Objective To establish a method of analyzing total uranium and 235U/238U ratio in urine using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and uncertainty assessment.Methods Urine sample was digested with HNO3 and H2O2,and total uranium was determined using ICP-MS method directly.The digested urine sample was separated to concentrate uranium with tributyl phosphate (TBP) column,and 235U/238U ratio was analyzed using ICP-MS.The uncertainty was evaluated through sample pre-treatment,measurement and standard curve calculation.Results The recovery of total uranium in urine was 98.4％-102.4％,detection limit was 0.002 μg/L.The relative expanded uncertainty of total uranium concentration in urine was 0.26 (k =2).235 U/238 U ratio was 0.001 1 (k =2).Conclusions This study offers a low detection limit,good recovery and precision method for rapid determination of total uranium and 235U/238 U ratio in urine samples.It is potential used for both in occupational exposure assessment and nuclear emergency situation.The uncertainty evaluation of total uranium and 235U/238U ratio in urine are reliable.

Objective To summarize the analytical results of radioactivity in the food and drinking water nationwide following the Fukushima nuclear accident,and to evaluate its possible contamination to the public health in China.Methods According to the national standard methods and IAEA,FDA correlative references,the scheme was established on sampling and measurements in food and drinking water after the breakout of the accident.The quality control was requested on the sampling,analyses and data report.Results Trace artificial radioactive isotope of 131I was measured in spinach samples on 2 April 2011 in Beijing. Subsequently 131I was found in 10 kinds of growing leaves vegetables (open field)nationwide.The maximum detectable activity of 131I in vegetables was about 3.1 Bq/kg.Since 3 May 2011,the concentration of 131I has been below the detection limits.No artificial radionulide was detectable in all of milk,drinking water and marine products samples during March to December,2011.Conclusions The food and drinking water measurements in China following the Fukushima nuclear accident denoted that the minor amounts of 131I in vegetables might result in very low absorbed dose and induce no impact on human health.The maximum detectable activity of 131I in vegetables was close to that reported in European countries,and much less than that measured in China immediately after the Chernobyl accident in 1986.

Objective To ascertain the uranium isotopic ratios in surface water samples around nuclear power plants.Methods Water samples were collected in Jiangsu,Shandong and Zhejiang provinces.An efficient separation procedure for the trace uranium concentrated from surface water by tributyl phosphate (TBP) was used.Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was applied to determination of low abundance uranium isotopes.Results The 234 U/238 U isotope ratio varied from 4.575 × 10-5to 7.752 × 10-5 and 235U/238U from 7.273 × 10-3 to 7.639 × 10-3.Conclusions The 234U is enriched in the surface water.

Objective To ascertain the uranium concentrations and uranium isotopic ratios in drinking water in Xilingol League,the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.Methods Drinking water samples were collected in Xilingol League,the Inner Mongolia Autonomous.Region inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was applied to determine the concentration of uranium and uranium isotope abundance.Results The uranium concentrations in all samples were in the range of 2.73-18.9μg/L,with an average of 8.20 μg/L.Tbe234U/238U isotope ratio varied from 7.513 × 10-5to 3.003 × 10-4 and235U/238U from 7.196 × 10-3 to 7.391 × 10-3.The relative standard deviation (RSD) was less than 0.5％ for234U/238U and 0.2％ for235 U/238U.Conclusions The uranium concentration in samples collected from Dongwuqi was high than 15 μg/L,whih is the limit given by World Health Organization (WHO).The uranium in drinking water originates from the natural environment.The234U is enriched in drinking water.

Objective To ascertain the concentrations of uranium in drinking water around nuclear power plants.Methods A total of 106 water samples were collected from June 2009 to March 2010 in Jiangsu,Zhejiang,Liaoning and Shandong provinces.Inductively coupled plasma-msgs spectrometry(ICPMS)was applied to determine uranium content in local water source and drinking water.The detection limit of U was 0.8 ng/L.The recovery was 100.9%.Results The uranium concentrations in all samples were less than 15μg/L which was the limit given by World Health Organization(WHO).Conclusions The concentration of uranium in water sources was as follows:Liaoning>Shandong>Jiangsu>Zhejiang.The concentration of uranium in drinking water W88 maximal in Shandong Province and minimal in Zhejiang Province.

Objective To observe the changes of immunological parameters and the effects of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in children with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP),schonlein-Henoch purpura(HSP) and mucocutaneoas lymph node syn-drome(kawasaki disease, KD).Methods T cell subsets and serum immunoglobulins and complements were measured with the flow cytometry and enhanced trubidimetric immunoassay. Routine therapy combined with IVIG. Results CD3+ CD4+ T cells were de-creased in children with ITP accompanied by increased serum IgG;Serum IgA and CD3+ T cells were increased in children with HSP; CD3+ CD8+ T cells were decreased in children with KD. Clinical features were markedly improved after treatment with IVIG. It was noted that the incidence of damage to coronary artery decreased after the use of IVIG. Conclusions T cell subsets, serum immunoglobulins should undergo the clinical routine examinations in ITP,HSP and KD. Early administration of IVIG might be important to improve disease prognosis and shorten its course of treatment in children with three kinds of immunology related diseases.

Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 ( HPK1 ) , also known as MAP4K1 , is a serine/threonine protein kinase and a member of the MAP4K family of mammalian Ste20-related pro¬tein kinases.Recent studies have found that HPK1 is assoeiated with the occurrence and progression of a variety of tumors, and may play an important role in some malignant tumors.This pa¬ per reviews the HPK1 signaling pathway, its relationship with tumor and drug development progress, so as to provide referenee for the research of HPK1 protein kinase.

OBJECTIVETo probe rational indices suitable for ecological surveillance on breeding ground for Oncomelania hupensis snails in areas prevalent with islet-type schisitosomiasis using remote sensing technology.

METHODSThree adjacent islets, prevalent with islet-type schistosomiasis, along the Yangtze River within the boundaries of Dongzhi County, Anhui Province were selected as study field for remote sensing analysis. Multi-spectral data were composed and non-supervisedly classified in computer with Idisi software for remote sensing analysis. Values of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), green vegetation index (GVI), bright index (BI), which reflect the greenness and brightness of landscape, were also calculated. Finally, all the results were comprehensively analyzed, combined with data from the field investigation.

RESULTSNDVI, GVI and BI could depict characteristics of the landscape quantitatively. Values of NDVI, BI and GVI were varied in different types of landscapes, and 95% confidence interval of these values suitable for breeding of snails was 0.0522 approximately 0.3566, 2.4162 approximately 28.2672 and 29.3404 approximately 40.3135, respectively. Classification of NDVI showed that type 5 anf type 6 were main breeding ground for snails, and type 4 with values of NDVI from 0 to 0.1 was potential areas for snail propagation. Classification of GVI showed that types 5, 6 and 7 were main breeding ground for snails, and also type 4 with values of GVI from 2 to 10 was potential areas for snail propagation. Both NDVI and GVI showed type 2 and type 3 were temporarily not suitable for snail breeding.

CONCLUSIONIndex figures of NDVI and GVI re-formed by reasonable classification could reflect not only breeding ground for snails and range of the areas for snail propagation in islets, but also their evolving rules, i.e., status of new marshland formation and vegetation growth.

Animals ; Breeding ; Ecology ; Satellite Communications ; Schistosomiasis ; transmission ; Snails ; parasitology ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo analyze the outbreak patterns of acute schistosomiasis in Anhui province in 2003.

METHODSThe criteria of emergency event for schistosomiasis issued by the Ministry of Health were applled in this study. Epidemiological data of acute schistosomiasis outbreak in Anhui province in 2003 were collected, checked and analyzed.

RESULTSIn 2003, there were 6 episodes of acute schistosomiasis outbreaks in Anhui which had met the criteria of being emergency events, issued by the Ministry of Health. The preplanning was initiated in 5 outbreaks to respond to the outbreaks of acute schistosomiasis. All of the acute schistosomiasis cases received timing treatment, except those misdiagnosed cases coming from the non-endemic areas. There were no deaths or follow-up cases during the outbreaks. Health education, preventive treatment for people living in high risk villages were conducted in order to timely control the epidemics of schistosomiasis.

CONCLUSIONThe implementation of preplanning has played an important role in early cases-finding, timing report and response to the outbreaks of acute schistosomiasis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Animals ; Cattle ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Disease Reservoirs ; Female ; Health Education ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Schistosomiasis japonica ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Snails ; parasitology

BACKGROUNDBone morphogenetic protein-6 (BMP-6) is closely correlated with tumor differentiation and skeletal metastasis. Estrogen is considered as a stimulant for the initiation and promotion of breast cancer. Previous studies demonstrated that 17beta-estadiol (E2) can selectively increase the expression of BMP-6. This experiment is designed to detect the molecular mechanism of estrogen activating BMP-6 gene transcription in human estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer cell line MCF-7.

METHODSAfter the treatment of MCF-7 cells with E2 at different concentrations (10(-11) mol/L, 10(-9) mol/L, 10(-7) mol/L), the BMP-6 expression level was examined through real-time polymerase chain reaction. Through restriction enzyme digestion, human BMP-6 1.2 kb long promoter, BMP-6 0.7 kb long promoter was cloned into pGL-3 basic vector; after the treatment with 10(-7) mol/L E2, luciferase activities of the two promoters were detected. Site-directed mutagenesis was performed to obtain the mutant forms of estrogen response element half-site (1/2 ERE) element and Sp1 sites in the BMP-6 promoter, the activities of these mutant form promoters were detected following the methods mentioned above. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay was also used to confirm the binding of estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) on BMP-6 promoter in the presence of E2.

RESULTSE2 dose dependently increased BMP-6 mRNA expression in human ER+ breast cancer cell line MCF-7. At a dose of 10(-7) mol/L E2, human BMP-6 1.2 kb promoter activity was increased by 90% compared with the control group treated with ethanol (P < 0.05). Both the 1/2 ERE response element mutant form and the Sp1 site mutant form of the BMP-6 promoter abolished the activation of the BMP-6 promoter's response to E2. Through ChIP assay, the binding of ERalpha on 1/2 ERE response element in BMP-6 promoter was further validated.

CONCLUSIONEstrogen induces BMP-6 expression in human ER+ breast cancer cell line MCF-7 through its receptor ERalpha binding on 1/2 ERE element in the BMP-6 promoter.

Bone Morphogenetic Protein 6 ; Bone Morphogenetic Proteins ; genetics ; Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Estradiol ; pharmacology ; Estrogen Receptor alpha ; physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein ; secretion ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Transcriptional Activation ; drug effects