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Geochemical maps play an important role in mineral resource exploration. There are three traditional methods for creating geochemical maps: the cumulative frequency method, the logarithmic interval method, and the Avg±k∗Std (where Avg and Std are the abbreviations of average and standard deviation, and k is a multiple of Std) method. However, with the increasing scope of the study area and cumulative data, the limitations of traditional methods, which depend on the amount of data, are exposed. A fixed-value method for Sn geological mapping is proposed to overcome the limitations of traditional methods. In the fixed-value method, Sn concentrations are divided into 19 levels on 18 fixed values ranging from 1 μg/g (corresponding to the detection limit) to 1000 μg/g (corresponding to the cut-off grade of Sn in hard rocks). The 19 levels are mapped in six color tones. The first to fifth levels are the lowest background areas in blue tones, which correspond to Sn concentrations ranging from the minimum to 3.4 μg/g. The sixth to ninth levels are high background areas in yellow tones corresponding to concentrations less than 10 μg/g, the 10th to 12th are low anomaly areas in pink tones less than 28 μg/g, the 13th to 15th are high anomaly areas in red tones less than 200 μg/g (corresponding to the placer cut-off grade), the 16th to 18th in gray tones less than 1000 μg/g, and the 19th level is in black corresponding to Sn ores with Sn concentration not less than 1000 μg/g. The fixed-value method along with three traditional methods was used to contour the Sn geochemical maps in the Gejiu area in Southwest China. The illustration results of the presented fixed-value method and three traditional methods for geochemical mapping of Sn are all feasible for Sn deposit exploration in the Gejiu area, Southwest China. Compared to traditional methods, the presented fixed-value method overcomes the flaws of traditional methods and is also more meaningful in geochemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of the economy and society, the environmental problems caused by heavy metals have always been the focus of attention. Strong concern has been recently shown for the heavy metal pollution of soils in southwestern China. The heavy metals of surface soils in the Xinping area of Yunnan province, China are surveyed along with some crop samples. There are 3312 surface soils and 95 crop samples collected in about 370 square kilometers. Heavy metals including As, Cd, Cr, Hg, and Pb and pH are analyzed. New single and integrated pollution indices of heavy metals for soils (PI and PIn) and crops (PIc and PInc) based on Chinese criteria (GB15618-2018 and GB2762-2022) are described and presented here and used to assess the pollution status of heavy metals. The results indicate that the background level of surface soils is about 62.1%, the screening level is about 33.4%, and the intervention level is about 4.5%, which is mainly a result from Cr and spatially coincides with the peridotite rock, indicating a geogenic pollution source. Most crop samples are not contaminated with heavy metals. Comparing the results of the two integrated pollution indices between soils and crops, two inconsistent assessments are observed. One is that some contaminated crops are growing in unpolluted areas (or Type I) and the other is that some uncontaminated crops are growing in polluted areas (or Type II). This indicates a new challenge between the assessment criteria on soils and crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much of the evidence from the West has shown links between children's developing self-control (executive function), their social experiences, and their social understanding (Carpendale & Lewis, 2006, chapters 5 and 6), across a range of cultures including China. This chapter describes four studies conducted in three Oriental cultures, suggesting that the relationships among social interaction, executive function, and social understanding are different in these cultures, implying that social and executive skills are underpinned by key cultural processes. (Contains 2 figures, 1 table and 1 note.)

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak and the international communication management of Chinese diplomats as a case for extending the definition of intermestic public diplomacy. The goal was to reveal how Beijing subtly used both domestic and foreign social media to organize a network for communication about COVID-19 and purposefully soften the highly centralized and hierarchical political propaganda of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Design/methodology/approach: Based on the literature on digital public diplomacy, the authors applied the existing concept of intermestic to Chinese politics in order to demonstrate the digitalization of public diplomacy, along with its forms and strategies under an authoritarian regime. A hybrid methodology combining quantitative network analysis and qualitative discourse analysis permits examination of China's intermestic online communication network dynamics, shedding light on how such an intermestic practice promoted Chinese values and power to international publics in the early stages of the COVID-19 crisis. Findings: The authors' findings extend the implications of intermestic public diplomacy from a democratic context to an authoritarian one. By analyzing the content of public diplomacy and para-diplomatic social media accounts in China and abroad at the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, the authors outlined China's early crisis management, explaining its intermestic public diplomacy transmission modes and strategies. Moreover, the authors identified changes in the narrative strategies of Chinese diplomats and journalists during this process. Social implications: The findings of this study underline that Beijing established a narrative-making virtual communication structure for disseminating favorable Chinese strategic narratives and voices through differentiated communication on domestic and foreign social media platforms. Such intermestic communication strategies were particularly evident and even further weaponized by Beijing in its large-scale Wolf Warrior diplomacy in the spring of 2020. Thus, the study's findings help readers understand how China digitalized its public diplomacy, its digital communication patterns and strategies. Originality/value: On the one hand, geopolitical uncertainty and the popularity of social media have contributed to the evolution of the intermestic model of public diplomacy. This model allows actors to coordinate homogenous and differentiated communication practices to deploy their influence. On the other hand, the authors did not examine how intermestic audiences perceive and receive public diplomacy practices. In future studies, scholars should measure the agenda-setting capacity of diplomatic actors by examining the effects of such intermestic communication efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background We aimed to explore the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and body weight perception (BWP) with suicidal behaviors among mainland Chinese adolescents. Methods A nationally representative sample (N  = 10 110) of Chinese adolescents was assessed in this study. Suicidal behaviors (ideation, plan and attempt) were evaluated by four self-reported questions. Generalized linear mixed model was used to estimate the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for the association between BWP/BMI with suicidal behaviors. Results The prevalence of suicidal ideation, suicidal plan and suicidal attempt was 12, 5 and 2.1%, respectively. After adjusting potential covariates, perceiving oneself as obese was significantly associated with increased risks of suicidal ideation (OR: 2.4, 95% confidence intervals, CI: 1.6–4.0, P  = 0.001), suicidal plan (OR: 3.1, 95% CI: 1.5–6.3, P  = 0.002) and suicidal attempt (OR: 3.7, 95% CI: 1.5–9.1, P  = 0.001) compared with perceiving as normal weight among male adolescents; the effect attenuated to null among female adolescents. Perceiving oneself as underweight and overweight both exhibited significant adverse effect on suicidal behaviors (only suicidal ideation and suicidal plan) compared with perceiving oneself as normal weight among male adolescents, but not among female adolescents. The actual measured BMI was not significantly associated with suicidal behaviors among neither gender. Conclusions Self-perception of their body image rather than actual measured weight may have a gender-specific adverse effect on suicidal behaviors among Chinese adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an ordinary alteration mineral in the process of fluid–rock interaction, chlorite (most especially its chemical composition) has the potential to become an effective tool to reveal the physicochemical conditions during alteration and help exploration. However, its elemental characteristics during the chloritization process are yet to be clearly understood. The Dehua‐Youxi‐Yongtai (DYY) ore district in south‐east China is one of the potential areas of gold and polymetallic deposits. Lying in the north‐west section of the DYY ore district, the Donghua area is notable for its remarkable metallogenic potential, and porphyry‐epithermal systems might have developed in the area. This study focuses on the elemental characteristics of chlorite in the Donghua area as footprints of the alteration process and mineralization vectoring. According to the geological features and occurrences, the chlorite from Donghua can be divided into two generations: (a) Chlorite I is closely related to chloritization developed in intrusive and volcanic rocks (Permian quartz monzobiorite and Jurassic volcanic rocks of Changlin Formation), and (b) chlorite II is accompanied by superimposed hydrothermal overprinting. The alteration process suggested by overprinting chlorite II can be regarded as almost coeval with the ca. 154–153 Ma magmatic event, and chlorite II is later than chlorite I generation. According to the geothermometry of the chlorite in Donghua, chlorite I might have crystallized on the temperature of 180–240°C with a peak of ~200°C, and the overprinting chlorite II might have experienced two episodes of hydrothermal/epithermal fluid pulsing. The mineral geochemistry of the trace elements in the two generations of the chlorite in Donghua shows different characteristics. The replacement of Mg2+ by Fe2+ plays an important role for ionic substitution in the octahedral position, especially for chlorite II. The other occasion might be Mg and Fe jointly entering the octahedral position as well as Mg‐ and Fe‐AlVI substitution mechanisms. The enrichment of Mg especially in chlorite II suggests low‐grade oxidation and acid conditions, which might be beneficial for the transportation of metallogenic substances. The obvious differences of Co and Ni are remarkable aspects of the trace elements of chlorite in Donghua, resulted by the ion substitution and function of different octahedral site preference energy. The mineral chemistry of chlorite II from Donghua can be helpful for targeting and exploration vectoring in the DYY ore district. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the perspective of complex system management of forest biomass power generation (FBPG) supply chain, this paper explores a new way to reduce the operation cost of forest biomass raw materials supply chain and improve the operation efficiency of forest biomass supply chain in China. Firstly, the supply chain model of FBPG is summarized through the survey data, and the existing problems are found. Then, the behavior strategies among farmers, middlemen, and enterprises are analyzed, and the data that cannot be obtained in the model are estimated by using statistical methods. Finally, the complex supply chain system is simulated by computer. Through setting different forestry policies, this paper compares and analyzes the profit of the supply chain and puts forward policy suggestions to promote the development of the FBPG industry in China. In this paper, the actual situation, principles of statistics, and system simulation are effectively combined to make the behavior rules of various stakeholders fit the reality, and the research conclusions are more practical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel Gram-strain-negative, rod-shaped, non-flagellated, non-gliding, beige-pigmented and aerobic bacterium, designated strain UJN715T, was isolated from rhizosphere soil of Alhagi sparsifolia obtained from Alear city, located in Xinjiang province, PR China. Growth optimally occurred at 37 °C, pH 6.5–7.5, and 0–3% (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain UJN715T belonged to the genus Chelativorans, with the highest sequence similarity to Chelativorans multitrophicus DSM 9103 T (97.7%). Genome sequencing revealed a genome size of 5 702 301 bp and a G + C content of 64.1 mol%. The ANI, POCP and the dDDH between strain UJN715T and C. multitrophicus DSM 9103 T were 76.2%, 49.3%, and 20.5%, respectively. The prediction result of secondary metabolites based on genome showed that the strain UJN715T contained one cluster of ectoine production, one cluster of non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS), one cluster of type I polyketide synthases (TIPKS), one cluster of bacteriocin, one cluster of TfuA-related, one cluster of N-acetylglutaminylglutamine amide (NAGGN) production, one cluster of terpene production, two clusters of homoserine lactone (Hserlactone) production. The major respiratory quinone was Q-10. The major fatty acids were iso-C17:0, C18:0 and C19:0 cyclo ω8c and its polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phospholipids, unknown lipids, diphosphatidylglycerol, aminoglycolipid, unidentified aminophospholipids. On the basis of these data, strain UJN715T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Chelativorans, for which the name Chelativorans alearense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is UJN715T (= KCTC 72856T = CCTCC AB2019378T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applying a constructive journalistic paradigm, we examined how the Chinese media digitalized panda diplomacy on Twitter. By analyzing English-language, panda-themed tweets (N = 855) posted by Chinese state-owned media (Xinhua News Agency, People's Daily, and CGTN) in 2017, we identified content types and communication engagement practices that contributed to Chinese digital diplomacy. Our findings confirm that the practice of panda engagement online is highly politicized in the context of China's public diplomacy. Chinese media outlets use Twitter (a) to spread official discourse and views in the diplomatic arena to strengthen the government's impact and (b) to accrue sympathy capital and increase attractiveness through strategic placement of imagery (e.g. static images, moving gifs, and video clips) and textual narrative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

129I concentration levels in uranium deposits are not well investigated for the purpose of studying the potential influence of uranium mine on surrounding surface environment. This work presents the concentrations of 127I, 129I, and uranium in ore and soil samples from a uranium deposit in northwest China. 129I concentration is 110 × 105 atoms/g in the ore sample, while the concentration is two orders of magnitude lower than the level of 129I found in the soil sample collected in the deposit. A significant in-situ enrichment of 129I is found in the ore based on an estimation from 129I/U ratio, which is likely attributed to strong absorption of iodine onto iron and manganese oxides. 129I concentrations in the soil samples outside the deposit area were comparable to that in ore sample, but 2–3 orders of magnitude greater than the soil sample collected from the deposit. The results show that 129I in the surrounding surface environment is not related to the uranium deposit and suggest that 129I in this studied area has other artificial sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are significant associations between ambient temperature and respiratory disease mortality. However, few studies have assessed the morbidity burdens of various respiratory diseases that are attributable to different temperature ranges in subtropical regions.Methods: Daily outpatient visits, weather variables, and air pollution data were collected from January 2013 to August 2017 in a hospital in Dongguan city. A standard time series quasi-Poisson regression with a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) was applied to estimate the associations between daily mean temperature and morbidity for total respiratory diseases, bronchiectasis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and asthma. Attributable fractions were then calculated to quantify disease burden relative to different temperature components. Finally, we conducted stratified analysis by age group.Results: Both low and high temperatures were associated with an increased risk of morbidity secondary to respiratory diseases. Compared with the optimum temperature, the accumulated relative risk (RR) during the seven lag days was 1.13 with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.01-1.26 for extreme heat and 1.02 (95% CI: 0.99-1.05) for extreme cold. Heat-related respiratory morbidity risk was higher than cold-related risk for the total population, but an opposite result was observed for the elderly. About 8.4% (95% CI: 2.8-13.3%) of respiratory morbidity was attributable to non-optimal temperatures, and moderate heat was responsible for most of the excess respiratory morbidity (7.5, 95% CI: 2.4-12.2%).Conclusions: We found that exposure to non-optimal temperatures increased the risk of respiratory morbidity in subtropical region, and moderate heat contributed to most of the temperature-related respiratory morbidities. This indicates a need for further examination of moderate, rather than extreme, heat in subtropical region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, Chinese scholars have made some progress in the field of restless legs syndrome (RLS), including epidemiological investigation of prevalence of RLS in some areas of China, the pathogenesis, comorbidities research, drug therapy and non - drug therapy of RLS, such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), acupuncture and moxibustion treatment, etc. This has laid a solid foundation for understanding and treating the disease in a better way, and also makes some contributions to RLS research for our country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Understanding global patterns of nutrient concentrations and ratios is necessary. • A comparison of lake nutrients between Europe and China was performed. • Nutrient concentrations in lakes in China were much higher than those in Europe. • Lake N/P ratio was impacted by different environmental stressors in two regions. • A set of spatially flexible policies for water quality controls will be necessary. Global anthropogenic flows of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) have exceeded planetary boundaries with significant implications for pollution of the freshwater resources in the world. Understanding the global patterns and drivers of N and P concentrations and their ratios in the lakes could help design more effective management and remediation strategies to mitigate the impacts of eutrophication. While a suite of drivers are associated with the sources of nutrients, their transport and internal processes that control concentrations of N and P in the lakes, much less is known about the relative importance of different drivers in explaining spatial variations of lake nutrients and ratios. In this study, we compared N and P concentrations and their ratios in the lakes across China and Europe and examined the differences of dominant environmental and social drivers on lake nutrients. Our comparison showed that total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations were much higher in the lakes in China compared to those in Europe (i.e., TN: 1.13 mg/L in China vs. 0.64 mg/L in Europe; TP: 35.83 μg/L in China vs. 19.38 μg/L in Europe, the median value). However, lake N/P ratios for both regions were not statistically different. Concentrations of TN and TP showed decoupling in both regions, with the majority of lakes having high N/P mass ratios when evaluated by the commonly accepted threshold of 23 (i.e., 61% in China and 68% in Europe), indicating that phytoplankton are more P limited relative to N. Agricultural activity in the lake catchment is an important predictor for both nutrient concentrations and their ratio in Europe. This reflects successful investments in infrastructure and policy prescriptions in addressing point sources of pollution. In comparison, lake depth and water residence time are important in the decoupling of N and P concentrations in China. The regional difference between the dominant drivers can provide important insights into development of effective water pollution control measures. It is necessary for policy makers and water resource managers to be aware of large-scale imbalance of nutrients in lake due to the potential environmental consequences. A set of spatially flexible policies for water quality controls would be beneficial for sustaining the ecological integrity and future health of lakes. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effect and molecular mechanisms of different doses of 8-hydroxy dihydroberberine (Hdber) for the treatment of hyperlipidemia in rats. Methods: A rat model of hyperlipidemia was established by feeding rats a high-fat diet for 4 weeks in 70 rats of 80 animals, and 10 rats were randomly selected as control group. The hyperlipidemic rats were then randomly divided into the following groups: a model group (MOD); a berberine group [BBR, 156 mg/(kg day)]; Hdber groups, which were treated with different doses of Hdber [78, 39 and 19.5 mg/(kg day)]; and a simvastatin group [SIM, 4 mg/(kg day)]. The corresponding therapy was administered to the rats of each treatment via gastric tubes. Normal animals were used as a control group. The blood levels of various lipids, including total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, free fatty acid (FFA), apolipoprotein AI(Apo-AI) and apolipoprotein B (Apo-B) were examined. The protein expressions of low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDL-R), sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2 (SREBP-2), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR) and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK-9) in liver tissues were determined by Western blot analysis. Results: Compared with the control group of rats, the model group demonstrated a deteriorated blood lipid profile and exhibited increased expression levels of PCSK-9 protein in their liver tissues ( P<0.01). In addition, the high-fat diet decreased the expression levels of LDL-R, SREBP-2 and HMGCR proteins in murine liver tissues. However, the addition of berberine or Hdber reversed the blood lipid profile changes ( P<0.05 or P<0.01), decreased the expression levels of PCSK-9 proteins ( P<0.01), and increased the expression levels of LDL-R proteins in the hyperlipidemic rats ( P<0.01). These compounds did not significantly influence the expression levels of SREBP-2 and HMGCR proteins in the hyperlipidemic rats. Conclusions: Hdber is effective in the treatment of hyperlipidemia in rats. The therapeutic mechanisms of Hdber may be associated with increasing the expression of LDL-R protein and decreasing the expression of PCSK-9 protein in liver tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine differences in adherence to secondary prevention guidelines (pharmacological interventions) among coronary heart disease (CHD) patients between a Chinese medicine (CM) hospital and a general hospital in a Chinese city. Methods: Medical records of 200 patients consecutively discharged from the CM hospital and the general hospital for CHD were reviewed to determine the proportions of eligible patients who received antiplatelet agents, β-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) and statins at discharge. The effects of patient characteristics and hospital type on the use of these medicines were estimated using logistic regression models. Results: Patients discharged from the CM hospitals were older; more likely females; had greater history of hyperlipidemia, cerebrovascular diseases and less smoker ( P<0.01 or P<0.05). They were less likely to receive coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention, and had a longer length of stay than those discharged from the general hospital ( P<0.01 or P<0.05). There were no significant differences in antiplatelet agents (96% vs. 100%, P=0.121) or statins (97.9% vs. 100%, P=0.149) use between the CM hospital and the general hospital. In multivariable analyses that adjusted for patient characteristics and hospital type, there was no significant difference in use of β-blockers between the CM hospital and the general hospital. In contrast, patients discharged from the CM hospital were less likely to receive ACE inhibitors/ARBs compared with those discharged from the general hospital (odds ratio: 0.3, 95% confidence interval: 0.105-0.854). Conclusion: In this study, the CM hospital provides the same quality of care in CHD for prescribing evidence-based medications at discharge compared with another general hospital except for ACE inhibitors/ARBs use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • In-field measurement of nitrite as carcinogen is important for food safety. • A fully integrated colorimetric detection system for nitrite is offered. • APP is combined with DCNN as visual monitoring platform. • Validity period of test paper is prolonged from 7 d to more than 30 d. • The accuracy of food classification is high as 91.33–100% Nitrite is one of the most common carcinogens in daily food. Its simple, rapid, inexpensive, and in-field measurement is important for food safety, based on the requirements of the standard from Codex Alimentarius Commission and China. Using polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and thin layer silica gel (SG), p-aminophenylcyclic acid (SA) and naphthalene ethylenediamine hydrochloride (NEH), as carriers and chromogenic agents, respectively, PAN-NSS as nitrite color sensor is proposed. After fixing and protecting of SA and NEH with layer-upon-layer PAN, the validity period of the test paper can be prolonged from 7 days to more than 30 days. The reproducibility of PAN-NSS preparation is ensured by electrospinning. Combined with PAN-NSS, deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) and APP as a visual monitoring platform, which has the functions of rapid sampling, data processing and transmission, intuitive feedback, etc., and provides a fully integrated detection system for field detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much of the evidence from the West has shown links between children's developing self-control (executive function), their social experiences, and their social understanding (Carpendale & Lewis, 2006, chapters 5 and 6), across a range of cultures including China. This chapter describes four studies conducted in three Oriental cultures, suggesting that the relationships among social interaction, executive function, and social understanding are different in these cultures, implying that social and executive skills are underpinned by key cultural processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural activities are important contributors to the emissions of greenhouse gases. This study ascertained the dynamic emission of nitrous oxide (N2O) from a paddy field under a rice-duck farming system in South China. Two different cultivation and fertilizer treatments, namely, organic fertilizer + ducks (OF+D) and chemical fertilizer + ducks (CF+D) treatments, were employed in this study. Experimental data showed that diurnal variations of N2O emission were highly correlated with the activities of ducklings. The rates of N2O emission were normally increased in the early morning and late afternoon due to the frequent movement of ducklings at these time periods. Our study further revealed that the rates of N2O emission from the paddy field varied with the types of fertilizers used as well as with the stages of the rice growth. In general, the rates of N2O emission were higher for the CF+D treatment than for the OF+D treatment, whereas more N2O was emitted from the paddy field at the tillering stage than at the heading stage. The global warming potential with the use of the organic fertilizer was about 22% lower than with the use of the chemical fertilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owning to the high radiotoxicity in high concentrations, as well as the irreplaceability in quantifying soil erosion rates, demarcating the Anthropocene, and dating of sediment, anthropogenic 239,240Pu have drawn high attention. However, the source in specific areas, preservation characteristics in different environment media, and re-distribution process after the cessation of atmospheric nuclear weapons tests, have not been fully understood, which obscures the exact start year, temporal variation, and deposition flux of 239,240Pu in sedimentary records, and hinders the wide application of 239,240Pu in environment study. A sediment core from the Yiwu peat bog with dominance of atmospheric deposition in the source material, simple sedimentary environment, and high dust deposition flux, was collected to examine the 239,240Pu, and explore the source, preservation, and re-distribution process. The double peaks of 239,240Pu in 1952 CE and 1963 CE, as well as 240Pu/239Pu ratios of 0.163–0.190 with an average of 0.177 ± 0.010 confirmed that the 239,240Pu source originated predominantly from global fallout. The minimal vertical migration of plutonium in the Yiwu peat core was attributed to the near-neutral pH condition. The high inventory of 128 ± 7 Bq m−2, as well as the atypical negative correlation between 239,240Pu concentrations and organic matter content (r = − 0.79, P < 0.01), was attributed to the contribution of 239,240Pu re-suspended with dust from the neighboring Gobi Desert, particularly in the cold and dry years. The total re-suspended 239,240Pu was estimated to be 77 Bq m−2, exceeding the direct fallout level of 51 Bq m−2 during 1945–2016 CE. In this study, the specified deposition pattern of 239,240Pu after the cessation of atmospheric nuclear weapons was established, providing an important standard for multiple environmental studies, and the re-suspended amount of 239,240Pu in a typical arid area was quantified for the first time. [Display omitted] • 239,240Pu re-suspended with dust in arid areas was firstly quantified. • The 239,240Pu re-suspended with dust exceeds the direct fallout amount. • Minimal vertical migration of Pu in the near-neutral pH peat core. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Road traffic congestion has a large impact on travel. The accurate prediction of traffic congestion has become a hot topic in intelligent transportation systems (ITS). Recently, a variety of traffic congestion prediction methods have been proposed. However, most approaches focus on floating car data, and the prediction accuracy is often unstable due to large fluctuations in floating speed. Targeting these challenges, we propose a method of traffic congestion prediction based on bus driving time (TCP-DT) using long short-term memory (LSTM) technology. Firstly, we collected a total of 66,228 bus driving records from 50 buses for 66 working days in Guangzhou, China. Secondly, the actual and standard bus driving times were calculated by processing the buses' GPS trajectories and bus station data. Congestion time is defined as the interval between actual and standard driving time. Thirdly, congestion time prediction based on LSTM (T-LSTM) was adopted to predict future bus congestion times. Finally, the congestion index and classification (CI-C) model was used to calculate the congestion indices and classify the level of congestion into five categories according to three classification methods. Our experimental results show that the T-LSTM model can effectively predict the congestion time of six road sections at different time periods, and the average mean absolute percentage error ( M A P E ¯ ) and root mean square error ( R M S E ¯ ) of prediction are 11.25% and 14.91 in the morning peak, and 12.3% and 14.57 in the evening peak, respectively. The TCP-DT method can effectively predict traffic congestion status and provide a driving route with the least congestion time for vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dust is an important source of atmospheric pollution, and quantitative estimation of desert dust transport is crucial for air pollution control. In this study, five typical sandy soil profiles in the Tengger Desert were collected and analyzed for 239,240Pu concentration and 240Pu/239Pu atomic ratios in order to identify the source of 239,240Pu in this area and explore the sedimentary characteristics of dust in different profiles. The results revealed that the concentrations of 239,240Pu in the soil profiles were between 0.002 and 0.443 mBq/g with an exception of the deep layer soil at one site. The measured atomic ratios of 240Pu/239Pu are at the global atmospheric fallout level with a mean of 0.184 ± 0.020, indicating that global fallout is the dominant source of plutonium in this region. The total inventories of 239,240Pu in the reference sites in this area were estimated to be 39.2–44.6 Bq/m2, this is in agreement with the value from the global fallout of atmospheric nuclear weapon tests at the similar latitude (30–40 °N: 42 Bq/m2). The estimated erosion rate in the erosion profile utilizing soil erosion intensity mode is 2491 t/km2/yr and the soil erosion depth is 9.86 cm, While, the stacking rate of the accumulation profile is 1383 t/km2/yr, and the depth of accumulation is estimated to be 5.48 cm. The difference between the erosion and accumulation profiles indicated that approximately 1107 t/km2/yr of dust was exported from the Gobi landform area of the Tengger Desert, which might be transported long distance in the downwind direction. [Display omitted] • The first attempt was made to use 239,240Pu as a tracer to track erosion in desert. • The large sandbag of the leeward slope is prone to accumulation. • The windward slope is prone to wind erosion and transportation. • According to the soil erosion model to quantitatively track desert dust transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A continental-scale investigation shows the geographic patterns of soil N and P stoichiometry in China's wetlands. • Soil N and P stoichiometry in wetlands exhibit more diversified geographic patterns than those in terrestrial ecosystem. • Geographic factors rather than vegetation and climate explain the soil N and P stoichiometry in wetlands. Generally, the contents of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), and their stoichiometry, in the soil of terrestrial ecosystems exhibit certain geographic patterns. However, it remains poorly understood whether these patterns also exist for wetland soils. Here, we compiled a dataset of 731 observations among 468 sites from both published reports and field investigations, to examine the continental-scale geographic patterns in soil N and P stoichiometry of the Chinese wetlands. The results showed that the averaged soil N contents, P contents and N:P ratio were 1.98 mg g−1, 0.70 mg g−1, and 3.59, respectively, which were also dependent on wetland types and vegetation. Moreover, soil N and P contents and N:P ratio concurrently exhibited clear latitudinal, longitudinal and altitudinal patterns, more diversified patterns than those in terrestrial ecosystem. The observed patterns were explained primarily based on geographic factors, particularly the altitude, rather than vegetation and climate conditions. These findings advance our understanding of biogeographical nutrient cycles in wetlands and highlight the critical role of geographic factors in regulating soil N and P stoichiometry under global climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of avian influenza A(H7N9) virus poses a pandemic threat to human beings. It was proposed that meteorological factors might be important environmental factors favoring the occurrence of H7N9 infection, but evidence is still inadequate. In this study, we aimed to investigate the independent and interactive effects of ambient temperature (TM) and absolute humidity (AH) on H7N9 infection risks in China. The individual information of all reported H7N9 cases and daily meteorological data in five provinces/municipality (Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Fujian, and Guangdong) in China during 2013–2016 were collected. We employed a case-crossover study design, in which the 7–10 days before the onset date of each H7N9 case was defined as the hazard period, and 4 weeks before the hazard period was taken as the control period. The average levels of meteorological factors were calculated during the hazard and control periods. A Cox regression model was used to estimate the independent and interactive effects of TM and vapor pressure (VP), an indicator of AH, on H7N9 infection risks. A total of 738 H7N9 cases were included in the present study. Significantly nonlinear negative associations of TM and VP with H7N9 infection risks were observed in all cases, and in cases from northern and southern regions. There were significant interactive effects between TM and VP on H7N9 infection risks, and the risks of H7N9 infection were higher in cold-dry days than other days. We further observed different risky windows of H7N9 infection in the northern (TM: 0–18 °C, VP: 3 13 mb) and southern areas (TM: 7–21 °C, VP: 3–17 mb). We concluded that ambient temperature and absolute humidity had significant independent and interactive effects on H7N9 infection risks in China, and the risks of H7N9 infection were higher in cold-dry days. The risky windows of H7N9 infection were different in the northern and southern areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Chimonanthus praecox and Chimonanthus salicifolius are two native plants in China. In this study, the genetic diversity and differentiation within and among 17 natural populations of these two species were evaluated using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. Pronounced genetic differentiation occurred between these two species (Φ ST = 0.3364). For both species, the genetic diversity was low at the population level (Ch. praecox: PPL = 32.49%, h = 0.0968, I = 0.1488; Ch. salicifolius: PPL = 34.25%, h = 0.1192, I = 0.1777), but relatively higher at the species level (Ch. praecox: PPL = 86.03%, h = 0.1552, I = 0.2635; Ch. salicifolius: PPL = 81.25%, h = 0.2401, I = 0.3684). The hierarchical AMOVA revealed high levels of among-population genetic differentiation in both species, in-line with the gene differentiation coefficient and the limited among-population gene flow (Ch. praecox: Φ ST = 0.4650, G ST = 0.3784, N m = 0.8213; Ch. salicifolius: Φ ST = 0.5912, G ST = 0.5036, N m = 0.4929). A significant isolation-by-distance pattern was revealed in Ch. salicifolius (r = 0.703, P = 0.048), but not in Ch. praecox (r = 0.168, P = 0.185). Based on these data, effective conservation strategies were proposed for these two species. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aim of the study: Vessel endothelium injury caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) including H2O2 plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disorders. Therefore, agents or antioxidants that can inhibit production of ROS has highly clinical values in cardiovascular therapy. Curculigoside is the major bioactive compounds present in Curculigo orchioides, and possess potent antioxidant properties against oxidative stress insults through undefined mechanism(s). The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that curculigoside can inhibit H2O2-induced injury in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Materials and methods: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with curculigoside in the presence/absence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The protective effects of curculigoside OP-D against H2O2 were evaluated. Results: HUVECs incubated with 400μM H2O2 had significantly decreased the viability of endothelial cells, which was accompanied with apparent cells apoptosis, the activation of caspase-3 and the upregulation of p53 mRNA expression. In addition, H2O2 treatment induced a marked increase of MDA, LDH content and in intracellular ROS, decreased the content of nitric oxide (NO) and GSH-Px activities in endothelial cells. However, pretreatment with 0.5.5,10μM curculigoside resulted in a significant recovery from H2O2-induced cell apoptosis. Also, it decreased other H2O2-induced damages in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, pretreatment with curculigoside decreased the activity of caspase-3 and p53 mRNA expression, which was known to play a key role in H2O2-induced cell apoptosis. Conclusion: The present study shows that curculigoside can protect endothelial cells against oxidative injury induced by H2O2, suggesting that this compound may constitute a promising intervention against cardiovascular disorders. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Saruma henryi Oliv. (Aristolochiaceae) is an endangered herb endemic to China. In this study, chloroplast microsatellites (cpSSRs) and sequences of the atpB–rbcL intergenic spacers were employed to reveal its genetic diversity and phylogeographic patterns. We detected high within-species genetic diversity (H T =0.939 for cpSSR; H T =0.862 for atpB–rbcL) and pronounced among-population genetic differentiation (H S =0.182, G ST =0.811, R ST = 0.9, F ST =0.93 for cpSSR; H S =0.238, G ST =0.724, N ST =0.758, F ST =0.79 for atpB–rbcL) with a strong phylogeographic pattern (R ST > G ST, P <0.01 for cpSSR; N ST > G ST, U =0.25 for atpB–rbcL). Eleven haplotypes were distinguished by cpSSRs and atpB–rbcL intergenic spacers, respectively. The molecular phylogenetic data, together with the geographic distribution of the haplotypes, suggested the existence of multiple localized glacial refugia in Mts. Qinling, eastern Mts. Bashan and the southeastern edge of Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. Nested clade analysis (NCA) and population genetic analyses supported the limited gene flow (caused by low dispersal capacity and complex topography of its habitats) as the major factor responsible for the strong population differentiation and phylogeographic pattern. Past fragmentation and allopatric fragmentation were inferred as important processes responsible for the modern phylogeograhpic pattern. In addition, contiguous range expansions occurred in western Mts. Qinling and eastern Mts. Bashan. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The research on geochemical behaviors of iodine is significant for deep understanding of the source and distribution of iodine on the earth. However, as one of the most important sources, the ocean emissions and relative transport pathways of iodine, as well as the preservation after deposition are still not well known, especially in the arid areas of central Asia. A peat sediment core collected nearby Barkol Lake from northwest China was analyzed for iodine isotopes (127I and 129I). The observed high 127I concentration in the top 2 cm indicated a significant accumulation of iodine in the surface oxic conditions due to the continuous sources of incompletely decomposed organic matter. Dissociation of iodine into pore waters occurred once the anoxic conditions established beneath the surface by a serial reduction reaction during the degradation of organic matter. The temporal variation of anthropogenic 129I in the peat sediment recorded its sources and transport pathways. Besides the global fallout 129I during late 1950s and early 1960s, the significantly increased air releases from the European nuclear fuel reprocessing plants during 1975–1997 and the increased marine discharges since 1990s contributed the major portion of 129I in the peat core. The major transport pathway of 129I from the Europe was through Westerlies following the re-emission of the marine discharged 129I to the atmosphere, indicating a clearly ocean emitted iodine in the concerned central Asia. • Significant accumulation of organic iodine occurred in surface aerobic sediment. • Dissociation of iodine occurs once the anaerobic circumstances established. • Historical deposition of 129I well recorded in Barkol Lake region since 1950s. • Westerlies bring the European reprocessing derived 129I to Asian inland arid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the geospatial distribution of normal reference values of Interleukin 4 (IL-4) in healthy Chinese adults and to provide a basis for the development of standard references. IL-4 values of 5,221 healthy adults from 64 cities in China were collected and analyzed for a potential correlation with 24 topographical, climatic and soil factors. Seven of these factors were extracted and used to build a back propagation (BP) neural network model that was used to predict IL-4 reference values in healthy individuals from 2,317 observation sites nationwide. The predicted values were tested for normality and geographic distribution by analytic Kriging interpolation to map the geographic distribution of IL-4 reference values in healthy Chinese subjects. The results showed that IL-4 values generally decreased and then increased from the South to the North. We concluded that the BP neural network model applies to this approach, where certain geographical factors determine levels of various biochemical and immunological standards in healthy adults in regions with different topography, climate and soil indices.

Purpose: This is a phase II multicenter, single-arm, open-label study assessing the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics (PK) of ripretinib in Chinese patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) as a fourth- or later-line therapy. It was designed to show consistency with the phase III INVICTUS study., Patients and Methods: Patients with disease progression on (or intolerance to) prior imatinib, sunitinib, and at least one other drug were recruited to receive ripretinib 150 mg once daily continuously in 28-day cycles. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) based on independent radiologic review (IRR). Secondary efficacy endpoints included objective response rate (ORR) based on IRR and overall survival. Safety endpoints included the incidence and severity of adverse events (AE)., Results: Between April 2020 and August 2020, 39 patients were enrolled. All were included in the safety analysis while 38 were included in the efficacy analysis. By primary data cut-off (February 26, 2021), the median PFS [90% confidence interval (CI)] was 7.2 (2.9-7.3) months; the lower bound of the 90% CI exceeded 1 month, fulfilling the standard of bridging success. The ORR (95% CI) based on IRR was 18.4% (7.7%-34.3%). Treatment-related treatment-emergent AEs (TRAE) were reported in 37 (94.9%) patients. The majority of TRAEs were of grade 1/2. A total of 6 patients (15.4%) experienced grade 3/4 TRAEs., Conclusions: The results demonstrated that ripretinib can clinically improve the outcomes of Chinese patients with advanced GIST as a fourth- or later-line therapy. The efficacy, safety, and PK profiles of ripretinib are consistent with those in the global patient population., (©2022 The Authors; Published by the American Association for Cancer Research.)

Background & Aims: Latent metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC) frequently develops months or years after primary surgery, followed by adjuvant therapies, and may progress rapidly even with targeted therapy administered, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we aim to explore the molecular basis for the aggressive behavior of latent metastasis in CRC., Methods: Transcriptional profiling and pathway enrichment analysis of paired primary and metastatic tumor samples were performed. The underlying mechanisms of pleckstrin homology-like domain, family B, member 2 (PHLDB2) in CRC were investigated by RNA immunoprecipitation assay, immunohistochemistry, mass spectrometry analysis, and Duolink in situ proximity ligation assay (Sigma-Aldrich, Shanghai, China). The efficacy of targeting PHLDB2 in cetuximab treatment was elucidated in CRC cell lines and mouse models., Results: Based on the transcriptional profile of paired primary and metastatic tumor samples, we identified PHLDB2 as a potential regulator in latent liver metastasis. A detailed mechanistic study showed that chemotherapeutic agent-induced oxidative stress promotes methyltransferase-like 14 (METTL14)-mediated N6-methyladenosine modification of PHLDB2 messenger RNA, facilitating its protein expression. Up-regulated PHLDB2 stabilizes epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and promotes its nuclear translocation, which in turn results in EGFR signaling activation and consequent cetuximab resistance. Moreover, Arg1163 (R1163) of PHLDB2 is crucial for interaction with EGFR, and the R1163A mutation abrogates its regulatory function in EGFR signaling., Conclusions: PHLDB2 plays a crucial role in cetuximab resistance and is proposed to be a potential target for the treatment of CRC., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A novel strain, wg2 T , was isolated from activated sludge obtained from wastewater treatment plant in Shandong province, China. The bacterium was Gram-strain-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped, non-flagellated and non-gliding. This bacterium was characterized to determine its taxonomic position using the polyphasic approach. Strain wg2 T grew at 25-45 °C (optimum, 30 °C), at salinities of 0-7.0% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 0-2.0%) and at pH 7-9 (optimum, pH 7.0). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain wg2 T clustered with species of genus Paracoccus and shares high similarities with Paracoccus sediminis DSM 26170  T (98.1%) and Paracoccus fontiphilus MVW-1  T (97.7%), respectively. The genome size of strain wg2 T was 3.93 Mbp and the DNA G + C content was 66.05%. The dDDH values and ANI between strain wg2 T and each of reference strains P. sediminis DSM 26170  T , P. fontiphilus MVW-1  T and P. denitrificans DSM 413  T were 18.3, 12.5, 24.5% and 85.3, 87.0, 78.4%, respectively. The major respiratory quinone was found to be Q-10 and the major fatty acid was C 18:1 ω7c. The polar lipids consisted of aminoglycolipid (AGL), phosphatidylcholine (PC), glycolipid (GL), phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylglycerol phosphate (PGP), aminophospholipids (APL). Combining above descriptions, strain wg2 T should represent a novel species of genus Paracoccus, for which the name Paracoccus shandongensis sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is wg2 T (= KCTC 72862  T  = CCTCC AB 2019401  T )., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

A gram-stain-negative, non-motile and rod-shaped strain, designated wg1 T , was isolated from activated sludge obtained from wastewater treatment plant in Binzhou (Shandong province, PR China). Growth of strain wg1 T occurred at 25-45 °C (optimum, 37 °C), at pH 7.0-9.0 (optimum growth at pH 8.0) and at a salinity range of 0-4% (optimum, 1%). The chemotaxonomic, phenotypic and genomic traits were investigated. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain wg1 T belonged to the genus Paracoccus. The species with highest similarity to strain wg1 T was Paracoccus communis VKM B-2787 T (98.27%), followed by Paracoccus kondratievae VKM B-2222 T (98.25%). The isoprenoid quinone was Q-10. Major cellular fatty acids were summed feature 8, C 16:0 and C 18:0 . The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), aminoglycolipid (AGL), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylcholine (PC), aminolipid (AL), one unidentified lipid (L) and one unidentified phospholipid (PL). The genome size was 4,834,448 bp with a G+C content of 67.67 mol%. The prediction result of secondary metabolites based on genome has shown that the strain wg1 T contained 12 clusters, and the gene involved in primary metabolism showed differences in the comparison between wg1 T and reference strains. The dDDH values of strain wg1 T with P. communis VKM B-2787 T , P. kondratievae VKM B-2222 T and P. denitrificans DSM 413 T were 45.30, 30.60 and 39.50%, respectively. Based on its physiological properties, chemotaxonomic characteristics and low ANI and dDDH results, strain wg1 T is considered to represent a novel species for which the name Paracoccus binzhouensis sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is wg1 T (= KCTC 72861 T  = CCTCC AB 2019400 T )., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

A novel Gram-strain-negative, beige-pigmented, aerobic, rod-shaped, non-flagellated and non-gliding bacterium, designated strain lm93 T , was isolated from rhizosphere soil of Alhagi sparsifolia obtained from Alar city, located in Xinjiang province, China. Growth optimally occurred at 30 °C, pH 6.5-7.5, and 0-2% (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain lm93 T belonged to the genus Chelativorans, with highest sequence similarity to Chelativorans multitrophicus DSM 9103 T (96.9%). Genome sequencing revealed a genome size of 5 689 708 bp and a G + C content of 64.3 mol%. The ANI, POCP and the dDDH between strain lm93 T and C. multitrophicus DSM 9103 T were 76.4%, 54.8% and 0.8%, respectively. The prediction result of secondary metabolites based on genome showed that the strain lm93 T contained one cluster of bacteriocin, one cluster of terpene production, two clusters of ectoine production, one cluster of non-ribosomal peptide synthetase, one cluster of type I polyketide synthases, three clusters of homoserine lactone production, one cluster of N-acetylglutaminylglutamine amide production and one cluster of phosphonate production. The major respiratory quinone was Q-10. The major fatty acids were C 19:0 cyclo ω8c, iso-C 17:0 and summed feature 8 (C 18:1 ω6c and/or C 18:1 ω7c) and its polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, two unidentified aminophospholipids, aminoglycolipid, three unknown lipids and diphosphatidylglycerol. On the basis of these data, strain lm93 T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Chelativorans, for which the name Chelativorans xinjiangense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is lm93 T (= KCTC 72857 T  = CCTCC AB2019376 T ).

A golden-pigmented, Gram-strain-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped, non-flagellated and non-gliding bacterium, designated strain lm2 T , was isolated from activated sludge obtained from a wastewater treatment plant in Binzhou (Shandong province, PR China). Growth occurred at 15-45°C (optimum, 30 °C), in the presence of 0-5.0 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 0-2.0 %) and at pH 6.5-8.0 (optimum, pH 7.0-7.5). The chemotaxonomic, phenotypic and genomic traits were investigated. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain lm2 T belonged to the genus Chryseobacterium , with highest sequence similarity to Chryseobacterium echinoideorum CC-CZW010 T (97.1 %). Genome sequencing revealed a genome size of 3 611 894 bp and a G+C content of 34.9 mol%. The average nucleotide identity value and the digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) value between strain lm2 T and C. echinoideorum JCM 30470 T were 87.8 and 34.7 %, respectively. The major respiratory quinone was Menaquinone-6 (MK-6). The major fatty acids were iso-C 15 : 0 , iso-C 17 : 0 3-OH and iso-C 17 : 1 ω 9 c and its polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), unidentified lipids (L1-5) and unidentified aminolipids (AL1-4). On the basis of these data, strain lm2 T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Chryseobacterium , for which the name Chryseobacterium binzhouense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is lm2 T (=KCTC 72529 T =CCTCC AB2019126 T ).

A Gram-stain-negative, non-spore-forming, non-motile, short-rod-shaped and aerobic bacterial strain (designated lm1 T ) was isolated from propylene oxide saponification wastewater activated sludge obtained from a wastewater treatment facility in Binzhou (Shandong province, PR China). Strain lm1 T grew between 15 and 45 °C (optimum, 40 °C). The pH range for growth was at pH 4.0-10.0 (optimum growth at pH 8.0). The range of NaCl concentration for the growth of strain lm1 T was 0-4.0 % (w/v), with optimum growth at 1.0-2.0 % (w/v). Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain lm1 T belonged to the genus Rhodoligotrophos and was closely related to Rhodoligotrophos appendicifer JCM 16873 T (96.7 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity) and Rhodoligotrophosjinshengii CCTCC AB2013083 T (96.2 %). The average nucleotide identity value and the digital DNA-DNA hybridization value between strain lm1 T and R. appendicifer JCM 16873 T were 73.4 and 14.3 %, respectively. The major cellular fatty acids of strain lm1 T were C 19 : 0 cyclo ω8 c , C 18 : 1 ω7 c and C 16 : 0 . Strain lm1 T contained Q-10 as the predominant respiratory quinone. The polar lipid profile was composed of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, diphosphatidylglycerol, three unidentified aminolipids, one unidentified glycolipid and five unknown lipids. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 64.4 mol%. Based on polyphasic taxonomic data, strain lm1 T could be classified as a representative of a novel species of the genus Rhodoligotrophos , for which the name Rhodoligotrophosdefluvii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is lm1 T (=CCTCC AB2019071 T =KCTC 72156 T ).

Background: The toxicity of high-concentration carbon monoxide (CO) on human health has previously been documented. However, the epidemiological evidence on the association between acute exposure to ambient CO and respiratory diseases is relatively lacking and controversial., Objectives: To examine the short-term association between ambient CO and hospital outpatient visits for respiratory diseases in Dongguan, China., Methods: The number of daily hospital outpatient visits for respiratory diseases, and air pollution and meteorological data were collected from January 2013 to August 2017. A generalized additive model with a quasi-Poisson link was used to estimate the association between ambient CO concentration and the total number of hospital outpatient visits for all respiratory diseases and those for asthma, bronchiectasis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pneumonia. We further analyzed the effect of ambient CO by gender and age., Results: Over the study period, a 24-h mean concentration of ambient CO of 0.88 mg/m 3 (below the limit for CO in China) and a total of 89,484 hospital outpatient visits for respiratory diseases were recorded. Ambient CO was found to increase the risk for asthma, bronchiectasis, pneumonia and the total number of respiratory diseases. The per interquartile range (IQR) increase in ambient CO at lag 03 day corresponded to a 5.62% (95% confidence interval (CI): 3.24%, 8.05%), 8.86% (95% CI: 4.89%, 12.98%), 6.67% (95% CI: 0.87%, 12.81%) and 7.20% (95% CI: 2.35%, 12.29%) increased risk in outpatient visits for all respiratory diseases, asthma, bronchiectasis and pneumonia, respectively. Each association was partially weakened after adjusting for co-pollutants. The effect of ambient CO on respiratory diseases appeared to be greater for females and the elderly., Conclusions: Short-term exposure to ambient CO was associated with increased risk of outpatient visits for respiratory diseases. Our analysis may help to understand the health effects of low-levels of CO and provide evidence for the creation of air quality standards., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The China-Anhui Birth Cohort Study (C-ABCS) was set up to examine the delayed, cumulative and interactive effects of maternal environmental exposures on birth outcomes and children's development. The C-ABCS recruited pregnant women from six major cities of Anhui province, China, between November 2008 and October 2010. A range of data (including demographic, obstetric, occupational, nutritional and psychosocial factors) were collected by both interviews and laboratory tests. In each trimester, women's blood samples were drawn, and pregnancy complications were abstracted from physician's medical records. By the end of 2011, birth outcomes/birth defects were observed/identified by clinicians within 12 months after the delivery of 11,421 singleton live births of six cities and those outcomes among the remaining 2033 live births are still being observed. In addition, 4668 children from Ma'anshan city will be further followed up during the pre-school period till they reach adolescence to obtain the data on familial environmental exposures as well as children's physical, psychological, behavioural and sexual development. The interview data and information on laboratory examinations are available on request from archives in the Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health & Aristogenics.

Objectives: to examine the rate of periconceptional and optimal folic acid supplementation, and to characterise their patterns and determinants among antenatal women in central China., Design: data from 4290 women in the Anhui Birth Defects and Child Development Cohort Study recruited between October 2008 and September 2009 were analysed., Setting: seven Maternal and Child Health Centres of two cities (Hefei and Maanshan) in Anhui province of central China., Participants: women initiating prenatal care were included and asked to complete a structured questionnaire regarding folic acid supplementation., Findings: sixty-eight per cent (2905/4290) of pregnant women reported taking folic acid supplementation periconceptionally (i.e. at some point before or during early pregnancy), and 32.8% (1405/4290) and 65.2% (2797/4290) had taken it before or during early pregnancy, respectively. However, only 16.1% (690/4290) used it optimally (i.e. regularly from four weeks before pregnancy throughout four weeks after pregnancy). Use of periconceptional folic acid was significantly associated with educational level, household income, registered residence, age, gestational age at recruitment, and planning of pregnancy., Conclusion: optimal folic acid supplementation was relatively low., Implications for Practice: further efforts are needed to inform the population and promote the use of folic acid supplementation., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Interleukin-12 (IL-12) plays an important role in antitumor immunity. Interleukin-27 (IL-27) is a novel IL-12 family member. The present studies demonstrate that IL-27 mediates potent antitumor activity. However, No studies have examined the association of these polymorphism with colorectal cancer (CRC). Therefore, we investigated the relationship of IL-12 and IL-27 gene polymorphisms and CRC., Design and Methods: We analyzed polymorphisms of IL-12 gene 16974 A/C and IL-27 gene -964 A/G, 2905 T/G, 4730 T/C in 410 patients with CRC and 450 controls, using PCR-RFLP method., Results: There were no significant differences in the genotype and allele frequencies of IL-12 and IL-27 gene polymorphisms between the group of patients with CRC and the controls. Furthermore, no association was found between IL-12 family gene polymorphisms and different clinical stages in patients with CRC., Conclusion: These findings suggest that IL-12 and IL-27 gene polymorphisms may not be involved in susceptibility to CRC., (Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objective: To examine the epidemiological features and relative risk factors of repeated injuries among middle, high and college students in Ma'anshan city of Anhui province., Methods: A prospective study on repeated injuries for 1-year follow-up period was carried out among 1494 students from 3 middle schools or colleges. Risk factors for repeated injuries were analyzed with multivariate logistic regression model., Results: 799 students suffered 1639 episodes of injuries, with an incidence rate of 53.48%. The repeated group consisted of 200 students who suffered 854 injuries, accounted for 52.10% among the total injuries., Results: from Multi-normal logistic regression analysis showed that male, number of family members of 4 or over, extraversion of character trait, and upper quartile of self-rating anxiety symptoms were the risk factors for the occurrence of repeated injuries. Moderate or well-of family income, mothers with senior high school education, and upper quartile of self-rating depression symptoms were protective factors for repeated injuries., Conclusion: Socio-demographic factors and emotional status may predict the occurrence of repeated injuries that called for further study.

Purpose: The relationship between aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) exposure and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been previously demonstrated and supported with strong epidemiological evidence. However, the role of genetic polymorphism of X-ray cross-complementing group 3 (XRCC3) codon 241 (namely: Thr241Met), which may be involved in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks caused by carcinogens such as AFB1, been less well elaborated., Methods: We conducted a case-control study including 491 cases and 862 controls to evaluate the associations between this polymorphism and HCC risk for Guangxi population by means of polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis., Results: We found that individuals with the XRCC3 genotypes with codon 241 Met (namely XRCC3-TM or XRCC3-MM) had an increased risk of HCC than those with the homozygote of XRCC3 codon 241 Thr alleles (namely XRCC3-TT, adjusted odds ratios 2.22 and 7.19; 95% confidence intervals 1.72-2.88 and 4.52-11.42, respectively). The risk of HCC, moreover, did appear to differ more significantly among individuals featuring high-level AFB1-DNA adducts, whose adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 11.59 (5.73-23.47) and 37.54 (16.32-86.32), respectively., Conclusions: These findings support the hypothesis that the XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphism may be associated with the risk of AFB1-related HCC among the Guangxi population.

Objective: To investigate whether the 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A receptor (5-HT2A) gene T102C polymorphism is associated with the severity symptoms and negative symptoms in the first episode Chinese Han nationality patients with schizophrenia., Methods: Altogether 201 first episode Chinese Han nationality patients with schizophrenia were enrolled in this study. Genotyping of 5-HT2A gene T102C polymorphism was performed by PCR-RFLP technique. The positive and negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) was used for the evaluation of the severity of psychotic symptoms before any drug treatment., Results: 5-HT2A receptor 102-T/T genotype was significantly associated with both the PANSS total and negative symptom subscale baseline scores before the treatment, but not with the positive and general psychopathology subscales., Conclusion: 5-HT2A T102C functional polymorphism may play a role in negative symptoms and prognosis of Chinese Han nationality people with schizophrenia.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of hepatitis B vaccination on hepatitis B prevention and on hepatocellular carcinoma., Methods: Birth cohort study, cross-sectional seroepidemiological survey, and surveillance of hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatocellular carcinoma were used to evaluate the efficacy of hepatitis B vaccination., Results: During the 14 years after hepatitis B vaccination, the HBsAg positive rates were found to be 0.7% - 2.9%, with an average of 1.5%, and the protective rates were 83.5% - 96.6%. Hepatitis B virus infection rates of children immunized with hepatitis B vaccine were 1.1% - 5.1%, with an average of 2.2% and the protective rates of 93.5% - 98.4%. 15 years after hepatitis B vaccination, the incidence of hepatitis B dropped from 3.27/10 000 to 0.17/10 000, a 94.8% decrease, in the group of 0 - 19 year-olds., Conclusion: The universal infant hepatitis B vaccination has proved to be effective in reducing the incidence rate of acute hepatitis B as well as the mortality of hepatocellular carcinoma.