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Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a group of heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorders. Evidence has implied that environmental pollutants are important factors related to ASD. In this study, several environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including parabens, benzophenone-type ultraviolet filters, hydroxyl polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, triclosan and tetrabromobisphenol A were analyzed in blood plasma in ASD children (n = 34) and the control children (n = 28). The results showed that parabens were the most concentrated chemicals (2.18 ng/mL, median value), followed by hydroxyl polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (0.73 ng/mL), benzophenone-type ultraviolet filters (0.14 ng/mL), triclosan (0.13 ng/mL) and tetrabromobisphenol A (0.03 ng/mL). ASD children accumulated significantly lower 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone, 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone, 4-hydroxybenzophenone and triclosan but higher 2-hydroxyphenanthrene and tetrabromobisphenol A than the control children (0.02/0.09 ng/mL of 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone, p < 0.05; 0.04/0.07 ng/mL of 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone, p < 0.05; 0.03/0.04 ng/mL of 4-hydroxybenzophenone, p < 0.05; 0.13/1.22 ng/mL of triclosan, p < 0.01; 0.03 ng/mL/not detected of 2-hydroxyphenanthrene, p < 0.05; 0.03/0.004 ng/mL of tetrabromobisphenol A, p < 0.05). Gender differences in certain environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals were evident, and the differences were more inclined toward boys. Positive associations between 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone and triclosan, and tetrabromobisphenol A and 2-hydroxyphenanthrene were found in ASD boys. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that the adjusted odds ratio value of 2-hydroxyphenanthrene in ASD boys was 11.0 (1.45-84.0, p < 0.05). This is the first pilot study on multiple environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals in children with ASD in China., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Phthalic acid esters (PAEs), a class of typical endocrine disruptors, have received considerable attention due to their widespread applications and adverse effects on biological health. In this study, 30 water samples, along the mainstream of the Yangtze River (YR), were collected from Chongqing (upper stream) to Shanghai (estuary) from May to June in 2019. The total concentrations of 16 targeted PAEs ranged from 0.437 to 20.5 μg/L, with an average of 1.93 μg/L, where dibutyl phthalate (DBP, 0.222-20.2 μg/L), bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP, 0.254-7.03 μg/L), and diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP, 0.0645-0.621 μg/L) were the most abundant PAEs. According to the pollution level in the YR to assess the ecological risk posed by PAEs, the results showed medium risk level of PAEs in the YR, among which DBP and DEHP posed a high ecological risk to aquatic organisms. The optimal solution for DBP and DEHP is found in ten fitting curves. The PNEC SSD of them is 2.50 μg/L and 0.34 μg/L, respectively., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Pharmaceuticals, such as over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, may be an important source of human exposure to several endocrine disruptors, though unnoticed to date. In the present study, we investigated the presence of six parabens and nine bisphenol A (BPA) and its analogues in OTC medicines manufactured in China. Parabens and bisphenols were present in more than 90% of the samples. The total measured concentrations of parabens and bisphenols were in the range of non-detectable (ND) to 213 ng/g and ND to 415 ng/g, respectively. Regarding parabens, methyl paraben (MeP) was the predominant analog, accounting for 43 ± 36% of the total amount, followed by ethyl paraben (EtP) (39 ± 35%), and others (< 10%). Bisphenol F and BPA were the predominant bisphenols, accounting for 24 ± 28% and 22 ± 26% of the total amount, respectively. The median values of estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of parabens and bisphenols were the highest for infants (2.96 and 3.14 ng/kg&#95;bw/day, respectively) and the lowest for adults (0.69 and 0.25 ng/kg&#95;bw/day, respectively); moreover, the EDIs of parabens and bisphenols were higher in Chinese patent medicines than in western pediatric medicines. The hazard quotient (HQ) for sum of MeP and EtP (∑(MeP + EtP)) and BPA in three age groups were within the safe zone (HQ < 0.0004). Monte Carlo simulation was applied to predict the human exposure risk of parabens and bisphenols. The predicted ranges of EDIs of parabens and bisphenols were much wider, and the extreme predicted values were observed in all four age groups, which were higher than the acceptable daily intake. The extreme predicted values of ∑(MeP + EtP) and BPA were indicative of carcinogenic risk in toddlers. These results implied potential risks for the Chinese people existed. Considering the huge export of Chinese traditional medicines and western medicines worldwide, and easy access to OTC medicines for the general population, the presence of parabens, bisphenols, and other environmental contaminants in medicines still need to be monitored., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Phthalates have been associated with reproductive toxicity and precocious puberty in females, but the occurrence of these toxicants in feminine hygiene products is rarely reported. In this study, eight phthalates were determined in 120 feminine hygiene products (56 feminine care products and 64 sanitary napkins) collected from China. Phthalates were found in 86% and 98% of feminine care products and sanitary napkins, respectively, with the total concentrations varying between not detectable and 813 μg/g (median: 0.26 μg/g) and 0.25 and 8.76 μg/g (1.43 μg/g), respectively. Diethyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, and bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate were the major compounds, accounting for >60% of the total concentrations. The plastic materials used on the top and bottom layers and the hot melt adhesive used during the manufacturing process are the potential sources of phthalates in sanitary napkins. The range of daily exposure doses of phthalates in women from the use of feminine care products and sanitary napkins was <0.001-0.156 μg/kg-bw/day and <0.001-0.731 μg/kg-bw/day, respectively. Sanitary napkins contributed to 8.2% of the total exposure, and the levels of exposure to several phthalates from sanitary napkins were much higher than those reported from indoor dust ingestion but were lower than those of dietary intakes. Our study confirmed a new source of women's exposure to phthalates, sanitary napkins.

Objective: To explore the relationship between hemoglobin (Hb) level during the first trimester of pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods: A total of 1 276 participants, who underwent scheduled prenatal examination and normal singleton delivery at the Fifth People's Hospital of Shanghai and Hospital of Intergrated Chinese and Western Medicine in Minhang District, from January 2016 to May 2018 were included. There were 99 cases of GDM (GDM group) and 1 177 cases of normal (control group) pregnant women.Based on the serum Hb level during the first trimester of pregnancy, participants were divided into three groups, 236 cases of low Hb level group (Hb<110 g/L), 868 cases of normal Hb level group (110 g/L≤Hb<130 g/L), and 172 cases of high Hb level group (Hb≥130 g/L). Maternal clinical data were collected, including Hb level during the first trimester of pregnancy, three-point blood glucose (BG) of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and fasting insulin during the second trimester of pregnancy. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) and homeostasis model assessment of pancreatic β cell function index (HOMA-β) were used to evaluate insulin resistance and pancreatic β cell function. Results: (1) Hb level during the first trimester of pregnancy in GDM group was significantly higher than that in control group [(123±10),(119±11) g/L, P <0.05]. There were no significant difference in gravidity, parity, index of liver and renal function (all P> 0.05). (2) Pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), 1-hour BG and 2-hour BG of OGTT were significantly increased in the high Hb level group during the first trimester of pregnancy, which were (23±4) kg/m(2), (7.3±2.0) mmol/L, and (6.5±1.4) mmol/L ( P <0.05), respectively. The pre-pregnancy BMI, 1-hour BG and 2-hour BG of the normal or low Hb level group were (22±3) kg/m(2), (6.7±1.6) mmol/L, (6.1±1.2) mmol/L; (22±3) kg/m(2), (6.5±1.5) mmol/L, (5.9±1.1) mmol/L, respectively. There were no statistically significant difference in levels of fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR and HOMA-β within 3 groups (all P> 0.05). (3) In the high Hb level group, prevalence of pregnancy overweight or obesity and GDM were the highest, which were 37.2%(64/172) and 15.1%(26/172), respectively; the differences were statistically significant (all P <0.05). (4) The serum Hb level in the first trimester was positively related with pre-pregnancy BMI ( r =0.130, P <0.05), 1-hour BG ( r =0.129, P <0.05), 2-hour BG ( r =0.134, P <0.05), fasting insulin ( r =0.096, P <0.05), and HOMA-IR ( r =0.101, P <0.05).Logistic regression indicated that Hb≥130 g/L during the first trimester of pregnancy was an independent risk factor for GDM ( OR =2.799, 95% CI : 1.186-6.604; P <0.05). Conclusion: The high level of Hb (Hb≥130 g/L) during the first trimester of pregnancy is associated with GDM.

Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) are legacy brominated flame retardants which are still produced and used in China. In this study, 187 surface soils from the Pearl River Delta (PRD) urban conurbation in China were collected, and the effects of urban conurbation development on the concentrations, distributions and human exposure risk of HBCDs and TBBPA were investigated. The concentration ranges of Σ 3 HBCD (sum of α-, β-, and γ-HBCD) and TBBPA in soil were below the limit of quantification (-1 dry weight (dw) and < LOQ to 53.1 ng g -1 dw, respectively. Concentration levels of HBCDs and TBBPA in the PRD were affected both by distributions of land-use type and by the location of the city. Soils from residential areas contained the highest concentrations of Σ 3 HBCD (median: 1.75 ng g -1 dw) and TBBPA (1.92 ng g -1 dw) among all land-use types. In addition, soils from the central PRD had higher Σ 3 HBCD and TBBPA levels (0.46 and 0.90 ng g -1 dw) than those from the surrounding areas (0.17 and 0.07 ng g -1 dw). The concentrations of Σ 3 HBCD and TBBPA were highly correlated with urbanization level, population density, regional GDP and per capita income in all cities studied (p < 0.01), which indicates that the prosperity of the urban conurbation may play an important role in soil contamination of HBCDs and TBBPA in the PRD. Children living in residential areas had the highest estimated daily intakes of Σ 3 HBCD (7.09 pg kg -1 d -1 ) and TBBPA (7.76 pg kg -1 d -1 ), suggesting that people living in residential areas have a relatively higher exposure risk of HBCDs and TBBPA. This is a comprehensive study to report the effects of prosperity indices and land use indicators of an urban conurbation on the occurrence of HBCDs and TBBPA in soil in China., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Environmental endocrine disruptors (EEDs) in beverages may enter the human body by ingestion and thus may represent a potential health risk. In this study, phthalates, bisphenol A, and its analogues, parabens, benzophenone-type UV filters, and triclosan (TCS) were analyzed in beverage samples (n = 116) collected from local markets in Guangzhou, South China. Twelve of 30 target compounds were found in > 50% samples, and for the first time, TCS was found in a majority of beverages from China (~ 80%). Among all analytes, concentrations of total phthalates (median = 14.4 ng/mL) were generally two orders of magnitude higher than other target EEDs, and concentrations of total benzophenone-type UV filters (0.02 ng/mL) and TCS (0.01 ng/mL) were the lowest. Among all targets, phthalates were predominant, accounting for > 99% of the total EEDs, and dimethyl phthalate was frequently detected in beverages (> 60%). In addition, we estimated the daily intake (EDI) of EEDs for Chinese populations of different age groups based on the daily consumption of beverages. The EDIs of total EEDs were the highest for toddlers (mean = 14,200 ng/kg-bw/day) followed by children and teenagers (3420 ng/kg-bw/day), adults (1950 ng/kg-bw/day), the elderly (1740 ng/kg-bw/day), and infants (70 ng/kg-bw/day). Compared to all food categories, EEDs from beverage consumption accounted for ~ 0.1% (parabens) to 20% (phthalates) of total exposure from diet. However, intakes of phthalates, bisphenols, and TCS from beverages were comparable to those from other potential sources (food, dust, personal care products, cloth, and medicines). Furthermore, the cumulative risks of EEDs by beverage consumption were not high, which indicated that EEDs in beverages might not represent a potential human health risk for Chinese populations.

Objective: To investigate the risk factors for brain injury in preterm infants by a multicenter epidemiological investigation of brain injury in hospitalized preterm infants in Anhui, China., Methods: Preterm infants who were hospitalized in the department of neonatology in 9 hospitals of Anhui Neonatal Collaboration Network between January 2016 and January 2017 were enrolled as subjects. The data of maternal pregnancy and clinical data of preterm infants were collected, and the logistic regression model was used to analyze the risk factors for brain injury in preterm infants., Results: A total of 3 378 preterm infants were enrolled. Of the 3 378 preterm infants, 798 (23.56%) had periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage (PVH-IVH), and 88 (2.60%) had periventricular leukomalacia (PVL). Intrauterine distress, anemia, hypoglycemia and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) were risk factors for PVH-IVH (OR=1.310, 1.591, 1.835, and 3.310 respectively; P<0.05), while a higher gestational age was a protective factor against PVH-IVH (OR=0.671, P<0.05). PVH-IVH, NEC and mechanical ventilation were risk factors for PVL (OR=4.017, 3.018, and 2.166 respectively; P<0.05), and female sex and use of pulmonary surfactant were protective factors against PVL (OR=0.514 and 0.418 respectively; P<0.05)., Conclusions: Asphyxia/anoxia, infection/inflammation, mechanical ventilation, anemia and hypoglycemia may increase the risk of brain injury in preterm infants.

Triclosan (TCS) is an endocrine disruptor which may affect endocrine function, antibiotic resistance, and thyroid hormone homeostasis. As a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent used in medical and personal care products, TCS was frequently detected in human urine, indicating widespread human exposure to this chemical. Over-the-counter medicines (OTCs) may be a potential source of human exposure to TCS. In this study, 84 OTCs were collected from Guangzhou, South China, including medicines intended for both children and adults. We determined the concentration of TCS in OTCs and the estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of TCS by evaluating OTCs for different age groups of the Chinese population. Our results indicated over half of the evaluated medicines contained TCS and the highest concentration reached 7.825 ng/g, with a median value of 0.017 ng/g. TCS was frequently found in adult medicines (detected in 85% of samples), and the concentrations were significantly higher than those in children's medicines. TCS in OTCs may come from packaging materials, cultivated soils, or production process (Chinese patent medicines). The EDIs of TCS (estimated with 95th concentration in OTC medicines) were 0.305, 0.191, 0.287, 0.331, and 0.135 and 0.110 ng/kg-bw/day for infants, toddlers, children, teenagers, and adult females and males, respectively. Compared to other potential sources, human exposure to TCS from OTCs was limited in China-much less than TCS exposure through personal care products or indoor dust.

Phthalates are widely used in consumer products. People are frequently exposed to phthalates due to their applications in daily life. In this study, 14 phthalate metabolites were analyzed in 108 urine samples collected from Chinese young adults using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The total concentrations of 14 phthalate metabolites ranged from 71.3 to 2670 ng/mL, with the geometric mean concentration of 306 ng/mL. mBP and miBP were the two most abundant compounds, accounting for 48% of the total concentrations. Principal component analysis suggested two major sources of phthalates: one dominated by the DEHP metabolites and one by the group of mCPP, mBP and miBP metabolites. The estimated daily intakes of DMP, DEP, DBP, DiBP and DEHP were 1.68, 2.14, 4.12, 3.52 and 1.26-2.98 μg/kg-bw/day, respectively. In a sensitivity analysis, urinary concentration and body weight were the most influential variables for human exposure estimation. Furthermore, cumulative risk for hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) were evaluated. Nearly half of Chinese young adults had high HI values exceeding the safe threshold. This is the first study on the occurrence and human exposure to urinary phthalate metabolites with Chinese young adults., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Parabens are widely used as preservatives in foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. However, recent studies have indicated that high and systemic exposure to parabens can be harmful to human health. Although a few studies have reported urinary paraben levels in western countries, studies on paraben exposure in the Chinese population are limited. China is currently a major producer of parabens in the world. In this study, 109 urine samples collected from Chinese young adults (approximately 20 years old) were analyzed for five parabens (methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl-, and benzyl-parabens) by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Methyl-, propyl-, and ethyl-parabens were the three major paraben analogues found in all (100%) samples. The concentration of the sum of the five parabens ranged from 0.82 to 728 ng/mL with a geometric mean value of 17.4 ng/mL. Urinary concentration of parabens was 2-fold greater in females than in males. Based on the measured urinary concentrations, daily intake of parabens by the Chinese young adults was estimated and compared with those reported for United States adults. The estimated daily intakes (EDIurine) of parabens were 18.4 and 40.8 μg/kg bw/day for Chinese males and females, respectively, values that were lower than those reported for United States adults (74.7 μg/kg bw/day). Based on the reported concentrations of parabens in foods from China and the United States, the contribution of dietary intake to EDIurine was estimated to be 5.5, 2.6, and 0.42% for Chinese males, Chinese females, and United States adults, respectively, which indicates the significance of nondietary sources of parabens to human exposures.

By using layering harvest method, a comparative study was conducted on the biomass allocation and its spatial distribution of 20-year-old Eucalyptus camaldulensis plantation, Leucaena leucocephala plantation, and E. camaldulensis-L. leucocephala plantation in Yuanmou dry-hot valley of Yunnan Province, Southwest China. The stand biomass in the mixed E. camaldulensis-L. leucocephala plantation (82.99 t x hm(-2)) was between that of monoculture E. camaldulensis plantation (60.64 t x hm(-2)) and L. leucocephala plantation (127.79 t x hm(-2)). The individual tree biomass of E. camaldulensis in the mixed plantation (44.32 kg) was 49.8% higher than that in monoculture plantation (29.58 kg). The branch and leaf biomass of L. leucocephala (25.4%) in monoculture plantation was larger than that of E. camaldulensis (8.9%) in monoculture plantation, and the aboveground biomass distribution ratio (78.0%) of L. leucocephala (25.4%) was also higher than that of E. camaldulensis (73.4%). The roots of L. leucocephala in both monoculture and mixed plantations were mainly distributed in 0-40 cm soil layer, while those of E. camaldulensis in monoculture and mixed plantations were mainly found in 0-80 cm and 0-60 cm, respectively. The proportion of biomass allocated to roots including medium roots, small roots, and fine roots of L. leucocephala in mixed plantation was higher than that in monoculture plantation, but it was contrary for E. camaldulensis. It was suggested that introducing L. leucocephala in E. camaldulensis plantation promoted the growth of E. camaldulensis, especially for its aboveground biomass, and increased the amount of lateral roots in 0-20 cm soil layer, which had significance in soil and water conservation in the study area.

Objective: To investigate the distribution of killer immunoglobulin like receptor (KIR) gene in the Han population in north China and the impact of donor KIR and patient HLA genotypes on the outcome of HLA-identical sibling hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients with hematological malignancy., Methods: Polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP) was used to detect the KIR distribution of 150 healthy people and the KIR genotype of donor and HLA genotype of allogeneic stem cell transplantation recipients of 74 donor-recipient pairs, and a retrospective study was carried out to analyze the outcomes of 45 patients with various hematological malignancies who received non T-cell-depleted transplant from HLA-identical sibling donors, all the subjects being of Han nationality in north China., Results: The gene frequencies of KIR2DL1, KIR2DL2, KIR2DL3, and KIR3DL1 were 100%, 20%, 100%, and 95% respectively. 96% of the allogeneic donors carried one of the 3 class I ligands of inhibitory KIR. 36 of the 45 (80%) donor-recipient HLA-identical sibling transplant pairs lacked recipient HLA ligand for donor KIR, among which 35 lacked recipient HLA ligand for donor KIR2DL1, 1 pair lacked that for KIR2DL2/2DL3, and 31 pairs lacked that for KIR3DL1. Cumulative incidence analysis of graft versus host disease (GVHD) in the patients undergoing HLA-identical sibling hematopoietic stem cell transplantation demonstrated that the incidence of severe acute GVHD (aGVHD) in the patients lacking HLA ligand for donor-inhibitory KIR2DL1 was 31%, significantly lower than that of the patients with HLA ligand for donor-inhibitory KIR2DL1 (70%, P = 0.029), and the incidence of severe aGVHD in the acute myeloid leukemia patients lacking HLA ligand for donor-inhibitory KIR and KIR2DL1 was 18%, significantly lower than that of the KIR compatible patients (75%, P = 0.03)., Conclusion: Almost all Chinese of Han nationality in north China carry having one of the 3 known class I ligands of inhibitory KIR. KIR and KIR2DL1 mismatch is associated with lower aGVHD after HLA-identical sibling hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.