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Background Most international treatment guidelines recommend rapid initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for people newly diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 infection, but experiences with rapid ART initiation remain limited in China. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of efavirenz (400 mg) plus lamivudine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (EFV + 3TC + TDF) versus coformulated bictegravir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide (BIC/FTC/TAF) in rapid ART initiation among men who have sex with men (MSM) who have been diagnosed with HIV. Methods This multicenter, open-label, randomized clinical trial enrolled MSM aged ≥18 years to start ART within 14 days of confirmed HIV diagnosis. The participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive EFV (400 mg) + 3TC + TDF or BIC/FTC/TAF. The primary end point was viral suppression (<50 copies/mL) at 48 weeks per US Food and Drug Administration Snapshot analysis. Results Between March 2021 and July 2022, 300 participants were enrolled; 154 were assigned to receive EFV + 3TC + TDF (EFV group) and 146 BIC/FTC/TAF (BIC group). At week 48, 118 (79.2%) and 140 (95.9%) participants in the EFV and BIC group, respectively, were retained in care with viral suppression, and 24 (16.1%) and 1 (0.7%) participant in the EFV and BIC group (P <.001), respectively, discontinued treatment because of adverse effects, death, or lost to follow-up. The median increase of CD4 count was 181 and 223 cells/μL (P =.020), respectively, for the EFV and BIC group, at week 48. The overall incidence of adverse effects was significantly higher for the EFV group (65.8% vs 37.7%, P <.001). Conclusions BIC/FTC/TAF was more efficacious and safer than EFV (400 mg) + 3TC + TDF for rapid ART initiation among HIV-positive MSM in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The association between exposure to PM2.5 chemical constituents and obesity remains to be elucidated, as most studies have used a single measure of obesity. This study aimed to investigate the associations of exposure to PM2.5 chemical constituents with general, abdominal, and visceral obesity, and the mediation effect of physical activity (PA) in the associations. Methods: Based on a total of 49,819 adults from the baseline of the Yunnan Behavior and Disease Surveillance cohort (YBDS) in southern China in 2021, we used multiple linear regression, weighted quantile sum regression, and quantile regression to estimate independent and joint effects of PM2.5 chemical constituents on elevated BMI, waist circumference (WC) and visceral adiposity index (VAI) and whether these effects changed in quantiles. Mediation analysis was used to examine whether physical activity acts as a mediator in these pathways. Results: Per IQR μg/m3 increase in all PM2.5 chemical constituents was significantly associated with the elevated BMI (β [95% CI]: 0.170 [0.127, 0.214]), WC (0.316 [0.217, 0.415]) and VAI (0.102 [0.075, 0.129]), with the largest weights from OM (53.89, 81.67, and 89.82%, respectively). The effects of PM2.5 chemical constituents on obesity showed an overall upward trend from quantiles 1–4 of BMI, WC, and VAI, especially with a rapid upward trend from the sixth decile of VAI. Reduced PA mediated 3.16, 7.08, and 3.78% of the associations between PM2.5 chemical constituents and elevated BMI, WC, and VAI, respectively. Conclusions: Exposure to PM2.5 chemical constituents, especially OM, was significantly associated with increased risks for obesity in adults. The effects of associations increased with obesity severity, with PA playing a mediation role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypersaline lakes in arid and semi-arid areas are unique ecosystems that harbour unique extremophile organisms such as Artemia , the paradigmatic example of adaptation to harsh living conditions. We assessed the mitogenomic biodiversity of Artemia species from the Tibetan Plateau, China, a remote and yet minimally disturbed ecosystem with a variety of hypersaline lakes. Analysis of ten Tibetan salt lakes demonstrated the occurrence of two regionally endemic species, Artemia tibetiana and Artemia sorgeloosi , with the latter being the dominant species with eight localities. Both species coexist in Jingyu and Jibu lakes, representing the first case of natural distribution overlap between sexual Artemia species. Artemia sorgeloosi exhibits higher genetic diversity and interpopulation differences, a result consistent with the heterogeneity of local salt lakes, local Artemia population demographics, and their adaptive potentials. Significant F ST values demonstrate a gene flow barrier between A. sorgeloosi populations that is compatible with an 'island biogeography' distribution pattern, making the Tibetan Plateau a sort of natural laboratory to study intraspecific population differences. Artemia sorgeloosi and the exotic Artemia franciscana were found coexisting in Yangnapen Lake, demonstrating the ability of this invasive species to colonize high-altitude inland habitats, and the need to monitor its presence and eventual expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The gaps between estrogenic effect and its effect-active compounds exist frequently due to a large number of compounds that have been reported to induce this effect and the occurrence of pollutants in environments as mixtures. Therefore, identifying the estrogen-active compounds is of importance for environmental management and pollution treatment. In the current study, the effect-directed analysis (EDA) and non-targeted screening (NTS) were integrated to identify the estrogen-active compounds in soils of the rural area with different socioeconomic types (industrial, farming and plantation village) in Northeast China. Results: The cytotoxicity results indicated that the industrial and farming villages showed cytotoxic effects. The detection rates of estrogenic effects for samples of winter and summer were 100% and 87%, respectively. Of which, the effects were found to be stronger in summer than in winter, with significant difference observed from the farming village (0.1–11.3 EEQ μg/kg dry weight). A total of 159 chemicals were detected by NTS. By integrating EDA, triphenyl phosphate (TPhP) and indole were successfully identified from a raw sample and its fraction, explaining up to 19.31% of the estrogen activity. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that the successful identification of seven estrogen-active compounds in rural areas of northeastern China can be achieved through the combination of effect-directed analysis (EDA) and non-targeted screening (NTS). This finding is beneficial for risk monitoring and pollution management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Screen the priority of emerging contaminants (ECs) from sediments is essential for risk assessment to aquatic environment and human health. Currently, priority approaches mainly focus on contaminant identification, exposure analysis, risk assessment, and hazard properties. However, there is still far from the reality due to, for instance, limitations on lack of occurrence data and uncertainty analysis. In this study, the multi-criteria screening method on the basis of hazard potential (HP) and exposure potential (EP) integrating with uncertainty analysis was developed for prioritization of 185 ECs, which have been reported to be widely found in the Yangtze River sediment. The HP based on the ecological risk and human health, and the EP according to the occurrence were both quantitatively analyzed. The priority index of these 185 chemicals was the product of the normalized HP and the normalized EP. Results: According to the priority ranking scheme, 20 chemicals were identified as the top-priority, and 58 compounds as high-priority, respectively. After uncertainty scoring for each chemical based on data availability, there were 7 compounds (5 pesticides and 2 PFASs) recommended as the major priority ECs. In addition, the current study also emphasized that necessary for further studying some ECs, such as PFAS alternatives, as the data limitation may lead to reduce accurate prioritization. Conclusions: Overall, this study provides an efficient approach for screening priority ECs, which is useful for river ecosystem health management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent outbreak of porcine circovirus-like virus (PCLV), a virus that may be associated with porcine diarrhea, has been reported in swine herds in China. The virus is spreading rapidly, causing huge economic losses to the swine farming industry. To achieve the rapid, inexpensive, and sensitive detection of PCLV, we combined loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and the CRISPR/Cas12a system, whose fluorescence intensity readout can detect PCLV ORF4 gene levels as low as 10 copies. To overcome the need for sophisticated equipment, lateral flow strip reading technology was introduced for the first time in a LAMP-Cas12a-based system to detect PCLV. The lateral flow strip (LFS) results were readout by the naked eye, and the method was highly sensitive with a detection limit of 10 copies, with a detection time of about 60 min. In addition, the method is highly specific and has no cross-reactivity with other related viruses. In conclusion, LAMP-CRISPR/Cas12a-based assays have the advantages of rapidity, accuracy, portability, low cost, and visualization of the results. They therefore have great potential, especially for areas where specialized equipment is lacking, and can expect to be an ideal method for early diagnosis and on-site detection of PCLV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing COVID-19 shocked financial markets globally, including China's crude oil future market, which is the third-most traded crude oil futures after WTI and Brent. As China's first crude oil futures are accessible to foreign investors, the Shanghai crude oil futures (SC) have attracted significant interest since launch at the Shanghai International Energy Exchange. The impact of COVID-19 on the new crude oil futures is an important issue for investors and policy makers. Therefore, this paper studies the short-term influence of COVID-19 pandemic on SC via multifractal analysis. We compare the market efficiency of SC before and during the pandemic with the multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis and other commonly used random walk tests. Then, we generate shuffled and surrogate data to investigate the components of multifractal nature in SC. And we examine cross-correlations between SC returns and other financial assets returns as well as SC trading volume changes by the multifractal detrended cross-correlation analysis. The results show that market efficiency of SC and its cross-correlations with other assets increase significantly after the outbreak of COVID-19. Besides that, the sources of its multifractal nature have changed since the pandemic. The findings provide evidence for the short-term impacts of COVID-19 on SC. The results may have important implications for assets allocation, investment strategies and risk monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alternaria mycotoxins are a class of important, agriculture-related hazardous materials, and their contamination in ruminant feeds and products might bring severe toxic effects to animals and even human beings. To control these hazardous compounds, a reliable and sensitive LC-MS/MS (liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry) method was established for simultaneous determination of six target Alternaria mycotoxins in ruminant feeds, including ALT (Altenuene), AME (Alternariol Monomethyl Ether), AOH (Alternariol), ATX-Ι (Altertoxins I), TeA (Tenuazonic Acid), and TEN (Tentoxin). This developed analytical method was used for the determination of the presence of these substances in cattle and sheep feeds in Xinjiang Province, China. The results revealed that Alternaria mycotoxins are ubiquitously detected in feed samples. Especially, AME, AOH, TeA, and TEN are the most frequently found mycotoxins with a positive rate over 40% and a concentration range of 4~551 µg/kg. The proposed method could be applied for exposure investigation of Alternaria mycotoxins in ruminant feeds and for the reduction in the health risk to animals and even consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We found that the risk for allergic rhinitis was mainly associated with NH SB 4 sb SP + sp and NO SB 3 sb SP - sp , which could modulate the immune response and increase allergen-specific IgE synthesis in predisposed humans,[3] a large amount of IgE may lead to allergic rhinitis. Allergic rhinitis, with an increasing prevalence worldwide from <1% in the 1920s to 10%-40% nowadays, has caused a low quality of life, a loss of productivity, considerable economic burdens, and severe morbidity.[1] Exposure to PM SB 2.5 sb has been positively associated with the prevalence of allergic rhinitis.[2] However, PM SB 2.5 sb is variable in chemical composition and little is known about its effects on allergic rhinitis. Despite limitations, this study, for the first time, employed advanced statistical methods to reveal robust associations between PM SB 2.5 sb constituents and allergic rhinitis risk in a large-sample, representative cohort. [Extracted from the article]

Background: With effective control of point source pollution, non-point source (NPS) pollution has been widely concerned as the primary reason for the improvement of global water environmental quality. Some bibliometric analysis related to NPS pollution has been carried out before the mid-2010s. Analyzing the research status and hot issues of NPS pollution in the past decade is important for guiding the control and management of NPS pollution in the future. Results: A bibliometric analysis was conducted based on 3407 publications retrieved from the Web of Science during 2012–2021. China, USA and UK were the most productive countries. Sci. Total Environ, Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res, and Water were the most productive journals. The NPS pollutant, pollution types, driving forces, technology and the research object were retrieved from the keywords analysis. The common NPS pollutants of nitrogen, phosphorus, and heavy metals grabbed the highest attention, while the emerging contaminants have attracted increased attention. The migration and transformation of agricultural NPS pollution and urban NPS pollution driven by climate change and land use change were hot issues related to NPS pollution studies. Technologies related to the combination of 3S technology (RS, GIS, and GPS) and NPS pollution models, the sustainable control technologies, the technology of accurate traceability and automatic monitoring, and the comprehensive management plan were the important research areas related to NPS pollution. Although the research locations were mostly concentrated in the surface water and groundwater, the ocean and drinking water have great potential for future research. Conclusions: This study illustrates the global focuses related to NPS pollution during 2012–2021 according to analyzing the publication outputs, source journals, source country, author, institution and the high-frequency keywords. Results demonstrated that the migration and transformation mechanism and ecological risk assessment for heavy metals and emerging pollutants, accurate traceability techniques, sustainable ecological restoration control techniques, and marine pollution have attracted rising attention. Additionally, developing countries will have a higher interest in NPS pollution in the future, because developed countries have already made great progress in controlling NPS pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We evaluated the impact of low‐level viremia (LLV) on virological failure and immune reconstitution among people living with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV‐1) treated with different antiretroviral regimens in Beijing, China. Methods: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1‐positive adults who were registered at an infectious disease hospital in Beijing between January 1, 2005 and January 1, 2020 were administered antiretroviral therapy (ART) and whose viral load and CD4 counts were monitored were included in this retrospective cohort study. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors associated with LLV in patients on different ART regimens. Cox proportional hazard model was employed to analyze the virological suppression and immune reconstitution cumulative probability in patients with LLV during follow‐up. Results: A total of 10 124 HIV‐1‐infected participants was included. LLV occurred in 723 (8.2%), 204 (10.9%), 133 (8.6%), and 53 (14.4%) patients on first‐line ART, second‐line ART, third‐line ART, and simplified regimens, respectively. Virological failure occurred in 514 (5.8%), 289 (15.5%), 86 (5.5%), and 34 (9.2%) patients on first‐line ART, second‐line ART, third‐line ART, and simplified regimens, respectively. Earlier enrollment, lower baseline CD4 count, and higher baseline viral load were risk factors associated with LLV. LLV was related to increased hazards of virological failure compared to viral suppression of ≤50 copies/ml for those on first‐line ART. Conclusions: The risk of virological failure and poor immune reconstitution increases when LLV occurs. Targeted viral load and CD4 count monitoring are recommended for people living with HIV‐1 with LLV to improve health‐related outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Antiretroviral treatment (ART) is essential in preventing mother‐to‐child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and postpartum discontinuation of ART is associated with adverse outcomes. This study identified factors associated with postpartum follow‐up of HIV‐positive women. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of 170 HIV‐infected pregnant women who received regular obstetric examination and delivered successfully in Beijing between 2003 and 2020.The women's sociodemographic, clinical, treatment, obstetric, and gestational characteristics were analyzed. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (AHRs) of loss to follow‐up between levels of confounders. Results: In the multivariable Cox proportional hazard models, women with a longer time from HIV diagnosis to delivery per year had a 1.4‐timeshigher risk (AHR = 1.433, 95% CI: 0.897–2.229) and a higher rate of loss to follow‐up than the other women. Perinatal health care (AHR = 0.003,95% CI: 0.000–0.105) and gestational age above 37 weeks at delivery (AHR = 0.294, 95% CI: 0.005–15.818) were associated with a longer follow‐up of postpartum HIV‐positive women, when compared to women who did not receive perinatal healthcare and who delivered before 37 weeks of gestation, respectively. Conclusions: The longer time from HIV diagnosis to delivery, access to perinatal care, and full‐term gestation at delivery improved postpartum ART adherence and follow‐up among HIV‐positive women. Early initiation of ART, integration of adult ART into prevention of mother‐to‐child transmission, combination ART with maternal healthcare, and enhanced pregnancy care will improve ART adherence among HIV‐positive women after delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is an enteric coronavirus that causes acute watery diarrhea and vomiting in unweaned piglets, and is associated with high mortality, thus causing severe economic losses in the pig industry. Currently, although attenuated vaccines are commonly used in commercial pig farms in China, they do not completely protect against all mutated wild-type strains. Existing nucleic acid assays have high sensitivity and specificity, but the complexity of the assay process and expensive instrumentation hinder disease detection. Here, reverse transcription–enzymatic recombinase amplification (RT-ERA) was combined with the CRISPR-Cas12a system to develop a rapid diagnostic method to distinguish PEDV wild-type strains from attenuated vaccine strains. The protocol used crRNA and RT-ERA amplification primers against open reading frame 3 (ORF3), followed by Cas12a/crRNA complex detection of predefined target sequences at 37 °C for 30 min, thus producing results visible to the naked eye under LED blue light. The assay is highly sensitive and specific, detecting as few as two copies of the target gene per test and showing no cross-reactivity with other porcine pathogens. Overall, this integrated RT-ERA pre-amplification and Cas12a/crRNA cleavage assay is a practical tool for reliable and rapid detection of PEDV for diagnostic differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The special any-polar resistive switching mode includes the coexistence and stable conversion between the unipolar and the bipolar resistive switching mode under the same compliance current. In the present work, the any-polar resistive switching mode is demonstrated when thin Ti intercalations are introduced into both sides of Pt/HfO2/Pt RRAM device. The role of the Ti intercalations contributes to the fulfillment of the any-polar resistive switching working mechanism, which lies in the filament constructed by the oxygen vacancies and the effective storage of the oxygen ion at both sides of the electrode interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to research whether it is suitable to set a geological disposal repository for high-level radioactive nuclear waste into one target granite body, two active source seismic profiles were arranged near a small town named Tamusu, Western China. The study area is with complex surface conditions, thus the seismic exploration encountered a variettraveltimey of technical difficulties such as crossing obstacles, de-noising harmful scattered waves, and building complex near-surface velocity models. In order to address those problems, techniques including cross-obstacle seismic geometry design, angle-domain harmful scattered noise removal, and an acoustic wave equation-based inversion method jointly utilizing both the and waveform of first arrival waves were adopted. The final seismic images clearly exhibit the target rock's unconformable contact boundary and its top interface beneath the sedimentary and weathered layers. On this basis, it could be confirmed that the target rock is not thin or has been transported by geological process from somewhere else, but a native and massive rock. There are a few small size fractures whose space distribution could be revealed by seismic images within the rock. The fractures should be kept away. Based on current research, it could be considered that active source seismic exploration is demanded during the sitting process of the geological disposal repository for nuclear waste. The seismic acquisition and processing techniques proposed in the present paper would offer a good reference value for similar researches in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Few data on recurrent bacterial meningitis (RBM) in children are available. Here, we estimated the frequency of RBM in children and investigated the predisposing conditions, etiology, and clinical characteristics of RBM in children. Methods Cases of RBM in the Beijing Children's Hospital medical record database between January 2006 and December 2019 were collected. Results In total, 1905 children with bacterial meningitis (BM) were documented in the Beijing Children's Hospital medical record database. A total of 43 patients had RBM. The rate of RBM in children was 2.3% (43/1905). Forty (93.0%) patients had predisposing conditions, including 15 (34.9%) cases of inner ear malformations, 5 (11.6%) cases of dermal sinus tracts, 9 (20.9%) cases of head injury, 5 (11.6%) cases of congenital cranial meningocele, 3 (7.0%) cases of congenital skull base defects, 3 (7.0%) cases of immunodeficiency, and other 3 (7.0%) cases of unknown reason. Among all the 121 BM episodes, a total of 64 episodes were etiologically confirmed BM and the other 57 episodes were probable BM. Streptococcus pneumoniae (n = 52) was accounted for 81.3% of confirmed BM episodes. Thirty-four of the 37 patients with congenital or acquired anatomical defects were available to follow up after surgeries, and all of them had no BM after surgeries. Three patients with antibody deficiencies got intravenous immunoglobulin therapy and they did not suffer BM anymore. Conclusions RBM is rare in children. The majority of children with RBM had predisposing conditions including congenital/acquired anatomical defects and immunodeficiency. Interventions should be implemented to solve the underlying conditions to avoid RBM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Jinshajiang suture zone (JSZ) is one of the most significant tectonic zones in the eastern Tethys area. A large number of plutons are regarded as the result of tectono‐magmatic activities associated with the evolution of the Palaeo‐Tethys Ocean. The Tongjige pluton in the central part of JSZ can indicate the magmatism and its geodynamic evolution. The Tongjige pluton (225.6 Ma) consists mainly of granodiorite with abundant coeval mafic microgranular enclaves (MMEs) (226.1 Ma). The host granodiorite is calc‐alkaline and typical I‐type, with SiO2 contents ranging from 65.75 to 66.91 wt%. The MMEs have relatively high MgO (4.00–4.07 wt%) and Fe2O3T (9.27–9.40 wt%) abundances and low SiO2 (53.59–53.87 wt%). Both MMEs and host granodiorites are characterized by the enrichment of light rare earth elements and depletion of heavy rare earth elements. They are also negative in Eu and enriched in Th and U, which are consistent with the trace element characteristics of typical island‐arc magmatite. The zircon Hf(t) values (−3.48 to −0.31) are negative, with the model ages of 1.3–1.2 Ga. These petrographic and geochemical characteristics indicated that the Tongjige pluton was derived from the melting of an ancient lower crust and underwent the process of mafic‐felsic magmatic mixing in the post‐collision background. The Triassic granitoids in the JSZ show a temporal–spatial relationship with the subduction zone, which constrain the evolution of the Palaeo‐Tethys Ocean. The mixing mechanism of the Tongjige pluton is associated with the break‐off of a subducted slab, which triggered subsequent upwelling of asthenosphere beneath accreted arc fragments and induced underplate of lithospheric mantle‐derived magmas and mixed with the lower crust‐derived felsic magma. In general, the Late Triassic pluton recorded significant crustal growth and continental development, marking the final stage of subduction‐related magmatism in the JSZ region, after which the region entered into a stage of post‐collision evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Efavirenz (EFV) is widely used in antiretroviral therapy (ART), but the incidence and risk factors of neuropsychiatric adverse events (NPAEs) after EFV treatment have rarely been studied in Chinese ART naïve patients. Methods: This prospective cohort study assessed HIV-infected patients initiating antiretroviral treatment with EFV to determine prevalence of and factors associated with NPAEs over a 12-month follow-up period using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Results: A total of 546 patients were enrolled. Prevalence of anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances at baseline were 30.4, 22.7, and 68.1%, respectively. Six patients discontinued treatment due to drug related NPAEs. Treatment was associated with improvements in HADS-A, HADS-D, and PSQI scores over the 12-month follow-up, and the frequencies of patients with anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances significantly decreased after 12 months. Abnormal baseline HADS-A, HADS-D, and PSQI scores and other factors, including high school education or lower income, unemployment, divorce, and WHO III/IV stages, were associated with severe neuropsychiatric disorders over the 12 months. Conclusions: These findings suggested EFV discontinuation due to NAPEs was low, and the HADS-A, HADS-D, and PSQI scores after 12 months of EFV treatment were associated with several risk factors. The clinicians should keep in mind and routinely screen for the risk factors associated with neuropsychiatric disorders in HIV-infected patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper introduces a comprehensive case management model uniting doctors, nurses, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in order to shorten the time from HIV diagnosis to initiation of antiviral therapy, improve patients' adherence, and ameliorate antiretroviral treatment (ART)-related outcomes.Methods: All newly diagnosed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases at Beijing YouAn Hospital from January 2012 to December 2013 were selected as the control group, while all newly diagnosed HIV-infected patients from January 2015 to December 2016 were selected as the intervention group, receiving the comprehensive case management model.Results: 4906 patients were enrolled, of which 1549 were in the control group and 3357 in the intervention group. The median time from confirming HIV infection to ART initiation in the intervention group was 35 (18-133) days, much shorter than the control group (56 (26-253) days, P < 0.001). Participants in the intervention group had better ART adherence compared to those in the control group (intervention: 95.3%; control: 89.2%; p < 0.001). During the 2 years' follow-up, those receiving case management were at decreased odds of experiencing virological failure (OR: 0.27, 95%CI: 0.17-0.42, P < 0.001). Observed mortality was 0.4 deaths per 100 patient-years of follow-up for patients in the control group compared with 0.2 deaths per 100 patient-years of follow-up in the intervention group.Conclusions: People living with HIV engaged in the comprehensive case management model were more likely to initiate ART sooner and maintained better treatment compliance and improved clinical outcomes compared to those who received routine care. A comprehensive case management program could be implemented in hospitals across China in order to reduce the HIV disease burden in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural development, as one of the biggest challenges facing human beings recently, has attracted widely attention in the world, among which rural environment protection is essential for sustainable development. In response to the call to build "green livable villages", the environmental monitoring and remediation in rural project (EMR-rural project) is launched. EMR-rural (2019 to 2022) is funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China (MOST). The project aims to develop key techniques and devices for contamination classification, risk assessment, pollution sources tracing and environmental remediation with regard to soil, underground and surface water quality in rural area. To this end, a new generation of physical, chemical and biological tools is integrated with intelligent management platform. The project follows a problem-oriented approach by in situ investigation, lab/pilot-scale mechanism exploration and field determination. EMR-rural takes advantage of the access to the applicable techniques and devices to investigate and to restore soil and water pollution in river network areas, mountainous areas as well as cold areas of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although the global human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic has improved significantly due to antiretroviral treatment (ART), ART-related adverse events (AEs) remain an issue. Therefore, investigating the factors associated with ART-related AEs may provide vital information for monitoring risks.Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted among adult patients (aged 18 years or older) with HIV who received Tenofovir (TDF) + Lamivudine (3TC) + Efavirenz (EFV) as first-line ART regimens. All AEs during the first 12 months of therapy were recorded. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify variables associated with AEs.Results: Four hundred seventy-four patients receiving TDF+ 3TC+ EFV ART regimens between March 2017 and October 2017 were included in the study analysis. Among them, 472 (99.6%) experienced at least one AE, 436 (92.0%) patients experienced at least one AE within 1 month of treatment, 33 (7.0%) between one and 3 months of treatment, and three (0.6%) patients after 3 months of treatment. The most commonly reported AE was nervous system (95.6%) related, followed by dyslipidemia (79.3%), and impaired liver function (48.1%). Patients with baseline body mass index (BMI) greater than 24 kg/m2 (adjusted OR 1.77, 95%CI 1.03-3.02), pre-existing multiple AEs (adjusted OR 2.72, 95%CI 1.59-4.64), and pre-existing severe AEs (adjusted OR 5.58, 95%CI 2.65-11.73) were at increased odds of developing a severe AE. Patients with baseline BMI greater than 24 kg/m2 (adjusted OR 2.72, 95%CI 1.25-5.89) were more likely to develop multiple AEs.Conclusion: The incidence of ART-related adverse events over a 12-month period in China was high. Baseline BMI greater than 24 kg/m2, pre-existing multiple AEs, and pre-existing severe AEs were shown to be independent risk factors for developing a severe AE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) is a major antiretroviral treatment in China, but little is known about the performance of first-line LPV/r-based regimen in treatment-naïve patients with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection. This study aims to assess the efficacy and adverse effect events of LPV/r plus lamivudine and tenofovir or zidovudine as an initial antiretroviral treatment in HIV-1-infected individuals for whom cannot take efavirenz (EFV) or is allergic to EFV. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of patients registering with the China's National Free Antiretroviral Treatment Program from July 2012 to January 2017, followed at a tertiary care hospital in Beijing, China. The primary outcome was the proportion of subjects with HIV-1 RNA ≤40 copies/ml at 6 and 24 months of treatment. We assessed the immunological response and adverse events. Results: In total, 4,862 patients were enrolled in the study and 237 were eligible for analysis in each study arm. During the first six months, virological suppression was better with the LPV/r-based regimen than with the EFV-based regimen (93.80 vs 87.80% for P < 0.05). Viral suppression rates continued to increase until 12 months, remain steady thereafter until 24 months, for both groups. The multilevel analysis revealed that patients in the LPV/r group were more likely to display improvements in CD4 T-cell count over time than those in the EFV group (P < 0.001). Grade 3 or 4 laboratory adverse events were observed in 14 patients (5.91%) from the LPV/r group and three patients (1.20%) in EFV group. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that LPV/r-containing regimens are effective and well-tolerated in Chinese treatment-naïve patients with HIV-1 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm (PM 2.5) was associated with the risk for metabolic syndrome (MetS) in the general population, but the contributions of individual PM 2.5 constituents to this association and the potential pathway between PM 2.5 constituents and MetS risk are not well elaborated. This study aimed to investigate associations between PM 2.5 constituents and MetS in general populations, relative importance of PM 2.5 constituents to and mediation effects of serum uric acid (SUA) on those associations. The 48,148 participants from a provincially representative cohort established in southwest China were included. The 3-year average concentrations of PM 2.5 and its constituents (nitrate [NO 3 −], sulfate [SO 4 2−], ammonium [NH 4 +], organic matter [OM], and black carbon [BC]) were estimated using a series of machine-learning models. Multivariate logistic regression and weighted quantile sum regression were used to estimate effects of independent PM 2.5 constituents on MetS and their contributions to the joint effect. Mediation analysis examined the potential mediation effects of SUA on the associations between PM 2.5 constituents and MetS. Each interquartile range (IQR) increase in the concentration of PM 2.5 constituents was all positively associated with the increased MetS odds, including SO 4 2− (OR = 1.15 [1.11, 1.19]]), NO 3 − (OR = 1.12 [1.08, 1.16]), NH 4 + (OR = 1.13 [1.09, 1.17]), OM (OR = 1.09 [1.06, 1.13]), and BC (OR = 1.09 [1.06, 1.13]). Their joint associations on MetS were mainly attributed to SO 4 2− (weight=46.1%) and NH 4 + (44.0%). The associations of PM 2.5 constituents with abnormal MetS components were mainly attributed to NH 4 + for elevated BP (51.6%) and reduced HDL-C (97.0%), SO 4 2− for elevated FG (68.9%), NO 3 - for elevated TG (51.0%), and OM for elevated WC (63.0%). Percentages mediated by SUA for the associations of PM 2.5, SO 4 2−, NO 3 −, and BC with MetS were 13.6%, 13.1%, 10.6%, and 11.1%, respectively. Long-term exposure to PM 2.5 constituents, mainly NH 4 + and SO 4 2−, was positively associated with MetS odds, partially mediated by SUA. [Display omitted] • Exposure to PM 2.5 and its constituents was associated with MetS odds. • SO 4 2− and NH 4 + played a dominant role in the joint effects of PM 2.5 on MetS odds. • SUA partially mediated relationships between PM 2.5 constituents and MetS odds. • The largest percentages mediated by SUA was the association of SO 4 2− with MetS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study was to conduct comprehensive phylogeographic and demographic analyses to examine the degree to which topographic and climatic conditions have affected the patterns of diversification and migration in a strictly montane inhabitant, the montane long‐tailed mole (Scaptonyx fusicaudus). Location: The mountains of south‐western China and adjacent mountains including Mts. Bashan, Dalou and Qinling also known as the sky islands in south‐western China. Taxon: The long‐tailed mole (S. fusicaudus), a semi‐fossorial mammal distributed in the sky islands of south‐western China, is a relict species and the sole representative of the tribe Scaptonychini. Methods: We sequenced one mitochondrial and six nuclear genes from 113 samples across the species' range. We estimated phylogenetic relationships and divergence times, conducted genetic structuring and species delimitation using multiple approaches and used Approximate Bayesian Computation to test potential gene flow. We conducted ecological niche modelling to predict the species' potential distribution in the present, the last glacial maximum and the last interglacial (LIG). Results: The species comprises a minimum of 17 operational taxonomic units which are isolated in different mountain ranges. The lowlands and large rivers act as barriers to dispersal, and have isolated evolutionary lineages for up to 11 million years. Long‐distance dispersal is evident among a few discrete montane archipelagos. Suitable climatic conditions during the LIG are limited to only a few sites, thus geographically restricting climatic stable areas across geological periods (from the LIG to the present). Main conclusions: For low‐vagility species, the complex topography of the sky islands has promoted exceptional diversification through a combination of eco‐environmental stability as well as geographic fragmentation. The mountains have acted as a buffer against climate change, and have provided continuously suitable habitats for S. fusicaudus since the early Late Miocene, supporting the hypothesis that the sky islands constitute "museums" of ancient lineages. Lowlands and river valleys have acted as barriers preventing gene flow, while the montane archipelagos could have provided stepping stones to facilitate dispersal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The systematics of the subgenus Eothenomys (Cricetidae: Arvicolinae) is controversial because of the morphological similarity among species and the incomplete sampling of taxa. Here, we gather specimens of Oriental voles from throughout their distributions. We sequence and analyse two mitochondrial and three nuclear gene segments. A principal components analysis serves to evaluate morphological variation among taxa of the subgenera Eothenomys and Ermites. Our analyses support recent revisions on the systematics of Eothenomys as follows: (1) Eothenomys melanogaster colurnus requires elevation to a valid species; (2) subgenus Eothenomys includes the species Eothenomys colurnus, E. cachinus, E. eleusis, E. fidelis, E. melanogaster, E. miletus and an unidentified taxon; (3) Eothenomys melanogaster libonotus and E. miletus confinii are junior synonyms of E. cachinus ; Eothenomys melanogaster kanoi is a junior synonym of E. colurnus ; and (4) one unidentified taxon of subgenus Eothenomys and three unidentified taxa of subgenus Ermites constitute new species, which we describe as Eothenomys shimianensis sp. nov. E. jinyangensis sp. nov. E. meiguensis sp. nov. and E. luojishanensis sp. nov. respectively. Our analyses indicate that the teeth of Oriental voles present extensive heteromorphosis. A species of subgenus Eothenomys from an isolated area may possess two or three tooth patterns. The three unidentified species of subgenus Ermites are ecological sky-island species whose origins are attributable to rapid adaptive evolution caused by ecosystem isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apodemus (mice) and Rattus (rats) are the top rodent reservoirs for zoonoses in China, yet little is known about their diversity. We reexamined the alpha diversity of these two genera based on a new collection of specimens from China and their cyt b sequences in GenBank. We also tested whether species could be identified using external and craniodental measurements exclusively. Measurements from 147 specimens of Apodemus and 233 specimens of Rattus were used for morphological comparisons. We analysed 74 cyt b sequences of Apodemus and 100 cyt b sequences of Rattus to facilitate phylogenetic estimations. Results demonstrated that nine species of Apodemus and seven species of Rattus, plus a new subspecies of Rattus nitidus, are distributed in China. Principal component analysis using external and craniodental measurements revealed that measurements alone could not separate the recognized species. The occurrence of Rattus pyctoris in China remains uncertain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shrews in the genus Chodsigoa are among the least known mammals in China. We sequenced one mitochondrial and two nuclear genes for 47 specimens. Using museum collections and sequences from GenBank, we integrated molecular and morphometric approaches to delimit species boundaries and estimate the phylogenetic relationships. Several species were not supported as monophyletic in individual nuclear gene trees, which may be attributed to ancient hybridization and/or incomplete lineage sorting. Nevertheless, molecular species delimitation analyses supported the validity of six named species but suggested that Chodsigoa lamula is conspecific with Chodsigoa hypsibia. We described one new species, Chodsigoa hoffmanni sp. nov., and recognized Chodsigoa furva, previously considered a subspecies of Chodsigoa parca, as a distinct species. Our molecular analyses also revealed a cryptic species that is morphologically indistinguishable from C. hypsibia. In summary, we recognize nine valid species of Chodsigoa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We revisit the dynamic relationship between domestic economic policy uncertainty and stock markets using the symmetric thermal optimal path (TOPS) method. We observe different interaction patterns in emerging and developed markets. Economic policy uncertainty drives the stock market in China, while stock markets play a leading role in the UK and the US. Meanwhile, the lead–lag relationships of the three countries react significantly to extreme events. Our findings have important implications for investors and policy makers. • The dynamic interactions between stock markets and EPU are investigated. • There are different lead-lag relationships in emerging and developed markets. • Chinese stock market is policy-driven. • Stock markets of the UK and the US are close to weak-form efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of plastic mulch films brings convenience to agricultural production, but also causes plastic waste that can be degraded into microplastics (MPs). However, little is known about the fate of plastic waste in agricultural ecosystem under freeze-thaw alternation in middle and high latitudes, as well as in highlands around the world. Whether the release of plasticizers, i.e. phthalate esters (PAEs), under such conditions would pose a potential risk to exposed organisms due to bioaccumulation is also unknown. To fill these data gaps, the agricultural fields in Liaoning of China with typical freeze-thaw alternation was selected as the study area. The transformation of plastic film was demonstrated by simulation freeze-thaw alternating from −30 to 20 ℃. Soil samples were collected to investigate the patterns of MP composition, abundance, and distribution. Concurrently, the concentrations of two PAEs including bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and diethyl phthalate (DEP) in soils were analyzed to provide information on the correlation between MPs abundance and PAEs concentrations as well as potential risks. The results showed that freeze-thaw alternating can accelerate the formation of MPs and release of PAEs from plastic waste. The abundance of MPs was positively correlated with the concentration of PAEs. Soil PAEs ranged from 3268 ± 213–6351 ± 110 μg/kg, indicating that over 40 % of the PAEs were transferred from plastic films to soils. Such residual amounts could pose risk for exposed organisms. Hence, the current study suggested that special concerns should be given to the release plasticizers in plastic waste of agricultural soils. [Display omitted] • -30/20 ℃ freeze-thaw alternations accelerate plasticizers release from mulch. • MPs abundance was positively correlated with concentration of phthalate derivatives (DEP and DEHP) in soil. • DEHP as a major plasticizer contributes to the ecological risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies on microbial prospecting of oil/gas only focused on the anomalies of light hydrocarbon-oxidizing microbes as main exploratory indicators and their exploration applications. In this study, we investigated the responses of microbial communities to light-hydrocarbon microseepage in the Beihanzhuang Oilfield, eastern China using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis and by comparing the difference of two-type areas with high- and low-flux light-hydrocarbon seepages. The results showed that the high-flux light-hydrocarbon seepage favored the growth ofNocardioides,Aciditerrimonas, sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRBs) related toDesulfosporosinusandDesulfovibrio, and Chloroflexi bacteria (b-7), implying that their anomalies might be adopted as novel subsidiary indicators for microbial prospecting of oil/gas in the Beihanzhuang Oilfield. Based on the newly obtained results, we have proposed a general strategy for microbial prospecting of oil/gas, i.e., to determine the anomalies of light hydrocarbon-oxidizing microbes, to select subsidiary indicators for microbial prospecting of oil/gas based on an assessment of the responses of microbial communities to light-hydrocarbon microseepage, to quantitatively measure subsidiary indicators and delimit their anomalies, to comprehensively interpret all microbial anomalies, and to make a suggestion for oil/gas prospecting. This general strategy with novel indicators may provide a more comprehensive evaluation for light-hydrocarbon microseepage and the corresponding anomalies, thereby reducing the exploration risk of oil/gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An improved analytical method is reported for the determination of six aflatoxins (aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2, M1, and M2) in infant cereals by ultra-performance liquid chromatography combined with electrospray ionization triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry in the multiple reaction monitoring mode. The optimization of extraction, cleanup, separation, and mass spectrometry parameters were the focus of this study. Low limits of quantification (LOQs) of six aflatoxins ranged from 0.004–0.026 µg/kg. Reasonable recoveries (80.7–118.3%) of six aflatoxins for infant cereals were demonstrated for different spiked levels within the linear range (0.01–20 µg/kg). The developed analytical method was employed for the determination of aflatoxins in infant cereals from Hangzhou, China. Only aflatoxin B1 was detected in cereal (6.7%), at levels ranging from 0.016 to 0.024 µg/kg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Mountains of southwest China have complex river systems and a profoundly complex topography and are among the most important biodiversity hotspots in the world. However, only a few studies have shed light on how the mountains and river valleys promote genetic diversity. Apodemus ilex is a fine model for investigating this subject. Methodology/Principal Findings: To assess the genetic diversity and biogeographic patterns of Apodemus ilex, the complete cytochrome b gene sequences (1,140 bp) were determined from 203 samples of A. draco/ilex that were collected from southwest China. The results obtained suggested that A. ilex and A. draco are sistergroups and diverged from each other approximately 2.25 million years ago. A. ilex could be divided into Eastern and Western phylogroups, each containing two sub-groups and being widespread in different geographical regions of the southern Hengduan Mountains and the western Yunnan - Guizhou Plateau. The population expansions of A. ilex were roughly from 0.089 Mya to 0.023 Mya. Conclusions: Our result suggested that A. ilex is a valid species rather than synonym of A. draco. As a middle-high elevation inhabitant, the phylogenetic pattern of A. ilex was strongly related to the complex geographical structures in southwest China, particularly the existence of deep river valley systems, such as the Mekong and Salween rivers. Also, it appears that the evolutionary history of A. ilex, such as lineage divergences and population expansions were strongly affected by climate fluctuation in the Late Pleistocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We conducted phylogenetic analyses to identify the closest related living relatives of the Xizang and Sichuan hot-spring snakes (T. baileyi and T. zhaoermii) endemic to the Tibetan Plateau, using mitochondrial DNA sequences (cyt b, ND4) from eight specimens, together with sequences from 95 additional caenophidian and five henophidian genera that were downloaded from GenBank. Phylogenetic trees were obtained using Bayesian Inference and Maximum likelihood methods. Results suggest that hot-spring snakes, which are adapted to high and cold environments, were clustered in the monophyletic Xenodontinae. Xenodontinae is one of the largest subfamilies of colubrid snakes, with about 90 genera and more than 500 species known, and are primarily tropical snakes previously thought to be restricted to the New World. Our data failed to provide any evidence that the New World xenodontines diverged from Thermophis and dispersed into the New World, also failed to suggest a colonization of Asia by New World xenodontines by dispersal from the New World. An alternative plausible scenario may be that Thermophis and the New World xenodontines evolved independently in Asia and America, respectively, after the divergence of their common ancestor. The divergence of the two species in Thermophis was caused by the barrier of the Hengduan Mountains, and the speciation had almost occurred when Tibetan Plateau attained present elevation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The snakes of the genus Thermophis, including two species (Thermophis baileyi and Thermophis zhaoermii), which are found only on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, were studied to determine the phylogenetic position of the genus within the broad superfamily Colubroidea. In this study, T. baileyi from two different localities in Xizang and T. zhaoermii from western Sichuan formed a monophyletic group as determined using Bayesian and likelihood methods of phylogenetic inference. Based on the nucleotide sequence of the cyt b and c-mos genes, Thermophis appeared to be a member of the subfamily Xenodontinae, which prior to this finding had been confined to a New World distribution. The molecular data also indicate a large genetic distance between T. baileyi and T. zhaoermii, which strengthens the validity of the new species: T. zhaoermii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The expression level of gga-miR-181a-5p in FAdV-4-infected LMH cells was time-dependently and dose-dependently up-regulated. • gga-miR-181a-5p can enhance virus replication and negatively regulate STING mRNA and protein expression levels. • FAdV-4-induced gga-miR-181a-5p inhibited type I IFN and inflammatory cytokine production by targeting STING. Fowl adenovirus serotype 4 (FAdV-4) has caused substantial economic losses to the poultry industry and it has become a serious pathogen of poultry in China since 2015. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play vital roles in regulating viral infection. However, how miRNAs regulate FAdV-4 replication in Leghorn male hepatocellular (LMH) cells remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the role of gga-miR-181a-5p in regulating FAdV-4 replication. The findings indicated that the expression of gga-miR-181a-5p was significantly upregulated in LMH cells during FAdV-4 infection. Also, the transfection of gga-miR-181a-5p mimics promoted FAdV-4 replication, while the opposite result was observed when gga-miR-181a-5p inhibitor was transfected in LMH cells. Moreover, the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) was found to be the target gene of gga-miR-181a-5p using software analysis, further confirming that STING was the target of gga-miR-181a-5p and gga-miR-181a-5p could negatively regulate the expression of STING at the mRNA and protein levels. Finally, the results showed that the overexpression of STING inhibited FAdV-4 replication and the knockout of STING promoted FAdV-4 replication. The collective findings revealed a novel host evasion mechanism adopted by FAdV-4 via gga-miR-181a-5p, suggesting novel strategies for designing miRNA-based vaccines and therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The silkworm, Bombyx mori (B. mori) is an important economic insect which ingests mulberry leaves and products the silk in industry. Chlorfenapyr is a new halogenated pyrrole insecticide which has been promoted for the control of mulberry insect pests in China. However, the detoxification mechanism of the silkworm to chlorfenapyr has not been investigated yet. In the present study, we first estimated the LC 30 dose of chlorfenapyr for 3rd instar B. mori larvae, and then, in order to characterise the chlorfenapyr detoxification mechanism, the transcriptomes of chlorfenapyr-treated and untreated 3rd instar B. mori larvae were compared using RNA-sequencing. In total, 146, 533, 126 and 148, 957, 676 clean reads were obtained from insecticide-treated and control silkworm larvae, respectively, and these reads generated 10, 954 genes. The transcriptional profile of silkworm larvae was significantly influenced by chlorfenapyr treatment. A total of 1196 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in insecticide-treated and control B. mori larvae, in which 644 genes were upregulated and 552 genes were downregulated. Results showed that multiple DEGs were enriched in detoxication-related gene ontology (GO) terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. Eleven detoxifying enzyme genes which differentially expressed were screened, and their expression patterns were validated by qRT-PCR. Furthermore, we successfully knocked down all differentially upregulated detoxifying enzyme genes, and a bioassay showed that the mortality of chlorfenapyr-treated silkworm larvae was significantly higher after silencing these genes than in groups injected with dsGFP. The present study reveals the molecular basis of silkworm detoxification to chlorfenapyr exposure, and provides new insights into the management of insecticide damage in the silkworm. [Display omitted] • A transcriptome sequencing of Bombyx mori larvae was performed. • A total of 11 detoxification enzyme genes responding to chlorfenapyr were identified. • The expressions of 8 DEGs were upregulated after insecticide treatment. • P450s, GSTs and CXEs may play roles in tolerance of chlorfenapyr in B. mori. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Zircon dating yielded an Early Cretaceous pyrophyllite alteration timing. • Isotopes suggest a magmatic source of the volatile-dominated pyrophyllite fluids. • The pyrophyllite fluids are extremely acidic and highly oxidized. • The pyrophyllite alteration is the root zone of advanced argillic lithocaps. Genesis of pyrophyllite alteration can provide important clues for ore prospecting due to its various relationships with metallic mineralization. The Baiyun pyrophyllite deposit in the central Taihang Mountain (CTM) of the North China Craton (NCC) provides a natural case to gain insights into the genesis of pyrophyllite alteration and its relationships with gold mineralization in the wall rocks. The pyrophyllite ores primarily occur as subparallel-sheeted veins in fractures of the late Archean meta -volcanic rocks, and locally as filling fractures within the meta -intrusions. Phyllic alteration halos around the pyrophyllite orebody decline outwards, where gold mineralization develops as disseminated aggregates in honeycomb-like pyrites. Pyrophyllite ores are mostly dominated by 1TC-type pyrophyllite, sericite and quartz with minor kaolinite, illite and albite as identified by XRD analyses. Zircon grains from the granitic porphyry in the ore field define a weight mean U-Pb age of 130 ± 1 Ma (MSWD = 1.8, n = 19), and those from the sericite quartz schist yield an upper intercepted U-Pb age of 2551 ± 8 Ma. Zircon grains from the pyrophyllite ore yield an upper intercepted U-Pb age of 2566 ± 11 Ma and a lower intercepted age of 136 ± 7 Ma (MSWD = 0.99; n = 20), reflecting a Mesozoic magmatic-hydrothermal event, which could possibly be triggered by the lithospheric destruction of the NCC. LogƒO 2 -pH diagram suggests the fluids responsible for pyrophyllite alteration are extremely acidic (pH = 2.20) and under high oxygen fugacity (>ΔHM + 2.14). Calculated H-O isotopic compositions (δD H2O = −34 to −20‰; δO H2O = 3.4 to 7.5‰, 270 °C; δO H2O = 0.2‰ ~ 4.3‰, 200 °C) of pyrophyllite ores display typical features of volatile-dominated fluids with minor impact of meteoric water. Metal concentrations of pyrophyllite ores decrease with increasing contents of SiO 2 , suggesting the fluids generating pyrophyllite alteration are not conductive to gold mineralization. The results herein indicate that the Baiyun pyrophyllite deposit, formed as magma degassing in deep, are similar to the common root zones of advanced argillic lithocaps (barren shoulders) from porphyry environments and probably be the signs for erosion of epithermal deposits at shallow crustal depths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Urban river pollution risks to environments and human health are emerging as a serious concern worldwide. With the aim to achieve the health of urban river ecosystem, numerous monitoring programs have been implemented to investigate the spectral characteristics of contamination. While due to the complexity of aquatic pollutants, the linkages between harmful effects and the spectral characteristics of contamination are still a major challenge for capturing main threats to urban aquatic environments. To establish these linkages, surface water (SW), sediment pore water (SDPW), and riparian soil pore water (SPW) were collected from five sites of the seriously polluted Qingshui Stream, China. The water-dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphate (TP), fluorescence excitation–emission matrix, and specific ultraviolet absorbance were applied to analyze the spectral characteristics of urban river contamination. The Photobacterium phosphorem 502 was used to test the acute toxicity of the samples. Finally, the correlations between acute toxicity and concentrations of DOC, TN, TP, and the spectral characteristics were explored. Results: The concentrations of DOC, TN, and TP in various samples amounted from 11.41 ± 2.31 to 3844.67 ± 87.80 mg/L, from 1.96 ± 0.06 to 906.23 ± 26.01 mg/L and from 0.06 ± 0.01 to 101.00 ± 8.29 mg/L, respectively. The florescence index (FI) amounted from 1.54 to 3.14, the biological index (BIX) were between 0.94 and 1.57. The distribution patterns of specific ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm (SUVA254) showed that the highest aromaticity and hydrophobicity were found in SDPW and the lowest ones were in SW. All samples showed significantly inhibition on luminescent bacteria. Particularly, the highest acute toxicity was found in site 1 with an EC50 value of 6.023-fold dilution for the raw SDPW sample. In addition, the highest fluorescence intensity was also observed from SDPW of site 1. Conclusions: Tryptophan-like and protein-like substances could be important DOC fractions contributing remarkably to the acute toxicity in the seriously polluted river. In addition, the significant reduction on acute toxicity was found with the treatment of surface water flow constructed wetland, revealing that constructed wetland could be an effective approach for toxicant degradation. These observations are useful for water treatments, and meaningful for urban sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Agrochemicals, such as pesticides and fertilizers used in the current conventional agriculture (CA), have contaminating effects on environments as well as food, which pose significant risks to non-target organisms and even human health. Under these environmental pressures, ecological agriculture (EA), using organic fertilizer for crop growth, was developed without pesticides to substitute CA gradually worldwide. However, EA has still not become popular in the Chinese mountain area. To identify the major factors that influence the application of EA, rice cultivation between EA and CA was compared by analyzing soil physical–chemical properties, and soil bacterial and plant diversity in Chongqing. Besides, in considering the economic benefits of small-scale paddy ecosystem, net present value (NPV) method was applied for quantification and evaluation between EA and CA. Results: The rice yield of EA (3700 kg/ha) was significantly lower than that of CA (7500 kg/ha). Soil total nitrogen (TN, 2.24 ± 0.16 g/kg) and available potassium (AK, 70.67 ± 9.88 mg/kg) in CA were higher than those in EA, with amounts of 1.45 ± 0.18 g/kg (TN) and 54.00 ± 5.89 mg/kg (AK). Soil organic matter (SOM) of CA (55.6 ± 5.8 g/kg) was distinctly higher than that of EA (24.4 ± 1.43 g/kg), whereas pore water DOC concentration in EA (71.11 ± 7.28 mg/L) was higher than that in CA (61.07 ± 6.61 mg/L). Plant richness, bacterial diversity of ACE and Chao1 in EA were significantly higher than in CA (P < 0.05). The net present value (NPV) of EA was 3.72 CNY/m2, which was higher than that of CA (2.98 CNY/m2). Conclusions: The relative high amounts of AP, pore water DOC and bacterial diversity revealed the improvement of soil properties by EA. Limitations on N and AK may be responsible for the low yield in small-scale EA of the current study. In addition, economic benefits, plant richness and bacterial diversity suggested EA application in China as well as worldwide to facilitate the sustainable development of the agroecosystem. However, animal diversity and quantification on economic benefits of ecological services should be considered in further research to promote the sustainability development of the agroecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the origin and evolution of goose parvovirus (GPV) and Muscovy duck parvovirus (MDPV) in the Mainland of China, phylogenetic and recombination analyses in the present study were performed on 32 complete VP1 gene sequences from China and other countries. Based on the phylogenetic analysis of the VP1 gene, GPV strains studied here from Mainland China (PRC) could be divided into three genotypes, namely PRC-I, PRC-II and PRC-III. Genotype PRC-I is indigenous to Mainland China. Only one GPV strain from Northeast China was of Genotype PRC-II and was thought to be imported from Europe. Genotype PRC-III, which was the most isolated genotype during 1999–2012, is related to GPVs in Taiwan and has been the predominant pathogen responsible for recent Derzy's disease outbreaks in Mainland China. Current vaccine strains used in Mainland China belong to Genotype PRC-I that is evolutionary distant from Genotypes PRC-II and PRC-III. In comparison, MDPV strains herein from Mainland China are clustered in a single group which is closely related to Taiwanese MDPV strains, and the full-length sequences of the VP1 gene of China MDPVs are phylogenetic closely related to the VP1 sequence of a Hungarian MDPV strain. Moreover, We also found that homologous recombination within VP1 gene plays a role in generating genetic diversity in GPV evolution. The GPV GDFSh from Guangdong Province appears to be the evolutionary product of a recombination event between parental GPV strains GD and B, while the major parent B proved to be a reference strain for virulent European GPVs. Our findings provide valuable information on waterfowl parvoviral evolution in Mainland China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2015, an outbreak of an infectious disease in broilers caused by fowl adenovirus serotype 4 (FAdV-4) has occurred in China, resulting in substantial economic losses. Rapid, accurate, and specific detection are significant in the prevention and control of FAdV-4. In this study, an FAdV-4 detection method combining loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and Pyrococcus furiosus Argonaute ( Pf Ago) was established. Specific primers, guide DNAs (gDNAs), and molecular beacons were designed to target a conserved region of the FAdV-4 hexon gene. After optimizing the reaction conditions, the minimum detection of this assay could reach 5 copies. It only amplified FAdV-4, and there was no cross-reactivity with other pathogens. The assay took about only 50 min, and the results could be visualized with the naked eye under ultraviolet or blue light, getting rid of specialized instruments. This novel LAMP- Pf Ago assay was validated by using 20 clinical samples and the results were identical to gold-standard real-time polymerase chain reaction method. In summary, the LAMP- Pf Ago assay established in the paper provides a rapid, reliable, convenient, ultra-sensitive and highly specific tool for the on-site detection and clinical diagnosis of FAdV-4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatal gout in geese caused by goose astrovirus (GAstV) has been spreading rapidly in China since 2018, causing serious economic losses in the goose breeding industry. To achieve simple, convenient and sensitive detection of GAstV, a novel diagnostic test was developed by combining reverse transcription-enzymatic recombinase amplification (RT-ERA) and CRISPR-Cas12a technologies. RT-ERA primers were designed to pre-amplify the conserved region of the ORF2 gene of GAstV and the predefined target sequence detected using the Cas12a/crRNA complex at 37℃ for 30 min. Specific detection of GAstV was achieved with no cross-reaction with non-GAstV templates and a sensitivity detection limit of 2 copies. The experimental procedure could be completed within 1 h, including RNA extraction (15 min), RT-ERA reaction (20 min), CRISPR-Cas12a/crRNA detection (5 min) and result readout (within 2 min) steps. In conclusion, the combination of RT-ETA and CRISPR-Cas12a provides a rapid and specific method that should be effective for the control and surveillance of GAstV infections in farms from remote locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glyphodes pyloalis Walker is a destructive pest on mulberry trees and poses a significant threat to the sericultural industry in China. Phoxim and chlorfenapyr are two commonly used insecticides in mulberry fields. Glutathione-S-transferases (GSTs) comprise a multifunctional protein superfamily that plays important roles in the detoxification of insecticides and xenobiotic compounds in insects. However, whether GSTs participate in the tolerance of phoxim and chlorfenapyr in G. pyloalis is still unknown. To better understand the mechanism of insecticide tolerance in G. pyloalis , the enzymatic activity of GSTs was evaluated under phoxim and chlorfenapyr exposure, respectively. GST enzyme activity was significantly increased after 12, 36 and 48 h of phoxim treatment and 12, 24, 36 and 48 h of chlorfenapyr treatment. Subsequently, eighteen GST genes were identified from the larvae transcriptome of G. pyloalis. Among these, ten GpGSTs had GSH-binding sites and fifteen GpGSTs had variable hydrophobic substrate-binding sites. The expression levels of Delta-GpGST and Epsilon-GpGST genes were significantly influenced by phoxim and chlorfenapyr treatment, and by the time post insecticide application. Furthermore, after silencing GpGST-E4 , the mortality rate of G. pyloalis larvae was increased when they were exposed to chlorfenapyr, but it did not significantly alter when the larvae were exposed to phoxim. Our results indicated the vital roles of GpGSTs in the tolerance of insecticides and this action depends on the categories of insecticides. The present study provides a theoretical basis for elucidating insecticide susceptibility and promotes functional research on GST genes in G. pyloalis. [Display omitted] • The roles of GSTs in the insecticides tolerance in a major mulberry pest were studied. • Ten GSTs were identified in Glyphodes pyloalis. • GSTs can be induced when the G. pyloalis exposed to insecticides. • Silencing GSTs resulted in higher mortality after treated with insecticides. • GSTs contributed to the tolerance of G. pyloalis towards insecticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydropericardium-hepatitis syndrome (HHS) is an important emerging disease responsible for huge economic losses to the poultry industry in China. HHS primarily affects 20 to 60-day-old broilers and rarely occurs in laying flock. In this study, the highly pathogenic fowl adenovirus (FAdV) strain, AH-F19, was isolated from the liver samples of 120-day-old laying flock with HHS and its phylogenetic information, genetic mutations, and pathogenicity was evaluated. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that AH-F19 belonged to the FAdV serotype 4 (FAdV-4) cluster, however, 100K differs from the other FAdV-4 strains and is divided into different branches. Amino acid variations in fiber-2 for pathogenic isolates and non-pathogenic isolates indicated that D219, T300, and T380 may not be responsible for virulence. Animal experiments revealed AH-F19 to be a highly pathogenic isolate that can cause 100% mortality in three-week-old specific pathogen-free (SPF) chickens, which exhibited typical hydropericardium and hepatitis. Microscopically, the presence of basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies in hepatocytes, fractured heart muscle fibers, as well as kidney degeneration and necrosis was observed. Collectively, these findings enriched our understanding of FAdV-4 pathogenicity and provided a reference for further exploration into its pathogenicity. • The FAdV-4 strain isolated from 120-day-old hens. • D219, T300, and T380 of fiber-2 protein may not be responsible for virulence, inconsistent with previous findings. • The 100K of AH-F19 is different from the other FAdV-4 strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goose circovirus (GoCV) is a potential immunosuppressive virus that poses a great hazard to the goose industry and has been shown to be widely distributed throughout China. We have established a fast, sensitive and highly specific TaqMan real-time quantitative PCR detection method for this virus. Specific primers and probes were designed against the conserved regions of the genomic GoCV Rep gene. The results showed that the assay was highly specific and sensitive for GoCV and did not cross-react with other non-targeted waterfowl viruses. The established method will be helpful for epidemiological detection and may be effective in the prevention and control of the disease. • A real-time PCR method based on TaqMan was established to detect goose circovirus. • TaqMan qPCR method was established with high sensitivity, specificity and reliability. • Provide tools for epidemiological investigation of GoCV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to assess the risk of pesticides to aquatic ecosystems, five single-dose pesticides including chlorpyrifos, pymetrozine, dinotefuran, azoxystrobin, and acetochlor that are frequently used in developing countries, were selected. Based on the principle of conservative risk assessment, application amounts for different dosage forms were recommended, the Top-Rice model and risk quotient method were used to evaluate the aquatic ecological risk of the aforementioned single-dose pesticide products. The results showed that predicted peak environmental concentration ranges after application on rice were 110.52-564.25 μg/L for chlorpyrifos, 20.79-114.6 μg/L for pymetrozine, 21.81-114.02 μg/L for dinotefuran, 16.52-56.94 μg/L for azoxystrobin, and 167.22-2184.01 μg/L for acetochlor in different seasons of Changsha, Hangzhou, Nanning in China, and Lahore and Faisalabad in Pakistan. Under the current conditions of registered administration, the acute and chronic risks posed by chlorpyrifos to fish and invertebrates were deemed alarming, and those by pymetrozine and dinotefuran were considered acceptable. The acute risk of exposure of azoxystrobin to vertebrates such as fish, and invertebrates such as daphnia and shrimp is alarming, whereas the chronic risk to vertebrates, invertebrates, and algae was acceptable. The acute exposure risk posed by acetochlor was deemed worrying, and in the case of chronic exposure, only 36 % of the simulation group exhibited a risk quotient below 1, indicating no risk. These findings imply that the ecological risks of using registered chlorpyrifos and acetochlor products on rice cannot be ignored. It should be noted that the analysis method and model employed in this study were intentionally conservative to ensure a comprehensive assessment of the potential risks associated with the use of registered pesticide products. However, the model failed to consider influential factors like photolysis of pesticides on the soil surface, thereby introducing a certain degree of conservativeness in the evaluation results., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Lymph node metastasis is a specific type of metastasis in hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (AE). Currently, there is a scarcity of describing the clinical characteristics and lymph node metastasis rules of patients with hepatic AE combined with lymph node metastasis and its mechanism and management are still controversial. Radical hepatectomy combined with regional lymph node dissection is a better treatment., Aim: To analyse the clinical features of hepatic AE combined with lymph node metastasis to explore its treatment and efficacy., Methods: A total of 623 patients with hepatic AE admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from 1 January 2012 to 1 January 2022 were retrospectively analysed. Fifty-five patients with combined lymph node metastasis were analysed for their clinical data, diagnosis and treatment methods, follow-up efficacy, and characteristics of lymph node metastasis. Finally, we comparatively analysed the lymph node metastasis rates at different sites. Categorical variables are expressed as frequencies and percentages, and the analysis of difference was performed using the χ 2 test. The Bonferroni method was used for pairwise comparisons when statistical differences existed between multiple categorical variables., Results: A lymph node metastasis rate of 8.8% (55/623) was reported in patients with hepatic AE, with a female predilection (69.1%) and a statistically significant sex difference ( χ 2 = 8.018, P = 0.005). Of the 55 patients with lymph node metastasis, 72.7% had a parasite lesion, neighbouring organ invasion, and metastasis stage of P3N1M0 and above, of which 67.3%, 78.2%, and 34.5% of hepatic AE lesions invaded the bile ducts, blood vessels, and distant metastases, respectively. Detection rates of lymph node metastasis of 16.4%, 21.7%, and 34.2% were reported for a preoperative abdominal ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomography examinations. All patients were intraoperatively suspected with enlarged lymph nodes and underwent radical hepatectomy combined with regional lymph node dissection. After surgery, a routine pathological examination was conducted on the resected lymph nodes. A total of 106 positive lymph nodes were detected in six groups at various sites, including 51 single-group metastasis cases and four multi-group metastasis cases. When the metastasis rates at different sites were statistically analysed, we observed that the metastasis rate in the para-hepatoduodenal ligament lymph nodes was significantly higher than that of the other sites ( χ 2 = 128.089, P = 0.000 < 0.05). No statistical difference was observed in the metastasis rate between the five other groups. Clavien-Dindo grade IIIa complication occurred in 14 cases, which improved after administering symptomatic treatment. Additionally, lymph node dissection-related complications were not observed. Recurrence after 2 years was observed in one patient., Conclusion: Lymph node metastasis is a rare form of metastasis in hepatic AE, which is more frequent in women. Para-hepatoduodenal ligament lymph nodes are commonly observed. Radical hepatectomy combined with regional lymph node dissection is a safe, effective, and feasible treatment for liver AE combined with lymph node metastasis., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)