Dynamic genomic changes in methotrexate-resistant human cancer cell lines beyond DHFR amplification suggest potential new targets for preventing drug resistance.

Background: Although DHFR gene amplification has long been known as a major mechanism for methotrexate (MTX) resistance in cancer, the early changes and detailed development of the resistance are not yet fully understood.

Methods: We performed genomic, transcriptional and proteomic analyses of human colon cancer cells with sequentially increasing levels of MTX-resistance.

Results: The genomic amplification evolved in three phases (pre-amplification, homogenously staining region (HSR) and extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA)).

[Distribution Characteristics and Environmental Driving Factors of Cyanobacteria Community in Impounded Lakes and Reservoirs in Shandong on the East Route of South-to-North Water Diversion Project].

To investigate the distribution characteristics of the cyanobacteria community and the driving factors in impounded lakes and reservoirs in Shandong on the east route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, monthly samples of phytoplankton and the aquatic environment from Nansi Lake, Dongping Lake, Datun Reservoir, Donghu Reservoir, and Shuangwangcheng Reservoir were collected from May to November during 2010 to 2019. A total of 44 planktonic cyanobacteria taxa were identified with 23 filamentous cyanobacteria taxa. , and were the dominant harmful cyanobacteria species, with a high detection frequency and abundance in all lakes and reservoirs.

[Simultaneous determination of 7 benzodiazepines in human plasma by UHPLC-MS/MS].

The study was designed to develop the method for determination of 7 benzodiazepines concentration in human plasma. UHPLC-MS/MS was adopted to analyze plasma with protein precipitated by acetonitrile. Citalopram was used as an internal standard.

[Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the toxicity of chlorothalonil on upland rice (Oryzal sativa L.)].

Upland rice was selected as a host plant in a greenhouse-pot-culture experiment to investigate the effects of chlorothalonil and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on the growth and oxidative damage under chlorothalonil stress. The plants were grown with three concentrations of chlorothalonil (0, 50 and 100 mg x kg(-1) soil). The results suggested that chlorothalonil inhibited the growth of upland rice and reduced dry weight of upland rice shoot from 2.

[Adverse health effects of cadmium and related factors].

Cd is a very toxic chemical to animal and human beings. Cd contamination has been ubiquitous because of industry and the human activities. Cd not only affects adversely the growth, yield and quality of crops but also effects on the health of animal and human being.

Cadmium uptake by different rice genotypes that produce white or dark grains.

A pot experiment was conducted to investigate cadmium (Cd) uptake by different rice cultivars that produce white or dark grains. Four cultivars with white grains (hereafter, white rice) and five cultivars with dark colors (hereafter dark rice) were selected for this experiment. Three levels of soil Cd concentrations, background (0), 5 and 10 mg/kg, were used.

Allelotyping for loss of heterozygosity on chromosome 18 in gastric cancer.

Aim: To investigate the association between loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromosome 18 and sporadic gastric cancer.

Methods: Multiplex PCR was used to screen 14 highly polymorphic microsatellite markers on chromosome 18 in 45 cases of primary gastric cancer. PCR products were separated on polyacrylamide gels and the electrophoresis maps were analyzed with Genescan and Genotyper.

Transfer of metals from soil to vegetables in an area near a smelter in Nanning, China.

A field survey was conducted to investigate the metal contamination in soils and vegetables, and to evaluate the possible health risks to local population through foodchain transfer near a smelter in Nanning, southern China. Contamination levels in soils and vegetables with cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) were measured, and transfer factors (TF) from soils to vegetable plants and its health risk (risk index, RI) were calculated accordingly. Results showed that both soils and vegetables from villages 1 and 2 (V1 and V2, 1500 m and 500 m from the smelter) were heavily contaminated, compared to a village 50 km from the smelter.

Ecological footprint of Shandong, China.

Ecological footprint has been given much attention and widely praised as an effective heuristic and pedagogic device for presenting current total human resource use in a way that communicates easily to almost everyone since 1996 when Wackernagel and Rees proposed it as a sustainable development indicator. Ecological footprint has been improving on its calculation and still can be a benchmark to measure sustainable development although there are still ongoing debates about specific methods for calculating the ecological footprint. This paper calculates the ecological footprint of Shandong Province, China with the methodology developed by Wackernagel and analyzes the current situation of sustainable development in Shandong.