<strong>Background:</strong> The critical need for Health Behaviour Change (HBC) for preventative care has been highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This quality improvement project assessed the effective...<strong>Background:</strong> The critical need for Health Behaviour Change (HBC) for preventative care has been highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This quality improvement project assessed the effectiveness and acceptability of Fountain of Health HBC tools as a minimal intervention for primary and secondary prevention among Canadian clinicians and their patients. <strong>Methods:</strong> Clinicians received HBC education and tools (paper tools and app-based) to assist their patients in setting a S.M.A.R.T (Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Realistic, Time-limited) goal at baseline and assessed four weeks later. Primary outcome measures were: 1) patient self-report of success at goal attainment;2) patient self-reported evaluation of change in well-being and health attitudes;and 3) clinician experience and engagement. <strong>Results:</strong> A total of 2184 clinicians received HBC education. Of these, 759 clinicians registered to participate in the project. 961 patients set S.M.A.R.T. HBC goals using either the paper tools (PT) or the app format. Patient data revealed nearly all patients (89% of PT users and 90% of app users) at least partially succeeded in attaining their goal at a four-week follow-up. Most patients (85% of PT and 80% of app users) also reported improvement in their well-being. A significant difference in health beliefs and attitudes was found in both PT (p < 0.001) and app users (p = 0.003). <strong>Conclusions:</strong> HBC is challenging. Educating and providing clinicians with HBC tools as a minimal intervention was found to be a successful health prevention strategy to improve patient well-being and health attitudes, and achieve S.M.A.R.T. goals. Results show HBC tools, education, and support for clinicians are both acceptable and effective for HBC in frontline care. These findings are relevant and timely given greater reliance on virtual care in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Further research with rigorous methodology is needed to implement programs to achieve sustainable HBC to promote health on a large scale.展开更多
Background: For over a hundred thirty years, consecutive Ethiopian regimes have denied the Oromo people the right to develop free media. In this paper I explore how this denial has affected the development of public h...Background: For over a hundred thirty years, consecutive Ethiopian regimes have denied the Oromo people the right to develop free media. In this paper I explore how this denial has affected the development of public health conditions in Oromia. Methods: Using the “upstream” public health metaphor as the framework of thinking, in this paper I explore how the denial of free media has hindered the development of better public health conditions. Finding: Although media and public health are distinct social organizations, many of their functions overlap, with the former significantly supporting the development of the latter. Media informs, educates, entertains, molds opinion, advocates, provides a framework of thinking, connects people and ideas, and records events. The foundation of public health rests on the study of risks to population health and identifying health promotion as well as disease prevention (primary, secondary and tertiary) tools. Media facilitates knowledge construction and its dissemination. It supports the efforts societies make in establishing and maintaining the social conditions that will ensure the best public health outcomes possible. Conclusion: Since media facilitates knowledge construction and knowledge dissemination, it can help produce knowledgeable and critical citizens who are equipped with problem-solving skills. Denying the Oromo people the right to develop their own free media is hindering them from having people with skills who are critically needed in transforming their society and developing better public health conditions.展开更多
The International Agency for Research on Cancer(IARC)has classified outdoor air pollution and the particulate matter(PM)in outdoor air pollution as carcinogenic to humans,as based on sufficient evidence of carcinogeni...The International Agency for Research on Cancer(IARC)has classified outdoor air pollution and the particulate matter(PM)in outdoor air pollution as carcinogenic to humans,as based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and experimental animals and strong support by mechanistic studies.The data with important contributions to the evaluation are reviewed,highlighting the data with particular relevance to China,and implications of the evaluation with respect to China are discussed.The air pollution levels in Chinese cities are among the highest observed in the world today and frequently exceed healthbased national and international guidelines.Data from high-quality epidemiologic studies in Asia,Europe,and North America consistently show positive associations between lung cancer and PM exposure and other indicators of air pollution,which persist after adjustment for important lung cancer risk factors,such as tobacco smoking.Epidemiologic data from China are limited but nevertheless indicate an increased risk of lung cancer associated with several air pollutants.Excess cancer risk is also observed in experimental animals exposed to polluted outdoor air or extracted PM.The exposure of several species to outdoor air pollution is associated with markers of genetic damage that have been linked to increased cancer risk in humans.Numerous studies from China,especially genetic biomarker studies in exposed populations,support that the polluted air in China is genotoxic and carcinogenic to humans.The evaluation by IARC indicates both the need for further research into the cancer risks associated with exposure to air pollution in China and the urgent need to act to reduce exposure to the population.展开更多
The pathogenesis of colon cancer involves sequential and multistep progression of epithelial cells initiated to a cancerous state with defined precancerous intermediaries. Aberrant crypt foci （ACF） represent the ear...The pathogenesis of colon cancer involves sequential and multistep progression of epithelial cells initiated to a cancerous state with defined precancerous intermediaries. Aberrant crypt foci （ACF） represent the earliest identifiable intermediate precancerous lesions during colon carcinogenesis in both laboratory animals and humans. ACF are easily induced by colon-specific carcinogens in rodents and can be used to learn more about the process of colon carcinogenesis. For over two decades, since its first discovery, azoxymethane （AOM）-induced rodent ACF have served as surrogate biomarkers in the screening of various anticarcinogens and carcinogens. Several dietary constituents and phytochemicals have been tested for their colon cancer chemopreventive efficacy using the ACF system. There has been substantial effort in defining and refining ACF in terms of understanding their molecular make-up, and extensive research in this field is currently in progress. In chemoprevention studies, AOM-induced rat ACF have been very successful as biomarkers, and have provided several standardized analyses of data. There have been several studies that have reported that ACF data do not correlate to actual colon tumor outcome, however, and hence there has been an ambiguity about their role as biomarkers. The scope of this mini-review is to provide valuable insights and limitations of AOM-induced rat ACF as biomarkers in colon cancer chemoprevention studies. The role of the dynamics and biological heterogeneity of ACF is critical in understanding them as biomarkers in chemoprevention studies.展开更多
The Hantaan virus(HTNV)and Seoul virus(SEOV)mutants have accumulated over time.It is important to determine whether their neutralizing epitopes have evolved,thereby making the current vaccine powerless.However,it is i...The Hantaan virus(HTNV)and Seoul virus(SEOV)mutants have accumulated over time.It is important to determine whether their neutralizing epitopes have evolved,thereby making the current vaccine powerless.However,it is impossible to determine by using traditional plaque reduction neutralization test(PRNT),because it requires large numbers of live mutant strains.Pseudovirus-based neutralization assays(PBNA)were developed by employing vesicular stomatitis virus(VSV)backbone incorporated with HTNV or SEOV glycoproteins(VSVDG*-HTNVG or VSVDG*-SEOVG).56 and 51 single amino acid substitutions of glycoprotein(GP)in HTNV and SEOV were selected and introduced into the reference plasmid.Then the mutant pseudoviruses were generated and tested by PBNA.The PBNA results were highly correlated with PRNT ones with R2 being 0.91 for VSVDG*-HTNVG and 0.82 for VSVDG*-SEOVG.53 HTNV mutant pseudoviruses and 46 SEOV mutants were successfully generated.Importantly,by using PBNA,we found that HTNV or SEOV immunized antisera could neutralize all the corresponding 53 HTNV mutants or the 46 SEOV mutants respectively.The novel PBNA enables us to closely monitor the effectiveness of vaccines against large numbers of evolving HTNV and SEOV.And the current vaccine remains to be effective for the naturally occurring mutants.展开更多
Bisphenol A （BPA） has been shown to exert biological effects through estrogen receptor （ER）-dependent and ER-independent mechanisms. Recent studies suggest that prenatal exposure to BPA may increase the risk of ch...Bisphenol A （BPA） has been shown to exert biological effects through estrogen receptor （ER）-dependent and ER-independent mechanisms. Recent studies suggest that prenatal exposure to BPA may increase the risk of childhood asthma. To investigate the underlying mechanisms in the actions of BPA, human fetal lung fibroblasts {hFLFs） were exposed to varying doses of BPA in culture for 24 hr. Effects of BPA on localization and uptake of BPA, cell viability, release of immune and developmental modulators, cellular localization and expression of ERa, ERβ and G-protein coupled estrogen receptor 30 （GPR30）, and effects of ERs antagonists on BPA-induced changes in endothelin-1 （ET-1） release were examined. BPA at 0.01-100 μmol/L caused no changes in cell viability after 24 hr of exposure, hFLFs expresses all three ERs. BPA had no effects on either cellular distribution or protein expression of ERa, however, at 100 μmol/L （or 23 μmol/L intracellular BPA） increased ERβ protein levels in the cytoplasmic fractions and GPR30 protein levels in the nuclear fractions. These paralleled with increased release of growth differentiation factor-15, decreased phosphorylation of nuclear factor kappa B p65 at serine 536, and decreased release of ET-1, interleukin-6, and interferon gamma-induced protein 10. ERs antagonists had no effects on BPA-induced decrease in ET-1 release. These data suggest that BPA at 100 μmol/L altered the release of immune and developmental modulators in hFLFs, which may negatively influence fetal lung development, maturation, and susceptibility to environmental stressors, although the role of BPA in childhood asthma remains to be confirmed in in viuo studies.展开更多
Coronaviruses are among the largest group of known positive-sense RNA viruses with a wide range of animal hosts as reservoir. In the last two decades,newly evolved coronaviruses such as the severe acute respiratory sy...Coronaviruses are among the largest group of known positive-sense RNA viruses with a wide range of animal hosts as reservoir. In the last two decades,newly evolved coronaviruses such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus(SARS-CoV) which caused the infamous 2002 outbreak, the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus(MERS-CoV) which caused an outbreak in 2012, and now the SARS-CoV-2 [responsible for the current coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)] have all posed notable threats to global public health.But, how does the current COVID-19 outbreak compare with previous coronaviruses diseases? In this review, we look at the key differences between SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2, and examine challenges in determining accurate estimates of the severity of COVID-19. We discuss coronavirus outbreaks in light of key outbreak severity indicators including,disease fatality, pathogen novelty, ease of transmission, geographical range, and outbreak preparedness. Finally, we review clinical trials of emerging treatment modalities and provide recommendations on the control of COVID-19 based on the mode of transmission of the coronaviruses. We also recommend the development and use of a standardized predictive epidemic severity models to inform future epidemic response.展开更多
Organophosphate esters(OPEs)are used primarily as flame-retardants and plasticizers.OPEs are commonly detected in various environmental matrices,food and drinking water,and their metabolites are frequently found and q...Organophosphate esters(OPEs)are used primarily as flame-retardants and plasticizers.OPEs are commonly detected in various environmental matrices,food and drinking water,and their metabolites are frequently found and quantified in urine.Potential adverse impacts on human health,including carcinogenicity,neurotoxicity,developmental and reproductive toxicity have been well documented.Urinary concentration of OPE metabolites can vary in the same individual,depending on the sampling time,thus introducing significant uncertainty in exposure assessment.The current study focusses on the assessment of short term temporal variability in adult men and women residing in Canada's Capital Region.Fifteen OPE metabolites were analyzed in 562 daily urine samples,collected every three days for five weeks from 11 volunteers.Sample extraction procedure was performed on an automated SPE and extracts analyzed using UPLC-MS/MS.In spot urine samples as well as first morning void(FMV),the detection frequency was greater than 50%for bis(2-chloroethyl)hydrogen phosphate(BCEP),bis(1-chloro-2-propyl)phosphate(BCIPP),bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl)phosphate(BDCIPP),diphenyl phosphate(DPHP)and bis(2,4-ditert-butylphenyl)hydrogen phosphate(B2,4DtBPP).Significant difference was observed in males and females for BCEP and BCIPP.Intra-class correlation coefficient(ICC)for creatinine corrected data for the spot urine samples ranged from 0.37 to 0.69.Good reproducibility was observed for creatinine corrected DPHP and BCIPP in both spot urine and FMV samples.More variation was observed between study participants in the spot urine samples when compared to the FMV samples.However,when considering diurnal difference there was a considerable inter-day variation in the FMV samples compared to the spot samples.The strength of the study is that the participants belonged to the same geographical location and working in the same facility,hence spatial variability did not influence the outcome of the results.展开更多
Understanding chemical transformations of contaminants and the resulting products is extremely important in devising proper monitoring methods for such contaminants and in assessing potential human exposure to the tra...Understanding chemical transformations of contaminants and the resulting products is extremely important in devising proper monitoring methods for such contaminants and in assessing potential human exposure to the transformation products in the environment. Ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun can induce various photochemical transformations of contaminants in the environment. Alkylnaphthalenes are light-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which are one of the most widespread organic pollutants present in ambient air as a result of a variety of incomplete combustion sources. In this study, 1-methylnapthalene,a typical example of an alkylnaphthalene, was subjected to UV irradiation to investigate its transformation in the presence and absence of air. Twenty-one products were detected in the reaction mixtures. Some photo-oxidation products were identified, including both ring-opened and ring-retained oxygenated compounds, such as 1-naphthaldehyde, 1-naphthoic acid, 1-naphthalenemethanol and phthalic anhydride. Although dimeric products were observed in the presence of air, more were found in the presence of helium or argon gas, indicating a different photo-oxidation pathway from those commonly observed in other media, such as water. Under just 48 hours of exposure to the UV light in the presence of air, three major products were formed with a production yield of about 10% each. Compared to 1-methylnapthalene, the UV induced transformation products observed in this study are more volatile, acidic, water soluble or toxic. The formation of these products may significantly change our understanding of the risks assessed solely from the parent compound in contaminants research and supports the inclusion of airborne transformations of the parent compound in risk assessment.展开更多
Dear Editor,We reviewed the paper by Liu et al[1],as part of an umbrella review on PM2.5 and the incidence of respiratory outcomes.We determined that the authors did not account for the PM_(2.5) increments based upon ...Dear Editor,We reviewed the paper by Liu et al[1],as part of an umbrella review on PM2.5 and the incidence of respiratory outcomes.We determined that the authors did not account for the PM_(2.5) increments based upon which primary studies reported their results.展开更多
Background: Solitary fibrous tumors of the pleura (SFTP) are rare neoplasms with unpredictable behavior. Lack of unifying criteria for benign or malignant SFTP has resulted in reports of SFTP exhibiting malignant beha...Background: Solitary fibrous tumors of the pleura (SFTP) are rare neoplasms with unpredictable behavior. Lack of unifying criteria for benign or malignant SFTP has resulted in reports of SFTP exhibiting malignant behavior years after complete surgical resection (despite benign initial diagnosis). Additionally, the role of trans-thoracic needle biopsy in initial management of SFTP is unclear. Understanding predictors of malignancy identifies patients at unacceptably high risk for non-surgical primary therapy, and for recurrence despite complete surgical resection. Objectives: The primary objectives were to identify clinicopathological predictors of malignancy & recurrence in SFTP. The secondary aim was to determine the role of trans-thoracic needle biopsy in the management decision algorithm of SFTP. Methods: Retrospective chart review was conducted (Jan. 1983-Dec. 2013) at the Ottawa Hospital for pathologically confirmed SFTP. Data were collected on biopsy-related, clinical, histopathological & immunohistochemistry (IHC) variables. Appropriate tests of statistical inference were conducted for all variables. Results: Pathologically confirmed SFTP was identified in 26 cases. Transthoracic needle biopsy was conducted in 22 (84.6%);with 16 (72.7%) biopsies diagnostic of SFTP with IHC;3 (13.6%) being malignant. Primary management was surveillance in 3 and complete surgical resection in 23. Surgical pathology reported 15 (65.2%) benign and 8 (34.8%) malignant cases. Local recurrence occurred in 3 and distant recurrence in 1. Initial pathology was benign in 3 (75%) with recurrence. Clinicopathologic variables analyzed did not predict recurrent disease. IHC features did not differ between malignant & benign pathology significantly. Predictors of malignant pathology included: infiltrative cellular pattern (p = 0.042), nuclear crowding (p = 0.006), tumour necrosis (p 4 mitoses/ 10 high power field (p Conclusion: Because numerous variables analyzed did not predict recurrent disease, long-term follow-up is warranted regardless of benign or malignant initial histology. Histologic not IHC features predicted malignant pathology. Trans-thoracic needle biopsy did identify malignant SFTP;however its main use should be to differentiate SFTP from other pleural neoplasms using IHC.展开更多
Water storage dams worldwide are ageing, and many will reach the end of their designed lifespan by the middle of the 21st century. Some of these dams will likely need to be removed. While dam construction impacts have...Water storage dams worldwide are ageing, and many will reach the end of their designed lifespan by the middle of the 21st century. Some of these dams will likely need to be removed. While dam construction impacts have been widely discussed, dam removal impacts on society and the economy need to be synthesized and considered in the ageing dams’ decision-making process. This paper summarizes dam removal impacts on the local economy and industry, culture, history and heritage, property value, recreation, aesthetics, and disaster avoidance from identified studies worldwide. It demonstrates that these impacts may vary depending on geography and between developed and developing countries. It concludes that dam removal should consider the co</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">st, environmental, and the socio-economic impacts while including all</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> stakeholders who could be positively and negatively impacted by dam removal.展开更多
文摘<strong>Background:</strong> The critical need for Health Behaviour Change (HBC) for preventative care has been highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This quality improvement project assessed the effectiveness and acceptability of Fountain of Health HBC tools as a minimal intervention for primary and secondary prevention among Canadian clinicians and their patients. <strong>Methods:</strong> Clinicians received HBC education and tools (paper tools and app-based) to assist their patients in setting a S.M.A.R.T (Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Realistic, Time-limited) goal at baseline and assessed four weeks later. Primary outcome measures were: 1) patient self-report of success at goal attainment;2) patient self-reported evaluation of change in well-being and health attitudes;and 3) clinician experience and engagement. <strong>Results:</strong> A total of 2184 clinicians received HBC education. Of these, 759 clinicians registered to participate in the project. 961 patients set S.M.A.R.T. HBC goals using either the paper tools (PT) or the app format. Patient data revealed nearly all patients (89% of PT users and 90% of app users) at least partially succeeded in attaining their goal at a four-week follow-up. Most patients (85% of PT and 80% of app users) also reported improvement in their well-being. A significant difference in health beliefs and attitudes was found in both PT (p < 0.001) and app users (p = 0.003). <strong>Conclusions:</strong> HBC is challenging. Educating and providing clinicians with HBC tools as a minimal intervention was found to be a successful health prevention strategy to improve patient well-being and health attitudes, and achieve S.M.A.R.T. goals. Results show HBC tools, education, and support for clinicians are both acceptable and effective for HBC in frontline care. These findings are relevant and timely given greater reliance on virtual care in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Further research with rigorous methodology is needed to implement programs to achieve sustainable HBC to promote health on a large scale.
文摘Background: For over a hundred thirty years, consecutive Ethiopian regimes have denied the Oromo people the right to develop free media. In this paper I explore how this denial has affected the development of public health conditions in Oromia. Methods: Using the “upstream” public health metaphor as the framework of thinking, in this paper I explore how the denial of free media has hindered the development of better public health conditions. Finding: Although media and public health are distinct social organizations, many of their functions overlap, with the former significantly supporting the development of the latter. Media informs, educates, entertains, molds opinion, advocates, provides a framework of thinking, connects people and ideas, and records events. The foundation of public health rests on the study of risks to population health and identifying health promotion as well as disease prevention (primary, secondary and tertiary) tools. Media facilitates knowledge construction and its dissemination. It supports the efforts societies make in establishing and maintaining the social conditions that will ensure the best public health outcomes possible. Conclusion: Since media facilitates knowledge construction and knowledge dissemination, it can help produce knowledgeable and critical citizens who are equipped with problem-solving skills. Denying the Oromo people the right to develop their own free media is hindering them from having people with skills who are critically needed in transforming their society and developing better public health conditions.
文摘The International Agency for Research on Cancer(IARC)has classified outdoor air pollution and the particulate matter(PM)in outdoor air pollution as carcinogenic to humans,as based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and experimental animals and strong support by mechanistic studies.The data with important contributions to the evaluation are reviewed,highlighting the data with particular relevance to China,and implications of the evaluation with respect to China are discussed.The air pollution levels in Chinese cities are among the highest observed in the world today and frequently exceed healthbased national and international guidelines.Data from high-quality epidemiologic studies in Asia,Europe,and North America consistently show positive associations between lung cancer and PM exposure and other indicators of air pollution,which persist after adjustment for important lung cancer risk factors,such as tobacco smoking.Epidemiologic data from China are limited but nevertheless indicate an increased risk of lung cancer associated with several air pollutants.Excess cancer risk is also observed in experimental animals exposed to polluted outdoor air or extracted PM.The exposure of several species to outdoor air pollution is associated with markers of genetic damage that have been linked to increased cancer risk in humans.Numerous studies from China,especially genetic biomarker studies in exposed populations,support that the polluted air in China is genotoxic and carcinogenic to humans.The evaluation by IARC indicates both the need for further research into the cancer risks associated with exposure to air pollution in China and the urgent need to act to reduce exposure to the population.
基金Supported by Health Canada,Government of Canada,Canada
文摘The pathogenesis of colon cancer involves sequential and multistep progression of epithelial cells initiated to a cancerous state with defined precancerous intermediaries. Aberrant crypt foci （ACF） represent the earliest identifiable intermediate precancerous lesions during colon carcinogenesis in both laboratory animals and humans. ACF are easily induced by colon-specific carcinogens in rodents and can be used to learn more about the process of colon carcinogenesis. For over two decades, since its first discovery, azoxymethane （AOM）-induced rodent ACF have served as surrogate biomarkers in the screening of various anticarcinogens and carcinogens. Several dietary constituents and phytochemicals have been tested for their colon cancer chemopreventive efficacy using the ACF system. There has been substantial effort in defining and refining ACF in terms of understanding their molecular make-up, and extensive research in this field is currently in progress. In chemoprevention studies, AOM-induced rat ACF have been very successful as biomarkers, and have provided several standardized analyses of data. There have been several studies that have reported that ACF data do not correlate to actual colon tumor outcome, however, and hence there has been an ambiguity about their role as biomarkers. The scope of this mini-review is to provide valuable insights and limitations of AOM-induced rat ACF as biomarkers in colon cancer chemoprevention studies. The role of the dynamics and biological heterogeneity of ACF is critical in understanding them as biomarkers in chemoprevention studies.
基金supported by the National Science and Technology Major Projects of Drug Discovery[Grant Number 2018ZX09101-001]
文摘The Hantaan virus(HTNV)and Seoul virus(SEOV)mutants have accumulated over time.It is important to determine whether their neutralizing epitopes have evolved,thereby making the current vaccine powerless.However,it is impossible to determine by using traditional plaque reduction neutralization test(PRNT),because it requires large numbers of live mutant strains.Pseudovirus-based neutralization assays(PBNA)were developed by employing vesicular stomatitis virus(VSV)backbone incorporated with HTNV or SEOV glycoproteins(VSVDG*-HTNVG or VSVDG*-SEOVG).56 and 51 single amino acid substitutions of glycoprotein(GP)in HTNV and SEOV were selected and introduced into the reference plasmid.Then the mutant pseudoviruses were generated and tested by PBNA.The PBNA results were highly correlated with PRNT ones with R2 being 0.91 for VSVDG*-HTNVG and 0.82 for VSVDG*-SEOVG.53 HTNV mutant pseudoviruses and 46 SEOV mutants were successfully generated.Importantly,by using PBNA,we found that HTNV or SEOV immunized antisera could neutralize all the corresponding 53 HTNV mutants or the 46 SEOV mutants respectively.The novel PBNA enables us to closely monitor the effectiveness of vaccines against large numbers of evolving HTNV and SEOV.And the current vaccine remains to be effective for the naturally occurring mutants.
基金supported by a grant from the Chemical Management Planan initiative of the Government of Canada aimed at reducing the risks posed by chemicals to Canadians and their environment+1 种基金the Regulatory Toxicology Research Division, Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Canada to XJa Discovery Grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada to WGW
文摘Bisphenol A （BPA） has been shown to exert biological effects through estrogen receptor （ER）-dependent and ER-independent mechanisms. Recent studies suggest that prenatal exposure to BPA may increase the risk of childhood asthma. To investigate the underlying mechanisms in the actions of BPA, human fetal lung fibroblasts {hFLFs） were exposed to varying doses of BPA in culture for 24 hr. Effects of BPA on localization and uptake of BPA, cell viability, release of immune and developmental modulators, cellular localization and expression of ERa, ERβ and G-protein coupled estrogen receptor 30 （GPR30）, and effects of ERs antagonists on BPA-induced changes in endothelin-1 （ET-1） release were examined. BPA at 0.01-100 μmol/L caused no changes in cell viability after 24 hr of exposure, hFLFs expresses all three ERs. BPA had no effects on either cellular distribution or protein expression of ERa, however, at 100 μmol/L （or 23 μmol/L intracellular BPA） increased ERβ protein levels in the cytoplasmic fractions and GPR30 protein levels in the nuclear fractions. These paralleled with increased release of growth differentiation factor-15, decreased phosphorylation of nuclear factor kappa B p65 at serine 536, and decreased release of ET-1, interleukin-6, and interferon gamma-induced protein 10. ERs antagonists had no effects on BPA-induced decrease in ET-1 release. These data suggest that BPA at 100 μmol/L altered the release of immune and developmental modulators in hFLFs, which may negatively influence fetal lung development, maturation, and susceptibility to environmental stressors, although the role of BPA in childhood asthma remains to be confirmed in in viuo studies.
文摘Coronaviruses are among the largest group of known positive-sense RNA viruses with a wide range of animal hosts as reservoir. In the last two decades,newly evolved coronaviruses such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus(SARS-CoV) which caused the infamous 2002 outbreak, the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus(MERS-CoV) which caused an outbreak in 2012, and now the SARS-CoV-2 [responsible for the current coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)] have all posed notable threats to global public health.But, how does the current COVID-19 outbreak compare with previous coronaviruses diseases? In this review, we look at the key differences between SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2, and examine challenges in determining accurate estimates of the severity of COVID-19. We discuss coronavirus outbreaks in light of key outbreak severity indicators including,disease fatality, pathogen novelty, ease of transmission, geographical range, and outbreak preparedness. Finally, we review clinical trials of emerging treatment modalities and provide recommendations on the control of COVID-19 based on the mode of transmission of the coronaviruses. We also recommend the development and use of a standardized predictive epidemic severity models to inform future epidemic response.
文摘Organophosphate esters(OPEs)are used primarily as flame-retardants and plasticizers.OPEs are commonly detected in various environmental matrices,food and drinking water,and their metabolites are frequently found and quantified in urine.Potential adverse impacts on human health,including carcinogenicity,neurotoxicity,developmental and reproductive toxicity have been well documented.Urinary concentration of OPE metabolites can vary in the same individual,depending on the sampling time,thus introducing significant uncertainty in exposure assessment.The current study focusses on the assessment of short term temporal variability in adult men and women residing in Canada's Capital Region.Fifteen OPE metabolites were analyzed in 562 daily urine samples,collected every three days for five weeks from 11 volunteers.Sample extraction procedure was performed on an automated SPE and extracts analyzed using UPLC-MS/MS.In spot urine samples as well as first morning void(FMV),the detection frequency was greater than 50%for bis(2-chloroethyl)hydrogen phosphate(BCEP),bis(1-chloro-2-propyl)phosphate(BCIPP),bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl)phosphate(BDCIPP),diphenyl phosphate(DPHP)and bis(2,4-ditert-butylphenyl)hydrogen phosphate(B2,4DtBPP).Significant difference was observed in males and females for BCEP and BCIPP.Intra-class correlation coefficient(ICC)for creatinine corrected data for the spot urine samples ranged from 0.37 to 0.69.Good reproducibility was observed for creatinine corrected DPHP and BCIPP in both spot urine and FMV samples.More variation was observed between study participants in the spot urine samples when compared to the FMV samples.However,when considering diurnal difference there was a considerable inter-day variation in the FMV samples compared to the spot samples.The strength of the study is that the participants belonged to the same geographical location and working in the same facility,hence spatial variability did not influence the outcome of the results.
文摘Understanding chemical transformations of contaminants and the resulting products is extremely important in devising proper monitoring methods for such contaminants and in assessing potential human exposure to the transformation products in the environment. Ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun can induce various photochemical transformations of contaminants in the environment. Alkylnaphthalenes are light-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which are one of the most widespread organic pollutants present in ambient air as a result of a variety of incomplete combustion sources. In this study, 1-methylnapthalene,a typical example of an alkylnaphthalene, was subjected to UV irradiation to investigate its transformation in the presence and absence of air. Twenty-one products were detected in the reaction mixtures. Some photo-oxidation products were identified, including both ring-opened and ring-retained oxygenated compounds, such as 1-naphthaldehyde, 1-naphthoic acid, 1-naphthalenemethanol and phthalic anhydride. Although dimeric products were observed in the presence of air, more were found in the presence of helium or argon gas, indicating a different photo-oxidation pathway from those commonly observed in other media, such as water. Under just 48 hours of exposure to the UV light in the presence of air, three major products were formed with a production yield of about 10% each. Compared to 1-methylnapthalene, the UV induced transformation products observed in this study are more volatile, acidic, water soluble or toxic. The formation of these products may significantly change our understanding of the risks assessed solely from the parent compound in contaminants research and supports the inclusion of airborne transformations of the parent compound in risk assessment.
文摘Dear Editor,We reviewed the paper by Liu et al[1],as part of an umbrella review on PM2.5 and the incidence of respiratory outcomes.We determined that the authors did not account for the PM_(2.5) increments based upon which primary studies reported their results.
文摘Background: Solitary fibrous tumors of the pleura (SFTP) are rare neoplasms with unpredictable behavior. Lack of unifying criteria for benign or malignant SFTP has resulted in reports of SFTP exhibiting malignant behavior years after complete surgical resection (despite benign initial diagnosis). Additionally, the role of trans-thoracic needle biopsy in initial management of SFTP is unclear. Understanding predictors of malignancy identifies patients at unacceptably high risk for non-surgical primary therapy, and for recurrence despite complete surgical resection. Objectives: The primary objectives were to identify clinicopathological predictors of malignancy & recurrence in SFTP. The secondary aim was to determine the role of trans-thoracic needle biopsy in the management decision algorithm of SFTP. Methods: Retrospective chart review was conducted (Jan. 1983-Dec. 2013) at the Ottawa Hospital for pathologically confirmed SFTP. Data were collected on biopsy-related, clinical, histopathological & immunohistochemistry (IHC) variables. Appropriate tests of statistical inference were conducted for all variables. Results: Pathologically confirmed SFTP was identified in 26 cases. Transthoracic needle biopsy was conducted in 22 (84.6%);with 16 (72.7%) biopsies diagnostic of SFTP with IHC;3 (13.6%) being malignant. Primary management was surveillance in 3 and complete surgical resection in 23. Surgical pathology reported 15 (65.2%) benign and 8 (34.8%) malignant cases. Local recurrence occurred in 3 and distant recurrence in 1. Initial pathology was benign in 3 (75%) with recurrence. Clinicopathologic variables analyzed did not predict recurrent disease. IHC features did not differ between malignant & benign pathology significantly. Predictors of malignant pathology included: infiltrative cellular pattern (p = 0.042), nuclear crowding (p = 0.006), tumour necrosis (p 4 mitoses/ 10 high power field (p Conclusion: Because numerous variables analyzed did not predict recurrent disease, long-term follow-up is warranted regardless of benign or malignant initial histology. Histologic not IHC features predicted malignant pathology. Trans-thoracic needle biopsy did identify malignant SFTP;however its main use should be to differentiate SFTP from other pleural neoplasms using IHC.
文摘Water storage dams worldwide are ageing, and many will reach the end of their designed lifespan by the middle of the 21st century. Some of these dams will likely need to be removed. While dam construction impacts have been widely discussed, dam removal impacts on society and the economy need to be synthesized and considered in the ageing dams’ decision-making process. This paper summarizes dam removal impacts on the local economy and industry, culture, history and heritage, property value, recreation, aesthetics, and disaster avoidance from identified studies worldwide. It demonstrates that these impacts may vary depending on geography and between developed and developing countries. It concludes that dam removal should consider the co</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">st, environmental, and the socio-economic impacts while including all</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> stakeholders who could be positively and negatively impacted by dam removal.
