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Abstract Heavy metal soil contamination is a major environmental concern in China and has drawn significant public attention in recent years. The present study assessed the human health risk of four heavy metals (cadmium, lead, mercury, and zinc) through soil exposure and dietary intake in the watershed of Xi River, west of Shenyang, Liaoning Province, northeast China. Concentrations of Cd, Pb, Hg, and Zn were determined in 411 soil samples and 59 crop samples collected from this area. The health risks of heavy metal exposure via soil ingestion, inhalation, dermal contact, and dietary intake of crops were further estimated; total hazard index values were 1.15, 1.33, and 2.03 for the adult male, adult female, and children, respectively, and the total cancer risk was 3.7 × 10−3 for the local residents. Among the four investigated heavy metals, Cd was the primary pollutant posing health risks. The estimated non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks posed by the studied heavy metals were above the acceptable levels proposed by the U.S. EPA. Dietary intake of contaminated crops was identified as the predominant pathway for human heavy metal exposure in this area, suggesting that soil heavy metals can cause more harm when transported to the food chain. Overall, our findings suggest that the Xi River watershed is unsuitable for growing agricultural products, and more effective controls should be taken to curb future heavy metal pollution in the area. Graphical abstract fx1 Highlights • The Xi River located in Shenyang, Northeast China is severely polluted by industry. • Irrigation using Xi River as water source lead to heavy metal soil pollution. • Contamination of Cd, Pb, Hg, and Zn in soil and crops from the area were examined. • Cd was the primary pollutant and dietary intake contributed the most to health risk. • Health risks posed by the heavy metals were above acceptable levels set by U.S. EPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: As pigs are susceptible to both human and avian influenza viruses, they have been proposed to be intermediate hosts or mixing vessels for the generation of pandemic influenza viruses through reassortment or adaptation to the mammalian host. In this study, we reported avian-like H1N1 and novel ressortant H1N2 influenza viruses from pigs in China. Homology and phylogenetic analyses showed that the H1N1 virus (A/swine/Zhejiang/1/07) was closely to avian-like H1N1 viruses and seemed to be derived from the European swine H1N1 viruses, which was for the first time reported in China; and the two H1N2 viruses (A/swine/Shanghai/1/07 and A/swine/Guangxi/13/06) were novel ressortant H1N2 influenza viruses containing genes from the classical swine (HA, NP, M and NS), human (NA and PB1) and avian (PB2 and PA) lineages, which indicted that the reassortment among human, avian, and swine influenza viruses had taken place in pigs in China and resulted in the generation of new viruses. The isolation of avian-like H1N1 influenza virus originated from the European swine H1N1 viruses, especially the emergence of two novel ressortant H1N2 influenza viruses provides further evidence that pigs serve as intermediate hosts or “mixing vessels”, and swine influenza virus surveillance in China should be given a high priority. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Currently, very limited information is available regarding the economic burdens of patients with extremity post-traumatic osteomyelitis (OM). This study aimed to investigate direct health care costs and utilization for inpatients with extremity post-traumatic OM and analyze its constituent ratios and influencing factors in Southern China. We searched in the electronic medical record system for inpatients who had received surgical interventions at our department between 2013 and 2016 for extremity post-traumatic OM. Data of direct health care costs incurred during their hospitalizations were collected in six main categories (service, diagnosis, treatment, materials, pharmaceuticals, and miscellaneous expenses). In addition, data of total medical costs for contemporaneous inpatients with non–post-traumatic OM were also collected as controls. A total of 278 post-traumatic OM and 10,420 controls were included. The median cost for the post-traumatic OM inpatients was $10,504 US dollars, 4.8-fold higher than that for those with non–post-traumatic OM ($2189, P < 0.001). The direct cost in the category of materials accounted for the largest proportion (61%), followed by that in pharmaceuticals (12%) and treatment (11%). The median number of hospital admissions for post-traumatic OM patients was 1 time, with a median length-of-stay of 22 d. The most influencing factors for the health care costs of the post-traumatic OM inpatients were use of an external fixator ($16,016 for those who used versus $4956 for those who did not, P < 0.001), external fixator type ($19,563 for ring fixator versus $14,966 for rail fixator, P < 0.001), infection site ($13,755 for tibia, $14,216 for femur and $5673 for calcaneus, P < 0.001), and infection-associated injury type ($12,890 for infection after open fracture versus $8087 for infection after closed fracture, P = 0.001). An unexpectedly large proportion of the direct health care costs for inpatients with extremity post-traumatic OM went to cover an external fixator, with expenses for pharmaceuticals and treatment accounting for only a little more than the tenth of the total health care costs. Use of external fixator, external fixator type, infection site, and infection-associated injury type directly influenced the health care costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rosabanksiae is a vine-like shrub rose that is endemic to China. In recent years, leaf spot disease hasbeen observed frequently in park in Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province, China. The initial symptoms were small yellow spots; as the disease progressed, the lesions became dark brown. Isolates NLXH2-1-1, NLXH2-2-3, and NLXH 2-4-3 were obtained. Koch's postulates were tested and confirmed that these isolates were pathogenic. Morphologically, macroconidia were cylindrical, rounded at both ends, straight, and (48–) 50–55 (−60) × (2.5–) 3.5–4.5 (−5) μm in length (av. = 52.5 × 4 μm), with 1–3-septate, and gathered conidia bundles. By morphological features and multigene phylogenetic analysis of the six genesITS, act, cmdA, his, LSU and tub2 region, the causal fungus is Calonectria fujianensis.This is the first report leaf spot by Ca. fujianensis on the R. banksiae, provide a theoretical basis for disease prevention and control. • By pathogenicity, morphological, multigene phylogenetic analysis the causal of leaf spot on R. banksiae is Ca. fujianensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing studies reported higher altitudes reduce the COVID-19 infection rate in the United States, Colombia, and Peru. However, the underlying reasons for this phenomenon remain unclear. In this study, regression analysis and mediating effect model were used in a combination to explore the altitudes relation with the pattern of transmission under their correlation factors. The preliminary linear regression analysis indicated a negative correlation between altitudes and COVID-19 infection in China. In contrast to environmental factors from low-altitude regions (<1500 m), high-altitude regions (>1500 m) exhibited lower PM2.5, average temperature (AT), and mobility, accompanied by high SO 2 and absolute humidity (AH). Non-linear regression analysis further revealed that COVID-19 confirmed cases had a positive correlation with mobility, AH, and AT, whereas negatively correlated with SO 2 , CO, and DTR. Subsequent mediating effect model with altitude-correlated factors, such as mobility, AT, AH, DTR and SO 2 , suffice to discriminate the COVID-19 infection rate between low- and high-altitude regions. The mentioned evidence advance our understanding of the altitude-mediated COVID-19 transmission mechanism. [Display omitted] • High altitudes reduce the COVID-19 infection. • Altitude changes the levels of MSI, DTR, AH, AT, and SO 2. • Multiple mediating model confirmed altitude-dependent COVID-19 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A modified sodium bentonite geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) designed for acid-and-alkaline resistance was evaluated for its potential application in the containment of bauxite residue leachate. A modified fluid loss test was employed to quickly evaluate the hydraulic conductivity (k) of the GCL using distilled water, tap water, and four bauxite liquors (BLs, leachate from bauxite residue reservoirs). The effects of swelling capacity of bentonite, prehydration, hydraulic gradient (i), ionic strength (I), and relative abundance of monovalent and multivalent cations (RMD) on the hydraulic conductivity of the GCL were analyzed. The results indicated that the BLs significantly decreased free swell index of the bentonite. As compared to increasing i , prehydration obviously enhanced hydraulic performance of the GCL. The four BLs increased k of the GCL by a factor of 4–12 relative to the tap water permeation condition, and the resultant k exceeded upper limit of 5.0 × 10−11 m/s for GCLs. The increase in k was attributed to compression in diffuse double layer of the bentonite and dissolution in clay minerals in ion-rich and hyperalkaline BLs, manifesting that further modification on the GCL is needed. The I was found a better indicator than the RMD on correlation with chemical compatibility of the GCL. • Bauxite liquors deteriorated swelling capacity and permeability of the GCL. • Diffuse double layer compression and clay mineral dissolution caused chemical incompatibility. • Prehydration and high hydraulic gradient contributed to reduce hydraulic conductivity. • Ionic strength was the superior factor influenced hydraulic conductivity of GCL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently pseudorabies outbreaks have occurred in many vaccinated farms in China. To identify genetic characteristics of pseudorabies virus (PRV) strains, we obtained the genomic sequences of PRV strains HeN1 and JS, which were compared to 4 PRV genomes and 729 partial gene sequences. PRV strains isolated in China showed marked sequence divergence compared to European and American strains. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that for the first time PRV can be divided into 2 distinct clusters, with Chinese strains being genotype II and PRVs isolated from other countries being genotype I. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis confirmed differences between HeN1 and Bartha strains, as did the presence of unique insertion/deletion polymorphisms and microsatellites. This divergence between the two genotypes may have been generated from long-term, independent evolution, which could also explain the low efficacy of the Bartha vaccine in protecting pigs infected with genotype II PRV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We sought to investigate the association between household exposure to biomass fuel and metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components including blood pressure, triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), fasting blood glucose (FBG) and waist circumference among females in southern rural China. We surveyed 1664 residents in the Chronic Disease and Risk Factors Surveillance , conducted in 14 districts of Guangdong province. We recorded the use of biomass fuel, MetS and its components, and other covariates by using a structured questionnaire. Logistic regression model and multivariate linear regression model were adopted for analysis. Exposure to biomass fuel was significantly associated with an increase of systolic blood pressure (SBP) (β: 2.15, 95% confidence interval: 0.13 to 4.17) and FBG (β: 0.19, 95% confidence interval: 0.01 to 0.37) in the adjusted and unadjusted models (all P < 0.05). Among participants with exposure to biomass fuel, being overweight or obese was associated with an increased risk of having hypertension (odds ratio: 3.19, 95% confidence interval: 2.13 to 4.76) and higher FBG levels (odds ratio: 2.10, 95% confidence interval: 1.46 to 3.02). Exposure to biomass fuel was significantly associated with a decrease of the prevalence of central obesity (P < 0.05). However, exposure to biomass fuel was not associated with MetS, diastolic blood pressure and TG (all P > 0.05). Exposure to biomass fuel is associated with an increase in blood pressure and FBG levels, but not MetS per se. Efforts should be made to protect females in southern rural China from the adverse effects associated with biomass fuel pollution. • This is the first study delineating the association between biomass fuel and multiple MetS components. • Biomass fuel was associated with increased blood pressure and FBG. • Overweight or obese women who were exposed to biomass fuel had a higher risk of hypertension. • Higher FBG associated with biomass fuel exposure was detected in overweight or obese participants. • Biomass fuel exposure was not associated with the development of MetS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]