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Mining wastewater with heavy metals poses a serious threat to the ecological environment. However, the acute single and combined ecological effects of heavy metals, such as chromium (Cr) and nickel (Ni), on freshwater ostracods, and the development of relevant prediction models, remain poorly understood. In this study, Heterocypris sp. was chosen to investigate the single and combined acute toxicity of Cr and Ni. Then, the quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model was used to predict the combined toxicity of Cr and Ni. The single acute toxicity experiments revealed high toxicity for both Cr and Ni. In addition, Cr exhibited greater toxicity compared to Ni, as evidenced by its lower 96-hour half-lethal concentration (LC50) of 1.07 mg/L compared to 4.7 mg/L for Ni. Furthermore, the combined acute toxicity experiments showed that the toxicity of Cr-Ni was higher than Ni but lower than Cr. Compared with the concentration addition (CA) and independent action (IA) models, the predicted results of the QSAR model were more consistent with the experimental results for the Cr-Ni combined acute toxicity. So, the high accuracy of QSAR model identified its feasibility to predict the toxicity of heavy metal pollutants in mining wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer (LC) is a malignant tumor that poses the greatest threat to human health and life. Most studies suggested that the occurrence of LC is associated with environmental and genetic factors. We aimed to explore the association between COL6A4P2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and CHD risk in the Chinese Southern Han population. Based on the 'case-control' experimental design (510 cases and 495 controls), we conducted an association study between five candidate COL6A4P2 SNPs and the corresponding LC risk. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by logistic regression to analyze the LC susceptibility under different genetic models. The results showed that COL6A4P2 rs34445363 was significantly associated with LC risk under alleles model (OR = 1.26, 95%CI: 1.01–1.58, p = 0.038). In addition, rs34445363 was also significantly associated with LC risk under the log-additive model (OR = 1.26, 95%CI: 1.01–1.58, p = 0.041). The results of subgroup analysis showed that rs34445363 (OR = 1.42, 95%CI: 1.03–1.95, p = 0.033) and rs61733464 (OR = 0.72, 95%CI: 0.52–0.99, p = 0.048) were both significantly associated with LC risk in the log-additive model among participants who were ≤ 61 years old. We also found that the variation of rs34445363 (GA vs. GG, OR = 1.73, 95%CI: 1.04–2.86, p = 0.034) and rs77941834 (TA vs. TT, OR = 1.88, 95%CI: 1.06–3.34, p = 0.032) were associated with LC risk in the codominant model among female participants. Our study is the first to find that COL6A4P2 gene polymorphism is associated with LC risk in the Chinese Han population. Our study provides a basic reference for individualized LC prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Metabolic disturbances induce endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) in pancreatic beta cells. This study aims to investigate whether a common pathway exists in the ERS induced by various chemicals, including high levels of glucose and palmitate in INS-1-3 cells. Method: ERS in INS-1-3 cells was induced by exposure cells to thapsigargin (TG), tunicamycin (TM) or palmitic acid (PA) +high glucose (HG). Digital gene expression (DGE) profiling technique was used to detect differentially expressed genes. The profile of gene expression was detected by gene oncology (GO) function and pathway enrichment analysis. Nkx6.1 over-expression was established in INS-1-3 cell lines by lentivirus infection to revert the inhibition of Nkx6.1 expression found in the situation of ERS. Real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to verify the expression changes of key genes. Cell viability was measured by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry. INS-1-3 cell function was measured by glucose stimulated insulin secretion test(GSIS). Results: As compared to control, DGE demonstrated that there were 135, 57 and 74 differentially expressed genes in TM, TG and HG+PA groups, respectively. Those differentially expressed genes were enriched to ERS, antigen processing and presentation, protein export pathways, and interestingly, the maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY) pathway. Nkx6.1 is one of common down-regulated gene in MODY signaling pathway among TM, TG and HG+PA groups. Over-expression of Nkx6.1 ameliorated glucolipotoxicity induced apoptosis rate by 45.4%, and increased proliferation by 40.9%. At the same time, GSIS increased by 1.82 folds. Conclusions: MODY pathway genes expression was changed in the state of ERS. Over-expression of Nkx6.1 protected the INS-1-3 cells from glucolipotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sex difference in the prevalence rates of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) among the middle-aged population in China remain largely unknown. Therefore, we analyzed differences in the prevalence of diabetes, self-reported CVDs, and some CVD risk factors among men and women in the middle-aged population (30–49 years) and in individuals aged 50 years and older using data from the China National Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders Study of 2007–2008. Middle-aged men appeared to have significantly a higher prevalence of diabetes and self-reported CVDs than middle-aged women (8.07% vs 5.06% for diabetes, P < 0.001; 0.64% vs 0.22% for CVDs, P < 0.001). Men also showed higher rates of central obesity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia than women (all P < 0.01). Compared with women, men were more likely to drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes but less likely to be under diet control. The sex-specific differences in prediabetes, CVD, and CVD risk factors between men and women were diminished or even reversed in the population aged 50 years and older. No sex-specific differences were found in the prevalences of a family history of diabetes, coronary heart disease, and hypertension (P > 0.05) in middle-aged population. Specific strategies to reduce modifiable risk factors for the prevention and control of diabetes and CVD may be warranted in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Diabetes Impact Study followed up a large national population-based screening study to estimate the use of and expenditures for medical care caused by diabetes in China and to ascertain the use and cost of essential basic medicines and care., Methods: In 2009-10, the study team interviewed 1482 adults with diabetes and 1553 adults with glucose tolerance in the normal range from population-based random samples at 12 sites in China. The response rate was 67%., Findings: After adjusting for age, sex, and urban/rural location, people with diabetes received 1.93 times more days of inpatient treatment, 2.40 times more outpatient visits, and 3.35 times more medications than people with normal glucose tolerance (all p<0.05). Adjusted expenditures for medical care were 3.38 times higher among people with diabetes than among people with normal glucose tolerance (p<0.01, unadjusted 3.97). Persons who were diagnosed with ≥ 10 years prior to the survey paid 3.75 times as much for medical care as those with ≤ 5 years of diagnosed diabetes. Among persons with diabetes, 45.2% took medication to control blood sugar, 21.1% took an antihypertensive medicine, 22.4% took daily aspirin, and 1.8% took a statin. Over the three months before the interview, 46.1% of persons with diabetes recalled seeing a doctor, 48.9% recalled a blood pressure measurement, and 54.5% recalled a blood sugar test. Over the year preceding the interview, 32.1% recalled a retinal screening and 17.9% recalled a foot examination., Conclusions: In China, health care use and costs were dramatically higher for people with diabetes than for people with normal glucose tolerance and, in relative terms, much higher than in industrialized countries. Low-cost generic medicines that would reduce diabetes expenditures were not fully used.