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This study aims to establish evidence-based data to explore the perceptions and experience of primary care physicians in the Pap smear screening provision for women with intellectual disabilities (ID), and to analyze the associated factors in the delivery of screening services to women with ID in Taiwan. Data obtained by a cross-sectional survey by a structured, self-administered questionnaire (12 perceptional issues), and were posted to all primary care settings (N = 168) which provided Pap smear tests for women with ID in Taichung and I-Lan counties in Taiwan, Republic of China during the period of 2009. The vital primary care physician of each healthcare setting was the main respondent of the questionnaire. Finally, there were 69 valid questionnaires returned, giving a response rate of 41.7%. The main findings showed that 72.5% medical care settings provide Pap smear services and 51.5% have practical experience on conducting the tests for women with ID. Among the respondents, nearly 90% primary care physicians expressed that women with ID need Pap smear test regularly. With regard to the associated factors in the delivery of Pap smear screening services to women with ID. The study found that experienced healthcare settings in Pap smear tests for women with ID were more likely to be in public healthcare settings, felt confident in providing screening tests, having a rapid screening program and having a reminding follow-up system. Those respondents felt necessity in Pap smear test for women with ID were more likely to express it is needed to set up a special screening clinic for this group of women. The present study suggests that women with ID need thoughtful, well-coordinated care from primary care physicians, to increase access to health care providers may be helpful in improving Pap screening tests for this population. (Contains 3 tables.)

A Gram-stain positive, motile, aerobic and rod-shaped strain (MIC A30T) was isolated from river sediment in Yuantouzhu park, Wuxi City, China. Growth occurred at 20–40 °C, at pH 6.0–9.0 and at 0–5.0% NaCl. Strain MIC A30T was moderately related to Arthrobacter liuii CGMCC 1.12778T (97.9%), Arthrobacter pokkaliiT (97.9%) and Arthrobacter globiformis NBRC 12137T (96.7%) by 16S rRNA analysis. The DNA–DNA relatedness values between strain MIC A30T and these reference strains were below 30%. The DNA G+C content was 63.1 mol%. Average nucleotide identity (ANI) and genome-to-genome distance (GGD) values between strain MIC A30T and A. liuii CGMCC 1.12778T were 60.34% and 29.39%, respectively. Quinone was identified as MK-9(H2). Major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol. Major fatty acids were iso-C15:0, anteiso-C15:0 and anteiso-C17:0. Whole-cell sugars were galactose, mannose and rhamnose. The cell wall peptidoglycan contained A4α peptidoglycan type with lysine as the diagnostic diamino acid. Based on several taxonomic results, strain MIC A30T is identified as a novel species in genus Arthrobacter, whose name is proposed as Arthrobacter sedimenti sp. nov. The type strain is MIC A30T (= KACC 19599T = CGMCC 1.13474T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Gram-negative, motile, aerobic, and rod-shaped strain (MIC 1.5T) was isolated from soil in Changguangxi national wetland park. Growth occurred at 20–45 °C, at pH 6.0–8.0, and at 0–4.0% NaCl. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain MIC 1.5T was related to were identified as Luteimonas dalianensis CGMCC 1.12191T (95.3%), Luteimonas padinae DSM 101536T (94.5%), Luteimonas huabeiensis DSM 26429T (94.1%), and Luteimonas mephitis DSM 12574T (92.5%). The DNA-DNA relatedness values between strain MIC 1.5T , and these strains were well below 31%. The polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, and diphosphatidylglycerol. The DNA G+C content of strain MIC 1.5T was 66.3 mol%. Average nucleotide identity (ANI) and genome-to-genome distance (GGD) values between strain MIC 1.5T and L. dalianensis CGMCC 1.12191T were 65.39% and 29.52%, respectively. The quinone was identified as Q-8. The major fatty acids were iso-C15:0, iso-C15:0 3OH, and iso-C17:0 3OH and summed feature 3 (C16:1ω7c and/or iso-C15:0 2-OH). Based on the phylogenetic, physiological, and chemotaxonomic results, strain MIC 1.5T represents a novel species of the genus Luteimonas, for which the name Luteimonas cellulosilyticus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is MIC 1.5T (= KACC 19469T = CCTCC AB 2017256T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of rural revitalization in China, it is an urgent problem to realize rural waste sorting. This study analyzes the behavioral decision-making of village collectives in rural waste classification for the first time, constructs a tripartite evolutionary game model of governments, village collectives and farmers, and discusses the game relationship among the three stakeholders through dynamic decision replication analysis and evolutionary stability analysis. Zhejiang is one of the earliest provinces to implement rural waste classification with mature experience in China. Taking Zhejiang Province as an example, this paper evaluates the decision-making characteristics of the tripartite behaviors under the current situation and the evolution trends of the behaviors of various stakeholders by real numerical simulation, innovatively introduces the rural waste charging into the model, and discusses the feasibility of its implementation. The simulation shows that the following policies can improve the overall operational effect and promote stakeholders to implement waste classification earlier: the incentive supervision investment of county-level governments should be appropriately reduced to within 40 million yuan; the governments implement a policy of high reward and high punishment for the village collectives; the village collectives should reduce material rewards and maintain its management cost within 14 million yuan. The simulation also shows that the garbage charging is suitable to be popularized in rural areas with the ideal range of fees is 30–80 yuan. The purpose of this study is to seek effective policies and management schemes to improve the overall operational effect of rural waste classification in China. • A tripartite evolutionary game model is proposed. • The effect of different factors on stakeholders is evaluated to determine appropriate policy • The incentive input has limited effect on promoting rural waste sorting. • High reward and high punishment effectively restrain the village collectives. • The feasibility and reasonable scope of rural waste charging in China are determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statistical study of analyses of water from 43 samples from geothermal wells, three groundwater wells, and one sample of local rainwater along with rainwater data from the Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation has been used to identify the origin and evolution of geothermal water in the Niutuozhen (牛驼镇) geothermal field and estimate the renewability rate of its geothermal resource. The results show that the geothermal waters of the Jixianian Wumishanian dolomite reservoir and the Ordovician limestone reservoir are of Cl-Na type, the geothermal water of the Pliocene Minghuazhen (明化镇) Formation sandstone reservoir are Cl-Na type and HCO 3-Na type and the groundwater of the Quaternary aquifer is HCO 3-Na and HCO 3-Na·Mg·Ca type. A linear relationship between silica concentration and temperature indicates that higher temperature probably enhances concentration of silica in Jixianian geothermal water. δ 18O shift in Wumishanian geothermal water averaged 1.57‰, and was less than 1‰ in the other geothermal waters. The minimum and maximum 14C ages of Wumishanian geothermal water are 17 000 and 33 000 years from north to the south of the Niutuozhen geothermal field. Geothermal water and Quaternary groundwater belong to different groundwater systems with no hydraulic connections. Although the geothermal field receives some recharge from the Yanshan and Taihang mountains outside the northern and western boundaries of the geothermal field respectively, the renewability rate of geothermal water is on the scale of 10 000 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The validity of regional economic clubs requires that two conditions be met. First, per capita output between clubs diverges so that the poor region can hardly catch up with the rich one. Second, per capita outputs within each club converge to similar steady states. This paper applies unit root tests with endogenously determined structural breaks to demonstrate the existence of regional economic clubs among the Chinese provinces, based on a panel data set of real per capita GDP for 28 provincial units in China from 1953 to 2007. Our results show that regional economic clubs do exist in the Chinese case, thus reflecting the problem of regional growth divergence in China's economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through a wide-spread groundwater sampling mainly at nested monitoring wells in the Beijing Plain area, combined with data collection, the study analyzes water level, hydrochemistry, temperature, tritium, deuterium, O, C and other aspects, and indicates that there exits an obvious stratification phenomenon of the groundwater in the alluvial plain area down in the middle part of alluvial-pluvial fans, and the hydraulic connection between layers is very weak. The analysis of the tritium concentration suggests that the average influence depth of the modern precipitation is approximately 120 m. Based on the analysis of the 22 paleowater samples through the D-O method and C isotopic dating, the deep groundwater circulation in the fine sediments area of Beijing Plain down in the fringe part of alluvial-pluvial fans is relatively slow. On average the paleowater point occurs approximately below the 180 m at these points. The main reasons for the formation of stratification and paleowater points are the water-blocking effect of the clay type strata and the compaction effect during the sedimentary process, especially the differential compaction, which could form closed or relatively closed stagnant aquifers. Groundwater in this kind of stagnant aquifers to some degree belongs to non-renewable resource, and should be reconsidered and re-arranged in the water resources management strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

: PurposeTo describe the epidemiology of dry eye in an elderly Chinese population in Taipei, Taiwan.: DesignA population-based cross-sectional study.: ParticipantsThe Shihpai Eye Study was a population-based survey of eye diseases in the elderly (≥65 years) in Shihpai, Taipei, Taiwan. Noninstitutionalized residents, as of July 1999, were identified by using the official household registration database. A total of 2045 subjects were selected, and 1361 (66.6%) people participated in the study. Among them, 822 (60.4%) were men.: MethodsTrained interviewers administered a standardized questionnaire pertaining to dry-eye symptoms. Objective examinations of dry eye included tear film breakup time, Schirmer test, fluorescein stain of the cornea, and anatomic assessment of the meibomian glands via slit-lamp biomicroscopy.: Main outcome measuresFrequency of dry-eye symptoms and positive dry-eye tests.: ResultsIn this population, 33.7% (459/1361) were symptomatic, defined as reporting 1 or more dry-eye symptoms often or all of the time. Women were more likely to report frequent symptoms of dry eye (odds ratio, 1.49; 95% confidence interval, 1.19–1.87). Among those who were symptomatic, 78.9% (362/459) had a low tear film breakup time (≤10 seconds), 62.5% (287/459) had a low Schirmer test result (≤5 mm), and 61.7% (283/459) had abnormal anatomic features of the meibomian glands. Furthermore, 85.4% (392/459) were symptomatic and had either a low Schirmer score or an abnormal meibomian gland assessment. Of those symptomatic, 49.9% (229/459) indicated that they had visited an eye doctor, 5.4% (25/459) responded that they had been diagnosed with dry eye, and 47.5% (218/459) reported current use of eyedrops.: ConclusionsThis is the first report of population-based data of dry eye that includes symptoms and signs in elderly Asians. The prevalence of dry eye, although varied according to definition, is relatively higher in this study than that reported for whites. Further studies are needed to determine whether this is due to racial or environmental factors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Open Policy and Economic Reform has imposed a profound impact on dynamic changes of land-use patterns in many areas of China over the last two decades. Rapid urbanization and industrialization have resulted in a sharp reduction in arable land acreage. A project was carried out in 1997 under the auspices of the China State Land Administration to monitor the dynamics of urban expansion in 100 municipalities throughout China. This paper describes the implementation of the project and reports on some of the results obtained. Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) images acquired for 1989/1992 and 1996/1997 were used to examine the scope and the speed of urban expansion in this period. Change detection techniques were employed to identify the areas of urban encroachment. Statistics on preceding states of the expanded urban areas were generated and various thematic maps were produced. The results showed that urban development in southern and coastal areas is the fastest, and the highest speed of urban expansion is as much as 30% per year. Urban growth is estimated at 1.2 million hectares for the whole country during this period, and 0.867 million hectares of arable land have been lost due to urban expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kucha tea plant (Camellia assamica var. kucha Chang et Wang) is regarded as a mutant variety of wild Pu'er tea plant found in few mountain areas of Yunnan, China. Its fresh young leaves and shoots are picked by the indigenous aborigines in these local areas to prepare an herbal tea for the treatment of common cold empirically. Two extra compounds of relative abundance were detected in Kucha tea in comparison with Pu'er tea, and their chemical structures were identified as chlorogenic acid and theacrine. These two compounds as well as two major compounds, strictinin and caffeine, in Kucha tea were evaluated for their cytotoxicity and inhibitory effects on human influenza virus A/Puerto Rico/8/34 by analyzing viral protein expression and progeny production. No or low cytotoxicity was detected for the four Kucha compounds when their concentrations were below 100 μM. Expression of viral NS1 protein was significantly inhibited by chlorogenic acid, theacrine or strictinin, but not caffeine at a concentration of 100 μM. The relative inhibitory potency was detected as chlorogenic acid < theacrine < strictinin, and both theacrine and strictinin displayed significant inhibition at a concentration of 50 μM. According to a plaque assay, viral progeny production was significantly reduced by theacrine or strictinin, but not by chlorogenic acid or caffeine under the same concentration of 100 μM. It is suggested that theacrine and strictinin are two major ingredients responsible for the anti-influenza activity of Yunnan Kucha tea traditionally used for the treatment of common cold. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: During the latest upsurge of the desert locust, swarms in northern Pakistan and India approached the Chinese border areas. In view of the recent windborne movement into China of another very serious migratory pest, the fall armyworm moth, we investigated the risk of the desert locust invading China. Our analysis shows that China is not likely to experience invasions of desert locust swarms (except, possibly, very marginal incursions on the Nepal border) and there was no likelihood that desert locust would become established in China over the next few decades. Recently, the most serious upsurge of the desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) in the last 25 years is spreading across eastern Africa and southwestern Asia. Parts of the desert locust 'invasion area', namely the northern border areas of Pakistan and India, are very close to China, and whether locust swarms will invade China is of wide concern. To answer this question, we identified areas of potentially suitable habitat for the desert locust within China based on historical precipitation and temperature data, and found that parts of Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia provinces could provide ephemeral habitat in summer, but these places are remote from any other desert locust breeding areas. New generation adults of the desert locust in Pakistan and India present since April led to swarms spreading into the Indo-Pakistan border region in June, and so we examined historical wind data for this period. Our results showed that winds at the altitude of locust swarm flight blew eastward during April–June, but the wind speeds were quite slow and would not facilitate desert locust eastward migration over large distances. Simulated trajectories of desert locust swarms undertaking 10-day migrations mostly ended within India. The most easterly point of these trajectories just reached eastern India, and this is very close to the eastern border of the invasion area of desert locusts described in previous studies. Overall, the risk that the desert locust will invade China is very low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oedaleus asiaticus is one of the dominant species of grasshoppers in the rangeland on the Mongolian plateau, and a serious pest, but its migratory behavior is poorly known. We investigated the take-off behavior of migratory O. asiaticus in field cages in the inner Mongolia region of northern China. The species shows a degree of density-dependent phase polyphenism, with high-density swarming populations characterized by a brown morph, while low-density populations are more likely to comprise a green morph. We found that only 12.4% of brown morphs engaged in migratory take-off, and 2.0% of green morphs. Migratory grasshoppers took off at dusk, especially in the half hour after sunset (20:00–20:30 h). Most emigrating individuals did not have any food in their digestive tract, and the females were mated but with immature ovaries. In contrast, non-emigrating individuals rarely had empty digestive tracts, and most females were mated and sexually mature. Therefore, it seems clear that individuals prepare for migration in the afternoon by eliminating food residue from the body, and migration is largely restricted to sexually immature stages (at least in females). Furthermore, it was found that weather conditions (particularly temperature and wind speed at 15:00 h) in the afternoon had a significant effect on take-off that evening, with O. asiaticus preferring to take off in warm, dry and calm weather. The findings of this study will contribute to a reliable basis for forecasting migratory movements of this pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Chemical components in DLT were systematically characterized. • Fragmentation pathways of each types were summarized. • 33 chemical components were selected as quantitative markers for quality evaluation. • Chemometric analysis approach was further employed to screen out quality markers. • Danshensu and salvianolic acid B were two other important quality markers for DLT. DanLou tablet (DLT), a famous traditional Chinese medicine prescription (TCMP) consisting of 10 herbal medicines, is extensively used for the treatment of angina pectoris and acute coronary syndrome in China. However, active chemical constituents responsible for the therapeutic effects still remain unclear, due to the fact that the complex composition in DLT have not been holistically clarified. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the chemical profile and simultaneously quantify the representative components in DLT. First, 157 chemical constituents including flavonoids, triterpenoids, tanshinones, lactones, phenolic acids, paeoniflorins and the other types of components were detected, among which 39 were exactly identified by comparing their retention times and MS fragmentation behaviors with those of authentic standards by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q/TOF-MS). Moreover, 33 representative components were simultaneously quantified by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-TQ-MS), which were selected based on following three principles: qualitative and quantitative markers in the Chinese Pharmacopeia (2015 edition), bioactive components possessing cardiovascular-related in vivo or in vitro activities and those derived from 10 consisted herbs in DLT with a diversity of representative structure types. The method was validated in terms of linearity, precision, repeatability and recovery and successfully applied for the quality evaluation of 20 batches of DLT samples. Further chemometric analysis indicated that danshensu and salvianolic acid B were the most significant quantitative markers for the content fluctuation of DLT. In summary, the chemical profiles of DLT were systematically characterized and a practical quantitative method combined with chemometrics was developed to evaluate the intrinsic quality of multiple DLT samples in this study. The present work would be helpful for guaranteeing the safety, efficacy, and controllability in clinical medication of DLT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using high-resolution dendrometers, we monitored the intra-annual stem radial variations of Abies georgei and Larix potaninii in the subalpine coniferous forest in Baima Snow Mountain, Northwest Yunnan Province. The seasonal dynamics of stem radial growth of both species and their responses to environmental factors were analyzed. The results showed that the stem radial growth of A. georgei and L. potaninii mainly occurred during April to August, with the maximum growth rate in June. Compared with A. georgei , L. potaninii showed an earlier start but later cessation of stem radial growth, resulting in longer growth duration. Annual radial growth and maximum radial growth rates of L. potaninii were slightly higher than those of A. georgei . Daily growth rate of A. georgei was positively correlated with precipitation, but negatively correlated with vapor pressure deficit and air temperature. Daily growth rate of L. potaninii was positively correlated with precipitation, but negatively correlated with soil volume water content and vapor pressure deficit. Radial growth of A. georgei and L. potaninii was limited by water availability, with L. potaninii being more sensitive to moisture. Under the background of global warming, the increase of plant transpiration and soil evaporation might further aggravate soil water loss and reduce water availability for plants, which would make A. georgei and L. potaninii more vulnerable to drought stress.

Background: Chinese te-flavor baijiu (CTF), the most famous Chinese baijiu in Jiangxi province, China, is made from a unique daqu. Its characteristic style is closely related to the daqu used for fermentation. However, current studies on the effects of different production seasons on microbial communities, physicochemical indices, and volatile compounds in CTF daqu are very rare., Results: The relationships of microbial communities, physicochemical indices, and volatile compounds in CTF daqu produced in summer (July and August) and autumn (September and October) were studied. The results of Illumina MiSeq sequencing indicated that there was greater bacterial diversity in the CTF daqu-7 (produced in July) and CTF daqu-8 (produced in August) and greater fungal diversity in the CTF daqu-9 (produced in September) and CTF daqu-10 (produced in October). The physicochemical indices of CTF daqu produced in different seasons were significantly different. It was determined that CTF daqu-9 had the highest esterification and liquefaction abilities. A total of 44 volatile compounds, including alcohols, esters, aldehydes, and ketones were identified in CTF daqu produced during different seasons. Among them, CTF daqu-9 had the greatest alcohol content., Conclusion: September (early autumn) is the best production period for CTF daqu. The results of the study provide a theoretical basis for the standardized and uniform production of Chinese baijiu. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.)

In the context of catchment development and climate change, anthropogenic activities have significantly altered the succession and functioning of freshwater ecosystems. Combining the sedimentary records and modern survey data, we reconstructed a 250-year history of ecological changes in Chenghai Lake, aiming to assess the long-term ecological changes in Changhai Lake in response to multiple environmental stresses, such as eutrophication and hydrological fluctuation.Three stages were identified for the process of nutrient enrichment leading to a long-term increase in primary production. Nutrient level was relatively low before 1970, increased gradually between 1970 and 2000, with an accelerating increase after 2000. The water regulation project enhanced water turbulence and river flux during 1993-2000, which promoted the growth of turbulence-tolerant Aulacoseira and influx of benthic Nitzschia. The organic carbon cycling in Chenghai Lake was mainly driven by the autogenetic inputs. The eutrophication process dominated the long-term shifts of diatom assemblages followed by hydrological fluctuation. Our results illustrated that ecological restoration and catchment management of Chenghai Lake not only need to focus on the control of nutrient enrichment and pollutant input, but also should consider hydrological regulation and water level fluctuation.

A Gram-stain-positive, oxidase- and catalase-positive, endospore-forming, aerobic, non-motile and rod-shaped bacterium (THG-YT1 T ) was isolated from green tea. Growth occurred at 10-40 °C (optimum, 25-30 °C), at pH 6-8 (optimum, 7) and at 0-2 % NaCl (optimum, 0 %). Based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, phylogenetic analyses showed that strain THG-YT1 T formed a distinct lineage with respect to closely related genera in the family Bacillaceae. Strain THG-YT1 T was most closely related to the genera within the families Pullulanibacillus, Scopulibacillus, Tuberibacillus and Caenibacillu, with levels of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to the type species of members of these genera of less than 95.0 %. The menaquinone was MK-7. The polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified aminophospholipids, two unidentified aminolipids and two unidentified glycolipids. The major fatty acids of strain THG-YT1 T were C18 : 3ω7c and anteiso-C17 : 0. The cell-wall peptidoglycan type was A1γ with meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid plus alanine and glutamic acid. The cell-wall sugar was glucose. The DNA G+C content of strain THG-YT1 T was determined to be 53.5 mol%. Based on the data presented here, strain THG-YT1 T represents a novel species of a new genus of the family Bacillaceae, for which the name Camelliibacillus cellulosilyticus gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Camelliibacillus cellulosilyticus THG-YT1 T (=KACC 19471 T =CGMCC 1.16306 T ).

A Gram-positive, aerobic, and non-motile, rod-shaped actinomycete strain, designated YIM Y47(T), was isolated from soils collected from Turpan desert, China, and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that strain YIM Y47(T) belonged to the genus Aeromicrobium. YIM Y47(T) shared highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with Aeromicrobium massiliense JC14(T) (96.47 %). Growth occurs at 20-45 °C (optimum at 30 °C), pH 6.0-8.0 (optimum at pH 7.0), and salinities of 0-7.0 % NaCl (optimum at 4.0 %). The strain YIM Y47(T) exhibits chemotaxonomic features with menaquinone-7 (MK-7) as the predominant quinone, C16:0, C18:1 ω9c and 10-methyl C18:0 (>10 %) as major fatty acids. The cell-wall peptidoglycan of strain YIM Y47(T) contained LL-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid. The polar lipids were found to consist of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, and unknown phospholipids. The G+C content of the genomic DNA of strain YIM Y47(T) was found to be 44.7 mol%. On the basis of phylogenetic analyses and phenotypic data, it is proposed that strain YIM Y47(T) should be classified as representing a novel species of the genus Aeromicrobium, with the name Aeromicrobium halotolerans sp. nov. The type strain is YIM Y47(T) (=KCTC 39113(T)=CGMCC 1.15063(T)=DSM 29939(T)=JCM 30627(T)).

Objective: To study the effectiveness of a very brief advice (<30 s) on smoking cessation., Design: A 'proof-of-principle' single-blind, randomized controlled trial (RCT)., Setting: Medical outpatient clinics of a general hospital in Guangzhou, China., Participants: One hundred and twenty-six male current smokers randomly allocated into an intervention (n = 74) and a control group (n = 52). Intervention A health warning by physicians that half of all smokers would be killed by smoking, an advice to quit immediately and referral to a cessation clinic. The control group received none., Outcomes: Primary: seven-day quitting point prevalence at 6 months. Secondary: 7-day point prevalence at 1, 3 and 12 months, sustained abstinence at 3, 6 and 12 months, smoking reduction by half and cessation clinic attendance., Results: By intention-to-treat analysis, 7-day quitting point prevalence rates at four follow-ups were 27.0, 23.0, 21.6 and 18.9% in the intervention group, compared with 5.8, 3.8, 5.8 and 5.8% in the control group (first three P < 0.05). At 3, 6 and 12 months, sustained abstinence prevalence rates were 18.9, 17.6 and 14.9% versus 3.8, 3.8 and 3.8% (P = 0.035, 0.046, 0.074). More smokers in the intervention group had reduced smoking. Almost no participants attended the cessation clinic., Conclusion: Our findings support the need for large RCTs on minimal interventions with the 'one in two' warning.

Objective: To compare clinical curative effects of open surgery (OS) or endovascular repair (EVAR) for patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in China., Data Sources: We performed a comprehensive search of both English and Chinese literatures involving case studies on retrograde OS or EVAR of AAA in China from January 1976 to December 2010., Study Selection: According to the inclusion criteria, 76 articles were finally analyzed to compare patient characteristics, clinical success, complications, and prognosis., Results: We analyzed a total of 2862 patients with 1757 undergoing OS (OS group) and 1105 undergoing EVAR (EVAR group). There was no significant difference in the success rate of the procedures. Operative time, length of ICU stay, fasting time, duration of total postoperative stay, blood loss, and blood transfusion requirements during the procedure were significantly lower in the EVAR group. A 30-day follow up revealed more cardiac, renal, pulmonary, and visceral complications in the OS group (P < 0.01). Low-limb ischemia, however, was more common in the EVAR group (P < 0.05). The 30-day mortality rate, including aorta-related and non-aorta related mortality, was significantly lower in the EVAR group (P < 0.01). In the follow-up period, there were more patients with occlusions of artificial vessel and late endoleak in the EVAR group (P < 0.01). The overall late mortality rate was higher in the OS group (P < 0.01), especially non-aorta-related late mortality and mortality during the fourth to the sixth year (P < 0.01)., Conclusions: EVAR was safer and less invasive for AAA patients. Patients suffered fewer complications and recovered sooner. However, complications such as artificial vessel occlusion, low-limb ischemia, and endoleak were common in EVAR. Clinicians should carry out further research to solve these complications and improve the efficacy of EVAR.

Objective: To investigate the association among serous and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) TNF-alpha level, gene polymorphisms of TNF-alpha and multiple sclerosis (MS) in Han nationality of southern China., Methods: MS diagnosis was base on Poser (1983) criteria. Fifty-five patients with nonimmulogical diseases and 68 patients with MS from southern China were enrolled in the study, and their TNF-alpha level of serum and CSF were measured by double antibody sandwich ABC-ELISA. TNF-alpha -308G/A in 106 normal healthy subjects and 68 MS patients was genotyped with polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism., Results: There was significant difference in the serous TNF-alpha level between nonimmune patients and active MS patients (234+/- 76 pg/mL vs 276+/- 71 pg/mL, P< 0.05), but not in the CSF (245+/- 83 pg/mL vs 265+/- 78 pg/mL, P> 0.05). The gene frequency distribution of TNF-alpha -308G/A was corresponding with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The positive rate of genotype AA and the gene frequency of allele A of TNF-alpha were 4.4% and 14.0% in MS group, and 0 and 8.50% in healthy subjects, there was no statistical significance (P> 0.05)., Conclusion: The TNF-alpha level in serum is associated with active MS, but not in the CSF. The gene polymorphisms of TNF-alpha -308G/A is not associated with MS in Han nationality of southern China.

Objective: To examine the effects of an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) on balance performance in patients with hemiparesis of short and long duration., Design: Within-subject random order of intervention, cross-sectional study design., Settings: Medical centres and district hospitals., Subjects: Forty-two subjects with hemiparesis of short duration (< six months) and 61 subjects of long duration ( > 12 months)., Measurements: The balance and gait ability of subjects were evaluated both with an AFO and without. The static and dynamic balance activities were evaluated by the Balance Master System, whereas the functional balance was assessed with the Berg Balance Scale. The speed and cadence were also measured during a 10-metre walk. Paired t-test was used to determine the effect of the AFO., Results: In subjects with hemiparesis of short duration, we found that subjects wearing an AFO showed significant improvements in (1) weight-bearing distribution during quiet standing (p = 0.042, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.521, 7.325), (2) body sway during standing on foam surface with eyes open (p = 0.020, 95% CI 0.020, 0.680) and eyes closed (p = 0.041, 95% CI 0.023, 0.921), (3) movement velocity during limit of stability test (LOS)--toward the affected side (p = 0.037, 95% CI - 0.978, - 0.042) and nonaffected side (p = 0.008, 95% CI -2.223, - 0.377), (4) maximal excursion toward the affected side (p= 0.042, 95% CI -19.546, -0.071), and (5) speed (p=0.028, 95% CI -0.204, -0.017) and cadence (p= 0.021, 95% CI - 22.983, - 1.864). Such effects were not observed in subjects with hemiparesis of long duration., Conclusions: For the subjects with hemiparesis of short duration, the AFO improves the symmetry in quiet and dynamic standing balances. It also increases speed and cadence. However, its effectiveness is minimal for patients of long duration.

Aim: To confirm the value of blocking treatment by zenshengping (ZSP), a Chinese herb composite, and Riboflavin for esophageal epithelia dysplasia cases screened out in high risk area in northern china by exfoliative balloon cytology (EBC), so to reduce the incidence rate of esophageal cancer(EC)., Methods: Esophageal epithelium dysplasia cases including mind esophageal epithelium dysplasia (MEED), stage one severe esophageal epithelium dysplasia (SEED I), and stage two severe esophageal epithelium dysplasia (SEED II) were screened out from people aged 40 years and older in the high risk area of Chixian. These cases were randomly divided into a treatment and control group. Subjects in the treatment and control groups took ZSP, riboflavin, and placebo daily for three years. EC cases registered by cancer registry and identified by EBC re-screening in the treatment and control groups were used to calculate incidence and blocking rates to demonstrate the effects of blocking medication., Results: It was found that 31.92% and 24.15% of people aged 40 years and older in Cixian could been diagnosed as MEED and SEED cases. The severity of dysplasia increased with age. ZSP had blocked EC occurrence by 47.79% after 3 year medication among the SEED cases., Conclusion: ZSP can block the development from SEED I and SEED II to EC by 47.79%. Efforts should be made to screen and treat dysplasia cases in people aged 40 years and older in high risk areas to reduce the mortality figures.