The dynamics of CO2 emissions, energy consumption, and economic development: evidence from the top 28 greenhouse gas emitters.

Previous studies have done more research on the relationship between carbon emission reduction, energy consumption, and economic growth in specific countries or regions, which rarely consider the issue of heterogeneity between countries or regions, and also lack the refinement of energy consumption categories. Using panel data from 2000 to 2017, this paper divided the top 28 global carbon emission countries into developed countries and developing countries, and explores co-integration and causality between renewable energy consumption, non-renewable energy consumption, economic growth, and carbon emission. Results suggested that there is a two-way causal relationship between carbon emissions and economic growth in all economies. There is a two-way causal relationship between economic growth in developed countries and consumption of renewable and non-renewable energy, while there is no significant relationship between economic growth and energy consumption in developing countries. There is a two-way causal relationship between carbon emissions and renewable energy in all economies, but there are significant differences; there is a two-way causal relationship between carbon emissions in developed countries and non-renewable energy, and only one-way causality exists in developing countries.

HMGA2 Expression in Renal Carcinoma and its Clinical Significance.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study is to detect HMGA2 expression in renal carcinoma to explore its relationship with clinicopathology and its significance in prognosis. METHODS: Expressions of HMGA2 mRNA and protein were detected in 50 renal carcinoma specimens, 50 corresponding adjacent normal kidney tissue samples and 40 renal benign tumour specimens via reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical assay. Expression analysis was performed along with clinical data analysis. RESULTS: The relative expression levels of HMGA2 mRNA in renal carcinoma, renal benign tumour tissues and adjacent normal renal tissues were 0.84±0.23, 0.19±0.06 and 0.08±0.04, respectively. HMGA2 protein positive rates were 68.0%, 7.5% and 2.0%, with a significant difference (P<0.05). HMGA2 expression was not significantly correlated with gender, age, tumour size and histological type (P>0.05), but was significantly correlated with TNM stages and lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The expressions of HMGA2 gene and protein in renal carcinoma were closely correlated with tumour formation, progression and metastasis. HMGA2 may become a powerful new pathological marker and prognostic factor for renal carcinoma.

[Transurethral resection of the prostate for advanced hormone-refractory prostate cancer: a feasibility study].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer with bladder outlet obstruction (BOO). METHODS: We included in this study 43 cases of advanced prostate cancer with BOO treated by TURP, and analyzed their IPSS, maximum urinary flow rate and relevant risk factors pre-operatively and at 3 and 12 months after TURP. RESULTS: Compared with the baseline, IPSS and the maximum urinary flow rate of the patients showed significant differences 3 months after surgery ([19.60 +/- 0.41] score vs. [9.58 +/- 0.33] score, [4.93 +/- 0.68] ml/s vs. [8.96 +/- 0.47] ml/s, P < 0.05), but not at 12 months ([15.73 +/- 0.66] score, [5.67 +/- 0.44] ml/s). In multiple regression analysis, a good outcome was associated with pre-operative acute urinary retention, while poor prognosis with hormone-refractory prostate cancer. CONCLUSION: In the treatment of advanced hormone-refractory prostate cancer with BOO, TURP can reduce IPSS and increase the maximum urinary flow rate in the early period after surgery, but its long-term effect is not so desirable. Meanwhile the operation itself may bring about relevant complications and reduce the patient's quality of life.

Different expression of dectin-1 and Toll-like receptor 2 in the lungs of different immune status mice infected with Aspergillus fumigatus.

BACKGROUND: Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is a severe and frequently fatal disease in patients receiving treatment with immunosuppressive agents such as cyclophosphamide. Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) now is a leading cause of IPA. Dectin-1 and Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) are important pattern recognition receptors involved in immune responses to A. fumigatus in vitro. However, the expression of the two receptors during the infection of A. fumigatus in vivo is not completely understood. The effects of cyclophosphamide treatment on the expression of the receptors need to be further studied. METHODS: We established different immune status in mice models with or without A. fumigatus infection. On days 1, 3 and 5 post inoculation, pulmonary tissues from mice of the different groups were harvested. Dectin-1 and TLR2 mRNA expression in the lungs of the mice were investigated by real-time PCR. The pulmonary fungal burden in the mice with A. fumigatus infection was also evaluated. RESULTS: In the immunocompetent mice, three days after A. fumigatus inoculation, dectin-1 and TLR2 expression increased markedly compared with the normal control group. Cyclophosphamide inhibited the clearance of pathogens and the expression of dectin-1 with or without A. fumigatus infection in the lungs as well. There was no statistical difference in TLR2 expression between the different immune status groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that in vivo, dectin-1 and TLR2 are activated during the experimental period which would provide a broad range of possibilities for a specific and effective inflammatory response to kill A. fumigatus. Inhibition of dectin-1 expression may be one of the mechanisms of cyclophosphamide in the development of IPA.

[Observations on clinic curative effect of oxymatrine to cure hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS)].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the curative effect of oxymatrine to cure hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. METHODS: Randomly divide 418 patients suffering from hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome into a treatment group and a control group, use oxymatrine to give an intravenous drip to the patients in the treatment group, one time a day, each time 600 mg, lasting for 7 days as one period of treatment and meanwhile take a traditional equilibrium salt treatment for the patients in the control group. Observe the change of the illness in both groups and occurrence of complications, dynamically test the magnitude of serum urination-regulated protein (THP) and beta(2) microglobulin (beta(2)M) of the patients, in the meantime observe the change in magnitude of serum white blood cell medium 15 (IL-15) and soluble intercellular adhesion molecules (sICAM-1). RESULTS: Shorten the course of the disease of the patients in the oxymatrine treatment group, make an improvement after the recovery and obviously reduce the magnitude of serum urination-regulated protein (THP) and beta(2) microglobulin and show a striking difference in magnitude of serum IL-15 and sICAM-1 after the treatment compared with that of the patients in the control group. CONCLUSION: Oxymatrine has a certainly true curative effect to hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and worth of furthering its widespread use in clinics.