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Growing global concern over greenhouse gas emissions has led to a demand for understanding and addressing carbon emissions, with China being one of the main contributors to global carbon emissions, committed to reach the carbon peak by 2030. As a result, much previous research has delved into the drivers of carbon emissions in China; however, few studies have included new energy factors in the extended STIRPAT model when analysing the data, employed more advanced visualisation techniques such as force-directed diagrams, and explored factors outside of the industrial and energy sectors in determining China's ability to reach their environmental goals. In this study, we use the extended STIRPAT model to analyse a more diverse range of drivers for carbon emissions in China and discuss methods to reach peak carbon emissions through the implementation of environmental policies. Using data from China's 14th Five-Year Plan and Vision 2035 to set up two simulation scenarios, we predict China's carbon emissions, introducing ridge regression to ensure validity, and employing big data and visualisation techniques to aid in interpreting results. Our findings suggest that China needs to implement more stringent environmental policies to meet its commitment to reach peak carbon emissions by 2030, revealing that factors such as per capita arable land area, per capita GDP, the proportion of people living in extreme poverty, the level of tourism development, the use of fossil fuels, and new energy technologies have a significant impact on China's carbon emissions. As such, we can recommend more stringent policies relating to the agricultural, energy, and tourism sectors to help China achieve their goal of carbon peak by 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The soil, sediment, and water surrounding abandoned tailings can be regarded as both sinks and sources of pollution. Taking the surrounding environment of abandoned tailings viewed as a whole and conducting a comprehensive environmental pollution assessment are the basis of tailings pollution control and accurate management. We aimed to synthesize single-element pollution indicators and multi-element pollution indicators, propose a comprehensive pollution status evaluation method for abandoned tailings and their surrounding environment, and provide effective tools for tailings classification management on a regional scale. Methods: First, the single-element contamination index and multi-element contamination index were selected to evaluate the contamination risk of agricultural soil, surface water, groundwater, and sediment. The comprehensive pollution risk score (CRS) of each element in the environment was calculated. Then, the overall score of pollution status (P) of the tailings site and its surrounding environment was obtained based on the weighting coefficients of the risks for different environmental receptors. Finally, the potential sources and migration paths of pollutants were determined by combining PMF and GIS mapping. Results: The mean contents of heavy metals in the soils and sediments were higher than the average values in China and background values except for Cr. The mean concentration of Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, and As in surface water, and the mean concentration of Cd, Cu, and Zn in grounder water exceeded the value specified in their corresponding standards. The comprehensive pollution risk score of each element in the environment surrounding the tailings from the largest to the smallest are CRSCd (27) > CRSCu (22) > CRSAs (18) > CRSZn (16) > CRSPb (14) > CRSCr (9). It was shown that Cd and Cu were the elements with the highest risk of environmental pollution within the entire environmental system. The overall score of pollution status of the environment around the tailings in this study was calculated to be 5.37 points, which belongs to the III level. The superposition of natural sources and mining activities is the most important factor in soil and sediment contamination. Conclusion: The pollution situation in the area is serious and the environmental quality is worrying, which threatens the safety of agricultural products and human health, and the comprehensive evaluation method can effectively assess the current situation of environmental pollution around the tailings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Refugia is considered to be critical for maintaining biodiversity; while discerning the type and pattern of refugia is pivotal for our understanding of evolutionary processes in the context of conservation. Interglacial and glacial refugia have been studied throughout subtropical China. However, studies on refugia along the oceanic–continental gradient have largely been ignored. We used a liana Actinidia eriantha, which occurs across the eastern moist evergreen broad-leaved forests of subtropical China, as a case study to test hypotheses of refugia along the oceanic–continental gradient and 'oceanic' adaptation. Results: The phylogeographic pattern of A. eriantha was explored using a combination of three cpDNA markers and 38 nuclear microsatellite loci, Species distribution modelling and dispersal corridors analysis. Our data showed intermediate levels of genetic diversity [haplotype diversity (hT) = 0.498; unbiased expected heterozygosity (UHE) = 0.510] both at the species and population level. Microsatellite loci revealed five clusters largely corresponding to geographic regions. Coalescent time of cpDNA lineages was dated to the middle Pliocene (ca. 4.03 Ma). Both geographic distance and climate difference have important roles for intraspecific divergence of the species. The Zhejiang-Fujian Hilly Region was demonstrated to be a refugium along the oceanic–continental gradient of the species and fit the 'refugia in refugia' pattern. Species distribution modelling analysis indicated that Precipitation of Coldest Quarter (importance of 44%), Temperature Seasonality (29%) and Mean Temperature of Wettest Quarter (25%) contributed the most to model development. By checking the isolines in the three climate layers, we found that A. eriantha prefer higher precipitation during the coldest quarter, lower seasonal temperature difference and lower mean temperature during the wettest quarter, which correspond to 'oceanic' adaptation. Actinidia eriantha expanded to its western distribution range along the dispersal corridor repeatedly during the glacial periods. Conclusions: Overall, our results provide integrated evidence demonstrating that the Zhejiang-Fujian Hilly Region is a refugium along the oceanic–continental gradient of Actinidia eriantha in subtropical China and that speciation is attributed to 'oceanic' adaptation. This study gives a deeper understanding of the refugia in subtropical China and will contribute to the conservation and utilization of kiwifruit wild resources in the context of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 is the latest among the many pandemics in the last few decades in the world, and it has stricken the global economy severely. It has consequently affected the stock market, which affects the economy of the country to a great extent. Some research has managed to analyse the impacts on the stock market during the outbreak; however, few of them have been related to relationship analytics. Here, we proposed a methodology based on pure data analytics, which gathers two types of data, event and stock index in China, to explore their relationship through analysing the stock index's shift in reacting to pertinent social events, hence revealing insights into how events affect fluctuations in stock indices. The results showed that the relationship does exist in most cases. However, the closeness of the relationship may also be associated with the location of the stock company and other factors such as its geographical, political, and local authority considerations. This study may potentially assist stakeholders in adjusting their investments in the stock market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction between the supersonic molecular beam (SMB) and the low-temperature plasma is a critical issue for the diagnosis and fueling in the Tokamak device. In this work, the interaction process between the argon SMB and the argon plasma is studied by a high-speed camera based on the Linear Experimental Advanced Device (LEAD) in Southwestern Institute of Physics, China. It is found that the high-density SMB can extinct the plasma temporarily and change the distribution of the plasma density significantly, while the low-density SMB can hardly affect the distribution of plasma density. This can be used as an effective diagnostic technique to study the evolution of plasma density in the interaction between the SMB and plasma. Moreover, the related simulation based on this experiment is carried out to better understand the evolution of electron density and ion density in the interaction. The simulation results can be used to analyze and explain the experimental results well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceftiofur, a third‐generation cephalosporin antibiotic, is being extensively used by pet doctors in China. In the current study, the detection method was developed for ceftiofur and its metabolites, desfuroylceftiofur (DCE) and desfuroylceftiofur conjugates (DCEC), in feline plasma. Then, the pharmacokinetics studies were performed following one single intravenous and subcutaneous injection of ceftiofur sodium in cats both at 5 mg/kg body weight (BW) (calculated as pure ceftiofur). Ceftiofur, DCE, and DCEC were extracted from plasma samples, then derivatized and further quantified by high‐performance liquid chromatography. The concentrations versus time data were subjected to noncompartmental analysis to obtain the pharmacokinetics parameters. The terminal half‐life (t1/2λz) was calculated as 11.29 ± 1.09 and 10.69 ± 1.31 hr following intravenous and subcutaneous injections, respectively. After intravenous treatment, the total body clearance (Cl) and volume of distribution at steady‐state (VSS) were determined as 14.14 ± 1.09 ml hr‐1 kg‐1 and 241.71 ± 22.40 ml/kg, respectively. After subcutaneous injection, the peak concentration (Cmax; 14.99 ± 2.29 μg/ml) was observed at 4.17 ± 0.41 hr, and the absorption half‐life (t1/2ka) and absolute bioavailability (F) were calculated as 2.83 ± 0.46 hr and 82.95%±9.59%, respectively. The pharmacokinetic profiles of ceftiofur sodium and its related metabolites demonstrated their relatively slow, however, good absorption after subcutaneous administration, poor distribution, and slow elimination in cats. Based on the time of drug concentration above the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) (T>MIC) calculated in the current study, an intravenous or subcutaneous dose at 5 mg/kg BW of ceftiofur sodium once daily is predicted to be effective for treating feline bacteria with a MIC value of ≤4.0 μg/ml. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marsdenia yarlungzangboensis (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae), a new species from Motuo County, southeastern Xizang of China, is described and illustrated. It is morphologically similar to M. medogensis, M. tenii and M. yuei, the major differences between the new species and the morphological relatives are outlined and discussed. A diagnostic key to the new species and its closely related species in China is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• rFSAV is a novel recombinant five-antigen Staphylococcus aureus vaccine. • rFSAV was assessed in patients undergoing elective surgery for closed fractures for the first time. • rFSAV is safe, well tolerated in patients undergoing elective surgery for closed fractures. • rFSAV elicits rapid and robust specific humoral immune responses in targeted population. • rFSAV is worth further evaluation in in phase 3 studies in a larger number of individuals. Vaccines are urgently required to control Staphylococcus aureus hospital and community infections and reduce the use of antibiotics. Here, we report the safety and immunogenicity of a recombinant five-antigen Staphylococcus aureus vaccine (rFSAV) in patients undergoing elective surgery for closed fractures. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter phase 2 clinical trial was carried out in 10 clinical research centers in China. Patients undergoing elective surgery for closed fractures, aged 18–70 years, were randomly allocated at a ratio of 1:1 to receive the rFSAV or placebo at a regimen of two doses on day 0 and another dose on day 7. All participants and investigators remained blinded during the study period. The safety endpoint was the incidence of adverse events within 180 days. The immunogenicity endpoints included the level of specific antibodies to five antigens after vaccination, as well as opsonophagocytic antibodies. A total of 348 eligible participants were randomized to the rFSAV (n = 174) and placebo (n = 174) groups. No grade 3 local adverse events occurred. There was no significant difference in the incidence of overall systemic adverse events between the experimental (40.24 %) and control groups (33.72 %) within 180 days after the first immunization. The antigen-specific binding antibodies started to increase at days 7 and reached their peaks at 10–14 days after the first immunization. The rapid and potent opsonophagocytic antibodies were also substantially above the background levels. rFSAV is safe and well-tolerated in patients undergoing elective surgery for closed fractures. It elicited rapid and robust specific humoral immune responses using the perioperative immunization procedure. These results provide evidence for further clinical trials to confirm the vaccine efficacy. China's Drug Clinical Trials Registration and Information Publicity Platform registration number: CTR20181788. WHO International Clinical Trial Registry Platform identifier: ChiCTR2200066259. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Fate and occurrence of fourteen androgens, four estrogens, five glucocorticoids and five progestagens were investigated in three swine farms and three dairy cattle farms with different farming scales and wastes disposal systems in China. Twenty-one, 22, and 12 of total 28 steroids were detected in feces samples with concentrations ranging from below method limit of quantitation (

We investigated occurrence of selected compounds (4-t-octylphenol: 4-t-OP; 4-nonylphenols: 4-NP; bisphenol-A: BPA; estrone: E1; 17β-estradiol: E2; triclosan: TCS) and estrogenicity in surface water and sediment of the Yellow River in China by using combined chemical analysis and in vitro yeast screen bioassay. Estrogenic compounds 4-t-OP, 4-NP, BPA, E1, E2 and TCS were measured in the water samples, with their average concentrations of 4.7, 577.9, 46.7, 1.3, ND and 6.8 ng/L, respectively. In sediment, the average concentrations of 4-t-OP, 4-NP, BPA and TCS were 35.7, 0.5, 1.7 and 0.7 ng/g while E1 and E2 were not detected in the sediments of all selected sites. In general, the estrogenic compounds in surface water and sediment of the Yellow River were at relatively low levels, thus having medium to minimal estrogenic risks in most sites except for the site of east Lanzhou with high estrogenic risks. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper reports screening of multiple hormonal activities (estrogenic and androgenic activities, antiestrogenic and antiandrogenic activities) for surface water and sediment from the Pearl River system (Liuxi, Zhujiang, and Shijing rivers) in South China, using in vitro recombinant yeast bioassays. The detection frequencies for estrogenic and antiandrogenic activities were both 100% in surface water and 81 and 93% in sediment, respectively. The levels of estrogenic activity were 0.23 to 324 ng 17β-estradiol equivalent concentration (EEQ)/L in surface water and 0 to 101 ng EEQ/g in sediment. Antiandrogenic activities were in the range of 20.4 to 935 × 103 ng flutamide equivalent concentration (FEQ)/L in surface water and 0 to 154 × 103 ng FEQ/g in sediment. Moreover, estrogenic activity and antiandrogenic activity in sediment showed good correlation ( R2 = 0.7187), suggesting that the agonists of estrogen receptor and the antagonists of androgen receptor co-occurred in sediment. The detection frequencies for androgenic and antiestrogenic activities were 41 and 29% in surface water and 61 and 4% in sediment, respectively. The levels of androgenic activities were 0 to 45.4 ng dihydrotestosterone equivalent concentration (DEQ)/L in surface water, and the potency was very weak in the only detected sediment site. The levels of antiestrogenic activity were 0 to 1,296 × 103 ng tamoxifen equivalent concentration (TEQ)/L in surface water and 0 to 89.5 × 103 ng TEQ/g in sediment. The Shijing River displayed higher levels of hormonal activities than the Zhujiang and Liuxi rivers, indicating that the Shijing River had been suffering from heavy contamination with endocrine-disrupting chemicals. The equivalent concentrations of hormonal activities in some sites were greater than the lowest-observed-effect concentrations reported in the literature, suggesting potential adverse effects on aquatic organisms. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2011;30:2208-2215. © 2011 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five species of sea turtles, including leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), loggerhead (Caretta caretta), green (Chelonia mydas), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), and olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea), were found in the waters east and south of mainland China and the associated islands. Decades of harvesting and habitat degradation have led to a drastic decline in the sea turtle population in the last century. Many foraging grounds and nesting sites have been degraded or have disappeared as a result of human activities. Nowadays, there are only a few nesting sites and even fewer foraging grounds for sea turtles in China. Fishery bycatch is also believed to have been a major cause of sea turtle mortality in recent years. There is an urgent need for more efforts to be focused on the conservation of sea turtles in the region. However, limited information is available, which has impeded the formulation of effective conservation measures. The goal of this paper is to provide an overview on the current population and conservation status of sea turtles, as well as recommendations for their effective management in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Dongguashan mineralization may have formed from magmatic-hydrothermal fluids. • Garnet LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating yielded ages of 135.9 ± 2.1 Ma, 135.6 ± 2.2 Ma, and 134.6 ± 1.4 Ma, which provide constraints on the alteration initiation. • Physicochemical conditions of hydrothermal fluids for Dongguashan garnet were constrained. Dongguashan is one of the largest Cu-Au deposits in eastern China, with ubiquitous garnet in the stratiform and skarn orebodies. The stratiform ore-formation remains enigmatic. In this study, we describe the diverse textures and present new U-Pb age and chemical data for the Dongguashan garnet. Garnet in the skarn orebody can be divided into three generations (Grt-1, Grt-2, and Grt-3). Grt-1 and Grt-2 show three zones from core to inner rim to outer rim (a-b-c). Garnet in the stratiform orebody is homogeneous (Grt-s). All garnet types have low MnO, a wide range of Y/Ho ratios, and visible fluid inclusions, indicating that they formed from hydrothermal replacement. Grt-1a, Grt-1b, Grt-2a, Grt-2c, and Grt-3 are oscillatory-zoned, low-Sn, and HREE-rich grandite, which may have formed from reduced HREE-rich fluids. Meanwhile, Grt-1c and Grt-2b are high-Sn, LREE-rich andradite, and may have formed from oxidized LREE-rich fluids. Grt-s is pure, low-Sn, LREE-rich andradite, and that may have formed from oxidized LREE-rich fluids. The Eu behaviors are sensitive to the fluid physicochemical conditions and Cl content. Grt-1, Grt-2, and Grt-s have positive Eu anomalies, and may have formed from acidic and Cl-rich fluids. Grt-3 has negative Eu anomalies and was possibly formed from neutral and Cl-poor fluids. All garnet types at Dongguashan may have formed by infiltration metasomatism in an open system with multiple metasomatic pulses. Grt-1, Grt-2, and Grt-s yielded nearly the same in-situ U-Pb ages of 135.9 ± 2.1 Ma, 135.6 ± 2.2 Ma, and 134.6 ± 1.4 Ma, respectively. We propose that both ore types at Dongguashan deposit are closely related to the Early Cretaceous plutonism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: 4-Nonylphenol (4-NP), bisphenol-A (BPA) and triclosan (TCS) are three industrial chemicals used widely in daily products. This study investigated 4-NP, BPA and TCS levels in urine samples of 287 children and students aged from 3 to 24years old in Guangzhou, China. Total (free and conjugated) amounts of 4-NP, BPA and TCS in the urine samples were detected using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry with negative chemical ionization. The detection rates of 4-NP, BPA and TCS were 100%, 100% and 93% respectively, given the detection limits of 3.8, 0.5 and 0.9ng/L respectively. Data for 4-NP, BPA and TCS were presented in both creatinine-adjusted (microgram per gram creatinine) and unadjusted (microgram per liter) urinary concentrations. The geometric mean (GM) concentrations of urinary 4-NP, BPA and TCS were 15.92μg/g creatinine (17.40μg/L), 2.75μg/g creatinine (3.00μg/L) and 3.55μg/g creatinine (3.77μg/L) respectively. Multiple regression models considering age, gender, preferred drinking bottle and log-transformed creatinine were used to calculate the adjusted least square geometric mean (LSGM). Among these subjects, the females had higher LSGM concentrations of 4-NP, BPA and TCS than the males; and the only statistically significant difference was found for the LSGM concentrations of triclosan (p =0.031). Participants who reported to use ceramic cups more frequently had significantly lower LSGM concentrations of BPA than those who used plastic cups (p =0.037). Meanwhile, a three-week test of using polycarbonate bottles and ceramic cups to drink bottled water and boiled tap-water was carried out among 12 graduate students of 25years old. The GM concentrations of urinary BPA at the end of the first week after using ceramic cups to drink bottled water were 7.16μg/g creatinine, then decreased significantly to 3.49μg/g creatinine after the second week of using ceramic cups to drink boiled tap-water (p <0.05), and finally increased to 4.15μg/g creatinine after the third week of using polycarbonate bottles in drinking boiled tap-water. The results indicate that in daily life the use of polycarbonate bottles or drinking of bottled water is likely to increase the ingestion of BPA, resulting in an increase in urinary BPA levels. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper evaluated the excretion masses and environmental occurrence of 11 classes of 50 antibiotics in six typical swine and dairy cattle farms in southern China. Animal feeds, wastewater and solid manure samples as well as environmental samples (soil, stream and well water) were collected in December 2010 from these farms. Twenty eight antibiotics, including tetracyclines, bacitracin, lincomycin, sulfonamides, fluoroquinolones, ceftiofur, trimethoprim, macrolides, and florfenicol, were detected in the feeds, animal wastes and receiving environments. The normalized daily excretion masses per swine and cattle were estimated to be 18.2mg/day/swine and 4.24mg/day/cattle. Chlortetracycline (11.6mg/day/swine), bacitracin (3.81mg/day/swine), lincomycin (1.19mg/day/swine) and tetracycline (1.04mg/day/swine) were the main contributors to the normalized daily excretion masses of antibiotics per swine, while chlortetracycline (3.66mg/day/cattle) contributed 86% of the normalized daily excretion masses of antibiotics per cattle. Based on the survey of feeds and animal wastes from the swine farms and interview with the farmers, antibiotics excreted by swine were mainly originated from the feeds, while antibiotics excreted by dairy cattle were mainly from the injection route. If we assume that the swine and cattle in China excrete the same masses of antibiotics as the selected livestock farms, the total excretion mass by swine and cattle per annum in China could reach 3,080,000kg/year and 164,000kg/year. Various antibiotics such as sulfonamides, tetracyclines, fluroquinolones, macrolides, trimethoprim, lincomycin and florfenicol were detected in well water, stream and field soil, suggesting that livestock farms could be an important pollution source of various antibiotics to the receiving environments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The occurrence and fate of fourteen androgens, four estrogens, five glucocorticoids and five progestagens were investigated by rapid resolution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (RRLC-MS/MS) in a typical swine farm with lagoon waste disposal systems, in south China. Nineteen, 22 and 8 of 28 steroids were detected at concentrations ranging from 2.2 ± 0.1 ng/g (androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione) to 14,400 ± 394 ng/g (progesterone) in the feces samples, from 6.1 ± 2.3 ng/L (17β-boldenone) to 10,800 ± 3190 ng/L (norgestrel) in the flush water samples, and from 5.0 ± 0.2 ng/g (progesterone) to 225 ± 79.4 ng/g (5α-dihydrotestosterone) in the suspended particles, respectively. By comparing the types and concentrations of steroids in different treatment stages of the lagoon systems, it demonstrated that the lagoon systems used in the farm were not effective method to reduce various steroids in wastewater. Among the thirteen synthetic steroids detected in the swine feces and flush water, only seven (methyl testosterone, 17α-trenbolone, 17β-trenbolone, 17α-ethynyl estradiol, dexamethasone, medroxyprogesterone, and norgestrel) were regarded as the parent/metabolite compounds of animal exogenous usage. According to the estimated masses of steroids from feces and flush water, the excretion of steroids for sows were mainly from feces, but for piglets or barrows, most excreted steroids were through flush water rather than feces. The total daily excreted masses of androgens, estrogens, glucocortcoids and progestagens in the sow feces were in the range of 90.7–6310 μg/d, which were up to a thousand fold of those in the feces of other growth stages indicating that the proportion of sow number in the swine farm directly influenced the total excretion mass of steroids. In addition, two natural steroids 4-androstene-3,17-dione and progesterone were worth notice due to their relatively high concentrations per sow excretion, 277 μg/d and 6380 μg/d, respectively, which are approximately equivalent to the daily excretion of 100 persons. Some steroids were also detected in the well water, vegetable field and receiving stream, and may pose potential high risks to some sensitive organisms in the receiving environment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: A pragmatic randomised controlled trial has confirmed the effectiveness of Urinary Incontinence for Women (UIW) app-based intervention in improving postpartum urinary incontinence (UI) severity among pregnant women. However, the causal mechanisms underlying this intervention effect remain unclear., Objective: To examine the mediating role of self-efficacy with pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) on the effect of the UIW app-based intervention in improving postpartum UI severity., Methods: This was a secondary causal mediation analysis of a single-center, 2-arm, unblinded pragmatic randomised controlled trial. Singleton pregnant women without UI before pregnancy aged ≥18 years and between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation were recruited from a tertiary public hospital in China and randomised to receive the UIW app intervention plus oral PFMT instructions (n = 63) or oral PFMT instructions alone (n = 63). The primary outcome was postpartum changes in UI severity at 6 weeks. Changes in self-efficacy with PFMT 2 months after randomisation were a hypothesised mediator. Causal mediation analysis was used to estimate the average causal mediation effect (ACME), average direct effect (ADE), average total effect (ATE), and proportion mediated. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to examine the robustness of the ACME in relation to potential unmeasured confounding., Results: Data from 103 participants were analyzed. The ATE of UIW app-based intervention on postpartum UI severity was 2.91 points (95 % confidence intervals [CI] 1.69 to 4.12), with ADE of 1.97 points (95 % CI 0.63 to 3.41) and the ACME 0.94 points (95 % CI 0.27 to 1.72). The proportion of ATE mediated by self-efficacy with PFMT was 0.32 (95 % CI 0.08 to 0.67). Sensitivity analysis revealed the robust ACME with respect to the potential effects of unmeasured confounding., Conclusion: An increase in self-efficacy with PFMT partially mediated the effect of the UIW app intervention on improvements in postpartum UI severity., Trial Registration: The original trial was prospectively registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry under the reference number ChiCTR1800016171 on 16/05/2018. Further details can be accessed at: http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=27455., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

To investigate the differences on morphological growth patterns of statolith of Todarodes pacificus in the East China Sea during La Niña and normal years, we analyzed the samples of T. pacificus collected in the East China Sea by Chinese light purse seine fishery fleets from February to April in 2020 (a normal year) and 2021 (a La Niña year). The results showed that total statolith length (TSL), lateral dome length (LDL), wing length (WL), and maximum width (MW) could be used as characterization parameters to representing the morphological growth of statolith. The characterization parameters of statolith in T. pacificus differed significantly between different climate years and between different genders. The values of those characterization parameters of statolith were greater in normal year than those in La Niña year, which in both years were larger in females, except for TSL in males in La Niña year. The statolith growth of males were faster than that of females in different climate years. TSL, LDL, and WL increased faster in normal year, while MW increased faster in La Niña year. The relative size of statolith gradually slowed down with the growth of individuals.

Objective To understand the differences in the demand,preference,and tendency for elderly care services between urban and rural areas in the Pearl River Delta (PRD),and to provide reference for the planning and balanced allocation of elderly care resources in urban and rural areas. Methods Using the multi-stage stratified random sampling method,we selected 7 community health service centers in 2 prefecture-level cities in the PRD and conducted a questionnaire survey on the elderly care service demand,preference,and tendency among 1919 regular residents aged 60 years and above who attended the centers. Results A total of 641 urban elderly residents (33.4%) and 1278 rural elderly residents (66.6%) were surveyed in the PRD.The urban and rural elderly residents showed differences in the child number ( χ 2 =43.379, P <0.001),willingness to purchase socialized elderly care services ( χ 2 =104.141, P <0.001),and attitudes to the concept of raising child to avoid elderly hardship ( χ 2 =65.632, P <0.001).The proportion (71.8%) of rural elderly residents who prefer family-based elderly care was higher than that (57.1%) of urban elderly residents ( χ 2 =41.373, P <0.001).The proportion (62.2%) of urban elderly residents clearly expressing their willingness to choose institutions for elderly care was higher than that (44.0%) of rural elderly residents ( χ 2 =57.007, P <0.001).Compared with family-based elderly care,the willingness to choose institutional or community-based in-house elderly care was low among the urban elderly residents with surplus monthly household income or balanced income and expenditure;urban males,those with college education background or above,and those who purchased socialized elderly care services tended to prefer community-based in-house elderly care.In rural areas,the elderly residents who had local household registry were prone to choose institutional or community-based in-house elderly care,while those who had more than one child and those who were satisfied with the current living conditions were less willing to choose community-based in-house elderly care. Conclusions It is suggested that the urban-rural differences in the elderly care service demand,preference and tendency should be fully considered in the planning and allocation of urban and rural elderly care resources.Efforts remain to be made to develop diversified social elderly care services tailored to the characteristics of urban and rural areas.

Currently, soil odor-active substance screening and evaluation methods for contaminated sites are underdeveloped, with unclear treatment objectives and areas. Consequently, some sites suffer from odor issues during and even after remediation. This study focused on an organophosphorus pesticide factory site in Guangdong Province, China. It established a method of determining the odorant control area using a comprehensive approach combining instrumental and olfactory soil sample analyses. The main odor-active substances identified were ethylbenzene, phenol, m, p-xylene, styrene, toluene, and o-xylene, with odorant control values (the limit of odor-active substance contents) of 35.2, 28.1, 8.0, 11.3, 40.2 and 89.3 mg/kg respectively. Instrumental analysis of soil samples revealed 11 sampling points where the main odor-causing substances exceeded standard levels. Among the substances, ethylbenzene (1.48E+04 mg/kg) had the highest content, exceeding the limit up to 421-fold. Olfactory analysis indicated 14 sampling points with odor intensity surpassing the standard (OI > 2). Based on the instrumental analysis results and the odorant control value, the initial estimated odor control area (area with the risk of odor nuisance) was 5.64E+03 m 2 . Incorporating the olfactory analysis findings, the control area was adjusted by 1.25E+03 m 2 , leading to a final calculated soil odor control area of 6.89E+03 m 2 for the study site. The comprehensive approach to analyzing soil samples for odor control can help evaluate the extent of soil odor pollution in contaminated sites and provide a scientific basis for effectively removing and managing odor-causing substances in soil., 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 © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We investigated the effects and mechanisms of nitrogen additions (0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, 32 g N·m -2 ·a -1 ) on contents of anion and cation in rhizosphere soil, bulk soil, and mixed rhizosphere and bulk soil in the heavily salinized grassland in the agro-pastoral ecotone of North China. The results showed that pH of rhizosphere, mixed and bulk soils decreased significantly with the increases of nitrogen addition levels. Moreover, pH of three soil types under the 32 g N·m -2 ·a -1 treatment decreased by 1.2, 0.9, and 0.6, respectively, while pH of rhizosphere soil decreased by 0.44 compared with the bulk soil. Na + content of rhizosphere, mixed and bulk soils significantly decreased, while the NO 3 - content significantly increased. The proportion of Na + content in total soluble salt content in rhizosphere soil decreased by 14% and that in bulk soil decreased by 12% after the 32 g N·m -2 ·a -1 addition. NO 3 - content increased by 29% in rhizosphere soil and by 26% in bulk soil. There was significant negative correlation between pH and NO 3 - content, and significant positive correlation between pH and Na + content. The total soluble salt content of rhizosphere soil under the 32 g N·m -2 ·a -1 treatment was significantly reduced by 31.5%. Collectedly, nitrogen deposition could reduce soil pH and total soluble salt content of rhizosphere soil and alleviate saline-alkali stress.

Precipitation can lead to significant leaching of heavy metals from abandoned tailings，resulting in a decline in the quality of the surrounding environment. This study aimed to simulate and quantify the migration patterns and fate of heavy metals in tailings caused by precipitation in various environmental media (tailings, air, water, soil, and sediments) using leaching tests, source apportionment, and a fugacity model. Results revealed that the average contents of Cd, Cu, As, Pb, Zn, and Cr in the un-weathered tailings were 3.43, 495.56, 160.70, 138.94, 536.57, and 69.52 mg/kg, respectively. The ecological risk factors in the tailings as well as in sediments and soils, were in the following order: Cd >Cu >As >Pb >Zn >Cr. A fugacity model based on the mass-balance methods was established, achieving a good agreement between simulation and measured values. The total amounts of Cd, Cu, As, Pb, and Zn leached from abandoned tailings over the 30-year evaluation period were estimated to be 1.09, 62.44, 0.16, 0.94, and 102.12 t, respectively. Soil and sediments are important reservoirs for heavy metals. The sum of the As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn storage capacities in the soil and sediment accounted for 77.28%, 75.63%, 73.94%, 69.39%, and 57.80% of the total storage capacity, respectively. This study could provide the means for the establishment of a targeted pollution control plan, a guide for restoration projects, and will aid in controlling pollution risk and improving the surrounding environment., 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 © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The molecular dynamics of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) under chemotherapy remain incompletely understood. The widespread use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) provides a unique opportunity to investigate PDAC samples post-chemotherapy. Leveraging a cohort from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, encompassing PDAC samples with and without exposure to neoadjuvant albumin-bound paclitaxel and gemcitabine (AG), we have compiled data from single-cell and spatial transcriptomes, proteomes, bulk transcriptomes, and metabolomes, deepening our comprehension of the molecular changes in PDACs in response to chemotherapy. Metabolic flux analysis reveals that NAC induces a reprogramming of PDAC metabolic patterns and enhances immunogenicity. Notably, NAC leads to the downregulation of glycolysis and the upregulation of CD36. Tissue microarray analysis demonstrates that high CD36 expression is linked to poorer survival in patients receiving postoperative AG. Targeting CD36 synergistically improves the PDAC response to AG both in vitro and in vivo, including patient-derived preclinical models., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Understanding the effects of upslope runoff and soil pipe collapse on slope water erosion can provide scien-tific basis for preventing Mollisol degradation caused by soil erosion. We conducted an experiment to investigate the effects of upslope inflow rate and soil pipe collapse on slope water erosion and to quantify the contribution of soil pipe erosion to slope soil erosion. The experiment included three inflow rates (30, 40, and 50 L·min -1 ) and three near-surface soil hydrological conditions (without soil pipe: NP; with soil pipe but no pipe flow: PF 0 ; with pipe flow: PF 1 ). The results showed that: 1) Slope soil erosion increased with increasing inflow rates; when the inflow rate increased from 30 L·min -1 to 40 and 50 L·min -1 , slope soil erosion increased by 100.0%-111.5% and 214.8%-289.2%, respectively. 2) The soil pipe occurrence and pipe flow formation aggravated the slope water erosion process. At inflow rates of 30, 40, and 50 L·min -1 , slope soil loss under the PF 0 and PF 1 treatments were 1.4-1.6 times and 1.7-2.1 times of that under the NP treatment. The contribution of soil pipe erosion to slope soil loss was 26.7%-37.6% under the PF 0 treatment and 40.5%-51.9% under the PF 1 treatment. 3) Soil pipe collapse intensified the rill erosion process. Compared with the NP treatment at 30, 40, and 50 L·min -1 inflow rate, rill erosion amounts under the PF 0 and PF 1 treatments increased by 38.1%-66.0% and by 93.7%-128.4%, respectively. Our results suggested that increasing upslope inflow rate resulted in higher surface runoff velocity, which promoted runoff detachment and transport capacity, and then aggrandized the amount of slope soil erosion. Moreover, soil pipe collapse exacerbated rill erosion process. When the soil pipe collapsed, all surface runoff was converted to soil pipe flow, which accelerated flow velocity and slope soil erosion process, and then increased the amount of slope soil erosion.

Background: Urinary incontinence (UI) is a highly prevalent health concern commonly observed during and after pregnancy that can substantially impact women's physical and psychological well-being and quality of life. Owing to its numerous advantages, mobile health may be a promising solution; however, it is unclear whether the app-based intervention can effectively improve UI symptoms during and after pregnancy., Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Urinary Incontinence for Women (UIW) app-based intervention for UI symptom improvement among pregnant women in China., Methods: Singleton pregnant women without incontinence before pregnancy who were aged ≥18 years and between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation were recruited from a tertiary public hospital in China and were randomly allocated (1:1) to either an experimental group (n=63) or a control group (n=63). The experimental group received the UIW app intervention and oral pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) instructions, whereas the control group received oral PFMT instructions alone. Neither the participants nor the researchers were blinded to the intervention. The primary outcome was UI severity. The secondary outcomes included quality of life, self-efficacy with PFMT, and knowledge of UI. All data were collected at baseline, 2 months after randomization, and 6 weeks post partum through electronic questionnaires or by checking the electronic medical record system. Data analysis followed the intention-to-treat principle. A linear mixed model was used to examine the intervention effect on primary and secondary outcomes., Results: Participants in the experimental and control groups were comparable at baseline. Of the 126 overall participants, 117 (92.9%) and 103 (81.7%) women completed follow-up visits at 2 months after randomization and 6 weeks after delivery, respectively. A statistically significant difference in UI symptom severity was observed between the experimental group and control group (2 months after randomization: mean difference -2.86, 95% CI -4.09 to -1.64, P<.001; 6 weeks post partum: mean difference -2.68, 95% CI -3.87 to -1.49, P<.001). For the secondary outcomes, a statistically significant intervention effect on the quality of life, self-efficacy, and UI knowledge was found at the 2-month follow-up (all P<.05) and 6 weeks post partum (all P<.001)., Conclusions: The app-based UI self-management intervention (UIW) effectively improved UI symptom severity, quality of life, self-efficacy with PFMT, and knowledge of UI during the late pregnancy and early postnatal periods. Larger multicenter studies with a longer postpartum follow-up are required to further extend these findings., Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR1800016171; http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=27455., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): RR2-10.2196/22771., (©Ling Chen, Danli Zhang, Tiantian Li, Sha Liu, Jie Hua, Wenzhi Cai. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (https://www.jmir.org), 27.06.2023.)

Purpose: Tumor deposits (TDs) are discrete tumor nodules within the lymphatic drainage area of the primary tumor without histological evidence of lymph node tissue or identifiable vascular or neural structure. This study aims to analyze the prognostic impact of TDs in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and explore their potential role in staging system., Methods: The prospectively maintained database from the Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center was queried for patients undergoing resection for PDAC. Patients with TDs were matched by propensity score with those without TDs. The cumulative prevalence of recurrence was estimated using the cumulative incidence function. Overall survival was estimated using Kaplan-Meier curves., Results: A total of 123 patients (9.7%) had TDs, of whom 108 were matched at a 1:3 ratio with 324 patients without TDs. The cumulative incidence of recurrence was significantly higher for TD-positive patients than TD-negative patients (P = 0.04). The median overall survival was significantly shorter for patients with TDs than for those without TDs (15.9 versus 21.8 months, P < 0.001). The presence of TDs attenuated the effect of lymph node metastasis on survival, with no significance between node-negative and node-positive subpopulations (P = 0.165). Patients with TDs had comparable survival to N2 patients without TDs (15.9 versus 17.1 months, P = 0.383)., Conclusions: TD is an important prognostic factor for recurrence and survival in patients undergoing resection for PDAC. We suggest that patients presenting TDs be classified into the stage III category in the next edition of the staging system., (© 2023. Society of Surgical Oncology.)

The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most severe infectious diseases in recent decades, and has had a significant impact on the global economy, and the stock market. Most existing studies on stock market volatility during the pandemic have been conducted from a data science perspective, with statistical analysis and mathematical models often revealing the superficial relationship between Covid and the stock market at the data level. In contrast, few studies have explored the relationship between more specialised aspects of the pandemic. Specifically, the relationship found between major social events and the stock market. In this work, a multi-source, data-based relationship analysis method is proposed, that collects historical data on significant social events and related stock data in China and the USA, to further explore the potential correlation between stock market index fluctuations and the impact of social events by analysing cross-timeline data. The results suggest and offer more evidence that social events do indeed impact equity markets, and that the indices in both China and the USA were also affected more by the epidemic in 2020 than in 2021, and these indices became less affected by the epidemic as it became the world adapted. Moreover, these relationships may also be influenced by a variety of other factors not covered in this study. This research, so far, is in its initial stage, and the methodology is not rigorous and cannot be applied as an individual tool for decision; however, it could potentially serve as a supplementary tool and provide a multi-dimensional basis for stock investors and policymakers to make decisions.

Background: RNA methylation refers to a form of methyl modification in RNA that modulates various epigenetic alterations. Mounting studies have focused on its potential mechanisms in cancer initiation and progression. However, the prognostic value and potential role of RNA methylation in the immune microenvironment of pancreatic cancer remain unclear., Methods: Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis was performed to illuminate the expression profiles of RNA methylation modulators. In addition, the ConsensusClusterPlus algorithm was utilized to identify two remarkably different subtypes, and a feasible risk stratification method was established to accurately estimate prognosis. In addition, we validated our signature at the cytology and histology levels and conducted functional experiments to explore the biological functions of our key genes., Results: Two subtypes with remarkable survival differences were identified by the consensus clustering algorithm. Cluster 2 tended to have higher expression levels of RNA methylation regulators and to be the high RNA methylation group. In addition, cluster 1 exhibited a significantly higher abundance of almost all immune cells and increased immune checkpoint expression compared to cluster 2. Chemotherapeutic sensitivity analysis indicated that there were significant differences in the sensitivity of four of the six drugs between different subgroups. Mutation investigation revealed a higher mutation burden and a higher number of mutations in cluster 2. An accurate and feasible risk stratification method was established based on the expression of key genes of each subtype. Patients with low risk scores exhibited longer survival times in one training (TCGA) and two validation cohorts (ICGC, GSE57495), with p values of 0.001, 0.0081, and 0.0042, respectively. In addition, our signature was further validated in a cohort from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center. The low-risk group exhibited higher immune cell abundance and immune checkpoint levels than the high-risk group. The characteristics of the low-risk group were consistent with those of cluster 1: higher stromal score, estimate score, and immune score and lower tumor purity. Additionally, cell function investigations suggested that knockdown of CDKN3 remarkably inhibited the proliferation and migration of pancreatic cancer cells., Conclusions: RNA methylation has a close correlation with prognosis, immune infiltration and therapy in pancreatic cancer. Our subtypes and risk stratification method can accurately predict prognosis and the efficacy of immune therapy and chemotherapy., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Snowmelt erosion is an important way of soil loss in Chinese Mollisol region. However, little is known about the effects of seepage flow and soil thaw depth on hillslope snowmelt runoff erosion. An indoor simulated experiment was conducted to analyze the impacts of seepage flow and soil thaw depth on hillslope snowmelt erosion. There were two snowmelt flow rates (1 and 4 L·min -1 ), two soil thaw depths (5 and 10 cm), and two near-surface hydrological conditions (with and without seepage flow). The results showed that hillslope runoff depth and soil erosion amount in the treatment with seepage flow were 1.1 to 1.2 times and 1.3 to 1.9 times of those in the treatment without seepage flow, respectively. Under two snowmelt flow rates, when soil thaw depth increased from 5 cm to 10 cm, hillslope runoff depth and soil erosion amount increased by 10.0% to 13.5% and 15.4% to 37.1% in the treatment without seepage flow, respectively. In the treatment with seepage flow, when soil thaw depth shifted from 5 cm to 10 cm, hillslope runoff depth increased by 6.5% to 8.5%, and soil erosion amount remained stable. Moreover, hillslope rill development was comprehensively influenced by seepage flow, soil thaw depth, and snowmelt flow rate, with rill erosion amount occupying more than 72% of hillslope snowmelt erosion amount. Compared with the treatment without seepage flow, flow velocity and shear stress under the treatment with seepage flow increased by 20.3% to 23.2% and 37.0% to 51.3%, respectively; but Darcy-Weisbach friction coefficient reduced by 9.0% to 21.4%, which caused an increase of hillslope snowmelt erosion. In addition, seepage flow enhanced rill development, which caused rill erosion amount to increase by 43.6% to 69.9% compared with the treatment without seepage flow, and it further resulted in the increase of hillslope snowmelt erosion amount. The main reason for soil thaw depth enhancing hillslope snowmelt erosion amount under the treatment without seepage flow was that both sloping runoff erosivity and erodible materials increased with increasing soil thaw depth. Furthermore, soil thaw depth had a significant impact on hillslope rill morphology development under the treatment with seepage flow. Rill widening process was dominated when soil thaw depth was 5 cm, whereas rill incision process was dominant when soil thaw depth was 10 cm. This study could improve the understanding of hillslope snowmelt erosion mechanism in Chinese Mollisol region and provide theoretical guidance for the development of water erosion model.

Background: Rational use of antibiotics received great attention in China, therefore the multifaceted antimicrobial stewardship (MAMS) is urgently required in hospital management. We conducted this study to assess the impact of a MAMS programme on antimicrobial use in a tertiary teaching hospital in Shanghai., Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary teaching hospital in Shanghai. The MAMS programme involved multifaceted interventions consisting of a quality premium with financial incentives, antibiotic restriction, audit and feedback, and education. Data were extracted from the electronic medical records of inpatients to analyse monthly and annual antibiotic consumption and the percentage of antibiotic prescriptions during 2017-2020. Segmented regression analysis of the interrupted time series was used to contrast antimicrobial use during 2019-2020, with non-MAMS data from the 2017-2018 period as the historical control., Results: With MAMS implementation, antibiotic consumption decreased from 63.3 (59.3, 67.2) defined daily doses (DDDs) per 100 patient-days (PD) to 43.3 (39.0, 49.8) DDDs/100 PD (P<0.001), and the percentage of antibiotic prescriptions decreased from 44.8% (44.1%, 45.4%) to 43.3% (42.2%, 44.3%) (P<0.001). Segmented regression models suggested a reduction in antibiotic consumption (coefficient = -12.537, P<0.001) and indicated a downward trend in the percentage of antibiotic prescriptions (coefficient =-0.165, P=0.049). Neither antibiotic consumption nor the percentage of antibiotic prescriptions was influenced by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic., Conclusions: This study suggests that MAMS plays an important role in reducing antibiotic use and is not affected by special circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This novel intervention, consisting of a quality premium and multidisciplinary cooperation, should be prioritized by policy and decision makers, where rational management of antimicrobial use is urgently needed.

To explore the responses of soil net nitrogen (N) mineralization rate to precipitation varia-tion and nitrogen deposition in salinized grassland, we set precipitation manipulation and nitrogen addition experiments in the typical agro-pastoral ecotone saline-alkaline grassland of Northern Shanxi Province, China. The in situ soil net N mineralization rate was determined by top-cover buried PVC cylinder from May to September in 2019. The results showed that there were seasonal dynamics in soil net N mineralization rate. Soil net N mineralization rate was not affected by increase/decrease precipitation (±50%), nitrogen addition (10 g·m -2 ·a -1 ) or the combination of nitrogen addition and increase 50% precipitation treatments. The combination of nitrogen addition and 50% reduction of precipitation significantly improved soil net nitrification rate and net N mine-ralization rate by 10.8 and 8.6 times, respectively. Soil net nitrogen mineralization rate was positively related to soil water content, and negatively related to soil pH. The effects of nitrogen addition on soil nitrogen mineralization rate were dependent on precipitation conditions. Soil water content and pH were important factors regulating soil net nitrogen mineralization rate in the saline-alkaline grassland of Northern Shanxi Province. Therefore, to roundly assess the response model of soil N mine-ralization process to global change, it is necessary to consider the interaction of precipitation changes and nitrogen addition, and the soil physical and chemical properties of salinized grassland.

Objective: Liver fibrosis is an important predictor of mortality in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Peripheral artery disease (PAD) and liver fibrosis share many common metabolic dysfunctions. We aimed to explore the association between PAD and risk of fibrosis deterioration in NAFLD patients., Methods: The study recruited 1,610 NAFLD patients aged ≥ 40 years from a well-defined community at baseline in 2010 and followed up between August 2014 and May 2015. Fibrosis deterioration was defined as the NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS) status increased to a higher category at the follow-up visit. PAD was defined as an ankle-brachial index of < 0.90 or > 1.40., Results: During an average of 4.3 years' follow-up, 618 patients progressed to a higher NFS category. PAD was associated with 92% increased risk of fibrosis deterioration [multivariable-adjusted odds ratio ( OR ): 1.92, 95% confidence interval ( CI ): 1.24, 2.98]. When stratified by baseline NFS status, the OR for progression from low to intermediate or high NFS was 1.74 (95% CI : 1.02, 3.00), and progression from intermediate to high NFS was 2.24 (95% CI : 1.05, 4.80). There was a significant interaction between PAD and insulin resistance (IR) on fibrosis deterioration ( P for interaction = 0.03). As compared with non-PAD and non-IR, the coexistence of PAD and IR was associated with a 3.85-fold (95% CI : 2.06, 7.18) increased risk of fibrosis deterioration., Conclusion: PAD is associated with an increased risk of fibrosis deterioration in NAFLD patients, especially in those with IR. The coexistence of PAD and IR may impose an interactive effect on the risk of fibrosis deterioration., (Copyright © 2020 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the optimal number of examined lymph nodes (ELNs) for accurate staging of pancreatic cancer using the nodal staging score model., Materials and Methods: Clinicopathological data for patients with resected pancreatic cancer were collected from SEER database (development cohort [DC]) and Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center database (validation cohort [VC]). Multivariable models were constructed to assess how the number of ELNs was associated with stage migration and overall survival (OS). Using the β-binomial distribution, we developed a nodal staging score model from the DC and tested it with the VC., Results: Both cohorts exhibited significant proportional increases from node-negative to node-positive disease (DC: odds ratio [OR], 1.047; P < 0.001; VC: OR, 1.035; P < 0.001) and improved OS (DC: hazard ratio [HR], 0.982; P < 0.001; VC: HR, 0.979; P < 0.001) as ELNs increased. Nodal staging scores escalated separately as ELNs increased for different tumor (T) stages, with plateaus at 16, 21, and 23 LNs (cut-offs) for T1, T2, and T3 tumors, respectively. Multivariable analysis indicated that examining more LNs than the corresponding cut-off value was a significant survival predictor (DC: HR, 0.813; P < 0.001; VC: HR, 0.696; P = 0.028)., Conclusion: The optimal number of ELNs for adequate staging of pancreatic cancer was related to T stage. We recommend examining at least 16, 21, and 23 LNs for T1, T2, and T3 tumors, respectively, as a nodal staging quality measure for both surgery and pathological analysis., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis is the most important cephalopods fishery resource of the South China Sea, which supported the falling-net fishery of Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan Provinces of China. Understanding the fisheries biology is essential for sustainable exploitation and management of this squid. Statolith is one of the most important hard tissues of cephalopods which were widely used in the research of fisheries biology and ecology. Elements of 20 statoliths of S. oualaniensis collected in the Xisha islands waters of South China Sea during May to August by the falling-net fishery of 2017 were analyzed with Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) for different sexes, different hatching groups, and history stages. The results showed that the statolith of the S. oualaniensis contained 55 elements, with calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), sodium (Na), phosphorus (P), silicon (Si),magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), iron (Fe), barium (Ba) and boron (B) being the top ten abundant elements. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that there was no significant difference in all element distributions between sexes for the most abundant ten elements. Significant differences existed in the contents of Si, Sr, Mg, Na and K but no significant difference was found in the contents of Ca, P, B, Fe and B between different hatching groups. There were significant differences in the contents of Sr, Na, P, K, Si, Mg, B and Ba, but no significant difference in the contents of Ca and Fe in the statoliths among different growth zones. Our results suggested that Sr, Na, K and Mg were probably the best four elements for life history reconstruction and examining population structure of the S. oualaniensis.

Grazing is one of the most important ways for managing grassland in northern China. Different studies have focused on the effects of grazing on the structure and function of ecosystems. Grazing affects the structure and function of soil via biological and physical processes, such as animal trampling, feeding, and excretion, which further affects N 2 O emissions. However, there is less research on greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions by grazing intensities in semi-arid grassland ecosystems in northern China. In this study, four different grazing intensities were considered in the semi-arid grassland ecosystem of the typical agro-pastoral ecotone in northern China (Youyu, Shanxi). The influence of different grazing intensities on GHG fluxes was studied by measuring GHGs fluxes in the growing season with an opaque static chamber. The results showed that ① Grazing had no effect on CO 2 and N 2 O fluxes during the first year of grazing treatment. ② However, grazing decreased soil water content ( P <0.05), moderate grazing intensity decreased microbial biomass carbon ( P <0.05), and moderate and heavy grazing intensities reduced microbial biomass nitrogen ( P <0.05). ③ Significant positive correlations between CO 2 flux and soil temperature and soil moisture were observed. The correlation between temperature and CO 2 emissions was increased by grazing. ④ There was a significant positive correlation between soil temperature, soluble nitrogen, soil microbial biomass nitrogen, CO 2 flux, and N 2 O flux. Our results indicated that GHG, regulated by soil microorganisms, was affected by soil temperature and moisture.

Objective To investigate the polymorphisms of 23 Y-STR loci in a Han population in Jiangsu province. Methods Blood samples were collected from 4821 unrelated healthy Han males in Jiangsu province. DNA templates were amplified by PowerPlex Y23 kit,and the amplification products were detected by 3500xL genetic analyzer. Then,we calculated the allele frequencies and gene diversities respectively,as well as the haplotype frequencies and haplotype diversities. Results The gene diversity of these 23 Y-STR loci ranged 0.4099-0.9696. A total of 4781 haplotypes were detected,of which 4743 were found once. The haplotype diversity was 0.99999812. Conclusion The 23 Y-STR loci used in this study are highly polymorphic in Han individuals in Jiangsu province and therefore suitable for population genetic study and forensic individual identification.

Vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) method has become robust and reliable alternative for the stereochemical characterization of natural products. In this paper, three new serrulatane-type diterpenoids, euplexaurenes A-C (1-3), and a known metabolite, anthogorgiene P (4), were obtained from the South China Sea gorgonian Euplexaura sp. GXWZ-05. The absolute configuration of C-11 in 1-4, which was difficult to be determined by common means due to the high conformational flexibility of the eight-carbon aliphatic chain attached at C-4, was determined by VCD method, suggesting a new horizon to define the absolute configurations of natural products possessing chains. Compounds 1-4 were found to show selective cytotoxic activities against human laryngeal carcinoma (Hep-2) cell line with the IC 50 values of 1.95, 7.80, 13.6 and 5.85 μM, respectively.

Biocides are widely formulated in household and personal care products. We investigated the distribution and ecological risks of 16 household biocides in aquatic environments of a highly urbanized region in South China, evaluated triclosan as a chemical indicator for this group of household chemicals, and proposed a novel approach to predict the environmental occurrence and fate of these household biocides by using triclosan usage data and a level-III fugacity model. Eleven biocides were quantitatively detected at concentrations up to 264 ± 15.3 ng/L for climbazole in surface water, and up to 5649 ± 748 ng/g for triclocarban in sediment of four rivers in the region. The distribution of biocides in the aquatic environments was significantly correlated with environmental variables such as total nitrogen, total phosphorus and population. Domestic sewage in the region was the dominant pollution source for most biocides such as azole fungicides (fluconazole, climbazole, clotrimazole, ketoconazole, miconazole, and carbendazim) and disinfectants (triclosan and triclocarban). Preliminary risk assessment showed high ecological risks posed by two biocides carbendazim and triclosan in river waters. Mostly important, triclosan was found to be a reliable chemical indicator to surrogate household biocides both in water and sediment based on the correlation analysis. In addition, the fugacity modeling could provide simulated concentrations comparable to the monitoring results. Therefore, with the usage data of the chemical indicator triclosan and correlation formula with other biocides, this model can be applied for predicting the occurrence and fate of various household biocides in a catchment., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are regarded as one of the most important sources of antibiotics in the environment. Two sampling campaigns over a period of one year in two wastewater treatment plants (plant A: activated sludge with chlorination, and plant B: oxidation ditch with UV) of Guangdong Province, China were carried out to assess the occurrence and fate of 11 classes of 50 antibiotics. The wastewater samples were extracted by Oasis HLB cartridges (6mL, 500 mg), while the solid samples (sludge and suspended solid matter) were extracted by ultrasonic-assisted extraction with solvents (acetonitrile and citric acid buffer), followed by an enrichment and clean-up step with solid-phase extraction using SAX-HLB cartridges in tandem. The results showed the presence of 20 and 17 target compounds in the influents and effluents, respectively, at the concentrations ranging from low ng/L to a few μg/L. Sulfamethoxazole, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, anhydro erythromycin and trimethoprim were most frequently detected in the WWTPs wastewaters. Twenty-one antibiotics were found in the sewage sludge from the two WWTPs at the concentrations up to 5800ng/g, with tetracycline, oxytetracycline, norfloxacin and ofloxacin being the predominant antibiotics. The total mass loads of antibiotics per capita in the two plants ranged from 494 to 901 μg/d/inhabitant (672±182 μg/d/inhabitant) in the influents, from 130 to 238 μg/d/inhabitant (175±45 μg/d/inhabitant) in the effluents and from 107 to 307 μg/d/inhabitant (191±87.9 μg/d/inhabitant) in the dewatered sludge, respectively. The aqueous removals for sulfonamides, macrolides, trimethoprim, lincomycin and chloramphenicol in the WWTPs were mainly attributed to the degradation processes, while those for tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones were mainly due to the adsorption onto sludge., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated the occurrence and dissipation of three azole biocides climbazole, clotrimazole and miconazole in biosolid-amended soils of the three sites (Zhejiang, Hunan and Shandong) in China following three treatments (CK: control without biosolid application; T1: one biosolid application; T2: biosolid application every year). The results showed that climbazole, clotrimazole and miconazole were present in the biosolid and biosolid-amended soils, but absent in the control soils. In the soils treated with biosolids, the concentrations of climbazole, clotrimazole and miconazole were mostly lower in the Zhejiang soils than in the Shandong or Hunan soils, suggesting that these three biocides are more readily dissipated under the flooding condition. During the one year monitoring, the concentrations of climbazole, clotrimazole and miconazole in the biosolid-applied soils showed only slight variations. The dissipation half-lives for miconazole calculated under the field conditions of Shandong site were 440 days for T1 and the half-lives for clotrimazole were 365 days for T2. The results suggested the persistence of these three biocides in the soil environments., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To study allergens and their relationship to the occurrence of childhood bronchial asthma in the Jiading District of Shanghai., Methods: Three hundred and eighty-two 4 to 12-year-old children with asthma in the remission stage from Nanxiang Hospital in the Jiading District of Shanghai were used as a case group (asthma group), and 402 children from two primary schools and two kindergartens in Jiading were enrolled by cluster sampling and served as control group. Parents of the children completed a questionnaire on living conditions and allergy-related disease history. Skin prick test (SPT) for 18 common allergens was carried out in both groups. In order to examine the effect of environment and living conditions on SPT results, children in the control group were further divided into two sub-groups according to birth place: migrant (219 cases) and resident (183 cases)., Results: SPT results revealed that the main allergens identified in the Jiading region were dermatophagoides farinae, house dust mites, shrimps, cockroaches, and dog hair. The SPT positive rate was 67.9% in the asthma group, and this was significantly higher than in the control group (31.8%) (P<0.01). The environment and living conditions in the migrant group were significantly different from the resident group (P<0.01), whereas the SPT positive rate for this group was significantly lower than in the resident group (P<0.01)., Conclusions: Allergens in the Jiading region mainly originate from dermatophagoides farinae, household dust mites, shrimps, cockroaches and dog hair. Children with asthma are more susceptible to allergens. Environment and living conditions may be relevant, to a certain extent, to an SPT positive rate.

The human multidrug resistance (MDR1, ABCB1) gene encodes P-glycoprotein (P-gp), which affects the pharmacokinetics of many drugs. Here, we investigated whether common MDR1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (C1236T, C3435T, and G2677T/A) affect predisposition to chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Genotyping was performed in 150 patients with CLL and 117 controls using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assays. Haplotypes were inferred using the PHASE algorithm. We found comparable allele and genotype frequencies among patients with CLL and controls. Moreover, patient and control groups did not differ regarding MDR1 haplotype distribution (p = 0.97). Furthermore, no correlation was shown between the MDR1 1236, 3435, or 2677 genotypes and Binet stage, unmutated immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable region (IGHV) status, CD38 expression, ZAP-70 expression, and p53 deletion. In conclusion, our results do not support a major influence of MDR1 variants on the risk of CLL, and these genomic polymorphisms are not associated with clinical prognostic factors in Chinese patients with CLL.

Three new isopimarane diterpenoids, trogopteroids A-C (1-3), four new aromatic diterpenoids, trogopteroids D-G (4-7), and 12 known diterpenoids were isolated from the feces of Trogopterus xanthipes. Their structures were identified using spectroscopic methods. The relative configuration of 1 was confirmed by quantum calculations. Compound 1 represents the first example of a norisopimarane diterpenoid with an 8alpha,15alpha-olide ring. With the exception of compound 14, all diterpenoids were evaluated for cytotoxicity against seven human tumor cell lines.