Abstract Objective The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the periarticular hip infiltration technique in the postoperative period of total hip arthroplasty. Methods This is a randomized double-blind controlled clinical trial in patients with femoral neck fractures or hip osteoarthritis submitted to a total hip arthroplasty at our institution. The periarticular infiltration technique consisted of the administration of an anesthetic (levobupivacaine) and a steroid (dexamethasone) agent in the nociceptor-rich tissues of the hip after orthopedic implants placement. The control group received an injection of 0.9% saline into the same tissues. Pain, range of motion, and use of opioid analgesic agents after 24 and 48hours of the procedure were evaluated, as well as the presence of adverse effects, time to resume walking, and total hospitalization time. Results The study evaluated 34 patients. The experimental group required fewer opioid agents between 24 and 48 hours. The reduction in pain scores was greater in the placebo group. Conclusion Periarticular anesthetic infiltration as a method of postoperative analgesia for total hip arthroplasty reduced the rates of opioid intake between 24 and 48hours. It provided no benefits regarding pain, mobility, length of stay, or complications.

Resumo Objetivo Este estudo tem como objetivo avaliar a eficácia da técnica de infiltração periarticular do quadril no pós-operatório de artroplastia total do quadril. Métodos Estudo clínico randomizado duplo-cego controlado. O estudo foi realizado nos pacientes com fratura de colo femoral ou osteoartrose de quadril, submetidos ao procedimento cirúrgico de artroplastia total do quadril em nossa instituição. A técnica de infiltração periarticular consistiu na aplicação da combinação de um anestésico (levobupivacaína) com um corticosteroide (dexametasona) nos tecidos ricos em nociceptores do quadril, após a colocação dos implantes ortopédicos. No grupo controle, foi realizada infiltração de soro fisiológico 0,9% nos mesmos tecidos. Após 24 e 48 horas do procedimento, foram avaliados os quesitos de dor, amplitude de movimentos, uso de analgésicos opióides, presença de efeitos adversos, período do início da deambulação e o tempo total de hospitalização. Resultados Trinta e quatro pacientes foram estatisticamente avaliados no estudo. Foi observada uma redução no consumo de opioides entre 24 e 48 h no grupo experimental. Uma redução maior da pontuação de dor foi observada no grupo placebo. Conclusão A infiltração periarticular anestésica como método de analgesia pós-operatória de artroplastia total do quadril, neste estudo, reduziu as taxas deconsumo de opioides

Abstract Burley tobacco-leaf protein extracted by alkali and precipitated by acid was hydrolyzed enzymatically, and optimum protease and hydrolysis parameters were determined. Pepsin was best and gave the highest hydrolysis rate (15.55%). As per results of the single-factor test, optimum hydrolysis conditions were: temperature 37 °C, pH 2, and an [E]/[S] ratio of 5%. These hydrolysis conditions were optimized by an orthogonal experiment that rendered the same results as the single factor experiment. The ratio of essential to total amino acids and that of essential to non-essential amino acids contained in the burley tobacco-leaf protease hydrolysate were higher than the FAO/WHO standard values of 0.4 and 0.6, among which hydrophobic amino acid content was the highest, followed by negatively and positively charged amino acid contents. In vitro antioxidant experiments showed that the scavenging rates of DPPH, superoxide anion, and hydroxyl radicals of tobacco-leaf protein hydrolysates were higher than those before hydrolysis. Further, the hydroxyl radical-scavenging rate was the most significant, and total antioxidant capacity was improved. The nutritive value of the burley tobacco-leaf protein hydrolysate improved upon pepsin-mediated hydrolysis, and the antioxidant activity was better. These results provide a theoretical basis for further development and utilization of tobacco protein resources.

RESUMEN La contaminación por neblina, caracterizada principalmente por la baja visibilidad, es uno de los principales problemas ambientales a los que se enfrenta China en la actualidad. El pronóstico exacto de la neblina es útil para la aplicación de medidas preventivas orientadas a controlar emisiones de contaminantes atmosféricos y aliviar la contaminación por neblina. Sin embargo, no es fácil predecir con precisión los acontecimientos de baja visibilidad causados por neblina, lo cual requiere no sólo un pronóstico riguroso de los factores meteorológicos, sino también una actualización detallada y en tiempo real de los inventarios de emisiones de las fuentes. Con el fin de obtener una herramienta de predicción fiable, se estudian varios métodos populares de aprendizaje automático, como la máquina vectorial de apoyo (SVM, por su sigla en inglés), el k-vecino más próximo, el bosque aleatorio y varios métodos de aprendizaje profundo. A partir de los principales factores que influyen en la visibilidad, se analizan las relaciones entre velocidad y dirección del viento, temperatura, humedad y visibilidad. El método de aprendizaje automático se utiliza para entrenamiento y pronóstico. La precisión de estos métodos para pronosticar la visibilidad se verifica mediante varios parámetros (error de raíz cuadrada media, error absoluto medio y error porcentual absoluto medio). Los resultados muestran que: 1) entre todos los parámetros meteorológicos, la velocidad del viento puede reflejar mejor la variación de la visibilidad; 2) el rendimiento de las redes neuronales recurrentes de memoria a largo-corto plazo (LSTM RNN) y el método de unidades recurrentes cerradas (GRU) en la predicción de visibilidad a corto plazo (es decir, 1, 3 y 6 h) es casi igual; 3) el método clásico de aprendizaje automático (SVM) funciona bien para el pronóstico de visibilidad a medio y largo plazo, y 4) el método de aprendizaje automático también tiene cierto grado de precisión en el pronóstico, incluso en un periodo de tiempo más largo (p. ej., 72 h).

ABSTRACT Haze pollution, mainly characterized by low visibility, is one of the main environmental problems currently faced by China. Accurate haze forecasts facilitate the implementation of preventive measures to control the emission of air pollutants and thereby mitigate haze pollution. However, it is not easy to accurately predict low visibility events induced by haze, which requires not only accurate prediction for weather elements, but also refined and real-time updated source emission inventory. In order to obtain reliable forecasting tools, this paper studies the usability of several popular machine learning methods, such as support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbor, and random forest, as well as several deep learning methods, on visibility forecasting. Starting from the main factors related to visibility, the relationships between wind speed, wind direction, temperature, humidity, and visibility are discussed. Training and forecasting were performed using the machine learning methods. The accuracy of these methods in visibility forecasting was confirmed through several parameters (i.e., root-mean-square error, mean absolute error, and mean absolute percentage error). The results show that: (1) among all meteorological parameters, wind speed was the best at reflecting the visibility change patterns; (2) long short-term memory recurrent neural networks (LSTM RNN), and gated recurrent unit (GRU) methods perform almost equally well on short-term visibility forecasts (i.e., 1, 3, and 6 h); (3) a classical machine learning method (i.e., the SVM) performs well in mid- and long-term visibility forecasts; (4) machine learning methods also have a certain degree of forecast accuracy even for long time periods (e.g., 7 2h).

RESUMO Objetivo: O VEGF-D é um potencial biomarcador para linfangioleiomiomatose (LAM); entretanto, seu desempenho diagnóstico ainda não foi sistematicamente estudado. Métodos: Foram realizadas buscas nos bancos de dados PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science e Cochrane Library para identificar estudos primários sobre o VEGF-D com relação ao diagnóstico de LAM. A qualidade dos estudos foi avaliada por meio da ferramenta Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2). As estimativas sumárias de acurácia diagnóstica foram combinadas utilizando um modelo bivariado de efeitos aleatórios. Análises de subgrupo e de sensibilidade foram realizadas para explorar possíveis heterogeneidades. O sistema Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) foi aplicado para avaliar a qualidade das evidências e indicar a força das recomendações. Resultados: Dez estudos envolvendo 945 pacientes eram de alto risco em qualidade, segundo a ferramenta QUADAS-2. Os parâmetros diagnósticos combinados foram indicados da seguinte forma: sensibilidade = 0,82 (IC95%: 0,71-0,90); especificidade = 0,98 (IC95%: 0,94-0,99); e OR diagnóstica = 197 (IC95%: 66-587). A ASC da análise summary ROC foi de 0,98. As análises de subgrupo e de sensibilidade revelaram que o desempenho global não foi substancialmente afetado pela composição do grupo controle, valor de corte pré-especificado, país de origem ou diferentes valores de corte (p > 0,05 para todos). Uma forte recomendação para a dosagem de VEGF-D sérico para auxiliar no diagnóstico de LAM foi feita de acordo com o sistema GRADE. Conclusões: O VEGF-D parece ter grandes implicações potenciais para o diagnóstico de LAM na prática clínica em virtude da excelente especificidade e sensibilidade subótima.

ABSTRACT Objective: VEGF-D is a potential biomarker for lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM); however, its diagnostic performance has yet to be systematically studied. Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library to identify primary studies on VEGF-D in relation to the diagnosis of LAM. The quality of the studies was evaluated using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2). Summary estimates of diagnostic accuracy were pooled using a bivariate random effects model. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed to explore possible heterogeneity. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) was applied to rate the quality of evidence and indicate the strength of recommendations. Results: Ten studies involving 945 patients were of high risk in quality, as assessed using the QUADAS-2. The pooled diagnostic parameters were indicated as follows: sensitivity = 0.82 (95% CI, 0.71-0.90); specificity = 0.98 (95% CI, 0.94-0.99); and diagnostic OR = 197 (95% CI, 66-587). The AUC of summary ROC analysis was 0.98. The subgroup and sensitivity analyses revealed that the overall performance was not substantially affected by the composition of the control group, prespecified cutoff value, the country of origin, or different cutoff values (p > 0.05 for all). A strong recommendation for serum VEGF-D determination to aid in the diagnosis of LAM was made according to the GRADE. Conclusions: VEGF-D seems to have great potential implications for the diagnosis of LAM in clinical practice due to its excellent specificity and suboptimal sensitivity.

Abstract Chuju polysaccharide, which is extracted from a traditional Chinese flower, contains diabetes benefits. In this study, the free radical scavenging ability and reducing force of the Chuju polysaccharides were determined. The Chuju polysaccharides were given intragastrically to the diabetic mice. Results have shown that three Chuju polysaccharides had certain scavenging effects on DPPH radical, hydroxyl radical and superoxide anion radical, which are stronger than VE, but weaker than VC. The scavenging effects of three Chuju polysaccharides on hydroxyl radical were as follows: D2 > D1 > D3. The reducing force of the three components was also shown as the same, indicating that Chuju polysaccharide had strong antioxidant activity. According to the histological anatomy and pathological section analysis of mice, the three components of Chuju polysaccharide could have a certain protective effect on liver, kidney and pancreas. The components with stronger antioxidant activity contain a more significant protective effect. Together, these findings indicated that Chuju polysaccharides possess great potential as a diet supplement or medication for diabetes.

Resumo Objetivo Avaliar e correlacionar o estado nutricional com possíveis complicações no pós-operatório imediato de pacientes submetidos a tratamento cirúrgico de fraturas de fêmur proximal. Métodos Estudo transversal prospectivo analítico e de abordagem quantitativa, tendo como população-alvo pacientes com idade igual ou superior a 60 anos, internados em uma instituição hospitalar no Amazonas, submetidos a tratamento cirúrgico de fraturas de fêmur proximal. Foram avaliadas as complicações cirúrgicas no pós-operatório imediato e sua relação com o estado nutricional através da mini avaliação nutricional (MAN), assim como a mensuração da contagem de linfócitos e albumina e a sua correlação com o tempo de internação. Resultados A amostra foi composta por 19 pacientes idosos, de ambos os sexos, com média de idade de 70,8 anos. A maioria dos pacientes (68,4%) eram do sexo feminino. Por meio da variável antropométrica índice de massa corporal (IMC), identificou-se a presença de desnutrição em 15,8% dos pacientes e, por meio da MAN, de 31,6%. Na avaliação do cálculo da contagem total de linfócitos, 100% da amostra apresentou associação positiva com desnutrição em graus variáveis e, fazendo-se uso da albumina sérica como parâmetro, a desnutrição foi identificada em 89,4%. Os pacientes desnutridos apresentaram a maior média de tempo de internação. As complicações cirúrgicas, por infecções do sítio cirúrgico, ocorreram em 10,5% nos pacientes em risco nutricional. Conclusão Neste estudo, observou-se maior índice de complicações no pós-operatório em idosos diagnosticados com desnutrição.

Abstract Objective This study aims to evaluate and correlate the nutritional status with potential complications during the immediate postoperative period of elderly patients surgically treated for proximal femoral fractures. Methods A prospective, cross-sectional analytical study with a quantitative approach, targeting patients aged 60 years old or more who were admitted to a hospital in Amazonas, Brazil, for surgical treatment of proximal femoral fractures. Surgical complications during the immediate postoperative period and their relationship with the nutritional status of the patient were determined using the mini nutritional assessment (MNA); in addition, the lymphocyte numbers and serum albumin levels were determined and correlated with the length of hospital stay. Results The sample consisted of 19 elderly patients, of both genders, with a mean age of 70.8 years. Most of the subjects (68.4%) were female. Malnutrition was diagnosed in 15.8% of the subjects using the body mass index (BMI) as, an anthropometric variable, and the MNA identified 31.6% of the subjects with malnutrition. Regarding total lymphocyte count, 100% of the sample showed a positive association with malnutrition in varying degrees; using serum albumin level as a parameter, malnutrition was identified in 89.4% of the subjects. Malnourished patients had the highest average length of stay. Surgical complications as surgical site infections occurred in 10.5% of the patients at risk of malnutrition. Conclusion This study revealed a higher rate of postoperative complications in elderly patients diagnosed with malnutrition.

Resumo A epifisiólise capital femoral proximal (ECFP) pode resultar em impacto femoroacetabular (IFA) do quadril em até um terço dos casos. A deformidade residual em came ou “cabo de pistola” está associada a lesão condrolabral, resultando em dor, incapacidade funcional, e osteoartrose precoce. O tratamento artroscópico com osteocondroplastia mostrou-se benéfico em um caso selecionado de IFA secundário a ECFP.

Abstract Slipped capital femoral epiphysiolysis (SCFE) may result in femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) of the hip in up to one third of the cases. Residual deformity of the cam-type, or “pistol-grip”, is associated with chondrolabral injury, resulting in pain, functional disability, and early osteoarthritis. The arthroscopic treatment with osteochondroplasty proved to be beneficial in a selected case of FAI secondary to SCFE.

ABSTRACT The objective of this review was to examine the effectiveness of the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and the International Short Form Physical Activity Questionnaire, in relation to practical evaluations that assess healthy physical condition as an instrument for assessing sedentary lifestyle A digital search was conducted in scientific databases of high impact factor according to electronic reference of Scimagojr, Scopus, Pubmed, and Ebsco. The effectiveness of the international and global physical activity questionnaire, in assessing sedentary lifestyle and prescribing physical exercise seem conditioned, compared to practical evaluations, which assess similar factors, however they provide basic indicators that should be taken into account at the beginning of prescribing physical activity, the need to apply sedentary level and physical fitness parameters in the adult population established by practical evaluations is evident.

RESUMEN El objetivo de esta revisión fue examinar la efectividad del cuestionario Global de actividad física y el Cuestionario Internacional de actividad física forma corta, en relación con las evaluaciones prácticas que valoran la condición física saludable como instrumento de valoración del sedentarismo. Se realizó una búsqueda digital en bases de datos científicas de alto factor de impacto según referencia electrónica de Scimagojr, Scopus, Pubmed y Ebsco. La efectividad del cuestionario internacional y global de actividad física, en la valoración del sedentarismo y prescripción del ejercicio físico parecen condicionados en comparación con las evaluaciones prácticas, que valoran factores similares, sin embargo, proveen indicadores básicos que debe tomarse en cuenta al inicio de prescribir actividad física, se evidencia la necesidad de aplicar parámetros de nivel sedentario y aptitud física en población adulta establecidos por evaluaciones prácticas.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem disease with protean manifestations. Lupus pancreatitis is the second most common disease associated with SLE-related acute abdomen. Although acute pancreatitis is rare it is clinically important because this condition can be life threatening if not treated promptly. Here, we report a case of a 10-year-old girl who developed SLE-associated pancreatitis after steroids therapy that was subsequently complicated by fungal septicaemia. Her clinical symptoms and signs markedly improved after administration of glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide.

El lupus eritematoso sistémico (LES) es una enfermedad multisistémica con manifestaciones proteicas. La pancreatitis lúpica es la segunda enfermedad más frecuentemente asociada con el abdomen agudo en relación con el LES. Si bien la pancreatitis aguda es rara, es clínicamente importante porque puede ser potencialmente mortal si no se trata de inmediato. En este artículo, describimos el caso de una niña de 10 años que desarrolló pancreatitis asociada a LES después del tratamiento con corticoesteroides que se complicó posteriormente debido a septicemia fúngica. Los signos y síntomas clínicos mejoraron marcadamente después de la administración de glucocorticoides y ciclofosfamida.

An astigmatic detection system (ADS) based on a compact disk/digital-versatile-disk (CD/DVD) astigmatic optical pickup unit (OPU) is presented. It can achieve a resolution better than 0.3 nm in detection of the vertical displacement and is able to detect the two-dimensional angular tilt of the object surface. Furthermore, a novel scanner design actuated by piezoelectric disk buzzers is presented. The scanner is composed of a quad-rod actuation structure and several piezoelectric disks. It can be driven directly with low-voltage and low-current sources, such as analogue outputs of a data acquisition (DAQ) card and enables a sufficient scanning range of up to 15 μm. In addition, an economic, high-performance streamlined atomic force microscope (AFM) was constructed, using the buzzer-scanner to move the sample relative to the probe, and using a CD/DVD OPU to detect the mechanical resonance of a microfabricated cantilever. The performance of the AFM is evaluated. The high sensitivity and high bandwidth of the detection system makes the equipment suitable for characterizing nanoscale elements. An AFM using our detection system for detecting the deflection of microfabricated cantilevers can resolve individual atomic steps on graphite surfaces.

En este artículo se presenta un sistema de detección astigmático (ADS), basada en una unidad de lectura (óptica digital (OPU) del disco compacto (CD/DVD). Este sistema de detección astigmático puede alcanzar una resolución mejor que 0.3 nm en la detección del desplazamiento vertical y se puede detectar la inclinación angular de dos dimensiones de la superficie del objeto. También, se ha presentado un novedoso diseño para un escáner-zumbador. El escáner se compone de una estructura de accionamiento de cuatro-barras y varios zumbadores piezoeléctricos de disco. El escáner-zumbador se puede accionar con voltajes bajos como los de las tarjetas de adquisición de datos (DAQ) y permite un alcance de barrido suficiente de hasta 15 μm. Por lo tanto, el costo de construir un AFM puede reducirse significativamente juntando las dos técnicas. A partir de las dos técnicas anteriores, se construyó un AFM económico de alto rendimiento, utilizando el escáner-zumbador para mover la muestra y un OPU para detectar la resonancia mecánica de un cantiléver microfabricado. Evaluamos el desempeño del AFM. La alta sensibilidad y gran ancho de banda del sistema de detección hace que el equipo sea apropiado para la caracterización de elementos a escala nanométrica. Un AFM usando nuestro sistema de detección para detectar la deflexión del cantilever microfabricado, puede resolver pasos atómicos individuales en superficies de grafito.

We investigated the effect of propofol (Prop) administration (10 mg kg-1 h-1, intravenously) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury and its effect on cluster of differentiation (CD) 14 and Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 expression in lung tissue of anesthetized, ventilated rats. Twenty-four male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups of 8 rats each: control, LPS, and LPS+Prop. Lung injury was assayed via blood gas analysis and lung histology, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) levels were determined in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid using ELISA. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to detect CD14 and TLR4 mRNA levels, and CD14 and TLR4 protein expression was determined by Western blot. The pathological scores were 1.2 ± 0.9, 3.3 ± 1.1, and 1.9 ± 1.0 for the control, LPS, and LPS+Prop groups, respectively, with statistically significant differences between control and LPS groups (P < 0.05) and between LPS and LPS+Prop groups (P < 0.05). The administration of LPS resulted in a significant increase in TNF-α and IL-1β levels, 7- and 3.5-fold, respectively (P < 0.05), while treatment with propofol partially blunted the secretion of both cytokines (P < 0.05). CD14 and TLR4 mRNA levels were increased in the LPS group (1.48 ± 0.05 and 1.26 ± 0.03, respectively) compared to the control group (1.00 ± 0.20 and 1.00 ± 0.02, respectively; P < 0.05), while propofol treatment blunted this effect (1.16 ± 0.05 and 1.12 ± 0.05, respectively; P < 0.05). Both CD14 and TLR4 protein levels were elevated in the LPS group compared to the control group (P < 0.05), while propofol treatment partially decreased the expression of CD14 and TLR4 protein versus LPS alone (P < 0.05). Our study indicates that propofol prevents lung injury, most likely by inhibition of CD14 and TLR4 expression.

Chondrocytes and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are frequently used as seed cells in cartilage tissue engineering. In the present study, we determined if the co-culture of rabbit articular chondrocytes and BMSCs in vitro promotes the expression of cartilaginous extracellular matrix and, if so, what is the optimal ratio of the two cell types. Cultures of rabbit articular chondrocytes and BMSCs were expanded in vitro and then cultured individually or at a chondrocyte:BMSC ratio of 4:1, 2:1, 1:1, 1:2, 1:4 for 21 days and cultured in DMEM/F12. BMSCs were cultured in chondrogenic induction medium. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR and Western blot were used to evaluate gene expression. In the co-cultures, type II collagen and aggrecan expression increased on days 14 and 21. At the mRNA level, the expression of type II collagen and aggrecan on day 21 was much higher in the 4:1, 2:1, and 1:1 groups than in either the articular chondrocyte group or the induced BMSC group, and the best ratio of co-culture groups seems to be 2:1. Also on day 21, the expression of type II collagen and aggrecan proteins in the 2:1 group was much higher than in all other groups. The results demonstrate that the co-culture of rabbit chondrocytes and rabbit BMSCs at defined ratios can promote the expression of cartilaginous extracellular matrix. The optimal cell ratio appears to be 2:1 (chondrocytes:BMSCs). This approach has potential applications in cartilage tissue engineering since it provides a protocol for maintaining and promoting seed-cell differentiation and function.

Global concern over a looming energy crisis, water scarcity and man-made climate change are driving a huge demand for clean technologies, which focus on preserving the earth's resources. In South Africa, the economy is very energy-intensive with coal being the main national energy supply. In view of the growing depletion of fossil fuel, it is important for South Africa to adopt a more sustainable energy mix. This study examines the potential for widespread dissemination of solar water heaters (SWHs) in South Africa. Barriers and constraints to market expansion are analyzed to determine strategies for overcoming these barriers. It is found that payback period of a SWH is shorter than the life-span of the system itself, indicating that SWHs are economically viable even with low production cost of electricity and thus represent a profitable investment proposition for end users, manufacturers and distributors. However, the subsidy programs offered by the government of South Africa may not be sufficient to facilitate diffusion. This is attributed to the high initial capital cost of the system and low affordability of the majority of the South Africa population with low income. Alternative financing mechanisms are required.

The effects of three nitrate levels - 14(CK), 56(T-1), and 140 mmol L-1 (T-2) - on growth and photosynthetic capacity of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Xintaimici) seedlings grown in hydroponic culture were investigated. The results showed that at 12 d after treatment plant height, stem diameter, leaf area, and leaf number of cucumber seedlings were stimulated by 56 mmol L-1 nitrate, whereas were inhibited significantly by 140 mmol L-1 nitrate compared with CK. Short-term stimulation in photosynthetic rate occurred under T-1 treatment, and then recovered to the level of CK. Photosynthetic rate of T-2 seedlings significantly decreased over treatment course with respect to CK. Photosynthetic pigment content of T-1 and T-2 increased during the first 2 d, and gradually recovered to the level of CK thereafter. Chlorophyll a/b and carotenoids/chlorophyll of T-1 had no significant difference from CK during treatment period. During the first 4 d, there was no significant difference in chlorophyll a/b and carotenoids/chlorophyll between T-2 and CK. After 4 d, chlorophyll a/b of T-2 increased gradually, whereas carotenoids/chlorophyll decreased. Actual PSII efficiency (ΦPSII) and photochemical quenching (qP) of T-1 had no significant difference from CK, and non-photochemical quenching (qN) was a little higher than CK after 2 d. During the first 2 d, there was little difference in ΦPSII and qP between T-2 and CK. After 2 d, both ΦPSII and qP of T-2 decreased to a great extend. A significant increase in qN of T-2 occurred over treatment course. With respect to CK, Hill reaction activity of T-1 slightly decreased, and T-2 treatment resulted in a significant decrease of Hill reaction activity. This evidence indicates that high-level nitrate stress may reduce photosynthesis through its effects not only on stomatal conductance but on the photosynthetic apparatus.