Endophthalmitis ; etiology ; Humans ; Metals ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects

Aged ; Humans ; Male ; Metals ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; adverse effects ; Stents ; adverse effects ; Thrombosis ; diagnosis ; Time Factors

Humans ; Metals ; Microwaves ; adverse effects ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; analysis ; Workplace

One of the causes of the high cost of pharmaceuticals and the major obstacles to rapidly assessing the bioavailability and risk of a chemical is the lack of experimental model systems. A new pre-treatment technology, in vitro bionic digestion was designed for metal analysis in Lianhua Qingwen capsule. The capsule was digested on 37 degrees C under the acidity of the stomach or intestine, and with the inorganic and organic compounds (including digestive enzymes) found in the stomach or intestine, and then the chyme was obtained. Being similar to the biomembrane between the gastrointestinal tract and blood vessels, monolayer liposome was used as biomembrane model Affinity-monolayer liposome metals (AMLMs) and water-soluble metals were used for metal speciation analysis in the capsule. Based on the concentration of AMLMs, the main absorption site of trace metals was proposed. The metal total contents or the concentration of AMLMs in the capsule were compared to the nutritional requirements, daily permissible dose and heavy metal total contents from the "import and export of medicinal plants and preparation of green industry state standards". The metal concentrations in the capsule were within the safety baseline levels for human consumption. After in vitro bionic digestion, most of trace metals were absorbed mainly in intestine. The concentration of As, Cd, Pb was 0.38, 0.07, 1.60 mg x kg(-1), respectively, far less than the permissible dose from the "import and export of medicinal plants and preparation of green industry state standards".
Biological Availability ; Capsules ; adverse effects ; pharmacokinetics ; Digestion ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; pharmacokinetics ; Humans ; Metals, Heavy ; adverse effects ; pharmacokinetics ; Models, Biological ; Stomach ; metabolism ; Trace Elements ; adverse effects ; pharmacokinetics

Air Pollutants ; Dust ; analysis ; Humans ; Lung ; Metals ; adverse effects ; Pneumoconiosis ; Research

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a kind of neurodegenerative diseases, the most common cause of dementia. Although AD has been studied more than, 100 years and the Aβ and tau theory are most widely accepted among the theories achieved, yet it is not really clear what the mechanism related to AD works up to now. However, it is certain that AD is a kind of diseases resulting from multi-causes. Except for causes correlated with heredity, aging and life habits, environmental role is worth taking into consideration as well. Some metals, such as copper, aluminum, zinc and iron et al, can also have close relationship with AD. Now, we make an overview on the correlative researches in the field.
Aluminum ; Alzheimer Disease ; pathology ; Copper ; Humans ; Iron ; Metals ; adverse effects ; Zinc

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of rare earth exposure on human telomerase and apoptosis of human peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMNs).

METHODSRare earth mine lot in Xunwu county, the biggest ion absorptive rare earth mine lot of China, was selected as the study site. Another village of Xunwu county, with comparable geological structure and social environment was selected as the control site. Thirty healthy adults were randomly selected from the study site as exposure group and another 30 healthy adults randomly selected from the control site as control group. The blood content of 15 rare earth elements, including La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu and Y, were determined by inductive coupled plasma-source mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The total contents of rare earth elements in the blood were calculated. The TRAP and FCM assays were carried out to analyse the telomerase and apoptosis of human PBMNCs respectively.

RESULTSIn the exposure group, the concentration of La, Ce, Dy and Y were significantly higher (P<0.001), and Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd and Yb were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The total content of rare earth in the blood of exposure group showed significant difference compared with control group (P<0.001). Telomerase activity in PBMNs of the exposure group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05); there were 11 adults in the exposure group (30 adults) and 5 adults in control group (30 adults) showed positive telomerase activity. The average age of the exposure group was (38.69 +/- 8.02) years-old, while the control group was (40.45 +/- 9.02) years-old (P >0.05). It was found that there was a significant relationship between telomerase activity and the total content of rare earth elements (P <0.01). 3. The proportion of apoptosis was not different between the two groups (P >0.05), but the cells in the S-phase and G2-M phase were increased (P <0.01) in the exposed group.

CONCLUSIONThe telomerase activity of PBMNs in the rare earth elements exposed group was higher than that of the control group, and there is no effect on apoptotic rate of PBMNs, but may promote the diploid DNA replication, and increase the percentage of G2/M and S phase cells.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Environmental Exposure ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; cytology ; enzymology ; Male ; Metals, Rare Earth ; adverse effects ; analysis ; Telomerase ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical features and prognosis of gastrointestinal injury caused by foreign bodies in the upper gastrointestinal tract in children.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 217 children who were diagnosed with foreign bodies in the upper gastrointestinal tract complicated by gastrointestinal injury by gastroscopy from January 2011 to December 2016, including clinical features, gastroscopic findings, complications, and prognosis.

RESULTSAmong the 217 children, 114 (52.5%) were aged 1-3 years. The most common foreign body was coin (99/217, 45.6%), followed by hard/sharp-edged food (45/217, 20.7%) and metal (35/217, 16.1%). The most common gastrointestinal mucosal injury was ulceration (43.8%), followed by erosion (33.2%). Compared with other foreign bodies, button cells were significantly more likely to cause esophageal perforation (P<0.01). The esophagus was the most commonly injured organ (207/217, 95.4%). Of all the 217 children, 24 (11.1%) experienced infection. The children with perforation caused by foreign bodies had a significantly higher incidence rate of infection than those with ulceration caused by foreign bodies (P=0.003). Of all the 217 children, 204 (94.0%) underwent successful endoscopic removal of foreign bodies. Among these children, 98 were hospitalized due to severe mucosal injury and were given anti-infective therapy, antacids, and supportive care including enteral nutrition through a nasogastric tube and/or parenteral nutrition. Of all the children, 10 left the hospital and were lost to follow-up, and all the other children were improved and discharged.

CONCLUSIONSMost cases of foreign bodies in the upper gastrointestinal tract occur at 1-3 years of age. Coin, hard/sharp-edged food, and metal are the most common foreign bodies. Button cells are more likely to cause esophageal perforation. The incidence rate of secondary infection increases with the increasing severity of gastrointestinal mucosal injury. Children undergoing endoscopic removal of foreign bodies and enteral nutrition through a nasogastric tube tend to have a good prognosis.

Female ; Food ; adverse effects ; Foreign Bodies ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Metals ; adverse effects ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Upper Gastrointestinal Tract ; injuries

Metal biomaterials must be biocompatible; especially, when they contact directly with blood, they must be haemocompatible. Now, stainless steel, tantalum and nickel-titanium shape memory metal alloy are normally made into intravascular stands that are used to stretch blood vascular and resume blood circulation. Intravascular stand's haemocompatibility is very important because it directly influences the occurrence of thrombogenesis in blood system. This paper briefly reviews the metal intravascular stand's surface property, interface reaction with blood, structure design and the research of haemocompatibility.
Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; adverse effects ; Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; Humans ; Metals ; chemistry ; Nickel ; chemistry ; Stainless Steel ; chemistry ; Stents ; adverse effects ; Surface Properties ; Titanium ; chemistry

Based on GB/T16886.4-2003 Standard, the coagulation effects of 5 cardiovascular system external communicating devices made consist of metal and polymer were assessed using the partial thromboplastin time (PTT) and Lee-White coagulation time (CT) tests. The results indicate that PTT test is a stable and valuble method for evaluating the coagulating pathway disturbance of the devices. In line with GB/T 16886.4-2003 Standard, PTT test is a recommendable method for evaluating the external communicating devices Based on GB/T14233.2-2005 Standard, CT test is a method more liable to variation, compared with PTT test. This is due to the complex relativity in the test itself, due to all the factors of coagulating cascade, and due to the individual difference of animal. The question of how to select proper negative control for coagulation evaluation of the Cardiovascular System External Communicating Devices in clinical setting for CT test should be addressed and studied.
Blood Coagulation ; Blood Coagulation Tests ; Cardiology ; instrumentation ; Equipment Safety ; Humans ; Metals ; adverse effects ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Polymers ; adverse effects ; Preoperative Care