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This paper presents the results of a study that examines the success factors in developing and implementing supply chain management strategies for Hong Kong manufacturers. A survey was conducted recently in Hong Kong manufacturing industries to examine the importance and the extent to which the Hong Kong manufacturers practiced the strategies based on these identified success factors. The results will help further in providing greater understanding of the success factors that lead to successful implementation of SCM strategies to reduce supply chain wide costs and to improve customer service levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Question: Does a humanin analogue (HNG) have a therapeutic effect on intrauterine adhesions (IUAs) caused by uterine cavity surgery in a rat model?, Summary Answer: HNG supplementation attenuated the development of endometrial fibrosis and IUAs, improved fertility, and contributed to the regulation of endometrial fibrosis by inhibiting endometrial ferroptosis in rats with IUAs., What Is Known Already: IUAs, which are characterized by endometrial fibrosis, are a common cause of female infertility. Humanin (rattin in rats) is a mitochondrial-derived peptide that is widely expressed in multiple tissues. S14G-humanin (HNG) is an HNG that has been reported to have a protective effect against myocardial fibrosis., Study Design, Size, Duration: Endometrial tissues from three patients with IUAs and three controls were tested for humanin expression. Two animal models were used to evaluate the modelling effect of IUAs and the preventive effect of HNG against IUAs. In the first model, 40 rats were equally randomized to control and Day 7, 14, and 21 groups to establish the IUA model. In the second model, 66 rats were equally randomized to the control, IUA, and IUA + humanin analogue (HNG) groups. Erastin was used to induce ferroptosis in the Ishikawa cell line., Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: The endometrium was scraped with a surgical spatula, combined with lipopolysaccharide treatment, to establish the rat model of IUAs. Rats were intraperitoneally injected with 5 mg/kg/day HNG for 21 consecutive days beginning from the day of operation to evaluate the therapeutic effect on IUAs. Haematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome staining were used to assess endometrial morphology and evaluate fibrosis. Ferroptosis-related markers, namely nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4), haeme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), and ferritin, were measured by immunohistochemistry and western blotting to determine whether ferroptosis was involved in the development of IUAs and to assess the attenuative effect of HNG on ferroptosis. Additionally, the female rats were mated with male rats with normal fertility to assess fertility., Main Results and the Role of Chance: Humanin was widely expressed in endometrial cells, including epithelial and stromal cells, in both humans and rats. Humanin expression levels were downregulated in the endometria of patients and rats with IUAs relative to the endometria of controls. Endometrial thickness and the number of glands were significantly decreased on Day 7, 14, and 21 after endometrial scraping when compared with the controls (all P < 0.05), whereas the fibrotic area was significantly increased (P < 0.05). Among the tested ferroptosis markers, the expression levels of Nrf2, SLC7A11, and GPX4 were significantly downregulated and those of ACSL4, HO-1, and ferritin were significantly upregulated after endometrial scraping relative to their expression levels in controls (all P < 0.05). The mating rates in the control, IUA, and IUA + HNG groups were 100% (10/10), 40% (4/10), and 80% (8/10), respectively. The number of embryos in rats with IUAs (mean ± SD: 1.6 ± 2.1) was significantly less than the number in the controls (11.8 ± 1.5). HNG supplementation significantly attenuated this decrease in the number of implanted embryos (6.3 ± 4.5) (P < 0.01). Further results showed that HNG significantly attenuated the altered expression levels of proteins involved in ferroptosis in the endometria of rats with IUAs. Moreover, in vitro experiments showed that HNG significantly attenuated the erastin-induced decrease in the viability of the Ishikawa cell line and also attenuated the increase in reactive oxygen species production and the downregulation of GPX4., Large Scale Data: None., Limitations, Reasons for Caution: The findings of this study showed that HNG inhibited ferroptosis and reduced fibrosis in a rat model of IUAs. However, we could not establish a causal relationship between ferroptosis and the development of IUAs., Wider Implications of the Findings: HNG may be effective at alleviating fibrosis during the development of IUAs, and the inhibition of ferroptosis is a promising new strategy for IUA therapy., Study Funding/competing Interest(s): This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 82171647); the '1000 Talent Plan' of Yunnan Province (No. RLQN20200001); and the Basic Research Project of the Yunnan Province-Outstanding Youth Foundation (No. 202101AW070018). The authors declare no competing financial interests., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Aquatic organisms in industrially polluted areas can accumulate large quantities of heavy metals. To assess the resulting health risks, 11 trace elements in 184 aquatic products representing 14 species of fish, crustaceans, and bivalves collected from Shenzhen, China were determined. Aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), antimony (Sb), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The pollution levels of each product and the human health risk resulting from their consumption were then assessed. The concentrations of As in 57 % of samples and Cd in 11 % of samples exceeded the upper limits stipulated by the Chinese National Food Safety Standards (GB 2762-2017), which was mainly due to high concentrations of trace elements in crustaceans and bivalves. The Nemerow integrated pollution index indicated that the aquatic products accumulated high levels of As and Cd. Health risk assessments using the target hazard quotient (THQ) and hazard index (HI) suggested that As and Cd exposure due to consumption of aquatic products presents a potential health risk for residents of Shenzhen., 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 © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Organophosphate esters (OPEs), which are frequently used as flame retardants and plasticizers in versatile products, are readily released to the external environment. Although workers at municipal waste incineration plants may be extensively exposed to OPEs, only scarce health monitoring and risk assessments have been conducted in this population. In this study, we investigated the levels of eight metabolites of organophosphate esters (mOPEs) and the oxidative stress marker 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in urine samples from 73 waste incinerator workers and 97 general residents from Shenzhen, China between September 2016 and June 2017. The overall detection rate of mOPEs was 82.2 %-100 %, and higher concentrations of di-p-cresyl phosphate and chlorinated mOPEs [bis(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (BCEP), bis(1-chloro-2propyl) phosphate (BCIPP), bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate) (BDCIPP)] were found among incinerator workers than among general residents. The incinerator workers also showed significantly higher levels of 8-OHdG than general residents, but the measured levels of most mOPEs were not significantly correlated with the level of 8-OHdG; this may be because co-exposure to multiple toxic compounds can lead to oxidative stress. Risk assessment using Monte Carlo simulations revealed that 95 % of the incinerator workers were free from non-carcinogenic effects due to OPEs exposure (hazard index = 0.27, 95 % CI: 0.09, 0.77). However, the carcinogenic risk of tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) for incinerator workers was between 10 -6 and 10 -4 . These results indicate that incinerator workers are extensively exposed to OPEs, and better protective measures need to be implemented., 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 © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infection (CRKP-BSI) is increasing worldwide. CRKP-BSI is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality due to limited antibiotic choices. Here, we aim to identify the prevalence and risk factors for infection and mortality of CRKP BSI., Methods: This was a retrospective study of the past data from January 1st, 2012 to December 31st, 2019 of adult patients with KP-BSI in Xiangya Hospital, China., Results: Among the 706 incidences included in this study, 27.4% of them (212/753) being CR-KP strains. The occurrence of CRKP-BSI was increased from 20.69 to 37.40% from 2012 to 2019. Hematologic malignancies and ICU acquired infection were identified to be substantial risk factors of carbapenem resistance. The overall 28-day mortality rates of CRKP-BSI patients was significantly higher than that of CSKP-BSI (P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis identified severe sepsis or septic shock incidents, inadequate empirical antimicrobial therapy and corticosteroids use preceding infection onset as the independent predictors of 28-day mortality of CRKP-BSI patients. However, high dose carbapenem combination therapy was identified as anticipated factors of low 28-day mortality., Conclusion: The occurrence of CRKP-BSI was significantly increased during the study period. Hematologic malignancies and ICU acquired infection were associated with the development of CRKP BSI. Severe sepsis or septic shock incidents, inadequate empirical antimicrobial therapy and corticosteroids use preceding infection onset caused significant increase of mortality rates in CRKP-BSI patients. High dose carbapenem combination therapy was associated with better outcome., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Misuse or overuse of antibiotics can have a variety of detrimental microbial effects. However, the body burden of antibiotics in the general population is currently unclear. In this cross-sectional study, we determined four classes of widely-applied antibiotics (3 imidazoles, 2 sulfonamides, 5 quinolones, and 2 chloramphenicols) in urine samples from 1170 adult residents in Shenzhen, China. Antibiotics were detected in 30.8 % of all urine samples with concentrations ranging from

Waste incineration is one of the most common emission sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), causing potential occupational exposure in waste incineration workers. However, relative investigations among waste incineration plant workers are still very limited, particularly in China. Therefore, we collected urine specimens from 77 workers in a waste incineration plant as the exposed group, and 101 residents as the control group in Shenzhen, China. Nine mono-hydroxylated PAH metabolites (OH-PAHs) and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were measured, and their internal relationships were explored. The urinary levels of most OH-PAHs and 8-OHdG in the exposed group exhibited high levels versus another group (p < 0.05). We found negative associations between OH-PAHs and 8-OHdG in the control group (p < 0.05), while most of OH-PAHs were not associated with 8-OHdG in the exposed group, which indicated that the exposure to waste incineration could enlarge the level of individual oxidative stress damage. Nevertheless, PAHs were less likely to trigger obvious health risks in exposed workers through estimation of human intake and exposure risks. This study provides a reference for occupational PAH exposure and strengthen the need of health monitoring among incineration workers., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Although the widespread use of modern antiretroviral therapy (ART) has reduced the incidence of talaromycosis in people living with HIV, mortality remains as high as 20% in this population, even after appropriate antifungal treatment., Objectives: The objective of our study was to develop a risk assessment system for HIV-infected patients with comorbid talaromycosis, in order to provide these patients with appropriate, effective and potentially life-saving interventions at an early stage of their illness., Patients/methods: This was a multicentre, retrospective cohort study conducted in China. We built a predictive model based on data from 11 hospitals, and a validated model using the data of 1 hospital located in an endemic area., Results: Forward stepwise multivariate statistical calculations indicated that age, aspartate aminotransferase/alanine transaminase ratio and albumin levels, and BUN levels were valid, independent predictors of the risk of death in HIV-infected patients with talaromycosis. Our developed and validated risk scoring system is effective for the identification of HIV-infected patients with talaromycosis at high risk of death at hospital admission (p < .001; AUC = 0.860). In our study, our risk prediction model provided functional and robust discrimination in the validation cohort (p < .001; AUC = 0.793)., Conclusion: The prognostic scoring system for mortality assessment developed in the present study is an easy-to-use clinical tool designed to accurately assist clinicians in identifying high-risk patients with talaromycosis., (© 2020 The Authors. Mycoses published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Background: Lipid abnormalities are prevalent among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (PLWH) and contribute to increasing risk of cardiovascular events. This study aims to investigate the incidence of dyslipidemia and its risk factors in PLWH after receiving different first-line free antiretroviral regimens., Methods: PLWH who sought care at the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen from January 2014 to December 2018 were included, and the baseline characteristics and clinical data during the follow-up were collected, including total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The risk factors of dyslipidemia after antiretroviral therapy were analyzed with the generalized estimating equation model., Results: Among the 7623 PLWH included, the mean levels of TC, HDL-C and LDL-C were 4.23 ± 0.85 mmol/L, 1.27 ± 0.29 mmol/L and 2.54 ± 0.65 mmol/L, respectively, and the median TG was 1.17 (IQR: 0.85-1.68) mmol/L. Compared with that in PLWH receiving tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) + lamivudine (3TC) + ritonavir-boosted lopinavir (LPV/r), zidovudine (AZT) + 3TC + efavirenz (EFV), and AZT + 3TC + LPV/r, the incidence of dyslipidemia was lower in PLWH receiving TDF + 3TC + EFV. In multivariate analysis, we found that the risks of elevations of TG, TC, and LDL-C were higher with TDF + 3TC + LPV/r (TG: odds ratio [OR] = 2.82, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.55-3.11, P < 0.001; TC: OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.14-1.35, P < 0.001; LDL: OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.00-1.12, P = 0.041), AZT + 3TC + EFV (TG: OR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.28-1.55, P < 0.001; TC: OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.31-1.56, P < 0.001; LDL: OR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.12-1.25, P < 0.001), and AZT + 3TC + LPV/r (TG: OR = 3.08, 95% CI: 2.65-3.59, P < 0.001; TC: OR = 2.40, 95% CI: 1.96-2.94, P < 0.001; LDL: OR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.37-1.69, P < 0.001) than with TDF + 3TC + EFV, while treatment with TDF + 3TC + LPV/r was less likely to restore HDL-C levels compared with TDF + 3TC + EFV (OR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.97, P < 0.001). In addition to antiretroviral regimens, antiretroviral therapy duration, older age, overweight, obesity and other traditional factors were also important risk factors for dyslipidemia., Conclusion: The incidence of dyslipidemia varies with different antiretroviral regimens, with TDF + 3TC + EFV having lower risk for dyslipidemia than the other first-line free antiretroviral regimens in China.

Introduction: A specific molecular diagnosis of monogenic diabetes mellitus (MDM) will help to predict the clinical course and guide management. This study aims to identify the causative genes implicated in Chinese patients with MDM with onset before 3 years of age., Research Design and Methods: 71 children with diabetes mellitus (43 diagnosed before 6 months of age, and 28 diagnosed between 6 months and 3 years of age who were negative for diabetes-associated autoantibodies) underwent genetic testing with a combination strategy of Sanger sequencing, chromosome microarray analysis and whole exome sequencing. They were categorized into four groups according to the age of onset of diabetes (at or less than 6 months, 6 to 12 months, 1 to 2 years, 2 to 3 years) to investigate the correlation between genotype and phenotype., Results: Genetic abnormalities were identified in 39 of 71 patients (54.93%), namely KCNJ11 (22), ABCC8 (3), GCK (3), INS (3), BSCL2 (1) and chromosome abnormalities (7). The majority (81.40%, 35/43) of neonatal diabetes diagnosed less than 6 months of age and 33.33% (3/9) of infantile cases diagnosed between 6 and 12 months of age had a genetic cause identified. Only 11.11% (1/9) of cases diagnosed between 2 and 3 years of age were found to have a genetic cause, and none of the 10 patients diagnosed between 1 and 2 years had a positive result in the genetic analysis. Vast majority or 90.48% (19/21) of patients with KCNJ11 (19) or ABCC8 (2) variants had successful switch trial from insulin to oral sulfonylurea., Conclusions: This study suggests that genetic testing should be given priority in diabetes cases diagnosed before 6 months of age, as well as those diagnosed between 6 and 12 months of age who were negative for diabetes-associated autoantibodies. This study also indicates significant impact on therapy with genetic cause confirmation., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Taking the surface sediments of rivers near a uranium mine in East China as the research object, the concentrations of seven metals, including Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Cd and As, were analyzed. The pollution degree and ecological risk of heavy metals and arsenic were evaluated according to the geo-accumulation index, pollution loading index, potential ecological risk index and sediment quality guidelines. Finally, the sources of pollution were determined by Pearson's correlation analysis, principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis. The results indicated that Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Cd and As in sediments showed varying degrees of contamination, using the soil background value of the study area as a reference, and Cd was the main excessive pollutant in the sediments. In most parts of the river, Cd has reached a moderate level of pollution. The potential ecological hazards at sampling sites 9, 13, 17 and 18 are significantly higher than the other sites because of the impact of urbanization and uranium mining and smelting. Cu, Zn, Cr, Ni and Cd are mainly derived from urban activities and the uranium industry, Pb is mainly derived from vehicle emissions, and As is mainly derived from nature and rocks.

Background:  Thrombus formation within the left ventricle (LV) is a well-known clinical entity and is often associated with underlying myocardial disease, whereas right ventricular (RV) thrombi are rarely observed. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with arrhythmogenic RV cardiomyopathy (ARVC) who developed an RV thrombus., Methods and Results:  This study included patients with an RV thrombus from the ARVC databases of the University Heart Center in Zurich, Switzerland, and the Fuwai Hospital in Beijing, China. In total, there were 13 ARVC patients who had an RV thrombus detected. The mean age was 33 ± 15 (range: 11-51) years. Eight patients (62%) were male. The mean Task Force score was 6 ± 1. Nine of these patients (69%) had an RV thrombus only whereas four patients had biventricular thrombi. All 13 ARVC patients had a severely impaired RV function (RV fractional area change 16 ± 9% and RV ejection fraction 15 ± 4%); LV ejection fraction (LVEF) was 40 ± 15%. ARVC patients with an additional LV thrombus had a lower LVEF than the others (24 ± 11 vs. 47 ± 11, p  = 0.02). Under therapeutic anticoagulation, complete thrombus resolution was observed in 9/13 patients (69%)., Conclusion:  RV thrombus formation is a potential complication of ARVC with impaired RV function. In patients with biventricular involvement, thrombi may also occur within the LV. Anticoagulation is generally effective to dissolve RV thrombi. This study highlights the need for awareness during cardiac imaging to detect this rare complication of ARVC., Competing Interests: None declared., (Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest malignancies with few early detection tests or effective therapies. PI3K-AKT signaling is recognized to modulate cancer progression. We previously identified that a genetic variant in PKN1 increased pancreatic cancer risk through the PKN1/FAK/PI3K/AKT pathway. In order to investigate the associations between genetic variations in that pathway and pancreatic cancer prognosis, we conducted a two-stage survival analysis in a total of 547 Chinese pancreatic cancer patients. Consequently, a variant, rs13167294 A>C in PIK3R1, was significantly associated with poor survival in both stages and with hazard ratio being 1.32 (95% CI = 1.13-1.56, P = 0.0007) in the combined analysis. Function annotation and prediction suggested that genetic variants in this locus might affect overall survival of pancreatic cancer patients by regulating PIK3R1 expression., (© 2019 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) are involved in a series of abnormal pregnancies like embryo growth arrest, spontaneous abortion, premature birth, stillbirth, fetal malformation, birth defects and other pathological pregnancy, and childbirth complications. Polymorphism of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene (MTHFR, 607093) is one of the main genetic causes of APO. However, there is still debate on whether MTHFR 1298A>C, rs1801131, polymorphism is related to APO. For the lack of extensive research in the Chinese population at present, the study aim to investigate the relationship between MTHFR 1298A>C polymorphism with APO through a large number of data., Methods: A total of 241 samples from patients with APO and 117 healthy controls in Yunnan province were used for MTHFR gene polymorphism analysis, with double fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In consideration of the low frequency of MTHFR 1298C/C genotype, which might affect the statistic results, further datasets of MTHFR 1298A>C polymorphism were collected from literature and analyzed., Results: No statistical difference was detected in the frequency of MTHFR1298A>C polymorphism between two groups in Yunnan. Our data showed that the frequency of MTHFR 1298A/A genotype had the decreasing tendency among Chinese population from northern to southern, as well as eastern to western of China. The frequency of MTHFR 1298A/C and 1298C/C genotypes had the adverse tendency. The frequency of MTHFR 1298C/C genotype was significantly different between two groups in Chinese populations. The significant difference was also observed in the frequency of MTHFR 1298C/C polymorphism between two groups from central China and southern China., Conclusion: In summary, our data showed that MTHFR 1298C/C genotype was one of the important genetic factors of APO in China., (© 2019 The Authors. Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Variants in the desmoglein-2 (DSG2) gene account for a significant proportion of patients with Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the genetic epidemiology of DSG2 and the impact of a frequent homozygous DSG2 variant in East Asia., Methods: Genetic screening of 14 ARVC related genes was performed in 118 unrelated index patients using next-generation sequencing. Following that, family screening, clinical evaluation and haplotype analysis were performed among eight probands who carry the same homozygous DSG2 variant. We also examined the histopathology and protein expression using immunofluorescence staining on the myocardial tissue of two probands undergoing heart transplant., Results: Eighteen (15.2%) patients bear rare putatively deleterious variants in DSG2, among which 8 patients shared the homozygous DSG2 p.Phe531Cys variant. Family screening demonstrated that only homozygous variant carriers exhibited definite ARVC phenotype with 100% penetrance, while heterozygous variant carriers were either unaffected or only presented mild ARVC related symptoms in 25% relatives. Left ventricular involvement and bi-ventricular failure were common among homozygous p. Phe531Cys variant patients even at early age. Haplotype analysis demonstrated p. Phe531Cys was a founder variant in East Asia population with an allele frequency of 0.12%., Conclusions: We identified, for the first time, a homozygous founder variant of DSG2 in East Asia, which was at surprisingly high frequency of 8.47% among Chinese ARVC patients with a full penetrance. This result suggested an urgent demand of genetic counseling for the probands and their relatives with heterozygous variant., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In the present study, 24 Y-chromosomal short tandem repeat (Y-STR) loci were analyzed in 250 unrelated Hani male individuals from Lvchun county, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, Southwest China. The gene diversity of the 24 Y-STR loci in the studied Hani group ranged from 0.2683 (DYS437) to 0.8837 (DYS447). According to haplotypic analysis of the 24 Y-STR loci, 204 different haplotypes were obtained, 174 of which were unique. The haplotype diversity and discrimination capacity in Hani group were 0.9977 and 0.8160 at 24 STR loci, respectively. Six single non-fraction off-ladder alleles were observed at DYS447 in 103 samples, in addition to the alleles 19 to 28 included in the allelic ladder, alleles 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18 were also observed at DYS447. One intermediate allele 20.2 was observed in one individual at DYS527a/b. We analyzed interpopulation differentiations by making comparisons between Yunnan Hani group and other 17 groups. The results of pairwise genetic distances, multidimensional scaling plot, and neighbor-joining tree at the same set of 17 Y-filer loci indicated that Yunnan Hani group had the closer genetic relationships with Yunnan Han group. The present results may provide useful information for paternal lineages in forensic cases and can also increase our understanding of the genetic relationships between Hani and other groups.

Background: Neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT), caused by maternal antibodies raised against alloantigens carried on foetal platelets, is a very common haematological abnormality in newborns worldwide. However, baseline data on NAIT in China are lacking. Therefore, this study seeks to explore the incidence of alloantibody against the human platelet antigen (HPA) in pregnant women and its associations with NAIT in China., Methods: A multicentre, prospective cohort study design will be used, and 55,497 pregnant women will be recruited for the first screening of the anti-HPA antibody at 12 to 28 weeks of gestational age. Subjects who are positive in the first screening for the anti-HPA antibody will be included in the exposure group. Re-tests of the antibody titre, antigen-specificity and genotyping of HPA and HLA will be conducted during admission. A ratio of 1:1 paired individuals with the same ethnicity and parity but testing negative for the anti-HPA antibody will be randomly selected to be included in the non-exposure group. NAIT will be diagnosed in the newborns on day one of the birth. The HPA of the neonates in the exposure group will also be genotyped by sequencing. Associations of maternal HLA with the occurrence of the anti-HPA antibody and correlation of the severity of NAIT with the titre of the anti-HPA antibody will be further analysed., Discussion: The study is expected to provide baseline data on NAIT in China. Besides, we hope to find out a population who expresses particular HLA molecules has significant higher risk of HPA alloimmunization in Chinese individuals. We also hope to find a Chinese-specific cut-off antibody titre for the prediction of the severity of NAIT and to provide a means to evaluate the necessity of antenatal treatment., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02934906 (date registered: 13.10.2016).

The genetic polymorphisms of 20 autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci included in the PowerPlex® 21 kit were evaluated in 522 healthy unrelated Vietnamese from Yunnan, China. All of the loci reached the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. These loci were examined to determine allele frequencies and forensic statistical parameters. The combined discrimination power and probability of excluding paternity of the 20 STR loci were 0.999999999999999999999991 26 and 0.999999975, respectively. Results suggested that the 20 STR loci are highly polymorphic, which is suitable for forensic personal identification and paternity testing.

Background: The effect of alcohol consumption on prostate health and reproductive hormone profiles has long been investigated and currently, no consensus has been reached. Additionally, large studies focusing on this topic are relatively rare in China., Purpose: To investigate the association of alcohol consumption with prostate measurements and reproductive hormone profiles in Chinese population; and to examine the relationship between hormone levels and prostate measurements., Methods: This cross-sectional study included 4535 men from four representative provinces of China. Demographic details, family history of prostate disease, tobacco and alcohol consumption, as well as International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS) were collected through a questionnaire. Total prostate specific antingen (total PSA), free PSA, free PSA/total PSA ratio (f/tPSA), and reproductive hormones were measured in serum. Multi-variable regression models were used to test for association of alcohol consumption with markers of prostate health, used to test for association of alcohol consumption with reproductive hormones, and reproductive hormones with markers of prostate health., Results: Alcohol consumption had no obvious impact on total PSA concentration and I-PSS. Current drinkers had lower level of free PSA (β = -0.11, p = 0.02) and f/tPSA (β = -0.03, p = 0.005), former drinkers also had lower level of free PSA (β = -0.19, p = 0.02) when compared with never drinkers. Lower Luteinizing hormone (LH) (β = -1.05, p = 0.01), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) (β = -4.71, p = 0.01) and higher estradiol (β = 7.81, p = 0.01) was found in current drinkers than never drinkers, whereas higher LH (β = 1.04, p = 0.04) and free testosterone (FT) (β = 0.03, p = 0.02) was detected in former drinkers than never drinkers. Furthermore, LH was positively associated with f/tPSA (β = 0.002, p = 0.006), SHBG was also positively related with free PSA (β = 0.003, p = 0.003) and f/tPSA (β = 0.0004, p = 0.01). Both total testosterone (TT) and FT were inversely related with I-PSS (OR = 0.97, 95% CI, 0.95-0.98; OR = 0.23, 95% CI, 0.11-0.45, respectively)., Conclusions: Alcohol consumption could affect serum free PSA concentration and also f/tPSA ratio, and also acts as an endocrine disruptor on the male reproductive hormone profiles. LH and SHBG were positively related with fPSA and f/tPSA, and higher level of TT and FT may be helpful for improving participants' subjective symptoms.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the semen quality of university students in Wuhan, the largest city in the world in terms of the number of university students. All student sperm donors recorded in the Hubei Province Human Sperm Bank from 1 March 2010 to 31 December 2013 were screened. At last, a total of 3616 semen samples from 1808 university student sperm donors were eligible and retrospectively analyzed. Each donor's semen parameters were averaged over two samples and compared with the World Health Organization criteria, and a generalized linear regression model was used to examine several determinants of semen quality. We found that the mean and median values were 3.0 ml and 2.8 ml for semen volume, 50.2 × 10 6 ml-1 and 50.0 × 10 6 ml-1 for sperm concentration, 148.1 × 10 6 and 142.1 × 10 6 for total sperm count, and 58.6% and 60.0% for total sperm motility. About 85.0% of donors had parameters that were all normal. Season and duration of abstinence were critical factors affecting semen quality. We also found a decrease in sperm concentration during the 4 years observation; however, this may not be a strong evidence to confirm the declining trend of semen quality. In conclusion, semen quality of university students in Wuhan was not optimal and should be paid high attention, long-term observation and further study should be carried out to confirm the present situation.

Objective: To understand the changes of schistosomiasis endemic situation and water body security in the Changsha City section of the Xiangjiang River., Methods: The prevention and control measures of schistosomiasis, the status of Oncomelania hupensis snails in the marshlands, and the schistosome infection rates of residents on the both sides of the river and boat fishermen were investigated from 2003 to 2012. The schistosome infectivity of the water body was investigate by the method of sentry mice., Results: The snail area decreased from 471 hm(2) in 2003 to 28.81 hm(2) in 2012 with the decline rate of 93.88%. Through the environmental modification, no living snails were found in 9 marshlands among the 11 marshlands, and the density of snails was below 0.006/0.1 m(2) in the other 2 marshlands, but no infected snails were found for 7 years. The original snail habitats of Juzhou scenic area were completely modified and no living snails were found from 2008. In the area, no domestic animals were pastured and the schistosome infectivity of the water body was negative with the sentry mouse method for 10 years. In 2003, the schistosome infection rate was 3.63% in the residents, but no new infections were found in original residents after 2010., Conclusion: The endemic situation of schistosomiasis of the Changsha City section of the Xiangjiang River has reached the standards of schistosomiasis transmission controlled and the water body of Juzhou scenic area is safe.

Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) is a conservation concern that increasingly threatens the continued existence of some of the world's most endangered species. With an increase in human population, urban sprawl and subsequent encroachment on wild land, human and wildlife interaction has become inevitable. In the majority of cases, this interaction results in a negative outcome for humans, wildlife or both. In China, these key elements, along with a decrease in wild prey species, have resulted in the expansion of HWC encounters, and the need for alleviating this conflict has become a conservation priority. Loss of human life, livestock and/or crops is most often the catalysts that fuel HWC. Techniques to alleviate conflict around the world have included preventative measures and mitigation techniques, such as financial compensation and other incentive programs. Both types of measures have had variable success. We review the current status of human-carnivore conflict management in China, and, drawing lessons from around the globe, we make recommendations for improving conservation management in China. For example, an increase in law enforcement in nature reserves is vital to reducing human disturbance in prime carnivore habitat, thereby reducing conflict encounters. Also, modifications to current wildlife compensation programs, so that they are linked with preventative measures, will ensure that moral hazards are avoided. Furthermore, investigating the potential for a community self-financed insurance scheme to fund compensation and increasing efforts to restore wild prey populations will improve the outcome for wildlife conservation. Ultimately, HWC management in China will greatly benefit from an integrative approach., (© 2012 ISZS, Blackwell Publishing and IOZ/CAS.)

Objective: To study a reliable, friendly environmental and sustainable Oncomelania snail control method in marshlands of the Xiangjiang River., Methods: According to the special characteristics of the marshlands of the Xiangjiang River, smoothing and cultivating in beaches were applied for snail control. In sections with scarce distribution of snails, lowering parts of 4.4 beaches and raising other parts were added., Results: Since 2003, the project has been practiced for 8 years. The average snail density declined by 99.83% with the simple smoothing beaches and then cultivation there. The average snail density declined by 100% with lowering parts of beaches and raising other parts and then cultivation. The schistosome infection rate was 0.31% with a declined rate of 93.84% in residents in 2006. The schistosome infection rate was 1.03% in 2010. The test result of water contamination was negative., Conclusions: The method of simple smoothing beaches and then cultivation can control the density of snails in marshlands and the method of lowering parts of beaches and raising other parts and then cultivation is more effective.

Abnormalities of epithelial proliferation have been proposed as an early step in gastrointestinal carcinogenesis. To determine whether micronutrient supplementation may reduce squamous epithelial proliferation in the esophagus, we evaluated proliferation in subjects participating in a randomized nutrition intervention trial in Linxian, China, where esophageal cancer rates are among the highest in the world. After 30 months of intervention involving daily supplementation with multiple vitamins and minerals, an endoscopic survey was performed and squamous biopsies from 512 subjects were labeled with tritiated thymidine and autoradiographed. Analysis showed no treatment effect on the overall amount of squamous epithelial proliferation measured by the total labeling index. However, a measure of the vertical distribution of labeled cells showed lower values with supplementation: a 14% reduction in all subjects (P = 0.29), and a 29% reduction in nonsmokers (P = 0.03). These results suggest a potential modest benefit for short-term intervention with multiple vitamins and minerals on squamous epithelial cell proliferation of the esophagus in this high-risk population.

Epithelial proliferation is an active area of research in gastrointestinal cancer, but only a few studies have examined the relationship of esophageal epithelial proliferation and squamous histologic findings in populations with high rates of squamous esophageal cancer. In order to study this correlation, tritiated thymidine labeling was performed on 1185 esophageal biopsies from 745 residents of Linxian, China, a county with some of the highest esophageal-cancer rates in the world. Total labeling index (TLI = total labeled cells/total cells counted) was used to measure the amount of proliferation, and the proportion of labeled cells found in cell layers 4 to 10 (labeled cell fraction 4 plus, LF4+ = labeled cells in layers 4-10/total labeled cells) was used to measure the vertical distribution of proliferation. Of the biopsies, 979 were histologically normal, 51 showed acanthosis, 35 showed esophagitis, 116 showed squamous dysplasia, and 6 showed invasive squamous cancer. The mean values of both proliferation variables, stratified by histologic diagnosis, showed the following relationships: normal = acanthosis < esophagitis = dysplasia < cancer. The ranges of proliferation values overlapped extensively in all biopsy categories, so that measuring proliferation could not substitute for histologic diagnosis. It remains to be seen whether proliferation values, histologic diagnoses, or some combination of these methods is most predictive of subsequent esophageal cancer.