cHCC-CC has biological behavior and prognosis that are intermediate between HCC and ICC. Radical liver resection can provide a better outcome for this uncommon malignancy.

Three cationic PPEs P1‘−P3‘ were obtained through quaternization of their neutral polymers, of which all side chains were respectively featured with a tertiary amino group (P1), an alternative tertiary amino and tri(ethylene glycol)methyl ether group (P2), and an alternative tertiary amino and dodecyloxy group (P3). P1‘ showed intrinsic water-solubility although its quaternization degree was only 45%. Slightly blue-shifted UV−vis absorption maxima in an acidic environment (maximal Δλmax ≈ 3 nm) and obvious red-shifted absorption (maximal Δλmax ≈ 30 nm) and emission maxima (maximal Δλmax ≈ 20 nm) in an alkaline environment at pH < 13 are explained in terms of pH-induced planarization of the conjugated backbone. After the pH was increased to 14, a new absorption (λmax ≈ 478 nm) and emission (λmax ≈ 495 nm) peak appeared in the redder region and the fluorescence intensity further dramatically decreased, implying the occurrence of the conformational change from the planarization of conjugated backbone to the interchain aggregation. The fluorescence enhancement of P1‘ in an acidic environment and the fluorescence decrease of P1‘ in an alkaline environment are attributed to the pH-influenced quenching ability of the nonbonding electron pair on the nitrogen atom, which belongs to the unquaternized tertiary amino group on the side chain, and the interchain aggregation. Such pH-influenced fluorescence intensity can be efficiently buffered by adding salts at pH < 10. Although adding salts in a neutral environment only creates the planarization of PPE conjugated backbone, adding salts in an alkaline environment significantly promotes the formation of interchain aggregation. Amplified quenching of P1‘ by anionic quencher Fe(CN)6 4- was observed and its K sv increased significantly after adding salts or increasing pH to 14, for example from K sv = 9.6 × 105 M-1 at pH = 7 to 7.7 × 106 M-1 at pH = 10 when [NaCl] = 0.1 M, due to the formation of elongated π-conjugation.

BackgroundThere is increasing evidence suggesting that Bisphenol A (BPA), one of the highest volume chemicals produced worldwide, can interfere with the body’s natural weight control mechanisms to promote obesity. However, epidemiological studies for this are limited, especially for children.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the association between BPA exposure and body mass index (BMI) in school children. Three primary and three middle schools were randomly selected from 26 primary and 30 middle candidate schools in Changning District of Shanghai City in China. According to the BMI-based criteria by age and sex for screening of overweight or obese children, we randomly chose 20 obese, 10 overweight, and 30 normal weight children aged 8-15 years of age from each selected school. First morning urine was collected and total urine BPA concentrations were determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to examine the association of urine BPA concentrations and daily intake estimates with BMI.ResultsBPA was detected in 84.9% of urine samples with a geometric mean of 0.45 ng/mL. The daily intake estimates ranged from 0.03 μg/day to 1.96 μg/day with a geometric mean of 0.37 μg/day. The average urine BPA concentrations and daily intake estimates were similar for boys and girls, but significantly higher in older children than younger ones, and showed an increasing trend with BMI. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that urine BPA concentrations were significantly associated with increasing BMI values in all subjects after adjustment for age and sex and the results were similar before and after corrected by urine specific gravity. When stratified by age or sex, the associations remained significant in females and in those 8-11 years of age before corrected by specific gravity. Similar results were shown for the association between BMI and daily intake estimates.ConclusionsThere is a possibility that BPA exposure increases BMI in school children. Given the cross-sectional nature of this study, longitudinal studies are warranted to confirm BPA exposure as a contributor to increased BMI in children.

Exposure to antibiotics during pregnancy can pose a systematic effect on human health. A few biomonitoring studies have demonstrated an extensive exposure of children to antibiotics, but there is still a lack of data for pregnant women. To assess the exposure of pregnant women to antibiotics and potential health risk, we investigated 536 pregnant women aged 16-42 years from two geographically different study sites in Eastern China in 2015. We measured 21 antibiotics of five categories (seven fluoroquinolones, three phenicols, four tetracyclines, three macrolides, and four sulfonamides) in urine using the isotope dilution ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The hazard index (HI) was calculated on the basis of estimated daily exposure dose and acceptable daily intakes. A total of 16 antibiotics were found in urine, with detection frequencies between 0.2 and 16.0%. Antibiotics were overall detected in 41.6% of urine, and two or more antibiotics were detected in 13.1% of urine. Ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, and trimethoprim were most frequently detected in urine, with detection frequencies between 10 and 20%. The majority of the antibiotics tested had an estimated daily exposure dose less than 1 μg/kg/day, and 4.3% of pregnant women had a HI value of more than 1. These findings indicated that pregnant women were frequently exposed to antibiotics and some individuals were in the potential risk of adverse microbiological effects induced by antibiotics.

BackgroundLab studies have suggested that ubiquitous phthalate exposures are related to obesity, but relevant epidemiological studies are scarce, especially for children.ObjectiveTo investigate the association of phthalate exposures with body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) in Chinese school children.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in three primary and three middle schools randomly selected from Changning District of Shanghai City of China in 2011–2012. According to the physical examination data in October, 2011, 124 normal weight, 53 overweight, and 82 obese students 8–15 years of age were randomly chosen from these schools on the basis of BMI-based age- and sex-specific criterion. First morning urine was collected in January, 2012, and fourteen urine phthalate metabolites (free plus conjugated) were determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. Multiple linear regression was used to explore the associations between naturally log-transformed urine phthalate metabolites and BMI or WC.ResultsThe urine specific gravity-corrected concentrations of nine urine phthalate metabolites and five molar sums were positively associated with BMI or WC in Chinese school children after adjustment for age and sex. However, when other urine phthalate metabolites were included in the models together with age and sex as covariables, most of these significant associations disappeared except for mono (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) and monoethyl phthalate (MEP). Additionally, some associations showed sex- or age-specific differences.ConclusionsSome phthalate exposures were associated with BMI or WC in Chinese school children. Given the cross-sectional nature of this study and lack of some important obesity-related covariables, further studies are needed to confirm the associations.