Preliminary investigation of soil organic carbon distribution and turnover patterns, and potential pollution sources in and around a typical coking plant in North China.

The variation characteristics of soil organic carbon (SOC) in and around the coking plant area are still unclear. In this work, the concentration and stable carbon isotope composition of SOC in coke plant soils were investigated to preliminarily identify the sources of SOC in and around the plant area, and to characterize soil carbon turnover. Meanwhile, the carbon isotopic technique was used to initially identify the soil pollution processes and sources in and around the coking plant area.

Source tracing of potentially toxic elements in soils around a typical coking plant in an industrial area in northern China.

Coking plants are a substantial source of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soil. In this study, we examined the concentration of PTEs, the soil physicochemical properties, and the Pb isotopes in the soil inside and around a coking plant in an industrial city in northern China. We analyzed the spatial distribution of PTEs and the pollution risk areas by I index, the enrichment factor (EF), and the Nemerow index, and we quantitatively identified the contribution of PTE pollution sources in the soil on a small- and medium-scale (plant and work section).

[Impact of sperm DNA fragmentation on the outcome of frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer in in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer].

Objective: To study the impact of sperm DNA fragmentation (DF) on the outcome of frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer in in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 308 cases of routine IVF-ET performed at our Center of Reproductive Medicine from January 2016 to January 2018. According to the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI), we divided the patients into a normal DFI (DFI ≤ 15%, n = 114), a moderate DFI (15% < DFI ≤ 30%, n = 103), and a high DFI group (DFI > 30 %, n = 91), and compared the development of embryos and clinical outcomes among the three groups.

LncRNA gadd7, increased in varicocele patients, suppresses cell proliferation and promotes cell apoptosis.

Varicocele-related sperm damages are usually caused by oxidative stresses. Growing evidence indicates that lncRNA growth arrested DNA-damage inducible gene 7 (gadd7) is involved in the regulation of the oxidative stress responses. In this study, we measured the expression level of gadd7 in the sperm and found that the expression of gadd7 was significantly up-regulated in patients with varicocele compared with the healthy control.

[The effects of infrasound on the blood coagulation function of guinea pigs].

Objective: To study the change of the blood coagulation function of guinea pigs exposed to 16 Hz/120 dB, 16 Hz/125 dB infrasound and to explore the mechanism of circulation system damage.

Methods: Seventy-two guinea pigs were divided into 3 groups: the control group, the group exposed to 16 Hz/120 dB infrasound for 1.5 h a day and the group exposed to 16 Hz/125 dB infrasound for 1.

[Screening of differentially expressed genes related to laterally spreading tumor by cDNA microarray].

Objective: To screen differentially expressed genes between laterally spreading tumor (LST) cell line and common colon carcinoma cell lines, and identify new targets and strategies for exploring the pathogenesis of colorectal tumor.

Methods: The total RNA was extracted from the LST, SW480 and LoVo cells, from which purified mRNAs were obtained. The PCR products of 18 816 genes were blotted onto a fibrous membrane to generate the microarray.