Mediation of the relationship between phthalate exposure and semen quality by oxidative stress among 1034 reproductive-aged Chinese men.

Background: Emerging evidence from animals indicates that oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the effects of phthalate exposure on male reproductive dysfunctions, which has never been thoroughly explored in humans.

Objective: To explore the potential mediating role of oxidative stress in the association of phthalate exposure with semen quality among 1034 Chinese men.

Method: Repeated urine samples gathered from the male partners of sub-fertile couples were analyzed for 3 oxidative stress markers [8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), 8-iso-prostaglandin F (8-isoPGF) and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal-mercapturic acid (HNE-MA)], using a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

The short-term effects of outdoor temperature on blood pressure among children and adolescents: finding from a large sample cross-sectional study in Suzhou, China.

Although several studies have demonstrated a short-term association between outdoor temperature and blood pressure (BP) among various adult groups, evidence among children and adolescents is lacking. One hundred ninety-four thousand one hundred four participants from 2016 Health Promotion Program for Children and Adolescents (HPPCA) were analyzed through generalized linear mixed-effects models to estimate the short-term effects of two outdoor temperature variables (average and minimum temperature) on participants' BP. Decreasing outdoor temperature was associated with significant increases in systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), and prevalence of hypertension during lag 0 through lag 6.

Association of phthalate exposure with anthropometric indices and blood pressure in first-grade children.

We aimed to assess the relationship of urine phthalate metabolite concentrations with anthropometric indices, and blood pressure in first-grade children. We detected 11 phthalate metabolites in urine and estimated anthropometric indices, including skinfold measurements, waist circumference (WC), and body mass index (BMI) in 276 children aged 6-8 years. Multivariate linear regression models were used to assess the associations between urinary phthalate metabolite levels, and anthropometric and blood pressure indices in a gender-specific manner.

Dose-response relationship between blood lead levels and hematological parameters in children from central China.

Background: Lead is a heavy metal that can affect the human hematological system. However, reports are limited on the dose-response relationship between blood lead levels (BLLs) and hematological parameters in children. This study aimed to explore the dose-response relationship between BLLs and hematological measurements among children in China.

Effects of resting heart rate on blood pressure and hypertension in Chinese children: findings from blood pressure surveillance program.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the association between resting heart rate (RHR) and prevalence of hypertension in Chinese children and to identify if this association was mediated by body mass index (BMI). The data of 5445 children who participated in the Blood Pressure Surveillance Program (2011-2017) were analyzed in this study. Children were divided into four groups according to quartiles of RHR in boys and girls, respectively.

Assessment of heavy metal pollution and human health risks in urban soils around an electronics manufacturing facility.

Heavy metal pollution has pervaded many parts of the world, especially in developing countries. The purpose of this study was to determine the concentrations and health risks of heavy metals in urban soils around an electronics manufacturing site in the Hubei Province of China. Soils samples were collected from commercial, roadside, farmland, and residential areas around the electronics manufacturing facility.

Development and validation of two prognostic nomograms for predicting survival in patients with non-small cell and small cell lung cancer.

Purpose: This study aimed to construct two prognostic nomograms to predict survival in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) using a novel set of clinical parameters.

Patients And Methods: Two nomograms were developed, using a retrospective analysis of 5384 NSCLC and 647 SCLC patients seen during a 10-year period at Xiang Ya Affiliated Cancer Hospital (Changsha, China). The patients were randomly divided into training and validation cohorts.

Association of elevated resting pulse rate with increased risk of hypertension development in children: A prospective study in Suzhou, China.

Background: Elevated resting heart rate (RHR) or resting pulse rate (RPR) is associated with increased risk of hypertension development. However, information is limited to adults. The purpose of this study is to analyze this association among Chinese children in a prospective design.

Exposure to phthalates in children aged 5-7years: Associations with thyroid function and insulin-like growth factors.

This study aimed to evaluate the associations between phthalate concentrations and thyroid function in preschool children. We collected demographic data and biological samples from 216 children aged 5-7years. We calculated urinary concentrations of eight mono-phthalate metabolites (mPAEs) separately for children from urban and rural areas and investigated their associations with thyroid function and growth hormones.

Phthalate levels and related factors in children aged 6-12 years.

Although previous studies showed that children are widely exposed to phthalates, the sources of phthalate exposure for school-aged children in China are not well understood. This study aimed to assess phthalate metabolite levels and explore the factors influencing exposure in children. We collected demographic data and biological samples from 336 children aged 6-12 years.

Relation of body mass index (BMI) to the prevalence of hypertension in children: A 3years' school-based prospective study in Suzhou, China.

Background: The prevalence of hypertension has been increasing in children and adolescents in China, which is considered to be accompanied with the epidemic of childhood overweight and obesity, but limited prospective studies have investigated the effect of body mass index (BMI) change on blood pressure among children, especially in China.

Methods: This school-based prospective study compared the blood pressure and prevalence of hypertension in students with different patterns of change in BMI between two periods (childhood and adolescence). 5465 children were followed-up since 2011(childhood) in Suzhou, China and had weight, height and blood pressure measured in 2011(childhood) and 2014(adolescence).

Benchmark dose estimation for cadmium-induced renal tubular damage among environmental cadmium-exposed women aged 35-54 years in two counties of China.

Background: A number of factors, including gender, age, smoking habits, and occupational exposure, affect the levels of urinary cadmium. Few studies have considered these influences when calculating the benchmark dose (BMD) of cadmium. In the present study, we aimed to calculate BMDs and their 95% lower confidence bounds (BMDLs) for cadmium-induced renal tubular effects in an age-specific population in south-central China.

Analysis of phthalate esters in soils near an electronics manufacturing facility and from a non-industrialized area by gas purge microsyringe extraction and gas chromatography.

Here, a novel technique is described for the extraction and quantitative determination of six phthalate esters (PAEs) from soils by gas purge microsyringe extraction and gas chromatography. Recovery of PAEs ranged from 81.4% to 120.

Surveillance of pathogens causing gastroenteritis and characterization of norovirus and sapovirus strains in Shenzhen, China, during 2011.

Viral gastroenteritis is one of the most common diseases in humans, and it is primarily caused by rotaviruses (RVs), astroviruses (AstVs), adenoviruses (AdVs), noroviruses (NoVs), and sapoviruses (SaVs). In this study, we determined the distribution of viral gastroenteritis and human calicivirus (HuCVs) in acute gastroenteritis patients in Shenzhen, China, during 2011. Real-time RT-PCR was used to detect norovirus (NoV), group A rotavirus (RV), adenovirus (AdV), and astrovirus (AstV).

Molecular identification and analysis of human enteroviruses isolated from healthy children in Shenzhen, China from 2010 to 2011.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and distribution of human enteroviruses (HEVs) among healthy children in Shenzhen, China.

Method: Clinical specimens were obtained from 320 healthy children under 5 years old in Shenzhen, China from 2010 to 2011. The specimens were evaluated using real-time PCR and cell cultures.

Effects of exposure to low-level lead on spatial learning and memory and the expression of mGluR1, NMDA receptor in different developmental stages of rats.

The effect of different periods of lead exposure on deficits of learning and memory is still unclear. In this study, we conduct in vivo experiment to investigate the critical stages when lead induced neurotoxicity in rats and its underlying mechanisms in some critical stages. Rats were exposed to 0.

delta-Aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity, urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid concentration and zinc protoporphyrin level among people with low level of lead exposure.

To evaluate the relationship of delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) activity, urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALAU) level and blood zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) concentration to low blood lead (PbB) levels, these biomarkers were determined for all subjects enrolled from a rural area of southeast China where people had low levels of exposure to lead. The mean values of PbB, ALAD, ALAU and ZPP were 67.11 microg/L (SD: 1.

Determination of trace tetracycline antibiotics in foodstuffs by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry coupled with selective molecular-imprinted solid-phase extraction.

A rapid, specific, and sensitive method has been developed using molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) as solid-phase extraction sorbents for extraction of trace tetracycline antibiotics (TCs) in foodstuffs. MIPs were prepared by precipitation polymerization using tetracycline as the template. Under the optimal condition, the imprinting factors for MIPs were 4.

[Introduction on a forecasting model for infectious disease incidence rate based on radial basis function network].

It is important to forecast incidence rates of infectious disease for the development of a better program on its prevention and control. Since the incidence rate of infectious disease is influenced by multiple factors, and the action mechanisms of these factors are usually unable to be described with accurate mathematical linguistic forms, the radial basis function (RBF) neural network is introduced to solve the nonlinear approximation issues and to predict incidence rates of infectious disease. The forecasting model is constructed under data from hepatitis B monthly incidence rate reports from 1991-2002.

[A novel synthesized Schistosoma japonicum miracidium attractant imprinted polymer].

A novel molecularly imprinted polymer with adequate attractability for Schistosoma japonicum miracidia was prepared. When adulterated with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), the fabricated film with good swelling property was formed which can suspend on water and slowly release XF (a chemical to be published). This reusable film can well attract Schistosoma japonicum miracidia, and hopefully be used in the prevention of schistosome infection.

Selective solid-phase extraction of cholesterol using molecularly imprinted polymers and its application in different biological samples.

Non-covalent molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) of cholesterol were prepared by UV initiated polymerization. A polymer that had the highest binding selectivity and capability was used as solid-phase extraction (SPE) sorbents for direct extraction of cholesterol from different biological samples (human serum, cow milk, yolk, shrimp, pork and beef). The extraction conditions of molecularly imprinted SPE (MISPE) were optimized and the optimum protocol was: conditioning MISPE cartridges with n-hexane, loading with n-hexane, washing with n-hexane and n-hexane:toluene=9:1, respectively, then eluting with chloroform:ethanol:acetic acid=3:1:1.

In vitro cytotoxicity of TCDD on SPC-A1 cells.

Objective: The toxicology of TCDD (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin) has been studied mainly with regard to the carcinogenicity of its metabolites, but its phototoxicity is not well understood. Although some studies have indicated the lethal phototoxicity of TCDD, this study was designed to investigate its effect on SPC-A1 cells.

Methods: SPC-A1 cells were cultured in 1640 medium and treated with 10 nmol/L, 0.

[Study on detection method of 8-OH-dG in DNA extracted from HepG2 cells in vitro by capillary zone electrophoresis].

Objective: To establish an optimized method to detect 8-OH-dG after DNA oxidation damage by capillary zone electrophoresis.

Methods: HepG2 cell was used as target cell and conditions for the separation and detection were obtained by studying the influence of pH of the running buffer, temperature, running voltage on the separation. 0 and 15 mmol/L H2O2 were added into two groups of HepG2 cells (5 x 10(7)) respectively for 24h.

A quantitative DNA methylation assay using mismatch hybridization and chemiluminescence.

Objective: To develop a quantitative method for methylation analysis of the p16 gene based on mismatch hybridization and chemiluminescence.

Methods: Genomic DNA was modified by sodium bisulfite to convert all unmethylated but not methylated cytosines to uracil, and subsequently a pair of primer having no CpG sites was designed for amplification target DNA containing methylated or unmethylated CpG sites. The PCR product spanning CpG sites were hybridized with two oligonucleotide probes which perfectly matched the methylated and unmethylated CpG sequences respectively, and the hybrids were detected by chemiluminescent method.