NMR and MS reveal characteristic metabolome atlas and optimize esophageal squamous cell carcinoma early detection

Metabolic changes precede malignant histology. However, it remains unclear whether detectable characteristic metabolome exists in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) tissues and biofluids for early diagnosis. Here, we conduct NMR- and MS-based metabolomics on 1,153 matched ESCC tissues, normal mucosae, pre- and one-week post-operative sera and urines from 560 participants across three hospitals, with machine learning and WGCNA. Aberrations in 'alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism' proved to be prevalent throughout the ESCC evolution, consistently identified by NMR and MS, and reflected in 16 serum and 10 urine metabolic signatures in both discovery and validation sets. NMR-based simplified panels of any five serum or urine metabolites outperform clinical serological tumor markers (AUC = 0.984 and 0.930, respectively), and are effective in distinguishing early-stage ESCC in test set (serum accuracy = 0.994, urine accuracy = 0.879). Collectively, NMR-based biofluid screening can reveal characteristic metabolic events of ESCC and be feasible for early detection (ChiCTR2300073613).

Quality of systematic reviews with meta-analyses of resveratrol: A methodological systematic review

Recently, several meta-analyses (MAs) have focused on the health effects of resveratrol. However, the methodological and reporting quality of these MAs has not yet been fully evaluated so far. Therefore, the present study evaluated the quality of these MAs through a methodological systematic review. Systematic searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library from inception until May 20, 2022, and PubMed was used to update the search until September 6, 2023. The methodological and reporting quality of the selected MAs was evaluated using AMSTAR-2 and PRISMA 2009. Fifty-one MAs published during 2013-2023 were included. In each review, the number of primary studies ranged from 3 to 37, and the number of participants ranged from 50 to 2114. Among the first-listed primary outcomes, only 23 (45.10%) were "positive." As for the methodological quality, most MAs (44, 86.27%) on resveratrol were rated critically low. Inadequate reporting of the included MAs mainly involved items 2 ("Structured summary"), 5 ("Protocol and registration"), 8 ("Search"), 9 ("Study selection"), 10 ("Data collection process"), 12 ("Risk of bias in individual studies"), and 24 ("Summary of evidence") based on the PRISMA 2009. Additionally, journal's impact factor, number of authors, and funding support were positively associated with the overall methodological quality but were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Future MAs on resveratrol require better design, implementation, and reporting by following the Cochrane Handbook, AMSTAR-2, and PRISMA.

The impact of radiosensitivity on clinical outcomes of spinal metastases treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the impact of radiosensitivity on outcomes of spinal metastases treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and identify the correlated prognostic factors.

METHODS

The authors retrospectively reviewed the records of all patients who underwent SBRT with no prior radiation for spinal metastases between October 2015 and October 2020 at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. On the basis of radiosensitivity, patients were divided into two groups-radiosensitive and radioresistant. The endpoints included local control (LC), overall survival (OS), pain relief, and time to pain relief.

RESULTS

A total of 259 (82.5%) patients with 451 lesions were assessable with a median follow-up time of 10.53 months. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS rates were 59%, 52%, and 44%, respectively. The median survival was 33.17 months. Higher Karnofsky Performance Scale score and shorter time to diagnosis of spinal metastases from primary cancer at consult predicted for better OS (p = 0.02 and p < 0.001, respectively). The presence of other metastases (p = 0.04) and pain at enrollment assessed by the Brief Pain Inventory predicted for worse OS (p = 0.01). The 6-, 12-, and 24-month LC rates were 88%, 86%, and 82%, respectively. Younger age was identified for better LC and pain relief (p < 0.001 and p = 0.04, respectively). There was no variable independently associated with time to pain relief. As for toxicity, no Grade ≥3 toxicity was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Regardless of radiosensitivity, SBRT is feasible and appears to be an effective treatment paradigm for patients with spinal metastases, with limited accepted toxicities.

The research landscape on vascularized composite allografts: a bibliometric analysis (2002-2021)

OBJECTIVE

Vascularized composite allografts (VCAs) refer to the transplantation of multiple types of tissues during plastic and reconstructive surgery. Several publications have emerged in the field of VCA. However, there are no bibliometric studies on this topic. The aim was to multidimensionally analyze the knowledge base and hotspots in this subject.

METHODS

We retrieved all publications related to VCA from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC), published from 2002 to 2021. Next, scientometric analysis of different items was performed using various bibliometrics software to explore knowledge base, research hotspots, and advancement trends in this field.

RESULTS

We included a total of 3,190 English articles from 2002 to 2021. The number of publications increased steadily annually. The United States produced the highest number of publications, followed by China. Most publications were from Harvard University, followed by Johns Hopkins University. The most authoritative academic journal was Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Transplantation occupied the first rank of co-cited journal list. Maria Z Siemionow may have the highest influence in the VCA field with the highest number of citations (n = 88) and co-cited references (n = 1252). Clinical studies on different allografts, immunosuppression, and tissue engineering were both the knowledge base and recent topics in VCA research.

CONCLUSIONS

The first bibliometric study comprehensively summarized the trends and development of VCA research with steady growth over the past two decades. Currently, the most active topics are the clinical application of multiple allografts, immunosuppression strategies/therapies, and translation of tissue engineering to clinical practice.

Kanglaite (Coix Seed Extract) as Adjunctive Therapy in Cancer: Evidence Mapping Overview Based on Systematic Reviews With Meta-Analyses

Background: Several quantitative systematic reviews of Kanglaite (KLT), an herb preparation used to treat cancer and malignant pleural effusion, have been published in recent years. However, the clinical evidence reported in these studies has not been pursued further and the methodological quality of these meta-analyses remains unknown. Therefore, an overview was designed to map the evidence landscape based on the published meta-analyses on KLT in cancer treatment.

Methods: Two bibliographic databases (PubMed and Embase) were searched from inception to 25 November 2021. Two independent reviewers were involved in study selection, data abstraction, and methodological quality assessment using AMSTAR 2. The principal features of publications and the clinical outcomes of efficacy and safety were synthesized narratively, and results of methodological quality were reported as frequencies and percentages with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals. The evidence map was used to visualize the overall quality. Excel 2016 and Stata 17/SE were used for data analysis.

Results: Thirteen meta-analyses published in English were included for in-depth analysis. Among them, the year of publication ranged from 2008 to 2021, and the number of included patients ranged from 488 to 2,964. Regarding the cancer type, seven articles focused on non-small cell lung cancer, two on malignant pleural effusion, and four reviews on digestive system malignancies, such as hepatocellular carcinoma and pancreatic cancer. Almost all included meta-analyses reported that KLT as adjunctive therapy could improve various efficacy outcomes (such as disease response rates, quality of life, immune indicators) and reduce the rate of occurrence of adverse reactions, such as nausea and vomiting, leukopenia, and anemia. In terms of their methodological quality, three meta-analyses were of low quality, whereas 10 studies were critically low in quality. The methodological flaws main involved items 2 (“predesigned protocol and registration informatio’’), 3 (“rationale of study design for inclusion”), 4 (“comprehensive search strategy’’), 5 (“literature selection in duplicate’’), 7 (“list of excluded studies with reasons’’), 8 (“adequate information on included studies’’), 10 (“funding support for included primary studies’’), and 12 (“evaluation of the potential impact of risk of bias’’) based on the AMSTAR 2 tool.

Conclusion: Current evidence reveals that KLT is effective and safe as an adjunctive treatment for non-small cell lung cancer, malignant pleural effusion, and digestive system malignancies (such as hepatocellular carcinoma). However, the results assessed in this overview should be further verified using well-designed and clearly reported clinical trials and meta-analyses of KLT.

Abnormal bile acid-microbiota crosstalk promotes the development of hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

Gut microbiota and microbe-derived metabolites are involved in the development of HCC. Bile acids (BAs) are the most important gut microbiota-modulated endogenous signaling molecules.

Methods

We tested serum bile acid levels and gut microbiome compositions in patients with HCC, chemical-induced HCC mouse models (DEN-HCC mice) and mouse orthotopic implanted liver tumor models with vancomycin treatment (vancomycin-treated mice). Then, we screened an important kind of HCC-related BAs, and verified its effect on the growth of HCC in vivo and in vitro.

Results

We found that the remarkably decreasing percentages of serum secondary BAs in the total bile acids of patients and DEN-HCC mice, especially, conjugated deoxycholic acids (DCA). The relative abundance of the bile salt hydrolase (BSH)-rich bacteria (Bifidobacteriales, Lactobacillales, Bacteroidales, and Clostridiales) was decreased in the feces of patients and DEN-HCC mice. Then, in vancomycin-treated mice, vancomycin treatment induced a reduction in the BSH-rich bacteria and promoted the growth of liver tumors. Similarly, the percentage of conjugated DCA after vancomycin treatment was significantly declined. We used a kind of conjugated DCA, Glyco-deoxycholic acid (GDCA), and found that GDCA remarkably inhibited the growth of HCC in vivo and in vitro.

Conclusions

We conclude that the remarkably decreasing percentages of serum conjugated DCA may be closely associated with HCC, which may be induced by the reducing gut BSH-rich bacteria. The mechanisms may be correlated with conjugated DCA directly inhibiting the growth and migration of HCC cells.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12072-022-10299-7.

Knowledge Mapping of Immunotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Bibliometric Study

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors, and many patients are diagnosed with advanced disease. The treatment of advanced liver cancer has made significant strides in recent years, owing to the practice of immunotherapy drugs. Numerous studies have been published on immunotherapy for HCC; however, no relevant bibliometric study has been published. This study aims to gain a better understanding of the current situation and to identify potential new research directions by conducting a bibliometric analysis on immunotherapy for HCC.

Methods

We searched the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) for articles related to immunotherapy for HCC. Three software (VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and python) were primarily used to assess the contribution and co-occurrence relationships of various countries/regions, institutes, journals, and, authors as well as to identify research hotspots and promising future trends in this research field.

Results

A total of 1,641 English articles published between 2011 and 2020 were collected, with the number of articles increasing nearly every year. The majority of publications originated from China (n = 893, 54.42%), followed by the United States and Japan. The Sun Yat-sen University contributed the most publications (n = 97, 5.91%). Nakatsura Tetsuya (n = 26) and Llovet JM (n = 366) were ranked first in the top ten authors and co-cited authors. Cancer Immunology Immunotherapy was the most productive academic journal on immunotherapy for HCC [n = 46, 2.80%; impact factor (IF) 2020 = 6.9679]. Aggregation and identification of critical nodes in the co-cited network demonstrated a shift in the field of HCC immunotherapy. Initially, the hotspots were predominantly “glypican-3”, “cytokine-induced killer cells”, and “ny-eso-1”, while the emphasis has shifted in recent years to “landscape”, “camrelizumab”, “combination therapy”, and “immune score”.

Conclusion

Increased attention has been paid to HCC with the advancement of immunotherapy. At the moment, the most active frontiers are focused on better understanding the immunological landscape of liver cancer, screening the population that can benefit from immunotherapy, and the clinical application of immune checkpoint inhibitors, particularly in combination with other therapeutic options (such as local therapy and targeted therapy).

Chinese Medicine as an Adjunctive Treatment for Gastric Cancer: Methodological Investigation of meta-Analyses and Evidence Map

Background: Many meta-analyses (MAs) on Chinese medicine (CM) as an adjunctive treatment for gastric cancer have been published in recent years. However, the pooled evidence reported in MAs and their methodological quality remain unknown. Therefore, we designed a study to comprehensively evaluate and summarize the current evidence of CMs for gastric cancer in published MAs.

Methods: A systematic search on MAs published in English from inception to 1st September 2021 was conducted in PubMed and Embase. The AMSTAR-2 tool was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the included MAs, and the results of the quality assessment were visualized using the evidence mapping method. Stata 17/SE was used for statistical analysis (Registration number: INPLASY202190005).

Results: A total of 20 MAs (16 pairwise and 4 network MAs) were included from 118 records. These MAs were published in 14 journals from 2013 to 2021, with the number of patients and trials ranging from 688 to 6,857, and from 10 to 85, respectively. A large number of CMs (e.g., AiDi, FuFangKuShen, and HuaChanSu) in combination with chemotherapy for gastric cancer were identified among the included MAs. According to the pooled results reported in MAs, when compared to chemotherapy alone, CMs in combination with chemotherapy not only improve various outcomes on efficacy (e.g., objective response rate, quality of life) but also reduce various adverse reactions (e.g., leucopenia, nausea and vomiting). Only 2 MAs were low in terms of the overall methodological quality, while the other 18 MAs were all critically low. The methodology was required to be advanced significantly, mainly involving: study protocol and registration, explanation for the inclusion of study design, list of excluded studies with justifications, adequate details of included studies, reporting on funding sources of primary studies, and evaluation of the potential impact of risk of bias. In addition, MAs that received funds support (β = 2.68; 95%CI: 0.40 to 4.96; p = 0.024) or were published in journals with higher impact factor (β = 2.81; 95%CI: 0.69 to 4.92; p = 0.012) had a higher score on the overall methodological quality in the univariate analysis, but the results were not statistically significant according to the multivariate analysis.

Conclusion: Combining CMs with chemotherapy can potentially improve clinical outcomes and reduce the relevant adverse effects in patients with gastric cancer. However, the methodological quality of relevant MAs requires significant improvement, and the current evidence needs to be validated through multinational trials that are well-designed and have a large sample size.

Somatic Mutation Profiles Revealed by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) in 39 Chinese Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients

The features and significance of somatic mutation profiles in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have not been completely elucidated to date. In this study, 39 tumor specimens from HCC patients were collected for gene variation analysis by next-generation sequencing (NGS), and a correlation analysis between mutated genes and clinical characteristics was also conducted. The results were compared with genome data from cBioPortal database. Our study found that T &gt; G/A &gt; C transversions (Tv) and C &gt; T/G &gt; A transitions (Ti) were dominant. The sequence variations of TP53, MUC16, MUC12, MUC4 and others, and the copy number variations (CNVs) of FGF3, TERT, and SOX2 were found to be more frequent in our cohort than in cBioPortal datasets, and they were highly enriched in pathways in cancer and participated in complex biological regulatory processes. The TP53 mutation was the key mutation (76.9%, 30/39), and the most common amino acid alteration and mutation types were p.R249S (23.5%) and missense mutation (82.3%) in the TP53 variation. Furthermore, TP53 had more co-mutations with MUC17, NBPF10, and AHNAK2. However, there were no significant differences in clinical characteristics between HCC patients with mutant TP53 and wild-type TP53, and the overall survival rate between treatment via precision medication guided by NGS and that via empirical medication (logrank p = 0.181). Therefore, the role of NGS in the guidance of personalized targeted therapy, solely based on NGS, may be limited. Multi-center, large sample, prospective studies are needed to further verify these results.

[Analysis of developmental coordination disorder in Chinese children]

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of children's developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and its distribution based on different family socioeconomic characteristics in China, in order to provide a theoretical basis for early prevention, diagnosis, and intervention for DCD. Methods: From June to October, 2016, 1 887 children aged 3-10 years from 20 kindergartens and 10 elementary schools from 8 cities in seven geographic areas of China using a stratified cluster sampling method were recruited. With a cross-sectional design, parents were asked to report on their basic information. Children' s motor ability was assessed using the movement assessment battery for children-second edition (MABC-2). Children were grouped by age, sex, body mass index (BMI), one-child status, and family structure. Chi-square test and one-way ANOVA were used to compare family socioeconomic characteristics of children between different groups. Results: Among the 1 887 children, there were 1 110 (58.8%) preschool children (3-6 years of age) and 777 (41.2%) school-aged children (7-10 years of age). There were 982 males (52.0%) and 905 females (48.0%). A total of 5.5% (104 cases) children were diagnosed with DCD, 10.4% (197 cases) with suspected DCD, and 84.1% (1 586 cases) as typical motor developing children. There were no significant differences in prevalence of diagnosed and suspected DCD among different regions (χ²=17.342 and 4.877, P=0.173 and 0.560), total motor coordination score (F=2.759, P<0.05), and the scores of all dimensions (manual dexterity, positioning and grabbing, balance: F=9.276, 5.277, 3.706, all P<0.01). The prevalence of DCD in preschool children was significantly higher than that in school-age children (χ²=11.891, P<0.01). Girls were significantly better than boys in total motor coordination, manual dexterity, and balance (all P<0.01). Boys were significantly better than girls in positioning and grabbing (P<0.01). The prevalence of DCD in boys was significantly higher than that in girls (70 boys (7.1%) and 34 girls (3.8%), χ²=28.508, P<0.01). The total motor coordination ability, manual dexterity and balance of children who are overweighted (BMI>18 kg/m²) were significantly lower than those of children of normal weight (BMI≤18 kg/m²) (all P<0.01). The prevalence of suspected DCD children who are overweighted was significantly higher than that of children of normal weight (χ²=4.369, P<0.05). The difference of total motor coordination ability (F=6.811, P<0.01) and the prevalence of DCD (χ²=14.902, P<0.01) among different family structures were statistically significant. The total motor coordination ability and balance ability of children from multi-child family were better than those of children from one-child family (both P<0.05). Conclusion: The motor coordination ability of Chinese children is well-developed, with differences among different regions, gender, age, BMI, and family structure.

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) and health outcomes: a meta-research review of meta-analyses and an evidence mapping study

BACKGROUND

Although a number of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) have been published, no study has comprehensively summarized the clinical evidence from meta-analyses, or assessed the reporting or methodological quality of these reviews.

PURPOSE

The present meta-research study was designed to fill the gaps in knowledge to inform future studies and allow enhanced clinical decision-making on saffron.

METHODS

The PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and CNKI databases were systematically searched from inception to April 3 rd, 2021, for meta-analyses of clinical trials that assessed the efficacy and safety of saffron. PRISMA 2009 and AMSTAR-2 were employed to assess the reporting and methodological quality of meta-analyses identified in the search, respectively. The present study was registered on PROSPERO with registration number CRD42020220274.

RESULTS

Nineteen eligible systematic reviews with meta-analyses published in English were identified from 235 records. These meta-analyses were published in 12 peer-reviewed journals from 2013 to 2021. The heterogeneous results indicated that saffron significantly reduced fasting blood glucose, waist circumference, diastolic blood pressure, concentrations of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and improved symptoms of depression, cognitive function and sexual dysfunction compared with controls (mainly placebos). Common side effects of saffron consumption included nausea, dry mouth, poor appetite, and headache, but no serious adverse reactions were reported. Primary analysis and sensitivity analysis confirmed that the reporting and methodological quality of reviews included in the study were highly correlated (p < 0.001). The quality of meta-analyses of saffron requires improvement by including a structured abstract, a prospective protocol and registration, explanation of the study designs within each study that is reviewed, the searches, risk of bias assessment, literature selection, and reporting of funding sources.

CONCLUSION

The available evidence indicates that saffron is a safe plant for administration as a medicine and can improve diverse clinical outcomes, but the scientific quality of the published systematic reviews needs to be improved. Moreover, the clinical effects of saffron need to be confirmed through high-quality randomized trials in multiple countries with large sample sizes.

The role of associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy in unresectable hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

The role of associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains controversial.

Methods

The records of 23 consecutive patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC who underwent ALPPS at our center between November 2013 and June 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Oncological results were compared between patients who received ALPPS and those that received transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) using propensity score matching (PSM) analysis.

Results

In patients with a single tumor (n=12) the median tumor diameter was 13.0 (range: 5.1–20.0) cm, whereas in patients with multiple tumors (n=11) the median total tumor diameter was 6.3 (range: 2.3–26.0) cm. After the stage-1 ALPPS, the median future liver remnant (FLR) increased by 50.0%. The stage-2 ALPPS was completed in 20 patients (87.0%) after a median of 12 days. The 90-day mortality rate was 13% (3/23). The overall survival (OS) rates at 1-, 2-, and 5-year were 61.1%, 34.9%, and 8.7%, respectively, whereas the disease-free survival (DFS) rates at 1-, 2-, and 5-year were 27.8%, 27.8%, and 0.0%, respectively. PSM analysis showed no difference in OS between patients who underwent ALPPS and those that received TACE [P=0.178, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage A–C patients; P=0.241, BCLC stage B and C patients].

Conclusions

ALPPS is a safe and effective treatment option for unresectable HBV-related HCC. However, for HBV-related intermediate and advanced HCC patients, ALPPS may not be superior to TACE.

Knowledge Mapping of Drug-Induced Liver Injury: A Scientometric Investigation (2010-2019)

Background

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a common adverse event, which compromises the safety of numerous drugs, poses a significant risk to patient health, and enhances healthcare expenditures. Many articles have been recently published on DILI related research, though no relevant scientometric study has been published yet. This scientometric study was aimed at comprehensively analyzing the knowledge base and emerging topics on DILI.

Methods

The articles and reviews related to DILI, published from 2010 to 2019 in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC), were retrieved on March 15, 2020, using relevant keywords. Four different scientometric software (HistCite, VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and R-bibliometrix) was used to conduct this scientometric study.

Results

A total of 1,995 publications were retrieved (including 1,550 articles and 445 reviews) from 592 academic journals with 56,273 co-cited references in 10 languages by 2,331 institutions from 79 countries/regions. The majority of publications (n = 727, 36.44%) were published in the United States, and the University of North Carolina contributed the most publications (n = 89, 4.46%). The most productive academic journal on DILI was the Toxicological Sciences [n = 79, 3.96%; impact factor (IF) 2018 = 3.564], and Hepatology was the first co-cited journal (n = 7,383, IF 2018 = 14.971). Fontana RJ and Teschke R may have significant influence on DILI research, with more publications (n = 46; n = 39) and co-citations (n = 382; n = 945). Definition, incidence rate or clinical characteristics, etiology or pathogenesis (such as the character of the innate immune system, the regulation of cell-death pathways, and susceptible HLA-B*5701 genotype), identification of main drugs and causality assessment (criteria and methods) were the knowledge base for DILI research. Exploring the microscopic mechanism (such as the organelle dysfunction and cytotoxicity induced by drugs, and exploration of role of neutrophils in DILI using mouse models) and developed newer approaches to prevent DILI (such as the prospective HLA-B*5701 screening and in vitro approaches for assessing the potential risk of candidate drugs for DILI) were the recent major topics for DILI research.

Conclusion

This scientometric study comprehensively reviewed the publications related to DILI during the past decade using quantitative and qualitative methods. This information would provide references for scholars, researching on DILI.

Quality appraisal of clinical practice guidelines for diabetes mellitus published in China between 2007 and 2017 using the AGREE II instrument

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to systematically evaluate the quality of the clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for diabetes mellitus published in China over the period of January 2007 to April 2017.

METHODS

We searched the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature database, VIP database and WanFang databases and guideline websites for CPGs for diabetes mellitus published between January 2007 and April 2017 in China. Two reviewers independently screened the literature according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria and extracted data. We used the the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) tool (Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Ottawa, Canada) to evaluate the quality of the included guidelines, calculated the scores of each domain and evaluated the consistency among the assessors via use of the intragroup correlation coefficient. And then we compared the results with Chinese CPGs and international CPGs. We conducted a subgroup analysis based on different classification criteria and compared scores of each domain subgroup analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 98 guidelines were identified. The correlation coefficient within the group was 0.93, suggesting that the consistency between the evaluators was good. The scores of the six domains of AGREE II were described in median (IQR) as follows: scope and purpose 53.7 (50.0-59.7), stakeholder involvement 31.5 (27.3-37.0), rigour of development 19.1 (15.3-22.2), clarity of presentation 59.3 (50.0-64.8), applicability 18.1 (13.9-25.7) and editorial independence 0.0 (0.0-0.0). The mean score in each domain of quality of Chinese diabetes CPGs was lower than that of CPGs published worldwide but higher than the mean score of Chinese guidelines of all topics. A funding source, the updated version, organisation and publishers of the guidelines and target fields are all the factors influencing the quality of CPGs to a certain degree.

CONCLUSIONS

A large number of Chinese diabetes CPGs have been produced. Their quality remain unsatisfactorily low compared with CPGs worldwide, there is still room for improvement. Chinese guideline developers should pay more attention to the transparency of methodology, and use the AGREE II instrument to develop and report guidelines.

Evaluation of the quality of guidelines for assisted reproductive technology using the RIGHT checklist: A cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION

In recent years, assisted reproductive technology (ART) has developed rapidly, leading to an increasing number of clinical practice guidelines in this field. However, the reporting quality of current clinical practice guidelines in ART is still unknown. Objective To evaluate the reporting quality of clinical practice guidelines in the field of ART using the RIGHT checklist.

METHOD

Relevant guidelines were identified by electronic search of PubMed, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), Wan Fang Database and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) from the beginning of the database to October, 2017. We also searched the websites of the guideline development organizations, including Guidelines International Network (GIN), National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), as well as from two medical associations, including the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). We used Google Scholar to find additional clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) as well. Two investigators searched the database, selected guidelines independently based on the inclusion criteria, and extracted the relevant information.

RESULT

Fifteen guidelines (i.e. six developed by individual institutions and 9 by associations) were included. On average, 12.7 out of 35 items in the RIGHT standard (36.3%) were reported in each guideline. Five items were not reported by any of these guidelines. The reporting proportion of the seven domains (i.e. Basic information; Background; Evidence; Recommendations; Review and quality assurance; Funding and declaration and management of interests; Other information) were 46.7%, 40.8%, 45.3%, 29.5%, 53.3%, 10.0%, 26.7%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

At present, the reporting quality of guidelines for ART is poor, especially regarding the funding. In the future guideline development, more consideration should be given to reporting, dissemination and implementation.

Therapeutic and immunoregulatory effects of water-soluble alkaloids E2-a from Sophora moorcroftiana seeds as a novel potential agent against echinococcosis in experimentally protoscolex-infected mice

Novel compounds and more efficient treatment options are urgently needed for the treatment of cystic echinococcosis (CE), which is caused by Echinococcus granulosus. The decoction of Sophora moorcroftiana (Fabaceae) has been used to treat parasitosis for years in traditional Tibetan medicine. The aim of this study was to screen insecticidal water-soluble alkaloids from S. moorcroftiana seeds and evaluate the therapeutic effects against CE and the immune response induced by the alkaloidal fraction. Low polarity compounds (E2-a) were isolated from water-soluble alkaloid (E2) and matrine and sophocarpine were identified as major components. The E2-a fraction was more effective against protoscoleces than other constituents from S. moorcroftiana. After 20 weeks of secondary infection with protoscoleces, mice were orally treated with E2-a (100 mg/kg/day) for 6 weeks to evaluate therapeutic and immunoregulatory activities. Compared with the untreated group, E2-a treatment induced a significant reduction in cyst weight (mean 2.93 g) (p < 0.05) and an impaired ultrastructural modification of the cyst. Interestingly, the application of E2-a resulted in a significant increased frequency of CD3⁺CD4⁺ T-cell subsets and decreased frequency of CD3⁺PD-1⁺ T-cell subsets, compared with protoscolece-infected mice without treatment. The E2-a fraction of S. moorcroftiana can inhibit the cyst development of CE and boost the specific immune response by reducing the expression of PD-1 and accelerate the cytokine secretion of antigen-specific T-cells. All data suggest the E2-a fraction from S. moorcroftiana seeds may be used as a new potential therapeutic option against E. granulosus infection.

A survey on parasites in wild rodents in Xiji County, a northwestern part of China

Rodents act as an indicator for evaluation of environment contaminations and public health risks caused by parasites. A survey of parasites in wild rodents was conducted in 14 villages in Xijin County, where alveolar echinococcosis by Echinococcus multilocularis is epidemic. In total, 72 rodents including 25 mice, 16 Citellus dauricus (Daurian ground squirrel), 12 squirrels and 19 mole rat (Myospalax fontanieri) were captured. Infections (2.8%) of Taenia taeniaeformis, which is transmitted mainly between mice and cats, were found in mice in Wangping (WP) and Miaoping (MP) villages, but other cestodes' infections were not observed. WP and MP isolates were principally similar in morphology but, unlike WP isolate, MP isolate had no hooks on the scolex. Using 18S rRNA as a biomarker, the phylogenetic analysis showed that WP and MP isolates grouped together with European and Asian isolates and formed a separate cluster. These results highlights the prevalence of T. taeniaeformis in cats or/and dogs and a risk of opportunistic infections in human populations.

High expression of long non-coding RNA ATB indicates a poor prognosis and regulates cell proliferation and metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been demonstrated to act as a critical regulator in the processes of tumor biology. In this study, whether lncRNA-ATB is a potential indicator for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was investigated and its biological function in NSCLC was also determined.

METHODS

The expression levels of lncRNA-ATB in NSCLC tissues and cell lines were measured. A549 cell line was explored to investigate the functions of lncRNA-ATB in NSCLC.

RESULTS

Real-time PCR results showed that lncRNA-ATB expression was up-regulated in both in NSCLC tissues and cell lines. High lncRNA-ATB expression in tumor tissue was associated with larger tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis in patients with NSCLC, respectively. In addition, the patients with high expression of lncRNA-ATB presented a lower survival probability. In vitro experiments showed that down-regulation of lncRNA-ATB promoted the cell apoptosis, whereas inhibited the cell viability, cell migration, and cell invasion.

CONCLUSION

High expression of lncRNA-ATB indicated a poor prognosis and led to the cell proliferation and metastasis in NSCLC.

The prevalence of hepatitis A virus and parvovirus B19 in source-plasma donors and whole blood donors in China

AIMS

To compare the prevalence of hepatitis A virus (HAV) and human parvovirus B19 (B19V) between source-plasma (SP) donors and whole blood (WB) donors.

BACKGROUND

In China, source plasma is in severe shortage while plasma recovered from WB is in surplus. Thus, the government is considering transferring the recovered plasma (RP) to produce plasma derivatives. HAV and B19V are two pathogens threatening the safety of plasma-based derivatives. However, there is no data about if transferring of the RP to produce plasma derivatives will increase the risk of HAV and B19V infection. Thus, we compared the prevalence of HAV and B19V between SP donors and WB donors in this study.

METHODS

A total of 5030 samples from SP donors and 5040 samples from WB donors were collected. All the samples were tested for HAV RNA and B19V DNA and tested for HAV IgM by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS

The prevalence of B19V DNA was 0.06% (95% confidence interval (CI), 0-0.09%) in WB donors and 0.079% (95% CI, 0-0.12%) in SP donors, respectively. No significant difference was found in the prevalence of B19V DNA between SP donors and WB donors. The prevalence of anti-HAV IgM in SP donors was 0.079% whereas no WB donor sample was found anti-HAV IgM reactive.

CONCLUSIONS

The transfer of RP to producing plasma derivatives will not increase the risk of transmission of HAV and B19 through plasma products.

Role of surgery in the management and prognosis of limited-stage small cell carcinoma of the esophagus

Small cell carcinoma of the esophagus (SCCE) is a rare, highly aggressive tumor characterized by early dissemination and a poor prognosis. Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy have been used alone or in combination for the treatment of this rare disease. The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze the role of surgery in the management of limited-stage SCCE at a high-volume center. We retrospectively evaluated 73 patients with limited-stage SCCE who received an esophagectomy at our center from January 1994 to December 2011. The clinical characteristics, median survival times (MSTs), overall survival (OS), and relevant prognostic factors were analyzed. The overall MST was 23.0 months, and the 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 61.6%, 47.9%, 22.7%, and 10.6%, respectively. The MST for patients without lymph node involvement (33.0 months) was greater than the MST for patients with lymph node involvement (17.0 months) (P = 0.014). Similarly, patients who underwent radical resection had a greater MST (25.0 months) than patients who underwent palliative resection (7.0 months) (P = 0.004). Patients who received chemotherapy had a greater MST (27.0 months) than patients who did not receive chemotherapy (13.0 months) (P = 0.021). Survival analysis confirmed that a radical operation, chemotherapy, and lymph node involvement were independent prognostic factors. This study suggests that radical resection combined with chemotherapy should be recommended for patients with limited-stage SCCE, especially patients with negative regional lymph nodes. A lack of lymph node metastasis was a good prognostic factor because patients without lymph node involvement had greater OS.

Vitamin D and parathyroid hormone status in a representative population living in Macau, China

Associations between documented sun-exposure, exercise patterns and fish and supplement intake and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) were investigated in a random household survey of Macau residents (aged 18-93). Blood samples (566) taken in summer were analyzed for 25OHD and PTH. In this Chinese population, 55% were deficient (25OHD <50nmol/L: median (interquartile range)=47.7 (24.2) nmol/L). Vitamin D deficiency was greatest in those aged <50 years: median (interquartile range)=43.3 (18.2) nmol/L, females: median (interquartile range)=45.5 (19.4) nmol/L and those with higher educational qualifications: median (interquartile range)=43.1 (18.7) nmol/L. In the total Macau population, statistically significant (p<0.01) modifiable associations with lower 25OHD levels were sunlight exposure (β=0.06), physical activity (PA) (measured as hours(hrs)/day: β=0.08), sitting (measured as hrs/day β=-0.20), intake of fish (β=0.08) and calcium (Ca) supplement intake (β=0.06) [linear regression analysis adjusting for demographic risk factors]. On similar analysis, and after adjustment for 25OHD, the only significant modifiable associations in the total population with PTH were sitting (β=-0.17), Body Mass Index (β=0.07) and Ca supplement intake (β=-0.06). In this Macau population less documented sun exposure, fish and Ca supplement intake and exercise were associated with lower 25OHD levels, especially in the younger population, along with the interesting finding that more sitting was associated with both lower 25OHD and high PTH blood levels. In conclusion, unlike findings from Caucasian populations, younger participants were significantly more vitamin D deficient, in particular highly educated single females. This may indicate the desire of young females to be pale and avoid the sun. There are also big differences in lifestyle between the older generation and the younger, in particular with respect to sun exposure and PA. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled '17th Vitamin D Workshop'.

Feedback control of TET system with variable coupling coefficients for a novel artificial anal sphincter

For treating severe faecal incontinence, the authors developed an intelligent artificial anal sphincter system (AASS) equipped with a feedback sensor that utilized a transcutaneous energy transfer system (TETS). To deliver the correct amount of power (i.e. to match the load demand under variable coupling conditions caused by changes in positioning between the coils due to fitting and changes in posture), a regulating method to stabilize output voltage with a closed loop variable-frequency controller was developed in this paper. The method via which the voltage gain characteristics of a voltage-fed series-tuned TETS were derived is also described. The theoretical analysis was verified by the results of the experiment. A numerical analysis method was used as a control rule with respect to the relationship between operating frequency and output voltage. To validate the feedback control rules, a prototype of the TET charging system was constructed, and its performance was validated with the coupling variation between 0.12-0.42. The results show that the output voltage of the secondary side can be maintained at a constant 7 V across the whole coupling coefficient range, with a switching frequency regulation range of 271.4-320.5 kHz, and the proposed controller has reached a maximal end-to-end power efficiency of 67.5% at 1 W.

Hypertension, pulse, and other cardiovascular risk factors and vitamin D status in Finnish men

BACKGROUND

Debate exists about the relationship between hypovitaminosis D and cardiovascular (CVD) risk.

METHODS

This study investigated baseline (n=2,271) 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and baseline and 4 year (n=1,957) CVD risk in a cohort of Finnish middle-aged male smokers.

RESULTS

The prevalences of measured hypertension, high pulse rate, diabetes, and coronary heart disease were 63%, 16%, 5%, and 10% at baseline and were 64%, 20%, 6%, and 16% at 4 years after baseline. The mean 25(OH)D was 41±18 nmol/L. At baseline, systolic blood pressure (β = -0.048; P = 0.02), and pulse rate (β = -0.043; P = 0.04) were both associated with lower 25(OH)D levels but not coronary heart disease or diabetes prevalence. On remeasuring CVD risk 4 years after baseline, the only significant association with baseline 25(OH)D levels was high pulse rate (β = -0.077; P = 0.001). In addition, a higher 25(OH)D level at baseline was associated with a change in pulse rate (β = -0.055; P = 0.01). These trends for hypertension (baseline) and high pulse rate (baseline and 4 years after baseline) were also seen on adjusted categorical analysis (P trend < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Vitamin D deficiency at baseline was associated with hypertension in Finnish male smokers, but not after 4 years. These results are consistent with recent findings in other large cohort studies with measured blood pressure. Change in pulse rate over time continued to be significantly associated with lower 25(OH)D baseline levels; this new finding should be investigated further.

Prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension among herdsmen living at 4,300 m in Tibet

BACKGROUND

Studies on blood pressure (BP) in high-altitude areas are scarce and the results are controversial. Tibetans live in regions at high altitudes, and data on the prevalence of hypertension in this population is not currently well known.

METHODS

All Tibetans aged 40 years and older living in the township of Yangbajing (4,300 m) in Tibet, China were invited to participate in the 2009 survey. BP was measured with electronic sphygmomanometers (calibrated by the results of a previous study). Histories of hypertension and medication use were collected through face-to-face interviews. Hypertension was defined as systolic BP (SBP) ≥140 mm Hg and/or diastolic BP (DBP) ≥90 mm Hg, or antihypertensive medication use in the past 2 weeks.

RESULTS

A total of 701 adults (aged 40-89, 42.9% male, 94.9% herdsmen) were recruited. The mean (s.d.) SBP/DBP was 146.6 (31.3)/92.0 (15.7) mm Hg and the prevalence of hypertension was 55.9%. Of note, 61.2% of those with hypertension had stage 2 hypertension (SBP ≥160 or DBP ≥100 mm Hg). At age 70 years and older, the mean (s.d.) SBP/DBP were 182.8 (30.9)/102.6 (13.4) mm Hg. Among those with hypertension (n = 392), only 19.9% were aware of their condition, 2.6% were taking medication, and only one participant had controlled BP.

CONCLUSION

According to our survey in Yangbajing, Tibetan adults aged 40 years and older living at high altitudes had high BP and prevalence of hypertension with low awareness, treatment, and control. Future studies are needed to clarify the association between BP, altitude, and other possible causes.

Ultrasmooth silver thin film on PEDOT:PSS nucleation layer for extended surface plasmon propagation

Poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) layers are used as the nucleation (seed) layer to reduce surface roughness of the overlying silver (Ag). The technique leads to ultrasmooth Ag thin films with a minimum surface roughness of 0.8 nm. The mechanism contributing to the improvement is explained on the basis of better wetting of Ag on PEDOT:PSS, and properties of the nucleation layer on the aspects of surface energy, surface adhesive force, and surface morphology influencing Ag wetting and growth pattern are being discussed. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) shows significant improvement, in terms of the Figure of Merits (FOM), as the surface roughness on Ag films is reduced. A lower light scattering and longer plasmon propagation of maximum 15.3 μm are also realized on a smoother Ag surface. The results indicate great potential on the application of combined PEDOT:PSS/Ag structure as an effective and economically feasible design solution for plasmonic and optical metamaterials devices.

Low vitamin D status is associated with physical inactivity, obesity and low vitamin D intake in a large US sample of healthy middle-aged men and women

The aim of this study was to investigate modifiable predictors of vitamin D status in healthy individuals, aged 55-74, and living across the USA. Vitamin D status [serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D)] was measured along with age and season at blood collection, demographics, anthropometry, physical activity (PA), diet, and other lifestyle factors in 1357 male and 1264 female controls selected from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO) cohort. Multivariate linear and logistic regression analyses were used to identify associations with vitamin D status. Three%, 29% and 79% of the population had serum 25(OH)D levels<25, <50 and <80 nmol/L, respectively. The major modifiable predictors of low vitamin D status were low vitamin D dietary and supplement intake, body mass index (BMI) >30 kg/m2, physical inactivity (PA) and low milk and calcium supplement intake. In men, 25(OH)D was determined more by milk intake on cereal and in women, by vitamin D and calcium supplement and menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) use. Thus targeting an increase in vigorous activity and vitamin D and calcium intake and decreasing obesity could be public health interventions independent of sun exposure to improve vitamin D status in middle-aged Americans.

Elevated circulating free fatty acids levels causing pancreatic islet cell dysfunction through oxidative stress

BACKGROUND

Elevated plasma free fatty acids (FFA) concentration is predictive of the conversion from normal glucose tolerance and impaired glucose tolerance to diabetes.

AIMS

To evaluate the effects of prolonged exposure to FFA on basal and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) of pancreatic beta-cell, and to investigate the role of oxidative stress in FFA-induced decrease in beta-cell function.

METHODS

Rats were assigned to 3 groups and underwent 96-h infusions of normal saline (NS), intralipid plus heparin (IH), or intralipid plus heparin and N-acetylcysteine (IH+NAC). The plasma insulin, malonyldialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) were measured. In vivo intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) and ex vivo isolated pancreatic tissues perfusion were performed.

RESULTS

In IH group GSIS both in IVGTT and perifused pancreatic tissues were impaired (p<0.05), the GSH/GSSG ratio was declined and MDA levels increased (p<0.05), the volume density score of nuclear factor kappaB and inducible nitric oxide synthase in pancreatic islets were increased compared to the NS group (p<0.01). In IH+NAC group, NAC intervention partly restored the GSH/GSSG ratio and MDA level, and improved FFA induced GSIS impairment.

CONCLUSION

Elevated circulating FFA levels may contribute to causing the abnormalities of pancreatic islet cell function through active oxidative stress and oxidative stress-sensitive signaling pathway, which may play a key role in the development of impaired insulin secretion seen in obese Type 2 diabetes.

Predictors of vitamin D biochemical status in a large sample of middle-aged male smokers in Finland

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

As vitamin D deficiency is considered to be more common in regions with little solar ultraviolet (UV) light in winter, the aim of this study was to analyze predictors of vitamin D status by season within a large sample of male smokers from Finland, a country where there is negligible solar UV light in winter.

SUBJECTS/METHODS

Vitamin D (measured by 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) nmol/l) and other serum constituents were assayed. Measured anthropometry, and self-reported dietary intake and physical activity (PA) were obtained and analyzed using stepwise multiple linear and logistic regression in 2271 middle-aged Finnish male smokers.

RESULTS

In all, 27% of the population in winter and 17% in summer had serum 25(OH)D levels of <25 nmol/l, respectively. In summer, in multiple logistic regression analyses with adjustment for confounding and other predictors, high vitamin D intake (odds ratios (OR) 3.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5-8.5), some leisure time PA (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.3-3.1) and having a body mass index (BMI) of >or=21 kg/m(2) compared with <21 kg/m(2) (OR 2.6; 95% CI 1.3-5.0), were associated with 25(OH)D >or=25 nmol/l. In winter, additional modifiable factors were occupational PA (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.1-2.5) and high fish (OR 3.1; 95% CI 1.7-6.2) or poultry consumption (OR 1.7; 95% CI 1.2-2.5). Predictors from linear regression analyses of continuous levels of 25(OH)D were similar to the logistic regression analyses of 25(OH)D >or=25 nmol/l.

CONCLUSION

In this Finnish sample more vitamin D intake, PA and having a BMI of >or=21 may have important modifiable roles in maintaining an adequate vitamin D status.

Effect of N-cadherin knock-down on invasiveness of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

e15571

Background: Cell adhesion molecules are of crucial importance in cancer invasion and metastasis. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition, characterized by reduced E-cadherin and increased N-cadherin expression, has been recognized as a feature of aggressive tumors, but the importance of this phenotype has not been settled in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Aim: To examine the expressions of N-cadherin and E-cadherin in 62 normal esophageal epithelium specimens, 31 adjacent atypical hyperplasia epithelium specimens and 62 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma specimens, and to investigate the roles of N-cadherin in the invasiveness of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell line EC9706 transfected by N-cadherin shRNA.. Methods: PV immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression pattern of N-cadherin and E-cadherin in 62 normal esophageal epithelium specimens, 31 adjacent atypical hyperplasia epithelium specimens and 62 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma specimens. The invasiveness of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell line EC9706 in vitro and in vivo was determined by transwell assay and nude mice experiments after EC9706 was transfected by N-cadherin shRNA. Results: The positive rates of N-cadherin decreased in the sequence of carcinoma, adjacent atypical hyperplasia and normal esophageal tissue, which were 75.8%, 61.3%, 29.0% (P < 0.05), respectively, while those of E-cadherin increased in sequence, which were 40.3%, 71.0% and 95.2% (P < 0.05). The increased expression of N-cadherin and decreased expression of E-cadherin were related to the invasion, differentiation, and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). The expression level of N-cadherin decreased in the N- cadherin knocked down cells, and the invasiveness of those cells decreased significantly as well in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions: These results suggest that N-cadherin is an important factor in the invasiveness of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and N-cadherin may serves as a potential molecular target for biotherapy of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Spatial and vertical distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in mangrove sediments

The distribution and historical changes of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contamination in mangrove sediments in Hong Kong SAR were investigated. Surface sediments (2-3 cm) collected from four mangrove swamps exhibited significant spatial variations in concentrations of total PAH (with SigmaPAHs ranging from 56 to 3758 ng g(-1) dry wt), as well as the composition of 16 USEPA priority PAH compounds. Within a small swamp with an area of 0.68 ha, the total PAH concentrations also differed from sampling site to site, indicating that the PAH contamination is localized and confined to a very small area within the same swamp. Discharges from municipal and industrial wastewater, urban runoff, oil leakage from boats and ships, and accidental oil spill are possible sources of the PAH contamination. The sediment depth profiles reveal that the surface sediment layer (0-5 cm) had lower total PAH concentrations than that in the bottom layer (15-20 cm), and PAH composition also changed with the sediment layers. Based on the estimated annual sediment deposition rate in Hong Kong SAR of around 0.4-0.5 cm, the present findings suggest that the PAH contamination was most serious between 1958 and 1979 but started to decline thereafter. Such decline was probably due to changes in petroleum usage in urban areas and a better control of wastewater discharges from 1980 onwards in this region.

Degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by a bacterial consortium enriched from mangrove sediments

The biodegradability of a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) mixture consisted of fluorene (Fl), phenanthrene (Phe) and pyrene (Pyr) by a bacterial consortium enriched from mangrove sediments under sediment-free and sediment slurry conditions was investigated. The enriched consortium made up of three bacterial strains, namely Rhodococcus sp., Acinetobacter sp. and Pseudomonas sp., had a good PAH degradation capability with 100% degradation of Fl and Phe in sediment-free liquid medium after 4 weeks of growth. The Fl and Phe degradation percentages in sediment slurry were higher than that in liquid medium. Autochthonous microorganisms in sediments also possessed satisfactory PAH degradation capability and all three PAHs were almost completely degraded after 4 weeks of growth. Bioaugumentation (inoculation of the enriched consortium to sediments) showed a positive effect on PAH biodegradation after 1 week of growth. Complete biodegradation of pyrene took longer time than that for Fl and Phe, indicating the enriched bacterial consortium had preference to utilize low-molecular weight PAHs.

Negative effects of humic acid addition on phytoremediation of pyrene-contaminated sediments by mangrove seedlings

Vegetated (with Kandelia candel seedlings) and non-vegetated mangrove microcosms were employed to remove pyrene from contaminated sediments, and the effects of adding 6.7% humic acid (HA) on such removal were investigated. At the end of 6-month treatment, residual pyrene concentrations in surface sediments (0-2 cm) of the contaminated microcosms reduced from an initial 5.82 to 0.63 microg g(-1) dw, and the reduction was less in HA amended microcosms with the residual pyrene concentration remained at 3.12 microg g(-1) dw. The pyrene removal percentages in microcosms with HA amendment were 29% for surface aerobic sediments and 41% for bottom (anaerobic) sediments, while the respective removal percentages in microcosms without HA amendment were 89% (surface sediments) and 53% (bottom sediments). Microcosms planted with K. candel seedlings had a significantly higher pyrene removal when compared to the non-vegetated ones, and the average removal percentages were 70.9% and 61.4%, respectively. However, when humic acid was added, no significant difference was found between vegetated and non-vegetated microcosms in pyrene removal, both had less than 40% removal, probably because plant growth in humic acid amended contaminated microcosms, in terms of total biomass, was reduced by 50%. Roots of K. candel could accumulate pyrene from contaminated microcosms, and pyrene concentrations in roots harvested from microcosms with and without humic acid addition were 6.01 and 3.46 microg g(-1) dw, respectively. These results suggest that the addition of HA to contaminated sediments decreased the mangrove microcosm's ability to remove pyrene as pyrene was more tightly bound to the organic matter and plant growth was reduced.

Removal of pyrene from contaminated sediments by mangrove microcosms

The potential of mangrove wetland systems to remove pyrene from surface- or bottom-contaminated sediments was investigated by microcosm studies. The performance of two mangrove plant species, Kandelia candel and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza in pyrene removal was also compared. During the six-months experimental period, the growth of both species in the surface-contaminated microcosms was not significantly different from that in the bottom-contaminated ones, and was comparable to the control (without any pyrene contamination). At the end of six-months treatment, pyrene concentrations in contaminated sediments declined from an initial 3 microg g(-1) to less than 0.4 microg g(-1), indicating that pyrene was successfully removed by mangrove microcosms. Around 96.4% and 92.8% pyrene in microcosms planted with K. candel were removed from the surface- and bottom-contaminated sediments, respectively. The removal percentages were slightly lower in microcosms planted with B. gymnorrhiza. Significant accumulation of pyrene in roots was only found in microcosms having bottom-contaminated sediments, and pyrene concentrations were 3.05 microg g(-1) and 4.50 microg g(-1) in roots of K. candel and B. gymnorrhiza, respectively. These values were much higher than that in control microcosms (without pyrene contamination, root pyrene concentrations were 0.27 microg g(-1) for K. candel and 0.34 microg g(-1) for B. gymnorrhiza) and in microcosms with contaminated sediments placed at the surface layer. Nevertheless, the overall contribution of root accumulation and plant uptake to the removal of pyrene from contaminated sediments was insignificant.

Biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by microbial consortia enriched from mangrove sediments

Surface sediments from two mangrove swamps in Hong Kong were enriched to obtain PAH-degrading microbial consortia. The consortium from sediments enriched with phenanthrene (Phe) in Ma Wan, a mangrove swamp next to a boat anchorage, was effective in degrading PAH with 96.7% and 89.9% Phe degradation at 0 and 10 ppt salinities, respectively. The Phe-enriched microbial consortium could also use pyrene (Pyr) as the sole carbon source but the degradation was much less (around 15%). On the other hand, the Phe-enriched consortium from sediments in Yi O, a mangrove swamp recently polluted by an oil spill, completely removed Phe and Pyr at both 0 and 10 ppt salinities. This suggests that different consortia were selected in two sediments using the same PAH substrate. Not only sediments, PAH substrate used for enrichment also selected different consortia. The Pyr- and Fla-enriched Yi O consortia only achieved 10.5 and 4.5% Phe degradation, respectively and the corresponding pyrene degradation was 7 and 40%. Among the three PAH compounds, fluoranthene (Fla) was most difficult to degrade, and 21.1, 11.3, and 36.8% Fla were degraded by Phe-, Fla- and Pyr-enriched cultures, respectively.

Congou tea drinking and oesophageal cancer in South China

The study from a large hospital-based case-control for 1248 cases with oesophageal cancer and the same number of controls in South China showed that Congou, a grade of Chinese black tea, may protect against cancers of the oesophagus and reduce the risk of a combination of alcohol drinking and smoking (especially smoking), regardless of temperature when drinking.

Fate of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination in a mangrove swamp in Hong Kong following an oil spill

The fate of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination in a mangrove swamp (Yi O) in Hong Kong after an oil spill accident was investigated. The concentrations and profiles of PAHs in surface sediments collected from five quadrats (each of 10 m x 10 m) covering different degrees of oil contamination and the most contaminated mangrove leaves were examined in December 2000 (30 days after the accident) and March 2001 (126 days later). The concentrations of total PAHs in surface sediments ranged from 138 to 2,135 ng g(-1), and PAHs concentrations decreased with time. In the most contaminated sediments, total PAHs dropped from 2,135 (30 days) to 1,196 ng g(-1) (120 days), and the decrease was smaller in less contaminated sediments. The percentage reduction in sediment PAHs over three months (44%) was less significant than that in contaminated leaves (85%), indicating PAH in or on leaves disappeared more rapidly. The PAH profiles were very similar in sediments collected from quadrats Q1 and Q2 with benzo[a]anthracene and pyrene being the most abundant PAH compounds, but were different in the other three quadrats. The proportion of the light molecular weight PAHs to total PAHs increased after three months, especially phenanthrene. Results suggest that physical and photo-chemical weathering (tidal washing and photo-oxidation) of crude oil in surface sediments and on plant leaves were important processes in the first few months after the oil spill. The PAH contamination in Yi O swamp came from both petrogenic and pyrolytic sources. The petrogenic characteristic in the most contaminated sediment was confirmed with high values of phenanthrene to anthracene ratio (>10) and low values of fluoranthene to pyrene ratio (0.3-0.4).

Contamination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface sediments of mangrove swamps

The concentrations of total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (sigmaPAHs) and 15 individual PAH compounds in 20 surface sediments collected from four mangrove swamps in Hong Kong were analysed. sigmaPAH concentrations ranged from 356 to 11,098 ng g(-1) dry weight with mean and median values of 1992 and 1,142 ng g(-1), respectively. These values were significantly higher than those of marine bottom sediments of Hong Kong harbours, suggesting that more PAHs were accumulated in mangrove surface sediments. The concentrations of sigmaPAHs as well as individual PAH compound varied significantly among mangrove swamps. The swamps heavily polluted by livestock and industrial sewage, such as Ho Chung and Mai Po, had much higher concentrations of total PAHs and individual PAH than the other swamps. The PAH profiles were similar among four mangrove swamps, and were dominated by naphthalene (two-ring PAH), fluorene and phenanthrene (three-ring PAH). The mangrove sediments had higher percentages of low-molecular-weight PAHs. These indicated that PAHs in mangrove sediments might originate from oil or sewage contamination (petrogenic input). Ratio values of specific PAH compounds such as phenanthrene/anthracene and fluoranthene/ pyrene, were calculated to evaluate the possible source of PAH contamination in mangrove sediments. These ratios varied among samples, suggesting that mangrove sediments might have a mixed pattern of pyrolytic and petrogenic inputs of PAHs. Sediments collected from Ho Chung mangrove swamp appeared to be more dominated by pyrolytic input while those from Tolo showed strong petrogenic contamination.