More surprises in the global greenhouse: Human health impacts from recent toxic marine aerosol formations, due to centennial alterations of world-wide coastal food webs

Reductions of zooplankton biomasses and grazing pressures were observed during overfishing-induced trophic cascades and concurrent oil spills at global scales. Recent phytoplankton increments followed, once Fe-, P-, and N-nutrient limitations of commensal diazotrophs and dinoflagellates were also eliminated by respective human desertification, deforestation, and eutrophication during climate changes. Si-limitation of diatoms instead ensued during these last anthropogenic perturbations of agricultural effluents and sewage loadings. Consequently, ~15% of total world-wide annual asthma trigger responses, i.e. amounting to ~45 million adjacent humans during 2004, resulted from brevetoxin and palytoxin poisons in aerosol forms of western boundary current origins. They were denoted by greater global harmful algal bloom [HAB] abundances and breathing attacks among sea-side children during prior decadal surveys of asthma prevalence, compiled here in ten paired shelf ecosystems of western and eutrophied boundary currents. Since 1965, such inferred onshore fluxes of aerosolized DOC poisons of HABs may have served as additional wind-borne organic carriers of toxic marine MeHg, phthalate, and DDT/DDE vectors, traced by radio-iodine isotopes to potentially elicit carcinomas. During these exchanges, as much as 40% of mercury poisonings may instead have been effected by inhalation of collateral HAB-carried marine neurotoxic aerosols of MeHg, not just from eating marine fish. Health impacts in some areas were additional asthma and pneumonia episodes, as well as endocrine disruptions among the same adjacent humans, with known large local rates of thyroid cancers, physician-diagnosed pulmonary problems, and ubiquitous high indices of mercury in hair, pesticides in breast milk, and phthalates in urine.

[Characteristics of sleep apnea events in non-snoring children]

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of sleep-related respiratory events in normal children and to provide normal polysomnographic parameters for diagnosing sleep-disordered breathing in children. Methods: Normal subjects between 3 and 14 years old were enrolled from 1 July 2014 to 31 December 2015 and the subjects received overnight polysomnography at the sleep center of our hospital. They were children of our hospital employees or were recruited from the communities who did not have sleep and respiratory disorders. The children were divided into preschool group (3-5 years) and school-age group (6-14 years). Apnea index (AI), obstructive apnea index (OAI), central apnea index (CAI), and mixed apnea index (MAI) were compared between the two groups. Data for continuous variables that showed normal distribution were expressed as x ±s. M(P₂₅, P₇₅) were used when data were not normally distributed. Continuous variables that showed normal distribution were compared by using an independent-sample t-test. Wilcoxon-test was performed when data exhibited non-normal distribution. Differences in categorical data were tested with Chi-square test. Pearson correlation test was applied for the correlation analysis. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 115 normal children took part in the study including 40 in preschool group and 75 in school-age group. Children in both groups had a few sleep apnea events, most of which were central apneas, accounting for 80% and 70% of the total respiratory events respectively. Central apnea index in preschool children were significantly higher than that of school-age children (P<0.001), with median of 0.6 times/h and 0.1 times/h, respectively. Median OAI of both groups were 0.0 times/h without significant difference (P=0.748). Obstructive apnea events occurred mainly in the supine position in both groups. Conclusions: Normal children may have a few apnea events in sleep that were predominantly central apnea. CAI of preschool children is significantly higher than that of school-age children. Obstructive sleep apnea is rare in normal children, and sleep apnea occurs mainly in the supine position.

Persistence and risk of antibiotic residues and antibiotic resistance genes in major mariculture sites in Southeast China

Antibiotics are widely used in mariculture industry, and this study attempts to determine the extent of water and sediment pollution by antibiotic residues in 13 major mariculture sites in China. Through chemical and molecular biology analysis, the results showed that the total concentrations of sulfonamides and tetracyclines were in the range 62.0-373.8ngL^-1 and 0.2-259.1ngL^-1 respectively in water samples, and in the range 0.19-1.59ngg^-1 dry weight and 3.45-74.84ngg^-1 dry weight respectively, in sediments samples. The occurrence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) was detected in all sites. Compared with the tetracyclines resistance genes, the absolute copy number and relative abundance of the sulfonamides resistance genes were 4.3 times and 2.3 times higher in water and sediment from the mariculture sites, with the dominant resistance genes being sul2. The abundance of sul3 in the water phase was significantly correlated with the concentrations of sulfamerazine, while the abundance of sul2 in the sediment phase was significantly with sulfadiazine concentrations. The abundance of tetM in the sediment phase was significantly correlated with the concentrations of oxytetracycline. The findings demonstrate the persistence of antibiotic residues and ARGs in major mariculture sites in Southeast China.

Diode-pumped mode-locked Tm:LuAG laser at 2 μm based on GaSb-SESAM

Mode-locking of a directly diode-pumped Tm:LuAG laser is demonstrated using GaSb-based semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors (SESAMs). Stable and self-starting mode-locked operation was realized, generating pulses as short as 13.6 ps at 2024 nm with a maximum output power of 98 mW. Two GaInAs-based SESAMs were used for comparison with the operation based upon the use of the GaSb SESAM; in this case, longer pulses with durations of 27 ps and 34 ps were obtained under the same experimental conditions. Our work sets a new record in pulse duration for mode-locked Tm:LuAG lasers and confirms that lattice-matched GaSb-based SESAMs are beneficial for mode-locked solid-state lasers in the 2 μm range.

PTPRO represses ERBB2-driven breast oncogenesis by dephosphorylation and endosomal internalization of ERBB2

The plasma membrane-associated tyrosine phosphatase PTPRO is frequently transcriptionally repressed in cancers and signifies poor prognosis of breast cancer patients. In this study, deletion of Ptpro in MMTV-Erbb2 transgenic mice dramatically shortened the mammary tumor latency and accelerated tumor growth due to loss of Ptpro within the breast cancer cells but not in surrounding tissue as confirmed by hetero-transplantation studies. Both in vitro and in vivo data demonstrated that the phosphatase activity was required for the inactivation of ERBB2 and its downstream signaling. PTPRO regulated the phosphorylation status of ERBB2 at Y1248. Co-immunoprecipitation and proximity ligation assay (Duolink) indicated that PTPRO directly physically interacted with ERBB2. Moreover, PTPRO phosphatase activity shortened the half-life of ERBB2 by increasing endocytotic degradation. PTPRO reexpression by demethylation treatment using 5-azacytidine reduced the proliferation and colony formation potential in ERBB2-positive breast cancer cells. Taken together, PTPRO inhibited ERBB2-driven breast cancer through dephosphorylation leading to dual effects of ERBB2 signaling suppression and endosomal internalization of ERBB2, Therefore, reexpression of PTPRO may be a potential therapy for ERBB2-overexpressing breast cancer.

A bioinspired adaptive spider web

This work presents an adaptive structure inspired by spider webs' behavior. To investigate the dynamic properties and performance of this system, numerical models are developed to examine the effects of pretension in radial strings, and Young's modulus, and damping ratio on the natural frequency and total energy of the system. An experimental study was conducted to validate theoretical results. Stepper motors controlled by a microcontroller are utilized to increase the pretension in the radial strings of the web in order to tune the web's energy absorption ability. It is demonstrated that the pretension, Young's modulus, and damping ratio in the radial strings can significantly affect the natural frequency and total energy of full and damaged webs. It is also shown that increasing the pretension in the radial strings compensates for the loss of stiffness due to the damaged strings. Finally, it is shown that controlling the pretension in radial strings can provide higher energy absorption capability for the spider web.

Mycobacterium ulcerans toxin, mycolactone may enhance host-seeking and oviposition behaviour by Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae)

The ecological functions of many toxins continue to remain unknown for those produced by environmental pathogens. Mycobacterium ulcerans, the causative agent of the neglected tropical disease, Buruli ulcer, produces a cytotoxic macrolide, mycolactone, whose function(s) in the environment remains elusive. Through a series of dual-choice behaviour assays, they show that mycolactone may be an interkingdom cue for the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, seeking blood-meals as well as oviposition sites. Results provide novel insight into the evolution between bacteria and potential vectors. While further studies are needed to determine if mycolactone is an actual signal rather than simply a cue, this discovery could serve as a model for determining roles for toxins produced by other environmental pathogens and provide opportunities for developing novel strategies for disease prevention. The relationship between M. ulcerans, mycolactone, and Ae. aegypti further suggests there could be an amplification effect for the spread of pathogens responsible for other diseases, such as yellow fever and dengue.

Denervation Resulting in Dento-Alveolar Ankylosis Associated with Decreased Malassez Epithelium

Inferior alveolar nerve denervation causes appreciable decreases in the distribution of epithelial rests of Malassez. To explore roles of the Malassez epithelium, we attempted to evaluate possible changes in dento-alveolar tissues surrounding this epithelium by experimental denervation. We found that denervation led to dento-alveolar ankylosis with a decrease in the width of the periodontal spaces. Interestingly, with regeneration of the Malassez epithelium 10 weeks after the denervation, the periodontal space width showed a correspondingly significant increase. These findings suggest that the Malassez epithelium may be involved in the maintenance of periodontal space and that sensory innervation might be indirectly associated with it. In addition, it is of interest that denervation activated root resorption of the coronal root surface and that the consequently resorbed lacunae were repaired by cellular cementum. It is suggested that Malassez epithelium may negatively regulate root resorption and induce acellular cementum formation.

Note: Triggering behavior of a vacuum arc plasma source

Axial symmetry of discharge is very important for application of vacuum arc plasma. It is discovered that the triggering method is a significant factor that would influence the symmetry of arc discharge at the final stable stage. Using high-speed multiframe photography, the transition processes from cathode-trigger discharge to cathode-anode discharge were observed. It is shown that the performances of the two triggering methods investigated are quite different. Arc discharge triggered by independent electric source can be stabilized at the center of anode grid, but it is difficult to achieve such good symmetry through resistance triggering. It is also found that the triggering process is highly correlated to the behavior of emitted electrons.

Shp2 suppresses the adipogenic differentiation of preadipocyte 3T3-L1 cells at an early stage

Tyrosine phosphatase protein Shp2 is a potential therapeutic target for obesity. However, the mechanism of Shp2 during adipogenesis is not fully understood. The present study investigated the role of Shp2 in the terminal differentiation of preadipocytes. The results showed that Shp2 suppressed adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells; overexpression of Shp2 reduced lipid droplet production in 3T3-L1 cells, whereas Shp2 knockdown increased lipid droplet production in 3T3-L1 cells. Furthermore, inhibition of Shp2 activity also enhanced adipocyte differentiation. Interestingly, Shp2 expression was specifically decreased early during differentiation in response to stimulation with the dexamethasone–methylisobutylxanthine–insulin (DMI) hormone cocktail. During the first 2 days of differentiation, Shp2 overexpression impaired the DMI-induced phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in 3T3-L1 cells and blocked the peak expression of CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins β and δ during preadipocyte differentiation. In conclusion, Shp2 downregulated the early stages of hormone-induced differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells and inhibited the expression of the first wave of transcription factors by suppressing the DMI-induced STAT3 signaling pathway. These discoveries point to a novel role of Shp2 during adipogenesis and support the hypothesis that Shp2 could be a therapeutic target for the control of obesity.

4-Methylcatechol inhibits cell growth and testosterone production in TM3 Leydig cells by reducing mitochondrial activity

4-Methylcatechol (4-MC) is a potential neuroprotective drug because it stimulates the synthesis of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) in neurons. The present study explored the effect of 4-MC on cell growth and testosterone synthesis in the TM3 Leydig cells of mice. 4-MC did not enhance expression of both BDNF and NGF in these cells. However, this compound significantly inhibited cell proliferation and increased the number of apoptotic cells in a dose-dependent manner. The expression profile of Bax/Bcl-2 gene was altered considerably, and mitochondrial activity was significantly decreased in cells. 4-Methylcatechol also inhibited testosterone synthesis in TM3 Leydig cells. The inhibitory roles of this compound in relation to growth and testosterone synthesis in TM3 Leydig cells maybe associated with increased Bax gene expression and decreased mitochondrial activity. As a result, caspase cascade is activated.

The changing relationship between HbA1c and FPG according to different FPG ranges

PURPOSE

Since the American Diabetes Association included hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in the diagnostic criteria for diabetes in 2010, the clinical use of HbA1c has remained controversial. We explored the use of HbA1c for diagnosing diabetes and intermediate hyperglycemia in comparison with fasting plasma glucose (FPG).

METHODS

We screened 3710 adult subjects (mean age = 55.24 years) comprising 1704 males and 2006 females. We drew an receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to evaluate the ability of HbA1c to diagnose diabetes and intermediate hyperglycemia according to FPG. We used Kappa coefficient and Pearson's correlation coefficient to evaluate the relationship between HbA1c and FPG in different FPG ranges.

RESULTS

The areas under ROC curve to diagnose diabetes and intermediate hyperglycemia were 0.859 (95 % CI 0.827-0.892) and 0.633 (95 % CI 0.615-0.651). The kappa coefficients between FPG and HbA1c for diagnosis of diabetes and intermediate hyperglycemia were 0.601 (P < 0.001) and 0.104 (P < 0.001). The Pearson's correlation coefficient of FPG and HbA1c was 0.640 (P < 0.001), but when we classified FPG as normal, intermediate hyperglycemia and diabetes, the coefficients became 0.07 (P = 0.002), 0.185 (P < 0.001) and 0.760 (P < 0.001), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The relationship between HbA1c and FPG changed according to the different FPG ranges. When FPG was higher, the relationship was stronger. HbA1c and FPG were highly consistent in diagnosing diabetes, but they were not in predicting intermediate hyperglycemia.

The prevalence and heterogeneity of prehypertension: a meta-analysis and meta-regression of published literature worldwide

Objective

Prehypertension appears to be a precursor of hypertension and has been recognised as a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Recognition of prehypertension provides important opportunities for preventing hypertension and CVD. We aimed to investigate the world-wide prevalence and heterogeneity of prehypertension.

Methods

We performed a meta-analysis of cross-sectional studies worldwide that reported the prevalence of prehypertension. We searched for publications between January 1966 and November 2010, using PubMed, Ovid and the Cochrane Library, with the keyword ‘prehypertension’, supplemented by a manual search of references from recent reviews and relevant published original studies. Pooled prevalence of prehypertension was calculated using random-effects models. Heterogeneity was investigated by subgroup analysis and meta-regression. Twenty-two articles met our inclusion criteria, with a total sample of 242 322 individuals.

Results

The overall pooled prevalence of prehypertension was 38%. Significant heterogeneity across estimates of prevalence was observed (p = 0.000, I² = 99.9%). The prevalence rose as the sample size increased, and was higher among men than women (41 vs 34%). The non-Asian population was more likely to be prehypertensive than Asian individuals (42 vs 36%). A high prevalence of 47% was observed among the black African population in the non-Asian subgroup. The inception year of the surveys was the only source of heterogeneity we found by meta-regressional analysis (p = 0.06).

Conclusion

These results indicate that the prevalence of prehypertension was relatively high, particularly among males. Although more attention has been paid to this segment of the population since 2003, additional practical and reasonable steps should be taken to prevent and treat prehypertension.

Epigenetic regulation in dental pulp inflammation

Dental caries, trauma, and other possible factors could lead to injury of the dental pulp. Dental infection could result in immune and inflammatory responses mediated by molecular and cellular events and tissue breakdown. The inflammatory response of dental pulp could be regulated by genetic and epigenetic events. Epigenetic modifications play a fundamental role in gene expression. The epigenetic events might play critical roles in the inflammatory process of dental pulp injury. Major epigenetic events include methylation and acetylation of histones and regulatory factors, DNA methylation, and small non-coding RNAs. Infections and other environmental factors have profound effects on epigenetic modifications and trigger diseases. Despite growing evidences of literatures addressing the role of epigenetics in the field of medicine and biology, very little is known about the epigenetic pathways involved in dental pulp inflammation. This review summarized the current knowledge about epigenetic mechanisms during dental pulp inflammation. Progress in studies of epigenetic alterations during inflammatory response would provide opportunities for the development of efficient medications of epigenetic therapy for pulpitis.

A monoclonal antibody targeting ErbB2 domain III inhibits ErbB2 signaling and suppresses the growth of ErbB2-overexpressing breast tumors

The anti-ErbB2 antibodies trastuzumab and pertuzumab in combination have recently been approved for the treatment of patients with ErbB2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Pertuzumab, which binds to ErbB2 near the center of domain II, and trastuzumab, which binds to the juxtamembrane region of ErbB2 domain IV, directly interfere with domain II- and domain IV-mediated heterodimerization contacts, respectively. In this study, we report a novel anti-ErbB2 antibody, 3E10, which binds to an epitope in domain III that appears to be located opposite to the dimerization interfaces in domain II and domain IV of ErbB2. Our data show that the 3E10 antibody inhibits ErbB2 heterodimerization via a mechanism that strikingly differs from trastuzumab and pertuzumab. It could be speculated that the 3E10 antibody may affect ErbB2 heterodimerization by causing major conformational changes of ErbB2. Furthermore, 3E10 provides synergistic inhibition of ErbB2 heterodimerization and signaling in combination with either trastuzumab or pertuzumab. The combination of these three anti-ErbB2 antibodies that have complementary mechanisms of action appears to be an extremely potent ErbB2 heterodimerization blocker. Compared with trastuzumab plus pertuzumab, the combination of trastuzumab, pertuzumab and 3E10 provides a more potent blockade of ErbB2 signaling. Consistent with this, trastuzumab plus pertuzumab plus 3E10 results in greater in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity in ErbB2-overexpressing breast tumor models, suggesting its potential use for treating ErbB2-overexpressing breast cancer.

Measurement of the Reactor Antineutrino Flux and Spectrum at Daya Bay

This Letter reports a measurement of the flux and energy spectrum of electron antineutrinos from six 2.9 GWth nuclear reactors with six detectors deployed in two near (effective baselines 512 and 561 m) and one far (1579 m) underground experimental halls in the Daya Bay experiment. Using 217 days of data, 296 721 and 41 589 inverse β decay (IBD) candidates were detected in the near and far halls, respectively. The measured IBD yield is (1.55±0.04) ×10(-18)  cm(2) GW(-1) day(-1) or (5.92±0.14) ×10(-43)  cm(2) fission(-1). This flux measurement is consistent with previous short-baseline reactor antineutrino experiments and is 0.946±0.022 (0.991±0.023) relative to the flux predicted with the Huber-Mueller (ILL-Vogel) fissile antineutrino model. The measured IBD positron energy spectrum deviates from both spectral predictions by more than 2σ over the full energy range with a local significance of up to ∼4σ between 4-6 MeV. A reactor antineutrino spectrum of IBD reactions is extracted from the measured positron energy spectrum for model-independent predictions.

Surface waves in granular phononic crystals

The existence of surface elastic waves at a mechanically free surface of granular phononic crystals is studied. The granular phononic crystals are made of spherical particles distributed periodically on a simple cubic lattice. It is assumed that the particles are interacting by means of normal, shear, and bending contact rigidities. First, Rayleigh-type surface acoustic waves, where the displacement of the particles takes place in the sagittal plane while the particles possess one rotational and two translational degrees of freedom, are analyzed. Second, shear-horizontal-type waves, where the displacement of the particles is normal to the sagittal plane while the particles possess one translational and two rotational degrees of freedom are studied. The existence of zero-group-velocity surface acoustic waves of Rayleigh type is theoretically predicted and interpreted. A comparison with surface waves predicted by the reduced Cosserat theory is performed, and some limitations of the latter are established.

Progranulin and short-term outcome in patients with acute ischaemic stroke

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Stroke is a leading cause of death and severe disability worldwide. Serum biomarkers play a critical role in the assessment of the severity and prognosis in stroke patients.

METHODS

In this prospective cohort study, the measurement of serum progranulin (PGRN) was conducted in 316 participants, including 216 patients with an identified diagnosis of acute ischaemic stroke and 100 normal control subjects. The primary end-point was defined as all-cause mortality for a short-term follow-up of 6 months. Adverse functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale score ≥3) was considered as the secondary end-point.

RESULTS

The median value of serum PGRN for patients with acute ischaemic stroke was 64.2 ng/ml (interquartile range 54.6-73.7), which was significantly higher than the control group [59.7 (54.4-64.4) ng/ml; P < 0.001]. Multivariable linear regression suggested that PGRN levels were significantly correlated with body mass index, alcohol consumption, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Serum PGRN concentrations were independently associated with increased risks of all-cause mortality and adverse functional outcome after adjustment for clinical variables. In Cox proportional hazards models, PGRN levels were associated with the risk of mortality (hazard ratio 1.090, 95% confidence interval 1.033-1.150, P = 0.002). The net reclassification improvement of the model with added PGRN was 0.1902 (P = 0.0234) after adjustment for the variables in the Cox regression model for predicting all-cause mortality, and the integrated discrimination improvement was 0.1052 (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Serum PGRN levels independently predicted all-cause mortality and adverse functional outcome in the short term in stroke patients. The discriminative power was improved by PGRN on the basis of NIHSS score.

Protective effect of Esculin in adjuvant-induced arthritic (AIA) rats via attenuating pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress

The present study was intended to exemplify the protective effect of Esculin (ES; 6,7-dihydroxycoumarin-6-o-glucoside) on the adjuvant induced arthritis in adult female Sprague Dawley rats. It has been found that, treatment of ES has significantly improved the body weight of rats accompanied with a reduction of paw volume in comparison to arthritic control. In addition, ES exhibit inhibitory effect on various pro-inflammatory cytokines, for instance, IL-1β and TNF-α. The level of oxidative stress markers, i.e., nitric oxide and peroxide was also found suppressed after treatment. The treatment of ES prevents the tissue injury mediated via oxidative stress via up-regulating the level of endogenous GSH in a dose dependent manner. Thus, it has been corroborated that, ES exerts potent anti-arthritic activity via attenuating pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress.

Soybeans or Soybean Products Consumption and Depressive Symptoms in Older Residents in Rural Northeast China: A Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVE

Depression is one of the most common mental disorders among elderly subjects. The purpose of this study is to estimate the prevalence of depressive symptoms and the association between soybeans consumption and depressive symptoms among older residents in rural Northeast China.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

A representative sample of the rural Northeast residents.

PARTICIPANTS

This survey was conducted from July 2012 to August 2013 which randomly selected and examined a total of 1717 residents aged ≥ 65 years from the rural Northeast China.

MEASUREMENTS

All participants completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Information on demographic and lifestyle characteristics and blood biochemical indexes were collected by well-trained personnel.

RESULTS

The prevalence of depressive symptoms in the elderly was 8.9%. Women had significantly higher prevalence of depressive symptoms than men (13.3% vs.4.6%, P<0.001). Individuals consuming soybeans ≥4times/week had statically lower possibility to have depressive symptoms than those rarely consuming (3.6%vs. 12.5%, P<0.05). In addition to some conventional risk factors like sex, annual income, educational status, current smoking and chronic diseases status were associated with depressive symptoms, proper sleep duration (7-8h/d) [OR(95%CI):0.28(0.15,0.53)] and frequently consumption of soybeans or soybean products [OR (95%CI): 0.36 (0.15,0.87) for 2-3times/week and OR (95%CI):0.50 (0.34,0.74) for ≥4times/week] significantly decreased the risk of depressive symptoms among elderly in rural Northeast China.

CONCLUSION

Women had significantly higher prevalence of depressive symptoms than men in rural China. Individuals who rarely consume soybeans or soybean products are more likely to suffer depressive symptoms. Rural elderly residents should be cautiously screened to prevent or treat depression.