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Objectives: To explore the relationship between hand grip strength (HGS) and blood pressure in physically disabled individuals over 50 years old. Methods: The research adopts a cross-sectional survey, and the data comes from the "2022–2023 Physical Health Monitoring and Scientific and Technological Services for Physical Disabilities" jointly carried out by Beijing Sport University and China Disabled Sports Management Center. Select physically disabled individuals over 50 years old and collect physical fitness measurement data. HGS was measured and adjusted based on body weight and waist circumference, with standard normal conversion. The relationship between HGS and blood pressure was analyzed using multiple linear regression, and further logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between standard HGS and the risk of abnormal blood pressure. Results: 695 disabled individuals participated in the experiment, including 402 males (57.84%) and 293 females (42.16%). Multiple linear regression analysis found that for each standard deviation increase in the standardized Z-value of relative HGS, the systolic and diastolic blood pressure of male individuals decreased by 2.391 mmHg (P = 0.008) and 1.229 mmHg (P = 0.025); decreased by 2.336 mmHg (P = 0.026) and 1.585 mmHg (P = 0.008), respectively, for female. The increase in HGS reduced the risk of hypertension in physical disabilities in males [OR = 0.820 95%CIs (0.670, 0.952)] (P = 0.003) and females [OR = 0.735 95%CIs (0.472, 0.986)] (P = 0.007). Conclusion: The HGS of middle-aged and elderly physically disabled individuals negatively correlates with blood pressure, indicating the importance of increasing muscle strength (HGS) in preventing blood pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population aging and housing price can affect household consumption, and population aging can indirectly affect household consumption through housing price. This study uses panel data from 31 provinces and cities in China between 2001 and 2018 to construct a panel vector autoregression model for analyzing the impact of population aging and housing price on household consumption level. We determine that population aging and housing price positively impact household consumption level, and population aging also has a positive effect on housing price. The mediating effect model using time series data from 2001 to 2018, with housing price as the mediating variable reveals that population aging directly increases household consumption level, and indirectly increases it through housing price. Finally, this study proposes suggestions such as optimizing the population structure, improving the housing system, and advancing the development of the older adult industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequently occurring jellyfish blooms have severe impacts on the socioeconomics of coastal areas, which stress the importance of early detection and assessments of blooming jellyfish taxa. Environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques (quantitative PCR and eDNA metabarcoding) have the advantage of high sensitivity and are an emerging powerful tool for investigations of target species. However, a comprehensive analysis of the biodiversity and biomass of jellyfish taxa in the target area by combining the two eDNA techniques is still lacking. Here, we developed eDNA metabarcoding and quantitative PCR for the detection and assessment of jellyfish taxa in the temperate Yantai Sishili Bay (YSB) and estimated the spatial distribution of Aurelia coerulea. Species‐specific quantitative PCR assays targeting the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene of A. coerulea were developed. Additionally, eDNA metabarcoding based on the mitochondrial 16S rDNA sequences identified six jellyfish species in YSB. Moreover, our results indicate that A. coerulea aggregations were more likely to occur in the inner part of the bay than in the outer part, and they gathered in the bottom layer of seawater rather than in the surface layer. Our results demonstrate the potential of two eDNA techniques in jellyfish biomass investigation and jellyfish taxa detection. These eDNA techniques may contribute to the discovery of jellyfish aggregation so as to achieve early warning of large‐scale jellyfish blooms in coastal areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Pediatric solid tumors are significantly different from adult tumors. Studies have revealed genomic aberrations in pediatric solid tumors, but these analyses were based on Western populations. Currently, it is not known to what extent the existing genomic findings represent differences in ethnic backgrounds. Experimental: Design: We retrospectively analyzed the basic clinical characteristics of the patients, including age, cancer type, and sex distribution, and further analyzed the somatic and germline mutations of cancer-related genes in a Chinese pediatric cohort. In addition, we investigated the clinical significance of genomic mutations on therapeutic, prognostic, diagnostic, and preventive actions. Results: Our study enrolled 318 pediatric patients, including 234 patients with CNS tumors and 84 patients with non-CNS tumors. Somatic mutation analysis showed that there were significant differences in mutation types between CNS tumors and non-CNS tumors. P/LP germline variants were identified in 8.49% of patients. In total, 42.8% patients prompted diagnostic, 37.7% patients prompted prognostic, 58.2% patients prompted therapeutic, and 8.5% patients prompted tumor-predisposing and preventive, and we found that genomic findings might improve clinical management. Conclusions: Our study is the first large-scale study to analyze the landscape of genetic mutations in pediatric patients with solid tumors in China. Genomic findings in CNS and non-CNS solid pediatric tumors provide evidence for the clinical classification and individualized treatment of pediatric tumors, and they will facilitate improvement of clinical management. Data presented in this study should serve as a reference to guide the future design of clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Few studies have identified the links between physical activity (PA), clinical symptoms, and the quality of life (QoL) among mildly infected individuals with COVID-19. This cross-sectional study aims to evaluate how PA levels before infections affect the infectious symptoms and the QoL in mildly infected patients with COVID-19. Methods: An online questionnaire link including participants' sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics, clinical symptoms during the COVID-19 infectious period, the QoL of the worst symptomatic day, and PA in the last seven days before COVID-19 infections was disclosed. Logistic regression and multiple linear regression analyses were applied to assess the relationships between PA levels in the last seven days before infections and COVID-19-related outcomes. The level of statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Compared to the low-PA-level group, the moderate-PA-level group presented a higher risk of headaches (OR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.03 to 1.75, and p = 0.03) and the high-PA-level group presented a higher risk of muscle/body aches (OR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.04 to 1.93, and p = 0.03). The adjusted linear regression analysis showed that no associations were found between PA levels in the last seven days before infections and the QoL index value on the worst symptomatic day (moderate-PA-level group: β = −0.04, and p = 0.08; high-PA-level group: β = −0.04, and p = 0.17). However, for the mobility and usual activities dimensions of EQ-5D-5L, the lower-PA-level group had a lower burden of QoL than the higher-PA-level group did on the worst-symptomatic day. Conclusions: Among mildly infected patients with COVID-19, a higher PA level is associated with a higher risk of experiencing clinical symptoms and a lower QoL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Body shape and fitness (BSF) is critical for overall well-being, while university students in China are subjected to stress, peer pressure, performance anxiety, busy schedules, and lack of sleep, which can easily lead to poor BSF. This study aimed to explore the knowledge, attitude, and practice of BSF and related factors among university students in China. Methods: This web-based cross-sectional study was conducted on students of 15 universities in China between September 1st and November 30th, 2022. The KAP scores were evaluated using a 38-item questionnaire, including social demography, knowledge, attitude, and practice. Univariable and multivariable regression analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with KAP. Results: A total of 995 valid questionnaires were collected. There were 431 (43.3%) males and 564 (56.7%) females. Most participants were sophomores (51.2%) and freshmen (36.3%). Most participants had a BMI of 18–24 kg/m2 (66.1%). The students scored highly on BSF-related knowledge (8.30 ± 1.49), moderately on attitude (37.20 ± 4.46), and low on practice (19.64 ± 4.62). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that attitude score (P = 0.001), sex (P = 0.001), grade (P = 0.011), body mass index (BMI) (P < 0.050), parent's education level (P = 0.005), monthly allowance (P < 0.050), and sleep quality and habits (P = 0.016) were independently associated with practice scores. Conclusions: University students in China were found to have good knowledge, moderate attitude, and poor practice toward BSF. Attitude, sex, grade, BMI, parents' education, monthly living expenses, and sleep quality and habits affected their practice. More BSF-related courses or activities are required to motivate students, especially females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rational utilization of groundwater resources is the key to achieving the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals, strengthening the comprehensive control of karst rock desertification and soil erosion in the ecological environment. On the southern wing of Tongmaling anticline in southeast Chongqing, Longtan trough valley--a part of Wuling Mountain area--is located in Youyang county, Chongqing City, China. The karst development is strong in the trough valley area, and the distribution of groundwater is extensive. At the same time, the problem of rocky desertification is severe in this area, so the efficient utilization of water resources and ecological restoration are especially important. The objective of this study is to explore the flow characteristics of karst spring and structure types of aquifer medium, and to further analyze the variation characteristics of inorganic carbon flux in the ecological restoration area of rock desertification control. In this study, the flow attenuation equation and hydrochemical runoff method are used to estimate and analyze attenuation process and inorganic carbon flux of Laoquan spring based on the re-vegetation in a karst rocky desertification area in Longtan trough valley in Youyang county, Chongqing City, Southwest China. The results show that: (1) The flow attenuation process of Laoquan spring is divided into two sub-dynamics with attenuation coefficients of 0.0892 and 0.0196, respectively. The attenuation process of this spring mainly occurs on the first sub-dynamics. In the aquifer medium of groundwater system, the ratio of pipeline to fissure is significant. The strong water conduction effect of aquifer medium leads to the weak capacity of Laoquan spring to regulate and store rainfall infiltration water. (2) The variation process of the carbon flux of Laoquan spring during the rainstorm period is divided into four stages, and the carbon flux has obvious variation characteristics with the flow. The carbon flux during the rainstorm period is 97.64 kg⋅km-2⋅d-1. In the summer drought period (from the end of July to the end of August), the carbon flux of Laoquan spring has obvious diurnal variation characteristics, low at night and high in the day. The soil CO2 concentration, water CO2 concentration and carbon flux of Laoquan spring are synchronized in the diurnal variation, and the carbon flux in the summer drought period is 18.23 kg⋅km-2⋅d-1. (3) The climate instability can affect the carbon flux of Laoquan spring. The precipitation of this spring in summer is positively correlated with the carbon flux (R=0.78), and the evaporation is negatively correlated with the carbon flux (R=-0.36). The change of land use mode has a significant effect on the carbon flux of Laoquan spring. The correlation coefficient between HCO3-1 concentration and soil CO2 concentration based on the monthly mean value of Laoquan spring is 0.64, indicating that HCO3-1 in Laoquan spring sensitively responds to the change of soil CO2. The correlation coefficient between the annual spring carbon flux and the annual soil CO2 concentration is 0.90, and the average annual δ13CDIC shows an obvious negative trend, indicating that land use change (Vegetation Restoration) is conducive to the increasing of soil CO2 concentration and carbon flux. (4) From 2018 to 2021, the carbon flux in Laoquan spring was 11.66, 10.33, 21.31 and 16.9 t⋅km-2⋅a-1, respectively, showing an increasing trend with fluctuation. The annual inorganic carbon flux is 15.05 t⋅km-2⋅a-1 (CO2). The carbon sink capacity should be enhanced by the improvement of comprehensive control measures of rocky desertification. Therefore, in the process of rocky desertification control, it is necessary to make scientific use of karst water resources and heighten the awareness of karst environment protection, especially the scientific use and management of water resources in summer rainstorm and summer drought. In addition, it is necessary to boost regional carbon sink capacity by restoring natural dominant vegetation in rocky desertification control areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is currently no specific equation for estimating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in Chinese children with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The commonly used equations are less robust than expected; we therefore sought to derive more appropriate equations for GFR estimation. Methods: A total of 751 Chinese children with CKD were divided into 2 groups, training group (n = 501) and validation group (n = 250). In the training group, a univariate linear regression model was used to calculate predictability of variables associated with GFR. Residuals were compared to determine multivariate predictability of GFR in the equation. Standard regression techniques for Gaussian data were used to determine coefficients of GFR-estimating equations after logarithmic transformation of measured GFR (iGFR), height/serum creatinine (height/Scr), cystatin C, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and height. These were compared with other well-known equations using the validation group. Results: Median 99mTc-DTPA GFR was 90.1 (interquartile range: 67.3–108.6) mL/min/1.73 m2 in training dataset. Our CKD equation, eGFR (mL/min/1.73 m2) = 91.021 [height(m)/Scr(mg/dL)/2.7]0.443 [1.2/Cystatin C(mg/L)]0.335 [13.7/BUN (mg/dL)]−0.095 [ 0.991male] [height(m)/1.4]0.275, was derived. This was further tested in the validation group, with percentages of eGFR values within 30% and 15% of iGFR (P30 and P15) of 76.00% and 48.40%, respectively. For centres with no access to cystatin C, a creatinine-based equation, eGFR (mL/min/1.73 m2) = 89.674 [height(m)/Scr(mg/dL)/2.7]0.579 [ 1.007male] [height(m)/1.4]0.187, was derived, with P30 and P15 73.60% and 49.20%, respectively. These were significantly higher compared to other well-known equations (p < 0.05). Conclusion: We developed equations for GFR estimation in Chinese children with CKD based on Scr, BUN and cystatin C. These are more accurate than commonly used equations in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pappalysin 2 (PAPPA2) mutation, occurring most frequently in skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) and non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), is found to be related to anti‐tumour immune response. However, the association between PAPPA2 and the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) therapy remains unknown. Methods: To analyse the performance of PAPPA2 mutation as an indicator stratifying beneficiaries of ICIs, seven public cohorts with whole‐exome sequencing (WES) data were divided into the NSCLC set (n = 165) and the SKCM set (n = 210). For further validation, 41 NSCLC patients receiving anti‐PD‐(L)1 treatment were enrolled in China cohort (n = 41). The mechanism was explored based on The Cancer Genome Atlas database (n = 1467). Results: In the NSCLC set, patients with PAPPA2 mutation (PAPPA2‐Mut) demonstrated a significantly superior progress free survival (PFS, hazard ratio [HR], 0.28 [95% CI, 0.14–0.53]; p < 0.001) and objective response rate (ORR, 77.8% vs. 23.2%; p < 0.001) compared to those with wide‐type PAPPA2 (PAPPA2‐WT), consistent in the SKCM set (overall survival, HR, 0.49 [95% CI: 0.31–0.78], p < 0.001; ORR, 34.1% vs. 16.9%, p = 0.039) and China cohort. Similar results were observed in multivariable models. Accordingly, PAPPA2 mutation exhibited superior performance in predicting ICIs efficacy compared with other published ICIs‐related gene mutations, such as EPHA family, MUC16, LRP1B and TTN, etc. In addition, combined utilization of PAPPA2 mutation and tumour mutational burden (TMB) could expand the identification of potential responders to ICIs therapy in both NSCLC set (HR, 0.36 [95% CI: 0.23–0.57], p < 0.001) and SKCM set (HR, 0.51 [95% CI: 0.34–0.76], p < 0.001). Moreover, PAPPA2 mutation was correlated with enhanced anti‐tumour immunity including higher activated CD4 memory T cells level, lower Treg cells level, and upregulated DNA damage repair pathways. Conclusions: Our findings indicated that PAPPA2 mutation could serve as a novel indicator to stratify beneficiaries from ICIs therapy in NSCLC and SKCM, warranting further prospective studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than half of new cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and associated deaths occurring annually worldwide are recorded in China. Chinese patients with HCC exhibit special characteristics in terms of etiology, leading to differences in prognosis versus Western patients. In recent years, several angiogenesis inhibitors were approved, and immune checkpoint blockers (ICBs) were recommended as second-line therapy for advanced HCC. In addition, the recent success of a combination of atezolizumab with bevacizumab signals resulted in an essential change in the first-line treatment of HCC. We investigated the characteristics of patients with HCC in China and summarized the rapidly emerging relevant clinical data, which relate to the prospects and challenges associated with the use of ICBs in this setting. We further evaluated the efficacy of ICBs in Chinese patients with HCC based on data obtained from global trials, and discussed possible factors influencing the effectiveness of ICBs in patients with HCC in China. Immunotherapy offers new options for the treatment of advanced HCC, though responses varied between patients. Currently, there is a need to discover specific biomarkers for the accurate identification of patients who would more likely benefit from immunotherapy. Furthermore, investigation of patient characteristics in different countries is necessary to provide a clinical practice basis and reference value for the diagnosis and treatment of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to remove methylene blue dye from water with a fixed-bed column packed with Cu2O nanocomposite ceramsites. The column showed the advantages of fixed-bed column adsorption and photocatalytic oxidation. The Cu2O nanocomposite ceramsites with strong photocatalytic oxidation activity and well-developed porous structure were successfully prepared with the chemical vapour deposition process, which also met with the China's industrial standard of CJ/T 299–2008 and China's national standard of GB 5085.3-2007. In the column experiments under the experimental conditions (initial pH was 3, reaction temperature was 25°C and flow rate was 33 mL/min), the breakthrough curve was much more smooth. The breakthrough time and saturation time under ultraviolet radiation were 36.0% and 26.83% longer than those under the conditions without ultraviolet radiation, because the micro-pore structure of ceramsite was closely related to optical excitation properties of nano-Cu2O. The Yoon-Nelson and Adams-Bohart models were applied to describe the obtained breakthrough curves using non-linear regression, in which the Yoon-Nelson model gave the better prediction results for breakthrough curves, with R2>0.98. Besides, amines were the dominant intermediates at saturation point and final products were inorganic anions. This study confirmed that the fixed-bed column packed with Cu2O nanocomposite ceramsites could efficiently treat methylene blue dye wastewater, due to the structure–function relationship between ceramsite and nano-Cu2O. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Shitoukengde mafic–ultramafic intrusion, located in the East Kunlun Orogenic Belt, is spatially and temporally associated with the Xiarihamu Ni-Cu sulphide deposit, the second-largest Ni deposit in China. This intrusion comprises mainly lherzolite, harzburgite, olivine websterite, and gabbroic rocks. The Shitoukengde mafic–ultramafic rocks are enriched in light rare earth elements (REE) relative to heavy REE and show pronounced negative Nb–Ta anomalies. Magmatic zircon crystals of the studied samples have high δ18O values (6.5 to 8.0‰) with a weighted mean value of 7.3‰ that is higher than the typical mantle value (~5.3‰). They are characterized by high εHf(t) values (–2.0 to 9.2) and variable εNd(t) values (–4.46 to 2.83). Olivine grains from the ultramafic rocks have high forsterite (Fo) values of 79.3–86.8 and variable Ni contents of 746–3347 ppm. Our calculations indicate that parental magma of the Shitoukengde intrusion had a high-Mg basaltic composition with 10.9 wt% MgO and 9.8 wt% FeOT. Fractional crystallization and significant crustal contamination triggered S saturation and sulphide enrichment in the magma. Zircon LA-ICPMS and SIMS U–Pb analyses reveal the consistent Silurian ages of 420–424 Ma for the gabbronorite and Ol websterite, which is coeval with the Xiarihamu Ni-Cu deposit. Based on these data and the regional tectonic setting, we suggest that the Shitoukengde mafic-ultramafic rocks formed in the post-collisional, extensional environment. The cessation of subduction may have resulted in break-off of the dense subducted slab, and triggered ascent of the hot convective asthenospheric mantle. The mantle wedge was modified by the subduction-related fluids and these enriched mantle components were incorporated into the ascending asthenospheric melts at relatively shallow depths, generating the high-Mg basaltic magmas that formed the compositionally variable mafic-ultramafic rocks (e.g., Shitoukengde and Xiarihamu intrusions) in the Eastern Kunlun Orogenic belt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel solar-assisted ground-source heat pump system was proposed. • Heat cascade storage and utilization can be feasible using this system. • A sufficient temperature gradient was created in the ground heat storage. • The schematic was introduced, while field test was conducted. To maintain the energy quality with high temperature and reduce the energy loss of seasonal heat-storage in solar-assisted ground-source heat pumps (SAGSHPs), a novel SAGSHP system with the heat-cascading of borehole heat-exchangers was designed and its field-test was conducted in this paper. The borehole heat-exchangers were divided into two regions: the core region and the peripheral region. The core region can maintain a high temperature (e.g. 45 °C), which is much higher than in previous studies, and the heat from this region can be used directly, without the operation of a heat pump. A field-test was conducted in a community in the province Shandong, China. The results indicate that a sufficient soil-temperature gradient (the temperature is high in the core but low at the periphery) can be created and maintained. The monthly averaged borehole-wall-temperature difference between the borehole heat-exchangers (BHEs) at the core and the periphery can be as high as 30.1 °C. This means that both cascaded heat-storage and heat-utilization can be realized. In addition, an average performance of CCOP = 5.15 and SCOP = 4.66 can be achieved. Compared with previous studies, despite the lower CCOP , a higher SCOP can be attained, thanks to heat cascade storage and -utilization. The novel approach described in this paper represents a viable alternative for space heating in North China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A previous study by our team reported the prevalence of primary headache disorders and factors associated with headache among nurses in three hospitals in North China. The aim of this cross-sectional survey was to learn more about how medical nurses in South China were affected by headache. Additionally, we determined the prevalence of headache and measured the impact of headache among doctors in mainland China for the first time. Methods: Stratified random cluster sampling was used to select 280 physicians and 365 nurses from various departments in four hospitals in Sanya, which is one of southernmost cities in China. Information was collected on demographic data, occupational factors and headache characteristics by using a structured questionnaire. Results: Among 645 medical staff, 548 (85%) responded (doctors = 240, nurses = 308). Among the medical staff, the 1-year prevalence of primary headache disorders was 50%, with 25.9% experiencing migraine and 24.1% experiencing tension-type headache (TTH). The prevalence of migraine in female doctors was higher than that in female nurses, although this difference was not significant (32.4% vs. 29.8%, P = 0.628). Multivariate analysis showed that being female and working in other specialties (Emergency Department & Radiology Department) remained independent risk factors for migraine in doctors (OR 2.314 and 3.223). In nurses, being married was a risk factor for migraine (OR 3.728), and job titles remained an independent risk factor for migraine and TTH (OR 2.294 and 4.695). Working more than 6 night-shifts per month was associated with an increased prevalence of migraine and TTH in doctors; the same was true in nurses for migraine, but not for TTH. Conclusion: The prevalence of primary headache disorders in both nurses and doctors is higher than that in the general population in South China. Our study shows that occupation, geography and sex may play an important role. Further, female doctors are more susceptible than female nurses to migraine. The risk factors relevant to headache that were found in this study should provide an important reference for promoting occupational health in medical staff, especially female doctors in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The drought monitoring indexes, such as SPEI and SPCI, have been proposed previously. However, these indexes are established at specific station and unsuitable to evaluate the regional drought, which becomes the focus of this study. A novel drought monitoring method using the zenith troposphere delay (ZTD) derived from global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and precipitation is proposed, and a new index, which is named regional precipitation and ZTD index (RPZI), is established. The station-based precipitation and ZTD index (PZI) is first proposed by considering the data selection, expression, multi-time scale and standardization. The RPZI is then calculated by using the Thiessen Polygon method to determine the weighting of each station in the located area. The proposed PZI is first validated in 8 climatic regions of China over the period of 2006–2018 at 801 metrological stations. The RPZI is further evaluated in arid, semiarid, humid, and semi humid areas of China over the period of 2006–2018 and Townsville, Queensland in Australia over the period of 1998–2018, respectively. Comparison results show that the proposed RPZI has a good consistency with the regional precipitation smoothing index (RPSI) when compared with station-based SPEI, station-based PZI, and regional SPEI (RSPEI), and the correlation coefficient is the highest between the RPZI and RPSI with values of 0.81, 0.90, 0.93, and 0.85 in four areas of China, and the corresponding value reaches 0.964 in Queensland, Australia. Such results show the good capacity of the proposed RPZI for regional drought monitoring, which is of great importance for global drought disaster prevention. • A novel index (RPZI) is proposed using GNSS-derived ZTD and precipitation. • RPZI considers the influences of data, expression, time scale and standardization. • The capacity of RPZI is evaluated in China and Australia, respectively. • Proposed RPZI is of ability to well reflect the regional drought condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Seasonal DOM changes at the sediment–water interface in Lake Chaohu were analyzed. • Mineralization of DOM results in the nitrogen and phosphorus release. • Cyanobacterial growth and decline contribute to the DOM components in Lake Chaohu. • The strongest P release from sediments occurs during the early growth stage. The seasonal changes in dissolved organic matter (DOM), and its correlation with the release of internal nutrients during the annual cycle of cyanobacteria in the eutrophic Lake Chaohu, China, were investigated from four sampling periods between November 2020 and July 2021. The DOM fluorescence components were identified as protein-like C1, microbial humic-like C2, and terrestrial humic-like C3. The highest total fluorescence intensity (F T) of DOM in sediments during the incubation stage is due to the decomposition and degradation of cyanobacteria remains. The lowest humification of DOM and the highest proportion of C1 in waters during the initial cyanobacterial growth indicate that fresh algae are the main source. The highest molecular weight of DOM and F T of the C2 in sediments during cyanobacterial outbreaks indicate the concurrent deposition of undegraded cyanobacterial remains and microbial degradation. The components of DOM are affected mainly by the dissolved total phosphorus in waters, while the temperature drives the annual cycle of cyanobacteria. The decreasing C1 in sediments and increasing nutrients in waters from the cyanobacterial incubation to outbreak indicate that mineralization of algal organic matter contributes importantly to the release of internal nutrients, with the strongest release of phosphorus observed during the early growth of cyanobacteria. The humic-like C2 and C3 components could also affect the dynamics of internal phosphorus through the formation of organic colloids and organic–inorganic ligands. The results show that the degradation of DOM leads to nutrients release and thus supports the continuous growth of cyanobacteria in eutrophic Lake Chaohu. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding phosphorus recycling in eutrophic lakes is the basis for pollution control. In this study, we analyzed phosphorus fractions, phosphate oxygen isotopes (δ 18O p) in iron-bound phosphorus (Fe–P), authigenic phosphorus (Auth-P), detrital phosphorus (Detr-P), and physicochemical indexes at the water–sediment interface to study the recycling of internal phosphorus during the annual cyanobacterial life stage in a eutrophic lake, Lake Chaohu, China. Increased Fe–P in sediments from the cyanobacterial decline to the benthic stage indicated the deposition of newly formed iron-bound phosphorus and the enriched δ 18O Fe – P indicated that these phosphates were absorbed to ferric oxides derived directly from the cyanobacterial cells (enriched δ 18O p). From benthic to the initial growth stage, depletion of δ 18O Fe – P indicated that these phosphates were derived mainly from the hydrolysis of organic phosphorus (depleted δ 18O p). Increased Fe–P in sediments from the initial growth stage to algal blooms indicated a net deposition of phosphorus, and the depletion of δ 18O Fe – P indicated similar phosphates from the hydrolysis of organic phosphorus. From benthic to the blooms stage, enrichment of δ 18O Auth-P suggested phosphates from cyanobacterial remains or transformation of bioavailable phosphorus. Stable Detr-P and δ 18O Detr-P in sediments during the cyanobacterial life stage indicated the resistance of Detr-P to biogeochemical alteration. Spatially, δ 18O Fe – P was more depleted in the western lake than in the middle and eastern lakes, likely due to its high level of Fe–P from domestic sewage, with newly formed Fe–P (enriched δ 18O Fe – P) only contributing minor proportions. The δ 18O Auth-P in the eastern lake was depleted, indicating that the hydrolysis of organic phosphorus served as a phosphate source. Enriched δ 18O Detr-P indicated that more phosphates from domestic sewage (enriched δ 18O p) contributed to the formation of Detr-P in West Lake Chaohu. The present study provides novel insight into the recycling of internal phosphorus in eutrophic lakes. [Display omitted] • Internal phosphorus recycling during the cyanobacterial life cycle was studied. • Various phosphorus fractions at the sediment–water interface were analyzed. • Enrichment of δ 18O Fe – P indicated phosphate release from the cyanobacterial cells. • Depletion of δ 18O Fe – P indicated phosphate release from the hydrolysis of organic P. • Stable δ 18O Detr-P indicated the resistance of Detr-P to biogeochemical alteration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Despite extensive vaccination, H9N2 subtype influenza A viruses (IAVs) have prevailed in chicken populations in China. H9N2 IAVs have been a major cause of respiratory disease and reduced egg production, resulting in great economic losses to the Chinese poultry industry. In attempt to find reasons for lack of adequate protection by commercial vaccines, 41 H9N2 viruses isolated from chicken flocks in various regions of China through surveillance between 1998 and 2007 were systemically analyzed using molecular and serological methods in comparison to IAV Ck/Shandong/6/96 and Ck/Shanghai/F/98 that have been used in a majority of commercial vaccines for H9N2 in China since 1998. The analyses showed that the field isolates were predominantly of Beijing/94 lineage and underwent rapid genetic and antigenic changes, forming several antigenic groups. Comparisons between the field isolates and vaccine strains revealed that a majority of the field isolates examined were antigenically distinct from the vaccine strains to some extent. Therefore, the rapid antigenic evolution of H9N2 IAV and resulting antigenic difference from the earlier vaccine strains appears to be a key factor for suboptimal control of H9N2 IAV in China, emphasizing that the vaccine strain should be updated in a timely manner through surveillance and accompanying laboratory evaluation of contemporary viruses for antigenic similarity with existing vaccine strains. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: This cross-sectional study aimed to address a critical gap in the understanding of the association between body mass index (BMI) and physical fitness levels in adolescents with hearing impairment (HI) in China. This study investigated how different BMI levels impact the physical fitness index (PFI) of HI adolescents., Methods: This study employed a physical fitness test for HI adolescents attending special education schools. The test included eight components: height, weight, 50-m sprint, standing long jump, sit and reach, endurance run, bent-knee sit-up (for girls), and pull-up (for boys). Test scores for each student were standardized by age and gender. Individual Z-scores were then calculated, and the sum of these Z-scores constituted the PFI. Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between BMI and PFI across different gender and age groups. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05., Results: The linear regression model showed an inverted U-shaped relationship between BMI and PFI. At the same BMI level, boys exhibited superior physical fitness compared to girls with the same BMI ( P < 0.05). Statistically significant differences in PFI levels were observed between normal-weight and obese males, as well as between underweight and obese boys ( P < 0.05). In the 13-15 and 16-18 age groups, the increase in BMI has a greater impact on boys PFI than on girls., Conclusions: Adolescents with HI generally demonstrated good physical fitness. Compared to individuals with normal weight, those who were underweight, overweight, or obese exhibited lower levels of physical fitness. Future interventions should focus on adolescents with HI with abnormal BMI., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2024 Cai et al.)

A large number of waxy maize landraces are distributed in Yunnan and surrounding areas, and abundant waxy alleles of different types are distributed in these landraces. The identification of waxy alleles is helpful to the protection and utilization of these waxy landraces. This study introduced structure characteristics of waxy genes from two specific landraces of Yunnan, Zinuoyumi and Myanmar Four-Row Wax. Zinuoyumi has two waxy alleles wx-Cin4 and wx-Cin4-2; Myanmar Four-Row Wax has three waxy alleles wx-D10, wx-Reina and wx-D11. The wx-Cin4-2 and wx-D11 are two types of waxy alleles first reported in this study. The wx-Cin4-2 has two mutation sites, deletion of 30 bp in exon 10, insertion of a 1,267 bp non-long terminal repeat (non-LTR) retrotransposon Cin4 in intron 10, and 13 bp extra sequence were found at 5' end of the Cin4; the mutation site of wx-D11 is a 1,082 bp deletion from exons 11 to 14 of the waxy gene and is replaced with a 72 bp filler sequence. This study enriched the type of waxy allele from Yunnan waxy maize landraces and further discussed the molecular basis for the formation of mutation sites of wx-Cin4-2 and wx-D11., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Sun, Wu. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

There is often significant spatial heterogeneity in the factors influencing physical fitness in adolescents, yet less attention has been paid to this in established studies. Based on the 2018 Chinese National Student Physical Fitness Standard Test data, this study uses a multi-scale, geographically weighted regression (MGWR) model combined with a K-means clustering algorithm to construct a spatial regression model of the factors influencing adolescent physical fitness, and to investigate the degree of spatial variation in the physical fitness of Chinese adolescents from a socio-ecological perspective of health promotion. The following conclusions were drawn: the performance of the youth physical fitness regression model was significantly improved after taking spatial scale and heterogeneity into account. At the provincial scale, the non-farm output, average altitude, and precipitation of each region were strongly related to youth physical fitness, and each influencing factor generally showed a banded spatial heterogeneity pattern, which can be summarized into four types: N-S, E-W, NE-SW, and SE-NW. From the perspective of youth physical fitness, China can be divided into three regions of influence: the socio-economic-influenced region, mainly including the eastern region and some of the central provinces of China; the natural-environment-influenced region, which mainly includes the northwestern part of China and some provinces in the highland region; and the multi-factor joint-influenced region, which mainly includes the provinces in the central and northeastern regions of China. Finally, this study provides syndemic suggestions for physical fitness and health promotion for youths in each region.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the Omicron variant occurred in Shanghai, China, but its clinical characteristics and virology have not been comprehensively described., Methods: This retrospective cohort study included adult inpatients (≥18 years) diagnosed with COVID-19 at Changhai Hospital. Laboratory and clinical data were obtained from electronic medical records to investigate the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 and the variations in the patients' laboratory indexes were examined., Results: The symptoms of COVID-19 caused by the Omicron variant were relatively mild. Upper respiratory tract specimens yielded higher positive detection rates than lower respiratory tract and intestinal specimens. Peak COVID-19 viral load was reached at the time of admission; quantification cycle (Cq) values increased to approximately 35 after 8.54 days. In vivo viral shedding duration correlated with age and disease severity ( p <0.05). The older the patient and the more severe the disease, the longer the duration of viral shedding was. Portion parameters of blood routine, coagulative function, clinical chemistry, and inflammatory factor showed a certain correlation with the SARS-CoV-2 viral load., Conclusions: Virus replication and shedding are rapid in Omicron-positive patients; COVID-19 in these patients is characterized by acute onset, mild symptoms, and fast recovery. Older patients and those with more severe disease demonstrate prolonged virus shedding. Routine hematological indexes can reveal disease severity and help clinically evaluate the patient's condition., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Zhou, Huang, Sun, Jin, Tian, Xue, Kang, Gao, Xu, Chen, Jia and Liu.)

To evaluate the association of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure with hypertension and blood pressure (BP) in children, a sample of 9,354 children, aged 5-17 years, was studied from seven northeastern cities of China in 2012-2013. The results showesd that significant associations were observed for hypertension with ETS exposure in utero [odds ratio (OR) 1.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.18-1.57], with current major ETS exposure from fathers (1.38, 1.21-1.57) or anyone (1.26, 1.12-1.42), and with intensity of ETS exposure greater than 1 cigarette per day (ORs ranged from 1.20 to 1.35). For SBP, significant associations were only observed in children with major ETS exposure from father and with cigarettes smoking >10/day. When stratified by sex, more significant associations were found in girls than in boys. In conclusion, prenatal and postnatal ETS exposure was significantly associated with increased odds of hypertension in children, especially in girls.

Previous studies have shown that crude polysaccharides from the Lycium barbarum fruit could inhibit cancer cell growth, but the major effective constituents are yet to be identified. In this study, we compared the effects of L. barbarum fruit polysaccharide fractions on the growth of hepatoma cells (SMMC-7721 and HepG2), cervical cancer cells (HeLa), gastric carcinoma cells (SGC-7901), and human breast cancer cells (MCF-7). LBGP-I-3 showed stronger inhibitory effects on MCF-7 cells (cell viability of 48.96%) than SMMC-7721 (cell viability of 78.91%) and HeLa cells (cell viability of 55.94%), and had no effect on HepG2 and SGC-7901 cells. In addition, LBGP-I-3 had no inhibitory effect on normal liver cells (L02, cell viability of 115.58%). Investigation of the underlying mechanism suggested that LBGP-I-3 inhibited the growth of cancer cells by cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. LBGP-I-3 arrested the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase, altered mitochondrial function, activated oxidative stress, and regulated the MAPK signaling pathway to induce apoptosis. Thus, LBGP-I-3 may be a potential functional food ingredient for the prevention of cancer without toxicity to normal cells in vitro. These results could help further elucidate the structure-activity relationship of L. barbarum fruit polysaccharides and functional food development., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest There are no conflicts to declare., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Episodic memory starts to decline very early in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Subtle impairments in memory binding may be detected in mild cognitive impairment (MCI). This study aims to examine the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the memory binding test (MBT)., Methods: One hundred and sixty-four subjects (26 individuals with AD, 67 individuals with amnestic MCI (aMCI), 30 individuals with subjective cognitive impairment (SCI), and 41 cognitively normal elderly individuals (NC)) participated in the study. Twenty-two subjects repeated the assessment of the MBT within 6 weeks (± 2 weeks). Pearson correlation was used to calculate the convergent validity. The test--retest reliability was determined by the calculation of the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Discriminative validity was calculated to evaluate the receiver-operating characteristic curves. The optimal index was chosen by comparing the area under the curve for specificity and sensitivity ≥ 0.80. The optimal cutoff score of the index was chosen to maximize the sum of sensitivity and specificity., Results: The absolute value of the convergent validity of the direct indexes of MBT ranged from 0.443 to 0.684. The ICC for each of direct indexes was 0.887-0.958. Total delayed paired recall (TDPR) was the optimal index for discriminating aMCI from NC. The cutoff score for TDPR was ≤25 to distinguish aMCI from NC (sensitivity = 0.896, specificity = 0.707)., Conclusion: The Chinese version of MBT is a valid and reliable instrument to detect MCI.

Microbes are thought to have key roles in the development of the special properties of post-fermented pu-erh tea (pu-erh shucha), a well-known traditional Chinese tea; however, little is known about the bacteria during the fermentation. In this work, the structure and dynamics of the bacterial community involved in the production of pu-erh shucha were investigated using 16S rRNA gene clone libraries constructed from samples collected on days zero (LD-0), 5 (LD-5), 10 (LD-10), 15 (LD-15) and 20 (LD-20) of the fermentation. A total of 747 sequences with individual clone library containing 115-174 sequences and 4-20 unique operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were obtained. These OTUs were grouped into four phyla (Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria) and further identified as members of 10 families, such as Alcaligenaceae, Bacillaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, etc. The dominant bacteria were Enterobacteriaceae in the raw material (LD-0) and in the initial stages of fermentation (LD-5 and LD-10), which changed to Bacillaceae at the last stages of fermentation (LD-15 and LD-20) at a temperature of 40-60 °C. It is interesting that the dominant OTUs in libraries LD-15 and LD-20 were very closely related to Bacillus coagulans, which is a safe thermoduric probiotic. Together the bacterial diversity and dynamics during a fermentation of pu-erh shucha were demonstrated, and a worthy clue for artificial inoculation of B. coagulans to improve the health benefits of pu-erh shucha or produce probiotic pu-erh tea were provided.

During a tracing investigation of blue ear disease in China conducted from January to November 2008, 11 porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) isolates were collected from eight provinces including Liaoning, Jilin, Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Guangxi. The complete gene sequences of the NSP2, ORF5, and ORF7 genes from these 11 PRRSV isolates were amplified, cloned and detected by RT-PCR and then compared with the published sequences of other strains. The results showed that all of the isolates genotypically belonged to an American strain, but shared high homology with JXA1, the highly pathogenic strain endemic to China. All of the 11 PRRSV isolates demonstrated a 90-nucleotide deletion in the NSP2 gene, suggesting that the main epidemic of PRRSV in 2008 was due to this gene deletion isolate. More consistent mutations were found in specific regions of the ORF5 and ORF7 genes of the 11 PRRSV isolates, such as the signal peptide and transmembrane regions of GP5 and the Pat 7 motif of the N protein. Whether these mutations influence nuclear localization of PRRSV requires confirmation by future studies.