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INTRODUCTION This study comprehensively assessed the association between eight metabolites of urinary nicotine and cognitive impairment. METHODS This cross-sectional study was based on the data of Shenzhen Aging Related Disorder Cohort (SADC), including 51 elderly community data variables such as demographic characteristics, neuropsychological assessment and environmental factors, from July 2017 to November 2018. Participant's cognitive function was assessed by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scale and urinary nicotine metabolite [including cotinine N-β-D-glucuronide (CotGluc), rac 4-hydroxy-4-(3-pyridyl) butanoic acid dicyclohexylamine salt (HyPyBut), trans-3'-hydroxy cotinine O-β-D-glucuronide (OHCotGluc), and cotinine (Cot), etc.] concentrations were measured by high-performance liquid chromatographytandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Generalized linear models and restricted cubic spline models were used to explore the relationships between the urinary levels of nicotine metabolite and cognitive function. RESULTS A total of 296 individuals aged >60 years were included. Individuals in the third quartile of CotGluc had a 0.786 point (95% CI: -1.244 -- -0.329) decrease or in the highest quartile of OHCotGluc had a 0.804 point (95% CI: -1.330 -- -0.278) decreased in attention and calculation compared to those in the lowest quartile (all p for trend <0.05). Compared with those in the lowest quartile, individuals in the highest quartile of CotGluc, HyPyBut, OHCotGluc and Cot, respectively, corresponded to a 1.043 point (95% CI: -2.269-0.182), 1.101 points (95% CI: -2.391-0.188), 2.318 points (95% CI: -3.615 -- -1.020), and 1.460 points (95% CI: -2.726 -- -0.194) decreased in MMSE total score (all p for trend <0.05). A nonlinear dose-response relationship between urinary levels of CotGluc, HyPyBut, OHCotGluc or Cot and cognitive function (all overall p<0.05, non-linear p<0.05). Subgroup analysis showed that urinary levels of CotGluc, OHCotGluc or Cot were significantly negatively associated with cognitive function (all p for trend <0.05) among females and non-smokers. CONCLUSIONS The findings highlight the public health implications of environmental tobacco smoke exposure, and effective interventions need to be performed for vulnerable populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new genus and new species of blind freshwater cave crab are described from Chongzuo City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China based on morphology and mitochondrial 16S rDNA sequences. The new genus, Phasmon gen. nov., is established for P. typhlops sp. nov., which is only the second blind cave crab known from China and East Asia. The combination of a very wide carapace, overall depigmentation, reduced orbits and vestigial unpigmented eyes of Phasmon immediately separates it from all known potamid genera. Molecular divergence estimates based on 16S rDNA suggest that the lineage to which the new genus belongs diverged from other potamids at the beginning of the Late Miocene (10.8 million years ago), much earlier than other Chinese cave crabs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new genus and species of freshwater crab, Yuebeipotamon calciatile gen. n., sp. n., is described from southern China. While the carapace features are superficially similar to species of Sinopotamon Bott, 1967, Longpotamon Shih, Huang & Ng, 2016, and Tenuilapotamon Dai, Song, Li, Chen, Wang & Hu, 1984, the new genus possesses a distinctive combination of carapace, ambulatory leg, male thoracic sternal, male abdominal, and gonopodal characters that distinguish it from these and other genera. Molecular evidence derived from the mitochondrial 16S rDNA supports the establishment of a new genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new freshwater crab species of the family Potamidae is described from the boundaries of northern Vietnam and southern China. Tiwaripotamon pluviosum sp. nov. can be distinguished from other species by a suite of morphological characters, including a relatively flat carapace, relatively less slender legs, and distinct dorsal flaps on the male first gonopods. Molecular data using the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) also supports this species as being new. [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]

Ziyuan1-02C (ZY1-02C) was launched on December 22, 2011, and it is the first civilian high-resolution remote sensing satellite in China. However, the limited precision of the onboard attitude measurement system causes many errors during attitude transfer by ZY1-02C. Thus, there are complex distortions in the images obtained by ZY1-02C, which restricts its application greatly. In this paper, we consider the feasibility of attitude error correction based on parallel observations with high-resolution cameras, and the method is described in detail. To validate the efficiency of the proposed method, several images and corresponding control data were collected from the Henan, Taihang Mountain, Neimeng, and Taiyuan areas in China. The experimental results indicate that seamless mosaic images without distortion can be obtained using our method. Furthermore, the positioning accuracy with a few ground control points (GCPs) was shown to be better than 1.5 pixels and equivalent to the accuracy of the GCPs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]