[Characterization of Metal Elements in Atmospheric PM2.5 and Health Risk Assessment in Heze in Winter from 2017 to 2018].

Atmospheric PM2.5 samples were collected in Heze, Shandong Province, from a total of three sampling sites at Heze College, Huarun Pharmacy, and a wastewater treatment plant between October 15, 2017 and January 31, 2018, to determine the concentrations of 21 metal elements in PM2.5 using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The degree of elemental enrichment was also discussed, the health risks and potential heavy metal ecological risks were assessed. The results showed that ρ (PM2.5) ranged from 26.7 to 284.1 µg·m-3 at the three sampling sites during the sampling period, and the concentration values did not differ significantly, all of which were at high pollution levels. The highest concentrations of K were found in the three sampling sites, accounting for 31.03%, 39.47%, and 38.43% of the total, respectively, mainly due to the high contribution of biomass burning in autumn and winter in Heze, a large agricultural city. The highest concentrations of Zn, 89.70, 84.21, and 67.68 ng·m-3, were found in the trace elements at the three sampling sites, respectively. The enrichment factor results showed that the enrichment factor values of Zn, Pb, Sn, Sb, Cd, and Se were higher than 100, among which the enrichment factors of Cd and Se were higher than 2 000 and 4 000, respectively, which were significantly influenced by anthropogenic activities and might have been related to industrial production, metal smelting, road sources, and coal combustion emissions. The health risk results showed that there was some potential non-carcinogenic risk (HQ>0.1 for children and adults) for As and a combined potential non-carcinogenic risk (HI>0.1) and some potential carcinogenic risk (CRT>1×10-6) for both children and adults at the three sampling sites. There was a more significant carcinogenic risk (CRT>1×10-4) for adults at the wastewater treatment plant, and the slightly higher carcinogenic risk for adults than that for children may have been related to the longer outdoor activity and higher PM2.5 exposure for adults. The elements with the highest potential ecological risk values were Cd, As, and Pb, with Cd exhibiting a very high potential ecological risk that should be taken seriously. All three sampling sites showed a very high combined potential ecological risk, with the intensity spatially expressed as Heze College>Huarun Pharmacy>wastewater treatment plant.

Infantile epileptic spasms syndrome: a cohort study of 88 children.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate and analyze the risk factors for non-etiology-specific infantile spasms (IS) and unrelieved clinical symptoms after treatment. METHODS: Eighty-eight children with IS who were treated at our hospital from March 2018 to December 2021 were included in the study. The children were divided into etiology-specific (n = 46) and nonetiology-specific (n = 42) groups, based on the diagnostic results, and remission (n = 45) and nonremission (n = 43) groups, based on clinical outcomes after treatment. The clinical data from patients in the etiology-specific and nonetiology-specific groups and the remission and nonremission groups were compared. Risk factors for non-etiology-specific IS were identified using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Gender, family history, birth status, and metabolic abnormalities were significantly different between the etiology-specific and non-etiology-specific groups. Gender and metabolic abnormalities were risk factors for nonetiology-specific IS. Family history, birth status, metabolic abnormalities, and brain magnetic resonance imaging were significantly different between the remission and nonremission groups, and different etiologies were risk factors for unrelieved symptoms after treatment. CONCLUSION: The occurrence of nonetiology-specific IS is associated with gender and metabolic abnormalities in children. After medication, unrelieved IS symptoms are associated with etiologies.

[Clinical observation of eye acupuncture combined with conventional acupuncture on dry eye syndrome with yin deficiency of liver and kidney].

OBJECTIVE: To verify the efficacy of eye acupuncture combined with conventional acupuncture in the treatment of dry eye syndrome with yin deficiency of liver and kidney. METHODS: A total of 90 patients with dry eye syndrome with yin deficiency of liver and kidney were randomly divided into an eye acupuncture combination with conventional acupuncture group (eye acupuncture combination group), a conventional acupuncture group and a western medication group, 30 cases in each group. In the western medication group, sodium hyaluronate eye drops were used 3 times a day, each time 1-2 drops, 10 days as one course for 3 courses; conventional acupuncture was applied at Jingming (BL 1), Cuanzhu (BL 2), Chengqi (ST 1), Fengchi (GB 20), Hegu (LI 4), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Zusanli (ST 36), Guangming (GB 37) in the conventional acupuncture group; on the basis of the treatment in the conventional acupuncture, eye acupuncture was added at Shangjiao, Gan (liver), Shen (kidney), Pi (spleen) in the eye acupuncture combination group. The treatment in the eye acupuncture combination group and the conventional acupuncture group were given once a day, 10 days as one course, and a total of 3 courses were needed. Subjective symptom score was performed before treatment and every 10 days during treatment. Ocular surface analyzer was used before and after treatment. RESULTS: The subjective symptom scores in the three groups were lower than those before treatment (P<0.05). Compared with the conventional acupuncture group and the western medication group, the subjective symptom score after 30 d of treatment in the eye acupuncture combination group was decreased (P<0.05). After treatment, the tear film break up time (BUT) was prolonged and the tear meniscus height increased in the eye acupuncture combination group and the conventional acupuncture group (P<0.05). Compared with the conventional acupuncture group and the western medication group, the tear film break up time was prolonged and the tear meniscus height increased in the eye acupuncture combination group (P<0.05). Corneal staining were better in all three groups than that before treatment (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 93.3% (28/30) in the eye acupuncture combination group, was better than 86.7% (26/30) in the conventional acupuncture group and 73.3% (21/30) in the western medication group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Eye acupuncture combined with conventional acupuncture can significantly improve the clinical symptoms of dry eye syndrome with yin deficiency of liver and kidney, increase the secretion of tears, prolong the break up time of tear film, and restore the integrity of corneal epithelium.

The mTORC2/Akt/NFκB Pathway-Mediated Activation of TRPC6 Participates in Adriamycin-Induced Podocyte Apoptosis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although increased expression and gain function of transient receptor potential cation channel 6 (TRPC6) has been associated with the pathogenesis of some proteinuric glomerular diseases, it remains elusive how TRPC6 participates in the process of podocyte damage. METHODS: The potential signaling responsible for TRPC6 activation was investigated using immunoblot assays in an in vitro podocyte injury model induced by Adriamycin (ADR). Podocyte apoptosis was measured using FITC-conjugated Annexin V and Propidium Iodide staining. The channel activity of TRPC6 was assessed using the Ca2+ influx assay. RESULTS: Increase of TRPC6 expression was detected in ADR-treated podocytes, and TRPC6 knockdown significantly decreased ADR-induced podocytes apoptosis. Following ADR treatment, phospho-mTORSer2481 and phospho-AktSer473 was significantly increased in a time-dependent manner, whereas phospho-mTORSer2448 and phospho-p70S6KThr389 showed no change. ADR-induced apoptosis was prevented by ku0063794 (a dual mTOR complexes inhibitor), not by rapamycin (a specific mTORC1 inhibitor). Furthermore, nuclear translocation of NFκB/p65 was detected in ADR-treated podocytes, which was prevented by an Akt inhibitor triciribine. Of note, NFκB inhibitor PDTC prevented ADR-induced increase of TRPC6, and decreased ADR-induced apoptosis. We found that Akt activation and NFκB nuclear translocation was significantly inhibited by knockdown of mTORC2 protein Rictor, not by mTORC1 protein Raptor. In comparison with control, the Ca2+ influx was significantly increased in ADR-treated podocytes, which was remarkably prevented by TRPC6 knockdown. ADR-induced increase of TRPC6 channel activity was dramatically prevented by ku0063794, but not by rapamycin. Additionally, knockdown of Rictor, not Raptor, prevented ADR-induced increase of the Ca2+ influx. Moreover, the application of NFκB inhibitor PDTC also prevented the Ca2+ influx in ADR-treated podocytes. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings revealed that the mTORC2/Akt/NFκB pathway-mediated activation of TRPC6 participates in ADR-induced podocyte apoptosis.

Effect of bifidobacterium on defensin-5 expression in intestinal injury of preweaning rats.

AIM: To investigate the protective effect of bifidobacterium in endotoxin-induced intestinal injury in preweaning rats. METHODS: Preweaning rats were randomly divided into three groups (n = 40 for each): a control group (group C), a model group (group E) and a treatment group (group T). Both groups E and T were intraperitoneally injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at a dose of 5 mg/kg (5 mg/L in normal saline), and group T was intragastrically administrated with bifidobacterium suspension (2.0 × 10(9) CFU/mL, 0.5 mL each time, twice a day, until the end of the experiment) 7 d before LPS administration. Group C was intraperitoneally injected with normal saline. After intraperitoneal injection and intragastric administration, the rats were placed back to the initial cage to receive breast feeding. The rats were killed at 2, 6, 12, 24 or 72 h, respectively, after endotoxin or physiological saline injection to collect serum and ileal tissue samples. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) contents in serum and ileum were detected at different times, and expression of ileal defensin-5 mRNA was evaluated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Serum and ileal MPO contents in group E were significantly higher than those in group C (serum contents: 107.50 ± 17.70 vs 157.14 ± 24.67, P < 0.05; ileal contents: 1.03 ± 0.21 vs 1.57 ± 0.33, P < 0.05), which peaked at 12 h and 6 h, respectively. MPO contents in group T were significantly lower than those in group E (serum contents: 114.38 ± 24.56 vs 145.25 ± 23.62, P < 0.05; ileal contents: 1.25 ± 0.24 vs 1.57 ± 0.33, P < 0.05). The expression of defensin-5 mRNA in group E was significantly higher than that in group C (0.953 ± 0.238 vs 0.631 ± 0.146, P < 0.05), which peaked at 2 h, and then decreased gradually. The expression of defensin-5 mRNA in group T was significantly lower than that in group E (0.487 ± 0.149 vs 0.758 ± 0.160, P < 0.05) apparently in 24 h. The expression of defensin-5 mRNA at 2 h in group T was significantly higher than that in group C (0.824 ± 0.158 vs 0.631 ± 0.146, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: MPO and defensin-5 mRNA increase in preweaning rats with LPS-induced intestinal injury. Bifidobacterium protects the gut by inhibiting MPO activity, not by increasing defensin-5 secretion.

[Carbon source apportionment of PM2.5 in Chongqing based on local carbon profiles].

PM2.5 was sampled from commercial, industrial and residential areas in Chongqing urban city from 2nd May to 10th May 2012 in order to find out characteristics and sources of carbon in PM2.5. Eight kinds of carbons were analyzed by the TOR method. Characteristics of carbon pollution in PM2.5 from three kinds of functional areas and six kinds of sources, including coal-combustion, exhausts (vehicle, boat and construction machine), biomass burning, cooking smoke, were analyzed. Based on carbon source profiles, local indicating components of carbon sources in PM2.5 were obtained used the chemical mass balance (CMB) model. Contribution rate of different sources to PM2.5 carbon were parsed out by factor analysis. The results showed the OC/EC of coal-combustion, vehicle exhausts, boat exhausts, construction machine exhausts, biomass burning and cooking smoke were 6.3, 3.0, 1.9, 1.4, 12.7 and 31.3, respectively. High loads of EC2 and EC3 indicated diesel vehicle exhaust emissions, high loads of OC2, OC3, OC4 and OPC indicated coal-combustion emissions, OC1, OC2, OC3, OC4 and EC1 indicated gasoline vehicle exhaust emissions, OC3 indicated cooking emissions, and OPC indicated biomass burning emissions. OC/PM2.5, EC/PM2.5, secondary organic carbon (SOC)/OC in the commercial area were 17.4%, 6.9% and 40.0%, respectively. OC/PM2.5, EC/PM2.5 and SOC/OC in the industrial area were 15.5%, 6.6% and 37.4%, respectively. OC/PM2.5, EC/PM2.5 and SOC/OC in the residential area were 14.6% 5.6% and 42.8%, respectively. In the industrial area, the main sources of carbon in PM2.5 were coal combustion, gasoline vehicle exhausts and diesel exhaust. In the commercial area, the main sources of carbon were gasoline vehicle exhausts, diesel exhausts and cooking. In the residential area, the main sources of carbon were gasoline vehicle exhausts, cooking smoke and diesel exhausts.

4-Benz-yloxy-2-bromo-1-meth-oxy-benzene.

In the title compound, C(14)H(13)BrO(2), the phenyl ring is oriented at a dihedral angle of 72.6 (3)° with respect to the bromo-meth-oxy-phenyl ring. The crystal structure is stabilized by weak inter-molecular C-H⋯O inter-actions.

Multi-agent-based bio-network for systems biology: protein-protein interaction network as an example.

Recently, a collective effort from multiple research areas has been made to understand biological systems at the system level. This research requires the ability to simulate particular biological systems as cells, organs, organisms, and communities. In this paper, a novel bio-network simulation platform is proposed for system biology studies by combining agent approaches. We consider a biological system as a set of active computational components interacting with each other and with an external environment. Then, we propose a bio-network platform for simulating the behaviors of biological systems and modelling them in terms of bio-entities and society-entities. As a demonstration, we discuss how a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network can be seen as a society of autonomous interactive components. From interactions among small PPI networks, a large PPI network can emerge that has a remarkable ability to accomplish a complex function or task. We also simulate the evolution of the PPI networks by using the bio-operators of the bio-entities. Based on the proposed approach, various simulators with different functions can be embedded in the simulation platform, and further research can be done from design to development, including complexity validation of the biological system.

[Enhancement of differentiation induction of HL-60 cells by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in combination with carnosic acid].

OBJECTIVE: 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] is a potent inducer of differentiation in myeloid leukemia cells, but its clinical use is limited due to its hypercalcaemic effect and resistance. Carnosic acid is a plant-derived polyphenol food preservative with chemoprotective effects against carcinogens. Recent research has shown that carnosic acid potentiates the effects of 1,25(OH)2D3 on differentiation of human leukemia cells. This study examined the effects of 1,25(OH)2D3 in combination with carnosic acid on monocytic differentiation as well as intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Ca2+ levels in human leukemia HL-60 cells. METHODS: HL-60 cells were randomly treated with 1 nmol/L 1,25(OH)2D3, 100 nmol/L 1,25(OH)2D3, 10 micromol/L carnosic acid, a combination of 1 nmol/L 1,25(OH)2D3 and 10 micromol/L carnosic acid or placebo. Cell growth was observed by MTT assay for 72 hrs at an interval of 24 hrs. Cells were harvested after 72 hrs of culture. Morphologic features of the cells were observed by microscopy. Flow cytometry was used to detect cell cycle, monocytic differentiation marker CD14 expression, and intracellular ROS and Ca2+ levels. RESULTS: A combination of 1 nmol/L 1,25(OH)2D3 and 10 micromol/L carnosic acid resulted in greater proliferation inhibition (Ab: 0.56 0+/- 0.020 vs 1.482 +/- 0.327; P <0.01), mature monocytic features, G0 /G1 cell arrest, higher CD14 expression (57.62 +/- 0.817% vs 2.76 +/- 0.828%; P <0.01), lower intracellular ROS levels (52.67 +/- 10.76% vs 86.46 +/- 40.52%; P <0.01 and similar intracellular Ca2+ levels in HL-60 cells when compared with the placebo group. The ability of a combination of 1 nmol/L 1,25(OH)2D3 and 10 micromol/L carnosic acid to inhibit the proliferation and induce the differentiation of HL-60 cells was similar to that of 100 nmol/L 1,25(OH)2D3, while the intracellular Ca2+ level (115.64 +/- 17.74 nmol/L vs 185.75 +/- 27.38 nmol/L) was significantly lower than that in the 100 nmol/L 1,25(OH)2D3 group. CONCLUSIONS: Low concentration of 1,25(OH)2D3 combined with 10 micromol/L carnosic acid can produce enhanced differentiation, proliferation inhibition and antioxidant effects of HL-60 cells. The combination of the two inducers dose not increases intracellular Ca2+ levels.