Objective: To investigate the implementation of Diagnostic Criteria of Occupational Acute Neurotoxic Diseases Caused by Chemicals (GBZ 76-2002) for accumulating basis of standard revision. Methods: In February 2020, 85 experts in occupational diseases and neurology from 39 medical and health institutions were selected as the respondents. The modified Delphi method was used to establish the standard evaluation index system and special group was organized for discussing the pre-survey and completing the questionnaire survey. Questionnaire survey was performed to investigate the grasp of the standards, application and modification suggestions of respondents. Results: The respondents' mastery of standard-related knowledge mainly came from work experience (84.7%, 72/85) , standard learning (81.2%, 69/85) and training (75.3%, 64/85) . Among the institutions in which the respondents worked, 98.8% (84/85) could carry out CT examinations, 96.5% (82/85) could carry out nerve conduction velocity and electromyography examinations, 89.4% (76/85) could carry out EEG examinations, 80% (68/85) could carry out evoked potential examinations and 72.9% (62/85) could carry out MRI examinations. Among the toxicants diagnosed as occupational acute toxic myelopathy, 10.6% (9/85) were organic phosphorus and 9.4% (8/85) were asphyxiating gas; Among the toxicants diagnosed as delayed peripheral neuropathy, pesticides accounted for 25.9% (22/85) and asphyxiating gases accounted for 12.9% (11/85) . 85.9% (73/85) of the respondents believed that the basis for the classification of acute toxic encephalopathy needed to supplement objective evidence; 80.0% (68/85) of the respondents thought that the diagnosis and classification of peripheral neuropathy should be refined according to the abnormal indexes of neuroelectromyography. Conclusion: The applicability of the criteria needs to be improved because the current criteria has a long application cycle without enough objective investigation bases in classification criteria index.
Humans ; Occupational Exposure/adverse effects* ; Occupational Diseases/diagnosis* ; Hazardous Substances ; Neurotoxicity Syndromes/diagnosis* ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases

OBJECTIVE: The present study investigated antiglycation and antioxidant activities of crude dry extract and saponin fraction of Tribulus terrestris. It also developed a method of microencapsulation and evaluated antiglycation and antioxidant activities of crude dry extract and saponin fraction before and after microcapsule release. METHODS: Antiglycation activity was determined by relative electrophoretic mobility (REM), free amino groups and inhibition of advanced glycation end-product (AGE) formation. Antioxidant activity was determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric ion-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), nitric oxide (NO) and thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) tests. Microcapsules were prepared using maltodextrin as wall material and freeze-drying as encapsulation technique. Morphological characterization of microcapsules was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, and encapsulation efficiency and microcapsule release were determined by total saponins released. Antiglycation and antioxidant assays were performed using crude dry extract and saponin fraction of T. terrestris before and after release. RESULTS: Saponin fraction showed an increase of 32.8% total saponins. High-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed the presence of saponins in the obtained fraction. Antiglycation evaluation by REM demonstrated that samples before and after release presented antiglycation activity similar to bovine serum albumin treated with aminoguanidine. Additionally, samples inhibited AGE formation, highlighting treatment with saponin fraction after release (89.89%). Antioxidant tests demonstrated antioxidant activity of the samples. Crude dry extract before encapsulation presented the highest activities in DPPH (92.00%) and TBARS (32.49%) assays. Saponin fraction before encapsulation in FRAP test (499 μmol Trolox equivalent per gram of dry sample) and NO test (15.13 μmol nitrite formed per gram of extract) presented the highest activities. CONCLUSION This study presented antiglycation activity of crude dry extract and saponin fraction of T. terrestris, besides it demonstrated promising antioxidant properties. It also showed that the encapsulation method was efficient and maintained biological activity of bioactive compounds after microcapsule release. These results provide information for further studies on antidiabetic and antiaging potential, and data for new herbal medicine and food supplement formulations containing microcapsules with crude extract and/or saponin fraction of T. terrestris.
Antioxidants/chemistry* ; Capsules ; Complex Mixtures ; Glycation End Products, Advanced ; Plant Extracts/pharmacology* ; Saponins/pharmacology* ; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances ; Tribulus

Objective: To investigate the clinical significance of blood purification on changes in serum toxicant concentration and prognosis of acute benzene-based thinner poisoning. Methods: A total of 44 patients with acute benzene-based thinner poisoning admitted to the emergency department of Characteristic Medical Center of Armed Police from August 2013 to August 2020 were collected and divided into a blood purification group (24 cases) and a conventional treatment group (20 cases) , the general data, toxicant concentrations and prognosis of the two groups of patients were analyzed, and logistic regression analysis was performed on the influencing factors of the prognosis to explore the clinical effect of blood purification. Results: The concentration of poisons in the blood purification group at 24 hours after treatment was significantly lower than that in the conventional treatment group (t=6.76, P<0.001) , and the reduction in the concentration of poisons was significantly higher than that in the conventional treatment group (t=3.33, P=0.002) . The overall improvement rate in the blood purification group was 91.7% (22/24) , which was higher than that in the conventional treatment group (60.0%, 12/20) . Logisitic regression analysis showed that blood purification treatment method was the main factor affecting the prognosis of patients (OR=7.605×10(-5), 95%CI: 6.604×10(-8)-0.087, P=0.008) , and the toxic dose was a synergistic effect on the prognosis of patients factor (OR=1.038, 95%CI: 1.008-1.068, P=0.011) . Conclusion: Early blood purification treatment in patients with acute benzene-based thinner poisoning can rapidly reduce blood toxin concentration, avoid disease progression, and ultimately improve patient prognosis.
Benzene ; Hazardous Substances ; Humans ; Poisoning/therapy* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies

Cyanobacteria is one of the promising microbial chassis in synthetic biology, which serves as a typical host for light-driven production. With the gradual depletion of fossil resources and intensification of global warming, the research on cyanobacterial cell factory using CO2 as carbon resource is ushering in a new wave. For a long time, research focus on cyanobacterial cell factory has mainly been the production of energy products, such as liquid fuels and hydrogen. One of the critical bottlenecks occurring in cyanobacterial cell factory is the poor economic performance, which is mainly caused by the inherent inefficiency of cyanobacteria. The problem is particularly prominent for these extremely cost-sensitive energy products. As an indispensable basis for modern industry, polymer monomers belong to the bulk chemicals with high added value. Therefore, increasing attention has been focused on polymer monomers which are superior in overcoming the economic barrier in commercialization of cyanobacterial cell factories. Here, we systematically review the progress on the production of polymer monomers using cyanobacteria, including the strategies for improving production, and the related technologies for the application of this important microbial cell factory. Finally, we summarize several issues in cyanobacterial synthetic biology and proposed future developing trends in this field.
Cyanobacteria ; Macromolecular Substances ; Polymers ; Synthetic Biology

Objective: To investigate the relationship of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from 900 MHz cellphone frequency with testicular oxidative damage and its influence on the Prdx2 protein expression in the rat testis, and to explore the mechanism of Guilingji Capsules (GC) alleviating oxidative damage to the testis tissue. METHODS: Fifty healthy SD male rats were randomly divided into five groups of equal number, sham-EMR, 4-h EMR, 8-h EMR, 4-h EMR+GC and 8-h EMR+GC and exposed to 900 MHz EMR (370 μW/cm2) for 0, 4 or 8 hours daily for 15 successive days. The rats of the latter two groups were treated intragastrically with GC suspension and those of the first three groups with pure water after exposure to EMR each day. After 15 days of exposure and treatment, all the rats were sacrificed and their testis tissue collected for observation of the histomorphological and ultrastructural changes by HE staining and transmission electron microscopy, measurement of the levels of serum glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) with thiobarbiuric acid and determination of the Prdx2 protein expression by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the rats in the sham-EMR group, those in the 4-h and 8-h EMR groups showed different degrees of histomorphological and ultrastructural changes in the testis tissue, significantly decreased levels of GSH (［80.62 ± 10.99］ vs ［69.58 ± 4.18］ and ［66.17 ± 8.45］ mg/L, P < 0.05) and SOD (［172.29 ± 10.98］ vs ［158.92 ± 6.46］ and ［148.91 ± 8.60］ U/ml, P < 0.05) and increased level of MDA (［7.51 ± 1.73］ vs ［9.84 ± 1.03］ and ［11.22 ± 2.13］ umol/ml, P < 0.05), even more significantly in the 8-h than in the 4-h EMR group (P < 0.05). In comparison with the sham-EMR group, the expression of the Prdx2 protein was markedly downregulated in the 4-h and 8-h EMR groups (0.56 ± 0.03 vs 0.49 ± 0.03, 0.21 ± 0.01, P < 0.05), but again upregulated in the 4-h and 8-h EMR+GC groups (0.55±0.03 and 0.37±0.04) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Electromagnetic radiation from cellphones can cause ultrastructural damage to the testis tissue of male rats, while Guilingji Capsules can alleviate it, presumably by upregulating the Prdx2 protein expression in the testis tissue and reducing testicular oxidative damage.
Animals ; Capsules ; Cell Phone ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Electromagnetic Radiation ; Glutathione/blood* ; Male ; Malondialdehyde/blood* ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Oxidative Stress ; Peroxiredoxins/metabolism* ; Radiation Injuries, Experimental/drug therapy* ; Rats ; Superoxide Dismutase/blood* ; Testis/pathology* ; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances/analysis*

The phenomenon of phase separation of intracellular biological macromolecules is an emerging research field that has received great attention in recent years. As an aggregation and compartment mechanism of cell biochemical reactions, it widely exists in nature and participates in important physiological processes such as gene transcription and regulation, as well as influences organism's response to external stimuli. Disequilibrium of phase separation may lead to the occurrence of some major diseases. Researchers in cross-cutting fields are trying to examine dementia and other related diseases from a new perspective of phase separation, exploring its molecular mechanism and the potential possibility of intervention and treatment. This review intends to introduce the latest research progress in this field, summarize the major research directions, biochemical basis, its relationship with disease occurrence, and giving a future perspective of key problems to focus on.
Animals ; Chemistry Techniques, Analytical ; trends ; Cytoplasm ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Humans ; Macromolecular Substances ; isolation & purification ; Research ; trends

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the potential effects of cisplatin on photodynamic therapy (PDT) in breast cancer using a breast tumor-bearing mouse model. METHODS: In this study, breast tumor (experimental mammary tumour-6 cell)-bearing nude mice were used as experimental animals. Photolon® (photosensitizer, 2.5 mg/kg body weight [BW]) was injected intraperitoneally; after 2 hours, the tumors were irradiated (660 nm, 80 J/cm2) using a diode laser tool. Cisplatin (3 mg/kg BW) was injected intraperitoneally 1 hour before the Photolon® injection. RESULTS: Tumor volume increased over time in the control group and was not different from that in the cisplatin group. In the PDT group, the tumor volume increased on day 3, but not on day 7. In the cisplatin+PDT group, tumor volume increased on day 3 but decreased on day 7. There was no significant difference in the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) in tumor tissues between the control and cisplatin groups. The levels of TBARS in the cisplatin+PDT group were higher (47%) than those in the PDT group. Analysis of tumor tissue transcriptomes showed that the expression of genes related to the inflammatory response including CL and XCL genes increased, while that of Fn1 decreased in the cisplatin+PDT group compared with the PDT group. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that cisplatin enhances the therapeutic effect of PDT in a breast tumor-bearing mouse model. However, further clinical studies involving patients with breast cancer is needed.
Animals ; Body Weight ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast ; Cisplatin ; Humans ; Lasers, Semiconductor ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Photochemotherapy ; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances ; Transcriptome ; Tumor Burden

PURPOSE: Dyslipidemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Pine needles (Pinus densiflora seib et Zucc) are a traditional medicine used to treat dyslipidemia in clinical settings. This study examined the potential effects of sulgidduk, a Korean traditional rice cake containing pine needle juice to protect against dyslipidemia induced by a high-fat/sugidduk diet in a rat model. METHODS: Twenty one male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into three groups: normal control (NC), Sulgidduk diet (SD), Sulgidduk diet containing pine needle juice (PSD). The blood lipid levels, production of lipid peroxide in the plasma and liver, total cholesterol and triglyceride in the liver and feces, antioxidant enzyme activities in plasma and erythrocytes were measured to assess the effects of PSD on dyslipidemia. RESULTS: A high-fat/Sulgidduk diet induced dyslipidemia, which was characterized by significantly altered lipid profiles in the plasma and liver. The food intake was similar in the three groups, but weight gain and food efficiency ratio (FER) were reduced significantly in the PSD group compared to those in the SD group. The level of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and TBARS in the plasma showed tendencies to decrease in the PSD group compared to those in the SD group. The levels of high-fat/Sulgidduk diet-induced sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2 (SREBP2) gene expression were reduced significantly in the PSD group. The supplementation of PSD reduced the hepatic triglyceride and total cholesterol levels significantly, and enhanced the fecal excretion of triglyceride and hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities compared to the SD group. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the addition of 0.4% pine needle juice to Sulgidduk may be an alternative snack to control dyslipidemia.
Animals ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol ; Diet ; Dyslipidemias ; Eating ; Erythrocytes ; Feces ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Lipid Metabolism ; Liver ; Male ; Medicine, Traditional ; Models, Animal ; Needles ; Plasma ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Risk Factors ; Snacks ; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances ; Triglycerides ; Weight Gain

BACKGROUND: The photolithography process in the semiconductor industry uses various chemicals with little information on their constitution. This study aimed to identify the chemical constituents of photoresist (PR) products and their by-products and to compare these constituents with material safety data sheets (MSDSs) and analytical results. METHODS: A total of 51 PRs with 48 MSDSs were collected. Analysis consisted of two parts: First, the constituents of the chemical products were identified and analyzed using MSDS data; second, for verification of the by-products of PR, volatile organic compounds were analyzed. The chemical constituents were categorized according to hazards. RESULTS: Forty-five of 48 products contained trade secrets in amounts ranging from 1 to 65%. A total of 238 ingredients with multiple counting (35 ingredients without multiple counting) were identified in the MSDS data, and 48.7% of ingredients were labeled as trade secrets under the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Act. The concordance rate between the MSDS data and the analytical result was 41.7%. The by-product analysis identified 129 chemicals classified according to Chemical Abstracts Service No., with 17 chemicals that are carcinogenic, mutagenic, and reprotoxic substances. Formaldehyde was found to be released from 12 of 21 products that use novolak resin. CONCLUSION: We confirmed that several PRs contain carcinogens, and some were not specified in the toxicological information in the MSDS. Hazardous chemicals, including benzene and formaldehyde, are released from PRs products as by-products. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a systematic management system for chemical compounds and the working environment.
Benzene ; Carcinogens ; Constitution and Bylaws ; Formaldehyde ; Hazardous Substances ; Korea ; Material Safety Data Sheets ; Occupational Health ; Semiconductors ; Volatile Organic Compounds

Although the rare earth elements (REEs) recycling industry is expected to increase worldwide in high-tech industry, regulations for worker safety have yet to be established. This study was conducted to understand the potential hazard/risk of REE recycling and to support the establishment of regulations or standards. We review the extensive literature on the toxicology, occupational safety, and health issues, and epidemiological surveys related to the REEs, and propose suitable management measures. REE recycling has four key steps such as collection, dismantling, separation, and processing. In these processes, hazardous substances, such as REEs-containing dust, metals, and chemicals, were used or occurred, including the risk of ignition and explosion, and the workers can be easily exposed to them. In addition, skin irritation and toxicities for respiratory, nervous, and cardiovascular systems with the liver toxicity were reported; however, more supplementary data are needed, owing to incompleteness. Therefore, monitoring systems concerning health, environmental impacts, and safety need to be established, based on additional research studies. It is also necessary to develop innovative and environment-friendly recycling technologies, analytical methods, and biomarkers with government support. Through these efforts, the occupational safety and health status will be improved, along with the establishment of advanced REE recycling industry.
Biomarkers ; Cardiovascular System ; Dust ; Environmental Health ; Explosions ; Hazardous Substances ; Liver ; Metals ; Occupational Health ; Recycling ; Skin ; Social Control, Formal ; Toxicology