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Background: The association between the frailty index (FI) and the risk of chronic lung diseases (CLDs) remains unexplored, warranting further research. Methods and materials: This study investigated the relationship between FI and CLD risk using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) and English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), comprising a combined sample of 9642 individuals. Propensity score weighting was used to ensure similar distribution of covariates across FI groups. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to analyze differences in FI scores between groups with and without CLD. Kaplan–Meier curves and Cox regression analysis were employed to explore the association between frailty status and CLD incidence, with sensitivity analyses conducted for validation. Results: Higher FI scores were significantly associated with increased CLD risk in both cohorts (p <.05). Kaplan–Meier survival and Cox regression analyses indicated that frail individuals have a significantly elevated risk of CLD compared to robust individuals, particularly in certain subgroups (e.g., female) within the CHARLS cohort (p <.05). The ELSA cohort yielded similar results (p <.05), affirming FI as a strong predictor of CLD. Additional risk factors identified included age, smoking, and unmarried status (p <.05). Frail individuals consistently exhibited the highest risk in both cohorts (CHARLS HR = 1.54, p =.003; ELSA HR = 6.64, p <.001). The sensitivity analysis did not substantially alter the significant associations. Conclusion: These findings emphasize the critical role of frailty in the development of CLD, suggesting that targeted interventions could reduce CLD risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To screen the prognostic influencing factors of patients with endovascular treatment for acute basilar artery occlusion (ABAO-EVT). Methods The baseline, clinical and follow-up data of 215 patients with ABAO-EVT from October 2017 to August 2022 in The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Linyi People's Hospital of Shandong and Maoming People's Hospital of Guangdong were retrospectively collected, including sex, age, stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation, smoking and drinking history, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, intravenous thrombolysis, first pass effect, times of embolectomy, extended Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (eTICI), and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score 90 d after operation. According to the 90 d mRS score, the patients were divided into 2 groups: good prognosis group (mRS score 0-3, n = 93) and poor prognosis group (mRS score 4-6, n = 122). Univariate and multivariate stepwise Logistic regression analyses were used to screen the neurological prognostic influencing factors of ABAO - EVT patients 90 d after operation. Results Logistic regression analysis showed that the baseline NIHSS score increased was a risk factor for poor prognosis of ABAO-EVT patients (aOR = 0.936, 95%CI: 0.907-0.965, P = 0.000; aOR = 0.940, 95%CI: 0.910-0.970, P = 0.000), with the first pass effect (aOR = 5.752, 95%CI: 2.875-11.508; P = 0.000), eTICI grade 2c-3 (aOR = 7.113, 95%CI: 3.665-13.805; P = 0.000) were protective factors for good prognosis. Conclusions Low baseline NIHSS score, first pass effect and reperfusion level of eTICI 2c-3 are all protective factors for good neurological prognosis of ABAO-EVT patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic corruption is a hot issue in today's society. "Academic corruption" means that certain individuals in academic circles, driven by the desire for personal gain, resort to various kinds of nonnormative and unethical behavior in academic research activities. These include: academic self-piracy, academic piracy, copying and plagiarism, multiple submission of papers, impersonation, concept appropriation, footnote opportunism, academic deception, slipshod work, verbal garbage, buying and selling of writings, and other academic distortions. This article describes (1) how academic corruption harms the Party; (2) the causes of academic corruption; (3) the main problems confronting China's institutions of higher learning in the effort to control academic corruption; (4) current prevention and control of academic corruption in the United States, France, Germany, and Britain; and (5) proposals for countermeasures by academic journals in China's institutions of higher learning against academic corruption. (Contains 6 notes.) [This article was translated by Ted Wang.]

Background: The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous impact on people's health and well-being. The crisis also threw into sharp relief the fact that police officers faced an increased risk of developing mental health problems. The main purpose of this study was to explore the effects of work stress and risk perception on the mental health of police officers during the epidemic. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey among police officers in Wuhan city, China, and data were collected from 11 March to 12 May 2022. A total of 358 questionnaires were received, of which 302 were considered valid. The questionnaires included demographic information, work stress scale, Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) and epidemic risk perception scale. Descriptive analyses, one-way analysis of variance and linear regression were used to analyze the data. Results: The prevalence of mental health problems was 38.74% among the surveyed police officers. The results indicated that the total score of SCL-90 and its subdimensions were positively correlated with work stress and risk perception. Moreover, we found that three factors were relevant to the police's mental health: age, marital status, and education. Conclusion: Front-line police officers tend to show a higher prevalence of symptoms of mental disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that increased work stress and risk perception may adversely affect police officers' mental health. Consequently, policy-makers and police organizations should establish an internal mental health problem coping team to improve police officers' mental health resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft rot caused by Dickeya zeae is an important bacterial disease affecting rice and other plants worldwide. In this study, Nanopore and Illumina sequencing platforms were used to sequence the high-quality complete genome of a novel D. zeae strain WH1 (size: 4.68 Mb; depth: 322.37x for Nanopore, 243.51x for Illumina; GC content: 53.59%), which was isolated from healthy rice root surface together with Paenibacillus polymyxa, a potential biocontrol bacterium against D. zeae strain WH1. However, the pure WH1 culture presented severe pathogenicity. Multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) indicated that strains WH1, EC1, and EC2 isolated from rice were grouped into a clade differentiated from other D. zeae strains. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) and DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH) analyses demonstrated that WH1 was phylogenetically closest to EC2. Furthermore, the pathogenicity determinants and virulence factors of WH1 were mainly analyzed through genomic comparison with complete genomes of other D. zeae strains with high virulence (EC1, EC2, MS1, and MS2). The results revealed that plant cell wall-degrading extracellular enzymes (PCWDEs), flagellar and chemotaxis, and quorum sensing were highly conserved in all analyzed genomes, which were confirmed through phenotypic assays. Besides, WH1 harbored type I, II, III, and VI secretion systems (T1SS, T2SS, T3SS, and T6SS), but lost T4SS and T5SS. Like strains MS1 and MS2 isolated from bananas, WH1 harbored genes encoding both capsule polysaccharide (CPS) and exopolysaccharide (EPS) biosynthesis. The results of pathogenicity assays demonstrated that WH1 produced severe soft rot symptoms on potato tubers, carrots, radishes, and Chinese cabbage. Meanwhile, WH1 also produced phytotoxin(s) to inhibit rice seed germination with an 87% inhibitory rate in laboratory conditions. More importantly, we confirmed that phytotoxin(s) produced by WH1 are different from zeamines produced by EC1. Comparative genomics analyses and phenotypic and pathogenicity assays suggested that WH1 likely evolved through a pathway different from the other D. zeae strains from rice, producing a new type of rice foot rot pathogen. These findings highlight the emergence of a new type of D. zeae strain with high virulence, causing soft rot in rice and other plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neuroticism and stress are important vulnerability factors in the development and outcome of anxiety symptoms. However, as neuroticism is a heterogeneity trait, it is still unclear how different neuroticism factors contribute to anxiety symptoms independently or in conjunction with stress. Thus, different factors of neuroticism were extracted in the present longitudinal study using the bi-factor model. The prediction effect of these different factors on anxiety symptoms and their combined effects with stress in both adolescent and adult samples were examined. Method: Participants (592 adolescents and 638 young adults) in Hunan China were included. In the initial assessment in our longitudinal study, participants were asked to complete measurements that assessed neuroticism, stress, and anxiety symptoms. Next, a monthly assessment of stress and anxiety symptoms was completed for the subsequent 6 months. The bi-factor model was used to extract different factors of neuroticism. The hierarchical linear model was used to analyze longitudinal multi-wave data. Result: Several model fit indices were used to evaluate the bi-factor model fit for neuroticism (adolescent: Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = 0.957, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.973, RMSEA = 0.040, Chi-Square = 80.471; early adults: TLI = 0.957, CFI = 0.973, RMSEA = 0.042, Chi-Square = 88.465). The results of hierarchical linear modeling analyses indicated that the general factor of neuroticism possessed a predictive effect on anxiety symptoms (adolescents: F = 36.77, p < 0.0001, early adults: F = 30.44, p < 0.0001); The negative effect factor only had the prediction effect on anxiety symptoms in early adults (adolescents: F = 0.65, p > 0.05; early adults: F = 4.84, p < 0.05); No prediction of self-reproach factor was found on anxiety symptoms (adolescents: F = 3.79, p > 0.05; early adults: F = 0.02, p > 0.05); the interactive effects of the general factor and stress on anxiety symptoms were only found in early adulthood (adolescents: F = 0.13, p > 0.05; early adults: F = 11.55, p < 0.01). Conclusion: Our results suggested that the bi-factor model achieved a satisfactory fit for neuroticism measurement and supported that the anxiety symptoms were induced by the main effects of the general factor in both age samples and the negative factor only in adults. The general factor of neuroticism, but not the negative factor could make an additive effect for anxiety symptoms in face of stress, which meant that the homogeneity of neuroticism played a more significant role in further anxiety symptoms than heterogeneity when coping with stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective By comparing consistency of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pathogen metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) results and final clinical diagnoses of central nervous system infection, we discuss the objective inclusion criteria for suspected central nervous system infection patients sending CSF pathogen mNGS. Methods From March 2017 to April 2020, Department of Neurology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University sent CSF of 35 patients for pathogen mNGS and conventional pathogen testing to exclude central nervous system infection. Sensitivities, specificities and Youden's index of mNGS as well as conventional pathogen testing were calculated and compared. We also drew receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and calculated areas under the curve (AUC) to compared diagnostic efficacies of two methods. All patients were then scored according to objective inclusion criteria for sending samples (one score for one item). Positive coincidence rates of CSF pathogen mNGS and final clinical diagnoses of central nervous system infection of each score were also calculated. Results Nineteen of 35 patients enrolled were finally clinical diagnosed as central nervous system infection. Eighteen cases were positive by CSF pathogen mNGS, with positive rate 51.43% (18/35). Seventeen cases were positive by conventional pathogen testing with positive rate 48.57% (17/35). Seventeen cases of clinical diagnosed central nervous system infection were CSF pathogen mNGS positive, with diagnostic sensitivity 17/19, specificity 15/16 and Youden index 0.832. Fourteen cases of clinical diagnosed central nervous system infection were conventional pathogen testing positive, with diagnostic sensitivity 14/19, specificity 13/16 and Youden index 0.612. ROC curve showed the AUC of CSF pathogen mNGS was 0.916 (95%CI: 0.822-1.000, P = 0.000), and AUC of conventional pathogen testing was 0.806 (95%CI: 0.674-0.938, P = 0.000). There was no difference in diagnostic efficacies between CSF pathogen mNGS and conventional pathogen testing (Z = 1.245, P = 0.213). According to objective inclusion criteria for sending pathogen mNGS of CBF, the positive coincidence rates of mNGS were 0 score (0/4), 1 score (0/ 2), 2 scores (1/8), 3 scores (3/4), 4 scores (4/6), 5 scores (3/4), 6 scores (6/7). The positive coincidence rates of mNGS showed an overall trend of increase with scores, and notably cases ≥ 3 scores had higher positive coincidence rates than cases < 3 scores (Fisher exact probability: P = 0.000). Conclusions CSF pathogen mNGS can assist in accurate diagnosis of central nervous system infection. Sending CSF according to objective inclusion criteria based on clinical and routine auxiliary examination results can improve positive coincidence rate of pathogen mNGS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we reviewed the classification, genetic diversity and planting and application of snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) germplasm resources in China at the present stage were, analyzed the bottleneck of snap bean research in China, and prospected the development trend of snap bean germplasm research in the future. In the opportunity of the completion of the whole genome sequencing of kidney bean and the construction of high-density genetic map, it is necessary to strengthen the application of ISSR, SNP and other molecular methods and high-throughput proteomics to the study on the specific breeding of snap bean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Beginning in June 2017, numerous dengue virus (DENV) infections occurred in the Jining City of Shandong Province, formerly a dengue-free region in East China. We sought to describe the clinical and epidemiological features of this outbreak.Methods: We reviewed the clinical records and epidemiological data regarding a case series of patients diagnosed with DENV in Jining City, from June 30 to September 14, 2017. Diagnosis was confirmed by molecular method, culture, or rapid diagnostic tests. Sequencing of the DENV envelope gene or the whole viral genome was performed for 11 patients. Additionally, neutralizing antibodies against DENV was measured among patients and residents from their same villages.Results: Data from 150 patients were evaluated in this outbreak. None were diagnosed with dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome. The patients' ages ranged between 2-88 years (median 51 years, [IQR=37.5-64.3]), and 100 (66.7%) were female. Epidemiological analyses implicated a man who had visited Saudi Arabia as the likely source of the outbreak. Phylogenetic studies identified DENV serotype 1. Most of the patients demonstrated increases of neutralizing antibody titers one year after infection compared with titers three months after infection. The residents living in dengue-affected villages had a significant higher seroprevalence of 21.2% (95%CI 16.9-25.5) than residents (3.2%, 95%CI-0.36-6.7) living in a non-dengue-affected village.Conclusions: This report documents the first dengue outbreak in Shandong Province, China, in more than 60 years. It underscores the need for medical providers to record patients' travel histories and to consider dengue in their differential diagnoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The functional groups approach is an efficient way to analyze seasonal changes in phytoplankton biomass as it is based on the physiological, morphological, and ecological attributes of the species. In this study, we identified the functional groups and driving factors behind short-term succession in phytoplankton communities. We analyzed physical, chemical, and biological factors of the Maixi River in Baihua Reservoir (BHR) from August to September, 2013 (summer, phase I) and March to May, 2014 (late spring and early summer, phase II). The 226 samples collected were divided into 23 functional groups. In phase I, phytoplankton biomass ranged from 4.88 to 30.59 mg·L-1, and the group S1 (Pseudanabaena limnetica) had the greatest biomass. In phase II, phytoplankton biomass ranged from 2.22 to 50.61 mg·L-1, and groups Y (Cryptomonas sp.) and S1 (P. limnetica) had the greatest biomass. Dominant functional groups in the Maixi River changed from S1 + D + Y + Lo in phase I to Y + S1 in summer. Changes in the phytoplankton community varied between 0 and 0.144 day-1 in phase I and between 0.008 and 0.389 day-1 in later spring and early summer. This showed a steady-state phytoplankton community during the two phases, in which the functional groups S1 (P. limnetica) and Y (Cryptomonas sp.) were dominant. Pseudanabaena limnetica, Synedra sp., Peridinium sp., and Cryptomonas sp. were dominant during summer, contributing to 70% of the total biomass in the steady-state community, and P. limnetica, Synedra sp., Cryptomonas sp., and Chlamydomonas sp. were dominant during later spring and early summer, contributing to 60% of the total biomass in the community. Groups S1, D, and Y formed easily in the Maixi River, but P. limnetica was the dominant species in the eutrophic conditions of the Maixi River. According to biotic and abiotic factors, we concluded that the Maixi River is hypertrophic, and water resource management should take blooms of P. limnetica occurring in May into account. Temperature and dissolved oxygen were the critical factors affecting the steady-state of the phytoplankton community in late spring and early summer and summer, respectively. Because the Maixi River is an important source in the BHR, its phytoplankton functional groups directly affect the ecological balance of the water environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In patients with hypertension, psychosocial factors, such as depressive symptoms and anxiety, are associated with reduced quality of life and triple the risk of nonadherence with medical treatment regimens. Thus, screening tests are crucial to identify patients who may require further assessment and treatment. Objectives: The objective of the current study was to test the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Mood and Anxiety Symptoms Questionnaire Short Form (MASQ-SF-C) in patients with essential hypertension. Methods: Y The MASQ-SF-C, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were administered to a convenience sample of 869 hypertensive patients in 4 hospitals. A confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the tripartite model. We evaluate the internal consistency of the MASQ-SF-C and we used the Bland-Altman approach to evaluate convergent validity between the MASQ-SF-C t score and symptoms of (1) depressive symptoms and (2) anxiety. Results: Cronbach's α coefficient for the total MASQ-SF-C was .95, and Cronbach's α coefficients for the 3 subscales were .83 for anhedonic depression (AD), .91 for anxiety arousal (AA), and .94 for general distress (GD), indicating adequate internal consistency reliability. The mean interitem correlation coefficients were as follows: MASQ-SF-C, 0.29; AD, 0.28; AA, 0.38; and GD, 0.40. The 1-month test-retest reliability for the MASQ-SF-C was 0.72. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the 3 first-order factors (GD, AD, and AA) fit the data well (nonnormed fit index = 0.953, comparative fit index = 0.936, incremental fit index = 0.936, root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.038). Conclusions: This study supported the reliability and validity of the MASQ-SF-C, indicating that it can be used for assessing depressive symptoms and anxiety concurrently in Chinese-speaking patients with hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accumulative evidence in the literature suggests alcohol consumption is a protective factor of the metabolic syndrome (MS). However, few studies investigated the relationship between alcohol consumption and components of MS. We examined association of several types of alcoholic beverage with components of MS among people in rural China. Methods: In the Nantong Metabolic Syndrome Study (NMSS), a cross-sectional study, a total of 20,502 participants, including 13,505 women and 6,997 men aged 18-74 years, were recruited between 2007 and 2008 in Nantong, China. Socio-economic status, dietary intake, physical exercise, alcoholic beverage consumption, and smoking status information were obtained, and triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprtein cholesterol (HDL-c), blood pressure (BP) and blood glucose level were examined for all participants. Logistic regression model and the restricted cubic spline approach were used to analyze the associations between alcoholic beverage consumption and MS components. Results: The MS prevalence was 21.1% in the whole population, which was significantly low among drinkers (20.6%), compared with non-drinkers (23.6%) in women, and was comparable in men (16.4% versus 17.1%). High HDL-c level was observed among drinkers, compared with non-drinkers in both men and women. Low TG level and Systolic BP (SBP) were found only among rice wine drinkers in women, and high waist circumference, high TG and BP were found among beer and liquor drinkers in men. Furthermore, we found that the highest quartile of rice wine drink in women may decrease 24% risk of high TG, 30% risk of low HDL-c and 43% risk of high glucose among MS components cases respectively, compared with non-drinkers (p for trend <0.01 for those three components). While compared non-drinkers among men, the highest quartile of liquor drink may increase 32% risk of high SBP, 55% risk of high Diastolic BP (DBP) and 34% risk of abdominal obesity among MS components cases respectively, but decrease 45% risk of low HDL-c (p for trend <0.05 for those four components). Conclusion: Our data suggested that all alcoholic beverages increased HDL-c level. Rice wine decreased both TG level and blood glucose in women only and it could be one of healthy alcoholic beverages in MS prevention in Chinese women. While excessive liquor consumption increased BP and waist circumference level and it may lead to hypertension and central obesity in Chinese men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban rail transit (URT) has been playing an important role in urban sustainable development with its advantages of high speed, large capacity, high efficiency and low pollution. Estimating URT network scale is the key to ensure the scientificity and feasibility of its construction. The existing studies on rational scale of URT network have not dealt with the interaction of supply and demand. This paper describes the establishment of a system dynamics model of rational URT network scale determination, considering the interaction between URT construction and city social economic development as well as the dynamic equilibrium of capital supply and traffic demand, and the verification of the model validity by applying it to the case of Wuhan City's URT construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional Chinese medicinal plants are sources of biologically active compounds, providing raw material for pharmaceutical, cosmetic and fragrance industries. The endophytes of medicinal plants participate in biochemical pathways and produce analogous or novel bioactive compounds. Panxi plateau in South-west Sichuan in China with its unique geographical and climatological characteristics is a habitat of a great variety of medicinal plants. In this study, 560 endophytic actinomycetes were isolated from 26 medicinal plant species in Panxi plateau. 60 isolates were selected for 16S rDNA-RFLP analysis and 14 representative strains were chosen for 16S rDNA sequencing. According to the phylogenetic analysis, seven isolates were Streptomyces sp., while the remainder belonged to genera Micromonospora, Oerskovia, Nonomuraea, Promicromonospora and Rhodococcus. Antimicrobial activity analysis combined with the results of amplifying genes coding for polyketide synthetase (PKS-I, PKS-II) and nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) showed that endophytic actinomycetes isolated from medicinal plants in Panxi plateau had broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and potential natural product diversity, which further proved that endophytic actinomycetes are valuable reservoirs of novel bioactive compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the current study was to develop a Chinese version of the Responses to Stress Questionnaire (RSQ-C) and to evaluate its reliability and validity. The original version of the RSQ was back-translated into Chinese and administered to a sample of students recruited from two middle schools in Hunan, China. The final sample consisted of 1068 adolescents (49.9% males and 50.1% females). Participants' ages ranged from 14 to 20 (M = 16.47 years, standard deviation = 1.02). The RSQ-C exhibited moderate internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha was 0.87), and test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients was 0.82 over a 1-month interval). Results of confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the fit of a three-factor model of voluntary coping and a separate two-factor model of involuntary coping. With regard to predictive validity, the results of multiple regression analyses suggest that the high levels of Disengagement Coping and low levels of Primary Control Engagement Coping were significant predictors of depressive symptomology. Additionally, high levels of Involuntary Engagement and low levels of Primary Control Engagement Coping predicted higher levels of social anxiety symptoms. Copyright ? 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planning for the extraction of aggregates is typically dealt with at a case to case basis, without assessing environmental impacts strategically. In this study we assess the impact of sand mining in Poyang Lake, where dredging began in 2001 after sand mining in the Yangtze River had been banned. In April 2008 concern over the impact on the biodiversity led to a ban on sand mining in Poyang Lake until further plans could be developed. Planning will require consideration of both sand extraction in relation to available sediment resources and also environmental impacts within the context of future demand for sand in the lower Yangtze Valley. We used pairs of near-infrared (NIR) Aster satellite imagery to estimate the number of vessels leaving the lake. Based on this we calculated a rate of sand extraction of 236 million m3 year−1 in 2005–2006. This corresponds to 9% of the total Chinese demand for sand. It qualifies Poyang Lake as probably the largest sand mining operation in the world. It also indicates that sand extraction currently dominates the sediment balance of the lower Yangtze River. A positive relation between demand for sand and GDP, revealed by historic data from the USA, suggests that the current per capita demand for sand in China might increase in the near future from 2 to 4 m3 year−1. We review various environmental impacts and question whether it will be possible to preserve the rich biodiversity of the lake, while continuing at the same time satisfying the increasing Chinese demand for sand. Finally we review alternative options for sand mining, in order to relieve the pressure from the Poyang Lake ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Subtelomeric imbalance is widely accepted as related to developmental delay/mental retardation (DD/ MR). Fine mapping of aberrations in gene-enriched subtelomeric regions provides essential clues for localizing critical regions, and provides a strategy for identifying new candidate genes. To date, no large-scale study has been conducted on subtelomeric aberrations in DD/MR patients in mainland China. Methods: This study included 451 Chinese children with moderate to severe clinically unexplained DD/MR. The subtelomere-MLPA (multiplex ligation dependent probe amplification) and Affymetrix human SNP array 6.0 were used to determine the subtelomeric copy number variations. The exact size and the breakpoint of each identified aberration were well defined. Results: The submicroscopic subtelomeric aberrations were identified in 23 patients, with a detection rate of 5.1%. 16 patients had simple deletions, 2 had simple duplications and 5 with both deletions and duplications. The deletions involved 14 different subtelomeric regions (1p, 2p, 4p, 6p, 7p, 7q, 8p, 9p, 10p, 11q, 14q, 15q, 16p and 22q), and duplications involved 7 subtelomeric regions (3q, 4p, 6q, 7p, 8p, 12p and 22q). Of all the subtelomeric aberrations found in Chinese subjects, the most common was 4p16.3 deletion. The sizes of the deletions varied from 0.6 Mb to 12 Mb, with 5-143 genes inside. Duplicated regions were 0.26 Mb to 11 Mb, with 6-202 genes inside. In this study, four deleted subtelomeric regions and one duplicated region were smaller than any other previously reported, specifically the deletions in 11q25, 8p23.3, 7q36.3, 14q32.33, and the duplication in 22q13. Candidate genes inside each region were proposed. Conclusions: Submicroscopic subtelomeric aberrations were detected in 5.1% of Chinese children with clinically unexplained DD/MR. Four deleted subtelomeric regions and one duplicated region found in this study were smaller than any previously reported, which will be helpful for further defining the candidate dosage sensitive gene associated with DD/MR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corydalis is a Chinese herb that has been used in China for hundreds of years for analgesic and other purposes. Corydaline and l -tetrahydropalmatine (l -THP) are the main active ingredients of Corydalis. This study was aimed to study the potential utility of corydaline and l -THP in the treatment of opioid abuse and addiction and explore the possible mechanisms underlying their pharmacological actions. Conditioned place preference (CPP) was used to evaluate the rewarding effects of morphine and Western-blot immunoreactive assays were used to evaluate morphine-induced changes in dopamine D 2 receptor and GluA1 AMPA receptor and GluA2 AMPA receptor expression in the brain of rats. Systemic administration of corydaline (5 mg/kg, i.p.) or l -THP (1.25, 2.5,5 mg/kg) significantly inhibited the acquisition and expression of morphine-induced CPP in a dose-dependent manner. Corydaline or l -THP alone, at the same doses, failed to produce CPP or conditioned place aversion, and didn't affect locomotor activity. We then examined the expression of dopamine D 2 receptor and GluA1 AMPA receptor and GluA2 AMPA receptor subunit expression in rats after acquisition of morphine-induced CPP. We found that repeated administration of morphine produced a significant reduction in dopamine D 2 receptor expression in the prefrontal cortex, hippocamps, and striatum, while an increase in the striatal GluA1 AMPA receptor expression. Pretreatment with corydaline or l-THP blocked morphine-induced dopamine D 2 receptor down-regulation and GluA1 AMPA receptor up-regulation in these brain regions. Corydaline and l-THP may have therapeutic potential in prevention and treatment of opioid abuse and addiction. The underlying mechanisms may be related to their antagonism on morphine-induced changes in dopamine and glutamate transmission in the brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify the relationship between clinical pathological characteristics and the recurrence score (RS) on a 21-gene expression assay in patients with hormone receptor–positive, node-negative breast cancer, as well as the effect of RS on adjuvant decision-making. The retrospective study was conducted among luminal breast cancer patients admitted to Xijing Hospital between October 10, 2016, and September 14, 2018. Real-time PCR was used for 21-genome detection. Based on the calculated RS, participants were classified into low-risk, moderate-risk, and high-risk groups. Single-factor analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis were performed to explore independent predictors of high RS. Moreover, the effect of RS on adjuvant decision-making was studied. Two hundred twenty-two patients with luminal breast cancer, aged 48.3 ± 9.66, were enrolled. Among them, 33.8% had low (13 ± 3.34), 45.5% intermediate (23 ± 3.65), and 20.7% high (37 ± 3.44) RS. According to the single-factor analysis, age, tumor size, Ki-67, molecular subtype, CK5/6 expression, E-cadherin level, and histological grade were positively associated with high RS. Multiple logistic analyses showed that tumor size and histological grade were independent variables that might predict high RS in patients with hormone receptor–positive, node-negative breast cancer. For adjuvant decision-making, the proportion of adjuvant chemotherapy in the intermediate-/high-risk groups was higher than that in the low-risk group, P < 0.001. Compared with the data worldwide, the changes of treatment selection in the present study were similar to those in Japan (23.0% vs. 26%) and America (23.0% vs. 23.0%). Considering the pathology types, 14.3% of patients with invasive breast cancer with lower RS changed treatment recommendations, predominantly from chemo-endocrine to endocrine treatment alone, whereas the percentage in intermediate/high RS groups was 8.1%. Tumor size and histological grade were independent variables, predicting high risk in patients with hormone receptor–positive, node-negative breast cancer; 21-gene RS assessment was potentially a critical tool in guiding adjuvant decision-making in China. • We enriched the data about the clinical significance of RS among Chinese patients. • Tumor size and histological grade were independent factors to 21 gene recurrence score. • 21-gene recurrence score value was promising in adjuvant decision-making for early breast cancer patients in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We assessed the risk of liver injuries following low doses of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) below threshold limit values (20 mg/m³) among leather industry workers and comparison groups. Methods: A cohort of 429 workers from a leather factory and 466 non-exposed subjects in China were followed for 4 years. Poisson regression and piece-wise linear regression were used to examine the relationship between DMF and liver injury. Results: Workers exposed to a cumulative dose of DMF were significantly more likely than non-exposed workers to develop liver injury. A nonlinear relationship between DMF and liver injury was observed, and a threshold of the cumulative DMF dose for liver injury was 7.30 (mg/m³) year. Conclusions: The findings indicate the importance of taking action to reduce DMF occupational exposure limits for promoting worker health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The aim of the present study was to retrospectively analyze the relationship between the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) at baseline and healthcare costs of three-month as well as the risk of quality-of-life score at the 6-month follow-up for Chinese hemodialysis patients.Methods and Study Design: One hundred patients who had been on maintenance hemodialysis were enrolled in this study. The general characteristics, laboratory test results and GNRI of the patients at baseline were recorded. The healthcare costs and quality-of-life scores were determined at the follow-up examination.Results: Patients were divided into two groups according to their median GNRI at baseline: a lower GNRI group (GNRI <86.4) and a higher GNRI group (GNRI >86.4). The patients in the lower GNRI group exhibited reduced hemoglobin (74.7±13.1 g/dL vs 82.3±15.2 g/dL, p<0.05) and albumin (27.4±3.3 g/L vs 34.5±4.0 g/L, p<0.05) as well as reduced body weight (62.7±9.5 kg vs 68.0±9.2 kg, p<0.05) at baseline. The medication cost at follow-up was higher in the lower GNRI group (RMB 3,238±1,534 vs RMB 2,378±1,048, p<0.05). And a lower GNRI at baseline was associated with increased future medication costs and worse health in hemodialysis patients.Conclusions: The present study suggests that a lower GNRI in hemodialysis patients may be associated with an increased risk of higher future healthcare costs as well as worse health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate the effect of multidisciplinary treatment (MDT) on the survival outcomes of Chinese lung cancer patients., Methods: Data from a Chinese tertiary cancer hospital of lung cancer patients were collected and divided into two groups (MDT+/-) according to whether the patients had received an MDT. The survival analysis was performed after propensity score matching (PSM)., Results: Before PSM, more patients in the MDT+ group had documented information on clinical characteristics and showed more unfavorable clinical characteristics than patients in the MDT- group. After PSM, there was no imbalance in the first-line treatment strategies between the two groups. When the patients were analyzed separately, for patients in the MDT- group, age at diagnosis, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score, stage, smoking history, and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene status were all significant factors for survival (p < 0.05). For patients in the MDT+ group, only age at diagnosis, stage, and comorbidities were significant factors for survival (p < 0.05). Moreover, age at diagnosis, ECOG score, stage, EGFR gene status, and MDT were all significant factors for survival for all patients (p < 0.001). The results indicate that MDT was a significant prognostic factor independent of clinical characteristics (HR: 2.095, 95% CI: 1.568-2.800, p < 0.001), with a significantly improved median survival (58.0 vs. 29.0 months, p < 0.001)., Conclusion: Based on PSM, MDT itself did have a real favorable prognostic significance for Chinese lung cancer patients in the study., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Background: To examine the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (PHQ-A) in Chinese children and adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD)., Methods: A total of 248 MDD patients aged between 12 and 18 years were recruited and evaluated by the Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (PHQ-A), the Center for Epidemiological Survey Depression Scale (CES-D), the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ), and the improved Clinical Global Impression Scale, Severity item (iCGI-S). Thirty-one patients were selected randomly to complete the PHQ-A again one week later. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to test the construct validity of the scale. Reliability was evaluated by Macdonald Omega coefficient. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to assess the item-total correlation and the correlation of PHQ-A with CES-D and MFQ respectively. Spearman correlation coefficient was used to assess test-retest reliability. The optimal cut-off value, sensitivity, and specificity of the PHQ-A were achieved by estimating the Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve., Results: CFA reported adequate loadings for all items, except for item 3. Macdonald Omega coefficient of the PHQ-A was 0.87. The Spearman correlation coefficient of the test-retest reliability was 0.70. The Pearson correlation coefficients of the PHQ-A with CES-D and MFQ were 0.87 and 0.85, respectively (p < 0.01). By taking the iCGI-S as the remission criteria for MDD, the optimal cut-off value, sensitivity and specificity of the PHQ-A were 7, 98.7%, 94.7% respectively., Conclusion: The PHQ-A presented as a unidimensional construct and demonstrated satisfactory reliability and validity among the Chinese children and adolescents with MDD. A cut-off value of 7 was suggested for remission., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: This study was aimed to identify the risk factors that influence the mortality risk in patients with acute aortic dissection (AAD) within one year after discharge, and aimed to construct a predictive model for assessing mortality risk., Methods: The study involved 320 adult patients obtained from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC) database. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify potential risk factors associated with mortality in AAD patients within one year after discharge and to develop a predictive model. The performance of the predictive model was assessed using the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA). To further validate the findings, patient data from the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University (157 patients) were analyzed., Results: Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that gender, length of hospital stay, highest blood urea nitrogen (BUN&#95;max), use of adrenaline, and use of amiodarone were significant risk factors for mortality within one year after discharge (p < 0.05). The constructed model exhibited a consistency index (C-index) and an area under the ROC curve of 0.738. The calibration curve and DCA demonstrated that these indicators had a good degree of agreement and utility. The external validation results of the model also indicated good predictability (AUC = 0.700, p < 0.05)., Conclusion: The personalized scoring prediction model constructed by gender, length of hospital stays, BUN&#95;max levels, as well as the use of adrenaline and amiodarone, can effectively identify AAD patients with high mortality risk within one year after discharge., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Online food delivery (OFD) is one of the top industries in the Online-to-offline (O2O) commerce sector. Deliverymen need to complete a large number of delivery orders in limited default time every day, which cause high working stress to them. Therefore, a high level of traffic violations and crashes by deliverymen and corresponding negative impact on public safety are observed. To reduce traffic violations by deliverymen and resulting crashes, a hierarchical online food delivery framework is proposed, which is based on data from questionnaire surveys conducted in Xi'an City, China. The study includes the analysis of the root cause correlated with traffic violations during online food delivery as part of an empirical study on the priority delivery fee by applying a conditional price sensitivity measurement (PSM) model. The feasibility and rationality of the framework are further investigated by using cross analysis of urban dwellers' occupation, income, and commuting cost. The results identify that, through rationally shunting the demand of online food delivery, prolonging the default delivery duration, and providing diversified delivery services, the proposed hierarchical online food delivery mechanism is able to relieve the stress of deliverymen during peak hours of food requests. This reduces the willingness of deliverymen to engage in traffic violations, and other risky behaviors during food delivery trips. All of which facilitate high-quality and timely online food delivery service while enabling improved safety of deliverymen and others as part of enhanced public safety and health., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Lu, Guo, Zhang, Li, Li and Jones.)

Background: In patients with hypertension, psychosocial factors, such as depressive symptoms and anxiety, are associated with reduced quality of life and triple the risk of nonadherence with medical treatment regimens. Thus, screening tests are crucial to identify patients who may require further assessment and treatment., Objectives: The objective of the current study was to test the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Mood and Anxiety Symptoms Questionnaire-Short Form (MASQ-SF-C) in patients with essential hypertension., Methods: The MASQ-SF-C, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were administered to a convenience sample of 869 hypertensive patients in 4 hospitals. A confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the tripartite model. We evaluate the internal consistency of the MASQ-SF-C and we used the Bland-Altman approach to evaluate convergent validity between the MASQ-SF-C t score and symptoms of (1) depressive symptoms and (2) anxiety., Results: Cronbach's α coefficient for the total MASQ-SF-C was .95, and Cronbach's α coefficients for the 3 subscales were .83 for anhedonic depression (AD), .91 for anxiety arousal (AA), and .94 for general distress (GD), indicating adequate internal consistency reliability. The mean interitem correlation coefficients were as follows: MASQ-SF-C, 0.29; AD, 0.28; AA, 0.38; and GD, 0.40. The 1-month test-retest reliability for the MASQ-SF-C was 0.72. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the 3 first-order factors (GD, AD, and AA) fit the data well (nonnormed fit index = 0.953, comparative fit index = 0.936, incremental fit index = 0.936, root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.038)., Conclusions: This study supported the reliability and validity of the MASQ-SF-C, indicating that it can be used for assessing depressive symptoms and anxiety concurrently in Chinese-speaking patients with hypertension.

MicroRNAs have been demonstrated to have a role in susceptibility and prognosis of various types of human cancer. We investigated the association between polymorphisms in miR-146aG>C, miR-196a2C>T, and miR-499A>G and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk and interaction with HCC and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Two hundred sixty-six cases with HCC and 281 health controls were enrolled in the present study. Genotyping of the miR-146aG>C, miR-196a2C>T, and miR-499A>G genotypes was conducted by duplex polymerase chain reaction with the confronting two-pair primer (PCR-RFLP). Subjects with miR-146a GG and G allele had an increased risk of HCC compared with the homozygote CC genotype. Similarly, HCC patients carrying microRNA (miRNA)-196a2 computed tomography, TT, and T allele significantly decreased the risk of HCC relative to the CC genotype. Stratified analysis indicated that miR-196a2C>T polymorphism was associated with reduced risk of HBV-related HCC, but not in hepatitis C virus- and nonviral-related HCC cases. In conclusion, miR-146aG>C and miR-196a2C>T polymorphism are associated with risk of HCC patients in China, especially in patients with HBV infection. SNPs in miRNA sequences can be used as a diagnostic biomarker for HCC.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of the caring for patients with lymphedema/chronic filariasis elephantiasis in Huaiyin District., Methods: The chronic filariasis care sites were established and the medical workers provided the guidance regularly to patients for their self-cares., Results: Through the caring for patients with chronic filariasis, their symptoms alleviated obviously, and the symptom frequency showed a significant downward trend., Conclusion: The caring for the chronic filariasis patients can alleviate the symptoms and improve the quality of life.

Virological testing and monitoring is a fundamental part of quality control of experimental animals. However, there are few papers regarding the spectrum and status of natural infection in wild tree shrews with human and animal pathogenic viruses. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent adsorption assay (ELISA), we tested sixty wild tree shrews captured from Qinglong, an outskirt region of Kunming, Yunnan Province, China for eleven viruses, including herpes simplex virus, coxsackie virus, influenza virus, HAV, HBV, HCV, HDV, dengue virus, hemorrhagic fever virus and measles virus. Our results showed that, in the serum samples, 22/60 (36.7%) and 1/60 (1.67%) were antibody positive for herpes simplex virus and coxsackie virus, respectively, and 4/60 (6.7%) were antigen positive for rotavirus in the feces. The remaining species of viruses were negative in these tree shrews. Based on these results, we propose that herpes simplex virus, coxsackie virus and cotavirus should be listed as top priority for routine virological monitoring of tree shrews.

Purpose: The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a brief but comprehensive screening tool for adolescent psychopathology. The current study examined the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the self-report form of the SDQ (SDQ-C)., Methods: Participants included 1135 adolescents (15.1 +/- 1.8 years, 561 boys and 574 girls) recruited from five schools in mainland China. During a single school-based assessment, participants completed the SDQ-C and the Youth Self Report (YSR)., Results: Chinese adolescents scored significantly higher on the peer problems subscale and significantly lower on the emotional symptoms, hyperactivity, and prosocial behavior subscales than did the British normative sample. Girls scored higher on the emotional symptoms subscale and lower on the conduct and peer problems subscales than did boys. Participants between the ages of 15 and 18 years scored higher on the hyperactivity and prosocial behavior subscales and lower on the peer problems subscale than did participants between the ages of 11 and 14. The SDQ-C exhibited strong internal consistency (overall Cronbach's alpha coefficient was .81) and moderate test-retest reliability (Pearson's correlation coefficient was .71 over an 8-week interval). Each SDQ-C subscale score was highly correlated with the corresponding subscale score of the YSR. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that both the five-factor structure and the higher-order structure of the SDQ-C were suitable and invariant across sex and age., Conclusions: The SDQ-C exhibited high levels of reliability and validity, indicating that the SDQ-C is appropriate for assessing psychopathology in Chinese adolescents.

Objective: To evaluate the contraception efficacy, mode of bleeding, side effects and other positive effects of drospirenone-ethinylestradiol (Yasmin) in healthy Chinese women., Methods: This was a multicenter, randomized, control study of 768 healthy Chinese women who consulted about contraception. The subjects were randomized into Yasmin group (30 microg ethinylestradiol plus 3 mg drospirenone, 573 cases) or desogestrel group (30 microg ethinylestradiol plus 150 microg desogestrel, 195 cases) with the ratio of 3:1. Each individual was treated for 13 cycles. Further visits were required at cycle 4, cycle 7, cycle 10 and cycle 13 of treatment Weight, height, body mass index were evaluated at each visit. The menstrual distress questionnaire (MDQ) was given to the women at baseline, visit 3 (cycle 7) and visit 5 (after cycle 13)., Results: The values of basal features were similar between two groups (P > 0.05). The Pearl index (method failure) of Yasmin was 0. 208/hundred women year which was lower than that of desogestrel (0. 601/hundred women year). The mode of bleeding was similar between two groups after trial without showing any significant difference. According to MDQ subscale, the improvement of water retention and increasing appetite during inter-menstrual period and water retention and general well-being during menstrual period in the Yasmin group (-0.297, -0.057, 0.033, 0.150 respectively) was more obvious than that in the desogestrel group (-0.108, 0.023, 0.231, -0.023 respectively) with a significant difference (P < 0.05). Some other values which improved in both two groups, especially the improvement of breast tenderness and pain and skin abnormality in Yasmin group (18.0%, 89/494; 12.6%, 62/494) was more distinct than that in desogestrel group (11.3%, 19/168; 5.4%, 9/168). The mean weight increased in desogestrel group (0.57 kg) while it decreased in Yasmin group (-0.28 kg) with a significant difference (P < 0.01)., Conclusions: Both Yasmin and desogestrel have good efficacy on contraception and similar modes of menstrual bleeding. Yasmin is better than desogestrel in terms of weight control and premenstrual syndrome of oral contraceptive.

Parasitological and dissection methods were used to confirm Echinococcus infection and echinococcosis in animals, and to understand the epidemiological situation in final and intermediate animal hosts in Qinghai Province. Three Echinococcus species were found in the Province including E. granulosus, E. multilocularis and E. shiquicus. The prevalence of hydatid disease showed a tendency of increase with an average rate of over 50% in yaks and sheep. Higher prevalence in wild animals as intermediate host was found in the southern plateau, while that in final hosts such as dogs and wolves, the prevalence was higher in the area of Qilian mountain. There is a complex chain of life cycle of the parasites among animals, which poses a threat to the health of human population. Effective measures to control the disease in animals are urgently needed.

The survey was carried out in July, 2006 in Zhiduo County. The IHA and ELISA positive rate in human population was 4.5% (42/933) and 8.2% (76/931) respectively. Ultrasonography revealed a morbidity of 3.4% (33/979) with 3.2% Echinococcus granulosus and 0.2% of E. multilocularis respectively. Animal dissection showed an infection rate of 15.1% (14/93) in pikas with one infected by E. shiquicus proved by molecular biology. Coproantigen rate by ELISA was 62% (12/193) in dogs and 35.7% (5/14) in wolves. The results indicated that Zhiduo County is a mixed endemic area for echinococcosis.