Linking empirical estimates of body burden of environmental chemicals and wellness using NHANES data

Biomonitoring of industrial chemicals in human tissues and fluids has shown that all people carry a “body burden” of synthetic chemicals. Although measurement of an environmental chemical in a person's tissues/fluids is an indication of exposure, it does not necessarily mean the exposure concentration is sufficient to cause an adverse effect. Since humans are exposed to multiple chemicals, there may be a combination effect (e.g., additive, synergistic) associated with low-level exposures to multiple classes of contaminants, which may impact a variety of organ systems. The objective of this research is to link measures of body burden of environmental chemicals and a “holistic” measure of wellness. The approach is demonstrated using biomonitoring data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES). Forty-two chemicals were selected for analysis based on their detection levels. Six biological pathway-specific indices were evaluated using groups of chemicals associated with each pathway. Five of the six pathways were negatively associated with wellness. Three non-zero interaction terms were detected which may provide empirical evidence of crosstalk across pathways. The approach identified five of the 42 chemicals from a variety of classes (metals, pesticides, furans, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) as accounting for 71% of the weight linking body burden to wellness. Significant interactions were detected indicating the effect of smoking is exacerbated by body burden of environmental chemicals. Use of a holistic index on both sides of the exposure-health equation is a novel and promising empirical “systems biology” approach to risk evaluation of complex environmental exposures.     

疫情背景下的福建省高速公路机动车污染物排放清单

机动车排放污染物已经成为大气污染的重要来源.基于福建省高速公路交通流量数据,采用自下而上的计算方法建立了2020年1—7月福建省高速公路机动车高分辨率污染物排放清单.结果表明,受疫情影响,福建省高速公路月均车流量和污染物排放量呈先下降后上升的变化趋势,4月污染物排放量达到最低,5月污染物排放量又迅速恢复到疫情前的排放水平,其中,疫情中期污染物CO、HC、NO_x、PM_2.5和PM₁₀排放较疫情后期分别减少了90.68%、89.06%、92.58%、89.58%和89.63%.在整个研究期内,不同城市高速公路机动车污染物排放的分担率有所不同,泉州、福州和漳州的高速公路机动车排放分担率较高;从车型来看,小型客车和轻型货车是CO和HC的主要贡献车型,NO_x和PM主要来自重型货车和轻型货车;从燃料类型来看,汽油车是CO和HC的主要贡献源,柴油车则对NO_x和PM贡献突出;从排放标准来看,国三和国四车对各项污染物的贡献率最大.各项污染物空间分布一致,排放高值区位于东部沿海地区路段,西部内陆的...     

Heavy haze pollution during the COVID-19 lockdown in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, China

To investigate the characteristics of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM_2.5) and its chemical compositions in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region of China during the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown, the ground-based data of PM_2.5, trace gases, water-soluble inorganic ions, and organic and elemental carbon were analyzed in three typical cities (Beijing, Tianjin, and Baoding) in the BTH region of China from 5-15 February 2020. The PM_2.5 source apportionment was established by combining the weather research and forecasting model and comprehensive air quality model with extensions (WRF-CAMx). The results showed that the maximum daily PM_2.5 concentration reached the heavy pollution level (>150 μg/m³) in the above three cities. The sum concentration of SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺ played a dominant position in PM_2.5 chemical compositions of Beijing, Tianjin, and Baoding; secondary transformation of gaseous pollutants contributed significantly to PM_2.5 generation, and the secondary transformation was enhanced as the increased PM_2.5 concentrations. The results of WRF-CAMx showed obviously inter-transport of PM_2.5 in the BTH region; the contribution of transportation source decreased significantly than previous reports in Beijing, Tianjin, and Baoding during the COVID-19 lockdown; but the contribution of industrial and residential emission sources increased significantly with the increase of PM_2.5 concentration, and industry emission sources contributed the most to PM_2.5 concentrations. Therefore, control policies should be devoted to reducing industrial emissions and regional joint control strategies to mitigate haze pollution.     

Sonographic findings in Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome related to H19 hypermethylation

Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is an overgrowth syndrome associated with congenital malformations and tumour predisposition. BWS results from variable mutations or epigenetic modifications of imprinted genes in the 11p15 chromosomal region. We present a fetus with mild general overgrowth and bilateral enlarged echogenic kidneys with loss of the corticomedullary differentiation in which prenatal diagnosis of BWS was suspected. The rest of the fetal anatomy and the amniotic fluid volume appeared normal. After termination of the pregnancy, molecular analysis confirmed the diagnosis of BWS by showing an isolated hypermethylation of the H19 gene. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

河南省春节和疫情影响情景下PM2.5组分特征

2020年1月我国爆发了新型冠状病毒疫情,期间我国各地区大气污染源排放特征发生了显著改变.为研究该情景下PM_2.5组分特征,本研究于2020年1月1日~2月13日利用在线观测仪器对郑州、安阳和新乡市进行连续观测.根据春节假期和疫情爆发,将研究时期分为春节前（1月1~23日）、春节疫情期（1月24~31日）和节后疫情期（2月1~13日）.受疫情和有利的气象条件影响,节后疫情期间郑州、安阳和新乡市除O₃外其它污染物浓度较春节前均明显下降,其中NO₂和PM_2.5的降幅分别为65%、52%、72%和51%、55%、54%,但是污染物浓度仍较高,表明未来河南省冬季大气污染的较大幅度改善面临巨大挑战.从颗粒物组分来看,二次无机盐和有机物是观测期间PM_2.5的主要组分.春节疫情期3个城市受烟花爆竹的影响较小,并且硝酸根和扬尘的贡献相比春节前轻微下降.节后疫情期间郑州、安阳和新乡市PM_2.5中硝酸根浓度和占比显著下降,占比降幅为10.6%、4.1%和4%;硫酸根和有机物的占比上升,其中二次有机碳的贡献增大.以郑州市为例分析硝酸盐生成,相比春节前,节后疫情期间不同污染时段硝酸根的占比均下降,但硝酸根仍是污染时段PM_2.5中占比最高的组分.日变化特征表明节后疫情期间大气中O₃浓度和湿度的增高可能促进了NO₂的转化,因此下一步应采取PM_2.5和O₃的协同管控,重视NO₂和VOCs的协同减排.     

新冠肺炎疫情期间我国居民开窗通风频率和时间研究

密闭空间增加了气溶胶传染的几率,开窗通风对于降低感染风险、维持人体健康需求的新风量具有重要作用.为了分析新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19,简称“新冠肺炎”）疫情期间不同地区人群开窗通风行为模式特征,通过电子调查问卷获取了我国31个省（自治区、直辖市）的7 784名居民在新冠肺炎疫情期间的开窗通风频率和通风时间及人口学信息,分析了不同人群的通风行为及主要影响因素.结果表明:①调查中99.7%的居民会开窗通风,其中有69.2%的居民通风频率大于2次/d,38.2%的居民通风频率大于3次/d,不同人群间通风频率差异显著.②各地区居民的每日通风时间在93~126 min之间,受疫情影响程度高的地区居民开窗通风时间更长;与非疫情期间相比,各地区居民的通风时间在疫情期间均大幅下降.③疫情期间我国人群开窗通风行为的影响因素主要包括疫情相关因素和非疫情相关因素.其中,疫情相关因素主要是小区管控措施和小区周边医院分布情况,小区实施疫情管控措施及小区周边有定点医院的人群通风频率较高;非疫情相关因素主要是居民住宅类型、楼层及环境温度,相比于单元楼或公寓,居住在平房的人群通风频率较高,居住在单元楼或公寓的人群通风频率较低.④居住在单元楼或公寓中层的居民通风时间最长,居住在低层的居民通风时间则最短.调查人群的开窗通风频率和通风时间均与环境温度呈显著正相关.研究显示,新冠肺炎疫情期间,99.7%受试者具有开窗通风行为,各地区居民的每日通风时间在93~126 min之间,少于非疫情期间.      

我国城市新冠肺炎发病率的地理分布格局:人口迁徙与社会经济因素的影响

新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19,简称“新冠肺炎”）疫情的暴发使我国城市系统面临严峻挑战.认识城市尺度新冠肺炎发病率的地理空间分布格局及影响因素,可以为面向公共卫生安全的城市发展提供参考.以我国282个城市作为基本研究单元,通过地理加权回归模型,探究了2020年1月1日—3月5日我国城市人口迁徙与社会经济因素对新冠肺炎发病率的影响.结果表明:①地理加权回归模型的解释力（整体R2=0.40）显著高于传统的普通最小二乘法线性回归模型（整体R2=0.02）.②武汉迁入率较大地增加了武汉周边城市的新冠肺炎发病率,该效应随着与武汉地理距离的增加呈现空间衰减特征,东北和西南部分地区除外.③高人均地区生产总值在东南经济较发达地区对新冠肺炎发病率的控制起到了重要作用.④人均绿地面积和人均医务人员数量指标的提升仅在全国少部分地区显示出积极作用,其中不包括武汉周边城市.相反,人均公共财政支出对于武汉周边地区新冠肺炎发病率的控制起到了重要作用.研究显示,我国城市的新冠肺炎发病率及其与人口迁徙/城市社会经济指标的关系具有明显的空间依赖模式,其中来自武汉的人口流入、公共财政支出和绿化水平的影响均呈现一定的空间衰减特征,而经济发展水平的影响则呈现地域性依赖特征.      

影响病毒在物体表面和空气中生存的因素分析

新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）疫情严重危害人类生命安全和影响国家经济发展.截至目前,关于环境条件（湿度与温度）、空气污染及人为活动对2019-nCoV传播的文献鲜见报道.由于新型冠状病毒（2019-nCoV）采样困难,难以开展直接试验研究,因此通过对国内外其他类似病毒文献调研,探究影响病毒传播和生存的影响因素,以期为疫情防控和控制2019-nCoV传播提供指导.结果表明:①冠状病毒在低温低湿的环境中能够保持较长的存活时间与传播力,尤其在干燥物体表面停留时间更长,如冠状病毒能在温度为22~25℃、相对湿度（RH）为40%~45%的光滑物体表面存活5 d以上;②同时,冠状病毒气溶胶在低温低湿的条件下也具有高存活率,提示在密闭环境中2019-nCoV气溶胶可能在温度为20~25℃、相对湿度为30%~50%的条件下具有较高的存活率;③颗粒物浓度越高,2019-nCoV传播的风险可能随之增加;④感染者的行为活动也对2019-nCoV的传播起着不可忽视的作用,应避免在人群中打喷嚏、咳嗽,并且用手、手肘或其他物品加以防护,降低病毒传播的可能性.综上,提出几点疫情防控的相关建议,如改善室内微环境和开展2019-nCoV的检测、灭活、影响因素、传播规律等相关研究工作.      

Variability of PM2.5 and O3 concentrations and their driving forces over Chinese megacities during 2018-2020

Recently,air pollution especially?ne particulate matters (PM_2.5) and ozone (O₃) has become a severe issue in China.In this study,we?rst characterized the temporal trends of PM_2.5and O₃for Beijing,Guangzhou,Shanghai,and Wuhan respectively during 2018-2020.The annual mean PM_2.5has decreased by 7.82%-33.92%,while O₃concentration showed insigni?cant variations by-6.77%-4.65%during 2018-2020.The generalized additive models (GAMs) were ...     

壬基酚对斑马鱼精巢组织及性激素合成酶基因表达的影响

壬基酚（NP）是广泛存在于水体中的环境内分泌干扰物,会影响鱼类的生殖和发育.为了解NP影响鱼类精巢发育的分子机制,将成年雄性斑马鱼（Danio rerio）暴露于不同浓度（0、125、250、500μg·L-1）NP下21d,用常规组织学方法研究试验鱼精巢组织结构的变化,并用荧光定量PCR（QRT-PCR）方法检测试验...