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We assessed the safety, immunogenicity and antibody persistence of two- and three-dose schedules of the novel bivalent HPV16/18 vaccine (HPV-2, Walrinvax) in the per-protocol target population of initially seronegative 9–14 year-old girls, including a non-inferiority comparison with the three-dose schedule in 18–26 year-old women. This randomized phase 3b trial in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, involved healthy Chinese females in two age cohorts; 600 girls aged 9–14 years and 300 women aged 18–26 years. Girls were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either two (Months 0,6) or three (Months 0,2,6) intramuscular doses of HPV-2. All participants were monitored for immunogenicity as neutralizing antibodies up to 36 months. Primary objectives were non-inferiority analyses of immunogenicity between two- and three-dose girl groups and adult women at Month 7; safety assessments were based on participant-completed diary cards. All groups demonstrated marked increases in neutralizing antibodies against HPV 16 and 18 that persisted above baseline to 36 months. Month 7 responses in both girl groups were non-inferior to those in the women and were statistically higher after two-doses than girls or women who received three doses. GMTs waned after month 7, but then maintained a plateau level until month 36. Vaccination was well tolerated in all groups with no serious adverse events reported. Immune responses to two doses of HPV-2 vaccine in adolescent girls were non-inferior to those after three doses in young women, an age cohort in which clinical efficacy of HPV-2 against cervical cancer has been demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Low or high doses of VLP HPV vaccine were well tolerated in 9–45 year-old females. • Three HPV vaccinations elicited protective immune responses in 100% of vaccinees. • HPV vaccination did not result in any severe or serious adverse event. • Reactogenicity and immunogenicity were not affected by increasing dosage of HPV vaccine. We evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of high and low doses of a novel pichia pastoris-expressed bivalent (types 16 and 18) human papillomavirus (HPV) virus-like particle vaccine. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 1 trial, we enrolled 160 healthy females aged 9–45 years in Guangxi, China who were randomized (1:1:2) to receive either low (0.5 mL) or high (1.0 mL) dosages of bivalent HPV vaccine, or placebo (aluminum adjuvant) in a 0, 2, 6 months schedule. Adverse events and other significant conditions that occurred within 30 days after each vaccination were recorded throughout the trial. Sera were collected at days 0, 60, 180 and 210 to measure anti-HPV 16/18 neutralizing antibodies. A total of 160 participants received at least one dose of the HPV vaccine and 152 completed the three dose vaccination series. Reporting rates of adverse events in placebo, low dose (0.5 mL) and high dose (1.0 mL) groups were 47.5 %, 55.0 % and 55.0 %, respectively. No serious adverse events occurred during this trial. 100 % of the participants who received three doses of the HPV vaccine produced neutralizing antibodies against HPV 16/18 vaccine. For HPV 16 and HPV 18, the geometric mean titers (GMTs) were similar between the low dose group (GMT HPV 16 = 10816 [95 % CI: 7824–14953]), GMT HPV 18 = 3966 [95 % CI: 2693–5841]) and high dose group (GMT HPV 16 = 14482 [95 % CI: 10848–19333], GMT HPV 18 = 3428 [95 % CI: 2533–4639]). The pichia pastoris-expressed bivalent HPV vaccine was safe and immunogenic in Chinese females aged 9–45 years. The low dosage (0.5 mL) was selected for further immunogenicity and efficacy study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geographical distributions of Cd and several other metals (Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Cr) were characterized in 308 terra rossa samples across the Guangxi karst region. We found significant enrichments of heavy metals in the saprolites and terra rossa developed in 30 profiles, which is mainly caused by the weathering of Cd-enriched carbonate rocks, while the subsequent pedogenic processes were the dominant factor of the enrichments for Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Cr. Sequential extraction analysis indicated that geogenic Cd and Pb in terra rossa mostly distributed in the residual fractions and exhibited low mobility, whereas the amorphous Fe/Mn oxide fraction was the principal Cd-bearing phase in Cambisols. The good correlation of Fe, Al, and Ti in related bedrocks, saprolites, and terra rossa suggested that in-situ pedogenetic processes provided most of the parent materials for terra rossa. The residual accumulation during the special pedogenesis in the karst region, caused elevated Cd and Pb concentrations with increasing weathering intensity, which was indicated by chemical index of alternation (CIA). In addition, results of Pb isotopic fingerprinting confirmed that terra rossa mainly derived from insoluble residues of underlying carbonate rocks. The allochthonous input of Pb also occurred during pedogenesis, whereas the transport and deposition of non-carbonate materials (clasolite/granite derived soils) was only a minor source to Pb input in terra rossa and the anthropogenic impact seemed to be negligible. • Geographical and soil type dependent heavy metal distributions in terra rossa were characterized. • Sequential extraction results showed that the majority of Cd and Pb was bound in the residual phase. • Residual accumulation caused elevated Cd and Pb concentrations with increasing weathering maturity. • Naturally allochthonous inputs made relatively minor contribution to metal enrichments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating the bioavailability of Cd to rice (Oryza sativa L.) was essential in the karst region, Southwestern China, where the soils have previously been shown to be anomalously enriched in Cd through geogenic processes. In this research, we examined the bioavailability of Cd to rice samples collected from 278 sites in Guangxi province, where rice is the most widely cultivated cereal crop that is responsible for the largest human dietary exposure to Cd. Both soil chemical extraction and soil-plant transfer modelling approaches were used to predict the bioavailability to rice. Some of the soil types were highly enriched in Cd, but their bioavailability was low, since the soil carbonates raised soil pH and remarkably reduced Cd bioavailability. In contrast, acidic soils (Ca was largely leached) with relatively low total Cd, the grown rice plants accumulated higher Cd in their grains. Results from CaCl 2 extraction experiments provided good predictions for Cd in rice grain grown in soils of different types. Stepwise multiple regressions revealed soil pH and soil Ca content were the dominant factors that control the transfer of Cd from soil to rice. An extended Freundlich-type model and a polynomial surface model provided good prediction for Cd in rice grains. The diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) technique gave the best estimation of soil Cd bioavailability, whereas water-extracted soil solution Cd provided relatively poor fits. Regional soil threshold that derived using the models, can avoid exceedance of Cd in rice and thereby enable local agricultural practitioners or authorities to develop appropriate management for croplands with high Cd background. Image 1 • The bioavailability of Cd in soils with high geochemical background was characterized as highly soil-type dependent. • Soil Ca, pH, and total Cd are the controlling factors of Cd bioavailability. • The DGT technique was a better approach to assess Cd bioavailability to rice. • Derived regional soil threshold can prevent exceedance of Cd in rice. Using various approaches to characterize soil behaviors and the bioavailability of Cd to rice grown in high Cd background soils derived under unique karst geologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Reports of Mycobacterium colombiense infection are extremely rare and are often overlooked. • We first report the clinical features of disseminated M. colombiense infection. • Patients infected with M. colombiense can present as disseminated infections. • Metagenomic next-generation sequencing plays a crucial role in early diagnosis of M. colombiense infection. • Early antinontuberculous combination therapy improves the clinical prognosis. Localized or disseminated infection caused by different nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) species has been increasingly reported in recent years, but reports of Mycobacterium colombiense infection are extremely rare. Herein, we analyzed the clinical features of patients with disseminated M. colombiense infection. Patients diagnosed with disseminated M. colombiense infection between February 4, 2016 and August 25, 2021 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. NTM infection was diagnosed in 248 HIV-negative patients. Of these, nine patients with disseminated M. colombiense infection were enrolled. Five of these patients were positive for anti-interferon-γ autoantibodies. The lung, lymph nodes, bones, and joints were the most commonly involved organs. Anemia, fever, lymphadenopathy, cough and expectoration, and ostealgia were the most common symptoms. The levels of white blood cells and neutrophils were increased in eight patients. M. colombiense was detected by both metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) and culture in four patients and only by mNGS in the remaining five patients. All patients received combination anti-NTM therapy; five underwent surgery. The condition of eight patients improved, and one died during the treatment. Patients infected with M. colombiense can present as disseminated infections, easily involving multiple organs, such as the lung, lymph nodes, bone, and joints, with fever, lymphadenopathy, and increased white blood cell and neutrophil counts. mNGS plays a crucial role in the early diagnosis of M. colombiense infection. Once diagnosed, timely and effective anti-NTM therapy, combined with local surgery if necessary, can improve the prognosis of patients with this condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The two-harvest-per-year farming system allow table grape to be harvested a year both in summer and winter in southern China. Herein, we used high-throughput sequencing to investigate the diversity of fungi on grape fruits surface during the ripening process in summer and winter at subtropical Nanning region, Guangxi, China. The results showed that 23 fungal species existed in all samples. Among them, the five most dominant species were Cladosporium ramotenellum , Pseudozyma aphidis , Gyrothrix spp., Gibberella intricans and Acremonium alternatum , with abundance from 61.62 % to 91.26 %. Analysis using the student's t-test for Shannon index indicated that components of fungal community varied significantly between the two ripening seasons. The dominant genera of core fungal community were Cladosporium , Gyrothrix , Paramycosphaerella , Acremonium , Penicillium and Tilletiopsis in the summer and Cladosporium , Pseudozyma , Gibberella , Colletotrichum , Sporobolomyces , Rhodosporidium , Alternaria and Aspergillus in the winter. Overall, fungi diversity on grape fruits surface at Nanning showed significantly differences between different ripening seasons. Our results ennrich the understanding of epiphytic communities of grape fruits in subtropics. Highlights • Epiphytic fungal diversity of grape berries from southwest China were firstly studied. • Difference of harvest time influence epiphytic fungal diversity of the same vineyard significantly. • Epiphytic fungal community of grape berries in southwest China varied notably from other regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Rs2295080 polymorphism of MTOR gene may be associated with MPA susceptibility in a Guangxi population of China and G allele might be an important protective factor. • The haplotype AAT was correlated with increasing susceptibility of MPA. • The six-locus model was identified as the best interaction model. Microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) onset is affected by genetic predisposition. Autophagy plays a certain role in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis developing. A key factor in autophagy regulating, the genetic polymorphism of MTOR gene is essential. The objective was to explore the associations between MTOR gene polymorphism and MPA susceptibility in a Guangxi population of China. A sum of 208 MPA cases and 209 healthy volunteers from Guangxi in this case-control study, four important single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci of MTOR gene including rs3806317, rs1064261, rs1883965 and rs2295080 were examined. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction combined with high-throughput sequencing was performed. Subgroup analysis was evaluated by gender and ethnicity. Linkage disequilibrium and haplotype analysis were tested. Multi-SNPs interaction among mTOR signaling pathway was assessed. For rs2295080, homozygous mutant GG genotype was associated with a decreased susceptibility of MPA in recessive model (OR = 0.38, 95%CI: 0.14–1.00, p = 0.040), particularly in the subgroup of female (OR = 0.16, 95%CI: 0.03–0.74, p = 0.006) and Han population (OR = 0.32, 95%CI: 0.10–1.00, p = 0.034). Individual carrying G allele was linked with decreasing MPA susceptibility in Han population of Guangxi (OR = 0.65, 95%CI: 0.44–0.97, p = 0.036). In haplotype analysis, the haplotype AAT was correlated with increasing susceptibility of MPA (OR = 1.347, 95%CI: 1.004–1.807, p = 0.046). Moreover, in the multi-SNPs interaction analysis, the six-locus model was identified as the best interaction model (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that rs2295080 polymorphism of MTOR gene may be associated with MPA susceptibility in a Guangxi population of China and G allele might be an important protective factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clonorchiasis is caused by the ingestion of raw freshwater fish containing Clonorchis sinensis larvae. Health education is crucial in sustainable control of clonorchiasis but extremely challenging when dealing with adults. To investigate if education in children would be a beneficial long-term approach, a cluster-controlled trial was implemented in two primary schools between 2017 and 2019 in Binyang county, Guangxi, China. A baseline survey was conducted in both schools, and then comprehensive education activities were implemented in the interventional one. Six and 12 months later, all pupils were subjected to a survey to assess the potential change of knowledge, practice and belief related to clonorchiasis. Finally, 247 pupils in interventional school and 151 ones in control were eligible for analysis. In the interventional school, the percentage of pupils with knowledge on transmission route, early symptoms, complications and carcinogenicity increased from 15.0% to 78.5% (p < 0.001), from 6.5% to 36.8% (p < 0.001), from 4.0% to 93.9% (p < 0.001) and from 4.5% to 49.4% (p < 0.001) after 12 months. In this school, 16 pupils (6.5%) had eaten raw freshwater fish during the year immediately before the baseline survey, a number that decreased to 3 (1.2%) (p = 0.002) 12 months later. The percentage of students had the belief on the ability not to eat raw freshwater fish in the future was 70.9% at the baseline and 97.2% 12 months later (p < 0.001). Although knowledge related to clonorchiasis also increased in the control school, the absolute percentage of changes was lower; in particular, practice and belief had not changed. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]