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Objective: To assess the use of evidence-based research (EBR) approach in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture-related therapies for primary dysmenorrhea (PD). Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Database, and China Science and Technology Journal Database were searched from January 2013 to December 2022 for RCTs of acupuncture on PD. The full text and references of each RCT were read to assess whether systematic reviews (SRs) or other types of studies with similar research questions and end-users' perspectives were cited to justify and design the trial. In addition, the discussion section were analyzed to evaluate whether trials placed the new result in the existing SRs to draw a conclusion. Multivariable logistic regression was used to find variables that associated with 3 aspects of EBR approach: (1) citing clinical studies for justification, (2) citing relevant studies that obtain the perspectives of end users, and (3) citing clinical studies for results discussion. Results: Of 473 RCTs included, 45.67% (216) of the trials cited relevant similar studies, 21.56% (102) referenced to the studies that collected end-users' perspectives, and 10.99% (52) placed result in the context of the previous research. Few RCTs appropriately applied EBR approach. Among all the included studies, 3.17% (15) of the trials used SRs to inform study questions but none of them used updated SRs with acceptable quality; 1.05% (5) of the trials cited SRs of end-user's perspectives in the justification and design of the study, and only 1 trial added results in existing SR to draw a conclusion. Year of publication, language, funding, registration, ethical approval and number of sites were significantly associated with 1 of the 3 aspects of EBR approach. Conclusions: Few RCTs in acupuncture-related therapies for PD used the EBR approach to minimize research redundancy. Researchers, research institutes, funding agencies, ethics committees, journals and peer reviewers in acupuncture should make efforts to use and promote the EBR approach to ensure the value of new trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communities of bacteria, especially symbionts, are vital for the growth and development of insects and other arthropods, including Bemisia tabaci Mediterranean (MED), a destructive and invasive insect pest. However, the infection density patterns and influence factors of bacteria in whiteflies, which mainly include symbionts, remain largely unclear. To reveal the different density patterns of Cardinium in B. tabaci MED populations and the impacts of high temperatures on whiteflies with different Cardinium density infection patterns, 2 isofemale lines isolated from B. tabaci MED from the same geographical population of China and from B. tabaci MED collected from other countries and locations were examined using several techniques and methods, including fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and 2b‐RAD sequencing. The results showed that there were 2 different infection density patterns of Cardinium in B. tabaci MED (including 1 high‐density pattern and 1 low‐density pattern). For whiteflies with low‐density Cardinium, conventional PCR could not detect Cardinium, but the other techniques confirmed that there was a low level of Cardinium within hosts. High temperature significantly decreased the diversity of bacterial communities: the relative titer of Cardinium increased but the density of Rickettsia decreased in the isofemale line with high‐density Cardinium. However, high temperature did not influence the diversity and symbiont density in the line with low‐density Cardinium. Moreover, high temperature influenced the functions of bacterial communities in whiteflies with high‐density Cardinium but did not affect the bacterial functions in whiteflies with low‐density Cardinium. Our results provide novel insights into the complex associations between symbionts and host insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) in drinking water and the relevant health effects have been ignored for too long. This study aims to reveal the concentrations, spatial distributions, origins and contributions to the daily estimated average requirements of Ca and Mg in public drinking water. Using hydrochemical data of collected samples of public drinking water in 314 cities across China, the contributions of Ca and Mg intakes from public drinking water to their daily estimated average requirements (EARs) were assessed. And the significance of Ca/Mg ratio and total hardness (TH) was evaluated as well. The Ca and Mg concentrations of the samples were in the range of 2.5–155.1 mg/L and 0.2–81.9 mg/L, with an average of 40.4 mg/L and 12.4 mg/L, respectively. There exist obvious differences in Ca and Mg concentrations in different regions, under the impact of climate conditions and water–rock interactions. The intake of Ca via the consumption of public drinking water for adults may be twice as much as that for other age groups. In cities with high Ca levels in public drinking water, the Ca contributions to EAR could reach up to 51.59% for adults. By contrast, Mg in drinking water is an important and even the main pathway to ingest Mg for infants and children. Therefore, public drinking water is critical for Ca and Mg intake among urban residents of China. Besides, attention should be paid to the health effects of high Ca/Mg ratio and low TH in public drinking water, especially in southern China. This research is the first systematic and comprehensive national scale study of Ca and Mg in public drinking water and can provide an important reference to improve healthy public drinking water standards around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Karst depressions are ideal places for building reservoirs and stacking wastes, but karst depressions are mostly located in areas with strong karst development, and there is a problem of karst leakage. The study of karst depression monitoring methods can provide technical support for the construction of reservoirs in karst depressions, and leakage monitoring technology based on distributed temperature sensing (DTS) has the clear advantages of a large measurement range, high precision, continuity, wide distribution, large area, etc. In this paper, a temperature-sensing optical cable is first used to conduct leakage monitoring tests in different soil media, and the temperature change curve in different media is obtained, which verifies the feasibility of the heatable temperature-sensing optical cable to identify leakage in soil media with different moisture contents. Then, for the heatable distributed temperature-sensing optical cable, the variation law of the temperature eigenvalues of the sensing optical cable under different seepage velocities is studied using the layout method wrapped with saturated medium-coarse sand, and the relationship between the seepage rate and the temperature eigenvalues was analyzed. A regression formula for quantitative analysis of leakage velocity was established; finally, the manganese slag silo project in Songtao County in Guizhou Province, China, was used to simulate different leakage conditions on site for testing, and the data were compared and analyzed to obtain the route under different conditions. The temperature distribution law of the seepage section verifies the feasibility of the application of heatable temperature-sensing optical cables in the seepage monitoring of karst depressions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abundance of microplastics in freshwater systems in China and the biotoxicity of microplastics in the world were reviewed. The analysis and identification methods of microplastics still have many limitations. Improving technical methods is of great significance for studying the aggregation and migration process of microplastics in environmental media. The establishment of an ecotoxicological assessment methods for microplastics and its compound pollution system and the enrichment of basic database will be a hot spot in this field in the future. Scholars and experts should combine international front scientific issues and analysis and identification difficulties, improve the recycling and waste management of plastic products, strengthen the detection of the concentration of microplastics in the environment, and explore the transfer efficiency of microplastics pollutants between different nutritional levels, continuously improve the biological toxicity effects and ecotoxicological mechanisms of microplastics and their compound pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate the capability using the China-PAR stroke equations for predicting 10-year risk of stroke among the Inner Mongolian population in China. A prospective cohort study was conducted among 2535 rural Inner Mongolian residents from June 2002 to July 2012. Participants were categorized into four subgroups according to their 10-year predicted stroke risks calculated using the China-PAR stroke equations: <5%, 5–9.9%, 10–19.9%, and ≥20%. The C-statistic of the China-PAR stroke equations for 10-year stroke was 0.58, and the result from Hosmer–Lemeshow 'goodness-of-fit' test showed that the China-PAR stroke equations fitted the Inner Mongolian women well (χ2 = 11.18, P = 0.192). The adjusted hazard ratios of stroke were 3.86 (95% CI: 1.12–13.29) for 5–9.9% category, 10.37 (95% CI: 2.70–39.84) for 10–19.9% category, and 17.00 (95% CI: 3.54–81.63) for ≥20% category among Inner Mongolian women using the <5% category as reference (P for trend <0.001). However, the China-PAR stroke equations underestimated the 10-year stroke risk in Inner Mongolian men, and the calibration was unsatisfactory (χ2 = 15.82, P = 0.045). The China-PAR stroke equations have potential predictive ability for 10-year stroke risk in the rural Inner Mongolian women, while it might not suit the rural Inner Mongolian men well. The performance of China-PAR stroke equations in other ethnic groups in China will need to be further evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water resource is in high demand within the Yangtze River Delta, given its developed economy. Long-term exploitation of this resource has posed risks of artificial pollution and seawater intrusion to the shallow groundwater. This study aims to reveal the hydrochemical characteristics and health risks of shallow groundwater in the coastal plain of the Yangtze River Delta, as well as to discuss the possible factors affecting groundwater quality. Standard methods for hydrochemical parameter measurements, water quality assessment, and health risk models were applied to fulfill the objectives of the study. The results showed that the shallow groundwater was slightly alkaline, and the average values of total dissolved solids (TDS) and total hardness (TH) were 930.74 mg/L and 436.20 mg/L, respectively. The main hydrochemical types of groundwater were HCO3–Ca·Mg and HCO3–Ca·Na, accounting for 44.3% and 47.5%, respectively. In addition, As concentration was generally high, with a mean value of 0.0115 mg/L. The principal factors affecting the groundwater components include water-rock interactions (especially silicate), cation exchange, seawater intrusion, and human activities. The data also showed that As is strongly influenced by the redox of Fe, Mn, and NO3−. The results of the groundwater quality evaluation indicated that the shallow groundwater in some regions was unsuitable for drinking and agricultural irrigation. Health risk assessment showed that 44.3% of the water samples had significant health risks, which was attributed to the high As concentration. Therefore, it is urgent to establish long-term As monitoring to maintain sustainable groundwater management and drinking water safety. The results of this study provide essential data for water resource management and human health security in the Yangtze River Delta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, numerous meteorites have been collected in desert areas in northern and western China. We describe the environment of some deserts in this region, and the petrological and mineralogical characteristics of 49 of the recovered ordinary chondrites. They consist of 14 H chondrites, 33 L chondrites, and 2 LL chondrites. Of the 300 desert meteorites with approved names from deserts in China, there have been 287 ordinary chondrites, six iron meteorites, one CO3 chondrite, one diogenite, one ureilite, one brachinite, one eucrite, and one EL7 chondrite. Forty‐two dense meteorite collection areas (DCAs) have been defined, mainly located in northern and western China. The meteorites collected are mainly from the Kumtag DCA, followed by the Alatage Mountain, Loulan Yizhi, Hami, and Lop Nur DCAs. After tentative pairing of the meteorites, we estimate that the ordinary chondrites account for 72% of the desert meteorites collected in China, with 63 H chondrites, 133 L chondrites, and 20 LL chondrites. This dominance of L chondrites contrasts with other deserts, which may result from the insufficient collection or bias in pairing of ordinary chondrites. The mass distribution of meteorites from different DCAs in China is consistent with that from DCAs in Africa. Based on the available information and the meteorite flux model proposed by previous studies, we suggest that the time over which meteorites have been accumulated in the southern Hami DCA might be >10 kyr. Therefore, the southern Hami region is currently the most suitable area for meteorite collection in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the Wigner function in local equilibrium, we derive hydrodynamical quantities for a system of polarized spin-1/2 particles: the particle number current density, the energy-momentum tensor, the spin tensor, and the dipole moment tensor. Compared with ideal hydrodynamics without spin, additional terms at the first and second orders in the Knudsen number Kn and the average spin polarization χs have been derived. The Wigner function can be expressed in terms of matrix-valued distributions, whose equilibrium forms are characterized by thermodynamical parameters in quantum statistics. The equations of motion for these parameters are derived by conservation laws at the leading and next-to-leading order Kn and χs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Choline and betaine have been suggested to play a pivotal role in neurotransmitter synthesis, cell membrane integrity, and methyl-group metabolism, exerting neuroprotective effects in patients with various neurological disorders. However, population-based evidence on choline and betaine with subsequent cardiovascular events after stroke is rare. Objectives We aimed to prospectively investigate the relationships of circulating choline and betaine with cardiovascular events and recurrent stroke in patients with ischemic stroke. Methods We performed a nested case-control study within the China Antihypertensive Trial in Acute Ischemic Stroke. A total of 323 cardiovascular events (including 264 recurrent strokes) and 323 controls (free of recurrent cardiovascular events) matched for age (±1 y), sex, and treatment group were included. The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular events after ischemic stroke. Plasma choline and betaine were measured at baseline by ultra-high-performance LC-MS/MS. Conditional logistic regression models were applied, and discrimination, reclassification, and calibration of models with choline pathway metabolites were evaluated. Results Plasma choline and betaine were inversely associated with cardiovascular events and recurrent stroke after ischemic stroke. Specifically, in fully adjusted models, each additional SD of choline and betaine was associated with 35% (95% CI: 20%–48%) and 30% (95% CI: 14%–43%) decreased risks of subsequent cardiovascular events, respectively, and 34% (95% CI: 16%–48%) and 29% (95% CI: 12%–43%) decreased risks of recurrent stroke, respectively. In addition, both choline and betaine offered substantial risk discrimination and reclassification improvement for cardiovascular events and recurrent stroke beyond traditional risk factors, as evidenced by an increase in C statistics, the net reclassification index, and integrated discrimination improvement. Conclusions Plasma choline pathway metabolites, including choline and betaine, were associated with decreased risks of cardiovascular events and recurrent stroke and provided incremental value in risk discrimination and stratification in patients with ischemic stroke. This nested case-control study was based on the China Antihypertensive Trial in Acute Ischemic Stroke, which is registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01840072. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the fact that strontium (Sr) is not involved in the scope of supervision of drinking water in China, the Sr concentration in public drinking water and its related health risks have been neglected for a long time. In this research, public drinking water samples were collected from 314 cities across the country to reveal the concentration and spatial distribution of Sr in public drinking water. In addition, the Monte Carlo method (a statistical simulation method) was applied to evaluate the Sr intake from drinking water and human health risks among different age groups and different regions. As shown in the results, the Sr was in the concentration range of 0.005–3.11 mg/L with a mean value of 0.360 mg/L. There were significant differences in the Sr concentration in different regions; in general, it was high in the north and low in the south. The Sr intakes of infants, children, teens, and adults from drinking water were 0.273, 0.503, 0.633, and 0.784 mg/day, respectively. There was a significant positive correlation between Sr concentration in drinking water and bone mineral density (BMD) in the elderly. Especially, the correlation coefficients (r) between Sr concentration and the BMD of the elderly whose age fell in the range of 60–70 years were 0.692 (male) and 0.483 (female). In addition, the Sr concentration in drinking water was positively correlated with the incidence of children's rickets (r = 0.411), while the Ca/Br ratio was negatively correlated with the incidence of children's rickets (r = − 0.410). According to the health risk assessment, among people of different ages, infants' hazard index (HI) value was the highest. The mean value and 95th percentile value were 0.066 and 0.247. Non-carcinogenic risk of Sr through drinking water among different people in different regions was less than 1, which meant no significant damage to human health. This study is the first time to systematically investigate Sr in public drinking water across the whole country. More importantly, the conclusions can be applied to risk control and management of public drinking water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As a key enzyme of natriuretic peptides system playing an integral role in energy homeostasis, furin may be a potential contributor to obesity. However, the association between furin and obesity has been scarcely studied. This study aims to examine the prospective association between serum furin and abdominal obesity.Methods: Waist circumference (WC) was measured twice 4 years apart for a total of 892 Chinese adults free of abdominal obesity at baseline. Abdominal obesity was defined as WC over 85 cm for men and as WC over 80 cm for women. A Cox proportional hazard model was constructed to examine the association of baseline serum furin with incident abdominal obesity.Results: After an average 4 years of follow-up, 184 participants developed new abdominal obesity. Baseline serum furin was significantly associated with dynamic body weight during follow-up (β=-0.593, p=0.003). Participants with a higher level of serum furin at baseline were less likely to develop new abdominal obesity compared with those with a lower level of serum furin (HR=0.81, 95% CI 0.67 to 0.97).Conclusions: A lower level of serum furin predicts a higher risk of developing future abdominal obesity in Chinese adults. Furin deficiency may be a contributor to abdominal obesity but still needs further investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consumption of agricultural products grown on paddy soils contaminated with toxic element has a detrimental effect on human health. However, the processes and mechanisms of iron (Fe) mineral-associated arsenic (As) availability and As reactivity in different paddy soil profiles are not well understood. In this study, the fractions, immobilization, and release risk of As in eleven soil profiles from the Changzhutan urban agglomeration in China were investigated; these studied soils were markedly contaminated with As. Sequential extraction experiments were used to analyze fractions of As and Fe oxide minerals, and kinetic experiments were used to characterize the reactivity of Fe oxide minerals. The results showed that concentrations of total As and As fractions had a downward trend with depth, but the average proportions of As fractions only showed relatively small changes, which implied that the decrease in the total As concentrations influenced the changes in fraction concentrations along the sampling depth. Moreover, we found that easily reducible Fe (Feox1) mainly controlled the reductive dissolution of the Fe oxides, which suggest that the reductive dissolution process could potentially release As during the flooded period of rice production. In addition, a high proportion of As was specifically absorbed As (As-F2) (average 20.4%) in paddy soils, higher than that in other soils. The total organic carbon (TOC) content had a positive correlation with the amount of non-specifically bound As (As-F1) (R = 0.56), which means that TOC was one factor that affected the As extractability in the As-F1. Consequently, high inputs of organic fertilizers may elevate the release of As and accelerate the diffusion of As. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the chemical characterization of dissolved organic matter (DOM) is important for understanding the fate of laterally transported organic matter in watersheds. We hypothesized that differences in water‐extractable organic matter (WEOM) in soils of varying land uses and rainfall events may significantly affect the quality and the quantity of stream DOM. To test our hypotheses, characteristics of rainfall‐runoff DOM and WEOM of source materials (topsoil from different land uses and gullies, as well as typical vegetation) were investigated at two adjacent catchments in the Loess Plateau of China, using ultraviolet–visible absorbance and excitation emission matrix fluorescence with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). Results indicated that land‐use types may significantly affect the chemical composition of soil WEOM, including its aromaticity, molecular weight, and degree of humification. The PARAFAC analysis demonstrated that the soils and stream water were dominated by terrestrial/allochthonous humic‐like substances and microbial transformable humic‐like fluorophores. Shifts in the fluorescence properties of stream DOM suggested a pronounced change in the relative proportion of allochthonous versus autochthonous material under different rainfall patterns and land uses. For example, high proportions of forestland could provide more allochthonous DOM input. This study highlights the relevance of soils and hydrological dynamics on the composition and fluxes of DOM issuing from watersheds. The composition of DOM in soils was influenced by land‐use type. Precipitation patterns influenced the proportion of terrestrial versus microbial origins of DOM in surface runoff. Contributions of allochthonous, terrestrially derived DOM inputs were highest from forested landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Platelet consumption followed by homocysteine-induced endothelial injury suggests a crosstalk between platelet activation and homocysteine on hypertension. Platelet count has been found to modify the effect of folic acid on vascular health. However, whether platelet count could modify the contribution of homocysteine to blood pressure (BP) remains unclear. Methods. Leveraging a community-based cross-sectional survey in 30,369 Chinese hypertensive patients (mean age 62 years, 52% female), we examined the moderation of platelet count on the association between serum homocysteine and BP by constructing hierarchical multiple regression models, adjusting for conventional risk factors. If adding the interaction term of homocysteine and platelet count could explain more variance in BP and the interaction is significant, then we believe that moderation is occurring. Results. The association between serum homocysteine and diastolic BP was significantly stronger (β = 0.092 vs. 0.035, P = 0.004) in participants with low platelet count (<210 × 109/L) than in those with high platelet count (≥210 × 109/L). Adding the interaction term of homocysteine and platelet count additionally explained 0.05% of the variance in diastolic BP (P = 0.0001), and the interaction was significant (β = −0.021, P < 0.001). Excluding participants receiving antihypertensive medications did not change our results. Conclusions. The association between homocysteine and BP was significantly stronger in participants with low vs. high platelet count and was partially moderated by platelet count. These results indicate that platelet count may be useful in the identification of individuals who are most beneficial to reducing-homocysteine treatments but this usefullness still needs further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The clonal spread of multiple drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii is an emerging problem in China. We analysed the molecular epidemiology of Acinetobacter baumanni isolates at three teaching hospitals and investigated the risk factors, clinical features, and outcomes of hospital-acquired pneumonia caused by extensive drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (XDRAB) infection in Guangzhou, China.Methods: Fifty-two A. baumannii isolates were collected. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was used to assess the genetic relationships among the isolates. The bla OXA-51-like gene was amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing. The resistance phenotypes were determined using the disc diffusion method. A retrospective case-control study was performed to determine factors associated with XDRAB pneumonia.Results: Most of the 52 A. baumannii isolates (N = 37, 71.2%) were collected from intensive care units (ICUs). The respiratory system was the most common bodily site from which A. baumannii was recovered (N = 45, 86.5%). Disc diffusion classified the isolates into 17 multidrug-resistant (MDR) and 35 extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains. MLST grouped the A. baumannii isolates into 5 existing sequence types (STs) and 7 new STs. ST195 and ST208 accounted for 69.2% (36/52) of the isolates. The clonal relationship analysis showed that ST195 and ST208 belonged to clonal complex (CC) 92. According to the sequence-based typing (SBT) of the bla OXA-51-like gene, 51 A. baumannii isolates carried OXA-66 and the rest carried OXA-199. There were no significant differences with respect to the resistance phenotype between the CC92 and non-CC92 strains (P = 0.767). The multivariate analysis showed that the APACHE II score, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cardiac disease were independent risk factors for XDRAB pneumonia (P < 0.05). The mortality rate of XDRAB pneumonia was high (up to 42.8%), but pneumonia caused by XDRAB was not associated with in-hospital mortality (P = 0.582).Conclusions: ST195 may be the most common ST in Guangzhou, China, and may serve as a severe epidemic marker. SBT of bla OXA-51-like gene variants may not result in sufficient dissimilarities to type isolates in a small-scale, geographically restricted study of a single region. XDRAB pneumonia was strongly related to systemic illnesses and the APACHE II score but was not associated with in-hospital mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine papillomaviruses (BPV) are small circular DNA viruses which can be widely spread in herd, inducing cattle tumours, therefore, leading economic losses in dairy and beef production industries. BPV‐leads symptoms include cutaneous papillomas, fibropapillomas, urinary bladder and oesophageal carcinoma. As one of the most important producers of beef in the world, China has not provided systematic research to prevent the harm of BPV, particularly in papillomavirus molecular characterization which presents among Chinese native cattle which was known to have higher disease resistance. In this study, skin papilloma was observed and samples were collected following by histopathological analysis. We analysed all neoplasms samples and reviewed their degrees in acanthosis and/or hyperkeratosis. Full‐length genomic sequencing was applied for all four isolated strains (JX180408, LA150909, HX160815, and BS160810) to exploring the molecular reason why BPV currently prevalent in Chinese native cattle. As a result, we identified that these four isolates were classified as BPV‐1 and clustered into the Deltapapillomavirus genera. Our study also identified that BPV 1 isolates from Chinese indigenous cattle breeds belong to subtypes A which has a closer genetic background compare with their common ancestor and suggest it can be a more ancestral species. European isolates more recently diverged group (group B) contained almost exclusively European samples. In this study, we analysed the similarity of ORF between Chinese isolated BPV 1 and BPV 1 reference strains and listed results. This study provides the complete genomic characterization of BPVs circulating in Chinese native cattle breeds for the first time, which provide a detailed description of how diverse strains may cause skin tumour among Chinese local breed cattle therefore critical for further epidemiological study of relevant diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Empathy is an important element of the physician-patient relationship and is a critical personality trait for medical students. However, research has shown that it declines during undergraduate medical education. It is still unclear how empathy interrelates with the psychological elements of medical students, in particular, self-esteem. This study examined the relationship between empathy and self-esteem to explore other possible methods to improve medical students' empathy. Methods: A stratified sampling strategy was used to select 1690 medical students from 3 medical institutions in Shanghai as study participants. The questionnaires used to collect data included the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy-Student Version (JSPE-S), the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSES), and a self-made inventory on personal information. Descriptive analysis, independent t -test, One-Way ANOVA, and linear regression were used to analyze the data. Results: The mean empathy score among medical students was 102.73 with SD = 12.64. Multiple regression analysis revealed that, "age," "perception of the importance of empathy," "academic pressure," "desire to be a doctor after graduation," and "self-esteem" were significant predictors of empathy (P < 0.05) and the adjusted R 2 was 0.462. The correlation matrix between empathy and self-esteem was significant (r = 0.510, P < 0.01). Self-esteem explained 15.5% of the variation of empathy in the final regression model. Conclusion: There was a positive association between self-esteem and empathy. Self-esteem is one of many factors which contribute to medical students' empathy. Age, academic pressure, attitude toward empathy and future career also play a critical role in medical student empathy. Enhancing medical students' self-esteem may be an efficacious way to improve medical students' empathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Whether the renal function influences the association between antiphosphatidylserine antibodies (aPS) and prognosis of ischemic stroke remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the prognostic value of aPS after ischemic stroke stratified by renal function status. Methods: This prospective study was based on China Antihypertensive Trial in Acute Ischemic Stroke, a randomized clinical trial in 26 hospitals across China from August 2009 to May 2013. A total of 2,874 ischemic stroke patients with blood samples or baseline records of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were included in this study. Serum aPS levels were quantitatively measured at baseline, and abnormal renal function in this study was defined as eGFR <90 mL/min per 1.73 m2. The primary outcome was a combination of death and major disability (modified Rankin Scale score ≥3) at 3 months after stroke. Secondary outcomes were death and major disability separately. Results: The association between aPS and primary outcome was significantly modified by renal function status (p for interaction = 0.02). After adjustment for covariates, increased aPS were significantly associated with the primary outcome in the patients with abnormal renal function (OR 2.09; 95% CI 1.24–3.53; p for trend = 0.006), but not in those with normal renal function (OR 0.92; 95% CI 0.69–1.23; p for trend = 0.59), when 2 extreme tertiles were compared. Furthermore, multiple-adjusted spline regression model showed a linear association between aPS and risk of primary outcome in the patients with abnormal renal function (p for linearity = 0.02) but not in those with normal renal function (p for linearity = 0.71). Conclusions: Increased aPS were positively and independently associated with death or major disability after acute ischemic stroke in the patients with abnormal renal function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of the cumulative cisplatin dose (CCD) for long-term survival outcomes after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods. Patients were included in an open-label phase III multicenter randomized controlled trial performed at seven institutions in China, and the 298 patients receiving CCRT only were assessed. Patient survival between different CCD groups were compared. Results. Median CCD for the 298 patients was 240 mg/m² (range, 40-320 mg/m²); 113 (37.9%) patients received a CCD of <240 (≤200) mg/m², and 185(62.1%) received a CCD of ≥240 mg/m². For CCD of ≥240 mg/m² vs. <240 mg/m², the estimated 5-year overall survival, disease-free survival, locoregional relapse-free survival, and distant metastasis-free survival rates were 83.2% vs. 76.2% (p = .403), 73.5% vs. 67.8% (p = .461), 90.4% vs. 86.8% (p = .551), and 82.6% vs. 79.7% (p = .632), respectively. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that CCD (240 mg/m²) was not an independent prognostic factor in either the entire cohort or stage III/IV subgroup. Conclusion. A CCD of ≥240 mg/m² was not an independent prognostic factor in patients with locoregionally advanced NPC at high risk of distant metastasis, and 200 mg/m² cisplatin may be adequate to achieve a survival benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trace elements in the public drinking water have a duality: on the one hand, trace elements play an important role in maintaining human metabolism; on the other hand, high trace elements levels lead to significant health risks. To determine the impacts of trace elements in the public drinking water on physical health in China, water samples were collected from 314 Chinese cities to analyze the concentrations and spatial distributions of trace elements on a national scale. On this basis, the non-carcinogenic health risk assessments and the nutrient-based scores of trace elements (NSTEs) were applied to evaluate the public drinking water quality in terms of safety and nutrition. Most of the water samples were weakly alkaline: pH values fell in the range of 6.62–8.54, with a mean of 7.80. The results indicated that Sr and F− had the highest concentrations in public drinking water, with averages of 0.3604 mg/L and 0.2351 mg/L, respectively. Moreover, hazard index (HI) values in different regions followed the order: northwest China (NWC) > northern China (NC) > Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QT) > southern China (SC). The percentages of water samples with HI > 1 in SC, NC, NWC, and QT were 5.49%, 16.82%, 25.81%, and 16.67%, respectively, indicating that the public drinking water in some cities had significant non-carcinogenic health risks. In addition, the intakes of Mn, Fe, Cu, and Rb through public drinking water made negligible contributions to their recommended nutrient intakes. In contrast, trace elements like Sr, F, B, Li, Mo, etc., contributed a lot. The NSTEs in NWC and most parts of NC were relatively high with averages of 8.0300 and 11.2082, respectively; however, the NSTEs in SC and the northeast part of NC were low with averages of 3.3284 and 5.2106, respectively. The results from this study provide a reference for establishing the public drinking water standards and improving drinking water quality. [Display omitted] • Significant differences in the distribution of trace elements in China exist. • The public drinking water in 37 cities has obvious non-carcinogenic health risks. • Intakes of Sr, F−, B, Li, Mo from public drinking water are important for health. • Intakes of Mn, Fe and Cu through drinking water can be ignored. • The nutrient-based scores of trace elements are high in NC and NWC but low in SC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The study of soluble corin in the circulation before hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) has been limited. Here we aimed to study serum soluble corin in mid pregnancy in patients with HDP and their age- and gestational weeks-matched controls. Methods: Sixty-eight pairs of cases of HDP and controls were studied. Blood samples were obtained in mid pregnancy between 16 and 20 gestational weeks. Serum soluble corin was examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methods. The relationship between serum soluble corin and HDP was examined using conditional logistic regression models. Results: Serum soluble corin in mid pregnancy was increased in cases with HDP compared with controls (median [interquartile range]: 1968 [1644-2332] pg/mL vs. 1700 [1446-2056] pg/mL, p=0.002). Participants were categorized into quartiles of serum soluble corin distributed in controls. Compared with the lowest quartile, participants in the highest quartile had a significantly increased risk for HDP (odds ratio [OR], 4.21; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.31-13.53) after multivariate adjustment. Nevertheless, we did not find a significantly increased risk for participants in the second (OR, 1.75; 95% CI, 0.44-7.02) and third (OR, 2.80; 95% CI, 0.70-11.18) quartiles. Then the first three quartiles were merged as a reference group to calculate the OR of HDP for participants in the highest quartile and we found a significantly increased risk for HDP in individuals in the highest quartile (OR, 2.28, 95% CI, 1.02-5.06). Conclusion: Increased serum soluble corin in mid pregnancy was associated with an increased risk for HDP. Our findings suggest that increased serum soluble corin in mid pregnancy could be an indicator for HDP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the associations between waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) and risk of ischemic stroke among Mongolian men in China. Methods: A population-based prospective cohort study was conducted from June 2003 to July 2012 in Inner Mongolia, an autonomous region in north China. A total of 1034 men aged 20 years and older free of cardiovascular disease were included in the cohort and followed up for an average of 9.2 years. The subjects were divided into four groups by WHtR levels (WHtR<0.40, 0.40≤WHtR≤0.50, 0.500.60). The cumulative survival rates of ischemic stroke among the four groups were estimated with the Kaplan-Meier curves and compared by log-rank test. Cox proportional hazards models and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were employed to evaluate the associations between obesity indices and ischemic stroke. Results: A total of 47 ischemic stroke patients were observed during the follow-up period. The cumulative incidence and incidence density of ischemic stroke were 4.55% and 507.61/100 000 person-years, respectively. After the major risk factors were adjusted, individuals with WHtR>0.60 had a 3.56-fold increased risk of ischemic stroke compared with those with 0.40≤WHtR≤0.50. Hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of ischemic stroke for a 1-SD increase in WHtR was 1.34(95% CI: 1.00–1.81). After adding BMI or WC to models, higher WHtR remained significantly associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that the cumulative survival rate in the group with WHtR>0.60 was significantly lower than in the group with 0.40≤WHtR≤0.50 (log-rank test, P = 0.025). The areas under the curve for each index were as follows: 0.586 for WHtR, 0.543 for WC; 0.566 for BMI. Conclusions: Higher WHtR is associated with risk of ischemic stroke in Mongolian males. WHtR may be useful in predicting ischemic stroke incidence in males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The southwest karst area is considered to have the most vulnerable groundwater environment in China. Groundwater quality is an important factor restricting sustainable economic development. In this study, traditional water chemistry method, water quality index (WQI), and hazard index (HI) were applied to comparatively analyze the hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater and the water quality in the exposed karst region (EKR) and buried karst region (BKR) in Bama, a typical karst area in southwest China. Generally, the main water type was Ca/Mg–HCO 3. Due to the predominance of dissolution of carbonate rocks in EKR and silicate rocks in BKR, higher total dissolved solids (TDS), Ca and HCO 3 − concentrations, and lower H 2 SiO 3 content were detected in groundwater in EKR compared with BKR. As affected by weathering of rocks such as lead-zinc ore, the maximum concentrations of Zn and Sr were 11.23 mg/L and 13.30 mg/L, showing that mineral water resources are widely distributed in Bama. The ion ratios and isotope abundances (δD and δ18O) in groundwater samples indicated stronger evaporation and rock-water interaction in EKR than BKR. Human activities exerted a more significant influence on the water quality in EKR compared to BKR. The mean WQI value also suggested that the groundwater quality was better in BKR (9.56) than EKR (12.17). Although 95.7% of the water samples in the study area were classified as excellent based on their WQI values, 4.3% of the water samples still had significant health risks (HI > 1) due to the high Sb, Zn, As, and Sr concentrations. It is recommended to reduce anthropogenic pollution in EKR and develop a plan for clean production of mineral water industry according to local conditions, which will help the sustainable development of the local economy. [Display omitted] • Groundwater hydrochemistry in exposed and buried karst regions is totally different. • Aquatic environment in exposed karst regions is more sensitive than buried ones. • Sb, As, and Zn are the main trace elements which may pose non-carcinogenic risks. • Groundwater quality assessment contributes to sustainable water management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Induction of apoptosis by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is implicated as the major factor in the development of multiple diseases. ER stress also appears to be a potentially useful major response to many chemotherapeutic drugs and environmental chemical compounds. A previous study has indicated that one major apoptotic regulator, p53, is significantly increased in response to ER stress, and participates in ER stress-induced apoptosis. However, the regulators of p53 expression during ER stress are still not fully understood. Principal Findings: In this report, we demonstrate that induction of p53 expression is mediated through NF-κB signaling pathways during ER stress in MCF-7 cells. Tunicamycin or brefeldin A, two ER stress inducers, increased p53 expression in MCF-7 and Hela cells. We found p53 nuclear localization, activity, and phosphorylation at serine 15 on p53 increased during ER stress. Nuclear translocation of NF-κB and activity of NF-κB were also observed during ER stress. ER stress-induced p53 expression was significantly inhibited by coincubation with the NF-κB inhibitor, Bay 11-7082 and downregulation of NF-κB p65 expression. The role of p53 in mediating Brefeldin A-induced apoptosis was also investigated. Induction of p53 expression by Brefeldin A was correlated to Brefeldin A-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, downregulation of p53 expression by p53 siRNA significantly reduced Brefeldin A-induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. Significance: Taken together, NF-κB activation and induction of p53 expression is essential for ER stress-induced cell death which is important for therapeutic effects of clinical cancer drugs. Our results may provide insight into the mechanism of cancer chemotherapy efficacy that is associated with induction of ER stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Whether hyperuricemia and microalbuminuria are separately associated with prehypertension among Chinese Han women is controversial. Methods: Information was collected from physical examinations, personal interviews, and blood and urine samples. Associations of hyperuricemia and microalbuminuria with hypertension and prehypertension were analyzed by using multivariate nonconditional logistic regression models in 1,773 women aged ≥30 years. Results: Both average systolic and diastolic blood pressure increased with uric acid and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio levels (all trend P values<0.001). When subjects with microalbuminuria or using antihypertensive medication were excluded, individuals with a uric acid level in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quartiles of uric acid were more likely to have prehypertension than those with a uric acid level in the lowest quartile [odds ratio (OR)=1.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-2.19; OR=1.69, 95% CI 1.12-2.56; OR=2.67, 95% CI 1.57-4.53). After exclusion of subjects with diabetes or hyperuricemia or using antihypertensive medication, compared with normotensives, individuals with high blood pressure status of prehypertension were more likely to have microalbuminuria (OR=1.83, 95% CI 1.12-2.99). Additionally, microalbuminuria was positively associated with blood pressure levels (trend P value<0.001). Conclusions: Hyperuricemia and microalbuminuria are separately and independently associated with prehypertension among Chinese Han women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, promoting harmless blackwater treatment and resource utilization in rural areas is a priority of the "toilet revolution". Exploring the effects of blackwater application in arid areas on soil nitrogen losses can provide a basis for more effective water and fertilizer management. This study analyzed nitrogen leaching and maize yield under blackwater application in the summer maize season of 2020. A total of 5 treatments were used: no fertilizer, single chemical fertilizer application (CF), single blackwater application (HH), and combined chemical fertilizer and blackwater application ratios of 1:1 (CH1) and 2:1 (CH2). The total nitrogen leached from the fertilization treatments was 53.14–60.95 kg·ha−1 and the leached nitrate nitrogen was 34.10–40.62 kg·ha−1. Nitrate nitrogen accounted for 50–62% of the total leached nitrogen. Compared with blackwater treatments, nitrate nitrogen moved into deeper soil layers (80–100 cm depth) during the CF treatment. Compared with CF, HH significantly reduced the maize yield by 24.39%. The nitrogen surplus of HH was higher than that of other fertilizer treatments. Considering nitrogen leaching, maize yield, and economic benefits, the CH2 treatment presented the optimal results. These findings address knowledge gaps and assist in guiding policy-makers to effectively promote China's "toilet revolution". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rugao city is a typical longevity area taking shallow groundwater as the primary drinking water source. To determine the relationship between longevity and groundwater conditions, the hydrogeochemical characteristics and related causes of potable groundwater were investigated. On this basis, the water quality index (WQI) and hazard index (HI) of groundwater were evaluated. Meanwhile, the nutrient indicators beneficial to human health, like Ca and Mg concentrations, were also considered to explore the relationship. The results were as following: (1) 91.3% of water samples fell under the Ca/Mg–HCO 3 water type, which resulted from the dissolution of silicate rock. Na, Cl-, Br, B in groundwater emanated from seawater intrusion. The abnormal concentrations of NO 3 − and As also indicated that anthropogenic activities had exerted significant influences on groundwater quality. (2) The average WQI value was 30.19, which meant that the overall groundwater quality in Rugao city was pretty good. However, 8 water samples were found to have HI values above 1, which might be attributed to the high concentration of As (maximum value 0.0407 mg/L; mean value 0.0076 mg/L). In general, low WQI and HI values corresponded to towns with a high longevity population; what's more, WQI and HI values of Rugao city were lower than those of non-longevity areas. (3) Comparing with adjacent non-longevity areas, the potable groundwater in Rugao city had the characteristics of high Ca (mean value 123.57 mg/L), high Mg (mean value 50.33 mg/L) and high SO 4 2- (mean value 525.19 mg/L). The daily intake of Ca and Mg from drinking water could meet 12.4% and 22.4% of daily Ca and Mg requirements, respectively. Also, the areas where the Sr and B concentrations were higher usually had higher life expectancy. The high concentrations of Ca, Mg, SO 4 2-, Sr and B in drinking water, as well as low WQI and HI values, probably contribute to physical health and longevity. This research helps provide an insight into the relationship between groundwater quality and health and can serve as a reference for drinking water quality management. [Display omitted] • Water-rock interaction and seawater intrusion dictate groundwater composition. • Anthropogenic activities have affected groundwater quality. • Towns in Rugao city with high longevity usually have low WQI and HI values. • The potable groundwater in Rugao city has high levels of nutrient elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of Ecological Transformation of Industrial Parks (ETIPs) has been translated into diverse policy practices worldwide. To gain insights into the dynamics of adapting novel policy concepts in new contexts and further safeguarding them for durable and effective policy outcomes of ETIPs, we built on policy translation framework and adopted Event Sequence Analysis to reconstruct and compare successive policy translation patterns of Eco-industrial Park (EIP) and Circular Economy Industrial Park (CEIP) in China. The results show that both the policies manifested the sequential dynamics of 1) adapting the novel concepts in new contexts through the single-agency approach in the early phase and 2) stabilizing policy outputs gradually to achieve effective outcomes through the multi-actor cooperation in the late phase. A key policy implication is that the sequential features are useful for countries as "latecomers" of ETIPs to detect the signals of emerging local initiatives and facilitating them into nation-wide practices. Importantly, this process may take decades and requires the patience of policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vanadium as an important national strategy resource is widely used in many fields due to its excellent physicochemical properties. Much attention had been focused on recovering vanadium from vanadium titano-magnetite and stone coal as they were the main vanadium resources in China. Sodium roasting technology was the earliest technology applied in recovering vanadium, high recovery efficiency of vanadium was obtained along with serious environment problem like corrosive gases and hazardous wastewater. Calcium roasting technology avoided above problems, but high energy-cost and low recovery was remained. Non-salt roasting technology was suitable for limited vanadium resource. Vanadium was leached out after roasting and the leaching medium was divided into three parts according to the roasting technology. Recover process of vanadium depended on the vanadium species and pH in the leaching solution. Hydrolysis was the easily technology with most impurities. Ammonium precipitation was the common process for every technology. And high purity of V 2 O 5 was obtained by calcining precipitation of recovery process. Overall, the industry of vanadium leaching was still underdeveloped, and much intensive research work was needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine which organisms most commonly cause infection after natural disasters, we cultured specimens from injured earthquake survivors in Wenchuan, China, 2008. Of 123 cultures, 46 (59%) grew only 1 type of pathogenic bacteria. Smear was more effective than culture for early diagnosis of gas gangrene. Early diagnosis and treatment of wounds are crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Prevalence, Awareness, Treatment, and Control of Hypertension in China: Results From a National Survey," J. Wang and colleagues in the 2014 issue.

Background Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and its prohormone activating enzyme are associated with central obesity, suggesting there may be a potential relationship between proANP 1–98 and central obesity. However, the association is still lack of population-based evidence. We explored the association in a general population of China. Methods We measured plasma proANP 1–98 , waist circumference and other traditional biomarkers in 2203 participants aged ≥ 30 y. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine the association between plasma proANP 1–98 and central obesity, and odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. Results High proANP 1–98 was significantly associated with increased risk of central obesity in participants, and the multivariate adjusted OR (95% CI) of central obesity associated with the second, third and fourth quartiles of proANP 1–98 were 1.33 (1.03–1.72), 1.69 (1.31–2.19) and 1.76 (1.35–2.29), respectively, compared with the lowest quartile of proANP 1–98 . There was a dose-response relationship between proANP 1–98 and risk of central obesity among the participants (P trend < 0.001). Sensitivity analyses further confirmed these associations. Adding proANP 1–98 to a model containing conventional risk factors improved discriminatory power of central obesity (as shown by significant improvement in continuous NRI and IDI). Conclusions Contrary to known reduced ANP levels in central obesity, we found that plasma proANP 1–98 was positively associated with central obesity, suggesting that elevated plasma proANP 1–98 may be a marker or a risk factor for central obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are the main source of bioaerosol emissions. The cover of deodorization within WWTPs serves not only to manage odors but also to limit the dispersion of bioaerosols. This study investigated the emission characteristics and exposure risks of bioaerosols inside deodorization covers from a WWTP in Northern China. The results revealed that the concentration of bacteria in bioaerosols ranged from 96 ± 8 to 706 ± 45 CFU/m3, with the highest concentration observed in the biochemical reaction tank. The predominant bacterial genera in bioaerosols within the odor control covers were Cetobacterium , Romboutsia , Bacteroides , Lactobacillus , and Tubricibacter , while the dominant fungal genera included Aspergillus , Alternaria , Fusarium , and Cladosporium. The main water-soluble ions in the air were NH 4 +, Ca2+, SO 4 2−, and Cl−. SO 4 2− was found to promote the survival of Cetobacterium, Brevibacterium, Fusarium, Penicillium, and Filobasidium , while Cl− exhibited inhibitory effects on most microorganisms in bioaerosols. Source tracker analysis indicated that wastewater was the primary source of bioaerosols in the biochemical reaction tank. The non-carcinogenic risk associated with bioaerosols within deodorization covers was less than 1 (2.34 × 10−9 to 3.08 × 10−2). FunGuild fungal functional prediction suggested that the abundance of animal pathogens was highest in the bioaerosols from the anaerobic sedimentation tank. BugBase phenotypic prediction showed that the abundance of potential pathogens in secondary sedimentation tank bioaerosols was the highest. This study effectively revealed the characteristics and sources of bioaerosols in the sewage and sludge treatment area under the deodorization cover, which provided a theoretical basis for enhancing the management and control of bioaerosols. [Display omitted] • The characteristics of the bioaerosols within the covers were analyzed. • The bioaerosols in the biochemical reaction tank were originated from the wastewater. • SO 4 2− exhibited a promoting effect on the survival of the dominant bacterial genera. • There were symbiotic relationships among the pathogenic microorganisms. • Highest abundance of animal pathogens in anaerobic sedimentation tank bioaerosols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Solar aided (coal-fired) power generation (SAPG) technology has been approved to be an efficient way to use solar energy for power generation. However, most solar-rich areas are often short of cooling water supply, especially in China. The air-cooled condenser could alleviate this issue effectively for power plants in these areas. In this paper, a solar aided power generation with direct air-cool condenser (SAPG + ACC) plant is studied and optimized to maximize its performance. Due to the addition of solar heat in an SAPG plant, the exhaust steam flow rate leaving the turbine changes, especially in power-boost mode, which affects the turbine exit pressure and deviates the condenser from its designed operating condition. To achieve maximum net power output, the correlation among the optimum (turbine) exit pressure (OEP), the solar heat input and the ambient temperature, is obtained in this study. The annual plant's performances with four proposed operating strategies of the air-cooled condenser are compared and analyzed. The results show that for an SAPG + ACC plant, the operating Strategy.3, i.e. operated with the hourly OEP is the optimal one, resulting the plant has annual solar-to-electricity efficiency (SEE) of 17.82% and its levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) is of 0.09 $/kWh. Highlights • The impacts of the solar input on turbine exit pressure are revealed. • The optimal (turbine) exit pressure value under a certain condition is obtained. • Four proposed operating strategies of the air-cooled condenser are analyzed. • A sample daily operation procedure to demonstrate the operation is shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the information on sedimentary organic matter (SOM) source is of great importance for better understanding biogeochemical cycling and terrestrial carbon sequestration on the Earth’s surface. Such information, especially during field rainfall process, however, is unavailable or difficult to assemble. In order to further study the dynamic variation of sedimentary organic matter source during rainfall process, suspended sediment were sampled manually at the outlet of two paired typical hilly-gully watersheds of Loess Plateau in China [Qiaozi East watershed (QEW) and Qiaozi West watershed (QWW)], and source materials included subsoil (i.e., soils from channel bank and gully bank) and topsoil (i.e., surface soils from different slope positions in land uses), along with C 3 and C 4 plants. In this study reported, natural stable isotopes ( 13 C and 15 N) and elemental compositions (TOC and TN), combined with a isotope mixing model (stable isotope analysis in R, SIAR) were successfully used to assemble this information. The results showed that the response of source contributions to SOM displayed difference significantly during different rainfall processes, showing fluctuation with flow. Subsoil was the main source of SOM pool for two similar small watersheds (accounting for 38.50% for QWW and 35.63% for QEW). Minor contribution was sourced from the C 3 and C 4 plants (< 25%), but only 10% for the C 4 plants, indicating that the C 3 plants dominated the input of organic matter in superficial soils of this study region. The source of sedimentary organic matter transported by erosion showed different contribution proportions from potential sources in two similar small watersheds with different management practices, indicating that management practice could decrease the soil organic matter loss by reducing the sediment transportation and flow during rainfall process in the Loess Plateau of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Chemical property and sources of OM were identified by isotopic and optical analysis. • Forested topsoil had higher aromatic and humified DOM than those of other land-uses. • Soil conservation practices increased OM concentration and reduced soil losses. • Gully banks were the primary contributor to eroded bulk OM during rainfall events. • DOM originated from preferential transport of microbially processed OM in deep soils. Ascertaining the chemical compositions and sources of eroded organic matter (OM) is of significant importance for understanding the flux and fate of laterally transported OM at the catchment scale. Limited information, however, is available for the sources and dynamics of the eroded OM in bulk and soluble phases in relation to land-use types and rainfall events from an erosion prone landscape. In this study, we collected the top-soils from different land-uses and gully bank in uplands over seven rainfall events in 2016 to address this issue at two contrasting watersheds (with vs. without soil conservation measures) in the Loess hilly-gully region of China. Chemical compositions of eroded OM in bulk sediments and stream waters at the stream channels during rainfall processes were determined by spectroscopic analysis and source partition was inferred with the stable isotopic technique. Our results indicated that OM from forested soils had higher aromaticity, hydrophobic fraction, humification, molecular weight, and proportion of humic-like substance compared with other land-use types. The calculation with isotope mixing model indicated that the eroded bulk OM sources in sediments mainly originated from gully bank, orchard, and forests at the watershed coupled with soil conservation measures. Further, gully banks were the main contributor of eroded OM during rainfall events only at the watershed without conservation practices. Moreover, the principal component analysis suggested that the dissolved organic matter in stream waters were primarily derived from microbial OM sources (i.e. biological production of OM) in deep soils during rainfall events at both contrasting watersheds. Our findings highlight the effects of soil conservation measures and rainfall events on the nature and reactivity of eroded OM in various forms issuing from watersheds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Phenylacetylglutamine is implicated in platelet clotting and thrombosis, but its prognostic value in ischemic stroke remains unclear. We aimed to explore the associations of plasma phenylacetylglutamine levels with adverse outcomes after ischemic stroke in a multicenter prognostic cohort study., Methods: Our multicenter prognostic cohort study included 3564 Chinese patients with ischemic stroke from the CATIS (China Antihypertensive Trial in Acute Ischemic Stroke). All patients were followed up at 3 months after ischemic stroke onset. The primary outcome was the composite outcome of death or major disability (modified Rankin Scale score, 3-6) at 3 months after ischemic stroke., Results: During 3 months of follow-up, 877 participants experienced the primary outcome. After multivariate adjustment, each 500 ng/mL increase of phenylacetylglutamine was associated with a 7% ( P =0.012), 6% ( P =0.016), and 6% ( P =0.028) increased risk of the primary outcome, major disability, and death, respectively. The odds ratios or hazard ratios in the highest versus the lowest quartile of plasma phenylacetylglutamine were 1.62 ([95% CI, 1.18-2.23]; P trend =0.001) for the primary outcome, 1.62 ([95% CI, 1.16-2.24]; P trend =0.001) for major disability, and 2.59 ([95% CI, 1.19-5.60]; P trend =0.025) for death, respectively. There was a significantly worse shift in the distribution of modified Rankin Scale score at 3 months with higher phenylacetylglutamine quartiles ( P trend =0.003). Multiple-adjusted spline regression model showed a linear relationship between phenylacetylglutamine and primary outcome ( P value for linearity<0.001). The addition of plasma phenylacetylglutamine to conventional risk factors significantly improved the risk reclassification for the primary outcome (net reclassification improvement, 19.34%; P <0.001; integrated discrimination improvement, 0.23%; P =0.019)., Conclusions: Elevated plasma phenylacetylglutamine levels at baseline were associated with increased risks of adverse clinical outcomes at 3 months after ischemic stroke, suggesting that phenylacetylglutamine may be a promising prognostic biomarker for ischemic stroke. Further studies are needed to investigate whether phenylacetylglutamine is a stroke-specific biomarker., Competing Interests: None.

Background: Serum corin has been associated with stroke in observational studies, but the underlying causality is uncertain. This study examined the causal association between corin and stroke through Mendelian randomization study., Methods and Results: In the Gusu cohort, serum corin was assayed at baseline, and stroke incidents were prospectively obtained during 10 years of follow-up. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CORIN were genotyped by MassArray for 2310 participants (mean age, 53 years; 39% men). Seventeen SNPs passed the Hardy-Weinberg test and were considered the potential instruments. Only 1 SNP (rs2271037) determined variability of serum corin was significantly associated with stroke even after adjusting for conventional risk factors (hazard ratio [HR], 1.36 [95% CI, 1.00-1.85]). The weighted genetic risk score generated from the SNP-corin associations was significantly associated with stroke (HR, 2.01 [95% CI, 1.15-3.51]). Using this genetic risk score as the instrument, 1-sample Mendelian randomization analysis found a significant HR of stroke per-SD higher log 2 -transformed corin (HR, 1.37 [95% CI, 1.07-1.76]). The inverse variance-weighted analysis based on the SNP-corin and SNP-stroke associations found that the HR of stroke pre-SD higher log 2 -transformed corin was 5.92 (95% CI, 2.23-15.72). The effect estimates stayed consistent regardless of an individual SNP being removed from the instruments. An almost identical effect estimate was also confirmed by multiple other 2-sample Mendelian randomization methods., Conclusions: Genetically determined variations of serum corin concentration were significantly associated with the risk of stroke in Chinese adults. Elevated serum corin may be a risk factor for stroke.

Goose astroviruses (GAstVs) are important pathogens which can cause gout in goslings leading to huge economic losses for the goose farming industry in China. In 2023, an infectious disease characterized by visceral gout broke out in commercial goose farms in Guangxi and Guangdong provinces of China. In this study, two GAstV strains of GXNN and GDCS were successfully isolated from these two disease-ridden goose farms. The complete genomic lengths of these two strains were 7166 bp, and phylogenetic analysis showed that they were both GAstV-2 subtypes. The 3-dimensional structures of the capsid protein were predicted and six characteristic mutation sites at amino acid positions 60, 61, 228, 229, 456 and 523 were found within the strong antigenic regions. A recombination event occurred at 6833-7070 nt between the GAstV TZ03 and Turkey astrovirus CA/00 and this was detected in both the GXNN and GDCS strains. Another recombinant event occurred at 63-2747 nt between the GAstV XT1 and GAstV SDPY and this was detected in the GDCS strain. When 1-day-old goslings were infected with the novel GXNN and GDCS strains, they showed severe visceral gout. This was accompanied by enlarged spleens, liver hemorrhages and urate deposits in the kidneys and ureters and their blood urea nitrogen levels were significantly elevated. The mortality rates of the GXNN- and GDCS-infected groups were pathogenically high at 80 % and 60 %, respectively. These results will promote our understanding of the evolution and epidemic potential of GAstVs in China., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Pteris vittata (P. vittata) possesses significant potential in remediating arsenic (As) soil pollution. Understanding the habitat suitability of P. vittata in China and pinpointing the key drivers that influence its distribution can facilitate the identification of optimal areas for using P. vittata as a remediation tool for As-polluted soils. In this study, a comparative analysis was conducted using ten machine learning models to assess the habitat suitability of P. vittata based on 744 specimen records and 20 environmental factors. The key drivers affecting the distribution of P. vittata were also investigated based on the optimal model. The results indicate that the XGBOOST model was the most reliable and stable, achieving a coefficient of determination of 0.95. Approximately 24.47 % of China's land area was identified as suitable for P. vittata. Particularly, it was predominantly found in Hainan (45.9 %), Guangxi (92.96 %), Guangdong (91.68 %), Hunan (91.26 %), Guizhou (90.83 %), Chongqing (88.17 %), Fujian (85.70 %), Yunnan (77.44 %), Jiangxi (73.99 %) and Zhejiang (57.05 %). Furthermore, this study pinpointed the lowest temperature, annual temperature range, and mining density as key drivers, contributing 45.9 %, 31.9 %, and 7.2 %, respectively. Spatial correlation analysis revealed a significant correlation between mining density and the habitat distribution of P. vittata (Moran' I = 0.519). This study confirmed that both natural factors and anthropogenic activities affect the distribution of P. vittata and provided valuable insights for optimizing the application of P. vittata in soil phytoremediation and reclamation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Vascular health has been associated with cognition but related evidence is limited in Chinese. The objective of this study was to examine the association of vascular aging assessed by arterial stiffness and blood pressure with cognitive function in an unselected Chinese population., Methods: In the Tianning Cohort (N = 5158), indicators of arterial stiffness and blood pressure including carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), ankle-brachial index (ABI), pulse pressure (PP), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) questionnaire. We applied Poisson regression and logistic regression to examine the associations of vascular aging and blood pressure with cognitive function., Results: 76 (1.47%) participants had impaired cognitive function diagnosed by a MMSE score of less than 24 points. Participants with a higher level of PP were more likely to have a decreased score of MMSE (β=-0.0121, P < 0.001 for log-transformed pulse pressure) and a higher risk of having impaired cognitive function (OR = 5.95, 95%CI: 2.02-17.79, P < 0.001 for log-transformed PP). Per standard deviation increment in SBP was significantly associated with lower MMSE score (β=-0.0020, P < 0.001) and impaired cognitive function (OR = 1.69, 95%CI: 1.38-2.06, P < 0.001). No significant associations were found regarding other parameters., Conclusions: Blood pressure and hypertension were associated with cognitive function in Chinese adults. PP may be a potential predictor for impaired cognitive function., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Lifestyle factors are known to play a role in the development of hypertension. We aimed to study the relationship between lifestyle and hypertension in a Chinese population., Methods: This study involved 3,329 participants (1,463 men and 1,866 women) aged 18-96 years in the Shenzhen-Hong Kong United Network on Cardiovascular Disease. A healthy lifestyle score was derived from 5 factors: no smoking, no alcohol consumption, active physical activity, normal body mass index, and a healthy diet. Multiple logistic regression was used to investigate the relationship between lifestyle score and hypertension. The influence of each lifestyle component on hypertension was also assessed., Results: In the overall population, 950 (28.5%) participants had hypertension. The risk of hypertension decreased with increasing healthy lifestyle scores. Compared with participants with the lowest score (score: 0), the multivariable odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals for participants with scores 3, 4, and 5 were 0.65 (0.41-1.01), 0.62 (0.40-0.97), and 0.37 (0.22-0.61), respectively (P for trend <0.001). After adjusting for age, sex, and diabetes, the score was associated with hypertension risk (P for trend = 0.005). Compared with a lifestyle score of 0, the adjusted OR for hypertension for participants with a score of 5 was 0.46 (0.26-0.80)., Conclusions: The risk of hypertension is inversely related to the healthy lifestyle score. This reinforces the need to address lifestyle to reduce the risk of hypertension., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Escherichia coli is a common conditional pathogen, for which antibiotic therapy is considered an effective treatment. The imprudent use of antibiotics has led to the increase of multiple-antibiotic-resistant E. coli species. With the incidence of antibiotic resistance reaching a crisis point, it is imperative to find alternative treatments for multidrug-resistant infections. Using phage for pathogen control is a promising treatment option to combat bacterial resistance. In this study, a novel virulent Podoviridae phage Kayfunavirus TM1 infecting Escherichia coli was isolated from pig farm sewage in Guangxi, China. The one-step growth curve with the optimal multiplicity of infection of 0.01 revealed a latent period of 10 min and a burst size of 50 plaque-forming units per cell. The stability test reveals that it is stable from 4 to 60 °C and pH from 3 to 11. The double-stranded DNA genome of phage Kayfunavirus TM1 is composed of 39,948 base pairs with a GC content of 50.03%., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: It remains unclear whether different blood pressure management strategies should be administered for acute stroke patients with or without impaired renal function. We conducted a secondary analysis of the CATIS trial (China Antihypertensive Trial in Acute Ischemic Stroke) to investigate the effect of early antihypertensive treatment among patients with acute ischemic stroke according to the baseline renal function assessed by estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR)., Methods: The CATIS trial randomly assigned 4071 acute ischemic stroke patients with systolic blood pressure between 140 and 220 mm Hg to receive antihypertensive treatment or to discontinue all antihypertensive medications during hospitalization. A primary outcome (composite outcome of death and major disability) and secondary outcomes were compared between antihypertensive treatment and control groups by baseline renal function levels of eGFR values of <60, 60 to 89, and ≥90 mL/min per 1.73 m 2 ., Results: At day 14 or hospital discharge, the primary outcome was not significantly different between the antihypertensive treatment and control groups in each subgroup stratified by renal function status ( P =0.98 for homogeneity), and the odds ratios (95% CIs) were 1.23 (0.76-2.02) in patients with eGFR <60 mL/min per 1.73 m 2 , 0.94 (0.75-1.19) in patients with eGFR values of 60-89 mL/min per 1.73 m 2 , and 1.04 (0.88-1.24) in patients with eGFR ≥90 mL/min per 1.73 m 2 , respectively. In addition, early antihypertensive treatment was not associated with secondary clinical outcomes by baseline renal function ( P >0.05 for all homogeneity)., Conclusions: Early antihypertensive treatment had a neutral effect on clinical outcomes in ischemic stroke patients with different renal function status., Registration: URL: https://www., Clinicaltrials: gov; Unique Identifier: NCT01840072.

Introduction: Ischemic stroke (IS) is an extremely complex disease caused by the combined action of multiple environmental and genetic factors. CYP1B1 is a member of the cytochrome P450 protein family, and it is an important human drug-metabolizing enzymes. We aimed to explore the association between CYP1B1 genetic variants and IS risk in Chinese Han population., Methods: We recruited 1,150 participants to conduct a "case-control" study. The assessment of association between candidate CYP1B1 genetic variants (rs2855658, rs10916, rs162560, rs2567206) and IS risk was performed by SNPStats online software. In addition, false-positive report probability analysis was used to detect whether the positive findings were just chance or noteworthy observations. Finally, the interaction of candidate SNPs in IS risk was evaluated by multifactor dimensionality reduction., Results: The results showed that CYP1B1-rs2855658 was a risk factor for IS among ≥60-year-old (dominant: p = 0.034; overdominant: p = 0.026), smoking (heterozygote: p = 0.009; dominant: p = 0.004; overdominant: p = 0.012; log-additive: p = 0.003), and drinking participants (homozygous: p = 0.036; dominant: p = 0.019; recessive: p = 0.012; log-additive: p = 0.006). CYP1B1-rs10916 also was a risk factor for IS patients among ≥60-year-old (heterozygote: p = 0.047; overdominant: p = 0.048), smoking (dominant: p = 0.050; overdominant: p = 0.049), and drinking participants (dominant: p = 0.019; overdominant: p = 0.038; log-additive: p = 0.013)., Conclusion: CYP1B1-rs10916 and CYP1B1-rs2855658 can increase the IS risk in Chinese Han population who are ≥60 years old, smoking, or drinking alcohol., (© 2023 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background Ischemic stroke is likely caused by interactions of multiple genes and environmental determinants. However, large-scale sequencing studies to discern functional genetic variants and their interactions with clinical and lifestyle risk factors on ischemic stroke are limited. Methods and Results We sequenced functional regions of 740 previously identified genes associated with atherosclerotic disease among 999 ischemic stroke cases and 1001 controls of Chinese ancestry. Multiple logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between variants and ischemic stroke and test interactions between variants and clinical and lifestyle risk factors. Functional variants achieving suggestive significance were replicated in an independent sample of 4724 ischemic stroke cases and 5029 controls. Driven by variant main effects, each minor allele of the correlated rs174535, rs174545, and rs3834458 variants at MYRF-FADS1-FADS2 conferred an average 0.83-fold (95% CI, 0.78-0.88) decreased odds of stroke. Significant main effects of MTHFR rs1801133 missense variant were also observed, with each copy of the A allele associated with a 1.20-fold (95% CI, 1.13-1.27) higher odds of ischemic stroke. The functional ALDH2 rs671 variant was identified in interaction analyses with alcohol drinking ( Meta-P =3.39×10 -17 ). Each minor allele conferred a 0.54-fold (95% CI, 0.45-0.64) decreased odds of stroke among drinkers and a 0.89-fold (95% CI, 0.83-0.97) decreased odds among nondrinkers. Conclusions Significant associations at MYRF-FADS1-FADS2 indicate that genetically elevated polyunsaturated fatty acids may decrease ischemic stroke risk in East Asians. Significant associations at MTHFR and ALDH2 robustly confirm deleterious effects of genetically elevated homocysteine and alcohol intake, respectively, on ischemic stroke.

Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is a marker of glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Increased waist circumference (WC) is known to be associated with T2DM. Therefore, we investigated the relationship of WC with HbA1c and explored its optimal cutoff for identifying prediabetes and diabetes risk. This study included 2339 participants between 18 and 84 years of age [mean (SD) age, 43.5 (11.9) years] with valid data on WC, HbA1c and related variables in the Shenzhen-Hong Kong United Network on Cardiovascular Disease study. Participants on anti-diabetic medications were excluded. Multiple linear regression was used to investigate the relationship between HbA1c and WC. Cutoff values of WC indicating an HbA1c level of 5.7% and 6.5% were also assessed using optimal binning. There was a significant linear relationship between WC and HbA1c in the overall population (B = 0.261, P < 0.001), men (B = 0.206, P < 0.001) and women (B = 0.311, P < 0.001). After adjustment for smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia and age, the association remained significant in the overall population (B = 0.201, P < 0.001), men (B = 0.186, P < 0.001) and women (B = 0.182, P < 0.001). The optimal cutoff values of WC indicating an HbA1c level of 5.7% and 6.5% was 83 cm (entropy = 0.943) and 85 cm (entropy = 0.365) in men, and 78 cm (entropy = 0.922) and 86 cm (entropy = 0.256) in women. The linear relationship between WC and HbA1c in this study suggests that addressing central obesity issue is beneficial to people with T2DM or at risk of T2DM. WC cutoff values of 85 cm for men and 86 cm for women are appropriate for recommendation to undergo diabetes screening., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) has been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and related risk factors, but the clinical application is limited and the underlying mechanisms are not very clear. Here, we aimed to examine whether proANP and its coding gene methylation were associated with CVD in the Chinese population., Methods: Serum proANP and peripheral blood DNA methylation of natriuretic peptide A gene ( NPPA ) promoter was quantified at baseline for 2,498 community members (mean aged 53 years, 38% men) in the Gusu cohort. CVD events were obtained during 10 years of follow-up. A competing-risks survival regression model was applied to examine the prospective associations of proANP and NPPA promoter methylation with incident CVD., Results: During follow-up, 210 participants developed CVD events, 50 participants died from non-cardiovascular causes, and 214 participants were lost. Per 1-nmol/L increment of serum proANP was associated with a 22% (HR = 1.22, 95%CI: 1.03-1.44, P = 0.025) higher risk of CVD during follow-up. Of the 9 CpG sites assayed, per 2-fold increment of DNA methylation at CpG3 (located at Chr1:11908299) was significantly associated with a half lower risk of CVD (HR = 0.50, 95%CI: 0.30-0.82, P = 0.006). The gene-based analysis found that DNA methylation of the 9 CpGs at NPPA promoter as a whole was significantly associated with incident CVD ( P < 0.05)., Conclusions: Increased proANP and hypomethylation at NPPA promoter at baseline predicted an increased future risk of CVD in Chinese adults. Aberrant DNA methylation of the NPPA gene may participate in the mechanisms of CVD., Competing Interests: The authors have no competing interests to declare., (Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s).)