Pancreaticopleural fistula causing recurrent bilateral pleural effusions: A case report.

Rationale: Pancreaticopleural fistula (PPF) is an infrequent etiology of pleural effusion, characterized by nonspecific thoracic symptoms, which often leads to misdiagnosis and subsequent severe complications. Consequently, early diagnosis is crucial for effective management and the prevention of adverse outcomes. This report presents a rare case of PPF causing bilateral pleural effusions, aiming to enhance clinical recognition of this condition.

Matrix in River Water, Sediments, and Biofilms Mitigates Mercury Toxicity to Medaka ().

Impacts of an environmental matrix on mercury (Hg) bioavailability and toxicity to medaka () were investigated in matrix-free controls and treatments with a stepwise increased environmental matrix of river water, sediments, and biofilms. Generally, river water enhanced but the presence of sediments and biofilms reduced Hg bioavailability to medaka up to 10 times, so that Hg concentrations/amounts among different environmental media cannot mirror Hg availability and toxicity to medaka. On average, 12.

Investigating the diet source influence on freshwater fish mercury bioaccumulation and fatty acids-Experiences from Swedish lakes and Chinese reservoirs.

Dietary uptake is key for transferring potentially toxic contaminants, such as mercury (Hg) and essential dietary nutrients, such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), to consumers at higher trophic levels of aquatic food webs. We evaluated the role of diet sources for Hg bioaccumulation and PUFA retention in fish across lake food webs in seven Swedish lakes and two Chinese reservoirs. Fish total Hg (THg) and methyl-Hg (MeHg) differed greatly between the two countries: the Chinese fish contained less than 300 ng g dry weight (d.

Anthropogenic activity and millennial climate variability affect Holocene mercury deposition of an alpine wetland near the largest mercury mine in China.

Mercury (Hg) is a potentially toxic element that can be transported globally through the atmosphere, once deposited in the environment, has strong bioaccumulation and extreme toxicity in food webs, especially in wetland ecosystems. Anthropogenic Hg emissions have enhanced Hg deposition by 3-5 times since the industrial revolution, and the mining and smelting of Hg ore are important emission sources. However, the dynamics in Hg deposition around the largest Hg mine in China before the industrial revolution and their driving forces remain poorly explored.

[Effect of acupuncture preconditioning combined with PI3K blocker LY294002 on airway inflammation in asthmatic rats].

Objective: To observe the effect of acupuncture preconditioning combined with PI3K blocker LY294002 on the expression of PI3K and Akt proteins and genes in the lung tissue and the contents of serum IL-12 and IL-13 in asthmatic rats, so as to explore its preprotective mechanism underlying improving asthma.

Methods: Sixty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into blank control, model, acupuncture pretreatment + blank, acupuncture pretreatment, acupuncture pretreatment + LY294002 and LY294002 groups (=10 in each group). The asthma model was established by intraperitoneal injection of mixture solution of OVA and Al(OH)3 and followed inhalation of 1%OVA for 30 min, once daily for 7 days.

How phytoplankton biomass controls metal(loid) bioaccumulation in size-fractionated plankton in anthropogenic-impacted subtropical lakes: A comprehensive study in the Yangtze River Delta, China.

Phytoplankton biomass can significantly affect metal(loid) bioaccumulation in plankton, but the underlying mechanisms are still controversial. We investigated the bioaccumulation of eight metal(loid)s (As, Co, Cu, Hg, Mn, Pb, Se, and Zn) in three size categories of planktonic organisms - seston (0.7-64 μm), mesozooplankton (200-500 μm), and macrozooplankton (>500 μm) - sampled from six freshwater lakes in two seasons in the Yangtze River Delta, China.

[Professor 's clinical experience of fire needling for surgical diseases].

Professor -'s clinical experience of fire needling for bone-joint tuberculosis, tuberculous cervical lymphadenitis, ganglion cyst and thyrophyma is summarized. Professor used fire needling to treat bone-joint tuberculosis. The acupoints included points and nearby acupoints, particularly local opposite acupoints (Neixiyan [EX-LE 4] and Dubi [ST 35], Yinlingquan [SP 9] and Yanglingquan [GB 34], Xuehai [SP 10] and Liangqiu [ST 34]), and for the patients with severe -cold syndrome, decoction was additionally used.

Diet influence on mercury bioaccumulation as revealed by polyunsaturated fatty acids in zoobenthos from two contrasting environments: Chinese reservoirs and Swedish lakes.

The bioaccumulation of mercury (Hg) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in zoobenthos varies across aquatic food webs. In this field study, contents of total Hg (THg), methylmercury (MeHg) and PUFA were investigated in zoobenthos of Chinese reservoirs and Swedish lakes, with contrasting environmental characteristics and algal diet sources, which can result in difference of Hg and PUFA in zoobenthos from these two habits. Using PUFA as dietary biomarkers of algae in zoobenthos, we evaluated effects of environmental factors and algal diet sources on the accumulation of THg, MeHg, and the highly required PUFA eicosapentaenoic (EPA, 20: 5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) in zoobenthos.

Use of biochar to reduce mercury accumulation in Oryza sativa L: A trial for sustainable management of historically polluted farmlands.

Mitigating the risk of mercury (Hg) contamination in rice soils using environmental friendly amendments is essential to reducing the probable daily intake (PDI) of MeHg via rice consumption. Here, we examined the impacts of different doses (0% (control), 0.6% and 3%) of rice hull-derived biochar (RHB) and mixture of wheat-rice straw-derived biochar (RWB) on the fractionation, phytoavailability, and uptake of total (THg) and methyl Hg (MeHg) by rice in Hg-polluted soil (THg = 78.

Soil and ambient air mercury as an indicator of coal-fired power plant emissions: a case study in North China.

Coal-fired power plants (CFPPs) are an important anthropogenic mercury (Hg) source in China, and it is crucial to understand the environmental impacts of this detrimental element emitted from this source. In the present study, field experiments were conducted for measuring Hg in ambient atmosphere and upland agricultural soils within a radius of 10 km surrounding a large scale coal-fired power plant (1550 MW) in Tangshan, Hebei province. Short-term (20 min) average of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM or Hg) in ambient air varying from 1.

Mercury, microcystins and Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in farmed fish in eutrophic reservoir: Risk and benefit assessment.

Fish is an important source of nutritional omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids, but it also readily accumulates toxic mercury (Hg) and microcystins (MC) in eutrophic aquatic systems. In China, farmed fish was widely consumed, and aquaculture has caused pervasive eutrophication of freshwater lakes, resulting in the increasing accumulation of MC in fish tissue. To assess the risk-benefit of consuming farmed fish, 205 fish samples of 10 primary species were collected from the eutrophic Wujiangdu (WJD) Reservoir, SW China.

Effect of aquaculture on mercury and polyunsaturated fatty acids in fishes from reservoirs in Southwest China.

Aquaculture can affect the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and mercury (Hg) in fish by altering their diet. Here, planktivorous (silver carp and bighead carp), omnivorous and carnivorous fish with different dietary strategies were selected from two reservoirs, one with on-going aquaculture (WJD) and another without aquaculture (HF) in Southwest China. We compared the total mercury (THg), methylmercury (MeHg) contents and PUFA profiles of fish and their potential diets in these two reservoirs.

Anthropogenic influences on mercury in Chinese soil and sediment revealed by relationships with total organic carbon.

Rapid industrialization has led to high levels of mercury (Hg) releases from anthropogenic sources in China. When deposited to terrestrial ecosystems, Hg has a high affinity for natural organic carbon. This means that Hg concentrations will vary naturally as a function of the total organic carbon (TOC) content of different soils and sediment.

Research Progress of Mercury Bioaccumulation in the Aquatic Food Chain, China: A Review.

Research on mercury (Hg) in aquatic ecosystems in China has focused mainly on fish, with little research on the base of the food chain and Hg bioaccumulation mechanisms. This paper summarizes research progress pertaining to the characteristics, current status, and trends of Hg accumulation in the aquatic food chain in China, analyzes the effects of human activities on the transmission and accumulation of Hg in aquatic food chains, and assesses their risks to human and ecosystem health. A comparison of fish samples in China between 2000 and 2018 indicates that their total Hg content remains at relatively safe levels.

Primary amino acids affect the distribution of methylmercury rather than inorganic mercury among tissues of two farmed-raised fish species.

The distributions of primary amino acids, MeHg and IHg in body tissues of two commonly farm-raised fish species (common carp: Cyprinus carpio; grass carp: Ctenopharyngodon idellus) in Guizhou Province, SW China, were investigated to understand the effects of primary amino acids on MeHg and IHg metabolism in farm-raised fish. The primary amino acids were classified into four groups: (1) essential and polar amino acids; (2) essential and non-polar amino acids; (3) non-essential and polar amino acids; and (4) non-essential and non-polar amino acids. For both fish species, groups (1, 2 and 3) were enriched in muscle and kidney, whereas group (4) was enriched in scale.

Mercury contents in rice and potential health risks across China.

Rice samples were collected at 560 sites in 15 provinces across China in areas without known point mercury (Hg) sources. Total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations were analyzed in these rice samples for risk assessment. Relatively low THg and MeHg concentrations were found in the majority of the white rice samples with an overall mean of 4.

Influence of dissolved organic matter (DOM) characteristics on dissolved mercury (Hg) species composition in sediment porewater of lakes from southwest China.

The origin and composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in porewater of lake sediments is intricate and decisive for fate of pollutants including mercury (Hg). While there are many reports on the relationship between dissolved organic carbon concentration (DOC) and mercury (Hg) concentrations in aquatic systems, there are few in which DOM compositional properties, that may better explain the fate of Hg, have been the focus. In this study, porewaters from sediments of three lakes, Caihai Lake (CH), Hongfeng Lake (HF) and Wujiangdu Lake (WJD), all located in southwest China, were selected to test the hypothesis that DOM optical properties control the fate of Hg in aquatic ecosystems.

Compound specific stable isotope determination of methylmercury in contaminated soil.

Rice is one of the main sources of methylmercury (MeHg) to humans, and soil is the main source of MeHg to rice grains. Determining the Hg isotope composition in environmental samples is a good way of characterizing sources of Hg pollution and investigating environmental processes. We developed a new compound-specific method for determining stable Hg isotopes in MeHg in contaminated soil and sediment.

[Distributions, Sources and Pollution Assessment of Hg in Sediment of Douhe Reservoir in Tangshan City].

Sediment cores from Douhe reservoir in Tangshan City were sampled in August 2013, in order to evaluate the mercury (Hg) pollution degree and its possible sources. Agriculture soils surrounding the Douhe reservoir and sediments from an upstream reservoir (Daheiting) were also collected. Total mercury (THg), methylmercury (MeHg), dissolved mercury in pore water (DHg) and organic matter (OM) in sediment of Douhe reservoir were analyzed, while, only THg in the agriculture soils and upstream reservoir sediments was determined.

Mercury methylation in rice paddies and its possible controlling factors in the Hg mining area, Guizhou province, Southwest China.

Understanding mercury (Hg) methylation/demethylation processes and the factors controlling methylmercury (MeHg) production within the rice paddy ecosystem of Hg mining areas is critical to assess the risk of MeHg contamination in rice grain. Two typical Hg-contaminated mining sites, a current-day artisanal site (Gouxi) and an abandoned site (Wukeng), were chosen in this study. We qualified the in situ specific methylation/demethylation rate constants in rice paddy soil during a complete rice-growing season.

The impacts of organic matter on the distribution and methylation of mercury in a hydroelectric reservoir in Wujiang River, Southwest China.

To understand the impacts of organic matter on the geochemical processing of Hg in a hydroelectric reservoir, spatial and seasonal distributions of total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in both solid and liquid phases of sediment cores were investigated in the Wujiangdu Reservoir in Guizhou Province, China. Four sampling sites with different intensities of cage aquaculture activities were chosen and were evenly distributed from upstream to downstream of the Wujiangdu Reservoir. Elevated MeHg concentrations and the high percentage of MeHg in solid and liquid phases of the surface sediment demonstrated that the active Hg methylation process occurred downstream of the Wujiangdu Reservoir.

The impact of acid mine drainage on the methylmercury cycling at the sediment-water interface in Aha Reservoir, Guizhou, China.

The methylmercury (MeHg) cycling at water-sediment interface in an acid mine drainage (AMD)-polluted reservoir (Aha Reservoir) and a reference site (Hongfeng Reservoir) were investigated and compared. Both reservoirs are seasonal anoxic and alkaline. The concentrations of sulfate, sulfide, iron, and manganese in Aha Reservoir were enriched compared to the reference levels in Hongfeng reservoir due to the AMD input.

Inflammatory response and neuronal necrosis in rats with cerebral ischemia.

In the middle cerebral artery occlusion model of ischemic injury, inflammation primarily occurs in the infarct and peripheral zones. In the ischemic zone, neurons undergo necrosis and apoptosis, and a large number of reactive microglia are present. In the present study, we investigated the pathological changes in a rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion.

Modified capillary electrophoresis based measurement of the binding between DNA aptamers and an unknown concentration target.

The recognition of targets such as biomacromolecules, viruses and cells by their aptamers is crucial in aptamer-based biosensor platforms and research into protein function. However, it is difficult to evaluate the binding constant of aptamers and their targets that are hard to purify and quantify, especially when the targets are undefined. Therefore, we aimed to develop a modified capillary electrophoresis based method to determine the dissociation constant of aptamers whose targets are hard to quantify.

Mercury in the seafood and human exposure in coastal area of Guangdong province, South China.

Consumption of fish and aquatic products is considered to be the main pathway of human exposure to methylmercury (MeHg). To assess human health risk through seafood consumption in a coastal area of Guangdong Province, South China, a total of 518 seafood samples (including fish, shrimp, crabs, and mollusks) were collected from 11 coastal cities for total mercury (THg) analysis. The THg concentrations varied significantly among different seafood groups and ranged from 0.