Microplastics (MPs) are a contaminant of increasing concern in the environment. However, the impacts of MPs on soil ecosystems and biogeochemical processes like nitrogen cycle have not been well ...elucidated. In this study, we designed an indoor microcosm experiment to investigate the effects of exposure to low density polyethylene (LDPE) MPs on soil bacterial community and nitrogen cycling function over a 90-day incubation. Next-generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA genes revealed that both 2% and 7% LDPE MPs exposure slightly affected the soil bacterial diversity. Further analysis at the genus level showed differential tolerance to LDPE MPs, the genera Pedomicrobium, Steroidobacter, Pseudonocardia, Nitrospira and Turicibacter were enriched in the soil with 2% (w/w) LDPE MPs amendment, while the genera Pedomicrobium, Mycobacterium and Hyphomicrobium were significantly enriched in the soil with 7% (w/w) LDPE MPs amendment on days 15 and 30. Co-occurrence network analysis further suggested that LDPE MPs changed bacterial network complexity and modularity and Acidobacteria formed intimate associations with each other in responding to LDPE MPs exposure. Additionally, LDPE MPs in soil increased the abundance of nifH, AOBamoA and nirK genes involved in nitrogen cycling in different incubation phases compared to the control. The abundance of AOAamoA genes decreased on day 15 and then increased. Conversely, the abundance of nirS genes increased during the first 15 days and then decreased. These results suggested that both 2% and 7% LDPE MPs impact soil bacterial network structure and alters functional groups involved in soil nitrogen cycling processing.
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•LDPE microplastics (MPs) had limited impact on the alpha diversity of soil bacteria.•The genera Pedomicrobium and Nocardia were significantly higher with LDPE MPs amendment.•LDPE MPs affected the network complexity and modularity of soil bacteria.•LDPE MPs stimulated the abundance of nifH, AOBamoA and nirK genes in the soil.
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•LCMs were first monitored in indoor and outdoor dust in China on a national scale.•The polluted levels of LCMs together with the potential exposure risks should raise concerns for ...residents’ health.•Dust ingestion and dermal contact exposure are the major exposure routes for daily intake of LCMs in residents.
Liquid crystal monomers (LCMs) are a class of emerging, persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic organic pollutants. They are detected in various environmental matrixes that are associated with electronic waste (e-waste) dismantling. However, their occurrence and distribution in indoor and outdoor dust on a national scale remain unknown. In this study, a dedicated target analysis quantified a broad range of 60 LCMs in dust samples collected across China. The LCMs were frequently detected in indoor (n = 48) and outdoor dust (n = 97; 37 sampled concomitantly with indoors dust) from dwellings, and indoor dust from cybercafés (n = 34) and phone repair stores (n = 22), with median concentrations of 41.6, 94.7, 106, and 171 ng/g, respectively. No significant spatial difference was observed for the concentrations of the total LCMs among distinct geographical regions (p > 0.05). The median daily intake values of the total LCMs via dust ingestion, dermal contact, and inhalation were estimated at 1.50 × 10-2, 2.90 × 10-2, and 8.57 × 10-6 ng/kg BW/day for adults and 1.47 × 10-1, 1.22 × 10-1, and 2.18 × 10-5 ng/kg BW/day for children, respectively. These estimates suggested higher exposure risks for children and indicated that dust ingestion and dermal contact significantly contribute to the human intake of LCMs. The microenvironmental pollution levels of LCMs together with the potential exposure risks associated with some of these chemicals are of concern for human health.
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•The occurrence of LCMs in the serum samples of e-waste occupational workers was observed.•Fluorinated LCMs were found as dominant LCMs in the serum samples.•LCMs serum levels were ...comparable to other e-waste related organic chemicals.•Human daily intake of LCMs to occupational workers were firstly assessed based on internal exposure approach.
Liquid crystal monomers (LCMs) are widely used chemicals and ubiquitous emerging organic pollutants in the environment, some of which have persistent, bio-accumulative, and toxic potentials. Elevated levels of LCMs have been found in the e-waste dismantling associated areas. However, information on their internal exposure bio-monitoring is scarce. For the first time, occurrences of LCMs were observed in the serum samples of occupational workers (n = 85) from an e-waste dismantling area in South China. Twenty-nine LCMs were detected in serum samples of the workers, with a median value of 35.2 ng/mL (range: 7.78–276 ng/mL). Eight noticed LCMs were found to have relatively high detection frequencies ranging from 52.9% to 96.5%. The correlation analysis of individual LCMs indicated potential common applications and similar sources to the LCMs in occupational workers. Fluorinated LCMs were identified as the predominant monomers in the workers. Additionally, the estimated daily intake of the LCMs in the occupational workers was significantly higher than those in residents from the reference areas (p < 0.05, Mann-Whitney U Test, median values: 1.46 ng/kg bw/day versus 0.40 ng/kg bw/day), indicating a substantially higher exposure level to e-waste dismantling workers.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel infectious disease, with significant morbidity and mortality. This meta-analysis is to evaluate the prevalence of disseminated intravascular coagulation ...(DIC) in COVID-19 patients and to determine the association of DIC with the severity and prognosis of COVID-19.
We searched the PubMed, EMBASE, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database until August 12, 2020. The meta-analysis was performed using Stata 16.0 software.
14 studies were included in our meta-analysis. The pooled analysis revealed that the incidence of COVID-19 patients developing DIC was 3% (95%: 1%–5%, P < 0.001). In addition, deaths were more likely to be associated with DIC (Log OR = 2.46, 95% CI: 0.94–3.99, P < 0.001) with statistical significance.
DIC is associated with the severity and poor prognosis of COVID-19 patients. Therefore, attention should be paid to coagulation dysfunction in COVID-19 patients. Monitoring of coagulation indicators may improve the prognosis of COVID-19 inpatients.
•DIC was associated with the severity and poor prognosis of COVID-19 patients.•The incidence of DIC was higher in severe patients/ICU patients compared with Non-severe patients/Non-ICU patients.•The incidence of DIC in the subgroup using ISTH criteria was higher than the subgroup using non-ISTH criteria.
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Recently, evidence of aromatic amine antioxidants (AAs) existence in the dust of the electronic waste (e-waste) dismantling area has been exposed. However, there are limited studies ...investigating occupational exposure and toxicity associated with AAs and their transformation products (p-phenylenediamines-quinones, i.e., PPD-Qs). In this study, 115 dust and 42 hand wipe samples collected from an e-waste recycling industrial park in central China were analyzed for 19 AAs and 6 PPD-Qs. Notably, the median concentration of ∑6PPD-Qs (1,110 ng/g and 1,970 ng/m2) was significantly higher (p < 0.05, Mann-Whitney U test) than that of ∑6PPDs (147 ng/g and 34.0 ng/m2) in dust and hand wipes. Among the detected analytes, 4-phenylaminodiphenylamine quinone (DPPD-Q) (median: 781 ng/g) and 1,4-Bis(2-naphthylamino) benzene quinone (DNPD-Q) (median: 156 ng/g), were particularly prominent, which were first detected in the e-waste dismantling area. Occupational exposure assessments and nuclear receptor interference ability, conducted through estimated daily intake (EDI) and molecular docking analysis, respectively, indicated significant occupational exposure to PPD-Qs and suggested prioritized Liver X receptors (LXRs) disruption potential of PPDs and PPD-Qs. The study provides the first evidence of considerable levels of AAs and PPD-Qs in the e-waste-related hand wipe samples and underscores the importance of assessing occupational exposure and associated toxicity effects.
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•Notable levels of OPA and NOPE were found in e-waste dismantling workers’ hands for the first time.•The levels of NOPE were higher than those of traditional OPE on workers’ ...hands.•The dust levels of TPHP and AO168 = O might be acceptable predictors of hand wipe levels.•Occupational exposure to NOPE via hand-to-mouth contact was more significant than dust ingestion.
Electronic waste (e-waste) is a well-known source of plastic additives in the environment. However, the e-waste-related occupational exposure to organophosphite antioxidants (OPAs) and the relevant oxidation products—novel organophosphate esters (NOPEs)—via different pathways is still unknown. In this study, six OPAs and three NOPEs were measured in 116 dust and 43 hand-wipe samples from an e-waste dismantling area in Central China. The median concentrations of ΣOPAs and ΣNOPEs were 188 and 13,900 ng·g−1 in workshop dust and 5,250 ng·m−2 and 53,600 ng·m−2 on workers’ hands, respectively. The increasing concentrations of dust in the form of triphenyl phosphate (TPHP) (p < 0.01) and tris(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl) phosphate (AO168 = O) (p < 0.05) were strongly associated with the corresponding concentration on workers’ hands. Furthermore, men had significantly lower levels of NOPEs on their hands than did women (p < 0.01). Moreover, the hand wipe levels of AO168 = O (41,600 ng·m−2) was significantly higher than that of the typical OPE (TPHP, 7370 ng·m−2), and the hand-to-mouth contact (ΣOPAs, 9.48 ng·kg bw-1·day−1; ΣNOPEs, 109 ng·kg bw-1·day−1) was a more significant and integrated pathway than dust ingestion (ΣOPAs, 0.10 ng·kg bw-1·day−1; ΣNOPEs, 5.01 ng·kg bw-1·day−1) of e-waste related occupational exposure to these “new” chemicals.
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Cadmium (Cd) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are prominent soil contaminants found in industrial sites, and their combined effects on plants are not yet fully understood. ...To investigate the mechanisms underlying the co-exposure of Cd and PAHs and identify key biomarkers for their co-effects, an integrated analysis of metabolomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics was conducted on ryegrass leaves cultivated in soil. In nontarget metabolomics analysis, nine differentially expressed metabolites that were specifically induced by the compound exposure were identified. When combined with the analysis of differentially expressed genes and proteins, it was determined that the major pathways involved in the response to the co-stress of Cd and PAHs were linoleic acid metabolism and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. The upregulation of 12,13-dihydroxy-9Z-octadecenoic acid and the downregulation of sinapyl alcohol were identified as typical biomarkers, respectively. Compared to scenarios of single exposures, the compound exposure to Cd and PAHs disrupted the oxidation of linoleic acid, leading to alterations in the profiles of linoleate metabolites. Additionally, it intensified hydroxylation, carboxylation, and methylation processes, and interfered with reactions involving coenzyme A, thus inhibiting lignin production. As a result, oxidative stress was elevated, and the cell wall defense system in ryegrass was weakened. The findings of this study highlight the ecological risks associated with unique biological responses in plants co-exposed to Cd and PAHs in polluted soils.
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•MEL and its derivatives were detected in various microenvironments.•Elevated levels of MEL and its derivatives were found in e-waste dismantling area.•MEL dominated in the dust ...collected from e-waste dismantling area.•CYA dominated in hand wipes and house dust due to the wide use of disinfectants.•Dust ingestion was a major exposure pathway of MELs to e-waste employees.
Melamine (MEL) and its derivatives are increasingly applied as nitrogenous flame retardants in consumer products. Nevertheless, limited information is available on their environmental occurrence and subsequent human exposure via multiple exposure pathways. In this study, we analysed MEL and its derivatives in dust (indication of the dust ingestion route) and hand wipe samples (indication of the hand-to-mouth route) collected in various microenvironments. The levels of ∑MELs in both dust (median: 24,100 ng/g) and participant hand samples (803 ng/m2) collected in e-waste dismantling workshops were significantly higher than those in samples collected in homes (15,600 ng/g and 196 ng/m2, respectively), dormitories (13,100 ng/g and 227 ng/m2, respectively) and hotel rooms (11,800 ng/g and 154 ng/m2, respectively). Generally, MEL dominated in dust samples collected in e-waste dismantling workshops, whereas cyanuric acid dominated in hand wipe samples. This may occur partly because the latter is an ingredient in disinfection products, which are more frequently employed in daily lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Exposure assessment suggests that dust ingestion is an important exposure pathway among dismantling workers and the general population, whereas hand-to-mouth contact could not be overlooked in certain populations, such as children and dismantling workers not wear gloves at work.
Abstract
Background
Abnormal platelet activation is a key factor in the occurrence and development of thrombotic diseases. However, the physiological mechanisms that underlie platelet homeostasis ...remain unclear. Oleic acid, one of the most abundant lipids in the human diet, has potential antithrombotic effects. This study aimed to investigate the effects of oleic acid on platelet activation and thrombosis.
Methods
Platelet aggregation, ATP release, and fibrinogen spread were evaluated to determine the role of oleic acid in platelet activation. A ferric chloride-induced carotid injury model was used to establish the effect of oleic acid on thrombus formation in vivo. Western blotting analysis and transfection experiments were performed to determine the mechanisms involved in this process.
Results
Oleic acid inhibited platelet aggregation, granule release, and calcium mobilization. Furthermore, it inhibited the spread of platelets on fibrinogen. We also found that oleic acid delayed arterial thrombosis in mice, as demonstrated in a murine model of ferric chloride-induced carotid artery thrombosis. The molecular mechanism of its inhibition of platelet activity may be through the Syk-PLCγ2 and CaMKKβ/AMPKα/VASP pathways. In addition, we demonstrated that the phosphorylation of AMPK at Ser496 was an important mechanism of platelet activation.
Conclusions
Our study showed that oleic acid inhibits platelet activation and reduces thrombogenesis by inhibiting the phosphorylation of multiple signaling molecules, offering new insights into the research and development of antiplatelet drugs.
Background
Typical chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm caused by t(9; 22)(q34; q11) translocation. This chromosomal translocation forms the BCR::ABL1 fusion gene. The ...tyrosine kinase encoded by the BCR::ABL1 is considered to be the main pathogenic diver. BCR::ABL1 is not only a therapeutic target, but also a monitoring target. Monitoring of BCR::ABL1 reveals the progression of the disease and guides the next treatment. Now for CML, the target of treatment has been focused on treatment‐free remission (TFR).
Methods
We conducted a literature review of current developments of treatment‐free remission and molecular monitoring methods.
Results
More effective and sensitive CML monitoring methods such as digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) and next generation sequencing (NGS) have further studied the measurable residual disease (MRD) and clonal heterogeneity, which provides strong support for the exploration of TFR. We discussed some of the factors that may be related to TFR outcomes at the molecular level, along with some monitoring strategies.
Conclusion
Currently, predictive indicators for treatment‐free remission outcomes and recurrence are lacking in clinical practice. In future, treatment‐free remission research should focus on combining the clinical indicators with molecular monitoring and biological markers to personalize patient conditions and guide clinicians to develop individualized treatment plans, so that more patients with CML can achieve safer and stabler treatment‐free remission.
This study aimed to review the factors that may be related to achieving treatment‐free remission (TFR) in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), at the molecular level, and discussed some monitoring strategies, based on the currently available clinical guidelines and outcomes of some clinical trials.
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