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Importance: Epidemiological evidences regarding the association between whole grain intake and the risk of new-onset hypertension are still controversial. Objective: We aimed to investigate the relationship between whole grain intake and new-onset hypertension and examine possible effect modifiers in the general population. Methods: A total of 10,973 participants without hypertension from the China Health and Nutrition Survey were enrolled, with follow-up beginning in 1997 and ending in 2015. Whole grain intake was assessed by 3 consecutive 24-h dietary recalls combined with a household food inventory. Multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression model after adjusting for potential risk factors. Results: During a median follow-up of 7.0 years, 3,733 participants developed new-onset hypertension. The adjusted HRs (95% CIs) were as follows: for quartile 2 (HR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.47–0.57), quartile 3 (HR: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.42–0.51), and quartile 4 (HR: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.31–0.38), compared with quartile 1. Different types of whole grain types, including wheat (adjusted HR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.32–0.39), maize (adjusted HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.42–0.59), and millet (adjusted HR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.30–0.48), showed significant associations with a reduced risk of hypertension. The association between whole grain intake and new-onset hypertension was stronger in individuals with older age (P for interaction < 0.001) and higher BMI (P for interaction < 0.001). Conclusion: Higher consumption of whole grains was significantly associated with a lower risk of new-onset hypertension. This study provides further evidence supporting the importance of increasing whole grain intake for hypertension prevention among Chinese adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop effective strategies for controlling both PM 2.5 and O3 levels, it is crucial to understand their synergistic mechanisms and key precursors and the atmospheric physiochemical processes involved. In this study, a wintertime co-occurring O3 and PM 2.5 pollution event in a coastal city in southeast China was investigated based on high-time-resolution measurements of criteria air pollutants and chemical compositions of PM 2.5 , and O3 precursors, such as NOx , HCHO, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The results of this study revealed the characteristics of positively correlated PM 2.5 and MDA8 O3 concentrations, and an increase in atmospheric oxidation capacity (AOC) during the cold seasons. Strong correlations (R2= 0.415–0.477) between HCHO, Fe, Mn, and sulfate concentrations were observed, suggesting the influence of catalyzed oxidation processes in the coastal city. Through an observation-based model (OBM) analysis coupled with the Regional Atmospheric Chemistry Mechanism, version 2 (RACM2) and the Chemical Aqueous-Phase Radical Mechanism, version 3.0 (CAPRAM 3.0), we found that high concentrations of precursors (SO2 and HCHO), high relative humidity, and moderately acidic pH conditions enhanced the heterogeneous formation of hydroxymethanesulfonate (HMS) in PM 2.5. Furthermore, by employing an OBM coupled to the Master Chemical Mechanism (OBM-MCM), we verified that disabling the HCHO mechanism could decrease daytime net O3 production rates by reducing the production rates of HO2 + NO. These results were consistent with the daily values of AOC, OH, HO2 , and RO2 concentrations. This study contributes to a better understanding of the significance of HCHO in photochemical reactions and the formation of HMS in a coastal city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop the effective strategies for controlling both PM2.5 and O3 levels, it is crucial to understand their synergistic mechanisms, key precursors, and atmospheric physiochemical processes involved. In this study, a wintertime co-occurring O3 and PM2.5 pollution event in a coastal city in southeast China was investigated based on high-time resolution measurements of criteria air pollutants, chemical compositions of PM2.5, and O3 precursors, such as NOx, HCHO, and VOCs. The results of this study revealed a positive correlation between PM2.5 and MDA8 O3 concentrations during the whole periods, suggesting an increase in atmospheric oxidation capacity (AOC) during the cold seasons. Strong correlations (R2 = 0.415–0.477) were observed between HCHO, Fe, Mn, and sulfate concentrations, suggesting the influence of catalyzed oxidation processes in the coastal city. Through an observation-based model (OBM) analysis coupled with the regional atmospheric chemistry mechanism version 2 (RACM2) and the chemical aqueous-phase radical mechanism version 3.0 (CAPRAM 3.0), we found that high concentrations of precursors (SO2 and HCHO), high relative humidity, and moderately acidic pH conditions enhanced the heterogeneous formation of hydroxymethanesulfonate (HMS) in PM2.5. Furthermore, by employing the Master Chemical Mechanism (OBM-MCM), we verified that disabling the HCHO mechanism could decrease daytime net O3 production rates by reducing the production rates of HO2+NO. These results were consistent with the daily values of AOC, OH, HO2, and RO2 concentrations. This study contributes to a better understanding of the significance of HCHO in photochemical reactions and the formation of secondary aerosols in a coastal city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information on major depressive disorder (MDD) and subthreshold depressive symptoms (SDS) is rarely reported in south China. This study examines the prevalence rates and patterns of MDD and SDS of a large representative sample of adult residents in south China. The Guangdong Mental Health Survey was conducted on adults (over 18 years) from September to December 2021. Multistage stratified cluster sampling was used and face-to-face interviews were done with a two-stage design by trained lay interviewers and psychiatrists. A total of 16,377 inhabitants were interviewed using standardized assessment tools. Data were weighted to adjust for differential probabilities of selection and differential response. The weighted prevalence rates of MDD and SDS were 2.5 % (95%CI: 2.2 %–2.9 %) and 14.7 % (95%CI: 14.0 %–15.5 %), respectively. Multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed that female, younger age, living in urban area, higher education, unmarried, irregular meal pattern, lack of physical exercise, chronic diseases, irregular napping pattern and short sleep were positively associated with SDS. Besides, female, younger age, unmarried, irregular meal pattern, lack of physical exercise, chronic diseases, short sleep and poor mental health were positively associated with MDD. The cross-sectional nature of the study limited causal inferences. The prevalence of MDD in Guangdong province in 2021 is higher than in mainland China in 2013. Given the higher prevalence of SDS, and high burden of depression, it also offers valuable opportunities for policymakers and health-care professionals to explore the factors affecting mental health in Guangdong province, especially during the COVID-19 epidemic. • The weighted prevalence rates of MDD and SDS among adults in south China were 2.5% and 14.7%, respectively. • People with one or more chronic diseases were more likely to suffer from MDD and SDS. • Female, younger, unmarried, irregular meal, lack of exercise and short sleep were the common risk factors for MDD and SDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mental health literacy (MHL) is rarely reported in the Chinese elderly. This study explored the pattern of MHL in the Chinese elderly in relation to depression, anxiety and poor sleep quality. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted among older adults in Guangzhou, south China. Participants were investigated face‐to‐face using the Chinese National Mental Health Literacy Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire‐9 item (PHQ‐9), the 7‐item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD‐7) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Mental Health Literacy Scale contains three dimensions: mental health knowledge, mental health skills (such as social support, cognitive reappraisal and attentional distraction) and mental health awareness. Multivariate logistic regression was used for examining the association between MHL and mental health. Results: A total of 506 older adults were recruited. The percentage of depression, anxiety, and poor sleep quality were 16.6%, 7.9% and 40.9%, respectively. MHL dimensions independently associated with depression included cognitive reappraisal (OR = 1.95, p <.001), attentional distraction (OR = 0.61, p = 0.044) and awareness (OR = 0.56, p = 0.027). MHL dimensions independently associated with anxiety symptoms included cognitive reappraisal (OR = 1.90, p = 0.011) and attentional distraction (OR = 0.44, p = 0.016). MHL dimensions independently associated with poor sleep quality included social support (OR = 0.75, p = 0.022), cognitive reappraisal (OR = 1.55, p = 0.003) and attentional distraction (OR = 0.65, p = 0.016). Conclusion: Given the low MHL and its association with poor mental health in the Chinese elderly, policymakers and health professionals should improve the older adults' MHL, which could be conducive to the prevention and control of their mental health problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the formation of biogenic secondary organic aerosol (BSOA), aerosol samples with a 4 h time resolution were collected during summer and winter in the southeast of China, along with online measurements of trace gases, aerosol chemical compositions, and meteorological parameters. The samples were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry for PM 2.5 -bound secondary organic aerosol (SOA) tracers, including isoprene (SOA I), α/β -pinene (SOA M), β -caryophyllene (SOA C), and toluene (ASOA). The average concentrations of total SOA tracers in winter and summer were 38.8 and 111.9 ng m -3 , respectively, with the predominance of SOA M (70.1 % and 45.8 %), followed by SOA I (14.0 % and 45.6 %), ASOA (11.0 % and 6.2 %) and SOA C (4.9 % and 2.3 %). Compared to those in winter, the majority of BSOA tracers in summer showed significant positive correlations with O x (O 3+ NO 2) (r = 0.443–0.808), HONO (r = 0.299–0.601), ultraviolet (UV) (r = 0.382–0.588) and temperature (T) (r = 0.529–0.852), indicating the influence of photochemical oxidation under relatively clean conditions. However, in winter, BSOA tracers were significantly correlated with PM 2.5 (r = 0.407–0.867), NO 3- (r = 0.416–0.884), SO 42- (r = 0.419–0.813), and NH 3 (r = 0.440–0.757), attributed to the contributions of anthropogenic emissions. Major BSOA tracers in both seasons were linearly correlated with aerosol acidity (pH) (r = 0.421–0.752), liquid water content (LWC) (r = 0.403–0.876) and SO 42- (r = 0.419–0.813). The results indicated that acid-catalyzed reactive uptake onto sulfate aerosol particles enhanced the formation of BSOA. In summer, the clean air mass originated from the ocean, and chlorine depletion was observed. We also found that concentrations of the total SOA tracers were correlated with HCl (R2=0.545) and chlorine ions (r = 0.280–0.639) in PM 2.5 , reflecting the contribution of Cl-initiated volatile organic compound (VOC) oxidations to the formation of SOA. In winter, the northeast dominant wind direction brought continental polluted air mass to the monitoring site, affecting the transformation of BSOA tracers. This implied that anthropogenic emissions, atmospheric oxidation capacity and halogen chemistry have significant effects on the formation of BSOA in the southeast coastal area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In China, there is a rising concern on the increasing trends of HIV infections in high-risk groups, who make blood donations that might potentially challenge the blood safety. Analyses on current risk factors for HIV infection among Chinese blood donors are urgently needed for developing effective strategies to defer high-risk donors and to warrant the safety of the blood supply.Study Design and Methods: We recruited 313 HIV-positive and 762 HIV-negative donors from seven study sites in China and evaluated donor demographic characteristics, current medical and behavioral risk factors associated with HIV infection in a case-control survey. Univariable analyses examined the relationship between HIV infection and donor and donation characteristics, medical and behavioral risks, living conditions, and lifestyles. Multivariable logistic regression analyses evaluated the association between selected individual risks and HIV infection. Regression tree analysis was used to select covariates correlated with both HIV infection and individual risks and thus need to be controlled for in logistic regression models.Results: Being a man who has sex with men was associated with the highest odds of HIV infection. Not using a condom, having sex with HIV-infected individuals, having sex partners with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), having more than two concurrent sex partners, or having an STD were all associated with more than five times higher odds of having HIV. Having remunerated sex was associated with a 2.4 increased odds of having HIV infection.Conclusion: High-risk sexual behaviors were among the major risks for HIV infection among Chinese blood donors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous data, although scant, indicated that the incidence of HIV in China has increased over the past decade. There is a growing concern about the impact of the HIV epidemic on blood safety.Methods and Materials: We used donation data from five geographically-disperse blood centers in 2013-2016 participating in the Recipient Epidemiology and Donor Evaluation Study-III (REDS-III) China program to estimate HIV prevalence and incidence among blood donors. Multivariable logistic regression model was used to examine factors associated with HIV infection in Chinese blood donors.Results: The overall HIV prevalence among first-time donors from 2013 through 2016 was 68.04 per 100,000 donors (95% CI 61.68-74.40). The HIV incidence rate was estimated to be 37.93 per 100,000 person-years (95% CI 30.62-46.97) among first-time donors and 20.55 per 100,000 person-years (95% CI 16.95-24.91) among repeat donors. There was substantial variation in HIV prevalence and incidence rates across blood centers. Multivariable logistic regression results showed that among first-time donors, being male, older than 25 years, minority ethnicity, less than college education, and certain occupations (commercial services, factory workers, retired, unemployed, or self-employed) were associated with positive HIV confirmatory testing results.Conclusion: HIV prevalence and incidence among blood donors remain low in the selected five regions in China; however, an increasing trend is observed at some blood centers. It is important to monitor HIV epidemiology in Chinese blood donors on a continuous basis, especially among populations and regions of higher risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an important transfusion-transmitted virus with global significance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the HCV prevalence and incidence among Chinese blood donors from 2013 to 2016.Study Design and Methods: Whole blood and apheresis platelet donations collected from five Chinese blood centers from June 1, 2013, to December 31, 2016, were screened in parallel by two different enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for anti-HIV 1/2, hepatitis B surface antigen, anti-HCV, and syphilis. Screening-reactive samples were further confirmed by western blot. Confirmatory positive rates among first-time and repeat donors were used to estimate the prevalence and incidence rates. Multivariable logistic regression modeling was used to examine factors associated with HCV infection.Results: A total of 1,276,544 donations were collected from five Chinese blood centers, of which an estimated 1203 were confirmed HCV positive. The overall HCV prevalence among first-time donors was 166.56 per 100,000 donors (95% confidence interval, 156.04-177.08). The HCV incidence rate was estimated to be 15.21 (95% confidence interval, 11.83-19.56) per 100,000 person-years among repeat donors. Multivariable logistic regression results showed that increased age, lower educational levels, ethnicity, and occupation were all important factors associated with HCV confirmatory status among first-time donors (p < 0.01).Conclusions: HCV infection is still an important concern for transfusion safety in China. Our findings indicate that continued strong efforts are needed to monitor and control the risk of transfusion-transmitted HCV infection in China. Moreover, to reduce unnecessary donor loss, HCV donor screening procedures should be improved by incorporating confirmatory testing into routine blood center operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chinese blood centers use Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) rapid test (RT) in pre-donation and two rounds of screening with different enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays in post-donation. Nucleic acid testing (NAT) on screening non-reactive (SC-) donations has been gradually implemented since 2010. Yet RT+ and SC-/NAT+ donors are seldom included in hepatitis B virus (HBV) positive rate estimates in Chinese blood donors.Methods: We performed HBsAg neutralization test (NT) on whole blood (WB) with pre-donation RT+ results and post-donation screening reactive (SC+) samples from Mianyang and Chongqing in 2015. The annual totals of pre- and post-donation NT+ donors were combined with the annual totals of SC-/NAT+ donors to derive the estimated HBV positive rates.Result: In Mianyang and Chongqing, 59.4% and 68.2% of RT+ donors in Jan-Aug 2015 contributed for NT, 95.5% and 97.2% of which were NT+ respectively. In 2015, 422 and 667 donors from Mianyang and Chongqing respectively were HBsAg RT+, yielding estimated 403 and 648 pre-donation RT+/NT+ deferrals. 411 and 668 post-donation SC+ samples were NT tested from Mianyang and Chongqing, of which 249 and 323 were NT+ respectively. An estimated 63 donors in Mianyang and 88 donors in Chongqing were SC-/NAT+. The estimated HBV confirmed positive rate in blood donors are 1.59% in Mianyang and 1.01% in Chongqing.Conclusion: Pre-donation HBsAg RT effectively intercepts donations from HBV infected donors. Using NT confirmatory results from RT+, SC+ and SC-/NAT+ donors, this study provides a model for more accurate estimation for HBV positive rates in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing complexity and diversity of the human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infections challenge the disease control and anti-retrovirus treatment in China. The infection stages and molecular characteristics of HIV-1 from infected Chinese blood donors were examined to shed light on the HIV genotype distribution and the status of drug resistance mutations (DRMs) in the changing HIV epidemic in China. Western blot (WB) confirmed HIV-1 positive plasma samples were collected from blood donors at five Chinese blood centers from April 16, 2012, through June 30, 2014. The HIV infection stages were determined using the Lag-avidity assay. HIV Pol regions including whole protease and partial reverse transcriptase (RT) were amplified and sequenced to establish the profile of genotype distribution and drug resistance mutations (DRMs). Viral loads were determined using the ROCHE COBAS system. Of the 259 HIV-1 positive samples tested by the Lag-avidity assay, 23.6% (61/259) were identified as recent infections. A total of 205 amplified sequences displayed the following genotype distributions: circulating recombinant form (CRF) 07_BC (61.5%), CRF08_BC (8.3%), CRF01_AE (20%), B (6.3%), and 01B (3.9%). There was no significant difference in genotype distribution between recent and long-term infections. 31 DRMs were identified from 27 samples including four protease inhibitors (PIs) accessory DRMs, two PIs major DRMs (M46I), two nucleoside RT inhibitors DRMs (K219R and K70Q), and 23 nonnucleoside RT inhibitors DRMs. 27 samples had DRMs, yielding a drug resistance prevalence of 13.2% (27/205). Our findings provide important information for developing strategies for comprehensive HIV control and improving anti-retroviral treatment in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Complement component C4 copy number variations are associated with various inflammatory diseases. This study was undertaken to investigate whether copy number variations of C4 are also involved in the pathogenesis of Behçet's disease (BD). Methods Gene expression was examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Copy number variations of C4 isotypes (C4A and C4B) were detected by real-time PCR in 905 patients with BD, 205 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and acute anterior uveitis, and 1,238 controls. The activation of CD4+ T cells was analyzed by flow cytometry, and cytokine production was detected by ELISA. Results Protein expression of total C4 in serum was significantly increased in patients with active BD compared with those with inactive BD or controls (Bonferroni corrected P [ Pcorr] = 1.64 × 10−4 and Pcorr = 0.037, respectively), but not in patients with AS and acute anterior uveitis. Copy number variation analysis identified a significantly increased frequency of more than 2 copies of C4A in BD patients ( P = 1.65 × 10−7, odds ratio [OR] 2.84). HLA-B51, which is located on the same chromosome as C4, showed a strong association with BD in the Han Chinese population ( P = 8.90 × 10−65, OR 5.05), but logistic regression showed that C4A copy number variation was an independent risk factor for BD. A significantly increased expression of C4A was observed in the high copy number groups (>2 copies or 2 copies) versus the low copy number group ( Pcorr = 0.019 and Pcorr = 0.044, respectively). Increased production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) was also observed in the high C4A copy number group ( Pcorr = 0.037). No effect of C4 copy number variation on the expression of T cell activation markers was detected. Conclusion Our findings indicate that a high copy number of C4A confers risk for BD by modulating the expression of C4A and enhancing IL-6 production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Revealing the changes in chemical compositions and sources of PM 2.5 is important for understanding aerosol chemistry and emission control strategies. High time-resolved characterization of water-soluble inorganic ions, elements, organic carbon (OC), and elemental carbon (EC) in PM 2.5 was conducted in a coastal city of southeast China during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results showed that the average concentration of PM 2.5 during the city lockdown (CLD) decreased from 46.2 μg m−3 to 24.4 μg m−3, lower than the same period in 2019 (PM 2.5 : 37.1 μg m−3). Concentrations of other air pollutants, such as SO 2 , NO 2 , PM 10 , OC, EC, and BC, were also decreased by 27.3%–67.8% during the CLD, whereas O 3 increased by 28.1%. Although SO 2 decreased from 4.94 μg m−3to 1.59 μg m−3 during the CLD, the concentration of SO 4 2− (6.63 μg m−3) was comparable to that (5.47 μg m−3) during the non-lockdown period, which were attributed to the increase (16.0%) of sulfate oxidation rate (SOR). O x (O 3 +NO 2) was positively correlated with SO 4 2−, suggesting the impacts of photochemical oxidation. A good correlation (R2 = 0.557) of SO 4 2− and Fe and Mn was found, indicating the transition-metal ion catalyzed oxidation. Based on positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis, the contribution of secondary formation to PM 2.5 increased during the epidemic period, consisting with the increase of secondary organic carbon (SOC), while other primary sources including traffic, dust, and industry significantly decreased by 9%, 8.5%, and 8%, respectively. This study highlighted the comprehensive and nonlinear response of chemical compositions and formation mechanisms of PM 2.5 to anthropogenic emissions control under relatively clean conditions. [Display omitted] • Chemical characterization of PM 2.5 during the COVID-19 pandemic was investigated. • Sulfate oxidation rate was enhanced by Fe/Mn catalyzed and photochemical oxidation. • High time resolution source apportionment of PM 2.5 exactly reflects emissions control. • Reduced NO x resulted in O 3 enhancement, further facilitating secondary aerosol formation. The concentration of SO 4 2− in PM 2.5 was significantly enhanced by transition-metal ion catalyzed and photochemical oxidation during the COVID-19 lockdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A positive matrix factorization–bioaccessibility–Monte Carlo simulation–human health risk assessment (PMF–BA–MCS–HHRA) model was developed to accurately assess the cumulative probability distributions of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks posed by heavy metals in the soil-rice system of the Jiulong River basin, and to quantify the sources of the health risks. The results showed that natural, agricultural, industrial, and coal combustion sources were the four main sources of heavy metals. The bioaccessibilities of heavy metals through grain ingestion were significantly higher than other exposure pathways. A non-carcinogenic risk was posed by arsenic (As) and a carcinogenic risk by cadmium (Cd). The non-carcinogenic risks of heavy metals were higher for children than for adults, while the opposite was true for carcinogenic risks. The grain ingestion pathway presented the greatest health risk from heavy metals in the soil-rice system. The non-carcinogenic risks were mainly derived from industrial sources, while the carcinogenic risks primarily came from agricultural sources. Arsenic derived from industrial sources and Cd derived from agricultural sources should be prioritized for control. Grain ingestion should be considered the priority exposure pathway for control. These results provide important theoretical and practical references for human health risk assessment and source management of heavy metals in soil-rice systems. [Display omitted] • The PMF-BA-MCS-HHRA model was developed to assess source-oriented health risks. • A non-carcinogenic risk caused by As and a carcinogenic risk caused by Cd were found. • The health risks were mainly derived from industrial and agricultural sources. • Grain ingestion should be considered the priority exposure pathway for control. • Arsenic in industry and Cd in agriculture should be prioritized for control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The employ of thermal insulation is one of the most effective ways of building energy conservation for cooling and heating. Therefore, the selection of a proper insulation material and the determination of optimum insulation thickness are particularly vital. Four typical cities of Shanghai, Changsha, Shaoguan and Chengdu are selected to represent A, B, C and D subzone of hot summer and cold winter zone in China, respectively. The optimum thicknesses of five insulation materials including expanded polystyrene, extruded polystyrene, foamed polyurethane, perlite and foamed polyvinyl chloride are calculated with a typical residential wall using solar-air cooling and heating degree-days analysis and P 1–P 2 economic model. And then, life cycle total costs, life cycle savings and payback periods are calculated based on life cycle cost analysis. Considering different orientations, surface colors, insulation materials and climates, optimum thicknesses of the five insulations vary from 0.053 to 0.236m, and the payback periods vary from 1.9 to 4.7years over a lifetime of 20years. The maximum life cycle savings are 54.4$/m2 in Shanghai, 54.8$/m2 in Changsha and 41.5$/m2 in Shaoguan (with a deep-colored northeast wall), and 39.0$/m2 in Chengdu (with a light-colored northwest wall). Finally, an approach to analyze economical efficiency of insulation materials is developed, result shows that expanded polystyrene is the most economic insulation material of the five because of the highest life cycle saving and lowest payback period. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: As a result of rapid economic growth in the last several decades, energy issue is becoming more and more important in today’s world because of a possible energy shortage in the future; the usage of residential electricity has increased rapidly in China and building energy efficiency is included as one of the 10 key programs targeting energy efficiency improvement in the 11th Five-Year Plan. In response to the growing concerns about energy conservation in residential buildings and its implications for the environment, systematic evaluation on energy and thermal Performance for residential envelops (EETP) is put forward to assess the energy efficiency of envelop designs and to calculate the energy consumption of cooling and heating systems. Hot summer and cold winter zone of China was selected for EETP analysis because of its rigorous climatic and huge energy consumption. The correlations between EETPs and electricity consumptions in cooling season, heating season, and the whole year were built in Shanghai, Changsha, Shaoguan and Chengdu, which represent A, B, C and D subzone of hot summer and cold winter zone in China, respectively. Illustrations indicate that the algorithm is simple and effective, energy and thermal performance of residential envelopes can be evaluated easily. The maximum allowable values of EETPs were determined when just meeting the compulsory indices of Standard JGJ134-2001, the corresponding allowable EETPs were also gained when achieving different energy-saving degrees on basis of it. EETP method can suggest possible ways to improve the energy efficiency for envelope designs of new building and retrofits of existing buildings and provide governments some useful information for the establishment of new policy on energy efficiency buildings. It has important meanings to carry out sustainable residential building designs with high thermal comfort and low energy consumption. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aerosol acidity (pH) plays an important role in the multiphase chemical processes of atmospheric particles. In this study, we demonstrated the seasonal trends of aerosol pH calculated with the ISORROPIA-II model in a coastal city of southeast China. We performed quantitative analysis on the various influencing factors on aerosol pH, and explored the responses of aerosol pH to different PM 2.5 and O 3 pollution levels. The results showed that the average aerosol pH was 2.92 ± 0.61, following the order of winter > spring > summer > autumn. Sensitivity tests revealed that SO 4 2- , NH x , T and RH triggered the variations of aerosol pH. Quantitative analysis results showed that T (37.9%-51.2%) was the main factors affecting pH variations in four seasons, followed by SO 4 2- (6.1%-23.7%), NH x (7.2%-22.2%) and RH (0-14.2%). Totally, annual mean meteorological factors (52.9%) and chemical compositions (41.3%) commonly contributed the aerosol ΔpH in the coastal city. The concentrations of PM 2.5 was positively correlated with aerosol liquid water content (R 2 = 0.53) and aerosol pH (R 2 = 0.26), indicating that the increase in pH was related with the elevated NH 4 NO 3 and decreased SO 4 2- , and also the changes of T and RH. The O x (O 3 + NO 2 ) was moderately correlated with aerosol pH (R 2 = -0.48), attributable to the fact that the proportion of SO 4 2- increased under high T and low RH conditions. The study strengthened our understanding of the contributions of influencing factors to aerosol pH, and also provided scientific evidences for chemical processes of atmospheric particles in coastal areas., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Revealing the changes in chemical compositions and sources of PM 2.5 is important for understanding aerosol chemistry and emission control strategies. High time-resolved characterization of water-soluble inorganic ions, elements, organic carbon (OC), and elemental carbon (EC) in PM 2.5 was conducted in a coastal city of southeast China during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results showed that the average concentration of PM 2.5 during the city lockdown (CLD) decreased from 46.2 μg m -3 to 24.4 μg m -3 , lower than the same period in 2019 (PM 2.5 : 37.1 μg m -3 ). Concentrations of other air pollutants, such as SO 2 , NO 2 , PM 10 , OC, EC, and BC, were also decreased by 27.3%-67.8% during the CLD, whereas O 3 increased by 28.1%. Although SO 2 decreased from 4.94 μg m -3 to 1.59 μg m -3 during the CLD, the concentration of SO 4 2- (6.63 μg m -3 ) was comparable to that (5.47 μg m -3 ) during the non-lockdown period, which were attributed to the increase (16.0%) of sulfate oxidation rate (SOR). O x (O 3 +NO 2 ) was positively correlated with SO 4 2- , suggesting the impacts of photochemical oxidation. A good correlation (R 2  = 0.557) of SO 4 2- and Fe and Mn was found, indicating the transition-metal ion catalyzed oxidation. Based on positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis, the contribution of secondary formation to PM 2.5 increased during the epidemic period, consisting with the increase of secondary organic carbon (SOC), while other primary sources including traffic, dust, and industry significantly decreased by 9%, 8.5%, and 8%, respectively. This study highlighted the comprehensive and nonlinear response of chemical compositions and formation mechanisms of PM 2.5 to anthropogenic emissions control under relatively clean conditions., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Identifying the nature and extent of atmospheric PM 2.5 -bound toxic organic pollutants is beneficial to evaluate human health risks of air pollution. Seasonal observations of PM 2.5 -bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitro-PAHs (NPAHs) in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) were investigated, along with criteria air pollutants and meteorological parameters. With the elevated PM 2.5 level, the percentage of 4-ring PAHs and typical NPAH including 3-Nitrobiphenyl (3-NBP) and 2-Nitrofluoranthene (2-NFLT) increased by 19-40%. PM 2.5 -bound 2-NFLT was positively correlated with O 3 and NO 2 , suggesting the contribution of atmospheric oxidation capacity to enhance the secondary formation of NPAHs in the atmosphere. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis indicated that traffic emissions (44.9-48.7%), coal and biomass combustion (27.6-36.0%) and natural gas and volatilization (15.3-27.5%) were major sources of PAHs, and secondary formation (39.8-53.8%) was a predominant contributor to total NPAH concentrations. Backward trajectory analysis showed that air masses from North China transported to the YRD region increased PAH and NPAH concentrations. Compare to clean days, the BaP equivalent concentrations of total PAHs and NPAHs during haze pollution days were enhanced by 10-25 and 2-6 times, respectively. The Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risks (ILCRs) of PAHs by inhalation exposure also indicated high potential health risks in the YRD region. The results implied that the health risks of PM 2.5 -bound PAHs and NPAHs could be sharply enhanced with the increase of PM 2.5 concentrations., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The increasing complexity and diversity of the human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infections challenge the disease control and anti-retrovirus treatment in China. The infection stages and molecular characteristics of HIV-1 from infected Chinese blood donors were examined to shed light on the HIV genotype distribution and the status of drug resistance mutations (DRMs) in the changing HIV epidemic in China. Western blot (WB) confirmed HIV-1 positive plasma samples were collected from blood donors at five Chinese blood centers from April 16, 2012, through June 30, 2014. The HIV infection stages were determined using the Lag-avidity assay. HIV Pol regions including whole protease and partial reverse transcriptase (RT) were amplified and sequenced to establish the profile of genotype distribution and drug resistance mutations (DRMs). Viral loads were determined using the ROCHE COBAS system. Of the 259 HIV-1 positive samples tested by the Lag-avidity assay, 23.6% (61/259) were identified as recent infections. A total of 205 amplified sequences displayed the following genotype distributions: circulating recombinant form (CRF) 07&#95;BC (61.5%), CRF08&#95;BC (8.3%), CRF01&#95;AE (20%), B (6.3%), and 01B (3.9%). There was no significant difference in genotype distribution between recent and long-term infections. 31 DRMs were identified from 27 samples including four protease inhibitors (PIs) accessory DRMs, two PIs major DRMs (M46I), two nucleoside RT inhibitors DRMs (K219R and K70Q), and 23 nonnucleoside RT inhibitors DRMs. 27 samples had DRMs, yielding a drug resistance prevalence of 13.2% (27/205). Our findings provide important information for developing strategies for comprehensive HIV control and improving anti-retroviral treatment in China.

Purpose: Acute anterior uveitis (AAU) is the most common form of uveitis and is a frequent ocular manifestation of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Thymocyte CD4+ cells have been reported to play an important role in the pathogenesis of both AAU and AS. To test whether the copy number variations (CNVs) of CD4+ T cell transcription factor genes including T-bet, GATA binding protein 3 (GATA)-3, related orphan receptor C (RORC) and forkhead box protein 3 (FOXP3) are associated with acute anterior uveitis either in the presence or absence of ankylosing spondylitis (AAU+AS+; AAU+AS-)., Methods: The study included 676 patients with AAU, including 298 patients with AAU+AS+, 378 patients with AAU+AS-, and 596 unrelated healthy controls in a Chinese Han population. Copy number variations were examined by real-time PCR., Results: The frequency of a high copy number (CN) of T-bet was increased in AAU+AS+ as well as AAU+AS- patients when compared with controls (P value after Bonferroni correction [P(corr)] = 4.3 × 10(-5); odds ratio [OR] = 2.0 and P(corr) = 1.2 × 10(-8); OR = 2.3, respectively). The frequency of a high CN of GATA-3 was significantly higher in AAU+AS+ patients than in controls (P(corr) = 1.8 × 10(-7); OR = 4.9). A higher frequency of CN of FOXP3 was found in female AAU+AS+ patients and female AAU+AS- patients (P(corr) = 0.005, OR = 5.9 and P(corr) = 0.004, OR = 4.9, respectively ). No association was found between CNVs of RORC and AAU+AS- or AAU+AS+ patients., Conclusions: A high copy number of T-bet and GATA-3 confers susceptibility to AAU and AS, and a high copy number of FOXP3 confers susceptibility to female patients with AAU either with or without AS.

Unlabelled: No previous study has investigated dietary pattern in association with obesity risk in a middle-aged Chinese population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the associations between dietary patterns and the risk of obesity in the city of Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province, east China. In this cross-sectional study of 2560 subjects aged 45-60 years, dietary intakes were evaluated using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). All anthropometric measurements were obtained using standardized procedures. The partial correlation analysis was performed to assess the associations between dietary patterns and body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist to hip ratio (WHR). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to examine the associations between dietary patterns and obesity, with adjustment for potential confounders. Four major dietary patterns were extracted by means of factor analysis: animal food, traditional Chinese, western fast-food, and high-salt patterns. The animal food pattern was positively associated with BMI (r = 0.082, 0.144, respectively, p < 0.05) and WC (r = 0.102, 0.132, respectively, p < 0.01), and the traditional Chinese pattern was inversely associated with BMI (r = -0.047, -0.116, respectively, p < 0.05) and WC (r = -0.067, -0.113, respectively, p < 0.05) in both genders. After controlling for potential confounders, subjects in the highest quartile of animal food pattern scores had a greater odds ratio for abdominal obesity (odds ratio (OR) = 1.67; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.188-2.340; p < 0.01), in comparison to those from the lowest quartile. Compared with the lowest quartile of the traditional Chinese pattern, the highest quartile had a lower odds ratio for abdominal obesity (OR = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.441-0.901, p < 0.05)., Conclusions: Our findings indicated that the animal food pattern was associated with a higher risk of abdominal obesity, while the traditional Chinese pattern was associated with a lower risk of abdominal obesity. Further prospective studies are warranted to confirm these findings.

This study aimed to investigate the role of genetic variants including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and copy number variants (CNVs) of TBX21, GATA3, Rorc and Foxp3 genes in Behcet's disease (BD) and Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) syndrome in a Chinese Han population. Genotyping of 25 SNPs was performed by iPLEX system (Sequenom) or polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). TaqMan real time PCR was used to assess CNVs. The expression of Rorc and Foxp3 were examined by real-time PCR and cytokine production was measured by ELISA. High Rorc CNV was associated with the susceptibility to BD (P = 8.99 × 10(-8), OR = 3.0), and low Foxp3 CNV predisposed to BD in female patients (P = 1.92 × 10(-5), OR = 3.1). CNVs for the investigated genes were not altered in VKH syndrome. Further functional studies demonstrated that the relative mRNA expression levels of Rorc were increased in individuals with high Rorc copy number, but not for Foxp3. Increased production of IL-1β and IL-6 was found in individuals carrying a high CNV of Rorc. Our study showed that high CNVs of Rorc and low CNVs of Foxp3 confer risk for BD but not for VKH syndrome. The tested 25 SNPs in TBX21, GATA3, Rorc and Foxp3 did not associate with BD and VKH syndrome.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test whether gene copy number variations (CNVs) of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are associated with uveitis., Methods: Copy number variations of TLRs were detected by real-time PCR. The first stage of the study consisted of enrolling 400 Behçet's disease (BD) patients, 400 Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome patients, 400 patients with acute anterior uveitis associated with or without ankylosing spondylitis, and 600 healthy subjects. The second stage included another set of 578 BD patients and 1000 healthy controls. The frequencies of TLR gene copy number types (TLR1, TLR2, TLR3, TLR5, TLR6, TLR7, TLR9, TLR10) were compared among patients and controls by using the χ(2) test. Real-time PCR was used to detect mRNA expression from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from healthy controls following stimulation with the TLR7 agonist R848. Levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and IFN-β in culture supernatants were measured by ELISA., Results: All TLRs tested, except for TLR7, had a gene copy number of two in more than 98% of individuals tested. In the first stage, we found a significantly increased frequency of more than one copy of TLR7 (located on the X chromosome) in male BD patients and more than two copies in female patients (correction of P value [PC] = 0.021; PC = 0.048, respectively). A second stage and combined study confirmed the association (PC = 1.14 × 10(-6); PC = 9.12 × 10(-5), respectively). TLR7 mRNA expression in PBMCs was increased in healthy male carriers having more than one copy of TLR7 or females having more than two copies following stimulation with R848 (P = 0.021, P = 0.006, respectively). No effect of the various TLR7 copies on the release of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and IFN-β could be detected., Conclusions: This study provides evidence that a high copy number of TLR7 confers risk for BD in a Chinese Han population. (http://www.chictr.org number, ChiCTR-CCC-12002184.)., (Copyright 2015 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.)

Aims: Considering the phenotypical consequences and association of C4 copy number variation (CNV) with various autoimmune diseases, we aimed to examine C4 CNVs for 1027 patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) syndrome and 2083 controls., Methods: C4 CNVs were examined by real-time PCR for 1027 patients with VKH and 2083 controls. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were prepared from venous blood by Ficoll-Hypaque density-gradient centrifugation for cell culture. Cytokine production was examined by ELISA., Results: The expression of total C4 in serum was significantly decreased in patients with VKH as compared with controls (p=0.0010). A significant positive association between C4 expression with C4 CNVs was found (p=0.0023, r(2)=0.92). CNV analysis identified significantly decreased frequencies of more than two copies of C4A or more than four copies of total C4 in patients with VKH (Pc=1.42×10(-3) to 3.56×10(-4), OR=0.67 to 0.70). Linkage analysis showed the independent association of C4 with VKH syndrome from human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-DR4. No significant association was observed concerning type 1 T helper cell (Th1) cytokines and Th17 cytokine production by stimulated PBMCs and C4A copy number., Conclusions: Our findings indicate a decreased expression of serum C4 and a decreased frequency of high C4 gene copy number in patients with VKH., Trial Registration Number: Chinese Clinical Trial Registration Number: ChiCTR-CCC-12002184., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.)

Background: Cyclin D1 (CCND1) plays a key role in cell cycle regulation. It is a well-established human oncogene which is frequently amplified or overexpressed in cancers. The association between CCND1 G870A polymorphism and cancer risk has been widely assessed. However, a definitive conclusion between CCND1 G870A polymorphism and risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remains elusive., Methods: We firstly performed a hospital-based case-control study involving 165 NPC cases and 191 cancer-free controls in central-south China, and then conducted a meta-analysis with six case-control studies to evaluate the association between NPC risk and CCND1 G870A polymorphism., Results: The case-control study found a significant association between CCND1 G870A polymorphism and NPC risk in various comparison models (AA vs. GG: OR = 2.300, 95% CI 1.089-4.857, p = 0.029; AG vs. GG: OR = 2.832, 95% CI 1.367-5.867, p = 0.005; AA/AG vs. GG: OR = 2.597, 95% CI 1.288-5.237, p = 0.008; AA vs., Ag/gg: OR = 0.984, 95% CI 0.638-1.518, p = 0.944). Further meta-analysis showed that there was no significant association between CCND1 G870A polymorphism and NPC risk in overall analysis. In the stratified analysis by race, however, significant associations were only found in Caucasians (for the allele model A vs. G: OR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.59-0.97, p = 0.03; for the co-dominant model AA vs. GG: OR = 0.52, 95% CI 0.32-0.86, p = 0.01; for the dominant model AA/AG vs. GG: OR = 0.49, 95% CI 0.32-0.74, p<0.01; for the recessive model AA vs., Ag/gg: OR = 0.90, 95% CI 0.61-1.34, p = 0.60)., Conclusions: A significant association between CCND1 G870A polymorphism and NPC risk was found in the central-southern Chinese population. The meta-analysis indicated that CCND1 G870A polymorphism may contribute to the development of NPC in Caucasians.