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In order to clarify the characteristics of organic carbon constituents in soil of typical Henan tobacco-planting areas and their effects on the mass fraction of chemical components in tobacco leaves, soil and tobacco samples from four typical tobacco-growing regions, Xuchang, Pingdingshan, Luoyang and Sanmenxia, in Henan were collected and analyzed. The results showed that: 1) The contents of total organic carbon (TOC), active organic carbon (AOC), particulate organic carbon (POC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in soil of Henan tobacco-planting areas ranged from 3.72-13.80, 0.26-0.74, 0.96-4.39 g·kg-1 and 40.71-168.09 mg·kg-1, respectively. The content proportions of AOC, DOC and POC to TOC ranged from 3.19% to 6.93%, 0.34% to 2.62% and 14.33% to 57.31% respectively. The carbon/nitrogen(C/N)ratio was between 6.04 to 12.97. 2)The contents of TOC, POC, AOC and DOC significantly positively correlated with the contents of total nitrogen and hydrolytic nitrogen in soil. The contents of AOC and DOC significantly positively correlated with silt content and significantly negatively correlated with sand content. POC/TOC ratio negatively correlated with the contents of total nitrogen, hydrolytic nitrogen, clay and silt, but positively correlated with sand content. 3)The increase in the contents of TOC and AOC and C/N ratio in soil led to the decrease of total sugar and reducing sugar contents as well as the increase of total nitrogen and total alkaloid in tobacco leaves. POC/TOC ratio positively correlated with total sugar and reducing sugar contents, but negatively correlated with total nitrogen and total alkaloid contents in tobacco leaves. These results indicated that soil organic carbon constituents had important influences on soil fertility and the chemical components in tobacco leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing antibiotic resistant genes (ARG) are being detected in animal manure-amended soil, causing public concerns. However, the effects of animal manure fertilization on the ARG of vegetable endophytes remain unknown. In this study, high-throughput quantitative PCR (HT-qPCR) was used to explore the effects of poultry manure fertilization on the bacterial community and resistome in the soil, root endophytes, and leaf endophytes from Cichorium endivia L.. The results indicated that poultry manure fertilization not only enhanced the number of ARG in soil and root endophytes, but also increased the abundance of ARG in the soil, root endophytes, and leaf endophytes. The relationship analysis demonstrated that the ARG profile in the soil and vegetable endophytes was significantly correlated with the bacterial community, and the ARG abundance was highly correlated with Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Cyanobacteria. In addition, the overlapping ARG between the Cichorium endivia L. endophyte and soil indicated the internal spread route of the ARG from the manure to Cichorium endivia L through the soil. In conclusion, poultry manure fertilization increased the diversity and abundance of the ARG in vegetables via the manure-soil-vegetable pathway.

Annual rotary tillage can often create a compacted plough pan and shallow arable layer which hampers the high crop yield in Huang-Huai-Hai region. A brand new farming method named Vertically Rotary Tillage was introduced to solve this problem. One short-term field experiment was conducted to explore the effect of deep vertically rotary tillage on soil physical properties and photosynthetic characteristics at flowering stage of winter wheat. Two tillage treatments were designed including subsoiling tillage with 20 cm depth (SS 20 , CK) and deep vertically rotary tillage with 30 cm depth (DVR 30 ). The result showed that compared with SS 20 treatment, DVR 30 treatment could thoroughly break the plow pan and loose the arable layer. The soil bulk density at 10-20 cm and 20-30 cm layers under DVR 30 treatment was decreased by 9.5% and 11.2% respectively than that under SS 20 treatment. Meanwhile, the penetration resistance at 20-30 cm layer under DVR 30 treatment was also decreased by 42.3% than that under SS 20 treatment. Moreover, water infiltration under DVR 30 treatment and the soil water storage in the deep soil layers was then increased. The mass water content of soil increased significantly with the increase of soil depth. There was significant difference of mass water content of 30-40 cm 40-50 cm between SS 20 and DVR 30 . The mass water content 30-40 cm and 40-50 cm layers under DVR 30 treatment was increased by 16.9% and 10.6% compared with SS 20 treatment, respectively. Furthermore, DVR 30 treatment promoted the improvement of the photosynthetic capacity of wheat which could contribute to the dry matter accumulation of winter wheat. The net photosynthesis rate and SPAD at flowering stage of winter wheat leaves under DVR 30 treatment were increased by 1.3% and 15.5% respectively than that under SS 20 treatment, thereby the above and underground dry matter accumulation of winter wheat under DVR 30 was increased significantly. Due to all the superiority of DVR 30 treatment over SS 20 treatment showed above, the winter wheat yield under DVR 30 treatment was increased by 12.4% than that under SS 20 . It was concluded that deep vertically rotary tillage could provide a new and effective way to break up the compacted plough pan, build a reasonable soil structure and increase crop yield.

Silent information regulator 1(SIRT1),an NAD+dependent class-III histone deacetylase,is implicated in diverse cellular processes. SIRT1 has been reported as a key regulator of metabolism,oxidative stress,and cell survival,proliferation,apoptosis and autophagy. It also plays an important role in a variety of physiological processes and health conditions,including aging,inflammation,metabolic disease,tumor,cardiovascular disease,and neurodegeneration. In recent years,the incidence of prostate diseases is increasing,but the therapeutic options are relatively limited. The importance of SIRT1 in prostate diseases has become increasingly apparent,and more rational application of sirtuin inhibitors or activators is shedding new light on the management of prostate diseases.This review focuses on the role of SIRT1 in prostate diseases and introduces some novel strategies for their diagnosis and treatment.

Unlabelled: OCTOBER: To explore the effects of the glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) liraglutide on the penile erectile function of rats with diabetic erectile dysfunction (DED) by observing the impact of liraglutide on the expression of eNOS in the corpus cavernosum of diabetic rats., Methods: We randomly divided 30 six-week-old male SD rats into a normal control (n = 10) and an experimental group (n = 20) , established models of diabetes mellitus (DM) in the experimental rats, and subdivided them into a DM (n = 8) and a GLP-1 group (n = 8) to receive intramuscular injection of normal saline and liraglutide at 5 mg per kg of the body weight per day, respectively. After 12 weeks of intervention, we obtained the levels of FPG, FINS, TG, TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, testosterone, and IL-6 and the indexes of Homa-IR and Homa-β, detected the expressions of Akt/p-Akt and eNOS/p-eNOS in the corpus cavernosum by Western blot, and compared the erectile function between different groups., Results: The frequency and rate of penile erection were significantly lower in the DM group than in the GLP-1 and normal control groups (P < 0.05) and also lower in the GLP-1 group than in the normal controls (P < 0.05). Immunofluorescence staining showed the expression of eNOS mainly in the cytoplasm of the cavernosal vessels and sinusoidal endothelial cells, markedly lower in the DM and GLP-1 groups than in the normal rats (P < 0.05), but higher in the GLP-1 than in the DM group (P < 0.05). The level of eNOS/p-eNOS in the penile tissue was significantly decreased in the DM and GLP-1 groups in comparison with the normal controls (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), while that of p-eNOS was markedly increased in the GLP-1 group as compared with the DM group (P < 0.05). No statistically significant differences were observed in the Akt level among the three groups of animals (P > 0.05). The expression of p-Akt was remarkably reduced in the DM and GLP-1 groups in comparison with the control rats (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), but higher in the GLP-1 than in the DM group (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: GLP-1 can protect the function of endothelial cells in the corpus cavernosum and improve the erectile function of DED rats by regulating the Akt/ eNOS signaling pathway, which indicates that GLP-1 could be an important option for the treatment and prevention of DED.

Heat sensitive protein medicines are increasingly exhibiting their critical importance on treatment of various diseases at present. But their popularization and application meet a great challenge because of their heat instability. In the present study, insulin was taken as a heat sensitive protein medicine and amino acid as bio-protective agent in order to investigate if these amino acids can protect the insulin from losing its bioactivity due to desiccation. The experiment was performed by using replica exchange molecular simulation (REMD) method and Gromacs software with Gromos96 (53a6) force field. The REMD results indicated that these amino acids could protect the bioactive structure of insulin during desiccation. The configurations of the protected insulin were preserved very well. Those results proved that amino acid is a kind of good bioactive protective agent for the heat sensitive protein medicines.

In the present research, molecular simulation and quantum chemistry calculations were combined to investigate the thermal stability of three kinds of insulin aggregations and the effect of Zn (II) ion coordination on these aggregations. The results of molecular simulation indicated that the three insulin dimers in the same sphere closed hexamer had synergistic stability. It is the synergistic stability that enhances the structural and thermal stability of insulin, preserves its bioactivity during production, storage, and delivery of insulin formulations, and prolongs its halflife in human bodies. According to the results of quantum chemistry calculations, each Zn (II)-N (Im-insulin) bond energy can reach 73.610 kJ/mol for insulin hexamer and 79.907 kJ/mol for insulin tetramer. However, the results of Gibbs free energy changes still indicats that the coordination of zinc (II) ions is unfavorable for the formation of insulin hexamer, because the standard Gibbs free energy change of the coordinate reaction of zinc (II) ions associated with the formatting insulin hexamer is positive and increased.

Nowadays various protein medicines are increasingly playing significant roles in the treatment of many diseases, but the bioactive structures of such kinds of protein medicines are unstable because they are heat sensitive. Therefore, it is very important to explore a protective method and to explain the protective mechanism of protein medicines. In the present research, insulin was chosen as a heat-sensitive protein medicine, and a Group 3 late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) protein was chosen as its bioactive protectant during desiccation. The results of replica exchange molecular dynamics simulation suggest that comparing with insulin without any protection, the bioactive 3D structure and secondary structure of the insulin protected by LEA protein were preserved very well. All analyzing results proved that the LEA protein was a good bioactive protectant for heat sensitive protein medicines.

Objective: To evaluate the dynamic changes of inflammation-related indices in blood during the development of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and the association between these indices and VTE., Methods: A total of 95 VTE hospitalized patients(41 males,54 females) were recruited from Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital from January 2010 to December 2010. Comparisons of inflammation-related indices including white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil (NE), fibrinogen (FBG), C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were conducted between VTE patients and normal ranges. And the dynamic changes of these indices during the development of VTE were evaluated. Then they were divided into subgroups according to disease stage, gender, age, VTE type, body mass index, smoking status and clinical manifestations. And statistical analyses were performed to elucidate the associations between these indices and VTE., Results: The levels of NE and CRP in VTE patients (0.72, 15.0 mg/L) and ESR in male VTE patients (20.0 mm/1 h) were elevated compared with normal ranges; while WBC (male 7.27×10(9)/L, female 8.67×10(9)/L), FBG (male 3621 mg/L, female 3201 mg/L) and female ESR (19.5 mm/1 h) in VTE patients were within the normal ranges. The level of CRP was higher in acute (mean rank order value: 49.72) and sub-acute (mean rank order value: 44.80) VTE patients than chronic VTE patients (mean rank order value: 30.25). The level of FBG, CRP and ESR in patients ≥ 50 years old increased versus those <50 years old (mean rank order values 48.83 vs 34.53, 44.32 vs 28.90 and 45.95 vs 27.84 respectively), the patients whose body mass index (BMI) <25 kg/m(2) had higher WBC level than those whose BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2) (mean rank order values 52.96 vs 36.46); smoking VTE patients had elevated FBG and CRP levels than non-smoking VTE patients (mean rank order values 57.75 vs 42.69 and 53.92 vs 37.75 respectively); compared with those without clinical manifestations of periphery pulmonary artery involved, the patients with clinical manifestations had higher levels of FBG, CRP and ESR (mean rank order values 59.24 vs 37.39, 52.68 vs 33.19 and 50.08 vs 36.55 respectively). The above differences had statistical significance (all P < 0.05)., Conclusions: Some inflammation-related indices frequently used in clinical settings become elevated in VTE patients. Part of these indices show higher levels in VTE acute and sub-acute stages, and in older, non-obese, smoking and periphery pulmonary artery involved VTE patients.

Objective: To compare the chemosensitivity of pirarubicin (THP) and epirubicin (EPI) in primary breast cancer (PBC) cells so as to examine their differential chemosensitivity to THP and EPI by CD-DST (collagen gel droplet embedded culture-drug sensitivity test) system; To detect the differences in the short-term clinical efficacy and side effects between TAC (docetaxel + pirarubicin + cyclophosphamide) and TEC (docetaxel + epirubicin + cyclophosphamide) as the neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimens and the long-term clinical efficacy of CAF (cyclophosphamide + pirarubicin + fluorouracil) and CEF (cyclophosphamide + epirubicin + fluorouracil) as the chemotherapy regimens in breast cancer; To evaluate the feasibility of THP as an adjuvant chemotherapeutic regimen in the treatment of breast cancer., Methods: From January 2008 to January 2009, a total of 129 fresh breast cancer samples were collected. The differential chemosensitivity of cultured PBC cells to THP and EPI was measured by CD-DST test. And 139 cases of PBC patients inIIb-IIIc phase were randomly divided into two groups: TAC and TEC groups. After 4-6 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the primary lesion, axillary lymph nodes and side effects were assessed; The clinical data and survival status of 1241 cases of PBC patients treated at our hospital from 2003 to 2006 were collected and divided into CAF and CEF groups according to their chemotherapeutic regimens. Long-term prognosis was compared between two groups., Results: There was no significant difference of chemosensitivity between THP and EPI in PBC cells (P = 0.743); The overall response rate (RR) of neoadjuvant chemotherapy was 87.8%; the clinical objective responses, pathologic complete remission (pCR), clinical complete remission (cCR), clinical partial remission (cPR) and stable disease (SD) of groups TAC and TEC were 88.7%, 11.3%, 28.2%, 60.6%, 11.3% vs 86.8%, 10.3%, 26.5%, 60.3%, 13.2% respectively. There was no significant difference between two groups (P > 0.05). No significant differences existed between two groups in such side effects as leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, constipation, cardiotoxity and hepatorenal dysfunction (P > 0.05). The gastrointestinal reactions of nausea and vomiting was less frequent in the TAC group than that in the TEC group (46.5% vs 66.2%, P = 0.019); There was no significant difference in 5-year disease-free survival rate (79% vs 78%) and overall survival rate between two groups (85% vs 82%, P > 0.05)., Conclusion: There were no significant differences in chemosensitivity, clinical efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, side effects or long-term efficacy between THP and EPI. Both pirarubicin and epirubicin may be used as conventional chemotherapy in breast cancer.

A 16S rDNA library was used to evaluate the bacterial diversity and identify dominant groups of bacteria in different treatment pools in the domestic sewage system of the Beijing Daoxianghujing Hotel. The results revealed that there were many types of bacteria in the hotel domestic sewage, and the bacterial Shannon-Weaver diversity index was 3.12. In addition, epsilon Proteobacteria was found to be the dominant group with the ratio of 32%. In addition, both the CFB phylum, Fusobacteria, gamma Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were also reached to 9%-15%. After treated with the reclaimed water station, the bacterial Shannon-Weaver diversity index was reduced to 2. 41 and beta Proteobacteria became the dominant group and occupied 73% of the total clones. However, following artificial wetland training, the bacterial Shannon-Weaver diversity index in the sample increased to 3.38, Actinobacteria arrived to 33% and became the most dominant group; Cyanobacteria reached to 26%, and was the second dominant group. But, the control sample comprised 38% Cyanobacteria, and mainly involved in Cyanobium, Synechoccus and Microcystis, with ratios of 47.1%, 17.6% and 8.8%, respectively. Some bacteria of Microcystis aenruginosa were also detected, which probably resulted in the light bloom finally. Therefore, the bacterial diversity and community structures changed in response to treatment of the hotel domestic sewage; there was no cyanobacteria bloom explosion in the treated water. This study will aid in investigation the changes of microbial ecology in different types of water and providing the useful information for enhancing the cyanobacteria blooms control from ecological angle.

Objective: To evaluate the acute effects of inhaled iloprost on hemodynamics and oxygenation in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH)., Methods: A prospective study was made. Eighteen patients with CTEPH were enrolled. At right heart catheterisation, iloprost was inhaled at 20 microg for 10 - 15 min. Compare the value of heart rate (HR), mean blood pressure (mBP), mean pulmonary arterial hypertension (mPAP), right atrium pressure (RAP), pulmonary arterial wedge pressure (PAWP), cardiac output (CO), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), systemic vascular resistance (SVR), arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2), mixed venous saturation (SvO2), pulmonary shunt fraction (Qs/Qt), alveolar-arterial partial pressure of oxygen [P ( A-a) O2] before to after inhaled iloprost in these patients., Results: Significant changes (before to after inhalation): mPAP, (53 +/- 11) to (47 +/- 14) mm Hg (P < 0.01); PVR, (821 +/- 194) to (681 +/- 199) dyn x s x cm(-5) (P < 0.01); RAP, (10 +/- 6) to (7 +/- 6) mm Hg (P < 0.01). However, HR, PAWP, mBP, CO and SVR had no significant changes. At the same time, inhaled iloprost significantly decreased PaO2 from (58 +/- 11) to (52 +/- 6) mm Hg (P < 0.01) and increased Qs/Qt from (27 +/- 11)% to (33 +/- 9)% (P < 0.01)and P(A-a) O2 from (86 +/-39) to (93 +/- 38) mm Hg (P < 0.01)., Conclusion: Inhaled iloprost might instantly improve hemodynamics in CTEPH, but at the same time it increased arteriovenous shunts which resulted in lower PaO2.

Objective: To analyze the treatment effect of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in acute pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) with thrombolytic and anticoagulant therapy., Methods: Post hoc analysis of data from a prospective multicenter randomized control thrombolytic and anticoagulant trial of 516 patients with acute symptomatic PTE from June 2002 to December 2004. Thrombolytic therapy was performed in patients with massive and sub-massive PTE and anticoagulant therapy was given in patients with non-massive PTE. A total of 362 patients that accepted compression ultrasonography (CUS) before and 14 days after treatment constituted this study., Results: The ratio of detected DVT by CUS 14 days after treatment was reduction than that before treatment (chi2=22.667, P<0.001), but 11.6% patients had new or recurrent DVT. The rates of recanalization in thrombolysis group and anticoagulant group were 56.5% and 47.8% respectively (chi2=1.435, P=0.231). The results after three months follow up showed not recovery in 30.4% DVT patients and new or recurrent DVT in 10.4% patients., Conclusions: The normalization rate of DVT is low during 14 days treatment, and recurrence rate is high. Thrombolysis has no better rate of recanalization than anticoagulant. The prognosis of DVT hasn't improved significantly during short term treatment.

Objective: Acute pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) patients with right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) may benefit from thrombolytic therapy but may end up with worse prognosis. RVD was assessed in prognosis to which a model on it was constructed to decide the indexes correlated to the best prognosis., Methods: This prospective study included 520 consecutive acute PTE patients from 41 hospitals in China between June 2002 and February 2005. All the patients were evaluated by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA), laboratory tests, and blood gas analysis. Physicians were asked to record all the clinical manifestations. Data from Univariate analysis demonstrated the parameters correlated with an 14-day clinically adverse outcomes. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to decide the independent predictors and to construct a prognostic model., Results: Mean age of the patients was 57.4 +/- 14.1 years and 323 of them (62.1%) were male. The 14-day mortality in normotensive patients with RVD was higher' (2.0% vs. 0.4%, P < 0.01) than those without. ROC curve showed the best cut-off values of RVED/LVED and SPAP for 14-day prognosis were 0.67 and 60 mm Hg, respectively. SPAP independently predicted 3-month clinical outcomes (P < 0.01). Results from Univariate analysis demonstrated that 24 parameters were correlated with an adverse 14-day clinical outcomes, which include palpation, syncope, panic, cyanosis, respiratory rate > or = 30/min, pulse > or = 110/min, jugular vein, accentuation of P2, murmurs in tricuspid area, time interval from onset, creatine phosphokinase (CPK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alveolar-arterial PO2 difference (PA-aO2), white blood cell (WBC) < 4.0 x 10(9)/L or >10.0 x 10(9)/L, platelet, thrombus on TTE, RV/LV > 1.1, TRPG >30 mm Hg, IVCmin <8 mm, RVD, RVED/LVED > 0.6, SPAP >60 mm Hg, RVWM, PTE range larger than two lobes or seven segments on CTPA. Furthermore, a multiple logistic regression model implied 8 predictors including RVD, RVED/LVED > 0.6, SPAP >60 mm Hg, pulse > or = 110/min, accentuation of P2, Syncope, CPK, WBC < 4.0 x 109/L or > 10.0 x 10(9)/L be independent predictors of an 14-day clinically adverse outcome (P < 0.01). This model seemed to fit well (P < 0.001). We chose a cut-off value as P > or = 0.2 and compared the model to the original derivation samples. Data showed that the sensitivity (true positive rate) was 81.82%, specificity was 92.11%, false positive rate was 18.18%, coincidence was 91.14%, and the concordance rate was 80.96%., Conclusion: RVD seemed a nice discriminator for poor prognosis in normotensive patients. Early detection of RVD (especially RVED/LVED > 0.67 and/or SPAP >60 mm Hg) was beneficial for identifying patients at high-risk and the multiple logistic regression model (P < 0.001) could be well fitted.

To achieve the effects of artificial wetland on the bacterial diversity, the culturable bacteria and total cell counts of three wetland cells, including sewage pond (SP), free surface wetland (SF) and subsurface flow wetland (SSF), were investigated using the traditional culture-dependent approach and flow cytometry method, based on the detecting the water quality. The bacterial diversity and dominant groups were also compared by PCR-DGGE profiles and 16S rDNA library technique based on its V3 region. Results show that SF and SSF cells can remove the nutrients effectively, the highest removal ratio of COD, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus reach to 42.33%, 52.92% and 41.4%, respectively; The total microbes are increased continuously with the treatment by SF and SSF, and the culturable bacteria clones are decreased after treatment by SF, and increased after further train by SSF. The Shannon-Weaver index is increased to 3.2850 from 3.0819 while the water flowing through SF, but decreased to 3.0181 after flowing through SSF; The dominant groups in SP include Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria and alpha-Proteobacteria, reach to 38%, 18% and 18%, respectively; but the most dominant bacteria is changed to beta-Proteobacteria with the ratio of 32% and 44%, after treatment by SF and SSF, respectively. Cytophagal Flexibacter/Bacteroides (CFB) phylum is also increased to 24% finally. Therefore, while the Cuihu Wetland removing the nutrients,the bacterial counts, diversity and dominant groups are also changed,some beneficial bacteria in beta-Proteobacteria and CFB phylum increased, and part of those deleterious bacteria in Actinobacteria and Cyanobacteria decreased.

A lab-scale continuous experiment was designed to investigate the effect of influent COD concentrations (11,000, 15,000, 30,000 mg/L) or hydraulic retention time (HRT 42, 25 h) on the microareobic treatment performance of simulated high-strength organic wastewater. The molecular microbiological technologies, including Fluorescent in-situ hybridization-Flow Cytometry (FISH-FCM), Polymerase Chain Reaction-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE), and Biolog-FF assay method, were used to detect the variation of microbial community in the aerated column during the four pseudo-steady-state periods. The yeast contents remained > 99.9% throughout the overall experimental periods according to FISH-FCM. Increasing influent COD concentration brought on a rising MISS (2.0-7.3 g/L) and a reduced specific COD removal rate [2.3-1.7 kg/(kg x d)], structural (PCR-DGGE)/metabolic (Biolog FF) diversity index values of fungal community in the aerated column had an increase of (2.05-2.19)/(4.42-4.45). Shortening HRT brought on a reduced MISS (7.3-6.0 g/L) and a rising specific COD removal rate [1.7-2.8 kg/(kg x d)], structural (PCR-DGGE)/metabolic (Biolog FF) diversity index values of fungal community had a decrease of (2.19-0.79)/(4.45-4.36). Increasing influent COD concentration or shortening HRT has an absolutely adverse effect on the microaerobic treatment performance and micro-ecology in the aeration column although either of them can increase influent COD loading up to a higher level.

Objective: A cross-sectional study was carried out to observe the prevalence, incidence and risk factors of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in patients from intensive care unit (ICU)., Methods: Patients who were admitted to respiratory intensive care unit (RICU) and emergency intensive care unit (EICU) of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital and Beijing Anzhen Hospital were screened in our study. All patients enrolled underwent compression ultrasonography (CUS) within 48 h upon their admission to the ICUs. CUS was re-performed at 10 - 14 day, or when leaving ICU or at the time patients developed signs and symptoms (pain, heat, redness, edema) of DVT. Risk factors which were presumed associated with DVT were recorded. The main identified outcome was the presence of DVT. The secondary outcome was pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE)., Results: DVT was found in 30 patients of 252 patients within 48 h (11.90%). One hundred seventy-two patients were performed CUS two times or more. 26 patients (15.12%) had DVT. D-dimer, history of operation, kidney failure appeared to be independent risk factors for DVT in ICU patients. 13 patients were suspected PTE and 3 patients diagnosed as PTE., Conclusion: ICU doctors should pay more attention to DVT, which is relatively common in ICU patients.

Objective: To identify the risk factors of deep venous thrombosis(DVT) in patients with acute pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE)., Methods: Post hoc analysis on data from a prospective multicenter through a randomized control trial on thrombolysis and anticoagulant among 454 patients with acute symptomatic PTE from June 2002 to December 2004. All patients were confirmed PTE by CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) and/or ventilation perfusion scan or by magnetic resonance pulmonary angiography. Data of PTE patients with DVT was compared with those without DVT to identify the DVT risk factors. The effect of other variable on DVT was assessed by logistic regression analysis., Results: When comparing the age, sex body weight index and underlying diseases including hypertension, coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cerebral accident and malignant tumor between groups of DVT and no DVT,data showed that there was no statistically significant difference except for diabetes (chi2 = 4.481, P = 0.034) among them.However,results from multi-analysis showed that edema of lower-limb [odd ratio (OR), 2.255; 95% CI, 1.493 to 3.408], phlebitis (OR, 2.380; 95% CI, 1.426 to 3.973) and the entire swollen (calf swelling > or =1 cm) larger than asymptomatic side (OR, 3.834; 95% CI, 2.561 to 5.738) were independent risk factors for DVT., Conclusion: Edema of lower-limb, phlebitis and calf swelling > or =1 cm seemed to be risk factors for DVT.

Objective: To study the changes of blood coagulative and fibrinolytic system and the function of pulmonary vascular endothelium in the course of acute pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) and after anticoagulant or thrombolytic treatment., Methods: Twenty patients with acute non-massive PTE, 10 males and 10 females, aged (57 +/- 11) underwent anticoagulant treatment and 17 sex-, and age-matched acute massive PTE patients underwent thrombolytic treatment. The plasma level of D-dimer (D-D), thrombomodulin (TM), protein C (PC), protein S (PS), tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and antithrombin-III (AT-III) activity were measured by ELISA before and after normal subjects severed as control group were included in the study. The plasma level of D-D, PS, PC, TM, t-PA and PAI-1 were measured by a method of ELISA before the treatment and six days after the anticoagulant treatment or 24 hours after the thrombolytic treatment. AT-III activity was measured by chromo-substrate method at the same time points. Forty sex- and age-matched healthy persons were used as controls., Results: The plasma levels of D-D, t-PA, PS, and TM level of the anticoagulant group were all significantly higher and the AT-III activity of the 2 treatment groups was significantly lower than those of the controls before treatment (all P < 0.05); the plasma levels of D-D, t-PA, PAI-1, PS, and TM of the thrombolytic group were ala significantly higher and the AT-III activity was significantly lower than those of the control group before the treatment (all P < 0.05). After anticoagulant therapy, the plasma levels of D-D, t-PA, PS, and PC were significantly lower than those before treatment (all P < 0.05), however, the plasma levels of PAI-1, TM, and AT-III activity after treatment did not differ significantly from those before treatment. The plasma levels of D-D, t-PA, PS, PC, and TM after treatment of the thrombolytic group were all significantly lower than those before treatment (all P < 0.05), however, the plasma levels of PAI-1, TM, and AT-III activity after treatment did not differ significantly from those before treatment., Conclusion: Apparent imbalance in the blood coagulative and fibrinolytic system and pulmonary vascular endothelium damage occur in the patients with acute PTE. Combination tests of plasma D-D, AT-III, PS, PC, TM, t-PA and PAI-1 can give a more comprehensive explanation of the imbalance in the blood coagulative and fibrolytic system. Anticoagulant treatment and thrombolytic treatment play important roles in the regulation of the imbalance of coagulative and fibrinolytic system and protection of the function of pulmonary vascular endothelium of PTE patients.

Objective: To evaluate the short-term efficacy and safety of sildenafil in treatment of pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH)., Methods: Literatures in regard to sildenafil treatment of PAH were searched in PubMed (from 01/01/1968 to 01/05/2006), Embase (from 1980 to 2006) and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) (from 1994 to 2006). Randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) of sildenafil versus placebo in the treatment of PAH were conducted. The quality of the included trials was evaluated by two reviewers independently. Meta-analysis was done by using the Cochrane Collaboration's RevMan 4.2.8., Results: Ten literatures were retrieved. Four RCTs, including 328 patients, were included and were graded in terms of the quality of randomization, allocation, concealment and blinding. One study was graded as level A and the other three were graded as level B. The meta-analysis showed that compared with placebo treatment, sildenafil therapy can (1) improve the exercise capacity of the PAH patients measured as distance covered in a 6 minute walk test with an increase of 55.76 meters on average in 6 minutes' walk (95% confidence interval, 41.26 to 70.25; P < 0.01), (2) increase the exercise time of the PAH patients by 221.13s on average (95% confidence interval, 146.13 to 296.14; P < 0.01), (3) decrease the pulmonary artery systolic pressure by 11.51 mmHg on average (95% confidence interval, 1.41 to 21.60, P = 0.03), and (4) alleviate the exacerbation of clinical conditions with a total odds ratio (OR) of 0.36 (95% confidence interval, 0.16 to 0.78, P = 0.01); however, it failed to alleviate the headache and hypotension in comparison with the placebo group. No sexual disturbance was seen in the patients treated with sildenafil., Conclusion: Sildenafil therapy improves the clinical symptoms and exercise capacity, and decreases the pulmonary artery systolic pressure of the PAH patients; and causes no serious side effects.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of polymorphisms in the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) promoter 4G/5G polymorphisms in Chinese Han population and to investigate whether they are associated with pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE)., Methods: Samples of peripheral venous blood were collected from 101 patients with PTE diagnosed by high probability of lung ventilation/perfusion scan and/or multi-slice CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) as well as medical history and clinical manifestations, 67 males and 34 females, aged 48 +/- 15, and 101 age and sex-matched healthy controls from the same geographic area as controls. The genome DNA was extracted from the whole blood using potassium iodide-phenol-chloroform method. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC), and sequence analysis were used to screen the single nucleotide polymorphisms and the genotype distribution of -675 4G/5G located in the promoter region of the PAI-1 gene., Results: The frequencies of the allele 4G of PAI-1 gene in the controls were 0.495, significantly lower than in the PTE patients (0.733, chi(2) = 24.060, P < 0.01). The frequencies of the allele 5G of PAI-1 gene in the controls were 0.505, significantly higher than that in the PET patients. The genotype frequency of 4G4G of the PET patients was 57.4%, significantly higher than that of the controls (30.7%, P = 0.000). The genotype frequencies of 4G5G and 5G5G of the PET patients were 31.7% and 10.9% respectively, not significantly different from those of the controls (37.6 and 31.7% respectively). The presence of 4G allele of PAI-1 gene was found to be a greater risk factor for PTE. In comparison with the controls, the OR of 4G4G + 4G5G, 4G4G, and 4G5G in the PET patients were 3.794 (1.786 - 8.060), 5.443 (2.416 - 12.260), and 2.450 (1.067 - 5.623) respectively with the P values of 0.001, 0.000, and 0.035 respectively., Conclusion: The 4G/5G and 4G/4G genotypes are associated with the pathogenesis of PET.T.

Objective: To investigate the inhibitory effect of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) antisense oligonucleotides or/and dalteparin sodium (fragmin) on tumor growth and metastasis of mice Lewis lung cancer., Methods: 40 mice with Lewis lung cancer were randomizedly divided into five groups: control group, VEGF antisense oligonucleotides (ASODN) group, VEGF mismatch sense oligonucleotides (MSODN) group, low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) group, and combined group. Sodium chloride, VEGF-ASODN, VEGF -MSODN, fragmin, and VEGF-ASODN plus fragmin were given respectively (once every two days, 15 times altogether). The volume and weight of subcutaneous tumors were measured, and the rates of lung metastasis were detected by HE staining. The microvessel density (MVD) in tumor mass were measured by immunohistochemistry staining. VEGF protein level in tumor tissue were detected by Western blot assay., Results: After treatment, the tumor growth inhibitory rates were 47.34%, 27.31% and 59.03%, and the rates of lung metastasis were 37.5%, 37.5% and 25% in ASODN, LMWH, and the combined group, respectively. Tumor MVD and VEGF protein expression of the above three groups were lower than those of the control group. There was a significant difference in regard to the tumor growth inhibitory rates and MVD between the above three treated groups and the control group as well as the MSODN group (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: VEGF-ASODN and fragmin may down-regulate VEGF gene expression and inhibit angiogenesis, Combined use of fragmin can enhance anti- tumor effect of VEGF-ASODN.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of beta-fibrinogen gene -455G/A, -148C/T polymorphisms in Chinese Han population and to investigate whether they were associated with pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE)., Methods: The subjects consisted of 101 patients with PTE and 101 healthy controls matched with age and sex, from the same geographic area. All patients were diagnosed by high probability of lung ventilation/perfusion scan and/or multi-slice CT pulmonary angiography as well as medical history and clinical manifestations. Genome DNA was extracted from whole blood using KI-phenol-chloroform. Genotypes and allele frequencies of fibrinogen beta gene -455G/A, -148C/T polymorphisms were examined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Restriction enzyme HaeIII and HindIII digestion were used for detecting -455G/A, -148C/T polymorphisms respectively., Results: Regarding fibrinogen beta gene -455G/A and -148C/, the allele frequencies G and A of fibrinogen beta -455 in the controls were 0.931, 0.069 while C and T of -148 were 0.777, 0.223 respectively, which were in good agreement with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. There was significant difference of -455G/A genotype frequencies distribution of AA, GA, GG between cases and in controls respectively, but no significant difference was found in the -148C/T polymorphisms. The frequencies of mutation allele -455A were 0.193, 0.169 in cases and in controls with P < 0.05 but there was no statistically significant difference of -148T allele. The presence of A allele of fibrinogen beta -455 was found to be a greater risk factor in cases than in controls. The odds ratio (OR) of GA and GA + AA were 3.723 (1.786 - 7.759), 3.749 (1.842 - 7.630), respectively. When compared with GG genotype, the P value was 0.0001., Conclusion: There was a complete linkage disequilibrium between fibrinogen beta -148C/T and -455G/A found. The frequencies of -455A, alleles in PTE disease were apparently higher than that of healthy adults but there was no difference in -148T alleles.

Objective: To explore the changes of blood coagulative and fibrinolytic systems and functions of pulmonary vascular endothelium in patients with pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE)., Methods: Twenty patients with acute massive PTE, 40 patients with acute non-massive PTE and 40 control subjects without PTE were included in the study. D-Dimer (D-D), tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), plasminogen activator inhibitor1 (PAI-1), plasma protein S (Ps), plasma protein C (Pc), thrombomodulin (TM), anticardiolipin antibody (ACA) and homocysteine (Hcy) were measured by the method of ELISA. Antithrombin-III (AT-III) activity was measured by chromo-substrate method., Results: The levels of D-D, t-PA, PAI-1, and TM were (1.46 +/- 0.62) mg/L, (11.4 +/- 6.9) microg/L, (88.2 +/- 27.5) microg/L, (6.8 +/- 1.1) microg/L respectively in patients with acute massive PTE and (0.92 +/- 0.27) mg/L, (6.6 +/- 1.5) microg/L, (60.1 +/- 26.1) microg/L, and (6.30 +/- 1.50) mg/L in patients with acute non-massive PTE. The levels of both PET groups were significantly higher than those of the control subjects [(0.38 +/- 0.10) mg/L, (4.7 +/- 1.4) microg/L, (35.7 +/- 9.2) microg/L, (3.0 +/- 0.5) microg/L and P < 0.05]. The levels of AT-III were (86.0 +/- 11.8)% in patients with acute massive PTE and (90.1 +/- 9.0)% in patients with acute non-massive PTE. The levels of AT-III in both groups were significantly lower than those of the control subjects, which were (102.6 +/- 9.2)% (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05 respectively). The levels of ACA-IgG, IgM and IgA in patients with acute massive PTE and non-massive PTE were also significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: Imbalance of blood coagulation and fibrolytic systems and pulmonary vascular endothelium damage occur in patients with PTE.

Objective: To pool the data of studies about anticoagulation in non-massive pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) and evaluate the efficacy and safety of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) and unfractionated heparin (UFH) as the initial treatment., Methods: MEDLINE CD-ROM from January 1966 to August 2003 and CBM CD-ROM from January 1978 to August 2003 were chosen for searching the randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that compared the efficacy or safety of LMWH and UFH in non-massive PTE. A meta-analysis was employed to evaluate the results of these two therapies., Results: Five RCTs including 999 cases were analyzed. Compared with UFH, the combined odds ratio (OR) of LMWH in treating PTE was as follows: (1) The total OR of mortality of PTE patients treated with LMWH was 0.81 (95%CI 0.36-1.81, P > 0.05); (2) The total OR of recurrence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in PTE patients treated with LMWH was 0.37 (95%CI 0.14-1.00, P=0.05); (3) The total OR of bleeding in LMWH was 0.47 (95%CI 0.16-1.39, P > 0.05);(4) The total OR of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) in LMWH was 0.66 (95%CI 0.06-6.92, P > 0.05)., Conclusions: LMWH and UFH can reduce the mortality and recurrence of VTE in patients with PTE in the same degree. The risk of major bleeding was similar in the two treatment groups. Initial subcutaneous therapy with the LMWH appeared to be as effective and safe as intravenous UFH in the initial treatment of PTE.

Objective: To study the effect of sulfate polysaccharide of algae (SPA) on lung carcinoma and it's mechanism., Methods: (1) C57BL/6 mice implanted with Lewis lung carcinoma were used as experimental animal model. The mice were randomly divided into a control group, SPA groups (3 groups) and a FT-207 group. After inoculation with Lewis lung carcinoma, the control group was treated with NS, the 3 SPA groups were treated with SPA 20 mg, 40 mg, and 80 mg/kg respectively, and the FT-207 group with FT-207 150 mg/kg for 10 days. The inhibiting activity of SPA on Lewis lung carcinoma was assayed, and proliferation of A549 tumor cells treated with SPA was detected by MTT assay. (2) New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into a control group, a SPA 500 mg/kg group and a CTX 100 mg/kg group. Serum pharmacological method, and both in vivo and in vitro anti-tumor experiments were used in the study. After incubating A549 with SPA containing serum at different concentrations, the growth and apoptosis of cells, cell cycle, apoptosis rate and expression of apoptosis associated genes such as p53 and bcl-2 were detected by flow-cytometric assay., Results: (1) SPA significantly inhibited the growth of implanted Lewis lung carcinoma in vivo and the effect had a dose dependent manner. The inhibitory rates of SPA on C57BL mice implanted Lewis lung carcinoma were 35.27% (P < 0.01), 48.29% (P < 0.01), and 65.41% (P < 0.01) respectively, which showed dose-dependent effects. SPA directly added to the culture medium neither induced A549 lung cancer cell apoptosis nor inhibited its proliferation in vitro. (2) SPA containing serum significantly induced A549 lung cancer cell apoptosis and inhibited its proliferation, with an increased expression of p53 and decreased expression of bcl-2 positive proteins, showing time and dose-dependent relationship., Conclusions: SPA possessed remarkable inhibitory activity against lung neoplasia in animal models and lung cancer cell strain. The anti tumor activity of SPA was considered to be derived from apoptosis induction, which might be associated with the increased expression of p53 and decreased expression of bcl-2 positive proteins.