[Vertical Pollution Characteristics and Source Analysis of Soil PAHs in Different Land Use Types].

In order to study the vertical pollution characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils of different land use types in suburban areas of Nanjing, 15 types of controlled PAHs were studied in each section (0-100 cm) of soils from six different land use types, including a vegetable field, forestland, residential area, urban land, paddy field, and industrial area. The vertical distribution and composition characteristics, influencing factors, and sources of PAHs were analyzed. The results showed that:the total concentrations of Σ15PAHs in the six sampling site profiles were as follows:vegetable field (69.3-299.2 µg·kg-1), forestland (20.8-128.3 µg·kg-1), residential area (30.7-142.1 µg·kg-1), urban land (185.6-1728.7 µg·kg-1), paddy field (208.3-693.0 µg·kg-1), and industrial area (165.6-739.2 µg·kg-1). There was no pollution in the residential area or forestland and a light pollution level in the vegetable field, medium pollution level in the paddy field and industrial area, and more serious pollution in the urban land. Soil PAHs were mainly distributed in the surface or subsurface layer, except in the residential area and urban land; however, they were still detected in the deep layers, and high-molecular-weight PAHs were dominant in most depths and sampling sites. The vertical distribution and migration of PAHs in soils were affected by molecular characteristics and component concentrations of PAHs, soil physical and chemical properties, and land use types. PMF source analysis indicated that coke sources, traffic sources, and coal combustion sources from human activities were the main sources of PAHs in this study region.

[Research progress on carbohydrate active enzymes of human microbiome].

A massive variety of microorganisms live in and on the human body, especially at oral, skin, vaginal, gastroin-testinal, and respiratory sites. The complicated metabolic activities of microorganisms assist human digestive function and participate in a series of physiological and pathogenetic processes. Carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) are a series of enzymes that function in degradation, modification, and formation of glycoside bonds. Microbes regulate the physiological and pathogenetic processes of human body by producing various CAZymes to degrade and modify complex carbohydrates and generate signal molecules for further utilization in human cells. Here, we reviewed the mechanisms of complex carbohy-drate metabolism and related microbial CAZymes, especially in digestive tract and oral cavity. We also summarized the rela-tionship between microbial CAZymes and human health, and proposed potential applications.

Strain-Controlled Recombination in InGaN/GaN Multiple Quantum Wells on Silicon Substrates.

This paper reports the photoluminescence (PL) properties of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well (MQW) light-emitting diodes grown on silicon substrates which were designed with different tensile stress controlling architecture like periodic Si δ-doping to the n-type GaN layer or inserting InGaN/AlGaN layer for investigating the strain-controlled recombination mechanism in the system. PL results turned out that tensile stress released samples had better PL performances as their external quantum efficiencies increased to 17%, 7 times larger than the one of regular sample. Detail analysis confirmed they had smaller nonradiative recombination rates ((2.5~2.8)×10-2 s-1 compared to (3.6~4.7)× 10-2 s-1), which was associated with the better crystalline quality and absence of dislocations or cracks. Furthermore, their radiative recombination rates were found more stable and were much higher ((5.7~5.8) ×10-3 s-1 compared to [9~7] ×10-4 s-1) at room temperature. This was ascribed to the suppression of shallow localized states on MQW interfaces, leaving the deep radiative localization centers inside InGaN layers dominating the radiative recombination.

Treatment of renal uric acid stone by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy combined with sodium bicarbonate: 2 case reports.

Uric acid stone is the most comment radiolucent renal stone with high recurrence rate, which would further cause acute upper urinary tract obstruction and kidney failure. Here we report two cases of renal uric acid stone from December 2012 to April 2013. One 43-year-old male patient suffered from chronic uric acid nephrolithiasis caused by the long-term indwelling of bilateral double-J stent. Another 69-year-old patient was also diagnosed with uric acid nephrolithiasis at the right kidney. Both patients were first treated with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), followed by 1.5% sodium bicarbonate dissolution therapy. After a week of the treatment, the uric acid stones in both patients were completely dissolved without retrograde infection. In summary, the use of ESWL and sodium bicarbonate dissolution therapy as a combined modality is a safe, effective, inexpensive treatment for uric acid nephrolithiasis.

The antitumor activity of PNA modified vinblastine cationic liposomes on Lewis lung tumor cells: In vitro and in vivo evaluation.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the frequently-occurring disease in the world, and the treatment effects are usually unsatisfactory. Vinblastine is an anti-microtubule drug in clinic. In this study, a nanostructured liposome was designed and prepared for treating NSCLC. In the liposomes, peanut agglutinin (PNA) was modified on the liposomal surface, 3-(N-(N',N'-dimethylaminoethane)carbamoyl) cholesterol was used as cationic materials, and vinblastine was encapsulated in the aqueous core of liposomes, respectively. The PNA modified vinblastine cationic liposomes were approximately 100 nm in size with a positive potential. In vitro results showed that the targeting liposomes could significantly enhance cellular uptake, selectively accumulate in LLT cells, and dramatically initiate apoptosis via activating pro-apoptotic proteins and apoptotic enzymes, thus leading to the strongest antitumor efficacy to LLT cells. In vivo results demonstrated that the targeting liposomes could display a prolonged circulation time in the blood, accumulate more drug in tumor location, and induce most of tumor cells apoptosis. As a result, a robust overall antitumor efficacy in tumor-bearing mice was observed subsequently. In conclusion, the chemotherapy using the PNA modified vinblastine cationic liposomes could provide a potential strategy for treating non-small cell lung cancer.

PEGylated VRB plus quinacrine cationic liposomes for treating non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common form of lung cancer, and the treatment effects are usually unsatisfactory. Vinorelbine (VRB) is extensively used in cancer treatment, but it has some disadvantages when used alone. PEGylated liposomes have been extensively used as a delivery carrier for antitumor drugs via prolonging the circulation time in the blood. PURPOSE: The nanostructured liposomes were designed and prepared for treating NSCLC. METHODS: In the liposomes, PEG was modified on the liposomal surface, DC-Chol was used as cationic materials, and VRB plus quinacrine were encapsulated in an aqueous core of the liposomes as an antitumor drug and an apoptosis-inducing agent, respectively. Evaluations were performed on A549 cells, tubular network formations and xenografts of the A549 cells. RESULTS: The PEGylated drugs-loaded cationic liposomes could significantly enhance cellular uptake and selectively accumulate in A549 cells, thus leading to show strongest antitumor efficacy to tumor cells and to tumor-bearing mice. Action mechanisms showed that the enhanced efficacy in treating NSCLC was related to activate caspase 9 and caspase 3, to activate Bax and P53, and to suppress Bcl-2 and Mcl-1. CONCLUSION: The PEGylated VRB plus quinacrine cationic liposomes showed a potential strategy for treating NSCLC.

Overexpression of immunoglobulin G prompts cell proliferation and inhibits cell apoptosis in human urothelial carcinoma.

Only B lymphocytes can express immunoglobulins according to the traditional immunological theories, and the expression of immunoglobulin G (IgG) messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein was found in certain human cancer cells recently. However, the expression pattern of IgG and its possible role in human urothelial carcinoma are still elusive. In this study, we investigated the expression of IgG in two human urothelial carcinoma cell lines, T24 and BIU-87, and in 56 cases of clinical urothelial carcinoma tissues. The mRNA of IgG was positively detected by in situ hybridization and reverse transcription PCR; furthermore, IgG protein was also positively detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Moreover, blockade of tumor-derived IgG by either antihuman IgG antibody or antisense oligonucleotides increased cell apoptosis and inhibited cell growth in bladder cancer cell lines in vitro, and antihuman IgG antibody could suppress the growth of xenotransplant tumor in vivo. In addition, either antihuman IgG antibody or antisense oligonucleotides enhanced the sensitivity to mitomycin C in bladder cancer cell line T24. Furthermore, blockade of IgG in bladder cancer cell T24 resulted in upregulation of cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. Our results indicated that bladder cancer cells were capable of expressing IgG, and blockade of IgG expression induced cell apoptosis through activation of caspase-dependent pathway. A novel potential targeted therapy for bladder cancer will be possibly developed based on these data.

[Monitoring of Cnaphalocrocis medinalis Guenee based on canopy reflectance].

The canopy reflectance of rice was measured in the filed in order to monitor the damaged region caused by Cnaphalocrocis medinalis Guenee. The characteristics of canopy spectral reflectance were analyzed in contrast region and damaged regions. When rice plant was damaged by Cnaphalocrocis medinalis Guenee, the chlorophyll absorption was decreased in the band of 600-700 nm. The canopy reflectance of moderate damage region was lower than that of the contrast region, while the reflectance of severe damage region rice was higher near 550 nm. The canopy reflectance of Cnaphalocrocis medinalis Guenee damaged rice was fluctuant and exhibited the significant peak in the NIR band of 750-770nm. Meanwhile, red edge inflection point as one of the most important spectral parameters was analyzed at different damage levels based on the first derivative of reflectance spectra. The analysis results indicated that red edge inflection position moved to direction of blue light (short wavelength) with the affection severity increasing. Then the modified reflectance of rice canopy was calculated based on zero-mean calculation and standard deviation. It was easy to find the degree of deviation from the average of samples and distinguish the damaged region from experiment plots. The canopy modified reflectance was gently in the contrast region, but changed violently in the affected regions in the band of 750-950 nm. The analysis of Cnaphalocrocis medinalis Guenee affected regions illustrated that the Cnaphalocrocis medinalis Guenee was increased with the increase in severity. The vegetation index was applied in detection of Cnaphalocrocis medinalis Guenee damaged regions because of the composition of multi-wavelength information. The wavelengths 762 and 774 nm were chosen to build detection parameters of Cnaphalocrocis medinalis Guenee such as NIR-RVI, NIR-DVI, NIR-NDVI and KI. The results indicated that the NIR-NDVI could be used to identify the damaged region with contrast region efficiently. The accurate rate of 25 verification samples selected randomly reached 70%. The preliminary studies on rice Cnaphalocrocis medinalis Guenee damaged regions provided a new method to detect the affected regions in the wide area.