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Surging numbers of older parents have migrated with adult children to developed urban areas under China's internal family migration, experiencing several difficulties in social integration in local society. Social media has become an essential tool for older adults to gather information, socialize, and entertain. However, few studies have focused on the relationship between social media use and social integration among older migrants and the underlying psychological mechanisms. Drawing on the Media system dependency (MSD) theory and the Stress-buffering hypothesis, this study developed and tested a conceptual research model by conducting a cross-sectional online survey study (N = 1001). The results indicate that understanding and orientation, rather than entertainment, are two primary motivations for trailing parents to use social media. The activeness of social media engagement (exposure condition), rather than the intensity of social media use (selective exposure), can positively influence the social integration of older migrants. Psychological resilience cannot mediate the relationship between social media engagement and social integration, which is proved to be mainly achieved through perceived social support and the partial chain mediation of perceived social support and psychological resilience. These findings shed theoretical and practical light on the design of older migrant-friendly social media apps and the efforts of adult children and communities to enhance the social integration of older internal migrants through social media engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shale oil of the Qingshankou Formation of the Gulong Sag, the northern Songliao Basin, represents the first attempt at large-scale development of pure-shale-type shale oil in China. By integrating the multiscale refined reservoir characterization with macro-micro-scale mechanical testing, it is clarified that the Gulong shale is characterized by high clay mineral content, high rock plasticity, highly-developed bedding, and prominent mechanical anisotropy. A three-dimensional (3D) fracture propagation model of hydraulic fracturing was built for the Gulong shale, which fully captures the hydraulic fracture distribution pattern affected by the high bedding density, in-situ stress, and fracturing treatment parameters. Our research showed that due to influences of bedding, hydraulic fracturing in the Gulong shale forms a complex fracture morphology featuring the main fracture with multiple perpendicular branches that have different lengths (like the outdoor directional TV antenna); however, the vertical propagation of fractures is inhibited, and the fracture height is commonly less than 10 m. The limited stimulated reservoir volume (SRV) is the main problem facing the fracturing stimulation of the Gulong shale oil. Bedding density has vital effects on fracture morphology, so case-specific fracturing designs shall be developed for shale intervals with different bedding development degrees. For reservoirs with welldeveloped bedding, it is suggested to properly increase the perforation cluster spacing and raise the volume and proportions of viscous fluids of the pad, so as to effectively promote vertical fracture propagation and improve reservoir stimulation performance. This study integrates multi-scale fine reservoir characterization and macro-micro-scale mechanical testing, as well as the construction and numerical simulation of hydraulic fracturing models for high-density layered shale reservoirs, providing a new approach and methodological framework for the fracturing research of high-density layered shale reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, where energy activities, predominantly driven by fossil fuel combustion, account for nearly 90% of the country's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and coal power alone contributes over 40%, the shift towards carbon neutrality is a critical national ambition. This study conducts a comprehensive comparison of the environmental impacts of solar photovoltaic power generation (SPPG) and coal power, employing both life cycle assessment and ecological footprint analysis. We meticulously analyze the complete lifecycle of SPPG, pinpointing key stages of GHG emissions, and offer nuanced, localized policy recommendations. Our findings indicate that a 1 kWp SPPG module emits 1,601.18 kg of GHGs over its lifespan, equating to 1.35 kg/kW-h per unit of electricity produced--substantially lower than the 4.81 kg/kW-h emitted by coal power, thus highlighting the latter's heightened environmental detriment. Additionally, this study assesses the ecological footprint of both energy sources in Ningxia. SPPG emerges with an ecological surplus, showcasing a per capita footprint of 0.0342 hm², compatible with Ningxia's ecological capacity. In stark contrast, coal power exhibits a sustained ecological deficit over the past 5 years, with a growing per capita footprint of 0.6529 hm², underscoring its unsustainability. This research provides a detailed comparative analysis of the environmental impacts of SPPG and coal power in Ningxia, offering valuable insights for energy policymakers and industry stakeholders. It underscores the urgent need for industrial restructuring towards more sustainable and renewable energy sources, aligning with China's broader objectives of environmental preservation and achieving carbon neutrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivity in individual immunologic and nucleic acid tests (NAT) tests does not represent the true infectious status of the blood donor. This study discusses the use of confirmatory tests to determine when deferral of blood donors is appropriate. Methods: HBsAg or HBV NAT reactive samples were confirmed via a neutralisation test. All the HBsAg reactive but neutralisation test negative samples were subjected to further anti‐HBc testing. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to obtain the best threshold value using signal‐to‐cut‐off ratios of two HBsAg enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay reagents. Results: Of the 780 HBV reactive samples collected, there were 467 HBsAg reactive but HBV DNA negative samples, of which 65 (13.92%) and 402 (86.08%) were neutralisation test positive and negative, respectively. Of the 402, 91 samples (30% of tested samples) were anti‐HBc reactive. HBV DNA positive specimens negative by virus neutralisation were >80% HBcAg positive. A screening strategy was proposed for Chinese blood collection agencies. Conclusion: These findings suggest that adopting a screening algorithm for deferring HBV reactive blood donors based on HBsAg and NAT testing followed with HBsAg S/CO consideration and HBcAg testing can be both safe and feasible in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is great heterogeneity in the quality of care among hospitals in China, but studies on the performance measures and prognosis of patients with heart failure (HF) are still deficient. Hypothesis: Performance measures have been used as a guideline to clinicans, however, the association between them and outcomes among HF patients in China remains unclear. Methods: We analyzed 4497 patients with HF from the Heart Failure Registry of Patient Outcomes study. Performance measures were determined according to the guidelines, and the patients were divided into four groups based on a composite performance score. Multiple imputation and Cox proportional‐hazard regression models were used to assess the association between the performance measures and clinical outcomes. Results: Overall, only 12.5% of patients met the top 25% of the performance measures, whereas 33.5% of patients met the bottom 25% of the measures. A total of 992 (22.2%) patients died within 1 year, involving a larger proportion of patients who had met only the bottom 25% of the performance measures than had met the top 25% (27.0% vs. 16.3%, respectively). The patients who met the top 25% of the measures had a lower 1‐year mortality rate (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.78, 95% confidence interval: 0.61–0.98). Conclusions: The association between performance measures and mortality appeared to follow a dose–response pattern with a larger degree of compliance with performance measures being associated with a lower mortality rate in patients with HF. Accordingly, the quality of care for patients with HF in China needs to be further improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence was lacking for the early choice of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) among patients with early‐onset atrial fibrillation (AF). Hypothesis: This study aimed to explore whether earlier RFA was associated with better clinical outcomes among early‐onset AF patients. Methods: Patients, who were diagnosed with AF before 45 years and underwent their first RFA procedures at baseline of the China Atrial Fibrillation registry, were enrolled and divided into four diagnosis‐to‐ablation time (DAT) groups: DAT ≤ 1 year, 1 year < DAT ≤ 3 years, 3 years < DAT ≤ 6 years, and DAT > 6 years. Another group of nonablation patients, who were newly diagnosed with AF and younger than 45 years, were also included. Adjusted associations of groups with composite cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, embolism, major hemorrhages, or cardiac rehospitalization) or recurrent AF were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: Among 1694 patients who underwent their first RFA at enrollment, incidences of composite cardiovascular outcomes were increasing with extension of DAT (DAT ≤ 1 year: 6.1/100 person‐years, 1 year < DAT ≤ 3 years: 7.9/100 person‐years, 3 years < DAT ≤ 6 years: 7.6/100 person‐years, DAT > 6 years: 10.5/100 person‐years; p <.001). In comparison with DAT > 6 years group, the DAT ≤ 1 year group was associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular events (adjusted hazard ratio, HR [95% confidence interval, CI] = 0.64 [0.47–0.87], p =.005) and AF recurrence (adjusted HR [95% CI] = 0.70 [0.57–0.88], p =.002). Associations remained similar after stratified by AF types. Compared to nonablation group (n = 413), DAT ≤ 1year patients tended to show lower cardiovascular risk (adjusted HR [95% CI] = 0.78 [0.58–1.05], p =.099) and lower risk of recurrent AF (adjusted HR [95% CI] = 0.46 [0.38–0.55], p <.001). Conclusions: A shorter DAT was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular events and recurrent AF for early‐onset AF patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The overactivation of NF-1B signaling is a key hallmark for the pathogenesis of extranodal natural killer/T cell lymphoma (ENKTL), a very aggressive subtype of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma yet with rather limited control strategies. Previously, we found that the dysregulated exportin-1 (also known as CRM1) is mainly responsible for tumor cells to evade apoptosis and promote tumor-associated pathways such as NF-B signaling. Methods: Herein we reported the discovery and biological evaluation of a potent small molecule CRM1 inhibitor, LFS-1107. We validated that CRM1 is a major cellular target of LFS-1107 by biolayer interferometry assay (BLI) and the knockdown of CRM1 conferred tumor cells with resistance to LFS-1107. Results: We found that LFS-1107 can strongly suppresses the growth of ENKTL cells at low-range nanomolar concentration yet with minimal effects on human platelets and healthy peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Treatment of ENKTL cells with LFS-1107 resulted in the nuclear retention of IkBa and consequent strong suppression of NF-B transcriptional activities, NF-B target genes downregulation and attenuated tumor cell growth and proliferation. Furthermore, LFS-1107 exhibited potent activities when administered to immunodeficient mice engrafted with human ENKTL cells. Conclusions: Therefore, LFS-1107 holds great promise for the treatment of ENKTL and may warrant translation for use in clinical trials. Funding: Yang's laboratory was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant: 81874301), the Fundamental Research Funds for Central University (Grant: DUT22YG122) and the Key Research project of 'be Recruited and be in Command' in Liaoning Province (Personal Target Discovery for Metabolic Diseases). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancer has become significant comorbidity in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, little is known about the efficacy and safety of AF ablation, the first‐line rhythm control strategy, in patients with cancer. This study aims to evaluate the incidence and risk of AF recurrence and safety endpoints in patients with cancer compared to the non‐cancer group after ablation. Methods: From August 2011 to December 2020, we consecutively enrolled cancer patients in the China‐AF cohort. We used propensity score matching (1:3) to select the control group and assessed the risk of AF recurrence and adverse events after ablation in cancer patients using a multivariable Fine and Gray competing risk model. Results: A total of 203 patients with cancer were enrolled and 21 of them were active cancer, with a median follow‐up of 12.3 months. The cumulative incidence of AF recurrence was comparable between patients with and without cancer (43.8% vs. 51.1%; p =.88). No difference in the risk of AF recurrence, thromboembolism, major bleeding, and mortality was observed after adjusting confounders. Active cancer was not associated with an increased risk of AF recurrence compared to the stable disease (SHR = 1.32; 95% CI 0.72–2.43; p =.46). Cancer was associated with a low risk of cardiovascular hospitalization (SHR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.36–0.81; p =.01). Subgroup analysis found that hematological malignancy was associated with a high risk of AF recurrence (SHR, 5.68; 95% CI, 3.00–10.8; p <.001). Conclusions: This study suggests that catheter ablation could be feasible for rhythm control of AF patients with concomitant cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) are highly heterogeneous, and current risk stratification scores are only modestly good at predicting an individual's stroke risk. We aim to identify distinct AF clinical phenotypes with cluster analysis to optimize stroke prevention practices. Methods: From the prospective Chinese Atrial Fibrillation Registry cohort study, we included 4337 AF patients with CHA2DS2‐VASc≥2 for males and 3 for females who were not treated with oral anticoagulation. We randomly split the patients into derivation and validation sets by a ratio of 7:3. In the derivation set, we used outcome‐driven patient clustering with metric learning to group patients into clusters with different risk levels of ischemic stroke and systemic embolism, and identify clusters of patients with low risks. Then we tested the results in the validation set, using the clustering rules generated from the derivation set. Finally, the survival decision tree was applied as a sensitivity analysis to confirm the results. Results: Up to the follow‐up of 1 year, 140 thromboembolic events (ischemic stroke or systemic embolism) occurred. After supervised metric learning from six variables involved in CHA2DS2‐VASc scheme, we identified a cluster of patients (255/3035, 8.4%) at an annual thromboembolism risk of 0.8% in the derivation set. None of the patients in the low‐risk cluster had prior thromboembolism, heart failure, diabetes, or age older than 70 years. After applying the regularities from metric learning on the validation set, we also identified a cluster of patients (137/1302, 10.5%) with an incident thromboembolism rate of 0.7%. Sensitivity analysis based on the survival decision tree approach selected a subgroup of patients with the same phenotypes as the metric‐learning algorithm. Conclusions: Cluster analysis identified a distinct clinical phenotype at low risk of stroke among high‐risk [CHA2DS2‐VASc≥2 (3 for females)] patients with AF. The use of the novel analytic approach has the potential to prevent a subset of AF patients from unnecessary anticoagulation and avoid the associated risk of major bleeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study aims to provide representative information on heart failure (HF) patients in China, especially older adults aged ≥75 years. We aim to clarify the age‐related discrepancies in performance measures and the modifying effect of age on the impact of HF patients' characteristics on clinical outcomes. Methods and results: All HF patients admitted into five tertiary and four secondary hospitals of the Capital Medical University were divided into two groups according to age: 1419 (53.3%) were <75 years, and 1244 (46.7%) were ≥75 years. Older HF patients were more likely to be women, with higher left ventricular ejection fraction, with co‐morbidities including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/asthma, anaemia, chronic kidney disease, stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA), atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter, hypertension, and coronary artery disease, while obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolaemia and valvular heart disease were more prevalent among younger HF patients. Left ventricular ejection fraction assessment was performed in a similar proportion of patients in the younger and older groups (81.7% vs. 80.5%, P = 0.426), while B‐type natriuretic peptide/N terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide was tested in a lower proportion in the younger group (84.8% vs. 89%, P = 0.001). At discharge, HF with reduced ejection fraction patients were less likely to receive beta‐blockers, angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers, or combined beta‐blockers and angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers therapy in the older group (49.74% vs. 63.2%, P = 0.002; 52.9% vs. 64.7%, P = 0.006; and 28.57% vs. 45.5%, P < 0.001, respectively) but were equally likely to receive mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists in the two age groups (80.8% vs. 84.1%, P = 0.322). Older patients with HF had higher risk of in‐hospital and 1 year mortality (2.7% vs. 1.3%, P = 0.011; 21.7% vs. 12.5%; P < 0.001, respectively). Higher body mass index was associated with better outcomes in both age groups. New York Heart Association functional class IV and estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 were independent predictors of 1 year mortality. The associations between patients' characteristics and risk of mortality were not modified by age. Conclusions: HF patients aged ≥75 years had distinct clinical profiles, received worse in‐hospital therapies and experienced higher in‐hospital and 1 year mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence on outcomes of catheter ablation (CA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with autoimmune disease (AD) is limited. Hypothesis: Patients with AD had worse outcomes after CA procedures for AF. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed in patients undergoing AF ablation between 2012 and 2021. The risk of recurrence after ablation was investigated in patients with AD and a 1:4 propensity score matched non‐AD group. Results: We identified 107 patients with AD (64 ± 10 years, female 48.6%) who were matched with 428 non‐AD patients (65 ± 10 years, female 43.9%). Patients with AD exhibited more severe AF‐related symptoms. During the index procedure, a higher proportion of AD patients received nonpulmonary vein trigger ablation (18.7% vs. 8.4%, p = 0.002). Over a median follow‐up of 36.3 months, patients with AD experienced a similar risk of recurrence with the non‐AD group (41.1% vs. 36.2%, p = 0.21, hazard ratio [HR]: 1.23, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.86–1.76) despite a higher incidence of early recurrences (36.4% vs. 13.5%, p = 0.001). Compared with non‐AD patients, patients with connective tissue disease were at an increased risk of recurrence (46.3% vs. 36.2%, p = 0.049, HR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.00–2.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the duration of AF history and corticosteroid therapy were independent predictors of postablation recurrence in patients with AD. Conclusions: In patients with AD, the risk of recurrence after ablation for AF during the follow‐up was comparable with non‐AD patients, but a higher risk of early recurrence was observed. Further research into the impact of AD on AF treatment is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since the start of the coronavirus 2019 pandemic, people have faced many challenges, including in relation to sleep quality and psychological health. This study aims to analyze the association between sleep quality and psychological symptoms among university students in China, and to provide reference data to facilitate the development of interventions to improve the physical and mental health of university students. Methods: A stratified cluster sampling method was used to investigate the sleep quality and psychological symptoms of 6,363 university students in China. The Chi-square test was used to analyze differences in sleep quality among groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the association between sleep quality and psychological symptoms. Results: The proportions of Chinese university students with good, medium, and poor sleep quality were 25.73, 10.99, and 63.28%, respectively. The overall rate of psychological symptoms was 16.5%. Logistic regression analysis showed that, in general, university students with poor sleep quality had a higher risk of psychological symptoms than those with good sleep quality (OR = 1.53, 95%CI: 1.28, 1.84, p < 0.01). Compared with university students with good sleep quality, those with poor sleep quality were more likely to experience emotional symptoms (OR = 1.62, 95%CI: 1.36, 1.94), behavioral symptoms (OR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.3, 1.84), and difficulties with social adaptation (OR = 1.84, 95% CI: 1.51, 2.25) (all p < 0.01). Conclusion: There was an association between sleep quality and psychological symptoms among Chinese university students. University students with poor sleep quality have a higher risk of psychological symptoms. Measures should be taken to improve the sleep quality of university students and reduce the incidence of psychological symptoms. This study provides reference data for government and education departments that could inform public health policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brassica juncea has adapted to diverse climate zones and latitudes, especially in the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau with the complexity and diversity of the ecological types of western China. However, the genetic variations underlying the diversity of these ecotypes are poorly known. In this study, we resequenced the genome of 193 indigenous B. juncea accessions and obtained 1.04 million high-quality SNPs and 3.23 million InDels by mapping reads to the reference genomes of B. juncea var. timuda. Phenotype, population genetic, phylogenetic and principal component analyses showed considerable genetic variation including four distinct genetic groups. Selective sweep analysis and a genome-wide association study revealed the candidate genes for seed color and fatty acid biosynthesis. The results provide a comprehensive insight into the spread and improvement of B. juncea and laya foundation for accelerating rapeseed breeding by facilitating screenings of molecular markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: As a common breast cancer-related complaint, pathological nipple discharge (PND) detected by ductoscopy is oftenmissed diagnosed. Deep learning techniques have enabled great advances in clinical imaging but are rarely applied in breast cancer with PND. This study aimed to design and validate an Intelligent Ductoscopy for Breast Cancer Diagnostic System (IDBCS) for breast cancer diagnosis by analyzing real-time imaging data acquired by ductoscopy. Materials and methods: The present multicenter, case-control trial was carried out in 6 hospitals in China. Images for consecutive patients, aged =18 years, with no previous ductoscopy, were obtained from the involved hospitals. All individuals with PND confirmed from breast lesions by ductoscopy were eligible. Images from Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital were randomly assigned (8:2) to the training (IDBCS development) and internal validation (performance evaluation of the IDBCS) datasets. Diagnostic performance was further assessed with internal and prospective validation datasets from Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital; further external validation was carried out with datasets from 5 primary care hospitals. Diagnostic accuracies, sensitivities, specificities, and positive and negative predictive values for IDBCS and endoscopists (expert, competent, or trainee) in the detection of malignant lesions were obtained by the Clopper-Pearson method. Results: Totally 11305 ductoscopy images in 1072 patients were utilized for developing and testing the IDBCS. Area under the curves (AUCs) in breast cancer detection were 0·975 (95%CI 0·899-0·998) and 0·954 (95%CI 0·925-0·975) in the internal validation and prospective datasets, respectively, and ranged between 0·922 (95%CI 0·866-0·960) and 0·965 (95%CI 0·892-0·994) in the 5 external validation datasets. The IDBCS had superior diagnostic accuracy compared with expert (0.912 [95%CI 0.839-0.959] vs 0.726 [0.672-0.775]; p<0.001), competent (0.699 [95%CI 0.645-0.750], p<0.001), and trainee (0.703 [95%CI 0.648-0.753], p<0.001) endoscopists. Conclusions: IDBCS outperforms clinical oncologists, achieving high accuracy in diagnosing breast cancer with PND. The novel system could help endoscopists improve their diagnostic efficacy in breast cancer diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the associations between the multidimensional health status of one spouse and the onset of depressive symptoms in partner, and whether the associations differed by gender and residence. We analyzed data from 2401 females and their husbands (scenario 1), and 2830 males and their wives (scenario 2) who participated in the 2011/2012 and 2015 waves of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 10-item Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Multidimensional health indicators included mobility disability, activities of daily living disability, frailty, global cognition, depressive symptoms, comorbidity, and self-reported health. Principal component analysis was used to construct a composite health indicator reflecting overall health status that was then categorized into three groups (poor, moderate, and excellent). Logistic regression models were performed. We observed strong associations of spouse's health status with the onset of depressive symptoms in partner. For instance, females whose husbands had poor overall health status reported more depressive symptoms than those having husbands with excellent overall health after four years (OR: 1.75; 95 % CI: 1.35, 2.26). These associations were statistically significant in rural females and urban males, but surprisingly disappeared in rural males and urban females. No exact timing of depressive symptoms onset. In Chinese middle-aged and older adults, spouse's health status is associated with depressive symptoms in partner and the associations vary by gender and residence. The findings underscore the importance of considering partner's health status to manage one spouse's mental health. • Spouse's health status is associated with the onset of depressive symptoms in partner • Associations between spouse's health status and depressive symptoms in partner vary by gender and residence in China • Considering partner's health status in a couple may improve one spouse's mental health [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This research intends to investigate the clinical efficacy of radiofrequency ablation and electrocautery in treating grade I or II vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VaIN). Methods. This is a single-center retrospective study, which collected the clinical data of 100 patients with VaIN diagnosed by colposcopy and pathological biopsy in the Gynecology and Cervical Center of Xiangzhu Branch of the Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region between January 2020 and June 2021. Patients were divided into the study group (radiofrequency ablation treatment) and the control group (electrocautery) according to differences in treatment approaches. 6- and 12-month follow-ups were performed on all patients. Gynecological examination results, liquid-based thin-layer cytology (TCT), negative conversion of human papillomavirus (HPV), curative effects, and prognosis were recorded. Results. All patients completed regular follow-ups that lasted for 6 and 12 months. The 6- and 12-month cure rates of the study group were 76.0% and 92.0%, respectively, and the data in the control group were 70.0% and 82.0%, respectively. In terms of the 6- and 12-month negative conversion rates of HPV, the data in the study group were 68.0% and 78.0%, versus 60% and 68% in the control group, respectively. The lesion duration rate showed no statistical significance between the study group (8.0%) and the control group (P > 0.05). The analysis of postoperative follow-up complications revealed that the study group had a statistically lower overall incidence of vaginal bleeding, excessive vaginal discharge, vaginal burning sensation, and decreased vaginal elasticity than the control group (8.0% vs. 24.0% P < 0.05). Conclusion. Both radiofrequency ablation and electrocautery have obvious clinical effects in patients with grade I or II VaIN, but the former contributed to fewer operative complications and a good prognosis, which deserves clinical promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: To assess the prevalence and associated factors of depression and anxiety among caregivers of patients with atrial fibrillation. Background: Depression and anxiety are common in caregivers of patients with cardiovascular diseases, including heart failure and coronary artery disease. However, studies about depression and anxiety among caregivers of patients with atrial fibrillation are limited. Design: Cross‐sectional study. Methods: We enrolled 465 dyads of patients with atrial fibrillation and their primary family caregivers from Beijing Anzhen Hospital between September 2020 and March 2021. The patient–caregiver dyads were excluded if primary family caregivers had previous mental disorders before the patient diagnosis of atrial fibrillation. Depression and anxiety of patients and caregivers were measured by Patient Health Questionnaire‐9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder‐7 scale. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess factors associated with depression and anxiety of caregivers. STROBE guidelines were followed to report this study. Results: The prevalence of caregiver depression (Patient Health Questionnaire‐9 score ≥5) and anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder‐7 score ≥5) was 14.0% and 13.5% respectively. Caregiver number of comorbidities ≥2 and patient depression were significantly associated with caregiver depression. Caregiver age ≥65 years, caregiver female sex and patient anxiety were predictors of caregiver anxiety. Conclusions: Depression and anxiety are common in caregivers of patients with AF. Better management of caregiver mental problems and associated factors may benefit both patients and caregivers. Relevance to clinical practice: Clinicians and nurses should pay more attention to depression and anxiety in caregivers of patients with atrial fibrillation, and provide support to caregivers in most need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Continuous nitrogen (N) deposition interferes with soil N cycling in forests, which highly impacts soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and accelerates global warming. Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) is one of the most widely planted species in southern China, and is usually located in areas with high N deposition rates. However, the impact of N deposition on soil N2O emissions in subtropical Chinese fir plantations and the potential risk of increasing N input remain elusive. Methods: Here, we conducted an in situ study in a subtropical Chinese fir plantation at Fengyang Mountain Nature Reserve, China, from 2019 to 2020 with four N addition rates: control (CK: ambient N deposition), low-N (LN: 50 kg N ha−1 yr−1), medium-N (MN: 100 kg N ha−1 yr−1), and high-N (HN: 200 kg N ha−1 yr−1). Results: We found that soil N2O emission rates increased with N addition rates by 71%, 176%, and 241% under LN, MN, and HN treatment compared to CK, respectively, and reached a significant level only under HN. Soil moisture was significantly reduced together with increased leaf N concentrations under N addition. Meanwhile, the microbial biomass in the middle of the growing season was significantly lower than at the end of the growing season. These results may suggest that N deposition stimulated plants to take up more N and water, which intensified plant-microbe competition and therefore alleviated further increases in N2O emissions under N deposition, especially under low N inputs. N deposition enhanced the abundance of ammonia oxidizing archaea and bacteria and the accumulation of NO3−-N in the soil but did not affect the abundance of nitrate-reducing bacteria (nirS and nirK). The results likely support that nitrification processes act as the major source of enhanced N2O emissions under N fertilization. Conclusions: Our study advances our understanding of the impacts of N deposition on the soil N2O emissions in the Chinese fir plantations and highlights that plant N acquisition needs to be incorporated as an important explanatory variable when predicting N2O fluxes under global increases in N deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mountainous area of southwest China is characterized by significant topography and complex geological conditions, which pose great challenges to the airport's site selection, construction, and safe operation. Suining Anju Airport, one of the key projects under construction in southwest China, is essential in alleviating and dredging the air passenger flow in Sichuan Province. Because the overlying quaternary strata's physical and mechanical properties, thickness, and distribution range are fairly different in the longitudinal and transverse directions, the Anju Airport's foundation in the hilly area has typical inhomogeneity. Large-scale excavation and filling pose a challenge to the ground stability of the airport. To comprehensively monitor Anju Airport's uneven ground subsidence during the construction period, this paper selected SAR image data collected by the Sentinel-1A satellite from May 2018 to June 2021 to extract time-series ground subsidence measurements based on the SBAS-InSAR method. Furthermore, based on the simulation of roadbed filling in the airport's parallel slide fill area, the dynamic evolution analysis of soil stress field and internal subsidence caused by roadbed filling activities was carried out to further reveal the occurrence mechanism of ground subsidence. The monitoring results show that the subsidence centers of Anju Airport are mainly distributed in the filling areas, and the average annual subsidence is −20~−75 mm/yr from May 2018 to June 2021. Comparative analysis with in situ data indicates that the RMSE of InSAR monitoring results was ±6.12 mm. The numerical simulation shows that the subsidence of the airport parallel slide is mainly caused by a load of subgrade filling body and the compression of its weight. The results of this study can provide reference methodology and data support for the construction and future safe operation of Suining Anju Airport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The adherence of oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy among nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in China during recent years was unclear, and the possible factors that influenced the initiation and persistent use of OAC were needed to be explored. Methods: A total of 1085 NVAF patients, who experienced new‐onset and nonfatal AIS from August 2011 to December 2020 during follow‐ups in the China Atrial Fibrillation Registry (China‐AF), were enrolled. Information including patients' demographic characteristics, medical history, medication usage, which were collected before and after the index stroke, were used in the analysis. Results: OAC was initiated in 40% (434/1085) NVAF patients within 3 months after new‐onset AIS. High‐reimbursement‐rate insurance coverage (odds ratio [OR]: 1.51, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03–2.22, p =.036), 3‐month‐peri‐stroke AF episodes (OR: 2.63, 95% CI: 1.88–3.69, p <.001), and pre‐stroke OAC usage (OR: 8.92, 95% CI: 6.01–13.23, p <.001), were positively associated with initiation of OAC within 3 months after new‐onset AIS, while age (OR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.96–1.00, p =.024), female (OR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.44–0.90, p =.012) and higher modified HASBLED score (OR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.37–0.55, p <.001) were negatively associated with it. Among 3‐month‐post‐stroke OAC users, history of radiofrequency ablation (hazard ratio: 1.65, 95% CI: 1.16–2.35; p =.006) was positively associated with non‐persistence of OAC usage. Conclusions: In China, the proportion of NVAF patients who initiated OAC therapy since new‐onset AIS was still low. More efforts are needed on improving patients' adherence to anticoagulant therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have increasingly become an alternative to warfarin in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. Nonetheless, data on the effectiveness and safety of DOACs in periprocedural of catheter ablation (CA) in real-world practice was relatively rare. Methods and Results: 3385 AF patients underwent initial CA and never used oral anticoagulant before enrollment between April 2013 and December 2018 were involved from China Atrial Fibrillation (China-AF) Registry. Warfarin, rivaroxaban and dabigatran were used in 1896 (56.0%), 718 (21.2%), and 771 (22.8%) patients, respectively. Propensity score matching was used to balance covariates across study groups. No significant differences were observed in rivaroxaban-warfarin, dabigatran-warfarin and dabigatran-rivaroxaban cohort for thromboembolic (TE) and major bleeding (MB) incidence. Similar results were also revealed in low-dose rivaroxaban (RLD)-warfarin, low-dose dabigatran (DLD)-warfarin and DLD-RLD cohort. However, the risk of non-MB was higher not only on standard-dose of rivaroxaban but also on RLD when compared with warfarin and with DLD, respectively. Conclusions: In this study, the incidence of TE and MB were both comparable in standard- or low-dose DOACs versus warfarin and between the two DOACs, whereas the risk of non-MB was higher in rivaroxaban than in warfarin and in RLD than in DLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an important risk factor for acute ischemic stroke.Methods: A nested case-control study was conducted among patients diagnosed with AF, whose information was acquired from the prospective China Atrial Fibrillation Registry (China-AF), from August 2011 to December 2018.Results: This study compared patients with stroke group (n = 145) with a matched control group (n = 577). Demographic data were similar except for body mass index (BMI), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) which were higher, and new oral anticoagulant (NOAC) treatment rate which was lower in the stroke group (all P < 0.05). Baseline median [IQR] levels of including triglyceride (TG) were higher in the stroke group (21.96 [16.74, 21.52], mg/dL) than the control group (19.62 [14.76, 27.36], mg/dL) (P = 0.012), while the total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were similar between the two groups. Elevated TG and HDL-C were positively associated with ischemic stroke (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00-1.02, P = 0.032; OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.00-1.05, P = 0.025), after adjustment for BMI, systolic blood pressure, DBP, CHA2DS2-VASc score, HAS-BLED score, NOAC, LDL-C and HDL-C. However, NOAC (OR 0.20, 95% CI 0.05-0.84, P = 0.029) could decrease the likelihood of ischemic stroke in patients with AF. In subgroup analysis, higher TG level remained significantly associated with ischemic stroke for AF patients without a history of smoking (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.02-1.55, P = 0.028).Conclusion: Higher level of TG and HDL-C were positively associated with ischemic stroke in patients with AF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four new species are described from Jinggang Mountain National Nature Reserve, Jiangxi Province of southern China: Draconarius lingdang sp. nov. (♂♀), D. substrophadatus sp. nov. (♀), Orumcekia cipingensis sp. nov. (♀) and Tonsilla shuikouensis sp. nov. (♀). Additionally, Coelotes septus Wang, Yin, Peng & Xie, 1990 is redescribed and its male is described for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An understanding of the risk factors for atrial fibrillation (AF) progression and the associated impacts on clinical prognosis are important for the future management of this common arrhythmia. We aimed to investigate the rate of progression from paroxysmal (PAF) to more sustained subtypes of AF (SAF), the associated risk factors for this progression, and its impact on adverse clinical outcomes. Methods and Results: Using data from the Chinese trial Fibrillation Registry study, we included 8290 PAF patients. Half of them underwent initial AF ablation at enrollment. The main outcomes were ischemic stroke/systemic embolism (IS/SE), cardiovascular hospitalization, cardiovascular death, and all‐cause mortality. The median follow‐up duration was 1091 (704, 1634) days, and progression from PAF to SAF occurred in 881 (22.5%) nonablated patients, while 130 (3.0%) ablated patients had AF recurrence and developed SAF. The incidence rate of AF progression for the cohort was 3.87 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.64–4.12) per 100 patient‐years, being higher in nonablated compared to ablated patients. Older age, longer AF history, heart failure, hypertension, coronary artery disease, respiratory diseases, and larger atrial diameter were associated with a higher incidence of AF progression, while antiarrhythmic drug use and AF ablation were inversely related to it. For nonablated patients, AF progression was independently associated with an increased risk of IS/SE (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.15–2.01) and cardiovascular hospitalizations (HR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.23–1.58). Conclusion: AF progression was common in its natural course. It was related to comorbidities and whether rhythm control strategies were used, and was associated with an increased risk of IS/SE and cardiovascular hospitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Release of individuals is an effective conservation approach to protect endangered species. To save this small isolated giant panda population in Liziping Nature Reserve, a few giant pandas have been released to this population. Here we assess genetic diversity and future changes in the population using noninvasive genetic sampling after releasing giant pandas. In this study, a total of 28 giant pandas (including 4 released individuals) were identified in the Liziping, China. Compared with other giant panda populations, this population has medium-level genetic diversity; however, a Bayesian-coalescent method clearly detected, quantified, and dated a recent decrease in population size. The predictions for genetic diversity and survival of the population in the next 100 years indicate that this population has a high risk of extinction. We show that released giant pandas can preserve genetic diversity and improve the probability of survival in this small isolated giant panda population. To promote the recovery of this population, we suggest that panda release should be continued and this population will need to release 10 males and 20 females in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: We aimed to investigate the safety of discontinuing oral anticoagulation (OAC) therapy after apparently successful atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation, using data from the Chinese Atrial Fibrillation Registry study.Methods and Results: We identified 4512 consecutive patients who underwent successful AF ablation between August 2011 and December 2017. Of them, 3149 discontinued OAC 3 months post-ablation (Off-OAC group) and 1363 continued OAC beyond this period (On-OAC group). Regular follow-up examinations were undertaken to detect AF recurrence, monitor OAC therapy, and measure clinical outcomes. Primary outcomes included thromboembolic and major bleeding (MB) events experienced beyond 3 months after ablation. Low thromboembolic and MB event rates were noted in the on-treatment analysis. The incidence rates for thromboembolism were 0.54 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.39-0.76] and 0.86 (95% CI 0.56-1.30) per 100 patient-years, and that for MB events were 0.19 (95% CI 0.11-0.34) and 0.35 (95% CI 0.18-0.67) per 100 patient-years, for the Off-OAC and On-OAC groups over mean follow-up periods of 24.2 ± 14.7 and 23.0 ± 13.6 months, respectively. Similar results were observed in the intention-to-treat analysis. Previous history of ischaemic stroke (IS)/transient ischaemic attack (TIA)/systemic embolism (SE) [hazard ratio (HR) 3.40, 95% CI 1.92-6.02; P < 0.01] and diabetes mellitus (HR 2.06, 95% CI 1.20-3.55, P = 0.01) were independently associated with thromboembolic events, while OAC discontinuation (HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.41-1.23, P = 0.21) remained insignificant in multivariable analysis.Conclusions: This study suggests that it may be safe to discontinue OAC in post-ablation patients under diligent monitoring, in the absence of AF recurrence, history of IS/TIA/SE, and diabetes mellitus. However, further large-scale randomized trials are required to confirm this.Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR-OCH-13003729. URL: http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=5831. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seepage flow is important because it is useful for production optimization and well spacing decisions. In this study, an enclosed high-precision seepage flow apparatus is used to determine the seepage flow characteristics of the Qianjiang shale reservoir in China under various pressures from 3 MPa to 24 MPa. The results revealed that the seepage flow curve has an inverse-spoon shape, which is completely different from the results for low-permeability and tight sandstone reservoirs, as reported in the literature. In addition, according to the full-scale pore size distribution technique, the modular automated processing system (MAPS), and the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) T 2 spectrum before and after the seepage flow experiments, the seepage flow characteristics of the Qianjiang shale oil reservoir were not only caused by the boundary effect, but also dependent upon the stress sensitivity. It was also found that micro-fractures or macro-pore were compressed as the effective stress increased in the experiment. Moreover, a new non-Darcy model for a shale reservoir was derived, and the model was verified using experimental data. This model demonstrated it would be a good candidate for quantitative evaluation of affecting factors. It can also be applied to determine the main controlling factor. The calculated results showed that the shape of the nonlinear flow portion of the seepage flow curve for the Qianjiang shale oil reservoir was primarily dependent upon the effect of stress sensitivity. However, the linear flow portion of the seepage flow curve was dependent upon the combined effects of stress sensitivity and the boundary layer. Therefore, from the enhanced individual-well production point of view, the control of production pressure drops and selection of rational well spacing is important for the effective development of shale oil reservoirs. • An enclosed high-precision seepage flow system was developed to evaluate the fluid flow in the tight shale reservoir. • The newly seepage flow model based on the combined effects of boundary layer and stress sensitivity was established. • The fluid flow in shale oil reservoirs is dependent upon the combined effects of boundary layer and stress sensitivity. • The nonlinear flow portion in the seepage flow curve is mainly dependent on the stress sensitivity in shale oil reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: China has not yet incorporated routine human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV)-1/2 blood donor screening, even though HTLV has been reported in the southeastern coastal region. This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of HTLV in five major regions across of China.Methods: From January 2016 to December 2017, blood samples were collected in 20 blood centers located in different regions of China. These samples were screened for HTLV-1/2 antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). If the test samples were reactive, the samples were confirmed with a western blot (WB) assay. If the results of WB were indeterminate, the donor was interviewed after a minimum lapse of 8 weeks. All follow-up samples from donors were tested for anti-HTLV-1/2 with ELISA and WB.Results: There were 875,453 donor samples tested for anti-HTLV-1/2 by ELISA. In all, 365 samples tested negative, 22 samples tested positive by WB, and 14 samples with HTLV status undetermined due to being lost to follow-up. The prevalences were 11.09, 5.96, 3.16, 2.88 and 0.98 per 100,000 in Xiamen, Changsha, Beijing, Shenzhen, and Nanjing blood center, respectively. The prevalences were 0 per 100,000 for all 15 other blood centers. There was significant differences in the prevalence of HTLV in different regions of China (p = 0.0011).Conclusion: In China, HTLV-1 confirmed positive donors are mainly from southeastern coastal areas. It may be necessary to conduct HTLV screening in these areas to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted HTLV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The family Caponiidae Simon, 1890 is reported for the first time from China. The total number of the known spider families from China increases to 72 with the addition of this family newly recorded in the present paper. Based on male and female specimens collected from Guangxi, China, Laoponia saetosa Platnick & Jäger, 2008 is illustrated and a global distribution map is generated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is still unclear whether small left ventricle (LV) is an adverse structural prognostic feature in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between small LV and risk of cardiovascular events in AF population. From the China-AF registry, 7,764 patients with AF were enrolled and divided into groups with normal, small, and large LV size based on left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD) measurement per the American Society of Echocardiography references. Cox models were used to assess the association between LV size or LVEDD with composite cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, ischemic stroke or systemic embolism, or major bleeding). There were 308 (4.0%) participants assessed with small LV who were older, with lower body mass and blood pressure, and fewer comorbidities, and 429 (5.5%) were identified with large LV. Compared with the normal LV group, small LV and large LV were significantly associated with higher incidence of composite cardiovascular events (adjusted HR [aHR]: 1.54 [95% CI: 1.07-2.20] for small LV; aHR: 1.36 [95% CI: 1.02-1.81] for large LV) and cardiovascular death (aHR: 1.94 [95% CI: 1.14-3.28] for small LV; aHR: 1.83 [95% CI: 1.24-2.69] for large LV). Small LV was also associated with increased risk of major bleeding [aHR: 2.21 [95% CI: 1.01-4.86]). A U-shaped relationship between LVEDD and composite cardiovascular events was identified (P nonlinear < 0.001). In a prospective AF cohort, small LV was independently associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events, which needed consideration in risk stratification and management for patients with AF. (ChiCTR-OCH-13003729) [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Lower neighborhood-level socioeconomic status ( SES) is associated with an increased risk of vascular disease in developed countries. Aims This study aims to identify village- and individual-level determinants of stroke and coronary heart disease ( CHD) in a rural Chinese population. Methods We analyzed data from a population-based survey of 14 424 rural Chinese adults aged over 40 years from 54 villages. Primary outcomes were stroke and coronary heart disease ( CHD) prevalence. Village-level SES was determined from the Chinese government's official statistical yearbook. Individual-level characteristics were obtained by in-person interviews. Prevalence rate ratios ( RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated using generalized linear mixed models with log-link function to explore associations of village-level SES and individual social, demographic, and cardiovascular risk factors with stroke or CHD. Variance was expressed using the median rate ratio ( MRR) and interval rate ratio ( IRR). Results Village accounted for significant variability in the prevalence of stroke ( MRR = 1·70; 95% CI: 1·42-1·94; P < 0·05) and CHD ( MRR = 1·59; 95% CI: 1·35-1·78, P < 0·05), with village-level income alone accounting for 10% and 13·5% of between-village variation in stroke and CHD, respectively. High-income villages were at higher risk of both stroke ( RR = 1·69, 95% CI: 1·09-2·62) and CHD ( RR = 1·63, 95% CI: 1·13-2·34) than lower-income villages. Among individual-level risk factors, hypertension was associated with a higher prevalence of stroke ( RR = 2·33, 95% CI: 1·93-2·80) than CHD ( RR = 1·58, 95% CI: 1·38-1·82), whereas obesity was only associated with CHD ( RR = 1·43, 95% CI: 1·23-1·66). In addition, there was an interaction between age and income; residents of higher-income villages below age 60 had a higher prevalence of CHD ( RR = 1·58, 95% CI: 1·15-2·18) but not stroke. Conclusions There were differences in vascular risk across rural villages in China, with higher lifetime stroke and CHD prevalence in higher-income villages. For CHD, neighborhood effects were stronger among younger residents of high-income villages. The results may have implications for public health interventions targeting populations at risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The effects of Flos Puerariae extract (FPE) on cognitive impairment associated with diabetes were assessed in C57BL/6J mice. Methods. Experimental diabetic mice model was induced by one injection of 50 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ) for 5 days consecutively. FPE was orally administrated at the dosages of 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg/day, respectively. The learning and memory ability was assessed by Morris water maze test. Body weight, blood glucose, free fatty acid (FFA) and total cholesterol (TCH) in serum, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities in cerebral cortex and hippocampus were also measured. Results. Oral administration of FPE significantly improved cognitive deficits in STZ-induced diabetic mice. FPE treatment also maintained body weight and ameliorated hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia in diabetic mice. Additionally, decreased MDA level, enhanced CAT, and GSH-Px activities in cerebral cortex or hippocampus, as well as alleviated AChE activity in cerebral cortex, were found in diabetic mice supplemented with FPE. Conclusion. This study suggests that FPE ameliorates memory deficits in experimental diabetic mice, at least partly through the normalization of metabolic abnormalities, ameliorated oxidative stress, and AChE activity in brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In China, childhood obesity is a growing health issue. Eating behaviors among children can be influenced by both the family and school environment. We examine the association between these environments and eating habits among children. Methods: A total of 11 270 fourth to sixth grade school children, 11 270 of their fathers or mothers, and 1348 teachers from 48 schools were sampled using a multistage cluster random sampling method. Questionnaires collected information on eating behaviors among children, non-communicable chronic disease (NCD)-related health knowledge and behaviors among teachers, and education levels among parents. Mixed effect logistic regression models were used to describe the key associations between eating behaviors among children and teacher and parental characteristics. Results: Health awareness, positive health attitudes, never-smoking and regular-exercise among teachers was positively associated with healthy eating behaviors among their students (having breakfast, vegetables and dairy products every day; P < 0.05), and negatively associated with the unhealthy behaviors (daily intake of fried foods and desserts and sugary beverages; P < 0.05). More than one parent having a high school level or above was positively related to healthy eating behaviors among their children (P < 0.05), but its associations with high-calorie eating habits were negative in urban and positive in rural areas (P < 0.05). Conclusions: School-based interventions which target health-related awareness, attitude and behaviors among school teachers may help improve school-aged children’s eating behaviors. Parental education levels may help guide efforts to target children at higher risk of unhealthy eating habits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aim: In Mainland China, heparin saline solution is commonly used for flushing and locking peripheral intravenous access devices in clinical practice for a long time. We conducted a prospective controlled trial to compare the effectiveness and safety of preservative-free 0.9% sodium chloride solution versus heparin saline solution as flushing and locking solution for peripheral intravenous access devices. Methods: Patients with gastroenterological or hepatic diseases were enrolled for this study from August 2011 to October 2011. After non-randomized allocation, preservative-free 0.9% sodium chloride was used as flushing and locking solution in the sodium chloride solution group, while hepatic solution (10 U/mL) was given in the heparin saline solution group. The device related complications and its maintenance duration were compared between two groups. One-way ANOVA, Chi2, or Mantel-Haenszel test were performed using SPSS 13.0 and RevMan 5.0. Results: Totally, 181 and 178 peripheral intravenous access devices in the sodium chloride solution and heparin saline solution groups were included and analyzed. Results indicated than sodium chloride solution did not increase the risks of occlusion (7.7% vs. 7.9%) and other adverse events of peripheral intravenous access devices (P = 0.163). Sodium chloride solution neither shortened the duration of peripheral intravenous access devices maintenance (3.6 ± 1.1 days vs. 3.7 ± 1.2 days, P = 0.651), nor increased the proportion of abnormal withdrawal (29.3% vs. 31.5%, P = 0.654). Conclusion: Sodium chloride solution is as effective and safe as conventional heparin saline solution for flushing and locking peripheral intravenous access devices, which results from our evidence-based study and should be transferred to other nurses in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Clozapine is one of the most commonly used antipsychotic drugs in China, To date, few studies have investigated the patterns the prescription of clozapine nationwide. The present study examined these patterns in China in 2006 and identified the demographic and clinical characteristics associated with the use of clozapine. Methods: Using a standardized protocol and data collection procedure, we surveyed 5,898 patients with schizophrenia in 10 provinces with differing levels of economic development. Results: Overall, clozapine had been prescribed for 31.9% (n=1,883) of the patients; however we found considerable variation among the 10 provinces. The frequency of clozapine use was highest in Sichuan (39.3%) and lowest in Beijing (17.3%). The mean daily dose of clozapine was 210.36±128.72 mg/day, and 25.1% of the patients were treated with clozapine in combination with other antipsychotics. Compared with the group not receiving clozapine, clozapine-user had been treated for longer durations and had experienced a greater number of relapses and hospitalizations. Furthermore, those in the clozapine-user had lower family incomes, were less able to seek psychiatric services, and more likely to be male and have a positive family history of schizophrenia. A multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that age, sex, professional help-seeking behaviors, duration of illness, economic status, educational level, and clinical manifestations were associated with the use of clozapine. Conclusion: Clozapine use is common in China. However, use of the antipsychotic varies among provinces, and demographic and clinical factors play important roles in the prescription of clozapine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Isoprenoidal glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (iGDGTs) from the Gulu hot springs (23–83.6 °C, pH > 7) and Yangbajing hot springs (80–128 °C, pH > 7) were analyzed in order to investigate the distribution of archaeal lipids among different hot springs in Tibet. A soil sample from Gulu was incubated at different temperatures and analyzed for changes in iGDGTs to help evaluate whether surrounding soil may contribute to the iGDGTs in hot springs. The sources of bacterial GDGTs (bGDGTs) in these hot springs were also investigated. The results revealed different profiles of iGDGTs between Gulu and Yangbajing hot springs. Core iGDGTs and polar iGDGTs also presented different patterns in each hot spring. The PCA analysis showed that the structure of polar iGDGTs can be explained by three factors and suggested multiple sources of these compounds. Bivariate correlation analysis showed significant positive correlations between polar and core bGDGTs, suggesting the in situ production of bGDGTs in the hot springs. Furthermore, in the soil incubation experiment, temperature had the most significant influence on concentration of bGDGTs rather than iGDGTs, and polar bGDGTs had greater variability than core bGDGTs with changing temperature. Our results indicated that soil input had little influence on the composition of GDGTs in Tibetan hot springs. On the other hand, ring index and TEX86 values were both positively correlated with incubation temperature, suggesting that the structure of archaeal lipids changed in response to varying temperature during incubation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Huhehu Sag is a new battlefield for the future oil and gas exploration in the Hailar Basin. At present, exploration of this area stays at a low level and the understanding of the provenance system of the Nantun Formation is comparatively weak. So, to carry out the detailed depiction of the provenance system in the study area is significant for the sedimentary system reconstruction, for the prediction of reservoir distribution and favorable areas. Based on comprehensive analysis of paleogeomorphy, light-heavy mineral and seismic reflection features, sandstone thickness and sandstone percentage, this paper analyzes in detail the provenance system of the Nantun Formation in Huhehu Sag from various angles and levels. It shows that provenances of the Huhehu Sag mainly originated from the eastern Xilinbeier Salient and western Bayan Mountain Uplift. The provenances surrounding the lake basin converged to the center of the basin, among which, the steep slope belt and the gentle slope belt are the main provenances, and the southern uplift is a secondary one. The distribution framework of the provenance fundamentally determines the distribution rules of the depositional system and its sand body developing during the Nantun period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Two loess–paleosol sequences on the central Chinese Loess Plateau were investigated to understand spatial and temporal variations in the soil color (e.g., lightness and redness) and factors that control those variations. Color difference between the original samples and pretreated samples suggests that loess lightness is influenced by the pedogenic matter (e.g., iron oxides, organic matter, and calcium carbonate) to varying degrees, depending on the concentrations. Iron oxides and organic matter darken the loess lightness, whereas carbonate lightens the loess lightness. By contrast, the redness is dominantly controlled by the types and concentrations of iron oxides. Variations in magnetic susceptibility and redness are associated with different magnetic minerals that formed mainly during post-depositional processes, and therefore both proxies can be employed to reconstruct the history and variability of the East Asian summer monsoon. Since the sensitivity of these two proxies to the summer monsoon variation is different, we generate a stacked summer monsoon index by combining these two records and interpret the stacked index as most indicative of precipitation variability. The fidelity of this new index is supported by an independent ratio, estimated from the first-derivative values of the color reflectance spectra. Our loess-based proxies provide a new understanding of the East Asian summer monsoon variability as a two-phase strengthening of summer monsoon intensity during the penultimate deglaciation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Pseudostellaria tianmushanensis G. H. Xia & G. Y. Li, collected from the Tianmu Mountains Nature Reserve in northwestern Zhejiang, China, is described and illustrated. This new species is similar to P. rupestris Pax., but differs by having a string of fusiform or ovoid-globose tubers, leaves that are narrow elliptic-lanceolate, glabrous, with cuneate base with scattered multi-nodulate hairs, papillate margins and basipetalous variation in floral morphology. Moreover, the seed tubercle ornamentation also supports the recognition of the new species. A key to the species of Pseudostellaria in Zhejiang province is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial distribution of heavy metals, arsenic and organic matter in recent sediments In the Hangzhou section of the Grand Canal and their relationships were analyzed. The results showed that the concentrations of heavy metals and organic matters varied widely along the canal, and the average geological accumulation factors decreased in the following orders: organic carbon (2.6). zinc (2.1). cadmium (2.0), copper (1.5), lead (1.1.), nitrogen (0.9), mercury (0.8), phosphorus (0.4), arsenic (0.2) and chromium (0). Content of heavy metals and organic carbon in the top 10 cm layer were lower than that of lower layers, except for mercury and organic carbon in the S9 section. Contents of organic carbon in the top 50 cm layer of the mud sediments are significantly higher than those underneath. In the bottom mud layer, there is a concentration peak of the pollutants. In the mud sediments of the canal, cadmium mainly occurred in the Fe and Mn oxide fraction, copper in the organic fraction, lead in the Fe and Mn oxide fraction, and zinc in the carbonate and the Fe and Mn oxide fraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is an endophyte which plays important roles in agricultural production as a plant growth-promoting bacterium. Here, we present the draft genome sequence of strain RR-10, which was isolated from a rice root in a rice field of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: One thousand and thirty Escherichia coli isolates from food animals, animals-derived foods, and companion animals between 2007 and 2008 in Southern China were used to investigate their antimicrobial susceptibility to 14 different antimicrobials by the standard agar dilution method. More than 70% of isolates showed resistance to tetracycline, trimethoprim–sulphamethoxazole, nalidixic acid, and ampicillin. In general, resistance was less frequent in companion animal isolates vs food animals isolates, but cephalosporin and amikacin resistance was more frequent in companion animal isolates, 42.6% to 56.2% vs 14.1% to 24.3%, and 28.5% vs 18.8%, respectively, which was most likely due to the common use of these antimicrobials as treatment in pet animals. Fluroquinolones resistance was high in all animal isolates (>50%). Food products showed lowest resistance among isolates from these three resources. PFGE analysis indicated that a majority of multidrug-resistant E. coli isolates showed unique, unrelated PFGE profiles and were unlikely to be the spread of a specific clone. This study provides useful information about the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in E. coli isolated from animals and food products in China and provided evidence of the linkage of the use of antimicrobials in animals and its selection of antimicrobial resistance in bacterial isolates. The data from this study further warns the prudent use of antimicrobials in food and pet animals to reduce the risks of transmission of antimicrobial resistance zoonotic pathogen to humans. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Acidovorax avenae subsp, avenae is a phytobacterium which is the causative agent of several plant diseases with economic significance. Here, we present the draft genome sequence of strain RS-1, which was isolated from rice shoots in a rice field in China. This strain can cause bacterial stripe of rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the northern Beijing Plain (BPN), ground failures associated with land subsidence have occurred and rapidly progressed, damaging hundreds of buildings and roads in recent years. In 2016, an 8.7-km-long ground failure, named the Songzhuang (SZ) ground failure, was discovered in the eastern part of the Beijing Plain. Geological surveys, mapping, creep measurements, trenching, drilling, and geophysical exploration indicate that the SZ ground failure has geometric structural features and surface deformation that differ from those of other ground failures in the BPN: First, the SZ ground failure consists of one main fissure and many secondary fissures. Second, the SZ failure shows tensile deformation with negligible vertical dislocation. Third, in the profile, the SZ ground failure shows extensional cracks with limited extension depths that close gradually with depth. Based on the relationships between ground failures and influencing factors, including a pre-existing fault, earthquakes, and groundwater pumping, we conclude that this failure took shape after the earthquake, and was enlarged under the action of groundwater pumping. The pre-existing fault, which is a subsidiary fault of the northern section of the Nanyuan-Tongxian (NTN) fault, determined the area in which the SZ ground failure first formed. • An extension-dominant ground failure was discovered on the eastern Beijing Plain. • The structural characteristics of the extension-dominant ground failure are different from those of BPN failures. • Differential subsidence caused the ground failure. • The pre-existing fault determined the area where the opened ground failure occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Students' physical fitness has always been the focus of attention of the Chinese government, and the school as an important way to improve students' physical fitness, there are many studies on the current status of the implementation of physical education in schools, and there are many studies that use self-made questionnaires to investigate the implementation of physical education in schools, but most of the studies do not adequately validate the self-made questionnaires, so the purpose of this study was to develop a questionnaire to assess the level of implementation of physical education programmes in Chinese junior secondary schools and to test its reliability and validity., Method: The content of the questionnaire was developed based on the content of Annex 1 of the Assessment Measures for Physical Education in Primary and Secondary Schools issued by the Ministry of Education of China in 2014 and was modified based on feedback from the expert panel and pre-test participants. The questionnaire was initially tested for validity by 5 expert reviewers, and then we collected data information from 350 participants and conducted exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to explore the factor structure of the initial version. One week later, 40 of the 350 participants were randomly selected to assess test-retest reliability., Results: The I-CVI and KAPPA value analysis results of the expert review results show that the questionnaire has extremely high reliability and consistency among experts. EFA results indicate that the five dimensions of this questionnaire are highly reliable. In the test-retest reliability, the Pearson correlation coefficients of the initial test data and the retest data of each dimension are all greater than 0.7, and the significance probability values are all less than 0.05, reaching the significance level, the results show that the questionnaire has good stability., Conclusions: This study concluded that the 5 dimensions and 38 items of this questionnaire had high reliability and validity and could be used as a preliminary tool to measure the implementation level of physical education programs in junior high schools in China. However, future research should explore the potential need for adjustment to suit different regions and cultures., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Compared with HLA-DRB1*09:01:02:05, the alleles HLA-DRB1*09:57 and HLA-DRB1*09:58 each show one nucleotide change, respectively., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Shanghai has been experiencing the Omicron wave since March 2022. Though several studies have evaluated the risk factors of severe infections, the analyses of BA.2 infection risk and protective factors among geriatric people were much limited. This multicentre cohort study described clinical characteristics, and assessed risk and protective factors for geriatric Omicron severe infections. A total of 1377 patients older than 60 were enrolled, with 75.96% having comorbidities. The median viral shedding time and hospitalization time were nine and eight days, respectively. Severe and critical were associated with longer virus clearance time (aOR [95%CI]:0.706 (0.533-0.935), P  = .015), while fully vaccinated/booster and paxlovid use shortened viral shedding time (1.229 [1.076-1.402], P  = .002; 1.140 [0.019-1.274], P  = .022, respectively). Older age (>80), cerebrovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease were risk factors of severe/critical. Fully vaccination was a significant protective factor against severe infections (0.237 [0.071-0.793], P  = .019). We found patients with more than two comorbidities were more likely to get serious outcomes. These findings demonstrated that in the elderly older than 60 years old, older age (aged over 80), cerebrovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease were risk factors for severe infection. Patients with more than two comorbidities were more likely to get serious outcomes. Fully vaccinated/booster patients were less likely to be severe and vaccinations could shorten viral shedding time. The limitation of lacking an overall spectrum of COVID-19 infections among elders could be compensated in other larger-scale studies in the future.