Study on Circulating Tumor Cells and Various Clinical Features and Blood-Related Indexes in Patients with Renal Cancer

Objective: To investigate the value of CTC clinical features and blood-related test indicators in renal cancer patients by detecting the number of circulating tumor cells (CTC) in patients with renal cancer. Methods: To analyze 59 patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) admitted to the Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical College from May 2018 to October 2019. According to the CTC count (5 pcs/3.5 ml), they were divided into CTC positive group and CTC negative group. The age, gender, tumor location, tumor size, hematuria, CEC (circulating endothelial cells), CTC Cluster (aggregate), gene mutation, platelet (PLT), albumin (ALB), hemoglobin (HB), alkaline phosphatase (AKP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were compared between the two groups of patients and the correlation of the number of CTCs. Results: There were significant differences in tumor size, CEC, and gene mutations between the two groups (P < 0.05). The number of CTC in patients was correlated with the levels of HB, PLT and LDH (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The number of CTC in RCC patients is correlated with some clinical features (tumor size, CEC, gene mutation) and some related test indicators (HB, PLT, LDH), and can be combined with the above related indicators to predict the occurrence, metastasis and prognosis of renal cancer.

Ischemic stroke susceptibility gene in a Northern Han Chinese population

Interleukin-18 gene promoter polymorphisms are potential risk factors for ischemic cerebrovascular disease, and the –607C allele may increase ischemic stroke risk in the Han Chinese population. In the present study, we recruited 291 patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease from the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Medical College, China, and 226 healthy controls. Both patients and controls were from the Han population in northern China. Immunoresonance scattering assays detected increased serum amyloid A protein, C-reactive protein, and interleukin-18 levels in ischemic cerebrovascular disease patients compared with healthy controls. Analysis of the –607C/A （rs1946518） polymorphism in the interleukin-18 gene promoter showed ischemic cerebrovascular disease patients exhibited increased frequencies of the CC genotype and C alleles than healthy controls. Genotype and allele frequencies of the interleukin-18 –137G/C （rs187238） polymorphism and the –13T/C （rs11024595） polymorphism in the 5＇-flanking region of serum amyloid A, showed no significant difference between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis on the interleukin-18 promoter A/C genetic locus, for correction of age, gender, history of smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesteremia, and an ischemic stroke family history, showed ischemic cerebrovascular disease risk in individuals without the A allele （C homozygotes） was 2.2-fold greater than in A allele carriers. Overall, our findings suggest that the –13T/C （rs11024595） polymorphism in the 5′-flanking region of serum amyloid A has no correlation with ischemic cerebrovascular disease, but the C allele of the –607C/A （rs1946518） polymorphism in the interleukin-18 promoter is a high-risk factor for ischemic cerebrovascular disease in the Han population of northern China. In addition, the A allele is likely a protective gene for ischemic cerebrovascular disease.

Genetic relationship between serum pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A gene polymorphism and ischemic cerebrovascular disease in a Northern Han Chinese population

The present study recruited 193 patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease from Inpatient and Outpatient Departments at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Medical College, China from August 2008 to May 2010, as well as 120 healthy volunteers from the Medical Examination Center at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Medical College, China, who served as controls for this study. Patients and control subjects were from the Han population in northern China. Enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay analysis revealed increased levels of serum pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A （PAPP-A） in ischemic cerebrovascular disease patients compared with healthy controls. In addition, the patients exhibited greater frequency of genotype CC and C alleles in a missense A/C （Tyr/Ser） polymorphism （dbSNP： rs7020782） of exon 14 in the PAPP-A gene. Multiple-factor logistic regression analysis on correction of age, gender, history of smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesteremia, and ischemic stroke family history showed that the risk for ischemic cerebrovascular disease in the population without the A allele at the A/C genetic locus in exon 14 of the PAPP-A was 2-folds greater than the population expressing the A allele. These experimental findings suggested that ischemic cerebrovascular disease correlated with the C allele in exon 14 of PAPP-A. In addition, the A allele is likely a protective gene; individuals carrying the A allele were less prone to ischemic cerebrovascular disease compared with individuals without the A allele.

Aerosol-assisted submicronγ-Fe2O3/C spheres as a promising heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst for soil and groundwater remediation:Transport,adsorption and catalytic ability

This research reports a novel heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst which could freely move through the model sediments and easily seize the pollutants in addition to efficiently catalyze H2O2,well suitable for soil and groundwater remediation.Herein,submicron y-Fe2O3/C spheres were synthesized through a facile one-step aerosol-based process.In a series of column tests,these spheres exhibit better transport ability due to their optimal size,conforming to the prediction by the Tufenkji-Elimelech filtration theo ry.Meanwhile,y-Fe2O3/C spheres could act as a strong adsorbent for organic pollutants owing to the presence of carbon,thereby providing a driving force to gather contaminants into their vicinity and facilitating the reaction.In addition,immobilization of y-Fe2O3 nanoparticles into carbon spheres protects iron oxides from aggregation,and thus retains the number of active sites for catalytic decomposition of H2O2.Hence,the system containing the as-prepared y-Fe2O3/C spheres and H2O2 shows the high removal efficiency and degradation efficiency in the remediation of recalcitrant organic contaminants such as methylene blue and sulfamethoxazole.

Selection and characterization of eight freshwater green algae strains for synchronous water purification and lipid production

The objective of this study is to select and characterize the candidate for synchronous water purification and lipid production from eight freshwater microalgae strains （Chlorella sp. HQ, C. emersonii, C. pyrenoidosa, C. vulgaris, Scenedesmus dimorphus, S. quadricauda, S. obiquus, Scenedesmus sp. LX1）. The strains Chlorella sp. HQ, C. pyrenoidesa, and S. obliquus showed superiority in biomass accumulation, while the top biomass producers did not correspond to the top lipid producers. S. quadricauda achieved higher lipid content （66.1%）, and Chlorella sp. HQ and S. dimorphus ranked down in sequence, with lipid content above 30%. Considering nutrient removal ability （total nitrogen （TN）： 52.97%; total phosphorus （TP）： 84.81%）, the newly isolated microalga Chlorella sp. HQ was the possible candidate for water purification coupled with lipid production. To further investigate the lipid producing and nutrient removal mechanism of candidate microalga, the ultra structural changes especially the lipid droplets under different water qualities （different TN and TP concentrations） were characterized. The results elucidate the nutrient-deficiency （TN： 3.0 mg·L^-1; TP： 0.3 mg·L^-1） condition was in favor of forming lipid bodies in Chlorella sp. HQ at the sub-cellular level, while the biomass production was inhibited due to the decrease in chloroplast number which could further suppress the nutrient removal effect. Finally, a two- phase cultivation process （a nutrient replete phase to produce biomass followed by a nutrient deplete phase to enhance lipid content） was conducted in a photo-bioreactor for Chlorella sp. HQ to serve for algae-based synchronous biodiesel production and wastewater purification.

Identification and characterization of Fe_(3)O_(4)/peroxodisulfate advanced oxidation products from sulfameter

Sulfonamides(SAs)are one of the most widely used antibiotics and their residuals in the environment could cause some negative environmental issues.Advanced oxidation such as Fenton-like reaction has been widely applied in the treatment of SAs polluted water.Degradation rates of 95%-99.7%were achieved in this work for the tested 8 SAs,including sulfisomidine,sulfameter(SME),phthalylsulfathiazole,sulfamethoxypyridazine,sulfamonomethoxine,sulfisoxazole,sulfachloropyridazine,and sulfadimethoxine,in the Fe_(3)O_(4)/peroxodisulfate(PDS)oxidation system after the optimization of PDS concentration and p H.Meanwhile,it was found that a lot of unknown oxidation products were formed,which brought up the uncertainty of health risks to the environment,and the identification of these unknown products was critical.Therefore,SME was selected as the model compound,from which the oxidation products were never elucidated,to identify these intermediates/products.With liquid chromatography-high resolution tandem mass spectrometry(LC-HRMS/MS),10 new products were identified,in which 2-amino-5-methoxypyrimidine(AMP)was confirmed by its standard.The investigation of the oxidation process of SME indicated that most of the products were not stable and the degradation pathways were very complicated as multiple reactions,such as oxidation of the amino group,SO_(2)extrusion,and potential cross-reaction occurred simultaneously.Though most of the products were not verified due to the lack of standards,our results could be helpful in the evaluation of the treatment performance of SAs containing wastewater.

血压变异性与脑白质高信号的研究进展

血压变异性是指在各种病理、生理因素的影响下血压波动的程度。血管源性脑白质高信号(WMH)是指位于脑白质,病变范围大小不等的异常信号。高血压是WMH的主要危险因素之一,高血压患者更容易出现血压变异性增大,目前不少研究关注WMH与血压变异性的关系。本文对相关研究进行综述,从病理机制方面解释了高血压、血压变异性与WMH的内在关系,总结了不同的监测方式及降压药物对WMH发生发展的影响,以期建立合适的预测模型评估预后,并为早期干预WMH提供适当的降压策略。

Effects of cultivation strategies on the cultivation of Chlorella sp. HQ in photoreactors

The effects of cultivation strategies (including autotrophic cultivation (AC), heterotrophic cultivation (HC), fed-batch cultivation (FC), heterotrophic+ autotrophic two-stage cultivation (HATC), and heterotrophic+ mixotrophic two-stage cultivation (HMTC)) on the growth and lipid accumulation of Chlorella sp. HQ and its total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) removal in secondary effluent were investigated in column photoreactors. The results showed that the TN and TP removal rates ranged between 93.72%–95.82% and 92.73%–100%, respectively, under the five different strategies. The microalgal growth potential evaluated by the maximal growth rate (Rmax) was in the order of HMTC>HC>FC>AC>HATC. The values of biomass, total lipid yield, triacylglycerols (TAGs) yield, and total lipid content of the microalga cultivated in the last 5 d increased significantly, but the TAGs productivities of the five strategies were lower than those in the first 7 d. Compared with all the other cultivation strategies, the TAGs productivity and yield after 12 d of cultivation under the heterotrophic condition reached the highest values accompanying the highest level of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), in which the TAGs yield reached 40.81 mg/L at the end of the cultivation period. The peaks in TAGs yield and ROS level suggested that HC was beneficial for lipids accumulation via regulating the cellular redox status and exerting ROS stress on microalgal cells. In summary, HMTC was the best cultivation strategy for improving the microalgal biomass and HC was the best strategy for microalgal TAGs accumulation to produce biodiesel.

Combining metal-microbe and microbe-microbe dual direct electron transfer on Fe(0)-cathode of bio-electrochemical system to enhance anaerobic digestion of cellulose wastewater

Considering that cathode of microbial electrochemical system(MES)is a good electrons source for methane production via direct/indirect electron transfer to electroactive microorganisms,and that Fe(0)is also a confirmed electron donor for some electroactive microorganisms through metal-microbe direct electron transfer(DET),Fe(0)-cathode was equipped into an MES digester to enhance cathodic methane production.The results of this study indicated that the potential DET participator,Clostridium possibly obtained electrons directly from Fe(0)-cathode via metal-microbe electrons transfer,then transferred electrons directly to the definite DET participators,Methanosarcina/Methanothrix via microbemicrobe electrons transfer for CH_(4)production.In addition,Methanobacterium is another specially enriched methanogen on Fe(0)-cathode,which might obtain electrons directly from Fe(0)-cathode to produce CH_(4) via metal/electrode-microbe DET.The increment of conductivity of cathodic sludge in Fe(0)-cathode MES digester(R1)further confirmed the enrichment of electroactive microorganisms participating in DET process.As a consequence,a higher CH_(4) production(1205–1508 m L/d)and chemical oxygen demand(COD)removal(79.0%-93.8%)were achieved in R1 compared with graphite-cathode MES digester(R2,720–1090 m L/d and 63.6%-85.6%)and the conventional anaerobic digester(R3,384–428 m L/d and 35.2%-41.0%).In addition,energy efficiency calculated indicated that the output energy of CH_(4) production was 8.16 folds of electricity input in Fe(0)-cathode MES digester.

Iron-carbon composite microspheres prepared through a facile aerosol-based process for the simultaneous adsorption and reduction of chlorinated hydrocarbons

Iron-carbon （Fe-C） composite microspheres prepared through a facile aerosol-based process are effective remediation agents for the simultaneous adsorp- tion and reduction of chlorinated hydrocarbons. Complete dechlorination was achieved for the class of chlorinated ethenes that include tetrachloroethylene （PCE）, trichlor- oethylene （TCE）, cis- and trans-l,2-dicloroethylene （c- DCE, t-DCE）, 1,1-dichloroethylene （1,1-DCE） and, vinyl chloride （VC）. The Fe-C particles potentially provides multi-functionality with requisite characteristics of adsorp- tion, reaction, and transport for the effective in situ remediation of chlorinated hydrocarbons. The carbon support immobilizes the ferromagnetic iron nanoparticles onto its surface, thereby inhibiting aggregation. The adsorptive nature of the carbon support prevents the release of toxic intermediates such as the dichloroethylenes and vinyl chloride. The adsorption of chlorinated ethenes on the Fe-C composites is higher （〉 80%） than that of humic acid （〈 35%） and comparable to adsorption on commercial activated carbons （ 〉 90%）. The aerosol-based process is an efficient method to prepare adsorptive- reactive composite particles in the optimal size range for transport through the porous media and as effective targeted delivery agents for the in situ remediation of soil and groundwater contaminants.