ObjectiveTo investigate the chemical hazards in the production line of lithium batteries, so as to provide a scientific basis for the management of occupational-health risk and to promote the healthy and sustainable development of the lithium battery industry. MethodsAn on-site survey on the process flow of the production of lithium battery was conducted in an enterprise. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the occupational environment were collected by Summa canisters, carbonates and N-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP) were collected using activated carbon tubes, and airborne metals were collected using filter membranes. VOCs, carbonates and NMP were detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and airborne metal elements in the dust samples were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). ResultsNon-targeted environmental monitoring results indicated that NMP was detected in the negative /positive electrode coating, assembly and drying filling workstations, dimethyl carbonate (DMC) was detected in the assembly, drying and electrolyte injection workstations, and ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC) was detected solely in the electrolyte injection workstation. Semi-quantitative analyses of VOCs identified 136 pollutants, including acrylonitrile and halohydrocarbons. Quantitative targeted environmental monitoring results revealed the highest geometric mean (GM) concentration of EMC (31.450 mg·m^-3) was found in the assembly and drying workstations, diethyl carbonate (DEC) was detected in all workstations. While vinylene carbonate (VC) and ethylene carbonate (EC) were detected only in electrolyte injection, assembly and drying workstations. NMP was detected in all positive electrode coating samples, with a GM concentration of 5.68 mg·m^-3 (concentration range: 4.0‒ 7.4 mg·m^-³). Lithium was exclusively detected in dust samples from the liquid injection workstation (GM: 0.014 μg·m^-³). ConclusionNMP, EMC, DEC, and other chemicals are identified at the key workstations such as the positive electrode coating, electrolyte injection, assembly and drying in the lithium production line. Furthermore, semi-quantitative VOCs analyses identified 136 pollutants, demonstrating a characteristic of multicomponent chemical exposure.

OBJECTIVE: To re-analyze a likely pathogenic variant in the Xq28 region identified by copy number variation sequencing (CNV-seq) through whole genome sequencing (WGS). METHODS: A fetus found to harbor a duplication in the Xq28 region by CNV-seq at Shengjing Hospital Affiliated to China Medical University in May 2023 was selected as the study subject. WGS was carried out for the fetus and its parents. Bioinformatic software was used to analyze the chromosomal structure and CNVs. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) was applied to determine the expression level of the MECP2 gene. This study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Shengjing Hospital (Ethic No. 2013PS33K). RESULTS: A duplication (ChrX:153302641_153503563) and four breakpoints were identified on the X chromosome of the fetus' father. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that the duplicated region has involved exons 1 to 3 and part of the 5'-UTR of the MECP2 gene, which was inserted into the Xp11 region. Additionally, an inversion was detected in the Xp11 region adjacent to the duplicated segment. RT-PCR results showed normal level of MECP2 mRNA expression. The Xq28 duplication has not encompassed the entire MECP2 gene, nor disrupted its structure or altered its expression. CONCLUSION WGS has enabled more precise diagnosis of chromosomal structural variants and provided guidance for accurate genetic counseling for the affected families.
Humans ; Female ; Chromosomes, Human, X/genetics* ; DNA Copy Number Variations/genetics* ; Whole Genome Sequencing/methods* ; Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2/genetics* ; Pregnancy ; Male ; Adult

Objective:To investigate the threshold of serum C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), synovial fluid white blood-cell count (WBC) and polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) proportion in the diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Methods:The clinical data of 246 patients with RA and osteoarthritis (OA) who had previously undergone total knee and hip arthroplasty from January 2006 to December 2019 was retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into four groups according to the disease type and whether PJI occurred, namely 46 patients in the RA-PJI group, 64 patients in the RA-non-PJI group, 72 patients in the OA-PJI group, and 64 patients in the OA-non-PJI group. The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve was used to determine the optimum cut-off values of CRP, ESR, synovial fluid WBC and PMN proportion for diagnosing the RA-PJI and OA-PJI. The optimal cut-off values of serum and synovial fluid indexes were evaluated for the diagnostic efficacy of RA-PJI by comparing the area under curve (AUC) of each index. Further, the values were applied for joint test analysis.Results:For PJI prediction, the results of serological and synovial fluid indexes were different between RA-PJI group and OA-PJI group. The results of ROC curve analysis showed that the optimal cut-off values of each detection index were as follows. The optimal cut-off value of CRP for diagnosing RA-PJI was 14.4 mg/L, ESR was 39 mm/1 h, synovial fluid WBC was 3 654×10 6 /L, and PMN proportion was 0.659. The optimal cut-off value for diagnosing OA-PJI were 8.16 mg/L, 31 mm/1 h, 2 452×10 6 /L, and 0.625, respectively. In the RA-PJI group, the difference between the AUC of each detection index and AUC=0.5 was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Among them, the specificity of synovial fluid WBC was 92.3%, AUC was 0.879 (95% CI: 0.776, 0.982) with 87.8% positive predictive value and 10.21 positive likelihood ratio. These values were higher than those of CRP, ESR, and PMN proportion. The results of joint test analysis for the diagnosis of RA-PJI were as follows. The specificity of the series test was 100%, and the sensitivity of the parallel test was 100%; the specificity of the joint index diagnostic test was 100%, AUC was 0.926 (95% CI: 0.848, 1.000), the difference between AUC and AUC=0.5 was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Conclusion:The optimum cut-off values of CRP, ESR, synovial fluid WBC and PMN proportion for the diagnosis of PJI in patients with RA are all higher than those of patients with OA. Their optimal cut-off values can be used as important auxiliary indexes for a clear diagnosis of PJI in patients with RA. Compared with other indexes, the synovial fluid WBC has strong predicting power and lower misdiagnosis rate, which could be the best detection index for identifying PJI in patients with RA. The joint test could improve the sensitivity or specificity of PJI diagnosis in patients with RA. The combination with multiple detection indexes could provide a reference for the early and accurate diagnosis of PJI in patients with RA.

Sesamin, a lipid-soluble lignin originally isolated from sesame seeds, which induces cancer cell apoptosis and autophagy. In the present study, has been reported that sesamin induces apoptosis via several pathways in human lung cancer cells. However, whether mitophagy is involved in sesamin induced lung cancer cell apotosis remains unclear. This study, the anticancer activity of sesamin in lung cancer was studied by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitophagy. A549 cells were treated with sesamin, and cell viability, migration ability, and cell cycle were assessed using the CCK8 assay, scratch-wound test, and flow cytometry, respectively. ROS levels, mitochondrial membrane potential, and apoptosis were examined by flow cytometric detection of DCFH-DA fluorescence and by using JC-1 and TUNEL assays. The results indicated that sesamin treatment inhibited the cell viability and migration ability of A549 cells and induced G0/G1 phase arrest. Furthermore, sesamin induced an increase in ROS levels, a reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential, and apoptosis accompanied by an increase in cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-9. Additionally, sesamin triggered mitophagy and increased the expression of PINK1 and translocation of Parkin from the cytoplasm to the mitochondria. However, the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine clearly reduced the oxidative stress and mitophagy induced by sesamin. Furthermore, we found that cyclosporine A (an inhibitor of mitophagy) decreased the inhibitory effect of sesamin on A549 cell viability. Collectively, our data indicate that sesamin exerts lethal effects on lung cancer cells through the induction of ROS-mediated mitophagy and mitochondrial apoptosis.

Sesamin, a lipid-soluble lignin originally isolated from sesame seeds, which induces cancer cell apoptosis and autophagy. In the present study, has been reported that sesamin induces apoptosis via several pathways in human lung cancer cells. However, whether mitophagy is involved in sesamin induced lung cancer cell apotosis remains unclear. This study, the anticancer activity of sesamin in lung cancer was studied by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitophagy. A549 cells were treated with sesamin, and cell viability, migration ability, and cell cycle were assessed using the CCK8 assay, scratch-wound test, and flow cytometry, respectively. ROS levels, mitochondrial membrane potential, and apoptosis were examined by flow cytometric detection of DCFH-DA fluorescence and by using JC-1 and TUNEL assays. The results indicated that sesamin treatment inhibited the cell viability and migration ability of A549 cells and induced G0/G1 phase arrest. Furthermore, sesamin induced an increase in ROS levels, a reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential, and apoptosis accompanied by an increase in cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-9. Additionally, sesamin triggered mitophagy and increased the expression of PINK1 and translocation of Parkin from the cytoplasm to the mitochondria. However, the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine clearly reduced the oxidative stress and mitophagy induced by sesamin. Furthermore, we found that cyclosporine A (an inhibitor of mitophagy) decreased the inhibitory effect of sesamin on A549 cell viability. Collectively, our data indicate that sesamin exerts lethal effects on lung cancer cells through the induction of ROS-mediated mitophagy and mitochondrial apoptosis.

A description of the contents, indexes, and method appropriateness for supervision and appraisal of the tobacco control management in hospitals, and an insight on the regularity and effectiveness of building tobacco-free hospitals. The dual indexes of intervention and outcome were ascertained from both dimensions of the management process and effect; in terms of methodology, the paper described the time appropriateness of the supervision focus, management effectiveness of the supervision and appraisal areas, priority of supervision objects, population appropriateness of the supervision and appraisal indexes, method appropriateness of the supervision, appraisal and penalty, as well as the conditional support for supervision and appraisal. It is pointed out that timely summary and appraisal, proper conditional support and circular work chain, can help consolidate tobacco control in hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Skin transplantation is the most effective conventional method to cure large area full-thickness skin damage caused by empyrosis or some diseases, but present deficiency of skin donator is the largest barrier in front. The most ideal way to solve this problem is to use tissue-engineering skin reconstructed by self-skin cells as seed cells.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of tissue engineered artificial animal skin in animal grafting experiment.DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial SETTING: Institute of frontier medical sciences and department of dermatology in a university.MATERIALS: Study was performed in the Cell-Engineering Institute of Jilin University from September 1998 to July 2001. Totally 20 newborn Wistar rats and 24 8-week old male nude mice were selected into our study.METHODS: Full-thickness wounds(diameter: 20 nn) were made on the backs of twenty-four nude mice to establish full-thickness skin defect animal model for grafting by the tissue-engineered reconstructive artificial skin made by chitosan(CH) as stromal scaffold. Twenty-four 8-week old nude mice were divided into artificial skin (AS) group, chitosan membrane(CH) group and control group (CG). All wounds were covered with AS, CH or petrolatun gauze correspondingly. The wounds of each groups were observed daily,techniques like histology and infrared-ray scan were used for a dynamical surveillance on the 3rd, 7th, 14th and 21st days.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① general observation; ② blood supply in recipient area under infrared-ray observation; ③ histological observation.RESULTS: Transplanted AS had a favorable fusion between tissue-engineered skin and self-skin on the 3rd day after grafting with a few of ingrowths of capillaries. The color of the AS was closed to self-skin. The capillaries gradually increased in the grafts over time. The new epidermis was clearly consisted of stratum basale, stratum spinosum, stratum granulosum, and stratum corneum. Keratinization enhanced with exfoliation. Cells in dermis increased and the scaffold gradually degraded. The secreted extracellular matrix increased as well. On the 14th day after grafting, the wounds almost recovered.The color of the grafted artificial skin was more similar to the nature skin with very little scaring, which indicated that a second grafting was unnecessary. The scabs did not completely fall off in CH group until the 14th day, and the wound was not healed. The color was darker than that of AS group. The scabs fell off in CG, and the wounds were big and deep with dark red color.CONCLUSION: The new reconstructive tissue-engineered artificial skin with CH as stromal scaffold has good histocompatibility, which can be applied in grafting for full-thickness wounds.