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Introduction Non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate is a common worldwide birth defect due to a combination of environmental and genetic factors. Genome-wide association studies reported the rs7078160 of Vax1 is closely related to non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate in European populations. The following studies showed the same results in Mongolian, Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese populations etc. However, conflicting research had been reported in Chinese population, Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the rs7078160 polymorphism and non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate in Southern Chinese patients. Methods In this study, we investigated the polymorphism distribution of rs7078160 in 100 complete patient trios (39 patients with non-syndromic cleft lip and palate; 36 patients with non-syndromic cleft lip only; 25 had non-syndromic cleft palate only; and their parents) from Southern ethnic Han Chinese. 60 healthy trios were selected as control. Polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequencing were used to genotype rs7078160 in Vax1; both case–control and family-based associations were analyzed. Results The case–control analyses revealed the rs7078160 polymorphism was significant, associated with non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (p = 0.04) and non-syndromic cleft lip and palate (p = 0.01), but not associated with non-syndromic cleft lip only and non-syndromic cleft palate only patients. The genotype composition of rs7078160 comprises mutated homozygous AA, heterozygous AG and wild homozygous GG. Cases with AG + AA genotypes compared with GG homozygotes showed an increased risk of non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (p = 0.04, OR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.01–4.16) and non-syndromic cleft lip and palate (p = 0.01, OR = 3.94, 95% CI: 1.34–11.54). In addition, we did not detect any transmission-disequilibrium in rs7078160 (p = 0.68). Conclusion This study suggests that rs7078160 polymorphism is a risk factor of non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate, and Vax1 is strongly associated with non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate in Southern Chinese Han populations.

Sakkok area in Singkawang is notorious for its traditional Chinese ceramics industry. These ceramics are produced through a wood-firing process in a closed kiln called Dragon Kiln. Dragon Kiln is the product between culture and technology, which was brought by the Southern Chinese immigrants. The only remaining Dragon Kilns, that are still being used and fired now, are in Singapore and Sakkok, Singkawang. Singkawang city is enlisted as Indonesia’s heritage city, therefore, the city is suggested to empower its heritages. This is supported by the people of Singkawang city, in which some of them are the crafters in the Dragon Kiln area. The highlighted architectural problem in this study is “How the architectural design of Dragon Kiln will maximize its Cultural Heritage potential in order to preserve the Dragon Kiln and Traditional Chinese Ceramics Industry?” The applied method for this study is Revitalization Thinking. Revitalization Thinking is a problem solving method based on revitalizing, done in stages, to maximize the design planning. The concept that is implied is an educative, recreational, and sustainable Cultural Heritage Tourism in order to maximize the Cultural Heritage potential of Dragon Kiln through the development of tourism in preserving the Dragon Kiln and Traditional Chinese Ceramics Industry in Singkawang, Indonesia and South-east Asia.

AIM: To evaluate the predicting efficacy of severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) by the WINROP algorithm (http://winrop.com) in Southern China. METHODS: All preterm infants with the gestational age (GA) less than 32wk were included. Their ROP screening results and serial postnatal body weight were analysed retrospectively. Weekly body weight was entered into and measured by the WINROP system. The outcomes were analysed, and the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated. RESULTS: Totally 432 infants with a median GA of 30.0 (24.0-31.9)wk, and a median birth weight (BW) of 1360 (540-2700) g were included. Among these 432 infants, 50 were diagnosed as type 1 ROP but only 28 were identified by the WINROP algorithm. The sensitivity was 56% (28/50) and the NPV was 92% (252/274). However, for infants with BW 28wk in China.

Background: Different gestational age specific birthweight reference charts have been produced for different populations and ethnic groups over different time periods, mostly based on birthweight data. This study aims to update birthweight references for Hong Kong (HK) Chinese newborns to provide norms for identification of small and large for gestational age (SGA and LGA) fetuses, and to verify whether there are significant differences compared to previously published local reference charts, as well as to other southern Chinese and international data. Methods: All singleton Chinese livebirths delivered in United Christian Hospital from 2012 to 2017 were retrospectively included. The smoothed birthweight centiles at each gestation were computed. The birthweight centiles were then compared with other reference charts. Results: A total of 25,508 livebirths between 24 and 42 completed weeks of gestation were enrolled in the final analysis. The mean birthweights of our cohort were largely similar to previous studies at each gestation, but the 10th and 90th centile ranges differed significantly, so that the proportion of babies that would be classified as SGA or LGA varied widely using cut-offs from different studies. Older local studies tend to under-estimate, while the international growth charts would over-estimate the proportion of SGA babies. Conclusions: Updating fetal growth curve references based on local data is essential to establish more precise definitions of SGA and LGA babies in clinical management. The use of international growth charts in our population may not be appropriate and requires further validation.

Background To determine the optimal cut-off values and evaluate the associations of product of triacylglycerol and glucose (TyG), lipid accumulation product (LAPI), visceral adiposity index (VAI) with chronic kidney diseases (CKD) stratified by sex. Methods From January to April 2018, our team had conducted a large-scale cross-sectional survey that contained 2720 individuals on the southern coast of China. Logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were used to evaluate the optimal cut-off and value of TyG, LAPI, VAI for predicting CKD. Results A multivariate logistic regression analysis found that the TyG had the better value of prediction for the presence of CKD for the highest quartile vs the lowest quartile in both males (OR: 3.65; 95% CI, 2.04-6.52; p

Objectives To establish the norms of binocular and monocular acuity and interocular acuity differences for southern Chinese infants and compare these norms with the results for northern Chinese infants. Methods A prospective, comparative, and noninterventional study was conducted from January to August 2018. Teller Acuity Cards II were used to determine the binocular and monocular acuity of infants. The tolerance intervals and limits with a stated proportion and probability were used to evaluate the norms of binocular and monocular acuity and interocular acuity differences. An unpaired t-test was used to compare the obtained norms with the reported northern Chinese norms. Results The tolerance intervals of binocular acuity (mean acuity of 3.73, 7.35, and 12.01 cpd, respectively, at 12, 24, and 36 months), monocular acuity (mean acuity of 2.88, 6.91, and 10.75 cpd, respectively, at 12, 24, and 36 months), and interocular acuity differences (mean difference of 0.92, 2.89, and 3.99 cpd, respectively, at 12, 24, and 36 months) were obtained, exhibiting an increasing trend with age. The binocular visual acuity norms of southern Chinese infants were significantly lower than those in northern China (4.37 vs. 6.9 cpd at 8 months and 7.35 vs. 26 cpd at 24 months) (P = 0.011). Conclusions Northern and southern Chinese infants exhibited distinct acuity norms and visual development patterns. The establishment of population-specific visual acuity norms is necessary for current populations of infants from different regions.

Purpose Little is known about the recent trends of hypertension in southern China. The aim of the study was to investigate the trends of hypertension in Guangdong Province between 2012 and 2019. Methods We conducted two cross-sectional surveys in 2012 and 2019 in southern China, which included 10,970 and 27,483 participants, respectively, aged 35 to 75 years old using a method of stratified, multistage, and cluster sampling. Hypertension was defined as a mean systolic/diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP) ≥140/90mmHg, or a self-reported condition, or any pharmacological treatment in the last 2 weeks. In addition, according to the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline for high blood pressure, we estimated the prevalence and control rate of hypertension. Results According to the 2010 Chinese guideline, the age-standardized rate of hypertension prevalence was 34.7% in 2012 and 36.9% in 2019 with a slight increase, while the prevalence of prehypertension was stable (14.5% vs 14.3%). Over the period of our study, 45.6% and 60.7% of hypertensive patients knew their diagnosis in 2012 and 2019, and 40.8% and 51.5% were using antihypertensive medications, respectively. The control rates increased from 15.1% to 23.6%. Hypertension prevalence was 64.5% in 2012 and 63.2% in 2019, and the control rate increased from 3.0% to 4.8% during the study period under the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline. Conclusion Although the past 7 years have seen some progress in hypertension management, the rates of hypertension awareness, treatment, and control in southern Chinese remained regrettably low, and the prevalence rate was still high.

Background Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) is a rare congenital gastrointestinal disease characterized by the absence of intestinal submucosal and myometrial ganglion cells. Recently, researches indicated that miR-100 regulated the growth, differentiation and apoptosis of neurons, and affected the functions of HSCR-associated pathways. While miR-100 rs1834306 A>G polymorphism was shown to modify the susceptibility to tumors, the association between this polymorphism and HSCR susceptibility is still unknown. Methods This was a case-control study consisting of 1470 HSCR cases and 1473 controls from southern China. DNA was genotyped by TaqMan real-time PCR. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used as statistical indicators. Results We found that miR-100 rs1834306 G allele and GG genotype significantly increased HSCR susceptibility (GG vs AA: adjusted OR=1.31, 95% CI=1.04-1.64, P=0.020; G vs A: adjusted OR=1.12, 95% CI=1.01-1.25, P=0.041; GG vs AA/AG: adjusted OR=1.30, 95% CI=1.07-1.59, P=0.010). In the stratified analysis, miR-100 rs1834306 GG genotype carriers had higher risk to develop HSCR in all clinical subtypes when compared with those with AA/AG genotypes, and OR was rising with HSCR aggravation (SHSCR: adjusted OR=1.28, 95% CI=1.03-1.59, P=0.029; LHSCR: adjusted OR=1.48, 95% CI=1.06-2.07, P=0.020; TCA: adjusted OR=2.12, 95% CI=1.22-3.69, P=0.008). Conclusion Our findings suggested that miR-100 rs1834306 A>G polymorphism was associated with increased HSCR susceptibility in southern Chinese children. Furthermore, miR-100 rs1834306 GG genotype had a greater genetic pathopoiesis in severe HSCR.

To evaluate the impact of PM2.5 air pollution on atherogenic processes in modernizing Southern versus Northern China, we studied 1323 asymptomatic Chinese in Southern and Northern China in 1996–2007. PM2.5 exposure and metabolic syndrome (MS) were noted. Brachial flow-mediated dilation (endothelial function FMD) and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) were measured by ultrasound. Although age and gender were similar, PM2.5 was higher in Northern China than in Southern China. The Northern Chinese were characterized by lower lipids, folate and vitamin B12, but higher age, blood pressures, MS and homocysteine (HC) (p = 0.0015). Brachial FMD was significantly lower and carotid IMT was significantly greater (0.68 ± 0.13) in Northern Chinese, compared with FMD and IMT (0.57 ± 0.13, p < 0.0001) in Southern Chinese. On multivariate regression, for the overall cohort, carotid IMT was significantly related to PM2.5, independent of location and traditional risk factors (Model R2 = 0.352, F = 27.1, p < 0.0001), while FMD was inversely related to gender, age, and northern location, but not to PM2.5. In Southern Chinese, brachial FMD was inversely correlated to PM2.5, independent of age, whereas carotid IMT was significantly related to PM2.5, independent of age and gender. In Northern Chinese, brachial FMD was inversely related to gender only, but not to PM2.5, while carotid IMT was related to traditional risk factors. Despite a higher PM2.5 pollution in Northern China, PM2.5 pollution was more significantly associated with atherogenic surrogates in Southern compared to Northern Chinese. This has potential implications for atherosclerosis prevention.

Guo Zhuang Villa is a famous residence-villa in Hangzhou City, southern China. It is well known for its unique artistic style and its meticulous construction. The villa has a history of over 100 years, initially serving as the residence of Duanfu Song in 1907 Qing dynasty. In the Minguo period (Republic of China), the villa was sold to Shilin Guo. Since that time, the villa has been called “Guo Zhuang”—meaning the villa of the Guo family. Guo Zhuang not only features the elements typical of southern Chinese gardens, with their elegant re-creations of nature, but also has its own unique character, cleverly blending the garden into nature and incorporating two artificial ponds near the West Lake in Hangzhou. This article is on the basis of reading much historical document and bookmaking, researching the formation, the background and the geography of Guo Zhuang Villa, and mainly carries research on its garden location, layout spatial processing, creating artistic mood, the choice and configuration of landscape plants and so on. These are useful references to modern landscape architecture design and construction.

The objective of the study was to measure the dimensions of the sella turcica in southern Chinese population. This retrospective study measured dimensions of sella turcica from lateral cephalometric radiographs obtained from the University of Hong Kong research database with a total of 582 (277 females and 305 males) 12-year-old southern Chinese children, who were randomly selected from schools in Hong Kong. Measurements were made using ImageJ (V1.45s) software for Windows with Frankfurt plane as the horizontal reference direction. Dimensions between genders were compared using Student’s t-tests. The current study found the antero-posterior length and width were 9.13 mm (SD 2.05) and 9.76 mm (SD 1.54), respectively. The sella was highest posteriorly (7.97 mm; SD 1.75 mm) and shortest anteriorly (7.56 mm; SD 1.42). Sella height anterior, sella height median and sella area were greater (p

Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) is an infrequent congenital intestinal dysplasia. The known genetic variations are unable to fully explain the pathogenesis of HSCR. The α/β‐hydratase domain 1 (ABHD1) interferes with the proliferation and migration of intestinal stem cells. Docking protein 6 (DOK6) is involved in neurodevelopment through RET signalling pathway. We examined the association of ABHD1 and DOK6 genetic variants with HSCR using 1470 controls and 1473 HSCR patients from Southern Chinese children. The results clarified that DOK6 rs12968648 G allele significantly increased HSCR susceptibility, in the allelic model (p = 0.034; OR = 1.12, 95%CI = 1.01~1.24) and the dominant model (p = 0.038; OR = 1.12, 95%CI = 1.01~1.25). Clinical stratification analysis showed that rs12968648 G allele was associated with increased risk of short‐segment HSCR (S‐HSCR), in the allelic model (p = 0.028; OR = 1.14, 95%CI = 1.01~1.28) and the additive model (p = 0.030; OR = 1.14, 95%CI = 1.01~1.28). ABHD1 rs2304678 C allele had higher risk to develop total colonic aganglionosis (TCA) in the allelic model (p = 7.04E‐03; OR = 1.67, 95%CI = 1.15~2.43) and the dominant model (p = 4.12E‐03; OR = 1.93, 95%CI = 1.23~3.04). DOK6 rs12968648 and ABHD1 rs2304678 had significant intergenic synergistic effect according to logical regression (p = 0.0081; OR = 0.76, 95%CI = 0.63~0.93) and multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR, p = 0.0045; OR = 1.25, 95%CI = 1.07~1.46). This study verified two susceptible variations of HSCR on ABHD1 and DOK6. Their roles in HSCR should be conducted in further studies.

Background Nemaline myopathy 8 is a severe autosomal recessive muscle disorder characterized by fetal akinesia or hypokinesia, contractures, fractures, respiratory failure and swallowing difficulties apparent at birth. Methods An affected dizygotic twin pair from a non‐consanguineous Chinese family presented with severe asphyxia, lethargy and no response to stimuli. The dysmorphic features included prominent nasal bridge, telecanthus, excessive hip abduction, limb edema, absent palmar and sole creases, acromelia, bilateral clubfoot, appendicular hypertonia and cryptorchidism. Both infants died in the first week of life. Whole‐exome sequencing was used to identify the causative gene. Results Whole‐exome sequencing identified a recurrent missense variant c.1516A>C and a novel splice‐acceptor variant c.1153‐1G>C in KLHL40 gene in both siblings. We estimated the disease incidence in Southern Chinese population to be 2.47/100,000 based on the cumulative allele frequency of pathogenic and likely pathogenic variants in our internal database. Conclusion Our study expanded the mutation spectrum of KLHL40 and the condition could have been underdiagnosed before. We identified a recurrent missense variant c.1516A>C and provided evidence further supporting the founder effect of this variant in Southern Chinese population. Given the severity of the condition and the relative high incidence, this not‐so‐rare disorder should be included in expanded carrier screening panel for Chinese population., Two male babies with nemaline myopathy‐8 also showed appendicular hypertonia exome sequencing identified a recurrent missense variant and a novel splice‐acceptor variant in KLHL40 Four additional novel pathogenic variants of KLHL40 were identified and it is speculated that nemaline myopathy‐8 is not‐so‐rare in Chinese population.

Objective: To explore the prospective correlation between serum metals before 24 weeks’ gestation and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) or glucose in the late second trimester among southern Chinese pregnant women. Methods: A total of 8169 pregnant women were included in our retrospective cohort study. Logistic regression was used to investigate the relationships between metals (Manganese [Mn], copper [Cu], lead [Pb], calcium [Ca], zinc [Zn], magnesium [Mg]) and GDM. Quantile regression was performed to detect the shifts and associations with metals and three time-points glucose distribution of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) focused on the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles. Weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression was used to explore the relationship of metal mixtures and GDM as well as glucose. Results: Maternal serum concentrations of metals were assessed at mean 16.55 ± 2.92 weeks’ gestation. Women with under weight might have 25% decreased risk of GDM for every 50% increase in Cu concentration within the safe limits. A 50% increase in Mn and Zn levels was related to a 0.051 μmol/L (95% CI: 0.033–0.070) and 0.059 μmol/L (95% CI: 0.040–0.079) increase in mean fasting plasma glucose of OGTT (OGTT0), respectively. The magnitude of association with Mn was smaller at the upper tail of OGTT0 distribution, while the magnitude of correlation with Zn was greater at the upper tail. However, there was a 0.012 mmol/L (95% CI: −0.017 to −0.008), 0.028 mmol/L (95% CI: −0.049 to −0.007), and 0.036 mmol/L (95% CI: −0.057 to −0.016) decrease in mean OGTT0 levels for every 50% increase in Pb, Ca, and Mg, respectively. The negative association of Pb, Ca, and Mg was greater at the lower tail of OGTT0 distribution. No significant relationship was observed in Cu and mean OGTT0 level (−0.010 mmol/L, 95% CI: −0.021 to 0.001), however, it showed a protective effect at the upper tail (−0.034 mmol/L, 95% CI: −0.049 to −0.017). No obvious correlation was found between metals and postprandial glucose levels (OGTT1 and OGTT2 from OGTT). The WQS index was significantly related to OGTT0 (P

Objective:The current study evaluated the associations between different forms and sources of Fe and breast cancer risk in Southern Chinese women.Design:Case–control study. We collected data on the consumption of Fe from different forms and food sources by using a validated FFQ. Multivariable logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis was used to reveal potential associations between Fe intake and breast cancer risk.Setting:A case-control study of women at three major hospitals in Guangzhou, China.Participants:From June 2007 to March 2019, 1591 breast cancer cases and 1622 age-matched controls were recruited.Results:In quartile analyses, Fe from plants and Fe from white meat intake were inversely associated with breast cancer risk, with OR of 0·65 (95 % CI 0·47, 0·89, Ptrend = 0·006) and 0·76 (95 % CI 0·61, 0·96, Ptrend = 0·014), respectively, comparing the highest with the lowest quartile. No associations were observed between total dietary Fe, heme or non-heme Fe, Fe from meat or red meat and breast cancer risk. RCS analysis demonstrated J-shaped associations between total dietary Fe, non-heme Fe and breast cancer, and reverse L-shaped associations between heme Fe, Fe from meat and Fe from red meat and breast cancer.Conclusion:Fe from plants and white meat were inversely associated with breast cancer risk. Significant non-linear J-shaped associations were found between total dietary Fe, non-heme Fe and breast cancer risk, and reverse L-shaped associations were found between heme Fe, Fe from meat or red meat and breast cancer risk.

Background Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) was employed to study the morphology and curvature of middle mesial canals (MMCs) of mandibular first molars (MFMs). Methods CBCT scanning was performed on MFMs of 1100 patients. Patients' images that met the inclusion criteria were divided into group A (t-test was used to calculate the statistical significance. P Results In 875 patients, 1750 MFM images met the inclusion criteria. Among these cases, 158 MFMs contained an MMC, yielding an incidence rate of 9.03%. The incidence rate of MMCs was 11.22% in group A and 6.61% in group B, and this difference was statistically significant (P P P > 0.05). The most common mesial root canal morphological type was type II (3-2) (53.80%). Conclusion The incidence of MMCs in MFMs declined as age increased. The canal systems of MMCs were varied and complex, mainly exhibiting an obvious mesiodistal curve. CBCT is an outstanding method to help guide root canal therapy. *Yeqing Yang and Buling Wu have contribute equally to this article.

INTRODUCTION: Urbanization is associated with major changes in environmental and lifestyle exposures that may influence metabolic signatures. OBJECTIVES: We investigated cross-sectional urban and rural differences in plasma metabolome analyzed by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry platform in 500 Chinese adults aged 25–68 years from two neighboring southern Chinese provinces. METHODS: We first examined the overall metabolome differences by urban and rural residential location, using Orthogonal Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA) and random forest classification. We then tested the association between urbanization status and individual metabolites using a linear regression adjusting for age, sex, and province and conducted pathway analysis (Fisher’s exact test) to identify metabolic pathways differed by urbanization status. RESULTS: We observed distinct overall metabolome by urbanization status in OPLS-DA and random forest classification. Using linear regression, out of a total of 1108 unique metabolite features identified in this sample, we found 266 metabolites that differed by urbanization status (positive false discovery rate-adjusted p-value, q-value

The aim of this paper is to broaden the Eurocentric architectural history of climate control by introducing a discussion of the interrelation of architecture and thermal practices in the Southern Chinese “non-heating” zone. Based on a governmental policy that dates from the 1950s, China is divided into a heated North, where urban houses enjoy the amenities of a district heating infrastructure, and a non-heated South, which lacks this infrastructure. Most high-rise buildings in this zone are constructed without insulation, and a rapidly growing middle class heats under uninsulated conditions. Residents mitigate the winter cold through active means of climate control, primarily with electric devices that serve to warm certain parts of their bodies, or warm limited spaces in their apartments. This paper is based on a methodology that combines ethnographic building analysis, discourse analysis, architectural theory, and building science. Most of the fieldwork data−including home visits and interviews with residents and thermal experts−was collected in winter 2017-18, in the northern part of the non-heating zone of China, especially in the city of Chongqing. Our architectural view of heating in the non-heating zone perceives buildings as agents that mediate between the macro- and the micro-scale, between the North and South, and between inside and outside. Der Artikel zielt darauf ab, den eurozentrischen Blick der Architekturgeschichte der Klimatisierung zu erweitern, in dem er Überlegungen zum wechselseitigen Verhältnis von Architektur und Wärmeregulierungsstrategien in der „heizungsfreien“ Zone Südchinas vorstellt. Aufgrund einer auf die 1950er Jahre zurückgehenden Regierungspolitik ist China in zwei Zonen geteilt: den beheizten Norden, in dem die Häuser in Städten an eine Fernwärme-Infrastruktur angeschlossen sind, und den unbeheizten Süden, in dem diese Infrastruktur fehlt. Die meisten Hochhäuser in dieser Südzone sind ohne Isolierung gebaut und eine schnell wachsende Mittelschicht heizt hier unter ungedämmten Wohnbedingungen. Die Bewohner begegnen der Winterkälte mit aktiven Temperaturregulierungsmaßnahmen, vor allem mit elektrischen Geräten zum Wärmen einzelner Körperteile wärmen oder Heizen begrenzter Räume in ihren Wohnungen. Methodisch führt der Artikel ethnografische Bauforschung, Diskursforschung, Architekturtheorie und Bauphysik zusammen. Die Ergebnisse der Forschung vor Ort −zu der Hausbesuche und Interviews mit Bewohnern und Heizexperten gehörten− wurde im Winter 2017-2018 im nördlichen Teil der heizungsfreien Zone Chinas und speziell in Chongqing zusammengetragen. In unserer architektonischen Betrachtung des Heizens in der unbeheizten Zone treten Gebäude als Mittler zwischen Mikro- und Makrobereich, zwischen Nord und Süd, zwischen Innen und Außen in Erscheinung. Este artículo se opone a una visión euro centrista de cuestiones de climatización y de arquitectura interesándose a las prácticas de calefacción de la región no calentada del sur de China. En aplicación de la política gubernamental de los años 1950, la China fue dividida entre un norte calentado, dotado de infraestructuras de calefacción, y un sur no calentado. La mayoría de fincas de gran altura construidas en esta zona están desprovistas de aislamiento térmico y acogen una clase media siempre más numerosa, calentándose en malas condiciones: principalmente con la ayuda de aparatos eléctricos portátiles, o calentando solamente una parte de la vivienda. La metodología asocia análisis etnográfico y análisis de discurso, teoría arquitectural y ciencia de los edificios. La mayoría de datos están basados sobre el terreno −las visitas a domicilio y las entrevistas con los residentes y los expertos− han sido recopilados durante el invierno 2017 – 2018, en la parte sur de la zona no calentada, en particular en la ciudad de Chongqing. Este acercamiento de las problemáticas arquitecturales de calefacción considera los edificios como mediadores a mitad camino de las dimensiones micro y macroscópicas, entre el norte y el sur, entre interior y exterior. Cet article s’oppose à une vision eurocentrée des questions de climatisation et d’architecture en s’intéressant aux pratiques de chauffage dans la région « non chauffée » du sud de la Chine. En application de la politique gouvernementale des années 1950, la Chine fut divisée entre un Nord chauffé, doté d’infrastructures de chauffage, et un Sud non chauffé. La plupart des immeubles de grande hauteur construits dans cette zone sont dépourvus d’isolation et hébergent une classe moyenne toujours plus nombreuse, se chauffant dans de mauvaises conditions : principalement à l’aide d’appareils électriques portatifs, ou en ne chauffant qu’une partie du logement. La méthodologie associe analyse ethnographique et analyse du discours, théorie architecturale et science du bâtiment. La plupart des données de terrain —dont les visites à domicile et les entretiens avec les résidents et les experts— ont été recueillies au cours de l'hiver 2017-2018, dans la partie nord de la zone non chauffée, en particulier dans la ville de Chongqing. Cette approche des problématiques architecturales de chauffage envisage les bâtiments comme des médiateurs, à mi-chemin des dimensions micro et macroscopiques, entre le Nord et le Sud, entre l’intérieur et l’extérieur. Questo articolo mira ad ampliare la visione eurocentrica in materia di climatizzazione, proponendo una riflessione sulle relazioni tra architettura e pratiche di termoregolazione nella zona “non riscaldata” della Cina meridionale. Negli anni Cinquanta il governo cinese ha suddiviso il paese in due zone: un nord riscaldato, dove le abitazioni urbane godono dei comfort derivanti dalle infrastrutture di teleriscaldamento, e un sud non riscaldato, dove queste infrastrutture sono assenti. La maggior parte degli edifici multipiano della zona meridionale è costruita senza isolamento e ospita un ceto medio sempre più numeroso, che si riscalda con difficoltà. I residenti contrastano il freddo invernale ricorrendo a mezzi di climatizzazione attivi, soprattutto dispositivi elettrici che riscaldano singole parti del corpo o determinati spazi all’interno degli appartamenti. A livello metodologico, lo studio associa analisi etnografica e analisi del discorso, teoria dell’architettura e scienza delle costruzioni. Gran parte delle ricerche sul campo —tra cui le visite delle case e le interviste a residenti ed esperti— sono state condotte nell’inverno 2017-2018 nel nord della zona non riscaldata della Cina, e in particolare nella città di Chongqing. Secondo questa visione architettonica del riscaldamento, gli edifici della zona non riscaldata agiscono da mediatori tra micro e macro, tra nord e sud e tra interno ed esterno.

Our previous work reported activating transcription factor 1 (ATF1) is a promotive factor of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) tumorigenesis. This study is to further explore the association between the human ATF1 rs11169571 polymorphism and the risk of NPC occurrence. The association between ATF1 rs11169571 and risk of NPC occurrence was investigated in clinical samples of 560 patients and 661 controls obtained from southern China with high incidence of NPC. The genotypes were detected by PCR‐RFLP. The differential expression activity of alleles ‐T and ‐C was analyzed with CNE‐2 and C666‐1 cells by luciferase reporter assay. Our data suggested that the allelic frequency and genotypes were significantly different between patients and controls. Compared to the TT homozygote, the TC and CC genotypes have been shown to be significantly decreased in NPC patients (OR = 0.494, 95% CI = 0.387‐0.629, P

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Drawing upon a study on rural–urban migrant young men at a delivery company in a southern Chinese city, I examine how they make sense of their private life as fathers. Situated within the pervasive...

Background: First degree family history of cancer is associated with developing esophageal cancer and sparse data is about the impact on poor survival among established esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) patients. In this study, we investigated the prognoses of patients with ESCC with a family history. Methods: A total of 479 ESCC patients were retrospectively enrolled from a Southern Chinese institution. A positive family history was defined as having malignant cancer among parents and siblings. Kaplan-Meier plots and Cox proportional hazards regressions were applied for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Results: Among 479 patients, 119 (24.8%) and 68 (14.2%) reported a first-degree family history of cancer and digestive tract cancer, respectively. Compared with patients without a family history of cancer, the adjusted hazard ratios (HR) among those with it were 1.40 (95% CI, 1.08-1.82, p=0.011) for death, 1.36 (95% CI, 1.05-1.76, p=0.018) for progression. Similar results were observed in those with a family history of digestive tract cancer (HR=1.69, 95%CI, 1.24-1.98, p=0.001 for death and HR=1.77, 95%CI, 1.30-2.37, p

Biliary atresia (BA) is the most common cause of endstage liver disease in infants with poor prognosis and high mortality. The etiology of BA is still unknown, but the genetic factors have been considered as an important player in BA. We investigated the association of two cis-regulated variants in CD14 (rs2569190) and NOTCH2 (rs835576) with BA susceptibility, using the largest case-control cohort, totaling 506 BA patients and 1,473 healthy controls in a Southern Chinese population. Significant epistatic interaction between the two variants in our samples was observed (p = 8.1E−03; OR = 2.78; 95% CI: 1.32–5.88). The expression of CD14 and NOTCH2 in the BA group was consistently lower than that in the control (CC) group (0.31 ± 0.02 versus 1.00 ± 0.14; p < 0.001), which might be related to the genetic susceptibility of the genes awaiting further validation. Keywords: CD14, Notch2, biliary atresia, epistasis

Objectives. To evaluate the tooth size discrepancy and Bolton’s ratios between male and female subjects with a Class I malocclusion. Materials and Methods. The digital e-models of 100 male and 100 female 12-year-old southern Chinese children with a Class I malocclusion were selected. The mesiodistal widths from permanent first molar to the contralateral side first molar of the upper and lower dentitions were measured. Differences between the tooth size discrepancy, together with the anterior and overall Bolton’s ratios between male and female subjects, were assessed using a two-sample t-test. A paired t-test was used to determine differences between antimetric pairs of teeth within the same arch. Results. Females had statistically significant smaller teeth than males (P < 0.05) except the upper left and lower left lateral incisor and lower left and right central incisors. The mean values of anterior Bolton’s ratios for males and females were 77.04 and 77.03, respectively (P > 0.05), while the mean values of overall Bolton’s ratios of male and female are 90.48 and 90.65, respectively (P < 0.05). The clinical significant differences (Cohen’s d > 0.2) for contralateral tooth size were shown on the maxillary canines, lateral incisors, and central incisors of males; and mandibular canines and lateral incisors of females. Conclusions. Southern Chinese females presenting with Class I malocclusions have smaller mesiodistal tooth dimensions compared to males. Both males and females presented several tooth size asymmetries. There are no statistical differences in anterior and overall Bolton’s ratios between the genders.

Introduction The Joint Committee for Developing Chinese Guidelines (JCDCG) introduced the Chinese definition for metabolic syndrome (MS), which has been verified in southern Chinese people but not in northwestern Chinese people. We evaluated the MS definition proposed by the JCDCG in a northwestern Chinese population, in comparison with those of the revised National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATPIII) and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). Methods This population-based cross-sectional study was a part of the China National Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders Study conducted in Shaanxi province. We included 3243 participants aged ≥ 20 years. The age-adjusted MS prevalence was assessed per the 2007 Chinese population structure. The agreement between different definitions was assessed by the kappa statistic. Results The standardized prevalence of JCDCG-MS, revised ATPIII-MS, and IDF-MS was 22.4%, 29.4%, and 24.9%, respectively. Among women, the agreement of the JCDCG definition with the revised ATPIII and the IDF definition was not good (κ = 0.599 and 0.601, respectively); 54.6% of the revised ATPIII-MS and 56% of the IDF-MS were defined as MS according to the JCDCG definition. Among men, the agreement of JCDCG definition with the revised ATPIII and IDF definitions was very good (κ = 0.863) and substantial (κ = 0.741), respectively. Conclusion The agreement of the JCDCG definition with the revised ATPIII and IDF definitions was insufficient in women. Compared with the other two definitions, the JCDCG definition underestimates MS prevalence in northwestern women. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s13300-018-0446-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Limited research has been done using multivariable statistical methods to assess factors associated with fish mortality in warm-water finfish aquaculture in China. We carried out a case study to test the hypothesized association between pond-level daily mortality of farmed grass carp and predisposing environmental and husbandry factors. Based on logbook data from a single farm in Guangdong province (China) in 2013, two-stage time-series regression (TSR) analyses were conducted to estimate the lagged effect of these predisposing factors on grass carp mortality. Factors assessed included temperature fluctuations, movement of fish into and out of ponds, and 3 types of treatments (antibiotics-antiparasitics, traditional Chinese medicine-probiotics, and chemicals to improve water quality). First, coefficients were estimated using a generalized linear negative-binomial model for each pond, and these coefficient estimates were combined using meta-analytic techniques. Sensitivity analyses were done to compare effects of changes in the 3 modeling components: distributional forms, number of spline knots, and types of autocorrelation terms. Model results in the case study indicated 2 risk factors might be associated with increased mortality of grass carp: (1) movements-in of new fish during the previous 14 days; and (2) increasing water temperature during the previous 7 days. Sensitivity analyses indicated good consistency of the estimates with different modeling components. Our findings highlight the utility of assessing daily farm records using TSR to develop hypotheses about potential risk factors for grass carp mortality in China.

Neuroblastoma is one of the most frequently occurring childhood cancers. The rs2168101 G>T polymorphism observed in the LMO1 gene is located at a conserved GATA transcription factor binding motif. This polymorphism was reported to be significantly associated with neuroblastoma susceptibility. However, whether this and other functional polymorphisms can affect neuroblastoma risk of Chinese children remains unknown. We conducted a two-center hospital-based case-control study with a total of 374 cases and 812 controls to assess the role of five LMO1 gene polymorphisms in the neuroblastoma risk. We confirmed that rs2168101 G>T was significantly associated with decreased neuroblastoma risk for both northern and southern Chinese children and the combined subjects [GT vs. GG: adjusted odds ratio (OR)=0.57, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.44-0.74, PC polymorphism. In summary, the current study confirmed that the potentially functional LMO1 rs2168101 G>T and rs3750952 G>C polymorphisms were associated with neuroblastoma susceptibility. This research requires further validation with larger sample sizes and inclusion of different ethnicities.

Tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP-2) regulates the extracellular matrix degradation, which involved in vascular remodeling and dysfunction, destabilization of atherosclerotic plaque and many other pathological processes. The rupture of atherosclerotic plaque is the trigger of Large artery atherosclerotic (LAA) stroke. We speculate that the Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TIMP-2 may have an association with LAA stroke. To prove this hypothesis, we conducted this case-control study. 250 LAA stroke patients and 250 healthy controls were collected for the analysis of TIMP-2 polymorphisms. Among six SNPs, we detected no deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in control group. There was a significant difference in rs4789936 T allele frequency between patient and control groups (OR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.51–0.91, P = 0.009), which means lower risk of LAA stroke. We observed the rs4789936 had a decreased risk of LAA stroke according to the codominant (OR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.44–0.92, P = 0.026), dominant (OR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.43-0.88, P = 0.008), overdominant (OR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.48–0.98, P = 0.039), log-additive (OR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.51–0.91, P = 0.009) models analyses. However, these findings could only validate under dominant model (OR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.42–1.00, P = 0.049) after adjustment of gender and age. The results indicate a potential association between TIMP-2 variants and LAA stroke risk in southern Chinese Han population.

This study investigated and compared wintertime air pollution and personal exposure in the rural northern and southern Chinese homes. Daily indoor and outdoor particle samples were simultaneously collected by using stationary samplers, and personal exposure was directly measured using portable carried samplers. The daily average concentrations of indoor and outdoor PM 2.5 were 521 ± 234 and 365 ± 185 μg/m 3 in the northern village, that were about 2.3–2.7 times of 188 ± 104 and 150 ± 29 μg/m 3 in indoor and outdoor air in the southern villages. Particle size distribution was similar between indoor and outdoor air, and had relatively smaller difference between the two sites, relative to the particle mass concentration difference. PM 2.5 contributed to ∼80% of the TSP mass, and in PM 2.5 , near 90% were PM 1.0 . In homes using electricity in the southern villages, outdoor air pollution could explain 70–80% of the variation in indoor air pollution. The daily exposure to PM 2.5 measured using personal carried samplers were 451 ± 301 μg/m 3 in the northern villages with traditional solid fuels used for daily cooking and heating, and in the southern villages without heating, the exposure to PM 2.5 were 184 ± 83 and 166 ± 45 μg/m 3 , respectively, for the population using wood and electricity for daily cooking. Time-weighted daily average exposure estimated from area concentration and time spent indoor and outdoor was generally correlated the directly measured exposure.

Some previous studies suggested telomere length was associated with the risk of ischemic stroke (IS). The aim of this study was to further confirm the association between relative telomere length (RTL) and risk of IS and to especially explore its correlation with the risk of high-risk stroke population in southern Chinese Han. RTL was determined by using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction from 400 ischemic stroke patients, 409 high-risk stroke populations and 399 healthy controls. The correlations between the controls and the risk of high-risk and ischemic stroke were evaluated by using an unconditional logistic regression. IS patients have shown longer RTL than controls (median1.52vs1.11, p60 years) and gender suggested that the first and second tertile of RTL were correlated with the risk of IS in each group when the second tertile was used as a reference. However, the increased risk for high-risk stroke populations were only presented in the first tertile of RTL in the age≤60 years and female groups. the RTL was associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke, while it elevated the risk of high-risk stroke in some specific subpopulations.