Typical steppe ecosystems maintain high stability by decreasing the connections among recovery, resistance, and variability under high grazing pressure.

Grasslands in Inner Mongolia have been confronted with unprecedented degradation in recent years. Research on ecosystem stability is important to inform evaluation of the health of degraded grassland ecosystems. We examined synthetic stability, which was defined by the relationships between multiple components of stability, known as multidimensional stability, in grasslands at four stages of degradation (undegraded, slightly degraded, moderately degraded, and intensely degraded) in the Xilin River Basin, Inner Mongolia, China. We analyzed the connections between multidimensional stability and its relationship with four stability components, including community resistance and recovery measured on the basis of plant functional traits, and community functional (aboveground net primary productivity) and structural (Jaccard dissimilarity) variability, calculated on the basis of ten plots from different spatial distributions in a study site. Our results showed that (i) 9 of 17 traits displayed a significant trend along the grazing intensity gradient, indicating a clear turnover of species within communities in response to the grazing intensity gradient; (ii) moderately degraded (C) grasslands showed higher recovery, resistance, and synthetic stability than undegraded (A) and slightly degraded (B) grassland communities overall (recovery: p = 0.026, p = 0.032, for pairs of samples from A and C, and B and C, respectively; resistance: p = 0.024, for a pair of samples from A and C), which conformed with the intermediate disturbance hypothesis and positive diversity-stability relationship; and (iii) the multidimensionality of stability varied between different stages of degradation and were strongly dependent upon the correlations between stability components. Our study is expected to enrich the theory of stability maintenance in grassland ecosystems and provide guidance for grassland restoration and biodiversity conservation.

Acupuncture for aphasia: a retrospective analysis of clinical literature / 中国针灸

With the Meta-analysis method, the clinical efficacy of acupuncture and other regular methods for aphasia was evaluated, and the acupoints selection for aphasia was explored. The acupuncture literature of clinical randomized control trials for aphasia published in CNKI, WANFANG, VIP and CBM database was searched; the statistical analysis of clinical efficacy of acupuncture and other regular methods for aphasia was performed by using software Revman 5. 2 provided by Cochrane library. A file of Microsoft Excel was established to perform the analysis of acupoints selection based on frequency analysis method, so as to summarize the characteristics and rules. Totally 385 articles were searched, and 37 articles those met the inclusive criteria was included, involving 1,260 patients in the acupuncture group and 1 238 patients in the control group. The Meta-analysis results showed OR = 3.82, 95% Cl [3.01, 4.85]; rhombus was located on the right side and the funnel plot was nearly symmetry, indicating the treatment effect of the acupuncture group for aphasia was superior to the control group (Z = 11.04, P < 0.000 01). The frequency-analysis results showed that the frequency of acupoints from top to bottom was Lian-quan (CV 23), Tongli (HT 5), Yamen (GV 15), Jinjin (EX-HN 12), Yuye (EX-HN 13), Baihui (GV 20), Yuyan II, Yuyan I and Yuyan III. The frequency of meridians from top to bottom was the governor vessel, extra channels, conception vessel, heart meridian and large intestine meridian. It is concluded that the clinical efficacy of acupuncture combined with speech rehabilitation training and medication treatment for aphasia is superior to that of speech rehabilitation training and medication treatment alone. The clinical treatment for aphasia focuses on its local effect; the main acupoints are in the head and face, and the meridians are governor vessel, extra channels and conception vessel.

Innovative grassland management systems for environmental and livelihood benefits.

Grasslands occupy 40% of the world's land surface (excluding Antarctica and Greenland) and support diverse groups, from traditional extensive nomadic to intense livestock-production systems. Population pressures mean that many of these grasslands are in a degraded state, particularly in less-productive areas of developing countries, affecting not only productivity but also vital environmental services such as hydrology, biodiversity, and carbon cycles; livestock condition is often poor and household incomes are at or below poverty levels. The challenge is to optimize management practices that result in "win-win" outcomes for grasslands, the environment, and households. A case study is discussed from northwestern China, where it has been possible to reduce animal numbers considerably by using an energy-balance/market-based approach while improving household incomes, providing conditions within which grassland recovery is possible. This bottom-up approach was supported by informing and working with the six layers of government in China to build appropriate policies. Further policy implications are considered. Additional gains in grassland rehabilitation could be fostered through targeted environmental payment schemes. Other aspects of the livestock production system that can be modified are discussed. This work built a strategy that has implications for many other grassland areas around the world where common problems apply.

The reliability and validity of the SF-36 health survey for patients with chronic soft tissue pain / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective To explore the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) for evaluating the health-related quality of life of patients with chronic soft tissue pain, (CSTP). Methods Two hundred and ten CSTP patients were rated with the SF-36 and the Medical Outcomes Study Pain Measurement (MOSPM) instrument and retested 2 weeks later. The internal consistency, test-retest relia-bility and parallel validity of the SF-36 were analyzed. Results The SF-36 showed good internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Most repeated reliability internal correlation coefficients were between 0.44 and O. 66 (P≤0.01) except that of the SF sub-scale of the SF-36, which was O. 336 (P≤0.05). All the internal consistency Cronbach's a coefficients were >0.70. In the assessment of validity, there was significant correlation among all eight sub-scales of the SF-36, and between items 4-11 and total MOSPM scores. The correlation coefficients were between -0.145 and 0. 635 (P≤0.05 or P≤0.01), except between GH of the SF-36 and item 4 of the M OSPM (pain in-fluence on walking) and between MH and item 10 (pain influence days). Conclusion The Chinese version of the SF-36 has good reliability and validity in assessing the health related quality of life of CSTP patients.

Quantitative vWF expression in the endothelium of pulmonary transitional arterioles in pulmonary hypertension secondary to congenital heart defect / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

Objective To correlate vWF expression in the endothelium of transitional pulmonary arterioles from lung biopsy in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) secondary to left-to-right shunt congenital heart defects (CHD). The results will be compared to vWF expression in peripheral venous plasma pre-operatively and the early post-operative outcome. Methods Consecutive 70 cases of left-to-right shunt congenital heart defects were involved in the study, the age ranged from 4 months to 63 years. Pulmonary systolic pressure/systemic systolic pressure (Pp/Ps) was calculated from Swan-Ganz floating catheter monitoring before corrective operation. PH was found in 62 cases, with slight PH in 16, moderated PH in 24 and severe PH in 22. Non-PH in 8 cases. Twenty-six cases of non-heart and lung disease were involved in as control. Lung biopsy tissue was stained for routine pathologic classification and quantitative vWF expression, with testing vWF in the peripheral venous blood. Post-operative complication was noted. Results There was a statistically difference of vWF expression in the endothelium of pulmonary transitional arterioles between PH group and non-PH group, with reducing intensity in order of non-PH, slight Ph, moderate PH and severe PH. A negative relationship was statistically noted between Pp/Ps and vWF expression in the arteriole endothelium (=61.88-33.30x, r=-0.701, P