0346 Occupational Exposure to Lead and Cancer in Two Cohort Studies of Men and Women in Shanghai, China

Liao, Linda M,Friesen, Melissa C,Xiang, Yong-Bing,Cai, Hui,Koh, Dong-Hee,Ji, Bu-Tian,Yang, Gong,Li, Hong-Lan,Locke, Sarah J,Rothman, Nathaniel,Zheng, Wei,Gao, Yu-Tang,Shu, Xiao-Ou,Purdue, Mark P BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 2014 Occupational and environmental medicine Vol.71 No.suppl1

<P><B>Objectives</B></P><P>Epidemiologic studies of occupational lead exposure have suggested increased risks of cancers of the brain, kidney, lung, meninges, and stomach; however, the totality of the evidence is inconsistent. To clarify whether lead is a carcinogen, we investigated the relationship between occupational lead exposure and risks of these five cancer sites in two prospective cohort studies in Shanghai, China.</P><P><B>Method</B></P><P>Annual job/industry-specific estimates of lead fume and lead dust exposure were derived from a statistical model that combined expert ratings of lead intensity with inspection measurements collected by the Shanghai Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. The job/industry estimates were applied to the lifetime work histories of subjects from the Shanghai Women’s Health Study (73 363 participants) and the Shanghai Men’s Health Study (61 379 participants) to estimate cumulative exposure to lead dust and lead fume. Cohort-specific relative hazard rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression models and then pooled using a random effects meta-analysis model.</P><P><B>Results</B></P><P>We observed a statistically significant increased risk of meningioma among individuals with estimated occupational exposure to lead dust or fumes (RR=2.4, 95% CI:1.1–5.0), and in particular among those with an above-median cumulative exposure to dust or fumes (RR=3.1, 95% CI:1.3–7.4). We observed suggestive associations with lead exposure for cancers of the kidney (RR=1.4, 95% CI:0.9–2.3) and brain (RR=1.8, 95% CI:0.7–4.8), and null findings for cancers of the lung and stomach.</P><P><B>Conclusions</B></P><P>Our findings provide additional evidence that occupational lead exposure increases risk of meningioma.</P>

Microwave hydrothermal synthesis and temperature sensing behavior of Lu2Ti2O7:Yb3þ/Er3þ nanophosphors

Jinsheng Liao,Qi Wang,Lifang Lan,Jiangfei Guo,Liling Nie,Suijun Liu,He-Rui Wen 한국물리학회 2017 Current Applied Physics Vol.17 No.3

Lu2Ti2O7:Yb3þ/Er3þ (LTO:Yb3þ/Er3þ) nanophosphors codoped with Yb3þ (8e20 at%) and Er3þ ions (0.5 e4 at%) were synthesized by a microwave hydrothermal process. Under the 980 nm excitation, the sample gives a set of upconversion light: very strong red emissions near 661 nm (4F9/2 / 4I15/2), weak green around 523 nm and 545 nm (2H11/2/4I15/2 and 4S3/2/4I15/2, respectively). The optimum doping concentrations of Er3þ and Yb3þ for the highest emission intensity were determined by photoluminescence (PL) analyses. Concentration dependent studies revealed that the optimal composition was realized for the 12 at% Yb3þ and 2.0 at% Er3þ-doping concentration with a strong emission. A possible UC mechanism for LTO:Yb3þ/Er3þ is discussed via the change of the pump power. The temperature dependence of the fluorescence intensity ratios (FIR) for the two green UC emission bands peaked at 523 and 545 nm was studied in the range of 298e573 K under excitation by a 980 nm diode laser and the maximum sensitivity was approximately 0.00313 K『1 at 536 K. This indicates that LTO:Yb3þ/Er3þ nanophosphors are potential candidates for optical temperature sensors with high sensitivity.

Radiation stability and radiolysis mechanism of hydroxyurea in HNO3 solution: Alpha, beta, and gamma irradiations

Qin Yilin,Liao Wei,Lan Tu,Li Fengzhen,Li Feize,Yang Jijun,Liao Jiali,Yang Yuanyou,Liu Ning 한국원자력학회 2022 Nuclear Engineering and Technology Vol.54 No.12

Hydroxyurea (HU) is a novel salt-free reductant used potentially for the separation of U/Pu in the advanced PUREX process. In this work, the radiation stability of HU were systematically investigated in solution by examining the effects of the type of rays (a, b, and g irradiations), the absorbed dose (10 e50 kGy), and the HNO3 concentration (0e3 mol L1 ). The influence degree on HU radiolysis rates followed the order of the absorbed dose > the ray type > the HNO3 concentration, but the latter two had moderate effects on HU radiolysis products where NH4 þ and NO2 were found to be the most abundant ones, suggesting that the differences of a, b, and g rays should be considered in the study of irradiation effects. The radiolysis mechanism was explored using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and it proposed the dominant radiolysis paths of HU, indicating that the radiolysis of HU was mainly a free radical reaction among $H, eaq e , H2O, intermediates, and the radiolytic free radical fragments of HU. The results reported here provide valuable insights into the mechanistic understanding of HU radiolysis under a, b, and g irradiations and reliable data support for the application of HU in the reprocessing of spent fuel.

Active hexose correlated compound potentiates the antitumor effects of low-dose 5-fluorouracil through modulation of immune function in hepatoma 22 tumor-bearing mice

Zhiyun Cao,Xuzheng Chen,Lan Lan,Zhideng Zhang,Jian Du,Lianming Liao 한국영양학회 2015 Nutrition Research and Practice Vol.9 No.2

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: A variety of immunomodulators can improve the efficacy of low-dose chemotherapeutics. Active hexose correlated compound (AHCC), a mushroom mycelia extract, has been shown to be a strong immunomodulator. Whether AHCC could enhance the antitumor effect of low-dose 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) via regulation of host immunity is unknown. MATERIALS/METHODS: In the current study Hepatoma 22 (H22) tumor-bearing mice were treated with PBS, 5-FU (10 mg?kg<SUP>-1</SUP>?d<SUP>-1</SUP>, i.p), or AHCC (360 mg?kg<SUP>-1</SUP>?d<SUP>-1</SUP>, i.g) plus 5-FU, respectively, for 5 d. CD3<SUP>+</SUP>, CD4<SUP>+</SUP>, CD8<SUP>+</SUP>, and NK in peripheral blood were detected by flow cytometry. ALT, AST, BUN, and Cr levels were measured by biochemical assay. IL-2 and TNFα in serum were measured using the RIA kit and apoptosis of tumor was detected by TUNEL staining. Bax, Bcl-2, and TS protein levels were measured by immunohistochemical staining and mRNA level was evaluated by RT-PCR. RESULTS: Diet consumption and body weight showed that AHCC had no apparent toxicity. AHCC could reverse liver injury and myelosuppression induced by 5-FU (P < 0.05). Compared to mice treated with 5-FU, mice treated with AHCC plus 5-FU had higher thymus index, percentages of CD3<SUP>+</SUP>, CD4<SUP>+</SUP>, and NK cells (P < 0.01), and ratio of CD4<SUP>+</SUP>/CD8<SUP>+</SUP> (P < 0.01) in peripheral blood. Radioimmunoassay showed that mice treated with AHCC plus 5-FU had the highest serum levels of IL-2 and TNFα compared with the vehicle group and 5-FU group. More importantly, the combination of AHCC and 5-FU produced a more potent antitumor effect (P < 0.05) and caused more severe apoptosis in tumor tissue (P < 0.05) compared with the 5-FU group. In addition, the combination of AHCC and 5-FU further up-regulated the expression of Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax) (P< 0.01), while it down-regulated the expression of B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These results support the claim that AHCC might be beneficial for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.

Synthesis and application of zirconium phosphate mesoporous coordination polymer for effective removal of Co(II) from aqueous solutions

Zeng Yang,Yuan Guoyuan,Lan Tu,Li Feize,Yang Jijun,Liao Jiali,Yang Yuanyou,Liu Ning 한국원자력학회 2022 Nuclear Engineering and Technology Vol.54 No.11

A kind of zirconium phosphate mesoporous coordination polymer Zr-EDTMPA was successfully synthesized and characterized using XRD, FTIR, TGA, EA, SEMeEDS, and N2 sorption-desorption measurements. The prepared Zr-EDTMPA was first employed for the removal of Co(II) from an aqueous solution, and the effects of pH, contact time, temperature, initial Co(II) concentration, reusability, and sorption mechanism were systematically investigated. The results showed that the Zr-EDTMPA is a zirconium phosphate complex formed by the coordination of EDTMPA to Zr in a molar ratio of 1:1. The sorption of Co(II) by Zr-EDTMPA was a pH-dependent, spontaneous and endothermic process, which was better fitted to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model. The Zr-EDTMPA was demonstrated to have excellent reusability and presented a high sorption capacity of 73.0 mgg-1 for Co(II) at pH 8.0. The sorption mechanism was mainly attributed to the strong coordination between cobalt and the untapped hydroxyl functional groups on Zr-EDTMPA, which was confirmed by XPS spectra. Therefore, as a candidate sorbent with high sorption capacity and excellent reusability, ZrEDTMPA has a great potential for the removal of Co(II) from aqueous solutions.

Genotype­specific methylation of HPV in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

Yaw-Wen Hsu,Rui-Lan Huang,Po-Hsuan Su,Yu-Chih Chen,Hui-Chen Wang,Chi-Chun Liao,Hung-Cheng Lai 대한부인종양학회 2017 Journal of Gynecologic Oncology Vol.28 No.4

Objective: Hypermethylation of human papillomavirus (HPV) and host genes has beenreported in cervical cancer. However, the degree of methylation of different HPV typesrelative to the severity of the cervical lesions remains controversial. Studies of the degree ofmethylation associated with the host gene and the HPV genome to the severity of cervicallesions are rare. We examined the association of methylation status between host genes andlate gene 1 (L1) regions of HPV16, 18, 52, and 58 in cervical brushings. Methods: Cervical brushings from 147 HPV-infected patients were obtained. The samplescomprised normal (n=28), cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 1 (n=45), CIN2 (n=13), andCIN3/carcinoma in situ (n=61). The methylation status of HPV and host genes was measuredusing bisulfite pyrosequencing and quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chainreaction (PCR). Results: The degree of methylation of L1 in HPV16, 18, and 52 was associated with theseverity of the cervical lesion. In HPV52, C-phosphate-G (CpG) sites 6368m, 6405m, and6443m showed significantly higher methylation in lesions ≥CIN3 (p=0.005, 0.003, and0.026, respectively). Methylation of most HPV types except HPV52 (r<−0.1) was positivelycorrelated with the degree of methylation of host genes including PAX1 and SOX1 (0.4≤r≤0.7). Combining HPV methylation with PAX1 methylation improved the clustering for ≥CIN2. Conclusion: Our study showed that the degree of L1 methylation of HPV16, 18, and 52but not 58 is associated with the severity of cervical lesions. The association betweenHPV methylation and host gene methylation suggests different responses of host cellularepigenetic machinery to different HPV genotypes.

Failure Mode, Effects and Criticality Analysis of Remanufactured Machine Tools in Service

Yan-bin Du,Lan Liao,Le-su Wang 한국정밀공학회 2017 International Journal of Precision Engineering and Vol.18 No.3

Failure Mode, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) of remanufactured machine tools is one of the key issues for improving their quality and reliability. According to the characteristics of remanufactured machine tools and the basic principle of FMECA, the method of failure mode analysis for remanufactured machine tools in service is proposed, with the FMECA procedure being expounded in detail. In addition, failure criticality of each failure mode for remanufactured machine tools is analyzed by risk priority number (RPN) method. Finally, the method is demonstrated in a case study of remanufactured YX3120 gear hobbing machine. The results from the case study are discussed and conclusions are drawn.

New Insights into mTOR Signal Pathways in Ovarian-Related Diseases: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Ovarian Cancer

Liu, Ai Ling,Liao, Hong Qing,Li, Zhi Liang,Liu, Jun,Zhou, Cui Lan,Guo, Zi Fen,Xie, Hong Yan,Peng, Cui Ying Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2016 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.17 No.12

mTOR, the mammalian target of rapamycin, is a conserved serine/threonine kinase which belongs to the phosphatidyl-linositol kinase-related kinase (PIKK) family. It has two complexes called mTORC1 and mTORC2. It is well established that mTOR plays important roles in cell growth, proliferation and differentiation. Over-activation of the mTOR pathway is considered to have a relationship with the development of many types of diseases, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and ovarian cancer (OC). mTOR pathway inhibitors, such as rapamycin and its derivatives, can directly or indirectly treat or relieve the symptoms of patients suffering from PCOS or OC. Moreover, mTOR inhibitors in combination with other chemical-molecular agents may have extraordinary efficacy. This paper will discuss links between mTOR signaling and PCOS and OC, and explore the mechanisms of mTOR inhibitors in treating these two diseases, with conclusions regarding the most effective therapeutic approaches.

Enrichment of Wee1/CDC2 and NF-κB Signaling Pathway Constituents Mutually Contributes to CDDP Resistance in Human Osteosarcoma

Zhengbo Hu,Lugen Li,Wenxing Lan,Xiao Wei,Xiangyuan Wen,Penghuan Wu,Xianliao Zhang,Xinhua Xi,Yufa Li,Liqi Wu,Wenhu Li,Xiaohong Liao 대한암학회 2022 Cancer Research and Treatment Vol.54 No.1

Purpose Osteosarcoma (OS) universally exhibits heterogeneity and cisplatin (CDDP) resistance. Although the Wee1/CDC2 and nuclear factor кB (NF-κB) pathways were reported to show abnormal activation in some tumor cells with CDDP resistance, whether there is any concrete connection is currently unclear. We explored it in human OS cells. Materials and Methods Multiple OS cell lines were exposed to a Wee1 inhibitor (AZD1775) and CDDP to assess the half-maximal inhibitory concentration values. Western blot, coimmunoprecipitation, confocal immunofluorescence, cell cycle, and Cell Counting Kit-8assays were performed to explore the connection between the Wee1/CDC2 and NF-κB pathways and their subsequent physiological contribution to CDDP resistance. Finally, CDDP-resistant PDX-OS xenograft models were established to confirm that AZD1775 restores the antitumor effects of CDDP. Results A sensitivity hierarchy of OS cells to CDDP and AZD1775 exists. In the highly CDDP-tolerant cell lines, Wee1 and RelA were physically crosslinked, which resulted in increased abundance of phosphorylated CDC2 (Y15) and RelA (S536) and consequent modulation of cell cycle progression, survival, and proliferation. Wee1 inhibition restored the effects of CDDP on these processes in CDDP-resistant OS cells. In addition, animal experiments with CDDP-resistant PDX-OS cells showed that AZD1775 combined with CDDP not only restored CDDP efficacy but also amplified AZD1775 in inhibiting tumor growth and prolonged the median survival of the mice. Conclusion Simultaneous enrichment of molecules in the Wee1/CDC2 and NF-κB pathways and their consequent coactivation is a new molecular mechanism of CDDP resistance in OS cells. OS with this molecular signature may respond well to Wee1 inhibition as an alternative treatment strategy. Purpose Osteosarcoma (OS) universally exhibits heterogeneity and cisplatin (CDDP) resistance. Although the Wee1/CDC2 and nuclear factor кB (NF-κB) pathways were reported to show abnormal activation in some tumor cells with CDDP resistance, whether there is any concrete connection is currently unclear. We explored it in human OS cells.Materials and Methods Multiple OS cell lines were exposed to a Wee1 inhibitor (AZD1775) and CDDP to assess the half-maximal inhibitory concentration values. Western blot, coimmunoprecipitation, confocal immunofluorescence, cell cycle, and Cell Counting Kit-8assays were performed to explore the connection between the Wee1/CDC2 and NF-κB pathways and their subsequent physiological contribution to CDDP resistance. Finally, CDDP-resistant PDX-OS xenograft models were established to confirm that AZD1775 restores the antitumor effects of CDDP.Results A sensitivity hierarchy of OS cells to CDDP and AZD1775 exists. In the highly CDDP-tolerant cell lines, Wee1 and RelA were physically crosslinked, which resulted in increased abundance of phosphorylated CDC2 (Y15) and RelA (S536) and consequent modulation of cell cycle progression, survival, and proliferation. Wee1 inhibition restored the effects of CDDP on these processes in CDDP-resistant OS cells. In addition, animal experiments with CDDP-resistant PDX-OS cells showed that AZD1775 combined with CDDP not only restored CDDP efficacy but also amplified AZD1775 in inhibiting tumor growth and prolonged the median survival of the mice.Conclusion Simultaneous enrichment of molecules in the Wee1/CDC2 and NF-κB pathways and their consequent coactivation is a new molecular mechanism of CDDP resistance in OS cells. OS with this molecular signature may respond well to Wee1 inhibition as an alternative treatment strategy.

Antipsychotic Medication in Schizophrenic Patients is Associated with Higher Risks of Developing Bone Fractures and Refractures

Ching-Min Kuo,Wei-Jen Liao,Chun-Che Huang,Tsuo-Hung Lan,Ching-Heng Lin,Shun-Ping Wang,Cheng-Hung Lee,Ping-Wing Lui 대한정신약물학회 2020 CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE Vol.18 No.4

Objective: The relationship of antipsychotics and the risk of refracture in treated patients is unclear. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between prolonged antipsychotic and the incidences of bone fractures and refractures in schizophrenia. Methods: This is a retrospective nested case-control study using Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database recorded from 2000 to 2005, with cases followed up to end of 2011. Total of 7,842 schizophrenic patients, 3,955 had developed bone fractures were compared with 3,887 control subjects matched in age, sex, and index date. Antipsychotic drug exposure was classified based on the drug type and medication duration. Conditional logistic regression analyses were performed. Odds ratio (OR) and confidence interval (CI) were calculated. Results: We found (after adjustments) higher risks of developing fractures under continued use of typical (OR = 1.70; 95% CI, 1.51−1.91) or atypical antipsychotics (OR = 1.43; 95% CI, 1.28−1.60) were found. Additionally, continued use typical (OR = 1.84; 95% CI, 1.35−2.50) or atypical antipsychotics (OR = 1.44; 95% CI, 1.06−1.95) was positively associated with refracture risks. Moreover, refractures were associated with continuous use of chlorpromazine (one typical antipsychotics, OR = 2.45; 95% CI, 1.14−5.25), and risperidone (OR = 1.48; 95% CI, 1.01−2.16) or zotepine (OR = 2.15; 95% CI, 1.06−4.36) (two atypical antipsychotics). Conclusion: Higher risks of bone fracture and refracture were found in schizophrenia under prolonged medication with typical or atypical antipsychotics. We therefore recommend that clinicians should pay more attention on bone density monitoring for patients using long-term antipsychotics.