Comparison of sensitivity between blood parameters and a genotoxic biomarker at low blood Pb levels: A population-based study.

Background: Previous studies reported that lead (Pb) exposure induced adverse health effects at high exposure concentrations, however, there have been limited data on sensitivity comparisons among different health outcomes at low blood Pb levels.

Objectives: To compare sensitivity between blood parameters and a genotoxic biomarker among workers exposed to low blood Pb levels (< 20 µg/dl), and to estimate a benchmark dose (BMD).

Methods: Pb-exposed workers were recruited from a lead-acid storage battery plant.

Review on novel toxicological effects and personalized health hazard in workers exposed to low doses of benzene.

Several recent reports indicate health hazards for workers with below occupational limit exposure to benzene (BZ). Our updated review indicates that such low exposures induced traditional as well as novel toxicity/genotoxicity, e.g.

An exploration of biomarkers for noise exposure: mitochondrial DNA copy number and micronucleus frequencies in Chinese workers.

Few studies have been conducted that use biomarkers as early warning signals for noise-associated health hazards. To explore potentially effective biomarkers for noise-exposed populations, we recruited 218 noise-exposed male workers in China. We calculated cumulative noise exposure (CNE) through noise intensity and noise-exposed duration.

Associations between DNA methylation and genotoxicity among lead-exposed workers in China.

Studies have shown that lead (Pb) exposure caused genotoxicity, however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. A mechanism may be via DNA methylation which is one of the most widely studied epigenetic regulations for cellular activities. Whether this is involved in Pb-induced genotoxicity has rarely been studied.

Lymphocyte-based challenge DNA-repair assays for personalized health risk assessment.

Combinations of genetic and environmental factors are responsible for the development of many human diseases, such as cancer, as demonstrated using various biomarkers. Within this scenario, DNA repair holds a gate-keeper position which determines outcomes after appearance of DNA damage and, therefore, adverse cellular consequences, e.g.

Occupational lead exposure on genome-wide DNA methylation and DNA damage.

Lead (Pb) exposure can induce DNA damage and alter DNA methylation but their inter-relationships have not been adequately determined. Our overall aims were to explore such relationships and to evaluate underlying epigenetic mechanisms of Pb-induced genotoxicity in Chinese workers. Blood Pb levels (BLLs) were determined and used as individual's Pb-exposure dose and the Comet assay (i.

Five-year outcomes after IVIG for mild cognitive impairment due to alzheimer disease.

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the five-year treatment effects of a short course of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer disease (AD).

Methods: Fifty subjects 50 to 84 years of age with MCI due to AD were administered 0.4 g/kg 10% IVIG or 0.

Global and gene-specific promoter methylation, and micronuclei induction in lead-exposed workers: A cross-sectional study.

Perturbation of epigenetic regulation is a well-established mechanism for cancer but its role for lead (Pb)-associated toxicity has not been adequately investigated. We aimed to investigate whether occupational Pb exposure is associated with micronuclei (MN) frequency and to further explored the mediating roles of epigenetic gene regulation. All the Pb-exposed workers recruited from a Chinese acid battery factory, blood lead levels (BLLs) and MN frequency in lymphocytes were measured.

Impact of environmental chemicals on craniofacial skeletal development: Insights from investigations using zebrafish embryos.

Craniofacial skeletal anomalies are among the most common structural birth defects around the world. Various studies using human populations and experimental animals have shown that genetic and environmental factors play significant roles in the causation and progression of these anomalies. Environmental factors, such as teratogens and toxin mixtures, induce craniofacial anomalies are gaining heightened attention.

Occupational Exposures and Environmental Health Hazards of Military Personnel.

Background: Military personnel are frequently exposed to environmental pollutants that can cause a variety of diseases.

Methods: This review analyzed publications regarding epidemiological and biomonitoring studies on occupationally-exposed military personnel.

Results: The exposures include sulfur mustard, organ chlorines, combustion products, fuel vapors, and ionizing and exciting radiations.

Occupational Health Risk Assessment of Benzene, Toluene, and Xylene in Shanghai.

Objective: This study was designed to conduct a retrospective and systematic occupational health risk assessment (OHRA) of enterprises that used benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) in Shanghai, China.

Methods: All data for the study were obtained from 1,705 occupational health examination and evaluation reports from 2013 to 2017, and a semiquantitative model following Chinese OHRA guidelines (GBZ/T 298-2017) was applied for the assessment.

Results: The selected enterprises using BTX were mainly involved in manufacturing of products.

Prevention of Covid-19 Infection and Related Complications by Ozonized Oils.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the human population; therefore, multiple prevention and intervention protocols are being rapidly developed. The aim of our study was to develop a new chemo-prophylactic/-therapeutic strategy that effectively prevents COVID-19 and related complications.

Methods: In in vitro studies, COVID-19 infection-sensitive cells were incubated with human oropharyngeal fluids containing high SARS-CoV-2 loads.

The Interactive Effects of Cognition on Coping Styles among Chinese during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: The outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has seriously affected people's life. The main aim of our investigation was to determine the interactive effects of disease awareness on coping style among Chinese residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: A total of 616 Chinese residents from 28 provinces were recruited to participate in this investigation.

Early occupational exposure to lead on neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and genotoxicity.

Background: Lead (Pb) is known to induce detrimental health effects in exposed populations, including hematotoxicity and genotoxicity. Complete blood count (CBC) is a cost-effective and easy way to determine toxicity, and variations in proportion of different types of leukocytes: neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) are further evidence of hematotoxicity. However, few studies have been conducted to systematically evaluate effects of occupational Pb exposure on NLR and LMR, and their associations with genotoxicity.

Associations of blood lead levels with multiple genotoxic biomarkers among workers in China: A population-based study.

Carcinogenic effects from low doses of lead (Pb) exposure to populations have been suspected but not concluded. Therefore, a large-scale cross-sectional study was conducted by us to investigate genotoxic effects from Pb exposure during 2016-2018 in North China. Blood lead levels (BLLs) and cumulative blood lead levels (CBLLs) were measured.

From inequitable to sustainable e-waste processing for reduction of impact on human health and the environment.

Recycling of electric and electronic waste products (e-waste) which amounted to more than 50 million metric tonnes per year worldwide is a massive and global operation. Unfortunately, an estimated 70-80% of this waste has not been properly managed because the waste went from developed to low-income countries to be dumped into landfills or informally recycled. Such recycling has been carried out either directly on landfill sites or in small, often family-run recycling shops without much regulations or oversights.

Changes in miR-222 expression, DNA repair capacity, and MDM2-p53 axis in association with low-dose benzene genotoxicity and hematotoxicity.

Mechanisms for hematotoxicity and health effects from exposure to low doses of benzene (BZ) remain to be identified. To address the information gap, our investigation was focused onto using appropriate populations and cell cultures to investigate novel BZ-induced effects such as disruption of DNA repair capacity (DRC). From our study, abnormal miRNAs were identified and validated using lymphocytes from 56 BZ-poisoned workers and 53 controls.

Expanded usage of the Challenge-Comet assay as a DNA repair biomarker in human populations: protocols for fresh and cryopreserved blood samples, and for different challenge agents.

Deficiencies in DNA damage response and repair (DDRR) can cause serious pathological outcomes; therefore, having an ability to determine individual DDRR would enhance specificities in health risk assessment and in determining individual's response to cancer therapies. However, most methods for evaluating DDRR are not fully appropriate for population studies. The Challenge-Comet assay has gained acceptance for this purpose.

Development of a benchmark dose for lead-exposure based on its induction of micronuclei, telomere length changes and hematological toxicity.

Background: Excessive lead exposure is associated with adverse health effects. However, there is a lack of systematic investigation using large populations to ascertain acceptable exposure limits.

Objectives: Our study was aimed to identify human exposure-response relationships between lead exposure and health-related outcomes, and to determine a benchmark dose (BMD).

Challenge-comet assay, a functional and genomic biomarker for precision risk assessment and disease prevention among exposed workers.

Advancements in genomic technologies have ushered application of innovative changes into biomedical sciences and clinical medicine. Consequently, these changes have created enormous opportunities to implement precision population/occupational disease prevention and target-specific disease intervention (or personalized medicine). To capture the opportunities, however, it is necessary is to develop novel, especially genomic-based, biomarkers which can provide precise and individualized health risk assessment.

Associations between functional polychlorinated biphenyls in adipose tissues and prognostic biomarkers of breast cancer patients.

Background: Exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) has been shown to influence expression of some biomarkers that are predictive/prognostic for breast cancer. Therefore, our study was conducted to further investigating associations of different functional PCBs in adipose tissue with breast cancer prognostic biomarkers.

Methods: Two hundred and five breast cancer patients were recruited in Shantou, China.

Reduction of Amyloid in the Brain and Retina After Treatment With IVIG for Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Objective: To assess whether intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) results in a reduction in amyloid in the central nervous system (CNS).

Methods: Five subjects with MCI underwent baseline Florbetapir positron emission tomography and retinal autofluorescent imaging. All were administered IVIG (Octagam 10%) at 0.

Effects of Micronucleus Frequencies and Mitochondrial DNA Copy Numbers among Benzene-Exposed Workers in China.

To provide a more comprehensive understanding of genotoxic effects from benzene exposure, its effects on induction of mitochondrial DNA copy number (MtDNAcn) and of micronucleus (MN) were investigated using peripheral blood from workers in China. Changes in mtDNAcn and MN were determined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cytokinesis-block micronucleus assays (CBMN), respectively, in 58 control and 174 benzene-exposed workers in Shanghai, China. Among the exposed workers, relative mtDNAcn increased and then decreased with increasing doses of benzene exposure.

Public health issues from crude-oil production in the Ecuadorian Amazon territories.

Crude oil production (COP) is a high-pollution industry but the vast Amazon rainforest has been an active COP zone for South America. Although COP has been associated with a variety of health effects among workers around the world, such effects have not been adequately investigated in the Amazon region, especially at the community level. Therefore, this review was conducted to provide a report about COP in the Amazon of Ecuador and about its association with health status of indigenous human populations.

Correction to: Involvement of gut microbiome in human health and disease: brief overview, knowledge gaps and research opportunities.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13099-018-0230-4.].