[Bioretention Media Screening for the Removal of Phosphorus in Urban Stormwater].

Urban runoff is an increasingly important source of excess phosphorus (P) to local receiving waters. Bioretention, a promising technology for urban stormwater pollution treatment, was investigated to determine whether the mixture of purple soil and sand could adsorb sufficient P at low concentrations in urban stormwater. The TP concentrations of urban runoff from variously impervious areas in Chongqing City ranged from 0.

Impact of adjuvant chemotherapy cycles on prognosis of resectable stomach cancer: a retrospective analysis.

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of adjuvant chemotherapy cycles on the prognosis of patients with post-operative stomach cancer through retrospective analysis.

Methods: A total of 128 patients with gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy consisting of epirubicin, cisplatin or oxaliplatin, leucovorin, and 5-fluorouracil, according to a defined schedule, were divided into three groups according to the number of chemotherapy cycles: Group I (<6 cycles); Group II (6 cycles); and Group III (>6 cycles).

Results: The 5-year overall survival (OS) was 20.

Adjuvant probiotics improve the eradication effect of triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection.

Aim: To investigate whether the addition of probiotics can improve the eradication effect of triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection.

Methods: This open randomized trial recruited 234 H.

Gastro-protecting effect of gefarnate on chronic erosive gastritis with dyspeptic symptoms.

Background: The role of gastro-protecting agents on symptomatic chronic gastritis is unclear. This multicenter, open, randomized trial was designed to compare the comprehensive effects of gefarnate with sucralfate on erosive gastritis with dyspeptic symptoms.

Methods: Totally 253 dyspepsia patients confirmed with erosive gastritis were enrolled from six centers in China.

Differential signature of fecal microRNAs in patients with pancreatic cancer.

The potential value of microRNAs as new biomarkers for pancreatic cancer (PCa) screening was explored in this study. Fecal microRNAs from stool samples obtained from 29 PCa patients, 22 chronic pancreatitis (CP) patients and 13 normal individuals were extracted, and 7 microRNAs (miR-16, miR-21, miR-155, miR-181a, miR-181b, miR-196a and miR-210) were detected. miR-181b and miR-210 discriminated PCa from normal individuals with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and area under curve (AUC-ROC) of 0.

Inhibitory effects of intravenous lansoprazole 30 mg and pantoprazole 40 mg twice daily on intragastric acidity in healthy Chinese volunteers: a randomized, open-labeled, two-way crossover study.

Background: Until now there has been no study that directly compares the effect of lansoprazole and pantoprazole administered intravenously on intragastric acidity. The aim of this study is to compare the effect of lansoprazole (30 mg) and pantoprazole (40 mg) administered intravenously on gastric acidity.

Material/methods: Helicobacter pylori-negative healthy volunteers were recruited in this open-label, randomized, two-way crossover, single centre study.

Acid inhibition effect of ilaprazole on Helicobacter pylori-negative healthy volunteers: an open randomized cross-over study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects and safety of different doses of ilaprazole on healthy volunteers without a Helicobacter pylori infection.

Methods: A total of 12 healthy Chinese volunteers were enrolled and divided into four groups randomly, with a 5-day treatment of oral ilaprazole 5mg, 10mg and 20mg or omeprazole 20mg, respectively. After an interval of a 14-day washout phase, each was switched to another dose group and eventually completed all four regimens.

Soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells in severe acute pancreatitis: a biological marker of infected necrosis.

Purpose: The diagnosis and treatment of secondary infection of pancreatic necrotic tissue remain a major challenge. The level of soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells (sTREM-1) in fine needle aspiration (FNA) fluid may be a good marker of infected necrosis.

Methods: Patients with a clinical suspicion of secondary infection of necrotic tissue were enrolled.

Comparison of antioxidative and antifibrotic effects of α-tocopherol with those of tocotrienol-rich fraction in a rat model of chronic pancreatitis.

Objectives: The α-tocopherol and tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) are considered effective antioxidants. This study aimed to compare the antioxidative and antifibrotic effects of α-tocopherol and TFR in dibutylin dichloride (DBTC)-induced chronic pancreatitis (CP) rats.

Methods: Oral administration of α-tocopherol and TFR (both 800 mg/kg per day) started the next day after DBTC (8 mg/kg) infusion into the tail vein for 4 weeks.

An experimental study of betadine irrigation for preventing infection during the natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) procedure.

Objective: To study the effect and feasibility of using betadine irrigation of the gastrointestinal tract for preventing infection during the natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) procedure.

Methods: Twelve sows were used in this study. Four sows in the control group were lavaged with 500 mL saline.

Reduction of pancreatic cancer cell viability and induction of apoptosis mediated by siRNA targeting DNMT1 through suppression of total DNA methyltransferase activity.

Aberrant methylation leads to epigenetic changes in human genes that may cause carcinogenesis. DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) plays an important role in maintaining DNA methylation patterns during genomic DNA replication. To understand the role of this protein in pancreatic cancer cell growth and apoptosis, small interfering RNA (siRNA) oligonucleotides were used to knockdown DNMT1 expression in pancreatic cancer PaTu8988 cells.

Continuous and low-energy 125I seed irradiation changes DNA methyltransferases expression patterns and inhibits pancreatic cancer tumor growth.

Background: Iodine 125 (125I) seed irradiation is an effective treatment for unresectable pancreatic cancers. However, the radiobiological mechanisms underlying brachytherapy remain unclear. Therefore, we investigated the influence of continuous and low-energy 125I irradiation on apoptosis, expression of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) and cell growth in pancreatic cancers.

Plasma miR-216a as a potential marker of pancreatic injury in a rat model of acute pancreatitis.

Aim: To study the potential value and specificity of plasma miR-216a as a marker for pancreatic injury.

Methods: Two rat models were applied in this article: L-arginine-induced acute pancreatitis was used as one model to explore the potential value of plasma miR-216a for detection of pancreatic injury; nonlethal sepsis induced in rats by single puncture cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) was used as the other model to evaluate the specificity of plasma miR-216a compared with two commonly used markers (amylase and lipase) for acute pancreatitis. Plasmas were sampled from rats at indicated time points and total RNA was isolated.

Upregulated histone deacetylase 1 expression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and specific siRNA inhibits the growth of cancer cells.

Objectives: So far, there are no investigations about the role of histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) in tumorigenesis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. This study was designed to elucidate the roles and mechanisms of HDAC1 in tumorigenesis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Methods: Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry techniques were adopted to detect the expression of HDAC1 in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tissues and paired paracancerous tissues.

Significance of DNA methyltransferase-1 and histone deacetylase-1 in pancreatic cancer.

Epigenetic modifications play an important role during carcinogenesis. The main goal of this study was to examine expression levels of two critical enzymes, DNA methyltransferase-1 (DNMT1) and histone deacetylase-1 (HDAC1), by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in human pancreatic cancer and precancerous lesions: 20 foci containing normal ductal epithelial cells without an inflammatory back-ground (DE), 30 containing ductal epithelial cells with an inflammatory background (DEI), 48 of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia-1A (PanIN-1A), 103 of PanIN-1B, 99 of PanIN-2, 30 of PanIN-3, 18 of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm A (IPMA), 10 of IPMB, 20 of IPMC, and 54 of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The expression levels of both DNMT1 and HDAC1 increased from normal to precancerous lesions to pancreatic cancer, in a malignancy-dependent manner.

A novel approach for treatment of unresectable extrahepatic bile duct carcinoma: design of radioactive stents and an experimental trial in healthy pigs.

Background: Patients diagnosed with extrahepatic bile duct carcinoma (EBDC) have a poor prognosis.

Objective: The purpose of these studies was to design radioactive stents for EBDC and to evaluate the feasibility and safety of the stents in healthy pigs.

Design: Plastic stents with inserted iodine-125 seeds were designed and tested in 11 healthy pigs.

[An experiment of 125I radioactive pancreatic duct stents implanted in the pancreatic ducts of pigs].

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of radioactive pancreatic duct stents implanted in the pancreatic ducts of pigs by endoscopy.

Methods: Different doses of 125I radioactive pancreatic duct stents were implanted in the pancreatic ducts of pigs by endoscopy. Blood tests were conducted before and after implantation.

[mRNA expression of GLI1 in pancreatic carcinoma and clinical significance thereof].

Objective: To investigate the mRNA expression of GLI1, a transcription regulator of Hedgehog signaling pathway, in human pancreatic carcinoma and to explore its clinical significance.

Methods: Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the mRNA expression of GLI1 in the tumor tissues, tissues near tumor, and normal tissues obtained during operation from 25 pancreatic carcinoma patients.

Results: The GLI1 mRNA expression rate of the tumor tissues was 68.

A novel approach for treatment of unresectable pancreatic cancer: design of radioactive stents and trial studies on normal pigs.

Purpose: Patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer typically have a poor prognosis. The aims of these studies were to design radioactive stents and to evaluate the feasibility and safety of the stents in animals.

Experimental Design: To combine the effects of stents and brachytherapy, plastic stents with inserted iodine-125 seeds were designed and tested in 18 normal pigs.

Construction of recombinant attenuated Salmonella typhimurium DNA vaccine expressing H pylori ureB and IL-2.

Aim: To construct a recombinant live attenuated Salmonella typhimurium DNA vaccine encoding H pylori ureB gene and mouse IL-2 gene and to detect its immunogenicity in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: H pylori ureB and mouse IL-2 gene fragments were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cloned into pUCmT vector. DNA sequence of the amplified ureB and IL-2 genes was assayed, then cloned into the eukaryotic expression vector pIRES through enzyme digestion and ligation reactions resulting in pIRES-ureB and pIRES-ureB-IL-2.

Effects of recombinant human canstatin protein in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Aim: To examine the effect of canstatin, a newly discovered endogenous inhibitor of angiogenesis, in the treatment of pancreatic cancer in vivo.

Methods: The canstatin cDNA fragment was synthesized and amplified from the total RNA extracted from human placenta tissues by RT-PCR. The resulting product was firstly cloned into pUCm-T vector, then into plasmid pET-22b (+) and transformed into E.

Effect of ecoimmunonutrition supports on maintenance of integrity of intestinal mucosal barrier in severe acute pancreatitis in dogs.

Background: One of the major causes of death in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is severe infection owing to bacterial translocation. Some clinical studies suggested that ecoimmunonutrition (EIN) as a new strategy had better treatment effect on SAP patients. But the experiment studies on the precise mechanism of the effect of EIN were less reported.

[Cloning of Human canstatin gene and expression of its recombinant protein].

Objective: To clone human canstatin gene and express its recombinant protein.

Methods: The total RNA was extracted from human placenta. The canstatin gene fragment was synthesized and amplified from the total RNA by RT-PCR.

Changes in endothelin-1 gene expression in the gastric mucosa of rats under cold-restraint-stress.

Objective: To investigate in rats the role of endothelin (ET)-1 gene expression in the development and progression of acute gastric mucosal lesions (AGML) induced by stress, and the effect of BQ-123 (a special ETA receptor antagonist) on the AGML.

Methods: A rat model of gastric ulcer induced by cold-restraint-stress (CRS) was used. ET-1 concentrations in the plasma and gastric mucosa were determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA), gastric mucosa blood flow (GMBF) was measured with a laser Doppler flow meter, the ulcer index (UI) was used to estimate the degree of gastric mucosa damage and the expression levels of ET-1 mRNA in the gastric mucosa were measured using dot blot and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Angiotensin II type 1 receptor mRNA and its protein expression in human pancreatic cancer cell lines.

Objective: The incidence of pancreatic cancer is increasing in China, and in many patients the surrounding lymphatics have already been invaded and there is blood-borne metastasis at the time of diagnosis. Additionally, pancreatic cancer is largely refractory to conventional therapies. Therefore, to improve its prognosis, it is important to resolve the problem of its growth.