms (Arg399Gln, Arg280His and Arg194Trp) and RA risk.

Association of long noncoding RNAs expression levels and their gene polymorphisms with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Increasing evidence has demonstrated the association between long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and multiple autoimmune diseases. To explore four lncRNAs (GAS5, lnc-DC, linc0597 and linc0949) expression levels and gene polymorphisms in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a two stage design was applied. In the first stage, 85 SLE patients and 71 healthy controls were enrolled to investigate the lncRNAs expression levels. Then, 1260 SLE patients and 1231 healthy controls were included to detect the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the differentially expressed lncRNAs identified in the first stage. Linc0597, lnc-DC and GAS5 expression levels were significantly lower in SLE patients than healthy controls (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P = 0.003 respectively). Association of five SNPs (rs10515177, rs2070107, rs2632516, rs2877877, rs2067079) with SLE risk were analyzed. No significant association was observed between these gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to SLE (all P > 0.010), and we did not find significant association between any genotypes at five SNPs and their respective lncRNAs expression in SLE (all P > 0.010). In summary, the expression levels of linc0597, lnc-DC and GAS5 are decreased in SLE patients, but their gene polymorphisms are not associated with SLE risk, and do not influence their expression levels.

Elevated seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in AIDS/HIV patients: A meta-analysis.

Clinical toxoplasmosis in AIDS/HIV patients is a great public health concern around the world. Untreated Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii)-infections are often fatal in AIDS/HIV patients. This study aims to assess the seroprevalence and odds ratio (OR) of T. gondii in AIDS/HIV patients, as well as the potential influential factors. Studies published from December 1, 1983 to December 1, 2016 in English, which comparing the seroprevalence of T. gondii between AIDS/HIV patients and control group were searched in PubMed, EMBASE and The Cochrane Library databases. The non-weighted prevalence, pooled fixed-effect or random-effect model estimates of OR and its 95% confidence intervals (CI) were all calculated. Heterogeneity test was performed by the Q statistic and quantified using I2, publication bias was evaluated using a funnel plot and Egger's linear regression test. A total of 4220 articles were obtained after searching databases, and 12 studies with 2101 AIDS/HIV patients and 5851 controls were incorporated in the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis revealed that, compared with the control group, the AIDS/HIV group had a higher seroprevalence of T. gondii (46.12% vs 36.56%) (OR=1.55, 95%CI: 1.19-2.04). Subgroup analyses showed that publication year, race, geographic locations and diagnostic methods are positive associated with the seroprevalence of T. gondii. Overall, our study suggests that AIDS/HIV patients have higher seroprevalence of T. gondii than those without.