A clinical study of the effects of lead poisoning on the intelligence and neurobehavioral abilities of children

BACKGROUND: Lead is a heavy metal and important environmental toxicant and nerve poison that can destruction many functions of the nervous system. Lead poisoning is a medical condition caused by increased levels of lead in the body. Lead interferes with a variety of body processes and is toxic to many organs and issues, including the central nervous system. It interferes with the development of the nervous system, and is therefore particularly toxic to children, causing potentially permanent neural and cognitive impairments. In this study, we investigated the relationship between lead poisoning and the intellectual and neurobehavioral capabilities of children. METHODS: The background characteristics of the research subjects were collected by questionnaire survey. Blood lead levels were detected by differential potentiometric stripping analysis (DPSA). Intelligence was assessed using the Gesell Developmental Scale. The Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was used to evaluate each child’s behavior. RESULTS: Blood lead levels were significantly negatively correlated with the developmental quotients of adaptive behavior, gross motor performance, fine motor performance, language development, and individual social behavior (P < 0.01). Compared with healthy children, more children with lead poisoning had abnormal behaviors, especially social withdrawal, depression, and atypical body movements, aggressions and destruction. CONCLUSION: Lead poisoning has adverse effects on the behavior and mental development of 2–4-year-old children, prescribing positive and effective precautionary measures

Genome-wide characterization of SOS1 gene family in potato (Solanum tuberosum) and expression analyses under salt and hormone stress

Salt Overly Sensitive 1 (SOS1) is one of the members of the Salt Overly Sensitive (SOS) signaling pathway and plays critical salt tolerance determinant in plants, while the characterization of the SOS1 family in potato (Solanum tuberosum) is lacking. In this study, 37 StSOS1s were identified and found to be unevenly distributed across 10 chromosomes, with most of them located on the plasma membrane. Promoter analysis revealed that the majority of these StSOS1 genes contain abundant cis-elements involved in various abiotic stress responses. Tissue specific expression showed that 21 of the 37 StSOS1s were widely expressed in various tissues or organs of the potato. Molecular interaction network analysis suggests that 25 StSOS1s may interact with other proteins involved in potassium ion transmembrane transport, response to salt stress, and cellular processes. In addition, collinearity analysis showed that 17, 8, 1 and 5 of orthologous StSOS1 genes were paired with those in tomato, pepper, tobacco, and Arabidopsis, respectively. Furthermore, RT-qPCR results revealed that the expression of StSOS1s were significant modulated by various abiotic stresses, in particular salt and abscisic acid stress. Furthermore, subcellular localization in Nicotiana benthamiana suggested that StSOS1-13 was located on the plasma membrane. These results extend the comprehensive overview of the StSOS1 gene family and set the stage for further analysis of the function of genes in SOS and hormone signaling pathways

Chlorogenic Acid Decreases Intestinal Permeability and Increases Expression of Intestinal Tight Junction Proteins in Weaned Rats Challenged with LPS

Chlorogenic acid, a natural phenolic acid present in fruits and plants, provides beneficial effects for human health. The objectives of this study were to investigate whether chlorogenic acid (CHA) could improve the intestinal barrier integrity for weaned rats with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. Thirty-two weaned male Sprague Dawley rats (21 ± 1 d of age; 62.26 ± 2.73 g) were selected and randomly allotted to four treatments, including weaned rat control, LPS-challenged and chlorogenic acid (CHA) supplemented group (orally 20 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg body). Dietary supplementation with CHA decreased (P<0.05) the concentrations of urea and albumin in the serum, compared to the LPS-challenged group. The levels of IFN-γ and TNF-α were lower (P<0.05) in the jejunal and colon of weaned rats receiving CHA supplementation, in comparison with the control group. CHA supplementation increased (P<0.05) villus height and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in the jejunal and ileal mucosae under condictions of LPS challenge. CHA supplementation decreased (P<0.05) intestinal permeability, which was indicated by the ratio of lactulose to mannitol and serum DAO activity, when compared to weaned rats with LPS challenge. Immunohistochemical analysis of tight junction proteins revealed that ZO-1 and occludin protein abundances in the jejunum and colon were increased (P<0.05) by CHA supplementation. Additionally, results of immunoblot analysis revealed that the amount of occludin in the colon was also increased (P<0.05) in CHA-supplemented rats. In conclusion, CHA decreases intestinal permeability and increases intestinal expression of tight junction proteins in weaned rats challenged with LPS