Serum surfactant protein D, lung function decline, and incident chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a longitudinal study in Beijing.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has become a major public-health problem in China. Surfactant protein D (SP-D) is a very promising biomarker and therapeutic target for COPD. To assess whether baseline serum SP-D is associated with lung function decline and incident COPD.

Living near a Major Road in Beijing: Association with Lower Lung Function, Airway Acidification, and Chronic Cough.

Background: The effects of near-road pollution on lung function in China have not been well studied. We aimed to investigate the effects of long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution on lung function, airway inflammation, and respiratory symptoms.

Methods: We enrolled 1003 residents aged 57.

Impact of reclaimed water irrigation on antibiotic resistance in public parks, Beijing, China.

The abundance and distribution of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in soils from six parks using reclaimed water in Beijing, China, were characterized. Three classes of commonly used antibiotics (tetracycles, quinolones, and sulfonamides) were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The highest concentrations of tetracyclines and quinolones were 145.

Effect of long-term wastewater irrigation on potential denitrification and denitrifying communities in soils at the watershed scale.

Wastewater irrigation mitigates the problem of water shortage but leads to the potential accumulation of pollutants and causes corresponding changes in denitrifying communities and denitrification, hence the potential ecological risk of long-term wastewater irrigation should not be overlooked. We investigated the relative contributions of different environmental factors to the abundance and diversity of denitrifying communities harboring nirK, nirS, and nosZ genes and the relative importance of these biotic and abiotic variables in potential denitrification activity (PDA) in soils with wastewater irrigation for around 25 years at a large watershed scale. Results showed that soil physicochemical properties, pollutants, including heavy metals and PAHs, and vegetation are the major factor groups influencing the abundance and structure of the three denitrifying communities and PDA.

Diverse and abundant antibiotic resistance genes in Chinese swine farms.

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are emerging contaminants posing a potential worldwide human health risk. Intensive animal husbandry is believed to be a major contributor to the increased environmental burden of ARGs. Despite the volume of antibiotics used in China, little information is available regarding the corresponding ARGs associated with animal farms.

Effect of pyrene on denitrification activity and abundance and composition of denitrifying community in an agricultural soil.

Toxicity of pyrene on the denitrifiers was studied by spiking an agricultural soil with pyrene to a series of concentrations (0-500 mg kg(-1)) followed by dose-response and dynamic incubation experiments. Results showed a positive correlation between potential denitrification activity and copy numbers of denitrifying functional genes (nirK, nirS and nosZ), and were both negatively correlated with pyrene concentrations. Based on the comparison of EC(50) values, denitrifiers harboring nirK, nirS or nosZ gene were more sensitive than denitrification activity, and denitrifiers harboring nirS gene were more sensitive than that harboring nirK or nosZ genes.

[Prognostic factors for patients with pulmonary thromboembolism after orthopaedic surgery].

Objective: To investigate the changes of serum enzymes and their prognostic value in patients with pulmonary thromboembolism after orthopaedic surgery.

Methods: Clinical data of 134 cases of confirmed pulmonary thromboembolism after orthopaedic surgery from 1997 to 2010 were reviewed.The 134 cases were divided into dead group (n=28) and survival group (n=106).

[The expression and implications of human alpha-defensin 1-3 in serum and induced sputum in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

Objective: To measure the levels of human alpha-defensin 1-3 (HNP1-3) in the serum and induced sputum in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and therefore to investigate the possible roles of HNP1-3 in COPD.

Methods: Thirty patients with acute exacerbation of COPD, 21 patients with stable COPD, and 22 healthy subjects were recruited. The concentrations of HNP1-3 and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in serum and induced sputum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

[The COX regression analysis on the use of corticosteroids in the treatment of SARS].

Objective: To explore the effectiveness of corticosteroids (GCS) and to determine how to use it in the treatment of SARS.

Methods: All reported probable cases in Beijing were reviewed. Those who fulfilled the diagnostic criteria with an integrity clinical record were recruited in the study.