BACKGROUND: Recent studies have provided compelling evidence that exposure to brominated flame retardants (BFRs) can adversely affect human health. We aim to explore the potential impact of BFRs on adiposity and central obesity. METHODS: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) cycles conducted between 2009 and 2014 was used to study the connections between variables. After filtering, we analyzed a sample of 4,110 adults aged 20 years and above. Our goal was to examine the potential association between BFRs and consequences and investigate the part played by oxidative stress and inflammatory markers as intermediaries. To achieve this, we used advanced statistical methods such as weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression, quantile-based g-computation (QGC), and the Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR). RESULTS: The findings showed that among the examined chemicals, exposure to PBDE85 (weight: 41%), PBDE100 (24%), and PBB153 (23%) may be the dominant contributors to general obesity risk. Upon controlling for all variables that could impact the results, it was found that the QGC outcomes indicated a positive correlation between exposure to mixtures of brominated flame retardants and the occurrence of abdominal obesity (OR = 1.187, 95% CI: 1.056-1.334, p = 0.004). Significant contributions were made by PBDE85 (52%), PBB153 (27%), and PBDE100 (21%). Mediation analysis shows that lymphatic cells (LC) and albumin (ALB) partially mediate the link between brominated flame retardants and obesity. The results of BKMR are generally consistent with those of WQS and QGC. CONCLUSION At a population level, our research has revealed a noteworthy correlation between BFRs and obesity. However, further investigation is required through prospective cohort studies and in-depth mechanistic exploratory studies.
Humans ; Flame Retardants/adverse effects* ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Adult ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Inflammation/epidemiology* ; Obesity/chemically induced* ; Biomarkers/blood* ; Nutrition Surveys ; Mediation Analysis ; Young Adult ; United States/epidemiology* ; Environmental Exposure/adverse effects* ; Aged ; Environmental Pollutants/adverse effects* ; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers/adverse effects*

Needle-free injection technology (NFIT) refers to the drug delivery systems in which drugs are propelled as high-speed jet streams using any of the pressure source to penetrate the skin to the required depth. NFIT is a promising drug delivery system as it enables the injection of liquids, powders, and depot/projectiles, and has the advantages of preventing needle stick accidents, improving drug bioavailability, eliminating needle-phobia, increasing vaccine immunity, simplifying operations and is convenient for patients to use. NFIT and its research background, the structure and classification of needle-free jet injectors (NFJI), drugs that can be delivered using NFJI and the factors affecting the injection effect are comprehensively reviewed in this paper. The limitations and potential development directions are summarized to provide a theoretical basis for the application and development of NFIT.

Objective To evaluate the acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)(AECOPD)status via combining clinical data,lung function parameters with CT radiomic features based on machine learning method.Methods A total of 343 COPD patients,including 158 AECOPD patients and 185 non-AECOPD patients were retrospectively selected and randomly divided into training and testing sets at a ratio of 7∶3.The radiomics features were calculated after automatically delineating the whole lung volume of interest(VOI).Five machine learning methods were used to construct the AECOPD diagnostic model,then the corresponding Radiomics score(Rad-score)was calculated in the training set and was validated in the testing set.The logistic-combined model was established after integrating age,Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease(GOLD)classification,vital capacity(VC),forced vital capacity(FVC),forced expiratory volume in one second(FEV1),FEV1％pred,FEV1/FVC％,peak expiratory flow(PEF),maximum ventilatory volume(MVV),and Rad-score value.The area under the curve(AUC)of receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was calculated to evaluate the evaluated performance of all models.Results The logistic regression model had the best diagnostic performance,with AUC of 0.724 and 0.758 in the training and testing sets,respectively.The performance of the logistic-combined model to diagnose AECOPD was superior to that of the single logistic regression model,with the AUC of 0.777 and 0.760 in the training and testing sets,respectively.Conclusion A combination strategy including clinical data,lung function parameters,and CT radiomics may be helpful to diagnose AECOPD status,with moderate diagnostic performance.

OBJECTIVE：To investigate the correlat ion betwe en N-methyl-D-aspartate（NMDA）receptor subunit gene GRIN2B polymorphism and Han population with epilepsy in south Fujian. METHODS ：In retrospective study ，167 healthy people who had physical examination in the Affiliated Dongnan Hospital of Xiamen University were selected from Jan. 2017 to May 2018 as control group；163 epileptic patients who were monitored the blood concentration of sodium valproate were selected as epilepsy group. The clinical data and peripheral blood of 2 groups were collected. 12 loci of GRIN2B genotype（rs11055514，rs11055515，rs12814951， rs74816802，rs2160517，rs2193149，rs966664，rs1805476，rs1806201，rs1805522，rs3764030，rs1019385） in subjects were genotyped. Haploview 4.2 software was used to perform linkage disequilibrium （LD）analysis，and Pearson correlation was used to analyze haplotype. Distribution differences of wild homozygote （AA），mutant heterozygote （Aa）and mutant homozygote （aa） genotypes at 12 loci of GRIN2B gene between 2 groups were analyzed statistically by using GENO ，TREND，DOM and REC. Logistic regression model was used to analyze the correlation of epilepsy induction among 12 loci of GRIN2B gene. RESULTS ： Totally 12 loci of GRIN2B gene were all in line with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in 2 groups（P＞0.05）. There was an obvious LD phenomenon between the block 1 composed of rs 11055514，rs11055515，rs12814951，rs74816802，rs2160517，rs2193149 and rs966664 and the block 2 composed of rs 3764030 and rs 1019385（D’＞0.9，r2＞1/3）. There was a correlation between CGGACAG monoploid in block 1 and the occurrence of epilepsy （P＜0.05）. There was statistical significance in the distribution difference of rs74816802 and rs 2193149 between 2 groups（P＜0.05）. The mutation of rs 2193149 locus may cause epilepsy （addition and effect of alleles ：OR＝1.529，L95＝1.017，P＝0.041）. CONCLUSIONS ：The mutation of GRIN2B gene rs 2193149 locus may be one of the risk factors of epilepsy in Han population from south Fujian.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of acute blood loss on postoperative cognitive function of aged spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs).

METHODSForty aged male SHRs were randomized into sham hemorrhage group (group A, n=13), 20% hemorrhage group (group B, n=13) and 40% hemorrhage group (group C, n=14). The rats were subjected to acute loss from the femoral artery and subsequent fluid replacement with lactated Ringer's Solution (3 folds of the blood loss volume). All the rats underwent Morris water maze test to assess the visuospatial memory and learning ability, and were then decapitated to observe the pathological changes of the hippocampus.

RESULTSThe latency of reference memory in group C was significantly prolonged after the operation (P=0.002), but the working memory and learning capacity showed no significant differences between the 3 groups. Immunochemistry did not reveal significant differences in p-CREB expressions in the hippocampal CA1 region among the groups, but volume reduction of some neurons was noted in the CA1 region in group C.

CONCLUSIONVarying degrees of acute hemorrhage can result in different effect on postoperative cognition in aged SHR. Acute hemodilutional anemia to 40% of baseline can cause reference memory impairment with cell volume reduction of the neurons in the hippocampal CA1 region but does not affect the working memory and learning capacity or p-CREB expression.

Animals ; CA1 Region, Hippocampal ; cytology ; metabolism ; Cognition ; Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein ; metabolism ; Hemorrhage ; physiopathology ; Male ; Maze Learning ; Memory ; Neurons ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR

OBJECTIVETo explore risk factors of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in men in order to provide a theoretical basis for developing more effective NAFLD prevention and control strategies.

METHODSOne-hundred-and-two male patients (37.3+/-11.4 years old) hospitalized with NAFLD at the Dongnan Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University between January 2009 and December 2010 were enrolled in the study, along with 23 age-matched healthy men (34.4+/-16.7 years old) to serve as the control group. The correlation(s) of body mass index (BMI; overweight defined as more than or equal to 22.717 kg/m2), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR; central obesity defined as more than or equal to 0.866), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), triglyceride (TG), and total cholesterol (TC) with NAFLD was analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to select proper thresholds for classification.

RESULTSBMI, WC, WHR, FPG, TG, and TC were significantly different between the cases and controls (P less than 0.01). BMI, WC, WHR, TG and TC were identified as risk factors of NAFLD in these male cases (P less than 0.01). Relative to WC, TG and TC, both BMI and WHR had significant predictive value for NAFLD (odds ratio (OR) = 10.819 and 10.588, respectively). In addition, BMI had the highest diagnostic value for the prediction of NAFLD (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.931) followed by WHR (AUC = 0.879).

CONCLUSIONBMI, WC, WHR, TG, and TC are risk factors of NAFLD in Chinese men. BMI and WHR are effective anthroposomatology indices of NAFLD and may be useful factors on which to base future prevention and early diagnosis strategies for NAFLD in males.

Body Mass Index ; Humans ; Male ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease ; Risk Factors ; Waist Circumference ; Waist-Hip Ratio

Adult ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Liver Diseases ; pathology ; Male ; Sarcoidosis ; pathology