Environmental health risks perception, attitude, and avoidance behaviour toward municipal solid waste incinerator.

This study aims to assess the relationship between risk perception, attitude, and avoidance among residents toward an urban incinerator in Taichung, Taiwan. A cross-sectional study was conducted and three schools were enrolled. The case group was composed of 514 residents who live near an incinerator. The control group was composed of 264 people nearly the same age and who have lived in that area basically the same period of time. All participants were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Results of this study showed that there was no significant difference between the exposure group and the control group in risk perception and attitude regarding the incinerator. However, the exposure group showed a significantly higher desire to move within one year or move sometime in the future than the control group. Therefore, these people should encourage the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) to do everything it can to make sure that the incinerator operates safely.

Targeting GLI1 Suppresses Cell Growth and Enhances Chemosensitivity in CD34+ Enriched Acute Myeloid Leukemia Progenitor Cells.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Resistance of leukemia stem cells (LSCs) to chemotherapy in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) causes relapse of disease. Hedgehog (Hh) signaling plays a critical role in the maintenance and differentiation of cancer stem cells. Yet its role in AML remains controversial. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the role of GLI1, the transcriptional activator of Hh signaling, in AML progenitor cells and to explore the anti-AML effects of GLI small-molecule inhibitor GANT61. METHODS: The expression of GLI1 mRNA and protein were examined in AML progenitor cells and normal cells. The proliferation, colony formation, apoptosis and differentiation of AML progenitor cells were also analyzed in the presence of GANT61. RESULTS: Kasumi-1 and KG1a cells, containing more CD34+ cells, expressed higher level of GLI1 compared to U937 and NB4 cells with fewer CD34+ cells. Consistently, a positive correlation between the protein levels of GLI1 and CD34 was validated in the bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMC) of AML patients tested. GANT61 inhibited the proliferation and colony formation in AML cell lines. Importantly, GANT61 induced apoptosis in CD34+ enriched Kasumi-1 and KG1a cells, whereas it induced differentiation in U937 and NB4 cells. Furthermore, GANT61 enhanced the cytotoxicity of cytarabine (Ara-c) in primary CD34+ AML cells, indicating that inhibition of GLI1 could be a promising strategy to enhance chemosensitivity. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings suggested that Hh signaling was activated in AML progenitor cells. GLI1 acted as a potential target for AML therapy.

Tuberculosis-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in an umbilical cord blood transplant recipient.

BACKGROUND: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare and potentially fatal condition that can be primary or secondary. Secondary HLH due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) is uncommon. We report a case of tuberculosis-associated HLH in an umbilical cord blood transplant (UCBT) recipient and discuss its clinical characteristics and challenges. METHODS: Hematologic investigations, bone marrow aspirates, Xpert MTB/RIF test of TB with peripheral blood were performed. Immune modulation with anti-TB therapy was initiated. RESULTS: Subsequent treatment with anti-TB treatment resulted rapid clinical response and disease remission. CONCLUSION: It is important to consider TB as one of the underlying cause of HLH in high-risk patients, particularly those in immunodeficient states. Early diagnosis and treatment can improve the survival rates of patients with tuberculosis-associated HLH.

Analysis of DNA polymorphism at HLA-A locus by PCR amplification with sequence specific oligonucleotide probe in Chinese Han and Uygur populations.

To determine HLA-A genetic polymorphism in Chinese populations and establish ethnic genetic database, 165 Han and 162 Uygur subjects were investigated with a non-isotopic and sensitive method PCR-SSOP. 22 alleles were identified in Han with the most frequent allele being HLA-A * 1101 (19.7%), followed by * 0201 (12.72%). Also, 22 alleles were identified in Uygur with * 2407 (17.90%) being the most frequent one and the frequencies of following alleles: * 0201, * 0101, * 3301 were higher than 10%. HLA-A * 0203, * 0205, * 0210, * 0302, * 2403 and * 3302 were only detected in Han; meanwhile * 0205, * 0211, * 2301, * 2502, * 68012 and * 6802 were only in Uygur. According to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, each allele showed no significant (P > 0.05) deviation between the expected frequency and the observed one. Heterozygosity (H), discrimination power (DP) and probability of paternity exclusion (EPP) of HLA-A locus from Han nationality were computed to be 0.9029, 0.9776 and 0.8592; and those from Uygur as 0.9063, 0.9379 and 0.7885. These results suggest that HLA-A DNA polymorphism and the database of two Chinese populations have useful applications in processing forensic casework (as personal identification, paternity test), tracing population migration and genetic diagnosis.

[The study of HLA-Cw polymorphism in Uygur population].

The HLA-Cw loci polymorphism in Uygur population was investigated using the PCR- sequence specific oligonucleotide probe (SSOP) method,and the genetic database on the distribution of gene frequency of the HLA-Cw loci was established. From 146 individuals of Uygur population,18 HLA-Cw alleles were detected. The gene frequency was from 0.0069 to 0.2460. The four most common alleles were HLA-Cw*04(24.60%),07(11.51%),08(10 10%),14(12.02%),and they covered 58.23% of total alleles detected from Uygur population.We have made a survey of HLA-Cw alleles frequencies in a Uygur population,with blank frequency being lowered to 0.0064. The distribution of genotype frequencies met the law of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium by hi-square test. The frequency data can be used in forensic and paternity tests to estimate the frequency of a DNA profile in the Uygur population,transplant matching and anthropology.