Search

This systematic review was conducted to estimate the respective prevalence of gonorrhea among two high-risk populations in China and determine the epidemiological features of gonorrhea in them. Systematic review. PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang databases were searched to identify studies published between January 1, 1990, and October 31, 2022, with gonorrhea prevalence tested by polymerase chain reaction among female sex workers (FSWs) and men who have sex with men (MSM). Meta-regression and subgroup analyses were used to investigate potential factors of heterogeneity across studies. Trend analysis of prevalence was conducted by the Jonckheere-Terpstra method. We identified 88 prevalence data points from 49 studies in China, with 30,853 participants of FSWs and 5523 participants of MSM. Pooled prevalence of gonorrhea among FSWs and MSM were 6.9% (95% confidence interval: 4.6–9.7%) and 2.5% (95% confidence interval: 1.5–3.7%), respectively. The subgroup analyses showed there were period, regional, and specimen collection methods diversities among FSWs, and diversities of the regions and specimen collection anatomical sites were found among MSM, in which the prevalence of rectum and pharynx was significantly higher than the urethra. A decreasing trend in the prevalence of gonorrhea was seen among FSWs (z = –4.03) from 1999 to 2021, not found for MSM in China. The prevalence of gonorrhea is high in two high-risk groups in China, with extragenital infections requiring particular attention. The findings of this study will provide evidence to formulate national policy and guidance for gonorrhea prevention and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been reported that root characteristics and canopy structure in an agroforestry system directly change the availability of underground and aboveground resources and climatic conditions and seriously affect crop growth and yield (Dufour et al. in J Agron Crop Sci 199: 217–227, 2013; Bouttier et al. in Agroforest Syst 88: 693–706, 2016; Farooq et al. in Appl Ecol Env Res 17: 3553-3566, 2019). An experiment was conducted in northwest China to explore the distribution and characteristics of root systems for alfalfa grown in a poplar/alfalfa silvopastoral system. Field sampling was conducted every 15 days in a 3-yr-old alfalfa + 7-yr-old poplar silvopastoral system, a 3-yr-old sole-alfalfa system, and a 7-yr-old sole-poplar system. The results showed that intercropping reduced the RLD of alfalfa, while the FSRL of intercropped alfalfa was higher than that of sole-cropped alfalfa. In terms of the agronomic traits of alfalfa (plant height, leaf area index, leaf-stem ratio, growth rate), intercropping traits were significantly lower than sole-cropped alfalfa, and the total hay yield during intercropping was 55.27% lower than that of sole-cropped alfalfa. In terms of field microclimate, the dew point temperature and wind speed of sole-cropped alfalfa were 70.68% and 93.83% higher than that of intercropping, but the air humidity of sole-cropped alfalfa was 13.49% lower than that of intercropping, and there was no significant difference in air temperature. The crude protein (CP), crude fat (CF), and relative feed value (RFV) of intercropping alfalfa were 17.78%, 12.33%, and 17.26% higher than sole-cropped alfalfa, respectively. Although the agronomic traits and yield of alfalfa decreased with intercropping, intercropping could improve the microclimate and the quality of alfalfa significantly. The land equivalent ratio (LER = 1.42) in the poplar/alfalfa silvopastoral system was > 1, indicated that the system in advantageous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of industrialization and urbanization in China, energy and vehicle consumption have continued to increase in recent years and air pollution has become serious. In early 2020, Corona Virus Disease 2019 broke out in Wuhan, China. From January 29, 2020, several sources of the air pollution almost all stopped working, including gasoline burning vehicles, dust producing building sites, coal-fired factories, etc. Five indicators of the atmospheric environmental quality were observed from December 19, 2019 to April 30, 2020 in nine cities and 1-h average concentrations, 24-h average concentrations and Air Quality Index were assessed. The 1-h average concentrations of the nitrogen dioxide, the ozone and the sulfur dioxide showed obvious difference though the closure did not change the sequence of the five pollutants' concentrations in the air at diverse sampling moments. The changing of the 24-h average concentrations of the five pollutants indicated the amount of pollutants in the air were greatly affected by human activities. The nitrogen dioxide, the sulfur dioxide and the particulate matters decreased obviously in the closure. The air in the metropolis and the south-east cities were relatively clean and the pollutants' concentrations decreased slightly during the closure period. The northern and the heavy industrial cities showed significant drop on air pollution indicators and the air quality of the two city groups could be greatly improved if some effective measures could be taken of environmental management and regional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought has become one of the most serious meteorological disasters for agricultural production in many areas around the world, and the situation could be worse under the impact of climate change. To facilitate better adaptation planning, this study proposed a drought assessment framework integrating downscaling method, drought index, copula technique, and bivariate frequency analysis, and applied it to investigate the change of the drought characteristics and drought risks from the past to the future in Huang-Huai-Hai River basin (HRB), North China. Drought was firstly defined by standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) based on 1497 observed grid data from 1979 to 2004. Then, we constructed the joint distribution of drought duration and severity based on copulas to detect and quantify the drought risks. To address the effect of climate change, similar calculation process was applied to the future climate data, which was downscaled using delta change method from representative concentration pathway (RCP 8.5) of 12 general circulation models (GCMs). The study results suggested that, under climate change condition, most irrigation districts over HRB would generally experience lower frequency of drought events but with extended duration; some districts would have more serious drought, but majority would experience similar or even lower level of severity. In light of the mean joint occurrence probability, the irrigation district at the south part of Huai River basin would likely experience the highest increase of drought risks in near future (by 0.86%) and distant future (by 0.76%), while most of other districts over HRB would face low risk of serious drought risks. The obtained results offer useful information to agricultural managers or water resources authorities who are interested in the development of effective long-term adaptation strategies for drought management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silvopastoral systems have been a way to address issues related to land use and desertification on the fringe of cities, particularly in northwest China where fast-growing urban population and threat of desertification have become serious problems. A field experiment conducted in northwest China evaluated the root distribution and interspecific interaction between the poplar (Populus L.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) in a silvopastoral system. Roots were sampled once every 15 d using an auger sampling method in a seven-year-old poplar tree + three-year-old alfalfa silvopastoral system, a three-year-old sole alfalfa, and a seven-year-old sole poplar. The results showed that intercropping had a negative effect on the root length density (RLD) of alfalfa and reduced the average root diameter (ARD) of alfalfa at 20–60 cm soil depth. The specific root length (SRL) of alfalfa in silvopastoral system was higher compared to sole cropping. In contrast, intercropping with alfalfa had a positive effect on the RLD and ARD of poplar at the alfalfa grown areas at 0–20 cm soil depth, but less effect on the SRL of poplar. Intercropping caused the reduction of alfalfa yield, but had not significant effect on the yield of stem wood volume of poplar. Calculating the land equivalent ratio in a poplar tree + alfalfa silvopastoral system, it showed that this system was advantageous in the utilization of resources and had a higher productivity compared with sole cropping. In conclusion, root competition and interactions between two intercropped species affects yield of alfalfa and the root distribution of intercropped species in a poplar + alfalfa silvopastoral system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the community diversity and abundance of nitrate‐dependent anaerobic methane oxidizing archaea, Candidatus Methanoperedens nitroreducens, in sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants. Methods and Results: Seasonal sampling of the sewage sludge was carried out from two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) located in the northern and southern parts of China. Through amplicon sequencing using our newly designed primers, a large number of Candidatus Methanoperedens nitroreducens‐like (M. nitroreducens) archaeal sequences (638 743) were generated. These sequences were assigned into 742 operational protein units (OPUs) at 90% cut‐off level and classified as Group B member of M. nitroreducens archaea in the phylogenetic tree. More than 80% of the OPUs were not shared between these two WWTPs, showing the M. nitroreducens‐like archaeal community in each WWTP was unique. Quantitative PCR assays also confirmed the presence of M. nitroreducens‐like archaea and revealed a higher abundance in autumn and winter than other seasons, indicating that the environmental attributes in these seasons might favour the growth of this archaea. Further redundancy analysis revealed that volatile solid and pH were the significant environmental attributes (P < 0·05) in shaping the M. nitroreducens‐like archaeal community based on variance inflation factor selection and Monte Carlo permutation test. Conclusions: The results confirmed the presence of diverse M. nitroreducens‐like archaea in sewage sludge using Illumina‐based mcrA gene sequencing and quantitative PCR assays. Significance and Impact of the Study: The results of this study revealed the ecological characteristics of M. nitroreducens‐like archaea in sewage sludge that improved our understanding of nitrate‐dependent anaerobic methane oxidation process and may be the basis for future application of M. nitroreducens‐like archaea for new nitrogen removal in WWTPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To overcome the high cost, high risk and poor efficiency of traditional centralized electric energy trading method, this paper proposes an efficient trading mechanism for energy power supply and demand network (EPSDN) based on blockchain smart contract, considering the opening of the sales side market in China. Specifically, the encourage-real-quotation (ERQ) rule was adopted to determine the clearing queue and price, thus smoothing the supply and demand interaction between the EPSDN node. Meanwhile, the blockchain smart contract was introduced into the transaction to form a sealed quotation function, which eliminates the centralization and high cost and solves the poor transparency and trust in traditional transaction. In addition, the transaction efficiency was improved through the construction of an efficient power trading system and a secure trading environment. A case study is given in the end of the paper. Case study shows that the blockchain-based smart contract trading system for the EPSDN can achieve desirable security and effectiveness, and effectively solve the problems of the traditional centralized trading method. The research findings lay solid theoretical and decision-making bases for small-scale transactions in the electric energy market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The state of the art of blasting techniques for dam foundation excavation in China is introduced in this paper. Firstly, contour blasting techniques used for high rock slopes and dam abutments, including presplit blasting and smooth blasting, are introduced as well as the optimization of contour excavation procedures under confined rock condition. Secondly, blasting techniques for horizontal dam foundation and protective layer (PL), including layered blasting excavation (LB), horizontal presplit blasting (HPB), horizontal smooth blasting (HSB) and bench blasting with bottom cushion-deck (BC), are introduced and assessed. Thirdly, the test and onsite application of a newly developed foundation excavation technique, i.e. bench blasting with shock wave-reflecting block and bottom cushion-deck (BSRC) are displayed. Meanwhile, the control of blast-induced damage, excavation shaping quality and construction speed of different blasting techniques are compared and evaluated. Engineering practices in Baihetan Hydropower Station, China, demonstrated that BSRC could be a prospective method for horizontal dam foundation excavation. Finally, some remarks and future research aspects for dam foundation excavation are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Hematogones (HGS) are normal B-lymphocyte precursors that increase in some hematologic diseases. Many studies indicate that HGS might be a favourable prognostic factor. We thus considered it important to determine whether HGS are also a prognostic factor for Chinese adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and whether the HG-positive and HG-negative groups show any serologic or phenotypic differences. Methods Chinese adult AML patients (n = 177) who were all initially HG-negative underwent standard chemotherapy and were thereafter divided into HG-positive and HG-negative groups according to hg levels in bone marrow during their first remission. Results The follow-up study confirmed that survival duration (both leukemia-free and overall) was significantly greater in the HG-positive group than in the HG-negative group and was accompanied by a lower relapse rate. A retrospective study of patient characteristics at the time of first diagnosis revealed some differences between the HG-positive and the HG-negative groups, including elevations in white blood cells, lactate dehydrogenase, and β2- microglobulin in the HG-negative group. Retrospective phenotypic analysis revealed a significantly lower proportion of abnormal chromosome karyotype and CD34 expression in HG-positive patients. Finally, we evaluated whether additional intensive chemotherapy after standard chemotherapy could further increase HGS. Conclusions The present work verified the validity of HGS as a prognostic factor for Chinese adult patients with AML. Compared with HG-negative patients, HG-positive patients not only experienced longer survival and a lower relapse rate, but they also had some serologic and phenotypic characteristics that are all considered indicators of better outcome. Additional intensive chemotherapy could further increase the level of HGS, which might imply better clinical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Typhoons are very unpredictable natural disturbances to subtropical mangrove forests in Asian countries, but little information is available on how these disturbances affect ecosystem level carbon dioxide (CO2) exchange of mangrove wetlands. In this study, we examined short-term effect of frequent strong typhoons on defoliation and net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) of subtropical mangroves, and also synthesized 19 typhoons during a 4-year period between 2009 and 2012 to further investigate the regulation mechanisms of typhoons on ecosystem carbon and water fluxes following typhoon disturbances. Strong wind and intensive rainfall caused defoliation and local cooling effect during the typhoon season. Daily total NEE values decreased by 26-50% following some typhoons (e.g., W28-Nockten, W35-Molave and W35-Lio-Fan), but significantly increased (43-131 %) following typhoon W23-Babj and W38-Megi. The magnitudes and trends of daily NEE responses were highly variable following different typhoons, which were determined by the balance between the variances of gross ecosystem production (GEP) and ecosystem respiration (RE). Furthermore, results from our synthesis indicated that the landfall time of typhoon, wind speed and rainfall were the most important factors controlling the CO2 fluxes following typhoon events. These findings indicate that different types of typhoon disturbances can exert very different effects on CO2 fluxes of mangrove ecosystems and that typhoon will likely have larger impacts on carbon cycle processes in subtropical mangrove ecosystems as the intensity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is known and objective There are numerous studies on population pharmacokinetics of vancomycin in adult patients. However, there is no such research for Chinese adult patients. This study was conducted to evaluate the predictive performance of reported population pharmacokinetic models of vancomycin in Chinese adult patients and to identify some models appropriate for our population. Methods A literature search was conducted in PubMed to obtain the population pharmacokinetic models of vancomycin published between December 2010 and September 2012. The models were assessed using concentration data collected from Chinese patients for external validation. Models with relatively poor predictability were excluded from further analysis. The performance of the remaining models was evaluated in patients with different levels of creatinine clearance, age, body weight and sex by Bayesian method. This method was also used to compare the predictive performance based on peak concentration and trough concentration and the predictability based on different number of observed concentrations. Results One hundred and sixty-five blood concentrations from 72 Chinese adult patients were collected retrospectively to serve as the test data set. The evaluated models included all those reported in the seven publications reviewed by Marsot et al. and three other studies published after December 2010. Three models with poor performance on external validation were excluded from the next Bayesian analysis. The distribution of covariates in the model building data set had an important effect on prediction. The predictability based on peak/trough concentration was similar among the evaluated models, and no significant difference was found using our data set except for Roberts' model. As expected, an increased number of samples improved the performance of the Bayesian prediction. What is new and conclusion With our data set, the performance of the evaluated models varied. The characteristics of the patient population and distribution of covariates should be given more consideration when choosing a model to predict blood concentrations. The model developed by Purwonugroho et al. using a data set from patients similar to ours is appropriate for Bayesian dose predictions for vancomycin concentrations in our population of Chinese adult patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Periodontal ligament stem cells from human permanent teeth (PePDLSCs) have been investigated extensively in periodontal tissue engineering and regeneration. However, little knowledge is available on the periodontal ligament stem cells from human retained deciduous teeth (DePDLSCs). This study evaluated the potential of DePDLSCs in periodontal tissue regeneration. Material and Methods: DePDLSCs were isolated and purified by limited dilution. The characteristics of DePDLSCs were evaluated and compared with PePDLSCs both in vitro and in vivo. Results: DePDLSCs presented a higher proliferation rate and colony-forming capacity than PePDLSCs in vitro. During the osteogenic induction, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, mineralized matrix formation and expression of mineralization-related genes, including runt-related transcription factor 2 ( RUNX2), ALP, collagen type I ( COLI) and osteocalcin ( OCN) were significantly enhanced in DePDLSCs compared with PePDLSCs. Furthermore, DePDLSC cell sheets showed a stronger synthesis of collagen type I in the extracellular matrix than did PePDLSC cell sheets. After in vivo transplantation, DePDLSC cell sheets recombined with human dentin blocks were able to generate new cementum/periodontal ligament-like tissues. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that DePDLSCs can be used as a promising candidate for periodontal tissue engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Alendronate (ALO) and calcitonin (CT), as commonly used antiosteoporosis drugs in current clinical practice, have been experimentally confirmed to produce the effectiveness of promoting osseointegration at the interface between prosthesis and host bone and enhancing the long-term stability of the prosthesis. Our current study compared these two drugs' effects on the osseointegration of prosthesis and found that both of them could promote bone attachment between prosthesis and host bone; moreover, ALO produced more pronounced effectiveness. Introduction: A series of findings confirmed that ALO and CT improved bone attachment of implant in animals. However, which one shows stronger effectiveness has not yet been reported by previous researches. Our study compared the effects of the two commonly used antiosteoporosis drugs on the bone-prosthesis osseointegration so as to provide valuable reference for current clinical options of medication. Methods: Forty female SD rats aged 5 months were randomly set into A, B, C, and D groups. Except for group A, the others were ovariectomized to establish osteoporosis model (lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) decreased by 20% 4 weeks after ovariectomy). All the rats received prosthesis implantation at their tibial plateau. Then, the rats in groups C and D were given ALO (7 mg/kg/ w) orally and CT (5 IU/kg/day) subcutaneously for 12 weeks, respectively. Prior to the execution, application of tetracycline hydrochloride for staining in vivo was done. After harvesting and embedding, the tibia with implants were cut into thin slides, then the bone histomorphometry was measured to observe the new bone around prosthesis and to calculate the osseointegration rate of the implants. By comparison, the effect of the two drugs on osseointegration was evaluated. Results: (1) Both ALO and CT can effectively enhance the volume of bone mass surrounding the hydroxyapatite (HA) prosthesis and also significantly lever up osseointegration rate to 63.7% and 45.7%, respectively ( p < 0.05). However, ALO produced more periprosthesis osseointegration rate than CT, with difference of 18% ( p < 0.05). (2) The rats' lumber BMD increased in both ALO and CT groups, from 0.081 ± 0.009 and 0.078 ± 0.009 to 0.116 ± 0.008 and 0.109 ± 0.010 g/cm, respectively. Moreover, the effect of ALO was observed more pronounced than that of CT. Conclusions: In osteoporotic conditions, both administration of ALO orally and CT subcutaneously can enhance periprosthesis bone mass and the effects on osseointegration between host bone and prosthesis. Compared with CT, the effect of ALO is more pronounced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the requirement of higher beam energy and luminosity, the cryogenic technologies are applied more and more widely in accelerator facilities. As a main research entity on cryogenics in China, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry (TIPC) makes significant contributions to the construction of cryogenic systems for several superconducting accelerators in China, i.e. the upgrade of the Beijing Electron-Positron Collider (BEPCII), the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF) and the Peking University Free-Electron Laser Facility (PKU-FEL). In this paper the cryogenic systems for BEPCII, SSRF and PKU-FEL are introduced briefly, and our recent activities for these accelerators are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superconducting electron cyclotron resonance ion source with advanced design in Lanzhou (SECRAL) is an all-superconducting-magnet electron cyclotron resonance ion source (ECRIS) for the production of intense highly charged ion beams to meet the requirements of the Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou (HIRFL). To further enhance the performance of SECRAL, an aluminum chamber has been installed inside a 1.5 mm thick Ta liner used for the reduction of x-ray irradiation at the high voltage insulator. With double-frequency (18+14.5 GHz) heating and at maximum total microwave power of 2.0 kW, SECRAL has successfully produced quite a few very highly charged Xe ion beams, such as 10 e μA of Xe37+, 1 e μA of Xe43+, and 0.16 e μA of Ne-like Xe44+. To further explore the capability of the SECRAL in the production of highly charged heavy metal ion beams, a first test run on bismuth has been carried out recently. The main goal is to produce an intense Bi31+ beam for HIRFL accelerator and to have a feel how well the SECRAL can do in the production of very highly charged Bi beams. During the test, though at microwave power less than 3 kW, more than 150 e μA of Bi31+, 22 e μA of Bi41+, and 1.5 e μA of Bi50+ have been produced. All of these results have again demonstrated the great capability of the SECRAL source. This article will present the detailed results and brief discussions to the production of highly charged ion beams with SECRAL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: The major risk factors for acute hepatitis B (AHB) in China and the viral factors determining the progression from acute to chronic hepatitis B remain largely unknown. Methods: Epidemiological studies within a population- based surveillance for AHB in adults were performed in Shanghai, China, including 294 patients, 588 matched controls and 572 family members of the patients. Results: Invasive medical procedures, household contact with hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers, body care and beauty treatments, and lack of HBV vaccination were independently associated with AHB. Among those risks, pedicure in bath centres emerged. Sixty-eight of 128 patients with AHB were genotyped including 33 with HBV B2 and 35 with HBV C2. Twenty-five (8.50%) of the 294 patients, including 20 with HBV C2 and 5 with HBV 82 (p = 0.013), progressed to chronic infection. Multivariate analysis showed that HBV C2 was independently associated with chronicification of AHB. Patients with HBV B2 were younger and there was a higher proportion of women than those with HBV C2. The prevalence of HBV 82 was higher in the patients than in neighbourhood chronic carriers. The chronic carriers with HBV B2 showed higher viral loads, higher hepatitis B e antigen )HBeAg) seropositivity, and with higher proportion in men than those with HBV C2, implying that sexual contact plays a role in the transmission of HBV B2. Phylogenetic analysis showed that HBV C2 was frequently involved in transmissions within households. Conclusions: Despite lower viral load and HBeAg status in the chronic carriers, HBV C2 was more prone to causing chronic infection than was HBV 82. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serious environmental problems have accompanied China's remarkable economic growth for decades, which also have direct and indirect impacts on its neighbouring countries. From the perspective of regional sustainable development, a region's macroeconomic policy should be based on its ability to maximize wealth as well as to minimize the environmental impacts for its inhabitants. On the basis of this point, the paper herein analyses the economic-environmental performance for regional levels in China. For each of China's 31 regions, the authors identify two inputs (capital and employment) and four outputs (GDP, sulphur dioxide emissions, soot and industrial dust). The regions are grouped in order to improve similarities. Suitable role models are identified. Aside from traditional technical efficiency scores, a cross-efficiency measure (CEM) is also applied to differentiate the genuine role model. Integration for CEM and cluster analysis is applied to construct a benchmark-learning roadmap for those inefficient regions in order to improve their efficiency progressively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Runoff simulation and prediction in watersheds is an important and essential step in water management systems, safety yield computations, environmental disposal, design of flood control structures, and so on. In this study, the runoff records of Linshan Watershed, Sichuan Province, PRC, during 1984–1993 are presented and used as samples for predictions. The time-delay neural network (TDNN) model combined with a genetic algorithm is proposed and used to predict the nonlinear relationship and to analyze the characteristics of runoff time series in the Linshan Watershed area. Based on analyzing the whole runoff process—for example, the average, maximum, and standard deviation—during said period, the equal length for training and testing is defined. The optimum TDNN structure of August 20, 2001 has been obtained by gradually increasing the time delay to avoid the limitations of the TDNN model. Comparisons between training and testing show that the forecasting model of the runoff level using TDNN combined with genetic algorithms is generally satisfactory and effective, with slight underpredictions at some points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wangshuibai is a Chinese landrace wheat with a high level of resistance to fusarium head blight (FHB) and deoxynivalenol (DON) accumulation. Using an F7 population of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from the cross between Wangshuibai and Annong 8455 for molecular mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTL) for FHB resistance, the proportion of scabbed spikelets (PSS) and DON content were assessed under field conditions. Composite interval mapping revealed that two and three QTL were significantly associated with low PSS and low DON content, respectively, over 2 years. QTL on chromosomes 3B and 2A explained 17 and 11·5%, respectively, of the phenotypic variance for low PSS, whereas QTL on chromosomes 5A, 2A and 3B explained 12·4, 8·5 and 6·2%, respectively, of the phenotypic variance for low DON content. The 3B QTL appeared to be associated mainly with low PSS, and the 5A QTL primarily with low DON content in Wangshuibai. The 2A QTL had minor effects on both low PSS and DON content. Microsatellite and AFLP markers linked to these QTL should be useful for marker-assisted selection of QTL for low PSS and low DNA content from Wangshuibai. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most malignant human tumours because of its high incidence of metastasis. The mechanisms underlying the metastasis of HCC, however, remain poorly understood. In this study, we performed cDNA microarray analysis to profile gene expression patterns in two subtypes of HCC, solitary large HCC (SLHCC) and nodular HCC (NHCC), which differ significantly in the incidence of metastasis. Among 668 genes that were differentially expressed, we focused on RhoC, whose expression was significantly decreased in SLHCC compared to NHCC. The expression of RhoC in HCC and pericarcinomatous liver tissues (PCLT) was analysed at both the mRNA and protein levels by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting. In addition, immunohistochemistry was also performed on 94 cases of HCC with follow-up information. Collectively, our data indicate that the expression of RhoC significantly increased in HCC compared to PCLT; extrahepatic metastatic lesions expressed significantly higher levels of RhoC than the corresponding intrahepatic HCC tissues. There is a highly significant correlation of the RhoC expression levels with tumour vein invasion, number of tumour nodes and the status of differentiation. Significantly, the HCC patients with RhoC-positive expression had shorter survival than those with RhoC-negative expression. Together, our findings suggest a strong correlation between the expression of RhoC and HCC metastasis, implicating RhoC as a potential prognosis marker and therapeutic target for HCC.British Journal of Cancer (2004) 90, 2349-2355. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6601749 www.bjcancer.com Published online 11 May 2004 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Compare the safety and efficacy of quinacrine sterilization (QS) and surgical sterilization, also known as tubal ligation (TL).Methods: 300 women accepted QS in Guiyang, China during the period from July 1995 to September 1997. Each patient was scheduled for follow-up at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months. In March 1998, a comparison group of 300 women electing TL during the same time period was systematically chosen. Researchers visited the village of every woman and conducted a structured interview. Each candidate was given a general health and pelvic exam at a clinic in her village. All interviews and exams were completed in August 1998.Results: Of the 289 QS patients interviewed (a follow-up rate of 96.3%), 265 had had 2 insertions. There were 3 pregnancy failures for a cumulative life table failure rate of 1.2 per 100 women at 24 months. The 299 TL patients (a follow-up rate of 99.7%) had a similar rate of 0.7. There were no life-threatening side effects or deaths in either groups. QS was less disruptive, more easily tolerated, required fewer resources and was viewed more favorably than TL by women and their spouses.Conclusions: Both methods were found safe and very effective. However, QS was considered to be more acceptable than TL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health has become a significant public health problem that impacts both economic and social development, with severe mental disorders (SMDs) being the top priority. Over recent years, Beijing, China, has introduced several policies to reduce the economic burden on patients with mental health disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the current status and composition of patients' medical expenses following the introduction of multiple medical policies, explore the factors that may impact the utilisation of medical services and provide a reference and basis for subsequent policy improvements. Multistage sampling was used to select a representative study population. A retrospective survey was used to collect patient information and data on medical expenses in 2019. Descriptive statistics were applied to analyse the current status of patients' medical expenses, and a two-part model was used to examine the factors influencing healthcare utilisation and to model predicted expenses. Among 4940 participants, the average outpatient expenses of patients with SMD who incurred medical expenses were 8373.61 Yuan, and the average hospitalisation expenses were 81,594.05 Yuan. The out-of-pocket expenses were 29.22% of outpatient expenses and 8.13% of inpatient expenses. Factors such as age, household status, economic status, marital status, participation in the Community Free-Medication Service (CFMS) and the type of disease diagnosed influenced the differences in medical expenses and utilisation of services. The medical expenses of patients with SMD in Beijing are high, but a number of introduced policies have effectively reduced these costs for patients. Future studies should focus on the impact of factors such as age, economic status, participation in the CFMS and the type of disease diagnosed on medical expenses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented regarding Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) as first case report in China.

An investigation into well water quality was carried out in a rural area subject to irrigation with acidic mine water from the Guangdong Dabaoshan Mine, southern China. The results of water pH measurements from 112 wells in two different seasons suggest that the well water has been contaminated to varying degrees in the investigated Shangba floodplain (approximately 11km south of the Guangdong Dabaoshan Mine). There is a trend that well water pH increased southwards, suggesting that the impacts of acidic irrigation water on groundwater decreased with increasing distance to the entry point of acidic irrigation water. Water quality monitoring results of the selected wells show that Cu and Cd in the water exceeded the limits set in the Chinese National Standards for Drinking Water (GB 5749-85) for the wells close to the irrigation water source. If the World Health Organization (WHO) standard was considered, Cd in some wells was almost 10 times as high as the WHO guideline value (0.003mg l−1). Water collected from the location closest to the acidic irrigation water source was acutely toxic to the test organism (Daphnia carinata) even after 51 time dilution. It is likely that the extremely high mortality rate of the local population reported for the study area is at least partly related to the high levels of heavy metals, particularly Cd in the drinking well water. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Field and laboratory work was carried out to investigate the chemistry and ecotoxicity of stream water affected by acid mine drainage in a tributary catchment of the Pearl River in subtropical China during a major flood that corresponded to a return period of 100 years. The results indicate that stream water was affected by acid mine drainage from the Dabaoshan mine at least to a distance of 25km downstream of the mine water discharge point. It appears that H+ generated from sulfide oxidation in the waste rock dumps was readily available for exporting. The amount of H+ being discharged into the receiving stream depended on the volume of out-flowing waters. However, there was a lag time for the discharges of the metals. This may be attributed to the slower release of metals, relative to H+, because it might take more time for the dissolution of heavy metal-bearing compounds, particularly the sparsely soluble jarosites. Fe, Zn and Al were the major metals of potential toxicity contained in the AMD-affected stream water, followed by Mn, Cu, Pb, As, Cd and Ni. The concentrations of these metals in the water decreased rapidly down the stream. This corresponds with an increase in the concentrations of reactive heavy metal fractions in benthic mud down the stream, reflecting the precipitation of heavy metal compounds with increasing pH and their subsequent deposition in the streambed. Toxicity tests show that the AMD-affected stream water at 3. 5km downstream of the discharge point was highly toxic to the test organism. At 25km downstream of the discharge point where stream water pH was as high as 5. 75, marked toxic responses of the test organism were still observed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Climate dictates wildfire activity around the world. But East and Southeast Asia are an apparent exception as fire-activity variation there is unrelated to climatic variables. In subtropical China, fire activity decreased by 80% between 2003 and 2020 amid increased fire risks globally. Here, we assessed the fire regime, vegetation structure, fuel flammability and their interactions across subtropical Hubei, China. We show that tree basal area (TBA) and fuel flammability explained 60% of fire-frequency variance. Fire frequency and fuel flammability, in turn, explained 90% of TBA variance. These results reveal a novel system of scrubland–forest stabilized by vegetation–fire feedbacks. Frequent fires promote the persistence of derelict scrubland through positive vegetation–fire feedbacks; in forest, vegetation–fire feedbacks are negative and suppress fire. Thus, we attribute the decrease in wildfire activity to reforestation programs that concurrently increase forest coverage and foster negative vegetation–fire feedbacks that suppress wildfire. Vegetation-fire feedbacks in Subtropical China. [Display omitted] • A novel system of scrubland–forest stabilized by vegetation–fire feedbacks. • The feedbacks are positive and promote frequent fire in scrubland. • The feedbacks are negative and suppress fire in forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 20 hybrid eucalypt clones at age 5½ years across four sites in coastal south-west China were assessed for volume and a subset of these for wood basic density and wood mass production. Six of these clones were also assessed for kraft pulp yield. Across the four sites the average tree volume, wood basic density, tree wood mass and pulp yield were 0.119 m³ tree-1, 474 kg m-3, 0.063 tonne tree-1 and 49.0% respectively. There were significant differences between both sites and clones for all the key traits studied. The best site for wood mass productivity had average plot wood mass of 0.239 tonne while the poorest site, only 0.128 tonne. Significant clone x site interactions were found for survival, volume tree-1, plot volume and plot wood mass. Clone and/or clone x site effects accounted for the major portion of variation for almost all the traits. However, site effects accounted for more variation on plot wood mass, indicating the importance of site selection. On account of the clone x site interactions, adopting a site-specific selection and deployment strategy was estimated to provide 15% greater wood mass yield across the region compared with a generalised selection and deployment strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Drug resistant TB in China has been rapidly growing and becoming a cause for critical public health concern. It was reported that the acquired drug-resistant TB mainly results from incompliance to treatment, uncompleted treatment, irregular treatment and unqualified health services. Methods & Materials: Case-cohort was established in four counties in eastern rural China. All registered active TB patients from April 2013 to March 2014 were investigated using structure questionnaire to collect demographic, geographic, socioeconomic information and disease profile. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to assess the level of serum cytokines (IFN-γ, IL - 4) before anti-TB treatment. All the participants were followed up 6 or 8 months until treatment was completed. Results: In total, 1404 patients were recruited, in which 1270 (94.5%) were newly diagnosed TB patients, 447 (33.8%) were smearpositive (SS+). The average age was 49.5±18.8, and 76.2% was male. The serum IFN-γ and IL-4 before anti-TB treatment was 7.936 and 12.292 pg/ml respectively. 80.9% of newly diagnosed TB patients received standard anti-TB treatment, while 87.7% retreatment TB patients received standard anti-TB treatment. The successfully treated rate was 92.5% and 78.6% of new TB patients and retreatment TB patients respectively. The sputum conversion rate of SS+ TB patients after 2 month anti-TB treatment was 96.5%, while the cure rate and successful rate was 80.5% and 90.0% respectively. 92.6% smear-negative patients completed anti-TB treatment. The successful rate in Jiangsu (97.3%), the more developed area, was higher than in Jiangxi (87.6%) (OR = 6.276, 95% CI: 2.528 15.579). Patients with BMI<18.5 may be more risk to fail the treatment compared with the health BMI (18.5-23.9) patients (OR = 3.196, 95% CI: 1.592 6.418). There was no relationship between serum cytokines level and treatment outcomes. The cure rate of TB comorbidity with diabetes was same as the one without diabetes. Conclusion: The sputum conversion rate, cure rate and successful rate of TB patients were high in eastern rural China. Improving patients' nutrition, keeping a healthy BMI could be the key point of increasing successfully treated rate of tuberculosis. More research should be done in future to evaluate the impact of the serum cytokines during anti-TB treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is prevalent in countries with a high TB burden, like China. As little is known about the emergence and spread of second-line drug (SLD) -resistant TB, we investigate the emergence and transmission of SLD-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in rural China. In a multi-centre population-based study, we described the bacterial population structure and the transmission characteristics of SLD-resistant TB using Spoligotyping in combination with genotyping based on 24-locus MIRU-VNTR (mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable-number tandem repeat) plus four highly variable loci for the Beijing family, in four rural Chinese regions with diverse geographic and socio-demographic characteristics. Transmission networks among genotypically clustered patients were constructed using social network analysis. Of 1332 M. tuberculosis patient isolates recovered, the Beijing family represented 74.8% of all isolates and an association with MDR and simultaneous resistance between first-line drugs and SLDs. The genotyping analysis revealed that 189 isolates shared MIRU-VNTR patterns in 78 clusters with clustering rate and recent transmission rate of 14.2% and 8.3%, respectively. Fifty-three SLD-resistant isolates were observed in 31 clusters, 30 of which contained the strains with different drug susceptibility profiles and genetic mutations. In conjunction with molecular data, socio-network analysis indicated a key role of Central Township in the transmission across a highly interconnected network where SLD resistance accumulation occurred during transmission. SLD-resistant M. tuberculosis has been spreading in rural China with Beijing family being the dominant strains. Primary transmission of SLD-resistant strains in the population highlights the importance of routine drug susceptibility testing and effective anti-tuberculosis regimens for drug-resistant TB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the post-COVID-19 pandemic era, influenza virus infections continuously lead to a global disease burden. Evaluating vaccine effectiveness against influenza infection is crucial to inform vaccine design and vaccination strategy. In this study, we recruited 1120 patients with influenza-like illness (ILI) who attended fever clinics of 4 sentinel hospitals in the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China, from January 1 to April 7, 2024. Using a test-negative design, we estimated influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) of 54.7% (95% CrI: 23.7, 73.1) against medical-attended influenza infection, with 62.3% (95% CrI: 29.3, 79.8) against influenza A, and 51.2% (95% CrI: 28.7, 83.0) against influenza B. Despite the moderate VE estimated in this study, influenza vaccination remains the most important approach to prevent influenza at the community level.

Published studies on outdoor air pollution and tuberculosis risk have shown heterogeneous results. Discrepancies in prior studies may be partially explained by the limited geographic scope, diverse exposure times, and heterogeneous statistical methods. Thus, we conducted a multi-province, multi-city time-series study to comprehensively investigate this issue. We selected 67 districts or counties from all geographic regions of China as study sites. We extracted data on newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) cases, outdoor air pollutant concentrations, and meteorological factors in 67 sites from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2019. We utilized a generalized additive model to evaluate the relationship between ambient air pollutants and PTB risk. Between 2014 and 2019, there were 172,160 newly diagnosed PTB cases reported in 67 sites. With every 10-μg/m 3 increase in SO 2 , NO 2 , PM 10 , PM 2.5 , and 1-mg/m 3 in CO, the PTB risk increased by 1.97% [lag 0 week, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.26, 2.68], 1.30% (lag 0 week, 95% CI: 0.43, 2.19), 0.55% (lag 8 weeks, 95% CI: 0.24, 0.85), 0.59% (lag 10 weeks, 95% CI: 0.16, 1.03), and 5.80% (lag 15 weeks, 95% CI: 2.96, 8.72), respectively. Our results indicated that ambient air pollutants were positively correlated with PTB risk, suggesting that decreasing outdoor air pollutant concentrations may help to reduce the burden of tuberculosis in countries with a high burden of tuberculosis and air pollution.

This study analyzed petroleum-contaminated soils from south and north locations in China to explore the structure, diversity, functional genes and assembly processes of microbial communities' . Compared with soils from south locations, soils from northern regions exhibited elevated pH, total nitrogen (TN), and total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) levels. Among these, TN and TPH were the most influential on the microbial community. The dominant phyla for bacteria, archaea, and fungi were Proteobacteria, Thaumarchaeota, and Ascomycota, respectively. Among them, Proteobacteria was strongly correlated with various functional genes including alkB and many aromatics degradation and denitrification genes (r > 0.9, p < 0.01), suggesting that Proteobacteria play an important role in petroleum-contaminated soils. Metabolism in northern regions was more active than that in southern regions. The northern regions showed a pronounced tendency for denitrification, while the southern regions were characterized by acetoclastic methanogenesis. The assembly of microbial communities exhibited regional patterns, the deterministic assembly was more prominent in the northern soils, while the stochastic assembly was evident in the southern soils. Overall, these findings provide a new conceptual framework to understand the biosphere in petroleum-contaminated soil, potentially guiding improved management practices in the environmental remediation., 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 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Larimichthys crocea (LYC) holds significant economic value as a marine fish species. However, inaccuracies in labeling its origin can adversely affect consumer interests. Herein, a laser assisted rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry (LA-REIMS) and machine learning (ML) was developed for geographical authentication. When compared to iKnife, the LA demonstrated to be superior owing to reduced thermal damage to sample tissue, enhanced automation, and ease of use. Analysis of LYC from six distinct geographical origins across China revealed a total of 798 ions, which were then subjected to six classifiers to establish ML models. Following hyperparameter optimization and feature engineering, the Chi2(15%)-KNN model exhibited the highest training and testing accuracy, achieving 98.4 ± 0.9% and 98.5 ± 1.4%, respectively. This LA-REIMS/ML methodology offers a rapid, accurate, and intelligent solution for tracing the origin of LYC, thereby providing valuable technical support for the establishment of traceability systems in the aquatic product industry., 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 Ltd.)

Background: This study aims to introduce the clinical application value of popliteal vein puncture in the supine position under ultrasound guidance and compare this method with popliteal vein puncture in the prone position., Methods: Endovascular operations for nonthrombotic iliac vein lesion patients using popliteal vein access were performed during the period from July 2019 to August 2022 at the Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen), Fudan University, and Shanghai Xuhui District Central Hospital. Patients were randomly divided into supine position group and prone position group. All of the patients were punctured under ultrasound guidance. The procedure duration time for popliteal vein puncture, visual analog scale (VAS) scores, and postoperative complications were recorded and compared between the 2 groups., Results: Totally 120 patients were included in this study, in which 60 patients were enrolled in the supine position group and 60 patients were enrolled in the prone position group. The median procedure time from puncture to iliofemoral venography was 5.97 min (interquartile range 5.78 min-6.03 min) and 28.76 min (interquartile range 26.84 min-29.83 min; P < 0.01 (in the supine position and prone position group, respectively. The median time from puncture to access sheath insertion was 5.05 min (interquartile range 4.88 min-5.13 min) and 5.03 min (interquartile range 4.93 min-5.12 min; P = 0.607) in the supine position and prone position groups, respectively. The median VAS value was 3 (interquartile range 2-3) and 8 (interquartile range 7-9, P < 0.01) in the supine position and prone position groups, respectively. In the supine position group, one case of arterial branch injury was observed after operation and was successfully managed by ultrasound-guided compression., Conclusions: Popliteal vein puncture in the supine position under ultrasound guidance is safe, significantly reduces the overall operation time without changing position, and relieves the discomfort of patients., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the effects of multiple stress events in different stages of life on the incidence of metabolic syndrome (MetS)., Methods: Miners from Tangshan, China, were recruited for this study. Workers of the Kailuan Mining Group were evaluated to investigate whether exposure to Tangshan earthquakes during the fetal period in 1976. Adult life events and childhood trauma were assessed separately via the Life Event Scale and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. The subjects were physically examined and general demographic data such as waist circumference were collected. Blood samples were collected for measurement of metabolic parameters. Corticotropin releasing hormone(CRH) levels was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The subjects were divided into four groups according to their exposure to traumatic events in different stages of life: no exposure group, 1-exposure group, 2-exposures group, and 3-exposures group. The incidence of MetS, metabolic parameters and CRH levels in each of the four groups was compared., Results: In all, 626 people were enrolled; of these, 183, 262, 150, and 31 were in the no exposure, 1-exposure, 2-exposures, and 3-exposure groups, respectively. A remarkable variation in the incidence of MetS was observed among the four groups ( x 2 = 16.462, P <0.001). MetS incidence increased with the increasing number of traumatic events, except for in the no exposure group (17.9% in 1-exposure group, 24.7% in 2-exposure group, and 48.4% in the 3-exposure group). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that exposure to multiple stress during the fetal, childhood, and adult stages of life represent independent risk factors for developing MetS ( OR =3.134, 95%CI =1.042-9.429). Smoking increased the risk of developing MetS ( OR =1.809, 95%CI =1.140-2.871)., Conclusions: Exposure to multiple traumatic events in distinct life stages increases the risk of developing MetS. Smoking is a risk factor for developing MetS., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Li, Gao, Zhao, Wang, Wang, Song, Hu, Lu, Zhao, Huang, Liu, Ren and Wang.)

Background: The Chinese beverage industry is experiencing rapid growth, particularly in the popularity of non-sugar sweetened beverages (NSSs) and ready-to-drink beverages (RSBs). This study aimed to assess current consumption patterns and determinants of various beverage types among retail visitors., Methods: A total of 44 observation points, including 22 supermarkets and 22 convenience stores, were randomly selected across Shanghai. At each location, at least 100 individuals were recruited to participate. Data were collected using an electronic self-administered questionnaire., Results: The consumption rates of total beverages, sugar-sweetened beverages, NSSs, and RSBs were 57.70%, 56.94%, 19.60%, and 29.50%, respectively; the median consumption amounts among the drinking population were 162.57 mL/day, 137.98 mL/day, 32.85 mL/day, and 32.85 mL/day, respectively. The consumption proportions of NSSs and RSBs ranked 2nd and 3rd. The multifactorial analyses showed that people aged 6-18 years consumed more beverages ( p < 0.05). Males were more likely to consume sugar-sweetened beverages and NSSs, but females were more likely to consume RSBs ( p < 0.05). Higher educated people and bachelors were more likely to consume beverages ( p < 0.05)., Conclusions: The emerging beverage categories, NSSs and RSBs, warrant attention due to their significant consumption rates. Tailored intervention strategies should be considered for demographic groups varying by age, gender, and educational attainment.

Background: Handgrip strength (HGS) is a simple and non-invasive measure of muscle strength, which has been proposed as a potential predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. However, the association between HGS and CVD risk in the Chinese population remains underexplored. This study aims to investigate the relationship between handgrip strength and the risk of cardiovascular disease using data from the 2015-2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS)., Methods: We included 9369 participants aged 45 years and older from the CHARLS dataset. HGS was measured using a dynamometer, and the average of three measurements for each hand was recorded. Participants were categorized into quartile based on their HGS levels. The primary outcome was the incidence of CVD, including heart diseases, and stroke, obtained through self-reports and verified by medical records. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for the association between HGS and CVD risk, and using restricted cubic spline to construct a linear relationship, adjusting for potential covariates including demographic factors, lifestyle factors, body composition, and health status. The robustness of the results was determined by stratified analysis., Results: During a mean follow-up of 3 years, 1198 CVD events were reported, including 851 heart diseases and 427 strokes. After multivariate adjustment, the HR and 95% CI corresponding to CVD risk for participants in the HGS 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quartiles compared with those in the lowest quartile were 0.824 (95% CI: 0.692-0.981), 0.756 (95% CI: 0.614-0.929), 0.625 (95% CI: 0.484-0.807) (P for trend : <0.001), respectively. All subgroups analyzed found similar results. For CVD components, HGS was similarly linearly associated with heart disease, and had an inverted U-shape relationship with the risk of stroke, with a potential threshold of 23.16 kg., Conclusions: Higher HGS was significantly associated with decreased risk of CVD, including heart disease and stroke, in middle-aged and older adults, suggesting that HGS may be a promising measurable predictor of CVD in this population., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Divided narratives pose long-standing difficulties in physician and patient communication. In decision-making on cancer treatment, divided narratives between physicians and patients hinder mutual understanding and agreement over the illness and its treatment. For effective decision-making on treatments, it is necessary to investigate the similarities and differences in these divided narratives., Methods: This study adopted a qualitative research design of narrative inquiry to examine the data, which included interviews with 32 cancer patients and 16 paired physicians in two hospitals in China. Data analysis was conducted using grounded theory to generate findings., Results: Both physicians and patients were concerned about goals and obstacles to their decision-making on cancer treatment. Four common aspects of goal setting were identified from the divided narratives: decision pools, treatment goals, identity practice and preferred identity. Four common obstacles were identified: pains and trust, communication gap, financial issues and complex family. However, the meanings attached to these eight aspects differed between physicians and patients., Conclusion: Cancer treatment decision-making is an encounter of the scientific world and lifeworld. A divided narrative approach can identify the similarities and differences in the decision-making on cancer treatment between physicians and patients. Physicians generally adopt a rational decision-making approach, whereas patients generally adopt a relational decision-making approach. Despite the common concerns in their goals and obstacles, physicians and patients differed in their contextualized interpretations, which demonstrates the physicians' and the patients' pursuit of preferred identities in decision-making. The results of this study provide a new perspective to treatment decision-making, emphasizing the importance of narrative integration in reaching mutual agreement., Patient and Public Contribution: The findings were shared with 15 cancer patients and caregivers for feedback and advice in June 2024. This study was also presented at the international conferences of COMET (International and Interdisciplinary Conference on Communication, Medicine, and Ethics) and ICCH (International Conference on Communication in Healthcare) 2023 for continuous feedback and comments., (© 2024 The Author(s). Health Expectations published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: Effective risk communication is essential for achieving patient-centered oral health care, but the limited understanding of patients' subjective perceptions of orthodontic-related risks hinders this process. This study aimed to investigate adults' awareness, concerns, and risk-avoidance behaviors about long-term orthodontic risks, exploring their relationship with psychosocial factors., Methods: We included 498 adult patients (mean age, 27.3 ± 6.8 years; women, 75.5%) during their initial visits to the orthodontic department at a hospital in Chengdu, China. Participants' understanding of orthodontic risks was gauged before and after exposure to the Oral Health Education Comics (OHEC), a specifically designed digital tool. Concurrently, we used logistic regression models to investigate the associations between patients' depression, anxiety, self-esteem, perfectionism, and dentofacial esthetics with risk perceptions., Results: Approximately 79.5% of participants initially reported low awareness of orthodontic risks, with most knowledge from online sources. Notably, the percentage of participants with high awareness increased to 64.8% after OHEC. The negative facial soft-tissue change was most concerning for participants: 53.4% showed high concerns, and 28.1% showed high avoidance. Furthermore, linear regression indicated positive associations between depression (β = 0.42 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.07-0.77]) and anxiety (β = 0.76 [95% CI, 0.35-1.18]) with orthodontic risk concerns, whereas risk avoidance was positively associated with depression (β = 0.62 [95% CI, 0.27-0.97]), anxiety (β = 1.09 [95% CI, 0.68-1.50]), and perfectionism (β = 0.24 [95% CI, 0.02-0.46])., Conclusions: Findings emphasize the imperative of streamlined risk communication in orthodontics. By incorporating comprehensible tools such as OHEC and integrating psychosocial evaluations, more refined patient-practitioner communication and psychosomatic-based dental care can be achieved., (Copyright © 2024 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Bifidobacteria are commonly used as probiotics in the food industry. The resistance of Bifidobacterium species to antibiotics is closely linked to food safety. However, we still lack a system for the safety evaluation of antibiotic resistance in bifidobacteria, and genus-level microbiological cut-off values remain in use for the determination of phenotypic resistance of Bifidobacterium strains to a given antibiotic. Here, we collected a total of 422 gut-derived bifidobacterial strains isolated from Chinese population and identified their phenotypic resistance profiles against ampicillin, amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, clindamycin, erythromycin, rifampicin, tetracycline, trimethoprim, and vancomycin. Different Bifidobacterium species were found to have varying tolerances to the same antibiotic; therefore, we further established species-specific cut-off values for bifidobacterial species to ten antibiotics. Species-specific rather than genus-specific cut-off values for species belonging to the same taxon were considered more suitable to determine the phenotypic resistance of a Bifidobacterium strain. Moreover, a comprehensive scanning of antibiotic resistance genes in all Bifidobacterium strains tested revealed that the existence of the tetracycline resistance gene tet(W) and the erythromycin/clindamycin resistance gene ErmX is closely related to host phenotypes. Our findings provide guidance and reference values at both phenotype and genotype levels for the safe application of bifidobacteria in the food industry and the development of probiotic resistance evaluation standards., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: To investigate the effects of the school visual environment on depressive symptoms in children and adolescents based on cohort study in eastern China. The school visual environment-related indicators included in this study comprise personal factors (visual impairment) and school-related factors (classroom lighting, school green spaces and school air quality)., Method: The follow-up cohort comprises 15,348 students from 283 primary and secondary schools in eastern China. This represents the one-year outcomes of a school-based myopia-mental health cohort study. Data collection includes basic demographics (age, gender, region, etc.), physical examination indicators, behavioral indicators, and school visual environment-related indicators., Result: After a one-year follow-up, we found that compared to the more severe vision impairment group (≤4.0), healthy vision group (≥5.0) had a positive effect against the occurrence of depressive symptoms during consecutive follow-ups, with an RR value of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.57-0.66). Higher values of blackboard illumination appear to be associated with greater positive effects, with an RR (Q75%∼Q100% range) value of 0.87(95% CI: 0.81-0.93). School green spaces seem to exhibit relatively good positive effects when in the Q25%∼Q75% range. The combination of physical activity (Weekly high-intensity exercise) with school air quality(PM 2.5 ≤50%)showed a better positive effect, with an RR value of 0.51(95%CI:0.48-0.55)., Conclusion: When addressing students' depressive symptoms, it is crucial to improve the visual environment both at the school level and in students' personal level. Paying appropriate attention to modifiable behaviors, like regular participation in high-intensity exercise sessions, can help alleviate students' depressive symptoms., 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 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the interplay between individual nighttime and midday sleep duration and the number of new-onset chronic diseases and determine the optimal sleep duration associated with lowest number of new-onset chronic diseases., Methods: We used data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) covering a decade and involving 10,828 participants. A random intercept cross-lagged model was used to explore the interplay between nighttime/midday sleep durations and new-onset chronic diseases at both the within-individual and between-individual levels, followed by a dose-response analysis at the between-individual level to determine the optimal sleep duration. New-onset chronic diseases include 14 types of self-reported diseases diagnosed by doctors., Results: Within-individual analysis revealed that increased nighttime/midday sleep duration led to a higher number of new-onset chronic diseases, and an increased number of new-onset chronic diseases resulted in decreased nighttime sleep duration. Between nighttime and midday sleep, one type of sleep duration increase was likely to lead to an increase in another type. Between-individual analysis found a nonlinear relationship between the number of new-onset chronic diseases and nighttime sleep duration, identifying the optimal nighttime sleep duration as 7.46 h., Conclusions: These findings elucidate the interplay between sleep duration and number of new-onset chronic diseases and underscore the need for public awareness and comprehensive interventions. Future studies should focus on refining sleep monitoring and exploring the sleep-chronic diseases nexus in greater depth., 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 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Context: Childhood and adolescence are critical periods for lifelong bone health. The impact of obesity on these phases is controversial, which may be due to the lack of standards for age-, sex-, and puberty-specific bone turnover markers (BTMs) that could sensitively reflect bone metabolism., Objective: To generate age-, sex, and puberty stage-specific BTM reference curves in children and adolescents and to explore the effect of obesity on bone metabolism in the Chinese population., Methods: Our study was part of the Evaluation and Monitoring on School-based Nutrition and Growth in Shenzhen study. A total of 800 participants aged 6∼18 years with normal body mass index (BMI) were selected to establish BTM reference curves for boys and girls at different ages under different pubertal development stages. Additionally, 200 participants with obesity (BMI > 95th percentile) were matched with healthy children from the original cohort at a 1:1 ratio. All participants underwent bone mineral density assessment, and serum levels of procollagen type 1 N-propeptide (P1NP) and β-C-telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX) were measured., Results: The BTM values presented significant age, sex, and puberty stage differences. Analysis of serum BTMs based on the established reference revealed a higher percentage of low-level P1NP in boys with obesity (P = .005); no significant difference was observed in girls. However, the obese group showed a significantly higher proportion of high β-CTX levels for girls, not boys (P = .022)., Conclusion: We provide age-, sex-, and puberty stage-specific P1NP and β-CTX reference curves. According to these, obesity appeared to be a negative factor for bone formation in boys and for bone resorption in girls., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Endocrine Society. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Hot flashes are a common side effect of endocrine therapy (ET) that contribute to poor quality of life and decreased treatment adherence., Methods: Patients with breast cancer wo were receiving ET and experiencing hot flashes were enrolled through three parallel, randomized trials conducted in the United States, China, and South Korea. Participants were randomized to either immediate acupuncture (IA) or delayed acupuncture control (DAC). IA participants received 20 acupuncture sessions over 10 weeks, whereas DAC participants received usual care, then crossed over to acupuncture with a reduced intensity. The primary end point was a change in score on the endocrine symptom subscale of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT)-Endocrine Symptoms between baseline and week 10. Secondary end points included the hot flash score and the FACT-Breast score. A planned pooled analysis of individual patient data was performed using longitudinal mixed models., Results: In total, 158 women with stage 0-III breast cancer were randomized (United States, n = 78; China, n = 40; South Korea, n = 40). At week 10, IA participants reported statistically significant improvements in the endocrine symptom subscale score (mean change ± standard error: 5.1 ± 0.9 vs. 0.2 ± 1.0; p = .0003), the hot flash score (-5.3 ± 0.9 vs. -1.4 ± 0.9; p < .003), and the FACT-Breast total score (8.0 ± 1.6 vs. -0.01 ± 1.6; p = .0005) compared with DAC participants. The effect of the acupuncture intervention differed by site (p = .005)., Conclusions: Acupuncture led to statistically and clinically meaningful improvements in hot flashes, endocrine symptoms, and breast cancer-specific quality of life in women undergoing ET for breast cancer in the United States, China, and South Korea., (© 2024 American Cancer Society.)

Background: The process of population aging in China is currently undergoing rapid acceleration. Simultaneously, the swift advancement of digitalization is fundamentally transforming individuals' lifestyles. The usage of the internet and mobile internet tools by the older adults population is relatively inadequate. The issue of digital exclusion and its impact on the life quality of the older adult population has received significant attention., Objective: This study utilized microdata from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS 2020) to empirically investigate the impact of internet usage on the mental health of older adult individuals. The depression index was utilized to assess the mental health, while four variables were employed to evaluate internet usage among the older adults in this study., Methods: The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) in CHARLS data was used to measure the depression index of older adults. Four variables including usage of internet, usage of WeChat, usage of WeChat moments and usage of mobile payment were used to represent the internet use of older adults, and there was progressive relationship between these four variables. In the empirical study, multiple regression analysis was adopted to empirically analysis the impact of internet usage on the mental health of older adults. In order to reduce the influence of endogenous problems on regression results, the propensity score matching method was used to verify the validity and robustness of regression results., Results: (1) Internet usage can significantly reduce the psychological depression of older adults and promote the formation of positive psychology; (2) With the increase of the depth of internet usage, especially the use of mobile internet and mobile payment, the internet use will have greater improvement effect on the depression; (3) The heterogeneity test found that there were certain differences in the impact of internet usage on different older adult groups; (4) Through a step-by-step analysis of 10 sub-indicators of depression index, the study found that Internet use mainly affected four indicators: "life hope," "happiness," "loneliness" and "life confidence," while demonstrating no significant effect on other sub-indicators., Conclusion: According to the research, internet usage can significantly reduce the psychological depression index of the older adults and promote the formation of positive psychology. In China, digital exclusion is more prevalent in rural areas and among the less educated older adults. Public policies can be formulated to enhance internet adoption among these older adults population., Competing Interests: The author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Lu.)

The side effects of technological progress on the economy have been discussed frequently, but little is known regarding its health consequences. By combining the national individual-level panel data of alcohol drinking with the prefecture-level robot exposure rate in China, we find that one more robot exposure rate could induce up to 2.2% points increase in the probability of problem drinking. Such a pattern of problem drinking is explained by negative emotions, which can be ascribed to job loss due to substitution, higher income vulnerability, and reduced organization participation. Further, we provide evidence that automation can incur health costs, particularly for easily substituted workers, which would exacerbate health inequality in China. This paper sheds light on the impact of automation and the social incentives of problem drinking, emphasizing the possibly heterogeneous health cost accompanied by the automation process., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Purpose: Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate (SZC) is an oral potassium (K + )-lowering therapy for adults with hyperkalemia. HARMONIZE Asia (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03528681) evaluated the efficacy and safety of SZC in Chinese patients with hyperkalemia., Methods: This Phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study recruited patients with serum K + (sK + ) ≥5.1 mmol/L at 35 sites in China. Patients received SZC 10 g three times daily (TID) for 24 or 48 hours during an open-label initial phase (OLP). Those patients achieving normokalemia (sK + 3.5-5.0 mmol/L inclusive) entered a 28-day randomized (2:2:1) treatment phase (RTP) and received SZC 5 g, SZC 10 g, or placebo once daily. The primary endpoint was mean sK + during RTP Days 8 to 29. Secondary endpoints included mean change in sK + during the OLP, the proportion of patients who achieved normokalemia at the end of the OLP, the proportion that maintained normokalemia during the RTP, and time to recurrence of hyperkalemia., Findings: In total, 270 patients received SZC 10 g TID during the OLP; 256 (94.8%) completed the OLP. During the OLP, mean sK + decreased by 1.1 mmol/L from baseline (5.9 mmol/L; P < 0.001) and 87.4% of patients achieved normokalemia. During the RTP, SZC 5 g and 10 g reduced mean sK + versus placebo in a dose-dependent manner (each P < 0.001); least-squares means (95% confidence interval [CI]) sK + were 4.9 mmol/L (4.7, 5.0), 4.4 mmol/L (4.3, 4.6), and 5.2 mmol/L (5.1, 5.4) for SZC 5 g, 10 g, and placebo, respectively. At RTP end, the proportions of patients who maintained normokalemia were 58.8% (SZC 5 g; odds ratio vs placebo, 2.5 [95% CI: 1.1, 6.1; P = 0.035]), 76.5% (SZC 10 g; odds ratio vs placebo, 6.3 [95% CI: 2.6, 15.3; P < 0.001]), and 36.8% for placebo. Risk of recurrent hyperkalemia was reduced by 61.0% and 84.0% with SZC 5 g and SZC 10 g, respectively, versus placebo (each P < 0.001). During the RTP, the incidence of adverse events was numerically higher with SZC 5 g (50.0% of patients) and 10 g (44.0%) versus placebo (36.0%); driven primarily by peripheral edema and constipation., Implications: Both SZC doses demonstrated clinically relevant and statistically significant, dose-dependent efficacy in managing sK + levels in Chinese patients with hyperkalemia, compared with placebo. SZC tolerability was broadly aligned with the known safety profile of SZC., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest June Zhao, Yong Zhang, and Vera Lisovskaja are employees of AstraZeneca and hold or may hold stock in AstraZeneca. Xinling Liang, Wanhong Lu, Xueqing Yu, Hong Cheng, Qiang He, Qingfeng Peng, Zhaohui Ni, Gang Long, Lihua Wang, Wei Chen, Rong Li, and Zhiji Tang report no disclosures. This study is sponsored by AstraZeneca. The sponsor was involved in the study design, writing of the article, and the decision to submit the article for publication. Ultimate responsibility for opinions, conclusions, and data interpretation lies with the authors., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)