Phthalate esters (PAEs)are by far the most widely used plasticisers and are categorized as high and low,depending on their molecular weight.Because of their extensive use,humans are most likely exposed to PAEs in the workplace and home environment through direct as well as indirect sources.Injection,inhalation,intravenous injection and skin absorption are potential pathways of expo-sure.With respect to health effects,phthalates are often classified as endocrine disruptors because of their ability to interfere with the endocrine syste m in the body.Furthermore,PAEs possess reproductive toxicity because of their influence on development of the reproductive system in infancy and development and differentiation of germ cells in adults.PAEs promote pathogenesis and development of liver cancer by activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)and DNA methylation.In addition, PAEs,which inhibit the i mmune functions of macrophages and pro mote hypersensitive response,pos-sess immunotoxicity.PAEs are also carcinogens that promote pathogenesis and development of cancers including breast,ovarian and so me other cancers.

Objective To investigate the role of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 1 (NOD1) in inducing insulin resistance in differentiated human adipocytes.Methods Human preadipocytes obtained via liposuction were induced to differentiate into mature adipocytes.iE-DAP,a specific ligand for NOD1,was administered to human adipocytes in culture.NF-κB transcriptional activity and proinflammatory cytokines production were determined by luciferase assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Glucose uptake in adipocytes was measured by 2-deoxy-D-[3 H] glucose uptake (P＜0.05).The expression of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase p85 (PI-3K p85),insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) and Akt phosphorylations were detected by Western blotting.Results NF-κB transcriptional activity and cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6,IL-8,and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 secretion were markedly increased after stimulation with iE-DAP (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Insulin-induced glucose uptake was decreased with the activation of NOD1 in a dose-and time-dependent fashion.NOD1 activation weakened insulin signal transduction as being revealed by increasing IRS-1 Ser307phosphorylation,reducing protein expression of PI-3K p85,and attenuating insulin-induced phosphorylation of Akt on Ser473 and Thr308in human adipocytes.Conclusion These results indicate that NOD1 activation induces inflammatory response and insulin resistance via IRS-1/PI3-K/Akt signaling pathway in human adipocytes.

Objective To observe the difference of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) between diabetic and non-diabetic patients with maintenance hemodialysis (MHD),and to explore whether it was associated with duration of hemodialysis.Methods A total of 120 patients with MHD were divided into diabetic group (40 cases) and non-diabetic group (80 cases) according to the primary disease.The blood samples from the patients before dialysis were selected to test the serum VEGF and plasma MPO and other indicators.The blood samples from April 2012 to March 2013 were labeled diabetic group 1(40 cases) and non-diabetic group 1 (80 cases).The blood samples from April 2013 to March 2014 were labeled diabetic group 2 (40 cases) and non-diabetic group 2 (80 cases).Results The serum VEGF and plasma MPO levels were (74.63 ± 47.43) ng/L,(300.63 ± 235.37) μ g/L in diabetic group 1,and (63.69 ± 43.23) ng/L,(275.35 ± 216.32) μ g/L in non-diabetic group 1,and there were significant differences between two groups (P ＜ 0.05).The serum VEGF and plasma MPO levels were (83.32 ± 40.38) ng/L,(414.12 ±265.52) μg/L in diabetic group 2,and (70.89 ±39.74) rig/L,(289.45 ±202.85) μg/L in non-diabetic group 2,and there were significant differences between two groups (P ＜ 0.05).The correlation analysis showed that VEGF was positively correlated with MPO in diabetic group 1 and diabetic group 2 (r =0.632 and 0.763,P ＜ 0.05),and VEGF was positively correlated with MPO in non-diabetic group 1 and non-diabetic group 2 (r =0.610 and 0.713,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Compared with those in non-diabetic MHD patients,VEGF and MPO levels are significandy higher in diabetic MHD patients.In non-diabetic MHD patients and diabetic MHD patients,VEGF and MPO levels will rise gradually with duration of hemodialysis.The expressions of VEGF and MPO are associated with each other.

Objective To investigate the application of Critical Care Chest Ultrasonic Examination (CCUE)-plus (CCUE-plus) in the etiological diagnosis in patieuts with dyspnea and/or hemodynamic instability caused by abdominal abnormalities.Methods Patients who suffered from dyspnea and/or hemodynamic instability in the Department of Critical Care Medicine,Xiangya Hospital,Central South University from September 2013 to September 2016 were recruited in this study.A total of 255 consecutive patients completed CCUE within 2hrs of admission.If the diaphragm could not be seen in the routine phrenic points according to Bedside Lung Ultrasound Evaluation (BLUE) protocol,it would be found along midaxillary line and defined m-point.The 59 patients with altered diaphragmatic position (m-point was more than 2 cm higher than phrenic point) received sequential abdominal ultrasonography.The latter ultrasonographic findings were compared with CT results.Results There were 42 (71.19％) cases with positive findings of abdominal ultrasonography,including 18 cases of seroperitoneum,16 cases of intestinal obstruction and 8 cases combined.Compared with 56 patients who applied with CT exam,the abdominal ultrasonography revealed a sensitivity of 76.7％ and a specificity of 100.0％ to diagnose seroperitoneum (AUCRoc 0.917);whereas the sensitivity was 75.0％ and the specificity was 90.9％ (AUCRoc 0.778) to diagnose intestinal obstruction.Moreover,there were 44 (74.58％) patients with normal left ventricular systolic function;more than three quarters (46/59,77.97％) patients had pulmonary consolidation.Conclusion In patients with dyspnea and/or hemodynamic instability caused by abdominal abnormalities and altered diaphragmatic position in BLUE protocol,CCUE-plus protocol has a high positive predictive value of more than 90％ in abdominal abnormality.The findings of abdominal ultrasonography may change therapeutic target from cardio-pulmonary optimization to relief of intestinal obstruction or drainage of seroperitoneum.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the characteristics in the incarcerated inmate's death, investigate the main cause of death of the incarcerated inmate and provide some information for forensic investigation. METHODS: The cases from the forensic medical center of Shanxi Medical University from 2005 to 2013 were selected. The statistical analysis was performed by using the incarcerated inmate's gender, age, cause of death, manner of death, and disease as the markers. RESULTS: There were 100 men, 5 women in the 105 incarcerated inmates; the age range was from 16 to 65 years; Inmates were mostly died of natural diseases, mainly in the respiratory and cardiovascular diseases; the main unnatural death was suicide with a rate of 54.5%. CONCLUSION At present, most incarcerated inmate's death are due to natural diseases. The prison should improve incarcerated inmate's lives, work and health care conditions, and strengthen supervision of law enforcement.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Cardiovascular Diseases/mortality* ; Cause of Death ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prisoners/statistics & numerical data* ; Prisons ; Respiratory Tract Diseases/mortality* ; Suicide ; Young Adult

Antineoplastic Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Injections, Intralesional ; Interferon-alpha ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Recombinant Proteins ; Treatment Outcome

AIM: To study the role of high level of endogenous nitric oxide (NO) in apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells in the development of pulmonary fibrosis in rats. METHODS: The content of nitrite/nitrate (NO 2-/NO 3-) in out-flowing pulmonary blood (OPB) was assayed by nitric acid reduction method. The apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells was observed by TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) and electron microscopy, respectively. The above indices were observed on the day 14 and the day 30 after intratracheal administration of BLMA 5 alone or along with blockade of iNOS by aminoguanidine (AG) in rats. RESULTS: (1) Both the content of NO 2-/NO 3- in OPB and the number of apoptotic alveolar epithelial cells in lung were increased in BLMA 5 14 d group, compared with normal control group and BLMA 5 30 d group, respectively (P

Objective To evaluate the feasibility of reconstructing horizontal periodontal bone defects by tissue engineering based on bone marrow stromal cells(BMSCs)as seed cells and enamel matrix proteins(EMPs)as growth factors. Methods Two healthy rhesus monkeys were selected, and BMSCs were isolated from iliac marrow and serial subcultivation was conducted. The cells of induced BMSCs at passage 3 were harvested and mixed with Bio-oss collagen. The models of horizontal periodontal bone defects were established surgically in each buccal side of the posterior teeth, and were divided into four groups (blank control group, material group, cells/material group and cells/material/EMPs group). The histological and Micro-CT observation were carried out 8 weeks later. Results In the blank control group, the defects were filled with fibrous connective tissue. There was newly-formed alveolar bone in the material group. In the cells/material group, periodontal regeneration could be observed, while the newly-formed cementum was irregular and less in quantity. In the cells/material/EMPs group, the amount of newly-formed alveolar bone was larger, and the newly-formed cementum was continuous and regular. Conclusion The tissue engineering technique of BMSCs as seed cells in combination with EMPs induction can significantly promote the regeneration of periodontal tissue.

Adenocarcinoma ; pathology ; Adenocarcinoma, Papillary ; pathology ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; pathology ; Duodenal Neoplasms ; pathology ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms ; pathology ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; Male ; Neoplasms, Multiple Primary ; pathology ; Sarcoma ; pathology ; Stomach Neoplasms ; pathology

Adenocarcinoma ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; metabolism ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Keratin-20 ; metabolism ; Male ; Microfilament Proteins ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; metabolism ; Thymus Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed