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Introduction: Few studies have focused on the safety and efficacy of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in treating incompetent great saphenous vein (GSV) in aged population. This study was designed to investigate the clinical efficacy of RFA in treating incompetent GSV in the aged patients. Methods: In this retrospective study, we included 138 consecutive patients (involving 194 limbs) with a mean age of 63.0 years who underwent RFA and microphlebectomy or sclerotherapy due to symptomatic incompetent GSV with saphenofemoral junction reflux. Based on their ages, patients were classified into young group and aged group. Then we compared the preoperative and postoperative Clinical, Etiology, Anatomic, Pathophysiology (CEAP) classification, venous clinical severity score (VCSS) and chronic venous insufficiency questionnaire 14 (CIVIQ-14) score between the 2 groups. Results: In both the young and aged groups, patients underwent RFA showed significant decrease in the CEAP and VCSS at month 1, 3 and 6 compared with immediately after RFA (month 0) (all P <.001). In addition, in both groups, significant increase was seen in the CIVIQ-14 score at month 1, 3 and 6 compared with month 0 (all P <.001). Compared with the young group, the post-RFA CEAP, VCSS and CIVIQ-14 scores showed no statistical differences in the aged group at the designated time points, respectively (all P >.05). Conclusions: RFA of GSV was effective for treating GSV in the aged population, which improved the CEAP, VCSS and CIVIQ-14. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a low‐dose, long‐term rituximab regimen in the treatment of idiopathic CIDP. Methods: This study included 15 CIDP patients treated with rituximab. Patients were administered 600 mg of rituximab intravenously every 6 months. Baseline evaluation was conducted before the initiation of rituximab treatment and subsequent evaluations were conducted 6 months after each rituximab infusion at on‐site visits. Clinical improvement was objectively determined by improvement of scale score at least decrease ≥1 INCAT or mRS or increase ≥4 MRC or ≥8 cI‐RODS after each infusion compared to baseline evaluation. Results: Fifteen CIDP patients were included and 10 of them were typical CIDP and five were distal CIDP. Nine in 15 (60%) patients after first infusion and three in six (50%) patients after second infusion exhibited significant clinical improvement compared to baseline evaluation. Additionally, rituximab facilitated a reduction or cessation of other medications in 73% of patients at last visit. The safety profile was favorable, with no reported adverse events. Conclusion: Rituximab presents a promising therapeutic option for idiopathic CIDP, offering both efficacy and safety with a low‐dose, long‐term regimen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetation is an important link between land, atmosphere, and water, making its changes of great significance. However, existing research has predominantly focused on long-term vegetation changes, neglecting the intra-annual variations of vegetation. Hence, this study is based on the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) data from 2000 to 2022, with a time step of 16 days, to analyze the intra-annual patterns of vegetation changes in China. The average intra-annual EVI values for each municipal-level administrative region were calculated, and the time-series k-means clustering algorithm was employed to divide these regions, exploring the spatial variations in China's intra-annual vegetation changes. Finally, the ridge regression and random forest methods were utilized to assess the drivers of intra-annual vegetation changes. The results showed that: (1) China's vegetation status exhibits a notable intra-annual variation pattern of "high in summer and low in winter," and the changes are more pronounced in the northern regions than in the southern regions; (2) the intra-annual vegetation changes exhibit remarkable regional disparities, and China can be optimally clustered into four distinct clusters, which align well with China's temperature and precipitation zones; and (3) the intra-annual vegetation changes demonstrate significant correlations with meteorological factors such as dew point temperature, precipitation, maximum temperature, and sea-level pressure. In conclusion, our study reveals the characteristics, spatial patterns and driving forces of intra-annual vegetation changes in China, which contribute to explaining ecosystem response mechanisms, providing valuable insights for ecological research and the formulation of ecological conservation and management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While the number of emergency patients worldwide continues to increase, emergency doctors often face moral distress. It hampers the overall efficiency of the emergency department, even leading to a reduction in human resources. Aim: This study explored the experience of moral distress among emergency department doctors and analyzed the causes of its occurrence and the strategies for addressing it. Method: Purposive and snowball sampling strategies were used in this study. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 10 doctors working in the emergency department of a tertiary general hospital in southwest China. The interview data underwent processing using the Nvivo 14 software. The data analysis was guided by Colaizzi's phenomenological analysis method. Study findings: This study yielded five themes: (1) imbalance between Limited Medical Resources and High-Quality Treatment Needs; (2) Ineffective Communication with Patients; (3) Rescuing Patients With no prospect of treatment; (4) Challenges in Sustaining Optimal Treatment Measures; and (5) Strategies for Addressing Moral Distress. Conclusion: The moral distress faced by emergency doctors stems from various aspects. Clinical management and policymakers can alleviate this distress by enhancing the dissemination of emergency medical knowledge to the general public, improving the social and economic support systems, and strengthening multidisciplinary collaboration and doctors' communication skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study measured serum levels of vitamin A (VA) and vitamin D (VD) in children with chronic tic disorders (CTD) and investigated their potential association with CTD and comorbidity of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the association of their co-insufficiencies or deficiencies with CTD symptoms. A total of 176 children (131 boys and 45 girls, median age of 9 years) with CTD were recruited as the CTD group. During the same period, 154 healthy children were selected as the healthy control (HC) cohort. Circulating retinol and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels were measured for all participants using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and tandem mass spectrometry. The Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) was employed for the assessment of tic status and CTD impairment. The Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham Rating Scale (SNAP-IV) and the Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive–Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS) were used to evaluate comorbidity symptoms. CTD pediatric participants exhibited markedly diminished circulating retinol and 25(OH)D levels compared to HCs. Moreover, VA and VD deficiencies and their co-insufficiencies/deficiencies were more prevalent in CTD participants than HCs. Circulating 25(OH)D levels were inversely proportional to the YGTSS motor tic scores. YGTSS scores in CTD children with only VA or VD insufficiency or deficiency or with VA and VD co-insufficiency/deficiency did not differ from those in CTD children with normal VA and VD. CTD children with comorbid ADHD displayed reduced circulating retinol and 25(OH)D concentrations and elevated prevalence of VD deficiency compared to CTD participants without comorbid ADHD. Lower serum retinol content was intricately linked to the presence of elevated CTD and comorbid ADHD. VA and VD deficiencies and their co-insufficiencies/deficiencies were markedly enhanced in CTD pediatric participants compared to HCs. Lower VA concentration was linked to the presence of enhanced CTD and comorbid ADHD. Therefore, children with CTD, especially with comorbid ADHD, may be at a higher risk of VA or VD deficiency, which may prompt the clinicians to consider whether blood tests for VA and VD in CTD children would be helpful for clinical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During 26–27 June 2022, mainly influenced by three mesoscale vortices, central‐eastern China (particularly for Henan and Shandong) experiences the first widespread torrential rainfall event of the 2022 flood season (maximum 24‐hr accumulated precipitation is ∼380.9 mm), resulting in severe social impacts. The three mesoscale vortices form and sustain under favorable background conditions, mainly including a strong upper‐level divergence, an intense middle‐level warm advection, and a powerful lower‐level convergence associated with a low‐level jet. Among the vortices, the vortex which forms over Shandong, lasts for ∼9 hr, and makes a much larger contribution than the other vortices to the accumulated precipitation, is defined as the primary vortex. More than a half of the hourly precipitation peaks in this event appear in the life span of the primary vortex, which is closely related to the variations of the vortex in its cyclonic‐vorticity and vertical extent. Backward trajectory analysis indicates that air particles originating from the lower troposphere southwest of the primary vortex contribute the most to its formation (∼82.7%). These air particles mainly experience a notable increase in their cyclonic‐vorticity due to convergence‐related vertical stretching, which directly renders the formation of primary vortex. During the whole life span of the primary vortex, convergence‐related vertical stretching is the most favorable factor for its development/sustainment, and the convection‐related vertical transport of cyclonic vorticity ranks second; whereas, the horizontal transport is the most detrimental factor. Moisture budget shows that Southeast China is the most important moisture source for this event (accounting for ∼48.9%). Plain Language Summary: Due to global warming, extreme weather and climate events occur with a higher frequency and a stronger intensity in China. Of these, a widespread heavy rainfall occurs in central‐eastern China during 26–27 June 2022, which causes severe impacts on society. Our attention is drawn to understand how the extreme rainstorm forms and where the main moisture sources are located. For this, we analyze this event by using automatic station data and reanalysis data and discover that three mesoscale vortices are the primary reason for the heavy rainfall. Among the vortices, the one with the longest life span contributes the most to the accumulated precipitation. The strong convergence in the lower troposphere dominates the formation/maintenance of the vortex. Southeast China continuously supplies moisture for the rainfall (∼48.9% in contribution). This research is helpful to enhance the understanding of this type of heavy rainfall event. Key Points: Affected by three mesoscale vortices, central‐eastern China experiences torrential rainfall, with a rainfall peak of ∼380.9 mm observedThe primary vortex, which is produced by vertical stretching, is directly related to more than a half of the hourly rainfall peaksSoutheast China provides ∼48.9% of the moisture for the rainfall, which is mainly transported by the Southwesterly/southerly wind [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: aMAP score, as a hepatocellular carcinoma risk score, is proven to be associated with the degree of chronic hepatitis B‐related liver fibrosis. We aimed to evaluate the ability of aMAP score for metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD; formerly NAFLD)‐related fibrosis diagnosis and establish a machine‐learning (ML) model to improve the diagnostic performance. Methods: A total of 946 biopsy‐proved MASLD patients from China and the United States were included in the analysis. The aMAP score, demographic/clinical indices and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) were included in seven ML algorithms to build fibrosis diagnostic models in the training set (N = 703). The performance of ML models was evaluated in the external validation set (N = 125). Results: The AUROCs of aMAP versus fibrosis‐4 index (FIB‐4) and aspartate aminotransferase‐platelet ratio (APRI) in cirrhosis and advanced fibrosis were (0.850 vs. 0.857 [P = 0.734], 0.735 [P = 0.001]) and (0.759 vs. 0.795 [P = 0.027], 0.709 [P = 0.049]). When using dual cut‐off values, aMAP had a smaller uncertainty area and higher accuracy (26.9%, 86.6%) than FIB‐4 (37.3%, 85.0%) and APRI (59.0%, 77.3%) in cirrhosis diagnosis. The seven ML models performed satisfactorily in most cases. In the validation set, the ML model comprising LSM and 5 indices (including age, sex, platelets, albumin and total bilirubin used in aMAP calculator), built by logistic regression algorithm (called LSM‐plus model), exhibited excellent performance. In cirrhosis and advanced fibrosis detection, the LSM‐plus model had higher accuracy (96.8%, 91.2%) than LSM alone (86.4%, 67.2%) and Agile score (76.0%, 83.2%), respectively. Additionally, the LSM‐plus model also displayed high specificity (cirrhosis: 98.3%; advanced fibrosis: 92.6%) with satisfactory AUROC (0.932, 0.875, respectively) and sensitivity (88.9%, 82.4%, respectively). Conclusions: The aMAP score is capable of diagnosing MASLD‐related fibrosis. The LSM‐plus model could accurately identify MASLD‐related cirrhosis and advanced fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic provides hotbed for hatred and violence, which could be especially true among college students, the most active users of internet and social media. Based on a national sample of Chinese college students (N = 1,673), the present study aims to explore the clustered nature of stress coping strategies, as well as its associations with the participants' stigmatizing attitude and cyberbullying behaviors towards people in Hubei Province, the place where the first COVID-19 case was reported and recognized as China's epicenter of the pandemic. Four latent subgroups were first identified among the participants based on type and comparative adoption rate of their coping strategies, namely the emotional coping group, the inactive coping group, the support-seeking and positive coping group, and the independent and positive coping group. The significant associations between coping strategy patterns and stigmatizing attitude and cyberbullying behaviors were reported, respectively. The two were most likely to happen among the participants using emotional coping while the least likely among the independent and positive coping group. This study provides empirical supports for combating the secondary disasters of the pandemic, namely stigma and cyberbullying, by identifying the role of emotional and positive coping strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Livestock farms are major reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) that are discharged into the environment. However, the abundance, diversity, and transmission of ARGs in duck farms and its impact on surrounding environments remain to be further explored. Therefore, the characteristics of ARGs and their bacterial hosts from duck farms and surrounding environment were investigated by using metagenomic sequencing. Eighteen ARG types which consist of 823 subtypes were identified and the majority conferred resistance to multidrug, tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, chloramphenicols, MLS, and sulfonamides. The floR gene was the most abundant subtype, followed by sul1, tetM, sul2, and tetL. ARG abundance in fecal sample was significantly higher than soil and water sample. Our results also lead to a hypothesis that Shandong province have been the most contaminated by ARGs from duck farm compared with other four provinces. PcoA results showed that the composition of ARG subtypes in water and soil samples was similar, but there were significant differences between water and feces samples. However, the composition of ARG subtypes were similar between samples from five provinces. Bacterial hosts of ARG subtypes were taxonomically assigned to eight phyla that were dominated by the Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria. In addition, some human bacterial pathogens could be enriched in duck feces, including Enterococcus faecium, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Staphylococcus aureus, and even serve as the carrier of ARGs. The combined results indicate that a comprehensive overview of the diversity and abundance of ARGs, and strong association between ARGs and bacterial community shift proposed, and benefit effective measures to improve safety of antibiotics use in livestock and poultry farming. Key points: • ARG distribution was widespread in the duck farms and surroundings environment • ARG abundance on the duck farms was significantly higher than in soil and water • Human bacterial pathogens may serve as the vectors for ARGs [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenolic compounds and aromatic acids, as oxygenated aromatic compounds, can participate in photochemical reactions to form secondary organic aerosols (SOAs), and thus strongly impact climate and human health. In the present study, on‐site combustion experiments were conducted to determine primary emissions and secondary formation of phenolic compounds and aromatic acids released from burning of a variety of solid fuels using a potential aerosol mass‐oxidation flow reactor (PAM‐OFR). Emission factors (EFs) of phenolic compounds and aromatic acids from aged samples were 1.04 to 4.04 and 0.90 to 2.80 times those in the fresh PM2.5, respectively, implying significant amounts of these compounds produced from atmospheric aging processes. Substantially different emission profiles of phenolic compounds were observed between coal and biomass burning, with coal combustion mainly released single‐ring species (82%–86% in primary and 86%–89% in secondary emissions), while biomass burning released more two‐, three‐, and four‐ring species (59%–69% in primary and 50%–58% in secondary emissions). Aromatic acids emission profiles from coal and biomass burning also differed considerably, with biomass burning producing significantly higher (>2 times) abundance of dibasic acids than coal combustion, suggesting higher potential of producing additional ‐COOH group from biomass burning. Benzenediol, cresol, dimethylphenol, 1‐pyrenol, phenanthrenol, and hydroxylbenzonic acid were identified as SOA as they were mainly formed during simulated aging processes. Benzenediol acid/phenanthrenol was much lower from biomass (3.70 ± 1.29) than coal (62.7 ± 9.61), and these values remained stable after aging, suggesting this ratio being suitable as tracer for distinguishing different fuels combustion in source apportionment analysis. Plain Language Summary: Primary and photochemically aged phenolic compounds and aromatic acids emissions from 11 combustion scenarios covering different solid fuels and two types of stoves were investigated on‐site in rural northern China. Our results proved that aging processes could significantly increase EFs for both phenolic compounds and aromatic acids. Substantially different emission profiles of phenolic compounds and aromatic acids observed between coal and biomass combustion. During the aging processes, benzene, toluene, pyrene, phenanthrene, and benzoic acid reacted with OH to produce benzenediol, cresol, dimethylphenol, 1‐pyrenol, phenanthrenol, and hydroxylbenzonic acid, and these products could be used as SOA tracers. Our findings also indicated that several species ratios, including benzenediol acid/phenanthrenol, benzenediol acid/1,5‐dihydroxynaphthalene, benzenediol acid/1,8‐dihydroxynaphthalene, benzoic acid/2,3‐and 3,5‐dimethylbenzoic acid, and o‐, m‐, and p‐toluic acids/2,3‐and 3,5‐dimethylbenzoic acid, could be used as effective source tracers considering the stability of these ratios during aging processes and the differences in these ratios between different fuels. Key Points: Aging process for solid fuel primary emissions by reacting with OH produces significant amounts of phenolic compounds and aromatic acidsCoal combustion mainly releases single‐ring phenolic compounds, and biomass burning has a higher potential of producing additional ‐COOHMass ratio of Benzenediol acid/phenanthrenol is an ideal tracer due to its stability after aging process [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Material stocks have created alternative perspectives in many environmental and climate studies. Their significance nonetheless may be under-explored, partially due to scarcity of more precise, timely and higher-resolution information. To address this limitation, our present study developed a gridded material stocks dataset for China in Year 2000 and 2020, by examining the geographical distribution and geometric configurations of the human-made stock-containing environment. The stocks of twelve materials embodied in five end-use sectors and 104 products and constructions were assessed at a resolution of 1 × 1 km grid. Material intensity in each product or construction component was carefully evaluated and tagged with its geometric conformation. The gridded stocks aggregately are consistent with the stock estimation across 337 prefectures and municipalities. The reliability of our assessment was also validated by previous studies from national, regional, to grid levels. This gridded mapping of material stocks may offer insights for urban-rural disparities, urban mining opportunity, and climate and natural disaster resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined the epidemiological characteristics of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) isolated from migratory birds and surroundings in Qinghai Lake, China. We identified 69 (15.7%) CRE isolates from a total of 439 samples including 29 (6.6%) blaNDM-5Escherichia coli and 40 (9.1%) blaKPC-2Klebsiella pneumoniae. WGS analysis indicated that ST746, ST48, ST1011, and ST167 were the primary sequence types (ST) for blaNDM-5E. coli, while all blaKPC-2 K. pneumoniae were ST11 and harbored numerous antibiotic resistance gene types including blaCTX-M, qnrS, and rmtB. A phylogenetic tree based on core genomes revealed that blaNDM-5E. coli was highly heterogeneous while the blaKPC-2 K. pneumoniae was highly genetically similar within the group and to human Chinese isolates. IncX3, IncHI2, and IncFIB-HI2 plasmid replicon types were associated with blaNDM-5 spread, while IncFII-R and IncFII plasmids mediated blaKPC-2 spread. We also identified IncFII-R hybrid plasmids most likely formed by IS26-mediated integration of IncFII into IncR plasmid backbones. This also facilitated the persistence of IncFII-R plasmids and antibiotic resistance genes including blaKPC-2. In addition, all of the blaKPC-2 K. pneumoniae isolates harbored a pLVKP-like virulence plasmid carrying a combination of two or more hypervirulence markers that included peg-344, iroB, iucA, rmpA, and rmpA2. This is the first description of ST11 K. pneumoniae that co-carried blaKPC-2- and pLVKP-like virulence plasmids from migratory birds. The blaKPC-2 K. pneumoniae carried by migratory birds displayed high genetic relatedness to human isolates highlighting a high risk of transmission of these K. pneumoniae. Key points: • Multidrug resistance plasmids (blaKPC-2, bla436NDM-5, bla CTX-M, qnrS, and rmtB). • Co-occurrence of plasmid-mediated resistance and virulence genes. • High similarity between migratory bird genomes and humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional gravity wave drag parameterizations produce wind stresses that are insensitive to changing horizontal resolution in numerical weather prediction (NWP), partly due to the idealized elliptical assumption. This study employs the modified subgrid-scale orography scheme based on the Fourier transform into gravity wave drag scheme of the China Meteorological Administration Global Forecast System (CMA-GFS) to assess its impacts on simulating precipitation during the slow-moving period of Typhoon In-Fa after its landfall in Zhejiang Province, China. The simulation with the updated scheme can effectively reduce the accumulated precipitation bias of the control one and improve the simulation of precipitation distribution and intensity, especially in the hourly precipitation simulation. The improved scheme primarily influences the wind field of the low-level troposphere and also changes the convergence of the integrated water vapor transport and ascending motions related to the reduced precipitation biases. The modified scheme enhances the tendencies of the horizontal winds caused by the varying horizontal resolutions in the model, strengthening the sensitivity of the gravity wave drag across the horizontal scales. Results from medium-range forecasts indicate the modified scheme benefits the statistics scores of precipitation over China and also reduces root-mean-square errors of 2 m temperature and 10 m winds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This multicenter retrospective study was conducted to explore the effects of different courses and durations of invasive mechanical ventilation (MV) on the respiratory outcomes of very low birth weight infants (VLBWI) in China. The population for this study consisted of infants with birth weight less than 1500 g needing at least 1 course of invasive MV and admitted to the neonatal intensive care units affiliated with the Chinese Neonatal Network within 6 h of life from January 1st, 2019 to December 31st, 2020. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate associations between invasive MV and respiratory outcomes. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were computed with the effects of potential confounders. (1) Among the 3183 VLBWs with a history of at least one course of invasive MV, 3155 (99.1%) met inclusion criteria and were assessed for the primary outcome. Most infants received one course (76.8%) and a shorter duration of invasive MV (62.16% with ventilation for 7 days or less). (2) In terms of the incidence of all bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) (mild, moderate, and severe BPD), there were no significant differences between different invasive MV courses [For 2 courses, adjusted OR = 1.11 (0.88, 1.39); For 3 courses or more, adjusted OR = 1.07 (0.72, 1.60)]. But, with the duration of invasive MV prolonging, the OR of BPD increased [8–21 days, adjusted OR = 1.98 (1.59, 2.45); 22–35 days, adjusted OR = 4.37 (3.17, 6.03); ≥ 36 days, adjusted OR = 18.44 (10.98, 30.99)]. Concerning severe BPD, the OR increased not only with the course of invasive MV but also with the duration of invasive MV [For 2 courses, adjusted OR = 2.17 (1.07, 4.40); For 3 courses or more, adjusted OR = 2.59 (1.02, 6.61). 8–21 days, adjusted OR = 8.42 (3.22, 22.01); 22–35 days, adjusted OR = 27.82 (9.08, 85.22); ≥ 36 days, adjusted OR = 616.45 (195.79, > 999.999)]. (3) When the interaction effect between invasive MV duration and invasive MV course was considered, it was found that there were no interactive effects in BPD and severe BPD. Greater than or equal to three courses would increase the chance of severe BPD, death, and the requirement of home oxygen therapy. Compared with distinct courses of invasive MV, a longer duration of invasive MV (> 7 days) has a greater effect on the risk of BPD, severe BPD, death, and the requirement of home oxygen therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an argument that BPA substitutes may have the same or more deleterious health effects as BPA due to their structural similarity. This study explored the association between urinary BPA substitutes and precocious puberty among girls by including 120 girls with precocious puberty (cases) aged 2–10 years enrolled at Nanjing Children's Hospital Department of Endocrinology in China between April 2021 to September 2021 and 145 healthy girls (controls) recruited from a primary school. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the effect of single exposures, and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) and quantile-based g-computation were used for the mixed effect. In the multivariate logistic regression, BPS (bisphenol S), TBBPA (tetrabromobisphenol A), and BPFL (bisphenol-FL) were significantly associated with increased risk of precocious puberty (odds ratio (OR) = 1.75, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13, 2.76, p = 0.014), (OR = 1.46, CI: 1.06, 2.05; p = 0.023), and (OR = 1.47, CI: 1.01, 2.18; p = 0.047), respectively. The BMKR and quantile-based g-computation models revealed consistent associations for single exposures and there was insufficient evidence for the associations of the mixed exposure of bisphenols with precocious puberty. In conclusion, BPA substitutes such as BPS, TBBPA, and BPFL may be associated with an increased risk of precocious puberty in girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous development of economy and society, great changes have taken place in the national water intake situation. In order to adapt to the requirements of high-quality development of water resources management in the new situation and respond to the needs of building a smart water digital twin data base, the construction of the national water resources monitoring and measurement system needs to be strengthened. As the main water intake form in China at this stage, it is necessary to study the technical methods to improve its monitoring and measurement capacity. This paper investigates and studies the data of more than 5.5 million water intakes nationwide collected in 2021 by combining field investigation and data collection. From the national and typical provincial levels, the current situation of water intake monitoring and metering is analyzed according to different water intake scales, water intake purposes, water intake projects, monitoring and metering facilities and water transmission type, and the comparison and selection of monitoring and metering facilities, improvement of monitoring accuracy. Technical methods are proposed to improve the stability and durability of monitoring, improve the application of system platform functions, and promote the improvement of pipeline type water intake monitoring and metering capacity. The research shows that: ➀ The number and distribution of water intakes across the country are significant. The number of water intakes is huge and the spatial distribution is uneven. There are many water intakes in the north, mainly groundwater intakes, and few water intakes in the south, mainly surface water intakes. ➁ The national water intake monitoring and metering work should be further strengthened. At this stage, the focus should be on improving the pipeline type water intake monitoring and metering capacity. The monitoring and metering methods and facilities used are different due to different conditions such as water intake scale, water intake scene and water intake purpose. The error, environmental adaptability, measurement cost, advantages and disadvantages and unique application scenarios of different monitoring and measurement facilities are quite different. ➂ The monitoring and metering lifting of pipeline type water intakes is a comprehensive task. It is necessary to comprehensively improve the monitoring and metering capacity of the water intake from four aspects: metering accuracy, stability and durability, system platform application capability, and the introduction of relevant technical standards. The research findings provide an important basic data reference for comprehensively understanding the current situation of water intake monitoring and metering in China, a technical reference for improving the monitoring and metering capacity of pipeline water intakes, and a technical support for the next step of water intake supervision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies have not investigated the association between medical insurance and instrumental activity of daily living (IADL) disability. To fulfill this research gap, this study aims to explore the association between Urban and Rural Resident Basic Medical Insurance (URRBMI) and IADL disability among middle-aged and older adults in China. Methods: The data of this study were sourced from the 2018 wave of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Logit regression models were used to analyze the association between URRBMI and odds of suffering from IADL disability. Furthermore, we used IV-Probit regression model to address the potential endogeneity problem. Moreover, propensity score matching and generalized random forest model were employed to conduct robustness checks. Results: The logit regression results reveal that URRBMI participation was significantly related to reduced odds of suffering from IADL disability by 39.86% after adjusting for the control variables (p < 0.01). The results of IV-Probit estimation show that URRBMI was an exogenous variable. Further robustness checks reported similar estimation results. The results of heterogeneity analysis reveal that URRBMI produced a statistically stronger effect on IADL disability for the older adults (OR = 0.5815, p < 0.01) when compared with the middle-aged adults (OR = 0.5690, p < 0.05). The results of impact channel analysis indicate that physical exercise was a channel involving the effect of URRBMI on IADL disability. Conclusion: This study finds that the middle-aged and older adults who were covered by URRBMI had a reduced possibility of suffering from IADL disability when compared with those without URRBMI. Furthermore, it is found that URRBMI produced a statistically stronger effect on IADL disability for the older adults when compared with the middle-aged adults. Moreover, we obtain evidence indicating that physical exercise was a channel involving the effect of URRBMI on IADL disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The global incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is rapidly escalating, positioning it as a principal public health challenge with significant implications for population well-being. Given its status as a cornerstone of China's economic structure, the steel industry employs a substantial workforce, consequently bringing associated health issues under increasing scrutiny. Establishing a risk assessment model for NAFLD within steelworkers aids in disease risk stratification among this demographic, thereby facilitating early intervention measures to protect the health of this significant populace. Methods: Use of cross-sectional studies. A total of 3328 steelworkers who underwent occupational health evaluations between January and September 2017 were included in this study. Hepatic steatosis was uniformly diagnosed via abdominal ultrasound. Influential factors were pinpointed using chi-square (χ2) tests and unconditional logistic regression analysis, with model inclusion variables identified by pertinent literature. Assessment models encompassing logistic regression, random forest, and XGBoost were constructed, and their effectiveness was juxtaposed in terms of accuracy, area under the curve (AUC), and F1 score. Subsequently, a scoring system for NAFLD risk was established, premised on the optimal model. Results: The findings indicated that sex, overweight, obesity, hyperuricemia, dyslipidemia, occupational dust exposure, and ALT serve as risk factors for NAFLD in steelworkers, with corresponding odds ratios (OR, 95% confidence interval (CI)) of 0.672 (0.487–0.928), 4.971 (3.981–6.207), 16.887 (12.99–21.953), 2.124 (1.77–2.548), 2.315 (1.63–3.288), 1.254 (1.014–1.551), and 3.629 (2.705–4.869), respectively. The sensitivity of the three models was reported as 0.607, 0.680 and 0.564, respectively, while the precision was 0.708, 0.643, and 0.701, respectively. The AUC measurements were 0.839, 0.839, and 0.832, and the Brier scores were 0.150, 0.153, and 0.155, respectively. The F1 score results were 0.654, 0.661, and 0.625, with log loss measures at 0.460, 0.661, and 0.564, respectively. R2 values were reported as 0.789, 0.771, and 0.778, respectively. Performance was comparable across all three models, with no significant differences observed. The NAFLD risk score system exhibited exceptional risk detection capabilities with an established cutoff value of 86. Conclusions: The study identified sex, BMI, dyslipidemia, hyperuricemia, occupational dust exposure, and ALT as significant risk factors for NAFLD among steelworkers. The traditional logistic regression model proved equally effective as the random forest and XGBoost models in assessing NAFLD risk. The optimal cutoff value for risk assessment was determined to be 86. This study provides clinicians with a visually accessible risk stratification approach to gauge the propensity for NAFLD in steelworkers, thereby aiding early identification and intervention among those at risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their derivatives have received extensive attention due to their negative effects on the environment and on human health. However, few studies have performed comprehensive assessments of PAHs emitted from pesticide factories. This study assessed the concentration, composition, and health risk of 52 PM2.5-bound PAHs during the daytime and nighttime in the vicinity of a typical pesticide factory. The total concentration of 52 PAHs (Σ52PAHs) ranged from 53.04 to 663.55 ng/m3. No significant differences were observed between daytime and nighttime PAH concentrations. The average concentrations of twenty-two parent PAHs, seven alkylated PAHs, ten oxygenated PAHs, and twelve nitrated PAHs were 112.55 ± 89.69, 18.05 ± 13.76, 66.13 ± 54.79, and 3.90 ± 2.24 ng/m3, respectively. A higher proportion of high-molecular-weight (4–5 rings) PAHs than low-molecular-weight (2–3 rings) PAHs was observed. This was likely due to the high-temperature combustion of fuels. Analysis of diagnostic ratios indicated that the PAHs were likely derived from coal combustion and mixed sources. The total carcinogenic equivalent toxicity ranged from 15.93 to 181.27 ng/m3. The incremental lifetime cancer risk from inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact with the PAHs was 2.33 × 10−3 for men and 2.53 × 10−3 for women, and the loss of life expectancy due to the PAHs was 11,915 min (about 0.023 year) for men and 12,952 min (about 0.025 year) for women. These results suggest that long-term exposure to PM2.5 emissions from a pesticide factory has significant adverse effects on health. The study results support implementing the characterization of PAH emissions from pesticide factories and provides a scientific basis for optimizing the living environment around pesticide factories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in developed regions collect volumes of wastewater containing various emerging contaminants (ECs) every day, but without any effective process to eliminate them. Therefore, it is of vital importance to study the occurrence of ECs in the effluents from WWTPs. In this study, the concentration levels and pollution characteristics of typical ECs in effluents were investigated for source identification and risk assessment. In total, 13 of 39 analyzed ECs were detected in the effluents, with the highest detection concentration at 706 µg/L (oxolinic acid). Sulfaphenazole showed the highest detection frequency at 100%, while Liede WWTP (1.2 million m3/day), located at Tianhe District, was with the highest detection concentration (899 µg/L) among all sampling sites. Parallel factor analysis was applied to identify the dissolved organic matters (DOMs) of excitation–emission matrix spectroscopy (EEMS) first. Based on previous research data, the connection between DOMs and pollution sources could be built. Then, principal component analysis (PCA) and Pearson's correlation analysis were used to determine the correlation between ECs and DOMs. Finally, ecological and health risk quotients were calculated for the risk assessment of ECs. The results illustrated that oxolinic acid, sulfaphenazole, sulfaquinoxaline, sulfadimethoxypyrimidine, penicillin V, and flumequine were potentially discharged from human activities and livestock, poultry, and aquaculture industry; the possible sources of sulfadoxine and nafcillin were agricultural activities, food production, and catering industry; sulfapyridine and erythromycin were believed to come from hospital wastewater; and the discharges of lincomycin, sulfameter, and sulfamerazine were related to petrochemical industry or chemical production activities. Except for sulfadoxine, all detected ECs posed a high or median risk on aquatic ecosystem, which is enough to threaten aquatic organisms. Even though only oxolinic acid, sulfaquinoxaline, and sulfadimethoxypyrimidine presented a potential risk on humans' health, the cumulative effect of ECs in the human body still needs attention. The threats of ECs from large-scale WWTPs in China's developed regions are pointed out for the first time, which could possibly bring widespread attention on emerging pollution from WWTP effluents, potentially advance the introduction of relevant policies, and provide the direction and target pollutants for follow-up mitigation actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Morphological processes in sand‐bed braided rivers are highly complicated and dynamic, and it is challenging to fully comprehend and predict them quantitatively or even qualitatively. In this paper, we report the application of a physics‐based model with a single sediment fraction (D50 = 0.23 mm), based on field data, to simulate the morphodynamic processes of a large‐scale braided system in a wide valley of the middle Yarlung Tsangpo River in China. The model is capable of reproducing the evolution of large braided patterns at both microscopic and macroscopic scales, and simulating the formation of a high‐intensity braided reach from an initial lateral flat bed under lateral valley confinement. A narrow strip zone of braided corridor presents long‐term concentrated anabranches in the wide valley reach. Moreover, sensitivity analyses suggest that physics‐based modelling can simulate the multi‐thread river pattern even with relatively coarse grids and a large morphological acceleration factor. The model results show that active riverbed movement occurs and additional chutes are encouraged during flooding, while rising water level makes subchannels merge so that the statistical braiding index decreases. Conversely, only about 40% of the total channels are active in transporting sediment at low‐discharge stages, resulting in a local and slow bed scouring. The planimetric confinement of width variations and valley curvatures acts as a primary control on the local braided corridor and the forced bar assemblages. Width variations restrict the section‐average stream power for a given discharge event, while valley curvatures regulate velocity distribution through several control points. Moreover, the activities of riparian vegetation and sandstorm can interfere with the ability of rivers to braid in the corridor area, which requires much more attention in the follow‐up research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Understanding nutritional status among women of childbearing age (WCA) is of increasing concern, as nutrient intakes may affect the health of WCA and well-being of their offspring. This study aimed to investigate secular trends of dietary energy and macronutrients intakes and access longitudinally the urban-rural and geographic disparities among Chinese WCA. Methods: A total of 10,219 participants were involved in three rounds of the Chinese Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS:1991, 2004, and 2015). Average macronutrients intakes were compared against the Chinese Dietary Reference Intakes Standard (DRIs) to better assess adequacy. Mixed effect models were used to estimate the secular trends of dietary intake. Results: A total of 10,219 participants were involved. Dietary fat, the percentage of energy (%E) from fat, and the proportion with more than 30% of energy from fat and less than 50% from carbohydrates increased notably over time (p < 0.001). In 2015, urban western WCA had the most dietary fat (89.5 g/d), %E from fat (41.4%), with the highest proportion of energy from fat (81.7%) and carbohydrate (72.1%) out the range of DRIs. From 1991 to 2015, the average urban-rural differences in dietary fat decreased from 15.7 g/d to 3.2 g/d among eastern WCA. However, it increased to 16.4 g/d and 6.3 g/d among central and western WCA, respectively. Conclusion: WCA was experiencing a rapid transformation to a high-fat diet. Temporal variation with obvious urban-rural and geographic disparities in dietary. energy and macronutrient composition persistently existed among Chinese WCA.These findings have implications of future public strategies to strengthen the nutrition propaganda and education of balanced diet for WCA to help them to improve their nutritional status, especially for those living in western China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The banana quality evaluation system is not sufficiently mature in China and cannot meet the demand of producing high-quality processed banana products. In order to screen banana varieties suitable for low-temperature vacuum frying and extend the banana deep processing industry chain, banana slices from 15 varieties planted in China were prepared by low-temperature vacuum-frying (VF) technology in the present study. After factor analysis on 20 indicators of sensory, flavor, nutritional and processing quality from different varieties of banana slices, comprehensive quality evaluation models were constructed for banana slices. It was concluded that Meishijiao No. 1 had the highest overall score among the 15 banana varieties; hence, it was deemed suitable for processing. Meanwhile, in order to investigate the difference between flavor substances in banana slices before and after processing, a flavor histology study was conducted with solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS). It was found that the content differences of 2,3-pentanedione, hexanal and pentanal may cause the weakened fruitiness and the increased oil flavor of banana taste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptomeria japonica D. Don is a coniferous tree species widely grown in southern China for its high ornamental value. Recently, during disease surveys in China, a symptom of dieback occurred on C. japonica in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China. A total of 130 trees were surveyed and more than 90% showed the same symptom. The crowns of affected trees were brown when viewing from a distance, and the bark showed no difference from the healthy ones. In this study, 157 isolates were isolated from the 3 affected plants of C. japonica, and based on the living culture on PDA, the fungal isolates were preliminarily divided into 6 groups. Thirteen representative isolates were selected for the pathogenicity test, and seven of them showed obvious pathogenicity on C. japonica, causing stem basal canker. These isolates were identified based on comparisons of the DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS), partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1), β-tubulin (tub2), and DNA-directed RNA polymerase II subunit (rpb2) and combined with their morphological characteristics. Results showed that these seven isolates belong to two taxa in Neofusicoccum, including a species new to science. The new species, Neofusicoccum cryptomeriae, was hereby described and illustrated. The other species was N. parvum. Both species were pathogens of stem basal canker of Cryptomeria japonica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the northeast plains of China, the intensive utilization of agricultural soils has been a persistent issue, and finding ways to utilize soil resources efficiently and sustainably through a scientifically-driven management system has become a crucial challenge for agricultural production. Conservation tillage is a crucial technology for sustainable agriculture. Currently, plow and rotary tillage are the dominant methods used in Mollisols, but there is limited information on the effects of different conservation tillage practices in this region. The objective of this study was to investigate the short-term impact of tillage and sowing methods on soil physical properties and corn plant growth and to examine the relationship between soil physical properties and plant characteristics during various stages of growth. This study consisted of four tillage and sowing methods: plow tillage and precision seeder sowing (PTS), rotary tillage and precision seeder sowing (RTS), no-tillage and no-tillage seeder sowing (NTS), and no-tillage and precise sowing in stubble field (STS) (all four treatments involved total straw return). The results indicated that the soil penetration resistance (SPR) in the 10–40 cm soil layer under the PTS treatment was significantly lower (by 11.9% to 18%) compared to the other treatments (p < 0.05). On average, the soil moisture content in the NTS treatment was 2.7% and 1.4% higher than that of the PTS and RTS treatments. Additionally, soil temperature was 5.6% to 8.6% lower under the STS treatment compared to the other treatments during late corn growth. The RTS treatment also significantly reduced the bulk density of surface soil. High SPR impeded early crop growth but did not impact mid-crop development, while low soil temperature was one of the main factors affecting late corn growth and development as temperatures decreased. Based on the comparisons, we found that the short-term implementation of conservation tillage did not result in a significant decrease in corn yield. We believe that the short-term implementation of NTS tillage sowing practices in Mollisol regions is a feasible option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the hourly precipitation data at 176 observational stations over south China and the hourly ERA5 reanalysis data during the 40-yr period of 1981-2020, we analyzed the universal characteristics of moisture transport and their associated background circulations for four types of regional extreme precipitation events (REPEs) over south China. Main findings are shown as follow. (i) The wind that transported moisture for the REPEs over south China featured a notable diurnal variation, which was consistent with the variations of the precipitation. (ii) Four types of REPEs could be determined, among which the southwest type (SWT) and the southeast type (SET) accounted for ~92% and ~5.7%, respectively, ranking the first and second, respectively. (iii) Trajectory analyses showed that the air particles of the SWT-REPEs had the largest specific humidity and experienced the most intense ascending motion, and therefore their precipitation was the strongest among the four types. (iv) South China was dominated by notable moisture flux convergence for the four types of REPEs, but their moisture transport was controlled by different flow paths. (v) Composite analyses indicated that the background circulation of the four types of REPEs showed different features, particularly for the intensity, location and coverage of a western Pacific subtropical high. For the SWT-REPEs, their moisture transport was mainly driven by a lower-tropospheric strong southwesterly wind band in the low-latitude regions. Air particles for this type of REPEs mainly passed over the Indochina Peninsula and South China Sea. For the SET-REPEs, their moisture transport was mainly steered by a strong low-tropospheric southeasterly wind northeast of a transversal trough. Air particles mainly passed over the South China Sea for this type of REPEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite radar reflectivity data during April - September 2011-2015 are used to investigate and classify storms in south China (18-27°N; 105-120°E). The storms appear most frequently in May. They are either linear; cellular or nonlinear systems, taking up 29.45%, 24.51% and 46.04%, respectively, in terms of morphology. Linear systems are subdivided into six morphologies: trailing stratiform precipitation (TS), bow echoes (BE), leading stratiform precipitation (LS), embedded line (EL), no stratiform precipitation (NS) and parallel stratiform precipitation (PS). The TS and NS modes have the highest frequencies but there are only small samples of LS (0.61%) and PS (0.79%) modes. Severe convective wind (=17m s-1 at surface level) accounts for the highest percentage (35%) of severe convective weather events produced by cellular systems including individual cells (IC) and clusters of cells (CC). Short-duration heavy rainfall (=50 mm h-1) and severe convective wind are the most common severe weather associated with TS and BE modes. Comparison of environmental physical parameters shows that cellular convection systems tend to occur in the environment with favorable thermal condition, substantial unstable energy and low precipitable water from the surface to 300 hPa (PWAT). However, the environmental conditions favoring the initiation of linear systems feature strong vertical wind shear, high PWAT, and intense convective inhibition. The environmental parameters favoring the initiation of nonlinear systems are between those of the other two types of morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to compare the impact of velocity-based resistance training (VBRT) and percentage-based resistance training (PBRT) on anaerobic ability, sprint performance, and jumping ability. Eighteen female basketball players from a Sport College were randomly divided into two groups: VBRT (n = 10) and PBRT (n = 8). The six-week intervention consisted of two sessions per week of free-weight back squats with linear periodization from 65% to 95%1RM. In PBRT, the weights lifted were fixed based on 1RM percentage, while in VBRT, the weights were adjusted based on individualized velocity profiles. The T-30m sprint time, relative power of countermovement jump (RP-CMJ), and Wingate test were evaluated. The Wingate test assessed peak power (PP), mean power (MP), fatigue index (FI), maximal velocity (Vmax), and total work (TW). Results showed that VBRT produced a very likely improvement in RP-CMJ, Vmax, PP, and FI (Hedges' g = 0.55, 0.93, 0.68, 0.53, respectively, p < 0.01). On the other hand, PBRT produced a very likely improvement in MP (Hedges' g = 0.38) and TW (Hedges' g = 0.45). Although VBRT showed likely favorable effects in RP-CMJ, PP, and Vmax compared to PBRT (p < 0.05 for interaction effect), PBRT produced greater improvements in MP and TW (p < 0.05 for interaction effect). In conclusion, PBRT may be more effective in maintaining high-power velocity endurance, while VBRT has a greater impact on explosive power adaptations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weakly cemented medium-grained sandstone in Ordos mining area of China is widely distributed under phreatic water. The creep behavior of saturated rock is important for the stability of water-resisting strata. In this paper, creep mechanical properties of saturated medium-grained sandstone were studied by triaxial rheological test. The results showed that medium-grained sandstone only shows attenuation creep and stable creep under low stress level, and accelerated creep occurs when axial load reaches about 75% of instantaneous compressive strength. The rock samples exhibit volume dilatancy under most loading levels and finally shear fracture. The failure mechanism is the dislocation separation of mineral particles. Based on the energy dissipation theory, the damage evolution equation was modified and introduced into the Burgers model, which can accurately describe the rheological behavior of saturated medium-grained sandstone. The modified model was used to predict the crack initiation time under different deviatoric stresses, which can provide guidance for early warning of water-resisting rock stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why do some employees respond well to negative feedback, whereas others respond poorly? We suggest it depends on two factors: first, employees' attribution of the feedback, or why employees believe their supervisor provides negative feedback in the first place, and second, employees' core self-evaluation (CSE). These factors have implications for employees' motivation to learn and learning performance. We tested our hypotheses using two three-wave time-lagged survey data from 370 employees in the United States (Study 1) and 302 hospital nurses in China (Study 2). Results suggest that for employees with high CSE, negative feedback is positively associated with the attribution that the feedback is given for performance-driven purposes (i.e. external attribution), which is in turn positively related to their motivation to learn. For employees with low CSE, negative feedback is positively related to the attribution that the feedback is given for self-serving purposes (i.e. internal attribution). Such attribution is negatively related to motivation to learn (Study 1), which further predicts the increase in their learning performance (Study 2). This study not only extends the theoretical understanding of negative feedback effectiveness, but also offers implications for supervisors to better deliver and for employees to better receive negative feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinically effective methods to predict the efficacy of sunitinib, for patients with metastatic or locally advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (panNET) are scarce, making precision treatment difficult. This study aimed to develop and validate a computed tomography (CT)‐based method to predict the efficacy of sunitinib in patients with panNET. Pretreatment CT images of 171 lesions from 38 patients with panNET were included. CT value ratio (CT value of tumor/CT value of abdominal aorta from the same patient) and radiomics features were extracted for model development. Receiver operating curve (ROC) with area under the curve (AUC) and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the proposed model. Tumor shrinkage of >10% at first follow‐up after sunitinib treatment was significantly associated with longer progression‐free survival (PFS; P <.001) and was used as the major treatment outcome. The CT value ratio could predict tumor shrinkage with AUC of 0.759 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.685‐0.833). We then developed a radiomics signature, which showed significantly higher AUC in training (0.915; 95% CI, 0.866‐0.964) and validation (0.770; 95% CI, 0.584‐0.956) sets than CT value ratio. DCA also confirmed the clinical utility of the model. Subgroup analysis showed that this radiomics signature had a high accuracy in predicting tumor shrinkage both for primary and metastatic tumors, and for treatment‐naive and pretreated tumors. Survival analysis showed that radiomics signature correlated with PFS (P =.020). The proposed radiomics‐based model accurately predicted tumor shrinkage and PFS in patients with panNET receiving sunitinib and may help select patients suitable for sunitinib treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollutants from the incomplete combustion of rural solid fuels are seriously harmful to both air quality and human health. To quantify the health effects of different fuel–stove combinations, gas and particle partitioning of twenty-nine species of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emitted from seven fuel–stove combinations were examined in this study, and the benzo (a) pyrene toxicity equivalent (BaPeq) and cancer risks were estimated accordingly. The results showed that the gas phase PAHs (accounting for 68–78% of the total PAHs) had higher emission factors (EFs) than particulate ones. For all combustion combinations, pPAHs accounted for the highest proportion (84.5% to 99.3%) in both the gas and particulate phases, followed by aPAHs (0.63–14.7%), while the proportions of nPAHs and oPAHs were much lower (2–4 orders of magnitude) than pPAHs. For BaPeq, particulate phase PAHs dominated the BaPeq rather than gas ones, which may be due to the greater abundance of 5-ring particle PAHs. Gas and particle pPAHs were both predominant in the BaPeq, with proportions of 95.2–98.6% for all combustion combinations. Cancer risk results showed a descending order of bituminous coal combustion (0.003–0.05), biomass burning (0.002–0.01), and clean briquette coal combustion (10−5–0.001), indicating that local residents caused a severe health threat by solid fuel combustion (the threshold: 10−4). The results also highlighted that clean briquette coal could reduce cancer risks by 1–2 orders of magnitude compared to bulk coal and biomass. For oPAH, BcdPQ (6H-benzo(c,d)pyrene-6-one) had the highest cancer risk, ranging from 4.83 × 10−5 to 2.45 × 10−4, which were even higher than the total of aPAHs and nPAHs. The dramatically high toxicity and cancer risk of PAHs from solid fuel combustion strengthened the necessity and urgency of clean heating innovation in Guanzhong Plain and in similar places. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the oldest species of Betulaceae, Nepalese alder (Alnus nepalensis) shows a high capacity for nitrogen fixation, rapid growth rate, and strong adaptability to stress environments, and it plays an important role in maintaining the structure and function of forest and agroforestry ecosystems. We explored its geographic distribution and the corresponding environmental drivers through collecting specimen records and published literature for Nepalese alder over the world during the past 40 years. The research trends, the growth limiting factors, the physiological characteristics, and ecological functions were all summarized as well. In terms of geographical distribution and limiting factors, Nepalese alder is mainly distributed in southern mountainous areas of the Himalayas and southwest China. Since it presented a clear northern limit of distribution and an upper limit of elevation, temperature is assumed to be the main environmental limiting factor. According to historical development, the research history of Nepalese alder could be divided into three main periods: the initial development (before 2001), the fast development (2002–2015), and the high-quality development (2016–2022), with the two key points in 2002 and 2015 relating to the conversion of cropland to a forest project that the government conducted and the application from theory to practice, respectively. As can be seen from the ecological functions, Nepalese alder could form symbiotic nodules with Frankia, which plays an important role in improving soil physical and chemical properties and facilitating vegetation secondary succession. Overall, the present review provides a reference for further studies on ecological adaptability and sustainable utilization of Nepalese alder under climate change, and also for regional ecosystem service, forestry production practice, and vegetation restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This is a study associated with the prevalence and persistence of ceftiofur, the third-generation cephalosporin antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli in a chicken layer breeding farm. Notably, epidemiological studies in poultry have been primarily focused on single breeding periods and may have underestimated the maintenance of the ceftiofur-resistant Escherichia coli in different breeding periods from layer hens. Our results showed that the detection rates of the ceftiofur-resistant Escherichia coli fluctuated across different breeding periods, and the ST101 ceftiofur-resistant Escherichia coli was the most prevalent and persistent sequence type across the breeding periods. This study contextualized ceftiofur resistance in different breeding periods, monitoring which can have important implications for food animals. We determined the longitudinal persistence of ceftiofur-resistant Escherichia coli from a chicken breeding farm in China. A total of 150 samples were collected from 5 breeding periods in a flock of layer hens, and the prevalence of ceftiofur-resistant E. coli fluctuated across the 5 chicken breeding stages: eggs, 3.33%; growing period, 100%; early laying period, 36.7%; peak laying period, 66.7% and late laying period, 80%. The most prevalent ceftiofur resistance genes were blaCTX-M-55, blaCMY and blaNDM, and ST101 was the most prevalent and persistent sequence type across the breeding periods. Our results indicated that this breeder flock was heavily contaminated by ST101 ceftiofur-resistant E. coli and that its presence should be intensively monitored on chicken farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore the association between the physical health (PH) and physical activity behavior (PAB) of children aged 3 to 6 years, and to provide a basis for the scientific planning of children's physical activity behavior in kindergarten. Methods: A total of 18041 children in China aged 3 to 6 years were selected as the research subject. The PH monitoring indicators were measured according to "The National Physical Fitness Measurement Standards Manual" (Preschool Children Version) (NPFMSM), and PAB was reported by teachers. The chi-square test was used to test for differences in PH and PAB across groups, the percentile method was used to rank PAB, correlation analysis was used to analyze the association between components of PH and PAB, and multiple linear regression was used to determine the independent association between PAB and PH. Results: Participants in this study exhibited poor PH status, and the detection rates of failure were 16.4% for boys and 16.8% for girls, and showed a decreasing trend with increasing age. The grade difference and sex difference in PH components were statistically significant (P<0.01). PAB changes to static activities with increasing age, mainly to static indoor physical activities (SIPAs). The regression effects of the total duration of physical activity (TDPA) and dynamic physical activity (DPA) on PH score and physical fitness (PF) score were significant (P < 0.01) but not statistically significant with static physical activity (SPA) (P>0.05). Dynamic outdoor physical activity (DOPA) is the core factor affecting children's PH, and is significantly positively correlated with the components of PH. Conclusion: PAB in kindergarten can improve children's PH, and reasonable planning of PAB in kindergarten has a targeted effect on PH promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pheretima vulgaris has been prescribed for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases in China for several hundred years in the form of dried powder in the clinic. However, the peptides with the potential antithrombotic activity of this source have never been reported. The total active proteins from Pheretima vulgaris were hydrolyzed by eight different commercial proteases and the alcalase hydrolysate showed the strongest thrombolytic activity. Four original thrombolytic peptides were isolated and characterized using bioactivity‐directed fractionation of the active hydrolysate. The amino acid sequences were identified as HEPLPEP (m/z 818.40076), EYPLPEP (m/z 844.39648), LGEPSVP (m/z 698.39648), and LLAPP (m/z 510.28043) by nanoLC‐ESI‐Orbitrap mass spectrometry with PEAKS software. HEPLPEP and EYPLPEP, containing the common ‐PLPEP residue, showed superior thrombolytic activity in plasmin assay and fibrinogen‐thrombin time assay. This research confirmed that Pheretima vulgaris was a potential source of active peptides with thrombolytic activities and provided novel candidates for the thrombolytic agents. Practical applications: Thrombosis has become the leading cause of mortality as it was the common underlying pathology of cardiovascular diseases, such as ischemic heart disease, and stroke. The demand for thrombolytics has increased gradually as the incidence trends of thrombosis‐related diseases raise with the aging of the population. Four novel thrombolytic peptides were characterized from Pheretima vulgaris proteins hydrolysates, among which HEPLPEP and EYPLPEP could prevent the formation of thrombus and degrade existing thrombus in vitro. These peptides are promising to be meritorious templates for developing thrombolytic agents. The structure–function relationship of peptides resulting from the presence of specific residues in these sequences may contribute to extending the knowledge about their thrombolytic activity, which may be useful in designing novel thrombolytic agents. The present research based on a bioactivity‐directed isolation strategy could also be applied to other animal‐derived traditional Chinese medicines with proteins or peptides as their function basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To reconstruct the genomic epidemiology and evolution of MDR Salmonella Indiana in China.Methods: A total of 108 Salmonella Indiana strains were collected from humans and livestock in China. All isolates were subjected to WGS and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary analyses were conducted using WGS data from this study and the NCBI database.Results: Almost all 108 Salmonella Indiana strains displayed the MDR phenotype. Importantly, 84 isolates possessed concurrent resistance to ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime. WGS analysis revealed that class 1 integrons on the chromosome and IncHI2 plasmids were the key vectors responsible for multiple antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) [including ESBL and plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) genes] transmission among Salmonella Indiana. The 108 Salmonella Indiana dataset displayed a relatively large core genome and ST17 was the predominant ST. Moreover, the global ST17 Salmonella Indiana strains could be divided into five distinct lineages, each of which was significantly associated with a geographical distribution. Genomic analysis revealed multiple antimicrobial resistance determinants and QRDR mutations in Chinese lineages, which almost did not occur in other global lineages. Using molecular clock analysis, we hypothesized that ST17 isolates have existed since 1956 and underwent a major population expansion from the 1980s to the 2000s and the genetic diversity started to decrease around 2011, probably due to geographical barriers, antimicrobial selective pressure and MDR, favouring the establishment of this prevalent multiple antibiotic-resistant lineage and local epidemics.Conclusions: This study revealed that adaptation to antimicrobial pressure was possibly pivotal in the recent evolutionary trajectory for the clonal spread of ST17 Salmonella Indiana in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brown carbon (BrC) constitutes a large fraction of organic carbon and exhibits strong light absorption properties, thus affecting the global radiation budget. In this study, we investigated the light absorption properties, chemical functional bonds, and sources of BrC in six megacities in China, namely Beijing, Harbin, Xi'an, Chengdu, Guangzhou, and Wuhan. The average values of the BrC light absorption coefficient and the mass absorption efficiency at 365 nm in northern cities were higher than those in southern cities by 2.5 and 1.8 times, respectively, demonstrating the occurrence of abundance of BrC in northern China's megacities. Fourier transform–infrared (FT-IR) spectra revealed sharp and intense peaks at 1640, 1458–1385, and 1090–1030 cm−1, which were ascribed to aromatic phenols, confirming the contribution of primary emission sources (e.g., biomass burning and coal combustion) to BrC. In addition, we noted peaks at 860, 1280–1260, and 1640 cm−1, which were attributed to organonitrate and oxygenated phenolic groups, indicating that secondary BrC also existed in six megacities. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) coupled with multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural network analysis were used to apportion the sources of BrC light absorption. The results showed that primary emissions (e.g., biomass burning, tailpipe emissions, and coal combustion) made a major contribution to BrC in six megacities. However, secondary formation processes made a greater contribution to light absorption in the southern cities (17.9 %–21.2 %) than in the northern cities (2.1 %–10.2 %). These results can provide a basis for the more effective control of BrC to reduce its impacts on regional climates and human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The invasion of exotic macrophytes causes native biodiversity loss in aquatic ecosystems of China. However, the influence of invasive free‐floating macrophytes on epiphytic algal communities has rarely been reported, especially in comparison with those of native free‐floating macrophytes. Region: Southern China. Methods: We investigated the interrelationship between epiphytic algal communities on the roots of three free‐floating macrophytes [two invasive species (Eichhornia crassipes and Pistia stratiotes) and one native species (Hydrocharis dubia)] and environmental factors in 40 natural freshwater ecosystems throughout southern China. We also tested the relationship between allelochemicals from the macrophytes and epiphytic algae. A mesocosm experiment was conducted to verify the discoveries of the field investigation. Results: The abundance of epiphytic algae on the invasive macrophytes was lower than that on the native species in the field investigation and mesocosm experiment. Macrophyte traits were the main factor explaining the epiphytic algal abundance in both the field investigation and mesocosm experiment. In linear models, the slopes of epiphytic algal abundance were lower across gradients of native macrophyte biomass and coverage than across gradients of invasive macrophyte biomass and coverage. The allelochemical contents secreted by the invasive macrophytes were significantly higher than those secreted by the native species. The composition of allelochemicals was another factor that drove the decrease in epiphytic algal abundance. Among the allelochemicals, organic acids and alkaloids were abundant. Main Conclusions: The inhibitory effect of two invasive free‐floating macrophytes on epiphytic algae is stronger than that of the native macrophyte H. dubia. The main reason for this finding is that the invasive macrophytes have greater biomass and occupied more space, resulting in greater limitations on spatial niches and resources. Moreover, invasive macrophytes release more allelochemicals than native macrophytes, leading to stronger inhibitory effects on epiphytic algae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

E Difference analysis of grain number in different panicle parts, the panicle is divided into 3 parts namely top (top, from 1-1 to 4-2 panicle positons), middle (mid, from 5-1 to 8-2 panicle positons) and bottom (bot, from 9-1 to 12-2 panicle positons) respectively. B Eating quality of different panicle locations under H treatment, the panicle is divided into 3 parts namely top (top, from 1-1 to 4-2 panicle positons), middle (mid, from 5-1 to 8-2 panicle positons) and bottom (bot, from 9-1 to 12-2 panicle positons) respectively. [Extracted from the article]

Simple Summary: This is a study related to NDM-5-producing E. coli in companion animals in China. Notably, an E. coli isolate possessing both blaNDM-5-bearing plasmid and mcr-1-bearing plasmid was identified in a dog from the same veterinary clinic, where we previously found the mobile IncX3–X4 hybrid plasmid encoding both blaNDM-5 and mcr-1 in a cat. This observation highlights the diversity of blaNDM-5- and mcr-1-harboring plasmids and the transferability of such resistant pathogens from companion animals to humans. Given that colistin is the last-resort antibiotic for treating human infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, the co-transfer of resistance to both antibiotics may seriously compromise the effectiveness of clinical therapy. Carbapenem and colistin are important antibiotics for the treatment of infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens. Here, we isolated the blaNDM-5-harboring Escherichia coli in companion animals in healthy or diseased companion animals from veterinary clinics in six cities in China from July to November 2016. A total of 129 rectal swabs of healthy or diseased dogs and cats were collected from veterinary clinics in six different cities in China, and the isolates were subjected to carbapenem and colistin susceptibility testing. Resistance genes were confirmed using PCR. Conjugation experiments were conducted to determine the transferability of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the strains. The isolated rate of blaNDM-5-harboring E. coli strains was 3.88% (five strains). These five strains were multidrug resistant to at least three antibiotics and corresponded to four sequence types including ST101. The blaNDM-5 gene was located on 46 kb IncX3 plasmids in these five strains, and the genetic contexts were shared and were nearly identical to the K. pneumoniae plasmid pNDM5-IncX3 from China. In addition, one strain (CQ6-1) co-harbored blaNDM-5-encoding-IncX3 plasmid along with a mcr-1-encoding-IncX4 plasmid, and their corresponding genetic environments were identical to the blaNDM-5-IncX3 and mcr-1-IncX4 hybrid plasmid reported previously from the same area and from the same clinic. The results indicated that the similar genetic contexts were shared between these isolates from companion animals, and the IncX3-type plasmids played a key role in the spread of blaNDM-5 among these bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although scholars have long been interested in distinguishing gift giving from bribery, the impact of the degree of guanxi between a giver and a recipient on this distinction remains unclear. Drawing on a bystander perspective, this paper investigates how people distinguish between two types of giving behavior: gift giving and bribing. In three studies, we examined how guanxi (Study 1, n = 143 Chinese students), the price of a present (Study 2, including 106 students and 55 employees), and the motivation for giving a present (Study 3, n = 33 Chinese students) influence people's perception of a present (i.e., as a gift or a bribe). The results largely supported our expectation that presents were more likely to be considered a bribe when guanxi utility was high, if the present held high economic value, and if the giving motivation was instrumental-oriented. Implications of our findings for future research and business practitioners in Chinese culture are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence and molecular characteristics of fosA3 and fosA7 among Salmonella isolates.Methods: Five hundred and fifty-one Salmonella isolates collected from food animals in China during 2016-19 were screened for fos genes. The drug resistance, serovars, clonal relationships and genetic environments of fosA were compared between fosA7- and fosA3-positive Salmonella.Results: A relatively high prevalence of fosA7 (9.26%) and fosA3 (6.53%) was identified. fosA3 was associated with high-level fosfomycin resistance (≥512 mg/L), while fosA7 conferred relatively low-level resistance that was independent of the presence of glucose-6-phosphate. Additionally, fosA7 could facilitate Salmonella survival under oxidative stress. Both fosA3 and fosA7 were found in diverse serovars and STs, but segregated into distinct groups. The fosA3-positive Salmonella Typhimurium/Salmonella Indiana strains showed close genetic relationships, while fosA7-positive Salmonella Meleagridis/Salmonella Agona/Salmonella Derby showed a relatively high degree of whole-genome sequence heterogeneity. fosA3 was located on conjugative IncHI2 plasmids or chromosomes, while fosA7 was strictly chromosomal. Furthermore, two strains carried large chromosomal fosA7 regions within genomic islands. The fosA3 and fosA7 contigs from our isolates and the NCBI could be segregated into four primary and distinct genomic backbones. IS26 and the antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) blaCTX-M, blaTEM-1B and rmtB were frequently adjacent to fosA3, while fosA7-carrying contigs generally lacked mobile elements and ARGs.Conclusions: fosA3 and fosA7 were the primary factors contributing to reduced fosfomycin susceptibility, to different degrees, in these Salmonella isolates. The distinct distributions and molecular characteristics of fosA7 and fosA3 indicated that their origin and evolution in Salmonella were most likely distinct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fungicide fludioxonil, given its physicochemical properties, potentially accumulates and persists in sediments. Fludioxonil has a widespread agricultural use to control various fungal diseases. Its residues may cause toxic effects to benthic aquatic fauna, thereby impacting ecosystem service functions of aquatic ecosystems. To assess the potential environmental effects of fludioxonil in the sediment compartment of edge-of-field surface waters, sediment-spiked single-species toxicity tests with benthic macroinvertebrates were performed. In all experiments artificial sediment was used with an organic carbon content of 2.43% on dry weight basis. The single-species tests were conducted with 8 benthic macroinvertebrates covering different taxonomic groups typical for the Yangtze River Delta, China. The 28d-EC10 and 28-LC10 values thus obtained were used to construct species sensitivity distributions (SSDs). In addition, our dataset was supplemented with 28d-EC10 and 28-LC10 values for 8 different benthic invertebrates from a study in the Netherlands that used field-collected sediment. Based on SSDs constructed with 28d-EC10 or 28d-LC10 values hazardous concentrations to 5% of the species tested (HC5's) were obtained. The HC5 values based on the toxicity tests from China were lower than those from the Netherlands, although 95% confidence bands overlapped. The HC5 values derived from the separate datasets from China and the Netherlands, as well as from the combined dataset, were compared to the Tier-3 Regulatory Acceptable Concentrations (RAC) for fludioxonil and the benthic invertebrate community derived from a sediment-spiked outdoor microcosm experiment conducted in the Netherlands. The HC5 values obtained appeared to be lower than this Tier-3 RAC when expressed in terms of total sediment concentration, but not always when expressed in terms of pore water concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work took the iron objects from the Nanhai No. 1 shipwreck in the Southern Song Dynasty of China as the sample to test and analyze the application potential of catechin, an environmentally friendly corrosion inhibitor and rust converter. The article used metallographic microscopy to clarify that the structure of the iron artifact was hypereutectic white iron. By means of micro-Raman, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, catechin had the ability to react with iron oxyhydroxides such as goethite, akaganeite and lepidocrocite in the rust, forming an amorphous substance with a marked signal about 1380 cm−1 as phenolic-Fe in infrared properties. The new products could make the original rust layer form a laminated dense structure. After the archaeological iron was soaked in 3.0 g/L catechin, the corrosion current density decreased by 37.13% and the corrosion potential shifted positively by 32.67 mV. The anode reaction was more inhibited than the cathode in the polarization curve. The rust resistance in electrochemical impedance increased to 3.75 times and the ion diffusion resistance increased to 6.33 times. The corrosion inhibition efficiency was 21.75% and the rust conversion efficiency was 73.26%. After 36 h of accelerated corrosion, the protection effect of the newly transformed rust layer was still better than that of the original state. Catechin was a mild protection material which showed satisfactory performance for archaeological iron and has a good application prospect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf traits are important indicators of plants' adaptive strategy to environmental changes. It is an established fact that leaf traits are jointly regulated by climatic and edaphic factors besides genetic factors. However, the relative importance of these abiotic forces in determining the general patterns of herbaceous plant leaf traits across different climatic regions in China is far from clear. We collected 1,653 observations of 542 species of herbaceous plant leaf traits including leaf mass per area, leaf nitrogen, and leaf phosphorus from 316 sampling sites across four climatic regions. We found that the leaf mass per area in the arid region was apparently larger than the others, whereas the smallest mass-based leaf nitrogen and mass-based leaf phosphorus were found in the humid region. Increased growing season temperature and evapotranspiration consistently promoted a conservative growth strategy indicated by higher relative benefit of leaf mass per area, especially in the arid region. Solar radiation in growing season promoted an acquisitive growth strategy indicated by higher relative benefits of mass-based leaf nitrogen and phosphorus in the humid region, but opposite patterns were found in the arid region and semi-humid region. Of all the soil nutrients including soil organic matter, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and available nitrogen, soil available nitrogen was the strongest predictor of relative benefits of leaf traits associated with a nutrient acquisitive strategy, except in the nutrient-rich semi-humid region. There was a relatively larger number of abiotic factors contributing to relative benefits of leaf traits in the arid and humid regions. We concluded that plant functionality could respond divergently to the same factor facing different habitat conditions. Moreover, the relative benefits of leaf traits tended to be more vulnerable to abiotic filtering in more stressful conditions. Our findings have important implications for understanding the context-dependency of plant functionality to environmental filtering and further improving the predictability of plant dynamics under global change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green has become the underpinning of High-quality development in China. Green development is inseparable from the support of institutional governance. This study uses MVC mode to build institutional governance mechanism, and constructs institutional governance system and model of regional green development. The empirical results show the following: institutional governance has great influence on industrial green development. From the perspective of China's provincial industrial green development, Shandong Province has been maintaining the first position of governance investment. Green governance is better in southern China than in the northern provinces. And the institutional governance intensity of each province is not evenly distributed. Therefore, China's industrial green development still needs to further strengthen the system governance of northwest and northeast regions. Finally, this paper aims to improve the green development level of China's regional industrial economy through the construction of institutional governance system. It provides institutional environment for the development of green innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ep type is an important morphological improvement (following dwarf breeding and ideal plant type) that has contributed to breeding super-high yielding, and shows a pleiotropic effect in increasing grain yield and also nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE) in rice. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether Ep has adverse effects on eating quality and how it affects nitrogen uptake and assimilation. In this study, we developed a pair of near-isogenic lines (NILs) for panicle type (NIL-Ep, NIL-non Ep) in the Liaogeng 5 (LG5) and Akihikari (AKI) backgrounds. Rice plants of the NIL-Ep had higher grain numbers per panicle in the middle to bottom spike positions than plants of the NIL-non Ep. The increased grain number is not only is the key factor leading to increased yield but also is the reason for reduced the eating quality. The content of prolamin and glutelin was significantly higher in NIL-Ep, which resulted in higher hardness and worse viscosity of rice after cooking. In addition, the activity of several essential enzymes catalyzing nitrogen metabolism was higher in the NIL-Ep line grains than in the NIL-non Ep, especially from the mid to late grain filling stage. Based on these results, we conclude that Ep positively regulates grain protein accumulation, primarily through enhancing the activity of enzymes involved in nitrogen assimilation and redistribution during the mid to late grain-filling stage, resulting in excessive accumulation of grain protein and decreased eating quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little evidence has demonstrated the association between health conditions and cooking water. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship, using a representative sample of 10,531 subjects selected from the China Family Panel Study (CFPS). The usage rate of surface-exposed water showed a slight upward trend from 2010 to 2018. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) of chronic diseases with surface-exposed and well water was 1.140 (95% CI: 0.989–1.315) and 0.902 (95% CI: 0.839–0.969), respectively, with reference to tap/purified water. Surface-exposed water increased the likelihood of a worsening health change by 25.5% (OR: 1.255; 95% CI: 1.123–1.411), while well water was associated with poor self-rated health (OR: 1.169; 95% CI: 1.094–1.249). As such, surface-exposed water was associated with chronic diseases and worsening changes in health, and well water was negatively associated with chronic diseases. Although efforts to improve quality of drinking water have been made in China for decades, our conclusions reveal that water quality still remains a critical public livelihood issue among middle-aged and elderly populations. More in-depth research is required on whether the disinfection ingredients of tap water may increase the risk for chronic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]