[Effects of Phenol on Activity and Microfauna Community Structure of Activated Sludge].

In order to investigate the effects of phenol on activity and microfauna community structure of activated sludge, phenol with different concentrations were added into the wastewater for activated sludge culturing in a SBR reactor, then the activity parameters of TTC-ETS and INT-ETS of activated sludge were measured, and the dynamics of microfauna community was analyzed. The results indicated that TTC-ETS activity was more applicable to evaluate the effects of phenol on sludge activity than INT-ETS activity. The higher the concentration of phenol was, the more seriously the sludge activity was inhibited. When 50 mg·L-1 of phenol was added into the influent, the inhibition rate of sludge activity was (20.75±10.43)%, while it increased to (39.73±26.92)% with a great fluctuation at the phenol concentration of 100 mg·L-1. The inhibition rate of sludge activity fluctuated at about 40% in the later period of sludge culturing with 300 mg·L-1 of phenol. The inhibitory effects on microfauna community in activated sludge increased with increasing phenol concentration. Phenol had different effects on various groups of microfauna community, i.e., only one group (testate amoebae) was inhibited significantly at a low feeding concentration of phenol, many groups (sessile ciliates, testate amoebae, crawling ciliates, carnivorous ciliates) were inhibited at the phenol concentrations of 100 mg·L-1 and 300 mg·L-1, whereas a few groups (flagellates, nematodes, etc.) were promoted at the phenol concentration of 300 mg·L-1. There was a certain degree of relationship between sludge activity and microfauna under the influence of phenol, which means that Centropyxis aculeata, Plagiocampa mutabilis etc., may be bio-indicators for low sludge activity, and Epistylis lacustris, Bodo lens and Pleuromonas jaculans can be used as bio-indicators for high sludge activity in the activated sludge used to treat phenolic wastewater.

[A retrospective survey of diagnostic techniques of pulmonary embolism in 13 general hospitals in Guangxi area].

OBJECTIVE: To survey different diagnostic techniques in diagnosing pulmonary embolism (PE). METHODS: Hospital records of PE cases in 13 AAA general hospitals in Guangxi area from 1995 to 2007 were studied retrospectively. Probable PE was defined as the diagnosis based on the clinical data and non-specific imaging, while the definite PE was defined as those with the diagnosis confirmed by specific imaging or autopsy. The percentage of various diagnostic methods of PE was analyzed. RESULTS: From 1995 to 2007, 237 definite PE and 223 probable PE were found in 13 hospitals, and they accounted for 51.52% and 48.48%, respectively, for all patients diagnosed as having PE. The percentage of definite PE cases during 1995-2001 and 2002-2007 were 14.63% and 55.13%, respectively (chi (2)=24.522, P<0.01). Among 237 definite PE, 2 positive diagnostic techniques were employed in 17 patients. Twenty-seven (11.39%), 214 (90.30%), 6 (2.53%), 5 (2.11%) and 2 (0.84%) patients were diagnosed by pulmonary angiography, CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA), ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and autopsy, respectively. No ventilation-perfusion lung scanning was performed in these patients. Compared with other diagnostic imaging, the percentage of CTPA in diagnosis of PE increased slightly since 2003. CONCLUSION: CTPA is the first choice in the diagnosis of PE in Guangxi area, and more attention should be paid to other diagnostic imaging techniques.

[Relation between helicobacter pylori L-form infection and tumor angiogenesis in human esophageal carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between helicobacter pylori L-form (Hp-L) infection in human esophageal carcinoma (EC) and tumor angiogenesis, and study the effect of Hp-L on the malignant biological behaviors of EC. METHODS: Hp-L was examined in 98 patients with EC and 30 controls by Gram stain, electronmicroscopic technique and immunohistochemical stain (ABC method). VEGF, p53 protein and microvessel density (MVD) were examined by immunohistochemical stain (SP method) with their relationship with the clinicopathologic factors analyzed. RESULTS: The positive rate of Hp-L was 60.2% in EC group. Two types of Hp-L were detected in the tissue of EC by electronmicroscopic technique, which lay in the outer or inner carcinoma cells. The positive rates of Hp-L, MVD, VEGF and p53 in the cancer group were significantly higher than those in control group (P < 0.005-0.001). The positive rates of MVD, VEGF and p53 in the Hp-L positive group of EC were significantly higher than those in Hp-L negative group (P < 0.005-0.001). The positive rate of Hp-L was correlated with MVD (r = 0.46, P < 0.01) and the expression of VEGF and p53 (r = 0.31, P < 0.01). The positive rate of Hp-L in the EC group was correlated with vessel invasion, depth of invasion, metastasis to the para-esophageal and distant lymph nodes except tumor size. CONCLUSION: Hp-L infection in EC is closely related with tumor angiogenesis and may be an important promoting factor in esophageal carcinoma growth, invasion and metastasis.