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Background: A considerable number of individuals infected with COVID-19 experience residual symptoms after the acute phase. However, the correlation between residual symptoms and psychological distress and underlying mechanisms are scarcely studied. We aim to explore the association between residual symptoms of COVID-19 and psychological distress, specifically depression, anxiety, and fear of COVID-19, and examine the role of risk perception and intolerance of uncertainty in the association. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted by online questionnaire-based approach in mid-January 2023. Self-reported demographic characteristics, COVID-19-related information, and residual symptoms were collected. Depression, anxiety, fear, risk perception and intolerance of uncertainty were evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), COVID-19 Risk Perception Scale and Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale-12 (IUS-12), respectively. Linear regression analyses were conducted to explore the associations. A moderated mediation model was then constructed to examine the role of risk perception of COVID-19 and intolerance of uncertainty in the association between residual symptoms and psychological distress. Results: 1735 participants effectively completed the survey. 34.9% of the patients experienced residual symptoms after acute phase of COVID-19. Psychological distress was markedly increased by COVID-19 infection, while residual symptoms had a significant impact on psychological distress (Ps < 0.001), including depression (β = 0.23), anxiety (β = 0.21), and fear of COVID-19 (β = 0.14). Risk perception served as a mediator between residual symptoms and all forms of psychological distress, while intolerance of uncertainty moderated the effect of risk perception on depression and anxiety. Conclusion: A considerable proportion of patients experience residual symptoms after acute phase of COVID-19, which have a significant impact on psychological distress. Risk perception and intolerance of uncertainty play a moderated-mediation role in the association between residual symptoms and depression/anxiety. It highly suggests that effective treatment for residual symptoms, maintaining appropriate risk perception and improving intolerance of uncertainty are critical strategies to alleviate COVID-19 infection-associated psychological distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression and anxiety have been found prevalent during all phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. In late December 2022, almost all COVID-19 control measures were lifted in China, leading to a surge in COVID-19 infections. The public's perceived risk and fear of COVID-19 would be increased. This study aims to examine the prevalence of depression and anxiety in the Chinese general population and explores the mediating role of fear of COVID-19 between COVID-19 perceived risk and depression/anxiety and the moderating role of resilience between fear of COVID-19 and depression/anxiety. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in Wenzhou, China, immediately following almost all COVID-19 control measures lifted. The 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), the COVID-19 Risk Perception Scale, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) were used to evaluate depression, anxiety, COVID-19 perceived risk, fear of COVID-19, and resilience, respectively. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with Maximum Likelihood (ML) estimator and adjusted for significant background factors was performed to test the moderated mediation. Data obtained from 935 participants were analyzed. Results: The prevalence of moderate to severe depression and anxiety was 23.7% and 9.5%, respectively. The present study revealed positive associations among COVID-19 perceived risk, fear of COVID-19 and depression/anxiety, and negative associations between resilience and fear of COVID-19/depression/anxiety. Fear of COVID-19 partially mediated the association between COVID-19 perceived risk and depression/anxiety. Furthermore, resilience significantly moderated the association between fear of COVID-19 and depression/anxiety. Two moderated mediation models were constructed. Conclusion: Depression and anxiety were prevalent among Chinese adults during the final phase of the pandemic in China. The significant mediation role of fear of COVID-19 implies that reducing fear of COVID-19 may effectively alleviate depression and anxiety symptoms. Moreover, enhancing public resilience during an epidemic crisis is crucial for promoting mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pandemic of COVID‐19 hit China at the end of 2022. According to China Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Omicron BA.5.2 and BF.7 were the main circulating variants. Chinese people had a high COVID‐19 vaccination rate, and the most widely used vaccines were CoronaVac (Sinovac) and BBIBP‐CorV (Sinopharm). An online questionnaire was distributed to survey the vaccination history and infection information of China mainland residents during this pandemic. A total of 4250 subjects were included for propensity score matching, 566 unvaccinated subjects and 1072 vaccinated subjects were finally included to analyze the effects of the two vaccines on BA.5.2 and BF.7. The SARS‐CoV‐2 infection rate was 84.5% in the vaccinated group and 82.3% in the unvaccinated group (p = 0.255). Vaccinated subjects had significantly higher rates of COVID‐19‐related symptoms, including fever, cough, nasal obstruction, runny nose, and sore throat. However, vaccinated people had lower risk of pneumonia (odds ratio [OR]: 0.467, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.286–0.762) and hospitalization (OR: 0.290, 95% CI: 0.097–0.870) due to COVID‐19. In general, the current study did not observe the protective effect of CoronaVac and BBIBP CorV against BA.5.2 and BF.7 infection. However, these vaccines can still reduce the risk of adverse outcomes such as pneumonia and hospitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: Delayed child skill development is a common phenomenon in low- and middle-income countries. Effective and low-cost strategies suitable for application to less-developed countries are needed. We summarize empirical findings from recent papers that study a replication of the Jamaica Reach Up and Learn home visiting program in China, China REACH, and compare child skill growth profiles in the China Reach Up and Jamaica interventions. METHODS: Different interventions often use different measures for assessing early childhood skill development. To estimate the growth of underlying skills across programs, we address the challenge that different programs use different assessments. We use a modified version of the Rasch model to anchor scores on common items to estimate skill development. RESULTS: Language skill growth curves are comparable for both interventions. This pattern is consistent for the treatment and control groups across the interventions. Skill growth curves are not statistically significantly different between China REACH and Jamaican interventions. We find evidence of the importance of early investment. CONCLUSIONS: The China REACH intervention significantly improves the development of multiple skills. At the same ages, treatment effect sizes and skill growth curves are comparable across the Jamaica and China REACH interventions, despite differences in scale and cultural settings. The scale of the program is much greater in China than in Jamaica, showing that the Jamaican curriculum can be effectively expanded to larger populations. Annual costs per child are roughly $500 (2015 US dollars). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Migration can be linked to the transmission of COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccine uptake and hesitancy among rural-to-urban migrant workers in China, the largest group of internal migrants in the world, has not been characterized. Objective: To investigate COVID-19 vaccine uptake and identify vaccine hesitancy-associated factors among rural-to-urban migrant workers in the first round of COVID-19 vaccination in China. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted, including 14,917 participants. Socio-demographics, COVID-19 vaccine uptake, vaccine hesitancy and its associated factors based on Vaccine Hesitancy Determinants Matrix (VHDM) were applied for the survey. Data were principally analyzed by logistic regression analysis. Results: The COVID-19 vaccine uptake and vaccine hesitancy rates were 7.1% and 57.7%, respectively. Vaccine hesitancy was strongly associated with VHDM, including individual factors (female, higher annual income and fewer medical knowledge), group factors (less family support, friend support and public opinion support), COVID-19 epidemic factors (lower fatality, infection and emotional distress) and vaccine factors (less vaccine necessity, vaccine safety, vaccine efficacy, vaccine importance and vaccine reliability). Conclusion: The VHDM model has the potential utility in efforts to reduce COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Greater efforts should be put into addressing positive predictors associated with vaccine hesitancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Uninterrupted use of oral anticoagulants before atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation can reduce the incidence of perioperative thromboembolic events. However, the effect of new oral anticoagulants on activated clotting time (ACT) in response to heparin during AF ablation in Chinese populations remains unknown. The aim of the present retrospective study was to investigate the value of ACTs in response to intraoperative heparin administration in patients using dabigatran or rivaroxaban. METHODS From January 2018 to December 2021, a total of 173 patients undergoing AF ablation were included in the study, in which 101 patients were treated with dabigatran, 72 patients were treated with rivaroxaban. The intraoperative ACT values were examined in both groups. The incidence of periprocedural complications was evaluated. RESULTS Initial heparin dosage (88 ± 19 U/kg vs. 78 ± 27 U/kg, P < 0.05), total heparin dosage (137 ± 41 U/kg vs. 106 ± 52 U/kg, P < 0.05) during the ablation procedure were higher in the dabigatran group than those in the rivaroxaban group. Mean ACT (280 ± 36 s vs. 265 ± 30 s, P < 0.05), and the percentage of ACTs within the therapeutic range (250-350 s) (74% ± 26% vs. 60% ± 29%, P < 0.05) were significantly lower in the dabigatran group than those in the rivaroxaban group, particularly in male patients. Furthermore, the average time of achieving the target ACT (250-350 s) was also found longer in the dabigatran group (P < 0.05) as compared with the rivaroxaban group. No significant difference was found in the incidence of periprocedural complications between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS The anticoagulant effect of uninterrupted rivaroxaban therapy appears to be more stable and efficient than dabigatran administration during catheter ablation in patients with AF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region is an important economic center of China but has the problem of severe environmental pollution. Urbanization prompts the household energy consumption growth and then deteriorates the environmental conditions in this region. Based on panel data of the BTH region from 2000 to 2017, this research uses a dynamic threshold model with per capita disposable income as the threshold variable to investigate the non-linear impact of urbanization on household energy consumption. The empirical results show that: 1) In the process of urbanization, per capita resident disposable income has a significant threshold effect on household energy consumption, and their relationship presents an inverted U-shaped trend. 2) The change of household energy consumption habits can significantly improve the household energy consumption level. 3) Industrial structure adjustment, urban population density, and education level of residents have restraining effects on household energy consumption growth. 4) Technical advance and GDP per capita growth opposite effects. The empirical analysis also shows that the regional government can consider increasing the disposable income of the residents in Hebei Province to alleviate the imbalance in energy consumption. At the same time, efforts should be made to develop high-tech industries and high-end service industries, and adopt a more intensive urban planning development model to increase urban population density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a convenient and efficient public transport system, high speed railway (HSR) was rapidly deployed in China. Since the fifth generation (5G) mobile communication system is commercially applied, it is necessary for mobile terminals antennas to cover multiple operating bands to be compatible with various communication systems. Here a HSR-mounted broadband and high-gain monopole antenna is proposed. By using the meander technology and introducing the tapered structure, the proposed antenna operates over a bandwidth of 694-960 MHz and 1350-5975 MHz (VSWR<1.8), which covers both 2G-5G mobile communication and WiFi frequency bands. The dimensions of the proposed antenna are 400 mm × 330 mm × 78 mm. The measured average gain is 6.11 dBi over the entire bandwidth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Leather & Footwear Journal / Revista de Pielarie Incaltaminte is the property of INCDTP and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Leather & Footwear Journal / Revista de Pielarie Incaltaminte is the property of INCDTP and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: Rupture of an intracranial aneurysm is a life-threatening acute cerebrovascular event. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) incidence rate is higher or lower in elderly population than in middle aged population. Materials and methods: Aneurysmal SAH cases were collected retrospectively from the archives of 21 hospitals in Mainland China. All the cases were collected from September 2016 and backward consecutively for a period of time up to 8 years. SAH was initially diagnosed by brain computed tomography (CT). CT angiography (CTA) or digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was followed and SAH was confirmed to be due to cerebral aneurysm rupture. For cases when multiple bleeding occurred, the age of the first SAH was used in this study. The total incidence from all hospitals at each age group were summed together for females and males respectively; then adjusted by the total population number at each age group for females and males which was from the 2010 population census of the People’s Republic of China. Results: In total there were 8,144 cases of intracranial aneurysmal SAH, with 4,861 females and 3,283 males. For females the relative aneurysmal SAH incidence rate started to decrease after around 65 years old, while for males the relative aneurysmal SAH incidence rate started to decrease after around 53 years old. Conclusion: Our data tentatively suggest elderly patients may be at a reduced risk of rupture compared with patients who are younger while have similar other risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The launch of China's new national urbanization plan, coupled with increasing concerns about air pollution, calls for better understandings of the nexus between urbanization and the air pollution–related health. Based on refined estimates of PM 2.5 related mortality in China, we developed an Urbanization–Excess Deaths Elasticity (U–EDE) indicator to measure the marginal PM 2.5 related mortality caused by urbanization. We then applied statistical models to estimate U–EDE and examined the modification effects of income on U–EDE. Urbanization in China between 2004 and 2012 led to increased PM 2.5 related mortality. A 1% increase in urbanization was associated with a 0.32%, 0.14%, and 0.50% increase in PM 2.5 related mortality of lung cancer, stroke, and ischemic heart disease. U–EDEs were modified by income with an inverted U curve, i.e., lower marginal impacts at the lowest and highest income levels. In addition, we projected the future U–EDE trend of China as a whole and found that China had experienced the peak of U–EDE and entered the second half of the inverted U–shaped curve. In the near future, national average U–EDE in China will decline along with the improvement of income level if no dramatic changes happen. However, the decreased U–EDE only implies that marginal PM 2.5 –related mortality brought by urbanization would decrease in China. Total health damage of urbanization will keep going up in the predictable future because the U–EDE is always positive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The leukemia affects not only the quality of life (QOL) of patients with the disease but also that of their family caregivers (FCs). The research studies on QOL of FCs for leukemia patients are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the QOL of FCs for leukemia patients in Heilongjiang province, China.Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was undertaken with 309 FCs for leukemia patients recruited from three hospitals in Heilongjiang province. The QOL of the participants was assessed using the Chinese version of WHOQOL-BREF. Multivariate regression models were established to determine the predictors of the QOL of FCs, including the socio-economic characteristics of patients and FCs, and the emotional distress, social support and family functions of FCs.Results: The FCs had low QOL scores in all four domains: 12.7 ± 2.8 for physical, 12.2 ± 2.5 for psychological, 13.2 ± 2.9 for social and 11.3 ± 2.5 for environment. Social support is a major predictor of the QOL of FCs, with a standardized β coefficient of "high support" ranging from 0.41 to 0.58 for the four domains, followed by family function (β = 0.37 ~ 0.44 for psychological, social and environmental domains). The FCs who were older, highly educated, had no religious belief, suffered from a higher level of emotional distress, and provided care to younger patients and the patients without insurance coverage had lower QOL than the others.Conclusion: The study provides some important insights into the QOL of FCs for leukemia patients. The QOL of FCs for leukemia patients is low and low levels of support to FCs are a major predictor of low QOL of FCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the founding of new China, the maize production pattern took on characteristic of "northern expansion and western movement": there were great changes in ranking of main producing provinces; southern planting area gradually shrank, while central and northern planting area gradually expanded; apart from traditional main producing regions such as northeastern, north China, and southwestern regions, Shanxi - Shaanxi region and northwest region are gradually forming. To further analyze factors promoting changes in maize production pattern, based on 1987 -2013 panel data, we carried our empirical study and obtained five influencing factors: resource endowment, economic environment, market environment, technical conditions, and policies. Per capita farmland, multiple cropping index, water conservancy and irrigation, and benefit cost ratio, and traffic and transportation policies exert positive effect, non-agricultural employment level exerts negative effect, and the significance of natural disasters, market price, and science and technology are inadequate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrocarbon potential of the Hangjinqi area in the northern Ordos Basin is not well known, compared to the other areas of the basin, despite its substantial petroleum system. Restoration of a depth-converted seismic profile across the Hangjinqi Fault Zone (HFZ) in the eastern Hangjinqi area shows one compression that created anticlinal structures in the Late Triassic, and two extensions in ∼Middle Jurassic and Late Early Cretaceous, which were interrupted by inversions in the Late Jurassic-Early Early Cretaceous and Late Cretaceous, respectively. Hydrocarbon generation at the well locations in the Central Ordos Basin (COB) began in the Late Triassic. Basin modeling of Well Zhao-4 suggests that hydrocarbon generation from the Late Carboniferous-Early Permian coal measures of the northern Shanbei Slope peaked in the Early Cretaceous, predating the inversion in the Late Cretaceous. Most source rocks in the Shanbei Slope passed the main gas-migration phase except for the Hangjinqi area source rocks (Well Jin-48). Hydrocarbons generated from the COB are likely to have migrated northward toward the anticlinal structures and traps along the HFZ because the basin-fill strata are dipping south. Faulting that continued during the extensional phase (Late Early Cretaceous) of the Hangjinqi area probably acted as conduits for the migration of hydrocarbons. Thus, the anticlinal structures and associated traps to the north of the HFZ might have trapped hydrocarbons that were charged from the Late Carboniferous-Early Permian coal measures in the COB since the Middle Jurassic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Decreased carboxypeptidase E (CPE) expression is associated with numerous pathophysiological conditions. This study aimed to investigate the potential function of hepatic CPE in cholesterol gallstone formation. Patients and Methods: Patients with cholesterol gallstone (CGS group) and patients without cholesterol gallstones (non‑CGS group) were enrolled. The serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, and biliary composition were analyzed. Eight liver samples from two patients without CGS and six patients with CGS were subjected to cDNA microarray analysis. Hepatic CPE expression was detected by quantitative real‑time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‑PCR), Western blot, and immunohistochemical analysis. Plasma CCK level was measured by ELISA. Results: cDNA microarray identified CPE as a gene downregulated in the CGS group. RT‑PCR showed that CPE mRNA level was lower in CGS group than in control (P < 0.05, t‑test). Moreover, Western blot and immunohistochemistry analysis showed that CPE protein level was significantly lower in CGS group than in the control group. In addition, plasma CCK level was lower in CGS group than in the control group. A positive correlation was found between serum CCK level and hepatic CPE mRNA level (r2 = 0.713, P = 0.003). Conclusions: Down‑expression of liver CPE may reduce the secretion of serum CCK and contribute to the formation of cholesterol gallstone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to clarify the pressure distribution of patient lying with varied supine angle on the standard hospital mattress (SHM) and sheep skin mattress (SSM), and then to compare the pressure relieving of those two kinds of mattresses which have been widely used in the pressure prevention. Eighteen healthy students were recruited from the university. Pressure distribution of SHM and SSM were measured by mFLEX measurement system in the supine angle of 0°, 30°, 60° and 90°. Pressure areas were divided into four parts: total, back, sacrum and heel area, under which peak pressure (PP) (mmHg), mean pressure (MP) 2 (mmHg) and contact area (CA) (cm ) were calculated. One-way ANOVA shows that with the supine angle change from the level to the vertical status, PP and CA at sacrum area was increasing as well, but PP at sacrum was still high in the 90° supine angle; further Paired T test records that majority PP values were proved to be significantly reduced by the usage of SSM in each supine angle, in contrast with the control group of standard hospital mattress and pressure reduction of MP was limited. Although positive outcomes were observed in each supine angle when the SSM was applied, further improvement of SSM in the aspect of shape was still required, such as a 3D structure was introduced to lower the higher pressure at the sacrum area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Since the global standards for postgraduate medical education (PGME) were published in January 2003, they have gained worldwide attention. The current state of residency training programs in medical-school-affiliated hospitals throughout China was assessed in this study. Methods Based on the internationally recognized global standards for PGME, residents undergoing residency training at that time and the relevant residency training instructors and management personnel from 15 medical-school-affiliated hospitals throughout China were recruited and surveyed regarding the current state of residency training programs. A total of 938 questionnaire surveys were distributed between June 30, 2006 and July 30, 2006; of 892 surveys collected, 841 were valid. Results For six items, the total proportions of "basically meets standards" and "completely meets standards" were <70% for the basic standards. These items were identified in the fields of "training settings and educational resources", "evaluation of training process", and "trainees". In all fields other than "continuous updates", the average scores of the western regions were significantly lower than those of the eastern regions for both the basic and target standards. Specifically, the average scores for the basic standards on as many as 25 of the 38 items in the nine fields were significantly lower in the western regions. There were significant differences in the basic standards scores on 13 of the 38 items among trainees, instructors, and managers. Conclusions The residency training programs have achieved satisfactory outcomes in the hospitals affiliated with various medical schools in China. However, overall, the programs remain inadequate in certain areas. For the governments, organizations, and institutions responsible for PGME, such global standards for PGME are a very useful self-assessment tool and can help identify problems, promote reform, and ultimately standardize PGME. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new model is constructed for the causation analysis of railway accident based on the complex network theory. In the model, the nodes are defined as various manifest or latent accident causal factors. By employing the complex network theory, especially its statistical indicators, the railway accident as well as its key causations can be analyzed from the overall perspective. As a case, the “7.23” China—Yongwen railway accident is illustrated based on this model. The results show that the inspection of signals and the checking of line conditions before trains run played an important role in this railway accident. In conclusion, the constructed model gives a theoretical clue for railway accident prediction and, hence, greatly reduces the occurrence of railway accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

G1P[8] rotaviruses are an important cause of diarrhea in humans in China. To date, there are no reports on the whole genomic analysis of the Chinese G1P[8] rotaviruses. To determine the origin and overall genetic makeup of the recent Chinese G1P[8] strains, the whole genomes of three strains, RVA/Human-wt/CHN/E1911/2009/G1P[8], RVA/Human-tc/CHN/R588/2005/G1P[8] and RVA/Human-tc/CHN/Y128/2004/G1P[8], detected in an infant, a child and an adult, respectively, were analyzed. Strains E1911, R588 and Y128 exhibited a typical Wa-like genotype constellation. Except for the NSP3 gene of E1911, the whole genomes of strains E1911, R588 and Y128 were found to be more closely related to those of the recent Wa-like common human strains from different countries than those of the prototype G1P[8] strain, or other old strains. On the other hand, the NSP3 gene of E1911 was genetically distinct from those of Y128, R588, or other Wa-like common human strains, and appeared to share a common origin with those of the porcine-like human G9 strains, providing evidence for intergenotype reassortment events. Comparisons of the amino acid residues defining the VP7 and VP4 antigenic domains revealed several mismatches between these Chinese G1P[8] strains and the G1 and P[8] strains contained in the currently licensed rotavirus vaccines Rotarix™ and RotaTeq™. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is an inherited disease leading to recurrent ischemic stroke and vascular dementia. Numerous mutations in the 23 exons of the NOTCH3 gene have been reported to cause CADASIL in Caucasian populations, but the full spectrum of genetic changes leading to this disease is yet to be known and, especially, very few reports are available on CADASIL in Asian populations. Methods and Results: We genotyped members of a 5-generational Han Chinese family with CADASIL patients and identified an R133C mutation in the NOTCH3 gene. Clinical analysis demonstrated that the penetrance of the mutation was not complete. Five of the mutation carriers, not exposed to the known vascular risk factors, did not show any clinical feature of CADASIL, suggesting the importance of environmental factors to the development of this disease. Conclusions: Members of a 5-generational Han Chinese family with CADASIL patients had an R133C mutation in the NOTCH3 gene but only individuals exposed to known vascular risk factors developed CADASIL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Hemorrhagic fever-like illness caused by a novel Bunyavirus, Huaiyangshan virus (HYSV, also known as Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia virus [SFTSV] and Fever, Thrombocytopenia and Leukopenia Syndrome [FTLS]), has recently been described in China Methods. Patients with laboratory-confirmed HYSV infection who were admitted to Union Hospital or Zhongnan Hospital between April 2010 and October 2010 were included in this study. Clinical and routine laboratory data were collected and blood, throat swab, urine, or feces were obtained when possible. Viral RNA was quantified by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Blood levels of a range of cytokines, chemokines, and acute phase proteins were assayed. Results. A total of 49 patients with hemorrhagic fever caused by HYSV were included; 8 (16.3%) patients died. A fatal outcome was associated with high viral RNA load in blood at admission, as well as higher serum liver transaminase levels, more pronounced coagulation disturbances (activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time), and higher levels of acute phase proteins (phospholipase A, fibrinogen, hepcidin), cytokines (interleukin [IL]-6, IL-10, interferon-c), and chemokines (IL-8, monocyte chemotactic protein 1, macrophage inflammatory protein 1b). The levels of these host parameters correlated with viral RNA levels. Blood viral RNA levels gradually declined over 3- 4 weeks after illness onset, accompanied by resolution of symptoms and laboratory abnormalities. Viral RNA was also detectable in throat, urine, and fecal specimens of a substantial proportion of patients, including all fatal cases assayed. Conclusions. Viral replication and host immune responses play an important role in determining the severity and clinical outcome in patients with infection by HYSV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Inorganic or bulk organic chemical indicators, including organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen, organic nitrogen (ON), fixed ammonium (Nfix), exchangeable ammonium, exchangeable nitrate, organic phosphorus (OP), inorganic phosphorus (IP), and biogenic silica (BSi), were examined in a 3-m core collected in Jiaozhou Bay (JZB) to decipher how the environment has changed during the preceding two centuries of increasing anthropogenic influence in this region. Concentrations of BSi, OC, and OP reveal overall increases to ca.30cm (∼1984), then decreased toward the surface, probably reflecting a decrease in the productivity of overlying waters since 1984. Aquaculture might play an important role in the decrease of nutrient elements in the upper layers recorded in sediments. The decreased molar BSi/OC ratios upcore may be due to a change in dominance from large- to small-sized diatoms, as shown in other research. However, the shift may also be related to changes from heavily-silicified to lightly-silicified diatoms or to non-siliceous forms such as dinoflagellates. ON concentrations increased towards the surface sediment, which is most likely consistent with the increase in fertilizer application and wastewater discharge. Concentrations of IP, total P, and Nfix all decreased conspicuously upcore at 41cm depth (∼1977), and were largely consistent with the decrease in rainfall and freshwater discharge to JZB. Our data suggest that the environment has significantly changed since the1980s. Anthropogenic activities in the watersheds may exert a substantial influence on carbon cycling processes in estuaries and potentially the coastal ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Diversity of 60 conventional japonica rice accessions with good eating quality at home and abroad was analyzed using SSR molecular markers, agronomic traits and taste characteristics. A total of 290 alleles were detected in the 60 accessions at 72 SSR loci with the high similarity coefficients varying between 0.600 and 0.924. The loci on chromosome 5 showed the greatest value in average allele number. Additionally, most of the SSR loci could detect 3 to 4 alleles. An UPGMA dendrogram based on the cluster analysis of the genetic similarity coefficients showed that the grouping trend of part of the rice accessions was geographic-related and most of the rice accessions in Jiangsu Province, China were clustered together. Furthermore, many domestic accessions from south and north origins in China were close to the foreign japonica rice varieties, as proved by their pedigree origin from the foreign high-quality sources. For taste characteristics, part of the accessions with excellent taste were clearly clustered into one category though they came from different geographical regions, which indicates that taste characteristics of some varieties were mainly genetically determined. In addition, the agronomic traits of japonica rice with good taste might be closely related with their geographical origins, but the relationship between superior taste characteristics and agronomic traits should be further clarified. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article focuses on a research that aims to assess the baseflow of the Yangtze River in China during the 2006-extreme drought year. It states that daily baseflow discharges were examined using hydrograph analysis to differentiate groundwater discharge from the surface flow. Results show that Upper Yangtze River Stream (UYSR) has larger baseflow discharge than the Mid-Lower Yangtze River Stream (MLYRS) while human activities contribute 10 percent to baseflow discharge.

This study investigates disaster preparation, and information seeking patterns of Wenchuan (Sichuan) residents in the aftermath of the 2008 earthquake, based on survey responses from Wenchuan earthquake survivors. Results indicate that residents of the region were not prepared for the natural disaster. Age related difference did emerge in information seeking behaviors. Findings are discussed and recommendations for communication practitioners are offered with regards to message design and placement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: There are many kinds of methods to estimate the energy requirement or fuel consumption in the optimal design and minimize the life cost of a building. The bin method is one of the most popular ways to estimate the energy performance of a building, which is based on the hourly-based outdoor dry-bulb temperatures of all days in a whole year. There is lack of information about the bin weather data in China. In this paper, the ambient temperature bin data for 26 cities in China are generated. Based on the method used in this paper, the bin data can be calculated with the long-term daily weather record or TMY weather data, the deviation between them is acceptable. The bin data given in this paper may have the positive impact on building energy conservation in China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Paraprionospio pinnata (Ehlers, 1901), a poorly known and potentially cosmopolitan polychaete, was examined from museum specimens and from collections in Jiaozhou Bay, the Yellow Sea. New observations indicate that previous Chinese records of P. pinnata are doubtful, and that Chinese waters contain at least three valid species of Paraprionospio, two are known and one is new. Paraprionospio inaequibranchia (Caullery, 1914) and Paraprionospio coora Wilson, 1990, previously misidentified as P. pinnata, are reported from Chinese waters for the first time. Paraprionospio cristata, new species, is characterized by having brown pigment patches on the prostomium, ventral crests on chaetigers 9 and 10, dorsal crests on the middle part of the body (from chaetigers 21-23, not beyond chaetiger 29), thin filaments on chaetiger 3, and bifoliate branchial lamellae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To understand the evolution and stability of beaches, prediction of the equilibrium beach profile (EBP) is theoretically and practically important. In the present paper, a new equation, h = Ae Bx + C is developed to predict the change in beach profile for sections above the water level and the adjacent nearshore portions. Moreover, fractal analysis is applied to predict types of EBP for the first time using the field data collected from Liao Zuikou and Nanwan beaches, South China. Three types of EBP termed Upward-concave EBP (U-EBP), Downward-concave EBP (D-EBP) and Medium-characteristic EBP (M-EBP), are given for the studied region of South China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The bin method, as one of the well known and simple steady state methods used to predict heating and cooling energy consumption of buildings, requires reliable and detailed bin data. Since the long term hourly temperature records are not available in China, there is a lack of bin weather data for study and use. In order to keep the bin method practical in China, a stochastic model using only the daily maximum and minimum temperatures to generate bin weather data was established and tested by applying one year of measured hourly ambient temperature data in Nanjing, China. By comparison with the measured values, the bin weather data generated by the model shows adequate accuracy. This stochastic model can be used to estimate the bin weather data in areas, especially in China, where the long term hourly temperature records are missing or not available. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Solar radiation and sunshine duration data from 69 meteorological stations in China was used to develop the formula for estimating the monthly average daily global radiation on a horizontal surface. Several models and correlations that embrace such variables as the fraction of sunshine duration, the latitude and the altitude have been selected, tested and compared to decide which model is recommended on the basis of statistical error tests. In this study, using the relative duration of sunshine as a single independent variable, the most accurate equation that is expressed in a third order form was obtained for each station. The results show that the coefficients are site dependent. Subsequently, taking the radiation data and geographical parameters at all 69 stations as reference, a countrywide general equation was established. Compared with the equation using the relative duration of sunshine as a single independent variable, the general equation shows relatively lower accuracy, but estimating the global solar radiation by this equation has proved sufficiently reliable. This equation can be used to estimate the monthly average daily global radiation in areas where the radiation data is missing or not available, so that a geographical distribution of global solar radiation across the country may be obtained. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Applying the measured global and diffuse solar radiation data from 78 meteorological stations in China, a countrywide general correlation model for calculating the daily diffuse radiation was derived on the basis of Liu and Jordan method. Two widely used statistics: root mean square error and mean bias error were used to assess the performance of the correlation. And the correlation shows good behavior when applied to most of the stations. Subsequently, with the measured data from the 78 stations, an analysis of geographical distribution of solar energy resource in China was also presented in the form of clearness index (the ratio of global solar radiation to extraterrestrial radiation) percentage frequency, and results show that the solar energy resource in western and northern China is relatively abundant. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Examines the neutrophilic transient acidification and superoxide production in peritoneal dialysate (PDS) in China. Incubation of intracellular hydrogen-ion concentration in PDS; Determination of neutrophilic oxygen in PDS; Induction of intracellular acidosis.

We modified the Rothamsted carbon model (RothC) to simulate soil carbon (C) dynamics indouble rice cropping systems in China by adding a parameter to account for the effect ofcarbon input amounts on the decomposition rate of soil organic carbon (SOC). Threelong-term experiments (28-31 years) were conducted under various amounts of C inputs anddifferent fertilizer types in double rice systems in southern China and were used for thecalibration and validation of the modified RothC model. The results showed that the previousRothC model, with a soil moisture modifying factor of 0.2 for the rice phase in summer and0.6 for the upland cropping phase in winter for paddy soils, could not adequately simulate theSOC dynamics of all treatments in double rice soils. In particular, the simulations wereworse with high C inputs, which produced a normalized root mean squared error(NRMSE) and model efficiency (EF) ranging from 18.0 to 53.5% and -95.20 to -1.42,respectively, for the treatments with C inputs ranging from 4.20 to 8.29 t C ha−1. We usedan inverse modelling approach to calibrate one site for an additional factor p andfound this factor was well described as a function of the amount of C input (p =0.146C2 + 0.697C + 0.175, R2=0.997). The modified version with the p functiongreatly improved the simulations, resulting in an NRMSE of 2.6 –15.3% and EF of-1.05 – 0.69 for the three sites. We concluded that this modified RothC model canbe used to estimate soil carbon dynamics in double rice cropping systems with alarge amount of organic carbon inputs, at least in Chinese paddy soils where theapplication of harvested crop residues and animal manure is commonly practiced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in pigs in 10 regions of Zhejiang Province, China, was obtained by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Anti-T. gondii antibodies were found in 53.4% (434/813) of pigs. Results were analyzed by a chi-square (χ²) test. Differences were observed according to farm size, animal age, and sampling regions. Seroprevalences in pigs raised on small farms (71.4%) were significantly higher than that (42.7%) on large farms (P < 0.05), and seroprevalence increased progressively with age. The seroprevalence ranged from 28.1% to 66.0% in different regions, with Jiaxing having the lowest level (28.1%), followed by Hangzhou (36.0%) and Taizhou (42.0%). This is the first study on seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in pigs in Zhejiang Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  This article depicted how a young Chinese scientist got her training in China, how her training had impact on her scientific career in the US, and how she felt the prospect of Neuroscience in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While recent assessments have quantified the burden of air pollution at the national scale in China, air quality managers would benefit from assessments that disaggregate health impacts over regions and over time. We took advantage of a new 10 × 10 km satellite-based PM 2.5 dataset to analyze spatial and temporal trends of air pollution health impacts in China, from 2004 to 2012. Results showed that national PM 2.5 related deaths from stroke, ischemic heart disease and lung cancer increased from approximately 800,000 cases in 2004 to over 1.2 million cases in 2012. The health burden exhibited strong spatial variations, with high attributable deaths concentrated in regions including the Beijing–Tianjin Metropolitan Region, Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, Sichuan Basin, Shandong, Wuhan Metropolitan Region, Changsha–Zhuzhou–Xiangtan, Henan, and Anhui, which have heavy air pollution, high population density, or both. Increasing trends were found in most provinces, but with varied growth rates. While there was some evidence for improving air quality in recent years, this was offset somewhat by the countervailing influences of in–migration together with population growth. We recommend that priority areas for future national air pollution control policies be adjusted to better reflect the spatial hotspots of health burdens. Satellite-based exposure and health impact assessments can be a useful tool for tracking progress on both air quality and population health burden reductions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research proposes an Activity Pattern embedded Air Pollution Exposure Model (AP2EM), based on survey data of when, where, and how people spend their time and indoor/outdoor ratios for microenvironments. AP2EM integrates random forest and agent-based approaches to simulate the stochastic exposure to outdoor fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) along with indoor and in-vehicle PM 2.5 of outdoor origin. The R2 of the linear regression between the model's calculations and personal measurement was 0.65, which was more accurate than the commonly-used aggregated exposure (AE) model and the outdoor exposure (OE) model. The population-weighted PM 2.5 exposure estimated by the AP2EM was 36.7 μg/m3 in Jiangsu, China, during 2014–2017. The OE model overestimated exposure by 54.0%, and the AE model underestimated exposure by 6.5%. These misestimate reflect ignorance of traditional studies on effects posed from time spent indoors (~85%) and doing low respiratory rate activities (~93%), problems of biased sampling, and neglecting low probability events. The proposed AP2EM treats activity patterns of individuals as chains and uses stochastic estimates to model activity choices, providing a more comprehensive understanding of human activity and exposure characteristics. Overall, the AP2EM is applicable for other air pollutants in different regions and benefits China's air pollution control policy designs. [Display omitted] • A stochastic exposure model was developed for single- or multi-air pollution exposure estimates. • Modification effects of activity patterns and microenvironments on exposure were considered. • Activity patterns and PM 2.5 exposure characteristics in China were surveyed and analyzed. • Our model corrected the estimate biases of exposure compared with traditional methods. • Our model benefits modeling exposure of small or large groups under realistic or policy scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A search of previous records in the literatures was done to summarize the opinions for dementia in ancient China. The earliest description of dementia was traced in the Yellow Emperor''s Internal Classic, a book written 2000 years ago. Hua Tuo (AD 140–208) in Han Dynasty first denominated “dementia” in the book, Hua Tuo Shen Yi Mi Zhuan. The pathogenesis of dementia could be generalized as the insufficiency of Qi, a flowing energy; the stagnation of phlegm, a harmful liquid substance in the body; and the blood stasis, which were also regarded as therapeutic targets. Therefore, we can conclude that dementia has been recognized and investigated in traditional Chinese medicine, which is definitely before the industrial civilization era. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: The immune background of the overall population before and after the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in China remains unexplored. And the level of neutralizing antibodies is a reliable indicator of individual immunity., Objectives: This study aimed to assess the immune levels of different population groups during a viral outbreak and identify the factors influencing these levels., Methods: We measured the levels of neutralizing antibodies in 12,137 participants using the COVID19 Neutralizing Antibody Detection kit. The dynamics of neutralizing antibodies were analyzed using a generalized additive model, while a generalized linear model and multi-factor analysis of variance were employed to investigate the influencing factors. Additionally, statistical methods were used to compare neutralizing antibody levels among subgroups of the real-world population., Results: Participants who received booster doses exhibited significantly higher levels of neutralizing antibodies compared to those who received only one or two doses (p<0.001). Both elderly [22.55 (5.12, 62.03) IU/mL, 55%] and minors [21.41 (8.15, 45.06) IU/mL, 56%] showed lower positivity rates and neutralizing antibody levels compared to young adults [29.30 (9.82, 188.08) IU/mL, 62%] (p<0.001). Furthermore, the HIV-positive group demonstrated a slightly lower seropositivity rate compared to the healthy group across the three vaccination time points. Notably, three months after the large-scale infection, both the neutralizing antibody level and positivity rate in real-world populations were higher than the previous record [300 (300, 300) IU/mL, 89%; 27.10 (8.77, 139.28) IU/mL, 60%], and this difference was statistically significant., Conclusions: Increasing vaccine dosage enhances neutralizing antibody levels, resulting in greater and longer-lasting immunity. Monitoring immune levels in older individuals and those with AIDS is crucial. Additionally, the neutralizing antibodies generated from vaccination have not yet reached the threshold for achieving herd immunity, while individuals exhibit higher immune levels following a large-scale infection. These findings provide valuable insights for guiding new strategies in vaccine administration., Competing Interests: Authors QG and LX are employed by the company Beijing Hotgen Biotech Co., Ltd Corporation. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Lv, Huang, Wang, He, Song, He, Xu, Yu, Mei and Gao.)

The spatial distribution and pollution level of heavy metal(loid)s in soil (0-6 m) from a typical industrial region in Jiangmen City, Southeast China was investigated. Their bioaccessibility, health risk, and human gastric cytotoxicity in topsoil were also evaluated using an in vitro digestion/human cell model. The average concentrations of Cd (87.52 mg/kg), Co (106.9 mg/kg), and Ni (1007 mg/kg) exceeded the risk screening values. The distribution profiles of metal(loid)s showed a downward migration trend to reach a depth of 2 m. The highest contamination was found in topsoil (0-0.5 m), with the concentrations of As, Cd, Co, and Ni being 46.98, 348.28, 317.44, and 2395.60 mg/kg, respectively, while Cd showed the highest bioaccessibility in the gastric phase (72.80 %), followed by Co (21.08 %), Ni (18.27 %), and As (5.26 %) and unacceptable carcinogenic risk. Moreover, the gastric digesta of topsoil suppressed the cell viability and triggered cell apoptosis, evidenced by disruption of mitochondrial transmembrane potential and increase of Cytochrome c (Cyt c) and Caspases 3/9 mRNA expression. Bioaccessible Cd in topsoil was responsible for those adverse effects. Our data suggest the importance to reduce Cd in the soil to decrease its adverse impacts on the human stomach., 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.)

Coal combustion can release large amounts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which persist in various environment matrices (e.g., road dust) and hence cause the carcinogenic risk to human health. In this study, an exhaustive characterization of road dust samples coupling their physicochemical characteristics and stable isotope compositions (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) was conducted to evaluate the source, level, spatial distribution, and carcinogenic risk of PAHs in a typical coal-utilization city. Concentrations of Σ 16 PAHs ranged from 605.5 to 25,374.3 ng/g with a mean concentration of 4083.0 ng/g. Pollution levels of sites around the coal-fired power plant (Zone 1) were significantly higher than those in other zones (p < 0.05). PAH concentration showed significant correlations with both C and N fractions (p < 0.01). Compositions of δ 13 C and δ 15 N in road dust coupled to principal component analysis and the partitions and diagnostic ratios of PAHs contributed to associating road dust to several local sources of contamination. Coal combustion and vehicular exhaust were major sources of PAHs around the power plant and urban area. Results of incremental lifetime cancer risk showed 81.5% of all sampling sites suffered potential risk (>10 -6 ) for both adults and children, while children around the power plant suffered the highest risk. Despite the estimation of only potential risk being posed by PAHs in road dust, human exposure to the various environmental matrices, scientific and systematic assessment of carcinogenic risks by PAHs in the total environment warrants further investigations., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are leading causes of death globally. However, little is known about the long-term mortality risk and the timeline of death in those co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). This study sought to understand the long-term mortality risk, factors, and the timeline of death in those with HIV-Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) coinfection, particularly in those with insufficient TB treatment., Methods: TB-cause specific deaths were classified using a modified 'Coding of Cause of Death in HIV' protocol. A longitudinal cross-registration-system checking approach was used to confirm HIV/MTB co-infection between two observational cohorts. Mortality from the end of TB treatment (6 months) to post-treatment year (PTY) 5 (60 months) was investigated by different TB treatment outcomes. General linear models were used to estimate the mean mortality at each time-point and change between time-points. Cox's proportional hazard regressions measured the mortality hazard risk (HR) at each time-point. The Mantel-Haenszel stratification was used to identify mortality risk factors. Mortality density was calculated by person year of follow-up., Results: At the end point, mortality among patients with HIV/MTB coinfection was 34.7%. From the end of TB treatment to PTY5, mortality and loss of person years among individuals with TB treatment failure, missing, and adverse events (TBFMA) were significantly higher than those who had TB cure (TBC) and TB complete regimen (TBCR). Compared to individuals with TBC and with TBCR, individuals with TBFMA tended to die earlier and their mortality was significantly higher (HR TBFMA-TBC  = 3.0, 95% confidence interval: 2.5-3.6, HR TBFMA-TBCR  = 2.9, 95% CI: 2.5-3.4, P < 0.0001). Those who were naïve to antiretroviral therapy, were farmers, had lower CD4 counts (≤200 cells/μL) and were ≥ 50 years of age were at the highest risk of mortality. Mortality risk for participants with TBFMA was significantly higher across all stratifications except those with a CD4 count of ≤200 cells/μL., Conclusions: Earlier and long-term mortality among those with HIV/MTB co-infection is a significant problem when TB treatment fails or is inadequate.

Background: Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) are hypothesized downstream markers of brain damage caused by vascular and amyloid pathologic mechanisms. The aim of this study was to determine whether CMB count and location are associated with an increased risk for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in patients with essential hypertension without a history of transient ischemic attack or stroke., Methods and Results: In this cross-sectional study, patients were prospectively enrolled from consecutive outpatients with essential hypertension 50 years and older at 3 centers in northern China. Generalized linear Poisson models were used to determine the association between the number and location of CMBs and MCI in patients with hypertension. The association of microbleeds with different cognitive domains was estimated using linear mixed models. The presence, number, and distribution of CMBs were greater in patients with hypertension who had MCI ( P <0.001). The presence of any CMBs, strictly lobar CMBs, and deep or infratentorial CMBs were all related to MCI after adjusting for age, sex, education, cardiovascular risk factors, body mass index, intima-media thickness, the presence of silent lacunar infarctions, white matter lesion grade, and brain atrophy. Furthermore, the presence of multiple microbleeds (≥5) was associated with lower Montreal Cognitive Assessment total scores and worse performance on specific domains of cognitive tests, such as global cognitive function, information processing speed, and motor speed., Conclusions: This study suggests that the presence of and a greater number of cerebral CMBs independently correlate with MCI in patients with essential hypertension without a history of transient ischemic attack or stroke., (© 2018 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.)

In the era of combination therapy for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), liver disease including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), are the major causes of death for patients co-infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HIV. However, the mechanisms remain obscure. We aimed to determine whether HCC-related HBV mutations including 1762T/1764A double mutation and pre-S deletions occur more frequently in HBV/HIV co-infected individuals compared to HBV mono-infected individuals. In this study, the basic core promoter (BCP) and the preS/S regions of HBV isolated from 61 pairs of HBV/HIV co-infected and HBV mono-infected participants were analyzed. We found that the prevalence of HBV isolates with 1762T/1764A and/or preS deletion mutations was 37.7% (95% CI: 29.1-46.3). The prevalence of these mutations in HBV/HIV co-infected group (52.5%, 95% CI: 40.0-65.0) was significantly higher than in the HBV mono-infected group (23.0%, 95% CI: 12.4-33.6) (X 2 =11.307, P<0.05). HBV/HIV co-infection was associated with higher viral loads but these higher viral loads were not associated with the higher prevalence of HCC-related HBV mutations. Individually 1762T1764A (44.3%) or preS deletions (23%) occurred more frequently in isolates from co-infected compared to mono-infected individuals (21.3%, 4.9%, respectively) (X 2 =7.290, P<0.05; X 2 =8.270, P<0.05). Moreover, 1762T/1764A and preS deletions occurred more frequently in genotypes C and I compared to genotype B (p<0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that co-infection with HIV was associated with the development of both 1762T/1764A ((RR: 2.932(1.325-6.488)) and preS deletions ((RR: 5.759(1.562-21.235)). These results demonstrate that co-infection with HIV was associated with increased prevalence of HCC-related mutations in HBV isolates from Chinese patients., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aim: There are a multitude of cross-sectional surveys that provide the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in the community. However, the data regarding the influence of socioeconomic status on prevalence of IBS were sparse. This study is to investigate the possible relation between human development and prevalence of IBS, at national level., Methods: EMBASE Classic, EMBASE, and MEDLINE were searched (until October 2013) to identify population-based studies that reported prevalence of IBS. Human Development Index (HDI) was chosen to assess socioeconomic status at national level., Results: Firstly, no correlation was observed between prevalence of IBS and national HDI (P = 0.848). Specifically, there was no statistical significance in prevalence between developing and developed countries (P = 0.319). Moreover, prevalence of IBS failed to witness a downtrend in worldwide over the past two decades. Interestingly, the ratio of female/male prevalence was correlated with national HDI according to linear regression analysis (r = 0.395), and the ratio in the developing was significant lower than that in the developed (P = 0.0394). Lastly, except methods of data collection (P < 0.000), it shows no difference between developing and developed countries in diagnostic criteria, IBS subtypes, and age distribution (P = 0.119, 0.327, and 0.845 respectively)., Conclusions: This study is the first time to investigate the relation between IBS prevalence and national socioeconomic status, with consideration of years, gender, and other factors. It demonstrates that national development is not a direct indicator for prevalence of IBS., (© 2014 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.)

In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 9-15 year old Chinese males (n=100) and 9-45 year old Chinese females (n=500) from Wuzhou, Guangxi, China were randomized (1:1) to receive either quadrivalent HPV vaccine or adjuvant-containing placebo. Blood samples were obtained at day 1 and one month post-dose 3 to determine the level of vaccine-induced antibodies. Among vaccine recipients, high antibody levels were observed for each of the four HPV types and seroconversion was >96%. The vaccine was generally well tolerated, with no vaccine-related serious adverse events. This study demonstrated that the quadrivalent HPV vaccine is highly immunogenic and generally well tolerated among Chinese males and females., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The concentrations of total dissolved inorganic arsenic (TDIAs) were measured by Hydride Generation-Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry (HG-AFS). Two cruises were carried out in the river, estuary, coastal area and groundwater of eastern Hainan in December 2006 and August 2007. The concentrations of TDIAs in the Wanquan and Wenchang/Wenjiao rivers and their estuaries, coastal area in December 2006 were 4.0-9.4, 1.3-13.3, 13.3-17.3 nmol x L(-1), respectively. The concentrations of TDIAs in the Wanquan and Wenchang/Wenjiao rivers and their estuaries, coastal area in August 2007 were 1.6-15.5, 2.4-15.9, 10.8-17.6 nmol x L(-1), respectively. There was no significantly seasonal variation of TDIAs in the rivers and estuaries during the dry and wet seasons. Compared with other areas in the world, the concentration of TDIAs in the Eastern Hainan remained at pristine levels. TDIAs showed conservatively mixing in the both estuaries. The concentration of TDIAs of groundwater was below detection limit (BDL)-41.7 nmol x L(-1). The submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) to the coastal area was estimated in the drainage basin of Wenchang/Wenjiao river based on the average concentration of TDIAs in the groundwater and SGD water discharge, with the value of 1 153 mol x a(-1). Budget estimation indicated that the SGD discharge is one of the important sources of arsenic in the coastal area.

A matched nested case-control study of 33 paired cases and controls was conducted, based on a study cohort in Long An county, Guangxi, China, to determine whether infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) with pre-S deletions is independently associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), without the confounding effects of basal core promoter (BCP) double mutations. The prevalence of pre-S deletions was significantly higher in HCC (45.5 %, 15 of 33) than the controls (18.2 %, 6 of 33) (P<0.01), under the control of the influence of BCP double mutations. Most of the pre-S deletions occurred in, or involved, the 5' half of the pre-S2 region and the difference between HCC (93.3 %, 14 of 15) and controls (66.7 %, four of six) was significant for this region (P=0.015). There was no significant difference in pre-S deletions between the BCP mutant group and BCP wild-type group (P>0.05), nor was the prevalence of pre-S deletions significantly different between genotypes B and C (P>0.1). These results suggest that pre-S deletions constitute an independent risk factor for HCC and their emergence and effect are independent of BCP mutations. The 5' terminus of pre-S2 is the favoured site for the deletion mutations, especially in HCC cases. Further prospective studies are required to confirm the role of these mutations in the development of HCC.