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Background & Aims The anti-cancer effects of vegetables and fruit have been investigated extensively, but the association between vegetable and fruit consumption and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been quantified. We performed a meta-analysis of observational studies to clarify the association. Methods We identified eligible studies, published from 1956 through May 31, 2014, by searching PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE. Random-effects models were used to calculate summary relative risks (RRs) and dose–response analyses were conducted to quantify associations. Heterogeneity among studies was evaluated using Cochran’s Q and I 2 statistics. Results A total of 19 studies involving 1,290,045 participants and 3912 cases of HCC were included in the meta-analysis. The summary RR for HCC was 0.72 for individuals with high intake vs low intake of vegetables (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.63–0.83) and 0.92 with a daily increase in vegetable intake (100 g/d) (95% CI: 0.88–0.95). Subgroup analyses showed that this inverse association did not change regardless of history of hepatitis, alcohol drinking, smoking, or energy intake. The summary RR for HCC among individuals with high vs low intake of fruit was 0.93 (95% CI: 0.80–1.09), and 0.99 with a daily increase in fruit intake (100 g/d) (95% CI: 0.94–1.05). Conclusions Based on a meta-analysis, increased intake of vegetables, but not fruit, is associated with lower risk for HCC. The risk of HCC decreases by 8% for every 100 g/d increase in vegetable intake. The findings should be confirmed by future studies with validated questionnaires and strict control of confounders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effects of market-incentive environmental regulations on corporate energy efficiency. Using the SO 2 emissions trading system in 2007 in China as a quasi-natural experiment, we employ the difference-in-difference-in-differences approach based on Chinese firm-level data from 2003 to 2010, and empirically examine whether the emissions trading system in China has achieved a win-win situation between environmental effects and energy efficiency. The results show that the implementation of the emissions trading system does improve the energy efficiency of firms. A plausible mechanism appears to be the strengthening of front-end prevention of firms, through which firms reduce their usage of primary energy to transform energy structure, thus improving their energy efficiency. The heterogeneity analysis shows that the results are more pronounced for private and export-oriented firms, firms with larger sizes, firms in the lifecycle of maturity or decline and firms that are capital-intensive. This study provides clear implications by shedding light on the effects of market-incentive environmental regulations on energy efficiency. • The impact of emission trading system (ETS) on energy efficiency is examined. • The Porter effect of a market-incentive environmental regulations is confirmed. • Difference-in-difference-in-differences approach are used for causal estimations. • Mechanism checks suggest that ETS can improve energy efficiency by a decline in coal consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the gas-sensing performance of ZnO, a novel peony shaped ZnO stacked with nanosheets were prepared using hydrothermal method, and the obtained ZnO was characterized and tested for gas sensitivity. The results showed that the particle distribution of the peony shaped ZnO was uniform, with a particle size of about 0.8 μm. The gas-sensing response test results show that the peony shaped ZnO has excellent selectivity to ethanol gas. When the concentration of ethanol gas is 100 ppm, the gas-sensing response of the peony shaped ZnO to ethanol gas reaches 17.4, and the response time and recovery time are 8 s and 12 s, respectively. Even at an ethanol gas concentration of 2 ppm, the gas-sensing response of the peony shaped ZnO to ethanol gas can reach 2.1. Compared to existing literature reports, the peony shaped ZnO prepared in this paper has better gas-sensing performance. This study will provide data support and theoretical reference for the development of high-performance gas sensors. • The novel peony shaped ZnO prepared has a uniform size distribution and a smaller particle size of about 0.8 μm. • The peony shaped ZnO exhibits better gas-sensing performance towards ethanol gas. • The peony shaped ZnO has a larger specific surface area and richer pore structure, which makes it has better gas-sensing performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinically, cancer drug therapy is still dominated by chemotherapy drugs. Although the emergence of targeted drugs has greatly improved the survival rate of patients with advanced cancer, drug resistance has always been a difficult problem in clinical cancer treatment. At the current level of medicine, most drugs cannot escape the fate of drug resistance. With the emergence and development of gene detection, liquid biopsy ctDNA technology, and single-cell sequencing technology, the molecular mechanism of tumor drug resistance has gradually emerged. Drugs can also be updated in response to drug resistance mechanisms and bring higher survival benefits. The use of new drugs often leads to new mechanisms of resistance. In this review, the multi-molecular mechanisms of drug resistance are introduced, and the overcoming of drug resistance is discussed from the perspective of the tumor microenvironment. • Immunotherapy mayreplace chemotherapy in the future, but mechanisms of potential drug resistance are unknown. • TME and ncRNA have significant effects on tumor resistance, which will be one of the key research directions in the future. • CSC is the main cause of tumor drug resistance. • Targeted drugs are difficult to overcome drug resistance and often cause drug resistance due to mutations in the targets. • The metabolism-related resistance can be overcome by targeting tumor metabolic pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]