Dietary fibre and the risk of colorectal cancer: a case- control study.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer is one of the most commonly occurring cancers in China. Dietary fibre has been thought to decrease the risk of colorectal cancer in Western countries. However, studies investigating the association between dietary fibre (particularly soluble and insoluble fibres) and colorectal cancer have hitherto been lacking in China. OBJECTIVE: This case-control study examined the effect of dietary fibre intake on the risk of colorectal cancer, stratified by tumour site. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 265 cases (colon cancer, 105; rectal cancer, 144; colon and rectal cancer, 16) and 252 controls residing in Qingdao. A food frequency questionnaire that included 121 food items was used to collect dietary information. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using unconditional logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: For food groups, controls in the study consumed more vegetables, soy food and total fibre than did colorectal cancer patients (p<0.05). The intakes of fruit, meat and sea-food did not differ significantly between cases and controls. However, we did not find any association between soy food intake and colon cancer. We observed inverse associations between total fibre intake and colorectal, colon and rectal cancer (Q4 vs Q1: OR=0.44, 95%CI, 0.27- 0.73; OR=0.40, 95%CI, 0.21-0.76; OR=0.52, 95%CI, 0.29-0.91). Vegetable fibre intake showed similar inverse associations (Q4 vs Q1: OR=0.51, 95%CI, 0.31-0.85; OR=0.48, 95%CI, 0.25-0.91; OR=0.53, 95%CI, 0.29-0.97). In addition, inverse associations were observed between soluble fibre and insoluble fibre and both colorectal cancer and colon cancer. No relationship was found between colorectal cancer and fruit, soy or grain fibre intakewhen the results were stratified by tumour site. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that vegetable fibre and total fibre play very important roles in protecting against colorectal cancer. Soluble and insoluble fibres were inversely associated with only colorectal cancer and colon cancer.

Replication of results of genome-wide association studies on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma susceptibility loci in a Korean population.

Two recent genome-wide association studies have identified that the rs2274223 single-nucleotide polymorphism inphospholipase C epsilon 1 and the single-nucleotide polymorphism rs13042395 in C20orf54 are involved in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in Chinese populations. We hypothesized that genetic polymorphisms of phospholipase C epsilon 1 and C20orf54 are also associated with ESCC in a Korean population. The rs2274223 and rs13042395 genotyping was performed using high-resolution melting analysis. The rs2274223 GG genotype was significantly associated with an increased risk of ESCC (odds ratio [OR]=1.86, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.08-3.25) compared with the rs2274223 AA genotype. The rs13042395 G allele showed a significantly decreased risk of ESCC in the younger age group (OR=0.71, 95% CI=0.52-0.97) and no significant association in the older group (OR=1.19, 95% CI=0.87-1.62). We observed that the rs2274223 polymorphism was associated with an increased risk of ESCC in this Korean case-control study and that age may modify the association between the rs13042395 polymorphism and the risk of ESCC.

Performance study of vegetated sequencing batch coal slag bed treating domestic wastewater in suburban area.

A practical and affordable wastewater treatment system serving small community in suburban areas was studied. The system was a vegetated sequencing batch coal slag bed integrated with the rhythmical movement of wastewater and air like that of a sequencing batch reactor. The removal mechanisms capitalized on the pollutant removal process in conventional constructed wetland. Cyperus alternifolius was planted into the coal slag bed to form a novel plant-soil-microbial interactive system. Nutrients in the domestic wastewater, which cause environmental nuisance like eutrophication, were targeted to be eliminated by the process design. Operated with the contact time of 18 h, the treatment systems achieved around 60% removal efficiency for carbonaceous matters. The removals of ammonia nitrogen and phosphorus were about 50% and 40%, respectively, while the removal of total suspended solids was approaching 80%. From the current study, the construction cost of the vegetated sequencing batch coal slag bed was 256 RMB/m3 and the operation cost was 0.13 RMB/m3. With the advantages of ease of operation, low costs, desirable treatment efficiency and aesthetic value, the vegetated sequencing batch coal slag bed is proposed to be an alternative for onsite domestic wastewater treatment in suburban areas.

Endogenous fatty acid synthesis in squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity.

We measured the synthesis of endogenous fatty acids in oral squamous cell carcinoma, its adjacent tissue, and normal oral tissues that were collected fresh from surgical specimens. The tissues were minced in Roswell Park Memorial Institute Medium 1640 (RPMI 1640) and incubated in [1(2)-(14)C] acetic acid, sodium salt ((14)CH(3)(14)CO(2)Na). Total lipids were then extracted and(14)C was measured by scintillation counter. We found that incorporation of(14)C in the total lipids of squamous cell carcinoma was significantly higher than in the other tissues.

[Microdissection of M chromosome in Vicia faba and its library construction].

Microdissection and microcloning technique was employed to construct the library of M chromosome in Vicia faba. The M chromosomes were microdissected with a micromanipulator and were put into a 0.5 ml Eppendorf tube, then digested with Sau3A. Sau3A linker adaptors were ligated to the end of chromosome DNA fragments, and two rounds of PCR were carried out with one chain of linker adaptor as the primer. The PCR products ranged in size from 300 base pair (bp) to 3000 bp with predominant fragments from 500 bp to 1500 bp. Southern hybridization analysis confirmed that PCR products originated from Vicia faba genome. The second round PCR products were cloned and about 102,000 recombinants were obtained. 118 recombinants were selected randomly for analysis. The inserts ranged in size from 150 bp to 3000 bp with an average of 690 bp. Dot blot was carried out for 100 clones with DIG labeled Vicia faba genome DNA as probes. The result revealed that 51% were low and unique copy sequences, 49% were repetitive sequences. M chromosome DNA library has not been reported before.

Effects of sustained ligustrazine on hemorrheology in patients with chronic pulmonary heart disease.

Before and after oral administration of sustained Ligustrazine, changes of hemorrheology and TXA2/PGI2 were evaluated in 16 patients with advanced chronic pulmonary heart disease. A decrease in whole blood and plasma viscosity, and reductions in hematocrit and fibrinogen were found after one course of treatment with sustained Ligustrazine. The mechanism of these effects may be related to improved modulation of imbalance of TXA2/PGI2 in patients with advanced chronic pulmonary heart disease.