[Tempo-spatial and Retention Analysis of Total Phosphorus in the Three Gorges Reservoir].

Phosphorus, as a limiting and vital macronutrient in water, circulates mainly with sediment through rivers. The construction and operation of large reservoirs can have a profound impact on the characteristics of phosphorus transportation and transformation. Based on measured hydrological and water quality data during 2008-2016 in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), a statistical model of total phosphorus (TP) flux and sediment load in different periods was established. The formula of TP flux was established by analyzing the interpolation of unmeasured TP concentration, tempo-spatial characteristics, flux variation, and the retention effect of TP in the TGR. The results indicated that taking no account of the effects of TP inflows of tributaries, annual TP concentration in the TGR varied between 0.196 mg·L-1 and 0.290 mg·L-1 during 2008-2012, and inner-annual changes in TP concentration presented an "M" type with two obvious peaks. TP concentration decreased slowly from upstream to downstream of the TGR, and increased significantly from Cuntan to Qingxichang in some years. The average annual TP flux and retention rate of the TGR were 82300 t and 49.76% during 2008-2012, respectively. During 2013-2016, the average annual TP flux and retention rate decreased significantly, to about 47900 t and 12.03%, respectively.

[Spatiotemporal dynamics of atmospheric PM2.5 and PM10 and its influencing factors in Nanchang, China]. / 南昌市空气PM2.5和PM10çš„æ—¶ç©ºåŠ¨æ€åŠå ¶å½±å“å› ç´ .

PM2.5 and PM10 have become the primary pollutants of most cities in China. Atmospheric PM2.5 and PM10 mass concentrations, meteorological factors, traffic flow from 2013 to 2015 in Nanchang were analyzed. Spatiotemporal dynamic pattern of atmospheric particulate matter pollution and the effect of weather and traffic on particle concentration change were discussed in this paper. The results showed that PM2.5(70.92 µg·m-3 in 2013 > 53.70 µg·m-3 in 2014 ＞ 43.65 µg·m-3 in 2015) and PM10(119.72 µg·m-3 in 2013 ＞ 86.11 µg·m-3 in 2014 ＞ 73.32 µg·m-3 in 2015) concentrations decreased gradually from 2013 to 2015. In addition, low concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 in summer (average PM2.5 concentration 36.74 µg·m-3, average PM10 concentration 69.20 µg·m-3) but high concentrations in winter (average PM2.5 concentration 74.29 µg·m-3, average PM10 concentration 111.64 µg·m-3) were observed. Moreover, PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations changed with the urban-rural gradient, decreasing from the city center to suburb. The ratio of PM2.5/PM10(0.595 ＞ 0.584 ＞ 0.557) decreased year by year from 2013 to 2015 and was higher in the city center area than in the edge of city. PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations were affected by various meteorological factors and significantly related to air pressure, temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, precipitation and sunshine time. The influence of meteorological factors differed on PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations. Traffic flow significantly increased the surrounding PM2.5 concentration, but not PM10 concentration.

Transient risk factors for acute occupational hand injuries among metal manufacturing workers: A case-crossover study in southern China.

BACKGROUND: Acute occupational hand injuries are a common occurrence in China's metal manufacturing industries. This study aimed to explore the transient risk factors for acute occupational hand injuries among metal manufacturing workers. METHODS: A case-crossover study was conducted from October 2013 through December 2013 in Zhongshan city, southern China. Face-to-face interviews were used to collect information on the occurrence of 12 transient risk factors during the "hazard" period (a 60-min period prior to occupational hand injury) and a "control" period (the week before the injury). RESULTS: One hundred ninety-four qualified acute occupational hand injury cases (139 male, 55 female) were enrolled in this study, with a mean age of 35.5 (standard deviation [SD] 10.4) years. The most common (64.9%) type of work was punching, and the most common injures were crushes and fractures (28.8 and 23.7%, respectively). Of these cases, 62.9% were regarded as severe or major. Among the 12 transient risk factors, 11 ones were significantly associated with acute occupational hand injuries occurring during the hazard period: "replacing sharp knives" (IRR = 14.38, 95%CI 11.43-18.08), "using malfunctioning machinery" (IRR = 30.59, 95%CI 17.84-52.48), "using different tools" (IRR = 10.96, 95%CI 4.77-25.17), "using different machines" (IRR = 5.20, 95%CI 2.25-12.00), "performing unusual work tasks" (IRR = 24.38, 95%CI 14.11-42.15), "working overtime" (IRR = 13.40, 95%CI 7.70-23.29), "performing a task with a different method" (IRR = 56.41, 95%CI 23.61-134.81), "being in a bad mood" (IRR = 108.11, 95%CI 55.10-211.11), "feeling ill" (RR = 12.27, 95%CI 4.95-30.43), "rushing" (IRR = 5.16, 95%CI 2.49-10.70), and "not wearing gloves" (IRR = 1.63, 95%CI 1.23-2.15). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggested that multiple transient risk factors were responsible for the acute occupational hand injuries in China's metal manufacturing industries. Am. J. Ind. Med. 59:832-840, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Aerobic sludge granulation in a full-scale sequencing batch reactor.

Aerobic granulation of activated sludge was successfully achieved in a full-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) with 50,000 m(3) d(-1) for treating a town's wastewater. After operation for 337 days, in this full-scale SBR, aerobic granules with an average SVI30 of 47.1 mL g(-1), diameter of 0.5 mm, and settling velocity of 42 m h(-1) were obtained. Compared to an anaerobic/oxic plug flow (A/O) reactor and an oxidation ditch (OD) being operated in this wastewater treatment plant, the sludge from full-scale SBR has more compact structure and excellent settling ability. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis indicated that Flavobacterium sp., uncultured beta proteobacterium, uncultured Aquabacterium sp., and uncultured Leptothrix sp. were just dominant in SBR, whereas uncultured bacteroidetes were only found in A/O and OD. Three kinds of sludge had a high content of protein in extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis revealed that metal ions and some inorganics from raw wastewater precipitated in sludge acted as core to enhance granulation. Raw wastewater characteristics had a positive effect on the granule formation, but the SBR mode operating with periodic feast-famine, shorter settling time, and no return sludge pump played a crucial role in aerobic sludge granulation.

microRNA­202 suppresses MYCN expression under the control of E2F1 in the neuroblastoma cell line LAN­5.

microRNAs (miRNAs) are small non­coding RNAs that regulate gene expression by binding to the untranslated regions (UTRs) of target mRNAs. Bioinformatic software predicted that MYCN, a gene overexpressed in aggressive neuroblastoma cells, is a target gene of miRNA­202 (miR­202) and that the promoter region of miR­202 contains binding sites for the transcription factor E2F1. The aims of this study were to explore the regulation of MYCN expression by miR­202 in the LAN­5 human neuroblastoma cell line and to confirm the presence of binding sites for E2F1 in the miR­202 promoter region. LAN­5 cells were transfected with a synthetic miR­202 mimic, an miRNA inhibitor or appropriate control miRNAs. miR­202 expression levels prior to and following transfection were measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and MYCN protein expression was measured by western blot analysis. The interaction between miR­202 and MYCN was examined using a luciferase reporter assay. The transcription start site of miR­202 was determined by the rapid amplification of 5'cDNA ends (5'RACE) test and a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay was used to confirm binding sites for E2F1 in the miR­202 promoter region. Overexpression of miR­202 in LAN­5 cells specifically inhibited MYCN protein expression. The 5'RACE test showed that the transcription start site of miR­202 was at a thymidine, 312 bp upstream of the stem­loop sequence. A ChIP assay demonstrated that E2F1 binds directly to the miR­202 promoter region. miR­202 is activated by E2F1 and in turn downregulates MYCN protein expression in the neuroblastoma cell line LAN­5. Upregulation of miR­202 may therefore be a novel strategy for neuroblastoma treatment.

[Possible impacts of the Three Gorges Project and converting farmland into lake on the Microtus fortis population in Dongting Lake region].

The outbreak of Yantze vole (Microtus fortis) population in Dongting Lake region is closely related to the evolvement of lake beaches, because the deposition of lake sediments results in the expansion of lake beaches, which provides the possibility of the increase of the vole's population. Reclaiming farmland from lake via building cofferdams, eliminating snails by building cofferdams for eradicating schistosomiasis, and over-hunting predators in the region cause the voles becoming a pest after the 1970s. In recent years, the Three Gorges Project and the conversion from farmland into lake have had deep impacts on the environment in the Lake region. The dispatching of the down flow rate by the Project induces the expansion of the low and medium level beaches in the Lake region, while converting farmland into lake directly induces the increase of beach area, both of which expand the potential habitats of the vole's population. Therefore, more attention should be paid on the quantitative variation trend of the vole's population in the future.

[Observation of clinical response of "sheng ban recipe" for platelets decrease after chemotherapy].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: The majority of cancer chemotherapy can lead to bone marrow depression, which often affects clinical response as chemotherapy can not be carried out with enough dosage on time. The platelets decrease is one of the problems caused by bone marrow depression. Though the clinical response of hyodermic "IL-11" is affirmed to advance platelets presently, it is limited by expensive price. Other agents that can be taken orally with suitable price and equal authenticity are less reported. The author observed clinical response of platelets decrease adopting traditional Chinese medicine "Sheng Ban Recipe"(SBR). METHODS: Totally 103 patients with platelets decrease after chemotherapy from July 1994 to Jannary 2002. They were randomly divided into two groups: SBR plus common treatment group and common treatment alone group. The previous group take 1 package SBR for twice drink per day. Common treatment group give common therapy only. The follow-up period is 2 weeks. RESULTS: Among the 55 cases in SBR group, noticeable efficiency 20%, efficiency 50.9%, total efficiency 70.9%, which is evidently superior to common group. CONCLUSION: "Sheng Ban Recipe" can effectively treat thrombocytopenia after chemotherapy, which helps to reduce the necessary of intravenous drip of platelets and the risk of hemorrhage.

[Clinical study in prophylactic use of chinese medicine to prevent chemoradiotherapy induced mucositis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Oropharyngeal mucositis is the most common acute non-hematology toxicity in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with radiotherapy, especially in the concomitant chemoradiotherapy of local advanced NPC patients. This study was designed to observe the effect of traditional Chinese medicine against acute oropharyngeal mucositis from chemoradiotherapy in patients with local advanced NPC. METHODS: A total of 101 patients in stage III- IVa (Fuzhou 1992) were enrolled into this prospective randomized clinical trial. The cases were divided into treatment group (52 cases) and control group (49 cases). The median doses were 70.31+/-1.21 Gy for the treatment group and 70.78+/-1.95 Gy for the control group, respectively. Chemotherapy was concomitant with radiotherapy [single agent cisplatin (DDP,30 mg/m(2)) 6 times from first to sixth week of radiotherapy duration]. The patients of treatment group took 5-8 times of Chinese medicine daily and those of control group took 5-8 times of Dobell's solution daily.The observation indices included the degree of oropharyngeal and hematological toxicity, radiotherapy duration, and curative effect. RESULTS: (1)Oropharyngeal toxicity: there was no 0 degree oropharyngeal toxicity in both groups, I degree toxicity in 29 cases (55.77%) and 2 cases (4.08%), II degree toxicity in 18 cases (34.62%) and 17 cases (30.69%), III degree toxicity in 5 cases (9.62%) and 22 cases (44.89%), IV degree toxicity in 0 case (0%) and 8 cases (16.33%); there was statistical significance of difference between the two groups (P=0.000). (2)Hematological toxicity: there was no IV degree hematological toxicity in both groups. WBC toxicity (Z=-0.604,P=0.546), neutrophilic granulocyte toxicity (Z=-0.226,P=0.821), and platelet toxicity (Z=-0.099,P=0.922) were compared; there was no statistic significance of difference (P >0.05); (3)Radiotherapy duration: The radiotherapy duration of two groups were 49.79+/-1.83 days and 51.00+/-4.46 days; there was no statistic significance of difference (P=0.082). (4)Curative effects: The curative effects of two groups were:complete remission (CR) 76.92% (40/52) and 69.39% (34/49), partial remission (PR) 23.08% (12/52) and 30.61% (15/49); there was no statistical significance of difference (P=0.392). CONCLUSION: Chinese medicine was effective in reducing acute oropharyngeal toxicity resulting from chemoradiotherapy in patients with local advanced NPC. Furthermore, the apparent side effects of Chinese medicine in this study have not been observed. Chinese medicine treatment did not affect the short-term clinical outcome.