Identification and validation of hub genes expressed in ulcerative colitis with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

Objective: Ulcerative colitis (UC) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) are closely intertwined; however, the precise molecular mechanisms governing their coexistence remain unclear. Methods: We obtained UC (GSE75214) and MASLD (GSE151158) datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were acquired by the 'edgeR' and 'limma' packages of R. We then performed functional enrichment analysis of common DEGs. Hub genes were selected using the cytoHubba plugin and validated using GSE87466 for UC and GSE33814 for MASLD. Immunohistochemistry was employed to validate the hub genes' expression in clinical samples. Immune infiltration and gene set enrichment analyses of the hub genes were performed. Finally, we estimated the Spearman's correlation coefficients for the clinical correlation of the core genes. Results: Within a cohort of 26 differentially regulated genes in both UC and MASLD, pathways involving cytokine-mediated signaling, cell chemotaxis, and leukocyte migration were enriched. After further validation, CXCR4, THY1, CCL20, and CD2 were identified as the hub genes. Analysis of immune infiltration patterns highlighted an association between elevated pivotal gene expression and M1 macrophage activation. Immunohistochemical staining revealed widespread expression of pivotal genes in UC- and MASLD-affected tissues. Furthermore, significant correlations were observed between the increased expression of hub genes and biochemical markers, such as albumin and prothrombin time. Conclusion: This bioinformatics analysis highlights CXCR4, THY1, CCL20, and CD2 as crucial genes involved in the co-occurrence of UC and MASLD, providing insights into the underlying mechanisms of these two conditions.

Global burden and risk factors of gastritis and duodenitis: an observational trend study from 1990 to 2019.

In recent years, there has been a global trend of aging, which has resulted in significant changes to the burden of gastritis and duodenitis (GD). Using the global burden of disease (GBD) database spanning 1990 to 2019, we evaluated the temporal trends of age-standardized incidence rates (ASIR), age-standardized death rates (ASDR), and age-standardized disability-adjusted life years (AS-DALYs) for GD using estimated annual percentage changes (EAPC). Additionally, we examined the burden of GD across various strata, including social demographic index (SDI), age, and sex. Finally, the risk factors linked to the incidence and mortality of GD, utilizing Pearson correlation analysis. In 2019, there were 31 million GD patients globally, a notable increase of 12 million from 1990, while the ASIR, ASDR, and AS-DALYs for GD all showed a decrease. Correlation analysis showed a significant negative relationship between ASIR and SDI. Factors like hand hygiene and vitamin A deficiency had significant positive correlations with ASIR and ASDR in 2019. Over the past thirty years, the burden of GD has increased alongside global population aging. Future efforts should focus on exploring prevention for GD, with special attention to the elderly population in low SDI regions.

Hemerocallis citrina Baroni ameliorates chronic sleep deprivation-induced cognitive deficits and depressive-like behaviours in mice.

Sleep deprivation (SD) is common during spaceflight. SD is known to cause cognitive deficits and depression, requiring treatment and prevention. Hemerocallis citrina Baroni (Liliaceae) is a perennial herb with antidepressant, antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects.The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of H. citrina extract (HCE) on SD-induced cognitive decline and depression-like behavior and possible neuroinflammation-related mechanisms. HCE (2 g/kg/day, i.g.) or vortioxetine (10 mg/kg/day, i.g.) were given to mice by oral gavage for a total of 28 days during the SD process. HCE treatment was found to ameliorate SD-induced impairment of short- and long-term spatial and nonspatial memory, measured using Y-maze, object recognition, and Morris water maze tests, as well as mitigating SD-induced depression-like behaviors, measured by tail suspension and forced swimming tests. HCE also reduced the levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, IL-18, and IL-6) in the serum and hippocampus. Furthermore, HCE suppressed SD-induced microglial activation in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the CA1 and dentate gyrus (DG) regions of the hippocampus. HCE also inhibited the expression of phosphorylated NF-κB and activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. In summary, our findings indicated that HCE attenuated SD-induced cognitive impairment and depression-like behavior and that this effect may be mediated by the inhibition of inflammatory progression and microglial activation in the hippocampus, as well as the down-regulation of NF-κB and NLRP3 signaling. The findings of these studies showingTthese results indicate that HCE exerts neuroprotective effects and are consistent with the findings of previous studies, suggesting that HCE is beneficial for the prevention and treatment of cognitive decline and depression in SD.

Why greenwashing occurs and what happens afterwards? A systematic literature review and future research agenda.

The greenwashing phenomenon, which implies the misalignment between environmental disclosure and performance, has received significant scholarly attention. We review the diverse literature on corporate greenwashing to develop an integrative framework that examines its antecedents and consequences from the perspective of corporate governance. Specifically, we identify theoretical perspectives commonly assumed in the literature on greenwashing, including green marketing, green finance, signaling strategy, and corporate decoupling. We outline why and how greenwashing occurs from the aspects of external governance environments and internal governance mechanisms, and what influences greenwashing exerts on firm performance and stakeholder reactions. The analysis further leads to the identification of a research agenda to continue advancing our understanding of corporate greenwashing. Future studies should re-evaluate whether environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues should be included in greenwashing, address potential trade-offs within an ESG framework, explore internal governance mechanisms that influence greenwashing, and examine the differentiated impacts of corporate greenwashing on various stakeholders.

Distribution, risk assessment of heavy metals in sediments, and their potential risk on water supply safety of a drinking water reservoir, middle China.

Heavy metals in reservoir sediments were analyzed to assess the pollution level and to understand the potential risk on water supply safety. Heavy metals in sediments will enter the biological chain through bio-enrichment and bio-amplification in water and eventually pose a threat to the safety of drinking water supply. Analysis of eight sampling sites in JG (Jian gang) drinking water reservoir of the sediments showed that from Feb 2018 to Aug 2019 heavy metals including Pb, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, and Cr increased by 1.09-17.2%. Vertical distributions of heavy metals indicated that the concentrations increased gradually by 9.6-35.8%. Risk assessment code analysis indicated that Pb, Zn, and Mo were of high risk in the main reservoir area. What is more, enrichment factors of Ni and Mo were 2.76-3.81 and 5.86-9.41, respectively, showing the characteristics of exogenous input. The continuous monitoring results of the bottom water showed that the concentration of heavy metals in the bottom water exceeded the environmental quality standard value of surface water in China, and exceeded the standard by 1.76 times (Pb), 1.43 times (Zn), and 2.04 times (Mo), respectively. Heavy metals in the sediments of JG Reservoir, especially in the main reservoir area, have a potential risk of release from the sediment to the overlying water. Water supply reservoir as a source of drinking water, its quality is directly related to human health and production activities. Therefore, this first study on JG Reservoir is of great significance for the protection of drinking water safety and human health.

Construction and validation of a nomogram of risk factors and cancer-specific survival prognosis for combined lymphatic metastases in patients with early-onset colorectal cancer.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the risk and prognostic factors of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in early-onset colorectal cancer (EO-CRC) and to develop nomograms for quantitatively predicting LNM and the cancer-specific survival (CSS). METHODS: A total of 22,405 EO-CRC patients were included in this study using the SEER database from 2010 to 2017. Logistic and Cox regression were used to identify risk and the potential prognostic factors, respectively, for EO-CRC with LNM. Subsequently, nomograms regarding the risk of LNM in EO-CRC patients and its corresponding CSS were constructed based on these factors. The discriminative ability, calibration and clinical usefulness of the nomograms were assessed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUC), calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA). RESULTS: T-stage and pathological grade were the most represented factors in the predicted LNM nomogram, while histological type and combined distant metastases were the most represented in the nomogram for CSS in EO-CRC patients with LNM (all P < 0.05). The nomogram constructed based on the prognostic factors screened by Cox regression had good performance with C-index of 0.807 and 0.802 for the training and validation cohorts, respectively. The calibration curve showed that the nomograms' predictions were in line with actual observations. Additionally, the ROC curves indicated good discrimination, and the DCA curves implied significant clinical utility of the nomograms. CONCLUSION: The nomograms we constructed have significant performance in predicting the incidence and prognosis of LNM in EO-CRC patients, which may help clinicians to make better treatment decision making.

Polygonum sibiricum polysaccharides exert the antidepressant-like effects in chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced depressive mice by modulating microbiota-gut-brain axis.

Polygonum sibiricum polysaccharides (PSP) are one of the main active components of Polygonatum sibiricum, which is a traditional Chinese medicine with food and drug homologies. Recent studies have revealed the antidepressant-like effects of PSP. However, the precise mechanisms have not been clarified. Therefore, the present study was conducted to explore that whether PSP could exert the antidepressant-like effects via microbiota-gut-brain (MGB) axis in chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced depressive mice by transplantation of fecal microbiota (FMT) from PSP administration mice. FMT markedly reversed the depressive-like behaviors of CUMS-induced mice in the open field, the sucrose preference, the tail suspension, the forced swimming, and the novelty-suppressed feeding tests. FMT significantly increased the levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine and norepinephrine, decreased the levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus and reduced the levels of corticosterone, an adrenocorticotropic-hormone, in the serum of CUMS-induced mice. In addition, administration of PSP and FMT significantly increased the expressions of ZO-1 and occludin in the colon and decreased the levels of lipopolysaccharide and interferon-γ in the serum of CUMS-induced mice. Moreover, administration of PSP and FMT regulated the signaling pathways of PI3K/AKT/TLR4/NF-κB and ERK/CREB/BDNF. Taken together, these findings indicated that PSP exerted antidepressant-like effects via the MGB axis.

Development of human health criteria in China for benzo[a]pyrene: A comparison of deterministic and probabilistic approaches.

Human health water quality criteria (HHWQC) for benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) in Chinese rivers and lakes were established using both deterministic and probabilistic approaches. Results showed that the national bioaccumulation factor (BAF) values for BaP at trophic levels 2, 3, and 4 were 342 L/kg, 199 L/kg, and 196 L/kg, respectively. The probabilistic HHWQC for BaP was 0.00407 µg/L for both water and organisms consumption and 0.00488 µg/L for organisms consumption only, which provide a more adequate protection than the deterministic HHWQC. Approximately 32.1% of the studied waters in China exceeded the derived HHWQC, which is likely to have adverse health effects and need be considered more attention. The derived HHWQC for BaP is soly based on Chinese exposure-related activity patterns and field-measured BAFs in surface freshwaters in China, which is important to provide a scientific basis for establishing or revising water quality standards (WQS) and risk management of BaP in water.

Tenuifolin ameliorates the sleep deprivation-induced cognitive deficits.

Tenuifolin (TEN), a natural neuroprotective compound obtained from the Polygala tenuifolia Willd plant, has improved cognitive symptoms. However, the impact of TEN on memory impairments caused by sleep deprivation (SD) is unclear. Accordingly, the objective of this study was to investigate the mechanisms behind the preventative benefits of TEN on cognitive impairment caused by SD. TEN (10 and 20 mg/kg) and Huperzine A (0.1 mg/kg) were given to mice through oral gavage for 28 days during the SD process. The results indicate that TEN administrations improve short- and long-term memory impairments caused by SD in the Y-maze, object identification, and step-through tests. Moreover, TEN stimulated the generation of anti-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-10), lowered the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1ß, interleukin-6, and interleukin-18), and activated microglia, improving antioxidant status in the hippocampus. TEN treatments significantly boosted the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 and heme oxygenase-1 while considerably decreasing the expression of NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 and caspase-1 p20. Additionally, TEN restored the downregulation of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling cascade and the impaired hippocampal neurogenesis induced by SD. When considered collectively, our data suggest that TEN is a potentially effective neuroprotective agent for cognition dysfunction.

Nano-Gold PCR in Detection of TERT Methylation and Its Correlation with Hepatitis B-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

This study aimed to introduce nano-gold PCR for detection of TERT methylation, and explore the correlation between TERT methylation and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). From March 2016 to March 2018, 154 HBV carriers treated in our hospital were enrolled in the study and divided into HCC (68 cases), cirrhosis (45 cases) and chronic hepatitis (CH) groups (41 cases) based on clinical disease. HCC patients were further divided into methylation (30 cases) and non-methylation (38 cases) subgroup based on methylation status of the TERT. TERT methylation of HCC specimens were 44.12% and 35.24% by nano-PCR and conventional PCR, respectively. The TERT methylation and TERT expression in HCC specimens were higher than for cirrhosis and CH specimens. A significant positive correlation was observed between TERT methylation and TERT expression. AFP, Edmondson classification, tumor size, hilar lymph node and intrahepatic metastasis, and TNM staging in the methylation group were higher than in non-methylation group. Further, overall survival and progression-free survival were significantly shorter. Nano-gold PCR is more sensitive in detecting TERT methylation. As CHB progresses, TERT methylation increases. Greater methylation of the gene is associated with worse prognosis in HCC patients.

[Risk factors for sepsis in patients with hepatic failure].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the pathogenic characteristics of sepsis in patients with hepatic failure, and to explore the risk factors for sepsis in patients with liver failure. METHODS: The data of 221 patients with hepatic failure admitted to Tianjin Second People's Hospital from January 2014 to December 2018 were retrospectively collected. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether they suffered from sepsis or not. The pathogeny results of blood culture in patients with sepsis were observed. The levels of white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil (Neut), platelet (PLT), lactic acid (Lac), C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) were compared between the two groups. The risk factors for sepsis in patients with hepatic failure were analyzed by multivariate Logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Among 221 patients, 27 cases had incomplete data and were excluded. Finally, 194 cases were enrolled in the analysis, including 52 in sepsis group and 142 in non-sepsis group. From 2014 to 2018, there were 11, 12, 11, 11 and 8 positive cases of sepsis in patients with liver failure. The positive rate of Gram-positive (G+) bacteria increased year by year (2, 3, 4, 5 and 4 cases of G+ bacteria from 2014 to 2018). There was no significant difference in demographic and medical history data, such as gender, age and history of diabetes mellitus between the two groups. Compared with non-sepsis group, Neut, Lac, CRP and PCT in sepsis group were significantly increased [Neut: 0.81±0.09 vs. 0.74±0.15, Lac (mmol/L): 3.04±0.61 vs. 2.00±0.43, CRP (mg/L): 44.09±8.37 vs. 40.54±8.37, PCT (µg/L): 0.34±0.12 vs. 0.31±0.11], with significant differences (all P < 0.05). But there was no statistical difference in WBC or PLT between the two groups. The multivariate Logistic regression model incorporated the indicators with statistical significance in univariate analysis. The results showed that Lac was an independent factor of sepsis in patients with hepatic failure [odds ratio (OR) = 58.286, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 16.633-204.247, P = 0.000]. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with hepatic failure infection, the ratio of G+ bacteria increased year by year. Elevated Lac is an independent risk factor for sepsis in patients with liver failure.

Engineering banana endosphere microbiome to improve Fusarium wilt resistance in banana.

BACKGROUND: Plant microbiome highlights the importance of endosphere microbiome for growth and health of the host plant. Microbial community analysis represents an elegant way to identify keystone microbial species that have a more central position in the community. The aim of this study was to access the interactions between the keystone bacterial species and plants during banana Fusarium wilt process, by comparing the endophytic bacterial and fungal community in banana roots and shoot tips during growth and wilting processes. The keystone bacterial species were isolated and further engineered to improve banana wilt resistance. RESULTS: Banana endosphere microbiome structure varied during plant growth and wilting processes. Bacterial and fungal diversity in the shoot tips and roots increased with the development of the banana plantlets. The bacterial groups belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family with different relative abundances were detected in all the samples. The Klebsiella spp. might be the keystone bacteria during the growth of banana plantlets. The relative abundance of Fusarium associated with the wilt disease did not increase during the wilting process. The endophytic Enterobacteriaceae strains Enterobacter sp. E5, Kosakonia sp. S1, and Klebsiella sp. Kb were isolated on Enterobacteriaceae selective medium and further engineered by expressing 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase on the bacterial cell walls (designated as E5P, S1P, and KbP, respectively). Pot experiments suggested that plants inoculated with strains E5, E5P, S1, and S1P increased resistance to the Fusarium wilt disease compared with the controls without inoculation, whereas the Klebsiella inoculation (Kb and KbP) did not increase the wilt resistance. Compared with the inoculation with the wild strains E5 and S1, the inoculation with engineered strains E5P and S1P significantly increased wilt resistance and promoted plant growth, respectively. The results illustrated that the keystone species in the banana microbiome may not be dominant in numbers and the functional role of keystone species should be involved in the wilt resistance. CONCLUSION: The ACC deaminase activity of engineered bacteria was essential to the Fusarium wilt resistance and growth promotion of banana plants. Engineering keystone bacteria in plant microbiome with ACC deaminase on the cell walls should be a promising method to improve plant growth and disease resistance.

Surface display of ACC deaminase on endophytic Enterobacteriaceae strains to increase saline resistance of host rice sprouts by regulating plant ethylene synthesis.

BACKGROUND: Most endophytic bacteria in consortia, which provide robust and broad metabolic capacity, are attractive for applications in plant metabolic engineering. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of engineered endophytic bacterial strains on rice sprout ethylene level and growth under saline stress. A protocol was developed to synthesize engineered strains by expressing bacterial 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase gene on cells of endophytic Enterobacter sp. E5 and Kosakonia sp. S1 (denoted as E5P and S1P, respectively). RESULTS: Results showed that ACC deaminase activities of the engineered strains E5P and S1P were significantly higher than those of the wild strains E5 and S1. About 32-41% deaminase was expressed on the surface of the engineered strains. Compared with the controls without inoculation, inoculation with the wild and engineered strains increased the deaminase activities of sprouts. Inoculation with the engineered strains increased 15-21% more deaminase activities of sprouts than with the wild strains, and reduced the ethylene concentrations of sprouts more significantly than with wild strains (P < 0.05). Inoculation with the wild and engineered strains promoted the growth of sprouts, while the promoting effects were more profound with the engineered strains than with the wild strains. The engineered strains improved saline resistance of sprouts under salt concentrations from 10 to 25 g L-1. The engineered strains promoted longer roots and shoots than the wild strains under the salt stresses, indicating that the ACC deaminases on the endophytic bacterial cells could result in plant-produced ACC degradation and inhibit plant ethylene formation. CONCLUSIONS: The protocols of expressing enzymes on endophytic bacterial cells showed greater potentials than those of plant over-expressed enzymes to increase the efficiency of plant metabolic pathways.

Development and characterization of 25 microsatellite primers for Ilex chinensis (Aquifoliaceae).

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: To evaluate genetic variation and structure of Ilex chinensis (Aquifoliaceae), a dioecious evergreen tree, we developed 25 microsatellite markers from its nuclear genome. METHODS AND RESULTS: Based on the biotin-streptavidin capture method, 10 polymorphic and 15 monomorphic microsatellite markers were developed. Ten polymorphic loci were characterized by 87 individuals sampled from three populations located in Zhejiang Province and Shanghai, China. The number of alleles per locus varied from two to 12. The observed and expected heterozygosities were 0.0435-0.9032 and 0.3121-0.8343, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These microsatellite markers can be useful for further genetic studies of I. chinensis populations, and so contribute to forest restoration and management.

Characterization of fibrolytic and lipid accumulating fungi isolated from fresh cattle feces.

To characterize coprophilous fungi for converting lignocellulose into lipids, four fungal strains utilizing cellulose microcrystalline and xylan were screened. The fungi were identified as Cladosporium sp. F1, Circinella sp. F6, Mycocladus sp. F49, and Byssochlamys sp. F52 based on the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 sequence similarity. The strain F52 accumulated 336.0 mg/L reducing sugars on cottonseed shells treated with ethanol. The combination of F1+F52 increased the reducing sugar accumulating rates. However, the activities of avicelase and xylanase were not correlated with the reducing sugars accumulated by the test strains. Strains F6 and F52 produced higher cellular lipids (above 530.7 mg/L) than other strains. However, the strain F52 could produce more cellular lipids with xylose and mannose as the sole carbon sources. The results indicated that the reducing sugar contents accumulated by the different strains were influenced by the fungal taxa and ligocellulosic types. With fibrolytic and lipid accumulating activities, diverse fungi harboring in herbivore feces need to be further characterized.

Characterization of cattle fecal Streptomyces strains converting cellulose and hemicelluloses into reducing sugars.

To characterize Streptomyces isolated from cattle feces for converting lignocellulose into reducing sugars, five Streptomyces strains were screened. All the strains could convert lignocellulose into reducing sugars. The strain A16 accumulate 3.3-folds more reducing sugars on cottonseed shells treated with ethanol than without the treatment (P < 0.05). The five strains did not accumulate more reducing sugars on rice straws and wheat brans than those on cottonseed shells. Compared with A10 alone, the microbial combination of F1 + A10 accumulated 19, 61, and 25 % less reducing sugars on cottonseed shell, rice straw, and wheat bran than those by A10 solely, respectively (P < 0.05). Further studies indicated that the activities of avicelase and xylanase were not correlated with the reducing sugar amount accumulated by the test strains. Strain A7 could produce more cellular lipids with xylose and glucose as the sole carbon sources. This study shows the potential for Streptomyces strains from herbivore feces to convert lignocelluloses into lipids and reducing sugars for fuel production.

The role of heat shock protein 70 in the protective effect of YC-1 on heat stroke rats.

Heat stroke is a life-threatening illness characterized by an elevated core body temperature. Despite adequate lowering of the body temperature and support treatment of multiple organ-system function, heat stroke is often fatal. 3-(5'-Hydoxymethyl-2'-furyl)-1-benzyl-indazol (YC-1) been identified as an activator of soluble guanylate cyclase. To evaluate whether YC-1 protects multiple organ dysfunctions and improves survival during heat stroke and its mechanism. Male Sprague-Dawley rats untreated or treated with either YC-1 or quercetin (heat shock protein (Hsp) 70 inhibitor) were exposures to heat as a model of heat stroke. The mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate, rectal temperature (Tco), survival time, and plasma biochemical data, intracellular Hsp70 and heat shock factor-1 expression were measured. The value of MAP, heart rate and Tco of untreated heat stroke (HS) group were all significantly lower than that of normothermal (NT) group. Biochemical markers evidenced that liver and kidney injuries of HS group were significantly higher than that of NT groups. YC-1 (20mg/kg) pretreatment with heat stroke (YC-1+HS) group, the MAP and heart rate were return to normal, and the biochemical markers were all significantly recovered to normal. The survival time of HS group, NT group and YC-1+HS group were 21, 480, and 445 min, respectively. The expression of Hsp70 and HSF-1 in liver and renal of YC-1+HS group was significantly higher than that of HS group. All of the protective effects of YC-1 were all significantly suppressed when pretreated with quercetin (400mg/kg). Results indicate that YC-1 may improve survival due to induce Hsp70 overexpression.

[Spatio-temporal distribution of TN and TP in water and evaluation of eutrophic state of Lake Nansi].

Based on the seasonally investigating data from Lake Nansi during 2010 to 2011, the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) in water were analyzed, and the trophic state was also assessed. The results showed that the average concentrations of TN and TP were 2.617 mg x L(-1) and 0.110 mg x L(-1) respectively. The spatial variations of TN and TP in water were significantly different in four lake regions with the highest value of two parameters (3.830 mg x L(-1) and 0.192 mg x L(-1) respectively) were all found in Lake Nanyang while the lowest value in Lake Dushan (2.106 mg x L(-1)) and Lake Weishan (0.067 mg x L(-1)) respectively. Seasonally, the concentrations of TN in Lake Nansi had no significant difference, but the concentrations of TN in summer (2.805 mg x L(-1)) and spring (3.049 mg x L(-1)) were obviously higher than that in autumn (2.160 mg x L(-1)) and winter (2.452 mg x L(-1)), and that in four lake regions showed no uniform variation trends. While the seasonal change of the concentrations of TP in water were significantly different not only in Lake Nansi but also in its four lake regions, the variation trends were uniform with summer > spring > autumn > winter. Generally, the water quality of Lake Nansi has reached light eutrophication, among which, Lake Nanyang was in middle eutrophic state, while other three lake regions were in light eutrophic state. Integrated analysis indicted that external pollution was still the main influence factors of water quality in Lake Nansi, meanwhile, the pollution caused by pen fish culture was urgent for the control of non-point pollution sources.

A case-control study on the relationship between salt intake and salty taste and risk of gastric cancer.

AIM: To investigate the relationship between salt intake and salty taste and risk of gastric cancer. METHODS: A 1:2 matched hospital based case-control study including 300 patients with gastric cancer and 600 cancer-free subjects as controls. Subjects were interviewed with a structured questionnaire containing 80 items, which elicited information on dietary, lifestyle habits, smoking and drinking histories. Subjects were tested for salt taste sensitivity threshold (STST) using concentrated saline solutions (0.22-58.4 g/L). Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). RESULTS: Alcohol and tobacco consumption increased the risk of gastric cancer [OR (95% CI) was 2.27 (1.27-4.04) for alcohol and 2.41 (1.51-3.87) for tobacco]. A protective effect was observed in frequent consumption of fresh vegetable and fruit [OR (95% CI) was 0.92 (0.58-0.98) for fresh vegetable and 0.87 (0.67-0.93) for fruit]. Strong association was found between STST ≥ 5 and gastric cancer [OR = 5.71 (3.18-6.72)]. Increased STST score was significantly associated with salted food intake and salty taste preference (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: A high STST score is strongly associated with gastric cancer risk. STST can be used to evaluate an inherited characteristic of salt preference, and it is a simple index to verify the salt intake in clinic.