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Spartina alterniflora (S. alterniflora) expanded continuously in the coastal zone of the mainland in China, which caused serious ecological problems. Currently, there are several studies on large-scale time-series mappings of S. alterniflora but the time interval of these mappings is over three years. Consequently, these studies fail to capture the rapid dynamics of S. alterniflora. Leveraging the temporal transferability of DeepLabv3+, this study annotated 2020 Sentinel-2 data as training data to obtain the optimal model. Subsequently, we applied this model to predict Sentinel-2 data for other years (2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021), respectively. Ultimately, we produced accurate time-series maps of S. alterniflora from 2017 to 2021 in mainland China (China mainland S. alterniflora, CMSA). Meanwhile, it also confirmed the high transferability of the DeepLabv3+ model in the time-series mapping of S. alterniflora. The obtained annual time-series maps have revealed a more detailed account of how S. alterniflora changes over time that previous studies had failed to capture. It has enriched our understanding of the dynamic changes in S. alterniflora. The mapping results revealed that S. alterniflora continued to grow along the mainland coast from 2017 to 2021 but at a slower growth rate. In some local regions, we discovered: (1) S. alterniflora populations can naturally shrink under certain conditions, such as in the Dandou Sea; (2) the area of S. alterniflora has increased slightly after decreasing for several years (e.g. Yueqing Bay). However, in some other regions, there is no observed regrowth after removal (e.g. Dongtan on Chongming Island and Chuandong Port). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Orofacial pain (OFP) is a highly prevalent disorder in mainland China that predisposes to an associated physical and psychological disability. There is lack of a good properties mainland Chinese version of instrument to examine OFP. This study aims to cross-cultural adaptation and evaluate psychometrics properties of the Manchester Orofacial Pain Disability Scale (MOPDS) in mainland Chinese Mandarin context. Methods: Translation and cross-cultural adaption of the mainland Chinese version MOPDS were conducted following accepted guidelines of self-report measures. Chinese college students (N = 1039) completed the mainland Chinese version of the MOPDS for item analysis, reliability and validity tests, and measurement invariance analysis, and after a one-month interval, around 10% of the sample (n = 110) were invited to retest. To conduct the CFA and measurement invariance analysis, Mplus 8.4 was used. IBM SPSS Statistics 26 software were used for all additional studies. Results: We found that the mainland Chinese version of MOPDS contains 25 items, divided into two categories: physical disability and psychological disability. The scale demonstrated excellent internal reliability, test-retest reliability, and validity. The measurement invariance results proved that the scale could be applied to people of different gender, age, and health consultation status. Conclusions: The results demonstrated the mainland Chinese version of MOPDS has good psychometric properties and can be used to measure the level of physical and psychological disability of Chinese OFP peoples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by isolated thrombocytopenia. This bibliometric analysis was applied to identify the characteristics of global scientific output, the hotspots, and frontiers of ITP over the past 10 years. We retrieved publications from 2011 to 2021 from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). Bibliometrix package, VOSviewer, and Citespace were used to analyse and visualize the trend, distribution, and hotspots of research on ITP. Altogether, there were 2084 papers, written by 9080 authors from 410 organizations in 70 countries/regions, published in 456 journals with 37 160 co‐cited references. In the last decades, the most productive journal was British Journal of Haematology, China was the most productive country. and the most cited journal was Blood. Shandong University was the most productive institution in the field of ITP. NEUNERT C, 2011, BLOOD, CHENG G, 2011, LANCET, and PATEL VL, 2012, BLOOD were the top three most cited documents. "Thrombopoietin receptor agonist", "regulatory T cell" and "sialic acid" were three hotspots of the last decade. And "immature platelet fraction", "Th17", and "fostamatinib" would be research frontiers in the feature. The present study provided a novel insight for future research directions and scientific decision‐making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objective of this study was to develop the Chinese version of the biopsychosocial impact scale (BPIm-S) to assess functional limitation and psychosocial distress in orofacial pain (OFP) patients in mainland China, and investigate the factor structure, reliability and validity, measurement invariance, as well as scores differences across genders, age and educational status among OFP patients. Methods: The BPIm-S was developed and evaluated in four stages: (1) concept selection and item generation; (2) a pilot study assessing face and content validity; (3) the factors structure, reliability, convergent validity, and measurement invariance; and (4) concurrent validity and clinical responsiveness. Exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were performed on data gathered from 406 OFP patients to assess construct validity. Composite Reliability (CR) and the Average Variance Extracted (AVE) were used to assess internal convergent validity. CR, internal consistency, and split-half reliability were also performed to determine the reliability. Multigroup CFA (MGCFA) was used to assess measurement invariance across genders, age and educational status. Mann-Whitney test compared scores across different genders, age and educational status. Participants completed the BPIm-S, visual analog scale (VAS), brief pain inventory facial (BPI-F), General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and spearman 's correlation coefficient was used to evaluate the concurrent validity and item-total correlations. A total of 12 patients with OFP completed the BPIm-S twice to test clinical responsiveness. To conduct the CFA and measurement invariance analysis, Mplus 8.4 was used. IBM SPSS Statistics 21 software and SPSSAU, a web-based data science algorithm platform tool, were used for all additional studies. Results: For the preliminary version, 17 items were chosen. A total of four items were removed following the pilot research. The remaining 13 items of the BPIm-S comprised an overall summary scale. Excellent reliability (Item-to-total correlations ranged from 0.763 to 0.912) and strong internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.970, functional limitation, 0.962, and psychosocial distress, 0.977) were discovered. CFA also validated the structural validity of the 13-item scale. EFA was performed and a two-factor structure was investigated. In addition, MGCFA corroborated the measurement invariance of the BPIm-S across gender, age, and educational status. Patients over the age of 30, those with a medium level of education, and those with a low level of education showed substantially greater levels of functional limitation and psychological distress (Wilcoxon test, p < 0.001). Both concurrent validity and clinical responsiveness were assessed to be of good quality. Conclusion: The BPIm-S demonstrated good psychometric qualities and is a reliable tool that can now be used by clinicians to evaluate functional limitation and psychosocial distress among OFP patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sarcopenic obesity is regarded as a risk factor for the progression and development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Since male sex is a risk factor for NAFLD and skeletal muscle mass markedly varies between the sexes, we examined whether sex influences the association between appendicular skeletal muscle mass to visceral fat area ratio (SVR), that is, an index of skeletal muscle mass combined with abdominal obesity, and the histological severity of NAFLD. The SVR was measured by bioelectrical impedance in a cohort of 613 (M/F = 443/170) Chinese middle-aged individuals with biopsy-proven NAFLD. Multivariable logistic regression and subgroup analyses were used to test the association between SVR and the severity of NAFLD (i.e. non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) or NASH with the presence of any stage of liver fibrosis). NASH was identified by a NAFLD activity score ≥5, with a minimum score of 1 for each of its categories. The presence of fibrosis was classified as having a histological stage ≥1. The SVR was inversely associated with NASH in men (adjusted OR 0·62; 95 % CI 0·42, 0·92, P = 0·017 for NASH, adjusted OR 0·65; 95 % CI 0·43, 0·99, P = 0·043 for NASH with the presence of fibrosis), but not in women (1·47 (95 % CI 0·76, 2·83), P = 0·25 for NASH, and 1·45 (95 % CI 0·74, 2·83), P = 0·28 for NASH with the presence of fibrosis). There was a significant interaction for sex and SVR (Pinteraction = 0·017 for NASH and Pinteraction = 0·033 for NASH with the presence of fibrosis). Our findings show that lower skeletal muscle mass combined with abdominal obesity is strongly associated with the presence of NASH only in men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of dementia in China, particularly in rural areas, is consistently increasing; however, research on population-attributable fractions (PAFs) of risk factors for dementia is scarce. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey, namely, the China Multicentre Dementia Survey (CMDS) in selected rural and urban areas from 2018 to 2020. We performed face-to-face interviews and neuropsychological and clinical assessments to reach a consensus on dementia diagnosis. Prevalence and weighted PAFs of eight modifiable risk factors (six classical: less childhood education, hearing impairment, depression, physical inactivity, diabetes, and social isolation, and two novels: olfactory decline and being unmarried) for all-cause dementia were estimated. Results: Overall, CMDS included 17,589 respondents aged ≥ 65 years, 55.6% of whom were rural residents. The age- and sex-adjusted prevalence for all-cause dementia was 9.11% (95% CI 8.96–9.26), 5.19% (5.07–5.31), and 11.98% (11.8–12.15) in the whole, urban, and rural areas of China, respectively. Further, the overall weighted PAFs of the eight potentially modifiable risk factors were 53.72% (95% CI 52.73–54.71), 50.64% (49.4–51.89), and 56.54% (55.62–57.46) in the whole, urban, and rural areas of China, respectively. The eight risk factors' prevalence differed between rural and urban areas. Lower childhood education (PAF: 13.92%) and physical inactivity (16.99%) were primary risk factors in rural and urban areas, respectively. Conclusions: The substantial urban–rural disparities in the prevalence of dementia and its risk factors exist, suggesting the requirement of resident-specific dementia-prevention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urbanization and industrialization lead to severe air pollution in China, threatening public health. However, it is challenging to understand the pollutants' spatial distributions by relying on a network of ground-based monitoring instruments, considering the incomplete dataset. To predict the spatial distribution of fine-mode particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution near the surface, we established models based on the back propagation (BP) neural network for PM2.5 mass concentration in North China using remote sensing products. According to our predictions, PM2.5 mass concentrations are affected by changes in surface reflectance and the dominant particle size for different seasons. The PM2.5 mass concentration predicted by the seasonal model shows a similar spatial pattern (high in the east but low in the west) influenced by the terrain, but shows high value in winter and low in summer. Compared to the ground-based data, our predictions agree with the spatial distribution of PM2.5 mass concentrations, with a mean bias of +17% in the North China Plain in 2017. Furthermore, the correlation coefficients (R) of the four seasons' instantaneous measurements are always above 0.7, indicating that the seasonal models primarily improve the PM2.5 mass concentration prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the improved access to health services in China, inadequate diagnosis and management of dementia are common issues, especially in rural regions.Objective: The Hubei Memory & Aging Cohort Study was designed as a prospective study in Central China to determine the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors for dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) among urban and rural older adults.Methods: From 2018-2020, participants aged ≥65 years were screened, and data regarding their life behaviors, families, socio-economic status, physical and mental health, social and psychological factors, and cognition were collected. Diagnoses of MCI and dementia were made via consensus diagnosis using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fourth edition criteria.Results: Of 8,221 individuals who completed their baseline clinical evaluation, 4,449 (54.1%) were women and 3,164 (38.4%) were from remote rural areas (average age: 71.96 years; mean education period: 7.58 years). At baseline, 25.98%(95%confidence interval [CI]: 24.99-26.96) and 7.24%(95%CI: 6.68-7.80) of the participants were diagnosed with MCI and dementia, respectively. Prevalence showed a strong relationship with age. The substantial disparities between rural and urban regions in MCI and dementia prevalence and multiple dementia-related risk factors were revealed. Especially for dementia, the prevalence rate in rural areas was 2.65 times higher than that in urban regions.Conclusion: Our results suggested that public health interventions are urgently needed to achieve equitable diagnosis and management for people living with dementia in the communities across urban and rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic susceptibility and natural remanent magnetization of rocks are useful parameters to study geological structures and geodynamic processes. Traditional widely used algorithms for the inversion of magnetic data can recover the distribution of the apparent susceptibility or total magnetization intensity, but do not provide information on the remanent magnetization. In this paper, we propose a framework to directly invert for the magnetic susceptibility and the natural remanent magnetization vector using surface or airborne magnetic data, assuming that the Köenigsberger ratio of the rock is known or approximately deducible. The susceptibility and remanence are computed using two different approaches: (1) the susceptibility, intensity, and direction of the remanent magnetization are continuously recovered for each discretized cell and (2) the remanence direction is assumed to be uniform in each subzone and is iteratively computed as discrete values. Both processes are implemented using the preconditioned conjugate gradient algorithm. The method is tested on three synthetic models and one field data set from the Zaohuohexi iron-ore deposit, Qinghai Province, northwest China. The results of the continuous inversion show the trend of the remanent magnetization directions, while the discrete inversion yields more specific values. This inversion framework can determine the source bodies' geometry and position, and also provide superposed and comprehensive information on the natural remanent magnetization, which may be useful to investigate geological bodies bearing stable primary remanent magnetization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lulin Atmospheric Background Station (LABS, 23.47°N, 120.87°E; 2862 m above sea level) at the summit of Mount Lulin in central Taiwan was established in spring 2006 and is the only high-altitude background station over western Pacific region in East Asia to study the impact of various air pollutants through long-range transport. Continuous in-situ measurements of equivalent black carbon (EBC) and carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations were made at LABS from June 2012 to May 2014 and their association was investigated in this study. The highest monthly concentration of EBC (median; 840 ng m−3) and CO (212 ppbv) in March were primarily attributed to the westerly winds coupled with biomass-burning (BB) emissions from Southeast Asia (SEA) region. The association of EBC and CO was weak at LABS possibly due to the influence of dissimilar air masses from various sources, and scavenging or dilution of EBC during the long-range atmospheric transport to Mt. Lulin. The mean ΔEBC/ΔCO ratio (slope of least-squares regression line of ΔEBC-ΔCO scatterplot; where Δ indicates surplus amounts with respect to the background value) was found the most significant in March (5.3 ng m−3 ppbv−1 or 7.3 × 10−3 g of carbon as EBC per gram of carbon as CO). On the basis of episodic cases, the mean ΔEBC/ΔCO ratios at LABS were estimated to be 6.1, 8.0, and 2.4 ng m−3 ppbv−1 for SEA BB emissions, southern China mixed pollution, and northern China mixed pollution, respectively. A total of 32% loss in EBC aerosols (6.4% of EBC removal per day) was estimated for the atmospheric transport of BB emissions from SEA region to LABS. This study provides needful information to understand the ΔEBC/ΔCO ratios at a remote site and would be used in model simulations to evaluate BC aging and scavenging over western Pacific region in East Asia. • First attempt of ΔEBC/ΔCO ratio investigation at Mt. Lulin. • Annual EBC concentration was found comparable with other high altitude locations. • Peaks in EBC, CO, and ΔEBC/ΔCO were observed in March attributed to BB emissions from Southeast Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Objective: To evaluate the development of blood transfusion services in Mainland China within the context of health‐care system reform. Background: China launched a health‐care reform program in 2009 to redistribute health‐care resources, which are currently over‐concentrated in well‐developed cities. A geographically equitable blood transfusion service is key to achieving this goal. Methods: Based on the national survey of blood establishments in July 2015, total blood collection, whole‐blood donations per 1000 population and the supply and demand relationship were analysed at the administrative region level. Areas at different developmental levels were compared in terms of total blood collection and human resources. Results: In 2014, Mainland China's 31 provinces showed wide variation, with total blood collection in blood facilities ranging from about 1000 units to over 600 000 units (each 200 mL), and the whole‐blood donation rate per 1000 population, ranging from 1·48 to 17·09. 69% of the country's total collection, was concentrated in 29 provincial capitals, and 31% was in 311 non‐capital cities. Of 97 personnel with doctorates, 74 worked in 32 provincial blood establishments, whereas the remaining 23 worked at the other 318 blood stations. In most provinces, per permanent resident donation was within 2–4 mL, and blood volume per inpatient was 10–35 mL regardless of the development of the transfusion service. Conclusion: In 2014, China had an imbalanced development and insufficient access to blood transfusion services. This service must be redeployed at the national level to facilitate health‐care reform in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antiepileptic drugs frequently cause cutaneous adverse reactions (cADRs). Numerous studies have reported associations between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles and cADRs caused by single antiepileptic drug in Southern Han Chinese people. However, the relationship between the HLA allele and cADRs sequentially induced by two or more antiepileptic drugs (AEDs-induced cross-reactivity) is unclear. To explore the associations between HLA alleles and AEDs-induced cross-reactivity, we prospectively recruited patients with AEDs-induced cross-reactivity from 2009 to 2017 and performed high-resolution genotyping to detect the HLA-A, B, C, and DRB1 alleles in patients for comparison with normal controls. To verify the important genotype, we compared its presence in patients with cross-reactivity to enlarged normal controls, and its presence in patients with carbamazepine (CBZ)-induced maculopapular exanthema (MPE) to CBZ-tolerant controls. Further, the important allele was replicated by meta-analysis. Twenty-three patients with AED-induced cross-reactivity and 500 healthy individuals were enrolled from Southern China. All patients had a mild rash without mucosal or systemic involvement. The HLA-B*13:01 allele was present in 34.78% (8/23) of patients, 14.60% (73/500) of healthy individuals, and 14.5% (763/5,270) healthy individuals, revealing a significant association (8/23 vs. 73/500; P = 0.02; OR: 3.12; 95% CI: 1.28–7.62; 8/23 vs. 763/5,270; P = 0.014; OR: 3.15; 95% CI: 1.33–7.46). HLA-B*13:01 was presented numerically higher in CBZ-induced MPE than that in CBZ-tolerant individuals without statistical significance (33/145, 22.76%, vs. 28/179, 15.64%; P = 0.103). Meta-analysis revealed an association between HLA-B*13:01 and cADRs induced by single AEDs or/and non-AEDs in Chinese and Thai populations (P = 0.000). This study suggests that HLA-B*13:01 is potentially associated with AED-cADRs in general, possibly with stronger effect in cross-reactivity. Screening for HLA-B*13:01 prior to starting AEDs therapy may help to avoid cADRs. However, this association requires further analysis in a multi-center study with a larger sample size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In China, most riparian wetlands have undergone degradation and shrinkage, due to severe droughts or low hydrological connectivity. There are considerable studies focusing on the impact of water level on wetland vegetation; however, changes in the soil components, such as the microbial community, of wetlands following flooding remains unclear. Here, we verified the effects of an extreme flooding event on the soil physicochemical conditions, enzyme activities and soil microbial composition. Overall, we observed that the flooding event impacted the soil properties and modified the enzyme activities. Also, the flooding affected more the biomass than the composition of the soil microbial community. We observed that after the flooding event, manganese (Mn) replaced total nitrogen (TN) as one of the major governing factors of soil enzyme activities. Soil organic carbon (SOC), and pH were also correlated with soil enzyme activities before and after the flooding event. Soil conductivity (EC), C/N ratio, and iron (Fe) contents had a large influence on microbial communities. Nevertheless, the soil C/N ratio was the dominant governing factor of the microbial structure. Therefore, edaphic factors were remarkably related to microbial organisms as flooding was deemed a key driving factor to the linkage between them. The antecedent long-term drought provoked by human disturbance, and subsequent flooding (i.e., re-inundating) may thus damage the soil dynamics of riparian wetlands, and hence, altering the carbon storage capacity. The results of this study suggest that rehabilitating hydrological connectivity and promoting primary succession of vegetation could become effective practices for improving the soil ecosystem of riparian wetlands. Highlights • SOC,TN,EC and pH were found to be sensitive to extreme flooding. • Flooding lead to a shift in the principal governing edaphic factors of soil enzyme activities. • Microbial biomass was more vulnerable to flooding than composition of microbial communities. • C/N ratio was the only governing factor of microbial structure in riparian wetland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Threshold for landscape impact on water quality varies with lakeshore width. • Agriculture and salinization are main causes of lake water quality deterioration. • Eutrophication of shallow lakes requires dual control of nitrogen and phosphorus. The degradation of water quality and decline in purification capacity of lakeshore zones due to anthropogenic activities and climate change is a growing concern in China. The identification of the critical width of the lakeshore zone remains a challenge due to natural geographic features and pollutant types, that is why a general identification approach has yet to be developed. To facilitate the planning of lakeshore restoration plans, it becomes necessary to conduct studies focusing on the development of relationships between water quality and landscape factors within the lakeshore zone in different regions. In this study, spatio-temporal patterns of water quality of 49 lakes in Western Jilin Province, China, were determined through field monitoring from 2015 to 2019. Multivariate statistical methods were applied to quantitatively identify the relationships between lakes water quality and landscape factors within lakeshore zones of different widths. The results indicated that nitrogen (N) contributed more to eutrophication, while fluoride concentrations were found to be abnormally high. Furthermore, the width of the lakeshore zone was found to have a significant impact on water quality, with a critical width of 150 m having the greatest effect. Cropland and saline land explained almost 50% of the water quality variability throughout different seasons. The results also revealed that dual control of N and phosphorus (P) will be required to prevent eutrophication in the study area. Agricultural activities and severe soil salinization were identified as the main causes of diffuse pollution. The establishment of a width threshold identification framework for lakeshore zones is not only of great significance for development of scientific and acceptable restoration plans for lakeshore vegetation filters in ecologically vulnerable areas of western Jilin, but should also provide an effective and user-friendly tool for implementing diffuse pollution control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prediction of the functional outcome for patients with convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) has been a challenge. The aim of this study was to characterize the prognostic factors and functional outcomes of patients after CSE in order to develop a practicable scoring system for outcome prediction.Methods: We performed a retrospective explorative analysis on consecutive patients diagnosed with CSE between March, 2008 and November, 2014 in a tertiary academic medical center in northwest China. The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was used to measure the functional outcome at three months post discharge.Results: A total of 132 CSE patients was included, with a median age of 25.5 years and 60.6% were male. Three months post discharge, an unfavorable outcome with mRS of 3-6 was seen in 62 (47.0%) patients, 25 (18.9%) of whom died. Logistic regression analysis revealed that encephalitis (p = 0.029), nonconvulsive SE (p = 0.018), diazepam resistance (p = 0.005), image abnormalities (unilateral lesions, p = 0.027; bilateral lesions or diffuse cerebral edema, p < 0.001) and tracheal intubation (p = 0.032) were significant independent predictors for unfavorable outcomes. Based on the coefficients in the model, these predictors were assigned a value of 1 point each, with the exception of the image, creating a 6-point scoring system, which we refer to as END-IT, for the outcome prediction of CSE. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the END-IT score was 0.833 and using a cut-off point of 3 produced the highest sum sensitivity (83.9%) and specificity (68.6%). Compared with status epilepticus severity score (STESS) and Epidemiology-based Mortality score in SE (EMSE), END-IT score showed better discriminative power and predictive accuracy for the outcome prediction.Conclusions: We developed an END-IT score with a strong discriminative power for predicting the functional outcome of CSE patients. External prospective validation in different cohorts is needed for END-IT score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis is a hereditary disease, and ceroid-lipofuscinosis neuronal protein 5 (CLN5) has been proved to be associated with neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis. Here we report 3 patients from 2 families diagnosed with CLN5 neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis. Whole genome sequencing of DNAs from 3 patients and their families revealed 3 novel homozygous mutations, including 1 deletion CLN5.c718 719delAT and 2 missense mutations c.1082T>C and c.623G>A. We reviewed 278 papers about neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis resulting from CLN5 mutations and compared Chinese cases with 27 European and American cases. The overall age of onset of European and American patients occur mainly at 3 to 6 years (66%, 18/27), 100% (27/27) of patients had psychomotor regression, 99% (26/27) patients presented vision decline, and 70% (19/27) of patients suffered seizures. In China, the age of onset in 3 patients was 5 years, but for 1 patient it was at 17 months. Four Chinese patients presented psychomotor deterioration and seizures; only 1 had visual problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Northeastern Black Soil Region plays a key role in food supply in China. Identifying spatio-temporal variation of soil properties as influenced by environmental factors has become essential for future agricultural development. A total of 5891 topsoil samples (0–20 cm) were collected and soil organic carbon (SOC) and pH were measured in the Jilin Province. Geostatistics, multiple linear regression, and redundancy analysis (RDA) were used to highlight the spatio-temporal patterns of SOC and pH and determine the relationship with environmental factors. Results showed that from 1980 to 2010 average level of SOC increased by 2.68 g kg −1 ( p < 0.001). However, in the Golden-Maize-Belt Counties ( i.e ., the major grain-producing areas of the Jilin Province), the SOC content rapidly decreased, the largest drop reaching 24.83 g kg −1 . Over the past thirty years, pH values slightly increased (0.30; p > 0.05) throughout the province. Environmental factors could explain 64% and 78% of the spatial patterns of SOC and pH, respectively. The principal factors impacting SOC and pH included: precipitation, gully density, forested land and grain yield. There was significant covariation between natural and human factors in forming these spatial patterns. Anthropogenic disturbance had a larger influence on the distribution of SOC than on the distribution of pH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the puzzling phenomenon that authoritarian governments are perceived to be more responsive than democratic governments. By comparing China and Taiwan by both large-N statistical analyses and in-depth case studies, we show that the answer lies in the differences between democratic and authoritarian institutions. First, failing to elect one’s preferred candidate in democracies predisposes voters to critical assessment of government responsiveness. There is no such predisposition in authoritarian countries where elections are nonexistent or nominal. Second, elections incentivize democratic leaders to over-respond to certain groups. There is no such mechanism in authoritarian countries. Third, the solid and clear legitimacy established by electoral victories shield democratic leaders from particularistic demands made through unconventional channels. Without such legitimacy, authoritarian leaders are compelled to cement legitimacy by increasing responsiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background and Aims Roads as corridors of seed or fruit spatial dispersal have major impacts on the establishment and spread of invasive species, but their precise role in population genetic variation remains poorly understood. The South American weed Mikania micrantha has spread rapidly across southern China since its introduction to the Shenzhen area in 1984. This study investigated how its genetic diversity is distributed along highways, and whether highways have acted as corridors for the rapid expansion of M. micrantha. Methods Twenty-seven roadside populations were sampled along four highways in southern China, and 787 samples were examined using 12 microsatellite markers. Variation in genetic diversity among populations was quantified and patterns of genetic differentiation were analysed. Key Results A high level of genetic diversity was found at both the species and the population levels in this self-incompatible plant (expected heterozygosity = 0·497 and 0·477, respectively; allelic richness = 2·580 and 2·521, respectively). The Wright F-statistic value among populations (0·044, P < 0·01) and the analysis of molecular variance (91 % of genetic variation residing within populations, 9 % among populations within highways and 0 % among the four highways) showed a relatively low level of genetic differentiation among populations, while the principal coordinate and cluster analyses also indicated a lack of clear geographical genetic structure among populations. The calculated Nm value of 5·5 signifies strong gene flow. Conclusions The pattern of genetic variation is consistent with facilitated dispersal along highways. The genetic admixtures among the roadside populations imply the occurrence of multiple population introductions during colonization. The long-distance dispersal of seeds associated with vehicular transportation on highways may have played important roles in shaping the genetic variation. This finding highlights the importance of highways as corridors for the spread of M. micrantha in southern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatio-Temporal Variability of Aerosol Components, Their Optical and Microphysical Properties over North China during Winter Haze in 2012, as Derived from POLDER/PARASOL Satellite Observations. In the published article [[1]], there was an error regarding the affiliation for Yang Ou, Zhengqiang Li, and Ying Zhang. Footnotes 1 B Disclaimer/Publisher's Note: b The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). [Extracted from the article]

SUMMARY Objective To explore the trends in blood collection from 2006 to 2014 in Guangdong, China. Background Although the Blood Donation Law of the People's Republic of China was implemented in 1998, voluntary non-remunerated blood donation (VNRBD) has been promoted fully for only a decade. The provincial and local governments of Guangdong, one of the most well-developed provinces in China, have promoted blood donation by various means. Material and methods Official data on blood donation from 2006 to 2014, including the number of blood donations and the family replacement/mutual blood donation (FRMBD) rate, were collected from all blood collection and supply institutions in Guangdong. These data were analysed to explore trends in blood donation in Guangdong Province, and to detect differences among the province's four regions. Results The number of blood donations in Guangdong increased by 38·23% from 2006 to 2014; overall, the rate increased annually, although it fluctuated in the eastern region. Family replacement/mutual whole blood and platelet donation rates decreased dramatically from 2006 to 2014 (from 39·99% to 20·16% and from 64·15% to 26·51%, respectively), but remained high. Marked disparities in blood donation development were detected among the four regions. Discussions With nearly a decade of efforts, blood donation in Guangdong has developed rapidly and sustainably. All blood collection and supply institutions must strengthen efforts to improve awareness of blood donation among the population, retain repeat and regular donors and reduce the rate of FRMBD in favor of the development of VNRBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the role of dynamic change in total bilirubin after portal vein embolization (PVE) in predicting major complications and 30-day mortality in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA).Methods: Retrospective analysis of prospectively maintained data of 64 HCCA patients who underwent PVE before hepatectomy in our institution was used. Total bilirubin and other parameters were measured daily in peri-PVE period. The difference between them and the baseline value from days 0-5 to day -1 (∆D1) and days 5-14 to day -1 (∆D2) were calculated. The relationship between ∆D1 and ∆D2 of total bilirubin and major complications as well as 30-day mortality was analyzed.Results: Out of 64 patients, 10 developed major complications (15.6 %) and 6 patients (9.3 %) had died within 30 days after surgery. The ∆D2 of total bilirubin after PVE was most significantly associated with major complications (P < 0.001) and 30-day mortality (P = 0.002). In addition, it was found to be an independent predictor of major complications after PVE (odds ratio (OR) = 1.050; 95 % CI 1.017-1.084). ASA >3 (OR = 12.048; 95 % CI 1.019-143.321), ∆D2 of total bilirubin (OR = 1.058; 95 % CI 1.007-1.112), and ∆D2 of prealbumin (OR = 0.975; 95 % CI 0.952-0.999) were associated with higher risk of 30-day mortality after PVE. Receiver operating characteristic curves showed that ∆D2 of total bilirubin were better predictors than ∆D1 for major complications (AUC (∆D2) 0.817; P = 0.002 vs. AUC (∆D1) 0.769; P = 0.007) and 30-day mortality (ACU(∆D2) 0.868; P = 0.003 vs. AUC(∆D1) 0.721;P = 0.076).Conclusion: Patients with increased total bilirubin in 5-14 days after PVE may indicate a higher risk of major complications and 30-day mortality if the major hepatectomy were performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's Sloping Land Conversion Program (SLCP) was designed to restore perennial plant cover on sloping land in western China, in part to protect the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR). In this study, we examined use of white mulberry ( Morus alba L.) in the SLCP to protect water quality and conserve soil. We established nine runoff monitoring plots divided among three categories (vegetable farming, fallow control, and mulberry plantation) on a bank of the Liangtan River situated at the western margin of the TGR. The land had been used previously by farmers for growing vegetables. We found that soil loss and surface water runoff were lowest in the mulberry plots and highest in the vegetable plots. We used inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) to assess the concentration of selected heavy metal pollution indicators (Zn, Hg, As, Ni, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Cu) in the monitoring plot soils at the beginning of the experiment in May 2009. The heavy metals were assessed again at the end of the experiment in October 2012, and we found that the concentrations of these pollutants had been reduced in all fallow and mulberry plots, and to the greatest extent in the mulberry plots. We found that levels of Hg, Pb, and Cu increased in the vegetable plots. For these reasons, we conclude that riparian mulberry plantations are useful for reducing rapid runoff of storm water, conserving soil, and sequestering heavy metal pollutants in the TGR region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The riparian zone represents the interface between land and river and as such has an important influence on watershed export of nutrients, sediments and woody debris. Therefore, it is vital to identify the mechanisms underlying the impact of natural and anthropogenic landscape features on river conditions within this buffer zone. Here, we present data gathered between 2004 and 2010 from 50 sampling sites in a drinking water source area of Northern China. Spatial and multivariate statistical analyses revealed that the first 100 m of the riparian zone had the largest effect on river water quality. Generally, natural landscapes had positive effects. Due to intense anthropogenic disturbances close to rivers, most of the human-impacted land cover accounted for water quality deterioration. Landscape pattern metrics were also useful in explaining the water chemical variables. The covariation of natural and anthropogenic factors might be regulated by hydrologic conditions, which reached their peak influence during the rainy season. The impacts of anthropogenic variables were equal to those of natural variables before and during the rainy season, yet human landscape features had more effects beyond this season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seven new carbazole alkaloids, clauemarazoles A–G, together with 19 known analogues were isolated from the stems of Clausena emarginata . Their structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic analyses, and the absolute configurations of compounds 1a , 1b , 5a , and 5b were confirmed by their ECD spectroscopy. Compounds 4 , 13 , 15 , and 17 exhibited inhibitory abilities on LPS-induced NO production. Compounds 10 – 12 , 20 , 22 , and 24 displayed hepatoprotective effects against dl -galactosamine-induced damage in WB-F344 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flood disaster has become one of the most damaging natural disasters for the highway transportation all around the world, especially its destructive effects on highway infrastructures. In order to better understand the ruinous influence of flood disaster on highway transportation in China, this paper proposes an alternative evaluation index of highway flood disaster risk from three aspects, namely the disaster-causing factors, disaster-inducing environment, and disaster-bearing subjects. This paper also puts forward some targeted suggestions for the risk management, including two aspects: physical protection measurement and organization and management measurement. Moreover, this paper develops a highway flood disaster risk management system by using the ArcGIS technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first complete chloroplast genome (cp) of Sinosenecio jishouensis D.G. Zhang, Ying Liu & Q. E. Yang (Asteraceae) was sequenced and assembled in this study. The cp genome was 151,257 bp in length, including a large single-copy(LSC) region of 83,373 bp, a small single-copy (SSC) region of 18,178 bp, and a pair of inverted repeat (IR) regions of 24,853 bp each. These sequences encoded 134 genes, including 89 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. The phylogenetic analysis based on 18 complete cp sequences revealed that S. jishouensis was closely related to Eclipta prostrata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the disease-related knowledge of gout patients and doctors in south China and to identify the important targets of education for patients and doctors. A cross-section survey of 154 primary gout patients and 185 doctors who may see gout patients was conducted with a modified questionnaire with ten items of gout-related knowledge. The participants were considered to have gout-related knowledge if he or she correctly answered seven or more items. One hundred and forty-nine valid questionnaires from patients, 33 from rheumatology physicians, and 151 from non-rheumatology doctors were collected for statistical analysis. The mean correctly answered items of three groups were 6.6 ± 2.2, 9.6 ± 0.53, and 8.0 ± 1.4, with rate of being considered to have knowledge about gout 51.7, 100, and 90.1 %, respectively ( P < 0.05). The correct answer rate for each particular item was over 80 % in the rheumatology physician group. Patients or non-rheumatology doctors knew the optimal serum uric acid (sUA) level (48.3 vs 55.6 %), the need to take lifelong urate-lowering drugs (29.5 vs 43.6 %), that allopurinol is a urate-lowering drug (55.7 vs 76.0 %), and how to prevent attacks induced by urate-lowering therapy (ULT) (60.4 vs 74.0 %). Logistic regression showed that higher education predicted which patients had gout-related knowledge. Both the gout patients and non-rheumatology doctors in south China had poor knowledge on ULT. Since many gout patients do not see rheumatologists, our data suggest that further education should focus on patients and non-rheumatologists and emphasize the use of urate-lowering drugs, treatment duration, the target sUA level, and prophylaxis against acute attacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Severe sepsis is associated with a high mortality rate despite implementation of guideline recommendations. Adjunctive treatment may be efficient and require further investigation. In light of the crucial role of immunologic derangement in severe sepsis, thymosin alpha 1 (Ta1) is considered as a promising beneficial immunomodulatory drug. The trial is to evaluate whether Ta1 improves 28-day all-cause mortality rates and immunofunction in patients with severe sepsis. Methods: We performed a multicenter randomized controlled trial in six tertiary, teaching hospitals in China between May 12, 2008 and Dec 22, 2010. Eligible patients admitted in ICU with severe sepsis were randomly allocated by a central randomization center to the control group or Ta1 group (1:1 ratio). The primary outcome was death from any cause and was assessed 28 days after enrollment. Secondary outcomes included dynamic changes of Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) and monocyte human leukocyte antigen-DR (mHLA-DR) on day 0, 3, 7 in both groups. All analyses were done on an intention-to-treat basis. Results: A total of 361 patients were allocated to either the control group (n = 180) or Ta1 (n = 181) group. The mortalities from any cause within 28 days in the Ta1 group and control group were 26.0% and 35.0% respectively with a marginal P value (nonstratified analysis, P = 0.062; log rank, P = 0.049); the relative risk of death in the Ta1 group as compared to the control group was 0.74 (95% CI 0.54 to 1.02). Greater improvement of mHLA-DR was observed in the Ta1 group on day 3 (mean difference in mHLA-DR changes between the two groups was 3.9%, 95% CI 0.2 to 7.6%, P = 0.037) and day 7 (mean difference in mHLA-DR changes between the two groups was 5.8%, 95% CI 1.0 to 10.5%, P = 0.017) than in the control group. No serious drug-related adverse event was recorded. Conclusions: The use of Ta1 therapy in combination with conventional medical therapies may be effective in improving clinical outcomes in a targeted population of severe sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A further chemical investigation of the plant Rubus corchorifolius L. f., collected in Hunan Province, afforded two new ent-kauranoids 6 and 7. Their structures were elucidated by various spectroscopic methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral Diseases (2011) 17, 590-596 Background: The roles that inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) play in tumorigenesis have been given special attention. In many tumors, their expression is upregulated. In addition, iNOS can stimulate the expression of VEGF. This study was carried out to investigate the expression of iNOS and VEGF as well as their relationship with angiogenesis and the clinicopathological characteristics of mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC). Method: The expression of iNOS and VEGF was detected by Streptavidin-peroxidase immunohistochemistry, and microvessel density (MVD) was determined by anti-CD34 antibody staining in 70 MEC cases and 40 normal salivary gland tissues (NSG). Follow-up was performed on the 70 patients with MEC. Non-parametric tests were performed for the comparison of iNOS and VEGF expression. Results: The positive expression rates of iNOS and VEGF were successively enhanced in NSG, well-differentiated and poorly differentiated MEC ( P < 0.05). MVD counts were positively correlated with the expression levels of iNOS and VEGF in MEC ( P < 0.05). The expression of iNOS was positively correlated with the expression of VEGF ( P < 0.05). iNOS and VEGF expression were significantly associated with tumor differentiation, size metastasis, and relapse ( P < 0.05) but were not correlated lymph node metastasis and metastasis. Conclusion: Inducible nitric oxide synthase can stimulate the expression of VEGF, and their expression status may help assess tumor malignancy and patient prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A HPLC–FLD method has been developed and validated for zearalenone (ZON) in 107 widely consumed Chinese medicinal herbs and related products collected from different regions of China. Samples were extracted with methanol/water (80 : 20, v/v), and the extracts were cleaned-up through immunoaffinity columns (IAC). ZON was quantified by HPLC with fluorescence detection. Recoveries from three different medicinal herbs spiked with ZON at levels ranging from 30 to 600 µg kg−1 were from 80.8 to 98.3%. The limit of detection was 9.5 µg kg−1, based on a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 : 1. Naturally occurring ZON was only found in coix seed medicinal herb (all nine samples), with levels ranging from 18.7 to 211.4 µg kg−1. Positive results were confirmed by UV spectrum and LC–ESI–MS/MS. This is the first report of ZON contamination of a Chinese medicinal herb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the characteristics of land use and drainage network of the upper watershed of the Miyun Reservoir, Beijing, 26 monitoring and sampling sites were selected in different sub-catchments. Temporal and spatial variations in nutrient loss were dealt with in this paper in terms of the monitoring data on the water quality of the main tributaries flowing into the Miyun Reservoir. In combination with the monitoring data on water quality, the impacts of watershed characteristics including land-use type, landscape pattern, and drainage density were assessed. The concentrations of nutrients in the rainy season are higher than those in other seasons, and the concentrations of NO3 −-N are linearly related to those of total N which is the main form of nitrogen present in the river water. The concentrations of nitrogen become higher toward the reservoir along the main rivers. The seasonal variation of nitrogen in the watershed affected by intensive human activities is very obvious; in the watershed with steady or low water flow, the seasonal variation of nitrogen is less obvious. Forest land and grassland can trap and filter nitrogen effectively. Land-use pattern also has important impacts on the loss of nitrogen. The concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus in the water bodies show great temporal and spatial variations. On a temporal scale, the concentrations of TN and TP in the rainy reason are higher than those in other seasons. On a spatial scale, the concentrations of TN and NO3 −-N in the Qingshui River and Chaohe River are highest all the time. The spatial variation of TP is distinct, being obvious at sampling sites near villages. The form of nitrogen and phosphorus loss varies in different hydrological seasons. Dissolved nitrogen and phosphorus are the main forms in streams in non-rainy seasons, the dissolved nitrogen and total nitrogen decrease in percentage in the rainy season. Particulate nitrogen and phosphorus are the main forms in some rivers. The concentrations of TN and NO3 −-N from orchards and villages are high whereas those from forest land are lowest. Land-use pattern has impacts on TN and NO3 −-N losses, at the sampling sites near the source landscape, the concentrations are higher than those at the sampling sites near the sink landscape. Water quality of the rivers which flow into the Miyuan Reservior is influenced by the composition of adjacent soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2) is widely used as an advanced model dataset for the understanding of global climate change. However, independent validation and comparison of MERRA-2 are both insufficient and always desired. Therefore, in this study, the quantitative evaluation of MERRA-2 aerosol products was conducted over China for Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD), Angstrom exponent (AE), absorbing AOD (AAOD) and chemical components (black carbon (BC) and dust (DU)) using Sun sky radiometer Observation NETwork (SONET) ground-based measurements and POLDER-3/PARASOL satellite products generated by the GRASP algorithm. The available MERRA-2 monthly dataset and PARASOL/GRASP monthly and seasonal products were intercompared over China. MERRA-2 AOD (550 nm) show general good agreement with SONET and PARASOL/GRASP. For example, the correlation coefficients are usually 0.6–0.85 with SONET and 0.75–0.85 with PARASOL/GRASP, the bias is usually −0.293 to +0.008 with SONET. For AE and AAOD, the agreement is still reasonable. MERRA-2 is found to overestimate fine mode AE and to display a general underestimation of aerosol absorption over China. In addition, MERRA-2 BC and DU mass concentrations show spatial and quantitative consistency with PARASOL/GRASP components climatological products. The relatively high columnar BC mass concentration is observed around 1.5–2 mg/m3 over the East China industrial region and high DU mass concentration is around 150 mg/m3 near Taklimakan desert. MERRA-2 shows slightly higher BC and lower DU concentration than PARASOL/GRASP over East China. The evaluations with in situ BC measurements near surface verify the overestimation (MAE = +0.44 µg/m2) of MERRA-2 and underestimation (MAE = −0.38 µg/m2) of PARASOL/GRASP. The analysis demonstrates multi-source datasets, such as ground-based, space-borne remote sensing, in situ measurements, model simulation as well as reanalysis data, complement each other and can be used to refine aerosol characterization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Genetic polymorphisms causing Ser49Gly and Gly389Arg mutants of β1- adrenoceptor may result in significant changes in the function of this receptor. The aim of the present study was to investigate the frequencies of the Ser49Gly and Gly389Arg mutant alleles in healthy Chinese populations and to investigate the differences between 2 Chinese ethnic groups (Han and Dai populations) with respect to the frequencies of these alleles. Methods: A total of 225 Han Chinese and 175 Dai Chinese unrelated healthy volunteers were recruited for this study. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes by using a standard manual chloroform-phenol extraction. Fragments spanning the 2 polymorphisms were amplified by using polymerase chain reaction with template genomic DNA and relevant primers. The DNA products including the polymorphic loci were subjected to restriction endonuclease digestion with Eco0109I and BcgI. Digested fragments were detected with an ultraviolet detector after electrophoresis (100 V for approximately 1.5 h). Results: The frequencies of the Gly49 and Arg389 alleles were, respectively, 16.2% and 76.4% in the Han population and 14.6% and 75.7% in the Dai population. Conclusion: The polymorphisms causing the Ser49Gly and Gly389Arg mutations of the β1-adrenoceptor existed in both healthy Han and Dai Chinese populations. The frequencies of the Ser49Gly and Gly389Arg mutant alleles were not significantly different in the Han and Dai populations. However, the frequency of the Gly389 variant seems to be significantly lower in these 2 populations than in an African-American population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We typed 247 cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), a disease predominantly of the southern Chinese, and 274 controls from the Chao Shan region of China's Guangdong province for HLA A and B. Besides confirming the established associations with A2, A33, B46 and B58 (positive associations) and A11 (negative association), the results demonstrated a number of rarer alleles with strong negative association with NPC. Our data, combined with those from the previous studies in Southern Chinese, displayed the protective effects for A31 (odds ratio (OR)=0.0; 95% confidence interval (CI)=0-0.11), B13 (OR=0.50; 95% CI=0.35-0.69), B27 (OR=0.49; 95% CI=0.25-0.92), B39 (OR=0.18; 95% CI=0.06-0.48) and B55 (OR=0.32; 95% CI=0.14-0.68), the ORs comparing individuals with or without each allele. Other ethnic groups do not display such large HLA-associated variation in NPC risk. We show that a linked NPC gene with dominant mode of action could not generate such large protective effects. The results provide strong supporting evidence for the existence of a southern Chinese specific, recessive NPC gene closely linked to the HLA region as a major determinant of the Chinese risk for the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To investigate the distribution of CYP3A activity in the Chinese population, and to test for gender-related differences in CYP3A activity. Methods Using midazolam as a probe drug, CYP3A activity in 202 Chinese healthy subjects (104 men) was measured by plasma 1′-hydroxymidazolam:midazolam (1′-OH-MDZ:MDZ) ratio at 1 h after oral administration of 7.5 mg midazolam. The different phases of the menstrual cycle including preovulatory, ovulatory and luteal phases of 66 women phenotyped with midazolam were recorded. The concentrations of 1′-OH-MDZ and MDZ in plasma were measured by HPLC Results A 13-fold variation of CYP3A activity (log1′-OH-MDZ:MDZ: range -0.949–0.203) was shown. The CYP3A activity was normally distributed as indicated by the frequency distribution histogram, the probit plot and the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test (P > 0.05). The CYP3A activity of women was higher than that of men (median: -0.36 vs -0.43, P < 0.05; 95% CI for difference: -0.127, -0.012). There was a significant difference in CYP3A activity between the three phases of the menstrual cycle. The activity was highest in the preovulatory phase and decreased sequentially in the ovulatory and luteal phases (P < 0.05). Conclusions A normal distribution of CYP3A activity was observed in the Chinese population. The CYP3A activity is higher in female subjects than in males. CYP3A activity differed across the phases of the menstrual cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

None of the extreme scenarios suggested by Western scholars after Tiananmen—serious factional conflict, a military coup, geographic fragmentation, or revolution—have been validated to date. It was recently suggested that mainland China's political development may be better observed from the angles of factional relations within the center, civil-military relations, center-local relations, and state-society relations, and that these four relationships may be explored through the behavior and performance of the elite. Second-generation elite studies emerged in the West in the 1980s. It has two special characteristics. First, it adopts a state-centered approach and regards members of the elite as specific actors of the state capable of influencing political and economic development. Second, members of the elite are not regarded only as a class; their behavior, attitude, and performance are used to explain the political, economic, and social environment under their influence and to predict possible outcomes. In the study of national development, application of this approach has already obtained fruitful results. In this article, the author applies the methods of second-generation elite studies to examine the turnover of mainland China's provincial leaders after Tiananmen. The results show that the Tiananmen incident had a considerable impact on Deng's reform of the political system and resulted in a higher degree of political instability. The center, therefore, tried to strengthen control over the provincial elite before the end of 1992. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There has been little literature about leukemia epidemiology in Nanjing in recent years. We aimed to explore the incidence rate, gender and age distribution of leukemia in Nanjing using the leukemia database of the city. Results: The average yearly incidence rate of leukemia was 3.68/105 during 2003 - 2007 in Nanjing. There were no significant difference in gender (x2 = 3.266, p > 0.05) or seasons (x2 = 11.36, p > 0.05). The incidence rate was the highest in group aged 80~ years (18.64/105). AML accounted for approximately 36.8% of all leukemias. Conclusions: The incidence rate of leukemia, especially in the aged population, was relatively high in Nanjing. Leukemia is the major malignant tumor in children. Therefore, more attention should be paid to leukemia in children and the aged people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ten polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed to examine the population structure of the burbot (Lota Lota). The number of alleles ranging from 2 to 14 and the expected heterozygosity ranging from 0.306 to 0.926 were screened in the wild samples from Wusuli River in Heilongjiang Province, China. Eight loci significantly deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. No evidence showed significant linkage disequilibrium between pairs of loci. These newly isolated markers would also enrich the available molecular resources of the burbot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has been the world's largest ferrous metals producer for decades. Since China's ferrous metal industry is resource- and pollution-intensive, the increasing export of ferrous metals leaves a large amount of domestic environmental damage. This paper aims to provide implications for the sustainable green trade of China's ferrous metals in the 21st century by assessing the Green Trade index, in which the potential embodied environmental damages/costs are considered. The combination of material accounts and value accounts was adopted to obtain policy implications from both amount control and cost reduction. The results showed that: 1) China's ferrous metal industry achieved overall green trade from 2001 to 2015, with signs of deviation from green trade after 2011; 2) the expansion of export trading and the increase in environmental damage were the main reasons for the deterioration of green trade in China's ferrous metal industry after 2011; 3) based on the material assessment, 98% of the environmental damage embodied in imports of this industry comes from iron ore consumption and waste-water emission, while 99% of that embodied in exports comes from coal consumption, wastewater, and CO 2 emissions; and 4) according to the value assessment, 80% of the environmental damage cost embodied in the imports of this industry comes from iron ore, wastewater, and waste solid, while 90% of that embodied in exports comes from coal, waste-water, waste gas, and CO 2 emissions. Based on the above results, policy implications were provided for the sustainable development of Chinese ferrous metal industry. • This paper assessed Green Trade index of China's ferrous metal industry. • Green Trade index described as import embodied damage minus export embodied damage. • Trade embodied damage covered resource consumption and pollutant emissions. • Results show that China's ferrous metal industry achieved green trade in 2001–2015. • The green trade of the ferrous metal industry showed a deteriorated sign since 2011. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The northeast black soil region of China, an important area of grain production, currently faces serious diffuse pollution issues. In this study, a dual isotopic (δ15N and δ18O) framework was used to determine nitrate sources in runoff of a small agricultural watershed of this region. The results indicated that the ranges of δ15N and δ18O values of NO 3 -sources were significantly affected by natural geographic features and human activities. Nitrate in cropland runoff was mainly derived from soil, fertilizer and precipitation. Meanwhile, natural inputs, including those of soil and precipitation, represented the main nitrate sources in forest runoff. Domestic sewage, manure and precipitation contributed to most of the nitrate in runoff from villages. In addition, based on runoff export from different land uses and results from a stable isotope mixing model, soil and chemical fertilizer were identified as the main NO 3 -source in the whole watershed; suggesting that soil erosion could lead to serious diffuse pollution in the study area. Over all, this study not only provided suggestions to the optimal selection of Best Management Practices (BMPs) in Northeast China, but also could contribute to the identification and quantification of NO 3 -sources in agricultural watersheds of the black soil regions worldwide. Image 1024 • Five nitrate sources were identified in surface runoff using a dual isotopic framework. • Nitrate isotopic signatures of surface runoff were significantly different among three land use. • Both natural and anthropogenic sources contributed to nitrate pollution. • Soil and fertilizer were identified as the main nitrate source in the whole watershed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To investigate the association of CYP2C9* 3 and * 6 with hyperlipidaemia in Chinese. Methods Four hundred and seventy-six Chinese participated in the study, including 211 uncomplicated hyperlipidaemic patients and 265 healthy controls. PCR-RFLP was used to identify CYP2C9* 3 and * 6. Results CYP2C9* 6 was not detected in this study. The allelic frequency of CYP2C9* 3 was 0.039 (95% CI 0.022, 0.056). A nonsignificant difference existed in CYP2C9* 3 frequencies between males and females ( P = 0.605, OR = 1.194, 95% CI 0.610, 2.336), patients and controls ( P = 0.063, OR = 0.506, 95% CI 0.244, 1.049) in the total population. However, in the female group, CYP2C9* 3 frequency in patients with hyperlipidaemia was significantly lower than that in controls ( P < 0.0001, OR = 0.062, 95% CI 0.008, 0.476). Conclusions The association of CYP2C9* 3 with hyperlipidaemia was specific for females in this Chinese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented concerning research into the lifestyle characteristics and dietary intake of centenarians living in the Bama Yao Autonomous County in Guangxi Province, China which speculates healthy eating habits and balanced nutrition is behind their longevity.

Background: An outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has been ongoing in China since January 2020. The threat of infection affects the work and life of most of the population and may also damage sleep. This study aims to examine the subjective sleep status and mental health of the population during the peak of the COVID-19 epidemic.Method: The data were collected through an online questionnaire with a sample of 5461 individuals in China from February 5, 2020, to February 23, 2020. Participants were divided into four groups based on their degree of threat from COVID-19: Group 1 was most closely associated with COVID-19, including inpatients diagnosed with COVID-19, first-line hospital workers and first-line management staff; Group 2 included outpatients diagnosed with COVID-19 and patients who developed a fever and visited the hospital; Group 3 included people related to Group 1 or 2, such as their colleagues, relatives, friends and rescuers; and Group 4 was the farthest removed from contact with COVID-19, covering the general public affected by COVID-19 prevention strategies. The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) and Acute Stress Disorder Scale (ASDS) were used.Results: Threat degree of COVID-19 (groups) had significant correlations with insomnia, depression, anxiety, and stress (p < 0.05, p < 0.01). Age, gender, and area (Hubei province or other provinces) had significant correlations with insomnia (p < 0.01). A total of 1380 (24.46%) participants were suspected of having major depression based on the PHQ-9. Additionally, 1042 (18.47%) participants were suspected of having generalized anxiety disorder based on the GAD-7. A total of 892 (15.8%) of the participants had Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) according to the ASDS. The prevalence of clinical insomnia during the outbreak was 20.05% (1131) according to the ISI. The factors of satisfaction with the current sleep pattern and how perceptible the symptoms of the current sleep pattern are to other people (p < 0.05) and the middle (difficulty staying asleep) and terminal (waking up too early) (p < 0.01) factors of the ISI were significantly different across groups. A total of 1129 (20.01%) participants spent more than one hour awake in bed.Conclusion: The results indicated that insomnia is more severe in people who are female, young, living in the epicenter and experiencing a high degree of threat from COVID-19. As prevention and treatment efforts continue with regard to COVID-19, the general public has developed poor sleep hygiene habits, which deserve attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Biofilter efficiently removes acetochlor at low temperature. • Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria are key to drive acetochlor degradation. • DO and temperature have the largest influence on microbial communities in biofilters. Northeast China has a large area of cultivated land, and the application of various chemical herbicides is very high. As a high-efficiency herbicide widely used in dry fields, its residue in the environment is also concern. Therefore, low-cost and high efficient control measures are urgently needed. Twelve Biofilter simulation devices were designed to investigate the efficiency and mechanism of removing acetochlor under low-temperature conditions. Biochar (Bio-BF), ceramsite (CER-BF), and gravel (GRA-BF) were chosen to be substrates to compare the effect of substrate type on the removal of acetochlor. The results showed that the biochar (Bio-BF) treatment had the shortest onset time (<1 h), The gravel (GRA-BF) treatment had the longest onset of action (more than 8 h), but the removal effect was essentially the same as the biochar treatment. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing results revealed that different bacterial communities are formed due to different substrates. Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria are the dominant phyla in the three biofilters. Four metabolites, 2-ethyl-6-methyl-N-(ethoxymethyl) acetanilide, N-(2-ethyl-6-methyl phenyl) acetamide, N-(2-ethyl-6-methyl phenyl) formamide, and (2-ethyl-6-methyl phenyl) carbamic acid, were identified using gas phase mass spectrometry. The analysis and prediction of the degradation pathways of acetochlor revealed that Ferribacterium , Klebsiella , and Comamonadaceae belonging to the phylum Proteobacteria and Rhodococcus belonging to the phylum Actinobacteria were the key microorganisms involved in the degradation of acetochlor in the biofilter. Redundancy analysis (RDA) further indicates that dissolved oxygen and temperature are key environmental factors affecting the development of key microbial communities within the biofilter, and that future design of biofilters in Northeast China should focus on how to improve oxygen content and temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air samples were collected seasonally at Lake Small Baiyangdian, a shallow lake in northern China, between October 2007 and September 2008. Gas phase, particulate phase and dust fall concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured using a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). The distribution and partitioning of atmospheric PAHs were studied, and the major sources were identified; the backward trajectories of air masses starting from the center of Lake Small Baiyangdian were calculated for the entire year. The following results were obtained: (1) The total concentration of 16 priority controlled PAHs (PAH16) in the gas phase was 417.2 ± 299.8 ng · m(-3), in the particulate phase was 150.9 ± 99.2 ng · m(-3), and in dust fall was 6930.2 ± 3206.5 ng · g(-1). (2) Vehicle emission, coal combustion, and biomass combustion were the major sources in the Small Baiyangdian atmosphere and accounted for 28.9%, 45.1% and 26.0% of the total PAHs, respectively. (3) Winter was dominated by relatively greater PAHs polluted northwesterly air mass pathways. Summer showed a dominant relatively clean southern pathway, whereas the trajectories in autumn and spring might be associated with high pollution from Shanxi or Henan province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution of earnings after management is regarded as one of the approaches to the study on the motive for earnings management in listed companies, then it is used to study the earnings management behavior of those listed companies which have issued A shares on Chinese stock market. It was found that the net ROE shall be kept slightly higher than that in the intervals 0, 6% and 10% to avoid loss or to acquire the rights of right issue and seasoned equity offerings (SEO). The distribution of total ROA is analyzed and the systematic difference between the distributions of ROA and ROE is found, which means that the listed companies are possible to rig the net equity so as to reach the passable level of right issue, thus providing the evidence to prove that the earnings management behavior of listed companies changes with the policy evolution of both right issue and SEO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]