Artificial intelligence-based diagnosis of standard endoscopic ultrasonography scanning sites in the biliopancreatic system: a multicenter retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: There are challenges for beginners to identify standard biliopancreatic system anatomical sites on endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) images. Therefore, the authors aimed to develop a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based model to identify standard biliopancreatic system anatomical sites on EUS images. METHODS: The standard anatomical structures of the gastric and duodenal regions observed by EUS was divided into 14 sites. The authors used 6230 EUS images with standard anatomical sites selected from 1812 patients to train the CNN model, and then tested its diagnostic performance both in internal and external validations. Internal validation set tests were performed on 1569 EUS images of 47 patients from two centers. Externally validated datasets were retrospectively collected from 16 centers, and finally 131 patients with 85 322 EUS images were included. In the external validation, all EUS images were read by CNN model, beginners, and experts, respectively. The final decision made by the experts was considered as the gold standard, and the diagnostic performance between CNN model and beginners were compared. RESULTS: In the internal test cohort, the accuracy of CNN model was 92.1-100.0% for 14 standard anatomical sites. In the external test cohort, the sensitivity and specificity of CNN model were 89.45-99.92% and 93.35-99.79%, respectively. Compared with beginners, CNN model had higher sensitivity and specificity for 11 sites, and was in good agreement with the experts (Kappa values 0.84-0.98). CONCLUSIONS: The authors developed a CNN-based model to automatically identify standard anatomical sites on EUS images with excellent diagnostic performance, which may serve as a potentially powerful auxiliary tool in future clinical practice.

Adenosquamous carcinoma of the liver: The challenge of diagnosis.

Adenosquamous carcinoma of the liver is extremely rare. We report a case of adenosquamous carcinoma in the intrahepatic bile duct of a 56-year-old woman who complained of persistent abdominal pain, shivering and hyperthermia. Computed tomography demonstrated a solid-cystic neoplasm in segment 5/6/8 of the liver with a gradual enhancement pattern in the solid area. However, postoperative pathological examination showed adenosquamous carcinoma of intrahepatic bile duct.

Characterization and Risk Assessment of PM2.5-Bound Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and their Derivatives Emitted from a Typical Pesticide Factory in China.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their derivatives have received extensive attention due to their negative effects on the environment and on human health. However, few studies have performed comprehensive assessments of PAHs emitted from pesticide factories. This study assessed the concentration, composition, and health risk of 52 PM2.5-bound PAHs during the daytime and nighttime in the vicinity of a typical pesticide factory. The total concentration of 52 PAHs (Σ52PAHs) ranged from 53.04 to 663.55 ng/m3. No significant differences were observed between daytime and nighttime PAH concentrations. The average concentrations of twenty-two parent PAHs, seven alkylated PAHs, ten oxygenated PAHs, and twelve nitrated PAHs were 112.55 ± 89.69, 18.05 ± 13.76, 66.13 ± 54.79, and 3.90 ± 2.24 ng/m3, respectively. A higher proportion of high-molecular-weight (4-5 rings) PAHs than low-molecular-weight (2-3 rings) PAHs was observed. This was likely due to the high-temperature combustion of fuels. Analysis of diagnostic ratios indicated that the PAHs were likely derived from coal combustion and mixed sources. The total carcinogenic equivalent toxicity ranged from 15.93 to 181.27 ng/m3. The incremental lifetime cancer risk from inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact with the PAHs was 2.33 × 10-3 for men and 2.53 × 10-3 for women, and the loss of life expectancy due to the PAHs was 11,915 min (about 0.023 year) for men and 12,952 min (about 0.025 year) for women. These results suggest that long-term exposure to PM2.5 emissions from a pesticide factory has significant adverse effects on health. The study results support implementing the characterization of PAH emissions from pesticide factories and provides a scientific basis for optimizing the living environment around pesticide factories.

Water-soluble iron in PM2.5 in winter over six Chinese megacities: Distributions, sources, and environmental implications.

Water-soluble iron (ws-Fe) in PM2.5 plays a crucial role in biogeochemical cycles and atmospheric chemical processes. The anthropogenic sources of ws-Fe have attracted considerable attention owing to its high solubility. However, few studies have investigated the content of PM2.5 ws-Fe in the urban environment. In the present study, we characterized the spatial distributions of ws-Fe in six Chinese megacities in the winter of 2019. Furthermore, we investigated the speciation of PM2.5 ws-Fe (ws-Fe(II) and ws-Fe(III)), potential sources of ws-Fe, and association between ws-Fe and particle-bound reactive oxygen species (ROS). Higher ws-Fe concentrations were observed in northern cities (Harbin, Beijing, and Xi'an) than in southern cities (Chengdu, Wuhan, and Guangzhou). Moreover, atmospheric ws-Fe concentrations in urban China were several folds higher than those in urban areas of the United States and several orders of magnitude higher than those in remote oceans, indicating that China is a key contributor to global atmospheric ws-Fe. The dominant form of ws-Fe was ws-Fe(III) in Beijing, whereas ws-Fe(II) was more abundant in the other five cities. The concentrations of ws-Fe and ws-Fe(II) concentrations increased with increasing PM2.5 levels in all the six cities, however, we did not observe any consistent pattern of ws-Fe(III) concentration. Biomass burning was a dominant source of ws-Fe in all cities except Beijing. A strong positive correlation was observed between particle-bound ROS content and ws-Fe; this finding is consistent with those of previous studies indicating that ws-Fe in PM2.5 notably influences atmospheric chemical processes and human health.

miR-1285 Restrains Gastric Cancer Cell Growth and Causes Apoptosis by Negatively Regulating RAB1A.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) act as critical biological factors in gastric cancer (GC). miR-1285 has been ascertained as a crucial antioncogene in some cancers. However, the effect of miR-1285 in GC and the regulatory mechanism are not clear. In this study, we revealed that miR-1285 expression was significantly reduced in GC. Overexpressing miR-1285 restrained GC cell multiplication and accelerated apoptosis, whereas suppressing miR-1285 facilitated cell growth and restrained apoptosis. The level of miR-1285 was negatively related to the RAB1A level in GC tissue specimens. RAB1A was verified by reporter gene assay as a target of miR-1285. Overexpression of miR-1285 suppressed the RAB1A level, whereas suppression of miR-1285 promoted the level of RAB1A expression. Knockdown of RAB1A resulted in analogical biological effect as that caused by overexpressing miR-1285. Moreover, both miR-1285 overexpression and RAB1A knockdown led to suppression of the mTOR/S6K1 pathway. By contrast, inhibition of miR-1285 promoted the mTOR/S6K1 pathway. In addition, miR-1285 also regulated the Bcl-2/Bax pathway. Taken together, our data indicate that miR-1285 suppresses GC cell multiplication by restraining the mTOR/S6K1 pathway and induces cell apoptosis by regulating the Bcl-2/Bax pathway via modulating RAB1A.

Effects of Exogenous ATP on Melanoma Growth and Tumor Metabolism in C57BL/6 Mice.

Altered energy metabolism (glucose, lipid, amino acid) is a hallmark of cancer growth that provides the theoretical basis for the development of metabolic therapies as cancer treatments. ATP is one of the major biochemical constituents of the tumor microenvironment. ATP promotes tumor progression or suppression depending on various factors, including concentration and tumor type. Here we evaluated the antitumor effect of extracellular ATP on melanoma and the potential underlying mechanisms. A subcutaneous tumor model in mice was used to investigate the antitumor effects of ATP. Major lymphocyte cell changes and intratumoral metabolic changes were assessed. Metabolomic analysis (1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy) was performed on tumor samples. We measured the activities of lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) and LDHB in the excised tumors and serum and found that ATP and its metabolites affected the proliferation of and LDHA activity in B16F10 cells, a murine melanoma cell line. In addition, treatment with ATP dose-dependently reduced tumor size in melanoma-bearing mice. Moreover, flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that the antitumor effect of ATP was not achieved through changes in T-cell or B-cell subsets. Metabolomics analysis revealed that ATP treatment simultaneously reduced multiple intratumoral metabolites related to energy metabolism as well as serum and tumor LDHA activities. Furthermore, both ATP and its metabolites significantly suppressed both tumor cell proliferation and LDHA activity in the melanoma cell line. Our results in vivo and in vitro indicate that exogenous ATP inhibits melanoma growth in association with altered intratumoral metabolism.

Smog chamber simulation on heterogeneous reaction of O3 and NO2 on black carbon under various relative humidity conditions.

In this study, heterogeneous formation of nitrate from O3 reaction with NO2 on black carbon (BC) and KCl-treated BC surface in the presence of NH3 was simulated under 30-90% RH conditions by using a laboratory smog chamber. We found that O3 and NO2 in the chamber quickly reacted into N2O5 in the gas phase, which subsequently hydrolyzed into HNO3 and further neutralized with NH3 into NH4NO3 on the BC surface, along with a small amount of N2O5 decomposed into NO and NO2 through a reaction with the BC surface active site. Meanwhile, the fractal BC aggregates restructured and condensed to spherical particles during the NH4NO3 coating process. Compared to that during the exposure to NO2 or O3 alone, the presence of strong signals of CH2O+, CH2O2+ and CH4NO+ during the simultaneous exposure to both NO2 and O3 suggested a synergetic oxidizing effect of NO2 and O3, which significantly activated the BC surface by forming carbonyl, carboxylic and nitro groups, promoted the adsorption of water vapor onto the BC surface and enhanced the NH4NO3 formation. Under <75 ± 2% RH conditions the coating process of NH4NO3 on the BC surface consisted of a diffusion of N2O5 onto the surface and a subsequent hydrolysis, due to the limited number of water molecules adsorbed. However, under 90 ± 2% RH conditions N2O5 directly hydrolyzed on the aqueous phase of the BC surface due to the multilayer water molecules adsorbed, which caused an instant NH4NO3 formation on the surface without any delay. The coating rate of NH4NO3 on KCl-treated BC particles was 3-4 times faster than that on the pure BC particles at the initial stage, indicating an increasing formation of NH4NO3, mainly due to an enhanced hygroscopicity of BC by KCl salts.

A New Hemoglobin Variant: Hb Jiujiang [α18(A16)Gly→Cys, HBA2: c.55G>T].

We have identified a new α chain hemoglobin (Hb) variant in a Chinese subject. Sequencing of the α-globin gene revealed a mutation in exon 1 at nucleotide 55, which results in the replacement of a glycine by cysteine at codon 18 [α18(A16)Gly→Cys, HBA2: c.55G>T] that we have named Hb Jiujiang for the region of origin of the proband.

Exploring the variation of black and brown carbon during COVID-19 lockdown in megacity Wuhan and its surrounding cities, China.

Absorbing carbonaceous aerosols, i.e. black and brown carbon (BC and BrC), affected heavily on climate change, regional air quality and human health. The nationwide lockdown measures in 2020 were performed to against the COVID-19 outbreak, which could provide an important opportunity to understand their variations on light absorption, concentrations, sources and formation mechanism of carbonaceous aerosols. The BC concentration in Wuhan megacity (WH) was 1.9 µg m-3 during lockdown, which was 24% lower than those in the medium-sized cities and 26% higher than those in small city; in addition, 39% and 16-23% reductions occurred compared with the same periods in 2019 in WH and other cities, respectively. Fossil fuels from vehicles and industries were the major contributors to BC; and compared with other periods, minimum contribution (64-86%) mainly from fossil fuel to BC occurred during the lockdown in all cities. Secondary BrC (BrCsec) played a major role in the BrC light absorption, accounting for 65-77% in WH during different periods. BrCsec was promoted under high humidity, and decreased through the photobleaching of chromophores under higher Ox. Generally, the lockdown measures reduced the BC concentrations significantly; however, the variation of BrCsec was slight.

Psychological Distress and Sleep Disturbance Throughout Thyroid Nodule Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment.

CONTEXT: Many controversies exist regarding screening and treatment of thyroid cancer (TC), especially papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate patients' psychological distress and sleep disturbance throughout thyroid nodule (TN) screening, diagnosis, and treatment. METHODS: A total of 2834 participants (1153 participants with TNs) were enrolled during the screening phase, and 1105 individuals with TNs (87 individuals with TC) were enrolled during the diagnosis phase. Of the 87 TC patients, 66 underwent immediate operation (OP), and 21 patients with PTMC opted for active surveillance (AS). Four validated scales were applied to quantify the outcome indicators at prescreening, postscreening, postdiagnosis, and posttreatment. RESULTS: Higher psychological distress and sleep disturbance were found postscreening than prescreening in subjects with TNs, but no differences in those without nodules. Compared with postscreening, higher scores of psychological distress and sleep disturbance were identified in patients with suspicious TC treated with fine needle aspiration (FNA) or with AS. Lower psychological distress and sleep disturbance were noted for patients with benign nodules than for TC patients. OP for TC, especially PTMC, did not alleviate psychological distress or sleep disturbance compared with the same parameters in patients who underwent AS. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings of impaired psychological health and sleep quality, screening for TNs in adults who show no symptoms should be performed with caution. Psychological distress and sleep disturbance should also be taken into consideration when FNA is performed for suspected TC or OP for papillary thyroid cancer, especially PTMC.

Accuracy of Endoscopic Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori Based on the Kyoto Classification of Gastritis: A Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND: There is lack of clinical evidence supporting the value of the Kyoto classification of gastritis for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in Chinese patients, and there aren't enough specific features for the endoscopic diagnosis of past infections, which is of special significance for the prevention of early gastric cancer (GC). METHODS: This was a prospective and multicenter study with 650 Chinese patients. The H. pylori status and gastric mucosal features, including 17 characteristics based on the Kyoto classification and two newly-defined features unclear atrophy boundary (UAB) and RAC reappearance in atrophic mucosa (RAC reappearance) were recorded in a blind fashion. The clinical characteristics of the subjects were analyzed, and the diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (ROC/AUC), and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for the different features, individually, and in combination. RESULTS: For past infection, the DOR of UAB was 7.69 (95%CI:3.11-19.1), second only to map-like redness (7.78 (95%CI: 3.43-17.7)). RAC reappearance showed the highest ROC/AUC (0.583). In cases in which at least one of these three specific features of past infection was considered positive, the ROC/AUC reached 0.643. For current infection, nodularity showed the highest DOR (11.7 (95%CI: 2.65-51.2)), followed by diffuse redness (10.5 (95%CI: 4.87-22.6)). Mucosal swelling showed the highest ROC/AUC (0.726). Regular arrangement of collecting venules (RAC) was specific for no infection. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence of the clinical accuracy and robustness of the Kyoto classification of gastritis for the diagnosis of H. pylori in Chinese patients, and confirms UAB and RAC reappearance partly supplement it for the diagnosis of past infections, which is of great benefit to the early prevention of GC.

Liver metastasis from adenoid cystic carcinoma of the submandibular gland: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignancy of epithelial origin. It involves a variety of histologic types and often has distant metastasis. ACC metastasis to the liver is rare and usually involves spread to other organs. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of liver metastasis from a submandibular gland adenoid cystic carcinoma 11 years after resection of tumor. The patient was admitted to our hospital due to a liver-occupying lesion found by abdominal B-ultrasound, CT and MRI. A metastasis was found only in the liver, and after discussion the patient was treated with surgery. This tumor was histologically consistent with the diagnostic criteria of ACC. The patient was followed up 24 months after surgery, and showed no recurrence in the liver parenchyma at the site of operation or other organs. CONCLUSIONS: ACC is a very rare tumor and its pathogenesis is not completely clear. There are few articles about the imaging findings of ACC in the liver, and so it was difficult for us to make a correct diagnosis in clinical practice. The diagnosis of ACC mainly relies on pathologic examination, so we summarize the correlation between imaging and pathology.

Subclinical hypothyroidism and anxiety may contribute to metabolic syndrome in Sichuan of China: a hospital-based population study.

The prevalence of Metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Sichuan of China has not yet been estimated. Meanwhile the association among anxiety, subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) and MetS was less well-studied. The data was retrieved retrospectively from Health Promotion Center of West China Hospital database between 2014 and 2017. Internal validation by randomizing into training and testing panel by 9:1 and external validation with National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHNES) were conducted. 19006 subjects were included into analysis, and 3530 (18.6%) of them were diagnosed with MetS. In training panel, age, sex (male), SCH (presence), SAS score, alcohol (Sometimes & Usual) and smoking (Active) were identified as independent risk factors for MetS, which was confirmed in testing panel internally. NHNES data validated externally the association between free thyroxine (fT4) and MetS components. The C-indices of predicting MetS nomogram were 0.705 (95% CI: 0.696-0.714) and 0.728 (95% CI: 0.701-0.754) in training and testing panel respectively. In conclusion, MetS prevalence was 18.6% in Sichuan. SCH and anxiety may be associated with MetS independently. A risk scale-based nomogram with accurate and objective prediction ability was provided for check-up practice, but more cohort validation was needed.

The association of metabolic syndrome and its components with serum prostate-specific antigen levels.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) can increase the risk of prostate cancer. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is the marker for prostate cancer puncture screening. The aim of our study was to investigate the association between MetS and its components with PSA levels. Data were obtained from 482 943 healthy men who underwent routine health check-ups from January 2010 to December 2017. We used linear regression analysis to evaluate the effects of MetS and its components on PSA levels. To explore the cumulative effect of MetS components, analysis of variance trend analysis was carried out. The PSA levels in the group with MetS were significantly lower than those without MetS (P = 0.001). In the multivariate regression model, age (P < 0.001) and hypertension (P < 0.001) were correlated positively with PSA levels; nevertheless, obesity (P < 0.001), hypertriglyceridemia (P < 0.001), hyperglycemia (P < 0.001), and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (P < 0.001) had a negative correlation. In addition, after adjustment for age, increasing sums of positive MetS components were associated with a linear decrease in PSA levels (P<0.001). In conclusion, MetS, obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperglycemia, and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels are associated with decreased PSA levels. For patients with PSA levels at the critical value of prostate puncture, the effect of these diseases in reducing PSA levels should be taken into account.

Optical properties and source identification of black carbon and brown carbon: comparison of winter and summer haze episodes in Xi'an, Northwest China.

Summer and winter fine particulate matter (PM2.5) samples were collected to provide insight into the seasonal variations of the optical properties and source profiles of PM2.5 black carbon (BC) and brown carbon (BrC) in Xi'an, China. The average PM2.5 mass concentration during the winter haze (WH) period was 292.5 µg m-3, which was 2.6, 5.0 and 9.2 times higher than that during winter non-haze (WNH), summer haze (SH), and summer non-haze (SNH) periods, respectively. Regarding optical properties, the PM2.5 chemical-derived light extinction coefficient was the highest during the WH period (1019.2 Mm-1) and decreased by approximately one-fourth in the SH period (237.6 Mm-1). During the WH period, the light absorption coefficient of BC (babs-BC) was considerably higher than that during the SH period; this is attributable to the thick coatings of inorganic ions on BC and intensive fossil fuel and biomass burning emissions in winter. Source apportionment also proved that fossil fuels were the major emission source of BC in SH and WH periods with high light absorption coefficient babs_FF (fossil fuel) fractions (>70%). Biomass burning contributed to 25.8% of BC in the winter haze period, but to only 5.4% of BC in the summer haze period. The mass absorption coefficient of BC (MAC-BC) was higher in summer, as it was considerably influenced by vehicle emissions, whereas it was lower in winter due to the strong influences of biomass burning. Moreover, the high light absorption coefficient of BrC (babs-BrC) in both WH and WNH indicated substantial light absorption during winter; however, this coefficient was considerably lower in summer. A remarkable difference in the diurnal pattern of haze between babs-BrC and babs-BC indicated that BC leads to a severe visibility reduction during traffic rush hours. In addition, the BrC abundance observed in Xi'an revealed different diurnal patterns in WH and SH periods, which can be attributed to different secondary formation processes. SH BrC was generally contributed by photochemical-derived secondary organic carbon (SOC) whereas the abundant WH BrC was mainly transformed from aqueous-SOC.

The risk of stroke and associated risk factors in a health examination population: A cross-sectional study.

Health examination is an important method for early detection of people with different risk of stroke. This study estimates the risk of stroke and identify risk factors for people who underwent health examinations at the Health Examination Center at West China Hospital, Sichuan University from July 2014 to February 2018.A total of 31,464 people were recruited in this study and divided into 3 groups (low risk, moderate risk, and high risk) according to risk of stroke. We explored possible factors associated with the risk of stroke by using multivariable stepwise logistic regression analysis.Among the participants, 17,959 were at low risk, 11,825 were at moderate risk, and 1680 were at high risk. Age, smoking, alcohol consumption, body mass index, uric acid, diastolic pressure, systolic pressure, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, glucose, and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) were independent significant risk factors for stroke, whereas high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was an independent protective factor for stroke. Interestingly, with increasing age, the percentage of people at moderate or high risk of stroke was increased. The percentages of people at moderate and high risk of stroke were also increased with respect to the stages of baPWV.This study showed that >40% of the participants were at moderate or high risk of stroke, especially the older participants. Several factors were related to the risk of stroke, especially baPWV. Some preventive action may be adopted early, and more attention can be paid to the health examination population.

Characterization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) source profiles in urban PM2.5 fugitive dust: A large-scale study for 20 Chinese cites.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in road dust (RD) and construction dust (CD) in PM2.5 were quantified in the samples collected in 20 Chinese cities. The PAHs profiles in urban PM2.5 fugitive dusts were determined and their potential health risks were evaluated. Seven geographical regions in China were identified as northwest China (NWC), the North China Plain (NCP), northeast China (NEC), central China (CC), south China (SC), southwest China (SWC), and east China (EC). The overall average concentrations of total quantified PAHs (ΣPAHs) were 23.2 ±â€¯18.9 and 22.8 ±â€¯29.6 µg·g-1 in RD and CD of PM2.5, indicating that severe PAHs pollution to urban fugitive dusts in China. The differences of ΣPAHs between RD and CD were minor in northern and central regions of China but much larger in southern and east regions. The Æ©PAHs for RD displayed a pattern of "high in northern and low in southern", and characterized by large abundance of high molecular weights (HMWs) PAHs, indicating that vehicle emission was the predominant pollution origin. Additionally, higher diagnostic ratios of fluoranthene/(fluoranthene + pyrene) in NCP, CC, and SWC suggest critical contributions of biomass burning and coal combustion for RD in these areas. In comparison, gasoline combustion was the major pollution source for CD PAHs in NWC, NCP, NEC, and CC, whereas industrial emissions such as cement production and iron smelting had strong impacts in the heavy industrial regions. The total benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) carcinogenic potency concentrations (BaPTEQ) for RD and CD both showed the lowest in SC (0.05 and 0.07, respectively) and the highest in NCP (10.99 and 7.67, respectively). The highest and lowest incremental life cancer risks (ILCR) were found in NCP and SC, coinciding with the spatial distributions of ambient PAHs levels. The total CD-related cancer risks for adults and children (~10-4) suggest high potential health risks in NCP, SWC, and NWC, whereas the evaluated values in EC and SC indicate virtual safety (≤10-6).

Research on the inhibiting effect of tanshinone IIA on colon cancer cell growth via COX-2-Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of tanshinone IIA (TSIIA) on the colon cancer cell growth and to explore the mechanism of TSIIA in regulating the colon cancer cell growth via cyclooxygenase (COX)-2-Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. METHODS: Colon cancer cell line HC8693 was exposed to different concentrations of TSIIA. After 24-hr exposure, MTT assay was used to detect the lethal concentration of TSIIA on HC8693 cells. The expression levels of COX-2 and ß-catenin were detected by semi-quantitative PCR (sq-PCR). The protein expression levels of COX-2 and ß-catenin were detected by Western blot, and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Celecoxib, a COX-2 selective inhibitor, was used to inhibit the COX-2 of HC8693 cells, and the inhibiting effect of TSIIA on HC8693 cell growth was assessed. RESULTS: MTT assay showed that TSIIA concentration of 20µM inhibited significantly the HC8693 cell growth (p<0.01). With reverse transcription after RNA extraction and (sq-PCR) detection the expression levels of COX-2 and ß-catenin were significantly decreased (p<0.01). Western blot showed that the protein expression levels of COX-2 and ß-catenin were significantly decreased (p<0.01). ELISA showed that the expression of VEGF was also significantly decreased (p<0.01); after celecoxib (10µM) was added, 20µM TSIIA had no inhibiting effect on the growth of HC8693 cells (p>0.05). Western blot showed no significant differences in the protein expression levels of COX-2 and ß-catenin compared with those in the control group (not exposed to TSIIA). CONCLUSIONS: TSIIA can inhibit the expression of COX-2 and activate the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway, thus downregulating the level of VEGF, and resulting in growth inhibition of colon cancer cells.

Characteristics and source apportionment of winter black carbon aerosols in two Chinese megacities of Xi'an and Hong Kong.

Black carbon (BC) aerosols were observed over Xi'an (XA) and Hong Kong (HK) to better compare its properties and sources in two geographically separate regions in China. High-BC (7.9 ± 3.3 µg·m-3) and -PM2.5 (182 ± 80.5 µg·m-3) concentrations were observed in XA, and these were much higher than those in HK (BC, 3.2 ± 0.9 µg·m-3; PM2.5, 34.5 ± 9.3 µg·m-3). The contribution of BC to PM2.5 in HK reached 10.7%, which was ~ 1.5 times than that in XA (7.6%). The results emphasized that BC played an important role in HK PM2.5. The diurnal distribution of HK BC was highly correlated with vehicle emissions during the daytime; it peaked during heavy traffic times. Whereas XA BC exhibited flat distribution owing to stable BC sources. It is not markedly driven by traffic patterns. Additionally, the potential source contribution function (PSCF) analysis showed that XA BC mainly originated from local emissions while nearly half of the HK BC originated from distant sources, such as industrial emissions from northeastern regions and ship emissions from marine regions. These anthropogenic BC sources were found to be regional in nature based on multilinear engine (ME-2) analysis. Specifically, the XA BC sources were dominated by three factors: 22.5% from coal burning, 19.6% from biomass burning, and 32.9% from vehicle emissions. In HK, the majority of BC contributions originated from vehicle and ship emissions (78.9%), while only 14.5% and 1.5% originated from coal and biomass burning from residential combustion, as well as industrial and power plants in inland China.

Effects of zerumbone on proliferation and apoptosis of esophageal cancer cells and on P53 and Bcl-2 expression levels.

The effects of zerumbone on the proliferation and apoptosis of esophagus cancer cells and on the P53 and Bcl-2 expression levels were studied. The esophagus cancer EC-109 cells were cultured and inoculated. The effect of zerumbone on proliferation of EC-109 cells was detected via the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) method. Cell apoptosis was detected via TdT-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) staining. Moreover, the mRNA expression levels of P53 and Bcl-2 were detected via reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the protein expression levels of P53 and Bcl-2 were evaluated via western blotting. CCK-8 detection results showed that compared with control group, zerumbone in different concentrations could inhibit the activity of EC-109, and the proliferation inhibition rate was significantly increased in a concentration-dependent manner with the increase of concentration. TUNEL staining showed that cell apoptosis gradually occurred in administration group, and the number of apoptotic cells was increased in a concentration-dependent manner with the increase of concentration. RT-PCR detection results showed that the mRNA expression level of P53 in administration group was significantly increased compared with that in control group, but that of Bcl-2 was significantly decreased. Western blotting showed that the protein expression level of Bcl-2 in administration group in different concentrations was significantly increased with the increase of zerumbone concentration, but that of Bcl-2 was significantly decreased in a concentration-dependent manner. Zerumbone can inhibit the proliferation and induce apoptosis of esophageal cancer EC-109 cells, and its induction of apoptosis may be realized through upregulating the mRNA expression of P53 and downregulating the mRNA expression of Bcl-2, and upregulating the protein expression of P53 and downregulating the protein expression of Bcl-2.