Background: Classification of vibriophages has been applied for epidemiological surveillance of cholera, but in Vietnam, there was virtually no knowledge about it. It is very important to determine whether the strains have common origin or different origins.Objectives: To classify vibriophages isolated from environmental surface water samples in Thai Binh in order to monitor cholera outbreaks. Subjects and method: Three vibriophages (84, 87, and 811) were collected from surface water samples in Thai Binh in 2006. Electronic microscopy was used to compare the size and morphology of Vibrio phages. Also, the structures of genomic DNA of vibriophages were compared by hind III digestion pattern and Southern blotting. Results: Vibriophages S4 and S11 isolated from Thai Binh were similar to kappa phage (a phage produced by V. cholerae 01 EI Tor strain), phage IV (a phage produced by V. cholerae 01 classical strain) in term of morphology and genome and were the same shape and DNA dimension of phage 1823 isolated from V. cholerae O139 strain in India and Bangladesh. Conclusion: Phage 84, 81 isolated from Thai Binh were new kinds of vibriophage isolated in Viet Nam. These findings were very useful for supervising and controlling cholera outbreaks in Vietnam.
Classification ; vibriophage ; environment surface water

To effectively solve the serious impact of high oil in the kitchen wastewater on the downstream treatment process, an excellent oil-degrading strain Aeromonas allosaccarophila CY-01 was immobilized to prepare Chitosan-Aeromonas pellets (CH-CY01) by using chitosan as a carrier. Oil degradation condition and efficiency of CH-CY01 pellets were assessed. The growth of immobilized CH-CY01 was almost unaffected, and the maximum degradation rate of soybean oil was 89.7%. Especially at 0.5% NaCl concentration, oil degradation efficiency of CH-CY01 was increased by 20% compared with free cells. In the presence of a surfactant (sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate) at 1 mg/L, the degradation efficiency of oil by CH-CY01 was increased by 40%. Moreover, using the high-oil catering wastewater as the substrate, more than 80% of the solid oil was degraded with 1% (V/V) CH-CY01 pellets treatment for 7 days, significantly higher than that of free cells. In summary, immobilized CH-CY01 significantly improved the efficiency of oil degradation.
Aeromonas ; Chitosan ; Surface-Active Agents ; Waste Water

Background: In countries that cholera outbreaks commonly occurs, surveillance of surface water is important to control the epidemics. Kappa phage (K139) of Vibrio cholerae is related to epidemic El Tor and O139 strains in various countries. Objectives: To study the relationships between V. cholerae 01 and vibriophages in surface water in Thai Binh and Hai Phong city and to determine the predictors of cholera outbreaks. Subjects and method: Total of 82 water samples were collected by shrimp swab method in Hai Phong and Thai Binh in June and September 2007, where cholera outbreaks occurred. The enriched culture method and direct peR were applied to define the relationships between vibriophages and V. cholerae 01 in surface water. Results: The rates of detecting kappa junction with chromosomes of V. cholerae 01 in Hai Phong and Thai Binh were 10% and 15% in June 2007, 35% and 41% in September 2007. The rates of detecting vibriophages in Hai Phong and Thai Binh were 15% and 15% in June 2007, 25% and 36% in September 2007. The rates of Fs1 and Fs2 detected by PCR method were 70% and 100% in Hai Phong at June and September 2007, and were 57% and 100% in Thai Binh at June and September 2007, respectively. V. cholerae 01, O139 weren\u2019t found in water samples. Conclusion: The presences of vibriophages (kappa phage and fs1 fs2) in surface water contaminated with V. cholerae 01 were dependent on the ability of the vibriophages to infect and lyse these bacteria. Vibriophages played a role in the transfer of cholera toxin and pathogenic factors. Surveillance by detecting V. cholerae 01 and vibriophages in surface water may be a feasible means of predicting outbreaks of cholera before a significant number of cases occur.
Vibrio cholerae 01 ; vibriophages ; surface water ; cholera outbreaks

OBJECTIVEUsing the thyroid volume criteria for body surface area (BSA) to assess more precisely the effectiveness of removing iodized salt on the goiter status of children living in areas with excessive iodine in drinking water.

METHODSThree towns with median water iodine (MWI) of 150-300 µg/L were selected by simple random method in Hengshui city of Hebei province of China in May of 2010. A total of 452 and 459 children in the 3 towns were randomly selected to measure thyroid volume by ultrasound. Iodized salt was removed in July of 2010. In October of 2013, 459 children in these 3 towns were selected by simple random method to measure their thyroid volume by ultrasound again. Their goiter status was judged using the criteria of thyroid volume for BSA recommended by the WHO.

RESULTSAfter removing iodized salt, the overall BSA specific goiter prevalence in the three towns significantly decreased from 33% (149/452) to 6% (30/459) (χ² = 100.64, P < 0.001). The BSA specific goiter prevalence in 8, 9 and 10 year-old children decreased respectively from 38% (35/92), 31% (59/193) and 33% (55/167) to 6% (10/164), 7% (11/163) and 7% (9/132) (χ² values were 41.35, 31.66, 29.79, P < 0.001). The BSA specific goiter prevalence in boys and girls decreased from 34% (83/244) and 32% (66/208) to 6% (14/225) and 7% (16/234) (χ² values were 55.01, 45.06, P < 0.001) respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe BSA specific children's goiter prevalence decreased significantly after removing iodized salt from their diet in the HIA in Hebei province.

Body Surface Area ; Child ; China ; Diet ; Drinking Water ; Female ; Goiter ; Humans ; Iodine ; Male ; Prevalence ; Sodium Chloride, Dietary ; Water

OBJECTIVES: Although the coating of surface sealants to dental composite resin may potentially reduce bacterial adhesion, there seems to be little information regarding this issue. This preliminary in vitro study investigated the adhesion of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) on the dental composite resins coated with three commercial surface sealants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Composite resin (Filtek Z250) discs (8 mm in diameter, 1 mm in thickness) were fabricated in a mold covered with a Mylar strip (control). In group PoGo, the surfaces were polished with PoGo. In groups PS, OG, and FP, the surfaces polished with PoGo were coated with the corresponding surface sealants (PermaSeal, PS; OptiGuard, OG; Fortify Plus, FP). The surfaces of the materials and S. mutans cells were characterized by various methods. S. mutans adhesion to the surfaces was quantitatively evaluated using flow cytometry (n = 9). RESULTS: Group OG achieved the lowest water contact angle among all groups tested (p < 0.001). The cell surface of S. mutans tested showed hydrophobic characteristics. Group PoGo exhibited the greatest bacterial adhesion among all groups tested (p < 0.001). The sealant-coated groups showed statistically similar (groups PS and FP, p > 0.05) or significantly lower (group OG, p < 0.001) bacterial adhesion when compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The application of the surface sealants significantly reduced S. mutans adhesion to the composite resin polished with the PoGo.
Bacterial Adhesion ; Composite Resins ; Flow Cytometry ; Fungi ; In Vitro Techniques* ; Streptococcus mutans* ; Streptococcus* ; Surface Properties ; Water

BACKGROUND: The kidney size is important in differentiating many renal diseases. Some studies have been reported about the normal kidney size in the foreign countries. However, no studies were performed by using ultrasonography in Korea. Therefore, we investigated the normal kidney length, the factors affecting the kidney length and the relationship of each other. METHODS: One thousand three hundred eighty eight healthy Koreans were scanned for the kidney length by ultrasonography and were measured for their body index(height, weight, body surface area, total body water, and fat free mass). We analyzed the association between kidney length and body index. RESULTS: Eight hundred four male and five hundred eighty four female were involved in this study and their mean age was 47.8+/-10.3 in male, 48.1+/-9.5 in female. 1) The average value of left and right kidney was 10.65+/-0.80cm, 10.50+/-0.78cm respectively, and the left kidney was greater than right one(P<0.01). 2) The difference between male and female was 10.77+/-0.79cm, 10.49+/-0.78cm respectively in the left kidney and 10.66+/-0.76cm, 10.27+/-0.75cm in the right kidney(P<0.01). 3) The aging process nearly does not affects the kidney size from 4th decade to 7th decade. However, the kidney size is getting smaller after 8th decade. 4) The correlation coefficient between the kidney size and height, weight, body surface area, total body water, fat free mass was 0.37, 0.41, 0.43, 0.37, 0.38(P<0.01) respectively. CONCLUSION: The kidney length showed normal distribution in normal Korean adult and the length greater than 12.36cm, smaller than 8.76cm means out of its range of normal(+/-2SD) irrespective of sex and position. The body surface area has the largest correlation with kidney size in both sex(r=0.38/0.44; left/right, P<0.01).
Adult* ; Aging ; Body Surface Area ; Body Water ; Body Weight ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney* ; Korea ; Male ; Ultrasonography*

Sorption of carbon tetrachloride (CT) by zero-valent iron (ZVI) is the rate-limiting step in the degradation of CT, so the sorption capacity of ZVI is of great importance. This experiment was aimed at enhancing the sorption of CT by ZVI and the degradation rate of CT by modification of surfactants. This study showed that ZVI modified by cationic surfactants has favorable synergistic effect on the degradation of CT. The CT degradation rate of ZVI modified by cetyl pyridinium bromide (CPB) was higher than that of the unmodified ZVI by 130%, and the CT degradation rate of ZVI modified by cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) was higher than that of the unmodified ZVI by 81%. This study also showed that the best degradation effect is obtained at the near critical micelle concentrations (CMC) and that high loaded cationic surfactant does not have good synergistic effect on the degradation due to its hydrophilicity and the block in surface reduction sites. Furthermore degradation of CT by ZVI modified by nonionic surfactant has not positive effect on the degradation as the ionic surfactant and the ZVI modified by anionic surfactant has hardly any obvious effects on the degradation.
Carbon Tetrachloride ; chemistry ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Iron ; chemistry ; Surface-Active Agents ; chemistry ; Water Pollution ; prevention & control

To study the effects of surfactants on wettability of excipients, the contact angles of six types of surfactants on the surface of two common excipients and mixture of three surfactants with excipients were measured using hypsometry method. The results demonstrated that contact angle of water on the surface of excipients was associated with hydrophilcity of excipients. Contact angle was lowered with increase in hydrophilic groups of excipient molecules. The sequence of contact angle from small to large was starch < sodium benzoate < polyvinylpyrrolidone < sodium carboxymethylcellulose < sodium alginate < chitosan < hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Excipients ; chemistry ; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions ; Surface-Active Agents ; chemistry ; Tablets ; Water ; Wettability

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the color stability and translucency of silorane-based low shrinkage composite after in vitro aging procedures of thermal cycling and water storage respectively, and to compare with those of conventional methacrylate-based posterior composite.

METHODSThree light-cured composite resins, dimethacrylate-based composite A (Filtek™ Z350), B (Filtek™ P60) and silorane-based composite C (Filtek™ P90), were tested in this study. Ten specimens (10 mm in diameter, 1 mm in height) of each composite were prepared. The ten specimens in each group were then divided into two subgroups (n = 5). One subgroup underwent thermal cycling [(5.0 ± 0.5)~(55.0 ± 1.0) °C, 10 000 cycles] and the other was stored in 37 C° distilled water for 180 days. With a spectrophotometer, the CIE L * a * b * parameters of the specimens were tested before and after artificial aging against white, medium grey and black backgrounds, respectively. △E, TP and △TP were calculated and data were analyzed using independent-samples t test and partial analysis (P < 0.05).

RESULTSWith regard to color stability, silorane-based composite showed color alteration above the clinically acceptable levels (△E > 3.3), and also showed higher △E with a statistically significant difference in comparison with the other composites (B and C) (P < 0.05) after artificial aging. With regard to translucency, composite C showed more alteration compared with composite B (P < 0.05) after thermal cycling.

CONCLUSIONSIt may be concluded that the silorane-based composite underwent greater alteration with regard to color stability and translucency.

Aging ; Color ; Composite Resins ; Light ; Materials Testing ; Methacrylates ; Silorane Resins ; Spectrophotometry ; Surface Properties ; Water

To build the evaluating method of the characteristic physical properties of the wetting mass, this study reported the preparation of wetting mass by adding water into microcrystalline cellulose, and using texture analyser texture profile analysis to test its physical properties, including hardness, adhesiveness, springness, cohesiveness, chewiness, resilience and so on, then finding out the better method and parameters. The method was evaluated and used to test wetting mass, which was made of microcrystalline cellulose of different types and polyvinylpyrrolidone. When running texture profile analysis whose trigger force was 1500 g, the relative standard deviation was under 10%, and the trend of every characteristic physical property tallied with the theory result by water ratio increase. Testing result of the same excipient with the same water ratio had a higher precision, while characteristic physical properties of wetting mass who was made of the same excipient with different water ratios and different excipients had a great difference. Using texture analyser to test physical properties of wetting mass could get a result which tallied with the theory by water ratio increase, and had a well precision, accuracy and sensitivity, and thus it could also evaluate the characteristic physical properties of wetting mass relatively well.
Adhesiveness ; Cellulose ; chemistry ; Excipients ; chemistry ; Hardness ; Povidone ; chemistry ; Surface Properties ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Water ; chemistry ; Wettability