Radionuclides in cigarettes may lead to carcinogenesis via p16 inactivation

It is widely accepted that tobacco smoke is responsible for the vast majority of lung cancers worldwide. There are many known and suspected carcinogens present in cigarette smoke, including α-emitting radioisotopes. Epidemiologic studies have shown that increased lung cancer risk is associated with exposure to ionizing radiation, and it is estimated that the majority of smoking-induced lung cancers may be at least partly attributable to the inhaled and deposited radiation dose from radioisotopes in the cigarette smoke itself. Recent research shows that silencing of the tumor suppressor gene p16^INK4a (p16) by promoter methylation plays a role in smoking-related lung cancer. Inactivation of p16 has also been associated with lung cancer incidence in radiation-exposed workers, suggesting that radionuclides in cigarette smoke may be acting with other compounds to cause smoking-induced lung cancer. We evaluated the mechanism of ionizing radiation as an accepted cause of lung cancer in terms of its dose from tobacco smoke and silencing of p16. Because both radiation and cigarette smoking are associated with inactivation of p16, and p16 inactivation has been shown to play a major role in carcinogenesis, ionizing radiation from cigarette smoke likely plays a role in lung cancer risk. How large a role it plays, relative to chemical carcinogens and other modes of action, remains to be elucidated.     

防洪物资储备决策方法初探

根据防洪抢险物资储备属于一种信息不全型决策问题的特点,本文提出了一种用于确定每年防灾物资准备量概率排序决策模型,并以孙不河流泥石流灾害预报火灾决策为例进行说明。     

部分取代苯类在江水中的生物降解与结构相关性研究

测定了２７种取代苯类化合物在松花江江水中的生物降解性．采用量子化学ＭＯＰＡＣ６．０－ＡＭ１法计算了化合物的分子量(ＭＷ)、生成热(Ｈｆ)、分子总表面积(ＴＳＡ)及最高占有轨道能(ＥＨＯＭＯ),结合辛醇/水分配系数ｌｇｐ及酸解离常数ｐＫａ对其中２２种化合物的ＢＯＤ值进行多元线性回归分析,得到如下模型:ＢＯＤ＝１０５．７３－０．４３９ＭＷ－０．０７６Ｈｆ－６．６６０ｌｇＰｎ＝２２,Ｒ２＝０．８２１,ＳＥ＝８．２５０,Ｆ＝２７．５６,Ｐ＝０．０００应用所得模型对其余５个化合物的生物降解性进行了预测．只有一个化合物的相对预测误差大于２０%,为２０．８%．平均预测误差为１２．４%．     

Some observations on copper yields and ore grades

The paper examines trends in the average copper content of mined ores over the years. It has tended to decline over the long term, but by no means evenly. US averages are not typical of global averages, at least in the past four decades. Those have been both higher, and less volatile than in the US. One reason for falling averages is a change in the type of deposit mined, with a rise in the share of relatively low grade porphyry deposits. The different nature of their deposits is reflected in marked differences in grades between the different continents. African and Australian average grades are higher than the global average, and changes in the share of Central Africa in global output have affected the global average grade. Yields are have been consistently lower in North America than elsewhere, and Latin American average grades have trended downwards, reflecting both the ageing of mines and the rising share of production from porphyry deposits. Typically the yield of mines declines over time as mining proceeds. The average copper content of ore deposits is usually below the average yield of the ore accessed in the early years of production. The initial grades of new mines have not declined over the past forty years, and there has been no perceptible tendency for the average grade of porphyry deposits brought into production to decline over time. There is no apparent correlation between average grade and deposit size, but mine operators tend to exploit economies of scale to offset low grades. The relationship between the annual percentage yields (the head grade) and the reserve grades of deposits is not static. In recent years head grades have fallen closer to reserve grades. The relationship may be affected by movements in metal prices. Although the evidence about the influence of prices is not clear-cut, it does suggest that prices and cut-off grades may be inversely related. As many ores contain other valuable metals besides copper, copper yields will sometimes be subordinated to the extraction of these other metals. Copper equivalent grades have not moved in the same way as copper grades alone.     

Enclave development and ‘offshore corporate social responsibility’: Implications for oil-rich sub-Saharan Africa

This paper critically reflects on the challenges of engaging, proactively, in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in oil-rich sub-Saharan Africa. Most of the region's oil production takes place in enclave-type environments offshore and in countries ruled by autocratic governments which generally exert minimal pressure on companies to embrace CSR. With companies having little sense of who to target in their local economic development policies and programs, there is always a possibility of ‘offshore CSR’ – recognized here as potentially-effective ideas for improving social welfare that linger within the enclave and never fully materialize – surfacing. The aim is to conceptualize and broaden understanding of the challenge of developing CSR programs in these settings, where there are no clear linkages to communities or local economies more generally.     

Catalytic destruction of pentachlorobenzene in simulated flue gas by a V2O5-WO3/TiO2 catalyst

Pentachlorobenzene (PeCB) in simulated flue gas was destructed by a commercial V₂O₅-WO₃/TiO₂ catalyst in this study. The effects of reaction temperature, oxygen concentration, space velocity and some co-existing pollutants on PeCB conversion were investigated. Furthermore, a possible mechanism for the oxidation of PeCB over the vanadium oxide on the catalysts was proposed. Results show that the increase of gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) and the decrease of operating temperature both resulted in the decrease of PeCB removal over the catalyst, while the effect of the oxygen content in the range of 5-20% (v/v) on PeCB conversion was negligible. PeCB decomposition could be obviously affected by the denitration reactions under the conditions because of the positive effect of NO but negative effect of NH₃. The introduction of SO₂ caused the catalyst poisoning, probably due to the sulfur-containing species formed and deposited on the catalyst surface. The PeCB molecules were first adsorbed on the catalyst surface, and then oxidized into the non-aromatic acyclic intermediates, low chlorinated aromatics and maleic anhydride.     

Contribution of sociodemographic characteristics, occupation, diet and lifestyle to DDT and DDE concentrations in serum and adipose tissue from a Bolivian cohort

The organochlorine pesticide p,p′-Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) was widely used in the early 1960s-70s for vector control in tropical and subtropical areas of South America. Due to its persistence, DDT has a high potential to bioaccumulate in the food chain and living organisms and is a major public health concern, especially in South America.The main purpose of the present study was to investigate predictors of serum and adipose tissue concentrations of p,p′-DDT and its main metabolite, p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p′-DDE), in an adult cohort (n = 112) from Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, using multiple linear regression models. These models explained 29.3-47.8% of the variability in adipose tissue concentrations of p,p′-DDT and p,p′-DDE, respectively, and 32.9-47.0% of that in serum. Main exposure predictors included age, occupational class, residence, diet, smoking habit, and accumulated breastfeeding time.This is one of the few studies to explore predictors of human exposure to these chemicals using a multivariate approach in a South American population. Results show that predictors of human exposure to p,p′-DDT and p,p′-DDE in Santa Cruz de la Sierra may diverge from those found in other populations of the world, due to particular sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics of this region.     

珠芽魔芋种子5苗接力生长当年形成商品芋技术

首次提出珠芽魔芋种子具有5苗接力生长的生物学特性。种子能在一个不间断的生长周期中积累最大生物产量,避免魔芋需反复"换头"种植3—4年才能收获商品芋的低产生长模式,使魔芋的膨大系数由块茎的低于10倍提高到种子最高约7000倍,所获地下球茎重量平均达1560g。采用种子种植当年即可获用于加工的商品芋,消除了魔芋种植过程中固有的风险,使魔芋由低产作物变成高产作物,魔芋多糖总量将实现跨越式增长。     

CaH2对Cu-Ce-La-ZSM-5催化分解NO性能的影响

实验采用一步离子交换法制备Cu-Ce-La-ZSM-5催化剂,然后采用共混法制得Cu-Ce-La-ZSM-5/CaH2催化剂。采用扫描电镜（SEM）,电感耦合等离子体发射光谱（ICP-AES）,X射线衍射（XRD）,红外（FTIR）以及NO吸脱附（NO-TPD）对催化剂进行表征。结果显示CaH2的加入使得催化剂中铜离子存在形式发生变化,催化剂表面变光滑洁净,并且吸附NO能力增强。NO催化分解实验的结果表明CaH2提高了催化剂活性和抗氧性。CaH2助催性是由于其受热分解过程中产生的H2能将Cu^2＋还原为具有催化活性的Cu^＋,同时使催化剂表面洁净光滑更容易吸附NO。