Objective: To investigate the role of inflammatory biomarkers in the relationship between blood lead levels and blood pressure changes. Methods: A total of 9 910 people aged 18-79 years who participated in the China National Human Biomonitoring in 2017-2018 were included in this study. A self-made questionnaire was used to collect demographic characteristics, lifestyle and other information, and the data including height, weight and blood pressure were determined through physical examination. Blood and urinary samples were collected for the detection of blood lead and cadmium levels, urinary arsenic levels, white blood cells, neutrophils, lymphocytes, and hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). Weighted linear regression models were used to evaluate the associations between blood lead, inflammatory biomarkers and blood pressure. Mediation analysis was performed to investigate the role of inflammation in the relationship between blood lead levels and blood pressure changes. Results: The median (Q₁, Q₃) age of all participants was 45.4 (33.8, 58.4)years, including 4 984 males accounting for 50.3%. Multivariate logistic regression model analysis showed that after adjusting for age, gender, residence area, BMI, education level, smoking and drinking status, family history of hypertension, consumption frequency of rice, vegetables, and red meat, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, blood cadmium and urinary arsenic levels, there was a positive association between blood lead levels, inflammatory biomarkers and blood pressure (P<0.05). Each 2.71 μg/L (log-transformed) increase of the lead was associated with a 2.05 (95%CI: 0.58, 3.53) mmHg elevation in systolic blood pressure (SBP), 2.24 (95%CI: 1.34, 3.14) mmHg elevation in diastolic blood pressure (DBP), 0.25 (95%CI: 0.05, 0.46) mg/L elevation in hs-CRP, 0.16 (95%CI: 0.03, 0.29)×10⁹/L elevation in white blood cells, and 0.11 (95%CI: 0.02, 0.21)×10⁹/L elevation in lymphocytes, respectively. Mediation analysis showed that the levels of hs-CRP significantly mediated the association of blood lead with SBP, with a proportion about 3.88% (95%CI: 0.45%, 7.32%). The analysis also found that the levels of hs-CRP and neutrophils significantly mediated the association of blood lead with SBP, with a proportion about 4.10% (95%CI: 1.11%, 7.10%) and 2.42% (95%CI: 0.07%, 4.76%), respectively. Conclusion: This study suggests that inflammatory biomarkers could significantly mediate the association of blood lead levels and blood pressure changes.
Adult ; Male ; Humans ; Blood Pressure/physiology* ; C-Reactive Protein/analysis* ; Lead ; Arsenic/analysis* ; Cadmium ; Biomarkers ; Hypertension/epidemiology* ; China/epidemiology*

Objective: To evaluate the association of lead exposure with stunting and underweight among children aged 3-5 years in China. Methods: Data was collected from China National Human Biomonitoring (CNHBM) between January 2017 and December 2018. A total of 3 554 children aged 3-5 years were included. Demographic characteristic, lifestyle and nutritional status were collected through questionnaires. Height and weight were measured by standardized method. Stunting and underweight status were determined by calculating height for age Z-score and weight for age Z-score. Blood and urine samples were collected to detect the concentrations of blood lead, urinary lead and urinary creatinine. Children were stratified into 4 groups (Q₁ to Q₄) by quartiles of blood lead level and corrected urinary lead level, respectively. Complex sampling logistic regression models were applied to evaluate the association of the blood lead level, urinary lead level with stunting and underweight. Results: Among 3 554 children, the age was (4.09±1.06) years, of which 1 779 (80.64%) were female and 1 948 (55.84%) were urban residents. The prevalence of stunting and wasting was 7.34% and 2.96%, respectively. The M (Q₁, Q₃) for blood lead levels and urinary lead levels in children was 17.49 (12.80, 24.71) μg/L, 1.20 (0.61, 2.14) μg/g Cr, respectively. After adjusting for confounding factors, compared with the lowest blood lead concentration group Q₁, the risk of stunting gradually increased in the Q₃ and Q₄ group (P_trend=0.010), with OR (95%CI) values of 1.40 (0.80-2.46) and 1.80 (1.07-3.04), respectively. Compared with the lowest urinary lead concentration group Q₁, the risk of stunting still increased in the Q₃ and Q₄ group (P_trend=0.012), with OR (95%CI) values of 1.69 (1.01-2.84) and 1.79 (1.05-3.06), respectively. The correlation between the lead exposure and underweight was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusion: Lead exposure is positively associated with the risk of stunting among children aged 3-5 years in China.
Child ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Lead ; Thinness/epidemiology* ; Growth Disorders/epidemiology* ; Body Height ; Nutritional Status ; Prevalence ; China/epidemiology*

Objective:To investigate the predictive value of blood routine and blood biochemical indicators for immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy-related interstitial pneumonia (IP) in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).Methods:The data of 151 newly-diagnosed DLBCL patients treated with rituximab combined with chemotherapy in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from December 2017 to October 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. According to whether IP occurred, the patients were divided into IP group and non-IP group. The patient's clinical data and baseline laboratory test results were collected. The differences in clinicopathological features and laboratory indicators between IP group and non-IP group were analyzed. In addition, the relationship between the variety of blood routine and blood biochemical indicators and the occurrence of IP was analyzed. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of the selected indicators to predict the occurrence of IP was drawn, and the predictive performance of each indicator was analyzed.Results:The incidence of IP was 9.3% (14/151) in DLBCL patients after receiving immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy. The lymphocyte count (LYM) in IP group at the first diagnosis was higher than that in non-IP group [1.60×10 9/L (1.40×10 9/L, 2.51×10 9/L) vs. 1.28×10 9/L (0.89×10 9/L, 1.78×10 9/L), U=-2.194, P=0.028], but there was no significant difference in the levels of platelet count, neutrophil count, monocyte count, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), α-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (α-HBDH), serum albumin (ALB) and the proportion of patients with elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) between the two groups (all P > 0.05). Compared with the laboratory indicators in non-IP group before the 4th cycle of treatment, LYM and ALB in IP group were significantly reduced at IP onset [0.72×10 9/L (0.46×10 9/L, 0.92×10 9/L) vs. 0.93×10 9/L (0.71×10 9/L, 1.15×10 9/L), 32.9 g/L (28.6 g/L, 34.9 g/L) vs. 40.3 g/L (36.1 g/L, 43.1 g/L)], but LDH and α-HBDH increased [332 U/L (255 U/L, 396 U/L) vs. 233 U/L (200 U/L, 286 U/L), 277 U/L (206 U/L, 315 U/L) vs. 189 U/L (159 U/L, 229 U/L)], and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The proportion of patients with elevated CRP in IP group was high than that in non-IP group [100.0% (14/14) vs. 56.9% (78/137), P=0.001]. The area under ROC curve of LYM, ALB, LDH and α-HBDH alone for predicting the occurrence of IP was 0.668, 0.820, 0.789 and 0.802. The best cut-off values of ALB, LDH and α-HBDH was 34.6 g/L, 241 U/L and 199 U/L. ALB had the highest sensitivity for predicting the occurrence of IP (81.8%). The areas under ROC curve of ALB+LDH, ALB+α-HBDH, LDH+α-HBDH, ALB+LDH+α-HBDH for predicting the occurrence of IP was 0.850, 0.844, 0.777 and 0.851, respectively. LDH+α-HBDH had the highest predictive sensitivity (92.9%), but the specificity was low (53.3%). The prediction sensitivity (both 78.6%) and specificity (both 86.1%) of ALB+LDH and ALB+LDH+α-HBDH were high. Conclusions:DLBCL patients are at risk of IP during immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy. The increased LYM at initial diagnosis is a risk factor for the occurrence of IP. The variety of LYM, ALB, LDH, α-HBDH and CRP during the treatment may be related to the occurrence of IP. Among them, ALB, LDH and α-HBDH have important predictive values for the occurrence of IP.

Objective:To evaluate the safety and efficacy of transplanting beard to scalp using follicular unit extraction(FUE).Methods:Data obtained from hirsute patients with extensive alopecia who underwent hair transplantation between March 2017 and April 2014 at Nanfang Hospital were analyzed. Individual beard hair follicular units (FUs) were harvested under tumescence along the direction of beard growth, using a hollow acute punch with an inner diameter of 0.6-0.7 mm driven with a motor machine. The angle between the punch and the skin is adjusted according to the angle of the beard. The depth of the punch is usually between 2-4 mm and just breaks through the dermis of the skin. The rotation speed of punch is 2 500-3 000 r/min. The harvested FUs were implanted to the bald area. The total amount of FUs harvested and the rate of FUs transection were recorded for each patient. Follow-up examinations were scheduled at 3 days, 10 days, 1 month, 3 months and 9 months postoperatively to check for complications, wound healing and hair growth using portrait photograph and trichoscopy.Results:A total of 58 patients male patients with advanced androgenetic alopecia (AGA) (Norwood-Hamilton Ⅴ-Ⅵ) were included in this study. The average harvested FUs was 2 012±631 and the transection rate for beard FUs was(3.4±0.7)%. The incidence of donor folliculitis was 10.3%(6/58). Folliculitis was cured within 1-3 weeks after treatment. Although all the donor areas were healed normally, 62.1% (36/58) of the patients had remaining mild white spots under the trichoscopy. There was no visible hypopigmented scars observed in the bare areas post-operation. The satisfaction scores of both doctors and patients and the third party were 4.78, 4.40 and 4.76, respectively.Conclusions:Transplanting beard FUs to bald scalp using FUE is a safe and effective for severe androgenetic alopecia with abundant beard.

Objective:To evaluate the safety and efficacy of transplanting beard to scalp using follicular unit extraction(FUE).Methods:Data obtained from hirsute patients with extensive alopecia who underwent hair transplantation between March 2017 and April 2014 at Nanfang Hospital were analyzed. Individual beard hair follicular units (FUs) were harvested under tumescence along the direction of beard growth, using a hollow acute punch with an inner diameter of 0.6-0.7 mm driven with a motor machine. The angle between the punch and the skin is adjusted according to the angle of the beard. The depth of the punch is usually between 2-4 mm and just breaks through the dermis of the skin. The rotation speed of punch is 2 500-3 000 r/min. The harvested FUs were implanted to the bald area. The total amount of FUs harvested and the rate of FUs transection were recorded for each patient. Follow-up examinations were scheduled at 3 days, 10 days, 1 month, 3 months and 9 months postoperatively to check for complications, wound healing and hair growth using portrait photograph and trichoscopy.Results:A total of 58 patients male patients with advanced androgenetic alopecia (AGA) (Norwood-Hamilton Ⅴ-Ⅵ) were included in this study. The average harvested FUs was 2 012±631 and the transection rate for beard FUs was(3.4±0.7)%. The incidence of donor folliculitis was 10.3%(6/58). Folliculitis was cured within 1-3 weeks after treatment. Although all the donor areas were healed normally, 62.1% (36/58) of the patients had remaining mild white spots under the trichoscopy. There was no visible hypopigmented scars observed in the bare areas post-operation. The satisfaction scores of both doctors and patients and the third party were 4.78, 4.40 and 4.76, respectively.Conclusions:Transplanting beard FUs to bald scalp using FUE is a safe and effective for severe androgenetic alopecia with abundant beard.

Tripterygium glycosides tablets (TGT) have good immunosuppressive activity, but they can also significantly injure the liver and kidney and its mechanism is unclear. In this study, delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) Balb/c mouse were administrated with different doses of TGT. Then the changes of sphingolipids levels in live, kidney and plasma as well as the mRNA expression levels of their metabolic enzymes were studied by the integrated targeted sphingolipidomics and transcriptomics methods to reveal the mechanism of efficacy and toxicity of TGT. It was found that low dose of TGT could significantly decrease levels of total ceramide in the plasma, long chain sphingolipids and saturate sphingolipids in the liver and kidney, but increase them in the plasma, which were related to the efficacy mechanism of TGT. High dose of TGT can significantly increase levels of total ceramide, Cer(d18:1/18:0)-1-P, long chain sphingolipids and decrease saturation sphingolipids mechanism. TGT can also cause significant changes of mRNA expression levels of various sphingolipid metabolic enzymes in the liver and kidney, which were correspond to the changes of sphingolipid levels. The efficacy and toxicity of TGT were related to the regulation of these key enzyme expression levels. In conclusion, the efficacy and toxic mechanism of TGT were closely related to the sphingolipids metabolism. A variety of potential biomarkers were found and they can provide valuable information for the evaluation of the efficacy and toxicity of TGT.

OBJECTIVE:To compare in vivo and in vitro permeation behaviors of the ethosome gels of testosterone,testoster-one propionate and testosterone undecanoate. METHODS:The ethosome gels of testosterone,testosterone propionate and testoster-one undecanoate were prepared. With cumulative permeating amount and permeation rate as the indexes,Franz diffusion cell and HPLC were employed to compare in vitro permeation behaviors of 3 kinds of ethosome gels in mouse skin. With testosterone patch as the positive control drug, electrochemistry method was adopted to detect the concentration of testosterone in plasma 0,3,6, 9,12,24,36 and 48 h after applying such 3 kinds of ethosome gels on the back of rats,and then pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated with DAS 2.0 software. RESULTS:24 h cumulative permeating amounts of the ethosome gels of testosterone,tes-tosterone propionate and testosterone undecanoate were(234.31±13.8),(175.63±41.1)and(72.60±15.3)μg/cm2,and the per-meation rates were(10.25±1.9),(7.64±1.4)and(2.96±0.8)μg/(cm2·h),respectively. The pharmacokinetic parameters of the above-mentioned three kinds of ethosome gels and the positive control drug were respectively as follows as cmax of(20.19±2.57), (17.50±2.91),(0.23±0.04),(14.97±2.12)ng/ml,t1/2Ka of(2.80±0.45),(3.36±0.59),(4.02±0.62),(4.20±0.71)h,AUC0-48 h of(13.85±1.96),(13.93±2.13),(0.35±0.07),(11.76±2.31)ng·h/ml. CONCLUSIONS:in vivo and in vitro permeation behav-iors of the ethosome gels of testosterone and testosterone propionate are fairly good.

Objective To investigate the tissue remodeling and cell alignment of TDBM scaffolds seeded with rabbit tenocytes under the cycle dynamic tensile force or static tension-free culture in vitro. Methods TDBM were made by ourselves, and uniaxial cyclic tendon stretching device was designed and manufactured on our own. Primary tenocytes were isolated from the Achilles tendon of three-day-old New Zealand white rabbits and seeded into scaffolds, and were cultured collectively in DMEM in vitro. Samples were divided into two groups:dynamic tension-loaded group, and static tension-free group. Fresh natural tendons were used to be positive control. The experiment's time was six weeks. The scaffold-cell complexes were harvested at 3 and 7 days of culture for Inverted microscope and scanning electron micrograph (SEM) analysis. The morphological characters of the samples, including the general view, HE and Masson's dyeing, were observed at 2, 4 and 6 weeks. In addition, the gene expression of the I-type collagen and III-type collagen of the samples was detected by using Real time PCR at every week. Set fresh natural tendon as control. Results The inverted microscope and SEM showed that it was nice compatible condition between the tendon cells and TD-BM scaffold. In addition, the tendon of tension-loaded group revealed a structure of longitudinally aligned collagen fi bers and dense structure of collagen fibers arranged in orderly form a unique corrugated structure. Tenocytes layer located between the col-lagen fibers and aligned longitudinally along the force axis, with increased matrix deposition after the 3th week showed by RT-PCR. The cell/matrix ratio decreases. When cultured to 6 weeks, the tissue structure was very similar to that of fresh natural ten-don pattern. By contrast, HE and Masson's staining revealed the collagen fibro-tissue structure in tension-free groups with disorga-nized matrix structure and randomly distributed cells. Collagen fibers were gradually degraded with time. In tension-loaded group, Real-time PCR showed that gene expression of I-type collagen and III-type collagen gradually increase, but in tension-free group, the relative gene expression of I-type collagen and III-type collagen was highest at 3rd week, and from that time the relative expres-sion gradually decrease. Conclusion Under the dynamic stress, the TDBM scaffolds seeded with rabbit tenocytes can promote extra-cellular matrix biosynthesis and tendon structure remodeling, which is a promising method for tendon tissue engineering.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on the expression of ATP-binding cassette superfamily G member 2 (ABCG2) in human colon cancer cell SW480.

METHODSSW480 cells were treated with various concentrations of 5-FU. CCK8 assay was utilized to detect the 5-FU IC50 to SW480 cells. Positive expression of ABCG2 was detected by flow cytometry, and mRNA expression of ABCG2 was detected by real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSThe 5-FU IC50 to SW480 cells increased as the drug concentration increased (P<0.05). Flow cytometry revealed that positive expression rate of ABCG2 in normal SW480 cells (group A) was (6.26±0.86)%. Immediately after treatment with 5-FU for 48 hours, the positive expression rate of ABCG2 (group B) was (3.43±1.18)% (P<0.05). In the second passage of cells after treatment with 5-FU for 48 hours, the positive expression rate of ABCG2 (group C) was (12.91±3.42)% (P<0.05). The mRNA expression of ABCG2 detected by RT-PCR was in accordance with the results from flow cytometry.

CONCLUSIONExpression of ABCG2 in SW480 cells can be affected by various concentrations of 5-FU.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Sub-Family G, Member 2 ; ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Colonic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Fluorouracil ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between polymorphisms of FAS and FASL genes and genetic susceptibility of silicosis.

METHODSA case-control study was conducted. The case group was 183 male patients with silicosis and the control group was 111 male silica-exposed but without silicosis miners. Data on total dust concentrations was collected to estimate cumulative total dust exposure (CTE) of each subject and each person's characteristics and work history were obtained from questionnaire. Polymerase chain reaction re-strained fragment length polymorphism technique (PCR-RFLP) was applied to detect the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of FAS-1377, FAS-670 and FASL-844. Associations between polymorphisms and risk of silicosis and stages, interactions between polymorphisms, between polymorphisms and CTE and smoking and haplotypes were analyzed.

RESULTSThere were no differences in the FAS-1377, FAS-670 and FASL-844 genotypes between the case group and the control group (P > 0.05). No association was observed between FAS-1377, FAS-670 and FASL-844 polymorphisms and silicosis and stages (P > 0.05). The frequencies of FAS-1377G/-670G haplotype in the cases (9.6%) were higher than those in the controls (3.6%) (P < 0.05). No interactions between the polymorphisms of different genes, the gene polymorphism and the total accumulative total dust, the gene polymorphism and smoking were observed (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONFAS-1377, FAS-670 and FASL-844 polymorphisms are not susceptible factors of silicosis. The FAS-1377G/-670G haplotype might be a susceptibility marker of silicosis.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Case-Control Studies ; Fas Ligand Protein ; genetics ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Silicosis ; genetics ; fas Receptor ; genetics