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This article reports the first case of pregnancy after frozen–thawed ovarian tissue transplantation to prevent iatrogenic premature ovarian insufficiency in China. Ovarian tissue cryopreservation was performed in a patient with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) before multi-agent chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Two years later, she showed complete remission from MDS, and six frozen–thawed ovarian tissue strips were transplanted into the peritoneal pocket. The patient's ovarian activity was restored 3 months after transplantation, and pregnancy occurred spontaneously 27 months after grafting. Until now, the pregnancy has progressed for 30 weeks, and the repeated ultrasound showed normal fetal development. This is the first pregnancy resulting from ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mineral nutrient malnutrition, especially deficiency of selenium (Se) affects the health of approximately one billion people worldwide. Wild emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccoides), the progenitor of common wheat, harbors a rich genetic diversity for mineral nutrients. The study was conducted on two wild emmer wheat genotypes differing in Se tolerance (R113, Se-sensitive; R171, Se-tolerant) with 2 Se application methods and 3 Se levels (foliar rates of 0, 11.5 and 23 mg.L-1; fertigation rates of 0, 5 and 10 mg.kg-1) in 2017 having 5 replications, at an experimental farm, Sichuan Province, China. It evaluated the effects of Se application on wild emmer wheat growth, grain yield and quality, and 14 other trace elements absorption and translocation in sink-source organs (flag leaves, husks and grains). The results showed that both foliar Se and fertigated Se application methods increased Se contents in sink-source organs, wheat health benefits and yield, while the foliar application was more effective than fertigation. Moreover, two Se application methods decreased toxic trace elements (Pb, Al, As, Li and Cd) contents in wheat, indicating a possible antagonistic effect. Accordingly, this study provided useful information concerning agronomic biofortification of wheat, indicating that it is feasible to apply Se in fertilization programmes to inhibit the heavy metal elements contents and improve yield and quality in agricultural crops. The higher Se, Fe, Zn and Mo contents found in R171 suggested that its germplasm conferred higher abilities for mineral uptake and accumulation, which can be used for genetic studies of wheat nutritional value and for further improvement of domesticated cereals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to report on the first 10 cases of ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC) and retransplantation (OTCT) in China. A retrospective descriptive study was performed of 10 Chinese women with different diseases undergoing OTC/OTCT in the first specialized center in China. Patients' ovarian function and fertility were followed up. The 10 cases included five cases of cervical cancer and one case each of endometrial cancer, breast cancer, rectal cancer, myelodysplastic syndrome, and aplastic anemia, respectively. The average age at OTC was 33.70 years; the time from OTC to OTCT was 15 months. The average number of transplanted ovarian tissue pieces was 4.9, with 9.5 pieces remaining cryopreserved. The OTCT position for nine cases was in a right-sided peritoneal pocket of ovarian fossa, and for one patient was in bilateral pockets. The average time from OTCT to restoration of ovarian function was 3.4 months. One year after OTCT, all ovaries were still functioning normally. In the first case, the function now remains preserved for more than 3 years. So far, the woman who wishes to conceive has no pregnancy. Regarding ovarian function, OTC and OTCT were successful and reliable in China's first cryobank. We expect to perform more retransplantations in the near future, which will add to the global data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fertilization model is an important breakthrough in the field of nutrient management for high quality crop production. However, there are few studies on the flue-cured tobacco fertilization model. In this study eight plots were selected, for use in a fertilization experiment to determine the optimal nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer application amounts for flue-cured tobacco planting in the Southwest China. Based on parameters such as the nutrient requirements, fertilizer utilization rate, and soil nutrient correction coefficient of flue-cured tobacco, the curves of N, P2O5, K2O and their corresponding nutrient correction coefficients were constructed. We fitted a non-linear curve model using soil parameters, i.e. yield per area, nutrient requirements and fertilizer utilization rate, etc. The result showed that the recommended fertilization models are N = 0.091×Y - 149.505×SN 0.029; P2O5 = 0.072×Y - 11.595×SP 0.749; K2O = 0.199×Y - 55.924×SK 0.351. The validation of the experiments showed that the yield of the flue-cured tobacco reached about 2,700 kg ha-1. In addition, the recommended amount of fertilization was 30% less than the conventional fertilizer application. Therefore, the recommended amount will lower the production cost, reduce the environmental pollution caused by excess soil fertility, and promote the sustainable development of flue-cured tobacco planting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study explored whether the two psychosocial resources including resilience and social support serve as moderating factors in the process between academic burnout and depression among medical students, and investigated factors that associated with depression. We applied Learning Burnout Scale of Undergraduates, Beck Depression Inventory-II, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and Social Support Rating Scale as tools for an investigation with 1722 Chinese medical students. Academic burnout positively correlated with depression while resilience and social support negatively related to depression. Hierarchical regression implied that resilience moderated burnout and depression while social support did not show a buffer effect between the same variables. Building resilience and enhancing their social support are essential for preventing depression in their college life. It is also worth noting that resilience can still work against depression even when academic burnout emerged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the effects of heavy metals on soil organisms are relatively well-documented, the effects of heavy metals caused by long-term sewage irrigation are poorly understood. Therefore, we collected two kinds of soil samples from a paddy field which was irrigated with sewage for more than 20 years (SIA) and the adjacent non-sewage irrigated land as control (NSIA) in Shaoguan, southern China, to assess the long-term effects of multiple metal mining activities on soil microbial biomass, nematode assemblages. The available Cu and Zn, and the total Cu, Zn, Pb and As contents in SIA were higher than those in NSIA area by 13.60, 7.69, 8.56, 2.35, 2.96 and 3.11 times on average. Heavy metals stimulated microbial biomass and nematode biomass consumption, which caused a shift in nematode groups, and the mean content of soil microbial biomass carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in SIA drops by 25.76%, 11.10% compared to the NSIA. Organics showed a positive effect on soil microbial biomass C and N, with the same response for all types of nematodes, Available Cu and Zn, and the total Cu, Zn, Pb and As content in soils exhibited a negative effect on soil microbial biomass C and N, and each group of nematodes, which reveal that the microbial/nematode activities had been disrupted by the heavy metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV) is a newly identified enteric alphacoronavirus that causes fatal diarrhea in newborn piglets in China. Here, we propagated a virulent strain SADS-CoV/CN/GDWT/2017 in Vero cells for up to 83 passages. Four strains of SADS-CoV/GDWT-P7, -P18, -P48 and -P83 were isolated and characterized. Sequence alignments showed that these four novel strains exhibited 16 nucleotide mutations and resultant 10 amino acid substitutions in open reading frame 1a/1b, spike, NS3a, envelope, membrane and nucleocapsid proteins. Furthermore, a 58-bp deletion in NS7a/7b was found in P48 and P83 strains, which led to the loss of NS7b and 38 amino acid changes of NS7a. Pig infection studies showed that the P7 strain caused typical watery diarrhea, while the P83 strain induced none-to-mild, delayed and transient diarrhea. This is the first report on cell adaption of a virulent SADS-CoV strain, which gives information on the potential virulence determinants of SADS-CoV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new index is established which is defined by the standard deviation of total electron content (TEC) fluctuation and denoted by the symbol σ tec. It is demonstrated that the index σ tec is equivalent to the phase scintillation index and can serve as an indicator of the strength of the phase scintillation. The receiver transiently loses lock on the signal, leading to cycle slips and jumps in the TEC time series. In order to obtain continuous TEC data in the situation of the disturbed ionosphere, a batch processing method is developed to detect and correct cycle slip. Based on the methods mentioned above, we investigate the statistical features of the phase scintillations and cycle slips by means of the data from a scintillation observation network in the south-central region of China during 2012–2015. The results show that the variations of phase scintillation occurrences with local time and season display very similar features to those of the cycle slip occurrences, implying that cycle slips are closely related to phase scintillations. Phase scintillations occur mainly during the night, most frequently before midnight and seldom in the daytime. It is found that phase scintillations occur mainly in equinox months but seldom in solstice months in the crest of the ionization equatorial anomaly and its adjacent regions, and an equinoctial asymmetry that phase scintillations occur more frequently in Spring than in Autumn is also found. Besides, a comparison of the TEC fluctuation index (σ tec) and amplitude scintillation index (S4) indicates that there is close relation between the σ tec and S4, indicating the co-existence of large and small scale irregularities in equatorial irregularity structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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BACKGROUND: The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of the Multi-disciplinary Orthopaedics Rehabilitation Empowerment (MORE) Program on reducing chronic disability among injured workers and improving efficiency of work rehabilitation process. METHODS:A cohort of patients with workplace injuries in the lower back were recruited from orthopaedics clinics and assigned to either MORE group (n = 139) or control group (n = 106). Patients in MORE group received an early MRI screening and a coordinated multi-disciplinary management, while patients in the control group received conventional care. Outcome variables are time to return-to-work (RTW) from date of injury, waiting time for MRI screening and time to medical assessment board (MAB). RESULTS: Patients in the MORE Program had significantly shorter duration for RTW (MORE: 6.1 months, Control: 12.8 months, p < 0.01), and more RTW cases (n = 64, 46.0%) compared to Control group (n = 29, 27.4%). The MORE group also had much shorter waiting time for MRI scans (91.85 vs. 309.2 days, p <0.001) and MAB referral after MRI scans (97.2 vs. 178.9 days, p = 0.001) compared to Control group. CONCLUSIONS: The MORE Program which emphasizes early intervention and early MRI screening, is shown to be effective in shortening sick leave and improving RTW outcomes of injured workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to systematically review evidence of the prevalence and predictors of depression and anxiety among 'left-behind children' in rural China. The electronic databases PubMed/ MEDLINE and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure/ Wanfang ( Chinese) were utilized to search for terms including 'depression' or 'depressive disorder', 'anxiety' or 'mental health', combined with 'left behind', 'children' and ' China'. High rates of psychological depression/anxiety have been reported among left-behind children compared with their age-matched peers. Prevalence rates of depression are reported to range from 12.1 to 51.4% and of anxiety are reported to range from 13.2 to 57.6%. Variability between studies is likely attributable to methodological variations relating to measures used and research setting. Potential predictors measured in studies include age and gender, types of being left, age/years of separation, socio-economic status, etc. These high rates of reported psychological problems among this group of young people suggest the need to develop more effective approaches to prevention and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In a cohort of 393 Chinese women, by using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT), we found that significant cortical bone loss occurred after midlife. Prominent increase in cortical porosity began at the fifth decade but reached a plateau before the sixth decade. Trabecular bone loss was already evident in young adulthood and continued throughout life. Introduction: This study aimed to investigate age-related differences in volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD), microarchitecture, and estimated bone strength at peripheral skeleton in Chinese female population. Methods: In a cross-sectional cohort of 393 Chinese women aged 20-90 years, we obtained vBMD, microarchtecture, and micro-finite element-derived bone strength at distal radius and tibia using HR-pQCT. Results: The largest predictive age-related difference was found for cortical porosity (Ct.Po) which showed over four-fold and two-fold differences at distal radius and tibia, respectively, over the adulthood. At both sites, cortical bone area, vBMD, and thickness showed significant quadratic association with age with significant decrease beginning after midlife. Change of Ct.Po became more prominent between age of 50 and 57 (0.26 %/year at distal radius, 0.54 %/year at distal tibia, both p ≤ 0.001) but thereafter, reached a plateau (0.015 and 0.028 %/year, both p > 0.05). In contrast, trabecular vBMD and microarchitecture showed linear association with age with significant deterioration observed throughout adulthood. Estimated age of peak was around age of 20 for trabecular vBMD and microarchitecture and Ct.Po and age of 40 for cortical vBMD and microarchitecture. Estimated stiffness and failure load peaked at mid-30s at the distal radius and at age 20 at distal tibia. Conclusions: Age-related differences in vBMD and microarchitecture in Chinese women differed by bone compartments. Significant cortical bone loss occurred after midlife. Prominent increase in Ct.Po began at the fifth decade but appeared to be arrested before the sixth decade. Loss of trabecular bone was already evident in young adulthood and continued throughout life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of our study was to systematically review studies which had compared self-concept in left-behind children with the general population of children in China. Relevant studies about self-concept of left-behind children in China published from 2004 to 2014 were sought by searching online databases including Chinese Biological Medicine Database ( CBM), Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure ( CNKI), Wanfang Database, Vip Database, Pub Med Database, Google Scholar and Web of Science. The methodological quality of the articles was assessed by using Newcastle- Ottawa Scale ( NOS). Poled effect size and associated 95% confidence interval ( CI) were calculated using the random effects model. Cochrane's Q was used to test for heterogeneity and I2 index was used to determine the degree of heterogeneity. Nineteen studies involving 7758 left-behind children met the inclusion criteria and 15 studies were included in a meta-analysis. The results indicated that left-behind group had a lower score of self-concept and more psychological problems than the control group. The factors associated with self-concept in left-behind children were gender, age, grade and the relationships with parents, guardians and teachers. Left-behind children had lower self-concept and more mental health problems compared with the general population of children. The development of self-concept may be an important channel for promoting mental health of left-behind children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study sought consensus-based indices for quality assessment of the public health service (QAPHS) to evaluate the service quality of public health in Shenzhen and other cities in China. Study design: A qualitative study. Methods: A list of quality assessment indices was formed based on Donabedian theory. These indices were presented to an expert panel in a two-round Delphi study to establish a consensus view. A weight of indices was established to validate the applicability and practicability of the framework. The specialist authority coefficient and Kendall's W were also calculated based on statistical analysis. Results: A total of 30 experts participated in the Delphi study. Consensus was reached on four first-grade indices, nine second-grade indices and 28 third-grade indices. The specialist authority coefficient (Cr) was high (between 0.88 and 0.92), while Kendall's coefficient (W) of all the indices was > 0.5 with statistical significant differences (P < 0.05). This indicated correlation among panelists and had high reliability. Conclusions: A unified and hierarchical quality assessment index framework for public health services was established. The framework should be further tested and improved in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlabelled: We performed a 3-year longitudinal study of a group of 179 healthy Chinese adolescents (92 boys and 87 girls) aged from 12 to 16 years to determine the effects of puberty, physical activity, physical fitness, and calcium intake on the acquisition of bone mass. At yearly intervals for 3 consecutive years we recorded nutrition, calcium intake and anthropometric measurements, and assessed pubertal status according to Tanner. Bone mass of the lumbar spine was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and radial bone mass by single-photon absorptiometry. Physical fitness and level of physical activity were assessed and muscle strength and power determined by isokinetic testing. Peripheral bone mass correlated with axial skeleton bone mass. Age, pubertal staging, physical fitness and muscle strength were significantly associated with bone mass increments on cross-sectional univariate and regression analysis. Longitudinal regression analysis showed that the most important factor affecting bone mass accretion in adolescents in both sexes was their pubertal stage. In boys, bone mass increment throughout the study was greater in children who were already in the advanced pubertal stages on entering the study than in those who started puberty in year 2 or 3 of the study. The percentage change in bone mineral content of the forearm and in bone mineral density of the lumbar spine was greater than 25% in the advanced pubertal group as compared to around 20% in the less mature group. For girls, the reverse was true. The increment of bone mass during the study period was significantly greater in those who presented in the earlier pubertal stages than in those who were at the more advanced stage of puberty on entry into the study. There was no significant effect of calcium intake and physical activities on the bone mass accretion.Conclusion: In Chinese adolescents, bone mineral accretion at adolescence is not influenced by exercise, level of physical fitness and calcium intake. In both sexes, and especially in girls, to optimally increase bone mass, regular physical exercise programmes should be instituted well before the onset of puberty rather than at or after it. Once puberty starts, these interventions may have no or only limited effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Human infections with avian influenza A (H7N9) virus manifested in China in March 2013. The first case infected with H7N9 virus in Beijing involved a family member of a chicken dealer and was reported in April 2013. The clinical and epidemiological characteristics of this case and her parents were examined to illustrate some key traits regarding this novel H7N9 virus. Methods: The index case was subjected to intensive clinical examination in order to observed the clinical process. Real-time PCR was used to confirm cases infected with H7N9 virus. The index case was administered oseltamivir (45 mg, twice daily) at the early stage of the infection. Sera were collected from the index case and her parents from the onset of illness onwards. The subjects were followed for 4 weeks. Results: The sera were confirmed by neutralizing antibody tests. The index case's clinical manifestation progressed quickly. The pharyngeal swab tested positive for influenza A based on the detection of influenza A antigen (rapid influenza diagnostic test) 15 h after the onset of fever and was positive for H7N9 virus. The patient's temperature dropped to 36.2 °C 18 h after treatment by oseltamivir (32 h after fever). Cough and other symptoms alleviated rapidly. A number of specimens from the environment of this cluster and from the feces specimens tested positive for viral RNA of the H7N9 virus on the fourth day following onset of the index case's illness. Pharyngeal swabs of the mother tested positive for H7N9 virus twice, but she showed no clinical symptoms. Four weeks after disease onset, the family did not present any clinical symptoms, and the results of the physical examination and blood tests were normal. The mother and the case's sera had a fourfold increased neutralizing antibody titer. Conclusion: Early diagnosis and early initiation of the treatment of confirmed infections is the most effective strategy for managing H7N9 virus infection. Human beings exposed to H7N9 virus may develop asymptomatic infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The aim of this randomized controlled trial was to determine whether whole body vibration (WBV) therapy was effective for treating osteopenia in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients. Results showed that WBV was effective for improving areal bone mineral density (aBMD) at the femoral neck of the dominant side and lumbar spine BMC in AIS subjects. Introduction: AIS is associated with osteopenia. Although WBV was shown to have skeletal anabolic effects in animal studies, its effect on AIS subjects remained unknown. The objective of this study was to determine whether WBV could improve bone mineral density (BMD) and bone quality for osteopenia in AIS subjects. Methods: This was a randomized, controlled trial recruiting 149 AIS girls between 15 and 25 years old and with bone mineral density (BMD) Z-scores <−1. They were randomly assigned to the Treatment or Control groups. The Treatment group ( n = 61) stood on a low-magnitude high-frequency WBV platform 20 min/day, 5 days/week for 12 months. The Control group ( n = 63) received observation alone. Bone measurement was done at baseline and at 12 months: (1) aBMD and BMC at femoral necks and lumbar spine using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and (2) bone quality including bone morphometry, volumetric BMD (vBMD), and trabecular bone microarchitecture using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) for nondominant distal radius and bilateral distal tibiae. Results: The Treatment group had numerically greater increases in all DXA parameters with a statistically significant difference being detected for the absolute and percentage increases in femoral neck aBMD at the dominant leg (0.015 (SD = 0.031)g/cm, 2.15 (SD = 4.32)%) and the absolute increase in lumbar spine BMC (1.17 (SD = 2.05)g) in the Treatment group as compared with the Control group (0.00084 (SD = 0.026)g/cm, 0.13 (SD = 3.62)% and 0.47 (SD = 1.88)g, respectively). WBV had no significant effect for other bone quality parameters. Conclusions: WBV was effective for improving aBMD at the femoral neck of the dominant side and lumbar spine BMC in AIS subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Countermeasures are desirable to retard bone loss during long-term space flight. We evaluated the effect of an intervention protocol on bed rest-induced bone loss. Introduction: We developed a resistive vibration exercise (RVE) platform to test if an intervention RVE protocol would be effective to protect bed rest-induced bone loss. Methods: Fourteen male subjects were assigned randomly to either the RVE group ( n = 7) that performed daily supervised resistive vibration exercise or to the no any exercise control (CON) group ( n = 7). Both dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and peripheral quantitative computed tomography were used to monitor changes in bone mineral density. Results: RVE significantly prevented bone loss at multiple skeletal sites, including calcaneus, distal tibia, hip, and lumbar spine (L2-L4). The ratio of urinary calcium and creatinine was found higher after starting bed rest in CON group while no significant changes were observed in RVE group. No significant temporal change was found for osteocalcin-N during and after bed rest in CON group. However, a significant increase was shown after bed rest in RVE group. In both groups, the urinary concentration of bone resorption markers, such as C-telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-I) and deoxypyridinoline (DPD), were significantly elevated after bed rest. In the CON group, no significant temporal effect was found for hydroxyproline (HOP), CTX-I, and DPD during bed rest and the serum concentration of HOP and TGF-β significantly increased about 52.04% and 24.03%, respectively only after bed rest. However, all these markers tended to decrease in the RVE group. Conclusions: Our results might imply that the intervention of RVE retarded bone loss induced by simulated microgravity in humans that was mainly attributed to its anabolic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forest communities in the Songshan National Nature Reserve (SNNR) of China were analyzed by using self-organizing map (SOM). Seven types of vegetation were defined by SOM, and represented the panorama of forest communities in the SNNR. The classification of samples and species contribution was consistent. SOM classification and the dominant species visualization in the forest community data in SNNR reflected the impact of the environmental factors, such as elevation, and slope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During 2005-2008, field studies were conducted at two locations in Chongqing, China, to assess the potential effects of transgenic rice expressing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) CrylAb protein on the nontarget ground-dwelling collembolan community in three postharvest seasons. Collembolans in non-Bt and Bt rice fields were sampled with pitfall traps during each of two postharvest seasons of 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 and litterbag traps during each of three postharvest seasons of 2005/2006, 2006/2007, and 2007/2008. Ground-dwelling collembolans in rice fields during the postharvest seasons were abundant, whereas community densities varied considerably between the two locations and among the three seasons. A total of 67,310 collembolans, representing three species, Entomobrya griseoolivata, Hypogastrura matura, and Bourletiella christianseni, were captured during the three postharvest seasons. E. griseoolivata was the predominant species, accounting for 87.7% of the total captures, followed by H. matura (10.7%) and B. christianseni (1.6%). In general, there were no significant differences in species compositions and abundances of each species between Bt and non-Bt paddy fields, suggesting no significantly impact of plant residues of CrylAb rice on collembolan communities during postharvest seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emergence of fatal Streptococcus suis serotype 2 ( S. suis 2, SS2) in China, 2005, has greatly challenged the public health, raising serious concerns about its global circulation. Whole genome sequencing of the representative strains has identified a potential pathogenicity island (PAI), named 89K. Here, we reported the recurrence of human S. suis meningitis cases (two in Shenzhen City and one in Sichuan Province) in China, in 2007. Multiple lines of evidence supported that these human cases are caused by highly pathogenic SS2 isolates. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis indicated that these re-emerging SS2 isolates (07CQH01, 07SZH01 and 07SZH02) can be featured with different genotypes. Molecular dissection demonstrated that they all share 89K, the newly proposed PAI that is common to 2005 prevalent strains in China. Further mapping of 89K revealed that gene losses/deletions occur in 07CQH01 and 07SZH01, except 07SZH02. These findings suggested that heterogeneous SS2 circulates in China, with the capability of causing endemic with life-threatening danger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of radiative transfer over bare soils is a prerequisite to addressing vegetation canopies and predicting soil properties by remote sensing. In this study, the hi-directional spectral reflectance fur three zonal soils in the south-east of China (i.e., red soil, paddy soil and coastal saline soil) was measured in the laboratory. The results showed that the soil bi-directional reflectance increases with increasing off-nadir view angle for all azimuth directions and it is azimuthally symmetric in the orthogonal plane. Additionally, the bi-directional reflectance is highest in the back-scattering direction and lowest in forward-scattering direction. The bi-directional reflectance in the near infrared wavebands and the observed spectra of soils were simulated satisfactorily utilising the Hapke model by a nonlinear least-square fitting algorithm. A single-scattering albedo was retrieved from the measured bi-directional reflectance and increased across the whole spectrum as soils dried. This study indicates clearly that the Hapke model can be used to simulate the whole spectral curve and then to retrieve the soil surface characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus has caused increasing human infection in Eurasia since 2004. So far, H5N1 human infection has been associated with over 50% mortality that is partly because of delay of diagnosis and treatment. Objectives and methods Here, we report that an H5N1 influenza virus infected a 31-year-old patient in Shenzhen in June 2006. To identify the possible source of the infection, the human isolate and other H5N1 influenza viruses obtained from poultry and wild birds in southern China during the same period of time were characterized. Results Genetic and antigenic analyses revealed that the human H5N1 influenza virus, Shenzhen/406H/06, is of purely avian origin and is most closely related to viruses detected in poultry and wild birds in Hong Kong in early 2006. Conclusions The findings of the present study suggest that the continued endemicity of H5N1 influenza virus in the poultry in southern China increases the chance for introduction of the virus to humans. This highlights the importance of continued surveillance of poultry and wild birds for determining the source for human H5N1 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic diversity within the same hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype indicates the presence of several subgenotypes. We have found that genotype C is the most common in China, and this study aimed to determine the geographical distribution and characteristics of HBV-C subgenotypes in the country. A cohort of 534 patients with chronic HBV genotype C infection, collected across China, was analysed by nucleotide sequencing or polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. HBV-C1/Cs ( n = 112, 21%) and HBV-C2/Ce ( n = 397, 74%) were the most common HBV-C subgenotypes and showed different geographical distribution in China. No significant differences were found between patients infected with HBV-C1 and HBV-C2 when comparing liver function tests, hepatitis B e antigen positive rate and clinical manifestations. We identified two other types of HBV-C provisionally designated as HBV-CD1 and HBV-CD2, which have particular virological features and clustered in one geographic area. These two types of C/D hybrids have emerged through recombination with genotype D and encode serotype ayw2 hepatitis B surface antigen. In conclusion, there are at least four subtypes of HBV genotype C: subgenotypes C1, C2 and two types of C/D recombinants CD1 and CD2 in China, which have a distinct geographic distribution. Whether HBV-C subgenotypes differ in their impact on liver disease progression requires prospective studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated animal food intake and cooking methods in relation to endometrial cancer risk in a population-based case-control study in Shanghai, China. A validated food frequency questionnaire was used to collect the usual dietary habits of 1204 cases and 1212 controls aged 30-69 years between 1997 and 2003. Statistical analyses were based on an unconditional logistic regression model adjusting for potential confounders. High intake of meat and fish was associated with an increased risk of endometrial cancer, with adjusted odds ratios for the highest vs the lowest quartile groups being 1.7 (95% confidence interval: 1.3-2.2) and 2.4 (1.8-3.1), respectively. The elevated risk was observed for all types of meat and fish intake. Intake of eggs and milk was not related to risk. Cooking methods and doneness levels for meat and fish were not associated with risk, nor did they modify the association with meat and fish consumption. Our study suggests that animal food consumption may play an important role in the aetiology of endometrial cancer, but cooking methods have minimal influence on risk among Chinese women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the foot arch function of Chinese children. A total of 2715 children, 1246 girls, and 1369 boys, 4-18 years of age were recruited from kindergartens, primary, and secondary schools. The dynamic footprints of the children were collected using a portable pressure-sensing mat. The Contact Force Ratio (CFR, i.e. the ratio of the mid-foot loading to the total loading of the contacted foot, with the toes ignored) of each age group was calculated. In general, the CFR decreased from 4 to 10 years and plateaued at 10-12 years and then increased until 15-16 years. An abnormal low arch foot was defined as the foot that had a CFR value larger than the corresponding age mean plus one standard deviation. The cut-off CFR values of each age group were calculated. With the exception of the 17 years age group, which consisted of a relatively small number of subjects, the percentage of low arch subjects of all the other age groups ranged from 15 to 20%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significance of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes for the heterogeneity of chronic HBV infection and severity of liver disease is not well understood. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution and virologic characteristics of HBV genotypes in China and possible association with the diversity of liver disease. The study includes 1096 chronic HBV carriers from nine provinces in China. We collected clinical and laboratory data and analysed the HBV strains in sera by polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and nucleotide sequencing techniques. The most common HBV genotypes were B (41%) and C (53%), while genotypes A and D were also found. A North–South divide was identified in genotype B and C distribution – genotype C was predominant in northern China, while genotype B was more prevalent in southern provinces. Patients with genotype B were younger than those with genotype C, and had a lower prevalence of HBeAg – 65% vs 72%, respectively ( P = 0.03). However, the severity of liver disease did not differ significantly between patients infected with genotype B or C – neither when comparing liver function tests (1024 patients), nor hepatic inflammation and fibrosis (264 patients). Amongst 47 patients with genotype D (by PCR-RFLP), 37 (79%) were infected with a new subtype (designated Dc), having a recombination fragment from genotype C precore/core region. This is the first large-scale HBV genotype study from China and convincing documentation of the North-to-South gradient of genotypes C vs B in this country. HBV DNA recombination over the surface and precore/core genes increases the diversity of HBV strains and may have diagnostic and clinical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This paper reports longitudinal changes in bone mineral density (BMD), calcium homeostasis and dietary calcium intake in a group of Hong Kong breastfeeding women during the first year postpartum. Design and subjects: Nine mothers who breastfed exclusively or almost exclusively for at least 3 months and 14 formula feeding mothers aged 20-40 y were interviewed after delivery, 2 and 6 weeks, 3, 6 and 12 months postpartum. BMD at L2-L4 lumbar spine (LS), trochanter (Tro) and femoral neck (FN), serum intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (b-ALP), urinary deoxypyridinoline (Dpd), serum and urinary calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) and dietary intake of macronutrients were assessed. Results: Compared to the formula feeding group, BMD assessed at LS, Tro and FN decreased significantly in the breastfeeding group over the first 6 months, with rebound to approximate baseline values at 12 months for the latter two sites. Serum iPTH increased in both groups, whereas serum b-ALP was consistently higher in the breastfeeders. Urinary Ca and P excretion decreased early postpartum in both groups, but the breastfeeders had higher excretion at 3 and 6 months. Breastfeeding mothers consumed significantly more Ca than the formula feeding mothers in the early postpartum. Conclusions: Increased calcium requirement during early lactation is affected through mobilisation of bone and renal calcium conservation. Bone mineral loss during lactation is temporary. Further studies are warranted to investigate the effects of diet and other hormonal factors on the calcium homeostasis during lactation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a population-based case-control study of 832 incident endometrial cancer cases and 846 frequency-matched controls among Chinese women in Shanghai, using a validated food-frequency questionnaire, dietary habits were estimated by in-person interviews. Total vegetable consumption was inversely associated with endometrial cancer risk (highest quartile vs lowest: OR=0.69, 95% CI 0.50-0.96). The risk was reduced with increasing intake of dark green/dark yellow vegetables (trend test, P=0.02), fresh legumes (trend test, P<0.01), and allium vegetables (trend test, P=0.04). Fruit consumption was unrelated to risk. These results suggest that high consumption of certain vegetables may reduce the risk of endometrial cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To provide an overall pattern of morbidity in unintentional residential childhood injuries (URCI) in Hong Kong.Methodology: A cross-sectional telephone survey of caregivers of children aged under 16-years and adolescents suffering from URCI and admitted to three selected local Accident and Emergency Departments.Results: Falls, cuts and scalds were the most common external causes of URCI observed, while boys predominated in the sample population. Most of the observed URCI were of moderate to mild severity. Children of new immigrant mothers were more likely to receive first aid immediately after the incidents. Parents were aware of potentially injurious behaviour and intervened on occasion, but most resorted to verbal warnings only.Conclusions: Prevalence of falls among observed URCI offers evidence in support of the hypothesis that the high population density in Hong Kong plays an integral role in understanding mechanisms of morbidity. Parents show concern about URCI but often lack substantial action that modifies injury risk. Considering the local injury differentials, an active prevention effort such as behavioural intervention and education for parents may be useful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to identify factors influencing axillary pathological complete response (pCR) and to develop a predictive nomogram to evaluate axillary pCR rate in breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). A total of 2368 patients who received NAC and mastectomy between 2000 and 2014 from 12 grade A tertiary hospitals in China were analyzed retrospectively. The patients treated in three cancer hospitals (training set, n = 1629) were used to construct the nomogram based on multivariate logistic regression analyses. The nomograph was validated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and calibration curve in patients from 9 other general hospitals (validation set, n = 739). The nomogram incorporated seven predicting factors including NACT cycles, response to NACT, clinical T stage, clinical N stage, grade, LVI, and molecular subtype. The AUC for the training set and validation set were 0.762 and 0.802, respectively. In addition, the calibration curve also showed good agreement between the nomogram-based predictions and the actual observations. A nomogram was established to predict the status of axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer patients after NAC. The predictive model performed well both in the training set and external validation set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine the relationship between diurnal temperature range (DTR) and outpatient visits for childhood acute bronchitis (AB) in Hefei, China, to analyze whether DTR effect was delayed, and to explore the susceptible populations. Study design: An ecological study. Methods: A Poisson generalized linear regression model combined with a distributed lag non-linear model was used to analyze the relationship between DTR and childhood AB from Hefei, China during 2010e2013, after adjusting for long-term trend and seasonality, mean temperature and relative humidity. Results: An adverse effect of DTR on childhood AB was observed, and the impact of DTR was greatest at three days lag, with a 1.0% (95% confidence interval = 0.5e1.6%) increase of AB cases per 1 °C increment of DTR. Female children and children aged 0e4 years appeared to be more vulnerable to DTR effect than other children. Conclusions: Our study suggests that large DTR may increase the incidence of childhood AB in Hefei, particularly for those who are female and young. Caregivers and health practitioners should be made aware of the potential threat posed by large DTR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The short-term temperature variation has been shown to be significantly associated with human health. However, little is known about whether temperature change between neighbouring days (TCN) and diurnal temperature range (DTR) have any effect on childhood hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). This study aims to explore whether temperature variability has any effect on childhood HFMD. Study design: Ecological study. Methods: The association between meteorological variables and HFMD cases in Huainan, China, from January 1st 2012 to December 31st 2014 was analysed using Poisson generalized linear regression combined with distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) after controlling for long-term trend and seasonality, mean temperature and relative humidity. Results: An adverse effect of TCN on childhood HFMD was observed, and the impact of TCN was the greatest at five days lag, with a 10% (95% CI: 4%-15%) increase of daily number of HFMD cases per 3 °C (10th percentile) decrease of TCN. Male children, children aged 0e5 years, scattered children and children in high-risk areas appeared to be more vulnerable to the TCN effect than others. However, there was no significant association between DTR and childhood HFMD. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that TCN drops may increase the incidence of childhood HFMD in Huainan, highlighting the importance of protecting children from forthcoming TCN drops, particularly for those who are male, young, scattered and from high-risk areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In recent years, many studies have found that ambient temperature is significantly associated with bacillary dysentery (BD). However, there is limited evidence on the relationship between temperature and childhood BD in temperate areas. Objectives: To investigate the relationship between daily mean temperature (MT) and childhood BD in China. Methods: Data on daily MT and childhood BD between 2006 and 2012 were collected from the Bureau of Meteorology and the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in Hefei, Anhui Province, China. A Poisson generalized linear regression model combined with a distributed lag non-linear model was used to analyse the effects of temperature on childhood BD across different age and sex subgroups. Results: An increase in temperature was significantly associated with childhood BD, and each 1 °C increase corresponded to an increase of 1.58% [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.46 -2.71%] in the number of cases of BD. Children aged 0-5 years and girls were particularly sensitive to the effects of temperature. Conclusions: High temperatures may increase the risk of childhood BD in Hefei. Children aged 0-5 years and girls appear to be particularly sensitive to the effects of high temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To describe the time course and characteristics of an insecticide-associated incident and highlight potential risks from similar outbreaks that may occur in other areas to enhance the preparedness of emergency physicians and other healthcare providers to deal with the sequelae of these events. Study design: Outbreak investigation Methods: From 5 to 8 August 2008, an outbreak investigation was carried out among the affected primary school located in the refugee camp area of Lixian district, Sichuan, China. Affected pupils, parents, teachers and doctors working in the local medical stations were visited. Clinical checking, clinical treatment, epidemiological investigation and environmental investigation were undertaken. Results: In total, 138 individuals were diagnosed with acute conjunctivitis, characterized by inflammation of the conjunctiva and intense ocular symptoms such as redness, itching and mucus discharge. According to the results, all risk factors (i.e. drinking water, indoor air and the materials used in camp classrooms) were excluded except insecticide exposure. The characteristics of symptoms, distribution of cases and records of irregular insecticide spraying support the assumption that the conjunctivitis outbreak was associated with synthetic pyrethroid alphacyperm ethrin exposure. Conclusion: The results suggest that non-standard operating procedures in pest control could lead to disease incidents. Medical rescue teams should receive training and education in preventive techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methicillin susceptibility of 415 staphylococcal isolates from Chinese hospitals was assessed using the CLSI disk-diffusion method with a cefoxitin 30-µg disk in comparison with an oxacillin 1-µg disk. PCR-based detection of mecA was the reference standard. The cefoxitin 30-µg disk performed with almost the same high level of accuracy as the oxacillin 1-µg disk in detecting methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus. For coagulase–negative staphylococci (CoNS), the sensitivity of the cefoxitin 30-µg disk was 90.5%, compared with 83.4% for the oxacillin 1-µg disk. Confirmatory testing of isolates with borderline susceptibility and revision of the cefoxitin breakpoint are proposed in order to categorise CoNS more accurately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of trastuzumab in combination with chemotherapy has significantly improved clinical outcomes for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. HLX02 was developed as a trastuzumab biosimilar with the potential to increase market competition and treatment accessibility in China and around the world. We conducted a randomised, double-blind, parallel-controlled equivalence study (HLX02-BC01) at 89 study centres in China, Philippines, Poland and Ukraine. Eligible women were aged 18 years or older, had histologically confirmed HER2+ breast cancer, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 to 1, and estimated life expectancy ≥3 months. Patients were randomised at 1:1 to receive an intravenous dose of 8 mg/kg of HLX02 or EU-trastuzumab with docetaxel on Day 1 -Cycle 1 followed by a dose of 6 mg/kg once every 3 weeks in 3-weekly cycles for up to a maximum of 12 months. The primary endpoint was best overall response rate at Week 24 (ORR wk24) evaluated by blinded central imaging review. Secondary endpoints included clinical benefit rate (CBR), disease control rate (DCR), duration of response (DoR), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), safety outcomes with immunogenicity and incidence of adverse events up to 12 months. Of 1046 patients enrolled, 649 were randomly allocated to receive HLX02 (n = 324) or EU-trastuzumab (n = 325). The ORR was 71.0% (230 of 324 patients; 95% CI: 66.0, 75.9) for HLX02 and 71.4% (232 of 325 patients; 95% CI: 66.5, 76.3) for EU-trastuzumab. The p-value at 95% CI (p = 0.952) was completely contained within the pre-defined equivalence boundaries of ± 13.5%. The difference in ORR between the 2 treatments was 0.4 (95% CI: -7.4, 6.6). Safety outcomes and immunogenicity were similar between the treatment groups at Week 24. Among women with HER2+ metastatic breast cancer, the use of HLX02 compared with EU-trastuzumab resulted in an equivalent ORR at Week 24. All secondary efficacy and safety analyses at Week 24 also supported the conclusion of therapeutic equivalence; HLX02 does not demonstrate new safety signals in comparison with EU-trastuzumab. Further study results at Month 12 will be reported in August once the study is unblinded. NCT03084237; EudraCT: 2016-000206-10. Shanghai Henlius Biotech, Inc. Shanghai Henlius Biotech, Inc. B. Xu: Research grant / Funding (institution): Shanghai Henlius Biotech,Inc. Q. Zhang: Research grant / Funding (institution): Shanghai Henlius Biotech,Inc. T. Sun: Research grant / Funding (institution): Shanghai Henlius Biotech,Inc. W. Li: Research grant / Funding (institution): Shanghai Henlius Biotech,Inc. Y. Teng: Research grant / Funding (institution): Shanghai Henlius Biotech,Inc. X. Hu: Research grant / Funding (institution): Shanghai Henlius Biotech,Inc. I. Bondarenko: Research grant / Funding (institution): Shanghai Henlius Biotech,Inc. H. Adamchuk: Research grant / Funding (institution): Shanghai Henlius Biotech,Inc. L. Zhang: Research grant / Funding (institution): Shanghai Henlius Biotech,Inc. D. Trukhin: Research grant / Funding (institution): Shanghai Henlius Biotech,Inc. B. Li: Full / Part-time employment: Shanghai Henlius Biotech,Inc. B. Shan: Full / Part-time employment: Shanghai Henlius Biotech,Inc. J. Cheng: Full / Part-time employment: Shanghai Henlius Biotech,Inc. T. Peng: Full / Part-time employment: Shanghai Henlius Biotech,Inc. W. Jiang: Full / Part-time employment: Shanghai Henlius Biotech,Inc. S. Liu: Full / Part-time employment: Shanghai Henlius Biotech,Inc. X. Zhang: Full / Part-time employment: Shanghai Henlius Biotech,Inc. Q. Wang: Full / Part-time employment: Shanghai Henlius Biotech, Inc. E. Liu: Full / Part-time employment: Henlix Biotech, Inc. A.Y. Luk: Full / Part-time employment: Shanghai Henlius Biotech,Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Climate change has raised scientific interest in examining the associations of weather conditions with adverse health effects, while most studies determined human thermal stress using ambient air temperature rather than the thermophysiological index., Objectives: To evaluate the association between emergency ambulance dispatches (EADs) related to cardiovascular causes and heat/cold stress in Shenzhen, a city in southern China, with the aim of providing new insights for local policymakers., Methods: A time series analysis using ambulance dispatch data of cardiovascular diseases in Shenzhen, China (2013-2019) was conducted. A quasi-Poisson nonlinear distributed lag model was applied to explore the relationship between emergency ambulance dispatches (EADs) due to cardiovascular causes and thermal stress (determined by Universal Thermal Climate Index, UTCI). Attributable fractions were estimated to identify which UTCI ranges have a greater health impact., Results: The relationship between UTCI and EADs due to cardiovascular diseases exhibits a reverse J-shaped curve. The effects of cold stress were immediate and long-lasting, whereas the effects of heat stress were non-significant. Compared with the optimal equivalent temperature (71st percentile of UTCI, 29.22 °C), the relative risks for cumulative (0-21 days) exposures to cold stress (1st percentile, - 0.13 °C; 5th percentile, 7.68 °C) were 1.55 (95%CI:1.28,1.88) and 1.44 (95%CI:1.22,1.69), respectively. Thermal (cold and heat) stress was responsible for 10.81% (95%eCI: 5.67%,15.43%) of EADs for cardiovascular diseases, with 9.46% (95%eCI: 3.98%,14.40%) attributed to moderate cold stress (2.5th ~ 71st percentile). Greater susceptibility to cold stress was observed for males and the elderly. Heat stress showed harmful effects in the warm season., Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that cold exposure elevates the risk of EADs for cardiovascular causes in Shenzhen, and moderate cold stress cause the highest burden of ambulance dispatches. Health authorities should consider effective adaptation strategies and interventions responding to cold stress to reduce the morbidity of cardiovascular diseases., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Despite evidence linking fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) to cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM), the impact of its components remains unclear. Socioeconomic status (SES) and regional disparities may confound their association. We aim to evaluate the associations between PM 2.5 components and CMM and explore how socioeconomic status and regional disparities affect these relationships., Methods: We recruited 108,941 participants aged 35-76 years from ten cities in eastern China. Individual exposure was assessed using Tracking Air Pollution in China (TAP) data, including PM 2.5 and five components: ammonium (NH 4 + ), black carbon (BC), nitrates (NO 3 - ), organic matter (OM), and sulfates (SO 4 2- ). Generalized linear models and quantile g-computation models were employed to quantify the effects of PM 2.5 components on CMM and to identify key components. Stratified analyses were performed to investigate the modifying effect of SES and regional disparities., Results: For each increase in interquartile range (IQR), BC (odds ratio [OR] 1.37, 95 % CI 1.29-1.47), OM (1.38, 1.29-1.48), NH 4 + (1.31, 1.21-1.40), NO 3 - (1.34, 1.25-1.44), and SO 4 2- (1.28, 1.20-1.38) were positively associated with CMM. Joint exposure to five components was significantly positively associated with CMM (OR: 1.27, 95 % CI: 1.21-1.33), with SO 4 2- having the highest estimated weight, followed by NO 3 - and BC. These associations were stronger for participants from low socio-economic status and poor regions., Conclusion: In summary, we found a stronger hazard effect of PM 2.5 and its components on CMM, compared to those suffering from CMDs, particularly among participants with low socioeconomic status and in poor regions. SO 4 2- may be a primary contributor to the association between PM 2.5 related pollution sources in health policies, particularly amid China's aging population, reducing environmental health inequalities is critical.4 2- related pollution sources in health policies, particularly amid China's aging population, reducing environmental health inequalities is critical., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

High-quality development represents a fundamental shift in China's economy from scale and speed to quality and efficiency. In this transition, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices are not only closely integrated with China's development strategy but have also become a core standard for measuring development quality. Nevertheless, research on how ESG practices specifically promote high-quality development in Chinese enterprises remains limited. Based on the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) theory framework, this study uses data from the Huazheng ESG Index from 2009 to 2022 and employs fixed effect models, mediation effect models, and heterogeneity analysis to examine the specific impact of China's ESG practices on corporate high-quality development from multiple dimensions. The results show that there is a "U-shaped" relationship between the ESG practices of Chinese listed companies and green total factor productivity (GTFP). Initially, improving ESG practices may temporarily suppress GTFP, but as ESG levels further improve, they exhibit a significant positive impact on GTFP. Corporations significantly boost productivity by alleviating financing constraints and promoting green technological innovation, although the direct impact on technological advancement remains relatively limited. In China's western regions and industries such as manufacturing, electricity, heat, gas, and water production and supply, wholesale and retail, and information transmission, software, and information technology services, the positive effects of ESG on GTFP are particularly evident. Based on these findings, it is recommended that governments and financial institutions collaborate to promote green credit policies and increase support for the research and development of green technologies. Additionally, environmental education and resource use optimization should be strengthened, especially in industries such as agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fisheries, and the exchange of ESG technologies and experiences between industries should be encouraged.

Background: Studies have shown that abnormal temperature at night is a risk factor for respiratory health. However, there is limited evidence on the impact of hot and cold nights on cause-specific diseases such as pneumonia, which is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children., Methods: We collected daily data on pneumonia hospitalisations in children under five years from 2011 to 2017 in three low-, middle- and high-income countries (Bangladesh, China, and Australia). The intensity of hot and cold nights was measured by excess temperature. A space-time-stratified case-crossover analysis was used to estimate the association between hot and cold nights and childhood pneumonia hospitalisations. We further estimated the fraction of childhood pneumonia hospitalisations attributable to hot and cold nights., Results: Both hot and cold nights were associated with an increased risk of hospitalisations for childhood pneumonia in low-, middle-, and high-income countries, with a greater disease burden from hot nights. Specifically, the fraction of childhood pneumonia attributable to hot nights was the largest in Australia [21.2%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 11.8%-28.1%], followed by Bangladesh (15.2%, 95% CI: 4.1%-23.8%) and China (2.7%, 95% CI: 0.4%-4.7%). Additionally, the fraction of childhood pneumonia attributable to cold nights was 1.3% (95% CI: 0.4%-2.0%) in Bangladesh and 0.4% (95% CI: 0.1%-0.7%) in China., Conclusion: This multi-country study suggests that hot and cold nights are not only associated with a higher risk of pneumonia hospitalisations in children but also responsible for substantial fraction of hospitalisations, with a greater impact from hot nights., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Importance: Probiotic supplementation may improve bowel movements. However, large, properly designed studies are lacking., Objective: To evaluate the potential benefit of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp lactis HN019 on constipation, expressed as complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBMs)., Design, Setting, and Participants: This randomized triple-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial with 2 weeks of run-in and 8 weeks of intervention was conducted from December 25, 2020, to February 28, 2022, at 5 hospitals in Shanghai, China. Participants included healthy volunteers with functional constipation according to Rome III criteria, 18 to 70 years of age, and a body mass index (calculated as the weight in kilograms divided by the height in meters squared) of less than 30.0. Eligibility after the run-in phase required the randomized participants to have 3 or fewer CSBMs/wk. Data were analyzed from September 29, 2022, to March 23, 2023, and reported as intention to treat., Intervention: Participants were randomized to receive probiotic (B lactis HN019, 7.0 × 109 colony forming units (CFU)/d in maltodextrin at the start of the study and 4.69 × 109 CFU/d at the end of the study or maltodextrin placebo once a day for 8 weeks., Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcome was change in CSBMs. Secondary outcomes included use of rescue medication, stool consistency, degree of straining for each bowel movement, abdominal pain, and bloating. Further, dietary habits and physical activity were recorded. Fecal samples were analyzed for moisture content, short-chain fatty acids, branched-chain fatty acids, microbiota composition, and calprotectin., Results: Of the 283 individuals assessed for eligibility, 229 were randomized to either the placebo (n = 117) or the HN019 (n = 112) group. One participant in the placebo group discontinued due to COVID-19 restrictions. The 229 participants (194 [84.7% female) had a median age of 45 (38-52) years, mean (SD) BMI of 22.8 (2.5), and a mean (SD) of 0.77 (1.0) CSBM/wk. There was no difference in the change of weekly CSBMs from baseline to the end of study between the HN019 (least-square mean change, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.54-1.05]) and placebo (least-square mean change, 0.66 [95% CI, 0.41-0.90]) groups., Conclusions and Relevance: Although probiotics have been reported to improve bowel function, this large, well-conducted randomized clinical trial did not confirm such results. Daily consumption of B lactis HN019 at the tested dose of 4.69 × 109 CFU did not outperform placebo to increase CSBMs., Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry Identifier: ChiCTR2000029215.

Purpose: Extreme temperatures and air pollution are increasingly important risk factors for human health in the background of climate change, with limited evidence available for neurological disorders. This study intended to investigate the short-term effects of extreme temperatures on childhood epilepsy and explore the potential modifying effect of air pollution., Methods: Daily childhood epilepsy hospitalization, meteorological and air pollution data were collected from 10 cities in Anhui Province of China during 2016-2018. We firstly employed a space-time-stratified case-crossover design and conditional logistic regression model to fit the short-term relationship between temperature and epilepsy. Then, we conducted stratified analyses by the level of air pollution and individual characteristics., Results: Both extreme heat and extreme cold increased the risk of hospitalization for childhood epilepsy. The effect of extreme heat [97.5th vs. minimum hospitalization temperature (MHT)] on hospitalization was acute and emerged at lag0 [OR: 1.229 (95 %CI: 1.035 to 1.459)], while the effect of extreme cold (2.5th vs. MHT) was delayed and appeared at lag5 [OR: 1.098 (95 %CI: 1.043 to 1.156)]. We also found children aged 6-18 years were more susceptible to extreme cold than children aged 0-5 years. Besides, extreme heat and cold effects differed by the level of air pollutants., Conclusion: This study suggests that extreme temperatures might be the novel but currently neglected risk factor for childhood epilepsy, and air pollution could further amplify the adverse effect of temperature., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: This study examined adherence rates to tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT) among close contacts of individuals with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and identified factors associated with TPT adherence in China., Methods: A multicenter, cluster-randomized, open-label control trial was carried out across three sites involving 34 counties in China. Close contacts of bacteriologically confirmed rifampin and isoniazid-susceptible PTB cases were identified and screened for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Eligible participants were randomly assigned to either the 3H 2 P 2 group, which consisted of a 3-month, twice-weekly regimen of rifapentine and isoniazid, or the 6H group, which entailed a 6-month daily regimen of isoniazid. To assess the factors influencing adherence, a two-level logistic regression model was utilized., Results: Out of the 2434 close contacts who initiated TPT, 2121 (87.1%) completed the regimen. Of the 313 individuals who did not complete TPT, 60.1% refused to continue, and 27.8% discontinued due to adverse effects. The two-level logistic regression model revealed several factors associated with enhanced TPT adherence: enrollment in the 3H 2 P 2 group (odds ratio [OR] = 2.09), management by a TB dispensary responsible for TPT (OR = 2.55), supervision by healthcare workers (OR = 6.40), and clinician incentives (OR = 2.49). Conversely, the occurrence of any adverse effects (OR = 0.08) was identified as a risk factor for nonadherence., Conclusion: Administering TPT to individuals with LTBI is feasible among close contacts. Adherence to TPT can be enhanced through shorter, safer treatment regimens and supportive interventions, such as directly supervised therapy for TPT recipients and incentives for healthcare providers managing TPT., Competing Interests: Declarations of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this article., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Antenatal depression may result in adverse outcomes for both the mother and the offspring. However, few studies have focused on the screening of pregnant women at a higher risk for antenatal depression in the first trimester. The present study aimed to assess the effect of lifestyle and family relationships on antenatal depression in the first trimester in a large Chinese population., Methods: Cross-sectional population data were obtained from a real-world cross-sectional survey conducted in Shenzhen, China from 2020 to 2024. The data on sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle, and family relationships were obtained using self-reported questionnaires. Antenatal depression was assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), with a score of ≥13 indicating the presence of probable antenatal depression. A binary logistic regression model was used to identify the risk factors of antenatal depression., Results: A total of 42,363 pregnant women in the first trimester were recruited in the cross-sectional survey, among whom 3107 (7.3 %) had probable antenatal depression. We found (1) age < 25 years, (2) low or moderate economic status, (3) smoking, (4) partner smoking, (5) alcohol use, (6) lack of physical exercise, (7) poor or moderate living environment, (8) low or moderate marital happiness, and (9) never talking about problems were associated with antenatal depression. However, level of education, employment status, partner alcohol use, and living alone were not significantly related to antenatal depression in the first trimester., Limitations: The cross-sectional design and the use of self-report measures must be considered while interpreting the results., Conclusions: This study suggested that the prevalence of antenatal depression in the first trimester was 7.3 %. Public health prevention efforts aimed at reducing the prevalence of antenatal depression are recommended. Early identification of women at a higher risk in early pregnancy is necessary for preventing antenatal depression and improving quality of life., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts to disclose., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)