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The atmosphere is a significant medium for the transportation and diffusion of volatile and semi-volatile pollutants. Furthermore, the atmosphere is the primary exposure route for pollutants to enter the human body. Therefore, the study of the environmental fate of pollutants in the atmosphere is essential. In this study, 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed in snow samples and air samples within 24 hours after a snowfall, and the temporal trend of PAHs in the atmosphere was comprehensively studied. The results indicated that the detection rate of the 16 PAHs in snow was 100%, and the concentration of phenanthrene (538.3 ng·L -1 ) was the highest, followed by naphthalene (509.1 ng·L -1 ) and fluoranthene (429.9 ng·L -1 ), indicating that snowfall can remove PAHs from the atmosphere. After the snowfall, a falling-rising-falling temporal trend of the concentrations of PAHs in the atmosphere was observed. Higher concentrations appeared during rush hour, with the largest automobile exhaust emissions, while lower concentrations appeared during periods with the lowest human activity. The results indicated that the atmospheric concentrations of PAHs were predominantly influenced by human activities. Within 24 hours after snowfall, the ratio of PAHs between the gas phase and particle phase, which depends primarily on the physical and chemical properties of PAHs, had not changed substantially. The diagnostic ratios indicated that within 24 hours after snowfall, the PAHs in the atmosphere originated mostly from the emissions of solid fuel and liquid fuel combustion.

Background: The current outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Wuhan, Hubei, China, spreads across national and international borders., Methods: We prospectively collected medical records of 14 health care workers (HCWs) who were infected with SARS-CoV-2, in neurosurgery department of Wuhan Union Hospital, China., Results: Among the 14 HCWs, 12 were conformed cases, the other 2 were suspected cases. Most of them were either exposed to the two index patients or infected coworkers, without knowing they were COVID-19 patients. There were 4 male and 10 female infected HCWs in this cohort, whose mean age was 36 years (SD, 6 years). The main symptoms included myalgia or fatigue (100%), fever (86%) and dry cough (71%). On admission, 79% of infected HCWs showed leucopenia and 43% lymphopenia. Reduced complement C3 could be seen in 57% of the infected HCWs and IL-6 was significantly elevated in 86% of them. The proportion of lymphocytes subsets, concentrations of immunoglobulins, complement C4, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, TNF-α and IFN-γ were within normal range in these 14 infected HCWs. The most frequent findings on pulmonary computed tomographic images were bilateral multifocal ground-glass opacifications (86%)., Conclusions: Human-to-human transmission of COVID-19 pneumonia has occurred among HCWs, and most of these infected HCWs with confirmed COVID-19 are mild cases. Our data suggest that in the epidemic area of COVID-19, stringent and urgent surveillance and infection-control measures should be implemented to protect doctors and nurses from COVID-19 infection., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2020 Taiwan Society of Microbiology. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC.)

Ten polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and 16 novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) were measured in air and dust samples collected in a test home in Harbin, China, from January 2017 to June 2018. The PBDE and NBFR concentrations in indoor air were in the ranges of 0.598-14.5 pg m -3 and 9.28-686 pg m -3 , respectively. The ranges of the PBDE and NBFR concentrations in indoor dust were 221-1060 ng g -1 and 71.9-1160 ng g -1 , respectively. Brominated flame retardant (BFR) concentrations in indoor air were affected by the temperature, relative humidity (RH), and ventilation. The BFR concentrations in indoor dust did not show temperature dependence. All dust samples were sieved into 6 size fractions (F1-F6: 1000-2000 μm, 500-1000 μm, 250-500 μm, 125-250 μm, 63-125 μm, and < 63 μm). The mass percentage of BFRs in F6 was the highest. The BFR concentrations did not increase constantly with a particle size decrease, and the concentrations in F2 were higher than those in F3. The partitioning behavior of BFRs illustrates that the dust-air partitioning coefficient approximately approached equilibrium within F5, F6, and the total dust fraction (FA) in the test home when logK OA was between 9.1 and 11.32. Air-dust fugacity fractions were calculated, and the results suggested that most of the BFRs were mainly transferred from air to dust in the indoor environment for F1-F6.

This study focuses on seasonal variations of heavy metals in the soil around a coal fired thermal power plant in Udupi district, which is a densely populated town in the tropical southwest coast of India. This study, pertaining to 48 soil samples, collected during the pre-monsoon, early-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon seasons for one year, reveals that the chemistry of collected soil samples is influenced by non-pedogenic (anthropogenic) sources such as fly-ash deposition from the thermal power plant and vehicular emissions. This was concluded based on grouping of similar behaved elements through correlation-regression analysis. The distance-wise distribution of heavy metals and backward wind-trajectory analysis suggests that pre-monsoon and post-monsoonal samples are more influenced by anthropogenic activities compared to rest of the seasons. This is supported by high concentration of Zn in pre-monsoon (25.21 mg/kg) and post-monsoon (21.32 mg/kg) seasons compared to early-monsoon (17.05 mg/kg) and monsoon (8.60 mg/kg) seasons.

This investigation focused on the potential sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in different matrices and their temporal variations surrounding a coal-fired thermal power plant in India. Samples were collected in different seasons for 1 year. Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) was used to perform the measurement of 16 priority PAHs. Average PAH concentrations were ranged from 0.71 to 2.99 ng/m 3 in air and 1.59-22.7 ng/g in soil respectively. High levels of PAHs were found in soil compared to air, which indicated deposition in soil. This could be because of the fallout of high-molecular-weight compounds. During the monsoons, PAH concentrations in the air were the lowest compared to the other seasons because of the dilution effect. Phenanthrene, fluoranthene, and pyrenes were dominant in the air, contributing up to 32.5%, 22.7%, and 19.2% of total PAHs, respectively. On the other hand, soils contained fluoranthene (12.3%), pyrene (10.7%), benzo[b]fluoranthene (10%), chrysene (9.82%), and indeno[123-c,d]pyrene (9.64%) compounds. The occurrence of indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene (9.14 ng/g) indicated that the soil is contaminated from fly ash and diesel emissions from the thermal power plant and vehicular emission. The diagnostic ratios, thematic maps, and principal component analysis revealed that the fly ash, diesel emissions from the thermal power plant, vehicles, and biomass burning were the probable sources of PAHs in the study area. The human health risk assessment studies reveal that the soil samples are more prone to carcinogenicity than air samples. As per our knowledge, this is the first report on the impact of PAHs on air and soil in this region.

Parabens are widely used in foodstuffs, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals as preservatives, fungicides, and bactericides. Recent studies showed that these compounds could be detected in surface water and are a potential hazard to the aquatic ecological environment. In this study, 24-hour influent samples were collected from a typical sewage wastewater treatment plant in Harbin in autumn and winter in 2016. The concentrations of six parabens and four normal water quality parameters were analyzed. The results indicated that parabens were frequently detected in the influent, and MeP, EtP, and PrP were the predominant compounds. Significant correlations were found between TOC, TDS, pH, and the concentration of parabens. The concentration of parabens in the influent of the sewage wastewater treatment plant have obvious daily variations rather than seasonal variations. The results provide an important theoretical basis for further research and pollution control of parabens in sewage wastewater treatment system.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic progressive lung disease that typically leads to respiratory failure and death within 3-5 years of diagnosis. Sub-pleural pulmonary fibrosis is a pathological hallmark of IPF. Bleomycin treatment of mice is a an established pulmonary fibrosis model. We recently showed that bleomycin-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) contributes to pleural mesothelial cell (PMC) migration and sub-pleural pulmonary fibrosis. MicroRNA (miRNA) expression has recently been implicated in the pathogenesis of IPF. However, changes in miRNA expression in PMCs and sub-pleural fibrosis have not been reported. Using cultured PMCs and a pulmonary fibrosis animal model, we found that miR-18a-5p was reduced in PMCs treated with bleomycin and that downregulation of miR-18a-5p contributed to EMT of PMCs. Furthermore, we determined that miR-18a-5p binds to the 3' UTR region of transforming growth factor β receptor II (TGF-βRII) mRNA, and this is associated with reduced TGF-βRII expression and suppression of TGF-β-Smad2/3 signaling. Overexpression of miR-18a-5p prevented bleomycin-induced EMT of PMC and inhibited bleomycin-induced sub-pleural fibrosis in mice. Taken together, our data indicate that downregulated miR-18a-5p mediates sub-pleural pulmonary fibrosis through upregulation of its target, TGF-βRII, and that overexpression of miR-18a-5p might therefore provide a novel approach to the treatment of IPF., (Copyright © 2017 The American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A large-scale monitoring program, the Asia Soil and Air Monitoring Program (Asia-SAMP), was conducted in five Asian countries, including China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, and India. Air samples were collected using passive air samplers with polyurethane foam disks over four consecutive 3-month periods from September 2012 to August 2013 to measure the seasonal concentrations of 47 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), including 21 parent and 26 alkylated PAHs, at 176 sites (11 background, 83 rural, and 82 urban). The annual concentrations of total 47 PAHs (∑47PAHs) at all sites ranged from 6.29 to 688 ng/m(3) with median of 82.2 ng/m(3). Air concentrations of PAHs in China, Vietnam, and India were greater than those in Japan and South Korea. As expected, the air concentrations (ng/m(3)) were highest at urban sites (143 ± 117) followed by rural (126 ± 147) and background sites (22.4 ± 11.4). Significant positive correlations were found between PAH concentrations and atmosphere aerosol optical depth. The average benzo(a)pyrene equivalent concentration (BaPeq) was 5.61 ng/m(3). It was estimated that the annual BaPeq concentrations at 78.8% of the sampling sites exceeded the WHO guideline level. The mean population attributable fraction (PAF) for lung cancer due to inhalation exposure to outdoor PAHs was on the order 8.8‰ (0.056-52‰) for China, 0.38‰ (0.007-3.2‰) for Japan, 0.85‰ (0.042-4.5‰) for South Korea, 7.5‰ (0.26-27‰) for Vietnam, and 3.2‰ (0.047-20‰) for India. We estimated a number of lifetime excess lung cancer cases caused by exposure to PAHs, which the concentrations ranging from 27.8 to 2200, 1.36 to 108, 2.45 to 194, 21.8 to 1730, and 9.10 to 720 per million people for China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, and India, respectively. Overall, the lung cancer risk in China and Vietnam were higher than that in Japan, South Korea, and India.

Pleural fibrosis is defined as an excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) components that results in destruction of the normal pleural tissue architecture. It can result from diverse inflammatory conditions, especially tuberculous pleurisy. Pleural mesothelial cells (PMCs) play a pivotal role in pleural fibrosis. Calpain is a family of calcium-dependent endopeptidases, which plays an important role in ECM remodeling. However, the role of calpain in pleural fibrosis remains unknown. In the present study, we found that tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE) induced calpain activation in PMCs and that inhibition of calpain prevented TPE-induced collagen-I synthesis and cell proliferation of PMCs. Moreover, our data revealed that the levels of angiotensin (ANG)-converting enzyme (ACE) were significantly higher in pleural fluid of patients with TPE than those with malignant pleural effusion, and ACE-ANG II in TPE resulted in activation of calpain and subsequent triggering of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway in PMCs. Finally, calpain activation in PMCs and collagen depositions were confirmed in pleural biopsy specimens from patients with tuberculous pleurisy. Together, these studies demonstrated that calpain is activated by renin-angiotensin system in pleural fibrosis and mediates TPE-induced collagen-I synthesis and proliferation of PMCs via the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway. Calpain in PMCs might be a novel target for intervention in tuberculous pleural fibrosis., (Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.)

Increasing evidences indicate that dys-regulation of MicroRNAs contributes to hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the roles of miR-485-5p in HCC are still largely unexplored. In the present study, our quantitative real-time PCR analysis found that miR-485-5p was significantly down-regulated in 50 pairs of human HCC tissues. Moreover, the reduced expression of miR-485-5p was significantly correlated with larger tumor size and more tumor number in patients with HCC. In vitro studies further showed that overexpression of miR-485-5p mimics could inhibit, while its antisense oligos promote cell proliferation and invasion. Results from the dual-luciferase reporter gene assays and western blot further showed that stanniocalcin 2 was a direct target of miR-485-5p. Therefore, our data suggest a novel role for miR-485-5p in the regulation of HCC progression.

Introduction: long non-coding RNA ANRIL (lncRNA ANRIL) has been demonstrated to play a crucial role in cancer progression. However, its effects in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have not been explored. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of lncRNA NRIL in human HCC., Methods: In this study, we determined for the first time the expression of lncRNA ANRIL in human HCC by quantitative Real-time-PCR analysis. Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariate Cox proportional models were used to study the impact on clinical outcome. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to silence lncRNA ANRIL and to explore the effects of reduced lncRNA ANRIL expression on cell growth and metastasis., Results: lncRNA ANRIL expression in HCC tissues was significantly higher than in the adjacent non-tumor tissues (P<0.05). The expression of lncRNA ANRIL was remarkably associated with the histologic grade and TNM stage of HCC patients (P<0.05). In addition, HCC patients with higher lncRNA ANRIL expression had significantly poorer overall survival (P<0.05). Multivariate analysis suggested that high lncRNA ANRIL expression was an independent predictor of poor prognosis (P<0.05). Moreover, in vitro assays revealed that the decreased expression of lncRNA ANRIL could suppress the cell proliferation, migration and invasion HCC cells., Conclusions: Our results suggest that lncRNA ANRIL may serve as an efficient clinical biomarker and a therapeutic target for HCC patients.

Dried blood spots (DBS) collected from infants shortly after birth for the newborn screening program (NSP) in the United States are valuable resources for the assessment of exposure to environmental chemicals in newborns. The NSP was debuted as a public health program in the United States in the 1960s; and the DBS samples collected over a period of time can be used in tracking temporal trends in exposure to environmental chemicals by newborns. In this study, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were measured in DBS samples collected from newborns in Upstate New York from 1997 to 2011 by gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS). Twelve PCBs and two OCPs were found in DBS samples at a detection rate above 50% (n=51). The mean whole blood concentration of ΣPCBs (sum of 12 congeners) over the 15-year period was 1.06 ng/mL, followed by p,p'-DDE (0.421 ng/mL) and HCB (0.065 ng/mL). The measured concentrations of PCBs and p,p'-DDE in infants'blood were comparable to those reported in cord blood, suggesting maternal/trans-placental transfer of these compounds from mothers to fetuses. The concentrations of ΣPCBs and p,p'-DDE in blood samples of infants decreased significantly between 1997 and 2001, and no significant reduction was found thereafter. This observation is consistent with the trends reported for these chemicals in other human tissues in the United States., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Rationale: IFN-γ-producing CD4(+) T (Th1) cells and IL-17-producing CD4(+) T (Th17) cells have been found to be involved in multiple malignancies; however, the reciprocal relationship between Th1 and Th17 cells in malignant pleural effusion (MPE) remains to be elucidated., Objectives: To explore the differentiation and immune regulation of Th1 and Th17 cells in the development of MPE in murine models., Methods: The distribution and differentiation of Th1 and Th17 cells in MPE were investigated in IFN-γ(-/-), IL-17(-/-), and wild-type mice. The effects of Th1 and Th17 cells on the development of MPE and the survival of mice bearing MPE were also investigated., Measurements and Main Results: We have demonstrated that increased Th1 and Th17 cells could be found in MPE as compared with blood and spleen. Compared with wild-type mice, Th17 cells were markedly augmented in MPE from IFN-γ(-/-) mice, and improved survival could be seen in IFN-γ(-/-) mice. Th1 cell numbers were elevated in MPE from IL-17(-/-) mice, and decreased survival could be seen in IL-17(-/-) mice. The in vitro experiments showed that IFN-γ deficiency promoted Th17-cell differentiation by suppressing the STAT3 pathway and that IL-17 deficiency promoted Th1-cell differentiation by suppressing the STAT1 pathway., Conclusions: In mouse models of MPE, IFN-γ inhibited Th17-cell differentiation, whereas IL-17 inhibited Th1-cell differentiation. IL-17 inhibited the formation of MPE and improved the survival of mice bearing MPE; in contrast, IFN-γ promoted MPE formation and mouse death.

Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in asthma is predominantly caused by increased sensitivity of bronchial smooth muscle cells (BSMCs) to stimuli. The sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR)-Ca(2+) release channel, known as ryanodine receptor (RyR), mediates the contractive response of BSMCs to stimuli. FK506-binding protein 12.6 kD (FKBP12.6) stabilizes the RyR2 channel in a closed state. However, the interaction of FKBP12.6 with RyR2 in AHR remains unknown. This study examined the interaction of FKBP12.6 with RyR2 in BSMCs in AHR of asthma. The interaction of FKBP12.6 with RyR2 and FKBP12.6 expression was determined in a rat asthma model and in BSMCs treated with inflammatory cytokines. The calcium responses to contractile agonists were determined in BSMCs with overexpression and knockdown of FKBP12.6. Asthmatic serum, IL-5, IL-13, and TNF-α enhance the calcium response of BSMCs to contractile agonists and cause dissociation of FKBP12.6 from RyR2 and a decrease in FKBP12.6 gene expression in BSMCs in culture and in ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized and -challenged rats. Knockdown of FKBP12.6 in BSMCs causes a decrease in the association of RyR2 with FKBP12.6 and an increase in the calcium response of BSMCs. Overexpression of FKBP12.6 increases the association of FKBP12.6 with RyR2, decreases the calcium response of BSMCs, and normalizes airway responsiveness in OVA-sensitized and -challenged rats. Dissociation of FKBP12.6 from RyR2 in BSMCs is responsible for the increased calcium response contributing to AHR in asthma. Manipulating the interaction of FKBP12.6 with RyR2 might be a novel and useful treatment for asthma.

Fourteen indoor dust samples were collected in 2010 winter from four cities in Heilongjiang Province, China. Fourteen polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were identified and quantified. Concentration of the total 14 PBDEs ranged from 240 to 9,270 ng/g, with the median of 2,520 ng/g. BDE209 was the dominant congener with concentrations ranged from 234 to 9,190 ng/g, accounting for 97.2 % of the total concentration. Positive correlations (r > 0.8, p < 0.005) were found between the group of BDE17, 28, 66, 47 and the group of BDE85, 99, 100, between BDE153 and BDE154, between BDE209 and BDE183, indicating the similar sources and/or pathways in indoor environment. Principal component analysis showed that the major sources of PBDEs were commercial Penta-BDEs and Deca-BDEs. Human exposure analysis showed that children of 1-5 years old had the highest exposure to PBDEs.

Parabens are widely used as preservatives in foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. However, recent studies have indicated that high and systemic exposure to parabens can be harmful to human health. Although a few studies have reported urinary paraben levels in western countries, studies on paraben exposure in the Chinese population are limited. China is currently a major producer of parabens in the world. In this study, 109 urine samples collected from Chinese young adults (approximately 20 years old) were analyzed for five parabens (methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl-, and benzyl-parabens) by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Methyl-, propyl-, and ethyl-parabens were the three major paraben analogues found in all (100%) samples. The concentration of the sum of the five parabens ranged from 0.82 to 728 ng/mL with a geometric mean value of 17.4 ng/mL. Urinary concentration of parabens was 2-fold greater in females than in males. Based on the measured urinary concentrations, daily intake of parabens by the Chinese young adults was estimated and compared with those reported for United States adults. The estimated daily intakes (EDIurine) of parabens were 18.4 and 40.8 μg/kg bw/day for Chinese males and females, respectively, values that were lower than those reported for United States adults (74.7 μg/kg bw/day). Based on the reported concentrations of parabens in foods from China and the United States, the contribution of dietary intake to EDIurine was estimated to be 5.5, 2.6, and 0.42% for Chinese males, Chinese females, and United States adults, respectively, which indicates the significance of nondietary sources of parabens to human exposures.

The Tibetan Plateau is suggested to be an important indicator region to study the global long-range atmospheric transport of persistent organic pollutants. In this study, atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were studied in Lhasa City in the Tibetan Plateau, China. Air samples in gas and particle phases were concurrently collected by a modified high-volume air sampler from 5 August 2008 to 13 July 2009. The concentration of Σ16PAHs ranged from 18 to 160 ng m(-3) (with a geometric mean of 68 ng m(-3)). The most abundant PAHs were phenanthrene and benzo(b)fluoranthene in gas and particle phases, respectively. Compared with other two similar studies in Beijing and Harbin, different temporal trends were found between gas and particle phases PAHs in Lhasa. The influences of meteorological parameters (ambient temperature and relative humidity) and air masses from China, India, Southeast Asia, and West Asia were the two important reasons for explaining the difference, which was confirmed by the 5-day backward trajectories. This is the first comprehensive study to provide the evidence for the different influences of long-range atmospheric transport on gas and particle phases PAHs pollution in the Tibetan Plateau.

Objective: To compare the age-specific detection rates of colorectal neoplasms by colonoscopic screening among high-risk population in rural area and to provide evidence for determining the initial age in the colorectal cancer screening., Methods: The age-specific detection rates of colorectal cancers and adenomas, and the proportion of detected cases in each age group after screening by the optimized sequential colorectal cancer screening program in Jiashan County, Zhejiang Province, were analyzed., Results: Mass screening with the optimized sequential colorectal cancer screening program in Jiashan was conducted and 8867 colonoscopic examinations were performed. A total of 1811 individuals with at least one colorectal neoplastic lesion were found. Among them, there were 92 (1.04%) colorectal cancer patients, 1164 (13.13%) patients with at least one adenoma and 377 (4.25%) patients with at least one advanced adenoma. The detection rate of colorectal neoplastic lesions for the age group 40 - 44 was considerably lower than that in the age group 45 - 49. Hypothetically, to increase the initial age to 45-years for the optimized sequential colorectal cancer screening program would yield a 7.84% increase in the detection rate of total colorectal neoplastic lesions, 13.46% increase in the detection rate of colorectal cancer, 8.76% increase in the detection rate of adenoma, 12.24% increase in the detection rate of advanced adenoma and 19.64% lower in the cost of initial screening, 13.30% lower in the cost of colonoscopic screening., Conclusions: Among the high-risk population aged 40 to 74, the detection rates of colorectal cancer and adenoma are increasing with the increase of age, the detection rates of colorectal cancer and adenoma as well as proportion of detected cases in the 40 - 44 age group are considerably lower. To increase the initial age to 45 for colorectal cancer screening in rural area of China is reasonable.

FIZZ/RELM is a new gene family named "found in inflammatory zone" (FIZZ) or "resistin-like molecule" (RELM). FIZZ1/RELMα is specifically expressed in lung tissue and associated with pulmonary inflammation. Chronic cigarette smoking up-regulates FIZZ1/RELMα expression in rat lung tissues, the mechanism of which is related to cigarette smoking-induced airway hyperresponsiveness. To investigate the effect of exercise training on chronic cigarette smoking-induced airway hyperresponsiveness and up-regulation of FIZZ1/RELMα, rat chronic cigarette smoking model was established. The rats were treated with regular exercise training and their airway responsiveness was measured. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization of lung tissues were performed to detect the expression of FIZZ1/RELMα. Results revealed that proper exercise training decreased airway hyperresponsiveness and pulmonary inflammation in rat chronic cigarette smoking model. Cigarette smoking increased the mRNA and protein levels of FIZZ1/RELMα, which were reversed by the proper exercise. It is concluded that proper exercise training prevents up-regulation of FIZZ1/RELMα induced by cigarette smoking, which may be involved in the mechanism of proper exercise training modulating airway hyperresponsiveness.

The pollution characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface water samples of the three major sections of the Songhua River Basin (the Nenjiang River, the Second Songhua River and the mainstream of the Songhua River) were studied. A total of 21 surface water samples were collected in icebound season in 2010 along the bank. The total concentrations of 15 species of PAHs ranged from 23.4 ng x L(-1) to 85.1 ng x L(-1), with an average concentration at (50.3 +/- 17) ng x L(-1), which was comparable with those of other rivers in China. PAHs had higher concentration in lower reaches of the river around neighboring cities, which maybe caused by municipal/industrial effluents of the cities along the bank. The sources of PAHs were further identified by principal component analysis (PCA), which indicated that the main source of PAHs was fossil fuel related combustion in Songhua River. The potential ecosystem risk assessment of individual PAHs was characterized by risk quotient (RQ). The results indicated that the ecological risk of high molecular weight PAHs was negligible and low molecular weight PAHs possessed greater ecological risk.

Air samples in gas and particle phases were collected using a high volume active sampler from August to October in 2008 at Xi'an for evaluating the pollution level of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Lower brominated PBDEs and BDE-209 were analyzed via GC-MS and GC/ECD, respectively. The total concentrations (gas plus particle phases) of 12 PBDEs were ranged from 37.43 to 620.30 pg/m3, with an average of 216.28 pg/m3, while tri- to hexa-brominated congeners (Sigma11 PBDEs) ranged from 16.32 to 86. 49 pg/m3, BDE-209 ranged from 16. 34 to 576.01 pg/m3. Tri- to tetra-brominated congeners existed mainly in gas phase, tetra- to hexa-brominated congeners were predominated in particle phase, and BDE-209 was detected only in particle phase. The proportion of PBDEs in particle phase increased with bromine number. Gas-particle partition coefficient of PBDEs was well correlated with sub-cooled liquid vapor pressure, and the partitioning of PBDEs between gas and particle phases were close to equilibrium. Correlation analysis indicated that all the PBDEs have good coefficients except BDE-85. Source analysis indicated that PBDEs in the atmosphere of Xi'an were mainly from the Penta-BDE and Deca-BDE contamination.

Objective: To improve early diagnosis rate and reduce the incidence rate of colorectal cancer, through the application of optimized sequential screening scheme for colorectal neoplasm in general population., Methods: Quantitative risk assessment by questionnaires survey and fecal occult blood test (FOBT) were used to proceed preliminary screening among people aged 40 to 74. Electronic colonoscopy was applied to examine the whole colon and rectum among identified high-risk subjects. The detected cases received treatment for colorectal cancer, adenomatous polyps or non-adenomatous polyps. The early diagnosis rate and incidence rate of colorectal cancer were evaluated and compared with those before screening., Result: With application of optimized sequential screening schemes, various types of colorectal lesions were detected in 1 117 subjects, including 69 cases of colorectal cancer, 701 cases of colorectal adenoma and 211 cases of advanced adenoma. The early diagnosis rate of colorectal cancer was increased by 58.19%, and its incidence rate also decreased significantly., Conclusion: The optimized sequential screening scheme is simple, economical, efficient in colorectal cancer screening of general population.

TSP samples and gas phase air samples were collected by an improved high volume active air sampler during domestic heating season in Xi'an, and the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed via GC-MS. The results showed that average concentrations of sigma 16 PAHs in TSP and gas phase were (108.15 +/- 41.44) ng/m3, (260.14 +/- 99.84) ng/m3, respectively. Two and three ring PAHs dominated in the gas phase, while more than four ring PAHs were mainly adsorbed on the particle phase. Good correlation was found between gas-particle partition coefficient and the respective sub-cooled vapor pressures of PAHs. A significant correlation was also found between partition coefficient and temperature, and the regression equation was put forward by stepwise linear regression method. Ratio analysis illustrated that coal burning and vehicle exhaust were the main source of PAHs in Xi' an. Contribution of each source was calculated by factor analysis and multiple linear regression. Partial correlation analysis was applied to study the relationship between air pollution indexes and some representative PAHs of individual factors, which indicated some PAH had same source to SO2 and NO2.

Sampling sites were installed in Damao Banner, Siziwang Banner, and Sunite Right Banner of Inner Mongolia, which represented lightly, moderately, and heavily degraded desert steppes, respectively, and surface (0-20 cm) soil samples were collected to analyze the quantitative characteristics and seasonal dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) in these steppes. The SOC and MBC contents decreased with the increasing degradation degree of desert steppe. The total amount of soil culturable microbes in lightly and moderately degraded desert steppes was higher than that in heavily degraded desert steppe, except in summer 2006, and the MBC content and the quantity of soil culturable microbes were higher in summer and autumn than in spring and winter. Correlation analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation between SOC and MBC (P < 0.01), suggesting that both SOC and MBC could be used as the sensitive indicators to evaluate the degradation degree of desert steppe.

Objective: to investigate the levels of peripheral CD(8)(+)CD(25)(+)Foxp(3)(+) regulatory T cells (CD(8)(+)CD(25)(+)Treg) in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, and the effect of muscarinic cholinergic receptor antagonist, tiotropium bromide, on the expression of CD(8)(+)CD(25)(+)Treg., Methods: from Oct. 2007 to Mar. 2008, 23 patients with stable moderate to severe COPD received tiotropium bromide inhalation (18 microg daily) for 3 months. Before and after the use of tiotropium bromide, lung function was performed and peripheral vein blood samples were collected from the patient. Lymphocytes were isolated by three-color labeled monoclonal antibodies flow cytometry to detect the quantity and percentage of CD(8)(+)T cell, CD(8)(+)CD(25)(+) T cell, CD(8)(+)CD(25)(+)Treg, CD(4)(+)T cell, CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+) T cell and CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+)Treg, respectively. Paired t test was used for comparison between data before and after treatment., Results: in patients with stable COPD, after tiotropium bromide treatment, the percentage of CD(4)(+) T cells was increased from (28 +/- 10)% to (36 +/- 6)%, and the difference was significant (t = 3.20, P < 0.01). CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+) was decreased from (10 +/- 7)% to (4 +/- 3)% (t = 3.78, P < 0.01), and CD(8)(+)CD(25)(+)Treg was increased from (8 +/- 8)% to (21 +/- 21)% (t = 2.72, P < 0.05). At baseline, CD(8)(+) cells, CD(8)(+)CD(25)(+) cells and CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+)Treg were detectable in the peripheral blood, but no significant changes were observed after treatment. After treatment with tiotropium bromide, the lung function was markedly improved; FEV(1), FEV(1)/Pre%, and FEV(1)/FVC were increased from (1.0 +/- 0.3) L, (35 +/- 10)% and (41 +/- 8)% to (1.1 +/- 0.3) L, (40 +/- 11)% and (45 +/- 11)%, respectively (t = 2.65, 2.56 and 2.37, respectively, all P < 0.05). By linear correlation analysis, the quantity of changes of CD(4)(+) T cells and CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+) T cells were negatively correlated with the rate of change in CD(8)(+)CD(25)(+)Treg (r = -0.61, P < 0.05 and r = -0.72, P < 0.01, respectively)., Conclusions: in the peripheral blood of patients with stable COPD, there was expression of CD(8)(+)CD(25)(+)Treg and CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+)Treg. The muscarinic receptor antagonist tiotropium bromide, promoted the amplification of CD(4)(+), inhibited the expression of CD(25)(+), and enhanced the expression of CD(8)(+)Treg, suggesting that muscarinic receptor antagonist tiotropium bromide may possess immunomodulation function.

Polyurethane foam passive air samplers (PUF PAS) were fixed at eight sampling sites in Harbin Region concurrently to research atmospheric concentration and distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Spring of 2007 (January to April). Results showed that the PUF PAS mostly absorbed the 3-4 ring PAHs, which accounted for 91.22%-96.37% comparing to total concentration. Total PAHs concentration had obvious area difference from urban to remote areas, such as 356.49 ng/d for urban, 162.65 ng/d for suburban, 278.35 ng/d for rural and 183.99 ng/d for background, with ratios of urban atmospheric concentration to rural concentration more than 2, three times higher than that of remote area. The atmospheric concentration was significantly affected by sources. Sources of PAHs in air of Harbin Region were investigated by diagnostic ratios, which indicated that coal and biofuel combustion were the main sources of PAHs in air of urban and rural area, respectively. The toxic equivalence factor (TEF) was used for health risk assessment, with similar area difference to concentration distribution, which implying bigger potential heath risk for urban and rural people than other areas. Good reproducibility of PUF passive air sampler was confirmed by one pair of passive samplers deployed at an urban site. The results of the study demonstrated the capability of PUF PAS to monitor atmospheric PAHs in a city scale at the same time.

Levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in 17 topsoil samples collected in and around the city of Harbin, an industrial center in Northeast China for decades, are presented. Total concentrations (ng/g dry weight [dw]) ranged from 17 to 3,260 (mean: 508) for PAHs and 0.30 to 6.17 (mean: 1.63) for PCBs. As expected, large differences of the concentration levels of PAHs and PCBs in topsoil were found among the samples from urban, suburban, and background/rural sites. Total PCB and PAH concentrations were higher in industrialized areas than those at the other sites, with a ratio of up to one order of magnitude, possibly indicating the urban source of these chemicals. The PAH profiles were similar among samples, with high percentages of high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs and domination of four-ring PAHs. Compositions of PCB homologues showed that tri-CBs and tetra-CBs were abundant in all soil samples. There was also a higher abundance of low molecular weight (LMW) PCBs and lower abundance of HMW PCBs at background sites than other areas, indicating the urban fractionation phenomenon. Pyrogenic origins were the dominant PAH sources in surface soil at most urban sites, whereas petrogenic origins were the major PAH sources in surface soil at all the rural and background sites. The TEQ concentrations (pg/g dw) of all four dioxin-like PCBs (CBs 77, 81, 105, and 118) were 0.009 for humans and mammals, 0.005 for fish, and 1.42 for birds. Strong correlations were found between PAH and PCB concentrations and soil organic matter and, also, between PAH and PCB concentrations.

Large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel (BK(Ca)) and voltage-gated potassium channel Kv1.5 play an important role in the pathogenesis of bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR). It is known that cigarette smoke can induce BHR, however, the role of BK(Ca) and Kv1.5 expression in it remains to be further elucidated. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the direct effects of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) on BK(Ca) and Kv1.5 expression, and the role of protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms activation in primary cultured rat bronchial smooth muscle cells (BSMCs). Primarily cultured rat BSMCs were treated with 5% CSE, the expression and translocation of PKC isoforms were measured by Western blot, and the mRNA and protein levels of BK(Ca) and Kv1.5 alpha-subunits were determined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. The results showed that 5% CSE induced the translocation of PKCepsilon, PKCeta, PKCtheta from soluble fraction to particulate fraction, and reduced mRNA and protein expressions of BK(Ca) and Kv1.5 alpha-subunits. The decreased expression of potassium channels was partly restored by PKC inhibitor, BIM or Goe6983. In summary, CSE may activate PKC isoforms epsilon, eta, theta, thereby down-regulate the expressions of BK(Ca) and Kv1.5 in BSMCs.

Objective: To compare the curative effects and expenses of pleural drainage by using central venous catheter and of simple aspiration by thoracentesis in treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax., Methods: 46 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax were randomly divided into 2 equal groups: Group A, treated with pleural drainage by using central venous catheter, and Group B, treated with simple aspiration by thoracentesis. The curative rate and average residual volume after treatment were used to evaluate the curative effects. The average hospitalization days, duration of treatment, and expenses for medical materials were used to evaluate as the economic index., Results: (1) The effective rates were 100% and 91.30% in Groups A and B respectively. (2) The average residual volume of pneumothorax at the time of discharge from hospital of Group A was 4.17%, significantly lower than that of Group B (18.62%, P < 0.05). (3) The average residual volume of pneumothorax 1 week after discharge of Group A was 0.53%, significantly lower than that of Group B (7.59%, P < 0.01). (4) The expense for medical materials of Group A was 264.79 Yuan RMB, a little bit more than that of Group B (233.62 Yuan RMB). (5) The hospitalization time of Group A was 5.32 days, significantly shorter than that of Group B (7.68 days, P < 0.05). The duration of treatment with antibiotics of Group A was 3.46 days, significantly shorter than that of Group B (5.59 days, P < 0.05). The time of oxygen inhalation of Group A was 86.4 hours, significantly shorter than that of Group B (133.1 hours, P < 0.01)., Conclusion: With higher curative effect and lower expenses, pleural drainage by using central venous catheter is superior to simple aspiration in treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax, and can be the first choice.

To investigate the role of found in inflammatory zone 1 (FIZZ1) protein in the pathogenesis of experimental pulmonary fibrosis, 48 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups, the pulmonary fibrosis group and the control group. Rat pulmonary fibrosis was reproduced by an intratracheal injection of bleomycin (5 mg/kg body weight). Normal saline (1 ml/kg body weight) was given intratracheally injection in the control group. There were 24 rats in each group, and 6 animals were separately killed on the 7th, 14th, 21th and 28th day after treated with bleomycin or normal saline. Then the following tests were undertaken: (1) HE and Masson staining of lung section;(2) Determination of lung tissue hydroxyproline (HYP);(3) Immunohistochemical staining of protein of FIZZ1 in the lung;(4) In situ hybridization of FIZZ1 mRNA in the lung. The results showed: (1) There were full of inflammatory cells in the lung, the interval of alveoli enlarged and many alveolar spaces disappeared on the 7th day after treated with bleomycin in the fibrosis group. Collagen began to proliferate after 14 d. The pulmonary fibrosis was stably established on the 28th day, full of green fibers in the Masson staining of lung section. (2) The expression of FIZZ1 protein in the lung increased after 7 d in bleomycin-treated animals (3.013+/-0.326 vs 0.473+/-0.056, P<0.01 vs control), but was slightly decreased on the 14th day (2.124+/-0.197) and expensively decreased on the 21st day (1.760+/-0.105) and the 28th day (0.691+/-0.081). (3) The expression of FIZZ1 mRNA in the lung also increased after 7 d by treated with bleomycin (3.795+/-0.338 vs 0.678+/-0.087, P<0.01 vs control), but decreased on the 14th day (1.276+/-0.104) and further decreased on the 28th day (0.896+/-0.084). The expression of FIZZ1 protein and mRNA in fibrosis group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The results suggest that FIZZ1 protein and FIZZ1 mRNA are dynamically changed in the lung with experimental pulmonary fibrosis, which may contribute to the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis.

Objective: To investigate the effect of AP-1 Decoy on matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP-1) imbalance induced by bleomycin-A5 (BLM-A5) in pulmonary fibroblasts., Methods: Pulmonary fibroblasts were primary cultured, and transferred with AP-1 Decoy before treated with BLM-A5. MMPs activity in medium was determined by gelatin zymography. Protein content of TIMP-1 in medium was detected by ELISA. Expression of MMP-2 mRNA and TIMP-1 mRNA were determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)., Results: BLM-A5 induced the increase in activity of MMP-2 at 12 h [A: (0.77 +/- 0.08) vs (0.65 +/- 0.07) P < 0.05], but it was suppressed by AP-1 Decoy [A: (0.68 +/- 0.05)]. BLM-A5 up-regulated the expression of protein and mRNA of TIMP-1 after 12 h, and 24 h [(39.3 +/- 4.3), (46.3 +/- 4.8) ng/ml vs (28.9 +/- 2.7), (31.6 +/- 2.4) ng/ml] and [Absorbance ratio to beta-actin: (0.94 +/- 0.13, 1.08 +/- 0.06) vs (0.76 +/- 0.07, 0.75 +/- 0.08)] (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) but AP-1 Decoy modulated the up-regulation. All these indexes in AP-1 Decoy group had no significant difference in contrast to the normal group. Mutant AP-1 Decoy had not the same function as AP-1 Decoy on the expression of MMP-2 and TIMP-1 in pulmonary fibroblasts., Conclusion: AP-1 Decoy inhibits the increase in MMP-2 activity and the up-regulation of TIMP-1 induced by BLM-A5 in pulmonary fibroblasts.

To investigate the role of potassium channels in the pathogenesis of airway hyperresponsiveness induced by cigarette smoking, the alteration in expression of large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel (BKca) and voltage-dependent delayed rectifier potassium channel (Kv1.5) in bronchial smooth muscle cells were investigated in chronic cigarette smoking rats. Airway responsiveness was determined, hematoxylin and eosin staining, immuno-histochemistry, in-situ hybridization and western blot techniques were used. The results showed: (1) Chronic cigarette smoking down-regulated the protein synthesis and mRNA expression of BKca and Kv1.5 in bronchial and bronchiolar smooth muscles. (2) BKca decreased more markedly than Kv1.5 in bronchi, but there was no difference between them in bronchioli. (3) No changes in the expression of these two potassium channel proteins were found in extracted cell membrane protein from lung tissue. The results suggest that chronic cigarette smoking can down-regulate the levels of BKca and Kv1.5 in rat bronchial smooth muscle cells in vivo, which might contribute to the mechanism of airway hyperresponsiveness induced by cigarette smoking.