Impacts of Trans-Provincial Thermal Power Transmission on Air-Quality Recovery and Related Health Outcomes in China.

Trans-provincial thermal power transmission has become an important measure for optimizing power allocation and alleviating the mismatch between regional power production and consumption in China, however, leading to inter-regional redistribution of air pollution. Here, we investigated the impacts of thermal power transmission on air-quality recovery and related health outcomes in China. The results showed that the redistribution of air pollutant emissions contributed to air-quality improvements and health benefits in the eastern regions but to the opposite side in the western regions. On a national scale, trans-provincial thermal power transmission contributed to a change in air quality from slightly polluted to good conditions for a period of 9 days under the standard of 75 µg m-3, accounting for 1.8% of the total number of polluted days in 4 months of 2017 and promoting air-quality recovery in China. Furthermore, the recovery totally reduced the number of premature deaths (exposed to fine particulate matter, PM2.5) by 2392 persons (95% confidence interval: 1495-3124) in 2017. Owing to thermal power retrofits and stable power transmission structure, transmission network expansion during the last decade has not brought significant changes in its impacts on air pollution. However, the environmental inequity caused by thermal power transmission stimulates further attention on coordinating regional interests in air pollution control through various production-side and consumption-side measures.

Fast Screening of Coal Fly Ash with Potential for Rare Earth Element Recovery by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy.

Rare earth elements (REYs) are in increasing global demand, but their mining is costly and environmentally destructive. Coal fly ash (CFA) is a promising alternative source of REYs, but it is necessary to identify CFA with sufficiently high REY concentrations. This study proposes the use of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy as part of a simple method to identify CFAs with adequate REY concentrations. The EPR spectra of CFA samples taken from 186 Chinese commercial coal-fired power plants were analyzed. The results suggest that CFAs without evident 6-fold resonances are worth recycling (REY concentrations of 416 ± 108 mg/kg), while those with conspicuous 6-fold resonances are not worth recycling (REY concentrations of 55 ± 26 mg/kg). This is probably due to isomorphic substitution of Ca(II) for Mn(II) and REY(III), resulting in low concentrations of Mn(II) and REY(III) in Ca-rich CFAs. This EPR evaluation method does not require specialized sample preparation, professional skills, or secondary data analysis and has potential global significance in the fast screening of CFAs with REY-recycling potential.

[Clinical study on effect of fluoxetine combined with Chinese medicine or tibetan drugs in treating senile depression in plateau district].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the ettect and side-ettect of fluoxetine and combination of fluoxetine and Chinese or Tibetan medicine in treating senile depression in plateau district. Methods Ninety patients with diagnosis of senile depression conformed to CCMD-3 standard, in plateau district of 2260 - 3200 m altitude were randomly divided into three groups and treated with fluoxetine (group A), fluoxetine plus Sanpu Xinnao Xin granule (group B) and fluoxetine plus Xiaoyao pill (group C), respectively, 30 cases in each group. Therapeutic effects were evaluated with Hamilton' s depressive scale (HAMD) and treatment emergent symptom scale (TESS) after 6 weeks treatment. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the therapeutic effects between the three groups. The adverse reaction in Group B and C was less than that in Group A (P<0.01). Conclusion Sanpu Xinnao Xin granule and Xiaoyao pill can raise the tolerance of patients with senile depression in plateau area against the adverse reaction of fluoxetine.

Cytotoxic role of advanced glycation end-products in PC12 cells treated with ß­amyloid peptide.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia afflicting the elderly. Recent studies have increasingly suggested that a high concentration of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) may be important in AD pathogenesis. However, the mechanisms and pathways involved remain unknown. The aim of this study was to explore whether the mechanism of the effect of AGEs on Aß­PC12 cells [PC12 cells treated with ß­amyloid (Aß) peptide] was associated with oxidative stress; and to study whether inhibiting the activity of the receptor for AGE (RAGE) attenuated the toxic effect of AGEs and Aß on PC12 cells. Several PC12 cells were pretreated with Aß, and were then treated with different concentrations of AGEs. Other PC12 cells were treated with trypsin, a pancreatic protein enzyme and an inhibitor of RAGE, and were then treated with Aß and AGEs. Apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry (FCM) and cell viability was measured by MTT assay. RAGE and nuclear factor­κB (NF­κB) were measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT­PCR) assay. With an increase in AGE concentration, the viability of Aß­PC12 cells treated with AGEs decreased. However, the Aß­PC12 cell viability was greater in the trypsin group than in the non­trypsin group. Cell apoptosis rates and mRNA expression of RAGE and NF­κB in Aß­PC12 cells treated with AGEs were significantly higher than in the Aß­PC12 cells. AGEs and Aß were neurotoxic, and RAGE triggered the neural cytotoxic role of AGEs in Aß­PC12 cells. The molecular mechanisms may be connected with the expression of NF­κB and apoptosis mediated by RAGE. Inhibiting the activity of RAGE may mitigate the toxic effect of AGEs and Aß on neural cells.