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Background & Objective: The Tubridge flow diverter is a commonly used device in China for reconstructing the parental artery and occluding complex intracranial aneurysms. However, there is limited experience with the device in treating recurrent intracranial aneurysms. The purpose of this study is to assess the safety and effectiveness of the Tubridge flow diverter in treating recurrent singlecoiling aneurysms. Methods: The clinical records of patients with recurrent intracranial aneurysms who were treated with a Tubridge flow diverter were reviewed to show the therapeutic process, occlusion rate, and clinical outcomes associated with this treatment method. Results: Five patients with recurrent aneurysms of the internal carotid artery after singe coiling were included in the study. The recurrent aneurysmal sac had a mean length and width of 8.34/4.30 mm. All five Tubridge flow diverters were implanted without any unfold failure. The last angiographic follow-up showed a complete occlusion rate of 100%. Five branch arteries were covered, and only one branch artery disappeared during follow-up. No cases of cerebral infarction or intracranial hemorrhage were found among the patients. Conclusions: Our initial findings indicate that the Tubridge flow diverter could be a reliable and successful method for treating recurring single-coil aneurysms. We observed that the branch arteries were well-preserved, and no patients experienced cerebral infarction or hemorrhage. However, further research is necessary to establish clear indications and potential complications through a multicenter randomized controlled trial with long-term follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objective: The Tubridge flow diverter is a commonly used device in China for reconstructing the parental artery and occluding complex intracranial aneurysms. However, there is limited experience with the device in treating recurrent intracranial aneurysms. The purpose of this study is to assess the safety and effectiveness of the Tubridge flow diverter in treating recurrent singlecoiling aneurysms. Methods: The clinical records of patients with recurrent intracranial aneurysms who were treated with a Tubridge flow diverter were reviewed to show the therapeutic process, occlusion rate, and clinical outcomes associated with this treatment method. Results: Five patients with recurrent aneurysms of the internal carotid artery after singe coiling were included in the study. The recurrent aneurysmal sac had a mean length and width of 8.34/4.30 mm. All five Tubridge flow diverters were implanted without any unfold failure. The last angiographic follow-up showed a complete occlusion rate of 100%. Five branch arteries were covered, and only one branch artery disappeared during follow-up. No cases of cerebral infarction or intracranial hemorrhage were found among the patients. Conclusions: Our initial findings indicate that the Tubridge flow diverter could be a reliable and successful method for treating recurring single-coil aneurysms. We observed that the branch arteries were well-preserved, and no patients experienced cerebral infarction or hemorrhage. However, further research is necessary to establish clear indications and potential complications through a multicenter randomized controlled trial with long-term follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six species in two genera of the family Cheiracanthiidae Wagner, 1887 are studied from Hainan Island, China, including two new species: Cheiracanthium bawanglingense sp. n. (♀♂) and Eutittha hainanensis sp. n. (♀). Cheiracanthium ningmingense Zhang and Yin, 1999 syn. n. is synonymised with C. exquestitum Zhang and Zhu, 1993, and C. adjacensoides Song, Chen and Hou, 1990 stat. resurr. (♀♂) is removed from synonymy with C. approximatum O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1885. Cheiracanthium insigne O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1874 (♀♂) and C. taegense Paik, 1990 (♀♂) are reported from Hainan Province, China, for the first time. Photos of habitus and genitalia and a distribution map of all species are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the implementation of China's "two-carbon" target strategy, the status of renewable energy in the power system is gradually improving. In order to improve the carbon emission control level of power grid, it is necessary to predict the peak carbon emission of power grid. A prediction method of grid carbon emission peak based on energy elasticity coefficient is proposed. A time series model of grid carbon emission samples was constructed, and a combination of combinatorial sorting and machine learning was used to reconstruct the time series of grid carbon emission peaks. Based on the results of time series reconstruction, feature extraction and classification training of grid carbon emission peak are carried out, and the measurement error correction of grid carbon emission under the constraint of energy consumption elasticity is realized. Combined with the association rule mining method, the fusion processing of grid carbon emission peak samples under the elastic constraint of energy consumption is realized. Through characteristic detection and fusion processing of energy consumption elasticity coefficient, the reconstituted carbon emission samples of power grid constrained by energy consumption elasticity were reconstructed, and the peak carbon emission of power grid was predicted. The simulation results show that this method has high accuracy and convergence in predicting the peak carbon emission of power grid, and improves the error correction ability in the prediction process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how species richness changes along elevational gradients has attracted increasing attention from many researchers. The relationships between species richness and elevations were characterized by monotonic decreases or mid-elevational peaks. The western Sichuan Plateau is an important species diversity hotspot. However, there is little information available about the ant species diversity and distribution patterns of this region. In this study, we hypothesize that ant diversity will show a monotonic decrease from mid-elevation with increasing elevation. Here, the ant species diversity and distribution patterns of this region were investigated by plot surveys. A total of 22,645 ants were collected from eight elevational transects in the central and northern parts of the western Sichuan Plateau, which were identified as belonging to 40 species, 18 genera, and 4 subfamilies. We found a unimodal relationship between elevation and ant species richness, with the highest ant species richness occurring at mid-elevations. The similarity coefficient of ant communities in each elevational transect was at a moderate level of dissimilarity, indicating that the elevation difference and habitat heterogeneity had a great impact on ant communities in the central and northern areas of the western Sichuan Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Avian haemosporidia infect both domestic and wild birds, causing anemia, acute tissue degeneration, and depopulation in wild birds. Poultry and wild birds have been reported as common reservoirs of haemosporidia, but limited information is available for red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) in China. The present study investigated the prevalence and molecular characterization of haemosporidia in red junglefowl. Methods: Blood samples were collected from 234 red junglefowl from Jinghong City of Yunnan Province, and genomic DNA was extracted from these samples. The prevalence of haemosporidia was determined by nested PCR targeting the mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb) gene. Molecular characterization was investigated based on phylogenetic analysis of cytb sequences, and associated risk factors were analyzed using the Chi-square (χ2) test. Results: The overall prevalence of haemosporidia was 74.8% (175/234), and three species were identified, namely Haemoproteus enucleator, Leucocytozoon californicus, and Plasmodium juxtanucleare. The prevalence of haemosporidia in adult fowl (81.1%, 107/132) was significantly higher (χ2 = 6.32, df = 1, P = 0.012) than that in juveniles (66.7%, 68/102). Three novel haemosporidian lineages were revealed. Conclusions: This study examined the prevalence and identified species of avian haemosporidians in red junglefowl, providing new information on the molecular epidemiology and geographical distribution of haemosporidian parasites. Our results indicated high prevalence and diverse species distribution of these haemosporidians in red junglefowl. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first record of haemosporidian infection in red junglefowl in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urban–rural temperature difference is widely used in measuring surface urban heat island intensity (SUHII), where the accurate determination of rural background is crucial. However, traditionally, the entire permeable rural surface has been selected to represent the background temperature, leaving uncertainty about the impact of non-uniform rural surfaces with multiple land covers on the accuracy of SUHII quantification. In this study, we proposed two quantifications of SUHII derived from the primary (SUHII1) and secondary (SUHII2) land types, respectively, which successively occupy over 40–50% of whole rural regions. The spatial integration and temporal variation of SUHII1 and SUHII2 were compared with the result from whole rural regions (SUHII) within 34 urban agglomerations (UAs) in China. The results showed that the SUHII1 and SUHII2 differed slightly with SUHII, and the correlation coefficients of SUHII and SUHII1/SUHII2 are generally above 0.9 in most (32) UAs. Regarding the long-term SUHII between 2003 and 2019, the three methods demonstrated similar seasonal patterns, although SUHII1 (or SUHII2) tended to overestimate or underestimate compared to SUHII. As for the multi-year integration at the regional scale, the day–night cycle and monthly variations of SUHII1 and SUHII were found to be identical for each geographical division separately, indicating that the spatiotemporal pattern revealed by SUHII is minimally affected by the diversity of rural landcover types. The findings confirmed the viability of the urban–rural LST difference method for measuring long-term regional SUHII patterns under non-uniform rural land cover types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrological, geological and meteorological conditions in southwestern China are relatively complex, so that the land surface deformation presents various features. Using 58 Crustal Movement Observation Network of China (CMONOC) stations across four provinces in Southwestern China, we adopt an improved clustering algorithm to classify 49 stations into 12 clusters with different similarity levels. Our results show that the average annual signals of GPS stations within each cluster have strong consistency, while obvious differences exist among the 12 clusters, indicating that clustering algorithm helps to describe surface deformation features more accurately in regions with complex conditions. We then combine other earth observation techniques, such as the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite datasets and surface loading models (SLM), and observe that GPS, GRACE and SLM have strong correlation in their monthly displacement series at GPS stations. After excluding non-clustered stations according to our previous clustering results, the correlation coefficients of GPS/GRACE and GPS/SLM are enhanced. Also, the RMS reduction rates of GPS coordinate time series have been improved after deducting displacements obtained from GRACE and SLM, thus the clustering algorithm proves to be effective in improving the consistency of three techniques in joint detection of surface deformation. Moreover, the vertical displacements of four riverside GPS stations in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) area show significant negative correlation with water level of TGR, hence we conclude that the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) may directly affect the consistency of GPS annual signals of its upstream and downstream GPS stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the major ways of delivering renewable energy generation from large-scale energy bases in northeast, northwest, and northern China, is to bundle the power from wind-photovoltaic-thermal units and then transmit it by alternating current/direct current (AC/DC) systems. The interactions among wind power units, photovoltaic (PV) power units, and high voltage direct current (HVDC) systems make the stability of the interconnected power system more complicated. In this paper, a framework model of wind-PV-thermal-bundled power transmitted by AC/DC systems is constructed based on the mathematical models of thermal power units, wind power units, PV power units, and HVDC transmission systems. Considering the fluctuations of wind power outputs and PV power outputs, a small-signal stability model of an interconnected power system with wind-PV-thermal-bundled power transmitted by AC/DC systems is established based on an existing stability theorem. The interactions among various forms of energy and their impacts on wind-PV-thermal-bundled power transmitted by AC/DC systems are studied through theoretical analysis and dynamic simulation. A sample interconnected power system is used to demonstrate the proposed method. It is shown by simulation results that the wind-PV-thermal-bundled power transmission distance; the electrical distance among wind power units, PV power units, and thermal power units; the grid-connected capacities of wind, PV, and thermal power units; and the power loading ratios of AC lines over DC lines all have various degrees of impacts on the stability of the interconnected power system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molar enamel thickness and distribution pattern inform on the functional and dietary adaptation of extant and fossil primates. However, no systematic analysis of enamel thickness has been conducted on Lufengpithecus, a large-bodied fossil hominoid that lived in Southwest China during the late Miocene. In this study, we quantify two-dimensional (2D) enamel thickness and distribution of 68 lightly worn molars of Lufengpithecus (L.) lufengensis using micro-CT scanning data and compare it with modern humans, extant great apes, and fossil hominoids. The results indicate L. lufengensis has relatively thick enamel. It is slightly thicker than extant Pongo and comparable to some thick-enamel fossil pongines, but thinner than modern humans and most fossil hominins. The enamel distribution of L. lufengensis is distinctively unbalanced with relatively more enamel deposited on the cuspal region than the basal region in the molar crown, different from that found in modern humans and extant great apes. Concerning its palaeoecological and functional adaptations, we suggest that the features of thick-enamel and unbalanced distribution pattern in L. lufengensis is related to its adaptation to tough food and broader diets in a seasonal subtropical habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction of noise model is an important task in the analysis of Global Positioning System (GPS) reference station coordinate time series. Ignoring the relationship between the noise on different components within a GPS station network may affect the accuracy of station's velocity and its uncertainty. In view of this problem, we propose to use the singular value decomposition (SVD) method to establish a new three‐dimensional (3‐D) noise model for GPS station networks. Our simulation tests show that the accuracy of the noise amplitude obtained based on the proposed 3‐D noise model is 30–50% higher than that directly obtained from Create and Analyze Time Series (CATS) software, thereby improving the accuracy of the velocity uncertainty by approximately two times. Taking the coordinate time series of 82 GPS stations from the Crustal Motion Observation Network of China (CMONOC) as an example, we confirm that significant correlation exists among noise amplitude estimates in the different components of the CMONOC stations. In general, the variation of white noise (WN) amplitude is 2–6% smaller than that of flicker noise (FN) amplitude, and the FN amplitude in the vertical component is 1% larger than that in the horizontal component. Compared with the velocity uncertainty obtained from CATS software, the variations of the velocity uncertainty obtained from the new 3‐D noise model in the horizontal components (7% for North, 8% for East) are slightly less than that in the Up component (9%). However, the velocity estimation is hardly affected by the new 3‐D noise model. Key Points: Considering the correlation between noise amplitudes of different components, a new three‐dimensional noise model is established for GPS station network using singular value decomposition methodBased on the three‐dimensional noise model, more accurate noise amplitude can be obtained, thereby improving the accuracy of the velocity uncertainty estimation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bipolaris setariae NY1 strain, isolated from a diseased green foxtail plant in Henan Province, China, showed strong pathogenicity towards green foxtail. In order to clarify the role of phytotoxic substances in the fungal pathogenicity, bioassay-directed isolation and bioactivity assays of secondary metabolites produced by the fungal strain were carried out. Five ophiobolins were obtained: 3-anhydro- ophiobolin A, 6-epi-ophiobolin A, 6-epi-ophiobolin B, 3-anhydro-6-epi-ophiobolin B and ophiobolin I. Bioassays on punctured and intact detached leaves of green foxtail indicated that 3-anhydro-ophiobolin A was the most phytotoxic, followed by 6-epi-ophiobolin A. The other three ophiobolins appeared to be inactive against green foxtail. The effects of 3-anhydro-ophiobolin A and 6-epi-ophiobolin A were synergistic. The symptoms on green foxtail caused by 3-anhydro-ophiobolin A or its mixture with 6-epi-ophiobolin A resembled those caused by the fungus. 3-Anhydro-ophiobolin A and 6-epi-ophiobolin A are likely the main pathogenic determinants of B. setariae. 6-epi-Ophiobolin A caused cytotoxicity against five kinds of human cancer cells: human colon adenocarcinoma cells (HCT-8), human liver cancer cells (Bel-7402), human gastric cancer cells (BGC-823), human lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549), and human ovarian adenocarcinoma cells (A2780). The results provide information for the development of herbicides and antitumor potential of the ophiobolin sesterterpenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amebiasis is a worldwide parasitic zoonosis, with symptoms of abdominal discomfort, indigestion, diarrhea, and even death. However, limited information about the prevalence of Entamoeba spp. in experimental nonhuman primates (NHPs) in southwestern China is available. The objective of the current study was to investigate the frequency and species identity of Entamoeba to evaluate potential zoonotic risk factors for Entamoeba spp. infection in experimental NHPs. A total of 505 fecal samples were collected from NHPs (macaques) and analyzed by PCR analysis the small subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA) gene of Entamoeba spp. Forty-seven specimens were positive for Entamoeba spp., and the prevalence of Entamoeba spp. was 9.31% (47/505). Significant differences in the prevalence rates among the three breeds (P = 0.002 < 0.01, df = 2, χ2 = 12.33) and feed types (P = 0.001 < 0.01, df = 1, χ2 = 10.12) were observed. Altogether, four Entamoeba species, including E. dispar (57.44%), E. chattoni (29.78%), E. histolytica (6.38%), and E. coli (6.38%), were identified by DNA sequence analysis. The results suggested a low prevalence but high diversity of Entamoeba species in experimental NHPs in Yunnan Province, southwestern China. Results of this study contribute to the knowledge of the genetic characteristics of Entamoeba spp. in NHPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blastocystis is an enteral eukaryote with an omnipresent existence in animals and humans globally. Animals have been proposed to be a major reservoir for the transmission of Blastocystis to individuals due to their high prevalence and large amount of zoonotic subtypes. However, limited data on Blastocystis infection in experimental macaques in China exists. The objective of the current study was to investigate the frequency and subtypes of Blastocystis infection in macaques in southwestern China. A total of 505 fecal samples were collected from experimental macaques in Yunnan province and were analyzed by nested PCR and phylogenetic analyses on the basis of small subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA) gene fragments. A total of 235 specimens were positive for Blastocystis sp., and the prevalence of Blastocystis sp. was 46.5% (235/505). Significant differences in prevalence were also observed among the various species of macaques (P < 0.0133, df = 2, χ2 = 8.64) and the different feed types (P < 0.0093, df = 1, χ2 = 6.77). Moreover, three zoonotic subtypes, ST1, ST3, and ST5, were identified by DNA sequence analysis. There were mainly single subtype infections with some mixed subtype infections, and the predominant subtype was ST3. The results suggested a high prevalence and diversified subtypes in macaques in Yunnan province, southwestern China. Macaques are likely to be potential reservoirs capable of zoonotic transmission of Blastocystis sp. to humans. To our knowledge, this study is the first large-scale systematic analysis of Blastocystis sp. colonization in Yunnan province in the subtropics of China; these results contribute to the in-depth study of genetic characteristics and the prevention, control, and treatment of Blastocystis sp. in macaques in Yunnan province and other regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 10th Academic Committee of Planning History & Theory (ACPHT) Conference took place on 26–29 October 2018, in the Guilin University of Technology (Guilin, China). The annual conference was held for the first time in 2009. Themed 'Urban Planning in the Course of Civilization', the 2018 conference probed the continuation and evolution of planning history from different civilizations, defined here as cultural characteristic at a particular place and time. More than 200 delegates attended the conference, bringing together researchers from the fields of planning history, architectural history, city design, public administration, cultural heritage protection, archaeology, art and media, municipal aviation, to socialize and share their work with each other, and to gain insight into interdisciplinary historical research methods. Based on a selection of relevant panels and roundtables, the report explores four prominent themes discussed in the conference: planning history in different historical periods, urban form and heritage, the practical role of planning history, and interdisciplinary approach. The relationship between civilizations development and planning history is illustrated through four topics. It also summarizes the academic consensus, theoretical significance, problems and difficulties, and future-oriented experience of the conference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Longitudinal changes of GHGs were measured with high resolution in Yangtze River. • CO 2 and N 2 O concentrations were highest in the middle reach of mainstem. • Spatial trends of GHG concentrations depend on wetland coverage and oxygen. • Three Gorges Dam and tributaries did not obviously affect responses of GHGs. • CO 2 is the best predictor of N 2 O concentrations. The Yangtze River, the third largest river around the globe, has been heavily engineered with a series of hydroelectric dams. Meanwhile, it receives elevated organic matter and nutrient loads from its densely populated catchment, subsequently altering dissolved greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations along the river. However, the large-scale longitudinal patterns and drivers of GHG concentrations in the Yangtze River remain poorly understood. Using longitudinal sampling design in a 2400 km section, we report dissolved carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide concentrations along the Yangtze River at 145 sites. We observe significant spatial clustering with higher carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide concentrations in the middle reach of the Yangtze River. The results of nonlinear regression reveal that riverine GHGs are high when wetland coverage is high and dissolved oxygen is low. Wetlands and oxygen, not the Three Gorges Dam and tributaries, are the primary correlates of spatial variations of CO 2 and CH 4 concentrations, respectively. N 2 O is surprisingly well predicted by CO 2 , implying their common drivers or sources. We strongly recommend that wetland contribution to GHG budgets and its sensitivity to environmental change be considered when estimating riverine GHGs in the Yangtze River. In light of our study, future control of GHG emissions from large rivers may largely depend on how external inputs and internal metabolism are regulated by decreasing nutrient loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surveys of Toxoplasma gondii infection in animals have been reported in Yunnan province, southwestern China. However, limited information is available regarding the epidemiology of T. gondii infection among persons participated in health screening in Yunnan. From January 2014 to December 2016, a large-scale and cross-sectional serological survey was conducted to reveal the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in persons participated in health screening in three major hospitals. A total of 64,533 serum samples were collected and anti-T. gondii antibodies were examined by commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. The total seroprevalence of T. gondii infection was 6.67% (4306/64,533). Of these, 3721 persons (5.77%, 3721/64,533) were positive for Immunoglobulin G (IgG) only, 473 persons (0.73%, 473/64,533) were positive for Immunoglobulin M (IgM) only, and 112 persons (0.17%, 112/64,533) were positive for both IgG and IgM. Female seroprevalence (6.83%, 3167/46,389) was higher than male (6.28%, 1139/18,144). The highest seroprevalence of T. gondii infection was found in the age range of 41–50 years (10.60%, 228/2150) (p < 0.001). The seroprevalence in 2014, 2015, and 2016 were 6.39% (1083/16,946), 6.24% (1261/20,201), and 7.16% (1962/27,386), respectively. The results showed that T. gondii infection is common in persons participated in health screening in Yunnan province, which has significant public health concern. Thus, improved integrated measures should be executed to prevent and control T. gondii infection humans and animals in Yunnan province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main factors that cause land subsidence are groundwater withdrawal and the load of high-rise buildings. Previous studies on land subsidence caused by high-rise buildings have focused on small areas. Few scholars have proposed land subsidence models that combine the effects of groundwater withdrawal and high-rise building load at a regional scale. This work was based on Biot's consolidation theory and the nonlinear rheology theory. The soil parameters were varied in accordance with the Kozeny-Carman equation and Duncan-Zhang nonlinear model, and applied to a site in eastern China. A three-dimensional finite element method (FEM) program, fully coupling varying soil parameter values and fluid-solid characteristics of land subsidence, was coded using FORTRAN. The program was used to simulate and predict regional land subsidence and to study the coupling effects of groundwater withdrawal and high-rise building load. The results showed that the soil parameters varied in reasonable range and the trend of variation was consistent with the characteristics of soil deformation. The sum of the land subsidence under high-rise building load alone and groundwater withdrawal alone differed from land subsidence under the combined effects of groundwater withdrawal and high-rise building load. The coupling effect of land subsidence caused by high-rise building load and groundwater withdrawal was shown to be nonlinear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land surface temperature (LST) is an important physical quantity at the land-atmosphere interface. Since 2016 the Collection 6 (C6) MODIS LST product is publicly available, which includes three refinements over bare soil surfaces compared to the Collection 5 (C5) MODIS LST product. To encourage the use of the C6 MODIS LST product in a wide range of applications, it is necessary to evaluate the accuracy of the C6 MODIS LST product. In this study, we validated the C6 MODIS LST product using temperature-based method over various land cover types, including grasslands, croplands, cropland/natural vegetation mosaic, open shrublands, woody savannas, and barren/sparsely vegetated. In situ measurements were collected from various sites under different atmospheric and surface conditions, including seven SURFRAD sites (BND, TBL, DRA, FPK, GCM, PSU, and SXF) in the United States, three KIT sites (EVO, KAL, and GBB) in Portugal and Namibia, and three HiWATER sites (GBZ, HZZ, and HMZ) in China. The spatial representativeness of the in situ measurements at each site was separately evaluated during daytime and nighttime using all available clear-sky ASTER LST products at 90 m spatial resolution. Only six sites during daytime are selected as sufficiently homogeneous sites despite the usually high spatial thermal heterogeneity, whereas during nighttime most sites can be considered to be thermally homogeneous and have similar LST and air temperature. The C6 MODIS LST product was validated using in situ measurements from the selected homogeneous sites during daytime and nighttime: except for the GBB site, large RMSE values (>2 K) were obtained during daytime. However, if only satellite LST with a high spatial thermal homogeneity on the MODIS pixel scale are used for LST validation, the best daytime accuracy (RMSE <1.3 K) for the C6 MODIS LST product is achieved over the BND and DRA sites. Except for the DRA site, the RMSE values during nighttime are <2 K at the selected homogeneous sites. Furthermore, the accuracy of the C6 MODIS LST product was compared with that of the C5 MODIS LST product during nighttime at the selected homogeneous sites. Except for the GBB site, there are only small differences (<0.4 K) between the RMSE values for the C5 and C6 MODIS LST products. • C6 MODIS LST product was validated using the temperature-based method. • We compared with C5 and C6 MODIS LST products over various land cover types. • Except for bare soil sites, the RMSE difference between C5 and C6 is <0.4 K. • The existing issues of C6 MODIS LST product were analyzed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The IAV of NEP for wheat and maize differed in response to vegetation phenology. • Different effects of phenological metrics and abiotic factors on the IAV of NEP. • NEP max and CUP dominated the IAV of NEP for wheat and maize, respectively. • There were positive correlations between the NBP of wheat and maize and NEP. Investigating the response of net ecosystem productivity (NEP) to phenological variation for crop ecosystems is important for deeply understanding the impact of climate change on agriculture. However, its main controlling mechanisms have not been well understood for rotation cropland ecosystems. Using a 16 year (2003–2018) eddy covariance flux observation in a typical wheat-maize rotation system in the North China Plain (NCP), we explore the potential of carbon flux phenology (CFP) and abiotic factors in interpreting the interannual variability (IAV) of NEP. The results showed that the NEP of the wheat season (NEP wheat) was significantly controlled by the carbon uptake period (CUP), the end date of CUP (ECUP) and the peak value of NEP (NEP max). The increase in spring temperature reduced soil water content (SWC) in the wheat season, leading to shorter CUP, earlier ECUP and lower NEP max. However, NEP of the maize season (NEP maize) was mainly affected by CUP, the start date of CUP (SCUP) and NEP max. ECUP and CUP were negatively correlated with air temperature (T a) and soil temperature (T s) of the maize season, and NEP max had a significant negative correlation with mean summer temperature (MT su) and T a. In addition, we found that NEP max contributed the most to the IAV of NEP wheat (63%). However, CUP showed the most contributions in maize ecosystems, interpreting 30% IAV of NEP maize. When considering the export of harvested biomass, the wheat season carbon budgets were close to neutral of 21±26 g C m−2, the maize season was a carbon source of 102±18 g C m−2, and the whole year behaved as a carbon source of 129±41 g C m−2 during our study period. The study provides important insights into the response of carbon budget of cropland ecosystems to vegetation phenology shifts in the North China Plain under future climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Up to 62% of perimenopausal women have depression symptoms. However, there is no efficacy treatment. The aim of this study is to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of EA therapy and escitalopram on perimenopause women with mild-moderate depressive symptom. Method. A multicenter, randomized, positive-controlled clinical trial was conducted at 6 hospitals in China. 242 perimenopause women with mild-moderate depressive symptom were recruited and randomly assigned to receive 36 sessions of EA treatment or escitalopram treatment. The primary outcome measure was the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17). The secondary outcome measures include menopause-specific quality of life (MENQOL) and serum sexual hormones which include estrogen, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone. Results. 221 (91.3%) completed the study, including 116 in the EA group and 105 in the escitalopram group. The baseline levels of demographic and outcome measurements were similar in the two groups. In the intervention period, there was no difference between two groups. However, in the follow-up, both HAMD-17 and MENQOL were significantly decreased, and at week 24 the mean differences were −2.23 and −8.97, respectively. There were no significant differences in the change of serum sexual hormones between the two groups. No serious adverse events occurred. Conclusion. EA treatment is effective and safe in relieving depression symptom and improving the quality of life in the perimenopausal depression. Further research is needed to understand long-term efficacy and explore the mechanism of this intervention. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02423694. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The alanine aminotransferase (ALT)/aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ratio is reportedly associated with insulin resistance (IR). However, few studies have explored the relationship between the ALT/AST ratio and IR in the Chinese population. Here, we aimed to explore whether the ALT/AST ratio is associated and, if so, to what extent, with IR in the Chinese population as categorized by waist circumference (WC). Methods: Our data were obtained from the SPECT-China study, a cross-sectional survey on the prevalence of metabolic diseases and risk factors in East China from 2014 to 2015. A total of 8398 participants aged 52.16 ± 13.16 (mean ± standard deviation) years were included in this study. Anthropometric indices, biochemical parameters and clinical characteristics were measured. IR was defined as the top quartile of the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR > 1.6), and central obesity was defined as a WC ≥90 cm in males or ≥80 cm in females. Linear regression and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were conducted. Results: The ALT/AST ratio was significantly correlated and associated with HOMA-IR in both non-centrally obese (r = 0.284, B = 0.509, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.459-0.559, P < 0.001) and centrally obese subjects (r = 0.372, B = 0.607, 95%CI: 0.532-0.683, P < 0.001) after adjusting for potential confounders. The ALT/AST ratio was one of the best markers of IR, with areas under the curve (AUC) values of 0.66 (0.64-0.68) in non-centrally and 0.68 (0.66-0. 70) in centrally obese subjects. In the prediction model for IR, the AUCs were significantly augmented after adding the ALT/AST ratio in both non-centrally obese [AUC 95%CI 0.69(0.67-0.71) vs 0.72(0.70-0.74), P<0.001] and central obese [AUC 95%CI 0.69(0.67-0.71) vs 0.73(0.72-0.75), P<0.001] subjects. The optimal cut-off points of the ALT/AST ratio for identifying IR were 0.80 in non-centrally obese people and 0.78 in centrally obese people, respectively. Conclusion: The ALT/AST ratio may be one of the best markers for IR in the Chinese population. Whether the ALT/AST ratio should be regarded as an additional metabolic syndrome component in the Chinese population warrants further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colletotrichum species are plant pathogens, saprobes and endophytes on various plant hosts. It is regarded as one of the 10 most important genera of plant pathogens in the world. Walnut anthracnose is one of the most severe diseases affecting walnut productivity and quality in China. In this study, 162 isolates were obtained from 30 fruits and 65 leaf samples of walnut collected in Beijing, China. Based on morphological characteristics and DNA sequence analyses of the concatenated loci, namely internal transcribed spacer (ITS), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), actin (ACT), chitin synthase 1 (CHS-1) and beta-tubulin (TUB2), these isolates were identified as two novel species of Colletotrichum, i.e. C. juglandicola and C. peakense. Koch’s postulates indicated that both C. juglandicola and C. peakense could cause anthracnose in walnut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate and precise age constraints of mineral deposits are critical in understanding ore genesis and related geological processes. With the development of laser ablation inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA–ICP–MS), in situ U Pb dating of garnet, zircon and titanite has been widely used to define the timing of hydrothermal mineralization. However, these minerals can grow at different stages of magma emplacement, metamorphic reaction and hydrothermal alteration. Distinguishing multiple generations of mineral growth is critical to the correct interpretation of U Pb ages. Based on petrological occurrence, major and trace elements, and isotopic data, two generations of hydrothermal garnet, two types of zircon (magmatic and detrital), and three types of titanite (magmatic, metamorphic and hydrothermal) were clearly distinguished in the Machang iron skarn deposit in the Middle–Lower Yangtze River Metallogenic Belt (MLYRMB). In-situ U Pb dating on hydrothermal garnets with low-U contents (<2.5 ppm) from the skarn yields lower intercept 206Pb/238U ages of 132–126 Ma in the Tera-Wasserburg diagram. This age is in agreement with the magmatic zircon and titanite U Pb ages of 134–125 Ma for the diorite, metamorphic titanite U Pb ages of 128 ± 1 Ma for the marble, and hydrothermal titanite U Pb ages of 132–126 Ma for the skarn. The consistency among the garnet, zircon and titanite U Pb ages confirms the reliability and accuracy of U Pb dating of low-U garnets. The magmatic, metamorphic and hydrothermal ages of 135–125 Ma for the Machang Fe skarn deposit are contemporaneous with the widespread magmatic and metallogenic activities in the Early Cretaceous along the MLYRMB. Compiled with the whole rock compositions of diorite with adakitic affinities, it is suggested that the Fe skarn mineralizations resulted from the rollback of the Pacific plate and the consequent asthenospheric upwelling in eastern China. • Multiple generations of garnet, zircon and titanite were distinguished in Fe skarn deposits; • In situ U Pb datings of garnet, zircon and titanite are well consistent at 135–125 Ma for the skarn mineralization; • Machang Fe skarn deposit is the result of rollback of the Pacific plate and asthenospheric upwelling in eastern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives This study aimed to update the current information on alcohol consumption and evaluate the associations between drinking status and cardiovascular diseases in a general population from rural China. Methods The study examined a total of 11,269 adults using a multi-stage cluster sampling method to select a representative sample of individuals 35 years or older. Related medical histories were obtained using a standard questionnaire, and blood biochemical indexes were collected by well-trained personnel. Participants were asked for information about whether they regularly consumed alcohol, their average alcohol consumption per day, and the number of days per month that they consumed alcohol. Results This population consisted of 75.8% non-drinkers, 7.5% moderate drinkers, and 16.7% heavy drinkers. And the mean alcohol consumption per day for the total population was 15.29 ± 0.35 g/d (women: 1.0 ± 0.11 g/d and men 32.5 ± 0.69 g/d, p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that heavy drinkers had an approximately 1.3-fold and 1.7-fold greater risk for coronary heart disease and hypertension, respectively (OR: 1.252, 95% CI: 1.012 to 1.549; OR: 1.741, 95% CI: 1.519 to 1.994, respectively) compared with that of the non-drinking group. After fully adjusting the data for all variables, the data showed no significant association between moderate alcohol consumption and CHD, HT or ischemic stroke. Conclusions Alcohol consumption in rural populations is high, particularly in men. Heavy drinking is a risk factor for coronary heart disease and hypertension, but not for ischemic stroke. There was no significant association between moderate alcohol consumption and CHD, HT or ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new type of slope protection structure, mortar rubble arch slope protection, has good low-temperature performance, and it is mostly used in the seasonally frozen area of North China. To determine the effects of aggregate type (basalt, granite, limestone) and amount of coarse aggregate on mortar rubble, mechanical properties were measured and durability experiments were conducted. Compressive strength, bending strength, mechanical damage characteristics of the materials, freeze–thaw loss rates and temperature shrinkage coefficients were recorded. The results were verified by microscopic observations. Using the digital image correlation (DIC) test system, the main form of the bending failure of the mortar rubble was observed to be failure around the aggregate. Acoustic emission parameters were used to accurately reflect the damage characteristics of the mortar rubble during the compression test. The resistance time of basalt before failure was long, and its peak energy was high. The durability test results showed that granite mortar rubble had better frost resistance, a higher freeze–thaw resistance factor, and less temperature shrinkage deformation than the basalt and limestone rubbles, and it is more suitable for slope protection in cold areas. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results showed that the matrix entered the pores to form new bonds, which was the main reason for the high strength of the basalt specimens. The basalt mortar rubble interface was severely damaged after freezing and thawing. The optimal amount of added aggregate was approximately 60%-70%, which resulted in good mechanical properties and durability of the mortar rubble. When the flake aggregate content exceeded 70%, the strength and durability of the material decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in hydrocarbon exploration have been made in the Member Deng-2 marginal microbial mound-bank complex reservoirs of the Dengying Formation in the western Sichuan Basin, SW China, where the depositional process is regarded confusing. The microfacies, construction types, and depositional model of the Member Deng-2 marginal microbial mound-bank complex have been investigated using unmanned aerial vehicle photography, outcrop section investigation, thin section identification, and seismic reflections in the southwestern Sichuan Basin. The microbialite lithologic textures in this region include thrombolite, dendrolite, stromatolite, fenestral stromatolite, spongiostromata stone, oncolite, aggregated grainstone, and botryoidal grapestone. Based on the comprehensive analysis of "depositional fabricselithologyemicrofacies", an association between a fore mound, mound framework, and back mound subfacies has been proposed based on water depth, current direction, energy level and lithologic assemblages. The microfacies of the mound base, mound core, mound flank, mound cap, and mound flat could be recognized among the mound framework subfacies. Two construction types of marginal microbial mound-bank complex have been determined based on deposition location, mound scale, migration direction, and sedimentary facies association. Type Jinkouhe microbial mound constructions (TJMMCs) develop along the windward margin owing to their proximity to the seaward subfacies fore mound, with a northeastwardly migrated microbial mound on top of the mud mound, exhibiting the characteristics of large-sized mounds and small-sized banks in the surrounding area. Type E'bian microbial mound constructions (TEMMCs) primarily occur on the leeward margin, resulting from the presence of onshore back mound subfacies, with the smaller southwestward migrated microbial mounds existing on a thicker microbial flat. The platform margin microbial mound depositional model can be correlated with certain lateral comparison profile and seismic reflection structures in the 2D seismic section, which can provide references for future worldwide exploration. Microbial mounds with larger buildups and thicker vertical reservoirs are typically targeted on the windward margin, while small-sized microbial mounds and flats with better lateral connections are typically focused on the leeward margin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (ANVUGIB) is one of the most common medical emergencies in China and worldwide. In 2009, we published the 'Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding' for the patients in China; however, during the past years numerous studies on the diagnosis and treatment of ANVUGIB have been conducted, and the management of ANVUGIB needs to be updated. The guidelines were updated after the databases including PubMed, Embase and CNKI were searched to retrieve the clinical trials on the management of ANVUGIB. The clinical trials were evaluated for high-quality evidence, and the advances in definitions, diagnosis, etiology, severity evaluation, treatment and prognosis of ANVUGIB were carefully reviewed, the recommendations were then proposed. After several rounds of discussions and revisions among the national experts of digestive endoscopy, gastroenterology, radiology and intensive care, the 2015 version of 'Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding' was successfully developed by the Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine, National Medical Journal of China, Chinese Journal of Digestion and Chinese Journal of Digestive Endoscopy. It shall be noted that although much progress has been made, the clinical management of ANVUGIB still needs further improvement and refinement, and high-quality randomized trials are required in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging hemorrhagic fever in East Asia caused by SFTS virus (SFTSV), a newly discovered phlebovirus. The Haemaphysalis longicornis tick has been suspected to be the vector of SFTSV. To determine whether SFTSV can be transmitted among ticks, from ticks to animals, and from animals to ticks, we conducted transmission studies between developmental stages of H. longicornis ticks and between ticks and mice. Using reverse transcription PCR, we also analyzed the prevalence of SFTSV infection among H. longicornis ticks collected from vegetation in Shandong Province, China. Our results showed a low prevalence of SFTSV among collected ticks (0.2%, 8/3,300 ticks), and we showed that ticks fed on SFTSV-infected mice could acquire the virus and transstadially and transovarially transmit it to other developmental stages of ticks. Furthermore, SFTSV-infected ticks could transmit the virus to mice during feeding. Our findings indicate ticks could serve as a vector and reservoir of SFTSV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To explore the effects of puerarin to treat endometriosis (EMT) model rats and the possible regulatory mechanisms. Methods. EMT model rats were surgically induced by autotransplantion of endometrial tissues. The appropriate dosage of puerarin to treat EMT model rats was determined by observing the pathologic morphology of ectopic endometrial tissues and by detecting the levels of estradiol (E2) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) of both serum and ectopic endometrial tissues. The related genes and proteins of ectopic endometrial tissues were analyzed by Real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC) to explore the possible mechanisms. Results. Puerarin could reduce the levels of E2 and PGE2 and prevent the growth of ectopic endometrium tissues by inhibiting the expression of aromatase cytochrome P450 (p450arom) and cyclooxygenase-2 (cox-2); puerarin could adjust the anabolism of E2 by upregulating the expression of 17β-hydroxysteroid-2 (17β-hsd-2) and downregulating the expression of 17β- hydroxysteroid-1 (17β-hsd-1) of the ectopic endometrium tissues; puerarin could increase the expression of ERβ and improve the inflammatory microenvironment of EMT model rats. Conclusions. Our data suggest that puerarin has a therapeutic effect on EMT model rats and could be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of EMT in clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: to explore the impact of admission serum creatinine concentration on the in-hospital mortality and its interaction with age and gender in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in China. Methods: 1424 acute STEMI patients were enrolled in the study. Anthropometric and laboratory measurements were collected from every patient. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to determine the relationships between the admission serum creatinine level (Cr level), age, sex and the in-hospital mortality. A crossover analysis and a stratified analysis were used to determine the combined impact of Cr levels with age and gender. Results: Female (HR 1.687, 95%CI 1.051∼2.708), elevated Cr level (HR 5.922, 95%CI 3.780∼9,279) and old age (1.692, 95%CI 1.402∼2.403) were associated with a high risk of death respectively. After adjusting for other confounders, the renal dysfunction was still independently associated with a higher risk of death (HR 2.48, 95% CI 1.32∼4.63), while female gender (HR 1.19, 95%CI 0.62∼2.29) and old age (HR 1.77, 95%CI 0.92∼3.37) was not. In addition, crossover analysis revealed synergistic effects between elevated Cr level and female gender (SI = 3.01, SIM = 2.10, AP = 0.55). Stratified analysis showed that the impact of renal dysfunction on in-hospital mortality was more pronounced in patients <60 years old (odds ratios 11.10, 95% CI 3.72 to 33.14) compared with patients 60 to 74 years old (odds ratios 5.18, 95% CI 2.48∼10.83) and patients ≥75years old (odds ratios 3.99, 95% CI 1.89 to 8.42). Conclusion: Serum Cr concentration on admission was a strong predictor for in-hospital mortality among Chinese acute STEMI patients especially in the young and the female. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concentration of NO2--N in 26% of geothermal water samples collected from Kaifeng city, Henan province, China exceeds the national groundwater quality standard (0.02 mg/L). Thus there is a need to investigate the transformation mechanism of nitrate in a loose-pore geothermal reservoir. Column experiments were performed at temperatures from 20 °C to 65 °C and the computer code CXTFIT was used to fit the experimental data and to determine the transport parameters. The results revealed that the assumption of first-order reaction kinetics in convection-dispersion equation (CDE) resulted in a closer agreement between the model results and the data than the CDE model without reaction when Darcy's flux was decreased from 3.67 to 1.23 cm/h. The nitrate reduction rate, the removal efficiency of nitrate, and nitrite and ammonium accumulation all increased with temperature between 20 °C and 65 °C, which was accompanied by the decrease of Eh with temperature after 144 h. NO3--N reduction rate and nitrite accumulation amount also increased upon NO3--N loading. With limited types and amounts of carbon sources and bacteria, denitrification was incomplete at all the six experimental temperatures, giving a maximum nitrate reduction efficiency of 81.28% and a maximum ΣN removal efficiency of 37.75% at 65 °C after 144 h. 37.6% of the nitrate was converted to nitrite and 5.93% of the nitrate was converted to ammonium through dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA). High levels of nitrite and ammonium in the geothermal water of the study area also indicated the incomplete denitrification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the results of published research into China's urban planning history since 2011. A total of 1,057 articles were selected, including 198 theses, 465 journal papers, and 394 conference papers. It provides quantitative statistics and analysis of the literature, using CiteSpace to conduct a bibliometric analysis of the data. Based on quantitative analysis and supported by the literature, this paper qualitatively concludes and summarizes the research hotspots and evolution of Chinese urban planning history from five dimensions: planning practice, system construction, thought and theory, figures, and discipline. The achievements delve into the exploration of motivations and mechanisms, planning ideology, methodology, practice subjects, and preparation process based on a staged review of the historical process of practice and a summary of its characteristics, which shows a process from partial to holistic and fragmented to systematic in general terms, contributing to the formation of a complete planning history research system. A comprehensive analysis of quantitative statistics, knowledge mapping of literature, and important research content reveals the characteristics of research into the history of Chinese urban planning over the past decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The whitebacked planthopper (WBPH), Sogatella furcifera (Horváth), is one of the most destructive pests that seriously threatens the high-quality and safe production of rice. Overuse of chemical insecticides has led to varying levels of resistance to insecticides in the field population of S. furcifera. In this study, we measured the susceptibility of 18 populations to 10 insecticides by the rice-seedling dip method. Enzyme assays were performed to measure the levels of esterase (EST), glutathione S- transferase (GST) and cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (P450). A risk of cross-resistance between some insecticides were found by pairwise correlation, and EST may be contributed to the resistance to nitenpyram, thiamethoxam and clothianidin in S. furcifera. Overall, our findings will help inform the effective insecticide resistance management strategies to delay the development of insecticide resistance in S. furcifera. Monitoring is an important component of insecticide resistance management. In this study, resistance monitoring was conducted on 18 field populations in China. The results showed that S. furcifera developed high levels of resistance to chlorpyrifos and buprofezin, and S. furcifera showed low to moderate levels of resistance to imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, dinotefuran, clothianidin, sulfoxaflor, isoprocarb and ethofenprox. Sogatella furcifera remained susceptible or low levels of resistance to nitenpyram. LC50 values of nitenpyram and dinotefuran, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin and chlorpyrifos exhibited significant correlations, as did those between dinotefuran and thiamethoxam, clothianidin, sulfoxaflor, imidacloprid, isoprocarb and buprofezin. Similarly, significant correlations were observed between thiamethoxam and clothianidin, sulfoxaflor and imidacloprid. In addition, the activity of EST in field populations of S. furcifera were significantly correlated with the LC50 values of nitenpyram, thiamethoxam and clothianidin. These results will help inform effective insecticide resistance management strategies to delay the development of insecticide resistance in S. furcifera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractDendritic cells (DCs) play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1). Reduced numbers of blood DCs have been observed in individuals with chronic HIV-1 infection. In the present study, we analyzed the expression levels of monocytes, myeloid dendritic cell (mDC) precursors, mDCs, and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), in HIV-1-infected patients in China who were infected via different routes of transmission, including heterosexual and homosexual sexual contact, and blood transmission through importation of blood or blood products, to further elucidate their role in HIV. Compared with HIV-negative individuals (n = 40), relative levels of CD11c+CD14−mDCs, CD11c++CD123lowmDCs, and CD11c−CD123+pDCs in total peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were significantly lower in all HIV patients (n = 93), and in those with blood transmission (n = 26) and heterosexual transmission (n = 43), while relative levels of CD11c+CD14−mDCs were significantly lower in HIV patients infected via homosexual transmission (n = 24). The results of correlation analysis demonstrated a significant negative correlation between CD4+T-cell counts and the relative levels of CD11c++CD123lowmDCs in HIV-I patients infected via blood transmission. There was no significant correlation between CD4+T-cell counts and the expression level of other DC subpopulations in PBMCs from HIV patients. The results of this study suggest that HIV-1 patients with different routes of transmission exhibit altered expression levels of blood DC subpopulations, which contributes to dysregulated immune responses and pathogenesis of HIV-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and factors associated with HRQoL in Chinese patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) using two generic preference-based HRQoL instruments, EQ-5D (plus EQ-VAS) and SF-6D, with the results compared with general population. Method: CP/CPPS patients were recruited from two tertiary referral hospitals, and the general populations were randomly approached. After informed consent, subjects were interviewed using EQ-5D, EQ-VAS and SF-6D, and their socio-demographic and medical information was solicited. Results: Compared to the general population ( n = 364), CP/CPPS patients ( n = 268) reported significantly worse HRQoL with median score of the EQ-5D utility index (0.73 vs. 0.85), SF-6D utility index (0.76 vs. 0.81), and EQ-VAS (70.0 vs. 85.0). Multiple linear regression analyses showed pain symptom had the strongest predictive power for HRQoL, compared to symptom duration and urinary symptom. Socio-demographic factors and comorbidities did not significantly contribute to poorer HRQoL. Conclusion: CP/CPPS patients experienced deteriorated HRQoL with lower health-related utility scores compared to general population, and pain severity was the main physical symptom predicting decreased health-related utility. Further studies are needed to provide the reference utility index for the comparison and better characterizing the influence of geographic and cultural factors on variation of health-related utility of CP/CPPS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The commonly applied surface temperature–vegetation index (T s–VI) triangle method is used to estimate regional evapotranspiration (ET) in arid and semi-arid regions. A practical algorithm based on the T s–VI triangle method is developed to determine quantitatively the dry and wet edges of this triangle space. First, the T s–VI triangle method is reviewed. Assumptions involved in this method are highlighted, and advantages, disadvantages and applicability are discussed. Then, an experimental use of the T s–VI triangle method is developed and applied to several MODIS/TERRA datasets acquired during the Heihe Field Experiment from May 20th to August 21st, 2008. The sensible heat fluxes retrieved using MODIS data from a grassland located in the middle reach of Heihe river basin, Northwest China, are in good agreement with those measured from a Large Aperture Scintillometer (LAS). The Root Mean Square Error of this comparison is 25.07W/m2. It is shown that determination of dry and wet edges using the proposed algorithm is accurate enough at least in most cases of our study for the estimates of regional surface ET. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Long-term behavior of sediment bound nitrogen (N) in promoting eutrophication of freshwater lakes can be more efficiently evaluated on the basis of different N-forms rather than on the total nitrogen (TN) content alone, these different N-forms include N in ion-extractable form (IEF-N), carbonate form (CF-N), iron–manganese oxides form (IMOF-N), and N bound in organic matter-sulfide (OSF-N). To assess the N contamination in sediment and its risk to aquatic systems, content and vertical distributions of TN and extractable nitrogen (Ex-N) in sediments from three typical shallow urban lakes in China were studied. The study examines the geochemical relationships between N-forms and physicochemical characteristics in the sediments, in addition to N-forms and its content proportion in sediments and the concentrations of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) in the lake water column. Results show that the TN content decreased with sediment depth (0–50 cm) in the three lakes. The Ex-N percentages of the TN varied in the ranges of 58.8–63.8, 52.0–95.0, and 41.6–55.7% in sediments sampled from Mochou Lake, Xuanwu Lake, and Daming Lake, respectively. Distributions of the N-forms in the sediments showed significant differences between the three lakes. OSF-N and/or IMOF-N were/was the dominant form(s), and IEF-N, CF-N, and the OSF-N in surface sediment were positively correlated to TDN in lake water (increasing concentrations), whereas the IMOF-N in the sediment represented a negative correlation with TDN in lake water (decreasing concentrations). This suggests that the IEF-N, CF-N and OSF-N forms of nitrogen in the surface sediments could be released into the overlying water column of the lake under certain chemical conditions posing a serious threat to the lake water quality. These results can be beneficial for understanding the behavior of nitrogen transferring process between sediment and overlying water of lakes, and provide critical data for lake restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: Since the introduction of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatology (ERCP) in clinical use, pancreatitis has become a common complication of ERCP. Octreotide is an inhibitor of pancreatic enzyme secretions. Several studies have evaluated the effect of octreotide on the incidence of clinical pancreatitis after ERCP, but with different results. The aim was to determine the efficacy of prophylactic administration of octreotide for the prevention of post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) and hyperamylasemia. METHODS: In this study, patients with scheduled ERCP were randomized to receive either octreotide (0.3 mg) via intramuscular injection or a placebo. The study was conducted in 12 digestive endoscopic units in China. Patients were randomized into two groups: an octreotide group (N = 414) and a control group (N = 418). In the octreotide group, octreotide (0.3 mg) was dissolved in 500 mL of 0.9% saline solution and administered by continuous intravenous infusion, beginning 1 h before endoscopic examination and continued for 6 h thereafter; 0.1 mg of octreotide was injected subcutaneously at 6 and 12 h after the intravenous injection was stopped. The control group was given a placebo intravenously. The end point was the development of acute pancreatitis. RESULTS: The overall incidence of acute pancreatitis was 3.85%; this included 2.42% (10/414) in the octreotide group and 5.26% (22/418) in the control group ( P= 0.046). The overall incidence of hyperamylasemia was 14.9%; 12.32% (51/414) in the octreotide group and 17.46% (73/418) in the control group ( P= 0.041). No side effects were found. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that octreotide can prevent PEP and hyperamylasemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To determine the role of endogenous nitric oxide (NO) in gastric mucosal tolerant cytoprotection under stress and its possible mechanism. METHODS: Sprague–Dawley rats were exposed to repeated water immersion and restraint stress (WRS), during which N G -nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a non-selective NO synthase inhibitor, and L-arginine (L-Arg), a substrate for NO synthesis, were administered to inhibit or promote the synthesis of endogenous NO, respectively. Gastric mucosal blood flow (GMBF) was measured with an LDF-3 Flowmeter (Electronic Instrument Factory of Nankai University, Tianjin, China), the NO level in the gastric mucosa was monitored by the Griess reaction and gastric mucosal lesions were evaluated using the ulcer index (UI). The relationships between changes in GMBF, UI and NO content in the gastric mucosa were analyzed by linear correlation analysis. RESULTS: Repeated WRS induced gastric mucosal tolerant cytoprotection and this was accompanied by increased GMBF and NO levels in the gastric mucosa. Inhibition of endogenous NO synthesis by L-NAME worsened mucosal lesions induced by single WRS and, after repeated WRS, the adaptive incremence in GMBF was abolished and the NO content in the gastric mucosa was significantly reduced. In contrast, enhancement of endogenous NO synthesis by L-Arg attenuated mucosal erosions caused by single WRS. After repeated WRS, GMBF and the NO content in the mucosa increased gradually. Mucosal lesions were negligible after rats were exposed to the fourth WRS. CONCLUSIONS: During the tolerant cytoprotection, GMBF, UI and the NO content showed regular changes and there were good relationships between them. L-NAME and L-Arg changed the levels of endogenous NO, which, accordingly, affected GMBF and the gastric tolerance. By regulating GMBF, endogenous NO may play an important role in the gastric mucosal tolerant cytoprotection under stress. Inhibition of the synthesis of NO delayed the... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) has been recommended as the preferred method for pancreatic exocrine insufficiency caused by chronic pancreatitis (CP). However, at present, the patient-related factors for the poor PERT management are not clear, and there are no studies on the adherence to PERT in patients with CP in East China. This was a mixed-method study following the principle of sequential explanatory design and included two parts: a quantitative and qualitative study. A cross-sectional survey of medication adherence (MA) was first carried out, followed by a semi-structured interview to further explore and explain the influencing factors of adherence to PERT. Of the 148 patients included in this study, 48.0% had poor MA and only 12.8% had good MA. Multivariate logistic regression showed that lower levels of education and income were contributing factors for non-adherence to PERT. Semi-structured interviews with 24 patients revealed that the reasons for non-adherence also included lack of knowledge, self-adjustment of PERT, lifetime of medication, side effects of PERT, forgetfulness, financial burdens, and accessibility issues. The adherence to PERT was poor among patients with CP in East China. Healthcare providers should personalize medication strategies to improve patients' MA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) has been recommended as the preferred method for pancreatic exocrine insufficiency caused by chronic pancreatitis (CP). However, at present, the patient-related factors for the poor PERT management are not clear, and there are no studies on the adherence to PERT in patients with CP in East China. This was a mixed-method study following the principle of sequential explanatory design and included two parts: a quantitative and qualitative study. A cross-sectional survey of medication adherence (MA) was first carried out, followed by a semi-structured interview to further explore and explain the influencing factors of adherence to PERT. Of the 148 patients included in this study, 48.0% had poor MA and only 12.8% had good MA. Multivariate logistic regression showed that lower levels of education and income were contributing factors for non-adherence to PERT. Semi-structured interviews with 24 patients revealed that the reasons for non-adherence also included lack of knowledge, self-adjustment of PERT, lifetime of medication, side effects of PERT, forgetfulness, financial burdens, and accessibility issues. The adherence to PERT was poor among patients with CP in East China. Healthcare providers should personalize medication strategies to improve patients' MA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of adjacency effect on high-spatial-resolution satellite imagery in the visible and near infrared region has been studies since the 1980s. However, the adjacency effect is usually neglected in the thermal infrared (TIR) region. The conventional TIR radiative transfer equation (RTE) only takes into account radiance from target pixel and neglects radiance contribution from surrounding background pixels. In this study, two TIR RTEs taking into account the adjacency effect for uniform and non-uniform Lambertian surfaces were deduced based on the radiative transfer theory. In terms of the TIR RTEs, we analyze the dominating influence factors of the adjacency effect and quantify the magnitude of the adjacency effect in the TIR region using simulation and actual satellite data. Two different definitions of the adjacency effect are presented in this study: (1) the effect due to radiance from background pixels scattered into sensor's instantaneous field of view, and (2) the effect due to apparent thermal contrast between target and background pixels. The results show that atmospheric visibility, water vapor content, sensor spectral band, and background pixel land surface temperature (LST) have significant influence on the adjacency effect. For a specific simulation scene, the magnitude of the first definition of the adjacency effect is larger than 0.5 K when atmospheric visibility is lower than 23 km. This magnitude is as much as 2 K under haze weather conditions with atmospheric visibility of 5 km. The results indicate that the adjacency effect should be taken into account in the radiative transfer simulation. The magnitude of the second definition of the adjacency effect is less than 0.3 K, even at atmospheric visibility of 5 km. The results reveal that the accuracy of the TIR RTE for a uniform Lambertian surface is enough for the development of LST retrieval algorithm under relatively haze weather conditions. In situ LST measurements collected at the Hailar, Urad Front Banner, and Wuhai sites in China were used to validate the accuracies of the LST retrieved by the RTE-based single channel algorithm with/without adjacency effect correction. There are nearly no discrepancies between the LST retrieved with/without adjacency effect correction when aerosol optical depth (AOD) is low than 0.3. However, the RMSE of the differences between the retrieved LST and the in situ LST decreases from approximately 1.4 K for the LST retrieved without adjacency effect correction to approximately 0.6 K for the LST retrieved with adjacency effect correction when AOD is high than 0.3. • Two TIR RTEs taking into account adjacency effect were deduced. • Dominating influence factor of adjacency effect in the TIR region was analyzed. • The magnitude of adjacency effect in the TIR region was quantified. • RMSE of LST derived with adjacency effect correction reduces 0.8 K for AOD > 0.3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computerized ionospheric tomography (CIT) technique allows reconstructing the 3-dimensional and even 4-dimensional state of the ionosphere in terms of electron content. It is typically denoted as an inverse problem. Due to the unevenly distributed measurements collected from ground receivers, together with limited cut-off elevation angle and density of observations, the normal matrix of the inverse problem becomes sparse, which makes it difficult to solve and potentially unstable. The main methods to resolve the problem are the constraint algorithms during the process of the electron density inversion. A new approach is proposed for CIT that aims to mitigate the ill-posed problem and improve the precision of ionospheric electron density (IED) resolution by using constrained least squares. In this method, a new scheme of constructing parameter weight matrices in both horizontal and vertical directions is designed using the correlation of IED among those neighboring voxels, which helps to add the information needed in CIT, and the ill-posed problem is efficiently resolved. The accuracy and feasibility of the additional constraints in CIT algorithms are verified by numerical simulation tests. Finally, this newly developed method of constrained least squares is used to effectively perform the tomographic reconstruction of IED distribution over southeast China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biting midges of the genus Culicoides are important in both medicine and veterinary medicine because their blood-feeding regime enable them to transmit a variety of pathogens. In this study, the morphological characteristics of the new species of Culicoides (Sinocoides) jiangchengensis Wang et Liu sp. nov are described and compared with the other species of female Culicoides in the subgenus Sinocoides. Three morphological characteristics of C. jiangchengensis, such as without sensory pit in 3rd palpus segment, sensilla coeloconica on flagellomeres 1,9–13, and m1 and m2 cell of the wings with pale spots, were different from the other nine species of culicoides in subgenus Sinocoides. Genetically, C. jiangchengensis are most closely related to C. malipoensis, but they were located in different branches and the minimum interspecific distance between them was 12.6%. In addition, a checklist of 10 species in the subgenus Sinocoides Chu, 1983 (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae: Culicoides) in China, including the new species C. jiangchengensis Wang et Liu sp. nov., is provided, and an updated key to species of the subgenus Sinocoides Chu, 1983 was presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome, which results in severe illness and has a high case-fatality rate, is caused by a novel bunyavirus, severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus. We found that samples from 2/237 (0.8%) healthy persons and 111/134 (83%) goats in Yiyuan County, Shandong Province, China, were seropositive for this virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel framework for mapping all-sky soil moisture at fine spatial resolution was proposed. • Soil moisture over clear-sky and cloudy pixels are determined respectively. • Disaggregation procedure can produce better soil moisture estimates than resistances method. Soil moisture (SM) is highly involved in a number of fundamental agricultural activities and hydrological processes. Currently, most of the available microwave SM products are too coarse to be used in these relevant applications at regional or watershed scales, whereas optical/thermal infrared measurements are valid over clear-sky conditions only. The present study aims to provide a novel framework for the retrieval of all-sky surface SM at fine spatial resolution synergistically using optical/thermal infrared and microwave measurements. In this framework, SM for each clear-sky pixel is determined from a novel pixel-to-pixel scheme of land surface temperature-vegetation index (T s -VI) trapezoid, whereas cloudy pixel SM is derived from coarse microwave-based product disaggregation where gridded meteorological measurements are provided as inputs. Mainland China is selected as the study area to obtain all-sky SM at the spatial resolution of 0.05° over the period from August to October in 2017. A preliminary comparison of the estimated all-sky SM with the China Meteorological Administration Land Data Assimilation System (CLDAS)-derived SM product at the same spatial resolution is conducted to assess the proposed approach. Results indicate that the two datasets show similar spatial patterns throughout mainland China. Moreover, the estimated SM over 300 random pixels correlates well with the CLDAS product, with RMSE ranging from 0.070 to 0.083 m3/m3 and a slight bias varying from −0.001 to 0.011 m3/m3 on six selected days. The present study therefore successfully provides a framework for the retrieval of all-sky SM content from currently available satellite products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In December 2017, a squirrel (Callosciurus phayrei) died 2 days after capture in Kunming, and its intestinal tract, heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney were subjected to metagenomics analysis. Reassembly and verification by reverse transcription PCR of contigs generated by next-generation sequencing yielded a 5176-nt sequence, which was designated "squirrel bocaparvovirus" (SQBOV). Phylogenetic trees based on the aa sequences of NS1, NP1, and VP1 showed that SQBOV formed an independent branch in the bocaparvovirus phylogenetic tree. The amino acid sequence identity of the NS1 of SQBOV to those of other bocaparvoviruses was below the threshold of 85% that is used to demarcate species within the genus, indicating that it should be considered a member of a new bocaparvovirus species. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a bocaparvovirus in squirrels. Our findings will enable further studies of viral diversity in rodents and of the genetic diversity and host range of bocaparvoviruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]