In order to broaden the application area of the new nitrogen removal technology, a full-scale system for short-cut nitrification and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox) was investigated in the nitrogen removal from a strong-ammonium pharmaceutical wastewater. When the influent ammonium concentration was (430.40 ± 55.43) mg/L, ammonia removal efficiency was (81.75 ± 9.10)%. The short-cut nitrification and Anammox system could successfully remove nitrogen from the pharmaceutical wastewater. The start-up of short-cut nitrification system took about 74 d and the nitrite accumulation efficiency was (52.11 ± 9.13)%, the two-step mode using synthetic wastewater and actual wastewater was suitable for the start-up of short-cut nitrification system. The start-up of Anammox system took about 145 d and the maximum volumetric nitrogen removal rate was 6.35 kg N/(m3·d), dozens of times higher than those for the conventional nitrification-denitrification process. The strategy achieving Anammox sludge by self-growth and biocatalyst addition was suitable for the start-up of Anammox system.
Ammonia ; chemistry ; Bioreactors ; Drug Industry ; Nitrification ; Nitrites ; chemistry ; Nitrogen ; chemistry ; Sewage ; microbiology ; Waste Disposal, Fluid ; methods ; Waste Water ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prevalence and subtypes of microdeletions in azoospermia factor (AZF) region in infertile men from Sichuan in order to correlate genotypes with phenotypes.

METHODSMultiplex-PCR was used to detect sequence tagged sites (STS) of AZF microdeletions in 1011 infertile men including 713 cases of non-obstructive azoospermia and 298 cases of severe oligospermia.

RESULTSThe overall prevalence of microdeletions was 10.48% (106/1011), and the deletion rates were 11.08% (79/713) in non-obstructive azoospermia and 9.06% (27/298) in severe oligospermia. Complete AZFa or AZFb deletions were associated with azoospermia, whereas AZFc deletion (60.38%) was the most frequent deletion. The deletions were associated with variable spermatogenic phenotypes, and 37.50% of the patients with a deletion had sperms in the ejaculate. A mild decline in sperm concentration was found in two cases with partial AZFb deletion and one case with partial AZFb-c deletion.

CONCLUSIONDeletions of the AZFc region were most commonly found in our patients. All cases with complete AZFa or AZFb deletions and a proportion of cases with AZFc deletion were associated with azoospermia. Our study has provided more insight into the genotype-phenotype correlation, and confirmed that Yq microdeletion screening has a significant value for the diagnosis for male infertility.

Adult ; Azoospermia ; genetics ; Chromosome Deletion ; Chromosomes, Human, Y ; Genetic Association Studies ; methods ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; genetics ; Male ; Phenotype ; Young Adult

By using a yeast two-hybrid system, a yeast two-hybrid bait vector was constructed and identified for screening of the HPV18 E6-interacting proteins, and its effects on the growth of yeast cells and the activation of reporter genes were investigated. Total mRNA extracted from Hela cells was reversely transcribed into cDNA. Fragment of HPV18 E6 cDNA was amplified using RT-PCR and directly ligated to the pGBKT7 vector. The recombinant plasmid was confirmed by restriction endonuclease analysis and DNA sequencing. The recombinant pGBKT7-HPV18 E6 plasmid and empty pGBKT7 vector were transformed into the yeast cell AH109, respectively. After they were cultured respectively in YPDA liquid medium and nutrition-deficient culture medium, their toxicity and transcriptional activation were tested by both the phenotype assay and the color assay. The bait plasmid HPV18 E6 was successfully obtained. After being cultured in YPDA liquid medium for 16h, the A (600 nm) values of two yeast fluids were 0.98+/-0.03 and 0.99+/-0.02, respectively. The recombinant pGBKT7-HPV18 E6 plasmid and empty pGBKT7 vector could grow to white colonies on SD/-Trp/X-alpha-gal plates, while no colony could survive on SD/-His/-Trp/X-alpha-gal, SD/-Ade/-Trp/X-alpha-gal plates, indicating that the bait plasmid pGBKT7-HPV18 E6 was constructed successfully and expressed correctly, and could not activate the transcription of reporter gene alone. The yeast two-hybrid GAL4 system 3 can be utilized to find HPV18 E6 interacting proteins.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVEThe incidence of cervical adenosquamous carcinoma is relatively low. This study was to analyze the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognostic factors of cervical adenosquamous carcinoma.

METHODSClinical data of 44 cervical adenosquamous carcinoma patients and 88 cervical adenocarcinoma patients(control), treated from January 2002 to December 2007, were analyzed using Chi-square test, Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test, and Cox regression model.

RESULTSThe proportion of large tumors (maximal diameter > 4 cm) was significantly higher in cervical adenosquamous carcinoma group than in cervical adenocarcinoma group (47.7% vs. 28.4%, P<0.05); the proportion of poorly differentiated tumors was significantly higher in cervical adenosquamous carcinoma group than in cervical adenocarcinoma group (56.8% vs. 30.7%, P<0.05). Univariate analysis showed that tumor size (P=0.011), FIGO stage (P=0.013), depth of stromal invasion (P=0.05) and lymph node metastasis (P=0.017) were correlated with prognosis, while multivariate analysis showed that FIGO stage and lymph node metastasis had great impact on prognosis. There was no significant difference of 2-year overall and disease-free survival rates between the two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSCervical adenosquamous carcinoma is characterized by large tumor size and poor differentiation. FIGO stage and lymph node metastasis are significant prognostic factors. There is no difference in prognosis between cervical adenosquamous carcinoma and cervical adenocarcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma ; pathology ; secondary ; surgery ; therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Bone Neoplasms ; secondary ; Carcinoma, Adenosquamous ; pathology ; secondary ; surgery ; therapy ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; methods ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Lung Neoplasms ; secondary ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasm Staging ; Pelvic Neoplasms ; secondary ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Tumor Burden ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between four cytokines in serum and prostatic fluid and chronic abacterial prostatitis (CAP).

METHODSThe levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were detected in 86 patients with CAP [CAP I (n = 60), WBC > or = 10/HP; CAP II (n = 26, WBC < 10/HP)], and 20 healthy males as control by ELISA.

RESULTSIL-2, IL-8 and TNF-alpha in serum and prostatic fluid, and IL-4 in serum in patients with CAP I were markedly higher than those in the control, respectively (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). No significant difference was observed in IL-4 level in prostatic fluid among CAP I, CAP II and control groups respectively (P > 0.05), and in IL-2, IL4, TNF-alpha in serum and prostatic fluid between CAP II group and the control (P > 0.05). IL-8 was correlated with WBC number in prostatic fluid (r = 0.62, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONIL-2, IL-8, TNF-alpha may play roles in the process of pathogenesis of CAP, and they have applicable value in the diagnosis and typing of CAP.

Adult ; Bodily Secretions ; chemistry ; Chronic Disease ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-4 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-8 ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostate ; secretion ; Prostatitis ; blood ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

To screen for novel binding proteins interacting with high-risk HPV 18 E6 oncogene, the strain AH109 was transformed with pGBKT7-HPV18 E6 plasmid, and subsequent transference was utilized to screen for interacting proteins with HPV 18 E6 in human Hela cDNA library. HPVl8 E6 mRNA was expressed in yeast and there was no self-activation and toxicity in AH109. Seven proteins that interacted with HPV18 E6, including transmembrane protein 87B, phosphonoformate im- muno-associated protein 5, vimentin, KM-HN-1 protein, dedicator of cytokinesis 7, vaccinia related kinase 2 and a hypothetical protein, were identified. It was suggested that yeast two-hybrid system is an efficient for screening interacting proteins. The high-risk HPV 18 E6 oncogene may interact with the proteins, which may be associated with signal transduction and transeriptional control, epithelial cell invasion and migration, as well as humoral and cellular immune etc. This investigation provides functional clues for further exploration of potential oncogenesis targets for cancer biotherapy.

Objective To explore the correlation between sense of life and the negative emotions in clinic nurses to provide reference frame for maintaining their mental health .Methods One hundred clinic nurses were included randomly.Purpose in Life Test (PIL), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale ( SAS) were used to analyze the negative emotions and sense of life .Results There were thirty-three clinic nurses PIL score below 92 points, accounted for 33.0%, forty-one clinic nurses between 92-112, accounted for 41.0%, twenty-six clinic nurses more than 112 points, accounted for 26.0%.The average PIL score was (96.19 ±14.33), which was lower than normal model , and the difference was statistically significant (t=4.453,P<0.05).The light, moderate SDS score was 20.0%, 10.0%, respectively.The average SDS score was (56.19 ±7.33).The light, moderate SAS score was 23.0%, 14.0%, respectively. The average SAS score was (55.47 ±6.86).There was negative correlation between PIL score and SDS score , and between PIL score and SAS score (r=-0.444, -0.453,respectively;P<0.05).Conclusions There is a negative correlation between negative emotions and sense of life .The stronger sense of life the nurses have , the better mental health they will have , which is conductive to nurse more efforts to study and work , and improve the nursing quality and hospital service levels .

OBJECTIVETo assess the effect of surgical reconstruction of congenital aural atresia via the mastoid antrum approach and investigate method for preventing postoperative atresia of the reconstructed aural canal.

METHODSFrom 2000 to 2008, aural canal reconstruction and tympanoplasty was performed via the mastoid antrum approach. In 48 patients with congenital aural atresia (54 ears, including 45 ears of type II, 9 ears of type III). All the patients were followed-up for 18 months to assess the therapeutic effect.

RESULTSThe mastoid antrum was located uneventfully for all the 54 ears, all showing ossicular chain anomalies involving most frequently the malleus and the incus followed by the upper structures of the stapes. Facial nerve abnormalities were seen in 23 ears (42.6%). Hearing improvement to over 20 dB was achieved in 45 ears (83.3%) and to over 25 dB in 25 ears (46.2%) one year later.

CONCLUSIONThe mastoid antrum approach for surgical reconstruction of congenital aural atresia is safe and reliable. Maintenance of the width of the aural canal and prevention of lateral healing of the transplanted tympanic membrane are crucial in the treatment of congenital aural atresia.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Ear Canal ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Ear, External ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Ear, Middle ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mastoid ; surgery ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Tympanoplasty

P2X7 receptors are closely associated with inflammation, and they have been found to be expressed on colonic cells broadly. In animal model of colonic inflammation, ATP/P2X7 signaling mainly promotes inflammation, and a variety of cells, including macrophages, dendritic cells, T cells, mast cells and enteric neurons are involved in this process. However, in the toxoplasmic ileitis, P2X7 signaling plays a role in inhibiting the inflammation. But, the underlying mechanisms are still not clear. This review outlined the research progresses of P2X7 receptors in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to provide some clues for the further studies on the relationship between P2X7 receptors and IBD.
Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Macrophages ; Mast Cells ; Receptors, Purinergic P2X7 ; Signal Transduction ; T-Lymphocytes