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Objective: Survival analysis of cancers' incidence data in Tianjin from 2010 to 2016 was conducted to provide the basis for formulating and evaluating regional health policies on cancer prevention and treatment. Methods: Registration data in Tianjin were used between January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2016 and patients were followed-up till 31 December, 2021. Life-table method was used to calculate the observed survival rate and Edered Ⅱ was used to calculate the relative survival rate. The data were stratified by year, gender, age group and cancer sites. Difference in survival curves between group was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method and Log rank test. Joinpoint regression model was used to analyze the trend change. Results: The 5-year relative survival rates of cancer were 41.92% to 53.65% from 2010 to 2016 for residents in Tianjin, with an increasing trend ( t =4.81 , P =0.005), and the average was 48.56%. The survival rate of females was higher than that of males (57.71%vs. 39.20%), and the survival rate of urban residents was higher than that of rural residents (49.38% vs. 47.24%). The 5-year relative survival rates were 63.14%, 78.39%, 58.25% and 32.67% in 0-14, 15-44, 45-64 and 65 and above age groups, respectively. The median relative survival times of all cancer were 2.34 to 6.00 years from 2010 to 2016 in Tianjin, with an increasing trend ( t =3.86, P =0.012). The average of median relative survival times was 4.11 years. The median survival time of females was longer than that of males (11.99 years vs. 2.03 years), and the time of urban residents were longer than that of rural residents (4.60 years vs. 3.43 years). The median relative survival time were 12.07, 11.92 and 1.34 years in 15-44, 45-64 and 65 and above age groups, respectively. Conclusions: The cumulative survival rate of cancer increased significantly from 2010 to 2016 in Tianjin, indicating that the prevention and treatment effect of cancer is obvious. The focus should be on male, rural areas, higher age group, and targeted prevention and treatment measures should be taken to lung, esophagus, liver, gallbladder and pancreatic cancer.

To explore the clinical distribution and drug resistance characteristics of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP), in order to provide reference for the prevention and treatment of CRKP infection. Retrospective analysis was performed on 510 clinical isolates of CRKP from January 2017 to December 2021, and strain identification and drug sensitivity tests were conducted by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer and VITEK-2 Compact microbial drug sensitivity analyzer. The carbapenemase phenotype of CRKP strain was detected by carbapenemase inhibitor enhancement test. The CRKP strain was further categorized by immunochromogenic method and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for gene detection. The results showed that 302 strains (59.2%) were derived from sputum, 127 strains (24.9%) from urine and 47 strains (9.2%) from blood. 231 (45.3%) were mainly distributed in intensive care, followed by 108 (21.2%) in respiratory medicine and 79 (15.5%) in neurosurgery. Drug susceptibility test result shows that the resistant rate of tigecycline increased from 1.0% in 2017 to 10.1% in 2021, the difference was statistically significant ( χ 2 =14.444, P <0.05). The results of carbapenemase inhibitor enhancement test showed that 461 carbapenemase strains (90.4%) of 510 CRKP strains, including 450 serinase strains (88.2%), 9 metalloenzyme strains (1.8%), and 2 strains (0.4%) produced both serine and metalloenzyme. 49 strains (9.6%) did not produce enzymes. Further typing by immunochromogenic assay showed that 461 CRKP strains were KPC 450 (97.6%) and IMP 2 (0.4%). 7 NDM (1.5%); 2 strains of KPC+NDM (0.4%); PCR results were as follows: 450 strains of blaKPC (97.6%), 2 strains of blaIMP (0.4%), 7 strains of blaNDM (1.5%), and 2 strains of blaKPC+NDM (0.4%). In conclusion, CRKP strains mainly originated from sputum specimens and distributed in intensive care department, and the drug resistance characteristics were mainly KPC type in carbapenemase production. Clinical microbiology laboratory should strengthen the monitoring of CRKP strains, so as to provide reference for preventing CRKP infection and reducing the production of bacterial drug resistance.

Objective: To assess the trend and the factors responsible for the increase of life expectancy of residents in Tianjin over the past two decades. Methods: Abridged Life Table and Arriaga's decomposition method was applied to quantify the influence of the age structure and the leading causes of death on the increase of life expectancy of residents in Tianjin from 1999 to 2018. Results: In the past 20 years, the life expectancy of residents in Tianjin increased by 4.97 years, the life expectancy of men and women increased by 4.11 years and 5.86 years, respectively. The decrease of mortality rate in 0-year-old group contributed 19.17% to the increase of the life expectancy, while the decrease of mortality rate in residents aged ≥55 years contributed more to the increase of life expectancy, with the cumulative contribution rate of 67.38%. The major contribution to the increase of life expectancy was the mortality reduction of cerebrovascular disease, respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, perinatal diseases, congenital malformations and injury, with the contribution percentage of 27.27%, 21.37%, 15.76%, 12.22%, 6.44% and 4.86%, respectively. The increase of mortality of malignant tumor, injury and poisoning, diabetes and nervous system diseases and others had a negative effect on the increase of life expectancy of people aged ≥75 years. From 1999 to 2018, the life expectancy increased from 76.72 years to 81.46 years ( t =9.11, P <0.001), the annual percent change (APC) was 0.58%. From 2011 to 2018, it was stable, ranging from 81.46 years to 81.69 years ( t =0.89, P =0.387, APC=0.13%). Conclusion: From 1999 to 2018, the increase of life expectancy was attributed to the decrease of mortalities in infants and the elderly and the decrease of mortalities of cerebro-cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, perinatal disease, congenital malformations and injury. However, these positive contributions were partly offset by the negative contribution of malignant tumor, injury, diabetes and nervous system disease in those aged ≥75 years. Comprehensive prevention and control of key diseases should be strengthened in key population in order to further improve the life expectancy of the population.

Objective: To analyze the trends of mortality and years of life lost (YLL) of breast cancer in women in Tianjin and provide references for the development of intervention strategies. Methods: The crude mortality rate, standard mortality rate, cumulative rate (0-74 years old) and truncated rate (35-64 years old) of breast cancer in women in Tianjin from 1999 to 2017 were calculated. The annual percentage change of the mortality rate and YLL rate were analyzed by Joinpoint regression. Results: From 1999 to 2017, a total of 8 356 deaths of breast cancer were reported in Tianjin, resulting in a YLL of 262 835.53 person-years. The average crude mortality rate was 9.15/100 000. The average age standardized rate(ASR) (World) was 6.14/100 000. The ratio of ASR (World) between urban and rural areas was 1.73∶1. The peak mortality ratio of age groups between urban area and rural area was 3.13∶1. From 1999 to 2017, both the crude mortality rate and ASR of breast cancer in Tianjin had rising trends. In 2017, the crude mortality rate and the ASR of breast cancer increased by 113.7% and 44.4% respectively compared with 1999. The increase of urban mortality mainly came from elderly group aged ≥75 years, and the mortality of young age groups in rural area showed an fast increases, which was most obvious in age group 45-59 years (average annual percentage change=3.6%, P <0.01). Conclusions: The mortality rate of breast cancer and disease burden in women in Tianjin are still in rapid increase. We should continue to implement the prevention and control strategies such as lifestyle intervention and screening of key groups. More attention need to be paid to the increase of breast cancer incidence in rural area.

Objective: To investigate the mortality of colorectal cancer and its trend from 1999 to 2015 in Tianjin, China, and to explore the mortality features in different populations in order to provide data for prevention and control strategies of colorectal cancer. Methods: Colorectal cancer mortality data between 1999 and 2015 were collected from Tianjin population - based mortality surveillance system maintained by the Tianjin Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Population data of permanent residents were collected from Tianjin Municipal Public Security Bureau. The number of new cases and deaths, incidence [including crude incidence, age-adjusted standardized incidence and 95% confidence interval (95% CI)], and mortality (including crude mortality, age-adjusted standardized mortality and 95% CI) of colorectal cancer were calculated. Standardized incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer were calculated using the Segi's world standard population, adjusted with age and gender. JoinPoint regression and Cochran-Armitage trend test were used to determine the statistical significance of differences in mortality trend. Results: A total of 31 376 new onset cases and 14 893 death cases of colorectal cancer were observed in Tianjin from 1999 to 2015. Colorectal cancer incidence increased from 1999 to 2015 with a standardized rate from 9.66/100 000 to 15.36/100 000 [annual percent change(APC)=3.48%, Z =23.21, P <0.001]. Colorectal cancer mortality increased from 1999 to 2015 with a standardized rate from 5.18/100 000 to 6.11/100 000 (APC=1.24%, Z =5.69, P <0.001). Both showed an increasing trend. The death proportion of colon cancer increased (39.67% in 1999 and 50.33% in 2015), while the death proportion of rectal caner decreased (60.33% in 1999 and 48.57% in 2015). The median age of colorectal cancer onset fluctuated steadily around 66 years old (APC=0.16, T =1.75, P =0.100); the median age of death increased from 69 to 73 years old (APC=0.43, T =8.81, P <0.001). From 1999 to 2015, the mortality of colorectal cancer showed a downward trend (all P <0.05) in the age groups of <35 and 35-44 years, while an upward trend (all P <0.05) in the age groups of 45-54 years, 55-64 years and ≥ 65 years. Colorectal cancer mortality in males increased with a standardized rate of 5.53/100 000 in 1999 to 7.33/100 000 in 2015(APC=2.29%, Z =7.86, P <0.001), while colorectal cancer mortality in females flatted with a standardized rate of 4.83/100 000 in 1999 to 4.89/100 000 in 2015 (APC=0.10%, Z =-0.30, P =0.752). Colorectal cancer mortality increased with a standardized rate of 6.75/100 000 in 1999 to 7.33/100 000 in 2015 (APC=0.54%, Z =1.98, P =0.048) in urban areas and of 3.18/100 000 in 1999 to 4.38/100 000 in 2015 (APC=2.47, Z =6.46, P <0.001) in rural areas, whose differences were significant. Standardized mortality rate in rural area was lower but the rising velocity was faster as compared to urban area. Conclusions: Crude mortality and standardized mortality of colorectal cancer increase from 1999 to 2015 in Tianjin population. The people of elder, male and urban area have higher mortality. The mortality in people of male and rural area presents a faster rising state. Further efforts to reduce colorectal cancer mortality in Tianjin are needed to prevention and control of colorectal cancer.

From 1999 to 2015, there were 6 186 cases of leukemia deaths in tianjin residents, the males accounted for 58.28% (3 605) and 52.31% (3 236) deaths lived in urban areas; the crude mortality rate of Leukemia increased from 3.47/100 000 to 4.28/100 000 [ t= 7.09, P< 0.001, annual percent change (APC)=1.30%] and the standardized mortality rate decreased from 3.15/100 000 to 3.01/100 000 ( t= -2.95, P= 0.006, APC=-0.65%). Special attention should be focused on children, the elderly, males and rural residents.

Objective: To explore the trends and distribution of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) mortality of the residents with different characteristics from 2000 to 2016 in Tianjin. Methods: COPD mortality data in 2000-2016 were from Tianjin population based mortality surveillance system. The mortality rate of COPD, difference in the rate by gender, age, and geographic distribution, and the trend over years were analyzed. Age-sex-standardized mortality rates of COPD were calculated using the year 2000 world standard population. Joinpoint regression and Cochran-Armitage trend analysis were used to examine the trend of mortality. Results: The crude COPD mortality rate in Tianjin decreased from 57.57/100 000 in 2000 to 28.23/100 000 in 2016 (annual percent change (APC)=-5.01%, Z=- 64.76, P< 0.001), and the standardized mortality rate decreased from 56.53/100 000 in 2000 to13.88/100 000 in 2016 (APC=-9.17%, Z=- 100.83, P< 0.001). The crude COPD mortality rate of males decreased from 54.57/100 000 to 27.77/100 000 (APC=-4.89%, Z=- 43.63, P< 0.001) and the standardized mortality rate decreased from 57.52/100 000 to 14.63/100 000 (APC=-9.07%, Z=- 71.48, P< 0.001). The crude COPD mortality rate of females decreased from 60.63/100 000 to 28.68/100 000 (APC= - 5.12%, Z=- 47.92, P< 0.001) and the standardized mortality rate decreased from 55.53/100 000 to 13 13/100 000 (APC= - 9.27%, Z=- 71.13, P< 0.001). The crude mortality rate of COPD in urban areas decreased from 45.07/100 000 to 19.54/100 000 (APC= - 5.35%, Z=- 42.38, P< 0.001) and the standardized mortality rate decreased from 39.24/100 000 to 7.45/100 000 ( Z=- 63.97, P< 0.001, APC= - 10.22%). The crude mortality rate of COPD in rural areas decreased from 70.20/100 000 to 37.24/100 000 (APC= - 4.77%, Z=- 48.77, P< 0.001) and the standardized mortality rate decreased from 78.88/100 000 to 25.70/100 000 (APC= - 7.59%, Z=- 72.43, P< 0.001). The COPD mortality rate in rural areas was higher than that in urban areas ( P< 0.001). The COPD mortality rate in 35 years old and over decreased from 2000 to 2016 ( P< 0.001). Conclusion: The COPD mortality in Tianjin decreased from 2000 to 2016. More efforts are need to reduce COPD mortality in Tianjin, in particular people in rural areas.

Objective: To explore the trends and distribution of premature mortality caused by four main non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory disease and diabetes in different sex and residential areas in Tianjin so as to provide basis for setting up prevention and control programs on premature mortality. Methods: Population data on premature mortality in 1999-2015 were from the 'Tianjin population based mortality surveillance system' maintained by Tianjin Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Data related to permanent residents was from the Tianjin Municipal Public Security Bureau. Standardized premature mortality rates were calculated and adjusted for age and gender according to the '2000 world standard population'. Premature mortality probabilities were analyzed according to the methods recommended by WHO. Joinpoint regression and Cochran-Armitage trend methods were used to determine the significance of differences on the trends of mortality. Results: From 1999 to 2015, the premature mortality appeared consistent ( P <0.001) declining in the above-said four diseases with the APC of probabilities as-2.92%, -1.13%, -9.51% and -3.39%, respectively. The probabilities of premature mortality were all declining consistently in both men and women and in both urban and rural areas in Tianjin. From 1999 to 2015, the probabilities of the four main NCDs were between 19.67% and 12.85% (APC=-2.49%, P <0.001), higher in women (from 17.02% to 9.17%, APC=-3.84%, P <0.001) than that in men (from 22.27% to 16.47%, APC=-1.59%, P <0.001), in urban (from 21.04% to 12.34%, APC=-3.26%, P <0.001) than that in rural areas (from 17.80% to 13.54%, APC=-1.54%, P <0.001). Conclusion: Our findings suggested that premature mortality in Tianjin was decreasing during 1999-2015 but attention should still be called for on males and people living in the rural areas to further reducing the premature mortality.

We described the time trend of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) from 1999 to 2013 in Tianjin incidence rate with Cochran-Armitage trend (CAT) test and linear regression analysis, and the results were compared. Based on actual population, CAT test had much stronger statistical power than linear regression analysis for both overall incidence trend and age specific incidence trend (Cochran-Armitage trend P value

Objective: To observe the incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) between 1999 and 2013 in Tianjin residents and analyze the incidence differences on residents with various age, gender and living in urban or rural areas. The data might help for targeted prevention strategies among Tianjin residents. Methods: AMI incidence data between 1999 and 2013 were obtained based on Tianjin cardiovascular disease incidence surveillance registry established by the Tianjin Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Related information such as permanent residents' population data were obtained from Tianjin Municipal Public Security Bureau. The Chinese population data in 2000 were used for age-sex-standardized rates estimation. Difference between two (or more) independent groups was compared by the Chi Square statistics. The Chi-square test for trend was used for computing the incidence trend in years and ages. Results: AMI incidence rate in Tianjin declined from the year 1999 to 2013 with the rude incidence rate of 80.46/100 000 to 81.29/100 000, and with the standardized incidence rate of 64.85/100 000 to 44.57/100 000 ( Z =-35.767, P <0.001). AMI incidence decreased gradually in residents aged over 45 years old ( P <0.01), but increased in residents younger than 45 years old ( P <0.001) from 1999 to 2013. The AMI incidence rate is consistently higher in male residents (rude incidence 99.89/100 000-102.98/100 000, standardized incidence rate 78.53/100 000-56.61/100 000) than in female residents (rude incidence 61.18/100 000-59.44/100 000, standardized incidence rate 50.31/100 000-31.76/100 000, both P <0.001) and higher in urban residents (rude incidence rate 133.98/100 000-98.02/100 000, standardized incidence rate 99.89/100 000-50.12/100 000) than in rural residents (rude incidence rate 35.57/100 000-66.19/100 000, standardized incidence rate 32.68/100 000-43.51/100 000, Z =6.217, P <0.001). AMI incidence decreased significantly in the urban residents (rude incidence rate 133.98/100 000-98.02/100 000, standardized incidence rate 99.89/100 000-50.12/100 000, Z =-46.968, P <0.001), while significantly increased in rural residents (rude incidence rate 35.57/100 000-66.19/100 000, standardized incidence rate 32.68/100 000-43.51/100 000, Z =6.217, P <0.001) during the study period. Conclusions: The general incidence of AMI decreased during the study period in Tianjin residents. However, AMI incidence significantly increased in young male residents and rural residents. It is necessary to develop corresponding strategies for AMI control for Tianjin residents with different age/gender and living in different areas.

Objective: To explore the causes of cancer deaths and cause-eliminated-life-expectancy among residents of Tianjin. Methods: Data from the death registry system of Tianjin residents in 2015 were collected and cancers were grouped according to the classification of Global Burden of Disease. Specific cancer crude death rate and cause eliminated life expectancy (CELE) were calculated. Results: In 2015, 17 641 Tianjin residents died of cancer, with the crude death rate as 171.79 per 100 thousand and the standardized rate according to the Chinese population in 2000 as 86.32 per 100 thousand. The cancer deaths among men was 10 165, with crude death rate of 197.39 per 100 thousand and standardized rate was 95.41 per 100 thousand. While among females the cancer deaths was 7 476, with crude death rate as 146.04 per 100 thousand and standardized rate as 76.65 per 100 thousand. The top five leading deaths on cancers among men were lung, liver, stomach, "colon, rectum and anal" , pancreas, while lung, breast, liver, "colon, rectum and anal" , stomach were in women. The life expectancy increased 3.53 and 2.88 years among men and women respectively after the exclusion of cancer deaths. When lung cancer death was excluded, the life expectancy increased 1.25 and 0.97 years respectively among men and women. Lung cancer was the main reason of life expectancy lost than cancer of other locations. Conclusion: Cancers, with lung cancer in particular, were the major diseases causing death and life expectancy lost in the Tianjin residents which called for urgent effective intervention programs to develop.

Objective: To investigate the change of incidence and age distribution of cervical cancer in Tianjin from 2007 to 2013., Methods: The incidence data of cervical cancer and population data were collected from the cancer registry system of Tianjin Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Tianjin Municipal Public Security Bureau, respectively. The crude incidence, and age-standardized incidence of cervical cancer were calculated by using SPSS software. The Join Point Regression Program software was used to detect the trend of cervical cancer incidence., Results: A total of 3 362 cervical cancer patients were diagnosed during 2007 to 2013. The average age of the patients was 48.11 years. The crude incidence was 9.85/100 000. The annual world standard age specific incidence was 6.65 /100 000. The incidence in urban area was higher than that in rural area, but the proportion of the cases in urban area showed a downward trend(trend χ(2)=21.92, P=0.001)and the proportion of the cases in rural area showed a upward trend(trend χ(2)=12.70, P=0.048). The difference was significant. The incidence was generally stable in urban area, the APC value was 2.7%(95%CI:-9.1%-16.2%), the difference was not significant(Z=0.564, P=0.597); The incidence rate in rural area showed an upward trend, APC value was 13.4%(95% CI: 3.5%-24.2%), the difference was significant(Z=3.549, P=0.016). The two incidence peaks were in age groups 40-44 years and 75-79 years., Conclusion: The overall incidence of cervical cancer in Tianjin was still stable during 2007-2013, and the disease mainly occurred in middle-aged and elderly population. More attention should be paid to the increased incidence of cervical cancer in rural area.

Based on the software of traditional Chinese medicine inheritance support system (TCMISS), this article aims to analyze the experience and composition rules for cough from the descendant of Meng He Medical School, Xu Di-hua. The cough cases treated by Xu Di-hua were collected, and recorded into TCMISS (V2.0). Data mining methods such as Apriori algorithm and complex system entropy cluster were used to analyze the medication principles of Xu Di-hua for cough from pathogenesis and therapeutie aspects, and dig out the frequency of the herbs in prescription, core medicine and new combinations. The experience of curing cough from Professor Xu Di-hua were well found in the research. He is good at choosing prescriptions accurately, and pays attention to simultaneous use of cold and moisture drugs with combination of tonification and purgation. He is skilled in adding or reducing materia medica flexibly, as well as regulating lung to relieve cough and eliminating phlegm by clearing heat.

We studied the dechlorination process of Aroclor1260, a high-chlorinated polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) mixture in an anaerobic paddy soil slurry, and further analyzed the related microbial community structures. The Aroclor1260 was reduced up to 55.5% in the natural paddy soil slurry in 128 days, and the reduction percentage dropped to 46.9% after incoculating the paddy soil slurry with a PCBs-dechlorination enrichment culture. The dechlorination mainly occurred in congeners of pentachlorobiphenyl, hexachlorobiphenyl, and specially, the heptachlorobiphenyl, with pentachlorobiphenyl accumulated as dechlorination intermediate. Hydrogen gas produced from fermentation of organic matters was maintained at a lower partial pressure due to its consumption during the dechlorination process, so that the methanogens was suppressed as well. The microbial community structure was significantly different between natural and inoculated paddy soils. Introducing the PCBs-dechlorination enrichment culture changed the local microbial community by the competition between the exogenetic dchlorinators and the indigenous bacteria, overall decreasing the dechlorination activity.

As one type of the persistent organic pollutants, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are tremendously harmful to organisms. These compounds are easily absorbed onto soil particles and able to accumulate in soil after they are released into the environment. Bioremediation technology of PCBs-contaminated soils has become a research hotspot in recent years, and immobilized microorganism technique has high developing and applying value because of its unique advantages in environmental remediation. This paper reviewed the chief remediation technology of PCBs-contaminated soils and then analyzed the characteristics of immobilized microorganism technique and its research progress in remediation of organic polluted soil. Finally, the feasibility and problems of this technique in remediation of PCBs-contaminated soil were also discussed.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are the typical persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the environment. As a ubiquitous attenuation course of chlorinated organic compounds in anoxic environment, the microorganism-mediated reductive dechlorination process plays an important role in PCBs transformation, especially the transformation of higher chlorinated PCBs. The higher chlorinated PCBs can be dechlorinated in anaerobic condition, and thus, their persistence and toxicity can be decreased. The resultant lower chlorinated PCBs from the dechlorination can be further degraded and completely mineralized in aerobic condition. This paper summarized the research advances of PCBs microbial reductive dechlorination, introduced the mechanisms and characteristics of the dechlorination and the related specific microorganisms, and approached the affecting factors of PCBs bio-dechlorination, as well as the significances of anaerobic dechlorination coupling with aerobic degradation. The future research directions, including the complex metabolic networks of dechlorinating microbial populations, the screening of novel specific dechlorinators and their practical applications in the remediation of PCBs contaminated sites were also prospected.

Persistent organic pollutants have increasingly become a critical environmental concern, while thermophiles have the high potential of degrading various kinds of environmental organic pollutants. At high temperatures, thermophiles have higher metabolic activity, and the competition by mesophiles is reduced, meanwhile, the solubility and bioavailability of some persistent organic pollutants are greatly increased, and thus, the degradation of the pollutants by thermophiles is more rapid and complete. Therefore, thermophils are of great significance for the bio-treatment of organic wastewater and the bioremediation of organic pollutants-contaminated sites. This paper introduced the research progress on the degradation of organic pollutants by thermophiles in terms of the characteristics of thermophiles in degrading organic pollutants, the effects of temperature on the degradation, the degradation pathways, the degradation enzymes, their coding genes, and practical engineering applications. The future research directions including the degradation mechanisms of thermophiles, their resources reserve, related technology strategies and their applications were also prospected.

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is widely used in industrial products, medical and health care products, and personal care products. In the treatment process of sewage, PDMS can be hardly biodegraded but enter the environment mainly through the discharge of excess sludge, and only a small amount of PDMS adsorbed on the suspended solids or sludge particle surface is discharged into water body and sediment with treated sewage. There is no enough evidence to verify that PDMS can vertically migrate in sediment. The degradation of PDMS in sediment is very slow, but PDMS can be degraded in different types of soils. PDMS has less risk to aquatic ecosystem, and no apparent acute toxicity to benthos. In soil environment, PDMS and its degradation products have no significant effects on the soil microorganisms, soil animals, and crops. Though a few studies indicated that PDMS and its degradation products have relatively low ecological toxicity in various environments, it is still very important to clarify the potential threat of PDMS to the environment because of the increasingly large number of PDMS being produced and used.

In recent years, great attention has being paid on the consequences of improper electric and electronic waste (e-waste) disposal. In this paper, soil and plant samples were collected from the e-waste recycling sites in Taizhou City of Zhejiang Province, China, with five kinds of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) analyzed. In the soil samples, the total PAEs concentration was 12.566-46.669 mg x kg(-1) soil, among which, di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), and diethyl phthalate (DEP) were the major phthalates, accounting for more than 94% of the total. In the plant samples, the PAEs concentration was obviously higher in Vicia faba L. than in other plants. No significant correlations were observed in the PAEs concentration between soils and various plants (P > 0.05). Comparing with the soil cleanup guidelines in USA, the soils at test sites were severely contaminated by PAEs.

Objective: Multilocular brain abscess in children is a serious neurosurgical emergency and remains a serious, life-threatening disease. This study evaluated the role of neuroendoscopy in treating multilocular brain abscess in children., Methods: Between January 2002 and June 2007, 16 children with multilocular brain abscess underwent an operation using a pure endoscopic procedure., Results: Increased intracranial pressure was relieved after operation in the 16 patients. CT/MRI after operation showed the abscess cavities disappeared and only the residual abscess walls existed in the 16 patients. Fourteen patients were followed up for 6 months to 5 years after surgery. Abscess walls disappeared in 13 patients and abscess recurred only in 1 patient., Conclusions: Neuroendoscopy for treatment of multilocular brain abscess is safe and effective in children.

Objective: To develop a rapid, sensitive and specific real time reverse transcription PCR for detecting and identifying human metapneumovirus., Methods: The Hmpv-L gene of human metapneumovirus was chosen as target gene, the primers and TaqMan probe were designed, and the PCR reaction was optimized systematically. The total RNA was extracted from respiratory specimens, and reverse transcription was performed through random primer. The cDNA was detected by using real time PCR. The specificity, sensitivity and reproducibility of real time PCR were estimated. The real time PCR was applied to detect 180 clinical respiratory specimens., Results: The human metapneumovirus can be detected using real time reverse transcription PCR accurately and quickly, and the sensitivity was 1 copy/microl. The coefficient of variation of intra-assay and inter-assay was less than 5%. Among those 180 specimens, 28 (15.56%) were positive for human metapneumovirus, the clinical diagnoses for these 28 patients were pneumonia (15.60%, 17/109) and bronchiolitis (15.49%, 11/71). 21 positive specimens were from patients under 2 years of age, and 6 positive specimens were from patients between 2 and 5 years of age, only 1 positive specimens was from patients over 5 years., Conclusion: It is demonstrated that real time reverse transcription PCR is a reliable, accurate and feasible assay for human metapneumovirus, which has become one of the most important pathogens induced acute respiratory infections in pediatric patients.

Objective: Using 16S rDNA and 23S rDNA genes as the target sequences to develop a system based on oligonucleotide microarray and to detect the seven clinical pathogenic bacteria, commonly seen., Methods: Double polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was applied to amplify the segments of 16S rDNA and 23S rDNA genes of the target bacteria. An oligonucleotide microarray was constructed to simultaneously detect EHEC O157:H7, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Salmonella sp., Vibrio cholerae, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter jejuni and Shigella sp. Specificity, sensitivity and reproducibility of the microarray during detection were checked. And then microarray was used to detect the microbes in stool specimens of 81 patients with diarrhea and vomiting., Results: The double PCR method could simultaneously amplify the target sequences of 16S rDNA and 23S rDNA genes of the seven pathogens. The sensitivity of the developed oligonucleotide microarray could reach 10(3) cfu/ml but no positive results were presented for non-targeted bacteria. The coefficients of differentiation in one lot or among different lots of the microarray slices were 3.89% - 5.81%. The positive detection rate of the stool specimens by oligonucleotide microarray was 39.5% (32/81), with a coincidence of 96.3% (78/81) for the patients and another coincidence of 96.8% (31/32) for bacterial genus or species identification, when comparing to the results by routine bacteriological examinations., Conclusion: The established assay in this study based on oligonucleotide microarray to detect the seven pathogenic bacteria has many advantages such as convenient, rapid, accurate, stable and high flux, which is suitable for clinical specimen examination and epidemiological field investigation.

Objective: To determine the mRNA and protein expressions of RCAS1 in human astrocytic tumors, and to explore the relation between their expression and the genesis and development of tumor., Methods: The RCAS1 mRNA expression in human astrocytic tumors was evaluated by RT-PCR, and the RCAS1 protein expression was studied by immunohistochemical staining., Results: The quantities of RCAS1 mRNA expression between diffusive astrocytoma(Grade II) and anaplastic astrocytoma(Grade III), anaplastic astrocytoma and glioblastoma(Grade IV) were significantly different(P<0.05), while the expression scores of RCAS1 protein were different only between the anaplastic astrocytoma and glioblastoma(P<0.01). RCAS1 protein expression was positively correlated with the tumor grade (r=0.573,P<0.001). The RCAS1 protein was not detected in normal brain tissues by immunohistochemical staining., Conclusion: The RCAS1 expression is related to the histological grade of astrocytic tumor. In astrocytic tumors, the RCAS1 expression is regulated transcriptionally and posttranscriptionally.