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Objectives: To investigate the safety and efficacy of indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence‐guided inguinal lymph node dissection (ILND) in patients with penile cancer. Patients and Methods: A prospective, single‐blind, randomised controlled clinical trial (ChiCTR2100044584) was performed among patients with penile caner who underwent bilateral modified ILND at four centres in China between 1 April 2021 and 30 June 2022. Patients aged 18–80 years and diagnosed with squamous cell carcinomas were included. Each enrolled patient was randomly assigned to either ICG fluorescence‐guided ILND by a laparoscopic or robot‐assisted approach in one groin, with non‐ICG fluorescence‐guided ILND in the other groin acting as a control. The primary outcome was the number of retrieved ILNs. Secondary outcomes included complications according to the Clavien–Dindo classification and the ILN non‐compliance (inadequate removal of ILNs) rate. Results: A total of 45 patients were included in the intention‐to‐treat (ITT) analysis, and the 42 who completed the entire study were included in the per protocol (PP) analysis. There were no ICG‐related complications in any of the patients. The results of the ITT and PP analyses indicated that the total number of unilateral ILNs retrieved was higher on the ICG side than on the non‐ICG side (mean 13 vs 9 ILNs, difference 4 ILNs [95% CI 2.7–4.4], P = 0.007), and the number of unilateral deep and superficial ILNs was higher on the ICG side. Furthermore, the LN non‐compliance rate was lower on the ICG side than on the non‐ICG side. Additionally, there was no significant difference in local complications in the groins between the two sides (P > 0.05). Conclusion: An ICG fluorescence‐guided ILND was safe for patients with penile cancer. This procedure can improve the number of ILNs retrieved and reduce the LN non‐compliance rate without increased complications. ICG fluorescence‐guided ILND is beneficial and recommended for selected patients with penile cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In the present study, we aimed to construct a methylation diagnostic tool using urine sediment for the detection of urothelial bladder carcinoma (UBC), and improved the diagnostic performance of the model by incorporating single nucleotide polymorphism sites. In stage I, single NRN1 exhibited the highest AUC. At the best cutoff value of 5.16, single NRN1 biomarker showed a sensitivity of 0.93 and specificity of 0.97. In stage II, random forest algorithm was applied to construct the model, including NRN1, TERT C228T and FGFR3 p.S249C. The tool exhibited AUC values of 0.953, 0.946 and 0.951 in training, test and all cohort. In the external validation cohort (stage III), the model achieved an AUC of 0.935, sensitivity of 0.864 and specificity of 0.895. The model also exhibited a superior sensitivity and comparable specificity compared with conventional cytology and FISH, and may be used as a replaceable approach for the detection of UBC. Background: Aberrant DNA methylation is an early event during tumorigenesis. In the present study, we aimed to construct a methylation diagnostic tool using urine sediment for the detection of urothelial bladder carcinoma, and improved the diagnostic performance of the model by incorporating single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sites. Methods: A three-stage analysis was carried out to construct the model and evaluate the diagnostic performance. In stage I, two small cohorts from Xiangya hospital were recruited to validate and identify the detailed regions of collected methylation biomarkers. In stage II, proof-of-concept study cohorts from the Hunan multicenter were recruited to construct a diagnostic tool. In stage III, a blinded cohort comprising suspicious UBC patients was recruited from Beijing single center to further test the robustness of the model. Results: In stage I, single NRN1 exhibited the highest AUC compared with six other biomarkers and the Random Forest model. At the best cutoff value of 5.16, a single NRN1 biomarker gave a diagnosis with a sensitivity of 0.93 and a specificity of 0.97. In stage II, the Random Forest algorithm was applied to construct a diagnostic tool, consisting of NRN1, TERT C228T and FGFR3 p.S249C. The tool exhibited AUC values of 0.953, 0.946 and 0.951 in training, test and all cohorts. At the best cutoff value, the model resulted in a sensitivity of 0.871 and a specificity of 0.947. In stage III, the diagnostic tool achieved a good discrimination in the external validation cohort, with an overall AUC of 0.935, sensitivity of 0.864 and specificity of 0.895. Additionally, the model exhibited a superior sensitivity and comparable specificity compared with conventional cytology and FISH. Conclusions: The diagnostic tool exhibited a highly specific and robust performance. It may be used as a replaceable approach for the detection of UBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wandering of oil prices at lower values and the bitter reality have forced people to look for a more accurate valuation method for overseas oil and gas extraction of China. However, the currently available resource classification method, discount cash flow (DCF) method, and real option method all suffer from their own disadvantages. This paper identifies multiple uncertainty factors such as oil prices and reserves. It then investigates the transmission mechanism of how each uncertainty factor impacts the oil and gas extraction value and quantifies the transmission efficiency. The probability distribution patterns of each uncertainty factor have been determined; the trinomial tree option pricing model is modified, with consideration upon the nonstandardness of the probability distribution. Decision points and strategies space are designed in accordance with the practical oil and gas production; and the Bermuda option is adopted to replace the conventional decision-based tree model with the probability-based tree. Finally, a backward algorithm is developed to calculate the probability at each decision point, which avoids difficulties in determining the asset volatility ratio; and a case study is presented to demonstrate application of the proposed method. Results show that decision rights for overseas investment are valuable. The value of extraction does not yet necessarily grow with higher uncertainty, and instead, it is under joint effects of the cash flow and strategy space. So, valuation should incorporate the composite value of future cash flow and decision rights. Volatility of the value of extraction is not solely dependent on the oil price, but affected by multiple factors. Similar to the Bermuda option, the decision-making behavior for oil and gas extraction occurs only at finite decision points, to which the trinomial tree option pricing model is applicable. The adoption of probability distribution can to a great extent exploit the uncertain information. Replacement of the decision-based tree with the probability-based tree provides more accurate probability distribution of the calculated value of extraction, and moreover the disperse degree of the probability can reflect how high risks are, which is conducive to decision-making for investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of unconventional natural gas in China is facing three new situations: market-oriented pricing reform, intensified competition in state subsidies, and reduced production capacity growth, which may cause the development of unconventional natural gas to be on the edge of economic feasibility. Therefore, the definition of economic limit is even more important. In this paper, through analysis on the historical prices, outputs, and subsidy policies of three unconventional natural gases, methods to estimate future prices, subsidies, and outputs of unconventional natural gas are designed in this paper based on the mean reversion model and the generalized Weng model, respectively; fuzzy data are processed by using probability density function combined with a discounted cashflow method to improve the utilization of original data; the economic limit model for well depth, well spacing, and gas recovery rate is designed through break-even analysis with the subsection function of drilling cost to well depth, the modified Cher Card Geoff empirical formula of recovery ratio to well spacing, as well as the fitting formula of gas recovery rate and stable production time. This model is applied in the case of Deep CBM Block Ji 4&10. According to the estimation and case calculation, in future China, the subsidies for unconventional natural gas will gradually decrease and the gas output will significantly increase, with shale gas taking the leading position and CBM gradually declining; the economic limits of well depth, well spacing, and gas recovery rate of Ji 4&10 are 2,203.2 m, 300 m × 300 m and 469 m × 469 m, and 2.1% and 4.3%, respectively, under the economic infeasibility probability of 90%, and the overall economic infeasibility probability is 58%, indicating that the development of this block is subject to great risks and careful consideration needs to be given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate and reasonable prediction of natural gas consumption is significant for the government to formulate energy planning. To this end, we use the multiverse optimizer (MVO) algorithm to optimize the parameters of the Nash nonlinear grey Bernoulli model (NNGBM (1,1)) and propose a hybrid MVO-NNGBM model to predict the natural gas consumption in 30 regions of China. The results indicate that the prediction precision of the hybrid MVO-NNGBM model is better than that of other grey-based models. According to the forecast results, China’s natural gas consumption will grow rapidly over the next five years and reach 354.1 billion cubic meters (bcm) by 2020. Moreover, the spatial distribution of natural gas consumption will shift from being supply oriented towards being demand driven and will be mainly concentrated in coastal and developed provinces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to provide policy implications by estimating the individual and community level determinants of preventive health-care utilization in China based upon data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey. Two different frameworks, a human capital model and a psychological-behavioral model, are tested using a multilevel logit estimation. The results demonstrate different patterns for medical and nonmedical preventive activities. There is a strong correlation between having medical insurance and utilizing preventive health services. For the usage of medical-related preventive health care (MP), age, gender, education, urban residence, and medical insurance are strong predictors. High income did not provide much of an increase in the usage level of MP, but the lack of income was a huge obstacle for low-income people to overcome. Community variation in number of facilities accounted for about one third of the total variation in the utilization of MP. The utilization of MP in China remains dependent upon the individual's social-economic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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With the increasing dependence on imported natural gas, China has to develop unconventional natural gas resources, such as shale gas. However, the increasing shale gas production has brought about more pressure for governmental subsidies. We analyzed whether shale gas companies need subsidies by calculating the economic value of shale gas development in China from the perspective of enterprises, and estimated the maximum subsidy quota for shale gas development by measuring its economic, environmental, and social benefits from the country's perspective. Based on the principle of beneficiaries should pay, we clarified the sources of shale gas subsidy and calculated the required subsidy duration. The results indicate that some new development target areas and pre-invested target areas still need subsidies, which should be jointly provided by the central government, local finance departments, and other heavy-polluting enterprises. The subsidy duration and subsidy quota show a power function relation. On this basis, we put forward suggestions for shale gas subsidy policy. • We estimated the economic, environmental, and social benefits of shale gas exploitation in China. • We considered various dimensions of governmental subsidies. • We found the subsidy duration and quota show a power function relation. • Recommendations are proposed to improve the shale gas subsidy policy in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By 2030, the global population will be 8.5 billion, placing pressure on international poultry production, of which China is a key producer 1 . From April 2017, China will implement the withdrawal of colistin as a growth promoter, removing over 8,000 tonnes per year from the Chinese farming sector 2 . To understand the impact of banning colistin and the epidemiology of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli (using bla NDM and mcr-1 as marker genes), we sampled poultry, dogs, sewage, wild birds and flies. Here, we show that mcr-1, but not bla NDM , is prevalent in hatcheries, but bla NDM quickly contaminates flocks through dogs, flies and wild birds. We also screened samples directly for resistance genes to understand the true breadth and depth of the environmental and animal resistome. Direct sample testing for bla NDM and mcr-1 in hatcheries, commercial farms, a slaughterhouse and supermarkets revealed considerably higher levels of positive samples than the bla NDM - and mcr-1-positive E. coli, indicating a substantial segment of unseen resistome-a phenomenon we have termed the 'phantom resistome'. Whole-genome sequencing identified common bla NDM -positive E. coli shared among farms, flies, dogs and farmers, providing direct evidence of carbapenem-resistant E. coli transmission and environmental contamination.