Likelihood Ratio Analysis of Skin Cancer Prevalence Associated with Arsenic in Drinking Water in the USA

Several published studies have examined skin-cancer prevalence in regions of the USA that have concentrations of arsenic above the USA drinking-water standard. Those studies with adequate exposure and health outcome data did not report any skin cancer cases. Because the USA's arsenic concentrations are relatively low compared to some other countries and the study populations are small, the absence of reported skin-cancer cases could be due to an absence of risk in USA populations or random variability from a predicted risk. We used the current EPA arsenic cancer slope factor (CSF) model, which is derived from Taiwanese populations exposed to high levels of arsenic, to predict the expected number of skin cancers. We then conducted a likelihood ratio analysis, which showed that a null hypothesis (no additional skin cancer risk from arsenic) was approximately 2.2 times more likely than the hypothesis that ingested arsenic causes the predicted rate of skin cancers. Although based on small numbers, our analysis of USA populations indicates that the CSF derived from arsenic exposure in Taiwanese populations may be an overestimate when applied to USA populations.     

癌症与土壤环境中Sn元素的关系

利用土壤环境资料中关于锡元素的32335个数据,癌死亡调查资料787080例,研究了胃癌、食管癌、肝癌、宫颈癌、肺癌、大肠癌、白血病、鼻咽癌、乳腺病死亡率与人鲜生活区土壤环境中锡元素的关系,结果表明。食管癌死亡率与生活区土壤中锡元素质量分数的相关性显著,肝癌、宫颈癌、鼻咽癌死亡率与生活区土壤中锻元素质量分数的相关性极显著,而胃癌、肺癌、大肠癌、白血病、乳腺癌死亡率与生活区土壤中锡元素质量分数的相共性下显著。     

微囊藻粗毒素对叙利亚地鼠胚胎细胞的二阶段促癌作用研究

应用体外叙利亚金黄鼠胚胎细胞（SHE）二阶段恶性转化试验,村由太湖水中提取的微囊藻粗毒素（MRT）的促癌作用进行了研究。结果表明,微囊藻粗毒素可明显增强由低剂量3－甲基胆蒽（MCA）启动的细胞恶性转化作用,所形成的转化率明最高于阴性对照组（P0＜0.01）,并呈良好的剂量反应关系,但用微囊藻粗毒素作启动剂,以典型的促癌剂豆蔻酸乙酸大戟二萜醇酯（TPA）促进后未见恶性转化率升高。提示微囊藻粗毒素可能是环境中一种新的促癌剂,是饮致癌的重要因素之一。     

Impact of environmental and socio-economic stressors leading to unequal distribution of COVID-19 incidences in the state of Louisiana

Louisiana (LA) ranks fifth in the United States in cancer mortality rate. LA's infamous “cancer alley” is a well evidenced region near the southeast part of the Mississippi river surrounding the petrochemical hub of the state. LA has also experienced a high COVID-19 death rate and incidences compared to other states during the recent pandemic. In this study we analyzed publicly available datasets related to health and socio-economic parameters in LA to determine the factors triggering high incidences and deaths caused by COVID-19. Correlation analysis was performed to find the impact of different parameters on the outcome of COVID-19. Our analysis showed higher COVID-19 incidences in the parishes which are in and around the “cancer alley” with a correlation of r = 0.9. Interestingly, results also indicated a strong correlation (r = 0.9) between the death rates caused by asbestos toxicity to COVID-19 caused death rate. Furthermore, we found that office-administration related employment has a positive correlation to COVID-19 incidences in the “cancer alley.” However, we also found both white and black races are equally affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the “cancer alley” region. In conclusion, our analysis strongly suggests that inhabiting “cancer alley” could significantly enhance the chances of getting affected by SARS-CoV-2 virus compared to other regions in LA.     

Should tobacco products’ waste be considered as hazardous in India?

Tobacco and its associated products are known to be harmful for health. Moreover, the waste emanating out of the production, processing, packaging, and consumption of these products is equally harmful for humans as well as other biotic/abiotic agencies. Taking into account the toxic nature of these waste products, it is necessary to have a well-defined approach to deal with this waste. Consideration of tobacco products’ waste as municipal solid waste has serious implications in the long-term as it results in dumping of these wastes mixed-up with domestic waste in landfills. With time, toxic components become part of the leachate which contaminates water and soil, further leading to the contamination in food chain. Therefore, many countries are now considering this waste under the hazardous category and evolving various measures to safely dispose it off. In the light of recent researches and policies, it is time to re-consider this important public health issue.     

水泥窑PM2.5排放特性及其PAHs风险分析

采用荷电低压颗粒物撞击器(ELPI)、便携式PM2.5采样器和稀释系统,对国内3家新型干法水泥生产厂(5条生产线)的水泥窑(包括窑头和窑尾)进行现场采样,分析水泥窑排放PM2.5的质量浓度、粒数浓度及其中的多环芳烃(PAHs)浓度,对呼吸致癌风险进行评价.结果表明:从粒数浓度分析,PM2.5中70%以上为PM0.33,这部分颗粒物主要是由气化凝结形成的.各采样点排放的PAHs主要以二环和三环的低环PAHs为主.第3个水泥厂窑头排放的PAHs含量最高,而且苯并[a]芘(BaP)超过国家所规定的8ng/m3标准限值,同时其呼吸致癌风险水平为4.46×10-4,高于可接受致癌风险水平的上限,需要有效处理.     

Cytotoxic and apoptotic activity of Scrophularia oxysepala in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify and develop therapeutic strategies against this deadly disease. This study is the first to investigate the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of Scrophularia oxysepala in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Dichloromethane, methanol and n-hexane extracts of Scrophularia oxysepala were examined. The 3-(4,5-dimethylethiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium (MTT) reduction and trypan-blue exclusion assays were performed in MCF-7 cells as well as control cell line MCF10A to analyze the cytotoxic activity of the plant. Furthermore, the apoptosis-inducing action of extracts of the plant was evaluated using cell death detection ELISA, the terminal deoxynucleotide transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, Western blotting and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results showed that dichloromethane and methanol extracts significantly inhibited cell growth and viability without inducing damage to MCF10A cells. Cell death detection ELISA, morphological changes of cells in TUNEL assay, Western blot detection of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage and increase in the mRNA expression levels of p-53, caspase-3 and c-myc showed that the induction of apoptosis was the main mechanism of cell death. Our results strongly suggest that this plant may contain potential bioactive compound(s) for the treatment of breast cancer.     

The reduction of selenate by fulvic acids in soils of a high gastric cancer risk area in Sri Lanka∗

In order to elucidate the probable etiological factors for the incidence of gastric cancer, the interaction between selenate and fulvic acids was investigated under chemically controlled conditions. The reduction ability of selenate by fulvic acids was enhanced in acidic conditions. The fulvic acids may play an important role in the nitrosation process. Thus the investigations of the mechanism by which selenate interact with fulvic acids will provide a new insight into the chemical activation process by which selenium supplementation is supposed to act as an anticarcinogen.     

临汾市售蔬菜中多环芳烃污染特征及致癌风险分析

为了研究临汾市食物中多环芳烃(PAHs)的污染特征及对人群的健康影响,本研究于2015年1月采集当地居民普遍食用的9种蔬菜,利用气相色谱-质谱联用仪(GC-MS)检测蔬菜中8种多环芳烃(Nap、Ace、Acy、Fle、Phe、Ant、Flu、Pyr)。研究表明,PAHs在9种蔬菜中均有检出,PAHs的总浓度范围是24.86~82.85 ng·g~(-1),平均为44.13 ng·g~(-1)。其中PAHs含量最高的是圆白菜(82.85 ng·g-1),最低的是山药(24.86 ng·g~(-1))。通过来源分析发现来源地蔬菜中PAHs主要来源于液体化石燃料燃烧。临汾市不同人群食用蔬菜引起的终身增量致癌风险(ILCR)在1.27×10~(-6)~7.07×10~(-6)范围内,在目前蔬菜消费量下存在潜在致癌风险。     

饮用水源致癌风险早期预警SNPs监测技术

综述了饮用水源污染致癌早期预警的单核苷酸多态性(single nucleotide polymorphisms,SNPs)检测技术,内容包括SNPs技术及其应用研究领域,癌症敏感基因与SNPs,饮用水源致癌早期预警SNPs监测技术等。该技术的应用对于早期诊断、预警、预防、控制饮用水源污染致癌,保护人体健康,保障后代生命安全,具有现实意义。