Case study documenting the diagnosis of idiopathic CD4+ Lymphocytopenia in a patient with atypical fungal infection (disseminated blastomycosis) by FNA of adrenal mass.

Idiopathic CD4+ lymphocytopenia, described in 1992 by the Centers for Disease Control, is characterized by persistent CD4+ lymphocytopenia (less than 300 cells per micro-liter) in nonimmunosuppressed, HIV negative individuals, who present with atypical infections. This rare though likely undiagnosed entity is associated with chronic disseminated forms of either fungal or bacterial infections in otherwise healthy adults. We report a case of a 59-year-old male with ring-enhancing brain lesions, bilateral adrenal masses, lung and vocal cord nodules, where the diagnosis of exclusion was metastatic malignancy. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) of the adrenal mass and a subsequent vocal cord biopsy confirmed chronic widely disseminated blastomycosis. Flow cytometric evaluation of peripheral blood documented persistent selective CD4+ lymphocytopenia with T8 (suppressor) T-Lymphocyte count within normal range. We believe that idiopathic CD4+ lymphocytopenia is an important etiologic factor to be considered for patients who present with mass lesions and are diagnosed by FNA with atypical fungal infections. We relate the diagnostic criteria for idiopathic CD4+ lymphocytopenia and the importance of providing on-site triage for FNA samples for fungal studies and correlation for flow cytometry.

[Impact of water pollution risk in water transfer project based on fault tree analysis].

The methods to assess water pollution risk for medium water transfer are gradually being explored. The event-nature-proportion method was developed to evaluate the probability of the single event. Fault tree analysis on the basis of calculation on single event was employed to evaluate the extent of whole water pollution risk for the channel water body. The result indicates, that the risk of pollutants from towns and villages along the line of water transfer project to the channel water body is at high level with the probability of 0.373, which will increase pollution to the channel water body at the rate of 64.53 mg/L COD, 4.57 mg/L NH4(+) -N and 0.066 mg/L volatilization hydroxybenzene, respectively. The measurement of fault probability on the basis of proportion method is proved to be useful in assessing water pollution risk under much uncertainty.

[Preconcentration of trace Pd (II) on crosslinked chitosan and determination by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry].

A novel crosslinked chitosan(CCTS) not dissolved in acidic or alkaline solutions was synthesized by the crosslinking reaction of chitosan (CTS) with crosslinking agent (3-chloro-1,2-epoxypropane). The adsorption capability of Pd(II ) by CCTS was studied at different pH value. The results showed that the adsorption efficiency was above 98% after preconcentration for 20 minutes when pH values were 1-4. The effects of preconcentration time, dosage of CCTS, adsorption capacity of CCTS, sample volume, coexistent elements, and elution of Pd(II) were investigated. The mechanism of adsorption of CCTS for Pd(II) was discussed. A novel method for the preconcentration and separation of trace Pd(II) with crosslinked chitosan (CCTS) and its determination in water by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry has been developed. The detection limit (3sigma, n=8) was 0.143 microg x L(-1), the relative standard deviation(RSD) was less than 5.47%, and this preconcentration method was used to detect Pd(II) in lake water and sea water with recoveries of 92%-96%. It also can be used to recycle Pd(II).

[Current situation and impact factors of acid deposition in main cites of Shandong Province].

Based on the monitoring data for years in Shandong Province, current situation of acid rain in every city was assessed, and the temporal distribution of the dry, wet and total sulfur deposition in Jinan and Qingdao were studied. The results showed that Qingdao which had the largest precipitation acidity was the single city whose annul average precipitation pH was below 5. 60. The precipitation acidities in the main cities of Shandong Province were in a descent tendency. The total sulfur desposition in Jinan and Qingdao was basically stable or in a descent tendency, but also reached 10 t/(km(2)x a) or so. Among the total sulfur deposition flux, the dry deposition of sulfur had the greater contribution, and the contribution of SO2 dry deposition was higher than that of SO42- dry deposition. By analyzing the relation between the precipitation acidity and the SO2 discharge intensity, soil acidity and meteorological condition, the impact factors of acid precipitation in the cities of Shandong Province were revealed.

[Analysis of China's energy consumption and its impact on the environment in the future].

With the development of economy and urbanization, energy consumption and its impact on the environment in the future have become a focal point in China. Based on briefly reviewing energy consumption during 1980-2000 and analyzing its impact, three scenarios are assumed to forecast energy consumption status and analyze its impact on the environment in the future. The results indicate that the emissions of SO2, NOx, CO2 and soot dust caused by energy consumption would keep a high level in the future, and there are significant differences among the three scenarios' estimates. Improving energy efficiency and strengthening the exploitation and utilization of clean and renewable energy are suggested to mitigate the environmental pollution.

[Nitrogen bio-cycle in the alpine tundra ecosystem of Changbai Mountain and its comparison with arctic tundra].

The nitrogen bio-cycle was discussed in the alpine tundra ecosystem of Changbai Mountain through compartment model. The alpine tundra of Changbai Mountain was compared with Arctic tundra by the common ratio of genus and species in this paper. It was found that the 89.3% of genus and 58.6% of species was the common between Changbai alpine tundra and Arctic tundra while 95.5% of lichen genus and 58.7% lichen species, 82.1% of moss genus and 76.3% of moss species, 93.1% of vascular bundle genus and 40.5% of vascular bundle species were the common, respectively, which made vegetation type or community to be similar between Changbai alpine tundra and Arctic tundra. The total storage of nitrogen was 65220.6 t in the vegetation-plant system of Changbai Mountain, of which soil pool amounted to 99.3%. The nitrogen storage of each compartment was as follows: the vegetation pool, litterfall pool and soil pool were 237.4 t, 145.3 t and 64837.9 t respectively. The transferable amounts of nitrogen were 131.7 t x a(-1), 58 t/a and 73.7 t x a(-1) in the aboveground plant, belowground root system and litterfall of alpine tundra ecosystem of Changbai Mountain.

[Study on the relative economic value of eco-environmental contributions].

Monetary valuation of environmental goods and services is one of necessary approaches for the sustainability of environmental and resource management. However, most studies on the economic valuation of regional and national environmental contributions were directly aggregated on the basis of micro analysis while the scale hierarchies of stakeholder collectivities were ignored. Market simulation is indispensable in the procedure of environmental valuation but potential demanders and suppliers were often assumed as individuals. In this paper, general concepts and functions of demand and supply for environmental goods and services were elucidated, hence the environmental economics logistic of public or quasi-public environmental good and service valuation was reviewed according to those concepts. Data and model constraints have restricted the validity of valuation case studies because of analysis of potential market bargainers' behaviors are usually partial and static. However, those imperfect studies can help decision-makers take policy choices and necessary for further research.

[A virtual water analysis for agricultural production and food security].

Water resource demand is increasing with the population growth and economic development. Water resource problem for agriculture and food security have become one of the global focal points because of water resource scarcity. The concept of virtual water is useful to analyze and impair this problem. In this paper, virtual water implication was described, and international study progress about it was briefly reviewed. Furthermore, China's agricultural water scarcity and food security were analyzed. According to the grain import prediction and agricultural production conditions of China, the virtual water equivalents of China in 2010 and 2020 were evaluated, which were 88 x 10(9) m3 in 2010 and 95 x 10(9) m3 in 2020. With the function of virtual water to agricultural water stress, virtual water strategy was suggested to relieve agricultural production pressure from water resource and meet growing food demand as well as to promote water resource sustainability in China.

Ubiquitous induction of resistance to platinum drugs in human ovarian, cervical, germ-cell and lung carcinoma tumor cells overexpressing isoforms 1 and 2 of dihydrodiol dehydrogenase.

We have recently demonstrated that overexpression of dihydrodiol dehydrogenase (DDH) in human ovarian carcinoma cells (2008/C13*) is associated with cisplatin and carboplatin resistance. Furthermore, we have also elucidated that transfection of parental human ovarian carcinoma cells with a full-length DDH1 cDNA leads to induction of resistance to the platinum drugs. The development of cisplatin resistance in the transfected cells is associated with an increase in DDH enzyme activity. Previous studies have identified several different mechanisms for development of cisplatin resistance, including altered DNA repair capacity, increased GSH-based detoxification, and increased metallothionein content. However, none of these mechanisms has been found to be universally associated with the development of cisplatin resistance in tumor cells from different tissue sources. The present study was undertaken to assess whether overexpression of DDH1 or DDH2 (in human ovarian, cervical, lung and germ-cell tumor cell lines) could specifically induce resistance to the platinum drugs in these cell lines. We demonstrated a ubiquitous association of increased expression of DDH1 or DDH2 (as judged by increased enzyme activity in transfected clones) with development of resistance to cisplatin and carboplatin. Moreover, we also found a lack of cross-resistance to anticancer drugs that have a different mode of action including paclitaxel, vincristine, doxorubicin hydrochloride, and melphalan. Although at present it is not clear how DDH is involved in platinum drug resistance, the identification of this gene as a causal factor in a series of cell lines derived from different tumors with different intracellular compositions indicates the importance of deciphering this hitherto undefined pathway which can produce resistance to platinum drugs.

Eco-environmental benefit assessment of China's South-North Water Transfer Scheme--the middle route project.

This paper assess the eco-environmental benefits that may come from the middle route project of China's South-North Water Transfer Scheme (SNWT) with principles and methods of eco-economics and planning reports of SNWT's middle route project. Some benefits were calculated in monetary units. To make sure that the results can be comparable with normal monetary indices, concrete assessment objects and the parameters are prudently selected according to the major characteristics of the project and its water import region. Primary assessment revealed that in different project construction stages, the benefit could be more than 13.07 billion RMB Yuan in 2010 and 19.79 billion RMB Yuan in 2030, respectively. The monetary value tends to increase with social-economic development. To realize these potential benefits, however, calls for more endeavors.

Overexpression of sorcin, a calcium-binding protein, induces a low level of paclitaxel resistance in human ovarian and breast cancer cells.

Paclitaxel, an antimitotic, anticancer agent, induces cell cycle arrest in the mitotic phase by binding to the beta-tubulin subunit and forming highly stable microtubule polymers that resist depolymerization. The overexpression of the P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and/or alteration in the cellular microtubules is associated with the development of paclitaxel resistance. However, we have established a paclitaxel-resistant human ovarian carcinoma subline (2008/13/4) wherein the degree of resistance could not be correlated with overexpression of P-gp, alterations in the alpha- and beta-tubulin isotypes, or changes in the drug-binding affinity of the microtubules. mRNA differential display analysis revealed the overexpression of sorcin, a calcium-binding protein in the 2008/13/4 cells. However, no detectable changes in the intracellular calcium levels were detected in the parental and the paclitaxel-resistant variant. Furthermore, co-treatment with A23187, a calcium ionophore, did not alter the cytotoxicity of paclitaxel against the parental and the paclitaxel-resistant cells. Transfection of the parental 2008 cells with full-length sorcin cDNA induced a low level (3-5-fold) of paclitaxel resistance. In addition, transfection of human breast cancer cells with the full-length sorcin cDNA also led to the induction of a low level of paclitaxel resistance in the transfectants. Although the overexpression of sorcin did not produce high levels of paclitaxel resistance, the results obtained present compelling evidence of the involvement of sorcin in developing low-level paclitaxel resistance in a variety of tumor cells. The precise biochemical mechanism(s) by which sorcin overexpression induces low-level paclitaxel resistance is currently under investigation.

Sustainable development pattern and the strategy in the three Gorges Reservoir Areas.

The development pattern, development situation, and existing problems of land exploitation in Zigui County, Three Gorges Reservoir Areas of China were presented. The sustainable development mode and its strategy in the Three Gorges Reservoir Areas was also discussed. A sustainable development framework for low mountain regions, middle mountain regions and high mountain regions was developed, and management countermeasures for structural optimization of complex ecosystems were advanced.

Increased expression of dihydrodiol dehydrogenase induces resistance to cisplatin in human ovarian carcinoma cells.

We employed cDNA microarrays to identify the differentially expressed genes in a cisplatin-sensitive parental (2008) human ovarian carcinoma cell line and its cisplatin-resistant variant (2008/C13*). Differential expression of five genes was found in the 2008/C13* cells, a result confirmed by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. The five genes were identified as fibroblast muscle-type tropomyosin and skeletal muscle-type tropomyosin, dihydrodiol dehydrogenase, apolipoprotein J and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase variant-A. Treatment of the 2008 cells with cisplatin (at its IC(50) concentration of 2 microm) induced expression of these genes, as determined by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-PCR analysis using gene-specific primers. In contrast, treatment of the drug-resistant 2008/C13* cells with cisplatin (at its IC(50) concentration of 20 microm) did not lead to the induction of any of the aforementioned genes. Most importantly, constitutive overexpression of dihydrodiol dehydrogenase (but not the other genes) in the 2008 cells led to induction of cisplatin resistance, clearly indicating its role in the development of the resistance phenotype in the 2008/C13* cells. The development of cisplatin resistance in the transfected cells was associated with an increase in the dihydrodiol dehydrogenase enzyme activity. Although at present it is not clear how dihydrodiol dehydrogenase is involved in cisplatin resistance, the identification of this gene as a causal factor suggests the existence of a hitherto undefined pathway resulting in cisplatin resistance.