Concomitant depletion of PTEN and p27 and overexpression of cyclin D1 may predict a worse prognosis for patients with post-operative stage II and III colorectal cancer.

Prognostic markers for colorectal cancer (CRC) have not yet been fully investigated. Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), p27 and Cyclin D1 play significant roles in tumorigenesis and cell cycle regulation, and therefore require evaluation for their prognostic value in this disease. The aim of the present study was to assess the prognostic value of the single and combined expression of PTEN, p27 and Cyclin D1 in CRC patients. Protein expression levels of PTEN, p27 and Cyclin D1 were examined by immunohistochemistry from 61 patients with CRC in either stage II or III. In the CRC tissues, the frequencies of PTEN(-), p27(-) and Cyclin D1(+) expression were 42.62% (26/61), 32.79% (20/61) and 45.90% (28/61), respectively. Depletion of PTEN and p27 was more common with respect to stage III, low grade and lymph node metastasis compared with stage II, moderate grade and no lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). Cyclin D1-positive expression was frequently detected in CRC of stage III, with lymph node metastasis and deeper invasion (P<0.05). The depletion of PTEN was significantly correlated with the loss of p27 (P<0.001) and with the increased expression of Cyclin D1 (P<0.001). PTEN(-) and/or p27(-) expression was significantly correlated with Cyclin D1(+) expression (P<0.05). Combined PTEN(-)/p27(-)/Cyclin D1(+) expression was correlated with a significant decrease in overall survival time (P<0.05). Combined p27(-) and Cyclin D1(+) expression indicated a worse overall survival time than other combined expression patterns. These findings indicate that the single expression of PTEN(-), p27(-) and Cyclin D1(+) and the combined detection of p27(-) and Cyclin D1(+) may be used as prognostic markers for overall survival time in CRC.

[Emission factors and PM chemical composition study of biomass burning in the Yangtze River Delta region].

The emission characteristics of five typical crops, including wheat straw, rice straw, oil rape straw, soybean straw and fuel wood, were investigated to explore the gas and particulates emission of typical biomass burning in Yangzi-River-Delta area. The straws were tested both by burning in stove and by burning in the farm with a self-developed measurement system as open burning sources. Both gas and fine particle pollutants were measured in this study as well as the chemical composition of fine particles. The results showed that the average emission factors of CO, NO, and PM2,5 in open farm burning were 28.7 g.kg -1, 1.2 g.kg-1 and 2.65 g kg-1 , respectively. Due to insufficient burning in the low oxygen level environment, the emission factors of stove burning were higher than those of open farm burning, which were 81.9 g kg-1, 2. 1 g.kg -1 and 8.5 gkg -1 , respectively. Oil rape straw had the highest emission factors in all tested straws samples. Carbonaceous matter, including organic carbon(OC) and element carbon(EC) , was the foremost component of PM2, 5from biomass burning. The average mass fractions of OC and EC were (38.92 +/- 13.93)% and (5.66 +/-1.54)% by open farm burning and (26.37 +/- 10. 14)% and (18.97 +/- 10.76)% by stove burning. Water soluble ions such as Cl-and K+ had a large contribution. The average mass fractions of CI- and K+ were (13.27 +/-6. 82)% and (12.41 +/- 3.02)% by open farm burning, and were (16.25 +/- 9.34)% and (13.62 +/- 7.91)% by stove burning. The K +/OC values of particles from wheat straw, rice straw, oil rape straw and soybean straw by open farm burning were 0. 30, 0. 52, 0. 49 and 0. 15, respectively, which can be used to evaluate the influence on the regional air quality in YRD area from biomass burning and provide direct evidence for source apportionment.

[Characteristics of particulate matters and its chemical compositions during the dust episodes in Shanghai in spring, 2011].

A continuous air quality observation was conducted in the urban area of Shanghai from April 28 to May 18 in 2011. The mass concentration of particle matters and main chemical compositions of fine particle were measured and analyzed. The mass concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 during the dust episode were much higher than those in non-dust episode, with the maximum daily mass concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 reaching 787.2 microg.gm-3 and 139.5 microgm(-3) , respectively. The average PM2.5 /PM10 ratio was (32.9 +/-14. 6)% (15. 6% -85.1% ). The total water soluble inorganic ions(TWSII ) contributed (27.2 +/- 19. 2)% (4. 8% -80. 8% ) of total PM2.5, and the secondary water soluble ions (SNA) , including SO(2-)4 , NO-(3) and NH(+)(4) , were (76.9 +/- 13.9)% (41.9%-94.2%) in TWSIl. The concentrations of TWSII and SNA in PM2.5 during dust days became lower than those in non-dust days while the trend of the ratio of Ca2+ to PM2.5, increased. The mean OC/EC value in non-dust days was higher than that in the heavy dust pollution episode, but lower than that in weak dust days. In addition, mineral-rich particle in dust period had an acid-buffer effect, making particle alkaline in dust days stronger. In non-dust days, SO(2-)(4) and NO(-)(3) mainly existed in the form of NH4HSO4, (NH4)SO4, and NH4NO3, and combined with other mineral ions during dust days.

[Source profile and chemical reactivity of volatile organic compounds from vehicle exhaust].

Light-duty gasoline taxis (LDGT) and passenger cars (LDGV), heavy-duty diesel buses (HDDB) and trucks (HDDT), gasoline motorcycles (MC) and LPG scooters (LPGS), were selected for tailpipe volatile organic compounds (VOCs) samplings by using transient dynamometer and on road test combined with SUMMA canisters technology. The samples were tested by GC-MS to analyze the concentration and species composition of VOCs. The results indicate that light-duty gasoline automobiles have higher fractions of aromatic hydrocarbons, which account for 43.38%-44.45% of the total VOCs, the main aromatic hydrocarbons are toluene and xylenes. Heavy-duty diesel vehicles have higher fractions of alkanes, which constitute 46.86%-48.57% of the total VOCs, the main alkanes are propane, n-dodecane and n-undecane. In addition, oxy-organics account for 13.28%-15.01% of the VOCs, the main oxy-organics is acetone. The major compound from MC and LPGS exhaust is acetylene, it accounts for 39.75% and 76.67% of the total VOCs, respectively. VOCs exhaust from gasoline motorcycles and light-duty gasoline automobiles has a significantly higher chemical reactivity than those from heavy-duty diesel vehicles, which contribute 55% and 44% to the atmospheric chemical reactivity in Shanghai. The gasoline motorcycles and light-duty gasoline automobiles are the key pollution sources affecting city and region ambient oxidation, and the key active species of toluene, xylenes, propylene, and styrene make the greatest contribution.

[Emission strength and source apportionment of volatile organic compounds in Shanghai during 2010 EXPO].

The emission strength of VOCs was estimated in the study, based on the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) measurement results. Air mass backward trajectories were computed and cluster analysis was done combining with the corresponding air pollution indexes and VOCs concentrations. Source apportionment of VOCs was studied using receptor model. According to this study, VOCs emission in Shanghai per hour resulted in the VOCs concentration increment of (5.98 +/- 3.18) x 10(-9) during 2010 EXPO (from 1st May to 31st October in 2010), which was decreased by about 1 x 10(-9) compared to that in the same period of 2009. Under the control of the air masses roughly from the east (40%), the API was lower than 50. Influenced by the air masses from the northwest, the air quality was the worst with the average API higher than 70. The air masses from the southwest also resulted in bad air quality, with API higher than 60. The air masses originated from the west accounted for 25%, followed by the south and north air mass (20%). The VOCs concentrations were positively related to API in the same air mass, R2 = 0.599. During the 2010 EXPO, the emission related to vehicles including exhaust and gasoline evaporation contributed the largest amount of VOCs, approximately about -40%, followed by industry including industrial processes and coal combustion (30% - 40%), and solvent use and painting (20%). The biogenic emission was also considerable and accounted for 6% of VOCs in summer.

[Estimation of VOC emission from forests in China based on the volume of tree species].

Applying the volume data of dominant trees from statistics on the national forest resources, volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions of each main tree species in China were estimated based on the light-temperature model put forward by Guenther. China's VOC emission inventory for forest was established, and the space-time and age-class distributions of VOC emission were analyzed. The results show that the total VOC emissions from forests in China are 8565.76 Gg, of which isoprene is 5689.38 Gg (66.42%), monoterpenes is 1343.95 Gg (15.69%), and other VOC is 1532.43 Gg (17.89%). VOC emissions have significant species variation. Quercus is the main species responsible for emission, contributing 45.22% of the total, followed by Picea and Pinus massoniana with 6.34% and 5.22%, respectively. Southwest and Northeast China are the major emission regions. In specific, Yunnan, Sichuan, Heilongjiang, Jilin and Shaanxi are the top five provinces producing the most VOC emissions from forests, and their contributions to the total are 15.09%, 12.58%, 10.35%, 7.49% and 7.37%, respectively. Emissions from these five provinces occupy more than half (52.88%) of the national emissions. Besides, VOC emissions show remarkable seasonal variation. Emissions in summer are the largest, accounting for 56.66% of the annual. Forests of different ages have different emission contribution. Half-mature forests play a key role and contribute 38.84% of the total emission from forests.