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OBJECTIVES Due to the advantages of simple sample preparation, non-destructive determination, and rapid detection, the X-ray fluorescence spectrometry technique has become a robust method for determination of manganese in soil or sediment. Manganese in soil and sediment standard material has the maximum content of 2490mg/kg, thus the traditional X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) can easily suffer from the drawbacks of standard curve measurement range due to the limited manganese content in standard soil or sediment samples. OBJECTIVES To develop a good method for the determination of manganese in polluted soil or sediment. METHODS To address this major concern, manganese solutions were added to the commercially available soil standards in a quantitative manner to give a series of new soil standards with higher manganese content. The content of manganese can be determined by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. RESULTS The establishment of a novel standard curve by taking advantage of these new soil standards could significantly promote the upper limit of manganese measurement from 2490mg/kg to 3780mg/kg. The analytical results of manganese were consistent with the reference value and a recovery of 97.8%-108.3%. The results of high-manganese samples were consistent with the values acquired by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry, with the relative deviation less than 5.7% and the relative standard deviation lower than 0.4% (n=7). Conclusion Results show good accuracy and precision in the determination of high-manganese soils and sediments.

Mercury intrusion is a common method for the determination of pore characteristics of shale, but the measurement results are affected by a number of factors, such as sample size and measuring range. The pore characteristics of shale and synthetic materials were analyzed under different contact angles, sample sizes and measuring ranges, all of which are reported in this paper. Porosity was related to the measuring range, and high precision results were acquired when the measuring range was between 7.1 nm and 100 μm. The fractures produced during sample preparation may have increased the porosity. Compared with synthetic samples, the mean pore diameter, the porosity and the specific pore volume of the shale were strongly influenced by the sample size, within a certain measurement range. Reducing the sample size of shale, not only increased the connectivity between the small pores, but also reduced the impact of large fractures. The mean pore diameter increased by 35% when the contact angle increased from 130° to 150°. Therefore, in order to improve the accuracy and comparability of the results, the measurement should be performed using small sample sizes and exact contact angle. Meanwhile it is necessary to further perfect the test standard concerning the measurement of pore characteristics of shale by mercury intrusion.

The purpose of this study is to improve the informatization and intelligent manufacturing level of sheet material preparation and loading in panel furniture enterprises, solve the problems of nonstandard management, chaotic scheduling, loading delay, man-machine disharmony, etc., and improve the utilization rate of sheet materials and the equipment time startup rate. Based on the above problems, the corresponding data model was established, the algorithm of the data model was optimized, and a digital platform based on MFC was established, which was then tested and verified. The results showed that the comprehensive utilization rate of plates reached 93.96%, and the time operation rate of the electronic saw reached 87.67%. The digital panel furniture material preparation and loading platform system had the advantages of fast response speed and high material loading and preparation efficiency, which could meet the material preparation scheduling requirements of large quantities of panel furniture, and provide a reference for enterprises to realize information material preparation and digital material loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to understand the effects of lucerne cropping rotation on the bacterial community of loess soil, a long-term field experiment was conducted in rain-fed agricultural area of Loess Plateau. The cropping systems included continuous lucerne (Medicago sativa, LC), lucerne removed and rotated with spring wheat (Triticum aestivum, LFW), lucerne removed and rotated with corn (Zea mays, LFC), lucerne removed and rotated with potato (Solanum tuberosum, LP), and lucerne removed and rotated with continuous millet (Panicum miliaceum, LM ). Based on 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing technology, we investigated soil bacterial community structure and diversity in different cropping systems, and predicted ecological function using PICRUSt method. The results showed that the dominant phyla of loess soil bacteria were Actinomycetes (20.3% - 32.0%), Proteobacteria (19.2%-23.0%), Acidobacteria (12.4%-14.2%) and Chloroflexus (11.0%-12.7%). The dominant genus was Bacillus (1.9%) in lucerne-corn system and Pseudarthrobacter (2.5%) in other treatments. Rotation with annual crops decreased the relative abundance of Actinobacteria and increased that of Chloroflexi and Firmicutes. Redundancy analysis showed that the main soil factors driving soil bacterial community structure were nitrate, ammonium, and total nitrogen. PICRUSt function prediction results showed that metabolism (78.6%-79.1%) was the main function of soil bacterial communities in loess soil. Rotation with continued annual crops significantly decreased the abundance of soil bacterial carbohydrate metabolism functional genes, and significantly increased the abundance of functional genes for soil bacterial cofactors and vitamin metabolism, neurodegenerative diseases, and immune system. In conclusion, lucerne removed and rotated with continuous annual crops changed soil bacterial community structure and ecological functions. This study provided theoretical reference to explore succession characteristics of soil bacteria and to select succeeding crops for alfalfa in loess soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presented a three-dimensional adaptive template matching algorithm to detect brain tumors from magnetic resonance images quickly. First, it removed skull and other non-brain tissues by the improved BET algorithm. Then it extracted the structures that contained all small tumors as ROIs (region of interest). After that, it screened all the ROIs by the circular degree and other features. Then it created a three-dimensional template conformed to tumor characteristics for each ROI. Finally, it marched the three-dimensional templates with the original images to calculate the similarity coefficient. Then it determined the threshold according to the matching characteristic. After that, it marked the three-dimensional ROI with the similarity coefficient which was higher than the threshold value as the tumor region. To evaluate the performance of the algorithm, this paper used 23 clinical cases which contained 124 tumors (3 ~ 15 mm) in different size to test the system, and used ROC curve to analysis the test results. According to the ROC curve, the sensibility reaches 88.7097% and the false position is 16.03%. Compared to other template matching methods, the algorithm has been significantly improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The contents of heavy metals in irrigated sugarcane soil of Guangxi were investigated to provide references for improving bioavailability, planting management and quality of sugarcane. [ Method ] In the irrigated sugarcane soil of Guangxi, 26 surface soil samples were collected, and the contents of Cd, As, Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn and Ni were analyzed. Besides, the pollution degree and ecological risk of heavy metals of the studied sugarcane soil were analyzed by means of single pollution index, comprehensive pollution index and potential ecological risk index. [Result] The results showed that the mean contents of Cd, As, Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn and Ni in topsoil were 0.056,10.3, 23., 55.9 ,17.8, 33.7 and 8.9 mg/kg, respectively. The contents of seven heavy metals did not exceed the National Soil Environmental Quality Standard for soil. Moreover, the results of potential ecological risk index showed that the potential ecological risk degree of heavy metals was characterized by order of Cd>As>Ni>Cu>Pb>Cr>Zn. [Conclusion] The pollution risk degree of heavy metal in irrigated sugarcane area soil is low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By using layering harvest method, a comparative study was conducted on the biomass allocation and its spatial distribution of 20-year-old Eucalyptus camaldulensis plantation, Leucaena leucocephala plantation, and E. camaldulensis-L. leucocephala plantation in Yuanmou dry-hot valley of Yunnan Province, Southwest China. The stand biomass in the mixed E. camaldulensis-L. leucocephala plantation (82. 99 t·hm-2) was between that of monoculture E. camaldulensis plantation (60. 64 t·hm-2) and L. leucocephala plantation (127. 79 t·hm-2). The individual tree biomass of E. camaldulensis in the mixed plantation (44. 32 kg) was 49. 8% higher than that in monoculture plantation (29. 58 kg). The branch and leaf biomass of L. leucocephala (25. 4%) in monoculture plantation was larger than that of E. camaldulensis (8. 9%) in monoculture plantation, and the aboveground biomass distribution ratio (78. 0%) of L. leucocephala (25. 4%) was also higher than that of E. camaldulensis (73. 4%). The roots of L. leucocephala in both monoculture and mixed plantations were mainly distributed in 0-40 cm soil layer, while those of E. camaldulensis in monoculture and mixed plantations were mainly found in 0-80 cm and 0-60 cm, respectively. The proportion of biomass allocated to roots including medium roots, small roots, and fine roots of L. leucocephala in mixed plantation was higher than that in monoculture plantation, but it was contrary for E. camaldulensis. It was suggested that introducing L. leucocephala in E. camaldulensis plantation promoted the growth of E. camaldulensis, especially for its aboveground biomass, and increased the amount of lateral roots in 0-20 cm soil layer, which had significance in soil and water conservation in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: The influence of La2O3 and Li2O on glass powder was studied in this paper, which is to infiltrate ZTA all-ceramic dental material formed by gel-casting. The performance of different component was analyzed to optimize glass formula. METHODS: Six groups of glass powder were designed and prepared by conventional melt-quenching method. ZTA ceramic blocks were covered with glass paste, which were formed by gel-casting and sintered in 1200°C, then infiltrated in 1150°C for twice to make glass/ZTA ceramic composites. By detecting differential thermal analysis and melting range of infiltration glass power, as well as flexural strength, linear shrinkage, SEM and EDS of glass/ZTA ceramic composites, the optimized glass group was determined out. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 13.0 software package by means of paired t test or one way ANOVA. RESULTS: The bending strength of group Li1 was(291.2±27.9) MPa, significantly higher than group Li2 and group La2(P<0.05), and linear shrinkage of group Li1 was only(1.85±0.27)%. SEM and EDS showed glass of group Li1 can lubricate ZTA ceramics well, their structure was compact and had a few small pores. Intergranular fracture existed on cross surface as well as transgranular fracture. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that Lil (30%La2O3-15%Al2O3-15%SiO2-15%Si2O3-5%Li2O) glass infiltrated ZTA ceramic composite had the best capability. Glass/ZTA composite material can be prepared by gel-casting and infiltrating way, and this process is simple and economically suitable for general dental laboratory. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (30870632) and Scientific and Technological Innovation Program of Undergraduates from Zhejiang Province (2010R413056). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the efficacy of a new collagen-hydroxyapatite (COL-HA) composite membrane on bone regeneration of SD rat cranial defects. Methods Four defects were produced in the calvaria of 24 SD rats. The animals were divided into four groups: Empty defects without membrane (group 1); defects covered by COL-HA single-layer dense membranes (group 2); defects covered by COL-HA double-layer membranes (group 3); defects covered by Bio-Gide membranes (group 4). At 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks after surgery, 6 rats were sacrificed and the following parameters were analyzed: Macroscopic observation, X-ray examination, descriptive histology, regenerate bone quantitative histology. Statistical analysis consisted of generalized linear models/factorial design analysis of variance and LSD-t test was performed. Results Since two weeks after surgery, there were a small amount of bone regenerated in three groups except group 1. At 12 weeks after surgery, the opaque sclerous tissues filled with the defects in three groups, and residual membrane fragments still could be found. X-ray pictures showed the density of regenerate bone in group 3 and group 4 was closed to the original bone and greater than that of group 2. Quantitative analysis of regenerate bone showed that in initial stage, group 4 had more bone regeneration than the other groups (P < 0.05), and at 12 weeks after surgery the differences between group 4 and group 2/group 3 had no statistically significant. Conclusion The COL-HA composite membranes can guide bone regeneration of rat cranial defects. The efficacy of bone regeneration of COL-HA double-layer membrane is superior to COL-HA single-layer dense membrane, because its property is more propitious to the adherence and proliferation of osteoblasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to research the bionic mechanics in unsteady flow, a two-degree of freedom (DoF) motion model was established for a rigid pectoral fin, and the experimental device named imitating pectoral fin system for the propulsive system was developed. This fin propulsive system consists of two servomotors and can realize various demanded feathering lead-lag coupling motions within the system limitation. During the experiment, the effects of phase difference, oscillating frequency, oscillating amplitudes and angular bias on the hydrodynamic performances were studied. The hydrodynamic coefficients against time in a cycle were obtained and analyzed. The study provides a foundation for the development of small underwater bio-robot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil-rock mixture (SRM) is a unique type of discontinuous and inhomogeneous geomaterials. It's very difficult to analyze the deformation and failure of SRM using the experimental techniques and analytical theories of conventional soil mechanics. A novel 3D identification method was proposed to identify the fracture and damage of SRM based on CT and image processing techniques. Using the self-developed identification algorithm and computer program, we extracted and analyzed the mesoscopic characteristics of interior fractures of SRM with various rock contents subject to uniaxial compressive loads. A 3D model was reconstructed to represent the fracture and damage of SRM, based on which the damage evolution and characteristics of SRM under uniaxial compression and the effects of rock contents were determined. It is shown that the properties and evolution of fracture and damage of SRM can be characterized visually and quantitatively through the proposed method. The damage evolution of SRM and the effects of rock closely relate to the rock content. There is a critical ratio of rock content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP) cleavage-activating protein (SCAP)/ SREBP-2 signaling and the expressions of its downstream cholesterol metabolism related molecules 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR), proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), and low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) in the liver tissue in rats with hyperlipidemia (HLP), so as to reveal its mechanisms underlying improvement of HLP., Methods: Male SD rats were randomly divided into normal control, HLP model and EA groups ( n =10/group). The HLP model was established by feeding the rats with high-fat diet for 28 d. Rats in the EA group received EA stimulation (2 Hz/100 Hz, 2 mA) at "Fenglong" (ST40) and "Yinlingquan"(SP9) for 30 min, once daily for 28 d. The contents of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in the serum, the activity of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (AST) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (ALT) were detected by automatic biochemical analysis. The content of TC in the liver tissue was detected using high performance liquid chromatography. The mRNA and protein expression levels of SCAP, SREBP-2, HMGCR, PCSK9 and LDLR in the liver tissue were measured by using quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively. The immunofluorescence density of liver SCAP was determined by using immunofluorescence histochemistry., Results: Compared with the normal control group, the contents of liver TC, serum TC, LDL-C, the activities of AST and ALT, and the mRNA and protein expression levels of SCAP, SREBP-2, HMGCR, PCSK9 as well as SCAP immunoactivity were significantly increased ( P <0.01), while the LDLR mRNA and protein levels were markedly decreased ( P <0.01) in the model group. In comparison with the model group, the contents of liver TC， serum TC, LDL-C, the activities of AST and ALT and the expression of SCAP, SREBP-2, HMGCR, PCSK9 mRNAs and proteins and SCAP immunoactivity were considerably decreased in the EA group ( P <0.01), while the LDLR protein level was evidently increased in the EA group ( P <0.05)., Conclusion: EA intervention can inhibit the synthesis of cholesterol in the liver and thus improve hyperlipidemia in HLP rats, which may be realized by down-regulating the protein and mRNA expressions of hepatic SCAP/SREBP-2, HMGCR and PCSK9, and up-regulating LDLR protein.

To clarify the impacts of long-term alfalfa plantation on the soil nematode community, soil samples were collected from different alfalfa growing ages (2 a, 9 a, 18 a) in the semi-arid area of Loess Plateau in Central Gansu by Illumina Miseq sequencing technology. The main controlling factors affecting its community change were also explored. The results showed that soil nematode belongs to 2 classes, 7 orders, 16 families and 21 genera. Among them, Chromadorea was the dominant group (44.6%-81.4%), the relative abundance of which decreased with alfalfa growing ages. Paratylenchus , Helicotylenchus , Xiphinema , Pristionchus , Ditylenchus , Panagrolaimus , Longidorus , Aprutides , Isolaimium and Aglenchus were the special nematode species of alfalfa, among which Paratylenchus (54.1%), Helicotylenchus (23.9%) and Xiphinema (21.9%) were the dominant nematodes in 2 a, 9 a and 18 a alfalfa soil respectively. Plant-parasitic nematode was the dominant group in alfalfa soil (31.8%-67.1%), and its relative abundance decreased at first and then increased with alfalfa growing ages. Results of redundancy analysis showed that soil available phosphorus and total nitrogen were the dominant environmental factors affecting community structure of soil nematodes in the region.

In order to understand the effects of lucerne cropping rotation on the bacterial community of loess soil, a long-term field experiment was conducted in rain-fed agricultural area of Loess Plateau. The cropping systems included continuous lucerne ( Medicago sativa , LC), lucerne removed and rotated with spring wheat ( Triticum aestivum , L F W), lucerne removed and rotated with corn ( Zea mays , L F C), lucerne removed and rotated with potato ( Solanum tuberosum , LP), and lucerne removed and rotated with continuous millet ( Panicum miliaceum , LM). Based on 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing technology, we investigated soil bacterial community structure and diversity in different cropping systems, and predicted ecological function using PICRUSt method. The results showed that the dominant phyla of loess soil bacteria were Actinomycetes (20.3%-32.0%), Proteobacteria (19.2%-23.0%), Acidobacteria (12.4%-14.2%) and Chloroflexus (11.0%-12.7%). The dominant genus was Bacillus (1.9%) in lucerne-corn system and Pseudarthrobacter (2.5%) in other treatments. Rotation with annual crops decreased the relative abundance of Actinobacteria and increased that of Chloroflexi and Firmicutes. Redundancy analysis showed that the main soil factors driving soil bacterial community structure were nitrate, ammonium, and total nitrogen. PICRUSt function prediction results showed that metabolism (78.6%-79.1%) was the main function of soil bacterial communities in loess soil. Rotation with continued annual crops significantly decreased the abundance of soil bacterial carbohydrate metabolism functional genes, and significantly increased the abundance of functional genes for soil bacterial cofactors and vitamin metabolism, neurodegenerative diseases, and immune system. In conclusion, lucerne removed and rotated with continuous annual crops changed soil bacterial community structure and ecological functions. This study provided theoretical reference to explore succession characteristics of soil bacteria and to select succeeding crops for alfalfa in loess soil.

The PM 2.5 concentration characteristics of "2+26" cities in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and the surrounding region during the Spring Festival and the Lantern Festival in 2021 were analyzed. The average daily concentration and hourly concentration of PM 2.5 in the three days before and after the Spring Festival and the Lantern Festival from 2016 to 2021 and the characteristics of the PM 2.5 chemical components during the Spring Festival and the Lantern Festival from 2019 to 2021 were comparatively analyzed. In addition, the impact of meteorological factors on PM 2.5 concentration from 2016 to 2021 and the key factors affecting the forecast result of Beijing during the Spring Festival in 2021 were discussed. The results showed that the combination of fireworks and firecrackers and adverse weather conditions resulted in a moderate to heavy pollution process during the Spring Festival in 2021 and a light to moderate pollution process during the Lantern Festival in "2+26" cities. The average ρ (PM 2.5 ) was 111 μg·m -3 . The hourly peak ρ (PM 2.5 ) was 156 μg·m -3 , which was the lowest in 2016 to 2021. The three days before and after the Lantern Festival in 2021, the average ρ (PM 2.5 ) of "2+26" cities was 85 μg·m -3 , and the hourly peak ρ (PM 2.5 ) was 125 μg·m -3 . During this period, the hour number of heavy and severe pollution was the lowest in 2016 to 2021. Component observation results showed that the impact of fireworks and firecrackers during the Spring Festival and the Lantern Festival in 2021 was gradually reduced, and the effect of bans and restrictions for fireworks and firecrackers was significant. The regional pollution was dominated by conventional pollution accumulation and nitrate. The concentration of organic matter in some cities during the Spring Festival was relatively high, which may be related to local industrial emissions and the impact of blasting fireworks and firecrackers. The comparative analysis of meteorological factors and PM 2.5 concentration showed that the factors such as wind speed and direction, ground pressure, and relative humidity all affected PM 2.5 concentration and the duration of the regional pollution process. The influence of oscillation of the boundary layer transport sink on diffusion conditions in the North China Plain, the location and intensity of the small high pressure in North China and the intensity of its high-altitude moving airflow, and the uncertainty of fireworks displays, as well as the low accuracy of weather forecasts caused by frequent weather changes during the alternate period of winter and spring, could affect the accuracy of air quality forecast results in the northern Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. In summary, although the impact of fireworks and firecrackers has been reduced in recent years, in order to improve the air quality, it is recommended to further strengthen the control of fireworks and firecrackers, especially outside the Beijing Fifth Ring Road and Beijing's surrounding cities.

In order to explore the characteristics of N 2 O emissions from winter wheat fields in the Loess Plateau under different farming methods and nitrogen levels, the dynamic changes in N 2 O emissions from rain-fed winter wheat fields were quantified using static box-gas chromatography. Winter wheat 'Xiaoyan22' was used as the material, and a two-factor split area design was adopted. The conventional tillage (CT), straw incorporated into soil (SM), and flat film mulching (FM) were assigned as the main plot, and three nitrogen fertilizer rates (no nitrogen fertilization, 20% nitrogen reduction (144 kg·hm -2 ), and conventional nitrogen application (180 kg·hm -2 )) were assigned as a split plot. Taking CT as a control, the effects of FM and SM on soil N 2 O emissions under different nitrogen rates were assessed. Furthermore, the correlation between relevant environmental factors and N 2 O emission flux were analyzed, and N 2 emissions were estimated using empirical formulas. The results showed the following:the N 2 O emissions from the soil of each nitrogen treatment occurred within 20 days, and N 2 O emission flux peaked within two weeks post-fertilization. The average N 2 O flux, the total N 2 O emissions, and the global warming potential of N 2 O were 1.92-22.75 μg·(m 2 ·h) -1 , 0.10-0.46 kg·hm -2 , and 26.72-122.15 kg·hm -2 , respectively. The N 2 O emission coefficient of fertilizer nitrogen was 0.05%-0.28%. The total N 2 emissions ranged from 0.70-1.82 kg·hm -2 . The N fertilization and film mulching significantly increased the N 2 O emission flux ( P <0.05) and the cumulative N 2 O emissions ( P <0.05); however, SM marginally reduced the total N 2 O emissions. The N 2 O emission coefficient and global warming potential of fertilizer nitrogen under FM were significantly higher than those under CT and SM ( P <0.05). The N 2 O emissions without nitrogen treatment were only significantly positively correlated with soil water-filled pore spaces (WFPS) ( P <0.05); the N 2 O emissions in the N fertilization condition were significantly positively correlated with WFPS, ω (NO 3 - -N), ω (NH 4 + -N), and 0-5 cm soil layer temperature ( P <0.05). Overall, under the condition of no fertilization, water was the main factor to control the nitrogen transformation and soil N 2 O emission; nevertheless, under the N fertilization condition, both nitrification and denitrification contributed to the N 2 O emissions in the rain-fed winter wheat fields. Film mulching practice and nitrogen application markedly increased the N 2 O emissions, fertilizer nitrogen emission coefficient, and global warming potential in the rain-fed winter wheat fields. Nonetheless, straw incorporated into the soil resulted in a marginal reduction in N 2 O emissions.

To evaluate the influence of Fe/S ratio and pH on sulfide removal efficiency and interactions between Fe/S and pH, anaerobic hydrogen sulfide in situ depression tests and digested sludge liquor sulfide removal tests were carried out by using dewatering sludge from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Results showed that the concentration of hydrogen sulfide in biogas from the thermal pretreatment following anaerobic digestion process could be reduced from 170.4×10 -6 to 14.09×10 -6 at Fe/S=7.75, which means the biogas desulfurization treatment is not required. Under the condition of pH 7.00-7.50 and Fe/S 1-11, pH is the main influencing factor for sulfide removal. Improving the pH of anaerobic digestion is beneficial in reducing the dosage of Fe(Ⅲ). An Fe/S ratio of 7.0 is the minimum to meet the biogas hydrogen sulfide emission standards during high solid sludge anaerobic digestion. The concentration of hydrogen sulfide was not up to standards if pH was below 7.30.

To explore potential effects of soil nutrient on leaf thermal tolerance across geographical origins, five provenance, i.e., Chengbu of Hunan (CB), Zigui of Hubei (ZG), Neixiang of Henan (NX), Lincheng of Heibei (LC) and Pinggu of Beijing (PG), seedlings of Quercus variabilis were cultivated under nitrogen and phosphorus addition. Leaf thermal tolerance parameters (cold, heat and span), nutrient concentrations (nitrogen and phosphorus), nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and phosphorus use efficiency (PUE), as well as non-structural carbohydrate (soluble sugar and starch) concentrations were analyzed. The results were shown as follows: Nutrient absorption and utilization efficiency varied between oak origins with no obvious geographical trends. PG had higher nutrient use efficiency (NUE and PUE), whereas NX had lower PUE under all treatments. CB had the highest PUE under phosphorus addition. Compared with the control, nutrient addition increased the cold tolerance of PG and LC, and to some extent, increased the heat tolerance of the three middle provenances (ZG, NX, LC). However, the thermal span was opposite to the cold tolerance, as nutrient addition decreased the thermal span of PG and LC but increased that of NX. The leaf cold tolerance had significantly positive correlation with soluble sugar concentration, while the heat tolerance negatively and positively correlated with leaf phosphorus and ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus, respectively. No significant correlation was found between leaf thermal span and leaf chemical substances. To sum up, nutrient use efficiency varying in provenances might be contributed by the original habitats and consequently presented with some local adaptation characteristics, which complicated the response of thermal tolerance to nutrient addition.

Age structures and spatial distribution patterns of Quercus variabilis populations were analyzed across geographical gradients (latitude, longitude and altitude) by using the size-grading method and the ratio of variance to mean. The results showed as following: Over the horizontal gradient, the northern, middle, southern and western populations of Q. variabilis exhibited an inverse-J shape, but the eastern populations declined. The spatial patterns of adult individuals were all clumped except the northern populations which were randomly distributed. Juveniles were clumped in the northern, middle and western populations, but were randomly distributed in the southern and eastern populations. The aggregation intensity of juveniles across latitude decreased with the order as the central, northern and southern populations, but as the central, southern and northern populations for adult individuals. The aggregation intensity of both juveniles and adults across longitude followed a decreased order as the central, western and eastern populations. Along the altitudinal gra-dient, the inverse-J type occurred only in the low- and middle-altitude populations, but populations in the high altitude declined. The juveniles in populations among altitude gradient all were clumped, but the adults were all clumped except the low-altitude populations which were randomly distributed. The aggregation intensities of both juveniles and adults were higher in the middle than the other altitudinal populations. Compared with adults, juveniles generally had higher aggregation intensities across various geographical gradients. Our results revealed that the age structure and spatial distribution pattern of Q. variabilis were mainly determined by environment variation across geographical gradients and the species' biological property, which supported the central-marginal hypothesis.

Objective: To construct human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hASCs)-biomaterial mixture 3D bio-printing body and detect its osteogenesis in vivo, and to establish a guideline of osteogenesis in vivo by use of 3D bio-printing technology preliminarily., Methods: P4 hASCs were used as seed cells, whose osteogenic potential in vitro was tested by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and alizarin red staining after 14 d of osteogenic induction. The cells were added into 20 g/L sodium alginate and 80 g/L gelatin mixture (cell density was 1 × 10(6)/mL), and the cell-sodium alginate-gelatin mixture was printed by Bioplotter 3D bio-printer (Envision company, Germany), in which the cells'survival rate was detected by live- dead cell double fluorescence staining. Next, the printing body was osteogenically induced for 1 week to gain the experimental group; and the sodium alginate-gelatin mixture without cells was also printed to gain the control group. Both the experimental group and the control group were implanted into the back of the nude mice. After 6 weeks of implantation, the samples were collected, HE staining, Masson staining, immunohistochemical staining and Inveon Micro CT test were preformed to analyze their osteogenic capability., Results: The cells'survival rate was 89%± 2% after printing. Six weeks after implantation, the samples of the control group were mostly degraded, whose shape was irregular and gel-like; the samples of the experimental group kept their original size and their texture was tough. HE staining and Masson staining showed that the bone-like tissue and vessel in-growth could be observed in the experimental group 6 weeks after implantation, immunohistochemical staining showed that the result of osteocalcin was positive, and Micro CT results showed that samples of the experimental group had a higher density and the new bone volume was 18% ± 1%., Conclusion: hASCs -biomaterial mixture 3D bio-printing body has capability of ectopic bone formation in nude mice, and it is feasible to apply cells-biomaterial mixture 3D bio-printing technology in the area of bone formation in vivo.

Objective: To examine the effect of CaCl₂, a sodium alginate crosslinker, to stimulate cells for a short time period on human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hASCs) proliferation and osteogenic differentiation ability, and to determine the appropriate concentration of CaCl₂for post three-dimensional biological experiments., Methods: hASCs stimulated with or without CaCl₂at various concentrations were seeded and cultured in control medium and osteogenic medium, respectively. The cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) was used to estimate the cell proliferation level of each group. After 7 days of osteogenic induction, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and activity assays were performed using an ALP kit. After 14 days of osteogenic induction, alizarin red staining and quantitative detection were used to determine the calcium mineral density. The results were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Student-Newman-Keuls (SNK) tests for pairwise comparisons implemented in the SPSS 17.0 software., Results: The CCK-8 assays showed that the differences between the control groups and experimental groups were not statistically significant, so different concentrations of CaCl₂had no significant effect on hASCs proliferation. The ALP staining and activity assays showed that ALP activity first increased and then decreased as the CaCl₂concentration increased. Furthermore, the differences between all the groups were statistically significant (P<0.05), except the difference between the 50 mmol/L CaCl₂group and the 100 mmol/L CaCl₂group, and between the osteogenetic medium(OM) group and the 200 mmol/L CaCl₂group. Alizarin red staining and quantitative detection showed that the differences between all pairwise combinations of the groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). As the CaCl₂ concentration increased, the calcium deposition increased, initially in the form of a scattered sheet and eventually a laminated sheet., Conclusion: Stimulation by a high concentration of CaCl₂over a short time period can enhance hASCs osteogenic differentiation ability, but has no effect on hASCs proliferation.

For acute toxicity test, zebrafish were respectively exposed to the different concentrations of nano-ZnO (0, 0.05, 0.1, 5, 10, 25, 50 mg x L(-1)) for 4, 24 and 96 h. The superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and catalase (CAT) in the liver of zebrafish were studied, and the relative expression of Bcl-2, Bax, p53 and MDM2 in liver were also determined. Anatomical structure of the zebrafish liver was determined after exposure to nano-ZnO for 7, 15 and 30 d. Compared with the control group, the liver of the experimental groups showed obvious difference in following aspects: (1) oedema, cytoplastic vacuolation, and pyknotic nucleus were observed; (2) the number of hepatic macrophages deposited and the sinus clearance were increased; (3) the MDA contents and the activity of SOD were increased; (4) however, the activity of CAT was decreased; (5) the mRNA expression level of genes Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and p53 of stressed groups were up-regulated; the mRNA expression level of gene MDM2 down-regulation can be observed in the low concentration groups while the mRNA expression level of gene MDM2 was up-regulated in the high concentration groups. The results suggested that, the oxidative damage of nano-ZnO to the zebrafish liver was caused by the increase of oxidative stress, which made the change of antioxidant enzyme activity, induced the expression of cell apoptosis genetic and cell apoptosis, and caused the change of organizational structure of liver.

To compare the activity of RGD-TRAIL in different expression systems, RGD-TRAIL in both Escherichia coli (E.coli) and Pichia pastoris was constructed and expressed. In vitro activity of RGD-TRAIL from Pichia pastoris expression system was also analyzed. Genetic engineering techniques were used to construct recombinant plasmid pET30-rgd-trail and pHBM-rgd-trail. The recombinant protein RGD-TRAIL was purified with Ni ion affinity chromatography after induction. MTT assay, ELISA, scratch wound healing, transwell migration assay and Hoechst 33342 staining were performed to detect the effects of RGD-TRAIL on proliferation, binding activity, migration and apoptosis. The expression of apoptosis-associated proteins was detected by Western blotting. Recombinant protein RGD-TRAIL was successfully expressed in a form of inclusion body in E.coli, while expressed secretorily in Pichia pastoris. It possessed more potent cytotoxicity than RGD-TRAIL in E.coli by MTT assay. The RGD-TRAIL expressed by Pichia pastoris showed powerful binding affinity with cancer cells expressing α(v), DR4, DR5 and highly potent cytotoxicity through inducing apoptosis of cancer cells. Nuclear fragmentation was examined by Hoechst 33342 staining. Cleaved PARP and caspase-3 were also detected after incubation with RGD-TRAIL. Additionally, RGD-TRAIL inhibited migration significantly in A549 and HT1080 cells. The results demonstrate that Pichia pastoris expression system is more suitable for the recombinant protein RGD-TRAIL. Its binding affinity and antitumor activity might make RGD-TRAIL a promising candidate for cancer therapy.

The present paper puts forward multi-wavelength pulse oxygen saturation measurement based on dynamic spectroscopy to do the non-invasive determination of oxygen saturation. Compared to conventional ways, the new method makes full use of more wavelengths light and improves the measurement accuracy. During the experiment, the in-vivo measurements were carried out on 60 patients and their spectroscopic data were collected by the high sensitivity type fiber optic spectrometer. Singletrial estimation method was used to extract the dynamic spectroscopy at the wavelengths of 606. 44 approximately 987. 55 nm. Oxygen saturation obtained from arterial blood gas analysis is regarded as the true value. Synergy interval partial least square (siPLS) was used to establish the calibration model of subjects' oxygen saturation values against dynamic spectroscopy data. The relative error of prediction is +/-0. 017 6, but the relative error of the subjects in the same set measured by the patient monitor which was two-wavelength measure system is +/-0. 116 4. Measurement results show that the use of the high sensitivity type fiber optic spectrometer to collect multi-wavelength spectroscopic data and dynamic spectroscopy method to process data can do better in improving the accuracy of the oxygen saturation measurement.

By using layering harvest method, a comparative study was conducted on the biomass allocation and its spatial distribution of 20-year-old Eucalyptus camaldulensis plantation, Leucaena leucocephala plantation, and E. camaldulensis-L. leucocephala plantation in Yuanmou dry-hot valley of Yunnan Province, Southwest China. The stand biomass in the mixed E. camaldulensis-L. leucocephala plantation (82.99 t x hm(-2)) was between that of monoculture E. camaldulensis plantation (60.64 t x hm(-2)) and L. leucocephala plantation (127.79 t x hm(-2)). The individual tree biomass of E. camaldulensis in the mixed plantation (44.32 kg) was 49.8% higher than that in monoculture plantation (29.58 kg). The branch and leaf biomass of L. leucocephala (25.4%) in monoculture plantation was larger than that of E. camaldulensis (8.9%) in monoculture plantation, and the aboveground biomass distribution ratio (78.0%) of L. leucocephala (25.4%) was also higher than that of E. camaldulensis (73.4%). The roots of L. leucocephala in both monoculture and mixed plantations were mainly distributed in 0-40 cm soil layer, while those of E. camaldulensis in monoculture and mixed plantations were mainly found in 0-80 cm and 0-60 cm, respectively. The proportion of biomass allocated to roots including medium roots, small roots, and fine roots of L. leucocephala in mixed plantation was higher than that in monoculture plantation, but it was contrary for E. camaldulensis. It was suggested that introducing L. leucocephala in E. camaldulensis plantation promoted the growth of E. camaldulensis, especially for its aboveground biomass, and increased the amount of lateral roots in 0-20 cm soil layer, which had significance in soil and water conservation in the study area.

An improved spectrum extraction method is proposed based on the dynamic spectrum theory to improve the precision. First, the drift baseline is fitted to restrain the effect of relative motion between the finger and the probe. Then, the spectrum is extracted using the square-sum-root method as a replacement of the peak-peak value method to reduce the impact of system random error. Taking the measurement of oxygen saturation for instance, uncertainty analysis is performed for the oxygen saturation coefficient Q. Compared with the peak-peak value method, the square-sum-root method can reduce the uncertainty of oxygen saturation coefficient Q to 38% of the original value. Ten data sets were sampled from ten volunteers, and the uncertainty of the coefficient Q obtained using the two methods was directly evaluated and compared. The average ratio of the Q uncertainty by the two methods turned to be 42%. Both the theoretical analysis and the experimental results show that the square-sum-root method proposed can be used to extract the effective spectra more accurately from the photoplethysmography, suggesting a meaningful progress in noninvasive blood components measurement.

Purpose: The influence of La2O3 and Li2O on glass powder was studied in this paper, which is to infiltrate ZTA all-ceramic dental material formed by gel-casting. The performance of different component was analyzed to optimize glass formula., Methods: Six groups of glass powder were designed and prepared by conventional melt-quenching method. ZTA ceramic blocks were covered with glass paste, which were formed by gel-casting and sintered in 1200 degrees centigrade, then infiltrated in 1150 degrees centigrade for twice to make glass/ZTA ceramic composites. By detecting differential thermal analysis and melting range of infiltration glass power, as well as flexural strength, linear shrinkage, SEM and EDS of glass/ZTA ceramic composites, the optimized glass group was determined out. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 13.0 software package by means of paired t test or one way ANOVA., Results: The bending strength of group Li1 was (291.2±27.9) MPa, significantly higher than group Li2 and group La2(P<0.05), and linear shrinkage of group Li1 was only(1.85±0.27)%. SEM and EDS showed glass of group Li1 can lubricate ZTA ceramics well, their structure was compact and had a few small pores. Intergranular fracture existed on cross surface as well as transgranular fracture., Conclusions: The results showed that Li1(30%La2O3-15%Al2O3-15%SiO2-15%B2O3-5%Li2O) glass infiltrated ZTA ceramic composite had the best capability. Glass/ZTA composite material can be prepared by gel-casting and infiltrating way, and this process is simple and economically suitable for general dental laboratory.

Objective: To investigate the expressions of caveolin-1, collagen-I, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and Smad in lung tissues of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and therefore to explore their potential roles in the pathogenesis of the disease., Methods: Six patients with IPF confirmed pathologically by open lung biopsy in Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University from January 2005 to December 2008 were studied. Diagnosis of IPF was made in accordance with the American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society Consensus Statement. At the same period, 6 normal lung samples were also obtained from patients with lung cancer by surgical resections as the control group. The level of caveolin-1 mRNA and protein, collagen-I, α-SMA and Smads in lung tissues were detected by RT-PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry., Results: Compared with the control group, significantly reduced levels of caveolin-1 mRNA and protein (0.66 ± 0.19 vs 0.05 ± 0.02; 0.81 ± 0.11 vs 0.16 ± 0.05, P < 0.05) were observed in the lungs of patients with IPF. However, collagen-I (0.85 ± 0.11 vs 0.16 ± 0.04) and α-SMA (0.78 ± 0.08 vs 0.14 ± 0.05) proteins in the lung tissues of IPF patients were significantly increased as compared to the controls (P < 0.05). The expressions of p-Smad2 and p-Smad3 proteins were significantly increased (0.78 ± 0.08 vs 0.17 ± 0.04; 0.86 ± 0.07 vs 0.14 ± 0.04, respectively, P < 0.05), while that of Smad7 protein decreased (0.22 ± 0.05 vs 0.78 ± 0.08, P < 0.05) in the lungs of patients with IPF as compared with the control groups., Conclusion: The reduced expression of caveolin-1 in lung tissues of IPF may be related to the development and progress of pulmonary fibrosis.

Objective: To observe the relationship between serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and the risk factors of metabolic syndrome (MS)., Methods: Between April and August 2010, a total of 4110 persons from the out-patient Department of Tianjin First Central Hospital, were divided into two groups, the less than and the older than 65-year-old groups. Items as body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, FPG, serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), GGT, serum high-density lipoprotein level (HDL-C), serum low-density lipoprotein level (LDL-C) and uric acid (UA) were tested and data was analyzed by SPSS. All subjects were divided into normal and abnormal groups, according to the GGT level., Results: 14.6 percent of the subjects in the younger groups and 24.3 percent in the older groups were diagnosed as MS. Significant differences were noticed among MS groups and normal groups, regarding items as BMI, diastolic, ALT, GGT, HDL-C, FPG, and UA (P < 0.05). There were significant differences between GGT normal group and abnormal group (P < 0.05). The GGT levels were significant positively related to the levels of BMI, diastolic, TC, TG, FPG and UA with Rs as 0.212, 0.226, 0.362, 0.200, 0.120 and 0.213 (P < 0.01), while negatively related to the HDL-C level (r = -0.23, P < 0.001). Data from the regression analysis demonstrated that diastolic, TG, FPG and UA were predictors for GGT (β = 0.170, 0.293, 0.107, 0.094, P < 0.05)., Conclusion: GGT levels were significantly related to the risk factors of metabolic syndrome.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of a new collagen-hydroxyapatite (COL-HA) composite membrane on bone regeneration of SD rat cranial defects., Methods: Four defects were produced in the calvaria of 24 SD rats. The animals were divided into four groups: Empty defects without membrane (group 1); defects covered by COL-HA single-layer dense membranes (group 2); defects covered by COL-HA double-layer membranes (group 3); defects covered by Bio-Gide membranes (group 4). At 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks after surgery, 6 rats were sacrificed and the following parameters were analyzed: Macroscopic observation, X-ray examination, descriptive histology, regenerate bone quantitative histology. Statistical analysis consisted of generalized linear models/factorial design analysis of variance and LSD-t test was performed., Results: Since two weeks after surgery, there were a small amount of bone regenerated in three groups except group 1. At 12 weeks after surgery, the opaque sclerous tissues filled with the defects in three groups, and residual membrane fragments still could be found. X-ray pictures showed the density of regenerate bone in group 3 and group 4 was closed to the original bone and greater than that of group 2. Quantitative analysis of regenerate bone showed that in initial stage, group 4 had more bone regeneration than the other groups (P < 0.05), and at 12 weeks after surgery the differences between group 4 and group 2/group 3 had no statistically significant., Conclusion: The COL-HA composite membranes can guide bone regeneration of rat cranial defects. The efficacy of bone regeneration of COL-HA double-layer membrane is superior to COL-HA single-layer dense membrane, because its property is more propitious to the adherence and proliferation of osteoblasts.

Carthamus tinctorius L. is a traditional Chinese medicine with the effect of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. HSYA (hydroxysafflor yellow A) is the main effective component of Carthamus tinctorius L. In order to study the inhibitory effects of HSYA against PMN (polymorphonuclear) activation induced by LPS (lipopolysaccharide), rabbit PMN adhesion potency which was activated by LPS through colorimetry method was observed. Cellular free calcium concentration was determined by fluorescence spectrophotometry. RT-PCR was applied to study the effect of HSYA on PMN TNF-alpha and IL-6 mRNA expression; The inhibition of HSYA on NF-kappaB activation was monitored with immunofluorescence. The results showed that after treated with HSYA, the increase of adhesion potency (HSYA dose 1.01 x 10(-4) mol x L(-1)), free calcium concentration (HSYA dose 3.1 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1)), TNF-alpha and IL-6 mRNA expression elevation (HSYA dose 5.2 x 10(-1) mol x L(-1)) induced by LPS were inhibited. HSYA can inhibit NF-kappaB p65 subgroup nuclear translocation (HSYA dose 5.2 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1)). It is suggested that HSYA is effective in PMN activation induced by LPS.

This study is to investigate the pharmacological effect and mechanism of action of hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) on acute lung injury (ALI). The rat ALI was induced by oleic acid and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection. The incidence of acidosis, PaO2 (arterial blood oxygen pressure), W/D (wet weight/dry weight) and lung index (LI) were measured. Electron microscope and optical microscope were applied to observe lung morphological changes in rat. RT-PCR was used to determine TNF-alpha and ICAM-1 mRNA level. Inhibition effect of HSYA on plasma inflammatory cytokine expression was measured by ELISA. HSYA could alleviate pulmonary edema, reduce acidosis, keep PaO2 from descending, inhibit inflammatory cell infiltration, inhibit rat lung TNF-alpha and ICAM-1 mRNA expression and plasma IL-6 and IL-1beta level elevation. HSYA is an effective ingredient to remit ALI induced by oleic acid and LPS in rat.

Objective: To develop a novel anti-angiogenesis strategy based on a DNA vaccine coding both human and mouse soluble VEGFR2., Methods: The gene fragments coding human and mouse sVEGFR2 were amplified with PCR and cloned into pVITRO2 to generate pVITRO2-hm-sVEGFR2 recombinant. The in vitro VEGF blocking effect of the pVITRO2-hm-sVEGFR2 expression products on HUVEC cells were evaluated. The anti-tumor effect of pVITRO2-hm-sVEGFR2 was studied in mouse B16 model. The microvessels were stained by using CD31 antibody., Results: The co-expressing vector pVITRO2-hm-sVEGFR2 was constructed successfully, confirmed by the restriction endonuclease digestion and sequencing. The expressing products of pVITRO2-hm-sVEGFR2 could obviously block the function of VEGF on promoting the proliferation of HUVEC in vitro. The tumor growth in mice was also significantly inhibited by pVITRO2-hm-sVEGFR2 expression. CD31 staining demonstrated that the microvessel density obviously decreased in tumor tissues treated with pVITRO2-hm-sVEGFR2. Both anti-tumor and anti-angiogenesis effects of pVITRO2-hm-sVEGFR2 were stronger than that of plasmids which coding only human or mouse sVEGFR2., Conclusion: pVITRO2-hm-sVEGFR2 could be a novel DNA vaccine for the anti-tumor therapy by inhibiting angiogenesis.

Objective: To determine the enhancement effects of IL-15 to the tumor whole cell vaccine in tumor immunotherapy., Methods: CT26 colon carcinoma model was established with BALB/c mice. Thirty two mice with CT26 colon carcinoma were divided randomly into four groups, which were subcutaneously injected at several spots with PBS (200 microL), CT26 whole cell vaccine (2 x 10(6) cells in 200 microL PBS), mIL-15 (20 microg, encapsulated with liposome in 200 microL 5% glucose solution) and CT26 whole cell vaccine (2 x 10(6) cells in 100 microL PBS) plus mIL-15 (20 microg, encapsulated with liposome in 100 microL 5% glucose solution) respectively every three days for six doses, the plasmid was injected beside the vaccine injecting spots. The size of tumors was measured every four days. All mice were sacrificed 30 days after tumor implantation. The pathologic observation and apoptotic analysis of tumors were preceded., Results: CT26 whole cell vaccine combined with mIL-15 inhibited tumor growth by 45% compared with that of control group, the differences between CT26 + mIL-15 group and the other three groups were significant (P < 0. 05). The HE staining showed that the necrosis areas in tumors of the CT26 + mIL-15 group were larger than those of other three groups. The apoptotic index of tumors from the CT26 + mIL-15 group was (46.7 +/- 7.2)%, higher than that of the other three groups obviously (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: IL-15 could enhance the therapeutic effects of CT26 whole cell vaccine in tumor immunotherapy.

Objective: To investigate prognostic factors related to early and late intrahepatic recurrences after curative hepatectomy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)., Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on medical records of patients with HCC treated by curative hepatectomy from January 2002 to January 2009. Clinicopathologic data were evaluated for their possible association with postoperative intrahepatic recurrence in univariate and multivariate analysis using Cox proportional hazard model. Recurrence time calculated by Kaplan-Meier method was compared using Log-rank test. Receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) analysis with calculation of the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity where appropriated and risk stratification were applied to assess predictive ability of prognostic factors., Results: All 101 patients underwent curative hepatectomy. During follow-up period, 75 patients developed postoperative intrahepatic recurrence, among whom, 63 experienced early recurrence (84.0%) and the remaining had late recurrence (16.0%). The 1-, 2-, 3-and 5-year cumulative recurrent rates were 48.5% (49/101), 62.4% (63/101), 70.3% (71/101) and 74.3% (75/101), respectively. Multivariate analysis identified that tumor residual resectional margin, increased BCLC staging and severity of concomitant liver cirrhosis as independent prognostic factors predicting early recurrence while age ≥ 60 years and presence of tumor capsule predicting late recurrence. Cutoff point values (PI ≥ 2.798) predicted early recurrence with AUC 0.897 (95%CI = 0.829 - 0.965), sensitivity 76.6%and specificity 88.9% calculated from ROC. Median recurrent time of early recurrence and late recurrence reached statistically difference after risk stratification, 20.2 months vs. 4.4 months (χ(2) = 29.198, P = 0.000), 46.6 months vs. 28.6 months (Log-rank test, χ(2) = 8.479, P = 0.004), respectively., Conclusions: Postoperative recurrence for HCC after curative hepatectomy should be differentiated as early recurrence and late recurrence, since each is associated with different risk factors, indicating possible different mechanism responsible for postoperative recurrence. Risk stratification can be used for prediction of different type of recurrence.

According to Stark broadening theory, Stark broadening spectral line profile is asymmetric in essence considering plasma ions impact. The electric microfield distribution function is very important for the spectral line profile. The Stark broadening spectral line profile is described with different electric microfield distribution functions. The results show that the Stark broadening spectral line profile is similar with the Holtsmark distribution and nearest-neighbor field distribution, and it is diversification with Mayer model. With the decrease in the electrons impact broadening parameter, the influence of different electric microfield distribution functions is diminished. With the decrease in the plasma ions impact parameter, the influence of different electric microfield distribution functions is trailing off. The results also show that the action of electric microfield distribution functions is similar when the plasma ions impact parameter is very small. It is illustrated that the intense impact of plasma ions has great influence on the spectral line profile. The results may have important reference for the plasma diagnosis.

Objective: To analyze the complication rate and survival rate of the patients whose graft-recipient weight ratio (GRWR) less than 0.8% following living donor liver transplantation (LDLT)., Methods: There were 92 consecutive LDLT patients from January 2001 to December 2007 in West China Hospital, Sichuan University. There were 85 males and 7 females aged from 18 to 65 years old (averaged, 42 years old) and among which 89 patients were involved in the study. There were 15 patients whose GRWR less than 0.8% (group 1), while other 74 recipients were in group 2. Comparing the two groups' complication rates and survival rates and finding out the potential influencing factor of small-size-graft recipients' survival rate., Results: The survival rates of group 1 and group 2 were 73.3% (11/15) and 71.6% (53/74), respectively. The grade II-V complication rates of group 1 and group 2 were 46.7% (7/15) and 48.6% (36/74), respectively. There were no difference in survival rates (chi(2) = 0.058, P = 0.811) and complication rates (chi(2) = 0.000, P = 1.000) between the two groups. Ascites volume of group 1 and group 2 were (1532 +/- 322) ml and (1466 +/- 110) ml, respectively (t = 0.234, P = 0.815). The condition of the graft's middle hepatic vein had significant influence on small-size-liver recipients' survival rates (chi(2) = 6.821, P = 0.009)., Conclusions: GRWR < 0.8% is not the limitation of the living donor liver transplantation but the outflow tract of the graft must be unobstructed.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of statins on coronary atherosclerotic plaque in patients with stable angina pectoris and type 2 diabetes with mild elevated low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C)., Methods: Seventy-eight patients with stable angina pectoris and type 2 diabetes mellitus and mild elevated LDL-C were treated with (n=40) or without (n=38) statins for 12 months. Coronary artery angiography (CAG) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) were performed at baseline and after 12 months on lesion and reference segment to compare the plaque volume, lumen volume, vascular volume and remodeling index was calculated as vascular volume index (VVI) at lesion divided by VVI at reference segment One coronary lesion with 50%-70% stenosis was selected as target plaque in each patient., Results: Baseline clinical and angiographic data were comparable between the two groups. After 12 months, LDL-C decreased 31.5% in statin group and remained unchanged in non-statin group. After 12 months, plaque volume was significantly increased [ (76.1 +/- 13.0) mm3 vs. (95.0 +/- 21.9) mm3 , P < 0.05], lumen volume was significantly decreased [(65.0 +/- 10.9) mm3 vs. (45.4 +/- 6.6) mm3, P < 0.05 ] and vascular volume remained unchanged in non-statins group; plaque volume was also significantly increased [(79.5 +/- 15.2) mm3 vs. (87.5 +/- 17.9) mm3 , P < 0.05] while lumen volume and vascular volume remained unchanged in statin group. Remodeling index (RI) remained unchanged in non-statin group but significantly increased in statin group (0.91 +/- 0.08 vs. 0.95 +/- 0.10, P < 0.05) after 12 months., Conclusion: Chronic statin therapy could retard the coronary atherosclerotic progression in patients with stable angina pectoris and type 2 diabetes with mild elevated LDL-C.

Objective: To analyze risk factors of marginal donors in living donor liver transplantation., Methods: 98 living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) patients over the 7-year period from 2001 to 2007 in our transplantation center were retrospected. Potential risk factors, including donor age, gender-mismatch, steatotic donors and graft-recipient weight ratio (GRWR), and their relationship with 6-month patient survival rate were analyzed., Results: The 4 patients received livers with more than 30% steatosis died within 6 months, and 6-month survival rate was 91.7% in patients received livers with less than 30% steatosis. The 6-month survival rate was 86.9% and 87.8% in patients with grafts of GRWR more than 0.8% and in patients with graft of GRWR less than 0.8%, respectvely (x2=0.022, P more than 0.05), however, middle hepatic vein reconstruction significantly affected the survival rate of small-size-liver recipients (x2=10.612, P less than 0.01). Donor age and gender-mismatch were not associated with the survival rate of recipients (P more than 0.05)., Conclusions: Steatosis is an important risk factor in living donor liver transplantation. Lower GRWR is not a limitation but we must reconsider its importance in liver transplantation. The donor age and gender-mismatch are not associated with the survival rate of recipients.

Objective: To study the effect of "Jun Du Yan Bingzhi" on genic change in liver of a sepsis rat model by gene chip technique, in order to study the mechanism of the action of the drug on the gene level., Methods: Ninety rats were randomly divided into normal control group, model group and "Jun Du Yan Bingzhi" group, with 30 rats in each group. Sepsis was reproduced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) method. In "Jun Du Yan Bingzhi" group the rats were treated with intraperitoneal injection of imipenem/cilastatin (0.18 g/kg), Xuebijing injection (10 ml/kg) and gavage of "Liangge San" (15 ml/kg). In the control group and model group intraperitoneal physiological saline (10 ml/kg) was given; Survival time, and 48-hour and 72-hour survival rates of every group were observed, and changes in liver genes were examined with BiostarR-40 s chip. The ratio of Cy3/Cy5 > or =2.0 or < or =0.5 was used to screen differential genes, and NCBI database was used to identity the function of differential genes., Results: The 48-hour and 72-hour survival rate of "Jun Du Yan Bingzhi" group was significantly higher than that of model group (83.3% vs. 30.0%, 76.7% vs. 17.7%, both P<0.01), 305 differential genes were found in model/control groups, with up-regulation in 159, down-regulation in 146, 500 differential genes were found in "Jun Du Yan Bingzhi" group/model group, with up-regulation in 292, down-regulation in 208, model group/control group up-regulation and "Jun Du Yan Bingzhi" group/model group down-regulation were 48, model group/control group down-regulation and "Jun Du Yan Bingzhi" group/model group up-regulation were 63., Conclusion: "Jun Du Yan Bingzhi" can degrade the 48-hour and 72-hour death rate of sepsis rat, through control immunization related, inflammation, signal transduction transcription regulation, cell cycle, apoptosis, substance metabolism, translation/processing/modify/degradation of protein, differentiation/proliferation/growth of cell related gene, promote multisystem function of sepsis rat to recover normal.

Objective: To establish a favorable formula of estimation adult standard liver volume (SLV) based on the data of living donors for liver transplantation., Methods: From March 2005 to December 2007, 90 Adult-to-Adult living donor liver transplantation were performed. The donors' anthropometric data of gender, year, body weight and body height was collected prospectively. The total liver volume (TLV) of 90 living donors was measured by computed tomography. The correlation between TLV and several factors including body weight index (BMI) and body surface area (BSA) were analyzed. Then multiple stepwise linear regression analysis was performed and a new equation predicting SLV to improve approximate TLV was determined. TLV was then compared with the estimation standard liver volume (ESLV) calculated using our formula and published formulas in literature previously., Results: All the subjects had a mean body weight of (62.4 +/- 8.7) kg. The mean total liver volume was (1319.1 +/- 167.0) ml. There were positively correlated between TLV and body weight (BW), which could be expressed in the equation: TLV (ml) = 12.5 x BW (kg) + 536.4 (r(2) = 0.43, P < 0.01). Compared TLV with ELSV, which were calculated using previously published formulas based on the anthropometric data of the 90 subjects, the difference was be statistically significant., Conclusion: A new simple formula is established that might be a more suitable to calculate TLV in Chinese adults.

Objective: To evaluate the association between poststenting atherosclerotic plaque redistribution/lumen reduction at the stent edge and stent length., Methods: Seventy stents were implanted to 47 patients with stable or unstable angina and 33 stents were < or = 18 mm and 37 stents were > 18 mm. Intravascular ultrasound analysis was performed on proximal stent edge, stent area and distal stent edge. Lumen area (LA) and vascular area (VA) were measured and lumen volume (LV) and vascular volume (VV) were calculated on the three segments. Vascular wall volume (WV) was calculated as VV-LV, volume of plaque redistribution = poststenting WV-prestenting WV., Results: Compared to prestenting, poststenting LV significantly decreased, VV remained unchanged and WV significantly increased at proximal and distal edges of < or = 18 mm group and at proximal edge of > 18 mm group, suggesting reduced lumen due to plaque distribution. At distal edge of > 18 mm group, poststenting LV, VV and WV all equally significantly increased therefore the lumen was not affected by plaque distribution., Conclusion: The poststenting lumen changes due to plaque redistribution were associated with stent length, lumen reduced at proximal and distal edge of short stents and proximal edge of long stents but not at the distal edge of long stents.

Aim: To investigate the changes of serum BAFF and IL-21 levels in the patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and explore their clinical significance., Methods: The serum levels of BAFF and IL-21 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)., Results: The levels of serum BAFF and IL-21 in the patients with SLE were obviously higher than those in healthy control group. The BAFF level in the group of lupus nephritis (LN) with renal biopsy increased with pathologic aggravation and the IL-21 level in II, III, IV LN also increased, with the most obviously change in the type IV. The levels of BAFF and IL-21 obviously increased in SLE patients with Sjogren's syndrome (SS), but the levels of BAFF and IL-21 obviously tended to decrease in the patients after glucocorticosteroid treatment for a week, with the most significant decrease in BAFF. The changes of BAFF and IL-21 were related to major immune indexes in the patients with SLE. There was positive correlation between BAFF and IL-21 in IV LN., Conclusion: The levels of serum BAFF and IL-21 level are increased in the patients with SLE. The dysfunction and synergistic effect of T and B lymphocytes play different roles in the patients with different organ damage and pathoprocess respectively.

Objective: To compare the predictable value of different index in evaluating the risk of cardiovascular injury in the patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) by using Framingham Risk Score (FRS)., Methods: 120 OSAHS patients were divided into 2 groups with different levels of cardiovascular injury according to the FRS: low risk group (with the FRS < 10) and non-low risk group (with the FRS > or = 10). Data about medical history, gender, age, blood pressure, height, distribution, BMI, neck circumference (NC) Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) SCORE were collected. Polysomnography (PSG) was used to measure the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), oxygen desaturation index (ODI), lowest SaO(2) during sleep (LSaO(2)), time spent below 90% oxygen saturation (TS90). Peripheral blood samples were collected to examine the serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). Correlation analysis was conducted., Results: Except the traditional risk factors for coronary heart disease, the subjects with higher FRS were found with bigger NC [(40.48 +/- 2.80) cm vs (39.15 +/- 4.31) cm, P < 0.05], longer course of disease [(12.77 +/- 7.89) y vs (9.36 +/- 5.98) y, P < 0.05], higher AHI (47.61 +/- 25.63 vs 34.01 +/- 25.72, P < 0.01), lower LSaO(2) (73.85% +/- 11.10% vs 77.91 +/- 9.77%, P < 0.05), longer TS90 (23.46% +/- 24.46% vs 14.48% +/- 18.85%, P < 0.05), and higher ODI (49.62 +/- 23.75 vs 39.01 +/- 24.87, P < 0.05). Stepwise multivariate regression showed that FRS was positively correlated with AHI and ODI, and negatively correlated with LSaO(2). All the PSG index, AHI had the most important impact on FRS (t = 2.910, P = 0.004). There was no significant difference in hs-CRP level between different groups (P = 0.649)., Conclusion: The cardiovascular injury in OSAHS patients is correlated with repeated hypoxia during sleep-time. AHI is the most important PSG index to predict this kind of damage.

Phytoremediation is one of the effective ways in resolving problems of contaminated soils, but limited hyperaccumulation plant species were reported and documented. This shortage could be offset if remediation plants can be screened out from various ornamental plants. In addition, such doing can beautify the environment while bring some economic effects. Starting from the importance of phytoremediation, this paper generalized the characters and standards of remediation plants. Through describing the resources of ornamental plants and their functions on environmental protection, particularizing their superiorities to other plants, and analyzing their endurance, accumulation traits and remediation types, the feasibility of applying ornamental plants in the practices of contaminated soil remediation was discussed. To screening out hyperaccumulators from ornamental plants would be an entirely new research area in the remediation of contaminated soils.