The pathogenesis of endometriosis is not well understood at the moment, and the lack of effective biomarkers often leads to delayed diagnosis of the disease. Lipidomics provides a new approach for the diagnosis and prediction of endometriosis. Sphingomyelin, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine in peripheral blood, endometrial fluid, peritoneal fluid and follicular fluid have good diagnostic value for endometriosis and disease classification; the lipid metabolites in the eutopic endometrium tissue are expected to be biomarkers of early endometriosis; and the lipid metabolites in peripheral blood are also of great value for predicting endometriosis-related infertility. The development of lipidomics technique will further advance the progress on the pathogenesis, prediction, diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis.
Biomarkers/blood* ; Blood Chemical Analysis/trends* ; Body Fluids/chemistry* ; Endometriosis/diagnosis* ; Female ; Humans ; Lipidomics/trends*

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Air Pollutants ; adverse effects ; Blood Chemical Analysis ; Coke ; adverse effects ; Environmental Exposure ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ; adverse effects ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To explore the possible long-term health effects of the defoamer used in seawater desalination by sub-chronic toxicity testing. METHODS: Blood analysis, internal organ assessment, and histopathological examination were carried out in rats exposed to low, medium, and high (0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 g/kg BW, respectively) doses of defoamer for 90 days through oral administration. RESULTS: The high dose group showed decreased blood alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase (P < 0.05). All doses resulted in a significant increase in albumin and decrease in globulin (P < 0.05). The direct bilirubin and indirect bilirubin were decreased in the medium and high dose groups (P < 0.05). All dose groups showed significant induction of alkaline phosphatase (P < 0.05). Pathological examination revealed a case of liver mononuclear cell infiltration in the medium dose group and three cases of liver congestion, steatosis of hepatic cells around the central vein, and punctate necrosis with multiple focal mononuclear cell infiltration in male rats administered the high dose. The No Observed Adverse Effect Level was 0.5 g/kg BW in rats, with albumin and total bilirubin as health effect indices. CONCLUSION Long-term defoamer exposure may cause liver injury but has no significant impact on renal function in rats. The effect on blood cells in female rats was more prominent than that in male rats.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Antifoaming Agents ; toxicity ; Blood Chemical Analysis ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Eating ; drug effects ; Female ; Male ; Rats, Wistar ; Toxicity Tests, Subchronic

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to evaluate hematological disorders and the orchestrating roles of hepcidin and IL-6 in rat models of thioacetamide (TAA) and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) hepatotoxicity. METHODS: Rats were intraperitoneally injected with TAA (10 mg/100 g rat weight dissolved in isosaline) or CCl4 (100 μL/100 g rat weight diluted as 1:4 in corn oil) twice weekly for eight consecutive weeks to induce subchronic liver fibrosis. Blood and tissue samples were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: CCl4 but not TAA significantly decreased the RBCs, Hb, PCV, and MCV values with minimal alterations in other erythrocytic indices. Both hepatotoxins showed leukocytosis, granulocytosis, and thrombocytopenia. By the end of the experiment, the erythropoietin level increased in the CCl4 model. The serum iron, UIBC, TIBC, transferrin saturation%, and serum transferrin concentration values significantly decreased, whereas that of ferritin increased in the CCl4 model. TAA increased the iron parameters toward iron overload. RT-PCR analysis revealed increased expression of hepatic hepcidin and IL-6 mRNAs in the CCl4 model and suppressed hepcidin expression without significant effect on IL-6 in the TAA model. CONCLUSION These data suggest differences driven by hepcidin and IL-6 expression between CCl4 and TAA liver fibrosis models and are of clinical importance for diagnosis and therapeutics of liver diseases.
Animals ; Blood Chemical Analysis ; Carbon Tetrachloride ; toxicity ; Hepcidins ; pharmacology ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Interleukin-6 ; pharmacology ; Iron ; blood ; metabolism ; Leukocytosis ; chemically induced ; therapy ; Liver Cirrhosis ; chemically induced ; therapy ; Male ; Rats ; Thioacetamide ; toxicity ; Thrombocytopenia ; chemically induced ; therapy ; Transferrin ; metabolism

Blood Chemical Analysis ; Humans ; Water Sports ; physiology

Objective To establish accurate and rapid methods to identify four new synthetic cannabinoids （JWH-203, JWH-122, 5F-APINACA and AB-CHMINACA） in blood samples. Methods The whole blood samples were extracted by acetonitrile and methanol, screened by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry （GC-MS） then confirmed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry （LC-MS/MS） method, and multiple reaction monitoring （MRM） mode was used for quantitative analysis. Results The GC-MS method needed 21 min to complete the analysis, while the LC-MS/MS method needed 5 min. The AB-CHMINACA, JWH-203, 5F-APINACA and JWH-122 all used quasi molecular ion peak as a parent ion. The precursor-product ion combinations were m/z 357.4→312.2, m/z 340.2→125.0, m/z 384.1→135.1 and m/z 356.4→169.2. The four synthetic cannabinoids in blood samples had good linearity in the 1-250 ng/mL mass concentration range （r>0.99）. The limits of detection （LODs） were in the range of 0.1-0.5 ng/mL, the recovery rate was 85.4%-95.2%, the RSD less than 10.0%, and the matrix effect was 80.3%-92.8%. Conclusion The GC-MS and LC-MS/MS chromatographic behaviors and mass spectrometry analysis information of four synthetic cannabinoids were obtained in this study, and the possible causes of differences in chromatographic behaviors were discussed preliminarily. Therefore this study has a suggestive effect on judging the development trend of synthetic cannabinoids. This method can be used for rapid identification of four synthetic cannabinoids in blood, which can provide reference for identification of new synthetic cannabinoids when they are proliferating at present.
Blood Chemical Analysis/methods* ; Cannabinoids/blood* ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Humans ; Limit of Detection ; Substance Abuse Detection/methods* ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

OBJECTIVEThe present study was undertaken to evaluate the subchronic toxicity of lanthanum and to determine the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL), which is a critical factor in the establishment of an acceptable dietary intake (ADI).

METHODSIn accordance with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) testing guidelines, lanthanum nitrate was administered once daily by gavage to Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats at dose levels of 0, 1.5, 6.0, 24.0, and 144.0 mg/kg body weight (BW) per day for 90 days, followed by a recovery period of 4 weeks in the 144.0 mg/kg BW per day and normal control groups. Outcome parameters were mortality, clinical symptoms, body and organ weights, serum chemistry, and food consumption, as well as ophthalmic, urinary, hematologic, and histopathologic indicators. The benchmark dose (BMD) approach was applied to estimate a point of departure for the hazard risk assessment of lanthanum.

RESULTSSignificant decreases were found in the 144.0 mg/kg BW group in the growth index, including body weight, organ weights, and food consumption. This study suggests that the NOAEL of lanthanum nitrate is 24.0 mg/kg BW per day. Importantly, the 95% lower confidence value of the benchmark dose (BMDL) was estimated as 9.4 mg/kg BW per day in females and 19.3 mg/kg BW per day in males.

CONCLUSIONThe present subchronic oral exposure toxicity study may provide scientific data for the risk assessment of lanthanum and other rare earth elements (REEs).

Animals ; Blood Chemical Analysis ; Body Weight ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Female ; Lanthanum ; administration & dosage ; toxicity ; Male ; No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms ; Toxicity Tests, Subchronic ; Urinalysis

OBJECTIVE: The mGluR1 (metabotropic glutamate receptor 1) gene, a G protein–coupled receptor, is known to mediate perceptions of umami tastes. Genetic variation in taste receptors may influence dietary intake, and in turn have an impact on nutritional status and risk of chronic disease. We investigated the association of mGluR1 rs2814863 polymorphism with lipid profiles and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, together with their modulation by macronutrient intake in Korean adults. METHODS: The subjects consisted of 8,380 Koreans aged 40-69 years participating in the Anseong and Ansan Cohort Study, which was a part of the Korean Genome Epidemiology Study (KoGES). Data was collected using self-administered questionnaires, anthropometric measurements, and blood chemical analysis. RESULTS: Carriers of C allele at mGluR1 rs2814863 was associated with decreased high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and increased triglyceride as compared to carriers of TT. Also, carriers of the C allele showed higher fat intake and lower carbohydrate intake than those with carriers of TT. After adjustment for multiple testing using false-discovery rate method, the significant difference of HDL-C, triglyceride, dietary fat, and carbohydrate across genotypes disappeared. Gene-diet interaction effects between rs2814863 and macronutrients intake were not significantly associated with HDL-C and triglyceride levels. However, carriers of C allele demonstrated significantly higher odds of CVD {odds ratio=1.13, 95% CI=1.02-1.25} compared with carriers of TT. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support significant associations between the mGluR1 rs2814863 genotype and CVD-related variables in Korean adults. However, these associations are not modified by macronutrient intake.
Adult* ; Alleles ; Blood Chemical Analysis ; Cardiovascular Diseases* ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Chronic Disease ; Cohort Studies ; Dietary Fats ; Epidemiology ; Genes, vif ; Genetic Variation ; Genome ; Genotype ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Methods ; Nutritional Status ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Receptors, Glutamate ; Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate* ; Triglycerides

OBJECTIVEThe effects of arsenic exposure from drinking water, arsenic metabolism, and arsenic methylation on blood pressure (BP) were observed in this study.

METHODSThe BP and arsenic species of 560 participants were determined. Logistic regression analysis was applied to estimate the odds ratios of BP associated with arsenic metabolites and arsenic methylation capability.

RESULTSBP was positively associated with cumulative arsenic exposure (CAE). Subjects with abnormal diastolic blood pressure (DBP), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and pulse pressure (PP) usually had higher urinary iAs (inorganic arsenic), MMA (monomethylated arsenic), DMA (dimethylated arsenic), and TAs (total arsenic) than subjects with normal DBP, SBP, and PP. The iAs%, MMA%, and DMA% differed slightly between subjects with abnormal BP and those with normal BP. The PMI and SMI were slightly higher in subjects with abnormal PP than in those with normal PP.

CONCLUSIONOur findings suggest that higher CAE may elevate BP. Males may have a higher risk of abnormal DBP, whereas females have a higher risk of abnormal SBP and PP. Higher urinary iAs may increase the risk of abnormal BP. Lower PMI may elevate the BP. However, higher SMI may increase the DBP and SBP, and lower SMI may elevate the PP.

Adult ; Arsenic ; analysis ; metabolism ; toxicity ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; China ; Drinking Water ; analysis ; chemistry ; Environmental Exposure ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Methylation ; drug effects ; Middle Aged ; Water Pollutants, Chemical ; analysis ; toxicity ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the time and content of dietary education by analyzing the physiological indicators of hemodialysis patients during their first year and to present baseline data related to dietary education for patients on hemodialysis. METHODS: For this retrospective study physiological indicators for 73 patients on hemodialysis were analyzed. Data included levels of potassium, phosphorus, albumin and the IDWG rate, and Kt/V during the first year after starting hemodialysis. Repeated-measure ANOVA was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Serum levels of phosphorus (p < .006), albumin (p < .001) and the IDWG rate (p < .001) increased significantly in the 7 months fromthe start of hemodialysis. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the period in which diet related educational intervention is necessary is before physiological changes, that is, after 6 months of dialysis. The contents for effective education should include phosphorus-limited and weight control dietary restrictions at 6 months.
Blood Chemical Analysis ; Dialysis ; Diet ; Education ; Humans ; Phosphorus ; Potassium ; Renal Dialysis ; Retrospective Studies