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Background: The monocytes to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (MHR) has been identified as a potential biomarker for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. In this population-based cross-sectional study, we explored the relationships among carotid artery disease (CAD), including the presence of carotid atherosclerotic plaque (CAP) and carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT), the MHR, and related parameter changes. Methods: This cross-sectional study, Conducted from April to June 2019 in a rural area of Tianjin, involved middle-aged and elderly participants. Based on carotid ultrasound examinations, participants were divided into CAP and non-CAP groups. Logistic regression and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were utilized to assess MHR's predictive value for CAP. Gender-specific analyses were also performed to examine predictive variations. The relationship between CIMT and MHR was evaluated using linear regression. Results: Of the 2109 participants meeting the inclusion criteria, 51.6% were identified with CAP. Multivariate analysis revealed a significant association between MHR and CAP prevalence, (OR, 9.670; 95% CI, 2.359–39.631; P = 0.002), particularly in females (OR, 5.921; 95% CI, 1.823–19.231; P = 0.003), after adjusting for covariates. However, no significant correlation was found between CIMT and MHR when adjusted for other factors. The ROC analysis showed the area under the curve for MHR and CAP to be 0.569 (95% CI: 0.544–0.593; P < 0.001). Conclusions: These findings suggested that it is crucial to enhance early screening and intervention for CAD, specifically focusing on the prevention and progression of CAP, to address the unique health challenges faced by low-income groups in rural settings. Emphasizing these preventive measures could significantly contribute to improving cardiovascular health outcomes in this vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite much attention on the history of goat evolution, information on origin, demographic history, and expansion route remains controversial. To address these questions, we collected 4,189 published goat DNA sequences including 1,228 sequences from 57 breeds in China and 2,961 sequences including 193 goat breeds from 71 other countries and carried out an integrated analysis. We found goat breeds from South China had the highest genetic diversity of lineage B, and subclades B2 only were found in Southwest China, suggesting that lineage B (particularly, subclade B2) probably originated from Southwest China and its surrounding areas. In addition, in this study, we found that lineage A from South China also presented higher genetic diversity and earlier expansion time (10, 606 years ago), even earlier than breeds from the Middle East. Hence, we speculated that South China and surrounding areas were the origin of lineage B and also the transportation hub for lineage A spreading to North China and Southwest Asia. Furthermore, according to the analysis of correlation between genetic differentiation value λ1 and λ2 and geographical distance, we further confirmed two phases of migration in goat breeds of North China. These results will contribute to a better understanding of the origin and migration history of domestic goat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red clay is widely distributed in Zhejiang Province, China. Rain-induced shallow landslides easily occur on red clay slopes due to the reduction in shear strength caused by rainwater infiltration. The aim of this paper was to study the soil–water characteristic of red clay and its application on analyzing the stability of red clay slope. A series of field tests at different depths of red clay slope were carried out to monitor the variations of water content and matric suction under typical climate conditions. The results showed that the distribution of water content in red clay slope is complex because of long-term wetting–drying cycles. The water content within shallow layer is sensitive to external environment, and the response time of the water content is related to rainfall intensity. It is also observed that the soil water characteristic curve (SWCC) varies at different depths. The SWCCs of red clay can be fitted by linear function. The SWCCs from laboratory tests illustrated that saturated water content is more than 40%. Most of the SWCCs obtained at the depth of 90 cm are within the hysteresis loops of the SWCCs from laboratory test. The short-term rainfall has less effect on the stability of the slope, but the stability continuously decreases after the rain stops. The SWCCs obtained from laboratory were applied to analyze slope stability. Considering the influence of cracks, the computed results are close to field data. The study has a certain directive significance to the design of red clay slopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]