Evaluating the performance and stability of microalgal-bacterial granular sludge in municipal wastewater treatment plants.

The microalgal-bacterial granular sludge (MBGS) process shows potential for carbon-neutral wastewater treatment, yet its application in wastewater treatment plants remains underexplored. This study attempted to use a continuous-flow raceway reactor to treat real municipal wastewater using the MBGS process. The results showed that the removal efficiencies of organics peaked on the fifth day, while declining trends were observed for nitrogen and phosphorus removal.

Influence mechanism of sludge bed position on microalgal-bacterial granular sludge process.

Sludge bed position in the reactor is one of the key parameters for microalgal-bacterial granular sludge (MBGS) process, which lacks of study. To fill this gap, this study investigated the influence of sludge bed position on MBGS. The sludge bed located closer to the bottom of the bioreactor demonstrated the optimal pollutant removal performance due to a close synergistic effect between microalgae and bacteria, resulting in the high growth rate as well as agglomeration rate of MBGS.

Necessity of stirring for outdoor microalgal-bacterial granular sludge process.

As a green process, microalgal-bacterial granular sludge (MBGS) process shows talents in achieving pollutant removal, resource recovery and carbon neutralization. However, when it comes to application, the adequate mixing of MBGS and substrate should be adopted theoretically. Therefore, this study devoted to address the necessity of stirring for MBGS in municipal wastewater treatment.

Effects of Ultrasound Contrast Agent-Mediated Nerve Growth Factor on Apoptosis of Retinal Ganglion Cells in Mice with Glaucoma.

With an increasing incidence in recent years, glaucoma (GL) has gradually become a global public health problem for humans of all ages. Nerve growth factor (NGF) eye drops, with well-documented stable effect in the treatment of GL, can be potentiated by the administration of NGF drugs via ultrasound contrast agent (UCA). This study analyzed the efficacy of NGF+UCA on GL mice and the influencing mechanism on retinal ganglion cells and further explored the pathological changes of GL mice under different UCA irradiation duration.

Trifocal diffractive intraocular lens implantation in patients after previous corneal refractive laser surgery for myopia.

Background: With the difficulties in IOL power calculation and the potential side effects occurring postoperatively, multifocal IOL implantation after previous corneal refractive surgery are rarely reported especially for the trifocal IOL. Herein we report the clinical observation of trifocal IOL implantation in patients with previous myopia excimer laser correction. In this study, a multi-formula average method was performed for the IOLs power calculation to improve the accuracy.

Health benefits of improving air quality in Taiyuan, China.

Since 2000, the government in Shanxi province has mounted several initiatives and mandated factory shutdowns with the goal of reducing coal burning emissions and the environmental impacts of industrialization. We estimated the health benefits associated with air quality improvement from 2001 to 2010 in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, using disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and monetized the health benefits using value of statistical life (VOSL). Data were collected on annual average concentrations of particulate matter less than 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) and relevant health outcomes in Taiyuan from 2001 to 2010.

Size-fractionated particle number concentrations and daily mortality in a Chinese city.

Background: Associations between airborne particles and health outcomes have been documented worldwide; however, there is limited information regarding health effects associated with different particle sizes.

Objectives: We explored the association between size-fractionated particle number concentrations (PNCs) and daily mortality in Shenyang, China.

Methods: We collected daily data on cause-specific mortality and PNCs for particles measuring 0.

Exposure levels of environmental endocrine disruptors in mother-newborn pairs in China and their placental transfer characteristics.

There is a growing concern about the potential health effects of exposure to various environmental chemicals during pregnancy and infancy. The placenta is expected to be an effective barrier protecting the developing embryo against some endocrine disruptors (EDs) circulating in maternal blood. The current study was designed to assess in utero exposure levels of non-persistent organic pollutants (non-POPs) and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Chinese newborns and potential role of placenta barrier against fetal exposure to these commonly-used environmental endocrine disruptors.

Seasonal variation in the acute effect of particulate air pollution on mortality in the China Air Pollution and Health Effects Study (CAPES).

Epidemiological findings concerning the seasonal variation in the acute effect of particulate matter (PM) are inconsistent. We investigated the seasonality in the association between PM with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 10 μm (PM10) and daily mortality in 17 Chinese cities. We fitted the "main" time-series model after adjustment for time-varying confounders using smooth functions with natural splines.

Communicating air pollution-related health risks to the public: an application of the Air Quality Health Index in Shanghai, China.

The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) was originally developed in Canada. However, little is known about its validity in communicating morbidity risks. We aimed to establish the AQHI in Shanghai, China, and to compare the associations of AQHI and existing Air Pollution Index (API) with daily mortality and morbidity.

[The establishment and application of Shanghai air quality health index].

Objective: This work aimed to construct Shanghai air quality health index (SAQHI) and to grade the air quality in Shanghai.

Methods: Daily average concentrations of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 10 micrometer (PM(10)), SO(2) and NO(2) from 2001 to 2008 in the central urban areas of Shanghai were collected from Shanghai Environmental Monitoring Center. Contemporaneous data of daily average temperature and relative humidity were obtained from Shanghai Meteorological Bureau.

Short-term exposure to sulfur dioxide and daily mortality in 17 Chinese cities: the China air pollution and health effects study (CAPES).

Sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) is a major air pollutant and has significant impacts upon human health. Few multi-city studies in Asia have examined the acute health effects of SO(2). As part of the China Air Pollution and Health Effects Study (CAPES), this study aimed at investigating the short-term association between SO(2) and daily mortality in 17 Chinese cities.

Exposure assessment of phthalates in non-occupational populations in China.

Phthalates have been used worldwide and are ubiquitous in environmental media and human bodies. Based on existing data on phthalate concentrations, distributions of phthalates in the environment and their exposure assessment to non-occupational populations in China can be evaluated. Fifty-three studies, published from January 2000 to October 2010, were reviewed and their data were analyzed in this study.

Associations between short-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide and mortality in 17 Chinese cities: the China Air Pollution and Health Effects Study (CAPES).

Few multi-city studies in Asian developing countries have examined the acute health effects of ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)). In the China Air Pollution and Health Effects Study (CAPES), we investigated the short-term association between NO(2) and mortality in 17 Chinese cities. We applied two-stage Bayesian hierarchical models to obtain city-specific and national average estimates for NO(2).

Association of particulate air pollution with daily mortality: the China Air Pollution and Health Effects Study.

China is one of the few countries with some of the highest particulate matter levels in the world. However, only a small number of particulate matter health studies have been conducted in China. The study objective was to examine the association of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 10 μm (PM(10)) with daily mortality in 16 Chinese cities between 1996 and 2008.

Fine particulate matter constituents and cardiopulmonary mortality in a heavily polluted Chinese city.

Background: Although ambient fine particulate matter (PM(2.5); particulate matter ≤ 2.5 µm in aerodynamic diameter) has been linked to adverse human health effects, the chemical constituents that cause harm are unknown.

Air pollution and health studies in China--policy implications.

During the rapid economic development in China, ambient air pollutants in major cities, including PM10 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter < or =10 microm) and SO2 have been reduced due to various measures taken to reduce or control sources of emissions, whereas NO2 is stable or slightly increased. However, air pollution levels in China are still at the higher end of the world level. Less information is available regarding changes in national levels of other pollutants such as PM2.

A time-stratified case-crossover study of fine particulate matter air pollution and mortality in Guangzhou, China.

Objectives: Few studies in China investigate health impact of fine particulate matter (PM(2.5)) due to lack of monitoring data and the findings are controversial. The aim of this study is to examine the short-association between PM(2.

Coarse particles and mortality in three Chinese cities: the China Air Pollution and Health Effects Study (CAPES).

Evidence concerning the health risks of coarse particles (PM(10-2.5)) is limited. There have been no multi-city epidemiologic studies of PM(10-2.

Ambient carbon monoxide and daily mortality in three Chinese cities: the China Air Pollution and Health Effects Study (CAPES).

Ambient carbon monoxide (CO) is an air pollutant primarily generated by traffic. CO has been associated with increased mortality and morbidity in developed countries, but few studies have been conducted in Asian developing countries. In the China Air Pollution and Health Effects Study (CAPES), the short-term associations between ambient CO and daily mortality were examined in three Chinese cities: Shanghai, Anshan and Taiyuan.

Fine particulate air pollution and daily mortality in Shenyang, China.

Fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅) is not a criteria pollutant in China, and few studies were conducted in the country to investigate the health impact of PM₂.₅.

Part 1. A time-series study of ambient air pollution and daily mortality in Shanghai, China.

Although the relation between outdoor air pollution and daily mortality has been examined in several Chinese cities, there are still a number of key scientific issues to be addressed concerning the health effects of air pollution in China. Given the changes over the past decade in concentrations and sources of air pollution (e.g.

Association between long-term exposure to outdoor air pollution and mortality in China: a cohort study.

No prior cohort studies exist in China examining the association of outdoor air pollution with mortality. We studied 70,947 middle-aged men and women in the China National Hypertension Survey and its follow-up study. Baseline data were obtained in 1991 using a standard protocol.

Retraction: Serum Fluoride Level and Children's Intelligence Quotient in Two Villages in China.

The paper entitled "Serum Fluoride Level and Children's Intelligence Quotient in Two Villages in China" by Xiang Quanyong et al, which was published online on 17 December 2010, has been withdrawn.

Ambient air pollution and daily mortality in Anshan, China: a time-stratified case-crossover analysis.

Few case-crossover studies were conducted in China to investigate the acute health effects of air pollution. We conducted a time-stratified case-crossover analysis to examine the association between air pollution and daily mortality in Anshan, a heavily-polluted industrial city in northeastern China. Daily mortality, air pollution, and weather data in 2004-2006 in Anshan were collected.