A Time Series Analysis of Outdoor Air Pollution and Preterm Birth in Shanghai, China

Objective To investigate the relation between air pollution exposure and preterm birth in Shanghai, China. Methods We examined the effect of ambient air pollution on preterm birth using time-series approach in Shanghai in 2004. This method can eliminate potential confounding by individual risk factors that do not change over a short period of time. Daily numbers of preterm births were obtained from the live birth database maintained by Shanghai Municipal Center of Disease Control and Prevention. We used the generalized additive model （GAM） with penalized splines to analyze the relation between preterm birth, air pollution, and covariates. Results We observed a significant effect of outdoor air pollution only with 8-week exposure before preterm births. An increase of 10 μg/m^3 of 8-week average PM10, SO2, NO2, and O3 corresponded to 4.42% （95%CI 1.60%, 7.25%）, 11.89% （95%CI 6.69%, 17.09%）, 5.43% （95%CI 1.78%, 9.08%）, and 4.63% （95%CI 0.35%, 8.91%） increase of preterm birth. We did not find any significant acute effect of outdoor air pollution on preterm birth in the week before birth. Conclusion Ambient air pollution may contribute to the risk of preterm birth in Shanghai. Our analyses also strengthen the rationale for further limiting air pollution level in the city.

Application of DALYs in Measuring Health Effect of Ambient Air Pollution:A Case Study in Shanghai,China

Objective To investigate the effect of ambient air pollution on human health and the subsequent disabillty-adjusted life years （DALYs） lost in Shanghai. Methods We used epidemiology-based exposure-response functions to calculate the attributable number of cases due to air pollution in Shanghai in 2000, and then we estimated the corresponding DALYs lost in Shanghai based on unit DALYs values of the health consequences. Results Ambient air pollution caused 103 064 DALYs lost in Shanghai in 2000. Among all the health endpoints, premature deaths and chronic bronchitis predominated in the value of total DALYs lost. Conclusion The air pollution levels have an adverse effect on the general population health and strengthen the rationale for limiting the levels of air pollution in outdoor air in Shanghai.

Early Cretaceous I-type granites in the Tengchong terrane:New constraints on the late Mesozoic tectonic evolution of southwestern China

The Early Cretaceous granitoids that are widespread in the Tengchong terrane of Southwest China play a critical role in understanding the tectonic framework associated with the Tethyan oceans. In this study, we present a detailed description of zircon U-Pb ages, whole-rock geochemistry and Hf isotopes for the Laoxiangkeng pluton in the eastern Tengchong terrane and elucidate their petrogenesis and geodynamic implications. Zircon U-Pb dating of the Laoxiangkeng pluton yields ages of 114 ± 1 Ma and 115 ± 1 Ma,which imply an Early Cretaceous magmatic event. The Laoxiangkeng pluton enriched in Si and Na, is calcalkaline and metaluminous, and has the characteristics of highly fractionated I-type granites. Zircons from the pluton have calculated ε_(Hf)(t) values of-12.7 to-3.7 and two-stage model ages of 1327-1974 Ma,respectively, indicating a mixed source of partial melting of Paleo-Neoproterozoic crust-derived compositions with some inputs of mantle-derived magmas. By integrating all available data for the regional tectonic evolution of the eastern Tethys tectonic domain, we conclude that the Early Cretaceous magmatism in the Tengchong terrane was produced by the northeastward subduction of the Meso-Tethyan Bangong-Nujiang Ocean.

Interaction Between Ambient Particles and Ozone and Its Effect on Daily Mortality

Objective To examine the effect of particulate matter （PM） less than 10 microns in diameter （PM10） and ozone （O3） on daily mortality in Shanghai, China. Methods A generalized additive model with penalized spline function was used to observe the acute effect of PM10 and O3 on daily mortality. Results Higher PM10 significantly increased the effect of 03 on total mortality, and O3 also increased the effect of PM10 although the estimated increment was statistically insignificant. Conclusion Our findings provide further evidence for the effect of PM10 and O3 on daily mortality.

Adsorption behavior of heptyl xanthate on surface of ZnO and Cu(Ⅱ) activated ZnO using continuous online in situ ATR-FTIR technology

A continuous online in situ attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared(ATR-FTIR)spectroscopic technique was used to investigate the adsorption and desorption kinetics of heptyl xanthate(KHX)on the surface of ZnO and Cu(Ⅱ)activated ZnO.The results showed that Cu(Ⅱ)facilitated the xanthate adsorption process on the surface,and led to the formation of cuprous xanthate(CuX),dixanthogen(X_(2))and xanthate aggregates.The adsorption of xanthate on the surface of ZnO and Cu(Ⅱ)activated ZnO was found to both follow the pseudo-first-order kinetic model.When the NaOH solution was used as a desorption agent,the adsorbed xanthate can largely be removed due to the competition between OH^(−)and HX−.However,for Cu(Ⅱ)activated ZnO,the peak intensities at 1197 and 1082 cm^(−1) had no obvious weakening,and the absorption intensities at 1261 and 1026 cm^(−1) increased in the first 5 min,indicating an ion-exchange reaction between OH^(−)and surface zinc bonded xanthate HX−and the reorganization of adsorbed xanthate.

Surveillance for respiratory infectious diseases caused by 6 common viruses in a recruit training site in the Northern region of China

Background: Recruit training sites are places with a high incidence of respiratory infectious diseases. Effective surveillance for acute respiratory infectious diseases in a recruit training site is an important way to prevent disease outbreaks.Methods: Eight hundred recruits(722 males and 78 females) enlisted in autumn 2015 received a background survey within 24 h of settlement at the recruit training site, including their general personal information, vaccination history, mental status and clinical symptoms. Then, nasopharyngeal swabs of these recruits were collected to detect common respiratory pathogens [influenza virus type A, influenza virus type B, adenovirus(Adv), human respiratory syncytial virus, human bocavirus and human metapneumovirus] by PCR. In addition, fasting venous blood was collected in the morning for Adv Ig G antibody detection. During the three months of training, the recruits were monitored for symptoms of respiratory infection, and nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from those with an axillary temperature ≥38℃ and other respiratory symptoms within 4 h of symptom onset. Samples were further examined by PCR.Results: Among the 795 effective nasopharyngeal swab samples collected during survey, two cases of group C type 1 Adv were identified by PCR. During the 3 months of training, fever and respiratory symptoms occurred in 39 recruits(incidence rate of 4.9%) and 5 cases of Adv were detected(positive rate of 12.8%). Genotyping showed 3 cases of type 4 Adv and 2 of type 3 Adv. No type 7, 14 or 55 Adv was detected. The Adv-Ig G positive rate of recruits was 48.2%. Among the 5 Adv positive cases with fever and respiratory symptoms, 4 were Adv-Ig G positive.Conclusion: The pathogen carrier rate in recruits was low, and only group C Adv, which causes mild infection in humans, was detected. No respiratory outbreak was observed at the recruit training site, and sporadic cases were mainly caused by type 3 and type 4 Adv.

Studies on the testicular toxicity of 2-bromopropane,an environmental endocrine disrupter

Aim: 2-bromopropane (2-BP) is known as an environmentalendocrine disrupter. Recently its reproductive and hematopoitic tox-icity has aroused the attention of the toxicologists. The presentstudy was designed to study its testicular toxicity in male rats.Methods; Forty male SD rats were divided into four groups of10 rats each. 2-BP was administered intraperitoneally at doses of1800 mg, 600 mg or 200 mg per kg body weight per day for 5days. The control rats were given a similar volume of the vehicle.The animals were sacrificed two days after the last dose. Results: With increasing doses, the seminiferous tubular damage wasgradually increased and the percentage of spermatogonia in the totalgerm cells gradually decreased ( P < 0. 05). The seminiferoustubular area of rats taking 1800 mg/kg was also reduced significant-ly . The body weight, testicular weight and relative testicular weightof rats taking the highest dose level were all significantly decreasedas compared with the controls. (Reprod Contracep 2001; 21; 157-60)

Impact of Ambient Air Pollution on Public Health under Various Traffic Policies in Shanghai,China

Objective To investigate the potential impact of ambient air pollution on public health under various traffic policies in Shanghai. Methods The exposure level of Shanghai residents to air pollution under various planned traffic scenarios was estimated, and the public health impact was assessed using concentration-response functions derived from available epidemiological studies. Results Our results showed that ambient air pollution in relation to traffic scenarios had a significant impact on the future health status of Shanghai residents. Compared with the base case scenario, implementation of various traffic scenarios could prevent 759-1574, 1885-2420, and 2277-2650 PM10-related avoidable deaths （mean-value） in 2010, 2015, and 2020, respectively. It could also decrease the incidence of several relevant diseases. Conclusion Our findings emphasize the need to consider air pollution-related health effects as an important impact of traffic policy in Shanghai.

Nanocarrier-delivered dsRNA suppresses wing development of green peach aphids

RNA interference(RNAi)has developed rapidly as a potential“green”pest management strategy.At present,most studies have focused on the screening of aphid lethal genes,whereas only a few studies have been conducted on wing development,which is crucial for aphid migration and plant-virus dissemination.Here,the Myzus persicae genes vestigial(vg)and Ultrabithorax(Ubx)related to wing development,were cloned.These two genes were expressed in various tissues of 3rd-instar winged aphids.The mRNA level of vg was high in 3rd-instar nymphs,whereas the expression level of Ubx was high in adults.The nanocarrier-mediated delivery system delivered double-stranded RNAs for aphid RNAi using topical and root applications.The expression levels of vg and Ubx were downregulated by 44.0%and 36.5%,respectively,using the topical application.The simultaneous RNAi of the two target genes caused 63.3%and 32.2%wing aberration rates using topical and root applications,respectively.The current study provided a promising method for controlling aphid migration to alleviate the spread of insect transmitted plant diseases.