The iron and steel production process is one of the predominant anthropogenic sources of atmospheric mercury emissions worldwide. In this study, field tests were conducted to study mercury emission ...characteristics and mass flows at two iron and steel plants in China. It was found that low-sulfur flue gas from sintering machines could contribute up to41% of the total atmospheric mercury emissions, and desulfurization devices could remarkably help reduce the emissions. Coal gas burning accounted for 17%–49% of the total mercury emissions, and therefore the mercury control of coal gas burning, specifically for the power plant burning coal gas to generate electricity, was significantly important. The emissions from limestone and dolomite production and electric furnaces can contribute29.3% and 4.2% of the total mercury emissions from iron and steel production. More attention should be paid to mercury emissions from these two processes. Blast furnace dust accounted for 27%–36% of the total mercury output for the whole iron and steel production process. The recycling of blast furnace dust could greatly increase the atmospheric mercury emissions and should not be conducted. The mercury emission factors for the coke oven,sintering machine and blast furnace were 0.039–0.047 g Hg/ton steel, and for the electric furnace it was 0.021 g Hg/ton steel. The predominant emission species was oxidized mercury, accounting for 59%–73% of total mercury emissions to air.
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma （ESCC） is one of the most common malignancies. It is necessary to identify new markers for predicting tumor progression and therapeutic molecular targets. It has ...been reported that overexpressions of Aurora-A and matrix metalloproteinases 2 （MMP-2） may promote the malignant development of tumor. However, the relationship between Aurora-A and MMP-2 expression in tumor patients has not been investigated. In addition, the underlying mechanisms that Aurora-A regulates MMP-2 expression are still not fully elucidated. In this study, we demonstrated that Aurora-A and MMP-2 were overexpressed in ESCC tissues compared with paired normal adjacent tissues （P 〈 0.0001）. Overexpression of Aurora-A was associated with the lymph node metastasis of ESCC （P = 0.01）. Significantly, Aurora-A protein expression was positively correlated with MMP-2 protein expression in ESCC tissues （r = 0.66, P 〈 0.0001） as well as in ESCC cell lines. The level of Aurora-A expression was also positively correlated with the invasion capability of ESCC cells. Furthermore, Aurora-A overexpression significantly increased ESCC cell invasion by the upregulation of MMP-2 expression. In addition, Aurora-A overexpression promoted nuclear factor-kappaB （NF-κB） activation, and Aurora-Amediated MMP-2 upregulation was abrogated by NF-κB inhibitor. Further analysis showed that activation of NF-κB was severely attenuated by AKT inhibitor in cells overexpressing Aurora-A. Taken together, these data indicate that Aurora-A overexpression upregulates MMP-2 expression through activating AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway in ESCC cells. These findings reveal that Aurora-A may be used as an important indicator for the judgment of malignant behavior of ESCC, and may be an attractive target for cancer therapy.
AIM:To develop a practical and reproducible rat model of hepatorenal syndrome for further study of the pathophysiology of human hepatorenal syndrome. METHODS:Sprague-Dawley rats were intravenously ...injected with D-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide(LPS) via the tail vein to induce fulminant hepatic failure to develop a model of hepatorenal syndrome. Liver and kidney function tests and plasma cytokine levels were measured after D-galactosamine/LPS administration,and hepatic and renal pathology was studied. Glomerular filtration rate was detected in conscious rats using micro-osmotic pump technology with fluorescein isothiocyanate-labelled inulin as a surrogate marker.RESULTS:Serum levels of biochemical indicators including liver and kidney function indexes and cytokines all significantly changed,especially at 12 h after D-galactosamine/LPS administration alanine aminotransferase,3389.5 ± 499.5 IU/L; blood urea nitrogen,13.9 ± 1.3 mmol/L; Cr,78.1 ± 2.9 μmol/L; K+,6.1 ± 0.5 mmol/L; Na+,130.9 ± 1.9 mmol/L; Cl-,90.2 ± 1.9 mmol/L; tumor necrosis factor-α,1699.6 ± 599.1 pg/m L; endothelin-1,95.9 ± 25.9 pg/m L; P < 0.05 compared with normal saline control group. Hepatocyte necrosis was aggravated gradually,which was most significant at 12 h after treatment with D-galactosamine/LPS,and was characterized by massive hepatocyte necrosis,while the structures of glomeruli,proximal and distal tubules were normal. Glomerular filtration rate was significantly decreased to 30%-35% of the control group at 12 h after D-galactosamine/LPS administration Glomerular filtration rate(GFR)1,0.79 ± 0.11 m L/min; GFR2,3.58 ± 0.49 m L/min·kg BW-1; GFR3,0.39 ± 0.99 m L/min·g KW-1. The decreasing timing of GFR was consistent with that of the presence of hepatocyte necrosis and liver and kidney dysfunction.CONCLUSION:The joint use of D-galactosamine and LPS can induce liver and kidney dysfunction and decline of glomerular filtration rate in rats which is a successful rat model of hepatorenal syndrome.
The coronary artery calcification score and pericardial fat volume have recently been reported to be strongly associated with the severity and presence of coronary atherosclerosis. However, no ...studies have explored the outcome of phased progression of atherosclerosis by non-contrast computed tomography in asymptomatic people in China. The population-based cohort study in outcome of phased progression of atherosclerosis in China （PERSUADE）, an observational, longitudinal and prospective cohort study in a target population of healthy sub- jects based in Jidong Oilfield （China）, prospectively analyzes the outcome of phased progression of atherosclerosis by non-contrast computed tomography in healthy population. The results of this study are expected to be of value for utilizing noninvasive imaging combine with tradi- tional cardiovascular risk factors to create a risk stratification and find pertinent biomarkers associated with the outcome of phased progres- sion of atherosclerosis in healthy people, thereby could help to establish a more personalized treatment of clinical practice.
Chlorinated paraffins(SCCPs) are widely used worldwide, and they can be released into the environment during their production, transport, usage and disposal, which pose potential risks for human ...health. In this work, an efficient, reliable and rapid pretreatment method based on matrix solid-phase dispersion(MSPD) was developed for the analysis of short-chain CPs(SCCPs) in human placenta by gas chromatograph-electron capture negative ion low-resolution mass spectrometry(GC-ECNI-LRMS) and gas chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(GC–QTOF-HRMS). The MSPD-relevant parameters including dispersing sorbent,sample-to-sorbent mass ratio, and elution solvent were optimized using the orthogonal test.Silica gel was found to be the optimal dispersing sorbent among the selected matrices. Under the optimal conditions, 44% acidic silica gel can be used as the co-sorbent to remove lipid and eluted by the mixture of hexane and dichloromethane(7:3, V/V). The spiked recoveries of the optimized method were 77.4% and 91.4% for analyzing SCCPs in human placenta by GC-ECNI-LRMS and GC–QTOF-HRMS, and the corresponding relative standard deviations were10.2% and 5.6%, respectively. The method detection limit for the total SCCPs was 36.8 ng/g(dry weight, dw) and 19.2 ng/g(dw) as measured by GC-ECNI-LRMS and GC–QTOF-HRMS,respectively. The concentrations of SCCPs in four human placentas were in the range of<method detection limit(MDL) to 782 ng/g(dw), which is also the first description of SCCPs detected in placentas.
Background Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women, and its incidence seems to have gradually increased every year. During the treatment of breast cancer, patients suffer ...psychological morbidity, and hope is one important factor in maintaining psychological health. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the level of hope in Chinese women with breast cancer during chemotherapy and confirmed the relationships among hope, coping style, and social support.Methods One hundred and fifty-nine inpatients with breast cancer who were undergoing chemotherapy in two affiliated hospitals of Harbin Medical University were recruited and investigated. Each patient completed the Herth Hope Index （HHI）, Jalowiec Coping Scale （JCS）, and the social support scale made by XIAO Shui-yuan, and provided general demographic data.Results The mean hope level of the 159 patients with breast cancer was 38.62±4.56. There was a statistical difference between the hope level and monthly income. Analysis of results from the Pearson test showed no relationship between the hope level and coping style; however, there were positive relationships between hope and optimism, hope and self-reliance, and hope and palliative coping styles. In contrast, negative relationships were found between hope and the fatalistic and emotional coping styles. The total score of hope and social support had significantly positive relationship for the three scales.Conclusions Patients with breast cancer achieved high levels of hope, with the level of hope being proportional to increase in the income. During chemotherapy, patients with breast cancer had adopted many coping styles.
AIM: To compare the outcomes between the Stretta procedure and laparoscopic toupet fundoplication(LTF) in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD)-related extra-esophageal ...symptoms.METHODS: From January 2011 to February 2012, a total of 98 patients diagnosed with GERD-related extra-esophageal symptoms who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in this study. All patients who either underwent the Stretta procedure or LTF treatment have now completed the 3-year follow-up. Primary outcome measures, including frequency and severity of extra-esophageal symptoms, proton pump inhibitor(PPI) use, satisfaction, and postoperative complications, were assessed. The results of the Stretta procedure and LTF therapy were analyzed and compared.RESULTS: There were 47 patients in the Stretta group and 51 patients in the LTF group. Ninety patients were available at the 3-year follow-up. The total of the frequency and severity scores for every symptom improved in both groups(P < 0.05). Improvementin symptom scores of cough, sputum, and wheezing did not achieve statistical significance between the two groups(P > 0.05). However, the score for globus hysterics was different between the Stretta group and the LTF group(4.9 ± 2.24 vs 3.2 ± 2.63, P < 0.05). After the Stretta procedure and LTF treatment, 29 and 33 patients in each group achieved PPI therapy independence(61.7% vs 64.7%, P = 0.835). The patients in the LTF group were more satisfied with their quality of life than those in the Stretta procedure group(P < 0.05). Most complications resolved without intervention within two weeks; however, two patients in the LTF group still suffered from severe dysphagia 2 wk after the operation, and it improved after bougie dilation treatment in both patients.CONCLUSION: The Stretta procedure and LTF were both safe and effective for the control of GERD-related extra-esophageal symptoms and the reduction of PPI use.
Primary giant-cell tumors rarely arise in the common bile duct.We herein report a case of primary giantcell tumor of the common bile duct.The patient was an 81-year-old male who was diagnosed with a ...welldefined 1.2-cm mass projecting into the lumen of the middle common bile duct.Excision of the gallbladder and extrahepatic bile duct and a Roux-en-Y cholangiojejunostomy were performed.Histologically,the tumor had no association with carcinomas of epithelial origin and was similar to giant-cell tumors of the bone.The tumor consisted of a mixture of mononuclear and multinucleated osteoclast-like giant cells.The mononuclear cells showed no atypical features,and their nuclei were similar to those of the multinucleated giant cells.CD68 was expressed on the mononuclear and multinucleated osteoclast-like giant cells,whereas CD163 immunoreactivity was restricted to the mononuclear cells.Six months after the operation,the patient was still alive and had no recurrence.The interest of this case lies in the rarity of this entity,the difficulty of preoperative diagnosis,and this tumor’s possible confusion with other malignant tumors.
Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease of the pancreas. The etiology and pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis have been intensively investigated for centuries worldwide. Many causes of acute ...pancreatitis have been discovered, but the pathogenetic theories are controversial. The most common cause of acute pancreatitis is gallstone impacting the distal common bile-pancreatic duct. The majority of investigators accept that the main factors for acute billiary pancreatitis are pancreatic hyperstimulation and bile-pancreatic duct obstruction which increase pancreatic duct pressure and active trypsin reflux.Acute pancreatitis occurs when intracellular protective mechanisms to prevent trypsinogen activation or reduce trypsin activity are overwhelmed. However, little is known about the other acute pancreatitis. We hypothesize that acute biliary pancreatitis and other causes of acute pancreatitis possess a common pathogenesis. Pancreatic hyperstimulation and pancreatic duct obstruction increase pancreatic duct pressure, active trypsin reflux, and subsequent unregulated activation of trypsin within pancreatic acinar cells. Enzyme activation within the pancreas leads to auto-digestion of the gland and local inflammation. Once the hypothesis is confirmed, traditional therapeutic strategies against acute pancreatitis may be improved. Decompression of pancreatic duct pressure should be advocated in the treatment of acute pancreatitits which may greatly improve its outcome.
OBJECTIVE：To elucidate the interaction between hydrophilic lithospermic acid B and lipophilic tanshinone Ⅱ A in rats.METHODS：A reliable high-performance liquid chromatography method was adopted for ...simultaneous determination of lithospermic acid B and tanshinone Ⅱ A in rat plasma,through which the pharmacokinetic interaction between lithospermic acid B and tanshinone Ⅱ A by intravenous injection was investigated.RESULTS：The simultaneous intravenous injection of tanshinone Ⅱ A and lithospermic acid B significantly altered the pharmacokinetic parameters of both compounds when compared with the individual intravenous administration of each compound.The area under the concentration-time curve of tanshinone Ⅱ A and lithospermic acid B increased by 18.35 and 59.31%,respectively.The mean retention time of tanshinone Ⅱ A and lithospermic acid B increased,respectively,from 9.3 to 32.8 h and20.2 to 49.1 h.The concomitant use of tanshinoneⅡ A magnified the volume of distribution at steady state（V_（ss）） and time for the drug in the plasma to reduce the highest concentration by half（t_（1/2）） of lithospermic acid B,while at the same time the V_（ss） and t_（1/2）of tanshinone Ⅱ A changed significantly in the presence of lithospermic acid B.CONCLUSION：Lithospermic acid B and tanshinone D A interact with each other following simultaneous intravenous injection in rats and this observation may expand the clinical use of Danshen（Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae）.
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