Combined effect of multiple carcinogens and synergy index

Tumorigenesis often involves exposure to multiple carcinogens. We here construct a two-stage model, which consists of individuals in three states:normal, intermediate, and malignant. We considered a population exposed to two carcinogens and examined two exposure scenarios: (1) two carcinogens exposed separately; and (2) carcinogens are exposed simultaneously. We calculate the incidence rate of the malignant state, introducing a "synergy index" to quantify the interaction between the two carcinogens. We confirmed the results of previous analyses, but we also calculate more general situation in which each carcinogen affects both steps.     

Can vegetation indicate landfill cover features?

Generally, great efforts are made in measuring features of landfill covers. However, conventional physical or chemical parameters reach their limits in indicating the small scale changes of the habitats. Bio-indication is a proven tool to assess habitat conditions. The advantages of vegetation monitoring are obvious: cheap, easy, and integrating over time and space. Our study displays, how vegetation can indicate landfill cover features by adapting some common evaluation methods. Ellenberg's ecological indicator values were used, but ubiquitous species were excluded from multivariate data analysis of the Ellenberg values. Four groups of habitats were distinguished according to their cover material: (i) loamy substrates; (ii) wet hollows and areas with mature compost; (iii) fresh compost and mechanically biologically treated waste; (iv) slag from municipal solid waste incineration and leachate-influenced areas with fresh untreated waste or sewage sludge. The differences were assessed by ecological indices. The results give a promising impression of the potential vegetation monitoring has in the indication of landfill cover features.     

The enhancement of radiosensitivity in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells by zoledronic acid and its potential mechanism

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has a low 5-year patient survival rate. Radiotherapy, as a preoperative or postoperative treatment of surgery, has a crucial role in improving local control and survival of ESCC. Various chemotherapeutic and biologic agents have been used as radio-sensitizers in combination with radiotherapy. Here, we demonstrate that zoledronic acid (ZOL) has a radio-sensitizing effect on ESCC cells. Exposure of ESCC cancer cells to ZOL plus radiation resulted in increased cell death through arresting the cell cycle between S and G2/M phases. ZOL appeared to inhibit proliferation, tube formation and invasion of endothelial cells. These anti-angiogenetic effects were more marked concurrently with irradiation. In addition, synergistic suppressive effects on VEGF expression were observed after combined treatment. Our data suggest that the combination of ZOL and radiation is a promising therapeutic strategy to enhance radiation therapy for ESCC patients.     

关于三氧化二砷（As2O3）联合药物治疗肝癌的研究进展

实验与临床研究已证实,As2O3能有效治疗急性早幼粒细胞性白血病（APL）。在此基础上．As2O3抗肝癌作用的研究报告日益增多。研究表明As2O3的抗肝癌效力呈剂量一时间效应关系,但作用时间越长及药物浓度越大,As2O3的毒副作用越大。为实现As2O3低毒高效的抗肿瘤目的,联合用药引起关注。本文通过查阅94年至今国内外有关As2O3药物联合治疗肝癌的文献,对As2O3联合药物治疗肝癌予以综述。     

Adding psychotherapy to antidepressant medication in depression and anxiety disorders: a meta‐analysis

We conducted a meta‐analysis of randomized trials in which the effects of treatment with antidepressant medication were compared to the effects of combined pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy in adults with a diagnosed depressive or anxiety disorder. A total of 52 studies (with 3,623 patients) met inclusion criteria, 32 on depressive disorders and 21 on anxiety disorders (one on both depressive and anxiety disorders). The overall difference between pharmacotherapy and combined treatment was Hedges' g = 0.43 (95% CI: 0.31‐0.56), indicating a moderately large effect and clinically meaningful difference in favor of combined treatment, which corresponds to a number needed to treat (NNT) of 4.20. There was sufficient evidence that combined treatment is superior for major depression, panic disorder, and obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD). The effects of combined treatment compared with placebo only were about twice as large as those of pharmacotherapy compared with placebo only, underscoring the clinical advantage of combined treatment. The results also suggest that the effects of pharmacotherapy and those of psychotherapy are largely independent from each other, with both contributing about equally to the effects of combined treatment. We conclude that combined treatment appears to be more effective than treatment with antidepressant medication alone in major depression, panic disorder, and OCD. These effects remain strong and significant up to two years after treatment. Monotherapy with psychotropic medication may not constitute optimal care for common mental disorders.     

SARS起源于污染对病毒进化的加速诱导

针对当前广为流传的SARS病毒“太空起源说”和“野生动物来源说”两种理论,本文根据污染进化生态学原理和SARS病毒发病传染特征,以有关实验结果为科学依据,阐述了SARS病毒的起源问题,指出：我国当前环境日益严重的复合污染为SARS致病病毒的产生提供了适宜的外部生态条件和物质基础,SARS致病病毒可能起源于多个病毒的基因重组或融合,更可能是一种来自于感冒病毒进化而形成的超级感冒病毒．可以预料,这一推断将为彻底解决SARS的病源提供有价值的理论指导．     

Antibacterial activity of Punica granatum L. and Areca nut (P.A) combined extracts against some food born pathogenic bacteria

The antibacterial effects of combined extracts of Punica granatum L. and Areca nut (P.A) against resistant bacteria, a gram-positive bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus and three gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Enterobacter aerogenes, in individual and biofilm forms was studied. Antibacterial activity was studied using disk diffusion method, microbroth dilution, and microtiter plate methods. Given the disc diffusion test (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC)), the extracts had inhibitory effects on the individual forms of bacteria. However, the ethanolic extract had greater effectiveness than the methanolic extract. Generally, ethanol efficiently extracts flavonoids and their glycosides, catechol and tannins. This fact due to the ethanol polarity that is equal 0.654. The results indicated that the ability of extracts in inhibiting the formation of biofilms, destruction of biofilms, and prevention of metabolic activity of bacteria had a direct relationship with concentration and the highest inhibitory was seen on Staphylococcus aureus (98.98%), Staphylococcus aureus (94.98%), and Enterobacter aerogenes (88.55%). Based on the results, the P.A. combined extract can be used as an alternative combination with the ability to inhibit antibiotic-resistant bacteria in single and biofilm forms.     

The Removal of Pb and Cd from Heavily Contaminated Soil in Kayseri,Turkey by a Combined Process of Soil Washing and Electrodeposition

In this study, a combined system of soil washing and electrodeposition was designed to remove Pb (16381±643 mg/kg) and Cd (34347±1310 mg/kg) from contaminated soil. 0.05 M Na₂EDTA was used as a chelating agent for the remediation of soil, taken from the nearby city Kayseri, Turkey. As a result of the batch extraction tests, maximum removals were determined as; at the 20:1 liquid: soil ratio for Pb is 60.7%, for Cd at the 30:1 liquid: soil ratio is 67.4%. An electrochemical treatment was applied to the waste washing solution which appeared to be the second pollutant after the Na₂EDTA extraction from the soil. With extraction tests of Pb and Cd, being transformed from the solid phase to the liquid phase. The electrochemical treatment (electrodeposition), performed in three different potential (6 V, 8 V and 10 V) and maximum removal efficiencies, were found 99.7% and 80.3% at 10 V for Pb and Cd, respectively.

Speciation tests (BCR) were carried out, both before and after the soil washing process, to evaluate the redistribution of metal fraction in the soil. The fraction, associated with the organic substance, was found as 10.67% for Pb and 1.81% for Cd. The metal bioavailability factor increased after soil washing, which indicates that EDTA could enhance the mobility of Pb and Cd.