Search

The study of phraseological units by foreign students at the stage of their professional education is an important means of enriching students ' speech, mastering the lexical norms of the Russian language. As you know, phraseological units can contain different parts of speech, but phraseological units with adjectives have the greatest expressiveness. This research is devoted to the linguodidactic problem of developing tasks for the use of phraseological units in the speech of foreign students. To successfully achieve the research goal, we used the continuous sampling method, the analysis method, the exercise method, and the observation method. Our task was to select phraseological units with adjectives and ask Chinese students to complete tasks. Some students do not know the meaning of phraseological units and the terms of their use. At the level of professional linguistic education, students should have a good command of this material. Unfortunately, due to the complexity of the material, the form of expression, and the specifics of historical and cultural features reflected in phraseology, many students were unable to correctly determine the meaning and conditions for using the proposed phraseology. We developed a system of exercises that helped students master phraseological units with adjectives, taking into account their functioning in artistic and colloquial speech. The results of our research are of interest to teachers of Russian as a foreign language and can be used in the practice of teaching foreign languages.

Copyright of Trans/Form/Ação is the property of Trans/Form/Acao and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Soil moisture patterns are crucial factors in gully bank erosion and may significantly vary depending on the water conditions before winter freezing. Rainfall events can evoke different moisture responses throughout the soil profile of gullies. However, the relative importance of prewinter conditions and rainfall events to the soil moisture responses of gully banks in seasonally frozen regions remains unclear. In this study, a field infiltration experiment of a gully bank with four prewinter soil moisture regimes and three replicates was conducted in October 2017 in the Mollisol region of China. We aimed to elucidate the temporal variations in moisture responses under different prewinter water treatments at various distances to the gully bank after three representative rainfall events in 2018. The response magnitude (Δs) varied widely and was largest in the intermediate layers (30-50 cm) for wetter prewinter regimes (i.e., HI and MED) but was larger in the upper soil layers (0-30 cm) for drier prewinter regimes (i.e., CK and LO). In contrast to the findings of other studies, we found that the relative influences of prewinter conditions and rainfall events on the soil moisture responses varied with soil depth and distance to the gully edge. The soil moisture response increased with rainfall depth, and the effect of prewinter conditions dominated until the end of the rainy season (August). The most important explanatory variables for the response magnitude (Δs) were rainfall events (46%), soil depth (10%), and prewinter conditions (7%). This study increases the understanding of the heterogeneity in soil moisture responses and the relationship to rainfall events under different prewinter conditions on gully banks in the Mollisol region. Understanding subsurface hydrological processes and identifying the relative importance of prewinter conditions and rainfall are beneficial for building gully bank erosion models for seasonally frozen regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pralsetinib has demonstrated efficacious activity in various solid tumors, including medullary thyroid cancer (MTC), as observed in the phase 1/2 global ARROW study (BLU-667-1101; NCT03037385). We evaluated the safety and efficacy of pralsetinib in Chinese patients with advanced RE7-mutant MTC. In the extension cohort of ARROW, adult patients with advanced MTC, who had not received systemic therapy (except for cytotoxic chemotherapy), were treated with pralsetinib (400 mg once daily, orally). The primary endpoints were blinded independent central-reviewed (BICR) objective response rate (ORR) and safety. Between October 9, 2019, and April 29, 2020, 34 patients were enrolled at 12 centers across China. Among them, 28 patients tested positive for RE7 mutations in the central laboratory, and 26 of these, with measurable disease at baseline per BICR, were included in the analysis set for tumor response. As of April 12, 2021 (data cutoff), the ORR was 73.1% (95% CI: 52.2-88.4), and the median duration of response was not reached. The most common (>15%) grade >3 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) in the 28 patients with RE7-mutant MTC were neutrophil count decreased (8/28, 28.6%), blood creatine phosphokinase increased (6/28, 21.4%), and lymphocyte count decreased (5/28, 17.9%). Serious TRAEs were reported by six patients (21.4%), with the most common event being pneumonia (3/28, 10.7%). No patient discontinued treatment or died from pralsetinib-related adverse events. Pralsetinib demonstrated broad, deep, and durable efficacy, as well as a manageable and acceptable safety profile in Chinese patients with advanced RE7-mutant MTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PhD graduates play an important role in the national innovation system. However, only a few studies have explored Chinese PhD graduates' employment and development prospects because of limited data. To fill in this gap, this study conducted a survey of doctoral recipients in 13 Chinese universities. The authors drew on the national survey data and in-depth interviews to critically analyze the PhD graduates' job preferences, employment outcomes, and factors that affect their employment sectors. Results indicate a notable difference between the graduates' job preferences and their employment outcomes. The proportion of employment in academia is substantially below expected, particularly among female graduates. This study specifically focuses on the impact of gender and scientific output (including articles and patents) on the employment outcomes of PhD graduates. Compared with graduates employed by the non-academic sectors, male graduates have a lower probability of employment in universities and research institutions. Compared with those working in enterprises, PhD graduates employed in universities and research institutions published more during their doctoral study. For graduates who majored in science, engineering, and agricultural sciences, having patents increases their probability of working in the enterprises.

Introduction: Forage culture is a common way to restore degraded grasslands and soil functions, in which the reconstruction of the soil microbial community and its relationship with extracellular enzyme activity (EEAs) can characterize the recovery effects of degraded grasslands. However, the impacts of forage culture on the interaction between soil microbes and EEAs and whether the recovery effect of soil functions depends on the varying degradation statuses remain unclear. Methods: We conducted a plantation of a dominant grass, Leymus chinensis, in the soil collected from severe, moderate, light, and non-degradation statuses in the Songnen grassland in northeastern China. We measured soil microbial diversity and soil EEAs, and predicted microbial functional groups using FUNGuild. Results: The results showed that L. chinensis culture promoted soil bacterial alpha diversity and soil EEAs only in the moderate degradation status, indicating a dramatic dependence of the recovery effects of the grass culture on degradation status of the grassland. After planting L. chinensis for 10weeks, a decreasing trend in the chemoheterotrophy and nitrate-reduction microbial functional groups was found. In contrast, the abundance of the nitrogen (N)-fixing microbial functional group tended to increase. The positive correlation between soil EEAs and the nitratereduction and N-fixing microbial functional groups was enhanced by planting L. chinensis, indicating that grass culture could promote soil N cycle functions. Conclusion: We illuminate that grass culture may promote the restoration of soil functions, especially soil N cycling in degraded grasslands, and the recovery effect may depend on the grassland degradation status. We emphasized that selection of the plant species for restoration of grasslands needs to consider the restoration effects of microbial functional groups and soil functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of bilirubin on the outcomes of colorectal cancer (CRC) in patients who underwent radical CRC surgery. The levels of serum bilirubin, including total bilirubin (TBil), direct bilirubin (DBil) and indirect bilirubin (IBil), were divided into higher groups and lower groups according to the median. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to analyze the independent predictors for overall complications and major complications. For TBil, the hospitalization time of the higher TBil group was longer than that of the lower TBil group (p = 0.014 < 0.05). For DBil, the higher DBil group had longer operation times (p < 0.01), more intraoperative bleeding (p < 0.01), longer hospital stays (p < 0.01), and higher rates of overall complications (p < 0.01) and major complications (p = 0.021 < 0.05) than the lower DBil group. For the IBil group, blood loss during operation (p < 0.01) and hospital stays (p = 0.041 < 0.05) in the higher IBil group were lower than those in the lower IBil group. In terms of complications, we found that DBil was an independent predictor for overall complications (p < 0.01, OR = 1.036, 95% CI = 1.014-1.058) and major complications (p = 0.043, HR= 1.355, 95% CI= 1.009-1.820). Higher preoperative DBil increase the risk of complications after primary CRC surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) has become a major public health burden in China. A more stable method is needed to reflect the different stages of renal function impairment. We aimed to determine the possible practicability of machine learning (ML)-based multimodal MRI texture analysis (mMRI-TA) for assessing renal function in DN. Methods: For this retrospective study, 70 patients (between 1 January 2013 and 1 January 2020) were included and randomly assigned to the training cohort (n1 = 49) and the testing cohort (n2 = 21). According to the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), patients were assigned into the normal renal function (normal-RF) group, the non-severe renal function impairment (non-sRI) group, and the severe renal function impairment (sRI) group. Based on the largest coronal image of T2WI, the speeded up robust features (SURF) algorithm was used for texture feature extraction. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and relief and recursive feature elimination (RFE) were applied to select the important features and then support vector machine (SVM), logistic regression (LR), and random forest (RF) algorithms were used for the model construction. The values of area under the curve (AUC) on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were used to assess their performance. The robust T2WI model was selected to construct a multimodal MRI model by combining the measured BOLD (blood oxygenation level-dependent) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) values. Results: The mMRI-TA model achieved robust and excellent performance in classifying the sRI group, non-sRI group, and normal-RF group, with an AUC of 0.978 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.963, 0.993), 0.852 (95% CI: 0.798, 0.902), and 0.972 (95% CI: 0.995, 1.000), respectively, in the training cohort and 0.961 (95% CI: 0.853, 1.000), 0.809 (95% CI: 0.600, 0.980), and 0.850 (95% CI: 0.638, 0.988), respectively, in the testing cohort. Discussion: The model built from multimodal MRI on DN outperformed other models in assessing renal function and fibrosis. Compared to the single T2WI sequence, mMRI-TA can improve the performance in assessing renal function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Global climate change can affect the sensitivity of tree radial growth to climate factors, but the specific responses of tree radial growth to microclimate along the altitudinal gradient in the long term are still unclear. Methods: In this study, the tree-ring width chronologies of Pinus tabuliformis Carr. in Shanxi Province of China were studied at three altitude gradients (1200-1300 m (low altitude), 1300-1400 m (medium altitude) and 1400-1500 m (high altitude)) during 1958-2017. Results: The results showed that (1) the climate background could be divided into two periods based on the Mann-Kendall test analysis: 1958-1996 was a stable period (mean annual temperature (MAT)=10.25°C, mean annual precipitation (MAP)=614.39 mm), and 1997-2017 was a rapid change period (MAT=10.91°C, MAP=564.70 mm), indicating a warming and drying trend in the study region. (2) The radial growth of P. tabuliformis at different altitudes showed inconsistent variation patterns. The tree radial growth at low and medium altitudes (CV=27.01% for low altitude and CV=24.69% for medium altitude) showed larger variation amplitudes during the rapid change period than that in the stable period (CV=12.40% for low altitude and CV=18.42% for medium altitude). In contrast to the increasing trend, the tree radial growth rates at the high altitude showed a decreasing trend across years. (3) In the stable period, the radial growth of P. tabuliformis at the low altitude showed a significantly negative response to temperature and a positive response to precipitation in May and June. The tree radial growth at the medium altitude was positively related to precipitation in June and minimum temperature in February. The tree growth at the high altitude was mainly positively correlated with the temperature in May and August. In the rapid change period, the radial growth of P. tabuliformis at the low altitude was affected by more meteorological factors than that in the stable period. Medium-altitude trees were positively influenced by precipitation in June and minimum temperature in January, whereas high-altitude trees responded positively to wind speed in February. (4) Along altitudinal gradients, tree radial growth was more related to temperature than precipitation in the stable period. The tree radial growth at the high altitude during the rapid change period was only affected by wind speed in February, whereas the tree radial growth at low and medium altitudes was mainly affected by temperature to a similar extent during the two periods. Discussion: The study indicated that tree growth-climate response models could help deeply understand the impact of climate change on tree growth adaptation and would be beneficial for developing sustainable management policies for forest ecosystems in the transition zone from warm-temperate to subtropical climates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) in school-age children, to identify the extent to which altitude affects the prevalence of the disease, and to examine trends in prevalence over time in China. Methods: Seven databases were systematically searched and last retrieved on September 10, 2021 for all studies reporting the prevalence of CHD in children after 1970 in China, which were then divided into high and low altitude regions based on 2500 meters above sea level. The random-effected model was used to combine prevalence data and subgroups analysis. The baseline data of all cases and individuals were used for comparison to calculate the odds ratio (OR) for overall and different altitude prevalence. Results: A total of 12,926,083 individuals (aged 3-18 years), with 31,835 cases from 86 studies, were included in the analysis. The pooled CHD prevalence of total children was 4.69 [95% confidence interval (CI): 4.10 to 5.29] per 1000 children. Overall, temporal trends analysis indicated that the prevalence of CHD in children continuously decreased with time, from 6.19 (95% CI: 4.50 to 7.88) per 1000 children in 1976-1985 to 3.30 (95% CI: 2.49; 4.38) per 1000 children in 2016-2021. The OR for the prevalence of CHD in children from high and low altitudes with baseline data was 2.84 (95% CI: 2.48 to 3.27) and 1.31 (95% CI: 1.13 to 1.53) (χ² = 53.89, p < 0.01), respectively. The OR of the prevalence of CHD in male children compared to females was 0.60 (95% CI: 0.53 to 0.68) at high altitudes and 0.79 (95% CI: 0.71 to 0.89) at low altitudes. Among the seven most common subtypes, patent ductus arteriosus was the most common at high altitudes, while atrial septal defects were the most common at low altitudes. Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights for further disease prevention and etiological exploration. The overall decreasing trend in the prevalence of CHD in children over time may indicate a positive effect of perinatal management and treatment during infancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As one of the most common causes of stroke, symptomatic intracranial artery stenosis (sICAS) is a great threat to public health, and its financial burden is substantial, with annual direct high medical costs particularly in China. Currently, the long-term use of conventional dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) as the primary modality of treatment for sICAS decreases the risk of stroke recurrence but increases the risk of bleeding. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of low dose aspirin plus clopidogrel for the treatment of sICAS in the elderly population. Methods: This randomized, controlled study included 181 older patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) or ischemic stroke (IS) attributed to sICAS, who were recruited between April 2015 and November 2020. The 90 patients assigned to the low dose therapy group included aspirin, 75mg, plus clopidogrel, 50mg, daily for 90 and 91 patients assigned to the conventional group included aspirin, 100mg, plus clopidogrel, 75mg, daily for 90 days (aspirin or clopidogrel alone daily thereafter) were included in this intention-to-treat analysis. Efficacy and safety analyses were done in this trial. Results: One hundred eighty-one eligible elderly patients with sICAS were enrolled in this trial. The median age was 70 years ranged 60-83 years. Seventy-five participants were with TIA and 106 with IS. The median time of follow-up was 30 months ranged 1-36 months. Ninety patients were assigned randomly to the low dose group and 91 patients to the conventional group. The rate of primary, secondary and composite efficacy were not significantly different between the low dose and conventional group (P > 0.05). The rate of composite safety outcome was 7.8% (7/90) in the low dose group, which was lower than 17.6% (16/91) in the conventional group (χ² = 3.921, P = 0.048). At the time of last follow-up, 17 (9.4%) of 181 patients developed GI injuries, which occurred in four (4.4%) of 90 patients in the low dose group and in 13 (14.3%) of 91 patients in the conventional group (χ² = 4.058, P = 0.044). The primary efficacy outcome occurred in six (18.2%) of 33 patients with severe sICAS and in 22 (38.6%) of 57 patients with moderate sICAS (χ² = 4.064, P = 0.044) in the low dose group. Conclusion: In this study, the safety of lowdose aspirin combined with clopidogrel proved to be equally efficient and significantly safer than those of conventional dose within 24months in elderly patients with sICAS.However, the small size of this study limits the validity of the results. Further larger longitudinal and randomized controlled trials are necessary to evaluate the role of low dose DAPT in the patients with sICAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco) is a freshwater fish with high economic value in eastern China. Nevertheless, pathogens causing bacterial diseases in P. fulvidraco have brought about huge economic loss and high mortality in artificial aquaculture. For disease control, it is critical to further understand the immune system of yellow catfish and immune-related genes with which they respond to pathogenic infections. In this study, highthroughput sequencing methods were used to analyze the transcriptomic spectrum of the head kidney from P. fulvidraco challenged by Vibrio cholera. A total of 45,544 unique transcript fragments (unigenes) were acquired after assembly and annotation, with an average length of 1,373 bp. Additionally, 674 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified after stimulation with V. cholerae, 353 and 321 genes were identified as remarkably up- or downregulated, respectively. To further study the immune-related DEGs, we performed KEGG enrichment and GO enrichment. The results showed gene regulation of response to stimulus, immune response, immune system progress, response to external stimuli and cellular response to stimuli. Analysis of KEGG enrichment is important to identify chief immune related pathways. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) results indicated 10 immune response genes that were found to be upregulated compared to a control group after 6 h of V. cholerae challenging. In summary, the results of our study are helpful to determine the defense mechanisms and immune system responses of yellow catfish in reaction to bacterial challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial hemp is an important cash crop in China and has a very important role to play in increasing farmers’ income and eliminating poverty. However, drug loss risks, policy risks and regulatory challenges in the industrial hemp supply chain plague the healthy development of the industrial hemp indus)try. In order to address the problems in the industrial hemp industry, this paper described the problems in financing, traceability, and regulation, which are typical supply chain problems, by analyzing the industry of industrial hemp in China. Through a literature review, this paper reviewed the research results of blockchain technology in the agricultural supply chain, and analyzed the feasibility of blockchain technology to solve the financing problem of industrial hemp industry in combination with Chinese agricul)tural production and management modes, and analyzed the feasibility of blockchain technology to solve the traceability and supervision problems of industrial hemp industry in combination with Chinese anti-drug policies. Finally, based on the feasibility analysis, the idea of building a consortium blockchain consisting of market entities, financial institutions and drug-fighting agencies in the industrial hemp industry was proposed to solve the problems existing in the industrial hemp industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The double selection of environment adaptation and host specificity forced the diversification of rhizobia in nature. In the tropical region of China, Medicago polymorpha and Medicago lupulina are widely distributed, particularly in purple soil. However, the local distribution and diversity of rhizobia associated with these legumes has not been systematically investigated. To this end, root nodules of M. polymorpha and M. lupulina grown in purple soil at seven locations in Yunnan Province of China were collected for rhizobial isolation. The obtained rhizobia were characterized by RFLP of 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer, BOXAIR fingerprinting, and phylogeny of housekeeping and symbiosis genes. As result, a total of 91 rhizobial strains were classified into species Sinorhizobium medicae and S. meliloti, while three nodC gene types were identified among them. S. medicae containing nodC of type I was dominant in farmlands associated with M. polymorpha; while S. meliloti harboring nodC of type III was dominant in wild land nodulated by M. lupulina. For both rhizobial species, greater genetic diversity was detected in the populations isolated from their preferred host plant. A high level of genetic differentiation was observed between the two Sinorhizobium species, and gene flow was evident within the populations of the same species derived from different soil types, indicating that rhizobial evolution is likely associated with the soil features. To examine the effects of environmental features on rhizobial distribution, soil physicochemical traits and rhizobial genotypes were applied for constrained analysis of principle coordinates, which demonstrated that soil features like pH, nitrogen and sodium were the principle factors governing the rhizobial geographical distribution. Altogether, both S. medicae and S. meliloti strains could naturally nodulate with M. polymorpha and M. lupulina, but the rhizobium-legume symbiosis compatibility determined by both the host species and soil factors was also highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the panel data of 31 provinces and cities in China from 2011 to 2020, this paper uses the entropy method to measure the comprehensive indicators of high-quality economic development in 31 provinces and cities in China, builds a theoretical analysis framework through the new economic growth theory and new geographic economics, and introduces Spatial Spillover Effect to the traditional regression model, all of which helps explore the impact of financial deepening, new urbanization (industry, population, space) and their interaction terms on highquality economic development. The results show that the high-quality development level of regional economy is rising year by year and the spatial gap is expanding. The high-quality economic development presents the characteristics of spatial agglomeration, and the local autocorrelation shows the characteristics of HH agglomeration and LL agglomeration. Financial deepening, industrial urbanization and spatial urbanization have significantly promoted the high-quality development of regional economy, among which the industrial urbanization contribute most. Financial deepening, industrial urbanization and spatial urbanization have Spillover effects in space and the coefficients are negative, which inhibits the high-quality economic development in other provinces. The indirect effect coefficients of the interaction term between financial deepening and industrial urbanization and spatial urbanization are positive, indicating that the interaction can promote high-quality economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Large-scale real-world data to evaluate the impact of chest pain centre (CPC) accreditation on acute coronary syndrome (ACS) emergency care in heavy-burden developing countries like China are rare. Methods This study is a retrospective study based on data from the Hospital Quality Monitoring System (HQMS) database. This study included emergency patients admitted with ACS to hospitals that uploaded clinical data continuously to the database from 2013 to 2016. Propensity score matching was used to compare hospitals with and without CPC accreditation during this period. A longitudinal self-contrast comparison design with mixed-effects models was used to compare management of ACS before and after accreditation. Results A total of 798 008 patients with ACS from 746 hospitals were included in the analysis. After matching admission date, hospital levels and types and adjusting for possible covariates, patients with ACS admitted to accredited CPCs had lower in-hospital mortality (0R=0.70, 95% CI 0.53 to 0.93), shorter length of stay (LOS; adjustedmultiplicative effect=0.89, 95% CI 0.84 to 0.94) and more percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures (OR=3.53, 95% CI 2.20 to 5.66) than patients admitted in hospitals without applying for CPC accreditation. Furthermore, when compared with the 'before accreditation' group only in accredited CPCs, the in-hospital mortality and LOS decreased and the usage of PCI were increased in both 'accreditation' (for in-hospital mortality: 0R=0.86, 95% CI 0.79 to 0.93; for LOS: 0.94, 95% CI 0.93 to 0.95; for PCI: OR=1.22, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.26) and 'after accreditation' groups (for in-hospital mortality: 0R=0.90, 95% CI 0.84 to 0.97; for LOS: 0.89, 95% CI 0.89 to 0.90; for PCI: OR=1.36, 95% CI 1.33 to 1.39). The significant benefits of decreased in-hospital mortality, reduced LOS and increased PCI usage were also observed for patients with acute myocardial infarction. Conclusions CPC accreditation is associated with better management and in-hospital clinical outcomes of patients with ACS. CPC establishment and accreditation should be promoted and implemented in countries with high levels of ACS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methane (CH4) emissions from freshwaters to the atmosphere have a profound impact on global atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations. Anthropogenic footprints such as dam construction and reservoir operation significantly changed the fate and transport of CH4 in freshwaters. The type of particulate organic carbon (POC) in reservoirs is a critical factor controlling CH4 production and emissions. However, little is known of how reservoir operation mediates the distribution of POC and regulates CH4 accumulation in cascade hydroelectric reservoirs. Here, spatial and temporal variations in POC and CH4 were explored in the Xiluodu (XLD) and Xiangjiaba (XJB) reservoirs which are deep valley dammed cascade reservoirs located in the main channel of the upper Yangtze River. Based on the δ[sup 13]C-POC and N/C mole ratios of particulate organic matter, the results of multi-endmember stable isotope mixing models by a Bayesian model show that terrestrial POC and autochthonous POC accounted for approximately 56 ± 19% and 42 ± 19% (SD, n=181) of POC, respectively. CH4 concentrations and δ13C-CH4 in the cascade reservoirs were potentially influenced by CH4 oxidation. Together with other physicochemical parameters and structural equation model, these results suggested that the input of terrestrial POC was dominantly influenced by water level variations and flow regulation due to reservoir operation. The cumulative effect of POC caused by cascade reservoirs was not apparent at a bimonthly scale. Terrestrial POC was more likely to dominate CH4 accumulation in cascade reservoirs under reservoir operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bovine group A rotavirus (BoRVA) is a major cause of severe gastroenteritis in newborn dairy calves. Only one study has investigated the G and P genotypes among dairy calves in a few regions of China, which were G6 and P[5]. Therefore, data on the prevalence and molecular characteristics of BoRVA in dairy calves in China remains limited. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and molecular characteristics of BoRVA in dairy calves in China. Methods: 269 dairy calves diarrheic samples from 23 farms in six provinces in China were collected to detect BoRVA using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results: 71% of samples were determined to be BoRVA-positive. Two G genotypes (G6, G10) and two P genotypes (P[1], P[5]) were identified, and G6P[1] BoRVA was the predominant strain. Moreover, the VP7 and VP4 gene sequences of these dairy calf BoRVA strains revealed abundant genetic diversity. Interestingly, eight out of 17 complete G6 VP7 sequences were clustered into G6 lineage VI and analysis showed the strains were closely related to Chinese yak BoRVA strains. Conclusions: The results of this study show that BoRVA circulates widely among dairy calves in China, and the dominant genotype in circulation is G6P[1], first report on molecular characteristics of complete P[5] VP4 genes in chinese dairy calves. These results will help us to further understand the prevalence and genetic evolution of BoRVA among dairy calves in China and, thus, prevent the disease more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve students' performance effectively, many Chinese universities are establishing systems to predict student's academic performance and sending student's academic early alerts. With student's population of over 600,000, Chinese-foreign cooperation in running schools (CFCRS) has become one of the booming higher education forms in China. Compared with students in the non-cooperatively running programs, CFCRS students' academic performances are weaker on average. To predict the academic-at-risk students and provide efficient supports to the students, a precise and prompt academic prediction is in great need. Therefore, this research aims at representing a more efficient and accurate model to predict academic performance of CFCRS students which will be based on graph convolutional network. In this research, student's similarity is measured on academic performance by Pearson correlation coefficient. An undirected graph in which similar students are connected is conducted. Feature matrix is composed of students' previous grades. In addition, graph convolutional network is trained based on the undirected graph and feature matrix. In the experiment, it shows that this model predicts certain student's performance on certain course from the final exam results in previous semesters, which might improve learning efficiency and teaching quality. With an average accuracy of 81.5%, graph convolutional network outperforms support vector machine and random forest models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disruptor that affects fetal growth in experimental studies. Bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol S (BPS), which have been substituted for BPA in some consumer products, have also shown endocrine-disrupting effects in experimental models. However, the effects of BPF and BPS on fetal growth in humans are unknown OBJECTIVES: Our goal was to investigate trimester-specific associations of urinary concentrations of BPA, BPF, and BPS with size at birth METHODS: The present study included 845 pregnant women from Wuhan, China (2013–2015), who provided one urine sample in each of the first, second, and third trimesters. Linear regressions with generalized estimating equations were applied to estimate trimester-specific associations of urinary bisphenol concentrations with birth weight, birth length, and ponderal index. Linear mixed-effects models were used to identify potential critical windows of susceptibility to bisphenols by comparing the exposure patterns of newborns in the 10th percentile of each birth anthropometric measurement to that of those in the 90th percentile. RESULTS: Medians (25th–75th percentiles) of urinary concentrations of BPA, BPF, and BPS were 1.40 (0.19–3.85), 0.65 (0.34–1.39), and 0.38 (0.13– 1.11) ng/mL, respectively. Urinary BPA concentrations in different trimesters were inversely, but not significantly, associated with birth weight and ponderal index. Urinary concentrations of BPF and BPS during some trimesters were associated with significantly lower birth weight, birth length, or ponderal index, with significant trend p-values (p,trend < 0.05) across quartiles of BPF and BPS concentrations. The observed associations were unchanged after additionally adjusting for other bisphenols. In addition, newborns in the 10th percentile of each birth anthropometry measure had higher BPF and BPS exposures during pregnancy than newborns in the 90th percentile of each outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Prenatal exposure to BPF and BPS was inversely associated with size at birth in this cohort. Replication in other populations is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Kafkas Universitesi Veteriner Fakultesi Dergisi is the property of University of Kafkas, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

BACKGROUND: Prenatal overexposure to manganese (Mn), an essential micronutrient, is related to impaired fetal growth and development. Fetuses appear to be highly sensitive to Mn during short periods of gestation. However, little is known about the critical windows of susceptibility to Mn for humans. OBJECTIVES: Our objective was to estimate trimester-specific associations of exposure to Mn with size at birth. METHODS: Urine samples of 3,022 women were collected repeatedly in the first, second, and third trimesters in Wuhan, China. Urinary concentrations of Mn and other toxic metals were measured using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Trimester-specific associations of specific gravity- adjusted urinary Mn concentrations with birth weight, birth length, and ponderal index were estimated using multivariable linear regressions with generalized estimating equations. Linear mixed models were applied to evaluate the windows of susceptibility to Mn exposure by comparing the pattern of Mn exposure among newborns with restricted size at birth to those without. RESULTS: When compared with the third quintile of urinary Mn concentrations, both higher and lower quintiles of urinary Mn concentrations in the second and third trimesters were related to reduced birth weight, birth length, and ponderal index. But the observed associations for higher quintiles were stronger and more likely to be statistically significant [e.g., for women who were in the fifth quintile of Mn concentration in the third trimester, the reduction in birth weight was -11:2 (95% CI: -22:2, -0:1) g and in birth length was -0:04 (95% CI: -0:08, 0.00) cm]. Moreover, newborns with restricted size at birth, compared with those without, had higher levels of Mn exposure in the second and third trimesters. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective prenatal cohort study revealed an association of exposure to Mn during pregnancy, especially late pregnancy, with restricted size at birth. Replications are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Several studies have reported that cadmium (Cd) is associated with type 2 diabetes. However, little is known about Cd exposure and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). OBJECTIVE: We examined the association between Cd body burden in early pregnancy and the risk of GDM. METHODS: We conducted a prospective study of 2,026 pregnant women from a single tertiary medical center between 2013 and 2016 in Wuhan, China. Cd body burden was reflected by Cd concentrations in urine samples collected between gestational weeks 8 and 14. GDM was diagnosed according to International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups Consensus Panel (IADPSG) recommendations. RESULTS: The geometric mean of Cd concentrations in maternal urine of all pregnant women was 0.59 µg/L. A total of 198 (9.8%) women were diagnosed with GDM. After adjustment for potential confounders, the risk ratios (RRs) of GDM were 1.04 (95% CI: 0.74, 1.44) for the middle tertile of Cd levels and 1.36 (95%: CI: 0.98, 1.90) for the top tertile compared with the bottom tertile. In addition, we found a significant interaction between fetal sex and maternal Cd levels on the risk of GDM (p for interaction = 0.03). Among women carrying male fetuses, the RR of GDM was 1.86 (95% CI: 1.14, 2.93) for the top tertile of Cd levels compared with the bottom tertile. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first report of an association between urinary Cd levels in early pregnancy and GDM. Our findings suggest that Cd body burden increases the risk of GDM and that the association may be modified by fetal sex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main challenge of China’s current exchange rate regime is that with large and frequent interventions, the RMB exchange rate cannot adequately respond to the changes in economic fundamentals. This will lead to unilateral exchange rate expectations and large-scale capital inflows or outflows. In addition, large and frequent foreign exchange market interventions have a negative impact on economic structural optimisation, RMB internationalisation, and foreign investment. Two strategies can be used to introduce a floating exchange rate system: one is a free-floating exchange rate, and the other is wide range fluctuation against a basket of currencies. The latter is a transitional option before introduction of the former: a free-floating exchange rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emission of pollutants is extremely reduced during the annual Chinese Spring Festival (SF) in Shenzhen, China. During the SF, traffic flow drops by ~50% and the industrial plants are almost entirely shut down in Shenzhen. To characterize the variation in ambient air pollutants due to the "Spring Festival effect", various gaseous and particulate pollutants were measured in real time in urban Shenzhen over three consecutive winters (2014-2016). The results indicate that the concentrations of NOx, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), black carbon (BC), primary organic aerosols, chloride, and nitrate in submicron aerosols decrease by 50-80% during SF periods relative to non-Spring Festival periods, regardless of meteorological conditions. This decrease suggests that these pollutants are mostly emitted or secondarily formed from urban local emissions. The concentration variation in species mostly from regional or natural sources, however, is found to be much less, such as for bulk fine particulate matter (PM2.5). More detailed analysis of the Spring Festival effect reveals an urgent need to reduce emissions of SO2 and VOCs on a regional scale rather than on an urban scale to reduce urban PM2.5 in Shenzhen, which can also be useful as a reference for other megacities in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canopy temperature (Tc) measurements with infrared thermometry have been widely used to assess plant water status. Here, we evaluated Tc and its controlling factors in a primary tropical rainforest (TRF), subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest (STF) and valley savanna forest (SAF) in southwestern China. We found differences between Tc and air temperature (Ta) of as much as 2.2 °C between the dry and wet seasons in the TRF. However, the canopy-to-air temperature difference (Tc-Ta) was only 0.3 °C between the dry and wet seasons in the STF. Solar radiation (SR) was the dominant factor in Tc-Ta variations during the dry and wet seasons at the three sites. The increased heating in the canopy leaves was likely the result of low stomatal conductance leading to low transpiration cooling. Changes in Tc-Ta in the TRF were highly sensitive to the degree of stomatal closure. The change in Tc-Ta was controlled by the climate, but inherent plant traits, such as stomatal conductance, also played an important controlling role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After financial crisis, the international direct investment is generally tightened and the industrial pattern is significantly adjusted. In China, the foreign capital is mainly invested in the service industry rather than in the manufacturing industry as before. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in the manufacturing industry has the features of general reduction, slow growth and even negative growth, and the proportion thereof is continuously reduced. Such phenomenon is resulting from the common effect of the international and domestic environment change. Continuous FDI reduction in the manufacturing industry is accompanied by the industrial structure adjustment and it can intensify the economic downturn to impact the central position of China in the world manufacturing industry and cause unemployment and export reduction. How to stabilize FDI, reduce the risk brought by FDI reduction in the manufacturing industry and maintain the great manufacturing country status has become the major subject for Chinese economic operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cerebral infarction frequently leads to mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Prompt management of MCI can prevent vascular dementia and improve patient outcome. This single center randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture and nimodipine to treat post-cerebral infarction MCI. Methods: A total of 126 Chinese patients with post-cerebral infarction MCI recruited from the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine between April 2013 and June 2014 were randomized at 1:1: 1 ratio into nimodipine alone (30 mg/time and 3 times daily), acupuncture alone (30 min/time, 6 times/ week), and nimodipine + acupuncture groups. The treatments were 3 months. Cognitive function was evaluated using Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scale at enrollment interview, at the end of 3-month therapy, and at the post-treatment 3-month follow-up. Results: The per-protocol set included 39, 40, and 40 patients from nimodipine alone, acupuncture alone, and the combination group, respectively, was analyzed. Intra-group comparison revealed that MoCA score at the follow-up improved significantly by 15.8 ±10.9, 20.9 ±13.8 %, and 30.2 ±19.7 % compared with the baseline MoCA for nimodipine alone, acupuncture alone, and the combination group, respectively. Inter-group comparison demonstrated that the combination therapy improved MoCA score (5.5 ±2.2) at significantly higher extent than nimodipine alone (3.1 ± 1.8) and acupuncture alone (4.3 ± 2.3) at the follow-up (All P < 0.05), and significantly higher proportion of patients in acupuncture alone group (80 %) and the combination therapy group (90 %) than in nimodipine alone group (56.4 %) showed ≥12 % MoCA score improvement compared with the baseline MoCA (All P<0.05). No adverse event was reported during the study. Conclusion: Acupuncture may be used as an additional therapy to conventional pharmacological treatment to further improve the clinical outcomes of patients with post-cerebral infarction MCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Manganese (Mn) is an essential element for humans, but exposure to high levels has been associated with adverse developmental outcomes. Early epidemiological studies evaluating the effect of Mn on fetal growth are inconsistent.Methods: We investigated the association between maternal urinary Mn during pregnancy and the risk of low birth weight (LBW). Mn concentrations in maternal urine samples collected before delivery were measured in 816 subjects (204 LBW cases and 612 matched controls) recruited between 2012 and 2014 in Hubei Province, China.Results: The median Mn concentration in maternal urine was 0.69 μg/g creatinine. Compared to the medium tertile of Mn levels, an increased risk of LBW was observed for the lowest tertile (≤0.30 μg/g creatinine) [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.28; 95 % confidence interval (CI) = 0.67, 2.45], and a significantly increased risk of LBW was observed for the highest tertile (≥1.16 μg/g creatinine) [adjusted OR = 2.04; 95 % CI = 1.12, 3.72]. A curvilinear relationship between maternal urinary Mn and risk of LBW was observed, showing that the concentration at 0.43 μg/g creatinine was the point of inflection. Similar associations were observed among the mothers with female infants and among the younger mothers < 28 years old. However, among the mothers with male infants or the older mothers ≥ 28 years old, only higher levels of Mn were positively associated with LBW.Conclusions: Lower or higher levels of maternal urinary Mn are associated with LBW, though only the association of LBW risk and higher levels of Mn was statistically significant. The findings also show that the associations may vary by maternal age and infant sex, but require confirmation in other populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on stakeholder analysis, this paper analyzed influence of stakeholders on construction and operation of agricultural information network (AIN) in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS). It elaborated and analyzed stakeholders such as China, Asian Development Bank, other GMS state government agricultural departments and users. Finally, it came up with pertinent recommendations for development of GMS-AIN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To describe the natural history and clinical features of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in Chinese patients, and to report data on the prognostic factors for survival.Methods: All patients referred to our ALS centre between 2003 and 2012 were followed up every 3 months. Survival and tracheotomy were predefined as primary outcome measures. Group differences were analysed using parametric and non-parametric tests as appropriate. Survival was analysed using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis.Results: Of the 1624 patients with ALS, 75.1% had limb-onset, 14.0% had bulbar-onset, 7.8% had flail-arm syndrome (FAS), 2.6% had progressive muscular atrophy and 0.5% had primary lateral sclerosis. The male:female ratio was 1.7:1, and the mean age at onset was 49.8 years. The median diagnostic delay was 14 months, and the median survival time after symptom onset was 71 months. Male gender, older age at symptom onset, lower body mass index, shorter diagnostic delay, bulbar-onset ALS phenotype, higher Airlie House category at presentation, rural place of residence, use of traditional Chinese medicine and a history of contact with pesticides were associated with poorer survival, whereas female gender or an FAS phenotype may have a better prognosis.Conclusions: The clinical characteristics and outcomes of Chinese patients with sporadic ALS were different compared with patients from other countries. Compared with other studies, the age at onset of Chinese patients was earlier, the percentage of bulbar-onset ALS was lower and the prognosis was better. This study substantially advances the understanding of the clinical features and epidemiology of this rare disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: You-Gui pills (You-Gui-Wan; YGW) can promote T lymphocyte proliferation and differentiation, and restore Th1/Th2 balance in the treatment of asthma, but their mechanism of action is not fully known. This study aims to explore whether YGW can induce histone deacetylation or acetylation in memory T lymphocytes (Tm) for improvement of airway inflammation in asthma. Methods: CD4+CD45RBlow cells, as Tm, were obtained by magnetic-activated cell sorting and flow cytometry from the spleens of BALB/c mice with ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma. Tm were cocultured with hydrocortisone (CORT; 1000 nM), serum containing low (0.225 g/kg), moderate (0.9 g/kg), or high (3.6 g/kg) doses of YGW, or medium only, and then adoptively transferred into naïve mice (n = 5 per group). Recipient mice were challenged with aerosolized OVA. The levels of IL-4, IL-5,IL-13, and IFN-γ in culture supernatants and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from the OVA-challenged mice were measured by ELISA. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) and histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activities and protein expressions of T-bet, GATA-3, and HDAC1-11 in lung tissue were measured by western blotting analyses. The alveolar eosinophilic inflammation index (AEII) was evaluated in the lungs of adoptive transfer recipient mice. Results: YGW reduced inflammation and eosinophil infiltration into the lung tissues as evidenced by histology, with similar effects to those of CORT. High-, moderate-, and low-YGW increased HDAC (P < 0.0001, P = 0.0009 and P = 0.0253 respectively) and decreased HAT (P = 0.0001, P = 0.0000 and P = 0.0039, respectively) activities in dose-dependent manners in the lung tissues of adoptive transfer recipient mice. Increased histone deacetylation of Tm by YGW reduced the AEII by reducing GATA-3 (P = 0.014),IL-4 (P = 0.0004), IL-5 (P = 0.0067), and IL-13 (P = 0.0002), and inducing IFN-γ release (P= 0.0375). Moreover, YGW reduced inflammatory cytokines such as IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 by upregulating the activities of HDAC7 (P= 0.003)/10 (P = 0.003), HDAC11 (P< 0.0001), and HDAC9-11 (P< 0.0001, P< 0.0001 and P< 0.0001, respectively), respectively, and increased IFN-γ release by increasing HDAC9 (P< 0.0001). Conclusions: Histone deacetylation of Tm was observed during alleviation of allergen-induced eosinophilic airway inflammation in asthma by YGW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the developed world and is becoming increasingly more common in developing countries. The risk factors affecting the prognosis of Chinese patients may differ from those in other populations. This study was conducted to investigate the potential risk factors that may correlate with prognosis and hospitalization costs of Chinese AMI patients. A total of 627 hospitalized AMI patients were recruited and their general information and relevant laboratory parameters were collected. Accordingly, the patients were grouped into different subgroups and potential risk factors and their correlations with prognosis and hospitalization costs were analyzed. Age, high blood pressure, infarct location and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were the variables significantly associated with the differences in the prognosis of AMI patients (P<0.05), whereas times and duration of hospitalization, high blood pressure, infarct location and PCI treatment were found to be significantly associated with the cost of hospitalization (P<0.05). However, the AMI patients enrolled in this study may not be representative of all AMI patients in China. In addition, the prognosis of these patients was limited to their hospital stay. Therefore, long-term follow-up requires careful assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Social Sciences in China is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aphid genus Nigritergaphis gen. n. is described, and N. crassisetosa sp.n. on Isodon eriocalyx (Dunn) KudÔ (Lamiaceae) from Yunnan, China is described and illustrated. The new species curls and distorts the leaves of this important traditional Chinese medicinal plant, and is evidently specific to this host. Holotype and paratypes are deposited in the National Zoological Museum of China, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gaura parviflora Douglas (Onagraceae) is an annual or perennial herbaceous plant from the prairie of North America. It has become a harmful exotic invading plant in China due to its strong adaptability, fast growth, massive propagation and reproduction. The complete chloroplast (cp) genome of G. parviflora was reported in this study. The size of the complete cp genome of G. parviflora is 161,318 bp in length, including a pair of inverted repeat (IR) regions of 27,402 bp, a large single-copy (LSC) region of 89,132 bp, and a small single-copy (SSC) region of 17,382 bp. A total of 130 genes were annotated, including 85 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. Comparison of cp genomes of four species from Onagraceae indicated that Onagraceae cp genomes had high nucleotide diversity. In addition, a few highly variable regions of these cp genomes were also detected. The phylogenetic tree showed that G. parviflora is closely related to Oenothera. Thus, the chloroplast genome of G. parviflora can provide valuable genetic information for species identification and phylogenetic analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To observe effects of the thermal stimulation by moxibustion at different temperatures on cardiac function in brachycardia rat model and on mast cells in the local site of moxibustion at the Ximen Acupoint and to compare the differences of the effects of moxibustion at different temperatures. Method. Establish the brachycardia rat model with propranolol and observe effects of the thermal stimulation by moxibustion at different temperatures (38°C and 46°C). Results. The thermal stimulation by moxibustion at 2 temperatures may increase HR, MAP, LVSP, and +dp/dtmax and reduce t-dp/dtmax in brachycardia rats; the 46°C moxibustion group shows greater regulating effects on cardiac function in rats than that in the 38°C moxibustion group (P < 0.05). The thermal stimulation by moxibustion at 2 temperatures may promote degranulation of mast cells in the local site of moxibustion at the Ximen Acupoint; the degranulation rate in the 46°C moxibustion group is higher than that in the 38°C moxibustion group (P < 0.05). Conclusion. There is a certain association between the effect on the target organ and the effect in the local site of moxibustion. The moxibustion effect possibly resulted from local mast cells degranulation and different thermoreceptors activated by the thermal stimulation at different temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To compare the effects of moxibustion at two different temperatures (38°C and 46°C) on the blood cholesterol level in a mice model of acute hyperlipidemia, to detect the different expression levels of transient receptor potential vanilloid subfamily 1 (TRPV1) in the dorsal root ganglions of the wild mice, and to explore the correlation between TRPV1 and moxibustion's cholesterol-lowering effects. Method. Two different mice models were used: C57BL/6J wild type (WT) and TRPV1 gene knockout (TRPV1-/-). Each model was randomly divided into control group and model group with three subgroups after acute hyperlipidemia was established: model control group, 38°C moxibustion group, and 46° C moxibustion group. The mice in 38°C group and 46° C group were subject to moxibustion. After the therapy, the cholesterol concentration in serum was measured, and the expression of TRPV1 was quantified. Results. In WT mice, moxibustion caused a decrease in blood cholesterol level and upregulation of TRPV1 at the mRNA level, which was significantly greater in the 46°C group. In contrast, in TRPV1-/- mice, the differences of cholesterol-lowering effects of moxibustion were lost. Conclusions. Temperature is one of the important factors affecting the effects of moxibustion, and the cholesterol -lowering effect of moxibustion is related to the activation of TRPV1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The idiocerine leafhopper genus Busoniomimus Maldonado-Capriles, 1977 is recorded for the first time in China, and a new species, B. hainanensis sp. nov., is described and illustrated from Hainan Province, China. A key to species of the genus Busoniomimus is given, and a checklist of all known species of the genus Busoniomimus is also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study which confirmed that 15 serovars and diverse genotypes of Haemophilus parasuis were widely distributed in southern China. A total of 112 H. parasuis strains were subjected to serovar analysis by gel diffusion (GD) and indirect hemagglutination (IHA) tests and to genotype analysis by means of pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The study found that the 23 nontypeable strains showed 22 different PFGE profiles.

Based on the analysis of the hydrocarbon geochemical characteristics in the Kuqa petroleum system of the Tarim Basin, this study discusses the causes and controlling factors of the phase diversities and their differences in geochemical features. According to the characteristics and differences in oil and gas phase, the petroleum system can be divided into five categories: oil reservoir, wet gas reservoir, condensate gas-rich reservoir, condensate gas-poor reservoir and dry gas reservoir. The causes for the diversities in oil and gas phases include diversities of the sources of parent material, maturity of natural gas and the process of hydrocarbon accumulation of different hydrocarbon phases. On the whole, the Jurassic and Triassic terrestrial source rocks are the main sources for the hydrocarbon in the Kuqa Depression. The small differences in parent material may cause diversities in oil and gas amount, but the impact is small. The differences in oil and gas phase are mainly affected by maturity and the accumulation process, which closely relates with each other. Oil and gas at different thermal evolution stage can be captured in different accumulation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Hemorrhagic fever-like illness caused by a novel Bunyavirus, Huaiyangshan virus (HYSV, also known as Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia virus [SFTSV] and Fever, Thrombocytopenia and Leukopenia Syndrome [FTLS]), has recently been described in China Methods. Patients with laboratory-confirmed HYSV infection who were admitted to Union Hospital or Zhongnan Hospital between April 2010 and October 2010 were included in this study. Clinical and routine laboratory data were collected and blood, throat swab, urine, or feces were obtained when possible. Viral RNA was quantified by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Blood levels of a range of cytokines, chemokines, and acute phase proteins were assayed. Results. A total of 49 patients with hemorrhagic fever caused by HYSV were included; 8 (16.3%) patients died. A fatal outcome was associated with high viral RNA load in blood at admission, as well as higher serum liver transaminase levels, more pronounced coagulation disturbances (activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time), and higher levels of acute phase proteins (phospholipase A, fibrinogen, hepcidin), cytokines (interleukin [IL]-6, IL-10, interferon-c), and chemokines (IL-8, monocyte chemotactic protein 1, macrophage inflammatory protein 1b). The levels of these host parameters correlated with viral RNA levels. Blood viral RNA levels gradually declined over 3- 4 weeks after illness onset, accompanied by resolution of symptoms and laboratory abnormalities. Viral RNA was also detectable in throat, urine, and fecal specimens of a substantial proportion of patients, including all fatal cases assayed. Conclusions. Viral replication and host immune responses play an important role in determining the severity and clinical outcome in patients with infection by HYSV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silurian sandstone in Tarim Basin has good reservoir properties and active oil and gas shows, especially thick widely-distributed bituminous sandstone. Currently, the Silurian was found containing both bitumen and conventional reservoirs, with petroleum originating from terrestrial and marine source rocks. The diversity of their distribution was the result of 'three sources, three stages' accumulation and adjustment processes. 'Three sources' refers to two sets of marine rocks in Cambrian and Middle-Upper Ordovician, and a set of terrestrial rock formed in Triassic in the Kuqa depression. 'Three stages' represents three stages of accumulation, adjustment and reformation occurring in Late Caledonian, Late Hercynian and Late Himalayan, respectively. The study suggests that the Silurian bitumen is remnants of oil generated from Cambrian and Ordovician source rocks and accumulated in the sandstone reservoir during Late Caledonian-Early Hercynian and Late Hercynian stages, and then damaged by the subsequent two stages of tectonic uplift movements in Early Hercynian and Pre-Triassic. The authors presumed that the primary paleo-reservoirs formed during these two stages might be preserved in the Silurian in the southern deep part of the Tabei area. Except for the Yingmaili area where the Triassic terrestrial oil was from the Kuqa Depression during Late Himalayan Stage, all movable oil reservoirs originated from marine sources. They were secondary accumulations from underlying Ordovician after structure reverse during the Yanshan-Himalayan stage. Oil/gas shows mixed-source characteristics, and was mainly from Middle-Upper Ordovician. The complexity and diversity of the Silurian marine primary properties were just defined by these three stages of oil-gas charging and tectonic movements in the Tabei area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to provide a better understanding of the link between perfectionism and depression by examining the role of self-efficacy as a moderator in the relationship. Using a convenient sampling method, a sample of 570 university students completed Almost Perfect Scale-Revised (APS-R), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) and The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Correlational analyses indicated that maladaptive perfectionism was positively correlated with depression, and negatively correlated with self-efficacy. In contrast, adaptive perfectionism was positively correlated with self-efficacy, and was not correlated with depression. Moreover, the present study confirms the moderating effect of self-efficacy between maladaptive perfectionism and depression in Chinese university students. The results support the notion that adaptive perfectionism is distinct from maladaptive perfectionism. Some practical implications of the present findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zhikong scallop (Chlamys farreri) is one of the most economically important aquaculture species in China. Physical maps are crucial tools for genome sequencing, gene mapping and cloning, genetic improvement and selective breeding. In this study, we have developed a genome-wide, BAC-based physical map for the species. A total of 81,408 clones from two BAC libraries of the scallop were fingerprinted using an ABI 3130xl Genetic Analyzer and a fingerprinting kit developed in our laboratory. After data processing, 63,641 (∼5.86genome coverage) fingerprints were validated and used in the physical map assembly. A total of 3,696 contigs were assembled for the physical map. Each contig contained an average of 10.0 clones, with an average physical size of 490 kb. The combined total physical size of all contigs was 1.81 Gb, equivalent to approximately 1.5 fold of the scallop haploid genome. A total of 10,587 BAC end sequences (BESs) and 167 markers were integrated into the physical map. We evaluated the physical map by overgo hybridization, BAC-FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization), contig BAC pool screening and source BAC library screening. The results have provided evidence of the high reliability of the contig physical map. This is the first physical map in mollusc; therefore, it provides an important platform for advanced research of genomics and genetics, and mapping of genes and QTL of economical importance, thus facilitating the genetic improvement and selective breeding of the scallop and other marine molluscs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To create Safe Community is considered a new methodology to promote Harmonious Society in China. Safe Community (SC) is centralized by “injury prevention” which is a concept involved from occupational safety and health in process industry. In this paper, it first examined the definition and elements of SC. Then, it introduced a Safe Community program in Honey Lake of Futian District of Shenzhen in detail to depict the actual procedure to create a desired Safe Community in China. In this application, Occupational Safety and Health Council in Hong Kong played an important role to instruct the design and execution of SC principle and suggest ways to crystallize a culture of safety within a Chinese community. From the SC program in Honey Lake of Futian District of Shenzhen, China has found out a new way to promote injury prevention in a community. Also, using these experiences from this program, more SC could be constructed that is beneficial to the safety and health of Chinese people. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In densely populated urban areas, in the event of the toxic gases leak, how to accurately determine the risky zone and take effective measures to evacuate inhabitants quickly out of dangerous areas and minimize the unexpected losses is a tropical topic in China. First, the ALOHA code defined any interested accidents scenarios. For any different exposure times and concentrations, the distances down wind direction could be determined, which eventually generated the dead zone, wounded zone, injured zone and evacuation zone. Then, it presented the procedure of an emergency evacuation routes selection, the choice of the principle of refuges and shelters for evacuated inhabitants, as well as evacuation traffic organizations, vehicle assignments, real-time communications and other traffic evacuation strategies. Finally, the OREMS code was proposed to study the sudden leak accident and design emergency response policies (ERP). A sudden gaseous leakage incident in Tianjin Olympic stadium was chosen as an example to verify the raw ERP including the evacuation road network design, the evacuation time for vehicles, vehicle running conditions and the possible road congestions. Results showed that when the radium of the emergency evacuation scope is about 3 km, the time for evacuation of 50% vehicles is proper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses research on the antimicrobial susceptibility and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) genotyping of Haemophilus parasuis (H. parasuis ) isolates from pigs in South China from 2008 to 2010. It cites the sensitivity of all isolates to the antimicrobial agent Florfenico, and that of most strains to Cefotaxime, Ceftazidime, Chloramphenicol and Gentamicin. It notes the use of PFGE to analyze genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extracted from 52 isolates resistant to at least seven antimicrobial agents. The study is said to have indicated that the respective isolates have independently acquired resistance traits.