Tumor-Targeting Multiple Metabolic Regulations for Bursting Antitumor Efficacy of Chemodynamic Therapy.

Interfering with intratumoral metabolic processes is proven to effectively sensitize different antitumor treatments. Here, a tumor-targeting catalytic nanoplatform (CQ@MIL-GOX@PB) loading with autophagy inhibitor (chloroquine, CQ) and glucose oxidase (GOX) is fabricated to interfere with the metabolisms of tumor cells and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), then realizing effective antitumor chemodynamic therapy (CDT). Once accumulating in the tumor site with the navigation of external biotin, CQ@MIL-GOX@PB will release Fe ions and CQ in the acid lysosomes of tumor cells, the latter can sensitize Fe ions-involved antitumor CDT by blocking the autophagy-dependent cell repair. Meanwhile, the GOX component will consume glucose, which not only generates many H2O2 for CDT but also once again decelerates the tumor repair process by reducing energy metabolism. What is more, the release of CQ can also drive the NO anabolism of TAMs to further sensitize CDT. This strategy of multiple metabolic regulations is evidenced to significantly improve the antitumor effect of traditional CDT nanoagents and might provide a new sight to overcome the bottlenecks of different antitumor treatments.

Composition of pathogenic microorganism in chronic osteomyelitis based on metagenomic sequencing and its application value in etiological diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Traditionally, conventional microbiological culture methods have been used to detect pathogenic microorganisms in chronic osteomyelitis. However, these methods have been found to have a low detection rate, complicating the precise guidance of infection treatment. This study employed metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) to detect these microorganisms in chronic osteomyelitis with three main objectives: 1). Gain a deeper understanding of the composition of pathogenic microorganisms in chronic osteomyelitis. 2). Compare the microbial detection rates between mNGS and the standard culture methods used in laboratories to enhance the effectiveness of the traditional culture methods. 3). Explore the potential of mNGS in etiological diagnosis. METHODS: Fifty clinically confirmed intraoperative bone tissue samples of chronic osteomyelitis from January 2021 to December 2021 were collected and subjected to mNGS and microbiological testing, respectively. The orthopaedic surgeon combined clinical manifestations and related examinations to determine the causative pathogens. RESULTS: The culture method obtained 29 aerobic and parthenogenic anaerobic bacteria, 3 specific anaerobic bacteria, and 1 yeast-like fungus. Thirty-six aerobic and parthenogenic anaerobic bacteria, 11 specific anaerobic bacteria, and 1 yeast-like fungus were obtained by mNGS, and 2 Mycobacterium tuberculosis(MTB) strains were detected. However, there was no significant difference in the overall positive detection rate between mNGS and the culture method (P = 0.07), and the two were not statistically significant in detecting aerobic and partly anaerobic bacteria (P = 0.625). But, mNGS was significantly superior to culture in detecting anaerobic bacteria and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The mNGS method has enhanced our understanding of the distribution of pathogenic microorganisms in chronic osteomyelitis. Traditional culture methods help isolate and cultivate aerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria, and fungi, and are also utilized for antibacterial drug sensitivity tests. However, mNGS has shown superior capabilities in detecting anaerobic bacteria, MTB, and mixed infection bacteria. This finding offers invaluable guidance for improving laboratory microbial culture and detection conditions. Hence, mNGS should be judiciously used for chronic osteomyelitis, and PCR can be implemented for certain difficult-to-culture microorganisms, such as MTB.

Simulation of double resonant excitation of ions in an asymmetric linear ion trap mass analyzer.

RATIONALE: Improving the analytical performance of linear ion traps (LITs) is crucial for the advancement of high-performance LIT mass spectrometers. In this study, a double resonant excitation method was employed in an asymmetric LIT to achieve high ion unidirectional ejection efficiency and enhanced mass resolution. METHODS: The asymmetric trapping field was generated by stretching one x electrode with a distance α. The double resonant excitation was achieved by applying an alternating voltage out of phase and a supplementary alternating voltage in phase to the x and y electrode pairs of the LIT, respectively. Numerical simulations of ion trajectories were performed to validate the effectiveness of this method. RESULTS: The mass resolution of the asymmetric LIT with double resonant excitation could be improved to ~3800, which was over two times compared to that with only dipolar resonant excitation, while both reached ~90% in ion unidirectional ejection efficiency. CONCLUSIONS: By employing the double resonant excitation method, the mass resolution could be improved significantly in the asymmetric LIT, while maintaining a considerably high ion unidirectional ejection efficiency. This method might provide a general solution for enhancing ion detection efficiency and mass resolution of LIT mass spectrometers.

Synthesis of primary propargylic alcohols from terminal alkynes using rongalite as the C1 unit.

Here, an efficient leaving group-activated methylene alcohol strategy for the preparation of primary propargyl alcohols from terminal alkynes by employing the bulk industrial product rongalite as the C1 unit has been described. The reaction avoids the low-temperature reaction conditions and inconvenient lithium reagents required for the classical method of preparing primary propargylic alcohols. Preliminary mechanistic studies showed that the reaction may not proceed via formaldehyde intermediates, but through the direct nucleophilic attack of the terminal alkyne on the carbon atom of rongalite by activation through SO2- as a leaving group.

Risk on assessment of 15 REEs and mixtures by DGT in Songhua River system sediments of China's largest old industrial base.

Rare earth elements (REEs) are increasingly used in the high-tech sectors in the world and are therefore called burgeoning contaminants. As diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) can be used to assess the bioavailability of inorganic matters, in this paper, we evaluated, for the first time, the ecotoxicology risks of REEs and their mixtures in river sediments of China's old industrial base by DGT. During our research, taking the Songhua River system (SRS) as an example, we detected its surficial sediments, of which the DGT-labile concentration of REEs (∑REEs) was 2.07-8.76 µg/L. As for the single toxicity, the risk quotient (RQ) values of Y at all sites were significantly greater than 1; while the values of Nd and Pr in some upstream reaches were all significantly greater than the threshold (1), indicating that these adverse effects of single REEs were not neglected. In terms of the combined toxicity of REEs mixtures, we carried out an assessment of the risks of probabilistic ecotoxicology, which showed that the SRS superficial sediments had a low probability of toxicity to aquatic organisms (0.54%).

[Psittacosis Pneumonia with Pleural Effusion:Report of Three Cases and Literature Review].

It was generally believed that psittacosis pneumonia (pneumonia caused by Chlamydia psittaci) was rarely combined with pleural effusion and the characteristics of pleural effusion were rarely reported in the domestic literature.Herein,we reported three cases of pleural effusion due to psittacosis pneumonia,with elevated level of adenosine deaminase and lymphocyte-predominant exudative pleural effusion.Further,we reviewed the psittacosis pneumonia reports with complete clinical and lung imaging data.The imaging manifestations included pulmonary consolidation and common occurrence of a small amount of pleural effusion.The patients of psittacosis pneumonia combined with pleural effusion had severe symptoms,obvious hypoxia,and increased risk of invasive ventilation.

Insecticidal and Repellent Activity of Thymus quinquecostatus Celak. Essential Oil and Major Compositions against Three Stored-Product Insects.

Thymus quinquecostatus Celak. of the Lamiaceae family has a long history of dual use of medicine and food with high economic value, and has been proved to have good antioxidative, antimicrobial, and antidiabetic activities. Essential oil (EO) extracted from the aerial part of T. quinquecostatus was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and GC. Totally 45 compounds were identified accounting for 98.5 % of the EO. The major constituents of the EO were linalool (52.003 %), borneol (10.911 %) and anethole (5.325 %). Fumigant, contact and repellent activity of T. quinquecostatus essential oil (EO) against Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), Lasioderma Serricorne (Coleoptera: Anobiidae), Liposcelis bostrychophila (Psocoptera: Liposcelididae) were evaluated in this work. T. quinquecostatus EO and three major constituents showed varying degrees of insecticidal and repellent activities to three stored-product insects. Anethole stated the best fumigant and contact activity than others did to all three insect species. EO and compounds showed general repellent activity against three target insects. This work suggests that the EO of T. quinquecostatus has promising potential to be developed into botanical pesticides and repellents controlling pest damage in warehouses and grain stores.

The microbiology of chronic rhinosinusitis with and without nasal polyps.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the microbiological features in middle meatus samples from chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) and those without nasal polyps (CRSsNP), and control subjects. METHODS: A total of 136 CRSwNP patients, 66 CRSsNP patients, and 49 control subjects who underwent endoscopic surgery in Beijing TongRen Hospital were enrolled between January 2014 and January 2016. Swab samples were obtained from the middle meatus during surgery and processed for the presence of aerobic and non-aerobic bacteria and fungi. Information on the allergic rhinitis, asthma, the percentage of eosinophils in peripheral blood, and the history of smoking and surgery was collected. RESULTS: The overall isolation rate for bacteria was 81.3% for the three groups, with the lowest in the CRSsNP group (77.3%) and the highest in the CRSwNP group (88.4%). There were no significant differences in isolation rates among the three groups (P = 0.349). The three most common bacterial species were: Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (24.3%), Corynebacterium (19.9%), and Staphylococcus epidermidis (19.1%) in the CRSwNP group; S. epidermidis (21.2%), Corynebacterium (21.2%), Coagulase-negative staphylococcus (18.2%), and Staphylococcus aureus (13.6%) in the CRSsNP group; S. epidermidis (30.6%), Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (28.6%), and S. aureus (14.3%) in the control group. For the bacterial species with high isolation rates, no significant difference in the microbial cultures was observed among the three groups; whereas in the CRSwNP group, a relatively high proportion of Citrobacter (5.9%, a bacterium with low isolation rate) was observed compared with the CRSsNP and control groups (all 0.0%). Furthermore, when samples were categorized into subgroups according to the percentage of eosinophils, some bacterial species showed different rates in the CRSwNP group (e.g., S. aureus, 3.3% in the subgroup with normal percentage of eosinophils, 17.2% in the subgroup with increased percentage of eosinophils, P = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant differences in the microbiological features (except Citrobacter) in middle meatus samples from CRSwNP patients, CRSsNP patients, and control subjects. S. aureus may promote eosinophilic inflammatory response, while S. epidermidis may promote non-eosinophilic inflammatory response.

Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Alpha7 Subunit Mediates Vagus Nerve Stimulation-Induced Neuroprotection in Acute Permanent Cerebral Ischemia by a7nAchR/JAK2 Pathway.

BACKGROUND The role of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha7 subunit (a7nAchR) in the treatment of acute cerebral ischemia by VNS has not been thoroughly clarified to date. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the specific role of a7nAchR and explore whether this process is involved in the mechanisms of VNS-induced neuroprotection in rats undergoing permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (PMCAO) surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS Rats received a7nAChR antagonist (A) or antagonist placebo injection for control (AC), followed by PMCAO and VNS treatment, whereas the a7nAChR agonist (P) was utilized singly without VNS treatment but only with PMCAO pretreatment. The rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: sham PMCAO, PMCAO, PMCAO+VNS, PMCAO+VNS+A, PMCAO+VNS+AC, and PMCAO+P. Neurological function and cerebral infarct volume were measured to evaluate the level of brain injury at 24 h after PMCAO or PMCAO-sham. Moreover, the related proteins levels of a7nAChR, p-JAK2, and p-STAT3 in the ischemic penumbra were assessed by Western blot analysis. RESULTS Rats pretreated with VNS had significantly improved neurological function and reduced cerebral infarct volume after PMCAO injury (p<0.05). In addition, VNS enhanced the levels of a7nAchR, p-JAK2, and p-STAT3 in the ischemic penumbra (p<0.05). However, inhibition of a7nAchR not only attenuated the beneficial neuroprotective effects induced by VNS, but also decreased levels of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3. Strikingly, pharmacological activation of a7nAchR can partially substitute for VNS-induced beneficial neurological protection. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that a7nAchR is a pivotal mediator of VNS-induced neuroprotective effects on PMCAO injury, which may be related to suppressed inflammation via activation of the a7nAchR/JAK2 anti-inflammatory pathway.

Environmental changes in Jiaozhou Bay of northern China during the past 90years using metals and biogenic elements in sediments.

Metals and biogenic elements were analyzed from surface sediments and a 100cm core collected from Jiaozhou Bay in July 2009, to determine how the environment has changed over the past 90years due to increasing anthropogenic influences in this region. High concentrations of biogenic silica (BSi) represented the dominance of diatoms in the bay. Most metals were lower than the marine sediment quality guidelines; however, Hg, Zn, and Mn were at polluted levels. The vertical profiles of biogenic elements and metals in the sediment core suggest that the most significant environmental changes occurred since the 1990s, and three stages could be defined: (1) before 1950, characterized by low concentrations of biogenic elements and metals; (2) between 1950 and 1990, displaying an obvious increase of Hg and a slow increase of biogenic elements; (3) after 1990, reflected by a significant increase of total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphate (TP), and most metals, but a decrease of BSi. Correlation and principal component analyses indicated that most metals originated from lithogenic sources, industrial and domestic discharges as well as maricultural activities.

Actinophytocola gilvus sp. nov., isolated from desert soil crusts, and emended description of the genus Actinophytocola Indananda et al. 2010.

An actinomycete strain, designated I12A-02593(T), was isolated from a desert soil crust sample collected in the Shapotou region of Tengger Desert, north-west China. The isolate grew well on International Streptomyces Project (ISP) media 2, 3, 5 and 7, YS and Bennett's agar; it produced spherical bodies and formed clumps on the aerial mycelia on ISP 5 agar plates. Chemotaxonomically, the strain contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid, arabinose and galactose as the diagnostic sugars in whole-cell hydrolysates, MK-9(H4) as the sole isoprenoid quinone, and iso-C16 : 0, iso-C16 : 0 2-OH and iso-C16 : 1 H as the major cellular fatty acids, without mycolic acids. The profile of the phospholipids mainly comprised diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and hydroxyphosphatidylethanolamine. The genomic DNA G+C content was 70.1 mol%. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain I12A-02593(T) exhibited 96.4-97.4 % similarities with members of the genus Actinophytocola. In the phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, the isolate formed a robust cluster with Actinophytocola oryzae NBRC 105245(T), Aactinophytocola timorensis NBRC 105524(T), Actinophytocola corallina NBRC 105525(T), Actinophytocola burenkhanensis NBRC 105883(T)and Actinophytocola xinjiangensis NBRC 106673(T). DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain I12A-02593(T) and the five species of the genus Actinophytocola were all less than 70 %. On the basis of the polyphasic taxonomy evidence, a novel species of the genus Actinophytocola is proposed, with the name Actinophytocola gilvus sp. nov. The type strain is I12A-02593(T) ( = CPCC 203543(T) = DSM 45828(T) = NBRC 109453(T) = KCTC 29165(T)). An emended description of the genus Actinophytocola is also provided.

Roseivivax roseus sp. nov., an alphaproteobacterium isolated from a solar saltern soil sample.

A pink, Gram-stain-negative, motile, halotolerant bacterium with subpolar flagellum, designated strain BH87090T, was isolated from a saline soil sample collected from the south-west coastal area of South Korea (125° 58' 58.08″ E 34° 45' 37.32″ N). The isolate formed opaque pink to red colonies on marine agar plates at 30 °C. The polar lipid profile consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine and one unidentified phospholipid. The sole respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-10 (Q-10). The major cellular fatty acids were C18:1ω7c, C19:0 cyclo ω8c, C16:0 and 11-methyl C18:1ω7c. The genomic DNA G+C content was 61.8 mol%. These chemotaxonomic characteristics were all consistent with specific properties of the genus Roseivivax. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the isolate affiliated to the cluster with members of the genus Roseivivax in the Roseobacter clade, which suggested that the strain belonged to the genus Roseivivax. However, the low 16S rRNA gene similarities (93.5-95.3%) of strain BH87090T with all the members of the genus Roseivivax indicated that it represented a novel species of the genus Roseivivax. On the basis of phenotypic and genotypic data, strain BH87090T should be classified as a novel species of the genus Roseivivax. The name Roseivivax roseus sp. nov. is proposed, with strain BH87090T (=DSM 23042T=KCTC 22650T) as the type strain.

Application of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry in the screening of vanA-positive Enterococcus faecium.

In order to evaluate a rapid matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MAIDI-TOF MS) assay in screening vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium, a total of 150 E. faecium clinical strains were studied, including 60 vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (VREF) isolates and 90 vancomycin-susceptible (VSEF) strains. Vancomycin resistance genes were detected by sequencing. E. faecium were identified by MALDI-TOF MS. A genetic algorithm model with ClinProTools software was generated using spectra of 30 VREF isolates and 30 VSEF isolates. Using this model, 90 test isolates were discriminated between VREF and VSEF. The results showed that all sixty VREF isolates carried the vanA gene. The performance of VREF detection by the genetic algorithm model of MALDI-TOF MS compared to the sequencing method was sensitivity = 80%, specificity = 90%, false positive rate =10%, false negative rate =10%, positive predictive value = 80%, negative predictive value= 90%. MALDI-TOF MS can be used as a screening test for discrimination between vanA-positive E. faecium and vanA-negative E. faecium.

Insecticidal Activities and Phenological Variations of Characteristic Component from Michelia yunnanensis.

Volatile secondary metabolites of plants interact with environments heavily. In this work, characteristic components of Michelia yunnanensis essential oils (EOs) were isolated, purified and identified by column chromatography, GC-MS and NMR. Leaves of M. yunnanensis were collected monthly and extracted for EOs to investigate chemical and insecticidal activity variations as well as potential influencing environments. Different organs were employed to reveal distribution strategies of characteristic components. Results of insecticidal activities showed that all EOs samples exerted stronger contact activity to Lasioderma serricorne, but repellent effect was more efficient on Tribolium castaneum. One oxygenated sesquiterpene was isolated from EOs, basically it could be confirmed as (+)-cyclocolorenone (1). It exerted contact toxicity to L. serricorne (LD 50 = 28.8 µg/adult). Chemical analysis showed that M. yunnanensis leaves in reproductive period would produce and accumulate more 1 than in vegetative period. Moreover, reproductive organs (flowers and fruits) contained more 1 than vegetative organs (leaves and twigs). Partial correlation analysis indicated that temperature-related elements positively correlated with the relative content of 1.

Nanoplatform-based strategies for enhancing the lethality of current antitumor PDT.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) exhibits great application prospects in future clinical oncology due to its spatiotemporal controllability and good biosafety. However, the antitumor efficacy of PDT is seriously hindered by many factors, including tumor hypoxia, limited light penetration ability, and strong defense mechanisms of tumors. Considering that it is difficult to completely solve the first two problems, enhancing the lethality of antitumor PDT has become a good idea to extend its clinical application. Herein, we summarize the nanoplatform-involved strategies to effectively amplify the tumoricidal capability of current PDT and then discuss the present bottlenecks and prospects of the nanoplatform-based PDT sensitization strategies in tumor therapy. We hope this review will provide some references for others to design high-performance PDT nanoplatforms for tumor therapy.

[Detection of carbapenem-producing Enterobacteriaceae by MALDI-TOF MS].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a rapid matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) assay in detecting carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae. METHODS: Thirty-four carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae and 50 carbapenem susceptible Enterobacteriaceae clinical isolates were tested. After a 2-hour incubation of bacteria with meropenem, the mixtures were centrifuged and the supernatants analyzed by MALDI-TOF MS. RESULTS: All spectra of carbapenem susceptible Enterobacteriaceae showed peaks of m/z 384, 406, 428 while those of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae m/z 358, 380, 402, 424, 446, 468. And the assay of MALDI-TOF MS was highly consistent with sequencing (P = 1.000). CONCLUSION: MALDI-TOF MS can detect carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae rapidly and accurately.

[Antimicrobial resistance and virulence characteristics of Vibrio parahaemolyticus].

OBJECTIVE: To explore drug resistance and virulence characteristics of clinically isolated Vibrio parahaemolyticus (VP). METHODS: The patient records were reviewed. The laboratory information system was employed to count the quantity of bacterial diarrhea pathogens at our intestinal clinic from 2009 to 2012. The drug resistant phenotype was tested by the method of disk diffusion. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect thermo-stable direct hemolysin (TDH) gene (tdh), TDH-related hemolysin gene (trh) and type III secretion system 2 (T3SS2α, T3SS2ß). RESULTS: The VP infection rate was 37.90% (274/723). Susceptibility test showed that the resistance rates of ampicillin, cefalotin, cefuroxime and amikacin were 100% (216/216), 44.91% (97/216), 24.07% (52/216), 9.26% (20/216). The other 11 kinds of antibiotics were sensitive or intermediate. 96.76% (209/216) VP harbored tdh gene, 1.39% (3/216) trh gene and 100% T3SS2 gene, with 213 strains T3SS2α positive, 2 strains T3SS2ß positive and 1 strain both T3SS2α and T3SS2ß positive. CONCLUSION: The resistant rate of VP to ampicillin is the highest and VP has different levels of resistance against other antibiotics. Most clinical isolates of VP harbor tdh gene and T3SS2 plays an important role in the pathogenicity of VP.

Enhancing the spatial separation of photogenerated charges on Fe-based MOFs via structural regulation for highly-efficient photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction.

Although iron-based metal-organic frameworks (Fe-MOFs) have displayed the photocatalytic activity, there is still abundant room for improving their photocatalytic performance through tuning the structures. In this work, four novel iron-based metal-organic frameworks (Fe-MOFs) were successfully synthesized via ligand modulation for better photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction, in which MTBDC-TPT-Fe had the highest catalytic activity (MTBDC = 2,5-bis(methylthio)terephthalic acid, TPT = 2,4,6-tri(4-pyridyl)- 1,3,5-triazine). The boosted photocatalytic reduction may be mainly ascribed to the enhanced electron push-pull effect between iron-oxygen clusters and organic ligands. The introduction of -SCH3 groups can enhance the light absorption and donate electrons to iron center under visible-light irradiation, meanwhile the separation and transfer of photogenerated charge carriers can be enhanced resulting from the electron-pulling effect when introducing TPT. Moreover, enhanced specific surface areas and positive skeleton charge due to the introduction of TPT may improve active sites exposure and Cr(VI) adsorption, thereby enhancing photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction activity without the presence of any assisted scavengers. In addition, the photocatalytic mechanism (i.e. active species) were also studied and presented. This work confirmed an effective structure-performance regulation strategy on Fe-MOFs for photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction.

[Characteristics of Benthic Diatom Community Structure and Water Ecological Health Evaluation in the Lalin River Basin].

With the improvement of public requirements for the health status of aquatic ecosystems, there have been innovative assessment methods developed for aquatic ecosystems. In this study, benthic algae assemblages and water quality variables were analyzed to develop a benthic diatom-based index of biotic integrity (D-IBI) for the assessment of the aquatic environment in the Lalin River. In addition, using redundancy analysis (RDA) based on dominant species and physicochemical indexes, the ecological distribution characteristics of the benthic diatom community were revealed, and the key influencing factors were identified. The results showed that the benthic diatom community structure in the Lalin River basin had obvious spatial differences. The application of the index revealed that the water quality could be described as excellent condition in the upper reaches of the Lalin River, good to common condition in the middle of the sites, and moderate to poor condition in the downstream. The assessment further revealed that the main reason for the degradation of the Lalin River ecosystem was nutrient enrichment through agricultural land use.