lead exposure

Exposure to PM2.5 , a harmful type of air pollution, has been associated with compromised male reproductive health; however, it remains unclear whether such exposure can elicit transgenerational effects on male fertility. Here, we aim to examine the effect of paternal exposure to real-world PM2.5 on the reproductive health of male offspring. We have observed that paternal exposure to real-world PM2.5 can lead to transgenerational primary hypogonadism in a sex-selective manner, and we have also confirmed this phenotype by using an external model...

In Australia, neuromuscular blocking agents are the leading cause of perioperative anaphylaxis. Current investigation of suspected anaphylaxis includes tryptase levels, serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels, and skin testing, including intradermal testing and skin prick testing. The gold standard for the diagnosis of a hypersensitivity reaction is a challenge test, but this poses a risk to patient safety. An alternative test, known as the basophil activation test (BAT) is a form of cellular in vitro testing using flow cytometry to measure the degree of basophil degranulation within a sample of blood following exposure to an allergen...

Chinchillas are a relatively novel research model compared with other rodent species. They require special considerations when it comes to their husbandry and daily care. Chinchillas tend to be shy animals that are well adapted to masking clinical signs of illness. These characteristics can make them a difficult species to maintain in a research setting. The authors' institution has maintained chinchillas and established standardized daily animal care procedures for them. Chinchillas are most commonly used for auditory research...

The growing utilization of rare earth elements (REEs) in industrial and technological applications has captured global interest, leading to the development of high-performance technologies in medical diagnosis, agriculture, and other electronic industries. This accelerated utilization has also raised human exposure levels, resulting in both favourable and unfavourable impacts. However, the effects of REEs are dependent on their concentration and molecular species. Therefore, there is a scientific interest in investigating the molecular mechanisms of REEs with biomolecules...

Microenvironments, such as student dormitories, differ from general residential environments. They are characterized by small spaces, poor air circulation, high personnel densities, and electronic products, such as computers that are turned on for extended periods, leading to increased pollution concentrations. The limited space and poor air circulation reduce migration of contaminants, such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), making it easier for PBDEs to accumulate. However, few studies have been conducted on small group dwellings, including student dormitory dwellings...

We investigate a historical experience to measure the long-term effect of malaria on lifespan among infected survivors and identify a factor that mitigates malaria's effect. Using a sample of Union Army veterans born during the mid-19th century and their lifetime records, we show that exposure to high risk of malaria at birth or in early life substantially shortened their lifespan. The legacy of exposure to malaria is robust while controlling for lifetime socioeconomic and health conditions, fixed effects, and considering selection bias...

According to UNSCEAR, cosmic radiation contributes to ~16% (0.39 mSv/y) of the total dose received by the public at sea level. The exposure to cosmic rays at a specific location is therefore a non-negligible parameter that contributes to the assessment of the overall public exposure to radiation. In this study, simulations were conducted with the Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System, a Monte Carlo code, to determine the fluxes and effective dose due to cosmic rays received by the population of Douala...

BACKGROUND: Nursing-sensitive events (NSEs) are common, accounting for up to 77% of adverse events in hospitalized patients (eg, fall-related harm, pressure ulcers, and health care-associated infections). NSEs lead to adverse patient outcomes and impose an economic burden on hospitals due to increased medical costs through a prolonged hospital stay and additional medical procedures. To reduce NSEs and ensure high-quality nursing care, appropriate nurse staffing levels are needed. Although the link between nurse staffing and NSEs has been described in many studies, appropriate nurse staffing levels are lacking...

PURPOSE: It has long been thought that the carcinogenic effect of radiation resulted from the induction of oncogenic mutations which then led to an increase in the proportion of cancer-bearing individuals. However, even as early as the 1960s, there were indications that the carcinogenic effect of radiation might result from the induction of an earlier onset of cancer. Recently, the former notion was challenged by its inability to explain time-dependent decline of the relative risk following an exposure to radiation, and a parallel shift of mouse survival curves toward younger ages following an exposure to radiation...

EVER206 (also known as SPR206) is a novel polymyxin analog that has shown in vitro potency and in vivo efficacy against multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative pathogens. This randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, Phase I study evaluated the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of EVER206 in healthy Chinese subjects. After single administration of 50-300 mg EVER206, the Cmax ranged from 3.94 to 25.82 mg/L, and the AUC0-inf ranged from 12.42 to 101.67 h·mg/L. The plasma exposure displayed a linear relationship with the dose administered...

The developmental origins of health and disease concept highlights the impact of early environments on chronic non-communicable diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Studies using animal models have investigated how maternal factors such as undernutrition, overnutrition, obesity, and exposure to chemicals or hypoxia affect fetal development and offspring health, leading to issues like low birth weight, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance. Given the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity among reproductive-age women, effective interventions are critical...

The relationship between fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and blood pressure (BP) is a controversial issue. We conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis and identified 58 genome-wide significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with PM2.5 as instrument variables. Inverse-variance weighted (IVW) was used as the primary analysis approach. MR-Egger, weighted median, simple model, and weighted model methods were selected for quality control. We found a significant negative causal association of higher genetically predicted PM2...

BACKGROUND: Public health emergencies can lead to reduced or suspended services in sexual health clinics (SHCs), raising questions about optimal ways to maintain access to care. We examined changes in sexual behaviors, HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use, telehealth preference, and correlates of delayed sexual health care among patients attending New York City (NYC) publicly funded SHCs during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: 470 patients from four SHCs (July-September 2021) completed a self-administered survey that collected data on access to sexual health care, overall and over three distinct time periods [Spring 2020 (COVID-19 wave 1), Summer 2020, Fall 2020/Winter 2021 (COVID-19 wave 2)]...

AIMS: The anthracycline family of anticancer agents such as doxorubicin (DOX) can induce apoptotic death of cardiomyocytes and cause cardiotoxicity. We previously reported that DOX-induced apoptosis is accompanied by cardiomyocyte cell cycle-reentry. Cell cycle progression requires cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7)-mediated activation of downstream cell cycle CDKs. This study aims to determine whether CDK7 can be targeted for cardioprotection during anthracycline chemotherapy. METHODS AND RESULTS: DOX exposure induced CDK7 activation in mouse heart and isolated cardiomyocytes...

BACKGROUND: Repeated exposure to sensitizing events can activate HLA-specific memory B cells, leading to the production of donor-specific memory B cell antibodies (DSAm) that pose a risk for antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). This single-center retrospective study aimed to identify DSAm and assess their association with outcomes in a cohort of KTRs with pretransplant serum donor-specific antibodies (DSA). METHODS: We polyclonally activated pretransplant peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 60 KTRs in vitro, isolated and quantified IgG from the culture supernatant using ELISA, and analyzed the HLA antibodies of eluates with single antigen bead (SAB) assays, comparing them to the donor HLA typing for potential DSAm...

The occupational chemical 4-Vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD) is a reproductively toxic environmental pollutant that causes follicular failure, leading to premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), which significantly impacts a woman's physical health and fertility. Investigating VCD's pathogenic mechanisms can offer insights for the prevention of ovarian impairment and the treatment of POI. This study established a mouse model of POI through intraperitoneal injection of VCD into female C57BL/6 mice for 15 days...

Introduction Sharp object injuries in the medical field present a considerable occupational hazard for healthcare workers (HCWs), encompassing a spectrum of consequences from immediate discomfort to enduring health consequences. These injuries may expose HCWs to potential infections. Despite efforts to control sharp object injuries in healthcare environments, they are present at every stage involving using or disposing of medical sharp instruments. In Jordan, limited research has focused on sharp object injuries, with most data included from studies concentrating on practicing nurses or nursing students...

BACKGROUND: Combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) use in pregnancy has been pivotal in improving maternal health and reducing perinatal HIV transmission. However, children born HIV-exposed uninfected fall behind their unexposed peers in several areas including neurodevelopment. The contribution of in utero ART exposure to these deficits is not clear. Here we present our findings of neurocognitive outcomes in adult mice exposed in utero to ART. METHODS: Dams were treated with a combination of ritonavir-boosted atazanavir with either abacavir plus lamivudine (ABC/3TC + ATV/r) or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate plus emtricitabine (TDF/FTC + ATV/r), or water as a control, administered daily from day of plug detection to birth...

Facial burns involving the periorbital region may lead to cicatricial ectropion and lagophthalmos, causing severe exposure keratopathy and eventually blindness if uncorrected. In these patients, it is critical to provide aesthetic and functional surgical correction to protect the ocular surface from chronic desiccation in addition to visual rehabilitation. Conventional methods may not be sufficient to provide visual rehabilitation in complex cases. Scleral lenses can be a multipurpose alternative for these patients...

BACKGROUND: Nonessential metals have endocrine disrupting properties, interfere with cellular processes, generate reactive oxygen and deplete antioxidants, while essential metals and vitamins act as antioxidants. The extent to which prenatal metals and vitamins are associated with cord blood hormones involved in maternal and fetal metabolic and growth processes is unknown. METHODS: We measured six nonessential (arsenic, barium, cadmium, cesium, lead, mercury) and four essential (magnesium, manganese, selenium, zinc) metals and trace elements, and two vitamins (B12 and folate) in first trimester blood from participants in the longitudinal pre-birth Project Viva cohort, who were recruited between 1999-2002 in eastern Massachusetts...