Comprehensive assessment of potential toxic elements in surface dust of community playgrounds in Xi'an, China.

To identify the key factors for managing and controlling potential toxic elements (PTEs) in surface dust of urban community playgrounds, this study comprehensively analyzed the content, pollution characteristics, eco-health risks, and sources of commonly concerned PTEs in surface dust of Xi'an community playgrounds. The average levels of Cd, Hg, Cu, Cr, Ba, Zn and Pb in the dust were 2.2, 0.

A machine learning-based data mining in medical examination data: a biological features-based biological age prediction model.

Background: Biological age (BA) has been recognized as a more accurate indicator of aging than chronological age (CA). However, the current limitations include: insufficient attention to the incompleteness of medical data for constructing BA; Lack of machine learning-based BA (ML-BA) on the Chinese population; Neglect of the influence of model overfitting degree on the stability of the association results.

Methods And Results: Based on the medical examination data of the Chinese population (45-90 years), we first evaluated the most suitable missing interpolation method, then constructed 14 ML-BAs based on biomarkers, and finally explored the associations between ML-BAs and health statuses (healthy risk indicators and disease).

Response to dacomitinib in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer harboring the rare delE709_T710insD mutation: A case report.

Background: Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) have been the standard first-line therapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) of epidermal growth factor receptor () sensitive mutations. Uncommon mutations are increasingly reported with the development of next-generation sequencing. However, their sensitivity to TKIs is variable with limited clinical evidence.

Pollution characteristics and mixture risk prediction of phenolic environmental estrogens in rivers of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration, China.

Phenolic environmental estrogens (PEEs) are ubiquitous in most rivers worldwide and may cause potential endocrine-disrupting effects in aquatic organisms. Three typical PEEs (bisphenol A, BPA; 4-tert-octylphenol,4-t-OP; and nonylphenol, NP) were investigated in the rivers of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration, which is the most urbanized and industrialized area in North China. The target PEEs were detected in 100% of river water samples, and the concentrations ranged from 23 to 255 ng L.

Efficacy of platinum drugs in the treatment of elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer and their effects on prognosis and survival.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of platinum drugs in the treatment of elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and their effects on prognosis and survival.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical records of 128 elderly patients with stage IV NSCLC admitted to Yan'an Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from January 2015 to February 2016, who were distributed to a combination group (70 patients) and a control group (58 patients) according to chemotherapy. The efficacy was evaluated after 5 cycles of chemotherapy, and the expression levels of cytokeratin 19 fragment antigen (CYFRA21-1) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) before and after chemotherapy were recorded.

Estrogens in municipal wastewater and receiving waters in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, China: Occurrence and risk assessment of mixtures.

The potentially high release of estrogens to surface waters due to high population density and local livestock production in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region may pose adverse effects on reproductive systems of aquatic organisms. This study found that total measured concentrations of estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), estriol (E3), 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) and diethylstilbestrol (DES) were 468 ± 27 ng/L in treated wastewater and 219 ± 23 ng/L in river waters in this region. E2, E3 and EE2 were the predominant estrogens in river waters.

Long noncoding RNA DANCR in various cancers: a meta-analysis and bioinformatics.

Background: Differentiation antagonizing non-protein-coding RNA (DANCR) is a novel long noncoding RNA. Recent studies have shown that DANCR is aberrantly expressed in several types of cancer and is associated with poor outcomes. However, the clinical diagnostic significance of DANCR in tumors is not completely understood.

Spatial and seasonal variations of antibiotics in river waters in the Haihe River Catchment in China and ecotoxicological risk assessment.

Concentrations of widely used antibiotics were predicted to be the highest in the Haihe River Catchment across China previously, potentially resulting in high ecotoxicological risks in this region. As a result of growing usage and regulation of antibiotic use in animals, the pattern of use may have altered temporally for different antibiotics. It is important to monitor the occurrence of antibiotics within different categories for understanding their mass loading to the catchment and the potential ecotoxicological risks involved.

Pectolinarigenin inhibits non‑small cell lung cancer progression by regulating the PTEN/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Lung cancer is the principal cause of cancer‑-associated mortality. Pectolinarigenin (Pec) reportedly has effective antitumor activity against certain cancer types. Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is a well‑known tumor suppressor and serves a vital role in cancer progression.

Using magnetic susceptibility to evaluate pollution status of the sediment for a typical reservoir in northwestern China.

Intensive anthropogenic activities may add to pollution risks to lakes and rivers, which can be revealed by the magnetic characteristics of sediments. The present study aims to assess the pollution status of the sediment of a typical reservoir in northwestern China by application of magnetic susceptibility. The values of magnetic susceptibility exhibited significant positive correlations with trace metals (Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, and V) and natural radionuclides (Th and K).

The occurrence of home and personal care products in the Haihe River catchment and estimation of human exposure.

A sub-catchment of the Haihe River basin goes through the Beijing-Tianjin region with a population of 26 million, therefore, the use and release of home and personal care product ingredients (HPCPs) to the river catchment could be potentially substantial. Many HPCPs have been shown to be toxic to human and animals. So, it is essential to know the exposure level of HPCPs in the river basin.

Lead in roadway dusts from different functional areas in a typical valley city, NW China: contamination and exposure risk.

Lead contamination and exposure risk assessment in roadway dusts from four different functional areas in a typical valley city in northwest China (Xi'an) were conducted in this study. A total of 130 roadway dust samples from park area (PA), traffic area (TA), educational area (EA), and residential area (RA) were collected and Pb concentrations in the samples were determined by using XRF (X-ray fluorescence). Geo-accumulation index (I ) and enrichment factor (EF) were applied to assess Pb contamination level and the hazard indexes (HI) of Pb were calculated to evaluate the exposure risks to children and adults.

A comprehensive analysis of heavy metals in urban road dust of Xi'an, China: Contamination, source apportionment and spatial distribution.

A detailed investigation was conducted to study heavy metal contamination in road dust from four regions of Xi'an, Northwest China. The concentrations of eight heavy metals Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn and V were determined by X-Ray Fluorescence. The mean concentrations of these elements were: 30.

Postreperfusion hyperkalemia in liver transplantation using donation after cardiac death grafts with pathological changes.

Background: With the increasing use of donation after cardiac death (DCD), especially of the graft liver with steatosis or other pathological changes, the frequency of postreperfusion hyperkalemia in liver transplantation has increased significantly. The present study aimed to determine the factors associated with developing postreperfusion hyperkalemia in liver transplantation from DCD.

Methods: One hundred thirty-one consecutive adult patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation from DCD were retrospectively studied.

Analysis of heavy metals in the re-suspended road dusts from different functional areas in Xi'an, China.

A study on heavy metal pollution was undertaken in the re-suspended road dusts from different functional areas in Xi'an City of China to investigate the impacts of human activities and land uses on urban environment. The concentrations of Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn were determined using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, and their accumulations were analyzed using enrichment factor. Correlation analysis, principal component analysis, and cluster analysis, combined with the concentration property and enrichment factor, were used to identify the possible sources of heavy metals investigated.

Natural radioactivity in reservoir sediment near an industrial park of northwest China.

The activity concentration of natural radionuclides in the sediment of a reservoir near an industrial park of northwest China was determined using gamma ray spectrometry. The activity concentrations of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in the investigated samples range from 30.2 to 37.

Contamination and human health risk of lead in soils around lead/zinc smelting areas in China.

Pb/Zn smelting, an important economic activity in China, has led to heavy environmental pollution. This research reviewed studies on soil Pb contamination at Pb/Zn smelting sites in China published during the period of 2000 to 2015 to clarify the total levels, spatial changes, and health risks for Pb contamination in soils at local and national scales. The results show that Pb contents in surface soils at 58 Pb/Zn smelting sites in China ranged from 7 to 312,452 mg kg(-1) with an arithmetic average, geometric average, and median of 1982, 404, and 428 mg kg(-1), respectively (n = 1011).

Effects of icotinib on advanced non-small cell lung cancer with different EGFR phenotypes.

Icotinib is the first oral epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase receptor inhibitor, which has been proven to exert significant inhibitory effects on non-small cell lung cancer in vitro. Clinical evidence has showed that the efficacy of Icotinib on retreating advanced non-small cell lung cancer is comparable to Gefitinib. However, different phenotypes of EGFR can affect the therapeutic outcomes of EGFR tyrosine kinase receptor inhibitor.

Endothelial progenitor cells are associated with plasma homocysteine in coronary artery disease.

Objective: Little is known about the association between plasma homocysteine (Hcy) and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: Blood mononuclear cells were isolated from CAD (n = 30) patients and non-CAD controls (n = 30). Flow cytometric analysis and an in vitro culture system was used to evaluate the number and function of the EPC.

Phytotoxicity of four herbicides on Ceratophyllum demersum, Vallisneria natans and Elodea nuttallii.

The physiological effects of 4 herbicides (butachlor, quinclorac, bensulfuron-methyl and atrazine) on 3 submerged macrophytes (Ceratophyllum demersum, Vallisneria natans and Elodea nuttallii) were tested in laboratory. The variables of the relative growth rate and the photosynthetic pigment content showed that all of the tested herbicides affected the growth of the plants obviously, even at the lowest concentration (0.0001 mg/L).

[Physiological effects of metsulfuron-methy on Elodea nuttallii].

Physiological effects of metsulfuron-methy on Elodea nuttallii was studied. The growth status, the photosynthetic pigments content and activities of anti-oxidation enzymes of Elodea nuttallii were examined with different contents of metsulfuron-methyl in cultural solution. The results showed that metsulfuron-methy could stimulate the sprout bourgeoning but restrained the growth of frond remarkably.