Surfaxin attenuates PM2.5-induced airway inflammation via restoring surfactant proteins in rats exposed to cigarette smoke.

Epidemiologic studies have shown that the fine particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) exaggerates chronic airway inflammation involving in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). Surfactant proteins (SPs) decreases significantly related to airflow limitation and airway inflammation. However, how to restore the reduction of SPs levels in airway inflammation exposed to PM2.5 has not been well understood. In the present study, the SPs including SPA, SPB, SPC and SPD levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were detected from patients with stable COPD. Rats were exposed to cigarette smoke and PM2.5. After given with Surfaxin, the expression of SPs, protein kinase C (PKC) and tight junction protein (ZO-1) in lung tissue and the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen (FIB) in plasma was observed. The results showed that SPA, SPB and SPD were significantly lower than those of the control group (p < 0.01). PM2.5 aggravated smoking-induced airway inflammation and oxidative stress demonstrated by pathological changes of lung tissue and increased levels of CRP and PKC in vivo. PM2.5 decreased the expression of all the SPs and ZO-1, which could be significantly restored by Surfaxin. These findings indicate that Surfaxin protects the alveolar epithelium from PM2.5 in airway inflammation through increasing SPs.

Long-term survival of advanced lung adenocarcinoma by maintenance chemotherapy followed by EGFR-TKI: A case report.

RATIONALE: The incidence of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is high. Most nonsmall cell lung cancers have undergone multiple metastases at the time of initial diagnosis, and the 5 year survival rate is low. At present, comprehensive treatments, including systemic chemotherapy, targeted therapy, antiangiogenic therapy, and immunotherapy, prolong the survival of patients with advanced NSCLC. Herein, we report a case of NSCLC with long-term survival. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 61-year-old woman complained of dry cough and shortness of breath and visited our hospital in July 2011. Imaging examination revealed a left upper lung mass with multiple metastases to the liver, adrenal gland, and bone. DIAGNOSES: Stage IVB (cT2aN3M1c) lung adenocarcinoma was diagnosed, with multiple metastases of the lymph nodes, liver, adrenal gland, and bone. INTERVENTIONS AND OUTCOMES: The patient received systemic chemotherapy and epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor-targeted therapy, and has survived for more than 9 years. LESSONS: The patient benefited from maintenance chemotherapy and epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment and achieved long-term survival.

The occurrence and spatial distribution of phthalate esters (PAEs) in the Lanzhou section of the Yellow River.

The occurrence and spatial distribution of 22 congener phthalate esters (PAEs) in the Lanzhou section of the Yellow River were investigated using water and sediment samples collected from 12 stations along the river in August 2016 to March 2017. PAEs were determined by liquid-liquid extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The average concentrations of PAE in the water samples during the dry and wet periods were 3236.0 ng/L and 2300.0 ng/L, and the average dry and wet periods of the PAEs in the sediments were 4238.9 ng/g and 3959.9 ng/g, respectively. PAEs were detected in all sampling sites. The six PAEs controlled by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), namely dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP), and butyl benzyl phthalate(BBP), were detected. DMP, DEP, DBP, and DEHP accounted for more than 70% of all PAEs. In view of time distribution, PAEs concentration in the water samples of the dry season were greater than those of the wet season, but the sediments did not differ remarkably across the different periods. As for spatial distribution, the PAEs initially exhibited low concentrations in the upper reaches, high concentrations in the middle part, and low concentrations in the downstream; a health risk assessment of the six PAEs controlled by the U.S. EPA was carried out according to priority. Results showed that the carcinogenic risk value was less than 10-6, and the values of the non-carcinogenic compound risk index were less than 1, indicating the absence of carcinogenic damage to organisms or humans.

Favorable response to pemetrexed, cisplatin and bevacizumab in invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma: A case report and literature review.

Invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma (IMA) was formerly referred to as mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma. The lack of effective chemotherapy and comprehensive treatment for this type of tumor poses a great challenge in clinical practice. We herein report the case of a male patient with IMA who was treated with a combination of pemetrexed (500 mg/m2), cisplatin (75 mg/m2) and bevacizumab (15 mg/kg) as first-line chemotherapy. The patient achieved significant radiological improvement with 6 courses of this regimen. After the tumor progressed, the patient again achieved marked improvement with an additional 4 courses of the same regimen. The patient survived for a total of 30 months after the first chemotherapy. Therefore, bevacizumab in combination with pemetrexed/cisplatin may be an effective strategy for the treatment of IMA. The available literature on this chemotherapy regimen was also reviewed and discussed in the present study.

A Comparison of Different Training Methods in the Successful Learning of Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration.

BACKGROUND: Standardized training of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS- TBNA) is available only in highly developed countries. OBJECTIVE: To compare the skill differences in the performance of EBUS-TBNA by pulmonologists trained under different learning methods. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of 145 EBUS-TBNA cases. We set up 3 comparative training groups: a standardized training group, a teaching group, and a self-study group. The main clinical outcomes were sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of EBUS-TBNA. Cumulative sum analysis was used to track EBUS-TBNA proficiency of the 3 groups. RESULTS: The sensitivities of EBUS-TBNA in the different groups were 90, 88, and 67%, respectively. The accuracies of the different groups were 91, 90, and 71%, respectively. With respect to the sensitivity and accuracy, there was no significant difference between the standardized training group and teaching group. However, the self-study group was inferior to the other 2 groups. By comparing the learning curve among the groups, we found that the minimum number of operations needed to reach a 90% accuracy for the standardized training group, the teaching group and the self-study group was 17, 32 and 40 cases, respectively. CONCLUSION: Compared with the teaching and self-study groups, the standardized training group resulted in practitioners achieving high skill levels following the performance of a lower number of cases. Pulmonologists trained in the teaching group achieved a similar level of skills, but required more experience to reach this level. Practitioners in the self-study group did not achieve a satisfactory level of skills, despite performing a high number of cases.

The role of Cu(II) in the reduction of N-nitrosodimethylamine with iron and zinc.

The role of Cu(II) in the reduction of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) with zero-valent metals was investigated by determining the effects of Cu(II) on the removal, kinetics, products, and mechanism. NDMA removal was enhanced, and all reactions followed a pseudo-first-order kinetic model except for the Fe and Fe/0.1 mM Cu(II) systems. The iron mass-normalized pseudo-first-order rate constants (kMFe) increased with the Cu(II) concentration. The zinc mass-normalized pseudo-first-order rate constants (kMZn) were identical to those with the Cu(II) concentrations from 0.1 mM to 1.0 mM and were higher with 2.0 mM Cu(II). The types of products detected were unchanged. Some unknown products were also found. NDMA was reduced to 1,1-dimethylhydrazine (unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine, UDMH). Then, UDMH was reduced into dimethylamine (DMA) by the Fe/Cu(II) and Zn/Cu(II) systems. Catalytic hydrogenation was proposed as the reduction mechanism. Several copper species, such as Cu(OH)2 in the Fe/Cu(II) system and Cu2O and Cu(OH)2 in the Zn/Cu(II) system enhanced NDMA reduction. Differences between the Fe/Cu(II) and Zn/Cu(II) systems were caused by the reduction potentials and surface conditions of the different metals and the copper species in the various systems.

[Solidification/Stabilization of Chromite Ore Processing Residue (COPR) Using Zero-Valent Iron and Lime-Activated Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag].

The solidification/stabilization (S/S) of chromite ore processing residue (COPR) was performed using zero-valent iron (ZVI) and lime-activated ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS). The degree of Cr immobilization was evaluated using the leaching procedure, mineral composition analysis and morphology analysis. Semi-dynamic leaching tests were implemented to investigate the potential for reusing the final treatment product as a readily available construction material. The results showed that after reduction, all of the S/S treated COPR samples met the pollution control limit of bricks and building block products (Chinese standard HJ/T 301-2007) produced with COPR for total Cr (0.3 mg x L(-1)), the compressive strength of all the S/S samples could meet the compressive strength standard (15 MPa) for producing clay bricks, and Cr existed as the specie that bound to Fe/Mn oxides in the S/S samples. At the same time, all of the S/S treated specimens tested were suitable for utilization at certain levels.

Ozonation degradation of microcystin-LR in aqueous solution: intermediates, byproducts and pathways.

The intermediates and byproducts formed during the ozonation of microcystin-LR (MC-LR, m/z = 995.5) and the probable degradation pathway were investigated at different initial molar ratios of ozone to MC-LR ([O3]0/[MC-LR]0). Seven reaction intermediates with m/z ≥ 795.4 were observed by LC/MS, and four of them (m/z = 815.4, 827.3, 853.3 and 855.3) have not been previously reported. Meanwhile, six aldehyde-based byproducts with molecular weights of 30-160 were detected for the first time. Intermediates structures demonstrated that ozone reacted with two sites of MC-LR: the diene bonds in the Adda side chain and the Mdha amino acid in the cyclic structure. The fragment from the Adda side chain oxidative cleavage could be further oxidized to an aldehyde with a molecular weight of 160 at low [O3]0/[MC-LR]0. Meanwhile, the polypeptide structure of MC-LR was difficult to be further oxidized, unless [O3]0/[MC-LR]0 > 10. After further oxidation of the intermediates, five other aldehyde-based byproducts were detected by GC/MS: formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, isovaleraldehyde, glyoxal and methylglyoxal. Formaldehyde, isovaleraldehyde and methylglyoxal were the dominant species. The yields of the aldehydes varied greatly, depending on the value of [O3]0/[MC-LR]0.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water, sediment and soil of the Songhua River Basin, China.

The Songhua River is the third largest river in China and the primary source of drinking and irrigation water for northeastern China. The distribution of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water [dissolved water (DW) and suspended particulate matter (SPM)], sediment, and soil in the river basin was investigated, and the associated risk of cancer from these PAHs was also assessed. The total concentration of PAHs ranged from 13.9 to 161 ng L(-1) in DW, 9.21 to 83.1 ng L(-1) in SPM, 20.5 to 632 ng g(-1) dw (dry weight) in sediment, and from 30.1 to 870 ng g(-1) dw in soil. The compositional pattern of PAHs indicated that three-ring PAHs were predominant in DW and SPM samples, while four-ring PAHs dominated in sediment and soil samples. The spatial distribution of PAHs revealed some site-specific sources along the river, with principal component analysis indicating that these were from pyrogenic sources (such as coal and biomass combustion, and vehicle emissions) and coke oven emission distinguished as the main source of PAHs in the Songhua River Basin. Based on the ingestion of PAH-contaminated drinking water from the Songhua River, cancer risk was quantitatively estimated by combining the Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk assessment model and BaP-equivalent concentration for five age groups of people (adults, teenagers, children, toddlers, and infants). Overall, the results suggest that the estimated integrated lifetime cancer risk for all groups was in acceptable levels. This study is the first attempt to provide information on the cancer risk of PAHs in drinking water from the Songhua River.

Atmospheric concentrations, sources and gas-particle partitioning of PAHs in Beijing after the 29th Olympic Games.

A comprehensive sampling campaign was carried out to study atmospheric concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Beijing and to evaluate the effectiveness of source control strategies in reducing PAHs pollution after the 29th Olympic Games. The sub-cooled liquid vapor pressure (logP(L)(o))-based model and octanol-air partition coefficient (K(oa))-based model were applied based on each seasonal dateset. Regression analysis among log K(P), logP(L)(o) and log K(oa) exhibited high significant correlations for four seasons. Source factors were identified by principle component analysis and contributions were further estimated by multiple linear regression. Pyrogenic sources and coke oven emission were identified as major sources for both the non-heating and heating seasons. As compared with literatures, the mean PAH concentrations before and after the 29th Olympic Games were reduced by more than 60%, indicating that the source control measures were effective for reducing PAHs pollution in Beijing.