Mercury exists naturally and as a man-made contaminant. The release of processed mercury can lead to a progressive increase in the amount of atmospheric mercury, which enters the atmospheric-soil-water distribution cycles where it can remain in circulation for years. Mercury poisoning is the result of exposure to mercury or mercury compounds resulting in various toxic effects depend on its chemical form and route of exposure. The major route of human exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) is largely through eating contaminated fish, seafood, and wildlife which have been exposed to mercury through ingestion of contaminated lower organisms. MeHg toxicity is associated with nervous system damage in adults and impaired neurological development in infants and children. Ingested mercury may undergo bioaccumulation leading to progressive increases in body burdens. This review addresses the systemic pathophysiology of individual organ systems associated with mercury poisoning. Mercury has profound cellular, cardiovascular, hematological, pulmonary, renal, immunological, neurological, endocrine, reproductive, and embryonic toxicological effects.
Body Burden ; *Environmental Exposure ; Environmental Pollutants/*toxicity ; Humans ; Methylmercury Compounds/*toxicity ; Nervous System/*drug effects ; Seafood/analysis

OBJECTIV E To study composition an d content changes of volatile components during the bleaching process of Atractylodis macrocephala with the water of washing rice. METHODS The raw products of A. macrocephala and bleached products of 5 different bleaching stages were prepared （in the first and second stages ，raw products were bleached with 9-fold volumn of the water of washing rice for 12 h and 24 h，respectively；in the third ，fourth and fifth stages ，the raw products were firstly bleached with 9-fold volumn of the water of washing rice for 24 h，and then bleached with 9-fold volumn of clean water for 12，24 and 48 h，respectively）；the bleaching temperature was set at 26 ℃. The volatile components of raw products of A. macrocephala and its bleached products of 5 different bleaching stages were qualitatively analyzed by using headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The relative percentage of each component was calculated by peak area normalization method. RESULTS A total of 49 volatile components were identified from raw products of A. macrocephala and its bleached products of 5 different bleaching stages，including 20 common volatile components such as terpinolene ，cyperene and atractylon ，etc. Among them ，33，31，28， 30，28 and 29 volatile components were identified from the raw products of A. macrocephala and the bleached products of the first to fifth stages ，the relative percentages of which were 66.218％ ，64.711％ ，79.410％ ，65.419％ ，67.101％ ，66.818％ ， respectively；among them ，the relative percentage of atractylon in bleached products was the highest in the fourth stage （41.206％），but was the lowest in the third stage （35.926％）. Compared with the raw product ，16 volatile components such as pethylbrene and β-vetivenen were added in the bleaching process ，while 8 volatile components such as ethyl palmitate and β-maaliene were not detected. However ，5 volatile components including 11-rotundene and （－）-valeranone in the bleaching process showed a trend of disappearance-emergence and disappearance-emergence-disappearance. CONCLUSIONS In the third stage，the total relative percentage of each volatile component and the relative percentage of representative dry component as ， atractylone are the lowest in bleached products of A. ； macrocephala，i.e. the bleaching technology of relieving the dry property of A. macrocephala e with the water of washing rice is bleaching with 9-fold volumn of the water of washing rice for 24 h，and then bleaching with 9-fold volumn of clean water for 12 h.

Background: and Purpose Multiphase computed tomographic angiography (mCTA) provides time variant images of pial vasculature supplying brain in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). To develop a machine learning (ML) technique to predict tissue perfusion and infarction from mCTA source images. Methods: 284 patients with AIS were included from the Precise and Rapid assessment of collaterals using multi-phase CTA in the triage of patients with acute ischemic stroke for Intra-artery Therapy (Prove-IT) study. All patients had non-contrast computed tomography, mCTA, and computed tomographic perfusion (CTP) at baseline and follow-up magnetic resonance imagingon-contrast-enhanced computed tomography. Of the 284 patient images, 140 patient images were randomly selected to train and validate three ML models to predict a pre-defined Tmax thresholded perfusion abnormality, core and penumbra on CTP. The remaining 144 patient images were used to test the ML models. The predicted perfusion, core and penumbra lesions from ML models were compared to CTP perfusion lesion and to follow-up infarct using Bland-Altman plots, concordance correlation coefficient (CCC), intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), and Dice similarity coefficient. Results: Mean difference between the mCTA predicted perfusion volume and CTP perfusion volume was 4.6 mL (limit of agreement [LoA], –53 to 62.1 mL; P=0.56; CCC 0.63 [95% confidence interval [CI], 0.53 to 0.71; P<0.01], ICC 0.68 [95% CI, 0.58 to 0.78; P<0.001]). Mean difference between the mCTA predicted infarct and follow-up infarct in the 100 patients with acute reperfusion (modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction [mTICI] 2b/2c/3) was 21.7 mL, while it was 3.4 mL in the 44 patients not achieving reperfusion (mTICI 0/1). Amongst reperfused subjects, CCC was 0.4 (95% CI, 0.15 to 0.55; P<0.01) and ICC was 0.42 (95% CI, 0.18 to 0.50; P<0.01); in non-reperfused subjects CCC was 0.52 (95% CI, 0.20 to 0.60; P<0.001) and ICC was 0.60 (95% CI, 0.37 to 0.76; P<0.001). No difference was observed between the mCTA and CTP predicted infarct volume in the test cohort (P=0.67). Conclusions A ML based mCTA model is able to predict brain tissue perfusion abnormality and follow-up infarction, comparable to CTP.

BACKGROUND. Sensorineural hearing impairment (SNHI) is the most common inherited sensory defect, affecting about 3 per 1000 children. More than 50% of these patients have a genetic cause (i.e. hereditary hearing impairment; HHI). Mutations in certain genes were noted to be extraordinarily popular in the deaf patients across different populations, making molecular screening feasible for these common deafness genes. One of the most important characteristics that we have learned concerning hereditary hearing loss is that common deafness genes and their mutations are usually different according to the ethnic background. As demonstrated in our previous studies performed in Taiwanese patients, the mutation spectrums of common deafness genes, such as the GJB2 gene and the SLC26A4 gene, are different from those in the Caucasian or even other Asian populations. These findings further underscore the indispensability of the collection of local data in terms of genetic counseling. In the collaborative project, we have successfully established a cohort of >100 hearing-impaired families, and clarified the genetic epidemiology of deafness in the Mongolian population. We identified several special deafness mutations such as GJB2 c.23+1G>A, c.559_604dup, and SLC26A4 c.919-2A>G, and our results revealed that Mongolian patients demonstrate a unique genetic profile in deafness as compared to other East Asian populations (paper in preparation). Meanwhile, by organizing a seminar at National Taiwan University Hospital in March 2017, we have transferred crucial concepts and techniques regarding how to perform genetic testing for deafness to the Mongolian colleagues. In the future, we plan to strengthen the mutual collaboration by expanding the clinical cohort and upgrading the genetic examination platform using the NGS techniques.

Background: and Purpose Multiphase computed tomographic angiography (mCTA) provides time variant images of pial vasculature supplying brain in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). To develop a machine learning (ML) technique to predict tissue perfusion and infarction from mCTA source images. Methods: 284 patients with AIS were included from the Precise and Rapid assessment of collaterals using multi-phase CTA in the triage of patients with acute ischemic stroke for Intra-artery Therapy (Prove-IT) study. All patients had non-contrast computed tomography, mCTA, and computed tomographic perfusion (CTP) at baseline and follow-up magnetic resonance imagingon-contrast-enhanced computed tomography. Of the 284 patient images, 140 patient images were randomly selected to train and validate three ML models to predict a pre-defined Tmax thresholded perfusion abnormality, core and penumbra on CTP. The remaining 144 patient images were used to test the ML models. The predicted perfusion, core and penumbra lesions from ML models were compared to CTP perfusion lesion and to follow-up infarct using Bland-Altman plots, concordance correlation coefficient (CCC), intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), and Dice similarity coefficient. Results: Mean difference between the mCTA predicted perfusion volume and CTP perfusion volume was 4.6 mL (limit of agreement [LoA], –53 to 62.1 mL; P=0.56; CCC 0.63 [95% confidence interval [CI], 0.53 to 0.71; P<0.01], ICC 0.68 [95% CI, 0.58 to 0.78; P<0.001]). Mean difference between the mCTA predicted infarct and follow-up infarct in the 100 patients with acute reperfusion (modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction [mTICI] 2b/2c/3) was 21.7 mL, while it was 3.4 mL in the 44 patients not achieving reperfusion (mTICI 0/1). Amongst reperfused subjects, CCC was 0.4 (95% CI, 0.15 to 0.55; P<0.01) and ICC was 0.42 (95% CI, 0.18 to 0.50; P<0.01); in non-reperfused subjects CCC was 0.52 (95% CI, 0.20 to 0.60; P<0.001) and ICC was 0.60 (95% CI, 0.37 to 0.76; P<0.001). No difference was observed between the mCTA and CTP predicted infarct volume in the test cohort (P=0.67). Conclusions A ML based mCTA model is able to predict brain tissue perfusion abnormality and follow-up infarction, comparable to CTP.

Objective: To estimate the health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE) of adults in Zhejiang province and evaluate the health status of the adults. Methods: This study was based on the mortality data collected from Zhejiang Chronic Disease Surveillance Information and Management System, and mortality rates from the underreporting survey and self-reported health data in 2016. Hierarchical Ordered Probit (HOPIT) model was used to estimate the severity-weighted prevalence of disability. Sullivan's method was used to calculate the HALE. Results: After adjustment by HOPIT model, the severity-weighted prevalence of disability increased significantly with age (χ(2)=5 795.81,P<0.001), and it was higher in females than in males (χ(2)=5 353.27, P<0.001). The life expectancy and self-evaluated HALE were 59.08 years and 48.68 years, respectively, in those aged ≥20 years, the difference was 10.40 years due to disability. The proportion of HALE loss due to disability in the total life expectancy was 17.61%, and it increased with age. HALE was higher in males than in females (49.21 years vs. 48.14 years), and in urban residents than in rural residents (49.92 years vs. 47.43 years). Conclusion: The proportion of loss of HALE in the total life expectancy in adults was high in Zhejiang, and it higher in males than in females, in urban residents than rural residents. Programs on improving health care in women and rural residents should be promoted.
Adult ; China/epidemiology* ; Chronic Disease/epidemiology* ; Disabled Persons/statistics & numerical data* ; Female ; Health Status ; Humans ; Life Expectancy/ethnology* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Sex Distribution

Objective: To analyze the characteristics of super-antigen (SAg) of group A Streptococcus pyogenes (GAS), isolated from patients with scarlet fever or pharyngeal infections in Beijing between 2015-2017. Methods: Throat swab specimens from patients with scarlet fever or pharyngeal infections were collected and tested for GAS. Eleven currently known SAg genes including SpeA, speC, speG, speH, speI, speJ, speK, speL, speM, smeZ and ssa were tested by real-time PCR while M protein genes (emm genes) were amplified and sequenced by PCR. Results: A total of 377 GAS were isolated from 6 801 throat swab specimens, with the positive rate as 5.5%. There were obvious changes noticed among speC, speG, speH and speK in three years. A total of 45 SAg genes profiles were observed, according to the SAgs inclusion. There were significant differences appeared in the frequencies among two of the highest SAg genes profiles between emm1 and emm12 strains (χ(2)=38.196, P<0.001; χ(2)=72.310, P<0.001). There also appeared significant differences in the frequencies of speA, speH, speI and speJ between emm1 and emm12 strains (χ(2)=146.154, P<0.001; χ(2)=52.31, P<0.001; χ(2)=58.43, P<0.001; χ(2)=144.70, P<0.001). Conclusions: Obvious changes were noticed among SAg genes including speC, speG, speH and speK from patients with scarlet fever or pharyngeal infections in Beijing between 2015-2017. SAg genes including speA, speH, speI and speJ appeared to be associated with the emm 1 and emm 12 strains. More kinds of SAg genes profiles were isolated form GAS but with no significant differences seen in the main SAg genes profiles, during the epidemic period.
Antigens, Bacterial/genetics* ; Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins ; Bacterial Proteins ; Beijing/epidemiology* ; China/epidemiology* ; Exotoxins ; Female ; Humans ; Membrane Proteins ; Pharyngitis/microbiology* ; Pharynx/microbiology* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/microbiology* ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Scarlet Fever/microbiology* ; Streptococcal Infections ; Streptococcus pyogenes/isolation & purification* ; Superantigens/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: Angioplasty and Stenting of intracranial atherosclerotic lesions have a higher complication rate and a large proportion of this is attributable to side branch arterial occlusion from forceful displacement of the atheroma into the ostia or snowplowing effect. This can result in severe disabilities when it result in small infarcts involving eloquent areas in the posterior circulation or the motor tracts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We present a series of 6 cases utilizing a new dual catheter technique for maintaining the patency of at-risk vessels during angioplasty and stenting. There are several methods previously described to help reduce the incidence of stroke but because they do not have a physical presence in the ostia to protect it, they are unable to guarantee the patency of the vessel. RESULTS: All 6 patients underwent angioplasty and stenting with the technique. The patients were assessed for complications with post-procedure magnetic resonance imaging and no complications were found. CONCLUSION: In this preliminary series, the dual catheter technique appears to safe and effective in preventing occlusion of the adjacent branch arteries. This technique may facilitate the use of the Wingspan stent in the treatment of intracranial atherosclerotic stenotic segments by reducing the risk of peri-procedural stroke.
Angioplasty* ; Arteries ; Catheters* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; Stents* ; Stroke

In the application of therapeutic antibodies, large molecular weight of antibodies is always a problem that prevents them from penetrating into tissues or binding to antigenic determinants. To overcome this problem, we investigated the function of the heavy chain variable domain of a monoclonal anti-VEGF human IgM antibody derived from the Five-Feature Translocus Mice. We cloned the cDNA of the heavy chain variable domain, which was then inserted into pET28a vector and expressed in Escherichia coli. After purification and renaturation of the denatured recombinant protein, we obtained a 16 kDa antibody fragment, which is named as rhVVH. By immunoassaying its VEGF-binding capability in vitro, we proved that rhVVH retains this activity as the complete IgM. Importantly, rhVVH is shown to inhibit the HUVEC cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. Our results indicate that the single heavy chain variable domain might inherit part of the biological function of the complete IgM antibody, which provided a valuable potential in further research on antibody miniaturisation.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Base Sequence ; Cloning, Molecular ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Immunoglobulin Variable Region ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Mice ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Single-Chain Antibodies ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; genetics ; metabolism

No abstract available.
Breast* ; Female ; Free Tissue Flaps* ; Mammaplasty* ; Veins*