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Background: Recently, the endovascular treatment (EVT) of acute ischemic stroke has made significant progress in many aspects. Intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) is usually recommended before endovascular treatment in clinical practice, but the value of the practice is controversial. The latest meta-analysis evaluation was that the effect of EVT versus EVT plus IVT did not differ significantly. The cost-effectiveness analysis of EVT plus IVT needs further analysis. This study assesses the health benefits and economic impact of EVT plus IVT in Shandong Peninsula of China. Method: We followed a cross-section design using the Chinese-Shandong Peninsula public hospital database between 2013 and 2023. The real-world costs and health outcomes were collected through the Hospital Information System (HIS) and published references. We calculated incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) from the perspective of Chinese healthcare using the complex decision model to compare the costs and effectiveness between EVT versus EVT + IVT. One-way and Monte Carlo probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the robustness of the economic evaluation model. Results: EVT alone had a lower cost compared with EVT + IVT whether short-term or long-term. Until 99% dead of AIS patients, the ICER per additional QALY was RMB696399.30 over the willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of 3× gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in Shandong. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis of 3 months, 1 year and long-term horizons had a 97.90%, 97.43% and 96.89% probability of cost-effective treatment under the WTP threshold (1×GDP). The results of the one-way sensitivity analysis showed that direct treatment costs for EVT alone and EVT + IVT were all sensitive to ICER. Conclusions: EVT alone was more cost-effective treatment compared to EVT + IVT in the Northeast Coastal Area of China. The data of this study could be used as a reference in China, and the use of the evaluation in other regions should be carefully considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing number of large data sets have created challenges for the oil and gas industry in predicting reservoir parameters and assessing well productivity through efficient and cost-effective techniques. The design of drilling plans for a high-pressure tight-sand reservoir requires accurate estimations of pore pressure (Pp) and reservoir parameters. The objective of this study is to predict and compare the Pp of Huizhou Sag, Pearl River Mouth Basin, China, using conventional techniques and machine learning (ML) algorithms. We investigated the characteristics of low-permeability reservoirs by observing well-logging data sets and cores and examining thin sections under a microscope. In the reservoir zone, the average hydrocarbon saturation is 55%, and the average effective porosity is 11%. The tight sandstone reservoirs consist of fine- to extremely fine-grained argillaceous feldspathic sandstone. The mean absolute error for reservoir property prediction is 1.3%, 2.2%, and 4.8%, respectively, for effective porosity, shale volume, and water saturation. Moreover, the ML algorithm was employed to cross-check the validity of the prediction of Pp. Combining conventional and ML techniques with the core data demonstrates a correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.9587, indicating that ML techniques are the most effective in testing well data. This study shows that ML can effectively predict Pp at subsequent depths in adjacent geologically similar locations. Compared to conventional methods, a substantial data set and ML algorithms improve the precision of Pp predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinization is a major threat to crop production. Biochar and aluminum sulfate as soil amendments are critical for improving rice (Oryza sativa L.) productivity under saline-sodic conditions. This study explored the effects of rice-husk biochar and aluminum sulfate on rice growth, biomass, yield, and soil properties under saline-sodic conditions. The experiment was carried out in an experimental field located at the Jilin Agricultural University, China. Five treatments, viz., T0 (no biochar, no aluminum sulfate, no nitrogen), T1 (no biochar, no aluminum sulfate, with NPK), T2 (aluminum sulfate and NPK), T3 (biochar and NPK), and T4 (biochar, aluminum sulfate, and NPK), arranged in a completely randomized design with five biological replicates, were assessed. Compared to T0, plant height, tiller number, leaf dry weight, panicle dry weight, sheath dry weight, stem dry weight, and total dry biomass significantly increased by 14.67%, 56.39%, 60.13%, 59.53%, 39.00%, 58.36%, and 55.99%, respectively, with T1. Compared to T0, the grain yield significantly increased by 82.79% with T1. Additionally, biochar and aluminum sulfate applications significantly decreased the Na+ concentration in different rice organs and considerably increased the K+ concentration and consequently, the K+/Na+ ratio. Moreover, compared to the control, the soil pH, Ca2+, Mg2+, CO32-, and Cl- concentrations under T1, T2, T3, and T4 treatments were substantially improved. Therefore, biochar and aluminum sulfate applications can alleviate saline-sodic stress, improve soil health, and increase rice productivity on saline-sodic soils. The study findings are anticipated to help develop new management strategies for improving rice production under saline-sodic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dietary patterns play an important role in regulating serum uric acid levels in the body, but evidence for the association between different kinds of plant-based and animal-based dietary patterns and individual serum uric acid levels is scarce and inconsistent. Methods: We analyzed data from the sixth wave of the China Health and Nutrition Survey. The plant-based diet of 7,806 participants was determined using three consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls, and latent profile analysis was used to identify dietary patterns among participants. Serum uric acid levels were analyzed using the enzymatic colorimetric method. The association between intakes of different types of dietary pattern and individual serum uric acid levels was analyzed using linear regression analysis, after adjusting for confounding variables. Results: We identified three types of plant-based dietary patterns, namely, low tuber starches and vegetable plant-based diet (LTVP), high cereal, tuber starches and vegetable plant-based diet (HCTVP), and high legume and fruit plant-based diet (HLFP). We also identified three types of animal-based dietary patterns, namely, high milk and egg animal-based diet (HMiEA), low egg and fish animal-based diet, and high meat and fish animal-based diet (HMeFA). Significant coefficients for participant serum uric acid levels were observed for the HCTVP diet (β = −0.022, P = 0.031) and HMeFA diet (β = 0.061, P < 0.001). The median intake of foods in the HCTVP diet was as follows: cereals and cereal products, 444.83 g/d; tubers and starch products, 166.67 g/d; dried legumes and legume products, 8.33 g/d; vegetables and vegetable products, 333.33 g/d; and fruits and fruit products, 0 g/d. The median intake of foods in the HMeFA diet was as follows: meat and meat products, 73.33 g/d; poultry and poultry products, 0 g/d; milk and milk products, 0 g/d; eggs and egg products, 26.67 g/d; and fish, shellfish, and mollusks, 180.00 g/d. Conclusion: We showed that individual serum uric acid levels (1) might decrease under the plant-based HCTVP diet, (2) might increase under the animal-based HMeFA diet, (3) might not decrease under the plant-based HLFP diet, and (4) might not increase under the animal-based HMiEA diet. Further studies are needed to confirm these associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of Anti-PD-1 therapy has yielded promising outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, limited research has been conducted on the overall survival (OS) of patients with varying tumor responses and treatment duration. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed HCC patients who received sintilimab between January 2019 and December 2020 at four centers in China. The evaluation of tumor progression was based on Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1. The study investigated the correlation between tumor response and OS, and the impact of drug use on OS following progressive disease (PD). Results: Out of 441 treated patients, 159 patients satisfied the inclusion criteria. Among them, 77 patients with disease control exhibited a significantly longer OS compared to the 82 patients with PD (median OS 26.0 vs. 11.3 months, P < 0.001). Additionally, the OS of patients with objective response (OR) was better than that of patients with stable disease (P = 0.002). Among the 47 patients with PD who continued taking sintilimab, the OS was better than the 35 patients who discontinued treatment (median OS 11.4 vs. 6.9 months, P = 0.042). Conclusions: In conclusion, the tumor response in HCC patients who received sintilimab affects OS, and patients with PD may benefit from continued use of sintilimab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to measure the parameters of the proximal femur in the older people of Inner Mongolia, China and understand the influence of age and gender so as to provide guidance for the design and improvement of prosthesis for total hip arthroplasty. Methods: A total of 236 patients who underwent CT angiography of lower limbs in the Department of Imaging, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University of China were collected. They were divided into 4 groups according to age: < 60 (group A), 60–69 (group B), 70–79 (group C), and > 80 years (group D). Four anatomical parameters, including femoral head diameter (FHD), femoral neck-shaft angle (FNSA), femoral offset (FO), femoral neck anteversion (FNA), were measured by Mimics 21.0. Comparisons were made between age groups of the same gender and between genders in the same age group to analyze the correlation of the 4 parameters of proximal femur with age and gender. In addition, the results of this study were compared with previous studies. Results: There were no significant differences in FHD and FO between age groups, indicating no correlation with age. FNSA and FNA were no significantly different between group C and group D in the same gender, whereas there were significant differences between other age groups and were negatively correlated with age. There were significant differences in FHD and FO between genders in the same age group, with the males being larger than the females. FNSA and FNA were no significant differences between genders in the same age group. Conclusions: FNSA and FNA decrease with age. FHD and FO were larger in males than in females in all age groups. Age and gender should be considered in the design of prosthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric chemistry transport models have been extensively applied in aerosol forecasts over recent decades, whereas they are facing challenges from uncertainties in emission rates, meteorological data, and over-simplified chemical parameterizations. Here, we developed a spatial-temporal deep learning framework, named PPN (Pollution-Predicting Net for PM2.5), to accurately and efficiently predict regional PM2.5 concentrations. It has an encoder-decoder architecture and combines the preceding PM2.5 observations and numerical weather prediction. Besides, the model proposes a weighted loss function to promote the forecasting performance in extreme events. We applied the proposed model to forecast 3-day PM2.5 concentrations over the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region in China on a three-hour-by-three-hour basis. Overall, the model showed good performance with R2 and RMSE values of 0.7 and 17.7 μg m−3, respectively. It could capture the high PM2.5 concentration in the south and relatively low concentration in the north and exhibit better performance within the next 24 h. The use of the weighted loss function decreased the level of "high values underestimation, low values overestimation", while incorporating the preceding PM2.5 observations into the encoder phase improved the predictive accuracy within 24 h. We also compared the model result with that from a state-of-the-art numerical model (WRF-Chem with pollutant data assimilation). The temporal R2 and RMSE from the WRF-Chem were 0.30−0.77 and 19−45 μg m−3 while those from the PPN model were 0.42−0.84 and 15−42 μg m−3. The proposed model shows powerful capacity in aerosol forecasts and provides an efficient and accurate tool for early warning and management of regional pollution events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate site-specific estimations of surface wind speeds (SWS) would greatly aid clean energy development. The quality of estimation depends on the method of interpolating gridded SWS data to derive the wind speed at a given location. This work uses multiple machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) methods to estimate wind speeds at locations across eastern China using the gridded fifth-generation data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. The root-mean-square error (RMSE) of these models' estimates for summer and winter are, respectively, reduced by 23% and 16% on average against simple linear interpolation. A deep convolution neural network (DCNN) consistently performs best among the considered models, reducing the RMSE by 26% and 23% for summer and winter data, respectively. We further examine the dependence of the models' estimations on altitude, land use category, and local mean SWS. And found that the DCNN can reflect the nonlinear relationships among these variables and SWS. Threfore, it can be used for site-specific wind speed estimates over a large area like eastern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The estimation of daily variations in aerosol concentrations using meteorological data is meaningful and challenging, given the need for accurate air quality forecasts and assessments. In this study, a 3×50 -layer spatiotemporal deep learning (DL) model is proposed to link synoptic variations in aerosol concentrations and meteorology, thereby building a "deep" Weather Index for Aerosols (deepWIA). The model was trained and validated using 7 years of data and tested in January–April 2022. The index successfully reproduced the variation in daily PM 2.5 observations in China. The coefficient of determination between PM 2.5 concentrations calculated from the index and observation was 0.72, with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 16.5 µ g m -3. The DeepWIA performed better than Weather Forecast and Research (WRF)-Chem simulations for eight aerosol-polluted cities in China. The simulating power of the model also outperformed commonly used PM 2.5 concentration retrieval models based on random forest (RF), extreme gradient boost (XGB), and multilayer perceptron (MLP). The index and the DL model can be used as robust tools for estimating daily variations in aerosol concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) ‐based dynamic downscaling simulation was performed over China at a horizontal resolution of 25 km. To reduce the systematic large‐scale biases from lateral boundary conditions, a dynamic blending (DB) technique was introduced in downscaling, and its performance was compared with downscaling without DB (NO_DB) as well as the driving global climate model (GCM, i.e., HadGEM3). In the present‐day simulation for verification, added values were found in DB, relative to the GCM and NO_DB, in simulating the precipitation extremes, especially over southeastern China. Possible causes responsible for this improvement were further analyzed. In the GCM, excessive moisture and atmospheric heating in the upper troposphere in conjunction with abnormally strong deep convection resulted in excessive extreme precipitation over southeastern China, while in NO_DB, insufficient moisture and atmospheric heating in the whole troposphere in conjunction with abnormally weak convection suppressed extreme precipitation there. In comparison, DB showed a closer representation of observations in terms of vertical velocity and vertical profiles of atmospheric moisture and heating, accounting for the improved simulation of extreme precipitation. In the future projection under the SSP5‐8.5 scenario, both the GCM and DB predicted that extreme precipitation would increase in most parts of China; however, DB indicated a larger increase over southeastern China relative to the GCM. Stronger moisture flux convergence over southeastern China in DB accounted for this larger increase, and in addition, the thermodynamic effect associated with more precipitable water dominated the stronger moisture flux convergence. Key Points: High‐resolution climate simulation over ChinaDynamic downscaling with dynamic blending technology adds great value to the simulated extreme precipitationProjections of future extreme precipitation changes in China under the SSP5‐8.5 scenario [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why would a Chinese restaurant that claims to be the true heir of local culinary and cultural traditions put Western-style baked goose liver on the menu, next to traditional dishes like stir-fried shrimp? How do Chinese women address power asymmetry in the workplace ? This article uses the cases of five female managers of food establishments, who break into two generations and occupy a spectrum of positions on gender and ideology, to illustrate how women can wrest power from patriarchy by participating in the collective project of food nostalgia in contemporary China. Both beneficiaries and victims of the patriarchal system, they demonstrate in their autobiographical storytelling cultural beliefs and narrative patterns from pre-socialist and socialist China while registering generational differences in gender position. Intersectioning with culture, gender, and politics, food functions as a prism to refract the complex processes of Chinese modernization and Chinese women's inevitably fraught experiences therein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An essential task of numerical weather prediction (NWP) is accurate surface wind speed prediction. However, current NWP models contain significant systematic errors due in part to indeterminate ground forcing (GF). This study considers an optimal virtual GF (GFo) derived by training observed and simulated data sets of 10‐m wind speeds (WS10) for summer and winter. The GFo is added to an offline surface multilayer model (SMM) to revise predictions of WS10 in China by the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF). This revision is a data‐based optimization under physical constraints. It reduces WS10 errors and offers wide applicability. The resulting model outperforms two purely physical forecasts (the original WRF forecast and the SMM with physical GF parameterized using urban, vegetation, and subgrid topography) and two purely data‐based revisions (i.e., multilinear regression and multilayer perceptron). Compared with the original WRF forecasting, using the GFo scheme reduces the root mean square error in WS10 across China by 25% in summer and 32% in winter. The frontal area index of GFo indicates that it includes both the effects of indeterminate GF and other possible complex physical processes associated with WS10. Plain Language Summary: Predicting surface wind speed is crucial to operational weather forecasting. However, current forecast models include significant errors owing to uncertainties in ground forcing (GF). This study adds optimal GF to an offline surface multilayer model to revise forecasts in China by the Weather Research and Forecasting model, thereby significantly improving 10‐m wind speed forecasts. Key Points: An offline surface multilayer model incorporating turbulence and indeterminate ground forcing is applied to revise surface wind speed forecastsGround forcing is optimized using 10‐m wind speed observationsApplying the optimal data‐based ground forcing can reduce errors in 10‐m wind speed forecasts in China by 25% in summer and 32% in winter [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinization is a major ecological threat to crop growth and production. Biochar addition can alleviate the negative impacts of saline-sodic stress in crops. Here, a two-year field experiment was conducted in a highly saline-sodic paddy field to evaluate the response of soil physico-chemical properties, ionic concentration, and rice yield to biochar applications. The soil was amended with peanut shell biochar as follows: zero biochar (B0), 33.75 t ha−1 (B1), 67.5 t ha−1 (B2), and 101.25 t ha−1 (B3). Biochar significantly reduced soil bulk density (BD), while it markedly increased total porosity (TP) and saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks). Furthermore, biochar markedly decreased the Na+ concentration, Na+ /K+ ratio, Na+ /Ca2+ ratio, HCO3 -, and CO3 2- while it increased the concentrations of K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ . Biochar significantly decreased the electrical conductivity of soil saturation extract (ECe). The exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) of B1, B2, and B3 were 53.6%, 62.3%, and 71.0% lower, respectively, than that of B0, and the corresponding decrease in sodium adsorption ratio (SARe) was 51.2%, 58.1%, and 60.5%. Biochar had no effect on the soil pH but significantly increased the soil cation exchange capacity (CEC). The rice biomass yield, grain yield, and harvest index significantly increased after biochar application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with a PD‐1 inhibitor and TACE combined with a PD‐1 inhibitor and lenvatinib have recently been reported as promising treatments to improve the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. This study aims to compare the efficacy of these two treatments. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted, and patients were recruited from two centers in China. Progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared, and the objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) were evaluated according to the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST). Treatment‐related adverse events (AEs) were analyzed to assess safety. Results: The median follow‐up for the entire cohort was 11.4 months. Of the 103 patients included in this study, 56 received triple therapy, and 47 received doublet therapy. PFS was significantly higher in the triple therapy group than in the doublet therapy group (mPFS 22.5 vs. 14.0 months, P < 0.001). Similar results were obtained in terms of OS (P = 0.001). The ORR and DCR were also better in the triple therapy group (64.3% vs. 38.3%, P = 0.010; 85.7% vs. 57.4%, P = 0.002). The most common AEs in the triple therapy group were decreased albumin (55.3%), decreased platelet count (51.8%) and hypertension (44.6%). Conclusions: The combination of TACE with a PD‐1 inhibitor and lenvatinib in patients with BCLC stage B HCC might result in significantly improved clinical outcomes with a manageable safety profile compared with TACE with a PD‐1 inhibitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Torreya dapanshanica X.F.Jin, Y.F.Lu & Zi L.Chen, a new species endemic to central Zhejiang, East China, is described and illustrated. This new species is most similar to T. jiulongshanensis (Z.Y.Li, Z.C.Tang & N.Kang) C.C.Pan, J.L.Liu & X.F.Jin, but differs in having leaves with an acuminate apex (vs. leaves with an acute apex), broadly ovoid-globose or globose seeds (vs. obovoid to narrowly obovoid seeds), slightly emarginate at the apex and obtuse-rounded at the base (vs. both acute at the apex and base), testa with irregular shallow grooves (vs. testa smooth or sometimes slightly concave). The diagnostic characters are critically compared and an IUCN assessment for the risk to the new species is estimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our field surveys and specimen examination of Carex from southern to south-western regions in China resulted in the discovery of five new species and one new variety, which are here named as Carex brevihispida X.F.Jin & Y.F.Lu (in sect. Surculosae), C. puberuliutriculata Y.F.Lu & X.F.Jin (sect. Clandestinae), C. paratatsiensis Y.F.Lu & X.F.Jin (sect. Aulocystis), C. huanjiangensis S.Yun Liang ex Y.F.Lu & X.F.Jin (sect. Decorae), C. liangiana X.F.Jin & Y.F.Lu and C. thibetica Franch. var. angustifolia X.F.Jin & Y.F.Lu (sect. Rhomboidales). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microvascular invasion (MVI) adversely affects long-term survival in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to examine the association between preoperative type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with incidences of MVI and prognosis in HBV-related HCC after liver resection (LR). Data of HBV-related HCC patients who underwent LR as an initial therapy from four hospitals in China were retrospectively collected. Clinicopathological factors associated with the incidence of MVI were identified using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. The recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) curves between different cohorts of patients were generated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Of 1473 patients who were included, 219 (14.9%) patients had T2DM. Preoperative T2DM, HBV DNA load, antiviral treatment, AFP level, varices, and tumor encapsulation were identified to be independent predictors of the incidence of MVI. Patients with HBV-related HCC and T2DM had a higher incidence of MVI (65.8%) than those without T2DM (55.4%) (P = 0.004). The RFS and OS were significantly worse in patients with T2DM than those without T2DM (median RFS: 11.1 vs 16.7 months; OS: 26.4 vs 42.6 months, both P < 0.001). Equivalent results were obtained in HCC patients with MVI who had or did not have T2DM (median RFS: 10.0 vs 15.9 months; OS: 24.5 vs 37.9 months, both P < 0.001). Preoperative T2DM was an independent risk factor of incidence of MVI. Patients with HBV-related HCC and T2DM had worse prognosis than those without T2DM after LR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the recurrence rate and risk factors for the patients with medulloblastoma based on the molecular subgroups. Methods A retrospective study was conducted for the clinicopathological data of 67 medulloblastoma patients who were admitted in Department of Radiotherapy and Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University from March 2011 to November 2013. All the cases received the MRI examinations to identify the location, aggressiveness, dissemination, stage and resection as well as the histological and molecular pathology in order to analyze the recurrence rate. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve and Cox regression were performed to detect the risk factors for medulloblastoma recurrences. Based on the recurrence, this cohort of samples were divided into recurrence group (n = 22) and non - recurrence group (n = 45). Results Among the patients, the overall survival rate was 71.64% (48/67), the progression- free survival rate was 67.16% (45/67), the recurrece rate was 32.84% (22/67), and the fatality rate was 28.36% (19/67). The fatality rate in the recurrence group was significantly higher than that in the non-recurrence group [81.82% (18/22) vs. 2.22% (1/45); χ² = 46.078, P = 0.000]. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that patients with lateral medulloblastoma have a shorter median survival time than those with middle medulloblastoma (18 months vs. 51 months, P = 0.000), patients with large cell/anaplasitc medulloblastoma suffered from a poorer median survival time compared with the classic medulloblastoma, desmoplastic/nodular medulloblastoma and medulloblastoma with extensive nodularity (10 months vs. 50, 44 and 31 months; P = 0.000), median survival time of patients with SHH-activated subtype was shorter than that of patients with the other three subgroups (19 months vs. 32, 33 and 57 months; P = 0.003), and median survial time of patients with recurrence was shorter than that of patients with non - recurrence (19 months vs. 60 months, P = 0.000). The Cox regression analysis showed that lateral medulloblastoma (RR = 3.514, 95%CI: 1.262-9.781; P = 0.016), large cell/anaplasitc medulloblastoma (RR = 6.452, 95%CI: 1.320-31.537; P = 0.021) and Group 3 (RR = 4.289, 95%CI: 1.359- 13.533; P = 0.013) subtype were the risk factors for medulloblastoma recurrence. Conclusions Patients with lateral medulloblastoma, large cell/anaplasitc medulloblastoma and SHH - activated subtype suffered from a poorer survival. Patients with lateral, large cell/anaplasitc medulloblastoma and Group 3 subtype were prone to recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qinbaiqingfei concentrated pills (QB) are a commonly used medicine for the treatment of mycoplasma pneumonia in China, and the mechanism of action of QB needs to be studied further. Therefore, we use a combination of metabolomics and network pharmacology to clarify the mechanism of QB. Nontarget metabolomics studies were performed on rat serum, urine, and lung tissues, and 56 therapeutic biomarkers were found. Subsequently, the components of QB absorbed into the blood and lung tissues were clarified, and based on this finding, the core target of network pharmacology was predicted. The enrichment analysis of biomarkers–genes finally confirmed their close relationship with the NF-κB signaling pathway. By western blotting expression of the proteins in the lung tissue–related signaling pathways, it is finally confirmed that QB inhibits the NF-κB signaling pathway through SIRT1, IL-10 and MMP9, CTNNB1, EGFR, and other targets. It plays a role in regulating immunity, regulating metabolism, and treating diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the supplement of the flora of Zhejiang, East China, two new species were described with illustrations. Cerastium huadingense Y.F.Lu, W.Y.Xie & X.F.Jin (Caryophyllaceae) differs from C. qingliangfengicum in having sterile stems absent, leaves sessile, petals slightly longer than sepals, and stamens slightly shorter than sepals. Ixeridium dimorphifolium Y.L.Xu, Y.F.Lu & X.Cai (Asteraceae) differs from I. beauverdianum in having plant stoloniferous, basal leaves dimorphic, involucre 8-10 mm long, inner phyllaries 8, and florets 7-10. Paraphlomis setulosa C.Y.Wu & H.W.Li (Lamiaceae) was reviewed and morphological characters of the corolla and stamens of its type and the specimens collected in the field survey were critically examined. With barbate anthers and strongly divergent anther cells, Paraphlomis setulosa was transferred to Sinopogonanthera, and S. setulosa (C.Y.Wu & H.W.Li) H.W.Zhang & X.F.Jin was consequently combined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Occurrence of portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) worsens the outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and imparts high economic burden on society. Patients with high risks of having hypercoagulation are more likely to experience thrombosis. Herein, we examined how preoperative international normalized ratio (INR) was related to the incidence and extent of PVTT, and associated with survival outcomes in HCC patients following R0 liver resection (LR). Methods: Patients with HCC and PVTT were enrolled from six major hospitals in China. The overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates of individuals with different INR levels were assessed with Cox regression analysis as well as Kaplan-Meier method. Results: This study included 2207 HCC patients, among whom 1005 patients had concurrent PVTT. HCC patients in the Low INR group had a significantly higher incidence of PVTT and more extensive PVTT than the Normal and High INR groups (P<0.005). Of the 592 HCC subjects who had types I/II PVTT following R0 LR, there were 106 (17.9%), 342 (57.8%) and 144 (24.3%) patients in the High, Normal and Low INR groups, respectively. RFS and OS rates were markedly worse in patients in the Low INR group relative to those in the Normal and High INR groups (median RFS, 4.87 versus 10.77 versus 11.40 months, P<0.001; median OS, 6.30 versus 11.83 versus 12.67 months, P<0.001). Conclusion: Preoperative INR influenced the incidence and extent of PVTT in HCC. Particularly, patients with HCC and PVTT in the Low INR group had worse postoperative prognosis relative to the High and Normal INR groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The partial cycle (PC) strategy has been used in many rapid refresh cycle systems (RRC) for regional short-range weather forecasting. Since the strategy periodically reinitializes the regional model (RM) from the global model (GM) forecasts to correct the large-scale drift, it has replaced the traditional full cycle (FC) strategy in many RRC systems. However, the extra spin-up in the PC strategy increases the computer burden on RRC and generates discontinuous small-scale systems among cycles. This study returns to the FC strategy but with initial fields generated by dynamic blending (DB) and data assimilation (DA). The DB ingests the time-varied large-scale information from the GM to the RM to generate less-biased background fields. Then the DA is performed. We applied the new FC strategy in a series of 7-day batch forecasts with the 3-hour cycle in July 2018, and February, April, and October 2019 over China using a Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model-based RRC. A comparison shows that the new FC strategy results in less model bias than the PC strategy in most state variables and improves the forecast skills for moderate and light precipitation. The new FC strategy also allows the model to reach a balanced state earlier and gives favorable forecast continuity between adjacent cycles. Hence, this new FC strategy has potential to be applied in RRC forecast systems to replace the currently used PC strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: China's health financing system has changed from the government-led mode under the planned economy to the diversified mode under the market economy. Equity in health financing has been a national health priority. This study aimed to predict changes in total health expenditure (THE), government health expenditure (GHE), social health expenditure (SHE) and out-of-pocket health expenditure (OOP) in China from 2018 to 2022, and to provide a theoretical basis for health policy adjustment.Methods: Based on health expenditure date of time series from 1978-2017, R3.5.1 software was used to construct the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model.Results: The model of THE, GHE, SHE and OOP are ARIMA (3.3.0), ARIMA (1.3.1), ARIMA (2.4.0), ARIMA (2.2.2). According to the simulation results, in 2022, China's THE is expected to reach 8473.00 billion Yuan, and the constituent ratios in GHE, SHE and OOP will be 25.49%, 51.25% and 23.26%, respectively. The proportion of THE to GDP will continuously increase from 2018-2022 at a reasonable pace, while THE itself will increase rapidly.Conclusions: China should take effective measures to control the excessive growth of THE, keep decreasing the OOP percentage, and improve the efficiency and fairness of the use of health funds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To investigate the prevalence of overactive bladder (OAB) and assess its risk factors in 5‐ to 14‐year‐old Chinese children. Methods: A cross‐sectional study of OAB prevalence was performed by distributing 11 800 anonymous self‐administered questionnaires to parents in five provinces of mainland China from July to October 2018. The questionnaires included questions on sociodemographics, history of urinary tract infection (UTI), lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), family history of LUTS, bowel symptoms, and details about the elimination communication (EC) start time. OAB was defined as urgency and increased the daytime frequency with or without urinary incontinence. Results: A total of 10 133 questionnaires qualified for statistical analysis. The overall prevalence of OAB was 9.01% and decreased with age, from 12.40% at 5 years to 4.55% at 14 years (χ2trend = 88.899; P <.001). The proportion of dry OAB increased with age, whereas the proportion of wet OAB decreased. A late‐onset of EC was associated with a high OAB prevalence (χ2 trend = 39.802; P <.001). Children with obesity, a history of UTI, nocturnal enuresis (NE), a family history of LUTS, constipation, and fecal incontinence had a higher prevalence of OAB than did normal children (P <.05). Conclusion: Obesity, a history of UTI, NE, a family history of LUTS, and bowel symptoms are risk factors associated with OAB. Starting EC before 12 months of age might help reduce the prevalence of OAB in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the elderly's response to a cost-sharing reduction in health insurance in China. We exploit a cost sharing policy in Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance that substantially reduces out-of-pocket medical expenditures for the elderly who have reached 60 years old, and conduct a regression discontinuity with a difference-in-difference strategy (RD-DD) to address endogeneity. We find consistent evidence that cost sharing significantly increases the elderly's hospital utilization, and the estimated price elasticity is −0.67. We find a larger effect on high-cost diseases such as cancer and treatments in high-level hospitals. Many elderly people in China and other developing countries suffer from the underuse of health services due to low income and the expense of medical care. In contrast to most previous studies on cost sharing, which focus exclusively on developed countries, the results of our study provide insights to effectively increase healthcare use among the elderly in developing economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting the risk of severe adverse reactions to chemotherapy is of great clinical significance for proper selection of effective and safe treatment for elderly cancer patients. The present study aimed to verify and compare the value of two evaluation models of chemotherapy risk prediction for elderly cancer patients through prospective analysis. The two evaluation models assessed were the Chemotherapy Risk Assessment Scale for High-Age Patients (CRASH) and Cancer Aging Research Group (CARG) toxicity scores. Elderly patients aged ≥70 with cancer were recruited at two participating hospitals in China and completed an assessment prior to starting chemotherapy. CRASH and CARG toxicity scores of each participant were calculated. Chemotherapy-related toxicity was recorded through each cycle of chemotherapy. A total of 106 participants were recruited between September 2015 and August 2018. The CRASH and CARG toxicity scores were positively correlated (r=0.689; P<0.01). Of the participants, 54 (50.9%) participants underwent a grade 3–5 chemotherapy-related toxicity and 21 (19.8%) experienced grade 3–5 nonhematological toxicity in the process of treatment. CRASH and CARG toxicity scores predicted severe chemotherapy-related toxicity and had a high discriminatory value based on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis (area under the curve of 0.772 and 0.760, respectively; P<0.001). The results of the present study indicate that the CRASH and CARG toxicity scores are helpful tools for the prediction of severe chemotherapy-related toxicity, and are recommended for routine oncology practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results of one-year simulations using the Weather Research and Forecasting(WRF) model, with the use of different radiation schemes(RRTM, RRTMG, CAM, New Goddard and Goddard), are evaluated for China. The observations used in the model assessment include station data from the China Meteorological Administration, 14 flux field sites arranged in a coordinated observation network, and Global Land Data Assimilation System(GLDAS) data.Specifically, based on a Taylor diagram, the temperature differences between the radiation schemes are small, and the best annual mean spatial pattern and average value for China as a whole is produced by RRTMG. For the rainfall and net radiation annual mean simulation, the New Goddard and CAM schemes present better results than the RRTMG scheme. With respect to low cloud cover, all the schemes have similar reproduction without high cover on east of Tibet Plateau. Overall, the New Goddard and CAM schemes are suitable for longtime simulation without nesting and nudging options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Narrowly lanceolate leaves occur frequently in the genus Aster. It was often employed as a distinguishing character in the taxonomy of this genus. The origin of this particular leaf shape, however, has never been investigated using comparative methods. In this study, we reconstructed a comprehensive phylogeny that includes most species of Aster with narrowly lanceolate leaf. We then gathered data on riparian habitats and the presence or absence of narrowly lanceolate leaves, and investigated the evolutionary association between them in a phylogenetic context. Our analysis indicated that the species with narrowly lanceolate leaves are nested in unrelated lineages of the genus Aster, implying that they originated independently several times. Using Pagel's comparative method of discrete data, we demonstrated a significant correlation between riparian habitats and narrowly lanceolate leaves. We further inferred the sequence of transition of the two characters. This analysis indicated that the sequence of evolution of riparian habitat and narrowly lanceolate leaf form was usually uncertain, but some positive results showed that the occurrence of riparian habitats may not precede the evolution of narrowly lanceolate leaf form. This study provided new insights into the adaptive evolution in a mega-diverse family. In addition, Aster tonglingensis, an unexpected new species with narrowly lanceolate leaves, was discovered and established based on the evidence from morphology, micromorphology and molecular phylogeny. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stagnation weather affects atmospheric diffusion ability, and hence causes the occurrence of haze events, which have been happening frequently in northern China (NC). This work puts forward an air stagnation index (ASITS) to characterize the stagnation weather in NC, in which the processes of ventilation, vertical diffusion, and wet deposition potency are concerned. ASITS can be applied to analyze air stagnation conditions with daily to monthly time scale. It is shown that the ASITS and particulate matter smaller than 2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5) concentrations own similar lognormal probability distribution functions on both daily and monthly time scales. And the correlation analyses between the ASITS and PM2.5 concentrations indicate that the ASITS can reflect the monthly and daily variations in PM2.5 concentrations in NC. In addition, ASITS could be used as a leading predictor of haze events since correlation coefficients of ASITS leading PM2.5 concentrations by 1 day were significant and were larger than simultaneous correlation coefficients in almost all areas in NC. The robust relationship between ASITS and PM2.5 concentrations exists possibly because the index can reflect the activities of synoptic systems. ASITS could be a useful statistical indicator for variations in PM2.5 concentrations and haze events, and a good tool in analyzing the relationship between climate change and long-term variations in haze in NC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

应对风险特别是科学不确定性所导致的风险，实现和维护环境正义是当今时代的 一个前沿核心议题。转基因生物安全为代表的科学不确定性背景下的环境正义，需要 建立在相应的科学研究基础之上，但在本质上乃是一种社会构建。对转基因生物技术 及其产品等现代科技的研发、应用和推广等活动，应当维护其市场自由，与此同时， 为了公共安全以及社会弱势群体的最大利益，还应当对相关科技活动进行必要的政府 干预和法律规制。 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The relationship between air pollution and stroke has been extensively studied, however, the evidence regarding the association between air pollution and hospitalization due to stroke and its subtypes in coastal areas of China is limited. To estimate the associations between air pollution and hospitalizations of stroke and its subtypes in the Beibu Gulf Region of China. We conducted a time-stratified case-crossover study in 15 cities in Beibu Gulf Region in China from 2013 to 2016. Exposures to PM 1 , PM 2.5 , PM 10 , SO 2 , NO 2 , O 3 , and CO on the case and control days were assessed at residential addresses using bilinear interpolation. Conditional logistic regressions were constructed to estimate city-specific associations adjusting for meteorological factors and public holidays. Meta-analysis was further conducted to pool all city-level estimates. There were 271,394 case days and 922,305 control days. The odds ratios (ORs) for stroke hospitalizations associated with each interquartile range (IQR) increase in 2-day averages of SO 2 (IQR: 10.8 µg/m3), NO 2 (IQR: 11.2 µg/m3), and PM 10 (IQR: 37 µg/m3) were 1.047 (95 % CI [confidence interval]: 1.015–1.080), 1.040 (95 % CI: 1.027–1.053), and 1.018 (95 % CI: 1.004–1.033), respectively. The associations with hospitalizations of ischemic stroke were significant for all seven pollutants, while the association with hemorrhagic stroke was significant only for CO. The associations of SO 2 , NO 2 , and O 3 with stroke hospitalization were significantly stronger in the cool season. Short-term increase in SO 2 , NO 2 , and PM 10 might be important triggers of stroke hospitalization. All seven air pollutants were associated with ischemic stroke hospitalization, while only CO was associated with hemorrhagic stroke hospitalization. These results should be considered in public health policy. [Display omitted] • Short-term SO 2 , NO 2 , and PM 10 exposure was associated with stroke hospitalization. • The associations of air pollution with hospitalization vary across stroke subtypes. • Stronger associations were observed in the cool season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gliomas are highly aggressive tumors of the nervous system, and current treatments fail to improve patient survival. To identify substances that can be used as treatments for gliomas, we examined the effect of Celastrus orbiculatus extract (COE) on the invasion and migration of human glioblastoma U87 and U251 cells in vitro. Methods: The effects of COE on cell viability and adhesion were tested using the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide assay and cell adhesion assay, respectively. The effects of COE on cell migration and invasion were assessed by a wound-healing assay and transwell migration and invasion assays. The effects of COE on the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) were evaluated using western blot and gelatin zymography, respectively. Finally, the effect of COE on actin assembly was observed using phalloidin-tetramethylrhodamine isothiocyanate labeling and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Results: We found that COE inhibited the adhesion, migration, and invasion of U87 and U251 cells in a dose-dependent manner. COE reduced N-cadherin and vimentin expression, increased E-cadherin expression, and reduced MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression in U87 and U251 cells. Furthermore, COE inhibited actin assembly in U87 and U251 cells. Conclusions: COE attenuates EMT, MMP expression, and actin assembly in human glioblastoma cells, thereby inhibiting their adhesion, migration, and invasion in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upland forests are traditionally thought to be net sinks for atmospheric methane ( CH4). In such forests, in situ CH4 fluxes on tree trunks have been neglected relative to soil and canopy fluxes., We measured in situ CH4 fluxes from the trunks of living trees and other surfaces, such as twigs and soils, using a static closed-chamber method, and estimated the CH4 budget in a temperate upland forest in Beijing., We found that the trunks of Populus davidiana emitted large quantities of CH4 during July 2014-July 2015, amounting to mean annual emissions of 85.3 and 103.1 μg m−2 h−1 on a trunk surface area basis on two replicate plots. The emission rates were similar in magnitude to those from tree trunks in wetland forests. The emitted CH4 was derived from the heartwood of trunks. On a plot or ecosystem scale, trunk CH4 emissions were equivalent to c. 30-90% of the amount of CH4 consumed by soils throughout the year, with an annual average of 63%., Our findings suggest that wet heartwoods, regardless of rot or not, occur widely in living trees on various habitats, where CH4 can be produced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rectus sheath block (RSB) is used for postoperative pain relief in patients undergoing abdominal surgery with midline incision. Preoperative RSB has been shown to be effective, but it has not been compared with postoperative RSB. The aim of the present study is to evaluate postoperative pain, sleep quality and changes in the cytokine levels of patients undergoing gynaecological surgery with RSB performed preoperatively versus postoperatively.Methods/design: This study is a prospective, randomised, controlled (randomised, parallel group, concealed allocation), single-blinded trial. All patients undergoing transabdominal gynaecological surgery will be randomised 1:1 to the treatment intervention with general anaesthesia as an adjunct to preoperative or postoperative RSB. The objective of the trial is to evaluate postoperative pain, sleep quality and changes in the cytokine levels of patients undergoing gynaecological surgery with RSB performed preoperatively (n = 32) versus postoperatively (n = 32). All of the patients, irrespective of group allocation, will receive patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) with oxycodone. The primary objective is to compare the interval between leaving the post-anaesthesia care unit and receiving the first PCIA bolus injection on the first postoperative night between patients who receive preoperative versus postoperative RSB. The secondary objectives will be to compare (1) cumulative oxycodone consumption at 24 hours after surgery; (2) postoperative sleep quality, as measured using a BIS-Vista monitor during the first night after surgery; and (3) cytokine levels (interleukin-1, interleukin-6, tumour necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ) during surgery and at 24 and 48 hours postoperatively.Discussion: Clinical experience has suggested that RSB is a very effective postoperative analgesic technique, and we will answer the following questions with this trial. Do preoperative block and postoperative block have the same duration of analgesic effects? Can postoperative block extend the analgesic time? The results of this study could have actual clinical applications that could help to reduce postoperative pain and shorten hospital stays.Trial Registration: Current Controlled Trials NCT02477098 15 June 2015. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To study and report the clinical outcomes and patterns of failure in the patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) staged by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).Materials and Methods: From January 2007 to December 2011, 720 NPC patients without metastasis staged by MRI were treated with definitive IMRT at Zhejiang Cancer Hospital. The IMRT prescribed dose was 69 Gy to planning target volume (PTV) of gross disease in nasopharynx and 67.5 Gy to PTV of positive lymph nodes in 30 fractions, high risk, and low risk region PTV was 60 and 54 Gy in 30 fractions, respectively. The treatment outcomes and patterns of failure were observed.Results: Using the 7th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system for NPC, the proportions of the 720 patients with Stages I, II, III, and IVa-b disease were 2.1% (15/720), 17.8% (128/720), 51.7% (372/720), and 28.5% (205/720), respectively. After the median follow-up period of 48 months (range: 3-89 months), a total of 146/720 (20.3%) patients had experienced failure: 37 (5.1%) at primary sites, 17 (2.4%) at regional sites, 79 (11.0%) at distant sites, and 13 (1.8%) at multiple sites. The 5-year overall survival, cancer-specific survival, disease-free survival, local relapse-free survival (LRFS), regional relapse-free survival, and distant metastasis (DM) free survival were 86.1%, 88.1%, 76.6%, 90.8%, 93.6%, and 87.2%, respectively. LRFS of T1 to T3 was all >90% and has no significant difference. In addition to N stage, T category, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy were independent predictors for DM in multivariate analysis.Conclusion: Our long-term outcome of large NPC series supports the effectiveness of IMRT for excellent local-regional control though up to 20% patients would develop DM, which becomes the main pattern of failure. T4 disease remained difficult to be cured not only for local recurrence but distant failure. A taxane-based combination chemotherapy might be useful to reduce DM in the induction setting and worth further studying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nausea and vomiting are one of the major complications of chemotherapy for cancers. The aim of this study is to investigate the emetic effects and mechanisms involving serotonin and dopamine of needleless transcutaneous electroacupuncture (TEA) at Neiguan (PC6) and Jianshi (PC5) on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patients with cancers. Seventy-two patients with chemotherapy were randomly divided into sham-TEA group (sham-TEA, n = 34) and TEA group (n = 38). TEA was performed at PC 6 and PC 5 (1 h, bid) in combination with granisetron. Sham-TEA was delivered at nonacupoints using the same parameters. We found the following. (1) In the acute phase, the conventional antiemetic therapy using Ondansetron effectively reduced nausea and vomiting; the addition of TEA did not show any additive effects. In the delayed phase, however, TEA significantly increased the rate of complete control (P < 0.01) and reduced the nausea score (P < 0.05), compared with sham- TEA. (2) TEA significantly reduced serumlevels of 5-HT and dopamine in comparison with sham-TEA. Those results demonstrate that needleless transcutaneous electroacupuncture at PC6 using a watch-size digital stimulator improves emesis and reduces nausea in the delayed phase of chemotherapy in patients with cancers. This antiemetic effect is possibly mediated viamechanisms involving serotonin and dopamine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land use and land cover change (LUCC) can modify the physical and thermodynamic characteristics of the land surface, including surface roughness, albedo, and vegetation fraction, among others. These direct changes can result in a series of impacts on regional climate. In this paper, the simulated results over China under the scenario of LUCC using weather research and forecasting model are presented. The period for the simulation is from December 2006 to December 2011. Two experiments are initialized by the LUCC datasets derived from the MODIS data of 2001 and 2008, respectively. The results show that the LUCC in most areas of China reduces the surface albedo and increases the surface temperature. Especially in the Hetao Plain, the magnitude of increased surface temperature is above 0.5 °C in winter, and the increase in winter is more obvious than in summer. The precipitation in the Hetao Plain increases. The sensible heat in most parts of East China is reduced, while the latent heat is increased in most areas of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Zuojin Pill consists of Coptidis Rhizoma (CR) and Euodiae Fructus (EF). It has been a classic prescription for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases in China since ancient times. Alkaloids are considered to be its main pharmacologically active substances. The authors of the present study investigated the feasibility of preparing high purity total alkaloids (TAs) from CR and EF extracts separately and evaluated the effect for the treatment of bile reflux gastritis (BRG). Coptis chinensis Franch. and Evodia rutaecarpa (Juss.) Benth. were used in the study. An optimized method for the enrichment and purification of TAs with macroporous resin was established. Furthermore, qualitative analysis by using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization and quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC–ESI–QTOF-MS) was explored to identify the components of purified TAs. Thirty-one compounds, thirty alkaloids and one phenolic compound, were identified or tentatively assigned by comparison with reference standards or literature data. A method of ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detector (UHPLC–DAD) for quantitative analysis was also developed. The contents of nine alkaloids were determined. Moreover, a rat model of BRG was used to investigate the therapeutic effect of the combination of purified TAs from CR and EF. Gastric pathologic examination suggested that the alkaloids' combination could markedly attenuate the pathological changes of gastric mucosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prunus pananensis Z. L. Chen, W. J. Chen & X. F. Jin, a new species of Rosaceae from central Zhejiang, China is described and illustrated. Micromorphological characters of the indumentum on young shoots, leaves, petioles and peduncles, including scanning electron microscope [SEM] images, are provided. This new species is morphologically similar to P. schneiderianae Koehne in having its young shoots, petioles and pedicels all densely villose, but differs in having bracts persistent, styles glabrous, stipules 8-9 mm long, stamens 28-30 of per flower, and drupes glabrous. The new species is also similar to P. discoidea (Yü & C. L. Li) Yü & C. L. Li ex Z. Wei & Y. B. Chang in having 2 or 3 flowers in an umbellate inflorescence, and bracts persistent and marginally glandular, but it differs in having young shoots and petioles densely covered with yellowish- brown villose trichomes; leaves rounded or slightly cordate at base, the mid-ribs and lateral veins abaxially densely covered with yellowish-brown villose trichomes; and hypanthium ca. 3 mm long, shorter than sepals. The atpB-rbcL and trnL-F intergenic chloroplast spacers are selected for identification of the new and its similar species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Together with economic development and accelerated urbanization, the urban population in China has been increasing rapidly, and anthropogenic heat released by large-scale energy consumption in cities is expected to be a vital factor affecting the climate. In this paper, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model coupled with the Urban Canopy Model (UCM) is employed to simulate the regional impacts on climate under the two scenarios: the underlying surface changes due to urbanization (USCU) and anthropogenic heat release (AHR). Three experiments were performed from December 2006 to December 2008. With respect to the USCU, the surface albedo and the available surface soil water decrease markedly. With the inclusion of AHR, the two scenarios give rise to increased surface temperatures over most areas of China. Especially in the urban agglomeration area of the Yangtze River delta, the combination of USCU and AHR could result in an increase of 2°C in the surface air temperature. The influence of AHR on surface air temperature in winter is greater than the influence of USCU without considering any extra sources of heat, but the opposite is found in summer. The combination of USCU and AHR leads to changes in the surface energy budget. They both increase sensible heat flux, but USCU decreases latent heat flux significantly, and AHR increases latent heat flux slightly. Nevertheless, under the influence of these two scenarios, the precipitation increases in some areas, especially in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, while it decreases in other areas, most notably the Yangtze River delta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes and illustrates Carex paracheniana, a new species of Cyperaceae from China. It informs that the new species is recognized as a member of Carex section (sec.) Rhomboidales in having broadly ovoid perigynia and rhombic-ovoid nutlets. The article also compares the morphological characters of the leaf epidermis, perigynia, and nutlets among taxa and compares the new species with C. cheniana, and C. brevicuspis.

Abstract: Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis Gray) is a kind of key protected fish in ChangJiang river. Recently the Three Gorges dam has run, the peak regulation process between the two dams has serious effect on the formed spawning sites. Based on the previous research results of suitable flow conditions about the spawning sites, this article builds a 2-D shallow water numerical model, calculates the flow conditions of the spawning sites in the process of peak regulation. The results show that the water depth and velocity are various and affect the spawning sites in one 24-hours process of peak regulation, as a whole, when the discharge is below 9000 m3/s and 7500 m3/s respectively, the two spawning sites will be affected seriously. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The correlation of glutathione S-transferase (GST) M1/T1 genetic polymorphisms with oxidative stress-related chronic diseases was proved recently. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of GSTM1/T1 genetic polymorphisms with antioxidant biomarkers and consumption of fruits and vegetables (F&V) in healthy subjects. In this study, for conducting a 3 d dietary survey, 190 healthy adults were recruited. After DNA extraction, a multiple PCR method was used for GSTM1/T1 genotyping. A spectrophotometer method was applied for the determination of plasma total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), vitamin C level and erythrocyte GST enzyme activity. A general linear model was used to compare the mean values of antioxidant parameters for different GSTM1/T1 genotypes and consumption of F&V. Polymorphisms of GSTM1/T1 had no effects on plasma T-AOC and vitamin C levels. Deletion of the GSTM1 gene decreased the erythrocyte GST activity. There was correlation between plasma T-AOC and consumption of F&V in the GSTM1− or GSTT1+ subjects. A similar pattern was evident for erythrocyte GST activity in the GSTM1− subjects. No association was found among consumption of F&V and GSTM1/T1 genotypes and plasma vitamin C level. Different consumption of F&V had no impact on plasma T-AOC and vitamin C levels in the GSTM1−/GSTT1+ or GSTM1−/GSTT1− subjects. The erythrocyte GST activity was more sensitive to consumption of F&V in the individuals with the GSTM1−/GSTT1+ genotype. Association was found among GSTM1/T1 genotypes, antioxidant parameters and consumption of F&V. Large-scale and multiple ethnic studies are needed to further evaluate the relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

China is facing challenges of the increasing incidence of some chronic diseases. However, the share of government spending on health in total kept falling during the economic transition and the cost of health care has been rising dramatically. Using the data at the provincial level, I find that income and population aging are significant determinants of increasing health expenditure. Time dummies contribute more than 40% in the growth of health expenditure and nearly one-third in the growth rate of health expenditure, which implies that technological and institutional changes are also very important drivers in China. In the future, the rising of health expenditure is a necessary response to income growth and population aging; but there is still plenty of room to cut the cost through reforming the health care sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The concentrations of rare earth elements (REEs) and other 28 trace elements were determined in seven grain-size fractions from four loess samples collected from the Tibetan Plateau, the Sichuan Basin and the Chinese Loess Plateau. The results indicate that concentrations of REEs, except for heavy rare earth elements (HREEs), are almost grain-size independent. However, REEs show clear fractionation with grain size. Middle rare earth element (MREE) depletion increases with decreasing grain size, whereas HREE enrichment increases with decreasing grain size. Excluding REEs and Y, most of the other trace element concentrations tend to increase with decreasing grain sizes. The trace element geochemistry indicates that the potential sources of eolian deposits from the Sichuan Basin, the Chinese Loess Plateau and the Tibetan Plateau differ from one another. This comparative study confirmed that the eolian materials from the Asian continent are the source of the terrigenous component of the central North Pacific sediments, and the loess from the Chinese Loess Plateau could represent the average composition of eolian dust from the Asian continent. In contrast, the eolian deposits in the Sichuan Basin and in the Tibetan Plateau are mainly of local origin, with short-distance eolian transport. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Carex zhejiangensis X. F. Jin, Y. J. Zhao, C. Z. Zheng & H. W. Zhang, a new species of Carex sect. Rhomboidales sensu Kükenthal (Cyperaceae) from Zhejiang, eastern China, is described with illustrations. This new species is morphologically similar to C. filipes and C. macroglossa. Compared to C. filipes, C. zhejiangensis has elongated rhizomes, scattered culms, rather densely flowered pistillate spikes, achenes shortly stipitate at the base, and styles erect at the base. In contrast, C. filipes has short rhizomes, caespitose culms, sparsely flowered pistillate spikes, achenes obscurely stipitate at the base, and styles curved at the base. C. zhejiangensis differs from C. macroglossa by having elongated rhizomes and scattered culms, pistillate scales awned at apex, and perigynia contracted to a narrowly infundibuliform beak at apex. Diagnostic morphological characters, which are based upon population sampling, were analyzed in Carex zhejiangensis sp. nov., C. filipes and C. macroglossa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carex yandangshanica C. Z. Zheng & X. F. Jin, a new species of Carex sect. Rhomboidales Kükenth. from Zhejiang, China, is described and illustrated. The new species is similar to C. thibetica Franch. and C. brevicuspis C. B. Clarke, but differs from the former by having trabeculate leaves, pistillate spikes with 6-10 staminate flowers or without staminate flower at the apex, and achenes at apex contracted into a slightly curved beak, and from the latter by having lateral culms, trabeculate leaves, and elliptic, rubiginous and awned pistillate scales. SEM microphotographs of perigynia and achenes are provided for the new species and related taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The origin of terra rossa and the relationship between terra rossa and its underlying carbonate rocks pose long-standing and controversial questions. Little insoluble residue content in carbonate rocks makes it difficult to believe that the terra rossa derives only from their underlying carbonates. This study focuses on one 4.05m thick Pingba Farm terra rossa profile over dolomite on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, China. It is characterized by its ferromanganese concretion, gibbsite and terra rossa coexistence in profile. The Al2O3 contents in the terra rossa rise to 34%. The authors examined the quartz content, particle size distribution of quartz, surface micro-textures and quartz morphology, quartz oxygen isotope ratios, mineral composition, chemical composition, and other tracers in the terra rossa and dolomite to determine the derivation of the terra rossa. The results indicate that terra rossa in the Pingba Farm profile is an in situ weathering solum. The terra rossa comes partly, but not completely, from insoluble residues from the underlying dolomite. The debris minerals (quartz, feldspar, etc.) derive completely from the underlying dolomite. The clay minerals, and the Al, Fe and Mn oxides and hydroxides likely have three origins. One portion derives from insoluble residues of the underlying dolomite. A second portion transforms from primary minerals in the underlying dolomite. The final portion possibly comes from antigenic minerals which formed from aqueous solutes imported by the leaching water. The terra rossa is mainly composed of antigenic minerals. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]