Objective: To investigate the correlation between the prenatal exposure of per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and the neonatal outcome. Methods: A total of 506 maternal infant cohort samples were collected in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province from 2020 to 2021. The exposure levels of seven PFASs in maternal serum before delivery were detected by solid-phase extraction-ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Multivariable linear regression model was used to analyze the influence of prenatal exposure of PFASs on birth weight, birth length and Apgar score. Results: The maternal age, prenatal body mass index and gestation age were (31.3±4.3) years old, (26.7±3.2) kg/m² and (265.0±28.3) days, respectively. The birth weight, birth length and scores of Apgar-1 and Apgar-5 were (3.1±0.8) kg, (49.3±2.9) cm, (9.88±0.47) points and (9.99±0.13) points, respectively. PFASs were widely distributed in maternal serum, with the highest concentration of (18.453±19.557) ng/ml, (6.756±9.379) ng/ml and (5.057±8.555) ng/ml for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and 6∶2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (Cl-PFESA), respectively. Maternal age, parity and delivery mode were associated with the exposure level of PFASs (P<0.05). Subgroup analysis showed that PFOS had negative effects on birth weight (β=-0.958), birth length (β=-0.073) and Apgar-5 score (β=-0.288) for neonates in the low birth weight (LBW) group. 6∶2 Cl-PFESA and 8∶2 Cl-PFESA inhibited the birth weight (β=-0.926; β=-0.552) and length (β=-0.074; β=-0.045) of newborn in the LBW group. In addition, 4∶2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (FTS) was associated with increased birth weight (β=0.111) and decreased Apgar-5 score (β=-0.030) in the normal weight group. Conclusion: Prenatal exposure to PFASs is associated with birth weight, birth length and Apgar-5 score. It is necessary to continue to pay attention to the impact of PFASs on fetal growth and development through maternal-fetal transmission.
Pregnancy ; Infant, Newborn ; Female ; Humans ; Adult ; Birth Weight ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; Alkanesulfonic Acids/analysis* ; Alkanesulfonates/analysis* ; Fluorocarbons/analysis* ; Ethers/analysis* ; Ethyl Ethers/analysis* ; Environmental Pollutants/analysis* ; Maternal Exposure

Objective To discuss the effects of polybrominated diphenyl ethers （PBDEs） exposure in e-waste dismantling region on the human body and provide data support for the identification of environmental health damage to residents in the e-waste dismantling region. Methods Adults in an e-waste dismantling region （exposed group, 54 participants） and a control region （control group, 58 participants） were selected, questionnaires were carried out and blood and urine samples were collected. Blood PBDEs, blood lipids, blood routine, blood lead, urine cadmium, urine chromium and urine nickel were detected. T-test was utilized to compare the differences of PBDEs between the two groups. Multivariate analysis were utilized to compare the differences between the two groups in blood routine indexes. Linear regression was used to analyze the relationship between PBDEs and blood routine. Results Exposure levels of PBDEs were significantly higher in the exposed group （240.00 ng/g, adjusted mass fraction of blood lipids, thereafter） than in the control group （93.00 ng/g, P<0.05）. There was no statistical significance in the differences in most blood routine indexes of the two groups （ P>0.05）, and their reference values were all within normal ranges. Mean platelet volume, plateletcrit, basophils percentage, absolute value of basophils, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were higher in the exposed group than in the control group （P<0.05）. Platelet distribution widths were lower in the exposed group than in the control group and below the normal reference range （P<0.05）. Conclusion PBDEs exposure in e-waste dismantling region tend to change platelet morphology, the number of basophils, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and may pose potential health hazards to local residents.
Adult ; China ; Electronic Waste/analysis* ; Environmental Monitoring ; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers/toxicity* ; Human Body ; Humans

BACKGROUND: Studies on the hematologic toxicity of ethylene glycol ethers in humans are limited. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the association between exposure to solvents (containing 2-butoxyethanol and 2-ethoxyethanol) and hematological effects. METHODS: Thirty-four screen-printing workers who were exposed to 2-butoxyethanol and 2-ethoxyethanol and 37 non-exposed clerical workers were selected using data from the health care facilities that provided regular health screening services. Student's t-tests and Pearson's chi-square tests were used to compare differences in hematological parameters between the exposed and the control groups. A multivariate analysis was performed using the multiple logistic regression models to adjust for other variables. RESULTS: The chi-square test showed the reticulocyte percentages and corrected reticulocyte counts to be significantly higher in the exposed group. The t-tests showed a significant increase in white blood cell counts, reticulocyte percentages, and corrected reticulocyte count (i.e., reticulocyte index) in the exposed group, with p-values of 0.002, 0.004, and 0.002, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed the odds ratio for the corrected reticulocyte counts to be 16.30 for the exposed group, when compared with that of the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to 2-butoxyethanol and 2-ethoxyethanol was significantly associated with reticulocytosis, necessitating the implementation of preventive measures for workers prone to occupational exposure to ethylene glycol ethers.
Clergy ; Delivery of Health Care ; Ether ; Ethers ; Ethylene Glycol ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; Logistic Models ; Mass Screening ; Multivariate Analysis ; Occupational Exposure ; Odds Ratio ; Reticulocyte Count ; Reticulocytes ; Reticulocytosis* ; Solvents

Pulmonary dysfunction caused by ischemia-reperfusion injury is the leading cause of mortality in lung transplantation. We aimed to investigate the effects of sevoflurane pretreatment on lung permeability, tight junction protein occludin and zona occludens 1 (ZO-1) expression, and translocation of protein kinase C (PKC)-alpha after ischemia-reperfusion. A lung ischemia-reperfusion injury model was established in 96 male Wistar rats following the modified Eppinger method. The rats were divided into four groups with 24 rats in each group: a control (group C), an ischemia-reperfusion group (IR group), a sevoflurane control group (sev-C group), and a sevoflurane ischemia-reperfusion group (sev-IR group). There were three time points in each group: ischemic occlusion for 45 min, reperfusion for 60 min and reperfusion for 120 min; and there were six rats per time point. For the 120-min reperfusion group, six extra rats underwent bronchoalveolar lavage. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pulse oxygen saturation (SpO2) were recorded at each time point. The wet/dry weight ratio and lung permeability index (LPI) were measured. Quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot were used to measure pulmonary occludin and ZO-1, and Western blot was used to measure cytosolic and membranous PKC-alpha in the lung. Lung permeability was significantly increased after ischemia-reperfusion. Sevoflurane pretreatment promoted pulmonary expression of occludin and ZO-1 after reperfusion and inhibited the translocation of PKC-alpha. In conclusion, sevoflurane pretreatment alleviated lung permeability by upregulating occludin and ZO-1 after ischemia-reperfusion. Sevoflurane pretreatment inhibited the translocation and activation of PKC-alpha, which also contributed to the lung-protective effect of sevoflurane.
Anesthetics, Inhalation/*therapeutic use ; Animals ; Capillary Permeability/drug effects ; Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects ; Lung/*drug effects/metabolism/pathology ; Lung Diseases/*drug therapy/genetics/metabolism/pathology ; Male ; Methyl Ethers/*therapeutic use ; Protein Kinase C-alpha/*metabolism ; Protein Transport/drug effects ; RNA, Messenger/genetics ; Rats, Wistar ; Reperfusion Injury/*drug therapy/genetics/metabolism/pathology ; Zonula Occludens-1 Protein/analysis/*genetics

BACKGROUNDThe preclinical experiments and several clinical studies showed icotinib, an oral epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in Chinese patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who failed previous chemotherapy. We performed a retrospective study of the efficacy and safety of icotinib monotherapy in a different and more recent sample of Chinese patients.

METHODSThe clinical data of 149 patients with advanced NSCLC who were admitted to Zhejiang Cancer Hospital from August 1, 2011 to July 31, 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were given icotinib treatment after the failure of previous chemotherapy. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted based on the Kaplan Meier method and Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTSThe objective response rate was 33/149 and disease control rate was 105/149. No complete response occurred. Median progression free survival (PFS) with icotinib treatment was 5.03 months (95% CI: 3.51 to 6.55). Median overall survival was 12.3 months (95% CI: 10.68 to 13.92). Multivariate analysis showed that the mutation of EGFR and one regimen of prior chemotherapy were significantly associated with longer PFS. At least one drug related adverse event was observed in 65.8% (98/149) of patients, but mostly grade 1 or 2 and reversible and none grade 4 toxicity.

CONCLUSIONSIcotinib monotherapy is an effective and well tolerated regimen for Chinese patients with NSCLC after the failure of chemotherapy. It is a promising agent and further study with icotinib in properly conducted trials with larger patient samples and other ethnic groups is warranted.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antineoplastic Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; drug therapy ; Crown Ethers ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Quinazolines ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVEThis paper is to assess the current status of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) contamination in the environment in China and estimate the exposure to PBDEs in non-occupational populations.

METHODSA total of 80 research papers published from January 2001 to October 2013 were selected. Geographic information system (GIS) was used in mapping PBDE concentrations and distributions in environmental media. Ni's model was applied to calculate ∑PBDE-intake via the intakes of contaminated food, water and air in the Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta.

RESULTSBDE-209 was found to be the major PBDE congener in the environmental media and food in China. PBDE concentrations varied among different areas, among which the contamination in Guangdong Province was most serious. Daily intake of ∑PBDEs was 225.1-446.0 ng/d for adults in the Pearl River Delta, which was higher than the intake for those living in the Yangtze River Delta (148.9-369.8 ng/d).

CONCLUSIONAtorvastatin can attenuate LPS-induced TNF-α expression and production by activating HO-1 via the ERK and p38 MAPK pathways, suggesting that atorvastatin can be used in treatment of inflammatory diseases such as sepsis, especially in those with atherosclerotic diseases.

China ; Diet ; Environmental Pollutants ; analysis ; Food Contamination ; analysis ; Geographic Information Systems ; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers ; analysis ; Humans ; Inhalation Exposure ; analysis

Timothy syndrome, long QT syndrome type 8, is highly malignant with ventricular tachyarrhythmia. A 30-month-old boy had sudden cardiac arrest during anesthesia induction before plastic surgery for bilateral cutaneous syndactyly. After successful resuscitation, prolonged QT interval (QTc, 0.58-0.60 sec) and T-wave alternans were found in his electrocardiogram. Starting beta-blocker to prevent further tachycardia and collapse event, then there were no more arrhythmic events. The genes KCNQ1, KCNH2, KCNE1 and 2, and SCN5A were negative for long QT syndrome. The mutation p.Gly406Arg was confirmed in CACNA1C, which maintains L-type calcium channel depolarization in the heart and other systems.
Anesthesia/*adverse effects ; Calcium Channels, L-Type/*genetics ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac/*etiology ; Electroencephalography ; Humans ; Infant ; Long QT Syndrome/*genetics ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Methyl Ethers/adverse effects ; Nitric Oxide/adverse effects ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Surgery, Plastic ; Syndactyly/diagnosis/*genetics/surgery

Air Pollutants, Occupational ; analysis ; Chromatography, Gas ; methods ; Methyl Ethers ; analysis ; Workplace

Air ; analysis ; Chromatography, Gas ; methods ; Methyl Ethers ; analysis ; Workplace

OBJECTIVETo study the occupational exposure limit of dimethoxymethane (DMM) in workplace air.

METHODSLiterature research was conducted on DMM; information on its physicochemical properties, toxicology, and occupational epidemiology was collected. Upon analyzing these data, an occupational exposure limit of DMM in workplace air was proposed according to the guidelines and principles of developing occupational exposure limits for harmful factors in workplaces.

RESULTSA total of 165 air samples were collected from DMM manufacturers, 14 of which had a DMM concentration over 3000 mg/m(3), accounting for 8.48% of all samples. Compared with the control group, the exposed employees had a significantly increased incidence of discomfort symptoms when exposed to more than 6000 mg/m(3) DMN (P < 0.01).No significant differences in the constituent ratios of abnormal results in physical examinations were found between the exposure groups and control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONWe recommend to set the permissible concentration-time weighed average to 3100 mg/m(3) as the occupational exposure limit of DMM in workplace air in China. This occupational exposure limit standard meets the relevant requirements of toxicology and occupational epidemiology, as well as fits well with our country's current economical and technological levels. This standard has high applicability in China's domestic settings.

Air Pollutants, Occupational ; analysis ; China ; Humans ; Inhalation Exposure ; Methyl Ethers ; analysis ; Occupational Exposure ; analysis ; Threshold Limit Values ; Workplace