Clinical research text summarization method based on fusion of domain knowledge.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to integrate PICO knowledge into the clinical research text summarization process, aiming to enhance the model's comprehension of biomedical texts while capturing crucial content from the perspective of summary readers, ultimately improving the quality of summaries. METHODS: We propose a clinical research text summarization method called DKGE-PEGASUS (Domain-Knowledge and Graph Convolutional Enhanced PEGASUS), which is based on integrating domain knowledge. The model mainly consists of three components: a PICO label prediction module, a text information re-mining unit based on Graph Convolutional Neural Networks (GCN), and a pre-trained summarization model. First, the PICO label prediction module is used to identify PICO elements in clinical research texts while obtaining word embeddings enriched with PICO knowledge. Then, we use GCN to reinforce the encoder of the pre-trained summarization model to achieve deeper text information mining while explicitly injecting PICO knowledge. Finally, the outputs of the PICO label prediction module, the GCN text information re-mining unit, and the encoder of the pre-trained model are fused to produce the final coding results, which are then decoded by the decoder to generate summaries. RESULTS: Experiments conducted on two datasets, PubMed and CDSR, demonstrated the effectiveness of our method. The Rouge-1 scores achieved were 42.64 and 38.57, respectively. Furthermore, the quality of our summarization results was found to significantly outperform the baseline model in comparisons of summarization results for a segment of biomedical text. CONCLUSION: The method proposed in this paper is better equipped to identify critical elements in clinical research texts and produce a higher-quality summary.

Governance effects of pollution reduction and carbon mitigation of carbon emission trading policy in China.

China's carbon emission trading policy plays a crucial role in achieving both its "3060" dual carbon objectives and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 13 (SDG 13) on climate action. The policy's effectiveness in reducing pollution and mitigating carbon emissions holds significant importance. This paper investigated whether China's carbon emission trading policy affects pollution reduction (PM2.5 and SO2) and carbon mitigation (CO2) in pilot regions, using panel data from 30 provinces and municipalities in China from 2005 to 2019 and employing a multi-period difference-in-differences (DID) model. Furthermore, it analyzed the heterogeneity of carbon market mechanisms and regional variations. Finally, it examined the governance pathways for pollution reduction and carbon mitigation from a holistic perspective. The results indicate that: (1) China's carbon emission trading policy has reduced CO2 emissions by 18% and SO2 emissions by 36% in pilot areas, with an immediate impact on the "carbon mitigation" effect, while the "pollution reduction" effect exhibits a time lag. (2) Higher carbon trading prices lead to stronger "carbon mitigation" effect, and larger carbon market scales are associated with greater "pollution reduction" effects on PM2.5. Governance effects on pollution reduction and carbon mitigation vary among pilot regions: Carbon markets of Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, and Tianjin show significant governance effects in both "pollution reduction" and "carbon mitigation", whereas Guangdong's carbon market exhibits only a "pollution reduction" effect, and Hubei's carbon market demonstrates only a "carbon mitigation" effect. (3) Currently, China's carbon emission trading policy achieves pollution reduction and carbon mitigation through "process management" and "end-of-pipe treatment". This study could provide empirical insights and policy implications for pollution reduction and carbon mitigation, as well as for the development of China's carbon emission trading market.

Wettability and Mechanical Properties of Red Mud-Al2O3 Composites.

In 2023, the global production of new red mud is expected to reach nearly 200 million tons, but less than 10% of it is currently being utilized in an environmentally friendly manner. To reduce the sintering temperature of alumina ceramics, a sintering aid method is used, as high-purity alumina ceramics require a solid-phase sintering temperature of over 1700 °C. The metal oxides present in red mud are necessary components for high-performance composite alumina ceramics. Composites were obtained by mixing and sintering red mud and Al2O3. This study focused on the mechanical properties and wettability of these composites. The results indicated that the 10% red mud-Al2O3 composite exhibited the highest hardness (20.12 GPa) and flexural strength (346 MPa). This is attributed to the formation of a mineral phase dominated by CaAl12O19, generated by the red mud during the sintering process, which filled the pores and reduced porosity. The surface energy of the red mud-Al2O3 composite was the highest at room temperature and high temperature, reaching 49.60 mJ·m-2 and 1164.7 mJ·m-2, respectively, indicating that it has better stability at both room and high temperatures. This study provides an important fundamental basis for the application of red mud-alumina composites to replace alumina-based composites in the field of construction materials, molten metal filters, ceramic cleavers, etc.

Homework, sleep insufficiency and adolescent neurobehavioral problems: Shanghai Adolescent Cohort.

BACKGROUND: The prospective associations between homework burdens and adolescent neurobehavioral problems, and whether sleep-durations mediated and sex modified such associations remained unclear. METHODS: Using Shanghai-Adolescent-Cohort study, 609 middle-school students were recruited and investigations took place at Grade 6, 7 and 9. Information on homework burdens (defined by homework completion-time and self-perceived homework difficulty), bedtime/wake-up-time and neurobehavioral problems was collected. Two patterns of comprehensive homework burdens ('high' vs. 'low') were identified by latent-class-analysis and two distinct neurobehavioral trajectories ('increased-risk' vs. 'low-risk') were formed by latent-class-mixture-modeling. RESULTS: Among the 6th-9th graders, the prevalence-rates of sleep-insufficiency and late-bedtime ranged from 44.0 %-55.0 % and 40.3 %-91.6 %, respectively. High homework burdens were concurrently associated with increased-risks of neurobehavioral problems (IRRs: 1.345-1.688, P < 0.05) at each grade, and such associations were mediated by reduced sleep durations (IRRs for indirect-effects: 1.105-1.251, P < 0.05). High homework burden at the 6th-grade (ORs: 2.014-2.168, P < 0.05) or high long-term (grade 6-9) homework burden (ORs: 1.876-1.925, P < 0.05) significantly predicted increased-risk trajectories of anxiety/depression and total-problems, with stronger associations among girls than among boys. The longitudinal associations between long-term homework burdens and increased-risk trajectories of neurobehavioral problems were mediated by reduced sleep-durations (ORs for indirect-effects: 1.189-1.278, P < 0.05), with stronger mediation-effects among girls. LIMITATIONS: This study was restricted to Shanghai adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: High homework burden had both short-term and long-term associations with adolescent neurobehavioral problems, with stronger associations among girls, and sleep-insufficiency may mediate such associations in a sex-specific manner. Approaches targeting appropriate homework-load/difficulty and sleep restoration may help prevent adolescent neurobehavioral problems.

The mediating role of gut microbiota in the associations of prenatal maternal combined exposure to lead and stress with neurodevelopmental deficits in young rats.

Prenatal single and combined exposure to lead (Pb) and stress (Ps) impairs neurodevelopment. Prenatal single exposure to Pb or Ps affects the composition of intestinal microbiota, and bidirectional communication between gut microbiota and central nervous system has been well recognized. However, whether gut microbiota mediated the effects of prenatal Pb+Ps co-exposure on neurodevelopmental deficits remains unclear. This study established rat models with prenatal single and combined exposure to Ps and Pb. We investigated the effects of such prenatal single and combined exposure on hippocampal structures using morphological analyses, on learning/memory using the Morris-water-maze test, and on fecal microbiota using 16S rRNA sequencing. The mediating roles of gut microbiota were analyzed using the bootstrap method. The study found both single and combined exposure affected hippocampal ultra-structures and spatial learning/memory, and the most significant impairments were observed in the Pb+Ps group. Prenatal Pb+Ps co-exposure decreased fecal microbial alpha/beta-diversity. Significantly lower levels of B/F-ratio, class-Bacteroidia, order-Bacteroidales, and family-S24-7, and significantly higher levels of class-Bacilli, order-Lactobacillales, family-Lactobacillaceae, and genus-Lactobacillus were observed in the co-exposure group, compared with the controls. Increased relative abundances of genus-Helicobacter mediated the detrimental effect of prenatal Ps+Pb co-exposure on learning/memory [ß (95%CI) for the total and indirect effects: - 10.70 (-19.19, -2.21) and - 4.65(-11.07, -1.85)], accounting for 43.47% of the total effect. As a result, increased relative abundances of genus-Lactobacillus alleviated the adverse effects of the co-exposure on learning/memory, and the alleviation effect accounted for 44.55% of the direct effect [ß (95%CI) for the direct and indirect effects: - 0.28(-0.48, -0.08) and 0.13(0.01, 0.41)]. This study suggested that prenatal combined exposure to Pb and Ps induced more impairments in offspring gut microbiota and neurodevelopment than single exposure, and alterations in fecal microbiome may mediate the developmental neurotoxicity induced by such prenatal co-exposure.

Non-photosynthetic chemoautotrophic CO2 assimilation microorganisms carbon fixation efficiency and control factors in deep-sea hydrothermal vent.

Non-photosynthetic chemoautotrophic microorganisms in deep-sea hydrothermal vent can obtain energy by oxidation reducing substances and synthesize CO2 into organic carbon, and the development and utilization of microbial resources in this environment for CO2 fixation under ordinary environmental conditions is of great significance to understand the carbon cycle and microbial carbon fixation in deep-sea hydrothermal vent. In this study, a set of spiral-stirred bioreactor (SSB) was developed to cultivate a group of non-photosynthetic chemoautotrophic CO2 assimilation microorganisms (NPCAM), mainly Sphingomonadaceae (unclassified, the mean of which was 31.16 %), from deep-sea hydrothermal vent sediments, which have the characteristics of halophilic, acid-base and heavy metal resistant. The maximum carbon fixation efficiency (calculated by CO2) was 6.209 mg·CO2/(L·h) after 96 h of incubation in the presence of mixed electron donors (MEDs, 0.46 % NaNO2, 0.50 % Na2S2O3 and 1.25 % Na2S, w/v), mixed inorganic carbon sources (CO2, Na2CO3 and NaHCO3) and aerobic conditions. The detection of NPCAM synthetic organic fraction in SSB system, the study of single bacteria culturability and carbon fixation efficiency, the analysis of CO2 fixation pathway and the development of coupled carbon fixation technology are the prospective works that need to be further developed.

Effects of single and combined exposure to lead and stress during pregnancy on offspring neurodevelopment.

OBJECTIVE: To assess associations of single and combined exposures to lead and stress during different stages of pregnancy with offspring neurodevelopment. METHODS: We measured prenatal lead (maternal blood-lead in early-pregnancy and umbilical-cord-blood-lead) and maternal stress levels in Shanghai-Birth-Cohort from 2013 to 2016. Maternal stress was assessed using Center-for-Epidemiological-Studies-Depression-Scale and Self-Rating-Anxiety-Scale during mid-pregnancy. The Ages-Stages-Questionnaires-3 (at 6/12-months-of-age) and Bayley-III (at 24-months-of-age) were both used to assess neurodevelopment. RESULTS: A total of 2132 mother-child pairs with both prenatal lead and stress measurements were included. The geometric-means of blood-lead in early-pregnancy and cord-blood-lead were 1.46 µg/dL and 1.33 µg/dL, respectively. Among the study women, 1.89 % and 0.14 % were screened positive for depression and anxiety. Adjusting for related confounders, the combined exposures had stronger adverse associations with offspring social-emotional skills than single exposures; and the combined exposure in early-pregnancy was associated with greater neurodevelopmental differences than combined exposure around-birth, especially in social-emotion at 24 months-of-age [ß (95 %CI): - 10.48(-17.42, -3.54) vs. - 5.95(-11.53, -0.36)]. CONCLUSIONS: Both single and combined prenatal exposures to lead/stress impaired infant neuro-development, and the effects of combined exposure may be more profound than single exposures. Combined exposure in early-pregnancy may be associated with worse neurodevelopmental outcomes than combined exposure around-birth, especially in social-emotional development.

A Secure Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Critical Sars Crisis Management Using Random Sigmoidal Artificial Neural Networks.

Since December 2019, the pandemic COVID-19 has been connected to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Early identification and diagnosis are essential goals for health practitioners because early symptoms correlate with those of other common illnesses including the common cold and flu. RT-PCR is frequently used to identify SARS-CoV-2 viral infection. Although this procedure can take up to 2 days to complete and sequential monitoring may be essential to figure out the potential of false-negative findings, RT-PCR test kits are apparently in low availability, highlighting the urgent need for more efficient methods of diagnosing COVID-19 patients. Artificial intelligence (AI)-based healthcare models are more effective at diagnosing and controlling large groups of people. Hence, this paper proposes a novel AI-enabled SARS detection framework. Here, the input CT images are collected and preprocessed using a block-matching filter and histogram equalization (HE). Segmentation is performed using Compact Entropy Rate Superpixel (CERS) technique. Features of segmented output are extracted using Histogram of Gradient (HOG). Feature selection is done using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The suggested Random Sigmoidal Artificial Neural Networks (RS-ANN) based classification approach effectively diagnoses the existence of the disease. The performance of the suggested Artificial intelligence model is analyzed and related to existing approaches. The suggested AI system may help identify COVID-19 patients more quickly than conventional approaches.

A transcriptomic analysis of neuropathic pain in the anterior cingulate cortex after nerve injury.

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is a core brain region processing pain emotion. In this study, we performed RNA sequencing analysis to reveal transcriptomic profiles of the ACC in a rat chronic constriction injury (CCI) model. A total of 1628 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by comparing sham-operated rats with rats of 12 hours, 1, 3, 7, and 14 days after surgery, respectively. Although these inflammatory-related DEGs were generally increased after CCI, different kinetics of time-series expression were observed with the development of neuropathic pain affection. Specifically, the expression of Ccl5, Cxcl9 and Cxcl13 continued to increase following CCI. The expression of Ccl2, Ccl3, Ccl4, Ccl6, and Ccl7 were initially upregulated after CCI and subsequently decreased after 12 hours. Similarly, the expression of Rac2, Cd68, Icam-1, Ptprc, Itgb2, and Fcgr2b increased after 12 hours but reduced after 1 day. However, the expression of the above genes increased again 7 days after CCI, when the neuropathic pain affection had developed. Furthermore, gene ontology analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment and interaction network analyses further showed a high connectivity degree among these chemokine targeting genes. Similar expressional changes in these genes were found in the rat spinal dorsal horn responsible for nociception processing. Taken together, our results indicated chemokines and their targeting genes in the ACC may be differentially involved in the initiation and maintenance of neuropathic pain affection. These genes may be a target for not only the nociception but also the pain affection following nerve injury.

Associations between prepregnancy body mass index, gestational weight gain and weight catch-up in small-for-gestational-age children.

Inadequate gestational weight gain (GWG) was related with a higher incidence of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) births than appropriate GWG; however, the long-term association of maternal GWG with weight catch-up growth in SGA children remains unknown. The objective of this study is to evaluate the associations between prepregnancy body mass index (pBMI), GWG and weight catch-up patterns in SGA children. Data were from the Collaborative Perinatal Project, an American multicentre prospective cohort study. A total of 56,990 gravidas were recruited at the first prenatal visit, and children were followed up until school age. Maternal pBMI, GWG and physical growth of the offspring at birth, 4 months, 1 year, 4 years and 7 years old were recorded. The latent class analysis was employed to form weight catch-up growth patterns (appropriate, excessive, slow, regression and no catch-up patterns) in SGA children. SGA children who developed the 'appropriate catch-up growth' pattern and whose mothers had appropriate pBMI and GWG were chosen as the reference. Associations between GWG for different pBMI and weight catch-up patterns were analysed by multivariate logistic regression models. A total of 1619 infants (9.45%) were born term SGA. After adjusting for relevant confounders, compared with SGA children whose mothers had appropriate pBMI and GWG, SGA children with maternal prepregnancy underweight (for inadequate GWG, GWG below recommendations, adjusted OR: 2.88, 95% CI: 1.13-7.31; for appropriate/excessive GWG, adjusted OR: 3.07, 95% CI: 1.74-5.42) or with prepregnancy normal weight but inadequate GWG (adjusted OR: 2.14, 95% CI: 1.36-3.38) were at a higher risk of having the 'no catch-up growth' pattern. We suggest that SGA children with maternal prepregnancy underweight or inadequate GWG tend to have a poor weight catch-up growth at least until school age.

Identification of Rare Variants in Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction Congenital Heart Disease by Whole-Exome Sequencing.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary atresia (PA) is a kind of congenital heart disease characterized by right ventricular outflow tract obstruction. It is divided into PA with intact ventricular septum (PA/IVS) whose favorable form is pulmonary valvular stenosis (PS), and PA with ventricular septal defect (PA/VSD) whose favorable form is tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). Due to limitations in genetics etiology, whole-exome sequencing (WES) was utilized to identify new variants associated with the diseases. METHODS: The data from PS-PA/IVS (n = 74), TOF-PA/VSD (n = 100), and 100 controls were obtained. The common sites between PS and PA/IVS, PA/VSD and TOF, were compared. The novel rare damage variants, and candidate genes were identified by gene-based burden analysis. Finally, the enrichment analysis of differential genes was conducted between case and control groups. RESULTS: Seventeen rare damage variants located in seven genes were predicted to be associated with the PS through burden analysis. Enrichment analysis identified that the Wnt and cadherin signaling pathways were relevant to PS-PA/IVS. CONCLUSION: This study put forth seven candidate genes (APC, PPP1R12A, PCK2, SOS2, TNR, MED13, and TIAM1), resulting in PS-PA/IVS. The Wnt and cadherin signaling pathways were identified to be related to PS-PA/IVS by enrichment analysis. This study provides new evidence for exploring the genetic mechanism of PS-PA/IVS.

Associations of Internal-Migration Status with Maternal Exposure to Stress, Lead, and Selenium Deficiency Among Pregnant Women in Shanghai, China.

Internal migration and urbanization are occurring on a global scale. Although the risk of exposure to stress/lead/low selenium is assumed to be high among migrant pregnant women, population-based evidence is limited. This study aims to explore the association of internal-migration status with maternal exposure to lead, low selenium, and stress among pregnant women. A total of 1931 pregnant women were investigated in 2010. The internal-migration status was grouped based on their hukou (registered residence) and length-of-residency in Shanghai. Maternal blood lead and serum selenium concentrations were assessed. Life event stress and emotional stress were evaluated using "Event-Stress-Scale-for-Pregnant-Women" and "Symptom-Checklist-90-R-Scale" (SCL-90-R), respectively. Logistic regression and general linear models were used to evaluate associations between migration status and lead/stress/low selenium exposure. Compared with the local (with Shanghai hukou and length-of-residency ≥ 5 years), new migrants (without Shanghai hukou and length-of-residency < 2 years) had lower social-economic-status (SES), higher lead, life event and emotional stress, and lower selenium levels. After adjusting for SES, new migrants had higher risks of emotional stress (for interpersonal sensitivity of SCL-90-R, OR = 2.10, 95% CI 1.22-3.64) and low selenium [lg(selenium): beta = - 0.08, 95% CI - 0.11, - 0.05], but no significant risks for life event stress and high lead. Compared with the local, migrant pregnant women in big cities may have emotional stress and low selenium independent of SES, and high lead and life event stress dependent on SES.

The Value of Ecosystem Services from Giant Panda Reserves.

Ecosystem services (the benefits to humans from ecosystems) are estimated globally at $125 trillion/year [1, 2]. Similar assessments at national and regional scales show how these services support our lives [3]. All valuations recognize the role of biodiversity, which continues to decrease around the world in maintaining these services [4, 5]. The giant panda epitomizes the flagship species [6]. Its unrivalled public appeal translates into support for conservation funding and policy, including a tax on foreign visitors to support its conservation [7]. The Chinese government has established a panda reserve system, which today numbers 67 reserves [8, 9]. The biodiversity of these reserves is among the highest in the temperate world [10], covering many of China's endemic species [11]. The panda is thus also an umbrella species [12]-protecting panda habitat also protects other species. Despite the benefits derived from pandas, some journalists have suggested that it would be best to let the panda go extinct. With the recent downlisting of the panda from Endangered to Vulnerable, it is clear that society's investment has started to pay off in terms of panda population recovery [13, 14]. Here, we estimate the value of ecosystem services of the panda and its reserves at between US$2.6 and US$6.9 billion/year in 2010. Protecting the panda as an umbrella species and the habitat that supports it yields roughly 10-27 times the cost of maintaining the current reserves, potentially further motivating expansion of the reserves and other investments in natural capital in China.

Autologous granulation tissue tubes for replacement of urethral defects: An experimental study in male rabbits.

INTRODUCTION: Tubularized urethroplasty is commonly performed in clinical practice using genital skin flaps, bladder mucosa, and buccal mucosa. However, the long-term effects are not satisfying, and donor site morbidities remain a problem. Besides, those grafts are unavailable with malignant conditions of the urinary tract, a history of lichen sclerosis, or oral disease. OBJECTIVE: An autologous granulation tissue tube of any required length and diameter can be produced by implanting foreign objects subcutaneously (Summary Fig.). The current study aimed to investigate to what extent of length this fully autologous tissue could be used for tubularized urethroplasty, satisfying urethral patency and tissue regeneration, in male rabbits. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-seven New Zealand male rabbits were randomly divided into three groups. Silastic tubes were implanted subcutaneously in Group 1 and Group 2. By 2 weeks the granulation tissue encapsulating the tubes was harvested. In Group 1, pendulous urethral segments of 1 cm were excised, and urethroplasty was performed with the granulation tissue tube in an end-to-end fashion. In Group 2, a pendulous urethral segment of 1.5 cm was replaced with the tissue tube. In Group 3, a pendulous urethral defect of 1 cm was repaired by re-anastomosis as control. Serial urethrograms were performed at 1, 2 and 6 months postoperatively. Meanwhile, the neo-urethra were harvested and analyzed grossly and histologically. RESULTS: The urethrograms showed that all animals in Group 1 maintained a wide urethral caliber. In contrast, animals in Group 2 and Group 3 developed progressive strictures. Histologically, an intact urothelium with one to two cell layers lined the graft by 1 month, which was surrounded by increasing organized smooth muscle in Group 1. By 6 months, the grafts were completely integrated into native urethra. Nevertheless, extensive fibrosis occurred in Group 2 and Group 3. DISCUSSION: The tissue successfully maintained patency and guided urethral regeneration across a distance of 1 cm. As an epithelium-free graft, the tissue showed better results than acellular matrix for tubularized urethroplasty compared with previous studies. Nevertheless, several limitations existed: (1) the urethral defect was created in healthy urethra, which could not fully simulate the clinical situation; (2) as a small animal model, rabbit was less informative for clinical problems; (3) the tissue was inadequate for long segmental urethral replacement. Further study is needed before the procedure is used clinically. CONCLUSION: An autologous granulation tissue tube grown subcutaneously could be successfully used to repair urethral defects of 1 cm in male rabbits.

Urethral Reconstruction Using Mesothelial Cell-Seeded Autogenous Granulation Tissue Tube: An Experimental Study in Male Rabbits.

Objective. This study was to evaluate the utility of the compound graft for tubularized urethroplasty by seeding mesothelial cells onto autogenous granulation tissue. Methods. Silastic tubes were implanted subcutaneously in 18 male rabbits, of which nine underwent omentum biopsies simultaneously for in vitro expansion of mesothelial cells. The granulation tissue covering the tubes was harvested 2 weeks after operation. Mesothelial cells were seeded onto and cocultured with the tissue for 7 days. A pendulous urethral segment of 1.5 cm was totally excised. Urethroplasty was performed with mesothelial cell-seeded tissue tubes in an end-to-end fashion in nine rabbits and with unseeded grafts in others as controls. Serial urethrograms were performed at 1, 2, and 6 months postoperatively. Meanwhile, the neourethra was harvested and analyzed grossly and histologically. Results. Urethrograms showed cell-seeded grafts maintained wide at each time point, while strictures formation was found in unseeded grafts. Histologically, layers of urothelium surrounded by increasingly organized smooth muscles were observed in seeded grafts. In contrast, myofibroblasts accumulation and extensive scarring occurred in unseeded grafts. Conclusions. Mesothelial cell-seeded granulation tissue tube can be successfully used for tubularized urethroplasty in male rabbits.

Plant soaking decomposition as well as nitrogen and phosphorous release in the water-level fluctuation zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir.

The operating scheme of the Three Gorges Reservoir results in a summer drought in the water-level fluctuation zone during which plants grow vigorously. In the winter inundation season, soaking plants may decompose and release nutrients resulting in water quality deterioration. This study quantifies the contributions of the underwater decomposition of nine dominant plant species in the water-level fluctuation zone to nutrient release. The in-situ litterbag technique was used to study for soaking decomposition over 200days. All soaking plant species decomposed rapidly at an average rate of 1.99±0.33%d-1 in the early stage of soaking (0 to 30days) and at an average rate of only 0.07±0.04%d-1 in the later stage (30 to 200days). After 200days of soaking, the nine plant species released an average of 312.40±39.97gkg-1 organic carbon, 6.71±4.29gkg-1 of nitrogen and 2.25±1.25gkg-1 of phosphorus. A positive relationship was found between soaking plant decomposition rates and initial C/N ratios of 25 to 50, and a negative relationship where the C/N ratios were between 50 and 100. The amounts of total nitrogen or total phosphorus released were significantly negatively correlated with the initial C/N or C/P ratios of the plants. Among the studied plant species, Xanthium sibiricum Patr ex Widder showed high level of nutrient release via soaking decomposition. In contrast, Cynodon dactylon (Linn.) Pers. and Polygonum hydropiper exhibited low levels of nutrient release and are recommended as suitable species for the ecological restoration of the water-level fluctuation zone. Our results demonstrate that after 200days of soaking plant decomposition, the loadings of total organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in the water-level fluctuation zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir were 2942.1, 81.1, and 24.7kgha-1, respectively and therefore could potentially damage the aquatic environment of the reservoir.

[Cloning NS1 gene of H5N1 avian influenza virus and apoptosis induced by it in human pulmonary carcinoma cell line A549].

The NS1 gene of the H5N1 subtype avian influenza virus was amplified by RT-PCR, and the am-plified product was cloned into the eukaryotic expression vector pCMV-Myc, then it was transfected into A549 cells. After 48 h, the expression of NS1 was detected by Western blot. Fluorescence and electron microscopy and flow cytometry showed that the NS1 gene of H5N1 avian influenza virus could induce apop-tosis in human pulmonary carcinoma cell line A549.

[Expression, purification and activity analysis of anti-human transferrin receptor scFv].

Human transferrin receptor (TfR) was isolated from homogenates of placental tissues by affinity chromatography on transferrin-Sepharose, and then used to screen human scFv against it from a fully-synthesized phage scFv library. After verifying the specificity, gene fragment of one of the selected scFv was inserted into the plasmid pET22b(+) and transformed into E. coli BL21(DE3) . Expression of scFv in transformant was induced with 0.5mmol/L IPTG. ELISA assay on HeLa cells showed that scFv protein could recognize and bind to TfR on the surface of HeLa cells. The scFv was purified by one-step affinity chromatography with Ni+ -NTA agarose, and injected into Kunming mouse via tail veins. This scFv was detected in brain tissues 1h later by capillary depletion method, which indicates that scFv protein can permeate through the blood brain barrier by mediation of the TfR receptor. Our works lay the foundation for the treatment of tumors and central nervous system diseases.