Sodium pentachlorophenol (Na-PCP) has been used in China for years as a molluscacide to kill on-comelania, which is an intermediate host of schistosome. Large amounts of the powerful pesticide spayed over vast areas to control schistosomiasis contaminated the surface water sources, soil, sediment, animals and plants. Also it intruded into human body through food chain. Recently many studies that concern the endocrine disrupting effects of pentachlorophenol (PCP) were conducted. Animal studies showed that PCP/ Na-PCP could interfere in the normal function of thyroxine in many species, but without any effects on estrogen and testosterone. It was also found that PCP/ Na-PCP could effectively inhibit the activity of the human progesterone receptor (hPR) in yeast and interfere with the binding of physiological ligands to steroid receptors and binding proteins. Some epidemiologic data showed that PCP might interfere the normal endocrine function of female and paternal occupational exposure to PCP/Na-PCP could be associated with an increased risk of congenital anomalies or other adverse reproductive outcomes in offspring. All these findings indicate that pentachlorophenol could disrupt the normal function of endocrine system, but to con-firm that pentachlorophenol is one kind of endocrine disruptor and understand thoroughly the mechanism of PCP on endocrine system, more studies are needed.

Objective To explore the diagnosis and treatment for ureterovesical junction (UVJ) stricture. Methods 18 cases of UVJ stricture were analysed retrospectively,of them unilateral stricture of UVJ in 11(left 5,right 6),bilateral stricture of UVJ in 7.The ureterovesicoplasty was performed in 7 cases.The procedure of passive dilation of the UVJ and placing a double-J stent under endoscopy were performed in 6 cases.The plasticity of UVJ with the mucosa of bladder were performed in 7 cases. Results All cases were followed up 2 months to 23 years and cure rate was 78%,the rate of improvement was 22%.67% of cure rate was achieved by stent placing.The renal function, hydronephrosis were obviously improved after operation and there were no vesicoureteral reflux. Conclusions The passive dilation of the ureter and then placing a double-J stent under endoscopy is a safe and effective measure.The ureterovesicoplasty and the procedure which plasticity of UVJ with the mucosa of bladder are the safe and effective methods.

Eighty six patients with renal masses≤4.0 cm underwent ultrasound or CT-guided core needle biopsies.The clinical data including the initial biopsy technique,pathologic findings,and the clinical outcome were retrospectively reviewed. Biopsies were failed for diagnosis in 6 cases ( 7％ ) because of necrosis or hemorrhage of the tissue specimens.Of 80 successful biopsies,52 cases (65％) were diagnosed as malignant tumor and 28 cases (35％) as benign. Five patients had biopsy complications (6％),including postoperative hypotension,hemouria and perirenal hematoma. Forty-seven patients underwent surgical extirpation ; the consistency rate of histopathological diagnosis between biopsy and surgical specimens was 100％ in these patients.The results indicate that ultrasound or CT-guided core needle biopsy is an effective and safe procedure for diagnosis of renal small masses.

With the use of Near-infrared spectroscopy(NIRS), the noninvasive measurement of cerebral oxygen concentration can be achieved in vivo based on the Lambert-Beer Law. In this paper, we discuss the possibility of studying higher brain functions through a combination of cerebral oxygen saturation and cerebral function measurement. Event-related experiments are introduced to measure the cerebral phronetal function. Time domain curves show sight differences among these experiment results. However, with the aid of DFT, experiment data of all five human volunteers show that the frequency near 20Hz or 40Hz is evoked depending on the difficulty of the mental tasks. The results demonstrate the feasibility of cerebral function studies by means of cerebral oxygen saturation measurement analysis in the frequency domain.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes in serum levels of sex hormones in male workers occupationally exposed to cadmium (Cd).

METHODSEighty-five Cd-exposed workers in a cadmium refinery in the south China and 76 local healthy subjects as control were selected in the study. Air samples in the workplaces were collected and detected for Cd concentration. Urinary Cd (UCd) level of the workers was measured by graphite atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and adjusted by urine level of creatinine (Cr), as an indicator of Cd-burden in the body of all subjects. Also, their serum levels of testosterone (T), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) were determined with radioimmunoassay and enzyme immunoassay, respectively, and dose-effect relationship was evaluated.

RESULTSThe serum testosterone levels in Cd-exposure group with 10.9-21.9 and > 21.9 micro mol/mol Cr were 13.00 and 11.37 nmol/L, significantly higher than that (9.31 nmol/L) in those with 0.0-2.2 micro mol/mol Cr. Significantly more increased level of LH (4.11 and 4.32 U/L) was detected in heavy exposure group in the workshop for electrolysis than in control group (2.52 U/L) and in the group with 0.0-2.2 micro mol/mol Cr of UCd (2.64 U/L). No changes in serum level of FSH were found related to Cd exposure.

CONCLUSIONOccupational Cd exposure could independently contribute to the changes of serum levels of sex hormone in male workers.

Cadmium ; adverse effects ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones ; blood ; Humans ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; Testosterone ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the possible effects of oral cadmium(Cd) exposure on the expression levels of metallothionein-I and metallothionein-II (MT-I and MT-II) mRNA and the distribution of zinc (Zn) and Cd in rat prostate.

METHODSCadmium was given to rats at doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg in drinking water. The contents of Zn and Cd in prostate were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry(AAS), and the levels of MTs mRNA were determined by RT-PCR.

RESULTSAfter Cd administration, the content of Zn was decreased in both the ventral and the dorsolateral lobes of rat prostate. In 200 mg/kg Cd group, the contents of Zn in ventral prostate were 9.5 and 8.5 micrograms/g wet weight respectively after one month and six months, which were significantly lower than those of control(17.0 and 18.9 micrograms/g wet weight). In contrast, the contents of Cd in both ventral and dorsolateral lobes of prostate significantly increased with the increasing dose and time of Cd administration. It was also noted that Cd administration resulted in a significant down-regulation of the expression of MT-I and MT-II mRNA in rat ventral prostate. In 200 mg/kg Cd group after one and six months, the relative expression levels of MT-I (0.410, 0.339 respectively) and MT-II (0.100, 0.112 respectively) were significantly lower than those of MT-I (0.760, 0.830 respectively) and MT-II (0.429, 0.439 respectively) in control group.

CONCLUSIONOral Cd exposure could influence the distribution of Zn and the expression levels of MTs mRNA in rat prostate.

Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Cadmium ; metabolism ; toxicity ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Male ; Metallothionein ; genetics ; Prostate ; drug effects ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rats ; Zinc ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the acute effects of dimethoate on the muscarinic-receptors(M1, M2) in the brain of rats.

METHODS24 Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups randomly. They were administered subcutaneously with 0, 25, 50, 100 mg/kg dimethoate, respectively. Brains were removed after 48 hours of administration. Radioligand binding assay was used to determine the density and affinity of M1 and M2 receptors.

RESULTSRats in the treated group showed low density of M1 and M2 receptors compared with the control rats. The brain M1 receptor density of the rats in the highest dosage group was significantly lower than that in the control group while brain M2 receptors density had a decrease trend with increasing dosage, but the difference showed no significance. However, there were no differences of the affinity of both M1 and M2 among different treated groups. Correlation analysis showed there is positive relationship between cholinesterase activity and density of M1 receptors(r = 0.583, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONM1 and M2 receptors density decreased with the increasing dosage of dimethoate. It is suggested that the alleviating of cholinergic symptoms may be due to the decrease of M1 and M2 receptors in rat brain.

Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Cholinesterases ; metabolism ; Dimethoate ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Radioligand Assay ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptor, Muscarinic M1 ; analysis ; drug effects ; Receptor, Muscarinic M2 ; analysis ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo study the cellular and molecular mechanism of gasoline-induced adverse effects on skin, particularly on keratinocyte and fibroblast in vitro.

METHODSThe primary cell culture of keratinocyte and fibroblast were treated with 0, 0.001%, 0.01%, 0.1% and 1.0% gasoline, respectively. (3)H-thymidine ((3)H-TdR), (3)H-leucine ((3)H-Leu), (3)H-proline ((3)H-Pro) and (14)C-linoleic acid incorporation tests were applied to elucidate their capacity of synthesizing DNA, protein and sebum.

RESULTSThe incorporation of (3)H-TdR in keratinocyte and (3)H-TdR and (3)H-Pro in fibroblast inhibited significantly after exposure to 0.01% gasoline (P < 0.05), with inhibition rates 68.5%, 45.1% and 40.6% for (3)H-TdR in keratinocyte, and (3)H-TdR and (3)H-Pro in fibroblast, respectively. Significant depression in incorporation of (3)H-Leu and (14)C-linoleic acid in keratinocyte were found even in the group treated with 0.001% gasoline (P < 0.05), with inhibition rates of 20.2% and 41.2%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSSolvent gasoline has certain toxic effect on keratinocyte and fibroblast, intervening their normal metabolic and physiological process and affecting their ability of synthesizing DNA, protein and sebum, and their physiological functions, which could be one of the mechanisms causing skin damage by gasoline. The results also indicated that keratinocyte was more susceptible to gasoline than fibroblast.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; DNA ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Gasoline ; toxicity ; Keratinocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Proteins ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sebum ; drug effects ; metabolism

Objective To identify the prevalence and etiology of kidney disease and the related risk factors in type 2 diabetic patients in rural Shanghai.Methods A cross-sectional study in type 2 diabetic patients was conducted in a community of Shanghai.Questionnaire,clinical examination and laboratory tests were completed to collect the information about sociodemographic and healthcare characteristics.Results A total of 1421 eligible patients with complete information were screened from 1487 type 2 diabetic patients between November 2008 and March 2009.Of them,40.75％ were men,59.25％ were women,aged 37-86 (61.33 ± 9.65 ) years old,with diabetic duration of 0.25-43.92 (7.85 ± 6.34) years.Among them,43.42％ had diabetic retinopathy,21.18％ had neuropathy; 69.95％ met the screening definition for hypertension,76.07％ for hyperlipidemia,15.55％ for hyperuricemia and 23.65％ for cardiovascular disease.The control rates of fasting blood glucose,glycosylated hemoglobin,blood pressure and serum cholesterol were 57.71％,33.99％,14.22％ and 2.46％,respectively.The prevalence of kidney disease,diabetic nephropathy and non-diabetic renal disease was 41.31％,18.51％ and 13.44％,respectively; and 9.36％ were diagnosed as renal insufficiency of unknown reasons.Age,diabetic duration,hyperuricemia,diabetic retinopathy and poor control of blood pressure were independently associated with kidney disease;age and poor control of blood pressure were independently associated with diabetic nephropathy; age and hyperuricemia were independent risk factors of renal insufficiency in patients with diabetic nephropathy.Conclusions Although the diabetic duration of these subjects is relatively short,the prevalence of complications including diabetic nephropathy is high.The high prevalence of non-diabetic renal disease shows the importance of further screening and diagnoses for prevention.Strict control of blood glucose,blood pressure,serum cholesterol and serum uric acid are key points of cutting down the prevalence of diabetic nephropathy and chronic kidney disease.

Background::Ainuovirine (ANV) is a new generation of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 infection. This study aimed to evaluate the population pharmacokinetic (PopPK) profile and exposure-response relationship of ANV among people living with HIV.Methods::Plasma concentration-time data from phase 1 and phase 3 clinical trials of ANV were pooled for developing the PopPK model. Exposure estimates obtained from the final model were used in exposure-response analysis for virologic responses and safety responses.Results::ANV exhibited a nonlinear pharmacokinetic profile, which was best described by a two-compartment model with first-order elimination. There were no significant covariates correlated to the pharmacokinetic parameters of ANV. The PopPK parameter estimate (relative standard error [%]) for clearance adjusted for bioavailability (CL/F) was 6.46 (15.00) L/h, and the clearance of ANV increased after multiple doses. The exposure-response model revealed no significant correlation between the virologic response (HIV-RNA <50 copies/mL) at 48 weeks and the exposure, but the incidence of adverse events increased with the increasing exposure ( P value of steady-state trough concentration and area under the steady-state curve were 0.0177 and 0.0141, respectively). Conclusions::Our PopPK model supported ANV 150 mg once daily as the recommended dose for people living with HIV, requiring no dose adjustment for the studied factors. Optimization of ANV dose may be warranted in clinical practice due to an increasing trend in adverse reactions with increasing exposure.Trial registration::Chinese Clinical Trial Registry https://www.chictr.org.cn (Nos. ChiCTR1800018022 and ChiCTR1800019041).