Preparation of Fresh-Keeping Paper Using Clove Essential Oil through Pickering Emulsion and Maintaining the Quality of Postharvest Cherry Tomatoes.

This study focused on developing a Pickering emulsion fresh-keeping paper that contained clove essential oil (CEO). Cherry tomatoes served as the test material for assessing the preservative efficacy of fresh-keeping paper. The results showed that Pickering emulsion had strong stability. Additionally, the fresh-keeping paper had a good antioxidant activity and sustained-release effect on CEO. In terms of the preservation effect, 0.75 wt% CEO Pickering emulsion paper reduced the decay incidence and weight loss of cherry tomatoes during 12-day storage. Fresh-keeping paper could also play a positive role in protecting the sensory index and color difference of tomatoes. It slowed the decline rate of soluble solid concentration (SSC) and titrable acid (TA). The vitamin C (Vc) and hardness of preserved tomatoes using fresh-keeping paper were maintained at a high level. The paper also inhibited the growth of microorganisms significantly. Therefore, 0.75 wt% CEO Pickering emulsion fresh-keeping paper displayed considerable potential for application in the preservation of postharvest fruits and vegetables. It is a novel fruit and vegetable preservation material worthy of development.

A functional polymorphism C-1310G in the promoter region of Ku70/XRCC6 is associated with risk of renal cell carcinoma.

The DNA repair gene Ku70 plays a key role in the DNA double strand break (DSB) repair system. Defects in DSB repair capacity can lead to genomic instability. We hypothesized that the Ku70 C-1310G polymorphism (rs2267437) was associated with risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). We genotyped the Ku70 C-1310G polymorphism in a case-control study of 620 patients and 623 controls in a Chinese population and assessed the effects of C-1310G polymorphism on RCC susceptibility and survival. We then examined the functionality of this polymorphism. Compared with the Ku70-1310CC genotype, the CG and CG/GG genotypes had a significantly increased risk of RCC [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.16-1.87 for CG and OR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.16-1.86 for CG/GG]. However, the C-1310G polymorphism did not influence the survival of RCC. The in vivo experiments with normal renal tissues revealed statistically significantly lower Ku70 mRNA expression in samples with CG/GG genotypes relative to those with the CC genotype (P < 0.05). In vitro luciferase assays in various cell lines showed lower luciferase activity for the -1310G allele than for the -1310C allele. These results suggest that the Ku70 C-1310G polymorphism is involved in the etiology of RCC and thus may be a marker for genetic susceptibility to RCC in Chinese populations. Larger studies are warranted to validate our findings.

[Investigation on injury of liver and kidney among the workers exposed to terephthalic acid, ethylene glycol and(or) dowtherm A].

OBJECTIVE: To study injury of liver and kidney among the workers exposed to terephthalic acid(TPA), ethylene glycol(EG) and(or) dowtherm A(DOW), and research for early biological monitoring indexes. METHODS: By using the method of occupational epidemiology, an investigation of industrial hygiene in a chemical fibre corporation was carried out and the changes of the liver and kidney functions were analyzed among the workers who had been exposed to TPA, EG, DOW. RESULTS: The values of serum gamma-glutamyl traspetidase(GGT) and total bile acid(TBA) in TPA + EG + DOW group men were (35.45 +/- 16.09) U/L, (10.29 +/- 6.76) mumol/L respectively and the values of serum alanine transaminase(ALT) and TBA in TPA + EG + DOW group women were(30.68 +/- 8.58) U/L, (9.53 +/- 6.63) mumol/L respectively, significantly higher than those in TPA, DOW and control groups(P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared with TPA, DOW and control groups, the values of urine N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase(NAG) and beta 2-2-microglobulim (beta 2-MG) in TPA + EG + DOW group of both men and women increased significantly(P < 0.05, P < 0.01), with(5.68 +/- 4.01) U/mmol Cr and (23.49 +/- 13.44) mg/mol Cr, and(6.68 +/- 4.68) U/mmol Cr and (22.80 +/- 13.00) mg/mol Cr, respectively. Analysis of regression indicated that both liver and renal injuries of the workers were evidently correlated with their exposure to TPA, EG and DOW after adjustment for the confounding factors such as sex, smoking, drinking, etc(P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Based on available knowledge, it is reasonable to assume that the joint actions should be considered on the injury of liver and kidney caused by TPA, EG and(or) DOW among the workers. Serum ALT, GGT, TBA, urine NAG and beta 2-MG should be suggested as biomarkers for liver and kidney damage.

Association of Ku70 A-31G polymorphism and risk of renal cell carcinoma in a Chinese population.

The DNA repair gene Ku70 plays a key role in the DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) repair system. Defects in DSBs repair capacity can lead to genomic instability. We hypothesized that the Ku70 A-31G polymorphism (rs132770) was associated with the risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). In a hospital-based case-control study of 620 RCC patients and 623 cancer-free controls frequency matched by age and sex, we genotyped the functional polymorphism Ku70 A-31G (rs132770). Thirty-eight normal renal tissue samples with different genotypes were tested to estimate the Ku70 mRNA expression by real-time quantitative reverse transcription. Compared with the GG genotype, the GA and GA/AA genotypes had a significantly decreased risk of RCC [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.62, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.44-0.87 for GA, and OR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.45-0.86 for GA/AA]. The in vivo experiments with normal renal tissues revealed that a statistically significantly higher Ku70 mRNA expression was identified in samples with GA/AA genotypes compared with those with GG genotypes (p = 0.001). These results suggested that the Ku70 A-31G polymorphism is involved in the etiology of RCC and, thus, may be a marker for genetic susceptibility to RCC in the Chinese populations.