Differential Impacts of Environmentally Relevant Microplastics on Gut Barrier Integrity in Mice Fed High-Fat Diet Versus Normal Chow Diet.

Background: Despite escalating global pollution from microplastics (MPs) and the concurrent surge in high-fat food consumption, the health impacts of MP exposure on individuals under different dietary patterns remain poorly understood.

Methods: This study investigated the differential effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of polystyrene microplastics (5 μm, 8 mg/kg) on gut barrier function in mice fed either a normal chow diet (CD) or a high-fat diet (HFD).

Results: Key findings revealed that, in HFD-fed mice, MP exposure significantly reduced ( < 0.

Urinary iodine levels and thyroid disorder prevalence in the adult population of China: a large-scale population-based cross-sectional study.

In the past decade, the incidence of thyroid disorders has been steadily increasing, emerging as a prominent public health concern. Consequently, there is a growing interest in understanding the association between iodine nutritional status and thyroid disorders. We selected 13,487 adults (aged 18-69 years) from the baseline population of Zhejiang Environmental Health Cohort (ZEHC) research.

Iodine Nutritional Status and Thyroid Autoimmunity in Chinese Children and Adolescents Aged 6-17 Years.

Thyroid autoimmunity (TAI), marked by thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb) and thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb), affects over 10% of the general population, with children and adolescents experiencing significant impacts on growth and quality of life despite lower prevalence rates compared to adults. In the context of over 20 years of universal salt iodization (USI) in China, this study investigated the relationship between iodine nutritional status and TAI in children and adolescents aged 6-17. Our findings suggest that while iodine levels are generally sufficient (median urinary iodine concentration [UIC] was 205.

Impact of Microplastic Exposure on Blood Glucose Levels and Gut Microbiota: Differential Effects under Normal or High-Fat Diet Conditions.

Microplastics are emerging pollutants that have garnered significant attention, with evidence suggesting their association with the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus. In order to assess the impact of polystyrene microplastic exposure on alterations in the gut microbiota and the subsequent implications for glucose dysregulation under different dietary conditions in mice, we investigated the effects and disparities in the blood glucose levels induced by polystyrene microplastic exposure in mice fed a high-fat diet versus those fed a normal diet. Using 16S rRNA sequencing and bioinformatics analyses, we explored the dynamic changes and discrepancies in the gut microbiota stability induced by polystyrene microplastic exposure under varied dietary conditions, and we screened for gut genera associated with the potential of polystyrene microplastics to disrupt glucose homeostasis.

Prevalence of thyroid nodule and relationship with physiological and psychosocial factors among adults in Zhejiang Province, China: a baseline survey of a cohort study.

Background: Thyroid nodules have attracted much attention due to their high incidence and potential for malignant transformation. Compared with the clinical assessment and diagnosis of thyroid nodules, there are relatively few studies on the epidemiological risk factors for thyroid nodules. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of thyroid nodule among adults in Zhejiang province and to explore their relationship with physiological and psychosocial factors.

Deciphering the Role of the Gut Microbiota in Exposure to Emerging Contaminants and Diabetes: A Review.

Emerging pollutants, a category of compounds currently not regulated or inadequately regulated by law, have recently become a focal point of research due to their potential toxic effects on human health. The gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in human health; it is particularly susceptible to disruption and alteration upon exposure to a range of toxic environmental chemicals, including emerging contaminants. The disturbance of the gut microbiome caused by environmental pollutants may represent a mechanism through which environmental chemicals exert their toxic effects, a mechanism that is garnering increasing attention.

Emerging Contaminants: An Emerging Risk Factor for Diabetes Mellitus.

Emerging contaminants have been increasingly recognized as critical determinants in global public health outcomes. However, the intricate relationship between these contaminants and glucose metabolism remains to be fully elucidated. The paucity of comprehensive clinical data, coupled with the need for in-depth mechanistic investigations, underscores the urgency to decipher the precise molecular and cellular pathways through which these contaminants potentially mediate the initiation and progression of diabetes mellitus.

Relationship of individual and mixed urinary metals exposure with liver function in the China National Human Biomonitoring (CNHBM) of Zhejiang Province.

Background: Heavy metals have been reported to affect liver function. However, there is currently little and inconsistent knowledge about the effects of combined and individual urinary metals on specific parameters of liver function in the general population. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate their associations.

Serum Iodine as a Potential Individual Iodine Status Biomarker: A Cohort Study of Mild Iodine Deficient Pregnant Women in China.

Iodine deficiency during pregnancy is a widespread public health concern, but indicators and methods for assessing iodine nutritional status are lacking. Serum iodine concentration (SIC) is an important iodine metabolism biomarker and can, to some extent, predict the risk of thyroid diseases, making it a potential biomarker for assessing individual iodine nutrition levels. Our study aimed to analyze the relationship between SIC and thyroid function in a cohort of mild iodine deficient pregnant women in China in order to explore the potential of SIC as a biomarker of individual iodine status in pregnancy.

Are Microplastics Toxic? A Review from Eco-Toxicity to Effects on the Gut Microbiota.

Emerging studies have presented an initial picture of the toxic effects of exposure to environmental micro- and nanoplastics. They have indicated that micro- and nanoplastics may induce toxicity by leading to oxidative stress, energy metabolism disorders, gene damage, and so forth in environmental organisms, marine invertebrates and vertebrates, and laboratory mouse models. In recent years, micro- and nanoplastics have been discovered in human fecal samples, placentas, lung tissue, and even blood; thus, micro- and nanoplastics pose an alarming and ever-increasing threat to global public health.

Pollution Characteristics and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Agricultural Soils over the Past Five Years in Zhejiang, Southeast China.

Heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils has attracted increasing attention in recent years. In this study, 1999 agricultural soil samples were collected from 11 cities in Zhejiang Province from 2016 to 2020, and the spatial and temporal variation characteristics of 3 of the most important heavy metals, i.e.

Low Iodine Intake May Decrease Women's Fecundity: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Salt iodization is one of the most cost-effective strategies to eliminate iodine deficiency disorders (IDD). However, China's dismantling of salt monopoly has reduced the availability of iodized salt in the susceptible population in pregnancy, which might cause IDD and have adverse health effects on both themselves and their offspring. The aim of our study was therefore to explore the association between IDD and women's reproductive health.

Geographical influences on thyroid abnormalities in adult population from iodine-replete regions: a cross-sectional study.

The studies on the increasing incidence of thyroid abnormalities are scarce. The aim of this current study was to ascertain the effects of geographical region on thyroid abnormalities under the context of universal salt iodization (USI). We randomly selected 1255 participants residing in inland and 1248 in coast, with the determination of urinary iodine concentration (UIC) and functional and morphological abnormalities of thyroid gland.

Induction of peripheral blood T follicular helper cells expressing ICOS correlates with antibody response to hepatitis B vaccination.

T follicular helper (TFH) cells, a critical subset of CD4 T cells, provide help to B cells during the procession of the humoral immune response in the germinal center (GC) and extrafollicular sites. CXCR5 CD4 T cells in human circulating blood, referred to herein as peripheral TFH (pTFH) cells, share phenotypes and functional properties with TFH cells in GC. Hepatitis B vaccine protects about 60% of the chronic hepatitis C patients from hepatitis B.

Poor Iodine Knowledge, Coastal Region, and Non-Iodized Salt Consumption Linked to Low Urinary Iodine Excretion in Zhejiang Pregnant Women.

Background: Iodine deficiency in pregnant women, defined as a median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) of less than 150 μg/L, is an important public health issue. To improve their iodine intake, it is important to understand the knowledge and practices regarding iodine.

Methods: A cross-sectional investigation was conducted on 2642 pregnant women during 2016⁻2017 in Zhejiang province, China.

Iodine Deficiency in Zhejiang Pregnant Women in the Context of Universal Salt Iodization Programme.

Zhejiang introduced universal salt iodization (USI) programme in 1995 and has achieved the goal of elimination of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) since 2011. However, no systematical data of iodine nutritional status in population in pregnancy is available. In this cross-sectional study, pregnant women were interviewed to complete questionnaires in addition to handing in samples of urine and household table salt between March 2016 to February 2017.

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Zhejiang foods (2006-2015): Market basket and polluted areas.

In this study, we measured the levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in 620 foods collected during 2006-2015 from Zhejiang market, a municipal waste incinerator (MWI) and E-waste disassembling areas. For market retail foods, the levels of PCDD/F TEQs, PCDD/F plus dioxin-like PCB (DL-PCB) TEQs, and the concentrations of six indicator PCBs were generally below the EU ML. The average TEQ values for the 13 food groups were 42% of EU ML for PCDD/Fs and 32% for PCDD/Fs+DL-PCBs.

Microcystin-LR induces a wide variety of biochemical changes in the A549 human non-small cell lung cancer cell line: Roles for protein phosphatase 2A and its substrates.

Our previous studies have described the toxic effects of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) in various normal cell lines and human hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells, but the specific effects of MC-LR in other types of cancer cells with respect to protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) have not been fully elaborated. A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells have been identified to express organic anion-transporting polypeptides (OATP) involved in cellular uptake of MC-LR, and thus probably make an appropriate in vitro model to assess MC-LR's cytotoxicity. Hence, in our present study, A549 cells were treated with various concentrations of MC-LR for 24 h.

HEK293 cells exposed to microcystin-LR show reduced protein phosphatase 2A activity and more stable cytoskeletal structure when overexpressing α4 protein.

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is one of the most toxic members of microcystins released by freshwater cyanobacterial. The major mechanism of MC-LR toxicity has been attributed to its inhibition of protein phosphatases 1 (PP1) and 2A (PP2A). In our prior research, α4 protein, a regulator of PP2A, was found not only crucial for PP2A regulation but also for the overall response of HEK 293 cells encountering MC-LR.

[An analysis of characteristics of exposure to nanoparticles in a workplace manufacturing iron oxide nanoparticles].

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of exposure to iron oxide nanoparticles in workplace.

Methods: The real-time particle number (NC), surface area (SAC), and mass (MC) concentrations of nanoparticles were measured in various locations of a selected workplace manufacturing iron oxide nanoparticles. The collected particles were analyzed for morphology and elemental composition.

Relationships between number, surface area, and mass concentrations of different nanoparticles in workplaces.

No consistent metric for measuring exposure to nanoparticles has yet been agreed upon internationally. This study seeks to examine the relationship between the number concentration (NC), surface area concentration (SAC), and mass concentration (MC) of nanoparticles in workplaces. Real-time NC20-1000 nm, SAC10-1000 nm, and respirable MC100-1000 nm were determined for different nanoparticles.

Exposure characteristics of ferric oxide nanoparticles released during activities for manufacturing ferric oxide nanomaterials.

The exposure characteristics of Fe2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) released in a factory were investigated, as exposure data on this type of NP is absent. The nature of the particles was identified in terms of their concentrations [i.e.

Workplace exposure to airborne alumina nanoparticles associated with separation and packaging processes in a pilot factory.

Workplace exposure to airborne Al2O3 nanoparticles in a pilot factory was characterised by particle concentrations, size distribution, morphology and chemical composition, compared with background particles. Real-time variations in number concentration (NC20-1000 nm), respirable mass concentration (MC100-1000 nm), active surface area concentration (SAC10-1000 nm) and particle size were measured at production locations involved in separation and packaging activities. Measurements during stable production periods showed significant increases in the various concentrations of agglomerated Al2O3 nanoparticles (about 305 nm) at separation locations, compared to those of background particles (p < 0.

[Toxicity of intragastrically administered N, N-dimethylformamide in female Wistar rats].

Objective: To investigate the toxicity of intragastrically administered N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF) in female Wistar rats, and to provide experimental data for the overall evaluation of DMF toxicity under different ways of exposure.

Methods: Forty female Wistar rats weighing 150∼180 g were randomly divided into four groups: control group (treated with water) and three DMF exposure groups with doses of 50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, and 200 mg/kg. After oral administration of DMF once a day for 14 consecutive days, the rats were weighed and sacrificed.