[Temporal-spatial Distribution and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in the Surface Water of Ningbo].

A total of 120 surface water samples were collected from industrial and commercial districts of Ningbo, China in the wet and dry seasons. The concentrations of six heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Fe) in the samples were measured, the temporal-spatial distribution characteristics of the six heavy metals were analyzed, and Pearson correlation coefficients of the six heavy metals were calculated. Combined with the temporal-spatial distribution characteristics and Pearson correlation coefficients of the six heavy metals, the main pollution sources of the two districts were analyzed, respectively. The risk of heavy metals in surface water to the exposed population was evaluated by calculating the health risk index and carcinogenic risk index. The results showed that the pollution characteristics of heavy metals in the surface water of Ningbo industrial district and commercial district differed greatly in different seasons. In the industrial district, the orders of the average concentration of heavy metals in the wet season and dry season were Fe>Zn>Ni>Pb>Cr>Cd and Fe>Zn>Cr>Ni>Pb>Cd, respectively. The concentrations of Cr, Cd, and Pb in the wet and dry seasons exceeded the class Ⅳ recommended values, following the degrees of Cr>Cd>>Pb and Pb>Cr=Cd, respectively. Sewage containing heavy metals was one of the major pollution sources. In the commercial district, the average concentrations of heavy metals in the wet season and dry season were in the order of Fe>Pb>Ni>Zn>Cd>Cr and Fe>Pb>Ni>Zn>Cr=Cd, respectively. The concentrations of Cd and Pb in the wet season exceeded the corresponding levels (class Ⅳ), and the degree followed Cd>Pb. Only Pb exceeded the standard in the dry season, with the exceeding standard rate of 60%. Road pollution containing heavy metals was the major pollution source, and heavy metals entered surface water mostly with surface runoff and precipitation. The carcinogenic risk posed by heavy metals in the surface water of the Ningbo industrial district and commercial district was very high, and the carcinogenic risk in the commercial district was much higher than that in the industrial district. The main carcinogen was Cr. Compared to the research results of the research group in 2015, the pollution degree of heavy metals has been greatly reduced. In the future, we still need to give adequate attention to the prevention and control of heavy metal pollution in surface water in Ningbo.

[Changing of TSG101 expression on the invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer cells].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the functions of tumor susceptibility gene 101 (TSG101) in the invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer cells by cell culture. METHODS: The TSG101 eukaryotic expression and empty plasmids were transfected into gastric cancer cell line SGC7901. After screening with G418, single cell clone was selected and cultured. The expression of TSG101 was detected by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and Western blotting. Cells were divided into TSG101 eukaryotic expression plasmid and blank control groups. Then the relationship was examined between TSG101 expression and tumor invasion and metastasis through the invasion, mobile, adhesion and damage scar experiment. RESULTS: The expression levels of TSG101 in mRNA and protein in the TSG101 eukaryotic expression group were significantly higher than those of the plasmid and blank control groups (0.85 ± 0.09 vs 0.55 ± 0.07, 0.45 ± 0.07 and 29.4 ± 1.2 vs 17.0 ± 0.4, 15.9 ± 0.4, all P < 0.05). The cell number of TSG101 eukaryotic expression group through Matrigel, laminin, type IV collagen protein (84 ± 14, 128 ± 10, 62 ± 7) were significantly higher than those of the plasmid group (55 ± 9, 77 ± 10, 31 ± 6) and blank control group (48 ± 8, 76 ± 9, 24 ± 5, all P < 0.01). The number of cells adherent to Matrigel, laminin, type IV collagen protein of the TSG101 eukaryotic expression group (0.97 ± 0.04, 1.34 ± 0.04, 0.90 ± 0.01) were obviously higher than those of the plasmid group (0.53 ± 0.03, 0.75 ± 0.05, 0.42 ± 0.02) and blank control group (0.60 ± 0.03, 0.72 ± 0.03, 0.40 ± 0.01, all P < 0.01). The number of TSG101 eukaryotic expression group cell migrating to membrane lower surface was obviously higher than that of the plasmid group and blank control group (87 ± 13 vs 54 ± 8, 48 ± 7, all P < 0.01). The fusion speed of the TSG101 eukaryotic expression group was faster than that of plasmid and blank control groups after cultivating for 24 and 48 h. CONCLUSIONS: TSG101 expression increases significantly in SGC-7901 cells after a stable transfection of TSG101 eukaryotic expression plasmids. Also the capacities of invasion and metastasis become markedly enhanced.

[Clinical characteristics of 638 patients infected with hepatitis C virus by post blood transfusion, in Shanghai].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical-epidemiologic characteristics of patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection by post blood transfusion. METHODS: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to detect HCV RNA and anti-HCV, respectively. Analysis was performed on patients' age distribution, cause of primary diseases, years of exposure, ingredient and amount of transfusion, incubation period, disorder on liver function and changes on abdominal ultrasound image, etc. RESULTS: HCV RNA levels were higher than 3.0 log(10) copy/ml in 90.8% infected patients with a median as 6.10 log(10) copy/ml. 19.2% of the patients showed viral load 3.0 to 4.0 log(10) copy/ml, and 66.1% of them showed 5.0 to 6.0 log(10) copy/ml. Only 14.7% of the infected persons had HCV RNA levels higher than 7.0 log(10) copy/ml. Eighty-one point five percent (44/54) of the infected persons were confirmed as HCV RNA positive by HCV RNA qualitative analysis with HCV genotype as primarily type 1. 99.8% (636/637) of the patients were detected as anti-HCV positive by serological test. The sensitivity of serological test was higher than both quantitative and qualitative HCV RNA assays (P = 0.000, P = 0.000, respectively). HCV infection post blood transfusion was more seen in common people at 40 to 60 years old. Most cases (85.7%) had their first exposure during 1990 to 1994. More than 10% of the cases had primary diseases as obstetrics, orthopedics or gastrointestinal tract hemorrhage. 79.9% of the patients received whole blood product transfusion. The mean interval between transfusion and clinical diagnosis was 8.5 ± 5.5 years. 90.1% of the infected patients had liver function damage, while most of them showed elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) no more than 5 upper limits of normal (ULN), whereas Serum total bilirubin (TBIL), ALT and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≥ 5 × ULN level were showing more clinical manifestations (P = 0.000, P = 0.001, P = 0.009, respectively). Abdominal ultrasound among 8.9% of the infected persons showed changes in cirrhosis, and most of them were older than 50 years of age. CONCLUSION: Most of the post transfusion HCV infected cases happened in adulthood, and were mainly exposed during 1990 to 1994. Infected patients usually had their liver function damaged with elevated ALT no more than 5 × ULN and with medium HCV RNA levels. HCV genotype was mainly for type 1. Patients who were of older age showed higher incidence of cirrhosis. If a patients' infection period was longer than 5 years, he/she would show higher incidence of cirrhosis.

[Influence of gemcitabine on expression of C-myc gene and its apoptosis-inducing effect on HL-60 cells].

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of gemcitabine(GEM) on apoptosis and c-myc gene expression of HL-60 cells, and feasibility of using GEM in therapy of leukemia. The HL-60 cells were cultured in vitro. The expressions of the c-myc mRNA and C-MYC protein were detected by RT-PCR and Western-blot respectively. The cell apoptosis was analyzed by TUNEL staining. The results showed that after the HL-60 cells were treated with 1.0 microg/ml GEM for 12, 24, 36 and 48 hours, the expression of c-myc mRNA was inhibited to various degree. This inhibitory effect displayed time-dependent manner and the most optimal effective time was 24 hours. Compared GEM group with Ara-C group and blank control group, there were statistical differences (p<0.05). After the HL-60 cells were treated with 1.0 microg/ml GEM for 24, 48, 72 hours, C-MYC protein significantly decreased, and the expression of C-MYC protein reached to lowest level at 48 hours after treating with GEM, and with inhibition rate of 94.16%. Compared GEM group with Ara-C group and blank control group, the differences were significant (p<0.01). There was significant difference between cells treated with GEM for 24, 48 and 72 hours (p<0.01). After the HL-60 cells were treated with 1.0 microg/ml GEM for 24 hours, the apoptotic cells increased obviously. The positive rate was 83.67% in GEM-treated group. Compared GEM group with Ara-C group (positive rate 10.67%) and untreated group (positive rate 3.00%), the differences had statistical significance (p<0.01). It is concluded that GEM can induce the apoptosis and down-regulate c-myc gene expression significantly in HL-60 cells and it may be used as a new therapeutic drug for leukemia.