Curative effect of minimally invasive surgery on palmar and foot hyperhidrosis and its influence on serum-related cytokines and immunoglobulins.

The curative effect of minimally invasive surgery on palmar and foot hyperhidrosis and its influence on serum-related cytokines and immunoglobulins were investigated. Seventy-six patients with palmar and foot hyperhidrosis admitted to Yunnan University Hospital from August 2014 to July 2016 were selected and randomly divided into control group (n=38) and observation group (n=38) using a random number table. Patients in control group received drug therapy, while those in observation group underwent laparoscopic thoracic-4 sympathetic chain combined with thoracic-3 branch amputation. The therapeutic effects of patients in the two groups were compared. The levels of serum C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) of patients in the two groups were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) before treatment and at one week after treatment. The levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgA and IgM were detected by immunoturbidimetry. The quality of life (QOL) in patients was evaluated by quality-of-life index (iQOL) before and after treatment. The total effective rate in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). The serum levels of CRP, IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α of patients in the two groups were higher at one week after treatment than those before treatment (P<0.05), and there were no significant differences between the two groups (P>0.05). At one week after treatment, IgG, IgM and IgA levels of patients in the two groups were remarkably increased (P<0.05), and there were no significant differences between the two groups (P>0.05). After treatment, the iQQL scores of patients in the two groups were significantly decreased, and iQQL score in observation group was decreased more significantly compared with that in control group (P<0.05). Compared with drug therapy, minimally invasive surgery is more effective in the treatment of palmar and foot hyperhidrosis with smaller trauma and inflammatory reaction, and it has less influence on serum immunoglobulin levels, which is conducive to the rehabilitation of patients.

Correlation between survivin polymorphism and acute leukemia of children.

The correlation between the variations in the polymorphic sites of survivin, rs9904341C/G and rs8073069C/G, and the pathogenesis of acute leukemia, as well as the guiding significance in clinical practice were investigated. We enrolled a total of 182 children with acute leukemia and 200 healthy children as the subjects. In accordance with the case-control method, the polymerase chain reaction was carried out for genetic typing of the two polymorphic sites, rs9904341C/G and rs8073069C/G. In the case group and the healthy group, the frequencies of C and G alleles in rs9904341C/G of survivin were 59.3 and 41.7%, and 46.7 and 50.3%, respectively, and the pairwise comparison showed statistically significant differences (P=0.008). Additionally, the frequencies of genotypes, C/C, C/G and G/G, were 38.5 and 41.7%; 19.8 and 26.5%; 16.5 and 27.0% in the case group and the healthy group, respectively, and the differences in comparisons showed statistical significance (P=0.033). The genotype frequency of C/C in the case group was 38.5%, significantly higher than that in the healthy group (26.5%). Compared with C/C, the risk coefficient of leukemia in patients with genotypes of C/G or G/G was significantly decreased. In the case group and the healthy group, the frequencies of C and G alleles in rs8073069C/G of survivin were 30.5 and 69.5%; 27.7 and 72.3%, respectively, and the pairwise comparison showed no statistically significant differences (P=0.404). Additionally, the frequencies of genotypes, C/C, C/G and G/G, were 11 and 39.0%; 50.0 and 9.0%; 37.5 and 53.5% in the case group and the healthy group, respectively, and the differences in comparisons showed no statistical significance (P=0.62). Compared with the genotype of C/C, we found that the risk of leukemia was not affected in patients with genotypes of C/G and G/G. In conclusion, the SNP of rs9904341C/G in survivin may be correlated with the risk of acute leukemia, and compared with C/C genotype, patients with C/G or G/G may have a decreased risk of acute leukemia. In survivin, rs8073069C/G may have no correlation with the risk of acute leukemia.

[Atmospheric Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in Eight Cities of China: Pollution Characteristics and Human Exposure].

The gas and particle samples of eight cities were collected by high flow active air sampler in the Eastern and Western China and eight congeners of polybrominated diphenyl ethers were analyzed. The results showed that the concentration of BDE-28 (tri-BDE) in the gas-phase (three bromide components) was the highest, which was different from previous studies where BDE-99 and-47 were the predominant homologues in the gas-phase while the concentration of BDE-209 [(25.4 ± 124) pg · m⁻³] in particle-phase was the highest. The atmospheric concentrations of PBDEs in Beijing and Guangzhou were relatively higher, especially the BDE-209 concentration in particle phases of Guangzhou was two orders higher than those of other cities. However, the atmospheric concentrations of PBDEs declined significantly when compared with the data from previous studies. Meanwhile, the results indicated that the gas-phase concentrations decreased slowly and the particle-phase concentrations decreased rapidly. Combined with the results of correlation analysis, this phenomenon might be ascribed to the ceased commercial production of penta- and octa-BDE, the light degradation of high bromide components and reduced concentrations of atmospheric particles in urban area. Inhalation exposure for infants was about 2-3 times higher than that of adults. This reflected that the potential health risk of atmospheric PBDEs in city for residents, especially infants and young children, should not be ignored.

[Effects of fertilizer application on greenhouse vegetable yield: a case study of Shouguang].

Data collected from 51 representative greenhouses of Shouguang through questionnaire survey were analyzed to investigate the effect of chemical fertilizers on vegetable yield, relationship between application of organic manure and yield, and influence factors and evolution rule of fertilizer application rate. The results showed that averages of 3338 kg N x hm(-2), 1710 kg P2O5 x hm(-2) 3446 kg K2O x hm(-2) were applied to greenhouse vegetables annually in Shouguang, 6-14 times as that in the local wheat-maize rotation system. The application rates of chemical N, P, and K fertilizers accounted for about 35%, 49% and 42% of the total input. Increasing application of chemical fertilizers had no significant effect on vegetable yields, while organic manure input significantly increased the vegetable yields. With the increase of greenhouse cultivating time, no significant changes in the input of chemical N, P, and K fertilizers were observed in greenhouse vegetable production while organic manure input decreased significantly. Differences in vegetable species, planting pattern and cultivating time of greenhouses was one of the reasons for large variations in nutrient application rate. In recent more than ten years, organic manure nutrient input increased significantly, chemical N and P fertilizer input presented a downward trend, chemical K fertilizer input increased significantly, and the N/P/K ratio became more and more reasonable in greenhouse vegetable production in Shouguang.

[Detection of amino acids based on terahertz spectroscopy].

Terahertz (THz) is the frequency region ranging from 0.1 to 2.0 THz, which lies in the far-infrared region. Compared to Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), terahertz time-domain spectra (THz-TDS) has low energy, high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and is non-ionizing radiation. Low-frequency vibrational modes of some amino acids, such as torsional and collective vibrational modes and hydrogen-bond modes, exist in the THz region. Amino acids are important organic compounds and are the fundamental components of proteins. Amino acids can exist with a highly ordered crystal structure linked by hydrogen intermolecular bonds in the solid phase. The absorption spectra of amino acids in the THz region show marked differences while mid-infrared absorption spectra usually show very little difference. Up to now, absorption spectra of twenty kinds of amino acids have been studied by many researchers using THz technique; the quantitative analysis of amino acids by THZ-TDS is also included. Investigation of THz spectra of amino acids are of fundamental interests, and will lead to further understanding of low-frequency vibrations of protein/DNA and relevant biological reactions and activities. In the present paper, the latest progress in absorption spectra of amino acids determined by THz spectroscopy is reviewed and a database is built. Some brief remarks on future developments in and prospects for THz application in amino acids are also provided.

Comparing polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in airborne particles in Guangzhou and Hong Kong: sources, seasonal variations and inland outflow.

The historical application/usage and management of chemicals in Hong Kong have been distinctively different from mainland China. In the present study, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were measured in year-round atmospheric particle samples collected from urban Hong Kong and Guangzhou for comparison. The concentrations of BDE-209 and Sigma9PBDEs (defined as the sum of BDE-28, -47, -66, -100, -99, -154, -153, -138 and -183) in Guangzhou ranged from 758 to 21,900 pg m(-3) and from 31.8 to 3320 pg m(-3), respectively, and in Hong Kong ranged from 8.5 to 895 pg m(-3) and from 1.0 to 386 pg m(-3), respectively. Elevated concentrations of PBDEs were observed in Guangzhou, showing significant atmospheric PBDE pollution. BDE-209, -47, and -99 were the dominant congeners in all the samples, suggesting that the widely used commercial penta- and deca-BDE products were the original sources. Distinct seasonal patterns were observed in the PBDE concentrations of aerosols in Hong Kong, higher during the winter monsoon period, and lower during summertime. The less distinct seasonal variations of PBDE concentrations in the aerosols of Guangzhou suggested the dominance of local pollution sources around the city. Significant correlations were found between BDE-209 and organic carbon (OC) or elemental carbon (EC) in the two cities, suggesting that combustion may be an important pathway introducing BDE-209 to the atmosphere. The lower BDE-209 concentrations along with higher OC/EC ratios implied that a quick loss of BDE-209 may occur during the aerosol aging processes. Back trajectory analysis showed that the high PBDE concentrations observed in Hong Kong may be related to the outflows from the inland area of the Pearl River Delta (PRD) by prevailing the northeast or northwest wind in winter.