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In relation to the Shifu Road Station project on Line 4 of the Shenyang Metro in China, a small-pipe roof-beam method for constructing subway stations is presented. First, a numerical simulation was performed to optimize the supporting parameters of the proposed method and determine the design scheme. Subsequently, the deformation of the pipe roof and surface settlement during the construction process were investigated. Finally, the surface settlement attributed to the excavation was studied through field monitoring, and the proposed method was compared with other methods. The results show that an increase in the pipe-roof spacing has little effect on the surface settlement and pipe-roof deformation. The bearing capacity of the pipe roof can be efficiently utilized once the flexural stiffness reaches 2EI, and the flexural stiffness is not the dominant factor controlling the deformation. The essential stages in controlling surface settlement are the excavations of the transverse pilot tunnels and the soil between them. The final settlement value of the ground was 24.1 mm, resulting in a reduction in the construction period by at least five months while satisfying the control requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities play a fundamental role in policy decision-making processes, necessitating the availability of city-level population projections to better understand future population dynamics and facilitate research across various domains, including urban planning, shrinking cities, GHG emission projections, GDP projections, disaster risk mitigation, and public health risk assessment. However, the current absence of city-level population projections for China is a significant gap in knowledge. Moreover, aggregating grid-level projections to the city level introduces substantial errors of approximately 30%, leading to discrepancies with actual population trends. The unique circumstances of China, characterized by comprehensive poverty reduction, compulsory education policies, and carbon neutrality goals, render scenarios like SSP4(Shared Socioeconomic Pathways) and SSP5 less applicable. To address the aforementioned limitations, this study made three key enhancements, which significantly refines and augments our previous investigation. Firstly, we refined the model, incorporating granular demographic data at the city level. Secondly, we redesigned the migration module to consider both regional and city-level population attractiveness. Lastly, we explored diverse fertility and migration scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The winter precipitation over South China (SCWP) can exert great impacts on the local ecosystem and human livelihood. Previous studies suggested that the inter-annual variability of SCWP can be affected by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) via the Northwest Pacific anticyclone (NWPAC). The present study investigates the role of the India–Burma Trough (IBT) in mediating the teleconnection between ENSO and the SCWP. During the El Niño mature winter, the slowdown of Walker circulation is evident over the tropical Indian Ocean (TIO). The low-level easterly wind anomaly is pronounced from the warm pool to the western TIO, which turns into the westerly wind anomaly over the northern TIO basin and then enhances IBT. Meanwhile, the Kelvin wave in the upper troposphere stimulated by El Niño propagates eastward toward Indian Ocean and induces the tropospheric warming over TIO. The resultant increase of the meridional temperature gradient leads to the southward shift of the westerly jet stream which favors the strengthening of IBT and the increase of SCWP. It is further shown that the IBT change is unclear in La Niña. This nonlinear feature can be largely attributed to the asymmetry in both ENSO amplitude and ENSO-related circulation anomalies. The present findings highlight the role of IBT, in addition to the well-known NWPAC, in bridging ENSO and SCWP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bridges are critical components of transportation infrastructure. To ensure the long-term performance of bridges and the safety of the public, regular inspections are required during their service. Structural performance assessments are subject to various conditions. Structural deterioration is caused by complex environmental and operational conditions (EOCs) including temperature changes, truckloads, chemical corrosion, etc. In this study, an in-site structural health monitoring (SHM) system is designed and deployed on the Caohekou Bridge in China with a series of sensors installed, providing continuous real-time data for 4 years. Crack width, vertical deformation, concrete strains, temperature, longitudinal displacement and acceleration are monitored and assessed. Time-history monitoring data are comprehensively analysed to advance our understanding of structural deterioration caused by time and temperature. It is very common to lose data during the monitoring process, especially in the long-term run. To overcome the challenge of missing data package and to realize early warning, methods including an SHM systems face, a back propagation neural network and a long short-term memory are proposed to predict the bridge responses under the change of EOCs. It has been proved that the performance of predicted crack widths is close to that of the measured value, and the trend of change is consistent. Such results indicate that approaches proposed that quantitatively assess in-service structure are promising. Therefore, effective and efficient maintenance decisions can be made to ensure an immediate response, long-term safety and serviceability of bridge structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The small pipe–roof–beam method has better adaptability to ultra-shallow buried subway stations. Five groups of similar model tests were carried out to explore the pipe–roof deformation, surface settlement, and beam strain caused by excavation using this method. Based on the test results, a 3D numerical model was established to study the pipe–roof deformation under different cases. The following conclusions were obtained: as the height-to-span ratio increases, the pipe–roof deformation, and surface settlement increase and, afterward, decrease. Increasing the number of beams can significantly reduce the pipe–roof deformation and surface settlement, and has a greater effect on the surface settlement. The soil-arching effect occurs above the pipe–roof during excavation, and is strengthened with an increase of height-to-span ratios. The difference between the pipe–roof deformation caused by excavation is within 2% in two cases: free at both ends and fixed at only one end. It is not recommended to add support to only one end in actual construction. Adding support at both ends can reduce the pipe–roof deformation by about 40%. The research conclusions have guiding significance for the development of the small pipe–roof–beam method. The development of subway construction has gradually become one of the themes of urban development. Finding ways to build subway stations quickly, economically, and safely has gradually become the focus of attention. The pipe–roof method is a method of constructing urban underground space, which is widely used throughout the world. However, there are many shortcomings in the existing pipe–roof method. This paper proposes the small pipe–roof–beam method that can save the construction period on the premise of ensuring safety, which is currently being applied to Shifu Road Station of Shenyang Metro Line 4 in China. In this paper, the law of surface settlement and pipe–roof deformation caused by excavation is obtained by combining the method of laboratory test and numerical simulation. The research can be the theoretical basis for the subsequent application of this method. The matching relationship between the pipe–roof and the beam will be investigated in the next study, which will provide guidance for the optimal design of subway stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

July is the rainy peak month of central China, with a large interannual variation of local precipitation often causing serious droughts and floods. The seasonal prediction of the central China July precipitation (CCJP) is an important but still challenging task. Here, we suggest several robust seasonal predictors for the CCJP, including the preceding winter intensity of El Niño‐South Oscillation (ENSO), the winter‐to‐spring decaying rate of ENSO signals in the central Pacific, as well as the spring tropical and subpolar North Atlantic sea surface temperature anomalies. A physics‐based empirical model is then developed to predict the CCJP by using the principal component regression of the aforementioned seasonal predictors. In our statistical model, the seasonal prediction skill of the CCJP is high, with the cross‐validated reforecast skill at 0.81 during 1993–2021. This suggests a skillful seasonal prediction of the CCJP, with potentially enormous benefits for the local society and economy. Plain Language Summary: July contributes about 20% of annual precipitation for the densely populated central China, which could exert tremendous socio‐economic impacts over the region, including agriculture, water resources, food security, ecosystems, disaster mitigation, infrastructure construction, human health, and so on. Thus, how to skillfully predict the interannual variation of the central China July precipitation (CCJP) is a widespread scientific and socio‐economic concern. This work establishes a statistical model for the seasonal prediction of the CCJP by combining the physical precursor factors that drive the interannual variation of the CCJP. Our physics‐based empirical model can well predict the CCJP at one‐season lead, with the cross‐validated reforecast skill at 0.81 during 1993–2021. This provides a substantial skill of the seasonal prediction of the CCJP and is of potentially great importance to the regional agrarian‐based livelihood of hundreds of millions of people. Key Points: The Pacific and North Atlantic sea surface temperature precursors are suggested as robust seasonal predictors of the central China July precipitation (CCJP)A physics‐based empirical prediction model of the CCJP is developed based on the principal component regression of the seasonal predictorsThe prediction skill of the CCJP in our statistical model is high, with a cross‐validated reforecast skill at 0.81 during 1993–2021 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eastern China (EC) suffered an extreme drought with long-lasting duration and record-breaking intensity in late summer–autumn 2019. Our diagnosed results show that the central Pacific (CP) El Niño, in tandem with warm sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) over the Kuroshio Extension (KE) region, induces the meridionally elongated cyclonic circulation anomalies stretching from the western North Pacific (WNP) to the Yellow Sea. Its western flank corresponds to overwhelming low-level northerly wind anomalies over EC, which result in deficient moisture and anomalous descent over EC and hence cause the extreme drought in 2019. To investigate the relative contributions of SSTAs over different regions, we performed sensitivity experiments, and analyzed the relationship between extreme drought like what occurred in 2019 (a 2019Drought-like event) and the SSTAs in CMIP6 historical simulations. Modeling evidences reveal that both warm SSTAs over the central equatorial Pacific and the KE region are indispensable for shaping the meridionally elongated cyclone anomaly. Specifically, the cyclone anomaly over the WNP induced by CP El Niño aligns with the cyclone anomaly over the Yellow Sea induced by the warm SSTAs over the KE region, merging into a meridionally stretched cyclone anomaly to the east of EC. Consequently, the northerly anomalies stretch across EC, leading to unfavorable atmospheric conditions and the rainfall deficit there. Projection results show that the occurrence probability of a 2019Drought-like event will increase by 20% (decrease by 40%–50%) under a high (medium-low) emission scenario compared to present-day climate, indicating the nonlinear response of extreme drought to different emission scenarios and the urgency of carbon emission reduction. Significance Statement: An extreme drought hit the Eastern China (EC) region in 2019 and caused tremendous losses. This study proposed that both the 2019 CP El Niño and the warm SST anomalies over the Kuroshio Extension (KE) region induce the meridionally elongated circulation anomalies and the resultant extreme drought. We showed that the typical circulation anomalies induced by central Pacific (CP) El Niño cannot totally explain the meridionally elongated circulation anomalies in 2019. Our modeling evidences confirmed the indispensable role of warm SST anomalies over KE region in the 2019 extreme drought's formation. The projection results show that extreme drought like that in 2019 will occur more (less) frequently under a high (medium-low) emission scenario compared to modern-day level, indicating the urgency of carbon emission reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lyophylloid agarics are a group of ecologically highly diversified macrofungi, some of which are very popular edible mushrooms. However, we know little about lyophylloid species diversity in China. In this study, we described four new species from China: Lyophyllum atrofuscum, L. subalpinarum, L. subdecastes, and Ossicaulis sichuanensis. We conducted molecular phylogenetic analyses of Lyophyllaceae based on the nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (nLSU) and the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS). Phylogenetic analyses by the maximum likelihood method and Bayesian inference showed that the four new species are unique monophyletic species. A key to the species of Lyophyllum from China and a key to Ossicaulis worldwide were given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spring tripole sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in North Atlantic are an outstanding regional mode of interannual variability. Based on the observed and reanalyzed datasets during 1979–2019, this study reveals the relationship and linking mechanism between the spring tripole North Atlantic SST anomalies and the central China July precipitation (CCJP). Results show that the tripole SST anomalies, especially the warm SST anomalies in the tropical North Atlantic (TNA) and the subpolar North Atlantic (SNA), often cause surplus CCJP through the tropical and extratropical pathways. On the one hand, the spring TNA SST warming induces a pan-tropical climate response with the cooling in the central equatorial Pacific and the warming in the Indo-western Pacific until the following July through a series of air–sea interactions, helping maintain an anomalous anticyclone over the northwest Pacific and transport more warm humid flows to central China. On the other hand, the spring TNA and SNA SST warming persist into the following July and then emanate a wave train extending from the SNA throughout the Eurasian continent to East Asia, which induces an anomalous anticyclone over North China with its southeast flank transporting more cold air to central China. The warm humid flows from the south against the cold air from the north are conductive to the local ascending motion, favoring the increased CCJP. Our results highlight both the tropical and extratropical teleconnection pathways of the North Atlantic SST anomalies affecting the CCJP. This suggests an important seasonal predictor of the regional climate. Significance Statement: July is the peak rainy month of central China, with heavy precipitation occurring frequently and often causing serious impacts on the local production and livelihood of millions of people. This study finds that the spring tripole sea surface temperature anomalies in North Atlantic induced by the North Atlantic Oscillation can exert significant impacts on the following July precipitation over central China through both the tropical and extratropical pathways. This improves our understanding of the causes of the surplus July precipitation over central China and has important implications for the seasonal predictability of the regional climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The central China summer precipitation (CCSP) is of great importance to the people's livelihood of this densely populated region, including the agriculture, ecosystems, water resources, economies, and health. Based on the observed precipitation, sea surface temperature (SST), and atmospheric reanalysis datasets, the present study investigates the effects of El Niño in the developing stage on the CCSP during 1960–2014. The results show that the CCSP anomalies exhibit significant negative correlations with the El Niño-related SST anomalies in both the simultaneous summer and the following winter, implying that the developing El Niño is important for modulating the CCSP. However, this climatic teleconnection of El Niño is unstable, with an obvious interdecadal change around the late 1980s. Specifically, the negative correlation is not statistically significant in the previous epoch before the late 1980s (1960–1988), but dramatically strengthens since the late 1980s (the post epoch for 1989–2014). Such an interdecadal change is closely associated with the change of the El Niño-related SST anomaly pattern. Compared to the previous epoch, the central Pacific El Niño occurs more frequently in the post epoch, leading to an interdecadal shift of the maximum warm SST anomalies from the eastern Pacific to the central Pacific. The resultant westward extension of the atmospheric circulation responses induces an anomalous low-level cyclone covering South China in the post epoch. It would prevent the southwest monsoon from delivering the moisture to the north and hence reduce the CCSP. While, in the previous epoch, the anomalous cyclone locates east of South China, exerting insignificant influence on the CCSP. This work highlights a strengthening effect of El Niño on the CCSP since the late 1980s, with great implications for the regional seasonal climate prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the complexity of the climate system and limitations of numerical dynamical models, machine learning based on big data has been used for climate forecasting in recent years. In this study, we attempted to use an artificial neural network (ANN) for summer precipitation forecasts in the Yangtze-Huaihe River Basin (YHRB), eastern China. The major ANN employed here is the standard backpropagation neural network (BPNN), which was modified for application to the YHRB. Using the analysis data of precipitation and the predictors/factors of atmospheric circulation and sea surface temperature, we calculated the correlation coefficients between precipitation and the factors. In addition, we sorted the top six factors for precipitation forecasts. In order to obtain accurate forecasts, month (factor)-to-month (precipitation) forecast models were applied over the training and validation periods (i.e., summer months over 1979–2011 and 2012–2019, respectively). We compared the standard BPNN with the BPNN using a genetic algorithm-based backpropagation (GABP), support vector machine (SVM) and multiple linear regression (MLR) for the summer precipitation forecast after the model training period, and found that the GABP method is the best among the above methods for precipitation forecasting, with a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of approximately 20% for the YHRB, which is substantially lower than the BPNN, SVM and MLR values. We then selected the best summer precipitation forecast of the GABP month-to-month models by summing up monthly precipitation, in order to obtain the summer scale forecast, which presents a very successful performance in terms of evaluation measures. For example, the basin-averaged MAPE and anomaly rate reach 4.7% and 88.3%, respectively, for the YHRB, which can be a good recommendation for future operational services. It appears that sea surface temperatures (SST) in some key areas dominate the factors for the forecasts. These results indicate the potential of applying GABP to summer precipitation forecasts in the YHRB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, China had released various environmental regulations in order to respond climate change and corresponding environmental issues. However, due to imbalanced economic development and industrial structure, different Chinese regions had different enforcement levels on environmental regulations, which led to the regional transfer of pollution-intensive industries. To study the regional disparities on carbon emission transfer, this paper used the propensity score matching–difference in differences method (hereinafter abbreviated as "PSM-DID") to evaluate the mechanism between carbon trading pilot policies and the transfer of pollution-intensive industries. Panel data on 30 Chinese provinces were used to test the validity of the "pollution haven hypothesis," covering the period of 2010–2018. The empirical results showed that under the constraints of established environmental regulation, the pilot policy promoted the transfer of pollution-intensive industries to a certain extent and verified the "pollution haven hypothesis"; the proportion of the secondary sector and energy industry in the pilot areas had been reduced after the pilot policy; on the contrary, the technical level and the economic development level of the pilot provinces and cities had been further improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change threatens rice production by increasing the frequency of extreme temperatures during grain-filling stage (T GF). Nitrogen application can significantly affect rice yield and quality. However, the effects of interaction between T GF and nitrogen application rate on yield and quality of rice remains unclear. The objectives of this study were to comprehensively evaluate the quantitative regulatory mechanism between T GF and nitrogen application rate on rice yield and quality formation. A two-year field experiment with three varieties, five sowing dates, and three nitrogen application rates was conducted at four ecological sites in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China in 2019 and 2020. Grain yield, milling, appearance, and eating quality were quantified for each treatment. This study demonstrated that T GF varied from 17.8 ℃ to 31.4 ℃ in different sites and sowing dates and decreased by an average of 2.1 ℃ for every 15 days the sowing date was delayed. The grain yield, head rice rate, chalky grain rate, chalkiness and taste value were all related to T GF through a quadratic function. The optimum T GF for both yield and quality of indica hybrid rice was 24.2–26.5 ℃. In terms of grain yield, nitrogen agronomic efficiency increased linearly with T GF , and nitrogen application could only confer a small increase in yield or even reduce yield under extreme low T GF. Nitrogen application alleviated the adverse effects of high T GF on rice quality, but exacerbated the deterioration of quality under low T GF. For milling and appearance quality and eating quality, the critical T GF leading to such opposite regulatory effect were identified as 23.4 ± 0.4 ℃ and 29.5 ± 0.5 ℃, respectively. The variations of the ratio of amylopectin to amylose and protein content altered texture and starch gelatinization properties, mainly explaining the differences in eating quality caused by T GF and nitrogen application rate. The present study suggests that T GF should be considered when formulating nitrogen management strategies for high-quality rice, which is crucial for alleviating the deterioration of rice quality caused by extreme T GF under global climate change. [Display omitted] • The optimum temperature during grain filling stage (T GF) for indica hybrid rice was 24.2–26.5 ℃. • Nitrogen agronomic efficiency was significantly positively correlated with T GF. • Nitrogen application could alleviate the adverse effects of high T GF on rice quality. • Nitrogen application exacerbated the deterioration of quality under low T GF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between international trade and politics is very close, but we know little about the effects of summit visits on trade. This article divides summits into visits by top‐level and secondary leaders, based on manually collect and collate data; inspects the outward and inward visits between China and other countries and examines the relationship between summit visits and bilateral trade using panel data covering 163 countries from 2001 to 2014. The study finds that (1) both inward and outward visits promote exports, although the effect on imports is unclear; (2) the higher the level of the summit leaders, the greater the promotion effect (the visit effect of China's top‐level leaders is especially prominent); (3) reciprocal summit visits between China and developing countries have a greater trade promotion effect; (4) the promotion effect of China's leaders on exports has time‐leading and ‐lagging effects, and the effect of summit visits is different for different categories of export products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ports are essential and strategic nodes of international trade and economic activities. The integration of port resources helps enhance the optimal division of port functions to further promote economic development. This paper explores the evolutionary trends of port integration policy from 2011 to 2021 in China through a text-mining approach. We first used the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic analysis method to analyze the port integration policies and summarize the evolutionary trends of port policies. In addition, an association analysis was conducted to explore port integration policies' impacts by examining their relationships among the environmental protection, digitalization level, and port development scale. Our findings suggested that China's port integration policy has evolved from specific and simple to abstract and complicated at the managerial level. Port development has enriched from infrastructure construction to the ideology of economic development. Our findings show that China's port integration is gradually improving the port operation. The findings of the study contribute to the extant literature by analyzing the port integration policy evolution in China and can be referred to by other countries. • Text mining method was used to explore the port integration policy evolution. • Port integration policy evolved from specific and simple to abstract and complicated. • Port development enriched from basic infrastructure to the governance model. • The evolution of port integration policy was related to reducing carbon emissions in the port sector. • The evolution of port integration policy made the ports intelligent in association with digital technology such as big data and AI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A radiofrequency (RF) ion source with a megawatt power extraction, thunder I, has been developed for the neutral beam injector (NBI) on HL-2A tokamak. A full solid-state RF generator with output power of 80 kW and frequency of 2 MHz was built by an RF combiner using 8 modules of solid-state RF generator with power of PRF = 10 kW. The line electric efficiency of whole RF generator reaches 92% and its voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) is 1.01, thus no water-cooling system is supplied. A quartz vessel with the inner diameter of 250 mm is directly adopted for resisting atmospheric pressure, which can dramatically simplify source structure. Nowadays, the extracted beam parameters of RF hydrogen ion source are 32 kV/20 A/0.1 s on a test bed, while the design parameters are 50 kV/20 A/3 s. The beam density profile measured by the infrared imaging technique at 1.3 m downstream from the grounded grid obeys a Gaussian distribution, and the corresponding half width of 1/e power decay at the matched condition is about 80 mm. Plasma homogeneity is over 90% at low RF power. The beam divergence angle meets the requirement of NBI system on HL-2A tokamak. The extractable current density increases almost linearly with the RF power. It reaches 2400 A m−2 at PRF = 32 kW. The ion density in front of plasma grid is about 1 × 1018 m−3, corresponding to an ionized fraction of about 1% at the gas pressure of 0.5 Pa. Single hydrogen ion fraction reaches 79% at the beam current of 12.4 A. Some improvements have been considered for optimizing ion source performance on next experimental campaign. One smaller auxiliary RF discharge chamber equipped with a gas feed path, driven by 13.56 MHz/3.5 kW generator, is connected to main discharge chamber driven by 2 MHz/40 kW generator. By this dual-driven configuration, the innovative RF plasma source with high-pressure density gradient solves the initial ignition problem of powerful RF ion source even if the gas pressure below 0.1 Pa. In addition, the RF negative hydrogen ion source of 200 kV/20 A/3600 s is also developed at SWIP for the China fusion engineering test reactor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yangtze region of South East China has experienced several extreme hot summer months in recent years. Such events can have devastating socio-economic impacts. We use a large ensemble of initialised climate simulations to assess the current chance of unprecedented hot summer months in the Yangtze River region. We find a 10% chance of an unprecedented hot summer month each year. Our simulations suggest that monthly mean temperatures up to 3 °C hotter than the current record are possible. The dynamics of these unprecedented extremes highlights the occurrence of a stationary atmospheric wave, the Silk Road Pattern, in a significant number of extreme hot events. We present evidence that this atmospheric wave is driven by variability in the Indian summer monsoon. Other extreme events are associated with a westward shift in the western North Pacific subtropical high. The most extreme simulated events exhibit combined characteristics of both the Silk Road Pattern and the shifted western North Pacific subtropical high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present work aimed to further explore the therapeutic potential of Xing Qi Hua Ying Tang (XQHYT) by conducting a systemic clinical study in patients with goiter. Design: Seventy-two patients with either multinodular or diffuse goiter were enrolled and randomly assigned into treatment group receiving XQHYT (n = 36) and control group receiving Hai Zao Yu Hu Tang (n = 36). Location: Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Shanxi. Subjects: Patients were diagnosed multinodular goiter or diffuse goiter resulting from Qi stagnation. Intervention: All patients took the extract twice a day (100 mL each time) for two courses of treatment, of which a single course lasted for 3 months. Before the treatment was commenced and after the completion of the treatment, general body checks, thyroid function test, and goiter size examination were performed. Outcome measures: Scoring of the clinical symptoms using Chinese medicine symptomatology was also done. Results: The symptom score of the treatment group was significantly lower than that of the control group (treatment group, 8.26 ± 2.62; control group, 10.02 ± 2.62; p < 0.05). Substantial reduction in goiter size was seen in 82.3% of XQHYT-treated patients, whereas in the control group only 67.7% of patients exhibited constricted goiter. When assessed by both the Chinese medicine criteria and goiter size, the overall effective rate of the treatment group was 91.2%, whereas that of the control group was only 67.7%. The difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). XQHYT did not affect the normal functions of liver, kidney, and heart. For both groups of patients, their levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone, free T4 and free T3 were normal before the treatment, and were not affected by the treatment. Conclusion: XQHYT was shown to be a promising therapeutic regimen for the treatment of goiter. The herbal regimen ameliorated clinical symptoms of patients that were accompanied with reduction in the size of goiter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study's aim was to investigate the post-effect of an air quality improvement on systemic inflammation and circulating microparticles in asthmatic patients during, and 2 months after, the Beijing Olympics 2008. We measured the levels of circulating inflammatory cytokines and microparticles in the peripheral blood from asthma patients and healthy controls during (phase 1), and 2 months after (phase 2) the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The concentrations of circulating cytokines (including TNFα, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10) were still seen reduced in phase 2 when compared with those in phase 1. The number of circulating endothelial cell-derived microparticles was significantly lower during the phase 2 than that during phase 1 in asthma patients. The level of plasma lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) was significantly decreased in asthmatics in phase 2. The level of norepinephrine was significantly higher in phase 2 than that in phase 1 in plasma from both asthma patients and healthy subjects. There were no significant differences in the gene profile for the toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In vitro, microvesicles from patients with asthma impaired the relaxation to bradykinin and contraction to acetylcholine, whereas microparticles from healthy subjects did not. These data suggested that reduction in systemic pro-inflammatory responses and circulating LBP and increased level of norepinephrine in asthma patients persisted even after 2 months of the air pollution intervention. These changes were independent of the TLR signaling pathway. Circulating microparticles might be associated with airway smooth muscle dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By now, 13 cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot areas have been approved by the State Council of China; Dalian and Tianjin are two of them. But with the development of the construction of the cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot areas, the competition between those pilot areas is inevitable. Dalian and Tianjin are located in the Bohai Sea and the distance between them is only 800 kilometers. For Dalian and Tianjin they are in thus competitive situations: first they have to compete with each other; second since they are located in Bohai Sea (North China), they have to compete with other cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot areas (South China). In this paper, our aim is to build models to provide best price strategies for these two cities. Based on the two-sided market theory and the geographical position, this paper builds two competitive theory models. Through the analyzing of the equilibrium, we get two main results: (1) according to different service area, the cities (Dalian and Tianjin) should have different price; (2) the two-sided market characters have an impact on their strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

E-wastes in China are growing dramatically. Since 2009, the Chinese government has continuously issued a series of laws and regulations and established a preliminary e-waste management system based on extended producer responsibility (EPR) principles, so as to protect the environment and improve resource utilization. In this paper, effectiveness of current e-waste management in China is analyzed in detail from the government policy, enterprise and public awareness perspective. Government regulations and amendments of relevant policies, which are consistent with the status to promote the emergence and development of formal e-waste recycling enterprise, are introduced and examined. Chinese current e-waste recycling technology, capacity and equipment are discussed as well as the construction and operation of several leading enterprises and a national industrial park. Chinese people׳s awareness of e-waste hazards, disposal habits and participation in environmental initiatives are also surveyed to guide the future measures. Promoted by the efforts of the government, enterprises and citizens, Chinese e-waste management has been improving for the past six years and it continues to develop. Finally, potential remaining problems of e-waste management are examined and their possible solutions are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese integrated circuit industry has been transformed from a small state-owned sector into a global competitor, but chip manufacturing produces large amounts of calcium fluoride sludges (CFS). In China, landfill is a current option for treating CFS. In order to solve the problem of unavailable landfill sites and prevent fluorine from dissolved CFS polluting water sources, CFS was tested as a component for a ceramic product made with sodium borate, sodium phosphate and waste alumina using a low-temperature sintering technology, and the effects of various factors on characteristics of the ceramic were investigated to optimize the process. The best sintering temperature was controlled at 700°C, and the optimal raw material ratio of the ceramic was 11% sodium borate, 54% sodium phosphate, 30% CFS and 5% waste alumina. The CFS ceramic was characterized by a morphological structure and X-ray diffraction. The results indicated that CFS was transformed into Na2Ca(PO4)F as an inert and a main crystalline phase in the ceramic, which was enclosed by the borophosphate glass. Toxicity characteristic leaching procedure, corrosion resistance and compressive strength tests verified CFS ceramic as a qualified construction ceramic material, and the fluorine from CFS was solidified in the inert crystalline phase, which would not be released to cause secondary pollution. This novel technology not only avoids the CFS hydrolyzing reaction forming harmful hydrofluoric acid gas at 800°C and above, but also produces high-performance ceramics as a construction material, in accordance with the concept of sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wenchuan earthquake, Ms 8.0 in magnitude and occurred on May 12, 2008 in Sichuan Province, China, triggered a lot of landslides, rock collapses, debris flow, etc. The Tangjiashan landslide, with its total volume 20.37 million m3, was the biggest and the most notable one for its effects. Based on the field geological investigation and the typical acceleration records of the main shock obtained in the period of the earthquake, numerical simulation of the whole sliding process of Tangjiashan landslide has been carried out by DDA method. It is shown that the Tangjiashan landslide was a high-speed landslide, behaved with nonlinear features in the whole sliding process. The total duration of the landslide was about 30 s while nearly all of their slipping displacements were carried out in the beginning 25 s, with the maximum sliding velocity about 30 m/s, and the average 15-17 m/s in the beginning 25 s. The crash of rock blocks induced a much higher stresses near the middle and lower parts of the landslide, with the maximum value of 6-7 MPa. The dynamic earthquake load caused an incessant deformation of the landslide, resulting in the reduction of mechanical parameters, especially the shear strength on the sliding surface and the ratio of friction coefficient on sliding surface in kinematical and static conditions are no more than 0.35. DDA simulation considering the displacement-based parameter reduction has been developed in the original DDA code, and its results primarily reflect the evolvement process of a landslide under strong seismic loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article preliminarily reports and analyses the transmission characteristics and behaviors of shear wave in the offshore seafloor surface sediments in China, discusses the relationships between the physical and mechanical features of the shear wave and the compression wave, and compares the testing results with that of Hamilton and Chen et al. The result shows that the shear wave can be tested if the seafloor surface sediment has tangent modulus. The shear wave velocity ranges from 50–600 m/s and the measuring frequency from 50–200 kHz. The sound velocity rate of shear wave and compression wave can be used to appraise the stress-strain feature of seafloor surface sediments. This study provides a basis for further describing and appraising the seafloor sedimentary acoustic-mechanical feature and building a geological-acoustic model on China's offshore sea area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a quick response collaborative scheduling model based on Cyber-Physical Production System (CPPS) online monitoring to address the problem of quick response repair of disruption in the wheelset manufacturing of high-speed train. A Bogie Wheelset Manufacturing System-Quick response collaboration model (WS-QRC) that integrates disruption management and collaborative scheduling is established. An Enhance Neighborhood-Discrete Particle Swarm Optimization (DPSO_ENS) algorithm with extended neighborhood search structure is also designed. We take the data of a high-speed train factory in China as an example to verify the feasibility and superiority of the model and algorithm in this paper. Experimental examples have shown the supplier-led negotiation scheduling model and the improved DPSO algorithm are effective in dealing with the disruption and quick response problem during wheelset production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High resolution multibeam bathymetry revealed the occurrence of numerous craterlike depressions, so-called pockmarks, in the sea floor of the North Yellow Sea Basin (NYSB). To investigate whether these pockmarks are related to any type of fluid flow or gas seepage from subsurface stratum, acoustic survey and box samplings were conducted in a selected area containing several typical pockmarks. This allowed for an integrated analysis of the morphology, distribution, and subsurface strata as well as a direct comparison of seafloor characteristics among different areas inside and outside of a pockmark. Additionally, surface sediments were analyzed for particle structure and grain size. Based on the combination of multibeam bathymetry and backscatter intensity data, 282 seafloor depressions were accurately identified. Moreover, the formation of pockmark can be attributed to existence of gas chimneys and other shallow gases revealed by shallow seismic profile records in the subsurface strata. Sediments inside and outside the pockmark showed remarkable discrepancies in terms of grain size, and benthic fauna. Additionally, strong internal reflection area was observed inside the depressions where benthic habitats are abundant and sediments contain strawberry pyrite and carbonate cementation. Side scan sonar also recorded sediment plumes in the water column, which indicates that the pockmarks are still active. Several "pearl-string-like" accumulations of pockmark were found in the study area, which well agree with the distribution of buried channels and lakes. These results thus provide new insights in interpreting shallow water fluid seepage, with implications for our current knowledge of overall sedimentation process in offshore continental shelves. • Active fluid seepage in shallow water continental shelf environment • Shallow-gas related acoustic features recorded on sub-bottom acoustic data • Benthic fauna anomalies, and strawberry pyrite associated with seafloor seeps • The large but shallow pockmarks can be ascribed to low fluid pressure. • String like distribution of pockmarks controlled by subsurface buried channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cetacean falls provide a large amount of organic matter to the deep ocean, an otherwise oligotrophic environment. These events are now believed to maintain endemic species and offer intermediate habitats for species in other deep-sea ecosystems. Only about 70 modern whale falls have been reported in the world's oceans to date. We discovered the first known dolphin fall in the South China Sea in March 2020, on the middle slope of the Zhongnan seamount. We set up a camera at the site to observe animals visiting the dolphin carcass for 30 consecutive days from March 29 to April 28, 2020 and made four additional HOV dives to the dolphin carcass. In total, we observed 14 visible megafauna species visiting this dolphin fall, including six fish species, five crustacean species, two echinoderm species, and one mollusk species, of which most were scavengers or predators. This was the first record of many of these taxa in the deep South China Sea. Furthermore, two bone-eating worms were found in a piece of the dolphin bone. The worms are identified as new species in the genus Osedax based on DNA analysis. The findings of this work suggest that cetacean falls occur frequently in the South China Sea and help to fill a knowledge gap regarding the biodiversity of cetacean falls in the West Pacific. • A 1.8-m dolphin fall was found in the South China Sea for the first time. • We observed 14 visible megafauna species visiting this dolphin fall. • Two bone-eating worms were found in a piece of the dolphin bone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occupational exposure limits (OELs) are well established in many countries, which serve occupational professionals as benchmarks of industrial hygiene practice at workplaces worldwide. Starting in the mid-1950s, the central government of China began promulgating OELs for hazardous substances at workplaces. This paper discusses the historical basis, philosophical principles and schematic protocols of developing and setting OELs in China. The underlying principles include: (1) protection of human health being the first and the most important criterion; (2) the use of quantitative epidemiological studies in humans being given top priority; (3) integration and full use of all information sources, including animal experimental data for new chemicals or chemicals with new toxicity concerns; (4) considerations of socioeconomic and technological feasibilities in the country; and (5) amending existing standards based on new evidence. The strategy of the World Health Organization’s “Two-step Procedure” is applied to convert health-based recommendations to law-based operational OELs, with considerations for national technological and socioeconomic conditions and priorities. As a result of the recent passage of the new law Occupational Diseases Prevention and Control Act of the People’s Republic of China (ODPCAct), an official document Occupational Exposure Limits for Hazardous Agents in the Workplace containing a comprehensive list of new and amended OELs has been issued, which has now become one of the most essential regulations affiliated with the ODPCAct. This paper provides a brief summary of the salient features of the new law ODPCAct and the principles and processes of developing or amending OELs. This paper also discusses the challenges that lie ahead in enforcing the new regulations in China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Pockmarks are circular or elliptical depressions in the seabed that are geomorphologically similar but otherwise distinct from volcanic craters. Pockmarks are found at various depths in the ocean including on the continental shelf, the continental slope and the deep-sea plain. This paper presents data covering a large-scale pockmark group in the middle part of the shallow sea sedimentary plain of the North Yellow Sea at a water depth of 51–58 m. The distribution of pockmarks within this group is very dense, and pockmark diameters range from several hundred meters to several kilometers. Based on multibeam echo sounder data, a high-resolution image of the pockmark area is obtained by efficient image processing methods. The textural features of the seabed surface layer are then described and analyzed. Multibeam echo sounder backscatter data are combined with seabed sediment sampling data to develop a statistical model linking seabed backscatter sonar strength and sediment grain-size characteristics. Additionally, an improved BP neural network is used to realize rapid and automatic classification and identification of seabed sediment types. Fine-scale processing analysis of sonar images and acoustic classification of seabed sediments as presented in this paper are useful for determining seabed surface textures and local sediment distribution laws. This study thus provides a basis for further study of the formation and evolution of seabed pockmarks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: For patients with rotator cuff tear (RCT), the contra-lateral shoulders have higher risk of RCT than general population. It has been proved by several previous studies. The focus of this study is to obtain the data of contra-lateral rotator cuff tear in Chinese population, and to find the rules of contra-lateral rotator cuff tear through statistical analysis., Methods: From March 2016 to January 2020, patients who underwent shoulder arthroscopic surgery were included in the study, we conduct bilateral shoulder ultrasound before surgery, patients information collection include gender, age, occupation and whether received contra-lateral rotator cuff surgery within 1-3 years. The above information was statistically analyzed., Results: According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 401 patients were included. The incidence of contra-lateral rotator cuff tear was 24.3%, 5.58% of them underwent contra-lateral rotator cuff repair surgery within 3 years. The degree of contra-lateral rotator cuff tear was positively correlated with the degree of the primary side; Patients with full-thickness rotator cuff tear were more likely to have contra-lateral rotator cuff tear than patients with partial rotator cuff tear. For patients with supraspinatus tendon tear, the contra-lateral rotator cuff tear risk increases, For patients with subscapularis muscle tear, the contra-lateral rotator cuff tear risk doesn't increases. Contra-lateral rotator cuff tear is related to age, the risk of contra-lateral rotator cuff tear is higher in elderly patients., Conclusions: The contra-lateral RCT data obtained in our study was 24.3%, significantly lower than that of previous studies. The reasons may include ethnic variation, lifestyle, and proportion of heavy physical labor. The condition of contra-lateral rotator cuff is closely related to affected side rotator cuff tear., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this Article., (Copyright © 2023 The Japanese Orthopaedic Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, urban communities have emerged as the frontline defenders in epidemic prevention and control, providing the most effective means of curbing the spread of virus both inward and outward. This study attempts to explain the underlying factors and mechanisms that shape the community epidemic prevention and control capacity (CEPCC)., Methods: We adopted a resilience-based perspective and drew on a sample of 20 exemplary anti-epidemic communities in China. By constructing an analytical framework and employing the fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis method (fsQCA), we explored how four conditional variables-infrastructure completeness, community self-organizing ability, redundancy of community resources, and stability of regional economic development-and their various configurations impact the CEPCC., Results: Our findings reveal that the four conditional variables, when considered in isolation, cannot effectively enhance the CEPCC. Instead, four configuration pathways with mixed conditional variables exist. Notably, community self-organizing ability emerges as a vital condition for effectively strengthening the CEPCC., Discussion: This study identifies four pathways to improve the CEPCC and confirms the validity of the data results through case studies. Conclusions of this research contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the factors influencing the CEPCC, which can help communities to better plan and prepare for future epidemics and ensure better response and adaptation to the impacts of future emergencies., Competing Interests: YZ was employed by China North Industries Corporation. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Shi, Lu and Zhong.)

Competing Interests: Declaration of interests We declare no competing interests.

Objective: The alteration in the mechanical environment of the necrotic area is the primary cause of the collapse observed in osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). This study aims to evaluate the biomechanical implications of the China-Japan Friendship Hospital (CJFH) classification system and hip flexion angles on the necrotic area in ONFH using finite element analysis (FEA). The goal is to provide valuable guidance for hip preservation treatments and serve as a reference for clinical diagnosis and therapeutic interventions., Methods: Hip tomography CT scan data from a healthy volunteer was used to create a 3D model of the left hip. The model was preprocessed and imported into Solidworks 2018, based on the CJFH classification. Material parameters and boundary conditions were applied to each fractal model in ANSYS 21.0. Von Mises stresses were calculated, and maximum deformation values were obtained to evaluate the biomechanical effects of the load on the necrotic area and post-necrotic femur, as well as assess each fractal model's collapse risk., Results: (1) At the same hip flexion angle, maximum deformation followed this order: M Type < C Type < L Type. The L3 type necrotic area experienced the most significant deformation at 0, 60, and 110° angles (1.121, 1.7913, and 1.8239 mm respectively). (2) Under the same CJFH classification, maximum deformation values increased with hip flexion angle (0 < 60 < 110°), suggesting a higher risk of collapse at larger angles. (3) Von Mises stress results showed that the maximum stress was not located in the necrotic area but near the inner and outer edge of the femoral neck, indicating decreased stiffness and strength of the subchondral bone after osteonecrosis., Conclusion: The study found that femoral head collapse risk was higher when the necrotic area was located in the lateral column under the same stress load and flexion angle. Mechanical properties of the necrotic area changed, resulting in decreased bone strength and stiffness. Large-angle hip flexion is more likely to cause excessive deformation of the necrotic area; thus, ONFH patients should reduce or avoid large-angle hip flexion during weight-bearing training in rehabilitation activities., (© 2023 The Authors. Orthopaedic Surgery published by Tianjin Hospital and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Background: Studies on the associations between temperature and osteoporotic fractures (OF) hospitalizations are limited. This study aimed to assess the short-term effect of apparent temperature (AT) on the risk of OF hospitalizations., Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted in Beijing Jishuitan Hospital from 2004 to 2021. Daily OF hospitalizations, meteorological variables and fine particulate matter were collected. A Poisson generalized linear regression model combined with a distributed lag non-linear model was applied to analyze the lag-exposure-response relationship between AT and the number of OF hospitalizations. Subgroup analysis by gender, age and fracture type was also conducted., Results: Total daily hospitalization visits for OF during the studied period were 35,595. The exposure-response curve of AT and OF presented a non-linear relationship, with optimum apparent temperature (OAT) at 28.40 °C. Taking OAT as the reference, the cold effect (-10.58 °C, 2.5th percentage) on single lag day had statistical significance from the current day of exposure (RR = 1.18, 95 % CI: 1.08-1.28) to lag 4 day (RR = 1.04, 95 % CI: 1.01-1.08), while the cumulative cold effect increased the risk of OF hospitalization visits from lag 0 to 14 days, with the maximum RR over lag 0-14 days (RR = 1.84, 95 % CI: 1.21-2.79). There were no significant risks of OF hospitalizations for warm effects (32.53 °C, 97.5th percentage) on single or cumulative lag days. The cold effect might be more evident among females, patients aged 80 years or older, and patients with hip fractures., Conclusion: Exposure to cold temperatures is associated with an increased risk of OF hospitalizations. Females, patients aged 80 years or older and patients with hip fractures might be more vulnerable to the cold effect of AT., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

During faunal studies of psammophilic ciliates along the coast of Qingdao, China, several marine karyorelictean species were isolated. Among them, four species within the genus Remanella were investigated, including two species new to science: i.e., R. rugosa , Remanella elongata sp. nov. , Remanella aposinica sp. nov. , and R. unicorpusculata. Remanella rugosa has been reported several times, but this study is the first to provide detailed morphological characters and phylogenetics. Remanella elongata sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by the presence of complex cortical granules, fewer macronuclei, and longer body size. Remanella aposinica sp. nov. differs from its congeners by having 14-17 right lateral ciliary rows and 24-37 dikinetids of intrabuccal kinety. Poorly known Remanella rugosa var. unicorpusculata (Kahl, 1933) Foissner, 1996 should be elevated from subspecies to species level, Remanella unicorpusculata (Foissner, 1996) stat. nov. , based on detailed redescriptions with statistical data, living morphology, infraciliature, and species definitions. Small subunit (SSU) rDNA was sequenced for the four species, and phylogenetic analysis revealed that all known taxa in Remanella formed the outline branch to the genus Loxodes with moderate to high bootstrap support among Remanella lineages.

Background: /Objectives: The management of acute pancreatitis (AP) in China has undergone major changes since the launch of the updated guideline in 2013. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of this guideline on clinical practice and patient outcome., Methods: Moderately severe and severe adult AP patients, who were admitted to Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2016, were retrospectively included in the study. All enrolled patients were divided into two groups based on the publication date of the updated guideline, as the pre-guideline (Pre) group and post-guideline (Post) group. In-hospital case-fatality rates were compared between two groups after adjusting baseline features, including gender, age, etiology and disease severity. In addition, the associations between specific therapeutic approaches recommended in the updated guideline and in-hospital case-fatality rates were explored., Results: A total of 475 patients were enrolled in this study, including 273 (57%) in the Pre group and 202 (43%) in the Post group. The adjusted in-hospital case-fatality rate significantly decreased in the Post group (14.3% vs. 5.9%, OR 0.39, 95%CI 0.19-0.82). In the post-hoc analysis, the use of enteral nutrition was a protective factor against in-hospital death (OR: 0.08, 95%CI: 0.03-0.18), while open surgery showed an opposite effect (OR: 3.81, 95%CI: 1.06-13.74). Prophylactic antibiotics was not significantly associated with in-hospital death (OR: 1.00, 95%CI: 0.39-2.60)., Conclusions: There was a prominent transition in the management of moderately severe and severe AP after the release of the guideline in China in 2013, which made the prognosis better., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 IAP and EPC. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aconitum carmichaelii has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating various diseases for several thousand years. Based on the biosynthetic pathway of some alkaloids such as C19-diterpenoid alkaloids and obvious differences in alkaloid content between leaves of two A. carmichaelii varieties has been reported, we performed leaves transcriptome analysis of two A. carmichaelii varieties. Besides we characterized the biosynthetic pathway of salsolinol. A total of 56 million raw reads (8.28 G) and 55 million clean reads (8.24 G) were obtained from two varieties (Z175 and R184) leaves transcriptome, respectively, and 176,793 unigenes were annotated. 281 and 843 unigenes are involved in the salsolinol biosynthetic pathway and the formation of C19-diterpenoid alkaloids respectively. And including 34 and 24 unigenes are the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the biosynthesis pathway for C19-diterpenoid alkaloids and salsolinol between Z175 and R184 respectively, which were target genes to explore differences in C19-diterpenoid alkaloid and salsolinol biosynthesis in Z175 and R184. Thus genes involved in alkaloid biosynthesis and accumulation differ between varieties leaves. The mechanisms underlying the differences and their relevance require further exploration. The results expand our knowledge of alkaloids biosynthesis in A. carmichaelii leaves, and provide a theoretical basis for analysis differences in alkaloids biosynthesis patterns in different varieties., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

BACKGROUND In the present study, we aimed to determine the effect of different positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) levels on the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the right internal jugular vein (RIJV) and the overlap index between the RIJV and the right common carotid artery (RCCA) in mechanically ventilated patients with laryngeal mask airway (LMA) insertion. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 60 patients who were scheduled for elective surgery under general anesthesia with LMA insertion were enrolled. After LMA insertion, the image of RIJV and RCCA were taken after applying 4 different PEEPs in a random order: 0 (P0), 5 (P5), 10 (P10), and 15 (P15) cm H₂O. The CSA, transverse and anteroposterior (AP) diameters of the RIJV, and the overlap index were measured. RESULTS Compared to group P0, the overlap indexes of P10 (P=0.0032) and P15 (P<0.001) were significantly increased, but without a significant trend toward further increases in group P15. PEEP at 10 and 15 cm H₂O increased CSA, transverse and AP diameter of the RIJV in comparison to group P0 (all P<0.001). There was a statistically significant increase in CSA of the RIJV in P15 compared with P10 by 12.2% (P<0.001), but did not reach the relevant cut-off value (ΔCSA ≥15%). CONCLUSIONS The application of PEEP at 10 cm and 15 cm H₂O in patients receiving mechanical ventilation with LMA insertion significantly increases the size of the RIJV. However, the overlap index between the RIJV and the RCCA increased as well.

Introduction: Recurrent miscarriage (RM) affects 5% of women, it has an adverse emotional impact on women. Because of the complexities of early development, the mechanism of recurrent miscarriage is still unclear. We hypothesized that abnormal placenta leads to early recurrent miscarriage (ERM). The aim of this study was to identify ERM associated factors in human placenta villous tissue using proteomics. Investigation of these differences in protein expression in parallel profiling is essential to understand the comprehensive pathophysiological mechanism underlying recurrent miscarriage (RM)., Methods: To gain more insight into mechanisms of recurrent miscarriage (RM), a comparative proteome profile of the human placenta villous tissue in normal and RM pregnancies was analyzed using iTRAQ technology and bioinformatics analysis used by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) software., Results: In this study, we employed an iTRAQ based proteomics analysis of four placental villous tissues from patients with early recurrent miscarriage (ERM) and four from normal pregnant women. Finally, we identified 2805 proteins and 79,998 peptides between patients with RM and normal matched group. Further analysis identified 314 differentially expressed proteins in placental villous tissue (≥1.3-fold, Student's t-test, p < 0.05); 209 proteins showed the increased expression while 105 proteins showed decreased expression. These 314 proteins were analyzed by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) and were found to play important roles in the growth of embryo. Furthermore, network analysis show that Angiotensinogen (AGT), MAPK14 and Prothrombin (F2) are core factors in early embryonic development. We used another 8 independent samples (4 cases and 4 controls) to cross validation of the proteomic data., Discussion: This study has identified several proteins that are associated with early development, these results may supply new insight into mechanisms behind recurrent miscarriage., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Tobacco retail sales are prohibited within 100 m of schools in many large cities in China. However, little is known about the enforcement of this zoning regulation. The objectives of this study were to estimate tobacco retailers' compliance with the regulation, examine the density of tobacco retail stores, describe the types of tobacco products sold in stores and how they are marketed, and determine if there are displays of warning messages in retail stores around schools and in neighbourhoods in Changsha, China., Methods: Tobacco retail stores located within 200 m of 36 schools and 36 residential neighbourhoods were audited by trained students with a validated audit form., Results: On average, there were about 3 tobacco retail stores within 100 m of the front entrance of schools. The density of the stores and the types of tobacco products sold in the stores were similar near schools and in neighbourhoods. Over one-fourth of the stores had exterior tobacco advertisements. Interior advertising was slightly less prevalent, and it was most prevalent among tobacco shops (62.5%). Tobacco displays that target children were pervasive, with about 83% of tobacco retail stores displaying cigarettes within 1 m of the floor and 59% displaying cigarettes within 0.3 m of toys and candy. About 40% of stores within 100 m of a school had a visible retail licence. Only 19.6% of the stores had a 'smoke-free' sign and 22.2% had a 'no sales to minors' sign., Conclusions: We observed low enforcement of the regulation that bans tobacco retail sales near schools and high prevalence of tobacco displays that target children in Changsha, China. Chinese officials should act to effectively enforce the regulation bans of tobacco sales near schools. In addition, regulations are urgently needed to limit tobacco marketing practices at the point of sale, especially those targeting youth., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.)

China has the highest global incidence of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), constituting 90% of the cases in the world. Chongqing, located in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, has been experiencing differences in the occurrence of HFRS from 1997 to 2008. The current study was designed to explore the effects of climate and rodent factors on the transmission of HFRS in Chongqing. Data on monthly HFRS cases, rodent strains, and climatic factors were collected from 1997 to 2008. Spatio-temporal analysis indicated that most HFRS cases were clustered in central Chongqing and that the incidence of HFRS decreased from 1997 to 2008. Poisson regression models showed that temperature (with lagged months of 0 and 5) and rainfall (with 2 lagged months) were key climatic factors contributing to the transmission of HFRS. A zero-inflated negative binomial model revealed that rodent density was also significantly associated with the occurrence of HFRS in the Changshou district. The monthly trend in HFRS incidence was positively associated with rodent density and rainfall and negatively associated with temperature. Possible mechanisms are proposed through which construction of the dam influenced the incidence of HFRS in Chongqing. The findings of this study may contribute to the development of early warning systems for the control and prevention of HFRS in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region.

Background: In this study, we aim to identify key climatic factors that are associated with the transmission of Japanese encephalitis virus in areas located near the Three Gorges Dam, between 1997 and 2008., Methods: We identified three geographical regions of Chongqing, based on their distance from the Three Gorges Dam. Collectively, the three regions consisted of 12 districts from which study information was collected. Zero-Inflated Poisson Regression models were run to identify key climatic factors of the transmission of Japanese encephalitis virus for both the whole study area and for each individual region; linear regression models were conducted to examine the fluctuation of climatic variables over time during the construction of the Three Gorges Dam., Results: Between 1997 and 2008, the incidence of Japanese encephalitis decreased throughout the entire city of Chongqing, with noticeable variations taking place in 2000, 2001 and 2006. The eastern region, which is closest to the Three Gorges Dam, suffered the highest incidence of Japanese encephalitis, while the western region experienced the lowest incidence. Linear regression models revealed that there were seasonal fluctuations of climatic variables during this period. Zero-Inflated Poisson Regression models indicated a significant positive association between temperature (with a lag of 1 and 3 months) and Japanese encephalitis incidence, and a significant negative association between rainfall (with a lag of 0 and 4 months) and Japanese encephalitis incidence., Conclusion: The spatial and temporal trends of Japanese encephalitis incidence that occurred in the City of Chongqing were associated with temperature and rainfall. Seasonal fluctuations of climatic variables during this period were also observed. Additional studies that focus on long-term data collection are needed to validate the findings of this study and to further explore the effects of the Three Gorges Dam on Japanese encephalitis and other related diseases.

To determine which organisms most commonly cause infection after natural disasters, we cultured specimens from injured earthquake survivors in Wenchuan, China, 2008. Of 123 cultures, 46 (59%) grew only 1 type of pathogenic bacteria. Smear was more effective than culture for early diagnosis of gas gangrene. Early diagnosis and treatment of wounds are crucial.

Objective: To improve the diagnosis and treatment of severe cerebral fat embolism (SCFE)., Methods: The data of nine patients with SCFE were retrospectively analyzed. The manifestations of the central nerve system, respiratory system and hemorrhage were recorded, at the same time, accessory examination including arterial oxygen, fat macroglobules in venous blood and image examination was adapted. The patients were treated with exopexy, pharmocotherapy and oxygentherapy., Results: Two of the nine patients died of severe complications, the other seven recovered without severe sequela., Conclusions: Gurd standard should be improved for early diagnosis of SCFE. If svere complications can be prevented, patients who receive early treatment will have favourable prognosis.