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The effects of global warming and precipitation changes on water temperature and thermocline parameters, such as thermocline depth, thickness, and strength, were assessed. A catchment model, coupled with a reservoir thermal model with meteorological input calculated by a downscaled general circulation model (GCM) projection under three representative concentration pathways (RCPs), was applied to the Xin'anjiang Reservoir, located in southeast China. The results indicate that water temperature in each layer increased (decreased) with the rise (decline) in air temperature, especially the surface water temperature. There was a significant negative (positive) correlation between thermocline depth (strength) and air temperature during the period of stratification weakness. The most sensitive phenomenon of water temperature-to-precipitation changes occurred in the middle layer (depth = 30 m). Additionally, the thermocline depth and thickness increased with decreases in hydraulic residence time, which were caused by precipitation increases. According to the simulation experiments driven by RCP outputs, mean water temperature in each water layer in the future (2096–2100) has a strong response to increases in air temperature, which is projected to increase by 0.11–0.62 °C for RCP2.6, 0.76–1.19 °C for RCP4.5, and 1.50–2.35 °C for RCP8.5, compared to the baseline (2012–2016). However, mean water temperature in each water layer from 2096 to 2100 underwent a slight decrease caused by precipitation changes, with a 0.03–0.25 °C decrease for RCP2.6, 0.07–0.40 °C for RCP4.5, and 0.04–0.29 °C for RCP8.5, compared to 2012–2016. The mean thermocline depth in the future (2096–2100) will be significantly decreased, while the mean thermocline thickness will be slightly increased. Over a multiyear timescale, the impacts of air temperature changes are stronger than those induced by precipitation variations. However, the effects of hydraulic residence time changes caused by precipitation changes (especially rainstorm) should be considered in the management of deep reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five species of torrenticolid mites (Acari, Hydrachnidia), collected in the Anzihe and Qingliangfeng national nature reserves, R. P. China, are identified. Three species are described as new to science: Torrenticola pseudosiamis Gu & Guo, sp. nov., T. anziensis Gu & Guo, sp. nov., and Monatractides sichuanensis Gu & Guo, sp. nov. The other two species, M. macrocorpis Gu & Guo, 2019, M. xiaoxiensis Gu & Guo, 2019, are newly reported from Zhejiang Province. Descriptions and illustrations of these species are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a common chronic musculoskeletal disorder that seriously affects quality of life. Patients with KOA frequently develop one or more of the following typical symptoms: joint pain, stiffness, joint friction noise and impaired functionality. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been shown to have a superior effect and a particular advantage in the treatment of KOA; among TCM, the Tong-luo Qu-tong plaster is the convenient and most commonly used method in China to improve symptoms including pain, stiffness and limited mobility in patients with KOA, as it causes few adverse effects. But there is a lack of high-quality clinical evidences to support the therapeutic effect that Chinese adhesive plaster can have in relieving pain and stiffness. The purpose of this study will be to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Tong-luo Qu-tong plaster in patients with KOA.Methods/design: This study will be a randomized, double-blind, parallel positive controlled, multi-center clinical trial, a non-inferiority trial design was adopted. A total of 2000 participants older than 40 years, with KOA, will be randomly allocated into an experimental group (n = 1500) and a control group (n = 500). All participants will receive a conventional conservative treatment lasting for 14 days as two courses, once daily. Tong-luo Qu-tong plaster will be administered externally to participants in the experimental group, while the control group will receive a Qi-zheng Xiao-tong plaster. The outcome of the total Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index scores, TCM syndrome quantitative score and visual analog scale scores will be measured during the assessment visits (baseline and 1-week and 2-week follow up). In addition, adverse events related to clinical symptoms and signs and results of laboratory tests will be documented during the clinical trials.Discussion: This study will provide reliable evidence of the effectiveness and safety of Tong-luo Qutong plaster in patients with KOA. If the results are favorable, it is expected that the patients with KOA will benefit from this study, many patients may have a good alternative treatment for KOA.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT03309501 . Registered on 8 November 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first imported Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) case in China was identified in May 2015. We determined the kinetics of antibody (IgG and IgM) and neutralizing antibodies against MERS-coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in this case before discharge. Moreover, no seroconversion was found among 53 close contacts by anti-MERS IgG antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of paired serum samples. These findings suggest that neither community nor nosocomial transmission of MERS-CoV occurred in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess water quality (WQ) online for assuring the safety of drinking water, a novel early warning system integrating a high-frequency monitoring system (HFMS) and data quality control (QC) was developed at Lake Qiandao. The HFMS was designed for monitoring water quality, nutrient inputs by main tributaries, water currents and meteorology at different sites at Lake Qiandao. The EWS focused on data availability, a QC method, a statistical analysis method and data applications instead of technological aspects for sondes, wireless data transfer and interface software development. QC was implemented before use to delete the abnormal values of outliers, to detect change points, to analyse the change trend, to interpolate discrete missing measurements, and find continuous missing or wrong observations caused by technical problems with the sonde. For demonstrating advantages and data availability, surface and profiling measurements at two sites were plotted. The plots show obvious seasonal and diel variations, demonstrating the success of integration of the system with advanced automated technology and good QC. This successfully developed system is now not only giving early warning signals, but also providing critical WQ information for the security of drinking water diverted to Hangzhou city through a tunnel of 110 km length. The automatic monitoring data with QC is also being used to produce initial conditions for WQ prediction based on a three dimensional hydrodynamic-ecosystem model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To assess the association of TNF-α and IL-1RA SNPs with the risk of silicosis in Chinese workers exposed to silica particles. Methods: Case-control study design was used to enroll 68 silicotic patients induced by silica particles and 68 healthy workers matched for length of silica particle exposure as controls. Both cases and controls were from the same company in southwest China, and each of them was requested to complete a questionnaire. Blood samples were drawn for genomic DNA extraction from each participant. The genotyping of TNF-α (−238 and −308) and IL-1RA (+2018) was performed using polymerase chain reaction-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and SYBR green-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), respectively. Unconditional logistic regression model was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidential intervals (CI) for SNPs. Results: No significant differences were found between cases and controls in particles exposure length, body mass index (BMI), and status of smoking and alcohol consumption except for age (P=0.001) and blood type (P=0.042). The frequencies of TNF-α (−238) and IL-1RA (+2018) genotypes in cases were significantly different from those in controls, (P=0.001 and P=0.002, respectively), while a borderline significant difference was found in the frequencies of TNF-α (−308) between cases and controls (P=0.063). The variants of three SNPs increased the risk of silicosis in the Chinese workers exposed to silica particles. The adjusted ORs of TNF-α (−308), TNF-α (−238) and IL-1RA (+2018) were 2.8 (95% CI: 1.1–7.5), 20.9 (95% CI: 1.8–236.4) and 4.0 (95% CI: 1.6–10.1), respectively. Conclusion: It is suggested that cytokine polymorphisms of TNF-α (−238, −308) and IL-1RA (+2018) are associated with the risk of silicosis in the Chinese workers exposed to silica particles. Further independent studies on the interaction between SNPs and exposure to silica particles with a larger sample size are therefore warranted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The tail of the reservoir is the unstable zone regarding water quality and phytoplankton community. Therefore, it is the crucial zone in aquatic ecosystem transitions. To understand the transition characteristics and driving mechanisms of water environment dynamics, high-frequency monitoring of the water environment and phytoplankton community in the tail of a deep and large reservoir, the Xin'anjiang Reservoir in southeast of China, was conducted using a water quality monitoring buoy and three-day interval water sampling during 18 months. Results show clear seasonal thermal and oxygen stratification in the river mouth of the reservoir. The nutrient and chlorophyll-a concentrations also show stratifying phenomena during the thermal stratification period. Heavy rain and inflow quickly consume the stratification. Nutrient concentrations were highly dynamic in the river mouth. The total phosphorus ranges from 0.011 mg·L -1 to 0.188 mg·L -1 , and total nitrogen ranges from 0.75 mg·L -1 to 2.76 mg·L -1 . Dissolved phosphorus comprised 56% of total phosphorus, and dissolved nitrogen occupied 88% of total nitrogen, respectively. Nutrient concentrations were influenced strongly by rainfall intensity and inflow rate. Total phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations were significantly related to the three-day accumulated rainfall. Nutrient concentrations in the flood season (March to June) were significantly higher than in the non-flood season ( P <0.001). Seasonal phytoplankton proliferation also significantly influenced by total phosphorus concentration. The phytoplankton community changes significantly with seasons and flood events. Bacillariophytea was generally dominant throughout the year, with the predominant genus of Fragilaria spp., Cyclotella spp., Synedra spp., and Melosira spp. Cyanophyta biomass peaked in July, August, and September, with the dominant genus of Aphanizomenon spp., Microcystis spp., and Oscillatoria spp. Apart from the high temperature, storm inflow events also triggered Cyanophyta proliferation. The proliferation of Chlorophyta was similar to Cyanophyta, with the predominant genus of Pediastrum spp. and Closterium spp.. While the Cryptophyta biomass peaked during March to May, with the predominant genus of Cryptomonas spp.. Redundancy analysis shows that the influence factors of phytoplankton community dynamics include the inflow rate, temperature, water level, water transparency, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and nitrogen to phosphorus ratio. The meteorological and hydrological factors were major factors for phytoplankton dynamics during later autumn and winter, while the nutrient will be the co-driving factors of phytoplankton community dynamics during summer and early autumn. The research confirmed the huge influence of the intensity rainfall event on the water environment in reservoirs and described the key environmental conditions for phytoplankton community dynamics. The research is useful for the design of the monitoring and forecasting system for water safety in drinking water source reservoirs.

With urbanization, groundwater in China has been widely polluted. Karst groundwater is important in southwest China, and would be difficult to recover once contaminated. NO3(-), PO4(3), NH4(+), total coliform, total E. coli and fecal coliform were chosen as indexes in the study of groundwater of Laolongdong Underground River System in Nanshan Mountain, Chongqing. After a few years of survey, the results showed that NO3(-), NH4(+) and PO4(3-) concentrations in the water were all above the nature value, especially NH4(+) and PO4(3-). The NO3(-) concentration of Guihuawan spring ranged from 19.78-68.55 mg x L(-1), in some months, above the recommended water quality guideline (50 mg x L(-1)) according to Standards for Drinking Water Quality set by World Health Organization. NH4(+) and PO4(3-) concentrations in Laolongdong underground river varied from 2.71-12.92 mg x L(-1) and 0.16-11.22 mg x L(-1). The NO3(-) concentration in Laolongdong underground river was lower than in karst spring; however, the concentrations of NH4(+) and PO4(3-) were higher than in the spring. It seemed that the NO3(-) concentration tended to decrease from 2008 to 2013 in the underground river caused by urbanization, reduction of farmland and reducing environment. However, waste water with a high PO4(3-) concentration led to an increasing trend in the PO4(3-) concentration in underground river. Microbial contamination was extremely serious, and even far exceeded class V of water quality standards of China. For example, the concentration of fecal coliform in the groundwater ranged from 3.4 x 10(4)-3.68 x 10(4) CFU x mL(-1). Because of the special hydrogeological structure, karst depressions, skylights and sinkholes can lead pollutants easily to the underground water. Agriculture activity, sewage from towns, enterprises and residential areas were the major sources of nitrogen, phosphorus and microbial contamination.

A new blind loach of the genus Triplophysa was collected in 2007 from a cave in Leyi village, located near Chuanshan Town, Huangjiang County in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of southern China. The new species, Triplophysa huangjiangensis sp. nov, can be distinguished from its congeners by eyes and scales absent; caudal-fin forked; adipose keel present; lips with furrows; distal margin of dorsal-fin truncate, dorsal fin origin much closer to caudal-fin base than snout tip; 8-9 branched dorsal-fin rays; 6-7 branched pelvic-fin rays; 6 branched anal-fin rays; 10-11 branched pectoral-fin rays; 13-14 branched caudal-fin rays; pectoral-fin length 52.3%-70.7% the distance between pectoral-fin origin to pelvic-fin origin; dorsal-fin origin posterior to vertical line of pelvic-fin origin; outer rostral barbel longer than other two pairs of barbels, with 47.0%-73.8% of lateral head length; anterior nostril with elongate barbel-like tip; and posterior chamber of gas-bladder developed, reaching pelvic-fin origin.

Morphological characteristics were compared between three recorded species of rounded caudal fin Oreonectes and specimens collected from Guan'an of Guangxi. The results showed the Oreonectes sp. from Guan'an was distinguished from O. anphthalmus. Although some morphologic differentiations existed among Oreonectes sp., O. polystigmus, and O. platycephalus, their differentiations were not enough to distinguish between them. Consequently, we used multivariate morphometrics to determine their morphologic differentiation. Twenty-six frame characteristics and 20 general characteristics of 63 specimens were measured. The results of the Principal Component Analysis showed that Oreonectes sp. and O. polystigmus, and Oreonectes sp. and O. platycephalus occupied obviously different areas in the scatter plot. It is suggested that the specimens collected from Guan'an may be a cryptic new species of Oreonectes. However, its taxonomic status should be decided by evidence from anatomical and molecular biological studies.

A new species, Sinocyclocheilus huangtianensis, is found from a cave of Hejiang River, Hezhou, Guangxi, China. This river is a tributary of the Pearl River. It is similar to S. jii, distributed in Hejiang and S. guilinensis distributed in Lijiang by having a soft dorsal spine without serration and normal eyes. The combination of the following characteristics makes this new species different to S. jii and S. guilinensis: (1) the lateral line scales 52-59, up lateral line scales 17-23, the down lateral line cales 16-17, the circumpeduncular scales 40-46; (2) gill raker 9-10; (3) eye diameter/SL 4.3-5.4%; (4) interorbital width /SL 9.2-9.6%; and (5) mouth width/SL 6.0-7.3%.

This study aims to develop a multi-metric, fish-based Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) for assessing the environmental quality of rivers in Hechi Prefecture, Guangxi Province, South China. Data on fish assemblage were collected via electrofishing We screened 21 candidate metrics representing attributes of fish assemblage. Among these, six metrics were finally selected for the IBI. It was shown that the fish-based biological integrity was good in Xiaohuanjiang River , fair in Hongshuihe, Longjiang and Dahuanjiang Rivers, but poor in Diaojiang River. The results of assessment were consistent with the actual situation of human disturbance. The assessment system constructed by this study could be used or used for reference in the area around Hechi. Biotic integrity assessment was an important means of water environment quality monitoring. To enable the biotic integrity assessment more scientific and more objective, much more research work is required to focus on the relationship between biotic integrity and environmental factors.