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Smoke tree (Cotinus coggygria) is an important ornamental tree that represents the autumnal landscape of red leaves in Northern China, especially in Beijing. However, Verticillium wilt, caused by the fungus (Verticillium dahliae), has resulted in a high mortality rate for smoke trees, posing a serious threat to the highly valued landscape of red leaves in Beijing. To explore an efficient control measure for Verticillium wilt, we systematically analyzed the applicability and efficacy of multiple treatments for three consecutive years in Xiangshan Park and Badaling Forest Park. From 2021 to 2023, diseased smoke trees in Xiangshan Park were subjected to three application methods (agent irrigation, trunk injection, or a combination of the two) and five candidate agents, namely Bacillus subtilis, azoxystrobin, propiconazole, carbendazim, and prochloraz. Analyses of the data for three consecutive years revealed a decreasing trend in the annual disease incidence rate. Specifically, the combined application of agent irrigation and trunk injection exhibited the highest control effect and a significant improvement in the landscape of red leaves in Beijing. Furthermore, the combination of propiconazole via irrigation plus the trunk injection of carbendazim and prochloraz had the greatest control effect. These suppressive measurements were further used and demonstrated to be effective in Badaling Forest Park. Overall, our study provides an effective disease management means for controlling Verticillium wilt in smoke trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The absence of accurate measurement or calculation techniques for crop water requirements in greenhouses frequently results in over- or under-irrigation. In order to find a better method, this study analyzed the accuracy, data consistency and practicability of the Penman–Monteith (PM), Hargreaves–Samani (HS), Pan Evaporation (PAN), and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models. Model-calculated crop evapotranspiration (ETC) was compared with lysimeter-measured crop evapotranspiration (ETC) in the National Precision Agriculture Demonstration Station in Beijing, China. The results showed that the actual ETC over the entire experimental period was 176.67 mm. The ETC calculated with the PM, HS, PAN, and ANN model were 146.07 mm, 189.45 mm, 197.03 mm, and 174.7 mm, respectively, which were different from the actual value by −17.32%, 7.23%, 11.52%, and −1.12%, respectively. The order of the calculation accuracy for the four models is as follows: ANN model > PAN model > PM model > HS model. By comprehensively evaluating the statistical indicators of each model, the ANN model was found to have a significantly higher calculation accuracy compared to the other three models. Therefore, the ANN model is recommended for estimating ETC under greenhouse conditions. The PM and PAN models can also be used after improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Corn ear pests, such as cotton bollworm and corn borer larvae, can infest corn ears within hours to a day, posing a significant challenge for their control. This study aimed to determine the ideal timing for pesticide application, select effective and safe pesticides, and optimize application methods. Over several years, we monitored adult sweet corn ear pests in Beijing, investigating their relationship with corn phenology and local climate to identify the best time for effective pesticide application. Through field experiments evaluating 13 different pesticides, we identified cost-effective and safe options. Ultimately, we discovered that in mid-June, approximately five days after corn silking in sweet corn fields, moth populations got the greatest growth rate. During this crucial period, applying Indoxacarb + Chlorfenapyr, Virtako + mineral oil, or the biopesticide Beauveria bassiana + oil on corn silks and ear surfaces maximized their effectiveness. Our research significantly improves corn ear pest control. Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) and Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée) are the most devastating insect pests at the ear stage of maize, causing significant losses to the sweet corn industry. Pesticide control primarily relies on spraying during the flowering stage, but the effectiveness is inconsistent since larvae are beneath husks within hours to a day, making pesticide treatments simpler to avoid. Insufficient understanding of pest activity patterns impedes precise and efficient pesticide control. H. armigera and O. furnacalis in corn fields were monitored in the last few years in Beijing China, and we observed a higher occurrence of both moths during the R1 stage of sweet corn. Moth captures reached the maximum during this stage, with 555–765 moths per hectare corn field daily. The control efficiency of nine synthetic insecticides and five biopesticides was assessed in the field during this period. Virtako, with mineral oil as the adjuvant, appeared to be the most effective synthetic insecticide, with the efficiencies reaching 88% and 87% on sweet and waxy corn, respectively. Pesticide residue data indicated that the corn is safe after 17 days of its use. The most effective bioinsecticide was Beauveria bassiana combined with mineral oil, with 88% and 80% control efficiency in sweet and waxy corn, respectively. These results suggested that spraying effective insecticides 5 days after corn silking could effectively control corn ear pests H. armigera and O. furnacalis. Our findings provide valuable insights for the development of ear pest management strategies in sweet corn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a degenerative disease. Immune dysfunction found to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of this disease in the literature, while the characteristics of peripheral immune function remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics and alterations of peripheral immune function in patients with MSA. Methods: A case--control study was conducted between January 2021 to December 2022 at SanBo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. A total of 74 participants were recruited, including 47 MSA patients and 27 non-MSA participants. Peripheral blood samples were collected from each participant. A total of 29 types of immune cells were measured using the flow cytometry analysis technology. Single-factor analysis and multiple-factor analysis (multiple linear regression models) were performed to determine the di erences and risk factors in immune cells between the MSA and non-MSA groups. Results: Alterations of the count or percentage of CD19+ B lymphocytes and CD3 - CD56+ B lymphocytes in MSA patients were found in this study. The reductions of the count and percentage of CD19+ B lymphocytes were still robust after adjusting for variables of age, gender, body mass index, albumin, and hemoglobin. Furthermore, the reductions in the count and percentage of CD19+ B lymphocytes in theMSA patientsweremore significant inwomen and individuals aged 60 years old or above than in the non-MSA participants. Conclusion: Our findings suggested that MSA patients may be influenced by B lymphocytes, particularly CD19+ cells. Therefore, the reductions in immune cells should be considered in the diagnosis and treatment of MSA. Further studies are warranted to confirm and expand upon these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak has hit Beijing since mid-Nov, 2022, with soaring growth of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) among children. Therefore, it is vital to determine the clinical manifestations of epidemic SARS-CoV-2 strains in paediatric patients. Methods: In this study, nucleic acid tests (NATs) for SARS-CoV-2 were performed in paediatric outpatients with symptoms of acute respiratory tract infection during 18 Nov–6 Dec, 2022. Half of the outpatients positive for SARS-CoV-2 were randomly selected to screen for other respiratory pathogens, whereas those with low cycle threshold values in SARS-CoV-2 NATs were amplified and sequenced to determine the SARS-CoV-2 variants. Finally, children positive for SARS-CoV-2 with clinical information in detail were enrolled in a follow-up study to identify potential factors significantly associated with long recovery. Results: Among 9625 paediatric outpatients tested for nucleic acid of SARS-CoV-2, 733 (7.62%, 733/9625) were identified as SARS-CoV-2 NAT positive, with only three (0.82%, 3/366) co-infected with other pathogens among 366 randomly selected patients, and 71 (62.83%) determined as Omicron subvariant BF.7 and 42 (37.22%) as BA.5.2 among 113 successfully sequenced. Among the 681 patients with complete clinical information, fever was the most common symptom (96.8%). In a follow-up study of 592 patients, 46.96% became asymptomatic on the third day and 65.71% on the fifth day. Only 1.7% of infected children experienced febrile seizures. Combined with abnormal C-reactive protein, a higher percentage of antibiotics administration was observed. More co-living members and longer duration of first symptoms served as independent risk factors for long-term recovery, especially in children vaccinated for SARS-CoV-2. Conclusions: BF.7 and BA.5.2 were the dominate Omicron subvariants and caused milder infections during the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in Beijing. The number of co-living members and duration of first symptoms were independent risk factors for long-term recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human adenovirus serotype 31 (HAdV-31) is closely associated with gastroenteritis in children and can cause fatal systemic disseminated diseases in immunocompromised patients. The lack of genomic data for HAdV-31, especially in China, will greatly limit research on its prevention and control. Sequencing and bioinformatics analyses were performed for HAdV-31 strains from diarrheal children in Beijing, China, during 2010–2022. Three capsid protein genes (hexon, penton, and fiber) were obtained in 37 cases, including one in which the whole genome was sequenced. HAdV-31 strains clustered into three distinct clades (I–III) in a phylogenetic tree constructed based on concatenated genes and the whole genome; the endemic strains only gathered into clade II, and most of the reference strains clustered into clade I. Compared with penton and hexon, fiber had a faster evolutionary rate (1.32 × 10−4 substitutions/site/year), an earlier divergence time (1697), lower homology (98.32–100% at the amino acid level), and greater genetic variation (0.0032). Four out of the six predicted positive selection pressure codons were also in the knob of fiber. These results reveal the molecular evolution characteristics and variations of HAdV-31 in Beijing, and fiber may be one of the main evolution driving forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address these issues, Gu's I Classroom-Based Formative Assessment i (CBFA), an introductory course book written in English that is tailored to an EFL assessment context, is pertinent to in-service teachers, teachers in training, and researchers. Formative assessment is gaining momentum in education and has become a critical and increasingly complex area since Black and Wiliam's ([3]) seminal review article revealed its effectiveness in promoting learning. With the operationalization of CBFA, the argument-based CBFA validation framework, and the demonstration of how exactly CBFA can be done and researched in the classroom, this book will serve as good guidance for teaching and assessment professionals. Teachers can also constantly reflect on whether their planned or contingent CBFA is valid with the help of an argument-based CBFA validation framework. [Extracted from the article]

To address the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, development and regulatory evaluations have been accelerated for vaccines, authorizing emergency use. To anticipate vaccine preparedness in adolescents, we studied COVID-19 vaccination awareness and willingness to vaccinate before the vaccine became available. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 9153 (4575 boys, 50%) students with a mean age of 14.2 years old in four cities in China to collect information on demographic characteristics and their COVID-19 vaccination concerns. Multinomial logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of vaccine hesitancy ("not sure") and resistance ("do not want it"). The results showed that 2891 (31.6%) were hesitant and 765 (8.4%) were resistant to being vaccinated. Additionally, multivariable analyses showed that vaccine hesitancy and vaccine resistance were associated with living in the Beijing area (OR = 1.62; 95% CI: 1.40–1.88; OR = 1.81; 95% CI: 1.44–2.28), lack of influenza vaccination experience (OR = 1.33; 95% CI: 1.14–1.55; OR = 1.57; 95% CI: 1.25–1.98), no perceived susceptibility (OR = 1.72; 95% CI: 1.50–1.97; OR = 3.57; 95% CI: 2.86–4.46), and perceiving no cues to action (OR = 3.24; 95% CI: 2.56–4.11; OR = 27.68; 95% CI: 21.81–35.13). Postulating a highly effective vaccine (OR = 0.84; 95% CI: 0.72–0.98; OR = 0.66; 95% CI: 0.52–0.83) decreased both vaccine hesitancy and resistance. Vaccine hesitancy alone was associated with girls (OR = 1.21; 95% CI: 1.09–1.36) and was less common among students boarding at school (OR = 0.79; 95% CI: 0.68–0.92), postulating convenient vaccine access (OR = 0.84; 95% CI: 0.73–0.96), and having doctors' recommendation (OR = 0.86; 95% CI: 0.76–0.98). In conclusion, the results of the study showed that vaccine hesitancy among students in China was associated with limited health literacy and lower risk awareness. Our findings in China suggest that educating youth regarding COVID-19 and the safety and effectiveness of immunization help reduce concerns and increase vaccine confidence and acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deformation joint is a weak link in roof waterproofing, especially for the shallow-buried basement roof planting or landscaping buildings with flexible waterproofing method. The deformation joints of roof have not become a mature and effective practice. Therefore, a deformation joint structure with high waterproofing reliability and landscape continuity is urgently needed. By taking Beijing Metro Universal Studio Station as an objective for research and implementation, this paper analyzes the applicability and limitations of different deformation joint structures. On the basis of research conclusions, the deformation joint structure is optimized and an interlocking deformation joint structure suitable for planting roof is formed, The structure, provided with multiple waterproof and drainage measures, is highly reliable, and it solves the problems of high maintenance difficulty and poor landscape effect in the conventional practice, and can be widely used in roof engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainfall erosivity is regarded as one of the main factors affecting soil erosion. Based on 117-year monthly precipitation data of Beijing from 1901 to 2017, the spatiotemporal evolutionary analysis of rainfall erosivity in Beijing were analyzed by using Theil-Sen median analysis (Sen), the Mann–Kendall (MK) trend test, R/S analysis method, cumulative anomaly method, MK mutation test method, Pettitt test, and wavelet analysis. The results showed that the average annual rainfall erosivity in Beijing ranged from 1080.6 to 6432.78 MJ • mm/(hm2 • h • a), with an average value of 3465.06 MJ • mm/(hm2 • h • a), showing a gradual decrease from the southeast to northwest. Regarding seasonal distribution, 86% of rainfall erosivity was mainly concentrated in summer. In the past 117 years, the annual rainfall erosivity in most areas of Beijing showed a downward trend, but its future trend also showed an increasing trend, indicating that Beijing, especially the northern part, was facing greater potential pressure from soil erosion. Through cross-validation of various methods, the abrupt change interval of rainfall erosivity in Beijing from 1901 to 2017 was from 1994 to 1997. The change in rainfall erosivity in Beijing had a strong oscillation in 32 years and a small periodic change in 15 and 7 years. The results will provide a decision-making basis for soil erosion control and water/soil conservation planning. Additionally, they will benefit and ensure national agricultural and food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tachinidae are one of the most speciose families of Diptera and the largest group of non-hymenopteran parasitoids. Little is known about their diversity, distribution patterns, and seasonal variation in most ecosystems. This study reports on tachinid flies collected by a Malaise trap over 73 weeks in Baihua Mountain Reserve, northern China, and investigates the patterns of local species richness and its temporal distribution. The most species-rich season was summer, but the majority of specimens were recovered in spring. A total of 755 tachinid specimens were collected, consisting of 144 species in 85 genera, comprising 26.5% of the species and 49.7% of the genera recorded from northern China. A total species richness of 243 was estimated, indicating that only a portion of the community of tachinid flies was collected at this location and suggesting that the diversity of tachinids might be underestimated across Beijing and northern China. This work is a first step in assessing patterns of tachinid diversity in China using quantitative sampling and establishes a baseline for comprehending the temporal and spatial diversity of these ecologically significant parasitoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The antimicrobial activities of some new oxazolidinones against slowly growing mycobacteria (SGM) have never been well evaluated. Methods: We evaluate the in vitro susceptibility of 20 reference strains and 157 clinical isolates, pertaining different SGM species, against four oxazolidinones, ie, delpazolid, sutezolid, tedizolid and linezolid. In addition, the association of linezolid resistance and mutations in 23srRNA, rplC, rplD were also tested. Results: Sutezolid presented the strongest antimicrobial activity against the clinical isolates of M. intracellulare than the other oxazolidinones, with MIC50 at 2 μg/mL and MIC90 at 4 μg/mL. MICs of sutezolid were usually 4- to 8-fold lower than these of linezolid against M. intracellulare and M. avium. The tested isolates of M. kansasii were susceptible to all of the four oxazolidinones. According to the multiple sequence alignment, novel 23srRNA mutations (A2267C and A2266G) in M. intracellulare and rplD mutations (Thr147Ala) in M. avium were identified in this study which have plausible involvement in rendering resistance against linezolid. Conclusion: This study showed that sutezolid harbors the strongest inhibitory activity against M. intracellulare, M. avium and M. kansasii in vitro, which provided important insights on the potential clinical application of oxazolidinones for treating SGM infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has been demonstrated to be safe and effective for patients with refractory epilepsy, but there are few reports on the use of VNS for postencephalitic epilepsy (PEE). This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of VNS for refractory PEE. Methods: We retrospectively studied 20 patients with refractory PEE who underwent VNS between August 2017 and October 2019 in Chinese PLA General Hospital and Beijing Children's Hospital. VNS efficacy was evaluated based on seizure reduction, effective rate (percentage of cases with seizure reduction ≥ 50%), McHugh classification, modified Early Childhood Epilepsy Severity Scale (E-Chess) score, and Grand Total EEG (GTE) score. The follow-up time points were 3, 6, and 12 months after VNS. Pre- and postoperative data were compared and analyzed. Results: The median [interquartile range (IQR)] seizure reduction rates at 3, 6, and 12 months after VNS were 23.72% (0, 55%), 46.61% (0, 79.04%), and 67.99% (0, 93.78%), respectively. The effective rates were 30% at 3 months, 45% at 6 months, and 70% at 12 months. E-chess scores before the operation and at 3, 6, and 12 months after the operation were 10 (10, 10.75), 9 (9, 10), 9 (9, 9.75), and 9 (8.25, 9) (P < 0.05), respectively. GTE scores before surgery and at 12 months after the operation were 11 (9, 13) and 9 (7, 11) (P < 0.05), respectively. The mean intensity of VNS current was 1.76 ± 0.39 (range: 1.0–2.5) mA. No intraoperative complications or severe post-operative adverse effects were reported. Conclusions: Our study shows that VNS can reduce the frequency and severity of seizure in patients with refractory PEE. VNS has a good application prospect in patients with refractory PEE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: One of the most cost-effective treatments for secondary prevention of stroke and other non-communicable diseases is a long-term medication regimen. However, the complexities of medication adherence extend far beyond individual behavior change, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The purpose of this study was to examine stakeholder perspectives on barriers to medication adherence for stroke patients in Beijing, China, identifying opportunities to improve care and policy in resource-constrained settings.Methods: We conducted a qualitative, phenomenological analysis of data obtained from 36 individuals. Participants were patients; caregivers; healthcare providers; and representatives from industry and government, purposively selected to synthesize multiple perspectives on medication management and adherence for stroke secondary prevention in Beijing, China. Data was analyzed by thematic analysis across iterative coding cycles.Results: Four major themes characterized barriers on medication adherence, across stakeholders and geographies: limitations driven by individual patient knowledge / attitudes; lack of patient-provider interaction time; lack of coordination across the stratified health system; and lack of affordability driven by high overall costs and limited insurance policies.Conclusions: These barriers to medication management and adherence suggest opportunities for policy reform and local practice changes, particularly for multi-tiered health systems. Findings from this study in Beijing, China could be explored for applicability in other low- and middle-income countries with urban centers serving large geographic regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High temperature carbonization, an important approach to cleanly and efficiently use coal, refers to a complex process in which a series of physical phenomena and chemical reactions occur when coal is heated to ≥1000 °C in anoxic conditions. A furnace was developed for the in-situ small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) measurements with the scattering angle 2θ between 0° and 60° during sample heating from room temperature to 1200 °C. The usefulness of the furnace for high temperature carbonization of coal was verified at the 1W2A SAXS station at the Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility (BSRF). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We intended to investigate the clinical features of paediatric patients with chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection (CAEBV) and to examine the effectiveness of the L-DEP regimen before haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 35 patients with CAEBV at Beijing Children's Hospital from January 2016 to January 2020. The efficacy and adverse events of the L-DEP regimen were evaluated.Results: The median age of the 35 patients was 7.0 years old (range 2.5-17.5 years). Twenty-eight patients achieved a clinical response (80.0%, 22 in clinical CR, 6 in clinical PR) after L-DEP. In terms of virological response, 7 patients (20%) were assessed as having virological CR, and 23 patients (65.7%) had virological PR. Finally, 29 patients underwent allo-HSCT. The median survival time was 18 months (2-50 months). The 3-year overall survival rates in patients treated with chemotherapy only (n = 6) and chemotherapy followed by HSCT (n = 25) were 33.3% and 75.4%, respectively. After L-DEP 1st treatment and L-DEP 2nd treatment, the EBV-DNA loads in blood and plasma were significantly reduced compared with those before chemotherapy (median: 4.29 × 105 copies/ml vs. 1.84 × 106 copies/ml, Mann-Whitney U: P = 0.0004; 5.00 × 102 copies/ml vs. 3.17 × 103 copies/ml, Mann-Whitney U; P = 0.003; 2.27 × 105 copies/ml vs. 1.84 × 106 copies/ml, P = 0.0001; 5.00 × 102 copies/ml vs. 3.17 × 103 copies/ml, P = 0.003). Compared with the liver and spleen size before chemotherapy, the size of the liver and spleen shrank significantly after L-DEP 2nd (median 3.8 cm vs. 1.9 cm, P = 0.003; 3.8 cm vs. 0 cm, P < 0.008). In addition, after L-DEP treatment, there was no difference in the clinical or virological response rate regardless of HLH status (clinical response: 77.3% vs. 84.6%, P = 0.689; virological response: 90.9% vs. 76.9%, P = 0.337).Conclusion: The L-DEP regimen is an effective therapy in CAEBV for bridging to allo-HSCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We assessed the effect of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) bacterial load on Xpert MTB/RIF accuracy for detection of rifampicin (RIF)-resistant MTB in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) specimens obtained at a national tuberculosis (TB) specialized hospital in Beijing, China. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at Beijing Chest Hospital. Patients with symptoms suggestive of pulmonary TB who provided BALF specimens for routine MTB detection between June 2019 and July 2020 were enrolled in the study. Chi-square test and Student's t-test were used to compare results across groups stratified according to BALF bacterial load. Results: In total, 1125 patients with positive Xpert results who were enrolled in final analysis, 263 provided BALF specimens that tested positive for RIF-resistant MTB via Xpert MTB/RIF. The RIF-resistance rate of specimens with very low MTB bacterial load was 30.9%, a resistance rate significantly greater than rates obtained for groups with high (25.0%), medium (17.3%) and low (19.2%) MTB loads (P< 0.01). Notably, false-positive results obtained for the very low bacterial load group led to markedly reduced positive predictive value of Xpert MTB/RIF to provide correct RIF-resistance predictions for that group (67.1%, 95% CI: 56.1%– 78.1%5) relative to the predictive value obtained for all other groups combined (about 90%, P< 0.05). Sanger sequencing data obtained for 20 (32.8%) MTB isolates deemed RIF-resistant via Xpert (Probe E) lacked rpoB RRDR mutations. Meanwhile, of another group of 23 isolates deemed RIF-susceptible via DST but RIF-resistant via Xpert MTB/RIF, 20 isolate sequences (87.0%) lacked rpoB RRDR mutations, while sequences of the remaining 3 isolates harbored single rpoB RRDR mutations predicted to cause amino acid substitutions. Conclusion: Xpert MTB/RIF assay performed alarmingly poorly when used to detect RIF-resistant MTB in BALF specimens with very low bacterial loads. A high rate of Xpert probe E hybridization failure was the main driver of false-positive RIF-resistant results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viruses are widespread in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), representing a key limitation to the production of this important forage plant. Understanding the diversity of plant viruses in alfalfa and their potential vectors will play an important role in management to minimize the emergence, transmission, and impact of viruses. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) targeting the transcriptome was applied to monitor the virus communities in alfalfa and its two main pests, thrips (Odontothrips loti Haliday and Frankliniella intonsa Trybom) and aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum Mordvilko and Therioaphis trifolii Monell). A comparison of transcriptome datasets with reference databases revealed the presence of eight candidate viruses. Five out of the eight viruses, alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV), Medicago sativa alphapartitivirus 1 (MsAPV1), Medicago sativa deltapartitivirus 1 (MsDPV1), Medicago sativa amalgavirus 1 (MsAV1), and bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMV), were confirmed by RT-PCR. We identified and determined the presence of four RNA viruses from alfalfa samples, two viruses (AMV and MsAPV1) from thrips samples, and one virus (BYMV) from T. trifolii. All sequences isolated from the insect samples were more than 95% identical to the sequences from the alfalfa samples or to sequences from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) reference database. The RNA-seq results of this study suggest that AMV and MsAPV1 are the predominant RNA plant viruses infecting alfalfa and that they are carried by the major pests. This lays the foundation for future research on the vectors and transmission of these viruses. In addition, the sequence data have enabled the assembly of the first complete genome sequence of MsDPV1 from alfalfa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to clarify the clinical characteristics, prognostic factors, and effectiveness of the HLH-94/2004 regimens and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in pediatric patients with primary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (pHLH) in China. A retrospective analysis was performed on 38 patients with pHLH at Beijing Children's Hospital. PRF1 (34.2%) and UNC13D (31.6%) were the most common mutations in the pHLH. Thirty-eight patients were treated with the HLH-94/2004 regimens after diagnosis. Twenty-six patients (72.2%) responded to first-line treatment (complete response: 55.5%, partial response: 16.7%). The median survival time was 23 months. The overall survival (OS) rate at 3 years was 74.7%. There was no significant difference in the response rate (72% vs. 63.6%, P = 0.703) or 3-year OS (83.6% vs. 66.7%, P = 0.443) between the patients treated with the HLH-94 regimen and those treated with the HLH-2004 regimen. The incidences of all side effects in patients treated with the HLH-94 or HLH-2004 regimen were 32.0% and 18.2%, respectively (P = 0.394). Among 15 patients treated with HSCT, neither the preconditioning regimen nor the donor type affected patient prognosis (P = 0.205 and P = 0.161, respectively). The disease status (remission or nonremission) before preconditioning did not affect prognosis or the incidence of GVHD. Furthermore, a higher bilirubin level (≥ 30 μmol/L) was correlated with a poorer prognosis in pHLH patients (P = 0.026). The effectiveness rates of the HLH-94 and HLH-2004 regimens, chemotherapy, and HSCT were similar in pHLH patients. A bilirubin level ≥ 30 μmol/L might be an adverse prognostic factor in pHLH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban rail transit (URT) system plays a significant role in daily commuting. The main features of URT could be abstracted into two kinds of networks, topological network and transit network. The correlation between topological network and transit network could represent the service level of transportation which is also a main focus to some extent. In this study, static analysis based on one year or single analysis based on one aspect are abundant, the main reason of which is the deficiency of the consistent demand data. In this regard, a comprehensive analysis of the evolution and their correlation of the two network are carried out in this work. We first revisit the topological evolution of rail network on the basis of URT network statistic indicators with a fifty-year time span. Then, based on the traditional node-place model, a correctional node-place model between demand spatial distribution and closeness centrality is established. Pearson correlation coefficient is also employed for a precise analysis. Finally, the application of the model and the corresponding analysis on Beijing Subway System (BSS) examine and evaluate the development level and service level of URT system in Beijing, and some solid evidence for relative decision-making is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proteus mirabilis is an opportunistic pathogen that causes diarrhea and urinary tract infections in humans and companion animals. Emergence of antimicrobial resistance in P. mirabilis increases risk of failure of antimicrobial therapy in companion animals. The current study determined prevalence, genetic diversity and phenotypic antimicrobial resistance of P. mirabilis isolated from feces of 35 dogs with diarrhea hospitalized in Beijing, China. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), PCR and antimicrobial disk diffusion were used to characterize these isolates. Prevalence of P. mirabilis in feces from hospitalized dogs was 28%. RAPD and PFGE demonstrated a great diversity of isolates. Thirteen (37%) of 35 isolates produced extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs), with blaTEM being detected in all ESBLs-producing isolates. All isolates were susceptible to imipenem, cefoxitin and cefotaxime/clavulanic. rmtB (with 51% prevalence rate) was the only aminoglycoside 16S rRNA methylase resistance gene identified. Among plasmid-mediated quinolones resistance genes, qnrB (14%) and aac(6')-Ib (26%) were detected. In conclusion, P. mirabilis isolates from feces of dogs with diarrhea in China had great genetic diversity and a high prevalence produced ESBLs. Consequently, antimicrobial stewardship programs should also target companion animals to reduce emergence of antimicrobial resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hamaxiella brunnescens (Mesnil, 1967) (Diptera, Tachinidae) is a parasitic fly species and of great ecological importance in natural systems as parasitoids of herbivorous insects. The mitogenome of H. brunnescens was sequenced and analyzed here for the first time. The genome is 14,956 bp in length with high A þ T content, which consists of 13 protein-coding, 22 tRNA, two rRNA genes, and a partial noncoding control region. The phylogenetic analyses support a monophyletic Tachinidae. The two subfamilies Exoristinae and Phasiinae are fully supported as monophyletic while Tachininae is inferred to be paraphyletic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was addressed to the relationship between norovirus and acute diarrhea in hospitalized children, including hospital-acquired infection (HAI) and community-acquired infection (CAI) in a children's hospital in Beijing. RT-PCR was used to detect norovirus in stool specimen, followed by sequence analysis for PCR products. From 2010 to 2013, a total of 1248 specimens, including 661 from the HAI group and 587 from the CAI group were tested for norovirus. Norovirus were detected in 380 of 1248 (30.4%) diarrheal specimens. The positive rate for norovirus detection was higher in children within HAI group than CAI group (35.3%, 232/661 vs. 25.6%, 148/587), and the difference was significant (X2 = 14.35, P<0.05). For age distribution, the highest positivity rates of norovirus were in age of 0–5 months for HAI group and 12–23 months for CAI group. In the study, 262 amplicons of the VP1 region from norovirus-positive specimens were sequenced, which showed GII.3 and GII.4 norovirus were the most common genotypes detected in 50.0% (n = 131) and 48.9% (n = 128) of the positive specimens, respectively. Regarding the wards distribution, GII.3 norovirus was mainly detected in ward for neonatal diseases (36/85 in HAI group; 19/46 in CAI group), GII.4 norovirus was mainly detected in ward for respiratory and digestive diseases (21/85 in HAI group; 15/33 in CAI group). Conclusion: The data elaborated the importance of norovirus in hospital associated infectious diarrhea. The prevalence of norovirus is higher from HAI group than CAI group, and the norovirus from the patients in CAI group could be the source of infection in HAI group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subway system is an important traffic facility in Beijing and its internal air quality is an environmental issue that could potentially affect millions of people every day. Due to the intrinsic nature of rail abrasion in subway tunnels, iron-containing particles can be generated and become suspended in the subway environment. While some studies (e.g. Li et al., 2006) have monitored the in-train levels of PM 2.5 (particles < 2.5 μm), there is a lack of systematic assessment of the concentration and characteristics of iron-containing particles in the Beijing subway system. Here we report results of a study on the granulometric and magnetic properties of deposited particle samples collected at different localities of the Beijing subway system. Our results show that the subway samples are characterized by the presence of fine particles. Volume proportions of 6.1 ± 1.3% for particles < 2.5 μm and 27.5 ± 6.1% for particles < 10 μm are found in the bulk subway samples. These samples exhibit a strong magnetic signal, which is approximately two orders of magnitude higher than that in naturally deposited particles collected in Beijing. Fine grained ferromagnetic and ferrimagnetic minerals (e.g. iron and magnetite, respectively) are identified from mineral magnetic measurements and scanning electric microscopy. The samples collected from the Beijing stations with platform screen doors are found to be magnetically stronger and finer than those without them, suggesting that platform screen doors have failed to block the fine iron-containing particles released from the rail tunnel. Given the potential health consequences of fine suspended iron-containing particles, our results have important implications for air quality management in the Beijing subway system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to comprehensively analyze arid compare the characteristics and utilization value of the new wheat variety Jingdong 23, the performance of Jingdong 23 was compared with a control variety based on the results in Beijing water conservation regional test. The characteristics and yield structures of Jingdong 23 were analyzed. The results showed that the three factors of yield of Jingdong 23 were coordinated and the average yield of Jingdong 23 ranked in the first place among the 14 tested varieties (ten-location tests). On average, the yield of Jingdong 23 was 4.5% more than that of the control Jingdong 8 in water conservation regional test and production test in Beijing. Jingdong 23 has a good adaptability, high and stable yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the association between concentration of ambient air pollutants and daily mortality number in an urban area of Beijing. Different age and gender groups were taken into consideration. The results showed that, for all the groups, the average daily mortality number showed an increasing trend from June to January of next year, and a decreasing trend from February to June. When the concentration of air pollutants increased, the health risk also increased. In multi-pollutants models, the pollutants had a decreasing order NO2, PM10, SO2 for the different gender groups when the concentration of pollutants increased, and had a decreasing order NO2, PM10, SO2 for different age groups when the levels of pollutants increased. Lag effects of air pollutants and seasonal differences also were found. The results of our study could serve to strengthen the local evidence base for air pollution-related health effects that is imminently needed for better air quality management, and also adds valuable information from Beijing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adenoviruses have been recognized as important causal pathogens of community-acquired diarrhea (CAD) among children, but their role in hospital-acquired diarrhea (HAD) is not well-understood. Hospitalized children with acute diarrhea and children who visited the outpatient department due to diarrhea were investigated from 2011 to 2012. Adenovirus was detected in stool specimens by PCR and further characterized by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. SPSS software (version 19.0) was used for statistical analyses. A total of 2233 diarrheal children were enrolled in this study; this sample was comprised of 1371 hospitalized children, including 885 with CAD (IP-CAD) and 486 with HAD, and 862 outpatients with CAD (OP-CAD). Among these 2,233 patients, adenovirus was detected in 219 cases (9.8%). The positive rates for adenovirus were significantly different between the IP-CAD (9.3%), HAD (13.8%) and OP-CAD (8.1%) cases (X2 = 11.76, p = 0.003). The positive rate of adenovirus was lower in infants under six months of age compared to the positive rates in the other age groups. Of the 219 of adenovirus positive patients, 91 (41.6%) were identified as having serotype 41. Although enteric adenovirus (group F) was the most frequently detected adenovirus among children with either CAD or HAD, the role of non-enteric adenoviruses, especially the adenovirus 31 type (19.7%), cannot be ignored in diarrheal children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In 2010 the Beijing Municipal Government promulgated a policy aimed at improving the quality of life and subjective well-being of elderly residents that included a component focused on mental health. Aim: Identify factors associated with subjective well-being in a representative sample of elderly residents of Xi Cheng District in Beijing. Methods: This cross-sectional study administered a self-completion survey to a stratified random sample of 2342 residents of Xi Cheng District who were 60 to 80 years of age. The level of well-being was assessed using a validated Chinese version of the Memorial University of Newfoundland Scale of Happiness (MUNSH). Detailed socioeconomic variables were obtained using a questionnaire developed by the authors. Social support, anxiety, and depression were assessed using validated Chinese versions of the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS). Results: Among the 2342 respondents, 1616 (69.0%) had a total MUNSH score of 32 or above, indicating a high level of happiness; 423 (18.1%) has a total SSRS score 32 or below, indicating poor social support; 201 (8.6%) had a total SDS score of 53 or above, indicating significant depression; and 126 (5.3%) had a total SAS score of 50 or above, indicating significant anxiety. In the multivariate regression analysis the self-reported level of depression was the most important factor related to well-being. Anxiety, social support, income level, the quality of family relationships, the ability to self-regulate emotions, and regular exercise were also significantly related to well-being; but gender, marital status, age and educational level were not associated with well-being. Conclusion: Among elderly urban residents in Beijing, self-reports of poor subjective well-being are closely associated with self-reports of depressive and anxiety symptoms and also associated with social factors such as social support, income level and family relationships. Prospective studies are needed to identify the causal relationships of these variables and, based on the findings, to develop targeted interventions aimed at improving the quality of life and well-being of elderly community members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eur J Clin Invest 2011; 41 (9): 929-936 Abstract Background Some cardiovascular risk factors such as age, hypertension and diabetes have been confirmed to be positively correlated with arterial stiffness. However, the relationship between serum lipids and arterial stiffness is incompletely understood. Recent studies have been far from conclusive and consistent data were not obtained. We investigated the relationship between serum lipids and pulse wave velocity (PWV) in community-dwelling individuals in Beijing, China. Methods This was a population-based, cross-sectional sample of adults ( n = 2375; 48·1% men; age range, 40-96 years) from two communities in Beijing. A questionnaire was used for the risk factors of arterial stiffness. Anthropometry, blood pressure and heart rate were measured. Values of fasting plasma glucose (FPG), serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and uric acid were measured. Carotid-femoral PWV (cfPWV) and carotid-radial PWV (crPWV) were assessed non-invasively. Results Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity was significantly positively related to TC ( r = 0·221; P < 0·0001), LDL-C ( r = 0·193; P < 0·0001) and inversely related to HDL-C ( r = −0·240; P < 0·0001), but not with TG ( r = 0·073; P = 0·6721). crPWV was inversely related to HDL-C ( r = −0·272; P < 0·0001), but not with TC ( r = 0·007; P = 0·4781), LDL-C ( r = 0·021; P = 0·6393) or TG ( r = 0·008; P = 0·2498). The multiple regression analysis showed that LDL-C was independently associated with cfPWV and that HDL-C was inversely associated with cfPWV and crPWV. TC and TG were not independently related to cfPWV and crPWV. Conclusions These data show the correlation between some of the parameters of serum lipids and arterial stiffness. LDL-C was independently associated with aortic stiffness, and HDL-C was independently inversely associated with aortic stiffness and peripheral stiffness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earth observation is an effective technique that plays an important role in earthquake damage reduction and reconstruction. This paper introduces the results of dynamic analysis on monitoring and assessing heavily impacted areas affected by the Wenchuan Earthquake using remote sensing data acquired in the past 3 years from 2008 to 2010. Immediately after the disaster on 12 May 2008, the Chinese Academy of Sciences launched a project entitled 'Wenchuan Earthquake Disasters Monitoring and Assessment Using Remote Sensing Technology.' More than 400 images from 17 satellites and 20.2TB airborne remote sensing data were acquired to facilitate quick monitoring and evaluation of severely damaged areas in 14 counties. Results of the image analyses were forwarded on a timely basis to assist with consultative service and decision-making support. In subsequent years, in order to monitor the process of environmental restoration and reconstruction, airborne optical remote sensing images covering most of the severely damaged areas were again acquired in May 2009 and April 2010. These images were analyzed and compared along with images from 2008. Results were useful in support of further work on environmental protection and reconstruction in earthquake-damaged areas. Three typical areas were selected for illustrative purposes including Tangjiashan Barrier Lake, Beichuan County, and counties of Yingxiu and the new Beichuan. These results well demonstrate the importance and effectiveness of the utility of earth observation for disaster mitigation and reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental factors play an important role in the development of ulcerative colitis (UC). However, only few studies have examined the effects of air pollution on UC occurrence. We conducted a time–series analysis to explore the association between short-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) and outpatient visits for UC in Beijing, China. In total, 84,000 outpatient visits for UC were retrieved from the Beijing Medical Claim Data for Employees between January 1, 2010 and June 30, 2012. Measurements of daily PM 2.5 concentrations were obtained from the United States Embassy air-monitoring station. A generalized additive model with quasi-Poisson link was applied to examine the association between PM 2.5 concentrations and outpatient visits for UC stratified by sex, age, and season. We found that short-term exposure to PM 2.5 was significantly associated with increased daily outpatient visits for UC at lag 0 day. A 10 μg/m3 increase in PM 2.5 concentration at lag 0 day corresponded to a 0.32% increase in outpatient visits for UC (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.05–0.58%; P = 0.019). There was a clear concentration–response association between daily outpatient visits for UC and PM 2.5 concentrations. The PM 2.5 effects were significant across all sex and season subgroups, without evidence of effect modification by sex (P = 0.942) or season (P = 0.399). The association was positive in patients younger than 65 years old but negative in those 65 years old or older, although the difference was not significant (P = 0.883). In conclusion, our study demonstrated that short-term exposure to ambient PM 2.5 was significantly associated with an increased risk of daily outpatient visits for UC, especially in younger people. Additional studies are warranted to confirm our findings. • Significant associations were found between PM 2.5 and outpatient visits for UC. • There was a clear concentration–response association between the above two. • The PM 2.5 effect was positive in the cool season but negative in the warm season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Accurately determining seasonal change in bulk-density based waste identification. • Residual waste threshold was <114 kg/m3 with good seasonal homogeneity. • Food waste was divided into two: >193 and >211 kg/m3 in winter and summer. • Watermelon pericarp is the dominant subcomponent control of seasonal difference. • Efficiently separating the two wastes will be beneficial for resource recycling. Bulk density is an effective evaluation criterion for food and residual household solid waste (HSW) source separation accuracy, but the effect of seasonal components on its variation is unknown. The objective was to accurately determine seasonal variation in bulk-density based waste identification and to ascertain the dominant controlling subcomponents in food waste leading to seasonal variation. A total of 540 bagged wastes were collected in Beijing in August and December representing summer and winter half year. Low-valued food and residual waste were the primary categories, accounting for 60% and 35% of HSW, respectively. Average residual waste threshold was <114 kg/m3, irrespective of season, with good homogeneity (p =1.000). For food waste, winter thresholds were all lower than summer in investigated communities, appearing relatively seasonal difference (p =0.102), so they were divided into two: >193 kg/m3 in winter and >211 kg/m3 in summer. Mixed waste thresholds were 114-193 and 114-211 kg/m3 in winter and summer, respectively. Moreover, the pericarp moisture remarkably changes with season (p <0.005) while other subcomponents remain unaffected. Frequency distribution of pericarp species further indicate a higher frequency of watermelon pericarp in summer leads to greater food waste moisture than in winter, and therefore significant bulk density threshold differences between seasons. Understanding seasonal change in bulk density identification provides a theoretical basis for 'intelligent supervision trashcan' application in various climate areas across China, further realizing more efficient residual and food waste resource recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban rail transit (URT) systems are often regarded as the backbone of their respective city. The evolutionary features of URT systems have attracted much attention in recent years, but their evolution and their distinct function in contrast to other transit modes have seldom been investigated, especially quantitatively from the perspective of work–residence separation. Accordingly, we propose a framework for exploring the evolution of URT topological networks and demand-weighted networks, comparing the different impacts of all transit modes on work–residence separation. In this study, a URT passenger flow assignment model was formulated on the basis of travel cost function and an improved logit model was proposed that takes into account the heterogeneity of passengers. This model was used to generate a section load, which is regarded as a weight and able to reflect the residents' demand for travel by URT. Then, the fractal dimensions for a non-weighted network and demand-weighted network are proposed and their indications for transportation explained. Finally, the Beijing Subway System (BSS) is used as a case study by employing fifty years of network data and ten years of smart card data. Using fractal approaches, the different characteristics illustrated by the two networks were investigated and the reasons behind the observed patterns explained. In addition, the spatial features of the rail network, in terms of fractal indictors, were compared with population distribution and urban mobility for all modes, extracted from phone data as a proxy. Thus, the relationship between the residents' travel demand and traffic supply can be revealed to some extent. The main finding of this work is that demand must be taken into account when analyzing the fractal features of a transport network, lest the demand side be separated from the supply and important issues missed such as inconsistencies between demand and supply. Additionally, the role of rail transit in work–home imbalance can be investigated in the context of urban mobility for an entire city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to ongoing reductions in economic activity and anthropogenic emissions. Beijing was particular badly affected by lockdown measures during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has significantly reduced the CO2 emission and toxic air pollution (CO and NO2). We use column-averaged dry-air mole fractions of CO2 and CO (XCO2 and XCO) observed by a ground-based EM27/SUN Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS), the tropospheric NO2 column observed by MAX-DOAS and satellite remote sensing data (GOSAT and TROPOMI) to investigate the variations in anthropogenic CO2 emission related to COVID-19 lockdown in Beijing. The anomalies describe the spatio-temporal enhancement of gas concentration, which relates to the emission. Anomalies in XCO2 and XCO, and XNO2 (ΔXCO2, ΔXCO, and ΔXNO2) for ground-based measurements were calculated from the diurnal variability. Highly correlated daily XCO and XCO2 anomalies derived from FTS time series data provide the ΔXCO to ΔXCO2 ratio (the correlation slope). The ΔXCO to ΔXCO2 ratio in Beijing was lower in 2020 (8.2 ppb/ppm) than in 2019 (9.6 ppb/ppm). The ΔXCO to ΔXCO2 ratio originating from a polluted area was significantly lower in 2020. The reduction in anthropogenic CO2 emission was estimated to be 14.2% using FTS data. A comparable value reflecting the slowdown in growth of atmospheric CO2 over the same time period was estimated to be 15% in Beijing from the XCO2 anomaly from GOSAT, which was derived from the difference between the target area and the background area. The XCO anomaly from TROPOMI is reduced by 8.7% in 2020 compared with 2019, which is much smaller than the reduction in surface air pollution data (17%). Ground-based NO2 observation provides a 21.6% decline in NO2. The NO2 to CO2 correlation indicates a 38.2% decline in the CO2 traffic emission sector. Overall, the reduction in anthropogenic CO2 emission relating to COVID-19 lockdown in Beijing can be detected by the Bruker EM27/SUN Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) and MAX-DOAS in urban Beijing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background A review of the scientific literature concluded that indirect smear can improve detection of TB in sputum compared to direct smear. However few laboratories have access to centrifugation in order to perform indirect smear. This study investigated whether an alternative method of magnetic bead concentration could enhance diagnosis of TB in China in laboratories which only perform direct smear microscopy. Methods A total of 129 sputum samples were investigated by direct smear microscopy, microscopy after TB-Bead extraction and by solid and liquid culture. Results Direct smear had a sensitivity of 40% by Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) and 45% by auramine compared to combined culture results. After TB-Bead extraction, this increased to 65% for ZN and 70% for auramine. Conclusion Magnetic bead concentration of mycobacteria from sputum led to a significant improvement (p<0.05) in the sensitivity of microscopy compared with direct smear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Chinese Ka-band solid-state transmitter cloud radar (CR) was employed to investigate clouds and precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) in summer 2014. After performing quality control and merging the output from the three work modes of CR, the Doppler spectral density data were analyzed to estimate the vertical air motion (Vair) and particle fall speed (Vfall) in clouds. The reproduced radar reflectivity was employed to retrieve the ice water content (IWC) and ice effective radius (Re). The cloud type classification algorithm was developed to classify cloud conditions into eight different categories. The vertical and daily variations of reflectivity, Vair, Vfall, IWC, and Re were then analyzed, and as a result, four conclusions were formulated. First, the clouds with reflectivity less than −10 dBZ were mainly located above 7 km, and the precipitable particles were formed below this layer (rain echo top) due to the abundant supercooled water therein. Second, the weak updraft in the range of 2–4 km caused the high occurrence of weak clouds during 04:00–12:00 Beijing local time (BT), and the rain echo top did not exceed 7 km due to the existing downdraft in 4–6 km. After 14:00 BT, convective clouds quickly developed, and the averaged updraft, reflectivity, and the echo top notably increased. Third, particular cloud types commonly exhibited weak reflectivity, low IWC, and less vertical variations, while the others more obvious vertical variations with larger IWC and Re. Last, compared with the radar sensitivity and range from radar, Vair biases that were introduced by the Doppler spectra broadening due to turbulence, wind shear, and radar beam width, could be neglected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The values of ratio a of the linear relationship between specific attenuation and specific differential phase vary significantly in convective storms as a result of resonance scattering. The best-linear-fit ratio a at X band is determined using the modified attenuation correction algorithm based on differential phase and attenuation, as well as the premise that reflectivity is unattenuated in S band radar detection. Meanwhile, the systemic reflectivity bias between the X band radar and S band radar and water layer attenuation (ZW) on the wet antenna cover of the X band radar are also considered. The good performance of the modified correction algorithm is demonstrated in a moderate rainfall event. The data were collected by four X band dual-polarization (X-POL) radar sites, namely, BJXCP, BJXFS, BJXSY, and BJXTZ, and a China's New Generation Weather Radar (CINRAD/SA radar) site, BJSDX, in Beijing on 20 July 2016. Ratio a is calculated for each volume scan of the X band radar, with a mean value of 0.26 dB deg−1 varying from 0.20 to 0.31 dB deg−1. The average values of systemic reflectivity bias between the X band radar (at BJXCP, BJXFS, BJXSY, and BJXTZ) and S band radar (at BJSDX) are 0, −3, 2, and 0 dB, respectively. The experimentally determined ZW is in substantial agreement with the theoretically calculated ones, and their values are an order of magnitude smaller than rain attenuation. The comparison of the modified attenuation correction algorithm and the empirical-fixed-ratio correction algorithm is further evaluated at the X-POL radar. It is shown that the modified attenuation correction algorithm in the present paper provides higher correction accuracy for rain attenuation than the empirical-fixed-ratio correction algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The millimeter-wave cloud radar, ceilometer, and disdrometer have been widely used to observe clouds and precipitation. However, there are some drawbacks when those three instruments are solely employed due to their own limitations, such as the fact that radars usually suffer from signal attenuation and ceilometers/disdrometers cannot provide measurements of the hydrometeors of aloft clouds and precipitation. Thus, in this paper, we developed an integrated technology by combining and utilizing the advantages of three instruments together to investigate the vertical structure and diurnal variation of warm clouds and precipitation, and the raindrop size distribution. Specifically, the technology consists of appropriate data processing, quality control, and retrieval methods. It was implemented to study the warm clouds and precipitation in South China during the pre-flood season of 2016. The results showed that the hydrometeors of warm clouds and precipitation were mainly distributed below 2.5 km and most of the rainfall events were very light with a rain rate less than 1 mm h−1, however, the stronger precipitation primarily contributed the accumulated rain amount. Furthermore, a rising trend of cloud base height from 1000 to 1900 BJT was found. The cloud top height and cloud thickness gradually increased from 1200 BJT to reach a maximum at 1600 BJT (Beijing Standard Time, UTC+8), and then decreased until 2000 BJT. Also, three periods of the apparent rainfall on the ground of the day, namely, 0400–0700 BJT, 1400–1800 BJT, and 2300–2400 BJT were observed. During three periods, the raindrops had wider size spectra, higher number concentrations, larger rain rates, and higher water contents than at other times. The hydrometeor type, size, and concentration were gradually changed in the vertical orientation. The raindrop size distributions of warm precipitation in the air and on the ground were different, which can be expressed by γ distributions N(D) = 1.49 × 104D−0.9484exp(−6.79D) in the air and N(D) = 1.875 × 103D0.862exp(−2.444D) on the ground, where D and N(D) denote the diameter and number concentration of the raindrops, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Data from 64 coxsackievirus A6 (CVA6) samples from 2010 to 2016 were examined. • CVA6s in Beijing changed from the previous D2 sub-genotype to the D3 sub-genotype in 2013. • Three CVA6 variants – RF-A, J and L – have been prevalent in Beijing since 2013. • The recombination regions of RF-J and RF-L were different. To investigate why coxsackievirus A6 (CVA6) has replaced enterovirus A71 (EV71) and coxsackievirus A16 (CVA16), which used to be the most predominant etiological agents, for hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in children in Beijing, China. Sixty-four CVA6-positive samples were identified from 2010 to 2016 and selected for whole genome sequence amplification and analysis. It was demonstrated that the whole genome sequences of CVA6s in this study were 7432–7435 nucleotides in length, and the different lengths were only in the 5′UTR region. The phylogenetic tree analysis of the full-length VP1 region of CVA6s indicated that the prevalent CVA6s in Beijing changed from the previous D2 sub-genotype to the D3 sub-genotype in 2013. In this study, two recombinant forms (RFs)– RF-C and RF-D – of CVA6 mainly appeared in 2010 and 2011. Since 2013, three recombinant CVA6 variants – RF-A, J and L – have been prevalent in children with HFMD in Beijing. The recombination region of RF-J was located at the 2C region, while RF-L had a new recombination point in the 3D region. The recombination of prevalent CVA6s in Beijing from 2013 to 2016 occurred within non-capsid regions of the genome, especially the P2 and P3 regions. The sub-genotype change and recombination of CVA6s indicated from this study may explain why CVA6 has become the predominant pathogen causing HFMD since 2013. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: A reliable biomarker for optimal selenium (Se) intake in lactating women is not currently available.Methods and Study Design: Daily dietary Se intake in lactating women was calculated from a 24-hour meal record survey for over 3 days. Se levels in plasma and breast milk were measured through inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Plasma selenoprotein P 1 levels and glutathione peroxidase 3 activity were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to analyze proteinaceous Se species in enzymatically digested breast milk.Results: Dietary Se intakes of lactating women from Liangshan, Beijing, and Enshi were 41.6±21.2 ng/d, 51.1±22.6 ng/d, and 615±178 ng/d, respectively (p<0.05). The Se levels in the blood and breast milk were significantly associated with the dietary Se intake (p<0.05). The proteinaceous Se species in breast milk were SeMet and SeCys2. The levels of SeMet in the lactating women from Liangshan, Beijing, and Enshi were 3.31±2.44 ng Se/mL, 7.34±3.70 ng Se/mL, and 8.99±9.64 ng Se/mL, while that of SeCys2 were 13.7±12.0 ng Se/mL, 35.6±20.9 ng Se/mL, and 57.4±13.2 ng Se/mL, respectively. Notably, the concentration of SeCys2, the metabolite of unstable SeCys, reached a saturation platform, whereas no similar phenomenon were found for the total Se SeMet from Secontaining proteins.Conclusions: SeCys2 in breast milk is a potential biomarker for determining the optimal Se intake in lactating women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relapses frequently occur following CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell treatment for relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphocytic leukaemia in children. We aimed to assess the activity and safety of sequential CD19-directed and CD22-directed CAR T-cell treatments. This single-centre, single-arm, phase 2 trial, done at Beijing GoBroad Boren Hospital, Beijing, China, included patients aged 1–18 years who had relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphocytic leukaemia with CD19 and CD22 positivity greater than 95% and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0–2. Patients were initially infused with CD19-directed CAR T cells intravenously, followed by CD22-directed CAR T-cell infusion after minimal residual disease-negative complete remission (or complete remission with incomplete haematological recovery) was reached and all adverse events (except haematological adverse events) were grade 2 or better. The target dose for each infusion was 0·5 × 106 to 5·0 × 106 cells per kg. The primary endpoint was objective response rate at 3 months after the first infusion. Secondary endpoints were duration of remission, event-free survival, disease-free survival, overall survival, safety, pharmacokinetics, and B-cell quantification. The prespecified activity analysis included patients who received the target dose and the safety analysis included all treated patients. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT04340154 , and enrolment has ended. Between May 28, 2020, and Aug 16, 2022, 81 participants were enrolled, of whom 31 (38%) were female and 50 (62%) were male. Median age was 8 years (IQR 6–10), all patients were Asian. All 81 patients received the first infusion and 79 (98%) patients received sequential infusions, CD19-directed CAR T cells at a median dose of 2·7 × 106 per kg (IQR 1·1 × 106 to 3·7 × 106) and CD22-directed CAR T cells at a median dose of 2·2 × 106 per kg (1·1 × 106 to 3·7 × 106), with a median interval of 39 days (37–41) between the two infusions. 62 (77%) patients received the target dose, including two patients who did not receive CD22 CAR T cells. At 3 months, 60 (97%, 95% CI 89–100) of the 62 patients who received the target dose had an objective response. Median follow-up was 17·7 months (IQR 11·4–20·9). 18-month event-free survival for patients who received the target dose was 79% (95% CI 66–91), duration of remission was 80% (68–92), and disease-free survival was 80% (68–92) with transplantation censoring; overall survival was 96% (91–100). Common adverse events of grade 3 or 4 between CD19-directed CAR T-cell infusion and 30 days after CD22-directed CAR T-cell infusion included cytopenias (64 [79%] of 81 patients), cytokine release syndrome (15 [19%]), neurotoxicity (four [5%]), and infections (five [6%]). Non-haematological adverse events of grade 3 or worse more than 30 days after CD22-directed CAR T-cell infusion occurred in six (8%) of 79 patients. No treatment-related deaths occurred. CAR T-cell expansion was observed in all patients, with a median peak at 9 days (IQR 7–14) after CD19-directed and 12 days (10–15) after CD22-directed CAR T-cell infusion. At data cutoff, 35 (45%) of 77 evaluable patients had CAR transgenes and 59 (77%) had B-cell aplasia. This sequential strategy induced deep and sustained responses with an acceptable toxicity profile, and thus potentially provides long-term benefits for children with this condition. The National Key Research & Development Program of China, the CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences (CIFMS), and the Non-Profit Central Research Institute Fund of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. For the Chinese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the Tiantan International Stroke Conference (TISC) 2007 which was held in Beijing, China from June 29 to July 1, 2007. More than 5,000 participants attended the conference and was hosted by different organizations including the World Stroke Organisation (WSO) and Beijing Tiantan Hospital. The Vice Dean of Tiantan Hospital Yongjiun Wang summarized Tiantan Hospital's great achievements in basic and clinical research as well as its 2006 therapeutic intervention.

Concurrent screening has been proven to provide a comprehensive approach for management of congenital deafness and prevention of ototoxicity. The SLC26A4 gene is associated with late-onset hearing loss and is of great clinical concern. For much earlier detection of newborns with deafnesscausing mutations in the SLC26A4 gene, the Beijing Municipal Government launched a chip for optimized genetic screening of 15 variants of 4 genes causing deafness based on a chip to screen for 9 variants of 4 genes, and 6 variants of the SLC26A4 gene have now been added. To ascertain the advantage of a screening chip including 15 variants of 4 genes, the trends in concurrent hearing and genetic screening were analyzed in 2019 and 2020. Subjects were 76,460 newborns who underwent concurrent hearing and genetic screening at 24 maternal and child care centers in Beijing from January 2019 to December 2020. Hearing screening was conducted using transiently evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs), distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE), or the automated auditory brainstem response (AABR). Dried blood spots were collected for genetic testing and 15 variants of 4 genes, namely GJB2, SLC26A4, mtDNA 12S rRNA, and GJB3, were screened for using a DNA microarray platform. The initial referral rate for hearing screening decreased from 3.60% (1,502/41,690) in 2019 to 3.23% (1,124/34,770) in 2020, and the total referral rate for hearing screening dropped form 0.57% (236/41,690) in 2019 to 0.54% (187/34,770) in 2020, indicating the reduced false positive rate of newborn hearing screening and policies to prevent hearing loss conducted by the Beijing Municipal Government have had a significant effect. Positivity according to genetic screening was similar in 2019 (4.970%, 2,072/41,690) and 2020 (4.863%,1,691/34,770), and the most frequent mutant alleles were c.235 del C in the GJB2 gene, followed by c.919-2 A > G in the SLC26A4 gene, and c.299 del AT in the GJB2 gene. In this cohort study, 71.43% (5/7) of newborns with 2 variants of the SLC26A4 gene were screened for newly added mutations, and 28.57% (2/7) of newborns with 2 variants of the SLC26A4 gene passed hearing screening, suggesting that a screening chip including 15 variants of 4 genes was superior at early detection of hearing loss, and especially in early identification of newborns with deafness-causing mutations in the SLC26A4 gene. These findings have clinical significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human adenovirus serotype 41 (HAdV-F41) is an important pathogen that causes diarrhea in children. However, the data on its molecular genetic characteristics and evolutionary history are still neither comprehensive nor sufficient. Four capsid protein genes from 58 HAdV-F41-positive specimens taken from diarrheal children in Beijing during 2010–2019 were amplified and analyzed. Variant amino acids in the hexon gene (18 sites) and short fiber gene (4 sites) clustered these strains into two clades and four subclades. The deletion of 15 amino acids found in the gene seemed to have little effect on the genomic strain cluster same as to penton gene. The HAdV-F41 strains had high diversity, as assessed from the intraspecific recombination of hexon, short fiber and long fiber. The molecular evolutionary rate of HAdV-F41's concatenated genes was 4.07 × 10−5 substitutions/site/year, and it diverged from the most recent common ancestor in 1720. Apart from in the penton gene, positive selection codons were predicted in the other three genes, which may play a synergistic role in the evolution of HAdV-F41. These results provide new insights for understanding the characteristics of infectivity and developing vectors and vaccine vehicles for HAdV-F41. • High diversity in the HAdV-41 strains circulating in Beijing. • Amino acid substitutions were mainly located on the hexon and short fiber genes. • Two types of the 15 amino acid deletions displayed in the shaft of long fiber. • The molecular evolutionary rate of HAdV-41 was 4.07 × 10−5 substitutions/site/year. • HAdV-41 diverged from the most recent common ancestor in 1720. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The oxazolidinones exhibited in vitro activity against the rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) reference strains. • Tedizolid showed the strongest activity against Mycobacterium abscessus isolates with MIC 90 =2 μg/ml. • Delpazolid presented the best activity against Mycobacterium fortuitum isolates. The natural resistance of rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) to multiple antibiotics renders the treatment of the infections caused less successful. The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro susceptibilities of four oxazolidinones against different RGM species. The microplate alamarBlue assay was performed to identify the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of four oxazolidinones – delpazolid, sutezolid, tedizolid, and linezolid – for 32 reference strains and 115 clinical strains of different RGM species. The MIC breakpoint concentration was defined as 16 μg/ml for linezolid. Next, the gene fragments associated with oxazolidinone resistance were amplified and sequenced, and mutations were defined in contrast with the sequences of the reference strains. Tedizolid showed the strongest inhibitory activity against the Mycobacterium abscessus isolates. Delpazolid exhibited better antimicrobial activity against the Mycobacterium fortuitum isolates when compared to linezolid, with 4-fold lower MIC values. The protein alignment and structure-based analysis showed that there might be no correlation between oxazolidinone resistance and mutations in the rplC, rplD , and 23S rRNA genes in the tested RGM. Tedizolid had the strongest inhibitory activity against M. abscessus in vitro , while delpazolid presented the best inhibitory activity against M. fortuitum. This provides important insights into the potential clinical application of oxazolidinones to treat RGM infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel two-axis solar tracker with parallel mechanism is proposed in this paper. A dynamic model is derived by using the virtual work principle and the consumed energy including the mechanical energy and motor energy loss is computed. Taking Beijing as the working location of the solar tracker, the energy consumptions of the parallel solar tracker and its corresponding serial solar tracker are compared based on the premise that the proposed solar tracker and its corresponding serial solar tracker have similar static stiffness. Mechanical energy consumption of the proposed tracker is reduced by 7.55% compared to the serial solar tracker. The motor energy loss of the parallel solar tracker is also significantly lower. This simple and low-energy consumption solar tracker is a good alternative to the traditional solar tracker with large energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extreme high temperature weather event caused by global warming has increased the risk of urban electric power supply. Critical risk determination method is useful to the system risk prevention and adaptive strategy formulation. Based on analyzing the failure mechanism of power supply under heat wave impact, the paper put forward the method framework of energy-flow network on electric power system risk evaluation. There are three parts in the framework including energy-flow chart analysis of power supply and consumption, establishment and network analysis of Gephi visualization network, and matrix diagram evaluation of node importance. The visualized network of power system with different years and electricity input from external area were established and compared in the case study of Beijing in China. The analysis results showed that the network structure stability of the power system decreased slightly, which was due to the node energy flow becoming high imbalance such as power input from external area, local power generation and energy consumption. For risk prevention, power infrastructures should focus on the high-voltage transmission and distribution facilities and 500 kV hub substations. Meanwhile, to electric power generation and supply, natural gas supply and power supply from Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region played the key roles. And power consumption should focus on the tertiary industry and living consumption. • Energy-flow chart of power system was transformed into network by Gephi. • Node importance was evaluate by matrix diagram with node degree and edge weight. • Electric power system of Beijing was analyzed and discussed. • Energy-flow imbalance of system components reduced network system stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution affects the pathophysiology of gastrointestinal tract and has been linked to several gastrointestinal diseases in recent years. However, little is known about the association of air pollution with peptic ulcer bleeding (PUB). We aimed to conduct a time-series study to examine the association between short-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) and emergency admissions for PUB in Beijing, China. Data on emergency admissions for PUB between January 1, 2010, and June 30, 2012 were obtained from the Beijing Medical Claim Data for Employees. Measurements of PM 2.5 concentration were obtained from the United States Embassy air-monitoring station. A generalized additive Poisson model was applied to explore the association between PM 2.5 concentrations and emergency admissions for PUB, with stratification by gender and age. A total of 5123 emergency admissions for PUB were identified. Short-term exposure to outdoor PM 2.5 was significantly associated with increased emergency admissions for PUB at lag0 day. A 10 μg/m3 increase in PM 2.5 concentration at lag0 day corresponded to a 0.56% (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.04%–1.08%; P = 0.035) increase in emergency admissions for PUB. There was a clear concentration-response association between PM 2.5 concentrations and emergency admissions for PUB. The PM 2.5 effect estimates were greater in elderly people (≥65 years old) with the difference approaching statistical significance (percentage change 0.78, 95% CI 0.03%–1.54% in patients ≥65 years old; percentage change 0.32, 95% CI -0.38%–1.03% in patients <65 years old; P = 0.073), but the difference between men and women was not significant (percentage change 0.75, 95% CI 0.08%–1.43% in man; percentage change 0.27, 95% CI -0.51%–1.07% in woman; P = 0.368). Short-term elevation in outdoor PM 2.5 concentrations was associated with increased emergency admissions for PUB, particularly in elderly people. Future studies are warranted to confirm the findings and elucidate the mechanisms underlying the association. • Air pollution may contribute to the onset of peptic ulcer bleeding (PUB). • Significant associations were found between PM 2.5 and emergency admissions for PUB. • There was a clear concentration-response association between PM 2.5 and PUB risk. • The PM 2.5 effect estimates were greater in elderly people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Human bocavirus (HBoV) genotypes 1–4 have been detected worldwide in respiratory samples and stool samples, and are increasingly associated with respiratory and intestinal infections of previously unknown etiology in young children. Several studies revealed evidence of extensive recombination among HBoV genotypes at the NP1 and VP1 gene boundary region. This study explored the prevalence of HBoV genotypes in pediatric patients in Beijing, and studied their phylogeny. Methods A total of 4941 respiratory specimens and 1121 fecal specimens were collected from pediatric patients with respiratory infections from January 2006 to December 2013, or with acute diarrhea from October 2010 to December 2012. Conventional PCR was used to detect HBoV1–4 within these samples. Gene fragments at the NP1 and VP1 gene boundary were amplified from HBoV-positive specimens, sequenced, and their phylogenetic inferences constructed using MEGA 6.0 software. Recombination events were identified with SimPlot software. Results Human bocavirus 1, 2, and 3 were detected in 9 (0.80%), 15 (1.33%), and 1 (0.08%) of 1121 stool samples, respectively. However, only HBoV1 (82, 1.65%) was detected in respiratory specimens. Phylogenetic analysis of gene fragments at the HBoV NP1 and VP1 gene boundary indicated that HBoV1 sequences obtained from fecal or respiratory specimens across 8 years were highly conserved (99–100%), while 15 HBoV2 sequences collected across 2 years in Beijing were more diverse with up to 4.40% variation. Of the 15 HBoV2 sequences, 14 clustered into a new lineage divergent from other HBoV2 sequences in GenBank. Five HBoV2 genomic sequences were analyzed for recombination, revealing intra-genotype recombination between HBoV2A and HBoV2B. Conclusions More HBoV1 were detected in children with respiratory tract diseases, and HBoV2 in patients with acute diarrhea. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a new cluster of HBoV2 was prevalent in China, which may be the result of intra-genotype recombination between HBoV2A and HBoV2B. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]