[Relationship between fluoride exposure, orthopedic injuries and bone formation markers in patients with coal-burning fluorosis].

Chronic exposure to fluoride is a public health problem worldwide. We explored the relationship between fluoride exposure, orthopedic injuries and bone formation markers alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone Gla protein (BGP) in participants with coal-burning fluorosis in Hehua Village (coal-burning fluorosis endemic area) in Zhijin County of Guizhou Province and Zhangguan Village (non-fluoride contaminated area) in Anshun City of Guizhou Province. Environmental samples were collected and fluoride contents were examined using a fluoride ion-selective electrode.

[Environmental and geochemical behaviors of fluorine and its impacts on ecological environment].

In past decades, fluorine exposure of plants and human caused by regional geochemical anomalies of fluorine or environmental pollution has received widespread concerns. Many in-depth researches have been conducted on the geochemical behavior of fluorine in different environmental media, but with disputes and uncertainties. We reviewed the research advances on geochemical behaviors of fluorine in the atmosphere, water and soil, including source, quantity, existence form, migration, transformation, and controlling factors.

[The mRNA expression of mitogen-activated protein kinase signal pathway related genes in the blood of arseniasis patients caused by burning coal].

Objective: To detect the mRNA expression of ERK1, ERK2, JNK1 and P38 gene in mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK) path way in the arseniasis patients caused by burning coal.

Methods: 70 arseniasis patients caused by burning coal at Jiaole village XingRen county in December 2006 were selected as case group, and another 30 villagers with similar living habits, matched gender and age, healthy physical condition without history of burning high arsenic coal were selected as control group from 12 km nearby the same village.Silver diethyl dithiocarbamate method (Ag-DDC) was taken to detect the arsenic contents in the environmental media, food, and arsenic level in the urine and hair of arseniasis patients.

[Relationship between the methylation and mutation of p53 gene and endemic arsenism caused by coal-burning].

Objective: To explore the influence of arsenic pollution caused by coal-burning on methylation (promoter and exon 5) and mutation (exon 5) of human p53 gene, and to analyze the relationship between methylation, mutation and arsenism.

Methods: According to the diagnostic criteria of endemic arsenism, 112 patients with arsenism (including 38 mild cases, 43 moderate cases and 31 severe cases) were selected in the areas with endemic arsenism from Xingren, Guizhou province. Among the subjects, 43 cases were diagnosed by dermatopathological methods, and they were divided into non-cancerous group (24 cases) and cancerous group (19 cases).

Analysis of p16 gene mutation, deletion and methylation in patients with arseniasis produced by indoor unventilated-stove coal usage in Guizhou, China.

The aim of this study was to determine p16 gene mutation, deletion, and promoter 5' CpG island hypermethylation in peripheral blood mononuclear leukocyte of patients with arseniasis as attributed to exposure to indoor unventilated coal stove. The role of the aberrant change of p16 gene in the induction and development of carcinogenesis in endemic arsenisiasis region in China was also examined. Polymerase chain reaction single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP), multiplex PCR (mPCR), methylation-specific PCR (MSP), and sequencing techniques were performed to detect (1) mutation of the p16 gene exon 2, (2) homozygous deletion of the p16 gene exon 1 and exon 2, and (3) hypermethylation of the promoter CpG island in peripheral blood mononuclear leukocyte of patients with arseniasis.