Pilot study on the treatment of low carbon and nitrogen ratio municipal sewage by A1/O2/A3/A4/O5 sludge-membrane coupling process with multi-point inflow.

A new multi-point inflow pre-anoxic/oxic/anaerobic/anoxic/oxic (A1/O2/A3/A4/O5) sludge-membrane coupling process and pilot plant were developed and designed to solve the problem of nitrogen and phosphorus removal of low carbon and nitrogen (C/N) ratio domestic sewage in southern China. The removal effect and transformation rule of organic matter, nitrogen, and phosphorus in the system were studied by changing the distribution ratio of multi-point influent. The average C/N ratio of the influent was 2.09 and the influent distribution ratio was 1:1. When the temperature was 16-25 °C, the average concentrations of chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia nitrogen (NH4+- N), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) in the effluent were 21.31 (±2.65), 0.60 (±0.24), 12.76 (±1.09), and 0.34 (±0.05) mg/L, respectively, and their average removals are 87.3 (±1.2)%, 98.7 (±0.4)%, 74.1 (±1.3)%, and 88.1 (±0.4)% respectively. When the low temperature was 12-15 °C, the average removals were 78.6 (±1.1)%, 90.5 (±1.3)%, 73.7 (±1.13)%, and 86.6 (±1.7)%, respectively. Compared with the traditional anaerobic/anoxic/aerobic (A2O) process under the same conditions, the TN removal was increased by 15.4%, and the TP removal was increased by 22.2%. This system has obvious advantages in treating wastewater with low C/N ratio, thereby solving the problem wherein the effluent of biological phosphorus removal from low C/N ratio domestic sewage was difficult when it was lower than 0.5 mg/L.

Anterior transversalis fascia approach versus preperitoneal space approach for inguinal hernia repair in residents in northern China: study protocol for a prospective, multicentre, randomised, controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Many surgical techniques have been used to repair abdominal wall defects in the inguinal region based on the anatomic characteristics of this region and can be categorised as 'tension' repair or 'tension-free' repair. Tension-free repair is the preferred technique for inguinal hernia repair. Tension-free repair of inguinal hernia can be performed through either the anterior transversalis fascia approach or the preperitoneal space approach. There are few large sample, randomised controlled trials investigating the curative effects of the anterior transversalis fascia approach versus the preperitoneal space approach for inguinal hernia repair in patients in northern China. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This will be a prospective, large sample, multicentre, randomised, controlled trial. Registration date is 1 December 2016. Actual study start date is 6 February 2017. Estimated study completion date is June 2020. A cohort of over 720 patients with inguinal hernias will be recruited from nine institutions in Liaoning Province, China. Patient randomisation will be stratified by centre to undergo inguinal hernia repair via the anterior transversalis fascia approach or the preperitoneal approach. Primary and secondary outcome assessments will be performed at baseline (prior to surgery), predischarge and at postoperative 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 1 year and 2 years. The primary outcome is the incidence of postoperative chronic inguinal pain. The secondary outcome is postoperative complications (including rates of wound infection, haematoma, seroma and hernia recurrence). ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This trial will be conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and supervised by the institutional review board of the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University (approval number 2015-027). All patients will receive information about the trial in verbal and written forms and will give informed consent before enrolment. The results will be published in peer-reviewed journals or disseminated through conference presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02984917; preresults.

Type D Personality in Gastric Cancer Survivors: Association With Poor Quality of Life, Overall Survival, and Mental Health.

CONTEXT: The associations between Type D personality and poor quality of life, overall survival, and mental health in gastric cancer survivors. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this research was to explore quality of life (QoL), mental health status, Type D personality, symptom duration, and emergency admissions of Chinese gastric cancer patients, as well as the relationship between these factors. METHODS: Eight hundred thirty eligible Chinese patients newly diagnosed with gastric cancer between July 2009 and July 2011 were enrolled in this prospective study. Type D personality was measured with the 14-item Type D Personality Scale (DS14). Mental health status was measured with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The QoL outcomes were assessed longitudinally using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 and Quality of Life Questionnaire-STO22 at baseline and six months after diagnosis. RESULTS: The proportion of patients with symptom duration of more than one month and who were diagnosed after emergency admissions in the Type D group was significantly higher than that in the non-Type D personality group. At both of the time points, Type D patients reported statistically significant lower scores on role, emotional, cognitive, and social functioning (all Ps < 0.001) functional scales, global health status/QoL scales (P < 0.001), and worse symptom scores compared to patients without a Type D personality. During the six-month time frame, a higher percentage of patients in the Type D group demonstrated a considerable QoL deterioration. Clinically elevated levels of anxiety and depression were more prevalent in Type D than in non-Type D survivors (both Ps < 0.001). There was a statistically significant difference in three-year overall survival between the patients in the Type D group and the non-Type D personality group. CONCLUSION: Type D personality is associated with poor QoL, three-year overall survival and mental health status among survivors of gastric cancer, even after adjustment of confounding background variables. The Type D personality group experienced increased levels of pain and fatigue compared to non-Type D patients. Type D personality might be a general vulnerability factor to screen for subgroups at risk of longer symptom duration and emergency admissions in clinical practice.

Type D personality is associated with delaying patients to medical assessment and poor quality of life among rectal cancer survivors.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this research was to explore quality of life (QoL), mental health status, type D personality, symptom duration, and emergency admissions of Chinese rectal cancer patients as well as the relationship between these factors. METHODS: Type D personality was measured with the 14-item Type D Personality Scale (DS14). Mental health status was measured with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The QoL outcomes were assessed longitudinally using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CR38 questionnaires at the baseline and 6 months after diagnosis. RESULTS: Of the 852 survivors who responded (94 %), 187 (22 %) had a type D personality. The proportion of patients with duration of symptoms >1 month and being diagnosed after emergency admissions in type D group is significantly higher than that in non-type D group. At both of the time points, type D patients reported statistically significant lower scores on most of the functional scales, global health status/QoL scales, and worse symptom scores compared to patients without a type D personality. At the 6-month time point, a higher percentage of patients in the type D group demonstrated QoL deterioration. Clinically elevated levels of anxiety and depression were more prevalent in type D than in non-type D survivors. CONCLUSIONS: Type D personality was associated with poor QoL and mental health status among survivors of rectal cancer, even after adjustment for confounding background variables. Type D personality might be a general vulnerability factor to screen for subgroups at risk for longer symptom duration and emergency admissions in clinical practice.

Clinicopathologic features of remnant gastric cancer over time following distal gastrectomy.

AIM: To investigate remnant gastric cancer (RGC) at various times after gastrectomy, and lay a foundation for the management of RGC. METHODS: Sixty-five patients with RGC > 2 years and < 10 years after gastrectomy (RGC I) and forty-nine with RGC > 10 years after gastrectomy (RGC II) who underwent curative surgery were enrolled in the study. The clinicopathologic factors, surgical outcomes, and prognosis were compared between RGC I and RGC II. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in surgical outcomes between RGC I and RGC II. For patients reconstructed with Billroth II, significantly more patients were RGC II compared with RGC (71.9% vs 21.2%, P < 0.001), and more RGC II patients had anastomotic site locations compared to RGC I (31.0% vs 56.3%, P = 0.038). The five-year survival rates for the patients with RGC I and RGC II were 37.6% and 47.9%, respectively, but no significant difference was observed. Borrmann type and tumor stage were confirmed to be independent prognostic factors in both groups. CONCLUSION: RGC II is located on the anastomotic site in higher frequency and more cases develop after Billroth II reconstruction than RGC I.

[Difference in acclimation of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans by various substrates and its effect on coal desulfurization efficiency].

In this study, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans LX5 was cultured in 9K medium with pyrite and ferrous sulfate as the substrates. Results showed that the number of A. ferrooxidans LX5 acclimated by pyrite for 20 d was 3.0 x 10(7) cell/mL in the liquid, and the oxidation activity to pyrite was stronger. A. ferrooxidans LX5 cultured for 48 h was 1.0 x 10(8) cell/mL in medium with FeSO4. Extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) produced from A. ferrooxidans LX5 acclimated by pyrite was 2 395 microg/(10(10) cells) three times as much as that cultured with FeSO4. A high-sulfur coal desulfurization experiment were carried out with A. ferrooxidans LX5 domesticated respectively in medium with ferrous sulfate and pyrite. The results showed that the coal desulfurization rate was up to 72.4% after bioleaching for 13 d by A. ferrooxidans LX5 acclimated by pyrite, at the same time, the desulfurization rate was only 47.2% with A. ferrooxidans LX5 cultured with ferrous sulfate and reached 65.8% in 20 d. Therefore, the desulfurization efficiency can be improved of coal and shorten the desulfurization time when A. ferrooxidans LX5 acclimated with pyrite as the substrate.

Isolation and nitrogen removal characteristics of an aerobic heterotrophic nitrifying-denitrifying bacterium, Bacillus subtilis A1.

Bacterium A1, isolated to enhance nitrogen removal from ammonium-rich wastewater in situ, exhibited an amazing ability to convert ammonium to gaseous nitrogen compounds under fully aerobic conditions, while growing autotrophically or heterotrophically. A1 was identified as Bacillus subtilis by morphological and physiological characteristics, and phylogenetic analysis of its 16S rDNA gene sequence. Nitrogen removal by A1 was analyzed in relation to the ammonium concentration, presence of organic carbon, carbon source, and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C/N). The nitrogen balance during 120 h of autotrophic growth in the presence of 104.12±1.27 mg/L NH4+N showed that 20.4±2.7% of NH4+N was removed as gaseous nitrogen compounds, and A1 removed 58.4±4.3% of NH4+N within 60 h of growth in acetate medium at a C/N of 6. A mean ammonium removal rate of 3.52 mg NH4+N/(L h) was achieved in an open wastewater system, indicating great potential of A1 for future full-scale applications.

[Study on the biological characteristics of adipose stem cells derived from renal adipose capsule cultured in vitro].

AIM: To investigate the culture conditions and biological characteristics of the adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) isolated from renal adipose capsule so as to find a better source of stem cells for the treatment of kidney disease. METHODS: Renal adipose capsules and groin adipose tissues were taken from rats. The isolated and cultured ADSCs from the two regions were compared.When approximately 80% cell fusion were achieved, cell passage was established. To observe cell morphology and proliferation, we adopted MTT colorimetry to record cell growth curve, and utilized FCM to detect the expressions of cell surface antigen. RESULTS: (1) The primary ADSCs showed that the number of ADSCs isolated from the renal adipose capsules significantly exceed that from the groin adipose tissues at the same quality. About 80% ADSCs derived from the renal adipose capsules fused in 5-6 days, while the ADSCs from the inguinal fat tissues needed 10-12 days approximately. Both were spindle-like or fibroblast-like in shape. (2) The analysis of the growth curve showed that the proliferation of ADSCs from renal fat capsule was faster than that from inguinal fat tissues. (3) FCM showed that CD29 antigen expression rates of ADSCs from both parts exceeded 99%. The expression rates of the renal ADSCs for CD44 was 52.92%, while the expression rate of the groin ADSCs was 75.41%. The marking antigens of the endothelial cells for CD31 were negative. CONCLUSION: Compared with the ADSCs taken from the inguinal region, the renal ADSCs has the advantages of greater cell culture number and faster proliferation, which may become a new source of stem cells to treat the renal disease.