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Cuticular hydrocarbons of Cerambycidae species can function as signals for sex recognition. Little is known about the copulatory signals of the juniper bark borer Semanotus bifasciatus, a major economic threat to Platycladus orientalis Franco in China. Here, we investigated the cuticular hydrocarbons of both sexes of S. bifasciatus to determine the chemically mediated mating signals using the solid‐phase microextraction (SPME) technique with carbowax/divinylbenzene fibers (CAR/DVB) and then analyzed by coupled gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS). A series of aliphatic saturated straight‐chain n‐alkanes (n‐C23 to n‐C28), internally branched monomethylalkanes at carbons 3, 11, or 13, and dimethylalkanes were identified, which showed no qualitative differences in either sex and were similar in the samples with SPME fiber extraction and those with hexane extraction. The bioassay showed that 11‐methylpentacosane (11‐MeC25), 11‐methylhexacosane (11‐MeC26), and 11‐methylheptacosane (11‐MeC27) have sex‐specific recognition functions that triggered more mating attempts at a female‐specific ratio of 100:4:60 than at a male‐specific ratio of 100:85:50. In addition, the female‐specific ratio of 11‐methylalkanes can elicit about 70% of male mating attempts within about 60 s, whereas live females elicit about 98% of male mating attempts within 25 s. The discrepancy in the initiation of mating attempts by synthetic mixtures and live females suggests that the methyl isomers 3‐MeC25, 3‐MeC27, and/or 11,15‐diMeC27 may also be involved in the mating behavior of S. bifasciatus. These results suggest that 11‐MeC25, 11‐MeC26, and 11‐MeC27 constitute the contact sex pheromone of S. bifasciatus, with the presence or absence of 11‐MeC26 in particular playing an important role in mate recognition by males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is crucial for chronic kidney disease (CKD) diagnosis and therapy. Various studies have sought to recognize ideal endogenous markers to improve the estimated GFR for clinical practice. To screen out potential novel metabolites related to GFR (mGFR) measurement in CKD patients from the Chinese population, we identified more biomarkers for improving GFR estimation. Methods: Fifty-three CKD participants were recruited from the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University in 2020. For each participant, mGFR was evaluated by utilizing the plasma clearance of iohexol and collecting serum samples for untargeted metabolomics analyses by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy. All participants were divided into four groups according to mGFR. The metabolite peak area data were uploaded to MetaboAnalyst 5.0 for one-way analysis of variance, principal component analysis, and partial least squares-discriminant analysis and confirmed the metabolites whose levels increased or decreased with mGFR and variable importance in projection (VIP) values >1. Metabolites were ranked by correlation with the original values of mGFR, and metabolites with a correlation coefficient >0.8 and VIP >2 were identified. Results: We screened out 198 metabolites that increased or decreased with mGFR decline. After ranking by correlation with mGFR, the top 50 metabolites were confirmed. Further studies confirmed the 10 most highly correlated metabolites. Conclusion: We screened out the metabolites that increased or decreased with mGFR decline in CKD patients from the Chinese population, and 10 of them were highly correlated. They are potential novel metabolites to improve GFR estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an increasing concern that soils in e-waste recycling regions are severely contaminated by unregulated e-waste dismantling activities. Hence, it is urgent to reveal the spatial variation of hazardous elements in arable lands close to e-waste stacking and dismantling areas and their potential risks to human beings. We collected 349 topsoil samples based on an intensive grid of 100 m × 100 m in southeastern China. The average concentrations of heavy metals were 1.25 (Cd), 35.44 (Ni), 77.68 (Cr), 77.38 (Pb), 122.14 (Cu), 203.39 (Zn), 0.21 (Hg), and 4.74 (As) mg kg−1, respectively. Compared to the risk screening values of hazardous elements in Chinese agricultural land, Cd and Cu were severely accumulated in the soils. The results of ecological risk analysis revealed that Cd posed the crucial risk among the studied elements. However, the levels of non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk were still within the acceptable quantity for adults. Spatial distribution by kriging interpolation displayed that the heavy metals were mainly distributed close to e-waste dismantling sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neuromuscular blockade and pneumoperitoneum (PP) are important factors to ensure successful laparoscopic surgery. However, residual neuromuscular blockade (rNMB) and PP are associated with many unfavorable complications. The aim of this study is to compare the cost-effectiveness of using sugammadex versus neostigmine in laparoscopic surgery in China. Methods: A decision tree model was developed with a time horizon based on laparoscopic surgery related hospitalization duration. 2000 patients using sugammadex or neostigmine were simulated within the model. The model outcomes included incidence of rNMB and PP related complications and their treatment costs. Data on clinical efficacy, safety and cost were collected from published literature and interviews of physicians. Results: The model projected that treatment with sugammadex instead of neostigmine would lead to 673 fewer total complications, including rNMB/PP related complications, hospitalization, and other AEs (621 events versus 1294 events, respectively). Use of sugammadex was associated with an incremental medication cost of ¥1,360,410. However, 93.6% of the increased medication cost can be off-set by the reduced costs attributable to treatment of rNMB related complications, PP related complications, hospitalization and other adverse events in sugammadex group. In aggregate, the sugammadex group incurred an incremental cost of ¥86,610 to prevent 673 complications, (¥128.56 per one rNMB/PP related complications prevention). One-way sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the model. Conclusions: Use of sugammadex in replacement of neostigmine would result in significantly lower rNMB/PP related complications but at a substantially higher medication cost. Upon accounting for the costs associated with treatment of rNMB/PP related complications, 93.6% of medication cost is projected to be offset. In balance, sugammadex appears to offer good value for reversal of neuromuscular blockade for laparoscopic surgery in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To date, the missed diagnosis rate of pulmonary hypertension (PH) was high, and there has been limited development of a rapid, simple, and effective way to screen the disease. The purpose of this study is to develop a deep learning approach to achieve rapid detection of possible abnormalities in chest radiographs suggesting PH for screening patients suspected of PH. Methods: We retrospectively collected frontal chest radiographs and the pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) value measured by Doppler transthoracic echocardiography from 762 patients (357 healthy controls and 405 with PH) from three institutes in China from January 2013 to May 2019. The wohle sample comprised 762 images (641 for training, 80 for internal test, and 41 for external test). We firstly performed a 8-fold cross-validation on the 641 images selected for training (561 for pre-training, 80 for validation), then decided to tune learning rate to 0.0008 according to the best score on validation data. Finally, we used all the pre-training and validation data (561+80 = 641) to train our models (Resnet50, Xception, and Inception V3), evaluated them on internal and external test dataset to classify the images as having manifestations of PH or healthy according to the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC/ROC). After that, the three deep learning models were further used for prediction of PASP using regression algorithm. Moreover, we invited an experienced chest radiologist to classify the images in the test dataset as having PH or not, and compared the prediction accuracy performed by deep learing models with that of manual classification. Results: The AUC performed by the best model (Inception V3) achieved 0.970 in the internal test, and slightly declined in the external test (0.967) when using deep learning algorithms to classify PH from normal based on chest X-rays. The mean absolute error (MAE) of the best model for prediction of PASP value was smaller in the internal test (7.45) compared to 9.95 in the external test. Manual classification of PH based on chest X-rays showed much lower AUCs compared to that performed by deep learning models both in the internal and external test. Conclusions: The present study used deep learning algorithms to classify abnormalities suggesting PH in chest radiographs with high accuracy and good generalizability. Once tested prospectively in clinical settings, the technology could provide a non-invasive and easy-to-use method to screen patients suspected of having PH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FABP4 is a candidate gene for carcass and meat quality traits in livestock and poultry. However, the effects of FABP4 have not been examined in the Yanbian yellow cattle, an economically important local cattle breed in China. In this study, we characterized single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in FABP4 in this cattle breed and their associations with meat quality traits. Six SNPs (referred to as SNP1–6) were identified in FABP4 by direct sequencing and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. The six SNPs were significantly correlated with meat quality traits. In particular, the GG and GA genotypes of SNP1 were significantly associated with water and fat contents and GG and AA genotypes of SNP1 were significantly associated with protein contents (P < 0.05). The fat content and marbling in heterozygous individuals at SNP2–6 were significantly higher than those in wild-type or mutant individuals (P < 0.05), while protein content was significantly higher in wild-type and mutant individuals than in heterozygous individuals (P < 0.05). A gene expression analysis indicated that the lipid metabolism-related genes FABP4, PPARγ, ANGPTL4, and LPL show similar expression patterns with respect to FABP4 genotypes, with the highest levels in wild-type individuals and the lowest levels in mutants. In conclusion, FABP4 SNPs can be used for marker-assisted selection in Yanbian yellow cattle breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • This research attentioned the park users' actual activities, both spatially and temporally. • We used million anonymized mobile positioning data to understand their real green access. • We found there are warning signs that market mechanisms may worsen the uneven development. Abstract The benefits that urban green resources bring to humanity have received increasing attention, with the evidence from recent studies into public service provision—specifically regarding access to green space—being rather mixed. Despite a growing literature base, there is no consensus among scholars on how to measure green space access properly. The traditional GIS-based approach is criticized for inappropriately specifying geographic units and threshold distances, and for ignoring people's self-movement. This research proposes a novel approach, emphasizing the actual park users' activities, both spatially and temporally. We took advantage of the large dataset available from mobile phones to analyze billions of anonymized data samples in order to characterize the behavioral patterns of millions of people who accessed green space in an experimental procedure. We chose Shanghai as the case study because residential segregation had occurred—expected to be accompanied by issues of environmental justice. The results found that social equity could be achieved, even where territorial inequity was manifest in a high-population-density context that is undergoing rapid urban growth and transition. Shanghai's vulnerable groups are not found to be unequally treated at present, but there are warning signs that market mechanisms may worsen the uneven development. Therefore, the local municipalities are required to re-think how to provide green infrastructure to different social groups, responding to the inequality and uneven development that capital can bring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is an etiological risk factor for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCC). Our study investigates the prevalence, prognostic, and clinicopathologic features of HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer in Northeast China and elucidates the involvement of p16 in the tumorigenesis and progression of OPSCC. Specimens from 1470 OPSCC patients collected from 2000 to 2016 were analyzed using the status of HPV by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and p16 immunohistochemistry. Overexpression of p16 was observed in 81 (5.51%) of the 1470 cases, and HPV positive was present in 78 cases (5.31%) of the 1470 cases. HPV positive and p16 overexpression have a good concordance. However, we found that the etiological fraction of HPV in cancers of the OPSCCs was obviously lower in Northeast China than other cohorts previously reported. Interestingly, nearly 89% of patients with p16 expression were smokers, and nearly 70% of patients with p16 expression had a history of alcohol. Our study also demonstrates that p16 expression is significantly associated with early stage primary OPSCCs and the patients with p16 expression tend to show better survival following surgery and radiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With daily precipitation records at 586 stations in China for 1960-2004, this study investigates the spatio-temporal variation of the number of extreme wet days (NEWD) for each season in China and its relationship with SST anomalies and associated atmospheric circulation anomaly patterns, in which a threshold of extreme precipitation for a season and a station is defined as the value of the 90th percentile when the precipitation records for wet days during the season are ranked in an increasing order. Results show that there are significant increases of the NEWD along the Yangtze River valley during winter and summer, in North China during winter, in South China during spring, in Northeast China during winter and spring, and in Northwest China throughout the seasons, while there is a remarkable decrease in North China during summer. Besides the linear trend, the NEWD also exhibits considerable interannual and interdecadal variabilities. After eliminating the linear trend, the NEWD anomalies show distinct seasonal patterns. The NEWD anomalies are characterized by a "dipole" mode with opposite phases between northern and southern China in spring and autumn, a "tri-pole" mode with opposite phases between Yangtze River valley and southern and northern China in summer, and a "monopole" mode with the same phase over most of China in winter. The relationship of the NEWD anomalies in China with the SST anomalies in Indian and Pacific Oceans is found to be mainly dependent on the ENSO, and associated atmospheric circulation anomaly patterns for the ENSO's impact on the NEWD in China are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The water samples were collected from different regions in a shallow eutrophic lake, Taihu Lake, China. The distribution and the possible pollution sources of n-alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Taihu water were analyzed. The results showed that the concentrations ranged between 0.045 and 0.281mg/L for n-alkanes which were dominated by C8-C33 with no odd–even carbon number predominance, 0.011-0.034mg/L for total PAHs which were predominated by two- and three-ring PAHs. The concentrations of n-alkanes and PAHs were higher in those samples collected near industrial locations than those from few or no industrial areas. Relatively high concentrations in water were measured from sampling sites S10 (Dapu in Yixing) and S16 (Zhu Shan Bay). The contamination of n-alkanes in Taihu water mainly derived from petroleum pollution caused by human activities, while the PAHs contamination was the result of both petroleum pollution source and combustion source according to the sources apportionment of n-alkanes and PAHs pollution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Greenschist facies metabasite (chlorite schist) and metasediments (banded iron formation (BIF)) in the Wutai Complex, North China Craton recorded extensive fluid activities during subduction-related metamorphism. The pervasive dolomitization in the chlorite schist and significant dolomite enrichment at the BIF–chlorite schist interface support the existence of highly channelized updip transportation of CO2-rich hydrothermal fluids. Xenotime from the chlorite schist has U concentrations of 39–254 ppm and Th concentrations of 121–2367 ppm, with U/Th ratios of 0.11–0.62, which is typical of xenotime precipitated from circulating hydrothermal fluids. SHRIMP U–Th–Pb dating of xenotime determines a fluid activity age of 1.85 ± 0.07 Ga. The metasomatic dolomite has δ13CV-PDB from −4.17‰ to −3.10‰, which is significantly lower than that of carbonates from greenschists, but similar to the fluid originated from Rayleigh fractionating decarbonation at amphibolite facies metamorphism along the regional geotherm (~15 °C/km) of the Wutai Complex. The δ18OV-SMOW values of the dolomite (12.08–13.85‰) can also correspond to this process, considering the contribution of dehydration. Based on phase equilibrium modelling, we ascertained that the hydrothermal fluid was rich in CO2, alkalis, and silica, with X(CO2) in the range of 0.24–0.28. All of these constraints suggest a channelized CO2-rich fluid activity along the sediment–basite interface in a warm Paleoproterozoic subduction zone, which allowed extensive migration and sequestration of volatiles (especially carbon species) beneath the forearc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Miscanthus sinensis is a typical perennial C4 grass in Asia. In the present study, ISSR markers were used to evaluate the genetic variation within and among grass populations that were sampled from the Zhejiang and Guangdong Provinces of China. Based on nine ISSR primers, 206 clear and reproducible DNA fragments were generated. Relatively low levels of genetic diversity were determined among the populations. The coefficient of genetic differentiation among the populations was 0.52, which indicates that 52.3% of the total molecular variance exists among the populations. Such a high level of divergence present among the populations might be caused by the complex topography and variable climatic conditions present in the two provinces. AMOVA revealed that the majority of the genetic variation was within the populations (50.6%). The application of a novel method, which combines geographical coordinates and genetic differentiation to detect barriers for gene flow, allowed us to identify two zones of lowered gene flow. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: Children with acute leukemia have suffered from a considerable symptom burden during chemotherapy. However, few studies have focused on exploring the mechanisms among symptoms in children with acute leukemia. Our study aims to explore core symptoms and describe the interrelationships among symptoms in children with acute leukemia during chemotherapy., Methods: From January 2021 to March 2023, 469 children with acute leukemia were recruited from 20 Chinese cities. The Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale 10-18 (MSAS 10-18) was used to evaluate the prevalence and severity of symptoms during chemotherapy. A network analysis was performed by the R software based on 31 symptoms. Centrality indices and density were used to explore core symptoms and describe interrelationships among symptoms in the network during chemotherapy., Results: Worrying and feeling irritable were the central symptoms across the three centrality indices, including strength, closeness, and betweenness. Lack of energy was the most prevalent symptom; however, it was less central than other symptoms. The density of the "induction and remission" network significantly differed from other cycles' counterparts (p < 0.001). Global strength was greater in the " ≥ 8 years group " network than the " < 8 years group " network (p = 0.023)., Conclusion: Network analysis provides a novel approach to identifying the core symptoms and understanding the interrelationships among symptoms. Our study indicates the need to assess emotional symptoms in children with acute leukemia during chemotherapy, especially during the induction and remission phases, as well as in older children. Future research is imperative to construct trajectories of dynamic symptom networks and centrality indices in longitudinal data to investigate the causal relationships among symptoms., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: The benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) for patients with stage II gastric cancer remains controversial. This study aimed to explore the indications for adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with stage II gastric cancer by constructing an individual prediction model., Patients and Methods: In this Chinese multicenter study, a total of 1012 patients with stage II gastric cancer after D2 radical gastrectomy were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were randomly assigned to a training cohort (n = 674) or a validation cohort (n = 338). A nomogram was constructed according to the training cohort. Concordance index (C-index), the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUC), calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were applied to evaluate the performance of the nomogram. ROC curves and stratified survival were used to determine the patients' cutoff score for a benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy. An additional 338 patients were used as a validation cohort to validate the feasibility of using this nomogram to guide individualized therapy for patients with stage II gastric cancer., Results: Univariate and multivariate analyses illustrated that age, sex, tumor location, size, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), hemoglobin (HB), and T stage were independent prognostic factors for overall survival (OS), and they were used to establish a nomogram. The cutoff value was determined by ROC curve analysis, and patients were divided into a high-risk group (< 239 points) and a low-risk group (≥ 239 points). There was no significant difference in the OS of low-risk patients in either the training cohort or the validation cohort. However, the OS of high-risk patients in the AC group was better than that of patients in the surgery-only group., Conclusions: This prediction model can be applied to guide treatment of patients with stage II gastric cancer. High-risk patients (< 239 points) are likely to benefit from AC after D2 radical gastrectomy., (© 2022. Society of Surgical Oncology.)

Objectives: Few studies have explored correlations between metabolic syndrome (MetS) alterations and renal deterioration in longitudinal cohorts. We aim to investigate associations between MetS recovery/development and rapid estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS)., Design: Longitudinal cohort study., Setting: This study is a secondary analysis of CHARLS., Participants: After excluding individuals with age <45 years old, eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 and clinician-reported malignant tumour, heart disease, stroke or kidney disease at baseline, 4142 participants with complete data were selected from the CHARLS during the 4-year follow-up period (2011-2015)., Outcome Measures: MetS were measured at 2011 and 2015 in CHARLS. A rapid eGFR decline was defined as an average annual eGFR decline of >3 mL/min/1.73 m 2 . The associations between rapid eGFR decline and MetS recovery/development were analysed using multivariable adjusted logistic models., Results: According to MetS baseline status and follow-up, participants were divided into four groups: (1) 2460 (59.4%) in the MetS-free group, (2) 361 (8.7%) in the MetS-developed group, (3) 499 (12.0%) in the MetS recovery group and (4) 822 (19.8%) in the MetS chronic group. When compared with the MetS chronic group, the multivariable adjusted OR of rapid eGFR decline in the MetS recovery group was 0.64 (OR: 0.64; 95% CI 0.45 to 0.90, p=0.01). In contrast, when compared with the MetS-free group, the multivariable adjusted OR of rapid eGFR decline in the MetS-developed group was 1.00 (OR: 1.00; 95% CI 0.73 to 1.38, p=0.98)., Conclusions: Over the 4-year follow-up period, we found that MetS recovery was associated with a reduced risk of rapid eGFR decline in middle-aged and older adults, while MetS occurrence was not related to rapid eGFR decline. Recovery from MetS appeared to protect against a rapid decline in eGFR., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

In shallow eutrophic lakes, benthic bioclastic deposits accumulate abundant organic carbon derived from macrophyte detritus. Taking the typical macrophyte-dominated Xukou Bay as the study area, field investigations were performed using sediment cores to evaluate benthic phytodetritus accumulation. Specifically, nutrient contents, TOC/TN ratios, pigmentation, and biodegradable compounds were measured as descriptive parameters. The results show that the benthic bioclastic deposit had accumulated abundant pigments, nutrients, and biodegradable compounds derived from macrophytes detritus. These were mainly localized in the top 15 cm of sediments. Nitrogen loading in the sediments was significantly higher than phosphorous loading, with a distinct spatial difference; the total nitrogen content ranged from 127.2-2092.8 mg·kg -1 and total phosphorous content ranged from 222.1-528.4 mg·kg -1 . Moreover, nitrogen loading (1033.6 mg·kg -1 ) in the vegetated zones were higher than in the unvegetated zones (325.2 mg·kg -1 ). In addition, carbohydrate (3.7 mg·g -1 ) was the dominant component of sedimentary bioclastic material, with lipids (2.8 mg·g -1 ) being the second most abundant of the biodegradable compounds. The major sources of nutrients and biodegradable compounds in the sediment were massive aggregates of macrophyte detritus. The pigment, nutrient, and biodegradable compound contents in the vegetated zones were significantly higher than in unvegetated zones ( P <0.01). The benthic eutrophic state showed a trend from mesotrophic to eutrophic in Xukou Bay, which should be given more attention in the future management of freshwater lake ecosystems.

Objectives: The accurate and early diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is important for extending the life expectancy of patients. However, previous studies that have assessed the diagnostic sensitivities of the Awaji criteria (AC) and the revised El Escorial criteria (rEEC) in patients with ALS have been inconsistent, most of them were consensual regarding the advantage of Awaji over conventional criteria. Our study sought to compare the roles of AC and rEEC in the diagnosis of ALS., Methods: Data from a total of 294 consecutive patients with ALS were collected between January 2014 and August 2015 in the Peking Union Medical College Hospital. The clinical and electrophysiological records of 247 patients were eventually analyzed. The primary outcome measures were the sensitivities of the AC and rEEC for the diagnosis of ALS., Results: The sensitivity of probable or definite ALS as diagnosed with the AC (78%) was greater than that of the rEEC (36%, P <0.001). Following the application of the AC, 103 of the 147 patients categorized as probable ALS-laboratory supported from the rEEC were upgraded to probable or definite ALS, and 44 were downgraded to possible ALS., Conclusions: Our data demonstrated that the AC exhibited greater diagnostic sensitivity than the rEEC in a Chinese ALS population. The use of the AC should be considered in clinical practice.

Background: To analyze the mortality distribution of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in China from 1991 to 2013, to predict the mortality in the ensuing five years, and to provide evidence for prevention and treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma., Materials and Methods: Mortality data for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in China from 1991 to 2013 were used to describe its epidemiological characteristics, such as the change of the standardized mortality rate, sex and age differences, urban-rural differences. Trend-surface analysis was used to study the geographical distribution of the mortality. Curve estimation, time series, gray modeling, and joinpoint regression were used to predict the mortality for the ensuing five years in the future., Results: In China, the standardized mortality rate of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma increased with time from 1996, reaching the peak values of 1.45 /105 at the year of 2002, and decreased gradually afterwards. With males being 1.51 times higher than females, and the city had a higher rate than the rural during the past two decades. The mortality rate increased from age 40. Geographical analysis showed the mortality rate increased from middle to southern China., Conclusions: The standardized mortality rate of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma is falling. The regional disease control for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma should be focused on Guangdong province of China, and the key targets for prevention and treatment are rural men, especially after the age of 40. The mortality of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma will decrease in the next five years.

Objective: To describe and analyze the epidemiological characteristics of lung cancer mortality in China from 1991 to 2013, forecast the future five-year trend and provide scientific evidence for prevention and management of lung cancer., Materials and Methods: Mortality data for lung cancer in China from 1991 to 2013 were used to describe epidemiological characteristics. Trend surface analysis was applied to analyze the geographical distribution of lung cancer. Four models, curve estimation, time series modeling, gray modeling (GM) and joinpoint regression, were performed to forecast the trend for the future., Results: Since 1991 the mortality rate of lung cancer increased yearly. The rate for males was higher than that for females and rates in urban areas were higher than in rural areas. In addition, our results showed that the trend will continue to increase in the ensuing 5 years. The mortality rate increased from age 45-50 and peaked in the group of 85 years old. Geographical analysis indicated that people living in northeast China provinces and the coastal provinces in eastern China had a higher mortality rate for lung cancer than those living in the centre or western Chinese provinces., Conclusions: The standardized mortality rate of lung cancer has constantly increased from 1991 to 2013, and been predicted to continue in the ensuing 5 years. Further efforts should be concentrated on education of the general public to increase prevention and early detection. Much better prevention and management is needed in high mortality areas (northeastern and eastern parts of China) and high risk populations (45-50-year-olds).

Background: To analyze cervical cancer mortality trends in China from 1991-2013 and forecast the mortality distribution in future five years (2014-2018), and provide clues for prevention and treatment., Materials and Methods: Mortality data for cervical cancer in China from 1991 to 2013 were used to describe the epidemiological characteristics and distribution, including the trend of the standardized mortality rate, urban-rural differences, and age variation. Trend-surface analysis was used to analyze the geographical distribution of mortality. Curve estimation, time series, gray modeling, and joinpoint regression were performed to predict and forecast mortality trends., Results: In recent years, the mortality rate of cervical cancer has increased, and there is also a steady increase in the incidence from 2003 to 2013 in China. Mortality rates in rural areas are higher than in urban areas. The mortality dramatically increases in the 40+ yr age group, reaching a peak in the >85 yr age group. In addition, geographical analysis showed that the cervical cancer mortality increased from the southwest to west-central and from the southeast to northeast of the country., Conclusions: The incidence rate and the mortality rate are increasing from 1991 to 2013, and the predictions show this will continue in the future. Thus, implementation of prevention and management programs for cervical cancer are necessary in China, especially for rural areas, young women in urban areas, and high risk regions (the west-central).

Background: To identify the epidemiological characteristics of colorectal cancer mortality in China during the period of 1991-2011, and forecast the future five-year trend., Materials and Methods: Mortality data for colorectal cancer in China from 1991 to 2011 was used to describe epidemiological characteristics in terms of age group, gender, and rural/urban residence. Trend surface analysis was performed to analyze the geographical distribution of colorectal cancer. Four models including curve estimation, time series modeling, gray modeling and joinpoint regression were applied to forecast the trends for the future five years., Results: Since 1991 the colorectal cancer mortality rate increased yearly, and our results showed that the trend would continue to increase in the ensuing 5 years. The mortality rate in males was higher than that of females and the rate in urban areas was higher than in rural areas. The mortality rate was relatively low for individuals less than 60 years of age, but increased dramatically afterwards. People living in the northeastern China provinces or in eastern China had a higher mortality rate for colorectal cancer than those living in middle or western China provinces., Conclusions: The steadily increasing mortality of colorectal cancer in China will become a substantial public health burden in the foreseeable future. For this increasing trend to be controlled, further efforts should concentrate on educating the general public to increase prevention and early detection by screening. More effective prevention and management strategies are needed in higher mortality areas (Eastern parts of China) and high-risk populations (60+ years old).

Purpose: To investigate the distribution of liver cancer mortality as well as its developing trend from l991 to 2012, forecast the future five-year trend, and provide a basis for the comprehensive prevention and management., Materials and Methods: Mortality data for liver cancer in China from 1991 to 2012 were used to describe characteristics and distribution of liver cancer mortality. Trend surface analysis was used to study the geographical distribution of liver cancer mortality. Curve estimation, time series modeling, gray modeling (GM) and joinpoint regression were used to predict and forecast future trends., Results: The mortality rate of liver cancer has constantly increased in China since 1991. Rates in rural areas are higher than in urban areas, and in males are higher than in females. In addition, our data predicted that the trend will continue to increase in the next 5 years. The age-specific mortality of liver cancer increases with age and peaks in the group of 80-84 years old. Geographical analysis showed the liver mortality rate was higher in the southeast provinces, such as Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong, and southwest regions like Guangxi Province., Conclusions: The standardized mortality rate of liver cancer in China has consistently increased from 1991 to 2012, and the upward trend is predicted to continue in the future. Much better prevention and management of liver cancer is needed in high mortality areas (the southwestern and southeastern parts of China) and high mortality age groups (80- to 84-year-olds), especially in rural areas.

Background: Superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome (SMAS) is a rare condition caused by compression of the third portion of the duodenum by the SMA. The effect of the laparoscopic management of SMAS remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and effect of the laparoscopic management for SMAS., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 19 cases of SMAS who underwent surgical interventions in The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between June 2006 and October 2013, consisting of 8 cases of duodenojejunostomy (DJ) and 11 cases of laparoscopic lysis of the ligament of Treitz (LL-LOT). A telephone survey was conducted to collect the follow-up status., Results: Either DJ or LL-LOT was performed smoothly. The median operative time of the laparoscopic procedure and DJ was 56 and 95 min, respectively. Median blood loss was 10 versus 35 ml. Median postoperative hospital stays in both were 8 days. Ten cases of the laparoscopic group recovered uneventfully, while 1 case still presented symptoms of abdominal distention. Upper gastrointestinal fluoroscopy showed marked 'to-and-fro' peristalsis. An additional DJ was performed 35 days later to resolve her symptoms., Conclusions: LL-LOT is simple, feasible, minimally invasive and effective for SMAS with no severe duodenum 'to-and-fro' peristalsis., (© 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: To analyze the mortality distribution of esophageal cancer in China from 1991 to 2012, to forecast the mortality in the future five years, and to provide evidence for prevention and treatment of esophageal cancer., Materials and Methods: Mortality data for esophageal cancer in China from 1991 to 2012 were used to describe its epidemiological characteristics, such as the change of the standardized mortality rate, urban-rural differences, sex and age differences. Trend-surface analysis was used to study the geographical distribution of the mortality. Curve estimation, time series, gray modeling, and joinpoint regression were used to predict the mortality for the next five years in the future., Results: In China, the incidence rate of esophageal cancer from 2007 and the mortality rate of esophageal cancer from 2008 increased yearly, with males at 8.72/105 being higher than females, and the countryside at 15.5/105 being higher than in the city. The mortality rate increased from age 45. Geographical analysis showed the mortality rate increased from southern to eastern China, and from northeast to central China., Conclusions: The incidence rate and the standardized mortality rate of esophageal cancer are rising. The regional disease control for esophageal cancer should be focused on eastern, central and northern regions China, and the key targets for prevention and treatment are rural men more than 45 years old. The mortality of esophageal cancer will rise in the next five years.

Purpose: We evaluated data from a large cohort of newly diagnosed epilepsy patients from the biggest epilepsy center in West China. The aim was to determine the most prevalent etiologic factors in this region., Methods: From May 2008 to May 2010, the clinical data of patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy were consecutively, systematically and prospectively recorded in a database. The data were analyzed according to sex, age, seizure type, etiology, and other factors., Results: The present study examined 892 patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy. Among these patients, 346 (38.8%) were confirmed as symptomatic, with the largest constituent ratio among the elderly (63.2%). In this symptomatic group, central nervous system (CNS) infections and traumatic brain injuries (TBI) were the two most common etiologies. When analyzed according to age bracket, cortical dysplasia, mesial temporal sclerosis, and CNS infection were the most frequent causes among young patients (<18 years). On the other hand, CNS infection and TBI were the two most common causes in patients between 18 and 60 years. Stroke was the most common cause of newly diagnosed symptomatic epilepsy in the elderly (>60 years)., Conclusions: More than 30% of newly diagnosed epilepsy cases were shown to be symptomatic by medical history as well as careful clinical and laboratory examination. Detailed epilepsy assessments are essential to formulate a therapeutic plan and to improve prognosis. The etiology spectrum found in this large cohort forms a comparative baseline for future studies., (Copyright © 2011 British Epilepsy Association. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To study the genetic susceptibility of HLA-DQB1 alleles to duodenal ulcer in Chinese Hans from Guangdong area around., Methods: Hundred and five patients with duodenal ulcer and hundred and five healthy controls were examined for HLA-DQB1 genotypes. HLA-DQB1 allele typing was carried out by polymerase chain reaction with sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP)., Results: The allele frequency of HLA-DQB1*0602 in patients with duodenal ulcer (64.8%) was significantly higher than that in healthy controls (14.3%)., Conclusion: These findings suggest that HLA-DQB1*0602 is a susceptible gene to duodenal ulcer in Guangdong Hans of China. And at HLA-DQB1 site, there are immunogenetic differences between duodenal ulcer patients and healthy controls.