Health effects of exposure to nano-TiO2: a meta-analysis of experimental studies

The paper is aimed to investigate the toxicity of nano-TiO₂ and its potential harmful impact on human health using meta-analysis of in vitro and short-time animal studies. Data were retrieved according to included and excluded criteria from 1994 to 2011. The combined toxic effects of nano-TiO₂ were calculated by the different endpoints by cell and animal models. From analysis of the experimental studies, more than 50% showed positive statistical significance except the apoptosis group, and the cytotoxicity was in a dose-dependent but was not clear in size-dependent manner. Nano-TiO₂ was detained in several important organs including the liver, spleen, kidney, and brain after entering the blood through different exposure routes, but the coefficient of the target organs was altered slightly from animal models. It is possible that nano-TiO₂ can induce cell damage related to exposure size and dose. Further studies will be needed to demonstrate that nanoparticles have toxic effects on human body, especially in epidemiological studies.     

Incidence of adenoviruses in raw and treated water

Adenoviruses are of major public health importance and are associated with a variety of clinical manifestations, i.e. gastroenteritis, eye infections and respiratory infections. The importance of water in the epidemiology of adenoviruses and the potential health risks constituted by adenoviruses in water sources and supplies are widely recognised. This study was conducted to assess the incidence of human adenoviruses in raw and treated water systems. Various raw and treated water were routinely monitored for the presence of adenoviruses, over a 1-year period (July 2000-June 2001). The supplies were derived from acceptable quality surface water sources using treatment processes, which conform to international standards for the production of safe drinking water. Adenoviruses were detected by firstly amplifying the viruses in cell cultures and then amplifying the extracted nucleic acids of these viruses using molecular techniques (nested PCR). The results indicated human adenoviruses present in 13 (12.75%) of the raw and 9 (4.41%) of the treated water samples tested. The combination of cell culture and nested PCR has proved to be a quick and reliable method for the detection of adenoviruses in water environments.     

基子485总线的分布武体质健康测试系统的研究和实观

介绍如何将工业控制领域广泛使用的分布式系统与智能电子体质健康测试仪相结合。重点介绍了网络协议的设计与实现过程。     

Health assessment of artisanal gold miners in Indonesia

Small scale miners use mercury to extract gold from ore in many countries. An environmental and health assessment was performed in Indonesia in two regions, Galangan in Central Kalimantan and Talawaan in Northern Sulawesi. The environmental assessment showed severe mercury contamination of the sediments, and increased mercury levels in local fish. For the health investigation 281 volunteers were recruited and examined by a standardized questionnaire, a neurological examination and neuro-psychological tests. A medical score was used consisting of significant factors of mercury intoxication. Mercury exposed workers showed typical symptoms of mercury intoxication, such as movement disorders (ataxia, tremor, dysdiadochokinesia, etc.). Blood, urine and hair samples were taken from any participant and analyzed for mercury. The mercury concentration in the biomonitors was high, partly extreme high in the working population, increased in the population living in the same habitat and low in the control group. By a standard protocol which includes a combination of threshold values of mercury in the biomonitors and a medical sum score the diagnosis of chronic mercury intoxication was made for highly burdened workers (amalgam smelters) in 55% in Sulawesi and in 62% in Kalimantan. Less exposed mineral processors and the general population in the mining areas were also intoxicated to a high percentage.     

Health risk assessment on dietary exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Taiyuan, China

Twenty-five kinds of seven categories of foods were sampled in December 2008 and the concentrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined. The highest level of total PAHs was detected in pork (195.30 ng/g) whereas the lowest concentration was found in milk (8.73 ng/g). The median values of B[a]P equivalent (B[a]P_eq) daily exposure doses for children, adolescents, adults and seniors of male were estimated to be 392.42, 511.01, 571.56 and 532.56 ng/d, respectively, whereas those for the above population groups of female were found to be 355.16, 440.51, 487.64 and 444.85 ng/d, respectively. The incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) values at the 22.1th, 26.1th, 12.7th, 24.9th, 22.7th, 27.0th, 12.9th, and 25.5th percentiles for male children, male adolescents, male adults, male seniors, female children, female adolescents, female adults and female seniors, respectively, were larger than 10^− 6, indicating high potential carcinogenic risk, and were larger than 10^− 4 at the 74.5th, 78.7th, 60.6th, 77.4th, 75.3th, 79.5th, 60.8th and 77.9th percentiles for the above groups, respectively, which implied significant cancer risk. Sensitivity analysis found that the two variables of oral cancer slope factor of benzo(a) pyrene (SF) and the daily dietary PAH exposure level (ED) had the greater impact than that of body weight (BW) on the ILCR.     

贫铀的健康影响研究进展

由于贫铀（DU）武器的使用,引发了DU的健康影响一系列研究。本文介绍了DU的放射性、吸入DU气溶胶和DU污染伤口的危害,以及体外实验研究和人群研究。研究表明,DU的主要危害来自于贫铀气溶胶的吸入和/或伤口污染,吸入体内的DU主要在肺中滞留,吸入和伤口污染的DU最终都广泛分布到机体各组织、器官,造成持续性、系统性的健康影响。DU的短期健康影响主要是重金属毒性,长期影响是放射损伤与化学毒性的联合效应。     

河流健康的内涵

河流健康不是严格意义上的科学概念,而是一种河流管理的评估工具.其作用是建立相对基准点和评估准则体系,对于在自然力与人类活动双重作用下的河流生态系统状况进行动态监测与评估,以研究其演进趋势并通过管理促其向良性方向发展.河流健康评估准则应体现开发与保护的平衡,应体现流域各个利益相关者的利益协调.河流污染是对我国河流健康的最大威胁,治污是我国现阶段河流生态环境建设的首要任务.     

南京长江大桥动力特性分析

建于1968年的南京长江大桥上部结构为钢桁梁,下部基础为桩基础和沉井基础,至今已安全营运37年.其动力特性分析,可为该桥的模型修正、健康监测、状态评估、损伤识别以及抗震分析等提供前提条件和依据.根据大桥结构特点,利用ANSYS建立只考虑上部结构的空间有限元模型和同时考虑上部结构和下部结构的空间有限元模型,对其动力特性进行计算,并对两个模型的前6阶自振频率和振型进行分析,通过与现场实测结果比较表明,在低阶振动时可不考虑下部结构的影响,在高阶振动时要考虑下部结构的影响.     

绿色医疗建筑的评价

作为医疗领域首个量化的可持续绿色设计工具,美国医疗建筑绿色指南在推动医疗领域绿色化的过程中取得了不俗的成绩。详细地介绍该指南的发展历程、组织结构及评价体系,以此推进我国医院绿色评价。