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Surface water bodies are progressively subjected to stress as a result of anthropogenic activities. This study assessed and examined the impact of human activities on spatial variation in the water quality of 19 rivers in the Taihu watershed. Concentrations of physicochemical parameters of surface water quality were determined at the mouth of each river during the period of 2000-2004. Multivariate statistical techniques were applied to identify characteristics of the water quality in the studied rivers. The results showed that rivers strongly influenced by household wastewater have the highest concentrations of nutrients (TN and TP). Moreover, rivers in the vicinity of a metropolis presented low dissolved oxygen (DO) levels. However, organic-chemical pollution (petroleum and volatile phenolics) was identified with high localization. Two rivers influenced by sewage from industry and ships were distinguished from other rivers with high values of petroleum. The Taige channel, a river located in Changzhou City that is strongly influenced by wastewater from industry, was characterized with an extraordinarily high value of volatile phenolics. Rivers passing through countries, especially through hilly countries were characterized with high DO contents and low nutrient and organic-chemical pollution, suggesting that agriculture puts less pressure on water quality in adjacent rivers. Therefore, more effort should be made in controlling point pollution to restore water quality in rivers adjacent to cities.

To determine the effects of low-dose recombinant human growth hormone (GH) and hypocaloric nutrition on postoperative convalescence, we performed a placebo-controlled randomized double-blind trial in 18 patients after elective gastrectomy or colectomy. The subjects received parenteral nutrition containing 20 calories/kg per day and 1 g protein/kg per day. Daily injections of drug or placebo were given during the first postoperative week. The nine control subjects lost 3.3 kg (5.9% of preoperative weight) and had a cumulative nitrogen loss of 32.6 +/- 4.2 g nitrogen at eight days. The patients receiving GH lost significantly less weight (1.3 kg) and nitrogen loss was 7.1 +/- 3.1 g at eight days (p less than 0.001). Kinetic studies demonstrated that the anabolic effects of GH were associated with increased protein synthesis, and amino acid flux studies across the forearm revealed increased uptake of amino acid nitrogen in the GH-treated patients. Body compositional analysis revealed that the patients receiving GH maintained their lean body mass despite the major surgical procedure. Analysis of hand grip force showed a 10% loss of strength in the control subjects; with GH the patients maintained their grip force throughout the postoperative period. We conclude that the postoperative catabolic response can be modified with GH and hypocaloric nutrition. These metabolic and physiologic effects should now be studied in a larger number of patients to determine if this approach can reduce morbidity, mortality, and length of hospital stay for surgical patients.

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Many studies demonstrate that activation of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) protects against oxidative stress via detoxification of cytotoxic aldehydes, and could attenuate cardiac, cerebral, lung and renal ischaemia–reperfusion (I/R) injuries. However, the effect of ALDH2 in intestinal I/R is unknown. The present study was set up to determine whether an ALDH2 agonist, Alda-1, could alleviate intestinal injury after gut I/R. In a mouse model of intestinal I/R injury, histological grading, proinflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress, cellular apoptosis, chemokine contents, ALDH2 activity, 4-hydroxy-trans-2-nonenal (4-HNE) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were evaluated. The results indicated that I/R treatment conferred elevation in pathological scores, proinflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress, cellular apoptosis and chemokine levels, accompanied by accumulated 4-HNE and MDA. No significant changes in ALDH2 activity were observed after I/R. However, Alda-1 pretreatment significantly decreased these injurious indicators, concomitant with up-regulated ALDH2 activity, and lessened 4-HNE and MDA accumulation. Taken together, our results implicate activation of ALDH2 by Alda-1 in the significant abatement intestinal I/R injury.

Using information and communication technologies (ICTs), e-participation is a tool that promotes the inclusion of the public in participative and deliberative decision-making processes, thus contributing to a transformation of the interaction between government and citizens in environmental governance and sustainable development. In a number of Chinese cities, citizens increasingly draw on ICTs to promote environmental sustainability and to encourage community-based actions aimed to address various environmental concerns. The potential success of e-participation and the role of ICTs in China has, however, not been well explored. The objective of this study is to understand the role that ICTs can play in promoting public participation about environmental sustainability issues in urban China. Based on an online survey with 630 respondents, the study aims to: (1) analyze what public motivations, perception/attitudes and actions drive environmental e-participation; (2) identify barriers to e-participation, and (3) assess the different applications and functions of ICT for citizen participation in environmental sustainability. The analysis illustrates how ICTs have helped the public to obtain sensitive information about sustainability issues, to mobilize people and to gain media coverage for their actions. The central finding is that new technologies have taken citizen engagement to new heights online. More specifically, the age of ICTs has unleashed a stronger public voice on environmental governance and sustainability issues in urban China, which does not go unnoticed by the Chinese state authorities.

HMGB1 and its downstream signaling pathway play important roles in the mouse intestinal I/R injury, and the effect of the TRIF-dependent pathway is slightly greater.