Impact of cadmium exposure on male sex hormones: a population-based study in China

The objective of this study was to investigate the possible effects of environmental cadmium (Cd) exposure on the levels of serum sex hormones in a Chinese population group. A total of 263 male volunteers were included. Blood samples were collected for the determination of serum testosterone (T), measured by radioimmunoassay, and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), both measured by enzyme immunoassays. Urinary and blood Cd were analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). We found a dose-response relationship between urinary Cd excretion and the prevalence of abnormally high serum T levels, but, through multiple regression analysis, we could not trace exposure to Cd as a significant determinant of serum T levels. Exposure to Cd also failed to influence the levels of FSH and LH in serum. In contrast, we found that age, body mass index (BMI), and smoking habits are significant determinants of FSH and LH and of T and LH, respectively. We conclude that oral Cd exposure is not a critical determinant of hormone homeostasis in males, but lifestyle and some biological factors, such as age and BMI, are important. The relationship found between urinary Cd and high T levels may be of importance for male reproductive morbidity and should be investigated further.     

胃脘痛的辨证分型和X线表现

胃脘痛是中医内科常见病、多发病.多年来,随着中西医结合诊疗水平的提高,中医辨证分型与现代的X线相结合的方法,越来越受到重视;仅靠四诊、八纲、舌苔脉象等传统方法来诊治该病是不够全面的.为了发扬祖国医学文化遗产,提高中西医结合诊疗水平,我们对胃脘痛患者进行了中医辨证分型及钡餐透视的对照研究,现将观察结果总结如下.     

Kidney injury and alterations of inflammatory cytokine expressions in mice following long‐term exposure to cerium chloride

It has been demonstrated that the organic damages of animals can be caused by exposure to lanthanide oxides or compounds. However, the molecular mechanism of CeCl₃‐induced kidney injury remains unclear. In this study, the mechanism of nephric damage in mice induced by an intragastric administration of CeCl₃ was investigated. The results showed that Ce³⁺ was accumulated in the kidney, which in turn led to oxidative stress, severe nephric inflammation, and dysfunction in mice. Furthermore, CeCl₃ activated nucleic factor κB, which in turn increased the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor α, macrophage migration inhibitory factor, interleukin‐2, interleukin‐4, interleukin‐6, interleukin‐8, interleukin‐10, interleukin‐18, interleukin‐1β, cross‐reaction protein, transforming growth factor‐β, interferon‐γ, and CYP1A1, while suppressed heat shock protein 70 expression. These findings implied that Ce³⁺‐induced kidney injury of mice might be associated with oxidative stress, alteration of inflammatory cytokine expression, and reduction of detoxification of CeCl₃. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 29: 1420–1427, 2014.     

Hippocampal Damage and Alterations of Inflammatory Cytokine Expression in Mice Caused by Exposure to Cerium Chloride

Rare earth element (REE) exposure has been shown to induce central nerve system intoxication, but the molecular mechanisms by which this occurs are poorly understood. In this study, cerium (Ce), in the form of CeCl₃, was administered by way of gavage to mice for 90 consecutive days, and cytokine expression, associated with neuroinflammation of hippocampus, as well as spatial memory were increased in mice. Significant Ce accumulation in hippocampus, which led to neuroinflammation and decreased spatial memory of mice, was observed. Furthermore, CeCl₃ remarkably increased levels of Toll-like receptors 2 and 4, tumor necrosis factor-α, nucleic IκB kinase, factor-κB–inducible kinase, nucleic factor-κB, and p52 and p65 expression as well as significantly decreased levels of IκB and interleukin-2 expression. These results showed that neuroinflammation and damaged hippocampal function may be associated with CeCl₃-induced neuerotoxicity. Our findings suggest the need for workers and consumers to exercise caution when handling REEs.     

Phoxim‐induced damages of Bombyx mori larval midgut and titanium dioxide nanoparticles protective role under phoxim‐induced toxicity

Phoxim (O,O‐diethyl O‐(alpha‐cyanobenzylideneamino) phosphorothioate) is a powerful organophosphorus pesticide with high potential for Bombyx mori larvae of silkworm exposure. However, it is possible that during the phoxim metabolism, there is generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and phoxim may produce oxidative stress and neurotoxicity in an intoxicated silkworm. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ NPs) pretreatment has been demonstrated to increase antioxidant capacity and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in organisms. This study was, therefore, undertaken to determine phoxim‐induced oxidative stress and neurotoxicity to determine whether phoxim intoxication alters the antioxidant system and AChE activity in the B. mori larval midgut, and to determine whether TiO₂ NPs pretreatment attenuates phoxim‐induced toxicity. The findings suggested that phoxim exposure decreased survival of B. mori larvae, increased malondialdehyde (MDA), carbonyl and 8‐OHdG levels, and ROS accumulation in the midgut. Furthermore, phoxim significantly decreased the activities of AChE, superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione‐S‐transferase (GST), and levels of ascorbic acid (AsA), reduced glutathione (GSH), and thiol in the midgut. TiO₂ pretreatment, however, could increase AChE activity, and remove ROS via activating SOD, CAT, APX, GR, and GST, and accelerating AsA–GSH cycle, thus attenuated lipid, protein, and DNA peroxidation and improve B. mori larval survival under phoxim‐induced toxicity. Moreover, this experimental system would help nanomaterials to be applied in the sericulture. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 29: 1355–1366, 2014.     

苜蓿皂甙的降血胆固醇及减轻实验性动脉粥样硬化形成的作用

苜蓿皂甙1.2及2.4g/只po连续治疗3.5月,使实验性家兔高胆固醇血症的血清TC明显下降(P<0.001),HDL-C/TC显著提高。并使主动脉内膜粥样斑块缩小面积分别达68.6%及51.5%,降低主动脉壁中TC及CE的沉积。对TG及肝内TC均无影响。对高脂血症家兔的冠状动脉内膜下平滑肌细胞增生反应明显抑制(P<0.001),2.4g组尤为明显。对改善右冠状动脉主干及大支的阻塞程度疗效显著(P<0.01),而对中支及小支的阻塞未见明显改善。两防治组间未见明显差别。两组治疗剂量均未见对肝、肾、造血功能及体重增长的影响。小鼠LD_(50) po为26.6±3.6g/kg(95%可信限)。实验证实国产苜宿的皂甙制剂苜蓿皂甙的毒性低,对高胆固醇血症及动脉内膜的粥样斑块有明显的疗效。     

美国FDA批准鼻脑给药相关的鼻喷雾剂说明书分析

鼻用制剂是指将药物直接用于鼻腔,发挥局部或全身作用的制剂。鼻用制剂具有吸收起效迅速,生物利用度高,能避免肝脏首过效应,患者依从性较高等临床优势。鼻用制剂可经嗅神经或三叉神经分支绕过血脑屏障实现直接对中枢神经系统给药,为脑部或中枢神经系统疾病的治疗提供了一种相对更安全、有效和便捷的给药途径。本文收集了美国食品药品监督管理局（Food and Drug Administration,FDA）批准上市鼻喷雾剂产品中鼻脑给药相关产品的说明书信息,并对比分析了不同品种说明书信息间的共性和差异,为未来国内鼻用制剂的开发提供参考。