沸石滤柱对饮用水中邻苯二甲酸酯的去除

通过对沸石滤柱吸附去除饮用水中微量邻苯二甲酸酯(又称为酞酸酯,phthalate esters,PAEs)的研究,探讨其工程应用的可行性.邻苯二甲酸二甲酯(DMP)、邻苯二甲酸二丁酯(DBP)、邻苯二甲酸二辛酯(DOP)、邻苯二甲酸二(2-乙基己基)酯(DEHP)4种PAEs被选作目标物质.控制沸石滤柱的空床接触时间为12～18 min,使DMP、DBP、DOP及DEHP 4种酯类进水浓度皆为20～100μg/L;通过高效液相色谱法(HPLC)测定出水中每种PAE的浓度.研究发现,总PAEs的去除率在24.7%～33.8%之间;随着进水浓度的增加,DMP、DBP的去除率下降,DEHP、DOP去除率上升.     

Artificial pancreas under stable pulsatile MPC: Improving the closed-loop performance

This work presents a pulsatile Zone Model Predictive Control (pZMPC) for the control of blood glucose concentration (BGC) in patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM). The main novelties of the algorithm – in contrast to other existing strategies – are: (i) it controls the patient glycemia by injecting short duration insulin boluses for both, the basal and bolus infusions, in an unified manner, (ii) it performs the predictions and estimations (critical to anticipate both, hypo and hyperglycemia) based on a physiological individualized long-term model, (iii) it employs disturbance observers to compensate plant-model mismatches, (iv) it ensures, under standard assumptions, closed-loop stability, and (v) it can be used – under minor modifications – as an optimal basal–bolus calculator to emulate conventional therapies. Because of the latter characteristic, a significantly better performance is achieved, not only in terms of classical indexes (time in the normoglycemia zone, avoidance of hypoglycemia in the short term, avoidance of hyperglycemia in the long term) but also in terms of its applicability (use of the pump or injections). Such a performance is tested in a cohort of in-silico patients from the FDA-accepted UVA/Padova simulation platform, considering the most challenging scenarios.     

An augmented subcutaneous type 1 diabetic patient modelling and design of adaptive glucose control

In the present work, an augmented subcutaneous (SC) model of type 1 diabetic patients (T1DP) is proposed first by estimating the model parameters with the aid of nonlinear least square method using the physiological data. Next, a nonlinear adaptive controller is proposed to tackle two important issues of intra-patient variability (IPV) and uncertain meal disturbance (MD). The proposed patient model agrees quite well with the responses of one of the most popular existing nonlinear model used in the research of artificial pancreas. Further, the developed adaptive control is shown to be capable of providing desired glycemic control without feed-forward action for meal compensation or safety algorithms to avoid hypoglycemia. Due to the simple structure and capability of handling intra-patient variability of the adaptive controller, it can find immediate applicability in the development of the in-silico artificial pancreas.     

Detection and Identification of Oestrogen‐Active Substances in Plastic Food Packaging Migrates

Migrates from plastic food packaging were tested for oestrogen activity by yeast oestrogen screen and subsequently analysed by gas chromatography—mass spectrometry and high‐performance liquid chromatography—mass spectrometry to identify oestrogen‐active chemicals. Plastic samples were migrated according to EC 10/2011 with worst case scenarios being used. Food simulants consisted of either 10–95% ethanol or ultrapure water. Migrates were concentrated afterwards by solid phase extraction. Food contact material tested included polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene and composite films. Oestrogenic activity ranging from 0.7 to 59 ng/l 17ß‐estradiol equivalents was detected in seven out of 42 samples tested. The highest activity was found in a composite film sample. All 11 polyethylene terephthalate samples tested negative for oestrogen activity. A number of chemicals with known or supposed oestrogen activity were identified in migrates of oestrogen‐active samples. These include butylated hydroxytoluene, 1,3‐diphenylpropane, 1,2‐diphenylcyclobutane and dibutyl phthalate. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

有色选矿药剂中的人为内分泌污染物研究

本文对代号为MAC-10的选矿药剂进行了GC-MS成分分析,发现有大量的邻苯二甲酸酯类内分泌污染物存在,这在有色矿山人为药剂污染类型上还不多见。对尾矿浆中邻苯二甲酸二乙酯的分布测定表明:59.9%的邻苯二甲酸二乙酯存在尾矿水中,随尾矿水迁移而形成污染。     

Studying the Impact of Persistent Organic Pollutants Exposure on Human Health by Proteomic Analysis: A Systematic Review

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are organic chemical substances that are widely distributed in environments around the globe. POPs accumulate in living organisms and are found at high concentrations in the food chain. Humans are thus continuously exposed to these chemical substances, in which they exert hepatic, reproductive, developmental, behavioral, neurologic, endocrine, cardiovascular, and immunologic adverse health effects. However, considerable information is unknown regarding the mechanism by which POPs exert their adverse effects in humans, as well as the molecular and cellular responses involved. Data are notably lacking concerning the consequences of acute and chronic POP exposure on changes in gene expression, protein profile, and metabolic pathways. We conducted a systematic review to provide a synthesis of knowledge of POPs arising from proteomics-based research. The data source used for this review was PubMed. This study was carried out following the PRISMA guidelines. Of the 742 items originally identified, 89 were considered in the review. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the most recent research and available solutions to explore proteomics datasets to identify new features relevant to human health. Future perspectives in proteomics studies are discussed.     

Crosstalk between Nutrition,Insulin, Juvenile Hormone,and Ecdysteroid Signaling in the Classical Insect Model,Rhodnius prolixus

The rigorous balance of endocrine signals that control insect reproductive physiology is crucial for the success of egg production. Rhodnius prolixus, a blood-feeding insect and main vector of Chagas disease, has been used over the last century as a model to unravel aspects of insect metabolism and physiology. Our recent work has shown that nutrition, insulin signaling, and two main types of insect lipophilic hormones, juvenile hormone (JH) and ecdysteroids, are essential for successful reproduction in R. prolixus; however, the interplay behind these endocrine signals has not been established. We used a combination of hormone treatments, gene expression analyses, hormone measurements, and ex vivo experiments using the corpus allatum or the ovary, to investigate how the interaction of these endocrine signals might define the hormone environment for egg production. The results show that after a blood meal, circulating JH levels increase, a process mainly driven through insulin and allatoregulatory neuropeptides. In turn, JH feeds back to provide some control over its own biosynthesis by regulating the expression of critical biosynthetic enzymes in the corpus allatum. Interestingly, insulin also stimulates the synthesis and release of ecdysteroids from the ovary. This study highlights the complex network of endocrine signals that, together, coordinate a successful reproductive cycle.     

Effect of the polymeric cryoprotectant dextran on fluid secretion in the isolated rabbit pancreas

Physiological effects of the polymeric cryoprotectant dextran on an ion-transporting epithelium were investigated. In the isolated rabbit pancreas, dextran caused inhibition of fluid secretion and an increase of the concentrations of Na⁺, K⁺ and Cl^? in the secreted fluid. Dextran did not affect the basal or pancreozymin-stimulated enzyme secretion. These effects of dextran can partially be explained by the fact that it is osmotically active and does not permeate through the epithelium. The effect of dextran on water transport can be compensated by lowering the ion concentrations in the solvent of the cryoprotectant. It is concluded that in cryoprotected ion-transporting epithelia the absolute ion concentration values obtained by X-ray microanalysis of frozen-hydrated specimens may not be completely correct, but that valid conclusions about intracellular ion distribution may still be drawn.     

Oral Selective Estrogen Receptor Degraders (SERDs) as a Novel Breast Cancer Therapy: Present and Future from a Clinical Perspective

Estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) is the most common subtype of breast cancer. Endocrine therapy is the fundamental treatment against this entity, by directly or indirectly modifying estrogen production. Recent advances in novel compounds, such as cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i), or phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors have improved progression-free survival and overall survival in these patients. However, some patients still develop endocrine resistance after or during endocrine treatment. Different underlying mechanisms have been identified as responsible for endocrine treatment resistance, where ESR1 gene mutations are one of the most studied, outstanding from others such as somatic alterations, microenvironment involvement and epigenetic changes. In this scenario, selective estrogen receptor degraders/downregulators (SERD) are one of the weapons currently in research and development against aromatase inhibitor- or tamoxifen-resistance. The first SERD to be developed and approved for ER+ breast cancer was fulvestrant, demonstrating also interesting activity in ESR1 mutated patients in the second line treatment setting. Recent investigational advances have allowed the development of new oral bioavailable SERDs. This review describes the evolution and ongoing studies in SERDs and new molecules against ER, with the hope that these novel drugs may improve our patients’ future landscape.