Safety profile of 0.0015% tafluprost eye drops in China: a post-marketing observational study.

AIM: To investigate the treatment pattern and safety of tafluprost for glaucoma and ocular hypertension (OH) in clinical practice in China. METHODS: This post-marketing observational study included patients who received tafluprost to lower intraocular pressure (IOP) within 30d between September 2017 and March 2020 in 20 hospitals in China. Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) during tafluprost treatment and within 30d after the treatment were collected. RESULTS: A total of 2544 patients were included in this study, of them 58.5% (1488/2544) had primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), 21.9% (556/2544) had OH and 19.7% (500/2544) used tafluprost for other reasons. Of 359 ADRs occurred in 10.1% (258/2544) patients, and no serious adverse event occurred. The most common ADR was conjunctival hyperemia (128 ADRs in 124 patients, 4.9%). Totally 1670 participants (65.6%) combined tafluprost with carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAIs; 37.1%, 620/1670), sympathomimetics (33.5%, 559/1670), ß-blockers (33.2%, 555/1670), other prostaglandin analogs (PGAs; 15.6%, 260/1670) and other eye drops (15.1%, 253/1670). The highest incidence of conjunctival hyperemia was noted in patients who received tafluprost in combination with other PGAs (23 ADRs in 23 patients, 8.8%, 23/260) and the lowest was in combination with CAIs (16 ADRs in 16 patients, 2.6%, 16/620). Tafluprost was applied in primary angle-closure glaucoma (41.6%, 208/500), after glaucoma surgery (17.8%, 89/500) and after non-glaucoma surgery (15.8%, 79/500). CONCLUSION: Tafluprost is safe for POAG and OH, and tolerable when combined with other eye drops and under various clinical circumstances.

Analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in tree-rings of Masson pine (Pinus massoniana L.) from two industrial sites in the Pearl River Delta, south China.

Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were examined and potential sources of PAHs were identified from the dated tree-rings of Masson pine (Pinus massoniana L.) near two industrial sites (Danshuikeng, DSK and Xiqiaoshan, XQS) in the Pearl River Delta of south China. Total concentrations of PAHs (∑PAHs) were revealed with similar patterns of temporal trends in the tree-rings at both sites, suggesting tree-rings recorded the historical variation in atmospheric PAHs. The differences of individual PAHs and of ∑PAHs detected in the tree-rings between the two sites reflected the historical differences of airborne PAHs. Regional changes in industrial activities might contribute to the site-specific and period-specific patterns of the tree-ring PAHs. The diagnostic PAH ratios of Ant/(Ant + PA), FL/(FL + Pyr), and BaA/(BaA + Chr)) revealed that PAHs in the tree-rings at both sites mainly stemmed from the combustion process (pyrogenic sources). Principal component analysis further confirmed that wood burning, coal combustion, diesel, and gasoline-powered vehicular emissions were the dominant contributors of PAHs sources at DSK, while diesel combustion, gasoline and natural gas combustion, and incomplete coal combustion were responsible for the main origins of PAHs at XQS. Tree-ring analysis of PAHs was indicative of PAHs from a mixture of sources of combustion, thus minimizing the bias of short-term active air sampling.

Distribution of elements in needles of Pinus massoniana (Lamb.) was uneven and affected by needle age.

Macronutrients (P, S, K, Na, Mg, Ca), heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Pb, Cr, Ni, Cd) and Al concentrations as well as values of Ca/Al in the tip, middle, base sections and sheaths of current year and previous year needles of Pinus massoniana from Xiqiao Mountain were analyzed and the distribution patterns of those elements were compared. The results indicated that many elements were unevenly distributed among the different components of needles. Possible deficiency of P, K, Ca, Mn and Al toxicity occurred in needles under air pollution. Heavy metals may threaten the health of Masson pine. Needle sheaths were good places to look for particulate pollutants, in this case including Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, Cd and Al.

Heavy metals in bark of Pinus massoniana (Lamb.) as an indicator of atmospheric deposition near a smeltery at Qujiang, China.

GOAL, SCOPE AND BACKGROUND: Rapid urbanization and the expansion of industrial activities in the past several decades have led to large increases in emissions of pollutants in the Pearl River Delta of south China. Recent reports have suggested that industrial emission is a major factor contributing to the damages in current natural ecosystem in the Delta area. Tree barks have been used successfully to monitor the levels of atmospheric metal deposition in many areas, but rarely in China. This study aimed at determining whether atmospheric heavy metal deposition from a Pb-Zn smeltery at Qujiang, Guangdong province, could be accurately reflected both in the inner bark and the outer bark of Masson pine (Pinus massoniana L.). The impact of the emission from smeltery on the soils beneath the trees and the relationships of the concentrations between the soils and the barks were also analyzed. METHODS: Barks around the bole of Pinus massoniana from a pine forest near a Pb-Zn smeltery at Qujiang and a reference forest at Dinghushan natural reserve were sampled with a stainless knife at an average height of 1.5 m above the ground. Mosses and lichens on the surface barks were cleaned prior to sampling. The samples were carefully divided into the inner bark (living part) and the outer bark (dead part) in the laboratory, and dried and ground, respectively. After being dry-ashed, the powder of the barks was dissolved in HNO3. The solutions were analyzed for iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co) by inductively coupled plasmas emission spectrometry (ICP, PS-1000AT, USA) and Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS, ZEENIT 60, Germany). Surface soils (0-10 cm) beneath the sample trees were also collected and analyzed for the selected metals. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Concentrations of the selected metals in soils at Qujiang were far above their environmental background values in the area, except for Fe and Mn, whilst at Dinghushan, they were far below their background values, except for Cd and Co. Levels of the metals, in particular Pb and Zn, in the soils beneath the sample trees at Qujiang were higher than those at Dinghushan with statistical significance. The result suggested that the pine forest soils at Qujiang had a great input of heavy metals from wet and dry atmospheric deposition, with the Pb-Zn smeltery most probably being the source. Levels of Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni and Pb at Qujiang, both in the inner and the outer bark, were statistically higher than those at Dinghushan. Higher concentrations of Pb, Fe, Zn and Cu may come from the stem-flow of elements leached from the canopy, soil splash on the 1.5 m height and sorption of metals in the mosses and lichens growing on the bark, which were direct or indirect results from the atmospheric deposition. Levels of heavy metals in the outer barks were associated well with the metal concentrations in the soil, reflecting the close relationships between the metal atmospheric deposition and their accumulation in the outer bark of Masson pine. The significant (p<0.01) correlations of Fe-Cu, Fe-Cr, Fe-Pb, Fe-Ni, Pb-Ni, and Pb-Zn in the outer barks at Qujiang again suggested a common source for the metals. The correlation only occurred between Pb and Ni, Cd and Co in the outer barks at Dinghushan, which suggested that those metals must possibly have other uncommon sources. CONCLUSIONS: Atmospheric deposition of the selected metals was great at Qujiang, based on the levels in the bark of Pinus massoniana and on the concentrations in the soils beneath the trees compared with that at Dinghushan. Bark of Pinus massoniana, especially the outer bark, was an indicator of metal loading at least at the time of sampling. RECOMMENDATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES: The results from this study and the techniques employed constituted a new contribution to the development of biogeochemical methods for environmental monitoring particularly in areas with high frequency of pollution in China. The method would be of value for follow up studies aimed at the assessment of industrial pollution in other areas similar with the Pearl River Delta.

Response of soil fauna to simulated nitrogen deposition: a nursery experiment in subtropical China.

We studied the responses of soil fauna to a simulated nitrogen deposition in nursery experimental plots in Subtropical China. Dissolved NH4NO3 was applied to the soil by spraying twice per month for 16 months, starting in January 2003 with treatments of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 30 gN/(m2 x a). Soil fauna was sampled after 6, 9, 13 and 16 months of treatment in three soil depths (0-5 cm, 5-10 cm, 10-15 cm). Soil available N increased in correspondence with the increasing N treatment, whereas soil pH decreased. Bacterial and fungal densities were elevated by the N treatment. Soil fauna increased in the lower nitrogen treatments but decreased in the higher N treatments, which might indicate that there was a threshold around 10 gN/(m2 x a) for the stimulating effects of N addition. The N effects were dependent on the soil depth and sampling time. The data also suggested that the effects of the different N treatments were related to the level of N saturation, especially the concentration of NO3- in the soil.

Acidity and conductivity of Pinus massoniana bark as indicators to atmospheric acid deposition in Guangdong, China.

Barks of Pinus massonianm collected from two polluted sites, Qujiang and Xiqiaoshan, and from the relatively clean site Dinghushan were used to evaluate the pollution indication by the determination of their acidity and conductivity. The acidity of the inner and outer barks from the polluted sites was significantly higher than those from the clean site, suggesting that the acidity of the bark occurred in concurrent with the air pollution. The significant lower pH values of the outer bark than the inner bark collected from all sites indicated that the outer bark was more sensitive than the inner bark in response to acid pollution, implying that the outer bark is more preferable when used as indication of atmospheric acid pollution. The conductivities of the inner barks differed significantly among the three sites, with higher values at the clean site. However, the significant differences were not observed among these sites. Furthermore, the pH values for the inner and outer barks were not correlated with the conductivity, which did not coincide with some other studies.

Dynamics of soil inorganic nitrogen and their responses to nitrogen additions in three subtropical forests, south China.

Three forests with different historical land-use, forest age, and species assemblages in subtropical China were selected to evaluate current soil N status and investigate the responses of soil inorganic N dynamics to monthly ammonium nitrate additions. Results showed that the mature monsoon evergreen broadleaved forest that has been protected for more than 400 years exhibited an advanced soil N status than the pine (Pinus massoniana) and pine-broadleaf mixed forests, both originated from the 1930's clear-cut and pine plantation. Mature forests had greater extractable inorganic N pool, lower N retention capacity, higher inorganic N leaching, and higher soil C/N ratios. Mineral soil extractable NH4(+)-N and NO3(-)-N concentrations were significantly increased by experimental N additions on several sampling dates, but repeated ANOVA showed that the effect was not significant over the whole year except NH4(+)-N in the mature forest. In contrast, inorganic N (both NH4(+)-N and NO3(-)-N) in soil 20-cm below the surface was significantly elevated by the N additions. From 42% to 74% of N added was retained by the upper 20 cm soils in the pine and mixed forests, while 0%-70% was retained in the mature forest. Our results suggest that land-use history, forest age and species composition were likely to be some of the important factors that determine differing forest N retention responses to elevated N deposition in the study region.

Sap flow response of Eucaylyptus (Eucalyptus urophylla) to environmental stress in South China.

Sap flow and environmental conditions were monitored at two Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus urophylla S.T.Blake) plantations at Hetou and Jijia, located in Leizhou, Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province. It was found that daily sap flux density (SFD) of Eucalyptus was closely related to daily atmospheric vapor pressure deficit (VPD) (R2 = 0.76, P = 0.01 at Hetou and R2 = 0.7021, P = 0.01 at Jijia) at both sites. No significant relationship existed between daily SFD and mean daily air temperature at both sites. Daily SFD varied with wind speed Y = -17585X3 + 15147X2 - 1250.7X + 2278.4 (R2 = 0.68; P = 0.01) at Hetou and Y = -101.67X3 - 1.65X2 - 376.4X + 1914.8 (R2 = 0.40, P = 0.05) at Jijia, where Y was daily SFD, X was daily wind speed. Experimental observations yielded the following data: (1) the critical lower and upper daily VPD threshold were 0 and 2 kPa, within which daily SFD varied from 540+/-70 L/(m2.d) to 4739+/-115 L/(m2.d) at Hetou site, from 397+/-26 L/(m2.d) to 3414+/-191 L/(m2.d) at Jijia site; (2) Diurnal SFDs at Hetou site were much higher under low relative humidity (< 30%) and slightly lower under high relative humidity (> 80%) compared with those at the Jijia site; (3) The upper and lower threshold of daily and diurnal RAD for the optimal water use of E. urophylla plantations were 18+/-2.7 and 2+/-1 MJ/(m2.d), 669 and 0 J/(cm2.h) during the observation period.

[Characteristics of dominant tree species stem sap flow and their relationships with environmental factors in a mixed conifer-broadleaf forest in Dinghushan, Guangdong Province of South China].

By the method of Granier' s thermal dissipation probe, the stem sap flow density of four dominant tree species (Pinus massoniana, Castanopsis chinensis, Schima superba, and Machilus kwangtungensis) in a mixed conifer-broadleaf forest in Dinghushan Reserve of South China was continuously measured in the dry season (November) and wet season (July) in 2010, and the environmental factors including air temperature, relative humidity, and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) were measured synchronically, aimed to study the characteristics of the stem sap flow of the tree species in response to environmental factors. During the dry and wet seasons, the diurnal changes of the stem sap flow velocity of the tree species all presented a typical single-peak curve, with high values in the daytime and low values in the nighttime. The average and maximum sap flow velocities and the daily sap flow flux of broad-leaved trees (C. chinensis, S. superba, and M. kwangtungensis) were significantly higher than those of coniferous tree (P. massoniana), and the maximum sap flow velocity of P. massoniana, C. valueschinensis, S. superba, and M. kwangtungensis was 29.48, 38.54, 51.67 and 58.32 g H2O x m(-2) x s(-1), respectively. A time lag was observed between the sap flow velocity and the diurnal variations of PAR, vapor pressure deficiency, and air temperature, and there existed significant positive correlations between the sap flow velocity and the three environmental factors. The PAR in wet season and the air temperature in dry season were the leading factors affecting the stem sap flow velocity of the dominant tree species.

[Effects of elevated CO2 concentration and nitrogen deposition on the biomass accumulation and allocation in south subtropical main native tree species and their mixed communities].

A 5-year experiment was conducted to study the effects of simulated elevated CO2 concentration, nitrogen deposition, and their combination on the biomass accumulation and allocation in five south subtropical native tree species Schima superba, Ormosia pinnata, Acmena acuminatissima, Syzygium hancei, and Castanopsis hystrix and their mixed communities. The test tree species had different responses in their biomass accumulation and allocation to the elevated CO2 concentration and nitrogen deposition. Elevated CO2 concentration and nitrogen deposition increased the biomass of legume species by 49.3% and 71.0%, respectively, and promoted the biomass accumulation in sun species. Nitrogen deposition increased the biomass of shade-preference species significantly, but elevated CO2 concentration was in adverse. Elevated CO2 concentration inhibited the biomass allocation in the belowground part of sun species but promoted the biomass allocation in the belowground part of shade-preference species. Elevated CO2 concentration, nitrogen deposition, and their interaction all promoted the biomass accumulation in mixed communities. Elevated CO2 concentration increased the biomass accumulation in the belowground part of the communities, while nitrogen deposition increased the biomass accumulation in the aboveground part. Under the background of global climate change, Ormosia pinnata and Castanopsis hystrix tended to be the appropriate species for carbon fixation in south subtropical area.

[Effects of precipitation intensity on soil organic carbon fractions and their distribution under subtropical forests of South China].

From December 2006 to June 2008, a field experiment was conducted to study the effects of natural precipitation, doubled precipitation, and no precipitation on the soil organic carbon fractions and their distribution under a successional series of monsoon evergreen broad-leaf forest, pine and broad-leaf mixed forest, and pine forest in Dinghushan Mountain of Southern China. Different precipitation treatments had no significant effects on the total organic carbon (TOC) concentration in the same soil layer under the same forest type (P > 0.05). In treatment no precipitation, particulate organic carbon (POC) and light fraction organic carbon (LFOC) were mainly accumulated in surface soil layer (0-10 cm); but in treatments natural precipitation and doubled precipitation, the two fractions were infiltrated to deeper soil layers. Under pine forest, soil readily oxidizable organic carbon (ROC) was significantly higher in treatment no precipitation than in treatments natural precipitation and doubled precipitation (P < 0.05). The percentage of soil POC, ROC, and LFOC to soil TOC was much greater under the forests at early successional stage than at climax stage, suggesting that the forest at early successional stage might not be an ideal place for soil organic carbon storage. Precipitation intensity less affected TOC, but had greater effects on the labile components POC, ROC, and LFOC.

Homogeneity of delta(15)N in needles of Masson pine (Pinus massoniana L.) was altered by air pollution.

The present study investigated the changes of delta(15)N values in the tip, middle and base section (divided by the proportion to needle length) of current- and previous-year needles of Masson pine (Pinus massoniana L.) from two declining forest stands suffering from air pollution, in comparison with one healthy stand. At the healthy stand, delta(15)N in the three sections of both current- and previous-year needles were found evenly distributed, while at the polluted stands, delta(15)N values in the needles were revealed significantly different from the tip to the base sections. The results implied that the distribution of delta(15)N among different parts or sections in foliages was not always homogeneous and could be affected by air pollution. We suggested that the difference of delta(15)N values among pine needle sections should be reconsidered and should not be primarily ignored when the needle delta(15)N values were used to assess plant responses to air pollution.

[Concentrations and influence factors of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in leaves of dominant species in the Pearl River Delta, South China].

Concentrations of PAHs in leaves of six dominant species in the Pearl River Delta of South China were determined with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and synchronously leaf-lipid contents, leaf areas, specific leaf areas (SLA) were measured. The characters of PAHs abundance and influence factors on them were investigated. The results show that concentrations of PAHs in pine needles are higher than those in broad-leaves remarkably, and the highest value (1034.7 ng x g(-1) in Pinus massoniana) is fivefold of the lowest (199.7 ng x g(-1) in Schima superba) . Flu, Phe, Fluo, Pyr, Chr are the main components of sigma PAHs, and the concentrations of 3-ring and 4-ring PAHs exceed 80% of the total PAHs. Significant positive correlations between the components and sigma PAHs were also detected. The PAHs contents by per lipid could reduce inter-species variance obviously, and the diversity is no more than two times (6.8 ng x mg(-1) and 2.7 ng x mg(-1), respectively). Adversely, the PAHs contents by per cm2 magnify inter-species variance, and the highest value (15.3 ng x cm(-2)) ascends to eight times of the lowest (1.9 ng x cm(-2)). Furthermore, significant positive correlation between PAHs and leaf-lipid contents was identified, as well as negative correlation between PAHs and specific leaf areas. All of these indicate that leaf-lipid contents and specific leaf areas are two significant factors which influenced PAHs contents in leaves.

[Soil organic carbon and nitrogen mineralization along a forest successional gradient in Southern China].

With incubation test, this paper studied the characteristics of organic C and N mineralization in 0-10 cm soil layer under three forest types, i. e., pine (Pinus massoniana) forest (PMF), pine and broad-leaved mixed forest (PBMF) and monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest (MEBF), which were in a successional series in Dinghushan Mountain of Southern China. The results showed that after incubation for 52 weeks, the cumulative emission of CO2-C from PMF, PBMF and MEBF soil was 30.66 +/- 3.36, 58.17 +/- 7.25 and 59.31 +/- 13.58 mg x kg(-1), respectively, and 64.12%, 64.41% and 65.12% of which were released in the first 9 weeks. The cumulative emission of CO2-C was always significantly smaller from PMF soil than from PBMF and MEBF soils, and its change pattern over time fitted well with a two-pool kinetic model. The parameters based on the model implicated that the mineralization rates of soil labile and recalcitrant organic carbon tended to decrease with the forest type changing from PMF to PBMF and MEBF. The cumulative amount of CH4 after 52 weeks incubation and the net production of available N and nitrate after 20 weeks incubation were significantly higher in MEBF soil than in PBMF soil, and also, in PBMF soil than in PMF soil. NO3(-) -N was the dominant form in net available N production. The change in soil organic carbon mineralization rate caused by forest type change was an inherent way to affect soil organic carbon content.