User behavior, influence factors, and impacts on real-world pollutant emissions from the household heating stoves in rural China.

Household heating stoves are commonly used for heating in rural China during winter and are responsible for a large portion of the particulate matter in the atmosphere. Pollutant emissions from household stoves are influenced by user behaviors in actual use, in addition to purely technological reasons (i.e., type and age of appliance) and installation conditions (i.e., the natural draft of chimney system). The variability in user behavior is one of the reasons for uncertainty in household emission inventories. In this study, household stove user behaviors, including ignition frequency, heating with or without cooking, smoldering duration, and fuel-adding times, were investigated through face-to-face surveys in Shanxi province, north China. The survey of user behaviors showed that the majority of the RHS users (81.3%) and approximately half of the WHS users (49.4%) used their stoves for both cooking and heating, whereas the remaining users used their stoves just for heating. Approximately 80% of surveyed households (97.4% for water heating stove and 68.7% for radiant heating stove) kept the stoves smoldering at night, whereas the remaining users ignited their stoves every day. The highest frequency of smoldering duration and highest frequency of fuel-adding operation were 8-9 h and 4-7 times, respectively. Principal component analysis showed that stove type, permanent population, and annual income are the potential influencing factors of user behavior. The smoldering duration was positively related to indoor air pollutant concentrations and fuel-adding times had a significant impact on outdoor PM2.5 emission factors. The results from this research will be beneficial for understanding the cause of fluctuation in emissions and designing heating appliances for real-life operations.

A comparison of ARMS and mutation specific IHC for common activating EGFR mutations analysis in small biopsy and cytology specimens of advanced non small cell lung cancer.

We have compared mutation analysis by Amplification Refractory Mutation System (ARMS) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutant-specific antibodies for their ability to detect two common activating EGFR mutations in a cohort of 115 advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including cytology material, core biopsy, and bronchoscopic biopsies. Assessment of EGFR mutation status was performed by using antibodies and ARMS assay specific to the two major forms of mutant EGFR, exon 19 deletion E746-A750 (c.2235_2249del15 or c.2236_2250del15, p. Glu746_Ala750 del) and exon 21 L858R point mutation (c.2573T>G, p.Leu858Arg). In this study the optimal buffer for antigen retrieval was sodium citrate (pH 6.0). Q score was used to evaluate the specific mutant EGFR proteins expression. Validation using clinical material showed deletions in exon 19 were detected in 19.1% and L858R mutation in 20% of all cases by ARMS assay. A cutoff value of score 1 was used as positive by IHC. No wild type cases were immuno-reactive. The antibodies performed well in cytology, core biopsies and bronchoscopic biopsies. There were only one false positive case using L858R IHC (sensitivity 100%, specificity 98.5%, positive predictive value 96%, negative predictive value 100%). All 23 E746-A750 exon 19 deletions identified by mutation analysis were positive by IHC. The sensitivity of exon 19 IHC for E746-A750 was 100%, specificity 100%, positive predictive value 100% and negative predictive value 100%. The result of the IHC stains was finely correlated with mutations status determined by ARMS assay. Although inferior to molecular genetic analysis of the EGFR gene, IHC is highly specific and sensitive for the targeted EGFR mutations. The antibodies are likely to be of clinical value in cases especially where limited tumor material is available, or in situations where molecular genetic analysis is not readily available.

[Associations between Ser447Ter gene polymorphism of lipoprotein lipase and atherosclerotic cerebral infarction].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene Ser447Ter polymorphism and atherosclerotic cerebral infarction (CI), and to investigate the effect of Ser447Ter polymorphism on plasma lipids, carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and carotid artery plaque (CAP) in patients with CI. METHODS: PCR-restriction fragment lengh polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique was used to detect LPL gene Ser447Ter polymorphism in 166 patients with CI (CI group) and 72 healthy subjects (control group). Carotid IMT and CAP were measured with carotid color ultrasonographic doppler for the patients and the controls. RESULTS: CG+GG carriers had lower plasma triglyceride (TG) levels and higher high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels than CC carriers in CI group (P=0.001 and P=0.007 respectively). CG+GG carriers had lower plasma TG levels than CC carriers in control group (P=0.041). The frequency of G allele in CI patients was significantly lower than that in control subjects (P= 0.014). There was no statistical correlation between LPL Ser447Ter gene polymorphism and carotid IMT and CAP. CONCLUSION: The Ser447Terls polymorphism of LPL gene is significantly associated with plasma lipids and CI. G allele genotype may lead to decrease of plasma TG and increase of plasma HDL-C. G allele may be a protective genotype of CI.