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To accurately estimate the age of individual tree and to achieve full-cycle sustainable management of natural Larix gmelinii forest in Great Xing'an Mountains of northeastern China, we constructed individual tree age prediction model using stepwise regression and random forest algorithms based on 44 fixed plots data and 280 stan-dard tree cores obtained from the Pangu Forest Farm. We analyzed the influence of stand structure, site conditions, and competition index on the accuracy of model prediction. The model was evaluated by the coefficient of determination ( R 2 ), root mean square error (RMSE), and mean absolute error (MAE). The results showed that the random forest model had the highest prediction accuracy when number of decision trees was 1500 and number of node con-tention variables was 8. The random forest model had better accuracy and prediction ability than the stepwise regression model, with R 2 , RMSE and MAE of 0.5882, 9.9259 a, 8.1155 a. Diameter at breast height was the most important factor affecting age prediction (83.8%), followed by tree height (34.4%), elevation (17.9%), and basal area per hectare (17.5%). The random forest algorithm exhibited better adaptability and modeling effect on constructing a predictive model for individual tree age. This research contributed to improving the accuracy of growth and harvest estimation for L. gmelinii , and could provide a reference for other scientific studies related to tree age estimation in forests.

Objective: To investigate the association between remnant cholesterol (RC) and the risk of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in middle-aged and older individuals with diabetes. Methods: Based on the Shanghai Nicheng Cohort Study database, the data of 1 255 individuals with diabetes aged 55-70 years at baseline (2013-2014) with complete fundus photographs and serum cholesterol data in Nicheng, Shanghai, were analyzed. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to evaluate risk ratios ( RR s) and their 95% confidence intervals ( CI s) between baseline RC level and incident DR. Results: The median age of the subjects was 61.9 years, and 60.4% were women. After a 4.6-year follow-up, 79 (6.3%) patients developed DR, including 50 (4.0%) mild non-proliferative DR and 29 (2.3%) referable DR (RDR). Multivariable logistic regression showed that each mmol/L increase of RC was associated with a 40% higher risk of RDR ( RR =1.40, 95% CI 1.03-1.90). Compared with the lowest tertile of RC (<0.63 mmol/L), the risk of RDR in the highest tertile (≥0.85 mmol/L) increased by 4.59 times ( RR =5.59, 95% CI 1.51-20.73). Conclusion: The RC level may help identify individuals at high risk of incident RDR in middle-aged and older Chinese adults with diabetes.

Bioenrichment preference of arsenic and metals in wild marine organisms has been scarcely considered. Twenty species including fishes, cephalopods, crustaceans, and bivalve mollusks were collected from Dapeng (Mis) Bay and analyzed for arsenic and metals. Through this study, we had obtained the following four main conclusions: (1) average concentrations of arsenic and metals (μg/kg, wet weight) in the aquatic organism samples were 48.7 for Cr, 1762.0 for Mn, 20,632.8 for Fe, 33.0 for Co, 119.5 for Ni, 3184.7 for Cu, 12,040.5 for Zn, 389.0 for As, 189.1 for Se, 144.4 for Cd, 15.0 for Hg, and 55.3 for Pb; (2) factor analysis (FA) revealed that the studied twenty species exhibited three types of arsenic and metal bioenrichment preference;(3) non-carcinogenic health risk assessment indicated insignificant health effects from marine organism consumption; (4) carcinogenic health risk assessment revealed an unacceptable risk from consumption of nine species, seven of which were crustaceans., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Adverse male reproduction caused by phthalate ester (PAE) exposure has been well documented in vivo. However, existing evidence from population studies remains inadequate to demonstrate the impact of PAE exposure on spermatogenesis and underlying mechanisms. Our present study aimed to explore the potential link between PAE exposure and sperm quality and the possible mediation by sperm mitochondrial and telomere in healthy male adults recruited from the Hubei Province Human Sperm Bank, China. Nine PAEs were determined in one pooled urine sample prepared from multiple collections during the spermatogenesis period from the same participant. Sperm telomere length (TL) and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) were determined in sperm samples. The sperm concentration and count per quartile increment in mixture concentrations were -4.10 million/mL (-7.12, -1.08) and -13.52% (-21.62%, -4.59%), respectively. We found one quartile increase in PAE mixture concentrations to be marginally associated with sperm mtDNAcn (β = 0.09, 95% CI: -0.01, 0.19). Mediation analysis showed that sperm mtDNAcn significantly explained 24.6% and 32.5% of the relationships of mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP) with sperm concentration and sperm count (β = -0.44 million/mL, 95% CI: -0.82, -0.08; β = -1.35, 95% CI: -2.54, -0.26, respectively). Our study provided a novel insight into the mixed effect of PAEs on adverse semen quality and the potential mediation role of sperm mtDNAcn., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Seabass (Lateolabrax japonicus) is a major aquacultured fish species worldwide. The bioconcentration, bioaccumulation, and biomagnification of metals in water, sediments, and commercial feed were investigated in L. japonicus from an aquaculture pond in the Pearl River Delta of South China. Aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) were determined in the dorsal muscle, viscera, backbone, gill, and stomach contents of L. japonicus. The gill and stomach contents had higher levels of bioconcentration of most metals than other parts of fish. Based on the bioaccumulation factor, the gill and backbone exhibited the highest accumulation of Zn, while the viscera had the highest capacity to accumulate Cu. The mean biomagnification factor values exceeded for As in dorsal muscle, for Cu in the viscera, for Cr and Pb in the gill, and for Al, Cr, Fe, Cu, and Pb in the stomach contents, indicating efficient bioaccumulation from commercial feed and their habitat. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis revealed two groups that resulted from the accumulation of metals in various parts of L. japonicus. Moreover, health risk assessment indicated that no notable adverse health effects occurred from the ingestion of L. japonicus., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

PM 2.5 -bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been proved to be hazardous to health. Previous studies have focused on the distribution and sources of PAHs, whereas there is little knowledge of the damage to organs. Here we sought to investigate the pollution level and seasonal variation characteristics of PAHs in PM 2.5 in Xi'an and assess the health risk, to establish a PAHs exposure model, and investigate the toxicological effects of PAHs on the respiratory and immune functions. A sub-chronic exposure model of PAHs was established by inhalation. The pathological changes of lung tissues were observed with a light microscope. Inflammatory reactions in alveolar lavage fluid were determined using the corresponding kit. The levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) were detected with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit; the proliferation of lymphocytes in spleen was detected with methyl tetrazolium (MTT); DNA immune damage was determined with DNA gel electrophoresis. The results showed that (1) the total concentration of 16 PAHs ranged from 41.1 to 387 ng/m 3 , with a mean value of 170 ng/m 3 , and the concentration of PAHs in PM 2.5 was higher in winter than in other seasons. (2) The sources of PAHs in the atmosphere of Xi'an urban area were mainly coal combustion, and the equivalent carcinogenic concentration of PAHs in PM 2.5 was 3.9 ng/m 3 . (3) Foreign body granuloma formation and inflammatory cell damage were observed in the lungs of rats infected with toxin; the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mobile device assistant (MDA) increased while nitric oxide synthase (NOS) decreased with the increase of dose; the expression levels of IL-6 and IL-8 elevated with the increase of toxin dose, showing an obvious dose-effect relationship; the level of PAHs damage to cells showed a dose-effect relationship. Sub-chronic exposure to PAHs could cause sustained inflammatory injury to the organism. Measures should be taken to counter the problems of PAHs in PM 2.5 in Xi'an and relevant health promotion strategies should be developed.

Background: The impact of pediatric body mass index (BMI) trajectories on the risk of adolescent hypertension (HTN) determined by three separate visits remains unclear. This longitudinal study aims to identify potential pediatric sex-specific BMI trajectories and to assess their associations with HTN and HTN subtypes., Methods: Based on the Health Promotion Program for Children and Adolescents (HPPCA) in Suzhou, China, a total of 24,426 participants who had initial normal blood pressure (BP) and had at least four BMI measurements during 2012-2020 were included. HTN was defined as simultaneously having three separate visits of elevated BP in 2020. Latent class growth models were used to explore sex-specific BMI trajectories, whose associations with HTN and HTN subtypes were further examined by logistic regression., Results: The incidence of HTN determined through three separate visits was 3.34%. Four trajectories were identified for both sexes: low BMI increasing, medium BMI increasing, high BMI increasing, and highest BMI increasing. Compared to the medium BMI increasing group, the odds ratio (95% confidential interval) for developing adolescent HTN of the low, high, and highest BMI increasing groups among boys were 0.54 (0.39, 0.75), 1.90 (1.44, 2.51), and 2.89 (1.90, 4.39), respectively; and the corresponding values for girls were 0.66 (0.48, 0.90), 2.30 (1.72, 3.09), and 4.71 (3.06, 7.26). Similar gradually elevated associations between different trajectories with isolated systolic hypertension, systolic and diastolic hypertension were observed., Conclusion: Current results emphasized the adverse effects of stable high BMI on HTN and the benefits of maintaining normal weight throughout childhood., (© 2022. Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine.)

Sponge-derived bacteria are considered to be a promising source of novel drugs, owing to their abundant secondary metabolites that have diverse biological activities. In this study, we explored the antimicrobial biosynthetic potential and phylogenetics of culturable bacteria associated with the sponge Ophlitaspongia sp. from the Yellow Sea, China. Using culture-dependent methods, we obtained 151 bacterial strains, which were then analysed for their antimicrobial activities against seven indicator strains. The results indicate that 94 (62.3%) of the 151 isolated strains exhibited antimicrobial activities and inhibited at least one of the indicator strains. Fifty-two strains were selected for further phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, as well as for the presence of polyketide synthase (PKS) and non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) genes. These 52 strains belonged to 20 genera from 18 families in 4 phyla, including Actinobacteria , Bacteroidetes , Firmicutes , and Proteobacteria . Five strains with PKS genes and ten strains with NRPS genes were detected. Among them, two strains contained both PKS and NRPS genes. Notoacmeibacter sp. strain HMA008 (class Alphaproteobacteria ) exhibited potent antimicrobial activity; thus, whole genome sequencing methods were used to analyse its secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters. The genome of HMA008 contained 12 biosynthetic gene clusters that potentially encode secondary metabolites belonging to compound classes such as non-ribosomal peptides, prodigiosin, terpene, β-lactones, and siderophore, among others. This study indicates that the sponge Ophlitaspongia sp. harbours diverse bacterial strains with antimicrobial properties and may serve as a potential source of bioactive compounds.

Objective: BMI may play a protective role in reducing the mortality rate of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but its effect on acute exacerbation of COPD remain unclear. Methods: Subjects were selected from the COPD patients registration system established in 2014 in Pudong new district, Shanghai. COPD patients from 8 communities were selected by cluster sampling and follow up was conducted prospectively for 18 months. Basic information and BMI were obtained from baseline survey, and acute exacerbations were collected during follow-up. The association between BMI and risk of acute exacerbation was evaluated by using multiple negative binomial regression. Results: Among 328 community COPD patients, 295 who completed the follow up were included in the analysis, in whom 96.3% (284/295) were mild COPD patients. During the follow-up, 11.1% (33/295) of the patients reported acute exacerbation. The results of multiple negative binomial regression suggested that, the risk for acute exacerbation decreased with the increase of BMI ( IRR =0.85, 95% CI :0.73-0.98), overweight patients with BMI ≥25.0 kg/m 2 ( IRR= 0.36, 95% CI :0.13-0.91) or moderate BMI ( T 2 vs. T 1 , IRR =0.31, 95% CI :0.11-0.77) had lower risk for acute exacerbation compared with the patients with normal or low BMI. BMI had a linear correlation with the risk of acute exacerbation. Conclusion: The risk for acute exacerbation in patients with mild or moderate COPD in communities decreased with the increase of BMI, and being overweight might be a protective factor for the acute exacerbation of COPD.

The presence of rare earth elements (REEs) in different trophic levels of wild fish species remains unknown. In this study, fish characteristics and distribution patterns of REEs at different trophic levels of wild fish species are studied for the first time. The northern coastal region of the South China Sea was selected as it has the highest fishing intensity in China. The concentrations of 15 REEs were measured in 14 marine wild fish species from this area. The total concentrations of REEs (ΣREEs) ranged from 1.02 to 178.55 μg/kg (wet weight). The average ratio of light REE (LREE) to heavy REE (HREE) was 13.04, indicating that the ∑REEs content was dominated by LREE. The distribution patterns demonstrated significant bioaccumulation of LREEs. The REE patterns of most of the fish species showed Ce, Gd, Tb, and Dy anomalies. Based on the estimated daily intake (EDI) levels, the consumption of these fish species poses a negligible risk to consumer health., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To analyze the incidence, blood lipid levels and cardiovascular disease of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) in dyslipidemia patients receiving lipid-lowing therapy from the DYSIS-China. Methods: Dyslipidemia International Study-China (DYSIS-China) database was re-analyzed according to the criteria of "Chinese guidelines for prevention and treatment of dyslipidemia in adults-2016 version". DYSIS-China database included 25 317 dyslipidemia out-patients who received at least one lipid-lowering drug for at least three months. All the patients were divided into three groups: unlikely HF , possible FH and definite FH according to the Dutch Lipid Clinic Network diagnostic criteria. Age, gender , lipids levels , drug use and complications were compared among the three groups. Factors were compared between Possible FH group and definite FH group in terms of age stratification. Results: A total of 23 973 patients with dyslipidemia were included. The average age was (64.8±9.9) years , 11 757 patients were females (49.0%). The proportion of unlikely FH in the total population was 20 561 (85.7%) , possible FH was 3294 (13.7%) , and the definite FH was 118(0.5%). Patients in the definite FH group (58.3±8.5 years) was younger than in unlikely HF(65.3±9.8 years) and possible FH(61.8±9.9 years) group. LDL-C ((5.6±1.9) mmol/L) levels were significantly higher in definite FH group than in unlikely HF ((2.5±0.9) mmol/L) and possible FH ((4.3±1.0) mmol/L) group. TC ((7.4±1.8) mmol/L) levels were also significantly higher in definite FH group than in unlikely HF ((4.3±1.0) mmol/L) and possible FH ((6.0±1.0) mmol/L) group. Percent of female sex, sedentary lifestyle and systolic blood pressure value were significantly higher in definite FH group than in other two groups (all P <0.05). Statin use was similar among the 3 groups. Prevalence of ischemic cardiomyopathy (70(59.3%)) was significantly higher in the definite FH group than in unlikely FH group7519 (36.6%) and possible FH group1149 (34.9%). The rate of hypertension (82 (69.5%)) was also significantly higher in the definite FH group than in unlikely FH group (2 063 (62.6%) and in possible FH group (13 928 (67.7%)). The possible FH group had the highest proportion of patients aged 55-64 years (1 146 (34.8%)), and the prevalence of hypertension 358 (76.8%), diabetes 189 (40.6%), ischemic heart disease 186 (39.9%), cerebrovascular disease 149 (32.0%) and heart failure 28 (6.0%) was the highest in patients over 75 years old. The definite FH group had the highest proportion of patients aged 55-64 years (49 (41.52%)), and the prevalence of ischemic heart disease (70 (59.3%)) was the highest in patients aged 45-54 years old group, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of diabetes,hypertension,heart failure,peripheral artery disease and cerebrovascular disease among different age groups. Conclusion: The detection rate of FH in Chinese patients with dyslipidemia is not low , the blood lipid level is poorly controlled , and the risk of cardiovascular disease is high in Chinses FH patients.

To fully decipher the immunogenicity of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Spike protein, it is essential to assess which part is highly immunogenic in a systematic way. We generate a linear epitope landscape of the Spike protein by analyzing the serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) response of 1,051 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with a peptide microarray. We reveal two regions rich in linear epitopes, i.e., C-terminal domain (CTD) and a region close to the S2' cleavage site and fusion peptide. Unexpectedly, we find that the receptor binding domain (RBD) lacks linear epitope. We reveal that the number of responsive peptides is highly variable among patients and correlates with disease severity. Some peptides are moderately associated with severity and clinical outcome. By immunizing mice, we obtain linear-epitope-specific antibodies; however, no significant neutralizing activity against the authentic virus is observed for these antibodies. This landscape will facilitate our understanding of SARS-CoV-2-specific humoral responses and might be useful for vaccine refinement., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Phenol is widely used in the production of insulation and thermal insulation materials, adhesives, perfumes, coatings for food containers, paints, and pharmaceutical production, and is also widely detected in the aquatic environment. Long-term exposure to phenol can elicit adverse effects, such as skin burn, liver and central system damage. Here, phenol concentrations in the water and aquatic products of Poyang Lake were investigated. Human health risks from phenol to adults and adolescents were also assessed based on local population exposure parameters. The exposure concentration range of phenol in the studied water and aquatic products was not detected (ND)-556.26 ng·L -1 and 11.98-255.51 μg·kg -1 , respectively. Human health risk based on drinking water in different areas ranged from 3.80×10 -7 -8.46×10 -5 . Higher human health risks from drinking water was detected in the southern area of Poyang Lake and at the confluence of the Yangtze River to the north. Health risks caused by different types of aquatic products ranges 2.65×10 -5 -1.47×10 -4 . In particular, human health risks from the consumption of yellow catfish and catfish are an order of magnitude higher than for other aquatic products. Probabilistic risk assessment was also conducted through Monte Carlo simulation to analyze the health risk to the population in the Poyang Lake Basin and assess its sensitivity of different exposure parameters. The 95th percentile health risk of drinking water and aquatic product consumption in the Poyang Lake Basin was calculated as being acceptable. Overall, the concentrations of phenol had the greatest impact on the calculated health risk values. This study provides valuable information for phenol risk management in the Poyang Lake basin.

Physalis Calyx seu Fructus, a traditional Chinese medicine consisting of the calyxes and fruits of Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii , has been used as therapy for inflammation-related respiratory diseases such as excessive phlegm, cough, sore throat, and pharyngitis for a long history in China. The aim of the present study was to investigate the chemical constituents of Physalis Calyx seu Fructus and identify the bioactive constituents responsible for its traditional application as therapy for inflammation-related diseases. In the present study, one new phenylpropanoid (1: ), two new steroids (17: and 18: ), together with 55 known constituents have been purified from the EtOH extract of Physalis Calyx seu Fructus. Among them, seven and twelve known constituents were isolated for the first time from Physalis Calyx seu Fructus and the genus Physalis , respectively. Fourteen constituents, including steroids [physalins (5:  - 9, 12:  - 14: , and 15: ) and ergostane (21: )], a sesquiterpenoid (35: ), alkaloids (36: and 37: ), and a flavonoid (44: ), showed inhibitory effects against oxidative stress. Ten constituents, including steroids (5, 6, 8, 13: , and 15: ), sesquiterpenoids (34: and 35: ), alkaloids (37: and 41: ), and a flavonoid (43: ), were found be potential anti-inflammatory constituents of this medicinal plant. The inhibition of oxidative stress and inflammatory response may be related to the regulation of Nrf2 and nuclear factor- κ B pathways. The ethnomedical use of Physalis Calyx seu Fructus as a treatment for respiratory diseases might be attributed to the combined inhibitory effects of steroids, alkaloids, sesquiterpenoids, and flavonoids against oxidative stress and inflammatory response., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Three new isopimarane-type diterpenoids, botrysphins G-I (1-3), a new muurolane-type sesquiterpenoid, 11,12-dihydroxylentideusether (4), and two new triketides, 4-dechlorobotrysphone C (5) and 4,5-dihydroxy-3-methoxy-6-undecanoyloxy-2-cyclohexen-1-one (6), together with one known diterpenoid, sphaeropsidin A (7), one sesquiterpenoid, lentideusether (8), and one triketide sphaeropsidone (9), were isolated from culture of the fungus Botrysphaeria laricina associated with the moss Rhodobryum umgiganteum. The structures of the new compounds were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic techniques including HRMS and 1D and 2D NMR data. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited NO inhibitory activity with IC 50 values of 13.9 μM and 41.9 μM, respectively. At the same time, these two compounds showed quinone reductase inducing activity with 2.7-fold of induction for 1 at 12.5 μM and 1.6-fold for 2 at 25.0 μM., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

One novel polyketide synthase-nonribosomal peptide synthetase (PKS-NRPS) hybrid metabolite, laricinin A (1), two new meroterpenoids, tricycloalternarenes X and Y (2 and 3), one new coumarin, 3,4,7-trihydroxy-6-methylcoumarin (4), together with the known ethyl acetylorsellinate (5), diorcinol K (6), and tricycloalternarenes C and D (7 and 8) were obtained from culture of the fungus Botrysphaeria laricina isolated from the moss Rhodobryum umgiganteum. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated based on extensive spectroscopic techniques including HRMS and 1D and 2D NMR measurements. The absolute configuration of compound 1 was determined by ECD calculation and it was the first example of a novel group of PKS-NRPS hybrids possessing an unprecedented methyldihydropyran-isobutylpyrrolidinone skeleton. Compounds 2, 7, and 8 showed significant quinone reductase inducing activity in Hepa 1c1c7 cells., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To analyze the relationship of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) with diabetes mellitus in community residents aged ≥15 years in Pudong new district of Shanghai, and provide evidence for the prevention and treatment of diabetes mellitus. Methods: Using multi-stage stratified cluster sampling method, a total of 7 194 community residents aged ≥15 years were surveyed by using questionnaire, physical examination and laboratory tests in 2016. The relationship of BMI, waist circumference and waist-hip ratio with diabetes mellitus was analyzed by χ (2) test, single factor linear correlation and logistic regression analyses. Results: In 2016, the crude prevalence rate of diabetes mellitus in Pudong was 27.37 % , which was 12.75 % after standardization. The prevalence rate of diabetes mellitus was slightly higher in men than in women and was increased with age. The levels of FPG, 2 h plasma glucose and HbA1c were positively correlated with BMI, WC and WHR. After adjusting the confounding factors, multiple logistic regression analysis showed that obesity ( OR =1.351, P <0.01), excessive waist circumference ( OR =1.255, P <0.01) and high WHR ( OR =1.291, P <0.01) were risk factors for diabetes mellitus. Conclusions: The increase of obesity, WC and WHR will increase the risk for diabetes mellitus. It is important to maintain healthy weight, especially the control of WC and WHR, reduce the accumulation of abdominal fat to reduce the risk for diabetes mellitus.

Soil compaction and nutrient deficiency are common problems in Ningxia Yellow River pumping irrigation area, which adversely affect crop yield. A two-year (2017-2018) field experiment of straw returning combined with nitrogen fertilizer were designed. Four nitrogen application levels (pure N with 0, 150, 300 and 450 kg·hm -2 ) were set under the condition of full smashing of maize straw (12000 kg·hm -2 ) returning, with the conventional nitrogen application (pure N with 225 kg·hm -2 ) without straw returning as the control (CK) to investigate the effects of straw returning combined with different amounts of nitrogen fertilizer on soil physical and chemical properties and maize yield under drip irrigation condition. The results showed that, compared with no-straw returning treatment, the treatments of straw returning combined nitrogen fertilizer with 300 and 450 kg·hm -2 reduced soil bulk density (0-20 cm) by 3.3% and 5.4%, but increased soil porosity by 3.7% and 7.1%, respectively. Straw returning combined with nitrogen with 300 kg·hm -2 and 450 kg·hm -2 was the best treatment which increased soil organic matter content, available K, P, alkaline N and total N in 0-40 cm soil layer. Compared with the non-returning treatment, straw returning combined with nitrogen fertilizer 300 kg·hm -2 significantly increased soil water storage by 13.6% and 22.1%, increased maize yield by 31.1% and 46.0 % in 2017 and 2018, respectively. The analysis of yield components showed that the high maize yield was achieved mainly by increasing grain number and the100-grain weight. Curve fitting showed that the optimum amount of nitrogen fertilizer was 260 kg·hm -2 . Our results provide important basis for soil fertility improvement and sustainable production.

A new species of Cryptinae, Hylophasma luica Sheng, Li Wang, sp.n., collected from Shandong Province, in the southern border of the Eastern Palaearctic Region of China, is described and illustrated. The new species is placed within the existing key to species.

Over 1,000 compounds, including ecteinascidin-743 and didemnin B, have been isolated from ascidians, with most having bioactive properties such as antimicrobial, antitumor, and enzyme-inhibiting activities. In recent years, direct and indirect evidence has shown that some bioactive compounds isolated from ascidians are not produced by ascidians themselves but by their symbiotic microorganisms. Isolated culturable bacteria associated with ascidians and investigating their potential bioactivity are an important approach for discovering novel compounds. In this study, a total of 269 bacteria were isolated from the ascidian Styela clava collected from the coast of Weihai in the north of the Yellow Sea, China. Phylogenetic relationships among 183 isolates were determined using their 16S rRNA gene sequences. Isolates were tested for antimicrobial activity against seven indicator strains, and an antiproliferative activity assay was performed to test for inhibition of human hepatocellular carcinoma Bel 7402 and human cervical carcinoma HeLa cell proliferation. Our results showed that the isolates belonged to 26 genera from 18 families in four phyla ( Firmicutes , Actinobacteria , Proteobacteria , and Bacteroidetes ). Bacillus and Streptomyces were the most dominant genera; 146 strains had potent antimicrobial activities and inhibited at least one of the indicator strains. Crude extracts from 29 strains showed antiproliferative activity against Bel 7402 cells with IC 50 values below 500 μ g·mL -1 , and 53 strains showed antiproliferative activity against HeLa cells, with IC 50 values less than 500 μ g·mL -1 . Our results suggest that culturable bacteria associated with the ascidian Styela clava may be a promising source of novel bioactive compounds., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

Coronary artery disease has become a major health concern over the past several decades. We aimed to explore the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the ATP-binding cassette subfamily A member 1 ( ABCA1 ) and lifestyle factors with coronary artery disease (CAD) in dyslipidemia. This nested case-control study included 173 patients with CAD and 500 matched control individuals (1:3, case: control) from a district in southern China. We collected medical reports, lifestyle details, and blood samples of individuals with dyslipidemia and used the polymerase chain reaction-ligase detection reaction method to genotype the SNPs. The CC genotype of the additive and recessive models of rs4149339, together with regular intake of fried foods or dessert, increased the risk of CAD (adjusted odd ratio (OR) = 1.91, p = 0.030; adjusted OR = 1.97, p = 0.017; adjusted OR = 1.80, p = 0.002; adjusted OR = 1.98, p = 0.001). The AT + AA genotype of the dominant model of rs4743763 and moderate/heavy physical activity reduced the risk of CAD (adjusted OR = 0.66, p = 0.030; adjusted OR = 0.44, p = 0.001). The CT + CC genotype of the dominant model of rs2472386 reduced the risk of CAD only in males (adjusted OR = 0.36, p = 0.001). The interaction between rs4149339 and rs4743763 of ABCA1 and haplotype CTT (comprising rs4149339, rs4743763, and rs2472386) appeared to increase the risk of CAD (relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) = 3.19, p = 0.045; OR = 1.49, p = 0.019). Polymorphisms of rs4149339, rs4743763 and rs2472386 in ABCA1 and three lifestyle factors (physical activity, fried food intake, and dessert intake) were associated with CAD in people with dyslipidemia in southern China. These results provide the theoretical basis for gene screening and the prevention of chronic cardiovascular diseases.

Background: The bone morphologies of intact knees were measured and compared between Chinese and Caucasian populations. However, to assess if distinct designs of implants are necessary for the Chinese population owing to different morphologies and sizes, the knee measurements after osteotomy performed in total knee arthroplasty were evaluated., Methods: Thirty-seven Caucasian and 50 Chinese patients' knees were examined using computed tomography scans. Mimics were applied to reconstruct 3-dimensional bone models. Dimensions of the 3-dimensional knee models and simulated bone resections during total knee arthroplasty were measured using Geomagic Studio and Pro/ENGINEER. The morphologic measurements of the native and resected femur and tibia included the anteroposterior (AP) depth, mediolateral (ML) width, notch width, knee physical valgus angle, tibial slope angle, and the ML-to-AP ratio of the femur, tibia, and resected femur. Statistical analysis was performed using the independent samples t test and the Pearson correlation coefficient in SPSS for Windows. Values of P < .05 were considered significant., Results: No measurements were significantly different between the Chinese and Caucasian knees. However, the Chinese female showed significant differences compared with the Chinese male on distal femoral measurements both presimulated and postsimulated osteotomy such as a smaller mean ML-to-AP ratio in presimulated (1.3 ± 0.1) and postsimulated (1.3 ± 0.1) osteotomy., Conclusion: The necessity of designing a full set of total knee components specifically for the Chinese population is still undetermined. However, we suggest designing femoral components specific for the Chinese females because of different postosteotomy distal femoral ML-to-AP ratio between the Chinese males and the Chinese females., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate the effect of obesity on total knee arthroplasty, and on patient-reported outcomes., Methods: The longitudinal study was conducted from September 2013 to August 2015 at The Second Hospital of Jinlin University, Changchun, Jinlin, China, a tertiary hospital. Using universal sampling method, all patients who underwent elective total knee arthroplasty were included in the study. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire, Oxford Knee Score, and Short Form 12 Questionnaire. SPSS 19 was used for statistical analysis., Results: Of the 183 patients, 104(57%) were obese and 79(43%) were non-obese. The mean age was 63.7 ± 8.4 years and 65.0 ± 8.8 years in obese and normal patients respectively (p=0.31). A statistically significant association was observed with regard to Oxford knee score in both groups of patients (p<0.05). Overall, 7(8.9%) patients from the non-obese category and 23(22.1%) from the obese category presented with local complications, while another 7(3.8%) patients had to undergo a revised surgery., Conclusions: It is very important to equate the outcomes of the surgery in obese and normal individuals.

The authors investigated whether plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) is a predictive factor for arterial stiffness (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity [cf-PWV] and carotid-radial PWV) in 1447 patients from a 4.8-year prospective study in Beijing, People's Republic of China. Baseline tHcy showed a significant relationship with follow-up cf-PWV (β=0.817, P=.015) in a multivariable linear regression analysis. A stepwise logistic regression model showed that baseline levels of tHcy were significantly associated with follow-up cf-PWV in the adjusted models. Furthermore, the baseline tHcy levels showed a significant association with increases in cf-PWV. There was no association between the change in tHcy and increase in PWV. The present study clearly demonstrated an association between tHcy levels and arterial stiffness, indicating that tHcy is an independent predictive factor for arterial stiffness in a community-based population., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

One new diketopiperazine heterodimer, asperazine A (1), and eight known compounds, asperazine (2), cyclo(d-Phe-l-Trp) (3), cyclo(l-Trp-l-Trp) (4), 4-(hydroxymethyl)-5,6-dihydro-pyran-2-one (5), walterolactone A (6), and campyrones A-C (7-9), were isolated from an endophytic fungus Aspergillus niger. Their structures were determined unequivocally on the basis of extensive spectroscopic data analysis. This is the first report of the presence of compound 3 as a natural product. Cytotoxicity test against human cancer cell lines PC3, A2780, K562, MBA-MD-231, and NCI-H1688 revealed that compounds 1 and 2 had weak activities.

Objective: Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is the most frequent complication arising after cardiac surgery, occurring in 30% of cases. Amiodarone is the most effective drug for prophylaxis and treatment. However, because of significant extracardiac side effects, only high-risk patients are eligible for prophylactic amiodarone therapy. We performed a randomized prospective study of 100 patients undergoing cardiac surgery with epicardial application of amiodarone-releasing hydrogel to determine the effectiveness of preventing POAF., Methods: After institutional review board approval, 100 patients, from January 2012 to July 2013, who had undergone cardiac surgery, were randomized to 2 equal groups. The study group received poly-based hydrogel with amiodarone sprayed diffusely over the epicardium. The control group underwent the procedure without the spray. Continuous telemetry monitored for POAF, and amiodarone levels in the atria, plasma, and tissue were measured postoperatively. Daily electrocardiographic parameters were measured until postoperative day 14., Results: The incidence of POAF was significantly less in the study group, with 4 of 50 patients (8%) incurring atrial fibrillation compared with 13 of 50 patients (26%) in the control group (P < .01). The mean amiodarone concentrations in the atria (12.06 ± 3.1) were significantly greater than those in the extracardiac tissues (1.32 ± 0.9; P < .01). The plasma amiodarone levels remained below the detection limit (<8 μg/mL) during the 14 days of follow-up. Bradycardia was observed less in the study group (76 ± 29) than in the control group (93 ± 18; P < .01)., Conclusions: Epicardial application of amiodarone-releasing adhesive hydrogel is a less invasive, well-tolerated, quick, and effective therapeutic option for preventing POAF at minimal risk of extracardiac adverse side effects., (Copyright © 2014 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To elucidate the potential impact of intraoperative blood loss (IBL) on long-term survival of gastric cancer patients after curative surgery., Methods: A total of 845 stage I-III gastric cancer patients who underwent curative gastrectomy between January 2003 and December 2007 in our center were enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to the amount of IBL: group 1 (< 200 mL), group 2 (200-400 mL) and group 3 (> 400 mL). Clinicopathological features were compared among the three groups and potential prognostic factors were analyzed. The Log-rank test was used to assess statistical differences between the groups. Independent prognostic factors were identified by the Cox proportional hazards regression model. Stratified analysis was used to investigate the impact of IBL on survival in each stage. Cancer-specific survival was also compared among the three groups by excluding deaths due to reasons other than gastric cancer. Finally, we explored the possible factors associated with IBL and identified the independent risk factors for IBL ≥ 200 mL., Results: Overall survival was significantly influenced by the amount of IBL. The 5-year overall survival rates were 51.2%, 39.4% and 23.4% for IBL less than 200 mL, 200 to 400 mL and more than 400 mL, respectively (< 200 mL vs 200-400 mL, P < 0.001; 200-400 mL vs > 400 mL, P = 0.003). Age, tumor size, Borrmann type, extranodal metastasis, tumour-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, chemotherapy, extent of lymphadenectomy, IBL and postoperative complications were found to be independent prognostic factors in multivariable analysis. Following stratified analysis, patients staged TNM I-II and those with IBL less than 200 mL tended to have better survival than those with IBL not less than 200 mL, while patients staged TNM III, whose IBL was less than 400 mL had better survival. Tumor location, tumor size, TNM stage, type of gastrectomy, combined organ resection, extent of lymphadenectomy and year of surgery were found to be factors associated with the amount of IBL, while tumor location, type of gastrectomy, combined organ resection and year of surgery were independently associated with IBL ≥ 200 mL., Conclusion: IBL is an independent prognostic factor for gastric cancer after curative resection. Reducing IBL can improve the long-term outcome of gastric cancer patients following curative gastrectomy.

In most Old world monkey species, TRIM5α plays a role in combating retroviruses and restricting HIV-1. Alongside TRIM5α, the TRIMCyp fusion gene formed by the retrotransposition of a CypA pseudogene cDNA to 3' terminal or 3'-UTR of TRIM5 gene in these monkeys has become a key research area in anti HIV-1 factors. The regional differences, gene frequencies, genotypes, and retrovirus restrictive activities of TRIMCyp vary among different primate species. While the frequencies of cynomolgus TRIMCyp have been studied in several areas of Southeast Asia, the frequency and prevalence of cynomolgus TRIMCyp in China remains unclear. In this study, we screened 1, 594 cynomolgus samples from 11 monkey manufacturers located across 5 provinces in China. Our results showed that the frequencies of TRIMCyp range from 7.65% to 19.79%, markedly lower than the frequencies found in monkey species in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia (ranging from 34.85% to 100%). We speculate that potentially the latter were isolated groups established since 1978. The NE haplotype frequencies of cynomolgus TRIMCyp were 4.93% in China, also significantly lower than those found in species in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia (from 11.1% to 14.3%). Our research provides interesting findings that contribute towards a more firm basis of further studies of HIV-1 animal models and relevant pathogenesis.

The presence and distribution of typical of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), which comprise two types of polycyclic musks (PCMs) including Galaxolide (HHCB) and Tonalide (AHTN) as well as six types of estrogens containing estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), estriol (E3), 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2), diethylstilbestrol (DES), and bisphenol A (BPA), were investigated at two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Jiangsu, China. Only raw wastewater was treated in WWTP A while WWTP B was serving an urban-industrialized area. In the influent, the concentrations of EE2 (2193-4437ngL(-1)), E2 (1126-1170ngL(-1)), and DES (268-421ngL(-1)) were generally higher than the previously reported values, whereas the concentrations of HHCB (306-316ngL(-1)), E1 (29-129ngL(-1)), E3 (53ngL(-1)), and BPA (26-176ngL(-1)) were much lower than those reported in other previous studies. In addition, AHTN was not detected in either WWTP and E3 was not found in WWTP B. The detected processes including anaerobic/oxic process (A/O), combined orbal oxidation ditch process (C-orbal OD) and anaerobic/anoxic/anoxic/oxic membrane biological reactor (A/A/A/O-MBR) showed higher removal efficiencies for HHCB (67-71%) and EE2 (87%) than those in other previous studies. Besides, the total hydraulic retention time (HRT) ranged between 6.7 and 20.0h, sludge retention time (SRT) ranged between 8 and 23d, and water temperature ranged from 24.8 to 28.2°C. The removal efficiencies for estrogens in biological processes were related to the following factors: the level of hydrophobic estrogens, the type of removal process (C-orbal OD was consistently less efficient in removing estrogens than A/O and A/A/A/O-MBR), and a high SRT or HRT (A/A/A/O-MBR with higher SRT and HRT showed higher and more stable removal of hydrophobic estrogens)., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A total of 29 strains of Bifidobacterium were isolated from 18 samples of human feces in different ethnic minority regions of China. All isolates were identified as Bifidobacterium longum (9 strains) and Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum (20 strains) based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. These strains were preliminarily tested for their suitability to become probiotics by assessing their ability to survive adequately at low pH conditions and their tolerance of different concentrations of bile salts and simulated gastrointestinal juices. In vitro tests were sequentially used to predict the survival of these strains in the simulated conditions in the human gastrointestinal tract. These strains were first exposed to pH 2.5 for 3h, and 7 out of the 29 strains were discriminated from the others by their high survival rates. Out of these 7 strains, 4 were found to grow and survive well at an even lower pH of 2.0 and in high bile salt concentration. Apart from the gastrointestinal survival capacity, both fermentation efficiency and storage characteristics are important criteria for selecting for suitable potential probiotic strains. Therefore, the fermentation efficiency in bovine milk and the bacterial viability during the storage in the resultant fermented milk were also evaluated for these 4 selected strains. In this study, we isolated and identified 29 novel Bifidobacterium strains. Based on our initial evaluation, at least 4 of them may serve as valuable resources for further dairy probiotic strain selection., (Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We report herein the identification of 18 novel Mafa-A alleles in cynomolgus macaques of Vietnamese origin., (© 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.)

Objective: Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) is an autosomal recessive disease resulting from the deficiency in the lysosomal enzyme alpha-L-iduronidase (IDUA). The present study was conducted to identify IDUA gene mutations in attenuated (MPS I H/S and MPS I S) patients with MPS I in northern China., Methods: Fourteen exons with adjacent intronic sequences of the IDUA gene in 11 MPS I patients were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the PCR products were sequenced directly and origin analysis was conducted., Results: Seven mutations were detected in the 11 MPS I patients, i.e., c.236 C to T (p. A79V), c.266 G to A (p.R89Q), c.265 C to T (p.R89W), c.532G to A (p.E178K), c.589G to A (p.G197S), c.1037T to G (p.L346R), and c.1877 G to A (p.W626X). All of them were known mutations. Six patients were homozygotes and 1 was heterozygote with nonsense mutation. In addition, 9 reported single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) were detected, i.e., p.A8, p.A20, p.H33Q, p.R105Q, p.A314, p. A361T, p.T388, p.T410 and p.V454I., Conclusion: The mutation spectrum of the IDUA gene in attenuated MPS I Chinese patients may be different from that in patients from other countries.

Bioautographic assay on TLC plates was adopted to guide the fractionation of the Et2O extract of Homalia trichomanoides (Hedw.) B. S. G., which led to the isolation of the novel p-terphenyl derivative trichomanin (= 4,4''-dihydroxy-1,1':4',1''-terphenyl-2',3',5',6'-tetrayl tetrakis(phenylacetate); 1), together with five known compounds: 3alpha-methoxyserrat-14-en-21beta-ol (2), 3beta-methoxyserrat-14-en-21beta-ol (3), 3beta-methoxyserrat-14-en-21-one (4), atranorin (5), and methyl 2,4-dihydroxy-3,6-dimethylbenzoate (6). Their structures were determined on the basis of spectral data (1D- and 2D-NMR, MS), X-ray crystallographic analysis, and chemical transformation. Compounds 3, 5, and 6 exhibited antifungal activity against Candida albicans, with minimum inhibitory doses (MID) of 2.0, 2.0, and 0.6 microg, respectively.