Noninvasive Diagnosis of Hepatic Steatosis Using Fat Attenuation Parameter Measured by FibroTouch and a New Algorithm in CHB Patients.

Background: Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remains a major public health problem worldwide, and the prevalence of CHB patients with hepatic steatosis is gradually increasing. Noninvasive approaches for the assessment of hepatic steatosis have been developed as alternatives to liver biopsy.

Objectives: This study evaluated the diagnostic performance of the fat attenuation parameter (FAP) measured by transient elastography (FibroTouch) and a new algorithm to assess hepatic steatosis in CHB patients, in comparison to liver biopsy as the gold standard.

[Study on chlorinated disinfection byproducts and the relevant health risk in tap water of J City].

J City lies in the downstream of Taihu Lake and its water source was micro-polluted by the well-developed industry and agriculture inside the city and in the upper stream. Tap water of J City is characterized as high concentrations of organics and ammonia nitrogen, and chlorinated disinfection byproducts (CDBPs), which has drawn many public concerns for the health risk. Tap water was sampled in May, August, October of 2012 and January of 2013.

[Mechanism of membrane fouling and filtration characteristics in a membrane bioreactor for industrial wastewater treatment].

The influence of mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS), soluble microbial product (SMP), extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), colloidal particles and other factors contributed to membrane fouling was analyzed in this pilot test by membrane bioreactor (MBR) process for the leather printing and dyeing industrial park mixed wastewater treatment. The results showed that slight membrane fouling occurred after 120-day experiment with an observable increase in membrane resistance R20 from 1.5 x 10(12) m(-1) to 1.

[Study on equilibrium adsorption of volatile chlorinated hydrocarbons on humid soils].

Adsorption is one of the principal mechanisms for soil contamination by volatile chlorinated hydrocarbons (VCHs). Dynamic adsorption experiments were carried out to study the equilibrium adsorption of four common VCHs pollutants onto eight typical soils in China. Results showed that dry soils had far greater adsorption capacity than humid soils.

[Study on equilibrium adsorption of volatile chlorinated hydrocarbons on dry soils].

Adsorption is one of the principal mechanisms of soil contamination by volatile chlorinated hydrocarbons (VCHs). Three typical paddy soils were collected from Yangtze Delta Region, onto which the equilibrium adsorption of six VCHs was studied under dry conditions using static equilibrium adsorption experiments. Results showed that the equilibrium adsorption isotherms of dry soils did not fit the Langmuir equation or BET equation, but could be well fitted the Dubinin-Astakhov equation (R2 > 0.

Gradient decrement of annealing time can improve PCR with fluorescent-labeled primers.

The influences of fluorescence labeling on PCR amplification and T-RFLP analysis were examined by the analyses of a soil bacterial and archaeal community using both clone library and T-RFLP methods. The PCR amplification and microbial community structure patterns were compared among the primers labeled with and without fluorescent groups. PCR amplification was negatively affected by the labeling groups of the primers, which may be caused by the increment of primer molecular weight.

Filomicrobium insigne sp. nov., isolated from an oil-polluted saline soil.

Strain SLG5B-19(T), isolated from an oil-polluted saline soil in Gudao in the coastal Shengli Oilfield, eastern China, was Gram-negative with monoprosthecae or bipolar prosthecae and buds on the prosthecal tips. Growth occurred at NaCl concentrations between 0 and 7 % (w/v), at temperatures between 4 and 45 degrees C, and at pH 6.0-9.

Halomonas gudaonensis sp. nov., isolated from a saline soil contaminated by crude oil.

Two moderately halophilic strains, SL014B-69(T) and SL014B-62A2, were isolated from a saline soil contaminated with crude oil in Gudao in the coastal Shengli oilfield in China; the isolates were Gram-negative, rod-shaped and carried lateral flagella. Growth occurred at NaCl concentrations of 1-20 % (w/v), at temperatures of 10-42 degrees C and at pH 8.0-9.

Marinobacter gudaonensis sp. nov., isolated from an oil-polluted saline soil in a Chinese oilfield.

Two novel strains, SL014B61A(T) and SL014B11A, were isolated from an oil-polluted saline soil from Gudao in the coastal Shengli Oilfield, eastern China. Cells of strains SL014B61A(T) and SL014B11A were motile, Gram-negative and rod-shaped. Growth occurred at NaCl concentrations of between 0 and 15 % and at temperatures of between 10 and 45 degrees C.

Oceanicola nanhaiensis sp. nov., isolated from sediments of the South China Sea.

A Gram-negative, non-motile, rod-shaped bacterium, strain SS011B1-20(T), was isolated from sediments of the South China Sea. Growth occurred at NaCl concentrations between 0 and 10 % and at temperatures between 10 and 37 degrees C. Strain SS011B1-20(T) contained Q-10 as the major respiratory quinone and C(18 : 1)omega7c (81.

Diversity within the DRB1*08 allele family in four populations from a United States hematopoietic stem cell donor database and characterization of five novel DRB1*08 alleles.

The frequencies of DRB1*08 alleles within four major United States populations found within a hematopoietic stem cell volunteer donor database were determined by DNA sequencing of over 60 DRB1*08 positive individuals from each group. Seven of 30 known DRB1*08 alleles were identified within this study population (080101, 080201, 080302, 080401, 0806, 0807, and 0811). Each ethnic group was characterized by a different highly prevalent allele: DRB1*080101 in Caucasians; DRB1*080401 in African-Americans; DRB1*080302 in Asians; and DRB1*080201 in Hispanics.

DRB1*03 diversity and DRB3 associations in five major population groups in the United States.

One hundred sixty-one DRB1*03 positive individuals from each of five U.S. population groups (Caucasoids, African Americans, Asians/Pacific Islanders, Hispanics, and Native Americans) were randomly selected from a database of 82,979 individuals.