Nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiencies and losses in the food chain in China at regional scales in 1980 and 2005

Crop and animal production in China has increased significantly during the last decades, but at the cost of large increases in nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) losses, which contribute to ecosystem degradation and human health effects. This information is largely based on scattered field experiments, surveys and national statistics. As a consequence, there is as yet no comprehensive understanding of the changes in N and P cycling and losses at regional and national scales. Here, we present the results of an integrated assessment of the N and P use efficiencies (NUE and PUE) and N and P losses in the chain of crop and animal production, food processing and retail, and food consumption at regional scale in 1980 and 2005, using a uniform approach and databases. Our results show that the N and P costs of food production-consumption almost doubled between 1980 and 2005, but with large regional variation. The NUE and PUE of crop production decreased dramatically, while NUE and PUE in animal production increased. Interestingly, NUE and PUE of the food processing sector decreased from about 75% to 50%. Intake of N and P per capita increased, but again with large regional variation. Losses of N and P from agriculture to atmosphere and water bodies increased in most regions, especially in the east and south of the country. Highest losses were estimated for the Beijing and Tianjin metropolitan regions (North China), Pearl River Delta (South China) and Yangzi River Delta (East China). In conclusion, the changes and regional variations in NUE and PUE in the food chain of China are large and complex. Changes occurred in the whole crop and animal production, food processing and consumption chain, and were largest in the most populous areas between 1980 and 2005.

Combined heart transplantation and total replacement of thoracic aorta in Marfan's syndrome with recurrent aortic dissection: a case report

It is extremely rare for a patient to need simultaneous heart transplantation (HTx) and replacement of the thoracic aorta. A 23-year-old woman with Marfan's syndrome underwent Bentall's operation and replacement of the ascending aorta (AsA) due to a type A aortic dissection (AD) in August 2001. In March 2005, she began to experience dyspnea on exertion and was found to have a huge pseudoaneurysm at the aortic root, which had caused dehiscence of the aortic conduit. In July 2009, she suffered acute chest pain followed by hypotension and cold sweating. The computed tomography (CT) scan showed a recurrent dissection with a long intimal tear extending from the arch to the mid-portion of the descending thoracic aorta (DTA). Due to technical difficulties in the repair of the aortic root, she was placed on the HTx waiting list. The next day, she received a donor heart and underwent combined HTx and total replacement of the thoracic aorta. Explantation of the heart improved the exposure of the DTA. With the use of a vascular ring connector (Vasoring), the operation was successfully performed without need for a blood transfusion. The patient was still well at 2 years after the operation. Simultaneous replacement of the heart and the whole segment of the thoracic aorta is technically possible in Marfan patients who are complicated with aortic dissection.

Colloid Formation During the Interaction of HLW Glass with Interstitial Clay Water

During the reaction of HLW glass with interstitial clay water at different temperatures with various ratios of glass surface area to solution volume (SA/V) and durations, Eu released from the glass forms predominantly Eu-humate colloids (organic colloids) by a complexation reaction. The size distribution and stability of Eu-humate colloids have been characterized. It is likely that inorganic colloids which are mainly composed of Si, Al and Ca are generated from the corrosion of waste glass by a nucleation reaction.

The Effect of Humic Acids on the Element Release from High Level Waste Glass

Eu and Am doped glasses were interacted with synthetic interstitial clay water (SIC) and corresponding reference leachant, humic acids free interstitial solution (IS) to investigate the influence of humic acids on the leaching behaviour of the waste glass. Static leach tests were carried out at 40°C and 90°C. The release of the lanthanide Eu and the actinide Am from the glass was obviously enhanced by the presence of humic acids. The leaching of transition elements, Fe and Ti strongly depends on the humic acids concentration. The leaching of glass matrix components, Al and B was also influenced by the concentrations of humic acids. However, humic acids have little effect on the leaching of glass matrix element Si.

Successful treatment with continuous enteral protease inhibitor in a patient with severe septic shock

OBJECTIVE

The mortality rate among patients with septic shock is high despite current therapy. We present a case of Fournier's gangrene and septic shock at 4 years post-heart transplantation that was reversed by "continuous enteral feeding" of the digestive enzyme inhibitor, gabexate mesilate. Recently, powerful pancreatic digestive proteases in the lumen of the intestine have been identified as initiators of the systemic inflammatory response. Intraluminal inhibitions of the proteases significantly attenuates intestinal damage, system inflammation, and multiorgan failure in experimental forms of shock but it has not been tested in man.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Gabexate mesilate, a synthetic digestive protease inhibitor, was continuously administered in two liters of crystalloid solution to a patient by enteral feeding during septic shock. The condition and markers for shock due to sepsis reversed in a few days.

CONCLUSION

This case suggested that "enteral" digestive protease inhibition may decrease and even reverse the sequelae of shock and sepsis.

In silico QTL mapping of maternal nurturing ability with the mouse diversity panel

Significant variation exists for maternal nurturing ability in inbred mice. Although classical mapping approaches have identified quantitative trait loci (QTL) that may account for this variation, the underlying genes are unknown. In this study, lactation performance data among the mouse diversity panel were used to map genomic regions associated with this variation. Females from each of 32 inbred strains (n = 8-19 dams/strain) were studied during the first 8 days of lactation by allowing them to raise weight- and size-normalized cross-foster litters (10 pups/litter). Average daily weight gain (ADG) of litters served as the primary indicator of milk production. The number of pups successfully reared to 8 days (PNUM8) also served as a related indicator of maternal performance. Initial haplotype association analysis using a Bonferroni-corrected, genome-wide threshold revealed 10 and 15 associations encompassing 11 and 13 genes for ADG and PNUM8, respectively. The most significant of these associated haplotype blocks were found on MMU 8, 11, and 19 and contained the genes Nr3c2, Egfr, Sec61g, and Gnaq. Lastly, two haplotype blocks on MMU9 were detected in association with PNUM8. These overlapped with the previously described maternal performance QTL, Neogq1. These results suggest that the application of in silico QTL mapping is a useful tool in discovering the presence of novel candidate genes involved in determining lactation capacity in mice.

SU-E-J-120: Characterization of 4D Lung Ventilation Based on 4DCT Lung Density

PURPOSE

To characterize patient's 4D lung ventilation and motion using 4DCT images aiming to extract pulmonary features for developing a biomechanical model to predict lung tumor motion.

METHODS

4DCT images of sixteen patients were used for initial 4D-ventilation evaluation. A program was developed for visualization and quantification of 4D lung ventilation. Lung density gradient and pleural pressure variation were evaluated based on the gravity. Freeform deformable image registration (DIR) was applied to map the lung density from one phase to another, with linearly interpolated voxel density. The warped lung density from a secondary CT was compared with the primary CT (full-exhalation) for quantification. To minimize the uncertainty from motion artifacts for quantitative ventilation/motion analysis, we developed two screening algorithms (based on Fourier Transformation and Generalized Linear Regression) to quantify the regularity (score: 0 to 1) of the RPM waveform, assuming the higher the regularity in RPM the less motion artifacts in 4DCT. Ninety-seven RPM curves (54 free-breathing and 43 audio-coaching patients) were used to qualitatively test these screening methods.

RESULTS

Lung density gradient in anterior-posterior direction for supine patients is observed in 15/16 patients at scale of >100-200HU. The gravity pressure due to lung tissue weight is estimated to be ∼4mmHg, which could neutralize the pleural pressure at the posterior chest wall. The different pleural pressures at anterior/posterior chest walls may explain the difference in local diaphragm muscle engagement and motion range: 8±5mm (anterior) and 23±12mm (posterior). Motion artifacts and DIR uncertainty affected quantitative ventilation mapping. In the RPM regularity assessment, audiocoaching patients score higher than free-breathing patients: 0.76±0.13 vs. 0.50±0.19 (Fourier method) and 0.74±0.19 vs. 0.66±0.17 (Regression method). High-quality 4DCTs can be readily selected for further quantitative ventilation/motion analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

We have characterized several basic features of lung ventilation and motion and developed two effective screening methods for high-quality 4DCT for on-going quantitative studies.

Vasohibin 2 is transcriptionally activated and promotes angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) typically relies on angiogenesis for its malignant behavior, including growth and metastasis. Vasohibin 2 (VASH2) was previously identified as an angiogenic factor, but its role in tumorigenesis is unknown. Using quantitative PCR and western blot analyses, we found that VASH2 is overexpressed in HCC cells and tissues. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation, we detected histone modifications at the putative VASH2 promoter, with increased H3K4 trimethylation and H3 acetylation and decreased H3K27 trimethylation, suggesting that epigenetic mechanisms are responsible for the deregulated VASH2 transcription in HCC. Knockdown of VASH2 via siRNA inhibited the proliferation of the hepatoma cell lines by delaying cell cycle progression and increasing apoptosis. Importantly, we found VASH2 secreted in the culture supernatant, and co-expression of its secretory chaperone small vasohibin-binding protein (SVBP) further enhanced VASH2 secretion. The supernatant from HepG2 cells expressing VASH2 enhanced the proliferation, migration and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells, and knockdown of VASH2 significantly inhibited these effects. In an in vivo study using a nude mouse model, we found that exogenous VASH2 significantly contributed to tumor growth, microvessel density and hemoglobin concentration in the tumors. Further analyses showed that the VASH2-mediated increase in the transcription of fibroblast growth factor-2, vascular endothelial growth factor and vasohibin 1 may be the mechanism underlying these effects. Taken together, these data indicate that VASH2 is abnormally expressed in HCC cells as a result of histone modifications and that VASH2 contributes to the angiogenesis in HCC via an SVBP-mediated paracrine mechanism. These results indicate a novel and important role for VASH2 in HCC angiogenesis and malignant transformation.

Primary endometrial natural killer (NK)/T cell lymphoma: case report and review of literature

Primary natural killer (NK)/T cell lymphoma of the uterus is extremely rare. A case of primary NK/T cell lymphoma arising from the endometrium of the uterus was diagnosed by curettage which demonstrated the typical pathological characteristics of NK/T cell lymphoma. The patient received induction chemotherapy but refused hysterectomy. Later she developed bone marrow infiltration and eventually died on day 76 after diagnosis. The natural course of primary endometrial (NK)/T cell lymphoma was very aggressive. Conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy may be ineffective for this aggressive disease.

Incidence, diagnosis, and outcomes of vocal fold immobility after esophageal atresia (EA) and/or tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) repair

BACKGROUND

The diagnosis of vocal fold paralysis in an infant is a devastating finding that may require a permanent tracheotomy. The incidence of congenital vocal fold paralysis is unknown, but it is thought to be more common in infants with anatomic anomalies in the aero-digestive system. Vocal fold paralysis after surgical repair of esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula is a rare finding often diagnosed after multiple failed extubations. Currently infants do not routinely undergo documentation of vocal fold motion prior to esophageal atresia repair. We report here on our experience with this rare complication.

METHOD

A retrospective review was done of patients with esophageal atresia and/or tracheoesophageal fistula from 1985 to 2009. Patient demographics, operative techniques, and outcomes were collected.

RESULTS

150 patients were identified. Mean age at surgical intervention was 12 ± 33 days. Otolaryngology service was consulted for 13% of patients with postoperative failure. Awake fiberoptic laryngoscopy identified 3% of patients with vocal fold paralysis. Bilateral vocal fold paralysis was found in 3 patients, and 2 patients had unilateral vocal fold paralysis. Patients with bilateral paralysis were treated with tracheotomy; unilateral paralysis was treated expectantly.

CONCLUSION

In this study, 3% of patients were diagnosed with vocal fold paralysis after esophageal atresia repair. The etiology of vocal fold paralysis in this study is difficult to assess. Pre-operative fiberoptic laryngoscopy is recommended to identify children with congenital vocal fold paralysis prior to surgical intervention, especially in those requiring revision surgery.