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Seeking novel high performance anode materials for sodium ion batteries (SIBs) is an attractive theme in developing energy storage devices. In this work, by means of density functional theory computations, we predicted a family of MC2 (M = Y, Zr, Nb, and Mo) monolayers containing C2 dimers to be promising anode materials for SIBs. The stability, electronic structure, and adsorption/diffusion/storage behavior of sodium atoms in MC2 (M = Y, Zr, Nb, and Mo) monolayers were explored. Our computations revealed that Na adsorbed MC2 (M = Y, Zr, Nb, and Mo) monolayers show metallic characteristics that give rise to excellent electrical conductivity and Na mobility with low activation energies for diffusion (0.21, 0.04, 0.20, and 0.22 eV, respectively) in these materials, indicative of a high charge/discharge rate. In addition, the theoretical capacities of Na-adsorbed on YC2, ZrC2, NbC2, and MoC2 monolayers are 478, 697, 687, and 675 mA h g−1, respectively, higher than that of commercial graphite (284 mA h g−1), and the open-circuit voltages are moderate (0.11–0.25 V). Our results suggest that MC2 (M = Y, Zr, Nb, and Mo) monolayers have great potential to serve as anode materials for SIBs.

The risk factors of bronchiectasis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have not yet been established. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate and identify potential risk factors for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease accompanied by bronchiectasis. We reviewed eight electronic journal databases from their inception to November 2019 for observational studies with no language restrictions. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was applied to evaluate the quality of the literature. Binary variables were pooled using odds ratios and continuous variables using the standardized mean difference with 95% confidence intervals. The confidence of evidence was assessed according to the grading of the recommendations assessment, development, and evaluation method. Eight case-control studies met the inclusion criteria. Tuberculosis history, smoking history, hospitalization stays, admissions in the past year, and duration of symptoms were considered risk factors. In addition, the ratio between the forced expiratory volume in 1s and forced vital capacity, the percentage of forced expiratory volume in 1s, the forced expiratory volume in 1s as a percentage of the predicted value, purulent sputum, purulent mucus sputum, positive sputum culture, Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, arterial oxygen pressure, daily dyspnea, C-reactive protein, leukocytes, and the percentage of neutrophils were found to be closely related to bronchiectasis. However, these were not considered risk factors. The evidence of all outcomes was judged as ‘‘low’’ or ‘‘very low.’’ Additional prospective studies are required to elucidate the underlying risk factors and identify effective preventive interventions.

Photoredox-mediated iridium/nickel dual catalysis has successfully triggered a series of traditionally challenging carbon–heteroatom cross-coupling reactions. However, detailed mechanisms, such as ...

Background Although the incidence of tuberculosis (TB) has dropped substantially, it still is a serious threat to human health. And in recent years, the emergence of resistant bacilli and inadequate disease control and prevention has led to a significant rise in the global TB epidemic. It is known that the cause of TB is Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. But it is not clear why some infected patients are active while others are latent. Methods We analyzed the blood gene expression profiles of 69 latent TB patients and 54 active pulmonary TB patients from GEO (Transcript Expression Omnibus) database. Results By applying minimal redundancy maximal relevance and incremental feature selection, we identified 24 signature genes which can predict the TB activation. The support vector machine predictor based on these 24 genes had a sensitivity of 0.907, specificity of 0.913, and accuracy of 0.911, respectively. Although they need to be validated in a large independent dataset, the biological analysis of these 24 genes showed great promise. Conclusion We found that cytokine production was a key process during TB activation and genes like CYBB, TSPO, CD36, and STAT1 worth further investigation.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients harboring EGFR mutation who initially respond to EGFR-TKI will gradually develop acquired resistance. There is still a challenge to treat EGFR-TKI resistant NSCLC patients. Polyphyllin I (PP I), a steroidal saponin isolated from Paris polyphylla., has been exhibited antitumor activities against various carcinomas. However, its mechanism in treating EGFR-TKI resistant NSCLC has not been well elucidated. In this study, we found that PP I suppressed the cell viability and induced apoptosis of gefitinib-resistant NSCLC cells and xenograft models. These therapeutic efficacies were associated with down-regulated level of MALAT1, leading to inactivation of STAT3 signaling pathway. The cell viability inhibition and apoptosis inducing in gefitinib-resistant NSCLC triggered by PP I were abolished by MALAT1 overexpression, while the cell viability inhibition and apoptosis inducing triggered by PP I were potentiated by MALAT1 knockdown. These findings suggest that, in vitro and in vivo, PP I inhibits the viability and induces apoptosis of gefitinib-resistant NSCLC by down-regulating MALAT1 and inactivating STAT3 signaling pathway. Thus, PPI could serve a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of gefitinib-resistant NSCLC.

Background: The current standard approach to the treatment of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI)-sensitizing mutations has been the treatment with a first-generation EGFR-TKIs. While, with resistance developed against first-generation EGFR-TKIs, second/third-generation TKIs have attracted all the attention, and replaced first-generation EGFR- TKIs upon disease progression due to the greater efficacy and more favorable tolerability. In the past few years, this strategy has been challenged by clinical evidence when next-generation EGFR-TKIs are used in patients with advanced NSCLC. Objective: In this study, we performed a meta- analysis to investigate the efficacy of next-generation TKIs comparison with first-generation TKIs in the treatment of NSCLC. Methods: The multiple databases including Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane library databases were adopted to search for the relevant studies, and full-text articles involving to comparison of next-generation TKIs and first-generation TKIs were reviewed. After rigorous reviewing on quality, the data was extracted from eligible randomized controlled trial (RCT). Meta-analysis Revman 5.3 software was used to analyze the combined pooled ORs with the corresponding 95% confidence interval using fixed- or random-effects models according to the heterogeneity. Results: A total of 5 randomized controlled trials were included in this analysis. The group of next-generation TKIs did achieved benefit in progression-free survival (PFS) (OR = 0.58, 95%CI = 0.45-0.75, P＜0.0001), overall survival (OS) (OR = 0.76, 95%CI = 0.65-0.90, P = 0.001) as well with the objective response rate (ORR) (OR = 1.27, 95%CI = 1.01-1.61, P = 0.04), respectively. In the results of subgroup analysis of PFS with EGFR mutations, there is also significant differences with exon 19 deletion (OR = 0.56, 95%CI = 0.41-0.77, P = 0.0003) and exon 21 (L858R) mutation (OR = 0.60, 95%CI = 0.49-0.75, P＜＝0.00001). While, the treatment-related severe adverse event (SAE) between the next-generation TKIs and first-generation TKIs did not have statistical significance (OR = 1.48, 95%CI = 0.62-3.55, P = 0.38). Conclusion: The next-generation TKIs significantly improved efficacy outcomes in the treatment of EGFR mutation-positive advanced NSCLC compared with the first-generation TKIs, with a manageable safety profile. These results are potentially important for clinical decision making for these patients.

Introduction: The morbidity of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) was found in an increasing trend, progressive worsening of symptoms and deterioration in lung function tend to trigger off a lower quality of life (QoL). Only pirfenidone and nintedanib have been recommended in the guidelines, which can modify the disease process. However, no evidence was verified to significantly alleviate the main clinical manifestations of IPF. At present, Chinese herbal formula (CHF) is widely prescribed as an adjunct to western medicine to treat the disease, and have shown promising benefits on clinical symptoms and QoL. There are mainly 3 Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatment methods guiding the composition of CHFs, which are devoting to comfort the common symptoms of IPF. Nevertheless, the paucity of direct comparative evidence of them posed a challenge for clinicians to determine the relative merits options. Therefore, we formulate this protocol, which is described for a systematic review to investigate relative advantages among different TCM treatment method and provide more reliable evidence for clinical decision-making. Methods and analysis: A systematic literature search will be employed in 10 electronic databases. Inclusion criteria are randomized control trials of CHFs composed based on the 3 TCM treatment methods, which act as an adjuvant treatment with routine drugs, compared with routine drugs alone. The primary outcomes we focus on include St George's Hospital Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) scores, TCM symptom (dyspnea, cough) scores. The research screening, data extraction, and methodological quality assessment will be conducted by 2 individuals separately, and dispute will be adjudicated by a third senior reviewer. We will employ network meta-analysis (NMA) in a Bayesian framework with vague priors and the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) to obtain the comprehensive rank for the 3 TCM treatment methods. Results: This systematic review will provide an evidence of CHFs composed under the guidance by 3 TCM treatment methods with routine drugs, compared with routine drugs alone for IPF, and will submit to a peer-reviewed journal for publication. Conclusion: The conclusion of this systematic review will provide evidence for relative advantages among the 3 TCM treatment methods.

Neuropathic pain is the direct result caused by lesions or somatosensory nervous system diseases that are associated with emotional regulation. The incidence of neuropathic pain in the general population is 7-10% and the mechanisms of neuropathic pain are largely unknown. It is often related to structural and functional abnormalities in multiple brain regions. The forebrain, including nucleus accumbens (NAc), medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and periaqueductal gray (PAG) have been shown to correspond with the regulation of neuropathic pain. To investigate the molecular mechanism of neuropathic pain across different brain regions, we identified the differentially expressed genes between the spared nerve injury model (SNI) mice of neuropathic pain and the control Sham mice in NAc, mPFC and PAG and mapped these genes onto comprehensive functional association network. With Random Walk with Restart (RWR) analysis, we identified more novel neuropathic pain genes in NAc, mPFC and PAG, such as Asic3, Cd200r1 and MT2, beside well known Capn11 and CYP2E1. What’s more, we discovered their interactions or cross talks. Our results provided novel insights of neuropathic pain and provided therapeutic targets for treating neuropathic pain.

The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway is an important protein degradation regulatory system in cells. This pathway is also a reversible process that is strictly regulated, and the regulation of deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) represents an important facet of the process. Ovarian tumor-associated proteases domain-containing proteins (OTUDs), as a subfamily within the DUB family, serve an important role in regulatory mechanisms of several biological processes, through the regulation of gene transcription, cell cycle, immune response, inflammation and tumor growth processes, and may be important in the diagnosis of various diseases and constitute novel drug targets. However, the role of OTUDs in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not been fully elucidated. In the present study, the Oncomine database was used to examine gene expression in NSCLC, and the prognostic value of each gene was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier analysis. The results indicated that high mRNA expression levels of OTUD1, OTUD3, OTUD4 and putative bifunctional UDP-N-acetylglucosamine transferase and deubiquitinase ALG13 were associated with improved prognosis in all NSCLC and adenocarcinoma, but not in squamous cell carcinoma. By contrast, high expression levels of OTUD2 mRNA were associated with poorer overall survival in patients with NSCLC. These data suggested that these OTUD isozymes may be a potential drug target for NSCLC.

Background The therapeutic strategies of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) tend to be comprehensive. Improving the major symptoms and quality of life (QoL) is as important as postponing the process of fibrosis. However, only pirfenidone and nintedanib conditionally recommended by guidelines and no definite proof indicate that they can significantly ameliorate the main symptoms and QoL of IPF sufferers. At present, multiple types of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) interventions alone or in combination with conventional western medicine managements are widespreadly applied in IPF treatment, which seemingly have a promising clinical effect, especially in ameliorating the main symptoms and improving QoL. Subsequently, the number of relevant studies in systematic reviews(SRs) and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials(RCTs) increased significantly. Hence, we plan to implement an overview to collect, evaluate, and summarize the results of these SRs. Methods An all-round literature retrieval will be conducted in 9 electronic databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Epistemonikos, CNKI, CBM, Wanfang, and VIP. We will focus on the systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs for multiple TCM interventions alone or in combination with routine western medicine measures in IPF treatment. The main outcomes we follow with interest include the improvement of major symptoms (cough, dyspnea) and QoL. Secondary outcomes will consist of minor symptoms improvement, clinical total effective rate, lung function, blood gas analysis, 6-minute walk text, adverse events, acute exacerbation, all-cause mortality, and IPF-related mortality. Two reviewers will independently select the SRs satisfactory with the enrolling criteria, extract key characteristics, and datas on predefined form, evaluate methodological quality by AMSTAR-2, ROBIS and PRISMA tools, and the quality of evidences adopting GRADE method. In case of any divergence will be reached an agreement by discussion or adjudicated by a third senior reviewer. We will perform a narrative synthesis of the proofs from SRs included. Results The findings of this overvew will be presented at relevant conferences and submitted for peer-review publication. Conclusions We expect to obtain comprehensive and reliable evidence of IPF treated by diversified TCM interventions from the potential standard SRs, which may provide suggestions for future RCTs and SRs. Registration number INPLASY 202080110.

We present a novel visual saliency detection method using covariance matrices on a Riemannian manifold. After over-segmentation, superpixels are generated and featured by the region covariance matrix. The superpixels on image boundary are regarded as possible background cues and are used to build the background dictionary. A sparse model is then constructed based on the background dictionary, where a kernel method, embedding Riemannian manifolds into reproducing kernel Hilbert space, is used. For each superpixel, we compute sparse reconstruction errors as a saliency measurement, which are then weighted based on the local context and global context information. Finally, multi-scale reconstruction errors are integrated to reduce the effect of the scale problem, and an object-biased Gaussian model is adopted to refine the saliency map. The main contribution of this paper is using a kernel sparse representation of the region covariance descriptors for saliency detection. Experiments with public benchmark dataset show that the proposed algorithm outperforms the state-of-the-art methods in terms of precision, recall, and mean absolute error, which demonstrate that our method is more effective in uniformly highlighting salient objects and is robust to background noise.

Introduction Zhisousan is a classical prescription consisting of seven Chinese herbal medicines and has been used historically in the treatment of chronic cough. The aim of this study was to identify the chemical constituents and targets of Zhisousan using network pharmacological analysis. Methods Parameters such as the oral utilization rate and the drug similarity of ingredients in Zhisousan were obtained. The effective ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine were screened, and targets of effective ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine were collected by the TCMSP database. Genes related to chronic cough were collected by the GeneCards database, and key targets were obtained after intersecting with the targets of Zhisousan. The above targets were analysed using the String database, and a protein-protein interaction network (PPI network) was constructed. Finally, GO functional enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were carried out on key targets. Results After iteratively screening and removal of duplicates, 151 active ingredients and 2022 targets of Zhisousan were obtained. There were 2348 genes related to the chronic cough disease and 79 targets for drug and disease identified. PPI network analysis suggested that IL6 (Interleukin-6), VEGFA (Vascular endothelial growth factor A), EGFR (Epidermal growth factor receptor) and CASP3 (Caspase-3) may be the key targets of Zhisousan in the treatment of chronic cough. Conclusion Network pharmacology systemically describes the pharmacological mechanisms of Zhisousan in the treatment of chronic cough and suggests they are associated with multiple signaling pathways such as hepatitis B, Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus infection, microRNAs in cancer, non-small cell lung cancers, P53 signaling pathway, and apoptosis.

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of roflumilast effect on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have been reported in the last decade. The current meta-analysis was designed to systematically review and perform meta-analysis of the RCTs of roflumilast treatment in COPD. Electronic databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane clinical trials database were searched to identify RCTs of roflumilast treatment on COPD. The primary outcomes were effect of roflumilast on pre-bronchodilator FEV1, post-bronchodilator FEV1, and exacerbation rate. Secondary outcomes were effect of roflumilast on airway inflammation and adverse effect. A total of 11 RCTs were enrolled into the current analysis. Roflumilast significantly improved both pre-bronchodilator FEV1 (standardized difference in mean ± SD was 0.621 ± 0.161; 95% CI 0.306~0.936, p

Core fucosylation (CF) is a special glycosylation pattern of proteins that has a strong relationship with cancer. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the core fucosylated α-fetoprotein as a biomarker for the early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The technology for identifying core fucosylated proteins has significant practical value. The major method for core fucosylated glycoprotein/glycopeptide analysis is neutral loss-based MS(3) scanning under collision-induced dissociation (CID) by ion trap mass spectrometry. However, due to the limited speed and low resolution of the MS(3) scan mode, it is difficult to achieve high-throughput, with only dozens of core fucosylated proteins identified in a single run. In this work, we developed a novel strategy for the identification of CF glycopeptides at a large scale, integrating the stepped fragmentation function, one novel feature of quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry, with "glycan diagnostic ion"-based spectrum optimization. By using stepped fragmentation, we were able to obtain both highly accurate glycan and peptide information of a simplified CF glycopeptide in one spectrum. Moreover, the spectrum could be recorded with the same high speed as the conventional MS(2) scan. By using the "glycan diagnostic ion"-based spectrum refinement method, the efficiency of the CF glycopeptide discovery was significantly improved. We demonstrated the feasibility and reproducibility of our method by analyzing CF glycoproteomes of mouse liver tissue and HeLa cell samples spiked with standard CF glycoprotein. In total, 1364 and 856 CF glycopeptides belonging to 702 and 449 CF glycoproteins were identified, respectively, within a 78-min gradient analysis, which was approximately a 7-fold increase in the identification efficiency of CF glycopeptides compared to the currently used method. In this work, we took core fucosylated glycopeptides as a practical example to demonstrate the great potential of our novel method for use in glycoproteome analysis, and we also anticipate using the flexible novel method in other research fields.

Background Circulating cell-free DNA (ccf-DNA) in plasma may contain both specific and non-specific of tumor markers. The concentration and integrity of ccf-DNA may be clinical useful for detecting and predicting cancer progression. Methods Plasma samples from 40 healthy controls and 73 patients with gastric cancers (two stage 0, 17 stage I, 11 stage II, 33 stage III, and 10 stage IV according to American Joint Committee on Cancer stage) were assessed respectively. qPCR targeting the Alu repeats was performed using two different sets of primers amplifying the long and short segments. DNA integrity was calculated as a ratio of the long to the short fragments of Alu repeats. Results Plasma DNA concentration was significantly higher in patients with stage III and IV gastric cancers than in healthy controls (p = 0.028 and 0.029 respectively). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for discriminating patients with stage III and IV gastric cancers from healthy controls had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.744 (95% CI, 0.64 to 0.85). Circulating cell-free DNA concentration increased within 21 days following surgery and dropped by 3 months after surgery. Conclusions Concentration of ccf-DNA is a promising molecular marker for assessing gastric cancer progression. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ChiCTR-DDT-12002848, 8 October 2012. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-016-2977-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Although surgical treatments evolved, the short-term postoperative mortality is still high in children with anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA), and long-term survivors may suffer from restrained functional recovery. Therefore, an optimal means in predicting postoperative reversal is demanded. In this study, we assess the utility of myocardial perfusion/F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) imaging in the evaluation of myocardial viability and postsurgery functional recovery in children with ALCAPA.A retrospective study was performed in 7 children with diagnosed ALCAPA who underwent myocardial perfusion/F-18 FDG imaging preoperatively. Global viability index was used to evaluate myocardial viability and was compared with the preoperative deviations of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) from age-matched healthy children and with the postoperative durations of intensive care.Children with more viable myocardium had less severe clinical symptoms. The viability index was correlated well with the preoperative deviations of LVEF (r = -0.98, P = 0.001) and LVEDD (r = 0.87, P = 0.02) and postoperative durations of intensive care hospitalization (r = 0.77, P = 0.04) and mechanical ventilation (r = 0.83, P = 0.02). LVEF and LVEDD reached normal range within 5 months in viable children, whereas incomplete reversal was observed in partial- and nonviable children.In children with ALCAPA, myocardial viability evaluated by perfusion/F-18 FDG imaging is related to the preoperative clinical manifestations and cardiac function. Additionally, it may predict functional recovery after surgical repair.

Well preserved late Pliocene-early Pleistocene megafossil leaves of Betula yunnanensis Zhi-Cheng Lin et Bai-Nian Sun sp. nov. were collected from the Mangbang Formation in southeastern Tengchong County, West Yunnan Province, China. Species determination was achieved by comparing the leaf architecture, cuticle and fine venation of the newly discovered specimens with thirty-four extant Betula species occurring in China and Japan, and four selected extinct species from China and Poland. Leaf architecture shows that the fossil species are most similar to the species of section Betulaster. Cuticular analysis of all the six species found in China and Japan belonging to section Betulaster (including Betula alnoides, B. rhombibracteata, B. cylindrostachya, B. luminifera, B. maximowicziana, B. fujianensis) was subsequently performed. Comparisons made between the extant and the extinct species confirm that based on leaf size, numbers of lateral vein and trichome types, B. yunnanensis is a new species. An explanation of why and how the peltate scales are only preserved as shield remains in the fossil materials is given. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Objectives: To compare laparoscopic extraperitoneal colostomy with transperitoneal colostomy for construction of a permanent stoma by measuring the incidence of parastomal hernia, and other postoperative complications related to colostomy. Methods: The meta-analysis was carried out in the General Surgery Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China in 2014. A literature search of Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane database, and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM) from the years 1990 to 2014 was performed. The literature searches were carried out using medical subject headings and free-text words: extraperitoneal colostomy, transperitoneal colostomy, laparoscopic extraperitoneal colostomy, rectal cancer, laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection, parastomal hernia, permanent stoma, and colostomy-related complications. Two different reviewers carried out the search and evaluated studies independently. Results: One randomized controlled trial and 6 retrospective studies were included. A total of 378 patients (209 extraperitoneal colostomy and 169 transperitoneal colostomy) were identified. Our analysis showed that there was a significantly lower rate of parastomal hernia (odds ratio 0.10; 95% confidence interval 0.03-0.29, p

Objective: The goal of the study was to evaluate the quality of life of children after the older corrective arterial switch operation (ASO) by means of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), version 4.0.Methods: The records of 86 patients who had complete transposition of the great arteries plus a nonrestrictive ventricular septal defect, or a Taussig-Bing anomaly, and severe pulmonary arterial hypertension, and who underwent a corrective ASO at an older age (>6 months) between May 2000 and October 2008 were reviewed retrospectively. Eighty survivors were followed up, and the health-related quality of life of the survivors was evaluated with the PedsQL, version 4.0.Results: There were 6 hospital deaths. The mean (SD) follow-up interval was 3.5 � 2.3 years, and the mean age at last visit was 7.0 � 1.2 years. Two late deaths occurred, and 8 patients were lost to follow-up. Patients who underwent a corrective ASO at an older age showed acceptable scores for all scales, and they were all comparable with those of a healthy population.Conclusions: Our data suggest that the quality of life of children who undergo a corrective ASO at an older age (>6 months) is acceptable, compared with that of healthy children in China.

To investigate the expression of cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2) and CEA in the tissues adjacent to the tumor within different distances.A total of 42 colorectal cancer tissues were collected.The adjacent tissues within 3 cm to the tumor were procured every 1 cm. Normal tissue was also collected. RNA was extracted and the expression of CEA and COX-2 was detected by RT-PCR.The CEA mRNA levels of the tumor, the tissues of every 1 cm adjacent to the tumor, and the normal tissue were 135.2 ± 23.3, 78.2 ± 17.3, 75.9 ± 16.5, 56.2 ± 10.7, 52.3 ± 12.8, 18.2 ± 7.9, 16.2 ± 6.5, and 16.6 ± 7.0. The levels of COX-2 mRNA in above positions were 134.9 ± 31.1, 79.2 ± 20.2, 77.0 ± 20.5, 62.7 ± 21.9, 58.0 ± 18.1, 21.2 ± 10.3, 18.3 ± 7.6, and 17.1 ± 6.3. These data showed a decreasing trend of CEA and COX-2 as the distance increased from the tumor. The CEA mRNA levels showed positive correlation with the levels of COX-2 mRNA(r=0.725, P0.01).CEA and COX-2 may be considered to be used as biomarkers for the study of molecular resection margin of colorectal cancer.

Groundwater constitutes the largest single source of fresh water in many parts of the world and provides a risk buffer to sustain critical water demands during cyclic and prolonged dry periods, especially in semi-arid and arid regions. Intensification of agriculture, increases in land area devoted to arable crops, intensification of animal husbandry, and a move away from arable rotations toward monoculture have caused groundwater fast depletion of already critically low stocks accompanied by persistent degradation of water quality due to salinization, and contamination by pesticides and fertilizers. An assessment study of groundwater nitrate contamination conditions in the Minqin Basin was conducted in support of efforts to manage water quality in the basin. There were 65 observation well water samples collected and analyzed for nitrate. The results of analysis include distribution of nitrate contamination and probability of exceedance of drinking-water nitrate regulatory limit. The concentration of the nitrate is ranges between 0.03 and 59.75 mg L -1 . There are NO 3 - -N levels of the 1.54% samples in groundwater exceeded standard limits (10 mg L -1 ) for drinking water in the basin. Results thus indicated that most of the groundwater of the study area is presently safe for drinking purpose but some anthropogenic activities associated with intensive cultivation had a positive influence on its loading with NO 3 - . The distribution of nitrate contamination conditions was clarified in this study by using GIS, which will be applicable to the effective management of groundwater quality.