Microplastic biofilms promote the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes in estuarine environments.

As emerging pollutants, microplastics can aggregate microorganisms on their surfaces and form biofilms, enriching antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Consequently, microplastic biofilms have become a focal point of research. Horizontal gene transfer is one of the primary mechanisms by which bacteria acquire antibiotic resistance, with much of the research focusing on suspended bacteria. However, microplastic biofilms, as hotspots for horizontal gene transfer, also merit significant investigation. This study primarily explored and compared the frequency of ARG conjugative transfer between suspended bacteria and microplastic biofilms. The results demonstrated that, compared to suspended bacteria, microplastic biofilms enhanced the frequency of ARG conjugative transfer by 7.2-19.6 times. Among them, biofilms on polyethylene microplastics showed the strongest promotion of conjugation. After the formation of microplastic biofilms, there was a significant increase in bacterial density within the biofilms, which raised the collision frequency of donor and recipient bacteria. Then microplastic biofilms facilitated the gene expression levels of outer membrane proteins, enhanced bacterial gene transfer capabilities, promoted the synthesis of conjugative pili, accelerated the formation of conjugative pairing systems, and elevated the expression levels of genes related to DNA replication and transfer systems, thereby enhancing the conjugative transfer of ARGs within microplastic biofilms. Among different types of microplastic biofilms, polyethylene biofilms exhibited the highest bacterial density, thus showing the highest frequency of ARG conjugation. This study highlights the risks associated with ARG conjugative transfer following the formation of microplastic biofilms and provides insights into the risks of microplastic and antibiotic resistance propagation in estuarine environments.

A comprehensive study of psychological well-being and traditional Chinese medicine constitutions among model workers in Beijing.

Background: Body constitution is the foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and model workers consist of a special group of workers within China. This study aims to research the relationship between the physical body constitutions based on TCM and the mental health of model workers. Methods: We recruited 314 model workers from Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital to conduct the questionnaires such as SCL-90 and CCMQ to investigate if there is an association between mental health status and TCM body constitutions. We performed a Partial Least Squares Path Modeling (PLS path modeling). Results: Our path model results revealed associations between different TCM constitution types and SCL scores, which serve as indicators of psychological well-being. Our research findings demonstrate a strong correlation between the Balanced constitution and elevated levels of psychological well-being, with a path coefficient of -0.503. In contrast, the other eight constitutional types exhibit path coefficients exceeding 0.3, indicating a tendency toward lower levels of psychological well-being. We also investigated the intricate connections between various TCM constitutional types and both mild and severe psychological well-being. Conclusion: In conclusion, the Balanced constitution continues to be closely associated with higher levels of psychological well-being, while the remaining eight body constitution types are consistently linked to lower levels of psychological well-being.

Optimizing nitrogen removal in constructed wetlands for low C/N ratio wastewater treatment: Insights from fermentation liquid utilization.

The inefficient nitrogen removal in constructed wetlands (CWs) can be attributed to insufficient carbon sources for low carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio wastewater. In this study, sugarcane bagasse fermentation liquid (SBFL) was used as a supplemental carbon source in intermittently aerated CWs to enhance nitrogen removal. The impact of different regulated influent C/N ratios on nitrogen removal and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions was investigated. Results demonstrated that SBFL addition significantly enhanced the denitrification capacity, resulting in faster NO3--N removal compared to sucrose. Moreover, intermittently aerated CWs significantly improved NH4+-N removal efficiency compared to non-aerated CWs. The highest total nitrogen removal efficiency (98.3 %) was achieved at an influent C/N ratio of 5 in intermittently aerated CWs with SBFL addition. The addition of SBFL resulted in a reduction of N2O emissions by 17.8 %-43.7 % compared to sucrose. All CWs exhibited low CH4 emissions, with SBFL addition (0.035-0.066 mg·m-2h-1) resulting in lower emissions compared to sucrose. Additionally, higher abundance of denitrification (nirK, nirS and nosZ) genes as well as more abundant denitrifying bacteria were shown in CWs of SBFL inputs. The results of this study provide a feasible strategy for applying SBFL as a carbon source to improve nitrogen removal efficiency and mitigate GHG emissions in CWs.

Effect of combined electrolyzed reduced water and slightly acidic electrolyzed water spraying on the control of Salmonella, eggshell quality, and shelf life of eggs during storage.

Slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) is a safe and effective disinfectant, but its sterilizing efficiency is compromised by organic matter on the egg surface. Electrolyzed reduced water (ERW) is a harmless cleaner with a decontamination effect on a variety of surfaces and can be used to remove organic matter. This study assesses the effectiveness of a combination of ERW and SAEW in eliminating Salmonella and manure mixture from egg surfaces, as well as its impact on egg quality during storage. The results show that ERW (74.14%) was more effective than deionized water (DW, 64.69%) and SAEW (70.20%) (P < 0.05) in removing manure from egg surfaces. The damage to the cuticle of eggshell treated with ERW for 28 s was similar to that of DW (P > 0.05) and less than that of SAEW (P < 0.05). Spraying ERW for 10 s followed by SAEW for 18 s (ERW + SAEW) completely removed Salmonella from the egg surface, with no bacteria detected in the residual wash solution. Additionally, ERW + SAEW demonstrated superior preservation of egg quality during storage at 25℃ than the control and ERW single treatment (P < 0.05). Moreover, ERW + SAEW resulted in less weight loss compared to SAEW single treatment (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the sequential use of ERW and SAEW appears to be a promising approach for sterilizing eggs. It not only removes organic matter and Salmonella from the egg surface but also improves the preservation quality of the egg at 25 ℃.

Effects of combined treatment with hydrogen-rich electrolyzed water and tea polyphenols on oxidative stress, intestinal injury and intestinal flora disruption in heat-stressed mice.

Heat stress (HS) can cause damage to the organism, especially the intestinal tract. In this paper, we investigated the effects of the combined action of tea polyphenols (TP) and hydrogen-rich electrolyzed water (HRW) on HS in mice. The combination of HRW feeding and TP of intraperitoneal injection was screened by in vitro antioxidant activity assay. The results revealed that the combined treatment was more helpful in alleviating the effects of HS on the behavior, growth performance, oxidative damage, and intestinal tract of mice compared with the respective treatments of TP and HRW (P < 0.05). Additionally, the combined treatment could repair HS-induced intestinal dysbiosis in mice, augmenting the number and abundance of bacteria, increasing the number of beneficial genera (Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group and Lactobacillus), and decreasing the number of harmful genera (Desulfovibrio and Enterorhabdus), and the effect was significantly better than that of individual treatment (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the combined treatment of TP and HRW effectively mitigates the adverse effects of HS on mouse behavior, growth performance, oxidative damage, and intestinal dysbiosis, surpassing the efficacy of individual treatments with TP or HRW alone.

Mitigating nitrous oxide emissions from low carbon to nitrogen ratio wastewater treatment: Utilizing sugarcane bagasse fermentation liquid for constructed wetlands.

Sugarcane bagasse was recycled to produce fermentation liquid (FL) as a supplementary carbon source that was added to constructed wetlands (CWs) for regulating influent carbon to nitrogen ratio (C/N), and then being applied to investigate nitrogen transformations and greenhouse gas emissions. Results showed that this FL achieved faster NO3--N removal and lower N2O fluxes than sucrose did, and the lowest N2O flux (67.6 µg m-2h-1) was achieved when FL was added to CWs in a C/N of 3. In contrast, CH4 emissions were higher by the FL addition than by the sucrose addition, although the fluxes under both additions were in a lower range of 0.06-0.17 mg m-2h-1. The utilization of FL also induced significant variations in microbial communities and increased the abundance of denitrification genes. Results showed the application of FL from sugarcane bagasse can be an effective strategy for improving nitrogen removal and mitigating N2O emissions in CWs.

Changing the order and ratio of substrate filling reduced CH4 and N2O emissions from the aerated constructed wetlands.

Constructed wetlands (CWs) have been used to enhance pollutant removal by filling several types of material as substrates. However, research on substrate filling order remains still limited, particularly regarding the effects of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In this study, six CWs were constructed using zeolite and ferric­carbon micro-electrolysis (Fe-C) fillers to evaluate the effect of changing the filling order and ratio on pollutant removal, GHGs emissions, and associated microbial structure. The results showed that the order of substrate filling significantly impacted pollutant removal performance on CWs. Specifically, CWs filled with zeolite in the top layer exhibited superior NH4+-N removal compared to those filled in the lower layer. Moreover, the highest NH4+-N removal (95.0 % ± 1.9 %) was observed in CWs with a zeolite to Fe-C volume ratio of 8:2 (CWZe-1). Moreover, zeolite-filled at the top had lower GHGs emissions, with the lowest CH4 (0.22 ± 0.10 mg m-2 h-1) and N2O (167.03 ± 61.40 µg m-2 h-1) fluxes in the CWZe-1. In addition, it is worth noting that N2O is the major contributor to integrated global warming potential (GWP) in the six CWs, accounting for 81.7 %-90.8 %. The upper layer of CWs filled with zeolite exhibited higher abundances of nirK, nirS and nosZ genes. The order in which the substrate was filled affected the microbial community structure and the upper layer of CWs filled with zeolite had higher relative abundance of nitrifying genera (Nitrobacter, Nitrosomonas) and denitrifying genera (Zoogloea, Denitratisoma). Additionally, N2O emission was reduced by approximately 41.2 %-64.4 % when the location of the aeration of the CWs was changed from the bottom to the middle. This study showed that both the order of filling the substrate and the aeration position significantly affected the GHGs emissions from CWs, and that CWs had lower GHGs emissions when zeolites were filled in the upper layer and the aeration position was in the middle.

Survival prognostic in different age groups of patients undergoing local versus radical excision for rectal cancer: a study based on the SEER database.

Age significantly affects the prognosis of patients with rectal cancer after radical excision (RE), and local excision (LE) is an alternative surgical procedure to RE. To compare the survival prognosis in different age groups of LE versus RE for rectal cancer. Patients diagnosed with rectal adenocarcinoma treated by LE or RE from 2010 to 2017 were obtained from the SEER database. The primary outcomes are 5-year OS and CSS. A total of 11,170 patients were eventually included, and there were 490 patients in LE and RE groups, respectively, after 1:1 propensity score matching. The 5-year OS and CSS after LE were significantly better in < 50 years and 50-66 years groups than in > 66 years group (5-year OS: 95.70% vs 88.40% vs 67.00%, P < 0.001; 5-year CSS: 95.70% vs 96.30% vs 82.60%, P < 0.001). No statistical significance was found for the differences in 5-year OS and CSS between LE and RE in < 50, 50-66, and > 66 years group (P > 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed age > 66 years, poorly differentiated or undifferentiated (Grade III/IV), and tumor size 3 to 5 cm was independent risk factors for 5-year OS after LE; age > 66 years, perineural invasion, and tumor size 3 to 5 cm were the 5-year CSS independent risk factors for after LE. We found that the survival prognosis of younger rectal cancer patients treated with LE was significantly better than older (> 66 years) patients, and the survival prognosis of rectal cancer patients in the three age groups was similar between LE and RE.

Prognostic impact of tumor budding in rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Tumor budding (TB) is a negative prognostic factor in colorectal cancer; however, its prognostic impact following neoadjuvant therapy for patients with rectal cancer remains unclear. This study aims to assess the prognostic impact of TB and the correlation between TB and other pathological features in patients with rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy. METHODS: A comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Scopus, CNKI, Wanfang, and ClinicalKey databases was conducted for studies on the prognosis of TB in rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy from the inception of the databases to January 2023, and the final literature included was determined using predefined criteria. Quality assessment of the studies included, extraction of general and prognostic information from them, and meta-analyses were carried out progressively. RESULTS: A total of 11 studies were included, and the results of the meta-analysis showed that high-grade tumor budding (TB-1) increased the risk of poor 5-year disease-free survival (HR = 1.75, 95% CI 1.38-2.22, P < 0.00001), 5-year overall survival (HR = 1.77, 95% CI 1.21-2.59, P = 0.003), local recurrence (OR = 4.15, 95% CI 1.47-11.75, P = 0.007), and distant metastasis (OR = 5.36, 95% CI 2.51-11.44, P < 0.0001) in patients with rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy. TB-1 was significantly associated with poor differentiation and lymphatic, perineural, and venous invasion. CONCLUSION: Tumor budding is significantly correlated with unfavorable prognosis and poor pathological characteristics following neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer. We anticipate more high-quality, prospective studies in the future to confirm our findings. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42022377564.

Sensitive and Extraction-Free Detection of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus through Ag+ Aptamer-Based Color Reaction.

Refractory infections, such as hospital-acquired pneumonia, can be better diagnosed with the assistance of precise methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) testing. However, traditional methods necessitate high-tech tools, rigorous temperature cycling, and the extraction of genetic material from MRSA cells. Herein, we propose a sensitive, specific, and extraction-free strategy for MRSA detection by integrating allosteric probe-based target recognition and exonuclease-III (Exo-III)-enhanced color reaction. The penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a) aptamer in the allosteric probe binds with MRSA to convert protein signals to nucleic acid signals. This is followed by the DNA polymerase-assisted target recycle and the production of numerous single-strand DNA (ssDNA) chains which bind with silver ion (Ag+) aptamer to form a blunt terminus that can be identified by Exo-III. As a result, the Ag+ aptamer pre-coupled to magnetic nanoparticles is digested. After magnetic separation, the Ag+ in liquid supernatant catalyzes 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) for a color reaction. In addition, a concentration of 54 cfu/mL is predicted to be the lowest detectable value. Based on this, our assay has a wide linear detection range, covering 5 orders of magnitude and demonstrating a high specificity, which allows it to accurately distinguish the target MRSA from other microorganisms.

Carbon nanotube supported cobalt nickel sulphide nano-catalyst for degradation of chloroquine phosphate with peroxymonosulphate.

Carbon nanotubes supported cobalt nickel sulphide nanoparticles (nano-NiCo2S4@CNTs) were successfully prepared by a hydrothermal method as heterogeneous catalyst which can be used as an activator of peroxymonosulphate (PMS) for the degradation of chloroquine phosphate (CQP). Based on characterisation techniques, the prepared catalyst has excellent surface properties and structural stability. When different concentrations of CQP were treated with 0.2 g/L nano-NiCo2S4@CNTs and 1.0 mM PMS, the highest degradation rate could reach 99.86% after 30 min. Under the interference of pH, common anions and humic acid in the water environment, the reaction system can still achieve high degradation efficiency, showing excellent anti-interference ability and practical applicability. Furthermore, in the nano-NiCo2S4@CNTs/PMS system, according to the identification results of reactive oxygen species, the free radical and non-free radical pathway are responsible for the degradation of CQP, and the PMS mechanism activation was comprehensively proposed. Twelve intermediate products were detected in the degradation process, and the possible degradation pathways of CQP were proposed. This toxicity analysis demonstrates that the intermediate products formed during CQP degradation pose lower environmental risks compared to the original pollutant. In addition, after using the catalyst four cycles, the removal efficiency of CQP remains above 80%, indicating the excellent reusability and low metal ion leaching characteristics. Therefore, the nano-NiCo2S4@CNTs synthesised in this research has broad application prospects in activating PMS for wastewater treatment.

Application of alkali-heated corncobs enhanced nitrogen removal and microbial diversity in constructed wetlands for treating low C/N ratio wastewater.

Lack of carbon source is the main limiting factor in the denitrification of low C/N ratio wastewater in the constructed wetlands (CWs). Agricultural waste has been considered as a supplementary carbon source but research is still limited. To solve this problem, ferric carbon (Fe-C) + zeolite, Fe-C + gravel, and gravel were used as substrates to build CWs in this experiment, aiming to investigate the effects of different carbon sources (rice straw, corncobs, alkali-heated corncobs) on nitrogen removal performance and microbial community structure in CWs for low C/N wastewater. The results demonstrated that the microbial community and effluent nitrogen concentration of CWs were mainly influenced by the carbon source rather than the substrate. Alkali-heated corncobs significantly enhanced the removal of NO2--N, NH4+-N, NO3-N, and TN. Carbon sources addition increased microbial diversity. Alkali-heated corncobs addition significantly increased the abundance of heterotrophic denitrifying bacteria (Proteobacteria and Bacteroidota). Furthermore, alkali-heated corncobs addition increased the copy number of nirS, nosZ, and nirK genes while greenhouse gas fluxes were lower than common corncobs. In summary, alkali-heated corncobs can be considered as an effective carbon source.

Laser Velocimetry for the In Situ Sensing of Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Flow Velocity.

Laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) based on a differential laser Doppler system has been widely used in fluid mechanics to measure particle velocity. However, the two outgoing lights must intersect strictly at the measurement position. In cross-interface applications, due to interface effects, two beams of light become easily disjointed. To address the issue, we present a laser velocimeter in a coaxial arrangement consisting of the following components: a single-frequency laser (wavelength λ = 532 nm) and a Twyman-Green interferometer. In contrast to previous LDV systems, a laser velocimeter based on the Twyman-Green interferometer has the advantage of realizing cross-interface measurement. At the same time, the sensitive direction of the instrument can be changed according to the direction of the measured speed. We have developed a 4000 m level laser hydrothermal flow velocity measurement prototype suitable for deep-sea in situ measurement. The system underwent a withstand voltage test at the Qingdao Deep Sea Base, and the signal obtained was normal under a high pressure of 40 MPa. The velocity contrast measurement was carried out at the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research. The maximum relative error of the measurement was 8.82% when compared with the acoustic Doppler velocimeter at the low-speed range of 0.1-1 m/s. The maximum relative error of the measurement was 1.98% when compared with the nozzle standard velocity system at the high-speed range of 1-7 m/s. Finally, the prototype system was successfully evaluated in the shallow sea in Lingshui, Hainan, with it demonstrating great potential for the in situ measurement of fluid velocity at marine hydrothermal vents.

Improved topography measurement with a high dynamic range using phase difference sensing technology.

Phase difference sensing technology (PDST) is employed for topography measurement, and two interference structures are proposed to achieve upper-limit adjustment and high resolution in the measurement range: a dual-wavelength system with a single Fabry-Perot (FP) cavity and a single-wavelength system with dual FP cavities. The phase difference between the two interference signals is determined by an elliptic fitting algorithm (EFA), and this change in phase difference is utilized to characterize the step height. Experimental results indicate that the measurement upper-limit can be adjusted to either 410 µm, 187 µm, or 108 µm by varying the wavelength difference in the dual-wavelength system, which gives a measurement error of 2.96%. In contrast, while offering a measurement resolution of 3.47 nm, the single-wavelength system exhibits a measurement error of 5.38%. The proposed method is capable of satisfying the measurement requirements during micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) processing with proficiency.

The removal of antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes by sulfidated nanoscale zero-valent iron activating periodate: Efficacy and mechanism.

Antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have drawn much more attention due to their high risk on human health and ecosystem. In this study, the performance of sulfidated nanoscale zero-valent iron (S-nZVI)/periodate (PI) system toward ARB inactivation and ARGs removal was systematically investigated. The S-nZVI/PI system could realize the complete inactivation of 1 × 108 CFU/mL kanamycin, ampicillin, and tetracycline-resistant E. coli HB101 within 40 min, meanwhile, possessed the ability to remove the intracellular ARGs (iARGs) (including aphA, tetA, and tnpA) carried by E. coli HB101. Specifically, the removal of aphA, tetA, and tnpA by S-nZVI/PI system after 40 min reaction was 0.31, 0.47, and 0.39 log10copies/mL, respectively. The reactive species attributed to the E. coli HB101 inactivation were HO• and O2•-, which could cause the destruction of E. coli HB101 morphology and enzyme system (such as superoxide dismutase and catalase), the loss of intracellular substances, and the damage of iARGs. Moreover, the influence of the dosage of PI and S-nZVI, the initial concentration of E. coli HB101, as well as the co-existing substance (such as HCO3-, NO3-, and humic acid (HA)) on the inactivation of E. coli HB101 and its corresponding iARGs removal was also conducted. It was found that the high dosage of PI and S-nZVI and the low concentration of E. coli HB101 could enhance the disinfection performance of S-nZVI/PI system. The presence of HCO3-, NO3-, and HA in S-nZVI/PI system showed inhibiting role on the inactivation of E. coli HB101 and its corresponding iARGs removal. Overall, this study demonstrates the superiority of S-nZVI/PI system toward ARB inactivation and ARGs removal.

Effects of SpsNAC042 transgenic Populus hopeiensis on root development, leaf morphology and stress resistance.

To identify the function of the SpsNAC042 gene and its response to salt and drought stress, the SpsNAC042 gene was transformed into Populus hopeiensis by the Agrobacterium-mediated leaf disc method, and the phenotypic, physiological changes and related genes expression of transgenic lines were analyzed. The results showed that the number and length of roots of transgenic lines increased significantly. The leaves of transgenic lines curled inward. Under salt and simulated drought stress, the transgenic lines showed improved tolerance to salt and drought. The activities of SOD, POD, CAT and proline content in the transgenic lines were significantly increased, and the reduction rates of total chlorophyll and MDA content were significantly decreased, which indicated that the transgenic lines showed strong physiological responses under stress. Meanwhile, the gene expression of MPK6, SOS1, HKT1 and P5CS1 were significantly upregulated, and the gene expression of PRODH1 was significantly downregulated, which preliminarily verified the stress regulation mechanism that SpsNAC042 might activate. The above results showed that the SpsNAC042 gene could promote root development, make leaf morphology curl, and enhance P. hopeiensis tolerance to stress.

Behaviors and mechanisms of microbially-induced corrosion in metal-based water supply pipelines: A review.

Microbially-induced corrosion (MIC) is unstoppable and extensively spread throughout drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs) as the cause of pipe leakage and deteriorating water quality. For maintaining drinking water safety and reducing capital inputs in pipe usage, the possible consequences from MIC in DWDSs is still a research hotspot. Although most studies have investigated the effects of changing environmental factors on MIC corrosion, the occurrence of MIC in DWDSs has not been discussed sufficiently. This review aims to fill this gap by proposing that the formation of deposits with microbial capture may be a source of MIC in newly constructed DWDSs. The microbes early attaching to the rough pipe surface, followed by chemically and microbially-induced mineral deposits which confers resistance to disinfectants is ascribed as the first step of MIC occurrence. MIC is then activated in the newly-built, viable, and accessible microenvironment while producing extracellular polymers. With longer pipe service, oligotrophic microbes slowly grow, and metal pipe materials gradually dissolve synchronously with electron release to microbes, resulting in pipe-wall damage. Different corrosive microorganisms using pipe material as a reaction substrate would directly or indirectly cause different types of corrosion. Correspondingly, the formation of scale layers may reflect the distribution of microbial species and possibly biogenic products. It is therefore assumed that the porous and loose layer is an ideal microbial-survival environment, capable of providing diverse and sufficient ecological niches. The usage and chelation of metabolic activities and metabolites, such as acetic, oxalic, citric and glutaric acids, may lead to the formation of a porous scale layer. Therefore, the microbial interactions within the pipe scale reinforce the stability of microbial communities and accelerate MIC. Finally, a schematic model of the MIC process is presented to interpret MIC from its onset to completion.

Efficacy and safety of apatinib combined with radiotherapy in the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: At present, pancreatic cancer (PC) has a high morbidity and mortality rate and a poor prognosis. The aim of this article was to study the efficacy and safety of apatinib combined with radiotherapy in the treatment of advanced PC. METHODS: The PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Wanfang, CNKI, VIP, and CBM databases were searched by computer to identify studies on the application of apatinib in patients with advanced PC. The patients in the included study were divided into an observation group (apatinib combined with radiotherapy) and a control group (radiotherapy only), and meta-analysis was performed for each outcome with Revman 5.4 software. This study was successfully registered on the PROSPERO website, and the registration number is CRD: 42,022,384,056 (available at https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=384056 ). RESULTS: A total of 7 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 428 patients were included, including 215 in the observation group and 213 in the control group. Compared with the control group, the observation group showed a greater objective response rate [OR = 3.26, 95% CI (2.18, 4.87), P < 0.0001], disease control rate [OR = 5.04, 95% CI (3.12, 8.12), P < 0.0001], complete response rate [OR = 3.87, 95% CI (1.51, 9.88), P = 0.005], and partial response rate [OR = 2.43, 95% CI (1.63, 3.61), P < 0.001], The 1-year survival rate [OR = 2.39, 95% CI (1.15, 4.96), P < 0.05], 2-year survival rate [OR = 2.41, 95% CI (1.03, 5.61), P < 0.05], progression-free survival time [MD = 1.17, 95% CI (0.37, 1.96), P < 0.05], overall survival time [MD = 1.47, 95% CI (0.13, 2.80), P < 0.05], while the stability rate [OR = 1.14, 95% CI (0.72, 1.81), P = 0.58] and various complications were not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Apatinib combined with radiotherapy was more effective than radiotherapy alone in the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer (PC), and apatinib had acceptable safety. However, since our study was limited by the quantity and quality of the included studies, we look forward to more large-sample, multicentre, and high-quality RCTs in the future to verify the conclusions.

Efficacy of computer-controlled repositioning maneuvers for post-traumatic benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

BACKGROUND: Post-traumatic benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (T-BPPV) is considered to be one of the most common secondary BPPV. But the exact diagnosis and treatment strategy of t-BPPV remains challenging to physicians because of patients' physical limitations. In this situation, we used computer-controlled repositioning maneuvers (CCRM) to make t-BPPV patients' diagnosis and treatment easier. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate the short-term effect of CCRM for treating t-BPPV patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 36 patients diagnosed with t-BPPV were treated by CCRM. CCRM was carried out every 48 h until patients were cured and patients were follow-up after treatment for six-month. The results of Dix-Hallpike test and supine roll test were the main outcome measures to assess efficacy of the treatment. RESULTS: Overall, 24(66.7%) patients had involvement of multiple semicircular canals. All patients obtained final resolution of vertigo and nystagmus with a maximum of 18 maneuvers. No significant adverse effect and complication occurred during the treatment process. CONCLUSIONS: T-BPPV is apt to involve multiple canals, and is difficult to treat, with no gender tendency. CCRM is effective and secure for the treatment of t-BPPV, especially for patients with cervical movement limitation. SIGNIFICANCE: With the help of CCRM, we are able to make t-BPPV patients' diagnosis and treatment more accurate and simple.

Biochar and hematite amendments suppress emission of CH4 and NO2 in constructed wetlands.

Constructed wetlands (CWs) are considered a widely used cost-effective technology for pollutant removal. However, greenhouse gas emissions are a non-negligible problem in CWs. In this study, four laboratory-scale CWs were established to evaluate the effects of gravel (CWB), hematite (CWFe), biochar (CWC), and hematite + biochar (CWFe-C) as substrates on pollutants removal, greenhouse gas emissions, and associated microbial characteristics. The results showed that the biochar-amended CWs (CWC and CWFe-C) enhanced the removal efficiency of pollutants, with 92.53 % and 93.66 % of COD and 65.73 % and 64.41 % of TN removal, respectively. Both single and combined inputs of biochar and hematite significantly reduced CH4 and N2O fluxes, with the lowest average of CH4 flux obtained in CWC (5.99 ± 0.78 mg CH4 m-2 h-1) and the least N2O flux in CWFe-C (287.57 ± 44.84 µg N2O m-2 h-1). The substantial reduction of global warming potentials (GWP) was obtained in the applications of CWC (80.25 %) and CWFe-C (79.5 %) in biochar-amended CWs. The presence of biochar and hematite mitigated CH4 and N2O emissions by modifying microbial communities with higher ratios of pmoA/mcrA and nosZ genes abundances, as well as increasing the abundance of denitrifying bacteria (Dechloromona, Thauera and Azospira). This study demonstrated that biochar and the combined use of biochar and hematite could be the potential candidates as functional substrates for the efficient removal of pollutants and simultaneously reducing GWP emissions in the constructed wetlands.