Phthalates, physical activity, and diet, which are the most strongly associated with obesity? A case-control study of Chinese children.

Purpose: Phthalate esters have been a research hotspot recently owing to potential obesogenic activity, but conflicting results have been reported. This case-control study was designed to investigate whether there was an association between phthalate metabolites and childhood obesity in China.

Methods: A total of 240 pairs of obese/overweight children and age- (±3 months) and gender-matched controls were recruited.

Obesity-related genetic polymorphisms are associated with the risk of early puberty in Han Chinese girls.

Objective: To explore the association between obesity and precocious puberty from the perspective of genetic polymorphism.

Design: Two hundred and ninety-eight pairs of girls in early puberty and age-matched controls (±3 months) were recruited. The genotypes of four obesity-related single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci (rs10968576, rs12935153, rs4674340 and rs7635103) were determined and the effect of variation on early puberty in Chinese Han girls was evaluated.

Phthalate exposure linked to high blood pressure in Chinese children.

Background: Exposure to phthalate esters may be linked to the risk of high blood pressure (HBP), but limited evidence is available in Chinese children.

Objective: To investigate the associations between nine phthalate metabolites (mPAEs) and systolic/diastolic BP, pulse pressure (PP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and the risk of HBP.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 1044 primary school children (6-8 years old) were enrolled from Shenzhen, China, between 2016 and 2017.

Association of Polymorphisms in the Kisspeptin/GPR54 Pathway Genes With Risk of Early Puberty in Chinese Girls.

Context And Objective: This case control study was designed to investigate the association between mutation of 10 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci (rs1132506, rs5780218, rs192636495, rs4889, rs184749, rs12985070, rs708910, rs932491, rs8074995, and rs2306877) in all 5 genes (KISS1, GPR54, PLCB1, PRKCA, and ITPR1) in the kisspeptin/GPR54 pathway and the risk of early puberty in Chinese Han girls.

Design And Participants: A total of 314 pairs of early puberty girls on their first visit to hospital and age-matched controls (± 3 months) were recruited. The genotypes of each SNP were determined and the effect of loci variation on early puberty was investigated.

Urinary phthalate metabolites in primary school starters in Pearl River Delta, China: Occurrences, risks and possible sources.

Assessment of children's exposure risks of phthalates before puberty is important, as phthalates are ubiquitous and are associated with reproductive development. However, relevant data in Pearl River Delta, China are scarce. Nineteen phthalate metabolites were analyzed in urine samples from 1490 primary school starters (6-8 years old) recruited in 2016-2017 using ultra-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS).

Phthalates in PM from Shenzhen, China and human exposure assessment factored their bioaccessibility in lung.

Temporal variability of phthalates (PAEs) in PM from Shenzhen during 2015-2016 was measured and the associated human exposure via inhalation was assessed. The PM concentrations ranged from 30.7 to 115 μg m, greater than the air quality guidelines of interim target-3 (10-15 μg m) and interim target-2 (15-25 μg m) set by World Health Organization.

Urinary bisphenol analogues and triclosan in children from south China and implications for human exposure.

Bisphenols and triclosan (TCS) are widely used in consumer products. However, knowledge on human exposure to these anthropogenic chemicals has remained limited in China, especially for children. In this study, concentrations of seven bisphenols and TCS were determined in 283 urine samples collected from South China children aged between 3 and 11 years old.

Urinary metabolites of organophosphate esters in children in South China: Concentrations, profiles and estimated daily intake.

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are widely used in household products as flame retardants or plasticizers and have become ubiquitous pollutants in environmental media. However, little is known about OPE metabolites in humans, especially in children. In this study, eight OPE metabolites were measured in 411 urine samples collected from 6 to 14-year-old children in South China.

Nonfatal work-related injuries among agricultural machinery operators in northern China: a cross-sectional study.

Purpose: To identify the annual prevalence and potential risk factors of nonfatal agricultural machinery injuries among agricultural machinery operators in the northern areas of China.

Methods: A quota sampling method was used to study 1921 agricultural machinery operators in 5 provinces in northern China. Agricultural machinery injuries that occurred between July 1, 2008, and June 30, 2009 were investigated.

Characteristics and related factors of nonfatal injuries among adolescents and college students in Shenzhen City of China.

Background: Injuries impact adolescents and young adults in unique ways. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence rate of nonfatal injuries, and identify characteristics and risk factors for the injuries among adolescents and college students in Shenzhen, China.

Methods: A total of 4,138 students from 79 classes were selected using a purposive sampling method in 2010.

Using the concept of Chou's pseudo amino acid composition to predict protein solubility: an approach with entropies in information theory.

Protein solubility plays a major role and has strong implication in the proteomics. Predicting the propensity of a protein to be soluble or to form inclusion body is a fundamental and not fairly resolved problem. In order to predict the protein solubility, almost 10,000 protein sequences were downloaded from NCBI.

Neurotransmitter-precursor-supplement intervention for detoxified heroin addicts.

This study examined the effects of combined administration of tyrosine, lecithin, L-glutamine and L-5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) on heroin withdrawal syndromes and mental symptoms in detoxified heroin addicts. In the cluster-randomized placebo-controlled trial, 83 detoxified heroin addicts were recruited from a detoxification treatment center in Wuhan, China. Patients in the intervention group (n=41) were given the combined treatment with tyrosine, lecithin, L-glutamine and 5-HTP and those in the control group (n=42) were administered the placebo.

Ethnic-specific meta-analyses of association between the OPRM1 A118G polymorphism and alcohol dependence among Asians and Caucasians.

Background: Many studies have investigated the association between the OPRM1 A118G polymorphism (rs1799971) and alcohol dependence, but the results were inconsistent. To better understand this relationship, ethnicity-specific meta-analyses were conducted.

Methods: We retrieved all eligible studies published up to April 12, 2011 from the PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and ISI Web of Science databases.

Association between polymorphisms of DRD2 and DRD4 and opioid dependence: evidence from the current studies.

Several studies have assessed the association between genetic polymorphisms of DRD2 and DRD4 genes and opioid dependence risk, while the results were inconsistent. We performed a meta-analysis, including 6,846 opioid dependence cases and 4,187 controls from 22 individual studies, to evaluate the roles of four variants (DRD2 -141ins/delC, rs1799732; DRD2 311 Ser > Cys, rs1801028; DRD2-related TaqI A, rs1800497 and DRD4 exon III VNTR) in opioid dependence for the first time. We found that the -141delC polymorphism was significantly associated with increased risk of opioid dependence (homozygote comparison: odds ratios [OR], 2.

Association between the TPH1 A218C polymorphism and risk of mood disorders and alcohol dependence: evidence from the current studies.

Background: Several studies have assessed the association between genetic polymorphisms of tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH1) and risk of mood disorders and alcohol dependence, with controversial results. Our aim was to assess the association of TPH1 A218C polymorphism (rs1800532) with mood disorders, including major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder, and alcohol dependence by using meta-analysis.

Methods: Data were collected from the related literatures published until November 25, 2010 from MEDLINE, EMBASE and ISI Web of Science databases, and meta-analysis stratified by ethnicity was performed in either fixed or random effect model as appropriate by using Stata Statistical Package (version 10.

The relationship between problem behavior and neurotransmitter deficiency in adolescents.

This study examined the association of problem behavior with neurotransmitter deficiency in adolescents, which would provide new insights into behavioral problems. A total of 1259 students of the seventh grade from 4 middle schools in Wuhan city located in the central China were recruited. With the approval of school and parents, they were invited to complete the Youth Self-Report (YSR) questionnaire and Symptom Scale of Neurotransmitter Deficiency (SSND) questionnaire.