Clinical evidence for association of neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy with efficacy and safety in patients with resectable esophageal carcinoma (NewEC study).

Background: The efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant treatment over surgery alone and that of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) over neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) in resectable esophageal carcinoma remains inconclusive. This study (NewEC) used global data to comprehensively evaluate these comparisons and to provide a preferable strategy for patient subsets.

Methods: This study included a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) identified from inception to May 2019 from PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ClinicalTrials.

[Effects and Mechanisms of In-situ Cement Solidification/Stabilization on a Pb-, Zn-, and Cd-Contaminated Site at Baiyin, China].

In order to evaluate the effects and mechanism of in-situ cement solidification/stabilization (S/S) on heavy metal contaminated soils, leaching tests, speciation analysis, and microscopic analysis were conducted after cement treatment of a Pb, Zn, and Cd contaminated site in Baiyin, China. The leaching test results showed that cement could effectively stabilize Cd and Zn, which could reduce 99.5%-100% and 96.

[Heavy Metals Pollution in Topsoil from Dagang Industry Area and Its Ecological Risk Assessment].

Based on previous studies and field investigation of Dagang industry area in Tianjin, a total of 128 topsoil samples were collected, and contents of 10 heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Pb, Ni, V, Zn and Hg) were determined. The geoaccumulation index and geostatistics were applied to examine the degree of contamination and spatial distribution of heavy metals in topsoil. The assessment on ecological risk of heavy metals was carried out using Hakanson's method, and the main resources of the heavy metals were analyzed as well.

[Research on the Screening Method of Soil Remediation Technology at Contaminated Sites and Its Application].

Soil remediation technology screening is an important procedure in the supervision of contaminated sites. The efficiency and costs of contaminated site remediation will be directly affected by the applicability of soil remediation technology. The influencing factors include characteristics of contaminants, site conditions, remediation time and costs should be considered to determine the most applicable remediation technology.

Expression of uPAR in human trophoblast and its role in trophoblast invasion.

Placental trophoblast cells differentiate into invasive trophoblasts or syncytiotrophoblasts. Abnormal trophoblast invasion results in pregnancy-associated disease and abortion. uPAR is a cell membrane-bound glycosylated protein, involved in physiological and pathological processes.

Quantitative analysis of 3-OHB[a]P and (+)-anti-BPDE as biomarkers of B[a]P exposure in rats.

The aim of this study was to develop an analytical method for the determination the levels of metabolites of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), 3-hydroxybenzo(a)pyrene (3-OHB[a]P) and (+)-anti-benzo(a)pyrene diol-epoxide [(+)-anti-BPDE, combined with DNA to form adducts], in rat blood and tissues exposed to B[a]P exposure by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC/FD), and to investigate the usefulness of 3-OHB[a]P and (+)-anti-BPDE as markers of intragastrical exposure to B[a]P in rats. The levels of 3-OH-B[a]P and B[a]P-tetrol I-1 released after acid hydrolysis of (+)-anti-BPDE in the samples were measured by HPLC/FD. The calibration curves were linear (r(2) > 0.

[Distribution and health risk of HCHs and DDTs in a contaminated site with excavation].

Air samples were collected to analyze the distribution of HCHs and DDTs around a contaminated site during its excavation. The carcinogenic risks and non-carcinogenic risks through breath exposure were studied by health risk assessment modes. The results showed that, there was an obvious seasonal variation of HCHs and DDTs in air around the excavating area.

Diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Associated with a Sb Accumulator Plant, Ramie (Boehmeria nivea), in an Active Sb Mining.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have great potential for assisting heavy metal hyperaccumulators in the remediation of contaminated soils. However, little information is available about the symbiosis of AMF associated with an antimony (Sb) accumulator plant under natural conditions. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the colonization and molecular diversity of AMF associated with the Sb accumulator ramie (Boehmeria nivea) growing in Sb-contaminated soils.

[Pollution characteristics and ecological risk of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in river sediments from an electrical equipment dismantling area].

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were determined in sediments collected from a river which through an electrical equipment dismantling area. The results showed that concentrations of PBDEs ranged from 101 to 20,400 ng · g(-1) with an average of 3,700 ng · g(-1), and BDE209 was the most dominant homologue accounted for more than 94% of all detected homologues. The concentration of PBDEs was higher in the middle of river than that in upstream and downstream and the average concentration in downstream was higher than the upstream, with a peak of concentration in the area near by dismantling industrial park.

Embedment of Ag(I)-organic frameworks into silica gels for microextraction of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in soils.

Three Ag(I)-organic frameworks, [Ag5(pydc)2(CN)]n, {[Ag4(pydc)2]CH3CN}n, and [Ag(4,4'-bpy)NO3]n, were synthesized and embedded into silica gels to form metal-organic-framework (MOF)-embedded gels for the microextraction of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in soils. Despite the great differences in the structures of the organic ligands, all three Ag(I)-organic frameworks were found to effectively accumulate and concentrate PBDEs from sample solutions prepared with contaminated soil and purified water, indicating the important roles of Ag centers in PBDE extraction. Under the optimal experimental conditions (MOF mass, water volume, temperature, extraction time, and back-extraction time) for PBDE extraction from sample solutions, the detection limits of seven PBDEs (BDE-28, 47, 99, 100, 153, 154, and 183) ranged from 0.

Separations of substituted benzenes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using normal- and reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography with UiO-66 as the stationary phase.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have great potential for applications in chromatography due to their highly tailorable porous structures and unique properties. In this work, the stable MOF UiO-66 was evaluated as both a normal-phase (NP-) and a reverse-phase (RP-) stationary phase in the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to separate substituted benzenes (SBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). It was found that the mobile phase composition has a significant effect on the HPLC separation.

[Research of early-warning method for regional groundwater pollution based on risk management].

Groundwater is the main source of water supply in China, and China's overall situation of groundwater pollution is not optimistic at present. Groundwater pollution risk evaluation and early-warning are the effective measures to prevent groundwater pollution. At present, research of groundwater early-warning method at home and abroad is still at the exploratory stage, and the sophisticated technology has not been developed for reference.

[Pollution patterns and health risk assessment for polychlorinated biphenyls in soils from a capacitor storage site].

Concentration profiles of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and toxicity risks of dioxin-like PCBs were investigated in soils collected from a capacitor-burial site. Based on the USEPA model of human health risk assessment, cancer and non-cancer risks for these soils were also estimated when used for residential and industrial purposes. It was observed that the average concentrations of total PCBs (sigma PCBs, 22 congeners) in the soils were 6.

[Factors affecting benzene diffusion from contaminated soils to the atmosphere and flux characteristics].

The influencing factors of benzene diffusion fluxes from sand and black soil to atmosphere were investigated using a flux chamber (30.0 cm x 17.5 cm x 29.

Petroleum contamination of soil and water, and their effects on vegetables by statistically analyzing entire data set.

Aliphatic hydrocarbons have been used to assess total oil concentrations, petroleum sources, and petroleum degradation. In this study, surface soil, groundwater, surface water, and vegetables were collected from the outskirts of Xi'an, the largest city in northwestern China, and the samples were analyzed for aliphatic hydrocarbon contents. The concentrations of n-alkanes were 1.

[Influence of image process on fractal morphology characterization of NAPLs vertical fingering flow].

Dyes are frequently used to visualize fingering flow pathways, where the image process has an important role in the result analysis. The theory of fractal geometry is applied to give quantitative description of the stain patterns via image analysis, which is helpful for finger characterization and prediction. This description typically involves two parameters, a mass fractal dimension (D(m)) relative to the area, and a surface fractal dimension (D(s)) relative to the perimeter.

[Fractal characteristics of capillary finger flow for NAPLs infiltrated in porous media].

Non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) like petroleum hydrocarbons and chlorinated solvents have resulted in contamination of soils and ground water, which aroused widespread concern. It's quite important to delineate pollution area for remediation according to different soil types with pollutants properties in consideration. In this paper, a two-dimension visual sand box apparatus was constructed, with four typical NAPLs selected for infiltration experiments conducted in initially dry porous media.

[Statistical characteristic analysis of soil PAHs in a coking contaminated site of China].

Statistical characteristic analysis of pollutants in contaminated sites can help identify the origin, generation, and spatial variation of different pollutants, and can reduce the uncertainty of site survey data. Taking a large and abandoned contaminated coking site of China as the object, 114 surface (0-50 cm) soil samples were collected, with the statistical and spatial characteristics of 16 priority PAHs (sigmaPAHs) analyzed. The descriptive statistical analysis indicated that the sigmaPAH levels varied significantly, and the data were severely skewed.

[Human health risk-based environmental criteria for soil: a comparative study between countries and implication for China].

Since the 1990s, most developed countries have issued the risk-based environmental standards or criteria for soil, as well as corresponding technical background documents, this provides methodological references for developing soil environmental standards and criteria in developing countries. However, because of the variability in legislation frameworks, derivation procedures of criteria, environmental conditions and climates, soil types, and habits and customs among countries, there are great differences in the names, roles and values of soil standards and criteria. This paper presents the scientific basis and fundamental features of soil environmental criteria.

[Sand box study on fingering front morphology for NAPLs infiltrated in homogeneous porous media].

Abstract: 1,2-dichloroethane and tetrachlorethylene were studied in four different unsaturated porous media to determine the impact of the properties of media and fluids on the infiltration aided by digital image analysis technique. The results indicated that the whole process of NAPLs migration can be recorded dynamically using the digital image analysis technique. The unstable flow "fingering" occurred in the process of infiltration.

[Heterogeneous characteristic of PAHs' spatial distribution in a large coking site of China].

A large coking contaminated site was selected to study the PAHs' spatial distribution probability in surface-soil (0-50 cm) through the indicator kriging of the non-parametric geostatistics, and the map of probability distribution with a contaminant target was plotted over the entire site. Results indicated that the indicator semivariograms were stable after the conversion of sample data, but the poor correlation of spatial samples was observed due to the spatial variability. In this site, the distribution of the contamination probability of four PAHs' showed a similar characteristic, and the areas with a probability of more than 45% were mainly distributed in production process workshops for coking, gas purification, tar products etc, of the central, northwest and southeast site with serious contamination, while the areas with a probability of less than 45% were mainly distributed in coal preparation, gas purification workshops of the southwest and northeast site.

[Research on the characteristic of toluene migration and distribution in fluvoaquic soil and its simulation using STOMP model].

Frequently accidental spill of hazard materials into soil environment posed significant threats to human health and natural environment in China. In this paper, simulated nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPLs) toluene sudden spill in fluvo-aquic soil was performed in a two-dimensional tank to investigate the migration and distribution characteristics of toluene as well as its simulation through STOMP model. Visual observation showed that the horizontal expansion of toluene with concentration > 1 g x kg(-1) and > 20 g x kg(-1) were approximate 2.

Application of portable gas chromatography-photo ionization detector combined with headspace sampling for field analysis of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene in soils.

A method based on headspace (HS) sampling coupling with portable gas chromatography (GC) with photo ionization detector (PID) was developed for rapid determination of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) in soils. Optimal conditions for HS gas sampling procedure were determined, and the influence of soil organic matter on the recovery of BTEX from soil was investigated using five representative Chinese soils. The results showed that the HS-portable-GC-PID method could be effectively operated at ambient temperature, and the addition of 15 ml of saturated NaCl solution in a 40-ml sampling vial and 60 s of shaking time for sample solution were optimum for the HS gas sampling procedure.