Source and enrichment mechanism of fluoride in groundwater of the Hotan Oasis within the Tarim Basin, Northwestern China.

In arid inland irrigated areas, the role of human activities on fluoride enrichment in groundwater is not fully understood. There is an extremely arid climate, high-intensity irrigation, and severe soil salinization in the Hotan Oasis within the Tarim Basin, Northwestern China. In this study, hydrogeochemistry and environmental isotope methods were combined to explore the distribution characteristics and controlling processes of fluoride enrichment in groundwater. The F- concentration in groundwater had a range of 1.12-9.4 mg/L. F- concentrations of all the groundwater samples were higher than 1.0 mg/L (Chinese Standards for Drinking Water Quality), and about 89% were higher than 1.5 mg/L (WHO Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality). High fluoride groundwater was mainly distributed downstream of the river and in the middle of the interfluvial zone. Vertically, the fluoride concentration was higher when the sampling depth was less than 15 m. There was a significant positive correlation between F- concentration and salinity in groundwater. F- in groundwater was mainly derived from river water fluoride, which could be imported to groundwater with infiltration of rivers and irrigation canals as well as irrigation return flow. Anthropogenic inputs may be partly responsible for fluoride enrichment in groundwater. Fluoride accumulated in the vadose zone by strong evapotranspiration and then leached into groundwater with irrigation return flow was the main mechanism of F- enrichment in groundwater in the study area. This work is a clear example of how human activities together with natural processes can affect the chemical quality of groundwater, which is essential to safeguard the sustainable management of water and soil resources inland arid oasis areas.

Identification of groundwater pollution from livestock farming using fluorescence spectroscopy coupled with multivariate statistical methods.

Extensive livestock farming has highly threatened groundwater quality, thereby necessitating a rapid and effective method to identify groundwater quality in such areas. Fluorescence spectroscopy has been recognized as an interpretable method for tracking anthropogenic influences on water quality, but its applicability in identifying the groundwater pollution from livestock farming remains unknown. In this study, the fluorescence characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in groundwater from a typical livestock farming area were investigated by using fluorescence excitation emission matrix (EEM)-parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) coupled with multivariate statistical methods. The results showed that livestock farming significantly altered the content and composition of DOM in groundwater, and these effects were mainly observed in shallow groundwater in the study area. Hierarchical cluster analysis based on fluorescence parameters divided the groundwater samples into three clusters with significantly different pollution degrees: Cluster A, unpolluted; Cluster B, highly polluted; Cluster C, moderately polluted. In particular, the intensity of tryptophan-like fluorescence was high in the polluted groundwater but was almost undetectable in the unpolluted groundwater, suggesting that it is a potential indicator of groundwater quality. Principal component analysis based on the fluorescence parameters explained 91.5% of the variance with the first two principal components, and revealed that the degree of pollution dominated the fluorescence characteristics of groundwater in the study area. In addition, NO3- was abundant in Clusters B and C, while it was low in Cluster A, validating the analysis results of fluorescence spectroscopy. These findings indicated that DOM fluorescence was sensitive to livestock farming pollution and could be applied to identify, monitor, and assess groundwater pollution from livestock farming.

Insights into carbon isotope fractionation on trichloroethene degradation in base activated persulfate process: The role of multiple reactive oxygen species.

Understanding the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is essential to elucidate the mechanism of contaminants degradation in in-situ chemical oxidation (ISCO). In this study, compound specific isotope analysis (CSIA) and radicals quenching methods were integrated to investigate the roles of hydroxyl radical (HO), sulfate radical (SO4-), and superoxide radical (O2-) on trichloroethene (TCE) degradation during persulfate (PS) activated with base. The carbon isotope fractionation of TCE was found to be dependent of the base:PS ratios, yielding carbon enrichment factors (ε values) from -9.8 ± 0.5‰ to -16.7 ± 1.0‰ at base:PS molar ratios between 0.5:1 and 10:1, which was attributed to multi-pathways degradation of TCE by multiple ROS. The expected ε value (-31.6 ± 1.6‰) for TCE degradation via O2- attacking pathway, was more negative than those values via SO4- or HO pathways. The relative contributions of HO, SO4- and O2- for TCE degradation during base activated PS were estimated with observed ε values. HO and O2- were the predominant ROS for TCE degradation (with the relative contribution of 55-69% and 22-45%, respectively) in base activated PS. This work highlights the prospect of CSIA application for identifying degradation pathways of contaminants with ROS in environment.

Hydrogeochemistry Evidence for Impacts of Chemical Acidic Wastewater on Karst Aquifer in Dawu Water Source Area, Northern China.

The study of the hydrochemical characteristics and the water-rock interaction of karst groundwater is very important for the rational exploitation of karst groundwater and its pollution control. In this paper, the systematic clustering method was used to analyze the hydrochemical characteristics of different types of groundwater, combined with hydrochemical graphic analysis and correlation analysis to explore the impact of chemical acidic wastewater on the evolution of karst aquifer in the Dawu water source area, northern China. The results show that the chemical acid wastewater, sourcing from discharges/spillages from the local chemical industries, has different degrees of pollution impact on karst groundwater, causing the total hardness of all karst groundwater and the total dissolved solids, Cl- and SO42- in nearly half of the karst groundwater to exceed the quality indexes of class III water in China's standard for groundwater quality (GB/T 14848-2017). Hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid in the wastewater can be buffered by the dissolution of carbonate rocks, resulting in a nearly neutral pH (pH-buffering effect) and an increase in Ca2+, Mg2+, Sr, Cl- and SO42- concentrations in karst groundwater.

Component resolved diagnosis of egg yolk is an indispensable part of egg allergy

Introduction and objectives It was urgent to explain the role of egg yolk allergen sensitization to the egg allergic population and we would evaluate the diagnostic value of allergen components in whole eggs, including egg white and egg yolk. Materials and methods Firstly, we collected 99 positive and 21 negative sera against egg allergy. Then we used modified enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to survey specific IgE (sIgE) to all-proven and single component in eggs, Ovomucoid (Gal d 1), Ovalbumin (Gal d 2), Ovotransferrin (Gal d 3), Lysozyme C (Gal d 4), Serum Albumin (Gal d 5), and YGP42(Gal d 6) in allergic and non-allergic populations. Last but not least, we studied the sIgE reactivities to egg allergen components by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results Among egg-allergic individuals, nearly 10% were sensitized to five of six egg allergen components, and the cross-reaction frequency between two egg yolk allergens with Gal d 1 was about 30% in the groups diagnosed with egg allergy or non-allergy. The best component-combination diagnosis in egg allergy of Gal d 1+ Gal d 6 demonstrated the largest area under curve (AUC) of 0.994. Conclusions Our results suggested that there were individual differences in allergenicity of different egg allergen components, especially in the samples negative to egg allergy diagnosed but sensitive to egg yolk components. It was indicated that component resolved diagnosis of egg yolk improved the value for egg allergy management indispensably (AU)

Free CA125 promotes ovarian cancer cell migration and tumor metastasis by binding Mesothelin to reduce DKK1 expression and activate the SGK3/FOXO3 pathway.

Objective: CA125/MUC16 is an O-glycosylated protein that is expressed on the surfaces of ovarian epithelial cells. This molecule is a widely used tumor-associated marker for diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Recently, CA125 was shown to be involved in ovarian cancer metastasis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanism of CA125 during ovarian cancer metastasis. Methods: We analyzed the Oncomine and CSIOVDB databases to determine the expression levels of DKK1 in ovarian cancer. DKK1 expression levels were upregulated or downregulated and applied with CA125 to Transwell and Western blot assays to ascertain the underlying mechanism by which CA125 stimulates cell migration via the SGK3/FOXO3 pathway. Anti-mesothelin antibodies (anti-MSLN) were used to block CA125 stimulation. Then the expression levels of DKK1were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to eliminate the blocking effect of anti-MSLN to CA125 stimulation. Xenograft mouse models were used to detect the effects of CA125 and anti-MSLN on ovarian cancer metastasis in vivo. Results: DKK1 levels were downregulated in ovarian tumor tissues according to the analyses of two databases and significantly correlated with FIGO stage, grade and disease-free survival in ovarian cancer patients. DKK1 levels were downregulated by CA125 stimulation in vitro. Overexpression of DKK1 reversed the ability of exogenous CA125 to mediate cell migration by activating the SGK3/FOXO3 signaling pathway. Anti-MSLN abrogated the DKK1 reduction and increased the apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells. The use of anti-MSLN in xenograft mouse models significantly reduced tumor growth and metastasis accelerated by CA125. Conclusions: These experiments revealed that the SGK3/FOXO3 pathway was activated, wherein decreased expression of DKK1 was caused by CA125, which fuels ovarian cancer cell migration. Mesothelin is a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of ovarian cancer metastasis.

Shallow Groundwater Quality and Its Controlling Factors in the Su-Xi-Chang Region, Eastern China.

Understanding factors influencing groundwater quality is critical to the development of best management practices at the large watershed scale. In this study, the shallow groundwater (10-20 m depth) in the Su-Xi-Chang region, eastern China, was investigated as part of a monitoring program from 2007 to 2008 to analyze the regional groundwater quality as well as the hydrogeochemical processes and their controlling factors. Conventional physicochemical water parameters (pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total phosphorus), major cations (Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+ and NH4+) and anions (Cl-, NO3- and SO42-) were measured. Hydrochemical methods and multivariate statistical methods were applied to analyze the hydrogeochemical signatures, origins, the similarities among the variables and to identify the main pollution sources in the groundwater. The results showed that (1) the concentrations of TDS (224.89-1086.70 mg/L) and turbidity (0.1-18.60 NTU) were higher than the class II groundwater quality standards in China and the WHO drinking water standards, (2) there were extremely high concentrations of ammonia (0.01-32.90 mg/L), with a mean value of 0.72 mg/L and (3) the nitrate concentrations (average value of 22.07 mg/L) exceeded the class III groundwater quality standards. The study also provided evidence that weathering, dissolution of carbonate, halite and silicate and cation exchange were the possible primary hydrogeochemical control mechanisms in the groundwater. The sources of ammonia, total phosphorus, sulfates and nitrates included rock-water interactions and anthropogenic activities. The groundwater administration of pollution sinks and sources, long-term legal frameworks and economic incentives should be improved to optimize watershed scale management in the context of rapid development in China.

A potential novel approach for in situ chemical oxidation based on the combination of persulfate and dithionite.

Although persulfate (PS) activation has been commonly applied to remove organic contaminants on the subsurface, it is valuable to further explore PS activation methods. In this study, a novel combined process based on PS coupled with dithionite was investigated using trichloroethene (TCE) as a typical organic contaminant. PS/dithionite was demonstrated to be an effective system for TCE degradation depending on the operating parameters such as the initial PS and dithionite dosages. The optimal molar ratio of PS/dithionite/TCE was 5/5/1. Sulfate radicals (SO4•-) were the dominant reactive species responsible for TCE degradation in the PS/dithionite system. Two pathways for SO4•- generation were proposed in the PS/dithionite system. The generation of SO4•- increased in the presence of oxygen but was still effective in an anaerobic environment. This study is the first to report a novel combined process based on PS coupled with dithionite, which is expected to be an efficient and environmentally friendly approach for in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater, whether in aerobic or anaerobic environments.

Alarmin augments the antitumor immunity of lentiviral vaccine in ectopic, orthotopic and autochthonous hepatocellular carcinoma mice.

It is a daunting therapeutic challenge to completely eradicate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from patients. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) -based vaccines appear promising, however the efficacy needs to be improved. Methods: Here, we explore if fusing high-mobility group nucleosome binding protein 1 (HMGN1), a potent immunoadjuvant, to AFP (lenti-HA) can augment the antitumor immunity of AFP-expressing lentiviral vector (lenti-AFP), a vehicle extensively employed for genetic immunization with high transduction efficacy and good safety profiles. The antitumor immunity of Lenti-HA was systemically assessed in ectopic, orthotopic and autochthonous HCC models. Results: Lenti-HA elicited strong anti-HCC effects in mice and amplified the antitumor immunity of lenti-AFP by reducing effective dose 6-fold. Importantly, lenti-HA induced a robust antitumor immune response with prolonged survival rate and improved the immune and tumor microenvironment in mice with carcinogen-induced autochthonous HCC. Lenti-HA localized primarily to lymphoid organs with no preference for specific immune cell types. Activated dendritic cells (DCs), particularly CD103+CD11b- DCs, were also actively recruited to lymph nodes in lenti-HA-treated HCC mice. Moreover, lenti-HA-transduced human DCs elicited stronger immune response than lenti-AFP against HCC cells in vitro. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that HMGN1 augments the antitumor immunity of AFP-expressing lentiviral vaccines in HCC mice and human cells in vitro and thus provides a new therapeutic strategy for HCC.

Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Ovarian Cancer Patients with Low CA125 Concentration.

Ovarian cancer cases with low CA125 concentration are problematic and increase the high false negative results ratio during routine physical examination testing. Unfortunately, patients without early discovery have very low survival rates. In our study, we investigated the possible role of differential leukocyte counts and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in ovarian cancer patients to identify an additional discriminative marker to avoid missing diagnoses in normal physical examinations. One hundred seventy-three patients with epithelial ovarian cancer and 70 healthy controls were involved in our study. Based on the results, compared with the healthy controls, NLR was significantly different both in the low CA125 concentration group and in the complete patient group, indicating that NLR could be an effective marker for ovarian cancer screening. According to ROC, sensitivity, specificity, and NPV results, CA125 >35 U/ml is a good indicator for cancer in routine physical examination. However, in patients with low CA125 concentration, the CA125>7.65 U/ml and NLR >1.72 group yielded increased sensitivity with appropriate specificity and higher NPV results than the CA125 >35 U/ml group. We believe CA125>7.65 U/ml and NLR >1.72 should be effective makers for patients with low CA125 concentration. As a more sensitive and cost-effective strategy, this method could be conducted during routine ovarian cancer screening.

Strontium promotes osteogenic differentiation by activating autophagy via the the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway in MC3T3­E1 cells.

Strontium (Sr) is an alkaline earth metal that exerts the dual effect of improving bone formation and suppressing bone resorption, resulting in increased bone apposition rates and bone mineral density. However, the mechanisms through which Sr exerts these beneficial effects on bone have yet to be fully elucidated. The present study aimed to reveal the underlying molecular mechanisms associated with Sr­induced osteogenic differentiation. The effects of Sr on cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation were analyzed by MTT assay, RT­qPCR, western blot analysis, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Alizarin red staining assays. The extent of autophagy was determined by monodansylcadaverine (MDC) staining and western blot analysis of two markers of cellular autophagic activity, the steatosis­associated protein, sequestosome­1 (SQSTM1/p62), and the two isoforms of microtubule­associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3), LC­3­I/II. The expression levels of AMP­activated protein kinase (AMPK) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) were also detected by western blot analysis. Sr at a concentration of 3 mM exerted the most pronounced effect on osteogenic differentiation, without any apparent cell toxicity. At the same time, cellular autophagy was active during this process. Subsequently, autophagy was blocked by 3­methyladenine, and the enhancement of osteogenic differentiation in response to Sr was abrogated. Additionally, the phosphorylation level of AMPK was significantly increased, whereas that of mTOR was significantly decreased, in the Sr­treated group. Taken together, the findings of the present study demonstrate that Sr stimulates AMPK­activated autophagy to induce the osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3­E1 cells.

Compositional changes of dissolved organic carbon during its dynamic desorption from hyporheic zone sediments.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is an important driver for biogeochemical reactions that affect microbial community function, and regulate changes in porewater chemical composition and redox properties in the environment. This study investigated the variation in DOM molecular composition during the detachment of organic matter (OM) from hyporheic zone (HZ) sediments using Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry (FTICR-MS). Diffusive mass transfer and microbial degradation were the two primary processes controlling the rate of OM release and molecular composition changes during the detachment from sediments. The diffusive mass transfer process limited the rate of OM release from the sediments, but had negligible effect on the molecular signature of the released OM. Microbial degradation on the other hand preferentially consumed the protein- and lipid-like fractions of the DOM, characterized by lower nominal oxidation states of carbon (NOSC), lower molecular weight, and a higher saturation of chemical bonds. The results have strong implication to the organic carbon dynamics and related microbial activities and contaminant transformation in hyporheic zones, an important critical area in river systems.

Effects of Mining Activities on the Release of Heavy Metals (HMs) in a Typical Mountain Headwater Region, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China.

Understanding the heavy metal (HM) contamination in alpine mountain headwaters regions is important to maintaining the ecosystem stability of the basin. A total of 119 water samples and 104 sediment samples were collected along tributaries and the main course of Heihe River. The concentrations of eight heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in water and sediment were measured to describe their spatial variability and to assess water quality. To identify the origins and pathways of HMs, anions, cations, and trace elements, as well as δD/δ18O stable isotopes in water samples were also measured. The results of water quality assessment suggested that tributaries were affected by local mining activity. Factor analysis in sediments showed that all HMs in sediments were inherited from the parent bedrock. Both natural weathering and mining contribute HMs. Cr and Ni were homologous with a source from the weathering of basic gabbro and serpentine at Yushigou. Mn appeared to be influenced more by artificial activities such as agriculture and grazing. Depending on the mining technique involved, two pathways for the release of HMs were distinguished in this area. For open-pit mining, mining promoted the release of HMs primarily via enhanced weathering. For underground mining, HMs might have contributed to greater acid mine discharge at high elevations due to the weak weathering processes. As the elevation decreases, precipitation increases, and a series of complex hydrological factor significantly affect leaching and runoff. The study results can be applied to improve water management efficiency.

Establishment of Multiplex Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification for Rapid Detection of Genitourinary Mycoplasma.

BACKGROUND: Genitourinary Mycoplasma (Ureaplasma urealyticum, Mycoplasma hominis, and Mycoplasma genitalium) is a common pathogen among women, which can cause funisitis, spontaneous abortion, and low birth weight. However, current laboratory testing methods for genitourinary mycoplasma normally need complex processes, expensive devices, and qualified staffs, and there are many limits for application. Up to now, the LAMP method is a rapidly developing field because of the significance for clinical application and commercial value. Few studies have reported the use of mLAMP to detect UU, MH, and MG. In this study, a multiplex loop-mediated isothermal amplification system was developed for rapid detection of UU, MH, and MG, concurrently. METHODS: Three sets of multiplex LAMP primers were designed to specifically target urease of UU, 16S rRNA of MH, and mgpa of MG. The ratio of primer concentration was optimized. The specificity and sensitivity of multiplex LAMP were explored. Twenty-nine clinical samples were successfully used with mLAMP. RESULTS: In this study, the primer concentration in the mLAMP system was set to 1.3 µmol/L which could maintain reaction efficiency and avoid non-specific reaction. Multiplex LAMP can test UU, MG, and MH simultaneously with high specificity. Meanwhile, the sensitivity of multiplex LAMP was found to be 100 pg for UU, 100 pg for MH and 1 ng for MG, which was much higher than that of conventional PCR. Furthermore, among the 29 clinical samples, there were two positive samples determined by mLAMP, which was consistent with the PCR and sequencing results. CONCLUSIONS: The multiplex LAMP assay can potentially facilitate simultaneous detection of three kinds of mycoplasma in a large number of samples in clinic, which could be used as a primary screening method and as a supplementary method for classical methods.

Spleen tyrosine kinase promotes NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 inflammasome­mediated IL­1ß secretion via c­Jun N­terminal kinase activation and cell apoptosis during diabetic nephropathy.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a serious complication of diabetes and can cause an increased mortality risk. It was previously reported that NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is involved in the pathogenesis of diabetes. However, the underlying mechanism is not clearly understood. In the present study, the effects of spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) and c­Jun N­terminal kinase (JNK) on the NLRP3 inflammasome were examined in vivo and in vitro. Sprague­Dawley rats were injected intraperitoneally with streptozotocin (65 mg/kg) to induce diabetes. HK2 cells and rat glomerular mesangial cells (RGMCs) were examined to detect the expression of JNK and NLRP3 inflammasome­associated proteins following treatment with a Syk inhibitor or Syk­small interfering (si)RNA in a high glucose condition. In the present study, it was revealed that the protein and mRNA expression levels of NLRP3 inflammasome­associated molecules and the downstream mature interleukin (IL)­1ß were upregulated in vivo and in vitro. The Syk inhibitor and Syk­siRNA suppressed high glucose­induced JNK activation, and subsequently downregulated the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and mature IL­1ß in HK2 cells and RGMCs. Furthermore, high glucose­induced apoptosis of HK2 cells was reduced by the Syk inhibitor BAY61­3606. Therefore, the present results determined that high glucose­induced activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome is mediated by Syk/JNK activation, which subsequently increased the protein expression level of IL­1ß and mature IL­1ß. The present study identified that the Syk/JNK/NLRP3 signaling pathway may serve a vital role in the pathogenesis of DN.

Clinical analysis of lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 in patients with in-stent restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention.

In-stent restenosis (ISR) is the most common complication associated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Although some studies have reported an association between lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) and ISR, not enough clinical validation data are available to support this link. Here, we report our cross-sectional study aimed at exploring the feasibility of LOX-1 as a biomarker for the prognostic diagnosis of patients undergoing PCI.Three groups were included: ISR group, including 99 patients with ISR diagnosed with coronary arteriography (CAG) after PCI; lesion group, comprising 87 patients with coronary artery stenosis (<50%) diagnosed with CAG after PCI; and control group, consisting of 96 volunteers with no coronary artery disease. The levels of LOX-1 were measured in each patient by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and their general information as well as laboratory parameters were recorded and followed up during a period of 2 years.LOX-1 levels gradually increased after PCI along with the progression of the lesion in the 3 groups. The levels of LOX-1 were significantly higher in the ISR group than in the other 2 groups (P < .001). LOX-1 levels were correlated with the levels of uric acid (UA) (r = 0.289, P = .007), creatinine (CREA) (r = .316, P = .003), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (r = -0.271, P = .012), whereas no statistically significant correlation was detected with the Gensini score (r = 0.157, P = .141). The sensitivity and specificity of LOX-1 were 81.5% and 55.7%, respectively, with the most optimal threshold (5.04 µg/L). The area under curve (AUC) of the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve of LOX-1 was 0.720, and LOX-1 had the highest AUC compared with CREA, UA, and HDL-C, both individually and in combination.A high level of LOX-1 in the early period after PCI has a certain predictive power and diagnostic value for ISR. However, the level of LOX-1 is not related to the Gensini score of coronary artery after PCI, and CREA and UA, which are weakly related to LOX-1, have no obvious synergy in the diagnosis of ISR with LOX-1.

MMP Gene Polymorphisms, MMP-1 -1607 1G/2G, -519 A/G, and MMP-12 -82 A/G, and Ischemic Stroke: A Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Several polymorphisms in the human gene encoding MMP have been investigated for the association with ischemic stroke (IS) in the population, of which the MMP-1 -1607 1G/2G, -519 A/G, and MMP-12 -82 A/G polymorphisms gain more and more attention; however, the results are controversial and ambiguous. We therefore carried out the meta-analysis to yield a valid conclusion. METHODS: The literature database was comprehensively searched to identify potentially eligible reports. RESULTS: A total of 15 studies with 3237 cases and 3075 controls were included in this meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant association in MMP-1 -1607 1G/2G and MMP-12 -82 A/G gene polymorphisms, but none was observed in MMP-1 -519 A/G. When a subgroup analysis by ethnicity and HWE, MMP-12 -82 A/G gene polymorphisms may be a risk factor for IS in Europe. In Africa, MMP-1 -1607 1G/2G and MMP-12 -82 A/G also showed a significant effect on IS. Further investigation on a larger sample size of different ethnic populations is needed to confirm the findings.

Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification on Crude DNA as a Point-of-Care Test for the Diagnosis of Mycoplasma-Related Vaginitis During Early Pregnancy.

Background: Mycoplasma-related vaginitis gradually has been growing as a threat in adults-genitourinary infection contributes to funisitis, spontaneous abortion, and low birth weight. Until now, use of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) to detect Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU), Mycoplasma hominis (MH), or Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) has been reported by some researchers. However, previous studies focused on purified DNA as the template for LAMP assay, which is usually extracted via commercial kit. Methods: We developed a LAMP assay for rapid detection of UU, MH, and MG genital mycoplasmas using a simple boiling method for DNA extraction, in a cohort of pregnant women with mycoplasma-related vaginitis. We monitored amplicons with the naked eye using SYBR Green I. Results: The cohort in our study showed a prevalence of 22.6% in pregnant women, as detected by UU-LAMP assay. Compared to the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test with purified DNA, the sensitivity of the UU-LAMP in clinical specimens with crude DNA was 87.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 64.6%->99.9). For crude DNA specimens, UU-LAMP was more sensitive and reliable than PCR, with a higher agreement rate (96.8%) and Youden index value (0.88). Conclusions: As a point-of-care test, LAMP is a useful, specific, and efficient way to detect genital mycoplasmas in resource-limited settings, especially for crude DNA.

Nanosized strontium substituted hydroxyapatite prepared from egg shell for enhanced biological properties.

The fabrication and application of bioactive hydroxyapatite has always been a research hot spot in the fields of orthopaedics. Now it is common to use calcium (Ca) salt as Ca2+ source to synthesise hydroxyapatite. And egg shell could be another promising raw material as Ca2+ source, which is not only economical but also biogenic. In this study, egg shell (ES)-hydroxyapatite was prepared by using egg shells via hydrothermal method. Furthermore, ES-Sr hydroxyapatite was synthesized by incorporation of bioactive element strontium (Sr2+) into ES-hydroxyapatite. The in vitro experiment showed that compared with hydroxyapatite, ES-hydroxyapatite showed better biological performances, which could be attributed to the trace elements in egg shell, such as magnesium (Mg). And the incorporation of Sr2+ could further enhance the bioactivity. These results indicated that apatite with high biological activity, which had great application prospects in orthopedics, could be produced by egg shells and the incorporation of Sr2+.

Roles of hydroxyl and sulfate radicals in degradation of trichloroethene by persulfate activated with Fe2+ and zero-valent iron: Insights from carbon isotope fractionation.

Active species including hydroxyl (HO) and sulfate radicals (SO4-) play important roles in contaminant degradation during the persulfate based in-situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) process. The generation and contribution of active species are critical and can potentially be evaluated using compound specific isotope analysis (CSIA). However, the evaluation of stable isotope fractionation (or isotope enrichment factor ε values) for contaminants degraded by individual active species of concern is required but lacking. This study firstly determined the carbon isotope fractionation of trichloroethene (TCE) degradation by SO4·- with chemical probe methods to obtain ε values from -6.4±0.7 to -6.9±0.5‰. The ε values were significantly different from those reported for TCE degradation by HO, which could be used to identify the competing TCE degradation by HO and SO4-. Relying on the observed ε values and the extended Rayleigh-type equation, the contributions of SO4- and HO to TCE degradation were evaluated in persulfate activated by Fe0 or Fe(II). This study provides an illuminating idea to determine stable isotope fractionation for contaminant degradation by individual active species, which is crucial for the application of CSIA in relevant environments.