[Effects of Sediment Burial and Exogenous Cd Input on Biomass Allocation and Antioxidative Enzyme Activities of Suaeda salsa in the Coastal Wetland of the Yellow River Delta].

The Yellow River Delta has been facing the threat of functional degradation during the recent years. The Water-Sediment Regulation Project not only supplements abundant freshwater, but also alters the sediment burial and heavy metal levels, which affects vegetation growth. Thus, we selected the pioneer species Suaeda salsa, to study the effects of different sediment burial depths (0, 3, 6, 12 cm) and exogenous Cd inputs (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 mg·kg-1) on biomass allocation and activities of antioxidative enzymes in the coastal wetlands of the Yellow River delta. The results showed that a shallow or moderate burial depth had a stimulatory effect on chlorophyll content, while an excessive burial depth inhibited the growth of Suaeda salsa and chlorophyll content. With increasing Cd input, chlorophyll content and dry mass decreased. At a lower Cd input and moderate burial depth, activities of CAT and SOD increased, and at high levels, SOD activities decreased, while activities of CAT at a 12 cm burial depth and 1.0 mg·kg-1, 1.5 mg·kg-1 Cd input were higher than those for the control (62.66% and 58.56%). CAT activities reached high values (15.76 U·mg-1) at a high Cd input (1.5 mg·kg-1) and burial depth (12 cm). Analysis of variance showed that Cd input had a significant effect on protein content, and CAT and SOD activities, and sediment burial depth had a significant effect on the protein content and SOD activities. Interaction between Cd input and sediment burial depth had a significant effect on CAT and SOD activities (P<0.05). These results demonstrated that sediment burial depth and Cd input had a great influence on the growth of Suaeda salsa, and to some extent, Suaeda salsa could change its biomass allocation and antioxidative enzyme activities to adapt to severe environments.

Thyroid storm following trauma: a pitfall in the emergency department.

We present a case of a patient with thyroid storm exhibiting symptoms similar to those of traumatic injury. This patient presented multiple traumatic wounds on his limbs and face, loss of consciousness, and tachycardia. Diagnosis was initially confounded by the similarity between the symptoms of traumatic hypovolemic shock and trauma-induced thyroid storm. This case report discusses the factors leading to the diagnostic delay and highlights the dangerous manifestations of thyroid storm.

[MRI characteristic of proximal femur bone marrow edema syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To study the MRI features of proximal femur bone marrow edema syndrome for further improve the understanding of the disease. METHODS: MRI imaging of 10 patients with proximal femur bone marrow edema syndrome was retrospectively reviewed,including 6 males and 4 females with an average age of 41.5 years old ranging from 36 to 57. The courses of diseases ranged from 1 week to 3 months. Among them, 9 cases had clinical manifestations of sudden hip pain, 7 cases had limited ability of walking and hip movement;all patients had no obvious injury history, non of the female patients was pregnant. All patients were followed up from 3 to 12 months, the following-up were topped after MRI when the symptoms disappeared for 3 months. RESULTS: The MRI demonstrated diffuse bone marrow edema involving the femoral head, neck and the inter-trochanteric region, 13 hips of 10 patients with bone marrow edema included 6 cases in grade 1, 5 cases in grade 2,2 cases in grade 3; 9 hips with hip hydrarthrosis included 6 hips in grade I ,1 hip in grade II, 2 hips in grade III. After treatment for 3 to 12 months the hip symptoms of the patients disappeared and MRI images were normal. CONCLUSION: MRI is useful in defining the location and extent of proximal femur bone marrow edema syndrome.

[Analysis of the causes of X-ray misdiagnosis of avascular femur head necrosis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the cause of X-ray misdiagnosis of the avascular femur head necrosis, so as to reduce the misdiagnosis rate and raise the early diagnosis level. METHODS: The clinical and X-ray data of 99 patients(123 hips) with avascular femur head necrosis diagnosed by MRI were analyzed retrospectively. Among the patients, 56 patients were male and 43 patients were female,ranging in age from 21 to 84 years old,with an average of 53 years old. The patients had symptoms such as hip pain,functional restriction in flexion, adduction, abduction and internal rotation,and some patients had limping. The duration of the disease ranged from 1 week to 2 years. RESULTS: Among 99 patients(123 hips),46 patients(52 hips) was misdiagnosed by the X-ray, the misdiagnosis rate was 42.27%, 100.00% in 0 stage, 100.00% in I stage, 83.67% in II stage, 18.18% in II stage, 0.00% in IV stage, 0.00% in V stage; the X-ray stage was negatively correlated with the rate of misdiagnosis. The careless film-reading and invigorating large enterprises while relaxing control over small ones was the main reason of misdiagnosis,then the lack of clinical histories and low-quality of X-ray projection. CONCLUSION: The relevant clinical history and comprehensive careful film-reading is the key to reduce the rate of misdiagnosis.

[Sediment content and nitrogen and phosphorus load characteristics of surface runoff on bamboo forest slopes: a simulation test].

To understand the load characteristics and related mechanisms of surface runoff on two management types of bamboo forests (bamboo timber forest and bamboo shoot forest) slopes (gradient 20 degrees) in Zhejiang Province, this study measured the runoff volume, sediment yield, its total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations of runoff under six artificial simulated rainfall intensity (31.8-114.0 mm x h(-1)). In bamboo timber forest, the total runoff volume and runoff coefficient were higher, but the runoff sediment content and the total sediment yield were far lower, as compared with those in bamboo shoot forest. The runoff TN concentration in bamboo shoot forest decreased with increasing rainfall intensity. Under the same rainfall intensity, the runoff TN concentration in bamboo shoot forest was 5-6 times of that in bamboo timber forest. The runoff TP concentration was higher in bamboo timber forest than in bamboo shoot forest, but the TP loss from the sediment runoff in bamboo shoot forest was hundreds times of that in bamboo timber forest. During the processes of the TN and TP losses from the sediment runoff, the TN and TP concentrations at the prophase of runoff yield played a cardinal role, while the runoff volume and sediment yield at the anaphase played a decisive role.