Industrialization in the northwest provinces of the People’s Republic of China is accelerating rapid increases in early life environmental exposures, yet no publications have assessed health care provider capacity to manage common hazards.

The aim of this study is to identify the role of Tet1-mediated DNA demethylation in the neurotoxicity caused by unconjugated bilirubin (UCB) in vitro. Primary neuronal cells after cultured for 72 h were exposed to UCB (0–100 μmol/L) for 24 h. Following exposure to UCB cytotoxicity was determined with the methyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and caspase-3 activity in neuron cells were measured with the corresponding assay kits. The expression of Tet1 and Klotho was determined with RT-PCR at mRNA level and western blot at protein level. Our results showed that UCB can cause time-dependent and dose-dependent reduction of cell viability of neuronal cells, induce oxidative stress through increasing the production of ROS and increase caspase-3 activity. Quantitative real-time PCR and western blot analysis showed that UCB can inhibit Tet1 and Klotho expression in cultured neuronal cells at both the mRNA and protein level, respectively. These results are first to suggest UCB may, in part, exert its neurotoxicity through alteration of the neuronal antioxidant status and inhibition of Klotho and Tet1 gene expression. The elevation of DNA methylation in global genome through inhibition of Tet1 gene expression may, in part, play an important role in the neurotoxicity caused by UCB in vitro.

Latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection (LTBI) is the main clinical manifestation after Mtb exposure. During the latent phase, Mtb retards the attempts of eradication by the host immune system. The dormancy survival regulator (DosR) is held as essential for Mtb persistence. Rv1737c is predominantly expressed by the Mtb in latent infection. However, the role of Rv1737c in the immune evasion is still largely unknown. In this study, we have characterized the Rv1737c functions in the recruitment and activation of macrophages, which play a cardinal role in the innate and adaptive immunity. For the first time, we have revealed that Rv1737c induced the tolerogenic phenotype of macrophages by upregulating the expression of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1). Rv1737c-activated macrophages upregulated interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10, and Foxp3 T cells proliferation in vitro. Furthermore, the interaction of Rv1737c with macrophages was found to depend on the Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) pathway. It augmented nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) phosphorylation and co-stimulatory molecule expression. Thus, this study provides a crucial insight into a strategy adopted by Mtb to survive in the host by inducing tolerogenic macrophage expansion.

Data on the oral health status in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau are limited. This study aimed to investigate the dental caries status and identify associated risk factors among 8- to 12-year-old children in Gannan, a Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Northwest China. The study population was recruited using a multistage stratified random sampling procedure. Caries status was assessed by clinical oral examination and indicated by the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT/dmft) index. Information on sociodemographic characteristics, oral hygiene behaviours, and dietary habits was collected using a comprehensive structured questionnaire. Statistical analyses, including the chi-square test and a two-level logistic regression model, were conducted to examine the risk factors associated with dental caries. A total of 1024 Tibetan children were examined, revealing a dental caries prevalence rate of 89.55%, with a mean DMFT/dmft index of 4.25 ± 3.27. The two-level logistic regression model showed that initiating tooth brushing at four to 5 years old (OR = 2.295, 95% CI 1.053-5.002) and frequent dessert and candy intake (OR = 2.655, 95% CI 1.216-5.794) were risk factors for dental caries. Conversely, being 11 years (OR = 0.399, 95% CI 0.177-0.904) or 12 years old (OR = 0.396, 95% CI 0.163-0.961) and if the father's education level was high school or above (OR = 0.311, 95% CI 0.098-0.986) were indicated to be protective factors against dental caries. The prevalence of dental caries was high in Tibetan children aged 8 to 12year-old in Gannan. Therefore, it is imperative to prioritize comprehensive home- and school-based interventions to improve the oral health of this population.