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Background: Sleep disturbances and hypertension are common health issues in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Limited information is available regarding the objective sleep quality and the variation of diurnal blood pressure (BP) in patients with SLE. Moreover, the relationship between sleep patterns and diurnal BP variation in SLE patients is not clear., Purpose: To explore the subjective/objective sleep patterns and the diurnal BP variation in women with SLE, to identify the factors associated with diurnal BP variation, and to identify the predictors of this variation., Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational study was conducted and 42 women with SLE were recruited. Participants completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Brief Pain Inventory. Rheumatologists rated current lupus disease activity. Additionally, the participants wore a wrist actigraph for 7 consecutive days and underwent 24h ambulatory BP monitoring for one day., Results: The mean Global PSQI score was 7.74 ± 3.21; 69% of the participants reported poor subjective sleep quality; the actigraphy-measured sleep efficiency was 85.29 ± 5.95%; and 42.9% had poor objective sleep quality. Total sleep time at night was positively associated with diurnal change in diastolic BP (r = .315. p < .05) and pain severity was negatively associated with diurnal change in systolic BP (r = -.430, p < .01) and diastolic BP (r = -.371, p < .05). Multiple linear regression analysis was used to predict diurnal BP variation. Moreover, pain was a significant predictor of diurnal change in systolic BP (β = -0.397, p < .01) and diurnal change in diastolic BP (β = -0.325, p < .05)., Conclusions / Implications for Practice: The findings of the present study suggest that healthcare professionals should routinely evaluate sleep quality and pain in SLE patients. Improving both the poor sleep and pain management of these patients is clinically important. Further studies of the association between pain management and diurnal BP variation are needed.

The activity of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) in different layers of Integrated vertical-flow constructed wetlands (IVCW) treating eutrophic scenic water was measured, and the diversity and spatial distribution of AOB community structure in IVCW was investigated using PCR-DGGE. The results indicated that because of the integrated influence of competition of plant rhizodeposition, heterotrophic bacteria, DO and ammonia concentration, there were significant spatial differences in the activity and diversity of AOB along the flow direction of wetland. The activity of AOB was 0.79 mg x (kg x h)(-1) (in NO3- -N, the same below) near the surface of down-flow system in IVCW. From the surface of down-flow system to up-flow system, the activity of AOB decreased gradually, and slightly increased to 0.17 mg x (kg x h)(-1) near the surface of up-flow system. The spatial variation of diversity of AOB showed the similar change trend with the activity in IVCW and the diversity index in down-flow system (1.92) were higher than those in up-flow system (1.65). Most of AOB belong to oligotrophic bacterium in IVCW, and the population of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria showed a higher percentage of Nitrosomonas-like sequences from the wetland samples. Uncultured beta proteobacterium, Comamonas sp., Nitrosomonas oligotropha were also detected. The variation of the AOB community demonstrated spatial pattern in IVCW, which might be related to different wetland environment.