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Background: Keratinocyte carcinoma (KC) is a common malignancy characterized by a high recurrence rate and considerable psychological distress. The incidence of KC is increasing in China, raising concerns about its psychological consequences and adverse effects on quality of life. Demographic and clinical factors are thought to influence mental health outcomes in these patients. Nonetheless, data on the prevalence of anxiety in Chinese patients with KC and the factors associated with this anxiety are notably lacking. Therefore, a comprehensive investigation into the anxiety of patients with KC is imperative. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of anxiety in patients with KC, a disease that can significantly affect a patient's appearance and overall quality of life. Understanding the level of anxiety in this population is critical to developing targeted interventions, improving treatment outcomes, supporting mental health, and improving patient care practices. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at China's largest dermatology hospital from November 2017 to September 2022. A consecutive sampling method was used to recruit participants. Anxiety status was surveyed by the Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). Explanatory variables were surveyed by demographic data questionnaires. Non-parametric test and Chi-square test analyses were used to compare the differences between groups. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with anxiety. Results: A total of 192 patients with KC were included. The median score of SAS was 35 (IQR 16.25). The prevalence of anxiety in patients with KC was 20.8%. Females (p = 0.008), under 60 years old (p = 0.011), living in rural (p = 0.010) or urban areas (p = 0.029), having fewer than three children (p = 0.016), with a history of skin diseases (p < 0.001), with a history of long-term oral medication (p = 0.001), and experiencing pain or itching (p = 0.001) had SAS scores that were significantly higher than their counterparts. Conclusion: This study showed that the prevalence of anxiety was very high among Chinese patients with KC, especially among women, young patients, rural residents, patients with fewer than three children, and individuals with a history of skin disease, long-term oral medications, or symptoms of pain or itching. Targeted psychological interventions for these specific populations should be implemented to effectively alleviate anxiety and improve quality of life in these at-risk groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks as the third most common cause of cancer related death globally, representing a substantial challenge to global healthcare systems. In China, the primary risk factor for HCC is the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Aberrant serum glycoconjugate levels have long been linked to the progression of HBV-associated HCC (HBV-HCC). Nevertheless, few study systematically explored the dysregulation of glycoconjugates in the progression of HBV-associated HCC and their potency as the diagnostic and prognostic biomarker. Methods: An integrated strategy that combined transcriptomics, glycomics, and glycoproteomics was employed to comprehensively investigate the dynamic alterations in glyco-genes, N-glycans, and glycoproteins in the progression of HBV- HCC. Results: Bioinformatic analysis of Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets uncovered dysregulation of fucosyltransferases (FUTs) in liver tissues from HCC patients compared to adjacent tissues. Glycomic analysis indicated an elevated level of fucosylated N-glycans, especially a progressive increase in fucosylation levels on IgA1 and IgG2 determined by glycoproteomic analysis. Conclusions: The findings indicate that the abnormal fucosylation plays a pivotal role in the progression of HBV-HCC. Systematic and integrative multi-omic analysis is anticipated to facilitate the discovery of aberrant glycoconjugates in tumor progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the job demands-resources model, this study explored the relationships among emotional labor strategies, job demands of teaching, job resources, and teaching efficacy for university teachers. The results, based on a sample of 316 university teachers from China, showed that the teachers preferred to convey authenticity by expressing deep acting and naturally felt emotion. Furthermore, deep acting and naturally felt emotions were found to have a significant positive effect on teaching efficacy, whereas surface acting did not have any significant relationship with teaching efficacy. As organizational variables, job demands significantly positively affected surface acting, deep acting, and naturally felt emotion. In contrast, job resources positively affected surface and deep acting, but no significant relationship with naturally felt emotions was found. These results highlight that university teachers from China could benefit from adopting authentic emotional labor strategies, specifically deep acting and naturally felt emotions, as the most effective strategies in teaching. Based on the above findings, this paper concludes with recommendations for university administrators to alleviate the emotional labor of college faculty. For example, universities should pay more attention to teachers' emotional state, provide resources to support them, and give more space and support to college teachers in teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the association between nighttime sleep duration and emotional and behavioral problems (EBPs) among rural preschool children. This longitudinal study including 1595 preschool children aged 3–6 years from 26 kindergartens in four counties was conducted in Anhui Province rural areas. Cross-lagged panel models and multivariable logistic regressions were performed to examine the bidirectional association between nighttime sleep duration and EBPs and further explore the predictive effect of nighttime sleep duration on EBPs. Compared to baseline, preschool children at follow-up had significantly more nighttime sleep duration (10.01 ± 0.68 vs. 10.15 ± 0.69) and lower EBPs (total difficulties: 15.8% vs. 11.2%; prosocial behavior problems: 12.4% vs. 7.0%). Results of cross-lagged panel models indicated that nighttime sleep duration was a predictor for EBPs, but not vice versa. Results of logistic regression analysis showed that each 1-h increase in nighttime sleep duration at T1 was associated with a 0.77-fold reduction in the risk of total difficulties at T2 (the most adjusted OR = 0.774, 95% CI 0.607–0.988, P = 0.040), but not with the prosocial behavior. Interestingly, the predictive effect of nighttime sleep duration at T1 on EBPs at T2 was only found in girls, children aged 3 years and children with lower maternal education. The decreased nighttime sleep duration may predict future EBPs, especially in girls, younger preschool children and children with lower maternal education. Extending sleep duration may improve EBPs in preschool children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several guidelines have recommended the use of angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitors (ARNIs) as replacement for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in the management of heart failure. Till date, there are no reviews done that comprehensively cover different aspects of efficacy and safety parameters. Hence, we have performed a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis on role of ARNIs for the management of heart failure patients. Searches were done in Embase, Scopus, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, PubMed Central, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect and Clinicaltrials.gov until June 2022. Risk of bias assessment was done with Cochrane's risk of bias tool. Meta-analysis was carried out using random-effects model. Pooled standardized mean difference (SMD)/mean difference (MD) and/or risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) was reported. In total, we analysed 34 studies, with almost all of them had a high risk of bias. Pooled RR was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.82–0.95) for all-cause mortality, 0.84 (95% CI: 0.77–0.92) for cardiovascular mortality and 0.78 (95% CI: 0.70–0.87) for hospitalization. Pooled MD was 3.74 (95% CI: 1.93–5.55) for left ventricular ejection fraction, −2.16 (95% CI: −3.58 to −0.74) for left atrial volume index, −3.80 (95% CI: −6.60 to −1.00) for left ventricular end-diastolic dimension and −1.16 (95% CI: −1.98 to −0.35) for E/E′ ratio. Regarding adverse events, pooled RR was 1.55 (95% CI: 1.31–1.85) for symptomatic hypotension, 0.93 (95% CI: 0.78–1.11) for worsening renal function, 1.09 (95% CI: 0.94–1.26) for hyperkalaemia and 1.29 (95% CI: 0.67–2.50) for angioedema. ARNIs had beneficial efficacy and safety profile on the management of heart failure especially patients with reduced ejection fraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Haze pollution may decrease drivers' driving performance by worsening their physical and psychological states. This paper explores the effects of haze warning policy on traffic accidents for the first time. We use the daily-city traffic accident data from 2016 to 2019 in China and construct Regression Discontinuity (RD) strategies based on the warning signal thresholds of PM2.5 concentration for estimations. The results show that one yellow warning and one orange warning can reduce traffic accidents by 8.8% and 13.1% on that day respectively, while the red warning does not work significantly possibly due to the self-perceived channel rather than the warning-signal channel. We also find that the effects may vary among different groups of drivers, vehicles, and roads. Our results prove that the haze warning policy is a non-negligible tool to reduce traffic accidents, which is useful to policy-making both related to haze pollution regulation and transportation safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Serum mSEPT9 performed better than traditional markers for CRC detection. • An applicable nomogram was built for predicting the probability of having CRC. • The sensitivity of mSEPT9 was higher than CEA for CRC recurrence monitoring. • The mSEPT9 test should be suggested for FOBT-positive ones or those rejecting FOBT. Methylated Septin9 (mSEPT9) has been suggested for CRC detection. To assess the performance of mSEPT9 in Western China, we compared its diagnostic and recurrence monitoring values with fecal occult blood test (FOBT), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9). Overall 300 subjects including 209 CRC patients and 91 healthy subjects, who have performed mSEPT9 , FOBT, CEA and CA19-9 tests, were involved. Sensitivity, specificity, and area under the ROC curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the efficacy of each method. Plasma mSEPT9 demonstrated an AUC of 0.860, and a sensitivity of 76.4 % for CRC detection. The sensitivity of mSEPT9 was higher than FOBT, CEA and CA 19-9. Though mSEPT9 presented a larger or equal sensitivity for stage Ⅱ-IV CRCs, FOBT showed a better sensitivity for stage I CRCs. Logistical analysis showed the ones with positive mSEPT9 , FOBT and CEA were more likely to have CRC (all P < 0.01). Then, the three biomarkers built the nomogram predicting the probability of having CRC. The sensitivity of mSEPT9 was also much higher than CEA for CRC recurrence monitoring. The mSEPT9 test performed better than traditional tests for CRC detection, and should be recommended for FOBT-positive ones or individuals who refuse FOBT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metal and metalloid (HMM) contamination of the water environment caused by mining activities is a great challenge to the global mining industry. HMMs released by various mines could easily enter the surrounding environment and pose serious threats to human health. Although the HMM pollution of surface water in various mines has been widely researched, relevant studies on the effects of mining activities on the surface water of hard-rock-type Li mines are scarce. Herein, a total of 81 water samples were collected from Jiajika mine for the first time, the largest hard-rock-type Li mine in Asia. The physical parameters and concentrations of HMMs and major ions of the samples were analyzed to evaluate the water quality and HMM level of surface water. Results showed that (1) most of the parameters analyzed adhered to the strictest guidelines of Chinese surface waters and the drinking water guidelines of WHO, except Mn, Pb, and As of a few samples from tailings-affected areas and Li-bearing areas; (2) mineral tailings obviously increased the pH and decreased the dissolved oxygen (DO) of the surrounding surface waters; (3) the highest concentrations of As (5.58 μg/L), Zn (81.8 μg/L), Ba (5.26 μg/L), and Co (0.33 μg/L) were observed around the tailings reservoir, whereas the highest concentrations of Cr (1.5 μg/L), Mn (380 μg/L), Pb (28.4 μg/L), and V (3.16 μg/L) were observed in Li-bearing areas; and (4) according to the statistical results, the concentrations of As, Cr, Ni, and V in surface water were mainly affected by mining activities, whereas those of Cu, Zn, Ba, Co, and Pb were dominantly affected by natural processes. These results provide useful information about water quality in relation to Li mining and can help the government make reasonable decisions regarding hard-rock-type Li resource exploitation activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Neck circumference (NC) was found to be related to the risk factors of cardiovascular disease. However, the effects of NC on cardiovascular disease are still controversial. A prospective study of Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes was performed to evaluate the relationship between NC and cardiovascular disease. Methods. A multicenter prospective study with eight-year follow-up was conducted in Beijing communities. Cardiovascular events were defined as myocardial infarction, unstable angina pectoris, hospitalization for heart failure, coronary revascularization, cardiac death, stroke, transient ischemic attack, and cerebral hemorrhage. Results. A total of 3,009 diabetic patients were recruited. Following an eight-year follow-up, 211 patients with cardiovascular events (105 in men and 106 in women) were identified. All patients were categorized into two groups according to the upper quartile of NC (43 cm in men and 39 cm in women). The prevalence of cardiovascular events in men with an NC >43 cm (16.48%) was higher than that in the group with an NC <43 cm (8.16%, p=0.007). The prevalence of cardiovascular events in women with the NC >39 cm (10.67%) was higher compared to the group with NC <39 cm (5.31%, p=0.004). The longitudinal prevalence of cardiovascular events in groups with different NC increased with the increasing duration of follow-up (p<0.001). Cox regression analysis showed that higher NC was associated with the occurrence of cardiovascular events after adjusting for confounding variables (adjusted HR = 2.305 (1.535–3.460)). Conclusions. NC was associated with the occurrence of cardiovascular events in type 2 diabetes in Chinese communities, and greater NC may increase the risk of cardiovascular events by about 2.3-fold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mountainous areas, rock fragments (RFs) are a common feature on the soil surface and in topsoil. Few studies, however, have investigated the spatial distribution of RFs and the relevant mechanisms underpinning their distribution on steep hillslopes, especially in karst regions. We have collected and measured the RF cover, size, and content at the soil surface and within the topsoil of secondary forest, man-made forest, and non-forest land hillslopes in a karst region in Yunnan Province, southwest China. The results revealed no significant relationships between slope position and mean total RF coverage, median diameter (D50), and mean total volumetric RF in topsoil within the three karst hillslopes covered by different types of vegetation. A limited effect of vegetation on the spatial distribution of RFs on the hillslopes was identified. However, the variation in RFs in the topsoil between the top and bottom slopes was greater than that at the surface between the top and bottom slopes, implying that underground leakage was greater than surface runoff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wetland ecosystem is known to possess unique vegetation and serves multiple functions within the environment. In this study, bacterial bioprospecting of bulrush rhizospheres in the Zhalong Wetland, China, was performed using comprehensive methods, including strain isolation and phylogenetic analysis, PCR detection of biosynthetic gene clusters, assessment of antimicrobial activity, metabolite profiling and genome analysis. A total of 27 actinobacterial strains were isolated, and their biosynthetic gene clusters (NRPS, PKS-I and PKS-II) were investigated; all of the tested strains had at least one of the three aforementioned biosynthetic gene clusters. Furthermore, fermentation broth extracts produced by these strains showed antimicrobial activities against certain pathogens, and ten of the extracts exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis indicated chemical diversity of secondary metabolites from these extracts. Among these strains, ZLSD-24 generated the largest amounts and types of secondary metabolites. Subsequent genome analysis showed that 41 secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters were present in the strain ZLSD-24, which was in accordance with the LC-MS data. Taken together, the results of this study reveal that bulrush rhizosphere habitat in the Zhalong wetland is a promising source of novel natural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese government has planned to adopt the strictest water resource management (SWRM) system as a new concept to tackle the increasing water shortages the country facing with economic development and population growth. In this paper, the present status of China’s water resources including low availability of per capita water resources, uneven temporal and spatial distributions, inconsistency in spatial distributions and productivity, and fragile water ecology and environment has been discussed. The challenges in water resources due to population growth, economic development and climate change have also been analyzed. The essence of the new policy of SWRM to promote coordination between supporting capacity of water resources and socioeconomic development, harmonious interactions between human and nature, and changes in traditional lifestyles and activities is discussed. Finally, the measures taken to implement the new system and achievements toward the target have been discussed. Study reveals that SWRM is a promising concept which has the potential to control total amount of water use, increase water use efficiency and reduce water pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated environmental influences on inorganic nitrogen exchange at the sediment-water interface and quantified the function of sediment as inorganic nitrogen sink/source in the eastern Chongming tidal flat of the Yangtze Estuary. Intact sediment cores (20-25 cm deep) were collected from the high, middle and low tidal flats of the study area every 2 months from July 2012 to May 2013, and incubated to measure the fluxes of ammonium and nitrate (plus nitrite) across the sediment-water interface via continuous-flow experiments. The incubation experimental results showed that ammonium was mainly released from the sediment into the overlying water, with a flux of −5.91 to 14.44 mmol m day. In contrast, nitrate was primarily influxed from the overlying water into the sediment, with a flux of −20.09 to 8.72 mmol m day. In this work, temperature, salinity, sedimentary ammonium and nitrate, and total organic carbon were observed to significantly affect the dynamic exchange of inorganic nitrogen across the sediment-water interface of the study area, via controlling nitrogen transformation processes in sediments. It was also estimated that ca. 2101 t N year for ammonium was totally released from the sediment to overlying water while ca. 1577 t N year for nitrate was removed from the water to sediment. The dynamic exchanges of inorganic nitrogen at the sediment-water interface implied that the sediment has important influence on adjusting the levels of ammonium and nitrate in tidal water of the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban growth is an unavoidable process caused by economic development and population growth. Traditional urban growth models represent the future urban growth pattern by repeating the historical urban growth regulations, which can lead to a lot of environmental problems. The Yangtze watershed is the largest and the most prosperous economic area in China, and it has been suffering from rapid urban growth from the 1970s. With the built-up area increasing from 23,238 to 31,054 km during the period from 1980 to 2005, the watershed has suffered from serious nonpoint source (NPS) pollution problems, which have been mainly caused by the rapid urban growth. To protect the environment and at the same time maintain the economic development, a multiobjective optimization (MOP) is proposed to tradeoff the multiple objectives during the urban growth process of the Yangtze watershed. In particular, the four objectives of minimization of NPS pollution, maximization of GDP value, minimization of the spatial incompatibility between the land uses, and minimization of the cost of land-use change are considered by the MOP approach. Conventionally, a genetic algorithm (GA) is employed to search the Pareto solution set. In our MOP approach, a two-dimensional GA, rather than the traditional one-dimensional GA, is employed to assist with the search for the spatial optimization solution, where the land-use cells in the two-dimensional space act as genes in the GA. Furthermore, to confirm the superiority of the MOP approach over the traditional prediction approaches, a widely used urban growth prediction model, cellular automata (CA), is also carried out to allow a comparison with the Pareto solution of MOP. The results indicate that the MOP approach can make a tradeoff between the multiple objectives and can achieve an optimal urban growth pattern for Yangtze watershed, while the CA prediction model just represents the historical urban growth pattern as the future growth pattern. Moreover, according to the spatial clustering index, the urban growth pattern predicted through MOP is more reasonable. In summary, the proposed model provides a set of Pareto urban growth solutions, which compromise environmental and economic issues for the Yangtze watershed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a heterogeneous disease characterized by persistent hyperglycemia. Huang-Lian Jie-Du decoction (HLJDD) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula which is widely used in treating T2DM in China. A thorough understanding of current body of evidence is needed. Objective: this study aims to summarize the clinical evidence of HLJDD for T2DM to provide an up-to-date and accurate understanding of this issue for research and clinical practice. Methods: Six databases were searched from inception to June 27, 2020 without language and publication status restrictions and randomized controlled trials about HLJDD on T2DM were included. Two evaluators searched and screened citations independently. Risk of bias was assessed by 2019 version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB2). Risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used as an effect measure for dichotomous outcomes and mean difference (MD) with 95% CI was used for continuous outcomes. Subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses were carried out. Results: Nine studies including 811 participants were included in this study. The overall risk of bias was high risk. Compared with metformin alone, combination treatment of HLJDD and metformin may result in a reduction in HbA1c, FBG, 2hPG, HOMA-IR and an improved lipid metabolism. Evidence comparing HLJDD and metformin or no intervention or placebo was insufficient. The quality of evidence was low. Conclusions: Current evidence about HLJDD on T2DM is still uncertain and more high-quality studies are needed to firmly establish the clinical efficacy and safety of HLJJD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Compliance with screen time guidelines among children worldwide remains low, and there is insufficient evidence on the current prevalence in China. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of compliance with screen time guidelines among children under 3 years old in Fujian Province, East China, identify risk factors and their independent effects, and develop a risk discrimination model for targeted interventions., Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among low-income families recruited from welfare programs at 96 sites in both urban and rural areas of Fujian Province, China. Face-to-face interviews gathered sociodemographic data, lifestyle information, attitudes towards screen exposure, and details on screen media device ownership. A multivariable logistic regression model was employed to identify independent risk factors for compliance with screen time guidelines, while the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the model's discrimination ability., Results: A total of 4,707 children participated in the survey. The rates of compliance with screen time guidelines were 56.8% for children under 1 year old, 18.8% for those between 1 and 2 years old, and 81.9% for those between 2 and 3 years old. The multivariable regression analysis identified negative attitudes towards screen exposure, co-viewing and engagement, as well as single child, as significant positive independent factors for compliance with the guidelines. The risk discrimination model demonstrated good performance, with an AUC of 0.845 and 0.812 in the two younger age groups, but showed medium discrimination with an AUC of 0.691 for children between 2 and 3 years old., Conclusions: Compliance with screen time guidelines among young children in Fujian Province, East China, is generally adequate, but notably low among children between 1 and 2 years old. Targeted interventions are needed to improve compliance, particularly for this age group., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval was granted by the Ethics Review Committee of Fujian Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital (Ethical Research Approval Number 2019-002). The study protocol was approved by the Electronic signatures and informed consent to participate were obtained from all participants. Consent for publication The current study contains no personal identifying information on survey participants, therefore not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests. Competing interests The authors of this manuscript have no conflicts of interest to disclose. No financial or non-financial benefits have been received or will be received from any party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence and influencing factors of irritable bowel syndrome among nurses in order to update the epidemiological data. A questionnaire survey was administered to 1,325 clinical nurses. We used a questionnaire for demographic information, the IBS Severity Scoring System, the IBS Quality of Life questionnaire, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory to conduct our survey. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to detect factors influencing irritable bowel syndrome among nurses. The prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome was 13.3%, and the severity of symptoms was mostly moderate. The IBS Quality of Life score was significantly reduced (p < .001). Various foods that caused abdominal pain (egg and dairy products [OR = 4.80], greasy food [OR = 5.80], spicy food [OR = 2.66], raw and cold food [OR = 2.43]), a family history of gastrointestinal diseases (OR = 1.64, 95% CI [1.038, 2.587]), drinking weak green tea (OR = 1.71, 95% CI [1.143, 2.552]), mild depression (OR = 1.78, 95% CI [1.005, 3.156]), and the personal accomplishment dimension of occupational burnout (OR = 2.52, 95% CI [1.039, 6.114]) had important effects on nurses suffering from irritable bowel syndrome. On the contrary, exercising 1-2 hours per week (OR = 0.53, 95% CI [0.327, 0.859]) had a protective effect. The prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome among nurses is relatively high and may be influenced by several factors including genetics, diet, exercise, psychology, and occupational burnout., (Copyright © 2024 Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates.)

Objective: To investigate the effects of orthokeratology lenses (OK lenses) on corneal biomechanics in subjects of different ages., Methods: Fifty subjects with mild to moderate myopia were categorized into three groups (Group I-III) based on their age. Corvis ST was used to collect dynamic corneal response parameters (DCRs) at different follow-up time points. Repeated measures analysis of variance combined with simple effect analysis was used to analyze the changes in DCRs in different groups during the follow-up period. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the correlations between axial length growth (ALG) at 6 months (ALG-6M) or 12 months (ALG-12M) and sex, baseline spherical equivalent refraction (SER), and DCRs., Results: The DCRs changed in all three groups after wearing OK lenses. Most DCRs showed significant differences between baseline and 6 months after wearing OK lenses, while the differences between DCRs at 6 months and 12 months were not statistically significant. No significant differences in DCRs were observed among the three groups at the same follow-up time point. Additionally, at 6 months post-OK lens wear, ALG-6M was significantly correlated with velocity of the corneal apex at the first applanation (A1V-6M) (P = 0.002), Corvis biomechanical index (CBI-6M) (P = 0.004), the maximum amount of corneal movement (DAM-6M) (P = 0.010), deformation amplitude ratio of 2 mm (DAR2-6M) (P = 0.010), and stress-strain index (SSI-6M) (P = 0.038) in Group I. Furthermore, ALG-12M showed significant correlations with SSI-6M (P = 0.031), peak distance at the DAM (PD)-6M (P = 0.037), baseline Ambrósio Relational Thickness to the horizontal profile (P = 0.013) in Group I., Conclusions: The majority of DCRs displayed significant changes within the initial 6 months of OK lens wear. Minimal variation in DCRs was observed across different age groups at the same follow-up time point. Certain DCR parameters exhibited correlations with ALG, suggesting their potential in predicting ALG in myopic children undergoing OK lenses correction., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 British Contact Lens Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The safety of drinking and irrigation water is an issue of great concern worldwide. The rational development and utilization of water resources are vital for the economic and societal stability of Altay, an extremely arid area. In this study, three types of water samples (25 river waters, 10 groundwaters, 6 lake waters) were collected from main rivers and lakes in Altay and analyzed for electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, pH, major ions (i.e., K + , Na + , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , HCO 3 - , Cl - , SO 4 2- , NO 3 - , NO 2 - , F - ), and trace elements (i.e., Al, Li, B, Sc, Ti, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Mo, I, Ba, U). The water quality index (WQI), hazard quotient, carcinogenic risk, Na percentage, and Na adsorption ratio were then calculated to evaluate the water quality for drinking and irrigation. The results showed that the main hydrochemical type of river waters and groundwaters was Ca-HCO 3 , whereas that of lake water was mainly Na-SO 4 . The WQIs (9.39-170.69) indicated that the water quality in Altay ranged from poor to excellent. The concentrations of As, Ni, and U need to be carefully monitored since their average carcinogenic risks (for all waters collected, for adults) reached 0.05686, 0.06801, and 0.14527 and exceeded the safety risk levels (10 -4 -10 -6 ) by at least 568 times, 680 times, and 1452 times, respectively. The result of Na% and SAR indicated that lake waters (with Na% of 62.92 and SAR of 41.63) and groundwaters (with Na% of 37.88 and SAR of 5.58) in Altay were unsuitable for irrigation, while river water (with Na% of 29.24 and SAR of 3.33) could meet the irrigation quality requirements. The results of this study could help promote reasonable water resource use among three types of waters and population protection in Altay., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Objective: The relationship between plasma copper concentration and prevalence of diabetes in adults with hypertension is unclear. We aimed to determine the association between plasma copper concentration and prevalence of diabetes in Chinese adults with hypertension., Methods: A total of 2,579 participants (697 cases and 1,882 controls) was included in this cross-sectional study. Plasma copper concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Multivariable logistic regression model was used to determine the association between plasma copper concentration and prevalence of diabetes., Results: According to the logistic regression analyses, the adjusted OR for the prevalence of diabetes in participants with plasma copper concentration ≥109.4 μg/dL was 1.26 (1.00, 1.58) compared with those with plasma copper concentration <109.4 μg/dL ( P = 0.048). The association was no longer significant following further adjusting for serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentration as a potential confounder. Stratified analyses demonstrated that serum HDL-C concentration significantly modified the association between plasma copper concentration and prevalence of diabetes ( P-interaction = 0.043). In the strata of serum HDL-C concentration ≥1.2 mmol/L, a 56% increased prevalence of diabetes was observed in participants with plasma copper concentration ≥109.4 μg/dL compared with those with plasma copper concentration <109.4 μg/dL ( P = 0.008). No significant relationship between plasma copper concentration and prevalence of diabetes was found in other strata., Conclusion: Our findings suggested that high plasma copper concentration (≥109.4 μg/dL) was associated with increased prevalence of diabetes in Chinese hypertensive adults with serum HDL-C concentration ≥1.2 mmol/L., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Cui, Chen, Lu, Wang, Zhou, Zhang, Wang, Lin, Song, Liu, Huang, Chen, Tang, Gao, Duan, Wang, Zhang, Xu, Yang, Qin and Meng.)

Background: Previous studies have described the correlation of suicidal ideation (SI) or suicide attempts (SA) in people living with HIV (PLWH), whereas few studies compare the correlation between SI and SA in PLWH. Understanding specific risk factors for SI and SA among PLWH will help with developing tailored and effective suicide prevention strategies among this high-risk group., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2020 to April 2021 in Baoji municipality, Shaanxi Province. The PLWH registered with the Baoji Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were recruited and interviewed. Questionnaires and interviews for this study consisted of socio-demographic variables, mental health history, and psychosocial characteristics. The HIV-related clinical features were obtained from CDC medical records. The PLWH included were divided into three groups, i.e., those with a history of suicide attempts (SA group), those with suicidal ideation only (SI group), and those without any suicidal behavior (NSB group). Multinomial logistic regression was used for three-way comparisons among these three groups of PLWH., Results: In total, 995 PLWH were interviewed. The prevalence of probable depression, probable anxiety, SI, and SA in PLWH after being diagnosed as HIV+ was 18.6%, 13.5%, 26.7%, and 3.2%, respectively. Compared with the NSB group, the SI or SA groups were more likely to report probable depression [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.43, 4.44, respectively], probable anxiety (AOR = 2.80, 5.62, respectively), and high HIV-related stigma (AOR = 2.05, 2.65, respectively). The SI group was more likely to experience high HIV-related stress (AOR = 1.91) and lower quality of life (AOR = 0.56) than the NSB group. Social support and HIV-related clinical features were not associated with SI or SA in this sample. The SA group did not differ from the SI group on any of the psychosocial or HIV-related clinical features., Conclusions: Mental health problems are serious in community residents identified with having an HIV infection in a Central West China municipality. It is important to deliver low-cost and effective psychological services tailored for PLWH that are focused on reducing mental health problems. Future studies should utilize sensitive screening measures and further clarify factors potentially associated with the transition from SI to SA in PLWH., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Wang, Yan, Tong, Gao, Zhou, Lan, Wu, Li, Yin, Wang, Liu and Deng.)

The aim of this study was to describe the distribution of human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes among cervical cancers and pre-cancers in Shaanxi province of western China. A total of 17,341 women who were screened for cervical cancer from January 2014 to December 2016, using HPV genotyping and ThinPrep cytologic test were included. The prevalence and attribution of HPV genotypes were stratified by cervical lesion and age group. Of the subjects, 26.3% were infected with HPV, 28.0% of whom had multiple infections. The crude HPV prevalence increased from atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance/low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (ASCUS/LSIL, 64.3%) to high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL, 79.8%) and to invasive cervical cancer (ICC, 89.7%, P < 0.001). The three most prevalent genotypes were HPV 16 (8.0%), 58 (4.2%), and 52 (4.0%), and HPV 16, 31 and 33 were positively correlated with increased severity of cervical lesions. Additionally, the divalent vaccine genotypes HPV 16 and 18 accounted for 68.2% of ICC cases. Although 78.5% of ICC and 60.3% of HSIL cases were attributed to 9-valent vaccine genotypes, the other genotypes not covered by any vaccine still resulted in increases in coverage, with 1.5% for ICC, 5.3% for HSIL, and 13.5% for ASCUS/LSIL. HPV prevalence in western China was consistent with other regions of China. Early vaccination with 9-valent HPV vaccine is recommended in this locality for females younger than 26 years with no prior infection, while divalent the vaccine is more appropriate for women between 26 and 45 years, considering the efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness of vaccines.

There are many sites contaminated by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) or combined PAHs-heavy metal in China, which pose serious health-risks to local people and environments. Dissipative quartz crystal microbalance (QCM-D) was applied to investigate the adsorption of naphthalene to two organic-modified smectite clays (cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide modified montmorillonite, CTAB-SMF, and 3-mercapto propyl trimethoxy silane modified montmorillonite, TMSP-SMF) and original SMF, together with batch adsorption experiments. The results, based on in-situ online QCM-D experiments, showed that the adsorption sites of CTAB-SMF on naphthalene were mainly CTAB grouped between the interlayers of clay particles, while TMSP-SMF's were TMSP grouped on the surfaces of clay particles. The isotherms of naphthalene adsorption to CTAB-SMF fitted well ( R 2 >0.92) with the Freundlich model, while the adsorption isotherms to TMSP-SMF and SMF fitted well with the Langmuir model ( R 2 >0.96). The parameters of CTAB-SMF ( n >1) indicated that the adsorption sites of naphthalene to CTAB-SMF were heterogeneous and the adsorption increases at higher equilibrium concentration. The adsorption capacity q max of TMSP-SMF is significantly greater than that of SMF ( P <0.05). Based on the calculation, the value of Δ H obs for these three clays (CTAB-SMF, TMSP-SMF, and SMF) were within the range of -30 to -10 kJ·mol -1 , which indicated that it was a spontaneous exothermic physical process. The solution ionic strength could decrease the adsorption of naphthalene to SMF, but had limited effects on naphthalene adsorption to the two organo-modified clay particles. The existence of Cu 2+ in the solution could enhance naphthalene adsorption to the three particles, and naphthalene could improve Cu 2+ adsorption to these two modified clays. The results of this study show that QCM-D is a useful technique to indicate the changes of clay film during the process of adsorption, and the two organo-modified clay particles have the potential to be remediation materials to remediate PAHs or PAHs-heavy metal-contaminated sites.

Over the past several decades, human activities have caused substantial enrichment of reactive nitrogen in China's coastal wetlands. Although anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox), the process of oxidizing ammonium into dinitrogen gas through the reduction of nitrite, is identified as an important process for removing reactive nitrogen, little is known about the dynamics of anammox and its contribution to nitrogen removal in nitrogen-enriched environments. Here, we examine potential rates of anammox and associate them with bacterial diversity and abundance across the coastal wetlands of China using molecular and isotope tracing techniques. High anammox bacterial diversity was detected in China's coastal wetlands and included Candidatus Scalindua, Kuenenia, Brocadia, and Jettenia. Potential anammox rates were more closely associated with the abundance of anammox bacteria than to their diversity. Among all measured environmental variables, temperature was a key environmental factor, causing a latitudinal distribution of the anammox bacterial community composition, biodiversity and activity along the coastal wetlands of China. Based on nitrogen isotope tracing experiments, anammox was estimated to account for approximately 3.8-10.7% of the total reactive nitrogen removal in the study area. Combined with denitrification, anammox can remove 20.7% of the total external terrigenous inorganic nitrogen annually transported into China's coastal wetland ecosystems.

Denitrification plays a critical role in nitrogen removal in estuarine and coastal ecosystems. In this study, the community composition, diversity, abundance, and distribution of cytochrome cd1-type nitrite reductase gene (nirS)-harboring denitrifiers in intertidal sediments of the Yangtze Estuary were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based clone libraries and quantitative PCR techniques. Clone library analysis showed that the nirS-encoding bacterial biodiversity was significantly higher at the lower salinity sites than at the higher salinity sites. However, there was no significant seasonal difference in the nirS gene diversity between summer and winter. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the nirS-harboring denitrifier communities at the study area had distinctive spatial heterogeneity along the estuary. At the lower salinity sites, the nirS-harboring bacterial community was co-dominated by clusters III and VII; while at the higher salinity sites, it was dominated by cluster I. Canonical correspondence analysis indicated that the community compositions of nirS-type denitrifiers were significantly correlated with salinity, ammonium, and nitrate. Quantitative PCR results showed that the nirS gene abundance was in the range of 1.01 × 10(6) to 9.00 × 10(7) copies per gram dry sediment, without significant seasonal variation. Among all the environmental factors, the nirS gene abundance was only significantly related to the change of salinity. These results can extend our current knowledge about the composition and dynamics of denitrification microbial community in the estuarine ecosystem.

Genetic polymorphisms of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 1 and 10 may influence Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) susceptibility. To evaluate associations between TLR1 and 10 polymorphisms, H. pylori infection, and precancerous gastric lesions, a population-based study was conducted in a high-risk Chinese population. Three single-nucleotide polymorphisms, TLR1 rs4833095, TLR10 rs10004195, and TLR10 rs4129009 were genotyped by TaqMan SNP genotyping assay in 2553 participants with diverse gastric lesions. The status of H. pylori infection was determined by (13)C-urea breath test. TLR1 rs4833095 T and TLR10 rs10004195 T alleles were the minor alleles and showed in linkage disequilibrium (D'=0.98, r(2)=0.73) in the Chinese population. A decreased risk of H. pylori infection was observed in subjects with TLR1 rs4833095 CT genotype [adjusted odds ratio (OR)=0.80; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.66-0.96] or T allele (OR=0.82; 95%CI: 0.69-0.99). Moreover, subjects carrying TLR1 rs4833095 TT genotype were associated with reduced risks of chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG, OR=0.66; 95%CI: 0.45-0.97) and intestinal metaplasia (IM, OR=0.57; 95%CI: 0.36-0.90). The risk of CAG was also decreased in subjects carrying TLR10 rs10004195 T allele (OR=0.75; 95%CI: 0.57-0.99). Furthermore, haplotype analysis indicated that haplotype TT of rs4833095 and rs10004195 had a protective effect on H. pylori infection (OR=0.83; 95%CI: 0.72-0.96) or precancerous gastric lesions (OR=0.78; 95%CI: 0.64-0.96 for CAG, and OR=0.74; 95%CI: 0.57-0.96 for IM). These findings suggest that TLR1 rs4833095 and TLR10 rs10004195 may play crucial roles in H. pylori susceptibility and gastric pathogenesis., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives/hypothesis: To investigate the prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR) and its associated risk factors in preschool children in Beijing., Study Design: Two-stage, clustered, stratified random sample study., Methods: Parents of 4,075 children aged 3, 4, and 5 years in urban and suburban areas were surveyed using a questionnaire. A random subgroup of 1,067 children was examined by otolaryngologists with skin prick test (SPT)., Results: The survey response rate was 98.3%. Based on the criteria published by ARIA document, the prevalence of epidemiologic AR was 48% (53.2% in urban areas; 43.4% in suburban areas). Among 795 children with epidemiologic AR, sensitization to common inhalant allergens was confirmed by a positive SPT in 248 children (31.2%). Thus, the adjusted prevalence of clinical AR was 14.9% (19.5% in urban areas; 10.8% in suburban areas). In these AR children, 166 (67.1%) were intermittent and 82 (32.9%) persistent, with moderate/severe symptoms in 103 (41.5%). The most common inhalant allergens were Alternaria tenuis (55.7%), followed by Dermatophagoides farina (39.4%), and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (38.6%). Both asthma (adjusted OR 4.88, 95% CI: 3.48-6.86) and eczema (adjusted OR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.15-1.94) appear to be significant concomitant risk factors for AR., Conclusions: The prevalence of AR in young children can be overestimated using epidemiologic criteria. AR is a common disease in Asian preschool children, with an increasing trend as children get older, and is higher in urban than suburban areas--suggesting an important role for environmental risk factors in AR., (Copyright © 2012 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.)